SECTION. 1. A view of the vaine condition of man in respect of the goods of the mind: and first of the vnderstanding

Eccles. 1.2. VAnitie of vanities; saith the Prea­cher, vanity of va­nities; all is vanity. If euer there were any man fit and able in respect of his wealth to trie, of industry to search, and his wisdome to iudge of the things of this life, it was Salomon the King and Preacher of Ierusalem.1. Ki. 10.27. His wealth was such, that he made siluer as plentifull in Ie­rusalem, as the stones in the streets. His wisdome was ex­ceeding much,1. Kin. 4.29. for he had a [Page 17] large heart, euen as the sand that is on the sea shore. His in­dustrie also was verie great,Eccles. 1.13 14. for behold he applied his heart to search and find out wisdome by all things vnder the Sunne. And when he had imployed his wealth, wisedome, and industry in this diligent scru­tinie, and distilled forth euen the purest spirites of these terrestriall bodies, he found amongst them nothing but vanitie; yea the vttermost e­lixar was vanitie of vanities.

If any thing in the world were worth respecting, it must needes be man, for whose vse all things in the world were created; but cō ­cerning him, behold what the Prophet Dauid saieth: The children of men are va­ni [...]y, [Page 18] and as though that were not enough, he addeth, Lay them on the ballance, Psal. 62.9. and they shall be found lighter then va­nitie. If there were any thing excellent in man, it must needs be the internall orna­ments of his soule: but be­hold, as they are meerely naturall, they are exceeding­ly corrupted and depraued.

The wit of man may fitly be compared to the Israe­lites iewels, whereof they made a calfe: for as the same gold being in iewells was precious, but being cast into an Idole became odious: so the wit of man which in the dayes of his innocencie was good and gracious, is in his corrupted estate become vaine and vitious.

The vnderstanding is in the sacred Scripture com­pared to the eye: the princi­pall obiect it should behold is the kingdome of heauen,Mat. 6.22. with al the adiuncts of bles­sednes: but in that office it is as blind as a beetle. And this is herein euident, in that, whē the bright sunne of righte­ousnesse appeared, being the most glorious and most resplendent light that euer shined in the world, hauing Iohn the Baptist the day-star going before him, and ma­nie trumpetters of his mani­festation:Ioh. 1.5. yet that light shined in the darknesse, and the dark­nesse comprehended it not. Tit. 2.11. For had the nature of man bene capable of this grace of God which bringeth saluation to [Page 20] all men, they would neuer haue shut their eyes against the light of that gladde ti­dings,1. Cor. 2.8. nor haue crucified the Lord of glory; and so haue shamefully depriued him of life, who offered himselfe to deliuer them from eternall death.Verse. 14. But the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God: yea they seeme foolishnesse to him.

Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel, yet what grosse ig­norance doth hee shew in the doctrine of our regene­ration? When our Sauiour said:Ioh. 3.4.9. A man must be borne of God, else can he not see the kingdome of God; Nicodemus wondered at it, and thought he had neuer heard a more absurd speech in all his life: [Page 21] and howe much adoe hath Christ to fasten an instructiō vpon him? Hath not expe­rience manifested this in manie of the worldes wise men,Rom. 1.22. who professing them­selues to be wise, haue become fooles? And surely the grosse dotage of mankinde is not more apparent in any thing then in the sottish idolatrie of those, that haue turned the glorie of the immortall God into the similitude of cor­ruptible and base creatures. Verse. 23. If there were any sparke of spiritual knowledge shining in the soule of man, would not the worshippers of idols say to them selues,Esa. 44.19 [...] I haue burnt halfe in the fire, and haue baked bread vppon the coales thereof; I haue rosted [Page 22] flesh and eat it, & shall I make the residue thereof an abho­mination? shall I bow to the stocke of a tree? But thus haue the wise naturall men being left to the guidance of their own corrupt hearts, become exceeding vaine in their co­gitations, Rom. 1.22. verifying the Pro­phets speech:Ier. 10.14. Euery one is a beast by his owne knowledge. Sundry beasts haue wit to finde out remedies for the cure of their maladies, as ex­perience together with the naturall Historian sheweth.Plia. lib. 8. Yea, all liuing creatures haue naturally a care of their safetie, but onely man be­ing wounded by sinne, hath not by the light of nature any wit to seeke for remedy:Amb. Offic. lib. 1. ca. 17. yea only man is carelesse of [Page 23] his eternall saluation. Euery one is wise enough to do euill, Ier. 4.22. but to do wel they haue no vn­derstanding. And no maruell: for as the clearest eie behol­deth not the brightest ob­iect, except the Sun beames doe come betweene to en­lighten it: so the sharpest wits are not able to cōceiue the heauenly mysteries of our redemption, regenera­tion and eternall saluation, without the bright beames of Gods spirit shining into them to enlighten them.

2 True it is, that in hu­mane and ciuill matters the vnderstanding of man hath by nature some insight, yet is the same mixed with ma­nifold imperfections. The Philosophers ignorāt of the [Page 24] fall of man, and the naturall corruption and contagion imprinted in his soule by reason of the same, compare the soule of man to plaine waxe hauing nothing prin­ted on it, but fit for any im­pression;Chrysost. Lactan. lib. 5. cap. 15. and to smooth ta­bles without characters, yet apt to receiue anie inscrip­tion. But Diuines much better (because more con­sonant to the Scriptures) do compare it to an vntilled field,Ier. 4.4. not only lying barren, but yeelding the thornes, weedes and brambles of ini­quitie, till it be husbanded by the spirit of God. Yea Chrisostom maketh the soule worse then such a field,Chr [...]s in Io [...]an hom. 17 initio, and that in sundrie respects. For the earth hauing once re­ceiued [Page 25] seede, brings foorth much fruite, and needs no other sowing: but it is not so with our mindes, which must be often and diligent­ly sowed, that they may once receiue the seed of the word; and then are they sub­iect to thornes to choake it, and to theeues to steale it: they must be kept in conti­nuall dressing, till they come to ripenesse; and then also in continuall tilling, that they may retaine their goodnes. Neither is this imperfection incident to some onely, but to all the sonnes of Adam: as might be instanced in the wisest Grecians and the most politike Romanes,Rom. 1.14. euen whē they haue intended to im­proue their wits.

The best minerals haue their poisons till they be ex­tracted, and the sweetest flowers their faeces, till they be separated: so the best wits haue their folly, till by Gods spirit they be refined. And how can this be otherwise, if we consider that the soule is in the bodie as a stranger in a poore cottage,2 Cor. 5. and must needs therefore be subiect to infinite wants? And if that wits be sharpe and quicke, are they not commonly like the sommer fruit, soone ripe soone rotten; and like the bright flame, quickly kind­led, quickly quenched?

Thus if you will take the weight of mans wit in ciuill things, it will be found like Baltasar too light:Dan. 5. but lay [Page 27] his naturall vnderstanding vpon the ballance with spi­rituall things,Psal. 62. and it shall be found lighter then vanitie it selfe.

3 Yet is not this all the euill incident to this depra­ued facultie, but it is sawced also with that which Salo­mon annexeth to his vani­ties, euen vexation of spirit: For in the multitude of wise­dome is much griefe: Eccles. 1.18 and hee that increas [...]th knowledge, in­creaseth sorrow. The Corin­thians stood much vpō their knowledge, but S. Paul tels them that knowledge puffeth vp: 1. Cor. 8.1. making them to swel like a windie bladder, as it did Simon Magus, Act. 8.9. who in re­gard of his magical skil said, that hee himselfe was some [Page 28] great thing. It is a hard thing to keepe sharpe wits within the compasse of Christian sobrietie.Rom. 12.3. For as the purest substances will mount aloft, and the subtill and ayrie do pierce euery chinke: so the sharpest wits doe often­times soare like the Eagle beyond their reach, till they dazell and burne their eyes; and seeking to prie into the bowels of curiositie, do get into mazes and labyrinths, which yeeld them restlesse toyling taskes with much indignation.

Doth not wit many times beguile her self, and so bring a man into the briars, as no simple man of a shallow conceit falleth? according to the Prophets saying to the [Page 29] Babylonians:Esa 47.10. Thy wisedome hath deceiued thee. And do not the policies and strata­gemes of the wise prooue snares and traps to take them selues withall, whilest their actions beyond their expec­tations are crossed and countermined? according to the Apostles words,Ioh. 5.13. 1. Cor. 3 19. He catcheth the wise in their own craftines. Iosephs brethren thought to preuent the honor foreshe­wed in his dreame, by selling him: howbeit, euen that (tho­rough the ouer-ruling hand of God) became the onely meanes of his aduancement. But thus,Plin. lib. 34. cap. 8. as Perillus inuentiō in making the brazen bull, was his owne ruine: so wit many times deuiseth wea­pons to wound it self. Besides [Page 30] this,As Salust saith of Ca­tilin: Magna vi animi fu [...]t, sed ingenio malo pranc (que). De coniu. Cat. it is commonly seene, that as the best ground brin­geth forth the deadliest poi­soned herbes: so those that are very ingenious are very vicious; and the naturall wit raiseth vp the forts of carnall reason,1. Cor. 10.4.5. and maketh the ba­rikadoes of iniquitie strong to resist the assaults of Gods spirit. This was not vncon­sidered of Sathan,Gen. 3.1. when hee made choise of the Serpent (being the most subtile of all other beasts) to be his in­strument in seducing of the womā in Paradise: in regard whereof, the Apostle hath iust cause to challenge the wisedome of the flesh to be enimitie against God. Rom. 8.7.

Well then, forasmuch as humane wit and wisedome [Page 31] is thus vaine and weake in good things, and so prompt and powerfull in euill;Ier. 9.23. Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome. Pride and disdaine are faults following sharp­nesse of wit, as the shadow accompanieth the bodie: as the King of Tyrus can wit­nesse,Ezec. 28. whose haughtie heart was thereby so lifted vp, that hee thought himselfe equall with God. But la­bour thou to captiuate thy thoughts and thy wit to the wisedome of almightie God reuealed in his word, and let that be thy wisedome and vn­derstanding in the sight of the people: Deut. 4.6. 2. Tim. 3.15 for it hath in it the true sauing wisedome. La­bour to obtaine that diuine wisedome, the merchandize [Page 32] whereof is better then mer­chandize of siluer, Prou. 3.13.15. and the gaine thereof is better then gold, and more precious then pearle. And if thou wilt be truly wise indeed, then feare God:Iob. 18.28. for behold, the feare of the Lord is wisedome, and to depart from euill, is vnder­standing. This is true wise­dome, not to be cunning and expert in worldly vani­ties, but to be wise to salua­tion. Consider now (my Christian brother) how thy soule is furnished with grace to conceiue and vnderstand those mysteries that apper­taine to the kingdome of God: and if thou perceiue thy selfe wanting that way, aske wisedome of the God of wisedome,Iam. 1.5. and desire him [Page 33] to open thine eyes, Psal. 119.18 that thou mayest vnderstand the won­derfull things of his law. But if thou perceiue the light of sanctified knowledge in di­uine things shining into thy soule, remember what our Sauiour said to Simon Peter, Blessed art thou Simon the son of Ionas, Mat. 16.17. for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these thing [...] to thee: so mayst thou iustly count thy selfe blessed and happie, and hast g [...]eat cause to magnifie the Lord for his mercie, who hath giuen thee an vnderstanding heart.

SECTION. 2. Of the Will, and Affections.

HVmane reason and vn­derstanding is vnto the [Page 34] will and affections as the eye to the bodie, the captaine to the souldiers, and the pilot to the shippe: if the eye be dark, the body walkes blind­ly; if the Captaine be igno­rant, the souldiers march disorderly; if the Pilot be vnskilfull, the shippe sailes dangerously: so whilest the will and affections do follow such a blind, ignorant, and vnskilfull guide as the natu­ral vnderstanding is in super­natural things; how can they walk without falling, march without disorder, or sayle without danger of drowning in the Ocean of iniquitie?

Hauing therefore shewed the vanitie of the vnderstan­ding (the guide of the will) the same may be sufficient [Page 35] to demonstrate the vanitie of the will it selfe, which deduceth her election from the same. For if we be insuf­ficient to thinke any (good) thing of our selues, 2. Cor. 3.5. can there be any sufficiencie in vs to will that is good? conside­ring especially that our vn­derstanding is farre fleeter then our will. But lest any should thinke yea, let him remember that as the Apo­stle ascribeth the sufficiencie of our thoughts to God: so he attributeth both the suf­ficiencie and efficiencie of our wils to him saying,Phil. 2.13 that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed: ac­cording to S. Augustines ob­seruation vpon Dauids spee­ches,Psal. 59.11. My mercifull God will [Page 36] preuent me: Psal. 23.6. Doubtlesse mercy and kindnesse shall follow mee: Nolentem [...]raeuenit, &c. Volentem subsequitur, &c. Enchirid. cap. 31. It preuents him being vn­willing to make him will; it followes him close being willing, lest he should will in vaine.

It is the nature of euerie one, by reason of a certaine philautia seated in the soule of man, to flatter himselfe in his owne freedome and suf­ficiencie, as the Iewes did, Iohn 8.33: but S. Paul tea­cheth,Rom. 6.20. that euery vnregenerate man is the seruant of sinne; and that all his free­dome is to be free from righ­teousnesse, Vers. 19. and to giue vp himselfe freely to sinne: from which seruitude also he can neuer be exempted, till the truth make him free. Ioh. 8.32. Yea we [Page 37] are not onely the seruants of sinne,Ephes. 2.5. but euen dead in trespasses, and do lie like La­zarus in the graue of our transgressions. So that as Christ first rolled away the stone of the graue, and then cryed, Lazarus come forth: Ioh. 11.43 Ezec. 36.20 so Almightie God must first take away our stonie heart, and then may our Sauiour call,Mat. 11.21. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden; and we shall be able to say, Loe, I come, or else will his exhortation be in vaine:Ioh. 6.44. for none can come to me (saith Christ) except my Father draw him. Whilest man was in his innocencie, he had both an intelligent hart, and a tractable will; but now he is vnable to will and do good [Page 38] except he be deliuered and helped by grace, P. Lum. lib. 2. dist. 25. q. as the Mai­ster of the Sentences truly teacheth. It fareth with vs as it did with the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezec. 2.1 2. when the Lord bids him rise and stand vpon his feete, he could not doe it till the spirit entred into him and set him vpon his feete: so we must expect that the Lord which commandeth vs shall enable vs,Confes. lib. 10. cap. 29. as Augustine saith: Giue vs Lord, that which thou commaundest, and commaund what thou wilt.

Senten. lib. 1. dist. 17. quest. 2. Scotus his similitude be­ing wisely vnderstood, may serue very well to illustrate this matter: where he com­pareth the will of man to a horse at libertie, and the grace of God to the rider. [Page 39] For by the fall of man, the nature of the will was not taken away, though the qua­litie and condition thereof were chaunged; but as the horse can runne freely with­out a rider, so can the will moue freely without the as­sistance of Gods sauing and sanctifying grace: but as this vnbridled horses race is but a mad and giddy rushing into the battell,Ier. 8.6. as the Pro­phet saith; so the naturall motions of the will are in­clined onely to euill,Gen. 6.5. as the spirit of God teacheth. Thus the will in respect of the ob­iects good and euill, where­of it once had power indif­ferētly to make choise, may be said both to be dead, and to be aliue: because it is a [Page 40] liue to the one and dead to the other, like a man taken with a dead palsie on the one side, but whole and sound on the other; like a fountaine which had a dou­ble course and current till one of them was stopped; and like the opticke nerues, which be whole at the root, though one of the branches be perished. And although in ciuill matters the wil hath more scope, yet is it subiect to many interruptions and impediments: sometimes be­ing abused by corrupt reasō, and sometimes crossed by externall occurrents almost infinite.

Now to this frailty of the will may be added the fro­wardnesse of the affections, [Page 41] which are also sundry waies vaine, hating where they should loue & louing where they should hate. They shold alwayes waite vpon reason as handmaides on their mi­stris: but hauing got the head by ruling in our infan­cie when reason slept, like Hagar they doe often very saucily insult ouer Sara, Bas. Ep. 64. and so become to the minde like the pollution in the glasse, not suffering it to receiue the impression of any image;Chrys. in Ioh hom. 1. like a watrie humor comming betweene the eye and the obiect, and hindering the sight; and like the mud which arising in the water troubleth and con­foundeth the seeing spirits. The affections should be as [Page 42] wings to make vs mount vp to heauen with diuine me­ditations;Col. 3.1. but they are pon­derous bolts and clogs, cau­sing vs to cleaue close to the center of miserie. They should be (as the Philoso­phers call them) the whet­stones of vertue, Cotes virtu­tis. but they are indeed the firebrāds of vice: they are not vnfitly compa­red to the strings of an in­strument: but what naturall man shalbe able to tune thē, except he haue learned Mu­sicke in the Lords quire?

This being now the mise­rable condition of the soule of man in regard of the will and affections, we should not be senslesse in this mise­rie: but be touched with a liuely feeling of our bōdage [Page 43] and slauerie, and be hum­bled in the consideration thereof: so farre should it be frō vs to play the Pelagians, imagining that goodnesse to remaine in our wils which doth not. And indeede, see­ing our vnderstandings are such blinde guides, and our willes such rebellious atten­dants, we haue need to pray with the Prophet:Psal. 103.10. Teach me ô Lord, to do thy will, for thou art my God: let thy good spi­rit leade me into the land of righteousnesse: and in all our cogitations and actions to say with our Sauior:Mat. 26.36. O my fa­ther, not as I will but as thou wilt.

It is the pollicie of Satan to induce, and the frailtie of man to be caried from one [Page 44] extreme to another; either to be double diligent in will worship, or extreme negligēt in commanded obedience; to waxe proud with praises, or carelesse with reproofes. When the Prophet, hauing threatned the Iewes, begins to exhort them, they become carelesse of their conuersion, saying:Ezek. 33.10 If our transgressions and our sinnes be vpon vs, how should we then liue? so there are some peraduenture, which hearing and thinking of this waywardnesse and weakenesse of the will and affections, will be readie to say with themselues: to what purpose should I enterprise any thing that is good? This surely is a great weakenesse. For S. Paul which teacheth [Page 45] that it is neither in him that willeth, nor in him that run­neth, Rom 9.16. but in God that sheweth mercie: did not cease to will,Rom. 7.18. 1. Cor. 9.26.27. and to run; but striued and endeuoured so much the more diligently, by howe much the more he found it difficult, and perceiued his owne disabilitie.

But who art thou that thus wouldst nourish negli­gence in thy selfe? Though thou bee a meere naturall man, yet are ciuill actions in the power of thy will. For what hinders thee in dea­ling vprightly with thy neighbours? and who lets thee to vse the externall meanes of thy conuersion? to come to the Church, to heare the sacred word of [Page 46] God, and to be partaker of his blessed Sacraments? and hast thou not a promise that he which seeketh shall finde? Mat. 7.7. I, but none cā come to Christ but those whom the Father draweth: true it is, but what, dost thou looke to be haled like a beast, and not rather to be led with the cordes of loue? Hos. 11.14. Cant. 1.3. The spouse intreates thus indeede, Draw me: but she addeth presently, We will runne after thee. If thou be regenerate, and the Lord hath changed thy will: then take heede of disobedience. When the Apostle exhorts thee to finish thy saluation with feare and trembling, he inferreth this as a reason to enforce his exhortation: (which some fondly account [Page 47] a reason of libertie) for it is God that worketh both the will and the deede. Phil. 2.12.13. So that Gods worke must not hin­der, but further thy indeuors. Christ lookes that those which are ingrafted into him shold bring forth much fruite.Ioh. 15.5. The Lord cannot a­bide to sustaine losse in anie of his gifts, especially if they be spirituall. Whosoeuer therefore hideth his talents of grace,Mat. 25.30 shall surely be pu­nished. When the Lord had bene verie gracious to Iuda his vineyard,Esa. 5. he expected from it the good fruites of godlinesse: but whē it brings foorth the sowre grapes of iniquitie, he expostulateth with them on this manner: What could I haue done more [Page 48] to my vineyard? and leaues them to their owne censure: Iudge ô ye men of Iuda, and ye inhabitants of Ierusalem, betweene me & my vineyard. Consider then, did not the Lord create thee after his owne image? and behold, thou hast defaced it by sin. Hath he in mercie restored thee, and like a kinde father set thee vp againe, being a banckrupt in grace? What could he doe more for thee? Iudge betweene the Lord and thine owne soule, and grieue not that holy Spirit, which hath changed thy heart, and sealed thee vp to the day of thy redemption.

SECTION. 3. Of the Memorie.

OVr Sauiours saying most needs be true: The seruant is not greater then his master. Ioh. 13.16. Now the Me­morie is but the Vnderstan­dings seruant, and hath in charge the keeping of her conceits; so that if the vn­derstanding be vaine, the memorie cannot be exemp­ted from vanitie. And this is one vaine dependance of the memorie, that it must be preserued and tilled with perpetuall toyle or care, or else it becomes barren: if it be not often whetted, it wa­xeth rustie, and is like the [Page 50] leaues of bookes, which be­ing seldome vsed, do cleaue together. Now besides that the vnderstanding must be a perpetuall drudge for the preseruing of the memorie, the memorie requiteth her ill, like a faithlesse seruant, retaining those things shee should reiect, and reiecting those things she should re­taine; like the sieue which holds fast the course brans, but lets the fine flower fall away:Cic. de fin. bon. lib. 2. so that euery one may say with Themistocles to Si­monides, offering to teach him the art of Memorie: I had rather learne the art of Obliuion; for I remember what I would forget, and forget what I would remem­ber.

Wrongs, reuenges,Man [...]t altamente repo­stū iudictū Paridis. Ʋirg. Aen. lib. 1. and euery discontent, the cogi­tation whereof bringeth anguish and indignation to the soule, the Memorie can easily and ordinarily register. Cains enuie to Abel, and Esaws malice to Iacob. is verie soundly setled and not easily remooued: but good & memorable things are quickly forgotten. When people come to heare the word of God, they com­monly bring chinkie and leaking soules: and there­fore the Apostle biddeth vs take heed that we runne not out.Heb. 2.1. The Sabbath containing the memoriall of our redemption, and a day to be employed in the word of God, and the workes of [Page 52] our saluation, is litle thought on, when mens birth dayes, faires, festiuities, and dayes dedicated to vanities and follies are well remembred. And therefore is the Lord faine to giue a watchword: Remember the Sabbath day. Exod. 20. When men do fauours and kindnesses to men, they thinke that they should be had in euerlasting remem­brance; but the inestimable benefites and blessings of Almightie God, bestowed vpon men, are quickly for­gotten. Let those that wold not deceiue themselues, looke vpon their memories in the Israelites, and there shall they behold, as in a glasse that which may make them blush and be ashamed: [Page 53] Remember the day (sayeth Moses) in the which ye came our of Aegypt. What,Exod. 13.3. is it possible to forget that day, which should be celebrated for a perpetuall memoriall of their wonderfull deliue­rance?Exod. 12.14 Yes surely, for we find that they remembred not the Lords hand, Psal 78.42. nor the day when he deliuered them. Nehem. 4. [...]4 Ne­hemiah bids the Iewes re­member the great Lord and fearfull: a man would thinke that a needlesse exhortation: for how can they but re­member that God, which had kept them as the apple of his eye, led them graci­ously through the wilder­nesse, subdued their many and mightie enemies, and giuen them possession of an [Page 54] excellent inheritance? But wee see that they forgot God their Sauiour, Psa. 106.21 who had done great things for them: (for they did not fruitfully re­member him.) How oft doth Moses exhort them not to forget the law? What, forget the law, which was deliuered in that wonderfull manner vpon mount Sinay, by almightie God himselfe, in flaming fire, with sound of a trumpet, and in the middest of glorious Angels? Yes, they did forget the law,Hos. 4.6. as the Prophet com­plaineth of the best of them. And that this forgetfulnesse was not peculiar to them, let experience speake, and it shall witnesse with mee Though the Lord hath [Page 55] drawne his commandemēts into so short a summe, euen ten words,Deut. 4.13. as they are cal­led: yet how many thousand Christians are there at this day, who are not able to re­peate them, (much lesse to vnderstand them) albeit they can remember other things very readily? Do but sound­ly and seriously examine thy selfe (my Christian brother) and thou shalt finde iust cause to say concerning thy forgetfulnesse both of hea­uenly blessings and diuine instructions,Gen. 41 9. with Pharaohs butler: I call to mind my fault this day. For thou shalt be enforced to confesse, that thou hast let many a good lesson slippe foorth of thy mind, and receiued many a [Page 56] blessing, for which thou hast not bene thankfull.

