RIght Honourable, Right Wor­shipful, & the rest right welbe­loued in the Lorde, yee are all heere present before God, to heare al things that are this day commanded by God, the Lord blesse you al, and encrease the number of Christian, faithfull, diligent, & obedient hearers. Jt is not long since that (being commanded to this place) in a more privat au­dience,Hol. 1.2.3. I proposed vnto you a Text that contained the summe of the Law, and Gospel, nature and grace, sinne and righteousnesse, life and death, Iudgement & mercie, affliction and conversion, adversity causing man to returne to God, and repentance causing God to turne vnto man; which subiect I had now followed but that this time and meeting, and the expectatiō of so great an assembly doe challenge this daie, some o­ther discourse: And therefore I haue, (as you heare) provided a text of trafique, and trading, of buying, and selling, of merchandise, and marting, of gayning, and bargaining, an example of a good merchant, of good merchandise, of good policie, of good pietie, of a roial exchange, nay more, of a holy & heavēlie exchange; The kingdome of heaven is like to a marchant man, &c.

Our Saviour in this Chapter by seauē parables set­teth [Page]forth the state of the kingdome of heauen, by the seed, ver. 3. of the tares, vers. 24. of the mustard seede, vers. 31. of the leaven, vers. 33. of the treasure, vers. 44. of a net, vers. 47. and here of a merchant in this 45. herein shewing the Ministers of the Gospell their li­berty, left to them in performance of their calling, not only nakedly to lay open the trueth, but also to vse helps of wit, invention and art, the good gifts of God, which may be vsed in Similitudes, Allusions, Appli­cations, Comparisons, Proverbs, and Parables which tend to edification and illustrating of the word, that so the weake may be comforted, the rude may be en­formed the drowsie may be awakened, the hard-har­ed may be suppled, the perverse overwhelmed, and so by al meanes God himselfe may be glorified, & the Hearers bettered. S. Paule, the Doctor of the Gentiles professeth of himselfe that he became all, vnto all men, that he might by all meares, 1. Cor. 9.2. win some of all. More truly may it bee spoken of Christ who was the Schoolema­ster of this master of the Gentiles he became all vnto al men, not only as he was sent Diues diuitibus, pauper pauperibus, flens flētibus, esuriens esurientibus, sitiens sitientibus, Rich vnto those that are rich, poore vnto those that are poore, weeping to those that are wee­ping, hungry to those that are hungry, thirsty to those that are thirsty,Ambroseir 4. Luc. as S. Ambrose speaketh, medicus ad ae­grotos, redemptor ad vendites, ad errantes via, ad mor­tuos vita, a Phisitian to those that are sicke, a rāsomer to those that were sould, the way to those that did wā ­der, the life to those that were dead; as S. Bernard, but because he is truly [...],Cor. 15. even al in all as S. [Page] Paule speaketh,1. Cor. 15.28. and even al to al in that he seeketh to draw al mē, by the very similituds drawne from their trades of life. So hee called the wise Astronomers of the East by a star.Math. 2 10 He drew the Fishermen vnto him by a draught of fish,Luk. 5.6. the Samaritane that came to draw water at Iacobs wel hee drew by drawing for her the waters of life.Ioh. 4.14. To Marie in the garden he appea­red like the gardner?Ioh 20.15 To the travellers his disciples he appeared like a traveller.Luk, 24, 16 So also frequently in the Gospel he teacheth many by manie exemplarie simi­litudes, the rich man by the rich mans care & greedie gathering, the Vine dresser by the vine dressers dig­ging, and hedging, and dressing, The Labourer by the Labourers hire and working, the builder by the buil­ders laying good foundation, the husbandman by the husbandmans sowing, the fisherman by the fishermās casting nets and drawing: and here the merchant mā by the merchants buying and selling, Quibus exemplis Doctores Evangelij monentur, by which examples the teachers of the Gospel are admonished as Musculus obserueth, to become al vnto al, not only as S. Paule, Mus. in 4. Matth. qui omnium ingenijs se acomodovit, who did apply him selfe to the capacities of all hearers whatsoeuer, or howsoeuer different as Piseator observeth, but euen as my Text master verbū vitea & vita verbi the word of life,Piscator. and the life of the word who spake as neuer mā spake, by framing themselues to al mens knowledge and nature as he did by allegories, stories, parables, & what not. Which may for euer serue to stoppe the mouthes of those traducing and ignorant Scepticks who vilifie the ingenious endeavours, of the best de­seruing [Page]laboures in Gods vinyard, whē they be fitted for the daie, times, place, persons, or other circumstā ­ces, with stories of husbandrie from Columella, axioms of philosophie from Aristotle, Pet. Mart in 1. Cor. 15. Hem Com. in Tit. 1.12. Pis [...]. in Tit. 1 [...]. Cal. in. Cor 15.33. aphorismes of Phy­sick from Galen, maximes of Law from Iustinian, so vsing Demosthenes & Tully for force of speech, Pla­to for Similies, Lyvie for historian eloquence, Virgil for descriptions, Tacitus for wit, Seneca for excellēce of humanitie, & Plutarch for moralitie. Sure J am that profound Austin in his questions, learned Ierome in his expositions, patheticall Chrisostome in his ampli­fications, melifluent Bernard in his meditations, pit­thie Cyprian in his perswasions, sweet Ambrose in his allusions, eloquent Nazianzen in mouing affec­tions doe make good vse of these writings, knowing that Quodcun (que) scriptum est &c. whatsoever is written before time is writtē for our learning, as for example in this Text wherin (as in al parables Christ applyeth them to heauenly vses so more especially in this) he implieth thus much, that if a Marchant in his worldly vocation doth so continuallie follow his trade in seek­ing, finding, buying, selling, & exchanging; how much more should a Christian labour in his profession, and in his conversation to runne his race, to fight his fight, to finish his course? And if the marchant doe so much trauel for the attaining of a pearle, how much should a Christiā labour for the precious pearle of his saluatiō?

The K. of heauen is like vnto a marchant mā &c. which is (as you see Ho, Worshipful & beloued) a pa­rable for the Author most blessed, for the matter most gracious, for the example of the marchant most fa­mous, [Page]for the marchādise most glorious, for the gaine most desirous, more to be desired then gold, yea then fine gold.

The Kingdōe of heauen is like to a man, not to everie man but to a marchant man, not to everie marchant but to a marchant that seeketh pearles, nether to one that seeketh al kind of pearles, but to a marchant that seeketh good pearles, nether to one that onlie seeketh but findeth, and hauing found selleth, and hauing sould buieth, and hauing bought exchangeth manie good pearles for one, naie all his good pearles for one goodlie pearle, a pearle of great price, and so you see that the kingdome of heauen is compared to a wise diligent, seeking, finding, buying, selling, exchanging marchant.

The K. of heauen is like to a marchant &c. Beloued the action of this marchant is not for anie smal, but for great gaine, not for anie carnal, but for spirituall glorie, not for anie transitorie, but for an eternal trea­sure. The K. of heauen is like to a marchant &c. VVhat trade more honorable then the marchant, what mar­chandise more honorable then the Kingdome of he­auen? Yee are manie of you come hether as buiers, as sellers, as marchants, and therfore at this time what argument more suasible, more plausible, more force­able, more available then this the K. of heauen is like to a marchant? like to a seking, finding, buying, selling, exchanging marchant.

