CHAP. I.

THese two Parables, as Pharao his twoo dreames of the seauen fatte kine, & seauen eares of corne,Genesis 41 are in effect but one. Both of them chalke out the way that we must walke, that we seeke not happinesse out of the way, as E­ [...] hunting venison,Genesis 27 was preuented of his blessing.

It is wonderfull how the world is greedie of the world, striuing for it as beggars for a doale; preying vpon it,Iob 8 as the Eagles on the altares, and as the busie Birdes vpon A­braham his sacrifice.Genesis 11

These raue with Rachel, Giue me children, [...]r else I die: Giue me worldely riches,Genesis 10. plea­sures, and desires, or else I die: doating vpon this Dittie with the ruder rowt, Happy are the [Page 2]people who are in such a case, Psalme 144 whose sheepe bring forth thousands, & ten thousands in their streets &c. which the Singer of Israel mendeth with his harpe, trebbling and quauering melodi­ously in this manner; Yea happy are the people who haue the Lord Iehouah for their God.

Now,Numb. 12 because it is our custome to set wor­ser things first, and to esteeme more of oni­ons, & the flesh-pots of Aegypt, than of hea­uenly manna with the older Israelites; to pre­ferre trash before treasure, swine before our Sauiour with the greedy Gergesines;Mathew 19 to tur­moyle our selues with Martha about manie things,Luke 8 Luke 10 Luke 3 and neglect the chiefest thing, which was Maries choice: here the Holy-ghost an­swering like Iohn Baptist too, what shal we doe? setteth vs (as it were) in the kings hie way that leadeth vnto heauen, that guides vs to a trea­sure of incomparable value, to a Pearle, and Purchase of the greatest price and profite whatsoeuer.

Hitherto our Sauiour hath spent much speech, about the preaching of the Gospel, which else-where hee termeth,Matthew 4 The Gospel of the kingdome, and in this place, The Kingdome of heauen, because it is the key that openeth heauen doore, and the right path that brings vs to heauen: sampling it to triuiall and trifl­ing things, that are of common vse, in certain [Page 3]former speciall Parables, as to Corne, Leauen, Mustard seed, and a Field, in the which, with good wheat, tares and darnell, and other wild weedes did spring vp and grow together.

Now, because these meane comparisons should not cause vs deeme the Gospel to bee meane, he matcheth it heere with matters of most moment with a Treasure, with a Pearle of inestimable riches; to reforme our iudge­ment in spiritual cases, that we shuld set more highly by them then we doe, as there is good reason why.

Dauid was so highly conceited of the scri­ptures, as defining them,Psalme 119 hee doubteth not to prize them, aboue great spoyles for value, and thousands of gold and siluer, yea all manner of ri­ches, Psalme 19 Psalme 119 and to preferre them before the hony, & the hony combe for sweetenes; and when he en­deth to define, he beginneth to admire, Won­derfull are thy testimonies, I haue seene an end of all perfection, but thy commandement is excee­ding broade, vnderstanding infinite.The necessi­tie of this Treatise. Psalme 107

This doctrine is more than necessary for these dangerous dayes, wherein the greater sorte abhorreth this meate, and their souls (as saith the Psalmograph) is at deaths doore.

The Diuell, the Bel-wether of the Politi­tians of our time, resembleth in conditions,A similitude. subtile souldiers in the wars, who hauing won [Page 4]a Castle or strong Tower, do stop and shutt vp all passages by the walles, that none by a­ny secret entry may come in: the deuill sca­ling the territory of our heart, & seating him­selfe in it, prouideth with sleight and cunning enough, that the casements, portalles and eies of our soules, and our eares, should be stop­ped, and throughly closed vp, that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ,Hebrewes 1 the cha­racter, image, and brightnesse of his father might not shine into our harts to our eternall comfort.

The cluish disposition of these the diuell [...] darlings, the kingly Prophet hath narrowly obserued, thus portraying, and desciphering it oriently in colours,Psalme 38 They are like vnto deafe [...] Adders, stopping their eares, refusing to heare the voyce of the charmer, charme he neuer so wisely [...] for as the Aspe setting one eare to the groūd and with his taile couering the other,A similitude. is deafe [...] and sensles at the voice of any charme; so men [...] thus madly minded, their cogitations partely being fixed vppon earth, and the taile of the red dragon of the other part hiding them, the voyce of the Preacher is not heard of them.

A huntsman chasing & pursuing a deere [...] laboureth not so much,A similitude. to take him with his handes, as to wound him with his arrowes whereby he is sure of him; the diuel this cur­sed [Page 5] Nimrod and huntsman of our soules, dri­ueth at this onely, that our hearts being din­ [...]ed with his deadly darts, & our inward man strucke downe vnto the ground hee finding vs there groueling, he may gripe vs as he list, and snatch vs away with him.Psal. 91. The Lord deli­uer vs from the snare of this hunter, and from his noysome pestilence.

But his schoole is very great, his mischiefe horrible, and the occasions hereof are many.Hypocrites.

The Pharises and glorious hypocrites of our age, a viperous generation, painted and spotted brauely without, like to vipers skins, but inward, like vipers full of rancke corrup­tion, do derrogate much from the dignitie of the word, and debase the Pearle and Trea­sure ouermuch;A similitude. whilest like the Smiths boy that doth nothing but blow, their workes are nothing answerable to their wordes. The e­nemies of the trueth doe scandalize and blas­pheme the blessed worde of God, viewing, and considering their corrupt and sinfull liues.

The Saduces, Epicures, Polititians, Num. 22. and Politicall Na­ [...]als, whose god is their gold, whose pleasure is their treasure, who sauour nothing but the things of this earth:1. Sam. 3. are blind with Balaam with their eies open, and so dimme eyed with [...]dely, as they can not see the cleere lampe of [Page 6]God burning in the Temple:Rom. 1 whilest they seeme wise, they become fooles, and fall a­way with the deceit of Balaams wages,Iude. vers. 11 and perish in the gain-saying of Chore. These are those that make a mocke of Gods worde, and haue the Preachers of it in exceeding great contempt, accounting themselues Ce­dars, and the other the briars, and thistles of Le­banon.

The wisedome of these men fancieth not so much that wisedome of the spirite, it is thought but simple in comparison of theirs. They suppose themselues able, with the row­ling of an eie, and as it were, with a breath, to attain to a sufficiencie of knowledge thereof. Once reading cursorilie of the Bible is e­nough with them, and by a part, they conie­cture of the whole, and therefore they seeke after another Schoole-master, and a deeper wisedome, then the wisedome of Gods spi­rite.

But little do these know, what a librarie of learning, & store of al wisedome is to be had out of the blessed Bible: nay, how many sun­dry points, both of Doctrine & Maners, are couched and contained vnder one period and sentence of the Scripture.

As those that are Wine-drawers,A similitude. by one draught of wine into a siluer bowle, doe pre­sent [Page 7]vnto the buyer, an experiment of the whole: so the new wine of the worde, being [...]ut into new vessells, hath bin tried what it is, by a smacke, and small taste out of one place of Scripture, that hath bin drawn out vnto vs.

This I dare avouch, that no booke of hu­mane eloquence, hath euer beene so patheti­cally and perfitly penned, so garnished with ornaments and figures of Rhetorick, of such a subtile wisedome of perswading (as I may so say) of such a grace in setting forth one thing, such sundrie kinds of waies. There is none who hath sufficiently bin taught out of this book, or hath learned Christ enough: That which is there contained, we know but in part, many things the spirite hath reserued to himselfe, and kept shut from vs, that we might be his schollers vnto the end of the world.

The earth is not clothed with such sundry sortes of plantes, fruites, and sweete hearbs, as the Lordes Eden and garden of Scripture is adorned and set forth with most comfortable constructions. In sorting and matching mans [...]earning with this, it is to compare the barren mountains of Belboa, with the fruitfullest Pa­radise of the whole world.2. Sam. 1.

A Pearle is not knowne of what valew it is,A similitude. but of Lapidaries and craftes-men of that [Page 8]trade, who haue iudgement in it: Oh that we had iudgement to consider of the worth and worthinesse of this Pearle! that we knew that it were such a treasure as it is.

I counsaile therefore our vnwisely wise men,A similitude. to blincke with cunning gunners with the one eie of carnal wisedome, that the eie of the spirit may better hit the marke, that we should all shoote at, and obtain the price that is set before vs.

The third sort of people,The Papists. who like vnto swine, treade this Pearle vnder foote, are our Popish Centaures, who would haue Gods candle hidden vnder a bushell, and not to be set vpon a candlesticke on high, to shew light round about,Math. 5. Math. 6. who haue made the whole word of God of none effect with their lewd traditions, who are growne past grace with the common harlot, that permitteth euery knaue to haue accesse vnto her, going a who­ring after euery balde inuention, which is, to play the harlot with those whom Hierome the Prophet taxeth vnder euery green tree.Hier. 2. Iude vers. 12. These are trees without fruite, twice dead, and plucked vp by the roots: for as the open strumpet, who without any difference, admitteth all com­panions alike that come vnto her, is alwaies barren, and without fruite of womb: So the Romish strumpet admitting into the lapp [...] [Page 9]and bosome of the Church, a confused cha­os of very rascall rudiments, no maruaile it is that they are barren of grace, and the immor­tall seede of Gods most holy word cannot regenerate and better their affections.

The fourth and last enemie,Tyrants. but not the least, is the Cyclopicall Tyrant of this worlde,2 Reg. 9 whose marching is like the marching of Iehu the son of Nimshi, who marched furiously: who aduance their cruelty aboue the starres,Ierem. 3. and offer villany and defiaunce to the throne of Gods maiesty; men of whoorish foreheades that cannot be ashamed, casting out all wic­kednes, as a fountayne casts out water. This pretious Pearle, fit to be worne in the Dia­deme of princes, is trampled vnder foote, and cast out by these wretches, as the clay in the streetes. These lay Iacob waste,Psal. 79 and destroy his inheritance, and spil bloud like water on euery side of Hierusalem. This the church of God, by too too lamentable and wofull ex­perience, hath felt continually; as Iacob by E­sau, the Israelites by the Aegyptians, Anna by [...]eninna, Elias by Achab, Amos by Amasiah, the latter church of God by Lucian, Iulian, Porphiri, and such like. Cain may not brooke Abel, because he sacrificed: nor the brethren Ioseph, because he diuinely dreamed: nor Saul Dauid, because he sweetly singed: nor Deme­trius [Page 10]Paul, because he so plainely preached.

As dogs cannot abide the sound of bells,A similitude. so these hellish hounds yalpe and howle ex­treamely at the preaching of the Gospel. Isaiah must be slaine with a saw: Ieremy with stones: Daniel with Lions: Amos with a club: Peter with the crosse: and Paul with a sword: and true bearted Christians with all strange kindes of torments.

Wherefore to withstand such temptations as do grow vpon these occasions, that nei­ther hypocrisie may blind vs, or superstition deceiue vs, the pleasures of sinne allure vs, or any worldly feare affright vs; the Holyghost to great purpose compareth his worde to things of cheefest choice, the subiect, matter, and end of our desires, fitting himselfe to our distempered minds, as the good Phisitian to diseased bodies.

The Phisitian perceiuing his pained pa­tient,A similitude. thorough his euill disposed stomacke, to resist such diet as best maketh with his health, and to chuse that onely which feedeth his disease, tempereth and seasoneth those things so by art which he so much loatheth, with those things that he loueth, as by that which please him, he may the better take that which will ease him. Now because we are gi­uen to loathe the worde which we loue not, [Page 11]& like too much the world which we should not: vnder those things in the world as pearls and treasure which we loue most, to which he resembleth and compareth his word, he winneth vs to that which we loue so little; namely, to the better receiuing of his word.

And herein I seem to see the tender affe­ction of our louing father in his stile and course of writing,A similitude. how he imitates the nature of best affected mothers towards their tender children, who to please their fancies, do stam­mer and sute themselues to their kinde of speech, mincing and nibling their words like their children.

And because we are as greedy of worldly treasure, as Absalon of a Kingdome,2. Sam. 15. he spea­keth grossely after the manner of men, and abaseth his wisedom, applying it (as you see) vnto our worldly wisedome.

And I may not vnfitly liken him to an ex­cellent experienced angler,A similitude. who the better to toll fishes to his hooke, hath his choice, de­lightsome baites, that best do fit that purpose, to draw those that lie in the bottome to the toppe: So the wisedome of God here angling for our soules, angleth (as you see) with a gol­den hooke and the best baite that is, at which he knoweth well, we will be sure to bite with stomacke enough, that we that are in the bot­tom [Page 12]of miserie, may be brought vp to the top of all felicitie.

Sithens therfore the word is of that worth, I hope for the gaining it we will easily swal­low vp such former hookes, as are laide to catch those that haue a loue heereof mentio­ned before: and wilbe so wise to esteeme it as we should, and embrace and honour the lo­uing kindnes of our God, who hath opened vnto vs the treasures of his house, and hath powred out the riches of his mercies on vs.

Seemed it not to be grace enough that we were so created after his owne image in righ­teousnesse, and holinesse?Ephes 4. that we were made partakers of so many of his blessings, and that it was his pleasure to giue vs a kingdom? vnlesse he also followed vs with ouerflowing fauour, by giuing vs his word, in the which he hath wrapped and sealed vp his wil, wher­by we may know what legacie he hath giuen vs, and how we may be able to attaine vnto this kingdome? Herein is more then fatherly affection towardes vs, and it is as needfull, as comfortable vnto vs. For if the Prince should say to any of vs: If you shall be conformable to my lawes, and obsequious to my wil, I wil aduance you, and bring you to honour; but if you shall be obstinate and rebellious, you shall haue iudgement without delay, and the [Page 13]sword shall consume you: and this prince should conceale and keep close his laws from vs, whereby we are not able to coniecture of his wil, were not our estate and condition ve­ry miserable?

In the whole mappe of Scripture fixe we our eies on Nabucad-nezzar, only the anoto­my of mans life, without knowlege of Gods word.

He dreaming a dreame which none of his dowty Doctors could vnfold, how moo­die and melancholy was the man vpon it? into what a furie and extasie was he driuen,Dan. [...]. looke but how the storie doth portray out his passi­ons. And in this case should we be, had not the Lord bin gracious to his seruāts, in giuing his lawes vnto Iacob, his statutes and ordinan­ces vnto Israel, in deliuering vs state and pos­session of his Kingdom, by these charters and court-rolles, euidences and deeds surrendred vnto vs.

This is the instrument which God hath v­ [...]ed from the beginning of the world, wherby it hath pleased him to work our saluation, as the parable of the vine sufficiētly insinuateth, to the pruning, trimming, & dressing wherof, there were labourers successiuely, from the first hower, to the last, sent into the same.

It is one of the first arguments of the Lords [Page 14]furie,Amos. 8 that when he meaneth to be a sharp schoole-master vnto vs, his hand shall be so heauie vpon vs, as he will smite vs with a spi­rituall famine of his word, wherein he shall handle vs manifold more roughly then if he should haue pulled both our armes from our shoulders.

Else-where denouncing vengeaunce a­gainst vnrighteousnes,Isai. 3. he threatneth to strip them, and depriue them of the Prophet, the interpreter and vnfolder of his heauenly ora­cles.

Herevnto answereth this denuntiation of the Lordes iudgement:Hosea. 3 The people of Israel shall be without God, without Priest, without Law: Marke how he confoundeth them, and makes them both one, to be without a priest, and to be without a God, as they are indeed. For, Homo sine doctore, est vt coecus sine ductore; A man without a teacher, is like the blinde without a leader: like sheep without a shep­heard, subiect to the wolfe, easily to be wur­rowed, like a ship without a pilot, splitten of rockes, Syrtes and sandes, easily ouerwhelm­ed.

Let a man be neuer so grieuously sicke,A similitude. we despaire not of recouery, so long as he hath help and benefite by phisicke; but if phisicke faileth him,Isay. 1 he is a dead man, and [Page 15]there is no hope of him: our head is sick,Isa. 1. and our whole body is heauy, there is nothing whole within vs, yet there is good hope, so long as we are comforted, by this heauenly phisick of our health and saluation; but want this, and want altogither, there is no help and recouery to be had.

Be the handy-crafts man and artificer ve­ry beggarly,A similitude. yet so long as he is not driuen to sel away his tooles, but keepeth them by him, he may be able to prouide for his liuing: but if he palter away the instruments of his trade, he may take him to his heels, for it is impossi­ble he shold hold vp his estate: Let the world [...]owne vppon vs as much as it will, we are well enough, so long as the old and new in­strument of the word is preserued among vs; but if that be once gone,Psalm. 109 we shall all like run­ [...]agates continue in security, and be driuen to [...]ke our trade in desolate places. But of the [...] further dignitie, and necessitie here­of, he sequeale shall en­treate.

CHAP. II.

AS Iob saith of wisedome,Iob 28 so it may be saide of the word of God, the wisedome of the spirite. It is not t [...] be valewed with the wedge of gold o [...] Ophyr, nor with the precious Onyx, nor the Sa­phire: The Gold nor the Cristall is not equall vn­to it, it shall not be exchaunged for plate of fin gold. No mention shall be made of the Corrall o [...] of the gabish, for it is more precious then pearles The Topaz of Aethiopia shal not be equall vnt [...] it, neither shall it be valewed with the wedge o [...] pure gold.

The name of a treasure containeth vnde [...] it, whatsoeuer is to be named: and when w [...] haue named all, in comparison of the word, [...] is like a candle set before the Sunne which vanisheth before it, and like a stope of water to the huge Ocean sea, which is nothing vnt [...] it.

The place wherin this Treasure is, is hea­uen, so that our conuersation must be heauen [...] (as the Apostle teacheth vs) if we will attain [...] vnto it: The Lord high Treasurer is the sp [...] ­rit of God, and his Vnder-treasurers, wh [...] [Page 17]haue also keyes thereof, are his able ministers of the new Testament,2. Cor. 4. that carry about this Treasure in their earthen vessells. Men, for their outward persons, that are base,1. Cor. 4 the very abiects, and excrements of the world, such as the Prophets & Apostles were before them, vulgar and meane men, as shepheards, fisher­men, Publicanes, and such like. But the in­dignitie of our persons derrogateth nothing from the dignitie of the word: There is none so vnwise as to forsake a Treasure, for the basenesse of the bringer; gold is gold, from whose hands soeuer it come.

If the King should send a general pardon,A similitude. to all condemned captiues in his kingdome, by some pittious poore person, the pouertie of the Purseuant disgraceth nothing the gra­tiousnesse of the pardon, it is of as ful power, and no doubt, should be as welcom, as if one of the Nobles of the Court should haue [...]rought it. The facultie of this gift, and riches of this Treasure, is from God alone, neither dependeth it vppon the person of a man: wherefore, respect ye not what we are, but what we bring vnto you, and what it will make you, if you esteeme it as you ought.

To him that faithfully runneth his race,2. Tim. 4. finisheth his course, keepe [...] the faith, we doe not here propound an O [...]e braunch, an [Page 18]Oaken garland, a Lawrell bough, as monu­ments of his stout stratagems and actiuitie; we set not vp for his memorial, marble, siluer, or golden pillers: But we teach him that his name is written in heauen,Hebr. 12. that he shall haue an inheritance among the faithfull, that he shall be free denison of his heauenly Ierusa­lem, that he shall haue true and euerlasting Treasure, and finaly, be made the deere child of God, in his deere sonne Christ.

A Treasure properlie, is a store of al pro­uision, seruing, not only as a supplie for pre­sent wants, but for al future haps, and necessi­ties whatsoeuer.

The word is this Treasure, is respect of Christ, the obiect, subiect, and argument of the word:Col. 2 In whom all treasures of wisedome, and knowledge of his father are hidden. Col. 1. In whom the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily doth dwell, who is made to vs of God his Father,1. Cor. 1. wise­dome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemp­tion. The bread of life, Iohn 6. whom whosoeuer eateth, he shall hunger no more. Iohn 4. The water of life, which doth away the thirst, of our drie and droughtie soules.Iohn 8. The light of the world, which whosoeuer followeth shall neuer walke in dark­nesse. The doore by which we haue passage,Iohn 10. and possession of the kingdome of heauen. He hath also prepared a table for vs, and seats [Page 19]of estate, therevpon of sit as Iudges vpon the twelue tribes of Israel. He is therefore a true treasure, surmounting all other kinds of trea­sure whatsoeuer: so as, hauing this, we haue our generall quietus est, and neede not looke after the gold of Ophyr, or the mines of India. But with gladsome hearts may take vp this Antheme and dittie of Dauid, Psalme 23. The Lord is my Shepheard, therefore I can want nothing. He shal bring me to the green pasturs, and leade me forth to the waters of comfort. And breake out with the Apostle into this sentence of thankesgi­uing.Ephes. 1 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Ie­sus Christ, who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Iesu Christ.

Let God do so & more to me (for I willing­ly sweare so deepely in so deuout a cause) if from hēce, as from a fountain, from a root,Ruth 1. 1. Sam. 3. & from a treasure, al needful graces, temporal & spiritual, lawfully to be wished or conceiued of vs, do not stream, spring, & come vnto vs. There are many I doubt not that beleeue not this report, and but few to whom the arm of [...]he Lord is reuealed: yet be perswaded,Isay 53. but to make experience of it, to come to his word with reuerence and religious deuotion, rather like a Bee to gather sweete hony, then a Spi­der to sucke deadly poison out of it, and thou shalt find thy selfe framed in a new mowld, [Page 20]metamorphosed and moulted into an other forme:Acts 2. we shall be led to confesse as it is in­deed; that as the holyghost filled the house, so this is a treasure that filleth the heart, that it is of that working, that the water of that well was of which Christ did speake vnto the wo­man of Samaria, Iohn 4. He that drinkes of this water shall thirst no more.

The word of God raiseth vppe the dead, regenerateth the liuing, healeth the sicke, and preserueth the whole: delighteth the godly, reclaimeth the wicked, lightneth the blinde, warmeth the cold, comforteth the sad, and confirmeth the desperate. The want of this, is the high way that leadeth to the chambers of death, and deadly misfortune. For from hence onely proceede vaine hope, trembling feare, consuming care, furious lust, boiling couetousnes, fretting enuy, & fuming anger, & the whole black gard, rablement & retinue of malignant mischiefs, of impotent affectiōs the carbuncles, boils & botches of our soules.

Infinite are the attributes to expresse his properties, which are giuen to the word: It is called Light, Bread, Wine, Medcine, a Sword, a Hammer, a fire, Seede. Light, because with his orient brightnesse it illuminateth our mindes, informing them, and induing them with heauenly wisedome. Bread, because it [Page 21]sustaineth our hungry soules,Psalm. 107 and filleth our empty soules with goodnesse, strengthning and staying vs in the way of godlines. Wine, because it cherisheth mannes heart with the gladsome memory of his mercies & promi­ses, and maketh him mery with the ioy of his countenance. Medicine, that it healeth our putrifying sore, swellings, and corruptions. A Sword, that it diuideth betweene the soule and the marrow,Hebr. 4. and heweth asunder all our workes, and affections that are sinfull. A Hammer, because it battreth and mollifieth our hard and stony consciences. A Fire, be­cause it kindleth the spirite, and the loue of God within vs. And Seede, because, it being sowed in the furrowes of our heartes, by the spirit of God our husbandman, it is of verie great increase and cast, in some, an hundred, in some, threescore, in othersome, thirty fold.

Since then the vse heereof is so great and manifold, and extendeth it selfe so farre, why worketh it not these wholsome effects in our [...]nfull consciences? why is it still as a dead letter vnto vs, as bitter to our taste, as is the very gall, or the water of worme-wood, and we can not digest it?

If Gods word be a light, why walke wee not in this light, but groape at noone day, & [...]t stil in palpable and damnable darkenesse [Page 22]of horrible ignorance?

If it be Bread, why doe we not as the An­gel say de to Iohn, Take this booke and eate it? Reuel. 20. but we do still remayne hungry like dogges, and goe about the city.

If it be Wine, why do we not powre out, take our fil of it, and make our hearts cheere­ful and merry with it?

If it be Medicine, why do we not bind it to our blisters and wounds, to drawe out the rancor and corruption of them, and to make vs whole?

Since it is a Sword, why do we not with it cut the cordes of vanitie, and cart-ropes of iniquitie, and hew all the bondes of vngod­linesse asunder?

If it be a Hammer, why doth not the noise of it grate thine care, and the power of it breake thy heart;A similitude. but thine eares like Smiths dogges vsed to such noyse, giue no heed vn­to it: and thy heart more hard and stubborn than the adamant, yeeld not a whit at all the blowes therewith?

If it be Fire, why doth it not take holde of sin, & consume our wickednes like stubble and melt all the vngodly of the earth like drosse? and inflame and lighten al our heart with Gods loue?

If it be Seede, why commeth it not vpp [...] [Page 23]and take deepe roote in vs? but we are stil as waste ground, which hath not beene sowed at all?

The raine is alone which descendeth vp­on the corne, and vpon the thornes,A similitude. but the effect is not one: for it falles vpon the corne to ripen it for the barne; but vpon the thorn, to fit it for the fire. The gracious deaw of the blessed worde of God, hath beene great among vs; it behooueth vs to see to his ef­fect, whether this moisture doth bring vppe thornes within vs, oringendreth good seede.

Goe to then, now tell me, what is it that thou wantest? and, tel me whether this be not a treasure, and a store-house, to furnish euery want.

Doost thou hunt after honour,2. Cor. 4. and praise of men? by this shal euery man haue praise of God. Doth thy heart couet after riches and [...]ong life? beholde,Prover. 3 the length of dayes is at his right hand: Riches and plenteousnesse is in his house. Dauid resteth wholly conten­ [...]ed with this, The Lord is my portion. Moses before him preferreth Christs rebuke before [...]he coffers and riches of Aegypt, Hebr. 11 All the ri­ches that are in the world, make not an end of [...]his ioyful haruest; for it is not shut vp vnder the promises of this life,1. Tim. 4. but it stretcheth to the promises of the life that is to come. The [Page 24]Spirite speaketh euidently,Psalme 34 They which seeke the Lord, shall want nothing that is good. An­swerable wherunto is this Aphorisme of our Sauiour,Matthew 6 First seeke the kingdome of God, and this shall be the Porter that shall bring in all your liuing, all other things shall be put into your mouthes.

If ignorance doth trouble thee, here thou maist haue knowledge: if heauinesse, com­fort: if doubt, counsaile: if feare, hope: if dispaire, encoragement: if temptation, pro­tection.

The latter Dauid with these small smooth stones,Mathew 41 smote the hairy scalpe of our ghostly Goliah, and put him to confusion. And the former Dauid with his shield and buckler did beare off brauely the buffets that sinne gaue him,Psalme 119 I did hide (saieth he) thy Lawe within my heart, that I might not sinne against thee.

There is no age, or sexe, or condition of persons, that hath not a great benefite, and treasure of the word. It is a rule for the yong man to square his life, and for the old man to order his death.2. King. 4 It is vnto the poore instead of the meale, that tooke away the bitternes and death of that hearb which was in the pot it giueth them comfort in the midst of al thei [...] sorrowes. It sheweth the rich man, how to vse his riches, it teacheth the Senatour wisedome. [Page 25] So that euen as Ioseph had no vse of Astronomie, because he had the gift of pro­phesie, so he needeth not any other riches, that hath this imcomparable riches of Gods spirit.

Since therfore we so diligently read books of humane learning, from whēce we obserue nothing, but either common-wealth disci­pline, or gouernement of health, or precepts oeconomicall, or points of husbandrie, or in­uentions of trades, or allurements vnto plea­sures: how much more ought our whole stu­die be set vpon Gods law, by which God himselfe speaketh face to face vnto vs, by which the mind is exceedingly comforted, disquiet thoughts dispelled, the whole man enabled, beyond all imagination to euery good worke?

Be thou of what mould and constitution that may be, here is argument and reading for thy turne. Art thou of a graue and seuere dis­position and doth nothing but a sad and au­steare stile delight thee? here is law agreeable [...]o thy humour. Is thy heart so obdurate, as nothing but iudgement, and terror can soften [...] repaire vnto the Prophets, whose dreadful comminations are hammers and thunder­boltes, and as scepters of yron to beate them vnto powder. Art thou light hearted and of [Page 26]a iocund, and delightsome nature? heere is psalmodie and harmonie for thy fancie. Art thou philosophically and grauely bent, and delightest thou to heare concise, and curious sentences?Psal. 78. the Lord here openeth his mouth in parables, and declares vnto thee hard sen­tences of old: Reade Iob, Ecclesiastes, the pro­uerbes of Salomon, and there are quicke in­uentions sutable to thy vaine. Last of all, art thou nice and curious in thy reading, and doth nothing but Chronicles and antiquitie affect thee? there are none such braue anti­quaries as the pen-men of the Scripture, the admirable actuaries & historians of all times. Thus euery kind of way whither soeuer we turne our selues, and name what we will, we haue here a tresure to beare out al our wants. So as it seemeth not vnlike a princes armory,A simiiltude. which affoordeth plenty of all sorts of armor and implements of warrefare, sutable to eue­ry condition of person, whether of tall or low stature, whether of strength or weaknesse of body.