Well, sithence the me­morie is so defectiue and faultie, it is thy part to seeke the strengthening of it, that what is wanting by nature, may bee supplied by indu­strie and grace; for diligence is the mother and the nurse of memorie. To be briefe, seeing the walles and foun­dations of holinesse are thus battered and defaced in the forts and faculties of thy soule, pray with the Prophet:Psal. 51.12.14. Create in me a new heart, ô God, and renew a right spirit within me: and establish me with thy free spirit. Labor with thy selfe by thine indu­strie, and with God by hear­tie prayer, that thou mayest [Page 57] by the assistance of his holy spirit (the enlightener of the vnderstanding,Ioh. 14.26. the guide of the will, and the reuiuer of the memorie) be enabled to conceiue, affect, and retaine those good things, which in this life may be for thy comfort, and thy euer­lasting saluation in the life to come.

SECTION 4. Of Sciences, Arts and Trades.

THe fountaine being stopped, the streames do soone drie vp; the tree being plucked vp, the leaues and fruit do quickly wither: Sciences, Arts and Trades [Page 58] are the streames, the leaues and the fruite of those fore­named faculties of the soule: which vanishing into the vapour of vanitie, cannot so dignifie their ofspring, that it may be free from vanitie, When the Lord arraigned the malefactors in Paradise, after their conuiction, this was his sentence:Gen. 3.14.19 The Ser­pent shall be a hatefull beast Sathan shall be trampled on by the seed of the woman, Eue shall bring forth in sorrow, and Adam must eate his bread in the sweate of his browes. Loe then, euery mans trade and course of life, though haply it may seeme an ornament, is indeed a punishment, and in that respect must needs be a vanitie.

The contemplatiue life, though it bee much com­mended by the Philosopher,Ar [...]stot. Eth. lib. 10. yet what is it in naturall men, but a vaine speculati­on of certaine idle Ideaes? As for the politicke,ibid. cap. 7. it is full of trouble and trauaile; as Numa Pompilius amongst the Romaines, Lycurgus a­mongst the Lacedaemoni­ans, & Solon amongst the A­thenians can sufficiently wit­nesse:Mach. disp. lib. 1. cap. 2. Casp. Peu­cer. Epist. duci Sax. and is any thing more ordinarie, then the dange­rous and circular mutation of gouernment? This also is faultie in most Common­wealths, that pollicie is pre­ferred before pietie, and the iniuries done to men puni­shed, when the transgres­sions against the immortall [Page 60] God are tollerated.

As for Mechanicall arts, they are counted base and seruile of all those who are esteemed to haue free minds. And if I should trace the se­uerall estates and courses of life,He that lists to do it, may reade Corn. Agrippa, de varutate scientiarum. what degree could I mention (from the highest to the lowest) exempted frō vanity? For if the raigne and rule of Kings be a noble ser­uitude,Aelian de var. hist l. 2. as Antigonus said to his sonne, and a life full of feare and daunger, as Dio­nysius shewed Damocles; what shall we deeme of all inferiour courses and kindes of life?

This is to be obserued in trades and arts, that as they are growne towards perfe­ction, so are they furnished [Page 61] with many additions of euil. When Caine plaid the hus­bandman, & Abel the sheep­heard, such homely foode and fare as nature yeelded, did satisfie and content mē; but now the world falling to nicenesse and curiositie, nothing (though neuer so dainty and costly) is scarce­ly thought good enough. Our ancestors,Camden. Britan. in Cornwal. Macrob. Satur. lib 7 cap. 15. Quo post hominum me­moriam nihil terribilius ab humano inge­nio excogita­ri potest. Pol Virg. de inuent lib. 2. cap. 11. as Antiqui­ties do shew, vsed brasen swords, a mettall that hath in it a curing force: but later ages haue vsed iron, being more hurtfull. And how ma­ny hundred yeares was it, before that hellish inuen­tion of gunnes was knowne in Christendome? but thus euery age, as it waxeth more expert, so it groweth more [Page 62] ingenious in that which is euill and odious.

And what is the end both of the Politicke, Morall, and Mechanicall life? surely no­thing but vanitie.Plutarch. in vita Demost. Why doth Demosthenes deforme him­selfe in the shauing of his head to tie himselfe to his studies, but that he may be famous among the Atheni­ans? What moueth others to trauell ouer the world with Plato, but to satisfie their curious humours,Hieron. in Prolog. gal. or to enrich them selues? And doth not euery one in his trade and course of life, ei­ther labour to sacrifice to crauing necessitie, or seeke to be partaker of dangerous sacietie? If a man do some extraordinary work, though [Page 63] to small purpose, he is ex­tolled to the skies;De var. hist. lib. 1. but Ae­lians censure of the chariot, made (by Myrmecidas and Callicrates) so small, that it might be hid vnder a flie, (in my conceit) was very good: for when others wondred at it, he said it was worthy no wise mans praise, but was rather to be accounted a vaine expence of time. And may not this censure be iust­ly laid vpon most mens acti­ons in their seuerall callings? which are vndertaken for the most part to satisfie the greedie appetite, to decke the house of clay, to satisfie the foolish humors of some, or to get the vaine applause of others; being all, nothing but a vaine expence of time, [Page 64] all beginning and ending in vanitie.

To finish this tract then, let those who follow meane & mechanicall trades, make a vertue of necessitie, by a sober, honest, and conscio­nable vse of the same, for the maintenance of themselues, and their families. Let those that haue addicted them­selues to curious arts, for­sake and sacrifice them as the conuerts (which heard the Apostles) did their bookes.Act. 19.19. Let those that are deuoted to the liberall Sci­ences, make them (as they should be) the handmaides of Diuinitie; yea let euerie one indeuor, that his course of life may be correspon­dent to the profession of [Page 65] Christianitie, and tend to the glorie of God, the good of his Church, and the sal­uation of his owne soule at the last day,Reuel. 2.12. when euery mā must receiue according to his workes.

SEC. 1. A view of those vanities which are called the goods of the bodie: and first of flourishing Youth.

IT was a celestiall Oracle,Esa. 40.4. that thus cēsured mankind: All flesh is grasse, and the grace thereof is as the flower of the field. When E­zekiah had defaced the ser­pent which had defaced [Page 66] Gods glorie, he called it in contempt,1 Kin. 18.4. Nehushtan: it is a peece of brasse; that so it might be vile in the eyes of those who did adore it: so doth the spirit of God call man onely a lumpe of flesh, that the basenesse of this ap­pellation may take away the haughtinesse of his heart, and manifest the vilenesse of his conditiō. And as though that were not sufficient to vilifie and debase him, hee compareth him to grasse: yea the glorie of man, euen the quintessence of his na­turall perfections, to the flower of grasse. And lest this might seeme peculiar to some onely, he appropri­ateth the same to all those whom either nature, art, or [Page 67] fortune haue graced or blessed, saying: All flesh is grasse. Like to this, is that speech of the Prophet Da­uid: Surely euery man in his best estate is altogether va­nitie. Psal. 39.5. Man is vanitie, yea man in his best estate is va­nitie, yea euery man is va­nitie, yea nothing else but vanitie.

This disgracefull decy­phering of man will hardly be beleeued, and therefore he prefixeth an asseueration, Surely: it will smally be re­garded, and therefore he ad­deth a word of considerati­on, Selah. Let vs therefore consider the best estate of man, concerning the orna­ments of his body, as youth, beautie, health, strength, a­gilitie [Page 68] and long life, and in all these we shall finde no­thing but vanitie. Concer­ning this fresh and flourish­ing youth, it is vaine in a double respect. 1. It is very momentanie, and passeth a­way swiftly. 2. It is the nurse and pandor of iniquitie.

1 The clearest wine by standing comes in time to haue lees, and dregges, and tartnesse: so the purest part of our age doth in time ga­ther the dregs of lothsome old age, and becomes tart and sowre to our selues, and full of morositie and fro­wardnesse to others. And as it is in wines, so it is often in our liues; the purest part of our dayes seeme to runne away swiftly, but the dregs [Page 69] of tedious ol [...] age stick long by vs. F [...]r euery one is cari­ed in Times chariot, which is drawne with the two rest­lesse steedes, Motion and Mutation, which neuer stan­deth still, till she be by death discharged of her passen­gers. Doth it not often come to passe, that as forward springs are nipped by sharpe frosts, and kindly slips bro­ken off when they are ten­der: so the brauest gallant is cut off in the flower of his age; and being arrested by death in the prime of his youth, is caried violently to the graue? But suppose the fatall dart be a while esca­ped: yet as the apple falleth from the tree by ripenesse, and the fire goeth out of it [Page 70] selfe, though it be not quen­ched: so man, if by no fatall accident, yet by the course of nature turnes at last to earth, from whence he was taken.Sensun sine sensu Cic. de sencēt. The shadow of the dyall paceth it so slowly, that the motion thereof is not to be discerned, yet we see that in a dayes space it will go from the East to the West: so the life of m [...]n passeth away very slily, yet is he quickly at the West and declining of his dayes, be­fore he be aware. Euen whi­lest thou art reading this, whosoeuer thou art, albeit thou doest not consider it, the threed of thy life is wea­ring, the oyle of thy lampe wasting, and time is carying thee to the habitation of [Page 71] darknesse.Sen epi. 71. initio. The mariners first lose the sight of their friends, then of the cities, and at last of the shores and bankes: so is euery man by degrees depriued first of his youth, then of his middle age, and lastly of his hoarie dayes, if haply he be not pre­uented by vntimely death. For indeed there is nothing more certaine then death, yet nothing more vncertain then the times and kindes of death, as antiquities, toge­ther with dayly experience can testifie.Fabian. pars 7. cap. 225. William Rufus a king of England was slaine with an arrow shotte at a Hart by a knight, as Basilius Macedo the Romaine Em­perour was with the stroke of a Hart in hunting. Carus [Page 72] and F. Ʋalerius Anastasius the Emperours perished by lightning.Ioh. Bap. Ig­natius Rom. princip. li­bris. 1 & 2 Sucton. in vita Claud. Caesar. c. 27. Young Drusus Pompey the son of the Em­peror Claudius, was choked with a peare, which he cast vp and caught in his mouth in sport.Gaguin. de gestis Fran. lib. 9. in vit. Caroli sexti. Charles a king of Nauarre had a straunge death: for being sewed in a sheete by night, that hee might be bathed in it, hee that sewed it by burning off the threed with a candle, set fire vpon the sheete; where­with the king being pitiful­ly burned, died within three daies after. Eurypides the Poet was torne with dogs. Anacreon (as Plinie writeth) was choked with the stone of a raisin,Plin hist. natu li. 7 7 cap. 7. and Marius with a haue in a messe of milke: [Page 73] yea Plinie himselfe perished by the strange fire of mount Ʋesevus, Munster. Cosmogr. in descrip. Ital. whilest he was see­king to know the reason and nature of it. But why go I a­bout to particularize those things that are infinite: yea when some haue ended their liues by laughing?Valer. Ma [...] lib. 9. Aul Gel. noct. A [...] Seneca Ep. 71. For the e­ternall Law hath giuen vs one kind of entrance into life, but diuerse (yea innumerable) passages forth of it: and albeit the Sunne knoweth his going downe; Psal. 104.19 yet the sonnes of men know not the setting of their dayes, and the Vesper of their life.

2 As youth is fraile and fading,Temeritas est adoles­centiae. Cic. de sen [...]ct. so is it enuironed with many follies. It is rash & inconsiderate in enterpri­ses: as might be instanced in [Page 74] such as Terentius Varro, who succeeding warie Fabius in the Dictatorship,Plutarc. in vita Fab. lost in one battell through his rashnesse 64000. souldiers. But that wofull renting of the king­domes of Israel and Iuda, caused by the rash and indis­creete aduice of Rehoboams young counsellors,2. Kin. 12.8 may suf­ficiently demonstrate this. True it is, that young men many times haue sharpe wits:Hieron. ad Nepot. ferè initio. but as the fire in greene wood is suffocated by moist vapors, that it cannot shine brightly; so wisedome in youth is hindred, and smoo­thered by temptations and concupiscence, that it can­not shine and shew foorth her brightnesse. Againe, youth is full of arrogancie, [Page 75] rancor and reuenge; so that humilitie and mildnesse is verie rare amongst young men. And therefore Saint Chrysostom compareth youth to the surging sea,Serm. cum Presbyter esset desig­natus. full of rough windes and raging waters; and old age to the hauen of the mindes tran­quillitie.

But why do I endeuor to reckon vp the enormities of youth, which is prone to all manner of sinne, carying in his bosome the fire and fuell of iniquitie. For now the vngodly hauing strength and other oportunities an­swering his disposition,Iob 20.11.12. Fils his bones with sinne, and wic­kednesse is sweet in his mouth. Pro. 7.6. It was a young man that Sa­lomon saw intrapped in the [Page 76] wily snares of the strange woman; and that makes him thus to taxe by an ironicall reproofe this licentious age: Reioyce ô young man in thy youth, Eccl [...]s. 11.9. and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. What, would the Prea­cher perswade youth to dis­solutenesse? nothing lesse, but hee doth onely expresse the dissolutenesse of young men, which set open the windowes of their eyes, en­large the closet of their hearts, and make speedie the feete of their affections, to act and accomplish that which is euill. This Dauid did acknowledge,Psal. 25.7. when he desired pardon for the sinnes [Page 77] of his youth: J [...]r. 31.19. and Ieremy when being conuerted by repen­tance, he was ashamed, yea e­uen confounded because he did beare the sinnes of his youth. In regard of all which, I may iustly conclude in Salomons words:Eccle. 11.10 Childhood and youth are vanitie.

Forasmuch then as flou­rishing youth hath such fol­lowing inconueniences, as si [...]knesse, old age, and death; with such preiudiciall com­panions, as indiscretion, rashnesse, pride, and pro­phanenesse, why is it h [...]d in such admiration, as we see it is? Yea forasmuch as it is a flaming fire, and a surging sea of sinne, haue we not ra­ther cause to desire that this fire were quenched, this wa­ter [Page 78] calmed, and our selues arriued at the quiet hauens of stayed old age? But si­thence the Almightie hath decreed the varietie of our dayes, and that we must tast of the adiuncts peculiar to euery age wherein we liue; let those that are young, thinke vpon Salomons ex­hortation:Eccles. 12.1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth: an exhortation very needfull. For most do liue loosly in their youth, reser­uing old age for godlinesse, offering sinne and Sathan the flower of their daies, and keeping rottennesse for the Lord: but with such sacrifi­ces God wil not be pleased: besides that, these mens con­tinuance in sinne in their [Page 79] youth, makes it so habituall, that it will hardly be sh [...]ked off when they are old. Let those that are young there­fore cleanse their wayes, by taking heede thereunto accor­ding to Gods word. Psal. 119.9. And let them season the yong vessels of their soules with the sweet & wholsome liquor of piety, that they may sauour of the same so long as they liue.

SECTION. 2. Of Beautie, Strength, and Agilitie.

WHen man was first created, as diuine vertues adorned his minde, so glorious maiestie & beau­tie shined in his face and [Page 80] shape: but through his fall, the ornaments of his soule were defaced, and by the same the seemlinesse of his bodie was deformed, quan­tum mutatus ab illo? He that had seene Adam in Paradise, and afterwards met him in the vast fields, would neuer haue knowne him to be the same man: and in this defa­ced and deformed image,Gen. 5.3. did he beget his posteritie; so that the reliques of our moderne beautie, are but like the ruinous walles of a razed citie, the rotten stocke of a flourishing tree, and the withered stemme of a fra­grant flower? Yet is this de­faced and deformed beautie too much set by, though it be vaine in substance, vari­able [Page 81] in durance, dangerous to the beholder, and oft­times hurtfull to the posses­sour.

1 Those were words wor­thy the mother of Salomon: Fauour is deceitfull, Pro. 31.30· and beau­tie is vaine. As many flow­ers are faire to the eye, which are nothing pleasing to the smell, and as many a stinking and stinging nettle groweth with the sweete smelling rose: so the painted sepulchers of this vile bodie haue nothing buried in them but filthinesse, and oft times vnder the faire countenance there lurkes very foule conditions: thus is fauour deceitfull. 2. And what, is not beautie like the drops of deaw, which are either [Page 82] drawne vp with the Sunne, or dried vp with the winde? For sicknesse will change it, sorrow will waste it, age will wither it, and death con­sume it. What an alteration will a poore tertian feauer make in a faire face? When Naomi returned to Bethle­hem, Ruth. 1. shee was so chaunged with the griefe of her hus­band and sons deaths, that euery one wondred at her, saying: Is not this Naomi? And though beautie escape sorrow and sicknesse, yet age will seize vpon it, whose propertie it is to set wrin­kles in the smooth fore­head, and to change the snowie and vermilion face into a wan and swarthie co­lour: neither is it more pos­sible [Page 83] to preuent this, then to stay the course of time. There was neuer any so beautifull by the vnion of symetricall proportions, o [...] the wel disposing of colours. (which things concurre to the perfection of beautie) but shee might say in time with Naomi, Call me not Na­omi, but call me Marah. And when as sicknesse, sorrow, and old age haue battered the faire forts of beautie, death dischargeth her Can­nons, and layeth her flat vp­on the earth; and then the fairest face that euer was by nature or art, must be tram­pled vpon with the feete, ea­ten with wormes, or consu­med with lothsome rotten­nesse: and then what diffe­rence [Page 84] can a man finde be­tweene Thersites and Nar­cissus? The Epitaph of Rosa­mund that mirrour of beauty is worthy the remembrance:

Thus is beautie vaine. Yea the more the beautie, the greater the vanitie. As the softest stone is easily pier­ced, the finest lawne quick­liest stained, and the freshest flower soonest withered: so the most resplendent beautie is foonest consu­med.

3 As beautie is vaine and variable, so is it dangerous to the beholder: whereof Salomon hauing had wofull [Page 85] experience, warneth his son not to d sire the beautie of the strange woman, Pro· 6.25. nor to let her take him with her eye lids. And there is reason of his borrowed speech: for beau­tie is an enchauntresse and bewitcheth, a net and en­tangleth, a fire and enfla­meth, a baited hooke and catcheth.Gen. 6.1. The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire, and they tooke them wiues of all that they li­ked. 2. Sam. 11.12. Dauid from the top of his pallace saw beautifull Bathsheba washing her selfe, and his heart was inflamed towards her. Loe, those that for their religious education were called the sonnes of God; and hee that for his vertuous conuersation was [Page 86] counted a man after Gods owne heart, are insnared by beautie; and the one makes prophane mariages, the o­ther commits vnlawfull a­dulterie. The wise mans counsell is therefore wor­thy the taking:Eccles. 9.8. Turne away thine eyes from beholding a beautifull woman. And his reason is worth the noting; for many haue perished by the beautie of women. The truth of which, the deadly broiles raised betweene the Phoe­nicians and the Grecians,Herod. in Clio. initio. through their mutuall rapes, can sufficiently testifie.

4 Neither are these the hurtfull bounds of beauties snares, thus to hurt the be­holder; but like as the Basi­liske, by beholding himselfe [Page 87] in a glasse,As to Lucre­tia and Vir­ginia. Liu. lib. 1. & 3. is killed with the reflecting of his owne poy­son: so doth beautie many times turne to the bane of the possessour.Gen. 34. If Dina had not bene faire, it is like she had neuer bene deflowred. So that as Absalon perished with his owne haire which hee kept very curiously:2. Sam. 18. so diuers haue bene destroyed by their beautie, which they haue preserued most care­fully.Gen 12. Gen. 26. This Abraham in Egypt and Isaac in Palestina con­sidered, when they feared to acknowledge their owne wiues; lest their beautie might haue bene the losse of the womens honestie, and the husbands liues. And this was the Poets obserua­tion in Peneius speech to his [Page 88] daughter Daphne: Votoque tuo tua forma repugnat. Ouid. Met. lib. 1. that rare beautie and perpetuall vir­ginitie would hardly dwell together. Yea happie had many a one bene if she had bene deformed, for then she had neuer bene defiled.

And is beautie thus vaine? then learne to despise it: is it so dangerous? then haue a care to shunne it. Oh, what cost, and care, and art, doe many vse to nourish a secret enemie to themselues, and an engine for others? Is beautie a vanitie? then pray with Dauid, Psal. 119.37 Turne away mine eyes (O Lord) from be­holding vanitie: and practise with Iob, Iob. 31.1. I haue made a co­uenant with mine eyes. Binde both thine eyes and thy heart to the good a bearing, [Page 89] and suffer not thine eyes to behold it in others, nor thy heart to affect it in thy selfe. But if thy heart beginne a little to be seduced, do but thinke with thy selfe, what filth lyeth hid in that bodie which bewitcheth thee: and the same may be a medicine to preuent a dangerous ma­ladie.Gen. 18. I am but dust and ashes (saith Abraham;) the ashes were once a faire greene tree, before the beautie of it vanished in the fire. What folly is it to be so nice and curious in trimming of dust and ashes, which though like the greene tree it make a faire shew for a time, yet hath a hundred fires kindled to consume it; sorrow, sicknesse, age and death? yea [Page 90] which cannot enioy the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne, but it fadeth? Deck thy soule with vertues, and adorne thy heart with grace: this internall beautie is eternall.

To meete a beautifull bo­die hath bene counted omi­nous, but now I am sure it is dangerous: yet if thou da­rest giue thine eyes libertie to behold any beautifull ob­iect, let that be a hand to direct and leade thee to a better meditation. Magnifie the wisedome of God in his workmanship, and thinke vpon the beautie of heauen: what a sweet thing it will be to behold Christ Iesus and all the celestiall companie in most resplendent glorie: [Page 91] and let thy meditation pon­der the future glorious change of thy vile bodie;Phil. 3. that although the fame be turned into dust and ashes, yet at the last day it may be beautifull, as the brightnesse of the firmament,Dan. 12.3. and may shine like the starres for euer and euer.

Now the same that hath bene said of beautie, may be said of strength and agi­litie; which albeit they do not alwayes grow on the same stalke, yet they fade with the same windes, and are withered with the same Sunne of sorrow, sicknesse, age and death. We haue heard of few that could say with Caleb: I am this day fourescore and fiue yeares old, Ios. 14.10.11. [Page 92] yet am I as strong at this time, as I was when Moses sent me: meaning when he was fortie yeares old.Vers. 7. Abishai and Be­naiah were goodly men,2. Sam. 23.18.20. and of admirable strength, able to kill hundreds, and to con­quer mighty giants; yet they with Dauids three worthies (more gallāt men then they) are many hūdred years since turned into dust. Beautie sometime turnes to the bane of the possessor. And did not Sampsons strength pluck the house downe vpon his owne head?Iudg. 16. If any one therefore be lustie and strong, let him remember the Prophets ex­hortation:Ier. 9.23. Let not the strong man glorie in his strength, because it is folly to glorie in a vanity: but let him reioyce [Page 93] and glorie in the Lord, and be able to say,Psal. 27 &c The Lord is my strength: and as the Apostle exhorteth,Eph 6. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. To resist the diuell, and to withstand his temp­tations, is a thing that requi­reth strength and courage: to this purpose labor to vnite all thy forces: this is true strength and valour, and this onely obtaineth the crowns of true felicitie.

SECTION 3. Of Health.

OF all the temporall be­nefites that Almightie God bestoweth vpon vs in this life, [...]. there is none more excellent then health, as Me­nander [Page 94] truly saith: seeing it is that which permits a be­ing to the goods of the bo­die, and admits an accep­table being to the goods of fortune (as they are called.) For when the Lord with re­bukes doth chasten man for sinne, Psal. 39.11. he maketh whatsoeuer is desirable in him to consume away like a moath fretting a garment. When the Lord layeth the hand of visita­tion vpon men, then health, strength, beautie, and what­soeuer seemes gracious in them, consumeth and va­nisheth like the moath-ea­ten garment. When the Lord said to Abraham, Gen. 15.2. I am thy exceeding great reward: Abraham answered, O Lord what wilt thou giue me, seeing [Page 95] I go childlesse? So may a sicke man say: What wilt thou giue me, seeing I am health­lesse? Abraham cared not for all the wealth in the world when he wanted an heire: and what are all the temporall blessings in the world to a man that wants his health? Yet is health (which seasoneth all the blessings of this life) but vaine: For euerie man in his best estate is altogether va­nitie.

