BEcause when wee preach, wee know not whether we shall preach againe, my care is to chuse fit and proper texts to speake that which I would speak, and that which is ne­cessarie for you to heare. Therefore, thinking with my selfe what doctrine were fittest for you, I sought for a text which speaks against couetousnes, which I may cal the Londoners sinne. Although God hath giuen you more then other, which should turne couetousnes into thankefulnesse, yet as the Iuie groweth with the Oke, so couetousnesse hath growne with riches, euerie man wisheth the Philoso­phers stone, and who is within these walles, that thinkes he hath enough, though there be so manie that haue too much? As the Israe­lits murmured as much whē they had Man­na,Exod. 16. 2. as when they were without it,Num. 11. 4 so they which haue riches, couet as much as they [Page 205] which are without them: that conferring your minds and your wealth together, I may truely say, this Cittie is rich if it were not co­uetous. This is the diuell which bewitcheth you, to thinke that you haue not inough, whē you haue more then you neede. If you cannot choose but couet riches, I will shewe you ri­ches which you may couet, Godlinesse is great riches.

In which wordes,Gen. 35. 4. as Iacob craued of his wiues, and his seruants, to giue him their I­dols, that he might burie them: so Paule cra­ueth your couetousnes, that he might bury it. And that ye might be no losers, hee offereth you the vantage: in stead of gaine, hee pro­poseth great gaine. Godlinesse is great gaine, as if he should say, Wil you couet litle gaine be­fore great? You haue found little ioy in mo­ney, you shall find great ioy in the holy ghost: you haue found little peace in the world, you shall finde great peace in conscience. Thus seeing the worlde striue for the worlde, like beggers thrusting at a dole, Lawyer against Lawyer, brother against brother, neighbour against neighbour, for the golden Apple, that poore Naboth cannot hold his owne, because so manie Achabs are sicke for this vineyard: when he had found the disease, like a skilfull Physition, hee goeth about to picke out the [Page 206] greedie worme which maketh men so hun­grie, and setteth such a glasse before them, that will make a shilling seeme as great as a pound, a cottage seeme as faire as a pallace, & a plough seeme as goodly as a diadem, that he which hath but twentie poundes shal be as merrie as hee which hath an hundred: and he which hath an hundred, shal be as iocund as he which hath a thousand: and he which hath a thousand,Dan. 1. 12. shal be well contented as hee which hath a million: euen as Daniel did thriue with water and pulse, as well as the rest did with their wine and iunkets.

This is the vertue and operation of these words; If you heare them with the same spi­rite that Paul wrote them, they will so worke vpon your hearts, that you shall goe away e­uerie man contented with that which hee hath,Luk. 19. 8. like Zacheus, which before he had seene Christ, knew nothing but to scrape; but as soone as he had heard Christ, all his mind was set vpon giuing. This was not the first day that Zacheus seemed rich to others, but this was the first daie that Zacheus seemed rich vnto himselfe, when riches seemed dung, and godlines seemed riches.Ma [...]. 19. 21 Christ doth not will other to giue all their goods away to the poor as he bad the yong man, to see what he would do, but hee which forbad him to keepe his ri­ches, [Page 207] forbids vs to loue riches, which makes our riches seem pouertie. When ye contemne riches ye shal seem rich, because no man hath inough but hee which is contented:1. Tim. 6. 6. but if ye couet, & groue, & thrist, as Iacob gaue Ruben a blessing,Gen. 49▪ 4. but said, Thou shalt not be excellent, so God may giue you riches, but he saith, You shall not be satisfied: for ye wil be couetous vn­til ye be religious. He that will haue contenta­tion, must leaue his couetousnes in pawne for it. This is the spirit which we would cast out, if ye will leaue but this one sinne behind, you shall depart out of the Church, like Naaman out of Iordan,2. Kin. 5. 14. as if you had bene washed, and all your sins swept away like the scales from Paules eyes.Act. 9. 18. For what hath brought Vsury, si­monie, briberie, crueltie, subtiltie, enuy, strife, and deceit, into this Citie: and made euerie house an inne, & euery shop a market of lyes and fraud, but the superfluous loue of money? Name couetousnes, and thou hast named the mother of all these mischiefes: other sinnes are but hirelings vnto this sinne. Vsurie, and briberie, and simony, and extortion, & deceit, and lyes, and oathes, are factors to couetous­nesse: and serue for Potters to fetch and bring her liuing in. As the Receiuer ma­keth a theefe, so Couetousnesse maketh an Vsurer, and Extortioner, and Deceiuer, [Page 208] because shed receiueth the bootie which they steale. Euen as Rachel cryed to her husband, Giue me children or else I dye; Gen. 30. 1. so Couetousnesse crieth vnto Vsurie, and Briberie, and Simo­nie, and Crueltie, and Deceit, and Lies, Giue mee riches or else I dye: how they may saue a little, and how they may get much, and how they may prolong life, is euerie mans dreame, from sunne to sunne, so long as they haue a knee to bow vnto Baal: so many vices budde out of this one,Rom. 11. that it is called The roote of all euill, 1. Tim. 6. 10 as if hee would saie, the Spawne of all sines.

Take away couetousnesse, and he will sell his wares as cheape as he; he will bring vp his children as vertuouslie as hee; hee will refuse bribes as earnestly as hee; he will succour the poore as hartely as hee; hee will come to the Church as lightlie as hee. If ye could feele the pulse of euerie heart, what makes Gehezi to take the bribe which Elisha refused?1. Kin. 5. 17. What makes Demetrius to speake for images,Act. 19. 24. which Paul condemned?1. Sa. 5. 10. What makes Naball deny Dauid that which Abigail gaue him? What makes Iudas grudge the oyle which Marie tendered?Mat. 16. 9. Nothing but Couetousnesse. When thou shouldest giue, she saith it is too much; when thou shouldest receiue, she saith it is too little; when thou shouldest remitte, she saith [Page 209] it is too great▪ when thou shouldest repent, she saith it is too soone; when thou shouldest heare,Exod. 5. 6. shee saith it is too farre: like Pharaoh, which founde one businesse or other to occu­pie the Iewes, when they should serue God.

Thus euerie labour hath an end, but coue­tousnesse hath none; like a suter in law, which thinkes to haue an end this Tearme and that Tearme, and the Lawyer which should pro­cure his peace, prolongeth his strife; because he hath an action to his purse, as his aduersa­rie hath to his land: so hee which is set on co­ueting, doth drinke brine, which makes him thrist more, and seeth no hauen till he arriue at death: when hee hath lyed, hee is readie to lye againe; when hee hath sworne, hee is rea­die to sweare againe; when he hath deceiued, hee is readie to deceiue againe; when the day is past, he would it were to begin again; when the Tearme is ended, hee wisheth it were to come againe; and though his house bee full, and his shop full, and his coffers full, and his purse full; yet his heart is not full, but lanke & emptie, like the disease which we call the Wolfe, that is alwaies eating, and yet keepes the bodie leane. The Ant doth eate the food which she findeth, the Lion doth refresh him selfe with the praie that hee taketh: but the couetous man lyeth by his money, as a sicke [Page 210] man sits by his meate, and hath no power to take it,2. King. 7. 2. but to looke vpon it, like the Prince to whom Elisha sayde, that hee should see the corne with his eyes, but none should come within his mouth. Thus the couetous man makes a foole, of himselfe, hee coueteth to co­uet, hee gathereth to gather, hee laboureth to labour, he careth to care; as though his office were to fill a coffer full of Angels, and then to dye; like an Asse which carrieth treasures on his backe all day, and at night they are taken from him, which did him no good but loade him. How happie were some, if they knewe not gold from leade?Pro. 9. 12. If thou be wise (saith Sa­lomon) thou shalt be wise for thy selfe: but he which is couetous, is couetous against him­selfe. For what a plague is this (vnlesse one would kill himselfe) for a man to spende all his life in carking, and pining, and scraping, (as though hee should do nothing but gather in this world, to spend in the next) vnlesse he be sure that he shall come againe when hee is dead, to eate those scraps which hee hath got­ten with all this stirre? Therefore couetous­nesse may well bee called miserie, and the co­uetous miserable: for they are miserable in­deede.

Of them which seeme to bee wise, there be no such fooles in the world, as they which [Page 211] loue money better than themselues: but this is the iudgement of God, that they which deceiue others deceiue themselues, and liue like Cain which was a vagabond vpon his owne lande;Gen. 4. 14. so they are beggers in the mid­dest of their wealth: for though they haue vnderstanding to know riches, and a mind to seeke them, and wit to finde them, and po­licie to keepe them, and life to possesse them; yet they haue such a false sight and bleare eye, that when their riches lye before them, they seeme pouertie, and hee which hath not halfe so much, seemeth farre richer than they.

Will you knowe how this commeth to passe? To shewe that the couetous men be­long to Hell, they are like Hell while they liue. Hell is neuer filled, and they are neuer satisfied:Pro. 20. 15. but as the Hors-leach crieth, Giue, giue; so their hearts crye, Bring, bring: and though the Tempter should saye to them as hee said to Christ,Mat. 4. 9. All these I will giue thee, yet all will not content them,Iude 6. no more than hea­uen contentented him.

But as the Glutton in Hell desired a droppe of Water,Luk. 16. 14. and yet a whole Riuer woulde not satisfie him: for if a drop had bene graunted him, hee would haue desired a drop more, and a drop more, and a drop to [Page 212] that; so they will lye, and sweare, and deceiue, for a drop of riches. The Diuell neede not of­fer them all, as hee did to Christ, for they will serue him for lesse: but if he could giue them all, all would not content them, no more than the world contented Alexander: for it is a­gainst the name and nature of couetousnesse, to be content, as it is against the name and na­ture of Contentation, to be couetous. There­fore one saith, that no mans heart is like the couetous mans heart, for his heart is without a bottome.

A Prentise is bound but for nine yeares, and then he is free: but if the couetous might liue longer than Methushelah,Gen. 5. 15. yet they would ne­uer be free-men, but bounde prentises to the worlde, while they haue a foote out of the graue.

It is a wonder to see: as the Diuell com­passeth about,1. Pe. 5. 18. seeking whom hee maye de­uore: so men compasse about, seeking what they may deuoure. Such loue is betweene men and money,Pro. 1. 13. that they which professe good will vnto it with their hearts, will not take so much paines for their life, as they take for gaine: therefore no maruell if they haue no leasure to sanctifie themselues, which haue no leasure at anie time to refresh them­selues.

[Page 213] Christ knew what he spake when he sayd,Mat. 16. 24 No man can serue two maisters: meaning, God and the world; because each would haue all. As the Angel and the diuel stroue for Moses body,Iude. 9. not who should haue a part, but who should haue the whole; so they striue stil for our soules, who shall haue all. Therefore the Apostle saith,1. Ioh. 2. 15. The loue of this world is enmity to God: signifying such emulation betweene these two, that God cannot abide the world should haue a part, and the world on the o­ther side cannot abide that God should haue a part. Therefore the loue of the world must needes be enmitie to God, and therefore the louers of the world must needs bee enemies to God: and so no couetous man is Gods ser­uant, but Gods enemie.

For this cause Paul in the fifth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians and fifth verse, calleth couetousnesse Idolatrie, which is the most contrarie sinne to God; because as trea­son setteth vp another King in the Kings place, so Idolatrie setteth vp another God in Gods place. This word doth signifie that the couetous make so much of money, that they euen worship it in their hearts, and would do as much for it as the Idolaters doe for their Idols.

Paul seeing such sinnes committed, and [Page 214] such paines taken for gaine, thought with himselfe; If they could bee perswaded that Godlinesse is gaine, it is like they would take as much pains for godlinesse, as they take for gaine: therefore hee taketh vpon him to prooue this strange Paradox, that Godlines is gaine, against all them in the verse before, which hold that Gaine is Godlinesse. These two opinions are verie contrarie, and here are many against one.

A man would thinke that Paul should be verie eloquent and sharpe witted, and that he had neede to vse some Logicke, for hee hath chosen a hard Text. What Paul? will you prooue that Godlinesse is gaine? You shal haue moe opponents against you then Mi­caiah had when he forbad Achab to fight.1. King. 22. 17. If you had taken the former verse, which sayth that Gaine is Godlines, then you should haue had matters and examples inough: the Mer­chant, and Mercer, and Lawyer, and Land­lord, and Patron, and all, would come in and speake for gaine,Act. 19. 28 as the Ephesians cried for Diana: but if you will be crosse to al, and preach, Godlinesse is gaine, to them which ac­count Gaine godlinesse, men will thinke of you as Festus did, that you speake you know not what.Act. 26. 24 These lessons are for Paul him­selfe.

[Page 215] As Christ sayth,Mat. 19. 11 All doe not receiue this Word, so all do not count this gaine but losse. We count him rich which hath his barns full like the Churle, his coffers full like the Glut­ton, his table full like Belshazzar, his stable full like Salomon, his groūds full like Iob, his purse full like Craesus. You speake against your master, for Christ sent word vnto Iohn, that the poore receiue the gospell, as though the godly were of the poorer sort, and Dauid calleth the wicked rich,Psal. 73. 12. They prosper and flou­rish, sayth he, their seede blasteth not, their Cow casteth not: as if he should say, It is not as you take it Paul, that Godlines doth make men rich; for this I haue obserued in my time, that the wicked be the wealthiest, and good Lazarus is the poore man, and wicked Diues is the rich man.

Againe, we reade, that the Officers were asked, which of the Pharisies or of the Ru­lers did follow Christ, yet these were coun­ted rich men though they had no godlinesse: and if we should examine your owne selfe, it seemes you were no great rich man for all your Godlinesse, when you did worke with your hands for your liuing: therefore if Godlinesse be such gaine, how happeneth it that your share is no better? So they which are like Nicodemus, when Christ sayth, that [Page 216] they must be borne againe;Iohn. 3. 4. thinke that hee can haue no other meaning, but that they must returne againe into their Mothers wombe:Iohn 6. and when he calles himselfe Bread, that he must needs meane such bread as they dine with.

As the Iewes hearing the Prophet speake so often of Christes kingdome,Mat. 20. 20 and call him a King, looked for a temporall King, that should bring them peace, and ioy, and glorie, and make them like Kings themselues: so the carnall eares, when they heare of a kingdome, & treasures, and riches, straight their mindes run vpon earthly, and worldly, and transito­rie things, such as they loue, to whome Paul answereth as Christ answered his Disciples, I haue another meate which you know not of: Iohn 4. 3. so there are other riches which you knowe not of. I sayd no [...], that Godlinesse is earthly, or worldlie, or transitorie gaine, but great gaine. He will not onely prooue Godlinesse to bee gaine, but great gaine: as if hee should saie, more gainfull then your wares and rents, and fines, and interest; as though he would make the Lawyer, and Merchant, and Mercer, and Draper, and Patron, and Landlord, and all the men of riches beleeue, that Godlinesse will make them rich farre sooner then Coue­tousnesse.

[Page 227] I feare this saying may be renewed, If a man tel you, Aba [...]. 1. 5. ye wil not beleeue it: nay if God tell you, yet you will not beleeue it. As the Lorde looked downe vpon earth, to see if any did regard him,Psal. 14. 2 [...] & 43. 2. and sayth, There is not one, so this sentence may go from Court to Cittie, from cittie to countrie, and say there is sacrce one in a town that wil subscribe vnto it.Psal. 4. 6. Ma­nie (saith Dauid) aske who will shewe vs any good? meaning riches, and honor, & pleasure, which are not good. But when he came to goodnes it selfe, he leaues out Many, & pray­eth in his owne person, Lord lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs, as though none would ioyne with him.Mat. 11. 19 Yet wisdome is iusti­fied of her owne children, and the godly count godlinesse gaine.

To make vs loue godlinesse, he calleth it by the name of that wee loue most, that is, Gaine; Luk. 1. 51▪ as the father calleth his sonne which he would loue more then the rest, by his own name, to put him in mind of such a loue as he beareth to himselfe. Here we may see, that God doth not commaund men to bee godlye onely because it makes for his glorie, but be­cause godlines is profitable to vs. For godli­nes is not called gaine,Pro. 3. 8. in respect of God, but in respect of vs: it is gaine to vs, but it is dutie to him. So it is not called a health in respect [Page 218] of vs, because it is the health of our soules: so it is not called a kingdome in respect of God, but in respect of vs,Mat. 6. 33. because wee are intituled to the kingdome by this difference from the reprobates.

Put all the good things in the world to­gether, & the goodnes of all is found in god­lines: and therefore godlines is called by the names of those things that men count best, to shew that the godly are as well, as merrie, as content with their loue toward God, and Gods loue toward them, as other are with health, and wealth, and pleasures. Therefore it is sayd of the godlie;Esa. 35. 36. The feare of the Lord is his treasure. Therefore saith Ieremie, The Lord is my portion, Lam. 3. 24. as though he desired no­thing else. And therefore it is said of Moses; That he esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then all the treasures of Egypt. Heb. 11. 26. If crosses be riches, as Moses thought, what riches are in godlines? But is this all the haruest? shall godlinesse be all the godlie mans riches? Nay (saith Paul) Godlines hath the promises of this life, 1. Tim. 4. 8. and of the life to come: that is, the godlie shall doe well in heauen and here too. And therefore Christ saith, First seeke the kingdome of God, Mat. 6. 33. & all the rest shall be cast vpon you, euen as the sheaues fell before Ruth:Ruth. 2. 16. so riches shal fall in your way, as they did to Abraham, and [Page 219] Lot, and Iacob, and Iob, and Ioseph, riches were cast to them, they knew not how, but as if God had sayd, bee rich, and they were rich straight. For al good things were created for the good, and therefore they are called good because the good God created them for good men, to good purposes: and therfore as Iacob got the blessing,Gen. 27. 8. so he got the inheritance al­so: to shew, that as the faithfull haue the in­ward blessing, so they haue the outward bles­sing too, when they are good for them. For (saith Dauid) They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good. Psal. 34. 10 Now God knowes better then wee what is good for vs: as the Nurse knoweth better then the child, when the milke is readie for it. Therefore Christ saith in Mathew 6. 32,Mat. 6. 32. Your heauenly Father knoweth what you haue need of. He sayth not, that we know what we haue neede of, but that our Father knoweth: as if hee should say, When you haue neede of health, your Father will send you health: when you haue neede of riches, your Father will send you riches: when you haue neede of libertie, your Father will send you libertie: for hee sayth not onely that his Father knoweth what wee haue neede of,Mat. 7. 11. but that Hee will giue vs the things which wee neede. Matth. 7. Verse 11.

[Page 220] Therfore as children take no care for their apparell, what cloathes they shall weare, nor for their victuals, what meat they shall eate, but leaue this care for their father, so sayth Christ,Mat. 6. 31. Take you no care, for my father careth for you. Psal. 55. 22

He was not content to cal Godlinesse gaine, but he calleth it Great gaine, as if hee woulde say, gaine, and more then gaine: riches, and better then riches, a kingdome, and greater then a kingdome. As when the Prophets would distinguish betweene the idoll Gods, and the liuing God, they call him the Great God: so the gaine of godlines, is called Great gaine. Deu. 12. 17. The riches of the world are called earthlie,Mar. 4. 7. transitorie,1. Tim. 6. 9. snares, thornes, dung, as though they were not worthie to be counted riches:Phil. 3. 1. and therfore to draw the earnest loue of men from them, the holy-Ghost brings them in with such names of disdaine, to dis­grace them with their louers: but when hee comes to Godlines,Pro. 3. 15. which is the riches of the soule,Pro. 4. 9. & 13. hee calleth it great riches, heauenly ri­ches,Pro. 8. 11. & 18. vnsearchable riches, euerlasting riches, with al the names of honor, and al the names of pleasure, and all the names of happinesse. As a woman trimmes and deckes her selfe with an hundred ornaments, onely to make her amiable, so the holy-Ghost setteth [Page 221] out godlinesse with names of honor, & names of pleasure,Cant. 4. 1. and names of happines, as it were in her Iewels, with letters of commendation, to make her to bee beloued. Lest anie riches should compare with godlinesse, he giues it a name aboue other, and calleth it great riches, as if hee would make a distinction betweene riches and riches: betweene the gaine of co­uetousnes, & the gaine of godlines: the peace of the world, and the peace of conscience: the ioy of riches, and the ioy of the holy Ghost. The worldly men haue a kinde of peace, and ioy, and riches, but I cannot call it great, be­cause they haue not inough, they are not con­tented as the godlie are, therefore onely god­linesse hath this honour, to be called great ri­ches. The gaine of couetousnesse is nothing but wealth: but the gaine of godlinesse is wealth, and peace, and ioy, and loue of God, and the remission of sinnes, and euerlasting life: Therefore onely godlines hath this ho­nour to be called Great gaine. Riches make bate,Gen. 13. 6. but godlines makes peace: riches breede couetousnesse, but godlines brings contenta­tion: riches make men vnwilling to dye, but godlines makes men readie to dye: riches of­ten hurt the owner, but godlines profiteth the owner and other: Therefore onely godlines hath this honour, to be called great riches. [Page 222] such gayne, such ioy, such peace is in godli­nesse, and yet no man couets it: for this is the qualitie of vertue, it seemeth nothing vnto a man vntill he hath it, as Salomon saith of the buyer, while hee is in buying hee dispraiseth the thing which hee buyeth,Pro. 20. 14. and sayth; It is naught, it is not worth the price which ye aske: but when he hath bought it, so soone as he is gone he boasteth of his peni worths, and saith it is better than his money. So godlines, before a man haue it, hee saith it is not worth his labour, and thinks euerie houre too much that hee spendeth about it: but when he hath found it, he would not lose it againe for al the worlde, because hee is nowe come to that which followeth; To be contented with that he hath.

Heere Paule sheweth with what a man should bee contented, not with a thousande poundes, nor a hundred pounds, nor twentie poundes, but with that hee hath: and there is great reason why hee should so; because no man knoweth what is fit for him, so well as his Caruer. And therefore euerie one should esteeme so reuerently of God, that hee thinke nothing better for him (for that present time) than that which God measureth forth vnto him.

For when Christ had no money, hee was [Page 223] contented, and when hee wanted money to paie tribute,Mat. 17. 87 hee sent for no more than hee needed: hee might haue commanded twen­tie poundes, as well as twentie pence. But to shewe that we should desire no more than will serue our turne, hee would haue no more than serued his turne. Now, because Conten­tation is of such a nature, that it can please it selfe with pouertie, as well as riches. There­fore it is called the great gaine, as though it had all, which it wanted.

And this Contentment (saith the Apo­stle Paul) we owe to Godlines, because it is not possible for a wicked man to be conten­ted: for as he is not satisfied with sinne, so he is satisfied with nothing. Riches come, and yet the man is not pleased: honor comes, and yet the man is not pleased: libertie comes, & yet the man is not pleased: pleasure comes, and yet the man is not pleased, vntill God come,Psal. 23. 6. and then he saith, My cup is full.

Shewe vs thy Father (sayth Phillip) and it sufficeth, Iohn 14. 7. Nay shewe vs thy trueth, and it sufficeth. Now my soule (sayth the Churle) take thy rest: Nay, now my soule take thy rest, for thou hast laide vp for many yeares.

The godly man hath foūd that which al the world doth seeke, that is, inough. Euery word [Page 224] may bee defined, and euerie thing may bee measured, but inough cannot bee measured, nor defined, it changeth euerie yeare: when we had nothing, we thought it inough if we might obtaine lesse than wee haue: when we came to more, we thought of another inough: now we haue more, we dreame of another i­nough: so inough is alwaies to come, though too much be there alreadie. For as oyle kind­leth the fire which it seemes to quench, so ri­ches come as though they would make a man contented, and make a man more couetous. Therefore seeing Contentation was neuer found in riches, the Apostle reacheth to seeke it in godlinesse, saying; Godlinesse is riches: as though it did not onely make a man conten­ted, but make a man contented with it selfe. Hee speakes as though hee had found a newe kinde of riches, which the world neuer thoght of, that are of such a nature, that they will sa­tisfie a man like the water that Christ spake of,Ioh. 4. 13. Hee that drinkes of this water shall thirst no more: so they that tast of these riches shal co­uet no more:Act. 2. 2. but as the holie Ghost filled all the house, so the grace, and peace, and ioy of the holie Ghost filleth all the heart, that as Io­seph had no neede of Astronomie,Gen. 44. 15. because he had the Spirite of prophecie; so he which hath Contentation, hath litle neede of riches, [Page 225] hee thinkes not of the Philosophers Stone, nor the golde of Ophyr,1. King. 28. nor the mynes of In­dia; but he hath his quietus est, without suite of law, for hee retaineth a peace-maker with­in, which would make all lawyers preachers, if men were so wise to take counsell of it. When the lawe is ended, if the man be not content, hee is in trouble still; when his dis­ease is cured, if hee be not content, hee is sicke still; when his want is supplied, if he be not content, he is in want still; when bondage is turned into libertie, if hee be not content, hee is in bondage still; but though hee be in law, and sicknesse, and pouertie, and bondage, yet if he be content, he is free, and rich, and mer­rie,Gen. 2. 25. and quiet: euen as Adam was warme, though he had no cloathes. Such a comman­der is Contentation, that wheresoeuer she set­teth foote, an hundred blessings waite vpon her: in euerie disease she is a Phisition, in eue­rie strife shee is a Lawyer, in euerie doubt she is a Preacher, in euerie griefe she is a comfor­ter: like a sweete perfume, which taketh a­way the euill sent, and leaueth a pleasant sent for it. As the Vnicorne dippeth his horne in the fountaine, and maketh the waters which were corrupt and noisome, cleare and whole­some vpon the sodaine: so, whatsoeuer estate Godlines comes vnto, it saith like the Apo­stles, [Page 226] Peace be to this house, peace bee to this heart, peace be to this man.

I may liken it to the fiue loaues and two fishes wherewith Christ fed fiue thousande persons,Luke 5. 9. and yet there were twelue baskets full of that which was left, which could not fill one basket when it was whole. Thus their little Feast was made a great Feast: so the godly, though they haue but little for them­selues, yet they haue something for other, like the Widowes Myte,Mar. 12. 42 that they may say as the Disciples said to Christ,Luk. 22. 35. they want nothing, though they haue nothing.

Contentation wanteth nothing, and a good heart is woorth all. For if shee want bread,Ioh. 4. 32. shee can say as Christ sayd, I haue ano­ther bread: if she want riches, she can say, I haue other riches: if she want strength, she can say, I haue other strength: if shee want friends, she can say, I haue other friends. Thus the godlie finde all within, that the godlesse seeke without.

Therefore, if you see a man contented with that which he hath, it is a great sign that godlines is entered into him: for the heart of man was made a Temple of God,2. Cor. 3. 16. & nothing can fill it but God alone.Phil. 4. 12. Therefore Paul saith after his conuersion, that which hee could ne­uer saie before his conuersion, I haue learned [Page 227] to be content. First he learned godlinesse, then godlines taught him cōtentation. Now (sayth Paul) I haue learned to be content, as though this were a lesson for euery Christian to learn, to be content. For thus hee must thinke, that as God sayd to Moses, when hee could not ob­taine leaue to goe to Canaan.Deu. 3. 26. Let this suffice thee to see Canaan: so, whatsoeuer hee gi­ueth, hee giueth this charge with it, Let this suffice thee. Ier. 10. 19. As Ieremie saith, This is my sor­row, and I will beare it; so thou must say, This is my portion, and I will take it. This is the signe whether godlines be in a man, if he haue ioy of that which hee hath; for the things that God giueth to the righteous,1. Tim. 6. 17 Paul saith he gi­ueth thē to enioy, that is, if he haue much, he can say with Paul,Phil. 4. 12. I haue learned to abound: if he haue litle, he can say with Paul, I haue lear­ned to want: that is, if he haue much, as Abra­ham, & Lot, & Iacob, & Iob, & Ioseph, yet it cannot corrupt his minde; but as the net was full of fishes,Ioh. 21. 11. & yet did not rent, because they cast it at Christs commandement: so though the godly be full of riches, his hart is not rent, his minde not troubled, his countenance not changed, because he remembreth, these things were giuen him to do good,Hest. 4. 14. as Hester thoght of her honor: if he haue litle, it is like the oyle which serued the widow as litle as it was:2. Kin. 4. 7. for [Page 228] a little to the righteous (saith Dauid) is better than great riches to the vngodlie: Psa. 37. 16. for when a man hath founde the heauenly riches, hee ca­reth not for earthly riches, no more than hee that walketh in the Sunne, thinkes whether the Moone shine, or no, because hee hath no neede of her light.Mat. 5. 6. Therefore wee conclude with Christ, Blessed are they which thirst after righteousnesse, for they shall be satisfied: not they which thirst after riches, nor they which thirst after honor, nor they which thirst after pleasure; they shall not be satisfied but thirst more, as the ambitious, voluptuous and coue­tous do, but they that thirst after righteous­nes, shall be satisfied, though they haue no ri­ches, nor honour, nor pleasure. If ye aske like the Virgin,Gen. 2. 25. How can this be? I answere, euen as Adam was warme without cloathes; so God doth satisfie manie men without riches. Though he was naked, yet hee did not see his nakednesse, so long as he was innocent: but, when hee began to rebell, than hee began to want cloathes; so though a man bee poore, yet hee doth not see his pouertie, so long as he is contented: but when hee begins to couet, then he begins to want riches, and from that daye the curse (in the first of Agge. 6.) takes holde vpon him, Ye eate, but you haue not i­nough; yee drinke, but you are not satisfied; yee [Page 229] cloath your selues, but you are not warme. In­deed the couetous man seemeth to drawe the world to him with cords, his coffers are of load-stones, his hands like nets, his fingers like lime-twigs, here it comes, and there it comes; one would think that this man shold be happie one day. When the churles barnes were full, hee bad his soule rest, thinking to gaine rest by couetousnes, that he might say, Riches gaine rest as well as Godlines: but see what happened; that night when hee began to take his rest, riches, and rest, and soule, and all, were taken from him. Did hee not gaine faire? would he haue taken such paines if hee had thought of such rest? Couetousnes may gaine riches, but it cannot gaine rest: ye may thinke like this Churle to rest, when your barnes, and shops, and coffers are full: but ye shall finde it true which Esay saith,Esa. 48. 22. There is no rest to the vngodlie. Therefore the Wise man to preuent any hope of rest, or honour, or profit, by sinne, speakes as though hee had tried,Pro. 12. 3. A man cannot bee established by iniquitie: therefore he cannot bee quieted nor satisfied by the gaine of deceipt, or bribes, or lies, or vsurie, which is iniquitie; therefore blessed is the man whom godlines doth make rich, For When the blessing of the Lorde maketh rich (saith Salomon) hee dooth adde no sorrow to it, Pro. 10. 22. [Page 230] but (saith hee) the reuenewes of the wicked is trouble; as though his mony were care. Wher­fore let Patron, and Landlord, and Lawyer, and all say nowe, that Paule hath chosen the better riches, which thiefe, nor moath, nor canker can corrupt: these are the riches at last which we must dwell with, when all the rest which we haue lyed for, and sworne for, and fretted for, and couzened for, and broken our sleepe for, & lost many Sermons for, forsake vs, like seruants which change their masters: then Godlinesse shall seeme as great gaine to vs as it did to Paule, and he which loued the world most, would giue all that he hath for a dram of faith, that he might be sure to go to heauen when he is dead, though he went to­wardes hell so long as he liued. Here then is an answere to them which aske,Mat. 3. 14. What profit is it to serue God? 2. Sa. 19. 33. Howe happie was Barzillai that would not be exalted? What quiet had the Shunamite,2. Kin. 4. 13. which cared not for prefer­ment?Luke 5. 11. When did the Disciples seeme so rich, as when they were willing to leaue all? This shall be your gaine, when you are Vsurers of godlinesse. Is not the word gone foorth yet, which hath killed couetousnesse, that I may end my Sermon? Either you goe away con­tented, or else you goe away condemned of your owne conscience. Before you were vex­ed [Page 231] with couetousnes, but now the word shall vexe you too; for you shall neuer couet, nor lye, nor deceiue hereafter, but a sergeant shall arrest you vpon it, and some sentence which you haue heard, shall gnaw you at the heart with a Memorandum of hell, that yee shall wish; Oh that I could abandon this sinne, or else that I had neuer heard that warning, that makes it a corrosiue vnto mee before I can leaue it. If they which are greedie still, could see what peace, and rest, and ioye go home with them which are contented (although they may say with Peter,Act. 3. 6. Gold and siluer haue I none) euerie man would be a suter to Godli­nesse, that he might haue the dowrie of con­tentation. If anie here be couetous still, let him alway thinke why Dauid prayeth, Turne my heart vnto thy law, Psal. 1. 19. and not vnto couetousnes; he might haue named pride, or anger, or lust: but to shewe that no sinne did so keepe his thoughts from the law, as couetousnes when it came vpon him, he saith, Turne my hart vn­to thy law, & not vnto couetousnes, as though a man could not be couetous, & haue leisure to thinke vpon any good.Luke 3. 25. But, as Iohn baptized with water, so I cā but teach you with words. Now you haue heard what Contentation is, you must pray to another to giue it you.

It is said of this Citie, that many Citizens [Page 232] of London haue good wils, but bad deedes; that is, you doe no good vntill ye die. First, ye are vngodly, that you may be rich, and then you part from some of your riches, to excuse for your vngodlinesse. It may bee, that some here haue sette downe in their wils; When I die, I bequeath 100 pounds to a Colledge, & 100 pounds to an hospitall, and 100 gownes to poore men.Mat. 27. 3. I do maruell that you giue no more when you are at that point, for Iudas when he died returned all againe: so yee die, and thinke when ye are gone, that God will take this for a quittance. Bee not deceiued, for God doth not looke vpon that which you doe for feare,2. Cor. 9. 7. but vpon that which ye doe for loue. If you can find in your heart to do good while you are in health,Luk. 19. 8. as Zacheus did, then God hath respect to your offering; but before God hearken how you giue your riches, first he examins how ye came by them: for a man may be hanged for stealing the monie which he giueth to the poore, because if hee should count Godlines gaine, much more should he care to gaine by godlie meanes. Thus you see the fruits of Godlinesse, and the fruits of Co­uetousnes,Nu. 22. 17. to stay Balaam posting for a bribe, and the sonnes of Zebede suing for prefer­ment, least seeking for asses, they lose a better kingdome then Saul found.1. Sam. 10. 1

[Page 233] If you be couetous you shall neuer haue e­nough, though you haue too much, but whē ye pray,Luk. 11. 2. Thy kingdome come, ye shall wish, my kingdome come. If ye be godlie, ye shall haue enough, though yee seeme to haue nothing: like the Smyrnians,Reuel. 2. 9. of whom God said; I know thy pouertie: but thou art rich. Therefore what counsel shall I giue you, but as Christ coūsel­led his Disciples, Be not friends to riches, but make you friends of riches, & know this, that if ye cannot say as Paul saith;Phil. 4. 12. I haue learned to be content, Godlinesse is not yet come to your house: for the companion of godlines is con­tentation, which (when she comes) wil bring you all things. Therfore as Christ saith; If the sonne make you free, Ioh. 8. 46. you shall be free indeed: so I say, if godlines make you rich, ye shall be rich indeede. The Lord Iesus make you doers of that yee haue heard.

HEre is Christ preaching, a great prease hearing, his mother and his friends interrupting, & Christ againe withstanding the interruption, with a com­fortable doctrine of his mer­cies toward them which heare the word of [Page 235] God, and doe it. When Christ was about a good worke, and many were gathered toge­ther to heare him, the Diuell thought with him selfe as the Priestes and Sadduces did in the fourth of the Acts; If I let him alone thus, all the world will follow him, and I shall be like Rachel without children: therefore de­uising the likeliest pollicie to frustrate & dis­grace but one of his Sermons, thereby to make the people more vnwilling to heare him againe;Gen. 3. 6. as he set Eue vpon Adam, and made Iobs wife his instrument,Iob 2. 9. when hee could not fit it himselfe: so he sendeth Christs Mother, and putteth in the mind of his kins­men to come vnto him at that instant, when he was in this holy exercise, & call vpon him while he was preaching, to come away, and go with them.

Christ seeing the serpents dealing, how he had made his mother his tempter, that all his Auditorie might go away emptie, and say, where they came; We heard the man which is called Iesus, and he began to preach vnto vs, with such words, as though he would ca­rie vs to Heauen; but in the middest of his Sermon came his Mother and Brethren to him, that it might be knowen what a Kins­man they had: and so soone as hee heard that they were come, suddenly he brake off [Page 236] his Sermon and slipt away from vs, to go and make merrie with them. Christ, I say, seeing this traine laid by Sathan to disgrace him, (as he doth all his Ministers) did not leaue off speaking, as they thought he would: but, as if God had appointed all this to credite and re­nowne him; that which was noysed here to interrupt his doctrine, he taketh for an occa­sion to teach another doctrine, that there is a nearer Coniunction betweene Christ and the faithfull, then betweene the mother and the sonne, which are one flesh. Therefore, when they say, Thy mother and thy brethren are come to speake with thee, hee pointeth to his hearers and saith; These are my mother and my brethren, which heare the word of God and doe it: as if hee should saie, I haue a Mother in­deede which brought me foorth, but in re­spect of them which heare the word of God, and doe it, she is like a stepmother, and these are like a naturall mother.

With this wise answer hee quieted the Auditors, and made them heare him better then they did before. For now they thought with themselues, what man is this which lo­ueth vs more then his mother? his mother called him, and yet he would not go from vs: his brethren stay for him, and he maketh as if he did not know them, but saith; Who is my [Page 237] mother? who are my brethren?

Thus Christ stood vp as it were in an in­dignation against Sathan, and saide; Sathan, this Sermon was not begun for thee, neither shall it end for thee: this worke was not done for my mother, neither shall it be left for my mother. Thus he caught the diuell with his owne baite, and made the people more lo­uing and attentiue towardes him, by that which Satan thought to disgrace him. He was so armed with the Spirite, that let the diuell tempt him, or the woman tempt him, or prin­ces tempt him, all is one.

Here are two doubtes: the first is, the dif­ference betweene the Euangelists: For Ma­thew saith that one brought this message:Mat. 12. 47 Marke and Luke attribute it to mo;Mar. 3. 31. both may stand:Luk. 8. 20. for the word which his mother gaue of calling him foorth, was receiued of the rest, and so passed amongst many till it came to Christ: so that one may be sayd to bring this message, because one noysed it first: and many may be sayd to bring this message, be­cause many noysed it after.

The second doubt is, because Christ had no brethren, how they said; Thy brethren would speake with thee?

You must vnderstand, that they which are heere called Christes brethren, were his [Page 238] Cosens by the mothers side: that is, her sisters children: for there were three Maries, and these three were sisters: Marie the virgin, Ma­rie the mother of Iames, & Marie the daugh­ter of Cleophas, whose sonnes these were: their names were Iames, Ioseph, Iudas, and Simon; and they are called the Lordes bre­thren, because they were kinne vnto him. Therefore note that in holie Scripture there be foure sortes of brethren: Brethren by na­ture,Gen. 27. 30. so Esau and Iacob were called brethren, because they had one father, and one mo­ther: Brethren by nation, so all the Iewes are called brethren,Den. 15. 12. because they were of one Countrey: Brethren by consanguinitie, so all are called brethren which are of one fami­lie,Gen. 13. 8. and so Abraham called Lot his brother, and Sarah his sister,Gen. 12. 13. because they were of one line: Brethren by profession, so all Chri­stians are called Brethren,Mat. 23. because they are of one Religion: These were Brethren of the third order, that is of Consanguinitie, because they were of one Familie.

Now when his Mother, and his Bre­thren were come to see him, it is sayd, that they could not come neare him for the prease. Here were Auditors inough: Christ flowed now with Disciples, that his mother coulde haue no roome to heare him, but after a while [Page 239] it was low water againe.

When the shepheard was stroken,Mat. 26. 31 the sheepe were scattered: when he preached in the Streetes, and in the Temple, and in the Fieldes, then manie flocked after him: but when he preached vpon the Crosse, then they left him, which sayd they would neuer for­sake him: then there was as great a prease to see him dye, as there was heere to heare him preach:Mat. 27. and many of these which seemed like Bretheren, and Sisters, were his betrayers, and his accusers, and his persecutors, so in­constant we are in our zeale, more than in a­ny thing else.

Thus much of their comming and cal­ling to Christ, now to the doctrine which li­eth in it.

Heere be two Speakers: one sayth, Thy Mother and thy Brethren are come to speake with thee: the other saith, These are my Mo­ther, and Brethren, which heare the worde of God, and doe it. The scope of the Euangelist is this: First, that Christ would not hinder his doctrine for mother, or brethren, or any kins­man: Then, to shewe that there is a nearer coniunction between our Sauiour Christ and the Faithfull, than betweene the mother and the sonne.

[Page 240] The first is written for our instruction, and the latter is written for our comfort. Tou­ching the first,Exod. 20. he which teacheth vs to honor our father and mother, doth not teach vs here to contemne father and mother, because hee speakes of another mother: for it is said; That he was obedient to his parents, Luk. 2. 46. in Luke 2. This he sheweth, when being found in the temple among the Doctors, hee left all to goe with his mother, because she sought him: so he ho­noured her, that hee left all for her. This hee shewed againe at his death, being vpon the crosse, he was not vnmindfull of her: for poin­ting vnto Iohn,Ioh. 19. 26. hee said; Behold thy mother: and pointing vnto her, he said; Woman behold thy sonne: so he commended her to his belo­ued Disciple before he dyed.

Therefore this is not a doctrine of diso­bedience, but a rule how to obey. As he taught his Disciples to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars,Mat. 22. 21 and to God that which is Gods:Luk. 20. 25. so hee teacheth vs here,Mat. 19. to giue vnto parents that which is parents, & to the Lord, that which is the Lordes. When God saide, Honour thy father and thy mother, Exod. 20. hee did not giue a commaundement agaynst himselfe: and therefore he saith; Honour me, before hee saith Honour them. The first commandement is Honour God, and the fift commandement is [Page 241] nour thy Parents; least you should honor your Parents before God.1. Kin. 2. 20. When Salomon bad his mother aske him anie thing, he signified that the mother should be obeied in many things; but whē he denied his Mother that one thing which she asked, he sheweth that the Mother should not be obeied in al things. Whē Christ saide,Mat. 23. 9. You haue but one Father, and one Ma­ster, he speakes of Faith and Religion, shew­ing; that when it concerneth our Faith and Religion, we should respect but one Father and one master, which is the giuer of our faith and the master of our Religion.

When Paule said,Eph. 6. 1. Children obey your Pa­rents in the Lord, hee meaneth not that wee shoulde obeye them against the Lorde; As when hee saith,Rom. 13. 5. Obey Princes for conscience sake, hee meaneth not that wee should obey them against conscience. Therefore when it commeth to this, that the earthly father com­maundeth one thing, and the heauenly Fa­ther commaundeth another thing; then as Peter answered the Rulers, so maiest thou an­swere thy Parents; Whether is it meete to obey God, or you? Then these are the hands which thou must cut off, then these are the eyes which thou must pull out: or else they should be as deare vnto thee, as thy hand or thine eye.

[Page 242] In the nineteenth of Mathew, A man must forsake his father & his mother, to dwel with his wife. In the sixteenth of Luke, he must forsake father, & mother, & wife too, to dwel with Christ: For He which forsaketh father or mother for me, shall receiue more, saith our Sa­uiour.Luk. 14. 26. Nay, He which doth not hate father, or mother, or wife for me, can not be my Disciple. Shewing, that our loue toward God should be so great, that in respect of it, our loue to­wards men should seeme but hatred. Thus he which obeyed his parents more than we, yet would haue some rule, some sentence, some example in Scripture of not obeying them too, because it is such a hard point, to know how farre they are to be obeyed, which are set in authoritie ouer vs.

As none but God speaks alwaies aright, so none but God must alwayes be obeyed: we are not called onely the sonnes of men, but we are called the sonnes of God. Gen. 6. 2. Therefore, as Christ answered his mother, when she would haue him turne water into wine, Woman, what haue I to do with thee? Iohn 2. so wee should answere father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters, and rulers, and maisters, and wife too, when they will vs to do that which is not meete, What haue I to do with you? For to leaue doing good, and do euill, were [Page 243] not to turne water into wine, but to turne wine into water. Peter was not Sathan, but when he tempted Christ like Sathan, Christ answered him as he answered Sathan,Mat. 16. 23 Come behind me Sathan: shewing, that we should giue no more attention vnto father, or mo­ther, or master, or wife, when they tempt vs to euill, than we would giue vnto Sathan, if he should tempt vs himselfe.

Three things children receiue of their pa­rents; life, maintenance, and instruction. For these three they owe other three: for life, they owe loue; for maintenance, they owe obedi­ence; for instruction, they owe reuerence; for life, they must be loued as fathers; for main­tenance, they must be obeyed as maisters; for instruction, they must be reuerenced as Tu­tors. But as there is a king of kings, which must be obeyed aboue kings: so there is a fa­ther of fathers, which must be obeyed aboue fathers; therfore, sometime you must answer like the sonne, when he was bid go into his fathers vineyard, I will go: and sometime you must answer as Christ answered, I must go a­bout my Fathers businesse.

When two milch kine did carrie the Arke of the Lord to Bethshemesh, their calues were shut vp at home, because the kine shuld not stay, when they heard their calues crie [Page 244] after them: so when thou goest about the Lordes businesse, thou shalt heare a crie of thy Father, and thy Mother and thy brethren, and thy Sisters, and thy Kinred, to staie thee; but then thou must thinke of another father, as Christ thought of another Mother: and so as these Kine went on till the Lord brought thē where the Arke should rest; so thou shalt go on till the Lord bring thee where thou shalt rest. It is better to flie from our friends, as A­braham did,Gen. 11. 31 and 12. 1. then to stay with some friends,Iudg. 16. 4. &c. as Sampson did with Dalila.

I may say, Beware of Kinsmen, as well as our Sauiour said, Beware of men. For this re­spect of cousenage made Eli his sons Priests;1. Sam. 2. and this respect of cousenage hath made ma­nie like Priestes in Englande: this respect of cousenage made Samuels sonnes Iudges,1. Sam. 8. 1. and this respect of cousenage hath made manie like Iudges in England: this respect of cou­senage brought Tobias into the Leuits cham­ber & this respect of cousenage hath brought manie Gentlemen into Preachers liuinges,Neh. 13. 45 which will not out againe. As Christ prefer­red his spirituall kinsmen, so we preferre our earthly kinsmen. Manie priuiledges, many offices, and many benefices haue stooped to this voice, Thy Mother calleth thee, or thy Kinsmen would haue thee.

[Page 245] As this voice came to Christ while he was labouring, so many voyces come to vs while we are labouring. One saith, Pleasure would speake with you: another saith, profit would speake with you: another saith, Ease would speake with you: another saith, a Deanrie would speake with you: another saith; a Bi­shopricke would speake with you: ano­ther saith, the Court woulde speake with you.

When a man is in a good way, and studi­eth the Scriptures, to bee a teacher in the Church; a voyce commeth to his eare, as this came to Christs, and faith; Thy frends would haue thee studie the Lawe, for by Diuinitie thou shalt attaine to no preferment; & thine owne Flocke wil vexe thee, or the Bishop wil stop thy mouth. This wind somtime turneth Ionas his sailes from Niniue to Tharshish,Ionas 1. & makes him burie his talent.

If he be a Diuine alreadie, and preach his conscience, a voyce commeth vnto him a­gaine, as this did to Christ, and saith; Thy friendes would haue thee be quiet, or there bee Spies which note what thou sayest, or there be fellowes which lye in wayte for thy Liuing: so sometimes (with a little intreatie) he beginneth to drawe vp his hand, and lay his finger on his mouth, and preach peace [Page 246] when he is sent with warre. Thus we are cum­bred like our master, before our Sermons, and in our Sermons, and after our Sermons, euen of them sometime, which should encourage vs: [...]. 14 and therefore as Christ saith, Beware of men, so say I, Beware of kinsmen.

So soone as the Children bee borne, their Parents bring them to the Temple, and bap­tise them, & offer them to God: but so soone as they be able to serue him, they tempt them away from him, to Lawe, or Phisicke, or Merchandise, or Husbandrie, and had rather they should be of any Tribe, thā of the Tribe of Leui,Num. 3. 6. 7. 8. which serueth in the Temple. Hee which will be hindred, shall haue blockes i­nough: but we must learne to leape ouer all, as Christ leaped ouer this. If we should leaue Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Chil­dren for Christ; much lesse should wee care for labour, or losse, or shame, or trouble, or displeasure; for wee woulde aduenture these for our friendes. Thus much of his naturall kindred: now of his spirituall kin­dred.

Here is another genealogie of Christ, which Mathew and Luke neuer spake of. As Christ saith. I haue another bread which you knowe not: so he saith, I haue other kinsmen which you know not.

[Page 247] Saint Iohn writing to a Ladie,2. Iohn 1. 1. which brought vp her children in the feare of God, calleth her the elect Ladie: shewing, that the chiefest honour of Ladies, and Lordes, and Princes, is to be elect of God. Saint Luke speaking of certaine Beroeans,Act 17. 11. which recei­ued the word of God with loue, calleth them More noble than the rest: shewing, that God counteth none noble, but such as are of a noble Spirite. As Iohn calleth none elect, but the vertuous; and Luke calleth none noble, but the religious: so Christ calleth none his kins­men, but the righteous: and of those onelie hee saieth, These are my Mother, and my Brethren, which heare the word of God, and doe it.

As Abrahams Children are not counted Children after the flesh,Rom. 9. 8. but Children after the spirite: so Christes Kindred are not coun­ted Kindred after the flesh, but kindred af­ter the Spirite;Gen. 1. for the flesh was not made af­ter the Image of God, but the spirit was made after his Image: therefore God is not called the Father of bodies, but the Father of Spirites.

Now, God (which is a Spirite) pre­ferreth them which are a kinne to him in the Spirite. Therefore Esau was not bles­sed, because hee was of Isaacks flesh, but [Page 248] Iacob was blessed, because he was of Isaacks Spirite. As wee loue in the flesh, so Christ loueth in the spirit, therefore he calleth none his kinsemen, but them which heare the word of God, and do it.

It seemeth that Paule thought of this say­ing,Gal. 4. when he said; Till Christ be formed in you. If Christ be formed in vs, as Paule saith, then we are Christs mother: euerie one which wil haue Christ his sauiour, must be Christs mo­ther. The virgin asked the angel how she could beare Christ seeing she had not knowen a man? Luke Chapter 1. Verse 24. so you may aske how you can beare Christ, seeing he is borne alreadie?

As there is a second comming of Christ, so there is a second birth of Christ. When we are borne againe, then Christ is borne againe: the virgin was his mother by the flesh,Mat. 25. & the faithfull are his mother by the spirit:Luke 21. the holy Ghost doth conceiue him in them: hee was in her wombe, and he is in their hearts: shee did beare him, and they doe beare him: shee did nurse him, and they do nurse him. This is the second birth of Christ. As the soule of man may bee called,2. Cor. 3. 16. The Temple of the holie Ghost, which is the third person: so it may be called the wombe of the Sonne, which is the second person.

[Page 249] Before these words it is saide, that Christ asked, Who are my brethren? as if hee should say, you thinke that I am affected to my kins­men, as you are: but I tell you that I count them my kinsmen, which heare the word of God and do it. To shewe that Christ loueth vs with an euerlasting Loue, hee sheweth that hee doth not loue vs for anie Temporall things, but for that which doth endure for euer.

If Christ loued vs,Gen. 25. 28. as Isaack loued Esau, for venison, then we might misse the blessing as Esau did: But as Iohn saith; He loued in the truth, so Christ loueth in the truth. To loue in the truth, is the true loue: euerie loue but this at one time or other hath turned into ha­tred, as the truth ouercommeth falshood.

Nowe for this loue, Christ calleth them by all the names of loue, his father, and his brethren, and his sisters. In Rom. 6. they are called his seruants. If that be not enough, in the fifteēth of Iohn they are called his friends. If that be not enough, in the third of Marke they are called his kinsmen. If that be not e­nough, in the foure & twentith of Luke they are called his brethren. If that be not enough, in Mark 1. they are called his children. If that be not enough, here they are called his mo­ther. If that be not enough, in Cantic. 5. they [Page 250] are called his Spouse, to shewe that hee loued them with all loues; the Mothers loue, the Brothers loue, the Sisters loue, the Masters loue, and the Friends loue. If all these Loues could be put together, yet the loue of Christ exceedeth them all: and the Mother, and the Brother, and the Sister, and the Childe, and the kinsmen, and the Friende, and the Ser­uant, would not do, and suffer so much a­mong them all, as Christ hath done, and suf­fered for vs alone. Such a loue we kindle in Christ, when we heare his word, and do it, that wee are as deare vnto him, as all his kin­red together.

Now as wee are his Mother, so should we carrie him in our heartes, as his mother did in her armes. As wee are his Bretheren, so wee should preferre him, as Ioseph did Ben­iamin, Genesis, Chapter fortie three, Verse fortie three. As we are his Spouse, so should we imbrace him as Isaac did Rebecca: if thou be a kinsman, do like a kinsman.

Now wee come to the markes of these kinsmen, which I may call the Armes of his house: As Christ saith; By this all men shall knowe my Disciples, if they loue one another, so hee saith; By this shall all men knowe my kinsmen, if they heare the word of God, and doe it.

[Page 251] As there is a kindred by the Fathers side, and a kindred by the Mothers side, so there is a kindred of Hearers, and a kindred of dooers. In Matthew it is saide, Hee which heareth the Wil of my Father, and doth it: Here it is saide, Hee which heareth the worde of God and dooth it: both are one; For his word is his will, and therefore it is called his will. Psalme 119.

As he spake there of dooing, so hee spea­keth here of a certaine rule, which hee cal­leth the worde of God, whereby all mens workes must be squared: For if I do all the workes that I can, to satisfie an others will, or mine owne will; it auaileth mee nothing with God, because I doe it not for GOD. Therefore, hee which alwaies before followed his owne will, when hee was stricken downe and beganne to re­pent,Acts 9. cried out: Lorde, what wilt thou haue mee to doe? as if hee should say, I will doe no more as men woulde haue mee, or as the Diuell would haue mee, or as the flesh would haue mee, but as thou wouldst haue me.

So Dauid prayed, Teach mee O Lord to doe thy will: not my will, for wee neede not to bee taught to doe our owne will, no more than a Cuckoe, to sing Cuckoe her owne [Page 252] name. Euerie man can goe to hell without a guide.

Here is the rule nowe, if you liue by it, then are you kinne to Christ: as other kinreds go by birth, and marriage, so this kinred goes by faith and obedience. Hearers are but halfe kin, as it were in a farre degree; but they that heare and do, are called his Mother, which is the nearest kinred of all. Therfore if you haue the deed, then you are kin indeed; there is no promise made to hearers, nor to speakers, nor to readers: but all promises are made to be­leeuers, or doers.

If you aske God who shall dwell in the holie Mountaine;Psa. 15. 2. he saith, The man which walketh vprightly. Here are none but doo­ers: If you aske Christ who shall enter into the kingdome of heauen,Mat. 7. 21. he saith; Not they which crie Lord, Lord, (though they crie twise Lord) but they which do the will of my father: here are none but dooers. If you aske him a­gaine, howe you may come to heauen, hee saith,Luke. 18. Keepe the Commaundements: here are none but doers. If you aske him againe, who are blessed?Reu. 22. 7. he saith; Blessed are they that heare the word of God and do it: here are none but doers. If you aske an Angell, who are bles­sed, he saith; Blessed are they which keepe the words of this booke: here are none but dooers. [Page 253] If you aske Dauid, who are blessed? he saith; The man is blest which keepeth iudgement, Psa. 106. 3. and doeth righteousnes: here are none but doers. If you aske Salomon, who are blessed? hee saith; The man is blessed which keepeth the law: here are none but doers. If you aske Esay, who are blessed?Esay 50. 2. he saith; Hee which doeth this is bles­sed: here are none but doers: If you aske Iames who are blessed?Iam. 1. 25. he saith; The doer of the word is blessed in his deede: heere are none but doo­ers. Thus blessing and dooing runne toge­ther.

Least any man should looke to be blessed without obedience,Mat. 7. 21. Christ calleth Loue the greatest commaundement:Ro. 12. 13. but Salomon cal­leth Obedience the end of all, as though with­out obedience all were to no end.

When Michah had got a Leuite into his house,Iudg. 17. 8. Now (saith hee) I know the Lord will be good vnto mee, seeing I haue a Leuite in my house: So many thinke, when they haue got­ten a Preacher into their parish; Now the Lorde will be good vnto vs, now Christ will loue vs, now we are good sonnes, seeing we maintain a Preacher amongst vs. But Michah was not blessed for a Leuite, nor you for a Preacher: but as you would haue vs do as we teach, so God woulde haue you doe as you heare: for you shalbe no more saued for hea­ring, [Page 254] than we are for speaking.

When God created the Tree,Gen. 1. hee com­manded it to bring foorth fruite: so when he createth Faith, he commaundeth it to bring foorth workes: and therefore it is called a liuely Faith. VVhen our Sauiour woulde prooue him selfe vnto Iohn, to be the true Messias indeed, he sayd to his Disciples, Tell Iohn what things you haue heard and seene: Matth. 11. 4. not onely heard, but seene: So if wee will prooue our selues to be Christes kinsmen indeede, we must worke that thing which may be seene as well as heard. Iohn was not onely called, The voyce of a Crier, Luke the seuenth Chapter and two & twen­tieth verse, but, Aburning Lampe, Mathew chap. 3. verse 3. which might be seene: so all which are crying voyces, must be burning Lampes.

Iames dooth not say, Let me heare thy faith,Iames 2. 18 but Let me see thy faith. As the Angels put on the shape of men,Gen. 18. 2. that Abraham might see them: so faith must put on works, that the world may see it. The workes which I do (saith Christ) beare witnesse of me: Iohn 5. 16. So the workes which wee doe, should beare wit­nesse of vs. Therefore Christ linketh Faith and Repentance together. Repent and be­leeue the Gospell. Marke the first chapter, verse [Page 255] fifteene. Therefore I conclude, That which Christ hath ioyned, let no man separate. Marke chap. 10. ver. 9.

Thus I haue shewed you Christ prea­ching, a great prease hearing, his Friends and Kinsfolke interrupting, and Christ againe withstanding the interruption: By this you may see what a spirite the diuell hath to hin­der one Sermon, therfore no maruell though he cause so many to be put to silence; no mar­uell though he stand so against a learned Mi­nisterie; no maruell though he raise vp such slaunders vpon Preachers; no maruell though he write so manie bookes against the Chri­stian Gouernment in the Church; no mar­uel though he make so manie Non-residents; no maruel though he ordain so many dumbe Priestes; for these make him the God of this world.

The Diuell is afrayde that one Sermon will conuert vs, and we are not moued with twentie: So the diuell thinketh better of vs than we are.

Againe, by this you may learne howe to resiste and withstande temptations: whe­ther it bee thy father which tempteth thee, thy mother which tempteth thee, or thy bro­ther which tempteth thee, or thy sister which tempteth, or thy kinsman which tempteth, [Page 256] or Rulers which tempteth, or Master which tempteth, or wife which tempteth. As Christ would not know his mother, against his fa­ther: so thou shouldst not know any father, or mother, or brother, or sister, or friend, or kins­man, or master, or childe, or wife against God. If the mothers sute may be refused sometime, a noble mans letter may be refused too: Hee that can turne his hinderance to a furtherance as Christ did heere, may make vse of euerie thing.

Againe, by this you may learne how to choose your friends. As Christ counted none his kinsmen but such as heare the worde of God and doe it: so we should make none our familiars, but such as Christ counteth his kinsmen.

Againe, you may see the difference be­tweene Christ and the worlde: Christ calleth the godly his kinsmē, be they neuer so poore; and we scorne to call the poore our kinsmen, be they neuer so honest, so proude is the ser­uant aboue his master.

Againe, by this you may see how Christ is to be loued, for when hee calleth vs his mo­ther, hee sheweth vs the way to loue him as a mother, for indeede hee is the mother of his mother, and his brethren too.

Againe, by this all vaunting and boasting [Page 257] of Kinred is cut off. Glorie not in that thou hast a Gentleman to thy Father, glorie not that thou hast a Knight to thy Brother, but glorie that thou hast the Lord to thy Brother.Luke 16. He which called Abraham his Father fried in Hell, because GOD was not his Father. If Marie might not bee prowde of such a Sonne as our Sauiour Christ, much lesse may you bragge of any friend or Sonne that you haue.

Againe:Esay 2. by this you may know, whe­ther you be kinne to Christ. As those Priestes were shut out of the Temple, which could not count their Genealogie from Aaron: so they shall bee excluded out of Heauen, which cannot reckon their Pedegree from Christ.

Heere are the Armes now, whereby you may shewe of what House you come. If you heare the woord of God, and doo it, then Christ saith vnto you, as hee said vnto them, These are my Mother, and my Bretheren, and my Sisters: You women are his Sisters, and you men are his Bretheren: and if you be Christs Brethren, then are you Gods Sonnes: and if you be Gods Sonnes, then are you his Heyres; for all Gods Sonnes are called heires Rom. 8. 7.

Lastly, by this you may know the Di­uels [Page 258] Kinsemen: and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith,Ioh. 8. 44. You are of your father the diuell: Shewing that the diuel and the wicked are as neare kinne as Christ and the faithfull.

Now as Dauid saith:1. Sa. 16. 23 Seemeth it a light thing vnto you to be the Sonne of a king, seeing I am a poore man and of small reputation? So may I saie, seemeth it a light thing vnto you, to be the sonnes of the king of kings, seeing you are poore men and of smal reputation? It is coun­ted a great honor to Abraham,Heb. 11. 16. Isaac & Iacob that God was not ashamed, to be called their God; What an honor then is this, that God is not ashamed to be called our Father? nay, our brother, as though we were matched with him.

If the Israelites had such care to match with the seruants of God, what a blessing is this to marrie with the sonne of God? Therefore if any affect rich kinsmen or great marriages: heere is a greater then Salomon, marrie thou him. This kinsman of ours is now gone vp into heauen, that we may haue a friend in the Court.

Ioseph desired the Butler to remember him when hee stood before Pharaoh,Gen. 20. 40. and hee for­got him though hee had pleasured him.Gen. 40. 14. But a Theefe desired Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdome, Luk. 13. 48. and hee recei­ued [Page 259] him into paradise the same day, though he had alwayes offended him: to shewe that although wee haue beene as bad as theeues, yet we may hope in Christ. Therefore, now I may conclude, you haue heard the word, if you goe away and doe it: then you are the Mother, and Brethren, and Sisters of this hea­uenly King. To whome with the Father and the holy spirit, be all praise, maiestie and dominion, now and euer­more, Amen.

TO binde all the lessons toge­ther which yee haue learned since I came, this sentence came to my mind,Iob. 22. 22. My Sonne, giue me thy hart: Luke 2. 19. which is the summe of all that yee haue heard,Psal. 37. 32 and shewes in what chest you should lay vp these treasures,Dan. 7. 28. in your heart, and then giue that heart to God, & he wil keep all safe.

A supplication is come, as it were frō God to man, that man would send God his heart, penned by Salomon vnder the name of Wis­dome,Pro. 9. 1. and directed to her sonnes, Wisedome intreateth her sonnes, that they would giue her their hearts;Rom. 8. 15. this Wisedome is God, we by adoption are his sonnes,Gal. 4. 24. and our heart is that which Christ calls spirit and truth,Iohn 4. 14. with­out [Page 263] hypocrisie, Giue me that heart, saith God. He which giues anie thing to another, consi­ders before what he loues, & giues that which he thinkes will be accepted, that he may bee loued for the gift: therefore Dauid as though he were at a stand, & sorrowed that he could not do enough for God, breakes forth to him selfe,Psa. 116. 12 What shall I giue vnto the Lord, for all that he hath giuen me? The Lord hearing as it were these sighs of his seruants, which care & studie what they may do to please him, comes in their suspence, and like a friend which de­sires nothing but good will, answers from heauen, My sonne giue me thy heart. Vnder which sute he taxeth them beside which are suters alwayes to him, and looke still to re­ceiue like the Publicans, but neuer cast in their minds what they should giue: therefore their tribute is set downe by equall measure vnder the kings seale, euerie man must ho­mage his heart.

Hee which alwayes gaue, nowe craues, and hee which craued alwayes, nowe giues: Christ stands at the doore like a poore man, and askes not bread, nor clothes, nor lodg­ing, which we should giue to his members, but our heart, that is, euen the continent of all, and Gouernour of mannes house, which sits on the Bench like a Iudge, to giue [Page 264] the charge, and teach the tongue to speake, the hand to worke, the foote to walke, the eare to attend, the eye to obserue, the minde to choose,Leu. 1. 9. & 13. and the flesh to obey. That wee must present to God like a burnt Sacrifice, wherein all is offered together, a wise tongue, a diligent hand, a warie foot, a watchfull eye, an attentiue eare, an humble minde, an obe­dient flesh, put all together, and it is but the heart; My sonne (saith God) giuee me thie heart. Here thou art the giuer, God the peti­tioner, thy heart the gift, which he claimeth by the name of a Son: should God be a sup­pliant vnto thee & me? but that our vnthank­fulnesse condemnes vs, that for all the things which he hath giuen vs, we neuer considered yet what we should giue vnto him before he asketh. He is faine to put in his petition like a Suter, and say, Giue me thy heart.

Marke what God hath chosen for himself, not that which any other shall loose by, like the demaunds of them which care for none but themselues; but that, which being giuen to God, mooues vs to giue vnto euerie man his due, as Zacheus when hee gaue his heart to Christ,Luke 19. 8. parted his goods to the poore, and restored to all, that which he had gotten by wrong.

Once God required offerings and sacrifi­ces, [Page 265] which men were vnwilling to giue,Mal. 1. 13. and 3. 18. be­cause it was a deare seruice of God: but now he saith, that the heart is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. Iacob loued Ioseph more than all his brethren:Mar. 12. 23 so God loueth the heart more than all her fellowes;Gen. 27. this myte God will haue for all his benefites, which we may best affoord him; thy almes to the poore, thy counsell to the simple, thy inheritance to thy children, thy tribute to Caesar, but thy heart to God:Iohn 4. 24. he which is a spirite, requires the spirite, and delights to dwell in the hearts of men. Here God plants himself as in a castle, which is alwayes besieged with the world, the flesh, and the diuell. If the enemie get a thought, or a word, or a worke, yet he hath but razed the walles, but if he take the heart, then the fortresse is lost. For that time all our thoughts, words and works, are captiue vnto him: he bids them go, and they go, do, and they do it.

That man is like Esau, which had an inhe­ritance, which had a heart,Gen. 25. 23. but now he hath not possession of his owne, therfore giue God thy heart, that he may keepe it, not a peece of thy heart, not a roome in thy heart, but thy heart. The heart diuided, dieth: God is not like the mother, which would haue the child diuided, but like the naturall mother, which [Page 266] said, rather then it should be diuided, let her take all. Let the diuell haue all, if he which gaue it bee not worthie of it: God hath no copesmate, therefore he will haue no parting of stakes, but all or none, and therefore hee which askes heere thy heart, in the sixt of Deuteronomie, and the fift verse, askes all thy heart, all thy soule, all thy strength; thrise he re­quireth all, least we should keepe a thought behind: yet it is thy heart, that is, a vayne heart, a barren heart, a sinfull heart, vntil thou giue it vnto God, and then it is the spouse of Christ,Esa. 47. 17. the temple of the holy Ghost, and the image of God,Eccles. 11. 9. so changed and formed,1. Cor. 3. 16. and refined,1. Cor. 6. 19. that God calls it a new heart.

Some haue a double heart, as it is in the twelfth Psalme: but God acknowledgeth but one heart,Psal. 12. 2. saying, Giue me thy heart, not giue thy hearts; declaring that a single heart is pleasing vnto him, and that they which haue a double heart, a heart and a heart, haue neuer a good heart.

God doth not require the heart, as though he required no more but the heart, like the Pope, which saith, Giue my thy heart, and it sufficeth. To maintaine his Papists pendant and crouehant, which liue among Christians; he requireth nothing of such but their heart, that they may worship God with their lips, [Page 267] and dissemble their religion, and forsweare their opinion, and come to sermons, and sub­scribe to other lawes, and seeme Protestants, as the diuell licenseth witches to seeme Chri­stians, so they giue him their heart, he dispen­ceth with them to dissemble, and giue the rest as they list: but God requireth the heart, because we should not dissemble; for in the twelfth to the Romanes, he commandeth the bodie too,Rom. 12. 1. Offer vp your bodies: which we can not do, vnlesse we giue heart, and hand, and tongue, and eyes, and eares, and all; for the bodie is all: but the heart is chiefe in request, because if there be anie goodnesse, it lyes in the heart, & because he which giues the heart, giues all:Luke 6. 45. for out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh, the hand worketh, the eye looketh, the eare listeneth, the foote wal­keth to good or euill.

Therefore there is such strife for the heart, as there was for Moses bodie,Iud. 9. Giue it mee saith the Lord, giue it me saith the Tempter, giue it me saith the Pope, giue it me saith ri­ches, giue it me saith pleasure, as though thou must needes giue it: now here is the choyce, whether thou wilt giue it to God or the di­uell, Gods heart or the diuels heart, whose wilt thou be?

Thus doth man hang in a ballance, like [Page 268] a yong virgin which hath manie sutors: some she fancieth for parentage, some for perso­nage, some for friends, some for wealth, some for wit, some for vertue, and after all, chooseth the worst of all; so the heart hath so many su­ters besides God, that sometime she marrieth with one, sometimes with another, the world keeps her, the flesh keeps her, the deuil keeps her, which haue no more interest in her, than Herod to his sister,Mat. 14. 4. but seeke her spoile, like them which marrie for riches, are glad when one dies, that another may come. These su­ters are like Absolon, which did not seeke the hearts of the people like Dauid, but stole them with flatterie and lies:2. Sam. 5. 6. but God would haue thee giue thy heart.

As a man considers what he doth when he giues: so God licenseth vs to consider of that which we do for him, whether he deserues it, whether we owe it, whether he can requite it, lest it should come against our will, there­fore giue me, saith God: as though he would not straine vpon vs, or take from vs, but if thou wilt giue him thy heart, then he accepts it; it must come freely like a gift, as his bles­sings come to vs, and then his demaund is graunted.

Here is no respect of time, how long thou maist stay it, or how long he wil keepe it, but [Page 269] giue it, is the present time, as though he wold haue it out of hand, while hee askes, before ye goe out of the Church: for what can we aske of him, while we denye him but one thing when he askes of vs? therefore consider who is a sutor to you. Now I am a Collector for God, to gather hearts, either you must grant him, or denie him; thinke who shall loose by it, if thou wilt not pay thy Land-lord his rent. How many subiectes would reioyce if they had any thing to giue to their prince, & pray her to accept it, and be glad if she would take it, that they might but say; I haue giuen a present to the Queene.Mar. 14. 3. So Mary reioyced that shee had a little Oyle to sprincke vpon Christ, that shee would take no mony for it; yea the widdow of Zareptah was so ioyfull that she had a little food for the Prophet,1. Reg. 17. 13 that she spared it from her children and her selfe, to serue him first: so they which loue the Lord like his disciple, which left all to follow him,Luke 5. 11. had rather that he should haue their ri­ches, their honors, their hearts and their liues, then they themselues.

Why is Dauid called a man after Gods owne heart; 1. Sa. 13. 14 but because when God said, Giue me thy heart, his spirite answered like an Ec­cho, I giue thee my heart? Is God so desirous of my heart? what good can my heart doo to [Page 270] God? It is not woorthie to come vnder his roofe, I would I had a better gift to send vnto my Lorde, goe my heart to thy Maker, the Bridegroome hath sent for thee, put on thy wedding garment, for the King himselfe will marrie thee. Who is not sorrie now, that hee did not giue his heart before? Is hee not wor­thie to die which will take his heart from him that made it, from him which redeemed it, from him which preserues it, from him which will glorifie it; to giue it vnto him which will infect it, torment it, condemne it? Will a seruant reach the cup to a stranger, when his Master cals for it? Or will a man sell his coate if he haue no moe? What doost thou reserue for God, when thou hast giuen Sathan thy heart?Reu. 3. 20. Christ hath promised to come and dwell with thee, where shall he staie, where shall he dine, if the chamber be taken vp, and the heart let foorth to another? Thou art but a Tenant, and yet thou takest his house ouer his head, and placest in it whom thou wilt, as if thou wert Landlord,

Canst thou possesse another mans goods but he will molest thee, and trouble thee vn­till he haue his owne? and doost thou thinke to keepe that which is Gods, and holde it in peace? No hee will neuer suffer thee to rest, but crie vpon thee daie and night, as Moses [Page 271] vexed Pharaoh vntil he let the people goe;2. Sam. 3. 8. so thou shalt bee distracted with feares▪ and thoughts,Exod. 8. 13. & 9. 28. as one plague followed another,Act. 16. 14. vntill thou let thy heart goe,Exo. 8 & 9. & 10. that it may serue God: for, as if a man should pull out thy heart, and take it from thee, so greeuous is it to God to keep thy heart from him.

Therefore let all Sutors haue their an­swere, that thy heart is married alreadie. As Isaac answered Esau,Gen. 27. Iacob haue I blessed, and he shalbe blessed: so thou maist say, God hath my heart, and he shall haue it; and them that craue it hereafter, send them to Christ for it, for it is not thine to giue, if thou haue giuen it to God alreadie. But take heede thy heart do not lye to thy selfe, and say it is Gods when it is the worldes,1. Reg. 24. 6. like Ieroboams Wife, which woulde not seeme to bee Ieroboams Wife. By this thou shalt knowe whether thou hast giuen it to him or no; if the Heart be gone, all will followe. As the Sunne riseth first, and then the beastes arise from their dennes, the Fowles from their neastes, and men from their beddes: so when the Heart sets for­warde to God, all the members will fol­low after it, the tongue will praise him, the foote will follow him, the eare will attend him, the eye will watch him, the hand will [Page 272] serue him, nothing will staie after the heart, but euerie one goes like handmaydes after their mistresse:Psal. 123. 2 this Christ verifieth, saying: make cleane within,Mat. 13. 26 and all will bee cleane: therefore the Publican did beat vpon his hart, as though hee were angrie with it, because it did not waken all the rest: shewing that as the Father gaue vs all, when hee gaue his son, so we giue him all when wee giue our heartes.Rom. 8. 32. This is the melodie which Paul speaketh of, Ephes. 5. 19. Make melodie in the Lord in your hearts: shewing that there is a consort of all the members, when the heart is in tune, and that it soundes like a melodie in the eares of God, and makes vs reioyce while wee serue him. Wee haue example heereof in Christ, which said it was meate and drinke vnto him to doo his fathers will:Iohn 4. 34. and in Dauid, which daunced to see the Arke;2. Sa. 6. 14. and in the Israelites, of whom it is saide,1. Chro. 29. 9 that they reioyced, when they offered from their heart vnto the Lord.

Therefore Salomon pricking out the heart for God, spake as though he would set out the pleasantest, and fairest, & easiest way to serue him, without any grudging, or toyle, or wea­rinesse: touch but the first linke, and all the rest will follow; so set the heart a going, and it is like the poize of a clocke, which turnes all [Page 273] the wheeles one way; such an Oyle is vpon the heart, which makes al nimble and currant about it: therfore it is almost as easie to speak well and doe well, as to thinke well. If the heart indite a good matter, no maruel though the tongue be the Pen of a readie writer:Psal. 45. 1. but if the hart be dull, all is like a left hand, so vn­apt and vntoward, that it cannot turne it selfe to any good.

Therfore Gods sutes haue so hard passage in mens counsailes, iudgements, and Parlia­ments, because they doe not giue him their harts, which should be the first offering of all; if they woulde giue him their hearts before they sit downe to heare his cause, they could not denie him anie thing that is for his ho­nour, though it were against their profit: but as Christ saieth,Mat. 26. 39 Not my will, but thy will: so they would say, It is not our Kingdome, but thy Kingdome; it is not our Church, but thy Church; therefore not our will, but thy will; not our law, but thy law; not our discipline, but thy discipline raigne in it; and all that giue their hearts subscribe to this: the rest say, not thy wil, but our wil; not thy law, but our law; not thy discipline, but our discipline, be­cause as the Apostle sayth, They seeke their owne glorie, and not Christs, Phil. 2. 21. This hath bene the rub euer since Antichrist was [Page 274] first resisted.Mat. 2. 3. Herode could not see how hee should be King, if Christ should raigne, ther­fore as the Image-makers cried and stormed when Images should goe downe,Act. 19. 25. alleadging that they liued by that craft: so, if you marke what kind of men they were which did preach and write, and labour so hotly against religi­on, it is they that were like to loose some of their dignities, or their commodities by it.

The Scribes and Pharisies resisted Christ more than the people,Ioh. 11. 48. because hee denounced woe to them,Mat. 23. 7. and misliked that they should bee called Rabbi:Mar. 10. 21 how hard it is to follow Christ, when he saith, Leaue all; nay, if he bid vs leaue any thing for him, though we should leaue our selues, Matt. 16. 24. The tongue wil not praise, because the heart doth not loue; the eare doth not heare, because the heart doth not minde; the hand doth not giue, be­cause the heart doth not pitie; the foote will not goe, because the heart doth not stirre; all staie vpon the heart, like the Captaine that should giue the onset. Thus to shew that hee deserueth all, the Lord requireth that which bringeth all.

Secondly, God requireth the Heart, shewing that all the things of this worlde are not woorthie of it, nor a peece of it, nor a thought, vnles it be to contemne them, as Sa­lomon [Page 275] thought of vanitie:Eccl. 1. 13. & 14. for if the heart be the Temple of God, hee which giueth it to anie thing else, committeth Sacriledge, and breaketh that Commaundement, Giue vnto GOD that which is Gods, Matthewe 22. 21.

Thirdly, that all should consent so with the heart,Psal. 4. 4. that wee should speake as if our heart did speake,Iob 22. 22. pray as if our heart did pray, heare as if our heart did heare, giue as if our heart did giue▪ remit as if our heart did re­mit, and counsell as if our heart did counsell, as the Apostle sayth, Doe all things heartely. Col. 3. 23. which if we could keepe, nothing that wee doe should trouble vs, because no­thing is troublesome, but that which goeth a­gainst the heart.

Fourthly, that wee should serue God for himselfe, and not for our selues, as he which giues his heart, doth all for loue: this Christ requires, when he casts off that Disciple, that offred to follow him for aduantage,Mat. 8. 19. The birds haue neastes, and [...]he foxes haue hoales (saieth Christ) but the Sonne of man hath not a place to hide his head: shewing his Disciple, if hee will follow him, [...] must not looke for a place to hide his head: we must leaue all to follow Christ,Mat. 4. 20. as Peter did, & not seeke all by follow­ing him,Ioh. 9. 26. as they that wēt after him for bread.

[Page 276] Fiftly, that wee should not serue God by fits, as we vse to pray when the night comes, to heare when the Sabboath comes, to fast when Lent comes, to repent when death comes: but the seruice of the heart is a conti­nuall seruice,1. Thess. 5. 16. like that in 1. Thess. 5. 16. Re­ioyce euermore, praye continually, in all things giue thankes. Who is this which reioyceth, and prayeth, and thanketh continually? The tong prayeth but sometime, the eare attendeth but sometime, the hand giueth but sometime; but the heart prayeth, and praiseth, and worship­peth alwaies; a man may serue God alwaies with his heart and neuer bee wearie, because the heart cannot serue him, vnles it reioyce in his seruice: and therefore the Israelites prai­sed God with musicke,1. Chro. 15. 16. which did not delight God, but shewed that they delighted in his seruice, as they did in musicke. But if the tongue, or the hande, or the eare, thinke to serue God without the heart, it is the irkso­mest occupation in the world, the houre of te­diousnesse, like a long sicknesse, he is tyred before he begin, and thinketh himselfe in the stockes, vntill the Sermon bee ended, and vntill his Prayer bee done, that hee may bee at libertie, and returne to his olde byas againe.