Diuisio In these words J wil obserue these two general points 1. the difficultie of obtaining the Kingdōe of heauē in­timated in that it is compared to a marchant, the most [Page]diligent, careful, assiduous, industrious, laborious, and indefatigable of al other kinds of life. 2. The earnest­nes required in pursuing this kingdome expressed in the seeking, finding, buying, selling, exchanging al.

Subdiuisio. In the 1. obseru. 1. the thing compared. The king­dome of heaven. 2. The thing to the which it is compa­red. Is like to a Merchant man. In the 2. obserue 1. the wisdome in seeking, who seeketh good pearles, 2. his suc­cesse in finding, VVho having found a pearle of great price, 3. his deere purchase in obtaining, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

These be the limits of my passage, the land markes of my merchant, the particulers to be entreated of at this time and the proper circumstances of text. The Lord blesse me in speaking, and you in hearing, & giue vs al a true vnderstanding in al things in Christ Iesus. First of the first.

1. The thing compared. In Scripture we had read of many and sundry king­domes; of the K. of Sathan, the K. of the world, the K. of Antichrist, the K. of Christ, the kingdome of God, the kingdome of heauen. The kingdome of Sathan being that tyrannical regencie, by which the Prince of darknesse ruleth in the children of disobedience. The K. of Antichrist whereby the Pope the ille ipse iste Antichristus doth by his false doctrine, blinde and after­wards binde the children of darknesse to bee obedient to him: The kingdome of the worlde is properly that humane gouernment by which one or diuers doe by Gods ordinance, direct and gouerne the children of men. The K. of God, or of Christ, or of heauen, is that spiritual gouernment begunne in euery of the elect in [Page]this life, by the glory of grace, and fully accomplished in the life to come by the grace of glory. There is much difference betweene the regimēts of these king­domes, the gouernment of Sathans kingdome Tyran­nical, of Antichrist Papistical, of the world Politicall, of heauen spiritual. Nay there is much difference euē amongst the kingdomes of mē, as they bee subdiuided in the K. of the world. Aventinus in his bello Turico could obserue that the Empire of Germany was regnū regum, a kingdome of kings, because there were so ma­ny princes in that dominion that the kingdome of France was regnum asinorum, Aventi. bell. Ture. a kingdome of asses be­cause of the many taxes and grieuous burthens they endured that the K. of Spaine was Regnum hominum, a kingdome of mē, because they are so obedient to their prince. That the K. of England, was Regnum Diabolorū a kingdome of Diuels, because the subiect, had so oft proued Traitors and betraied & depriued their Prin­ces. If the kingdome of mē differ so much, how much doth the kingdome of God differ from men. The K. of this world, from the kingdome of the world to come, the kingdome of earth, from the kingdome of heauē? For this kingdome is that whereof Christ is the king, the Christians the subiects, the laws the word, the of­ficers the Preachers, the vicegerents the governours, the enemies of this kingdome, sinne, sathan, death and damnatiō, the weapons of this kingdome praier, faith hope, and charitie. The place of this kingdome, this world, and the world to come, the continuance of this kingdōe for euer & euer. It is a preparedMat. 25 44 kingdome. It is an eternal kingdome,2 Pet 11. it is a blessed kingdōe, [...]uc. 14.15 it is [Page]a heauenly kingdome.Mat. 24.34 It is a powerful kingdome, a glorious kingdome, an everlasting kingdome, for his is the kingdome the power and the glory, for euer and euer, Amen.

In scripture it is diuerslie taken,Cal. in Mat 2.3. Mar. in. Math. 18. 1. Beza in Math. 5.20. sometimes pro re­stitutione ad Beatam vitam, as Master Calvin; some­times pro Ecclesiae renovatione, as Marlorat, somtimes pro immortalitate Dei filijs promissa, as Master Beza; here it is taken pro Ecclesia, as the Commō Glosse, pro Ecclesia militāti, as Carthusian, pro Evangelij predica­tione as Lyra, pro Notitia scripturarum, as Aquinas, most properly for the Gospel as the current of Inter­preters doe runne; for this is that light of the lāthorne of Jsrael, the knowledge of the Aphorismes of Christ, the wisdome of the Crosse, the Beacon of the soule, the Cubit of the Sanctuarie, the Glad tydings the po­wer of God to salvation, and the Encyclopaedia of al knowledge;Hugo. because Quicquid in eo docetur veritas, quicquid praecipitur bonitas, quicquid promittitur foeli­citas est; Quia Deus veritas est sine falacia, bonitas sine malitia foelicitas sine miseria. Whatsoeuer is taught herin is truth, whatsoeuer is commanded is goodnes whatsoeuer is promised is perfect happines &c.