What is worldly treasure which we esteem so much, but base and vile in comparison of this which we esteem so little? Paul not being able to find out with himselfe a worser thing to which he might compare it, likeneth it to dung.Phil. 3. A homely comparison, yet fitting [Page 27]right the nature of the thing. For what is it else, being considered as it is? what is the sub­stance stance of our chiefest treasure, as of gold, sil­uer, or the Onix stone, but the very guts and exhalation of the earth?Luke. 16. The gorgeous glut­ton who was in the ruffe, robed in purple: what was the matter of it, but the wooll of dead beasts, and what was the die and colour of it, but the excrements of the shel fish? His lawnes and daintie diapers, what were they, but the barke and the skinne of the flaxe? His delicate dishes sent from his dresser, what were they but the carcasses of beastes, birds, and fishes? his pompous pallace was nothing else but a confused lump of earth congested together.

And if I should leade you with a long dis­course, and recite of particulars, I must brand them on the foreheads with Salomons make,Eccle. 1. Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie.

There is nothing earthly, stable and per­manent: The word of God only endureth for euer.

Our life passeth away swiftly like a post, [...]ur youth wax soon old, fortune often frow­ [...]eth, and riches ebbe and flow,A similitude. Isai. 4. as the waters of the sea, and resemble harlots, who do no­thing but flatter, coozen, and forsake vs. The people that calleth thee blessed, deceiueth thee [Page 28]saith the Prophet Isai, Trust not this flatter­ing and deceitfull world, which will kill thee with culling thee, as Ioab did Amasa, and Ia­hel did Sisopa. It wil promise thee one thing, and giue thee another thing, as Laban, who promised Rachel vnto Iacob, Gen. 29 and foisted in Leah, It promiseth thee prosperitie, and it gi­ueth thee aduersitie, tempering poison in a golden challice, like the whoore of Babylon.

What did all the treasure and pleasure of Aegypt availe to help Pharao, when as in the height and top of his gallantnesse,Exod. 14. the waters ouerwhelmed him, the depths couered him, and his whole hoast did sincke to the bottom like a stone?

Nabucad-nezzar had trussed vppe much treasure, and had brought in the wealth of the whole world, into his exchequor and treasu­rie at Babylon, he stalked in his galleries, and crowed pertly like a cocke vppon his dung­hill: Is not this great Babel which I haue built, Dan. 4. for the honour of my kingdome? But his comb was soone cut, he soared vp so high in the lightnesse of his mind, euen as the bird by the lightnesse of her feathers, but he was made come downe with mischiefe enough, and of the other side brought as low, driuen from his court and courtly retinue, and dieted, cou­ched, and driuen among beastes.

Baltasar braued it passingly for a time and who but Baltasar? but this lustinesse lasted not,Dan. 5. for imediately he saw vpon the plaster of the wal his definitiue doome, which brought him to his dumpes, perplexed his thoughts, dissolued his ioynts, knocked his knees toge­ther, and what good then did all his treasure do him?

Most miserable therefore and wofull is their estate, who preferre this earthly which is so fraile and fickle, before the celestial trea­sure of the worde which abideth for euer: wherevnto shall I liken such a generation? They are like vnto dogges,A similitude who will not de­part from the drie bone they gnaw vpon, for any peece of money: or like Aesops cocke, that hauing found a great iewell in the dung­hill, is desirous to permute it with a barly kar­tell.

If thou fearest that thy corne will foist in lower ground, to preuent such mishap,Aug. in Psal. 89. thou caust hoist it vp to a higher granerie. Thy [...]asure which thou cofferest & hoardest vp [...]earth, will canker and corrupt in this case, therfore be as prouident for thy soule, as thou [...] carefull of thy corne for the sustenance of thy body, & lay vp such prouision as is need­full for it, in the highest loft, where it may lie safely, & be as forward to lift thy soul to hea­uen, [Page 30]as thou art to lift vp higher vpon any oc­casion thy graine heere in earth: if thou askest how, and art herein desirous to b [...] taught? I answere with Augustine the pullies gables, ladders, & instruments hereunto be­longing, are thy wel qualified and godly af­fections. Thy loue is the captaine that giueth the onset, the foote of the soule, according [...] this proposition of S. Augustine, Amor men pondus meum; Amore feror quocun (que) feror. My loue is my burden, whither soeuer I am car­ried, it is loue that carieth me. Base account [...] made of some kind of money, in a double re­spect, partly, because the substāce is but base [...] and partly, because it is false, and counterfei [...]

Such is the treasure which the world yee [...] deth vs,Psal. 12 the word of God onely is of simpl [...] substance, purer thē gold, yea then fine gold purer then the siluer which hath bin seaue [...] times in the furnace purified.

Bagge vp therefore such money as is cur­rant, and will be sure to goe for payment it the resurrection of the iust.A similitude. Send thy treasure thither, whither thou art sure to goe, as th [...] merchant-factor laieth out his mony abroad to be repaide it at home.A similitude.

We are here trauellers and pilgrims vpon earth, and haue no certaine dwelling place As trauellers cannot carry any great burde [...] [Page 31]with them, neither is it wisedome to bestow [...]st there, where ye may not abide, so to rake up treasure here, from whence we must al de­part, and to burden our selues with heauy leades of worldly possessions in our trauell towardes heauen, is both importable and ab­surde.

Looke not thou for water to be yeelded to thee out of the flintie stone,Similitudes. or wooll to keep thee warme from the asses backe. It is mad­nesse to hunt the windes with a net, it is lost labour to build vpon the sand, and to draw vp water with a syue. Haue recourse to Mo­ses, the Prophets, and Apostles and from these fountaines which can neuer be dried vp draw waters of saluation. Lay this good [...]undation, and it shall be like Mount Syon, Psal. 125 which can neuer be remooued.

Let the glutton in hell,Luke. 16. out of the middest of the flame, desire that some preacher might be sent from the dead, to fore-warne his bre­thren: we mindfull of the censure, & reproof [...] the Prophet: what?Isai. 8 from the liuing to the [...]ad? heare Moses, & the Prophets: to whom [...] we shall haue diligent accesse, we do not [...] our hands in a beggars wallet, but into a [...]ore-house, and treasurie of wealth which [...] neuer be spent.

The holy Scriptures are like a deepe well,Similitudes. [Page 32]and fountaine, which is not to be drawne ou [...] and emptied by a bucket, but the more y [...] laue it forth, the fresher it runneth: or like t [...] gold or siluer, which, the more you rubbe i [...] & turn it with your hands, the brighter it ap­peareth: or like vnto fire, which, the more it i [...] blowne, the cleerer it burneth. These simili­tudes fal wel into our purpose since the scrip­tures vse them, & the word of God is compa­red vnto them. For as these things are cheef­est in request, and excell all others: so God [...] worde easily doth excell, and ruleth ouer all.

Let the Poets therefore stand vpon thei [...] numbers, odes, and verses, and draw them from their fained and farre fet fountaines Helicon, Castalio, Parnassus, and such like: w [...] haue the word from heauen, published to th [...] church vpon the mountaines. Sinai, Sion, an [...] Hierusalem. Let the Heathens hunt after thei [...] idle imaginations, and run into the holes an [...] caues of the earth, to their worm eaten oakes to their paltrie pillers; for their oracles are di­rections in all their proceedings, we insteed [...] of these broken reedes, doe wholly rest ou [...] selues vpon the sure foundation of the word [...] which standeth fast for euer.

Pithagoras may parley as long as he please [...] with owles, and with Eagles. Apollonius Thy [...] aneus may listen till he list after the chirping [Page 33]and piping of birdes: we lend our eares alone [...]o the God of heauen, the creator of al things, by Moses, the Prophets, his sonne Christ, and [...]he Apostles speaking vnto vs.

Let worldlings delight them selues still if [...]hey will, in their foolish wisedome, or wise [...]oolishnes, or continue blinded in their rude, [...]nd grosse ignorance, or gape still for gold, [...]he very garbage of the earth and with wret­ched Esau, hunt for venison abroad, we shall [...]ūt with blessed Iacob for a blessing at home, [...]e shall lay vp treasure for our selues in hea­ven, we shall climbe the mountaine of this worldly wisedome, and treade it vnder feete: whereby we shall behold as in a cleere re­ [...]on, the secret mysterie of al heauenly wise­dome, and all the spiritual treasure of sal­uation; which grace, the Lord giue vs.

CHAP. III.

MOses the law-giuer to the Lordes people, being to set foorth Gods preceptes vnto them, that they [Page 34]might be the more zealous of them, he put­teth this peremptorie preamble vnto them. These wordes which I commaund thee this day, Deut. 6 shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt rehearse them continually to thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou tariesT in thine house, & as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest vp. And thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house, and vpon thy gates.

Thus he trimmes his matter with sundry ornaments and circumstances of art,A similitude. to make it to be loued, as a woman deckes her selfe with a great number of iewels, that she might be more esteemed.

Here is a muster of circumstaunces toge­ther, marching and following in very strange array: euery seuerall worde is the edge of a sharp sword, and the main blow of a beetle, to driue this wedge through our knottie block­ish consciences.

A man would haue thought he had vsed force enough, and made his matter sure with the first onset, in commanding, that this word should be within our heart, which is a casket & offer sufficient to keep it safe enough. For that is a castle and fortresse that repelleth the [Page 35]batterie of sinne. Wherefore Dauid saith,Psalme 119 I haue hidden thy commaundements in my heart, that I should not sinne against thee.

But not so satisfied, he requireth further, that we rehearse his precepts to our children, and that as a Nightingale, who hath got a pleasant note, is alwaies harping and chirp­ing vpon it, we should alwaies dilate and de­scant vppon them, when we come into the house.

But, albeit domesticall study and quiet, much furthereth meditation, yet a further aske and labour is enioyned vs, namely, that whilest we are in our iourney, and the out­ward feete of our bodies runne their waies, [...]he inward feet of the mind and soule should [...]unne with Dauid, the waies of Gods com­mandements.

And yet as though this worke thus en­ [...]yned vs, were not enough for vs, he com­mandeth moreouer, that couching and lying [...]owne, our minds should watch and waite [...]erevpon. This seemeth to be such a hard [...]eece of seruice, as the like wherof, no master [...]seth to lay vpon his seruant, who among vs [...]o so abridge their seruants of their naturall [...]est, as to exact and claime that time which is [...]ue to rest, to be spent in our affaires.

One would thinke now he could goe no [Page 36]further, but that he must here stop and set vp his rest: but behold, assoone as we are out of our sleepe, and do cast vp our eies, he setteth worke enough before vs. For to helpe our memories that are weake and slipperie, he willeth vs to weare them as rings vppon our fingers, and bind them as signets vpon our hands, and yet as though the hand were too farre distant, and remooued from the heart, and for all this helpe and good meane, might be forgetfull, he prouideth that his precepts should be the obiect of our senses, in setting them as frontlets betweene our eies, which may alwaies rub and quicken vp our memo­ries.

And yet there wants this clause to make ful the period. Thou shalt write them vpon the posts of thine house, and vpon thy gates, that thy studs, gates, and portals, at thy ingresse, and egresse, may be publike preachers to thee.

Now thou,Deut. 33 Iosua. 14 O man of God, let me aske thee this one thing; why dost thou amplifie and enlarge this matter, and giuest such let­ters of commendation vnto it? No doubt thy answere is, that treasure of much worth, hath need to be wel kept, and that pearles of cheef­est price, which are easily lost, should be fast tied to ribbands, and warily locked vp.

It is to much purpose that the word is sam­pled [Page 37]and patterned to a pearl, and a manifold and comfortable vse we haue hereof, and it liuely setteth forth the dignitie, nature, and ex­cellencie of the word.

This Pearl is the omnipotent and eternal word of God, properly so called, for sundry good respects, whether we consider the sub­iect, matter, or form, manner, and operation of the pearle.

For the matter of it,Plinius. it consisteth wholy of the dew of heauen, which a certain shel-fish, vsually at a set and certaine season of the yeere draweth to it self, as natural philosophers and historians do report: now how in this pro­perty it fitteth Christs nature, the kingly Pro­phet sheweth vs directly in this wise.Psalme 110 The fruit of the womb is of the dew of the morning. Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest. in Mat. quaestio 13. Ille ad margaritam iam ipsam peruenerat, quae integu­mentis mortalitatis quasi ocncharum obstaculis, inter profunda huius saecnli at (que) inter duritias saxeas Iudaeorum aliquando latuerat. Christ now, (as saith Augustine) grew vnto the very substance of a pearle, inclosed and shut vp in virgins womb, and mantle of mortalitie, as it were in the shell, and couerture of the fish, ly­ing hid a while in the depth of this world, as it were in the sea, and among the cragged rocks of the people of the Iewes.

The forme of the pearle is orient and gli­stering, [Page 38]and exceeding beautifull, wherein it hath a notable agreement with this word, as the same father in the same place thus witnes­seth, Verbum Domini lucidum candore veritatis, & solidum firmitate aeternitatis, & vndi (que) sui simile pulchritudine diuinitatis. The word of God shineth through the brightnesse of the veritie, it is firm and sound through the soli­dity of eternity, and it is in al parts alike in the beautie of diuinitie.

The vertue and operation of the pearle is great, and for diuers vses is exceeding medi­cinable, among other, to remedie the panting of the heart, to quicken, comfort, and restore the vitall spirits, to depell and driue away the giddinesse, dizzinesse, and swimming of the head. Now how all these conspire in one in Christ, and are compleate in him, and are brought to passe in vs by feeling experience, by the operation of the word, it is as cleer and apparant as the Sunne.

This was that which was Dauids comfort, and quickened him in the midst of his trou­ble.Psalme 119

The want of this,1. Sam. 28. droue Saul into all per­plexed and pittiful passions, and most despe­rate designements, whilest he rowled in his melancholy and mad moode and bethought himselfe, how God was departed from him, [Page 39]and aunsweared him no more, either by Prophet, or by dreame.A similitude. This is the comfor­table electuarie of our soules, made by the art of the best Phisitian, and approoued by long experience as most excellent.

This is that aqua vitae, which doth,A similitude. not on­ly slack and alay our thirst, but worketh with­in vs to the quickning of our life, when it is dead in sinne.Iohn. 6 Therefore Peter calleth it the word of life, saying: Lord, whither shall we goe? thou hast the words of eternall life. And Christ calleth it life. This is life eternall, Iohn. 17 to know thee the true God, and him whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ.

There is no sinner so swallowed vp of sinne, so dead and buried in it, whome the woorde can not quicken and rayse vp a­gaine.

It cried out to the drie and dead bones in the field, and loe they were knit together,Ezech. 37 the flesh came vpon them, and the skinne aboue couered them, they breathed, liued, stoode vpon their feete, and became a mightie ar­mie.

Lazarus who had lien foure daies in his graue, was quickned by this word.Iohn. 11

As the bodie liueth by his bodily food,A similitude. so doth the soule by his spiritual foode: the food and diet of the soule is the word. But herein [Page 40]this food exceedeth much the other, that this is effectuall and liuely to the dead, but the o­ther is nourishable onely to the liuing. Take thou heede therefore of the wretchles regard and loathsomnesse of the word, since it is thy meate.A similitude. For as among the diseases of the body, there is none more desperate then his, whose stomacke either loatheth or retaineth not his meate, the strength of his life, without which the body dieth: so he, whose soule abhorreth this meate, is in all extremitie, and is brought according to the saying of the prophet,Psaim. 107. euen to deaths doore.

What man is so desperately and irrecoue­rably sicke,A similitude. who doth not gladly heare that Phisitian, who doth but barely make him promise of his health, albeit he be not able to performe it? wherefore since Gods word is life of it selfe, and healeth all infirmities, suffe­reth vs not to be giddie in the spirit, or wauer in the faith, but giueth vs assurance of our e­ternal saluation, ô deare and precious! let this pearle be in our sight.

Let the Poets boast of Orpheus as they please, who with musicke tamed sauage beasts: of this we are most sure, that Gods worde hath reclaymed and altered beastly minds,Act. 9 and of Apostates, hath made them Apostles, of purloyners of Gods secrets, and [Page 41]merchandizers of the word, hath made them the faithfull dispensers of his mysteries.

Paul very expressely laieth out so much, whenas portraying out our counterfeit, as it was, without Christ, after whose glorious i­mage we haue bin perfected and transform­ed, he indigestly shadoweth vs out with a blacke coale in this mishappen manner. We our selues also were in times past vnwise, Titus 3. dis­obedient, deceiued, seruing the lustes, and diuers pleasures, liuing in maliciousnesse and enuy, hate­full, and hating one another. Likewise, leading vs along with a rehearsall of sundrie enormi­ties which we rifely committed, he inferreth therevpon, that this was our estate, but the case is altred with vs, we are washed, sanctified, 1. Cor. 6. and iustified, in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of God.

Be we neuer so profound and deeply wise in humane wisedome, it may beseeme vs well to seeke after this wisedome, as a Pearle of greater price and vertue than the other.

Solomon, the wisest that euer was, saw verie manifestly, that wheresoeuer the vncreated wisedome of God spake,Prouer. [...] it spake of excellent things, euen things seemely for Princes. And al­though some places are shallow enough for the lambe to wade in, yet there be some deep enough to drowne the very elephant: of the [Page 42]which we may say with the holy Apostle, Oh the deepenesse of the counsailes and wisedome of God! Rom. 11. how vnsearchable are thy wayes, and thy paths past finding out? One Plato is woorth a thousand vulgar men, the Scriptures surpasse all the writings in the world.

Loe, thou that arte so highly conceited of thy selfe, and thinkest thou canst see farre be­yond the Moone, imagining that a Preacher can speake nothing vnto thee, but that thou knewest before, or that he is not able to stirre thy affections,2. Sam. 11. 2. Sam. 12. I wish that Dauid might bee a president vnto thee, to reforme thy iudge­ment, who being mightily inspired with the Spirit, yet for al his wisedome dwelt stil in the damnable ignorance of his sinne, without re­morce of conscience, vntill the liuely voice of Nathan the Preacher pierced his heart, open­ed the eyes of his vnderstanding, and taught him knowledge.

Nabuchadnezzar hadde a vision of a tree,Dan. 4. which was a figure of his fortune: but all his wisards in court and country coulde not lay it open, but he tormented himself with the hid­den mysterie of it, vntill Daniel did vnfolde it.

Paul was a choice man,Actes 22. of very rare parts and induments of mind, traded vp in learning at Gamaliels feet,Actes 9. a doctor of the law mightily read, and checked by his aduersaries openly, [Page 43]for ouermuch studying of himselfe: yet for al [...]s priuiledge of his wisedome and learning, [...]e was sottish and senslesse, vntill hee entred [...]to Christ his schoole, his learning was but a [...]ead letter vnto him, vntil the spirit quickned [...]im, and he was sent to Ananias, who inform­ed him what to do.

If the Spirit openeth not the doore of thy [...]ppes, thou speakest like a Parrot,A similitude. thou canst [...]ot tell what, as Caiphas, who prophecied and [...]reached of Christ, but didde not know so much.

Trust mee, there is no estate of life more miserable, than to remaine in ignorance of the word, and no estate happier, than to haue the knowledge of it. What say I of this Pearle? [...]hat it easeth panting hearts, dizzie heads, and theereth vitall spirits, this word is [...], and [...], it is all in all vnto vs.

If Saul be madde thorow melancholy,1. Sam. 16. if Dauid play these songs and ditties vppon the harpe, his frensie leaueth him, and his minde is againe quieted.

This charmed the very diuell, and made him swell, he did burst when he did set vpon our Sauiour, putting him to shame,Matth. 4. and to his heeles sodainly.

This curbled, and so ratled the ruffians that were sent from the Scribes and hie Priests,Iohn 7. to [Page 44]attach and arrest Christ as they had no pow­er ouer him.

It exhorteth, it threatneth, it inciteth, it re­claymeth, it instructeth, it conuinceth, it sing­eth, it mourneth it praieth, it detesteth, it com­mendeth, it disalloweth, it recounteth things past, foretelleth things to come, it singeth of mercy, and discourseth of iudgement. It ben­deth euery way like to soft waxe, to bend our stubborne consciences.

Paul in this especially commendeth his Timothie, 2. Tim. 3. that he hadde spent his time in the study of the Scriptures from his tender age, wherby he was able to shew himself a work­man, to cut the word aright, to doe the worke of an Euangelist, to be prompt and furnish­ed to euery good worke.

Thrice happy was the state and gouerne­ment of Israel, Exod. 28. which by Ʋrim and Thummim asked counsaile of the Lord; wee are nowe in blessed case, who haue the light and lanterne of Gods word set vpon an hill, set out in our pulpits, as in a candlesticke, by which wee haue Gods counsaile and direction for our doings: so as, hauing this Iewel and Pearle vpon our breasts voyde of all feare and trem­bling at the heart, freed from al wauering and vnstable wayes: and finaly, reuiued in our vi­tall spirits, wee take vp the songs and sayings [Page 45]of Gods saints. As with diuine Dauid, who merrily maketh this melody on his harpe and humble bandore,Psal. 27. The Lorde is my life and my saluation, whome then shall I feare? The Lorde is the strength of my life, of whome then shall I be afraide? What if hostes of men beset me? Psalme 23. yet shal I not feare: and though there rise vp war against me, yet shall I put my trust in thee. And with Daniels consortes shew our heroicall and in­uincible stomackes, with faithfull heartes, say­ing, Beholde the God whome we worship, Dan. 3. he shall deliuer vs out of the fiery furnace. And wyth peerelesse Paul, commune the case, and chal­lenge all aduersary power into the field, and expostulate thus with them,Rom. 8. Who shal seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde? And wyth hym, when wee haue seene all that they can doe, be of this courage and resolution with our selues, that nothing shalbe able to sunder and diuorse vs from the fauor of the Lord.

But all this while heere is but one Pearle spoken of, to which the word of the kingdom [...]s compared. And not without good cause: For there is but one at one time ingendred in [...]he fish, and it seemeth, that the name that is giuen vnto the Pearle, which is called, Ʋnio, expresseth this his nature, which signifieth One.

In this it hath a fitte allusion vnto Christ, who is our sole and alone mediator, and hath no other, either Angel or Saint to share, and partake wyth hym.1. Tim. 2. There is but one Mediator betweene God and man, the man Christ Iesus: Neither is there saluation in any other else: Actes 4. For there is no name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued, Iohn 6. but the name of Iesus: For whither elso shall we goe? Lorde thou hast the wordes of eter­nall life.

As all the light and brightnes of the starres proceede from one Sunne,A similitude. so all our righte­ousnes proceedeth entirely from one Sonne of righteousnes, Iesus Christ only.

As Pharao sayd to Ioseph (which name in the Egyptian language is a Sauior) I am Pha­rao, Genesis 41. and without thee shal no man stirre his hand, or his foote, in all the land of Egypt. So may it be sayde of Christ, that wythout him wee are able to do nothing of our selues:Math. 28. For all po­wer is giuen by his father vnto him, both in heauen and earth.

One sunne alone chaceth away the foggy darkenes of the night;A similitude. there are infinite other starres, but all of them shining and glistering together, and putting to their power, are not able to dispell it. I graunt that they are to vs as lampes and burning torches, and minister great light, but yet the blacknes of darknesse [Page 47]doth remayne, and is not expelled by them. The only sonne of God hath done away our night, and hath turned the darkenesse of our grosse ignoraunce, into the day-light of his glorious gospel shining into our hearts: God hath also giuen vs many helpes besides, by which he hath much illuminated our minds, as men of learned skil, much seene in philoso­phy and poyntes of humane learning, who shine as smaller stars in the firmament of this world; but these haue caried, as it were, a can­dle before the sunne, which vanisheth before it; it hath not remoued the night from vs, but thicke clowdes, and darknes hath still ouer­shadowed vs: onely Christ, the brightnes of his Father giueth cleere light to vs that sit in darknes, the light that lightneth the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel.

Since then one Pearle supplieth all our wants, what neede we more than one?Luke 2. The starres of heauen are many,A similitude. because they are [...]mperfect, and one of them seuered, can not giue such light as all of them conioyned. The [...]tarres are many, because their light is little, [...]herefore that which is wanting in them sin­gularly, is supplied by them generally. But [...]here is but one sunne, because his light is suf­ficient of it selfe, hee needeth not the ayde of [...]lanet or of starre to encrease his light: So [Page 48]Christ is light enough, and in him is no dark­nes, he is a sole and sufficient Sauior, and ther­fore he abideth no copartners with him.

Augustine by a plausible and plaine simi­litude thus dilateth vpon this poynt,August. and ma­keth the matter manifest: The golde which thou possessest can not bee thy siluer. Thou canst not call thy bread which thou eatest, thy wine: but Christ may be said to be instar om­nium, all in all vnto thee. And herein he on­ly satisfieth and contenteth himselfe, and this is as the Philosophers stone vnto him, and the golden mine, desiring nothing in comparison of this, or beside this alone, saying in this sorte: O Lord, I require nothing but thee, for thou arte onely my Doctor and Doctrine, Physi­cian and Medicine, the sole preparer and per­fecter of my minde, my loue and louer, my gift and giuer, my life, and the only preseruer of my life.

But the learned Schoole-man Gregory pa­raphraseth pathetically and properly vppon this poynt:Gregorie. I consider (sayth hee) the fathers of the olde and new Testament, Dauid, Da­niel, Amos, Peter, Paul, Mathew, and mine eyes of faith are fully fixed on them. He inspireth the yong harper, and he maketh him a Psal­mist. He breatheth vpon the babe, and hee is wiser than the aged, and is made their Iudge. [Page 49]He giueth the simple shepheard and heards­man in the field, the wisedome of his Spirite, and he becoms a famous shepheard and pro­phet of the people. He calleth the fisherman, and immediately hee angleth and fisheth for men, and with his nets draweth thousands at once from the bottomles pitte of eternall de­struction, to the highest top of their eternall saluation. He enlightneth the persecutor, and he prooues a passing Preacher of an erratical and wandring starre, a fixed starre, keeping his station, a starre that is in the right hand of Christ. He reclaymeth the customer, and [...]he impure Publicane, and loe, he becomes a blessed actuary and penne-man of a Gospel.

Since therfore all riches and graces of god doe streame from one fountayne, since one [...]oote ingendreth and bringeth forth all fruit, since one and the same spirite is the craftes­ [...]an of al trades, and the founder of al know­ledge; were it not better for vs to be acquain­ted with this on [...] which is the porter that brin [...]eth in al our exp [...]r, then to runne to vnder­ings, inferi [...] vp [...] base creatures, which shall [...]euer be able to supply our necessities?A similitude. What [...]eggar beggeth almes of his fellowe beggar, whenas a right honorable and liberall noble­man passeth by him, and is ready to bestowe greater almes vpon him? We are but beg­gars [Page 48] [...] [Page 49] [...] [Page 50]brats in this world; from the sun, moone, and starres we do begge our light, from the earth we begge our bread, from beasts, birds and fishes we begge our meate and clothing; and what do these yeeld vs without the Lord, or in comparison of the Lord? let our recourse therefore and sutes be vnto him.

What maruell is it that this one spirit shuld worke all things in vs,A similitude. since one minde ruleth all the senses and faculties of the body? and stirreth vs vp to such infinite kindes of acti­ons?

Be perswaded therefore to make purchase of this Pearle, whatsoeuer it dooth cost thee beeing that which Christ calleth,1. Pet. 11 the hidde [...] Manna, and Peter, the ioy vnspeakeable, and Dauid, Psalme 36 the fountaine and wel of all pleasures, and which in this parable is set at a high rate.

This the diuell laboureth especially to de­priue vs of, knowing in his subtilty, that it is o [...] that woorth. For, as pyrats on the seas prin­cipaly do bend their force [...]inst those ship [...] which they knowe to bee [...] with gold [...] pearle,A similitude. and treasure, and go [...] of greate [...] wealth: so, such as are indued with heauen [...] riches, and fraught wyth the graces of his h [...] ­ly spirite, and beare about them this pearle [...] peerelesse price: against such, this rouer an [...] pyrate of our soules especially layeth his dan­gerous [Page 51]assaults, and shootes his fiery dartes.