Lastly, this shewes how God mislikes [Page 277] our coldnesse in hearing, or praying, if we cannot say with the Virgin in Luke, the first Chapter and sixe and fortieth verse,Luk. 1. 46. My hart doth magnifie the Lord. All that comes short of this is hypocrisie,Gen. 4. 5. & pleaseth God like the offering of Cain.Gen. 42. 15. As Ioseph charged his brethren that they should not come to him for corne vnlesse they brought Beniamin vn­to him,Mat. 15. 8. whom they left at home: so God will not haue vs to speake to him, nor come to him for any thing, vnlesse we bring our heart vn­to him which we leaue behinde. The tongue without the heart is a flattering tongue, the eye without the heart is a wicked eye, the eare without the heart is a vaine eare, the hand without the heart is a false hand. Doest thou thinke that God wil accept a flattering tong, a wicked eye,Leu. 22. 22, 23, 24. a vaine eare, a false hand; which reiecteth a sacrifice if it be but leane, or bru­sed? No saith Paule, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, the thirteenth Chapter and first verse,1. Cor. 13. 1. If I giue all that I haue, and haue not loue, that is, giue not my heart, it auailes me nothing: he saith not, that they which giue not their heart, giue nothing, but that they shall haue nothing for such offerings: he which brings but a myte and brings his heart,Mar. 12. 42 brings more than he which offers a talent, and hee shall goe away more iustified than he which sayd, [Page 278] All these haue I kept from my youth vpward: Mat. 19. 20 for God is not mocked,Gal. 6. 7. but knowes howe much is behinde, though Ananias seeme to bring all.Act. 5. 3. He markes how I speake, and how you heare, and howe wee pray in this place, and if it come not from the heart, hee re­pelles it as fast as it goes vp, like the smoke which clymes towardes Heauen, but neuer comes there. Man thinkes when he hath the gift he hath the heart too, but God when he hath the gift calls for the heart still;Psal. 73. 1. the Pha­risies prayer, the harlots vowe, the traytors kisse the Sacrifice of Cain, the fast of Iezabel, the oblation of Ananias, the teares of Esau, are nothing to him, but still he cries, Bring thy heart, or bring nothing, like a iealous husband whē he hath a wife, yet he is iealous whether he hath her heart; so whatsoeuer thou do, yet God is iealous still, and respectes not what thou doest, but whether thou do it from thy heart, that is, of meere loue toward him. If Pilate had washed his heart when he washed his hands,Mat. 27. 42 he had bene cleaner than Naaman when hee came out of Iordan;2. Reg. 5. 13 if the Siche­mites had circumcised their hearts,Gen. 34. 22. when they circumcised their flesh, they had saued their soules when they lost their liues; if Cain had offered his heart when hee offered of the fruites,Gen. 4. 3. his offering had bene as accepta­ble [Page 279] as Abels.Leu. 10. 7. But as Swines flesh was like Sheepes flesh, yet was not accepted, because it came from an vncleane beast: so Cains of­fering, Pilates washing, the Sichemites cir­cumcision, the Pharisies prayer, and fastes, and almes, were as faire as the Apostles; yet they had no reward,Matth. 23. but Wo to you hypocrites; because they wanted the heart; which is like the fire that kindleth the Sacrifice.1. Re. 18. 25 But will he require our prayers, and fastes, and almes, as he did theirs?Mat. 5. 20. Yea saith Christ, Except your righteousnesse exceede the Pharisies, that is, Except we giue our hearts beside our lippes, and our eares, & our almes, which they gaue wee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Hea­uen; because our righteousnesse doth not ex­ceede the righteousnesse of the Pharisies, but their righteousnesse verie farre exceedeth ours.

Christ doth not bid them wo, because they were Pharisies as we are not, but because they were hypocrites as we are. God delights him selfe in giuing,Mica. 7. 18 and therefore he loueth a cheerefull giuer; but he cannot giue cheerful­ly,1. Cor. 9. 7. which giues not his heart. Therefore, as Iudas thought the Oyle spent which was powred vpon Christ,Mat. 26. 9. and wished the price of it in his purse: so they grutch & grieue when they should doe good, and thinke, Shall I [Page 280] giue it? Can I spare it? What will it bring? So the good worke dieth in the birth, like a bird which droupeth in the hand, while the head considers whether he shall let her goe, or hold her still: as easie to wring Hercules club out of his fistes, as to wring a penitent teare from their eyes, a faithfull prayer from their lips, or a good thought from their heart, which cannot affoord the heart it selfe: all is too much, which they do, and they thinke God more beholding to them for blurting out a Pater noster, or staying a Sermon, or fa­sting a Friday, than they to him for all his be­nefites: and when they haue done, what is their reward?Matth. 23. Woe bee vnto you like the Scribes and Pharisies, because you giue not your hearts but your mouthes,Mat. 15. 8. therefore we do but vexe our selues, and loose our labour, thinking to make God beleeue that we pray, when indeed our lips do but pray: whereby it comes to passe, as we serue him, so he ser­ueth vs, our peace is not in deed but in word, our ioy is not in heart but in countenance, a false comfort, like our false worship: for he which giueth God his lips in stead of his hart, teacheth God to giue him stones in stead of bread: that is, a shadow of comfort for com­fort it selfe.

Now whē we haue giuen God faire words, [Page 281] and long prayers, and solemne fastes, and mourning countenances, hee puts in but a word more to fill vp the Sacrifice, Giue me thy heart, and it sufficeth. It is like the last sute of Abraham when he said to God, I will speake but this once: so if thou wilt heare him in this, he will aske no more, therefore nowe con­clude, whether God shall haue thy heart or nothing: if thou consider what right he hath to aske it, and what cause thou hast to giue it, thou canst not keepe it till I ende my Ser­mon.

Of all the suters which come vnto you, it seemes there is none which hath anie title to claime the heart but God, which challengeth it by the name of a sonne:Mal. 1. 6. as if he should say, thou shalt giue it to thy Father, which gaue it to thee: art thou my sonne? My sonnes giue me their hearts, and by this they know that I am their father, if I dwell in their hearts, for the heart is the temple of God,1. Cor. 4. 16. therefore if thou bee his sonne, thou wilt giue him thy heart, because thy Father desires it, thy Maker desires it, thy Redeemer desires it, thy Sauiour desires it, thy Lord, & thy King, & thy master desires it,Rom. 8. 32. which hath giuen his Sonne for a ransome, his Spirite for a pledge, his Word for a guide, the World for a walke, and re­serues a kingdom for thine inheritance. Canst [Page 282] thou denie him anie thing, which hath giuen the heire for the seruant, his beloued for his enemie, the best for the worst? Canst thou denie him anie thing, whose goodnesse crea­ted vs, whose fauour elected vs, whose mercie redeemed vs, whose wisedome conuerteth vs, whose grace preserueth vs, whose glorie shall glorifie vs?Iohn 4. 10. O, if thou knewest (as Christ said to the womā of Samaria, when she huckt to giue him water) if thou knewest who it is which saith vnto thee, Giue me thy heart, thou wouldest say vnto him as Peter did, when Christ would wash his feete,Iohn 13. 9. Lord, not my feet onely, but my hands, and my head; not my heart onely, but all my bodie, and my thoughts, & my words, and my works, and my goods, and my life, take all that thou hast giuen. For why should we not giue him our hearts aswell as our lippes, vnlesse we meane to deceiue him with words for deeds?

If Abraham gaue Lot leaue to chuse what part he did like,Gen. 13. 8. 9 shall we not giue God leaue to chuse that which he loueth? If he did not loue thee, he would not require thy heart; for they which loue, require the heart. The Mai­ster requires labour, the Landlord requires seruice, the Captaine requires fight; but he that requires the heart, requires it for loue, for the heart is loue.

[Page 283] We will giue him litle, if we will not giue him that which he askes for loue toward our selues:Psal. 31. 5. though he say,1. Pet. 1. 18 19. Giue it, yet indeed he hath bought it, and that deerely, with the dee­rest blood that euer was shed. He gaue thee his heart before he desired thy heart, but a heart for a heart, a liuing heart for a heart which died: thou doest not lose thy life, as he did for thee, but thou bestowest thy life to glorifie him: thou dost not part from thy hart when thou giuest it, but he doth keepe it for thee, lest the Serpent should steale it from thee,Gen. 3. 1. as he stole Paradise from Adam when it was in his owne custodie. He can keepe it better than we,Psal. 31. 5. and he will keepe it if wee commit it to him,Iohn 10. 26 and lay it in a bed of peace, and lap it with ioy, and none shall take it out of his hands. Therefore, if ye aske me, why you should giue your hearts to God? I doe not answer like the disciples which went for the Asse and the Colt,Mat. 21. 3. The Lord hath neede: but we haue neede: for vnlesse we giue our soules, how can he haue them? and vnlesse he haue them, how can he saue them? There­fore we haue neede. If euer the saying were true,Act. 20. 35. (It is more blessed to giue than take:) more blessed are they which doe giue their hearts to God,1. Sa. 25▪ 42 than they which take posses­sion of the world. Abigail did not gaine so [Page 284] much by her gift to Dauid, as we for our gift to God: for she was married vnto Dauid, but wee are married vnto Christ, of whom the Church dooth sing in the fift of Canticles, that no welbeloued is like her beloued: what heart would not bee loued of him, though it do not loue him? VVho can assoyle this riddle? VVe would haue Christ our bride­groome, and yet we will not be his spouse; I would haue him take my heart, and yet I will not giue it. How should he keepe it, or saue it, or glorifie it, if I hide it away, like the ser­uant that buried his talent in the earth?Mat. 26. 24 So much as I keepe from God, so much I keepe from heauen, and wil not suffer him to glori­fie it, as if I did wish one part to be saued, and another damned. He which would haue his heart sanctified, and comforted, and enlight­ned, and wil not giue it to God which should do it, is like a woman which would haue her dough leauened, and layeth her dough in one place, and the leauen in another, where one cannot touch the other: then commeth the tempter, and takes them asunder, and seazeth vpon the heart, because he findes her alone. This is his seed time, now he enters into it, & fils it with his poyson, till the temple of God be the sinke of sin, & the heart which should be the seat of holinesse, grace, and wisedome, [Page 285] a heart of pride, a heart of enuy, a heart of lust, more like a belly than a heart: how many things lodge in the heart, when God is not there? It is a world to thinke how the diuine soule, which descended from heauen to bring forth fruit, is become a fit soil for euery weed, whereby wee may see what hearts wee haue, before we giue them to God.

Therefore now aske your hearts, whose they are, and how they are moued with these wordes; how many here will giue to this col­lection? whose hart is gone vp vnto him since I began to speake? Here one and there one runnes vp the ladder,Gen 28. 13. like the Angels that Ia­cob saw in his dreames, and sing with Dauid, My heart is prepared, Psal. 47. 47 my heart is prepared: and why not thou as well as he? Doth not he send for all alike? Wilt thou be the thorne or the stone,Mat. 13. or the high way, where the seede dooth loose his fruite? Why, hadst thou rather bee compelled than inuited,Mat. 22. since thou art called to a banket? How many hearts mo might we drawe to God, if all that be here would go to him this day? but thus it standes, God hath sent vnto vs for our hearts, and wee answere him as the husbands of the vineyard when he sent for fruites;Mat. 21. 23. or as Nabal answered Dauid, when he sent for food,1. Sa. 25. 10 Who is Dauid? or who is the Lord? that I should take my heart from [Page 286] pleasure and sin, and giue it vnto him? Thus we demurre vpon the cause when we should giue, whether we should giue or no; and aske the flesh, and our lusts, and our pleasures: and if the diuell will not giue his assent, then wee returne an excuse, it is not mine to giue, or if thou canst get the diuels good will, I will not stand; or let sinne and pleasure haue it for a while, and when they haue done with it, then God shall haue it.

Thus euery thing which should be thrown out, hath a place in our heart; and he which should bee receiued in, can haue no roome there, though hee would open the doores of heauen, if we would open the doores of our hearts,Psal. 24. 4. that the King of glorie might come in. What shall become of those hearts, when he which craues them now, shall iudge them hereafter? Then shall they stand like Esau, and see them blessed like Iacob which gaue their hearts;Gen. 27. 36. and crie themselues as hee did to his father Isaac, Hast thou not reserued a bles­sing for vs? What a heauie heart will it bee then, when it may not ioy any longer here, and the ioyes of Heauen are shut agaynst it? and hee which desired it, will not haue it, be­cause it comes like the foolish Virgins,Mat. 25. 11 when the doores of mercie are shut. Thus ye haue heard what God requires for all that hee hath [Page 287] giuen you, and how all your seruices are lost vntill you bring it. What shall I wish you now before my departure? I wish you would giue all your hearts to God while I speake, that yee might haue a Kingdome for them. Send for your hearts where they are wande­ring, one from the Banke, another from the Tauerne, another from the Shop, another frō the Theaters; call them home, and giue them all vnto God, and see how hee will welcome them,Luk. 15. 22. as the Father imbraceth his Sonne. If your hearts were with God, durst the Diuell fetch them, durst those sinnes come at them? Euen as Dina was defloured when she stray­ed from home:Gen. 34. 1. so is the heart when it straieth from God. Therefore call the members toge­ther, and let them fast like a quest of twelue men, vntill they consent vppon lawe, before anie moe Tearmes passe, to giue God his right, and let him take the heart which hee wooeth, which hee would marrie, which hee would endowe with all his goods, and make it the heyre of the crowne. When you pray, let your heart pray; when you heare, let your heart heare; when you giue, let your heart giue; whatsoeuer you doe, set the heart to doe it: and if it be not so perfect as it should bee,Pro. 3. 1. yet it shalbe accepted for the friend that giues it.Dan. 10. 12.

[Page 288] Now if you cannot command your hearts to turne vnto God, because the diuell pleades custome, and the flesh will not agree to leaue her possessions, then remember what Christ saith,Mat. 6. 2. When ye giue almes, let not your left hand know what the right hand doth: so the flesh must not knowe what the spirite doth. Thou must not make thy lusts of counsel; but as A­braham when hee was bid to offer his sonne, rose vp betime and left his wife at home, and neuer made Sarah priuie lest she should stop him,Gen. 22. 6. being more tender ouer her childe (like women) than the father is: so thou must giue thy heart to God, before the flesh heare of it: for if Abigaile had consulted with Nabal,1. Sa. 25. 18 whether she shuld haue supplied Dauid with victuals or no, when he sent; the miser would neuer haue giuen his consent, which scolded so soone as he heard of it, therefore she went alone, and gaue that which hee asked, and ne­uer tolde her husband what shee would doe, lest hee should hinder her, which sought her welfare and his too: so wee should steale our harts from the world, as the world stole them from vs, and transport them to God when the flesh is a sleepe.

I haue but one daye more to teach you all that you must learne of me, therefore I would holde you heere vntill you assent to giue all [Page 289] your hearts to God. If ye giue them not now, where haue I cast the seede, and how haue ye heard all this yeare? If ye will giue them now ye shall bee adopted this daye the sonnes of God, and I shall leaue you in the bosome of Christ,1. Cor. 2. 16. which will giue you heauen for your hearts. The Lord Iesu graunt that my wordes bee not the sauour of death vnto my soule here, but that you may goe in strength there­of,Mat. 25. 34 through prosperitie and aduersitie, till you heare that comfort from heauen, Come ye blessed and receiue the inheritance prepared for you.

AT the last time which I spake of these wordes, In all things giue thanks, & Quench not the Spirit: Touching the first, I shewed you that it is an ea­sier thing to obtaine of God, than to bee thankfull to him:Luk. 17. 17. for moe haue gone away speeders, than haue gone away thankers. Then how the wicked are behol­ding to God, as well as the iust: and therfore it is sayd,Mat. 5. 45. that the Sunne doth shine vpon the iust and the vniust. Then how Iacob came [Page 291] not so barely to Laban,Gen. 19. 13. when he brought no­thing with him, but his staffe in his hand: as man commeth into this worlde without strength or staffe to sustaine him, which made the Apostle to aske,1. Cor. 4. 4. What haue you which you haue not receiued? Therefore, to teach man to be thankfull vnto his maker, hee was not made in Paradise the place of ioy and happi­nes,Gen. 2 8. but being made out of Paradise, hee was brought into Paradise, to shew how all his ioy and happines came from God, and not from nature, that he might know where to bestow his thankes. Therefore Dauid to perswade all men vnto thankfulnesse, saith, It is a good and pleasant thing to be thankfull.Psal. 147. 1 If he had sayd no more but good, all which loue goodnesse were bound to be thankful, but when he saith not onely good but pleasant too, all which loue pleasure are bounde to be thankfull, and therefore as Peters mother in lawe, so soone as Christ healed her of a feauer, rose vp imme­diatly to minister vnto him,Matth. 8. so we so soone as Christ hath done any thing for vs, should rise vp immediatly to serue him.1. Sam. 1. And as Annah when she had receiued a sonne from God, did consecrate him to God againe: so whatsoe­uer wee receiue of God, wee must giue it to God againe, that is, vse it to his glorie, and make it one of our meanes to serue him, for [Page 292] all things which wee receiue in this life, are giuen vnto vs, lest we should want any means to serue God. Then because the Apostle re­quireth Thankes for all things, I shewed you that hee is not thankfull before God, which thankes him onely for his benefites, but he is thankfull indeede, which thankes him for his chastisement. It may be, while the Lord gi­ueth, many will say, Blessed be the name of the Lord. But when the Lord taketh, who wil say, Blessed bee the name of the Lorde? When the Lord did take,Iob. 1. Iob sayd, Blessed be the name of the Lord. There is one example then of Pauls doctrine, which in all things gaue thankes. The Prophet Dauid saith,Psa. 23. 24. Thy staffe and thy rodde haue comforted me, there is another example of Paules doctrine, which gaue thankes vnto God for his rod, for an obedient childe doth not only kisse the hand which giueth, but the rod which beateth.

After speaking of these wordes, Quench not the Spirite; I shewed you that Spirit doth signifie the giftes and the motions of the Spi­rite.Mat. 3. The Spirite in the third of Matthew is likened to fire, and therefore Paul saith well, Quench not the Spirite, because fire may bee quenched.

Heere I tooke occasion to speake of zeale, which is the fire of the spirit;Matt. 3. 11. shewing you, [Page 293] that God is pleased with zeale, as men are pleased with loue:Mat. 3. 11. but as Christ did baptize with fire, so Iohn did baptize with water; and as the holy Ghost descended with fire,Act. 2. so he did descend with winde, that cooleth fire: shewing that our zeale should be a temperat zeale,Esa. 58. 1. as our Maisters was. Esaiah was com­maunded to crie, but not to roare; the Iewes might not gather too much Manna,Exod. 16. 18 no more than they might gather too little. As there is a measure in knowledge, so there is a mea­sure in zeale,Rom. 12. 3. that is, Be zealous according to discretion, as Paule saith, Be wise according to sobrietie. Mar. 10. 28 The Disciples were commended for their zeale, when they left all to followe Christ: but Christ reprooued them for their zeale, when they would pray for fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes. There­fore zeale and discretion vnited together,Luke. 9. 55. are like vnto the two lyons which supported the Throane of Salomon:1. King. 20. and hee which hath them both, is like Moses for his mildnesse, & like Phineas for his feruencie: therefore, as wine is tempered with water, so let discretion temper zeale. But I neede not bring water to quēch that fire which is out alreadie, I would rather I could say of you, You are too zea­lous,Act. 17. 22 as Paule told the Athenians, they were too superstitious. But our sicknesse is not a [Page 294] hot sicknesse, but a colde sicknesse, the hot bodie is distempered, but the colde bodie is dead. Zeale was neuer infamous before our dayes: the Papists are commended, if they be zealous; but the Protestant if he be zea­lous, is held in derision.

Then I shewed you how the spirit is quen­ched, as a man doth quench his reason with ouermuch wine: and therefore we say, when the wine is in, the wit is out; because before he seemes to haue reason, and now he seemes to haue none: so our zeale, and our faith, and our loue are quenched with sinne. Euerie vaine thought, and euery idle word, and euery wicked deed, is like so many drops to quench the Spirit of God. Some quench it with the busines of this world, some quench it with the lustes of the flesh, some quench it with the cares of the minde, some quench it with long delayes, that is, not plying the motion when it commeth, but crossing the good thought with bad thoughts, and doing a thing when the Spirite sayth, Doo it not; as Achab went to battell after he was forbidden. Sometime a man shall feele him selfe stirred to a good worke, as though hee were led to it by the hand; and againe he shall be frighted from some euill thing, as though he were reproo­ued in his eare▪ then, if hee resist hee shall [Page 295] straight feele the spirit going out of him, and heare a voyce pronouncing him guiltie, and hee shall hardly recouer his peace againe. Therefore Paule saith,Ephes. 4. 30. Grieue not the Spirite; shewing, that the spirite is often grieued be­fore it be quenched: and that when a man be­gins to grieue, and checke, and persecute the spirit, lightly he neuer ceasseth vntill he haue quenched it, that is, vntill he seeme to haue no spirit at all, but walketh like a lumpe of flesh.

After Quench not the Spirite, followeth, Despise not prophecying. In the ende of this Epistle, Paule speaketh like a father which is come to the ende of his life; who because he hath but a while to speake, heapeth his Les­sons together, which he would haue his sons remember when he is gone: so Paul, as though he were set to giue good counsel, and had not leasure to speake that he would, sendeth the Thessalonians a briefe of his minde, which their meditation should after amplifie & ex­pound vnto them.

His first aduice is, Quench not the Spirite, that is, when a good motion commeth, wel­come it like a frend, and crosse it not with thy lusts. The second admonition teacheth how the first should be kept, Despise not prophecy­ing, and the spirite will not quench, because [Page 296] prophesying doth kindle it. The third admo­nition teacheth how to make fruite of the se­cond; Trie the doctrines of them which pro­phecie, and thou shalt not beleeue errour for truth, but hold the best. The fourth admoni­tion is the summe of all, and it commeth last, because it is longest in learning; that is, Ab­staine from all appearance of euill. This is the summe of all, for he which can abstaine not onely from euill, but from the appearance of euill, is so perfect as a man can be in this sin­full life: put all these together, and it is as if Paule should say, Quench not the spirite by despising of prophesying; neither despise pro­phesying, because all do no prophecie alike: but rather when you heare some preach one way and some another, when you see some follow him, and others follow him, do you trie the doctrines by the Scripture, as the men of Beroea did,Act. 17. 11. and chuse that which is best, and soundest, and truest, hauing alway such an eye to the truth, that you abstaine from all appearance of error; so iealous the holy ghost would haue vs of our faith, that we set no ar­ticle vpon our religion but that which is an vndoubted truth. As Moses did nothing in the Tabernacle, but that which was shewed in his patterne. It seemes that there were some among the Thessalonians, as there be among [Page 297] vs, which did forsake all religion because the preachers did not agree, or because the liues of professors gaue some offence, therefore Paul sheweth that there is no cause why they should mislike the word for the Preacher, or why they should despise religion for the pro­fessor, because the word and the religion are not theirs which teach it and professe it, but Gods, and therefore can not be polluted by them no more than God. Then hee conclu­deth, that seeing it is necessarie, that there shal be alwayes errours and heresies to trie vs, we should also trie them, and thereby be prouo­ked so much the more from errour, or heresie, or superstition, that we abstain euen from the appearance thereof, lest we fall into the sinne; this is the scope of these words.

Despise not prophecying. This admonition is as it were the keeper of the former, for by prophecying the Spirit is kindled, and with­out prophecying the Spirit is quenched, and therefore after Quench not the Spirite, Paule saith, Despise not prophecying; shewing that as our sinne doth quench the Spirit, so prophe­cying doth kindle it.Luk. 24. 32. This you may see in the Disciples that went to Emaus, of whom it is sayd, when Christ preached vnto them out of the law and the Prophets, the spirite was so kindled with his prophesying, that their harts [Page 298] waxed hot within them. This you see againe in Sauls messengers,1. Sa. 19. 20 which were sent for Da­uid, when they came among the Prophets & heard them prophecie, their spirite was so kindled, that they could not chuse but pro­phecie also, insomuch that Saul came after him selfe, and hearing the Prophets as they did, the Spirit came vnto him likewise, and he prophecied too;1. Sa. 19. 23 wherupon it was said, Is Saul also among the Prophets? This is no maruell, that the spirit of man should be so kindled, and reuiued, and refreshed with the word, for the word is called the Food of the soule; take away the word from the soule,Hebr. 5. and it hath no foode to eate. As if you should take food from the bodie, the bodie would pine. And therefore Salomon saith,Pro. 26. 18. Without visions the people perish: that is, without prophecying the people famish. Therefore hee which loueth his soule, had no need to despise prophecying; for then he famisheth his owne soule, and is guiltie of her death; therefore that Pastor or that Patron, which is the cause why any place doth want preaching, is guiltie of their de­struction, because he which taketh, or kee­peth away the food, doth famish the bodie. The Apostle might haue sayd, loue prophe­cying, or honor prophecying; but he saith, Despise not prophecying. And why doth hee [Page 299] forbidde to despise Prophecying? Why did Christ say,Mat. 11. 5. The poore receiue the Gospell? but to shew that the rich did contemne it. Why doth Paul say,Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospell? but to shew that many are ashamed of it. E­uen so he saith, Despise not prophecying; shew­ing, that the greatest honour which we giue to Prophets, is not to despise them; and the greatest loue which we carrie to the Word, is not to loath it. If we do not despise the prea­chers, then we thinke that we honour them enough: and if wee do not loath the Word, then we thinke that we loue it enough: ther­fore the Apostle sayth, Despise not prophecy­ing, for Honour prophecying. Prophecying here dooth signifie Preaching, as it dooth in Rom. 1. 14. Wil you know why preaching is called prophecying? Rom. 1. 14. To adde more honor and renown to the preachers of the word, to make you receiue them like Prophetes, and then Christ saith,Mat. 10. 41 You shall haue a Prophets reward; that is, not such a reward as you giue, but such a reward as God giueth.

Lastly, (if you marke) Paul saith not, De­spise not Prophets, but prophecying: signifi­ing, that from the contempt of the Prophets, at last we come to despise Prophecying too,Ier. 11. 27. like the Iewes, who when they were offended with the Prophet, charged him to prophecie [Page 300] no more. Therefore, as Christ warned his dis­ciples,Mat. 23. 3. to heare the Scribes and Pharisies, al­though they did not as they taught; so Paule warneth the Thessalonians, that if anie pro­phets among them do not as they teach, and therefore seeme worthie to bee despised like the Scribes and Pharisies, yet that they take heed that they do no despise prophecying for the Prophets. Because the preachers are des­pised before the word be despised, therefore we will speake first of their contempt.

Christ asked his Disciples,Mat. 16. 13 what they thought of him; so; I would aske you, what you thinke of Preachers?2. Cor. 5. 20. Is he a contempti­ble person,Reuel. 1. 20. which bringeth the message of God? which hath the name of an Angel? and all his words are messengers of life? Prophets are of such account with God,Amos 3. 7. that it is sayd, God will do nothing before he reueale it vnto his Prophets; so prophets are (as it were) Gods counsellers. Againe, Kings and Priests, and Prophets were figures of Christ, al these three were annointed with oyle, to shew that they had greater graces than the rest:1. Kin. 13. 1. but especi­ally the Prophets are called, Men of God; to shewe, that all which are of God will make much of Prophets for Gods sake. Therefore women are forbidden to take vpon them to prophecie,1. Cor. 14. 34 lest that noble calling should be­come [Page 301] vile and despised, by such vnskilfull handlers of it. Therfore when the Prophet E­lisha would sende for Naaman the leaper to come vnto him, these were his wordes,2. King. 5. 8. Naa­man shall know that there is a Prophet in Isra­el; as though all the glorie of Israel were chieflie in this, that they had Prophets, and o­ther had none: as if one Parish should triūph ouer another, because they haue a preacher, and the other haue none. Therefore when this Prophet was dead, Ioash the King came vn­to his coarse, and wept ouer his face, and cry­ed;2. K. 13. 14. O my Father, my Father, the Chariot of Israel, and horsemen of the same: shewing, that the Chariots, and horses, and souldiers doe not so safegarde a Citie, as the Prophets which teach it, and praye for it. Therefore when God would marke the Israelites with a name of greatest reproach, hee calleth them, A people which rebuke their Priests: as if he should say, vsurpers of the Priests office: for they rebuke their Priests, which are appoin­ted to rebuke them.

How ioyfull and glad was Lydea when she could drawe Paul and Sylas to her house?Act. 16. 15. If you thinke me to be faithfull (sayth shee) come to my house: shewing, that neuer any guests were so welcome to her house before. How tender was the Shunamite ouer Elisha, that [Page 302] she built an house to welcome him,2. Kin. 4. 10 and to keep him with her; thinking all the places in her house too bad for him, she built him a new roome, to make him staie with her. How much did the Galatians make of Paul,Gal. 4. 15. that he saith, they would pull out their owne eyes to doe him good: So once a Prophet was e­steemed like a Prophet. And hath he bid you despise them now, which bad you to honour them before? No, Paule chargeth vs to re­ceiue our teachers, as hee was receiued him­selfe: saying, He which laboureth in the word, is worthie of double honour; 1. Tim. 5. 14 that is, the Prea­cher (after a sort) is more to be honoured than the Ruler: for Aaron was the elder brother, but Moses was the yonger brother; & there­fore if there be any appendix, the Magistrate is the appendix:Exo. 28. 30. for if Aarons Vrim & Thu­mi would haue serued, Moses rod and staffe should not haue needed; but when the tongue could not perswade, the rod did compell, and so came in the Magistrate. As Paul sheweth the Thessalonians how the Preachers of the Word should be honoured: so hee teacheth the Philippians how to honor their teachers;Phil. 2. 29. saying, Receiue him in the Lorde with great gladnesse, and make much of such; that is, shewe your selues so glad of him, that hee may bee glad of you. Haue you neede to bee taught [Page 303] why Paule would haue you make much of such? Because they are like Lampes, which consume themselues to giue light to other; so they consume themselues to giue light to you: because they are like a Henne, which clocketh her Chickens together from the Kite; so they clocke you together from the Serpent: because they are lyke the showte which did beate downe the walles of Iericho;Iosua 6. 20. so they beate downe the walles of sinne: be­cause they are like the fiery piller which went before the Israelites to the Land of Promise;Exo. 13. 21. so they goe before you to the Lande of Pro­mise: because they are like good Andrewe, which called his brother to see the Messias;Ioh. 1. 41. so they call you to see the Messias: and there­fore make much of such.

If wee shoulde make much of Prophets, how much shoulde wee make of Prophecy­ing? If wee should loue our Instructors, how much should wee loue instruction?Luk. 2. 28. Symeon keeping in the Temple, met with Christ; so manie hearing the Worde, haue met with knowledge, haue met with comfort, haue met with peace, haue met with saluation: but without the Worde neuer any was con­uerted to GOD. Therefore whensoeuer the Word is preached, euerie one may say to himselfe, as the Disciples sayd to the blinde [Page 304] man,Mar. 10. 49. Be of good comfort hee calleth thee: Be of good comfort, the Lorde calleth thee: but when the word is not preached, then euerie man may say to himselfe; beware, the diuell calleth thee. When the Prophets went from Ierusalem, then sword, and famine, and pesti­lence, and all the plagues of God rained vpon them, euen as fire came vpon Sodome, so soone as Lot was gone out:Gen. 19. 24. therefore what may those Landes feare, which vse their Pro­phets, as the Iewes vsed them which sent them? Amos calleth it an euill time, wherein the prudent keepe silence, Chapt. 5. verse 13. therfore this is an euil time, wherein the pru­dent are silent.

There be two trades in this Land, without which the Realme cannot stand; and one is the Queenes souldiers, and the other is the Lordes souldiers, and the Lords souldiers are handled like the Queenes souldiers, for from the Merchant to the porter, no calling is so despised, so contemned, so derided, that they may beg for their seruice; for their liuing is turned into an almes. One saith, that Mo­ses is Quis, that is, the Magistrate is some bo­die: but Aaron is Quasi quis, that is, the Mi­nister is no bodie, because no bodie is despi­sed lyke him. Receiue a Prophete in the name of a Prophet: naye, Receiue a Pro­phet [Page 305] in the name of an enemie, as Ahab receiued Elias;1. King. 21. 20. Art thou here mine enemie? If Paule had liued in our dayes he would not haue said, Despise not the Prophets, but perse­cute not the Prophets, for he should haue seen not onely despisers of the Prophets, but moc­kers of them, not onely mockers, but slande­rers of them, not onely slanderers, but hunters and biters,Gen. 37 4. and smiters of them. Ioseph was troubled so soone as hee began to feed his Fa­thers sheepe, so the Pastours are troubled so soone as they beginne to feede their fathers sheepe, euerie man thinkes to finde friends a­gainst them, and though there be no lawe to hurt them, yet no man feares to accuse them, because authoritie doth disfauour them, they cannot tell how to preach, nor what to say, because there bee so manie Ahabs which woulde haue them say that which pleaseth them,1. Kin. 22. 13 though it be not true. Charme the charmer neuer so sweetely, let his song be ne­uer so pleasant, yet many adders are readie to stop their eares, & stop his mouth, like a bird which was smitten in her song, of the Archer whom she singeth vnto,1. Sa. 19. 20 euen as Saul let his speare flie at Dauid, while he played vpon his harpe to solace and comfort▪ and driue the e­uill spirite from him: so while we play vpon Dauids harpe to solace and comfort, & driue [Page 306] the euill spirite from you, many let the dartes of reproach, and the arrowes of slaunder flie at vs;1. King. 17. 18. saying, as the woman said to Eliah, If thou hadst not beene, my childe had not dyed: If wee had not bene, their peace had not dyed; if we had not bene, their sports had not dyed; if wee had not bene, their customes, and their titles, and their honors had not dyed. And why should not Herode and Archelaus dye,Mat. 2. 15. which sought the death of the childe? Why should not any custome, or honour, or plea­sure dye, which seeketh the death of religion? Alas (saith Ieremiah) what haue I done, Ier. 15. 10. that all men should curse mee? If wee do but preach the truth, you should not hate vs for the truth. Now Obadiah had neede to hide the Pro­phets again to saue them out of prison,1. K. 18. 3. 4 where is Rahab that shee might conuey away the seruants of God?Iosua 2. 1. Once Baals prophets were punished,2. K. 10. 19. but now Christes Prophets are punished:1. Sam. 9. 9. once they did aske, Where is the Seer that he may teach vs? but now they aske, where is the Seer, that we may take him? once they did builde houses for the prophets, lyke the Shunamite;2. Kin. 4. 10 but now they take their hou­ses from them, and thinke they doo God ser­uice, when they make them, & their wiues, & their children, & their seruants beggers; once Paul said to Timothie,1. Tim. 4. 12 Let no man despise thy [Page 307] youth; shewing that preachers should not be despised for their youth▪ but now they despise the yong prophets and the old too. How is the double honour turned to single honour? nay, how is our honour turned to dishonor.Mal. 1. 3. If I be a Master (saith God) where is my feare? so, if we be prophets, where is our reuerence? doth not the contempt of prophets cry vnto God, as well as the blood of Abel?Gen. 4. 10. When the mes­sengers which were sent vnto the vineyard for fruit, were beaten of them which should haue laden them; then it is said that the Lord of the vineyard waxed wroth,Mat. 21. 43 and said that he wold let the vineyarde vnto others, which should yeeld him the fruites thereof. The meaning hereof is this, that when the preachers & tea­chers which Christ sendeth to his Church for fruits, are abused & persecuted of them whom they call to the banket, then he will remooue their light and his Gospell to other which wil yeeld him the fruites thereof. Therefore what may this Land feare, which hath vsed Christs ambassadors as Ammon vsed Dauids ambas­sadors?2. Chro. 10. 4 Ierusalem is left without one prophet because she despised them, Sodome was bur­ned because she despised Lot, and the whole worlde was drowned because it despised No­ah; and are not these examples written for our warning?1. Sam. 28. 6 The time came that Saul sought for [Page 308] a Prophet, and God would not answere him by Prophets, because he had despised his Pro­phets before: so the time commeth when you shall aske where is the seer? and they shall say,2. Kin. 2. 11. he is rapt away like Elias: a Prophet was amongst vs, but when hee was despised in Ie­rusalem, he was sent to Nineueh. Is not iudge­ment begun alreadie? Doth not the Gospell stand at the doore, as if she were ready to take her leaue? Are we not come from despising of Prophets almost to the despising of Pro­phecying too? Do not many runne vnto the rulers, as yong Ioshua ranne to Moses, and crie master, forbid them to prophecie? Do not many walke in the streetes while wee preach in the Temple?Gen. 7 9. The beastes came to the arke [...] saue themselues, and men will not come to the Church to saue themselues: but wee may crie vnto them as the Children did to their fellowes in the market;Mat. 11. 17 We haue piped vnto you and you would not daunce, wee haue lamen­ted vnto you, and you woulde not mourne. Some come to heare vs, as Naaman came to Elisha, when the Prophet had tolde him what hee should doo, hee mocked him for it, hee thought that hee knew a better way than that himselfe.2. Kin. 5. 11. So they come to heare vs: but they thinke they can teach vs, but they must remember that Paule saith,1. Cor. 1. 27. God hath chosen [Page 309] the foolish to confound the wise; therefore if they thinke them selues wise, let them thinke vs those fooles whom God hath chosen to con­found them. For although at all other times we are plaine and simple as Iacob, yet at this time we haue a promise, and it is giuen to vs for your sake, to speake sometime that which we conceiue not our selues, because the houre is come wherein God hath appointed to call some of you, as he hath done some of you be­fore, therefore as the princely Spirite came vpon Saul when hee shoulde raigne,1. Sa. 11. 6. to teach him how he should rule, so the pro­pheticall spirite commeth vpon Preachers when they should teach, to teach them how they should speake:Mat. 3. 18. therefore as Christ was content to be baptized of Iohn, so bee you content to be instructed of vs, that (if wee bee more simple than you) the glorie of God may appeare more in conuerting you by vs.

Hath not this despising of the Preachers, almost made the preachers despise preach­ing? the peoples neglect of the prophets hath made the Prophets neglect prophecying? the Nonresident keepes himselfe away, because hee thinkes the people like him better, be­cause dee dooth not trouble them. And the droane neuer studieth to preach, for hee [Page 310] saith, that an Homelie is better liked of than a Sermon: and they which would studie Di­uinitie aboue all, when they looke vpon our contempt, and beggerie, and vexation, turne to Law, to Phisicke, or trades, or anie thing, rather than they will enter this contemptible calling. And is not the Arke then readie to depart from Israell?

Now if you will knowe what makes Pro­phets and prophecying so despised, you may see first in Ieroboams Priests. It is sayd, that Ieroboam made Israel to sinne; [...]. Kin. 15. 26 that is, Ierobo­am made Israell to contemne Religion, be­cause he made Priests of the basest of the peo­ple;1. Kin. 13. 33. therefore they which make Priests like Ieroboams Priests, make the people contemn the Priests & religion too. Why might none carrie the Arke but the Leuites?Deu. 10. 18. Was it not least the Arke (which was a signe of God) should be despised? Therefore none should meddle with the Word (which is the law of God) but they which are fit, least they make it despised. Anna said, I will not offer the child to God, 1. Sam. 1. 22 before he be weaned, that is, before he be taken from the dugge: but now they offer their children to God, before they be weaned, before they can go, before they can speake; and send them to fight the Lordes battailes, before they haue one stone in their hand to [Page 311] fling at Goliah;Mat. 4. that is, one Scripture to re­sist the Tempter. This is either because the Patrones, or the Bishoppes haue lime vpon their fingers; which makes them like blinde Isaac,Gen. 27. 11. that they take no heede whome they blesse.

The second thing which makes Prophets and prophecying despised, is the lewdnesse and negligence of them that are able to doe well in their Ministerie, and yet do contrary. It is said of Hophni and Phineas,1. Sa. 2. 17. that by their corrupt sacrificing, they made the peo­ple abhorre the sacrifices; so, many by their slubbering of the Word, (for want of studie and meditation) do make men thinke, that there is no more wisedome in the word of God, than they shew out of it: and therefore they stay at home, & say, they know as much as the preacher can teach them.

There is a kinde of Preachers risen vp but of late, which shrowde and couer euerie ru­sticall and vnsauerie, and childish, and absurd Sermon, vnder the name of the simple kind of teaching, like the Popish Priestes, which make ignorance the mother of deuotion: but indeede to preach simplie, is not to preache rudely, nor vnlearnedly, nor confusedly, but to preach plainly and perspicuously, that the simplest man may vnderstand what is taught [Page 312] as if he did heare his name. Therefore if you will knowe what makes manie Preachers preach so barely, and loosely, and simplie, it is your owne simplicitie, which makes them thinke that if they go on and say some thing, all is one, and no fault will be found because you are not able to iudge in or out; and so be­cause they giue no attendance to doctrine, as Paul teacheth them,1. Tim 4. 16 it is almost come to passe that in a whole Sermon the hearer can not picke out one note more than hee could ga­ther him selfe. Wheate is good, but they which sell the refuse of wheate are reproued, Amos the eight Chapter and sixt verse: so preaching is good, but this refuse of prea­ching is but like swearing, for one taketh the name of God in vain, and the other takes the word of God in vaine. As euerie sound is not musicke, so euerie Sermon is not preaching, but worse than if he should reade an Home­lie. In the eight and fortieth of Ieremiah, there is a curse vpon them which doe the bu­sinesse of the Lord negligently. If this curse doo not touch them which doo the chiefest businesse of the Lord negligently, truely I can not tell whome the Prophet meaneth. These woulde not haue prophecying de­spised, and yet they make it despised them­selues.

[Page 313] The last thing which makes Prophets and prophecying despised, is the diuersity of minds, while one holdeth one way, and another an­other way, some leaue all, and will be of no Religion, vntill both parties agree: as if a pa­tient should pine himselfe and eate no meate at all, because one Phisition sayth, that this meate will hurt him, and another sayth, that meate will hurt him. These are the three e­nemies, which make vs and our labours de­spised.

Now what shall we answere to our despi­sers? Reioyce not against mee, O mine enemie! (saith the Church) for I shall be raised: Micah. 7. so, De­spise not the Prophets, O ye Ismaelites, for they shall be honored.Act. 5. 3. Peter saith to Ananias and Saphira, You haue not lyed vnto men, but vnto God: so, you haue not despised man but God;Luk. 10. 16 for Christ saith, He which despiseth you, despiseth mee. VVhen Sathan slew Iobs ser­uants, his malice was agaiust Iob:Iob 1. 16. so, when you despise Gods seruants, your presumption is against God;Mat. 10. for That which you doo vnto them (saith Christ) you do vnto me. Why then if they despise Christ, Christ wil despise them, for he told Saul that he spurned against the pricke; that is, he spurned against that which would spurne against him. Therefore, if you giue vnto Christ when you giue vnto the [Page 314] poore; and if you honour Christ when you honour his Prophetes: as you giue vnto the poore for Christs sake, so despise not the pro­phets for Christs sake. If for all this we must be despised stil, then this is our remedie, Paul saith,2. Cor. 2. 15. Whatsoeuer wee are to you: yet wee are a sweet sauour to God, both in them which are sa­ued, and them which perish: that is, though we bring him word that you will not come to the banquet, yet we shalbe welcome without you. And so much of that.

After Despise not Prophecying, followeth▪ Trie all things: as if he should say, Despise not prophecying, but for all that try prophe­cying, lest you beleeue errour for truth: for as among Rulers, there bee bad Rulers: so a­mong Prophets therebe false Prophets. This made Christ warne his Disciples to beware of the leauen of the Pharisies,Mar. 8. 25. that is, of their false doctrine. This made Iohn say, Trie the Spirites. 1. Iohn 4. 1. And therefore wee reade in the sea­uenteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apo­stles and the eleuenth verse, how the men of Beroea would not receiue Paules doctrine be­fore they had tried it, and how did they trie it? It is sayd, that they searched the Scrip­ture. This is the way which Paule woulde teach you to trie other whereby he was try­ed him selfe: whereby you may see, that if [Page 315] you vse to reade the Scripture, you shal be a­ble to trie all doctrines: for the word of God is the touchstone of euery thing,Gen. 1. 2. like the light which God made to behold all his creatures; so is the Scripture to decide all questions, e­uerie doubt must come to the Word, and all cōtrouersies must be ended at this Tribunall, the Scripture must speake which is right, and which is wrong, which is truth, and which is errour, and all tongues must keepe silence to heare it: so God hath appointed that the Iudge of our controuersies, which he saith in the twelfth chapter of Iohn and the eight and fortieth verse, shall iudge vs in the last daye. Here a man may aske, If it be so that God would haue vs to trie all our Religion by the Scripture, and not by Fathers, nor by Doc­tors, nor by Councels, nor by Angell, nor by Pope; how then do the Papists say, we must beleeue as the Church beleeueth? and neuer looke into the Scripture, whether our tea­chers say as God saith, but take it vpon their credit, as a blind man eateth his meate.

A man trieth his horse which must beare him, and shall hee not trie his faith which must saue him? Paule saith, Let euerie one be able to giue a reason of his faith. Is this a rea­son of our faith to say, I beleeue so, because Rome beleeueth so? or rather because that [Page 316] the word doth teach me so. It will not an­swer for them which die in heresie, to say, the Priests taught vs so; no more than it would excuse Eue to say,Gen. 3. 13. the Serpent taught her so: for God saith, Be not deceiued, neither by ser­pent, nor by Prophet, nor by Angell. There­fore I conclude with Paule, Despise not Pro­phecying, lest the Gospell be taken from you; and yet trie prophecying, lest you receiue er­ror for truth.

As we are to trie doctrines, so Paul would haue vs to trie our thoughts, and our spee­ches, and our actions: therefore he saith, Trie all things. He doth not bid vs take a tast of all sinnes and vanities, as Salomon did to trie them; for they are tried alreadie: but that we should set the word of God alway before vs like a rule, & beleeue nothing but that which it teacheth, loue nothing but that which it prescribeth, hate nothing but that which it forbiddeth, doo nothing but that which it commaundeth; and then we trie all things by the word. As the Eunuch sayd, How should I vnderstand without an Interpreter? Act. 8. 31. so thou mayest say: Howe should I trie without the word, which is the touchstone of good and euill?

Now, when wee haue tried by the word which is truth, and which is error; what shuld [Page 317] we doo then?Mat. 2. 2. Keep that which is best: that is, stay at the truth, as the wise men stayed when they came to Christ. We must keep and hold the truth, as a man gripeth a thing with both his handes; that is, defend it with thy tongue, maintain it with thy purse, further it with thy labour, in danger, and trouble, and losse, and displeasure, come life, come death; thinke, as Christ did seale the truth with his blood, so thou must seale it with thy blood, or else thou doost not keepe it, but let it goe. Well dooth Paul put Trie before Choose, for he which tri­eth may chuse the best; but he which chuseth before he trie, takes the worst sooner than the best: and therefore the Popes priests because the people should take superstition before re­ligion, will neuer let them haue the Touch­stone, but keep them from the Scripture, and locke it vp in an vnknowen tongue, which they cannot skill of, least they should try their doctrines,Act. 17. like the men of Boerea, making re­ligion a craft, as men call their trades. There­fore, as Iosiah reioyced that the booke of God was found againe; so we may reioyce that the booke of God is found againe: for when the people might not reade it, it was all one as if they had lost it.

After Trie all things, and keepe the best: fo­loweth, Abstaine from all appearance of euill: [Page 318] As if hee should saie, That is like to be best which is so farre from euill, that it hath not the appearance of euill; and that is like to be the truth which is so farre from errour, that it hath not the shewe of errour; whereby hee sheweth, that nothing should be brought in­to the Church, or added to our Religion, but that which is an vndoubted truth without suspition of errour. It is not inough to bee perswaded of our faith, but we must be assu­red of it; for Religion is not built vppon doubtes, but vpon knowledge. Here we may maruell why Paul biddeth vs Abstaine from all appearance of euill: because sinne, and he­resie, and superstition are hypocrites; that is, Sinne hath the appearance of Vertue and he­resie hath the appearance of Truth, & Super­stition hath the appearance of Religion: but by this the Apostle doth note, that there is no Sinne, nor Heresie, nor Superstition, but if the visor bee taken away from it, it will appeare to be a Sinne, and Heresie, and Superstition, though at the first sight the visor doo make it seeme none, because it couereth the euill, like a painted Sepulcher vpon wormes and rotten bones.

Heereby wee are taught to iudge of all thinges as they are, and not as they seeme to bee. As wee drawe aside the curtaine before [Page 319] we beholde the picture: so wee must re­mooue our prudence and all surmises, and then behold the thing naked as it is, if we will know it indeed.

Heere I might admonish them which se­parate themselues from our Church: As Paul sayth, Examine whether you bee in the faith: so examine whether you haue the shewe of errour. Hath it not the shewe of errour, to broach a Religion which was neuer heard of before? Hath it not the shewe of errour, to retaine an opinion, which the Author him­selfe hath recanted? as though yee would sucke vp that which the Dogge hath vomi­ted? Hath it not the shewe of errour, to af­firme, that those preachers may not bee heard, which (by their owne confessions) haue conuerted them to the Knowledge of God, and dailie conuert other? Hath it not the shewe of errour, to affirme that the Lordes prayer may not bee vsed for a pray­er, which for anie thing that wee or they can reade, was so vsed from the begin­ning?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to saie that no man may vse anie set prayer? seeing there bee manie prayers, and psalmes, and blessings in the holie Scripture, which were vsed in the same forme? Hath it not the shew [Page 320] of error, to affirme that we haue no Church; and yet to graunt that our Martyrs which di­ed in Poperie, were true members of the Church? Hath it not the shewe of errour to affirme that two or three may excommuni­cate all the rest without a Minister, seeing the Pastor is the mouth of the church? hath it not the shew of error to affirm, that the church of Christ was euer inuisible before this age, and that it is such a small flock as their nūber is? & that it hath set foote no where but in Eng­land? Hath it not the shewe of error to hold that for sound and good religion, which is al­tered euerie day, adding and detracting, as though a man should make a Religion of his owne inuention, so fast as new conceits come into his braine? Let them thinke that Paul saith vnto them,Rom. 12. 3. Be wise vnto sobrietie, and suspect that construction which your selues deuised;Pro. 4. 27. for Salomon saith, There is an error vpon the right hand, as well as vpon the left, that is, (as I may call it) the zealous error, and if this bee not it, I knowe none within this Land.

Yet, shall I say that we haue not the shewe of error? Nay, I would that we were but in the shew of error. I may not call euill good, no more then I may call good euill; and ther­fore let vs pull out the beame out of our own [Page 321] eyes, as we would pull the moate out of their eyes. If Paul would haue vs abstaine from e­uerie appearance of euill, sure hee would haue vs abstaine from heresie and from idolatrie; for these are the greatest euils. But if wee bee not idolaters, yet we haue the shewe of idola­trie; if we be not of Antichrists religion, yet we are of Antichrists fashion, so long as we haue the same vestures, and the same orders, and the same titles that Antichrist knoweth his ministers by. It is said, that the Serpents sting is in his taile, and so it seemes:Nu. 33. 55. for this taile of Antichrist (which the Pope hath left behinde him, like an euill sauour) is vnto vs as the remnants of the Chanaanites were vnto the Iewes: they should haue destroyed all the Chanaanites, but because they spared some, therefore they whom they left were goades in their sides, and pricks in their eies, that they could neuer be quiet for them; so wee should haue expelled the head and the taile too of Antichrist, but because we did not, therefore the remnants of Poperie are goades in our sides, and prickes in our eyes, that wee cannot yet be quiet for them. Therefore let vs pray that he which hath taken away the euill, will take away the shew of euill too.

I Haue chose a Text which is the summe of the Bible. For all Scripture runneth vpon Christ lyke the Title of a booke, because hee is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of mans saluation:Reue. 1. 8. therefore he is figured in the Law, foretold in the Prophets, and fulfilled in the Gospel. Some places point to his Diuinitie, some to his humanitie, some to his Kingdom, some to his Priesthood, some to his Prophecie, some to his Conception, some to his Birth, some to his life, some to his miracles, some to his Passion, some to his Re­surrection, some to his Ascention, some to his Glorification; all poynt to the Sauiour, lyke Iohn Baptist,Ioh. 1. 29. when hee saide, This is [Page 324] the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde. Therefore learne Christ, and learne all. Now to teach vs how we shuld heare, and how we should loue, and how we should feare, and how we should beleeue, and how we should follow Christ, that wee may knowe when wee haue learned him: the Apostle saith, Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ: as though this word did containe all our du­ties vnto Christ, to put him on: (which seemes to bee the leuell of this phrase, if you marke how it commeth in) for before Paule sayth, Cast away the workes of darknesse, Verse 12. and put on the armour of light: then hee nameth the workes of darknes which we should cast off, that is,Verse 13. gluttonie, drunkennesse, strife, enuie, chambering, wantonnesse; after hee nameth the armour of light,Verse 14. which we should put on, and calleth it by the name of the giuer, The Lord Iesus Christ. In stead of gluttonie, and drunkennesse, and strife, and chambering, and wantonnesse, and other patches of the Diuell, wherewith man cloatheth himselfe as with a Garment; the Apostle giueth him an other Garment,Psa. 109. 18 which hee calleth Iesus Christ: hee doth not oppose vertue to vice, as one would thinke when he had sayd, Cast off gluttonie, he should haue said, Put on so­brietie: when hee had said, Cast off wanton­nesse, [Page 325] he should haue said, Put on continen­cie: when he said, Cast off enuie, he should haue said, Put on loue: But in stead of all ver­tues, he commendeth the example of Christ for euerie vertue, and opposeth it to euerie vice: as if he should say, He which thinketh onely to follow Christ, needeth not bee led by the hand frō vertue to vertue, but his ex­ample will teach him what he shall follow, and what he shall flie, better than all precepts in the world. Therfore this is the best thought in euerie action for a man to thinke, what Christ would do, which was made not one­ly redemption and saluation to saue vs,1. Cor. 1. 30 [...] wisdome and example to guide vs. Therfore hee saith,Mat. 11. 20 Learne of mee, and followe mee: as though we should thinke before we speake whether hee would speake so,Mar. 10. 21 and consider before we do, whether he would do so; and doe all by his example as the Scholler wri­teth by his coppie: or else we do not learne of him, but of our selues; and then we go a­wrie, like a childe which scribleth without a rule. If thou resoluest to speake and doe no otherwise than Christ would speake and doe himself, thou shalt be sure to do al things wel, because thou followest a straight patterne: therefore studie what this meaneth, To put on Christ. It is a strange speech, & a strange Gar­ment. [Page 326] They which cannot tell (like Nicode­mus) what Christ meaneth when he sayeth,Iohn 3. 4. that we must be borne againe, cannot tell what Paul meaneth when he sayth, Put on Christ: as if one man should put on another, I thinke manie here may go to the Apostle, as the Apostles went to Christ, and aske of him, Maister, expound to vs, what is the pa­rable?

This phrase is read in none but Paul, which hath written most of iustification by Christ: and therefore he vseth all fit phrases,Gal. 3. 27. to ex­presse how we should applie Christ vnto vs; and in no tearmes hee hath shewed it more liuely than in this phrase, Put on Christ: for it signifieth that Christ dooth couer vs like a Garment, and defend vs also safely like an armour. [...]om. 4. 7. Hee hideth our vnrighteousnesse with his righteousnesse, he couereth our dis­obedience with his obedience, hee shadow­eth our death with his death, that the wrath of God can not finde vs, iudgement can not spie vs, the curse can not see vs,Gen. 37. 29. for the Gar­ment which couereth and hideth vs. But, as Iacob got the blessing in the name and ap­parell of Esau his elder brother: so in the name and apparell of Christ our elder bro­ther, we receiue the blessing, and are recei­ued into fauour like Christ him selfe. For [Page 327] God sayth not, This is my beloued Sonne, which pleaseth me,Mat. 3. 17. but, In whom I am plea­sed; meaning, that not onely Christ pleaseth God,1. Cor. 11. 3. but we please God in Christ; for Christ is our head.

Therefore, as one looking in the face of a man, dooth like him straight if hee like his face:Ephes. 5. 23. so, God beholding vs in the face of Christ, doth loue vs straight, because the face dooth please him. But Christ is not our head vnlesse we be his members, Christ is not our garment vnlesse we put him on: as Christ did put on our Garment when he cloathed him­self with our flesh; and tooke our infirmities and bore our curse: so wee must put on his Garment, that is, his righteousnesse, his me­rites,Reu. 3. 4. and his death, which is as strange a ve­sture to vs, as our flesh was to him, and much a doo wee haue to put it on, and when it is on, there is great cunning to weare it cleanly and comely from soyling and renting, that such a precious Garment bee not taken from vs againe.Mat. 22. 11

Therefore many seeme to weare this Gar­ment which shall be thrust from the banket,Mat. 7. 23. because they weare it not: as those which will say, when the Lord shall come to iudgement, We haue seene thee in our streetes,Luk. 13. 26. we haue heard thee in our Sinagogues, we haue pro­phecied, [Page 328] we haue cast out Diuels, we haue wrought miracles by thy name: as though if anie had put him on, or borne his markes, they were the men which were marked like his seruants: therfore who but they shall en­ter into Heauen?Luke. 13. 27 Yet Christ saith, I know you not: there is their reward, I know you not: as if he should answere, You weare not my li­uerie, you beare not my cognisance for all your shewes, therefore depart from me: so he put them off, because they had not put him on: for though they had seene his person, and heard of his vertues, yet they had no faith to apply his mercies, his merits, his death and his righteousnesse vnto them, without which no man can put on Christ nor weare him. Faith is the hand which putteth him on, Faith ta­keth first his righteousnesse and couereth her vnrighteousnes, then she taketh his obedience and couereth her disobedience, then she ta­keth his patience, and couereth her impati­encie, then she taketh his temperancie, & co­uereth her intemperancie, then she taketh his continencie, and couereth her incontinencie, then she taketh his costancie, and couereth her inconstancie, then she taketh his faith, and couereth her diffidence: then she taketh his humilitie, and couereth her pride: then shee taketh his loue, and couereth her rancour: [Page 329] and so taketh one robe after another, and tricketh her selfe, vntill she haue put on Iesus Christ, that is, vntill she appeare in the sight of God, like Iesus Christ, clothed with his merites and graces: that God hath no power to bee angrie with her, because shee com­meth so like his sonne. This is to put on Ie­sus Christ, as you shall see more liuely, when you haue taken a view of the Garment, for we are to speake of Christ the Garment, and of our putting it on. There be many fashions of apparell, but they are too light, or too hea­uie, or too sad, or too course, or too stale, and all weare out. At last the Apostle found a fa­shion that surpasseth them all: it is neuer out of fashion, meete for all seasons, fit for all per­sons, & such a profitable weed, that the more it is worn, the fresher it is. What fashion haue you seene comparable to this?2. Sa. 10. 4. It is not like the clothes of Dauids Ambassadours, which couered their vpper parts; nor like Sauls ar­mour,1. Sa. 17. 29 which tired Dauid when hee should fight with it:2. Kin. 14. 2. nor like the counterfait of Iero­boams wife, which disguised her selfe to go vnknowen: nor like the olde ragges of the Gibeonites,Ioshu. 9. 4. 5 which deceiued Iosua: nor like the paultrie sute of Micah,Iud. 17. 10. which hee gaue once a yeare to his Leuite:Mat. 11. 8. nor like the glut­tons flaunt which ietted in purple euery day: [Page 330] nor like the light clothes which Christ sayd are in kings Courts, and make them lighter that weare them. But it is like the garment of the high Priest,Exod. 28. 21 which had all the names of the Tribes of Israell written vpon his breast: so all the names of the faithfull are written in the breast of Christ,Mal. 3. 16. and registred in the book of his merites:2. Kings 2. 8 it is like Elias mantle, which diuided the waters: So he diuideth our sinnes and punishments, that they which are clothed with Christ, are armed both against sinne and death.Deut. 26. 5. It is like the garments of the Israelites in the wildernesse, which did not weare; for­tie yeares together they wandered in the de­sert, and yet saith Moses, their shooes were not worne, but their aparell was as when they came out of Egypt: So the righteousnesse of Christ doth last for euer, and his mercies are neuer worne out.Hest. 6. 11. As Mardocheus shined in the kings roabes before the people: so and more glorious are the faithfull in the roabes of Christ before God.Mat. 17. 2. When Christ was transfigured vpon the mount, Mathew saith that his face shined like the Sun, & his clothes were as white as the light:Psal. 136. 1 So when we are transfigured into the image of Christ, wee shall shine before other men like lights, and therefore Christs disciples are called Lights, because they were clothed with light,Mat. 5. 14. and shi­ned [Page 331] to the world.Mat. 6. 29. Salomō was not so glorious in all his royaltie, nor the Lillies which are brauer than Salomon, as he which is clothed with Christ, because the apparel vpon him is better than al the world about him. Therfore if Dauid said,2. Sa. 1. 14. Weepe ye daughters of Israel, for Saul which clothed you in purple: I may say, re­ioyce ye daughters of Israel, for Christ which hath clothed you with righteousnes, as it were with a vesture, before you come to y^t banket.

This is the Wedding Garment,Mat. 22. 12. without which no man can feast with the Lord. This Garment is called an Armour, Ephes. 6. 11. because it de­fendeth vs from all the assaults of the diuell, the flesh, the world, the heate of persecution, and the cold of defection. This Garment is called Light,Rom. 13. 2. because it is the beautie & glo­rie of them which weare it. This Garment is called a Kingdome, because none but Kings do weare it,Mat. 6. 3. that is, they are inthroned in the kingdome of Christ, & made kings ouer the world, the flesh, and Satan: which weare this Garment like the haire of Sampson, which while he wore he was like a king,Iud. 16. 6. and all his enemies had no power to hurt him.

This Garment Paul hath sent vnto you, to go before the king of heauen and earth, a holy Garment, a royal Garment, an immacu­late garment, an euerlasting garment: a gar­ment [Page 332] whereof euerie hem is peace of consci­ence, euerie pleate is ioy in the holy Ghost, e­uerie stitch is the remission of some sinne, and saueth him which weareth it. If shee which touched the hemme of Christs garment was healed, he which weareth the Garment, nay, he which weareth Christ him selfe, shall not he be healed of all his sores, though he were wounded from head to foote? You need not cloath him now which saith,Mat. 25. 43 When I was na­ked ye did not cloath me, Mat. 21. 8. nor cast your gar­ments in the way,Gen. 9. 23. as they did,Luke 10. 34 when he came to Ierusalem, but take his Garments, and suf­fer your selues to be clothed, as Noah did, to couer your nakednesse.This Sa­maritane doth not signifie Christ, but yet may be resem­bled to Christ. As the good Samari­tane put him vpon his owne beast which was spoiled with theeues, and bound vp his sores, when hee was wounded: So Christ Iesus mounteth the faithfull vpon his righteous­nesse, and healeth their sinnes, as though he should couer them with his garments, whom the world,Gen. 3. 1. the flesh, and the diuell haue rob­bed of their garments, that is, the righteous­nesse which they had in Paradise before the serpent came: so if we put on Christ, we are clothed with his obedience, wherby our wic­kednes is couered: we are clothed with his me­rits, wherby our sins are forgiuen: we are clo­thed with his spirit, whereby our hearts are [Page 333] mollified and sanctified, and renued, til we re­semble Christ himselfe. This is the Apostles meaning, to put on Christ, as it is vnfolded in Col. 3. 12. Where he brings forth all the robes of Christ,Vers [...] 10. and sorts them, & saith, put on mer­cie, put on meeknes, put on humilitie, put on patience, put on loue, all which before he cal­led the new man. So that to put on Christ, is to put on the new man with all his vertues, vntill wee be renued to the Image of Christ, which is like a new man amongst men. They which labour to be righteous, and yet beleeue that Christs righteousnes shal saue them, haue put on Christ as Paule would haue them. We are not taught to put on Angels, nor Saints, nor the virgin Mary, nor Paul himselfe, to co­uer our sinnes with their righteousnes, as the Papists do: but we are commanded to put on Christ, and couer our sinnes with his righte­ousnes. The bodie hath manie Garments, but the soule hath one Garment. Euery clout will couer our sores, but the finest silke wil not co­uer our sinnes. Therfore when we seeme braue to others, we seeme foule to God, because his eie is vpon our sins, which lie naked whē al the rest is couered, vntil we put on Christ, & then we hear y^t voice,Mat. 9. [...]. Thy sins are couered, & thē we haue that blessing,Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose sin is couered: so we are clothed & blessed together. [Page 334] Yet this garment is out of request, too rough for some, too graue for others, too base for o­thers. And therefore in stead of putting on Christ,Luk. 11. 37. they put him off, in stead of welcom­ming him,Mat. 8. 34. they discharge him, like the Gada­rens, that they may keepe their swine, that is their beastly pleasures, which he wold cast in­to the sea.Ma. 27. These are like the foolish souldiers which should haue made Christ their Gar­ment, and they cast lots vpon his Garments, and diuided them, and so spoiled them. So do the Papists deale with this Garment, they say it is not fit for them, and therfore they breake it, and mangle it, and peece it with ragges of their owne inuentions: they say it is too light, and not able to beare off the stormes of death and heate of hell, and therefore choose rather to make themselues garments of their me­rites, and their masses, and their penance, and their pardons, and their pilgrimages: like A­dam and Eue,Gen. 3. 7. 31 which made themselues coates of fig leaues, which God destroyed againe, to shewe that when men haue patched all their leaues of masses, of pardons, of pilgrimages, & satisfactions together, yet they will not couer their nakednesse, nor keepe off the heate of Gods wrath, but are like the curtall skirtes of Dauids Ambassadors,2. Sa. 29. 4. which hidde not their shame. Therefore when wee may goe in our [Page 335] masters attyre, shall we scrubbe like beggers patched in our ragges?Iob. 9. 31. Mine owne garments defile mee, saith Iob: Our owne Garmentes, our owne righteousnes defileth vs, for what garment, what righteousnes haue we of our owne,Esa. 64. 6. but that which is like a menstruous cloth, which had more neede to be washed it self, thā to wipe that which is foule? Therfore Christ must make vs Garments, or else when our backes flaunt it like Courtiers, our soules shall strip like beggers. And the diuels will sport themselues like Cham,Gen. 9. 22. to see our na­kednesse.

First, the Father made vs Garmentes in Paradise,Gen 3. 21. now the Sonne makes vs Garments in the Wildernesse, nay, the Sonne is made our Garment, as Paul saith, Christ is made vn­to vs righteousnesse: 1. Cor. 1. 30. that is, Christs righteous­nesse must be our Garment, or else we shall be ashamed when our righteousnesse doeth not reach to couer our nakednesse, but still some part will peepe bare vntill he cast his righte­ousnesse vpon it,1. Sa. 17. 42. and then all is couered. As Dauid needed no other armour against the Giant than a sling: so we need no other Gar­ment against sinne than Christ. There wan­teth nothing but this, to put it on.

Now let vs see how to put this Garment on. Many fumble about it, like childrē which [Page 326] had neede of one to put on their cloathes. Some put on Christ like a precious head tire, which all day is worne, beautified with iew­els, and beset with gemmes, to make the face seeme more amiable: but at night, that riches is layd aside, and the head muffled with some regardlesse tyre. Thus do our curious women put on Christ, who when they heare the mes­sengers of grace offering this Garment, and preparing to make the bodie fit to bee garni­shed with so glorious a vesture, as Paul did the Romanes, first washing away drunken­nes and gluttony, then chambring and wan­tonnes, then strife and enuie, and so sinne af­ter sinne, they seeme like the stonie grounde to receiue it with ioy, and thinke to beautifie their head with this precious ornament: but when hee tels them there is no communion between Christ & Belial, that if this Garment be put on, all other vanities must be put off; they then turne their day into darknesse, and reiect Christ, that woulde bee an eternall crowne of beautie to their heades, and wrap their temples in the vncomely rags and refuse of euerie Nations pride: and in these toyes they cause their seruants to spend manie ho­wers on euerie day in the weeke, but especi­allie on the Sabboth day to decke their bo­dies, as if they were but little children, which [Page 337] had neede of one to put on their cloathes. Some put on Christ as a cloake, which han­geth vpon their shoulders, & couereth them: when they goe abroad to bee seene of men, they can cast on the cloake of holinesse, and seeme for a while as holie as the best; but so soone as they come home, the cloake goeth off, & the man is as hee was, whose vizard was better than his face. Thus Hypocrites put on Christ, as many retaine vnto Noble men, not to doe them anie seruice, but to haue theyr countenance. Many put on Christ like a hat which goeth off to euerie one which meetes them: so euerie temptation which meetes them, makes them forget what they heard, what they promised, what they resolued, and change their way, as though they had not re­pented at all. So the common people (lyke your selues) put on Christ, they are zealous so long as they are in the Church, and beate their breasts,Luk 18. 11. and cast vp their eyes like the Publican, when they heare a sentence which mooues them, as though they would do no more against that saying while they liue: but the next businesse putteth all out of mind, till they come to the Church againe. Some put on Christ as a gloue, which couereth but the hand; so they put on the face of Christ, or the tongue of Christ: but their hands worke, [Page 338] and their feete walke, as they did before: So manie professours of Religion put on Christ, which call but for discipline and reformati­on, that they might get a name of zeale and sinceritie, to couer some fault, which they would not be suspected of. Thus euery man would couer himselfe with Christ, but they haue not the skill, or they haue not the will to put him on. What will you do then? Though the Garment bee neuer so good, yet it is not good to them that do not weare it: for what profite haue we of the Garments which we doe not weare? they neither keepe vs from heate, nor colde. Therefore Paul doth not bring you a Garment to laye by you for the moaths, but he bids you put it on. Here is the cunning now in putting it on. If Paule had taught vs this, then you would hearken vnto him. Well, you shall heare what Paul saith to the putting it on.

First (saith Paul) you must cast away the workes of darknesse,Verse 12. and then put on the ar­mour of light: first you must put off, and then put on. As the Eagles feathers will not lye with anie others feathers, but consume them which lye with them: so the Wedding Gar­ment will not bee worne with filthie Gar­ments,1. Sam. 5. 8. but scornes like the Arke that Dagon should stand by it. If any man may not weare [Page 339] womens apparell for lightnes; may he weare the diuels apparell, and cloath himselfe with pride, with couetousnes, with enuie, with hy­pocrisie, with vncleannesse, and when hee is like the diuell,Matt. 2. 21 sit at Gods table? No man (saith Christ) patcheth a new peece to an olde Garment, and wilt thou patch an olde peece to a new Garment? God forbad the people to weare linsey wolsey,Leu. 19. 15. because it was a signe of inconstancie: but this is incōstancie it self.

He doth not put on Christ, but putteth off Christ and putteth on Belial,Ioh. 19. 23. which fashions himselfe to God, [...]eu. 3. 15. and the Worlde too. As Christes coate was without seame, so they must bee without stayne that weare it. For when a man putteth on faire clothes, hee ma­keth himselfe faire too, and auoydeth euerie foule thing, lest it should fowle his cloathes: so must he which putteth on Christ; for the finest Garment is soonest stained. Therefore when thou hast put on this Garment, thou must wash thy selfe, and picke thy way, and choose thy workes, and handle nothing that is foule for marring thy cloathes, that is, thou must not thinke as thou diddest, nor speake as thou diddest, nor liue as thou diddest, but remember that thou hast chaunged thy ma­ster,Iude 3. & serue him with whom thou art bound. For if God and the diuell coulde not agree [Page 340] vpon Moses bodie, for one to haue one part, and the other another part, but God would haue all: much lesse will God agree that the diuell should haue part of the soule, which would not yeeld him part of the bodie. Thus haue you heard what you must put off: now heare how Christ must be put on. As the An­gell taught Iohn to reade the Booke,Reuel. 10. 9. when he bad him eate it: so we must put on Christ, as if wee did eate him, not as the Papists doe in their Masse, but as the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie, & goeth through euerie part of man: so Christ and his Word should goe from part of part, from eare to heart, from heart to mouth, from mouth to hand, til we be of one nature with them, that they bee the verie substance of our thoughts, and speeches, and actions, as the meate is of our bodie. This is to eate Christ and his Word,Ephe. 3. 30. or else we do not eate them, but chew them, & when our taste is satisfied, spue them out againe. Thus we must put on Christ: for the Worde signifieth so to put him on: as if thou wouldest put him in, that he may be one with thee, and thou with him, as it were in a bodie together. As hee hath put on all our in­firmities, so we must put on all his graces, not halfe on, but all on, and claspe him to vs, and gird him about vs, and weare him, euen as we [Page 341] weare our skinne, which is alway about vs. Then there shall be no neede of Wyres, nor curles, nor perriwigs: the husbands shall not be forced to racke their rents, nor inhaunce their fines, nor sell their lands, to decke their wiues;2. Kin. 2. 13. but as the poore mantle of Eliah see­med better to Elisha than all the roabes of Salomon: so the Wedding Garment shall seeme better than all the flaunts of vanitie; & put euery fashion out of fashion, which is not modest and comely like it selfe. If you will know farther how to put on Christ, you shall see how your Text will Catechize you in his three names, Lord, Iesus, Christ. The Apo­stle seemeth to spell out the way vnto vs, how we should weare this Garment: First we must put him on as Lord; then we must put him on as Iesus; lastly, we must put him on as Christ. Thou must put him on as Lord, that is, thy ruler to command thee, thy tutor to gouerne thee, and thy master to direct thee: thou must be no mans seruant but his, take no mans part against him,Acts. 4. 19. but say with the Apostle, Whe­ther is it meete to obey God, Iosua hath the like name, but not from God, nor to that end. or you? Thou must put him on as Iesus, that is, thy Sauiour in whom thou trustest, thy protector on whom thou dependest, thy redeemer in whom thou beleeuest: thou must not look for thy saluatiō from Angel, nor Saint, nor anie thing beside [Page 342] him. For the name of Iesus signifieth a Saui­our, and is giuen to none but him; and he is not onely called the Sauiour, but the Saluati­on,Luk. 1. 69. in the Song of Simeon; to shew that he is the onely Sauiour; for there may be many Sa­uiours,Iudg. 3. 9. but there can be but one saluation: as there may be many tortures, and yet but one death. Therefore, when hee is called the Sal­uation, it implieth that there is no Sauiour be­side him.Luk. 3. 35. Thou must put him on as Christ, that is,Act. 3. 22. a King to rule, a Prophet to teach, a Priest to praie and sacrifice,Heb. 8. 3. and pacifie the wrath of God for thee.Mat. 1. 16. For this name Christ doth signifie that hee was annoynted a King, a Priest,Heb. 1. 8. and a Prophet for man: a King to rule him, a Priest to offer sacrifice for him, a Prophet to teach him. So that hee putteth on Christ as Lord, which worshippeth none but him, hee putteth on Christ as Iesus, which beleeueth in none but him;Gal. 3. 17. and he putteth on Christ as Christ, which worshippeth none but him, beleeueth in none but him, and hea­reth none but him.

You put on Christ first, when you are bap­tized: then you were sealed and consecrated to his seruice: so soone as you came into the world, you vowed to renounce the world and follow God. How many haue put on Christ thus, and since haue put him off againe? which [Page 343] haue broken the first promise that euer they made,Rom. 6. 3. and were neuer faithfull to God since. You put on Christ againe,Eph. 4. 22. when you are cal­led and sanctified; that is, when you cast off the olde man, which is corrupt with the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life, and the cares of this worlde; and put on the newe man, which is regenerate in righteousnesse & holinesse, to the Image of Christ, or likenesse of Adam in his innocencie:Rom. 12. 2. for to put on the new man, is to become a newe man, as if thou were borne againe, and conceiued of the holie Ghost. Of this Iob speaketh when he sayth,Iob. 29. 14. I put on Iu­stice, 1. Cor. 10. 16 and it couered mee. You put on Christ a­gaine, when you receiue his holy Sacrament, and are partakers of his bodie and blood, that is, the merites of his obedience and passion by Faith, which heareth him as if she did see him, and seeth him as if she did feele him▪ and feeleth him as if she did taste him, and tasteth him as if she did digest him, then Christ is be­come yours, and dwelleth in you, and feedeth you with his grace to eternal life, as the bread and wine sustaineth the life present. Lastly, when you haue put on Christ in these three sortes,Phil. 3. 21. which is your Garment for this world;1. Cor. 15. 49▪ after you shall put on Christ in heauen, and be cloathed with his glorie, and that shall be your last vesture, which shall neuer weare out.

[Page 344] Thus haue you heard what is ment by put­ting on Christ: first to cloath our selues with righteousnes and holines like Christ; & then because our own righteousnes is too short to couer our armes, and legges, and thighes of sinne, but still some bare place will peere out and shame vs in the sight of God, therefore we must borrow Christes Garments,Gen. 27. 15. as Ia­cob did his brothers; and couer our selues with his righteousnes, that is, beleeue that his righteousnes shal supply our vnrighteousnes, & his sufferings shal stand for our sufferings, because he came to fulfill the lawe, and beare the curse, and satisfie his Father for vs, that all which beleeue in him might not die,Iohn 3. 16. but haue life euerlasting.

Now I haue shewed you this goodly Gar­ment, you must go to another to helpe you to put it on; and none can put this Garment vpon you, but he which is the Gar­ment, the Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore to him let vs pray.

HAuing alreadie shewed you a kingdome, nowe I will shew you wherein this kingdome consisteth, and in what it doth not cōsist, as in the fourteenth of the Romanes, hee sheweth that it consisteth not in meates and drinkes, &c. but in righteousnesse, and peace, & ioy in the holy Ghost. But because I am to speake of some vices which this text calleth me vnto, I [Page 346] will first proceede in them, beseeching you, as you can heare them to bee condemned, so speedily to proceed in execution, to put them to death, and so to go forward with the rest of your sinnes.

Let vs walke honestly as in the day, not in gluttonie and drunkennesse, &c. As if he should saie, know you that I bidde you put away from you the workes of darknesse, he nameth not all the workes of darkenesse, but chiefly those that doe raigne and are cause of more wickednesse, that is, gluttonie, drunkennesse, strife and enuying, &c. three monsters come out of hell, and trouble the whole worlde, therefore cast off these, and you haue cast off all.

Now to speake of them, I wil begin where the vices begin, and as I point them out vnto you, so I pray you to slay them, as if you had marshall lawe in your handes to put them to death. By this narration the Apostle sheweth the chaine of sinne, how one sinne will draw on another after it, for no sinne is so base, that it will goe alone, wherefore resist all sinnes or none, for if you entertaine one sinne, it will presently drawe another after it, and so the whole house will be full of theeues, as Gehezi his pride made him to lye, and Adams fall made him to excuse himselfe, & Peters deni­all [Page 347] made him sweare, and after his swearing, made him curse himselfe, &c. for the sinner cannot staie after he hath committed one sin, to commit another, nor till hee hath come to the bottome, euen to the bottome of hell. If I should stand to anatomize and paint out all vices in their kinde, I should craue a longer time than is allotted to mee, therefore I will briefly touch them.

As huge as the sea is, yet one maye taste the saltnesse of it in a droppe, so in one sinne you may see how ill fauoured all the rest bee, for there is no sinne but weakeneth the bodie, shorteneth the life, corrupteth and consumeth the goods, preuenteth grace, and maketh vs odious to GOD and to Angels. You are giuen to hate your enemies, these are they, therefore hate them: they keepe you from repentance, least you should bee saued, wherefore I wil shew you what is in this box, lest the same goe to your eyes and so blinde you.

