1. Blindnesse of reason.

The time was, when in man there were these three things; wisedome of heart, puritie of life, strength of bodie: but the soule of man by the suggestion of Sa­than, by the delectation which the apple promised, and by the consent which man yeelded, fell from that high and beautifull Trinitie. His wisdome was turned into blindnesse of heart, his strength was turned into weaknesse of bodie, and the puritie of his life was changed into vncleane behauiour: so that concerning his strength, that is now no better then a broken reed, as Rabshakeh spake of Aegypt;2. King. 18.21 and therefore Dauid most aduisedly in the 28. Psalme and 7. verse, said, Thou O Lord art my strength. The puritie of his life, that,Esay 64.6. said Esay, is like a stained and polluted cloth: and as for our reason and vnderstanding, it is cleane de­cayed in Adam. All the knowledge and vnderstan­ding of man, is either morall, naturall, or logicall, all which three in man by sinne are perished. For the end of morall knowledge being this, to prefer good things before euill things, mans reason in this is so corrupted that the euill things of this world, which haue but an appearance of good, are preferred before good things indeed; and the good things indeed, they are reiected. You shall see this in the example of King Saul; 1. Sam. 15.30. for to be honorable in the sight of God, being true honour indeed, and to be honorable in the sight of men, [Page 9] being bonum apparens, but an outward shadow or an appearance of true honour; the reason of King Saul there is so blinded, that he refuseth to be honored in the sight of God, and he desireth the Prophet rather to honour him before the people. And whereas the end of our naturall knowledge, is to preferre those things which are most profitable for the vse of man; our reason for the most part is so blinded herein, that we preferre in our iudgements the things that are most hurtfull. And lastly, whereas the end of our logi­call or discoursing reason, is to discerne truth frō fals­hood, vanitie from lies; this likewise is so corrupted in vs, that we all, as the Prophet Dauid saith,Psal. 4.2. follow vani­tie, and seeke after leasing: so that man hauing thus wonderfully lost his reason wherein he was created, that which God spake in an Ironie concerning man, the very beasts of the earth may say, and say truly,Gen. 3.22. Man is become like one of vs; and they haue their warrant for it out of the 49. Psalme, and last verse, Man being in honour, vnderstood not, but is like the beasts that perish: nay in this he is farre worse then the brute beasts,Esay 1.3. for the Oxe knowes his owner, and the Asse his masters crib, but Israel hath not known, my people hath not vnderstood. Mans reason without Gods grace, is euen as Sampson without his guide when his eyes were out,Iudg. 16.26. without whose direction he could not finde the pillars of the house; nor can the natural & carnal man find any pillar or principle of his faith, without Gods grace guiding his steps to it. Salomon saith in the fourth of Ecclesiastes and tenth verse, Vae soli, Wo be vnto him that is alone: and in this it is most true, for if mans reason be with­out Gods grace to guide it, wo be vnto it; it fals down, [Page 10] and there is none to helpe it vp: and therefore our Sa­uiour makes a manifest distinction betweene these two, Gods grace, and mans reason, in that speech of his to Peter: Math. 16.17. Blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas, for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee, but my Father which is in heauen. It was not flesh and bloud, it was not naturall and carnall reason, but Gods grace from aboue guiding his reason, that made Peter lay hold vpon Christ the way of life, and made Christ to pronounce him blessed. Therefore a little after, when as Gods grace and mans reason were separated, and that Peter with carnall perswasions sought to dehort Christ from his passion,vers. 22. Sir, pittie thy selfe, this shall not be vnto thee: Christ then biddeth him auant, not by the name of Peter, or the sonne of Ionas, or Cephas, but of Sathan himself, Come behind me Sathan. Peters rea­son was then alone, and the light of Gods grace had withdrawne her influence, and therefore no maruell if his counsell were such, as was both against his owne and against the worlds saluation. The Prophet Dauid was well acquainted with this blindnesse of mans rea­son, and therefore he doth vtterly reiect it as his guide in the way of life, and betakes himselfe wholy to the guidance of Gods good spirit:Psal. 143.10. Let thy good Spirit, O Lord, leade me into the way of righteousnesse: and Psal. 27. Thou, Psal. 27.1. O Lord, art my light and my saluation: my light against ignorance, my saluation against impotencie: and in the 119. Psalme, Giue me vnderstanding O Lord, and I shall keepe thy law. For as it was not possible for the Israelites to passe through the red sea,Exod. 14. if God by a speciall miracle had not prepared their way, and made a passage for them:Chrysost. hom. 40. in Math. so for man to passe from the wayes [Page 11] of death vnto the wayes of life, from the wayes of sin to the wayes of righteousnes, without the speciall me­diation and helpe of diuine grace it is not possible. This grace is that which is all in all vnto vs, and of this may that of our Sauiour be most truly verified,Iohn 15.5. Fulgent. de praed. ad Ma­xim. lib. 1. With­out me, you can do nothing. This is praeueniens, cooperans, subsequens; it preuenteth vs, that when we are downe we may rise vp, it accompanieth vs to vphold vs in our right course, and it must stil follow vs til we come to those eternall beatitudes. For can we promise any more to our selues in finding out this way of life, then Dauid in the 119. Psalme? I will runne O Lord (saith he) the way of thy commaundements, when thou hast set my heart at libertie. Can we runne with our feete, before our heart be prepared? or can we runne with our heart before God had enlarged it? Can we runne the way without the way, which is Christ Iesus, a way which we cannot see, till our eyes be enlightened? not so: but when as God shall haue opened the eyes of our vnderstanding, then with Dauid may we see the won­derfull things of Gods law, and then with him may we runne the way of his commandements, when as God shall haue set our hearts at libertie. But before, we do all (euen the best of vs) lie lame, and impotent, like the cripple at the poole of Bethesda:Iohn 5.5. all the dayes and yeares of our times are spent like his without the case of our infirmities, and the vertue of the waters of life like those waters in that poole, can neuer comfort vs. Seeing therefore that mans reason, since the fall of our first father Adam, is so cleane perished and decayed in it selfe, that of it selfe it is not able to make choise of that which is good, it remaineth for a truth, that vn­lesse [Page 12] Gods grace do accompanie mans reason, as the Angel did Toby, & do go before it as the starre did be­fore the wise men vnto Christ; man shal neuer be able to walke in the way, nay he shall neuer be able to find out the way that shold leade him vnto life, but he shal go on like a naturall and carnall man in that broade beaten path which leadeth vnto death. So that you see mans reason, being not able to discerne good from euill, the way of life from the way of death, and by the fall of Adam preuailing ouer all the sonnes of Adam, to be one maine let in vs, why so few of vs do find out this way of life.