Man that is borne of a wo­man, Iob. 14.1. is but of short continu­ance, and full of trouble: he shooteth vp like a flower, and is cut downe: he vanisheth as a shadow, and continueth not. Lo this is the condition of mankind, that he neuer con­tinueth [Page 96] in the same condi­tion. But as the flower to day flourisheth, and to mor­row withereth: so health is quickly changed into sick­nesse. The Moone is not more variable in her chan­ging, the sea in her ebbing and flowing, the heauens in their ouercasting, then man is in the change of his e­state: now well, and pre­sently sicke; to day trium­phing on the Theater, to morrow groning on the couch, or happely groue­ling in the graue. The sea is not more subiect to tossing and raging with her foure contrarie windes, then the bodie of man is with his foure contrarie humours; which being disordered, do [Page 97] ingender infinite diseases. How manie hundred infir­mities haue the skilfull Phy­sitians discerned mans bodie subiect to? yea how many are there, whereof no true cause can be assigned, no cure can be obtained? A clocke is a thing hardly kept in tune, because it hath so many wheeles and gimbols to be tempered: so the bodie of man is hardly preserued long in health, it hath so ma­ny variable and tender parts to be preserued. Hence it commeth to passe, that as the Israelites expecting li­bertie, were more inthral­led; so when men promise to themselues health and soundnesse, they are oft­times assayled by sodaine [Page 98] sicknes. A fearfull trembling (the messenger of death) shakes the ioynts of Balta­sar at his banket:Dan 5. the rich man is arrested by deaths sergeant in his bed:Luke 12. and a deadly headach meeteth the Shunamites child in the field. 2. Kin. 4. Thus no state or condi­tion is exempted from sick­nesse, or hath securitie of health: neither the young child, the old man, nor the mightie king. Iesus loued Lazarus, Iohn 11. yet behold he was sicke: Dauid a holy man, and an honorable king,Passim in Psalmis. yet was often brought low with sundrie infirmities: so that Christs loue is no preuen­ting priuiledge, godlinesse is no supersedeas for sicke­nesse.

2 Besides that health is thus variable, it is also dan­gerous, being the nurse of securitie, and the mother of impenitencie.Psal. 73.4.9 For whilest the wicked haue no bands in their death, but are lustie and strong, pride and crueltie, li­centiousnesse and blasphe­mie are their practises: inso­much that they set their mouth against heauen. A­lexander the Great was once so puft vp with pride,Q. Curt. l. 7. that he thought himselfe immor­tall: but being striken with a stone, he felt the paine of a festered wound, and then he faw his folly, and acknow­ledged his mortalitie. So we haue need that sicknesse ring vs sometimes the war­ning peales of death, with­out [Page 100] which we are in dang [...]r to grow secure, and forget­full of our miserable condi­tion. It is a hard thing to perswade a man, that sicknesse can haue any goodnesse in it. For no chastening for the present seemeth ioyous but grieuous: Heb. 12.11. and men com­monly look vpō that which is present, and so do finde irksomnesse, because of the feare of death, the paines of bodie, and the losse of pleasure: but if they would cast their eyes vpon the fu­ture effects of it, they should find that afterwards it brin­geth the quiet fruites of righ­teousnesse to them that are thereby exercised.

1 It is the pathway to humiliation and repentance. [Page 101] Moab being at rest from his youth, setled on his lees of sinne, Ier. 48.11. had the taste of his iniquitie remaining, and the sent of his abhomination was not chaun­ged: but Israel being smit­ten, sought God early. Psal. 78.34. Gen. 20. And Abimelech when his family was visited with sicknesse for Saraes sake, repented and rose vp early to restore her to her husband.

2 It is an argument of Gods loue.P [...]ou 3.12. For as fathers chastise those children whō they fauour: so dealeth Al­mightie God with his chil­dren; whom he loueth he cha­steneth, Reu. 3.19. and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth.

3 It stirreth vp to the studious, loue and practise of pietie: and therefore Da­uid [Page 102] saith,Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest ô Lord, and teachest in thy law: in which respect, that saying is true, [...]. Quae nocent docent. Corrections are instru­ctions.

4 It is a meanes to keepe from hell and condemnati­on, as Saint Paul sheweth: who speaking of the Corin­thians visitation with weak­nesse, sicknesse and death, saith, that they were thus cha­stened of the Lord, 1. Cor. 11.30 32. that they might not be condemned with the world. For as Physitians do sometimes cast their pa­tients into the fit of an ague to deliuer them from a more daungerous sicknesse: so Al­mightie God doth many times inflict vpon his chil­dren some temporall affli­ction, [Page 103] that he may deliuer them from eternall destru­ction.Percutu vt sanes. Aug. Confes. lib. 2 cap. 2.

5 It is a meanes to make vs loath this transitorie life, and to lift vp our hearts to the expectation of eternall life. Whilest the Israelites had peace in Aegypt, they neuer thought vpon the land of Chanaan: so men being alwayes in health, are verie much besotted with the loue of this world, and forget their saluation: but sicknesse catcheth vs by the hand,Gen. 19. as the Angell caught Lot when he lingred in So­dome, and biddeth vs haste to our euerlasting habitati­on in that kingdome, which hath neither sorow nor sick­nesse.

Here then, in viewing the vanitie of health, we may see the worlds errone­ous opinion concerning the same. For if a man might liue in health all his life time, and neuer be troubled with aches, sicknesse, sores, or any corporall infirmities, hee should be deemed the hap­piest man liuing: but wo be to them that haue their con­solation in this world (saith our Sauior:Luk. 6.) for except God be exceedingly mercifull to them, they are in the way to eternall destruction; and howsoeuer the world iudge, yet questionlesse they are happie whom the Lord chasteneth, for them he lo­ueth. It is a fond conceit to thinke that wee may go [Page 105] to heauen, as it were in fea­ther beds: the Cherubims kept the East side of Paradise; and affliction is the por­ter to the kingdome of hea­uen. If thou enioy health, praise God for it, but take heede it be not an occasion of thy ruine: and if God vi­site thee with sicknesse, embrace it thankfully, as an ar­gument of his loue, a meanes to restraine thee from sinne, and an excellent pledge of thy euerlasting happinesse.

SECTION 4. Of long life.

ALthough long life be a blessing of G [...]d, and a temporall reward of pietie;Ephes. 6.2. yet is it (being considered [Page 106] in it selfe) nothing else but vanity. For if the present fru­ition of the things of this life be vaine, how can the con­tinuance thereof be other­wise? there is nothing more vncertaine then long life, as the Scriptures teach, and ex­perience doth manifest.

We come into this world like actors vpon a stage, and though some haue longer parts then others, yet who­soeuer liueth longest, and leades the merriest life, may say with Iacob at the last: Few and euill haue the dayes of my pilgrimage bene. Gen 47.9. This life is but a pilgrimage, and this world an Inne to rest at, not a house to inhabite: the dayes we spend are few saith Iacob, Cic. de Sen. Heb. 13.14. yet was hee an hun­dred [Page 107] and thirtie yeares old. Of the time that is past, wee iudge rightly, but of that to come, erroneously: for it is hope of long life that makes life seeme long, as Augustine hath well obserued;In Psal. 6. and no­thing seemes to haue benc more speedie then that which is past. The Prophet Dauid casting the ordinarie summe of mans yeares (ha­uing therein in my conceit some particular respect to his owne age) sayth:Psal. 90.10 The time of our life is threescore yeares and tenne: and though some be so strong, that they come to fourescore yeares, yet is their strength then but labor and sorrow: it is cut off quick­ly, and we flie away. If Dauids fourescore yeares yeeld labour [Page 108] and sorrow, how much more shall Iacobs six score & ten? It is a strange thing, and to be admired, to see how men delight in youth, and yet desire old age; and how they desire long life, and yet long after the end of their life; whilest they wish for this day and that, and haue still a longing expectation of the future time: but thus do the cogitations of their hearts striue like the twins in Rebeccaes wombe.Gen. 25.

2 My dayes haue bene euill. saith Iacob, and so he con­demnes them as well for the qualitie, as the quantitie: and the same censure that Iacob giues vpon his owne dayes, Salomon pronounceth vpon euery mans:Eccles. 1.8. All things are [Page 109] full of labour, man cannot vt­ter it. If Salomon could not, who shal be able to expresse the calamities of this life? The sea hath but twelue contrary windes: but when wee are borne, wee launch into an Ocean replenished with twelue thousand calamities. Hereof Elias had experience, when sitting downe vnder the Iuniper tree, he desired that he might die, saying: It is now enough, O Lord, 1. Kin. 19.4 take my soule, for I am no better then my fathers. Yea, this was not vnconsidered of the Transians,Herodot in Tirpsi. initio. who at the birth of any child, vsed to sit downe and weepe, recoun­ting the calamities that were by it to be encountred: but when any one dyed, [Page 110] they sported and reioyced, rehearsing the miseries from which he was deliuered. But what is this to the spirituall calamitie and miserie of sin, which is increased by old age, and the debts of our transgressions, which are augmented by long life? It is a worthie question of Ie­rome; Hieron. ad Heliador. What difference is there betweene him that hath liued ten yeares, and him that hath liued a thou­sand years, sauing that when death comes, hee that is the oldest goeth to the graue loaden with the greatest burthen of sinnes? If a man grow dayly in debt and be­hind hand, we say he hath a good turne, when God hath taken him soorth of [Page 111] the world; how much more should we thinke him hap­pie, who is by death deliue­red from running further in­to the debts of sin,Rom. 3.19. whereby he is brought into the Lords danger?

These euils are great which long life bringeth vpon vs; but besides, it kee­peth good things from vs, and vs from good things. For we know that whilest we are at home in the body, 2. Cor. 5.6. we are absent from the Lord. The desire of long life makes vs forget eternall life, and the hope thereof causeth the neglect of our preparation to death: for whilest euery one thinks he may liue yet a little longer, hee perswades himselfe that hee hath time [Page 112] enough to repent. Is not he a foolish souldier that would haue the warres rather pro­longed, then ended, that he may haue the trophees of victorie? Now our life being a warfare, and the day of our death, the day of honour and triumph; is there not iust cause, that they which haue receiued the first fruite of the spirit, Rom. 8. should sigh for their ful and final redemption? But this being the vanitie of long life, all those world-lo­uers are iustly taxed, who (like the Israelites) would make a Canaan of Aegypt, and heauenly mansions of this earthly habitation; be­ing loth to forsake it, though they be subiect to a thou­sand inconueniences in it. [Page 113] But as those that are much giuen to wine, will not stick to drinke the lees: so those that loue this world and life too well, will rather em­brace old age with all the preiudices thereof, then leaue it. What is there in this life to be desired? and if there were any thing, yet what is that to the life to come? To say the most for long life; say that the Lord offereth vs two iewels, the one base and temporall, the other excellent and eternall: is it not extreame folly to preferre the temporall be­fore the eternall? And such is the folly of those which preferre long life in this world, before eternall life in the world to come. But [Page 114] what? is it not lawfull to de­sire long life? surely yes, with that condition implyed in Dauids prayer:Psal. 30.9. Shall the dust giue thanks vnto thee? If thou desire to glorifie God by li­uing long, then mayest thou desire it: and so doing, may­est haue great hope to ob­taine it.

SEC. 1. A view of those externall va­nities which are called the goods of Fortune: and first of Nobilitie.

WHen Dalilah would betray Sampson into the hands of the Philistims,Iudg. 16.6. [Page 115] shee intreateth him to tell her, wherein his great strength lay; knowing that if once the same were wea­kened, hee might easily be vanquished. Euery souldier that can approch to the standard, or come neare the Ge­nerall, will preasse hard, and aduenture with daunger to encounter them: considering that the one being the eye, the other the voyce of the armie, in their victorie con­sisteth the glorie of the con­quest. The like course haue I thought good to take in this spiritual warfare: for be­ing to encounter the com­bined forces of the minde, the bodie, and of Fortune; I first assayed to set vpon the ornaments of the minde, af­terwards [Page 116] assaulted the arma­do of the bodie: which be­ing like the lockes of Samp­son, and the Captaine and standard-bearer of the armie thou shalt finde foyled and slaine, except thy heart yeeld balme to cure them; and their fires quenched, vnlesse thy affections send foorth oyle to kindle them. And now by Gods grace I will encounter the stragling and vnranged forces of Fortune. And first I wil beginne with Nobilitie, a meere externall good which happeneth vn­to men in their birth, onely through their auncestors worthinesse.

Those that are stict in the decyphering and bla­zing of gentrie, account [Page 117] none noble, but such as are remoued a third degree frō ignobilitie:Nam genus & proauos & quae non fec [...]mus ipsi, Vi [...]ea nostra voco. Ou [...]. Met. lib. 13. holding absurd­ly, that the auncestors can giue that they haue not, and decking fondly the naked and new borne babe with the plumes of his progeni­tors. If descents make nobi­litie, how cometh it to passe then, that many of most an­cient families haue lost their generositie by antiquitie, whilest wealth the nurse of Nobilitie hath fayled? But thus indeed they make No­bilitie like the shippe that brought home the youth of Greece, which was pee­ced with sundrie plankes; that at last it had nothing of that matter whereof it was made. I haue read a [Page 118] pleasant storie of a great Prince, who standing much vpon these vanities, was perswaded by one which knew how to fit his humor, that his noble pedegree might be deduced from No­ahs arke: wherewith when he being much affected, did wholly addict himselfe to the searching foorth of that; his ieaster told him, that his endeuour therein would be nothing honourable to him; for if you fetch your pede­gree from Noahs ark (quoth he) my selfe and other such simple fellowes as I am, who now reuerence you as a god, shall prooue your poore kinsmen: a worthy reproofe of a proud conceit and a fond enterprise. If [Page 119] there be any that stand vpon these tearmes, it will not be hard to fetch his originall sixteene hundred yeares be­yond the time of the floud, euen from Adam, but with like inglorious successe: for in him through a trecherous rebellion against his God, hee shall finde his bloud so stained, that all the men and Angels in heauen and earth are not able to restore it. If vertue were deriued by pro­pagation as vice is, and if parents could as well impart vnto their children their prowesse as their pollution, Nobility were an ornament of most honourable respect: but seeing that as the dead­ly hemlocke groweth in the fertile ground, and rich ore [Page 120] is digged foorth of the bar­ren soyle: so vertuous and honourable children many times proceed from meane parentage, and base and ig­noble descend from hono­rable progenitors. And see­ing that vertue (the onely foundation of true Nobili­tie) is an acquisit and diuine­ly instilled habit;Nobilitas sola est at (que) vnica virtus there is no reason that noblenesse of birth should be so priced as it is.

It is not the descent in birth, but the liuing vertu­ously and dying godly that yeelds true Nobilitie, ac­cording to that of Seneca: Philosophie found not Plato a Noble man,Sen. Epi. 44. but made him one.Chrysostom. What disparagement was it to Abraham, that [Page 121] his father was an idolater in Ʋrre of the Chaldees?Iosua 24.2. or what disgrace to Timothy, Acts 16.1. that his father was a Gen­tile? surely none at all, seeing they both became truly no­ble by their vertues: and as little honour was it to Cham that he was the sonne of iust and noble Noah, seeing he himselfe was leud and vici­ous. When the Lord chose a King ouer Israel,1. Sam. 9.21. it was out of the smallest tribe: when Christ called his disci­ples,Mat. 4. they were of the mea­nest sort of people: and at the promulgation of the Gospell,1. Cor. 1.26. not many wise men after the flesh, not many mightie, not many noble, are called; but the simplest, the meanest and most despi­sed, [Page 122] that no man should glo­rie in his birth, or boast of his nobilitie: and man was made out of Paradise, the woman in Paradise,S. Ambrose. that it may appeare, nobilitie not to depend vpon place or posteritie. Now to the va­nitie of Nobilitie, this may be added (which experience daily verifieth) That to some nobilitie of birth begets igno­bilitie of minde, Greg dial. lib. 1 c. 16. Plutar. in vita co [...]iol. and vntimely honour doth hinder many from honorable attempts; so that whilest the eyes of all men are vpon such, tasking them with their expectation, and taxing their defects and de­faults with their censures, they staine their stocke and disgrace themselues, by de­generating from their ver­tuous [Page 123] auncestors. But what, is Nobilitie of no more re­putation? Truely that may be fitly sayd of Nobilitie which Salomon speaketh of old age: Age is a crowne of glorie, Pro. 16.31 when it is found in the wayes of righteousnesse. A double honour belongs to those that ioyne vertue of life to their Nobilitie of birth, and noble descents make grace more gracious in the eyes of men and An­gels: but contrarily, he that hath onely the honourable ensignes of his auncestors, may be a man of note,Notus ma­gis quam nobilis. Sen. but he is not truely noble. The Iewes bragged of their birth, and boasted that they were the children of Abra­ham: but being vngracious, [Page 124] our Sauiour tels them they are the children of the Di­uell,Ioh. 8.44. and giue sinne and ini­quity for their badge, as their father did before them. And Iohn the Baptist can teach vs, that although a man be a slippe or stemme of what tree soeuer, if he bring not forth good fruite, he shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire.Math. 3.10.

Let all those therefore whom their birth hath thus blessed, that they are borne the sonnes or daughters of Nobles and Gentles, consi­der that the same should not make them ambitious, but industrious; and if the vaine­glorious cogitation of any ones auncestors honour be­gin too much to affect him, [Page 125] let him looke into their graues, and there shall hee see his hereditarie ensign [...]s of honour, and be compel­led to acknowledge with Iob: I said to corruption, Iob 17.14. Thou art my father; & to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. In a word, whosoeuer thou art, noble or ignoble in the eyes of the world, yet if thou embrace the mercies of God and the merites of Christ with a liuely faith,Ioh. 1.12. and haue the new birth of the immort [...]ll seede of Gods word,1. Pet. 1.23. with an vnfained de­sire and a fruitfull endeuour to serue him; then art thou truly noble in the sight of God, because thou art the sonne of God.1. Ioh. 3.1. The conside­ration whereof may be ten [Page 126] thousand times more com­fortable to thee, then if thou hadst lineally descended from the greatest Monarchs in the world.

SECTION. 2. Of Prosperitie.

SAlomons obseruation of the course of worldly oc­currents is very right; All things come alike to all, Eccles. 9.1. & the same condition is to the iust & the wicked. For the Lord suffereth and sendeth the raine to fall aswell vpon the wicked as the godly; Mat. 5.45. so that profane Esau hath the fatnes of the earth for his dwelling place, Gen. 27.39. and is watered with the dew of heauen, aswell as godly Iacob: and therefore his in­ference [Page 127] vpon his obserua­tion is very good: No man knoweth (by these tempo­rals) either loue or hatred of all that is before him. Eccles. 9.1. When Ahab would go vp to Ra­moth Gilead to battell, his foure hundred false Pro­phets gaue him incourage­ment to it;1. King. 2 [...]. but Iehosophat the king of Iuda said wisely: Is there here neuer a Prophet of the Lord more, that we might inquire of him? Such is the folly of many, whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded with the goods of the world, that they rest in the testimonie of flattering prosperitie, as the king of Israell did in his false Pro­phets; imagining thems [...]lues to be highly in Gods fauor, [Page 128] because they abound in temporal blessings: but those that are wise in heart, will inquire thus with thēselues: Is there no better testimony of my adoption, then these temporall benefites, and this deceiueable prosperitie? and that very iustly, because the same are nothing but meere vanities.

Prosperitie is commonly vaine in two respects, as sen­tentious Seneca noteth:Vel premit, vel praeterit. for either it presseth or passeth, either it stayeth by a man to his hurt, or flyeth from him to his griefe. It is either like the golden bracelets, that Tarpeia had for betraying the Romaine castell to the Sabines,Plutarch. in vita Romu. wherewith she was pressed to death; or like to [Page 129] the hawke, which soaring very high without the hea­ring of the call or lure, flyeth cleane away from the Falconer: so doth prosperitie glisten like gold, but op­presseth the possessor;Penè prius­quàm tene­retur, auola­bat. August. Confes. lib. 6. Prou. 1.32. it soa­reth like the hawke, but fly­eth away from the owner. Experience verifieth the Prouerbe of Salomon: Ease slayeth the foolish, and the pro­speritie of fooles is their destruction. Pharaoh being af­flicted was humbled, but enioying prosperitie he was hardened. Yea prosperitie hath bene dangerous to the godly: and when aduersitie could not fasten a temptati­on vpon them, it hath foy-them exceedingly.G [...]n. 9. Noah in the arke embraced so­briety, [Page 130] but being in his vine­yard was ouertaken with drunkennesse. Lot being ve­xed in Sodome,Gen. 19. abhorred their vncleane conuersation; but being safe in the moun­taines, he fell into grosse ini­quitie.2. Sam. 11. Dauid being perse­cuted, gaue himselfe to me­ditation and prayer: but be­ing aduaunced, he commit­ted a bloodie sinne. Thus aduersitie is like the rough windes, causing a man to keepe close vnto him the robes of righteousnesse: but prosperitie is like the faire Sunne winning them from him. The Moone is not e­clipsed but when she is in the full: so the godly are sel­dome subiect to those ob­scurities of grace and eclip­ses [Page 131] of godlinesse, but when prosperitie hath filled and furnished them with the a­bundance of temporal bles­sings.De verb Domini Ser. 13 in fine. So that Augustines saying is true: It is a point of great valour, to contend with felicitie: and great happinesse, not to be ouercome of prospe­ritie,

Now if prosperitie worke not this preiudice, yet will she be fl [...]tting and flying away, before a man can ima­gine: and is therefore fitly compared to the sea, which euen now is calme, but by and by rough and tempestu­ous, with mighty waues and billowes. Ionas, when hee is flying from the Lord and flinching in his businesse, goeth downe to Iapho, finds [Page 132] a shippe readie to go to Tharshish, payeth the fare, and goeth downe into the shippe: hitherto Ionas had prosperous successe, and all things fell out to his mind. But it was not long before the Lords Pursiuant, a migh­tie wind, arrested him, and caused him to be arraigned and condemned by the Lords verdite in the silent lots, and to be cast into the sea by his owne sentence: so fareth it with many, which for a while haue good suc­cesse in their affaires, and sayle pleasantly in the voy­age of this life; but ere long aduersitie layeth hold vpon them, and casteth them into the surging seas of infinite calamities. The corne that is [Page 13] too ranke is soone lodged, the boughes of a tree being ouerloden are quickly bro­ken, and the ship ouerbal­lanced is quickly drowned: so the prosperous estate is very much subiect to ruine and subuersion. When Da­uid saw the prosperitie of the wicked, hee wondered at it:Psal. 73.1 [...] 18. but at last hee learnes in the Lords sanctuarie, that they are set in slippery places; they stand as it were vpon ice, which yeeldeth no sure footing.

What madnesse then is it for any man to waxe inso­lent because the world laughes vpon him, conside­ring that shee is readie so quickly to turne her coun­tenance, and to change her [Page 134] fauours into frownes? When thou seest a man running speedily vpon an high and daungerous rocke, doest thou not rather pittie him, then thinke him happie? Such furely is the case of that man whom prosperitie hath aduanced, exceeding daungerous. If therefore it hath pleased the Almightie to prosper thy wayes, be not high minded but feare. The warie mariner that saileth safely in calme windes, will haue all things ready against a tempest: so should the dis­creete Christian in the time of prosperitie, prepare the shield of patience against the day of aduersitie: and re­member,Greg. Mor. lib. 5. cap. 1. initio. that holy men (as one saith) when they flou­rish [Page 135] and prosper, are tou­ched with a godly iealousie, lest they should receiue all the fruites of their labours here in this world. Almost euery man will pray hard in the day of aduersitie, but thou hadst neede to double thy prayers in the time of prosperitie: for by it do most men fall. But happie is that man whose prosperitie is a spurre to pietie.

SECT. 3. Of riches.

ALthough the earth which denieth not to men things needefull,Sen. de Be­nefic. lib. 7. cap. 10. hath hidden from them riches, because they are hurtful: and though Nature hath so sub­iected gold and siluer, that [Page 136] man should trample them vnder his feete; and hath gi­uen him a countenance ere­cted to heauen, that hee should not cast his eies vpon these base things, but lift them vp to better: yet such is the corrupt condition of mankind, that he moiles and toyles in digging and del­uing this hurtfull gold and siluer; and peruerting the course both of nature and grace, fixeth his eyes and his heart vpon riches, and trampleth vnder the feete of a base estimation, those celestiall things which hee should hold most deare and precious. Are there not some like the Emperor Ca­ligula, Sueton. in vita Calig. cap. 42. who was so delighted to touch and handle money, [Page 137] that laying great heapes of gold in a spacious place, he would tread on it barefoo­ted, and sometimes tumble himselfe in it? Sure I am, if none imitate him in that ri­diculous practise, that there are many that thirst after it as greedily, scrape it toge­ther as eagerly, and locke it vp as carefully as may be. But if a man would behold the vncertaintie, the insuffi­ciencie, or the miserie de­pending vpon riches, hee could not chuse (being not extreamely besotted with them) but contemne and condemne the same as meere vanities.

