Nevv essayes: meditations, and vowes including in them the chiefe duties of a Christian, both for faith, and manners. By Thomas Tuke, minister of Gods Word, at S. Giles in the Fields. — New essayes: meditations, and vowes.

Nevv essayes: meditations, and vowes including in them the chiefe duties of a Christian, both for faith, and manners. By Thomas Tuke, minister of Gods Word, at S. Giles in the Fields. — New essayes: meditations, and vowes.

Table of contents

Title page

To the Right vertuous and Honourable Lady, the Lady Alicia Dudley.

To the Courteous Reader.

Of God.

Of Christ.

Of the Holy Ghost.

Of the Holy and Indiuiduall Trinity.

Of Christ.

Of the Law.

Of Sinne.

Of the Gospell.

Of the Law and the Gospell.

Of Good and Euill.

Of the Church Vniuersall.

Of the Militant Church.

Of particular Churches.

Of Christians.

Of the Ministers of Christ.

Of the Scriptures, or Word of God.

Of Hearers.

Of the Sacraments.

Of Communicants.

Of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist.

Of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

Of Blasphemy.

Of the Olde and New Testament.

Of Justifying Faith.

Of Hope that maketh not ashamed.

Of holy Charity.

Of Gods Loue to Man.

Of Mans loue to God.

Of the Loue of Christ.

Of Selfe-loue.

Of loue to our Neighbour.

Of louing, and of being loued.

Of Faith, Hope and Charity.

Of Gods Word.

Of Good-deeds.

Of the knowledge of God.

Of Seruing God.

Of the Sower and his Seed.

Of Ignorance.

Of Idols.

Of the punishments of sinne.

Of Repentance.

Of perseuerance in the Faith.

Of Humility and Pride.

Of Hearing and Speaking.

Of painting the face.

Of Prayer.

Of Almes-deeds.

Of Man.

Of Adam.

Of the Uirgine Mary.

Of the Incarnation of Christ.

Of Miracles.

Of Marriage.

Of a King.

Of Death.

Of the Immortality of the Soule.

Of the Resurrection of the Body.

Of the last Judgement.

Of Life Eternall.

[Page] ESSAYES.

Trin-vni Deo Gloria.[Page]

§

§

[Page] NEW ESSAYES: MEDITATIons, and Vowes: Including in them the Chiefe Duties of a Christian, both for Faith, and Manners. By Thomas Tuke, Minister of Gods Word, at S. Giles in the Fields.

LONDON, Printed by N. O. and are to be sold by William Bladon, at his Shop in S Pauls Churchyard, at the signe of the Bible. 1614.

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To the Right vertuous and Honourable Lady, the Lady Alicia Dudley.

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MADAME,

AFter I had written these lines, (for I know not well how to call them) I long discoursed with my selfe, whom to I might present them: At length I bethought my selfe of your Ladiship, whom I deemed very worthy of them; and am bold, vnder [Page] your Name, to publish them vnto the world. If herein, or by any other meanes, I may further your knowledge or deuotion in true Christianisme, I shal reioice. I seek for nothing, but your soule for Christ, that in him it may be presented pure and perfect vnto God. Your Wisedome, and not your Wealth, that you may bee wise in Christ Iesus, according as S. Paul doth teach you: If any man among [...]or. 3. 18 you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a foole, that hee may bee wise: for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God. To know Christ well, is the chiefest learning; and to serue [Page] him truely, is the greatest freedome. Mary was happy in bearing him, more happy in beleeuing in him, in that shee bare him in her breast, whom she bare before in her belly. And though euery Lady cannot be a Mary, a Mother to him in the flesh; yet euery true Christian Lady is a kinne to him in the faith, flesh of his flesh, and bone his bone, a very member of his body in a spirituall sence. Whosoeuer (saith he) shall doe Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 the will of my Father, which is in heauen, the same is my Brother, and Sister, and Mother. And this is the better: for the Christian blood, as Christian, is the best blood in the world [Page] A man in any other blood may perish: but he that hath this blood in his heart, shall neuer perish. If a Christian, during a Christian, may bee damned, then say that Christ himselfe may be damned also. VVhich, what religious eare can endure to heare? But I will detaine you no longer: but leaue you to those things which I haue prepared for you. If they shall finde your kinde acceptance, they haue what they come for; and I that for what I sent them. Vse them, and peruse them at your leasure: and God giue them fauour in your heart. The great God of heauen and earth [Page] protect and blesse you, and all your children, and keepe you all for euer in his faith and feare, that yee may see his face to the eternall comfort of your soules in heauen.

Saint Giles in the fieldes, October 5. 1614.

Your Ladiships in Christ Iesus, Thomas Tuke.

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To the Courteous Reader.

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GEntle Reader, I haue written this booke for thee: if thou vse it, it is thine: if thou abuse it, it is not thine, but mine. Quarrell not with the name, if thou dislike not the nature. As children, so bookes, which are the birth of mens braines, haue not euer the fittest names. It is oftentimes as God-fathers please. If thou dislike the name, call it [Page] what thou wilt. Wonder not that new bookes doe still flye abrode: the world is full of new braines; Wherefore not of new Bookes? They that are of actiue spirits, were beter do this then nothing. As for my selfe I bring with me no nouelty, as I thinke, but that, that is old and true, though (it may be) cast in a new mold. I suppose both yong & old helpt forward the Tabernacle, and after that the Temple: and it is my ioy to do any thing I can, for the Church of Christ, If I can bring but one Lace or Pinne to the trimming of His Bride. Reade, and consider what thou readest. Let mee finde thy louing and vnsparing censure in discretion. If I shall perceiue [Page] any thing to be amisse, it shall hereafter bee corrected: If it shall finde entertaiment with thee, I may bee encouraged to prepare more of this kind hereafter for thee. Thus I commend my booke to thee, and both it and thee to God.

From my Study in Saint Giles in the fields, this 5. of October, 1614.

Thine in CHRIST: THOMAS TVKE.

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Of God.

WHILES I thinke of GOD, my thoughts are swallowed vp as of a gulfe, and I loose my selfe, rather then finde Him: His brightnesse dazeleth mine eyes; and I cannot reach Him with my Line, and sound Him with the Plumet of mine Vnderstanding: Hee is so deepe that I cannot goe downe [Page] vnto Him; Hee is so high, that I cannot mount vp vnto Him: Hee is so great that I cannot comprehend Him; Hee is so large that I cannot measure Him: Hee is so Wise, as I cannot conceiue; and so Good, as I am not able to expresse. Alas! How shall a Bushell containe all the World? How can a Bucket hold all the Ocean; or a Spoone lade out all the Water, that is therein? How can a Foole diue downe into the depths of Wisedome; or hee that is euill, fully vnderstand Him that is an infinite, and inexplicable Good? Yet this haue I learned; Hee is Great without Quantity; Hee is Good without Quality: Hee sees all things without Eyes; Hee heares all things without Eares; Hee knowes all things without discourse: Hee made all things, and [Page] yet hath neede of nothing; Hee fils all things, but is fil'd of nothing; Hee giues all things, but taketh nothing; Hee is in all things, but is polluted of nothing: No thing can helpe Him, nothing can hurt Him; nothing can adde to Him, nothing can be taken from Him. O GOD, Thine Execellency doth surpasse mine infirmity! Thy Beauty, drawes mee; Thy Fulnesse contents mee; Thy Mercy staies mee. I would bee Thine, euen Thine, and none but Thine: I desire nothing against Thee, nothing besides Thee, nothing with Thee: O LORD, nothing but Thee. Thou art my Lot, my Loue, my Portion, my prime Content: If I haue Thee, I haue All; if I lacke Thee, I lacke All: If Thou beest with mee, I care not though men, though diuels, though all the [Page] world should bee against mee. LORD now lift vp the light of Thy Countenance vpon mee, and grant mee Thy peace,

Amen.

Of Christ.

CHRIST is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Which way wouldst thou goe? Hee is the Way. Whither wouldst thou goe? Hee is the Truth. Where wouldst thou remaine? Hee is the Life. Wouldst thou walke? Hee is the Way: Wouldst thou not bee deceiued? Hee is the Truth: Wouldst thou not die? He is the Life. CHRIST was Poore to make vs Rich: Hee was made a Sinner, that wee might [Page] bee made Saints: Hee was made a Curse, that wee might obtaine a Blessing: Hee Dyed, that wee might liue: Hee Descended into Hell, that wee might Ascend into Heauen. In Him wee haue all things, and Hee is all things in vs. If thou beest hungry Hee is Meate: if thou thirstest Hee is Drinke: If thou beest wounded, Hee is a Surgion: If thou beest sicke, Hee is a Physition: If thou burne, Hee is a Fountaine: If thou beest cold, Hee is a Fire. If thou beest a sinner, Hee is Sanctity: If thou beest laden with iniquity, Hee is Iustice: If thou wantest helpe, Hee is a Succour: If thou beest weake, Hee is Strength: If thou beest weary, Hee is a Shadow: If thou fearest death, Hee is Life: If thou hatest darkenesse, Hee is Light: If thou wouldst see GOD, Hee is [Page] thy Glasse: If thou wouldst haue accesse to GOD, Hee is the Way: If thou wouldst enter into heauen, Hee is the Dore, the Key, the Keeper. O LORD, how sweete is Thy Name! How pleasing is Thy Seruice! How easie is Thy Yoke! In truth he is worthy death, who refuseth to liue to Thee: Hee is a foole, that is not wise to Thee: Hee is iust nothing, that would bee something out of Thee. It is meete that hee should wither, that will not grow in Thee: Hee deserues to perish wandring, that will not walke in Thee. Misery bee his end, that seekes not Blisse in Thee: Death bee his Destiny, that seekes not life in Thee: And Hell his heritage, that seekes not Heauen in Thee. Thou mad'st all things for thy Selfe: Hee that will bee some-thing to himselfe, [Page] nothing to Thee, amongst all things hee beginnes to bee nothing, and of things euill hee deserues the worst. Keepe mee therefore in Thy loue, that I may not leaue Thee: Preserue mee in Thy Breast, and doe not loose mee: If I leaue Thee, I loose Thee; in loosing Thee, I loose my soule, my selfe, and all things with mee.

Of the Holy Ghost.

THE third Person of the blessed Trinity is called the Holy SPIRIT, because Hee hallowes vs, and being Himselfe Spired, doth also inspire good things into vs. The scholler learnes quickely, when the Holy [Page] GHOST is his Teacher: The eye sees distinctly, when the Holy GHOST doth enlighten it: A man iudgeth truely, when Hee doth direct him: and liueth holily, when Hee doth dispose him. The SPIRIT is but one In Person, yet seuen, yea seuenty times seuen in His gracious Operations: Hee hath Wisedome for thee against thy folly, Vnderstanding against thy dulnesse, Counsell against thy giddinesse, Courage against thy cowardice, Cheerefulnes against thy sluggishnesse, Tendernesse against thy hardnesse, Comfort against thy feares, Light against thy darkenesse, Truth against thy lies, Humility against thy pride, Faith against thy dissidence, Hope against thy desperation, and Charity against thy cruelty. Hee is giuen vnto men [Page] for saluation, when their heart returnes vnto GOD: for succour, when in our agonies Hee relieues our infirmitie: for solace, when Hee whispers into our hearts that we are GODS Children: and for heate, when Hee kindles in our soules the zeale of GOD, and Charity to our neighbour for CHRIST His sake. Thinke wee well? it is of Him: Will wee well? It is by Him: Affect wee well? It is His worke: Or liue wee well? It is by His direction: Hee lightens our mind, giudes our reason, strengthens our memory, moues our will, and rules our affections. But because a man sees Him not, therefore shall hee deny his Essence, or his Presence? Thou seest not Aire, the Wind, thine Heart, thy Braines, thy Soule. The operations of the Aire doth shew it, the [Page] noise and whirling of the Wind doth proue it, the panting of the heart doth expresse it, the thoughts and imaginations of the Braines doth declare them, and life, sense, and motion, doth shew thy soule is in thee: Euen so spirituall motions, and an holy conuersation, doth argue the presence and presidence of the SPIRIT in vs. The Holy GHOST appeared in a Doue, and in fiery tongues. Hee dwels in them, that are innocent, meek, and constant: and whom Hee fils, Hee makes them seruent, and likewise eloquent: Hee inflames their hearts with the heauenly fire of an holy zeale, and makes them speake the praises of GOD: Hee therefore hath the Holy GHOST, who with his mildenesse and simplicity quenches not his zeale, nor with bitternesse [Page] of zeale, looses not his mildensse, but harboureth both together in a discreet, pious, and peaceable Spirit.

Of the Holy and Indiuiduall Trinity.

THREE are better then One: but here Three are One, and One is Three: and hee that hath One, hath All: and hee that wants One wants All. What One is, All are: What One hath, None lackes. All Three are one GOD, all Three haue one LORDSHIP, Amongst Them there is distinction, but not diuision: a plurality of Persons, but a singularity of Nature, Consubstantiall, Coëternall, and Co-aequall. To [Page] bee busy in inquisition about the TRINITY is wicked curiosity; to bleeue It soberly, is faithfull security; but to see It, as It is, is perfect and full felicity. Nature cannot match this Mystery, therefore the similitudes vsed to expresse It must bee warily considered, and not strained too farre: As that of the Sunne and Fire, which haue three things, motion, light, and heate; of the Iewish Ephah, a measure of three bushels: of the Soule; which is furnished with Memory, Vnderstanding, and Will; of Water in the Spring, Riuer, and Pond; or of the Finger, Hand, and Arme. Then here, there can bee no where more dangerous crring, nor more painefull seeking, not more profitable finding. It shall not grieue mee, if I doubt, to aske: It shall not [Page] shame mee, if I faile, to learne O Verity, Charity, Eternity, O Blessed and Blessing, TRINITY, Holy, Holy, Holy LORD GOD of Hosts, Heauen and Earth are full the Maiesty of Thy Glory! Whiles I thinke of Three, I shut vp my thoughts in One: and whilst I muse on One, mine eies are dazeled with the sight of Three: It is my misery that I am a stranger from Thee; I shall bee happy, when I shall bee with Thee, see Thee, and enioy Thee. (▪) (▪)

Of Christ.

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OVr blessed LORD and Sauiour is called IESVS CHRIST: The former Name is Hebrew, the latter Greeke: the one signifying a SAVIOVR, the other ANNOINTED: for Hee is both to Iew and Gentle an Annointed Sauiour, Annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes, to be a King, Priest, and Prophet, vnto his Body: His Person is but one, but his Natures are two: One Diuine and Vncreated, the other Humane and Created: Hee must bee man, that Hee might bee able to die: Hee must bee GOD, that his death might bee Meritorious, Hee must bee Man, for man had [Page] finned, and Man must therefore suffer: Hee must bee GOD, that in suffering Hee might ouercome, and that dying Hee might raise Himselfe to life. Man indeed could suffer, but GOD alone could vanquish and ouercome. O inestimable fauour! GOD would become Man, that wee men might bee reconciled vnto GOD. The Sonne of GOD was made the sonne of Man, that the sonnes of men might bee made the sonnes of GOD. Hee became a Seruant to make vs free: Hee would bee inglorious, that wee might bee glorious: and being LORD of Life Hee would suffer death, that wee, which had deserued death, might haue by Him eternall Life. LORD IESVS, whom haue I to intercede for mee with GOD in heauen, but thee! Whom haue I [Page] to guide and comfort me, whiles I liue with men on earth, but Thy SPIRIT? In whom desire I to end my daies and die, but euen in Thee? With whom would I liue, when I doe remoue, but euen with Thee? Grant that I may so liue to Thee, and so die in Thee, that I may liue eternally with Thee: But my life doth scarre mee, for when I sift it, I finde it is either full of sinne, or empty of good. And if any fruite appeare therein, it is either so feigned, or so vnperfite, or some way, or other, so corrupted, as that either it cannot please, or cannot but displease the most righteous and holy Iudge. What shall I now doe? Or whether shall I goe? Thy Passion, O LORD, is my refuge, and singular comfort: Therein is my confidence, on [Page] that I stand. Thy Mercies, are my Merites; Thine Indulgence, is my Iustice; Thy Grace, is my Glory; Thy Crosse, my Crowne; and Thy Death, my Life. IESVS is a Name full of delight and sweetenesse: Mel in Ore, Melas in Aure, Iubilus in Corde: Hony in the mouth, Melody in the eare, and Ioy in the heart. I will reioyce and trust in Thy Saluation: I will not contend against Thee in the Vallies, nor on the Mountaines: The King of Israel is a Mercifull King: Thy mercy it is, thy mercies, O LORD, that I onely thirst for. My soule thirsteth after Thy mercies, as the chased Hart doth after water. LORD IESVS in Thy mercy, make mee pertaker of Thy Merites.

Of the Law.

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THE Law saith: Doe this, and thou shalt liue. It rests not in faith, but exacteth action, and promiseth life to them which keepe it: It allowes not infirmities, but requireth all perfections: and if a man faile but in one point thereof, it denounceth a curse vnto him: Alas then what are wee, what shall become of vs, who are grieuous and continuall sinners? Our very Iustice being strictly sifted by the Law, which is the rule of Iustice, would bee found iniustice: and that would be contemned in the strict iudgement of the Iudge, which is commended in the iudgement of the worker. But [Page] could not this Law haue beene exactly kept? Surely Adam might haue kept it, if hee would: but as the case now standeth, wee cannot but trangresse it: Neither yet is there iniustice in GOD: For by commanding things impossible Hee makes not men sinners, but humble, that euery mouth should bee stopped, and that all the world should bee made subiect vnto GOD: because by the workes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified in his sight. For when wee haue receiued a commandement, and perceiue what is wanting in vs, wee are put in minde to send vp our cries into heauen, and GOD will haue mercy vpon vs: and that so wee may know that wee are not saued by the workes of righteousnesse, which wee haue done, but by His owne free Mercy: [Page] For indeed therefore was the Law giuen, and is yet vrged to shewe, not what wee can doe, but what wee should doe, and that the proude might see his weakenesse, and seeing it might bee humbled, and being humbled might confesse it, and confessing it might bee saued: Not resting vpon his owne dignity, but on GODS Dignation; not in his owne iustice, but in the Righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST. Being therefore terrified by the Law, let vs seeke for comfort in the Gospell: And seeing all hope in our selues is cut off by the Law, let vs flie to CHRIST IESVS, Who is the fulfilling of the Law, and in Whom, whosoeuer beleeueth hath the perfection of the Law. They say, the Elephant (as knowing his owne deformity) [Page] loues not to looke into cleere water: Foule faces would haue false glasses; and such, as would vent their copper, loue not the Touchstone: And they, that haue deceiptfull wares, like not the light. But I doe desire to vnderstand the Law exactly, that I may see all my deformities and foulenesse, mine hypocrisies and false-dealings, that so I might bee brought to a loathing of them, and finding mine imperfections towards the Law, I might bee prouoked to seeke for the perfection reuealed in the Gospell: I will indeuour to keep the Law exactly, but when I faile, I will flie to the Grace of the Gospell speedily; as knowing that not by mine owne iustice, but by the iustice of CHRIST I must bee iustified, and that I am not saued for any [Page] graces in mee, but by the grace of GOD in CHRIST vnto mee.

Of Sinne.

SINNE is the transgression of the Law: If there were no Law, there could bee no sinne: The Law claimes obedience, and when it is transgressed, then sin is committed: And the more men wander from it, the more they sinne. The cause of sinne is not GOD, who is Truth and Goodnesse, Wisedome and Iustice, but a mans owne will, yeelding to the diuell. For it cannot bee that Hee should make vs fall into sinne, who makes vs rise from sinne; and that Hee should be the Author of that, whereof Hee is [Page] reuenger. And though Sathan be politique to beguile, yet hath he no power to compell: he cannot make thee sinne, except thou wilt. It is true hee can bewitch thy body, inchaunt thine eyes, and dull thy eares, whether thou wilt, or no: but he cannot compell thy soule to sinne, he cannot make thee sinne against thy will. A man standing in a showre of haile, or bullets, or beeing among persons infected with the plague, may be strucken and infected, though he would not bee so: but no tentation darted from the Diuell no bad example, scandall or suggestion of any sinner can doe thee harme, except thou yeeld vnto it. Know that when thou sinnest, it is not against, but with thy will: For the foundation and roote of sinne is in our selues; and whosoeuer sinnes, is [Page] the proper cause vnto himselfe of sinne. It is true that God doth harden the heart, and deliuer men vp sometimes vnto a Reprobate sence, but how? Not by the insusion of hardnesse, or immission of corruption: but by not imparting mercy, and by leauing a man to himselfe, and deliuering him vp into the hands of sathan. For then Hee is said to harden, when Hee doth not soften; to deliuer them, when Hee doth not retaine them; to giue them vp, when Hee lets them go; and to leade them into temptation, when Hee doth not deliuer them. When therefore I shall commit a sinne, I will not accuse GOD, I will not impute all to the diuell: but I will condemne my selfe, smite my breast, and say with the Publican: GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner. I haue [Page] hard some complaine, they cannot chuse but sinne. O fearefull bondage! O vnhappy necessity! But who constraines thē against their wils? Nothing. But thus it is: Euill thoughts of sinne beget delight, delight consent, consent action, action custome, custome necessity. What shall a man doe, that is thus intangled? Let him beware of custome, for the custome of sinning takes away the sense of sinne; and let him preuent, or mortifie, euill thoughts, which are the diuels harbingers; for hee lodges not, but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him. There are some vse to minish their sinnes; either they are not great, or they are not many. Sure it is, that the smallest sinne, that can bee, beeing the offence of the greatest [Page] Maiesty, deserueth death, and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule: and though there were but one, yet that were one too many. For one foote of a bird taken, or one wing belimmed, may cost her her life: One hole in a Ship may sinke her: One bullet may kill as well as twenty. The smallest sin is in it nature mortall: yea the omission of the smallest duety, which the Law of GOD requireth, deserueth eternall death. For cursed is euery one, which continueth not in All Things, which are written in the booke of the Law, to doe them. If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer, then the smallest sinne against GOD, is too great to doe: As I therefore desire to escape all curses; so will I, by the grace of GOD, bee carefull to [Page] auoide all causes, and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule.

Of the Gospell.

THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins, reconciliation to GOD, redemption from hell, death and condemnation, and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST. O happy newes! O ioyfull tydings! What newes more welcome to prisoners, then of a Goaledeliuery? What more pleasing to malefactours, then to heare [Page] of their Princes pardon? What would a blind man more willingly heare of, then that his eiesight shall bee restored to him? Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten, and spent with labour, then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen, where hee shall most safely rest, free from the malice of Pirates, and fury of all foule weather? Yet for all this the Gospell, with many, findes but poore acceptance. It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries: they feele no misery and therefore affect no change. What cares a clunch for learning, or good manners, that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse, and inciuility? What cares a man for meate, that feeles no hunger? What doe you talke to him of cloathes, that [Page] feeles no cold, nor nakednesse? The lacke of things causeth estimation, the sense of lacke. When men haue beene worne with warres, how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace? When a man feeles his disease, and sees death staring in his eyes, O how welcome is the Physition? How welcome should hee bee, that would bring him newes of a medicine, which hee might easily haue, that would cure him, and set him vp againe? When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea, and spent their victuals, and water, euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer; and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them? And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity, slauery, miseries, and necessities, [Page] into which they are driuen by sinne, and wherein they are inwrapped, they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance: And beautifull should be the feete of those, which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace. I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law, that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell: I will mediate of my slauery, which I am brought to by transgressing the Law, that I may duely respect the liberty, which is Preached in the Gospell. Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse, and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace.

Of the Law and the Gospell.

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THE Law saith, doe this, and thou shalt liue: The Gospell saith, Beleeue in the Lord IESVS, and thou shalt be saued. In the Law there is seuerity, but in the Gospell mercy: In the Law there is reserued no repentance, but by the sentence thereof hee that sins, must die: But the Gospell admits repentance, and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies, but the Gospell pacifies: The Law discouers sin, but the Gospell couers it: The Law requires a mans owne iustice, but the Gospell Preacheth [Page] pardon in the iustice of another, to wit, of CHRIST. The Law is written, after a sort, in the hearts of all men, Pagans and Christians; but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all. And the Gospell was not first, and then the Law: But the Law was first, and then the Gospell. To finde out my sinnes, I will veiw the Law: but to reade my saluation, I will looke into the Gospell. To despaire of my selfe, I will weigh the Law: but to hope in CHRIST, I will receiue the Gospell. If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds, I would sticke to the Law: but being desirous of mercy, I will flye to the Gospell. If I would stand vpon my iustice, I wold plead the Law: but crauing Grace, I go to the Gospell. Yet this will I doe, because the Law [Page] is the rule of good workes; I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience: Yet euery day will I pray, and say; GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner.

Of Good and Euill.

GOOD is more ancient then euill: Sanctity is elder then sinne: vice is yonger then Vertue. There was first an Angell, then a diuell: First a Man, then a sinner: First, a True-man then a thiefe. In good no man can bee too much; in euill no man can bee too little. Hee that would encrease in good, let him thinke hee hath yet too [Page] little: Hee that would decrease in euill, let him remember still hee hath too much. The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice: Hee taketh the ready course to become good, which repenteth of his euils: And Hee onely will proue a Saint, which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner.

Of the Church Vniuersall.

THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints, Triumphant in Heauen, and Militant on earth. This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST, who [Page] is the onely Head thereof, by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated, as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule: And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life, sense, and motion. And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne, so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse, both of grace and glory, from IESVS CHRIST. This Church is the Vine of GODS delight, the Spouse of CHRIST, His Faire One, His Wel-Beloued, GODS House, and Citty, the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD; the Wall His omnipotent Grace, and gracious Omnipotency; the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience: Her Ensignes, or Armes, are Faith, Righteousnesse, Peace, [Page] Charity, and ioy in the Holy GHOST: Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, Her Gate is CHRIST, Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY, Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers, and all the Saints of GOD. This is the Mother of vs all; hee that hath not Her for his Mother, hath not GOD for his FATHER. This is GODS Family; hee that serues not Him in it, serueth the diuell out of it. This is the Court of the great King: Hee that is not New-borne in it, is some base-borne caitiffe, and not counted among the Sons of the King.

Of the Militant Church.

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CHRIST hath a part of His Mysticall Body triumphing with Him in the heauens, and He a part warring vnder Him heere on earth. This is a Spirituall Building, made of liuing Stones, hewen out of the Rocke CHRIST IESVS. This is Noahs Arke, out of which there is no meanes to scape the flouds of vengeance. This, like a Ship, is weather-beaten with the raging winds, and waues of worldly troubles, yet is not swallowed vp. This Church, though farre and wide dispearsed, is yet but One, as many Members [Page] make but one Body, many Branches make but one Tree, many Riuers make but one Sea, many People make but one Kingdom. And One shee is, because shee acknowledgeth but one GOD, confesseth one Faith, is ruled by one Head, animated of one SPIRIT, participateth of one Baptisme, and is gouerned by one Law. This Church Militant is the Sub-vrbes of the Church Triumphant: None must enter into This, but hee that hath first passed That: None shall triumph like a Victor, but hee, that hath fought like a Souldier: And hee that would weare a Crowne in This, must first take vp His Crosse in That. The proper and essentiall Members of this Church are all of them holy by the imputation of the Merites of CHRIST their Head, [Page] and by the powerfull operation of the Spirit of CHRIST, which is within them: And all these are infallibly knowne onely vnto GOD, who seeth the secrets of the heart, and can certainely iudge of inward vertues. As for the iudgement of men (which may bee deceiued with shewes, as the Birds were with those artificial grapes of Zeuxis) it is vncertaine (if of others) except there bee some singular reuelation; and rather an opinion of charity, then a conclusion of certainety. This Church Militant is in the world, but not of the world: All her Members are strangers in the earth, but descended from heauen; generated not of man, but regenerated by the Holy Ghost, not begotten of mortall bloud, by the appetite of the flesh, or [Page] will of man, but of Immortall Seed, by the Word of GOD, according to His Will. The onely Husband of this Church is CHRIST IESVS: For Hee onely hath her, holds her, leads her: To Him alone shee owes her loue, her loyalty and fidelity. The Friends, (not the Husbands, for shee hath but One) of this Bride, and Bridegroome, are all true Christians, specially Pastors, which heare the Voice of the Bridegroome, and take great delight therein, eschewing the voice of strangers. The common condition of this Church, and all her Members, is affliction and persecution: But shee counteth nothing more glorious, then to beare the reproach of her Husband, who is troubled in all troubles, remembers all her sighes, and enbottles [Page] all her teares: And shee hath this property, that like a Garden shee is greenest after a shower, like Camomill shee is most odoriferous being troden on; like Spices, Shee is most fragrant being rubbed, or bruised: Whiles shee is persecuted, shee flourisheth; whiles shee is pressed, shee spreadeth; whilst shee is iniured, shee vanquisheth: whilst shee is corrected, shee learneth; and then gets vp, when shee seemeth to bee beaten downe: Then is shee most valiant in the Truth, when shee is most oppugned for the Truth. Being laden with tribulations, she gathers strength; being watered with the bloud of Martyrs, shee taketh Spirit, in sorrow shee reapeth solace, being straited she is enlarged, her very teares doe feed her, & her fastings do refresh [Page] her; and those things doe make her floate aloft like corke, which make worldlings, like lead, sinke downe vnto the bottome. This Church is the pillar and ground of the Truth, so termed of her seruice, because shee doth by her Ministery Keepe, Confirme, and Preach the Truth; not that shee hath authority ouer the Truth, for the Truth is the ground and pillar of the Church: But shee hath authority ouer her children, and against all Heretiques, from the Truth, with which shee is betrusted to preserue and Preach. I will therefore enquire for the Scriptures in the Church, and for the Church in the Scriptures: For the Church sheweth the Scriptures, by her Ministery; and the Scriptures demonstrate the Church by their Authority.

Of particular Churches.

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THE Sea is one: yet by reason that it washeth on many Countries, it obtaineth many names, as Brittish, Spanish, Adriaticall, Mediterranean. So all true Particular Churches in the world, make but one Catholique Congregation, though by reason of the Countries, States, or Nations, in which they are dispearsed; or else because of diuerse outward formes of gouernment, they are called by sundry names. These Churches by reason of their open profession of the Gospell, and by reason of their outward formes, are called [Page] visible, and may bee seene, though which of the Professours in them be truely Saints, and appertaine to GODS Election, and which are onely guilded pot-sheards, and not truely sanctified, no man can define precisely. These Churches are like the Arke, in which were all kind of beasts, cleane, and vncleane; like a Barne, where there is wheate and chaffe; like a Garden, where is flowers and weedes; an Army, where are men, and milksops; a Net, wherein are good fish and bad; a Kingdome, or Citty, wherein are good Subiects, and false, or vnworthy varlets. Now these Churches are then reputed true, and counted the daughters of the Catholicke, when they professe the true faith of CHRIST, and maintaine the true worship of GOD, For there [Page] is the Church, where there is true Faith, saith Hierome; where GOD is feared and praysed, saith Austen; where the Sacraments of CHRIST are rightly celebrated, and His Word heard and conserued, saith Beda; Where there is consent in the Faith, and consanguinity of the Apostles Doctrine, saith Tertullian; Where GOD appeareth, and speaketh with his seruants, saith Ambrose. Into what Church therefore, soeuer, I shall come, and shall perceiue the soundnesse of worship, and the Faith of CHRIST Preached and maintained in the same, I will liue peaceably, and submit my selfe to the ordinances of GOD therein, most willingly.

Of Christians.

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CHRIST is the King of Kings, and LORD of Lords: and Christians, of all men, are onely of His Royall Bloud, bone of His Bone, flesh of His Flesh, animated with His SPIRIT, sprung from His Loynes, swayed by His Scepter, and partakers of His Glory: Christians are not vnder the Law, but delight in the Law: For he, that delights in the Law, studies to deale according to the Law: but hee which is vnder the Law, is dealt with according to the law. Euery Christian, as hee is a Christian, must say with Christ; My Kingdome is not of this world: [Page] And though it bee his destiny for a time to liue in this world, yet his desire, and endeuour should bee euer to liue, and loue, as one not of this world, but redeemed from the world. Many are Christians in name, not so in deed, for they that are CHRISTS, do crucify the flesh, and fleshly desires, and are not ruled by their flesh, but gouerned by His SPIRIT. In vaine is hee called Christian, that is in nothing like to CHRIST. What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not. Hee is indeed a Christian, that resembles CHRIST his Maister, that sheweth mercy to the miserable, that feeleth the smart of others, that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge, that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed, that preferreth heauen to earth, [Page] and GOD to Mammon, that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure, to doe the Will of his Father, that takes vp his Crosse in this life, and beares it with patience, and which iudges him onely happy in his death, which dyeth either in CHRIST, or for CHRIST. CHRIST endured the Crosse, before Hee obtained the Crowne; and suffered Shame, before Hee entred into His Glory. O Christian, thou art a delicate Souldier, if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting, or to triumph without troubles! For the whole life of a Christian, if hee liue according to the Gospell, is labour, toyle, trouble, crosses, Martyrdome.

Of the Ministers of Christ.

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ALL the Apostles had equall power: What Peter was all were; what Peter could all could. There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts, inequality in yeares, difference in conditions, but an identity of power, an equality of authority; all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office, of one and the selfe-same Power. These had authority ouer nature, to sure it; ouer diuels to subdue them; ouer all men, to conuert them. To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke [Page] mighty wonders, to bind and to loose, to open and shut the dores of heauen: These hee sent into the world, as the Sunne his beames, as the Rose her sweete smels, and as the Fire his sparkles; that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames, as the Rose is perceiued in his smels, and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes; so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues, and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery. These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard, the Architects of His Temple, the Fathers of His Church, the Champions of the Faith, and Trumpetters of the Gospell; who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing, the Mountaines ring, and fil'd the eares of all. These were men of mercy, such as had obtained [Page] mercy, shewed mercy, and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy. They neither liued to themselues, nor dyed; but vnto Him, that dyed for them, and for His sake also, euen for vs, receiuing light from the Father of Lights, and spending themselues like Lampes, in giuing light vnto others. Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests, who are not Maisters of the Church, but Ministers; not Lords but Seruants; not Authours of the Faith, but Preachers; not Makers of the Truth, but Keepers: To whom is committed the word of reconciliation, the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD, the power of remitting and retaining sinnes, the care of the Churches, and the keeping of the Faith. These simply, as they are Ecclesiasticall [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] persons, haue no secular power, and authority: for if the Maister, then the seruant must also say; My Kingdome is not of this world. CHRIST came not to make them Princes, but Priests: Not Monarkes, but Ministers: Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen, and not of Citties, or Kingdomes: Hee committed the Word vnto them, but not the Sword, and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules, but not with their States, or Substance. Now to make a true Minister, it is requisite that he haue a true Power, a true Mission; for otherwise he runnes vnsent, and rules, but not by CHRIST: And that hee Preach the Truth, or else hee abuses his Power. This is a most reuerent and holy calling, not instituted by man, nor Angell, nor any other [Page] creature, but by IESVS CHRIST, the Head and Husband of the Church: And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies, because they liue not to themselues onely, but to the people also: And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill, a Citty vpon a Mountaine, a Candle vpon a Table: all mens eies are fixed on them. By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well; but by liuing ill, they teach GOD how to condemne them. And in truth a good life, is a good Sermon, and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life, as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine.

Of men, no man is better then a Christian, and of Christians, no man is better [Page] then a good Priest: But hee that is vicious, is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it; and as the water in Baptisme, which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe: But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men; for their power and calling is His, and their wickednesse is their owne; that is holy, though they bee vnholy: Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse, nor the worse for their vngodlinesse. The light is not polluted, though it passe by polluted places, or persons, neither is the soule corrupted, though it should bee in a corrupted body: so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained, though hee bee full of staines himselfe. And as water, whether it run through a pipe of Wood, or Stone, or Siluer, [Page] doth good vnto the ground: so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers, whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them. Neither are wee to respect riches, age, greatnesse of gifts, noblenesse of birth in a Minister, as if hee were to bee contemned, when these things are wanting; but wee are to regard especially his place and power: for the power varies not with the man, neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect, for any personall respects in the Minister. Water hath the properties and effects of water, whether brought in an earthen Pitcher, or a cup of gold, or siluer. And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath, the better it is, yet his power is not thereby greater, or more excellent: but still it is the [Page] same, as a Diamond is, whether set in gold or siluer: Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same, whether hee haue more wisedome, godlinesse, and insight in the Law, or a lesser measure of the same. And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said, how different soeuer in their Age, Wealth, Birth, Breeding, Gifts, They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD, and ( [...]) Coworkers with Him: For without them Hee will not saue men, and without Him they cannot saue men. I say He will not: for who, that contemnes the Baptisme of man, is Baptized with the Holy GHOST? Whom doth GOD admit into heauen, which is not admitted by the Minister into the Church? To whom will GOD giue His Sonne for [Page] foode to his hungry soule, but to him that receiues Him in the Sacrament? Whose sinnes are loosed in heauen, but hee, that is loosed by the Minister on earth? Who is wedded vnto CHRIST IESVS, as a Virgine, but hee, that is prepared and fitted for Him by the Minister? Or who is receiued of GOD, as an holy, liuing, and accceptable sacrifice, but hee, that is, as it were, tyed to the hornes of the Altar, and presented of the Priest, perfect in IESVS CHRIST? And if it happen that a man bee saued without the Ministery of man, say it is a rare, and extraordinary fauour, and a thing, whereof no man should dare to presume, least by presuming vpon extraordinary grace, and contemning the ordinarie [Page] meanes, a man doe iustly for presuming depriue himselfe of grace, as by his negligence hee depriued himselfe of the meanes of grace. But yet there are which meanely esteeme of the Priest-hood, because they spie vices in Priests. But it were wisedome to distinguish betweene a man and his manners; betweene a Priest and his vices, and equity not to contemne all for some. It were better to make much of the euill for them▪, that are good, rather then for them, that are euill, to contemne the good: For it is better to do good vnto the euill, though vndeserued, then to depriue good men of the good, which they doe deserue: And hee is a very Cham, that will blaze, or sport at, the nakednesse, or infirmities, of his Father. Arise ô LORD, and [Page] looke vpon Thy Seruants: Let Thy Priests bee cloathed with Righteousnesse: And praise yee the LORD, all ye Seruants of the LORD, yee that stand in the house of the LORD: Praise the LORD yee sonnes of Aaron; Praise the LORD yee house of Leui: All yee that serue the LORD, praise the LORD: Holinesse becommeth His House for euer.

Of the Scriptures, or Word of God.

THE Scriptures containe sufficient matter for a mans direction to eternall life: They are the rule of faith, and the measure of good manners. Wouldst [Page] thou know what to beleeue? They will instruct thee. Wouldst thou know how to liue? They will teach thee. Wouldst thou discerne thine errours? They will enlighten thee. Wouldst thou amend thy life? They will perswade thee. Wouldst thou finde comfort? They will affoord it thee. Thou art blind, but They are Light; Thou art diseased, but They are Sound: Thou art euill, but They are Good: Thou art deceitfull, but They are Faithfull: For thy wants there is in Them a supply: for thy superfluities They haue a remedy. The ignorance of the Scriptures is the ignorance of CHRIST: Neither can hee know GOD, that is ignorant of his Word. GODS Word a Meate, Drinke, and Physicke or the soule: Yet as these [Page] things hurt the body rather then helpe it, if they bee not well entertained, so is it with the Word: Yet the hurt lies not in the Word, which is good; but in the heart, which is naught. The Sunne shining vpon a bed of Roses, makes it smell well, but vpon a dunghill, it makes it stinke; The fault is not in the Sunne, but in the dunghill. To some the Word is the sauour of life, to others it is the sauour of death, & the more they heare, the worse they are, but this is through their owne corruption. Raine falling on a medow makes it flourish, but on a flint, it doth but wet it. And water, which quencheth fire, inflameth lime. And such the Word appeareth by reason of the diuerse obiects, whereon it worketh. [Page] The waters of Marah being bitter were made sweete by a Tree throwne into them. The waters of Iericho being vnwholesome, and the soile sterile, were healed and corrected, after Elishah had cast his salt into them: So are mens hearts amended by the Word applyed to them; and of bitter are made sweete, of barren fruitfull, by the blessing of GOD vpon it: And as Ionathan, recouered his sight and strength by the hony, which hee tasted of in his faintnesse: So the children of GOD are comforted and refreshed by the good Word of GOD, which they receiue with hunger into their soules. This Word is in it selfe the same, though it bee not brought by the same men, or in the same language to vs: as gold is gold, whether it be giuen a man [Page] in a purse of veluet, or a pouch of leather; and the selfe-same man may bee clad either in silke, or home-spun russet. It skils not therefore so much who brings it, as if hee bring it. Wee will take money out of a slouens hands; Elias will eate his meate, though a Rauen bring it: And thirsty Sampson will take his drinke out of the iaw-bone of an Asse. The light is not the worse because it stands vpon a wodden candlesticke; nor learning any whit the lesse to bee respected, because it is couered vnder a threed-bare gowne. Well, howsoeuer the Word comes, or whosoeuer brings it, it shall bee welcome to mee, so long as it is the Word of GOD, and not the fables of men: It is mine appointed food, I will receiue it, whether it come in a platter of wood, [Page] or in plate of siluer, or whether the Cooke, that drest it, be vertuous, or ill disposed.

Of Hearers.

IT is good to take heed, not onely what wee heare, but how: As it is not amisse for a man to consider what he eates and drinkes, as in what fashion. Some times death is in the pot, and poyson mixed in the cup. I would be loath to let venome in at mine eares, or let-them swallow poyson. And though a man should receiue that, that is good, if hee receiue it not well, it will rather do him hurt then good. Euen good food doth sometimes turne to bad [Page] humours, though the fault bee not in the foode, but in the feeder. And workes though externally good, yet if they bee not well performed, will proue but little beneficiall to the worker. There are some, that like the Athenians, haue their eares open onely for nouelties: Some come to heare and not to learne; some regard delight and not profite, and words, rather then matter: some wil giue a man the hearing, but they will beleeue no more thenlikes their humors: And many shew themselues Censurers, not Schollers. Some are pleased with the voyce, and delight in great sounds; but whatsoeuer the sense be, it is not of so great request. Yee shall haue many quarrell with the Preacher; his speech is plaine, his voyce low, he hath no good action, his wordes [Page] stuck like burres in his throate; Hee whips his Auditors, hee is too full of the Fathers, hee meddles too much with Controuersies, hee railes vpon the Parish, hee is an easy Diuine, it was a plaine Sermon, hee Preaches nothing but Law: or hee is mealemouthed, hee Preaches his hearers a sleepe, hee sings Placentia, hee is loath to offend: Or hee is neuer well, but when hee is inueighing, hee speakes daggers, and hee aimed at some-body. Infinite are the quarrels, that people picke with their Preacher. On the contrary, I haue heard some highly commend the Sermon: Oh it was a rare Sermon, hee is an excellent man, it was the best Sermon that I euer heard, hee is an admirable Preacher. It is well: but I will aske thee: What rare effects did it [Page] worke within? What wonders wrought it in thee, what excellency, what goodnesse, hast thou receiued, or gained, by it? Blesse not thy selfe in commending the Preacher, rest not in the naked commendations of his Sermon: Account that an excellent, a rare, and a good Sermon, which produceth rare effects in thee, makes thee better then thou wast before, and stirres thee vp to excell in vertue. Account him admirable, and wonder then, when hee worketh wonders in thy soule. Thy Preacher cares not so much for thy verball commendations, as thy reall. Good conuersation is his best commendation, his commending stands in thine amending, and thy godly practise is his best praise. The Sheepe, that saith nothing, commends his [Page] Sheepeheard, when her skin is whole, her fleece faire, and her selfe wel-liking, He heares well, that doth well; he learnes well, that liues well: and thy knowledge is praise-worthy according to thy practise: And he onely doth proue a good Hearer, which heares the truth in humility, beleeues it in simplicity, and obeyes it with alacrity. The Word of GOD is our foode, our eares are our mouth: but this meate is not like bodily food turned into vs, but we by beleeuing and obeying it are turned into it. Now hee is the onely happy hearer, that is translated into the Word, so as that he may be able to say; I liue, but yet not I, but the Word of GOD doth liue within me. And this is, when a mans reason, will, & affections; are brought vnder the Word, [Page] and when his conuersation being transformed, is now conformed to the Word.