2. Peruersnesse of will.

But let vs grant that mans reason were such in him, and so well rectified, as that he could discerne good from euill, the way of life from the way of death; yet is there a second let & impediment in man, and that is peruersitas voluntatis, the peeuishnesse, the peruersnes of his will. It was the error of the old Manichees, and it is at this day the practise of many prophane Christi­ans, euermore to cast their sinnes vpon God, excusing themselues, and accusing him as the author of their iniquities; but the Scriptures are all directly against this; for as they make God to be the sole cause and au­thor of all happinesse and good that befalleth man: so do they make man the sole cause and author of all euil that betides himselfe. It is Gods owne speech in the Prophet,Hosea. 13.9. Perditio tua ex teô Israel, salus ex me; O Israel thy saluation is from me, but thy destruction and ruine from thy selfe. As some locks there are, which will lock without a key, but without a key they neuer can be opened; so without a key, I meane without any other [Page 13] meanes then their owne proper sinnes, men may shut vp the the gates of Gods kingdome against thē ­selues; but without the key of Gods mercy and graci­ous goodnesse to them, it neuer can be opened. And as the Magitians of king Pharaoh had indeed power to bring plagues into the land of Aegypt,Exod. 7. but had no power to remoue the plagues thence: so men of them selues may be the authors of death vnto themselues, but to giue vnto themselues either the life of grace, or the life of glory, they haue no ability. God is so farre from barring vp the gate of his kingdom against any, that he setteth it wide open vnto all; I will not the death of a sinner, but that he liue & be saued; & in the Gospel, Come vnto me all yee that labor and are heauy laden, Math. 11.28. and I will refresh you; but such is the peruersenesse of mans will, such the obstinacy and rebellion of his corrupt nature, that though God doth offer grace, yet mā wil not accept it, though he do as it were chalke him out the way that should leade him vnto life, yet he will not walke in it, yea though he lay before him the crowne of eternall glory, as his reward and recom­pence, yet will he take no labour or paine for it. If then man by following the sway of his crooked & corrupt will, and by reiecting the good meanes which God giueth for his saluatiō, do eternally perish, let him not lay the fault vpon God, but vpon his owne peeuish & peruerse will. You shall see the truth of this by a most familiar example, and yet such a one, as a whole gene­rall Councell hath thought fit for the illustration of it. If two men should fall out of a ship,Con Colonien. and there were no way to saue them but by casting forth a rope vnto them whereby they might be drawne vp; if one of [Page 14] them shall lay holde of it and be drawne vp, but the other in the peeuishnes and peruersnes of his will shall refuse the meanes of his deliuerance; is it not a cleare case that he which layes hold vpō the rope, is saued by the great kindnesse of him that threw it out, but the o­ther which obstinatly refuseth it, perisheth by his own peruerse will. Euen thus and no otherwise doth the case stand with vs; for by one mā sin hath entred into the world, and we are all cast out as it were from that arke of innocency in which we were created: But be­hold the great mercy of God vnto man, he casteth forth (if I may so speake) a rope to saue vs, he hath sent his sonne into the world,Iohn. 3.16. That whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish, but haue euerlasting life. If then thou dost lay hold vpon this meanes of thy saluation, by the hand of a liuely faith, thou must acknowledge God to be the author thereof; but if in the peruersnes of thy will thou dost refuse it, then thy perishing, it proceedeth from thy selfe, from thy obstinate and re­bellious will. This Saint Austin knew to be most true, and therefore he was bold to say, Non est punitor Deus antequàm peccator homo: God neuer doth become a pu­nisher, till man first becomes a sinner, and we see it to be true in that speech of Samuel vnto Saul, 1. Sam. 15.26. thou hast wil­fully cast away the Lord, and this (saith Samuel) is the cause of thy reiection, why the Lord hath cast away thee. This peruersnes of will was that, which in the daies of our Sauior kept the people of the Iewes from finding the way of life, and this is that which in these dayes of the Gospel keepes many of vs frō finding it. As Christ said vnto thē,Math. 23.37. so may he not as truly say vnto vs, Quo­ties volui sed noluistis? How often wold I but you wold not? [Page 15] hath not God (to vse that speech in the Gospel) piped vnto you by vs, and you haue not danced?Luke. 7.32. hath not he mourned vnto you by vs, and you haue not wept?2. King. 4.31. haue not we the Prophets, by the appointmēt of our maister Christ, layed the staffe of Gods iustice and Gods mercy vpon you that are dead in sinne, as Gehe­zi did his maisters staffe on the dead child, and like him you are not reuiued? hath not God called early and late vnto you (as vnto his people the Iewes) for an absolute relinquishment of sinne? hath he not cry­ed (euen out of this place) by the shrillest trumpets that our land had, to magistrates, do iustly, to officers, liue not by bribes, to citizens, gaine not by vsury, to country gentlemen, grow not great by your poore neighbours oppression, to all, do vnto others as you would be done vnto? Verily all this hath God done to bring vs to the wayes of life, but with very bad suc­cesse; for so voluntary an opposition there is betweene mans peruerse will, and this holy wil of God, that ini­quity hath the chaire still, triuing writs are in most of­fices, Mammon is the cityzens God; and the morter, I may not say of al, but of many of your goodly buil­dings abroad, are tempered with the teares of Or­phanes. In this man reignes pride, in that man dissen­tion, in a third enuy, in a fourth dissimulation, in some bribery, in some periury, and in most hypocrisie; yea the whole land is couered with a flud of sinne, as the old world with a flud of waters, and men swim vp and downe in it like fishes in the sea, by the motion of their owne passions: so that that speech which God taketh vp against the Iews, he may fitly take vp against vs, and say, I haue laboured to purge thy filthinesse, [Page 16] but thou art not purged. God hath called to the carnal man to forsake his beastly pleasures, to the couetous man to relinquish his insatiable desires, to the drun­ken man to forbeare barrelling vp Gods creatures in his belly, to the blasphemers to leaue their swearing, to the hypocrites to leaue dissembling, to all of vs to leaue sinning, and to runne the way of his comman­dements here in earth, that hereafter we might receiue a crowne of glorie in heauen: but what hath bin our answer? surely from the frowardnesse of our hearts, and from the obstinate rebellion of our peruerse wils, we haue cried with Pharaoh, Quis est Dominus? Who is the Lord, that we should serue him? or the God of Iacob, that we should regard him? If therefore we are desirous to haue this peruersnesse of our wil remoued from vs, which we know in most of vs to be a great meanes to keepe vs from the wayes of life, then our best course is euermore to subiect our wils vnto the will of God. Now the subiecting of our will vnto Gods will, con­sisteth in these three:Bernard. serm. contra pessimū vitium ingra­titudinis. first that we absolutely will those things which we certainly know God willeth; then that we absolutely nil those things which we certainly know God nilleth: and lastly, that in those things whereof we are vncertaine whether God doth will or nill them, neither must we altogether will them, nei­ther must we altogether refuse them: & so subiecting euery way our will vnto the will of God, this peruers­nesse of will, which in most of vs is a second let to keep vs from finding the way of life, will be remoued.

