The narrovv vvay, and the last iudgement deliuered in two sermons: the first at Pauls Crosse, the other elsewhere, by G.B. preacher of the word at Alphamston in Essex.

THE NARROW WAY, AND THE LAST IVDGEMENT, Deliuered in two Sermons: the firſt at Pauls Croſſe, the other elſewhere, by G. B. Preacher of the word at Alphamſton in Eſſex.

2. TIM. 2.7.

Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things.

LONDON, Printed for MATTHEW LOWNES. 1607.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL SIR VVILLIAM VVALGRAVE KNIGHT, OF BVERS IN ESSEX.

RIght Worſhipfull, the generall report of your worthineſſe, your peculiar affection to the Author (as I vnderſtand) and the knowne dignitie of this his worke, are the onely motiues of this my ſeeming boldneſſe in committing this Sermon to the generall view, vnder your countenance and protection: which though I confeſſe I haue done without his leaue (as being modeſtly vnwilling to encounter cenſure, or to oppoſe himſelfe an obiect to enuie) yet in that it hath receiued the currant ſtampe of approbation in the iudgement of the wiſeſt, and your ſelf (as I haue heard) an auricular iudge of the gracefull deliuery; I haue in my ſelfe diſſolued doubt, and confidently thwart imputation with this aſſurance, that it cannot but be gratefull to the Reader, and come no leſſe acceptable to you. And though my ſelfe am vtterly vnknowne to you, yet as one bound to loue vertue euen in ſtrangers, I honour it in you, and haue bene ſo much the rather induced to this dedication, by how much (I am informed) you are truly affected to this my deare friend, and a cheriſher of his endeuors. Sir, you cannot loſe by it; for learning will ſtill be prest to honour her Mecaenas, and ſuch as fauour Arts, chiefly thoſe that labor in Gods vineyard, & (like lamps) conſume thēſelues to giue light to others: I ſay ſuch goodnes and loue extended to religion and the profeſſors therof, is the treaſure layd vp in heauen, and ſhall remaine with the world of perpetuall record. Thus hauing done (as I thinke) a thankfull office, not greatly fearing the Authors diſpleaſure, if you but approue my act, I referre you to the enſuing matter: resting

Yours in deuotion, for your vertue-fauouring inclination, C. B.

MATTH. 7.14.

And few there be that find it.

IT is the nature of euery man to affect long life here in this world; and this Almightie God knew well; and therefore when he commaunded the Iſraelites, that they ſhould honour their parents, as a prouocation to the performance of that dutie, he propoſeth this reward vnto them,Exod. 20.12. that their dayes ſhould be long in the land which their Lord their God ſhould giue them. But albeit we are deſirous to liue long, and to ſee many dayes here in this life, yet becauſe reaſon and experience teacheth vs, that though we liue long, yet at one time or other we ſhall be diſſolued into our firſt duſt; for terraes, Gen. 3.19. & in terram reuerteris, it was God his ſentence againſt all fleſh, Duſt thou art, and into dust thou ſhalt againe returne: therefore the deſire of mans nature ſtretcheth it ſelfe further, and not only content with long life here in this world, it affecteth a longer life, nay it affecteth an eternal life in the world to come. S. Pauls earneſt deſire was this, I deſire to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt: Philip. 1.23. and old Symeon when he had once ſeene our Sauiour in the fleſh, he ſung this ſweete requiem to his owne ſoule, Lord, now let thy ſeruant depart in peace. Luke 2.29. Albeit life were no doubt ſweete vnto theſe two Saints of God, yet their deſires aimed at a better thing; they were deſirous to change corruption for incorruption, mortalitie for immortalitie, a life temporall and full of ſorrowes, for a life eternall and full of comfort. Now as this was the deſire of theſe Saints of God, ſo no doubt it is (or at leaſt it ſhould be) the deſire of all the ſonnes of men: they ſhould not onely content themſelues with the preſent poſſeſſion of this life temporall, but they ſhould hope & looke for a life to come which is eternall. But in this it fareth with the world, as with thoſe old Iſraelites which came with Moſes out of Aegypt; for though they were for their number many thouſands, and all of them had a longing deſire to enter into the land of Canaan, yet it was only granted but vnto two of them,Numb. 14.30 vnto Caleb and vnto Ioſuah: ſo in the Aegypt of this world, in this place of palpable darkneſſe, though the deſires of moſt men be to enter into the kingdome of heauen, & to raigne with Chriſt for euer; yet this heauenly bleſſing is not granted to all:Math. 20.16. for as Chriſt himſelfe ſaith, Many are called, but few are choſen; and as the way is broade, and the gate wide, that leadeth to deſtruction, in the verſe going before, that is, as the way of ſin, which leadeth men vnto hell, is eaſie, and many there be which enter in thereat: ſo in the beginning of this verſe, ſtraight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life; that is, a holy and a religious conuerſation in this world, which is the high way to leade men to the kingdome of heauen, is full of difficulties, and as our Sauiour addeth in the words which I haue read, they are but few that find it. To ſhew you how a holy and religious conuerſation in this world, is that ſtraight gate and that narrow way that leadeth vnto life, wold be a diſcourſe both pleaſing and profitable; but becauſe that lies without the bounds and limits of my text, and the drift of my text is onely this, that few men and few women doe find out this way of life; therefore the ſumme of my diſcourſe out of theſe words muſt be this, to examine thoſe lets and hinderances, why among ſo many as ſeeme to be in the way of a godly life, which is the way that leadeth to eternall life, ſo few there be that find it, that if we haue not found out this way of life, we may now ſeek after it, and find it; and if we haue already found it, that then we may perſeuere and continue in it. The lets then and the hinderances, why ſo few there are that do finde the way of life, are of two ſorts, ex parte quaerentis, and ex parte retrahentium, they either concerne our ſelues which are to ſeeke the way, or they are ſuch as do allure vs, and withdraw vs from the ſearch of it. Hinderances in our ſelues that are to ſeeke the way, are eſpecially theſe three: the firſt is coecitas rationis, the blindneſſe of our reaſon and vnderſtanding, which is not able of it ſelfe to diſcerne good from euill, the way of life from the way of death. The ſecond is peruerſitas voluntatis, the peeuiſhneſſe and peruerſneſſe of our wils, which, albeit we diſcerne the way, refuſeth to walke in it. And the third is defectus perſeuerantiae, a want of perſeuerance. For although in our reaſon and vnderſtanding we are able to diſcerne good frō euill, the way of life from the way of death, and in our will are moſt ready to apprehend it; yet for want of perſeuerance and continuance in ſo good a courſe, currimus & non comprehendimus, many of vs indeed do runne, but few of vs attaine our iourneys end. Of theſe three therfore in their order. And firſt for the blindnes of our reaſon, which being not able to diſcerne the way of life from the way of death, and by the fall of Adam preuailing ouer all the ſonnes of Adam, is the firſt maine let in vs, why ſo few of vs do find out this way of life.

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, 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, 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 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 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 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 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? 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, 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 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: 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 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 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; 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 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 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; 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 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 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. 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: 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: 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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: 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : a ſhadow and a dreame, and lighter then theſe; as vnto Plato 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

The diuell doth ſubtilly pry,Bernard. lib. de ordine vita. and iudicially looke into the natures and complexions of men, and according 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 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 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 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.

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 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.

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 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 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, 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 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 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.