It is a misterie 1. Cor. 4.1. a misterie hid from the beginning of the world. Eph. 3.9. the revelation, of this misterie Rom. 16.25. Jt is a new couenant Ier. 3.31. Jt is the administration of the spirit.Clem. Alex. 1. stromat. 2. Cor. 3.8. Clemens Alexandrinus obserueth in the 1 of his Stromatō that the law was a schoolmaster to the Hebrues & philoso­phy a schoolmaster to the Grecians before Christ, but after the comming of Christ, the law and Philosophy [Page]became handmaids of the Gospel, and the Gospel was the only schoolemaster to the Jews & Gentiles, to the Grecians and Barbarians, bond, and free, Law & Phi­losophy being subiect to the Gospell, as Agar & Is­maell to Sara. And therefore well may the Gospell bee called the K. of heauen, because it is the meanes to bring Christians to the K. of heauē: so that the do­ctrine I obserue out of these first words is this.Doct. That the knowledge of the Gospel is to a Christiā heauen vpon earth. The reason of this I drawe a minore, Reason. as the Schooles speake, if the law were so sweet & pleasant & delightsome vnto man, how much more shoulde the Gospell? Now of the Law David thus speaketh,Psal. 19.8. the Law of the Lord is powerful conuerting the soule. The testimony of the Lord is sure, and giueth light vnto the simple. The statutes of the Lord be right, & reioice the heart. The commandements of the Lord be pure, & giue light to the eies. The feare of the Lord is cleane, and endureth for euer. The iudgmentes of the Lord are true and righteous altogither, more to be desired then gold, yea then fine gold, sweeter also then the hony and the hony combe. Psalme. 19.8. How much more the Gospell that was not deliuered with thundring or lightning, or trembling, or with the Trumpets sounding, or with the earth quaking, but was deliuered by God, receiued by Angels, proclai­med to shepheards, preached by fishers, & yet so ioie­fully deliuered, receiued, proclaimed, preached, as that all the host of heauen, the sweete singing quire of Cherubins, at the receiuing of it sang that Angelicall and Evangelical hymne, Gloria in excelsis, Glory be to [Page]God on high, in earth peace, good will towards men. No man I hope doubteth of the supremacy, & super­eminency of the Gospell, hauing such comforts and ioies, and pleasures, as it is receiued by men, and such exceeding authority as it is receiued from God writē by the finger of God, revealed by the will of God, in­spired by the spirit of God, pronounced by the mouth of God, and proclaimed by the power of God, the knowledge of the gospell, being the knowledge of C. the knowledge of C. being life eternall, and life eternal being the K. of heauen. This made a father thus to speake, Nihil in hac vita dulcius sentitur, nihil avi­dius sumitur, Iugo li. 30. de Anima. nihilita mētem ab amore mundi separat, nihil sic animum cōtra tentationes roborat, nihil it a ho­minē excitat ad omne opus bonum. Nothing in this life is more sweetly affected, nothing more earnestly de­sired, nothing doth so fortefie the soule, against the as­saults of temptation. Nothing doth so excite a Chri­stian, and assist him, in the performance of any good worke.Vse. The vse of this doctrine is to incite al that are the sonnes of the most high, to the due embracing of this heauenly blessing, of this holy, and happy know­ledge. And surely euerie man should bee so much the more earnest in seeking this kingdome, as the hinde­rers are violent in opposing thēselues against our spi­ritual desire in this, for we shal finde the flesh ready to infect, the world ready to withdrawe, the wicked rea­dy to disturbe those that desire to bee Citizens of that Celestial Jerusalē, it shall much moue the true Chri­stian to the pursuit of this glory, if he doe but consider the common backsliding, and hypocritical professing [Page]of many who doe serue to affect this knowledge, ha­uing a name as the Church of Sardis, hauing a name that they are aliue, when they are dead.Ana [...]harsis Anacharsis told the Athenians, that they vsed their mony to no other end, but to nomber with all, so sure may it bee said of many, that they vse the gospell, but only for a shew, only for a name. They can crie, Templum Do­mini, Templum Domini, and yet wilbe ready to perse­cute Dominum templi, they seeme to be as Aaron, but are as Abiram, to be as Simon Peter, but be indeed as Simon Magus, to be as Paule a Doctor of the Gentiles when they be but as Saule, a persecutor of the Christi­ans, to carry the name of Iuda, & the minde of Iudas. The name of Cephas, the minde of Cayphas, and so are become as backsliding Ephramites, or as rebellious Is­raelites, or as reuolting Apostats, turning the grace of God into wantonnes, by their bare and naked & earth creeping hypocritical profession. Beloued, beware of such, and set your desires be harty in purity of minde, christianly in conuersation of manners, and entirely without faigned dissembling. Let euery one of you co­vet these spiritual things, it shal not be any vsurpation if euerie Christian, in a spirituall ambition, seeke this kingdome, and desire to bee entitled with the name of a king, for as Greg. obserueth, Optime Sancti viri sa­crae scripturae testimonio reges vocantur quia praelati cunctis motibus carnis, Greg. modo luxuriae appetitū infra­nant, modo aestum avaritiae temperant, modo gloriam in­clinant, modo suggestiones obruūt modo ignē furoris ex­tingunt. Gregorie, Worthyly are holy men called by the name of kings, by the Testimony of the holy Scripture be­cause [Page]of resisting the motions of the flesh, sometimes bridling their luxurious appetites, sometimes tem­pering the heat of their couetous desires, sometimes humbling their glorie, sometimes repressing the sug­gestions of the flesh, sometimes extinguishing the fire of their anger. Let mē remember that God hath made them spiritual kings, and therefore they walke wor­thy of their calling, swaying their thoughts, ruling their wils, ordering their affections, correcting their corruptions, and managing all their actions, that so by the loosenes of their liues, the blindnes of their minds, the rebellion of their affections, they become not ser­uants vnto sin, so shall euery of you obtaine that king­dome where the K. is Verity, the Law Charity, the ho­nour equitie, the peace felicitie, the life eternitie, euen the K. of heauen, which is here compared to the Mer­chant, My second obseruation

The kingdome of heaven is like to a Merchant man.

Obseru. 2 If that complaint were true, which Erasmus tooke vp in his time against marchants, it is a meruaile why J should compare the K. of heauen, to a merchant, when so few merchants are like to the kingdome of heauen. His words are these. Negotiatorum genus ni­hil habet sacram praeter vnum pecuniae lucrum, cui se totos seu deo consecrarunt; hoc pietatem, hoc amicitiam, hoc honestum, Erasm. hoc famam, hoc diuina pariter & huma­na omnia metiuntur. The trade of marchants account nothing good or holy, but only the only lucre of mo­ny, for the attaining of which they haue dedicated, & cōsecrated themselues as vnto God, by this they mea­sure piety, amity, honestie, credit, and fame, and al hu­maine, [Page]and diuine things. I am sure he spake by the fi­gure of some, in the name of al, for the stories, and cu­stomes of Iewes and Gentiles, Grecians and Barbari­ans, Infidels & Christians, doe acknowledge the ne­cessitie, dignitie, & excellencie of marchants,Praise of the March. & they haue approued the marchant of al mē, to be the most diligent for his life, the most assiduous in his labour, the most aduenterous on the sea, the most beneficiall to the land, the glorie of his countrie, and the best pil­ler of his common wealth. The word in the original is [...] translated by some mercator, by some Negoti­ator. Caesar maketh a difference betweene Mercator, and Negotiator, Hesich. Caesar. Cō. Iunius. & Iunius affirmeth it videntur differ­re in hoc quod mercator domicilium, & familiam habet negotiator peregrinatur incertas sedes permutans. The words differ in this; that mercator hath a house & familie, negotiator is, he that stil trauaileth, voiageth, vent­treth, changing his seates tike the true Christian, who is euer trauailing to change his countrie, knowing that here he hath noe abiding citie, but doth seeke on to come.