3. Want of perseuerance.

Many there be which are willing and desirous to attain eternal life, but yet they wil take no pains in the [Page 17] performance of Gods commandements, not vnlike vnto Naaman the Syrian, who comming to the Pro­phet to be cured of his leaprosie, and the Prophet wil­ling him onely to wash in Iordan seuen times and he should be cleane; he stomaketh the matter, and brea­keth out into these words,2 King. 5. I thought (saith he) that he wold haue come out vnto me, and haue called on the name of his God, and haue layed his hands vpon me, and so I should be healed. Here are three things which Naaman would haue done for him: first he will haue the Pro­phet to come forth: secondly, to call vpon his God: thirdly to lay his hands vpon him; but in the meane time there is not the least paines mentioned to be vn­dertaken by himselfe. And surely looke how it was with Naaman in the curing of his leaprous body; so it is with most of vs in the curing of our leaprous soules: we will haue God to do all for vs, but we will do no­thing for our selues; our desire shall be as great for the cleansing of our leaprous soules, as Naamans was for the cleansing of his leaprous bodie: but if it once come vnto this, thou must wash thy selfe in Iordan seuen times, that is, thou must bathe thy sinfull soule in the poole of repentance, and enter in at the straight gate of a holy and religious life; then with Naaman we fall to murmuring, and we sticke not to say in effect as he said, that we looke for a more easie kind of cure in our conuersion. But let vs grant that we are willing to per­forme whatsoeuer is prescribed vnto vs for the finding of this way of life, yet vnlesse we do perseuere and continue euen vnto the end in that course, it is to smal purpose. To haue the Arke of God for a while,1. Sam. 5. did more endanger the Philistines then benefite them: [Page 18] and so for men to serue God for a while in a vertuous and religious course of life, will more hurt then helpe them;2. Pet. 2.21. for better it is not to haue knowne the way of truth, then not to persist in it; and farre more happie are those men, who haue not entred at all into the wayes of life, then Iudas and such wicked ones as he, whose ends are worse then their beginnings. We do reade in the Gospell,Math. 20.8. that some men came into the vineyard in the morning, and that some came in at noone, but none of these did receiue the reward but such as stayed vntill night; to giue vs to vnderstand, that they are not initia Christianorum, sed fines, not the good beginnings, but the good endings of Christians which the Lord crowneth. The Church of Thyatira in the Reuelation, is much commended for this ver­tue:Reuel. 2.19. I know thy faith, and thy workes, and thy loue, and that thy last workes are more then thy first: and the con­clusion of the Epistle vnto that Church, and of all the other Epistles is this; not he that drawes his sword, not he that fighteth the battels of the Lord, not he that spends his bloud and after fainteth, but he that perse­uereth and continueth to the end, shall eate of the tree of life.Bern. Epist. 129 For without perseuerance, nec qui pugnat victo­riam, nec palmam victor consequitur; neither he which fighteth the Lords battels against sinne and Sathan can haue the victory, nor he which ouercometh can haue the crowne of glorie. It is a notable remem­brance which our Sauiour Christ giueth vs in the Gospell from the example of Lots wife,Luke 17.31. and which Saint Bernard amplifieth very fitly to this purpose, Memento vxoris Loth, Epist. 2. de Sodoma quidem eiectae, quia Deo credidit, sed in via mutatae, quia retro aspexit: Re­member [Page 19] Lots wife, how she was brought indeed out of So­dome, because she beleeued God, but was changed by the way into a pillar of salt, because she looked backe. God hath commaunded vs as he did Lot and his wife, that wee should come out of Sodome, that is, that we should forsake our sinnes, and not so much as looke back vnto sinne, but runne in hast till we come into heauen which is our Zoar. If therefore with Lots wife we wil looke backe in our way to the pleasantnesse of sinne, we shall be sure with her to tast the bitternesse of her punishment; for as she, vbi respexit, Gen. 19.26. ibi reman­sit, where she looked backe, there she stood still, and came not vnto Zoar where her life should haue bene saued: so if once we haue abandoned sinne, which is the broade way that leadeth vnto death, and haue en­tred into a holy and religious course, which is this nar­row way that leadeth vnto life, if then with Lots wife we go not forward, but looke backward to our former delights of sin, it is impossible for vs to come to Zoar, that is vnto heauen, where our soules and bodies should be saued. They are our Sauiour Christ his own words, in the ninth of Luke and the last verse, No man putting his hand vnto the plough and looking backe, is fit for the kingdome of God. Exod. 16.26. The Israelites were comman­ded, not once in a moneth, nor once in a weeke, but e­uery day to gather Manna, except vpon the Sabboth day; to teach them and to teach vs, that till such time as we come vnto that eternall Sabboth of our euerla­sting rest in heauen, we must neuer stand still in the way of a godly life, but euery day be going forward. Apelles posie was, Nulla dies sine linea, Let no day passe from me without drawing one line at the least: and Titus [Page 20] the Emperor was wont to say,Sueton. in Tit. Amici, diem perdidimus. Ezech. 47.4. that he had lost that day in which he did no good. As the waters in Ezechiel rose by degrees, first to the ankles, then vnto the knees, then vnto the loines, and lastly to the head; and as the wheate which Christ speakes of,Mark 4.28. grew vp riper and ri­per, first there was a blade, then the eare, then the full corne, and lastly came the haruest: so like those waters we must grow higher and higher, till we come vnto our head Christ; and like that wheate we must grow riper and riper, til we come to the haruest which is the end of the world. There is in Persia a stone called Sele­nites, Plin. lib. vlt. cuius interior candor cum Luna crescit & decrescit, whose inward whitenesse increaseth and decreaseth as the Moone. The deuotion of Christians must not be like this stone, still changing, and continuing no longer in one moode then a sparrow lights vpon the ground; but we must proceed in the way of righ­teousnesse, euen as Abraham went to Canaan, that is, we must eundo pergere, still be going; and as those kine of the Philistines which bare the Arke of God,1. Sam. 6. though they were milch, & had calues at home, yet without turning either to the right or left hand, they kept on their way to Bethshemesh: so hauing once ioyned ourselues vnto the yoke of Christ, and bearing the arke of his law vpon our shoulders in the way of a vertuous life, though we haue many allure­ments to draw vs backe, as those kine had their calues; yet without turning either to the right or left hand, we must keepe our way to Bethshemesh, that is, vnto the house of the Sunne (for so the word signifieth) where the Son of God raigneth. In the 13. of Saint Matthew, the kingdome of God is described in this manner; [Page 21] It is as a grain of Musterdseed, at first the least of al seeds;Math. 13.31. but when a man hath sowne it in his field, it becometh first an herbe, then the greatest of herbs, thirdly a tree, lastly the birdes make arbours and shades in the bowes of it. Now why should the kingdome of God be compared vnto this seede which is still increasing? ve­rily no better reason can be giuen for it then this, that we may all learne, not to stand still in our Christian growth, but to preseuere and go on from grace vnto grace, till we become perfect men in Christ Iesus. As the star neuer ceased going,Math. 2.9. till it came vnto the house where Christ was: so if we be once entred into the way of a holy and religious life, we must neuer stand still, but continue still going, till we come vnto heauen where God is. If we haue faith, we must then go from faith to faith; if we haue loue, we must conti­nue and abide in loue; if we haue zeale, we must labor to be consumed with zeale; if we giue almes, we must go a step further, and giue it with chearfulnesse; and as God hath continued a chaine of his good graces vnto vs, first by predestinating, secondly by calling,Rom. 8.30. thirdly by iustifying, fourthly by glorifying vs: so must we continue a chain of our graces towards God, by giuing al diligence,2. Pet. 1.5.6. as the Apostle Saint Peter spea­keth, to ioine vertue with our faith, and with our ver­tue knowledge, and with our knowledge tēperance, and with our temperance patience, and with our pati­ence godlinesse, and neuer leaue ioyning the linkes of that golden chaine there ioyned, till our bodies and soules come to be disioined. But (beloued) if the want of any vertue is to be lamented in this age, it is the want of this vertue of all vertues, perseuerance. For [Page 22] if we take a view of all estates of men, euen from the highest to the lowest, shall we not be so far frō finding any increase or growth in Christian duties, any going forward in the way of righteousnesse from grace vnto grace,Indies deficit in agris agri­cola Cyp. con. Deme. and from strength vnto strength, that we shall rather finde an vniuersall falling away and defection in them? Is there not now (as S. Cyprian iustly com­plained in his time) a daily defectiō in the world, both of men, and of mens manners? Is there not a defection of the husbandman in the field, of the marriner at the sea, of citizens in townes, of townsemen in villa­ges? Is there not a defection of innocency in the court, of iustice in iudgement, of concord in friendship, of workmanship in arts, of discipline in manners? Where is that zeale vnto the word, that hunger & thirst after the waters of the wel of life, that was wont to be amōg vs? Do we still thirst after these waters of the well of life,2. Sam. 23. as Dauid for the waters of the well of Bethlem? Nay rather are we not come vnto that fulnesse and sa­tietie,Numb. 11.7. that we euen loath these waters of life, as Israel loathed Manna? If it were not so, then should we not see so many in all places to loue better the thresholds of their doores, and their benches in aleboothes, then they loue the courts and seates of the Lords temple. The time was, when with gladnesse we haue receiued this word vpon al occasions, and entertained this hea­uenly food of our soules (as Elias foode for his body) with all thankfulnesse,1. King. 17. euen then, when a blacke Ra­uen hath brought it vnto vs, I meane men but mean­ly qualified. But now vnto so low an ebbe is our zeale and deuotion come, that though Angels from heauen bring it, I meane men excellently qualified, and able [Page 23] sufficiently to performe the worke of right faithfull Euangelists, yet men reiect it, nay which is worse, they euen resolue with Ahab not at all to heare Michea; 1. King. 22. not because Michea prophesieth euill vnto them and not good,2. Kin. 13.14. but because Michea is not a preacher qualified in all points according to their humours. But to leaue our loue vnto the word, let vs descend vnto our loue to those that labor in the word, and for which loue many places in this land haue bene much commen­ded. True it is, we haue bin as affectionate vnto them as king Ioas was to Elizeus, ascribing more vnto them for the good of the whole land, then to al our chariots and our horsmen. It is true, we haue entertained them as the Galathians did Saint Paul, not onely as the An­gels of God, but as Iesus Christ himselfe, yea we haue giuen no lesse honour vnto them,Gal. 4.13. then the men of Lysia vnto Barnabas & Paul, freely cōfessing of these, as they confessed of them,Act. 14.11. that gods were come down vnto vs in the likenesse of men. I adde yet more, (that you may see vnto what a fearefull relapse we are now in this age come,Aquin. in hunc locum. l [...]ct. 3.) that double honor both of coun­tenance, and maintenance, (of countenance for their place, of maintenance for their seruice) which they that labour in the word are worthy of, saith S. Paul: 1. Timoth 5.17. this double honour haue we yeelded and offered vn­to them as their due in the amplest manner. But haue we so continued, haue we perseuered in this loue? I must be faithful in my maisters house with Moses, and speake a truth without flattery; I say boldly in the feare of God concerning this, as the Angell saith vnto the Church of Ephesus; we are become changelings,Reuel. 2.4. and haue lost our former loue. For first for countenance; [Page 24] now euery vpstart that hath scraped but a little pelfe together by the patchings of his braine, will be deadly opposite vnto no man more then to Gods minister. And as for maintenance, the time indeed was, when with the good Shunamite you haue prouided for E­lias a chamber,2. King 4. a stoole, a table, and a candlesticke, and haue come vnto the Prophets, as Christ vnto the lame man at the poole of Bethesda,Iohn 5.6. Vis sanus fieri? wilt thou be maintained? wilt thou be beneficed? But now so are the times, and with the times so are men changed, that you take from Elias his chamber, his stoole, his table, and his candlestick. You do come vnto the Pro­phets, not as Christ to the man before mentioned, Vis sanus fieri? wilt thou be beneficed? but as Iudas to the high Priest, when he sold his master, Quid mihi dabitis & ego tradam vobis? what will you giue me and I will giue you a presentatiō? And though the visible iudg­ment of God be vpon such sacriledge, for it thriues with them as the Arke of God among the Philistines,1. Sam. 5.1. and as the flesh which an Eagle sometime caried from an altar to her nest; a coale of Gods wrathfull indigna­tion is caried with it, which in time consumeth them and their yong: though I say, this visible iudgement of God be vpon such sacriledge, yet the eies in our heads may faile with the expectation of that day, when the chambers of the Lord his house which Tobiah the Ammonite hath seized into his hands,Nehem. 13. shold be resto­red againe to their ancient institution for the mainte­nance of the Leuites. What should I speake in parti­cular of that stedfastnesse in faith, that modestie in words, that vprightnesse in our actions, that mercie in our works, that discipline in our manners, that loue [Page 25] and vnitie among neighbours and brethren, which in the Primitiue Church was the glory of the first Chri­stians, and in some good measure hath heretofore bin seene among vs? Verily our coldnesse in all these, as in the former, is a plaine demonstration, that albeit we haue layed our hands vnto the plough of the best hus­bandry in the whole world, yet we haue looked back; and albeit we haue made some small entrance into the way of a vertuous life, yet we haue started aside, and fallen from it again for want of perseuerance. To draw this then to a conclusion. If we looke vpon all the sons of Adam, who are bound by the commaundement of God to seeke after the way of life, and in them if we wel consider, first the blindnesse of their reason, which is not able of it selfe without Gods assisting grace, to discerne the way of life from the way of death: se­condly the peruersnesse and obstinacie of their wils, which albeit they know the way, yet refuseth to walk in it: and lastly their back-sliding and want of perseue­rance, when haply they haue begun; if (I say) we consider all these, bearing sway for the most part with most of Adams sonnes, we may then say, and say truly, euen as our Sauiour Christ saith in my text, They are few (yea very few) that do find the way of life.