Of the Sacraments.

THE oath of Souldiers to their Generall, was called Sacramentum; by which name also Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper. water in Baptisme, and Bread, and Wine in the LORDS Supper are vsually called. Because as Souldiers, when they receiued the presse-mony, did solemnely sweare to their Captaine, or Generall, that they would bee faithfull and loyall to him: So we whiles we partake of these holy Mysteries [Page] instituted of GOD in His Church, doe binde our selues with the like Vow, that we will liue and die in his cause and seruice. And as they, at the taking of that Oath, gaue their names to their Emperour or Commander, and were receiued into his protection: So wee, when wee receiue these Sacraments, doe likewise giue our names vnto CHRIST, and are receiued into his tuition, that vnder his banner wee might fight a good battell, keeping faith and a good conscience. And as there wee doe yeeld ouer our selues vnto GOD; so GOD doth binde Himselfe to vs by Pacts and Promises after a manner sealed vp. Sacraments are signes of things, being one thing, and signifying another. Euery Sacrament is a Mysterie, but euery [Page] Mysterie is not a Sacrament. Sacraments, are not Nata, but Data: Not Naturall, but by Diuine appointment: And their dignity depends vpon their Authour. They are not the better, because the Minister is good, that doth deliuer them, nor the worse, because hee is euill. They are such as hee is, in whose authority they are giuen, not as hee is, by whose Ministery they are dispensed: And though they bee hurtfull to them, that deliuer them, being wicked; yet they are profitable to them, that receiue them, being Prepared. And though the Receiuer haue a peruerse faith, or come vnprepared, and in sin, yet hee may pertake of a true and entire Sacrament, if wee respect the signes, and not the things represented by the signes. In Sacraments there is a change, [Page] not of Substance, but of vse; not of Nature, but of condition. For by these elements consecrated, there is a signification, obsignation & exhibition of CHRIST and His benefits. Sacraments are necessary in respect of GODS Commandement, and as they bee meanes of receiuing CHRIST: yet simply, not the defect of Sacraments, but the contempt of them, doth damne a man: If a man would haue them, but cannot, and dies in the desire of them, no doubt he may be saued: But indeed he that may, but cares not for them, and so departs, questionlesse as he scorned the signes, so he shall be depriued of the grace. It is iust, that he should misse of the Kernell that cared not for the Shell, that he should loose the Land, that contemned the Lease, or [Page] Deed; that hee should be depriued of CHRIST, the Bread, and Water, of Life, that regarded not the Water and Bread of CHRIST. There are two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the LORDS Supper: By Baptisme wee are admitted into the Church, receiued into the seruice of the blessed TRINITY, and haue our sinne remitted, though not at first extirped. A man is borne a sinner, but by Baptisme hee is made a Saint. A man is, by birth, a limme of the diuell, but by Baptisme hee is made the member of CHRIST: A man may bee new borne, and not Baptized; but hee is not so, if hee skorne to bee Baptized. There are some, that make small account of Baptisme; but for my selfe, I make more reckoning of my Baptisme, then of all the riches [Page] in the world, as knowing that these can neither helpe, nor hurt so much, as the other: and that the comtempt of these may stand with a mans saluation, whereas the contempt of Baptisme is punished with damnation. By the LORDS Supper wee are nourished and preserued in the Church: In those hallowed signes of Bread and Wine CHRIST IESVS and all his Merites are signified, sealed vp, and exhibited vnto euery worthy Receiuer: For as there is in an Obligation, or Legall Instrument, an assurance and conueyance made of mony, goods, or lands, from one to another: So in the Sacrament, vnder these elements, there is a most sure conueyance and exhibition of CHRIST IESVS vnto euery prepared Communicant. And [Page] although wee take the Bread by it selfe, and the Wine by it selfe, yet wee must not imagine that CHRIST is giuen by peece-meale; but two signes were ordained to shew that wee haue perfect food in CHRIST. For it is but an hungry dinner, where there is no meate; and a dry feast where there is no drink: Now to signifie that CHRIST is Meate and Drinke vnto vs, and that in Him wee shall haue a full refection, therefore two signes, one of Bread, which strengthens the heart, another of Wine which allaies the thirst, and make it merry, were by CHRIST ordained.

Of Communicants.

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I Do much wonder at the foolish auersnesse, and peruerse folly of many men, that make so small account of this Blessed Sacrament, that they must by feare of Lawes be driuen to it. They are out of charity, they want good cloathes, they are not yet at leasure; they alledge I wot not what, their very excuses doe accuse them. Who bids thee be out of charity? Why art thou not reconciled? Who requires fine apparell at thy hands? It is a good heart, that is exacted of thee: Grace, not garments; thy soule within thee, not thy [Page] cloathes about thee. And why wantest thou leasure? Thou hast leasure to eate, to drinke, to play, to sleepe, to be vaine and idle: Why hast thou no leasure to feede thy soule, to refresh thy spirit, to receiue thy Sauiour? Thou hast leasure, but it is not thy pleasure. Thou canst not come; nay, thou wilt not come. Thou canst not, because thou lists not. If thy profite call thee, thou goest; if thy pleasures call thee, thou followest; if thy flesh call thee, thou mak'st hast; If thy companions whistle, thou trudgest: But CHRIST cals thee, thou tarriest, thou findst excuses; there is a bone in thy legge, thou canst not come. Must the horse bee forced to the Manger, must a Sheepe be compelled to graze, must the hungry (and almost starued) Oxe [Page] be entreated to eate his Hay? Surely thou art not hungry, thy soule is not a thirst, thou art so maydenly that thou must bee entreated; thou art so wanton, thou must bee compelled vnto thy food. Yea, but thy dost imagine that thou canst haue CHRIST without the Sacrament; this is thy fansie, but thy fansie is no faith: If thou contemnest the Sacrament, thou contemnest CHRIST: Contempt of the Law doth argue contempt of the Law-maker: neglect of the ordinance bewrayes neglect of the Ordainer: And hee, that will not receiue CHRIST, as Hee doth offer Himselfe to be receiued, is like to loose Him, for ought that can bee knowne: And hee, that will not when hee may, it is very probable, when hee would, [Page] hee shall haue nay. But thou wilt hereafter put off excuses: thou wilt bee wiser, thou wilt not deferre to come. Come then, but come prepared: Come in charity; for he, that hateth a Christian, shall neuer bee loued of CHRIST, neither shall any man enioy the LORD, but he, that is in charity with his seruants. What hath hee to doe with the bread of CHRIST, that contemneth the least Member of His Body? Come in repentance, with washed hands and heart: for these holy things belong not vno Dogs, nor Swine. Come in humility, acknowledging thy selfe vnworthy of the least crumme vpon the LORDS Table, not relying vpon thine owne merites, but vpon the LORDS mercies, not vpon thine owne dignity, [Page] but vpon His Dignation. Finally come in a good beleefe, beleeuing onely in the LORD IESVS CHRIST, and that by these outward things, Hee with all His Merites, are represented, sealed, and exhibited vnto thee; and not imagining that the Bread is turned into the Body of CHRIST and the Wine into His very Bloud; but knowing that these things do in their substance still continue, & withall desiring that thou thy selfe mightst be truely transformed and turned into Him, that thou maist be able to say with Saint Paul: I liue, yet not I, but CHRIST doth liue within mee.

Of the Bread and Wine in the Eucharist.

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THE Bread and Wine in the LORDS Supper is holy Bread, holy Wine, turned in vse, but not in shape, but not in substance, remaining what they were, yet being what they were not. They haue eyes, and see not; eares, and heare not; touch, and feele not; mouthes, and taste not; noses and smell not; reason, and vnderstand not, which say it is not Bread, it is not Wine, when once the words of Consecration are pronounced. [Page] Yet are they truely, but Sacramentally, the Body and Bloud of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST: Euen as the Circumcision was the Couenant, as the Paschall Lamb was the Passeouer, As the Rocke was CHRIST. Parchment and the Waxe sealed put vnto it in a Bond, Lease, or Deed of Conueyance, wherein is made an assurance of money, goods, or houses, or a Collation and Conueyance of Lands in Lincolneshire to a man in London, is still Parchment and Waxe, yet more then Ordinary in respect of vse; and hauing these things in his hand, he can say, here is my mony, House, or Land; not that they are turned into money, Houses, or Lands, but because by them he hath assurance, or an assured conueyance of these [Page] things vnto him. And so is it with Sacramentall Bread and Wine: Yet here our Assurance is firmer, the Conueyance is more vndoubted: because man may deceiue, and the greatnesse, or malice of aduersaries may oppresse; but GOD, who by these things doth offer and exhibite CHRIST and His benefites to vs, cannot deceiue, will not falsifie His Couenant, but will most certainely performe all His promises; prouided that we stand vnto the conditions, to which we are tyed: Neither man, nor diuell, nor any creature, can hinder or keepe vs from receiuing CHRIST in the Sacrament, if we stand not in our owne way, and let our selues.

Of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ.

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DIVERSE in the Scriptures haue beene called by the name of IESVS; as Iesus the sonne of Nun: Iesus the High Priest, the son of Iosedeck: and Iesus, which was called Iustus: But CHRIST hath this Name with a maine difference from them all. For whereas they were no more then men, our IESVS is GOD and Man, in one and the selfe-same Person. They came into the world by an ordinary generation, as we do now: but Hee was borne of a Virgin pure, that knew no man. They had not their name giuen them expresly by GOD, but by men: but Hee [Page] had His name from GOD, by the mouth of an Angell, GODS Messenger. They all had need of this IESVS, that they might be saued by Him, otherwise they had perished all: They were the sons of men; but Hee is the Son, the eternall Son of the eternall GOD. They might be meanes to saue others, especially from exterior dangers and enemies: but this IESVS, by His owne Personall Power, and Merites hath saued all true beleeuers from their sinnes: Hee hath deliuered them from sathan, Hee hath redeemed their soules from death, and hath purchased for them the glory of the Kingdome of heauen. This Name He had from all eternity, as GOD, but Hee receiued it in the womb, as Man: and in, and at, His resurrection Hee made manifest the truth therof most fully. [Page] This name of a Sauiour (for so IESVS signifies) is a name aboue all names: For it is the name of GOD, I am (saith he) and besides Mee there is no Sauiour: None of all the Titles of GOD, are so precious with Him as this of Sauiour, in which, with his glory, is ioyned our saluation. Euen the very name of GOD, without this Name, hath no comfort in it. Shut out this IESVS, and GOD is a consuming fire, and there is no dealing with Him: But in this IESVS, GOD hath reconciled the world to Himselfe, who without Him is an enemy to it. The name CHRIST (which signifies Annointed) is not equall vnto the name IESVS, for the end is aboue the meanes: Now Hee was Annointed to be our Sauiour. Princes are called the LORDS Annointed, but saluation [Page] is of the LORD; that is proper to Him: Hee, Hee is the Sauiour, and besides Him there is no other. And indeed IESVS is the very name of GOD, but GOD cannot bee Annointed: Hee that giues all, can take nothing; Hee is the Annointer, and is not, nor can possible be annointed. Therefore CHRIST cannot be the name of GOD: And yet euen our IESVS is our IESVS CHRIST, Our Annointed Sauiour; which Annointing is spoken of Him, and that truely, as Hee is Man, and Mediator, betweene GOD and man. This IESVS is our LORD, Hee hath bought vs with His Owne Bloud, and Hee is farre aboue all other Lords in the world: For other Lords in case may bee disobeyed; but This in no case: Other Lords are by [Page] Him, both as men and as Lords, and both they and their Lordships are subiect to change: but Hee is immortall, and of His Kingdome there shall bee none end. Other Lords are sinners, and meere men: but Hee is GOD also, and the Sanctifier of sinnefull men. They, if they will be saued, must serue this LORD, and throw downe their Crowns at His feete. Other Lords cannot do, what they do desire, but CHRIST can. They cannot saue all, that follow them, and aduance all their Subiects: But Hee saueth all that trust in Him, and serue Him, Hee makes them all Kings and Priests vnto His FATHER. And whereas other Lords haue their naturall infirmities, and passions, of choler, Melancholy, &c. by which their seruants are sometimes [Page] vexed, yea and wronged too: Our LORD is so exquifitely compleate, and absolute, as that Hee cannot offend, or wrong, any man by any meane: but is able to giue full contentment vnto all, and is all things to all His seruants, and in them all.

Of Blasphemy.

TO blaspheme, is properly to hurt, or wrong, one in his name or fame. GOD is three waies blasphemed: First, when that is denyed vnto Him, which is His due: when that is imputed to Him, which belongs not to Him, and when [Page] that is attributed to another, which is proper onely vnto Him: He blasphemes GOD, that saith GOD cannot saue him, or which saith GOD is not iust, or that Hee sees not all secret things, or that He regards not the sighes and teares of his people: He likewise blasphemes GOD, that saith GOD hath a body, like a man: or that it is long of GOD that men do sin. Thirdly, he blasphemes GOD, that saith the diuell can make a man, or raise a man, truely dead, to life. Hee is an euill man, that will speak euill of his Maker: and sure the heart is not right, if the tongue speake wrong; He that speakes ill, thinkes not well. Doubtlesse GOD will not iustifie the man, that condemnes Him; Hee will not hold him guiltlesse, that would make Him [Page] guilty; Hee thinkes not well of him, that speakes ill of Him. GOD hath giuen a tongue to the beast, but the faculty of speach onely vnto man; Hee is very ill requited, when by this tongue His Name is blasphemed. The tongue was giuen a man to praise GOD, not to blaspheme and accuse Him. It is a fearefull euill to turne that to euill, which was made for good: It is a grieuous sinne to speake ill of GOD with the tongue, which was made of purpose to speake good of Him: And questionlesse, if men must giue account (at the iudgement) of their idle words, then blaspheming and hurtfull words shall not bee forgotten.

Of the Olde and New Testament.

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THE Old Testament, and the New, for Substance, is one and the same. The Old infolds the New, and the New vnfolds the Old. The New is couered in the Old, the Old is discouered in the New. The faith in both is one: either one, or none: For Nature it is the same in both: but in the New it hath receiued light, euidence, and distinction. There hath beene an encrease of Faith: but how? Not that new points are added, but the former are amplifyed, and explained. An [Page] infant hath all the parts of a man, but these parts by yeares are enlarged: And an Oake is contained in the kernell, but time produceth all the parts and branches. Euen so the faith of our fore-fathers before CHRIST, and ours since, is for Sense and Substance, one and the same, but since it hath receiued his growth, his euidence, and illustration, but yet in the same kind, sense, and vnderstanding.

Of Justifying Faith.

IVSTIFYING Faith is that gracious gift, whereby we beleeue in the iustice of CHRIST for our iustification, and looke [Page] vpon him with confidence, who was lifted vp vpon the Crosse for the cure of our soules, as the Brazen Serpent was for the cure of the Israelites, being stinged with serpents; that as they by looking to the brazen Serpent were cured of their bodily hurts, so we by beholding or fixing our beleefe on IESVS CHRIST crucified, should not perish, but haue eternall life by Him, being by the grace of GOD in Him, deliuered from all our sinnes. By Faith then a mans goes out of himselfe, and goes into CHRIST IESVS: By faith he forsakes himselfe, and cleaues vnto CHRIST IESVS; By faith hee stands not vpon his owne righteousnesse, which is required by the Law, but desires to be found in the righteousnesse of CHRIST, [Page] which is reuealed in the Gospell: by faith hee puts off his owne ragges, his owne wisedome, holinesse, iustice, and puts on CHRIST IESVS, and applies him, or at the least would faine apply Him to himselfe, as some rich robe, or glorious garment, that being cloathed in his Wisedome, Holinesse, and Iustice, hee might appeare in the presence of GOD His heauenly Father (as Iacob did to Isaac in Esaus cloathes) and so obtaine His euerlasting blessing: This Sauing Faith is a most precious iewell of the soule, full of comfort and content. Thou canst not see GOD, but thou maist behold His Workes; This is His Worke, that a man beleeueth in His Sonne IESVS CHRIST: If then thou dost truely beleeue, thou maist be [Page] sure that GOD is in thee, and hath taken possession of thee. Wouldst thou know how the Sunne goes in the heauens? Then looke vnto some true Sunne Dyall, in it the motion of the Sunne aboue appeareth. So, wouldst thou see how the Son of Righteousnes CHRIST IESVS is affected towards thee? Ascend not on high, scale not the heauens; but descend into thy selfe, and examine thine heart for thy faith; for thy faith apprehends Him, followes Him vp and downe, and lookes wishly vpon Him; Thy Faith eyes Him, touches Him, holds Him, and will not let Him go. And marke, euen as thou by thy faith dost apprehend Him, so Hee by His fauour doth comprehend thee: as thou dost acknowledge Him, so Hee doth acknowledge [Page] thee: as thou dost enter into Him, so Hee doth inuiron thee: as thou dost content thy selfe with Him, so Hee delight Himselfe in thee: as thou dost rest and leaue thy selfe on Him, so Hee doth offer Himselfe as a prop to stay and hold thee vp. Not that wee beginne, and Hee followes; but Hee beginnes, and wee follow: euen as the Diall followes the Sun, and not it the Diall; or, as the motion, and turning of a Boate at Anchor, followes the motion and turning of the water, and not it the Boate: or, as as the drynesse of the Wayes, follow the drynesse of the Weather, and this that: or finally, as the Sea followes the Moone, and not it the Sea. By this Faith we heare with profite, we walke with comfort, wee worke by charity, wee hope for glory, we [Page] enioy tranquillity, and though wee bee not iustified for the merite of it, yet are wee iustified by it, as by that onely meane, whereby wee behold and hold, beleeue and place, our confidence in IESVS CHRIST, who was made vnto vs, of GOD, Wisedome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, and Redemption. So Saint Paul, knowing that a man is not iustifyed by the workes, but by the Faith of IESVS CHRIST: Wee also (Paul and Peter) haue beleeued in IESVS CHRIST, that wee might bee iustified by the Faith of CHRIST, and not by the workes of the Law: Because by the workes of the Law no flesh shall bee iustified. Epiphanius saith, iustice is by Faith, without the workes of the Law. Chrysostome saith, Hee hath saued vs by Faith [Page] alone. Theodoret saith, by bringing onely Faith we haue receiued pardon of sinnes. We iudge, saith Ambrose, according to the Apostle, that a man is iustifyed by Faith, without the workes of the Law. Ierome saith, thou knowest that thou, as the Gentiles, hast found life in CHRIST, not by the workes of the Law, but by Faith alone. To omit many, heare onely now Saint Austen a word, or two: When the Apostle saith, a man is iustified freely, without the workes of the Law, by Faith, it is not his drift, that when Faith is receiued and professed, the workes of Iustice should bee contemned; but that euery man may know it is possible for him to bee iustified, although the workes of the Law haue not gone before; for they follow [Page] him, that is iustified, and go not before him, that is to bee iustified. So then, wee for our parts are iustified before GOD onely by Faith: but wee, and our faith also are iustified before men by good workes, as the goodnesse of a Tree is shewed by the fruite, the goodnesse of a rose by her sweete odors, the cunning of a workeman by his workes. And though Faith bee not alone, but very well attended, yet it iustifies alone: as the eye sees alone, the eare heares alone, the mouth tastes alone, the legges go alone, but yet are not alone, but are coupled to other parts of the body. Hee that hath this faith, hath all the vertues of a Christian; hee that wants it, wants all: With it a man is something, without it a man is worse then nothing. A [Page] man hath all that hath himselfe; he hath nothing that wants himselfe; but hee hath himselfe that hath his Sauiour, and hee hath his Sauiour, that beleeueth in Him, and by the vertue of his faith doth seeke and serue Him. It it not faith, but faithlesnesse; not trust but distrust, for a man to put affiance in himselfe: I will therefore distrust in my selfe, that I may beleeue in CHRIST: I will despaire of my selfe, that I may haue hope in Him; and I will loose my selfe in my selfe, that I may finde my selfe in Him: I will not distrust in His might, because Hee is Almighty; nor in His good will, because Hee is most mercifull, and cryeth; Come vnto mee (not yee that are worthy, but) yee that are weary, and heauy laden, and I will refresh you.

Of Hope that maketh not ashamed.

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HOPE is the wishing and expecting of some good to come. True Christian hope, is that worke of the SPIRIT in a true Beleeuers heart, whereby hee patiently waiteth for those good things, which GOD hath promised vnto him in IESVS CHRIST: This hope is certaine, and not false; begotten of faith in the promise of GOD: It is the anchor of the soule, which would be split in peeces with stormes and tempests, and driuen vpon Rockes and Sands, or loose it selfe in the vaste Ocean [Page] of this vnquiet and sinnefull world, if it were not preserued and staied by Hope, fastned on our LORD and SAVIOVR CHRIST IESVS, who is the ground of our hope, our staffe, our stay, our comfort and contentment. Ioy is the motion of the heart vpon some present good, now enioyed: But Hope is the hearts expectation of some good to come: Which good the faithfull heart doth long and looke for; not led thereunto by the euidence of humane sense or reason, but moued by the euidence of faith, which is the promise of GOD. The way to come to true Hope, is to haue no hope in our selues, but to receiue all our hope from faith in the Word of GOD. For to hope in the creature is to despaire of the Creator: Neither [Page] doth hee truely hope in CHRIST, that doth fixe his hope on any thing out of CHRIST. To despaire is a grieuous sinne, for a man thereby denies the Power of GOD, who is Omnipotent, or His good Will and Mercy, who will cast away no humble Suppliant, but knowes how to alter His Sentence, if thou canst tell how to performe repentance. It is true, desperation doth destroy thousands, but presumption doth kill ten thousands. There is no more dangerous presumption, then for a man to expect saluation by his owne deserts, or to ground his hope of eternity vpon his owne perfections. His waxen wings where-with hee soares on high, will not bee able to endure the heate of GODS [Page] Iustice, but with Icarus hee shall most surely fall, and perish in the gulfe of hell. So, it is very vanity for a man to hope for heauen, whiles hee is alwaies (like a Mole) rooting and turning vp Mountaines of enormities against the heauens, and laying sinne vpon sinne (as the Babilonians did stone vpon stone) and so threatning heauen with their sinnes, as they with their Tower. The sinner may not hope for heauen, but the Saint onely; the humble, and not the proud; the penitent, not the man addicted to his owne lusts, and hating to bee reformed. For the promise of Eternall Life is made, not to Infidels, but to Beleeuers; not to the rebell, but to the penitent; not to the presumptuous, [Page] but to the poore; not to the children of the world, but to the true spirituall, sonnes, and daughters of the Church of GOD. Adulterers, Drunkards, worldlings, shall not inherite the Kingdome of GOD. They cannot be saued, except they repent, and when they do truely repent, then GOD accounts them no longer Adulterers, Drunkards, Worldlings, but doth forgiue them. And as without repentance they cannot be saued; so without repentance they cannot hope to bee saued. If they looke to be saued, and yet run on in their sinnes, they looke in vaine: This their looking being the presumption of fancy, not the expectation of faith. It is but a castle built in the Aire, imaginary: Or like an house of clay set in the waters. [Page] LORD IESVS, thou art mine Hope, mine Honour! I will beginne and end in Thee. I would be found in Thee, and not in Mee. I will desire, seeke, and waite for life in Thee, in Thee alone, in nothing else. I doe long, and looke to see the face of GOD in the Land of the Liuing: But it is because Thou art mine, and I am Thine, and Thine I desire to be, and none but Thine, for euer and euer. For this hope is not a mans, but a Christians: Thou art the author of it, not Alam: It is of Faith, not from the flesh: Wee haue it not by generation, but by Regeneration: Neither can any man be possessour of it longer, then hee continueth Thine, euen Thine, and none but Thine, ruled of thy Spirit, and not ouer-ruled of his flesh.