The Commō Glosse sheweth, whie this kingdome is for our instruction compared to the marchāt.Glosse. Ord. Quia debemus omnes intelligēdo certe, & operando bene nego­tiari. Because we ought by right vnderstanding & by good practising to negotiate. There be 2. things to be obserued in the marchant, the profit,2. Things. Profit. Danger. and the danger of the Trade, of the profit we shal find what great cō ­moditie came of Salomon, by the Triennial comming of the Nauie of Tharshis, that brought vnto him gold, and siluer, I vorie, and apes, and Peacoks, euen [Page]al things, for profit, and for pleasure 1. Kings. 10.22. where the holy Ghost doth shew, that this trade was the occasion of the inriching of Salomon, And surely it doth mutually inrich al kingdomes, making the pro­per commodities of one countrie commō to another Witnesse our gold from India, our spices, from Ara­bia, our silkes from Spaine, our wines from France, & so many other commodities from other countries, wherby the marchant is the Key of the land, the trea­surer of the kingdome, the venter of his soiles surplas­sadge, the combiner of nations, & the adamantine chain of Coūtries. of the daunger Dauid speaketh in the Psalme, They that goe downe to the sea in shipps and marchandise in great waters, these men see the workes of the Lord, and his wonders in the deepe, for at his word, the stormie windes arise, which lifte vp the waues therof, they are carried vp to heauen, and downe againe to the deepe, their soule melteth with­in them, and al their cuning is gone Psal. 107.22. &c. Which peril and danger of them was the cause that Pittacus held that sea aduenturers, were neither a­mong the liuing, nor the dead, but did hang betweene both,Virg. Aen. Nauigantes ne (que) inter viuos nec mortuos, for if once the windes did arise, Vna eurus (que) notus (que) ruunt, The east and the weast, the north and the south winds blowe, then be the keele neuer so strong, the ribbs ne­uer so stiffe, the chleets & clampes neuer so fast set on, yet if the tempest arise al is endāgered, if a ioint crack al is hazared if a planke shoot vp al is gon. Quamuis Pontica pinus siluae filia nobilis, Horat. Od. though the frame should be of pine tree, nay though it should be as no­ble [Page]a Nauie as that of Tyrus in Esec. though the bords were of firre trees of Shenir, the masts of the Cedars of Lybanus, the oares of the Oakes of Basan the banks of the Ivorie of Chittin, the sailes of the imbroidred linen of Egypt. Though they of Sidon, & Arvad, were her marriners, the wise in Tyrus her Pilots, the Antiēt of Gebal her Calkers, yet they, their riches, and Marri­ners, and Pilots, and Calkers, and Marchants, & men of warre, may be ouerthrowne, perish, sunke, dispersed and come to a feareful ruine. So that of all men J may saie with Dauid, these men see the workes of the Lord and his wounders in the deep. And surely so it is with the state of the godly, in this life in most dāger, subiect to the greatest afliction, they are in the waues of the world, yet they aboue all others, see the works of the Lord and his wonders, in the deepest of their miserie his power in deliuering them, his fauour in preseruing them, his mercy in comforting them, his loue in care­ing for thē, his care in protecting them, though with Paul they be in perils in the Citie, perils in the wilder­nesse, perils amongst false brethren, perils among his owne, perils in the sea, as hee was most fearefully, the windes being contrary, the sailing ieopardous. The voiage with hurt and much damage, not of the la­ding, & ship only but of their liues, the feareful winde Euroclydon arising, that they were tossed with an ex­ceeding Tempest, and that they sawe neither sun nor starrs apearing for manie daies. Yet at length, a calme a sunshine, a Iubile shal come, he turneth awaie the storme and the waues therof are stil, thē are they qui­eted and are glad, and he bringeth them to the hauen [Page]where they would be. Doct. 2 The doctrine I obserue out of the word Marchant, is this, that the state of a Chri­stian is not an idle vaine speculation, but must bee a careful, painful, diligent, walking in his vocation. Reason. The reason of this doctrine, is proued a Contrario by the Antithesis betweene the state of the Godlie, & vngod­ly, vnder the name of the foole. The foole fouldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh. Better is on hād­ful, saith he with quietnesse, then two handful with la­bour and vexation of spirit.Prov. But contrariwise, the wise Marchant, the true Christian, he seeketh, he taketh paines, he laboureth, hee endeuoureth to follow hard to the marke, per Saxa per ignes currit mercator ad In­dos, as the Poet speaketh noe paines,Horatius. noe peril noe danger, noe cost, noe temptation noe opposition can confront him.

Vse. The vse then of this doctrine, is to take heed of per­swaiding our selues, that ease & quietnesse is the best trade. Lepidus the heathen was taxt for a sluggish & idle fellow that siting lasie in the sunne shine, cried out vtinam hoc esse laborare! And so surely they that think Christianity an idle kind of life, god shal laugh them to scorne, we al haue a goale, for which we must runne, we al haue proposed to vs a garland for which we must wrestle, we are al to haue a Crown, for which we must striue, we are al Marriners, and we must saile in danger, before we come to the hauen of happines, we are al Trauailers, and we must toile before we cōe to the Period of our iourney, which is Paradise, wee are al labourers, we must indure the heate and burthen of the daie before we receaue our hire in heauen, wee [Page]are al souldiers, our Tropheies be not celebrated till the victorie be atchieued, we are al Merchants, we can­not finde the Pearle of great price, vntill wee haue sought for many good pearles. O thē run, wrastle, striue, saile, toile, labour, fight the good fight, finish the course, seeke to be like to the good Merchant. The K. of heaven is like to a Merchant man.

Vse. 2 The second vse of this Doctrine is more particuler, belonging only to those that be Merchāts, that seeing the Merchant here is so studious, careful, diligent, and earnest in good pearles, that euerie one of them seeke by al meanes to become heauenly Merchants to seek, and labour, and endeauour to obtaine this Merchan­dise, to lay vp his treasure in heauē, where neither rust nor moath doth corrupt, & where theeues break not through and steale, that as their trade of life is more honourable then others among men, so God shoulde be more honoured of them then of other men.

When Ionas did flee from God, & was detected by the voice of God himselfe, in the lot, the Marriners raise as great a Tempest in the ship about Ionas, as was rai­sed in the sea about the ship, and in that amasednesse they dischardge this peale of Gun-shot vpō him, what is thy fact, thy travell, thy Country, thy people, whence comest thou? Nay more then all this, what is thy occupa­tion? Shewing in this exquisite inquisition, euen in their last interrogatorie, that euerie one shoulde haue some meanes, some art, some trade, some calling to liue.

Jf manie about this Honorable Cittie shoulde bee asked this question, you should finde an infinite nūber [Page 18]that walke in the Counsel of the vngodly, and stand in the way of sinners, and sit in the seate of scorners, able to answere no otherwise then Sathan did to God, that they liue by compassing the earth to, and fro, and by walking in it. They are vagrants, I may saie vaga­bonds, wandring persons, as the Planets in the Zodi­ack, neuer keeping a fixed place. Of no endowment, imploiment, art or trade, or calling, or misterie, vnlesse they professe the misterie of iniquitie. Philip of Ma­cedon tooke notice of two so lewdly disposed, & tooke this order with them,Plut. alterum è Macedonia fugere, al­terum persequi iussit, hee made one of them run out of the Countrey, and the other to driue him.