Now as this is a manifest and certaine truth, that there be few that do find the way of life, if we con­sider the hinderances in our selues that seeke the way; so in the next place, if we shall take a view of those things which do retrahere, which do allure vs and withdraw vs from the search of this way, it will ap­peare more plaine vnto vs. The things then which do vsually detaine and keepe vs backe from the search of [Page 26] this way of life, are these three old and ancient ene­mies of man,Bern. medit. cap. 14. Mundus, Caro, Diabolus: the world, the flesh, the diuell: and these three hauing drawne as many men vnto their part, as the Dragon drew the starres of heauen with his taile, Reuelat. 12.4. it must needs follow that their number should be very small that go on in the way of life. I wil touch them all three in their order, and giue you such caueats out of Gods booke against each of them, that if we be once entred into the way of a godly life, which is the narrow way that must leade vs to eternall life, neither the world with his inticemēts, nor the flesh with her alluremēts, nor the diuell with his suggestions vnto sinne, shall be able to withdraw vs from it. First then for the world, which is the first enemy that opposeth vs in the way of life.

The World.

The tribes of Ruben and Gad being allured by the beauty and fatnesse of the ground on this side Iordan,Numb. 32.12. thought the land of Canaan in goodnesse to be farre inferiour to it, and therefore they did set vp their rest there, and would go no further: and thus it is with most men, who are or should be in this world trauel­lers vnto the kingdome of heauen. For when they see the beautie and fatnes of this world wherin they liue, and that that is true of it which the citizens of Iericho said once to Elisha concerning their citie: Behold, the situation of the place is faire, and the ground pleasant; therefore with those two tribes of Gad and Ruben they wil go no further;Math. 17.4. but as Peter said in the moūt behol­ding Christs glory, so say they beholding the glorie of this world, Bonū est esse hîc, It is good for vs to be here. [Page 27] And indeed as Vlisses souldiers hauing once tasted of that poisonous cup which the Lotor phagi gaue vnto them,Hom. Odys. pag. 247. they were neuer after desirous to go into their owne country: so the greatest part of men in the world being poisoned as it were with the pleasures and de­lights of it, they desire to haue their residence still in this life, & they neuer looke after that way that should bring them to eternal life. This the Apostle Saint Iohn knew very well, and therefore to withdraw the affe­ctions of men from the inticements of the world, he giueth this counsell, Loue not the world. 1. Epi. Ioh 2.1 [...] Vpon which words of the Apostle,Serm. in verba Petri. Ecce nos reli­quimus omnia Saint Bernard maketh this que­stion, Vis nosse quis sit qui diligit mundum? Wilt thou know who it is that doth loue the world? then marke (saith he) what the Apostle addeth, Loue not the world nor the things of the world; as if he had said, they that loue the things of the world, they are those that loue the world, and in louing them, they are drawne from the wayes of life: for,August. de ver­bis Dom. in Mat. serm. 33. amor rerum terrenarum viscus est spiritualium pennarum: The loue of earthly things is euen as birdlime to the spirituall wings of mens soules that they cannot mount to heauen. And as the spirit of God making Dauid apt and fit for the gouernment of the kingdome,1. Sam. 16. was not vpon Dauid till the same spi­rit was departed from Saul: so the spirituall blessings and graces of God cannot possibly rest vpon men, till such time as the loue of this world is departed from them. And therefore our Sauiour in the Gospell very fitly answereth the man that was desirous to follow him but to make a worldly gaine by that profession, The foxes haue their holes, Luke 9.58. and the birds of the aire their nests, but the Son of man hath not where to rest his head: [Page 28] meaning that worldly affections and desires had taken vp the possession of his heart, and that therefore there was no roome in his heart for the son of man to lodge in. Now if you would know of me what the things of the world are which vsually withdraw most of vs frō the wayes of life, because to speake thus of the world is too generall,1. Ep. Ioh. 2.16 I answer from the Apostle Saint Iohn; they are ambition and pride of the world, lust and concupiscence of the flesh, couetousnesse and insa­tiable desire of filthy lucre; these 3. Ambition, Lust, & Couetousnesse, which are not of the Father but of the world; these are the chiefe things of the world, & vnto which al other worldly things may be referred, which withdraw vs from the way of life. You shal see the truth of all these together in one chapter, Luke 14. Where when a certain man had made a great supper, and bad many, (vnder whom is shadowed out God the Father inuiting men vnto the banquet of grace in this life, and so consequently vnto that eternall supper of glory in the world to come:) the first excused himselfe thus, that he had bought a farme; in which, say the expositors, are taxed the ambitious men of this world, whose whole delight is to gather farmes and Lordships into their hands, to be accounted Kings on earth. The seconds excuse is, that he had bought a yoke of oxen, in which are taxed the couetous men, whose whole time of life is spent and employed in nothing else but in bargaining to get money. And the third mans answer is, that he had maried a wife, and therefore he could not com; by which we see, that car­nall concupiscence is a great hinderance vnto men in following the way of life. But of that by it selfe anone: [Page 29] I will now amplifie a little the other two in this first branch of the world. First then for the ambitious af­fectation of worldly honors.

Ambition.

In that the diuell in the fourth of Matthew did seeke to perswade our Sauiour Christ to fall downe and to worship him, by promising him the king­domes of the world; it is a cleare demonstration, con­sidering the wisedome of the diuell, that honour and preferment is able to draw men out of the right way; for although this temptation did not preuaile with Christ who was both God and man, yet it hath, and doth, & wil preuaile with men. Our mother Euah had honor and royalty enough, she was lady of Paradise, and not onely of Paradise, but of all the earth besides; and yet neither the earth nor Paradise can content her mind, but she must either be Similis altissimo, Gen. 3. like vnto the most high, she must be the Queene of heauen, or she will breake the commandement of God. Did not this thinke you, worke strongly vpon Balaam, Numb. 22. when it made him saddle vp his asse, and in hope of high fa­uors and preferments from the king, to ride post with the Princes of Moab to curse Gods people? Hath not this caused Abimelek to become a butcher to his owne brethren? and Herod the king,Iudg. 9.5. Ioseph. lib. 15. Antiq. cap. 2. that he might more pea­ceably inioy that crown into which before most am­bitiously he had crept, not to regard the life, either of friends, of wife, of children?2. Sam. 15. Did not this cause Absolon most vnnaturally to thirst after the life and crowne of his owne father?Hest. 3.6. and Haman to thirst after the life not of one priuate man alone, but of all the people of the Iewes in the kingdome of Assuerus? The trap which [Page 30] the diuell set to insnare our mother Eue, was hope of higher dignity,Gen. 3.5. and this one subtlety of his, Eritis tan­quam Dij, You shall be as Gods shining in honor and glory aboue other men, it hath heretofore bene, and it is at this day, the foundatiō & root of rebellions, treasons, mur­thers, thefts, & of such damnable machiauelliā policies as are hardly to be found euen among the Gentiles; & as it was the speech of Agrippina the Emperour Neros mother, when she heard that her sonne Nero should be Emperor,Sueton. in Ne­rone. but yet should kill his mother in his Em­pire; Occidat, modò imperet, Let him kill me, so he may be Emperour: so I pray God that by the perswasion of the diuell, it be not a setled resolution in the hearts of many, Let me perish, not temporally with Agrippi­na, but eternally both in soule and body, if so be in this life I may haue places of preferment, either in church or common-wealth.

Riches.