1 Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon that which is nothing (saith Salomon? Prou. 23.5.) for riches [Page 138] betaketh her selfe to her wings like an Eagle, which flyeth a­way very strongly? and ther­fore the forme of money a­greeth well with the condi­tion of it;Aug. in Psa. 83. for it is stamped round, because it is so apt to runne from a man. How ma­ny thousand examples may histories and experience af­foord, of men exceeding rich, brought to extreame pouertie, yea and that fome­times very speedily? And therefore might the Apostle very fitly call them vncer­taine riches. [...]. Tim. 6.17 For as in a wheele the spoke that now is vpward,Chrys. Ser. de curahab. prox. is by and by downward: so commeth it to passe, that he which is now rich, doth shortly be­come poore. Fire, theeues, [Page 139] warres, and infinite causes there are of consuming ri­ches, and impouerishing their possessors, though they had euen millions & moun­taines of gold. But suppose, that contrarie to their na­ture they stay by a man, yet cannot he stay by them, but must leaue them in spite of his teeth, as the Psalmist saith:Psal. 49.17 The rich man shall take away nothing when he dyeth, neither shall his pompe follow after him. Thus death makes a violent diuorce betweene the rich man and his goods, when it is said vnto him: Thou foole, Luk. 12.20. this night shal they take away thy soule. The rich man sleepes (saith Iob very elegantly) and when he ope­neth his eyes, there is nothing. Iob. 27.19. [Page 140] It fares with a rich man at his death, as it doth with a slee­ping man when hee wakes out of his dreame. A man that dreames of the finding or fruition of some rich boo­tie is wonderfull glad, yet when hee awaketh hee fin­deth nothing, but seeth it was onely a dreame, and he is sorie: so the rich man see­med in the time of his life to haue somewhat, but at the day of his death all vanish­eth like the Idea of a dream, and it vexeth him.Eccles. 5.15 This is an euill sicknesse (saith Salomon) that a man must returne na­ked as he came: and it is an ordinarie sicknesse, not to be cured by all the physicke in the world. When the Preacher hath shewed the [Page 141] vanitie of riches, because they vanish thus; he offereth this point to our considera­tion: And what profite hath the rich man, that he hath la­boured for the wind? Would you not thinke him a foole or a mad man, that should go about to hold the wind? and such doth Salomon note to be the folly and madnesse of him which labours and indeuors to hold his wealth.

2 As riches are vncertain, so are they insatiable:Eccles. 5.9. For he that loueth siluer, shall not be satisfied therewith: and he that loueth riches, shall be without the fruite thereof: this also is vanitie.Te esurire cogunt. Qu. Curt. lib. 7. Riches make men hungrie, as the Scythi­ans sayd to Alexander: so that the rich are like the [Page 142] dropsie man, which the more he drinketh, the more he thirsteth. Hence it com­meth to passe, that contrary to all sense, the more that men haue, the more they desire; and the older men waxe, the more couetous they grow: as if a traueller being nere his iournies end,Cic. de Sen. shold encrease his luggage; or as though the Citizen should bee building when the enemie is battering. Thus it happeneth to the rich man, as it doth to the waspe, which being greedie of the hony, at last fals into the barrell, so that she can­not get out: for wealthy men falling into a vaine of co­uetousnesse, do at last sticke so fast in their insatiable de­sire, [Page 143] that they can neuer de­liuer themselues so long as they liue. If this were not so, how could that possibly come to passe, which Salo­mon speaketh, and experi­ence verifieth?Eccles. 4.8. There is one alone, and there is not a se­cond, which hath neither sonne nor brother; yet is there no end of all his trauell, neither can his eye be satisfied with riches, neither doth he thinke: For whom do I trauel, and defraud my soule of pleasure? this also is vanitie. A man may sweare it is but vanitie, that a man should vexe and tur­moile himselfe, yea defraud himselfe of pleasure, and (which is more) of saluation also, for wealth, when hee hath no vse of it. When thou [Page 144] seest a man euer thirstie, thou doest not thinke him to be well, though he haue aboundance of all sorts of drinke: so when thou be­holdest a man alwayes thir­sting greedily after the pelfe of this world, though hee possesse aboundance, thou mayest well account him a miserable man;Hom. Odys. lib. 11. Hor. Serm. lib. 1. sat. 1. like Tanta­lus in the Stygean lake, and like the drudging Indians, which toyle in the golden mynes, but enioy none of the ore.

Hydropem conscientiā. Aug· de ver­bo Dom. ser. 5. initio. Eccles. 5.3 It is no small dispraise of riches that they make a dropsie conscience, but be­hold a worse fruite of them then so: There is an euill sick­nesse that I haue seene vnder the Sunne, to wit, Riches re­serued [Page 145] to the owners thereof for their euill: the other sick­nesse of parting with them is grieuous, but this of be­ing plagued with them, is exceeding dangerous. Our blessed Sauiour compareth the cares of this life and de­ceiueable riches to thornes;Mat. 13.22. a most fit comparison, (and no maruell, being his who is best able to censure and set foorth the nature of all things both in heauen and earth:) for as thornes doe pierce and pricke those things which touch them: so do riches pierce the hearts of the owners thereof, be­ing got with paines, kept with care, and lost with griefe; yea sometimes cau­sing the possessors throate [Page 146] to be cut. How many dan­gers doe riches expose men vnto, stirring vp theeues to lye in waite, souldiers to r [...]se vp in armes, yea sometimes the children to long for, and hasten the parents death? Are not rich men oft made spunges, to gather much that it may be wrung from them againe? and doth it not cause them to be hunted after, and angled for like fishes,In Psal. 64. & passim. as Augustine saith? In regard whereof the Poet spake not vnwisely, when he called gold a more hurt­full mettall then iron.Ferroque no centius aurū. Ouid. Met. lib. 1. 2. As thornes are shilter for ser­pents to lurke and hide thē ­selues vnder: so are riches the harbourers of many sins. For they that will be rich, 1. Tim. 6.9. fall [Page 147] into temptations and snares, and into many noysome and foolish lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction. They are the mother of pride and presumption, and therefore S. Paule bids Ti­mothie charge them that are rich in this world,1. Tim. 6.17 that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in vncer­taine riches, but in the liuing Lord: yea he accounts them the water that yeelds moi­sture to couetousnesse, the roote of all euill. The exam­ples are innumerable that might be brought for the proofe of this point. It was the wages of vnrighteousnes that seduced Balaam: 2. Pet. 2.15. yea the foulest fact that euer was committed in the world, [Page 148] was through the loue of money: I meane the selling of our blessed Sauiour, by that accursed traitor Iudas.

3 As thornes do stop vp wayes, hinder the growth of corne, and the path of pas­sengers: so do riches hinder the growth of grace, & stop vp the way to the kingdome of heauen; and that makes our Sauiour say:Mat. 19.23 24. A rich man can hardly enter into the king­dome of heauen; yea to adde this vehement speech: It is easier for a Camell to go tho­rough the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God. The E­uangelist saith, that the disciples were exceedingly a­mazed at this speech: how much more should it amaze [Page 149] those that are great possessors and louers of riches?

What? are riches so vn­certaine, that they will be gone like the Eagle? are they so insufficient, that they make the soule insatiable? are they so hurtfull in pier­cing the heart with anguish, shrouding the serpent of sin, and stopping the way to heauen? Let the meditation thereof then be a motiue to embrace the Prophets ex­hortation: If riches increase, Psal. 62.10 set not thy heart vpon them. For why shouldest thou set thy heart vpon nothing, yea that which is worse then no­thing? But this is an euill sicknesse, and will hardly be cured, as experience teach­eth. Was there euer such [Page 150] gaping after gaine, and such deluing in the bowels of the earth for the bewitching ore? yea such damning of soules to the pit of hell for that which should be coun­ted trash, and be troden vn­der foote? Alasse, what do men meane to take such paines in hoarding vp that gold and siluer,Iam. 5.3. the rust wher­of shall be a witnesse against them at the day of iudgement? A man that were going some great iourney, or swimming ouer an arme of the Sea, would not loade himselfe, but go as light as may be: consider then deare bro­ther, that thou art going to heauen, which is a long, a daungerous and a difficult iourney; wilt thou loade thy [Page 151] selfe with this ponderous pelfe, which will tire thee exceedingly? thou art pas­sing ouer the daungerous ocean of this surging world; wilt thou carie that which will serue to drowne thee in the gulfe of eternall de­struction? Nay rather, if thou haue any sense of a mā,Hieron. ad Pamach. & alias. ex ali­is. imitate Crates the Thebane, and cast away thy goods ra­ther then they shall cast a­way thee. For what good shall all the goods in the world do thee,Mat. 1 6. if thou lose thy soule? Thinke with thy selfe, what if it should be said to thee, as it was to the churle: Thou foole, Luk. 22.40. this night shall they take away thy soule; whose then shall those things be, which thou hast [Page 152] prouided? Little knowest thou, who shall gather those riches which thou hast hea­ped vp: it may be thine ene­mie, for this euent I haue obserued in the world; or peraduenture such a one as will scatter them as fast as e­uer thou rakedst them toge­ther, for this often commeth to passe. But admit thou hast children, who will be as fru­gall as thy selfe; wilt thou purchase hell to thy selfe, to purchase lands for thy chil­dren? Oh what a lamenta­ble thing is this, that the fa­ther should frie in euerla­sting torments, for leauing of his sonne these transitory and temporarie aduance­ments? But wouldest thou keepe thy money safe? then [Page 153] lay it vp in heauen, where theeues cannot digge through and steale. Mat. 6.20. Wouldst thou put it to the best and most gain­full vse? then be bountifull in giuing to the poore: the money so bestowed is layd vp in heauen.Luk 12.33. Thou art here but a pilgrime, and heauen is thy countrey:Fac traie­ctitiū, saith S. Augustin. will it not be good to haue these tem­porall commodities retur­ned there in things eternall? Doest thou not commend the Merchant, that chan­geth an ounce of lead, for a pound of gold? beleeue me, the heauenly gaines doe far exceed such an exchange. Doth not the husbandman cast his seed into that ground which is most fertile? Let heauen be thy soyle, where [Page 154] euen a cuppe of cold water,Mat. 25.35 yeelds an Epha of glorie. But thou hast children, and must prouide for them; God forbid else: yet remember also, that thou hast a brother in heauen,Aug. in Psa 48. conc. 1. who lookes to be relieued, and who will as­suredly recompence thy cost and kindnesse: for clothing him, he will decke thee with glorie: for feeding him, he will replenish thy heart with ioy and gladnesse: and for entertaining him into thy house, he will receiue thee into his euerlasting ha­bitations: when as wealthie Diues (that would not heare poore Lazarus crying at his doore, nor relieue him with the crummes of his table) shall crie and howle in tor­ments, [Page 155] and shall not get so much as a droppe of cold water to coole his tongue.Luk. 16.24. To conclude, if thou wilt be rich in this life, then remem­ber that Godlinesse is great gaine: which if thou haue,1. Tim. 6.6. thou possessest all things. Be rich in faith, 2. Cor. 6.10. Iam. 2.5. so shalt thou be heire to the kingdome of hea­uen: and bee rich in good workes, so shalt thou lay vp in store for thy selfe a good foun­dation for the time to come, 1. Tim. 6.17 18. that thou maist obtaine eter­nall life.

SECT. 4. Of daintie Fare.

NEcessitie for the main­tenance of health and preseruation of life, is the e­speciall end (by Gods ordi­nance) [Page 156] of eating and drin­king, to the which, through mans weaknesse, dangerous delight ioyneth her selfe as a handmaid: so that men becomming daintie and cu­rious, haue augmented the vanitie. And surely I cannot sufficiently admire the folly of man in this behalfe, that being the Lord of all the creatures vpon earth, hee should make himselfe a slaue euen to his appetite; yea that he should not sticke, for the satisfying of a small part of his throate, to send headlong both soule & body into hell. Who is able to reckon vp the infinite dangers and in­conueniences, that do arise from pampering the bodie?

1 It dulleth the wits, and [Page 157] taketh away the edge of the vnderstanding. For as the cloudes obscure the hea­uens: so doth repletion dar­ken the light of the minde; and as birds filled ouer-full cannot flie high: so the body being pampered, will not suffer the mind to mount vp with the wings of contem­platiō to view excellent ob­iects. This Nebuchadnetzar knew well, who purposing to traine vp the yong Prin­ces of Iudah for his coun­sellors, appointed them a portion of meate for their diet, as it were by waight.For the word [...] portion commeth of a verbe that signifieth to number or to waigh. And it is a thing to be ob­serued, that fooles are com­monly great eaters: so that much eating is either a cause,Dan. 1.5. or at least an adiunct [Page 158] of their folly, and therefore befits not them that would be reputed wise.

2 As it makes a dull and emptie braine, so it yeelds as light a purse: For he that loueth wine and oyle shall not be rich. Prou. 21.17 So that couetousnes and gluttonie do sometime fight together in a carnall man: but the appetite preuai­ling, the throat becomes an opē sepulcher, & deuours all that the hands can prouide.

3 It is the mother of sloth and idlenesse, according to the Prouerbe: When the belly is full, the bones would be at rest. And that made the Poet to taxe his coun­trimen for sloth, as a fruite of their gluttonie,Tit. 1.12. saying: The Cretians are alwaies euill [Page 159] beasts, slow bellies. And it is noted in the Israelites, that they sate downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play: Exod. 32.6. as being fit for nothing but play, when they had filled their bellies. Thus many in their appetites are like beasts; but in the fruit & ef­fect thereof, they are worse then beasts: for the beasts ha­uing filled themselues, are therby fitted to their worke, but men by eating and drin­king are made vnfit for any thing that is good.

4 It breedeth sicknesse and sundrie diseases, and is to many the cause of their vn­timely death. Some by ouer­much eating, and others by drinking many healths to others, leaue themselues no [Page 160] health. Thus the glutton and drunkard (a thing to be la­mented and detested of eue­rie good man) do murder them selues. Where are gowts, dropsies, and the like diseases, but where dain­tie fare and extreame drin­king haue their habitation? The dayes of our forefathers (far from our licentious su­perfluitie in diet) were lon­ger, and their bodies more healthfull,For, Qui viuit medi cè, viuit mi­serè. and so themselues lesse miserable. There was little need of the Physitian when men were of Calisthe­nes mind, who would not pledge Alexander to haue need of Aesculapius, not pledge the King to haue need of the Physitian: but now most are like those [Page 161] foolish mariners, which needlesly let the water come into their shippe, and then are faine to labour hard to pumpe it foorth: for they bring vpon themselues dis­eases by such superfluous disdiet, and then are glad to seeke helpe by painfull physicke.

5 It makes a man vnmind­full and forgetfull of good things. For as too great a burthen drownes the ship, so that neither the calmnesse of the sea, the skilfulnesse of the pilot, the abundance of furniture, nor the fit time for nauigation can helpe it: so when the bodie is ouer­loden with meate, it is made so senslesse in the regard and wielding of good things, [Page 162] that neither learning, aduise, nor any exhortation can do it any good. Whilest the prodigall child had where­with to maintaine his riot,Luk. 15.13. he played the ruffian, not thinking vpon his father at all: so doth sacietie make men dissolute and forgetfull of their heauenly Father. Therfo [...]e doth Moses warne the Israelites to take heede,Deu. 8.11, 4 lest when they haue filled themselues they forget the Lord. And as sacietie makes men forget GOD, so it makes them forget their brethren that are in distresse: for when Diues fared dain­tily,Luk. 16. he thought not vpon poore Lazarus. Yea, it makes them forget them­selues, and those things that [Page 163] belong to their saluation: which causeth our Sauiour to giue that warning:Luk. 21.34. Take heede to your selues, lest at a­ny time your hearts be oppres­sed with surfetting and drun­kennesse; and that day come v­pon you vnawares.

Lastly, it is the tinder to kindle the firebrand of con­cupiscence: and therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Ephesians not to be filled with wine, Eph. 5.18. because therein is excesse: meaning such ex­cesse, as doth breed accesse to sinne. A man that refrai­neth not his appetite (saith Salomon) is like a citie which is broken downe and without wall. Pro. 25. vlt. For as such a battered citie lieth daungerously o­pen to the siege of the ene­mie: [Page 164] so is such a Christian dangerously exposed to the assaults of Sathan, who v­seth it as an especiall strata­geme to intangle the chil­dren of God by daintie fare, as the lamentable experi­ence of our first parents in Paradise can sufficientlie tell vs.Gen. 3.

Seeing then that pom­pous and daintie fa [...]e dul­leth the wit, emptieth the purse, nourisheth idlenesse, b [...]eedeth sicknesse, causeth forgetfulnesse, and kindleth concupiscence; it is a grosse error to thinke those happ [...]e, which fare daintily euerie day as Diues did. Those gormandizers which are of Philoxenus minde,Aristot Eth. ib. 3. ca. 11 who wi­shed that his necke were as [Page 165] long as a Cranes, that hee might haue a long tast of his meate and drinke: what should they gaine hereby if they had their wishes? And those that make their bellies their gods, Phil. 3.19. their kitchins their temples, their tables their aultars, their dainties their sacrifice, and so do not serue the Lord, but their bel­lies, as the Apostle saith:Rom. 16.18. do they not thinke, that they must one day answer for the good creatures of God, which they haue vainely consumed, and for their owne soules and bodyes which they haue abused? Yes surely they shall one day disgest their daintie morsels in torments, which they haue deuoured in their [Page 166] bankets.Aug. in Psa. 48. Conc. 2. And what diffe­rence in the meane time, is there betweene them and the poorest wretch, sauing that in their liues they pro­uide more worke for the Physitian, & at their deaths more meate for the wormes? To them Sampsons riddle will not well agree:Iud. 14.14. Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetnesse: for behold, their eating yeelds nothing but stinch and filthinesse. I may iustly complaine in the Prophets words:Ezek. 16.49 The iniquitie of So­dome is the sinne of our land, pride, and fulnesse of bread, and abundance of idlenesse: for our opulencie hath made many loftie hearts and la­zie hands. Men rise vp ear­ly [Page 167] to follow dunkennesse,Esa. 5.11. Iude. 12. and feede themselues at feasts without all feare. Little do such thinke of our Saui­ours hungering and thir­sting, and of the bitter cup that he dranke for our sakes: but let all those that feare God, embrace sobrietie and temperance in their feeding and feasting. And although it be lawfull to vse the crea­tures of God more plenti­fully at some times then at others, and to feast with friends and neighbours: yet can Iobs practise teach vs,Iob. 1.5. that it is a daungerous liber­tie, and requires the eye of circumspection, and the sa­crifice of prayer, lest our ta­ble become a snare vnto vs. Christians should learne at [Page 168] all times to say with a godly father:S. Augustin. Thou hast taught me, O God, to come to my foode, as I come to take physicke: rather to suffice nature, then to sa­tisfie his appetite.

Howsoeuer thou doest prouide for the bodie, haue care for Gods sake (my Christian brother) to nou­rish the inward man, and to feed thy soule, a diuine sub­stance, ten thousand times more to be respected then thy base bodie: and to that end desire the sincere milke of the word,1. Pet. 2.2. that thou mayst grow thereby. Is it not a won­der to consider, that where­as faith teacheth vs, that the soule is immortall; and expe­rience sheweth, that the bo­die is mortall: yet most peo­ple [Page 169] contrarie both to faith and experience, do so neg­lect the soule, as though it were mortall, and so che­rish the bodie, as if it were immortall? Prayer and me­ditation, hearing the word of God, and reading good bookes, which are the foode of the soule, they little re­gard and seldome vse: but their bodies they feede both as often as they need, and as daintily as they are able. But learne thou a better lesson of our blessed Sauiour:Iohn 6.27. La­bour not for the meate that perisheth, but labour for the meate that endureth to euer­lasting life. Feed vpon Christ Iesus the bread of life, by a liuely faith. And as Elias went in the strength of the foode [Page 170] ministred by the Angell, till he came to mount Horeb: 1. King. 19. so shalt thou go in the strength of this food, vntill thou come to the celestiall mount Sion, where thou shalt enioy the foode of Angels, and be par­taker of those exquisite and daintie viands, that are pre­pared for the lambes supper.Reu. 19.9.

SECT. 5. Of costly Apparell.

VVE reade that the man in whom the plague of leprosy was found, should haue his clothes rent, Leui. 13.45 and his head bare, and should put on a couering vpon his lips, and crie, I am vncleane. Wold you not imagine the man to be mad, that should be [Page 171] proud of those markes of his miserie? Consider then that the transgression of A­dam stript him and all his posteritie of the robes of grace,Gen. 3.7. and brought vpon them the leaprosie of sinne, and a shamefull nakednesse: and their clothes are like the rent clothes, the bare head, and the couering of the lea­prous man, euen demonstra­tions of their miserie: and yet behold they are proud of them, and doe glorie in them, as it were a theefe in his burning in the hand, the euident note of his theft and conuiction; or as a beggar bragging of his ragges, the onely ensignes of his base estate. Lo, thus doth man glorie in his shame. Phil. 3.19. Is not that [Page 172] matter worthie the title of vanitie, which the silly moth (one of the tendrest & wea­kest creatures) is able to con­sume? or if it be cloth of gold, is subiect to rusting; or if fine silke, is not free from staining and fretting?

Too much curiositie and pomp in apparell, doth com­monly follow defects of na­ture, and are the ordina­rie markes of a proud heart. When Apelles saw one of his prentises to haue painted Hellen badly,Clem Alex. paidag lib. 2. cap. 12. yet to haue decked her with gold verie brauely, he said merily: Wel done sirra, though thou couldest not paint her beau­tifull, [...]. yet thou hast made her rich. Many women are like this picture of Hellen, [Page 173] though Nature hath not made them faire, yet by dec­king and tricking vp them­selues they will needs be fine: thus are they faine to patch vp the defects of na­ture, and when they haue done so, they waxe proud of it, like the bird that is dec­ked with the plumes of ano­ther bird. I know that to heare, that defects and de­formitie are the foundation of their pride, some will not brooke it; and when they shall be challenged of pride in their costly and curious apparell, they will excuse it or denie it. But the matter it selfe wil witnesse against them: for who would put on gorgeous apparrell, where they could not be [Page 174] seene of others? And this was Socrates obseruation closely touched,Aelian. Var. hist. lib 7. when his wife Zantippa would not put on her best clothes to go see a solemne shew. Wife (quoth he) if thou wilt not put them on to see the shew, yet do it that thy self may be seene there.

Psa. 58.1. Are your mindes set vpon righteousnesse, saith the Pro­phet? Experience may an­swer, No: for the mindes of most men and women are set vpon vanitie, and that not a little vpon the vanitie of apparell. Is it not strange to see, how many wits are set on worke to this pur­pose? some labouring in the matter, others studying a­bout the forme, and all en­deuoring [Page 175] to bring vanitie to her perfection.Cypr. de ha­bitu virgin. sect. 11. The godly fathers obseruation is wor­thie the noting, that God did not make sheepe of a purple or crimson colour, but man with the diuels helpe (a very cunning work­man) deuised these and ma­ny such other vanities. Some thinke, that pompe and bra­uerie in apparell is no fault; but if that were so, why hath the holy Ghost noted it in the Rich man,Luk. 16.19. that he was clothed in purple and fine linnen?