Walke not in gluttonie, drunkennesse, & strife, &c. These come lyke fayre Ladies, with presents in their handes to wooe the vnstable soule of man, Gluttonie commeth with the pleasure of the flesh, Drunkennesse with the satisfying of the thirst, Strife with the reuenge of the enemie.

[Page 348] And first what gluttonie and drunkennes offereth, and how many haue bene deceiued with their sweete meates and strong drinkes, till all haue bene turned into a bellie, and so turned the body into sinne, dayly experience teacheth vs.

Now by the way, the Apostle (we must note) doth approue sobrietie & vertue, that as a man may drinke and not be drunken, so he may eate that he loueth, and not glut him­selfe; for he forbiddeth not to eate meate, but not to eate too much, lest thou surfet, for the golden meane is good for all things. Salomon doth not forbid to eate honie, but eate not too much, lest thou surfet. As the bodie may not offend the soule, so the soule may not in­iurie the bodie, lest it bee vnfit to serue the soule.

Manie there bee that thinke they haue not sinned in gluttony til they surfet, but this is gluttonie in excesse, and punisheth it selfe with many diseases, as dulnes of wit, want of memorie, and shortnes of life. Now that you may sinne in gluttonie, and not to surfet, ap­peareth by the rich man in the sixteenth of Luke, who fared deliciouslie euerie day, and neuer surfeted, yet for all that hee is called a glutton, to teach vs that there be gluttons which do not surfet. This kinde of sin much [Page 349] displeaseth God, when men eate and drinke and rise vp to play, and remember not the af­flictions of Ioseph and Lazarus lying at the doore: many be such banquets, where none do come with a Wedding garment, & where Christ is neuer inuited. Manie thinges may perswade vs to temperance, & we may learne it of the beastes, who desire no chaunge, nor hoord not, and are content. God prouided meate for all creatures, as hearbes, rootes, and grasse, before hee prouided anie for man, to teach vs, what little care wee should haue of our belly, for we liue not by bread onely, but by euerie worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Christ hath taught vs to fast, when he prepared himselfe thereunto in the wildernesse, but hee neuer by anie example taught vs to feast: some there be which thinke hee did neuer eate flesh but in the paschall Lambe, which although it doth not teach, or debar vs from eating flesh, which Peter was willed to eate in the vision, yet it teacheth vs to tame the flesh, lest Hagar should get the vpper hand of her mistresse.

When the belly is full, the flesh lusteth, the tongue prateth, the wit sleepeth, and Satan carrieth away the minde when the vnder­standing is away: As the moyst and waterish groundes bring forth nothing but frogs and [Page 350] toades, so the belly and watrie stomacke that is stuffed like a tunne, bringeth forth nothing but a drousie minde, foggie thoughts, filthie speeches, and corrupt affections: therefore the Phisition saith, nothing better for the bodie then abstinence, the Diuine saith, no­thing better for the soule then abstinence, the Lawyer saith, nothing better for the wits then abstinence; but because there is no lawe for this vice, therfore it breaketh out so migh­tilie. Whoredome hath a lawe, Theft hath a lawe, Murther hath a lawe, but this sinne is without law.

Now to the second sinne, which is Drun­kennes: these are two sisters, betwixt whom there is little difference: in this sinne some are mad, some are merrie, some doe vomite, some doe sleepe, and some doe reele, and then there is no difference betweene a man and a beast, sauing that the one can stand, and the other cannot.

As euerie Scripture that maketh against Theft, maketh against Nonresidencie; so e­uerie reason which maketh against gluttonie, maketh against drunkennesse.

Now after these commeth chambe­ring and wantonnesse, and no meruaile sayth one, though the impes doe followe, when the diuell goeth before: for fulnesse of bread [Page 351] went before the sinne of the Sodomites. So when Dauid had dined and was full, wal­king vpon his pallace, his eyes glaunced, his flesh lusted, his heart consented, the fire bur­ned, and there was no water to quench it. And therefore in that so great a champion as Dauid did fall, let him that standeth take heede lest hee fall. And seeing that thou in thy selfe art no stronger, or mightier, imi­tate and followe the example of those that are cunning wrastlers, who to cast downe a­nother wil first fall downe themselues: so we to ouerthrowe our enemies must subiect our selues, and humble our selues first by fasting and praier.

Sodome was burned, but the sinnes haue escaped. Sweete wordes, soft attyre, wanton behauiour, and such like, haue con­spired and agreed all together to sette ho­nestie to sale. And wee vse dailie to pray that wee bee not ledde into temptation: and yet wee doe leade our selues into temp­tation. For our fayre wordes, wanton ge­stures and daintie fare: with manie other pleasures, doe becken vnto sinne: and if there bee no wine why hanges the bushes? and if there be no wantonnesse, why is there anie wanton, or vnseemely, or vngodly at­tyre?

[Page 352] Let vs not walke in gluttonie and drunken­nesse, neither in chambering and wantonnesses, nor in strife and enuying. It is hard to say which of these sins is most in the world; happily some will say, I haue bene no glutton, no drunkard, no whoremonger, no murtherer, no false i­mage worshipper, &c. but who can come forth and saie, hee is free from strife, for strife hath compassed the whole worlde, strife in Countrey, strife in Citie, strife in the Court, strife in the Common-weale, strife in the Church, who can say that he is free frō strife, or that he hath not iniured his brother? surely that man shall stand alone, for it wil light vp­on none but Christ.

I can but exhort you with the Apostle, that you would not walke in strife and enuying, therefore put away these among the rest, for he that hath not put off these hath not put on Christ, and if he hath not put on Christ, hee is then no Christian. Enuie is a sinne, and it pu­nisheth it self like gluttonie, for it fretteth the heart, shortneth the life, and eateth the flesh, as a fire consumeth the wood, it is the mother of strife, and a great worker in the Court, this is it which brought labour and sicknesse, and death into the worlde, euen the enuie of the serpent, and the diuell, and it will condemne thee in thy conscience if thou bee an enuious [Page 353] man. Nothing resembleth God more than loue; for GOD is loue: so if thou hast loue, thou resemblest God. But if thou hast enuie, and art an aduersarie, thou resemblest the di­uell: for thou canst not come neerer the di­uell any way, than to bee enuious. As the dust commeth with the winde, so the diuell commeth with enuie; and hee that is posses­sed with enuie; is possessed with the diuell. Why doth the Apostle say in the third chap­ter of his Epistle to the Colossians, Aboue all things put on loue? Because loue is best of all. Why doth he call loue the band of perfection? Because it bindeth all vertues together. If loue be the band of perfection, to bind al ver­tues together: then enuie is the band of im­pietie, to binde all sinnes together: therefore if we must cast off all but loue, wee must cast off enuie. Thou canst not come to the king­dome of peace, without loue. The kingdome of Satan is at peace, and shall not Gods king­dome be at peace? Shall we be at peace with the flesh, the world, and the diuell, and bee at variance with God, and at strife one with another? Fire is cruell, wrath is raging: but who can stand before enuie? Prouerbs 27. And if none can stand before enuie, how can enuy stand before God?

If thou canst not forgiue him that dooth offend thee, thou prayest against thy selfe, and [Page 354] askest vengeance vpon thee, therefore the A­postle exhorteth thee not to let the Sunne go downe vpon thy wrath, Ephes. 5. 26. Charitie enuieth not (saith Paul) therefore see thou haue charitie, lest thou bee counted an enui­ous person.

The beastes of the field are armed with hornes, with hoofes, with tuskes, and such like to take reuenge: but nature hath left nothing for man to put him in mind of reuenge; and yet man aboue al other creatures, is most de­sirous of reuengment, for he hateth his owne life, therefore it is against nature to enuie. Iohn sayth, he that hateth his brother is a manslaier and loueth not God, neither know­eth God: if an enuious man (sayth he) say he loueth God, he is a lyar, because he hateth his image: if he say he knoweth God, he is a lyar, how canst thou loue God, and hate good men? & how canst thou loue learning, when thou hatest the learned? so doth the enuious man all both good and bad: therefore this is the worst sinne, because it commeth neerest the sinne against the holy Ghost.

Consider therefore whom thou hatest, e­uen thy image. The diuell was appoynted to hate man, and not man to hate man; and if thou hatest a good man, thou hatest God: if thou hatest an euil man, thou hatest one like thy selfe; and if thou hatest one like thy selfe, [Page 355] thou hatest thine owne soule: therefore as S. Paul sayth, Haue peace with all men. Canst thou not hate the sinne, and loue the person? as the Phisition hateth the disease, and yet lo­ueth the diseased.

As a great manie of Bees can lodge toge­ther in a hiue: so a legion of diuels can nestle together in one man, but many although they cannot liue asunder, yet they cannot liue to­gether.

Wherefore now consider the pedigree of peace; God is the God of peace, the holy Ghost is the Spirit of peace, the Angels are the messengers of peace, the ministers are the preachers of peace, and the Magistrate is the defender of peace; shall wee then that haue the God of peace, the Spirit of peace, the messengers of peace, the preachers of peace, the magistrates of peace, & (as I may say) the Queene of peace, bee at enuie and warre one with another? Meruaile not though I am so long vpon this sinne; for there is none of you that heare me this day, but you can giue mee sufficient matter to speake hereof. Then can I want words when ye bring matter? Shal I not wrastle, and seeke to ouerthrowe this giant, which challengeth euery man?

As no man finding a Serpent leaueth him before hee bee dead; so let vs slaughter this monster while he is vnder the axe, that he ne­uer [Page 356] rise anie more. Consider of the wrong thou doest to thy self when thou enuiest ano­ther, for the stroake of enuie redounds vnto thee. It were better thou didst gratulate them with good things, as good men haue done and doe daylie: but in stead of imitating their vertues, or commending their gifts, wee en­uie them and maligne them, and so their ioye is our sorrow. But the enuious man doth pay for his spite, for it requoyles vpon himselfe; and enuie is punished with enuie, and hatred also with hatred: for hee which hateth all, shall bee hated of all. Thus hee is tormented for another, as Herode tormented himselfe for Christ, & the Iewes troubled themselues for Paul: for enuie is as gall to the heart, as prickes to the stomack, and as a canker in the mouth, and euer vexeth thee, as the euill spi­rit of Saul vexed him.

Loue is so contrary to enuie, as that it hath more ioy of others welfare, then enuie hath of his owne. Therefore an enuious man may bee compared to Cain, who when hee killed his brother Abel, was so troubled, that hee said, Whosoeuer findeth me shall kill me.

The couetous man, though hee will not communicate his owne goods, yet he would haue others to communicate their goods: the proud man although hee bee proud him­selfe, yet he would haue others to be humble: [Page 357] but the enuious man careth not who doth a­ny good.

As the Eagle doth account them bastards that cannot abide to looke vpon the Sunne: so Christ doth account them bastards which will not take him to bee an example of low­linesse.

Euery creature doeth impart his good vn­to man: but the enuious man he hath separa­ted himselfe from dooing good to any, euen as an Apostata.

Euerie vice is the contrarie of some ver­tue, as intemperance to moderation, incon­tinence to chastitie, pride to humilitie, but enuie is contrarie to all. This is the cogni­sance of the diuell: for God saith, By this shal men know that you are my disciples, if you loue one another: so the Diuell hee saith, By this shall men knowe that you are my Disciples if you enuie and hate one another. The proud, the prodigall, the couetous, the lasciuious, they are loued of some, but the enuious man is hated of all. And this sinne is so lothsome vnto him, that hee cannot abide it in any but in himselfe.

Therefore, if wee loue our selues, let vs loue our neighbours; for nothing doth more please God than loue: so that if the blacke Moore could be cleane, here is water inough to wash him. But the flesh of man is more [Page 358] strong then all these reasons.

God hath put enmitie betweene vs and the Serpent, and the Serpent hath put enmi­tie betweene man and man.

When Ioseph had laden his brethren full of corne, and sent them away, he bade them not to fall out by the way: so I would this les­son, when we haue plentie of all things, and are full, had deepe impression in our hear is that we forget it not, Fall not out by the waye.

I Haue chosen this storie of Nabuchadnezzar, where­in is laide downe his Pride, his Fall, and his Restitu­tion. This Nabuchadnez­zar was a wicked King, and therefore God warned him by a dreame, and by Daniel, to amend his life, but all would not serue, hee made many shewes, but hee reuolted againe, therefore at the last GOD gaue him ouer for a time, and he became like a beast, vntill he acknowledged [Page 361] his power to come from God. A warning to all rulers, to put them in remembrance that one ruler is aboue, which must bee serued of them all, or else all their buildings and trea­sures, and guard, will not shield them from iudgement when the stroake commeth, no more than they could saue Nabuchadaezzar. At the end of twelue moneths (saith Daniel) this king walked in his royall pallace. The Pro­phet sheweth that hee had deserued this pu­nishment before, and that his dreame which he had, did tell him that his kingdome should depart from him for his Pride, yet this respite of twelue moneths was granted him, like the fortie dayes which were granted to the Nini­uites, to trie what hee would doe vpon his warnings, and whether hee would repent as the Niniuites did, therefore the holy Ghost sheweth how the time ranne, and how he li­ued after: as if he should say, If he will returne yet, and be warned by the dreames, or by the Prophets which I sent him, I will stay my hand, and his kingdome shal not depart from him. But here he sheweth, that he forgot his dreame like a dreame, and was more desirous to knowe what it meant, than to bee warned by it. The twelue months ranne moneth af­ter moneth, yet Nabuchadnezzar is all one. Now his dreames are gone, he thinketh that all is ended, therefore hee getteth him vp in­to [Page 362] his pallace amiddest his delights, to beake himselfe, as it were, in the sunne of all his pleasures, where indeede hee hastened God to take away all his pleasures and delightes from him, when hee should haue repented, as the Prophet Daniel willed him, and rip­ped vp his sinnes, and bewailed his wicked life, and poured foorth teares, and preuented his iudgement with prayer vpon his knees, then was hee stalking in his galleries, and thinking what sinne should bee next, to fill vp the number of his rebellions, that GOD might not spare him when he iudged: so the wicked will not suffer the prophesies of God against them to be in vaine, but they will put GOD in minde of their punishments, and sinne till the punishment doe come vppon them to fulfill the threatnings due vnto them.

Some thinke that Nabuchadnezzar wal­ked vppon the roofe of his pallace, from whence hee might see all partes of the Citie round about him, like the mountaine whi­ther the tempter led our Sauiour Christ, to shew him the beauty of the world.

This the Prophet Daniel would signifie, that the King liued in ease as he liued before, and pleased himselfe in vanitie still for all his warnings, and turned his time of repentance to sinne againe.

[Page 363] Therefore God would deferre the time no longer, but cut him downe, like the barren and fruitlesse figge tree, to teach vs to take mercie when it is offered, and repent while wee haue time and space, and that if GOD speake vnto vs but once, to lay it vp in our hearts for euer, not looking or expecting to be spoken to againe, because GOD is not bound to admonish or giue vs any warning at all.

One woulde haue thought that Nabu­chadnezzar woulde haue remembred his warning while hee had liued, which had such a strange and fearefull Dreame, and after that another dreame, being no lesse strange and fearefull than the former dreame to confirme it, and after such a Prophet to expound it, and the exposition of it threat­ning such a miserable ruine and downfall vn­to himselfe.

One would haue thought and beleeued that he could neuer haue forgotten it, or put it out of his remembrance although he had liued vnto this day. But like a wonder which lasteth not aboue nine dayes: so is the repen­tance of them which sinne by custome, for when sinne is rooted it sticketh fast, and will hardly be weeded out, though GOD should send vs dreames, though he should shewe vs visions, though he should raise vp Prophets, [Page 364] Daniel himselfe cannot make this blacke Moore white, which alwaies hath been black before. And this we may see in our selues, for why haue we neede to heare so often of re­pentance, more then of anything else, but that it is such a thing as we cannot frame our selues vnto? If we bee warned of any thing but of sinne, one warning will serue. But we are so incorporate and inured to sinne, that a thousand sermons will not serue: so custome hath made sinne stronger in many than the word of God. Well, remember, or consider, or applie it how he will, after twelue moneths God wil come & take account of his dreames and of his Prophets, which he sent him, to see what he hath profited by them. Although he hath leaden feete which are long in com­ming, yet hee hath yron hands, which when he commeth, will strike home.

Now the twelue moneths are expired, God comes & findes Nabuchadnezzar vpon his towres, when hee should haue cast himselfe downe to the ground, and thought vpon his dreame, and Daniel, and so haue humbled his pride; hee was pearched vpon his roost, and there he begins to crowe of his wealth; Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of my kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my maiestie? See how the man standeth in admiration of [Page 365] his vanitie, like a vsurer which doateth of his money, as though hee had deserued immor­tall fame for spending his money vainely. Is not this great Babel, &c. he should rather haue saide, Is not this Nabuchadnezzars follie, which hee hath built for a mocke to his name, and an impeachment to his wisdome, for men to say when they passe by, look how our King hath bestowed his reuenues, heere lie our subsidies & tributes in this stone wall? But Nabuchadnezzar thinkes that euerie one will praise him for his follie. Therefore like a woman when shee is pricked vp in her bra­uerie, thinkes that all doe admyre her, and hath as goodly an opinion of her selfe as the Pecocke hath of his feathers, and frameth all her lookes, and gestures, and speeches ac­cordingly: so when Nabuchadnezzar sate in his Pallace, and sawe such shewes about him, now saith Pride thou must frame thy lookes, and gestures, and speeches, accor­dingly, or else the Kings Pallace will be bra­uer than the King himselfe: so hee begin­neth to exalt his minde higher than his pal­lace, and to looke and speake stouter than hee did before. The temptation was no soo­ner in his heart, but the words were in his mouth, and hee pleased himselfe therein so well, that he could not refraine being alone, but as a foole admyres himselfe in a glasse, so [Page 366] when hee was alone and no bodie with him, hee strouted alone and bragged by himselfe, to thinke what a iolly fellow he was, and how men began to talke of his buildings. By this we may see how wealth and honours change manners, and how a gay coate, or a great band, or a gold ring can braue a mans mind, and make him looke and speake after ano­ther manner then hee is accustomed, when they are from him.

It is a wonderfull thing to see what power these pettie vaine toyes haue ouer the minde, to alter and change a man sodainelie, to make him thinke better of himselfe that day hee weares them, than anie other daye be­sides.

Is not this great Babel, which I haue built for the house of the kingdome, by the might of my power, for the honour of my maiestie. Before the holy Ghost laieth downe Nabuchadnez­zars words, marke how hee commeth vnto them, The King spake and sayd. Spake & sayd, was not one enough, but hee must say spake and sayd? This doubling of the words shew­eth, that hee spake with a premeditate pride from his heart roote, which passed not whe­ther it were a sin or no, come what will come of it. The holy Ghost doth bring other spee­ches with He sayd, and no more: but here he saith, Spake and sayd, as though he spake twise, [Page 567] not as he spake at other times, but like a man at defiance, which woulde not recall any word, but if he could say more he would say more to anger.

Did I call it great Babel? I may call it great Babel? Did I say that I built it? I will say that I built it. Did I adde, for the honour of my maiestie? let it goe, for the honour of my maiestie. Thus hee spake and sayde, as though he would bee constant in his pride, although hee were constant in no other thing.

Is not this great Babel, which I haue built for the house of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my maiestie?

Three things I note in this saying. First, what a glorious opinion Nabuchadnezzar had of his vaine building, out of these words, Is not this great Babel? The second out of these words, which I haue built by the might of my power; wherein he tearmeth himselfe the founder of it, as if he had done all without a helper. The third is, that in all his worke, hee sought nothing but vaine-glory, out of these words; for the honour of my Maiestie. These three sinnes Nabuchadnezzar doth bewraie in one bragge, and in all these three we are so like, that the beasts were not so like him when [...] became like a beast.

First we haue not so wonderfull an opini­on [Page 368] of GOD, or of his word, or of heauen, as wee haue of our owne acts, although we be neuer able to do halfe that Nabuchadnezzar did. Secondlie, this is our manner, to attri­bute all to our selues whatsoeuer it be, riches, honour, health, or knowledge; as though all came by labour, or policie, or arte, or litera­ture: if wee cannot drawe it to one of these, then we think it fortune, although we vnder­stand not what fortune is. If wee did count our selues beholding vnto God for them, then we would finde some time to be thank­full vnto him.

Lastly, when we ouer-view these matters, this is our solace and comfort, to thinke these are the things which make mee famous and spoken of, and pointed at, and then we end, as though it were inough to bee poynted at. Is not this great Babel? That which one loues, seemes greater and more precious aboue all which he loueth not, although they be better than it: so did these buildings seeme to Na­buchadnezzar.

One would not thinke that a house were a matter to make a king proude, although it were neuer so faire; stone wals are not so pre­cious, that he should repose al his honour vp­on lime and morter. But this is a iust thing with God, that vaine hope, vaine prosperitie, vaine comfort, and vaine glory, that may de­ceiue [Page 369] them when they trust vnto it: therefore as the faithfull soule looketh vp to GOD, or vpon the word, or vp to heauen, and sayth to it selfe, is not this my hope, is not this my ioy, is not this my inheritaunce? So the car­nall man when hee looketh vpon his buil­dings, or his grounds, or his money, sayth to himselfe, is not this my ioye, is not this my life, is not this my comfort? So while he poares and gapes vpon it, by little and little the loue of it growes more and more in his heart, vntill at last he haue mind on nothing else.

This was the first dotage of Nabuchad­nezzar: the second was, which I haue built by the might of my power. What a vaunt was this to say, that he built Babylon, when al hi­stories accorde, that it was built by Semyra­mis before Nabuchadnezzar was borne, therfore why doth he boast of that which an other did?

The answere is easie, why doe other men so now, wee see that euery one doth labour to obscure the fame of others, that they may shine alone, & beare the names themselues, especially in great buildings: for if they doe but adde or alter any thing in Schooles, or Hospitals, or Colledges, they looke straight to bee counted the founders of them, and so the founders of many places are forgotten. [Page 370] So it is like that Nabuchadnezzar did adde or alter some thing in this Citie, and therfore hee tooke all to himselfe, as the fashion hath bin euer since: but if none had built it, but he had been the founder of it (as some would seeme) yet this had been a proude and arro­gant speech to say, which I haue built by the might of my power: for it was not he which could build Babel, no more then Nemrod could finish Babel, but vnles the Lord build the house the builders build in vaine. There­fore when he sayth, By the might of my power, he should haue sayd, by the might of Gods power.

But by this you plainely discerne, how hard and difficult a thing it is to hit vpon a right word or a good worke, which hath not a good thought to bring it foorth. There­fore make the roote sweete, or the fruite will bee sower, counterfaite as cunningly as you can.

Lastly, when he putteth in for the honour of my maiestie, hee sheweth that he was of Absoloms humour, who although he had deserued shame, yet he would haue fame, be­cause hee had no children to keepe his name in remembrance, therefore he erected a pil­ler, which hee called Absoloms place: so many stately houses and places in England, beare their names of those Lords or others [Page 371] that do possesse or owe them, for the like va­nitie.

Heere Absolom thought to bee buryed, as Nabuchadnezzar thought to dwell in his pallace, but he was cast into a pit as Na­buchadnezzar was turned into the wilder­nesse: So Shebna made his sepulchre in one Countrie, and was buryed in another: for why should pride haue the reward of humi­litie? Humilitie (saith Salomon) goeth before honour, that is to say, honour is the reward of humilitie: & yet Nabuchadnezzar would bee honoured for his pride. What had he, or Shebna, or Absolom done, that they should erect such monuments, to bee praised after death, which were not worthy to be praised in their life? before the building Nabuchad­nezzar had done nothing worth speaking of, for because he liued alwayes like a beast, therefore GOD punished him like a beast, and did hee deserue now to bee spoken of in all ages, for heaping stones together? Wee may see that great men are proude of a small matter, and they looke to bee praised for euerie thing they doe. But looke how GOD ouerthwarteth them: for of­tentimes in that they looke to make theyr greatest glorie, they shame themselues most of all, and that which they practise to exalt them doth disgrace them, & that which they [Page 372] doe to winne them loue, getteth them ha­tred, sinne so deceiueth them like the blinde Aramites, that they take a cleane contrarie way to their desires, as wee may see in the e­leauenth of Genesis, they which built Babel, said they would build it to get them a name, but they got shame, for they could not finish it when they had begun it, but were cōfoun­ded in such sort, that they knewe not what they did, so sodainly they vnderstoode not what one another said. So when Nabuchad­nezzar came to himselfe againe, he shewed that when hee sought his owne honour, ho­nour departed from him, and hee was made like a beast: but when hee sought Gods ho­nour, honour came to him againe, and hee was made a King.

This would pull away many toyes from womens backs, if they did cōsider how God maketh them ridiculous by that they weare, to make thēselues amiable, if they did thinke that the apparell which they clogge on to please the world, by the secret iudgement of God did not please but displease, they would be ashamed of their attire, as Eue was of her nakednesse: would they weare such gardes and paint their faces but to please? See now how God doth mocke them, for they are not liked but disliked, and worse thought of for it than they which go in russet coates, & seeke [Page 373] no praise at all; they think, am I not braue, o­thers thinke, is she not proud? they think, am I not sweete? others thinke, is she not light? yet they dreame that euerie man praiseth them for their brauery: as Nabuchadnezzar thought that euery one would honor him for his pallace. If their brauerie condemne them before men, how will it condemne them be­fore God? Therefore when Nabuchadnezzar saith, For the honor of my Maiestie, he should haue saide, for the honour of Gods Maiestie, and then this had been recorded for his ho­nour indeed, and his house had bin the house of God: for as we should speake, and studie, & labour to Gods glorie: so we should build also to Gods glorie, that our houses may bee like temples, as Obadiahs was. But few seeke glorie that way, they had rather pull downe than build in such sort.

Thus you haue heard what Nabuchadnez­zar spake in secret, as though GOD would display the thoughts and pride of such buil­ders. These are the meditations of Princes & noble men, whē they behold their buildings, or open their coffers, or lookvpon their traine swinging after them, they thinke as Nabu­chadnezzar thought, Is not this great Babel? is not this great glorie? is not this the traine that maketh me reuerenced in the streets? are not these the things which shall make my [Page 374] children rich? is not this the house that shall keepe my name, and cause me to be remem­bred, and make them which are childrē now speake of me hereafter, when they shall passe by and looke vp, and see these antikes and knackes ouer their heads, they will say; oh he which built this was a great man, he bare a sway both in court and countrie, who but he while he liued?

Although this king be dead & buried, yet his pride is escaped & come to vs. Nabuchad­nezzar hath children yet aliue, which build as high as he, looke as high as he, goe as braue as he, spend as vainly as he, and are as proud as he, although they bee not Kings nor Dukes, nor Earles, nor Knights, nor yet good Squires: looke vpon their pallaces, and think whether they bee of Nabuchadnezzars brood; Is not this great Babel? and is not Nabuchadnezzar Lord of it? Oh if they might liue to walke in these galleries stil, they would desire no other heauen, but Nabuchadnezzar hath shewed the way before them, and they must all dance after him, though they were as mightie, though they were mightier thē he, death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome. Now what is Babel, and what is Nabuchadnezzar the King thereof? Now Babel is destroyed, and the King that built it laid in the dust, had it not been better to haue built an house in [Page 375] heauen, which might haue receiued him, when he dyed?

The name of these pallaces may well bee called Babel, that is confusion, because they prophesie confusion to them that build them, because their foundation is Pride, their wals extortion, their roofe ambition, and all with­in them vsurie, briberie, and crueltie. If this bee the best that Nabuchadnezzar hath to vaunt of, what is the worst which he may bee ashamed of?

When I see how earnest this King was a­bout his dreame, and how loose he sate after in his pallace, mee thinkes I see the image of the world in one man: how liuely doth Na­buchadnezzar resemble the dreamers of our time? He could not rest till hee knew the in­terpretation of his dream: such inquirie, such diligence to knowe Gods will, that a man would haue thought, now if the King meet with a Prophet that can tell him the trueth, and instruct him from God, that his dreame warned him to amend his life, hee will then reclayme himselfe, and reforme his realme, and become such a King as was neuer in the land before.

But behold, no sooner resolued of his doubt, but hee is readie to bee warned agayne, and was not so attentiue to the Prophet, as hee was to his dreame, although hee cared for [Page 376] neither: for when hee vnderstoode that his dreame went about to chaunge the course of his life, he went away like Naaman in a chafe, and cared no more for his dreame after. Be­fore the dreame came, all would haue sayd, that such a dreame would haue humbled his heart for euer. Before the Prophet came, all would haue saide, that such a Prophet would haue conuerted him with a word: but Nabu­chadnezzar is Nabuchadnezzar; and if ano­ther dreame come more fearefull than this, yet Nabuchadnezzar would be Nabuchad­nezzar, and loue his Pallace better than Pa­radice.

So we thinke, if God would send a famine vpon this land, that would make vs feare him: but God hath sent a famine, and yet wee doe not feare him. If God would send an earth­quake vpon this lande, that would make vs feare him: but God hath sent an earthquake, and yet we doe not feare him. If God would send a pestilence vpon this lande, that would make vs feare him: but God hath sent a pesti­lence, and yet we doe not feare him. If God would send warre vpon this lande, that would make vs feare him: but God hath sent warre, and yet we doe not feare him; therefore what will make vs feare him?

There be many which dreame vpon reli­gion, as Nabuchadnezzar dreamed vpon his [Page 377] dreame; and as hee desired onely to knowe what it meant, so they desire onely to knowe. Master, (saith the yong man to Christ) what shall I do to come into heauen? He would faine knowe the way to heauen, but when Christ shewed him the way, hee would not take it: So they will goe from Preacher to Preacher, as Nabuchadnezzar sent from one wise man to another to be resolued in poynts of Reli­gion: such a scrutinie, such attention, such heed, as though they would runne out of the world, and goe beyond all, that a man would thinke they would do any thing, as the Iewes came vnto Moses, and this young man vnto Christ: But when they haue heard what they came for, they doe like Nabuchadnezzar, as they did before; now they saye it was but a dreame, because the meaning doth not an­swere according to their will. So Achab en­quired of the Prophet, to heare what hee would say, but it appeares that he neuer ment to follow him, except he would answer as he would haue him.

When it commeth to the act, which is e­uerie mans triall, then you shall see who are like Nabuchadnezzar, that is, which affect onely to knowe; and who are like Zacheus, that is, which practise as they knowe: for as the truth is reuealed, so it must be witnessed, or els the fall of Nabuchadnezzar sheweth, [Page 378] what iudgement will follow vpon such neg­lecting.

Because hee would not doe as his dreame warned him, and as the Prophet counsailed him, therefore GOD forsooke him, and his Kingdome departed from him, and hee was thrust out of his Pallace, and [...]urned like an Oxe into the wildernesse, there he liued like a beast vntill seauen yeares were ended. A warning to all to take warning by the word, for it is the gentle warner, the next will bee harder, the third and the fourth harder then it, like to the nine plagues of Egypt, which did exceede one another: for what is he can weigh the wrath of GOD, or the grieuous­nes of sinne?

Some men woulde thinke, that Nabu­chadnezzar might haue spoken all this with­out any such great offence as was taken at it: for he sayde no more, but that it was a fayre house, and that he builded it: and that hee erected it for his honour: seeing manie vn­der Princes delight in worse vanities than fayre buildings, and speake vayner often in a weeke.

Therefore, when you see howe it displea­seth God, to vaunt of these earthly thinges, or to impute any thing to our selues, thinke what shall bee the doome of great sinnes: if Nabuchadnezzar became like a Beaste, and [Page 379] lodged in the wildernesse for his pride; they which beare pride, and couetousnesse, and lust, and wrath, and malice in one breast, shal lodge in hell, and become like Diuels, be­cause they are like beasts already. Therefore let this bee in stead of Daniels warning, if God did take such a straight account of Na­buchadnezzar for his dreame, what hee had profited by it: what account will hee take of vs, what profit we haue made by Nabuchad­nezzars fall and punishment?

Thus you haue heard what the voyce spake from earth, now you shall heare what the voyce spake from Heauen: for it followeth, While the word was in the kings mouth, a voyce came from heauen, and sayd; O King to thee be it spoken, thy kingdome shall be taken from thee, &c. God will warne him no more by dreames, nor by Prophets, as he did: but his Iudgements shall speake. Heere is fulfilled that which Elihu sayth to Iob, God speaketh once and twice by dreames and visions in the night, and man seeth it not: at the last God ope­neth his eyes, by the corrections which he had sealed: so God spake vnto Nabuchadnezzar first by dreames, and after by his Prophet; & Nabuchadnezzar regarded it not: at last God openeth his eyes by corrections, which hee had sealed vp, that they should not touch him if any other messenger could bring him.

[Page 380] As the holy Ghost doth note the time when Nabuchadnezzar spake in his pallace: so he noteth the time when God spake from hea­uen, Euen while the words were in the Kings mouth: as though he should say, God answe­red before he looked for it, when he thought God had been as farre from him, as he was all the yeare before. Thus God lay (as it were in the skowte) to watch when he spake treason, and to apprehend him vpon it: O Nabuchad­nezzar, thou hast vanted this twelue months since I warned thee: I made as though I heard not, but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure: and vauntest thou still? Surely thou shalt scape me no longer, I will not heare one word more against my honour. So he cutteth him off while the words were in his mouth, and pronounceth the word of iudgement a­gainst him.

The first note in this verse, is the time when God spake from Heauen. Pride (sayth Salo­mon) goeth before the fall: so when pride had spoken, then Iudgement spake euen while the proud word was in his mouth. See how God shewes that these brags offended him, and therefore he iudges while he speaks. How short is the triumph of the wicked? When they beginne to crowe, God stoppeth their breath, and iudgement seaseth vpon them, when they thinke no danger neere them: So [Page 381] when Baltazar was in his mirth with his No­bles, the fearfull hand wrote his doome vpon the wall, and presently his mirth was changed into sadnesse, that he became as one that was strooken with a palsie: so while Herod vanted himselfe, and the people honoured him like a God, the Angell of God smote him vpon his throane, and immediatly he was deuoured of wormes in the face of them which honoured him: while the Philistines were triumphing and banquetting, Sampson pulled the Tem­ple vpon their head; so while the men of Zik­lag were feasting and dancing, Dauid came vpon them and slew them: when the Israe­lites were at their Manna and Quailes, euen while the meat (saith Dauid) was yet in their mouths, God tooke away their liues: when Iobs children were making merrie one with another, the winde came and blew down the house: while the old world was marrying, & giuing in mariage, the floud came and drow­ned them: while the Steward was recount­ing with himselfe, and thinking that his Ma­ster Knewe not what policie was in his heart, suddenly his Lorde called him to account: while the churle was musing of his barnes full of corne, and saying to himselfe, be merrie my soule, that night his soule was taken from him: so while we sinne & think nothing of it, our sinnes mount vp to heauen, and stand at [Page 382] the barre, and call for vengeance against vs: how soone Abels blood cryed for vengeance of Cain? We cannot sin so quickly, but God seeth vs as quickly. Howe many haue beene strooken while the oath hath been in their mouthes, as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke, that they might see why they were strooken? and yet al this wil not keep vs from swearing. Though a man sinne often, & steale his sins (as it were) without punishment, yet at last he is taken napping, euen while the wickednes is in his hand, and his day is sette when he shall pay for all, whether it be after twelue moneths or twelue yeeres, when it commeth, it will seeme too soone. Therefore once agayne let this bee in stead of Daniels warning, if God did take so straight account of Nabuchadnezzar how he had profited by his dreame, what account will hee take of vs how we haue profited by Na­buchadnezzars punishment? Here I ende.

FRom the 26. verse to the ende of this Chapter, is laid down the pride, fall, and restitution of Nabu­chadnezzar. The two first verses are like a ban­ner of his Pride, which shew him in his ruffling as it were in the ayre, before he knew God, or himselfe. The three next verses are the discouerie of his shame, which shewe him in his miserie, as it were groueling on the ground after God had coo­led his courage. The foure last verses are the celebration of his recouerie, which shew him in holines as it were rapt into heauen, & sing­ing with the Saints for ioye, that GOD had brought him vnto his knowledge, though it were through shame & trouble, & losse of all that he had seuen yeres together. Of his pride wee haue heard alreadie: yet because we are friends to vices as we are to mē, so lōg as they prosper and flourish; but when they decay and fall, then we shrinke away, and are asha­med of thē: so it may be, if ye could see pride take a fall, though yee loue her well, yet yee would forsake her, like a banquerout, when ye see that she can pleasure you no longer.

[Page 385] Therfore ye shall see Nabuchadnezzar vp­on his feete againe: before you behelde him vpon his knees, that when ye see what a king he was in his galleries, & after find his seruāts in his pallace, and his subiects in his throane, and himselfe like a beast in the wildernesse, God may giue you hearts to thinke a little of this sinne, what it is which cost so deare, and is so common, now in euery house, as it was then in the kings court.

After twelue moneths (saith Daniel) that is, twelue moneths after God had warned this king by dreames and by Daniel, to repent his sinnes, he was strouting in his galleries, and thought what sin should be next, as though he had neuer heard of dreame or Prophet.

By this computation of sin, wherein the moneths are obserued so exactly, how longe Nabuchadnezzar rebelled after he was war­ned, Daniel shewes what reckoning GOD keepes of our moneths, and weeks, and daies, which he giues vs to repent, as he did Nabu­chadnezzar, and what an account wee shall make of thē, as Nabuchadnezzar did, though we count no more of our age then the childe dooth of his youth, and haue doone no more of our taske at twentie, then when we were but tenne, nor at thirty, then when we were but twenty, nor at fortie, then when we were thirtie, yet we shall giue account of mo [Page 386] hours in the day of iudgement, and it shall be heauier to the old then to the young, to you which haue the worde, then to them which want it: and there is great ods betweene Na­buchadnezzar & vs for he which challenged Nabuchadnezzar for twelue moneths since he was warned, may challenge vs of twelue yeeres since we were warned, & yet we looke not for so great punishment as fell vpon Na­buchadnezzar for twelue moneths. Daniel names there twelue moneths, as though hee would speake of a great matter, and shewes how worthie Nabuchadnezzar was to be pu­nished, because he might haue reformed his life since he was warned: for there were 12. moneths betweene his dreames and his pu­nishment. But that yeere wherein he had so many warnings & teachings was as vaine as the rest, and vainer then the yeres before: for now he should haue been a mourner like the King of Niniuie, when Ionas threatned de­struction vnto them. But like a victor of a countrie returned from battell to solemnize his triūph, first he decked his pallace as braue as himselfe, and then he walkes his stations in it, and when he hath set al things before him, which might make him forget God, and like a serpent that would burst, vnles he dischar­ged some of his poyson, he breaketh out and sayde, Is not this great Babel, which I haue [Page 387] built by the might of my power, for the honour of my maiestie? wherein obserue first what a glo­rious opinion this vaine King had of his vaine buildings. Secondly, how that he names him­selfe the founder of them, as though hee had done all without an helpe. Thirdly, that in all his works he sought nothing but vain-glorie, as hee witnesseth against himselfe, saying; which I haue built for the honour of my maie­stie? not for the honour of Gods maiestie, but for the honour of my maiestie. So first that which he should haue contemned, as Christ did the beautie of the Temple;Mat. 24. 2. he admired it, & nothing seemed so glorious to him, as that which made him shamefull to God. Second­ly, that citie which was built by Semiramis, he arrogateth to himselfe, and neuer ioyned the chiefe workmaster with him, but saith, which I haue built by the might of my power, when he should haue said, by the might of Gods pow­er: for vnles God build the house, the builder (saith Dauid) buildeth but in vaine.Psal. 127. 1 Lastly, that which hee should haue built for the ho­nour of GOD,2. Kin. 4. 10 as the man built a cham­ber for the Prophet, hee builded for his ho­nour, as our Nabuchadnezzars doe. There­fore when all his pleasures were prepared like a feast, and he came to sit downe at the b [...]ket, it hapned to him as to the churle in the Gospell, after he had filled his barnes, when [Page 388] hee came to sing in his heart, Be merrie my soule; that night his soule was takē from him, and the diuels made merrie with it in hell: so he had fethered his neast, and began to crow vpon his roost, Is not this great Babel, &c. As if he shuld say, Now Nabuchadnezzar make thee merie; that houre his honor was taken from him, for a voyce came downe from hea­uen, like the terrible hand which wrote vpon the wall when Baltasar sate at his banquet, & dasht his pride vpon such a rocke, that within an houre all his pomp, and pleasures, and trea­sures, suffered such a shipwracke, that his fall was more admired of all, than his glorie and buildings were admired of himselfe. Thus all the ioy, and pleasures, and glory of pride are spoken with a breath, and stopt with ano­ther.

You haue heard what the voice spake from earth, now ye shal heare what the voice soūds from heauen. These three verses following declare this Kings fall, when and howe, and from whom it was. While the words were yet, &c. there is the time. A voice, &c. there is the Iudge O king, &c. there is the arraignement. Thy kingdom, &c. there is the iudgement. He was driuen from men, & liued with beasts in che wildernes, till his haires were grown like Eagles fethers. There is the execution and maner of his punishment. First of the time, while, &c.

[Page 389] As Daniel obserued the time when Nabu­chadnezzar sinned, so he obserueth the time when Nabuchadnezzar is punished: as if God had lien in waite to catche him in his words, and take him at the trippe, euen as he watched Lots wife when shee looked backe, and transformed her into a piller of os salte, so soone as she looked behind her: So now the Lord lay as it were in the scout, to watch whē Nabuchadnezzar spake treason, and to ap­prehend him vpon it, O Nabuchadnezzar thou hast vanted these twelue moneths since I warned thee, and I made as though I heard not, but suffered thee to doe and speake thy pleasure, and vauntest thou still? Surely thou shalt escape me no longer, I will not heare a word more against mine honour. So hee cut him off while the wordes were in his mouth, and propoundeth the wordes of iudgement against him. If you marke the time when the voice spake from heauen, you may see three wisedomes of God. First God takes him in his fault,1 Kin 13. 4 that he might see his fault, as Ieroboam was striken when he stroke the Prophet, that he might know why he was striken. Then he takes him sodainly, because hee contemneth his warning,Gen. 19. 24. as the fire came vpon Sodome while they contemned Lots warning. Third­ly, God takes him where he is pleasantest and lustiest, and safest, in his pallace, which was [Page 390] like a Castle,Act. 12. 23. as he took Herod when his gard stood by him, that he might see that nothing can garde him from God, but God must gard him from danger, or else Princes bee no safer than subiects: so though a man sin often, and steale his sins as it were without punishment, yet at the last he is tooke napping, while the wickednesse is in his hand; as the Iewes were, while the quailes were in their mouthes, and his day is set when hee shall pay for all,Nū. 11. 33. whe­ther it bee after 12. moneths, or 12. yeeres, whensoeuer it commeth it wil seem too soon. Vengeance doth stay till sin be ripe, & watch the time when they are most occupied, then iudgement steps forth, like the Angel to stop Balaam in his way,Nū. 22. 22. because the punishment is more grieuous & terrible whē they look not for it (for the worst that is, wish like Balaam, to die the death of the righteous) therefore God will crosse them in that: though they prosper alwayes before, yet their ends shall be a kinde of iudgement vpon all their life, & a prophesie of torment, for all men to see what become of the wicked after death, that they may feare to be like vnto them: As when we see some fall down vnder the table while they sit swilling at the Wine: some striken dumbe in the pulpit, while they preach vn­truths:Act. 12. 23. euē as the Philistines were slain while they feasted,1. Kin. 13. 4 and as Herod was shamed while [Page 391] he vanted, and as Ieroboam was striken while he stroke. What doth this teach vs, but that our sinnes depart from vs so soon as they are done vnto the Iudge, & there they accuse vs, as Cains murther cried out against him, so soon as he slew his brother.Gen 4. I know thy works saith God:Reu. 3. 15. he may say I knowe thy works & thy thoughts too:Mat. 26. 14 16, 1 [...]. for Iudas could not goe so closely about his trechery, but that Christ did know when the thought entred into his hart, and heard when he conferred also with the Scribes, and saw likewise when he tooke the bribe, though he kept a time to punish him, as he saith Psalm. 37. ver. 2. When I see a conue­nient time, then wil I execute iudgement.

Now the time was come, when this King should bee made an example vnto all other Kings after him, to amend their liues, and re­forme their Realmes, when as the Prophet commeth from God vnto them, to tell them what they should doe. When Dreame and Daniel had done what they could; now God cals foorth his Iudgements, and bids them see what they can do, and commaunds them to chase Nabuchadnezzar, vntill he haue lost his kingdome, vntill he be driuen out of his pallace, vntill he be fled into the wilder­nes, vntill he be degenerate like a beast, vntill his subiects, & seruants, & pages make their sport, & gaze and wonder at him, like a foole [Page 392] which goeth vnto the stockes, or a trespasser, which is gazed at vpon the pillorie: so the king was debased, when God heard him but vaunt of his buildings.

Therefore let vs take heede and be carefull, after what sort we speake, and what wordes slip from vs, lest GOD take vs in our lies, or oaths, or slanders, or ribauldrie, as hee tooke Nabuchadnezzar, when his tongue walked without a bit: for if he had supposed that God had been so neare, and that he would haue an­swered him as he did, he would haue held his peace, and layd his hand vpon his mouth, ra­ther than pay so deare for a vain word, which did him no good when it was spoken.

The second note is of the Iudge, A voyce came downe from heauen: the controuling voice came down from heauen, God is most offended with our sinne: for Nabuchadnez­zar might haue spoken more than this, before any other man, and no man could controll him because he was king, and kings delight in greater vanities than buildings, yet no man saith, Why doest thou so? because Salomon saith, He which repeateth a matter separateth the Prince, that is, he which tels Princes their faults, maketh them his enemies: therefore since Iohn Baptist dyed, onely God is left to reprooue almost all that sinne by authoritie, yet there is one in heauen hath an eare and a [Page 393] tongue, and checketh the king as boldly as e­uer the king checketh his subiects. When the voice from earth spake vainly, the voice from heauen spake iudgement. Here is the king of heauen against the king of earth, the voice of GOD against the voice of man: a diuine wrath, warring with a humane pride: the fire is kindled, woe to the stubble. The Lorde of hoasts is in armes against the Lord of Ba­bel, and beginnes to lay handes on him and to thrust him out of his throane. First, he rat­tles him like a thunder, O King Nabuchad­nezzar: as if he should say, for all thou art a king, thou shalt see whether another bee a­boue thee. Now gard thy person, now defend thy honour, for he whom thou hast despised, threatneth to take thy kingdome from thee; goe nowe and walke in thy galleries, fetch one turne more before thou bee turned out of doore, and walke with the beastes in the forrest.

Now he comes to the arraignement, and cals him to the barre, O king Nabuchadnez­zar to thee be it spoken. He was neuer called king with lesse reuerence, nor had such paie for sinne in all his raigne. God giues him his title, and he tels him his lot, he cals him king but without a kingdom: as if he said, late king of Babel, holde vp thy hande. Here a king is [Page 394] arraigned in his owne kingdome, and no eui­dence giuen against him, but as though hee had witnessed against himselfe, as all sinners doe, God condemneth him out of his owne mouth, and to open his eares, he calleth him by his owne name, O king Nabuchadnezzar, as the prisoner is called when he holds vp his hand at the barre. Then he pronounceth the iudgement, To thee be it spoken, to thee which aduancest thy selfe like God, to thee which wouldst not take heed by thy dreame, to thee which wouldst not bee warned by the Pro­phet, to thee which diddest all for thine own honor. Now hearken to thy iudgement, Thy kingdome is departed from thee, thou shalt bee driuen out of thy pallace, they which should honor thee shall expulse thee, thou shalt raigne with the beastes in the desarte, there shall be thy dwelling seuen yeares, goe now and stalke in the woods as thou diddest in thy pallaces, and when thou art among the Ly­ons and Wolues, and Beares, looke vnto Ba­bel which thou hast built.

How dooth this speech differ from Nabu­chadnezzars speeche? his wordes were but wordes, but Gods wordes were, He spake, and it was done. For in the same houre that which was spoken was done (saith Daniel) & what­soeuer the voyce threatneth vnto our sinnes, [Page 395] or vnto the sinner, shal be done at first or last. To Nabuchadnezzar it was said, Thy king­dome shall bee taken from thee. To vs it is said, Thy life shall bee taken from thee. To him it was said, Thou shalt be thrust forth into the de­sart. To vs it is said, Thou shalt bee throwne forth into darkenes. To him it was said, Thou shalt be like beasts. To vs it is said, Thou shalt be like the damned. Shall not the voice spo­ken to vs be remembred with God, as well as the threatning menaced to him?

This voice came from heauen, and there­fore it spake home, not like them which glide by the faultes of Princes, & whisper behinde their backes, as though they would reproue them if they durst, but for feare lest the prince or counsellor, or iudge, or magistrate, should take it as he meanes it, & think that he aimes at them, which makes them speake in para­bles, as though they would cast a vayle ouer their reproofe, and eate their message before they haue spoken it. The holy Ghost teacheth vs here to reproue, so that whosoeuer sinneth may knowe that thou speakest to him. Hee which speaketh from Heauen (as the voyce did) must speak like Iohn Baptist among the Publicans & harlots, and souldiers, as though he went from one to another, and saide, this is spoken to thee, this is spoken to thee, this is [Page 396] spoken to thee. For vnlesse wee come neere these mortall Gods and proud Nabuchad­nezzars, as neer as Elias came to Achab, whē he said, It is thou that troublest Israel, they wil poast it ouer and thinke that thou speakest not to them vntill thou speakest plainly, as the voice spake from heauen, To thee be it spo­ken. And they will reforme the matter, or else God shew some iudgement vpon them, as he did heere vpon this great king Nabuchad­nezzar.

Now the decree goeth foorth, that Na­buchadnezzar shall be King no more, Thy kingdome is departed from thee. This is such a saying, as if Nabuchadnezzar had thought of it before, he would haue wept when he van­ted, to thinke that his honor was going from him, when hee thought it was comming to him: and yet his kingdom was departed from him, and yet God saith, Thy kingdome is de­parted from thee, because the decree was past, which should as surely come to passe, as if it were past already. Therefore because we care not so long as the Prophet sayth, we shal die, we shal suffer, we shal answere, he leaueth Shall, and saith Now, as God said to Abime­lec: Thou art a dead man, not thou shalt dye, but thou art dead, which roused him more, then if hee had threatned him an hundred [Page 397] deaths, because he thought that he shuld die presently: So the holy Ghost is forced as it were to exceede, and speake more then wee thinke he should speake, for the hardnesse of our hearts, which heare like stones, and goe like snayles. If we haue but a weeke to repent we will deferre it to the last day, that we may sinne all the rest.

Therefore it was meet to say, Thy kingdome is departed from thee. That seeing his iudge­ment should not stay, he should not stay his repentance. If this voyce had saide, Thy Ba­bell shall sinke, as Nemrods Babel did, it see­meth he would haue thought his honour bu­ried, but when he was stript, not onely of his pallace, but also of his kingdome, what heauy newes was this vnto him, which thought him selfe equall with GOD, and nowe may not be a King? But when hee was thrust among beasts to eate grasse with oxen, what a down­fall was this to be brought vnder all his sub­iectes, which spake euen nowe as though there were none but he: and now his seruants seruant would not be like vnto him? So the king of kings wil be honored of kings, as they are of their subiects, or else he will tread vpon their crownes, and they shal heare the same at last, Thy kingdome shall depart from thee.

Nowe followeth the execution of his [Page 398] iudgement, for Daniell saith, The same houre all this was fulfilled. So he sheweth the order of it: as a prisoner is brought to the barre, and lead to a gybbet, so this King was drawne from his throne, and turned into the wilder­nesse, where he aboade among wilde beastes so long, Till his haires were growne like Eagles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes.

When God began, he made hast, as it was long before he spoke, but when he spoke, hee did it, and effected in an houre all that the dreame and the Prophet had foretolde.

Then was fulfilled, The pride of man shall bring him lowe: Euen in that houre that Na­buchadnezzar aduanced himselfe more than before, in the same houre hee was brought vnder all his subiectes, all his seruants and pages; so he which setteth vp can pull down, he which gaue can take, he which made can destroy.

Therefore let no man vaunt though hee were a king of his house or land, or farme or children, but know that hee should haue nothing, if GOD did not regarde him more than other, and thinke when thou doest read this storie, whether thou be not as proude of thy wealth, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his pallace: whether thou be not as proud of thy childrē, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his king­dome: [Page 399] whether thou be not as proud of thy parentage, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his honour: whether thou be not so proud of thy lerning, as Nabuchadnezzar was of his train. If thou be not so proud, thē God doth say no more, O King, to thee be it spoken, O subiect to thee be it spoken, these blessings shalbe taken from thee. For, hath God takē no mans king­dome from him but Nabuchadnezzars? hath he taken no mans office from him but Iudas? hath he taken no mans riches from him but Iobs? how did Antiochus, and Iulian, and He­rod, and Saul, and Athalia, and Iezabel, & Ri­chard the third goe from their thrones, as if God had pulled thē out by the eares? he had no respect vnto their persons, but vsed them like beasts as hee did Nabuchadnezzar, and fulfilled his threatning: The candle of the wicked shall be put out. Therefore as Christ saith vnto them which turne backe: Remem­ber Lots wife: so I may say to them which beare high mindes, and proud lookes, & stout wordes, remember King Nabuchadnezzar, how God resisted the proud. Now if any man long to be resolued, how this king was chan­ged to a beast, he must not imagin any strāge metamorphosis, or popish transubstantiati­on, as though his shape were altered, or his manhood remoued, or that he put on hornes [Page 400] and hoofe, as the Poets faine of Acteon, for the voyce doth not saye that hee should be­come a beast, but that he should dwell with the beastes. Daniel dooth not saye that his head or armes, or legges were transformed: but that the haire of his head and the nayles of his fingers did growe like Eagles feathers, and like birds clawes, as euerie mans haire and nayles will doe, if hee doe not pare them.

Lastly, Nabuchadnezzar saith not, that his shape was restored vnto him, but that his vn­derstanding was restored vnto him: all which declare, that he was not chaunged in bodie, but in minde: not in shape, but in qualitie. A sauage minde came on him, like that which droue Cain from the companie of men,Gen. 4. 12. and he became like a Satyre or wilde man, which differeth not frō a beast, but in shape: though hee was not turned to a beast, yet this was a straunge alteration, to bee so chaunged in an houre, that his Nobles abhorred him, his sub­iects despised him, his seruants forsooke him, none woulde companie with him but the beasts. Consider this all that aduaunce them­selues against GOD and despise his word, as Nabuchadnezzar did. Take warning by a King, which euen now walkt in his galleries, & his Nobles serued him in his pallace, with [Page 401] all dishes that the ayre, or sea, or land, could afford: now he is turned to grase & feede like an oxe with the beasts in the wildernesse. This was to shewe that God maketh no more ac­count of the wicked then of beasts, and ther­fore the holy Ghost calleth them often by the name of beasts: shewing how that sinne and pleasure make men like beasts: when they haue abused their wits often, and peruerted their reason, at last God taketh their vnder­standing from them, and they become like beasts, lothsome to themselues and others: many such beasts wee haue still like Nabu­chadnezzar, who were fitter to liue in the de­sart among lions, where they might not anoy others, then in townes amongst men, where they infect more then the plague. Thus if you haue not considered the beastlines of sinne, looke vpon Nabuchadnezzar like a beast. If you would see the guilt of it,Gen. 4. 12. looke vpon wandering Cain. If thou wouldest see the frensie of it,1. Sa. 16. 14 looke vpon frantike Saul. If thou wouldest see the feare of it, looke vpon trem­bling Baltazar.Dan. 5. 6. If thou wilt see the shame of it,Hest. 7. 10. look vpon Haman, hanging vpon his own gallowes. If thou wilt see the end of it, looke vpon the Glutton frying in hell.Luk. 16. 23. These are the pictures of sinne, which GOD hath set for a terror before vs:Gen. 19. 26. like the piller of salt, [Page 402] or Achans Sepulchre to speake to vs.Iosua. 7. 26. Take heed by those, when I haue warned you, as I warned them, I will punish you, as I punished them. This is the Epitaph, as it were, which God ingraueth vpon Nabuchadnezzars Se­pulchre:

Be thou an example to Kings and Rulers, for all the children of pride, to beware how they set themselues agaynst him who aduaunced them.

Thus hee which sets vp, can pull downe. Did not I sende thee dreames to warne thee? Did not I sende a Prophet to warne thee? If eyther of them woulde haue serued, thou mightest haue ruled still, and walked in thy galleries, and feasted in thy pallace, and iudg­ed vpon thy throane, and dyed a King: but now thy kingdome is departed from thee. Who would bee like Nabuchadnezzar, now he is like a beast? If this heathen was thus challenged for his warning, which had heard but one Prophet, we may tremble to thinke what wee shall answere for our warnings, which haue been threatned as often as the Israelites, and yet prouoked the Lord while he serueth vs, like those which curse the sunne while it shineth vpon them.

Thus haue you seene the fall of pride. Euen now he sayd, Is not this great Babel? Now he [Page 403] may say: Is not this vnhappie Babel? euen he sayd, which I haue built by the might of my power: and now hee may say, which I haue built by the vanitie of my pride: euen now he sayd, for the honour of my maiestie: now hee may say, for the ruine of my kingdome: yet after this he rose againe, and came to himself, and receiued his kingdome, and honou­red him which punished him so: but the time will preuent me to speak of his restitution, therefore here I ende.

NOw wee are come to his Restitution: first Nabuchadnez­zar was humbled, as God humbleth his enemies, now he is humbled as GOD humbleth his chil­dren, that although he had more honour than he had before, yet he is not proud of it as he was before, but cry­eth with the Prophet Dauid,Psal 115. 1 Not vnto me O Lord, not vnto me, but vnto thy name giue the glorie. So he which sayd, not only with heart, but almost with mouth too,Psal. 14 1. there is no God: now with heart and mouth honoureth none but God. His pride and his fall Daniel decla­red, but when hee came to his restitution, hee [Page 406] makes Nabuchadnezzar to speake himselfe, and giue thankes in his owne person, like a witnesse brought in to testifie the trueth of this wonderfull storie.

When the Prophet had shewed how this King vaunted, and how he was debased for it, presently after he had spoken it, he calles in as it were the King himselfe, to witnesse his re­port, and declare how he was raised agayne, like a man which hauing receiued grace from a Prince or great person, is brought in before him to giue thankes for his fauour receiued, and then is dismissed.

In these verses two things shewe them­selues at the first view, that is, Nabuchadnez­zars Restitution, and his thankfulnesse in his Restitution. First, he shewes the time when he was restored in these words, At the end of these daies, then hee shewes the manner how hee was restored in these wordes, I Nabu­chadnezzar lift vp mine eyes to heauen, and mine vnderstanding was restored to me. In his thankfulnes, first he extolleth Gods power, in setting him vp and pulling him downe, and raising him agayne: then he commēdeth Gods iustice and trueth, which deserues to be praised for his iudgements, as much as for his mercie, as though he reioyced that God had made him like a beast, that he might dye like a man.

[Page 407] At the end of these dayes. As Daniel noted the time of his pride, when hee walked in his pallace, to shewe how pride growes out of buildings, and wealth, and apparell, and such rootes: so he noteth the time of his fall, while the wordes were in his mouth, to shewe that he was punished for his pride and ignorance, that he might knowe where to begin his con­uersion, and abate his pride, and when he had taken away the cause, then God would take away the punishment: so likewise he noteth the time of his Restitution, At the ende of these dayes, that is, after seauen yeares were expired; to shewe how long the sicknesse of pride is in curing, and to shewe how euerie thing was fulfilled which was prophesied, e­uen to the poynt of time, for it was tolde him by Daniel that he should be like a beast seuē yeares, therefore Nabuchadnezzar is prompt as it were to confesse the trueth, and sayth as the Prophet sayth, At the ende of these dayes, that is, at the ende of seauen yeares, I Nabu­chadnezzar was restored to my kingdome, as Daniel tolde me. Yet another note is set vpon this beast, least wee should thinke that God only regarded the season, and thinke se­uen yeares punishment enough for such a sinne: He saith not barely, that his vnderstan­ding and honour were restored vnto him, when seuen yeares were ended: but that they [Page 408] were restored vnto him when hee began to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen: to shewe that this blessing came from aboue, and that hee which had humbled him, had restored him a­gayne, as if hee should saye to all that are cast down with sicknesse, or pouertie, or infamie, or any trouble whatsoeuer in bodie or minde, hee which hath humbled you will raise you, as hee hath done mee, but you must looke vp vnto heauen, and lift vp your hearts vn­to him, and then your vnderstanding, and comfort, and wealth, and pleasure, & health, and libertie, and good name, and all shall re­turne vnto you agayne: like Iobs sheepe, and cammels, and oxen, in greater number than he had before, as all the blessings of God re­turned to Nabuchadnezzar when he looked vp to heauen: so they shall come backe like a riuer vpon you, when your eyes can goe by these vanities, and looke vpon him which lookes vpon you, or els seuen and seuen yeres shall passe ouer you, and you shall be neuer the better, but worse and worse; like Saul which was vexed more and more, till he had killed himselfe.

Therefore as the Iewes looked vp to the brasen Serpent, which was a figure of Christ, when they would bee healed, Numb. 21. 8: so all that woulde recouer that which they haue lost, or obtaine that which they want, [Page 409] Nabuchadnezzar doth teach them here to lift vp their eyes to heauen, from whence (sayth Christ) commeth euerie blessing of man. At the end of these dayes, I Nabuchad­nezzar lifte vp mine eyes, &c. Like a man which is wakened out of a long traunce, now he began to stirre and lift vp his eyes: when the heart is once lift vp, it wil lifte vp the eyes, and the hand and voice, and all to heauen: he which neuer looked vp to heauen so long as his comfort was vpon the earth; nowe his minde is changed, his lookes, and iestures, & speeches, and all are chaunged with it: As though God would shew a visible difference betweene the spirituall and the carnall, euen in their lookes and iestures: as there is be­tweene a childe and an olde man. The spiri­tuall mindes are heauenly, and looke vp, be­cause their ioy is aboue. The carnall mindes are earthly, and looke downe like beasts, be­cause their treasure is belowe.Gen. 3. 14. As the serpent grouels vpon the ground, so doth the serpents seede, and hath not so much as the counte­nance of grace.

Therefore by lifting vp his eyes to heauen, is signified that the time was come, which the Lord had set downe, that he should bee like a beast, vntill he had learned that lesson, That the most high beareth rule ouer the sons of men. Therfore Nabuchadnezzar sheweth [Page 410] that hee had learned his lesson, for he looked not vp to heauen to beholde the Sunne, the moone or the starres, like an Astronomer, but thinking howe hee had set himselfe against Heauen, from whence came all his honour, in a godly shame & holy anger, toward him­selfe, he turnes his face from earth to heauen, to magnifie him, which had humbled him; that so contemneth him, which aduanced him. Nowe hee talkes no more of his Pal­lace, nor his power, nor his Maiestie, though it be greater then it was, but hee looked a­boue his owne pallace, to another Pallace, from whence that terrible voyce came down vnto him, Thy kingdome is departed from thee. Which expresseth his contrite hearte, and wounded spirit, howe many passions batled within, as if hee should chide himselfe, and saye: Vnthankefull man, my power euer descended from aboue, and I euer looked vpon the earth, and mine honour came downe from heauen, and I neuer lifte vp mine eyes before: But now sayth he, goe vp my voyce, and my handes, and my eyes, how long will ye pore vpon the earth like a beast? so he lifted vp his eyes vnto heauen. After hee had lifted vp his eyes, he beginneth to pray, & praise, and giue thanks to God, which shew­eth that he did not onely lifte vp his eyes, but his heart too: for vnlesse we can say with Da­uid, [Page 411] I lift vp my hart. Psal. 25. 1. it is in vain to lift vp eies, or hands, or voice, as the hypocrits doe, because he which is a spirite, will be wor­shipped in spirite. Iohn 4. Therefore Marie sayth, My heart doth magnifie the Lord. Luke 11. 46. As for the Infidels and Idolaters, they haue no heartie seruice, but their religion is like an occupation, which is done with the body. For when we reade of the sacrifice or prayers of the Idolaters and Infidels, we doe not find, that they lifte vp their hearts to their Idols, but their hands, or their eyes, or their voyce, as the Baalites roared to Baal, 1. King. 18. 28. and the Marriners cryed to their Sea­gods, 1. Ionas. 5. and the Ephesians showted to Diana, Act. 19. 28. But the lifting vp of the heart is the holy seruice, and alway appropri­ate vnto God, which saith, My sonne, giue me thy heart. Pro. 23. 26. Therefore now Nabu­chadnezzar lifts vp his heart to God, shewing that he had learned that lesson which GOD gaue him 7. years to study, that The most high beareth rule ouer the sonnes of men, &c.

Now God thinkes the time long enough: & as he reformed the ground after the flood, with fruit, and hearbes, and flowers agayne; so hee reformeth Nabuchadnezzar with vn­derstanding, and beauty, and honour againe. As when he repented himselfe, and sayd, I wil drown the earth no more, Gen. 8. 21. so I wil [Page 412] chase Nabuchadnezzar no more: nowe he knowes a king aboue him, he shall bee king againe nowe he seekes my honour, I wil giue him honour; now he magnifieth him which debased him, I will returne to exalt him. So the voyce which thundred from heauen, Thy kingdome is departed from thee: sounds again, Thy kingdome is restored to thee. For it was not tolde that he should be like a beast vntill he dyed, but vntill he knew that the most high beareth rule ouer the sonnes of men. Therefore when he knew this, nothing could stay him from his kingdome, no more then they could stay him in it before. Thus the displeasure of God is but an interim, vntill we knowe some thing that we should know, and then Nabu­chadnezzar shalbe king againe, then the sick man shalbe whole againe, then the bondman shall be free againe, then the poore man shall be rich againe. His mercies are called euerla­sting, because they endure for euer. Psal. 136. 1, 2. But his anger is compared to the clouds, because it lasteth but a season, whome he lo­ueth hee loueth to the ende, but whome hee scourgeth hee scourgeth to repent; as Heze­kias was sicke vntill hee wepte, Nabuchad­nezzar was banished but vntill hee repen­ted. Now the first cure of the Kings restituti­on was of his mind, Mine vnderstanding (saith Nabuchadnezzar) was restored vnto me. To [Page 413] shewe what an inestimable gift our vnder­standing and reason is, whereby wee differ from beasts, for which we cannot be thank­ful enough, therefore he records it twise, as though his heart did flowe with gladnes, and his tongue could not choose but speak often of it, as a man thinketh and speaketh of that which he loueth.

Mine vnderstanding was restored vnto me, &c. That which was first taken away, was first restored againe, which so soone as it was gone, he was counted a man no more, but a beast. As Dauid sayth, Like Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding. Psalme 32. 9. counting them which are voide of vnderstan­ding to better then horse and mule. There­fore they which haue lost their vnderstāding at the Tauerns, as many here haue done som­times, & they which vnderstād not yet what is the booke of God, are but horse and mule, though they beare the visors of men.

After he had sayd, Mine vnderstanding was restored to me, he annexeth, Mine honour was restored to me, so he grew to a king againe: as he was wont to put on one roabe after ano­ther when hee was a King, so when GOD would make him a king againe, first hee puts vpon him the roabe of vnderstanding as it were the foundation of a king, like the prin­cipall spirit which came vpon Saul, the first [Page 414] of Samuel 10. 9. And when he had a princes heart, then GOD gaue him a Princes power, and proclaymed like a voyce from Heauen, Nabuchadnezzar king of Babel: so gloriously he rose againe like the Sunne, with a triumph of his restitution, & welcome of his subiects, like the shoute which went before Salomon. 1. King. 1. 34. One would think when Nabu­chadnezzar was a King, GOD would neuer haue made him like a beast, nor after made him again a king: for who would suffer a beast to rule ouer thē, seeing such stomackes are in men, that they will hardly endure any rulers. Therefore it is strange that these men would suffer one to rule ouer them that had been 7. yeeres like a beast; it is euen as if one had lien 7. yeres in the graue, and after come to chal­lenge his house and goods from them which haue it in possession, and count it their owne: I think such a one should haue so cold a suite, that vnles it were some fewe that loued him, while hee liued hee might goe againe to his graue for a house to dwel in: so no body loo­keth now for Nabuchadnezzar to come out of the wildernes, hee was the vnlikelyest man in the world to bee King after such a change: but see what God can doe, though all bee a­gainst it; he which made a king like a beast, raysed a king of a beast.

Mine vnderstanding (sayth Nabuchadnez­zar [Page 415] was restored to me, and more than that, mine honour was augmented, more than it was when I was so proud of it. As God turned his heart, so hee turned the hearts of his Nobles and people, that they receiued him for their King againe, and sought vnto him, and reue­renced him, for all the disgrace which they had seene, which made them before to con­temne him like a beast.

Here a wise man may studie and wonder like Elisha when his master was rapt to hea­uen. For as though a snuffe had beene taken from the ground, and set in the candlestick a­gaine, and shined brighter than it did before: So Nabuchadnezzar was raised from the dust, and set in the throan: euen now no man cared for him, and nowe no man dare dis­please him: that which Salomon sayth in Prou. 16. 17. When the wayes of a man please the Lord, he will make all his enemies at peace with him: so when Nabuchadnezzar pleased the Lord God gaue him grace with men, & his glorie was augmented. My glory was en­creased, &c. that is, he receiued not onely his kingdome, and power, and honour agayne, but hee receiued vsury of them. For his sea­uen yeers banishment, they had been put out seuen yeeres to the Banke, for him to receiue more whē he came again, so when he sought his owne honour, honour departed from him, [Page 416] his pallace could not holde it, his treasures could not redeeme it, his gard could not stay it, but pride chased it away, whilest he follow­ed after it. But when he sought Gods honor, and cared not for his owne, honour was in­creased, according to that, I will honour them that honour me.

What would Nabuchadnezzar say to our Nabuchadnezzars (if hee were liuing) which thinke it agaynst their honor to seeke Christs honour, and that if his kingdome went vp, their kingdome should go down, like Herod which thought hee coulde not bee King, if Christ should raigne; and the Pharisies, which thought they shoulde bee despised if Christ were regarded.

If Nabuchadnezzars honour came vnto him for the honour which he gaue to GOD: how long will their honour last, which eate and drinke, giue and take, set vp and pull downe, and doe all that they doe to honour themselues? as Nabuchadnezzar built Babel vntill that voyce came thundering from hea­uen, Thy kingdome is departed from thee, thy office is departed from thee, thy life is depar­ted from thee. Some haue exalted themselues like Nabuchadnezzar, and are not fallen yet: some mounted vp haue fallen low, and low­er, like Balaam, but they are not yet at the ground: they haue ruled like beasts, longer [Page 417] then Nabuchadnezzar, and yet looke not vp to heauen, that they may bee changed. Thus Nabuchadnezzar is welcome to his throne againe.

Now he hath receiued grace, let vs examine his thankfulnes. If you marke how euery thing comes in his order, you shall see a marueilous consequence obserued both in his Fall & Re­stitution. When he looked vpon his pallace, then he waxed proud; when he waxed proud, then God threatned him; whē he was threat­ned, then God banished him; when hee was banished, then he lift vp his eyes to heauen; when he lift vp his eyes to heauen, his vnder­standing came vnto him; when his vnder­standing came vnto him, then he gaue thanks to God: shewing vs the vse of our vnderstan­ding, why God hath giuen reason vnto men, viz. to serue him and praise him vpon earth: as Nabuchadnezzar worshipped God so soone as he came to vnderstanding; so, so soone as we come to yeres of discretion, and begin to vnderstand, we should begin a new life, and serue him whom all creatures doe serue with vs, or else our vnderstanding is vaine, and wee are beasts still: for by this Nabuchadnezzar shewes that hee had vnderstanding, and was like a man, because hee gaue praise to God, & was moued in heart to worship him which made him, according to that definition that [Page 418] Dauid maketh of vnderstanding, in the tenth verse of the one hundred and eleuenth Psalm. They which obserue them haue a good vn­derstanding: they which obserue the Com­maundements haue a good vnderstanding; not they which speake of the Commande­ments, nor they which write of the Com­mandements, nor they which preach of the Commaundements, but they which keepe the Commaundements, haue a good vnder­standing. The rest haue a false vnderstand­ing, a vaine vnderstanding, an vnderstand­ing, like that of the Scribes & Pharisies which was enough to condemne them, but not to saue them.

By this euery man should trie his wise­dome: for so soone as vnderstanding com­meth to him as it came to Nabuchadnezzar, it will extort praier and obedience from him, whether hee will or no: therefore our Nabu­chadnezzars are beasts still, for this is no part of their vnderstanding.

But he which can go beyond all in shifts & policie, is counted the wisest man in Court & Citie. Oh, if Machauil had liued in our coun­trey, what a Monarch should be be? to what honour, and wealth, and power, and credite, might he haue risen vnto in short time, whe­ther he had been a Lawyer, or a Courtier, or a Prelate? me thinkes I see how many fingers [Page 419] would poynt at him in the streetes, as they doe at his apes, and say, there goeth a deepe fellowe, he hath more wit in his little finger then the rest in their whole bodie. You talke of Sectaries how fast they growe, and how fast they breed; I warrant you where any Se­ctary hath one sonne, Machauil hath a score, and those not the brats, but the fatlings of the Land, which if they had but a dram of religi­on for an ounce of their policie, they might goe like Saints among men. But wee speake to the belly that hath no eares.

Now let vs see the parts of this kings con­fession, that we may see how his thankfulnes did answere to his sinne: before he had rob­bed God of his honor: now, as though hee came to make restitution, he brings praise, & thankes and glorie in his mouth. First, he aduanceth Gods power, and saith, that his king­dome is an euerlasting kingdome: in which wordes he confesseth that God was aboue him, because that his kingdome was not an euerlasting Kingdome, but a momentanie Kingdome, like a sparke which riseth from the fire, and falleth to the fire againe. Therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his Kingdome, as though it were like Gods Kingdome, which lasteth for euer.

Secondly, hee magnifieth the power of God, and sayth, that God doth what he listeth [Page 420] both in heauen and in earth, and nothing can hinder him, or say vnto him, what doest thou? Vnder which words, he confesieth againe, that God was aboue him, because hee could not raigne as he listed, for when hee thought to liue at his pleasure, hee was thrust out at doores, and God said not to him, what doest thou? but Thy kingdome shall depart from thee: therefore he sheweth what a foole he was to vaunt of his power, as though it had beene like Gods power, which cannot bee chec­ked.

Thirdly hee commendeth the iustice of God, and saith, that his workes were all truth, and his waies were all iudgement. Vnder which words, he confesseth againe, that God was aboue him: for his waies were all errors, and his workes were all sinnes, as the ende prooued. Therefore he shewes what a foole he was, to vaunt of his workes, as though they had been like Gods workes, which cannot be blamed: therefore hee concludes, I Na­buchadnezzar praise, and extoll, and magnifie the King of heauen. When hee lighted vpon the right string, marke how he harpes vpon it, and doubles it, and trebles it, like a bonde which is ratified with many wordes of like sense; so he ratifieth his bonde to God with many words of like meaning, I will praise and extoll and magnifie the King of Heauen: as if [Page 421] hee would praise him, and more than prayse him. They which loue with the heart, and re­pent from the bottome, praise & praise, praie and pray, giue and giue, serue and serue, that is, when they haue serued him, they are ready to serue him againe.

Here is a glasse for al the children of pride. First looke vpon Nabuchadnezzar, you that are great men like Nabuchadnezzar. For thus will GOD make his example of great men, because they should bee examples to others. Many wicked men died in Iurie, and scarse a man was by to see their ende; but Herode was striken before the people, that all might see, because hee was a wicked King. There were many in Babel as proud as Nabuchad­nezzar, but none but Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast, because hee was a proud King: so God doth stomacke sinne in those that beare his owne person. As Princes vse to picke those that are principall and chiefe in rebellion to make them examples of terrour to others, which were ringleaders in the trea­son: so God doth bend his shot against the captaines of his enemies, like the King of A­ram, which charged his souldiers, that they shoulde fight with none but against Achab the King, as it is written in the second Booke of Chronicles, the eighteenth chapter and thirtieth verse. For as Salomon saith in the [Page 422] nineteenth Chapter of his Prouerbes and fiue and twentieth verse, Strike the strong, and the rest will beware: so Iustice shewed vpon a Ruler, or great personage, dooth terrifie manie.

If we could see but one of our Nabuchad­nezzars so degraded, it would make all the rest better in their office, & thinke when they sit in their maiesties, as Queene Hester did, that their power is giuen them for the Church and not against the Church.

Paul being before Festus and Agrippa, wi­sheth not vnto the King Agrippa, more wealth, or more honor, or more riches, but more religion, which is the greatest want of Princes and Magistrates. They sitte in Gods chayre, and are called Gods, but are not like God, but like Mammon, except their names and their crownes: peraduenture a Dauid, or a Salomon, or a Iosua, that is, a few that re­member whose person they beare: the rest are like Saul, and Herod, and Nabuchadnezzar, which know not frō whome their kingdomes come. Nabuchadnezzar built for his honour, and they built for their honour: Nabuchad­nezzar gathered for his wealth, and they ga­ther for their welth: Nabuchadnezzar sought after his pleasure, and they seeke after their pleasure: Nabuchadnezzar vaunted of his power, and they vaunt of their power: what [Page 423] did Nabuchadnezzar which they do not, but repent which they doe not? I cannot wish them beastes to doe them good, like Nabu­chadnezzar, because it is a question, whether they are worse than beasts already, but if we could driue them out of their pallaces to liue like beasts in the wildernesse, it were a good riddance, for there they shoulde doe lesse harme: where now their proude hornes doe gore others, & their hoof is vp to strike euery one that is better than themselues, which maketh many flie into the wildernesse, from their house, and church, and calling, lest they should fall into their clutches: The Lorde which restored Nabuchadnezzar from the likenesse of a beast, restore them to the likenes of men, or els fright them like Nabuchad­nezzar, to runne from their roomes, that bet­ter may haue their places.

Thus you see Nabuchadnezzar was made like a beast that he might die like a man, for he could neuer learne from whence his king­dome came, vntill he had beene apprentice seuen yeares vnto the crosse, and when hee perceiued who took his kingdome from him, then he perceiued also who gaue his King­dome to him, and learned his thankefulnesse in the wildernesse, when al the blessings were gone, which he should haue been thankfull for, he thought that God was no body, vntill [Page 424] he became like no body himselfe, and then who but God, no power but of him, no ho­nor but from him, his first honor came from God, as well as his last: but when he was like a beast which knew not his owner, like a babe which knewe not his Father, like an Image which knowes not his maker, but nowe hee knoweth from whom Kings raigne, and hath learned to say thy Kingdome, as well as my Kingdome, and is like the elders in the Reue­lation which cast downe their crownes be­fore the Lambe.

Such a schoolemaster is affliction, to teach that, which Prophets and Angels cannot teach. For the Prophet and his dreame had tolde him as much before, yet he could neuer say, the Lord hath giuen, before he did see how the Lord had taken: they say a friend is neuer knowne before hee bee lost: so when God fled, then Nabuchadnezzar followed: but when God called, then Nabuchadnezzar contemned; when he hath all things he is vn­thankfull, and when he hath nothing hee be­ginneth to be thankefull.