FINIS.

THE LAST IVDGEMENT.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL IOHN BREVVSTER ESQVIRE.

SIR, among many patrons of vertue, and Theologicall endeuours, I preſume to rank your name; who as I know you not inferiour to the beſt, for a Fautor of learning and a louer of Pietie; ſo I preſent you here with ſuch a worke beſt fitting your addiction, and moſt worthie your patronage. And howſoeuer I may ſeeme officiouſly bold to publiſh theſe things without free conſent of the Author (as I confeſſe I do:) yet out of earneſt deſire to raiſe him from obſcuritie to a deſerued eminence in the worlds account, and throughly moued with pitie, that ſo heauenly things ſhould periſh with the breath they were deliuered, (as if eternitie ſhould fade with a moment:) I haue aduentured to giue them longer life, ſeconding my boldneſſe with a ſtrong preſumption, that I ſhall fruſtrate needleſſe doubts, and herein deſerue your good opinion. And on this hope I rest, committing the ſequele to your ſerious view, and my attempt in this to your fauourable conſtruction.

Yours in all affection and dutie, C. B.

MATTH. 25.15.

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come.

AS when children hauing ouer-ſlept themſelues, and begin to cry, as fearing the correction of their ſeuere maiſters; their indulgent mothers do commonly comfort them with one of theſe two things, as firſt, that there is no time yet paſt, and ſecondly, that their maiſter is a gentle man and will forgiue them: In the very ſame manner do the carnall and careleſſe worldlings of this age deale with thoſe their acquaintance and friends, who haue fetched a long and a deepe ſleepe in ſinne and ſecuritie. For whereas their counſell to them ſhould be that which Saint Paul hath, Epheſ. 5.14. Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand vp frō the dead, and Chriſt ſhall giue thee light: theſe men cleane contrary, to take away all feare of iudgement to come in a ſinner, they apply either one or both theſe comforts to them; firſt, that nullum tempus poenitentiae inidoneum, that no time is too late to come vnto God by repentance: and if they ſtagger in their hope notwithſtanding this firſt comfort, then is it commonly backed with this ſecond, that God is Deus miſericordiae, a God of mercie, and will forgiue them. And in this for the moſt part we are all like vnto Benhadad, 2. King. 20. For as he fled from the King of Iſrael from place vnto place, till he was forced into a chamber; and when he could go no farther, thus he was comforted, Reges Iſrael ſunt Reges miſericordes, The Kings of Iſrael are mercifull Kings. So men commonly when they are in health and ſtrength of bodie, they run on in iniquitie and ſinne, and are impiouſly rebellious againſt the holy one of Iſrael: but when they are chaſed as it were into their chambers either by ſickneſſe or old age, and when there is no way but one, as we ſay, but death with them; then this is their comfort, that Deus Iſrael eſt Deus miſericordiae, that the God of Iſrael wil be then vnto them a God of mercy. But (beloued) let vs neither flatter our ſelues with vaine hopes, nor deceiue our neighbours with falſe comforts; for though God accepteth of him who cometh vnto him in his old age which is the euening of his life (as you may ſee by him who had a penie giuen him, Math. 20.9. though he came at the end of the day to the vineyard, and by the theefe (Luke 25.43.) who was poſted euen from the croſſe vnto Paradiſe;) yet God had rather thou ſhouldeſt come vnto him in thy youth, which is the morning of thy age. And to that end ſaith the wiſe man, Eccleſ. 12.1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth: leaſt our comming vnto God ſhould be put off and deferred, he ſaith, Remember now: and leaſt we ſhould put off till old age or death, he addeth in the dayes of thy youth. And •• rely if there were no other reaſon for it, or if we had not the lamentable example of the fiue fooliſh virgins in this chapter to direct vs; who calling, Lord, Lord, open vnto vs, when it was too late, were ſhut out and excluded from the kingdome of heauen: yet this may be ſufficient, that we ſee commonly in our experience carnall and careleſſe ſinners,Juſto Dei iudictio hac poena punitur peccator, vt mortens obliuiſcatur ſui qui cū viueret oblitus eſt Dei. Auguſtin. by the iuſt iudgement of God, to be puniſhed with this kinde of puniſhment; namely in old age and at the houre of death to forget both themſelues and God, as before in their youth they had no care to remember him. And for the ſecond comfort, that God is Deus miſericordiae, a mercifull God: ſure it is, that as the women ſung concerning Saul and Dauid, 1. Sam. 18.7. Saul hath ſlaine his thouſand, but Dauid his tē thouſands: So we may ſorowfully ſing and ſay truly, that the deſpaire of Gods mercie hath ſlaine thouſands, but the groſſe preſumption of his mercie hath ſlaine ten thouſands, it hath ſent ten times as many more vnto hell as the deſpaire of his mercie. And therefore let vs not ſuffer our ſelues any longer to be deceiued; for as it is true of God which the Prophet Dauid hath, Pſalm. 86.15. that the Lord is a pitifull God, mercifull, ſlow to anger, and great in kindneſſe, (for all theſe doth be heape together in that verſe:) yet haue we no reaſon to be preſumptuous vpon theſe his mercies, but we ſhould rather looke backe vnto the 18. Pſalme and 26. verſe, where the Prophet ſpeaking of God, he ſaith thus; With the pure thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe pure, and with the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe froward: that is, as he wil mercifully receiue and pardon thoſe that are penitent, ſo he will iuſtly repell and ſeuerely puniſh thoſe that are impenitent. In the verſes which go before from the beginning of this Chapter, we haue the truth and proofe of this doctrine in the parable of the ten virgins: For as we ſee the fiue wiſe virgins who had oyle in their lampes, that is, whoſe good workes and godly liues did ſhine and giue light vnto others, as a lampe giues light vnto thoſe that are in darkneſſe; as we ſee theſe moſt mercifully to be receiued, and to enter in with the bridegroome: ſo the fiue fooliſh virgins, who did ſlumber and ſleepe, and had no care to expect the bridegroomes cōming by a vertuous and godly life, thoſe we ſee moſt iuſtly to be ſhut out. And our Sauiour Chriſt concludeth and ſhutteth vp that parable with this comfortable & ſweet caueat vnto vs: Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come. As if he ſhould haue ſaid, ſeeing there will be a comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement; and his comming, as it wil be ioyfull and comfortable to the godly, ſo it will be fearfull and terrible to the wicked, and we know neither the day nor the houre when he wil come: therfore ſlumber not, ſleepe not, be not careleſſe, be not ſecure in your ſinnes, but watch, that is, be prepared by a vertuous and godly life againſt his comming; that ſo when he ſhal come, you may be receiued into heauen with the fiue wiſe virgins, and not be excluded and ſhut out of heauen with the fiue fooliſh. Watch therfore, for you know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come.

In the right opening & handling of which words, I beſeech you to obſerue carefully with me theſe foure particular conſiderations. Firſt, that there will be a comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement: He wil come. Secondly that becauſe he commeth to iudgement, therfore his comming wil be fearful & terrible. Thirdly that the time of his fearfull and terrible comming vnto iudgement is vncertaine: We neither know the day nor the houre when he wil come. And laſtly the vſe which we are to make of all theſe; & this is a careful & vigilant preparation of our ſelues againſt his cōming, in the firſt words, Vigilate igitur, Watch therefore. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come. Now of all theſe in their order. And firſt for the firſt conſideration.