Another sort there bee as bad as these Coniurers, Charmers, Tellers of fortune, Robbers by land, Pyrats by sea, Couseners, Harlotts, Brokers, Vserers, who by cousenadges, Impostures, fraudes, trickes, and circū ­ventions, doe set at sale, honestie, truth, conscience, oathes, their soule and owne saluation. The summe of that I would speake in this point if the time did serue is this, that euerie man ought to looke well, to the lawfulnesse of his calling.1. Cor. 12. God hath giuen diuers gifts but the same spirit, he hath giuen diuersities of spirits but the same Lord, he hath giuen to the warriers a spi­rit to fight, to Counsellers a spirit to direct, to Iudges a spirit to discerne, to magistrats a spirit to gouerne, to ministers a spirit to conuince, to instruct, to reproue, to direct, to Marchāts a spirit to trade, to trasique, to buy to sell, to exchange, but of every one of them in their vocatiō, he requireth that as he is holy, so they should be holie. Wherefore beloued, seeing the Merchant in [Page 19]my Text, is by the singer of God particulerlie pointed at in this place, giue me leaue in one word, to remem­ber you, that as your calling is honourable, and here your comparison is honourable, in that you are com­pared to the K. of heauen. O remember beloued, that if yee so much care, and labour, and trauel for earthlie things, how much more ought yee to care for spiritual things? I knowe not what reason manie learned men haue to condemne Merchants, and merchandise so much, that Tully in his booke de Republica, shoulde af­firme of the Phenicians, that being Merchants,Tully. Cor. Agryp they by their Merchandise brought in couetousnes, pride, luxurie, and al kinde of wickednes into Graecia.Hier in. 3. Ser. That S^t. Hierome on the third of Ieremy, calleth the Arabi­ans, who much traded in merchandise, the Theeues of the world.Canhag. Graecian. That the Carthagineās would not suffer thē to be common with their Citizens. That the Graecians would not let them enter their Citty, but caused them to keepe their markets without the suburbs, as Corne­lius Agrippa obserueth, that Plato admitted them not into his Common wealth.Cor. Agryp That Aristotle detested thē and their life,Plato. Art. Lawes. Cicero. that the ancient lawes did not admit any marchant to beare anie office, or to be admitted into the Coūsel or Senate, that Cicero affirmeth their get­ing of money to be most odious, giuing this reason ni­hil proficiunt nisiquodammodo mentiuntur, that they get their liuing by lying. I hope the marchants of our time, deserue not to be so thought of, manie of these marchants were Iewes, Gentiles, Heathens, Infidells, Pirats, Robbers, I hope none such are to bee found a­mong you, for you are Christiās, I hope there be some [Page 20]such marchants amongst you,Theophr. zuingl. Theat. mū di. Apolonius as those of whome Theophrastus testifieth Thuriaci exercentes mer­caturam abs (que) omni dolo vendunt omnia. Some such as Apolonius, who hauing long vsed Marchandise at the last became a Phisitiō of the poore & needy & bestowing al his time and store in prouiding necessa­ries, for poore, aged, lame, blind people. Some such as that famous founder of that worthie house of the Pro­phets S^t Iohns Coll in Oxford by whose godly care & liberal maintenance,S^t Th. Whit many Reuerend, Learned, and religious, haue beene raised vp in the Church, and common wealth, I meane S^t Thomas VVhite, who no doubt hath receiued the blessing of the promise to be cloathed in white array, to receiue a white stone, and in that stone a new name, which no man can read, but he that receiueth it: some such merchants to be found among you as that worthie Burser of the Exchange, the beautifier of your Cittie, and founder of that little Academy Gresham house, by whose loue to learning & eternal honour to himselfe,S^t Th. Gres he hath built a place, and prouided for euer a large pension for the Readers of Divinity, Law, Physicke, Logicke, Rhetoricke, Philoso­phy. Nay I doubt not, but there be manie amōgst you who hauing sought with this Merchant good Pearles, the glorie of God, and the blessing of his Church, and Commō wealth, haue had your hands in the building of hospitals, spittle houses, bridges, Schooles, & main­taining of poore Schollers at the Vniversity. If there bee such wise, carefull, merchants amongst you, then I can assure you, you are free with the Christian Mer­chant in my Text, that seeketh good Pearles. And I [Page 21]woulde to God that euerie one that heareth mee this daie, were such a Merchant, I can assure you it would be no hinderāce to your trade, if as the world is the sea so our bodies were the ships, our Consciences the Pilots, our heart the compasse, our faith the sterne, our hope the Anchor, our praiers the Merchandise, our good works the oares, our Country to trade in Ierusalem, our haven heauen, that at length with the good Merchant seeking good Pearls, we might find that goodly Pearle.

And so I come to the 2. part of my text, which see­keth good pearles, &c. 2. Gen. par [...] Tully. Heere is a personal distinction, a Merchant that seeketh good Pearles, Tully obserueth a diuersity of Marchandise and Marchants, and vseth the word negotiator aerarius, ferrarius, vinarius as we say a Marchant Taylor, Marchant venturer, Marchāt Vintner, Marchant Jeweller, as here a Marchant that seeketh good Pearles. A Lapidary, a Jeweler, for every Marchāt seeketh not pearles, but they that haue know ledge in pearles. In the 21. of the Revelation, Reuel. 21. wee shal finde that the spirit of God setteth forth the heauenlie Ierusalem with al the glorie, and lustre, and splendor, that it is possible to be thought for the length, and the breadth, and the building, & compasse, and the wals, and the gates, and the streetes, and the foundations, that the Citty had 12. gates, and at the gates 12. An­gels, and the names of the 12. Tribes of the children of Israell, and the wal of the Citty had 12. foundations, & in them the names of the 12. Apostles, that the 12. gates were 12. pearles, and the 12. foundations were garnished with all precious pearles, being the same kinde of pearles, which were in the high Priests brest­plate, [Page] Exod. 28.15 or those wherewith the K. of Tyrus was decked. Ezec. 28.13. as the 70. Interpreters ob­serue. Many Allusions, allegories, comparisons, si­militudes, and paralismes, are drawne out of these 12. stones, and applied to the 12. Patriarches, 12. Prophets 12. Apostles, 12. Tribes, and at the lest, 12. times 12. in­terpretations of these 12. stones, but I will not follow them.

Our marchant seeketh good pearles. I might here stand vpon the colour, splendour, lustre, nature, effect and forme of pearles: The learned knowe their colour to be diuers, their splendor to be gratious, their lustre glorious, their nature and effect miraculous, their or­bicular forme most persit, & surely manie great won­ders hath God made knowne vnto men, in precious pearles, but the time J haue to spend is precious and J must not linger longer in these. By good pearls in my text, Auendanus vnderstandeth virtutes animi, Alber­tui legem & Prophetas, Avend. Albertus, Hierome. Hierome caelestia dona, and o­thers diuersty doe expound these words, but the pro­per doctrine arising naturally, is this, that it is a Chri­stians part to seeke the best things. The reason of this doctrine is drawne ab vniuersali, al things doe desire that which is good,3. Doct. ib vniuer­sali. & therfore of al, a Christiā ought to desire it, and to endeauour to obtaine it. Not that which is good in opinion only, for so good may bee euil, and euil good, not good in imagination only, for so light maie be darknesse, and darknesse light, sweet maie be sower, and sower sweet. But good indeed bo­num qua bonum. The difference that men haue made of Good is infinite. S^t Austen in his 15. book de Ciuita­te [Page]Dei out of Varro collecteth 288. opinions that men had concerning the summitie of goodnes.Aug. 288. opinions Concern­ing good Soe much men haue differed, some in missing of their good in reason, some in religiō, some impropriating the name of good to bad, of bad to good.