So wee must learne Gods loue out of his wrath, and spel his goodnes out of his iustice: therefore we preach iudgement vnto you, to make you flie vnto mercie, wee denounce the law against you, to make you loue the gospel, we shew you hell, to make you seeke heauen. [Page 425] Because we are all like Pharaoh his sorcerers, though we receiue neuer so much, yet we ne­uer say, the finger of GOD hath done this: but when he begins to plague vs, then we cry the finger of God hath done this: therefore if we will not be inuited, it is good to be com­pelled: to conclude, he which made Nabu­chadnezzar a King when he was like a beast, is hee which makes them rich which were poore, and he which makes them free which were bounden, and hee which makes them beloued which were hated, and hee which makes them wise, which were rude, and hee which makes them whole which were sicke: they must staie a time, seuen dayes, or seuen weekes, or seuen moneths, or seuen yeares, as Nabuchadnezzar did, and when they are ready for it, it will come sodainly, as the An­gels came to refresh Christ so soone as he was hungry: yet a little while, a little longer, com­fort is on foote, and that goodnesse which is comming, will come, as the sunne which was rising is risen: for as Nabuchadnezzar saide, mine honor was restored to mee, so I am sure many here may say, my right was restored to mee, my libertie was restored to mee, my health was restored to mee, my good name was restored to me, in lesse time than Nabuchadnezzars honour was, and what then? Therefore I Nabuchadnezzar, prayse, [Page 426] and extoll, and magnifie the King of heauen, whose workes are all trueth, and his waies iudge­ment, and those that walke in pride, hee is able to abase. This is the conclusion of all Gods benefites, they which doe not prayse and ex­toll the King of heauen are worse than Nabu­chadnezzar.

Therefore let all which sayd in their harts, like Nabuchadnezzar: is not this the house which I haue built, is not this the land which I haue purchased, is not this the monie which I haue gathered, are not these the children which I haue be gotten, say now with Nabu­chadnezzar for all, I praise, and extoll, and magnifie the King of heauen, which can take all againe, as hee did from Nabuchadnez­zar.

Thus you haue seen pride and humilitie, one pulling Nabuchadnezzar out of his throne, the other lifting him vnto his throne, whereby they which stand may take heed lest they fall; and they which are fallen, may learne to rise againe.

SAint Peter teaching euerie man his dutie, how one should be­haue himselfe to ano­ther, exhorteth al mē to bee humble & ab­stayne from pride: as though Humilitie were the bond of all duties, like a list which holdeth men in a compasse, & pride were the makebate ouer all the world: to which Salo­mon giueth witnes, Prou. 13. 10. saying, Onely by pryde man maketh contention: because pride maketh euery one thinke better of himselfe then of others, whereby he scorneth to giue place to the other, and therefore when neither [Page 428] partie wil yeeld as Abraham did to Lot, how should there be any peace?Gen. 13. 9. Thus pride doth breake the peace, and humilitie doth set it a­gaine: therefore to toll men from pride to humilitie, as it were from the concubin to the right wife, the Apostle sheweth how God is affected to pride, and what minde he beareth to humilitie: God resisteth the proud, and gi­ueth grace to the humble: as if he should whis­per men in the eares & say, take heed how you companie with pride, or giue entertain­ment to her, for she is not Caesars friend, the king counteth her his enemie, & all that take her part: she hath been suspected euer since the Angels rebelled in heauen,Gen. 3. and Adam sought to bee equal with God. therfore his maiestie hath a stich against her, as Salomon had to Shemei, & would not haue her fauo­rites come in his court,1. Kin. 2. 36 vnlesse they hold downe their mace, stoope when they enter. But if you can get in with humilitie, and weare the colours of lowlines, then you may goe boldly, and stand in the Kings sight, and step to his chamber of presence, and put vp your petitions, and come to honor. For humi­litie is very gracious with him, and so neere of his counsell, that as Dauid and Salomon say,Pro. 3. 32. he committeth all his secrets to her. This is Peters meaning,Psal. 25. that the humble shall finde grace with God and men: as wee read [Page 429] of Dauid and Iohn Baptist, according to that in the first Psal. vers. 4. All things which hee doth shall prosper: Psal. 1. 4. but the proude shall bee troubled and crossed, and when they would doe best they shall doe worst, when they would grace themselues, they shall shame themselues: and God will be to them like the spirit of Saul which tormented him whereso­euer hee went. This sentence is repeated a­gaine,Iames. 1. 6. Iames 4. 6. the like sentence to this is in Prouerbes 3. 34.Pro. 3▪ 34. where he sayth, with the Scornefull he scorneth: but he giueth grace to the humble: the like sentence is againe in the 16. of Prouerbs 18. where he sayth,Pro. 16. 18. Pryde goeth before destruction:Pro. 15. 33. and in the 15. of Prou. 33. before honour goeth humilitie.Pro. 29. 23. The like sentence is againe in the 29. of the Prou. vers. 23. where he saith, the pryde of man shall bring him lowe, but the humble in spirit shall enioy glorie.

The like sentence is againe in the first of Luke. 46 where the Virgin sings,Luk. 1. 46. He hath put downe the mightie from their seate, and hath exalted the humble and meeke; that as it were by two or three witnesses, pryde might bee condemned, and humilitie acquited. One is to GOD like Iacob,Rom. 4. 13. of whom hee sayth;Mal. 1. 3. Iacob haue I loued: the other is to God like Esau,Gen. 25. 8. of whom he sayth, Esau haue I hated. Iacob loued Esau because hee loued [Page 430] venison, but Rebecca loued Iacob because he was loued of God. So the proud are in the Kings Court, because they seeke honour, but the humble are in Gods court, because they contemne honour: as he sayth in the third of the Prouer. ver. 34. with the froward he will shew himselfe froward: So he threatneth here that with the proude, he will shewe himselfe proud; that is, if they chalenge, he wil defend: if they will prouoke him, he will resist them: if they will clime higher then their compasse, he will pull them lower then their will.

Peter speaks of the proud, as if they did cha­lenge God, like champions, & prouoke him like rebels, that vnles he did resist them, they would goe about to depriue him of his rule,Num. 16. 2 as Corah, Dathan, and Abiram vndermined Moses. For so the proud man sayth, I will be like the highest,Esai. 14. and if he could, aboue the highest too. This is the creature which was taken out of the dust,Gen. 2. 7. and so soone as he was made, he opposeth himselfe against that ma­iestie, which the Angels adore, the throanes worship, the diuels feare, and the heauens o­bey. How many sins are in this sinfull world, and yet as Salomon sayth of the good wife, Prou. 31. 29. Many daughters haue done ver­tuously,Pro. 31. 29. but thou surmountest them all. So I may say of pryde, many sinnes haue done wickedly, but thou surmountest them all: for [Page 431] the wrathfull man, the prodigall man, the la­ciuious man, the surfeting man, the slothfull man, is rather an enemy to himselfe then to God. The enuious man, the couetous man, the deceiptful man, the vngrateful man, is ra­ther an enemy to men then to God. but the proud man sets himself against God, because he doth against his lawes, he maketh himselfe equall with God, because he doth all without God and craues no helpe of him: he exalteth himselfe aboue God, because he will haue his owne wil, though it be contrary to Gods wil. As the humble man saith;Psal. 115. 1 Not vnto vs Lord, not vnto vs, but thy name giue the glorie. Psal. 115. 1. so the proud man saith, not vn­to him, not vnto him, but vnto vs giue the glorie: like vnto Herod, which tooke the name of God, and was honored of all but the wormes, and they shewed that he was not a God but a man,Acts 12. 21. Actes 12. 21. Therefore the proud men may be called Gods enemies, be­cause as the couetous pull riches from men, so the proud pull honor from God. Beside the proud man hath no cause to be proud, as o­ther sinners haue, the couetous for riches, the ambitious for honor, the voluptuous for ple­sure, the enuious for wrong, the slothful for ease; but the proud man hath no cause to be proud, but pride it selfe, which saith like Pharaoh, I will not obey, Exod. 5. 2. Therefore [Page 432] God is specially said to resist the proud, be­cause the proud resist him. Heere is heauen against earth, the creator against the crea­ture, the father against the sonne, the Lord against the seruant, the Prince against the subiect, who is like to winne the fielde? If the Lord iustifie (saith Paul) who shall condemne? so if the Lord resist, who shall defend? If his lawe come with thunder and lightning and tempest, with what terrour will hee come himselfe? It was but a brag, when the king of Iuda proclaimed warre against the king of A­ram & said,2. Kin. 1. 9. No man shall deliuer thē out of my hands; but it is true when God saith, no man shall deliuer them out of my hands:Heb. 10. therefore the author to the Hebrews saith, It is a feare­full thing to fall into the hands of God, for hee euer ouercommeth. Therefore when the E­gyptians perceiued that God fought against them,1. Kin. 14. 9 they cryed, Wee will fle, wee will flie, for God sighteth against vs, Exod. 14. 25. So the proud may cry, I will flie, I will flie, for God fighteth against vs. When the king of Iuda proclaimed warre against the king of Is­rael; the king of Israel returned answere, that the thistle rebelled against the cedar, 2. King. 14. 9. & yet there was but king against king. a man against a man; how much rather may the king of heauen answer this proud earth, the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar?1. Sa. 17. 2. The [Page 433] giant durst chalenge but one of the host of Israel, but the Lord chalengeth all the host of pride: euen as hee giueth grace to all that are hūble, so he resisteth all that are proud. It had been too heauie for them, if he had sayde, the Lord doth not care for them, for Gods care preserueth vs, and our owne care doth but trouble vs: but to say that the Lord doth resist them,Reuel. 12. 7 is as if Michael should denounce warre with the dragon, till he hath cast him into the pit. This is a marshall word, and comes with armes and weapons vpon them: if a man should see a Lion come vpon him, would hee not start? if he should see a Giant come a­gaynst him, would he not feare? But now the Lorde of hosts, the Lion of Iuda, which de­stroyed the Giants, is vp in armes to resist the proud, and the proud feare not so much as the humble. God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace to the humble: but the world resisteth the humble, and giueth grace to the proud, as Dauid notes.Psal. 49. 18. Men will praise thee, not when thou reformest thy selfe to God, but whē thou doest forme thy selfe to thy lusts: that is, they which will be strowters, shal not want flatte­rers, which will praise euery thing that they do, and euery thing that they speake, & euery thing that they weare, and say it becomes thē well to weare long haire, that it becomes thē well to weare bellied dublets, that it becomes [Page 434] them well to iet in their going, that it becoms thē wel to sweare in their talking. Now, when they heare men sooth them in their follies, then think they, we haue nothing els to com­mend vs, if men will praise vs for our vanities, we will haue friends enough: so the humour swelleth and thinkes with it selfe, if they will looke vpon mee when, I doe set but a stout face vpon it, how would they behold mee if I were in apparell? if they doe so admire me in silkes, how would they cap me and cursie me, and worship me, if I were in veluets? if I be so braue in plaine veluet, what if my vel­uet were pinct, or cut, or printed? So they stu­die for fashions, as Lawyers do for delayes, & count that part naked which is not as gaudie as the rest, till all their bodie be couered ouer with pride, as their mind is with folly. There­fore Dauid saith,Psal. 37. 6. that pride is as a chaine vnto them, that is, it goeth round about them like a chaine, and makes them thinke that all men loue them, and praise them, and admire them, and worship them for their brauerie. There­fore as Saul sayd to Samuel, Honour me before this people: so the proude man saith to his, chaine and his ruffes, and his pinckes, and his cuts, honour me before this people: all that, he speaketh, or doth, or weareth, is like Na­buchadnezzars pallace,Dan. 4. which he built for his honor. This is their work, so soone as they rise, [Page 435] to put a Pedlars shop vpon theyr backes, and colour their faces, and pricke their ruffes, and frisle theyr hayre, and then their daies worke is done, as though their office were to paint a fayre Image euery morning, and at night to blot it out agayn: from that day that pride is borne in the heart of man, as the false Pro­phets were schooled to speake as the King would haue them,2. Kin. 21. 8. so their eyes, and feete, and tongues are bound to speake, and looke, and walke, as the proud heart doth prompt them. If GOD were in loue with fashions, hee were neuer better serued than in this age, for our world is like a pageant, where euery mans ap­parell is better then himself.Mat. 11. 6. Once Christ said, that soft clothing is in Kings courts: but now it is crept into euerie house: then the rich glutton ietted in purple euerie day,Luk. 16. but now the poore vnthrift iets as braue as the glutton, with so many circumstances about him, that if yee could see how pride would walke her­selfe, if she did weare apparell, she would euen goe like manie in the streetes: for she could not goe brauer, nor looke stouter, nor mince finer, nor set on moe laces, nor make larger cuts, nor carrie more trappings about her, then our ruffians and wantons doe at this day. How far are these fashions altered from those leather coates which God made in Pa­radise?Gen. 3. 21. if their bodies did chaunge formes so [Page 436] often as their apparell chaungeth fashions, they should haue more snapes then they haue fingers and toes.2. Kin. 14. 2. As Ieroboams wife disgui­sed her self that the Prophet might not know her, so we may think that they disguise them­selues that God might not knowe them, nay they disguise their bodies so, till they knowe not themselues: for the seruant goeth like his master, the handmaide like her Mistresse, the subiect like the Prince, as though he had for­gotten his calling, and mistooke himselfe: like a man in the darke, which puts on ano­ther mans coate for his owne, that is too wide, or too side for his bodie: so their at­tires are so vnfit for their bodies, so vnmeete for their calling, so contrarie to nature, that I cannot call them fitter, then the monsters of apparell.Gen. 6. For the Giants were not so mon­strous in nature, as their attires are in fashion, that if they could see their apparell but with the glance of a spirituall eye, how monstrous it makes them like Apes and Puppets, and Vices, they would fling away their attire, as Dauid flung away Sauls armour:1. Sa. 17. 39 and bee as much ashamed of their clothes,Gen. 3. 9. as Adam was of his nakednesse.

Pride hath been the deuiser of all these va­nities, which now neither shame nor lawes nor preaching can take away: therefore had we not need to shew you, how God resisteth [Page 437] this vice, that careth not for any else? Who can tell how this weede groweth, seeing wee haue nothing to be proud of, but more cause to be ashamed of our selues, and flie from the face of God and man too,Gen. 3. 13. then Adam our fa­ther had? we were earth, we are flesh, and we shall bee wormes meate: what cause hath earth, or flesh, or wormes meate to be proud? We are borne in sinne, we liue in miserie, we shal die in corruption: what cause hath sinne, or miserie, or corruption to puffe vs, but to humble vs? there is nothing good which we are proud of, but a wise man is ashamed of the same things whereof we boast. It is a won­der to see, how a gay coate, or a gold ring, or a wrought handkerchiefe can braue a mans minde, that he thinkes better of himselfe that day when he weareth them, then any day els, and speakes and walkes, and lookes after ano­ther fashion then he did before?

If ye could say as the disciples said, Luk. 10. 17. Lord the diuels are subiect vnto vs: Yet (saith the Lord) glorie not in this: how ma­nie things doe we glorie in, which we should not, if wee may not glorie in the gift of mira­cles? Euen as a couetous man is greedie of an halfpenie, and an enuious man is angrie for a word: so the proud man is proud of a fether. Therefore shall not God resist them which glorie in all things but himselfe, and should [Page 438] glorie in nothing but in him? as he did emu­late the loftie Babel,Gen. 11. so he dooth resist these loftie minds.

But for Pride the angels which are in hell should be in heauen:Iud. 1. but for pride we which are in earth should bee in paradise:Gen. 3. but for pride Nabuchadnezzar which is in the forest should be in his pallace:Dan. 4. but for pride Pharaoh which lies with the fishes,Exod. 14. should be with his nobles: no sinne hath pulled so many down, as this which promised to set them vp. Of all the children of pride, the Pope is the father, which sitteth in the temple of God, and is worshipped as God.2. Thes. 2. 4. The Lords ministers are called seruants, and his ministers are called Lords: but for pride the Pharisies would haue receiued Christ as gently as his disciples:Matth. 2. but for Pride Herod would haue worshipped Christ as humbly as the shepheardes: but for pride our men would goe like Abraham,1. Pet. 1. 6. and our women like Sara, as they would bee called their children: but for pride Noble men would come to Church, as well as the people: but for pride Gentles would abide reproofe, as well as seruants: but for pride thou wouldest forgiue thy brother, and thy brother would forgiue thee, and the Law­yers should haue no worke. But when thou thinkest of these things, Pride comes in and saith, Wilt thou goe like a hagler? wilt thou [Page 439] follow Sermons? wilt thou take the checke? wilt thou put vp wrong? what will men say? that thou art a mome, and a cowarde, and a foole, and no man will reuerence thee, but e­uerie man will contemne & abuse thee. Thus men are faine to put on the liuerie of pride, as they put on the liueries of Noble men, to shrowd and defend them from the contempt of the world. Who hath not felt these coun­sailes in his heart, which would not beleeue that any pride was in him? Yet as Absolon was a worse sonne then Adoniah, because A­doniah rebelled against his brother,1. King. 1. 5 but Ab­solon rebelled against his father: so pride hath worse children, than vanitie of apparell. Ty­rannie in Princes, ambition in Nobles, rebel­lion in Subiects, disobedience in Children, stubbornnesse in seruants: name Pride, and thou hast named their mother: therfore shall not GOD resist pride, which hath sowed so many tares in his grounde, that scarse a man can say like Dauid, I am not high minded. Psal. 131. 1. Giue me the mindes of all men hum­bled, and there is nothing left to raise strife in the worlde.Iam. 4. 5. But as Iames saith, The heart of man lusteth after enuie: so the heart of man lusteth after pride, though he haue many hart breakes and pull downes, and many times no countenance to shew it: yet if a little sparke be put to the tow, you shal see how soon this [Page 440] flaxe will flame: therefore Salomon saith, Ec­cles. 3. 10. that all the troubles that God lay­eth vpon a man, haue this purpose, to humble him; as though al troubles were little inough to humble pride, and that but for pride there were no need almost of our troubles. For the auoiding of this vice, GOD suffereth men to fall into other vices, which men abhorre and punish, as theft, and fornication, and drun­kennes, to make them ashamed by these vices which were not ashamed of pride: this is an argument, that of all sinnes pride is the worst, because God suffereth other sinnes to come and shame vs, least we should bee proude. A­gayne, Pride hath this propertie and sleight that it mixeth it selfe with our good workes, and followeth vertue: As from the ashes of a Phoenix ariseth another Phoenix, so of the a­shes of our good workes ariseth pride. When the diuell cannot stay vs from a good worke, then he laboureth by all meanes to make vs proud of it, and so he staineth our worke and stealeth our reward. For though a man doe neuer so much good, yet if he be proude of it hee loseth his reward, as the Pharisies did: therefore the best and the wisest, and the ho­liest men had need to watch this vice: for if they take not great heed, it will make them proud of their wisedome, and of their zeale, and of their goodnes.2. Cor. 12. Paul was almost puf­fed [Page 441] vp with reuelations:Num. 12. Aron and Miriam began to rebell, because they thought them­selues as good as Moses; and all the fathers of any heresie, began their heresie at this, a mag­nificate opinion of themselues, and an ouer­weening of their owne gifts. So pride setteth vpon the best,Math. 4. euen as the temper set vpon Christ. Agayne, a man had need to take heede of pride, for she will not keepe counsaile: but if he be proud, she will tell that he is proud, and therefore is called an impudent sinne, be­cause she descrieth her selfe in the eye, in the speech, in the iesture, in the looke, in the ga [...]e, like the drunkard, so that a man cannot bee proud, and seeme humble.

Thus God hath tied a iust punishmēt to this vice, that he which entertaineth the vice that he loueth, should not auoid the name which he abhorreth, but he shall be esteemed proud and called proud of all that know him; and many that know him not, shall point at him with their fingers in the streetes, & say, there goes a proud fellow: which they pronounce of no vice els, but the drunkard, because these two bewray themselues.

Thus you see howe the proud resist God: now you shall see how GOD resisteth the proud. They are so heady, that almost none dare resist them but God: I will resist them (saith God.) Therefore when hee heard the [Page 442] proud man say in the 14 of Esaiah, I will as­cend vp into heauen: hee answereth himselfe, Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue. This is hee which resisteth the proud.Hest. 6. 13. When Ha­mans wife heard her husband say, that Mor­decai was against him; because he was an Is­raelite, she sayd that her husband should take the soile, and Mordecai shoulde preuayle. What if she had heard her husband say, that the Lord of Mordecai was agaynst him? If the seruant bee so terrible, who dare encoun­ter with his master?Rom. 9. God hated Esau, and how did Esau prosper? though hee was the elder brother, yet he missed the birth-right; and though his father loued him,Gen. 25. 28 yet hee could not blesse him, because God hated him. God was wroth with the Angels, and droue them out of heauen;Iud. 1. God was wroth with Adam, and thrust him out of Paradice;Gen. 3. GOD was wroth with Nabucadnezzar,Dan. 4. and turned him out of his Pallace; God was wroth with Cain,Gen. 4. 12. and though hee were the first man that was borne of a woman, yet God made him a vagabond vpon his owne land; GOD was wroth with Saul,1. Sa. 31. 4. and though he was the first king that euer was annoynted, yet God made his owne hand his executioner; GOD was wroth with the olde world,Gen. 6. and though the earth was naked when they were drowned, yet hee regarded nothing, but destroyed a [Page 443] world of men together. This is he which re­sisteth the proude, what shall wee doe if the world be against vs, and the flesh against vs, and the diuell against vs, and God against vs too, which should defend vs? In heauen, in earth, and in the sea he findes vs out. And as the displeasure of a king draweth many ene­mies with it, so the displeasure of God setteth all his creatures against vs: therefore he is cal­led the Lord of hoasts,Esa. 1. 14. as though hee came with an armie against vs. When hee fought with the Aramites,Iosh. 3. 10. the Sunne tooke his part: when hee fought against the Sodomites,Gen. 16. the fire tooke his parte: when hee fought against the Egyptians,Exod. 14. the water tooke his parte; when he fought against the Murmurers,Numb. 26. the earth tooke his part; when he fought against the Idolaters,Dan 3. the Lyons tooke his part; when hee fought against the mockers,2. Kin. 2. 24 the Beares tooke his part: this is hee which resisteth the proud. What can hee hope, which remem­breth that God is set against him, and that the Lord of heauen and of earth is his enemie? This thought made the Philistines flie & say, God is come into the hoast. 1. Sa. 4. 7. No enemie is like this enemie, he euer ouercommeth, and when hee hath ouercomen, he can cast into hell, & make the diuels torment them againe: there­fore well might Salomon prophecie, Pro. 29. 23.Mat 4. The pride of man shall bring him lowe: for [Page 444] God hath ouercome him who brought pride into the world; & as pride brought him low, so Salomon saith, it shall bring men low too. What a turne is this, that that which he tooke like a chayne (as Dauid sayth) to adorne him;Psal. 73. 6. doth hang him? that which he tooke to exalt him, doth debase him; that which hee tooke to winne loue, getteth hatred; that which he tooke to obtaine glory, procureth shame: as if God did take the sworde out of his hand,1. Sa. 17. 51. as Dauid tooke the sworde of Goliah, and slewe him with his owne weapon.

When the Pharisie said he was not like the Publicane, Luk. 19. 11. he said true: for then he was not like the Publican indeede, because the Publican was better than he: So, when a proude man thinkes best of himselfe, then God and men thinke worst of him; all his glorie is but like a vapour, which clymeth as though it would goe vp to heauen, but when it comes to a little height, it falles downe a­gaine, and neuer ascends more. So Adam thought that the faire apple shuld make him like his maker, Gen. 3. but God resisted his pride, and that apple made him like the Ser­pent that tempted him with it. Absolom thought that rebellion would make him a king, 2. Sam. 15. 2. but God resisted his pride, and his rebellion hanged him on a tree.

Nimrod thought that Babel should get him [Page 445] a name, Gen. 11. but God resisted his pride, & the name of his building was called Cōfu­siō euer since. Nabuchadnezzar built his pal­lace for his honor, Dan. 4. but God resisted his pride, and his pallace spued him out when his seruants remayned in it. Shebna builded a se­pulcher for his memoriall, Esa. 22. but GOD resisted his pride, and buried him in another Countrey, where he had no sepulcher proui­ded. Herod hoped when the people cryed at his words, It is the voyce of God, that hee should be worshipped euer after as God, but God resisted his pride, and before he descen­ded from his throane, the wormes so defaced his pompe, that none which called him God would be like vnto him: so whē women take more paines to dresse themselues, then they doe all the day after, and pay deerer to main­taine one vice, than they neede to learne all vertues, they thinke to please men by it: but God resisteth their pride, and al that see them though they cap and curtsie to them, yet they iudge worse of them, and thinke that they would not weare these signes of lightnes and pride, vnlesse they were light and proud in­deede. Thus if their apparell condemne them before men, how will it condemne them be­fore GOD? If sinne did not blinde them, would they so deceiue themselues to take the contrary way, and thinke that should honor [Page 446] them which disgraceth other?Numb. 22. But as Balaam was stopped & knew not who stopped him: so they are resisted, and know not who resi­steth them. Though they doe al to please, yet they can please none: they please not God, for God resisteth them; they please not the humble, for the humble are contrarie to thē; they please not the proud, for the proud doe enuie them which striue to bee as proude as they: they please not themselues, because they cannot bee so proud and braue as they would bee: onely they please the diuell, be­cause their pride doth intitle him to them.

Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud. Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead, This is the man whom God resisteth: then hee turneth to the lowly, and comforteth them: But he giueth grace to the humble; as if hee should say, you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple, which lea­ned on Christs bosome: Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud, yet hee will not frowne vpon you: but when he resisteth them, he wil giue grace vnto you, as if hee should say, the proud are without grace, for God giueth not grace vnto the proud, but to the humble, ac­cording to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke, euen to him that is poore & of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my wordes: therefore Learne of me (saith Christ) to be hūble & meek: Mat. 11. [Page 447] as though the humble and meeke were his schollers. Therefore God must needes loue the humble, because they are like his sonne: they shall haue his best giftes, of which hee sayth, 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient: as if hee should say, hee which hath giuen you his grace, can he denie you any thing? as Christ saith, Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne, will he not giue vs all things with him? Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts, because all gifts come with grace, as the Court goeth with the Queene. Therefore feare not to bee humble, least you be contemned: for all the promises of God are made to humilitie, and yet men feare to be humble, lest they shuld be contemned. Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible, but when he refused the name of a Prophet, Christ saith, that hee was more then a Prophet, Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible, but as he was the mildest man vpon earth; so he was the grea­test vpon the earth, Numb. 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible, but when he humbled himselfe, hee said vnto Micol, I will be more humble yet, and lowly in my owne sight, yet thou and thy maides shall honour me, 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant, nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb, nor to be [Page 448] God because he was made man, nor to bee a Iudge, because he was iudged: so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie: but he shal be honored for his humilitie, as the Son was honoured when he was humbled, Luk. 15. 8. Thus humilitie hath found that which pride sought, like little Dauid, which was least ac­compted of, and yet gotte the victorie; yea, when no man durst encounter with the Gy­ant, 1. Sam. 17. 28. This is the ladder where­by we must ascend, Gen. 28. 12. pride did cast vs downe, and humilitie must raise vs vp. As the way to heauen is narrowe, Mat. 12. 13. so the gate is lowe; and he had neede to stoope which entreth in at it: therefore be not proud, least God oppose himselfe against you; but be humble, and the grace of God belongeth to you. So long as thou art proude, and rea­dest this sentence, GOD giueth grace to the humble: thou mayst say to thy soule: Soule thou hast no part herein; for grace is the por­tion of the humble, and the dowrie of the meeke, and the treasure of the lowlie; but to thee it, is saide, The Lord resisteth the proude: as if he should say, Auoide Sathan, Math. 4. or Departe from mee ye wicked, Math 25. 45. Thus you see howe you may haue GOD your friende or your enemie, Hee resisteth the proud, and giueth grace to the humble: [Page 449] if thou disdaine to learne humilitie of man, learne it of GOD, who humbled himselfe from heauen to earth, to exalte thee from earth to heauen; to which King­dome (when the proud shall be shut out) the Lord Iesus bring vs, for his mercies sake.

IF it be so, as they say, that none but young men do heare our doctrine; then this Text is well chosen for the auditory, to teach young men that which if they learne, they may say with Dauid, I haue more vnderstanding then the auncient. Psalm. 119. 100. All Scripture is mans duetie, and answeres like Iohn Bap­tist to, What shall wee doe? In the first of Iohn the second and the twelfth, Iohn sayth, I write vnto you babes, I write vnto you chil­dren, I write vnto you fathers, I write vnto you youngmen, I write vnto you old men. So the word which is called aflying booke, flyeth [Page 451] from one age to another, from one sexe to an­other, from one calling to another, till like a Iudge it hath giuen euery man his charge. A­mong the rest, I may call this Scripture, The young mans taske. Wherein the Wise man she­weth, when is the best time to sow the seede of vertue, that it may bring foorth the fruite of life, and make a man alway readie to die. Let him remember his Creator in the daies of his youth, and all his life shall runne in a line, the middle like the beginning, and the ende like the middle; as the Sunne setteth a­gainst the place where it rose.

After Salomon had described man (like Martha) troubling and toyling himselfe a­bout many things; at last hee bringeth him to that one thing necessarie, which Christ taught Marie: and shewes him, that if he had begun there at first, he had found that which he sought without trouble, and been happier many yeares since, than he is now. Therefore to them which are young Salomon shewes, what a vantage they haue aboue the aged like a ship, which seeing another ship sinke before her, lookes about her, pulles downe her sayle, turneth her course, and escapes the sands, which would swallow her, as they had done the other.

So they which are young, neede not trie the snares and allurements of the worlde, or the [Page 452] issues and effectes of sinne, which olde men haue tried before them, but take the tryall and experience of others, and goe a neerer way to obtaine their wished desires. That is this (sayth Salomon) If thou wouldest haue any setled peace or heartie ioye in this vaine or transitorie worlde, which thou hast beene seeking all the time since thou wert borne, thou must Remember thy Creator, which did make thee, which hath elected thee, which hath redeemed thee, which daylie preserueth thee, which will for euer glorifie thee: and as the kinde remembrance of a friende doth re­create the minde, so to thinke and meditate vpon GOD, will supply thy thoughts, dis­pell thy griefes, and make thee cheerefull, as the sight of the Arke comforted Dauid: for ioye, and comfort, and pleasure is whereas God is, as light, and cheerefulnes, and beau­tie is whereas the Sunne is. Nowe, if thou wouldest haue this ioy, and comfort, & plea­sure to bee long, and wouldest escape those thousand miseries, vexations, and vanities, which Salomon by many weary and tedious tryals sought to make naked before thee, & yet held all but vanitie when hee had founde the way, thou must Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, at the first spring time, and then thy happynesse shall bee as long as thy life; and all thy thoughts while thou re­mainest [Page 453] on earth, a foretaste of the glorie of Heauen. This is the summe of Salomons counsaile.

Salomon findes man seeking happinesse out of the way, as Esau hunted long for a blessing, and yet went without it: he pities to see him seeke and not finde, to runne and not obtaine: therefore he setteth him in the way like a guide sent from heauen, which often had strayed himselfe before, and being now recouered to his right way, stands like a mark of knowledge in the turnings that leade vnto blinde by-waies, to direct all those that passe by, that they may followe the readie path that leadeth to eternall happinesse.

And because the Trauailour marcheth cheerefully, which knoweth his way before he setteth foorth: therefore from the first set­ting forth, euen from the time of youth, when a man beginneth to runne his pilgrimage, Sa­lomon tels him how he shall therein prepare himselfe to walke, and sets him in a faire high way, wherein is no turning either to the right hand or the left, which he calleth, the remem­brance of GOD. As if he should say, Walke with God as Enoch did, and remember well, that he which shall be thy Iudge, doth see all that thou doest, and heareth thee at euerie worde: and this thought shall keepe thee in the way at all times, like the clowde and pil­ler [Page 454] of fire which went before the Children of Israel aswell by day as night, when they tra­uailed in the wildernes.

In the next chapter before, and the ninth verse, Salomon sayd, Reioyce O young man in thy youth: now he hath chaunged his note to Remember O young man in thy youth. No more Reioyce, but Remember. Salomon mocked before, and shewed what they did remember: here he shewes what they should remember, least anie Libertine should mis­conster him and say, Salomon taught vs to re­ioyce, Salomon gaue vs leaue to sinne, Salo­mon said, doe as ye list, for you are yong men, and haue a priuiledge to bee lasciuious and vaine: he recants with a breath, and denyes forthwith his word, euen where he spake it.

What sayd I? Reioyce O young man in thy youth? I would say, Remember O young man in thy youth. So God mockes vs while wee sinne, like Michaiah, which bad Achab fight agaynst Aram, and then forbad him againe: so hee bids them reioyce, and forbids them agayne. Reioyce not in thy youth, but repent in thy youth. One would thinke that Salo­mon should haue giuen this Memorandum rather to olde men then to young men, let them repent which looke to dye. Oh saith Ie­remie,Lam. 3▪ 27. it is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth: if it be good to suffer in youth, [Page 455] it is better to learne in youth. Therefore if Dauid wisht that his tongue might cleaue to the roofe of his mouth,Psal 137. 6 if hee forgot Ieru­salem: what are they worthie which forget GOD the King of Ierusalem? Can a childe forget his father? Is not GOD our Father? therefore who is too young to remember him, seeing the childe doth knowe his father? As the deepest wounds had neede to be first tented: so the vnstablest mindes haue neede to bee first confirmed. In this extremitie is youth, as Salomon shewes them before hee teacheth them. For in the last verse of the for­mer chapter, he calleth youth vanitie, as if he would speake all euill in a word, and say that youth is euen the age of sinne. Therfore when he had shewed young men their sollie vnder the name of vanitie, like a good Tutor he ta­keth them to schoole, and teacheth them their dutie: Remember thy Creator, as though all sinne were the forgetfulnesse of God, and all our obedience came from this remem­brance, that God created vs after his owne i­mage, in righteousnesse and holinesse, to serue him here for a while, and after to inhe­rit the ioyes which he hath himselfe. Which if we did remember, doubles it would make vs ashamed to thinke and speake, and doe as wee are woont. For what man dooth re­member his Creator, or why he was created, [Page 456] while he sweareth and forsweareth, and ma­keth his trade of sinne, as though there were no God to iudge, nor hell to punish.

This is because the remembrance of God which would wake sinners, is so chased from men, for feare it should curbe them of their pleasures, that they dare not thinke of him, but striue to forget him, that they may sinne without feare. Therefore he becommeth a Schoolemaster for God, and calleth children vnto him before they be corrupted, to teach them this one lesson for the guide of their life, Remember thy Creator. To which he draweth them as it were with two cordes: the short slight of their youth, and the infinite infirmi­ties of age. To shew how soone our youth is gone, which we thinke will neuer haue ende: Salomon doth not reckon it by yeares, but by dayes, in the dayes of thy youth: so the Scrip­ture numbers our life, by dayes and houres, and minutes, to teach vs to make vse of al our time, and euery day to thinke vpon the ende. Yet least they should post ouer this remem­brance vnto age, which is the generall daye that all set to repent, after this verse Salomon brings in the old man deafe, and blinde, and lame, and stammering, for the young man to behold, as if he should say: looke my sonne, is this man fit to learne? which cannot heare, nor see, nor speake, nor goe? Therefore re­member [Page 457] thou thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth before this dotage come. This then is the leuell of our message, to hasten them forward which trauell towards heauen, be­cause there is a great space betweene God and vs, and much a doe to aspire the toppe of mount Sion, but more a doe to aspire the top of the mount of heauen.

Therefore as Abraham rose early to sa­crifice his sonne in the morning,Gen. 22. 3 so in the morning of thy life sacrifice thy selfe to God, and let him which is Alpha in euery thing, be Alpha in thy conuersion, that is, the begin­ning as well as the ende. Because wee are gi­uen to set the best last, that wee may haue a longer time for our sinnes and pleasures, like the Iewes in the 1. of Agge & 2. which said al­way, the time was not yet come when they should build the temple. Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often:2. Cor. 6. 2. This is the acceptable time, this is the day of saluation, to day heare his voyce, like Rebeccah which taught her sonne the nearest waie to get the blessing.Gen. 27. 9. When Christ went about to cast out diuels, they said,Mat. 8. 29. that he tormented them before the time: so whensoeuer thou goest about to dis­misse thy sinnes and pleasures, though thou stay till thou bee an olde man, yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time. But then is the time, when the diuell [Page 458] saith, the time is not yet, for the diuell is a lier, & knoweth that with what liquor our vessels be seasoned at first, they will tast of the same euer after, whether it be good or bad. There­fore as God sueth to haue vs begin at good­nesse, so the diuell wooes vs to begin at wic­kednesse: alledging either that wee are not resolued yet to leaue our pleasures, or els that God is exceeding mercifull to sinners, or else that we shall haue space enough to serue him hereafter. So he stands as it were at the ladder foote, and keepes vs off with these weapons, that wee cannot get vpon the first staffe, but one thought or other pulleth vs backe, when the foote is in the stirrop, ready to ride away from all our sinnes at once. Thus wee haue long purposed to serue God, and euery man thinketh that hee should be serued, but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne: One saith when I am rich, an other saith when I am free, another saith, when I am setled, an other saith when I am olde, then my pleasure will leaue me, and I shall be fitter to fast and pray, and sequester my selfe, but now I shal be mocked if I be not like others. Thus like bad borrowers, when our day is past al­readie, we craue a longer and a longer, and yet a longer, til we be arrested with death: so the prince of creatures dieth, before he con­sidered why hee liued, for as no discipline is [Page 459] vsed where Christs discipline is neglected, so no time is obserued, where Gods time is omitted.

It is an olde saying; Repentance is neuer too late, but it is a true saying; Repentance is neuer too soone.1. Cor. 9. 24. Therefore we are com­maunded to runne, that wee may obtaine, which is the swiftest pace of man.Exo. 25. 20. The Cheru­bines were portraited with wings before the place where the Israelites praied, to shew how quickly they went about the Lords businesse. The Hound which runnes but for the Hare, girdes foorth, so soone as he sees the Hare start: the Hawke which flyeth but for the Partridge, taketh her flight so soone as she spyes the Patridge spring: so we should followe the woord so soone as it speaketh, and come to our Master so soone as hee cal­leth. For God requiring the first borne for his offering, and the first fruites for his seruice, requireth the first labours of his seruants, and as I may say, the maidenhead of euery man. Therefore so soone as man was created, a law was giuen him,Ge. 2. 15. 16 to shew that hee should liue vnder obedience from the day that hee is borne. So soone as he is borne, hee is bapti­zed in the name of God, to shew that when we cannot runne to Christ, we should creepe vnto him, and serue him as we can in youth and age: so soone as hee beginneth to praye, [Page 460] hee saith, Thy name be hallowed, thy king­dome come, thy will be doone, before hee aske his dayly bread, to shew that wee should seeke the will of God, before the food which we liue by, much more before the sinnes and pleasures which we perish by: so soone as the Lord distributed the Talents, he enioyned his seruants to vse them. Who is so young which hath not receiued some talēt or other: therefore youth cannot excuse him, because the talent requires to be asked of euery one which hath it. So soone as God had created the man and the woman, hee commanded them to increase and multiplie: shall we in­crease and multiplie in the flesh, before we encrease and multiplie in the spirit: the first thing which God did after hee had created heauen and earth, he did separate light from darkenes,Gen. 1. 14. to shew vs how we should separate good from euill, before our good become euill.

The first lesson that Iohn taught, was: Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. Math. 3. 2. The first lesson that the Disciples taught, was, Repent too, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand, Matth. 10. And the first lesson that Christ taught, was repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand, Matth. 4. 10. to teach vs what we should do first. Repent was the first lesson to yong and old: For what can [Page 461] we owe God to morrow, which wee are not indebted to day? Therefore Dauid prayed, Teach mee O Lord to number my dayes: Psal. 90. 12. not yeares, nor my moneths, nor my weekes. but my dayes, shewing that we shall answere for daies as well as yeares, for to day as well as to morrow: and for our youth as straightly as our age, which made him cry, Remember not the sinnes of my youth: which hee would not haue spoken, if God did not marke the sinnes of youth as well as age. Therefore he calleth children vnto him as Salomon dooth, and saith, that hee will teach them the feare of the Lord. For should children honor their father and not honour God. It was a sweete comfort, when the children went before Christ to his temple, and sang there Hosanna, to make their fathers ashamed, which did not know the Messias when he came, when their little children knew him. It is written that when Christ heard a young man answer, that hee had kept the commaundementes from his youth, Christ beganne to loue him, which shewes how Christ loueth these time­lie beginnings, when wee make him our nurse, and drawe our first milke from his brests. There is not one confession for olde men, and another for young men, the old man saith not, I did beleeue in God: the young [Page 462] man saith not, I will beleeue in God, but both say, I doe beleeue in God, for hee which is called I am, in the third of Exodus, loueth, I am, and careth not for, I was, nor I will be. When Christ asketh Peter, Louest thou me? he looketh that Peter should answere him, Yea Lord I loue thee: and not driue him off as Felix did Paule, I will heare thee, I will loue thee, when I haue a conuenient time. For he which will not come when God cals, whatsoeuer he say, it is impossible that hee should resolue to come heereafter: for hee which is euill, how should hee resolue to bee good? therefore now or neuer, now and euer, the tree which buddeth not in spring, is dead all the yeare. when a man is first maried, he may vse the matter so, to winne his wife vnto him, or to estrange her hart for euer. when a Pastor commeth first to a place, with a small matter he may make the simple people like him or dislike him, so long as he staieth: when the heire comes to his lands, lightly all his te­nants beginne to speake well of him, or euill of him. when a Prince commeth to the crowne, by the lawes which hee maketh, first the people gesse how he will rule euer after: and eyther dispose theyr hearts to loue him, or wish his death.

Therefore the sage and beaten counsay­lers [Page 463] aduised Rehoboam when he beganne to raigne:1. Chro. 10. Shew thy selfe louing to the people this day, and they will be thy seruants for euer. As though all the dayes after could not doo so much as the first: Such a victorie it is to be­ginne well, as our Prouerbe saith: hee which hath begunne well, is halfe his waye, especi­allie it is good for a man to beginne his re­pentance, before he learne to be euill: For herein our minds do follow our bodyes. If our children bee deformed in their youth, we neuer looke to see them well sauored: so if the minde be planted in sinne, sildome any goodnesse buddeth out of that stocke. For vertue must haue a time to growe, the seede is sowne in youth, which commeth vp in age.

And if we can say of others, when we see a gracelesse boye, thou wilt prooue a wag­string, if thou liue to bee elder, why should wee, if we begin as ill as hee, thinke that wee shall bee better and better, which iudge that he will be worse and worse; as the arrowe is directed at the first, so it flyeth all the waye, ouer, or vnder, or beside, but it neuer findeth the marke, vnlesse it bee leuelled right in the hand; so they which make an euill beginning forespeake themselues as it were at the first, and wander out all their race, because when [Page 464] they should haue leuied their life, they tooke their aime amisse. Therefore happie are they which haue the arrowe in theyr hande, and day before them, for they neede not wishe to bee yong againe. Now kill the serpent in the egge, for when he is a serpent he wil kil thee, if thou cannot ouercome sinne in the infan­cie, before the roote fasten, and the fence bee made about it: how wilt thou struggle with the Lion, when he seeth his pawes? and sinne is become like an olde man, so tough and froward, that he will not heare. As harde as it is to reclaime one of these olde sinners, or graunde Papists, which are incorporate into poperie, and as poyson is setled in a serpent; so harde it will bee to reclaime thee, when thou wilt beginne to saye, it hath beene my custome, and I cannot leaue it.

Trie thy strength but with one of thy sins: and see what shifts, what excuses, what de­layes it will find, and how it will importune thee to let it alone, as the diuell tormented the Childe before hee went out: if thou canst not discharge one vice that thou hast accustomed thy selfe vnto, when all thy vices are become customes, how wilt thou wrastle with them?

Therefore wee bende the Tree while it is a twigge, and breake the Horse while hee [Page 465] is a Colte, and teach the Dogge while hee is a whelpe: and tame the Eagle while hee is young.

Youthe is like the daye, to doo all our woorkes in. For when the night of age commeth, then euerie man sayeth, I might haue beene learned, I might haue beene a teacher, I might haue beene like him or him, but the haruest was past, before I be­ganne to sowe; And Winter is come, now my fruite should rype. Thus euerie man that is olde saith, he cannot doe that which hee thought to doe, and crieth with Salo­mon: Catechise the Childe in his youth, and he will remember it when he is olde: so cor­rupt him in his youth, and he will remember that too.Dan. 1. This Nabuchadnezzar perceiued, and therefore hee chose the towardliest chil­dren of the Israelites to traine them vp in idolatrie, like the popish Seminaries, that they might be his instruments another day: If he had let them alone till they had learned the truth first, hee thought that they would not take his way: therefore hee tooke them before they had any religion, to frame them to his religion. If idolatours and Papists be so cunning in their generation, to poyson their Children betime, least they should prooue Christians after, what care appertai­neth to Christians to season their children in [Page 466] the spring, like the vertuous Ladie which Iohn commendeth, least they prooue papists and traytours, and reprobates, when they looke for comfort of them. There was no­thing which made Rehoboam to choose such young counsailers, when hee beganne to raigne, but because they were his compani­ons before: therefore they became his coun­sailers after. This is the preferment of our sinnes, if they haue been our companions in youth, in age they will looke to be our coun­sailers and masters too. Therefore the best season to seeke GOD, is to seeke him early before the floudes of wrath arise, and the heape of sinnes stand vp like a rampired wall betweene GOD and vs. They which seeke mee earlie, shall finde mee, saith Wisdome, in the 8. of Prouerbes: but to them which deferre (shee saith) they shall seeke mee, but they shall not finde me; 1. Prouerbes: because they did not choose the feare of the Lorde: that is, when good and euill were set before them, they did preferre euill before good, as a man chooseth that which hee liketh. There­fore when they seeke mee (saith GOD) they shall not finde mee. How doe yee say then that yee will seeke GOD, when God himselfe saieth that yee shall not finde him? Therefore in the 4. of Prouerbes and the 7. Wisedome is called the beginning, to [Page 467] teach vs to seeke Wisedome in the begin­ning.Mat. 6. 33. For saith Christ, If yee seeke the king­dome of heauen first, all the rest shall bee cast vpon you: hee saith not, if you seeke the world first, heauen shall bee cast vpon you, but if you seeke heauen first, worldly things shall be cast vpon you. Hee which dooth be­leeue this, would first seeke the kingdome of heauen, for that which followeth; that all the rest might bee cast vpon him, as when Salo­mon desired wisdome before honour, God gaue him wisdome and honour too,Ioh. 5. 2. because he sought the best first.

There was a poole in Iurie, where the sicke and Leprous laye, for at one time of the daye, the Angell came and stirred the water, and then he which stept in first was healed of his disease: hee which stept in first was healed saith Iohn, none but hee which stept in first; so he which taketh time is sure, but he which foresloweth time oftener faileth then spee­deth. For when golden opportunitie is past, no time will fit for her. If Elias would bee serued before the widdow, when shee had but a little cruse of Oyle, which was not e­nough to serue her selfe; will God be serued after Elias, will God bee serued after thee? Nay after the flesh and after the diuell? Thou maist reade in the 19. of Leuit. and the 13. [Page 468] that GOD would not haue the labourers hire staie in thy hands all night, but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe. If God would not haue the labourers due stay in thy hands one night; how darest thou keepe his due from him day and night? so many dayes and nights, and weekes, and moneths and yeares together? where is the morning sacri­fice which God requireth: nay where is the euening sacrifice which God requireth: the glomy morning hath ouercast the whole day, doest thou thinke it enough if thou do not sit in the chaire of scorners, or if thou do not stād in the waie of sinners? hee which standeth stayeth not, he which sitteth taketh his ease, but he which walketh goeth his way. Yet he which walketh in the way of sinners, though hee neither sit nor stand, is not of the blessed number. But hee which neither sitteth, nor standeth, nor walketh, is blessed saith Dauid, Psalm. 1. ver. 1. Alas then why doe we sit, if they which stande are accurssed, and they which walke are not blessed?Math 6. 33. Christ saieth, First seeke the kingdome of God, and wee say first, let mee burie my father, first let me bid my friendes farewell, and so many things first. So long in burying our Father, and bid­ding our friends farewell: that is the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this worlde, [Page 469] that there is no time left to seeke the king­dome: but followe mee, is turned to, followe vs, Christ must followe our sinnes, and come after our pleasures, or else he shall not be ser­ued at al. When we were Children, we defer­red tyll we were men: when we are men, we deferre tyll wee bee olde men, when wee are olde men, wee deferre tyll death: in all our lyfe wee finde no leasure to liue well, but flit from sinne to sin, from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches, from wicked spee­ches to wicked deedes, as the flie skippeth from scab to scab, vntill wee bee cast so farre behinde, that we haue no courage to goe for­ward, or else straied so far out of our way, that wee care not to seeke it againe. Therefore I cannot say to you as Christ saide: First seeke the kingdome of heauen, for then you should haue sought it long agoe, but now I must say with the Apostle, Redeeme the time, and at last, Seeke the kingdome of heauen. For it is to be feared, that as little flies when many came together, plagued and destroyed the Egypti­ans: so short houres, but many in sinne and securitie will steale away our whole life, and deceiue our repentance, while wee liue like beasts longer then Nabuchadnezzar. There be not many Lots, but many linger like Lot, loth to depart, vntill they see the fire burne. [Page 470] If the Angell had not snatched him awaie, Lot had perished with Sodome for his de­laye.

There be not fiue foolish Virgins, and fiue wise, but fiue for one knock when the doore is shut. There bee not many Simeons, but many as old as Simeon, which neuer yet im­braced Christ in their hearts. They thought to repent before they were so olde, yet now they doate for age, they are not olde enough to repent yet. Naye I answere, ma­ny Masters of Israell, Maiors, Aldermen, Sheriffes, Iustices, Ba [...]liffes, Constables, Gen­tlemen, know no more what it is to be borne againe; than Nicodemus which came by night: line after line, sermon after sermon, and the Black more like himselfe. All their tearms are vacations, all their religion, promises; and all their promises hypocrises. In stead of ca­techising their children, as Salomon teacheth them, they catechise them to hunt & hawke, to ride and vaute, to ruffle & sweare, to game and daunce, as they were catechised them­selues; least the childe should prooue better than his father, and then he is qualified like a Gentleman. Is this to seeke the kingdome of heauen first, or last, or not at all? Woe to the securitie, woe to the stubbornnesse, woe to the drousinesse of this age. The theefe com­meth [Page 471] at midnight, and we sleep till the daw­ning of the day; we let in sathan, before wee bid him auoyd; we sell our birthright, before it come to our hands; we seek for oyle, when our lampes should burne: this daye passeth like yesterday, and to morrowe we will spend like this day. So hee which should haue the first fruites, can get no fruites, because we mar the ground before we sowe it.

Consider this, ye which might haue known a thousand things more than yee doo, if yee had begun when Salomon taught you.

God will not alway knocke at the doore, Christ will not alway clocke like an Henne, Iohn will not alway crie in the wildernesse; but mercy is in the foreward, and iudgement in the rereward. They which can saye now, We haue a prophet; shall say, We had a pro­phet, but wee entertained him like the Ger­gesites: so God sent him awaie from vs like Ionah to the Niniuites, when the Israelites despised him. Yet Wisedome cryeth in the streetes, Let euerie Ioseph store vp before the famine come: for he which promiseth thee pardon when thou doost returne, dooth not promise that to morrowe thou shalt returne. Repentance is a gift, and a gift must be taken when it is offered. The time past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in; the [Page 472] time to com is vncertaine, & thou canst not assure that to repent in; the present time is onely thine, and thou maiest repent in that: but anone that will be gone too. Therefore, as Samuell began to serue God in his mino­ritie, as Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood, and Iohn grewe in spirit as hee ry­pened in yeares; so whether thou be olde or yong thy repentance cānot come too soone, because thy sinne is gone before. If thou lac­kest a spurre to make thee runne, see how e­uerie day runneth awaye with thy life, youth commeth vpon childhood, age commeth vpon youth, death commeth vpon age, with such a swift saile; that if all our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues, yet our glasse would bee runne out, before wee had purged halfe our corruptions. All these examples & sentences, and Prouerbs, and reasons do cry with Salomon, Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. This is the Kings com­mendation or greeting to the Colledge of youth. But how should young men remem­ber God, when olde men forget him? If No­ah be drunke, who shall rebuke Cham? It is time to remember GOD in age, or to forget him for euer. Therefore as the Isralites ga­thered twice so much Manna the day before the Sabboath as they gathered any day before [Page 473] that, because they might not gather vpō the Sabbaoth; so the gray head which looketh e­uerie day for the last Sabbaoth when he shall rest in the graue, should pray twice as much, heare twice as much, doo twice as much, to prepare the sacrifice of his bodie & soule rea­die and acceptable vnto GOD; because the night is at hand, when he cannot heare, nor pray, nor repent any more. It is said, the Di­uel is very busie because his time is short, but an old mans is shorter. What haste should he make, that must goe farther than the Mores, than the Sunne in a yeare, or a mouth, or a weeke, which the Saintes were going all their life. Therefore, if youth had neede of legges, age had neede of wings to flie vnto God. But as Christ saide, The poore receiue the Gospell, though the rich be more bound; so we may say, the yong men receiue the Gospel, though the olde men haue more cause.

The yong men follow Christ, the yong men heare the word, the yong men sanctifie themselues, the young men stande for the church, the yong men beare the heate of this day: olde Noah is drunke, old Lot is sleepie olde Sampson hath lost his strength. Once the yonger brother did steale the blessing from the elder, & now he hath got it againe, as the malice of Esau shewes, which persecutes [Page 474] him for it. I speake it to their shame, they that weare the furres and scarlets, as though they were all wisedome, and grauitie, and holines euen to the skirtes, may say as Zedechias said to Micaiah, When did the spirit depart from me and goe to thee? When did zeale depart from vs, and goe to you? They are so nouse­led to the world, and acquainted with sinne, that it is too late now for the world to speake vnto them; they may looke vpon the signes of wisdome, and grauitie, and holines, when they see their long beards, and gray heads, & side gownes, and aske why is this bush hang­ed out, and no wine within? What meruaile then if they be not reuerenced, but mockt and pointed at, when Sem and Iaphet had need to come againe, and couer their nakednesse? What a shame was it to the Israelites, when Christ saide by a Canaanite, I haue not found so great faith in Israel? So what a shame is it to the elders, that Christ may saye againe, I haue not found so great faith nor knowledge nor zeale in Masters, and Fathers, and Rulers, as in seruants, and children, and prentises? Which made an olde Father of this Citie say, which now is with God, that if there were a­ny good to bee done in these dayes, it is the yong men that must doe it, for the olde men are out of date, their courage stoopes like [Page 475] their shoulders, their zeale is withered, like their browes; their faith staggereth like their feete, and their religion is dead before them. Bee assured of this that yee are come to that time which your selues set to repent: and yet as though there were another age to repent after olde age: for you spende olde age like youth, as if you were appointed to die in your sinnes. God hath chosen the weake things saith Paul, 1. Cor. 1. so I may say, God hath chosen the young things to doe his woorke: as if the Lord had spoken to you in his wrath, Fathers I will prouoke you by your children, Masters I will prouoke you by your seruants, as once hee threatned to prouoake the Iewes by the Gentiles. Therefore be of good cheere yong Daniel, yong Samuel, yong Timothie, though our aduersaries be as the Aramites, yet there be mo with vs, than against vs. Flesh & blood could not ouercome flesh and blood: but if you be sanctified, it is the spirite which hath sanctified you; for the diuell would not goe out, vnles a stronger than the diuell had en­tred the house; when you come to be richer, and elder like Demas, then take heed that ye doo not embrace the world as Demas did, & turne to that which ye condemne. The vine would not leaue her grapes, nor the oliue her fatnes, nor the fig-tree her sweetnes to bee a [Page 476] King, but the bramble did; hee is not a vine, nor an oliue, nor a fig-tree, but a bramble, made for the fire, which leaueth his righte­ousnes to become worse. He which is of the Church, will say with the Church, I haue wa­shed my feete, how should I defile them again? Let the dogge turne to his vomite, and the swine to their walloing, but hold thou on thy sacri­fice like Abraham to the euening of thy life, and a full measure shalbe measured vn­to thee, as thou hast measured thy selfe. Vnto the which mea­sure without measure, the Lord Iesus bring vs.

THe summe of this verse is, as if he should say, Let the Righteous looke for mo troubles than other, & likewise let thē hope for greter comforts than other: for when they are well, they shall bee eclipsed againe, to shewe that their light was but borrowed; and when they are eclipsed, their light shall returne, to shew their difference from them whom God hateth, which fall from plague to plague, as they runne from sinne to sinne.

This verse hath three partes, for heere the righteous are the agents, their condition trou­bles, and the Lord their deliuerer: so manie things fall out contrarie vnto our mindes, euery day, that hee which wanteth patience [Page 478] in this worlde, is like a man which standeth trembling in the field without his armor, be­cause euerie one can strike him, and hee can strike none: so the least push of pain, or losse, or disgrace, dooth trouble that man more, which hath not the skill to suffer, than twen­tie tryals can moue him which is armed with patience, like a golden shield in his hand, to breake the stroke of euerie crosse, and saue the heart though the bodie suffer: for while the heart is whole, all is well. A sound spirit (saith Salomon) will beare his infirmitie: but a wounded spirit, what can sustaine? Pro. 19. 14. Therefore as the lid is made to open and shut, to saue the eie: so patience is set to keepe the soule, and saue the heart whole, to cheare the bodie againe. Therefore if you marke, when you can goe by an offence, and take a little wrong, and suffer a trouble quietly, you haue a kinde of peace and ioy in your heart, as if you had gotten a victorie; and the more your patience is, still the lesse your paine is. For as a light burthen borne at the armes end, weigheth heuier by much, than a burthen of treble weight, if it be borne vpon the shoul­ders, which are made to beare: so, if a man set impatience to beare his crosse, which is not fit to beare; it will grumble, and murmur and start, and shrinke, and let the burthen fall vpon his head like a broken staffe, which pro­miseth [Page 479] to helpe him ouer the waters, and lea­ueth him in the ditch. But if you put it to pa­tience, & set her to beare it which is appoin­ted to beare, she is like the heartie Spies that came from Canaan,Iosh. 2. and sayd, It is nothing to ouercome them: so patience saith, it is nothing to beare, it is nothing to fast, it is nothing to watch, it is nothing to labour, it is nothing to be enuied, it is nothing to be backbited, it is nothing to bee imprisoned:Rom. 8. 37. In all these things (saith Paul) we are more then Conquerours. As though all these things came not to make vs mourners, but to make vs Conquerours, nay more than Conquerours, because a Conque­rour conquereth his enemie but once: but we conquere these as often as Christ did the tempter. Thus all is in the maner of bearing, which maketh persecution seeme ioyfull to some, and irkesome to others, which maketh pouertie welcome to one, and bitter to ano­ther; which maketh him sing in his sicknes, as if he were whole, and thee raue and whine, & curse, as if thou were not sicke but franticke: Therefore Christes yoake is called an easie yoake,Matth. 11. because it is easie to some, that is, to them which haue skill to beare it, as Christ did bea [...]e it; by his infinite patience, hee suf­fered infinite paines for infinite sinnes. Pa­tience was like a priuie coate vpon his soule, that when the Diuell stroake at him, he was [Page 480] striken himselfe: when death came to kil him hee was killed himselfe; and all their shotte could not hurt him, because of his preserua­tiue which he had about him,Iud. 16. 17. like Sampsons haire, which saued him from all his enemies. If the Master carried patience about him for to guard him through these pykes of troubles,Gen. 3. which stand like the fierie sword betweene vs and paradice: how can the seruant escape then, vnles hee bee armed as his Master was? For what hath the poore man to beare his wants? what hath the bondman to beare his griefes? what hath the sicke man to beare his paines? but to lay all vppon the shoulders of patience, and to say with Ieremie, This is my sorrow, Iere. 10. 19. and I will beare it. As the tree which Moses cast into the Spring, seasoned the bit­ternesse of the Waters;Exod. 25. 25 so patience cast into our troubles, seasoneth the bitternes of the Crosse, and is in stead of an assistaunt to eue­rie man, to ouercome his troubles, like the Armour-bearer,1. Sam. 14. which holpe Ionathan to vanquish his enemies.

She hath a deuice to draw such a skinne o­uer our soares, that shall make our pouertie seeme riches, our reproaches seeme honour, our bondage seeme libertie, our labour seem rest, our sorrowe seeme ioye, our paine seeme ease, our sicknesse seeme health, and all that hurts vs, reioyce vs; vntill wee say with Da­uid. [Page 481] Thy iudgements are pleasant; shewing, that Gods iustice is as pleasant to the patient, as his mercies to others. Therefore what a peace-maker were this in the Common­wealth, if the Magistrate had patiēce to beare his enuie, if the Preacher had patiēce to beare his studie, if the creditor had patience to beare his losses, if the bond-man had patience to beare his seruice, if the husbandman had patience to beare his labour, if the sicke man had patience to beare his paine, if the poore man had patience to beare his wants: for want whereof, many think themselues in hel, and say, that no mans paine is like their paine, no mans wants like their wants, no mansfoes like their foes, no mans wrongs like theyr wrongs, when they can scarse tell where their paine holds them.

Therefore, albeit fewe can brooke of Hu­militie, and Charitie, and Meekenesse, and Thankfulnes, and Temperance, and those se­uere vertues, which pull from pleasure; yet euery man doth wish for patience, like a Phi­sition to ease his griefe, by all meanes that he can: so they which are wicked, although they cannot see the goodnesse of other vertues, yet can see the goodnes of patience, and per­ceiue when they see a patient man, and an impatient man both sicke of one disease, yet both are not troubled alike; but that he which [Page 482] hath most patience, hath most ease: and hee which is most impatient, is most tormented, like a fish which striues with the hooke. Ther­fore euen those which cannot suffer, that they might haue rest, yet sing the patiē Prouerb, In sufferance is rest. This is a lesson which I know you would gladly learne, euen as Pha­raoh longed to knowe his dreame,Gen. 41. 15. though ye care not for vertue, as the cruell Iudge cared not for charitie. Yet if you could gaine such a bargaine by any vertue to ease you of your paines, it would make you looke vnto vertue, as Pharaoh vsed Moses,Exo. 9. 28. but to remooue the plagues.

This power God hath giuen to patience, the medicinable vertue, that it should be like an wholesome hearbe in the world, or a ge­nerall Phisition for all persons and all disea­ses. Therefore when the Angell had recorded all the troubles which should come in the lat­ter dayes: at last hee concludeth, Here is the patience of Saints: Apo. 13. 10. as though patience should beare all. Therefore so many scriptures goe like preachers about the Bible, to exhort vnto patience, like a Beacon which is set vp to call men together, shewing vs, that by patience we possesse our soules: Luk. 8. as though a man without patience had no rule of himselfe: that a mans wisedome is knowne by his patience, Prou. 9. as though that he which is not patient, cannot be wise: [Page 483] that by patience wee receiue the promises, Heb. 10. though the promises did not belong vnto vs, vnlesse we haue patience:Rom. 5. 4. that patience bree­deth experience, and experience hope, as though hee which wanteth patience, had no experi­ence of GOD, to knowe the scope of his do­ings, nor anie hope to comfort him about the life to come:Rom. 8. besides many reasons moe, That the afflictions of this worlde are not worthie of the ioyes that succeed them: that all things (e­uen our afflictions) turne to the best, if we loue God: Matth. 5. that they are blessed which weepe heere, because they shall laugh heereafter: 2. Tim. 2. that if wee suffer with Christ, wee shall raigne with Christ: that the Lord doth loue those whom he chaste­neth: Prou. 3. that by suffering we are made like the Sonne of GOD, whose life was a persecution, as though the holie Ghost by often calling vpon vs, like the importunate woman, would compell vs to bee patient,Luk. 18. whether our flesh will or no.

Besides these honourable prayses of pati­ence, the Prophets, Euangelists, and Apo­stles, haue a set number of examples before our eyes, like banners of such cures as haue been healed by her: that as the Author of the Hebrewes saith,Heb. 11. By faith Abel offered a bet­ter Sacrifice than Caine: by faith Enoch was translated before he sawe death: by faith Noah prepared the Arke and was preserued from the [Page 484] Floud: by faith Abraham was content to sacri­fice his Sonne, and yet beleeued that in his seede all the world should be blessed: by faith Sara re­ceiued strength to bring foorth a child, when she was strooken in yeres, and past the strength of the wombe. So I may say of patience: by patience Iob did beare all the torments that the diuell could heape vpon him:Iob. 1. by patience Iacob put vp a thousand wrongs from Laban and his children,Gen. 29. 50. 31 and neuer complained in one & twentie yeares before he departed: by pati­ence Ioseph forgaue his brethren,Gen. 45. 15. when hee might haue put them to death, and gaue thē food when they feared reuenge: by patience Christ suffered banishment, and reproaches, and scourges, vntill he went to his death, like a Lambe to the slaughter.

Among the strange cures of patience, Da­uid may report of his experience, what this plaister hath done for him: for being a figure of Christ, he was alwaies hedged about with the crosse, which prooued his patience like a Touchstone euery day. As Christ was con­temned of his Countreymen, so Dauid was contemned of his brethren:1. Sam. 26. 2▪ 28. 2. as Christ fled to Egypt, so Dauid fled vnto Gath: as Christ re­ceiued foode of women,Luk. 8. 2. so Dauid receiued food of Abigail:1. Sa. 25. 18▪ 19. 2. 16. 13. as Herod persecuted Christ, so Saul persecuted Dauid: and the wrath of the King brought many enemies with it, that [Page 485] when hee was annointed, yet hee coulde not reigne: and when he reigned, yet his reigne was but a warfare:2. Sam. 8. 2. 6, 5, 6, 15, 4, 18, 33. the Philistines agaynst him, the Ammonites agaynst him, the Edo­mites agaynst him, the Moabites agaynst him, and Absolon his owne bowels agaynst him, for whom he cryed, Would God I had died for thee. This sonne which was his dearling, was his traytor, and sought his death that brought him to life, as though Saul had been risen from the graue againe. In all these trou­bles Samuel shewes what was this pilgrimes comfort:1. Sam. 30. 6 But Dauid comforted himselfe in the Lord his God, as though hee had no comfort but in GOD alone. This was the stone vpon which he leaned his head, Be patient, for Ma­nie are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth him out of all. When hee did behold his trouble,2. Kin. 6. 10 like the hoast of the Ara­mites, he looked backe vnto God like Elisha, and spied one with him stronger then all a­gainst him. Therfore respecting his afflictiōs, he crieth, Many are the troubles of the righte­ous: respecting the promise, he singeth, The Lord deliuereth them out of all. Thus (by his owne foote) Dauid measureth the condition of the righteous, and saith, Many are the trou­bles of the righteous: and then by his owne cure hee sheweth how they shall bee healed, saying, The Lord will deliuer him out of all. If [Page 486] ye marke, the spirite hath directed Dauid to those two things, which make vs take our troubles grieously: one because we doe not looke for them before they come. There­fore,Iohn. 21. 28 as Christ told Peter before he suffered, to strengthen him when he suffered: so the holy Ghost doth run vpon the Crosse, to keep vs in expectation of troubles, that wee might pre­pare faith, and patience, and constancie for thē, as Noah prepared an Arke for the floud. The second thing which makes vs to start so at the Crosse, is, because we are like the Pro­phets seruant,2. King. 6. which did see his foes, but not his friēds: so we see our sore, but not our salue. Comfort seemes a far off,Luk. 16. like Abraham in the heauens, as though it would neuer come so low: therefore wee goe about to deliuer our selues,Psal. 2. as it is said, Let vs breake his bands, as though we could deliuer our selues. But, Hold your peace (saith Moses) the Lord shall fight for you. Exo. 14. 14. So Dauid comes in like a pacifier, and saith: Vexe not your selues, for the Lord will de­liuer you. Beare both these sentences in mind, that you must go through a sea of troubles, & then that you shall come to a hauen of rest, and no affliction shall take you, before you be armed for it, and in euery trouble you shall know where to haue your remedie. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lorde de­liuereth him out of all. Here bee the two hands [Page 487] of God like a wound and a plaister: one cast­eth downe, & the other raiseth vp. It is good for a man to knowe his troubles before they come, because afflictions are lightned in the expectation. Therefore GOD sayth of Paul, I will shewe him how many things he shall suffer for me. Act. 9. 16. God dealeth plainlie, and tels vs the woorst at the first, what wee shall trust to, as Christ told his Disciples at the first:Math. 16. 8 If ye will bee my Disciples, yee must take vp the Crosse: cold entertainment to breake their fast with the rod.Luk. 9. Other feastmakers (sayth Christ) broach the best wine first,Ioh. 2. 10. but Christ himselfe keepeth the best till the last. This is the man­ner of Gods proceedings, to send good after euill,Gen. 1. 3. as hee made light after darknesse: to turne iustice into mercie,Ioh. 2. as he turned water into wine: for as the beasts must be killed be­fore they could be sacrificed, so men must be killed before they can bee sacrificed, that is, the knife of correction must prune them, and dresse them, and lop off their rotten twigs be­fore they can bring forth fruite, these are the cordes which binde the ram vnto the Altar, least when he is brought thither hee should runne from thence agayne, this is the chariot which carrieth our thoughts to heauen, as it did Nabuchadnezzars, and our assumption before our assumption. This is the hammer which squareth the rough stones, till they be [Page 488] plaine and smooth, and fit for the Temple. This is the fierce messenger, which is sent to compell them to the banquet, which will not come when they are inuited. Because we are naturally giuen to loue the world, more then is good for vs, therefore God hath set an edge of bitternesse vpon it, to make vs to loath it, like a Nurse which layeth Mustard vpon her breasts to weane the childe from the dug: so Many are the troubles of the righteous, Ioh. 8. 2. to weane vs from the dugge of the world. The crosse is one of our Schoolemasters in this life, and the best wisdome is deerest bought: prosperitie seeketh for nothing, but necessi­tie seeketh, and studieth, and laboureth, and prayeth for her wants. As the rodde maketh the Scholler to applye his booke, so all our knowledge is beaten into vs: some learne theyr goodnesse of pouertie, some of sick­nesse, some of troubles: aduersitie is the fit time to learne the iustice, mercie, power, and prouidence of GOD, a fit time to learne the patience, wisedome, faith, and obedience of man, a fit time to learne the subtiltie, frail­tie, and miserie of this worlde. All this thou buyest for troubles, yet they are but trou­bles, not plagues, nor cursses, nor torments, but like the trauels of a woman, when the birth is ripe, shee is deliuered, and straight shee forgetteth all her paynes, for ioye that a [Page 489] man child is borne into the world. So the ser­uants of God trauell but till the fruits be ripe. When the new man is borne, their trauels are ended, and they forget all their troubles, be­cause one is borne into the worlde, like the sonne of God. This is the difference between the afflictions of the righteous and the vn­godly.

When GOD doth visite the wicked,Exod. 8. 6. his punishments are called plagues and curses, and destructions;Iohn. 4. the plagues of Egypt, the curse of Cain, the destruction of Sodome. But when he doth visite the righteous, his pu­nishments are called corrections,Iohn. 19. & chastise­ments, and rods, which proceed frō a father, not to destroy vs,Gen. 36. but to trie vs, and purge vs, & instruct vs: therefore when we are afflicted, one sayth, that God letteth vs blood to saue our liues, for our liues are rancke, and must be lopped. As Iacob was blessed, and halted both at one time; so a man may bee blessed and afflicted together. Afflictions do not hin­der our happinesse, but our happinesse com­meth by affliction, as Iacobs blessing came with halting, and as peace is procured by warre.Mat. 5. Therefore blessed are ye (sayth Christ) when men persecute you: as though they were blessed euen while they were persecu­ted. Therefore this must not dismay vs, that the scripture sayth,1. Tim 3. Many are the troubles of [Page 490] the righteous; but rather reioyce vs, hecause we beare the markes of the righteous. Daniel complayneth not of his sicknesse, but of his sinnes. Who shall fight the Lords battailes but the Lordes seruaunts? Therefore when Dauid spake of many troubles, he pointed to the righteous, as if he should say; this is your share, the rodde is made for the Childe. Christ called the Crosse his cup. The seruant is beloued that drinkes of his Maisters cup:Mat. 20. Therefore Christ teacheth it to the righte­ous, and bids none but his disciples take the Crosse:Mat 11. euerie man which hath his heauen here,Gen. 3. dooth labour and sweate for his liuing, and shal not they which haue their hell heere, suffer more then they which haue their hea­uen heere? All men are subiect to dangers and losses, and sicknesse: But all that beleeue in Christ (sayth Paul) shall suff [...] persecution. 2. Tim. 4. That is, more then dangers, or losses, or sick­nesse which the wicked suffer, for the worlde will not persecute her children, but shee will persecute Gods Children: therefore this church is called the militant church, because it is alwayes in warfare. Therefore the Gos­pell is called the worde of the Crosse, as though it came to crosse vs: Therefore Paul describing the way to heauen,Acts. 14. 22 draweth by this line, by many tribulations: the Crosse way is the way to heauen and the righteous [Page 491] walke in it.Mat. 21. Therefore the Children of God are not only called labourers, to shew what they should doe for God,2. Tim. 2. 3. but they are called Souldiers, to shew what they should suffer for GOD.Ioh. 15. 20. The seruant is not aboue his master: but if Christ should suffer, and we should rest the seruant were aboue his Master. The pro­phesie must be fulfilled. I will put enmitie be­tweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent: Gen. 3. but if there be no war betweene the children of God and the children of the world, the prophesie is not fulfilled. There­fore Esau and Iacob had no sooner life, but they began to struggle one with another, be­fore they came out of their mothers wombe. Therfore Abraham was banished so soone as he receiued the promise. Therefore Abell was enuied of his brother,Gen. 25. 22. 4. 14. so soone as he was accepted of God. The righteous man was alwayes like Lot among the Sodomites, and like Sampson among the Philistines, sette a worke by his enemies. As Christ was no soo­ner borne, but Herod sought his life; so the new man is no sooner borne of the spirit,Matth. 2. but the serpent is ready to deuour him, his bre­thren to banish him, and hell to swallow him. In all the worlde hee hath no friend, but hee which made the world. This is the state of the church militant: she is like the Arke floating vpon the waters, like a Lilly growing among [Page 492] thornes,Exod. 3. 2. like the bush which burned with fire and was not consumed, so the citie of God is alwayes besieged, but neuer ruined. Christi­ans and persecutions close together, like Christ and his Crosse. As Christ was made to beare his owne crosse: so they are made to holde their cheekes to the nippers,Luke 23. 33 their faces to be buffeted,Iohn 19. 17 their backes to bee scourged, their eyes to be pulled out, their peace is per­secution, their rest labour, their riches pouer­tie, their glorie reproches, their libertie impri­sonment; although they bee the sonnes of God, the brethren of Christ, the onely heires of heauen; yet because they suffer their hell heere, they must bee contented to be subiect to their enemies, to bee abiects to their kins­men,Psalm 69. 8, 7, 1, 7. to be hated of most, to bee contemned of all, to be persecuted ouer the earth, a very hauen and receptacle of all troubles. Yet as Christ was the sonne of God, though his life was nothing but persecution;Luk 10. 35. so the righte­ous are the sonnes of God, for all these trou­bles: This is like a bayte in their iourney, to thinke as the Samaritan told his hoast, if thou spend any more I wil recompence thee whē I come. So Christ will mende their wages, when he commeth. Why shuld not God trie his friends, as well as wee trie our friends, the same afflictions (saith Peter) are accompli­shed in others, naye, greater afflictions are [Page 493] borne of other, which woulde make vs dis­payre like Caine, Christ was consecrated by afflictions, therefore we cannot be consecra­ted without afflictions, who would not go to heauen with Eliah, though it were in a whirle­wind? if our troubles be light and few, it is be­cause we are weake & tender:1. Cor. 10. 13 therefore God doth respect our feeblenes, & layeth no more vpon vs, because wee are not able to beare more. It is not a signe that we are righteous, because our troubles are few; but because our troubles are few, it is rather a signe that wee are not righteous, because Many are the troubles of the righteous. For they must bee made examples of patience, they must suffer their hell here, they must be squared for the temple, therefore they must haue manye strokes to make them fitte: God is not like a Waspe, which when shee hath stoong once, cannot sting againe: but there is a generati­on of crosses, and a pluralitie of troubles. When Dauid spake of trouble, hee spake of troopes and heapes, and stars, and sands, and therefore he saith, Many, as though hee were faine to lay them downe in the grosse sum be­cause he could not reckon them. By many tri­bulations (saith Paul) but how many he could not number:Act. 14. For except our sinnes, there is not such plenty of any thing in the world, as there is of troubles, which come from sinne: [Page 494] as one heauy messenger came to Iob one af­ter another:Iob. 1. 14. 16. so now we are not in Paradice, but in the wildernesse,Psal. 42. 7. 18. 19. we must looke for one trouble after another; therefore afflictions are called waters, because as one waue falleth vpon another, so one trouble falleth vpon the head of another.

As a Beare came to Dauid after a Lyon,1. Sa. 17. 34 and a Giant after a Beare, and a King after a Giant, and Philistines after the King: so when they haue fought with pouertie, they shall fight with enuie: when they haue fought with enuie, they shall fight with infamie: when they haue fought with infamie, they shal fight with sicknes, like a labourer which is neuer out of worke. This you see the righ­teous in troubles, like the Israelites in exile: Now the Lord commeth like Moses to deli­uer them:Exod. 3. 10. aduersitie seeketh out the promise; the promise seeketh out fayth; fayth seeketh out prayer; then God heareth, and mercie an­swereth. All this while Christ seemed to sleepe, as he did in the shippe: nowe hee re­bukes the windes and waues,Math. 8. 26 and troubles flie before him, like a troupe of Woolues be­fore the Shepheard. As he asked the adul­tresse, where are thy accusers? and she sayd they are gone: so he may aske his patients, where are your troubles? and they may say, they are gone: the sunne rose, and the mists [Page 493] vanished: yet (saith Dauid) God is good to all that are pure in heart: that is, he remem­breth them while he afflicteth them, and is preparing an issue while the crosse prepareth them. When Christ heard them say, he whom thou louest is sicke, he answered, this sicknes is not to death. Ioh. 11. 3. So when it may be sayd, he whom God loueth is sicke: then it may be sayd, this sicknes is not vnto death, & though it be to the first death, yet not to the second.Ion. 3. Who would thinke when Ionas was in the sea, that he should preach at Nini­uie?Dan. 4. who would think whē Nabuchadnezzar was in the forrest, that he should raigne again in Babel? who would think whē Ioseph was banished of his brethrē, that his brethrē shuld seeke vnto him, like his seruants: who would thinke when Iob scraped his sores vpon the dunghill,Iob 1. 42. 10 all his houses were burned, all his [...]attell stolne, & all his Children dead, that he should be richer then euer he was?Exo. 15. 21. these are the acts of mercy which make the righteous sing: The Lord hath triumphed valiantly. This is the priuiledge of the righteous,Mal. 3. 6. as God saith Ye sons of Iacob are not consumed. So they an­swere againe.1. Cor. 4. 6. We are not consumed. Therefore (Paul saith) we are in distresse, but we are not forsaken:Luk. 24. 6. as Christ rose out of his graue, so we shall rise out of trouble; and when the gold is fined, the fire shal hold it no longer. Whē Ie­sus [Page 496] was in banishment with Mary & Ioseph, at last the Angel came and said,Iohn. 2. 3 They are dead which sought the childes life: so when the daies of our banishment and scarsitie, & bondage, and sicknesse are ended,Mat. 2. 20. at last tidings shall come that our troubles are dead, and then the righteous shall looke vp like Moses, when hee was past the sea, and see all their enemies, all their troubles drowned behinde them; then the heart shall daunce like Miri­am, and sing the song which sounded before Moses:Exod. 30. 15 20. 34. The Lorde, the Lord is strong, merci­full and gratious, slow to anger, but aboundant in goodnesse and truth. And if Dauid had stai­ed at troubles, and spoken of nothing but rods, the wicked might say as they doe in the 115. Psalme.Psalm. 115. Where is their God? and the righteous might cōplaine with Dauid,Psalm. 3. I haue clensed my heart in vaine: but as the waters of the sea flow & ebbe againe, so the waters of afflictiō flow & ebbe again, one casteth Mo­ses into the water, and another draweth him out of the water. There lieth Lazarus at the gate, there lieth Ioseph in prison, there lyes Ieremie in the dungeon, there lies Iob in the Ashes, there lyes Iacob in the fields, there lies Dauid in the wildernesse, there lies Abraham in exile, there lies Daniel among the Lions, there lies the children in the Furnace:Gen. 25. 20. at last comes the yeare of Iubile, and al the prisoners [Page 497] of the Lorde are set at libertie, therefore they are called the prisoners of hope, because they may hope to be deliuered, &c. Therfore God translateth his Crosse from the head to the heart, from the heart to the foot, from pouer­tie to sicknesse, from sicknesse to labour: that wheresoeuer he placeth it, we might haue pa­tience,Zach. 9. 1. knowing that he can remoue it as hee placeth it.