1. That there wil be a comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement. He will come.

It was the fond opinion of Ariſtotle that great Philoſopher, that the world had no beginning,Lib. 1. de coelo cap. 10. and ſo conſequently ſhall haue no end; and that mankind with all other creatures in the world, were alwayes, and ſhould be alwayes. The which opinion of his if it were true, then might men lawfully doubt, whether there ſhould be a general Seſſions, a generall calling or no, of men vnto iudgement. But the beſt way to confute a heathen, is by a heathen.Plinius Secundus. Auguſt. de ciu. dei. lib. 15. cap. 9. It was therfore the true ſentence of another heathen man, that the older the world waxeth, the bodies of men naturally, for ſtature are leſſe, and for ſtrength are weaker; and this was the opinion of Homer himſelfe a great Poet, and no ſmall Philoſopher. For ſpeaking of the battell which was fought betweene Aeneas and Diomedes, he affirmeth that Diomedes caſt a ſtone at Aeneas, ſo heauy and of ſo great a weight, as fourteen men (ſaith he) are not able to caſt the like, as men go now a dayes. And if as the world waxeth in yeares, ſo mans ſtrength doth decreaſe, then doubtleſſe the world waxing ſtill old, it will at laſt come to nothing; and ſo conſequently euen in plaine reaſon, the world and men in the world will haue an end. But me thinks I heare ſome godleſſe and prophane Atheiſt reply thus. Suppoſe that the world and men in the world ſhall haue an end; yet I am of opinion that there is the ſame end of a man that there is of a beaſt. A beaſt, when it dieth, the fleſh is conſumed, and the ſoule vaniſheth into the aire, and there is his full period: and why may it not be ſo with man? For the anſwer herunto: It was Plato his opinion (who deſerued and that iuſtly, the name of a diuine) that the ſoules of men did not die, but liue, being ſeparated frō their bodyes, and that after this life ended they ſhould giue an account of all their actions. And thoſe fictions in the Poets, concerning the Eliſian fields and places of pleaſure for good men after this life, and places of puniſhment for euil men; what did they elſe ſhew, but that there hath bene among the wiſeſt of the heathen a certaine perſwaſion of the ſoules immortality, and that after this life it ſhould be iudged? But becauſe the prophane Atheiſt wil not be drawne to a beleef, either of the ſoules immortality, or of the bodies reſurrection in the day of iudgment, vnleſſe we can win them therunto by the maine ſway of reaſon, let vs ſee whether in reaſon we commit any abſurdity or no, in beleeuing the reſurrection of the body. Tertullian propounding the queſtion for them:In Apol. cap. 45 Quomodo diſſoluta materia exhiberi poteſt? How is it poſſible that the matter of mās body being once diſſolued, as it ſhall be in the graue, ſhould euer riſe againe, and be perfectly exhibited before the iudgement ſeat of God? he doth anſwer their queſtion thus: Quid tibi noui eueniet? qui non eras, factus es, & cum iterum non eris, fies: What ſtrange or new wonder is this? thou which once wert not, waſt made by God, and ſo hereafter when thou ſhalt not be, thou ſhalt be made again; for God can as eaſily reſtore thee being diſſolued into duſt, as he could create thee at the firſt being nothing. In the firſt Pſalme & fifth verſe we reade it thus. The wicked ſhall not ſtand in iudgement: but the Caldey paraphraſe hath it thus, They ſhal not riſe in that great day, the day of iudgmēt. In regard of which words, ſome Hebrew writers haue bene bold to make this collection, that the wicked ſhal not riſe, but their bodies and ſoules at the houre of death ſhall periſh and come to nothing. But as in many points they are fantaſtically fooliſh: ſo in this are they moſt erroneouſly hereticall. For although it be there ſaid, that the wicked ſhal not riſe in iudgmēt, we muſt not thereby gather, Carere eos reſurgendi natura, ſed reſurgendi in iudicium perdidiſſe ordinem: We muſt not gather, that the nature & property of riſing ſhal be wāting vnto thē, but that they haue loſt the order of riſing vnto iudgmēt. Now what the order of riſing vnto iudgemēt is, we may ſee in the third of Ioh. the 18. & 19. ver. where our Sauiour ſaith thus. He that beleeueth in me ſhall not be iudged, but he which beleeueth not, Iam iudicatus eſt, he is already iudged. The which words of our Sauiour, haply they may trouble the careleſſe hearers, and the negligent readers therof; for in that he ſaith, he that beleeueth in me ſhall not be iudged, there he exempteth the faithful from iudgment: and in that he ſaith, he that beleeueth not, is already iudged, he ſeemes to teach that the Infidels ſhal not be admitted vnto iudgment. And if the faithfull are exempted frō iudgemēt to come, and the Infidels are already iudged; why then, Non videtur locus eſſe relictus iudicio, It ſhould ſeeme there is no place left for iudgement, and that there are no perſōs to be iudged. Yes ſaith Hilary; for in the 18. verſe, our Sauior hauing exēpted the beleeuers and vnbeleeuers; the beleeuers à iudicio condemnationis, from the iudgement of condemnation: and the Infidels and vnbeleeuers, becauſe their iudgement of condemnation is ſo certain, that it is in the eternall decree of God already paſt, and there remaines onely at the laſt day but the publication thereof. In the 19. verſe he expreſſeth the parties to be iudged, and the cauſe of their iudgement; for thus he ſaith: This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loued darkeneſſe rather then the light, becauſe their deeds are euill. As if he had ſaid: There is a middle ſort of people, which are neither altogether without faith, nor abſolutely faithfull; the feare of God containeth them in the Church, but the vaine vanities of the world draw them vnto ſecular vices, Orant quia timent, peccant quia volunt, they pray becauſe they are afraid of God and his iudgements, but withall they commit ſinne, becauſe they take a pleaſure and delight in it. Theſe then which do loue darkeneſſe rather then light, that is, which are content to loue Chriſt who is the light of the world, but withall they preferre the euill deeds of darkneſſe, theſe are they (let the Hebrew writers fable what they wil) which ſhal one day come to iudgement. And that we may the better conceiue, and beleeue this; there are as you know, in our aſſiſes and ſeſſions here vpon earth, certaine things neceſſarily required. As firſt, there is required the perſon and preſence of the Iudge. Secondly, certaine vpright Iuſtices his aſſiſtants vpon the bench. Thirdly, the citation of the priſoners to the bar, with leaue giuen them to pleade for thēſelues. Fourthly, the allegation or accuſatiō of the witneſſes. Fiftly, the Iudges verdit. Sixtly, the proceeding to ſentence either of abſolution or condemnation. And laſtly the execution of the ſentence cōmitted to the ſheriffe or bayliffe. Of al which (beloued) that we may the better beleeue that great ſeſſions in that laſt and dreadfull day of iudgement, we haue ſpeciall mention in the Scriptures. And firſt for the Iudge, that is Ieſus Chriſt the ſecond perſon in Trinitie. Forhowſoeuer the whole Trinitie haue a ſtroke in the action, yet the execution thereof is committed by them to the ſecond perſon. So Chriſt himſelfe ſaith (Iohn the 5.22.) The Father iudgeth no man, but hath commited all iudgement to the Sonne. So Saint Paul