The Spirite here in a subtile kinde of wise­dome (as I may so say) to win vs to the word, suteth himselfe in his forme and frame of speech to our fancies, and affections:A similitude like a skilful angler, couering his hook with a plea­sant baite, to toll fishes vnto him; setting out his speech with most delightfull wordes, to drawe our soules vnto him.

The hope and expectation of gaine set be­fore vs, rowseth vs vppe, plucketh vs by the eares, and causeth vs to stirre, and abide all aduentures, He that eateth, eateth in hope: 1. Corint. 9 and he that thresheth, thresheth in hope. The hope of a good haruest hartneth the husbandman all the yeere long, to all tedious toyle and tur­moyle of his body.

The souldier giueth a hardy onset, and dreadeth no danger, vpon the comforte hee conceiueth of a conquest, of sharing out the [...]poyle, and of a bountifull booty at the last. The Huntes-man, for the loue he beareth to his game, in expectation of his sport rangeth about, and vnder-goeth all wrathfull spite of [...]ny colde and tempestuous weather: finally, [...]here is nothing, of which we haue any hope, which is not as a spurre to pricke vs forwarde vnto any attempt, whereby we may atchieue [...].

Dauid, [...]. Sam. 17. before hee gripleth with Goliah of Gath, first communeth about the case, asketh the standers by, What shal bee giuen to the man that ouercommeth him? And when aunswere was returned, that the King woulde bestowe great treasure vpon him, and giue his daugh­ter in marriage vnto him, and woulde make him free denison in the land of Israel: Dauid had enough, the hope of this reward foorth­with gaue him boldenesse and stomacke e­nough to fight hand to hand with him.

Nowe, if it shall be asked what that man shall haue that shall ouercome the spirituall Giant, the world, and the flesh: wee answere, that treasure at his pleasure shalbe giuen him, he shall haue a Pearle of incomparable price bestowed vpon him. And we send him yet further vnto Esay the prophet, who more at large acquainteth him with the kings minde, heerein giuing him to know,Isaiah 64. That the eie hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, neither hath the heart of man conceiued the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him.

Whenas God would breede in the breasts of the Israelitos, Num. 13. a louing and longing desire after Chanaan, hee did set their teeth on edge with the fruite of the land, with a cluster of grapes pomegranats, and figges, which those that searched the land brought with them, & [Page 53]presented to their view. To rauish our hearts with a desire of heauenly things, a taste wee haue heere of a heauenly rewarde, which wee shall receiue for it.

The treasure and pearle that is heere na­med, is as much as our sense is able to con­ceiue: but yet it sufficiently defineth not vn­to vs the riches of Gods kingdom. In a word,A similitude. it ouer-matcheth all worldely treasure and pearles, as much as the sunne in brightnesse exceedeth all the starres besides in the firma­ment.

It is the manner of our subtile merchants,A similitude. to shew the buyer the best end of their cloth, but to deceiue them with the worst, the mid­dle being nothing answerable to the end. But Christ farre otherwise descending into this worlde, to sell vs his glory, sheweth vs heere a peece of his wares, wherein an endlesse trea­sure and a pearle of highest price is folded, and wrapped vp: but if we could vnfold the end, without end, the height, and depth, and measure of his grace, howe woulde the sight thereof astonish our hearts with vnspeakable admiration?

Christ demeaneth himselfe in that affecti­on towards vs as the father towards his child,A similitude. who to get him to the schoole, of which he is afraid, because of the rod, hee sheweth him a [Page 54]gay thing, and promiseth to giue it him, and the childe thereupon obeyeth his father, and goeth to schoole willingly. Christ in like ma­ner entreateth vs his children, to repaire vnto his word, which is our common Schoole, we are dismaied hereat, as the childe is at the rod: forasmuch as this worde is Seuior magister, a rougher Schoolemaister to dull and carelesse schollers. Therefore, to hearten vs the better heereunto, he sheweth vs a Pearle; for which (if we be wise) we shalbe willing to step for­ward to this schoole, to attayne to all know­ledge.

The respect of the reward minisheth (saith Gregory) the rigor of the rodde.

When the Assyrian souldiers behelde the comely beauty and feature of Iudith, Iudith 10. they saith among themselues, who woulde not fight for Israel, which affoordeth such faire and beau­tifull women? so may wee say, who woulde not fight against the diuells assaultes for the kingdome of our God, which yeeldeth such a munificent and honourable a rewarde?

Here in this life by our entire and duetiful conformity to the word, we presently do pos­sesse a treasure and pearle of peculiar passing price: but after all this life, all endlesse felici­tie, whenas at his glorious comming in the clowdes, he shall change our base bodies, and [Page 55]make them like his owne glorious body,Phil. 3. by the admirable impotent operation of his po­wer.A similitude. So as, though we be heere as vilde and filthy ragges, raked out of a dunghill, which to view, can not but prouoke the stomacke, and procure vomite, yet brought to the mill, and cast into the water, and afterwarde well grinded, it maketh very white, smoothe, and fine paper. The Lord open our eies to see this, and our hearts and affe­ctions to desire it daily.

CHAP. IIII.

THE worde of God is not sim­ply compared to a Treasure, but to such which is hidden and is digged out of the ground.

It is hidden, because the mysteries thereof are not open vnto all, but onely to such, to whom the Sonne hath reuealed them.Luke. 10. It is hidden from the wisedome, and reason of the [Page 56]world, and manifested vnto vs by the inspi­ration of the spirit. And so sayth Christ him­selfe: I giue thee thankes, Mathew 11 O Father, Lord of hea­uen and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise, and men of vnderstanding, and ope­ned them vnto babes, euen so, O Father, because it is thy will and pleasure.

Whenas Peter made that maine, and fun­damentall confession of Christ,Matthew 16 saying: Thou art Christ, the Sonne of the liuing God: Christ told him flatly, that it was the quicknesse and nimblenes of his wit, that found out this mat­ter, he could not see so farre with a carnall eie, but it was the eie of faith that reached so far, and the good will of his father that did make it knowne vnto him.

It is not in the power of the fleshly man (saith the blessed Apostle) to comprehend in his conceit the things that are of God.1. Cor. 2

Baruch would not giue the aduenture to go against Sisara, Iudg. 4. vnlesse he had the prophe­tesse Deborah in his companie: without the association of this heauenly prophesie, we are able to do nothing against spirituall wic­kednesse.

Paul was greatly booke-learned,Actes 9. and brought vp in vniuersitie, yet was this learn­ing hidden from his eies, vntil Christ, with a celestiall light at noone day stroke them, and [Page 57]enlightned them.

As God is vnsearchable, so are his giftes: the running head of man, hath attained vnto many and very mightie mysteries, and hath disclosed many things, which hath long laien in darknesse: but yet his ignoance is far grea­ter then his knowledge, a few things in com­parison of those that are hidden, are reuealed vnto him.

Whenas Croesus willed Thales to define what God was, he required time for it, and whē the time was come, he did stil put off his answere vnto further time, and continually being called, redoubled that time: for the more he meditated, the more he was con­founded, he could not attaine vnto it. So, to set downe the Treasure of Gods kingdome, and to comprehend the riches of his grace, the more we scan them, the more we demurre of them, it is like an intricate Laborinth, out of which we cannot get, it is a secret hidden from our eies.

If the bodily paine be sometimes so great,A similitude. as the extremitie of our passions do ouercom our senses and are distracted with it, and our sense is not able to set downe his sorrows, the pleasures of Gods kingdome, being like a great deepe, able to drowne and deuoure the Elephant, passing all vnderstanding, how are [Page 58]we able to wade through the same, and search the bottome of it?

It happeneth with vs whenas we would comprice in our carnall imaginations,A similitude. the e­stimation of this treasure, as it doth with them who seeing a picture of exact workmanship, howsoeuer curiously painted and varnished, yet not fully finished, they admire the passing perfection of it, deeming, that nothing can be added further to it: but the Painter him­selfe seeth well enough (hauing a further worke conceiued to himselfe then others can desire) how far it is distant from the hue and brauerie, which he mindeth to giue vnto it before he hath done with it. So thinke we, as we will of the beautie of Gods house, of the inestimable treasures and pleasures of his kingdome, dispearse them, and extend them, as farre as we may by all imagination, we are bleare eyde with Leah, and we see with the blind man not yet fully cured,Mark. 8. men walking like trees, things nothing answerable to that they are indeede. Before the chiefe worke­man hath put his last hand to his image and counterfeit, it will shew it selfe wide and di­stant from our iudgement.

Some thinke that Coelum, which is called heauen, commeth of Coelo, which is to en­graue: and so it may well, for we see how it is [Page 59]carued, graued, and adorned, round about with glistering and orient starres. But I sub­scribe to them, who thinke that Coelum is ta­ken à coelo, which is to couer, hide, and con­ceale, because the treasure laide vp for vs in heauen is couered, concealed,2. Cor. 12. and hidden from our knowlege. For whenas Paul was snatched vp to the third heauen, he vttered more with silence, then he could with speech, for he plainely saith, he heard such wordes, which cannot be spoken, which are not possible for a man to vtter: for indeed, mans tongue in such kinds of cases, stammereth, and cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth, so disable it is to vnfold diuine misteries. So that our chiefest commendation of them, is our silence of them.Isai. 24. And this vse did the Prophet make of them to himselfe, who being ful of secret Re­uelations, kept them in a dutifull silence to himselfe, saying: My secretes are to my selfe.

God his wondrous workes so exceede all number, measure, and proportion, as it is more commendable to conceale them with a godly admiration, then to prie into them with a curious inquisition.A similitude.

Set a round bowle or globe in any place which is of that quantitie that may fill the [Page 60]place, and will that vast substance thinke you be dragged out of the narrow, and strait passages of the doore of that place? there is no reason so to thinke, the spirituall ioyes of heauen are of that huge capacitie and sub­stance, Cui magno nihil est magnum, [...]eneca. there be­ing nothing great in comparisō of this great, as they cannot enter into the doores of our soules, or be drawne through the portall and passage of our lippes.

The Queen of the South comming from farre to heare Salomons wisedome, [...]. King. 10 it perplex­ed and astonished her, and tooke her spirit from her: how much more shal the wisedom of the word, farre greater then Salomons, put vs to filence, and amaze vs sodenly.

Christ informing Nicodemus but in the rudiments of religion,Iohn. 3 and beginning with him at the first element of our redemption, pointing as it were with his finger, at the fountaine and head thereof, which is the loue of God to mankind, he handleth it so, as thereby we are not able to see the nature of it, for saying thus of it, so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne, this first word so putteth vs to a non plus. For how did he loue it? he loued it, but so, as cannot be ex­pressed. And he cannot speake otherwise, because hee knoweth Gods loue to be vn­speakable.

The blessed Apostle entreating of the passion,Heb. 12 not being able in particulars to ex­tend it, thus generally comprehendeth it, Consider him who hath suffered such shame for you. But Paul, what was this shame? why rip­pest thou not vp his stripes and his blowes, his mockes and his mowes: the crowne, the nailes, the speare, the crosse? because howso­euer they were liuely and sensible, yet were not sufficiently explicable and intelligi­ble.

We will you likewise to consider of the word, as of a Treasure, and a Pearle of great price. If further, we would know the vtter­most of his worth, the spirit answereth here, that it is hidden from vs, it is more then any is able to declare. The treasure of inward hea­uenly inspiration, the pleasure of diuine ce­lestiall consolation, the crowne of glorie laide vp as a reward of our bitter persecuti­on, and finally, God our father his most gra­cious compassion, by the tongue of men or Angels cannot be spoken of, they are hidden mysteries, that are too deep for vs.

This Treasure is hidden, because it hath neede of spirituall Reuelation: It is not so hidden, but that whatsoeuer is needful to sal­uation is opened vnto vs. God dealeth not as [Page 62]Poets, and Philosophers with the truth, who with the darke clowdes of their fabulous in­uentions, haue so eclipsed and obscured the cleere light therof, as the minds of the readers are confounded with them, and can giue no iudgement of it.

Gods spirit hath not so mocked & dallied with vs, as to set actuaries and penne-men a worke to engrosse such books, which being so perplexed, can minister no instruction & comfort vnto vs: in this kind of vaine may Apollo please himselfe. [...]. Pet. 1 God his worde is a light that shineth vnto vs out of a darke place. This booke howsoeuer it is sealed vp by the Lion that is of the tribe of Iudah, is broken open to vs.

Howsoeuer heretofore,Exod. 19 vpon the publi­cation, and giuing of the law, the Lord ouer­shadowed all Mount Horeb with a clowde, and with a thick clowd obscured the temple that was made by Salomon, and couered the Arke of the couenant with a vaile:1. Reg. 10 Christ the image and brightnesse of his Father hath dis­pelled this darknesse, chased away this cloud, & taken away the vaile. So that as Elias when he went vp to heauen,2. Reg. 2 left his mantle to Eli­zeus behind him, whereby he diuided the deep waters of Iordan; so Christ going vp on high,Ephes. 4 left his wisedom and gifts among men, [Page 63]whereby they might diuide the deepe miste­ries of the spirit contained in the scriptures.

If Pharao be nothing skilfull in his dream, let him send for Ioseph, who is able to inter­prete it.

If Nabuchad-nazzar his vision doth per­plex him,Gen. 41 if he calleth Dauiel he wil presently vnfold it.Dan. 2. & 4

Ananias will informe and acquaint Saul what he ought to do.Actes 9.

The Aethiopian Queenes Chamberlaine vnderstandeth what he readeth by the helpe of Phillip. So,Acts 8. if we find the Scriptures to be hidden, let vs send for preachers who may lay them open for vs.

But aboue all,1. Cor. 3. let vs pray for the assistance of the spirit of God, knowing that it is neither Apollo in watring, or Paul in planting that doth vs any good, but God that giueth in­crease: wee may haue heapes of Doctours, Preachers, and Schoolemaisters, but all in vaine, vnlesse this catholike and vniuersall doctour, sitte in the chaire and seate of our heartes, and reade a lecture vnto vs. For,A similitude. as the harpe or musicall instrument mooueth not the eares, but the cunning hand that stri­keth it: so the tongue of the Preacher auail­eth nothing the heart of the hearer, without the spirit that guideth it.

This treasure is not so hidden from vs, as the enemy would perswade vs, who prate, I know not of what Cimmerian darkenes, and obscurity vnsearchable, euery where obuious and occurrent in the Scriptures. The wilie tempter herein resembleth him,A similitude. who mind­ing to strike fire with his yron steele out of a flinty stone, looketh round about what ende of the same might be the fittest for it. There is no fitter end for him to strike out the sparks and fire of the grace of God, out of our stony consciences, than the worde of God is, which hee often striketh at, especially by his often suggestion vnto vs of the obscuritie of the word.

But doate ye not (beloued) vppon such a vaine & deceiuable dreame, the idle thought, and inuention of mans brayne,Psalme 19 The comman­dement of the Lord is pure, and giueth light vnto the eyes: The testimonie of the Lord is sure, and giueth wisedome vnto the simple.

Socrates, a Pagan and heathenish man, at­tributeth to the light of nature, thus much, as what questions he shal moue plainly in good order, albeit his Scholler shalbe dul and grose headed, he wil vndertake, shall aptly and na­turally be assoyled by him. And shal the Phi­losopher, in humane matters accomplish this much, and shall not Gods spirit, the Spirit of [Page 65]al trueth, the light of our blindenes, our al suf­ficient Schoolemaister, the ioy of our hearts, the breath of our nostrils be aequiualent, and comparable vnto him.

So long as wee heare any mention to bee made of Gods hidden oracles let vs haue be­fore our eyes,A similitude. the trade of nauigation, such as now it is, by vse, and long aduenture. The pi­lote by a habite and continued experience, knoweth what seasons are fittest to bring out his ships into the road, is acquaynted with the course & disposition of the winds, the paths, the windings, the narrowest cuts of the vast Ocean sea, as wel as with the streets and hou­ses of his towne; he auoydeth the sands, rockes and gulfes, as well as we the pittes and dikes that are before vs. So study we the Scriptures, and be we traded & brought vp in the course and knowledge of them, and by Gods espe­ciall grace abiding in our heartes, there is no­thing so hidden, needfull to saluation but shal be found out of vs, and it shal be most ready and familiar vnto vs.

The Scriptures are the harder,A similitude. and more hidden from vs, because of our slacknes in in­quiring after them. Such as trauel for pearles of great price which are hidden in the sea, must not lay downe lazily at the bancke side, or drawe circles or triangles with his finger, [Page 66]or a sticke vppon the vppermost sand. Such as digge for siluer and gold in the heart of the earth,A similitude. must not digge lightly vpon the face of the earth, but he must pierce the very veines and bowels of the ground. There is nothing so hard, which is not with labour and paines made easie to vs.

The difficultie of the scriptures which fal­leth much into our reading, is hurtfull vnto none, but to such as are peruerse; for it is ex­pedient for the godly euery way: It stirreth them vp to study, the better to attayne vnto it: It kindleth in them a desire to vnderstand: It addeth spirite and life vnto the praiers which the Saints make to God for the comprehen­ding of it. Moreouer, this maketh them not to disdayne to aske counsaile of the learned, and so thereby their pride is notably repres­sed, mutuall loue and charitie singularly pre­serued.

Chrysostome, A similitude. by a fine similitude, sheweth how diligence ouercommeth the difficulty of Scriptures. The minde (saith he) & thoughts of mans heart are very hidden, yet such as are commonly consorted with him, by his actiō [...] gesture, and outward behauiour, doe conie­cture what they are. Let vs loue the worde and daily conuerse with it: I assure thee, mude meditation is the key that openeth the lock [Page 67]of this exchequer and treasurie where the ri­ches of God lie; lette therefore, such as will, please themselues in their wicked ignorance:A similitude. there is no man, not altered or distempered in his wittes that is not perswaded, that it wel pleaseth euery Prince, that euery of his sub­iects should be acquaynted wyth his Lawes, which otherwise, bee they neuer so perfectly penned, if for want of knowledge of them, they be not duely executed, are but in vayne published.

See we not how the Lord hath set the Sun in the firmament of heauen,A similitude. as it were, on a high throne, that, because it is the fountayne of light, to lighten all the creatures of thearth, euery creature might beholde it? Now then, if it be hidden from our sight, the fault is in our fumish and euil affected eies, that cannot behold it.

For,A similitude. as their eies which are alwayes fixed vppon the soote and smoake of the chimney, we see how they are watrish & redound with humours, and are bleared and dimmed, so as [...]he sight of them much fayleth them; and of [...]he other side, how they, who beholde the greene meddowes, and view the open and cleere ayre, and the cristall pure water-flouds [...]nuironing the sweete pastures, distinguished with all varietie of redolent flowers, where­with [Page 68]the earth is mantled, they are pure and quicke-sighted: so sottish and earthly minds, alwaies drooping & hanging ouer the grosse and fumish exhalations of the earth (for what is else our siluer and our gold, but the brack­ish and brynish sweate and vapour of it?) I maruel not if the sight of their minde fayleth them, spiritual vnderstanding departeth from them, and they be starke blinde at noone day with the Sodomites, with their eyes open with Balaam, Genesis 19. and wil not suffer the sunne of righteousnes, and the cleere light of the Go­spel to shine in their hearts.

The sunne giueth light to the whole world alike,A similitude. and is denyed vnto none: but let hym remayne as he well deserueth, in vncomforta­ble darkenes, who shutteth his windowes to keepe out the light of it; or wilfully runneth downe into the holes of the earth, that hee might not beholde it: So let his bloud light vpon his owne pate, and let him remayne in the blackenesse of darkenesse for euer, that when the true light that lightneth euery one that commeth into the world, shineth among vs, by the light of the word, we shut the case­ments of the eyes of our mindes, and enken­nell our selues in our earthly affections, that it might be hidden from vs.

In the Winter season,A similitude. the Sunne is much [Page 69]hidden, and absent from vs, because we can­not see it, the interposition of thick and black clouds, betweene that and vs, keeping it from our eyes: the Sonne of God Christ lesus is a light vnto our paths, but our sinnes, as it were a cloudy curtayne, is drawne so betwixt vs, as we are not the better for it. The fault heereof is wholly in our selues, the Sonne is cleare of it.

God indeede doth blinde the wicked, but he blindeh them negatiuely; namely, to recu­sant and obstinate sinners he dooth not com­municate the light of his spirite; and for this cause (as Iob sayth) They doe groape at noone day. Iob 5.

Whenas men wilfully do hide themselues from God, God, not vnwillingly dooth hide his word from them. This hiding is euer in the creature onely, and not in the Creator. He would haue cured Babylon, Ierem. 51. but she would not, therefore he must leaue her.

The word must haue a fit subiect to work vpon, or else, no maruel though it be preach­ed in vaine; and is as a sword hidden in a scab­bard, and seemeth a dead and hidden letter to vs.

The plow-man,A sumilitude. when he casteth his seede into the ground, looseth it, if the soyle be not fruitfull and fit for it: so strowe Gods good [Page 70]seede in the furrowes of bad heartes, and the seede shall neuer be seene to come and spring vp in them.

In euery action naturall and spiritual, these two things chiefly are regarded, the agent, & the patient. In the agent, there must be pow­er and abilitie of action: and in the patient, conformable disposition to entertayne the a­ction. The Smyth must first make his yrons fit and pliable by the fire,A similitude. before he can ham­mer them, & make them serue his turne. Drie billet is a fit substance to worke vpon. Some earth is so leane,Similitudes. as to sowe it with wheate, it thriueth not therby, it bringeth forth nothing but light and wilde oates. Mans heart is like an Inne that entertayneth alguests confused­ly, alike of what sort soeuer. It is like a boate that leaketh and taketh water at euery seame and cranny. It is like an open Cittie without walles, obiect and subiect to the inuasion of the enemie. It is like a vine without a hedge. And finally, like a house wythout lockes and doores vnto them, and euery one hath in­gresse, and maketh a lakes of them.

Depart not thou from God, hide not the selfe from him, let no fault be in thee, and God will not forsake thee, or hide his word from thee, but he will open this his measure [...] thee. As the Sun by his departure from the [Page 71]earth, is the cause of the congelation of the earth, not directly, but indirectly: so God,A similitude. to the condigne punishment of impotent sin­ners hideth himselfe from them: for, for God to hide himselfe from a sinner, and a sinner to hide himselfe from God, it is all one.

Therfore since this treasure is hidden from them. I maruel not they esteem it so little, and make no seeking for it: Ignoti nulli (que) cupido, who lusteth & loueth that which he did neuer know? A base fellow by the high way often beardeth and braueth his better,A similitude. because he knoweth him not. A clowne taketh more pleasure in his cottage, and preferreth it be­fore a sumptuous house in London, that ne­uer yet knew the inequalitie betweene them. Pearles are not to be prized by those that haue no skill of the nature of them. Aesops Cocke will barter it away for a bar­ley karnel, inasmuch as the vertue of it is hid­den from him: and truly such apalogues are instructine enough, and I find that the wisest sometimes do vse them.

Taste therfore, and see how sweete the Lord is,Psalme 14. 1. Pet. 2. and pray to him to open the won­ders of his law, so shall thy delight be in his commandements which thou hast loued, and thou shalt prefer thē aboue gold,Psalme 119 & worldly treasure, if thou knewest what they are.

This treasure moreouer, may be said to be hidden, because vnto such as are dispensers of it,Math. 7 we are not to open it. Christ his precept in this case is flat, who chargeth that pearles should not be cast among filthy swine, that will treade them vnderfeete. The dammage that from hence wil ensue vpon vs, if contra­ry to Gods will we shall with Ezechias open this treasury to the embassadours of Babylon, [...]. King. 20. by the terrible commination by the Prophet denounced vpon Ezechias, for this fact is not obscurely shewed vs.

Last of all, this treasure may be said to be hidden, because the estate and possession of this treasure which the word affoordeth, is as yet whilst we soiorn in this miserable world, detained and hidden from vs: Dum est spes, not estres, saith Augustine. This treasure and pearle we haue yet b ut in hope,Colost. 3. and our life (as saith the Apostle) is hidden in Christ, but when Christ which is our life shall appears, then shall we also appeare with him in glorie.

Therefore the Apostle defineth faith, which is the hand which reacheth vs this glo­ry, the substance of things hoped for, Hebr. 11. and the eui­dence of things that are not seene.

Now as this treasure is neuer the lesse worth, albeit the hauing of it, is yet denied vs, and the vnspeakable wealth and worth ther­of, [Page 73]is as yet hidden from vs, euen so it is with our soules and bodies, that are grafted in Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith, albeit those ioyes which we vndoubtedly look for, are yet shut from our eies. Beloued, 1. Iohn 3 we are now the sonnes of God, but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be, and we know that when he shall appeare, we shall be like him, and we shall see him as he is: which time the Lord hasten, that we may receiue that inheritance with the faithful, which the Father of olde hath prepared, the Son of late hath purchased, and the holy Spirit hath consigned, which as yet is hidden from vs.

CHAP. V.

THings of excellencie, are not had without difficultie: Gold and Pearle grow not, as the or­dinarie fruites of the earth, in the outward face of it, but they [Page 74]lie hidden in the entrals therof, and with hard deluing, and tedious turmoyling must be found out of vs.

Our Euangelicall Merchant in this place, got not vp these goods by gazing about him, in an idle speculation: but he buckled himself to the ordinary means of attaining therevnto by industruous operation. He found this treasure as it is in the first, and he sought these good pearles as it is inserted in the latter of these parables.

Wherefore in this man, ech man may see the nature of his taske that expect this mans waies. He must not stretch himselfe vpon his bed, and fold his armes to sleep: he must not keepe his tabernacle, or stand in the market place, but he must gird vp his reynes, put his sandalls vpon his feet, he hath a painfull pil­grimage & chargeable voiage; he must haue the feet of an Hind, and the wings of a Doue,Abac. 3. and giue all diligence to find out this hidden and vnspeakable treasure,Psal. 55 and to make pur­chase of it.

I know that God hath opened vnto some, the treasures of his grace, who haue bin care­lesse enogh of it, as little, or not at al inquiring after it, clocking like a hen, & putting out his hand vnto a wicked & gain-saying people as to Mathew the Publicane,Math. 8 to the woman [Page 75]the Samaritan, to Zachee the vsurer,Iohn. 4 Luke. 19 1. Tim. 3. Hai. 6 [...] & to Paul the persecutor, and to the nation of the Gen­tiles generally, of whom, by the mouth of I­saith he saith planly, I was found of them who neuer sought me. Thereby manifesting, that the riches of his goodnesse without our me­rites, depend vpon his mercies: yet vnto such, to whom he giueth this particular grace, he requireth their diligence for their better fur­therance; and that we should vse his appoin­ted meanes to attaine vnto that end he hath propounded vnto vs. That our eies should not be euill, because he is good, nor our pains and carefulnes be in the rereward, because his louing kindnes is in the foreward.Isal. 55 And ther­fore by Isaiah he crieth alowd saying: Seek the Lord while he is to be found, Amos. 5 call vpon him whilst he is nigh. Answerable wherevnto is that of Amos the Prophet, seeke the Lord, and your soules shall liue, whom our Sauiour Christ an­swereth like the Eccho, seeke, and ye shall find, knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you: Math. 6. The e­state and condition of a christian life is labo­rious and painfull.

It was a law before the law,Gen. 3 that with the hard sweat of our foreheads, and labor of our hands, we should bring in our liuing. And the couenant of the law of the Gospel is so streight, as he that refuseth to vndergo this [Page 76]labor,2. Thes. 3 his mouth must be muzled, and he must not eate.

The first Adam was not seated in the gar­den of Eden, Gen. 2 there to take his perambulations and his pleasure, and there to sit at ease, but to digge and dresse it, and to take due paines with it. And the second Adam came not into this world, here to rest himselfe in a chaire of ease, and to liue without labour: but he did eate his bread, not onely in the sweat, but also in the very bloud of his face, and made his whole life, vnto his very death an exceeding painfull pilgrimage.Math. 25 He excluded the nod­ding and drowsie virgins, and did shut hea­uen gates against them. And he shaketh vp very roundly the idle gazers and standers in the market place,Math. 20 and sent them into his vine­yard for to labour in it. This life is the vine­yard of the Lord of Hostes, into which, none but labourers are called. In this life we haue but our labour onely, our penny and wages for our labour is kept for vs, to the life that is to come, where we shal hunger and labour no more, and where all teares shall be wiped from our eies. Therefore the spirit in the Re­uelation saith: Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their workes follow them

Iob calleth our life a warfare,Iob. 7 to expresse [Page 77]the painful nature, and condition of it, which rowseth vs, and maketh vs to trusse vp our loynes, and to looke about vs. Else where he likewise saith, that a man is borne to trauaile, Iob. 5 as the sparkes flie vpwards; yea, as we may so say,Gen. 47 as the bird is made to flie wherfore Iacob ter­med his life a pilgrimage, and Paul properly compareth it to a race.