Then are fulfilled all these sweet scriptures: The Lord retaineth not his wrath for euer, be­cause mercie pleaseth him. Mich. 7. 8. After two dayes he will reuiue vs, and the third day he will raise vs vp. Ose. 6. 2. Surely there is an end, and thy hope shall not be cut off. Prouer. 23. 18. Heauinesse may endure for a night, but ioye will come in the morning. Psal. 30. 5. He which hath ouercome death, and Sathan, and the world, can easilie ouercome all the troubles in the world:1. Kin. 17. 6 rather then Eliah shall starue, the Ra­uens shall feede him:Ionah. 1. rather then Ionah shall drowne,Luk. 16. the fish shall saue him: as when the Glutton did not pitie, the Dogs tooke com­passion. Vntill Dauid saith, The Lord will de­liuer, the righteous and the wicked goe toge­ther,Luk. 17. but now they part, one is taken and the other is refused, one is deliuered, the other is left in prison. As Abraham came not to deli­uer the Sodomits,Gen 14 16. but to deliuer his brethren: so Christ came not to deliuer his enemies, but [Page 498] to deliuer his seruants: not to deliuer them from troubles, but to deliuer thē out of trou­bles,Iob. 1. 21. that they may say as well, The Lord hath taken, as the Lord hath giuen. As Dauid gaue charge to his Souldiers, that they should not kill Absolon his sonne,2. Sa. 18. 5. though he sent them against Absolon, to stay his rebellion: so God forbids his crosses to destroye his children, though he send them against his children to purge their corruptions. As the Angel passed by the houses of the Israelits, when he saw the bloud of the lambe vpon their doores:Exo. 12. 13. so God hath his markes, whereby he knoweth whom he should deliuer out of trouble, & whom he should leaue in trouble: to one he saith, Take my crosse: to another he saith, Be thou healed: to another he saith, Stay till thy time cōmeth: euerie hard word may be spoken to the god­ly as wel as the wicked, but that deadly word, Depart into euerlasting fire. Matth. 25. Although they seeme to depart here, yet then it shall be said, come and not depart. As Iohn after the voice of thunder heard the voice of harpers:Reuel. 14. 2. so whē they haue bin beaten, they shal be cherished: therefore the trials of the righteous, though they be called many troubles, yet they are not called euerlasting troubles.

As Dauid saith here,Psal 32. 10 Many are the troubles of the righteous: so in Psalm. 32. 10. he sayth. Many are the sorowes of the righteous: but it [Page 499] followeth, the Lord will deliuer them out of all:Prou. 11. 8. nay (saith Salomon) when the righteous escape out of trouble, the wicked shall come in his stead, that is, the troubles of the righteous shal shift to the vngodly,1 Kin. 3. 27. as the leprosie of Naa­man went to Gehezi:Prou. 21. 18 and therefore the wic­ked are called the ransome of the iust, because they lye in baile for them. As one bird chir­peth to another, so one plague shal whistle to another, and say, come and helpe mee to tor­mēt this sinner,Exo 8. 9. (for one plague will not serue the Egyptians) vntill he be so loden with tor­ments,Gen 4. that he crie like Caine, My punish­ment is greater then I can beare. The righte­ous neuer said, that their troubles were more, or greater, or longer, then they could beare. For God hath promised, he will not lay more vpon them then they are able to beare:1. Cor 10. 13. but when they begin to sinke like Peter vpon the Sea, then the hande is readie to catch them, and straight GOD maketh an issue for theyr troubles.Acts. 27. As the Viper lept vpon Paul, & lept off againe, so troubles leape vpon the righte­ous, and leape off againe; as though they had mistaken the partie, and rapt at the wrong doore.Psal. 37 37. Therefore, Mark the vpright man (saith Dauid) and beholde the iust, for the end of that man is peace. Though his beginning be trou­ble,55 23. yet his end is peace: He will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer: he sayth not that he [Page 500] will not suffer him to fall, but that he shall not fall for euer: that is, at last his shackel falleth from him, the net breakes, the prison ope­neth, and he goes foorth like Lazarus out of his graue, to shewe what wonderfull things the Lord hath done for him: So Paul after he had spoken of his troubles, (as thought hee thought vpon this sentence of Dauid) repea­teth the same of himselfe, saying: But the Lord deliuered me out of all. 2. Tim. 3. Therefore one calleth affliction the trance of the righteous, because they seeme dead for a while, but they wake a­gaine: therefore they chalenge their enemies (and say) Reioyce not against me O mine ene­mie: Mich. 7. 8. for though I fall, yet I shall rise.

This should content the righteous, to bee deliuered at last, as Dauid quieteth himselfe, saying: By this I know the Lord fauoureth me, because mine enemies doe not triumph ouer me: Psal. 41. 11 not because I haue no enemies, or because I haue no troubles which would ouercome me. Therefore when he wrote downe. Many troubles, hee blotteth it (as it were) with his pen againe, as a Merchant raceth his booke when the debt is discharged: and in stead of many troubles, he putteth in, The Lord deli­uereth. Because he forgiueth all sinnes, he is sayd to deliuer from all troubles, to shew that wee haue neede of no Sauiour, no helper, no comforter but him.

[Page 501] The Lawyer can deliuer his client but from strife, the Phisition can deliuer his patient but from sicknesse, the Master can deliuer his ser­uant but from bondage, but The Lord (sayth Dauid) deliuereth out of all. As when Moses came to deliuer the Israelites, hee would not leaue an hoofe behind him, so when the Lord commeth to deliuer the righteous, he wil not leaue a trouble behind him, but euen as they pray in 25. Psal.Psal. 25. Deliuer Israel O Lord out of all her troubles: so he will answere them, B [...] thou deliuered out of al thy troubles, that is, this, & this, and this, that trouble that thou think­est intollerable, that trouble which thou thinkest incurable, the almightie hath might against all.Iob. 24. When Iob is tryed, not a sore shall sticke vpon him.2. King. 6. Therefore as Elisha feared not when he saw as many angels as enemies, so now you see as many mercies as troubles: let the comfort satisfie you which satisfied Paul,Act. 27. 24. Feare not, for I am with thee, thy par­don is comming,Gen. 22. like the Angell which staid the sword ouer Isaacks head. Reade on but a little further, and thou shalt heare the voyce which proclaymed warre, proclayme peace: many troubles in the beginning of the verse, and no troubles in the ende. What Phisition hath been here? The Lord (sayth Dauid) the Lord was in this place (saith Iacob) & I knew it not: So the Lord is in affliction and men [Page 502] know it not, he which sayth, I put away thine iniquities,Gen. 28 16. must say, I put away thy infirmitie. For there is no Sauiour but one,Esa 43 25. which saith to death,Math. 9. 29 I will be thy death. As the woman was sicke vntill Christ came: so vntill the Lorde come, there is nothing but trouble. Manie troubles of the righteous, but one de­liuerer of the righteous: manie tortours, but one Comforter. Troubles come in an hun­dred wayes, like waters through a grate: but mercie entreth alwayes at one doore like a pardon which cōmeth only from the Prince: therefore sayth GOD, In mee is thy helpe. Hos. 11. 6. I create comfort, Esay. 65. Marke, that he calleth himselfe a creator of comfort: that is, as there is but one Creator, so there is but one Comforter, and as hee created all things of nothing, so hee createth comfort of nothing: that is, when all comfort is worne out, and no seede of ioy left to raise vp com­fort againe: then he bringeth comfort out of sorrow, as he brought water out of the rocke, that wee may say,Exod. 17. 6. 8. 14. The finger of the Lord hath done this.

This is the anchor of the righteous. As he lookes vpon his troubles, the promise com­meth in like a messenger from Christ, while he is praying, and weeping, and sayth, The Lord will deliuer thee out of all. Then hee re­solueth like Nehemiah,Nehe. 6. 11. and saith, Shall such a [Page 503] man as I flye? Shall such a man as I recant? If I be faint in the day of aduersitie,Pro. 24. 10. Salomon saith, my strength is small: as if hee shoulde say, I was neuer strong, but did counterfeite like Demas: if I want comfort in trouble, Salomon sayth,Pro. 15. 15. A good conscience is a conti­nuall feast. As if he should say, that I haue not a good conscience, if I haue not comfort in the Crosse. Therefore I will wayte the Lords leisure,Psalm. 2. because Esay sayth, Faith maketh no hast. I will not breake his bands, because then I am like the Heathen. I will not flatter the Iudge,Pro. 29. 26. because Salomon saith it is vaine. I will not betray the cause, because GOD hath ap­poynted it to trye mee.Rom. 14. I will not offend my brethren,1. Cor. 8. 10. because Paul had rather dye than doe so. I will not charge my conscience, be­cause it can vexe mee more than their bands. I will not turne from my profession, because I learned it of GOD, and vowed to leaue all for it, in the daye that I was baptized a Chri­stian. Though my friends tempt me, like Iobs wife: though my flesh flatter mee, like Eue: though my persecutors would bribe me, like Balaac: though they which suffer with me, should reuolt for feare:Iosh. 24. 15. yet I will be as Ioshua which stoode alone:1 Sam. 1. and as Elkanah was in stead of children to Annah, so Christ shall be in stead of comfort, in stead of wealth, and health, and libertie to mee. For manie were [Page 504] the troubles of Ioseph, and the Lord deliue­red him out of all: many were the troubles of Abraham, and the Lord deliuered him out of all: many were the troubles of Dauid, and the Lorde deliuered him out of all: manie were the troubles of Iob, and the Lorde deli­uered him out of all: therefore he can deliuer me out of all. But if he doe not (say Sidrach, Misaac, and Abednego) yet wee will not doe euill to escape daunger, because Christ hath suffered more for vs.Hest. 4. 16. Therefore, if I perish, I perish, saith Hester. She was content that her life should perish: but if my purse suffer, my money doth but perish: if my bodie bee im­prisoned, my pleasures doe but perish: and who can tell whē he hath suffered that which is appoynted?Psal. 75. Therefore God sayth, When I see conuenient time, will I execute iudgement. Not when thou doest thinke it a conuenient time, but when he doth think it a conuenient time.25. 5. Therefore saith Dauid to the Lord, In thee doe I trust al the day: that is, if he come not in the morning, he will come at noone: if he come not at noone, he will come at night: at one houre of the day he will deliuer me: and then as the calme was greater after the tem­pest,Mat. 28. 6. than it was before, so my ioye shall bee sweeter after teares than it was before:Psalm. 137. the re­membrance of Babylon will make vs sing more ioyfull in Sion.

[Page 505] Thus Dauid describeth the iourney of the righteous,Exo. 13. 17. as if they should goe through the sea, and the wildernesse, as the Israelites went to Canaan. Looke not for ease nor pleasure in your way, but for beasts and serpents, and theeues: vntill ye be past the wildernesse all is straight, and darke, and feareful but so soon as you are through the narrowe gate, all is large and goodly, and pleasant: as if you were in Paradise. Seeing then your kingdome is not here, looke not for a golden life in an iron world: but remember that Lazarus doth not mourne in heauen,Luk. 16. though he suffered paines vpon earth: but the glutton mourneth in hell, that staied not for the pleasures of heauen. To which pleasures the Lord Iesus bring vs, when this cloud of trouble is blowen ouer vs, Amen.

WHen Christ sent foorth his Disciples, he said vn­to them, Goe preach and baptize, Mat 21. 29 ioyning these two together, Preaching and Baptizing. This be­ing the occasion of our exercise, because I am to speake of Baptisme, which is the Sacrament of Regeneration, I could not choose a fitter Scripture then this which I handled last, which speakes of the renu [...]ng of our mindes: for when our mindes are renued, then the vow which we made in Baptisme is performed.

[Page 507] When Paul had forbidden the Romanes to fashion themselues vnto the world, he she­weth them another fashion, which hee calles The renuing of the minde. Psal. 103. 5. As the Eagle re­nueth her youth, so men must renue their mindes. This fashion is called the Wedding garment,Mat. 22. 12 which euery man must weare that comes to the banquet of the King. As when men haue gone ouer one fashion after ano­ther, at last they come to the olde fashion a­gaine: so here Paul calles them to the olde fa­shion again,Gen. 1. 26. which was vsed in Adams time, that is, the Image and fashion wherein they were created. Nowe the reason follo­weth,

That they might proue what the wil of God is, as if hee should say, This shall be the fruit of your regeneration, when your mindes are re­nued, you shall know many thinges, which are hid from you; you shall bee able to iudge doctrines, who preach truth, and who preach error; and you shall vnderstand the will of God, what he would haue you doe, and what hee would haue you flie, as if you were in his bosome. As new wine will not abide but in new vessels; so this new knowledge will not abide but in new mindes.Mat. 9. 17. The minde renued knoweth God; so that this Scripture may be called the path to knowledge, or the waie to sound the minde of God, which is a secret [Page 508] that euery man longs to know, but the most turne a wrong leafe to finde it, as Paul sayth of Peter,Gal. 2. 14. He lookes a wrong way to the Gospel. When the serpent taught knowledge, he said If ye eate the forbidden fruite, your eyes shalbe opened, and you shall knowe good and euill: but Paul sayth,Gen. 3. 5. If ye will not eate the forbidden fruite, your eyes shal be opened and you shall know good and euill. This is one reason why Paul would haue them renue their mindes, That they might know the will of God Why? doth not the word of God teach vs the wil of God? Yes, but no man doth vnderstand this word, but hee which hath a new minde: be­cause as the Sunne is not discerned by any light, but by his owne light: so no spirite can interpret the Scripture, but the same spirite which wrote it,1. Cor. 12. 3. which is called the holy spirite, because it is holy, and because it makes holy. Sinne was the first vaile which obscured mans vnderstanding,Gen. 3. 7. and till the cause of this eclipse be taken away, the Apostle sayth, that we shall see but in part:1. Cor. 13. 9. that is, as the Sunne may be seene in his eclipse, but he seemes li­ker to darknesse then to light: so vnderstan­ding may be seene in the wicked, but it is li­ker ignorance then knowledge: therefore Paul makes knowledge one of the fruites which bud out of righteousnes.

They which haue renued their mindes, [Page 509] saith he, shall proue what the will of God is: that is, they shall trie all that they doe heare, and learne by all that they see, vntill they tract out the will and meaning of GOD. As the water ingendreth Ice, and the Ice againe in­gendreth water, so knowledge begets righ­teousnes, and righteousnes againe begetteth knowledge, according to that in Eccles. 2. 26 To a man that is good in his sight, God giueth wisedome and knowledge; therefore though ye haue seene cunning Lawyers by much rea­ding; and expert Phisitians by long study; yet you could neuer see a perfect and sound, and iudiciall Diuine without holynesse. I cannot tel how, this knowledge is rather feeling than learning in the aboundance of the heart, or an extreame study sent by God vnto good men, like the Ramme which was brought vnto A­braham,Gen. 22. 13 when he would sacrifice his Sonne.

As Salomon sayth, The knowledge of good things, Pro. 9. 10. is vnderstanding: so none but they which are holy haue this vnderstanding. He which can say with Dauid,Psal. 119. 117. I loue thy lawe, and I keepe thy precepts, may follow with Dauid, I haue more vnderstanding than my teachers, and know more then the auncient. Psal. 45. 1. Hee which cannot say with Dauid, My heart meditateth a good matter, cannot follow with Dauid, My tongue is the penne of a ready Writer. This is, the equitie of God; they which are vnwilling [Page 510] to obey, are not thought worthy to knowe: for what should he doe with his talent,Mat. 25. which will not vse it? He which forbiddes vs to cast pearles before swine, doth stay his own hand from casting knowledge to the vngodly, they may know so much as shall condemne them, but they neuer knowe what will saue them. When Christ heard Peter saie,Mat. 16. 16 Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God: Christ answered; Flesh and blood hath not taught thee this; 17. she­wing, that carnall men haue not this know­ledge.Mat. 19. 17 This is the word of which Christ saith, All men doe not receiue it, It is true, that the Spirite breatheth where it will: Iohn. 3. 8. but it will breath vpon none but her louers. Wisedome is like the daughter of God, which hee mar­rieth to none but to him which loues her, and sues for her.Psal. 73. 17 As Dauid could not vnderstand why the wicked prospered vntill he entered into the sanctuary of GOD; and as Aaron might not enter the Sanctuary where GOD did answere, vntill he had sanctified himselfe; so if we will vnderstand mysteries, and heare God himselfe speake; wee must put off our sinnes,Exo. 3. 5. as Moses put off his shooes, or else we shall be like images which haue eares,Psal. 115. 6. & can not heare. When Paul heard mysteries, hee was rapt into the third heauen,1. Cor. 12. 2. when GOD would talke with his Church, hee saith, I will take her aside into the wildernes, Ose. 2. 14. and then I will [Page 511] speake friendly vnto her: so when wee will learne Diuinitie, we must goe aside from the world, and sequester our sinnes, & lift vp our mindes aboue the earth, or els it will not stay with vs. As the spirit went from Saul when he sinned; so when knowledge hath saluted the wicked, she bids them farewell; like vnto a Martin, which will not builde but in faire houses. It is said in Iohn 14. 15. When Iesus went to eate the Passeouer, hee came to a chamber which was trimmed: so the cham­ber that receiued God, the hart which should lodge knowledge must bee trimmed, and all the sinfull corners swept;1. Sa. 15. 26 or else, as Samuell would not come to Saul, so Wisedome will not come to that hoste. There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the knowledge of God, to prepare the house, & this is loue, the bond of perfection.1. Ioh. 4. 7. They which haue loue (saith Iohn) knowe GOD, but they which haue not loue know not God, though they haue neuer so much knowledge beside. Vnto good Na­thaniell, Christ saide, Thou shalt see greater things than these: but vnto the obstinat Iewes he saide,Mat. 13. 14 Seeing, Gen. 21. 19. you shall not see; like Hagar, which had the wel before her, and did not see the water. He which cannot saie with Paul, We haue the spirit of Christ, 1. Cor. 2. 12. cannot say with Paul,1. Cor. 8. 1. We haue knowledge.

Holie men were alwayes interpreters of [Page 512] Gods word, because a godly minde easeliest pearceth into Gods meaning, according to that, The pure in heart shall see God: and that in Iohn 7. 17.Mat. 5. 8. If any man will doe Gods will, he shall vnderstand the Doctrine whether it bee of God, or no: and that in Psalm. 111. 19. They which keepe thy precepts, haue a good vnderstan­ding; & that in 1. Cor. 2. 15. The spirituall man vnderstandeth al things. Pro. 1. 7 And therfore the feare of the Lord is not onely called the beginning of wisedome; but in Pro. 2. 5. it is taken for wis­dome it selfe. As when Christ taught in the Temple they asked, Howe knoweth this man the Scriptures, Iohn 7, 15 seeing hee neuer learned them. So it is a wonder what learning some men haue, which haue no learning, like Priscilla and Aquilla poore tent-makers,Act. 11. 15. which were able to schoole Apollos that great Clerke, a man renowmed for his learning. What can we say to this but as Christ saide,Luk. 10. 21. Father so it pleased thee: as when Iacob came so soone with the venison, and his Father asked him, how he came by it so sodainly?Gen. 27. 20 Iacob answe­red, because the Lord thy God brought it sodaynly to mine hand, so the holy & righte­ous men cannot giue any reason, why they conceaue the words of God so easily, and the wicked doe conceaue them so hardly, but that GOD brings the meaning sodainly to their hearts as we read in Luk. 24. 45. When [Page 513] the Disciples were setled in the profession of Christ, it is said, that Christ opened their vn­derstanding, and made them vnderstand the Scriptures; so sodainly came their know­ledge. So we read in Prouerbs 1. 23. Wise­dome promiseth to the righteous, If you will turne at my correction, I will powre out my hart vnto you, and make you vnderstand my words. A Schoolemaster might say to his schollers, I will powre out mine hart vnto you: but he cannot say as God saith, I will make you vn­derstand mine heart.1. Kin. 10. 8 Therefore if the Queene of Sheba thought the seruants of Salomon happie, because they heard his wisdome: how happie was Salomon himselfe, that serued God which gaue him wisdome. Come vnto me (saith Christ) all ye which are wearie, Mat. 11. 28 and I will refresh you. As Christ hath no comfort but for the wearie, so hee hath no wisedome but for the righteous.Mar 3. 35. They are his brethren, and sisters, and father, and mother. There is a kinde of familiaritie betweene GOD and the righteous, that hee makes them of his counsaile, as Salomon saith, Prouerbes. 3. 32. His secrets is with the righteous, and Psalme 25. 14. His secrets are reuealed vnto them that feare the Lord.

They are like Iohn the beloued Disciple which leaned in his bosome;Iohn 13▪ [...] like Moses,Exod. 3. to whom he shewed himselfe,Luk. 25 like Simeon, that [Page 514] embraced him in his armes;Luk. 9. 28. like the three disciples, which went vp to the Mount to see his glorie. So we reade of Abraham, Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide it from Abraham, saith God? As though this were an offence in God, if he should tel the righteous no more then he tels the wicked: therefore because Abraham was a good man he told him more than he shew­ed all the rest. As Adams knowledge was perfect, so long as his righteousnes was vn­tainted; so the neerer we come to that righ­teousnes againe, the more things come to our knowledge; according to that, Prouerbes 28. They that seeke the Lord, vnderstand al things. Such an heart God hath giuen to his seruants like a touchstone, or a lampe to goe before them, to examine all thinges, as they goe in this darke wildernesse, least they should take error for trueth, euill for good, or their owne wil for the wil of God; that they which hate euill might be preserued from euill, as Dauid was from the bloud of Nabal.1. Sam. 25. Nowe, because none but the righteous haue this lamp before them, you see what a difference there is be­tweene the knowledge of the godly, and the knowledge of the wicked.

As the windowes of the Temple were large within, but narrowe without; so they which are within the Church, haue greater light than they which are without. They sit [Page 515] like Pharaoh in the darkenes of Egypt, when the other dwell like Israel in the light of Goshen. Knowledge is easie to him which loueth knowledge, sayth Salomon: but the scorner seeketh knowledge, and findeth it not, saith Salomon, Pro. 14. The spiritual man (saith Paul) searcheth the deepe things of God: 1. Cor. 2. 14 but The naturall man (saith Paul) perceiueth not the things of GOD. Thou hast reuealed these things to babes (saith Christ) but thou hast hid them from the wise of the world If any man will doe Gods will, Luk. 10. 21 [...] he (saith Christ) shall vnder­stand the doctrine: but to the obstinate Iewes Christ saith, you cannot vnderstand my talke. My sheepe heare my voice saith Christ: but to the wicked Christ saith, you cannot heare my words. Beleeuest thou for this? saith he to Na­thaniel, thou shalt see greater things than these: but If ye beleeue not sayth Esay,Esay. 7. 8. ye shall not vn­derstand.

That these Scriptures might bee fulfilled, you see that as sin is called blindnes. 2. Chro. 6. 18. so sinners are called blind, Esay. 56. 10. and may be called Strangers in Israel. Vntill we be borne again, we are like Nichodemus which knew not what it was to bee borne a­gaine. Iohn 3.

Vntill we become zealous our selues, we are like Festus, which thought zeale mad­nes, Act. 26. Vntill we be humble our selues, [Page 516] we are like Michol, which mocked Dauid for his humilitie, 1. Sam. 6. 16. It was true then, and it is true now, and it will bee true al­wayes which Paul obserueth, 1 Corin. 1. 18. that to some religion shall seem foolishnesse. The reason of all this Paul layeth downe in a word. If ye aske why the wicked cannot vn­derstand heauenly things, he sayth, Because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Corin 2. 14. therefore, how should he discerne them, that hath not the spirite?

For this cause, wisedome is not said to bee iustified of any, but of her owne Children, Mat. 11. 19. neither doth Christ say, that any sheepe heare his voyce, but his owne sheepe. My sheepe (sayth hee, Iohn 12. 27) heare my voyce: they followe their shepheard, they heare his voyce, they vnderstand his Lawe, they iudge of his iudgements, they haue the measure of his Wordes, all is open, and plaine, and manifest and cleare vnto them: they search deeper, and iudge righter, and know sooner, and though they haue no lear­ning, yet they haue better iudgements, than the learned: wheras the other that labour and study without God, walke in a labyrinth, & fall into doubts, while they seeke resolutions. When a wicked man reads the Scriptures, he seeth no difference betweene the worde of God,Luk 24. 16. and the wordes of men, like Cleopas [Page 517] which talked with Christ, & knew not Christ. When he speakes of Religion, he flutters like a young bird which cannot flye because her wings are not growen: when he prayeth, his prayer is like a childes grace, that vnderstan­deth not one word that he saith: hee which hath but a shew of holines, hath but a shewe of wisedome: a little knowledge is in his head, but there is no knowledge in his heart. An euill man may knowe some thing, and speake something of his reading & hearing, as Iob saith,Iob. 32. 8. There is a spirit in man, that is e­uery man hath a kind of knowledge, but the inspiration of the Lord giueth vnderstanding: as though the sinners vnderstanding did not deserue to be called vnderstanding.

If the wicked man speake any thing that is good, hee speakes by roate, but hee which speakes not out of the abundance of his hart,Luk. 6. 45. is soone drawne drie. The preaching of the Word doth not become him: it is harsh and vnkind in his mouth as though it came out of a wrong bowe: or like vnto a shittle, which flittereth from the hand of a child, he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet,Mat. 22. 11 which wā ­ted his wedding garment, he speakes not like one which hath authoritie,Mat. 7 29. but as one that hath no authoritie, and alwaies his conscience sounds vnto him,Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be [Page 518] reformed? Therefore bee renued, that ye may knowe what the will of GOD is: this is the Abce, and Primmer, and Grammar, the first lesson and last lesson of a Christian, to knowe the good and perfect and acceptable will of God, which must make vs good and perfect, and acceptable our selues: the will of God is alwaies good and acceptable, & perfect, how­soeuer it seeme to vs: though it condemne vs of euill, yet it is good: though we see not how it is perfect, yet it is perfect: nay, it is so per­fect, that we cannot see the perfection of it, as the Sunne is so bright that wee cannot be­hold the brightnes of it: first it seemes good vnto a man before it bee acceptable, when it is acceptable, then it seemes perfect and as Gods will doth seeme to vs, so we doe seeme to him: if his will cannot seeme good and acceptable, and perfect to vs, much lesse may our will seeme good, or acceptable, or perfect vnto him, for this is our goodnesse, to ac­knowledge his goodnesse. If it be such a con­tentment, to knowe the will of GOD, what shall keepe vs from the knowledge of it, shall sinne, which is the worst thing in the world? Because we will not renue our mindes, there­fore we are ignorant of so many things which we would knowe, and vntill we be willing to followe the word, wee shall neuer throughly vnderstand it, but buzze and grope at it like [Page 519] Owles which prie at the sunne out of a barne. Oh!1. Kin. 3. 12 what a benefite had Salomon lost, if he had lost his wisedome which God gaue him: as great a benefite doest thou loose, if thou loose the knowledge of Gods will, for from the day that a man cannot discerne the will of Sathan from the will of Christ, euerie He­resie seemeth trueth, euery euill seemes good, and this hath been the beginning of al errors in the Church, because men did not loue the trueth, therefore God would not reueale his trueth vnto them: therefore I conclude as I began, Be ye chaunged by the renuing of your mindes, that ye may proue what is the good will of God, and acceptable and perfect.

Now a word of the Sacrament, there is an infant to be receiued into the Church, which putteth vs in minde of the promise which we made vnto God, when we were receiued in­to the Church our selues. This Sacrament was instituted by Christ, when he was bap­tized of Iohn in the riuer of Iordan, and it succeedeth Circumcision as the Communiō was ordained in stead of the Passeouer,Matth. 3. 14. so soone as we are borne we are baptized,Mat. 28. 19 In the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, to signifie that we owe a duetie vnto God, from the day that wee come into the world. In this Baptisme our bodies are wa­shed with water, to signifie how our sinnes [Page 520] are washed with Christes bloud: when our bodies are washed, they are taken out of the water againe, to signifie how we shall be rai­sed from death to life, by the resurrection of Christ, and how we should rise from sinne to righteousnesse: thus we begin our life with a solemne promise to God before the Church, to serue him with our bodies and soules till death vs depart.

Now let vs remember how we haue kept this promise with the Lord, or rather how we haue broken promise with him: then we gaue our selues to GOD, but since we haue giuen our selues to sinne: then wee promised to re­nounce the world, but euer since we haue em­braced the world: therefore now let vs begin to pay that which we ought so long, and pray the Lord which hath instituted this Sacra­ment as a seale of his mercie, to receiue this child into his fauour, as we receiue it into his Church:Ioh. 3. 11. to baptize it with his spirit, as wee baptize it with water: and powre vpon it his grace, as we giue it the signe of grace.

I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ.

HEere is Pauls desire to be dissol­ued, and the cause, that he might be with Christ: wherein first you shal see the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked, how one loatheth this life, and the other lon­geth after it. Secondly, because the Apostle seemes to desire death, you shall see whether any man may wish to die. Thirdly, because after his dissolution hee hopes to bee with Christ; you shall see the diuersitie of iudge­ments betweene Paul and the Papists, which think when they are dead, that they shall goe on to Purgatorie. Lastlie, because the soules which are with Christ cannot walke as they did when they liued vpon the earth, you shall heare a little of walking spirits, which haue [Page 522] beene so much talked of in the time of po­perie, and were taken for the soules of them which were dead: after wee will speake a little of the Sacrament which yee come to re­ceiue, and so commit you to God. I desire to be dissolued. 1. King. 2. 10. Before Christes comming, when the Kings or Patriarches died, it is said, that they went to their fathers,2. Chr. 9. 37 as we read of Da­uid and Salomon,2. Chr. 21. 1. &c. but after Christs com­ming, when the faithfull die, they are said to go to Christ,Actes 7. as we read of the penitent thief, Luke 23. 43. Not because the Patriarches went not to Christ as well as they, but be­cause yet Christ was not ascended to hea­uen: therefore they are not to go to Christ, although if they went to heauen they must needes go to Christ, because Christ touching his Godhead, was alwaies in heauen. I desire to be dissolued: As the wordly long for Christ to come to them, so the faithful long to go to Christ, for vnlesse we ascend to him as he des­cended to vs, his descending is in vaine, be­cause he came downe that we might go vp, he descended to take our flesh, we ascende to take his kingdom, he descended to be cru­cified, we ascende to be glorified, he descen­ded to hell, we ascend to heauen, that is, to ioy, to glory, to blisse, to our father, to our Sa­uiour, to our comforter, to Angels, to Saints, to eternall life: therefore good cause had Paul [Page 423] to desire to be with Christ, that he might be at rest: for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that euer the theefe heard in this life, when Christ said vnto him, This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise. Luke 23. chapt. vers. 45. Besides, as Paul persecu [...]ed before, so he was after persecuted himselfe, as he tels the Co­rinthians, 2. Cor. 11. 24. I was thrise beaten with rods, I was once stoned, I suffered thrise ship­wrake, &c. Therefore good cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ, that he might be out of trouble. Yet he wil not dissolue himself, but desireth to be dissolued: that is, that he which brought him into this world, would take him out of the world: neither doth he wish or pray, or make any petitiō to God to take away his life, but tels him his desire, desiring to be dis­solued: to desire is not to pray, but shewes what we approue: neither doth he desire so to be dissolued, as though he were weary of his labors, & would suffer no more for Christ, but he is content to liue as he saith in the 24. vers. Neuertheles for me to abide in the flesh were bet­ter for you, as if he should say, to do you good I am content to suffer euil, and stay still from Christ, whom I long to be with. Seeing then that he wil not dissolue himself, nor pray to be dissolued, but is content to liue stil: why doth he say, I desire to be dissolued? Onelie to shew what he preferreth in his desire, if hee might [Page 524] choose life or death for his owne respect, he could be content to leaue friends and riches, and pleasures, and life, and all, onely to bee with Christ. This seemes to be a good lesson for sickemen, when they can liue no longer, then to be with Christ were better then to be with the glutton, which neuer thought of hea­uen til he was in hell:Luk. 16. but Paul was not sicke nor sore when he desired to be dissolued: therefore this is not onely for the sicke, but for the whole. If he had wished to liue & stay still in the world, no man need to be taught to say after him, for yong & old desire not to be dis­solued, but few are content to bee dissolued. To a naturall man in this life, nothing is so sweete as life it selfe, and he which is in loue with this world, seldome dyeth quietly vpon his bed: but to a minde which misliketh this worlde, nothing can come so welcome as death, because it takes him out of the world. This it is which Paul would haue vs learne, that nothing in this world is so pretious or pleasant, that for it we should desire to liue or stay from God one hower: though all may not wish to die, yet all must subscribe to this, that death is better then life, because it leads to Christ, which when Paul had throughlie tasted, he was satisfied for all things else, and desired to liue no longer that he might bee with Christ; heerein appeareth the end of [Page 525] mans life, which when he hath obtayned, he desireth to liue no longer, how great riches, and honours, and friends soeuer he leaue be­hind him. From the time he knoweth Christ crucified,Gen. 5. 22. and begins like Enoch to walke with God, he cryeth euer after with the Apo­stle,Rom. 7. 24. I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ: who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of sinne? death weare to me aduantage. Euen as Simeon reioiced that Christ came to him,Luk. 2. 28. so the faith­full reioice that they shall go to Christ.

The necessitie of sinne is so irksome to him which knoweth the vilenesse of sinne, that the faithfull man, but to doe good, would not liue out of heauen, no not one hower. This made the Martyres so willing to abide any kinde of death that tyrannie could deuise, to be rid of their sinfull bands, and this corrup­tible burthen, which presseth downe the soule, that looks after Christ like his disciples when he ascended to heauen.Acts 1. 10. All is trouble and wearines, and vanitie to the godly mind, whether he eate or drinke, or sleepe, he coun­teth it a seruitude vnto the flesh, and wisheth with Dauid to be rid from these necessities: so the knowledge and loue of God maketh a man forget his owne flesh, maketh him de­spice the whole world, taketh away the dif­ference from life and death, changeth his nature which hee could neuer ouercome, [Page 526] and teacheth him to renounce his deere selfe, and say, though he should die, Not my will but thy will bee done. All this appeareth in this example, what operation is in the know­ledge and loue of Christ: it made the world irksome vnto Paul, which all men naturally desire: it made death pleasant vnto him, which all men naturally abhorre: although they bee wearie of their life, and haue no pleasure from morning to night; yet it will not please them to change, which they needes must, they neuer loath but loue their miseries, I will not dye one houre to liue for euer. Doe not the wicked them­selues prophecie by their feare of death a worse condition of some dreadfull iudge­ment after this life prepared for sinners, and all that contemne GOD, when none but they stande in such feare of death? Why dooth one wish for it, and another tremble to heare of it? If it were but a sleepe, no man would feare it at all: for who feareth to take his rest when the night approacheth? If it did take away sence and feeling, and make men trees or stones, no man would feare it at all, for who would feare strokes if hee could feele no more then a stone? or who would care for any thing if he had no sence of anything? would any man tremble so to bee as the dead creatures which haue no [Page 527] sence of euill? They must needes be in bet­ter case than the happiest man in this life, which is not without the sence of euill. Therefore this feare of death which you see in all but the faithfull, dooth presage some strange torment, some heauie change and sharpe punishment to those men: which they begin to tast alreadie before they dye, like the spirite which persecuted Saul before his end.1. Sa. 16. 14. They desire not to be dissolued, but they feare to bee dissolued, they goe not to Christ, but their departure is an euerlasting departure from Christ to the damned, to the diuels, to hell without either end or ease, or patience to endure it.

Thus you see that no man is willing to die, before his conscience bee quieted towarde God, and that he can catch some hope of a better life after this life. He which knowes that he shall go to Christ, it is impossible that he should die vnwillingly: but he which can not hope for a better world, must needs leaue this world grudginglie, and feare death more then all the terrors of life. He had rather to be sicke and cold, and hungry, and want and beg, then go with death, because he knoweth what he suffereth here, but hee knoweth not what he shall suffer hereafter. Therefore he which is not willing to be dissolued, hath not [...]earned Christ yet as Paul did, for no man [Page 525] esteeme this life when he begins to taste of the next,2. King. 2. 14. but then the loue of the world doth fall from him like the mantle of Elias when he was rapt into heauen.

The Apostle had seene many good things in his daies, and was neuer satisfied, willing to be dissolued, but thirsted still, and no wa­ter could quench his thirst, vntill hee dranke of the water of life, and then hee thirsted no more: so nothing can fill the soule which was made for God, but God alone. Riches and honors,Luk. 2. 29. & pleasures, did not make Sime­on willing to die, but the sight of Christ: hap­pie are the eyes which see him; for they are as willing to die as Simeon was.Ioh. 1. 2 [...]. So soone as Iohn Baptist did see our Sauiour,Math 3. 11. and knew that it was hee, hee debased himselfe, as if hee had beene nobodie, and would not bee accoun­ted of, but sought to loose the opinion of the people that Christ might haue all; although he was a Prophet, and more than a Prophet, and not a greater amongst the sonnes of wo­men. So when Paul had seene his Sauiour, hee forgot all that he loued, all that hee desi­red, and all that hee possessed: no ioye, no glorie, no life now but to die. All thinges must yeelde to the Sonne, and bee content with Iohn, that hee increase, and wee de­crease. This is our glorie and life, that hee liueth in glorie.Gen. 45. 28. It is enough (saith Iacob) for [Page 526] me that Ioseph my sonne liueth: it is enough for vs that Iesus our Sauiour reigneth. If the head be crowned, all the bodie is more honoured: therefore let vs glorie that Christ is glorified, and reioyce as much that hee is ascended, as our fathers reioyced that he descended: for where the head is, there the body must needes be.

I desire to be dissolued: he calleth his death not a destruction but a dissolution, for three causes. First he departeth from this life, and hath no more societie with them that liue vpon the earth. Secondly, his soule departeth from the bodie vntill the day of resurrection, then she findeth her owne bodie agayne, and they reioyce like friends which are met toge­ther. Thirdly, he departeth from this vale of miserie, into the paradise of ioy and all felici­tie, to liue and reigne with God for euer: in assurance whereof he saith, that he shall bee with Christ, so that death is the way to Christ. As the Doue found no rest vntill she came to the Arke:Gen. 8. 9. so the faithfull find no rest till they come to Christ, they goe through the wilder­nesse like other men. Vntill the Iewes arriued at Canaan,Iosh. 13. 17. all their life was spent in sinfull Egypt, or in the dreadfull desert, during the time of their iourney they had no setled rest or continuing pleasure. Peace beginneth when the battell endeth, there is the preroga­tiue [Page 530] of the dead, least death should bee too fearefull to vs. The best of Gods blessings are behind, that is, euerlasting life, and the way to it is death, thou art going to ioye, therefore looke not for it vntill thou come to thy iour­neys ende.Reuel. 2. 10. If Canaan the land of peace, the land of plentie, the land of pleasure, bee in the wildernesse: stay heere, march no fur­ther, whither doe you goe like the Pilgrims of Israel if Canaan be in the wildernesse? But Paul lookes for the crowne at the gole: he is not with Christ, but trusts to bee with Christ: he is not in heauen, but he hopes to come to heauen, and this hope led him through the wildernesse, that he murmured not like the Israelities, but only longed for that day, when Christ shall say vnto him as he said to the pe­nitent theefe: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Thus you haue heard the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked, how the one lotheth this life, and the other long­eth after it.

Now wee come to our questions. Simeon said,Luk. 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace▪ so Paul saith, I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ: they doubted not as the Pa­pists doe, what should become of them after death: for one saith that he goes to Christ, & the other saith that he goes to peace: there­fore it seemes that Purgatorie was not yet [Page 531] found, when the iust men went to peace. This is one of the fruits of a godly life, it hath hope (saith Salomon) in the end:Pro. 14. 36. in death it war­ranteth a man of life,Prou. 11. 7. & when the flesh saith, feare, and the serpent, despaire, it makes the flesh crouch, and the serpent flye, & the soule reioyce while death is opening the prison doore, that she may flie to her countrey from whence she came. Therefore what shall I say to Purgatorie, if Paul go to Christ, & Simeon goe to peace? Some say that it is in the ayre: some say that it is in the earth, some vnder the earth:Dan. 4. 1. some a little aboue hell. Thus Nabu­chadnezzar cannot assoile his owne dreame. You must vnderstand that Purgatorie is like your paynted Sepulchers, which are framed more for the liuing then for the dead: for you know that the locusts of Rome liue by Tren­tals, and Dirges, and Masses for the dead, as the Siluersmiths in Ephesus liued by Images:Act. 10. 25. and therefore as they were loth that Images should goe downe: so they are loth that their Purgatorie should bee quenched: for it is the gainfullest lye in all Poperie, for out of this lake issue their Masses and Dirges, and Tren­tals for the dead. They are sayd for the dead, but they make for the liuing: For the dead haue no portion of al that is done vnder the sun. doe what you will, say what you can, Masses, Dirges, or Trentals, they haue no portion in [Page 532] it, for they haue receiued their reward alrea­die, and the tree lieth where it fell: yet these foolish virgins hope for oyle of the wise vir­gins, and thinke they shall be paied for other mens labours, and almes, and trentals, & pil­grimages and Masses: as though they neuer read that the iust shall liue by his owne faith, Gal. 3. 11. that he which beleeueth shal not go to iudge­ment,Ioh. 5. 24. but passe from death to life, that they that die in the Lord rest from their labours: how doe they goe presently into Paradise,Reu. 14. 15. if they stay at Purgatorie, and fire & torments? Hath Christ satisfied for vs, & must wee now make satisfaction for our selues?Luk. 16. Whither the glut­ton and the beggar are gone, thither must we all, that is to Abrahams bosome, or hell fire: there are but two kindes of men, and there­fore but two waies, and where then is Purga­torie, which the best of the fathers confesseth that he could neuer finde in Scripture? There­fore take heed of hell, for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe. Furthermore, when Paul sayth, that he shall goe to Christ, this seemes to re­solue the old question often debated among the simple people, once deluded, whether the soules of men departed, walke after death, and appeare vnto men, exhorting them to this or that, as Gregorie or some counterfeit reporteth in his Dialogues.

The Apostles before their full groweth, [Page 533] might seeme to bee incumbred with this er­rour, because when they saw Christ walking vpon the waters, they sayd, It is a spirite: and when Peter knocked at the doore in the night, they sayd to Rhode a Damsell, It is his Angel: Act. 12. 15. Which errour was dra­wen from the elusion of Sathan, and vulgar opinion receiued from Pythagoras, which taught that the soules of men departed, did returne into the bodies of other men after death, either for correction, or for reward: if they were good soules, then they were pre­ferred to better men: if they had been badde soules, then they were cast into worse bodies then they had before: a fine Philosophicall dreame.

This deluded Herod: when hee heard of Christ, he supposed that Iohn Baptist was ri­sen againe, whom he had beheaded: and the better sort of the people, as we reade in Mat. 16. 14. dreamed that Christ was Elias, or Iohn Baptist, or Ieremie, or some of the Prophets risen againe. But touching the soule once de­parted from the body, that it returnes not nor can returne into the world: many examples and testimonies, and reasons, & the order of our resurrection declareth.Iohn. 10. 28 The soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord, & no man or diuell can take them out of his hands: the soules of the wicked are in the hands of [Page 534] the diuell, and God will not take them out of his hands: and therefore Abraham sayth. He which is here,Luk. 16. cannot come from hence, and they which be there, cannot come frō thence: for then the paines of hell were not euerlast­ing paynes, not the ioyes of heauen euerlast­ing ioyes, but temporal, like the paynes and ioyes of this world. Therefore it is no soule which walks about. How then? What is this which I see in the night like such a man, and such a man? The Diuell (which chaungeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue) can change himself into the likenes of a man much more: that is it which thou seest, as Saul sawe Samuel, 1. Sam. 28. 8. not Samuel him­selfe. For could the Witch raise Samuel out of the graue, which could not keepe her selfe out of the graue? or could the diuell disturbe the Prophet after death? Then he should ne­uer be quiet, if the diuell could disturbe him, because hee disquieteth the godlie so much while they liue. If this apparation bee called Samuel, how doth he call it Samuell, if it be not Samuel? As the Bookes of Caluine are called Caluine: as the picture of Beza is cal­led Beza: as he which playeth the King vpon a stage, is called a King: as the golden Myce and Hemerodes which the Philistines layd in the Arke, were called Myce and Heme­rodes, although they were but meere shapes [Page 535] and figures of them: so this likenesse of Sa­muel, is called Samuell, though it was not Samuel in deede, but a counterfeit shape of Samuel. For GOD would not answere Saul before by Oracle, nor by Priest, nor by Pro­phet: and would hee aunswere him by the dead, which dooth forbid to aske counsell of the dead? No (sayth Abraham) they haue Moses and the Prophets, Luke 16. As if hee should say: let them learne of the bookes of the dead, for the dead shall not returne vnto them. Againe, if it had been Samuel himselfe which had taught Saul to worship GOD, woulde that holie Prophet haue receiued worship himselfe, as this spirit did? Againe, If it had been Samuel Sauls Schoolemaster, which taught him alwayes to repent while hee liued: hee would rather haue exhorted him to repentance now then before, seeing the daye of his death was so neere. But you will say, Whatsoeuer it was, it seemes that he could prophecie of things to come: for hee foretold Sauls death. Can the diuell prophe­cie? This was an easie matter for the diuell to prophecie, because he knew that Dauid was annoynted before, and therefore Saul must be remooued, that he might reigne as he was annoynted. Secondly, he knew that Samuel had prophecied his confusion, and therefore hee must bee degraded, that the Prophecie [Page 536] might bee fulfilled. Thirdly, hee did see the Philistins comming against him, and there­fore no meruaile if he did aime that his death was neere at hand, seeing a man might pro­phecie the same.

If any man bee not satisfied with this, to beleeue that the soules of the dead doe not walke after their dissolution, let mee reason with him thus. Is it a soule which thou seest? Why a soule is a spirit, and cannot bee scene no more then a voyce, or an Eccho: diddest thou euer see thine own soule, though it hath been euer with thee since thou was borne? Doest thou thinke it is a bodie? Why a bodie cannot walke without a soule: for the soule is the life which mooueth the bodie. If thou say it is a bodie and soule too, then why doth Paul call death a dissolution? It is a separation of the soule from the bodie: if the bodie and soule bee not dissolued, then the man is not dead but liuing still. If thou say the soule is come to the bodie, and the bodie is risen to the soule for that time: then I can say no more to thee, but beleeue thine owne eyes. If thou thinkest that it is such a mans bodie which thou seest, looke in the graue, and open the ground, and there thou shalt see the bodie where it was laide, euen while this vizard walkes in thy sight: therefore apparitions are no other, then that which appeared to Saul. [Page 537] Thus the Diuel hath many wayes to deceiue; and this is one & a dangerous one, to draw vs from the word of God, to visions, & dreames, and apparitions, vpon which many of the doctrines of the Papists are grounded.

They had neuer heard of Purgatorie, but for these spirites which walked in the night, and tolde them they were the soules of such and such, which suffered in fire till their masses, and almes, and pilgrimages did raun­some them out: So these night spirits begate Purgatorie, and Purgatorie begate trentalles, as one Serpent hatcheth another.

Yet a third question riseth out of these wordes, and that is this; Whether a Christian may wish for death? As Paul desired, so may wee desire,Luk. 9. 54. if wee haue Pauls spirit. As Christ told his Disciples when they asked him, whe­ther they should pray for fire from heauen, as Elias did? Christ answered, that they knewe not of what spirit they were: as if he should say, If you were of Elias spirit, and did praye with the same mind, and to the same end that he did, then you might pray as he prayed. The wicked wish to die, because they would bee rid of the crosse, and suffer no more for God: as Cain,Gen. 4. so soone as he was cursed, and knew that his life should be a torment, he sought to dye, to preuent the iust iudgement of God▪ & spight him (as it were) which shuld punish [Page 538] sinnes. So doe the people oftentimes, which haue not to satisfie hunger, & the sicke which saint of an incurable disease, and the wearie captiues in prison, galleis, and bonds. As for the faithfull, if they at any time wish to die, they pray for death, as the last remedy against sinne and Sathan: euen as they pray in the Reuelation, for the hastening of Christs com­ming to iudgement,Reu. 22. 20. Come Lord Iesus, come quickly, for the shortening of the daies of sinne, least all flesh should perish. But they which wish for death in this sorte, would dye as the will of God hath ordained, and morti­fie their flesh to abide these troubles, and still by fayth suppresse the doloruos griefe of sin, by frequent meditation of inward ioy, recei­ued by grace in Christ, and therein reuiue themselues, as with the earnest pennie of their inheritance, which they shall receiue at the fit time, when it shall comfort them much to haue suffered so long. Much therefore haue they to answere, which are not contented to die in peace, and stay till they bee dissolued, but as though themselues were the authors of life & death, from cruell heart giue wrong­full commission to the bloodie hand, to cut asunder that which God hath ioyned, the louing soule and their body; as Iudas, Achi­tophel,2. Macc. 14 37. Saul, and Pilate did: not one of these was good in life or death. Yet the Author of [Page 539] the Macchabees commendeth Raz is most of all, for that which was the greatest sinne that euer he did, for killing himselfe. Man was not borne of his owne pleasure, neither must hee die at his owne lust; or else it had been good for Iob,Iob. 2. which suffered more than any Saint, except Christ, to make away himselfe, as Iu­das did.Exod. 20. 1 [...] But why is it commanded then, thou shall nor kill? If thou maist not kill another, much lesse maist thou kill thy selfe. As for the example of Sampson, Iud. 16. 30. which may seeme to oppose against this, in that he killed himselfe, when as he pulled the house vpon his owne head, and all that were with him: vnderstand, that hee was a figure of Christ, which vanquished moe in his death than in all his life; and it appeareth that he had war­rant from God, in that his strength being ta­ken from him, was (for the acte) in a mo­ment restored to him vpon his prayer. And the Epistle to the Hebr. 11. 13. to cleere that fact, saith, that he did it of faith; that is, know­ing that he had deserued to die, and that by these meanes the enemies of God should bee destroyed, he submitted himselfe to the good will of GGD, like a good Captaine which ventured his life to kill his enemies: therefore we must not looke to particultr examples, but to the generall law. Wherfore let no man doe this euill, that any good may come of [Page 540] it, but rather follow the aduise of the holy A­postle, as it becommeth vs, with patience let vs runne out the race which is set before vs.

Here I might shew you that they are guiltie of their owne death, that kill themselues with surfetting, intemperance, drunkennesse, &c. although they loue their life too deare, yet they take all meanes to hasten their deaths. Thus much of Purgatorie, & night spirits, and praying for death.

Nowe it remaneth, that as the Leuites san­ctified their brethren before they did eate the Passeouer, so I would prepare you, before yee eate this holy Sacrament, of which the passe­ouer was but a signe, The Iewes were taught of God before they did eate the Passeouer to put away leauen out of their houses the daie before, Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of lea­uen? No: this is it which the Apostle teach­eth, 1. Corinth. 5. before ye come to the Lords Supper, Purge the olde leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse out of your hearts: that is the leauen which you should purge out of your houses. Therefore marke what the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 11. I be­leeue it is a matter which you did neuer con­sider, For this cause many are weake and sicke among you, and many sleepe or die. For what cause? Because they receiued this holy Sa­crament vnworthily, and vnreuerently, be­fore [Page 541] they were prepared with faith, and hope, and repentance: for this cause many are weak, and sicke among you, and many die. Who did e­uer thinke that his sicknes, or his wants, or his infirmities did grow, for that he receiued the Lords supper vnworthilie? Many causes haue bin supposed, but this cause was neuer thoght of. Haue any of you said in distresses of bodie or minde, This is come vnto me, because I did receiue the blessed Sacrament of Christ vnworthilie, because I came not prepared with that minde, as they which beleeue and know God? Yet the Apostle, which by his diuine spirit knewe the cause of these calami­ties among the Corinthians, dooth depute their strange diseases & sodain death, to none other cause but to their vnworthie and vnre­uerent receiuing of this holy Sacrament. Nay hee saith further, That hee which eateth and drinketh this Sacrament vnworthilie, eateth and drinketh his owne damnation; that is, he taketh possession of death,1. Co. 11. 29 hell, and damna­tion, euen while he eates, as the diuell entred into Iudas while he receiued. Nowe, if your Phisitian should warne you of such a thing, that you take it in season & in measure, or els it is poison, & wil kil you; I suppose you wold obserue the season and measure, and take it in such order as he prescribeth, as neere as you [Page 542] could, if you beleeue him: so, if yee beleeue the Apostle, that you receiue the Sacrament to your damnation, if you receiue it vnwor­thilie, I am sure you will not take it vnreue­rently or rashly for all the world. If I had the words of motion to speak that which might be spoken of this matter,Mat. 22. it would fright Iu­das himselfe, that no man would come to this holy banquet without his wedding garment. Consider but this, how you would come into the presence of God, how would you prepare your selues to come before the maker of hea­uen and earth, which searcheth the reynes, & knoweth euery corner of the heart? If euer ye did approach vnto God, if euer yee came neere vnto the Lord, you neuer came so neere as now, when you come to receiue his bodie and blood, and are vnited vnto him in one spirituall body; and yet (peraduenture) many come not so prepared, so clensed, so dressed, so trimmed into the presence of God, as He­ster did into the presence of Assuerus.Hest. 5. What doe you thinke of these elements? what doe you imagine of this bread and wine? They are seales. What seales? Seales of his word, seales of Gods promise, seales of your adop­tion. If euer you were instructed or comfor­ted out of this book, that instruction & com­fort is confirmed and ratified vnto you now [Page 543] by Christs seale. Christ hath not ordained Sa­craments in his church for a fashion or dumb shew, that you should feele, or see, or tast, but as the woman which had a bloodie flix, when she touched the hem of Christs garment, hee said, that vertue was gone out of him: that is, all the graces which these signes represent, that is, all the blessings that Christ Iesus hath purchased vnto man by his death. Now be­cause if you receiue this Sacrament rightly, you are vnited vnto Christ, as the members with the head: if euer you did beleeue, or loue, or repent before; this requireth you to beleeue, and loue, and repent more, because now you are Christs body, which shewes that ye must obey Christ the head like members of the bodie, for the bodie is ruled by the head. What haue you now to receiue al these blessings? If ye haue not faith, how can you lay hold of any promises or merits of Christ, to say this is mine? If you had a hand to take and a fayth to apprehend, now you might eat of that bread which is better then Manna, which he that tasteth, doth not hunger again after any pleasure in the worlde. Heere is enough for Abraham, and Abrahams seede, Come vnto it all that thirst, and it will refresh you. Happi [...]r is that man nowe that hath his wedding garment,Luk. 16. than the rich glutton, that [Page 544] fareth deliciously, and goeth in purple euerie day. Now you are the Lords guests, and the Lord himselfe is your feast, and this feaste is before you, the holiest meat that euer you did eate, and the comfortablest meate that euer ye did eate, and yet the dangeroust meate that e­uer you did eate: you stand vpon life or death, you eate to saluation or damnation; there is nothing in this world which you can receiue with greater benefite, or with greater perill. Adam did not eate the forbidden fruite with greater danger,Gene. 3. Adam could not tast the tree of life with greater fruite, than you may taste and receiue this Sacrament. The Arke was a signe of mercie,2. Sam. 6. yet Vzziah was slaine for touching the Arke vnreuerentlie: Circumci­sion was a good thing, yet Circumcision did not profite the Sichemites,Gen. 34. but was away to make their enemies slaie them, because they were not circumcised for Religion, but for lucre: so if ye receiue for custome, and not for deuotion, this Sacrament shall bee to you as Circumcision was to them. Therefore take heede how you receiue as they receiued, least you meere with a curse, when you looke for a blessing. If thou remembrest any sin against God or against thy neighbour, leaue thine offering at the Altar, and be reconciled before thou come into his presence, for if stubble [Page 545] come to fire, there is no waie but burne: now beloued, let faith, and loue, and repentance haue their perfect worke, that you may re­ceiue this Sacrament as Christ would haue you rceiue it: & God grant you as much pro­fit by it, as is offered in it, & so much comfort of it, as it hath brought to any, whosoe­uer haue receiued it faithfully, re­uerently, and worthily before you.

THis Psalme was compyled by Moses, as ye may see by the title, at what time the Spies returned from the land of Canaan, and God for the murmuring of the people, pronounced, that al which were aboue twen­tie yeares old, should die in the wildernes, ex­cept Caleb and Iosua, that encouraged their brethren to goe to Canaan.Nu. 14. 29. Now when Mo­ses heard the sentence of death pronounced against himselfe, and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt, except only two Caleb and Iosua, that all should die before they came to the land which they sought, he pray­eth thus for himselfe, and the rest. Teach [Page 547] vs, O Lord, to number our daies, that we may apply our hearts to wisdome: that is, seeing we must needes die, teach vs to thinke of our death, that wee may die in thy feare to liue a­gaine: shewing vs how the consideration of our mortalitie will make vs applie our hearts to godlines. He which is tottering himselfe, had need to leane vnto a stable thing; there­fore a wauering man is commended here to constant wisedome. Man is mortall, wisdome is immortall, yet by wisdome man becomes immortall too: therefore Moses thinking of his death, runneth to wisdome as a remedie against death. I haue chosen a text fit for the time,For it was preached at the begin­ning of the yeere. which warneth vs how our yeres passe that when we think of the old yere how soone it is gone, yee may see vpon what a whirling wheele we are set: which putteth vs in minde euery day of that last day, which is comming for vs, when we shall giue account how eue­rie day was spent before it. So many yeares as are past; so many yeares we are neerer to the last: and though the old yeare be gone, and a new yeare come; yet whether another shall come after this, as this came after the former, no man (I thinke) hath any promise of him [...]hat made time: for euen these two dayes since the old yeare went out, manie haue gon [...]he way which we all shall follow. Now why [...]re daies, or weeks, or yeeres, but for vs? But [Page 548] for man there should be no winter, nosum­mer, no spring, no autumne; that wee seeing how the seasons are renued, at last with them wee may learne to renue our selues: for to celebrate new yeares with old sinnes, is to let euery thing goe before our selues; and suffer the time to condemne vs which was giuen to saue vs, God hath shewed vs new yeares, but he would haue vs shew him new men. This is Gods new yeares gift,Heb. 10. 1. not sheepe, nor doues, nor fruites which the Iewes offered; neither myrth, frankincense & gold, which the Gen­tiles offered, Mat. 2. but a new creature, Gal. 6. 15. Therefore wee must come to some schoolemaster,Luk. 3. 10. which teacheth vs like Iohn Baptist, what wee should doo, that we may growe in knowledge, as we growe in yeares. Teach mee to number my dayes (saith Moses) that I may apply my heart to wisdome. Where­by Moses telleth vs, that this was one of his helps, which made him profite in the know­ledge of God, to number his daies: as a man that hath a set time for his taske listens to the clock,Iohn, 9. 4. and countes his houres, so we haue a set time to serue God, Worke while it is daye, saith Christ. What hee dooth meane by this day, The Apostle sheweth you, This is the daye of saluation; that is, this life is the daye wherein you should worke. What worke haue you to doo? The Apostle tels you, Woorke out your [Page 549] saluation. This is a long taske, therefore we had neede to number our dayes, and not loose a minute, least wee be benighted before our worke be done. Teach mee, O Lord to number my daies. Hee which in the Lande of Midian learned to number sheep, now he is come in­to the wildernes, lerneth to number his daies. Teach vs, O Lord, to number our daies. Not teach vs the number of our daies, for we shall forget it againe, and the knowledge of times, is Gods knowledge; but Teach vs to number our daies; that is, that wee may bee still num­bring and counting our daies, & houres, and minuts, to see how fast we die, that euery day and houre we may learn some thing. As God hath numbred our daies, so we must learne to number our daies, or else it seemes that wee cannot apply our harts to wisdome: that is, vnles we think vpon death, we cannot fashion our selues to a godly life, though we were as well instructed as Moses. This we find daily in our selues, that the forgetfulnes of death, makes vs to apply our harts vnto folly, & pleasure, & all voluptuousnes; that contrarie to his aduice: Work your saluation, we work our damnation. We are so far from numbring our daies, that wee doe not number our weekes, nor our monethes, nor our yeares, but as the Apostle saith,2. Pet. 2. 8. A thousand yeares with God are as one day: so one day with vs is a thousand yeares: [Page 550] that is, our time seemes so long that we think we shall neuer die: but he which made this praier is now dead, & the number of his daies is ended, & nothing is left, but his holy books which bring this praier vnto vs, that we may learne to pray so too. Now I must pray, Teach me, O Lord to number my daies, and thou must pray: Teach me, O Lord, to number my daies, that we may apply our hearts to wisdome: that is so to pray, & fast, and watch, and heare, & do, as becommeth him which shall shortly giue account of his Stewardship. Luk. 16. 2. This is the fruite which comes to a man by nūbring his daies. God teacheth a man to applie his hart to wis­dom: and this is his lesson which he giues for that purpose, number thy daies, that is, thinke that wisdome is a long studie, and that thou hast but ashort time to get it, & this wil make thee get ground of vertue: for there is no such enemie to repentance, as to thinke that wee haue time inough to repent hereafter, which makes a man say, when any good motion cō ­meth, nay I may stay yet, yet I may stay, like the sluggard,Pro. 6. 10. which turnes vpon his bed like a doore vpon the hinges, and saith, yet a little more, a little more sleepe, a little more slumber, I may lie stil a while: this is not to number our daies, but to stretch our daies & make them seeme more then they are, and they that do so, neuer applie their harts vnto Wisdom: so you [Page 551] see what a preseruatiue Moses vsed against sin and pleasure, he kept a calendar as it were of his daies which called vpon him, Be dili­gent, for thou hast but a short time. Fiue things I note in these words: first that death is the hauen of euerie man, whether hee sit in the throne, or keepe in a cottage, at last he must knock at deaths doore, as all his fathers haue done before him. Secondly, that mans time is set, and his bounds appointed, which he can­not passe, no more then the Egyptians could passe the sea: and therfore Moses saith, Teach vs to number our daies, as though there were a number of our daies. Thirdly, that our daies are few: as though we were sent into this world but to see it, and therfore Moses spea­king of our life, speaks of daies, not of yeeres, nor of moneths, nor of weekes: but teach vs to number our daies, shewing that it is an easie thing euer for a man to number his daies they be so few. Fourthly, the aptnes of man to for­get death rather then any thing els, and ther­fore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to number his daies, as though they were still slipping out of his minde. Lastly, that to re­member how short a time we haue to liue, wil make vs applie our harts to that which is good. The first point is, that as euery one had a day to come into this world: so he shal haue a day to goe out of this world. When Moses [Page 552] had spoken of some which liued 700. yeeres, and other which liued 800. yeeres, and o­ther which liued 900. yeeres, shewing that some had a longer time, and some a shor­tet, yet he speakes this of all, mortuus est, at last comes in mortuus est, that is, he died, which is the Epitaph of euery man. We are not lodged in a castell, but in an Inne, where wee are but guests, and therefore Peter cals vs strangers. 1. Pet. 2. 11. We are not Citizens of the earth, but Citizens of Heauen, and there­fore the Apostle saith,Heb. 13. 19. we haue here no abi­ding City, but we look for one to come. As Christ saith,Iohn 8. 36. my kingdom is not of this world: so we may say, My dwelling is not in this world, but the soule soareth vpward whence she came, & the body stoopeth downward whence it came:Gen. 3. 19. as the tabernacles of the Iews were made to re­moue,Exod 33. 7. so our tabernacles are made to remoue.Exod. 26. 1. Euery man is a tenant at wil, & ther is nothing sure in life, but deth: as he which wrote this is gone, so I which preach it, & you which heare it, one comming in, & one going out is to all. Although this is daily seene, yet it had need be prooued, nay euery man had need to die, to make him beleeue that he shall die. When A­dam & Eue became subiect to death because of their sin to teach them to think on death, so soon as they were thrust out of paradise, God clothed them with the skins of dead beastes, [Page 553] which shewed them that now they were cloathed with death, and that as the beastes were dead whose skins they wore: so they should die also: therefore Dauid saith, Man being in honour became like the beasts which pe­rish: when he saith, that hee did become like the beasts which perish, he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts, but when he did like a beast, hee died like a beast. From that day euery man might say with Iob,Iob. 17. 14. Cor­ruption was my father, and the worme was my mother. Luk. 16. 22. For the rich glutton is lockt in his graue as fast as poore Lazarus. Therfore God speaking of kings,Psal. 82. 6. saith, I said ye are Gods, but ye shal die like men. If kings must die like men, then the expectation of men is death: there­fore when this king was readie to die, he said to Salomon,1. Reg. 2 2. that he should go the way of all the earth, calling death the way of all the earth: to which Esay be ares witnesse,Esa. 40. 6. crying, all flesh is grasse, that is, it falleth, and is cut downe like grasse.Gen. 1. 27. In paradise we might liue or die: in the world we liue & must die:Gen. 3. 21. in heauen she shall liue and not die. Before sinne nothing could change vs: now euery thing doth change vs. For when winter comes wee are cold, when age comes wee are withered, when sicknesse comes we are weak, to shew that when death comes we shal die. The clothes which were vpon our backs, the sun which sets ouer our [Page 554] heads, the graues which lie vnder our feete, the meate which goes into our mouthes, c [...]ie vnto vs that we shall we are, and sade, and die, like the fishes, and foules, and beasts which euen now were liuing in their elements, and now are dead in our dishes. Euery thing euerie day suffers some eclipse, and nothing stands at a stay, but one creature calles to another, let vs leaue this world. Our fathers summoned vs, and we shall summon our children to the graue: first wee wax olde, then wee wax drie, then wee wax weake, then wee wax sicke, so wee melt away by drops; at last as we caried other: so other cary vs vnto the graue: this is the last bed which euery man shal sleep in: we must returne to our mothers wombe.Gen. 47. 9. Therefore Iacob called his life but a pilgrimage,2. Tim. 4. 7. therfore Paul called his life but a race; therfore Dauid calleth him selfe but a worme;Psal 22. 6. a pilgrimage hath an end, a race hath a stop, a worme is but troden vnder foote and dead straight: so in a houre we are, and are not: heere we are now, and anon we are separated, & to morrow one sickneth, and the next day another sickneth, and all that be here neuer meet againe,2. Cor. 4. 7. we may well be cal­led earthen vessels, for we are soone broken, a spider is able to choake vs, a pin is able to kill vs: all of vs are borne one way, and die a hun­dred waies.1. Kin. 19. 9 As Eliah stood in the doore of the [Page 555] ca [...]e when God passed by, so wee stand in the passages of this world readie to go out when­soeuer God shall cal. We loose first our infan­cie. & then our childhood, & then our youth, at last as we came in the roomes of other, so other come into our roomes. If all our daies were as long as the day of Iosua,Iosh. 10. 12. when the sun stood still in the midst of heauen, yet it will be night at last, & our sun shal set like other. It is not long that we grow, but when we be­gin to fall, we are like the ice which thaweth sooner then it froze: so these little worlds are destroied first, and at last the great world shal be destroied too, for all which was made for vs, shall perish with vs. What do you learne when you thinke of this, but that which Mo­ses saith, to applie your hearts to wisdome? death commeth after life, and yet it guides the whole life like the sterne of a ship: but for death there would be no rule, but euery mans lust should be his law: he is like a King which frighteth a far oft, though he defer his sessions, and stay the execution, yet the verie feare that he will come, makes the proudest peacock lay downe his feathers, and is like a dampe which puts out all the lights of plea­sure. The second note is, that the time of man is set & his bounds appointed, which he can­not passe, & therfore Moses praieth the Lord that he would teach him to number his daies, [Page 556] as though there were a number of our daies: Therefore God is called Palmoni, which signi­fieth a secret number, because he knoweth the number of our daies, which is secret to vs. As it was said to Balthasar, God hath numbred thy kingdome, so it may be said to all, God hath numbred thy life. To this Job beareth witnes, saying,Iob. 14. 5. Are not his daies determined? thou hast appoynted his bounds, which he cannot passe. A­gain Ieremie saith,Ier. 46. 21. they could not stand because the day of their destruction was come. As there is a day of destruction, and a day of death, so there is a day of birth, a day of marriage, a day of honour, a day of deliuerance, according to that,Dan. 11. 36 the determinatiō is made, that is, God hath determined all things. As God appointed a time when his Sonne should come into the world,Dan. 9. 26. & he came at the same time,Gal. 4. 4. as the Pro­phets and the Euangelists accord: so he hath appointed a time when all his blessings shall come vnto vs, & they come at the same time. As we reade of Ioseph, when his appointed time came, shewing that God appointed a time when to exalt him,Psa. 105. 19 and before that time came, hee could not bee exalted: therefore Christ saith so often,Iohn. 7. 8. My time is not yet come, shewing that he knew the time of his bapti­zing, the time of his preaching, the time of his working, the time of his rising, and the time of his ascending.2 King. 20. 1 As for that which is obiected of [Page 557] Ezechias, because Esaie shewed him that hee should die, and after tolde him that fifteene yeres were added to his life: it is like the prea­ching of Ionas to the Niniuits,Ionath. 3. 3. Fortie daies and Niniue shall be destroyed, and yet Niniuie was not destroied, because they repented: so Eze­chias was not abridged, because he repented. Therefore you must vnderstand the phrase of God, as when we say that wee will iourney to morrow, we vnderstand If God will: so when God saith, I will destroie, he vnderstands, if we persist. As al the promises of God are cōditio­nal to take place if we repent, so all the threat­nings of God are conditionall to take place if we repent not: and therefore some time this woord if, is put in, as where there is no bles­sing nor cursing without an if. Den. 28. I may answere againe, that God is a iudge, and spake like a iudge to Ezechias: a iudge dooth not con­demne all whom he saith he will condemne, nor a Schoolemaster beate euerie one whom he saith he will beat, to make him learne, yet the iudge and schoolemaster doe not dissem­ble but menace: this is not lying but threat­ning. But you will say, if any time be set, thus long I shal liue, and I cannot pas [...]e, then I will take no phisicke. You may as well say, I will take no meat. God hath not ordained the end without meanes, but the meanes as well as the end. If he haue appointed one to die in his [Page 558] youth, he hath appointed some meanes to shorten his life,2 Sa. 18. 6. as he did Absolons: if he haue appointed one to liue long, he hath appoin­ted also some meanes to preserue his life, as Ioseph cherished Iacob in his age. Therefore though God had promised Paul that his com­pany should not be drowned,Acts 27. 21. yet he told the marriners, that vnlesse they kept in the ship they should bee drowned: as if their safety should not bee without meanes: but a good minde dooth neuer quarrell about these things.

The third point is, that our life is but a short life: as many little skuls are in Golga [...]ha, as great skuls: for one apple that falleth from the tree, ten are pulled before they bee ripe, and the parents mourne for the death of their children, as often as the children for the de­cease of their parents. This is our Aprill and May wherein we florish, our Iune and Iuly are next when wee shall bee cut downe. What a change is this, that within fourescore yeares not one of this assemblie shall bee left aliue: but another preacher, and other hearers shall fill these roomes, and tread vpon vs where our feete tread now?

The Rauen and the Phoenix, and the Ele­phant, and the Lyon, and the Hart fulfill their hundreds, but man dieth when he thinks yet his sunne riseth, before his eye bee sa­tisfied [Page 557] with seeing, or his eare with hearing or his heart with lusting, death knockes at his doore, and will not giue him leaue to me­ditate an excuse before hee come to iudge­ment. To shew the shortnesse of mans life, Moses vsed the shortest diuision in nature to expresse it by, he might haue said, Teach me, O Lord, to number my moneths, or my yeares, but he speakes of dayes: so the Scripture is woont to number our life by dayes, and houres, and minutes, to shewe vs that wee shall giue ac­count for houres, as well as for daies, for daies as well as for weekes, for weekes as well as for moneths, for moneths as well as for yeares, which warneth vs to make vse of all our time, and euerie daie to thinke vpon the last.

This was the Arithmeticke of holie men in former times to reckon their dayes, so that their time might seeme short, to make them applie their hearts to wisdome: The Hebrewes did number their dayes thus: first they did deduct the time of sleepe, so that if our yeeres bee threescore and tenne,Psal. 90. 10 as the Prophet saith, fiue and thirtie of these yeares are stri­ken off at one blow, because wee spend halfe our time in sleepe: then they did deduct the time of youth,Eccle. 11. 10 which Salomon calleth vanity, as though it were not worthy to be called life but vanitie: Then they did deduct the daies of sorrow, because in sorrow a man had [Page 560] rather dye then liue: so when the houres of sleepe, & the houres of youth, and the houres of sorrowe are taken away, what an Epito­mie is mans life come to? The Fathers vsed an other account: First they did deduct all the time which is past, for the time which is past is nothing: then they did deduct the time to come, because the time to come is vncertain, and no man can say that he shall liue. Now, when the time past, and the time to come is set aside, there is nothing left but the time present, that is, a moment, which is not so much in respect of eternitie, as a little mote to the whole earth.

Dauid numbered his daies by a measure, My life (saith he) is like a span long, Psal. 39. 5. when he measured his life, he took not a pole, nor an ell, nor a yard to measure it by, but a short measure, his short span, My life is like a span long. Thus you haue learned to num­ber your daies, or rather the houres of your daies: as some came into the Vineyard in the morning, and some at noone, and some at night: so some goe out of this Vineyard in the morning, some at noone, & some at night: some mans life hath nothing but a morning, some haue a morning and noone, he which liueth longest, liueth all the day; and there­fore the yongest of all pray, but for this day: & if he liue till to morrow, then he prayeth for [Page 561] that day, saying still, Giue vs this day our day­lie bread: So that a pleasant life may bee com­pared but to a glorious day, and a sorrowfull life to a clowdie day, and a long life to a sum­mers day, and a short life to a winters day. How comes it to passe, that when a man dies, all his yeares seeme but so many dayes, and before hee dyes, all his daies seeme so many yeares?Iob. 14. 1. Iob speaketh of all a like, Man which is borne of a womā hath but a short time to liue, Iacob was 130. yeares old, and yet when hee came before Pharaoh, he sayd, Fewe and euill haue my daies been. Though Pharaoh did not speake of daies, but asked him how old he was, yet he answered of daies, to shew that not on­ly his yeares but his daies were fewe. Our fa­thers marueiling to see how sodainlie men are, and are not, compared life to a dreame in the night, to a bubble in the water, to a ship in the sea, to an arrow which neuer resteth till it fall, to a player which speaketh his part vpon the stage, and straight he giueth place to ano­ther, to a man which commeth to the market to buy one thing, and sell another, and then is gone home againe: so the figure of this world passeth away. This is our life, while we enioy it we loose it:Gen. 47 9. as Iacob sayd, that his daies had been fewe: so wee may say, that our daies shall be few.

Now, why hath GOD appoynted such a [Page 562] short time to man in this world? Surely, least he should deferre to doe good, as his manner is: for though his life is so short, yet he thinks it too long to repent.Psal. 90. 10. The Prophet saith, that our yeares are but threescore and ten, as though this were but a little time to liue. But why should we liue so long? for if our life were but a yeare, yet a yeare is more then we vse, al the rest is lost: for wee deferre till that weeke which we thinke will be last. It is sayd of the diuell,Reu. 12. 12. that he is busie because his time is short: but the time of man is shorter: and therefore Christ saith,Luk. 19. 42. In this thy day: as though no day could bee called thy daye, but this daye: and therefore all that thou hast to doe, thou must doe this day. Consider this, all which trauell toward heauen: had wee not neede to make hast, which must goe such a long iourney in such a short time? How can he choose but run, which remembreth that euery day run­neth away with his life?