ſaith (Rom. 14.10.) We muſt all of vs appeare befor the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt. And Saint Auſtin giueth a reaſon of it thus, Vt ea natura iudicem agat, quae ſub iudice ſtetit, That he may act the office of a iudge in that nature in which he ſtood before a iudge. Secondly, for his aſſiſtants vpon the bench, they are his diſciples (Math. 19.28.) For when the ſonne of man (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall ſit in the throne of his maieſtie, yee which haue followed me in the regeneration, ſhall ſit alſo vpon twelue thrones, and iudge the twelue tribes of Iſrael. And thirdly, for the bringing of the priſoners to the bar, yee haue it in the 5. of Iohn and 28. verſ. The houre ſhall come in which all that are in the graues ſhall heare the voice of the ſonne of God, and they ſhal come forth that haue done good vnto the reſurrection of life, but they which haue done euill vnto the reſurrection of condemnation. At which time the priſoner ſhall haue free liberty to ſpeake what he can for himſelfe; for ſo they on the left hand pleade not guilty (Math. 25.44.) Lord when haue we ſeene thee an hūgred, or athirſt, or a ſtranger, or naked, or ſicke, or in priſon, & did not miniſter vnto thee? And fourthly, for the witneſſes, they are more then two. For firſt Chriſt who is the Iudge, he will witneſſe againſt vs. Ier. 29.23. Ego ſum iudex & teſtis, I am both a iudge and a witneſſe. And whereas men are often compelled and enforced to beare witneſſe to the truth; in the third of Malachy and fift verſe: Ego ſum teſtis velox, I am a ſwift witneſſe. And if Chriſt ſhould faile in his teſtimonie againſt vs, yet his law-giuer Moſes wil not faile; for ſo Chriſt ſaith (Ioh. 5.45.) Do not thinke that I will accuſe you to my Father: there is one that accuſeth you, euen Moſes in whō you truſt. And though Chriſt and Moſes both do faile in their witneſſe, yet is there another who will not be wanting, euen the diuell, in whō many haue truſted too much. For in the 12. of the Reuel. 10. v. Sathan the accuſer of the brethren is caſt downe, who accuſeth them before God day and night. And thus, ſaith Saint Auguſtine, will he vrge in the laſt day and enforce his accuſation before God. Thine they were O king of heauen by creation, but mine they are by tranſgreſſion. Tui per gratiam quam amiſerunt, mei per culpam in qua deceſſerunt: Thine they were by grace, which wilfully they haue caſt away, mine they are by ſins, which hath caſt them away: thine they were by the glorious merit of thy paſſion, mine they are for want of charitable compaſſion: thine they were becauſe thou diedſt for their ſins, mine they they are becauſe they died not, but liued vnto ſin. Nobis ergo aſſocientur in poenis qui cō formati ſunt in culpis: and therfore ô ſupreme iudge, it ſtands with equitie & iuſtice, that theſe ſhold be partakers in our puniſhments, who while they liued in the world, were companions in our ſinnes. But if Chriſt, and Moſes, and the diuel ſhould faile in their witneſſe, though neither of theſe did know of thy ſinne, and ſo conſequently could not iuſtly accuſe thee; yet as Lactantius well ſaith, Quid prodeſt tibi non habere conſcium, habenti conſcientiā? What will the ignorance of others auaile thee, when as the teſtimony of thy owne conſcience wil preuaile againſt thee? For as there are ſome which haue a good conſcience (Heb. 13.18.) ſo there are others which haue a bad conſcience, a conſcience ſeared with a hot iron (1. Timoth. 4.4.) And as they who in godly pureneſſe and not in fleſhly wiſedome, haue their conuerſation in this world, the teſtimony of their conſcience ſhal cauſe them to reioyce (1. Cor. 1.12.) ſo they which haue followed the vaine pleaſures, & the pleaſing vanities of this world, the teſtimony of their conſcience ſhall cauſe thē to lament. And then a mans owne cōſcience acccuſing him, there needeth no iury to be impannelled: for the party confeſſing the action, the Iudge will immediatly proceed to ſentence, the which ſentence ſhall not be (like the RomanRomani tabellas ſeu literas in vrnam ſolebant conijcere: literae fuerūt. A.C. A litera Abſolutionis, C litera condemnationis: talis in iud • cijs conſuetudo apud Graecos. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 reſpō debat Romanorum C. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Romanorum. A. A) a ſentence of Abſolution, whereof mention is made (Math. 25.34) Venite benedicti, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. But it ſhall be (like that nigrum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Greeks) a ſentence of condemnation, whereof mention is made in the ſame chapter and 41. verſe. Ite maledicti, Go ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels. And then laſt of all followeth the executiō of the ſentence, the charge whereof ſhall be committed to the Angels. For ſo ſaith our Sauiour (Math. 13.49.) At the end of the world, the Angels ſhal go forth, and ſeuer the bad from among the iuſt, and ſhall caſt them into a fornace of fire, where ſhall be wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. So then to conclude this with that of the Preacher (Eccl. 11.9.) Reioyce ô young man in thy youth, let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, walke in the wayes of thy heart, and in the luſts of thine owne eyes; but yet know that for all theſe things God ſhall bring thee vnto iudgement. Be not therefore deceiued, neither flatter your ſelues with this vaine imagination, that though you commit ſinne with greedineſſe, yet there will be no reckoning and account for it. Say not within your ſelues, as it is in the 5. of Eccle. 4. I haue ſinned and what euill hath come vnto me? For as it followeth in the ſame place, Dominus eſt Patiens redditor dicitur, quia peccata homin • m & patitur & reddit. Nam quos Diu vt conuertantur tolerat, non conuerſos duriùs damnat. Greg. Hom. 13. in Euang. patiens redditor: The Lord is a patient rewarder; that is, as he is patient for a time and expecteth thy returne from ſinne; ſo he is a rewarder, & will not leaue thee vnpuniſhed. Lento gradu ad vindictam ira diuina procedit, ſed tarditatem ſupplicij grauitate iudicij recompenſat; The iuſtice of God goes ſlowly indeed, but it recompenſeth the ſlackneſſe of iudgement with the heauineſſe thereof. And therefore as Abraham ſaid vnto the rich man, (Luke 16.25.) Hîc bona, ſed illîc mala, Here thou receiuedſt good things, but now thou art tormented: ſo haply without any checke or controlement, thou maieſt follow thy ſinfull pleaſures and delights here in this world; but there will one day come a time, when for thoſe thou ſhalt be brought before a Iudge, and the iudge ſhall deliuer thee to a iaylour, and the iaylour ſhall caſt thee into priſon, from whence thou ſhalt neuer be releaſed. And therefore howſoeuer there hath heretofore bene no impreſſion in our hearts of this iudgement to come, yet hereafter as Saint Hierom confeſſeth of himſelfe, ſiue comedas, ſiue bibas, whether thou eateſt or drinkeſt, whether thou wakeſt or ſleepeſt, whether thou walkeſt abroad or ſtayeſt at home, let that be euer ſounding in thy eares, which was euer ſounding in his eares: Surgite mortui, venite ad iudicium: Ariſe ô you dead, and come to iudgement. Thus much for the firſt conſideration: That there will be a comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement. I come to the ſecond.