I will not say with Am­brose: Lib. 1. de virgin. That a woman gorge­ously and sumptuously attired, is a house of all infernall di­uels: yet may I boldly say, that such a one is a snare and [Page 176] dangerous prouocation to leudnesse. Yea, but euery one that is thus attired, doth not intend to intrap any thereby. Well, admit there be no such intent, yet may there easily be such an effect; but suppose that neither of those do follow, yet art thou not altogether blamelesse, because thou hast offered poi­son, Hieron. ad Nepot. if any man would haue drunke it. The Lord by his Prophet Zephanie threate­ned Ierusalem,Zeph. 1.8. that he would visite all such as were clothed in strange apparell. Was there euer any people more culpable and worthy of re­proofe in this respect, then our disguised nation, apt to take vp the fantasticall fa­shion of euerie countrey? [Page 177] Looke vpon men and wo­men, and you shall perceiue in one and the same creature the English speech the Spa­nish fashion, the Italian be­hauiour, a manly shape, a beastly life. Spectatum ad­missi risum teneatis amici? Would it not make euen Heraclitus laugh to behold this compoūd of vanities?Heraclitus was a man that always wept. Is there not reason to dread the Lords visitation?Esa. 3.16.26. The da [...]gh­ters of Sion, though exqui­site in their brauerie, shall come farre too short of the daughters of England; yea if pride her selfe were to set vp shop, she might take pat­ternes of vs. Haue we not reason to feare that, which is therefore threatened to Ierusalem? that our gates shal [Page 178] mourne and lament, and that our land being desolate, shall sit vpon the ground (as Iob did in the daies of his affliction,Iob 1.20. in sackcloth and ashes.) The Lord giue vs grace so to feare it, that wee may neuer feele it.

These things should be seene in apparell,Hieron. Ep. 84. necessitie, honestie, and decency. Ap­parell must be neat, but not of a disguised fashion:Zeph. 1.8 both affected basenesse, and ex­quisite nicenesse, are ex­treames.1. Pet. 3.3. It must be comely, but not too costly; and if costly, yet without riot or too much curiositie. It must not be alwaies alike, for it was Diues fault,Luk. 16.19. that he was braue in apparell euery day. It befittteth not euerie one [Page 179] to weare rich attire, though Queene Hester may haue her royall apparell.Hester. 5.1. And though persons of state may weare rich clothing,Luk. 7.25. yet they may not line it with pride. But alas, in these dayes neither fashion, cost, time, place, per­son or estate is respected; but against the lawes both of God and man, the most do seeke in their attire to con­tent themselues, though thereby they abuse both themselues and others.

Well, now seeing that such cost and curiositie in apparell, is vaine in it selfe, dangerous in vse, and odi­ous to God, when it is the nurse or note of pride: let it be farre from euerie good Christian to take delight in [Page 180] brauing it as the world doth.Psal. 138.6. The Lord (as it were in disdaine) beholdeth the proud a farre off, but giueth grace to the lowly. Silkes and veluet, and cloth of gold, make a glorious shew in the eyes of men: but sackcloth and the garment of haire are gracious in the sight of God,Ionah 3.6. Esa. 37 1. 1. King. 21.29. and haue moued him to looke vpon the wearers thereof with the eye of fa­uour and compassion, be­cause they are good signes of humiliation. If God haue blessed thee this way, re­member the poore that wāt clothing, so shalt thou cloath Christ in his members, who will not let the least ragge thou giuest be vnrecompen­ced.Mat. 25 40 If thou canst not be [Page 181] induced strictly to obserue that commaundement:Luke 3.11. He that hath two coates, let him part with him that hath none: yet see not any perish for want of clothing, Ioh 31.19.20. but let their loynes blesse thee, because thou war­mest them with the fleece of thy sheepe. Oh that our dayes yeelded many Dorcases, Acts 9 39 that the poore might shew the coates and garments which such compassionate women make for them; but I feare it may be sooner wished then obtained.

To conclude, be not o­uercarefull for thy bodie in decking it, but adorne thy soule with grace; and if thou wilt be in a good fashion, get into Iobs fashion:Iob 29.14. I put on iustice, and it couered me, [Page 182] my iudgement was as a robe and crowne: and put vpon thee the garments of the Queenes daughter, Psal. 45.13 who is all glorious within (by sincerity) and her clothing is of the wrought gold (of grace.) But aboue all,Rom. 13.14. put on the Lord Ie­sus Christ. Thus when thou art decked with these exter­nall and internall robes of grace, and with the inhe­rent and imputed righteous­nesse of Christ, the same shal be as the cloake of Elias, 2. Kin. 2.14 de­uiding the waters of the Ior­dan of this troublesome world, that thou mayst passe ouer to the beautifull Ieri­cho of eternall ioy. And as when Isaac smelled the sa­uour of Iacobs garments,Gen. 27.27 he blessed him: so when the [Page 183] Lord smelleth the sweet aire of these garments of grace, he will assuredly blesse thee with the white robes of eter­nall glorie in his euerlasting kingdome.Reu. 6.11.

SECT. 6. Of stately buildings, and sump­tuous furniture.

HE that will see the va­nitie of stately buil­dings, with the complemēts thereunto belonging, let him take a view of Salomons house,1. King. 7.1. which was thirteene yeares in building vnder the hands of so many thousand workmen, and heare him al­so what he saith of it:Eccle. 2.4.5 I haue built me houses, I haue plan­ted me vineyards, I haue made [Page 184] me gardens and orchards, and planted in them trees of all fruite, &c. Whatsoeuer cost or art could do or deuise, Sa­lomon had it to beautifie his workes: but marke his cen­sure as well as his descripti­on:Ʋers. 11. I looked on all the workes that my hands had wrought, and behold, All is vanitie and vexation of the spirit.

What is the vsuall foun­dation of stately buildings, but pride and ambition? Did not this humor set the buil­ders of the towers of Baby­lon on worke?Gen. 11.4. For they will build them a citie and a tower, whose top may reach vnto the heauen, that they may get them a name. And this is also eui­dent in the arrogant brag of that loftie king, many [Page 185] hundred yeares after:Dan. 4.27. Is not this great Babel, that I haue built for the house of the king­dome, by the might of my pow­er, and for the honour of my maiestie? Marke how the conceipt of the greatnesse makes him arrogant, and in false assuming the honour of the worke, he is very impu­dent. But if the matter be well waighed, there is no great reason, that any one should be proud of his buil­dings; for euery one hauing his due, the honour of the worke rather belongs to the builder, then to the owner: nay, many may haue cause to be ashamed of their state­ly houses, being void of ha­bitation, and nothing but meere mock-beggers.

2 As pride layeth the foun­dation: so crueltie and op­pression doe oft times finish the worke. Are there not many, to whom the Pro­phets commination doth iustly belong?Ier. 22.13. Wo vnto him that buildeth his house by vn­righteousnesse, and his cham­bers without equitie: and this circumstance makes it more odious, that such cost is be­stowed and employed with neglect of the Lords house. The Prophet Aggeus tax­eth and taunteth the Iewes after their returne from the captiuitie, in these words: Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seeled houses, Agge 1.4. and this house lie waste? Doubt­lesse there was neuer any age more culpable in this kinde [Page 187] then ours: for euery one that hath enough for his owne house, hath nothing to bestow in repayring the Church. Yea, there are ma­nie wretched cormorants, who doe not onely let the Lords house lie waste, but doe their vttermost euen vt­terly to ruinate it. Yea some with the spoyles of the Church, do purchase lands and build them goodly hou­ses: and yet these sacrile­gious wretches would bee counted faithfull Christians. Saint Iames willeth them to shew him their faith by their workes.Iames 2.18. If their stately hou­ses the fruite of their fraud and couetousnesse, and the monuments of their pride and arrogancie, may be de­monstrations [Page 188] of faith; the world shall witnesse with them, that they are very good Christians: but thus many do make their buil­dings worse then the buil­dings of Iericho,Iosua 6.26. not laying the foundation thereof in the bloud of their bodies, but in the bane of their soules. And let such know, that the curse of God is vpon their glorious houses, and that the stones of the wall shall crie out (for vengeance,) Hab. 2.11. and the beame out of the tim­ber shall answer it (with an eccho, and say, Amen.)

3 What becommeth of all these? are the buildings perpetuall or permanent? yea doth not time with sun­dry accidents, as fire, thun­der, [Page 189] lightening, tempests, earthquakes and the like, consume them?C [...]er Epist. sa n. lib. 4. Ep. 5. The carkas [...]s of mighty townes and cities▪ such as Aegina and Corinth, are scarce to be seen. Where is that goodly building of Ierusalem, that rauished our Sauiours disciples with ad­miration? and are not those Egyptian Pyramides, which were reckoned amongst the wonders of the world, ex­ceedingly defaced and de­cayed?Chrys. in Ep. ad Coloss. Hom. 2. me­dio. Therfore doth Chry­sostome verie well compare mens buildings to swallowes neasts, which in winter do fall downe of themselues: and wherein (as he saith) do we differ from litle children, which in their sports doe build them houses, saue that [Page 190] their building is with play and pleasure, ours with la­bour and paine? The like may be sayd of domesticall ornaments, which hath bene said of the houses. For what are they but baites for theeues, care for seruants, worke for rust, foode for moaths and mice, and other base creatures? The gar­den may instruct vs rather then delight vs, by shewing vs what we are, euen a flo­wer: and it is a good place to set our sepulcher in, with Ioseph of Arimathea, that in the middest of our delights we may remēber our death. As for orchyards, they may preach humiliation vnto vs, by remembring vs of our common calamitie through [Page 191] the tasting of the forbidden fruite.

This being the due esti­mation of these momenta­nie vanities, it may serue to abate the arrogancie of those, who waxe proud and stately, because of their state­ly buildings, and rich furni­ture. Such may remember, that a little womb contained them at their birth, and a small graue will serue them at their death: and why then should they seeke for such pompous habitations in the time of their life? Let vs ra­ther imitate Noah, Gene 8.20. who after the flood, built an altar; then Caine, Genes. 4.17. who after the Lords threatning, built a citie. Let vs seeke better habitations then those that may perish [Page 192] by sundrie meanes in the time of our life, and must needs be forsaken at our death.Heb. 11.10. Abraham being cal­led of God, was easily per­swaded to forsake his house and his owne countrey, be­cause hee locked for a citie, whose builder and maker is God: so the children of God should remember, that they haue a building giuen of God, 1. Cor. 5.1. that is, an house not made with hands, but eternall in the hea­uens. The remembrance whereof should make these earthly tabernacles vile in their eyes. As for the wicked who are so besotted with the loue of this world, that they endeuour to erect per­petuall habitations in this vale of miserie, neuer lon­ging [Page 193] or looking after the heauenly mansions prepa­red by our Sauiour;Ioh. 14.2.3. let [...]hem know that one day they must leaue all, and not haue so much as the benefite of one of the walkes of their gardens or galleries: but in stead thereof shall bee shut vp in that lothsome place of darknesse, which yeeldeth nothing but wailing & wee­ping, and gnashing of teeth.

SECT. 7. Of a great familie, and many attendants.

IF sumptuous buildings remaine like a cottage in a vineyard, Esa 1.8. and like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, (as the Prophet speakes of Ierusa­lem) they become the pas­sengers [Page 194] wonderment, and display the owners vanitie: but when they are fraught and furnished with great fa­milies, then doe men as well commend them, as admire them: yet is all this but va­nitie.Vide. Sect. 12. 13. For if those Oecono­micall leagues and linkes, which are most neare and naturall be vaine, as it is eui­dent they are; then can it not be otherwise in that which is more remote and seruile. Many there are who are ex­ceeding proud of their great traines, and their many ser­uants; but as iustly, as a rui­nous house may be proud of many proppes, or a prisoner of his many keepers. The blessed Angels go about the world, neither hauing nor [Page 195] needing any seruants: what, shall we repute them inferi­our to vs silly men, that both haue and need them? nay ra­ther in their power let vs view our owne weaknesse, and be humbled. Seruants should indeed be props and pillars to their maisters, but they oftimes become chinks and pillers, being neither si­lent in their secrets, nor faithfull in their affaires: fulfil­ling our Sauiours saying: A mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold. Mat. 10.3 Mich. 7.6. Psal. 101. Dauid was as industrious as might be to free his house from badde seruants, yet had he a leude Achitophel, who gaue vn­gracious counsell to his re­bellious sonne.2. Sam. 6. Our blessed Sauiour had but twelue dis­ciples [Page 196] that were continually conuersant with him: yet one of them (yea he whom he trusted with his treasure) proued a traitour. And doe not our owne stories make mention of diuers great mē,The Dukes of Bu [...]kingham and Suffolke, and others Hollinsh. which haue bene vtterly vn­done by the treacherie of their vntrustie seruants?

Is it not an ordinarie thing for men to haue such seruants, as will kindle and nourish the coales of con­tention, and incense and stir vp their maisters to vnlaw­full actions and attempts? Such were the seruants of Abraham and Lot, Gen. 13. who ian­gled among themselues euē to the separation of their maisters, though kinsmen and deare friends: such were [Page 197] the seruants of Abimelech, Gen. 21. who vnknowne to the king their maister, offered Abra­ham iniurie in his welles of water; yea the seruants of a­nother Abimelech wronged Isaac likewise,Gen. 26. euen contrary to the expresse commaunde­ment of the king.

It is no maruell that Saul had a Doeg to feed his ma­litious humour,1. Sam. 22. in accusing Dauid and Abim lech, when as Dauid had followers that perswaded him to a wicked reuenge,1. Sam. 24. euen to lay hands vpon the Lords annointed. But what, are all seruants such? God forbid, yea I know there are some that doe feare God vnfainedly, & serue their maisters faith­fully; yet I feare that summe [Page 198] is small. We reade not of one seruant that went with Noah into the arke, not one that departed with Lot out of Sodome: yet is it not l [...]ke that either of thē was with­out seruants. Besides this, if a man do seriously consi­der his dutie, as well as his dignitie, he shall finde that his superioritie and atten­dance is rather a matter of burthen then of honour:Oneris quā honoris. for behold how many seruants hee hath, so many soules hee hath to answer for. The mai­ster is charged with the ser­uants sanctifying of the sab­both;Exo. 20, 10. and Abraham is com­maunded to circumcise eue­ry man-child▪ Gen. 17.12 both him that is borne in his house, and him that is bought with [Page 199] money, yea the commaun­dement is doubled and ve­hemently vrged:Ver. 13. He that is borne in the house, and he that is bought with money, must needes be circumcised. And this is Abrahams praise pro­nounced by the Lords owne mouth, that he will teach not onely his sonnes, but his houshold also to keepe the way of the Lord, Gen. 18 19 to doe righteousnesse and iudgement. The strictnesse of this dutie hath caused the Spirite of God in the sacred Scrip­tures,1. Kin 5.15 to cōfound the names of father and maister,Mat. 8.6. sonne and seruant; to teach vs that as the obedience of seruants to their maisters should be filiall: so the care of maisters ouer their seruants should [Page 200] be parentall.

Here then those that haue great families, euen troupes of seruants and followers, may rather learn to be hum­bled then exalted, vpon the conceit of their great trains. A maister is not seene in the possession, Arist. Pol. lib. 1 cap. 4. but in the vse of his seruants. To possesse many seruants is a meere vanitie, but not to vse them is a dan­gerous iniquitie. To pre­scribe Oeconomicall pre­cepts, it is not my purpose in this place: onely one rule I would perswade euery maister of a familie to learne of ingenious Seneca, Sen. Ep. 47. Not to esteeme of a seruant by his my­steries but by his manners: and of vertuous Dauid, Psal. 15. To make much of such as feare the [Page 201] Lord: for there is little hope, that he shall be a good ser­uant to his maister, that hath no care to serue the Lord.

SECT. 8. Of Honour fame and glorie.

IT is a straunge thing and worthie of admiration, that men should be proud in the schoole of humilitie, and vaineglorious in the place of shame and reproch; where all the creatures of God betweene heauen and earth, being subiect to vani­tie for mans fall and fault, are badges and ensignes of his dishonour. Againe, what madnesse is this, when men haue a theater in heauen, to desire earthly spectators? to [Page 202] seeke to conquer in one place,Chrys. hom. 17. in Rom. and to be crowned in another? Yet behold this folly and madnesse posses­seth the minds of most men; who being employed in the heauenly warfare of Christi­anitie, doe seeke to be crow­ned with the vanishing sha­dow of earthly honour and estimation.

What is the [...]onour glo­rie and credite of the world, but a certaine vulgar ap­plause? not the reward of resplendent vertue, but the popular guerdon of vanitie, and many times the recom­pence of apparant iniquitie. He is a foole that will com­mit his glorie to the chest of another mans lips,Bern. super Cant. Serm. 13. medio. it is a wi­ser course to keepe it thy [Page 203] selfe: but the safest of all, to commit it to the custodie of him,2. Tim. 1.12 Cautus in [...]ustodiendo, fidelis in re [...]ituendo. B [...]rn. ibid. who is able to keepe that which thou hast committed to him against that day, being warie in keeping, and faith­full in restoring: whereas those that depend vpon the applause and opinion of o­ther men, are made some­times great, sometimes lit­tle,Ber. Ser. de nat. Io. Bap ferè initio. Arist. eth. li. 5. cap. 5. and sometimes nothing at all: and this caused the Philosopher to discard Ho­nour from being Felicitie.

1 This is one bad pro­pertie of worldy honour to puffe vp, & to inflame those that are held in reputation, being a notable and daun­gerous firebrand of pride: foorth of which there ari­seth a smokie vapour, that [Page 204] will scarcely suffer a man to know himselfe. For as when Bucephalus was without his furniture any man might ride him, but being in his ca­parison, he would suffer no man but Alexander to come on his backe: so, ma­ny there are which in their meane estate were mild; but being aduaunced, became loftie and imperious. When Samuel first spake to Saul of his promoting to the kingdome, he speakes basely of himselfe,1. Sam. 9.21 thus: Am not I the sonne of Gemini, of the smallest Tribe? Diuerse of the Caesars at their first entring vpon the Empire, saluted their followers with the terme of Fellow souldiers:Commilito­nes Sueton. but ere long both Saul and the Cae­sars [Page 205] became verie haughtie. Whē Herod was applauded by those flatte [...]ers, which cryed at the hearing of his oration, The voyce of God: Act. 12.12. it lifted vp his heart with a daungerous▪ vaine-glorie, that cost him his life. What effusion of bloud did the cō ­tention for honour, cause in the broiles betweene Caesar and Pompey? And how ma­ny lost their liues about the like, in the warres betweene the houses of Lancaster and Yorke in our land? Yea did not the iealousie of this vain honour moue Herod to mur­ther the infants,Euseb. lib. 1 cap. 9. Macrob. Saturn. lib. 2. cap. 4. not sparing his owne child, (as the Hi­storians do write) that hee might haue slaine our Saui­our?

2 As honour inflameth the owner with pride; so it kindleth enuie in others. For as whilest the doue play­eth herselfe in her flying, and taketh pleasure in her swift­nesse of wing, the hauke seizeth vpon her: so whilest men doe content and please themselues with worldly ho­nour; enuie, which alwaies waiteth vpon honour, layeth hold vpon them, and many times fetcheth them downe. Hee therefore spake truely, who called obscuritie the mother of tranquillitie; but fame and honour the foun­dation of danger.

Dan. 6.3.4.When Daniel was prefer­red aboue the other rulers and gouernours of Darius, those rulers and gouernours [Page 207] sought an occasion against Da­niel concerning the kingdome: and their malice had bene effectuall against him, had not the Almightie hand of God stopped the mouthes of the fierce Lions. It was in­deed a great honour for Da­uid to kill Goliah, 1. Sam. 18.9.10. and to be met & receiued home with dauncing and singing, Da­uid hath slaine his ten thou­sand: but the same had like to haue cost Dauid his life. For when he fled from Saule to Achish the king of Gath,1. Sam. 21.11.12. thinking there to be safe by being vnknowne, the kings seruāts said to him: Is not this Dauid the king of the land? did they not sing vnto him? &c. Oh how glad would Dauid then haue bene, if he [Page 208] had neuer bene partaker of that daungerous honour, which would not tolerate his safetie. This is no small preiudice; yet behold a farre greater inconuenience ac­companying honour, whi­lest some seeking to hold their reputation in the world, dare not professe or practise those things which may tend to the honour and glorie of Almightie God: as those chiefe rulers which durst not confesse Christ for feare of the Pharisies,Ioh. 12.42. be­cause they loued the praise of men, more then the praise of God.

3 Honour and glorie is verie brittle, like Archimedes glassie spheare. Hath not experience shewed, that [Page 209] those whose excellencie mounted vp to heauen,Iob. 20.6. and made their nest as high as the Eagle, Ier. 49.16. haue bene brought downe? So that it wold make a man not considering the slipperinesse of honours lad­der, to wonder with the Prophet ouer the king of Babel: How art thou falne from heauen ô Lucifer, Isa. 14.12. sonne of the morning? and cut downe to the ground, thou that didst cast lots vpon the nations? What is become of those foure Monarchies of the world, which the king of Babylon saw in a vision? are they not almost vanished like his dreame and vision of them, which hee vtterly forgot? Alexanders pompe and solemnitie at Babylon,Dan. 2. [Page 210] was wondrous great,Q. Curt. lib. 10. when he kept as it were a parlia­ment of the whole world:For he lay seuen daies vnburied. but not many dayes after, he could scarce obtaine the ho­nour of buriall. Adonibezec had the glorie of con­quest ouer seuentie kings,Iudg. 1 7. who hauing their thumbes cut off, picked crummes vn­der his table: yet at last him­selfe had the like disgrace, to be conquered, and to lose his thumbes. But that (of many others) was a most lamentable and memorable spectacle of Zedechiah: 2. King. 25.6.7. who being a mightie king, was taken captiue by the Baby­lonians, arraigned at Rib­lah, saw his children slaine before his face, had his eyes pickt out, and lastly was led [Page 211] to Babel where he dyed mi­serably. Lo here the incon­stancie of worldly dignitie, and the mutabilitie of those that enioy honour, to shine for a while and presently to be obscured: to be aduaun­ced to honor for a litle space and quickly to be debased: to be very rich to day, and to morrow to be impoueri­shed:Hest. 3.1.7.10. now to be (with Ha­man) exalted to the highest seate of dignitie, and by and by to be hanged. Is it not straunge to haue knowne the father a great comman­der, and to see the sonne a base vassall? the one to inha­bite a stately pallace, the o­ther to liue in a poore cot­tage? the one to sit vpon his triumphant throne, the o­ther [Page 212] to lye in the dust of de­solation? But thus it cometh to passe:Pro. 27.24. For riches remaine not alway, nor the crowne from one generation to another. Yet is this more straunge, to be­hold one and the same man brought from the highest pitch of earthly felicitie, to the lowest step of extreame miserie.1. Cor. 7.31. Thus doth the fashion of this world passe away, and the glorie thereof vanisheth like the vapour of smoake. And the Lord of hostes hath decreed this to staine the pride of all glorie, Esa. 23.9. and to bring to contempt all those that be glo­rious in the earth.

Seeing now that the ho­nour, ctedite, and worship of this world, is but a vulgar applause, the nurse of pride, [Page 213] the firebrand of enuie, and the companion of incon­stancie: good Lord, what do men meane so earnestlie to hunt after it? Alas, who would make any reckoning of this vaine and variable world? Who art thou that gloriest in this glassie and windie vanitie? What, art thou greater then the great kings of Tyrus and Babylō, that conquering Lord of Bezeck, or that mightie Monarch of Greece? Be­hold they are all gone, and haue lost & left their pompe behind them; yea their ho­nourable memoriall is peri­shed with them. Almost e­uery one saith with Saul, ho­nour me amongst the people: 1. Sam. 15. and that is the limit of their [Page 214] base conceipt. Many stand gloriously vpon their honor and reputation, but fewe haue due regard of honestie and religion. But our bles­sed Sauiour when he came into the world, taught vs to despise worldy pompe and credite, both by his birth life, and death. In his birth he disrobed himselfe of di­uine honour,Phil. 2.7. and tooke vp­on him the shape of a ser­uant. In his life he refused the dignitie of a king, and sought not his owne glorie. Ioh. 8.18. And in his death he suffered himselfe to be stript of all externall reputation, when he was buffetted by the ras­call souldiers,Mat. 27.30 35.39. crucified on the reprochfull crosse, and derided by the base passen­gers. [Page 215] Christians therefore should learne his precept, and imitate his practise, ac­cording to that: Learne of me, Mat. 11.32 for I am meeke and lowlie of heart: If we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him: Rom. 8.17. and if we be humbled with him, we shall bee exalted with him. Let your light so shine before men, Mat. 5. that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen, saith our Sauiour. Let your conscience be vp­right, and your conuersa­tion holy: so shall you glori­fie God and haue praise with God, tenne thousand times more woorth then all the vaine and momentanie ap­plauses of men: yea, if thou desire to be truly honorable [Page 216] in the eyes of men, do this. Worldly honour and esti­mation is not vnfitly com­pared to the Crocodile, which flyeth being pursued, but pursueth a man when he flieth. For those that con­temne this transitorie ho­nor, and seeke the aduance­ment of Gods glorie, shall vndoubtedly haue true ho­nour pursuing them: though they lose it in their fathers house with Ioseph, yet shall they find it in Egypt; though they leaue it in Pharoos Court with Moses, they shall meete with it in the wilder­nesse; and forsaking it in their owne countrey with Abraham, shall finde it in Canaan. For those that ho­nour the Lord, he will honour [Page 217] them. 1. Sam. 2.30 The womans cost and kindnesse in honouring our blessed Sauior with the box of oyntment, shall neuer be forgotten:Mat. 26.13 But wheresoeuer the Gospell shall be preached throughout the world, there shall also this that shee hath done, be spoken of for a memo­riall of her. And when as the vnworthie honor of the wicked shal be buried in ob­liuion, or be turned into re­proch,Psal. 112.6. the righteous (euen in this life) shall be had in e­uerlasting remembrance; and in the life to come shall en­ioy a glorious kingdome, thrones of maiestie, and the neuer-fading crownes of e­ternall glorie. Lo, thus shall be done to the man, whome the Lord will honour.