The fourth poynt is our aptnesse to forget death rather then any thing els, and therefore Moses praieth the Lord to teach him to num­ber his daies, as though they were still slip­ping out of his minde. He which hath num­bred our daies, must teach vs to number our daies: for when Moses prayeth the Lorde to teach him to number his daies, he signifieth that he would very faine remember them, but [Page 563] still his minde did turne from them, and that he could not thinke vpon them longer then he thought on the Lord, which taught him to number them: such is the rebellion of our na­ture, wee cannot remember that which wee should, because we remēber so many things which we should forget. How often doth the Scripture cal death to our minds? Yet we read how they put the day of death from them,Amos. 6. 3. & would not remember it. Salomon bids vs re­member that we shal come to iudgement, & yet we reade how they pleade against the day of iudgement, and syllogize to their sinnes, That all things shall continue as they be, Eccle. 11. 9. because there hath been no chaunge yet: 2. Pet. 3. 4. euen so it is with vs,Psal. 14. 1. as the foole saith in his hart, there is no God: so we say in our hearts there is no death, or at least death will not come before we bee old. Of al numbers we cannot skill to number our daies: we can number our sheepe & our oxen, & our coyn: but we think that our daies are infinite, & therfore we neuer go about to number thē. We can number other mēs daies and yeres, & think they wil die ere it be long, if we see them sick, or sore, or old, but we can not nūber our own. When two ships meet on the sea, they which are in one ship thinke that the other ship doth saile exceeding fast: but that their ship goeth faire and softly, or rather stādeth stil, although in truth one ship saileth [Page 564] as fast as the other: so euery man thinkes that other post, and run, and flye to the graue, but that himselfe standeth stocke still, although indeede a yeare with him is no longer then it is with other: beside that, we are giuen to for­get death, wee striue to forget it, like them which say, we may not remember. Teach me to number my daies: Amos. 6. 10. nay, teach me to multiplie my daies, teach me to remember death, nay, teach me to prolong death: or if I cannot pro­long death, teach me to forget death, that I may sinne without feare: for the remembrāce of death maketh a man to sinne fearefully, & takes away the pleasure of sinne. Therefore if ye mark, there is a kind of men which cannot abide to heare of death, they are sick with the name of it: the reason is, Achab cannot abide Michaiah,1. King. 22. because hee neuer prophecied good vnto him but euill: so death neuer prophecied good to the wicked but euill, for which they cannot abide it. Therefore as Pharaoh bad Moses goe out of his sight: so they bid death goe out of their sight, and say when he comes as Achab said to Eliah, Art thou here my ene­mie, whē they should say, welcome my frend? For as the diuels thought Christ was come to tormēt them: so the vngodly think that death comes to tormēt them. Is it peace, when they see death, they doubt it is not peace, because they neuer loued the God of peace. O that I [Page 565] could bring you into their hearts, that yee might see more then tongue can expresse: for I doe not thinke that any Epicure, or world­ling, or Nonresident, haue any ioy to thinke of death, or desire to be dissolued, but rather that hee might neuer bee dissolued, because death coms to the wicked like a iayler, which comes alwaies to hale vnto prison: therefore their care is not to remember death, that they might apply their hearts to wisedome: but to forget death, lest they should apply their harts to wisedome, and loose their pleasures before the time: for he which is not purposed yet to leaue his sinnes, would not be troubled with any thought that might make him take his pleasure fearefully, least he should leaue sinne before sinne leaue him. Therefore the diuell doth neuer teach a man to number his daies, because he gains by the forgetfulnes of death: but the Lord which would haue a man to ap­plie his heart to wisedome, it is he which teach­eth vs to number our daies: and therfore Mo­ses praieth vnto him, & because we pray not vnto him as he did, to teach vs to number our daies, therefore we die like wormes before we be aware. So farre we are from that which he shooteth at, to apply his heart to wisedome, that we are not in the way vnto it, that is, to remē ­ber that wee shall die. The last poynt is the cause why Moses would learne to number [Page 566] his daies, that he might apply his heart to wise­dome as if he should say, vntill men think vpon death, they neuer applie their hearts to wise­dom, but busie themselues with worldly mat­ters, as though they were fethering a nest that should neuer be pulled down. Wisedom hath alwaies carried that shew of excellencie, that the very wicked haue laboured to put on this vizard: as we reade of Pharao, who to couer his foolishnes,Exod. 1. 10. saith, Come let vs do wisely. And again, it is said, that the Grecians sought after wisedom,1. Cor. 1. 22. euē the Nation which God cals the foolish nation,Deu. [...]2. 21. did seek after wisedom: that is, they would haue the name of wisedome: but this wisedome which Moses cals wisdome, is coūted foolishnes,1. Cor. 1. 21 the foolishnes of preaching, saith Paul, meaning how the foolish count preaching foolishnes. [...]. Againe, foolishnes to the Gentiles, meaning that the word of God see­meth like a foolish thing vnto many. For that which Christ said vnto Peter, he may say al­most to al,Mat. 16. 23 They do not sauor the things of God. As Anah deuised a new creature:Gen 36 24. so they haue found out another wisedome which is called the wisdom of the flesh. Rom. 8. 7 They remember, Be wise as serpents: Mat. 10. 1 [...] but they forget, Be simple as doues. He which is like Achitophel is coūted a deep couns [...]ler,2. Sam. 17. 7 he which is like Machiuel, is coun­ted a wise fellow. Alas, how easie a matter is it to deceiue & counterfeit, and play the subtile [Page 567] serpent, if a man would set his head vnto it? Could not Dauid goe as farre as Achitophel? Could not Paul shew as much cūning as Ter­tullus?Acts. 24 2. Yes, yes, if they were not taught to be simple as doues.Matt. 10. 6. But this wisdome comes not by the remembrance of death, but by the for­getfulnes of death. Men do not vse to think of death when they goe about such matters, but say like the serpēt,Gen 3. 3. We shall not die. Two things I note in these words: First, that if we will find wisedome, we must applie our hearts to seeke her: thē, that the remēbrance of death makes vs applie our harts vnto it. Touching the first, Moses found some fault with himselfe, that for al he had heard & seene, and obserued, and was counted wise: yet he was new to begin, and had not applied his heart to learne wise­dom,Pro. 30. 2. like the wise man which saith, I am more foolish then any man, I haue not the wisedome of a man in me. So vnsatiable and couetous (as I may say) are the seruants of GOD, the more wisedome, and faith, and zeale they haue, the more they desire. Moses speaketh of wise­dome, as if it were Phisicke, which doth no good before it be applied, and the part to ap­plie it too is the heart, where all mans affe­ctions are to loue it and cherish it like a kind hostesse: when the heart seeketh, it findeth­as though it were brought vnto her like A­brahams Ramme. Therefore GOD saith, [Page 566] [...] [Page 567] [...] [Page 568] They shall seeke me, Ier. 20. 13. & find me, because they shal [...] me with their [...] as though they shuld not find him with all their seeking, vnles they did seeke him with their heart. Therefore the way to get wisedome, is to applie our hearts vnto it, as if it were your calling and liuing to which you are bound prentises. A man may applie his eares, & his eyes, as many trewants doe to their bookes, & yet neuer proue schol­lers: but from that day which a man begins to applie his heart vnto wisedom, he learneth more in a moneth after, then he did in a yeare before, nay, then euer he did in his life. Euen as you see the wicked, because they applie their hearts to wickednes, how fast they pro­ceede, how easily and how quickly they be­come perfect swearers, expert drunkards, cunning deceiuers: so if ye could applie your hearts as throughly to knowledge and good­nesse, you might become like the Apostle which teacheth you. Therefore when Salo­mon sheweth men the way how to come by wisedome, he speakes often of the heart, as Giue thine heart to wisedome, Pro. 22. 10. Let wisedome en­ter into thine heart, Get wisedome, Keepe wise­dome, Pro. 45. 13. 8. Embrace wisedome: as though a man went a wooing for wisedome. Wisedome is like Gods daughter, that he giueth to the mā that loueth her, and sueth for her, and mea­neth to set her at his heart.

[Page 569] Thus we haue learned how to apply know­ledge, that it may do vs good, not to our eares like them which heare Sermons onely; nor to our tongues, like them which make table talke of religion; but to our hearts, that wee may say like the virgin,Luk. 1. My heart doth magni­fie the Lord: and the heart will applie it to the eare,Mar. 12. 14 and to the tongue, as Christ saith, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The last poynt is, that the remembrance of death makes vs to applie our hearts to wise­dome. Moses commended not many bookes to make a wise man learned, but as Dauid commends one booke in stead of many:Psalm. 1. 2. Me­ditate in the Law of God day and night: for, the reading of many bookes (sayth Salomon) is but wearinesse to the flesh. Eccl. 12. 12. Therefore as though Moses had marked what did moue him most to seeke after GOD, hee prayeth that that thought may run in his mind still, the remem­brance of death. As many benefits come vnto vs by death: so many benefites come vnto vs by the remembrance of death, and this is one, It maketh a man to applie his heart to wise­dome: For when he considereth that he hath but a short time to liue, he is carefull to spend it wel,Heb. 12. 26. like Moses, of whom it is said, that whē he cōsidered how he had but a season to liue, he chose rather to suffer afflictions with the seruants of God, than to enioy the pleasures [Page 570] of sinne for a season. This is that which makes the olde men fast, and watch, and prepare themselues more than young, because they thinke themselues neerer the doore, like olde Isaac, which when he was blinde for age, said vnto Esau,Gen. 27. 2. Behold, I am now old, and know not the day of my death; that is, because I am old, I looke to die shortly. And therfore as Esay taught Ezechias,2. Kin. 20. 1 to set all things in order be­fore he died: so he called his eldest sonne, to whom hee thought that the inheritance be­longed, that he might blesse him before he died. This wisdome the Fathers called, the wisdome of the crosse, which wee call the best, because it was deerest bought. It is hard for a man to think of a short life, and think euil; or to think of a long life, and thinke wel. There­fore whē Ieremie had numbred al the calami­ties & sins of the Iewes; at last he imputed all to this,Lam. 1▪ 9. She remembred not her end: so if I may iudge why natural men care for nothing but their pomp, why great men care for nothing but their honour and dignitie, why couetous worldlings care for nothing but their gaine, why voluptuous Epicures care for nothing but their pleasure? I may say with Ieremie, They rememember not their end. We neuer co­uet the same things liuing and dying: there­fore when Salomon had spokē of all the vani­ties of men, at last he opposeth this Memorā ­dum, [Page 571] as a counterpoyse against them all;Eccl. 11. 9. Re­member, that for al those things thou shalt come to iudgement: as if he should say, Men would neuer speake as they speake, nor doe as they doe, if they did but thinke that these speeches and deeds should come to iudgement. As the bird guideth her flight with her traine: so the life of man is best directed by a continuall re­course vnto his end. The thoght of death hath made many sinnes auoid like the diuel, when Christ alleaged Scripture:Math. 4. it is like a strainer, all the thoughts, and speeches, and actions which come through it are clensed and puri­fied like a cloth, which commeth out of the water. Seeing then that so much fruit growes of one stalk, which is the numbring of our daies, let vs consider what an haruest we haue lost, which happily before this day neuer prayed with Moses, that the Lord wold teach vs to number our dayes. What if we had died in the dayes of our ignoraunce, like Iudas which hanged himselfe before he could see the Passion or Resurrection,Mat 27. 5. or ascension of Christ? But God hath cared for vs more then we haue cared for our selues. We should haue numbred our dayes and sinnes too, but alas, howe many dayes haue wee spent, and yet neuer thought why any day was giuen vs? But as the olde yeere went, and a newe yeere came, so we thought that a new would [Page 572] follow that, and so we think that another will come after this, and so they thought, which are dead already. This is not to number our dayes, but to prouoke GOD to shorten our daies: there are few here which haue not seen twentie years; now if we had but euery yeare learned one vertue since we were borne, we might by this time haue been like Saints a­mong men: but the time is yet to come when we must applie our hearts to wisdome. To ri­ches & pleasures we haue applyed our harts, and our eyes, and our eares, and our handes too, but to wisdome we haue not applyed our hearts.

There may be many causes, but there shuld be no cause if wee had numbred our dayes. For surely if a man could perswade himselfe that this is his last day, as it may be, he would not deferre his repentance vntill to morrow. If he could think that this is his last meale that euer he shall eate, hee would not surfet: if he could beleeue that the words which he doth speake to day, should be the last that euer he should speake, he would not offend with his tongue: if hee could be perswaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that euer he should heare, he would heare it better then e­uer he heard any yet. Yet breath is in the bo­die and the heart may applie it selfe, and the eye may applie it selfe, and the eare may ap­plie [Page 573] it selfe, and the hand may applie it selfe. Worke while it is light. I can but teach you with words, as Iohn Baptized with water. As Moses prayed the Lord to teach him to num­ber his dayes: so you must pray the Lord to teach you to number your dayes. And now I lead you to number your dayes. It may bee that thou hast but twenty years to serue God, wilt thou not liue twenty yeares like a Chri­stian, that thou maiest liue a thousand yeares like an Angel? It may bee that thou hast but tenne yeeres to serue him, wilt thou not serue tenne yeares for heauen, which wouldst serue twenty yeares for a farme?

It may be, that thou hast but fiue yeares to serue God, wilt thou spend fiue yeares wel to redeeme all thy yeares for fiue? Yet GOD doth knowe whether many here haue so long to repent for all the yeares which they haue spent in sinne? If thou were borne but to day, thy iourney is not an hundred yeares? If thou be a man, halfe thy time is spent already: if thou be an olde man, then thou art drawing to thy Inne, and thy race is but a breath: ther­fore as Christ said vnto his Disciples when he found them sleeping,Mat. 26. 40 Could ye not watch one houre? So I say to my selfe, and to you, can we not pray? can we not suffer a little while? He which is tyred can crawle a little way, a little farther, one steppe more for a kingdome. For [Page 574] this cause God wold not haue men know whē they shall die, because they should make rea­die at all times, hauing no more certaintie of one houre than another. Therefore our Sa­uiour saith, watch because you know not when the Lord will come to take you, or to iudge you, Happy are they which hear the word and keepe it. Thus you see that death is the last vpon earth, that the time of man is set, that his race is short, that he thinkes not of it, that if he did remember it, it would make him applie his minde to good, as he doth to euill: and nowe I ende as I began. The Lord teach vs to number our dayes, that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome, Amen.

FIrst we are to speake of Noah, then of Cham his wicked sonne, & after of Shem and Iapheth his good sons. In Noah, first of that which he did wel, & thē of his sin. In Cham first of his sinne, and then of his curse. In his brethren, first of their reuerence, and then of their blessing. Nowe wee will speake of the Father, and after of his Children. Then (sayth Moses) Noah began to bee an husbandman. This is the first name which [Page 576] is giuen to Noah after the flood, hee is called an Husband-man, and the first worke which is mentioned, was the planting of a Vine­yard. One would thinke, when all men were drowned with the flood and none left aliue to possesse the earth but Noah and his sonnes, that he should haue found him selfe some­thing els to doe, than to plant Vineyards: and that the holy Ghost should haue intituled him king of the world, and not an husband-man of the earth, seeing there bee no such, men as Noah was, which had more in his hand than any king hath in the world or shall haue to the worlds end: but hereby the holy Ghost would shew that God doth not respect kings for their titles, nor men for their riches as we doe, and therefore he nameth Noah af­ter the worke which he did, not after the pos­sessions which he had, an husbandman. It see­meth that there was great diuersitie between their age and ours. For if we should see nowe a King goe to plough, a Noble man driue the teame, a Gentleman keepe sheepe, he should be scorned for his labour, more than Noah was for his drunkennes: yet when we reade how this Monarch of the world thought no scorne to play the husband-man, wee consi­der nor his Princely calling, nor his auncient yeares, nor his large possessions, to commend his industrie, or modestie, or lowlie minde [Page 577] therein; which may teach vs humilitie, though we learne to disdaine husbandrie: of whom will we learne to be humble, if Kings giue examples, and the sonne of GOD humbleth himselfe from heauen to earth, and yet we contemne the example of Kings of the earth, and the example of the King of heauen?

The time was when Adam digged and delued, when Dauid kept sheepe, and all the house of Iacob were called men occupied a­bout cattell: but as they for this were abho­minable to the Egyptians (as Moses saith in the same verse) so they which doe like them, are abhorred of their brethren: & they which liue by them, scorne them for their worke, which would be chastened themselues, be­cause they worke not: There was no Arte nor Science, which was so much set by in for­mer times, and is now profitable to the com­mon-wealth, bringing lesse profit vnto it self, that may so iustly complaine of her fall with­out cause, and her despight from them which liue by her, as this painfull Science of hus­bandrie: that it is marueil that any man will take paine for the rest, to be contemned for his labour, and be a scorne for the rest, which might hunger and starue, if he did not labour for them more then they do themselues. No maruel then though many in the poore coun­tries, [Page 578] murmure & complaine that other can­not liue by them, and they cannot liue them­selues: but it is maruell if their complaint doe not growe in time of rebell on, and pull other as lowe as themselues: for why should the greatest payne yeeld the least profit? yet this is their ease, for if you marke, you shal see that the husband-man doth bate the price of his fruits so soon as the dearth is past, though he rayseth it a little, while the dearth lasteth: but they which raise the price of their wares with him, seldome fall againe, but make men pay as deere when the dearth is past, as if it were a dearth stil. Thus a plentiful yeere doth damage him, and a hard yeere dooth van­tage them. So this painefull man, is fai [...]e to liue poorely, fare meanely, goe barely, house homely, rise early, labour dayly, sell cheape and buy deere, that I may truely say, that no man deserueth his liuing better, no man ful­filleth the law neerer: that is, thou shalt gette thy liuing in the sweate of thy browes; then this poore sonne of Adam, which pickes his crums out of the earth: therfore he should not be mocked for his labor, which hath vexation enough, though all men spake well of him, & in my opinion, if any deserue to be loued for his innocencie, or for his trueth, or his paine, or the good which he brings to the common wealth: this Realme is not so much behol­ding [Page 579] to any sorte of men (but those that feede the soule) as those which feede the body, that is, those that labour the earth: yet you see how they liue like drudges, as though they were your seruants to prouide foode for you, and after to bring it to your doores: as the beasts serue them, so they serue you; as though you were another kinde of men. I cannot thinke vpon their miserie, but my thoughts tels me, that it is a great part of our vnthank­fulnesse, that we neuer consider what an easie life and liuing God hath giuen vnto vs in re­spect of them. If the Apostles rule were kept, they which doe not worke should not eate: but now they which do not work eate most: and the husband-men which worke eate not, but are like Bees, which prepare foode for other and pyne themselues. Let vs consider this, for they had not one lawe and wee ano­ther, but the same curse which was denoun­ced vpon Adam, was denounced vpon all his children, that euery man should get his liuing in the sweat of his browes. Although I knowe there bee diuers workes, and diuers gifts, and diuers callings to worke in; yet al­wayes prouided, they which doe not worke should not eat, for in the sweat of thy browes, that is, in labor and trauel, thou king, and thou Iudge, and thou Prelate, and thou Land-lord, and thou Gentleman, shalt gette thy liuing [Page 580] as Adam thy Father did: or else thou doest a­uoyde the curse, and a greater curse shall fol­low; that is, they which wil not sweat in earth, shall sweate in hell.

Adam had foode as wel as thou, and so had Noah, and more then thou, vnlesse thou hadst all, for they had all, and yet they might not be idle, because their handes were not giuen them for nothing. Some worke with their penne, some with their tongues, some with their fingers: as nature hath made nothing idle, so God would haue no man idle, but that he which is a Magistrate, should do the work of a Magistrate: hee which is a Iudge, should doe the worke of a Iudge: he which is a Cap­taine, should doe the worke of a Captaine: he which is a Minister, should doe the worke of a Minister: as when Noah was called an husband-man, he did the worke of an hus­band-man. This contempt of the Countrey, doth threaten danger to the land as much as any thing els in our daies, vnles their burthen bee eased, and their estimation qualified in some part to their paines. Thinking that you haue not heard of this theame before, seeing the wordes of my Texte did lie for it, thus much haue I spoken to put you in mind how easily you liue in respect of them, & to certifie your mindes towards our poore brethren, which in deede seeme too base in our eyes [Page 581] and are scorned for their labours, as much as we should be for our idlenes.

Then (saith Moses) Noah began to bee an husbandman. In that it is here sayd that Noah began, it doth not disproue that he gaue not himselfe to husbandrie before, but it impor­teth that Noah began to set vp husbandrie a­gaine after the floud, before any other: so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour, (which had exempted him & his seede out of all the world) and reioycing to see the face of the earth againe after the waters were gone, though then an olde man, and weake he was, yet he returneth to his la­bour afresh, and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions, as though hee were an husbandman: such a lowlines is alwaies ioy­ned with the feare of GOD, that they that are humbled with Religion, doe not thinke themselues too good to doe any good thing. Heere note by the way, that none of Noahs sonnes are sayde to begin this worke: but Noah himselfe, the olde man, the hoary head and carefull Father begins to teach the rest, and shewes his sonnes the waye how they should prouide for their sonnes: and how all the world after should liue by labour and trauell, till they returne to dust: so the olde man whom age dispenseth withall, to take his ease, is more willing to prouide for the [Page 582] wants of his children, then they are which are bound to labour for themselues and their pa­rents to: as the Storke doth feede the damme when she is olde, because the damme fed her when she was young: what a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth, that is, to vs which are yong & strong, that the father should be called a labourer, when the sonnes stand by.

Now, the grounde was barren because of the floud, and could not bring forth fruite of it selfe, because of the curse: therefore it pi­tied Noah to see desolation and barrennesse, and slime vpon the face of the earth, which he had seene so glorious and sweete, and fertill, with all manner of hearbes, and fruites, and flowers before. Therefore he setteth himselfe to manure it, which wanted for nothing now but a painful labourer to till and dresse it, that it might bring forth delights and profites for sinfull man, as it did before.

By this wee may learne to vse all meanes for the obtayning of Gods blessings, and not to loose any thing which wee might haue or saue for want of paines, for that is sinne, as Salomon noteth in the foure and twentith of the Prouerbes, when he reproueth the slouth­full husbandman, because his fielde brought forth Nettles and This [...]les in stead of grapes: not because the grounde would not beare grapes, but because the slouthfull man would [Page 583] not set them. Shall God commaund the earth and all his creatures to encrease for vs, and shall not wee further their encrease for our selues? As we encrease and multiplie our selues, so wee are bound to ioyne hand and helpe, that all creatures may increase and multiplie too, or els the Fathers should eate the childrens portion, and in time there should bee nothing left for them that come after: this regard Noah seemeth to haue vn­to his posteritie, and therefore he gaue him­selfe vnto husbandrie, which is commended in him vnto this day, and shall be recorded of him, so long as this booke is read: whereby we are warned, that he which liueth onely to himselfe, is not to bee remembred of them which liue after.

But as Dauid cared how the Realm should bee gouerned after his death, as well as he did during his life: so though we dye and depart this world, yet we should leaue that example, or those bookes or those workes behinde vs, which may profite the Church and Com­mon-wealth, when wee are dead and bu­ried, as much as we did when we liued a­mong them: euen as Noah planted a Vine­yarde, not for himselfe, but for the ages to come after.

Some doe thinke that Noah planted the first Vineyard, and drunke the first wine, and [Page 584] that there was no vse of grapes before: which opinion they are led vnto, that they might ex­cuse Noah and mittigate his fault, if hee did sippe too deepe of that cup, the strength and operation whereof was not knowne vnto him, nor vnto any man before: but it is not like, that the excellent licour and wholesome iuice of the Grape, did lye hidde from the world so many hundreth yeres, and no doubt but there were Vines from the beginning, created with other trees: for how coulde Noah plant a Vineyard, vnles he had slippes of other Vines, or Grapes that grew before, seeing hee did not create fruites, but plant fruites as we doe? For this is principally to be noted, that so soone as he had opportunitie to doe good, he omitted no time, but present­ly after the floud was gone, and the earth be­ganne to drie, hee plied it with seedes, and wrought it, till hee sawe the fruites of his la­bour. By this we learne to omit no occasion to doe good, but whensoeuer wee may doe good, to count it sinne if we doe it not. But if we be so exercised, then all our workes shall prosper like the Vineyard of Noah, because the fruite of the Vine dooth cheere the coun­tenaunce and glad the heart of man. There­fore some haue gathered vpon the planting of this Vineyard, a signification of gladnesse and thankefulnesse in Noah for his late [Page 585] deliuerance, as the Iewes by their solemne feastes did celebrate the memoriall of some great benefite: but I rather iudge, that God would haue vs see in this example, what men did in those daies, and how we are degenerate from our parents, that wee may prepare a­gainst the fire, as Noah prepared against the water. This is worthie to bee noted too, that God did not so regarde his husbandrie, but that hee had an eye to his drunkennes, and speakes of his fault as wel as his vertue: wher­by we are warned, that though God blesse vs now while wee remember him, yet hee will chasten vs so soone as we forget him: though we be in good name now, infamie will arise in an houre: though we be rich at this pre­sent, pouertie may come suddainely: though we be well while wee are here, yet we may fall sicke before night, euen as Noah is pray­sed in one verse, and dispraysed in another: euen now God commends him for his low­lines, and now discommends him for his drunkennesse: as though he had forgot all his righteousnes so soone as he sinned, & would cal in his praise againe. This was to shew, that Noah was not saued from the floud, because hee deserued to be saued; but because God had a fauour vnto him: for he which was not drowned with water, was drowned after with Wine. As the Pharisies when [Page 586] they had doone well, were proud of it, and lost their reward: so when Noah had done a good worke hee spotted it with sinne, and was dispraised where hee was praised, as though God repented him that he commen­ded him. He planted well, but he drunke not well: therefore that which was good did him hurt: then seeing hee was trapped with a good worke, whatsoeuer we doo, we may remember how easie it is to sinne, if wee misse in the matter, or in the manner, or time, or the place, or the measure, as Noah did. He which planteth the vineyard, is worthy to taste of the grape, but if thou haue found hon­nie (saith Salomon) eate not too much least thou surfet. So if thou haue found Wine, drinke not too much, least thou surfet. A lit­tle Wine is better than a great deale, and if thou wilt follow the Apostles counsell, thou must drinke it but for thy stomacks sake, least that happen to thee, which thou shalt heare of this noble Patriarch. Though he was ne­uer so righteous before GOD and men, though hee escaped the destruction, which lighted vppon all the worlde, though hee had all the foules of the ayre, and beastes of the land at his commaund, though hee passed the pilgrimage of man nine hundreth yeares, yet Noah was but a man, so aunci­ent, so righteous, so mightie, so happie: Noah [Page 587] shewed himselfe but a man for drinking the Wine which himselfe had planted: hee was drunken. This is Noahs fault, he was drun­ken with his owne Wine, as Lot was defiled with his owne daughters. If Cham his sonne had taken too much, and stript himselfe as his father did, the holy Ghost would scarce haue spoken of it, because hee was a man of no note: but when the father forgat him­selfe and gaue this offence, marke the manner of the holy Ghost, as though he would shew you a wonder: hee displayeth Noahs drun­kennesse, as Cham displayed his nakednesse: as if he would say, come and see the strength of man. Hee which was counted so righte­ous, hee which beleeued the threatning, like Lot when the rest mocked, he to whom al the foules of the ayre and the beastes of the earth flocked in couples, as they came to Adam He which was reserued to declare the iudgemēts of God, and to begin the world againe. Noah the example of sobrietie, the example of mo­deration, is ouercome with drinke, as if hee had neuer been the man. How easily, how quic [...]ly, the iust, the wise, the prudent, hath lost his sence, his memorie, his reason, as though he had neuer been the man. And how hard it is to auoyd sinne, when occasion is at hand, and pleasant opportunitie tempteth to sinne? It is easier for the bird to go by the net, [Page 588] than to breake the net: so it is easier for a man to auoyde temptations, then to ouercome temptations. Therefore God forbad Balaam, not only to curse the people, as Balaac would haue him, but he forbad him to goe with Ba­laacs seruants, knowing that if he went with them, and sawe the pompe of the court, and heard the King himselfe speake vnto him, and felt the tickling reward, it would straine his conscience, and make him doubt whether he should curse or blesse. Peter but warming himselfe at Caiphas fire, was ouercome by a silly damsell to doo that which hee neuer thought, euen to forsweare his Lord God: therefore Daniel would not eate of the Kings meate, least hee should bee tempted to the Kings will, shewing vs that there is no way to escape sinne, but to auoyd occasion. There­fore Dauid prayeth, Turne away mine eyes from vanitie: as though his eyes would draw his heart, as the baite tilleth on the hooke. Noah thought to drink, he thought not to be drunke: but as hee which commeth to the fielde to sound the Trumpet, is slaine as soone as he which commeth to fight: so the same wine distempereth Noah, which hath distem­pered so many since. Where he thought to take his reward, & taste the fruite of his owne hands, God set an euerlasting blot vpon him, which sticks fast till this day, like a bar in his [Page 589] armes, so long as the name of Noath is spo­ken of, that we cannot reade of his vertue, but wee must reade of his sinne, whereby euerie man is warned, to receiue the gifts of God re­uerently, to vse them soberly, and to sanctifie himselfe, before he reach forth his hand vnto them that they may comfort and profite vs, with that secret blessing, that God hath hid in them, or else euery thing the best gifts of God may hurt vs: as this pleasant wine stayned and confounded the great Patriarch, when hee delighted too much in it, which hee might haue drunke as Christ did at the last Supper, and this disgrace had neuer beene written in his storie; but God would haue a fearefull example, like the piller of Salt, to stand before those beasts, whose onely strife is to make triall who can quaffe deepest, and shew all their valiantnesse in wine. Because there is such warning before vs, now we haue the drunkard in schooling, I will spend the time that is left, to shew you the deformity of this sin, if any heare me which haue bin ouer­taken with it, let him not maruel why he can­not loue his enemies, which loueth such an e­nemy as this, which leadeth til he reeleth, duls him till hee bee a foole, and stealeth away his sence & wit, his memory, his health, his credit, his friends, and when shee hath stripped him as bare as Noah, then shee exposeth him like [Page 590] Noah to Cham, & all that see him do mocke him: it is wonder almost that any man should be drunke that hath seene a drunkard before, swelling, and pussing, and foming, and spu­ing, and groueling like a beast for who would be like a beast, for all the world? Looke vpon the drunkard when his eies stare; his mouth driuels, his tongue faulters, his face flames, his handes tremble, hys feete reele? how vg­lie, how monstrous, how loathsome doth he seeme to thee, so loathsome dost thou seeme to others when thou art in like taking. And how loathsome then doost thou seeme to God? Therfore the first law which Adam re­ceiued of God, was abstinence, which if hee had kept, he had kept all vertues beside, but intemperancie lost all. In abstinence the law came to Moses, & he fasted when he receiued it, to shew that they which receiue the word of God, receiue it soberly.

A temperate man seldome sinneth, because the flesh which dooth tempt is mortified, least it should tempt: but when the hand­maid is aboue the mistres, and a man hath lost the Image of God and scarce retayneth the image of man, all his thoughts and speeches, and actions must needs be sinne, and nothing but sinne, because sobrietie the bond of ver­tue is broken; which kept all together. When didst thou want discretion to consider? [Page 591] When didst thou want patience to forgiue? When didst thou wāt cōtinencie to refraine? When didst thou want hart to pray, but when sobrietie is fled away, and intemperancie filled her roome? If shame let to sinne, it cast­eth out sinne: if feare let to sinne, it casteth out feare: if loue let to sinne, it expulseth loue: if knowledge let to sinne, it expulseth know­ledge: like a couetous Land-lord, which would haue all to himselfe and dwell a­lone.

There is no sinne but hath some shew of vertue, onely the sinne of drunkennes is like nothing but sinne: there is no sin, but al­though it hurt the soule, it beautifieth the bo­dy, or promiseth profite, or pleasure, or glory, or something to his seruants, onely drunken­nesse is so impudent, that it descryeth it selfe: so vnthankful that it maketh no recompence: so noysome, that it consumeth the body, which many sinnes spare, least they should appeare to bee sinnes. Euery sinne defileth a man, but drunkennesse makes him like a beast: euery sinne defaceth a man, but drun­kennesse taketh away the image of a man: euery sinne robbeth a man of some vertue, but drunkennesse stealeth away all vertues at once: euery sinne deserueth punishment, but drunkennesse vpbraids a man while the wine [...] in his stomacke; and though hee would [Page 592] dissemble his drunkennesse, yet hee is not a­ble to set a countenance of it, but the childe descryeth him, the foole knowes that he is drunke, because his face bewraieth him, like the leprosie which burst out of the forehead: so worthily hath he lost the opinion of sobri­etie, which hath lost it selfe. His sonne thinkes himselfe more maister now than his father: his seruant makes him a foole, his chil­dren leades him like a childe; his wife vseth him like a seruant, and although his drunken­nes leaueth him when he hath slept, yet no man seckes to him for counsell after, no man regards his word, no man reckons of his iudg­ment, no man is perswaded by his counsell, no man accounts of his learning, no man hath any glorie to accompany with him, but so soone as drunkenes hath made him like a beast euery man abhorreth him like a beast, as they did Nabuchadnezzar: the spirit flyeth from him least he should greiue it, his friends goe awaie least he should shame them, and no vertues dare come neere, least he should defile them. How many things flie out when wine goes in? How is it then, that hee which loueth himselfe, can be so cruell to himselfe? that he should loue his life, and shor­ten his life? that he should loue his health, and destroy his health? that hee should loue his strength, and weaken his strength? that hee [Page 593] shoulde loue his wealth, and consume his wealth? that he should loue his credite, and cracke his credite? that hee should loue his vnderstanding, and ouerturne his vnderstan­ding? that he should loue his beautie, and de­forme his beautie? The Poets neede fayne no more, that men are transformed into beasts, for if they were liuing now, they should see men like beasts: some like Lyons, some like Wolues, some like Foxes, some like Beares, some like Swine: who is the beast, when the beasts satisfie nature, and man satisfieth ap­petite? when the beasts keepe measure, and man exceedes measure? when the beasts are sound labouring, and man found surfetting? who is the beast? I haue read of a bird which hath the face of a man, but is so cruell of na­ture, that sometime for hunger shee will set vpon a man and slaye him: after, when shee comes for thirst vnto the water to drinke see­ing the face in the water, like the face of him whom shee deuoured, for griefe that shee hath killed one like her selfe, takes such sor­rowe, that shee neuer eateth nor drinketh af­ter, but beates and frets and pines her selfe to death. What wilt thou doe then which hast not slaine one like thy selfe, but thy selfe, thy verie selfe, with a cup of wine, and mur­therest so many graces & vertues in an houre?

As Esau solde his lande and liuing for a [Page 594] messe of pottage, so the drunkard selleth his sense, and wit, and memorie, and credite, for a cuppe of wine. Thou hast not murthered thy brother like Caine, but thou hast murthered thy selfe, like Iudas: as the Rechabites abstai­ned from wine, as Ionadab bad them, obtay­ned the blessing which God had appoynted to the Israelites: so let vs take heed least they which we account Idolaters; whilest they fast and watch, and obtayne the blessing that GOD hath appoynted for vs, get away the blessing, while wee sit downe to eare and [...] to play. Therefore as Christ sayd, Remember Lots wise: so I say, remember Lot: one houre of drunkennesse did him more hurt, the [...]all his enemies in Sodome. Remember Noah, one houre of drunkennesse discouered that which was hid sixe hundred yeares.

Ten times more might bee sayd agaynst this vice, but if I haue sayd enough to make you abhorre it, I haue sayde as much as I would. Some goe about to excuse Noah, be­cause hee was an olde man, and therefore might soone bee taken cup-shot: some, be­cause the Wines were hotter in those Coun­tries then they are with vs: some, because of his change of drinkes, which had not wonted himselfe to wine before: some, because as most men delight in that which by great la­bour they haue brought to passe of them­felues, [Page 595] so no maruel though Noah had a long­ing to his owne grapes? following herein the example of a curious Cooke, which dooth sip and sip his broth, to taste whether it bee well seasoned, that he may amend it if he can, or amend the next: but as the flye by often dallying with the candle, at last scorcheth her wings with the flame: so taking, he was ta­ken, and at last was drunke: yet this is impu­ted to him for his fault, that he was drunke, as the punishment which followes doth witnes. Such is the prouidence of God, that his mer­cie might bee glorified in all, he hath conclu­ded all vnder sinne, and suffered the best to fall, that no man might trust in his owne strength, and that we seeing their repētance, may learne to rise againe, how grieuous so euer our sinnes bee. If we haue been Idola­ters, if adulterers, if persecutors, if murmurers, if murtherers, if blasphemers, if drunkards: A­ron, and Moses, and Lot, and Abraham, & Da­uid, and Salomon, and Peter, and Paul, and Noah haue been the like, who raigne now in the kingdome of Christ with his Angels, and so may we if we repent like them. These ex­amples (saith Paul) are not written for our i­mitation, but for our admonition. Thus you haue seene Noah sober, and Noah drunken: whereby wee may see, that a man may bee drunk with his own wine, he may surfet with [Page 596] his owne meates, he may lust with his owne wife, he may offend with his owne gifts, his owne honor may make him proud, his owne riches may make him couetous, his owne strength may make him venturous, his owne wit may make him contentious: therefore as the childe pluckes out the sting before hee takes the honey; so let euery man before hee receiue the gifts of God, sit downe and looke what baites, what snares, what temptations sathan hath hid in them, and when hee hath taken out the sting, then eate the honey, and he shall vse the blessings of Christ, as Christ did himselfe.

[Page 598] YOu haue here the Storie of No­ah and his sonnes. As Noah did well and euill, so he had good sonnes and euill: but as his ver­tues were more notorious then his vices, so GOD blessed him more then he crossed him: for he had two good sonnes, and but one euill sonne: his good sonnes were Shem and Iaphet, his wicked sonne was Chā: his good sonnes were blessed, his wicked son was cursed. First of the father, and then of his sonnes. In Noah first you see his husban­drie, and then his drunkennesse, and after his nakednesse. In Cham first you see his mocke­rie, and after his curse: in Shem and Iaphet first you see their reuerence, and after their blessing.

Of Noahs drunkennesse and his husban­drie we haue spoken: now a word of his na­kednesse. Drinking of the wine he was drunke, and was vncouered in the midst of his tent, &c. It is sayd that drunken porters keepe open gates, so when Noah was drunken, he set all open: as wine went in, so wit went out: as wit went out, so his cloathes went off. Thus Adam which began the world at first,Gen. 3. was made naked with sinne: and Noah which began the world agayne is made naked with sinne, to shewe that sinne is no shrowder but a stripper. This is one fruite of the Vine [Page 599] more then Noah looked for: in stead of be­ing refreshed and comforted, he was stripped and scorned.

There is a thing which followeth sinne, which Iob calleth a rod,Iob. 9. 34. & 21. 9. 6 which the sinner ne­uer thinketh of, before he haue done. When the childe hath faulted, then he is beaten: so now Noah hath sinned, he must bee beaten: first he is stript naked, after he is scourged; wine putteth off his cloathes, and then Cham commeth & lasheth him: to shew, that wine can both cheere the hart, and grieue the hart. As the forbidden tree when it promised our parents knowledge,Gen. 3. 6. tooke their knowledge from them: so euery sinne giueth other wa­ges then it promiseth. Little thought Noah that wine would make him naked: but now hee is naked and stripped too, as though hee were first stripped and then whipped. Hee which beleeued the threatning (like Lot) when others mocked,Gen. 19. he which escaped the floud when others were drowned, he to whō all the fowles of the ayre, and the beasts of the earth flocked in couples, as they did to A­dam, hee which was reserued to declare the iudgements of GOD,Gen. 2. and begin the world agayne; Noah, the example of temperance, the example of moderation, the example of sobrietie, lyeth naked in his Tent for drinking the wine which hee himselfe hath [Page 600] planted: the operation of wine was drunken­nesse, the sequell of drunkennesse was naked­nesse, the effect of nakednesse was derision. As the Serpents sting is in his taile, so the end of sinne is bitternesse, least he should loue the vice wherewith hee was once defiled, as they which are once drunke, hardly get out of the sellar. God giueth him a Memoran­dum like Iacobs limping, that he was neuer drunken after, but learned temperancie of intemperancie: therefore it is good a little to feele the sting of sinne, that we may handle it like a hornet.

Now when Noah the father was drunken, Cham the sonne becommeth a scorner: the father deserued to bee despised of his sonne, because he had disfigured the image of a fa­ther. Therefore it followeth, When Cham the father of Canaan sawe the nakednesse of his father, he tolde his two brethren without, &c. Drunkennes was his fault, and shame must be his punishment. Wherby you may note, how God doth proportionate & match sins and punishments together, that a man may looke vpon his punishment like a glasse, and see his sinne. Againe, by this you may see, how God doth bring forth the faults of the iust aswel as the vniust, or els other would say as Christ saith, Ioh. 8. Who can accuse me of sinne? What a griefe was this to Dauid, that his son should [Page 601] bee his traytor? So to increase the griefe of Noah, his sonne was his scorner. He may say as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 54. 12. It is thou O man, euen my companion and familiar, which delighted together. If mine enemie had defa­med me, I could haue borne it, or I woulde haue fled from him: but he whom I haue lo­ued, nay he whom I brought into the world, made me a shame to the world, like the Vi­per which killeth the damme that beareth it. So, oftentimes the prophecie of Michaiah proueth true, A mans enemies are they of his owne house, Chap. 7. 6. As Iudas betrayed his Master. Who can reclaime a wicked disposi­tion? how deepe was the roote of euill hid in his heart, that Noah could neuer know it be­fore he shewed it. Vntill now Cham seemed as good as Shem, and if Iaphet had said, thou shalt be cursed, he would haue said, thou shalt be cursed. Hipocrisie is spun with such a fine thred, that we may liue as long with a man, as Noah did with Cham, and scarce discerne him.

Heere are two sinnes, which goe before Chams curse; one that he did see his fathers nakednes, the other, that he did reueale it vn­to his Brethren.

When he sayth, that Cham saw his fathers nakednes: he meaneth that he looked vpon it with a pleasure,2 Sam. 11. as Dauid vpon the nakednes [Page 602] of Bethsheba, for he might haue seene it by chaunce, and not offended, as a man seeth an Image and detesteth it.

The Edomites are reproued for looking vpon the affliction of their brethren,Obad. 11. because they reioyced to see it. But the friends of Iob looked vpon his afflictions, and are not re­prooued because they sorrowed to see his sorrowes. Therefore Cham did not sinne in seeing, but in gazing, and reioycing, like the Edomites.

There is a wise eye,Eccl. 2. 14. and there is a foolish eye,Pro. 17. 24. the wise eye is like the Bee, which ga­thereth honie of euerie weede: the foolish eye is like the spider which gathereth poyson of euery flower. Therefore God licensed A­braham to see the flames of Sodome, which he forbad Lot, because that which teacheth one, tempteth another: it is a true Prouerbe, the eye is a shrew; although it shewe light, yet it leadeth many into darkenesse. If Eue had not seene, she had not lusted, for it is said, Seeing that the tree was pleasant to the eyes, Gen. 3. 6. she tooke and eate. Iosu. 7. 21. If Achan had not seene, he had not stolne. For he saith, first I saw, and then I coueted. If Dauid had not seene, hee had not lusted, for it is sayd first, That he did see her, and then hee sent for her.2. Sam. 11. 2 So when Cham had seene the temptation, he was snared with the sin: therefore it followeth, He told his bre­thrē [Page 603] which were without, &c. Thus sin groweth of sin from the eye to the heart, and from the heart to the tongue, a man may goe into a la­byrinth easilie, but when he is in hee cannot get out: so Cham did see a temptation easily, but when he had seene it, he could not looke from it. Therefore when Esayah speaketh of vanitie,Esa. 5. 18. he named Cart-ropes of vanitie, to shew how one sinne draweth on another, as it were with Cart-ropes,Gen. 3. and one sinner ma­keth another,1. Pet. 5. as Eue did Adam. When Sa­than was cast out himselfe, hee sought euer after whome hee might deuoure, so when Cham had strained reuerence himselfe, hee laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobedience. All men seeke after fellowes, and we thinke it euill to be euill alone, there­fore the theeues before they goe to steale, call their mates, and say, Come with vs, Prou. 1. 10.1. Pet. 4. 3. It is enough (saith Peter) that we haue spent our former time in lusts: so it was enough that Cham had faulted himself, but when hee had seene, he would haue his brethren see too: When he was become a scorner, he would haue his brethren scorners too: therefore as Andrew called Simon, and Philip called Na­thaniel,Iohn. 1. to see the Son of God: so Cham cal­led his brethren to see the nakednes of his fa­ther. The sins of men are like a plume of fea­thers, for itching eares, and an euil disposition [Page 604] breedeth an euill suspition: therefore Cham thinking that his brethrē had bin as shameles as himselfe, thought this a merrie may-game to make them sporte. Come with me saith he, and I will shew you my Father naked: they say it is an euill bird which will defile his own nest: so it is an euill sonne that will shame his owne father, he should haue couered his fa­thers nakednesse so soone as he saw it, lest his brethren should see it too, but he was readie to make it worse, like them which heare a suspition and make it a report, he should haue taken the beame out of his owne eye, when he spied a moate in his fathers eye: but as the eye seeth all things, and cannot see it selfe, so wee can see others mens faults but not our owne.Pro. 30. 1. When Agur had considered the follies of others, he considered his owne follies, and said, I am more foolish then any man: When Iudah had considered Thamars sinnes,Gen. 38. he cō ­sidered his owne and said, She is more righte­ous then I. But when Cham did see a fault in his father, al his owne faultes were hid vnder a bushel, he cared not that he was his father, nor that hee was saued for his righteousnesse, nor that he had planted a Vineyarde for him and his brethren, nor that he was neuer drun­ken before, nor that he had committed grea­ter sinnes himselfe, but like them which make their sport, that which should be their sorrow, [Page 605] so he laughed at that which might make him weepe. Often did I well might Noah say, and thou didst neuer honour me for that: but once did I euill, and for that thou wouldest shame me.

There is a kinde of men which are asha­med of other mens faults, but not of their owne: they are like flies which alwayes light vpon the sore, if they finde any sinne, there they talke, that is their sporte, like a Tennis ball, when they come to their ordinaries, and though they did neuer well in all their life, yet that fault seemeth greater to them then all their owne, these men are so like the diuell, that in Reuelat. 12. 10. The diuel is called by their name, An accuser of the brethren, and that you may knowe that such tongues shall burne in the fire of hell, Saint Iames sayth, That their tongues are kindled with the fire of hell already. Iames 3. 6. This was euer the pro­pertie of bad men, to seek faults in good men, to obiect againe, that they may sinne with­out reproofe of them.Tit [...]. 2. 8. Therefore saith Paul, So behaue your selues, that they which would slaunder you, may be ashamed, hauing nothing to speake euill of you: If Noah had not been drunken, Cham had lost his sporte.

Now because this fact of Cham was so hainous, when he is accused of it, he is called the Father of Canaan, as if he should say, think [Page 606] what he deserueth, which being a father him­selfe, would so dishonour his father. It was meete that hee which had Children should knowe the duetie of a Childe, and euer think, that as he behaued himselfe toward his Fa­ther, so his sonnes would behaue themselues to him againe, but all this did nothing moue him, therefore the greater was his sinne.

To conclude then, as Cham was worse then Noah whom hee derided, so if you marke▪ they which are wōt to speake hardly of others haue greater faults thēselues▪ which they can­not tell how to couer, but by disgracing o­thers. Thus much of the wicked sonne, now of the good sonnes it followeth.

Then tooke Shem and Iaphet a garment, and put it vpon both their shoulders, and went back­ward, Pro. 1. 10. and couered the nakednesse of their father, &c. Salomon saith, If sinners tempt thee, yet consent thou not: So though Cham tempted them, they consented not, but when he said, Come and see, they went and hid: Noah strip­ped himselfe, but hee could not couer him­selfe, so we can corrupt our selues, but wee cannot amend our selues. As Cham is accu­sed of two faults, for beholding his fathers na­kednesse, and for reuealing it: so Shem and Iaphet are commended for two things, that they would not see their fathers nakednesse and that they couered it. All came of one [Page 607] roote, and all had one duetie, & yet see what difference was between thē, one was glad of his fathers shame, and the other were sorye for it: one published it, and the other smothe­red it. These two, saith Moses, sawe not their Fathers nakednesse. Once it was no shame to be naked: for it is sayd, that Adam and Eue were both naked,Gen. 2. 25. and were not asha­med. But as sinne made labour irkesome, which was not irkesome before, and made heate offensiue which was not offensiue be­fore, and made colde hurteful, which was not hurtfull before, so it made nakednesse shamefull which was not shamefull before, that rather then a man would be naked now, he wil couer himselfe, as Adam did with fig leaues. Therefore we neuer read that Noah was naked before he was drunken, shewing that a sober man wil neuer open that which nature hath hid▪

This is a difference between men & beasts; men are not only ashamed to be seen naked themselues, but vnles it be some Cham, they are ashamed to see another naked. Shem and Iaphet saw not their fathers nakednesse, who is so blind as he which will not see? Nay who is so blinde as he which will see? the light of the eyes oftentimes draweth the soule out of light into darkenesse, knowing therfore that it was hard to see like Cham, and not [Page 608] to sinne like Cham, they would not see least they should offende. As they would not see it themselues, so they were carefull that none other should see it, and therefore they coue­red it with their cloakes. For we must not on­ly refraine sinne, but restraine sinne, accor­ding to that, Leuit. 19. 17. Suffer not thy bro­ther to sinne, so Shem and Iaphet seeing how their brother had sinned, stopped the cause that no more might sinne, they were loath that he should see that which he would haue them to see, their griefe and modestie it was such, that they did not stay to make him any anuswere, or aske him any question, but straight they thought what was best to bee done, and as a Nurse taketh the milke out of her own mouth to giue to the Childe, so they tooke off their cloakes from their backes to couer their fathers. Such a reuerence is in childrē toward their parents, if they haue but nature, that they will not suffer the maiestie of their Father to waxe vile, but rather they will heare any reproch against themselues, then abide a word against their Father. Now if wee doe such reuerence to earthly Fathers which bring vs into miserie, that we had ra­ther shame our selues then they should beare any shame, why are wee so ashamed and a­fraide to speake for our father which calleth vs out of miserie into happinesse: if Cham b [...] [Page 609] cursed for dishonouring a man, let them feare which dishonour God.

You knowe that the Papists doe couer the spottes of their Bishoppes with this cloake of Shem and Iaphet, and not onely they but others too, for if any speake of corrup­tion in Rulers, or briberie in Iudges, or Si­monie in Bishops, or non-residencie in Pa­stors, he is said to discouer his fathers naked­nesse like Cham, but as we may not reueale all sinnes, least the vncircumcised reioyce, so wee may not couer some sinnes, least the vncircumcised encrease: For if some mens drunkennesse were not reprooued, they would bee drunken still, and make a com­mon weale of drunkards: therefore they which will bee conuerted, first let them prooue themselues fathers, as Noah was, and after let them amend as Noah did, and they which couer them, let them distinguish betweene Noah and Cham, and betweene errour and obstinacie. For some, Christ ap­pointeth admonition, for others reprehen­sion, for others Excommunication, and for others correction: therefore euerie mans nakednesse must not bee couered as Noahs was: wee will couer the first drunkennesse, as Shem and Iaphet did, if they will repent as Noah did, and bee drunken no more. But shall wee followe them like a blinde [Page 610] mans Boye, to stay them so often as they fall, when they say that they stumble not, though they lye on the ground? This is not the cloake of reuerence, but the cloake of flatterie. Therefore as Christ said, Let the dead burie the dead: So I may say, let the wic­ked couer the wicked; the Wolues are not the Lambes fathers, but the Lambes But­chers, therfore if they would bee couered, let them speake to their Children to co­uer them, for this is our rule, They which sin openly, reprooue openly, that the rest may feare, 1. Tim. 5. 20.

Thus you haue heard what the badde Sonne did, and what the good sonnes did: now wee come to Noah againe: Then Noah awoake and knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him, and said vnto him, Cursed be Canaan, a seruant of seruants shall he be vn­to his brethren. He said moreouer, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and let Canaan bee his seruant, &c.

First he sheweth, how Noah commeth to himselfe, then how he knew what his sonnes had done vnto him; then how he curseth one and blesseth another. As his sonnes were ashamed of his nakednes when he was drunken, so now he is sober, he is ashamed of it himselfe, therefore he is said to awake from his wine, as though hee had [Page 611] beene a sleepe; for The drunkard (saith Sa­lomon) is as one that sleepeth, Prouerbs 23. 34. When the belly is full, the boanes are at rest, so when Noah was full, his thoughts were at rest: therefore beeing as it were lul­led a sheepe, with ouermuch wine, hee may be said to awake. Here Moses would exhort all them that sleepe with Noah, to awake with Noah. Noah was once intemperate, and many follow him in that, Noah was but once intemperate, and few follow him in that: Dauid was once incontinent, and ma­ny follow him in that; Dauid was but once incontinent, and few follow him in that: Peter was once vnfaithfull, and many follow him in that; Peter was but once vnfaithfull, and few follow him in that. This the diffe­rence betweene the faithfull and the wicked, both fall, and but one riseth againe. It fol­loweth. He knew what his yonger sonne had done vnto him: either by the spirit of God, which suggested him, or els by some other that tould him; for a drunken man dooth not remember what is said or done: and therefore the drunkard saith, I was beaten, but when I awaked, I knew it not, Pro. 23. 35. Ther­fore when Lot was drunken, his daughters laye with him, and it is said, Gen. 19. 33. that he perceiued not when they lay downe, nor when they rose vp: therefore Noah knew either by the [Page 612] spirit which informed him, or by others which told him.

Now, as Moses (declaring Chams sinne) called him the father of Canaan: so Noah repeating his sinne againe, called him his younger sonne. He disdaineth to name him, but calleth him a younger sonne; to aggra­uate his fault, because we will suffer our elder sonnes to bee more familiar with vs, but of the younger wee looke for more reuerence; or else because parents are woont to make more of the youngest, and dandle them, as Iacob did Beniamin, and so hee might say, My yonger sonne, which for his yeares should haue shewed mee most duetie, and for my affection should haue borne mee most loue; my younger sonne hath sought my disho­nour; and not content to scorne mee him­selfe, hath published my shame, and as much as in him lay, prouoked his brethren to scorne me too.

Of whome is a man so often deceaued, as of his neerest friend? Lightly the younger sonne is better than the elder, as Ioseph was better than his elder brethren, Dauid was bet­ter than his elder brethren, Abell was better than his elder brother, Isaac was better than his elder brother, Iacob was better than his elder brother; but here the youngest is worst: so neither vertue nor vice goeth by age. [Page 613] Now, as Christ when he awoke, rebuked the windes, and comforted his Disciples: so No­ah when he awoke, cursed the scorner, and blessed the other. Moses doth not set downe his wordes of choller, but bringeth him in, speaking by the spirite of prophecie, what should come vpon all his sonnes. It is like that the good Patriarch had bewailed his owne sinne before, and now hauing repen­ted, and got pardon for it, he commeth forth like a proclaymer of Gods iudgement, and thundreth against this mocker. What a griefe was this to the father, to bee constrained to condemne his owne sonne, and with his own mouth to pronounce him banished from the Church of God: for though Cham had not the nature of a sonne, yet Noah had not lost the nature of a father, and he saw what a small number was left vpon earth, like Adams chil­dren for to replenish the whole world againe: therefore it grieued him to curse his sonne, as much as it reioyced his sonne to scorne him. Yet as Abraham would sacrifice his sonne, rather then displease GOD; so Noah did curse his sonne, rather then he would dis­please GOD: shewing that wee should not spare our owne bowels, when God would haue them punished, but doe as the fathers and mothers of Idolaters and blasphemers did in the law,Dan. 13. who brought the first stone to [Page 614] presse their sonnes to death, shewing that as the sonne of God died for them, so their sonnes should die for God, if they would not serue him. Now the curse goeth foorth: Cursed be Canaan, that is, cursed be scorners, cursed be all they wich dishonour their fa­ther and mother, A seruant of seruants shall hee be: this is the first mention of seruants in all the scripture, man was not made to serue but to rule, but sinne maketh them serue which should rule: therefore as you saw sinne bring in the first nakednes, so you see sinne bringing in the first seruant, A ser­uant of seruants shall he bee. This curse is de­nounced with great vehemencie: for he saith not simplie, A seruant shall he be, but A ser­uant of seruants shall he be: as if he should say, a seruant, and more than a seruant, that is of a seruile condition, and seruile minde. As the Sabbaoth of Sabbaoths signifieth a high Sab­baoth; and as the Song of Songs, signifieth an excellent Song; and as the Holie of holiest signifieth the holiest place, and as the Lord of Lords signifieth the chiefest Lord: so Vanitie of Vanities signifieth the gretest Vanitie, and seruant of seruants, signifieth the vilest ser­uant. Seeing then that the Pope taketh this name vnto him, and writeth himselfe The ser­uant of seruants, in all his Indulgences, as thogh he did ground vpō this curse of Cham [Page 615] it seemeth that the Lord would shew there­by, who is like Cham, and who is cursed: therefore let not vs denie him that which the holy Ghost dooth giue him, but as hee ta­keth Chams name, so let him take his curse too, Cursed be Canaan, &c. It was not Ca­naan which tempted Shem and Iaphet, to gaze vpon their fathers nakednesse, but it was Cham. How commeth it then that No­ah dooth curse Canaan, and not Cham? In the 22. verse Cham is called the father of Canaan, so that Canaan was Chams sonne, therefore God not content with the punish­ment of Cham alone, saith, Cursed be Canaan also; shewing, that both Cham and Canaan, the father and the children, shall bee cursed for this impietie: because Cham had shewed himselfe a rebellious childe to Noah, God sheweth that his children shall doo the like by him. Heere is to bee noted, that whereas Cham had elder sonnes then Canaan, and Canaan was his yongest, yet God for a pur­pose nameth the yongest in the curse, shew­ing that his wrath should last, euen to the yongest, and be a great while before it were forgotten. Here is to be noted againe, that whereas the countrey of Canaan was so fruit­full, & so blessed a countrey, that it was called the land that floweth with milk & honny, yet vnder the name of Canaan, Chams youngest [Page 616] sonne (of whome the countrey of Canaan tooke the name) God sheweth that the Ca­naanites shall be cursed in this blessed land, as Cain was a vagabond vppon his owne ground:Gen. 4. to shew, that the ioye of heart, and peace of conscience commeth from God, and nothing else. Now the issues which follow­ed vpon this curse, doe shew that Noah spake not from the spleen, but from the spirite of God: For first you read how the Canaanites, who came of Canaan, were slaine of the Is­raelites; then you reade how the Gibeonites which came of Canaan were made slaues to the Israelites; then you reade how the Egyp­tians and Ethiopians which came of Canaan, were taken captiue by the king of Ashur:Esay 20. 4. then you reade, how Nemrod and his complices, that came of Canaan, were confounded at Babel, when they went about to exalt them­selues. Beside, where as length of daies, is a blessing to them which honour their father, Cham which dishonoured his father,Gen. 27. had not one sonne of his line which liued aboue an hundreth yeares: so, as Isaac said, Iacob haue I blessed, Gen. 28. 1. and hee shallbee blessed, so Noah may say, Cham haue I cursed, and he shall be cur­sed, for he was cursed indeede; cursed in him­selfe, and cursed in his children, cursed in hea­uen, and cursed in earth, cursed with God, and cursed with men: for after this he began [Page 617] to bee abhorred, and they that came of him. Therefore Abraham commaunded his ser­uant, that hee should not choose a wife for his sonne, of the Canaanites, Isaac giueth the like commaundement to his sonne Ia­cob, because they were a cursed nation, and hated of God euer since Noah saide, Cursed bee Canaan. Thus when Cham saide vnto his brethren, Come and I will shew you my fa­ther naked: he might haue saide; Come and I will shew you my selfe accursed. If GOD haue such wrath against a scorner, think whe­ther thou followest not some sinne worse then scorning.

Now after Noah had cursed Cham, hee blessed his brethren, Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem, &c. Of Shem came the Iewes which had the first blessing, and therefore Shem is blessed first: of Iaphet came the Gentiles, which had the latter blessing, and therefore Iaphet is blessed after: the forme of Shems blessing is; Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, &c. One which heareth this blessing would thinke that Noah did not blesse Shem, but that hee blessed God, for he saith not, bles­sed be Shem, but blessed bee the Lord God of Shem. This is to signifie that as cursed Cana­an came of Cham, so the blessed Messias should come of Shem, which though he were Shems sonne, yet heere hee is called Shems [Page 618] Lord, as hee was called Dauids sonne, and Dauids Lord. Then to shew that Noah dooth not blesse Shem, but God dooth blesse him, and Noah prayed that hee might bee bles­sed, as Christ gaue the spirite, and Iohn mini­stred but the water. Thirdly, to shew that God for blessing vs, should be blessed of vs; and therefore Noah said, Blessed bee the Lord God of Shem, &c. as if hee should say, blessed bee the Lord which blesseth Shem. Further this sheweth the difference betweene Shems blessing, and Iaphets blessing, that is the Iews and the Gentiles, for he saith, God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem, as though Iaphet were not blessed yet, but should bee blessed; but he saith of Shem, Blessed bee the Lord Gods of Shem: as if hee should giue him possession, and say, take thy blessing: for to assure him of Gods blessing, he calleth God Shems God: As were say, my landes, or my goods, so hee might say, my God, and my Lorde: such a propertie the faithfull haue in God. As Paul saith, God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing: so I may say, God is not the God of the wicked, but of the righ­teous, and therefore he is called, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaak, and the God of Ia­cob, which were all good and righteous and holy men. The next blessing is Iaphets, the forme of his blessing is, God perswade Iaphet [Page 619] to dwell in the tents of Shem, that is, God per­swade the Gentiles which come of Iaphet, to imbrace the Religion of the Iewes, which come of Shem. See how God counteth it for a blessing, to be in the true Religion, and how men should bee perswaded vnto it, be­cause it is loue which cannot bee forced: this is the first prophecie in scripture of the cal­ling of the Gentiles, that is of our calling to Christ. And to put vs in minde that we were once out of the couenant, and but added to the couenant, the name of Iaphet, which was the father of the Gentiles, dooth signifie, per­swaded or inlarged, as it were added to the Church, as though the time were when wee were out of the Church: therefore first wee are indebted to our good mediatour, which added vs to the kingdome, when we were out of the kingdome; and then that hee did it by persswasion, not by compulsion. As Noah prayed God to perswade Iapheth, so he hath perswaded vs by his word, and not forced vs by his roddes: shewing how wee should perswade one another to the truth, in the spirite of mildnes, remembring that wee come of Iapeth, which signifieth, per­swaded. Nowe after Shems blessing, and after Iaphets blessing likewise, hee saith, Let Canaan bee his seruant; this is thrice re­peated in three verses together, as if God [Page 620] had ratified it, & sworne it with a treble vere­lie. For when Ioseph told Pharaoh why his dreame was doubled, he gaue this reason, be­cause it should surely come to passe,Gen▪ 41. 22. so Cham might be sure his curse would come to passe. Heere is a sweete obseruation beside, how Shem and Iaphet are blessed in Chams curse, and how Cham is cursed in their blessing: for when he saith, Let Canaan be Shem and Ia­phets seruant; he implieth this, that beside they were blessed in their owne children, because they were obedient to them, they should be blessed in Chams children, because they were seruants to them: so Shem and Iaphet were blessed in Chams curse. Againe beside that Cham was cursed in his owne children, because they were rebellious to him, he is cursed also in Shems & Iaphets children, because they were Lordes ouer hym, accor­ding to this saying, Let Canaan be their ser­uant; so Cham is cursed in Shem and Iaphets blessing, as the Egyptians were drowned in the waters which saued the Isralites. These are the notes which I could picke out of this storie: heere you see how Cham was cur­sed but for dooing euill, and how Shem and Iaphet were blessed but for dooing well; therefore as the Angell sayd to them which sought Christ at the sepulcher; Feare not you, so I may say to all which seeke Christ, [Page 621] feare not you, for when Cham is cursed Shem and Iaphet are blessed; so when the wicked are cursed, the godly shall bee bles­sed, as the sheepe went to the right hand, when the goates went to the left hand. This is enough to shew what wee are, that when God saued but eight persons in the flood, yet you see one of them drinke vntill he bee drunken; and another scorne vntill he be cursed. If two among so few did so, when the flood was by them, what meruaile though so many do so now the flood is gone, and the weather calme: As there was a Cham in the Arke, so looke alwaies to haue Cham in the church. Shem did not go out of the Arke, because Cham was in the Arke, neither let the faithfull go out of the church, because wicked are in the church. As Cham scorned, and Noah was scorned: so there shall be al­waies one that persecuteth, and one which is persecuted: if the sonne persecute the father, thinke it not strange to be persecuted of any, for they which are not persecuted, lightlie are persecutours themselues. Thus you haue seen Noah drunken and scorned, Cham scor­ning and cursed, Shem and Iaphet reue­rencing and blessed. In this storie is the first mention of planting of Vineyardes, the first speech of drinking of wine, the first example of drunkennes, the first blessing and cursing [Page 622] of parents, the first name of seruant, and the first prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles. Noah is a warning to all drunkards, Cham is a warning to all scorners, Shem and Iaphet are an example for all subiects to reuerence their rulers, and for all children to reuerence their parents. Now as Noah prayed, God perswade Iaphet to dwell with Shem, so God perswade vs to dwell with Christ.

THis is the warning of Christ to his Disciples, after they had heard the Parable of the seede, how it fell in foure grounds, & but one of the foure brought foorth fruit. Here Christ exhorteth his Dis­ciples to bee that ground, and wee exhort you. As GOD sent his Prophets and Tea­chers to Ierusalem that was the chiefe Citie of the Iewes, where the Temple was built, and where the Priestes, and the Leuites and the Doctors dwelt, like an Vniuersitie, that from it all the Townes and Villages about might receiue instruction & light, like a Bea­con which standeth vpon a hill, and is seene ouer all the Countrie: so GOD hath done to this Ierusalem of yours. The citie of Ierusa­lem had neuer so many Prophets crying at [Page 626] once in her streetes, as this citie wherein wee dwell, though the Oxe, which treadeth out the Corne, hath often been attempted to bee muzle [...] euen of those which tread not at all. Yet as the Lambes breede in the winter, and Quailes came with the winde: so Preachers spring in the time of discouragement more then when nothing hindereth them: & whe­ther it bee our ambition (as the kindred of Christ sayd) they which will bee famous goe to great places, or whether GOD would make this citie a spring and fountaine to water the Land, as hee did Ierusalem: heere is the Col­ledge of the Prophets, here is the voyce of a Cryer, here dwels the Seer, though he be ha­ted, and scorned, & contemned for his pains. When I consider how many labourers God hath sent to this Vineyard, and yet how little fruite it yeeldeth to the Sower, I cannot im­pute it to the want of teaching, but to the want of hearing, neither so much to the want of hearing, as to a kinde of negligent hearing, like the high way which receiued the seede but did not couer it. Therefore when this sentence came to my minde, me thought I should goe no farther vntill I had taught you how to heare. I stood in doubt a while whe­ther I shoulde take such a short text: but when I looked into longer thē it, me thought this seemed longer then they, and as I iudge [Page 627] a text which should bee preached before all texts, which because it was not taught and learned at the first, a thousand Sermons haue been lost and forgotten, as though they had neuer been preached at all: therefore let mee say as my text saith, before I expound it: Take heede how you heare, while I teach you how to heare.

There is no sentence in Scripture which the diuell had rather you should not regarde then this lesson of hearing: for if you take heede how you heare, you shall not onely pro­fite by this Sermon, but euery Sermon after this shall leaue such instruction, and peace, and comfort with you, as you neuer thought the Word contayned for you: therefore no maruaile if the Tempter doe trouble you when you should heare, as the fowles com­bred Abraham when he should offer Sacri­fice. For bee yee well assured that this is an infallible signe, that some excellent and no­table good is towarde you, when the di­uell is so busie to hinder your hearing of the Worde, which of all other things he dooth most enuie vnto you: therefore as hee ap­poynted Adam to another tree, lest he should goe to the Tree of life:Gen. 3. so, knowing the Word to be like vnto the Tree of life, he ap­poynteth you to other businesse, to other ex­ercises, to other workes, and to other studies, [Page 628] least you should heare it, and be conuerted to GOD, whereby the tribute and reuenew of his kingdome should bee impayred: there­fore marke how many forces he hath bent a­gainst one little scripture to frustrate this counsell of Christ, Take heed how you heare.

First,The diuels sleights a­gainst hea­ring. hee labours all that hee can to stay vs from hearing: to effect this, hee keepes vs at Tauernes, at Playes, in our shoppes, and ap­poynts vs some other businesse at the same time, that when the bell cals to the Sermon, wee say like the churlish guests, wee cannot come. If hee cannot stay vs away with any businesse or exercise,Math. 22. then he casts fancies in­to our minds, and drowsinesse into our heads, and sounds into our eares, and temptations before our eyes, that though we heare, yet we should not marke, like the birds which flye about the Church. If hee cannot staye our eares, nor slacke our attention as he would, then hee tickleth vs to mislike some thing which was sayd, and by that makes vs re­iect all the rest. If wee cannot mislike anie thing which is sayd, then hee infecteth vs with some preiudice of the Preacher, hee doth not as hee teacheth, and therefore we lesse regarde what hee saith. If there bee no fault in the man, nor in the doctrine, then least it would conuert vs and reclaime vs, he courseth all meanes to keepe vs from the [Page 629] consideration of it, vntill we haue forgot it. To compasse this, so soone as we haue heard, he takes vs to dinner, or to company, or to pastime, to remooue our mindes that wee should thinke no more of it. If it stay in our thoughts, and like vs well, then he hath this trick in stead of applying the doctrine which we should follow, he turnes vs to praise and extoll the preacher, he made an excellent Sermon, he hath a notable gift, I neuer heard any like him. He which can say so hath heard enough: this is the repetitiō which you make of our sermons when you come home, and so to your businesse againe, till the next sermon come, a breath goeth from vs, and a sounde commeth to you, and so the matter is ended. If all these commers heare in vaine, and the tempter be so busie to hinder this work more than any other, Christs warning may serue for you, as well as his Disciples, Take heede how you heare.

There is a hearing,Mar. 4. 24. and a preparatiue be­fore hearing, there is a praying, and a prepara­tiue before praying,Eccl. 2. 17. there is a receiuing, and a preparatiue before receiuing.1. Cor. 11. 28. As I called examination the forerunner, which prepareth the way to the receluer: so I may call atten­tion the forerunner, which prepareth the way to the Preacher, like the plough which cut­teth vp the ground, that it may receiue the [Page 630] seede. As there is a foundation vpon which the stones, and lime, and timber are laide, which holdeth the buildings together▪ so where this foundation of hearing is laid, there the instructions and lessons, and comforts do stay and are remembred, but hee which lea­neth his eares in his pillowe, goeth home a­gaine like the childe which he leadeth in his hand, and scarse remembreth the preachers texte. A diuine tongue and a holy eare make sweete musicke, but a deafe eare makes a dumb tongue. There is nothing so easie as to heare, and yet there is nothing so hard as to heare well. You come not hitherto learne how to heare, but you come hitherto heare as you were wont: for there is none but thinkes before he come to heare, that he knowes how to heare already. But when I haue shewed you Christ meaning in this caueat, you shall iudge whether you haue heard or not heard, before you learned how to heare.

In the seuenteenth Chapter and the fifth verse of Saint Mathewes Gospell, the Father teacheth you how to heare, nowe the Sonne teacheth you how to heare: shewing (as Iames saith) that hearers only are not blessed, for many shall say vnto Christ, Haue not wee heard thee in our Synagogues? whom hee will answere, with I know you not: and therefore it is not inough to heare, but you must care how [Page 631] hou heare, it is not enough to pray, but you must care how you pray, it is not enough to receiue, but you must care how you receiue, it is not enough to suffer, but you must care how you suffer, it is not enough to giue, but you must care how you giue, it is not enough to beleeue, but you must care how you beleeue: for God hath appointed the way as wel as the ende. Because Cain regarded not the man­ner,Gen. 4. God regarded not his Sacrifice. It is bet­ter to doe well than to doe good: for a man cannot offend in doing well, but he may of­fend in doing good, if hee doe not well. Therfore Christ (whom the Father bade vs heare) teacheth vs not only to heare, Math. 17. 5 but how to heare: in the fourteenth chapter of Marke and the foure and twentieth verse, teacheth vs not onely to reade, but how to reade: in the foure and twentieth of Saint Mathew, and the fifteenth verse, teacheth vs not onely to suf­fer, but how to suffer: in the fifth of Mathew, and the tenth verse, teacheth vs not onely to receiue, but how to receiue: Luke 22. 19. tea­cheth vs not only to pray, but how to pray: Luk. 11. 1. signifiyng, that more sinne in hea­ring, and reading, and praying, and suffering, & receiuing, amisse, than in not hearing, reading, praying, suffering, or receiuing at all. Therfore Paul takes the Christian before his race, and giues him this watch-word. So run that thou [Page 632] mayst obtaine. 1. Cor. 9. 24. that is, so seek that thou mayst finde, so aske that thou mayst ob­taine, so knocke that it may bee opened, so giue that thou maist doe good, so suffer that thou maist haue comfort, so heare that thou mayst profite. How many haue fasted, and watched and prayed more than we, and yet lost al their deuotion? because they thought not of this rule, to doe good in a good sort. The Papists so they pray, care not how they pray, for they thinke it enough to pray: and there­fore when they haue gone ouer their beads, their prayer is done, although they neuer thought what they asked. But Ieremie saith, Cursed be he that doth the busines of the Lorde negligently, whether hee heare negligently, or pray negligently, or receiue negligently, or preach negligently. The Scribes, and Pharisies did fast, and watch, and pray, and heare, and reade, and giue, and doe all that we can doe, and yet Christ rewardeth al their works with a woe; Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies. The Disciple which betraied Christ, heard so much as the Disciples that loued Christ, yet he had no feeling, nor comfort, nor profite of all his companie with Christ, because he did not vse it as the rest did. The Iewes did heare more then all the world beside, yet because they tooke no heed to that which they heard, therefore they crucified him which came to [Page 633] saue them, and became the cursedst people vppon the earth, which were the blessedst Nation before: therefore the A b c. of a Chris­tian is to learne the Arte of hearing. We care how wee sow, lest our seed should be lost: so let vs care how we heare, least Gods seede bee lost. There is no seede which groweth so fast as Gods seede if it bee sowne well: therefore that I may shewe you that me­thode of hearing, which Christ commend­eth heere to his disciples, it is necessarie to obserue fiue things.Fiue partes of this trea­tise. First, the necessitie of hearing: secondly, the fruite which commeth by hearing: thirdly, the kindes of hearers: fourthly, the danger of hearing amisse: fiftly, that manner of hearing, which will make you remember that which is said, and teache you more in a yeare than you haue learned all your life.

Touching the necessitie of hearing: When Christ saith. Take heede how you heare, hee implieth that all his Disciples should heare, nay they which were excommunicate from the prayers, and from the councels, and from the Sacraments for their sinnes, yet were not excommunicate from hearing, because they should learne to repent.

Here that large commaundement of our Sauiour Christ standeth,Luk. 8. 8. That which I say vnto you, I say vnto all, therefore it is a ge­neral [Page 634] Proclamation, Whosoeuer hath an eare to heare let him heare. The place implyeth that al should heare, though it importeth that al can not heare. When the voyce spake from hea­uen it said nothing,Mat. 17. 5. but This is my beloued son, heare him: as thongh all the duties of man were comprised in hearing. Whē Christ spake but of one thing which is necessarie, he spake of hearing, Luke 10. 22. As though it were so necessarie to heare, that all necessities should giue place vnto it. When men would not heare, God spake to the ground; Oh earth, earth, earth heare the word of the Lord: Iere▪ 22. 29. shewing that GOD so contemneth them which will not heare, that he regardes the earth and the trees, and the stones be­ing senselesse creatures aboue them.

When GOD stroke Zacharias hee made him dumbe,Luk 1. 5. but not deafe; When GOD stroke Saul, hee made him blinde, but not deafe;Act. 9. 3. 4. When GOD stroke Mephibosheth, hee made him lame,2. Sam. 4. 4. but not deafe. Thus GOD would haue them heare which can­not see, nor speake, nor goe. But there is a diuell which is called the deaffe diuell, Marke 9. 25. shewing that the diuell would haue vs deaffe, because hee that heareth instruction is in the way to life, but Hee which heares not instruction goeth out of the way. Prouerbs tenne-seauenteenth. To shew [Page 635] the necessitie of hearing the worde which we should heare is called meate in the fifth Chapter and the eleuenth verse of the Epis­tle to the Hebrues, and the want of the Worde is called a famine in the eight chapter of Amos Prophecie and the eleuenth verse, as though it were as necessarie for vs to heare, as it is to eate.

Although our heartes are contrarie to the Worde more than to any thing beside, yet no man can thinke that this is the Word of GOD, but hee thinkes it necessarie to bee heard. Besides, if Christ bee the Word (as Saint Iohn calleth him in the first chapter and fourteenth verse) and the Worde is re­ceiued by no other meanes, but by hearing onely can anie man then receiue Christ with­out hearing? Let not anie bee thus fonde so vainely to dreame: for that were to re­ceiue the Worde without the Worde.

Therefore, as Iohn wept vntill the Booke was opened, and so soone as it was ope­ned, all the Elders sung: so wee shoulde coumpt it the greatest cause of weeping when the worde is taken from vs that wee cannot heare it, and the greatest cause of re­ioycing when it is open to vs that wee may heare without let. Thus much of the neces­sitie of hearing.

Secondly, touching the fruite that com­meth [Page 636] by hearing: Of all our sences, hearing is the sence of learning, and therefore Salo­mon begins his Wisedome, with Hearken my sonne, Prouer. 1. 8. opening as it were the doore where Wisedome must enter. There­fore except in praying, temptations neuer trouble a man so much as in hearing, which sheweth that these two are the destroyers of the destroyer: therefore as the tempter him­selfe could not abide to heare the Word when Christ spake, so hee cannot abide that wee should heare the Word. Matth. 4. It must needes bee good for vs which our enemies would keepe from vs.

Many hearing the Worde haue met with knowledge, haue met with comfort, haue met with saluation, but without the Worde neuer any was conuerted to GOD. There­fore whensoeuer the Worde is preached, e­uery one may say to himselfe, as the Disci­ples saide to the blinde man, Bee of good comfort, Mar. 10. 49. hee calleth thee: bee of good com­fort, the Lorde calleth thee. When Christ heard a woman say,Luk. 11. 28. Blessed are the breastes which gaue thee sucke, Christ replied, Blessed are they which heare the Worde of God: shew­ing, that his Disciples were more blessed for hearing him, than his Mother for bearing him. As Isaac gaue Iacob a double bles­sing, so Christ blesseth them againe: fo [...] [Page 637] in Matthew. 16. 17. hee saith,Mat. 16. 17. Blessed are the eares which heare the things which you heare: shewing that the Iewes were more blessed than all the worlde, because they had this one blessing to heare the trueth. If they be blessed which heare, then you come hither for a blessing, and hee which is blessed, wanteth nothing. Euery priuiledge dooth importe some speciall good to him which hath it: but it is the priuiledge of man to heare the Worde, and therefore the Worde became man, because it belongeth onely to man.Iohn 1. 14. God hath giuen life and light and food to fowles, and fishes, and beastes, but his Word is the prerogatiue of man. As to speake is the propertie of man, so to heare is the pro­pertie of man. To shewe the fruite which commeth by hearing, Christ calleth the Word which wee should heare, Mat. 13. 14. Verbum Regni, The Word of the Kingdome, as though it brought a Kingdome with it: to shewe the fruite which commeth by hearing. The Disciples call the word which we should heare, Verbum vitae, Iohn. 6. 18. the Word of life, as though it brought life with it: to shewe the fruite that com­meth by hearing, Vers. 15. Christ compareth the good bearers to the fruitfull grounde: to shewe the fruite that commeth by hearing, Paule [...]aieth, Faith commeth by hearing, in the [...]enth to the Romanes, there is one fruite: [Page 638] Knowledge commeth by hearing, Matthew the fifteenth and tenth verse, there is ano­ther fruite: Comforte commeth by hearing, Psalme one hundred and nineteene, there is another fruite: the sense of sinne com­meth by hearing, Act. 2. there is another fruite. As Christ with fiue loaues and two fishes fed fiue thousand men: so Peter with one Ser­mon conuerted three thousand foules.Act. 2. 41. Agrip­pa hearing Paul but once,Act. 26. 27. almost became a Christian,Act. 8. 38. the Eunuch hearing Philip but once straight receiued the faith: Zacheus hea­ring Christ but once, gaue halfe his goods to the poore: so I doubt not but some goe from our Sermons almost Christians like Agrippa, some whole Christians like the Eunuch, ex­pressing their faith like Zacheus. Now a little and then a little the soule groweth like the bodie. If you heare well, our voyce is like the sounde of the Rammes hornes that made the Walles of Iericho to reele,Iosh. 6. nay it will make the walles of hell to reele, for the same Worde made the Prince of hell giue backe, Matthew 4. 7. Although at all other times we are as plaine and simple as Iaacob, yet at this time wee haue a promise, and it is giuen to vs (for your sake) to speake some­time that which we conceiue not our selues, because the houre is come wherein GOD hath appointed to call some of you as hee [Page 639] hath done some of you before. Therefore as the princelie spirite came vpon Saul when hee should raigne,1. Sa. 11. 6. to teach him how hee should rule: so the Propheticall spirit com­meth vppon Preachers when they should teach, to teach them how they should speake. Therefore, as Christ was contented to be bap­tized of Iohn,Mat. 3. 15. so be you content to be instruc­ted of vs, that if we be more simple than you, the glorie of God may appeare more in conuerting you by vs.