2. That this his comming vnto Iudgement will be terrible.

In the ninth of Eſay and ſixt verſe, the Prophet ſpeaking of the coming of our Sauior Chriſt, he ſaith thus: Paruulus natus eſt nobis: A child is borne vnto vs, and his name ſhall be called Wonderful, Counſeller, the euerlaſting Father, the Prince of peace: and in the 21. of Matthew and fift verſe, there is the propheſie fulfilled, Ecce Rex tuus venit tibi manſuetus: Tel ye the daughter of Sion, Behold thy King commeth vnto thee meek. But that ſetteth out his firſt coming: but now we are to lay opē his ſecond comming. Then he came in humilitie, but now we are to ſpeake of his comming in glorie. Then he came like milde and little Dauid, 1. Sam. 17. to free vs from the Diuel that great Goliah; but hereafter he wil come like angry and armed Dauid, 2. Sam. 25. againſt ingratefull Nabals. Then he came with comforts in his right hand; for he came not to call the righteous,Math. 9.13. Iohn 5.29. but ſinners to repentance: but hereafter he ſhall come with terrour in his left hand, for he ſhall call the vnrepentant ſinners vnto iudgement. Then, that the world might be crucified vnto vs, and we vnto the world, Chriſt Ieſus vouchſafed to be crucified in the world: but hereafter becauſe the preaching of Chriſt his croſſe is accounted fooliſhneſſe by the wicked world, therefore Ieſus Chriſt wil come to crucifie the world. Then the people ſhouted,Mat. 21.9. Mat. 24.30. and diſtinctly cried Hoſanna for ioy, but hereafter the wicked ſhall yell & make a confuſed noiſe for feare; yea ſo fearfull wil this his ſecond comming vnto iudgement be, that Saint Paul diſputing of it before Felix, (as I now before you) it made the very heart of Felix to tremble. Act. 24.26. And no maruell, for if that firſt apparition of God was ſo fearfull and terrible to the people of the Iewes (Exodus 20.18.) that Moſes himſelfe ſaid, I feare and tremble; and the people fled, and ſtood a farre off, and ſayd to Moſes, Talke thou with vs, and we will heare; but let not God talke with vs, least we die: how fearfull then and terrible will his ſecond comming be? For at that firſt appearing he came onely to giue them lawes; but at this ſecond he will come to puniſh the tranſgreſſors of his lawes.Heſt. 15.10. Surely if Heſter fell vpon the ground, and life for a time went out at the gates of her body, when ſhe beheld the maieſtie of Aſſuerus the King:Dan. 8.17. if Daniel in the eight chapter of his propheſie, at the ſight of an Angell trembled and was ſore afraid:Mat. 28.4. if the keepers of the ſepulcher in the day of our Sauiour his reſurrection, were terrified and became as dead men: if the Iewes comming armed into the garden to apprehend Ieſus,Iohn 18.6. when they heard him but ſay, Ego ſum, I am the man; if they fell backward vpon the ground, and became as dead men: O then what ſhall miſerable men and women do, when they ſhall ſee Ieſus Chriſt not yeelding vp his body to be puniſhed by ſinners as then, but comming in the clouds with power and great glorie to puniſh ſinners?Luke 21. • 9.

Indeede if there were the ſame meanes and ſuch hopes of preſeruing men frō the iudgement to come, as there are of preuenting iudgement and iuſtice here vpon the earth, then the feare thereof were altogether needleſſe: but you ſhall ſee the caſe is farre different. For firſt, here vpon earth when men ſtand vpon life and death, interceſſion is made by others for the procurement of their deliuery: yea oftentimes ſpeeches in commendation of the priſoner are admitted by the bench;Plutarch. for ſo was the cuſtome among the Romanes, till the law of Pompey tooke it away. But in the day of the laſt iudgement, there will be no place for interceſſion,2. Sam. 14. 1 Sam. 25 there ſhall then be no Ioab to intreate for Abſolom, there ſhall then be no Abigail to ſpeake for Nabal. The truth of which doctrine is moſt euident in the Scriptures: for looke into the 22. of Matthew and 13. verſe, and you ſhall there ſee, that the partie that had not on a wedding garment, was commaunded out of the bride-houſe, and caſt into vtter darkneſſe, and no man did once intreate for him. Looke into the 25. of Matthew and 28. verſe, and you ſhall there likewiſe ſee, that the ſeruant which had receiued but one talent, and without any employment to his maſters aduantage had hid it in the earth, had his talent taken from him, and was caſt into vtter darkneſſe, and no man intreated for him. Nay, looke but into the verſe going next before my text, and you ſhall heare the fiue fooliſh virgins crying: Lord, Lord, open vnto vs. And receiuing this vncomfortable anſwer from the mouth of comfort it ſelfe:Ini •• um Deus ſcit in examine, neſcit in amore. Greg. in Iob lib. 11 cap 7. Neſcio vos, I know you not; that is, I haue reiected you, I haue reprobated you; and none, no not their late familiar friends and companions, the other wiſe virgins, requeſted fauour for them.

Againe, here vpon earth though no man intreate for an offender, yet oftentimes the freſh memory of his anceſtors good deeds, and the good demerits of his friends that be liuing, may moue the Iudge to pity and compaſſion: but for a man to truſt to this fauour in the day of iudgement, were to leane vpon a broken reed; for the men that do beſt fulfill the commandements of God, are tearmed in the 17. of Saint Luke and 10. verſe, Serui inutiles, Vnprofitable ſeruants. And then as the fiue wiſe virgins anſwered the fiue fooliſh, (Mat. 25.9.) We cannot giue you of our oile, leaſt peraduenture there will not be enough for vs & you: ſo the beſt men that be, cannot lend their friends any of their good workes; for if they do, without all peraduenture they will leaue too few for themſelues.

And thirdly, though neither of theſe two do come to paſſe, yet many times the ſubtiltie of the offender, and his cunning contriued ſpeech, do ouer-reach the wiſedome of the Iudge: but this hope ſhall faile a ſinner in the day of iudgement. Our firſt mother Eue, ſo much as in her lay, ſhe did hide her ſin from God; and ſo did Cain the death of Abel: and haply ſaith S. Ambroſe, Ambroſ. in Pſa. 118. in affectu habemus abſcondere, non in effectu: we may with them affect the hiding of our ſins from God, but we neuer can effect it. In the 20. of S. Luke and the 20. verſe, the Scribes and Phariſes come with cunning contriued ſpeeches vnto Chriſt, hoping to intrap him; but as cunning as they were, our Sauiour was too cunning for them: for in the 23. verſe, Quid tentatis hypocritae? Why tempt you me, ye hypocrites? And ſurely if craft and ſubtiltie could not ouertake our Sauiour when he came in humilitie, much leſſe ſhall he be ouertaken thereby when he ſhall come in glory.

And fourthly, though neither of theſe three doe happen in our earthly iudgements, yet we ſee by experience that witneſſes are oft kept backe, and by that meanes the priſoner is ſet free: but at Chriſt his comming vnto iudgement, there is no ſuch aduantage to be expected. For, as Saint Bernard well obſerues, in a mans owne houſe, and in a mans owne family,Deuotiſ. medit. cap. 13. he ſhal not faile of his accuſer, his witneſſe, and his iudge. Accuſat conſcientia, teſtis eſt memoria, ratio index: his conſcience that will be his accuſer, his memory that will be his witneſſe, and his reaſon that will be his iudge to condemne him. And leaſt it ſhould be obiected that a mans memory may faile, and ſo conſequently the witneſſe, behold then a witneſſe whom nothing can cauſe to faile: Becauſe they haue done villany in Iſrael, and committed adultery with their neighbours wiues, euen I ſee it, and I teſtifie it, ſaith the Lord. Ier. 29.23.