The philosophers vanity excepted, none were more vaine and vile in this then the Heretickes, of all ages whoe professed that their religion was only true and good, the rest were most abhorrent and false.Arians Soc The Ari­ans as Socrates recordeth, affirmed that their religion was only good and al others false.Ebion Epi. Heres. 30. Nest. Theo. Ebiō as Epiphanius recordeth beeing a Samaritan yet would bee called a Christian, Nestorius as Theodoret witnesseth, seeking to couer religion with the name of truth, when it was false and lewd.The Turke Sozom. Ec. hist. lib. 6. c. 38. The Turkes as Sozomen recordeth, comming lineally from Agar wilbe called Sarazens of Sara. The scripture hath taught vs that there be some that cry Templum Domini Templum Domini, and yet would destroie Dominum Templi. Ier. 7.4. That there bee some that call themselues the seed of Abraham that bee malitious Pharisies Ioh. 8.39. That there bee some that call themselues Iewes, that are but the Sy­nagogue of Sathan. Apoc. 3.9. That there bee some that had Abrahā to their father, & yet are not Israe. lites. Rō. 9.7. That there are some that haue the name of Iesuits, yet haue no part of the faith of truth or profession of Iesus. Some also I feare that are called Chri­stians that haue noe part or portion in Christ. Thus hath Sathan masked folley in the habit of wisdome, fasshood in the habit of truth, vice in the habit of ver­tue, sinne in the habit of godlinesse, lewdnesse in the [Page]habit of goodnesse and as Polidor Virgil hath obseru­ed of the Romish Church in electing their Popes if anie were fearful they would cal him Leo, Pol [...]virg. If any cruel, Cle­mens, if anie wicked Pius, if any couetous Bonifacius, if anie most vile Innocentius. So hath good beene es­steemed bad, and bad good, and so many haue decea­ued themselues in the seeking of good pearles.

Vse. The vse of this doctrine, is to warne al true Christi­ans, that they follow not the ignis fatuus of lewdnesse vnder the name of goodnesse.! O beloued how many there be whose hopes and desiers, & labours, and in­deauours doe only lead to the attaining of vise & tran­sitorie, earthly, momentarie, false, affected pleasures, and delights! Which as Meteors, or Comets, haue their local beeing for a time, but after vanish and dis­solue. Take the counsel of Dauid seeke peace, seek that which is good,Psal. 37. and dwel for euer more in the Land of of the liuing, so shal you be sure to seeke good pearles.

And so I come to the words following, and having found one pearle of great price, &c. the secunda secun­dae of my Text,secunda. se­cundae. The anchor of our trust, & the author of our truth, in the 7. of Mathew promiseth, that if we aske, seeke, knocke, we shal receiue, finde, it shal be gi­uen vnto vs. Who then would not aske, seeke, knocke, aske with the mouth, knocke with the hand, and seeke with the hart? The Merchant here hauing sought, fin­deth, seeking many, findeth one, seeking good pearles, findeth one goodly Pearle, vnionum vnionem marga­ritarum margaritam, a pearle of great price. In pretio pretium nunc est. Aug. cha­ritie, Avend. Some of the Fathers vnderstande this pearle to be Charitie, and Loue, which is indeede [Page]the Lapis Chimicus, of al other vertues, or as one spea­keth, the Godmother of al the rest, as if the rest remai­ned vnbaptized, moral vertues, for without this, faith is idle, hope a vaine presuming, holynesse hipocrisie, zeale fury, and this of al others is the mother of sancti­fie, the daughter of grace, the mistresse of truth, the Glasse of religion, the marriage Garment, and the key of Paradise, aboue al the rest of the vertues Maior his, 1. Cor. 13. the bond of perfection, Col. 3.14. the fulfilling of the Law, 1. Tim. 1.5. The newe and olde com­mandement.

Containing all other vertues, as the Philosopher witnesseth, sicut causa vniversalis particulares vel ex­agonum tetragonum. Others expound this vnans mar­garitam, to be celestis vitae dulcedinem, the sweetnes of the life euerlasting, the glory of the blessed, their euer lasting pleasure, their Crowne of honor, their laurel of felicity, their inward and outward ioie, their diuine Paradise, their heauenly Ierusalē, their fulnes of blisse, the eternal comfort, the peace of God which passeth al vnderstanding, when the Lord wil gather his faith­ful togither, and wil wipe away the teares from their eies, and wil crowne them with glory, cloath them vvith gladnes, satisfie them with exceeding sweetnes, and make them partakers of eternall happinesse, when they shal see the Courts of the Lord of hosts, hauing Palmes in their hands, Diadēs on their heads, Haleluiah in their harts. Hauing riches without measure, life without la­bour, light without darknes, health without sickresse, ioy without ending, & eternal solace without any inter­cessing.

Or as Hierome vnderstandeth this pearle of greate price to be Sacramentū Passionis & Resurrectionis C. the Sacrament of the Lords Supper,Hier. Soer. wherein euerie Christian doth acknowledge, how great blessings, we receiue by the death, and resurrectiō of Christ, in that he that was libertie, was tied to make vs free, hee that was iustice, was cōdemned to acquite vs, he that was life, was executed to saue vs, & he that was the beau­ty, the glory, the wisedome, the power of his father, was defiled, derided, obscured, despised to preserue vs from eternal demnation.

Or some others interpret it to be C. Iesus as S^t Austen, Aug. C. Ies. who expounds Margaritam here to be C. Iesus our blessed sauiour, the only begotten sonne of God, the brightnesse of glorie, the expresse character of his father, the first begotten of al creatures, the daie sprūg from an high, the seed of Abraham, the sonne of Da­uid, the light of the Gentiles, & the glorie of his peo­ple Israell, who is become our wisdome, & righteous­nesse, and sanctification,Caietan. and redemption, Sapientia in intellectu, iustitia in voluntate, Sanctificatio in o­pere, redemptio in statu, wisdome in our vnderstāding, righteousnesse in our wil, sanctification in our worke, and redemption to our whole mā. Anchora spei, Na­uis fidei, terrae sal, caeli Sol, & animae salus, the Anchor of our hope, the ship of our faith, the salt of our earth, the sunne of our heauen, the saluation of our souls, C. Iesus who was manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued to glory.

The doctrine Jobserue is this, that the true faith­full [Page]man neuer resteth vntil hee haue founde the true heauenly soule saueing wisdome. Reason. The reason of this Doct. is drawne à fine from the end of his acquisition, for this wisdome is the period, the point the comple­ment, and perfection, and consummation of his desi­ers, this is that bdellium and Onix stone found in the riuer of Paradise Gen. 1.12. here is true wisdome foūd Prov. 1.13. here is the beloued found Cant. 5.8. here the virgins haue found the sweetnesse of his ointment Cant. 1.2. here the spouse hath found him whom her soule loueth Cant. 3.1. here Peter & Andrewe haue found the Maister Ioh. 1.4. Here is true wisdome, here is the place of vnderstanding, man knoweth not the price therof, for it is not found in the land of the liue­ing, the Depth saith it is not in me, the sea also saith it is not in mee. Gold shal not bee giuen for it, nor the wedge of the gold of Ophir shalbe waid with it, Nor the pretious Onix stone, nor the Saphir, not the Chri­stall, nor the Corall, nor the Gabish, nor the Topas of Aethiopia, Iob. 28.18.19. For it is vnionū vnio Mar­garitarum Margarita, a pearle of pearles, a Margarite of Margarites, a pearle of great price.