Thirdly, touching the kinde of hearers: If all which come to heare, did heare as they should, Christ neede not warne vs, Take heede how yee heare. But as we pray, so wee heare, the one is a lip-labour, and the o­ther is an eare-labour. As children play the trewantes in the schoole, so men play the tre­wantes in the Church: how many come to heare mee, and yet (peraduenture) some doe not heare, while I speake of hearing? One hath no pitcher, another hath left his pit­cher behinde him, another hath brought a broken pitcher which will holde no water, therefore Christ calleth vs Fishers: for as a Fisher taketh but a few in respect of those which goe by, so we reforme but a few in re­spect of them which goe as the came. First of Pauls hearers, and then of Christs hearers, and after our hearers. Acts 17. 32. When the Athenians heard [Page 640] Paul preach of the resurrection, it is said, that some mocked; there is one sort, the chaire of scorners: Psal. 1. some said, we will heare thee of this againe; there is another sort, which are not yet resolued, but desire to bee better instructed: some did assent vnto him and re­ceiued his doctrine, as Dionisius Areopagita, and Damaris a woman; there is the best sort: wee neuer preach but wee haue all these hearers, some mocke, some wauer, and some beleeue. Now of Christs hearers: Wee finde in the Gospell that Christ had foure sorts of hearers: while I count them to you, thinke of what sort you are, for I doubt not but that there bee here of all sortes. Some heard him to wonder at him, like Herode, which was mooued with the fame that went of him: some came to heare, because they would know all things, that they might be able to talke of them. It seemes that Iudas was such a scholler, for he had learned to preach but not to follow: some came to ca­uill and to trip him in his speeches, of these hearers were the Scribes and Pharisies which would make him an enemie to Caesar: some were like to the good ground, which came to know what they might doo, and how they shoulde beleeue, like the humble Scribe which inquired the way to heauen. Now to our hearers. As there were wise Virgins and [Page 641] foolish Virgins: so there are wise hearers, and foolish hearers. Some are so nice that they had rather pine then take their foode of any which is licensed by a Bishop, as if Helias should refuse his food because a rauē brought it to him and not an Angel: some come vnto the seruice to saue forfeiture, and then they stay the Sermon for shame: some come be­cause they would not bee counted Atheists: some come because they would auoyde the name of Papists: some come to please their friends, one hath a good man to his friend, & least he should offend him he frequents the Preachers, that his friend may thinke well of him: some come with their masters and mis­tresses for attendāce: some come with a fame, they haue heard great speech of the man, and therefore they will spend one houre to heare him once, but to see whether it be so as they say: some come because they be idle, to passe the time they go to a Sermon, lest they should bee wearie of doing nothing: some come with their fellowes, one saith, let vs goe to the Sermon: content saith he, and hee goeth for companie: some heare the sound of a voyce, as they passe by the Church, and step in be­fore they be aware: another hath some occa­sion of busines, and he appoynts his friend to meete him at such a Sermon, as they doe at [Page 642] Pauls: all these are accidentall hearers, like children which sit in the market, and neither buy nor sell. But as many foxes haue been ta­ken when they came to take: so they which came to spye, or wonder, or gaze, or scoffe, haue changed their minds before they went home, like one which findes when he doth not seeke.

As ye come with diuers motiōs, so ye heare in diuers manners: One is like an Athenian, and he hearkeneth after newes: if the Prea­cher say any thing of our Armies beyond sea, or counsell at home, or matters of Court, that is his lure: another is like the Pharisie, and he watcheth if any thing bee sayd that may bee wrested to be spoken against persons in high place, that he may play the diuell in accusing of his brethren, let him write that in his tables too: another smackes of eloquence, and hee gapes for a phrase, that when he commeth to his ordinarie, he may haue one figure more to grace and worship his tale: another is male-content, and he neuer pricketh vp his eares till the Preacher come to gird agaynst some whom he spiteth, and when the Sermon is done, hee remembreth nothing which was sayd to him, but that which was spoken a­gaynst other: another commeth to gaze a­bout the Church, he hath an euill eye, which [Page 643] is still looking vpon that from which Iob did auert his eye: another commeth to muze, so soone as hee is set, hee falleth into a browne studie, sometimes his minde runnes on his market, sometimes of his iourney, sometimes of his suite, sometimes of his dinner, some­times of his sport after dinner, and the Ser­mon is done before the man thinke where he is: another commeth to heare, but so soone as the Preacher hath sayd his prayer, he falles fast a sleepe, as though he had been brought in for a corps, & the Preacher should preach at his funerall.

This is the generation of hearers: is not the saying of Christ fulfilled now, Hearing you heare not? because wee heare and heare not, like a couetous churle, which goeth by a beg­ger when he cryeth in Christes name for re­liefe, and heareth him crye, but will not heare him, because he craueth that which he will not part with.

May we not say againe with Christ, What went ye out to see, rather then What went ye out to heare, seeing ye remember that which ye see, and forget all which ye heare? So you de­part from our sermons like a slidethrifts purse which will hold no money, and as you goe home one saith he doth not edifie: another saith, I cannot profit by him: another saith, he [Page 644] keeps not to his text: another saith, he speaks not to the heart: as if the ground should cō ­plaine of the seede which will not receiue the seede. Is not this the cause why your Prea­chers about the Citie care not how they preach, because their flockes haue no care to heare? Is not this the cause why God doth not heare vs, because we wil not heare him? Is not this the cause why ye are such Doctors in the world, and such Infants in the Church? Yee learned your trade in seauen yeares, but you haue not learned religion in all your yeares. Can you giue any reason for it but this? you marked when your master taught you your trade, because you should liue by it: but you marked not when the Preacher taught you religion, because you do not liue by it. Come now to the daunger by hearing amisse. Christ saith, Take heed how you heare: In Deut. 4. it is said, Take heede how ye forget that which yee heare. This Take heede awaies goeth before some daunger: therefore as Paul saith, that men receiue the Sacrament to their salua­tion, or to their damnation, 1. Cor. 11. so Christ saith, that men heare the Word to their salua­tion, or to their damnation, The word which I haue spoken shall iudge you in the latter day. Ioh. 12.2. Cor. 2. 16. It is called the sauour of life, because it saueth, and it is called the sauour of death, [Page 645] because it condemneth. An euill eye ingen­dreth lust, & an euil tongue ingendreth strife: but an euil eare makes an heretike, and a scis­matike, and an Idolater. This carelesse hea­ring, made GOD take away his worde from the Iewes: therefore you may heare the word so, as it may bee taken from you, as the talent was from him that hid it,Math. 25. for GOD will not leaue his pearles with swine: but as he saith, What hast thou to doe to take my words in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed? So he will say, what hast thou to doe to take my word in thy eare, seeing thou hatest to be re­formed? If any of you goe away no better then you came, you are not like hearers, but like cyphers, which supplie a place, but signi­fie nothing, so you take a roume but learne nothing: and they which are cyphers in the house of GOD, shall bee cyphers in the kingdome of GOD. Therefore, if thou haue an euill eye, and an euill tongue, and an euill hand, and an euill foote, yet haue not an euill eare too: for then all is euill, because the eare must teach all. If the eare hearken to euill, then the heart must learne euill. Therefore an euill eare is compared vnto a bad Porter, which lets in euery one in a gay coat, though hee bee neuer so bad; and keepes out him that goes bare, though he be neuer so good: [Page 646] so an euil eare lets al that is euil enter into the hair, but al that is good shuts the dore against it, lest it should set the spirit & the flesh at va­riance. Oh, if the Adder had not stopped his eare, how lōg since had he bin charmed? But the shortest time in Gods seruice is the lōgest time in al the day. The beast came to the Arke to saue thēselues, & men wil not come to the Church to saue thēselues. It is too far, saith Ie­roboā, but it were not too far if Ieroboā were not vnwilling.Luk. 10. One thing is necessary, and all vnnecessaries are preferred before it. The gre­test treasure in the world is most despised, the Star which should lead vs to Christ, the Lad­dder which shuld moūt vs to heauē, the Water that shuld clense our leprosie, the Māna that should refresh our hūger, & the booke that we should meditate on day & night lieth in our windows, no mā readeth it, no man regardeth it:Psal. 1. 2. the loue of God, & the loue of knowledge, & the loue of saluation is so cold, that we will not reade ouer one book for it, for al we spēd so many idle times while we liue. If Samuel had thought that God had spoken to him; he would not haue slept, but because he thought it was not God but Eli, therefore he slept: so, because, you remēber not y^t it is God which speaks, therefore you mark not: but if you re­mēbred Christs saying, He which heareth you heareth me, & he which despiseth you despiseth [Page 647] me, you would heare the voyce of y^t Preacher as you would heare the voyce of God. Surely (beloued) we know no other way to saue you nor our selues: if we did, how wretched were we to keepe it frō you, which haue no other calling, but to shew you the way of saluatiō? If this be the way & no other, if this be shewē you & no other, & yet you will not take it but chuse another, then are you not condēned by any other, but you condemne your selues. He which wil not heare is worse then Herod: for as bad as he was, yet it is said of him, that he heard Iohn. Nay, euen those whō our Sauiour Christ in the Parable before this text compa­reth to the barren, the stonie, and the thornie ground, were al hearers, & therfore he which wil not heare, is worse thē any groūd. It is said of Saul, that though he were haunted with an euil spirit, yet when he heard Dauid play vpō the Harpe, the euill spirit departed frō him: so they which heare, haue some ease of their sins; some peace of conscience, some intermission of their feare, as Saul had when he heard the Harpe, but they which wil not heare, haue no intermission of their feare, nor of their griefe, nor of their sinnes, because the euill spirit ne­uer departeth from them. Therefore as all the beasts tremble when the Lyon roareth, so let all men hearken when God teacheth.

IN the ende hereof is prooued, that none should preach with­out due meditation: which is a common presumption in these daies, and makes the Word and Ministerie despised.

Now it remaineth that I should teach you so to heare, that you may remember that which is sayd, and learne more by one Ser­mon, then you reape by tenne. Christ calleth none vnto him but them which hunger and thirst, as if none were fit to heare the Word, but they which hunger after it, & bring a sto­macke with thē. It is written of the Hart, that when he lifteth vp his eares, hee is quicke of hearing, & heareth euery noise: but when he laieth down his eares, he is deafe and heareth nothing: So it is, when you marke and when you mark not. They which are quicke of hea­ring, are sure of remembrāce: but they which are dull of hearing, are short in keeping: [Page 649] therefore before I teach you howe to heare, giue me leaue againe to say as my Text sayth, Take heede how ye heare, that both our labors be not lost.

As there be two spirites, so there be two doctrines, two wisdomes, and two counsels. In 1. Timothie 4. 1. There is a doctrine of di­uels: if you heare that doctrine, you hearken to the Diuell, as Saul did to a Witch. In the fifteenth of Math.Mar. 10. there is a doctrine of men, which Christ calles Leauen: if you hearken to that, you shal erre like men, because the blind lead the blinde. In Gen. 3. there is a counsell of the serpent: if you hearken to that, you shal perish like Eue. In the 2. Sam. 18. there is a wisdom of Achitophel: if you hearkē to that, you shall speed like Absolon. Of all these Sa­lomon saith, Hearken no more to the wordes which make thee to erre. Pro. 16. 27. But there is another doctrine, Act. 13. 12. which is called, The do­ctrine of the Lord of this it is sayd. Luk. 8. Who­soeuer hath an eare to heare let him heare.

Now to shew you how you should heare, When Peter & Iohn would make the cripple attentiue,Act. 3. they said vnto him, Looke vpon vs: so, many to sharpen their attention, desire to stand before the preacher, that they may look him in the face. by this little help Peter shew­eth, that we had need to vse many helpes to make vs heare well. In the thirteenth chapter, [Page 650] & fifteenth verse of the Prophesie of Ieremie when the Lord speaketh, it is saide: Heare and giue eare, as though we should heare and more than heare. This more than heare, is to marke, and vnderstand, and remember, and beleeue, & follow that which we heare: Like the Iewes which said, All which thou speakest from the Lord, we will doe it: Exod. 24. So all that which wee speake vnto you from the Lord, you should do it: Therfore all the com­maundements but the last are commaunde­ments of doing. And Salomon in the twelfth Chapter of Ecclesiastes, and thirteenth verse, concludes his doctrine with this, which hee calleth the summe of all: Feare the Lord and keepe his commandements. In the third Chap- of Exodus, and the fifth verse, God teacheth vs how to heare, when he speakes to Moses and bids him put off his shooes: So we should put off our lusts, & our thoughts, & our cares, and our fancies, and all our businesse, when God speaks, for he which thinks or doth any thing else, when he should doe that which is better, though it be good which he doth, yet he doth sinne in doing it.

In the 10 of the Reuelation, an Angell tea­cheth vs how to heare, when he willed Iohn to eate the Booke: shewing that we should hunger after the word, and digest it into eue­ry parte as we digest meate.

[Page 651] In Math. 15. Christ teacheth vs howe to heare, when he saith, Heare and vnderstand. And againe in Mark. 4. when he saith, Take heede what ye heare. Esa. 42. 23. And Esay teacheth you how to heare, when he saith: Heare for after­wards: shewing, that more doe heare for the present then for afterwarde, because they forget it againe, and after a while are neuer the better. In 1. Cor. 6. 1. Paul teacheth vs how to heare, when he saith, Receiue not the grace of God in vaine, shewing that many heare cō ­fort, and are not comforted, many heare in­struction, and are not instructed. Iames tea­cheth vs how to heare, Cap. 1. 22. when hee saith: Be not hearers only, but dooers: shewing that you should do as you heare, as you would haue vs to do as we teach.Math. 22. In the 10. of Luke, Marie teacheth vs howe to heare, when she leaues all to sit at Christs feete and marke his doctrine: shewing that wee should not say like the churlish guestes, we haue other busi­nesse; but that this is our businesse, as Christ answered his Parents, I must goe about my fa­thers businesse.

In Luke 2. the virgine teacheth vs how to heare; when she heard the sayings of Anna and Simeon, and Christ, it is said that she pon­dered them, & laid them vp in her heart: she­wing that our eares shuld be but messengers to the heart: for our treasure should be where [Page 652] the heart is, as the heart is where the trea­sure is. In the 17. of the Actes, the men of Boerea teach vs how to heare, when they went home and searched the Scriptures so soone as they had heard Paul preach, to see whe­ther Moses and the Prophets did teach the same, shewing that the worde is our Touch­stone to trie the Doctrines if wee will not crie.

In the 8. of Luke, all the Disciples teach vs how to heare, when they noted Christs pa­rable, & repeated it againe vnto him, to know the meaning: shewing that we should not onely heare, and the preacher onely preach: but if you doubt of any thing, you should in­quire, and they should instruct you againe. In the third of Luke, the Souldiers and the Harlots and the Publicanes teach vs how to heare, when they come to require, and aske, Master, what shall we doe? shewing, that we should come to heare some thing which may incourage vs to this vertue, or arme vs against that vice, that we goe from hearing to doing as Iohn taught them: all these are glasses in the scripture for the hearer to addresse him­selfe by, before he come to the sermon.

Beside these, other things doe teach vs too. As Salomon sayth, Go to the Pismire, and learne to labour: so Christ in the beginning of this Chapter sends vs to the husband-man to [Page 653] learne to heare, as he prepareth the ground before he sow his seede, lest his seed should be lost: so we should prepare our hearts before we heare, lest Gods seede be lost. In the [...]0. of Iohn he sends vs to the sheep: as they know the voice of their shepheard, and will not heare a stranger, so we shuld know the voice of Christ frō the voice of Popes, or Doctors, or Counsels, or Traditions, lest we goe like Samuel from God to Eli. When you haue bin in the sheep-folds, go to the woods, & learne of the birdes: for they will so listen to him, which teacheth them to sing, that they learne to sing the same note after him, so we should learne to sing the tune of the spirite: for they which heare the word aright, learne to speake euen as the Worde speaketh.

Beside these schoolemasters, we haue other Teachers too, all the titles which are giuen to the Word, doe teach vs how we should heare the Word The Apostles call their writings Ep­stles. The Epistle to the Romanes, The Epistle to the Corinthians, &c. shewing that the Word is like an Epistle sent from God to man, where­in he writes his mind familiarly vnto vs, and therefore we should read it, heare it, marke it, and scanne it, as we would scanne a Letter which comes from some of our familiar and deare friends.

In Mark. 14. the Gospel of Christ is called [Page 654] his Testament or Will, shewing, that our Le­gacies are written in it, and that wee shoulde heare it, and marke it, and plie it till wee bee as cunning in Gods will, as we are in our Fathers will. In the first Epistle of Saint Paul to Timothie the sixt chapter, the Word is cal­led a charge, and in the second to Timothie the fourth chapter, GOD is called a Iudge, shewing that we shuld hear the word of God as we hearken to a Iudge, when hee giues a charge, or pronounceth a sentence: for euery sentence in this booke is a charge to the King or the Counseller, or the Lawyer, or the Prea­cher, or one, or other, let euery one heare his charge.

In the fift Chapter of the Epistle to the He­brues, ver. 14. the Word is called meat, shew­ing that we should desire and hunger to hear it. And as the stomacke sends the strength of the meat into euery member of the body: so we should send to the eye, that which is spo­ken to the eye: and to the eare, that which is spoken to the eare: and to the tongue, that which is spoken to the tongue: and to the hande, that which is spoken to the hande. If thou heare comfort apply that to thy feare. If thou heare a promise, apply that to thy di­strust. If thou heare a threatning, applie that to thy presumption, and fill vp the gap still where the diuell entreth.

[Page 655] In the parable before my texte, the word is cōpared to seede: the preachers to sowers, & the hearers to the grounde, shewing, that ye come hither to be watered and dressed, and manured: therefore if Gods seede be sowne, and the diuels fruits come vp: you are like the Iewes, which brought Christ vineger when he thirsted for wine.

As the little birds perke vp their heads when their damme comes with meate, and prepare their beakes to take it, striuing who shall catch most; now this lookes to be ser­ued, and now that lookes for a bit, and euery mouth is open vntill it bee filled: so you are here like birds, and we the damme, and the worde the foode, therefore you must pre­pare a mouth to take it. They which are hungry wil striue for the bread which is cast amongst them, & think this is spoken to me, this is spoken to me, I haue neede of this, and I haue neede of this: comfort goe thou to my feare, promise goe thou to my distrust, theatning goe thou to my securitie, and the Word shall be like a perfume, which hath o­dour for euery one.

These are good remembrances for all hearers to thinke that the Word is an Epstle frō God vnto them, that it is the Will where­in their Legacies are written, that it is a charge from the Iudge of life and death, that [Page 656] it is the meate whereby they liue, that it is the seede which if it growe they are fruitfull, if it growe not they haue no fruite, but these are generall matters, my desire is to teach you a compendious way of hearing, which you haue not heard before, that as the Word is called a briefe worde, so you may learne it briefly: for it is not gainfull vnto vs as it is to Lawyers, Phisitians and Surgeons, to keepe you long in hand, but to heale you and dis­patch you quickly as Christ healed the Lea­pers. This Age hath deuised diuers Methods to learne many things in shorter time than they were learned of old: A man may spend seauen yeares in learning to write, and he may meet with a Scribe which will teach him as much in a moneth. A Prentice may spende nine yeares in learning a trade, and some maister (if hee were disposed) would teach him as much in a twelue moneth. A man may fetch such a compasse that he may be a whole moneth in going to Barwicke, and another which knoweth the way will goe it in lesse than a week: so to euery thing there is a far­ther way and a neerer way, and so there is to knowledge. You do not remember the hun­dreth part of that which you haue heard, & to morrowe you will not remember the tenth note which you heare this day. It may be that some wil remember more: and why not thou [Page 657] as well as hee? because one vseth a helpe for his memorie, which the other vseth not. If you will vse his policie, you shall remem­ber as wel as he: for let him neglect his help, and the best memorie here shall not carrie a­way halfe which he marketh now, vntill it be night. When the woman of Samaria heard Christ speake of a water, of which he that drin­keth shall thirst no more, Oh (saith she) giue me of that water: so now you heare of such a way, you would faine know it: but will you vse it? I wish that I were such a messenger,Matth. 22. that I could compell you vnto it: for truely vntill you vse it, you shall neuer learne faster then you doe. Now I thinke you haue a desire to heare it, I will shew it vnto you. First in mine opinion, two things out of euery Sermon are specially to bee noted, that which thou didst not know before, and that which speaketh to thine owne sinne: for so thou shalt encrease thy knowledge, and lessen thy vices.

Now if thou wouldest remember both these a yeare hence as fresh as now, this is the best policie that euer thou shalt learne, to put them presently in practise, that is, to sende them abroad to all the parts of thy soule, and members of thy bodie, and reforme thy selfe semblably to them, and thou shalt neuer for­get them, for thy practise remembreth them: [Page 658] but before this, you must vse another helpe, that is, record euery note in thy minde as the preacher goeth, and after before thou doest eate, or drinke, or talke, or any thing else, re­peate all to thy selfe. I doe know some in the Vniuersitie, which did neuer heare good Ser­mon, but assoone as they were gone, they [...] it thus, and learned more by this (as [...] sayd) then by their reading and studie: for recording that which they had heard when it was fresh, they could remember all, and hereby got a better facilitie in preach­ing, then they could learne in bookes. The like profite I remember I gained when I was a scholler by the like practise.

The Philosophers and Orators that haue written such volumes, haue left in their wri­tings, that this was the keeper of their lear­ning, like the bagge which beareth the trea­sures. Therefore I may say with Christ, that the wicked are wiser then Christians: for the Orators and Philosophers vsed this helpe in hearing of earthly things, and wee will not vse it in hearing of heauenly things. The onlie cause why you forget so fast as you heare, and of al the sermons which you haue heard haue scarce the substance of one in your hearts, to comfort or counsaile you when you haue neede, is because you went from Sermon to [Page 659] dinner, and neuer thought any more of the matter, as though it were enough to heare, like sieues which hold water no longer then they are in the Riuer.

What a shame is this to remember euerie clause in your Lease, and euery poynt in your Fathers will, nay, to remember an old tale so long as you liue, though it bee long since you heard it, and the lessons which ye heare now, will bee gone within this houre, that you may aske what hath stollen my sermon from me? Therefore that you may not heare vs in vaine, as you haue heard others, my exhor­tation vnto you, is, to recorde when you are gone, that which you haue heard. If I could reach you a better way, I would: but Christs Disciples vsed this way when their thoughts ranne vpon his speech,Luk. 8. and made them come againe to him to aske the meaning: the Vir­gine his Mother vseth this way when shee pondered his sayings,Luk 1. and laide them vp in her heart:Act. 17. the good hearers of Beroea vsed this waye, when they carried Pauls Sermon home with them, that they might examine it by the Scriptures. This difference is noted between Iacob and his sonnes, when Ioseph vttered his dreame, his brethren gaue no re­garde to it: but it is sayd that Father Iacob no­ted the saying. Therefore this must needes be [Page 660] an excellent way.Gen. 37. 11. For if Ioseph, and Marie, and Christes Disciples should speake vnto you as I doe, and shewe you a way to heare, they would shewe you the same way that they vsed themselues. You cannot tell how much it will profite you vntill you practise it: doe but trie it one moneth, and if you loue knowledge, I am sure you will vse it while you liue. But if you will not vse it for all that can bee said, truely you shall be like the olde women which S. Paul speakes of, which were alwaies learning, and were neuer the wiser.

This is our first lesson vnto you, Take heede how you heare: I may say now, Take heede how you reade too. For there are bookes a­broad like Ismaels scoffes,Esa. 36. like Rabshekeh his railings, like the songs which were made against Dauid, which may write for the title of their Bookes,1. King. 16. 34. Fooles in print. If Hiel had not built Iericho againe, these might bee fit worke-men for such a frame. If you must Take heede how you heare: then we must take heede how wee preach, for you heare that which wee preach.Of negli­gent prea­ching. Therefore Paul putteth none amongst the number of Preachers, but they which cut the Worde aright: that is, in right wordes, in right sense, and in right me­thode: and because none can doe this with­out studie and meditation, therefore he tea­cheth [Page 661] Timothie to giue attendance to Doc­trine▪ that is, to make a studie and labour of it: for as Paul saith, that in Peters Epistles there bee many things hard to vnderstand: so in Pauls Epistles, and Iohns Epistles, and Iames Epistle, there bee many hard things too, which Dauid before called, The wonders of the Lawe, and Paul calleth The mysterie of saluation, and Christ calleth A Treasure hid in the ground. Therefore Salomon confesseth that he studied for his Doctrines, Eccl. 12. 10. Although hee was the wisest and learnedst man that euer was, yet he thought, that with­out studie he could not doe much good. Da­niel was a Prophet, and yet he desired respite to interpret Nabuchadnezzars Dreame.Dan. 2. 16. Is the Scripture lighter then a Dreame, that we should interpret it without meditation? It seemes then that Salomon and Daniel would not count them Sermons, which come foorth like vntimely births from vncircumcised lips, and vnwashen hands, as though they had the spirit at commandement. Wheate is good, but they which sell the refuse thereof, are re­proued: Amos. 8. 6. So preaching is good, but this refuse of preaching is but like swearing: for one takes the name of God in vaine, and the other takes the word of God in vaine. As euery sound is not musicke, so euery Sermon [Page 662] is not preaching, but worse then if he should reade an Homily. For if Iames would haue vs consider what wee aske before wee come to pray, much more should we consider before we come to preach: for it is harder to speake Gods words, then to speak to God. Yet there are preachers risen lately vp, which shrowde euery absurd sermon vnder the name of the simple kinde of teaching, like the Popish Priests, which made ignorance the mother of deuotion: but indeede to preach simply, is not to preach vnlearnedly, nor confusedly, but plainly and perspicuously, that the sim­plest which doth heare, may vnderstand what is taught, as if he did heare his name.

But if you will know why many preachers preach so barely, loosely, & simply, it is your owne simplicitie which makes them thinke that if they goe on and say something all is one, and no fault will be found, because you are not able to iudge in or out: and so be­cause they giue no attendance to doctrine, as Paul teacheth thē, it is almost come to passe, that in a whole Sermon, the hearer cannot picke out one note more then he could gather himselfe: and many loathe preaching, as the Iewes abhorred the sacrifice, for the slub­bering Priests which cared not what they of­fered: and the greater sort imagine that there [Page 663] is no more wisedome in the word of GOD, then their teachers shewe out of it. What a shame is this that the preachers should make preaching bee despised? In the 48. of Iere­miah, there is a curse vpon them which doe the businesse of the Lord negligently: if this curse doe not touch them which do the chie­fest businesse of the Lord negligently, it can­not take holde of any other. Therefore let e­uery preacher first see how his notes dooth moue himselfe, and then he shall haue com­fort to deliuer them to other, like an ex­perienst medicine, which himselfe hath pro­ued.

Thus much of preaching: nowe to you which heare. Thinke that you are gathering Manna, and that it is God which speakes vn­to you, and that you shall giue account for e­uery lesson which ye heare: and therefore record like Marie whē you are gone, and the seede which wee sowe, shall grow faster then the seed which you sow.

THe next wordes be­fore, are, take heede howe you heare: the reason followes, to make vs take heede howe we heare, hee saith, Whosoeuer hath &c. This sentence hath two hands (as it were) one giueth, and the other taketh: ther­fore, one calleth it a comfortable saying, and a dreadfull saying: for it blesseth some, and cur­seth other, like Moses, which saued the Israe­lite, [Page 666] and slewe the Egyptian, Whosoeuer hath, to him shalbe giuen: there goeth the blessing: Whosoeuer hath not, from him shall bee taken: there runneth the curse. Thus looking backe to the words before, viz. Take heede how you heare, This doctrine commeth vnto vs, that he which taketh heed how he heareth, sprou­teth and flourisheth like a twigge which hath life in it, till it come to a tree: but hee which taketh no heede how he heareth, fadeth and withereth like a stocke which is dead, vntill hee hath not onely lost the giftes which hee had, but till the spirite doe leaue him too, and he seeme as naked to men as Adam did to GOD. The like sentence in the twentie one of Mathew, where it is said, The kingdom of heauen shall bee taken from you, and shall bee giuen to a Nation which will bring foorth the fruites thereof: there is a taking from them which bring no fruites, and a giuing to them which bring fruites. The like is in the 22. of the Reuelat. where it is said, Let him which is iust be iust still, and let him which is filthie bee filthy still: whereby it is meant, that the iust shall bee more iust, and the filthy shall bee more filthie. The like is in the 15. of Iohn, 2. where it is saide, Euery branch which bring­eth no fruite, he taketh away, but euery branch which bringeth foorth fruite, he purgeth, that it [Page 667] may bring foorth more fruite. The likeis in the 25. of Matthew, where this sentence is repeated agayne after the Parable of the Ta­lents: as to one seruaunt were committed fiue Talents, and to another two, and to an­other one, to increase and multiplie, and hee which vsed his Talent doubled it, and hee which hid his Talent, lost it: euen so to euery man GOD hath giuen some gifte, of Iudgement, or tongues, or interpretation, or counsell to employ and doe good, and hee which vseth that gift which God hath giuen him to the profite of others, and Gods glorie, shall receiue moe giftes of GOD, as the ser­uant which vsed two Talents, receiued two more: but he which vseth it not, but abuseth it, as many doe, that gifte which he hath shal be taken from him, as the odde Talent was from the seruant which had but one: shew­ing that one gifte is too much for the wicked, and therefore it shal not stay with him. One would thinke it should be sayd: Whosoe­uer hath not, to him shall be giuen: and who­soeuer hath, from him shall bee taken: for, God biddeth vs giue to them which want. But this is contrarie: for he taketh from them which want, & giueth to them which haue. It is sayd, that our thoughts are not like Gods thoughtes: and so our giftes are not like [Page 668] Gods giftes: for he giueth spirituall things, and we giue temporall things. Temporall things are to be giuen to them which haue not, but spirituall things to them which haue. Therefore Christ calleth none to re­ceiue his worde, and spirite, and grace, but them which hunger and thirst, which is the first possession of heauen. When it is saide, It shall be giuen: GOD sheweth him­selfe rich and bountifull, because he giueth to them which haue: that is, hee giueth af­ter he hath giuen: for What hath any which hee hath not receiued? Therefore none can saie as Esau sayd to Isaac: Hast thou but one blessing my Father? For he blesseth when he hath blessed, as a spring runneth when it hath runne. First, marke the growthe of Gods giftes in them which vse them, how he watereth his seede like a Gardener, vntill it spring in the earth: and then he watereth it agayne, vntill it spring aboue the earth: and after hee watereth it agayne, vntill it bring foorth fruit vpon the earth: therefore GOD is called The Lord of the Haruest, be­cause the seede,Mar. 9. 28. and the blade, and the eare, and the corne, and all doe come from him. After you shall see the wan [...] and the Eclipse of their giftes which vse them not, howe their learning and knowledge and iudge­ment [Page 669] dooth betray them, as strength went from Sampson when hee had lost his hayre: till at last they may say like Zedechiah, When did the spirite departe from mee? 2. Kin. 22. When did loue departe from me? When did knowledge depart from mee? When did my zeale de­parte from mee? The first part of this sen­tence is like the gratulation to him which vseth this talent in the twēty fiue of Mathew, Good and faithfull seruaunt, I will make thee Lord ouer much. The second part is like the Obiurgation to him which hidde his Talent, Naughtie and sloathfull seruant: take his Ta­lent from him. So GOD beginneth here to separate betweene the sheep and the Goats. Iacob shall not be cursed, because Esau is cursed. Neither shall Esau bee blessed be­cause Iacob is blessed: But the Lord Know­eth who are his, and who are not: and there­fore he saith, wosoeuer hath, and whosoeuer hath not: as though he knew them all, who­soeuer they bee. This Scripture was perfor­med before it was written. For when Adam serued GOD, God serued him: he consulted for a Mansion for him: he consulted for meat for him: hee consulted for a companion for him, vntill Adam rebelled against God, wee read of nothing that God did, but his workes for Adam sixe dayes together, as though he [Page 670] had beene hired to labour for him. But when hee left his innocencie, then God began to take againe that which he had giuen: he lost his wisdome, he lost his quietnesse, hee lost his libertie, hee his glorie, hee lost his dwelling, like the man which fell amongst theeues. Thus while Adam had righteous­nesse, it might bee sayde of him: Whosoe­uer hath, to him shall bee giuen. And when he had not righteousnes, it might be sayd of him too: From him which hath not, shall be taken. God is called a Father, because he is like a Father, which taketh a pleasure to see his sonne thriue, and grieueth to see him an vnthrist. First he giueth vs a stock, to prooue our husbandrie: and then, if wee thriue with that, hee dooth adde more vnto it, now a lit­tle, and then a little, vntill at last the inheri­tance come too: As they which trie a vessell, first put water into it, to see whether it will holde water, then they commit wine vnto it: so, first God giueth vs one grace, if wee vse that wel, then he giueth another, & another, and another according to that, He which is found faithfull in a little, shall bee made Lorde ouer much. My Father (sayth Christ) is an husbandman, Iohn 15. shewing that as wee dresse the ground, that it may bring foorth fruite, so God dresseth vs, that we may bring [Page 671] foorth fruite. All commeth not at once, but as the body groweth, so the spirite groweth: first good thoughts, and then good speeches, and then good workes: as the blade fol­loweth the seede, and the eare the blade, and the corne the eare. Looke howe in our first generation one thing comes after another, so it is in our second generation: As the child springeth in the mothers wombe, from a gellie vnto milke, and from milke to blood, and from blood to flesh, and she knoweth not how it groweth till it come foorth: so the spirite groweth in vs, and we see not how it groweth, but that it is growen. Fayth calleth to loue, and loue calleth to obedience, and obedience calleth to constancie, and one grace is the foundation of another. There­fore Paul sayth, Whome hee predestinated, them he called: whom he called, them he iustified, & whom hee iustified them he glorified. Thus as the rich easily growe richer, so the good ea­sily growe better: hee which hath power to aske, hath power to receiue; for it is sayde, Aske, and you shall receiue: hee which hath power to seeke, hath power to finde: for it is said, Seeke and you shall finde: he which hath power to knocke, hath power to enter, for it is sayde, Knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you. As Gods riches are infinite, so he is ne­uer [Page 672] wearie of giuing: when a man serueth God, at last it commeth to this, that God de­lighteth (as it were) to doe him good, as it is sayd, Ieremiah 32. and Micah. 7. I will delight to doe them good.

Now when it commeth to this passe, that God hath a delight to doe a man good, then Aske what thou wilt (sayth Salomon to his Mother) and I will not say thee nay: 1. Reg. 2. 20 so, Aske what thou wilt, and GOD will not say thee nay. He which hath the Sonne, may haue the Father, hee that hath the Wedding garment, may haue the Wedding feast, he which hath the spirite of Elisha, may haue the spirite of Eliah, he which commeth vnto Christ, may make Christ come vnto him: as when the Sonne came toward the Father, the Father met him in the way, shewing that God is as ready to giue, as wee to aske. When Dauid did well, Nathan sayd vnto him, The Lord hath giuen thee this, and this, and this: and if that had not been enough, hee would haue giuen thee such and such things: shewing vs, that the cause why wee haue not such and such things, is, for that we are not thankefull for these and these thinges. When the Eunuch beleeued,Acts. [...]. he said, what letteth me to be bap­tized? so when thou beleeuest thou mayst say, What letteth me to be loued? what let­teach [Page 673] me to be blessed? What letteth mee to be saued? And as Philip said, Nothing: so Christ saith Nothing, but Bee it vnto thee, as thou beleeuest. From that day righteousnesse standeth ouer their heades, as the Sunne did ouer Iosua, and they renewe their vertues, as the Eagle reneweth her youth. Therefore when Isaac had said, Iaacob haue I blessed: he addeth, and he shall be blessed: as if he should say, he beginneth to be blessed now, but hee shall bee more blessed: so they which are blessed of God, shall be more blessed, rising and rising like the Sunne, vntill it come to the height.

When God hath begun to blesse, he saith as hee said to Abraham, What shall I hide from him? What shall I keepe from him? As though one of his giftes did binde him to giue another: therefore his mercies are cal­led euerlasting mercies, because when they begin, they haue no end. So soone as hee had mooued Salomon to pray for wisdome, he gaue him wisedome: so soone as he had mo­ued Abraham to goe from his Countrey, hee began to guide him: so soone as he had mo­ued Gedeon to fight, he began to strengthen him. Gods mercies are resembled to raine, first it raines small drops, and after fall great drops, and the small are signes of the great. [Page 674] First, you see Elisha with a single spirit, and after you see him with a double spirite: first you see Paule sitting at Gamaliels feete, and afterward you see him preaching in Moses Chaire: first you see Timothie a student, and after you see him an Euangelist: First you see Cornelius praying, and after you see Peter instructing: first you see Dauid repenting, and after you see Nathan comforting: first ye see the Disciples worshipping, and after you see the holy Ghost descending: first you see the Wisemen seeking Christ, and after you see them together with Christ: first you see the Sonne comming toward the Father, and af­ter you see the Father comming toward the Sonne: first you see the Eunuch reading, and after you see him vnderstanding, and after you see him beleeuing, and after you see him baptised. Moste notable is the example of Nathaniel, so soone as he beleeued, Christ remembred this promise, and said, Beleeuest thou for this, thou shalt see greater things than these: so hee gaue more to him which had some. That which he said to Nathaniel, he saith to all which are like Nathaniel, Belee­uest thou this Sermon, thou shalt heare o­ther Sermons than this, repentest thou for this example, thou shalt see other examples than this, louest thou for one benefite, thou [Page 675] shalt receiue moe benefites than one, ho­nourest thou God for his giftes vpon others, thou shalt feele his giftes vpon thy selfe: for Hee which keepeth Israel dooth not sleepe, but watch. What dooth he watch? He watcheth who seeketh for comfort, and who looketh for wisdome, and who prayeth for faith, and who intreateth for patience, that hee may giue aboundantly, to him which desires fer­uentlie.

If hee see one pray like Cornelius, he sen­deth another to strengthen him like Peter: if he see one studie like the Eunuch, he sendeth another to instruct him like Philip: if hee see one mourne like Dauid, hee sendeth ano­ther to comfort him like Nathan: if hee see one willing like Esay, he sendeth another to able him like the Seraphim: if he see one that thinketh well, hee teacheth him to speake well: if hee see one that speaketh well, hee teacheth him to doe well: if hee see one doe well, he teacheth him to continue well: if hee see one meeke like Moses, hee maketh him wise like Salomon: if he see one wise like Salomon, hee maketh him righteous like A­braham: if he see one righteous like Abra­ham, he maketh him patient like Iob: if hee see one patient like Iob, he maketh him pe­nitent like Peter: if hee see one loue one ver­tue, [Page 676] he maketh him loue another vertue: if hee see one hate one vice, hee maketh him hate another vice: if he see one like one Ser­mon, hee maketh him like another Sermon: when hee hath him in his schoole, and hee commeth once to this, to say like Samuel, Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth, 1. Sam. 3. then hee taketh him vp to the mount like Moses, and openeth his heart vnto him, teaching him a waie to make vse of all that he seeth, and of all that hee heareth, and of all that hee rea­deth, and of all that hee feeleth. Thus when God hath strayned and fined him, he is apt to euerie good worke, and takes all occasi­ons to doe them. If hee but see one praye, his heart burneth to praye too: if hee see one reading, he hath a minde to reade too: if hee see one meditating, he hath a zeale to medi­tate too: if hee see one sorrowing, hee hath a desire to sorrowe too: like the Disciples, which when they heard Peter say, wee goe a fishing, they said, we will goe a fishing too. After this, euery benefit maketh him thank­full, euery instruction maketh him fearefull, and he is neuer well, but when he is walking with God like Enoch, or when Christ is spea­king to him, or when he is speaking to Christ, for when God meeteth with his children, like a nurse hee emptieth himselfe of his milke, [Page 677] according to this text which we now handle, To him which hath, shall be giuen.

Thus when you vse those giftes well which you haue, the Lorde will come vnto you, and say that your heart may heare him, Good seruant and faithfull, I will make thee Lorde ouer much: thy seede shall become a tree, thy spirite shall be doubled. First, thou shalt haue a loue to heare, reade and medi­tate: after thou shalt haue a little knowledge to iudge and speake of Gods Worde, of the spirite, and of doctrines: then thou shalt as­cend to faith, which will bring thee vnto peace of conscience: then thou shalt meete with good bookes, and God will send thee Teachers to instruct thee, and incourage thee like the Angels which came to Christ when hee hungred. Thus a Trauailer pas­seth from towne vnto towne, vntill hee come to his Inne: so a Christian passeth from ver­tue to vertue, vntill hee come to Heauen, which is the iourney that euery man must en­deuour to goe till death.

It followeth: And whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken; euen that which it seemeth that he hath.

As the Lorde saith to his faithfull Ser­uant, Thou shalt bee ruler ouer much: so hee saith of his slothfull seruant, Take his talent [Page 678] from him. Heere is one like Iaacob whome God loueth, to him (hee saith) shall bee giuen: here is another like Esau whome God hateth, from him (hee saith) shall bee taken: so one may say like Iob, The Lorde hath giuen: and the other may say like Iob, The Lord hath ta­ken. But from whom dooth he take? From him which hath not. And to whom dooth he giue? To him which hath. In this God seemeth not to deale his giftes charitablie: for he, should giue to them which want, Ioseph maruailed to see Iaacob lay his left hand vpon Manas­ses, and his right hand vpon Ephraim, as though the younger should bee more blessed than the elder. Ishai maruailed to see Samuel choose the least of his sonnes before the tal­lest, as though the vnfittest were the fittest: so it is maruaile that hee which commandeth vs to giue vnto them which want, should take from them which want, and giue to them which haue. Isaac would not haue bles­sed Iaacob but Esau, but God would haue him blesse Iaacob and not Esau: Ioseph would that Manasseth shoulde haue more than Ephraim, but God would that Ephra­im should haue more than Manasseth. As God loueth not as man loueth, so hee giueth not as man giueth. Why should Abraham haue three Angels, and Lot but two, and Ba­laam [Page 679] but one, and Balaac none? Why should not Philip goe vp the mount, as well as Iames? Why should not Aaron behold God, as well as Moses? Why should not Moses go to Cha­naan, as well as Caleb?

According to our loue is Gods loue, and according to our hatred is Gods hatred. Reuben should haue had as good a blessing as Iudah, but when Iaacob blessed him, (Ge­nesis the 35. chapter & 22. verse) he remem­bred his sinne with Bilhah, and therefore curbed his blessing: for when he blessed him he said,Gen. 49. 4. Thou shalt not be excellent: as if hee should saye, Reuben thou shalt haue some thing, but thou shalt not haue so much as thou shouldest haue, because of thy vnclean­nesse with Bilhah. So Moses should haue gone to Canaan as well as Caleb: but GOD remembred his murmuring at the waters of bitternes. And when he desired to goe vnto it, God would not heare him, but let him see it from an hill, and so hee dyed. So the third seruant should haue receiued as many Ta­lents as his fellowes: but the Lorde remem­bred how hee hid the Talent which hee had, and therefore would giue him no more, least he should hide them too: so wee should haue more vnderstanding, more iudgement and more knowledge, but God seeth what wee [Page 680] doe with this, and therefore stayeth his hand, lest we should abuse any more. This is Saint Iohns meaning when hee saith, God Giueth grace for grace, Ioh. 1. 16. That is, where he findes one grace, there he giueth another. This is Saint Paules meaning Rom. 1. where he saith, The righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith: signifying that they which haue faith shall haue more faith. Therefore this is the fearefullest signe, that wee haue no faith nor grace, if God do not increase our faith and his graces in vs: For to him which hath, shall be giuen: Therefore, if we had faith, wee should haue loue: if wee had loue, wee should haue knowledge: if wee had know­ledge, we should haue zeale: if we had zeale, we should haue holines. As he which hath broken one commaundement, is made guil­tie of all: so hee which hath one vertue, is made partaker of all. It is said: so long as Iehoiada liued,2. Chro. 24. Ioash prospered and did well; because Iehoiada instructed & guided him, but when Iehoiada dyed, Ioash goodnes died with him, and he was neuer like himselfe af­ter, but turned like his fathers: So there is a seed in the heart, which while it liueth and is fostered, wee sprowt and prosper as Ioash did; but when that seede dyeth for want of cherishing, then wee beginne to droope and [Page 681] fade, and decay againe as loash did. If one vertue bee offended she lureth all her fel­lowes from vs, as many of Ishbosheths friends shronke with Abner.

Dauid setteth forth the godly man like a tree planted by the waters side, Psal. 1. 3. Which sprow­teth, and grwoeth and bringeth foorth fruite Straight vpon this, he saith: It is not so with the wicked. When hee spake of growing and flourishing, and fructifying, hee saith: It is not so with the wicked. That is, it is contrarie with the wicked: therefore their gifts are not like the tree planted by the waters side, but like the Chaffe which the winde bloweth away. Psal. 1. 5. Nay saith Dauid, themselues are like Chaffe which the winde bloweth away. Luk. 16. If they bee Chaffe, then their fruite is Chaffe. The Gluttons ta­ble was for the vngodly, but the Lords ta­ble was for the holy.Matth. 22. Therfore he which had not the Wedding garment, had not the wed­ding feast. For if the Lord would cast pearles vnto Swine, why doth he forbid vs to doe so? Therfore it is not said, Be it vnto thee as thou desirest, lest all should looke to receiue: but Be it vnto thee as thou beleeuest, that all might care to Beleeue. It is not said to them which seeke not, yee shall find: but Seeke, and you shall find. How should they Enter which haue not a hand to knocke at the doore? How should [Page 682] they Receiue, which haue not a tongue to aske the giuer? How should they haue wise­dome which haue not the feare of the Lorde, which is the beginning of wisedome? Prou. 1. Thus as Iames saith, Shew me thy faith, and I will shew thee my faith: So God faith, shewe mee thy loue, and I will shew thee my loue: as Christ was knowne at Emaus by breaking of bread, so you may knowe him heere by dealing his giftes. It is said when Ioseph feasted his bre­thren,Gen. 43. Beniamins messe had fiue times more than any of his brethren, because Ioseph lo­ued him more than the rest: so the mercy and graces of God will shew to whome his affe­ction standeth. If you see Christ leaning on a mans breast as Iohn did on Christs breast, then may you say, this is a beloued Disciple: For as Lidia perswaded Paule and Silas to come to her house,Act. 16. 13. saying, If you iudge me to bee faithfull, come to my house: so you may iudge them to be faithfull to whose house the Lord commeth.

If you aske Salomon to whome the Lord giueth wisedome and knowledge, hee an­swereth, To a man which is good in his sight, Eccles. the second Chapter, and twentie sixe verse: shewing that those men are gracious in Gods sight, as Ioseph was in Pharaohs. Contrariwise, if you see God flying from a [Page 683] man, as Dauid fled from Saul, that is, with­drawing his spirite as the Master did his Ta­lent, then you may saie, this is not a faithfull seruant to his Master: for if he had vsed his Talent well, the Lord would increase it as hee promised, but because he doth abuse it, there­fore the Lorde dooth withdrawe it againe as he threatned.

To some God giueth, and neuer recalleth againe, to some he giueth and after taketh it from them: As some Angels went vp the lad­der, and some went downe: so some mens gifts increase and some decrease. To the Ephe­sians the fourth Chapter, you haue GOD giuing. In Matthew 21. you haue him ta­king. In Genes. 1. you haue God blessing. In Genes. 4. you haue God cursing. In Acts 26. you haue God opening eyes. In Esay 6. you haue God shutting eyes. In Dan. 2. you haue God making wise. In Esa. 44. you haue God making fooles. In Iohn 15. you haue God dressing trees. In Matthew 3. you haue God hewing downe trees. When one sea floweth another [...]bbeth. When one starre riseth, an­other setteth. When light is in Goshen, dark­nesse is in Aegypt. When Mordecai groweth into fauour, Haman groweth out of fauour. When Beniamin beginneth Rachel endeth. Thus wee are rising, or setting: getting, or [Page 684] spending: winning or loosing: growing, or fading, vntill wee arriue at Heauen or Hell. As Elisha his spirite was doubled; so Saules spirit departed. As the Gentiles become be­leeuers, so the Iewes become infidels. As Saule becommeth an Apostle, so Iudas be­commeth an Apostata. As Iohn groweth in the spirite, so Ioash decaieth in the spirite, As Zacheus turneth from the world; so De­mas turneth to the world,Acts 16. As Lidias heart is opened, so Pharaohs heart is hardened: Euen as the thornes burne while the Vines fructifie. When Ishbosheth was a sleepe vpon his bed, Baanab and Rechab came and tooke away his life: So while men sleepe and do no good, God commeth and taketh away their gifts. It was neuer said, Sampson hath lost his strength, vntill he harkened vnto Dahiah. It was neuer said, Saul hath lost his spirit, vntill hee harkened not to Samuell. It was neuer said, Take his Talent from him, vntill he hid it in the ground. One sinne openeth the doore for many vertues to goe out. While Iaacob staied with Laban; Labans cattell increased, because God blessed him for Iaacobs sake: but when Iaacob went from him, many of Labans sheepe went with him, and he grewe poore againe: so while the loue of righte­ousnes [...]e is with thee, to husband thy know­ledge [Page 685] and wisdome like Iaacob, thou shalt thriue in graces, and one daye shall teach another, but when that steward departeth from thee, then looke that thy wisedome, and knowledge, and iudgement should de­crease, as fast as the widowes oyle increa­sed: the world will winne the flesh, and the flesh will winne the spirit, and one sinne will crie to another as the Moabites did at the riuer, Now Moab to the spoyle, now sinnes to your spoyle: then thy knowledge shall flie as though it were afraide to bee taken cap­tiue of ignorance, thy loue shall not abide thy hatred, thy humilitie shall not abide thy pride, thy temperaunce shall not abide thy concupisence. As thou seest the leaues fall from the trees in a boystrous winde: so thy graces shall drop away one after another, as though thou were in a consumption. As the Arke would not staye with the Phili­stines, so the grace of GOD will not staie with sinners, but flieth from them like per­secutors. Dauid was not so readie to flie from Saule, but the spirite was as readie to flie from him too. This must come vppon all which sinne like Sampson, their strength must departe from them vntill they learne like Nabuchadnezzar from whence it came.Dan. 4. This sentence is such a meditation, that hee [Page 686] which would preach it to the quicke, had neede to haue an eie in all mens hearts, to see how one vertue dieth after another, vn­till the soule die too. As there is a fall of leaues, and an Eclipse of the sunne, and a consumption of the bodie: so there is a fall of giftes, and an Eclipse of knowledge, & a con­sumption of the spirit. It is straunge to see, how wisdome, and knowledge, and iudge­ment doe shun the wicked, as though they were afraid to be defiled. As Barach would not goe, vnles Deborah would go with him: so knowledge will not stay vnles vertue will stay with her. To this Ieremy poynted when he mocked the Iewes for saying,Iere. 18. 18. Knowledge shall not depart from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: to this Esay pointed when he saith,Esa. 26. 14. The wisdome of the wise men shal perish, and the vnderstanding of the prudent shall be hid: as if he should say, one day Christ will tell you, that Whosoeuer hath not, from him &c. And when you heare that saying, then remember these examples how he hath fulfilled it before. After come the apostles, and they shew some hardened some bewitched, some blinded. Paule tels how Demas fel away, and Iohn sheweth how many fel away. Thus the Prophets and Apostles on either side, and Christ in the mids hold vp [Page 687] this threatning as if it were a pit, which all are falling into.2. Cor. 6. 16. The soule of man is called the temple of the holy Ghost. As God pulled downe his temple when it became a den of theeues, so he forsaketh the temple of the soule, & taketh his graces with him (as frō a diuorsed spouse) when it lusteth after other loues. With any Talent he giueth this charge, Vse & increase it vntill I come: being left, at last the commeth againe to see what we haue done. The seede was sowen, this yeere the Lord cals for fruite & none will come, the next yeere, & the next after, and none comes: at last the curse goeth foorth, Neuer fruit grow vpon thee more. Then as the figtree began to wither: so his giftes begin to paire, as if a worme were still gnaw­ing at them: his knowledge leeseth his relish like the Iewes Manna; his iudgement rustes like a sworde which is not vsed: his zeale trembleth as though it were in a Palsie, his faith withereth as though it were bla­sted, and the image of death is vpon all his re­ligion. After this, he thinketh like Sampson to pray as he did, and speake as he did, and hath no power, but wondereth like zede­kias how the spirit is gone from him. Now when the good spirit is gone, then commeth the spirit of blindenesse, and the spirit of er­rour, and the spirite of feare, and all to se­duce [Page 688] the spirite of man. After this, by lit­tle and little first he falles into error, then he comes vnto heresie, at last hee plungeth into dispaire: after this if he enquire, God will not suffer him to learne: if he read, God will not suffer him to vnderstand, if he heare, God will not suffer him to remember, if hee pray, God seemeth vnto him like Baal, which could not heare: at last hee beholdeth his wretchednes, as Adam looked vpon his na­kednes, and mourneth for his gifts as Rachel wept for her children, because they were not. All this commeth to passe, that the Scrip­ture might bee fulfilled, Whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken that which he seemeth to haue. As the ship sinketh vpon the Sea, while the merchant sporteth vpon the Land and makes him a banquerout when he thin­keth that his goods are comming in: so while wee are secure, and the heart spendeth, and the eare bringeth not in, by little and little the stocke decaieth, and moe become ban­querouts in Religion, than in all trades be­side. When a man sinneth, he thinketh with himselfe I will doe this no more, after ano­ther sinne promiseth as much profite as that, and hee saith againe I will doe this no more, presently another sinne promiseth as much profite as that, and hee saith againe, I [Page 689] will doe this and no more. There goeth strength and there commeth a wound, so the soule bleedeth to death and knoweth not her sicknesse till she be at the last gaspe. Euen as a man vndresseth himselfe to bed, first hee casteth off his cloake, and then his coate, and then his dublet: so when GOD rifleth our hearts, he pulleth away one feather after ano­ther: first he wounds his faith, after he strikes his loue, then he blindeth his knowledge, thē he shall haue no delight to heare the word, after he shall growe to hate the Preachers of the word, at last he shall euen hate the word it selfe. This is the bleeding of the soule, or the spiritual consumption, when graces drop away, as the haires fall from an hoarie head before death. Let Achitophel be a spectacle for all to feare, he was counted a wise man and a deepe Councellor, yet because it was the wisedome of the flesh, the storie saith, that GOD turned his wisedome into follie, and that he might seeme foolish (as he was in deede) God made him to hang himselfe, whereby his follie was more notorious then his wisedome. But most notable is the ex­ample of persecuting Saul, when he began to fall, he ran headlong. First he fell in hatred of Dauid, then he fell in hatred of GOD, after God fell in hatred of him: Anon the spirit [Page 690] departed from him: At last, hee sought for helpe at Witches, which he had condemned before. This is the propertie of sin to spurre a man forward, vntill he commit that which he condemneth himselfe, that he may be tor­mented of his owne conscience. Now, if I might applie this scripture as Christ sayth, are there no mo sinners but they, vpon whom the Tower of Shilo fell? So I may say, is the Talent taken from none but from him which hid it in the ground? Nay, Saul was but a type of many which should loose the spirit, Sampson was but a type of manie which should lose their strength, Demas was but a type of many which shoulde imbrace the world: as Dauid cryeth, How are the mightie ouerthrowne? So wee may mourne and say, how are the zealous cooled, how are the dili­gent tired? They which should season others are become like the white of an egge which hath no taste: once they seemed to haue fruite, but now they are not hanged with leaues. As God cryed vnto Adam, Adam where art thou? so they may cry Zeale where art thou? Learning where art thou? Con­science where art thou? Loue where art thou? They which shined like the Sun when they rose, seeme now to be eclipsed of their light. The world hath won the flesh, the flesh hath [Page 691] won the spirit, and Iordaine is turned backe. As God tooke heat from the fire when it would burne his Children, so he taketh knowledge from the learned when they turne it to euill. Now, when they see such ruines of their gifts, with what heart can they thinke, I am the tree whom Christ accurseth, or I am the ser­uant of whom it is sayd, Take his Talent from him? Therefore I say to you as Christ sayd, remember Lots wife, as her bodie was tur­ned into salt: so your wisedome may turne into follie, your knowledge may turne into ignorance, your vnderstanding may turne into blindnesse; your zeale may turne into coldnes: therefore let al which haue a Talent take heede how they vse it. Three thinges I note in these words, & then end. First, Christ saith not, It shall be taken from them which haue, but from them which seeme to haue: Lest they which stande should feare to fall. Paul saith not, Let him which standeth, take heed lest he fall, but let him which thinketh he stan­deth: so lest they which haue the Spirit shuld feare, Christ saith, It shall bee taken from them which seeme to haue. Marke how warilie the Scripture speaketh, for this speech doth shew that many shall fall, and yet it doth shew that none shall fall but they which seem to stand, that none shall lose the spirit but they which [Page 692] seeme to haue it. For if Christ woulde take from them which haue, as he giueth to them which haue, hee woulde not say, they which seeme to haue at his taking, no more then he sayd it at his giuing. So we haue a comfort in this terrour, like the Honey which Sampson found in the Lions iawes: for if God will take from none but them which seeme to haue, then we neede not feare vnlesse we be hypo­crites: for the threatning is made to none but them which seeme. Secondly, this speech doth shewe that many haue that shew of ho­linesse which Paul speaketh of, wherewith they would deceiue God and deceiue them­selues: you haue Pilate washing his hands in hypocrisie, as well as you haue Dauid wash­ing his hands in innocencie: you haue the Si­chemits with their circumcision, as well as the Israelites with their circumcision: you haue the Sadduces with their doctrine, as well as the Apostles with their doctrine: you haue the Pharisie with his prayer, as well as the Publican with his prayer: you haue the Py­thonist-with her confession, as well as Peter with his confession:Act. 19. you haue the Exorcists with their Iesus, as well as Paul with his Iesus: you haue Sathan with his scripture,Matth. 4. as well as Christ with his scripture: you haue Iudas with his kisse, as well as Ionathan with his kisse: [Page 693] you haue Caine with his sacrifice, as well as Abel with his sacrifice: you haue Esau with his teares, as well as Marie with her teares: you haue Achitophel with his wisedome, as well as Salomon with his wisedome: you haue Zedechia with his spirit, as well as Eliah with his spirite: you haue Iesabel with her fasts, as well as Anna with her fasts: you haue the harlot with her vowes; as well as Iacob with his vowe. Of all these this scripture is fulfilled, That which they seemed to haue was taken from them.

This is the first note, the verie shewe of goodnesse shall bee taken from them which haue not goodnesse it selfe: lest men should content themselues with shewes and sha­dowes, Christ saith, That which he seemeth to haue shall be taken from him: As if he should say, take away his Talent and his napkin too, that hee may not seeme to haue a Talent. As Moses saith, I will not leaue a hoofe behinde. Thou shalt not seeme iust, nor wise, nor ho­uest, but I will make thee as naked to men, as Adam was to me. Euen as the Fig-tree be­cause it had no fruit was spoyled of his leaues which shewed like fruit: so they which haue made shipwracke of honestie, shall make shipwracke of credite too: Their name shall goe with a brand vpon it like Caine the mur­derer, [Page 694] Achan the theefe, Absolon the rebell, Magus the sorcerer; Iudas had for his title, Iudas which betrayed the Lord, Acts. 1. Iero­boam had for his title, Ieroboam which made Israel to sinne. Demas had for his title, Demas which imbraced the world. Marke how sinne doth persecute and vexe the sinner. Indeede Demas had imbraced the worlde, but hee would not haue all the worlde to knowe it: but see first how God makes Paul to knowe it, and after hee makes him to proclaime it, that now Demas is not onely an hypocrite, but knowne to be an hypocrite, like a Rogue which is burned in the eare. When Iero­boams wife came to the Prophet to enquire of her sonne, she disguised her selfe because she would not bee knowne, yet the Prophet knewe her, for so soone as she knockt at the doore, he called, cometh Ieroboams wife: so though men disguise themselues with sober countenances, and holy speeches, and honest cōpanie, because they would not be knowne, yet when GOD seeth an hypocrite, he will pull his vizard from his face, as Adam was stript of his figge leaues, and shew the Ana­tomie of his hart, as though his life were writ­ten in his forehead, and he shal maruaile how men know that▪ which he scarce though [...] had been knowne to God.

[Page 695] Thus hee which hath made the daye, can bring forth thy righteousnesse like the light: hee which hath made the night can bring forth thy wickednesse like the darke. There­fore Salomon saith, The candle of the wicked shall be put out: That is, the least light that he hath shall be quenched, Prou. 15.

Thus you see how God will increase your gifts, if you vse them, and how hee will de­crease them, if you vse them not. Now let vs pray that he will teach vs this vse, that we may receiue his blessing.

I May call this text, The Magistrates Scripture. Considering the state of Kings and gouernours, howe much good they might doe, & how little they performe, God be­comes a remembrancer vnto them. And first shewes what a high calling Princes and Ru­lers haue, and then lest they should be proud of it, and make their Magistracie a chaire of [Page 697] ease, he turnes vpon them againe, as though hee had another message vnto them, and tels them that though they be aboue other, yet they shall die like other, and though they iudge here, yet they shal be iudged hereafter, and giue account of their Stewardship howe they haue gouerned, as straight as their sub­iects how they haue obeyed. A good Me­morandum for all in authoritie, so to deale in this kingdome, that they lose not the King­dome to come.

I haue said ye are Gods, &c. How can he cal them Gods, which calles himselfe the one­ly God, and saith, There are no more Gods but hee? Esa. 44. 5. and 45. 21. I haue made thee Pharao his God, saith God to Moses. Exod. 7. 1. because he had giuen him power to speake vnto Pharao in his name, and to execute his iudgements vpon him: so hee calleth Magi­strates Gods, because hee hath giuen them power to speake to the people in his name, and to execute his iudgements vpon them. Out of this name, Rulers may learne howe to gouerne, and subiects how to obey. As the inferiour Magistrates doe nothing but as the superiour Magistrate prescribeth: so they which rule vnder God for God, must rule by the prescript of God, and doe nothing but as their conscience tels them, that God [Page 698] would doe himselfe. Therefore they which vse their power agaynst GOD, which beare the person of GOD, and execute the will of the Diuell, which make lawes against Gods Law, & be enemies to his seruants: are worse than Balaam,Numb. 22. 18. which would not curse whome God blessed: and so much as in them lyeth, make God a lyar,Esa. 30. 33. because they cannot so wel be called Gods, as diuels: such Gods goe to hell.

I haue sayd ye are Gods &c. First this name enformes vs what kinde of Rulers and Magi­strates we should choose: those which excell all other men like Gods amongst men. For a king should be a man after Gods owne heart like Dauid, as appeareth in the first booke of Samuel, the thirteenth Chapter & fourteenth verse. As all those whom God set ouer his people in his mercy and not in his anger, had some note of excellencie aboue the rest, which God chose them by, as it were the Ma­gistrates marke: the mildest man, Numb. 12. 3. or the wisest man, 1. Reg. 4. 31. or the iust­est man, Heb. 7. 2. as though if all these had met in one, the inquisition should haue staied there, and all giue place to him: but our ver­tues are so singled, that he which was called the mildest is not called the wisest, and hee which was called the wisest, is not called the [Page 699] iustest, as though God found some defect in his owne election. For when hee chose one milde, another wise, & another iust, he shew­ed that hee would haue one which is milde, and wise, and iust like himselfe, that is, (as I may say) a man made euen in print.

As Paul biddeth to choose widdowes which were widdowes indeed. 1. Tim. 5. 3. so we should choose Magistrates which are Magistrates indeed, that is, such as seem to be sent of God for that purpose, as Pharaoh chose Ioseph be­cause he was the fittest in all the Land.2. Kin. 2. 9. Gen. 41. 38. Elisha thought that the single spirite was not enough, but required that the spirite of Eliah might be doubled vpon him, because he was a Prophet which should teach others: so we should picke out them which haue a double spirit to be Magistrates, because they must gouerne others, as God picketh foorth Iosua in Moses roome: hee might haue cho­sen many out of all Israel which had the spi­rite of widome:Deut. 24. 9. but he chose Iosua, of whom he sayth, that hee was full of the spirite of wise­dome: Deut. 24. 9. shewing, that if one bee better than another, he should be chosen be­fore the rest, because the best haue said, Send another: Exod. 4. 14. as though none were fit: but for want of Angels we are faine to make Magistrates of men. Therefore as Samuel [Page 700] went ouer all the sonnes of Ishai to annoint a successour to Saul,1. Sam. 16. 5. and put back one after an­other which thought themselues fit, yet there was but one amongst them which pleased God, and the Prophet could scarce discerne him: so necessarie it is that this choyce bee committed to none but to the godly, because he which would haue chosen the best, yet li­ked another before him. Therefore there was such a scrutinie amongst the tribes to finde out the man whom God had chosen,Exo. 18. 21. as Ie­thro taught Moses to cull out of all the peo­ple those which had best courage, and feared God, and dealt truly, and hated couetousnes. Therefore a wicked man may not supply the place of God,Mat. 23. 2. as the Scribes and Pharisies sate in Moses Chaire:Act. 1. 20. but as it is said of Iudas, Let another take his place: so let better take their place, for they which are called Gods, must be like God. If all should be holy as he is holy, 1. Ioh. 3. 3. how much more should they be pure as he is pure, wise as he is wise, iust as he is iust, which beare his name, which supplie his per­son, and guide the world vnto good or euill? If the race should be to the swift,Eccl. 9. 11. and the bat­tell to the strong,2. Sam. 9. 2. then as Saul did exceed all the men of Israel from the shoulders vpward, so he which commaunds others, should ex­ceede other in giftes of grace, that they may [Page 701] know him from the rest, and say, this is hee, for he exceedes the rest in vertue, as Saul did in stature, like the King of Bees, which is fai­rest of all the hiue. Therefore if Pharao would let none but Ioseph gouerne Egypt, Pharao shall rise vp against those Kings,Gen. 4. 28. which care not whom they place ouer their people, imi­tating Rehoboam, which made them his companions, whome he should haue expel­led from his Court. 1. King. 12. 8.

Secondly,Gen. 48. 16. this extolleth the calling of Magistrates. As Iacob honored Iosephs chil­dren, when he said they should bee called af­ter his name: so God honoureth the Magi­strates, when he giues them his owne name, calling them Gods, as though there were a kinde of Godhead in them.Pro. 24. 23. These things pertayne to the wise, and they themselues do not alwayes see it, yet he which hath a spiri­tuall eye, and carries the patterne of GOD in his hart, may see another like nesse of God in Magistrates, than in common persons. As the builders of the Temple had a speciall wisedome and spirit,Exod. 31. 3. & 35. 31. which God gaue them for that worke which they were chosen too:1. Sam. 16. 13▪ so when Samuel had anoynted Dauid, hee saith, that the spirite of the Lord came vppon Dauid from that day forward: as though hee had anoeher spirite after than he had before. [Page 702] There is difference betweene Kings & inferi­or Magistrates:1. Sa. 28. 26 for the Prince is like a great Image of God, the Magistrates are like little Images of God, appoynted to rule for God, to make lawes for God,2. Cro. 9▪ 6. to reward for GOD, to punish for God,Numb. 9. 8. to speak for God,Psal. 2. 6. to fight for God, to reforme for God: and therefore their Battelles are called the Lordes battailes, and their Iudgements the Lordes Iudgements, and their Throne the Lords Throne, and the Kings themselues his Kings, to shewe that they are all for God, like his hands: by some he reacheth mercy,Mat. 14. 19. by some iustice, by some peace, by some counsel, as Christ distributed the loaues and the fishes by the hands of his Disciples. This God requires of all when he cals them Gods, to rule as he would rule, iudge as he would iudge, correct as he would cor­rect,2. Cro. 9. 8. reward as hee would reward, because it is said, that they are instead of the Lord God [...] that is, to doe as he would doo, as a Scholler writes by a Copie. This is a good studie for Magistrates in all their iudgementes, to consider what GOD would doo, because they are in steede of God, I rule for God, I speake for God, I iudge for God, I reward for God, I correct for God: then as hee woulde doo and determine, so must be my sentence.Mat. 11. 29. As we should thinke how Christ prayed be­fore [Page 703] we pray, and how hee spake before we speake, because his actions are our instructi­ons: so they should thinke how Christ would iudge before they iudge,Deu. 17. 10. because Gods lawe is appoynted for their lawe. Such a thought must needes leuel the way before them, & put them in mind of a good & iust & holy iudge­ment, because God is good & iust and holy.

Thirdly, they are called Gods, to teach them how they should gouerne. Howsoeuer other care for the glory of God, the perfor­mance of his will, the reformation of his Church, Princes and Rulers which are Gods themselues, are to doe the businesse of God as their owne busines, because they are Gods. Gods busines is their busines, Gods Lawe is their Lawe, Gods honour is their honour. When the King, or Iudge, or Magistrate, doth seek the Kingdome and glorie of God, he should thinke he seeketh his owne King­dome and glorie. And therefore seeke it, and further it as earnestly and diligently as hee would his owne, and rule, and iudge, and speake and punish, and counsaile as he would for himselfe.Psal. 139. 21▪ Euen as Dauid counted Gods foes his foes, and Gods friendes his friendes. And Moses persecuted them that were Idola­ters against God,Exo. 32. 27. as he did them which were Traytors to himselfe.Numb. 16. 16.

[Page 704] If this were obserued, we should see such a change, that diuers which take should giue, & they which giue should take, they which labour should rest, & they which rest should labour. Howe can they pray to God, which know that the lawes of God are not obeied, that his will is not regarded, but the poore vnpitied, because of the remissenes, in not bridling the insolent? It may seeme that in Eliah his answere to Achab, it was prophesied who should trouble Israell to the worldes end,1. King. 18. 18. for speaking to the wicked Magistrate, he sayd, It is thou which troublest it. So the vngodly Rulers, and gracelesse striuers a­gainst lawful rule, in their owne hearts cal­ling themselues Gods, not being so called of God, are cause of all disorder in euery Com­mon weale.

Fourthly, they are called Gods, to encou­rage them in their office, and to teach them that they need not dread the persons of men: but GOD dooth that which is iust and good without the ielousie of men, so they, vpon the Bench and in all causes of Iustice should forget themselues to be men, which are lead by the armes betweene fauour and feare, and thinke themselues Gods, which feare nothing. This boldnesse is so necessarie in them which should iudge all a like, that in [Page 705] Deut. 3. 28. Moses encourageth Ioshua, in Ios. 1. 18. the people encourage him, in ver. 9. God doth encourage him, saying that hee will be with him: but here he is with him: for hearing GOD call them Gods, shewes that God is there, nay, that they are hee: which should strike a wonderfull minde into them, As a princely spirite came vpon Saul so soon as he hee was king, so hearing that they are Gods, it should change them, & make them excell the order of men, vntill they resemble God,Kings. 3. 9▪ after whom they are named, as Salomō studied and prayed till he was wiser than all that he gouerned:King. 4. 30. then they need not blush to reade this testimonie, I haue sayd yee are Gods: Or else it wil seeme a checke vnto them like the mocke which GOD gaue to Adam when he said that he was become like himselfe. Gen. 3. 22. As many sit in Gods place, and yet neuer knew that the Scripture called them Gods, nor why they haue this name, no more than Nabal: so many play Nabal in their offices, and are readier to aske,1. Sā. 25. 25▪ Who is Dauid? Who is Christ? (when his cause comes before them) then speake or doe any thing for him, but the women goe before them againe like Abiga­il, as though GGD would shame them with the weaker vessell. I cannot compare them fitter then with King Agrippa, who thought [Page 706] it better to be a Christian almost, than alto­gether. This is the Religion of these times, they feare nothing more then to be counted too precise: but God doth call them more thā precise, for he calles them Gods, of all men then they should not forget his name. Prin­ces and Rulers haue many names of honour, but this is the honourablest name in their Titles, that they are called Gods: other names haue been giuen them of men for reuerence or flatterie, but no man could giue them this name but God himselfe. Therefore their name is a glasse wherein they may see their duetie, how God doth honour them, and how they should honour him. What am I more than he, that God should set me in his owne Chaire, and giue me his owne name more than others? he hath not done so to all: but if they which are called his children are happie, Matth 5. they which are called his disciples are happie, they which are called his seruants are happie: how happie are they whom he calleth Gods? It seemes, that if GOD could haue called them by a higher name than his owne,1. Sam. 18. 23 he would haue called them by some other name, but this worde is enough to put them in minde of all that they should doo. Thinke that yee are Gods, and it will make you asha­med to obey the diuell, for then ye are like [Page 707] Gods no more, but like sinnefull men, and the poorest vassal which serues God in a cottage, is liker God than you. Are they Gods which oppresse Gods children? Nay, dooth not he lie which calles them worshipfull, or noble? If such deserue not their titles, how can Anti­christ of Rome thinke of his vsurped names, and not be abashed? Can he sit downe in Gods place and speake against him, iudge a­gaist him, decree against him, euen in the Temple of God resisting God?

Againe, for another sorte of Gods: Doth iniquitie become Gods? 2. Thes. 2. 4. Doth partialitie be­come Gods? doo bribes become GODS? They are greedie Gods, 1. Cor. 4. 4. Idol Gods, bellie Gods, and may be tearmed Gods, because they are like the God of this worlde, which doe but stay (like Nabuchadnezzar) vntill their iniqui­ties be full,Dan. 4. that they may bee cast out like beastes, as a derision to them they gouerne. But they which regarde this honourable te­stimonie of God,Nehe. 6. 11. as Nehemiah sayd when he was tempted to flie, Should such a man as I flie? so when they are tempted with bribes, should such a man as I take bribes? shoulde such a man as I doe wrong? should such a man as I be a lyar, or a swearer, or a scoffer, or a drunkard, or a gamester, or a vsurer, or a prophaner, vpon whome all eyes are set to [Page 708] take their example, and would harken soo­ner than to God himselfe? Then he resolueth to rule according to his name, knowing that all the soules which might be wonne by him, shall be required of him, as the sinnes of Isra­el were imputed to Ieroboam. Thus GOD doth catechize them in their owne names, and calles them Gods, 1 King. 15. 30. to teach them their duetie to God. All should be godly, but they should bee like Gods: that is, (as I may say) more then godly, or the nexte to GOD in godlynesse. If any come betweene them, they lose of their honour, and would thinke themselues put downe, like a guest which is set lower, or a Iustice which is turned out of office. For so GOD doth humble them and disgrace them, which dishonour their cal­ling, as he did Saul: when the princely Spi­rite departed from him,1 Sam. 22. 7. his sonnes, and his daughters, and his subiects did fauour Da­uid more than him,1 Sam. 19. 4 that he could do nothing with them,1. Sa 18. 7. because God did not loue him, hee would not let his seruaunts loue him. But when Dauid came to the Crowne,1. Sā 22. 17. be­cause he had grace with God,2. Sam. 5. 10 he prospered in all that he went about, and euer reformed what he would: for the Lord (as hee saide) subdued the people vnto him: Psal. 18. 48 that is, made them incline to his will: as wee reade of Saul [Page 709] in the beginning of his raigne before hee had rebelled,1. Sa. 10. 26 a band of men did cleaue to him, of whom it is sayd, whose hearts God hath touch­ed: as though while the Rulers hearts doe stand toward God, the peoples hearts should stand toward them, and they should carrie them like God to all their desires: as it is said of Dauid,2. Sa. 32. 6. What soeuer the King did, pleased all the people.

Therefore looking into this Diuine ordi­naunce, what a power they haue ouer the people, which they shoulde neuer haue got from men, if GOD had not giuen it them, I haue thought it an easie matter to redresse an hundred things which trouble Christen­dome without reason, and none would kicke agaynst it, if these Gods would cast downe their Crownes, and begin to the rest, for all stay vpon them, like the alarme which soun­deth first to the battell: for our experience shewes, that there will bee no great good done, if the example of the best giue not light vnto the rest.

Oh, woulde that Princely spirite woulde once come vpon them to go before the peo­ple,Numb. 27. 17. which Moses appoynted for the Kings place, and not lagge after them like Herod which sayde,Mat. 2. 8. he would come after the wise men to Christ:Ioh 3. 1. for if Nicodemus come by [Page 710] night, no maruaile though the rest come not at all. Thus their name tels them how they should rule, and by consequence teacheth how we should obey: God calles them Gods, therefore he which contemneth them con­temneth God: God cals them fathers, there­fore wee must reuerence them like Fathers: God cals them Kings, Princes, Lords, Iudges, Powers, Rulers, Gouernours, which are names of honor: and shall we dishonor them whom GOD doth honour? Our first lesson, is Feare God: Pro. 24. 21. the next is, Honour the King: that is, (as Paul interpreteth) Wee must obey for consci­ence, 1. Pet. 2. 17. not against conscience: Rom. 13. 5. for that were to put a straunger before the King, and the King before God, which Christ saith, haue no pow­er but from God: and therefore cannot make themselues Magistrates,Ioh. 19. 11. no more then they can make themselues Gods. Heb. 5. 4. As none could giue this name but GOD, so no man which exalteth himselfe can challenge this honour, no more then Simon Magus was great,Act. 8. 9. be­cause hee called himselfe a great man. But they to whom GOD saith, I haue called yee Gods, as if he had the naming and appointing of them.Rom. 13. 2. Euery power is from God, for by na­ture no man can challenge power ouer other, but by the Word, 1. Pet. 2. 13 and therefore euery soule which is subiect to God must be subiect to them, [Page 711] for hee which calles them Kings cals vs Sub­iects: Ier. 27. 12 this is their patent (as the Queene of Sheba sayd to Salomon) that God had chosen them kings and set them vpon the throne. 2. Cro. 9. 3. As he sayd,Gen. 1. and all things were made, so as he saith, al things should be. Therefore vnles ye heare this, I say that ye are Lords, Iudges, and Ma­gistrates, ye are no Lords, no Iudges, no Ma­gistrates of GOD. And therefore the Pope and his Cleargie to whom God neuer sayd, yee are Lords, or Iudges, or Magistrates, are no Lordes, no Iudges, no Magistrates of GOD, but that which the Lorde sayth they are, that they are, and no more, though they put on a triple crowne. If they were worthie to bee called as others, Pastors, Doctors, and Teachers, wee woulde giue them those titles. They which giue them more then the Lord giues them, make them proud, and in­solent, and tyrannous, more then they which are Lords; Iudges, and Magistrates indeede. But for these vsurped titles and bas-borne honour which they haue encroached from men (which puffe them vp, and trouble them like Sauls armour) they woulde haue inten­ded the duetie of Ministers and Teachers,1. Sa. 17. 39. as the Apostles did, whereas nowe they are so cumbred and mingled by their vsurping o­uer Princes, that they are neither good Mi­nisters, [Page 712] nor good Magistrates, but Linsie wolsie, a mingle mangle betweene both, nay vtterly falne from both, being no shepherds but woolues, of whose slaughters all Christi­an Kingdomes haue been the shambles, who seeking a superfluous title, they haue for gone all necessarie dueties: and but for their for­malities, a man could not knowe of what profession they are, for they neuer preach nor write, but to maintaine their kingdome which falles (like the Tower of Babel) faster then they build.Gen. 11. Therefore as Naomi sayd, Call me no more Naomi, Ruth. 1. 20. which signifieth beau­tifull: but call me Mara, which signifieth bit­ter: so they may say, Call vs no more Bishops, or Pastors, or Doctors, or Preachers, but call vs robbers, and sleepers, and giants, and Pharisies, whom we succeed. For why should they be called Bishops which doe not watch, or Pastors which doe not feede, or Doctors which doe not teach, or Iustices which doe not Iustice? except this bee the reason, The Idols were called Gods,Exo. 20. 23. though they were vnlike God. If their bodies had growen as farre out of square since Christs ascension, as their titles, pompe and honour, they might stand in the maine seas and not be drowned, for their heads would crowe aboue the wa­ter.