And fiftly, though neither of theſe fall out, yet if a man be nobly borne, & deſcend from honorable and princely parents, then none almoſt dare meddle with him, or once call his ſinnes in queſtion. But as Mordocay in the fourth of Eſter and 15. verſe, ſaid vnto the Queene, when as the ſentence of death was paſt vpon all the people of the Iewes in the kingdomes of Aſſuerus; thinke not with thy ſelfe that thou ſhalt eſcape in the Kings houſe, more then all the Iewes: ſo at the day of iudgement, when all our ſins ſhall be layd open before God, men, and Angels, it is not our noble and honorable bloud, it is not a Kings houſe, nor a Kings linage that can exempt vs. But may not mony procure vs fauour with the Iudge, and be a meanes to ſtay the courſe of iuſtice? Indeed I confeſſe that mony may do much with earthly Iudges; it may turne iudgement into mercy, and mercy into iudgement: but it is not the multitude of gifts (ſaith Iob in his 36. chap. and 18. verſe) that can deliuer thee frō the wrath of the Iudge of heauen.

But ſay, none of all theſe do preuaile in our earthly iudgements, yet either by the conniuencie of the Iailor, or the weakneſſe of the priſon, a condemned man may eſcape: but after the ſentence is once pronounced in this laſt iudgement, both theſe comforts will faile a ſinner. For firſt the diuell, who is Iaylor, will be ſo vigilant, as no priſoner committed to his iayle ſhall haue leaue to depart. And for the ſecond, which is breaking of priſon, that is impoſſible for thoſe who are bound hand and foote, and ſo are ſinners bound after iudgement, Matth. 22.13. Take him and bind him hand and foote, and cast him into vtter darkneſſe. And yet ſuppoſe that they could vnlooſe themſelues, as ſome that are bound may do, yet is there no hope of euaſion: for in the 16. of Luke and 26. verſe, it is Abrahams ſpeech vnto the rich man in hell: Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe, ſo that we cannot come vnto you, neither can you come vnto vs. So that hitherto you ſee this comming of Chriſt vnto iudgement to be terrible. But if we ſhall now a little farther conſider the rigor & ſeueritie of the ſentence, which ſhall be thundered from the mouth of the Iudge againſt the wicked; I make no queſtion but the terror thereof wil appeare much greater. The ſentence is ſet downe in the 25. of Mathew, and 41. verſe, Depart from me ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. In which words,Poena damni. firſt the puniſhment of loſſe, as the Diuines terme it, contained in theſe words Depart from me, doth declare the ſeueritie of the ſentence. For if one day in Gods courts be better then a thouſand elſewhere, as the Prophet Dauid ſaith in the 84. Pſalme and 10. verſe: then to be not onely a thouſand yeares, but for euer elſewhere, and not one day in the courts of God, it muſt needs be a grieuous and a great puniſhment. For a man to loſe his lands here in this world, what a vexation and griefe is it to many men? it doth oft times driue men vnto their wits end: how then thinke we will ſinners be affected and afflicted in mind, who when Chriſt Ieſus by his moſt precious bloud hath purchaſed for them no worſe land then the land of the liuing, the kingdome of heauen, they by their wilfull rebellion will be the occaſion of the loſſe of it? Were not the Iſraelites grieued thinke you, when from a ſorrowfull heart they told Moſes that he had brought them from a land which flowed with milke and honey, into a barren wilderneſſe, to deſtroy them with famine? And will it not be a greater torment to the wicked in the laſt day, when they ſhall heare and ſee themſelues baniſhed from heauen, and the preſence of God, in whoſe preſence, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 16. and laſt verſe, there is fulneſſe of ioy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for euermore; and then ſent into a place where there is a famine of all good things, a famine of ioy, a famine of eaſe, a famine of the comfortable preſence of God? Surely if the Apoſtles for that litle time that Chriſt told them he was to be abſent from them, they were ſo ſorowfull and ſad, Iohn 16.21. that Chriſt himſelfe meaſureth their mourning by the mourning of a woman in her trauell. And if Peter, to whom Chriſt had ſaid,Iohn 13.8. If I waſh thee not, thou ſhalt haue no part with me, was ſo loth to part with Chriſt, that he ſaid, Lord, not my feete onely, but my hands and my head alſo: in what caſe ſhall miſerable and accurſed ſinners be, who not for a time onely, but for all eternitie are ſhut out and baniſhed from the ſight of God?

As then the rigor and ſeueritie of the Iudiciall ſentence appeareth in the puniſhment of loſſe, ſo is it greatly amplified by the puniſhment of ſenſe;Poena ſenſus. for they are not only baniſhed by the Iudge from heauen, Depart from me; but they are ſent into a place of puniſhment, into hell fire. The Epicure, ſaith Tertullian, doth eſtimate all ſorrow and puniſhment after this maner: Modicus cruciatus eſt contemptibilis, Tertul. aduerſ. Gentes. cap. 45. magnus non eſt diuturnus: If the puniſhment be but ſmall, then a man of any ſpirit will contemne it; and if it be great, this is the comfort, that it cannot laſt long. But (ſaith he) the Epicure deceiues himſelfe, becauſe the lawes of God do promiſe either an euerlaſting reward to the obſeruers, or a perpetuall puniſhment to the breakers. And therfore the ſentence runs not thus, Ite in ignem, Go into fire, though that had bin a great and a grieuous puniſhment; but to make it the more grieuous and the more terrible, they are commended in ignem aeternum, into euerlaſting fire. Grieuous were the puniſhments that were inflicted vpon Adam for his ſin, (Gen. 3.) for firſt he was caſt out of Paradiſe, and then he was ſent into a place of thornes and thiſtles, there to eate his bread in the ſweat of his brow all the dayes of his life: but far more grieuous wil be the puniſhmēt of Adams wicked children at the day of iudgement; for firſt they ſhall be depriued of heauen, a place more beautifull then Paradiſe, and then they ſhall be caſt into a burning lake, which is a farre worſe place then a place of thornes and thiſtles. And whereas Adam found this comfort in his puniſhment, that there was a donec in terram in it, that at laſt there wold be an end, the end of his life was the period of his puniſhment: yet the puniſhment of his wicked poſteritie ſhall admit no limitation of time, but they ſhall go (ſaith the Iudge) into euerlaſting fire, that is, they ſhall burne for euer and euer in that lake of fire. Indeed is were ſome comfort if they were to ſuffer this puniſhment no more thouſands of yeares then there be ſands on the ſea ſhore, or graſſe piles vpon the ground, or no more millions of ages then there are creatures in heauen, in earth, and in the ſea; for then were there ſome hope that at laſt there would be an end. But to be ſent in ignem aeternum, into euerlaſting fire, that is, continually to burne, and neuer to be burned vp, and after infinite millions of ages to be as farre from an end as at the firſt entrance into this torment, this is ſo ſeuere and rigorous a doome, as neither the tongues of Angels or of men are able to expreſſe it.