Vse. The vse of this doctrine is to moue vs al not to bee sl [...]we and negligent in labouring for so deere, so rare so pretious a pearle, seeing we knowe whosoeuer see­keth shal finde it. If this pearle were riches, then the couetous man would seeke for it, if honour then the ambitious would follow it, if glorie then the proud man would affect it, if pleasure then the voluptuous would haue canuased for it, and yet beloued you see it is spiritual riches, spiritual glorie, spiritual honour, spi­ritual [Page]pleasure,! O let not this pearle bee cast before swine, seeing it is certaine securitie, secure tranquility safe iucunditie, happy eternity, and eternal felicitie! O then be yee wise, now o yee marchāts of the world seek it, esteeme it, respect it, loue it, finde it, buy it, yea rather then misse of it, sell al you haue to buy it, as it followeth. He sould al that he had and bought it.

The Israelits when they did offer to the Temple,Tertia. secundae. al did offer, but they did not offer all, Exod 35.22. The young man in the gospell was ready to followe Christ but loath to forsake al, Luk. 18.22. Anamas and Sa­phira were willing to bring a part to the Apostles, but they were loath to bring al, Ast. 5.3. So that the word al, marreth al, it is a hard, harsh, difficult, odious, tedi­ous word, to sel al. The Philosophers in scorn of being entangled with the worlds pleasures, did contemne al, Socrates went farther then any, and did vtterly des­pise al, Crates went farther then he, and did cast awaie al. In the Gospel Zacheus did restore al, Luk. 19.8. The disciples did forsake al, Math. 19.27. S. Paul did vily valew al. Phil. 3.8. and here the Merchant selleth al, & al this casting away, dispising, restoring, forsaking vily valuing al, and selling al, is but a giuing of al, & indeed a gaining of al, for by this Socrates despising al became Crates to cast away al, & Crates by casting away al did become Polycrates to finde al,Polycrat. Nat Histor. for whosoeuer shal for­sake houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother or children, or wife, or lands for Christs sake, shal re­ceiue an hundred fold more, and shal inherit euerla­sting life.Tertull. in Apolog. We read that Democritus put out his eies for seare by sight to bee tempted to incontinencie, of [Page] Thracius, that hee cut downe his vines for feare of be­ing drunke with wine of them.Gell. Noc [...] Art. 1.19. Lactant. Orig. Eu [...] hist l. 6.8. That Zeno put of his life as a garment, to put on immortalitie. That Origen made himselfe an Eunuch for the kingdome of hea­uen. That the Iewes did offer their Jewels, Exod. 35.22 Abraham was ready to offer his Isaac, Gen. 22.19. That Matthew did leaue his custome, Math. 9.9. Peter & Andrew did leaue their nets, Matt. 4.26. These did these things for g [...]ine but al these did not gaine al, be­cause they al did not giue al. Ouer Merchāt doth despise al, contemne al, forsake al, cast away al, offer al, leaue al, s [...]l al, to but this one only pearle.

Doctrine The Doctrine I here doe obserue is this, that the Christian Merchant is willing to forsake all his plea­sures, al his delights, al his follie, al his vanity, al his sin and iniquitie to obtaine Christ: the reason of this do­ctrine is drawne ab vtili, for a greater Commoditie,Ab vtili. who would not change? now looke how much diffe­rence there is betwixt heauen and earth, so much is the gaine in the exchange.

Another reason may be drawne à necessario, that necessarily he that wil obtaine Christ, must forsake al:A necess [...] rio. for Christ wil not part stakes, he wil not take the moi­tie of the hart, he cannot abide Isaac & Ismaell in one house, the Arke and Dagon in one Church, holy & pro­phane fier in one Censor, Christ and Antichrist in one Temple. For the Apostles ground is that there is no fellowship betweene righteousnes & vnrighteousnes, no communion of light with darknes, no agreement betweene the Temple of God and Idols, no Concord betweene Christ & Belial. 2. Cor. 6.14. Now the Pearle that he buyeth is Christ, he selleth all and buyeth this. [Page]The word bought here as M^r. Calu. obserueth doth not signifie anie Compensation that man should yeeld to God for attaining eternal life, [...]lu for C. proclamation as it were in the beginning of a faire is, Ho euery on that thirsteth come to the waters of life, and yee that haue no siluer come, buy and eate, buy I saie wine, & milke, without siluer & without monie, Esay, 55.1.

S. Ambrose vpon the 6. of Luke obserueth this, [...]nbr. [...]k. 6. Chri­stus vult se vilem aestimari vt ab omnibus ematur, ne quis pauper deterreatur. And surely beloued wel is it that C. is not to bee bought of vs. For such is the vn­thriftenesse of Christianity, that if we haue any good, any goodnesse, any spirituall treasure, anie precious pearle, any portion of land in the land of the liuing, we are ready to sel it, either to the diuel, the world, or the stesh, those common purchasers. And I am sure it Christ were to be bought and sold, we should rather sel him, then buy him.

When God came into the world to saue man, mā went about to destroy God; when God came to buy man, with the deerest drops of his blood, man went a­bout to sel God, for 30. peeces of siluer, he that came into the world to sanctifie it with his iustice, to enrich it with his grace, to instruct it with his doctrine, to re­deeme it with his blood, to confirme it with his example, he is sold for 30. peeces of siluer, more vily valued then the basest beasts, that they sold in their market. I feare me that there be now as cunning buyers, & sellers, as skilful Merchants as euer there were, euen such as would sel Heaven, Angels, Saints, Seraphins, nay God him selfe.

Who liueth amongst vs and knoweth not our mar­chant Diuines, who being Ephraimiticall Tempori­zers wil sel the libertie of a good conscience, for fauor & prefermēt? who knoweth not our Marchant Law­yers who not only sel their labours but the lawes and Justice it selfe? Who knoweth not our Marchant Phi­sitions who sel ignorance, vnskillfulnes, great words, & vnsufficient druggs? Who knoweth not our Mar­chant vserer who (against so many places of scripture, the iudgment of al the ancient fathers, the Canon, and Ciuil lawes, the constitutions of al good Commō welths, the reasons of heathen Philosophers, the counsell of the schoolmen, and the opinion of al our Diuines except they bee vserers) knoweth that vserie is condemned, as vncharitable, and Antichristian, and yet this biter, sets his soule at sale, & receiues quarter rent for his sal­uation? Who knoweth not our marchāt monopolists who by grosse ingrossing & by art & cūning doe arise the price of commodities which by ordinary course would be much cheaper, & so against the laws & cu­stōs of al Cōmō wealths, they are the pilling, polling, Caterpillers of the Common wealth? For if euer of a­nie it were true, it is of them vivitur ex rapto. Here might I put vp a Siquis for cruel Ahabs, churlish Na­bals, De populating Landlords, incloasing Cormorants, Simoniacall Patrons, and Church-robbing Nebuchad­nezers. O those monsters of men, contemners of God, impious, sacrilegious Church-robbers, irreligious Iu­lianists, which do rifle and spoile Churches of the or­naments, and other riches, lands, & reuenews, which were giuen vnto God to maintaine his house & hous­hold. [Page]That whereas Churches in Chrysostomes time were Regijs aulis clariora, now Canescunt turpi templa relicta situ. That wheras sometimes the Iews brought more to the founding of the Tabernacle then Moyses would; now Christians take from the Temple more thē euer Iewes, Gentiles, Heathens, Pagans, or Infidells would, That wheras somtimes they were houses of praier, nowe they are become dens of theeues, that wheras somtimes the price of a dogg or the hire of a whore, might not bee brought into the Temple, now the price of the Temple is brought to maintaine doggs, and whores &c. And Temples made stables, Shipcoates, store houses for wool, hogsties, Barnes, maulthouses, Alehouses, nay worse then al this, if this be not the abomination of desolation what is? O Lord thus haue they defiled thy Temple, and made Ierusa­lem a heape of stones. Lord take thy owne cause in hand thou didst driue the byers and sellers out of the Temple. O what hadst thou done if they had been by­ers and sellers of the Temple?