Now for the wealth and riches of the world, that they likewise as well as worldly honours are a meanes to draw vs from the wayes of life, it is a case clearely decided by our Sauiour Christ in the 19. of Saint Ma­thew; Mat. 19.20.21 for when the yong man had made this question vnto Christ, Maister, what shall I do to attaine eternall life? and Christ his answer was, Keepe the commande­ments; and his reply to that was, I haue kept them from my youth vp; and Christ his replication to him againe was, Yet thou wantest one thing, Sell all that thou hast, and giue it to the poore: at that saying (saith the text) he departed sorowfull, and the cause of his sorow is there noted to be this, He had great possessions and was rich: and therefore our Sauiour is bold in the 23. verse to [Page 31] set downe this as a conclusion, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen. But were it not a case thus cleared by our Sauiour Christ, yet if we will but looke into the qualities and conditions of rich men, we shall find their wealth to haue bene, and to be vnto them an occasion of many grieuous and grosse sinnes, by meanes whereof they are kept from the wayes of life. For to begin first with the sinne of pride (a sinne so hatefull in Gods eyes, that it cast our first parents out of Paradise, and Lucifer from heauen to hel,) to begin (I say) with the sinne of pride, mark it when you wil, you shall see that where store of wealth is, there commonly is store of pride: and therefore a­mong other charges which Saint Paul giues to Timo­thy, this is not left out,1. Tim. 6.17. namely that he should charge rich men that they be not high minded. And the hea­then man Tully describing the qualities of the rich,In Orat. de lege Agrar ad Quirit. which for the most part are very intollerable, among others he setteth downe pride for one, and his in­stance is in the men of Campania; Campani semper su­perbi bonitate agrorum & fructuum: The men of Cam­pania are euer high minded and proud, in regard of the store of fruites, and of corne which their country yeeldeth: and it is not only true in them,2. Lib. Rhet. but as Aristo­tle saith, it holdeth in all rich men in al countries what­soeuer. But if this sinne of pride did onely accompa­nie our earthly riches, it were well; sed ecce venit Gad, behold there are a great companie of sinnes more: for as they do breed in vs pride of heart, to the contempt of our poore neighbours; so do they corrupt our me­mories to the forgetfulnesse of God. This Moses knew to be true, and therefore he giueth this caueat to the [Page 32] children of Israel:Deut. 6.10. When the Lord thy God hath brought thee into the land which he sware vnto thy fathers to giue thee, with goodly cities which thou buildedst not, with houses full of all manner of goods which thou filledst not, with vineyards and Oliue trees which thou plantedst not; when thou hast eaten and art full, then take heed and be­ware that thou forget not the Lord thy God. Yea so com­mon a thing it is for worldly riches to make men for­get God, that Salomon himselfe, though he were wiser then other men, and so consequently better able to re­sist sinne; yet he maketh it his earnest sute vnto God, O Lord giue me neither pouertie nor riches; Prou. 30.8. not pouerty, lest I steale, and take the name of my God in vaine; & not riches, least I be too full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? For albeit I perswade my selfe, that there be many both in this citie and in other places of the land, who in a thankfull remembrance of Gods goodnesse and bountie to them, do confesse with Ia­cob, Gen. 32.10. I came ouer this Iordan with my staffe, and lo I haue now gotten two bands: I came poore and without pro­uision to this place, and lo I haue not onely gotten great wealth, but such honour also, that I sit with Prin­ces: yet looke we generally vpon the courses of the rich, and we shall find it to be true, that as the Moone when she is at the ful, she is then farthest from the Sun, of whom she doth receiue her light; so men, when they are fullest of earthly riches and blessings, they are then commonly farthest from God, from whose ful­nesse they haue receiued them. And as pride and for­getfulnesse of God do accompany our earthly riches; so a third euil of them is, that they make men to offend and sin in luxury. In the twelfth of Luke and 19. verse, [Page 33] the great rich man, whose grounds brought foorth fruite plentifully, he thinkes on nothing but his belly; Soule, now thou hast much goods for many yeares, liue at ease, eate, drinke, follow thy pleasure. And in the fifteenth of Luke, the yonger of the two brethren hauing receiued that portion of goods which belon­ged to him, he spends it all in few dayes in gluttonie, and venery. Fourthly, whereas the word of God is a speciall meanes to bring vs to saluation, these worldly riches choke the word, and make it vnfruitfull. You may see it in the thirteenth of Saint Mathew, Mat. 13.22. where our Sauiour expounding the parable of the sower, saith thus: He that receiues the seed among the thornes is he that heares the word, but the care of the world & the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the word in him, and he is made vnfruitful. Fiftly, whereas it is a true note of the true child of God, euermore to be weary of this sin­ful world,Philip. 1.23. and to desire with Saint Paul to be dissolued and to be with Christ; these earthly riches do make those which haue them loth to die, yea with a good will a rich man would not so much as thinke of death: saith the wise man: O death, Eccles. 41.1. how bitter is the remem­brance of thee to a man that liues at rest and ease in his possessions? And as worldly riches are an occasion of these euils; so lastly are they the cause of Idolatry, yea the couetous affectation of them, saith Saint Paul, Ephes. 5.5. is Idolatry. And that it is so, the Diuines collect it thus: for whereas the true worship and seruice of God doth consist in these three, in diligendo, honorando, Bonauen. Cen­tiloq. part. 1. sect. 22. & in ipso confidendo: In louing God, in honoring God, in put­ting our whole confidence and trust in God. The Mammonists of this world do take all these from God [Page 34] and giue them to their riches. For first, though the pre­cept runne thus,Deut. 6.5. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with al thy might, yet do these men take this loue from God, and bestow it on their wealth: and therefore Saint Iohn that he might meet with this,1. Epi Ioh. 2.15 Psal. 62.2. he giueth this caueat: Loue not the world; and the Prophet Dauid: If riches increase, yet (saith he) do not set your hearts vpon them. And for the second which is honor, wheras it is the Angels speech vnto vs that dwell vpon the face of the earth:Reuel. 14.7. Honor and worship him that hath made the heauen & the earth, the sea and the fountaines of waters; these men, as it is in the eight of Hosea and fourth verse, Of their siluer and their gold do they make them Idols, their siluer and gold is the god they worship. And lastly for confidence and trust,Prou. 16.20. whereas the wise man saith: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord: these are like vnto the man of whom the Prophet Dauid speaketh:Psal. 52.1. Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength, but trusted in the mul­titude of his riches. So that the riches of the world, as wel as the honors of the world, are occasions, you see, vnto men of many sinnes, by which they are drawne from the wayes of life. If therefore we are desirous to preuent these and the like inticements of the world, least by them we be deceiued, and so caused to erre from the paths of life; our best course is euermore to consider of this world as it is, and not as it seemeth. Caligula the Emperour set golden loaues and other ser­uices of whole gold before his guests, and bad them eate. Indeed they had a glorious shew to looke vpon, but there was nothing in them to eate and to drinke, for the contentation of nature. And such, & no other [Page 35] are the dainties which the world proposeth vnto vs, both in wealth and honour; they haue (I confesse) a glorious shew to the eye, but the substance of them being well considered is but vanitie. First for honor, let Haman speake, who was next vnto the King,Ester 2.1. and with him was alone inuited to the banquet of Queen Hester; Ester 5.4. and when he hath said all that he can for his honor, yet the conclusiō of all must be this, that it was but vanitie: for in that day in which he was entertai­ned with such royaltie at the banquet of Queene He­ster, Ester 7.1.10. in that same day was he hung vpon the gallowes which he made for Mordecay; at the commande­ment of the King, who before had highly honoured him at the request of the Queene, who before had in­uited him. How highly was our Sauiour graced and dignified by the people of the Iewes? In the 6.Iohn 6.15. of Iohn they would haue made him King; in the 12.Iohn 12.13. of Iohn they cut downe branches of palme trees, and meete him singing sweetly, Hosanna, Blessed art thou that co­mest in the name of the Lord: but see the inconstancy of this people, and the mutabilitie of this worldly ho­nour; they who before had cried Hosanna, Blessed art thou that comest in the name of the Lord, not many daies after, euen the fift day,In cap. 2. Mat. as Saint Hierome hath ob­serued, they crie as earnestly against him, Crucifige, let him be crucified. So true is that which Saint Bernard hath concerning worldly honour, Vanitas est huius se­culi dignitas, cum magna expectatione speratur vt veni­at, sed non potest teneri cum venerit: The honours and preferments of the world are but meere vanities, they are long looked for of men to come with great expe­ctation; but when once they haue them, they are so [Page 36] short and fleeting, that they cannot keepe them. And for the wealth and riches of the world, if you will not beleeue Salomon vpon his word when he cal­leth them vanity,Eccles. 1.2. yet beleeue them to be vanitie, euen for this, because they will haue either thy end, or their end;Iob 1. their end, as they had in Iob, who from great wealth came vnto a low ebbe of pouerty: or thy end, as they had in the rich man, who when he sung a long lasting requiem to his soule in the multitude of his ri­ches,Luk. 12.19.20 had his soule the same night taken away frō him. And is there then (beloued) such vanity in this world, & in the best things which this world proposeth both in wealth and honor; and shall we for the gaining of this, leaue the gaining of such a world as is not subiect vnto vanitie? Shal we leaue gold for drosse, pearle for glasse, heauen for earth, the permanent & euerlasting ioyes of the one, for the momentary and transitory delights of the other? The eyes of the brute beasts are turned downward to the earth, to seeke for nothing but meate for their bellies; At os homini sublime dedit; But the face and countenance of man is lifted vpward vnto heauen, to behold God who hath made all for man, and man for himselfe: let vs then leaue the world and the things of the world vnto the beasts, to whom properly it belongeth, and let vs send vp the affections of our hearts vnto heauen, where our inheritance is reserued.Gen. 28.11. And as Iacob in that his iourny vnto Padan-Aram is said to sleepe in the way; so while we liue here in this world, which is nothing else but a passage to a better life, or if you will so call it, our way and iour­ney to the heauenly Canaan, let vs sleepe and be at rest from the desire of temporall things whatsoeuer: [Page 37] let heauen become our obiect, and earth become our abiect. The desires of our hearts, let them be placed vpon things aboue: as for things beneath, let them be vnto vs as vnto Saint Paul, Philip. 3.8. euen losse and dung in re­gard of the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ; as vnto Chrysostome [...]: a shadow and a dreame, and lighter then these; as vnto Plato [...] nothing, and worth nothing. Let vs say with Peter and with Peters affection, Behold master, Math. 19.27. we forsake all and follow thee: let vs say with Saint Paule I am non ego, sed viuit in me Christus, Now it is not I,Galat. 2.20. but Christ which liueth in me; that is, as Saint Bernard ex­pounds those words very fitly to this purpose: Ad alia quidem omnia mortuus sum, non sentio, non attendo, non curo; siqua verò sunt Christi, haec viuū inueniūt & paratū: Concerning these earthly and worldly matters, I haue no sense or feeling of them, by my reason I condemne them, and from my heart I abandon them; but if there be mention made of Christ, and of finding the waies of life, then my decaied spirits gather strength, then all the powers and faculties of my soule will me to cry with the Prophet Dauid: Paratum est cor meum, Psal. 57.7. Domi­ne: My heart is ready ô Lord, my heart is ready. For otherwise if cleauing, by an inordinate affection and loue, to this world and the things of it, we neglect and reiect the waies of life;Deut. 3.27. as Moses from the top of Pis­gah might behold with his eyes the land of Canaan, but might not enter into it: & as the Syrians did heare Elisha speake, whom they desired to take,2. King. 6.29. but could not take him: so with the outward eares of our bodies we may heare of the ioyes of another life, and with the intellectuall eyes of our minds we may see that great [Page 38] glory which the iust shall haue heareafter, but our selues shall neuer come into heauen, our selues shall neuer be partakers of it. And as Lysimachus king of Ly­dia, hauing yeelded himself into the hands of his ene­mies for a cup of cold water to quench his thirst, cry­ed out;Plutarch. O me hominem infoelicem, qui tantillae voluptatis gratia tantum amiserim regnum, ô miserable and wret­ched man that I am, who for so short a pleasure haue parted with so glorious a kingdome as the kingdome of Lydia: so when we shall see in the last day that by yeelding too much vnto this world, and the things of it, we haue parted with the wayes of life, and so con­sequently haue yeelded vp our selues into the hands of our spirituall enemies, we shal mourne and lament, we shall sigh and wring our hands; and all the dread­full torments which we shall then suffer, shall not wound and vexe vs so sore, as this one consideration, namely when we shall call to mind, that for the mo­mentary and trāsitorie pleasures of this word, we haue parted with that same exceeding,2. Cor. 4.17. eternall, surpassing weight of glory in the kingdome of heauen. And thus much shall serue to haue spoken of the world, and of the things of the world, which is the first enemie that opposeth himself against man to keepe him from the way of life. I com to the second enemy, and this is, Caro.