Of holy Charity.

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LOVE is an vniting affection, by which the heart is knit vnto the thing beloued, and by which the knot is continued knit, and not dissolued. For as hatred looseth, so loue bindeth: that diuideth, but this vniteth; that causeth abhomnation, but this delectation; that contempt, but this contentment. Loue, that is good, hath for his obiect good. As euill, either true, or seeming, is the obiect of hatred; so a true, or seeming good, is the obiect of loue. A true loue is fixed on a thing, [Page] that is truely good. This is a rare and excellent vertue; that, which appeaseth GOD to man, and reconcileth man to GOD; that which made the Sonne of GOD come downe to men, and the sonnes of men go vp to GOD; that, which ties GOD to vs, and our hearts to Him. Knowledge is in the soule as a Candle in a darke roome: yet without Charity, the greatest Clearke is but an empty bladder; or like a vaste house full of light, but voide of treasure; hee may haue Learning, but hee wanteth Grace. This holy affection, makes the poore man very rich, and the want thereof makes a rich man very poore. With it, a man is as an Angell: Without it, hee is euen as bad, or little better, then a diuell. This is the [Page] soule of all learning, the condiment of all vertues, the roote of all good actions, the ornament of all Christians, the keeper of true peace, the mother of true obedience, and that, without the which, a man hath nothing, is nothing. A man may haue wealth as Nabal, wit, as Achitophel, beauty, as Absolom, honour, as Haman, strength as Goliah, the Sacraments, as Iudas, and yet be wicked and cast away for euer: But a man cannot but be good, whose loue is sincere and good: And as soone shall the diuell bee saued, as a charitable man condemned. But who is this charitable man indeed? Euen hee that loueth GOD in CHRIST, and euery good Christian for CHRIST His sake. Many will boast of loue, as many brauadoes will [Page] bragge of wealth, they haue not. If to for sweare, and sweare idly, if to profane the Saboath, and to contemne sacred Persons, Places, Offices, Acts and Exercises: If to be stout and sturdy to superious, If to brow-beate, stabbe, quarrell, raile, threaten, and reuenge: If to paint the face, and die the haire, to weare a long locke, or to abuse our neighbours wife, daughter, or seruant: if to robbe, purloine, embezle, or beguile: If to oppresse, and grinde the faces of poore people: If to bee idle, and vnprofitable: If glutting, glouring, pranking, lying, slandering, flattering, and euill speaking: If these bee charity, the world is full of charity; and such charitable persons, are rife, as the frogs of Aegypt, which would venture into the Kings [Page] Court. But if these bee not, as indeed they are not, then may wee iustly complaine, and say: There is men enough, but few louers; much enormity but little Charity. Some commend Charity, but shew none; and thinke they haue it, when no fruite thereof appeareth. Charity needs none of their prayses, but they stand in neede to bee praysed by Charity, which loues onely to be commended of her children. It is true, Charity it selfe is not seene, but it is manifested by her operations; as the heart by panting, as the winde by blowing, as the Aire by drying, or as the spirit and iuice of a tree by the apple. And it is as impossible for Charity to bee in the soule without signes, and friuts, as for fire to bee without heate, or for water not to wet [Page] them, that touch it, or for the soule to bee in the body, and yet to shew no vertue, or comfort, thereof vnto the body.

Of Gods Loue to Man.

THERE is no man liuing, which, as a creature, is not loued of GOD the great Creator; which appeareth in that Hee is said to be the SAVIOVR of All, and to cause the Sunne to shine, and the raine to fall, euen on the wicked. Hee loueth Humanity, but hateth impiety; the Man-head is beloued, but malice in it is detested: Hee likes well of the Nature, [Page] but dislikes the sinne: That, which is His, Hee loues, but that which marres His, Hee hates: His owne Image Hee loues, but the deformities therof, made by man, are altogether displeasing in his sight. Now when all men had transgressed, and by transgression had made themselues the children of death, it pleased Him to passe by fome, being tyed to none, and some others to chuse in loue vnto Eternall Life. But what loued Hee now? The men, and not their manners; their nature, now vnder great corruption, but not corruption it selfe: Their persons, not their preuarications. And why loued Hee them? What moued Him to make that difference? Surely nothing but His owne good Will: Meēre mercy in Him, no merite at all in them; His free [Page] Dignation, and no dignity or deserts of theirs: His free fauour to them, and no fore-seene faith in them. But GOD, that had nothing to loue in a sinner but his Humanity, in a true Saint hath also Christianity: then Nature, but now Nature and Grace too: In Generation the Humane Nature, in Regeneration a certaine Diuine Nature. If the diuell hate all men, but especially all Saints; then wee may be sure that GOD loues all men, but especially all holy men: And if the diuell hate and pine at the graces of GOD in men; then questionlesse GOD loues all His graces, in whomsoeuer Hee findes them. O the riches of the loue of GOD vnto His chosen! O inexplicable kindnesse! O irrecompenfable fauour! What is man, that Thou [Page] shouldst regard him, or the son of man, a worme, a wretch, the childe of death, that Thou shouldest cast thine eies vpon Him? When all were fallen, and had deserued nothing but wrath, but woe, but death, eternall wrath, eternall woe, eternall death; Thy mercy, Thy mercy, not at all deserued, pittyed some, but diddest passe by others as amiable and as miserable as the other. O how vnspeakeable is Thy loue to Thine! How admirable art Thou in all Thy waies! Euen Thine enemies hast Thou receiued vnto mercy; Thou hast punished their sinnes in the Flesh of Thine owne Sonne, and in Whom Thou dost Crowne them with grace and glory. O GOD, Thy Loue brought the Israelites out of Aegypt, ouerwelmed their persecutors, [Page] guided them in the wildernesse, trod downe the Nations for them, and brought them into the land of Canaan: Euen so, ô LORD, Thy loue vnto vs, redeemeth vs from our bondage, saueth vs from hell, treadeth downe our enemies, protects and directs vs in the world, and safely brings vs into the Land of Promise, the Land of the Liuing, where wee shall see Thy Face, and enioy the ioyes of blisse for euermore. O LORD Thy loue is life, Thy fauour is felicity: LORD, let the light of Thy countenance shine vpon mee, and grant mee Thy loue, which Thou bearest vnto those, whom Thou louest euer, and leauest neuer.

Of Mans loue to God.

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LOVE of GOD doth knit fast the heart vnto Him, makes it delight in Him, and to bee contented with Him. What cause hath man to loue Him, it is not hard to conceiue, seeing Hee is altogether good in Himselfe, and the cause of all good in, and to him. Are wee, liue wee, vnderstand wee? Wee must ascribe it vnto GOD. Are wee men, or are wee good men? Haue wee Grace, or expect we Glory? The praise belongs to Him. The measure of our loue should bee vnmeasureable, and the end [Page] endlesse. The heart, wherewith wee loue Him, should not bee halfe, nor hollow, but such as Hee made in vs, whole, and vndiuided, simple, and not double. How equall is it that man should loue His GOD, seeing it is the substance of His Law, and seeing he is so much obliged to Him for the tokens of His loue to Him. How needfull is it, seeing otherwise hee cannot loue his neighbour in Him, no nor performe any Act or Office of Religion, pleasingly in His sight? And how comfortable, seeing it is the worke of GODS SPIRIT in him, and an vndoubted effect and token of GODS loue to Him, and of his faith in GOD? And yet it is a wonder to see how rare this duety is amongst vs. How sildome doe wee thinke of GOD, or of [Page] His seruice? What capitall and foule enormities are euery where heaped vp against Him? How vsuall is it with men to turne His Grace into wantonnesse? How doe the pleasures and cares of the world depriue Him of our hearts? How common is the contempt of His holy Ordinances? How great is the profanation of His holy Day? How customably is His fearefull and glorious Name, vainely vsed? And how wantonly doe men deale with His sacred Word? What little zeale and courage is there in vs for His Glory? Alas, wee talke of loue, but demonstrate little. The heart of the louer is rather where it loues, then where it liues; a man cannot but obey his Lord, whom hee deerely loueth, and will make much of any thing, [Page] that belongs to that hee loues. But our hearts are buried in the earth, wee are euer rooting in the ground, wee haue cast off the yoke of GODS Commandements, wee are frozen in our dregges, and make account of any thing rather then that which concernes His Honour: which doth discouer our hypocrisie, and witnesseth against vs that wee are louers of pleasures, profite, preferments, of any thing rather then of Him: Yet is there nothing able to doe vs so much good, as Hee: Nothing so worthy of our loue, as Hee: Nothing, to which wee are so much indebted, as to Him: Nothing, wherein wee can finde so much comfort in the loue thereof, as in the loue of Him: Nothing, so well able to rauish our hearts with the delight thereof, [Page] as Hee is: And no man so regardfull of our loue, as Hee is, and yet standeth not in neede of vs at all, nor of our loue. Wee desire His loue to vs, why then should we not remonstrate ours to Him? Wee would haue our children and seruants loue vs, it is reason therefore that wee should bestow our loue on Him, being our Louing LORD, and gracious FATHER in IESVS CHRIST.

Of the Loue of Christ.

CHRIST is our LORD and SAVIOVR, therefore wee ought to loue Him, as men in loue redeemed by Him, and receiued into His seruice. Hee [Page] loues Him as his LORD, that willingly submits his soule vnto His Scepter, and offers himselfe to bee ruled by His Lawes: Hee loues Him as his SAVIOVR, that relies vpon His Merites, seekes to Him for His Grace, and resteth in those meanes of life and godlinesse, which Hee hath ordained in His Church CHRIST is the Husband of His people, and therefore to bee beloued of them, as of His Wife. And those loue Him as their Husband, that wed not their hearts to any other, that keepe their soules chaste for Him, that delight to bee vnder His shadow, and which in their hearts, say, with the Spouse in the Canticles; Stay mee with flagons, and comfort mee with apples; set mee as a Seale on Thine heart, and as a Signet vpon [Page] Thine Arme: Thy Loue is better then wine. If euer our loue was deserued of any, then of CHRIST IESVS; Who became man to bring vs into grace with GOD; Who was poore, to make vs rich; Who humbled Himselfe, to exalt vs; Who came downe from heauen, to fetch vs from hell to heauen: Who both liued and dyed for vs, that wee might escape eternall death, and might obtaine Eternall Life. And finally, because perfection procureth fauour, and beauty is the Load-stone vnto loue: Wee must needs bestow our loue on Him, in whom is nothing but perfection, nothing but beauty. In Him are all the Treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge hidden: In Him is the fulnesse of the God-head Bodily: Hee is Fairer [Page] then the sonnes of men, Grace is diffused in His Lips: GOD hath annointed Him with the Oile of Gladnesse aboue His Fellowes: Hee is White and Ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand, wholly delectable. LORD IESVS, tie mine heart fast to Thee by loue; seuer it from all earthly things, euen from it selfe, that it may be wedded wholly, and solely vnto Thee, vnto Thee, and vnto none but Thee, and that for euer.

Of Selfe-loue.

CHRITY beginnes at home: It is naturall for a man to loue himselfe; Hee that loues not himselfe, is vnfit to loue [Page] another: Or how can hee take care of another, that is carelesse of himselfe? True selfe-loue is a furtherer of all vertues, specially of temperance and such other, as concerne our selues. For hee, that loues himselfe truely, wils well, and does well vnto himselfe, and embraces those vertues gladly, by which hee may be mended. There is a blind and foolish selfe-loue, too too common in the world. You shall haue some rauished with the admiration of themselues; they are the Mountaines, all others are but Mole-hils; all their Geese are Swans; all their vertues are ten-foote long, and all their actions are good, because they are theirs; all is spoken in Print, that is spoke by them; they see not their wants, but imagine they haue, that they [Page] haue not: So they swimme, they care not though all doe sinke; so they may haue, they care not though all besides doe want; they will forgiue and flatter themselues in most grieuous vices, excusing themselues, extenuating their faults, and contemning all the admonitions of others. And finally, their praises of others is very sparing, almost nothing, but they can speake bigly of themselues, and thinke nothing well done, but what they do themselues. This is a pernicious and fearefull sinne, the madnesse of the minde, the impediment of all vertues, the shame of Religion, and the cause of all enormites: He that loues himselfe aright, loues himselfe Holily that is, in GOD, for GOD, and vnder GOD: and Iustly, that hee may bee [Page] righteous, and that by selfeloue hee proues not himselfe injust: And Discreetely, not ouerweening himselfe, but with wisedome be hauing himselfe towards all, as is requisite for him. The good man that loues himselfe, as hee should, wisheth well vnto himselfe, doth good vnto himselfe, agreeth with himselfe, dwelleth with himselfe with willingnesse, reioyceth with himselfe, where there is cause of ioy, and sorroweth with himselfe, when there is matter of sorrow; and in briefe, doth earnestly couet and labour his owne peace, inward, outward, and eternall. On the contrary, a wicked and profane Athiest, Epicure, and Worldling doe not truely loue themselues, but rather hate, and hurt themselues with intemperance, worldly cares, and other [Page] vices: they study not to garnish their soules with spirituall vertues, but follow riches, pleasures, and preferments, which to wicked men are neuer good, but euer hurtfull. Neither do they agree well together within themselues, because their appetite and sensuall part doth striue against their reasons, and either they euer labour of a stupifyed, or with a vexed and vnquiet spirit. And hence it is also, that sensuall and euill liuers, as drunkards, whoore-mongers, spendthriftes, and such like persons, loue not to be alone, and like not priuacie, and retired thoughts, but frequent Alehouses, Tauernes, Plaies, and seeke out voluptuous and boon companions, such as themselues, because they loue not themselues, delight not in themselues, [Page] agree not with their consciences, but are vexed with the remembrance of their vices and iniquities, disquieted with the feare of punishment, and pinched with the gripes of an accusing and tumultuous conscience. Briefly, men truely good do onely truely loue themselues; but euill men do not loue themselues at all, but either hate, or loue amisse.

Of loue to our Neighbour.

A GOOD Christian hath two things in him to be beloued, Grace and Nature. As hee is a man, we ought to loue [Page] him; but as hee is a good man, wee ought to loue him the more. Hee, that hates a man, loues not his Maker; he, that hates a Christian, loues not his Maister. He that hates either Man or Christian, is neither Christian, nor Man, but a diuell incarnate. Some boast of their loue to GOD, which shew no loue to man for GOD: This boasting is vaine and false, for he that loues GOD, will loue His Image: And certes he that loues not the childe, cares as little for the father. But our neighbour is vngodly, gracelesse, roytous, and voruly; Yet must we loue him, if not because he is good, yet that hee may be good; if not the man, yet the man-head; if not the manners, yet the man. Gold is good, though drosse bee naught: Wheate may not be [Page] throwne away because of chaffe; neither will we hate our bodies, because there are deformities, or diseases in them. Neither will all loue serue the turne; but we ought to loue our neighbour in truth, not falsely; in deed, not verbally; in the faith, not against it; in that, that is iust, and not vnrighteously; in iudgement, and not vndiscreetely; in measure, vnder GOD, and not aboue Him: and constantly, not for a start, as if some ague-fit were on vs. There is very much loue in the world, such as it is, but very little Christian Charity. For this seekes the good of her neighbour, and not his goods: This loues to giue, and not to pull away: This beareth much, for beareth much, and reioyceth in the truth: This loues a man, not for his greatnesse, but [Page] for his Graces; not for his birth, but for his New-birth; not for his honour, but for his Holinesse; not for his wealth, but for his Wisedome: and finally for CHRIST and in CHRIST: for CHRIST, because CHRIST doth loue him, and bids vs loue Him; and in CHRIST, either because he is CHRISTS, or that he may become CHRISTS. But this is the condemnation of men, that the Church, and Her Children are come amongst them; but men loue the world more then the Church, and sinners more, then Saints.

Of louing, and of being loued.

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IT is better to loue, then to be loued: for Action is more excellent then Passion; and the praise of vertue consists in action. To giue, is more gracious then to take: Now in louing there is a gift, in being loued there is a taking. Honesty is better then Commodity: Now to loue is a point of Honesty, to be beloued is a matter of Commodity. GOD delights more in the loue, wherewith he doth loue, then in the loue, wherewith he is loued: And mothers naturally reioyce more to loue [Page] their children, then to be loued of their children, and like better to do good to them, then to receiue good from them. Besides, a man may bee loued of a man with Christian loue, and yet be but an hypocrite; but a man cannot loue with Christian loue, but he must needes be a Christian. A man may be loued of his neighbour for GOD, and yet neither loue GOD, nor be loued of GOD: but a man cannot loue his neighbour for GOD, but hee doth much more loue GOD, and is most certainely beloued of GOD. And finally, it is no paine, but rather pleasure; a gaine, but no grace to be beloued: but to loue a good thing well is grace; yea, oftentimes a man must sweate and striue with great contention (so auerse and tortuous are our [Page] hearts by sinne) before he can fasten his affections, and fixe his loue on spirituall things, which are most worthy of his loue, and remoue it from those things, that are rather to be loathed and forsaken, as noysome, and pernicious to him.

True friendship stands in true mutuall loue, where loue failes, there friendship fals: But that a man may proue a friend vnto another, it is necessary that he be a friend vnto himselfe: For how shall he will well, do well, agree well, or dwell well with another, that failes in these things towrds himselfe?

But this, as touching loue, is worthy obseruation: that those that do good turnes vnto others, do more loue them, to whom they do them, then these, that do receiue them, do loue those, [Page] that do them: Prouided that they do their good turnes out of sincerity, not for by-respects. CHRIST loues vs better then we loue him: Parents loue their children more then their children loue them. Tutors loue their Pupils more then they their Tutors. Hee that receiues a benefite is (as it were) the worke and creature of his Benefactour: Now the worke-man loues the worke, more then the worke doth loue the workeman: The creature is deerer to the Creator, then Hee to it; and the cause loues the effect more then it the cause. The Vsurer is vnworthy the name of Benefactour, because he loues his Debtor for gaine, seeking rather to benefite himselfe in his Debtor, then his Debtor in him: And to speake properly, as he is [Page] an Vsurer, he loues him not: for loue seekes not her owne good, but the good of him whom hee loues; Now the Vsurer seekes his owne good onely, and leaues his debtor to looke to himselfe, shewing him onely a little outward indulgence for a time, vntill hee may haue his debt paid him againe with vantage. But indeed to gaine loue, and to be counted a Benefactour, is not any way more easily attain'd to, then by doing good turnes vnto men freely, seasonably, vnasked, and in secresie: but some cannot do a man a good turne, but they must cackle so long and so loud, that all the world may take notice of it; which argues that they regard fame more then friendship, and to walke vpon the tongues of men, rather then to liue within [Page] the breasts of their friends and followers.

Of Faith, Hope and Charity.

FAITH, Hope, and Charity, are three notable giftes of GOD, without the which it is impossible for any man to bee saued, though no man shall bee saued for them. A man shall bee saued in them, but not for them; for that, which merites our saluation for vs, that is, redemption from all sinne and sorrow, and fruition of Eternall Glory; that (I say) is not any thing in vs, but something without vs: It is not quality, gift, or grace infused, [Page] but the Iustice of CHRIST imputed. Faith beleeueth, Hope expecteth the thing beleeued, and Charity Ioues it, linkes the soule vnto it. Faith is as the mother, Hope, and Charity, are her two daughters: Because I beleeue, therefore I hope, and as I beleeue, so I loue. Faith beleeueth that GOD is true and faithfull in His Word: Hope waiteth whiles Hee shew Himselfe to be so. Faith be getteth hope, hope being begotten preserueth faith. Faith beholds, and holds fast the Word of Promise: Hope lookes after the thing that is promised in that Word. Loue vnites the heart both to the Word, and to the thing that is promised in it: Hope is the waiting for a good to come, but Faith beleeueth things past, present, and to come. I beleeue that CHRIST [Page] was borne of a Virgin, that Hee now sitteth at the right Hand of His FATHER, and that Hee shall come hereafter to iudge the world: Faith taketh CHRIST, and worketh by Charity; Charity worketh not by Faith, as an instrument, but arises from Faith, as from the fountaine, whereout it flowes. Christian Faith beholdeth CHRIST in the Word and Sacraments: But Christian Charity ties the soule, not onely vnto CHRIST, but also vnto all His Members, in and for His Name. Loue is not caused by hope, but hope rather caused by loue; for because a man doth loue GOD, therefore hee doth expect and tarry, and that with desire and longing, till he do enioy Him to his fill. And if hee did not loue Him, he would not desire and hope to see Him, but [Page] rather feare, and grieue. Finally, Faith, Hope, and Charity, are three excellent vertues, but Charity is, in two respects, the chiefest. First, because Charity is profitable to our Neighbours, whereas our Faith and Hope doth them no good at all, were it not for Charity. Secondly, the loue, whereby wee loue CHRIST and His Members now, shall be continued and perfited in the world to come: but whereas now we do by faith beleeue, and by hope expect and desire to see the face of CHRIST hereafter: Then, when we do see and enioy Him, this faith, and this hope are at an end; and whereas heere in this life wee walke by faith, and not by sight, and feeling, in the life to come wee shall see face to face, and know as wee are [Page] knowne, and want no feeling nor sight of that, that is pleasing and solacious to the soule. And whereas men hope for that, they see not, how can they hope for that they see? But GOD shall bee seene of His Saints in the world to come, and their sight shall rauish them with His loue, their corporall and intellectuall eyes, then glorifyed, being as doores or windowes to let in His Loue into their heartes, which will most willingly entertaine Him, and rest vpon Him, as vpon their Center, and sole Contenter.