[Page 713] It followeth: But yee shall die as a man. Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God. Yee haue seene their glorie, now behold their ends, They shall all die like others. Though they be neuer so rich, so goodly, so mightie, so honourable while their date lasteth, yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father, Iob. 17. 14. and the worme their mother: for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh. As they were borne like men, so they shall die like men, the same comming in and going out is to all: nay, if ye respect but the bodie, hee might say, yee shall die like beastes: for Man being in honor, (saith Dauid) may well be compared vnto beasts that perish: Psal. 49. though hee bee in honour, yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no ho­nour, and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome, when GOD dooth but say, his time is come. When Esay had saide, that All flesh was grasse: Esay 40. as though hee would correct his speech, hee addes, and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field. As if he should say, Some men haue more glorie than other, and they are like flowers, the other are like grasse: no great difference, the flower shewes fairer, but the grasse stands longer, one sieth cuttes both downe, like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pa­stures, [Page 714] but are killed in one slaughter. So though the great Man liue in his pallace, and the poore man dwelles in his cottage, yet both shall meete at the graue, and vanish together. Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now, are but suc­cessors to them which are dead, and are nee­rer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame. It had been a great Sessions for all other to die: but for Magi­strates, for Princes, for Kinges, for Emperors to die as they die: What a battell is this, that leaues no man a liue? Shall the Gods die too? Hee giues them their title, but he telles them their lot. Though their power, though their wealth, though their honour, though their titles, though their train, though their friends, though their case, though their pleasures, though their diet, though their cloathing be not like other, yet their ende shall be like other: nay, their endes are like to bee more fearefull than other: For GOD makes him examples of great men, as he did of Pharaoh, and therefore wee see so many strange and sodaine deathes of Princes,Exod. 9. 16. more than of o­ther.

Therefore hee spake heere with the least when hee saide, Yee shall die like other, for verie fewe of them escape the Swoorde, [Page 715] or knife, or poyson, which other neuer or very seldome feare. But if all your subiectes were your friendes, yet yee shall dye like them: for are yee not colde when Winter comes, are yee not withered when ages comes, are yee not weake when sickenesse comes, and shall yee not goe (aswell as the meanest) when death comes?

Therefore bee not proud of thine honour as though it would last alwaies, for thou shalt dye, and then all thine honour shall for­sake thee, and another shall rise in thy place as great as thou: and when his glasse is run, another shall follow him, and so another, till death haue all.

Bee not cruell in thine authoritie, as though it woulde laste alwaies: for thou shalt dye, and then thy Authoritie shall dye with thee: and they which remayne aliue, will sende infinite curses after thee, because thy life was as a scourge vnto them.

Be not secure for thy wealth, as though it would last alwaies: for thou shalt die, and then another shall take thy riches, and thou shalt goe to giue account how thou commest by them. How many things dooth hee implie when he saith, yee shall die? This is a Barre in their armes, which makes the proudest pea­cocke [Page 716] laye downe his feathers when hee thinkes vpon it, though he pricke them vp againe: whereby the holy ghoste woulde haue them learne, that nothing will make them liue, and rule and deale so well in their thrones, as to remember that they shall die, and shortlie giue account for all: signifying, that prosperitie makes vs forgetfull of our endes, and that these mortall Gods, liue as though they were immortall. A hard thing for Princes to remember death: they haue no leasure to thinke of it, but chop into the earth before they beware, like a man which walketh ouer a field couered with snow, and sees not his way, but when hee thinketh to runne on, sodainly falles into a pit: euen so they which haue all things at will, and swim in pleasure, which as a snowe couereth their waie, and dazeleth their sight: while they thinke to liue on, and reioyce still, sodainely rush vpon death, and make shipwrack in the calme sea.

Therefore, as it is good for them to heare they are Gods: so it is meete to knowe they shall die. Wherefore ye shall die, saith he, in the next wordes, as if hee would preuent some conceit that they would take of the wordes which hee cast out before, hee cooles them quicklie before they swell, and deferres not [Page 717] to another time, but where he calles them Gods, there hee calles them wormes meate, lest they should crow betweene the praise and the checke, I haue said ye are Gods, but ye shall die, &c. but for this die, manie would liue a merrie life, and feast, and sport, and let the world slide: but the remembrance of death is like a dampe, which puts out all the lightes of pleasure, and makes him rub and frounce and whine which thinkes vpon it, as if a moate were in his eie. O how heauie tidings is this, to heare thou shalt die from him which hath life and death in his owne handes, when the message is sent to them which raigne like Gods, as if he should say, Euen you which glister like Angels, whom all the world admires, and sues, and bowes to, which are called honourable, mightie, and gracious Lords, I will tell you to what your honour shall come: First ye shall wax olde like others, then ye shall fall sicke like o­ther, then ye shall die like other, then ye shall be buried like other, then ye shall bee consu­md like other, then ye shall bee iudged like other, euen like the Beggers which crie at your gates; one sickens, the other sickens; one dies, the other dies, one rots, the other rots, looke in the graue and shewe me which was Diues, and which was Lazarus. This is [Page 718] some comfort to the poore, that once he shall be like the rich, one day he shall bee as weal­thie, as mightie, and as glorious as a King, one hower of death will make all alike: they which crowed-ouer other, and looked downe vpon them like Oakes, other shall walke vp­on them like worms, and they shall be gone, as if they hadde neuer beene. Where is Alexander that conquered all the worlde, and after sought for an other: because one woulde not satisfie him? Where is Xerxes which coulde not number his Armie for multitude? Where is Nemrod, which built his nest in the clowdes?Gen. 11. 4. Where is Sampson which slewe an armie with the iawe of an Asse?Iud. 15. 15. Where is Constantine, Nero, Caligu­la, Titus, Vespasian, Domitian, thunderbolts in their times? One hundred Princes of Englande are dead, and but one aliue, the rest are gone to giue account how they ru­led here when they sustained the person of God.

Who would haue thought (saith Ieremie) that the enemie shoulde haue entred into Ierusalem, Lam. 4. 11. and spoyled that faire Citie? Yet he brake into it, and Ierusalem was ransackt like other. Who woulde haue thought that He­rod, which was honoured like a GOD, should haue beene deuoured with wormes, [Page 719] and sauoured that none could abide him? Yet while hee was in his pompe like an Idol,Acts 12. 23. sodainelie hee was stroken and all his glo­rie like the snuffe of a Candell,Iob. 12. 5. which all men looked vppon euen nowe when it shi­ned, and now it so sauors that they tread it vnder foote.

Who woulde haue thought Iezabel that beautifull temptation,2. Kin. 9. 36 shoulde haue beene gnawed with dogs? Yet shee was cast vnto dogs, & not an eare left to season the graue. What woulde he thinke, that had seene Sa­lomon in his Roialty, & after seen him in the clay? O world vnworthie to be beloued, who hath made this proud slaughter? Age, Sicke­nes and Death, the three sumners which haue no respect of persons, made them paie the ransome themselues, and bowe to the earth from whence they came: there lie the men that were called Gods. How soone the flow­er of this world is faded? yesterdaie the tal­lest Cedar in Libanus, to daie like a broken sticke troden vnder foote: yesterday the state lieth vppon earth, to daie shrouded in earth, forsaken, forgotten, that the poorest wretch would not bee like vnto him, which yester­daie crouched and bowed to his knees. Then woe to them which had the names of God, and sinnes of men, for the mightie shall [Page 720] be mightilie tormented. All their friends and subiects and seruants forsake them, because they goe to prison to trie the mercie of hell, and take what the spirites of darkenes will heape vpon them: there lie many of the men which were called Gods, and thus endes the pilgrimage of Kings, Princes, and Rulers. This is our life, while we enioy it, we lose it, like the Sunne which flies swifter than an Arrowe, and yet no man perceiues that it moues: Hee which lasted nine hundred yeares, could not holde out one houre lon­ger, and what hath hee now more than a childe, which liued but a yeare?Gen. 5. 27. Where are they which founded this goodlie Cittie, which possessed these faire houses, and wal­ked these pleasant fieldes, which erected these stately Temples, which kneeled in these seates, which preached out of this place but thirtie yeares agoe? Is not earth turned to earth, and shall not our Sunne set like theirs when the night comes? yet wee cannot beleeue that death will finde out vs, as he hath found out them: though all men die, yet euery man dreames I shall scape; or at the least I shall liue till I bee olde. This is strange, men cannot thinke that God will doe againe that which hee dooth dailie, or that he will deale with them, [Page 815] as he deales with other: tell one of vs that all other shall die, we beleeue it, tell one of vs we shall die, and we beleeue it sooner of all than of one, though we bee sore, though wee bee weake, though we be sicke, though wee bee elder than those whome wee follow to the ground. So they thought which lie in this mould vnder your feete as you doe. If wise­dome, or riches, or fauour, could haue intrea­ted death, those which haue liued before vs would haue kept our possessions from vs, but death would take no bale, wee are all Te­nants at will, and we must leaue this Cot­tage whensoeuer the Landlord will put an other in our roome, at a yeares, at a moneths, at a weekes, at a daies, at an houres warning, or lesse: the cloathes which we weare vpon our backes, the graues which are vnder our feete, the Sunne which sets ouer our heades, and the meates which go into our mouthes, doe crie vnto vs, that we shall weare, and set, and die like the beastes, and fowles, & fishes which now are dead in our dishes, and but euen now were liuing in the Elements. Our Fathers haue summoned vs, and wee must summon our children to the graue. Euerie thing euerie daie suffers some Eclipse, no­thing standeth at a stay, but one creature cals to another, Let vs leaue this world. While wee play our Pageants vpon this stage of [Page 816] short continuance, euerie man hath a part, some longer, and some shorter, and while the Actors are at it, sodainelie death steps vpon the stage like a hauke which separates one of the Doues from the flight, he shootes his dart, where it lights, there fals one of the Actors dead before thē, and makes al the rest agāst, they muse and mourne, and burie him, and then to the sport againe: While they sing, play, and daunce, death comes againe, & strikes another, there he lies, they mourne him, and burie him as they did the former, and play againe: so one after another, till the plaiers bee vanished like the accusers which came before Christ, and Death is the last vpon the stage, so the figure of this worlde passeth away. Iona. 8. 9. Many which stand heere, may lie here or elswhere within this twelue mo­neth. But thou thinkest, It is not I, and hee thinketh, It is not he: but he which thinkes so, commeth soonest to it. If I could make you beleeue, that ye haue but a yeare to liue, and that all which heare mee this day, shall come to the barre before this daie twelue­moneth returne againe, ye would prepare your selues to die, and leaue your sinnes be­hinde you, and depart Christians out of the Church, with a minde to do all that God wil haue you, that when the tweluemoneth is ended, ye might liue with Angels in heauen, [Page 817] and escape that fierie lake, where the Glut­ton begs but a drop of water to coole the tip of his tongue, and it will not bee graunted him, least it should ease him. But nowe wee know not whether we shall liue a weeke to an end, we will doe nothing that he bids vs, but abide the venture, and trie the marker what God wil giue for sinne, so one is taken after another,Gen. 19. 26. and because we are not ready, we go against our will, like Lots wife out of Sodom. This is our fashion to see the best last, till we can neither forsake our sin, nor hope of mercie. Thus I haue proclaimed to all Kings,1. Kin. 20. 1. Princes, Iudges, Counsellors and Ma­gistrates, that which Esay foretold to one, Set thy things in order, for thou shalt die: Yet 15. yeeres were behind when the Prophet war­ned him to set al things in order. But I cānot promise you 15. yeeres, for many Princes do not raigne so long, for one that doth. That which Esay spake to one, God here pronoun­ceth of all, yee shall die, therefore the message is sent to you, and when ye think of your ho­nour, think of your end. These 2. notes, that ye are Gods, and that yee shall die, the holy Ghost thought enough to teach you how to liue, and how to rule. And that wee may bee all like Gods hereafter, let vs prepare before the accompt: for none are in heauen but they that left the world, before it left them.

[Page 818] Therefore let vs praie that GOD would keepe vs in remembrance of his iudgements that the subtiltie of sinne neuer steale our hearts from him, but that we may count this life a respite to repent before the Iudge sit to deuide betweene the sheepe and the goates, when we shall giue account of all his instru­ctions, corrections and benefites, euen of this seede which hath beene sowne since yee came in, how yee haue recei­ued his worde this houre.

THis booke begins with All is vanitie, Eccl. 12. 13 and endes with Feare God and keepe his com­mandements. If that sentence were knit to this which Sa­lomon keepeth to the end, as the hauen of rest, after the turmoyles of va­nitie: it is like that which Christe sayde to Martha: Luk. 10. 40. Thou art troubled about many things, but one thing is necessarie. That which trou­bleth vs, Salomon calles Vanitie: That which is necessarie hee calles the Feare of GOD: from that, to this, should be euerie mans pil­grimage in this worlde: we begin at Vanitie, and neuer know perfectly that we are vaine, vntill wee repent with Salomon. Therefore this is his first greeting and lesson to all after his conuersion, to warne them that All is va­nitie, [Page 820] as if God had said to him as he saide to Ezechiel, Ezec. 16. 2. Cause Ierusalem to know her abhomi­nations, Iob. 15. 31. as though men did not knowe their sinnes how vaine they are, as Eliphaz saieth, He beleeueth not that he is vaine, which makes euerie man deferre his repentance, vntill the verie houre come that sinne maketh prepa­ration to leaue him, and then fainting hee is vnwilling to depart, because he is not readie. Therfore I haue chosen this sentence; which speakes of nothing but vanitie, to shew how wee take the waie to miserie for the waie to happines, and turne the day of saluation to the day of vanitie. Let euerie man thinke as I goe in this matter, why he should loue that which Salomon repented, if he think Salomon happier after he repented, thā he was before. This verse is the summe or contentes of all this booke, and therefore Salomon beginnes with it, and ends with it, as if he should saie, First this is the matter which I will prooue, and after, this is the matter which I haue pro­ued, now you see whether I tolde you true, that All is vanitie. I may call it Salomons Theame, or the fa [...]dle of vanities, which when he hath bound in a bundle, he bids vs caste it into the fire: for after hee hath done with them in his last chapter and thirteenth verse as though hee would haue no more thought of them, he turnes away from them, as if hee [Page 821] had buried them & goes to another matter, saying, Now let vs heare the end of all, Feare God and keeep his commaundements: for this is the whole dutie of man: as though hee were exceeding glad that after so many daungers through the rout of vanitie, yet GOD let him see the hauen of rest, and brought him to the right end, and set him vpon shoare, where hee might see his vanities,Exod. 14. 30. as Moses looked back vpon his enemies, & saw them drowned behind him.

The whole narration doth shew that Sa­lomon wrote this book after his fall. When he had the experience of vanities, and seene the folly of the world, what euill comes of pleasure, and what fruite groweth of sinne, he was bold to say, Vanitie of vanities, &c. which he auoucheth with such protestation, as though he would iustifie it against many aduersaries: For all the world is in loue with that which he calles vanitie. Therefore hee puts to his name in the middest of his sen­tence, as if hee would defend it against all commers: if any man ask, who broched this strange doctrine? the Preacher (saith Salomō) To testifie his heartie conuersion to God, he cals himselfe a Preacher, in the witnes of his vnfained repentance, as if God had said vn­to him Thou being conuerted, conuert thy bre­thren and be a Preacher, as thou art a King: [Page 822] so when we are conuerted, wee should be­come Preachers vnto other, and shew some fruits of our calling, as Salomon left this book for a monument to all ages of his conuersiō. Therefore they which write, that Salomon dyed in his sinne, and that such a famous in­strument of God went to the damned, doe great wrong to the worthie King which giues them such an example to repent, and would correct their rash iudgement, if they considered. First, that he was the cleerest fi­gure of Christ (except Melchisedec) which passed all Kings in prosperitie, and all men in wisedome. Secondly that hee was inspi­red by the Holie Ghost like the prophets,Psal. 45. 7. to bee one of the pennes of God to write his holy word, the word of saluation, which was not fit for a reprobate. Thirdlie, that GOD promised to his father, that hee would not take his spirit and his mercie from him as he did frō Saule, 1. Cor. 17. 13 nor forsake him as he did Saule but correct him in another sort. Fourthlie, that GOD is said to loue him,2. Sā. 7. 13. therefore as Paule concludes that Iacob was elected,2. Sam. 12. be­cause,Nehe. 13. 6 God saith,Rom. 9. Iacob haue I loued: Gen. 27. So we may conclude, that Salomon was elected, because God saith; Salomon haue I loued. Fiftly, that in Luke 13. 28. Al the Prophets of God are said to be in heauen: and there­fore Salomon being an holie Prophet must [Page 823] beholden to be in heauen. To shew that he was a holy prophet, in 2. Pet. 3, 2. Peter cal­leth all the Prophets which wrote the Scrip­ture, Holie Prophets. Lastly we may gather out of the seauenth Chapter of this booke and the thirtieth verse, and out of the 5. of the Prouerbes, and the fourteenth verse that Salomon had left his concubines and vani­ties before he wrote this booke.1 King. 11. 45 Therefore to say that the figure of Christ,2 Cor. 9. 31 the penne of the holie Scripture, the man whom God lo­ued, the wisest man that euer was, and one of the holie prophets died a reprobate, is presumption against the Word, impietie a­gainst God,1. King. 11. 4. 5 and wrong to the dead. Al­though, because of his grieuous fal in Idola­trie,1. Cor. 10. 12. and vncleannesse, GOD left him in dis­grace, and makes no mention of his repen­tance, where hee speakes of his death, that they which stand, may take heed lest they fall, and see how easie it is to slip, by the exāple of him which was wiser than they. Salomon being wicked and yet saued, was a figure of the Church whose sinnes are forgiuen. Thus hauing found as it were the Mine: now let vs digge for the treasure. Vanitie of vanities, &c. This is Salomons conclusion, when hee had gone through the whole world & tried all thinges like a spye sent into a straunge country, as if he were now come home from [Page 824] his pilgrimage, they gather about him to in­quire what he hath heard and seene abroad, and what he thinks of the world, and these things which are so loued among men, like a man in admiratiō of that which he had seen and not able to expresse particularly one af­ter another, hee contracts his newes into a­word: you aske me what I haue seene, and what I haue heard: Vanitie saith Salomon: & what els? Vanitie of vanities: and what els? All is vanitie. Eccl. 2. 11 This is the history of my voy­age, I haue seen nothing but vanitie ouer the world. Carrie this for the newes from the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, Al is vanitie, as if hee should say Vanitie, and greater Va­nitie, and more than Vanitie: so the further hee did goe, the more Vanitie hee did see, and the nearer he looked, the greater it see­med: till at the last he could see nothing but vanitie.

When he was come to this, that he did see all things vaine, vpon which men set their heartes, he was moued with compassion and could be silent no longer, but needes hee must write to them which seeke felicitie (as he did in transitorie things, to warne them that they seek it not any longer in these foo­lish things, which haue no stability nor con­tentation, but flie from them to The feare of God, which hath the promises of this life [Page 825] and the life to come.2. Tim. 3. 8. Therefore he beginnes with All is vanitie, 1. Ioh. 2. 15. as if he should say: Loue not the world nor the things of the world, For I haue tryed that there is no certaintie in them.

Thus hee withdraweth them, First, from the wrong way,Eccl 12. 13 and then sets them in the right way to happines, which he defineth at last, to Feare God and keepe his Commaunde­ments. When he had gone through a thou­sand vanities, then that comes in at the ende, euen like our repentance which staies till death: So his drift is to shew that mans hap­pinesse is not in these things which we count of, but in those which we deferre: his reason is, they are all vanitie: his proofe is, because there is no stabilitie in them, nor contenta­tiō of minde: his conclusion is, therfore con­temne the world, and looke vp to Heauen from whence ye came, and whither yee shall goe.

This is the scope which Salomon aymes at, as though wee did all seeke happinesse: but we goe a wrong waie vnto it: There­fore he sounds a retyre, shewing that if wee holde on our course, and goe forwards as we haue begun, wee shall not finde happinesse, but great miserie, because we goe by vanitie. Therefore to fright vs out of this way, hee [Page 826] breakes forth into an exclamation, Vanitie of vanities, All is vanitie.

Now, Salomon full of wisedome, and schoo­led with experience, is licensed to giue his sentence of the whole world.1. Cor. 2. 15 For the spiritu­all man iudgeth all things, his iudgement is so certaine, that it runnes before the Euidence, and condemnes al for Vanitie, before he con­uince them to be vaine, whereas wee prooue first and condemne after, because our words are no authorities: hee concludes first and prooues after: neuer any iudge did condemne so manie together. Salomon resolued all the questions of the Queene Shebah, 2. Cor. 9. 2. yet Salo­mon neuer aunswered so many questions at once as now: for what can you enquire, but heere you haue an answere? Aske him as the Souldiers, and harlots, and Publicans asked Iohn, What is sinne? Vanitie saith Salomon. What is Pleasure? Luk. 12. 14. Vanitie too. What is Beau­tie? Vanitie too. What is Riches? Vanitie too. What is Honour? Vanitie too. What is Long life? Vanitie too. This is the state of all things after the fall, all turne to Vanitie. This is no reproch to the things, but shame to him which so abused them, that all things should be called Vanitie for him. What a te­stimonie is this of him which should bee the onely seruant of God on earth, whome hee [Page 827] created in holines and righteousnes whom he framed to his owne Image, whom he pla­ced in Paradise, and woulde haue raised to heauen to heare that he hath so polluted his life with euerie sinne, that now there is no­thing but Vanitie? That is a lamentable song which will make him weepe that tunes it, if hee thinke what he saith, how his state is chaunged since Adam his father died. Once God saith,Gen. 1. that all was good, and now he saith that all is nought and vaine, as though he forbad man, that which he created for man. That is not Salomons meaning to debarre men from the vse of creatures:Rom 8. 20. although all things changed with man, & became worse than they were: yet hee dooth heere rather shewe, that man reapes nothing but Vanitie out of these things, by reason of his corrup­tion, than that the things themselues are vaine, if they were well vsed. For euen since the creation, Paule saith 1. Tim. 4. That eue­rie creature of God is good, and nothing is to be reiected, if it be receiued, or vsed with thankes­giuing, for it is sanctified by the worde of God and praier. That is it, which maketh them profitable to vs, which because it is wanting for the most part, therfore Salomon saith that all are vaine to vs, not vaine of themselues, but because they are not sanctified as they should be, therefore in the 2. 24. the 3. 12. [Page 828] and 22. the 5. 17. the 8. and 15. he shewes a way how we may make profit of all, and re­ioyce in our labours and finde a lawfull plea­sure in earthly things, so often he cals to the vse lest wee should erre as the Monkes and Eremits haue done before, mistaking these wordes, when he saith that All is vanity, they haue forsaken all companie, & gouernement and office and trade, and got themselues into the wildernes amongst beasts, to liue in quiet and silence, saying, that men could not liue in the world, and please God, because All is va­nitie: so while they counted all things vaine, they became vain themselues, and left those blessings which Salomon inioyed after his knowledge, more than he did before. There­fore it is vaine man which Salomon repro­ueth, which is not onelie called Vanitie, but lighter thā Vanitie. Psal. 62. 9. If he did not things vaine­ly, nothing should bee vaine in the worlde, whereas now by abuse we may se sometime as great vanitie in the best things, as in the worst: For are not many vaine in their know­ledge, vaine in their pollicies, vaine in their learning, as other are vaine in their igno­rance? Was not the wisedom of Achitopel a vaine thing? The swiftnes of Hazael a vaine thing? The strength of Goliah a vaine thing? The treasures of Nabuchadnezzar a vaine thing? The honour of Ammon a vaine thing? [Page 829] The beautie of Absolon a vaine thing? The knowledge of the Scribes a vaine thing? The deuotion of the Pharisies a vaine thing. And so is the learning of all those a vaine thing, that do no good with it, but either it lies vn­der a bushell and mouldes, or else it prattles like Tertullus alwaies against Paul: Act. 24. 5. striuing to make warre betweene them which loue dearer than any brethren.

By this you may see that vanitie is bolde when she breaks into houses and Churches and Pallaces, and sometime vanitie may come to infect, where Trueth may not come to reprooue: Is it not high time then to sounde this Alarum againe, Vanitie of vani­ties? &c.

If we could heare how vehementlie, and how pittifullie Salomon pronounced this outcrie, happilie it would moue vs a little to heare how hee did exclame of his owne life and condemned himselfe, as it were by the sounde of a Trumpet that all might heare: For we are all by nature such deafe Adders, that whether the Prophets come piping, or mourning, or crying, they goe away from vs againe mourning like Ieremie, Iere. 5. 9. we would haue cured Babel, but she would not be cured. Nay the Citie of Ierusalem would not (saith our Sa­uiour Christ) when hee wept for his Israe­lites.

[Page 830] Therefore, Salomon speakes thrice, like a Cryer, Vanitie of vanities: as the mother which would faine make her sonne to heare, she doubles and trebles her wordes: What my sonne and what the sonne of my wombe, Pro. 31. 1 and what the sonne of my desires? So when GOD would stirre vs vp to heare, he crieth thrice to the earth and saith, Earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord: Iere. 22. 39. so when Salomon would disswade from the companie of the wicked: reade Prouerbs 4. 1▪ 4: how often he repeates the charge: Enter not into the waie of the wicked, walke not in it, auoid it, goe not by it, turne from it, and passe by, as though hee would neuer haue done, or as though wee woulde neuer heare. So Christ when hee taught Peter what was his duetie, rehearsed it thrice:Ioh. 21. 16. Feede: Feede: Feede. Ioseph shew­eth the reason of these repetitions, when hee telles Pharaoh why his dreame was dou­bled,Gen. 41. 32. because the matter was important and certaine. Therefore when Salomon repeates this saying so often, he calles for audience, as though hee had some waightie and great matter to vtter. Such a point of wisedome it is for euerie man to knowe that All is va­nitie, if we direct not things to their right end, as when the Holy Ghost would signifie that God is all holie, he repeated thrice, ho­lie, Esay. 6. holie, holie: So when hee shoulde shewe [Page 831] that man is al vaine thrice he repeateth vani­tie, to shew how hardlie man beleeues that he is vaine: therefore he brings in three as­sertions,Iob. 15. 31. as it were three witnesses to prooue it. All agree vppon the same words, but that the last is more plaine, and saieth that All is vanitie: that is, that man is not onely chan­ged and become vaine: but for the vanitie, of man,Rom. 8. 20 as the Apostle saieth, The creatures are subiect to vanitie, and haue not the glory and libertie which they should haue, for the sinne of man. A spirituall eie doth see some vanitie or other in euery thing, as appeareth betwixt Christ and his Disciples at Ierusalem. They gazed vpon the building of the Temple as a braue thing,Luk. 21. 5. and would haue Christ to be­hold it with them: but he did see that it was but vanitie, and therfore saide: Are these the things that yee looke vpon? as if he should say: How vaine are you to gaze vppon this? If Christ thought the beauty of his Temple a vaine thing, & not worth the sight, which yet was beautified and built by his owne prescription: how should Salomon expresse all the vanitie of the world,Mat. 24. 1 to which all men haue added more and more since the begin­ning?Iohn. 21. 5. Therefore as if he wanted wordes to expresse it, as hee did see it, hee breakes foorth into an exclamation, and repeates the same often, Vanitie of vanities: as if hee [Page 832] should say I cānot speak how vain the world is, but vaine it is, and very vaine, and nought but vaine, speaking as if hee had the feeling and sense of it, as though the worlde stoode naked before him, and it grieued him to see, he cuts his words in chiding maner, & makes short riddance, as if it irked him to speake all that he knewe, therefore that which hee speakes he speakes roundly, that if they read no more, but sleepe all the Sermon after: yet the first sentence shall strike a sting into their heartes, and leaue a sounde behinde to waken them when they are gone, as manie (you know) remember this sentence, which remember no sentence in all his booke be­side. Who hath not heard Vanitie of vani­ties &c. Though fewe haue conceiued it? This is the phrase of Scripture, when the ho­ly Ghost would commende the song of Sa­lomon aboue all other songs, hee calles it the song of songes, so called in the Hebrewe and mentioned 1. King. 4. 32. When he woulde exalt the heauenly king aboue all, hee calles him the King of kings, so when he woulde note a greate vanitie, and yet a greater, and a greater than that, which is the greatest of all, he calles it Vanitie of vanities, as when we would note a great foole, we will say a foole of fooles, a sin of sins, a seruant of seruantes, These are scornefull names to the worlde, [Page 833] and homelie titles, to giue our pleasures, to call them Vanitie of vanities, and againe Vanitie of vanities, and yet againe Vanitie, as though wee woulde prouoke them to fall out with vs, like a man which sharpens his e­nemie with taunts, when he woulde egge him to fight. Hee might haue mollified his tearmes, before hee condemned the worlde thrise, but the worlde is no changling that Salomon shoulde change his iudgement, but vaine it was, vaine it is, and vaine it will bee, and therefore a thrise vaine worlde hee may call it: First, Vanity, straight Vanity of vani­ties, and sodainelie All is vanitie What a transcendent is this? as though it increased while he spake, so fast groweth this weede to worse and worse, like the Image which appeared to Nabuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. the first part was of Golde, the second of Siluer, the third of Brasse, the fourth of Iron, the fifth of clay, so by many changes the world growes worse and worse, and all they which folow it. When a man begins to like of pleasure, & opens the doore to one vanitie which hee loues, straight as many vanities floch to him, as Salomon had Concubines, till the Temple of God be like a den of theeues. Therefore when Salomon beheld such apluralitie, and Totquot of Vanities,1. Kin. 11. [...] like Surges com­ming one vppon another in pleates and in [Page 834] foldes, he spake as though he would shewe vs Vanity hatching vanities, Vanity of Vani­ties, all is Vanity. The first saying dooth passe without let, but the last rubs and sinks not into the heartes of men so easilie as it is spoken. Me thinkes I heare some dispute for Baal, and bid Salomon stay before he come to All is Vanity. It may bee that sinne is vanity, and pleasure is vanitie: but shall we con­demne all for sinne and pleasure? What say you to Beautie which is natures dowrie, and cheareth the eie, as sweete meate doeth the taste? Beautie is like a faire picture, take a­waye the colour and there is nothing left. Beautie in deede is but a colour and a temp­tation, the colour fadeth, and the temptati­on snareth. But what saie you to Riches which make men Lordes ouer the rest, and allow them to goe braue, and lie soft, & fare daintilie, and haue what they list? Riches are like painted grapes, which looke as though they would satisfie a man, but doo not slake his hunger, nor quench his thirst, Riches in deede to make a man couet more, and get enuie, and keepe the minde in care. But what say you to Honour, which sets a man a loft, and makes the knee bowe, & the tongue sooth and the heade stand bare, as though they were other kinde of creatures aboue them?

[Page 835] Honour is like a King in a play: when his part is done, his ornamentes are taken from him, and hee which helde the bason to him is as good as hee. Honour in deed may com­maund all but life: hee makes a faire shewe now: but when death comes, all is one.

But what say you to profound Knowledge in deepe mysteries, which makes men sought vnto,2. Sam. 11. and called deepe Clarkes, and great Doctours? Knowledge is like the Letters which Vriah carried against himselfe: so Knowledge draweth a greater iudgement, and oftentimes condemnes the bearer. Knowledge without Vertue, leaues a man without excuse, and is a witnes against him, because hee vnderstandes what is good, and will not doe it. Yet there is another darling of account behinde:Psal. 128. what say you to Long life, which causeth a man to see his childrens children, and makes him reuerent before the people? Long life is like a long night, when a man cannot sleepe: so age is wearisome with sicknes, and striues with it selfe because it cannot walke, nor talke, nor heare, nor see, nor taste, nor sleepe, as it was wont: therfore wisheth often the night were gone, that the paine were past. Indeede hee that sees many daies, sees many miseries: and therefore what is not vayne in life, sith life it selfe is vayne? Shewe mee the light which will not darken, [Page 836] shewe mee the flowre which will not fade, shewe me the fruite which will not corrupt, shewe mee the garment which will not weare, shew mee the beauty which will not wither, shewe mee the strength which will not weaken, shewe mee the time which will not passe, and I will reclaime that All is va­nitie? but if all things vanish, then all things are vaine, yet this will not goe for truth, be­fore men haue smarted for the triall. Some are so vaine that they count nothing vanitie. but that which is vainer than the rest de­lightes them most,Pro. 12. 12. for there is as it were a­common weale of vaine persons,Pro. 14. 9. and hee which can bee vainest, is like a King of the rest. Some are of this minde, that they thinke all is vanitie but that which they loue, and therefore they call them vaine,Pro. 28. 4. and curious, and phantasticall, which speake against their vanities, and say that it is necessarie to bee vaine, for they cannot liue vnlesse they de­ceiue, they cannot please vnles they flatter, they cannot bee beleeued vnles they sweare they cannot be esteemed vnles they roist, as Demetrius thought that hee should beg vn­lesse he might sell Images.Act. 19. 24. There is another sort like the buier in Pro. 20. which sayth. It is naught, it is naught, but when hee is gone a­part hee boasteth. So they will say of the worlde, It is naught, It is naught, before men [Page 837] and sweare that all is vanitie, but when they are gone apart, they reconcile themselues vnto it and kisse it, and promise to be vaine still, but they cannot abide to be counted vaine, the vainest man that is. This shewes that the follie of the worlde is so open and shamefull, that her loues must needes con­demne her. You shall heare them say often times: It is a vaine world, a wicked world, a naughty world, yet they will not forsake it to die, like dastard souldiers, who raile a­gainst the enemie, but dare not fight against him. Al is vanitie, but this is vanitie of va­nities, that men wil follow that which they cōdemne. But this is that euery sinner might cōdemne himselfe: for the conscience must iudge first and then God,1. Ioh. 3. 20 as our Sauiour saieth: Out of thine owne mouth, and so out of thine owne heart I wil condemne thee, naugh­ty seruaunt, Shewing that the wicked con­demne themselues before they are condem­ned of God. These are the worldes fooles, which care not what is their end, so that their way be pleasant.

Oh that here were a full ende or conclu­sion of Vanities, but beholde, a greater Vanitie is behind:Mat. 23. 27 for our Religion is Va­nitie, like the Scribes and Pharisies, as Ma­thew saieth in the 23. Chapter, and 27. verse hauing a bare shew of holines, as hee saieth, [Page 838] he could call it but a shew of holines, & scarce that: our vanitie is vanitie, but our holines is but a shew of holines not worthie to be called holines but like holines: yet the most part haue not so much as the shew of holines, as the Pharisies had, but are vaine in shew, in­side and outside too. Thus wee finde no­thing yet but vanitie. I cannot leade you from one vnto another, to shew you the seuerall vanities of euerie person, or euery thing, because Salomon saith, All is vanitie. How many sins then haue we to condemne vs, whose vanities are sprinkeled in euerie thing? Which haue not onelie so many va­nities as there be things, but many vanities in euery thing. As in our fare, how many va­nities be there, which makes vs rise somtime sicke, sometime sleepy, sometime drunke? Yet are there more vanities: in our sportes, our laughing, and swearing and iesting, and scoffing, and dallying, and playing with the Scriptures, which oftentimes leaues such a sting behinde, that we had rather haue lost our sport, than feele the worme that gnaws vs for it. And yet there bee more vanities in our apparrel, ruffe vpon ruffe, lace vpon lace cut vpon cut, 24. orders to the 3. and 4. de­gree, as though our apparrell were apparel­led, vntil the woman be not worth so much as her artire, that if we would see vanitie her [Page 839] selfe how she would goe if she did weare ap­parrel, she would euen goe like our women: for she could not goe, nor speake, nor looke vainer. Who dooth not know that these are vanities, and that they might leaue them, if they would? But that ye might see there is a heart within vainer than the apparel is with­out. Therefore when these vanities re worn out, they wil haue new, and still new, til all be spent vpon vanitie, and then they begin like the prodigall childe to see how vaine they were,Luke. 15. 12 when they haue bought Wise­dome with sorrow. What would Salomon say, if he should see how vanitie is growen since his time, what a hight she is mounted, what a traine followes her, that there is no prince in the world hath so many attendants as vanitie? She was but an Impe then, but now she is a mother, and who can number her sonnes and daughters: the child is vaine in playing the mother vaine in dandling, the father vaine in giuing, the Courtier vaine in spending, the souldier vaine in boasting, the suter vaine in striuing, the trauailer vaine in talking, the merchant vaine in swearing, the gentleman vaine in building, the husband­man vaine in carking, the olde man vaine in coueting, the Seruingman vaine in soothing, the young man vaine in sporting, the Papist vaine in superstition, the protestant vaine in [Page 840] conuersation. Euery vanitie is so pleasant to one or other, that they cannot misse one. So she gads by Sea & by land, and still mo dis­ciples flock vnto her of gamsters & swearers and players, and tiplers, and haksters, and Courtiers, as thicke as the flies of Aegipt, which buzzed in their eares, and their eies, and their necks before,Gen. 8. 30. and behind, that a man cannot set his foot but vpon Vanitie. As the waters couered the earth, when but eight persons were saued:Gen. 7. 27. so vanitie hath co­uered it again, a worse deluge than the first, because it hath not suffered eight persons to escape, but euery man is tainted with some vanitie or other, which God seeing in that place and Citie which should be best in the world,Esa. 24. 10. (that all men in the citie were vaine) cals it the Citie of vanitie: So wee may say the world of vanitie, because she hath an in­terest in euery person of it, shee sits vpon the earth like a Serpent, and hatcheth all the sinnes which you see amongst men. As ful as Heauen is of blisse, so the world is fraught with vanitie, Court, Citie & countrey, whi­ther doth not vanitie goe, but to Heauen? Seeing then that vanitie is so extolled a­mongest men,Luk. 10. 40 Salomon giues his sentence, that all is vanitie. Christ like a Mediatour concludes vpon it that there is but one thing necessarie: therefore let our sentence be like [Page 841] theirs: For sure, if wee had Salomons repen­tance, we should see such an image of vanity before vs, as would make vs crie againe and againe as often as Salomon: Vanitie of vanities, vanitie of vanities, and all is vanitie. What a sweet sentence is this from a King, who may liue as they list by authority, to say, that all is vanitie? Oh, that we might heare Kinges speake so againe: for it is a speech which had neede of some to countenance it, for none are counted vaine now but they that speake against vanitie. Then Salomon cryed it, but now we must whisper it. You may see how times are changed: Once this was sounde diuinitie, now it is flat railing: to say that all is vanitie, is euen the vpshot of a disturber. If ye aske the Athiest or Epicure, or these ro­gish plaiers, what is a disturber? you shall see that they will make Salomon one, because he speaketh against vanitie: for this is their de­finition, hee which will not allowe men to prophane the Saboth but saith, that Cardes & dice, & stage plaies, & Mai-games & May poales, & May fooles, and Morris-dauncers are vanitie, is a pratler, a disturber, and an Arch-pustan,Iohn. 19. [...] by the lawe which the Iewes had to kil Christ. The reason is,Pro. 13. 1. because men cannot abide to be controlled of their plea­sures. Therefore they hold it is an offence, to speake against their sports, or their customs, [Page 842] or their follies, or their pleasures, or their ti­tles, or their toyes: and they which woulde not be counted precise in these times, must take heede that they goe not so farre as Sa­lomon to tearme all Vanitie. But they must say, that the vanities of great men are neces­sarie recreations, & the vanities of the people are meanes to make vnitie. Greater bookes are written to maintaine this than Salomon made to refute it, so they haue made their wit and their learning Vanitie, and are vaine in Printe. But they that would knowe nowe of what standing such precise reproouers are, and how ancient this reproofe is, may see heere, that if this bee a crime to call Vanitie, Vanitie: the wisest man that euer was before Christ was herein criminate, not when hee strayed, but when hee repented, in his best minde (when he became like a Preacher) he preached this first, Vanitie of vanities, all is va­nitie: yet many had rather trie it with Salo­mon, then beleeue it of Salomon: and while they are wondring with him, some are taken out of their way, and cut shorte of the time which they set to repent: from others God taketh away his grace,2. King. 17. 13 so they neuer returne because their guide is gone. This the holie Ghost pointed at, when he saith, They follow­ed vanitie, & became vaine, shewing that the things wee followe, will make vs like them­selues, [Page 843] and lead vs whether they belong, to heauen or hell. In Rom. 8. 20. vanitie is put for destruction, but it is neuer put for saluati­on. If other creatures are subiect to a kinde of destruction for the sinne of man, as Paul sheweth, what destruction shall light vpon man for his owne sinne? Therefore let our sentence runne with Salomon, Vanitie of va­nities, all is vanitie. Wee coulde affoord the worlde better wordes and fairer titles, than Vanitie of vanities: but call it what we will, Salomon shewes what it is, and what we will say in the end when we haue tried it, then Vanitie of vanities: yet it is comfort of com­forts, glory of glories, and life of liues. But as Laban shewed himselfe at parting:Gen. 31. so at par­ting you shall see how it will serue you, They seeme pleasant vanities, and honest vanities, and profitable vanities: Psal. 31. 6. but Dauid cals them deceiptfull vanities. Iona. 2. 8. Ionas comes after & cals them lying vanities, that is, which promise pleasure, and profite, and all, but deceiue all, when they should performe. They play La­ban which gaue Leah for Rachel. If they be lying vanities and deceiptfull vanities, then are they wofull & miserable vanities. There­fore, if we be not come to Salomons conclu­sion, to thinke that All is vanitie, it is because our owne vanitie will not suffer vs to see the vanitie of other things. When we haue pro­ued [Page 844] like Salomon, as fast as euery man grow­eth in knowledge, and experience, so he be­ginnes to crie vanitie, and after Vanitie of va­nities, and at last, All is vanitie: so wee con­temne not all at once, but one sin after ano­ther, one pleasure after another, till at last we count All is vanitie, and then we are come home with Salomon and may be Preachers vnto other. Thus I haue shewed vnto you as it were a limme of vanitie, you may looke a­bout you and see the whole bodie: for if she be any where in this land, this is her pontisi­cal seat, where she is neuer nonresident: now I will leaue you to examine these sayinges, whether all things haue not beene in vaine vnto you yet. If they haue been vaine to you and yet are good in their owne nature, then think how vaine you are who haue turned so many good things to vanitie. Yet to set you in the way before I ende, I will answer them which aske, if All things be vanitie: As Salo­mon saith,Luk. 10. Tell vs what wee should choose, that we be not vaine? Christ saith, that one thing is necessarie. Is Salomon contrary to Christ? No, therefore one thing Salomon excepts too, to feare God & keepe his commandements. There­fore if all be vaine but this,Math. 4. let the Tempter take thee vp againe, and shewe thee the Kingdomes of the world, when hee saith, All these will I giue thee, thou maist say, All these [Page 845] I contemne, for all is vaine.

What then?Psal. 119. Turne away my eies (saith the Prophet Dauid) and my eares, & my heart too from vanitie. Trie and proue thou no longer, for Salomon hath proued for thee, it is better to beleeue him than trie with him. Therefore now it remaineth that as they brought forth their vaine bookes ofter Pauls preaching,Act. 19. 19. & cast them into the fire: so ye should cast out all your vanities this day, and sacrifice them to God, for they haue been your Idols, there­fore burie them as Iacob did the Idols,Gen. 35. 4. that neuer man saw them after. And as God gaue Iob other children, so they will giue you o­ther pleasures, feare not that your ioyes will goe way with your vanities, as many thinke they shall neuer bee merry againe, if they should be cōuerted to religion. But as Dauid daunced before the Arke as merily as Hero­dias daunced before the King:2. Sam. 6. 14 so knowe vn­doubtedlie that the righteous finde more ioy in goodnes, than euer the wicked found in filthines. Nay (saith Dauid) more than they can finde in riches or honours, Psal. 47. when their wheate and wine abound. Psal. 53. 17. As a horse is a vaine thing to saue a man: so all these things are too vaine to make a man happie. I appeale to your selues, if ye haue tried the pleasures of va­nitie alreadie, (as I knowe ye haue) whe­ther yee may readilie say with Saint Paule, [Page 846] What profit haue we of these things whereof we are ashamed? no profit but shame and griefe, and guilt, & a dreadful expectation of iudge­ment:Pro. 14. 18. As Salomon cals folly the inheritaunce of follie, so vanitie is the inheritaunce of va­nitie. Ten times Laban changed Iacobs wa­ges, but ten thousand times sinne hath chan­ged your wages, and deceiued you with o­ther successe than you looked for, like Shebna which built his Sepulchre in one Countrey, and was buried in the other:Esay. 22. and yet how many changes are behinde, you knowe not, for if you did you woulde make inquisition now and banish them at first, for whensoe­uer ye goe about to cast them out, they will say still like the Diuels, that thou tormentest them before the time. It seemes that manie are touched with compassion of this, & ther­fore repriue their vanities, and slack the exe­cution, as though they were affraid to offend the Diuell:Mat. 8. 29 euen we perhaps are in the trace of vanitie, hunting with Salomon to finde that which we loue, and finde it not: because we seeke it out of the way. What is the remedy, So runne, saith Paul, that ye may obtaine, you haue tried the euil way to happines, now try the good way,1. Cor. 9. 24 and then that which yee loue nowe, shall not onely seeme vaine, but Va­nitie of Vanities: that ye wil maruaile how ye could loue them so long, and would not bee [Page 847] in that dotage of thē again for all the world. Vntill these earthlie things seeme vaine, no heauenlie things shal seeme precious, there­fore lose no more time the daie comes when Vanitie of vanities shall be turned to miserie of miseries, and All is vanitie, to All is mise­rie. There is a certain place called Hel, where God keepes generall Sessions, there Iustice shall sit to examine vanity, who hath embra­ced her and who hath forsaken her God, and he which made his pleasure of sinne, so soone as he heares this doome, Depart from me yee wicked, shall goe downe by a blacke waie with many a sigh and [...] from God from the Angels from the Saints, from ioie, from glory, from blisse with the fiends of hell, to [...] Pallace of darkenes with the Prin­ces of horror, at the table of vengeance, in the [...] of calamitie, with the crowne of death vpon his head: & he which tempted him to sinne, shall plague him for sinning vntil he crie like Gam, My punishment is greater than I can beare for all the griefes, and feares, and cares, and troubles, which fed vppon him while he liued shall meete in an houre, and exceede them so farre, that he suffers for all, and maruaile how any torment can bee left for other. What faith or feare haue they, that go dauncing & leaping to this fire, as it were to a banquet, like a foole which runneth to [Page 848] the stocks? How happie were it for men as we liue in these daies, if there were no iudg­ment at all? What will we answere when he which made Salomon to write this,2. Sam. 11. 26. shall aske why we would not beleeue it? what shall we say when he which came from his kingdom to bring vs vnto it, demaunds why we did turne the day of saluation vnto the date of va­nitie? if ye cannot excuse it here, how will ye defend it there we were borne in vanitie, and we liue in vanitie, but wee would not die in vanitie, because no man lookes for any good of his sinnes after he is past this world, there­fore let vs remember that whither the vaine men are gone, thither vaine men shall goe. There be not two endes for sinners, but one: what a wofull bargaine will it seeme then to remember that thou didst sell they soule for vanitie? If any thing wil reclaime vs, this wil [...] be a terrour in our heartes, to thinke that we shal giue account vnto him, which will measure to vs as much miserie as wee haue taken vanitie, 2. Sam. 13. 15. therefore as Abner saide to Ioab, knowest thou not that it will be bitternes in the latter ende? So let euery man consider with himselfe, though his vanities be swee [...] now, yet they will bee bitter in the ende As Ammon after hee had fulfilled his lust did hate Thamar (which defied her) more than he loued her before, so when the sport [Page 849] is past, and Death lookes vs in the face, wee shall hate our vanities more, than wee loue [...]. All this [...] conclude that our Sauiour said to Martha, Luk. 10. 40. but one thing is ne­cessarie. Which God graunt wee may choose for his sonne Iesus Christ, and then wee haue learned this lesson.

WHen I spake last of these words, I shewed you how the Apostle commēdeth vnto vs three ver­tues, of greater price than the three presents which the wise­men brought vnto Christ: the first is, Reioice euermore, the second is, pray continually, the third, in all things giue thankes. All three are of one last, for wee must reioice continually be­cause he saith, reioyce euermore, and we must pray continually, because he saith pray continu­ally, and wee must giue thankes continually be­cause he saith, in all things giue thanks. These are the three things which one saith, Al men doe, and no man doth, because euerie man doth them, and scarce one doth them as hee should. Therefore the Apostle to shewe vs, how we should doo them well, doth put con­tinually vnto them, as though continuance were the perfection of al vertues. I chose this scripture for a consolation to them which are [Page 851] afflicted in conscience, which is commonly the disease of the innocentest soule: for they thinke that they doo wel to mourne continu­ally, and Paul saith, Reioice continually: and therefore I will speake a little more of these wordes than I did before. If you marke it, it may well be called, The Ladder of Peace▪ for it stands vpon three steps, and euery step is a step from trouble to peace, from sorrow to ioy, for hee which can Reioyce, is past his griefe: & he which can pray, is passing from his griefe, & he which can giue thankes, hath obtained his desire. A man cannot reioyce & mourne, a man cannot pray and despaire, a man cannot giue thankes, and bee offended, therefore keepe still vpon one of these three steps, and you shall neuer sorrow too much. If thou canst not reioyce as if thy paine were past, then giue thankes, because thy paine is profitable: if thou canst not thinke that thy payne is worth thankes, then pray that thou maist haue patience to beare it: and it is vn­possible that in praying or thanking or reioy­cing, that any greefe should want patience e­nough to beare it. But when you forget to reioyce in the Lord, then you begin to muse, and after to feare, and after to distrust, and at last to despayre, and then euery thought seemes to be a sinne against the holy Ghost. How many sinnes doth the afflicted consci­ence [Page 852] recorde against it selfe, repenting for breaking this commaundement, and that commaundement, and neuer repenteth for breaking this commaundement, reioice euer­more.

It is not an indifferent thing to reioyce or not to reioice, but wee are commaunded to reioyce, to shew that wee breake a comman­dement if we reioyce not. Oh what a comfort is this when the comforter himselfe shall cō ­maund vs to reioyce? God was wont to say, repent and not reioice because men reioyce too much, but heere God commaundeth to re­ioyce, as though some men did not reioyce enough.

Therefore you must vnderstand to whom he speaketh.Psal. 149. 5. In 149. Psal. 5. It is said, Let the Saints be glad, not let the wicked be glad, and in Esaiah 40. 1.Esai. 40. 1. Hee saith, Comfort my people, not comfort mine enemies, shewing to whō this commandement of Paul is sent reioyce e­uermore, it is not in this as Christ saieth that which I say vnto you I say vnto all, but that which I say vnto you I say not vnto all.Pro. 13. 9. Giue wine (saith Salomon) vnto him that is sorrow­full; that he may forget his griefe: So giue com­fort vnto him which is penitent that he may forget his feare. Salomon saith fiue times that this is the portion of man vnder the sunne, Eccle. 2. 24. to re­ceiue the gifts of God with thankefulnes and to [Page 853] reioyce in them, Leuit. 11. hee which would haue vs holy as he is holy, 1. Pet. 1. 16. would haue vs ioyfull as he is ioyfull, he which would haue vs do his will vpon earth, As the Angels doo it in heauen, would haue vs reioyce vpon earth as the An­gels reioyce in heauen, he which hath ordai­ned vs to the kingdome of Saints, woulde haue vs reioice that we haue such a kingdom to receiue.

Therefore he saith to his Disciples, Reioice that your names are written in the booke of life, as B [...]az said vnto Ruth [...], goe not out of this fielde to gleane in any other field, Luk. 10. 20. for here thou shalt haue inough, Ruth. 2. 8. so he woulde not haue vs goe from this comfort vnto any other com­fort, for here we shall haue enough: the spi­rite of God is called the Comforter, Ioh. 14. 16. because we should haue comfort in it, I will send you the Comforter saith Christ, to shew that they which haue the spirit haue comfort too, and they which resist comfort, resiste the spirit, therefore the sonne of GOD is called the Consolation of Israell, Luk. 2. 25. to shew that hee bring­eth Consolation with him, and that ioye is where Christ is, as light is where the Sūne is.

Therefore the chiefest ioy is called the ioye of the holie Ghost, to shewe that they haue the chiefest ioye,Rom. 14. 17 which haue the holie Ghost, therefore the greatest peace is called [Page 854] the peace of conscience, Phil. 4. 7. to shew that they haue the greatest peace, which haue a good con­science: therefore the faithfull are said, to be annointed with the oyle of ioy, Esai. 61. 3. as though ioie were in their countenance: therefore they are said to be cloathed with the garmēt of glad­nes, Rom. 1. 17. as though gladnes did compasse them like a garment:1. Cor. 1. 3. therefore Paul (in al his E­pistels) doth ioine grace & peace together,2. Cor. 1. 2. & shew that the peace of God doth follow them which haue the grace of God. Gal. 1. 3. It is not in vaine that the holy Ghost when he named Barna­bas, Eph. 1. 2. interpreted his name too, because it sig­nifieth the sonne of consolation: Col. 1. 2. as though he delighted in such men as were the sonne of consolation. 2. Thes. 2. 1 Comfort one another saith Paule: Tit. 1. 4. How shal we comfort one another without comfort?Philem. 3. Therefore Paule saith,Act. 4. 39. GOD com­forteth vs; 1. The. 4. 18. that we may be able to comfort other by the comfort wherby we our selues are comfor­ted of God: 1. Cor. 14. shewing, that wee cannot com­fort other, vnlesse wee be comfortable our selues: and therefore that we may performe this dutie, we are bound to nourish comfort in our selues Paul saith, I am full of comfort: who then can say,1. Cor. 7. 4. I am full of sorrow, but he must contrarie Paule? As the bodie may not offend the soule, so the soule may not iniure the body, because it is the bodis keeper: but a pensiue man doth iniure the body, and the [Page 855] soule too,Pro. 18. 14. for Salomon saith, A sound spirit will beare his infirmities, but a wounded spirite who can beare? As if he should say, The heart must be kept couragious, and strong, & liue­ly like an instrument which is tuned to tune all the rest, or els euery griefe wil make thee impatient. In Deut. 30. 9. it is said that God reioiceth to doe vs good, & therefore in the 28 of Deut. the Iewes are reprooued, because they reioyced not in the seruice of God. As he loueth a cheerfull giuer, so, hee loueth a cheerfull seruer, and a cheerefull Preacher, and a cheereful hearer, and a cheereful wor­shipper: and therefore Dauid saith, Let vs sing hartelie vnto the Lord, shewing as it were the tune which delighteth Gods eares. If you would know with what tune ye should sing vnto God,Psal. 95. 1. Dauid saith Heartelie, that is, you must giue heartelie, you must loue hear­telie, you must obey heartelie, you must pray heartelie: and when you do all thinges hear­tely, then you shall doe all things cheerfully.

Therfore now I may say vnto them which resist comfort and nourish griefe, as the Pro­phet saith,Isa. 1. 12. Who hath required these things of you? GOD doth require no sorrowe but the sorrow for sin, no feare but the fear to sin, no care but the care to please him, nay hee hath forbidden al other care: and therefore Peter saith,1. pet. 5. 7. Cast your care vppon him. As though [Page 856] God did not allow vs to care, he sent his A­postle with this charge, Cast your care vppon him, As wee doo cast our sinnes vpon Christ so we must cast our cares vpon him: for God hath commaunded vs to labour, but not to care, because care hindereth our labour, like the Samaritanes, which seemed to helpe the Iewes to build the Temple & hindered them to build the Temple:Ezra. 9. 2. so care, and sorrow, & thought seeme to helpe vs in our labours, & our studies, & our prayers, and our strife, but indeede they hinder vs, for they take al the time from that which we should do, & disa­ble vs to do it: and therefore, when care commeth to vs, we shal answere it as Christ said vnto Sathan. Auoide Sathan, auoide care for euery care which is not of God,Mat. 4. is of Sa­than, and we may not beare that which God commaundeth vs to cast vppon him: shall I hang my ioy, and my faith, and my hope, be­cause I haue sinned, as Iudas hanged himself? The Scripture saieth not, let him which hath stolne despaire of mercie,Iohn. 41. but Let him which hath stolne steale no more, and it is enough. As we are taught to discerne of spirites & of do­ctrines: 2 Cor. 7. 10 so we must discerne of cares and sor­rowes: for when Paul saith, There is a repen­tance not to be repented of: Hee sheweth that there is a repentance to be repented of, that is, a repentance which is a sin like the teares [Page 857] of Esau, which wept not for his sins, but for his patrimony.Gen. 25. 33 When wee sorrowe for any thing but sinne,Gen. 27. 34 as Esau did, then our sorrow is murmuring: and when wee sorrow more for sinne then wee should as some doe: then our sorrow is distrust, which hurteth vs more than the thing which wee sorrow for:Pro. 17. 22. For, The sorrowe of the heart (saith Salomon) is the consuming of the bones: not onely the consu­ming of the soft flesh, but the consuming of the hard bones, that is, it will pull down the strongest man that is: and hee which inter­taineth it,Ruth. 1. 10, shall quickly say with Naomi: Call me no more beautifull, but bitter. Call mee no more strong, but weak, for it wil change him like a sicknes: therefore as Christ refused the vineger & would not drinke it when he had tasted it:Psal. 69. 6. So let no man drinke of sorrow be­fore he taste it: But if anie thing eat thee vp, let the zeale of Gods house eate thee vp: for thy charge is not to get thy liuing with the care of thy minde, but with the sweate of thy browes. Now (as Iames saith) Resist the deuil, & hee will flie from you: Gen. 3. 19. So resist sorrowe, and it will flie from you. This is all the care, and all the feare, and all the repentance, which euer I could find in the Scripture.Iames. 4. 7. Therefore let vs pray God euery day to tourne all our ioye into the ioy of the Holy Ghost, and all our peace into the peace of conscience, and all [Page 858] our sorrow into the sorrow for sinne, and all our feare into the feare to sinne, that so wee may sorrow & reioyce together, feare & hope together: that is, haue one eie to the Law to keepe vs from presumption, and another eie to the Gospel to keepe vs from despaire, and then this comfort is sent to vs, Reioyce euer more, or els we haue nothing to do with it.

It followeth:1. Kin. 3. 15. Pray continually. As Elisha would not prophecie vntill the Musitian came, and while the Musitian played Elisha prophecied: so when the heart reioyceth in God, then it is fittest to call vppon God, and therefore Paul putteth reioyce before pray, like the Musitian which played before Elisha prophecied. After Reioyce continually, hee biddeth vs Pray continually: shewing that it must be such a reioycing continually, that we may pray continually too, or els he doeth not allowe vs to reioyce. How can these two ioyne together, Pray and Reioyce. Some if they should praye cannot reioyce for theyr heartes: Nay their harts are sicke vntill their prayers bee done, although they praye not themselues, but heare another praye for them, this is the difference betweene the re­ioycing of the wicked, and the reioycing of the godly. The comfort of the wicked, is like a compound medicine made of many [Page 859] mixtures: for there must be piping and daun­sing, and leaping, and feasting, and dallying, at their game, or else they cannot be merry. but the comfort of the faithfull is like a light in the aire, which shines when no mat­ter is seene: So the godlie reioyce when no cause is seene: if they doo but thinke vppon God, they reioice straight. If there bee but a praier, and a thankefulnes, and a meditati­on, there are instrumentes inough for them, and they can bee as merry as birdes in May. The reason of it is this,Iohn. 4. 32. as Christ said: I haue another meate which you knowe not of, so the godlie haue another ioy which the worlde knoweth not oft of this ioy, a man may reioice continually. And therefore Salomon saieth, A good conscience is a continuall feast, Pro. 15. 15. that is, a continuall ioy. But of the wickeds ioy hee saith, In laughter their hearte is sorrowfull: that is, their laughter is sorrowe: as if hee should say: the wicked neuer reioice indeed but counterfait ioy, as they counterfait ver­tue. Thus Paul ioineth, Reioyce continual­lie with Praie continually, as if hee shoulde say: by this thou shalt knowe whether thou reioice well, if thou canst pray too: that is, if thy reioicing mooue thee to praier, as the ioy of the Angels makes them praise GOD and sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, vnto him. This is according to that in the 5. of Iames. Iam. 5. 13. If anie [Page 860] man bee merry let him sing Psalmes: marke how Iames ioyneth mirth & Psalmes, as Paul ioineth Reioicing and praying, all this doth conclude, that as we should do Gods Wall in earth as it is done in heauen, Luk. 11. 2. so we shoulde re­ioice in earth as they reioyce in heauen, and then this ioy is a signe of another ioy, but if we cannot reioice in praying, how shall wee reioice in suffering; I am now in a large field▪ where I might shewe you to whome wee should pray, and the cause why wee shoulde pray, and the things which we shoulde pray for, and the Mediator which we shoulde pray by, and the affections which wee shoulde bring to [...] but I will keepe my selfe within my Text, which saieth no more but pray continually. First wee are commaunded to pray, and then we are commanded to pray continually, of all our dueties this is our one­ly duetie, which is giuen to none but GOD according to that, him onelie shalt thou serue: Such an excellent thing is praier,Mar. 4. 10. that it is of­fred to none but to him which Salomon cal­leth Excellent.

Secondlie, it is such a pleasant thing, that Paule ioineth, Pray continually; with Reioice continually, Pro. 26. 10 to shewe that no man hath such ioy as he which is often talking with GOD by Praier, as if hee shoulde say, if thou haue the skill to pray continually, it will make [Page 861] thee reioice continually, for in the companie of GOD is nothing but ioy and gladnes of heart.

Thirdlie, it is such a necessarie thing that Christ calleth his temple the house of praei­er to shewe that as we sell in our shops, and as we buy in the market, and as wee eate in our Parlours, and as we sleepe in our Cham­bers, and as we walke in our Galleries, so we should pray in the Temple, which is such a necessarie Trade for men, that GOD built a house for it and called it the house of Prayer, as though Praier brought GOD and vs to dwell continuallie in one house toge­ther.

Further hee hath made a day for it in eue­ry weeke as though hee woulde binde vs to Pray: and because wee can not Praye be­fore we be sanctified, therefore he set downe an order for vs to obserue and keepe, which is this, that before euery Sabboth he appoin­ted another day beside, in which we shoulde prouide ourselues to sanctifie and prepare vs that we might Praie in so effectuall man­ner as we ought.

Fourthlie, if we indeuour our selues to liue vprightlie and in the feare of GOD. according to the precise rule of his comman­dements, we shall find it such a heauenly life that it will make vs like the Angels which [Page 862] are in Heauen, for when we reade, God spea­keth to vs, because we reade his worde: But when we pray, wee speake to God, because we commence one [...] to him: and so praier makes vs like the Angels which are alwaies singing to God. Nowe if the companie of wise men can so change one, that in a shorte time he representeth their, speeches & qua­lities: how will them nature and their ma­ners alter, which are still talking with God, like the beloued Disciple which learned on Christes bosome?Ioh. 2. 20.

Fiftlie, it is such a sweete thing aboue o­ther things that we do for God, that in Reue. 7. the Praiers of the Saints are called incense; because when they ascend to Heauen, God seemes to smell a sweet sauour like incense.

Sixtly, it is such a profitable things, that it doth more good than [...]: for with mine almes, I helpe but three or foure: but with my praier I helpe thousandes Praier is the rich-mans almes as well as the poore mans. For Pharaoh begged for praiers as well as La­zarus begged for cromes.

Lastlie, it is victorious and powerfull, that it ouercommeth God himselfe which ouercommeth all things. For if we will ouer­come our Lord as Iacob did we must ouer­come him with praier. Gen. 22. 38 This God sheweth when he saith to Ieromiah: Ier. 11. 14. Pray not for this [Page 863] people. Shewing that the praier of the righte­ous is of such force and power, that God is faine to forbid them to pray when he would not graunt, lest he should be ouer come. This Christ sheweth againe, when he resembleth his father to the deaffe Iudge,Luk. 18. 23. and his sup­pliants to the importunate woman which cryed vpon him, and made him hearken to her, as if she had compelled him. Therefore one compareth prayer vnto Samsons haire: As all Sampsons strength lay in his hayre,Iud. 16. 17. so all our strength lyeth in praier. I haue read of many which write, that they did learn more by praying than they could by reading. And I haue heard some saie, that they haue done that by prayer, which they could not doe by counsell▪ In the 17. of Exodus, we reade that the Iewes preuailed more by prayer, than they could by fight. Therefore one saith: that he which can pray can do all things, because hee can ouercome God which helpeth him to do al things. And he which can ouercome God, can ouercome the diuell too, which hindereth all things.

Whoeuer fell into heresie, or into Apo­stasie, or into despaire, before hee fell from praier, Mat. 17. 22. the preseruatiue of the soule? If thou hadst beene heere, (saith Martha) my brother had not died: So if prayer had beene heere, these euils had not happened.

[Page 864] This is the Holie water which driueth a­waie vncleane spirites, as Christ sheweth when he speaketh of the Diuell which is not cast out but by fasting and praier. Mat. 6. 13. This is the Crosse which saueth vs from euill, as Christ sheweth when hee teacheth vs to praie, as it is wrtten in the 11. Chapter of Luke, Deliuer vs from euill. This is the oyle which hea­leth our sicknesse, as Iames sheweth in his fifth Chapter, verse. 15. when hee saith, The praier of faith shall saue the sicke. It hath such a hand in all thinges, that it is like the san­ctifier of euery thing, it blesseth our thoughts and blesseth our speeches, and blesseth our actions. As Abraham blessed his seruaunt before hee wente from: so prayer bles­seth our workes before they goe from vs. Whatsoeuer thou doest before thou haue blessed it with praier, Gen. 24. thou haste no pro­mise that it shall prosper nor doe good be­cause hee which should blesse it is not made a counsell to it. Therefore we shoulde not presume to vse anie of Gods giftes, or anie of Gods graces without prayer, lest that which is good, doe not good but hurt vnto vs.

For this cause S. Paule in the 14. to the Romans and the sixth verse,Act. 20. 36. 38. teacheth vs to pray before wee eate. For this cause Paule prayed before hee iournied. For this cause [Page 865] Eliah prayed before hee sacrificed, as it ap­peareth in 1. King. 18. 36.

For this cause the Israelites praied before they fought: and for this cause wee pray be­fore we preach. It is a good thing to preach, and yet you see wee doe not presume to preach before wee pray, because Paule plan­teth, 1. Cor. 3. [...] ▪ and Apollo watereth, but GOD giueth the increase. Euen so, wee should not pre­sume to giue Almes, nor to giue counsell, nor to giue helpe before wee haue prayed that it may doe good. Nay, wee shoulde not presume to exercise our faith, nor our re­pentance, nor our obedience without pray­er, because there is no faith so Perfect, but it had neede of Prayer to strengthen it.

Also, there is no loue so perfect, but it had neede of praier to confirme it. There is no repentance so perfect, but it had neede of prayer to continue it. There is no obedience so perfect, but it had neede of praier to di­rect it. Therefore hee dooth sinne which presumeth to doe anie good worke with­out praier, because hee seemes to doe it by his owne power, for that he craueth not assi­stance from GOD which giueth power to faith to bring forth works, as well as he doth to trees to bring foorth fruites, or to Phi­sicke to bring forth health. Therefore no ver­tue [Page 866] hath done so much as praier hath done: For all vertues haue had their power from prayer: and therefore one saieth, that prayer hath done as manie exploites, as all vertues beside.

The Apostle Paule in the 11. to the He­brews saith, that by faith Noah did this, and Abraham did this, and Dauid did this, and E­noch did this, but did their faith anie thing without praier? For their faith was streng­thened by praier: and therefore the Disci­ples praied Christ to strengthen their faith.Luk. 17. 5. By praier, 1. King. 18. 14. Eliah made the clowdes to fall. By prayer, Iosua made the Sunne to stande still.Iosh. 10. 12. 23▪ By praier Elisha raised the dead to life. By praier Moses made the enemies to flie. By praier Salomon obtained wisedome.1. King. 4. 33. 34. 35. So that as Paule in the first to Timothie, Exo. 16. 11. and fourth Chapter saieth of godlinesse:1. Kin. 3. 12. Godli­nesse is profitable to all things. So I may saie of praier: Prayer is profitable to all things. The Doue coulde finde no rest for the soale of her foote,Gen. 8. 9. vntill shee returned to the Arke: So the sinner when hee can flye no longer, nor suffer anie longer, nor helpe himselfe anie longer: at last he turneth to praier, Nū. 15. 11. which is like the Citie of refuge, where no enemie, where no aduersitie, and where no temptation hath power to hurte him.

[Page 867] Lastly, as prayer is excellent in respect of GOD, to whome onely it is offered, so it is excellent in respect of the godlie, who one­ly offer it: For as Paule saieth of Faith in the second to the Thessalonians: All men haue not faith: So I may say of prayer, all men haue not the gift of prayer, and therefore Zacha­riah speaketh of a spirit of prayer. Zac. 12. 10. And when wee pray, Paule sayeth, That the spirite hel­peth our infirmities & prayeth in vs, Rom. 8. 26. as though there were a peculiar spirite for prayer, and none could praye but they which had that spirit.

I haue knowne many wicked men heare, and I haue knowne many wicked men stu­die: and I haue knowen many wicked men fast: and I haue knowne many wicked men preach, and I haue knowne many wicked men counsell: but I did neuer knowe any wicked man that could pray well: nor any that could praye well, liue wickedly. This Peter prooueth in his first Epistle: and fourth Chapter, when hee sayth, Bee sober and watchfull in prayer: shewing that all can­not pray, but they which are sober and watch­full.

This Peter the Apostle prooueth againe in his first Epistle, and third Chapter, when hee exhorteth the husband and wife to loue one another, lest their praiers be interrupted, [Page 868] shewing that sinne dooth hinder our Prayer, and that a man cannot pray heartilie when wrath or malice, or lust doth carrie his mind away.

This Paule witnesseth againe when hee saith, Howe shoulde they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued? shewing, that none can pray but they which haue faith: and that is a signe that the Spirite is within, if he can pray and therefore one sayth: so long as God doth not take away thy praying, he hath not taken away his mercie. Seeing then that prayer is such a sacrifice, as is offered to none but GOD: and none can offer it but they which haue faith,Exo. 29. 4. and loue, and repentance, to bring it to him: As Aaron did not stande before the Lorde before he was washed: so let no man call vppon GOD before hee be sanctified. For as Isaac did first taste Iacobs meate,Gen. 27. 25 and then blessed him when hee liked his offering: so God will haue an offering which pleaseth him before he giue the bles­sing which pleaseth vs. Therefore as Iacob charged his sonnes when they went vnto Ioseph: Take the best fruites of the land and giue vnto him: Gen. 43. 11 So I aduise my selfe and you, when we go to GOD, let vs take the best fruites of our heartes and giue vnto him: that is, not the shewe of repentance, but repentance in deede.

[Page 869] As Abraham left his Asses at the foote of the hill when hee went to sacrifice: so when wee goe to praie, wee must leaue our passi­ons and affections, and lustes behinde, lest they trouble vs, like the fowles which hin­dered Abraham in his sacrifice. And when our prayers doe please GOD, as Iacobs meate did please his father, then GOD will heare our prayers, and blesse vs as his father blessed him.

Now to informe vs what prayer deligh­teth GOD, the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, and the fourth verse, sheweing that hee had the minde of Christ, teacheth vs to praie continually. This hee expoundeth in the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians, the third Chapter and the thirteenth verse, when hee saith, Be not wearie of well doing. Therefore, if you doe well when you pray, you must not be wearie of praying.

The like saying is in the twelft Chapter to the Romans, where it is saide, Continue in praier, The like saying is in the first Chapter to the Romans, where it is saide, Pray at all times. The like saying also is in the eighteenth Chapter of Saint Luke, where it is saide, Praye alwaies and bee not faint. Wee are not commaunded to preache continually, nor yet to heare continuallie, [Page 870] nor to fast continually▪ nor to Watch continu­ally: nor to gone continually, but wee are commaunded to pray continually▪ as though praier were more needefull than all the rest. Wee want continuallie, and wee are temp­ted continually, and we sinne continuallie, and therefore we had need to pray to GOD continual [...]y, that GOD woulde supplie our wants, and forgiue our sinnes, and preuent our temptations.

To shewe that wee shoulde pray dailie, Christ teacheth vs in the eleuenth Chapter of S. Luke, to saie, Giue vs this day our dailie breade, this day wee aske no more but our daily breade: and if wee liue till the mor­rowe then wee aske no more but our dailie bread: so the worde dailie, dooth teach vs to pray dailie: for there is great reason, that they which haue continually need of God, should pray continually vnto him. But as some aunswered Christ, as it appeareth in Saint Iohns Gospell: Who is able to doe this? So you will say vnto mee, Who is able to pray continually.

Saint Paul in his twelft chapter to the Ro­mās, teacheth vs a reasonable seruice of God Here hee seemes to inioine vs an vnreaso­nable seruice of God, For who did euer praie continually! Or if wee should pray continually, when should we heare, or Preach? or when [Page 871] should we studie, or when should we worke, so one seruice seemes to hinder all seruices: but indeede it doth further all seruices, and therefore we are commanded to praie conti­nually, because we can doo nothing with­out Praier. But if you imagine that this cō ­mandement is broken if your lips be not al­waies going, which was the heresie of the Messaliant, or if you dwell not alwaies in the Church like the golden Candlestickes, then you are out of Pauls minde, for Paul did not praie continually with his lips, and there­fore he doth not meane a lip-prayer: neither did Paule liue day and night in the Temple, and therefore he doth not meane a Church-prayer: and further, it seemes that the Iewes were not appointed to praie at all times, for they had set times of praier, and therefore we reade how Peter and Iohn went vp to the Temple at the time of praier, therefore to praie continually, is to lift vp our hearts conti­nually vnto God,Act. 3. 4. & to praie in our thought, as Moses did though wee open not our lips, and so we may praie continually. As when a good man is to answer before the persecu­tor, a thought praieth in his hart that he may answer wisely: when he is to giue Almes a thought praieth in his heart that it may doo good, when he is to giue counsel, a thought praieth in his heart that it may prosper: whē [Page 872] he is to heare a Sermon, a thought praieth in his heart, that he may be edified, and sanctifi­ed by it. Thus we may pray and heare, praie and speake, praie and eat, pray & studie, pray and woorke together, as the Iewes built and fought together, and therfore praying seems a harder thing than it is, for if it had beene irksome for any to pray, Paule woulde not haue ioined praying & reioycing together.Nehe. 47. It is not hard which a man may do & reioyce too. If a mā loue intirely, he hath no such delight as to talke often and to conferre daily with him whō he loueth, for by this his loue is in­creased, and his ioy is doubled, but the sel­domer we cōmune together by little & lit­tle our affections abate, til at last we become strange one to the other, as though wee had neuer beene acquainted. Euē so our affecti­ons and familiaritie doth grow toward God by often praying vnto him,Dan. 6. 10. and when wee leaue of to pray, Psal. 119. 164. then our affections drawe from him, and his affections from vs, there­fore we read how often the goodmen were wont to praye. In times past Daniel saith that hee prayed thrise a daye: Dauid saith that hee prai [...]d seauen times a daye: It is sayed that Cor­nelius praied continually: Rom. 2. It is saide that the Disciples prayed continually: & in the first to the Romans, Paul which teacheth vs here to praie without ceasing saith, that he himselfe [Page 873] prayed without ceasing. As Iacob woulde not let the Angell go before he had blessed him so a Christian should not let God rest before he heare him: This is the state that a Christiā should striue to, and neuer thinke that hee is sound at the heart till all his thoughts bee a kinde of prayer. Now if wee should examine our selues whether we Pray as we should,1. Cor. 11. 28. as Paul teacheth vs to examine our selues whe­ther we beleeue as we should: I am of opini­on, that there is no such want in this land as the wāt of praier, for it is neglected as though it were neuer commaunded, as if there were no God to worship, or as if we had no neede of him. In the Papists time none were cal­led Beads-men, that is, men which were bound to pray but the poore men: as though none were bounde to pray but poore men: but nowe the world goeth as though neither rich nor poore were bounde to pray: one would thinke that our deliuerance our of E­gipt, that our victorie against the Spaniards, that the weather which threatneth sicknes, that the dearth which threatneth famine, should make vs pray, and yet it doth not, for where is the person which praieth now more thā he did before.Psal. 141. Some are like the fool which saith in his heart there is no God: for they pray neuer,Gen. 5. though Paul say, Pray euer▪ Caine was reiected for offering an vnworthie sacrifice: [Page] [...] cannot admire but in a circle, so they cannot praie but in the church, and then they praye when they should heare. Some are like the Ephramites, Iudg. 12. 8. which can pronounce euerie word but that which they should, so they neuer want wordes but when they speake to God. It is straunge to thinke how liuely they are to euerie thing els, and how dead they are to praie, as many come to Sermons and neuer marke what the Preacher saith vntil he come to this, To whome be all praise, power, and dominion for euer: so many praie and ne­uer marke what they say vntil they come to this, Giue vs this day our dailie bread: Doost thou thinke that God doth marke that praier which thou doost not marke thy selfe? Some come to God as if they did fetch fire, a spurt and away like a messenger which is gone be­fore he haue his answere. If God wil take a Pater noster of them and heare them for that, so it is, for they neuer made any other praier in their liues, but euen as a child saith Grace so they say Our Father: put them out of that and they cannot praie a word, no more than the child can make a grace if he be put out of his owne. Some are like Nadah and Abihu, which neuer looke with what fire their sacri­fice is is kindled,Num. 3. 4. so they neuer respect with [Page] [...] sometime they praie or ma [...]ce for reuenge: sometime of greedines for riches: somtime of lust for pleasure. Now as no sacrifice was accepted with God but that which was kin­dled with the fire which came downe from Heauen:Leuit. 3. 5. so no praier is accepted with God, but that which is kindled with some motion from Heauen. Their praier neuer ascen­deth to Heauen:Gen. 4. 4. for Abels heart made A­bels offering accepted.Gen. 11. 13. Some are like the builders of Babel, which call for one thing when they shoulde call for another, so they praie for one thing when they shoulde praie for another: when they called for stones, they brought them timber: when they called for timber, they brought them stones: so when they call for health, God sendes them sicknes: when they call for rest, God sendes them trouble: when they cal for riches, God sendes them wants: when they call for honor God sendes them shame: when they call for ease, God sendes them a yoke: For it is a iust thing with GOD, that they which doo one thing for another, should receiue one thing for another.Luk. 15. 12. Some are like the prodigall sonne which praied but vntill he had gotten his patrimonie, and then he forsooke his fa­ther which gaue it him: so they praie no lon­ger [Page 878] but vntill they haue that which they would haue, and then they flie from God as he did from his father, and liue like swine in another Countrie till extremitie and penury [...] them home again. These are the Beads­men of our age, and these are the praiers which wee offer to him which made heauen and earth. Wouldest thou regarde his sute, which shoulde intreate thee so contemptu­ouslie as thou intrearest God? let vs consider how that praier should obtaine remission of sinne which is sinne it selfe. Paul saith, Let al which call vpon the name of the Lorde, 2. Tim. 2. 19. departe from iniquitie, as if hee should say, the Lord will he are none which praie vnto him, but them which depart from iniquitie: Pro. 28. 9. Salomon saith, the praier of the wicked is an abhominati­on: if his best worke be an abhomination, what are his worst deedes? And the sinner himselfe? Therefore hee aduiseth, Prepare thy hearte before thou goe into the Temple, lest thou offer the Sacrifice of fooles: Eccle. 18. 9. as if hee should say, as hee which offereth a present vnto a Prince which the Prince likes not, is a foole for his paines. This is the cause saith one why God doth not heare our praiers as he did our Fathers, because wee pray not with such hu­militie and perseuerance as they did. Many touched Christ, but one drewe vertue out of him, so manie praie vnto Christe but fewe [Page 875] draw comfort from him.