The carnall lusts and desires of the flesh.

[...]th. lib. 10. c. 5 Aristotle disputing of the nature and efficacie of pleasure, saith this, that a man which taketh greater de­light in instrumentall then in vocal musick, if he heare the same musitian both to play vpon his instrument and to sing; the pleasure and delight which he concei­ueth [Page 39] in hearing of the instrument, doth so leade away his affections, that he hath no care at all of the voice: and as this is true in musick, so is it true (saith he) in all other things, when we intend two things at once, that which breedeth the greater pleasure and delight, for the most part doth euermore exclude the lesse. There being then in man two kinds of affections, carnall and spirituall, and all men for the most part taking greater delight in their carnall, then in their spirituall affecti­ons; of necessitie it must come to passe, that their car­nall affections do swallow vp their spirituall, and so consequently they are so farre from finding the waies of life, that there is in them no desire, no lust at all vnto it. The sect and companie of the Epicures (who main­tained carnal pleasure to be the onely summum bonum of this life) did swarme in greater abundance then any other sect did: non quòd veri aliquid afferat, Lactan. de falsa sap. cap. 17. sed quia multos populare nomen voluptatis inuitat; not because (saith Lactantius) there was any truth at all in their doctrine, but because the popular name of carnal plea­sure is able to draw a world of men to it. Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe,Rom. 7.18. that in his flesh there dwelt no good thing, and that he saw a law in his members re­belling against the law of his mind; and not that only,vers. 23. but that it led him away captiue to the law of sinne, insomuch that for very griefe of heart he breaketh out into these words: Miser homo: vers. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? Saint Hierome writeth of himselfe,In Epist. ad Eustoch. that albeit he led a most strict and austere life in the wildernesse, exerci­sing himselfe continually in prayer, and bringing his body vnder by long and often abstinence; yet not­withstanding [Page 40] that he was vehemently assaulted by the lusts and desires of the flesh, euen as Saint Paul was. And surely, if the mortified flesh of these Saints of God, mortified no doubt by prayer, and by long and often fasting, did notwithstanding as themselues con­fessed, leade away their soules captiue to the law of sinne; then may we well conclude, that the vntamed flesh of vs vnbridled men, will forcibly and with vio­lence misleade our soules from the way of life. Our Sauiour Christ speaking of his owne passion, is so farre from the feare of death in himselfe, that he ar­meth his disciples against it, saying, that he would go to prepare a place for them;Iohn 14. [...]. but afterwards when he was to die vnto the world, and to go to his father, then he seemes to be of another mind; then transeat à me Calix, Luke 22.42. Father if it be thy will, let this cup passe from me. And what was the reason of this? surely that in the 26. of Mathew and 41. verse, The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weake. The spirit indeed of many men is prone vnto that which is good, they desire so to runne the race of a godly life here, that hereafter they may receiue a crowne of glory; but so it is that mans life is as Iob spea­keth,Iob 7.1. Gal. 5.17. Militia super terrā, a warfare vpon earth; the flesh still lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and that which is most to be lamented, in most of vs the flesh extinguisheth the spirit. Sampson was a strong and valiant man,Iudg. 14.6. he encountred a Lion, and o­uercame him, but encountring with the fury of his owne lustful passions, he could not master them. Mes­ses incendit alienas, Iudg. 16.17. Ambros. in A­pol. Dauid. & vnius ipse mulieris accensus igni­culo, messem suae virtutis amisit: He set fire indeed on the haruests of other men, but himself being inflamed [Page 41] with the fire of lust, lost the haruest of all his vertues. Salomon built a goodly Temple vnto God, but in the meane time his owne bodie, which should haue bene (as the Apostle saith of all our bodies) the temple of the holy Ghost,1. Cor. 6.19. was by lust made the member of a harlot.Gen. 3.6. This is that Eue that perswadeth Adam to for­bidden fruites:Gen. 39.7. this is that Aegyptian Putipharis that eggeth on innocent Ioseph to filthines:Iudg. 4.18. this is that Iahel that seduceth Sisera with fained affection: this is that Dalilah which lulleth Sampson asleep vpon her knees,Iudg. 16.19. & deliuereth him vp to the Philistins: this is that dan­cing daughter of Herodias, Marke 6.25. that cutteth off the head (the good beginnings) of many a Iohn Baptist. In a word, this is that talking damsell, at whose voice,Luk. 22.56.57 with the Apostle Saint Peter, we do most of vs denie our maister Christ. I may say truly in this case with that reuerend father, Crede mihi, loquor coram Domino, Augustin. non mentior, Cedros Libani & duces gregum sub hac peste cecidisse reperi, de quorum casu non minùs dubitabam, quàm Ambrosii vel Hieronymi: Beleeue me, I speake before the Lord, I lie not; I haue knowne the Cedars of Libanus, and the leaders of the flockes to haue fal­len and sunk downe violently vnder this temptation, of whose fall I made no more doubt then I did of the fall of Ambrose or of Hierom. There being then in man a double pleasure, carnis & cordis, August. serm. 33. de verbis secundū Lucā. the pleasure of the flesh and the pleasure of the heart; the pleasure of the flesh, when we giue our selues ouer to fulfill the lusts thereof; the pleasure of the heart, when we delight our selues in the Lord: therefore the cariage of euery Christian soule betweene these two pleasures must be such, that the pleasure of the flesh be no let [Page 42] or impediment to the pleasure of the heart. But you wil say, how may this be, seeing there is continuall en­mitie betweene these, and the one of them (as the A­postle speaketh) stil lusteth against the other?Gal. 5.17. I answer affirmatiuely, that it may well be, and I will shew you how.G [...]egor. dialog. lib 2. I do reade in the writings of Saint Gregory this relation concerning one Benedict a religious man, that whensoeuer he felt this conflict in his soule betweene the flesh and the spirit, he would throng his body into a place where nettles and briers grew, & sic per vulne­ra cutis, eduxitè corpore vulnus mentis, and so by those wounds which he inflicted on his body, he cured that wound which would haue infected his soule: his for­mer inclination to fleshly pleasure by this stratageme being turned into paine and sorrow. But if you think this to be too hard and sharp a course for a carnal man to follow, I will then giue you a second, which is of no lesse consequent then that, but yet of lesse molestatiō. Toby in the sixt chapter and second verse, when he wa­shed himselfe in the floud Tigris, a great fish leaped at him to haue deuoured him, but by the Angels coun­sell hauing drawne the fish vnto drie land, it was so far from deuouring him, that it yeelded it selfe to be de­uoured of him. And so it falleth out in this conflict betweene the flesh and the spirit: for this flesh of ours so long as it swims in pleasures, and is pampered vp with delicacies, so long is it ready to deuoure and ex­tinguish our spirits: but if once we draw it vpon drie land from amidst her pleasures, by abstinence and fa­sting, it will then haue no power, or at least but small power to impugne the spirit.Gregor. Pastor. [...]urae. cap. 42. Olla ebulliens duplex ha­bet remedium, vel cum aqua frigida infunditur, vel cum [Page 43] ab igne elongatur: A seething pot hath but two reme­dies, either thou must powre in cold water, or else thou must remoue it further from the fire: And so the vntamed flesh of men boiling with lust hath but two remedies, either they must powre into their soules the water of repentance, and allay the heat of their lust with the cold teares of contrition, or else they must remoue it further frō the fire; the fire I mean not only of meates and of drinkes (for gluttonie and drunken­nesse are the bellowes of concupiscence,Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus & ven­ter mero aestuas spumat libidi­nem. Hieron. and the belly boyling with wine fometh out lust, as Saint Hierome saith) but also of lasciuious company, by which, as fire added vnto fire, the lust of the flesh is more intempe­rate. Vnto this, if you please, as a meanes to restraine these lustful passions, least by them with the common multitude we be led from the wayes of life, I may add the fearfull end of this sinne; fearfull I call it, not onely in regard of those horrible diseases breeding in the bodie, and in time consuming euen the marrow in the bones; but fearfull in regard of that dreadfull iudge­ment which shall be inflicted in the last day both vp­on body and soule in hell fire. For to the lustful sinner shall God say euen as the Angell said to Babel,Reuel. 18.7. Quan­tum glorificauit se in delicijs, tantum date illi tormentum & luctum: In as much as he hath glorified himself and liued in pleasure, so much giue you vnto him torment and sorrow. There is a way that seemeth good, saith Salomon, but the end thereof is death: this way is the broad and common way of lustfull flesh and bloud, the pleasures whereof though they be sweet in the mouth, yet will they be bitter in the belly, like a cup of deadly poyson. They are the daughters of those lo­custs [Page 44] mentioned in the Reuelation,Reuel. 9.7.10. which haue faces faire as men, but killing stings in their tailes: and I may well resemble them to the herbe Sardonia in Sardinia, of which Solinus writeth, that it maketh the eaters thereof to looke as if they laughed, but in their laugh­ing they die. Much more might be added vnto this purpose, but (I take it) this may be sufficient both to haue shewne you how these lusts of the flesh are a great meanes to keepe many from the wayes of life, and also how we may represse these lusts of the flesh when they are rebellious. And now I come to the third and last enemy which opposeth himselfe against man, and that is that old Serpent the Diuell, of whose subtilties in withdrawing vs frō the wayes of life, as in the rest, so in this I beseech you to heare a while with patience.