Of Gods Word.

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GODS Word is a Fire, It must be warily meddled with: If thou wilt not suffer It to burne vp thy lusts, It will burne vp thee: if It consume not the sinne, It shall consume the sinner. Art thou a cold? It is fire to warme thee. Art thou drossy? It is fire to purge thee. Art thou in darkenesse? It is a fire to enlighten thee. Is thine heart voide of zeale to GOD, or loue to Man? It is a fire to enflame thee? Art thou frozen vpon thy dregs, or art thou so hardned that no impression can be made vpon thee? It is a fire to thaw and melt thee. This Word shall be destruction to him, that [Page] will receiue no instruction from It: It will proue his desolation, that makes it not his consolation: It will condemne thee, if thou wilt not suffer It to controule thee: and if It shalt not helpe thee, It shall vndoubtedly hurt thee. This Word is an Hammer, if It soften not a man, and make him tender, It will harden him and make him tough: If It beate not downe the sinne, it will knocke downe the sinner: And if the hereticke will not be beaten with It from his heresies, It will beate him downe one day thither, from whence all heresies spring. An hammer hurts not the aire or water, which yeelds vnto it readily, but breakes and bruises that, that makes resistance. Hee that resists the Word shall bee broken; but hee, that yeelds vnto [Page] it, shall receiue no hurt. Hee that would surely breake a thing with an hammer, must not onely moue the hammer to it with strength; but hee must so lay the thing, that it slide, slip, or shrinke not from the blow: so they, that indeed would haue their hearts softned, their proud hearts battered, or any lust contused, let them apply the Word of GOD vnto them closely, and not leap or shrinke aside, when it is ministred and fitted to them. And what Minister soeuer brings with him this Fire, this Hammer, entertaine It, vse It, apply thy selfe vnto It. If the Fire, if the Hammer be the same, If it be GODs, receiue it with the same affection, though the men be not the same, that bring it. The Hammer is not the worse for him that holds it, [Page] nor the Fire for him that brings it. The Minister is to be receiued and honoured for the Word, and not It for him. In briefe, the Smith can do nothing without his Hammer and Fire. Ministers are Smiths, and men naturally are like yron vnwrought or vnformed, or rather indeed ill-wrought, and illformed. The Word, that is, the Law and Gospell, is the Fire and Hammer, by which through diuine assistance they worke them, fashion them, and make them fit instruments, and vessels for the seruice of GOD in His House, which is the Church. How precious therefore both to Priest, and people should this Hammer and Fire bee in a true account thereof within their soules?

Of Good-deeds.

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SVCH are good workes, as are, and are done according to the will of GOD reuealed. For the rule of wel-doing is not our wils, who are but seruants; but the Will of GOD, who is our Maister, whose will is Iust, and the Rule of Iustice, GOD being able to will nothing but right and good, seeing Hee is Wisedome, Truth, and Goodnesse it selfe. And a thing may be according to His Will, and yet not be done of him that does it, according to it. A good deed is ill done, if it bee not done for maner as wel as for [Page] matter, according to the Will of GOD. For if a man do that that is good, and thinke it is euill, that man doth sinne: Not onely because hee thinkes that euill, which is not euill; but also, because he iudging it to bee euill, yet doth it. Euen as a man may lye, when he speakes the truth, if he thinke that is a lye, which hee speaketh, when hee speakes it. Againe, if a man do that whereof he doubteth, and is not perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof, hee sinnes: For whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne. And finally, though a man do a thing that is good, yet if hee do it not to GODS Glory, but for his owne, or for base respects, and not in way of obedience to GODS Commandements, hee questionlesse commits a sinne. A good man [Page] onely can do a good deed: For an euill tree cannot bring forth good fruite, and a corrupt fountaine can send forth no wholesome water. Good deeds are necessary to saluation, as the way to the Kingdome, but not as the cause of reigning. They are not the causes of saluation, but the workes and testimonies of them that are to bee saued. And they are not the matter nor forme of faith, but they are true effects, vndoubted tokens, and vnseparable companions of true Faith and of true Charity, if well performed. For Faith and Charity are not idle and vnfruitfull, but labourious and full of goodnesse: And though our wel-doing be no cause of our Blessednesse, yet it shall not want a reward, but as wee doe abound therein in this world, so [Page] shall we exceed in glory in the world to come: The more wee flourish in fruit in this life, the more wee shall flourish in felicity in the life to come. But some haue beene heard to say, they can do no good deeds, they haue no riches, they are but poore. These are deceiued; thou hast not a penny, hast thou a prayer? Thou hast no goods to giue, hast thou good counsell? Thou canst do no deeds of comfort, hast thou any words of comfort? Thou hast no bread, hast thou a blessing? Thy legs are lame, thou canst not go well; thy hands are lame, thou canst not worke well; hast thou a good tongue, canst thou speake well? There is no man so poore, but he may benefite his neighbour one way, or an other: If any way it is a good deed, if hee do it [Page] well. And GOD accepts any thing, a cup of cold water, if there be no better, the widdowes Mite, euen any thing, haire to the building of the Tabernacle, a pin to the dressing of his Bride. And suppose a man do a good deed to a wicked man, yet if hee do it not for his wickednesse, but either because he is a man, or that hee may win him vnto goodnesse, or shew himselfe a follower of GOD, who is kind vnto His enemies, and doth good euen to the wicked, surely hee doth a good, and shall not loose his reward. And say that a man should bee kinde vnto some hypocrite, thinking him to bee a Saint, because hee could not discerne his simulations, being so cunningly carried, yet shall the benefactor bee rewarded of GOD, Who regards [Page] his affection, and seeth his heart, and will recompense him according to his loue, and not according to the condition of the party, which did not deserue it. If a mans benesicence proceeds of benevolence, and bee performed in the name of CHRIST to the glory of GOD, it shall neuer want a recompence. For GOD is not not iniust to forget the labour of our loue; and as men sow, so shall they reape; as they brue, so shall they drinke. Our gifts shall bee recompensed with glory, our paines with pleasures, our labours with life. Do well, and haue well: Liue well, and die well: Hee that doth well to the Seruant for the Maisters sake, shall be sure to receiue a reward from the Maister Himselfe: It shall neuer be said that [Page] hee, that was kind and louing to the Childe, is vnkindly and hardly dealt with of the Father. Let vs not therefore bee weary of wel-doing; for in due season wee shall reape, if wee faint not.

Of the knowledge of God.

ALL Men affect knowledge by a certaine instinct of nature: How vnmanly a vice then is it to affect the ignorance of GOD, our Maker, Ruler, and Redeemer, Whose Nature, Beauty, and Perfection doth more excell all the world, then all the world excels the meanest [Page] creature that is in it? Wee study to know the nature and perfection of things, that are, by farre, lesse worthy to be knowne: Yea, sometimes wee will search into things forbidden, and sometimes take paines to know that, which is not worthy of those paines. Except wee know GOD, how shall wee take Him alone to bee our GOD, and not defile our selues with idols? Vnlesse wee know Him, how shall we loue Him, how can we trust in Him, how can wee serue Him? Do men loue that they know not? Will a man serue hee knowes not whom? Will a man make account of that, the worth or vse whereof is vnknowne vnto him? Or will a man acknowledge and beleeue in one hee knowes not? Wee are spirituall Priests and Princes, is it for a [Page] Priest to bee ignorant of his GOD? Doth it become a King to bee ignorant of the KING of Kings, who set the Crowne on his head, and put the Scepter into his hand? Euen beasts, and birds know their owners, keepers, feeders, and is it a seeemely thing for man, whom GOD hath made their Lord, to bee ignorant of Him, by whom they liue, and moue, and haue their being, and long of Whose mercies it is, that they are not consumed? To know GOD rightly is a note of GODS people: They shall all know Mee from the least of them euen to the greatest of them, saith the LORD: and an infallible argument of blessednesse: This is life Eternall, that they know thee the onely true GOD, and IESVS CHRIST whom Thou hast sent, who is very [Page] GOD, blessed for euer. On the contrary, affected ignorance of GOD is the brand of wicked men, who say vnto GOD, Depart from vs, for wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies: This ignorance exposeth a man to the iudgements of GOD: whose wrath is kindled by this sinne. The LORD hath a controuersy with the inhabitants of the Land, (saith Hoseah) because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of GOD in the Land: My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge. This ignorance is the mother of superstition, and prophanesse, and the reason why men feare not GOD, but are disobedient and vnawfull. Therefore they in Iob, that had said in their hearts, Wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies, say also: Who is the Almighty that wee should [Page] serue Him? And what profite should wee haue, if wee should pray vnto Him? If a man bee disposed to deuotion, yet being ignorant of GODS Will, hee will deuise some Wil-worship, and foolish ad-inuentions, which are as pleasing vnto GOD, as Lukewarme water to the stomacke, as apish complements to a graue man, or as painting and pranking is to a staied and holy Matrone. Besides, the ignorance of GOD makes men do that against the truth, and the professours of it, which otherwise, it is very likely they would not do. Ignorance of CHRIST made the Iewes to crucifie Him, and Paul to persecute Him in His Members. They shall excommunicate you (saith our LORD) yea the time shall come, that whosoeuer kils you, shall thinke hee [Page] doth GOD good seruice: and these things will they doe vnto you, because they haue not knowne the FATHER nor MEE: And for the life to come, it shall bee no helpe to say; wee would haue serued Thee, had we knowne Thee. But why did you not know Mee? For mine Eternall Power and God-head are seene by the creation of the world. The heauens declare the glory of GOD, and the firmament sheweth the workes of His Hands. But besides the booke of Nature, you had the Scriptures, Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles: besides the world, you had the Church, I sent you my Messengers, in whom I spake continually to you, and entreated you to learne and serue Mee. It is euident therefore that ignorance will not serue the turne. [Page] For the LORD IESVS will render vengeance vnto them, that know not GOD, and obey not His Gospell, which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of the LORD, and from the glory of His power. And finally, whereas all the vanities, pompe, and glory of the world, which wee do so much admire, shall perish with the world: this our knowledge of GOD, begunne in this world shall be perfited in the world, to come. Now I know in part, but then shall I know, euen as I am knowne. Then a man shall haue Light without darkenesse, Knowledge without ignorance, Wisedome without folly, Vnderstanding without dulnesse, Iudgement without errour, Reason without perturbation: Then shall all the Saints [Page] see GOD, and serue GOD alwaies, and for euer.

Of Seruing God.

IT was well said of a father to his sonne: Know thou the GOD of thy father, and serue Him. How shall a man serue Him, that doth not know Him? And what will it profite to know Him, if hee doe not serue Him? But if men doe serue Him, they shall end their daies in prosperity, and their yeares in pleasures: Or if Hee try them with the Crosse, Hee will afterwards honour them with a Crowne. Their griefes shall end in Glory, their mourning in Mirth, their tentations in Tryumphes, [Page] their vinegar shall bee changed into Wine, and though they haue sowne in teares, yet they shall reap in Ioy. What desirest thou in a Maister? Wisedome? His Wisedome is infinite. Greatnesse? His Greatnesse is incomprehensible. Strength? Hee can do all things, nothing is impossible with Him. Valour? Hee is not afraid of death, nothing can dismay Him. Magnificence? Hee is the LORD of Hoasts, cloathed with Glory and Honour: Hee couereth Himselfe with light, as with a garment, and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine. Hee maketh the clouds His Chariot, and walketh vpon the wings of the Winde. Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers. Hee bringeth the Princes [Page] to nothing, and maketh the Iudges of the earth, as vanity: His garment is white as snow, the haire of His Head like pure wooll, His Throne like the fiery flame, and His Wheeles as burning fire: Thousand, thousands Minister vnto Him, and ten thousand thousands stand before Him. Wouldst thou haue a Maister rich? The earth is the LORDS, and all that is therein, the round world, and all that dwell within it. One that can aduance thee? Promotion comes neither from East, nor West, nor South, nor North, but from GOD, Who throweth the proud from his Pinacles, raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung, that Hee may set Him with Princes, euen with the Princes of His people. Or [Page] One, that is kind and louing, patient and compassionate? The LORD is gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great mercy. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him; Hee will heare their cry and saue them. Men will serue men, specially such as may doe them good, or defend them from harme: Why then should wee not much more willingly serue GOD, who is able to saue a man, though all would destroy him, and to destroy him, when nothing can saue him? If Hee blesse, who can curse? If Hee curse, who can blesse? Sometimes a seruant serues a Maister, who growes weary of him, because hee thinkes hee may proue costly to him. Many Maisters hauing serued their turnes shake off their seruants, as a dogge [Page] doth water, or as a man would do burres: and a good seruant may sometimes waite long, and get little: But GOD neuer forsakes, or turnes out His seruants: Hee lets them not serue Him vnregarded, but as they honour Him, Hee honours them: And the more they serue Him, the freer they are in this world, and the greater rewards they shall receiue of Him in the world to come. And it is to bee obserued that yong folkes vsually do giue themselues to bee seruants of men: Why then should they not giue themselues to the seruice of GOD, whom to serue is indeed to reigne, and in whose seruice that may bee gotten which cannot bee found in the seruice of any mortall man? O that wee would remember our Creatour in the [Page] daies of our youth, and inure our neckes to His yoake, whiles wee are fresh and tender! But what must be the Rule of our seruice? Surely, not our wils, who are but seruants, but His Will, who is our Maister, which hee hath reuealed to vs in His Word, to which wee ought to conforme and apply our selues infeare and humblenesse, indeuouring to obey Him in all His commands, sincerely, cheerefully, and to our end; so shall we bee sure to dye in His grace, and to bee raysed vp from the graue of death to possesse the glory of Eternall Life.

Of the Sower and his Seed.

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THE Sower went out to sow. Euery true and faithfull Minister of CHRIST IESVS is a Sower, GODs Word is his Seed: Mans heart is the ground that should receiue it. The Word is a very rare and admirable Seed, altogether matchlesse. For by it men are made Christians, sinners are made Saints, dead men are made aliue: From it all manner of vertues spring, and with it are nourished. And were it not for it, the whole world, and euen the Church it selfe, would be worse [Page] then a wildernesse, and turned into Sodom and Gomorrah. But as it is in vaine to sow Seed in the fire, aire, or water, or any where, but in the earth, which is in the middle of the world: and that it may prosper well, the ground must be quiet, not troubled, or tossed, nor continually troden on, and both it and the seed to be cast into it must be pure and good, not mingled, or corrupt. So it is bootlesse to sow the Word in the eares onely, or in the eyes, or vnderstanding, and memory, or indeed any where, if not in the heart, which is in the midst of a man: And that it may thriue and flourish, the heart must be quiet, and not disturbed or tossed with the stormes and tempests of fleshly passions: It must be cleansed of noysome and stinking weeds: It must not [Page] be troden vnder foote and continually walkt vpon by wordlly cares, carnall desires, and foolish fansies, which keepe a great coile, and are alwaies trotting vp and downe in worldings, belly-gods, and naturall men: and the seed must be sowne purely, and not mingled with the tares and darnell of heresies and errours. A Ship cannot saile without Sea-roome, and seed cannot thriue without Earth-roome; No more can the Word without Heart-roome. If the ground receiue not the seed into it, and cherish it, and giue it scope to roote it selfe in it, the seed cannot prosper, and come to perfection. So the Word of GOD thriues not, except the heart receiue it meekely, cherish it louingly, and giue it roome to roote it selfe throughly. Drunkennesse [Page] and gluttony doe drowne this Seed; couetousnesse and worldly cares do choke it; vnchaste desires do scortch and burne it; rage and contumacy repell it; hatred and malice pinch and bite it; hardnesse of heart and double mindednesse will not suffer it to roote well. Euery man would haue his ground good; yea what is there that a man would not haue to be good? his wife, his childe, his seruant, his friend, his fellow, his apparell, his house, his horse, his dogge, hee would haue all good, and shall himselfe be naught? Shall the heart, which is the onely seed-plot of the Word, which is able to saue his soule, shall it be euill, and suffred to be euill, and ouergrowne with euill weedes? Why is it that the raine falling, and the Sunne shining [Page] vpon a well ordered Garden makes it sweete and flourishing, but vpon some other peece of ground, and it brings out nothing but Mosse and Weedes? The fault is in the ground, not in the Sunne or Raine. So one man is benefited by the Word, it takes well, and bringeth forth fruites in him; and another doth not reap any good by it, it proueth not in him by reason of his vncapablenesse, and wicked lusts, that will not giue way vnto it, but makes him to resist it and rebell against it. A man may set or sow in our fields, whiles wee sleepe, or though wee would not: But the Minister cannot sow the Word of GOD in our hearts, if wee snort in sin, if wee bee regardlesse of the Word, and will not receiue it. Seed may bee pickt out of the [Page] ground, and eaten of birds, whether a man will, or no: his corne may bee burnt, his plants may be stollen, or puld vp, and broken downe, though hee would not; But wee and the Word, that is sowne or grafted in vs, cannot bee separated against our wils (our Bibles may bee taken from vs by force, but the Word ingrafted in vs cannot bee taken from vs against our will) the birds of hell cannot steale it from vs and pick it out, except we our selues be willing: if euer wee and it do part, wee must thanke our selues. Seed sowne in the ground after a time comes vp, and flourishes for a time, but at length it decayes and withers. For this is the nature of seed; it is partly turned into the ground, and turnes the ground partly into it: It turnes, and is turned; it [Page] suckes, and drawes to it a certaine nurriture out of the ground, at length shootes out, growes vp, and increaseth a certaine space; then in processe of time it decayeth, and at length dyeth. But the Word doth otherwise: For the Word being sowne in the heart, that entertaines it, taketh, thriueth, comes vp, and beareth fruite: It is not turned, but it turneth the heart; It is not corrupted, but rather corrupteth and killeth the euill qualities, that are within vs: It it is no whit turned into man, but it rather turnes a man into it, and workes him to it will; It suckes no nourishment from man, but it affoords strength, and comfort vnto man; and it neuer decayeth of it selfe, It dies not, neither can it bee by any meanes rooted vp or taken from [Page] vs, but by our wils. Wee yeelding consent thereto. If euer it faile and die, if it bee parched and dryed vp, it is long of vs, and not of it. There is no plant, which time killeth; Nature hath appointed it a time to liue, and a time to die; be the ground neuer so good, the yeares neuer so seasonable, the heauens neuer so benigne, yet it must decay and die. But if the Word be planted in a good and honest heart, it cannot be rooted out, nor perish; except the ground proue barren and naught; except a man do waxe weary of the Plant, vnlesse a man would be ridde of it, it will not away, but will grow vp with him, and will saue his soule by the blessing of GOD. This Seed is at this day scattered in all places amongst vs, yet it takes but badly in the most: The [Page] Seed is good, but the ground (as it seemes) is for the most part naught: That is the onely good ground, which receiues it gladly, giues it free passage willingly, and brings sorth the fruites thereof patiently. Men neuer more delighted in goodly Gardens and Orchards, in variety of fruites and flowers, then at this day: But without doubt there is none of all their Seedes or Sets comparable to this. For this brings fruites of all kindes, that are good; Fruits, of which a man cannot surfet; Fruits, without which a man is more miserable, than a very beast; Fruites, for the which a man shall bee crowned with life eternall; Fruites, which themselues are fruitfull, one fruite bringeth forth another without the corruption, losse, or lessening of it [Page] selfe. And whereas all their feedes, are not able to saue the body from death, this Seed is able to saue the soule from hell, and to giue a man assurance that his dead body also shall be raised vp from death to life. Their seeds, and their plants, and flowers, do replenish and beautifie their grounds; but this Seed and the fruites there of doe fill and garnish the soule. Those, if they prosper, doe commend the soyle; but this, if it thriue, doth commend the soule: They may shew who is rich; but this, and the fruites thereof declare who is Religious: They may perhaps tell who is wealthy, great, and glorious in the world; but These point out a man, that is wife and good, and indued with the Grace of GOD. Finally, a man may doe well enough, as touching [Page] his soule, though hee should want or refuse other seeds: but the refusall and lacke of this Seed is very dangerous. Hee that contemnes or puts away the Word of the LORD shall vndoubtly perish, without repentance. Yea, and if we bee gotten by it, what shall become of him, that is without it?

Of Ignorance.

IT is better to bee ignorant, then to erre: Simple ignorance is better then vndiscreete knowledge. Ignorance a bad mother, hath two as bad daughters, Falsehood, and Doubting; that is the more miserable, but this the more to be pittied: that [Page] is the more dangerous, but this the more dolorous. Affected ignorance of that which a man should know, doth double the finne. For it is one to bee ignorant, and another, and that worse, to affect it, and to bee pleased with it. It is no small matter for a man to know that hee doth not know: For it is the way to get knowledge, to know that a man doth want knowledge. None proue ranker fooles, then they that thinke they haue all wisedome. Many things worthy to bee knowne, are not knowne; either because men care not to know them, or else because they thinke they know them, when they know them not. Hee that is the best, and knowes the most, will ingenuously acknowledge that hee knowes not many things, which [Page] hee ought to know, and that there are many things worthy to bee learned, which yet hee hath not learned. A wise Scholler will not so much content himselfe with what hee doth know, as enquire after those things which hee doth not know; not blessing himselfe with what hee hath learned, but endeuouring to learne what hee hath not learned. Hee that sees the light, knowes how to iudge of darkenesse: But hee, that is blind, cannot iudge of colours. A blinde man (they say) swallows many a flye. Ignorance is the mother of superstition; but true deuotion affecteth knowledge. It is an euill not to know what is lawfull to bee done, as to doe that, which a man knowes should not bee done. When a man knowes not GOD, hee [Page] knowes not how to worship Him; and when hee knowes not himselfe, hee knowes not how to behaue himselfe. From the ignorance of GOD comes despaire; from ignorance of ownes selfe ariseth pride, and foollish philauty: The ignorance of our selues is the beginning of sinne, the ignorance of GOD is the consummation of sinne. Hee commonly knowes most, that knowes hee is ignorant of much: Hee knowes but little, that thinkes hee is ignorant but of little: But hee knowes iust nothing, that imagines hee knowes all, and is ignorant of nothing. It is an easier punishment not to bee able to liue, then liuing not to bee able to know things needfull to bee knowne. It were better to die being furnished with knowledge, then to liue [Page] being fraught with ignorance: It were better to haue knowledge, and to die like a man, then to be an ignorant sot, and to liue like a beast.