Iacob his life,1. Cor. 9 whenas he soiourned with his vnckle Laban, is the right line and leuell of our liues; if we liue as we should do, which he storieth out himselfe, and rippeth vp to Laban in this wise:Gen. 31 These twentie yeeres haul I been in thy house, I was in the day consumed with heate, and with frost in the night, and the sleep de­parted from mine eies.

Seemeth this a hard thing? it cannot be but that hard things must be gotten hardly.A similitude. He that is desirous to haue the gold of India, must take a painfull iourney, and abide a great ad­uenture, before he may attaine it.

As euery thing hath his end, so there are meanes which we must vse, which may bring vs to this end. He that will be cured of a most grieuous disease, must not refuse such phisick as best serueth therevnto.Similitudes. Hee that buy­eth a bargaine and purchase of land, imme­diatly bethinketh himselfe therewithall, what may be the price of it. I know it, that albeit al [Page 78]labourers are not chosen, yet there are none but that are labourers chosen, and haue their penny of the master of the vineyard.

The fruitlesse fig-tree that hath nothing but leaues,Mar [...]. 11 is blasted at the breath of Christs heauy displeasure, and so being dead in na­turall vegetation, it is twice dead in spirituall malediction. The edge of the sharpe axe is put to with force to the roote of the seare, and vnprofitable tree, so as, seruing not for fruit, it shal be hewed downe and serue for the fire.

Be our labour neuer so sower to vs, yet it giueth a great sweetnes and pleasure to those things which we bring in by labour. Wher­fore that may be argument enough vnto vs, if there were nothing else to minister encou­ragement, to be painefull and industrious in all godly enterprises. Do not all things seem sweete and delitious vnto him, whose life is most laborsome? I refer you to the husband­man, and day-labourer heerein, whose diet and quiet, through worke and wearinesse, is more toothsome and delightsome, than his that surffeteth himselfe with ease, cowcheth on soft pallets, stalketh and strowteth slug­gishly enough in his orchardes and galleries, and pampereth himselfe with his new deui­sed dishes.

He that neuer laboureth, can neuer recre­ate, [Page 79]and refresh himself with ease. The paue­ment is a pallet more pleasurable to the labo­rer, than the field bedde of dowlne is to the lordly loyterer. A course and grose diet bat­leth, and better goeth downe with the pe­sant, sweating at the plough, than the finest foode doth with the curious Courtier swea­ting in his bedde, or in his drowsie chayre by the fire side.

Suruey the common course of all creaturs vnder heauen, and wee shall finde that their condition and nature is such, as directly cros­seth and ouerthwarteth all securitie.

The heauens, the planets,Psal. 1 [...] and the whole frame thereof, haue their distinct and pecu­liar motions, they goe as a bridegroome out of his chamber, and reioyce as a Giant to run his course.

The earth neuer resteth, but yeerely yeel­deth his natural encrease,Psal. 104 bringing forth fod­der for the cattell, and greene hearb for the seruice of man: wine, oyle, liquors of all sorts, with long standing stil, are corrupt, and wax sowre, and vnfit for any seruice.

Gold, siluer, and mettalls of all maner, doe fret and canker, through disuse, being vnoc­cupied. Euery thing generally in his naturally vse, thriueth, and for want thereof, perisheth.

The horse, and other cattell, through [Page 80]want of trauel, are seebler in the feete, and vnfitter to trauell.

The bird that lieth, is not in such danger, but sitting stil, is shot at with an arrow.

The souldier that is the greatest sluggard, is the greatest coward, and thus we may ex­tend and drawe out our discourse with innu­merable particulars. Wherfore, since the case standeth thus,Ephes. 5 Isai. 60 Awake thou that sleepest, and stand vp from the dead, and Christ shall giue thee life, idlenesse being nothing but a paynted toombe and sepulchre, which burieth vs quicke.

We heare heere of a great purchase, of a Treasure,Psal. 119. and a Pearle farre better than our life.Psal. 108 Vp therefore, why sittest thou stil? why dooth thy flesh cleaue vnto the pauement? summon with Dauid harp and lute to awake, and say,Rom. 13 I my selfe wil awake right earely. Now, euen now,Phil. 2 our saluation draweth nigh; Oh worke we our saluation with feare and trem­bling. Now are wee called to woorke in the Lordes vineyard, why then doe we stare one vpon an other,Math. 20 and stand ydle in the market place? All riches and plenteousnes is heere offered vnto vs for our labour and paynes: wherefore let vs, for the reward sake, cheere­fully vndergoe them. And in this case, be ad­uised by wisedome, who giueth vs this instru­ction: [Page 81] Call afterknowledge, Prouerbs. [...] and crie for vnder­standing, seeke for her as siluer, and search for her as treasure, and this wil be the issue, We shall vnderstand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of our God.

Shall Iacob for the loue that he did be are vnto Rachel, serue two prentise-hoods,Oen. 29. &c. twice seuen yeares together, a most miserable ma­ster, (vnckle I will not call him) he was so ab­surd, and of that bald behauiour euery kind of way, as foysting in his bleared bird, Leah. for Rachel, and ten seuerall times hucking and dodgeing with him for his wages, and shall we scotch to serue God so long, for the beau­tie, brauerie, and bountie of a kingdome, who payeth vs such great & exceeding wages, & neuer sticketh with vs, but euer giueth vs more then he doth promise vs? Nay, rather then through idlenes we will loose such bles­sednes, O Lord, by thy grace we are votaries with Dauid, not to suffer our eies to sleep, Psalme 13 [...] or our eie liddes to slumber, or the temples of our, head to take any rest, vntill we find the temple of the Lord, the habitation of the mighty God of Ia­cob: we shall shake off the sluggards sicknes, who euer finds some fault or other with the season of the yeare, which is, either too hot,Prouerb. 1 [...] or too cold, so as he is not able to giue himself to work: or else he feares a lion lurking by the [Page 82]way, or a beare in the streete, so as he cannot go forth out of his house. We can go to bed late, and arise early in the morning, and eate the bread of sorrow, and grudge at no pains in plodding,Psal. 127 and prowling after paltry world­ly pearle and treasure that is transitorie, and shall we stomacke to labour in Gods worke, the worth thereof surmounting beyond the imagination of man, al the wealth whatsoeuer in the world.

If a man should offer thee a huge heap of mony,A similitude. vpon condition that thou shouldest run one holy day on his crand, and he should promise thee at thy returne, at the daies end to giue thee this mony: I know thou shouldst not need to haue spurres to pricke thee for­ward thou wouldst poste it away cheerfully. It is thus with vs: our life is called a day, our way which God hath set vs to walke, is long, the wages and hyre of our trauaile, is incom­parable, runne we therfore with Dauid, Psalme 119 the way of Gods commandements, and let our whole la­bour be imployed therevpon.

Hypocrates saith of the art of Phisick, that the study of it is long, the experience of it doubtfull, and our life but short, which he said not to discourage any from this laudable profession, but to incite vs to follow after it, with a more earnest contention: the like may [Page 83]be said of our diuine study, the phisick of the soule, to animate vs to all painfull labour in this businesse, for the obtaining of this true treasure and inestimable iewell that is set be­fore vs.

Salomon spent double more time in build­ing his own house,1. King. 6 then he did in erecting & setting vp Gods temple; he did set it forward with such speed and diligence. A perfect pre­sidence for vs to do the like, teaching vs to spend all the paines we can about the affaires of Gods worship, and to be more carefull of heauenly matters, then we are of our priuate and worldly commodities.

If we would but consider and weigh with our selues how we run vpon the score, into what a deep debt with God and arrerages, we are falne: the palpable and damnable security we take in maters of religion, cannot but seem admirable.

The Romane Emperour Augustus, hea­ring how a noble-man of Rome was behind hād, & yet for al that took his sleep kindly, & snorted of both eares, spending no thoght of acquittancing of any of it, was very desirous [...]o buy the couch and pallet that he slept on; for he could but muze mainly at the matter, now a man in such deep debt, should take such deep rest. If we would bethinke our [Page 84]selues, what bonds of duty we haue broken and forfeited to God, our country, and our houshold, & chiefly to those of the houshold of faith: it is not possible that we should passe away our time in such dalliance, pastime, and pleasure, as we do, a great audite being nigh at hand;Matthew 12 wherein we must giue vp a very streight account, not only for workes, but for euery idle word, and for euery vain thought: Oh then what sower sawce shall euery ban­quet haue; which we haue had here, at which so rifly euil words haue bin vttred? well, wel, when, Gods sernants shal return this message to their master that sent them,Zach. 1 Wee haue goue through the world, and beholde it sitteth still; and is at rest: What will Gods answer herunto be but this, that their security shal yeeld them [...] ­tle safety?1. Thes. 5 for when they shal say, Peace, peace, all things are well, then shall come soda [...] de­struction vpon them, as trauaile vpon a woman labouring with childe, and they shall not escape it.

Was this security the downfall of Sodome, and her sister Gomorha, Exech. 38 and their neighbour Townes about, who for all their dead sleep escaped not destruction, and their damnati­on sleeped not?Eccle. 33 The whip and burthen belong­eth to the Asse, correction and worke vnto the seruant, send him to labour that he goe not idle [Page 85]for idlanesse bringeth much euil, yea, it is indeed the roote of all euill, and the spawne of al sin. I passed by the field of the slouthfull, (saith Salo­mon) and by the vinyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding, and lo, it was all growne ouer with thornes, and nettles had couered the face therof. Prou. 24 Furthermore, this king in the wisedome of his spirite, made a singular vse of this his meditation, in this matter to himselfe, He be­held and consideredit wel, & receiued instruction by it, that a little sleepe brought in a great deale of pouerty, and a little slumber a great deale of ne­cessitie: Corruptions and vices spring vp in the bodies and soules of the wicked, as thornes and briars in the fields of the slouth-full.

The running streame giueth pure and wholsome fishes,A similitude. but the standing poole in­gendreth frogs, and diuerse noysome crea­tures.

The land that is layd, and is vnoccupyed,A similitude. what else produceth it but lasciuious weeds, waxing waste and wilde, like to a wilder­nesse?

If thou wouldst haue thy soule empty of alvnclean thoughts, replenish & fulfil it with all godly motions, and so no wickednes shall be able to enter in. For as the glasse violl that [...]s already full of water,A similitude is not capable of any [Page 86]other thing beside: so the vessell of thy soule, being fraught with the best desires, it hath no lodging for euill disposed purposes.

Nature teacheth thee with thy two hands to worke, as it doth the bird with her two wings to flie.

Behold how painfully the worldly man seeketh after wealth learne of him to seek for the true wealth indeed, and expresse thou his diligence and thou shalt attaine vnto it. Be not slow and slack in Gods seruice,Gen. 4 as Cain in his sacrifice, but be as forward in duties of re­ligion,Gen. 22 as Abraham was in his owne sonnes oblation, of whome the Scripture saith that he arose early in the morning to sacrifice vnto God.

Thou canst not without labour with thy stope and bucket draw water out of a well:A similitude. much lesse without labour thou shalt draw this liuely water from the well-spring of sal­uation.

There are many main motiues, and induce­ments to this duty. As the respect of our na­tural infirme condition, being in it selfe such, as without this treasure of the word of God, which ministreth present help to all our ne­cessities we are not able in this present life te­sustaine our selues, much lesse to prouide for our better estate in the life that is to come.

The promises of God are pithy and plau­sible perswasions herevnto, by which he as­sureth vs his assistance and direction in al our proceedings, if so be laboriously we shall in­quire and seeke after him.

Moreouer, the presidents and examples of the faithful, are as good orators as we need to haue to pleade this assertion. Nicodemus a Pharisee euery inch of him, of a very cursed sect, sought late for this treasure, and came to Christ by night to disturb him in his sleepe, sculking in the dark, and like vnto the night-Owle, not daring to behold the Sun at noon day, politickely temporizing and playing with both hands: yet was he not repulsed, but he found this treasure which was hiddē from his knowledge,Ioh 3. (albeit he was dubbed such a doctor among them) when Christ discour­sed with him of the prime point of rudiment of regeneration. Mary Magdalen the harlot, the publicane in the temple, the thiefe vpon the crosse, inquired after him whom their soules loued, and their labour was not lost, buthey enioyed their desires.Math. 6 It is but Aske and haue: seeke, and find: knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you. Wherefore, seeke for know­ledge as for treasure, and for heauenly wise­dome, as for the wedge of gold of Ophyr, the Corall, the babish,Iob. 28 and the Onyx stone is not [Page 88]equall vnto this. Sell not thy righteousnesse for siluer,Amos 8 preferring the merchants of Baby­lon, before the cittizens of Hierusalem. Be not like the Gadarenes, Luke 8 who for loue of their swine, were willing enough to leaue Christ, and willed him to depart out of their coastes.

CHAP. VI.

THe word of God is not in nature vnlike vnto a Fishermans hooke,A similitude. for it taketh vs as soone as it is ta­ken of vs. But heerein it differeth, that it catcheth vs not to kill vs, but to saue vs aliue; it hurteth and woundeth not but rather comforteth and healeth all our wounds.

It is like vnto fire,A similitude. neuer ceasing, vntill it conuerteth all the fewell cast into it, into fire. This fire of the Spirite melteth all our hearts [Page 89]and resteth not, if it may take holde of them, vntill it turneth our seare and dry affections, into the hote burning coales of zealous dis­positions. A glad man was this, as soone as hee hadde with long digging in the ground found out the golden mine, his heart reioy­ced, and his tongue was glad, [...] his heart and flesh reioyced in the liuing God, hee went a­way rauished, and fulfilled with all ioy.

It seemeth therefore that he hadde a great ghesse of the price of this pearle, of the value, worth, and worthinesse of this treasure. For there is none who taketh pleasure in any vn­knowne thing: for, the sensible experience that we haue of a thing, is that which breed­eth in vs our loue vnto a thing.

And truely (deare christian) I will lay my soule vpon it, that if thou shalt but taste how sweete the Lorde is, and come vnto Gods worde in godly sincerity, wythout politike partiality, thou wilt bee so satisfied with the fulnesse of that ioy, as nothing else, in com­parison of this, shall be able to delight thee.A similitude. For this is like the pretious perfume of the a­pothecary, that taketh away an euill sauour and leaueth a good behind it.Prou. 10 Thou shalt be like the buyer, of whome Solomon speaketh, who whiles hee is in buying, disgraceth the thing, saying, It is naught, it can not be woorth [Page 90]the money, but when hee hath bought it, hee boasteth of his penyworths, and wonderful­ly extolleth it, and sayth it is farre better than his money.A similitude. As apples that are decocted with hony and sugar, looseth their olde taste, and sauour onely of the hony, or the sugar: so our soules dedicated and deuoted to heauenly things, they are nothing conditioned as they were before, but they rellise onely the sweet­nes of Gods word.

It fareth with vs,A similitude. as with the Gentlemans hawke, who being hooded and blinded, is sluggish, and hath no pleasure to followe his game, and to soare alost: but being vnhood­ed, he taketh his flight, & with delight enogh pursueth his pastime.: so we whom the god of this world hath blinded with earthly cogi­tations haue no heart or stomacke vnto hea­uenly matters, and perceyue not (being sen­suall and carnall men) the things that are of God: but if God vnhoodeth vs, and openeth vnto vs the eies of our mindes, then wee flie vp, as the hawke, on high; wee looke vppon heauen, and haue our whole conuersation in heauen, and do place all our pleasure and fe­licitie in heauen.

As one nayle or wedge is driuen out with another,A similitude. so one pleasure doth expel another: The ioy and pleasure of the holy Spirit cha­ceth [Page 91]away the paltrie pleasure of the world.

Wherefore, such who are affrighted and dismayed within themselues at the preaching of the word, haue not yet learned Christ, or vnderstoode what is the nature and operati­on of the word. The name of the gospel des­ciphereth plainely the nature of the Gospel: It is called Euangelium, which signifieth Bo­num nuntium, that is, a glad message, and ty­dings of great ioy. Beholde (sayth Christ his heauenly harbenger Gabriel, Luke. 3. vnto the shep­heardes) I bring you tidings of great ioy which shall be vnto all the people. Beholde what ioy this is, it is not a slender and light kind of ioy appertaining vnto some few; but it is a great and vniuersall ioy belonging vnto all.

This ioy (in some sorte) is familiarly layde open, vnder the plaine similitudes of haruest men, and of souldiers, at the end of their har­uest, & at the diuiding of their booties,Isai. 9. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioy of haruest, and as men reioyce when they diuide a spoyle. And what is the subiect occasion of this ioy, the Prophet there telleth thee. The yoake of their burden, the staffe of their shoulder, the rodde of their oppressor hast thou broken, as in the day of Midian.

The Turke taketh a great company of prisoners, and putteth them to his gallies,A similitude. [Page 92]and galleth and wasteth them with most cru­ell bondage. Their king sendeth his sonne with great power to procure their gaole deli­uery: what ioy and gladnesse is there now, as you imagine, in the hearts of these captiues vpon so happy newes?

Yet let vs further presse this sweete and comfortable doctrine, by making this the case.A similitude. A serpent hath bitten a man vnto the death with his venemous mouth, and there is no other meanes to preserue his life, but an o­ther mans death, some man must die by lic­king him whole, and by taking away his rancke contagion with his tongue; wel, some base man of no reputation may serue this turn; yet life for life, that must be the ransom. But the case is quite contrary, a miserable mā hath beene stung by this serpent, and rather than he should die, the king sendeth his only begotten sonne, whome he nourished in his bosome, whome hee made heyre of all, with his sweete lippes which were full of grace, to licke his contagious, and putrifying sores, and to die for him.

Or,A similitude. if you please, let vs paraphrase thus: there are notorious theeues for capital crimes committed to the gaole, and the doome of death by the searlet Iudge is giuē out against them, and they must be executed all the sorte [Page 93]of them: But loe, as God would haue it, in the meane time commeth the Kings sonne with his retinue and guarde about him: at the sight of whome, these enormous caitiues out of their grates and prison holes, crie with a lowde voyce, saying, Saue vs maister lest we perish. The Kings sonne hereat amazed, and standing still, asketh his followers what this clamorous and shreeking out-cry meaneth. They answere in this wise; they are famous malefactors, whome thy father hath impriso­ned, and adiudged vnto death, for their due demerites, and they are foorthwith to be led out to execution, and to suffer death as tray­tors in the highest degree. But the bowelles of this young Prince, moued with their dole­full and most extreame estate, commaundeth them to be slayde, and offereth himselfe as a ransome and redemption to his father for them. Whose heart is so stony, that will not be mollified and broken in peeces, vpon ty­dings of such strange and vnspeakeable ioy? Our case is euen the same, and this is the be­nefit which we haue by Christ, the obiect of our ioy, the subiect of the Gospel, which wee preach vnto you. By him wee haue deliue­rance from the thraldome of Satan,Psal. 107 being fast bound in miserie and yrons. By him, we that haue beene stung by the Serpent, the old red [Page 94]dragon, are healed againe. And by his red blood the ransome of our sinnes, he hath pa­cified the wrath of his Father, and hath deli­uered vs his prisoners, appointed vnto death. For this cause,Psalme 126 let our tongues be filled with laughter and our hearts with ioy. And let vs gladly entertayne all such as bring this happy legation vnto vs.

The longing expectation which our Fa­thers had of this,Iohn 8. lifted vp their hearts, and through this, they were comforted before he was exhibited.

Abraham did see Christ, but a farre off, and greatly reioyced; wee haue him nigh at hand, and possesse him in deede, whom they had but in hope, and therefore wee haue ar­gument of greater ioy than they.

If Solomon so reioyced,1. King. 8. and al Israel wyth him, as the earth it selfe rang with the noyse they made, when they brought the Arke of God into the Temple of God: much more ought wee to reioyce, hauing had the liuely Arke,Psalme 48. the Sonne of God among vs, and ha­uing seene the louing kindnesse of the Lord in the midst of the temple.

The Easterne Magicians,Matth 2. at the sight but of a starre which conducted them to the way where Christ was to be borne, were exceed­ing glad: we haue Christ himselfe directing [Page 95]vs in the way that wee are to walke, therefore we ought in duty to go beyond them in ioy­fulnesse.

If greate mirth and melody was in the fa­thers house,Luke 16. for the ioyfull welcome home of the prodigall sonne: whenas we prodigal children come home vnto our father, and do his holy word, we shall likewise heare of ioy and gladnesse, that the bones which he hath broken may reioyce.

If Iohn the Baptist leapt in his mothers wombe,Luke [...]. vppon the comming of the mother of Christ into his mothers house, how shuld we leape and skippe like young Vnicornes, whenas Christ by his worde entreth into our soules?

Finely saith Chrysologus, Chrysologus. A letter comfort­eth but no longer than when the party is pre­sent that did send it. A bil of debt bindeth, but it hath no further vse when the hand-writing is discharged. The flowers of trees are plea­sant, but vntil such time as the fruite of them are ripe, the flours are consumed in the fruits the obligation is cancelled vpon payment of the debt. Therefore, by how much the pre­sence of the Bridegroome is welcomer then his letter; & the money better than the parch­ment scroll; and the Apples better than the [...]lowers; the fruits of the spirit better than the [Page 96]flowres of the dead letter: so much ioyfuller ought we to be, than our fathers of olde time, who had but the epistle, couenant, and shad­dowes, which were insteade of leaues: wee haue the Bridegroome, the earnest penny it selfe the fruit of the holy-ghost, the substance of saluation effectually among vs.

A great difference is to bee putt betweene this ioy, which this merchant conceiued to himselfe, vppon this happy hauing of this treasure, and that which he had before of his worldly treasure, whether bequeathed vnto him by his friends, or brought in by his care­full industry. For worldely ioy is counterfet, and mixed with much mourning. And of this the Prophet Esay thus speaketh:Isay 24. Al that were merry of heart doe mourne: the myrth of the tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that reioyce endeth, the ioy of the harpe ceaseth.

The fickle ioy of this worlde,A similitude. is like the fond ioy of birdes, picking karnells of corne vnder a net which is spread for them, and like the ioy of fishes skudding in the water after a worme, vnder which a hook is couered. The worlde like Rachel seemeth to be beautifull: but Gods worde it is that is like Leah, fruit­full.

All worldly merriment is but meere mad­nes, [...]celes. 1. in the Wise mans iudgement, I sayde of [Page 97]laughter, thou arte madde, and of ioy, what is it that thou doest (sayeth the wisedome of So­lomon.)

The insufficiency of worldly ioy, the mu­table and changeable condition of it: and of the contrary side, the soliditie and stabilitie of the ioy that is spirituall,Genesis 25 is considered in the persons of Ismael, and Isaac. Ismael wandring in the wildernesse of Bersheba, fainted in his iourney, his water in his bottle was spent, and he grew thirsty, almost vnto the death. But Isaac that was the sonne of the free woman, borne after the spirite, and not after the flesh, neuer was in want,Genesis 26 but he digged welles and fountaines of liuing water, which streamed without ceasing. Worldly solace is soone fi­nished & consumed, with the water that was in Ismaels pitcher; but the comfort and glad­nes of the godly, as the spowtes and conduit pipes of Isaac, spowt out the waters of eter­nall life continually,Iohn 16. and this their ioy and comfort shall no man take from them.

The Manna of the Israelites,Exodus 16 is a speciall type of the singular comfort and sweetenesse of Gods word, the Manna of our soules. The people of Israel wist not what it was: in like maner wee know not what this is which is so sweete in our lippes, and comfortable to our taste, which slacketh the thirst of earthly af­fections, [Page 98]and carieth the mind after heauenly matters.A similitude. For, as the litle Ant, who hath smel­led the sweetenes of any hony or sugar, run­neth to and fro through the smallest chinkes and crannies of the ground, tickled and raui­shed with the pleasant scent of it: so the god­ly soule, who hath tasted how sweet the Lord is vnto him, he runneth with all speede vnto the sauour of his sweete ointments, and more delighteth in the pleasure of his house.

Leane not thou therefore vppon the bro­ken staffe and rod of Aegypt, which will de­ceiue thee, put not thy trust in any helpe of man, set not thy minde vpon earthly things, but rest vpon god as the anchor of thy soule, and thy certayne stay and refuge in al thy ex­tremities.A similitude. For, what aged weake man will commit the whole poyse and burden of his body to a small and tender crutch, to be sup­ported by it, which being ouermuch char­ged with his burden, crusheth a peeces, and breaketh asunder, and giueth him a mayne ouerthrowe, and if so bee hee doe trust in it?

It is not in the nature of earthly ioy,A similitude. to sa­tisfie our mindes. For it is with it, as with the estate of a man that hath an agew, who in the extremitie of his burning fitte, thinketh him­selfe not a little eased, with a draft of colde [Page 99]drinke, and indeed the heate is somewhat al­layed and qualified for a time, but to his fur­ther vexation and danger in the ende: for it feedeth and norisheth his redundant humors in him: So, earthly ioy seemeth to haue some iollity in it at the first assay, but it is like colde water, pleasing in the beginning the inordi­nate and distempered desire of the minde; in the ending to worke the greater torment and perill of the minde. For,2. Sam. 13. be at that Ammon be for a brunt sicke of loue towardes his sister Thamar, it is but for a fitte, for hauing glut­ted his lust, and fulfilled his filthy minde, his hatred that he beareth towards hir afterward, will farre exceede al that outward loue which he shewed her before.

If wee knew but the ende of worldely de­lights, which maketh vs such shew of sweet­nesse in the beginning, we could neuer fan­cie them. It is short that delighteth, and eter­nall that tormenteth.

There bee some vlcers that breede vnder the skinne,A similitude by reason of a salt running humor that aboundeth, which so tickleth the skinne with a pleasurable itch, as by the rubbing of them to and fro with the fingers, for the time, it seemeth much delightsome, but when the itch ceaseth, immediately thereupon the sore increaseth, ranckling, festering, and burning [Page 100]exceedingly: so worldly vaine ioy that dooth but tickle vs at the first, doth but double our smart and misery at the last.

The bird that is inclosed in the net,A similitude. dooth not feele it at the first, but in the end, when she would flie away, shee sensibly findeth it: So men, intangled with the snares of the Di­uel, the pleasures of this worlde, which wee swiftly like a bird flie into, priuily in this nett are our feete taken, and before such time as wee woulde escape out of it, we cannot espie it.

The ioy that the world yeeldeth,A similitude pierceth no further than the bodily sense, it dooth not touch, or come neare the inward man. It doth no more good than a spooneful of cold water dropt into his mouth that hath an extreame agew, which cooles his pallat, but riddeth not his thirst, for the heate that is within him pre­sently consumeth it, before it can enter and passe into the stomacke.

In the presence of God, is the fulnesse of all ioy, and without him there is nothing but heauines.Psalme 42. Dauid could not eate the bread that did him good whilest the enemy vexed him, and asked him, saying, Where is now thy God? If God bee not with vs,Psal. 137. wee may hang our Harpes vppon the willow trees: For there is ioy and gladnesse only in the dwellings of the [Page 101]righteous, and only they that are true of hart shalbe glad.Psal 118. The organs, shack-buts,Psalme 64. and tuneable pipes sounded alowd,Luke 15. and filled the house, when the prodigall sonne came home vnto his father: when wee returne from our sinnes vnto our father,Psalme 30. we shall putte off our sackecloth, and girde our selues with gladnes,Psalme 16. for at his right hand are aboundance of plea­sures for euermore.

But of this ioy, which is the true ioy in­deede, which the gospell doth begette in the heartes of those that loue it, can none better speake, than such, who haue had a liuely fee­ling of the same, whereof in holy page wee haue innumerable examples. Vertue com­meth out of euery parte of this, as out of the fringe and garment of Christ. For as Christ with fiue loaues and two fishes fed fiue thousand men;Acts 2. so Peter with one sermon did conuert three thousand soules.Actes 26. Agrippa hearing the Apostle Paul but once, was almost made a christian. The Eunuch hearing Philip but once, he became a conuert.Actes 8. Zacheus hearing Christ but once, for ioy, hee shared out his goodes vnto the poore.Luke 19. Innumerable soules that haue lighted vpon the word, haue light­ed vpon saluation, but without the worde I finde none that hath been conuerted, & hath found this saluation. The dead haue heard [Page 102]the voyce of Christ, and haue beene restored vnto life. The blinde haue heard the worde of Christ, and haue receiued sight: the dumb haue heard the word of Christ, & their tougs haue beene loosed, and they haue glorified Christ. The lame haue heard the voyce of Christ, and they haue skipped; the windes, and they haue ceased. The sea, and it hath bin calmed. The diuells, and they haue obeyed: But wee, farre worse than they, heare it con­tinually, and are not reclaymed.