SECT. 9. Of Pleasures.

VVE are now entring into the garden of Adonis, (as it is in the Pro­uerbe) which the world makes her garden of Eden. The flowers that grow ther­in are the vaine plants of pleasure: which albeit they make a glorious shew to the eye, yet is their root bit­ternesse, their glosse vanitie, and their fruite deadly poy­son. What is pleasure but a delightfull motion seated in the senses?Cic. defi [...]. bon. lib. 2. so that the fiue senses are as so many rootes, foorth of the which plea­sures doe spring and grow. Beautifull obiects delight the eye, sweete sounds doe [Page 219] please the eares, fragrant aires affect the nose, delicate substances content the bran­ched nerues, daintie viands satisfie the tongue: and what hath man in all this, which is not common to him with the bruite beasts?2. Pet. 2.12 In regard whereof, Saint Peter calleth those that are led with sen­sualitie, bruite beasts. And are not these senses so many faire windowes, by the which pleasures giue sinne passage and entrance into the heart and soule of men? The serpent was more sub­tile then any beast of the field,Gen. 3.1. and so was a daunge­rous snare vnto Eue; but, a­las, when she gaue enter­tainement to pleasure, she was assaulted by a more [Page 200] dangerous beast. For plea­sure directed her eye, and guided her hand to the for­bidden fruite, brought it to her mouth, and perswaded her to take and tast it.

Now, as pleasures are brutish, so are they excee­ding momentanie, like the fierie Comets, which last no longer then their exhaled matter indureth, and that cannot be long. So that euen now you may see Baltasar quaffing in great iolitie;Dan. 5. and by and by, behold his coun­tenance chaunged, his knees beat together, and his plea­sure turned into horrour. To day you may see the Israe­lites stretch themselues vpon their beds of Iuorie, Amos. 6.4. eate the lambes of the flocke, drinke [Page 221] wine in bowles, and sing to the sound of the Ʋioll: and to morrowe, behold them in great misery and thraldome by the Assyrians and Baby­lonians. If a man will not leaue his pleasures when he is young, they will assuredly leaue him when he is old: and the [...]fore Salomon, I sought in my heart, to d [...]aw foorth &c. [...]. Eccles. 2.3.11. when he had drawne out the threede of delight, and stret­ched the webbe of pleasures on the largest tenter of vari­etie, saith, he found nothing in it, but vanitie and vexati­on of spirit.

The learned both heathen and Christians haue compa­red pleasures to the anglers baite,Plato, Cice. Ambr. de bon. mort. cap. 6. which hath a hooke hid vnder it, wherewith those that are inconsiderate, [Page 222] are caught and killed. The golden cuppe in the spiritu­al whores hands is a goodly cup,Reu. 17.4. but it is full of abhomi­nations: so is pleasures cup a very faire one, but it is full of deadly poyson. The Bee hath honie and waxe, but she hath a sting withall: so hath pleasure the honie to intice, and the waxe to en­flame, but take heed of the deadly sting wherewith shee strikes.

The best fruite that can grow from pleasures, is Re­pentance and remorse of conscience. For sweet meate must haue sower sauce: and the soule that tooke plea­sure in sinning, must needes suffer paine in sorrowing. So shall it befall the soule giuen [Page 223] to pleasures,Esa. 13.22. as Esay threate­neth to Babylon: Iim shall cry in their pallaces, and dra­gons in their pleasant places: those soules and bodies that should haue bene the tem­ples of the holy Ghost,1. Cor. 6.19. but haue bene made the palla­ces of worldly pleasures, shall haue the Fairies & Fu­ries of anguish and horror lodging and liuing there.

2 Are not pleasures the occasions of sicknesse and weaknesse?Chrys. ad pop. Antio. hom. 55. in ipso initio. for as the course of waters doe weare & wea­ken the banke, and at last carie it cleane away: so doe pleasures diminish health & strength, and at last doe vt­terly depriue men of them. And as the Fuller with rai­sing of the nappe and shea­ring [Page 224] of the cloth, makes it weare soft and seemely, but withall sooner then it wold be: so do pleasures raise vp the nap of the spirits, yeel­ding present content, but withall bring olde age and death before their time.

3 As pleasures do hurt the bodie, so do they annoy and infect the soule. They are like thorns in hindering the growth of godlinesse,Luk. 8.14. & like Syrens in lulling men a­sleepe in sinne and securitie. Whilest Sampson slept vpon Dalilahs lappe,Iud. 16. his lockes were shaued off, and his eyes put out: so when pleasure hath lulled men asleepe, she will shaue off the lockes of grace, and besot the soule with a spirituall blindnesse.

4 But Saint Peter speakes of a further and farre more daungerous fruite of plea­sure, when hee saith, that those which haue bene ledde with sensualitie, 2. Pet. 2.13. shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnesse. And what that is, it appea­reth in Abrahams speech to Diues: Luk. 16.25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures, & non thou art tormented. So that the intollerable torments of hell are the reward of plea­sures: yea the more the pleasures, the greater the torments; for the Lord doth weigh out his iudgements according to the measure of mens vanities:Reu. 18.7. So much as she hath liued in pleasure, so much giue you to her torment [Page 226] and sorrow.

This is a meditation very meete for these dayes of vo­luptuousnesse; for now is the Apostles Prophesie fulfil­led: In the last daies men shall be louers of pleasures more then louers of God. 2. Ti. 3.1.4. I knowe there is scarcely such a mis­creant, but hee will in this behalfe indeuour to iustifie himself: but when the Prea­chers of Gods word, being the Lords Ambassadours, beseech men in his name, yet they cannot perswade them to forsake any plea­sures; is it not euident that they loue their pleasures more then they loue God? Men that liue pleasantly, seeme to liue happily: but indeede their life is misera­ble, [Page 227] and their condition la­mentable. The sweete and Christall riuer runnes plea­santly, as it were sporting it selfe, winding and turning his siluer streames vp and downe by many a faire and goodly meadowe a great while; but at last it fals into the salt sea, and there loseth his sweetnesse and becomes brackish: so many wicked men, which for a while doe turne and winde themselues vp and downe, through the medowes of pleasure, and bath themselues in the tran­sitorie blisse of this world, do at last fall into the mouth of hell; and there lose all the sweetnes of their plea­sures, and find nothing but the brackishnesse of paines [Page 228] eternall.Aul. Gel. lib. 1. cap. 8. [...]. how much that was, the lear­ned agree not as Pet. Mosel in Aul. Gel. sheweth. When Lais that fa­mous Curtisan of Corinth, asked Demosthenes a great sum of mony to lye with her one night, he answered her wisely: That he would not buy repentance at so deare a rate. Consider then deare Christian, that the price of pleasure is not onely the in­firmitie of bodie, and an­guish of soule, but of eter­nall paines and torments in hell: are not all the pleasures in the world (though thou mightest enioy them tenne thousand ages) too deare to be bought at such a price? we reade that king Lysima­chus being constrained through thirst,Plutar. Apoth. to yeeld his kingdome to the Scythians, when he had drunk the cold [Page 229] water, said: O good God, for what a small pleasure haue I lost so great a king­dome! Beleeue me, if thou giue thy selfe to pleasure to thy soules daunger, though thou draw it foorth as Sa­lomon did, yet when it is va­nished, thou wilt say: O good God, what endlesse torments am I subiect to, and what a glorious king­dome haue I lost for trifling and momentanie pleasures! Doe with thy pleasures ra­ther as Dauid did with the water brought him by his Worthies, whereof he wold not drinke, but powred it foorth, saying: O Lord, 1. Sam. 23. be it farre from mee, that I should do this: is not this the bloud of these men? If pleasures offer [Page 230] themselues in neuer so glo­rious a shape to allure thee, let neither thy hands touch them, nor thy hart tast them; but powring them foorth, say with thy selfe: O Lord, be it farre from me, that I should yeeld to these pleasures: are they not the price of my soule? This if thou shalt doe, the Lord will yeelde thee heauenly delights in stead of earthly:Psal. 36.9. thou shalt be sa­tisfied with the fatnesse of his house, and he will giue thee drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures.

SECT. 10. Of Friends and Friendship.

ALthough nothing bee more consonant and contenting to the nature of [Page 231] man then societie, where­upon hee therefore hath his name homo of [...];Scaliger de causis ling. Lat. Vt Cic. de Amic. yea al­though the vse of friendship were as frequent and neces­sarie as the Elements: yet may this benefite of friend­ship, be also raunged very iustly in the Catalogue of vanities. Salomon describeth a friend thus;Pro. 17.17. A friend loueth at all times: if he onely be a friend who loueth at all times, how few true friends are there? For the most are like the swallow, which sings merrily with vs all the sommer, but bids vs farewell towards winter. Many will willingly accompanie their friends while they saile safe­ly with a pleasant wind: but when the tempest of danger [Page 232] or trouble ariseth, they will quickly flinch and forsake them. A friend is counted a­nother selfe, but most frends in time of need will giue a man leaue to trust to him­selfe.Das nihil, & dicis. Candide [...]. Mart. lib. 2. It is a common thing to say: All things are common among friends, when nothing is communicated: and (I am wholly yours) is soone said, but seldome seene. Doth the whole world yeelde one Damon or Pythias? one Pila­des or Orestes? No, a faithfull friend is a Phoenix. The Phi­losophers said ingeniously,Arist. Cicero Hieron. ad Paulin. that affinitie in manners and conditions should be the foundation of friendship: and the auncient Father di­uinely,Ambros. de Offic. lib 3. That the feare of God and loue of his word, [Page 233] should be the glue to knit men together in the league of true loue; but profit, plea­sure, vanitie and iniquitie, is the foundation & glue that vnites most. When friend­ship is once begun, is it not kept on foote by flattery? for the imperious nature of man being impatient of reproofe and aduise, it is thought good rather to sooth and claw, then to fall to iarres. So that most men become like the Iuie to the tree, and the beare bind to the wheat, which clippe them till they haue killed them. And such friends as these, when opor­tunitie is offred, proue faith­lesse, and trecherous, killing where they kissed,2. Sa. 20.9. Mat. 26.29. like Ioab and Iudas. and that breaketh [Page 234] the heart of him who rely­eth vpon such a one. If an enemie had wronged me (saith Dauid) I could haue borne it: Psal. 55.12. implying, that for a friend to prooue trecherous it was intollerable. Thus doth the friendship of our dayes, be­gin with iniquitie, continue with flatterie, and end with trecherie. So that the Lords querulous admonition doth verie well agree with our times:Ier. 9.4. Let euery one take heed of his neighbour, & trust you not in any brother: for eue­ry brother wil vse deceipt, and euery friend will deale deceipt­fully.

To these inconueniences may be added the iarres that vsually fall out among friends, and that oft times [Page 235] vpon trifling occasions. No instrument is sooner out of tune, then the harmonie of friendship; and then, as the purest wine prooues the tar­test vineger: so the most in­ward friendship being dis­solued, turnes into the dead­liest hatred. And as the pee­ces of cleare Christall can­not be reunited by any art: so the nearest friendshippe turned into hatred, doeth hardly admit any reconcili­ation; according to the di­uine Prouerbe:Pro. 18.19. A brother offended, is harder to winne then a strong citie, and their contentions are like the barre of a pallace.

Friendship should be as the houses that ioyne toge­ther, and as the stones there­of, [Page 236] one stone and one house helping to support and vp­hold one another: but they are sometimes ponderous occasiōs rather to suppresse and pull downe one ano­ther. For as sheepe doe ea­gerly follow one another into the forbidden pasture: so many a good man is brought to do euill by the societie and example of his friend,Confes. 2. lib fine. as Saint Augustine ingeniously confesseth of himselfe: and therupon iust­ly exclaimeth: O nimis ini­mica amicitia! And as it hath oft fallen out, that they which haue aduentured themselues to saue a man from drowning, haue by that meanes bene drowned themselues: so many a one [Page 237] by his readinesse to succour and pleasure his friend, hath bene brought into the same snare, and made partaker of the same daunger. To mani­fest this by stories which is euident by daily experi­ments, were very superflu­ous.Ad Demoni­cum. So hard a thing it is to haue an absolute friend. It is a straunge speech of Isocrates, That there is a friend who will grieue for his friends mishap, and in­deuour to releeue him in di­stresse; yet repine also at his good fortunes: but it is true in obseruation, & hath rea­son also of it. For there is in euery man by nature a se­cret selfe loue,Omnesmeliùs sibi mallent quàm alteri. Ter. whereby he wisheth better to himselfe then to others, which is the cause of this repining hu­mour. Now let it be suppo­sed, [Page 238] that none of all these e­uils were incident to friend­ship; that neither iarres, daungers or trecheries had any place in dissipating or dissoluing of the same: yet were this enough to set foorth the vanitie thereof; That friends cannot alwaies liue together, but against their wils are subiect to se­paration, and that by sun­drie accidents, and vnexpe­cted calamities. Whereof we haue a notable instance in Abraham and Lot: Gen. 13. who by reason of their seruants variance, were enforced to depart one from the other. And if nothing else effect this, yet death strikes the dolefull stroke of separation; and then the dearer the [Page 239] loue, the greater the losse. For as by the losse of one of the optickes, the o­ther is endaungered: so by the losse of one friend, the other must needes be much perplexed. Then doth Da­uid mourne ouer Ionathan with a great lamentation:2. Sa. 1.26. Wo is mee for thee my brother Ionathan.

The consideration of all this, may be a notable meanes to auoide the Pro­phets curse and woe:Ier. 17.5. Cursed be the man that maketh flesh his arme. Isa. 3.1.1. Wo be to them that go down into Aegypt for help. For if friendship be so fraile and vaine, why should any man depend vpon it to de­part from the liuing God, or to diminish his cōfidence [Page 240] in him?Iob. 23.21. Embrace Eliphaz his exhortation: Acquaint thy selfe with God, whose loue once set vpon thee is immutable,Ioh. 13.1. whose fauour and kindnesse is vnspeakea­ble, his power inuincible, and his promise inuiolable.2. Chro. 15.2 The Lord is with thee, whilest thou art with him: he is the first in inuiting, and last in reiecting. Oh what a singu­lar priuiledge is it to haue God to be our friend? if men reioyce in their great and lo­uing friends, how much more may wee make our boast of God all the day long? Psal. 44.10 If thou desire to be partaker of this priuiledge, remem­ber our Sauiours saying: You are my friends, Ioh. 15.14. if you do what­soeuer I command you.

SECT. 11. Of Mirth.

IOy and Mirth is a thing desired of all, except some few, whom a certaine inhu­mane and melancholie dis­position hath distinguished from others; so that it will not be ha [...]d for this delightfull vanitie to find patrons enough in the world: but who is he that shall be able to free it from the iust impu­tation of vanitie? We reade of some,Aul. Gel. noct Attic. lib. 3. ca. 15. whom ouermuch ioy hath brought to their graues very speedily, as Di­agoras of Rhodes: who, ha­uing three sonnes which wonne the prizes in seuerall exercises at Olympus; when [Page 242] his children in a filiall reue­rence cast their garlands o­uer him, and the people with admiration applauded him, fell downe dead in the place. In him and others the like mentioned by histori­ans, the Prouerbe faileth: The merier heart, the lon­ger life. And surely immo­derate mirth cannot be but very hurtfull, by reason that it disperseth and spendeth the vitall spirits, which are the munition of the heart, the castle of the bodie.

Besides this, the Lord en­uying the pleasant estate of wicked men, which are strangers from the life of God, doth often shoot out his ar­rowes of dolour and discon­tent:Psal. 32.10 so that their ioyes be­come [Page 243] very momentanie, & the end of their mirth is hea­uinesse; like a faire calm,Pro. 14.13. that endeth with a blustering storme.Ioh. 20.4.5 Which cause [...]h Zophar to aske Iob: Knowest thou not that the rei ycing of the wicked is short, and that the ioy of hypocrites is but f [...]r a moment? as if he should say: If thou knowest not that, thou knowest nothing. And as the Lord deales with the wicked in iudgement; so doth he with the godly in compassion, knocking at the doore of their hearts with the hammer of chastisements and affliction, mixing (like a carefull Physitian) his cordials with corrasiues, to keepe them low, and to che­rish in them a contrite heart [Page 244] and an humble spirit. So that Salomons saying for the vicissitude and chaunge of things, is often proued true: There is a time to laugh, and a time to weepe: Eccles 3.4. a time to dance, and a time to mourne. For the drif [...] of his discourse, is not to teach that it should be so; but to shew that it will be so. Which ordinarie euent considered, it is not without iust cause, that the same He­brew word vsed both in Iob and else where in the Scrip­tures,Ioh. 20.5. [...] signifieth both Mirth and Mourning.

But if mirth were in it selfe both good and perma­nent, yet how vnfit is it for this pilgrimage of teares? When the Babylonians wished the Isralites being [Page 245] their captiues, to sing them one of the songs of Sion, they asked: How shal we sing a song of the Lord in a straunge land? Psal. 137.4 Can a song of Sion be more vnreasonable in Babylon, then ioy and mirth in this vale of miserie? For what is here to make a man laugh or be merrie, except hee would laugh at the world, as Democritus did at the A­thenians? If a man take a discreet view of the vanities and miseries of this wicked world, he shall find cause e­nough to mourne; but little occasion of mirth. It is wor­thie the obseruation, that we reade not, that euer our blessed Sauiour laughed or smiled: but diuers times, that he sighed, groned and wept. [Page 246] And the like we reade of o­ther the sanctified seruants of God;Phil. 3.18. Act. 20.19. as of Saint Paule, who writes to the Philippi­ans weeping, and serues God with many teares.

We haue an old Prouerb, and it is not more old then false: A litle mirth is woorth a great deale of sorrow. This is a carnall Prouerbe, and true in those onely,Eccles. 3.21 22. who looke for their portion of felicitie in this life. For to the children of God, the Spirit of God can tell vs,Eccl. 7.4.5. that a little sorrow is woorth a great deale of mirth. Where or when was it euer said of mirth,Psal. 51.19 per risum multum po­teris cognos­cere stulium. as it is of sor­row: A sorowfull spirit is a sa­crifice to God? Laughter in­deed is the sacrifice of fools. [Page 247] Though the heauen of heauens cannot containe the Lord; yet behold, hee will haue his habitation with an humble spirit,Esa. 66. and a contrite heart. This Dauid knew wel when he said: Put my teares into thy bottle: Psal. 56.8. are not these things noted in thy booke? The teares of a true penitent, are laid vp by the Lord as rich iewels, and hee doth register euery sigh of a con [...]rite heart: euen to this end,Psal. 1 [...]6.5 that they which sow in teares, may reape in ioy. But there appeareth not a more maine and manifest diffe­rence betweene the estima­tion of mirth and sorrow, then in our Sauiours words: Wo be to you that laugh, Luk [...].25. Mat. 5.4. for you shall waile and weep. Bles­sed [Page 248] are you that mourne; for you shall be comforted. But what? is it not lawfull to be merie? Yes surely, there is some mirth lawfull, and o­thersome both lawfull and laudable.Leu. 23.40. The Israelites may reioyce before the Lord their God in their solemne feastes. As the Iewes must fast in their miserie;Hest 4.16.9.22. so may they keepe the dayes of fea­sting and ioy for their victo­rie: yea all the people at the coronation of Salomon, may pipe with pipes, 1. Kin. 1.40 and reioyce with great ioy, and make the earth ring with the sound of them. Thus euen in these & the like temporall things it is lawfull for the children of God to reioyce. And in­deed none haue iust title to [Page 249] mirth but they, who by rea­son of their adoption in Christ, their present fruition of Gods fauour, and constāt expectation of their future happinesse, may very wel [...] haue chearefull hearts: but yet must this be with the A­postles caueat:1. Cor. 7.30. That they that reioyce, be as though they reioyced not: that neither their ioy be excessiue nor in­tempestiue: not permitting times of mourning, when there is cause of mourning.

There is a laudable mirth when men do reioyce, Aug. conf. [...]ib. 9. 7. to the Lord, of the Lord, and for the Lord. To this ioy doth the Psalmist exhort, when hee saith:Psal. 102. [...] Serue the Lord with feare, and come before him with ioyfulnesse. When men [Page 250] do in the seruice of God lift vp chearfull hearts to the Lord, and sing praises to him ioyfully, this is a hea­uenly reioycing, and this was the blessed Virgins ioy: My soule doth magnifie the Lord, Luk. 1.47. and my spirit hath re­ioyced in God my Sauiour. If this be the cause of thy ioy, I may say to thee in the A­postles words: Reioyce in the Lord; Phil. 4.4. and I say againe, reioyce. Enlarge thy heart, and ex­tend the bounds of consola­tion:Psa. 89.15 For blessed are the peo­ple, that can reioyce in the Lord. When the disciples returned with ioy, because the diuels were subdued vnto them: though this were no small cause of ioy, yet our Sauiour seeking to turne the [Page 251] streame of their affections another way, saith vnto thē: In this reioyce not, that spirits are subdued vnto you; Luk. 10 17 [...]0. but ra­ther reioyce, that your names are written in heauen. So do thou ex [...]mine the euidence of thy saluation: and if thou find in thy soule the charter of a sound faith, sealed vp vnto thee by the spirit of a­doption, and t [...]e sanctifying spirit of God, bearing witnesse, that thou art the child of God, and that thy name is enrolled amongs [...] the heauenly citizens; then reioyce, and againe I say, reioyce: and behold,Ioh. 16.22. this ioy shall no man take from thee.

SECT. 12. Of Mariage.

WHen man was in his innocencie the Lord said:Gen. 2.17. It is not good for man to be alone: but in his corrupt estate the Apostle saith:1. Cor. 7.1. It is good for a man, not to touch a woman. Thus was marriage founded vpon de­cencie, but now the princi­pall pillar thereof is necessi­tie.Ambr. de viduis. Non quasi culpa vitan­da, sed quasi necessitatis sarcina decli­nanda. In which respect, al­though it is not to be shun­ned as a sinne; yet is it to be abandoned as a burthen, & may very well bee taxed as a vanitie.

When a man intends to take a wife, he aduentures vpon a daungerous choice. [Page 253] Bias saying is famous: [...]. If a man take a faire wife, it is doubtfull shee will prooue false: if foule, she is a loth­some plague. And experi­ence manifesteth many a matrimoniall infirmitie inci­dent to that sexe. If they be qualified with any extraor­dinarie ornaments, they be­come imperious: so that beautifull Ʋashti will not come to Ahashnerosh when he sends for her.Hester. 1. If their hus­bands haue any familiar so­cietie with others, by reason of his employments abrode, they quickly become ielous: and so are a griefe of heart to him. If they be rich, they looke to dominere, accor­ding to that speech:Eccl. 25.24 If a wo­man nourish her husband, she [Page 254] is angrie, impudent, and full of reproch. If they be not like their neighbours in wo­manish vanities, they be­come querulous; and if they be honest, they are proude and ambitious, as though their husbands were much bound to them for it. Doe not many wiues proue Mi­chals, and so are snares to their husbands? and many husbāds Nabals, euen fooles and churles to their wiues? And where two such euils are combined, it were bet­ter for a man to haue his ha­bitatiō with the wild beasts, then to conuerse with such.Pro. 21.19.