Of Idols.

AN idoll is nothing. Something it is in his conceipt that doth adore it; but indeed it is not that which hee doth think it is. And because it is nothing, it can do neither good nor hurt. Nothing can doe no good. Some thing cannot come from nothing: And nothing can do nobody hurt. Nothing can doe no hurt to him, that knowes no thing to bee nothing: Yet this nothing hurteth him, that [Page] thinkes it something; not because it is in nature some thing, but because hee thinkes it something, when it is nothing; and worships nothing in steed of some-thing. The idols of the Heathen had eyes, and saw not, eares and heard not, noses and smelt not, hands and felt not; and they, that made them, were like vnto them, and so were all they that trusted in them. That is, they lackt their senses, or else they might haue easily discerned that they were but statues, and standing vanities. But Popish Wafer-idol hath no eyes at all, no eares at al, no nose at al; no hands at al, & such are they that make it & adore it: For if they had their senses, they might perceiue it were a peece of bread. Of a truth, LORD (said Hezekiah) the Kings of Assyria haue laid [Page] waste all the Nations, and haue cast their Gods into the fire: for they were no Gods, but the workes of mens hands, therefore they haue destroyed them. If it bee possible for this Romish Wafer-God to bee throwne in the fire, and that it should bee destroyed of men, yea of mice, as it is, by the same reason it doth appeare, that it is no God, but the worke of mens hands. Saint Ierome writeth that at the time, that the Virgine Mary fled into Aegypt with our SAVIOVR, all their Idols fell downe, and were defaced, and that their Oracles ceased. And Commestor likewise saith that vpon our LORDS Birthday, the Temple dedicated by the Romanes to the Goddesse Peace, in Rome fell all in peeces to the ground.

Of the punishments of sinne.

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SINNE is a thing so odious vnto GOD, that it cannot scape vnpunished. Euen the SONNE of GOD must dye, rather then that sinne should goe vnpunisht: But it is worth noting how GOD doth fit his punishments to the sinne. Because the Gentiles ( [...]) approued it not, iudg'd it not profitable to acknowledge GOD, but reprobated Him, therefore Hee deliuered them vp ( [...]) to a roprobate minde, and voide of iudgement, that as they had neglected and [Page] dishonoured Him, so they should neglect and dishonour one another. The Sodomites sinned with fiery lusts, and were destroyed with fire and brimstone: Their sinne was vnnaturall and rare, and their punishment was vnusuall, and very terrible to nature. Nadab and Abihu sinned with fire, and were consumed with fire. Adonibezeke had cut off the thumbs and great toes of seuenty Kings; so the people of Iudah cut off his. As thy sword (said Samuel to Agag) hath made woemen childelesse, so shall thy mother bee childelesse among other women, and so hee hewed him in peeces before the LORD in Gilgal. Lucian, as like a dogge hee was euer barking against Christian Religion, so by GODS iudgement hee was deuoured of dogs. Alladius a [Page] Latine King counterfeited lightening and thundring, by an artificiall deuise, that his subiects might take him for a God: but it came to passe that his house was fired with true lightening, and ouerthrowne with flouds and foule weather, and so hee perished, being burnt and drowned all at once. Bladud the sonne of Lud, a Necromancer, made himselfe wings, and assayed to flye, but the diuill forsooke him in his iourney, and so hee fell and brake his necke. Olaus Magnus tels of a Pyrate called Otto, who by the diuels helpe would to the sea, and raise vp stormes to drowne his enemies, but at last was drowned himselfe. Picus Mirandula saith, there was a coniurer in his time, who as hee had the society of the diuell, so hee was carryed cleane away with [Page] the diuell, and neuer heard of after. Pliny writeth how Cornelius Gallus dyed in the very act of filthinesse. Anacreon a drunken An. Dom. 1346. Poet, was choked with the huske of a grape. Popiel a Polonian King, and an Vncle-murtherer, vsed ordinarily amongst his other othes and cursings this also, If it bee not true would rats might deuoure mee, and was accordingly set vpon with an Army of rats, which fallyed forth of the dead bodies of his Vncles, and afterwards deuoured him to the bones, notwithstanding any meanes vsed to the contrary. So those three, that had bound their lying accusation of Narcissus with a curse, were met within the like. One said, if I lye, I pray GOD I may perish by fire, and his house being set on fire extraordinarily, [Page] hee and his perished in the flames. The second sayd, if I speake any thing but truth, I pray GOD I may bee consumed with some filthy disease, and so hee was. The third seeing GODS iudgements vpon his companions, confest their wickednesse, and lamented with such a floud of teares, that hee wept out both his eyes. But among all iudgements those are most fearefull, when GOD punisheth one sinne with another, one wicked act or habite with an other, and wicked acts with wicked habites, and contrariwise. See how Hee punisht Adams pride with his eating of the fruite forbidden: Dauids adultery with murder: Achitophels treason with selfe-murther: Iudas couetousnesse with treachery, and that with desperation. [Page] The heathen, because they turned the truth of GOD vnto a lye, and serued the creature, forsaking the Creator, therefore GOD gaue them vp vnto vile affections. And the Apostle prophecying of the followers of that man of sinne, saith that, because they receiued not the loue of the truth, GOD shall send them strong delusions, that they should beleeue lies: All which doth shew how loathsome sinne and sinners are in the sight of GOD, and should stirre vs vp to vomite it vp as poyson, and to flye from it, as from a Serpent.

Of Repentance.

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TRVE and sound repentance is a turning from vice to vertue, from euill to Good, from the diuell to GOD. Repentance is the change of the whole man, and not of halfe. The iudgement sanctified by the SPIRIT must condemne the euill, the eyes of the vnderstanding being opened to discerne it, and approue the contrary good; the will must will the good, and nill the euill: The affections must hate, feare, and abhorre the euill, and loue, like, and delight in good; and the conuersation must not bee an exercise of euill, but an open [Page] forsaking of it, and a practise of the contrary good: First therefore a true Repenter must see and vnderstand his sinnes, by considering himselfe and his wayes by the Law of GOD, which shewes both good and euill: For if a man see not his faults, how shall hee condemne, confesse, and flye them? Or if hee view not himselfe in a true glasse, how shall hee see his true complexion? And if hee try not his actions and cogitations by a true Rule or Touchstone, how can hee truely discerne their irrectitude, and hypocrisies? Yet because after our examination sinne may lie hid vnseene in one corner, or other, therefore to shew our hatred of sinne, and that wee thinke not wee haue all light in these toodarke houses of mortality, it behoues [Page] vs to pray that GOD would forgiue vs our secret sins: Hee wants light, that thinkes hee hath all light; and is in darknesse, that thinkes no darkenesse is in him; and no man further from perfection, then hee that thinkes hee sees all his imperfections. Secondly, when a man sees his sinne to bee sinne, hee must yeeld it is sinne, hee must acknowledge it, and not deny, lessen, nor defend it. Sinne defended is encreased; The defense of sinne seene is euen death to the sinner that defends it. And how doth a man repent of that, which hee labours to maintaine? Si homo peccatum non agnoscit, Deus non ignoscit: If a man, when hee sees his sinne prohibited, yet will not acknowledge and yeeld it is sinne, but wil plead for it, excuse and colour it, questionlesse [Page] hee will not leaue it, neither will GOD leaue him vnpunisht. Thirdly, when a man discernes his sinne, and acknowledges the vilenesse of it, let him enter into iudgement with it, and condemne it: For except hee doe condemne it, GOD will not pardon it. If hee condemne not it. it shall condemne him. Vnlesse hee adiudge it vnto hell, it will debarre him of entrance into heauen. Fourthly, let a man finding himselfe guilty of sinne arrest, arraigne, accuse, and condemne himselfe, confessing his sinne freely vnto GOD, and exclaiming against himselfe vnto GOD, saying; I haue sinned, I haue sinned grieuously against thee. I deserue nothing but confusion, I am vnworthy of thy fauour, I am vnworthy to bee counted, or called thy [Page] Sonne, Thy Seruant. Except a man will arraigne, indite, and condemne himselfe, hee shall not bee able to stand vnconfounded before his Iudge; either hee must condemne himselfe, or hee shall bee condemned of GOD. Neither is a man in deed fit to desire absolution, that findes not himselfe worthy of condemnation: Neither is hee prepared to sue for grace, till hee haue condemned himselfe as a gracelesse wretch. Fiftly, let him nill it, hate it, loath it, bee afrayd of it, and bee sorry for committing it, euen because it is an offence of GOD, his gracious and louing Maister. For a man doth not indeed repent, except his sinnes, which before were sweete vnto him as hony, bee now in his taste as bitter as gall: [Page] except hee loath them, as before hee loued them; except they bee now painefull, as before they were pleasing; and affect him now as well with dolour, as they tickled him before with delight. Finally, let a man craue pardon of it of GOD, and forsake it in his practise, and addict himselfe to those good duties, that GOD requires of him. For GOD grants his pardon to them that begge it: And though many men will scornefully put off a beggar, yet GOD giues his almes to none but beggars: But with what face dare a man begge pardon of a sinne, hee meanes not to forsake? Therefore if hee will haue GOD forgiue it, hee must forsake it. Except hee let it goe, GOD will let him go; but let him giue sinne his dismission, [Page] and GOD will grant him his remission; spare not thy selfe, and GOD will spare thee. Cease from thy sinne, and do [...] that that is pleasing in the sight of GOD, and GOD will bee thy GOD, thy sauing GOD for euermore. O repentance, what shall I speake of thee? By thee sicke men are cured, wounded men are healed, dead men are raised, health is increased, Grace is preserued, the legs are strengthened, the eyes are restored, sinne is abandoned, vertues embraced, the minde illumined, the heart comforted, the conscience quieted, and the life adorned. Wee sinne daily, so wee should repent daily; and as wee fall, so should wee rise. To sinne is not so dangerous, as to liue in sinne. If a breach in a sea-wall bee not [Page] stopt in time, it will both waxe bigger, and indanger the dry Land. If a Ship continually let in water, and bee not continually pumped out, it will sinke her. If a Mole bee suffered to runne in a Medow, shee will spoyle it. If a sword bee let rust in the scabberd, the rust will marre either one or both. So if wee stoppe not the breaches and holes made by sinne in our soules, it will sinke them: If wee kill not that Mole, it will waste vs; If wee skoure not our selues from that rust by true repentance, it will consume vs both soule and body. Alexander Seuerus made an act that none should salute the Emperour, that knew himselfe a Thiefe; so no man should presume to professe, or speake to CHRIST IESVS; no man should dare to [Page] put vp his suits vnto GOD. that by sinne robbes GOD of his glory, and continues in it without repentance. For GOD heareth not sinners: If I regard wickednesse in mine heart (saith the Psalmist) GOD will not heare mee: But GOD heareth the desire of the poore. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth them. The LORD heareth them, that are of a contrite heart: His eye is vpon them, that feare him: Hee will also heare their cry, and saue them: And they feare Him, that do repent of sinne, and turne vnto him. For the feare of the LORD is to hate euill, as pride, arrogancy, and the euill way, and by the feare of the LORD men depart from that, that is naught. Neither is it enough to forsake some notorious and grieuous [Page] offence; but euen all, all without exception of any; all, all are serpents, poyson, and pollutions. One hole in a ship vnstopt, one breach in a wall vnrepaired, one wing belimed, one claw taken in the snare, may in danger and loose all: so but one sinne knowne and cherished, discerned and not dissmissed, one faculty, one affection, but one intrapped and captiuated of a sinne espied, and yet beloued, euen but one is able to destroy the soule, to damne the whole man, both soule and body: Yet though sinne bee very dangerous, and continuance in it more, yet how vsuall is it with vs to delay our repentance? Tomorrow, next weeke, ere long, next yeere, or before I dye: Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, anon, one houre longer, one [Page] halfe houre, a minute. O LORD, how vnwilling are wee to rise, being once laid downe! Being once fallen a sleepe how loath are wee to bee wakened! being sicke with a pleasant phrensie, how, how displeasing a thing is it to come into our wits againe! And to see our madnesse, wee that know not whether wee shall liue an houre longer, no not a minute further, yet wee will promise to our selues a day, a weeke, a month, a yeere, olde age. Yea wee will liue in a state, in which wee would bee loath to die. Away, away with these delayes, let vs redeeme the time, which taries no mans pleasure. Let vs repent now, that wee may haue our pardon now, let vs liue like Saints, least wee die like diuels: Let vs leaue our sinnes now, [Page] now, whiles wee haue time to sinne. For if a man will not leaue sinne, till hee can sinne no longer, sinnes leaues him, and not hee them. Hee that will not part from his sinne, till his soule bee ready to part from his body, it is to bee seared that hee parts not with sinne, but his sinne with him, and that hee is not willing to let go his sinne, as long as hee is able to keepe himselfe. O LORD preserue mee from the deceipts of sinne: Hide Thy face from my sinnes, and put away all mine iniquities. Create in mee a cleane heart, ô GOD, and renew a right spirit within mee. Shew mee the way that I should walke in, and stay my steps in thy pathes, that my feete do not slide.

Of perseuerance in the Faith.

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THE Faith is a peerelesse Iewell once giuen to the Saints, neuer to bee left or lost: Without perseuerance in it neither the fighter obtaines a victory, nor the Victor his Garland. Take away perseuerance, and sortitude hath no praise, weldoing hath no reward, and a good beliefe no fauour. Not he that beganne well, but hee that holds out to the end, hee shall bee saued. Hee that is faithfull to the end of his life, he shall enioy the Crowne of Life, But they, that withdraw themselues, [Page] shall perish: Thou destroyest all them (ô LORD) that go an whooring from thee. But what wilt thou do to perseuere in the faith? First, intend and purpose it. Secondly, pray earnestly for it, and trust not to thine owne strength. What is man, if GOD forsake him? A Reede, a Rush, a Leafe, a Shadow, a Bubble, a Something Nothing. Thirdly, make nothing an Article of thy Faith, whereof there is no warrant in the Word, and professing that, which is indeed a truth, bee able to proue and shew it out of the Word. I suppose many would haue stood out for the truth in Queene Maries daies, which did not, had they beene acquainted with the Scriptures, and seene them speaking for it. But hee, that shall professe Articles of the true [Page] Faith, and be not certainely perswaded in his heart by testimonies of the Word, that they are true, doubtlesse this man (except greater grace befall him) will not bee able to endure the tyrants sword. What? Shall a man cast away his life, loose his liberty, vndo wife and children, forsake all pleasures, profites, and preferments, and that for a faith, which he can shew no ground for? Though there be a ground, yet if hee see it not, if hee bee not sure of it, hee will forsake his ground, and for feare giue out. Finally, receiue the faith, for the faith sake, euen because it is the good Word of GOD, wholesome, true, and sauing: And embrace it not for any externall respects about it, as riches, honour, prosperity, liberty, or numerositie of professours. [Page] For if we follow it for these things, then, when they are remoued, wee shall forsake it; euen as rauens doe a karcase, when the flesh is eaten vp, and as false-hearted persons do their friends, when their wealth is gone, and their state subuerted. If a Maister take liking of a seruant, because hee sees him faithfull and quicke, then will hee like him still, whiles hee perceiues those vertues in him. If hee take him for his youth or beauty, then when these things fayle, hee will waxe weary of him. If an Husbandman loue & esteeme of a peece of ground because it is fruitfull and pleasant, hee will loue and make account of it, during the delicacy and fertility thereof. The Faith of CHRIST is no changling, one and the same for euer: [Page] if wee receiue and follow it simply for it selfe, because it is true, good, and needfull, then except wee strangely change our selues, which GOD forbid, wee shall still embrace and follow it: but if wee receiue it for the fauour of men, for honours, riches, credite, or because wee would not bee out of the fashion, then when these things shall bee separated from the faith, and when the confessours of it shall bee dishonoured, impouerished, disgraced, imprisoned, Martyred, then, then wee shall renounce it, and giue it our vnfriendly fare-well. For our heart will cleaue to the things it takes delight in, and will follow no thing longer, then those things do follow, for which it followed it. I doubt not but that some, which knew our Religion [Page] to bee the truth, would haue openly acknowledged it, and not haue renounced it, in those Marian daies, but that they receiued and profest it before, not because it was true and holy, but because preferment, ease and liberty went with it, and the sword was for it; and when they saw the sword turned against it, and fire threatned, they turned likewise, and set fire on their faith. A bellygod will alwaies forsake GOD for his belly. The shewes of Hypocrites & trencher-friends, are but as the light of Meteors, the guilt of pot-sheards, the paint of harlots, and themselues as vapours, summer-birds, or houses of reed, which will endure neither wind nor fire; or much like whoores, which will shew loue whiles a man hath mony & [Page] meanes to content their humours; but these things and their loue must die together.

Of Humility and Pride.

VVEE need not define humility, but rather shew it. It is an excellent vertue, and very comely for vs, that are wormes, ashes, shadowes. Mee thinkes the pollutions of our birth, the miseries of our life, and the putrefaction of vs ensuing death, being well considered, should make vs truely humble. But besides, hee whom. GOD will honour, must bee humble; For GOD resisteth [Page] the proud, but giueth grace to the humble. A Bucket is not filled except it bee let downe low in to the Well: An house is not strongly mounted, vnlesse the foundation bee laid low. A Tree sends downe his rootes low, that hee may shoot vp his branches high. Mountaines are dry and barren, when the Vallyes are well watered and very fertile. Trees stoope most, that are most fruitfull. The dore of Life is straite and low, a man must stoop and not swell with pride, or else he cannot enter. This pride is a miserable vice loathed of all men, except the proud; yea, neither can one proud man endure another. There was neuer any pride safe, though neuer so strongly garded. For deuouring all things to vphold her selfe, she depriues [Page] her selfe of loue, and is bereaued of all meanes, which may defend it. Pride will haue a fall. Pride was bread in heauen, but shee was throwne out quickely, and was neuer so happy as to bee receiued in againe: Other vices striue onely to be; but pride would corrupt vertues and good workes, that they might not bee. If a man do good deeds and be proud of them, he hath lost his praise: If he haue Nobility, beauty, strength, riches, credite, learning, wit, valour, grauity, humanity, virginity, and be proud thereof hee hath lost the grace of all these things, and his reward with GOD. Euagrius being asked what was a proud heart; answered, it was vertues fanne, a cisterne without water, and an Inne of Theeues. There are some so ambitious [Page] of promotion, that they cannot tarry oportunity, but will forcibly clime vp, though sometimes it be to their greater fall. Some, when they are got vp themselues, pull vp the ladder after them, that no man shall come vp after, except they list. Some, so they be vppermost themselues, are well content with any, but loue not any should be aboue them. Some perceiuing a man to haue some singular parts in him, farre beyond their owne, will to their vtmost keepe him vnder, fearing least his light should put out theirs, or that if hee were any body, they should be as no body. It is not vnvsuall with sundry sorts of men by their dyet, and rich apparell, and faire appearances to [...]guile the world. One, to be counted a better [Page] man then he is, will ruffle it out in brauery: Another will be a Subsidie-man, to shift a while with his Creditors, or to be reputed some body, being no body. Another to draw eyes vnto him will turne Pea-cocke, and in colours put downe the Rainebow. Pambo spying a certaine woman flaunting it in very sumptuous apparell, fell a weeping, and being asked why he wept so much, answered for two causes; one, the destruction of this woman; an other, because I (quoth he) which professe my selfe a Christian, do not so much study to please GOD by innocency of life, as this woman desires to please men with her vanity. Another will vent his pride in ragges, hunting after the praise of men, being great or rich, but sicke of vaine glory, [Page] thirsting to be reputed humble and contemning the world, because he keeps not state, as men commonly will. Antisthenes may glory more in his worme coate, then a modest man will in costly garments: For pride lies in the heart, and can shew it selfe as well in ragges as in roabes. Diogenes seeing certaine yong men of Rhodes very richly clad, with laughter said, this is nothing but pride: Afterwards seeing the Lacedemonians in ill apparell; This is (quoth hee) another kind of pride. The man saw that pride did not alwaies shew it selfe in brauery, and garish appaparel, but sometimes also in very beggery, and base aray, whiles a rich man being vaine-glorious will affect to go in course or base apparell, thereby hawking [Page] after the praise of men. Others, because they would appeare more louely then they are, are wont to paint their faces, being either ashamed, or weary of the faces that GOD and Nature lent them. It is true, nature may be corrected, but that nature must be plaistered, that I finde not. The sinnefull soule may be amended and refined, but that a new face should be giuen it, when the old manners and dispositions are retained, and that a man would make a glorious profession, where he shakes not off his inward rebellions, this is nothing but hypocrisie and vaine glory: So a man hauing a bad complexion of body, or colour of face, may lawfully by Art, or Industry, alter it, if he can, and make it better; but to lay a plaister on his face, to lit [Page] and paint his skin, or haire, that he may seeme better coloured, then he is indeed, his complexion being nothing bettered, but rather waxing worser, this is very vanity, nothing but pride and cousenage. Phillip King of Macedony had made one of Antipaters friends a Iudge: but vnderstanding he did vse to die his head and beard, hee displaced him againe; saying, there was no reason why he should be trusted in an Office, seeing he was not trusty in his haire: It being likely that he that would vse deceite in colouring his haire, where there was no great gaine to be gotten, would much more vse deciept in his Office, where deceipt sometimes brings great commodity. I haue heard a fellow say sometimes, he cares not for any man, he feares no [Page] mans displeasure: What doth this discouer, but pride, and folly, foolish pride, and proud folly. There is no man almost, but he may do the best man good, or the greatest harme. Hath not a flye choakt a man? was not a raskall the death of the great French King? And yet the fellow feares no body, cares for no body. When pride is in, the wit is out: They say, when they spleene swels, the body pines, and whiles a caske is full of winde, it is voide of wine: So we may truely say, the soule prospers not, vertue is in truth a stranger, whiles the heart doth swell with pride, and abounds with arrogancy and selfeconceitednesse. In one word, there are none better then the humble, there are none worse, then are the proud; and as honor [Page] followes the humble, so perdition waites vpon the proud.