A sinner can no sooner resigne his sinfull life, and betake himselfe to a christian godlie course, but a straunge metamorphosis and change immediately is to be seene in him, and the inward effects of the blessed word of god wil soone be espied, by his outward glad af­fects.

As Haman was so exceeding ioyfull when he was bidden to the banquet to the King,Ester 5. as he could not conceale it, but he must needes boast to his wife and neighbours of it: so the righteous being caled by the preachers of the word to the supper of the Lambe, and to the kingly marriage, they can not but make their godly boast of it, and all the day long be tal­king thereof.

As heate that is hid vnder a thicke cloude,A similitude. will not be restrayned from breaking foorth [Page 103]into a thunder and great noyse: So the heate of Gods worde abiding in our heart, rest­eth not, but it searcheth all the partes and maketh great motions and commotions in them.

There be diuerse kinds of houses builded, two chambers, or three chambers high, like the Arke of Noah; and insuch, that noyse which is made in the higher roome descend­eth to the lower, and is easily heard in it. The inward man is much of this making, stand­ing vpon two lofts, in the vpper roome lodg­eth his vnderstanding and will, and belowe cowch his sensuall and brutish affections and grosser motions that are carnall, and beastly: and these twoo distinct pauilions are so com­pact, and conioyned together, and there is such a combination betwixt them, as let there be any stir more than is ordinary in the high­er roome, they that dwell beneath are made partakers of it. If God his loue be earnest in motion in the inward and spirituall man, it is woonderfull howe the outwarde and carnall man is possessed with it. They goe hand in hand together, like vnto twoo Twinnes, sampling and fulfilling this Aphorisme of the Prophet Dauid, My heart, and my flesh, reioyced in the euerliuing God. Psalme eightie foure.

If as yet thorough want of knowledge of the word of God, thou hast had no feeling of the ioyfull effects of it: do but taste and feele how sweete the Lord is, and thou shalt soone perceiue it. The ignorance of it, is the only maine cause of our generall loathing of it.

Gregorie shewing the oddes that is betwixt both kinds of ioy, that which the world yeel­deth, & that which the word offereth, passing elegantly discourseth in this wise. Bodily pleasures, whenas they are wanting vs, as most desired of vs, and being fulfilled with them, we are soone glutted and surfeited with them. But spiritual ioy, the more we are with­out it, the lesse we esteem to haue it, but the more we haue it, the greater affection and pleasure we haue in it.

In earthly delights our appetites onely please vs, which being fully to our desires serued, they presently do displease vs. In hea­uenly things our appetites only faile vs, and the sole experience and feeling that we haue of them, onely doth affect vs. In the other, our appetite doth ingender fulnesse, and ful­nesse breedeth fulsomnesse: but in these, our desires beget fulnesse, and fulnesse increaseth continually more delightsomnes. The more the sweetnesse of this ioy is perceiued, the [Page 105]more ardently it is loued, the beter it is known of vs.

A sottish country man obscurely mewed vp al his before,A similitude. in a base and simple cot­tage, when he commeth to the famous cittie of London, he stareth about him euery steppe that he doth make, & is a man made of won­ders, euery obiect which is before his eies, be­ing vnto him a subiect of wonder. It is not so with them that are borne cittizens, and there haue their abode, their long cōtinued conuer­sation of that place, taketh away all admirati­on of the place. Those who haue hitherto dwelt in Aegyptian and damnable darknesse, who are rude, and ignorant and as a beast be­fore him, when it pleaseth the Lord that they should lift vp their eies, and behold the light, and with that eie of Faith, see that great cittie, not of London, but of Hierusalem, not to see new stately houses, but to see new glorious heauens, they are in a world of wonder, they are astonished and sodainly cast downe, they maruaile to see such things; and sensibly, they feele that which before they beleeued not. But the free denisons of this Ierusalem, who do serue the Lord day and night in the tem­ple, and are alwaies before him, they muze not at that which they haue so long enioyed, which haue bin their comfort in all their af­flictons, [Page 106]with faithfull hearts acknowledging with holy Dauid in all dutifull thanksgiuing;Psal. 31 How great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layde vp for them that feare thee, and done to them that trust in thee, euen before the sonnes of men?

As the Lord of old, when his Israelites wandred through the waste wildernesse, to­ward his promised land of Canaan, which a­bounded with milke and honny, prouided Manna, a celestial diet for them, and fed them with the bread of heanen: so, for vs who are trauellers, as all our fathers were in the wil­dernesse of this world, the Lord hath like­wise giuen vs Angels food, the word of God, the spirtuall Manna, whereby we liue for e­uer. Now as the former rellised most plea­sauntly in their mouthes, and contained all toothsome and delightsome taste in it; which all other his sweete creatures ioyntly or seuerally coulde affoorde vnto vs: So this Manna and diet of our soules is instead of al delights, and dainties vnto vs, and is like a perfume which hath odour for euery one.

This the spouse sensibly did taste and feel in the presence of her bride-groom,Cantie. 1 and ther­fore she desireth to be still vnited vnto him, and that he would kisse her with the kisses of his mouth, inasmuch, as her loue is better then wine, and because of his sweete oyntments, for which [Page 107]the virgins loued her.

Of this ioy our Sauior Christ speaketh in his generall proclamation,Math. 11 vnder the comfort and refection, vnto which it pleaseth him most graciously to inuite vs, by our obedi­ence vnto his word, saying vnto vs: Come vn­to me alye that trauail, and are heauy laden, and I will refresh you.

Such therefore, as make that the argument of their sorrow, which should be vnto them an occasion of great ioy, who are grieued and disquieted at the preaching of the word, who entertaine a preacher with no other congee, then Achab did Elias, saying vnto him,1. Reg. 21 art thou come my enemy hanging downe their heads like bul-rushes,Isaiah 58. when the ovice of the preacher toucheth their sinnes, and with the sword of the spirit launcheth them deeply, and cutteth them to the heart, saving within themselues,Iohn. 6 Durus est hic sermo: This is a hard saying, and who is able to abide it? Such, I say,A similitude. may well be likened vnto those, who suffer shipwracke at the hauens mouth, and the key side, the only place of harbour, and refuge in such danger.

But we cannot be ignorant, how vntooth­some and vnwholsome this spiritual diet is, to the stomacks, and affections of the greater sort, who are grossely minded.A similitude. And we mar­uel [Page 108]not much at it. For as swine are not de­lighted with the smell of sweete hearbs, but with the stinking sauour of corrupt, carrion: so swinish soules regard not the fragrant o­dour of the sweet word of GOD, but they drinke puddle, as an asse drinkes water, and their pleasure is to wallow in the myre of their sinnes.

The wicked,A similitude. who are senselesse, and with­out feeling, both of God and godlinesse, are like green and moist faggot sticks, which are so far from taking hold of the fire put vnder them, as thorough the sap that distilleth from them they do extinguish and vtterly ouer­come it. The hearts of the godly, are of the nature and condition of the gun-powder, which is presently set on fire by the lest touch but of a sparke that is put vnto it. So the fire of Gods word is choaked and smothered in vngodly men, being not a fit combustible subiect to worke vpon. But it soone maketh a light and bright flame, in the soules of his saints, as beeing a sulphurous and apte mat­ter, vpon which it may extend and exercise his force.

A kettle of water set on the fire,A similitude. as soon as it conceiueth the heate thereof, expresseth, as we see, the motion of the fire, for albeit, it be a heauy and waighty body, and so by nature [Page 109]should descend, yet when it boyleth, it layeth aside his nature, and bubbleth, ariseth, and as­cendeth vpward in the manner of fire. The bodies of the righteous, howsoeuer by nature they are of an earthly and heauy substaunce, and so do bend downeward and haue a pro­spect to the world: yet the fire of Gods spirit that burneth within them contrary to their course, lifteth them vpward, and causeth them to mount vp to heauen.

Wherefore, as Iohn wept vntill the booke was opened,Apoc. 5 and so soone as it was opened, all the Elders sung: so let vs adiudge it to be the greatest cause of weeping, when the word is taken from vs, and the best occasion that can be of ioy, when it is restored and giuen to vs againe.

Therefore be like vnto this learned Lapi­dary, and learne out the valew and price of this pearle, and thou shalt soone find ioy in it.

It is a memorable example that Socrates in his ecclesiasticall hystory, setteth downe of a certaine Abbot, who dieting himselfe with bread that was of a grosse and course graine,Hist. Trip [...]. lib. 8 cap. [...] answered thus finely such who would know his reason therof of him. I take my whole re­past vpon this bread that is so sower, so vild, & mean, that nothing but God might be of [Page 110]any pleasure and delightsomnesse with me. Oh that we were thus deuoted vnto God, and stoode so affected towardes heauenly things! it could not be otherwise but that they would expresse their ioyful effects in vs.A similitude. For euen as those that walke in the Sunne, be the occasion of what it wil, must needs be parch­ed and coloured with the Sunne: so they that shall walke in the sun-shine of Gods word, the light of the world, I doubt not, but that it shall comfort their hearts, and warme their soules with the loue thereof, and alter their conditions, and set a new die and hue vpon them, and minister such ioy as they are not able to conceiue.

CHAP. VII.

FOrasmuch as this Ieweller, whē he lighted vpon this Treasure, was as carefull in keeping it, as hee was [Page 111]ioyfull in hauing it, which he euidently shewed in his prouident hiding of it: it is ar­gument enough to conclude the necessity, not only of the reading and hearing of the word, but also of the industrous preseruing it in our harts. Without this, the immortal seed of gods word,A similitude. shall neuer take deep root and fructifie in our hearts. For, euen as the seede that is strowed vpon the furrowes of the earth, vn­lesse it be ploughed in, and buried in the earth, that thereby it may take root, can neuer spring vp, and be fit for the haruest: so the word of God, vnlesse it may be throughly fixed in our hearts, and there abide and re­main his ful time, it wil neuer yeeld any grain of good works, or serue to any profitable pur pose any waie.

We must not be trewants in the Church of God, as Schollers in the schoole, or be idle in the church, as children in the market, who neither buy, nor sel; but we must heare, mark, and hide vp that which is taught vs.

As the yron steel,A similitude. so long as it is cold, can not be ioyned and vnited to another: and as a sword that is right, cannot be put into a scab­berd that is crooked: so the cold affections, cannot be so neere conioyned, as they ought, to duties of deuotion: and crooked conscien­ces are not fit cases to hide and keep in them, [Page 112]the sharp and two edged blade of Gods spi­rite.

If there were a lettice, into which we might but peepe into the hidden heart of man, we should soone perceiue how few of those ma­ny, to whom this treasure of Gods grace is offered, and who come vnto the word, come in this good spirit to this good & godly end, to benefit themselues by it, to hide it with this good Merchant, in the secret closet of his heart.

Some come like Somners, and hollow hearted;Math. 22 Herodians, to trippe and intangle the preacher in his words, and if he can catch a­ny thing, that by his misconstruing it may but seeme offensiue to the present state, he writes it in his tables, and he runneth as Doeg the Edomite to Saul, 2. Sam. 21. and maketh a great tale of it, such a one is a diuell called in the Scriptures, the accuser of our brethren.A similitude. Such hide the word indeed, but only for a time, and that part which maketh for them: and they re­semble brood hennes, who pecke vp barley carnells with their beake, but they keep them not, but let them fal again to their yong chic­kens of their feather.

Othersome heare, to please their itching eares, and obserue only figures and colours of Rhetorike, cōceited inuention, histrionical [Page 113]discoursing a fine phrase or two, & that they carry with them.Hoses 1 [...] Such are fedde as Ephraim with the wind, with round periods, & square wordes, without any substance or shew of a­ny matter.A similitude. Plutarch compareth such vnto those who carry nose-gayes about them, on­ly for the smell, and outward shew of them, and not for any vertue that is hidden in them.

Others are new-fangled,Actes 17. A similitude. like vnto Athe­nians, and doe listen after newes; and if the Preacher be a like man to discourse of nouel­ties, he is a lure vnto them.

Some come to scoffe, others for their fan­cie,A similitude. others for a fashion, for they do no good, no more than yoong children, whome wee leade with vs to church, and carry home with vs: for either their thoughtes are dispersed to and fro, so as they are like the starlings and doues that flie about the Church, or else they fall asleepe, and are, for a time, like a dead corps, without any motion. They thinke as Samuel, 1. Sim. [...]. that it is not God that speaketh vnto them, and therefore deuoutly they returne vnto their sleepe. Thus our greatest sorte of hearers, if we diuide them aright, either haue no pitchers, or else they leaue their pitchers behinde them; or else, if they bring them, they are crackt and broken pitchers that will hold no water in them.

But the good sort of hearers, as bees out of floures gather hony out of the flowers of the word:A similitude. and as skilfull A potecaries make ma­ny good confections for diuerse kinds of sick nesses of such simples as they gather: so these out of the field and garden of Eden, and such simples as that yeeldeth, make such electua­ries, and phisicke for the soule, as shal be re­storatiue, and shall cure the soule.

The godly heare the Preacher, as the pa­tient the physitian,A similitude. who aduiseth and remem­breth his precepts giuen vnto him.

If we knew what rubs doe lie in our way, to keepe vs from the heedefull hearing of the worde, and the hiding, and laying it vp as wee should, what thornes, what tares, what tetters do spring vp, to choake and stifle the toward­ly growth of the good seede of the worde in vnsetled heartes, more then the necessitie of this point would be confirmed, and apparant vnto vs.A similitude. It is as impossible to winne all vnto the word, as it is for the wood-reeue and wi­sest husbandman to alter the condition of e­uery wilde tree: or for the Huntes-man to tame and keepe vnder euery wilde beast.

The brackish water of the sea, though it be not good for drinker,A similitude. yet it serueth well for sundry other vses; it is good for fishes, that do liue in them, and to transporte & bring in our [Page 115]wares and necessities. The worde of God is vnsauourie vnto many, but to the godly man who liueth by it, as the fish by that element, findeth very wonderful reliefe by it.

The word of God that is preached in our eares, is by the diuell taken out of our hearts,Iudg 6. who destroyeth this good seede, as the Madi­anites destroyed the corne groundes of Israel.

Mens hearts, are like vnto the high way,A similitude. vpon which, all the seede that is scattered, is lost: we see how a fruit tree that groweth by the way can not preserue her fruits till they be ripe, for euery passenger hath a fling at them. But such as are farre remooued from the eie, and grow solitarily by themselues, such do re­serue their fruites to due season. Wherefore depart from the high way of this world, and haue no doings with it, but hide such fruit as this tree of Life yeeldeth thee, secretly from such as would robbe thee of it, and thou shalt keepe iustice, and righteous dealing, faith and good conscience, the fruits of a good christi­an, vnto the very end.

There is also hard ground,A similitude. into which this immortall seede cannot enter; hard and stony consciences, which admit not wholsome do­ctrine: and they are like such, who hauing corrupt and putrified members, their senses [Page 116]are so senslesse, and benummed, as the Sur­geons Sawe, or other yron instrument is not felt of them.Psal. 22 Therefore, before wee can doe our selues good, our heartes, as Dauids, must be like melting waxe, or else it receiueth not the impression of the word.

But the thorne that pricketh and choaketh this good seede, that it cannot abide, and bee hiddē in our harts, is the wealth of this world, which wee will haue, wee are so set vpon it, though we pierce our selues through with in­numerable sorrowes. Like desperate lewde boies hat wil venture to go through a quick.A similitude. set of thornes, briars, and brambles to rob an orchard plot.

Moses seeth a burning bush,Exod. 3 which con­sumeth not in burning: so worldlings are in the midst of burning thornes, and yet are not consumed: wherefore, vnlesse wee remooue these blockes that lay in our way, and subdue these enemies and sinfull affections, and haue our harts like to good ground, capable of this seede, and of vertue to retayne it, all our preaching, and your hearing, is in vaine, and this poeticall inuention fitteth vs.

The good ground are they,Luke. 8 by the testi­mony of Christ, who with honest and good heartes heare the worde, and keepe it, make their hearts the bagge to carry this treasure.

The good mans hart is the arke of the co­uenant,Hebr. 9. wherein, not onely the tables of the olde Lawe, but the Gospel of the new, is hid­den and locked vp.

It is a fooles heart that is like a broken pit­cher that holdeth no water: or like a spend-thriftes purse that holdeth no money: of a giddy and changeable disposition, as leaues of trees, shaking euery way with eucry puffe of winde; turning round about, as the doore vpon the hinges; and as a tennis ball that is tossed to and fro, and not suffred to rest vp­on the ground.

In the olde Canons, such beasts as did not ruminate and chew the cudde (as swine,Leuitic. 1 [...] Deuter. 14. and such like) were defined to be vncleane by the Law of Moses, as no doubt those soules are, who do not ponder and lay vp in their hearts such precepts and commaundements as the Lord giueth them.

Therefore, that you may not heare the word in vaine, the best counsaile that may be giuen you, is this, to record and write in the tables of your hearts, such lessons as you doe learne.

You must follow the Angels counsaile to Ezechiel, Ezechiel 3 saying vnto him, Sonne of man, eate this rowle that I giue thee, cause thy belly to eate, and fill thy bowelles with this rowle. The like charge did the Angell giue to Iohn, that hee should eate and digest the booke.Reuel. 10. It is the fa­shion and guise of many, to reade much, but to eate little, to deuoure a great deale, but to digest and concoct nothing. They returne from the sermon to their dinner, and remem­ber nothing, no longer than their bodies are in the church; as Siues that holde no water no longer than they are holden within the ri­uer.

These men labour of a daungerous dis­ease,A similitude. that is next to deaths doore, for theyr case is like vnto that sicke mans estate, whose stomacke is so weake, as it is not able to re­tayne and keepe such meate as is put into it, but immediately dooth cast it vppe. His life is in his nourishment, which if hee can­not keepe, how is it possible that he should keepe his life?

I therefore feare much their eternal death, [Page 119]who loathe and leaue the diet of the soule, which onely preserueth the life of the soule. And the prophet Dauid seemeth to conclude so much, and to make it an infallible and irrefragable consequence.Psalme 107 Their soules (faith hee) abhorreth all kinde of meate. And what followeth heerevppon? They are next vnto deaths doore.

Is there possible any good to be had in the onely hearing and reading of the word, with­out any further heede thereunto?

Can the henne hatch chickins of those egs,A similitude. which, after shee hath a little sette vppon in the neast, she immediately vtterly forsaketh them? It is against all beleefe: no more can wee bring foorth any good by the hearing of the word, which as soone forgotten as it is heard of vs.

There is nothing more forcible and effe­ctuall then fire,A similitude. powerfull to consume, but it must haue a time to take holde of his com­bustible subiect, before it can shew his strēgth vpon it: For, if thou runnest swiftly through it, be the fire neuer so quicke, thou canst not be scorched, or once singed with it. A stay must be made, that it may apprehend and claspe the fewell, or else it is impossible that it should consume it.

Gods word is the fire of the spirite,Luke 24. which [Page 120]inflameth all our heartes, and maketh them to burne like a torch, which burneth vppe al our sinnes like stubble. But if we slubber it vp carelesly, and haste away from it, and make no stay at it, that it may kindle the coales of zeale within them: it shall neuer kindle, or warme our colde consciences, or giue them any comfort.

Wherefore, be perswaded to followe this course which reason aduiseth thee, and the practise and examples of the better sort at all times, haue animated and incited thee vn­to.

Christes Disciples were led by this rule,Luke [...]. whenas their thoughts did runne vppon his speech, and brought them back again to ask the meaning of it.

The Virgin Mary is a woman twice or thrice noted for this,Luke. 12. that she pondered with herselfe the words of the Angell, and what kind of salutation is should be, and that she lodged such sayings as the heard secretly in hir heart.

The men of Berea are registred in the chro­nicles of the spirite for this,Act. 17 that they caried home with them the Sermon of Saint Paul, that they might trie and examin by the scrip­tures whether things were so or no.

So Dauid vsed this, for thus he speaketh of [Page 121]himselfe, saying:Psalme 119 I haue hidden thy commande­ment within my heart, that I should not sinne against thee. There is this marke of difference between Iacob and his sonnes, when Ioseph discouered his dreame vnto them; his bre­thren vouchsafed, not to giue hi audience, but the text saith,Gen. 37 that Iacob noted the say­ing.

As spicery yeeldeth thee more forcible smell,A similitude. the more it is brayed and stamped in the morter: so the word of God is of better sauour to vs, the more it is beaten and bruised in our hearts.

Wherfore this our Marchant-Ieweller is wise, who hideth his treasure assoone as he findeth it. And he doth but that which is of common practise.

The Captain or Lieftenant,A similitude. to whom the generall Gouernour in the field shal commit a tower or a strong cittie to be kept, not only fortifieth it with garrison and munition, but foreseeth it to be so diked and fenced round about, as it may be sure against intended in­uasion.

If we shall be thus prouident for the safe­gard of this treasure, which the enemy so sub­tily endeuoureth to haue from vs, and keep that thus carefully, which our generall com­mander, the Lord of Hostes hath committed [Page 122]to our trust, and of which he wil one day take a streight account of vs, we shall like loyall subiects discharge our duties wel, and shalbe very highly rewarded of him for it.

Let the example of Ezechias be a fair war­ning to vs,2. Reg. 20 and let vs binde it as a signe vpon our hands, who for opening that treasure vn­to the ambassadors of Babylon which should haue bin priuatly kept to himselfe, and hid­den from them, gaue occasion to the enemie afterward to rob his posteritie of it.

As those that do lay seige to any great place,A similitude. do stop such passages, by which they may conceiue their enemie may be succou­red: so the diuell an old beaten souldiour, to this craft, intercepteth al the keyes and ports, by which he knoweth the Lord conuayeth vnto vs the comfort of his spirit: especialy the word, the conuoy, and viati [...]um, and releef of the whole man, and therefore we cannot be too carefull of it.

We see how euery Princes exchequer is strictly kept,A similitude. they must passe through many walls, doores, and locks, that intend to rifle it. Let vs therefore keep our heauenly treasure, which farre surmounteth this, as fast locked up, that it may be rescued from the hand of the robber.

As Ladies fasten their pearles to goldenA similitude. [Page 123]chaines, or twisted ribbands, that they might not be lost: so let vs fasten this pearle to our heart, that it may not be lost.

This wee shall doe, if wee shall con­tinue as wee beginne in the spirite. If, as we heare, we mark and lay vp, that which we haue heard: if we resort vnto sermons, not for carnall respects, but for the glorie of God, to receiue comfort from them, if our treasure shal be where the hart is, as the heart is where the treasure is.

Be not therfore slacke, and remisse in this duty, for if it be not continued and wel kept, it will be gone from thee.

Such as keep it not when they haue it,A similitude. are compared by saint Iames to a man that be­holdeth his face in a glasse.Iam. 1 The man looketh not so well on the glasse, as the woman doth, for the man carelesly seeing a spot and ble­mish in his face, letteth it alone; but the wo­man curiously prieth into it, and with a linnen cloth wipeth away euery little moath, and whatsoeuer she espieth amisse in her. Is this point of wisedome to learne of a woman it is no disgrace vnto vs, to be as nice to reforme by the glasse of Gods word, euery spot and wrinckle of the soul, as women are by an out­ward glasse to do away the staines, and vn­cleannes of the flesh.

It is labor lost to plant a vineyard,A similitude if before it should yeeld his sweet and pleasant grape, the hedge be broken vp, and the way be laid open for the wild board out of the wood,Psal. [...]0 and the beare out of the forrest, to deuoure and root it vp. It is in vaine to plough the ground, and to sow thy field, and to neglect thy har­uest: to fight manfully at the first brunt, and before the victory, like a seely coward to take thee thy to heels; to lay a good foūdatiō, and not to go forward with the rest of the building: so to saile prosperously in the wide Ocean, and to perish at the key side, to go to schoole for a time with children, and a little while after, to giue it ouer quite.

Blessed are they that heare the word and keep it,Luke. 11 and hide it in their heart, saith Christ, for that is the vse,A similitude. & the end of it. If we heare it to any other vain end, we do like idle boies, who being sent into the streete by their pa­rents, for to buy a thing, do loiter by the way, and gaze vppon euery vaine and idle toy, that they see before their eyes.

CHAP. VIII.

COmparisons betweene heauenly and earthly riches, are both odious and dangerous. There is as great difference and ods between them, as between light and darknes, righteousnes and vnrighteousnes: God, and Belial. 1. Cor. 6

He that seeth a Phisitian to make good ac­count of such hearbs and simples,A similitude which him selfe in simplicity hath euer trampled vnder­foote, argueth himselfe by this man [...]ection of former indiscretion.

We haue hitherto bin too erroneously led with an obiect opinion of dueties of religion. The lustes of the flesh haue bin more set by, then the lawes of the spirit; this present euill world, more then Gods most blessed word: and momentany vanity, more then endles fe­licity.

The base brat of the bond-woman, too presumptuously lordeth the son of the free­woman; a deadly debate and dispute there is about Moses his body, between the Angell [Page 126]and the diuell, not that each of them might haue part, but which of them should haue al. And thus whilst the strife is endles between them, we are put to our dumps and doubts within our selues, with the damsell that hath many sutors comming to her, and knoweth not whom to chuse.

This Gospel like a Gold-smith is in the right, and his imitation is our best direction. His cunning serueth him to make chiefest choyce of that which we chiefly do debase: and for the gaine of godlynes, which we e­steeme of least, to barter away as beggarly trash, all worldly kind of wealth which we set by so much.

This man, for the gain of his golden mine, and for the purchase of this matchles pearle, giueth ouer all, whether it was bequeathed vnto him by legacy, or coffered vp since, by foreseeing industry, whatsoeuer it was, it was morgaged, and sold for the purchase of piety.

And surely, herein his choice is very good, and cannot be reproued.A similitude. For better reason ruleth him, and wisedome that goeth beyond the reach of mans wisedome is his warrant in this action.

Is it not good reason, when offer is made to him of the wedge of gold, at the same rate [Page 127]which the foyl and rayes are set at, which this mettall casteth, and the true pearle indeede standeth him in no more, then that would do which is counterfeit & of glasse, that he shuld more esteeme of the one then the other? the treasures of Gods kingdome are offred vnto him at the same charge that he bought his worldly wealth: true pearle is as cheap as the dung of the earth vnto him: I maruell not therefore, that be accounted other things as lost, to win and weare this inestimable iew­ell.

The rudest poorest peasant,A similitude that feedeth most grossely, masting himself with akornes, a swinish foode, if he may haue wheat as cheap, a pure and kind repast, the naturall strength and staffe of mans life, he would be glad of such an exchange, & would cope the other for it. Worldly riches are but hoggish huskes, rather filling vs then fatting vs, rather aggrauating, then recreating the stomack; if Manna, which is heauenly and angelicall food, may be giuen vs for this, I hold him miserably madde that shall make refusall of it.

If God doth put vpon vs the persons of Agamemnon, and will make vs kings for euer, haue we reason still to beare the image of Thersites, and to liue as seruile slaues and cai­tiues [Page 128]for euer?

See we not how Cleargy men do resigne and giue vp their meane and smaller liuings,A similitude. whenas benefits of more worth and suffici­ency are giuen them? if the benefits which the spirit yeeldeth, are of more valew then such which the world is able to affoord vs, why work not we so wisely, as to make our choice of them?

What esteemed Saul the losse of his asses,1. Sa. 9. & 10. when he found a Kingdom? The wealth of this world is a burden fit for asses, it is meet that we should disburden our selues of it, be­ing called to a Kingdome: Abraham made no reckoning of Vr of the Chaldeans, Gen. 12 of his own kindred or his fathers house, when the Lord did preferre him to a better exchange, multiplying his nation, and increasing his ioy.

Dauid no more followed his ewes bigge with yoong,Psal. 78 when the Lord had called him to goe before his people.

The Baptist hunted not for honour of the world,Math. 3 when the spirite gaue him summons in the wildernes of Iudea, to be a Fore-runner and Preacher of his word.