I knowe notwithstanding the general, & iust com­plaint against the corrupt custome of many Simoni­acal Patrons, that the Lord hath reserued for himselfe a remnant who in honour of learning and care of the glory of God haue made choice of schollers from the Vniuersitie (to inioie the spiritual preferments, wher­of they were Doners.) who might otherwise long haue waited at the poole vntil Angels had put thē in. I must confesse Gods fauour to my selfe in this, and the wor­thy minde of an honorable Patrone;Thomas [...]erley of [...]iston the Lord reward him and his, according to their own desire. Presidents [Page]of this kind be miracles in our age, wherin the abomi­nation of desolatiō hath got the vpper hand. Let it for ever bee worthy the obseruation, I say worthie the obseruation to the terrour of these diuils, that Nabu­chadnezar, Balthasar, Antiochus, Helidorus, Pompei­ius Magnus, Marcus Crassus had vnhappy successe and most of them died miserably by reason of their sacrilegious Church robbing: and it was wel obserued 500. years since spiritualiū venditores semper egestate confundi, that the pinchers of spiritual things are at last pinched with extreame penurie; if euer by simony or sacriledge they come to anie true profit let me for euer bee branded with the name of a false Prophet. Cursed bee such seeking, finding, buying, selling, pur­chasing, when God and his Church are robbed.

Beloued we haue not learned C. so and therfore let euerie of vs make this vse to beware of the execrable things not to set our selues at sale, to commit iniquity, to set at sale our truth, honestie, conscience, oaths, soules, and saluation, by bryberie, forgery, periurie, hy­pocrisie, simony, or sacriledg: the name of such things should not be hard amongst vs as becommeth Saints; the practise hereof is the mysterie of iniquitie, and the practisers hereof they be the diuels trades-men.

I should now make some application of that hath bin said vnto the purpose, and time present, but the time present, doth not afford mee time, to staie here vpon, and it is but in vaine to ad precept vpon precept, and line vpon line, seeing you obserue nether rule, nor line It wil be the more to your condemnation, if I shoulde stand vpon anie further application. For howe shal I [Page]thinke to speed in gayning of you when so manie, so heauenly, so powerful messengers, haue bin sent to you that haue nailed your sinnes often to this Crosse with the hammer of the word and yet they bee as many, as mightie, as bloody, as silthie, as crying, as feareful, as euer they were. Notwithstanding my ex­hortatiō in a word shalbe first to thē, [...]xhor. that at this time are assembled at this great faire, or Mart, or Market, that they by lying, swearing, forswearing, sel not them selues to Sathan, but that they make a Conscience of their words, works, oathes, asseuerations, protestati­ons, that in a greedines of gaine they cal not God to witnes, for the prices of their wares against their truth their oath, Conscience, and knowledge. O beloued, sel not soule [...] & saluation, loose not the substance for the Accident, heauen for earth, that which wil neuer pe­rish, for that which doth perish. Lastly, my exhortati­on in a word is to this City in general. O London thou that sittest like a Queene, al thy Citizēs being as so manie Merchāts, thy Merchtās as so many Princes nay, as so many polished corners of the Temple. Remem­ber them, that for al their port, and state▪ and dignitie, & riches, They are vnworthy to enioie the lest of these blessings, vnlesse they be like to that good Merchant here that seeketh good pearles, their carelesnes, hau­tines, oppression, wickednes, are but the wormes and moathes of their greatnes, & these wormes & moaths wil corrupt them, and their greatnes. Neither they, nor thou, shalt sinne with impunity, the mightines of thy state, singularitie of thy gouernment, climing of thy wals, aspiring of thy Towers, multitude of thy [Page]people, cannot make thee secure against the wrath of the Lord. Thought thou were a Citty of Palme trees as Iericho or the ioy of the world, as Ierusalē, or the glori­ous & populous Citty of earth, as Babilon or the mart of the Nations, as Tyrus, whose Merchāts were Prin­ces, and their Chapmen the nobles of the world, yet the time may come, that thou maist say, I was a Queen I sit now as a widdow, because I haue not remembred the day of my visitation. The L. may staine the pride of thy glorie and bring to contempt al thy honourable. in al the stories, either rude, or polite, prophane or di­vine, I finde no Citty more honored for Merchants & Merchādise, thē Tyrus in the prophecie of Ezec. They of Iauan Tuball & Meshech were her Merchāts.Ezech. 27. They of Togarmah and Dedan were her Merchants. They of Aram & Damascus were her Merchants. They of Iuda and of Israell were her Merchants. They of Sheba and Ramah were her Merchants. They of Haram & Cameh and Eden of Sheba, Asher, and Chilmad were her Mer­chants, & they did bring faire horses and mules, & V­nicornes hornes and Peacocks, and Emeralds, purple and broidered worke, and fine linen, and pearle, & Co­ral, and wheat, and wine, and hony, and oile, & bawm, & Cassia, & Calamus the cheefe of al spices, of al precious stones, & gold, & raiments of blew silke, & broi­dered works, & rich apparel. So that by her Merchan­dise shee was replenished and made glorious in the middest of the sea. And yet for al this, in the end of the chapter, the L. threatneth this feareful desolation to Tyrus for her abominable sinnes. Thy riches, and thy faires, thy Merchandise thy mariners, thy Pilots, thy [Page]Calkers, and al the occupiers of thy merchandise, & al the men of war that are in thee, and al the multitude which is in the middest of thee shal fall in the middest of the sea, in the daie of thy ruine. Thy suburbs shal shake at the sound of the crie of the Pilots, & in their mourning they shal take vp this lamentatiō, what Ci­ty is like vnto Tyrus so destroied, and the marchants amōg the people shal hisse at thee thou shalt be a ter­rour and neuer shalt be any more. Beloued it is a ter­rible, fearful vnspeakable iudgmēt. But you see great­nesse of sins wil shake the foundations of the greatest city vpon the earth, and though their heads stood a­mong the starrs, yet he is able to bring them into the dust and rubble; multitude of offences wil consume multitudes of mē, & you know many thousands thou­sands haue beene swept away in your Citie. The daies can speake & the yeares can witnesse, how the plague hath beene a leidger for manie yeares amongst you.

O my beloued in the bowels of C. Iesus. at the length remember that the feare of the Lord is your safest refuge, righteousnesse your strongest bulwarke, sobrietie and sanctimonie of life your wales of Brasse, Pietie your best pearle, C. Iesus your best Iewel. O then seek, search, labour, endeauor, find, buy this pea­rle, this peace, marchandise in this til hee come that wil come to iudge the quick and the dead! The Lorde make you rich in his wisdome, & make you al wise in Christ Jesus. Amen, Amen.