Of Hearing and Speaking.

IT is good counsell, which Saint Iames doth giue; Be swift to heare, and slow to speake: GOD hath giuen a man two eares, but one tongue, thereby teaching vs to heare more, and to speake lesse. The eares Hee hath made open, without a couer, but Hee hath inclosed the tongue within a double fence, the lips and the teeth, thereby shewing that we should be quicke and swift to heare, and slow to speake. GOD hath giuen a tongue to euery [Page] beast that is voide of reason, but the faculty of speaking onely vnto man, to whom Hee hath giuen an vnderstanding spirit, whereby Hee would instruct vs that reason should rule our wordes, and that our tongues should not runne before our wits: And Hee hath made our eares Erect, to heare heauenly things, and not hanging downe (like Blood-hounds) as if they had beene made to heare earthly things, or lies and errours, which come out of hell it selfe. The eare serues to learne with, the tongue serues to teach with: a man learnes not with his tongue, nor teaches with his eares. There is a time (saith Salomon) to keepe silence, and a time to speake: A fooles bolt is soone shot: but a wise man will consider what he speakes, whereof, [Page] when, where, why, how, and before whom: And his words vttered in season are like Apples of Gold, with pictures of Siluer: their inside is better then their outside, but both good. Some speake very much, not because they haue the Art of speaking, but because they want the skill to hold their peace: He, that knowes not how to hold his tongue, knowes not how to vse his tongue: Hee is the onely skilfull man, that knowes when to speake, and when to hold his peace. Either a man should not speake, or speake to purpose: Either he should be silent, or his words should be better worth then silence. Three things are very commendable in a man, Wisedome in the minde, a certaine Manly modesty in the countenance, and a well gouerned [Page] silence in the speech: Simonides and Xenocrates were wont to say, that they neuer repented them of their silence, but that they were sorry sometimes for their speeches. If men did well consider that life and death is in the power of the tongue, and that in many words there cannot want iniquity; and that an account must one day bee giuen of euery idle word, certainely they would not so abuse their tongues, as they doe, to swearing, and lying, to taunts, and slanders, to cursing, and rayling, to wantonnesse, and vanity; neither would they bee so vnreuerent in the House of GOD, as they vse, by babling & whispering; seeing they shold come thither to pray, and not to prate, to vse their eares, and not to abuse their tongues. [Page] Nothing is ours longer then wee vse it well; Our tongues are not ours, if wee doe abuse them, but our enemies, for whom wee vse them, when wee do abuse them. An euill tongue comes from an euill heart. For were the heart good, the tongue could not bee naught. A messenger, which a man sends to his neighbour, may lie, or reuile, and speake euill, and deliuer a false errand, whether the man, that sent him, will, or no, or though hee thinke not of it, or meane cleane contrary; but a mans owne tongue, which is the messenger, or interpreter of the heart, can say no other, then the heart doth bid it. Euill must bee minted in the heart, before it bee vttered in the tongue. A good heart causeth a good tongue, [Page] and a naughty heart a naughty tongue.

Of painting the face.

IF that which is most ancient be best, then the face that one is borne with, is better then it, that is borrowed: Nature is more ancient then Art, and Art is allowed to helpe Nature, but not to hurt it; to mend it, but not to marre it; for perfection, but not for perdition: but this artificiall facing doth corrupt the naturall colour of it. Indeed GOD hath giuen a man oile for his countenance, as Hee hath done wine for his heart, to refresh and cheere it; but this is by refection, and not by plaister-worke; [Page] by comforting, and not by dawbing and couering; by mending and helping the naturall colour, and not by marring or hiding it with an artificiall lit. What a miserable vanity is it in a man or woman beholding in a glasse their borrowed face, their bought complexion, to please themselues with a face that is not their owne? And what is the cause they paint? Without doubt nothing but pride of heart, disdaining to bee behind their neighbour, discontentment with the worke of GOD, and vaine glory, or a foolish affectation of the praise of men. This kind of people are very hypocrites, seeming one thing and being another, desiring to bee that in shew which they cannot bee in substance, and coueting to be iudged that, they are not: They are [Page] very grosse Deceiuers; for they study to delude men with shewes, seeking hereby to bee counted more louely creatures then they are, affecting that men should account that naturall, which is but artificiall. I may truely say they are deceiuers of Themselues; for if they thinke they doe well to paint, they are deceiued; if they thinke it honest and iust to beguile men, and to make them account them more delicate and amiable, then they are in truth, they are deceiued; if they thinke it meete that that should bee counted GODS worke, which is their owne, they are deceiued: If they thinke that they shall not one day giue account vnto CHRIST of idle deeds, such as this is, as well as of idle words, they are deceiued; [Page] if they thinke that GOD regards not such trifles, but leaues them to their free election herein, they are deceiued. Now they that deceiue themselues, who shall they be trusted with? A man, that is taken of himselfe, is in a worse taking, then he that is caught of another. This selfe-deceiuer, is a double sinner: he siones in that hee is deceiued, hee sinnes againe in that he doth deceiue himselfe. To bee murdered of an other is not a sin in him that is murdered; but for a man to be deceiued in what hee is forbidden, is a sinne; it were better to bee murdered, then so to bee deceiued: For there the body is but killed, but here the soule her selfe is endangered. Now, how vnhappy is the danger, how grieuous is the sin, when a man is [Page] meerely of himselfe indangered? It is a misery of miseries for a man to bee slaine with his owne sword, with his owne hand, and long of his owne will: Besides, this painting is very scandalous and of ill report; for any man therefore to vse it, is to thwart the precept of the Holy GHOST in Saint Paul, who saith vnto the Phillippians in this wise, Whatsoeuer things are true (but a painted face is a false face) Whatsoeuer things are venerable (but who esteemes a painted face venerable? which is venereous rather then venerable:) Whatsoeuer things are iust (but will any man of iudgement say, that to paint the face is a point of iustice? Who dare say it is according to the will of GOD which is the rule of iustice? Doth the Law [Page] of GOD command it? Doth true reason teach it? Doth Lawes of men eioyne it?) Whatsoeuer things are (chaste and) pure: (but is painting of the face a point of chastity, which is so commonly vsed amongst impure whoores and curtezans? Is that pure that proceeds out of the impurity of the soule, and which is of deceipt, and tends. vnto deceipt? It that chaste, which is vsed to wooe mens eyes vnto it?) Whatsoeuer things are louely (but will any man out of a well informed iudgement say, that this kinde of painting is worthy loue, or that a painted face is worthy to be fansied?) Whatsoeuer things are of good report: If there bee any vertue, if there bee any praise, think on these things. But I hope to paint the face, to weare an artificiall [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] colour, or complexion, is no vertue; neither is it of good report amongst the vertuous. I read that Iezabel did practise it, but I find not that any holy Matrone or religious Virgine euer vsed it: And it may perhaps of some be praised, but doubtlesse not of such as are iudicious, but of them rather hated and discommended. A painted face is the deuils Looking-glasse: there hee stands peering and toying (as an Ape in a looking-glasse) ioying to behold himselfe therein; for in it he may reade pride, vanity, and vaine-glory. Painting is an enemy to blushing, which is vertues colour. And indeed how vnworthy are they to bee credited in things of moment, that are so false in their haire, or colour, ouer [Page] which age, and sicknesse, and many accidents doe tyrannize; yea and where their deceipt is easily discerned? And whereas the passions and conditions of a man, and his age, is some thing discouered by the face, this painting hindereth a mans iudgment herein, so that if they were as well able to colour the eyes, as they are their haire and faces, a man could discerne little or nothing in such kind of people. In briefe, these painters are sometimes iniurious to those, that are naturally faire and louely, and no painters; partly, in that these are thought sometimes to bee painted, because of the common vse of painting; and partly, in that these artificial creatures steal away the praise from the naturall beauty by reason of their Art, when it is [Page] not espyed, whereas were it not for their cunning, they would not bee deemed equall to the other. It is great pitty that this outlandish vanity is in so much request and practise with vs, as it is.

Of Prayer.

PRAYING is the begging of things needfull, as the remouing of some euill, and the conferring of some good: When we heare, GOD speakes to vs; When we pray, we speak to GOD. Some wish for this, and some for that; But I wish for my selfe: For if I haue my selfe, I lacke nothing; but if I lacke my selfe, I haue nothing. Some [Page] say, Who will shew vs any good? But I say with Dauid, LORD lift thou vp the light of Thy Conntenane vpon mee, cast mee not away from Thy presence, and take not Thine Holy SPIRIT from mee. For where His SPIRIT is, there is Life; but where it is not, there is nothing but death: And he that hath His Grace, hath all; but he that hath it not, wants all. How euer people thinke of themselues, I for my part will thinke my selfe to bee the greatest sinner, for I know more sinnes and imperfections in my selfe, then in any man else; and therefore I will not boast with the Pharisee, but beate my breast and say with the Publican, GOD be merciful to me a sinner: Amongst beggars, not the neediest or honestest, but sometimes the strongest, and loudest, runnes away [Page] with all the almes: But GOD sees the secrets, and knowes the necessities of all His Suppliants, and bestowes His fauours on them that are most humble, and poorest in spirit, not respecting strength of sides, loudnesse of voyce, or shew of violence and importunity, but intention of Spirit, deuotion of affection, the loud cries of the heart, and inward vehemency, inward and substantiall violence and importunity. Some pray they may keep their goods, some their credite, others their friends or children. I will pray that I may keepe my selfe, for if I keepe my selfe, I haue something, but if I loose my selfe, I am nothing, yes some thing worse then nothing. Some say, they are turmoyled with their sins, which they cannot be rid of, [Page] but still they come againe like the fits of an ague. Their course is to pray with feruency and continuance. When Moyses prayed, the Israelites preuailed: When Christians pray, their flesh is foyled. It is good for them to resolue, & resolutely to decree the leauing & extinguishing of thē: and further to auoide occasions, which are as matches to giue fire to them, or as bellowes to blow them vp: Thirdly, duely and daily to weigh the danger and vilenesse of them: fourthly, to meditate well of the excellency and cōmodity of those vertues, that are contrary; & finally, in no wise to forget, but to remēber to pray earnestly for GODS assistance. It is more easy to driue the deuill out of the body, then to coniure his messenger, the flesh, or any fleshly lust out of the scule, [Page] when it hath once taken possession of it. Onely GOD can take the strong man, binde him, and cast him out; and GOD will not do it, except Hee be entreated. It is strange to see how earnestly men will begge for mony, meate, drinke, cloathes, of men, but yet forget to begge spirituall Graces of GOD. It appeares they begge them not, because they are for the most part, rude, sensuall, impious, idle, and very enormious. Now if they did as feelingly, and as instantly begge grace of GOD, as they do outward things of men, certainely GOD, who is farre more mercifull and openhanded, then the kindest men, would not, could notedeny them, but would heare their cries. Men being sicke pray earnestly for health, being ready to bee vndone, [Page] pray heartily to bee deliuered; but are not so earnest for their soules to be cured, and disburdened of their sinnes. What is the reason? There men haue feeling of smart, of paine, of danger; but here they vse to bee senselesse and stupid, and scarce thinke of hell, till they bee almost in it. Men vse sometimes to be very weary of beggars, away with these beggars, you were here but the other day; I met with you but yesterday; I haue not now for you; and yet all this will scarse put off an impudent and cunning beggar. But Almighty GOD doth delight in beggars, prouided they aske with warrant from the Written Word, and in the name of the Vncreated, and Eternall WORD. The obtaining of one fauour should animate vs to begge anoother: [Page] Hee leaues not giuing, till wee leaue asking; and what Hee giues, Hee giues it Candide without repining. One said, [...], Prayer should be his meate and drinke. But some with vs may say; meate and drinke shall be our prayer. The Apostle saith, Pray continually, but they eate and drinke continually; Bacchus, Ceres, Venus, are the Gods they worship; and a kitchin, cellar, or chamber is the Temple, they most delight in. In prayer there is Art enough, if there want not heart; and GODS hand is not straitned, if mans heart bee enlarged. Some in prayer stand much vpon methode, but with GOD that prayer is methodicall, which is materiall, and wants not order, whiles it is powred in the sense of want, out [Page] of an honest heart. Faith and hope are to our prayer, as wings to a Bird; shee cannot flye without these, nor it ascend without them. There are two necessary qualities in euery Petitioner, Humility and Constancy; When wee deale with GOD in prayer, wee must not talke of meriting, but wee must begge mercy, making our selues (as indeed we are) worthy nothing: And wee must be constant, and not take a nay. The yong bird openeth her mouth, and neuer leaues gaping, till the damne hath satisfied her; so wee ought neuer to giue the LORD rest, vntill Hee haue made vs a gracious answere: It is His fashion of purpose to put men off, because Hee will exercise, and put in practise, their faith and patience, and teach them to know [Page] by sense that they are not heard of merite, and because Hee will learne them to make greater account of His fauours, when they come. What shall I say more? Hee that doth pray well, cannot liue ill: he that in his prayers dealeth best with GOD, in his practise likewise dealeth best with men.

Of Almes-deeds.

VVHAT an almes did GOD giue vs, when Hee gaue vs His Sonne? What a matter then is it if wee giue our bread, drinke, or money? The poore giue vs their prayers, what then though we giue them our pence? A prayer is more worth [Page] then a peny, the prayer of a Saint, then a peny in siluer. Prayers are of power with GOD, when siluer is not: But yet thy siluer is of reckoning with Him, if not hoorded, but distributed amongst His poore ones. A man that giues an almes, doth himselfe an almes, for as he shewes mercy, so he shall receiue mercy; but condemnation without mercy, belongs to those that will shew no mercy. How can a man begge of GOD, that will shew no mercy to them, that craue mercy of him? Who dare aske an almes, that will not giue an almes? But I heare some say, they are poore, they haue nothing to giue: But they haue; they can giue good words, they can defend their neighbours good name, they can pray for them; some thing, euen the [Page] meanest of all can do, if he list, wherein hee may expresse his charity and compassion. Doe what thou art able: GOD stands more vpon the minde, then the gift, the widdowes mite is acceptable. Some auoide poore folkes, and contemne them, loue not to dwell by them: Surely these men are fallen out with GOD, and now care not for the poore, which are His creatures; both in that they are men, and also poore men. Nay, it is grieuous vnthankefulnesse in the richto contemn, or to be regardlesse of them: for GOD made them poore for their sakes, partly to do seruice to them, and partly that by releeuing them, they might lay vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtaine eternall life: [Page] It is an easy matter to cauill against the poore: They are naughty people; not all: the best are bad enough, till GOD made them better. And who were we all, both rich and poore, great and small, when GOD had mercy on vs, and bestowed His Son vpon vs? If thou canst not giue them because they are honest men, yet giue them because they are men, and to see if they will learne to mend by this thy weldoing to them. Euen a Turke, Iew, Pagan, Thiefe, may haue our almes, though not in the name of an Infidell, Hereticke, or Theife, but because they are men, the creatures of GOD, in whom GOD is to bee respected, who is their Creator. But of all, the Saints, and such as excell in vertue, should haue our almes, to them our weldoing [Page] chiefly should extend it selfe, for in them CHRIST IESVS doth offer Himselfe vnto vs, Hee is the receiuer, to Him our pitty is shewed. Now sure he that will deny CHRIST, doth deserue to bee denyed of CHRIST. If wee are euen for Natures sake to succour a sinner; then much rather are wee to releiue a Saint, because besides his Humane Nature, hee hath also a certaine Diuine Nature in him; Hee is not onely a creature, but a new creature, not onely a sonne of Adam, but a Childe of GOD, and a Member of CHRIST; But in all our workes of mercy which wee doe, wee must aime at GODS Glory, and not our owne, and still remember that they flow from a mercifull minde: for beneficence without benevolence, [Page] is but maleficence: and he, that doth an almes but not of mercy, shall not receiue the reward of mercy.

Of Man.

MAN, a little world, a Map of all the world, the Lord of all inferiour creatures, was created holy and happy, good, and glorious, but now by sinne hee is become a world of misery, an ensample of imbecility, the spoyle of time, the image of inconstancy, the picture of vanity, and very mortality. There is no creature could bee euill to man, but that man is euill to himselfe: If a man would not, and did not hurt, [Page] himselfe, the deuils could not, and other things should not: but things grew hurtfull, when man grew sinnefull; and men now feele euill, because they are euill, and must suffer, because they sinne. To be borne a beast is not a sinne, but for wilfull ignorance and affected blindenesse to be compared to, or to be like a beast, when GOD hath endued a man with reason, and shewes him the meanes of light and vnderstanding, this is a sinne, a grieuous sinne, a fault of the will, and the condition of a beast is better, then of this man. He was borne a man, and liues a beast; and this his sinne deserueth such a punishment as neuer beast did, doth, shall, or can endure. Man was created to be a friend to man, but now (excepting deuils) men [Page] are the greatest enemies that men can haue: There are some serpents, beasts, and fishes, which will not sticke to make their prey on man: But all these doe not deuoure so many men, as men do. As for GOD, Hee is enemy to none, that truely loues himselfe in Him. It is true, Hee is an enemy to the wicked, but it is for their wickednesse, let them cease from their wickednesse, & bee friendly to themselues, and Hee will not be their enemy, but their truest Friend. GOD made euery sencible creature with some defence, Hee gaue some Wings, to some Talants, to some Tushes, to some Clawes, to other Hornes; but Hee hath made man Armelesse, to teach him to bee harmelesse, & He gaue him witin steed of weapons, that cōsidering his owne weaknes, he might still [Page] craue aide of GOD, whom hee ought to make his Castle, Comfort, and Defence. GOD made the world for man, and man for himselfe; therefore the world should serue man, and not man the world: Hee should possesse and maister it, and not it him. And because GOD made both it, and him, it for him, and both it and him for Himselfe, there is great reason that a man should behaue himselfe, and vse it so, as that GOD may bee glorified by him. But of all the honours wherewith GOD did honour man, this was the greatest, that His Eternall, and true Naturall SON, assumed the Humane Nature, and wedded it to the Diuine in one and the same Person, and in that Nature performed, and suffered (euen vnto death) whatsoeuer was needfull for [Page] mans eternall Redemption, and Saluation, His Name be praised throughout all Generations, and for euer, Amen.

Of Adam.

ADAM was the first of mankind, made of the earth by GODS owne Finger, indued with a reasonable soule, voide of sinne, and furnished with Wisedome, Iustice, Holinesse, and all perfections fit for that kind of Creature, yet so, as that hee might both loose himselfe and them, if it were his pleasure. Adam was the roote of all man-kind; for all hee receiued, for all hee lost, for for all hee stood: If hee had continued fast [Page] wee had not beene vndone for our mothers fault. Because not shee, but hee sustained all out persons,. The Scripture saith, in Adam all doe die: and, by one mans disobedience many were made sinners. Adam in many things differs from all his children; For Further, Adam sinned, but we all are punisht: but now, if the father eate the sowre grapes, the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge. hee was made, but they all (except the Virgins SONNE) are begotten. Hee had GOD for his Maker, they haue Men for their fathers: Hee had no mother, but they haue; euen hee that had no Father, yet had a Mother: Hee was of clay, they are of bloud: Hee was a created, a compleate and perfect man in one day, at one time, they are a growing many yeares, Hee had such a body giuen him, for quantity, qualities, and colour, till hee spoyled it by sinne, as none of his posterity, except our LORD, [Page] euer did enioy. Hee had that authority in his countenance, and that great and absolute command ouer all earthly creatures, which neuer any of his guilty children euer had, haue, or shall haue, vnto the end of the world. And finally, whereas wee are all borne sinners, and are made Saints by our newbirth, Hee was not borne, but made a Saint, and when hee had fallen, like a deuill, hee was raised vp againe to be like an Angell, and was made a Saint againe, surer then euer hee was before. For Adam created, had a power not to sinne; but Adam regenerated cannot loose the grace of Regeneration: Adam now glorified can not, hath no power to sinne. Adam was the type of CHRIST, For as Adam was made of the earth [Page] by GOD without a Mother, so CHRIST was made by GOD of the Virgin Mary, without the seed of a man: Adam was the father of all the liuing according to the flesh, so CHRIST is the Father of all, as touching the faith: Adam slept, that Eue might bee made; so CHRIST slept on the Crosse, that the Church might bee made: Whiles Adam slept, Eue was made of his rib taken out of his side; so whiles CHRIST was a sleepe, His Side was pierced, and Water and Bloud issued, by which the Church is cleansed. Vpon a Friday wee were all created in Adam; vpon a Friday wee were all Redeemed in CHRIST: By the disohedience of Adam, all the children of Adam were made sinners; by the Obedience of CHRIST all His Members are [Page] Iustifyed. In Adam all that are truely men dyed: In CHRIST all true Christians are made aliue, and saued. Adam was the father of naturall life, and withall the Prince of Discord: CHRIST is the author of a Spirituall and Celestiall Life, and the Prince of Peace.

Of the Uirgine Mary.