And as the rigor of the doome appeares, firſt by the puniſhment of loſſe, in that they are commaunded out of Gods preſence, Depart from me; and ſecondly by the puniſhment of ſenſe, in that they are ſent, not onely into fire, but into euerlaſting fire. So to make it euery way complete, that nothing more might be added to it; vnto the former words of this ſentence, Depart frō me into euerlaſting fire, the Iudge doth adioyne theſe latter, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. Men that are in miſery, they are commonly of this mind and nature, that they would not haue their friends and acquaintance come into the like miſery; and therefore the purple glutton (Luke 16.27.) being in hell, maketh this requeſt vnto Abraham: Father Abraham, ſend Lazarus I pray thee to my fathers houſe, that he may teſtifie vnto my fiue brethren, leaſt they alſo come into this place of torment. And as men are loth to haue their friends companions in their miſery; ſo are they as loth to haue thoſe their companions who wil helpe to augment and increaſe their miſeries: but the wicked, that their ſentence of condemnation might appeare the greater, they ſhal not only alwayes burne, but their companions in this fire ſhall be the Diuell and his Angels. When the Iewes ſate in iudgement vpon our Sauiour Chriſt, they reſolued vpon theſe three things againſt him: firſt, that he muſt be taken from among them; ſecondly, that he muſt die the ſhamefull and ignominious death of the croſſe; and thirdly, to do him the greater diſgrace, as they thought to vexe him the more; he muſt die in the companie of two theeues. And therefore hereafter, when Chriſt ſhall come in his glory to iudge the ſinnes both of Iewes and Gentiles, he will reſolue vpon three the like for them, which they reſolued for him. For firſt, as they could not abide his preſence, and therefore they cryed tollite take him away: ſo he will not abide their preſence, but will ſay vnto them, Diſcedite a me Depart from me. And ſecondly, as they reſolued vpon no honorable death for him, but ſuch a death as was inflicted vpon vile and ignominious perſons: ſo the maner of dying which he allotteth vnto thē is ſuch, as belōgeth only vnto people that are curſed. And laſt of all, as they which did die with Chriſt were no better then theeues: ſo their friends in tormēt are the fiends, and their companions in fire are the diuell and his angels. And therfore for the concluſion of this point, remember onely that ſhort, but ſweete caueat which S. Austin giueth, writing vpon the 80. Pſalme, Si non times mitti quó, vide cū quo, If thou art not afraid to burn for thy ſinnes in hell, yet be afraid to burne with ſuch helliſh companions as are the diuell and his Angels. And thus haue you ſeene the terror of Chriſt his cō ming vnto iudgement, as by other other circumſtances, ſo eſpecially by the rigor & ſeuerity of the Iudgement ſentence; which firſt depriueth them of heauen, Depart from me: and thē adiugeth them to hell, Go into fire. Thirdly, there to burne not for a time but for euer, into euerlaſting fire; and that with no better cō panions then the diuell and his Angels. I come now to the third point, and this is:

3. That the time of this terrible coming vnto iudgment is vncertaine. For we know not, ſaith my text, either day or houre when it will be.

In the third verſe of the chapter going before, the 24. of Mathew, the diſciples of our Sauiour being deſirous to be reſolued of a double doubt, firſt at what time the temple of Ieruſalem ſhold be deſtroyed, and ſecondly, when his laſt coming vnto iudgment ſhould be; our Sauiour Chriſt for their better inſtruction telleth them that there ſhall be warres, and rumours of warres, that nation ſhall riſe againſt nation, and kingdome againſt kingdome, that there ſhall be peſtilence, and famine, & earthquakes in diuers places. All which ſignes with many other in that chapter, though ſome haue reſtrained to the firſt queſtion of the deſtruction of Ieruſalem: yet according to the iudgement of the moſt interpreters, they containe a mixt anſwer vnto both, and are ſignes not only of the particular deſolation of Ieruſalē, but alſo of the finall diſſolution of the whole world in the day of iudgemēt. And grant this, yet no other collectiō can fitly be gathered hence, but that which Saint Auſtin long ſince obſerued, Modum patefecit, tempus celare voluit: He concealeth the time, and expreſſeth onely the manner of his coming. And therefore for any man to thinke himſelfe ſufficiently inſtructed of the time of Chriſt his coming by reaſon of thoſe prognoſticke ſignes which our Sauiour hath ſet downe, it is a groſſe and a fooliſh impiety. Yea ſaith Saint Austin, Epiſt. 7 8. to take a computation of times, that therby we may know when the end of the world and Chriſt his coming ſhall be; Nihil videtur aliud, quàm ſcire velle, quod Christus ait ſcire neminem poſſe: It is nothing elſe, but to be deſirous to know that, which our Sauiour Chriſt hath ſaid no man can know. For of that day and houre knoweth no man, ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 24.36. no not the Angels of heauen, but my Father onely. Nay, in the 13. of Saint Marke, and 32. verſe, he excepteth againſt himſelf, to leue the high knowledge therof to his Father; Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heauen, neither the Sonne himſelfe, (as he is man only) ſaue the Father. And therfore that the world might be the better reſolued in this point, in the vncertainty of his coming vnto iudgment; beſides thoſe many watchwords of his to the world: It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons which the father hath put in his owne power.Math. 24.42. Math. 25.13. Mark. 13.33. You know not what houre your maiſter will come. You know not the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come. Yee know not when the time is, and the like: He hath in the Goſpell compared his coming vnto three things, which come moſt ſodainly and before we are aware: and theſe are; a ſnare, a thiefe, and the floud of Noah. In the 21. of Luke, and 34. verſe, he reſembleth the day of his coming vnto iudgement to a ſnare: Take heed vnto your ſelues leaſt at any time your hearts be ouercome with ſurfetting, and drunkenneſſe, and the cares of this life, and leaſt that day come on you at vnawares; for as a ſnare ſhall it come on all thē that dwell on the face of the whole earth. A ſnare you know entāgleth on the ſodaine, and the birds and wilde beaſts whilſt f • areleſſe of danger they are intentiue to their foode, they ſodainly fall into it. And ſo it is with man, ſaith Solomon, he conſidereth not his end, Eccleſ. 9.12. But as the fiſhes which are taken in a net, and as the birds which are caught in a ſnare; ſo are the children of men ſnared in the euill, when it falleth ſodainly vpon them. Men may feaſt it merrily with Iobs children,Iob. 1.19. Dan. 5.3 and be frolick with their companions amidſt their cups, with Balthaſſar; and as it is in the 21. of Iob, they may call for the Tabret and the Harpe, and reioyce in the ſound of Organs: but on the ſodaine euen before they be aware, Auguſt. Epiſt. 80. they go downe into the graue, ſaith Iob, that is, they fal into the ſnare of death, and ſo conſequently into the ſnare of iudgement. For, Qualis in die iſto quiſ que moritur, talis in die illo iudicabitur: as the day of mans death leaues him, ſo the day of Gods laſt iudgement ſhall finde him. And as Chriſt for the ſodaineſſe & vncertainty of his coming, compareth it to a ſnare; ſo he compareth it likewiſe to the coming of a theefe. Math. 24.43. If the good man of the houſe did know at what houre the theefe would come, he would ſurely watch, and not ſuffer his houſe to be digged through. And therefore be ye alſo ready: for in the houre ye think not, wil the ſon of man come. The Apoſtle Peter in his ſecond Epiſtle 3.10. makes the ſame reſemblance. The day of the Lord will come euen as a theefe in the night, in the which the heauens ſhall paſſe away with a noyſe, and the elements ſhall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein ſhall be burnt vp. And Saint Paule (1. Theſſ. 5.2.) handling the ſame argument, hath the very ſame. The day of the Lord ſhall come as a theefe in the night, and when men ſhall ſay peace and ſafety, then ſhall come vpon them ſodaine destruction, as the trauell vpon a woman with child, and they ſhall not eſcape. And as the day of Chriſt his comming is compared for the vncertaintie thereof vnto a ſnare and a theefe: ſo for the ſame cauſe it is compared by him to the floud of Noah. Math. 24.36. As the dayes of Noah were, ſo likewiſe (ſaith Chriſt) ſhal the comming of the Sonne of man be: For as in the dayes before the floud, they did eate & drink, mary, 〈◊〉 giue in mariage, vnto the day that Noah entred into the Ark, and knew nothing til the floud came and tooke them all away: ſo ſhall alſo the comming of the ſonne of man be. And therefore • hat anſwer which our Sauiour gaue to the Phariſes queſtion, Luk. 17. and 20. v •• . may well be the concluſion of this point. The kingdome of God cometh not with obſeruation, that is (ſaith the Gloſſe) it cometh not with the obſeruation of the time: as if he had ſaid; haply ſome Aſtronomer or other is ſo cunning as to tell you when the cloudes will drop: but at what time the Sonne of man ſhall come to iudgement in the cloudes, no Aſtronomer is ſo cunning as to tell you that; for of that day & houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels in heauen, nor the Sonne himſelfe, but the Father onely. Well then (beloued) theſe three points being thus cleared; Firſt that their will be a comming of the Sonne of man to iudgement. Secondly that this his comming vnto iudgement will be fearfull, and terrible. And thirdly that the time of this his comming is vncertaine, we know not when: what remaineth now but the vſe which we are to make of all theſe? and that is a vigilant and carefull preparation of our ſelues againſt his comming, preſcribed in the firſt words: Vigilate igitur: Watch therefore.