Mathew being called to the chaire Apo­stolike,Matth. 9 left his custome seate. Peter, to em­barke himselfe in Christs shippe, and to be of [Page 129]his houshold forsooke his torne nettes, his fi­shermans boat, and the affaires of this world.

Zacheus preferred the vsury of godlinesse,Luke 19. before the vsurie of sinfulnesse.

Moses would no longer abase himselfe to keepe Iethro his sheepe, when his heauenly father imposed vpon his shoulders a charge of greater weight, euen the keeping of his people.

One thing that was necessary Mary more setteth by, which was spiritual,Luke 10 than those ma­ny things, about which her sister plodded, which were but onely temporall. Tu nanigas, sedilla iam in portu est, saith Saint Augustine. Aug. Tom. 1 [...] in haec verba Lucae. Martha sailed in the troblesom sea; but Mary was arriued quietly at the hauen. Erant in il­la domo istae duae vitae, & ipse fons vitae. In Mar­tha erat imago praesentium, in Maria futurorum. Quod agebat Martha ibi sumus, quod agebat Maria hoc speramus: hoc agamus benè, vt illud habeamus plenè, Againe, saith the same father: There was in this one house, twoo kindes of liues, and in the midst of them, the fountaine of all life. In Martha are figured those things that are present: but Mary beares the image of things that are to come. That which Mar­tha did, we all enioy. That which Mary did, we all doe hope for. Let vs do this dutifully to obtaine the other plentifully.

He that laboureth for the world,A similitude. is like a souldier pressed to the warres, and but put­ting on his harnesse, and hyred but for very slender wages, and that not duely paid him, obiect and subiect to all kinde of danger: but hee that laboureth about the woord and do­ctrine, is like the souldier that hath wonne the field, that putteth off his harnesse, and is out of gun-shot, and triumphantly, and ioy­fully diuideth the spoyle.

God is in vs, God is with vs, and wee are with God, in our godly exercises: whenas we are in prayer, wee talke with God: when we sitte at the Preachers feete, God speaketh vnto vs. What a blessing is this? what is dust and ashes,Gen. 18 that the Lord shoulde speake vnto him, or he speake to the Lord?

When this Ieweller sawe the beautie and riches of Gods house,A similitude. hee cared not for see­ing any more his owne house. It is with him as with those that behold the Sunne in his o­rient brightnes, who hauing fully fixed their eies vpon it, it so dazeleth their sight wyth his radiant beames, as when they come home, and doe goe apart into any inward closet, the roome seemeth darknes vnto them. So such as looke vpon (with the eie of faith) the sonne of righteousnesse, and are dazeled with the corascant surpassing hew of it, the thinges of [Page 131]this world seeme obscure vnto him, as soone as againe he shall set his eyes vpon them.

He that hath a taste of the good spirite, of the ioyes that are to come in an other life, let­teth fall the loue of the worlde from him, as Elias rapt to heauen,2. Reg. 2. didde let fall his Mantle from him to the earth.

In the beginning of the creation God him selfe diuided light and darkenesse asunder,Gene. 2 to teach vs to distinguish, & to put a difference betweene the workes of light and darknesse, and not to confound and iumble them toge­ther.

The first thing that God willed,Gen. [...] after that he made man, was, that hee shoulde increase and multiply. But this propagation and fruit­full increase must beginne in the best maner, not in the flesh, or worlde, but in the spirite. Christ, in his copy, or rule of prayer prescri­bed vnto vs, telleth vs what thinges are to bee first sought for, in willing vs, first to pray for such things which concerne God, as the ha­lowing of his name the comming of his king dome, the fulfilling of his will: before wee preferre any sute for our selues that respect the worlde, and appertayne vnto the flesh, as daily bread, and such other thinges as fol­lowe.

It pleased Christ,Luke 6 not to found his Church [Page 132]vpon the earth,Math. 16 8. Corin. 10 but vpon a rocke, to teach vs, not to build vpon the thinges of this worlde, but vpon the rocke, which is the Spirite.

We are willed to lay vp this treasure, which is heauenly; but that which is earthly, is not to be kept for times that are to come, which wee may neuer see. Therefore, the same day that the oblation was offred,Leuitle 7. Exod. 12. Exod. 18 it was by the Lorde commaunded to be eaten. As likewise there was nothing of the Pascall Lamb to be refer­ued to the morrowe, by his positiue iniuncti­on.

The Manna that putrified and swarmed with wormes, hatched vp by the Israelites for the day folowing, is not an obscure argument of the iudgement of God hanging ouer such, who carke and prowle so miserably for this world.

The great Doctor of the Gentiles illumi­nated round about him,Actes [...]. with an heauenly light, woulde no more post with letters, and epistles to Damascus against the Saintes of God, and dwell in former darkenesse, but hauing sauoured the sweetenes of Christ, hee accounteth as doung,Philip. 2. the sweetenesse of this earth.

Such as are besotted in the inward man,A similitude. hauing their cogitations darkened, the god of this world blinding their mindes, and their [Page 133]eyes of vnderstanding troubled with the sand and dust of the earth that is gone into them, so as they can not see the thinges that are of God, but look downe vpon the ground, and loath the world, in comparison of the world: they are like babes newly weaned from the breast, esteeming more of an apple, and of a nut, than of a peece of golde, or of a pretious pearle. Or like children in the market place,A similitude. who thinke better of their riding reed, than of the greatest & stateliest steed that the prince hath. Or like the yoong minion, that more fancieth her puppet that is made of clowtes, than all the beautiful women that shee seeth.

It is wonderfull how this worlde runneth a madding, as Samson without eies,Iudg. 16 not able to finde out the pillers of the house; not able to comprehend the pillars of religion.

The prowling and coyle that continually we doe keepe, to bring in the world, is mon­strous to beholde: as though we were made to gather in the golde, and immediately to die.

What woorth is that of which men labor for so hardly, with the hard sweat, and bloud of our browes, about which all the witte and whole man is employed. I see the shaddow and image of it in the water. It is a pastime to see how the fishes skudde after a worme or a [Page 134]crumme of bread that is cast into the water, what a strife and contention is between them for it: this the fishes themselues doe not re­garde, onely those that stand still at the shore side, doe obserue and marke it well. It is no sporting matter, but it is lamentable to consi­der, how the world laboureth, of the disease called the Woolfe, or greedy Worme, which maketh them to gape, with mouthes so wide for euery balld baite that is cast before them: so as,1. Reg. 21. it is hard for Nabacth to hold his owne, his vineyard lying so fitte for Achab, on the backeside of his orchard. They are neuer sa­tisfied, though the diuel should say vnto thē, All these things will I giue thee. Math. 4 Such as sit at the shoare side quietly, contented with their priuate meaner estate, haue this their practise in notable derision. Such, whose eyes God openeth, to beholde this vanitie, doe admire their misery.Rom 11. But the other sorte are smitten with a spirite of slumber; and the doung that fell out of the swallowes neast, and did strike Tobias blinde,Tob. 2 so terribly blindeth them, as they cannot see their ensuing infelicitie.

If a beggar be called to a halfe peny dole,A similitude. good God what haste he maketh to it! what a crowding do we vsually see among them at such kinds of meeting? and behold, being cal­led to an incōparable treasure, we creep more [Page 135]flowly than snailes thereunto.Exod. 5. Pharao was not loather to let Israel go to serue the Lord, than wee are loathe that our selues and seruantes should goe and serue God.

If a poore man be inuited to a rich mans table, he gladly commeth to it;A similitude. but if hee be inuited to Gods house, he excuseth or refu­seth flatly, with the guests in the Gospell,Luke 14. to come to it.

The worlde calleth vs to labour, and care, and we come when wee are called: but God calleth vs to wealth and ease, and we will not heare of that. Ohorrible contempt!2. Sam. 20. Seditious Siba the sonne of Bochi bloweth his horne, and rabblements and swarms of nastie com­panions come out and meete him: But Iesus the iust man, the sonne of Dauid, the sonne of God, soundeth out his trumpets and wee re­fuse to heare the voyce of the charmer, charm he neuer so wisely. The world calleth thee to deceiue thee, and the flesh to defile thee, and the Diuell to destroy thee, and thou hearest them willingly, and obayest them cheereful­ly: thy sauing God, thy King of glory, thy prince of peace calleth thee to peace, glory, and saluation, and thou turnest thy backe, and fliest away from him.

The respect hereof putteth good Micheas to his muse and mourning, Woe is me, Mich. 7. for I am [Page 136]as the summer gatherings, and as the grapes of the vintage, there is no cluster to eate.

But if thou knewest the gift of God,Iohn 4. as Christ said to the woman of Samaria, it could not be thus with thee. I woulde to God, as Paul sayde to Agrippa, that not onely thou, but all that heare mee this day, were as I am.

If the Prince shoulde set foorth a generall proclamation,A similitude. that al that would, shoulde be of his Court, and beare office in it, I thincke there is none woulde make refusall of it: but beholde, beeing called to the high Courte of heauen, where is all honor, we giue no heed to that.

We are like infants and sucking children,A similitude who beeing cockered and pampered of their nursses, loue them better than their parentes that begat them, and at whose cost & charge they are nursed of them. The grosse and sen­suall delights of the worlde, &c. insteede of nurse, to foster and sustaine vs, and with whō familiarly and vsually we conuerse. But God alone is our creator and preseruer; by whom we liue, we mooue, and haue our being, and loe, in a childish and senslesse immitation, we preferre these base creatures, before our eter­nall and omnipotent creator.

If thou shouldst see the Princes pompous court,A similitude. and a paltry swinish stie, or stable for [Page 137]beasts on fire at one time: canst thou with a­ny reason neglect the Princes house, and pre­ferre this so loathsome a dounghill before it? and first of al runne to the quenching of that, not caring though the Court bee consumed ere thou commest? This is our witte in our worldly practise, we labor about the world, a stie of vncleane beastes, full of filth and corruption, and forsake the worde of God, the pallace of all pleasure, and the onely pa­radise from whence we haue all our spirituall consolation.

What is the inducement mouing hervnto, and what do we propound & promise to our selues by this kind of proceeding? Doth it bring in the best riches, the greatest gain with it? I would to God it did not the contrary, and import greater dammage then any man can diuine.

I wish from my soule, that a worldling would fasten his cies on two things: What is his losse? And wherevpon it groweth. His losse is God. The cause is for gold, for gree­dinesse of his gaine, for the sinke of sin thou loosest thy sweet sauiour: who is not affrigh­ted and astonished at this? Truly because man is not mooued at it, the Lord comman­deth the senseles elements to be mooued at it, speaking vnto them by Ieremy in this wise. [Page 138] O ye heauens be astonied at this, Ierem. 2. be afrayde, and vtterly confounded, saith the Lord. But what is the matter Lord? For my people (saith he) hath committed two euills: they haue forsaken me, the fountain of liuing water; to dig them pittes, euen broken pits, that can hold no water: That is, their thirsty and droughty soules, they haue left God the fountaine of eternall life, which would haue refreshed and fulfilled their soules, and they haue runne to those decayed spoutes, and broken wells, as treasures transi­torie, and pleasures that are carnall, which are vnable to extinguish or delay, but rather to sharpen and prouoke their thirst.

Thus we haue altogether lost our taste, since the first tasting of the fruit forbidden vs.A similitude. So that we are as those, whose stomackes stifled with distillation of euil humors, and their senses senseles with grieuousnes of sick­nes, they cannot taste and rellise the sweetnes of their diet, but that which is sower, they ad­iudge to be sweet,A similitude and so of the contrary. Or as those, who being bidden to a costly ban­quet, haue so filled themselues before with their grosse diet at home, as they can eate no­thing, nor take any pleasure in this banquet when they come. Our stomackes are so char­ged and full of worldly thoughts, as we haue almost no roome for any heauenly cogitati­on.

Dauid setteth vs out in our colours,Psalme 62. and hitteth our vaine right, whenas he saith, that we are deceitful on the wayghts. For, from this deceit proceedeth this wrong iudgemēt that we haue of the word, when we set the world before it.

The scales are false and deceiueable two waies. First, whenas those things that are put into them, are weighed hastily, and time is not giuen to see the ful weight of thē. Or els, whenas one part of the ballance or weight is heauier then another: we put Gods lawes and our lustes together in the ballance of our foule, and we are too hasty and rash a great deale, in taking the world to be of more weight and substance then the word. Again, one part of the ballance is too heauy: the hea­uinesse of the world weighing vs downe, and weigheth more with vs, then the treasure of Gods spirite:Iohn 18. we preferre Barrabas before Christ; sinfulnes, before dutifulnes; gaine, be­fore godlinesse.

If we would discreetly, with mature aduice consider of them both, & not define of them with forestalled affections, but heare what God and the world can say indifferently, thy voice no doubt will passe on Gods side, and this treasure shall be more esteemed of thee, [Page 140]then all the treasure that the worlde giueth thee.

We fight therfore as Paul with the beasts at Ephesus, 1. Cor. 25. after the maner of men, whilst we dispute the case with those, who set all their hope vpon the things of this life, and place them before those of the life that is to come. For what is the nature & condition of beasts, but to looke vpon the ground, whose whole care is, to satisfie their bellies, and to couch in the holes and caues of the earth?

Such mens case is extreamely miserable,Num. 16. and they are in the taking of Dathan and A­byron, Psal. 106. whom the earth deuoured. For doth not the earth deuoure vp him, whose whole cogitations are fixed vpon earth, whose de­sires onely are of earthly things, whose eies doe looke neuer aboue the earth, who hath no feare of God, no hopes of his promises, no beleef of the soules immortality, and no expectation of any future felicitie. Surely, faith Origen, wheresoeuer thou seest such, tell them flatly to their faces, that the earth hath deuoured them.

CHAP. IX.

THE practise of this Merchant concludeth this point, whom I should not hold wise, for doing away the world for the purchase of heauen, if heauen and this world might be enioyed together.

By selling therefore one, for the buying of the other, it is insinuated, that he was not a­ble to keepe them both together.

There be many states and gouernements vpholden & ordered by sundry constitutiōs, differing each from other, yet are they not so contrary but a man may haue his freedome in diuers of them together: but God lawes, and mans lawes: the lustes of the flesh, and the desires of the spirit: the Ark of the Lord, and the Philistines Dagon: God and Mammon; 1. Sam. 5 Math. 6 2. Cor. 6 Christ and Belial: light and darknes, are at such enmity and deadly food between them, as no composition or conclusion of peace, is to be looked for between them. For the na­ture of things disclaimeth it our ciuill course of life gainsaith it, and the Scriptures euery where, flatly are against it.

What motions and commotions are in the ayre, between lightning and thundring: heat, and cold, without reconcilement euer to be had, experience often sheweth vs. Light suc­ceedeth darknes,Math. 9 and darknes light, and they two will neuer be consorted, and matched to­gether. Old wine and new vessells cannot a­gree, the patching of new cloth with old can not be sutable.

There were laws and statutes in this behalf enacted, that cattell shuld not be permitted to ingender with those of diuers kinds, that our fields should not be sowed with sundry kinds of seed,Leuit. 19 and that a garment of Linsie wolsie, which is of two substances, that are contrary, should not be worne of vs.

A weake Oxe and a strong,1. Cor. 6 cannot draw equal yokes: Iacobs voice, and Esaus garment are easily distinguished, the kingdom of God cannot go in fellowship with the kingdom of this world,1. Cor. 10 we cannot be partakers of the ta­ble of the Lord, and the table of the diuel.

The Scriptures do make that report of the Samaritanes, 2. King. 17 which we admire and laugh at, that with the worship of God, they adored and worshipped their prophane idolls. Is not this the bias and fashion of the world? it will seeme holy, and professe both a knowledge and seruice of God, but they will not leaue [Page 143]couetousnes, which is worshipping of ima­ges, they prostrate themselues before the idol of this world. This kind of people doth take two crosse and contrary waies, and do go out of the way, and their labour is in vaine.A similitude. For what voyage can he make, who intending one way, goeth another; pointeth at heauen, and looketh to the earth, Et manu committit solaecismum, erreth with his finger: with such doth Elias expostulate the case, & thus censu­reth their folly:1. King. 18. How long will ye halte between two opinions? if God be God, worship him: but if Baal be God, follow after him.

The Lords iealousie burneth like fire a­gainst such deceitful people, vtterly to con­sume them, who wil be vnited, and wil marry themselues vnto these two contrary commā ­ding husbands, hauing espoused vs to Christ before, who is our only husband. For thus he breaketh out into this deep protestation: I wil cut off the remnant of that place, Soph. [...] that sweare by the Lord, and sweare by Malcham.

Whenas Pharao could permit the He­brew people to sacrifice to the Lord, so as they would sacrifice out of the land of Ae­gypt. Ho there, saith Moses, Exod. [...] this may not be indured, to sacrifice vnto God the abhominations of the Aegyptians. Superstition cannot possibly stand with true religion. The lawes [Page 144]of God may not be lincked with the lusts of this world.

The Philistines tooke great paines here­abouts, to couple their Dagon, 1. Sam. 8 with the Arke of the couenant, but it could not be effected. For Dagon fell groueling to the ground be­fore the Arke, and could not stand before it.

The Israelites neuer knew what heauenly Manna meant,Exod. 16 before all their meale which they carried from Aegypt was vtterly spent: vntill thou hast consumed the worldly affe­ctions, looke not to be partaker of Gods hea­uenly blessings.

The stomack that is distmpered with di­seases,A similitude. and surcharged with euill humors, rel­liseth and tasteth not the sweetnes of his meat. The Israelites were so glutted with the gar­licke of Aegypt, as they had no fancie to a fi­ner foode. Let vs be purged of these hurtfull euil humors, and so shal our souls be fulfilled with Gods word.

Whenas Christ vppon his entrance into the temple, chaced away such with a whip of cords,Iohn. 2 who chopped and changed, and made their worldly bargaines, and matches in the Temple: what doth this his zealous fact con­clude els, but that the impure negotiations of this world, cannot be intermedled with [Page 145]the exercise of his word. He cannot away with such paltry doings, when as his holy mi­steries which are of such moment are needful to be handled.

What Courtier would not think himselfe greatly iniured,A similitus who whilst he is busie in talk with his prince, about his great sutes, a coun­try pesant with his irksome clamour, should interrupt his businesse? It is a grand dodge, that the soule so excellent a creature sustain­eth, who whilst her sutes should be put vp to God, it is disturbed and cut off by the vn­timely importunat molestation of the world.

God neuer presented himselfe vnto Mo­ses, so long as he was a Courtier in Egypt,Exod. 25 and liued in pleasure daintily, dandled in Pharaoes daughters hands, and dieted delitiously with the princes iunkets: but hee was first espied of Moses, in the middst of a bramble or bush of thornes: to insinuate thus much, that he is not to be found in a pleasurable life, but in a state that is pricked and wounded with the briars and thorns of persecution. And at that time God straitly charged Moses to put off his shooes, before he came vnto him: teach­ing vs thereby to put off our worldly mindes before we presume to prease to the presence of the Lord.

When the prophet Elias sawe Gods glory [Page 146]and maiesty, passing by before him, he coue­red & blinded his eies with his mantle: who­soeuer will be partaker of Gods glorie, hee must close vp the eies of his earthly affectiōs, and must not behold the vanity of the world.Psalme 89.

He will not dwell in the stincking cage of our bodies, of whom it is written, Righteous­nes and iudgement is the habitation of his seate.

If thou hast a vessel that thou wouldest fil with any liquor,A similitude. and that standeth full of an­other already, is it possible to put them both together? or to put in the one, without emp­tying the other? Thou arte to bee filled with the liquor of life, with the sweete balme and oyle of the grace of God: thy glasse viall, e­uen thy heart, is full already of bitter water of wormewoode, of the brackish and salt water of the sea of this world; therefore powre this out first, and rince thy vessell cleane, that it neyther may keepe out or infect that pleasant confection, and restauratiue that is to be putt into it. And embrace the sweete counsaile of saint Augustine in this case, in this sorte direc­ting vs: Ex inani quod implendum est, bono im­plendus es funde malum quia melle vult te imple­re Deus; August. si aceto plenus es, vbi mel pones? Empty that which is to be filled. Thou art to be filled with the goodnes of thy God, powre out thy wickednes: God wil fill thy belly with hony: [Page 147]but if that be ful of vinegar before, where shal he find roome in thee for his hony?

As hee that will graffe a wilde oliue tree,A similitude. vnfruitfull by nature, first loppeth and cut­teth off his riotous branches, and graffeth in that stocke in the roome of them, the braun­ches of a fruitfull and fertile three: so, such as wil be planted in the Lordes house,Psalme 92. and will florish in the courts of the house of our God, and bee graffed into the stocke and body of Christ, hee must first prune, and toppe his worldly inclinations, the shrubbes of sinne, and the armes of vngodlines must be broken off: and the loue of God, the estimation of his word, and the braunches of holinesse, and righteousnes of life must bee graffed in their place.Psalme 137 Howe shall wee sing the Lordes song in a strange land sayth the kingly Prophet? The world and heauen are as strange as may be: and therefore, so long as we are giuen to the world, we cannot sing vnto the Lord in our hearts. If wee therefore cannot sing, Oh let vs sigh to be deliuered from it, that wee may in heauen make that cheerefull noyse of Ha­leluya to the Lorde: and in the meane while trebble with one harpe vpon Dauids dumpe, weeping and mourning for the remembrāce of Syon.

Sarah was first past her youthfull yeeres,Genes. 1 [...] [Page 148]and was dead to the world, before shee con­ceiued and brought foorth Isaac, which was his fathers ioy. We must first subdue and o­uercome the worlde, and be dead vnto it, or else we shall neuer bring forth the effects, and fruites of true ioy, which is of Gods Spi­rite.

Euery beast was to be killd before it could be sacrificed:Leuitie. 1. so first our beastly worldly lusts must be killed before we can be a sacrifice to God.

Iacob was called Iacob, Genes. 25. which signifieth a supplanter, before he was called Israel, which is,Gen. 32 Seeing God, to teach vs, that wee must first treade the world vnder feete, before wee can see this presence of the Lord.

As Daniel first destroyed the Idol Bel, Dan. 14. and then hee buckeled with the Dragon well e­nough: so destroy thou this dumbe idoll of the world, and thou shalt griple with the de­uill the olde dragon well enough.

It is dangerous to ride on an vntamed colt that laboureth to cast thee:A similitude. this worlde is thy vnruly lade, assaying alwayes in thy voyage to Ierusalem, to throw downe thy spirit.

The spirite and the world are as a paire of balaunces and scales,A similitude. when the one of them mounteth vp, the other is weighed downe: when the Spirite is eleuated and cast vppe to [Page 149]heauen, our worldly affections are throwne downe to the earth.

Or they are like an houre Glasse,A similitude. which emptieth one parte to fill another: the soule, when it is ful of the spirite of God, emptieth it selfe of the lusts of the world.

Abraham receiued not the couenaunt of circumcision, before he went from Vr, Gen. 18 which was his worldely possession: before about re­ceiuest Gods couenant in thy mouth, and professest his religion, it is looked that thou shouldest, as thou arte called of God, giue vp and renounce thy too worldly disposition.

As the tree leaneth, so it falleth,A similitude. when the axe is put vnto it: if the body and braunches weigh to the left side, it wil fal on the left side: If al thy life time thou leanest to the left side, namely, to the world, neuer looke when thou diest, that thou shalt fall on the right hand of his glory and felicitie.

If thou wilt liue to God, the worlde must not sunder thee, but thou must be so vnited and knit vnto him, as the soule to the bodie, the beames to the Sunne, the braunches and armes to the body of the tree.

The glasse that is obscured and dimmed with dust,A similitude presenteth not aright our counter­feit vnto vs: If the soule be ouer-layde with the dust of this worlde, the image of God, af­ter [Page 150]which we were created, which is our right face, is not to be seene in vs.

Such horses as are put to grinde in the mil,A similitude. haue their eies blinded, that they might fitly execute that office: we must blind our world­ly eies, that we may the readier dispatch such dueties which the Lord shall lay vpon vs.

In a gentlemans great horse,A similitude. it is the best grace and quality that commendeth him, that he is ruled by the bridle, and keepeth his cir­cles, lists, and roundes, that the rider wil putte him to: there is nothing that graceth vs more than to liue in the compas, and streight course of Gods commandements, & to suffer gods word to be a bridle to our lusts, and a bitte to keepe vs from the race of our sinnes.

Herod was first dead,Math. 2 before that Christ woulde returne out of Egypt into the land of Iudea: we must first die to the world and sin, before Christ Iesus wil enter into our soules.

There was a certayne Musitian, who of such schollers, who were initiated, and taught by others before, required double the summ of mony which he tooke of others, who were informed but by himselfe alone: and his rea­son was, because he considered, that double the labour must be taken with them: first, in rooting out their former balld fashions, after which they had bin taught; and then in plan­ting [Page 151]and fixing in their mindes, his owne or­dinary compendious course quite contrary to the other, by which they might exactly and perfectly be taught. So, if we will be trained vp in the schoole of Christ, and will professe our selues his scholers: Christ must needes take double paines with vs; Hee must first make vs to forget our olde lessons, which our former badde Schoolemaisters, the worlde, the flesh, and the diuell had before taught vs, and then to take out new, which his holie spirite shall put into our hearts, which tach­eth vs all wisedome.

Augustus taking vppon him to beautifie his Empire, and to leaue Rome made of mar­ble, which he found made of brick, acquain­ted one Apollonius Thyanaeus with his pur­pose, and asked his direction for his better proceeding: the Philosopher thus answered him, that if hee would happily atchieue that which hee professed, he must set before his eyes, the course that memorable Musician did take with his sonne, whom he would not in­struct himselfe, but sent vnto an vnlearned Musician to be taught, who gaue him this caueat and memento, onely to carry away with him, and he should speede wel enough, to marke wel the fingring & lessons of his mai­ster, and doe cleane contrary, for they were [Page 152]exceeding naught: So, to beautifie and a­dorne our soules, and to be perfect schollers in Gods worde, it is meete for vs to be taught of the world, to marke but the worlds fashi­ons, and to doe the contrary, and wee shall make a good profession, forasmuch as the word with this present euill world, can neuer be lincked and combined together.

The condition of mans minde is like his e­state,A similitude. whose middle part of his body is taken with a palsie, by reason whereof his ioynts being dissolued, that part is so benummed, as it is made insensible; but the other part that is not strooken with it, but is sound and health­full, is nimble and pliable vnto any outward action. It fareth thus with the soule and mind of man, for when it should apply it self to ho­ly exercises, it is snatched away with a world­ly palsie, which maketh vs senslesse in these kinds of duties, but a remainder of it that is not touched, is very full of life, rauished and transported with the loue of earthly things.

The pleasures of this world are the diuells baits, that he layeth for our soules, and this is the poyson which the whore of Babylon tem­pereth and seasoneth in sauory meate, and in her cup of gold.

As the Moon neuer suffreth an eclips,A similitude. but [Page 153]when it is at the ful: so is thy soul neuer dark­ned and eclipsed, but when it is glutted and fulfilled with the world.

Moreouer,A similitude. as the Moone in hir fulnesse is most distant and remooued from the Sune: so our saturity and fulnesse of this world, as it was with Sodome, we forget God that made vs, and the strong God of our saluation, and are furthest off from the son of righteousnes, Christ Iesus our Lord, and the light of our saluation.

Augustine by an elegant and dainty simi­litude, shaddoweth and setteth foorth the nature of the world, an extream and irrecon­cileable enemy vnto God.A similitude. He likeneth the loue of the world vnto bird-lime, which so fast hangeth and cleaueth to the soule, as it holdeth it below, and suffereth it not to climb to higher motions that it might be saued. These are his words, Amor rerum terrena­rum, viscus est spiritualium pennarum: August. The loue of earthly thinges, is the bird-lime to our spirituall wings. Now how we are fette­red and entangled with this lime, he sheweth vs, saying: Si concupiuisti, haesisti: If thou couet, thou art catched of it.

It is impossible but that the world shuld be euery way like it selfe, and follow his own na­ture. It is incident to the flesh, to fight against [Page 154]the spirit, and it is the trick of the world to be at ods with God, riches and righteousnes wil hardly be combined.

A vessell cannot but retaine the sauour of that liquor that is in it.A similitude. If into a glasse that is full of vinegar, thou shalt drop a little honny, the sweeter substance being nothing in quan­tity to the contrary sower subiect, it vanisheth away, and is consumed of it. In our bodies are vessells full of sower affections, the little sweet honny of the word of God, thorough the redundance of the other, is easily ouer­come, as often as it shall be distilled therevn­to.