MARY the Mother of our LORD, daughter of Eli, and wise of Ioseph, was a Virgin, neuer knowing man, before shee had brought forth the SAVIOVR of the world, into the world, and continued a Virgin [Page] euer after: For though IESVS be called her First-borne, yet it is not as if shee had any other after, but because shee had no childe before Him: And al-be-it Iames bee called the brother of our LORD, yet it is not meant that hee was of the same Wombe, but of one Bloud; for indeed they were sisters children, which Scriptures sometimes call brethren, as was the Hebrew custome: And though Saint Matthew say that her Husband knew her not, till shee had brought forth her First-borne Son, yet it followes not that hee knew her after, but puts it out of doubt that hee knew her not before. So it is said that Michol had no children till her deaths day. This Virgine questionlesse was indued with excellent vertues, [Page] and was, no doubt, in godlinesse, and other Virgine-qualities, inferiour to none, no not to the purest, chastest, holiest, iustest, and modestest, that euer liued of that Sexe. Shee was most blessed, yet her happinesse consisteth in her Regeneration, rather then in her Generation, and in being the Member of CHRIST rather then His Mother, and in that shee bare Him in her heart, as well as in her Wombe. The WORD was not onely made Flesh in her, but shee also was made Flesh of His Flesh, and Bone of his Bone, and was animated by His SPIRIT. She did not only bring forth that man, that was Essentially GOD, but she also beleeued in that God that is substantially Man. And wheras other womē either bring forth nothing, as Virgins; or sinners, [Page] as all mothers; this Virginmother brought forth a Saint, a SAVIOVR, by whom both shee, and all that loue Him truely, are saued and redeemed. I enuy not her praises, but I would not that the mother should bee so aduanced, as that the Son thereby should be dishonoured; nor that whiles the creature is exalted, her Creator should bee depressed: For euen her owne Son was her Father, Hee made her, that was made of her: Shee that gaue Him Flesh, receiued both Flesh and Faith from Him; and though shee brought Him into the world, yet Hee redeemed her out of the world. Some out of vanity will call her the Queene of heauen, shee is in truth a Saint in heauen, shining in heauenly glory, more then any Queene or Empresse in [Page] earthly, here below, yet shee is not the Queene of heauen: For her Son receiued not his Royalty of her, neither hath Hee inuested her with any I meane it not, as if any of them were either gracious, or glorious, in the same degree with her. other Royalty, then such as Hee hath bestowed on all, whom Hee hath loued and washed from their sinnes, whom Hee hath made Kings and Priests to GOD. It is the pleasure of some to call her our Lady, a Title which shee knowes belongs not to her, though perhaps endowed with greater grace and glory, then any other Saint besides. For CHRIST IESVS is our onely LORD, and hers as well as ours; and as Hee receiued not His Lordship from her, so Hee hath not bestowed it on her. Hee is the onely Head and Husband of the Catholique Church, Militant, and Triumphant, whereof [Page] His mother is not a Mistresse, but a Member; and which hath indeed a LORD, but not a Lady. This onely will I adde, he that speakes, or onely thinkes a thought dishonourable of the Mother, it is pitty hee should receiue any honour by her SON.

Of the Incarnation of Christ.

THE WORD was made Flesh, Hee that was true GOD, became also true Man, without diuision of Person, or confusion of Natures, assuming that Hee had not, and continuing what Hee was. Being Creator [Page] Hee became a creature, that wee creatures might be brought into fauour with our great Creator: Being GOD Hee was made Man, that what wee had lost by man, wee might recouer by Him, that was GOD and Man. Being GOD Hee tooke the nature of man vpon Him, and marryed our flesh vnto His Deity, that man, which was for his adultery separated frō his GOD, might by Him, who was truely Flesh, be marryed and ioyned anew vnto his GOD. It was miraculous that a Virgin chast shold bring forth a Sonne, but not to be doubted of, considering Gods Omnipotēce. For He that could make the world of nothing, Hee that was able to take Adā out of the earth, He that could giue Sarah a child in her old age, He that made Aarons rod bud: He was as [Page] able (doubtlesse) to make the wombe of a virgin fruitfull. For with him nothing is impossible: if he doe but speake the word, it is done. It is strange that God should bee man, that a virgine should be a mother, that the mother should bee daughter to her owne sonne; and that a mortall and weake woman should conceiue & bring forth the immortall and Almighty God. But let vs turne vp our eyes to God, and grant that he is able to doe that which wee are not able fully to comprehend. In things of wonder we must ascribe the reason of worke to the power of the worker. In a word, our Sauiour, by his Incarnation, hath honoured both sexes: Mans, in taking of his shape: and Womans, by being conceiued, borne, & brought vp by a Woman: And so amends [Page] hath beene made in that Sexe: For as a Woman brought sinne into to the world, so a Woman also brought forth, and brought vp that SAVIOVR, by whom alone wee are deliuered from our sinnes. As by a Woman came Sinne, Sicknesse, Sorrow, Bondage, Errour, Death: So in a Woman came a Sauiour for Sinners, a Physitian for the Sicke, a Comforter of the Heauy-hearted, a Redeemer for Captiues, a Guide for Straglers, and euen Light and Life it selfe for them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadowe of Death.

Of Miracles.

[Page]

A Miracle is some extraordinary thing done by the power of God, aboue the course of nature, such as was the creatio of the world of nothing, the diuiding of the red sea, the standing of the Sunne in the dayes of Iosua, the Mother-hood of that vntouched Maiden, the turning of Water into Wine, and such like.

Some things may bee aboue nature, as the conuersion of a sinner or true saith in Christ, which is aboue created and corrupted nature, and yet no miracle, being common, ordinary, and vsuall in the Church. Some [Page] things are strange and wonderfull, yet no miracles, because there are naturall causes of them, though perhappes not certainly discerned alwayes, nor of all, as Comets, Earth quakes, Eclipses, (excepting that Eclipse of the Sunne at the Crucifixion of Christ, which to see it was ashamed and amazed:) so it is maruailous, (but not miraculous) that the Crocodile should eate, and not moue his neatheriaw, that the Salamander should indure the fire vnburnt, that Pismires shold prouide for Winter, that the King amongst the Bees should onely want a sting, that a Worme should worke out Silke, and that a Spider should draw a Webbe out of his owne bowels to intangle the Flies with. Furthermore, some things are strange and beyond nature, [Page] yet not miraculous, not truely miracles, because they are done by the power and assistance of the Diuell, as are many things said and done by such are possessed of Diuels. Miracles were wrought in the Primitiue Church very often, till the Christian Faith was sufficiently confirmed: but now hauing beene so aboundantly confirmed, so generally beleeued, hee were himself a very wonderment, that will not now beleeue it without a wonder. And because that Antichrist shall come with his lying wonders; that is, either not true, but appearing to bee true; or, truely tending to maintaine his lies and errors, therefore we must take heed of wonders, that we be not by new wonders misled and drawne away from the old way. For his wonders serue [Page] not to confirme the faith, but to try the faithfull. This is a Lesson neuer to be forgotten, No signe, no wonder, no miracle must withdraw vs from Christ and his faith: but and if any Man or Angell should preach otherwise then we finde written in the holy Scriptures, or shall presume to adde to, substract from, or to change the faith receiued, wee are to hold him as accursed. If there arise among you a Prophet, or a dreamer of dreames, (saith Moses) and giue thee a signe or a wonder, (and the signe & wonder which he hath told thee, come to passe) saying, Let vs goe after other Gods, which thou hast not knowne, and let vs serue them: What then? Thou shalt not (quoth he) giue eare to the words of the Prophet, or dreamer of dreames: Why so? For the LORD your GOD proueth you [Page] to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soules.

Of Marriage.

MArriage is the Coniunction of but one man, and but one woman: for if it were lawfull to haue two wiues at once, our Sauiour would not haue said, that hee that puts away his wife, except for adultery, and marries another, commits adultery. The Man and his Wife are a matrimoniall Creature: the Man is as the soule, and the Woman is as the body. The Man [as Soule] is to animate and rule, the Woman [as body] is to be animated and ruled of the Man. The [Page] soule (they say) followes the temperature of the body as concerning operations: and it is often likewise seene that the house goes much after the House-wifes humour: The husband is the wiues head, the wife then is as the husbands body. Who but mad-men will mis-vse their bodies? And who but bad women will mis-vse their heads? Our women are very curious in decking and dressing of their heads, I would they were as carefull in pleasing of their husbands. I hold them best carefull, that are carefull of both their heads together. Of both her heads, what if I said her husband was the better? For her owne head is but head of her body, but her husband is head both of her head, and of her body: her head serues to rule her [Page] body, but her husband serues to rule her head; her head is the better part of her body, but her husband is the better part of her selfe. It is true, hee without her is a bodilesse head; and as true againe, shee without him is a headlesse body: Wisedome, Fore-cast, and Direction, belong to the head, to Obey, to Bend, and to bee Gouerned, are for the body. Sure hee is an ill head, that wanteth wit, forecast, care, and gouernement; and she is as bad a body, that is vnruly, vntractable, and which wil not be directed. A good wife is like a Marchants Ship, laden with all kinds of vertues, as it were with wares; shee is for labour, and not to lie still, and is fitted for burthen rather then for battery; Her Pilot and her Owner is her husband. It is certaine, women [Page] must be obedient to Princes, as Subiects; to Pastors, as Sheepe; but to their husbands onely as they are their wiues. Wee requite in a looking-glasse principally, that it do truely shew vs the colour of our faces, for though it be set in gold, or bee deckt with pearles, yet if it bee deceiptfull, wee care not for it; the Gold or Pearles may bee esteemed, but it is contemned. The principall commendation of a wife, is not gold, siluer, wealth, or out ward brauery, but Modesty, Chastity, Piety, Verity, Sobriety, and Humillity; If these things bee in her, shee is worthy loue, and will win the heart of any man, that is a man, and not a Bedlem, that is a man, and not a deuill: But though she bring wealth and worship with her, yet if these things be wanting [Page] in her, which were chiefly expected of her, and are most required, surely she is but as a deceiptfull glasse; a man is meerely cousened in her: And though she haue brought with her coffers of gold, yet can she not but be in truth contemned; except she mend her manners. Riches, Beauty, Brauery, greatnesse of birth, in a vicious, proud, profane, and head-strong woman, are but as good flowres, or fine feathers, stuck in a peece of dung.

Of a King.

GIVE vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars. Caesar is euery free, full, and absolute Monarch. The things of Caesar [Page] are Loue, Honour, Reuerence, Obedience, Fidelity, Tributes, Subsidies, Customes, and supreme Authority vnder GOD, ouer all his Subiects in all Temporall and Secular things. A King is a cetaine Mixed Creature, made of all the people in a Kingdom. Man is a little world, and a King is a little Kingdome: There is not a man within his Kingdome, but he is as a part and member of the King: Therefore as euery member of the body serues in his place for the good of the whole body, and is obedient to the head, where wisedom, power, prouidence, and gouernment lyeth: So euery Subiect should serue for the good of the State, and seek it in his place, and shold shew himselfe obedient to the King, who is his Head: And as the head challengeth a right [Page] in euery member, and therefore doth good vnto them all, and is affected with compassion, if euen the smallest of them bee wronged, or ill affected: So a King hath a certaine right in all his subiects, hee should animate and rule them all with his authority, and by his Lawes: hee should study the welfare of them all, and should be affected truely with all their wrongs and miseries. The head will yeeld to the cutting off an ill-affected member, chusing rather that one should perish, then all; but it is not simply delighted in the death of any of the members. So a good King loues not to destroy any of his subiects, but had rather saue a thousand, then kill one; yet hee doth, as it were, enforce himselfe to draw his sword, as knowing that it is [Page] better to cut off one, then disturbe or loose all. But though the head may determine to cut away a member, yet doth it not by it selfe, but by some other member, or instrument: so though iudgement and determination belongs vnto the King, yet executions thereof are fittest by farre to bee performed of others. But al-be-it the head agree to the destruction of a member, yet no member is seene to lift it selfe vp against the head with violence (as it were) to strike, or hurt it: So is it altogether sauage and vnnaturall for Subiects to lay violent hands vpon the sacred bodies of their King, who is as Mount Sinai, which, was not to bee touched vnder paine of death. Mercy and Iustice are two saue-gards of a King, and most comely for [Page] him. If nothing can be safe from him, there can be no safety for him: His safety and security stands in the safety and security of his Subiects, of whom it is safer for him to be loued, then to be feared: It is surer for him to tye them to him by Princely humanity, then to exasperate and awe them with tyrannicall seuerity. The King of the Bees himselfe is alone without a sting; Nature would not that he should be cruell, and hath left his anger without a weapon. Doubtlesse Clemency is a Princely vertue. Herein a King may shew himselfe like the KING of Kings, who though able easily to be reuenged of all, that doe offend him. yet is he so indulgent, that he pardons many, and sometimes deferres the punishments of His veriest [Page] enemies, and strikes not alwaies, when cause is giuen Him. Euery King should remember to serue the KING of Kings, CHRIST IESVS, to whom all Kings are Vassals. It is iust that they should be punisht with rebellious, treacherous, vnfaithfull, and wicked Subiects, that themselues neglect the Lawes of their SOVERAIGNE, and are vnfaithfull to their GOD: And herein a King doth most of all serue CHRIST, to wit, in doing that good, and hindring that euill, which hee could neither do, nor hinder, but as he is a King. Some think a woman may not raigne. What did Debora among the Ifraelites? If woemen (as many Virgines, and Widdowes) may be Ladies and Mistresses of seruants, euen Males, Why [Page] may they not be Queenes, if the Prouidence of heauen bring them to it. The Regall power is neither Masculine, nor Foeminine, but Diuine. Sonnes are tyed to honour their naturall mothers, and surely without staine vnto their sexe, and what blemish or indignity can it bee to men to honour their Politicall Mother? Hee that honours an absolute Potentate aright, whether King or Queene, honours the power and authority, which is Diuine and not Humane, and honours the person for the Power, & not the Power for the person: Bee the person good or bad, the Power is good, it is of GOD: And it may fall out that an euill man may bee a good Monarch: But whatsoeuer the Monarch is, the Monarchy, the Monarches power is euer good, [Page] and neuer bad: For there is no power, but of GOD; and the powers, that be, are ordained of GOD: Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the ordinance of GOD. And they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation. Let euery soule therefore bee subiect vnto the higher Powers, and not because of wrath onely, but euen for conscience sake.

Of Death.

DEATH is not euill, but to an euill man, for to the godly death is good, to the wicked death is euill; to him it is the dore of life, to this it is the entrance into hell. The sting of [Page] death is sinne, pull out this sting, repent of sinne, and death can do hurt, but good. Flye from sinne, and death cannot be fearefull. The sooner the Saint dies, the sooner hee comes to his Crowne. The longer a man liues, the more time he spends vpon the Seas; the sooner a man dies, that dies well, the sooner he comes into the hauen. Hee dies well, that liues well; a bad death cannot follow a good life. He liues and dies well, that liues and dies in the faith and feare of IESVS CHRIST, who is Rest to him that trauels, Health to him that is sicke, Refreshment to him that is weary, and Life to him, that dyeth eitheir for Him, or in Him. Death is not euill, but an euill death: This euill death no man dyeth, which dyeth either In; or For [Page] the seruice of CHRIST IESVS.

Of the Immortality of the Soule.

THE soule (saith Austen) is a created Substance, Inuisible, incorporeall, Immortall, being like to GOD, that made it. It is possible that the sould should be destroyed, as it was for the Sunne to stand still, for the sea to stand diuided, for the fire not to burne the three children, but this is not by the nature thereof, but in regard of the power of GOD, [Page] who is able, if Hee pleased, to turne the whole world into nothing, as Hee once made it of nothing. But indeed the soule of a man shall neuer die, shall neuer bee dissolued as is the body, but continueth whole and firme for euer. For the proofe hereof I suppose it the surest way for euery man to fortifie himselfe with the vndoubted testimonies of holy Writ. The Spirit (saith Ecclesiastes) returnes to GOD that gaue it. The soule of the poore beggar was in ioy, but the soule of the rich Epicure was in torment, after their bodily death. CHRIST said to the Thiefe now a dying: This day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradise: And to His FATHER, Into Thine hands I commend my Spirit. Steuen being now ready to depart, prayed, LORD IESVS, [Page] receiue my spirit. Saint Paul saith, Wee loue rather to remoue out of the body, and to dwell with the LORD: And againe, I desire to bee dissolued, and to bee with CHRIST. By which it is most certaine that the soule doth liue after the body is dead: But what though the soule shall liue for euer, if it liue in paine, as the soules of the damned do? Surely it were better not to be, then to be tormented and out of ease: Therefore let vs die before wee die, and leaue our sinnes before wee leaue the world. If our soules do die to sinne in this life, they shall not die by sinne in the life to come: If they liue to GOD by grace in this world, they shall liue with GOD in glory in the world to come. The world is mortall, but the soule of man is immortall; Why [Page] should that, that is immortall, bee pind on that, that is mortall? Why should the soule that cannot die, be buried in the loue of those things that cannot but die, and come to nothing? The body is mortall, the soule is immortall: why should wee make more account of That, then This? Why should we desire a good body, and care not though wee haue a naughty soule? If we neglect our soule, we shall not saue our body: if we forget out soules, we forget our selues. The soule was not made for the body, but the body for the soule: The soule therefore shoule be preferred to the body, but he which neglects the chiefest, and sets most by the meanest, corrupteth both, and condemnes himselfe; But he, that looketh well to his soule, though hee be [Page] more carelesse of the body, yet he shall not proue vnlucky; for in tendring the safety of his soule, hee shall saue his body also.

Of the Resurrection of the Body.

THERE is a resurrection of the iust and iniust; the iust shall rise to iudge, the iniust to be iudged; the iust shall be absolued, the iniust shall be condemned: Euen that body that fell, the selfe-same shall rise againe by GODs Omnipotency: For euen they that sleepe in the dust shall rise; that must rise againe that fell; this mortall must put on Immortality. I shall see [Page] GOD in my flesh (saith Iob) mine eyes shall behold Him, and none other for mee. If there were no resurrection, then is not CHRIST risen againe, for in Him we all dyed in Him we are all raised vp from death; and this we haue in Soe, the day shall come when we shall haue it in Re. Neither is there any reason that another body, and not the same, which serued CHRIST, and suffered iniuries for Him, should be giuen vnto a man, but it is host iust that the same body, which was burnt, or butchered, for CHRIST, should be glorified of CHRIST, and that a man should receiue his reward and rest, in that body, in which he performed his seruice. The body restored shall be a true body, and not a Spirit: For Gloria non tollit naturam, sed extollit: [Page] Glory doth not destroy, but perfite, Nature. All defects, deformities, weakenesses, and imperfections, shall be remoued, and all fulnesse, feature, fauour, strength, and perfections, shall be giuen it: And whereas many fall in their infancy, children of a spanne long, yet it is not to be imagined that they shall be raised vp of such a stature, but in the stature of a man, and yet the same body; euen as the body of an old man for substance is the same it was in his youth, or child-hood, though enlarged, and otherwise disposed. And al-be-it it shall rise a spirituall body, yet it followeth not that it shall be a Spirit, no more then it was [...] a soule when it fell, because it was [...] an animall, or (soule-body) naturall body: but it is a naturall body now, because [Page] it is nourished and preserued by naturall meanes, as food, rayment, sleepe, physicke, recreation, labour: A soule-body, because it is gouerned of the soule; so it is called then a spirituall body, because it shall be at the Spirits command, and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility, then it is in this world, and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes, to succour and sustaine it. In a word, all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality, that heate shall not ouercome moysture, nor this that, but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention. There is nothing goes from these bodies, nothing is put to them; there is no defect, no superfluity, no aliment, [Page] no excrement; their temperature is altogether invariable. Neither may it seeme harsh to any, that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe; For GOD that knowes their frame, and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance, is Omnipotent and Eternall, and can most easily do it. If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces, yet so long as the worke-man, that made it, liues, and whiles his skill lasteth, his memory and fancie faile not, and matter wanteth not, there is hope it may be made againe, as good as euer. But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer, and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word. The howre shall come, in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce (the voyce of the Son [Page] of man) and they shall come forth, that haue done good, vnto the resurrection of life, but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation. O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world, that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come.

Of the last Judgement.

VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST: Hee shall iudge the world, that was iudged of the world: Hee shall condemne sinners, who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner: [Page] Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene, and no man shall escape His Power: Faire words can not deceiue Him, gifts cannot corrupt Him, intreaty cannot moue Him, fig-leaues cannot delude Him: But as men haue brued, so shall they drinke; euen as they haue baked, so shall they eate. They that haue done well, shall speed well, but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses, shall be condemned. The more Grace men haue shewed, the more Glory they shall receiue: and the more men haue sinned, the more smart they must suffer. O that wee could say with Saint Ierome, As oft as I thinke of that day, I tremble all ouer; For whether I eate, or drinke, or whatsoeuer else I do, me thinkes [Page] I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares, (Surgite mortui, venite ad iudicium) Arise yee dead, and come to iudgement. O that we would iudge our selues in this world, that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come.

Of Life Eternall.

THEY, that haue serued GOD aright in this world, shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come. They that haue liued vnto CHRIST, and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST, shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST, and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort, [Page] and contentment, and as men haue excel'd in grace, so they shall exceed in glory. It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life, then what shall be. There shall be no mourning, nor misery, no want, nor weakenesse, no sinne, nor sorrow, no wearinesse, nor weeping, no death, nor dolour, no hunger, nor thirst, no ach, nor anguish, no diseases, nor discontentments, no troubles, nor tentations. But what shall bee there, who is able to expresse? No eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, no heart hath yet conceiued. What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him. There is supreme Felicity, perfite Liberty, true Charity, sweete Eternity, immortall Happinesse, and happy Immortality, Eternal [Page] Security, and secure Eternity. There GOD shall be seene without end, loued without loathing, and praysed without wearines. There is whatsoeuer is desired, and nothing is desired which is not there; Thy food is not thy rayment, nor it thy light, nor these thy mony: but there God will be all in all to all his children. They shall possesse him, and he them for euer, and for euer: For that life shall see no death, those ioyes shall haue no end, that state shal neuer sustaine a change. This life, this state, these ioyes, God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake. To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor, praise, power, might and maiesty, now and euermore, Amen.

Information about this book

Title statement

Nevv essayes: meditations, and vowes including in them the chiefe duties of a Christian, both for faith, and manners. By Thomas Tuke, minister of Gods Word, at S. Giles in the Fields.New essayes: meditations, and vowes.

Tuke, Thomas, d. 1657.

Edition statement

1614

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A14001

ID [STC]

STC 24312

ID [STC]

ESTC S105349

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99841078

ID [PROQUEST]

99841078

ID [VID]

5637

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14001)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 5637)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 942:06)

Source

— Nevv essayes: meditations, and vowes including in them the chiefe duties of a Christian, both for faith, and manners. By Thomas Tuke, minister of Gods Word, at S. Giles in the Fields., New essayes: meditations, and vowes., Tuke, Thomas, d. 1657..

Extent

[12], 290 p.

Printed by N[icholas] O[kes] and are to be sold by William Bladon, at his shop in S Pauls Churchyard, at the signe of the Bible,. London :: 1614.. (In this edition, title page, dedication, and "To the reader" are all signed in full. The Bodleian Library copy does not have the contents bifolium, but this may be an imperfection--STC.) (Printer's name from STC.) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.)

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