In the firſt of Ieremy, the Prophet at the firſt ſaw nothing but a rod, but after (ſaith the text) he beheld ſeething pot. And ſo the wicked and vngodly people, haply they may ſee and feele in this world nothing but rods, light and ſlight puniſhments: but the time will come when Salomons rods ſhall be turned into Rehoboams Scorpions, and the Prophet Ieremies rod will proue a ſeething pot. For as fleſh is p •• into a ſeething pot: ſo the bodies and ſoules of men, in regard of their ſinnes committed in the fleſh, ſhall be caſt into the ſeething and boyling lake of hell. At which time they ſhall haue nothing to comfort them, either aboue them or beneath them, on the right hand or on the left, within them or without them. Aboue them ſhall be the angry Iudge, for their wickedneſſe condemning them; beneath them ſhal be hel open, and the fornace boyling to receiue them: on their right hand ſhal be their ſinnes accuſing them, on their left hand the diuels ready to execute Gods eternall ſentence on them; within them ſhall be their conſcience gnawing, without them the damned ſoules wailing, and round about them the whole world burning. Good Lord, good Lord, ſaith a deuout father, what will a wretched ſinner do enuironed with all theſe miſeries? how will his heart ſuſtaine theſe anguiſhes? what way will he take? to go backe (ſaith he) it is impoſſible, and to go forward, it is intollerable. And ſurely all this being true, and drawne by neceſſary conſequent from the word of God, me thinkes now there ſhould need no watchword at all, and our Sauiour Chriſt his vigilate igitur in this place may ſeeme ſuperfluous. The heathen man did both ſay and beleeue,Tul. de nat. deor. lib. 1. that whoſoeuer remembreth that God will reward the godly and puniſh the vngodly, he cannot but be godly. And if this be not true in vs that are Chriſtians, then, as Clymacus well obſerues, Plus timebimus canem, quā Creatorē: we ſhal ſhew our ſelues to be more afraid of our dog, then we are of our God. If a theefe do aſſault our houſe in the night, and our dogge which is within do but barke, we need no further vigilate, we 〈…〉 warning: 〈…〉〈…〉 will • iſe, and we will 〈…〉 Our Sauiour Chriſt then haui • 〈…〉 many times, that he will on • 〈…〉 that his comming will be (as 〈…〉 and terrible, and that the time 〈…〉 is moſt vncertaine, we know 〈…〉 now any further vigilate, any 〈…〉 prepare our ſelues againſt this comming 〈…〉 • ued) a very cleare caſe, that the barking of 〈…〉 wil preuaile more with vs for the ſauing of 〈…〉 then the voice of our God for the ſauing of 〈…〉 When Ioſeph had forewarned Pharaoh and the 〈…〉 of Aegypt of that great famine which was 〈…〉 vpon the land, there was no further 〈…〉 be vigilant. And if they 〈◊〉 ſo care • 〈…〉 momentary death of body; ough • 〈…〉 to be vigilant how to preuent the e • 〈…〉 of ſoule and body? Well then, how 〈…〉 our ſelues that our true vigilancie ma • 〈…〉 thus, ſaith Saint Bernard: Audiſti edictu • 〈…〉 dictum: Haſt thou heard of the fearefull 〈…〉 which God hath determined to powre vp 〈…〉 beware then of ſinne which will be the 〈…〉 puniſhment. But is this all? no, the watc • 〈…〉 well ſet: for the ſame ſpirit which ſaith (Pſal. 〈…〉 Flie from euill; immediatly addeth, and do 〈…〉 14. of Luke and 31. verſe: What King (ſaith 〈…〉 going to make warre againſt another King, ſ • t • 〈…〉 downe firſt, and taketh counſell, whether he be ab • 〈◊〉 ten thouſands to meete him which commeth ag • nſt him with twentie thouſands? or elſe while he is yet a grea • 〈◊〉〈…〉〈…〉 • olicie betw • 〈…〉〈…〉 • rre better policie betw • 〈◊〉〈…〉 ſinnes grieue God more 〈…〉 can vexe his neighbor king 〈…〉 • ter diſproportion between 〈…〉 the ſtrength of God, then 〈…〉 of ten thouſands, and an ar • 〈…〉 • hou • ands. Firſt then let vs ſeriouſly 〈◊〉 counſell, whether we may boldly ſay with 〈◊〉 3. verſe 18. Behold now, if I prepare me vnto 〈◊〉 , I know that I ſhall be iuſtified. And if we can • 〈…〉 this perſwaſion in regard of our for • 〈…〉 contempt of Gods commaunde • 〈…〉 muſt be our ſecond courſe, euen 〈…〉 off, that is, while his grace by 〈…〉 the Goſpell is offered vnto vs: 〈…〉 and vnfained repentance as an 〈…〉 him, deſiring him that he would 〈…〉 • om his throne of iuſtice, and be • 〈…〉 his throne of mercy. That ſo in that 〈…〉 full day of his comming, we may not 〈…〉 euerlaſting horror of our ſoules that fear • , 〈◊〉 Go ye curſed into euerlaſting fire which is 〈…〉 diuel and his angels; but to the endleſſe 〈◊〉 our ſoules, that other comfortable ſen • 〈…〉 •• e ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the 〈…〉 • dome prepared for you from 〈…〉 the beginning of the world.

FINIS.