The world yeelds enow such as Iobs wife was, who will either say blasphemous­ly to the dishonour of God: [Page 255] Curse God and die: or else foolishly to their husbands griefe, as she did:Iob. 2.9. Blesse God and dye: adding affliction to his affliction: but few Sa­rahs & Rebeccaes there are, which are faithfull, kind and obedient to their husbands. I meane not hereby to con­demne all women: for I know diuers of that sexe wise, modest, and verie ver­tuous: nor to iustifie all men: for experience sheweth ma­ny of them to be very viti­ous: I haue onely said, which is the generall current in coniugall affaires.Plu. in vita P. Aemy l. & in Prae­cept. coniug. Plutarch hath a pleasant tale of a Ro­mane, with whom (because he had put away his wife) her friends did thus expo­stulate the matter: What [Page 256] fault can there be found in her? is she not an honest wo­man of her bodie? is she not faire? and doth she not bring thee sweet children? But he putting foorth his foot and shewing them his shoe, an­swered thus: Is not this a faire shoe? is it not neately made? and is it not a newe one? yet none of you know­eth where it pincheth me: meaning that there were many secret iars happening betweene the maried, which others knew not.

2. Besides these inconue­niences of mariage, there is in it some incumbrance in diuine actions & excercises: as may appeare not onely by the Lords commandement to the Israelites of absence,Exo. 19.15. [Page 257] and abstinence from their wiues, at the deliuerie of the law vpon mount Sinay, but also by the Apostles tolera­tion of a temporarie separa­tion,1. Cor. 7.5. for the more zealous and deuout acting of the re­ligious exercises of fasting and prayer: and this is his disswasorie reason. 1. Cor. 7.32. I would haue you without carefulnesse: the vnmaried ca­reth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but he that is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. And experience resoun­deth the truth of the Apo­stles words: for he that shall enter into this course of life, must haue care of a familie, a prouident regard of chil­dren, [Page 258] and that which is of most difficultie, and there­fore singled out by S. Paule, he must be carefull to please his wife.Ruth. 4.5. And as Naomies kinsman could not redeeme Elimelechs land, except he tooke Ruth to wife: so can a man hardly yoke himselfe in the bonds of wedlocke, but he shall also marrie himself to sundrie worldly cares and incumbrances, which will hinder him in the course of Christianitie.

3 This also addeth much to these preiudices of the married, that they are knit in an indissoluble knot. The Gentiles made a question, whether it were good to marie, although they allow­ed of diuorce vpon euery tri­fling [Page 259] occasion: how much more would they haue done so, had they knowne that onely death and adulterie are the swords that must cut this Gordius knot? When the Pharisies demaunded of our Sauior, whether it were lawfull for a man to put a­way his wife for euery tri­fling occasion (as the man­ner was then among the Iewes) he answered: That the man and wife were by mariage made one flesh, and so (except in the case of a­dulterie, which disunites the maried, and makes an v­nion betweene the adulte­rers) could no more be se­parated then a man can be deuided frō himselfe:1. Cor. 6.16 which the disciples hearing, said [Page 260] to him:Mat. 19.10 If the matter be so betweene man and wife, it is not good to marrie. And in­deede it is a hard thing, were it not the diuine ordinance of Almightie God, to en­counter so many inconueni­ēces, as many times mariage yeelds with this i [...]ksome cō ­dition of inseparablenesse. Neither is this bond with­out bondage, whilest nei­ther the man nor the woman haue power ouer their owne bodies: nor may make any separation,1. Cor. 7.4.5 no not for a time, and though it be for diuine respects, but with mutuall consent.

These being the incon­ueniences of mariage, the vse thereof may be the A­postles exhortation:1. Cor. 7.27 Art [Page 261] thou loosed from a wife? seeke not a wife. Act. 26.29. Saint Paule once wished that all his hearers were like himselfe, except his bands:1. Cor. 7.7. but elsewhere hee wisheth all were like him­selfe, that is, free from Ma­riage bands. Let those that haue wiues, be as though they had none: that is,1. Cor. 7.29 let them not be hindered in diuine things, or incumbered with humane, by reason of their mariage. The spirituall ma­riage of Christ to the soule, is that which euery one ought principally to regard. Behold how Christ wooeth thee, saying: Open to mee my loue, my doue, my vndefiled. Cant. 5.2. Now is it thy part, to set o­pen the doore of thy heart, and to say as Laban said to [Page 262] Abrahams seruant:Gen. 24.31. Come in thou blessed of the Lord. For loe, he being thy soules hus­band, hath discharged the debts of thy sinnes, and will giue thee a rich ioynter of grace in this life, and the precious dowrie of eternall glorie in the life to come.

SECT. 13. Of Children.

AS Nature hath engraf­ted in euery thing li­uing on the face of the earth a desire of procreation, for the preseruation of the Spe­cies: so grace requireth at the hands of those, to whom she hath not giuen the di­spensation of continencie, an ofspring for the enlarge­ment [Page 263] of Gods Church. Yea children are the inheritance of the Lord, Psal. 127.3. and the f [...]uite of the wombe his reward: yet is this of the number and na­ture of those blessings, which in themselues are but vanities; because that a man in the abundance of children, may be miserable and worse then an vntimely birth. Eccles. 6.3. Hath it not falne out to many mothers, most de­sirous of children, that in the midst of their throbs be­fore and at the time of their childbirth, they haue bene readie to say with Rebecca, Gen. 25.22. Why am I thus? euen sorie that euer they were with child. And doth it not oft come to passe, that their children prooue Ben-onies, [Page 264] the sons of their sorrow: yea sometimes the sonnes and daughters of their death, as Beniamin was to Rachel. Gen. 35.18.

So soone as the children are borne, there are brought foorth many mutuall mise­ries and troubles to the pa­rents: when they are in their infancie, if they be nursed at home, how irksome is their crying and bawling? or if by reasō of some weighty impediment, the mother cannot: or of a foolish and vnnatu­rall nicenesse, she will not nurse her owne child: yet how doth their feare sleepe and wake with the little ten­der babe? And as children grow in age and stature, so doth the cost and care of parents grow and increase. [Page 265] The health, the honestie, the credite, and good estate of the children is the conti­nuall meditation of the pa­rents: and if they prooue to­wardly impes, yet is the fu­ture hope conceiued of thē very doubtfull, and the com­fort variable, but the care most certaine and infallible.

Children should be like the oliue plants, Psal. 128.3 yeelding the oyle of gladnesse & cheare­fulnesse vnto their parents faces: but many by their vn­gracious behauiours, doe make their faces shine with teares, and doe couer them with shame. They should be as arrowes of protection in the hands of the strong: Psal. 127.4. but they become swords and darts of sorrow and anguish, [Page 266] to pierce their parēts hearts. What a heart-breake was that vnto Adam, Gen. 4.8. that ha­uing but two sonnes, the one of them should murther his owne and onely brother? And what a thing was it, that when as Isaac had but two children, the one of them married with wiues; that were a griefe of mind to his mother, Gen. 26.35.27.46 and made her wea­rie of her life. But thus doe parents often hatch such fil­thie egges, as proue vgly ser­pents. Sometime it happe­neth, that contrarie to the course of nature, the parents performe the funerall rites to their children, and the fame is exceeding grieuous to them.2. King. 4. How is the Shuna­mite distracted for the death [Page 267] of her sonne? and how doth Dauid fast and lye on the ground,2. Sam. 12. vpon the sicknesse of his child? and if that na­ture be not extreame in this respect, they haply liue to their farther discomfort. He that hath married his daugh­ter (saith a wise man) hath performed a waightie worke: Eccles. 7.25 but I may say truly (howso­euer passion may crosse rea­son) that he which hath bu­ried his child in the feare of God, hath perfourmed a waightier worke. For much care and feare is thereby e­scaped. I am not ignorant that the death of Children hath brought the graye heads of some parents with sorrow to the graue: but who knoweth not (which is [Page 268] worse) that the life of chil­dren doth often bring their gray heads with sorrow and [...]hame to their sepulchers? In such a case there is iust cause of wering a mourning weede.

The most sort of parents (I confesse) through their folly do turne this temporall blessing into a curse, and this comfort into a corra­siue, and make it both vani­tie and vexation of spirit. Such are they that bring vp their children too nicely & tenderly, or else doe vtterly neglect their education, to their owne discomfort, and their childrens ouerthrow. This was the fault of Dauid who loued his sonne Abso­lon too tenderly,2. Sam. 14. and would [Page 269] neuer displease Adoniah frō his childhood. 1. R [...]g. 1.6. The fruite of which indulgence appeared afterwards, when the one attempted to depose his fa­ther, the other sought to dis­inherite his brother. But the iudgement of God was very grieuous vpon old Eli, 1. Sa. 2.24. &. 4. cap. a remisse man: who, when his sonnes deserued seuere chastisements for their no­torious wickednesse, onely rebuked them with a verbal reproofe. Most parents are very prouident for their childrens profits, and those things that belong to their bodies, but few haue care of the things that appertain to their soules: they decke them in braue apparell, build them faire houses, and [Page 270] purchase thē goodly lands; but do litle regard their ver­tuous and godly education. Thus, as if it were enough for the husbandman to sow his corne, but neuer weede it; and the gardener to plant a tree, and neuer prune it: so they thinke it enough to haue children, though they neuer haue care of their good bringing vp; whereby they peruert the principall ends of marriage and pro­creation. For whereas they should haue endeuoured to haue had of so many childrē so many heires of the king­dome of heauen, they haue (alas for pitie) prepared so many firebrands for hell. This may be a warning to al parents, who doe fondly [Page 271] dote vpon their children; and a reason to moderate their affections, that their hearts be no more set vpon them then is expedient: that the current of their loue runne the right way; that they doe not cocker and nuzle them vp in vanity and vice, but breede them vp in the instruction and informa­tion of the Lord. Eph. 6.4. That how­soeuer they prouide for their outward estate, they indeuour to make them rich in faith, and gracious in their conuersation: for this shall tend to the fathers cre­dite, the childrens comfort, and Gods glorie.Psal. 127.5. Happie is that man that hath his quiuer full of such arrowes, he shall not be ashamed when he spea­keth [Page 272] with his enemie in the gates.

SECT. 14. Of Recreations.

THe estate and conditiō of mankinde is such, both in respect of his bodie, and his minde, that neither the one nor the other is able substantially to performe & prosecute those offices that belong vnto them, if they shall be conuersant in con­tinuall agitatiō and motion. The reason hereof is, be­cause the vitall and animall spirits are to the bodie and the minde, like the oyle to the lampe, which if it be not sometimes repaired, will be quickly extinguished.

Now as nature challen­geth [Page 273] some intermission for her better refreshing: so hath Almightie God here­in condescended to mans necessitie, permitting to him some libertie for the relaxa­tion both of minde and bo­die, by Recreations conso­nant to them both, and not dissonant frō that holy pro­fession which becommeth a Christian. For the bodie;2. Sa. 1.18. such exercises as shooting and slinging, which were practised for recreations in peace, and were necessarie also for defence in the time of warre: and the praises of men exquisite in that skill are mentioned in the booke of Iudges;Jud. 20.16 as the seuen hun­dred Beniamites that could sling at a haires breadth, [Page 274] meaning (by an extensiue kind of speech) very neare. For the mind, some such as ingenious sober riddles are, as that of Sampsons: Iud. 14.14. Out of the eater came meate, and out of the strong came sweetnesse. And such no doubt were diuerse of the Queene of Shebaes questions,1. Kin. 10.3 where­with she prooued Salomon. To this purpose serueth Mu­sicke:2. Chro. 9.1. by meanes whereof, Dauid that excellent Mu­sitian did calme and pacifie the minde of Saul, 1. Sam. 16.24. vex­ed and disquieted with a melancholicke humour, stir­red vp by an euill spirit. Yet are these and the like recre­ations and exercises, no­thing else but meere vani­ties. Amongst all the recrea­tions [Page 275] that haue bene deui­sed, there is (in my conceit) none comparable to that heauēly science of Musicke: which causeth Salomon to single it out from the rest Eccles. 2.8. Yet behold his censure of it: When he had prouided him men-singers and women-singers, the delights of the sonnes of men, [...] Vide Tremel in hunc locū. harmonie and harmonies, that is, the best simple musicke, and the sweetest consorts that he could get; he concludeth of this, as of other delights of this life: Behold all is vanitie. And indeed there needes no further argument to proue the vanitie of recrea­tions,Eccle. 2.11. then the iust taxation of other earthly comforts, of more vse and consequent. [Page 276] Whereunto may be added, that as this vanitie is of lesse importance: so is it through mans corruption of more in­cōuenience, thē many other; and so becometh a vexation of spirit. Men offend in re­creations either substantial­ly, or circumstantially: substā ­tially, in the choise and vse of those that be vnlawful; cir­cumstantially, in the abuse of those that be lawfull.

Though Diuines of great learning doe not all agree concerning the lawfulnesse or vnlawfulnesse of certaine recreations; yet some there are whom Fathers, schoole­men, and moderne men al­so do vtterly condemne, as stage playes, lasciuious wan­ton dauncing, vnthriftie di­cing, [Page 277] &c. Against which ma­ny haue written, and some inueighed with great vehe­mencie: which if our age were not gracelesse, would at least be some restraint of the frequent abuse of them, especially vpon the sabboth. As for lawfull recreations, men abuse them sundrie wayes. 1. By fraudulent dea­ling, vsing impertinent cir­cumuentions, which are no­thing else but meere cousi­nages. 2. By diuerse outra­ges, as swearing, cursing, chafing, brawling, &c. And then the best of them be­come mad sports, as Salo­mon saith.Eccles. 2.2. 3. By the wagers that are played for, which should be very little, as a note of victorie, not a marke [Page 278] of couetousnesse. But most vse their sportes onely for gaine, neither respecting the refreshing of the bodie, nor the minde: and so they peruert the principall end of them. 4. By the too much vsing of them: a thing very ordinarie with diuerse, which make, as it were an occupation of recreations; and whereas they should be vsed as Phisicke, they vse them as ordinarilie, as they do their meate and drinke: sitting downe to eate and drink, and rising vp to play. 1. Cor. 10 7. So that feeding, sleeping and spor­ting is their circular course of life. Good Lord, can any sensible man (that bethinks himselfe) imagine, that euer God created him to this [Page 279] end?Mat. 7. or that this is the straite gate and narrow way, that our Sauiour exhorteth vs to enter into life by? yet who would not faine be saued? It is a narration of Augustins, Aug. conf. lib. 6. cap. 7. worthie the noting, of one Alipius a young man: for whome being too much ad­dicted to certaine sports at Carthage, he was exceeding sorrie, and one day reading his Lecture, he tooke occa­sion to illustrate that which he spake of, by a disgracefull similitude taken from those games, not thinking of Ali­pius: but so it pleased God to worke in the heart of the young man, that taking it as spoken to himselfe, he for­sooke vtterly those vanities he had before affected ex­ceedingly. [Page 280] Would to God, that the due consideration hereof might haue the like successe in the culpable rea­der; that those vnlawfull sports he vseth, he would vtterly abandon: that he would vse the lawfull sober­ly, with the due regard of Christian moderation: for the better fitting of him to those Christian duties that appertaine to his particular calling: making alwaies the seruice of God, the princi­pall delight and ioy of his heart.

SECT. 1. The first step of the wicked in­to hell, in this life; namely, their wicked con­uersation.

Psal. 39. Greg. mor. lib. 23. cap. 24.THis life is a pilgrimage and waifaring life; and euery day we liue is a steppe taken towards our iournies end. The passengers haue sundrie paths to walke in: for some trauell to Beth-ha­nan, and some to Beth-anah; some to the house of mercy some to the house of misery. [Page 285] Our life is a sea-faring life, and there are two hauens, into which all the world doth saile: the hauen of eter­nall happinesse, the king­dome of heauen, whose straights are exceeding dif­ficult, enuironned with ma­ny enemies to hinder our courses:Mat. 7. so that few take lan­ding there. The other is the port of eternall perdition, the gulfe of hell, a way plain and easie for euery passen­ger, into the which most doe ariue. Though the sea-fa­ring man sleepe neuer soe soundly, yet is he sayling to­wards his iourneies end: and though we be growne sens­lesse in the course of Chri­stianitie, yet is time still ca­rying vs to our long home. [Page 286] My purpose is here to de­scribe those first steps which the wicked take to hell, that so they may be shunned. It is written, that malefactors amongst the Romanes, vsed to carrie their crosse, vpon which they afterwardes should be carried: so doeth Almightie God euen in this life, giue a tast of those e­ternall and intollerable tor­ments, which wretched and impenitent sinners shall suf­fer more abundantly in the life to come: and their re­solute impietie and impeni­tencie is a dolefull preludiū to their endlesse miserie. If I should onely recount those calamities which are gene­rally incident to all the sons of Adam; were they not suf­ficient [Page 287] to display a misera­ble man? yet are all they no­thing to those peculiar mi­series which are appropriate to disobedient and rebelli­ous sinners. For as God doth prepare these vanities with the ingrediences of his fauour, that they may bee holesome, or at the least harmelesse receipts vnto his children: so doth he season and sauce them to the reprobate with the powder of his curses, that they may be­come their bane and poisō: they are cursed in the towne and in the field, Deut. 28. cursed in their comming in and going out, cursed in their goods and in their grounds, cur­sed in their soules and in their bodies. So that herein [Page 288] they resemble miserable Ie­rusalem,Esa. 1. which from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head had nothing whole. For in euery place, euery time, euery action, and in euery respect they are ac­cursed; and this accursed e­state is an entrance to that dreadfull curse, which shall be cast vpon them at the last day:Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cur­sed into euerlasting fire.

2 When the prodigall child went astray, he was brought to this extremitie, that he fed vpon Acornes with the hogges: and being pinched with penurie, said: How many hired seruants at my fathers house haue bread enough, Luk. 15. and I dye for hunger? Lo, this is the condition of [Page 289] euery dissolute sinner; when he goeth astray, and hath spent his patrimonie of grace in lewd liuing, Sathan giues him the husks of sinne to feede vpon, and he taketh repast with those base crea­tures whose beastly life he doth imitate: and though he liue a natural life, yet being a stranger frō the life of God,Ephes. 4.18 his life is but a miserable death. In this respect was the Lords threatning to A­dam fulfilled:Gen. 2.17. In that day thou eatest of the tree of knowledge, thou shalt dye the death. For Adam in the day of his disobedience entred into the gates of eternall death, which had opened, receiued and swallowed him, had not the most blessed seede [Page 290] of the blessed woman res­cued him.1 Tim. 5.6. And the Apostle saith, that she which liueth in pleasures, is dead while she li­ueth; like a man conuicted and condemned, though his execution be deferred: For he that beleeueth not, is con­demned alreadie. Ioh. 3.18. So that it may be said to euery impe­nitent sinner, as the Lord said to Abimelech: Gen. 20.3. Thou art but a dead man. And this death is an earnest-penny of the second death.Reu. 10.6.

3 The wicked and vn­godly are not onely the Lords laughing stocke,Psal. 2. but sinnes slaues, and Sathans drudges also. For they are in the snare of the diuell, 2. Tim. 2.26 of whom they are taken prisoner at his pleasure. Rom. 6.16. Know you not, that [Page 291] to whomsouer you giue your selues seruants to obey, his ser­uants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be of sin vnto death, or of obedience vnto righte­ousnesse? Io. 8.33.34. When our Sauiour perswaded the Iewes to sticke to the truth, whereby they might be made free; they poore soules stood vp­pon their supposed priui­ledges of being the children of Abraham, when they were the seruants of sinne and Sathan. And how many thousands are there in the world which weare the di­uels liuerie, yet professe thē ­selues the Lords seruants? which exercise their toungs in speaking of heauen, but haue their feete standing in hell? Doe wee not pitie the [Page 292] Israelites, when we reade of their thraldome vnder Pha­rao? Alas, this thraldome and slauerie of men vnder Sathan is much more lamē ­table, and may iustly cause the seruants of God to wish that their head were a foun­taine of teares, to bewaile the slauerie of seduced souls. Saint Paul cals the day of temptation the euill day. Ephes. 6.13 Oh how many euill dayes haue many in the world, whose whole life is nothing but impietie and profanenesse? Iacob said to Pharao: Few and euill haue the dayes of my pilgrimage bene: Gen. 47. but they may say, Many and euill haue the dayes of our slauerie bene, whilest they haue bene Sathans seruants, who will [Page 293] taske them in his workes of wickednesse, like Pharao the tyrant, and giue them no li­bertie to worship and serue their God.

4 The wayes of the wic­ked are darknesse (saith Salomon: Prou. 4.19.) and in this respect doth their life also consort with hell the kingdome of darknesse,Mat. 8.12. and Sathan the Prince of darknesse. And in this kingdome of darknesse their estate is miserable, like theirs of whom the Prophet Dauid speaketh:Psa. 107.10 They dwell in darknesse and in the shadow of death, being fast bound in miserie and iron. For the bands of Sathan and the darknesse of their hellish life, do farre exceede the mi­serie of all corporall bands [Page 294] and darkenesse whatsoeuer. Thus whilest the wicked are straungers from the life of God, and exposed to his curse; whilest they are the slaues of Sathan, and priso­ners of the infernall king­dome of darkenesse; whilest their words, and deeds, and thoughts do all sauour of hell, they haue in part taken possession of that habitatiō, which they shall one day fully, fearefully, and finally enioy,

Loe then, this is the e­state and condition of all those that haue sold them­selues to work wickednesse; though in the world they haue a name that they liue, yet are they dead,Reu. 3.1. like the Church of Sardis: though [Page 295] they thinke themselues in Dothan, yet if they had grace to lift vp their eyes, they should perceiue themselues in the midst of Samaria:1. King 6. and thogh in the outward view, they seeme with Capernaum to be lifted vp to heauen, Mat. 11 22 yet behold they are in the con­fines of hell: and whereas the godly haue their liues hid with Christ in God; Col. 3.3. they haue their liues locked vp in Sathans custodie.Psal. 37.1. Fret n [...]t thy selfe because of the vngod­ly, neither be thou enuious for the euill doers, saith the Psal­mist. Me thinkes it should be an easie matter to dis­swade any man from enuy­ing them, who are rather to be pitied, because they are set in slipperie places; for [Page 296] they stand as it were on the pit brinke of hell, readie e­uery hower to slip into it, and to be swallowed vp of it, Consider then (deare Christian) thy estate where­in thou standest: if thou be giuen ouer to sinne and ini­quitie, remember that thou art the diuels slaue, and thy foote standeth at the mouth of hell. Now is the Prophets exhortation needfull: Turne you, Ezec. 33.11 Rom. 6.12. turne you, for why will you dye? Let not sinne raigne in thy mortall bodie: but if thou haue striken handes with sinne, shake hands with it for a farewell; shunne it and abhorre it, as thou woul­dest flie from a serpent; in­deuour to amend thy estate, that thou mayest be no lon­ger [Page 297] a slaue of sinne, a cap­tiue to Sathan, nor a com­panion with the damned: but that by b [...]eaking off thy sinnes by righteousnesse, Dan. 4.24. thou mayest be a fellow Citizen with the Saints, and one of the houshold of faith: and loe, the holy Angels shall reioyce at thy conuersion

SECT. 2. The second steppe into hell: which is, Horror of conscience.

CAn a sower tree bring foorth sweet fruite? or can a filthie fountaine send forth any but bitter streams? No more can the prophane heart, and lewd conuersati­on yeelde and send foorth [Page 398] any thing but the sower fruit and bitter waters of a troubled conscience. Sweet meat must haue sower sauce: and the heart which tooke delight and pleasure in com­mitting of sinne, must after­wardes be vexed with an­guish and sorrow in remem­brance of the same. Sinne sheweth a harmlesse mouth like the viper, but with her hidden teeth she infuseth deadly poyson: she weepes like the crocodile, but wounds like a serpent; and leaues the sting of consci­ence behind her to vexe the sinfull soule.