He that will loue God,A similitude. and will not loath the world, but thinkes he may haue gold and godlinesse together, and chace away sinne, and not chace away his sinfull worldly coue­tousnes, is like him, that desirous to driue a­way a dog, doth cast a bone or crust of bread vnto him.

The god of this world is at enmity with God, they are two contrary imperious mai­sters, that will not bee serued together. He that loueth the world, 1. Iohn. 2 the loue of the father is not in him.

Is it possible to performe true allegi­ance to thy prince,A similitude. and be in league and pay with his greatest enemy?Gal. 5 If we liue in the flesh, [Page 155]we shall die. But if we shall kill the deeds of the stesh with the sword of the spirit, we shal liue for euer.

Be we circumspect therfore, and let vs look about our selues, and let this holy Canon be alwaies in our minds: If ye loue God, Psal. 97 hate the thing that is euill.

We make our boast of God all the day long,Psal. 44 and his name is in our lippes, but it is in vaine, since the loue of the world is wholy seated and ingrafted in our hearts.

Whenas God before he would couenant with vs, would we should be circumcised, it is plaine enough that his mind is, that first we should circumcise the outward man, and cut off with the knife of the spirit our ingenerate corruption, or else he wil not haue any doings with vs.

Themistocles on a time, made asolemne ser­mon to the people of Athens, giuing them to know that he could acquaint them with that which was most behooueful and needfull for their estate, but it was a secret and not to be blurted out & published vnto all, but only to be priuatly imparted vnto some few of trust; such whom the magistrats in this case should depute to haue audience of this matter. Here­vpon with the general consent of al, the cause was referred to Aristides his hearing, authori­sed [Page 156]by them to determine of it, and according to his iudgement to approue or disallow of it, now al the mystery and secrecy was this, that it was meete to set on fire the whole Grecian Nauy, that thereby, so weakning and infeeb­ling their power, the Athenians might be lords and commanders of all Grecia. Ari­stides repairing to the Senate with his newes, certified the bench, that Themistocles his counsaile was most profitable, but therewith­all most vnlawful. Thus this Pagan may con­demne vs Christians, who while we respect wordly gaine too much, do esteem of the gain of godlines too little.

Euen as a ring that is vpon one finger,A similitude. can not be put vpon another, vnlesse it be first drawn off from the former: so the heart being lincked to earthly things, it cannot be fit for heauenly matters, before it hath put off the former disposition.

Wherefore, since both these treasures will not be consorted, and the purchase of this heauenly and hidden treasure, exceedeth by infinite degrees, all the riches that the world may yeeld vs, we do wel, if with this Mar­chant we take hold of this excheat, whatsoeuer it doth cost vs.

CHAP. X.

ONE thing is necessary, Luke. 10 (saith Christ to Martha:) and of this with Ma­ry this Ieweller maketh choice. For the purchase whereof, he doth not sticke to renounce and giue vp his state and property in all his worldly hereditaments and emoluments, of whatsoeuer nature and condition they are.

He dodgeth not with God,Act. 5 as Ananias did with Peter, keeping part behind. He putteth not his hand to the Lords plough, and hath an eie with Lots wife vnto Sodome. Luke. 9 He min­ceth not God of any part of his dew, as the King of Arams muster-master,2. King. 5 excepting with the Prophet his worship with his ma­ster in the house of Rimmon. It is not the plea­sure or profit of the world, that he standeth at with God:Phil. 3 but he reputeth all things with [Page 158]the Apostle, as doing for the gaine of godli­nesse.

This man is euery christian mans look­ing-glasse, in whom we may behold that image of perfection, that is pleasing vnto God, and by which we may see how to re­forme such blemishes which disguise vs so much, and make vs so vnclean and laothsom in his sight.

We are reasonably contented to part stakes with God, and willing enough with the false mother,1. King 3 who pleaded for the diuision of the child before Salomon, to diuide him out halfe of that all, which is his portion, dealing with God altogither like as Hanun with the ser­uants that were sent from Dauid, 2. Sa. 10. who sha­ued off half their beards from their faces, and slashed off their garments from the middle to the buttockes.

But God may not indure such paltring at our hands.

The true mother may not abide to heare of the mangling of her child; and Dauid may not digest such barbarous indignity offered to his seruants, and God may not suffer him selfe to be so mocked; as to haue his glory of which he is so iealous, communicated vnto others.

Very many we find, howbeit, otherwise [Page 159]of very proper parts, & induments of nature, who halt with God too much, and cannot, without strugling to one way or other, keep in the right way: we are as the graine that wanteth measure, and the gold that will not hold weight. There is in euery one of vs, somewhat which blemiseth and disgraceth all our beauty.

Many, albeit they are of chaste behauior, of very ciuil nature, and (as by outward ap­pearance it seemeth) of religious disposition: yet are their minds fixed vpon couetousnes, they go after worldly thoughts, and incomber themselues with Martha about many things.Luke. 10. They cannot be parted by any meanes from their profit, or stride ouer those blockes that lie in their way, or deuote themselues wholy with this Ieweller vnto God Wee find other some of liberall and bountifull affections, yet violently miscaried with a desire of ambiti­on.

There was death in the pot,2. King. 4 which marres al the broath of the children of the prophets: so some sinnefull profit or pleasure alwayes spoyleth whatsoeuer good graces the Lord giueth vs beside.

There is none of vs, who doth not hucke with God, who is not ready for some excuse or other; we ask our flesh, our lusts, our plea­sures [Page 160]leaue, and if they consent not to it, God is answered as Pharao answered Moses, Na­bal, Dauid, Matth. 21 1. Sa. 15. and the Lord of the vine-yard was aunswered when he demaunded fruites. Who is the Lord (saith Pharao vnto Moses) that I should let Israel got who is the Lord (saith the stubborne soule) that I should let my sin­full pleasures go? Who is Dauid, and who is the sonne of Ishai (saith Nabal) that I should take my bread, my water my flesh, which I haue killed for my shearers, and giue it vnto men, whom I know not whence they be. These be the termes wherer vpon we do stand, we commune the case in this wise with Nabal, who is Christ the sonne of Dauid, that I should take that which I haue deputed to my pleasure and my sin, and giue it vnto him?

Be not deceiued, God will not be stinted, he will haue all, or nothing at all of thee: and when thou giuest all, thou giuest him but his owne. Thou dost but like the coppy holder that payeth his rent, and performeth his bounden homage and seruice vnto his Lord, the diminution of any iote thereof beeing the forfeit of thy whole coppy.

This is a slye pollicie of the diuell, to haue vs dernie christians, to serue GOD by halues, to drawe vs on to some duties of de­uotion, that whilst we doe flatter and beguile [Page 161]our selues with a counterfeit profession, he may cause vs priuilie, and vnawares, to fall in­to the pit of his destruction.A similitud And herein he hath the tricke of a cunning angler, who ha­uing hold of some great fish vpon his hooke, is not greedie of him to drawe him vp to shore, but he stretcheth out his rod, and gi­ueth him more line, that hee might more throughly swallow vp the hooke: for other­wise through too hasty violence that is offred him, he will breake all asunder, and the fishe shall so escape him.

Thus he playde with Herod who hauing snarled and hooked him before with the hooke and line of inordinate lust,Mark. 6. he dallieth with him, and giueth him some libertie to heare Iohn Baptist willingly, and to reforme many things according to his directions.

As along as the diuell hath vs vnder his line, and hath any hold of vs, either by our pride, by our vsurie, by our couetousnes, by our enuie, by our emulation, by our ambition, by our hatred, by our crueltie, by any kinde of sinne, he will so sporte with vs, as he will be sure of vs, he will not let vs goe.

For as a bird, if she be limed,A similitude. and taken by one wing, cannot flie away: so though we pray or fast, or giue our almes, repaire to ser­mons, and giue our selues to many good de­uotions: [Page 162]yet if any sinne hath a limme of vs, it is impossible to escape. To be bound in any part is all one, as to bee bounde in the whole.

To what vse is it to rampire vp al the gates of the citie,A similitude. and to set watch and warde about the walles, if one gate or breach of the wall shall be suffred to lay open, for all the power of the enemie to come in? Giue thou the diuell but an enterance into thee, and thou shalt neuer remoue him, but he will be who­ly at the last seated in thee.

Christ his charge to those that will be fol­lowers of him,Math. 11. flatly is this: Take my yoake vpon you. He nameth not any parte of the bo­dy that should be yoaked aboue other, the head, the necke, the shoulders or such like; but the whole: that wee should not thinke that we haue serued God well, by myncing him a pittance, vnles he hath the whole.

Wherefore Dauid summoneth al his parts to the Lords courtes.Psal. 34. Psal. 103. Psal. 119. All my bones (saith he) shall say, Lord who is like vnto thee. And againe, Praise the Lord O my soule, and all that is within me praise his holy name. And againe, I haue an eye vnto all thy commaundements, and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre.

The diuell is an importunate suter vnto vs, to haue any roome, or tenement within vs, [Page 163]be it neuer so little, rather then he would be vtterly shut out.

When as Pharao could no longer holde the Isralites in durance,Exod. 10. but the time was come that they should be set at libertie, and sent a­way to serue the Lord, he craueth that their cattell might remaine behind them: so when the diuell is not permitted to domineere as he list, to haue his full power and pleasure ouer vs, he beggeth but a parte and little por­tion within vs. But giue the diuell that an­swer that Moses gaue to Pharao, who snobbed him thus roundly; No not a hoofe shall re­maine behinde vs, but euery part shall be con­secrated vnto God.

Or let vs say in this case vnto Satan,Gen. 27. as Isaac said to Esau: Iacob haue I blessed, and he shall be blessed: we haue giuen vp all to God already, and he shall possesse it.

Yea let vs say to God as Peter said to Christ when Christ would wash his feete: Lord, Ioh. 1 [...] not my feet onely, but my hands, and my head. For why should we deny him any thing, see­ing he is the owner of euery thing we haue. The diuell, the world, the flesh indeede haue no more right in vs, then Achab had to Na­both his vineyard, or Herod to his sister.1. reg. 21.

If we giue all to God,Mark. 6. he will saue and pre­serue it: there is nothing that the diuell would [Page 164]haue, but that he would destroy. And yet we are ouercome of such folly and madnes, as we will rather put our selues to our destroyer, then to our mercifull Sauiour.A similitude. As many a young man doth, who rauished with lust of a droyling slauish bond woman, doth bestowe himself vpon her, and albeit that he know­eth that he is cast away by her, yet will he marry her: so our will, forgetfull of Gods loue, is so lincked to the lust of this wretched world, as hap what hap shall, it will not be di­uorced, but will be obsequious to her impe­rious hestes.

Sampson could not be so absurdly ignorant of Dalila her drift,Iudg. 16. for former experience and triall that he made of her, discouered her de­ceit. He sawe too plainely, that her so earnest practise with him to vnderstand wherein his power might be weakned, did tend to his de­struction, yet he could not be warned by for­mer admonitions, but is so intoxicated, and besotted with her, as he chuseth rather like a mill horse to grinde at the mill, and to be made a foole as afterwardes he was, when he was the subiect of the Philistines pastime, then to be offensiue to this his abiect my­nion.

As the Lord is Alpha which signifieth the beginning:Apoc 1. A similitude. so is he Omega which signifieth [Page 165]the ending. He wil not be put off as Lawyers doe their clyents from terme to terme, with dodges and delayes.

Moses asking Pharao, when he should pray for him: his answere was to morrow; And why not to day Pharao? since euery day is Gods, and he cannot be serued of any man too soone. How doest thou know, that thou shalt liue vntill to morrowe? Thus the wic­ked prescribe God his time, whenas euery time is his.

Lycurgus making lawes for the Lacedemo­nians, propounded them vnto them to be ob­serued of them, vntill he should returne from that region and country, whither immediatly he was to take his voyage: and so sayling in­to Creet, he neuer did returne, but there dy­ing, commaunded his bones to be burned, and the ashes of them to be throwne into the sea: supposing, that if his body might not be carried ouer, his lawes and ordinances should neuer be repealed. Such a tender care had this Gentile Philosopher of the zealous and continued obseruation of good lawes: which care of his, taxeth our carelesnes, and remisnes in keeping the commandements of our God: seruing him by fits as our stomackes serueth vs, and affording him what we may spare from our pleasure and our sinnes. It should [Page 166]not be so with vs, but we should take that course which this Ieweller by his practise here prescribeth vs, who resigneth vp all that he had in the world, that he might buy this treasure of Gods word.

Let vs doe the like:Augustine. Nos ipsos pro illa mar­garita demus, non quia tanti vateamus, sed quia plus dare non possumus. Let vs giue our selues for this pearle of great price, not because we are worth somuch, but because we haue no more to giue. Minus dat vt plus accipiat: hoc fac & tu. Da modica, accipe magna: da tempo­ralia, accipe aeterna: da terram, accipe coelum. This Ieweller hath a wonderfull bargaine, in giuing vp his state and interest to this world, for liuery and seisin of this better pur­chace of the world that is to come. For as Au­gustine saith, he giueth the lesse, to receiue the more: doe thou the like; Giue meane things, and receiue greater for them: giue tempo­rall things, and receiue eternall: giue earth, and receiue heauen: giue golde, and receiue God.

As thou forsakest father, and mother to cleaue to thy wife: so forsake father, and mo­ther, wife and al, be it neuer so neere and deere vnto thee, to cleaue to God.

To sell all that we haue, is to renounce the lusts of the flesh, and of the minde, and so to [Page 167]shake off the world, which inticeth vs to wic­kednes, as Ioseph shaked his cloake from him,Genesis 39. and left it with his mistris, egging him to vn­cleannesse.

But, this is that that breaketh off the bar­gaine, and keepeth vs from this purchase; we endure well enough to heare of the pleasure and profit of this purchase, but we like not the couenants, we are loath to be tou­ched in our worldly state, or to alter the con­dition of our life; the doctrine of repentance, and the Gospel of Christ teaching vs to deny all vngodlinesse, and worldly vanity: and to liue soberly, iustly, and vprightly, in this world, is grieuous vnto vs,Tit. 2. and we cannot a­bide it.

The children of Israel hearing of the fruit­fulnes of the promised land of Canaan, Num. 14 buck­led themselues in al the haste vnto the battell, and marched towards it, eger of the present possession of it: but hearing the place was in­habited with Giants, they hung downe their heads, and their hearts failed them, and altred quite from the men they were before, their fancies were set vpon Aegypt again. So many hearing by Gods spies, that came from hea­uen, of the ioy and happines laid vp in store for vs in the life that is to come, especially of saint Paul, who was rapt vp to heauen, and [Page 168]was full of reuelations,2. Cor. 12 and discoursing of the vnspeakable riches of his kingdome, ra­uisheth the hearers with these delightfull ti­dings, that the eie hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, 1. Cor. 2 neyther can the heart of man conctiue the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him: men I say, heartned with such con­solation, they take stomacke to themselues, and are zealous and hot in spirit after it, to winne and enioy it: But withall, vnderstand­ing that the way is narrow,Math. 7 and the doore streight, that leadeth into it, and that there wil be some difficultie in our passage, our hearts grow heauy, and our iourney is dashed, and our whole minde is set vppon retiring vnto Aegypt, and to embrace this present world.

He that hath earnest occasion of speech with another man,A similitude. coueteth to find that man alone, and free from other busines: when as God would speake to vs, he would find vs in this case, he would haue vs loue men, seque­stred and put apart from the world.

Therefore when hee was to commune with Abraham, Gen. 12 he willed him to be priuate, to resigne his natiue soyle Ʋr of the Calde­ans, and to inioy his blessed presence, to forget his owne kinred, and his fathers house.

And because that cares are the daughters of riches, which as thornes do choake the [Page 169]good seed of the worde, in worldly minded men; the Lord enacted in the state of Israel, that cleargy men,Deut. 18 seperated and put a part to the ministrie, should not haue worldly he­reditaments and possessions as other of the tribes: that their minds, whilest they were in their holy ministration, might not be distra­cted, and miscaried with them.

As also it was a constitution among them,Leuit. [...] that he that was bunched and crooked in the backe, shuld not serue & minister in the tem­ple. For this defect and impediment of body, is a hindraunce to their eies, that they cannot lift them vp to heauen as they shuld. So, such as are distorted and crooked in mind, and haue their affections always stooping & loo­king on the world, are no fit persons to serue before the Lord, and to enter into his courtes.

Mortifie we therfore all our worldly lusts, and slay we them down right with the sword of the spirit. Let vs not imprison in the bow­els of our soules, such sinnes as we like best, and keep them aliue as Saul did Agag, 1. Sam. 15 whom God commaunded should be put to death: but let vs hew them in peeces, as Samuel did Agag in Gilgal before the Lord, and beate them as small as the dust of the earth.

If we pitty our sins as Ely did his sons,1. Sam. 2 when we ought to punish them, God will punish [Page 170]them, and wil bring a great iudgement against vs for them.

Oh heauy and most grieuous is that com­mination of the Lord against Achab, 1. King. 20. for de­missing Benhadad: Because (saith God) thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I ap­pointed to die, thy life shall goe for his life. The like sentence is gone out against all, that saue aliue that sinne they should destroy, they shal die for it.

If ye liue (saith Saint Paul) after the flesh, ye shall die; Rom. 8 but if ye shall mortifie the flesh by the spirit, ye shall liue. Thus Paul maketh two men of one: the one the outward and the o­ther the inward man: both which are vnited in one, yet are they so sundry, as they cannot agree in one, but the generation of the one, must be the others corruption, the life of the one, must be the death of the other, and therefore to saue and keepe aliue the one, we must needes mortifie and put to death the o­ther.

What a good match we shall make, in co­ping away the pleasure of the world, for the ioyes of heauen: at that generall county day, wherein the bookes and scrolles of conscien­ces shall be laid open, plainly will appeare, at what time all those things that we haue here gathered together will do vs no good, where [Page 171]no manner of excuse may serue our turne, where there wil be no place of any refuge for vs.

Here there haue bin found some places of small succor, in the time of danger.Gen. 3 Genes. 18 Gen. 19 1. Reg. 18 Iona. 1. Adam could runne behind the trees of his orchard. Sarah could hide her selfe within her tent. Li­tle Zoar was a sanctuary to Lot. Elias could shrowd himself in Mount Carmel: and Ionas could go downe to the hatches of the keele, that he might flee to Tharsis, from the pre­sence of the Lord. But in the iudgement,Luke 23. Apoc. 6 we shall say to the mountaines, hide vs, and to the hills couer vs, from the anger of him that sit­teth vpon the throane, and of the lamb.

Tell me what it is, whereat thou shouldest sticke to go through with this purchase? Or what it is that thou shouldst desire in compa­rison of this? One saith riches, another saith honor: one desireth beauty: this man is for his backe, and this man for his belly, one for his myrth, another for his credite, another for his pride: here one, and there one goeth vp high­er,Gen. 28. and desireth heauen, and steppeth vp this ladder, as the Angells that Iacob did see in his dreame.

It is euen as the shaking of an oliue tree,Isai. 17 here and there a berry is to be had.A similitude. Thus like bruit beasts, who set more by stubble & gras, [Page 172]then by gold: they sottishly esteeme more of earthly vanity, then of heauenly felicity.

As the Sun which is but one,A similitude. doth minister far more light then all the smaller stars which are innumerable: so the sun-shine of the glo­rious gospell of Christ, doth vs more good by infinite proportion, then all the creatures which the world yeeldeth vs: as by particu­lar discourse shall appeare in the winding vp of this historie in the last Chapter.

Wherfore grudge we not to do away those things that are of meanest moment, for those of greatest substance: to change chaffe with wheat, drosse with gold, myre for pearl, earth for heauen.

Know we not how that pearles and preti­ous stones,A similitude. are not set vpon yron and copper rings, but only vpon golde? In like case, the glittering gemme of heauenly glory, may not be set into yron hearts, brazen affections, im­pure and earthly mindes: but into such as are purified as fine gold from all impure com­mixtion. For the estate of the soule, is in na­ture not vnlike a pure crystall glasse, which is so dimmed with the least dust, and is so ob­scured but with once breathing on it, as it nei­ther giueth the image of that face that looketh into it, neither sendeth backe such bright and cleare light as is obiect vnto it.

He must partake with God in his life, that will share with him in glory. If Christ our grand Captaine despised the world, and renounced al, to do his fathers will it appea­reth that we fight not vnder his standerd, and are not his souldiers, who are as greedy of the world as a crow is of carrion, and who can sauour nothing but the things of this world.

There be many with Balaam, Num. 23. that desire to die the death of the righteous, but they re­fuse with Balaam, to liue the life of the righ­teous. They would liue rebelliously with Iu­das, Mat. 26 and die in peace with Simeon: Luke. 2 but it may not be: for the life of beasts, and the glory of Angells, may not be knit together. It is not to be hoped for, that if we liue in this world like beasts, we shall liue in the other like An­gells.

The sheepe, otherwise a seely creature,A similitude yet is so wise, as he knoweth what hearbes are most wholesome for him, and what as hurtful he is to refuse.

He knoweth the woolfe to be his enemy, and the shepheards curre that is like a wolfe, for to be his friend. The Lord hath giuen vs iudgement and discretion, if we would vse it thereafter, to leaue the euill, and to chuse the good; to eschew sinne, and to ensue righte­ousnes; to loath the earth, and to loue heauen.

The birdes of the ayre naturally are dispo­sed,A similitude. though the cage be neuer so precious, wherein they are inclosed, be it of Iuory, or of gold, or howsoeuer they are daintily dieted and tended, to desire to be at liberty abroade, which they shew by the often grating their beakes against the wyer window: so the god­ly scorn al the plesures of the world, in regard of their ioyes prepared in heauen, and to be in state and fruition of them, are willing and desirous to make a surrender of all their earthly profits and commo­dities whatso­euer.

CHAP. XI.

THis Marchant in this Chroni­cle is celebrated and renouned, for this three-fold action. For the sale of his substaunce. For [Page 175]the sale of al his substance. For the end there­of, onely for a heauenly Purchase.

The two first must waite vppon the last, without which, the former shall be done in vaine.

Many there haue bin, who haue renoun­ced their worldly right, & simply haue surren­dred all their earthly state,Ezech. 13 yet neuer were ac­counted in the assembly of Gods people, neyther shal they be written in the writings of the house of Israel.

It is not the action that God respecteth, but the intention, and end of the action that he only beholdeth.

God loueth not Adiectiues without Ad­uerbs, Bonum without Benè. It is better to do wel then to do good: for a man may trespasse in doing good, if he doth it not well.Deut. 5 Deuter. 12. The Pharises in praier, fasting, almes, duties that were good, offended in that they did them not wel, the end and the manner marring the whole matter.

How many heathen people haue gone be­fore vs, in a seuere conuersation, in a strickt mortification, and yet haue vtterly lost al their deuotion, because it hath wanted the onely vse, and end of true religion?

They wrought, but yet they wrought not like cunning artificers, according to the rule, [Page 176]which is to do that which is good in good or­der.

To forsake our wiues, to neglect our chil­dren, to dispise our frends, to contemne the world, if it be in wordly sort, and it doth not tend to an heauenly end, it is to no end. The Romane Curtius, the Athanian Codrus, the Theban Crates, and others, the famous philo­sophers of the Gentiles, Socrates, Diogenes, Bias, Thales, Milesius, Mucius, Scaeuola, Fa­bricius, Romanus, and such like, who haue martyred themselues, offered strange vio­lence & torture to their bodies, haue liued priuate austere liues, scorned worldly wealth, & haue sequestred themselues aloofe from al the inticements of the world; inasmuch as the ends of their actions were in vaine: the lyme, the stone, the timber, wanted a foundation wherevpon to leane, all their whole structure and building tumbled down, and all their la­bors and endeuours perished.

The manner therefore in matters of Gods seruice,Gen. 4 is chiefly to be regarded. And because that Cain was carelesse of the manner, the Lord looked not to the matter of his sacri­fice.

If thou wouldest bring thy actions to per­fection, let God be the end of them. The Mathematicians hold, that the circular figure [Page 177]is the perfect figure, because that in a circle, the beginning, and the end, do iump and meet together: we shal be perfit christians, if God the first cause and beginning of all: of whom, Rom. 12. in whom, and by whom are all, shal be the con­summation and end of all: if we shall set this watchword before all our doings, whether we eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer else we do, we do all to the glory of God.

Haue an eie therefore to the end of euery thing, that thou goest about, that thou maist not do amisse.

Artificers, by a line and leaden plummet,A similitude do measure and suruey the proportion of their worke: our leuell and square must be this heauenly word; so as, our life being con­formed to this rule, it is euen in euery part, and of perfit dimensions.

God expresly willeth that all valuation shall be according to the shekell of the sanctu­ary: Leuitic. 27 The loue of God, and the glory of his name is this shekell and weight that weigh­eth all our actions: so that wanting this, they are reiected as the gold that wanteth weight, and as the corne that wanteth measure. They may like the smoake, climb towards heauen, but, like the smoak, they shal vanish away, and neuer come to heauen.

Whatsoeuer action thou giuest thy self vn­to,Psal. 37 [Page 178]whether to praying, fasting, giuing, recei­uing, suffering, weigh aright with this shekell of the sanctuary, in what spirit, purpose, and deuotion, thou takest it in hand. For be thou wel assured, if it tendeth not to his glory but be without that, it shall also be without his re­ward.

A fearefull woe shall be thundred out a­gainst them,Math. 23 as we reade in the like case was denounced by Christ against the Scribes and Pharises.

As no man might enter into the court of King Ahashuerosh, [...]est. 4 that was cloathed in sack­cloath: so no man, not cloathed with a wed­ding garment, that is, with Gods loue, may presse into Gods presence.

Christ many times in his actions,Mat. 22 did ele­uate and lift vp his eies to heauen,Iohn 11 to teach vs in our actons, and all our intentions to looke vp to heauen,Mat. 6 for the eye is taken for the in­tention, according to that our Sauiour Christ saith:Luke 11 if thine eye be simple, that is, thy end, and intention of thine action, set before thine eye.

These two I hold as good conclusions. First, that all our sorrowes for our sinnes, though our contrition were as great as the sea, if it be only for the feare of hell, and not for Gods loue, and the loue of heauen, can [Page 179]do vs no good.A similitude. For as the confession of a trai­tor is constrained, who for feare of the racke, and not for any dutifull affection to his prince, bewrayeth and bewaileth his mische­uous designements, and this confession and lamentation, turneth not to comfort, but to his certaine destruction: so such contrition, as commeth by coaction, maketh not vnto saluation, but vnto endles perdition. For in sin there are alwaies these two things chiefly to be cōsidered. The first is, the euil thou hast wrought against God: The second is, the euil that thou hast brought vpon thy selfe, which is eternal damnation. Now if thou beest grie­ued for thine owne mishap only, and not for the high and mighty indignity offered vnto God, is it not manifest, that thou wouldest only escape that which maketh against thee, not caring for that which maketh against God, and therfore thy repentance is repelled of God?

This is made euident by a paire of exam­ples of Saul, and Dauid; they were both of them Kings, both of them sinned,1 Sam 15. 2 Sam. 12 both of them were reprooued, and both of them re­pented: and yet the Lord, who accepteth no persons, accepteth Dauids, Acts. 10. & excepteth iustly against Sauls repentance: for it was defectiue and faulty in the end, and it was not done a­right, [Page 180]there was as great oddes and difference as might be, betweene their intents and pur­poses of repentance: Dauid repenting that he had lost God, and Saul repenting, only be­cause he had lost his kingdome. For he ope­neth his mind plainly enough by his wordes to Samuel, 2. Sam. 15 saying: Honor me before the elders of my people, and before Israel: So Saul might haue bin safe and setled in his kingdome, and men might do him worship, little did Saul esteeme how his GOD was woorship­ped.

For this cause Esau went without his bles­sing,Heb. 12 though he sought it with teares and ex­treame passions, because they proceeded not from sincere affections. The loue of God which should haue made them forcible, was wanting to them.

The second proposition is as plain as this, that is, that although we doe conforme our selues to the Canons of his word, and doe his commandements, honor his name, auoid prophane swearing, sanctifie his Sabbaoth, and come as nigh to the perfect obedience of his law, as possibly we can, if with this Mer­chant we renounce all our worldly both pro­fits and pleasures, and haue not the intention of this Merchant in our minds, to illustrate Gods glorie, and let our end be God; God [Page 181]will not blesse or fauour these our doings, or giue them enteraunce and passage vnto him.