The Diuell.

Exod. 17.As Amaleck resisted the Israelites, and vsed all the meanes that possibly he could deuise, to keep them frō coming into the earthly Canaan: so it is the policie of that infernall Amalek the diuell, to keepe men from comming into the Canaan of heauen. For the diuell hating God with a perfect hatred, and being not able to offer violence vnto him, he doth bend his force & strength against man, that so he may persecute God in his creature. Saint Basil resembleth the rage and fury of the diuell in this point, vnto the rage & fury of the wilde Panthers; for as they carrying naturally a hatred against man, if they see but the image and picture of a man, they run vpon it, and teare it in peeces, with no lesse fury then if it were man himselfe: so the diuell carrying a deadly hatred against God, because his [Page 45] proud assaults were defeated by him, & his arrogancy punished with the losse of heauen and torment of hel, and being not able to do violence to God (as him­selfe knoweth by wofull experience) he setteth vpon man, who is the picture or image of God, and he vseth no lesse cruelty both against his body and his soule, then he would (were he able) against God himselfe. Our Sauiour Christ tels the Pharisees,Math. 23.15. that they com­passe sea and land to make one of their profession, that is, to make men superstitious, hypocriticall, sinfull as themselues were. That which our Sauiour obiecteth there against them, the diuel doth in a maner confesse of himselfe.Iob 1.7. For when God asked him from whence he came, his answer was, that he came from compas­sing the earth, and from walking to and fro in it. Now this walking of the diuel vp and downe in the earth, is not for any good which he intendeth vnto man, (for he walketh not as Christ did, to do good, and to heale all diseases both of body and soule among the people) but as the end of the Pharisees cōpassing of sea & land was to make men wicked like themselues: so the end of the diuels compassing the earth is to draw men out of the wayes of life, and to make them damned like himselfe. This was the Apostle Saint Peters meaning, when he giueth this reason of Satans compassing the earth,1. Pet. 5.8. He walketh about like a roring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure. Now among those infinite meanes which the diuell vseth to deuoure vs by drawing vs from the wayes of life, I will insist briefly vpon these few. The first whereof is this, saith Bernard.

1 The diuell doth subtilly pry,Bernard. lib. de ordine vita. and iudicially looke into the natures and complexions of men, and ac­cording [Page 46] to the predominant and ouerruling humor in man, he applieth his temptation vnto this or that sinne: (for in euery man there is some one humour that is most inclinable to some sin.) As for example: The men of a sanguin and bloudy complexion being naturally prone vnto ambition and vnchast behauior; the diuell straight vpon this their naturall inclination will spend all his strength to bring these men not on­ly to an affecting, but also (if it be possible) to an ef­fecting of these sins. You shall see it in the examples of king Dauid and his sonne Absolon. First concerning Dauid, the diuell knowing that to be true which was said of him,1. Sam. 16. that he was ruddy and of a good counte­nance, and obseruing that he did dayly from the top of his house behold the wife of Vrias washing her; he presently takes the occasiō, & suggesteth him to send for her; & this being once done, he hath soone drawn Dauid out of the way of life, & made him an adulte­rer.2. Sam. 14. And for Absolon his son, he being not vnlike vnto his father in that sanguine and beautiful complexion; the diuell working vpon this, perswadeth him to both to ambition and vncleane behauiour: for first he per­swades him to affect a kingdome, and rather then he should be without a kingdō,2. Sam. 15. he puts this in his heart, to depriue his own father. And for vnchast behauior, so effectually did the diuell worke vpon him, that he, spared not his fathers concubines,2. Sam. 16. but defiled them, and himself with them, euen on the top of the house, in the sight of all the people. And as the diuell prouo­keth men of sanguin complexions vnto these sinnes, so he deales with men of other complexions; for if he finde that thou art flegmaticke, then wil he suggest vn­to [Page 47] thy soule the sinne of idlenesse, and prouoke thee vnto those sinnes that are depending vpon that. If he see thee to be cholericke, then he will perswade thee to hatred, malice, anger, reuenge, and such like. And if her perceiue thy complexion to be melancholick, thē will he bend all the power and strength that he hath to driue thee to desperation. To preuent therefore the diuell in this first policy, as Solomon saith vnto the slug­gard, Go to the Pismire, ô thou sluggard, Prouer. 6.6. learne her wayes & be wise; so say I vnto you: go vnto the diuel himself, learne his wayes and be wise. The diuels course (as you heare) is to looke diligently into the natures and complexions of men, and so to apply his temptations vnto those sinnes vnto which naturally they are carri­ed: do thou then the like, looke carefully into thy own body, consider diligently thy owne complexion, and withall those sinnes vnto which thou art naturally ca­ried: And if thou finde thy selfe naturally inclinable either vnto wantonnesse, or vnto couetousnesse, or vnto wrath, or vnto enuy, or vnto drunkennesse, or vnto any one sin more then other, be thou then sure to set a barre before the doore of thy soule, and keepe Sathan from entring in: for sinne,Serm. de sex tribulationibus as Saint Bernard well speakes, by the suggestion of Sathan may stand at the doore of thy soule and knocke, but vnlesse thou open vnto him by consent, he cannot enter.

A second meanes which the diuell vseth to keepe vs from the way of life is this: whereas our vnderstan­ding by the fall of Adam is already blind and darke, he corrupts it further, and maketh vs altogether vnable to discerne betweene good and euill, causing vs to commit wickednesse with this strong conceit, that [Page 48] our actions and workes are iust. And hence it is, that so many in these dayes are ouertaken and deceiued with the sinne of couetousnesse, because though they be neuer so couetous,1. Sam. 25. yea as couetous as Naball was; yet the diuell perswadeth them, and they easily be­leeue it, that it is not couetousnesse, it is but frugalitie. And hēce it is that we haue so many lasciuious people in the lād; because though they be neuer so much giuē to the lust of vncleannesse, yea to lust after those they should not,2. Sam. 13. as Amnon did after his owne sister Thamar, yet the diuell perswadeth them, and they easily be­leeue it, that it is not to be called lust, but rather loue. And thus our bad actions by the subtilty of the diuel being couered and coloured with good names, we are damned in these and in many other sins, committing them and that with greedinesse. But are we desirous to preuent the diuell in this his second policy? let vs then vse the same discretion for the preseruation of our soules, which we do for the preseruation of our bodily health. It is a rule in Phisick: Pars maxima sani­tatis est notitia morbi: the best meanes for a sicke man to recouer his health, is to acknowledge his sicknesse. For if a man which hath the gout in his toe, will not take notice of it, but say it is nothing but a tingling in his toe; and if a man hath got the cough of the lungs, and wil not acknowledge it, but say it is nothing but a great cold which he hath takē: these diseases wil grow so hard vpon them, that at length it will be hard or ra­ther impossible to cure them; wheras notice being ta­ken of them in time, the danger is the lesse, & the cure more easie. And so the Diuines haue the like rule: Pars maxima salutis est notitia peccati: The best meanes [Page 49] for a sicke man in soule to be recouered, is to acknow­ledge and take notice of sinne, which is the sicknesse of the soule. For the man that is ouergrowne with co­uetousnesse, and saith it is but frugalitie: which is in­fected with the sinne of vncleannesse, and maintai­neth it to be but loue: the man who like a swashbuck­ler is alwayes drawing his sword, cutting and hacking the harmelesse, and will haue this to haue no worse name then manhood and fortitude: these and the like diseases wil grow so hard vpon the soule, that it will be a plaine miracle to remoue them; whereas they being knowne and acknowledged for sinnes, as they are in­deed, the cure of them is easie, and the danger of be­ing drawne out of the waies of life by them, is quickly auoided.