For as before in sinne, so in euery good worke there are two chiefe respects: The one is the honour which redoundeth vnto God: The second is the profit that returneth to our selues. If therfore in a good action, we rather haue an eie to our priuate aduantage, then to the publike praise of God, we discouer ther­by our worldly minds too much, that gold more then God, the world aboue the word is esteemed of vs.

Wherefore let vs looke, that as we serue him, so he will serue vs: if we serue him with the worst, and with the last, he will serue vs with the dregges and bottome of the cup of his wrath,Psal. 73 and will make vs sucke them vp.

The end before God is of more valew, then either the greatnesse or excellency of the action: for euery action shall be weighed by the intention, and respected, and recom­penced according to the end.

This the subtile serpent knoweth well; wherfore, as he broght Adam to another tree,Gen. 1 that he might not taste of the tree of life: so he bringeth vs to any other end, that we might not follow the true end, which God hath [Page 182]commanded vs to set before our eies in al our enterprises.

When he cannot strip vs of such excellent works, as the Lord worketh in vs, he deprau­eth thē, by disgracing our intentions in them, suggesting, that they were wrought to some priuate worldly end.

For thus he sophisticated and glosed with God, vpon the inclination of Iob his deuoti­on: for, vpon the commendation of Iob his disposition, which God had made vnto him, how that he was a iust man, and one that feared God: Iob 1 Behold how this iugler priuily vnder­mineth him, diueth to the depth of him, sit­teth at the heart and reines of him, snatcheth at the secret intendment of his mind, that Iob his religion stood with good policie, for thus he descanteth vpon Iob his deuotion: Doth Iob serue God for nought? Hast thou not made a hedge about him, and about his substance, and a­bout all that he hath on euery side? Thou hast blessed the worke of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land: But stretch out now thy hand, and touch that he hath, to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face: as if he should haue saide, hee worketh on the surer side, and playeth vpon the aduantage; his gaine is his godlinesse, but touch him in his purse, and crosse him awhile in his estate and substance, [Page 183]and the case will soone be altered with him, and Iob I will warrant you, will not proue the man you take him for.

Thus he doth like Pioners in the warres,A similitude. who digge at the foundation, wherevpon the whole weight of the building leaneth. He doth not deny a matter manifest, such attri­butes and praises as God doth giue to Iob: but he wrangleth and cauelleth about the maner, which he knew well enough, if it had bin true, would haue ouer-throwne all the mat­ter.

Well, this will be a bone, wherewith he will choake vs vpon our death beddes; let vs deliuer our selues of it as wee can: whe­ther we haue serued God for nought, is the question propounded to vs to assoile, our in­clinations and inward affections, at that time wilbe throughly canuised. Let vs proue them therefore, and examine them before,Psalm. 111 that there be no frawd and wickednesse in them, so shal they be able to stand in the iudgement and congregation of the iust.

Set therefore this watch-woord of the A­postle before thy race,1 Cor. 9 So runne that thou mayst obtaine: Apoc. 1 Let God be Alpha and Omega with thee, the beginning and end of all thine actions.

Fasten not the anchor of the ship of thy [Page 184]heart, vpon the daungerous sea of the loue of this world. Gather vp thy wits, and set downe in thine accounts, how much thou hast deuo­ted thy self vnto the world, and how litle vnto God.

It is with vs,A similitude. as it is with the wind-mill which grindeth not the corne into meale, without a gale of wind which may turne it round about: we cannot turne vs to any good action, vnlesse we may be puffed and rocked to and fro with the winde of worldely vani­tie.

Good workes are as good wine, but done in a bad mind, we mingle worme-wood and gall with it, and do like the Iewes, who tem­pered gall in their cup of drinke, that they gaue to Christ. The diuell recoyleth and go­eth backe, not by our doing good, but by our doing well. It is that that maketh him to reel, as the rammes hornes did the huge walles of Iericho. Iosua. 6

As Ieremy saith, Cursed is he that dooth the woorke of God negligently; so no doubt Gods curse shall light vpon those that do it deceit­fully, and that doe it not with a faithfull heart.

But there are hypocrites among true chri­stians, as Saul among the Prophets. But the glorie of God, which should be the end of [Page 185]euery good worke, is the touchstone that trieth our works, of what worth they are, whe­ther they be of gold, or any other baser sub­stance.

Sichem and Emor were circumeised aswell as Iacob and his sonnes,Gen. 34 but if was but coun­terfeit holinesse that was in them; for they on­ly regarded the goods of Gods people, and not the good of Gods glorie. This much they not obscurely insinuated in their words vnto the people, saying: their substance, Genes. 34. cattel, and flockes, shal be ours.

There is no reckning to be made of such religion, which is grounded on a carnal inten­tion.

What father esteemeth that obedience of his sonne,A similitude. shewed him for a feare of loosing his possessions, and not for loue in a naturall disposition?

Whatsoeuer good we do, whatsoeuer euill we suffer, the maine motiue thereof must be the honor and glory of his name: So our Sa­viour teacheth vs in many places of the new instrument.Mat. 5 Blessed are they that suffer perse­cution for righteousnesse sake. Againe,Mat. 10 ye shal be brought before Kings and rulers for my names sake. Againe, he that looseth his life for my sake. Mat. 10 Again, he that forsaketh father and mother for my sake, and the Gospel. Luke 1 [...]

God wil say to such as he said,Gen. 15 to Abraham, I will be thy exceeding great reward.

Wherefore let vs say to God as Iacob said to Esau: Gen. 33 Let my Lord go before his seruant, and I will follow according to the pace of the cattell which are before me, and as the children be able to endure. Let God goe before, and we wil trace his foote-steppes, as he shall enable vs.

It is said in the Iudges, Iudg. 9 that Abimelech their Iudge and principall ruler, did cut off braun­ches from the trees, and did beare them on his shoulders, and said vnto his fellowes: What ye see me do, haste and do the like: So, whatsoeuer we see Christ do, let his example be our imi­tation, who made Gods glory the scope and drift of all his proceedings.

Euery handy-crafts-man,A similitude. in euery kind of worke, doth obserue the paterne that his ma­ster giueth him, and frameth it to that end, which he before had purposed, for if he shall make it to an other vse to please his own fan­cy, his maister maketh refusall of his worke­manship, and his labour is lost: wherefore, that that we do may be pleasing to our Lord and master, and acceptable in his sight: let vs with holy Dauid, Psalme 16. set the Lord before our eies, and we shall not do amisse.

Therefore God would that the two Cho­rubins, [Page 187]with stretched out wings shuld couer the mercie seat where God gaue his answers;Exod. 25 to insinuate, that when wee intend any good, we desire not ostentation to be seene: so man seeing that God, when hee would shew mer­cy, pleased that the place wherein hee would appeare, should bee thus shadowed and co­uered.

As Christ willeth the Spouse in the Can­ticles that Shee would set him as a seale vnto hir heart, and as a signet vpon her arme: Cant. [...] So let vs make God and his glory, the obiect of our eyes, the scope, drift, and marke, at which we onely ayme, in the whole course of our life: so shal we make with this heauenly Ieweller, an exceeding good purchase, & receiue with him, an euerlasting inheritance, an incompa­rable crowne of glory, all treasure and happines in the kingdome of God worlde with­out end.

CHAP. XII.

IT is not gold, but drosse, not ho­ny, but gall, not credit, but shame, not life, but death, not good, but euil, which the world yeeldeth vs; diuide the worlde aright with the sworde of truth, and the vanitie of it will soone appeare vnto thee.

But thy word, Psalme 119 O Lord, endureth for euer in heauen. Mat. 13 It is, the word of the kingdome, because it bringeth vs to no lesse than a kingdome. It is,Iohn 6 the word of life, which giueth life vnto all creatures.Mat. 2 It is, the starre which conducteth vs to Christ.Gen. 28 The ladder, whose toppe reach­eth vp to heauen. The water, which purgeth and cleanseth our leprosie.2. Reg. 5 Psalmey [...]. The manna, which satisfieth our hungry soules.Iohn 6 The booke that we should study vpon day and night. The royall and celestiall Testament of God. The Oracles of his Sanctuarie.Psal. 1 Ierem. 31 Isai 22 The Key that ope­neth his counsell chamber doore. The milke of his breasts;Mat 16 1 Pet 2 Psalm 11 [...] the gage of his loue. The light of our paths. The breath of our nostrells. [Page 189]The piller of our faith.Pro 3 The anchor of our hope. The ground of our loue.Heb 6 The char­ter of our happinesse.Pro 4 The Schoole and Li­brary of all spirituall learnings.

This is the pathway that leades vnto hea­uen:Luke 18 so saith Christ to the yong man in Luke: If thou wilt enter into heauen, keep the comman­dements. So saith the Spirit,Reuel. 2 [...] Blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it. So saith the Angel, Blessed are they that keepe the words of this booke. So saieth Solomon, Prou. 29 Blessed is the man that keepeth the Lawe. So saieth Isaiah, He that doth this, is blessed. Isai 56 Iames 1 So saith Iames, The doers of the Lawe are iustified. And to this giue all the Scriptures witnesse, if we wil con­sider them.

Good cause therfore haue we to loue this Lawe, and all the day long to haue our study in it.

Worldly Lawyers increase daily; they are called common lawyers, because they are too common, and they are not weary in follow­ing that study: but Gods Law, which spea­keth of farre better things, and promiseth to the faithfull professors thereof, not the golde of Ophir, or India, but the infinite and vn­speakeable treasure of a kingdome, lieth o­pen in the windowe, or shut in the studie, al­together neglected, or retchlesly regarded.

Sommon all the Law giuers, and conuent them together, and lette them worship their politique ordinances and statutes as they list, they must not bee matched and consorted with this Lawe.

None of these euer durst, or did promise vnto any that were keepers thereof, the re­compence of a kingdome.

Mercurius Trismegistius gaue Lawes to the Aegyptians, Phoronaeus to the Graecians, Solon to the Athenians, Lycurgus to the La­cedemonians, and Numa Pompilius vnto the Romanes; yet none of these pricketh them with that praise, as to assigne such a recom­pence and rewarde vnto them: Such glory hath all his Saintes, saieth the Kingly Pro­phet.1 Chro. 12

As one of the least of the captaines of the sonnes of Gad, could chace away a hundred, and the greatest a thousand: so one of Gods books, exceedeth a thousand of humane constitutions.Prou. 31

Many daughters (saith King Lemuel) haue done vertuously, but thou surmountest all: so ma­ny writers haue written learnedly, but the a­ctuaries of the scriptures haue gone beyond them all.

Wheras others of Gods blessings, as food, light, and life, are communicated to others of [Page 191]his creatures, as to birds, beasts, and fishes; this priuiledge of the word, as a prehemi­nence and prerogatiue royall aboue all other creatures, he hath appropriated only to man. And this is argument pregnant to perswade vs to the loue of the word.

As man is most happy by his hauing the word, so had he bin of all most miserable, if he had bin destitute altogether of this word. For what comfort (saith Tobias) can I haue now I sit in darknes? so, what comfort could we haue had whilst we sate in darknesse, and in the shadow of death, whilst we were with­out knowledge and hope of our saluation; a­liants from the common wealth of Israel, Ephe 2 strangers from the couenant of promise, and were without God in the world?

Whenas God would checke the ingrati­tude of his people, he calleth to mind his benefits done vnto them, and as the chiefest among others,Miea. 6 he grateth their eares with a re­hearsall of his word. That as he had giuen them Moses to gouerne them,Num. 34 so he had sent them Aaron to instruct them: as he had giuen them a Iosua to leade the people,Iosua 15 so he did giue them a priest to beare the Arke, a Ie­hozadach with Zorobabel: Agge 1 and a Iayrus in the Synnagogue with a Centurion in Caperna­um. Mat 8 & 9

His word hath bin the badge and cogni­sance of his people, the hedge and partition, whereby they haue bin distinguished from all other people.

So singeth the melodious musition of Is­rael, Psalm 147 He hath not done so to any other nation, nei­ther haue any people such knowledge of his laws.

This is that one thing that is necessary (as Christ said to Martha) howsoeuer many o­ther vnnecessary things are preferred before it,Luke 10 and we preferre with the vngentle and vn­mannerly guests in the Gospel:Luke 14 our wife, our farme, our oxen before it.

Herein we resemble and imitate such por­ters,A similitude. who letteth euery one that is costly ap­parrelled into his masters gate, and keepe out such who are farre their betters, because they carry not such an outward shew.

Or they are like the rauē,A similitude. who whē sheseeth her young ones in the nest, first doe begin to fether, and then their fethers seeme white, she doth not know them: but afterwards percei­uing how the fethers grow blacke, she nouri­sheth and preserueth them. The world loueth not a godly man, because he seemeth to be of a contrary fether: but let him turne blacke, and be like the world, and the world will know him for his owne, and make much of him.

As in desperate diseases,A similitude. such medicines as do serue simply in their nature, as preserua­tiues of life, are turned, thorough the dange­rous corruptions of the patients, into occasi­ons of death: So in some most dangerous di­seases of the soule, the word, which otherwise in nature, is a salue, is a corsiue vnto vs. For the word is of sundry effects, according to the di­uerse dispositions of the subiects, that it prin­cipally worketh vpon.

The Sun worketh diuersly, as we see,A similitude. ac­cording to the variable nature of the matter vpon which it hath his force. For as it softneth waxe, so it hardneth clay: as it whiteth some things, so it blacketh othersome things: and yet the Sunne is one, but the subiect is not one.

The word of God is one, but we are not one that are hearers of the word, to some, it is a sauour of life vnto life: and to others, it is a sauour of death vnto death.

We are first to be sundred from our dee­rest kinred, rather then to be separated from the word. Hierome hath a zealous saying to that purpose, in a letter vnto Heliodore: Hieron. ad Heliodorum. Licet à collo paruulus pendeat infans: licet vbera quib. te nutrierat ostendat mater: licet in limine iaceat pater vt te à Christo retardet contemne ma­trem, calcandus est pater, solum est pietatis ge­nus [Page 194]in his fuisse crudelē. If thy yong babe hang about thy necke: if thy mother laie foorth her breasts wherewith she gaue thee sucke: if thy father lie vpon the threshall of thy door to stoppe and withhold thee from going to Christ: throw away thy child, despise thy mo­ther, spurne thy father, it is piety not to shew pitty in this case. By our ioynt obedience vn­to the word, that shal come to passe, which the Scribes said of Christ;Ioh. 12. All the whole world will follow after him, and the diuel shal be left, as Rachel, without children.Gen. 30

Let vs but take that course in this matter of debate, that is between worldlings, and Gods people, about the best purchase, that the two harlots tooke when they iangled and could not agree betweene themselues,1. Reg. 3 whose the li­uing child should be, who appealed & plea­ded their case before Salomon. Math. 12 So let vs ap­peale to the wisedom of the spirit that is grea­ter then Salomon.

A rude man treadeth vpon simples of ve­ry good account,A similitude. throgh want of iudgement, which the skilfull Apothecary gathereth vp carefully, because he hath experience & good knowledge of them.

Oh if we did know (as Christ said to the woman of Samaria) who it is that speaketh to vs.Iohn. 4. If we knew what purchase here is offe­red [Page 195]vs, and who it is that offereth it vs, we would not hucke with him, and stand so in­different and carelesse in the matter.

If we would compare both these liues to­gether, the spirituall, and the temporall; the word and the world, and lay them on euen ballances, we should find the world too de­ceitfull on the weights, and the things of this world, we should see to be lighter then vanity it selfe.

In politike affaires, and matters temporal, we will trie before we trust, our eies shall be our iudges, and our knowledge and experi­ence shall witnes with vs of the goodnes of a thing. Grasiers trie their bullocks.1. Reg. 3 Solomon tri­ed who was the right mother. Isaac wold trie his children before he would blesse them.Gen. 27. And the Ephramites were tried when they would haue passed Iordan. A similitudes. What foole is he that buyeth a horse,Iudg. 12. and only beholdeth the bridle and saddle, and furniture of the horse, and neuer trieth or seeth the horse before he buyeth him? We haue weights to trie gold, and measures for our corne: we trie our cat­tell, seruants, wiues, and children, and all other worldly things: and shall we not make trial of heauenly matters, that we may attaine to the better knowledge of them?

This was the folly of the frantick Farmer,Luke 14 [Page 196]spoken of in the Gospel, which vtterly vndid him, that first (as it is said of him) he bought a farme, and after that, he would go downe and and see it: was it not enough that he bought vanity and repentance so deare, but that he must be so ready and greedy to buy it, as he will not first take a time to see it, whether it will serue him, whether it be worth his mony? what an ouersight was this? for if he had first seen it, he wold neuer haue had any incorage ment to haue bought it.2 Sam 13 It is so with vs. Absa­lon was neuer more greedy of a kingdome, thē we are of the honor, ambition, & wealth of this world. And we first buy them before we do trie them, otherwise we could haue no pleasure in them.A similitude. For as the fish seeth only the pleasant baite, but not the deadly hooke, that is couered with the baite: so we see only the pleasure that delighteth, but we doe not see the sorrow that tormenteth. It giueth vs poi­son in a golden boule of wine, & with preti­ous balme breaketh our head.

The channells and riuers of the pleasures of the world, do all of them runne into the sea of death. The house of this harlot is the way vnto the graue which goeth down to the chamber of death.

Wisedom setteth out the conditions of the soule of the vertuous and wise,Prou 31 among other [Page 197]things praiseth and graceth her in this, that she considereth a field, and buyeth it. First she consi­dered with her self that it was good, and, be­cause it was good, she bought it. So we reade of our Ieweller, how first he found a field, and before he bought it, how he departed home, and tooke time to make sale of al that he had, to make purchase of that field.

The rich glutton that pransed in his pur­ple,Luke 16 opened his eies and saw the worlds vani­ty, but al too late; for it was when he was in hel in torments, when he espied Lazarus in A­braham his bosome. It was affliction, and not prouident discretion that opened his eies.

The world seruethh vs as an Inne-keeper doth his guests,A similitude. who furnisheth his table with choice of dainty dishes, very seruiceably set forth, delightsome to the company, whereof they take a very liberal repast: but he sawceth them in the price when they come to the shot, exceedingly ouer-prizeth them, and too in­tollerably grateth vppon them. Wherefore trauellers haue now learned to be wiser, who will first know their price before they will taste of those meates that are set before them; and if that they perceiue their host to be a nipping and pinching companion, they leaue him, and betake them to a cheaper Inne. It is good that thou shouldest take this course [Page 198]with thy soule, whensoeuer the preferments, and the pleasures of this world, as meate for thee to feede vppon, are presented to thy soule.

If the dignitie of a Bishop be imposed vp­on thee, consider the charge and the shot of it, be perswaded that thou must reckon with God, for innumerable soules committed to thy care; and if thou beest bound, to pay deer­ly for thy dignitie, be first well aduised before thou takest it vpon thee.

Likewise, when the pleasure of sinne flat­tereth thee, and a harlot doth intice thee, con­sider how rigorous a rate thine host hath set vpon this vild and sinfull flesh, which thou must needes pay, euen the tortures of hel, and the lake that euer burneth both thy body and thy soule.

This respect & consideration before had,Gen. 39 wil make thee, with Ioseph (who left his cloak in the hands of his Mistris, and ranne away naked, rather than he would yeeld to hir wic­ked lust) to leaue all that thou hast in the world, rather than to the offence of God, and destruction of thy soule, to cleaue vnto wic­kednes.

What prisoner that is fast shutte vp in pri­son,A similitude. and condemned to die for his capitall crimes, and he seeth no other meane of esca­ping, [Page 199]but by the breach of the wall, and his friendes aduiseth him hereunto, wil not take their counsell; and the better to get through so narrow a passage, wil not put off al his ap­parel to the skinne, and leaue it behinde him to preserue his life. Wee see how death is set before our eies for our heinous sinnes, and rebellions against God, and we cannot shun it, but by striuing to goe through the straight gate that entreth into heauen: and to crowd into that, Iet it not be grieuous to stripour selues, of whatsoeuer burden wee doe carry about vs; but to presse in, lets make any shift, albeit it be with grating, galling, and woun­ding these our mortall bodies.

To be blinde in soule, and to be ignorant of Gods word, is a farre more horrible and palpable blindnes than that which the Lorde in iudgement did bring vpon the land of E­gypt,Exod. 10. which was so foggy and grosse for the time, as one man could not see an other, or once stirre out of the place wherein he was.

For whereas man consisteth of two parts, the body and the soule, how farre the soule doth exceede the body, it is not so easie for vs to define. But this is most manifest, that the body, if it might be sundred from the soule, litle differeth from the bodies of bruit beasts: & if that the soule might be singled from the [Page 200]body, it would be but little inferior vnto an­gelicall spirites.

Whatsoeuer ornament,A similitude. grace, and feature is in the body, it hath it from the soule, his vigor, functions, and naturall induments are from thence deriued. For, as the beautie and brauery of a picture ouer-layde with golde, consisteth not in the woodden subiect, but in the orient, and golden forme, which beeing defaced and put out, it is nothing but a rude, and deformed substance: so the soule beeing the life, and the liuelihoode of the man, which giueth essence and forme vnto the man, be­ing taken from the body, the body becom­meth a most vncleane carrion, most vgly and fearefull vnto vs to behold. Yet in most pre­posterous and brainsicke maner, al the whole care is set vpon the body, and we grow most remisse and carelesse of the soule. The base bond-woman the flesh is aduaunced, and set in the higher roome, and the spirit our peere­lesse and beautiful lady, to her great disgrace is debased, and put downe to the lowermost end.

If the body be diseased, how many Phy­sitians are sent for to succor it? if in want, what cares do we take to supply it? if in danger, we runne through thicke and thinne to shunne it: but the deadly disease, the wofull want, the [Page 201]extreamest danger that can be of the soule, is not respected of vs.

Whereas the soule is the Mistris, and the body but the chamber-mayde: whereas the soule is the rider, and the body but the beast that beareth the rider: loe, the minion mayd is graced, and her Mistris despised: the sim­pler iade is stroaked, and the rider is thrown off, and cast vnto the ground.

The body is but the garment, & couerlet of the soule. It is meere madnesse for any to spoyle his body, that he might not spoyle his garment: so is it for vs to saue the body, to destroy the soule.

If all outward things be ordayned for the body, and the body bee created for the soule, and the soule for God: is it not grose and ab­surde follie, to busie our selues wholly about those things that are to this end, and to neg­lect the maine poynt of all, which is the end it selfe? To prouide such stuffe as may sette vp a house, and neuer to goe in hand with the house. To get many bookes, and to procure vs many teachers, and yet to make no vse of these bookes and teachers? To goe to warre, and to be carefull to haue a fine scabard ena­melld & embossed with pearle, & with gold, and not to care for the matter of the blade, whether it be of yron, or of lead, or of any o­ther [Page 202]base and impure substances? The bodie is the subiect, and as it were the case, & sheath of the soule, wherein the soule is hidden: it is a franticke fashion therefore, to be so curious and nice about the pleasures of the body, and to be so carelesse, and vnwise for the treasure of the soule.

Let vs lay them both together, and weigh them in the ballaunce of iudgement and dis­cretion, and the disproportion that will ap­peare betweene them, will conuince in our election, our too too blinde and preiudicate affections.

If no tongue be able to vnfold the prehe­minence and dignitie royall, that the soule dooth carry aboue the body: I thinke that much lesse the glory of Gods Saintes in the life that is to come, how much it exceedeth and excelleth all the glory that this present world affordeth, is able to be expressed. For how can both themselues admitt a iust com­parison, whenas one is momentanie, subiect to all vanitie, the other eternall, comprehend­ing all felicitie?Isai. 64 Of this saieth the Lord, The eye hath not seene what the Lord hath prepa­red for them that expect him. And of the o­ther saith Saint Iames, It is a vapour that ap­peareth for a time,Iames 4. and vanisheth away.

The Philosophers of the Gentiles prying [Page 203]into the nature and condition of this life, but with the eye of humane reason, found matter enough of discontentment with it, inasmuch as Seneca is of that minde as hee thinketh that no man would vouchsafe to take vppon him this life, if first he might be certified of the e­state and maner of it.

Silenus, another of that sect saith plainely, that the best thing, in his conceit is, not to be borne, and that the next to that is, to die.

Stories do speake of a people in Thracia, who entertaine their infants, when they are borne into the worlde, with teares and great lamenting, and doe celebrate their funeralles with all melody and triumphing. And I mar­ud not at it, why the heathen sorte should be so conceited of this life, since the deere Saints of God, Iob and Ieremy were so malconten­ted with it.Iob 3 Ierem. 20

Giue me a man, in whome all the fauours of this worlde shall conspire, who is in the faunt, and liueth as hee list: anotomize his lfe, & giue a right iudgement of al the plea­sures and wishes he enioyeth, & tel me what they are. Is hee in honour and estimation a­mongmen, and dooth the worlde applaude him? What is this to him in the rigorous iudgment, whenas he shall not be tryed by his country, but his conscience: not by other [Page 204]mens sayings, but by his owne doings? If all the world commend thee, and thy God con­demne thee, what will this auayle thee? Be therefore like those that runne a race, who do stand herein to their iudgement onely, who will rewarde them for their running. Call on­ly vpon God, as the blinde man by the way side of Iericho called vpon Christ,Luke 18 howsoeuer the world, as it checked him, reprooueth thee for it.

Is he in great honor and preferment in the world? then is he in greatest dooings? as the highest trees are most of all in danger in the violence of a winde:A similitude. and as the greatest fi­shes in fishermens nettes, which can not get out, whenas the small fry and menowes doe runne out as fast as they list. Euery mans pro­motion bindeth him in a greater obligation. If he hath receiued much, he is bound to gi [...]e much:Luke 12 if he sinneth, the greater is his sinne: the higher he climeth, the more grieuousy he falleth.

Is he comely and beautifull to behold? Beauty is nothing but the shadow of the fa [...]e, & like the outward color of a picture, whch is soone put out, a little spot deformeth the one, and a little sicknes doth take away the o­ther. The beauty of Gods creatures should serue as spectacles, by them to behold the [Page 205]glory of the Creator. If wee make not this godly vse of it, we shal do like young children, who beholding onely a picture in a booke, wholy neglect the lessons in the booke.

Is he sumptuously and richly arrayed, he need not boast of that, for his robes do but serue him as ragges, to couer his nakednesse. He that braggeth of that which is but the co­uer of his shame, doth like the prisoner, that is rescued from the gallowes, who braggeth of his rope: or as the spittle man and Proctor by the way, that is prowd of the filthy and cor­rupt clowtes, wherewith he wrappeth and bindeth vp his sores. Such as as boast of their brauery,Isai. 14 God telleth by the mouth of Esay the Prophet, that the wormes and the earth shall be the clothes and garments that shall couer him. Is he a noble-man, and draweth his pe­digree from Princes, and doth he shew the arms of his nobility in his shield? these are but painted and counterfeit armes, his right arms indeed of most ancient inheritance, are mor­tality and corruption. If he list to see his lineal descent, let him open the graue, and let him with Iob, call corruption his father,Genesis 3 and the worms his mother and his sister: Corruption did beget him; and as it was that which made him, so it shall be that which shall marre him: out of dust he came, and into dust he shal re­turne, [Page 206]be he as noble, and high borne as he may.

Hath he riches at his desire, so as he hath substance enough for his babes? what is the matter and substance of riches, but the very vapours and exhalations of the earth? It auai­leth nothing to vertue and godlines, to make a man more wise, more humble, more tempe­rate, more patient.

How little the Lord doth esteem of riches,Psalme 17 hereby it may appeare, in that he imparteth them so prodigally to the wicked, and dea­leth them out so scantly to the godly. The nature of riches,A similitude. is like the nature of a mill, which albeit, it turneth about al the day, yet it resteth in the end in the same place as it was in in the begining. So, thogh we haue our swing in this world, and do runne our circuit, and prowle for the world,1 Tim. 6 yet the ending of our life, will answer our beginning; nothing we brought with vs, and nothing shal we cary out of the world with vs.

Is he a man ful of mirth?Eccles. [...] what is the mirth that the world yeeldeth? Salomon telleth thee, I saide of laughter, thou art madde, and of ioy, what is it that thou doest? It is like the mirth of the madde man,Feb. 11 that in the doating distem­perature of his braine, dooth smile and make laughter. Moses made no reckoning of such [Page 207]kind of mirth, but rather, chused affliction with the people of God, than to liue in the pleasure of sinne for a season. As Pharao was drowned in the waters of the sea, so the diuell is drowned with our salt teares, and godly so­rowes conceiued for our sinnes.Psal. 37. Thus there is nothing in the world that satisfieth vs; on­ly God, he giueth vs our hearts desire, howsoeuer he is the least desire of our heart.