3 But if the Diuell be thus preuented in this second policie, then like a sedulous and industrious enemie he setteth vpon vs with a third: for if he perceiue that thou conceiuest aright of thy sinnes, as that they are indeed sinnes, then he laboureth to deceiue thee with this, that Dominus non videt; though thou takest them to be sinnes, yet saith the diuell, the Lord doth not see them: and with this haue many bene deceiued. In the eighth of Ezechiel and twelfth verse, it is Gods speech vnto the Prophet: Son of man, hast thou seene what the Ancients of Israel do in the darke, euery one in the cham­ber of his imagery? for they say, the Lord sees vs not, the Lord hath forsakē the earth. Almighty God shews the Prophet, that the ancients of Israel had painted round about their walls euery similitude of creeping things, and abhominable beasts; and he makes this to be the cause, a grosse perswasion that the Lord did not see [Page 50] them. But art thou desirous to preuent the diuell in this fallacian also? then for thy better instruction let me reason with thee thus. He that could espie our first parents hiding themselues among the thicke trees of the garden,Gen. 3.9. cannot his eyes find out thy sinne, though it be committed in a secret place?Psal 94.9. He that planted the eare, shall not he heare, saith Dauid? or he that formed the eye, shall not he see? As if he had said, Make no que­stion, but whatsoeuer you speake or do, God doth heare it, God doth see it. It is not with the sight of God, as it is with the sight of man: if there be not a due and a proportionate distance betweene the sight of man and the obiect, the eye of man cannot possibly see it; but say God were circumscribed in some one place, and grant it were in heauen, yet that great di­stance which is betweene heauen and earth, euen se­uen score and eighteene thousand, foure hundred and sixtie three miles, as the Astronomers haue coniectu­red; yet doth not this great distance hinder God from seeing our sinnes.Psal. 14.2. For the Lord looked downe from hea­uen vpon the children of men; what to do? to see if any would vnderstand and seeeke after God: but looking downe he saw that all were gone out of the way, that there was none that did good, no not one.

4 But if the Diuell preuaile not with this third falla­cian, then behold a fourth: for doth God see thy sin? (saith Sathan) yet be bold to sinne still, for God is so mercifull,August. in Psa. 144. that he will not punish sinne. It is Saint Au­gustines complaint, that there be two sorts of men which do snatch occasions of sinning to themselues, the one from the mercie, the other from the iustice of God. One saith, God will take so strict and seuere an [Page 51] account of our doings, that we shall not be able to an­swer one for a thousand; and therefore (saith he) being sure to be damned, cur non facio quiquid volo? why do I not whatsoeuer I wil? The other, he saith Gods mer­cie is aboue his workes, and at what time soeuer I re­pent, though it be at the last gaspe, he wil receiue me with the armes of his mercy, as he did the theefe vpon the crosse; and therefore why do not I go on still in my wickednesse? Desperat ille vt peccet, sperat iste vt peccet, vtrum (que) metuendum: the one despaireth, that he may sinne still, the other hopeth, that he may sinne still, and both are to be feared. But for those which dreame altogether of Gods mercie, that this fallacian of the diuels (by which many thousands are drawne from the wayes of life) may be preuented, let them re­member that God, as he is mercifull, so he is iust. In the 116. Psalme and fifth verse, The Lord is mercifull and iust, saith Dauid; not mercifull alone, but iust also. And as we cannot bide our sinnes from the all-seeing eye of God: so we cannot be defended frō the strong arme of his iustice. In the 6. of Genesis and 12. verse, it is said that God looked downe vpon the earth, and seeing that all flesh had corrupted his wayes, he saith to Noah, An end of al flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with crueltie through them, and behold I will de­stroy them from the earth. In which words we may ob­serue first that God sees our sinnes; secondly, that though he seeth sinne, yet he is mercifull; and thirdly, that as he is mercifull, so he is iust. God looked downe vpon the earth, and saw that all flesh had corrupted his way, there is the first, Gods sight of sinne: the earth is filled with crueltie, there is the second, the mercie [Page 52] of God and long suffering: for he doth not presently execute iudgement vpon them, but stayed so long till the earth was full of crueltie. And behold I will de­stroy them from the earth, there is Gods iustice.

But if the diuell by none of these be able to deceiue vs, and to draw vs from the wayes of life, then he hath a fift, which shall be my last at this time. He setteth be­fore our eyes the good and pleasure that doth accom­pany our sinne; and indeede these are shrewd tempta­tions vnto flesh and blood.Psal. 133.1. The Prophet Dauid ma­keth choise of these two to draw vs vnto brotherly loue and vnity: O how good and pleasant a thing it is, for brethrē to dwel together in vnity: And so the diuel he maketh choise of both these to draw vs to the com­mitting of iniquity, sometimes vsing but one of these, and sometimes ioyning them both for the strength­ning of his temptation. In the 22. of Numbers one of these was sufficient to draw Balaam vnto sinne: for though he had receiued a commandement from God that he should not go with the princes of Moab to curse the people of Israel; yet when he cōsidered that Balacks offers would proue cōmodious to him, he re­solueth vpon the iourney with them, and his Asses thrise reuolt could not stay him. But in the third of Genesis there the diuell vseth both, and with them both he preuailed against our mother Eue; for albeit she knew well, that she should dye the death in eating of the forbidden tree, yet because she saw that it was good for meat, and pleasant to the eyes, she tooke thereof and did eate. That then these deceitful temp­tations of the diuel may be reiected: first that no com­modity do draw thee from the wayes of life to sinne, [Page 53] let that saying of our Sauiour Christ be alwaies in thy mind; what shal a man get if he win the whole world,Math. 16.26. and loose his owne soule? what shall a man get if by vsury, oppression of the poore, extortiō, false weights, false measures, and the like, he shall be able to purchase much land,Luk. 16.19. and with the rich glutton go in purple and fine linnen, and fare deliciously euery day; when as these commodious sinnes as he accounteth them, shall bring no lesse discommoditie vpon him then hel fire? And secondly that no pleasure preuail with thee, remēber that sin, though it be sweet in the mouth, yet it wil be bitter in the belly; that though it be pleasāt in the beginning, yet it will be painfull in the end: & that the diuell dealeth herein with vs, as vnconscionable Mercers and Drapers deale with their chapmen. For as they neuer shew vnto their chapmen the middle part & fag end of their wares, which perhaps are stark naught, but onely the vpper part thereof which com­monly is very good: so this maister Mercer the diuel, he sheweth alwaies to his sinfull chapmen the vpper part of his wares, namely the present pleasure, delecta­tion, and delight of sin; but as for the middle part of his wares, which is remorse of conscience, and the fag end of his wares which is Gods vengeance, these he neuer sheweth. For (beloued) if men should see be­fore hand with the spirituall eyes of their soules, either the middle part of sinne, which is remorse of consci­ence, or the end of sinne which is Gods vengeance, either in this life, or in the other; then out of doubt, whē the diuel shal offer his wares vnto the sale, (as to the couetous man his neighbors vineyard, to the adul­terer his neighbors wife, to the taylour long bils, to the [Page 54] retailer false weights, and so in the rest) they will all answer, (if there be any sparke of grace or goodnesse in them) as the Athenian Orator did vpon the like proffer; Non emam tanti poenitere, I wil not buy repen­tance so deare. And thus at last haue you seene those impediments and lets why so few do finde the way of life. The impediments ex parte quaerentis, in our selues that seeke the way are three, blindnesse of reason, per­uersnesse of will, and want of perseuerance: and the lets ex parte retrahentium are three likewise; the world with his inticements, the flesh with her allurements, and the diuell with his suggestions vnto sinne. And now to conclude,Hom. 1. ad pop. Antioch. Saint Chrysostome in his first homily to the people of Antioch, doth require a reward for a sermon which he made against the blasphemers of Gods name. The onely reward (beloued) which I wil craue for my sermon, is this, that it would please Al­mighty God, so to worke in the hearts of all you that haue now bene partakers of it, that you may say, and say truly of my sermon, as Tully in his Academicks saith of Varros bookes: Nos in nostra vrbe peregrinan­tes tanquam hospites, tui libri quasi domum deduxerunt; We who heretofore in this our city of London, by the blindnesse of our reason, the peruersnesse of our wils, and want of perseuerance, haue erred from the wayes of life, and by the inticements of the world, the allurements of the flesh, and the suggestions of the di­uell, haue wandered vp and downe in the plaines of sinne, and in the vallies of iniquitie, are thereby now brought home againe vnto the wayes of life, and reduced into the number of that little flocke, whereof that great Shepheard and Bishop of our [Page 55] soules, Christ Iesus is the head. The which God the Father grant for his Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with the blessed spirit, three in Trinitie but one in Vnitie, be ascribed all honour and glorie for euermore.