The sacred Scriptures do by sundrie notable compa­risons, set foorth the misera­ble condition of those wret­ched [Page 299] men, whom the con­science of sinne doth vexe in this life, Zophar, Iobs friend makes a notable Antithesis betweene the estate of the godly and the wicked in this respect:Job. 11.15 The godly shall lift vp his face without spot, & be stable without feare: but the eyes of the wicked shal fail, and their hope shall be griefe of minde. The wicked through the terror and conscience of sin, shall be like men whose extreame amazednesse doth depriue them of the vse of their senses, both externall and internall: whereas the godly shall haue a cheare­full countenance, with an vpright conscience. And his friend Eliphaz likewise:Job. 15.20. The wicked man is continually [Page 300] as one that trauelleth of child. As the pregnant mother is vexed with many sodaine throbbes, and thinkes euery one to be a warning of her daungerous and painefull approching trauell: so the lewd and wicked liuer, that trauelleth with iniquitie, hath many inward throbbes which gripe his heauie hart, and represent vnto his pen­siue soule the imminent e­uerlasting destruction. A­gaine, in the 24. verse. Af­fliction and anguish shall make him affraid. When the Lord comes against a wicked mā, he brings foorth his forces of affliction and anguish, which rise vp in ciuil warre, till they effect that which Salomon hath in the Pro­uerbes: [Page 301] The wicked flieth when no man pursueth him. Cap. 28.1. And no maruell: for the di­straction and dread of con­science is a sufficient enemy to daunt the stoutest wight that breatheth.Pro. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can beare? Job. 27.20. And Iob himselfe also saith, that ter­rors shall take the wicked as waters, and as a tempest shall carie him away by night. As a tempest arising suddenly, fil­leth both the heauens and earth with dreadfull darke­nesse: so do the stormes of dread arising in the consci­ence of a wicked man. The Prophet Esay doth elegantly discipher the miserable con­dition of such men on this manner:Esa. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging sea that cānot rest, [Page 302] whose waters do cast vp mire and dirt. And surely there could be nothing more fit to set foorth the restlesse and wretched estate of a wicked man; who as hee swelleth with the surges of pride and haughtinesse of heart; as hee casteth foorth the filthie foame of his owne shame, and boyleth with the fire of an enuious spirit: so is he tossed vp and downe with euery blast of anguish, and blowne about with euery gale of terror: neither is he like those seas which some­times do obtaine calmnesse, but like Euripus which is in continuall agitation & boy­ling:Pomp. Mel. lib. 2. and therefore doth the Prophet conclude vpon his similitude:Ver. 22. There is no peace [Page 303] (saith my God) to the wicked. All this is euident by Caines wicked murmuring,Gen. 4.13. Gen. 27.38 Esaues bitter weeping,Mat. 27.3. and Iudas desperate mourning: all which were indeede like a restlesse raging sea, and (like Noahs doue) found not one twigge of sound comfort, whereupon to rest their di­stressed soules. Our Sauiour speaking of the paine of the damned, saith:Mar. 9.44. That their worme dyeth not; this worme is the sting of conscience which is neuer plucked out: and this worme begins euen in this life, to nibble at the hearts of desperate sinners. Of this thing the Poets were not ignorant,Animóque obiecit Eryn nim. Ouid. Met. lib. 1. when they fained that such men were vexed with Furies; meaning [Page 304] indeed, the furious ho [...]ror of their fearfull conscience arising from their wicked conuersation. Wee reade that Nero that Romane mō ­ster,Sueton. in vita Neron. cap. 34. hauing after many vil­lanies, like a vile wretch murthered his owne mo­ther, was exceedingly per­plexed with the remorse & memorie of his damnable and vnnaturall fact: affirming that he was vexed with his mothers ghost, with whips of the hellish furies, & with burning torches: and albeit the souldiers, the Senate and people did by their applause indeuour to comfort him: yet was he neuer able to en­dure the horror of consci­ence proceeding from his villanous wickednesse:Neque tamen sceleris con­scientiam, aut statim, aut vnquam ferre potuit. so [Page 305] close did this neuer dying worm cleaue to his clogged conscience. The conscience of man by the diuine ordi­nance of Almightie God, doth keepe an Assise, and e­rect a tribunall in the soule of euery one, euen in this life.

First to make way to these proceedings, the consci­ence dogges vs, and takes notice of all our actions. Thy heart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others: Eccles. 7.24 though thou hast forgot it, yet consult with thy consci­ence, and it will tell thee that thou hast done it. When the sonnes of Iacob had for­gotten their crueltie to­wards their brother, com­mitted many yeares before: [Page 306] their conscience quickened by a present affliction speaks thus vnto them:Gen. 42.21. We haue ve­rily sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soule. Sometimes a man goes away with his sinne, as Gehazi went with the siluer and the garments, and saith peraduenture as he said:2. King, 5.25.26. Thy seruant went no whither; but the conscience will answere with Elizaeus: Went not my heart with thee, when thou didst priuily slaunder thy neighbour, steale, sweare falsely, commit filthinesse, or the like? 2. When the con­science hath taken notice of some great crime, it calleth vs to the barre, and there it accuseth vs, reckoning vp our sinnes, and setting them [Page 307] in order with their circum­stances; thus the prodigall child taxeth himselfe:Luk. 15.18 Fa­ther, I haue sinned against heauen and before thee. So is the conscience like the Clearke of the Assizes, laying open the bookes and cases, which before lay hid in obscuritie. 3. Lest there should be any fond excusing, the consci­ence hauing accused, giueth in further euidence for proofe of the inditement, and beareth witnesse to the accusation, as the Apostle sheweth, Rom. 2.15. There­fore doth the Lord take that course with Adam; Gen. 3.11. appea­ling to his conscience, whe­ther hee haue transgressed the commandement enioy­ned him, yea or no? because [Page 308] hee knew his conscience would testifie aga [...]nst him­selfe. 4. The conscience ha­uing made euident that which was obscure, and ra­tified (as it were with a thou­sand witnesses) that which seemed doubtfull, she pro­ceedeth to pronounce sen­tence. Then doth the prodi­gall child crye out:Luk. 15.19. I am not worthie to be called thy sonne. Then doth the Prophet cen­sure himselfe and his people thus: O Lord, righteousnesse doth belong to thee; Dan. 9.7. but to vs open shame and confusion of face. 5. Lastly, sentence be­ing thus pronounced,Quò enim cor meum fugeret à corde meo? Aug. confes lib. 4. cap. 7. what is to be expected but execu­tion? to flie it is not possible: a man may escape others, but to flie from an euill con­science, [Page 309] it is no lesse impossi­ble, then for a man to flie frō his shadow, which the fa­ster the bodie flyeth, the fa­ster it followeth: then will the conscience inflict the punishment. Thus when Dauid with diffidence of Gods assistance, & affiance in his own forces had num­bred the people, it is said, that his heart smote him or scourged him. Lo, [...] 2. Sa. 24.10 this is the fruite of sinne, both to the vniust and to the Saints: for in both of them, the consci­ence watcheth, accuseth, witnesseth, condemneth and punisheth: but these procee­dings of the conscience are to the elect like the Apo­stles power: To edification not to destruction. 2. Cor. 13.10 The godly [Page 310] being hereby schooled are sent to Christ,Gal. 3.24. whereby peace is spoken to their soules, and they are repriued and pardoned: the wicked despaire and flie from him, and so they are eternally tormented.

But some man will per­aduenture obiect, that all the wicked feele not these throbbes, because some that haue wholy deuoted them­selues to iniquitie and all ab­homination, do yet liue me­rily, and are not vexed with such stormes of terror or re­morse. Whereunto I aun­swer, that many which seem to liue thus merily, haue yet many inward gripings,Pro. 14.10. when onely The heart knoweth the bitternesse of the soule. Cali­gula [Page 311] that proude Atheist,Qui deos tantoperè con­temneret. Sueton. in vita Cal. cap. 51. who did so scorn the Gods, was wont to winke and wrappe the clothes about his head at the least flashes of lightening: and at the greater, would hide himselfe vnder his bed. Did not his conscience terrifie him, and tell him, that there was a re­uenging power? But sup­pose they were alwaies ex­empted from these terrors, as some no doubt are, who haue senslesse hearts & cau­terised consciences:1. Tim. 4.2. yet is their condition no lesse mi­serable, whilest this lethar­gie of their soules, will not suffer them to seeke to the Physitian to be cured. Poy­son is poyson, how plesant­ly soeuer it be confected: [Page 312] and though these men bee led by Sathan,Carion. Chr. lib. 5. like Baiazeth by Tamberlaine in fetters of gold, yet remember that they are speeding to hell.

Let me then for conclu­sion of this point, propound vnto thee, my Christian bro­ther,Rom. 6.21. the Apostles question to the Romanes: What fruit had you of those things, where­of you are now ashamed? Con­sider the fruites of sinne, and thou shalt finde them to be nothing but shame and sor­row, and horror of consci­ence: besides which if there were no other reason of re­straint, yet were this suffici­ent to withdraw any man not senslesse in his sinnes. For what a miserable thing is it to be alwaies hanging [Page 313] ouer a dangerous and deepe water by some small bough? and what a lamentable case is this, to be euer fearefully looking for the dreadfull iudg­ment and violent fire, Heb. 10.27. that shal deuoure the aduersarie? Cru­cifie therefore thy affections with the lusts thereof, and hold it not sufficient like the foolish Israelites to make them tributaries,Ios. 23.13. lest they proue worse then the Cana­nites: not a whippe on thy side, and thornes in thine eyes; but a sword of sorrow wounding thy sinfull soule. Indeuour also to embrace a holy conuersation, and that will yeelde thee a quiet and good conscience: and a good conscience will be a continuall feast. Pro. 15.15.

SECT. 3. The third steppe of the wicked into hell in this life, which is their dolefulll dying.

THe cuppe that yeeldes bitternesse in the first draught, must needes be ve­ry bitter in the bottome. If the life of a wretched sinner be so full of terror, as hath bene shewed, how terrible do we thinke his death shall bee?Exod. 5. The Israelites were in great slauery in Aegypt, but when they were readie to leaue the land, their thral­dome was much increased: and so it fareth with incor­rigible sinners; in their liues they are Sathans slaues, and their consciences are sub­iect [Page 315] to the scourges of re­morse: but at their death their miserie is augmented, and their terrors trebled.

1 It must needs be a great griefe to them to leaue the world with all the delights thereof, which they haue lo­ued so dearely. Those that haue made this life their heauen, it must needes bee a hell vnto them to lose it: as it was a death vnto the chil­dren of Israell, to leaue the flesh pots of Aegypt. 2. They must part with their friends, whether it be wife, children or other associates: no friendship can obtaine it, no substance can procure it, that the life may be pro­longed.Psal. 49.7. For no man can by any meanes redeeme his bro­ther, [Page 316] he cannot giue his r [...]nsome to God. 3. They must leaue their friend Mammon, the wealth and riches to which their soule cleaueth. O death, Eccles 41.1 how [...]itter is the re­membrance of thee to a man, that liueth at rest in his posses­sions? If onely the remem­brance of future death be so bitter to a man in wealth & prosperitie, how irkesome shall it be to him, when death it selfe standeth be­fore his face readie to arrest him? Well might Salomon say:Eccles. 5.15 this is an euill sicknesse. But what should I speake of the losse of these toyes and trifles? They must part with their liues: Skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath, Iob. 2.4. will he giue for his life. Life is [Page 317] sweet, but not to be bought with all the wealth & king­domes of the world: for death will claime his due, and nature must be paid her tribute. This is the way of all flesh, but not the end of all flesh. Happie were many if this were the tragicall cata­strophe of their sinfull life, that their sinnes might dye and be buried with them. If the guest might take his meate and drinke, and de­part without paying any r [...]c­koning, it were well for him so, if the wicked that hath taken his repast in sin, might leaue the world, and so an end, their case were nothing lamentable; but this is the death, that after all this there is a reckoning to bee [Page 318] made. Thus must a man part with his friends, his plea­sures, his wealth, yea and his life too. The remem­brance of his pleasures will possesse him with a double passion; with griefe, because he must leaue them: with de­testation, because they haue bene the causes of his ruine: the sight of friends shall vex him, enuying their prolon­ged life, and cursing their societie, who happely haue bene with him compani­ons in iniquitie. To forgoe his wealth it will be a death: and to remember, how that he hath damned his soule for scraping it together, it will be a hell to him. Now doth death lay siege to the castell of the bodie, and dis­chargeth [Page 319] an hundred Ca­nons of calamities vpon the same: conuulsions, feauers, aches and infinite paines, which disquiet the bodie, distract the minde, vexe the patient, and grieue the be­holders: making the one to burst foorth many times in­to blasphemies, causing the other in compassion to shed plentie of teares: and at last it dischargeth a volley of pangs, which euen breake the heart strings, and sepa­rate those old friends, the Soule and the Bodie. Then comes in the conscience with her book of accompts, and she shewes many old reckonings and arrerages: she will tell the sicke man of his sinnes, which he hath [Page 320] committed, of the comman­dements which he hath con­temned, of the time that he hath vainely consumed; of the dishonors done to God, the wrongs to men, and in­iuries to himselfe, the frailty of his youth, the folly of his riper yeares, and the iniqui­tie of his whole life: then would hee keepe the com­maundements of God, but it is not permitted; then would he redeeme the time mis-spent, but hee cannot be suffered; then would he faine deferre the time of his ac­counts, but it will not bee graunted.Iob. 13.26. Thou writest bitter things against me (saith Iob) and makest me poss [...]sse the sinnes of my youth. The Lord by his chastisements will [Page 321] shew, that he remembreth sinne; and by inflicting the same will bring mens sinnes to their cogitations, and make the remembraunce thereof more bitter vnto them then gall and worme­wood: their sinnes which were their companions to play with them, will now be an enemie to plague thē; that which was a foxe to de­ceiue them, will become a wolfe to deuoure them; that which was like an angell to tempt them, will now be as a diuell to torment them. Now to aggrauate these ca­lamities doth Sathan set in foote; for when death lay­eth siege to the bodie, then doth he most eagerly assault the soule: and his manner is [Page 322] to bestirre himselfe excee­dingly,Reu. 12.12. when hee sees that he hath but a short time. He will make heauie sinne seem light, that so he may bring men to presumption: or the light sinnes heauie, that soe hee may driue them to desperation. In the mid­dest of all these dolours and distractions, the distressed soule thinkes vpon the nearenesse of his accompt to be made:Greg. mor. lib. 24. c. 17 and by how much nearer the iudgement appro­cheth, by so much the more is it feared: because a man shall then finde within a short time, that which he cannot forgo throughout all eter­nitie.

Miserable man that thou art, whose condition this is! [Page 223] whither wilt thou flie for comfort in the middest of this distresse? If thou looke vpon thy wealth, it will be a corasiue to thy soule: if thou behold thy friendes, they stand weeping about thee, if thou haue recourse to thy conscience, it is tormenting within thee: life that thou louedst so well, biddes thee farewel; and death that thou hatedst most extreamely, sa­lutes thee: yea hell it selfe gapeth for thee: and the di­uels are readie to torment thee. The onely refuge to a poore soule in this distresse, is the recourse to Gods mer­cie: but what hope can the wicked haue therein at the day of their death,Rom. 2.4. who haue despised the riches of his boun­tifulnesse, [Page 324] and patience, and long suffering in the time of their life? Now thinkes the dying man: Oh if I might liue still, how would I be­stirre my selfe in working for­ward my saluation? What cost, what paines and care would I bestow and take, to escape this horror of soul? But all these good motions come too late:Cum vult improbus. &c. Aug. For the wic­ked when he would, he cannot: because that when he might, he would not. Now is it too late to crie: Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous, Num. 23. when a man hath neglected to liue the life of the righte­ous. This is the true presi­dent of a wicked mans will and testament, consisting of three principall points: his [Page 325] goods he bequeathes to his Executors, because he can­not carie them with him: his bodie and bones he leaues to the wormes and rotten­nesse, and they will consume them: his soule goes to the diuell, and he will torment it. This indeed he would not haue so: but it is his will a­gainst his will.

Behold here then, we see a maine difference between the godly and the wicked: in that the day of death is a comicall Catastrophe to the one, but a tragicall conclu­sion to the other. In this life there is the same condition to the godly & the wicked,Eccles. 9.2. yea happely worse to the godly then the wicked: but at their death it fareth with [Page 326] them, as it doth with the dogge and the dere. For as the dogge which in his life time is cherrished, at his death is cast to the crowes; but the dere which is cha­sed and pursued in the time of his life, when he dyeth is carefully brought home and dressed: so the wicked which liue pleasantly in their life, are at their death cast foorth into the place of darkenesse: but the godly who are pur­sued and persecuted in their life, are caried at the day of their death, by the blessed Angels into Abrahams bo­fome.Luk. 16.22. This being the fruite of sinne, it should be a reason to restraine vs from the same.

It is straunge to see how [Page 327] preposterous our courses are: the most presume of Gods mercie in their life time, that they may sinne the more securely: and in death they feare his iustice, lest they be condemned: but they should feare his iudge­ments in the time of their life, and then may they re­ioyce in his mercie at the day of their death. To con­clude then the conclusion of mans life: let all the wic­ked that celebrate their birth dayes with mirth and festiuitie, celebrate the day of their death with feare and sorrow: for a wo belongs to them that haue had their consolation in this world.Luk. 6. And if it happen also, that there be no bands in their [Page 328] death, neither in the paines of the bodie, nor the vexa­tiō of soule: their case is yet the more lamentable, be­cause there remaines the more punishment hereafter. But let the wicked forsake his waies, Esa. 55.8. and the vngodly his owne imaginations, and turne to the Lord in true and hear­tie repentance: and let all those that would haue com­fort in the day of their death, be carefull to leade a sancti­fied life: alwaies remēbring, that commonly such a life, such a death:Qualis vita finis ita. Aug ad Di­oscor. and as death leaues a man, so the last iudge­ment shall find him.

SECT. I. The first steppe of the wicked into hell at the day of iudge­men: namely, their a­mazednesse in the resurrection.

THe princely Prophet hauing deciphered the vaine indeuours of wicked and couetous carnall men (labouring to establish per­petuall habitations to them and their posteritie) concludeth thus of them:Psa. 49.14. They lye in the graue like sheepe, and death gnaweth vpon them. If this were all their miserie, it were lesse to be maruelled at: but behold, whilest death is feeding vpon their bodies and turning them to rotten­nesse, [Page 330] hell fire seizeth vpon their soules, and vexeth thē with torments: neither is this the finall conclusion of their wretchednesse. For as it is appointed to all men once to dye:Heb. 9 27. So, after that commeth the iudgement, whē both soule and bodie must be reunited, that they may bee tormented together. Thus the life of the vngod­ly is spent in wickednesse, their death is with horror, [...]oel. 2.2. Zeph. 1.15. Diuerse mi­stake these places of the Prophets, ap­plying them to the day of [...]udgement: whereunto they cannot agree, except [...]y the way of illusion. and their rising againe shall be with much terror.

The Prophets do describe the day of Gods vengeance vpon the Iewes, and the ter­rors of their enemies insul­tings, by diuerse dreadfull speeches: calling it a day of darknesse and blacknesse, a day [Page 331] of cloudes and obscurity, a day of wrath, and a day of trouble and heauinesse, a day of destru­ction and desolation. If the comming of the enemie, and the Lords approching with temporall afflictions, bee thus terrible, blacke, cloudy and desolate: oh how dread­full shall the comming of Christ, and the day of spiri­tuall vengeance bee to [...]he wicked? For they shall bee wonderfully amazed in their resurrection, exceedingly terrified at their arraigne­ment, and dolefully astonied at the sentence of condem­nation.

1 Their resurrection shall be with much amazednesse by reason of the sodainnes. The sodaine comming of [Page 332] the day of iudgement, is set foorth by sundry similitudes in the holy Scriptures:1. Thes. 5. Mat. 24. Luk. 21. Eccles. 9. it shall come like an enemie, a theefe, and a snare: it shall speedily assault like an ene­mie, slily breake in like a theefe, and suddenly entrap men like a snare. If a man should suddenly wake forth of his sleepe, and see his house on fire, and his friends wailing and weeping about him, wold it not amaze him? Lo, death is but a sleepe, and the graue is the bedde: when a wicked man awaketh, and shall behold on the one side his sinnes accusing him, and on the other side, the hellish feends and furies readie to vexe him: a troubled con­science burning within him, [Page 333] the frame of the heauens & the earth flaming without him: vnder his feete the fearefull pit of hell readie to deuoure him, ouer his head the axe of Gods iudg­ment lifted vp to strike him: and many of his friends wai­ling and howling about him, because of the instant deso­lation and destruction: oh, how do we thinke that this miserable man shall be a­mazed? A sudden thunder-clappe awaking a man, will make him start and quake: and will not the sudden showt and sounding of the Archangell and trumpet of God cause men to tremble?1. Thes. 4.16 When Adoniah heard the trumpets sounding at Salo­mons coronation, he was [Page 334] much dismayed:1 King. 1. and fearing the presence of Salomon, arose and went, and tooke hold on the hornes of the altar. When the vngodly which now sleepe in the dust of the earth, shall heare the Arch­angell, and the trumpet rat­ling at our Sauiours corona­tion, it must needes dismay them much; and so much the more, because they shall find no sanctuarie, but must be brought before him that is greater then Salomon, to receiue their fatall doome.

2 As the sodainenesse of this dreadfull day row­zing them from death, is ter­rible: so the end thereof al­so is lamentable, their resur­rection being to destructiō.Joh. 5.29. For they that haue done euill [Page 335] shall come foorth to the resur­rection of condemnation; yea they shall rise to perpetuall shame and contempt. Dan. 12.2. The pri­soner though he come forth of the filthie and darksome dungeon, into the sweet and wholsome aire; yet when he must goe to his triall in some desperate case, had ra­ther (if he might) remaine there still. The graue is a prison of filthie rottennesse and darknesse: yet happie were the wicked man, if he might haue an eternall ha­bitation therein, and not be brought to iudgment. Whē Dalilah cryed suddenly to Sampson: Jud. 16.20 The Philistims are vpon thee, Sampson; he awa­ked thinking to shew his strength as at other times: [Page 336] but the Lord was departed from him: Therefore the Phi­listims tooke him, put out his eyes, brought him to Azzah, bound him with fetters, and made him to grind in the pri­son house. Lo, thus shall the wicked be awaked at the day of iudgement: when, be­cause the Lord is not with them, the eyes of consola­tion shall be put out; they shall bee brought to the iudgement seate of Christ, who shall cause them to bee bound in fetters, and to bee cast into the prison house of hell, there to bee tormented world without end.Act. 23.8. Now shall the wicked Sadduces (which say there is no resurre­ction nor spirit) find that there is both a resurrection for [Page 337] their shame and contempt, and spirites for their tor­ments and confusion. The Diuels said to our Sauiour, that hee came to torment them before their time:Mat. 8.29. so shall these wretched men thinke they are raised to iudgment before their time; but it may be said to them in the Prophets words: Wo be to them, for their day is come, Ier. 50.27. and the time of their visitatiō. Seeing now (my Christian brother) that the day of Christs comming shall bee thus speedie, and the resur­rection of the vngodly so full of miserie and amazed­nesse; let the remembraunce therof cause thee so to leade thy life, that thou maiest bee fitly prepared for the one, [Page 338] and happily escape the other.

Reu. 20.6. Blessed are they that haue part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power. Yea happie and thrise happie is he, who by the power of Gods spirit, is in this life raised from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse: for behold, he shall assuredly in the life to come, enioy a resurre­ction to eternall life and sal­uation.

SECT. 2. The second steppe of the wic­ked into hel at the day of iudg­ment: namely, their terror in beholding Christ, and appearing before his throne of iudg­ment.

WHen Adam had takē of the forbid­den fruite,Gen. 3.8. being naked he would faine haue hid him­selfe from God walking in the garden, in the coole of the day: the poore sinner na­ked both in body and soule, would faine hide himselfe from the presence of Christ comming to iudgement in the euening of the world, but it may not be. For as it [Page 340] is intollerable to abide his presence, so is it impossible to auoid it. Euery eye must see him, Reu. 1.7. Mat. 25.32 and all the world must be brought to iudgement before him. There are two principall things in our Sa­uiours appearing, that shall abash and terrifie the wic­ked: first, his exceeding great maiestie: secondly, the strictnesse of his iudgement. 1 The Scriptures in setting foorth the Maiestie of his comming, are very copious: He shall come in the cloudes of the heauen with power and great glorie, Mat. 24.30 that men may behold him in his maiestie, whom they would not be­fore vouchsafe to looke v­pon in his humilitie.Esa. 53.3. And this Maiestie shall be con­spicuous [Page 341] and glorious in di­uerse respects.

1 In respect of the ad­mirable signes that go be­fore him, which shall be cor­respondent to his admirable Maiestie. Saint Matthew describeth them thus:Mat. 24.29 And immediatly after the tribula­tion of those dayes, shall the Sunne be darkened, and the Moone shall not giue her light: the Starres shall fall from hea­uen, and the powers of heauen shall be shaken. An eclipse be­ing great, hath bene very fearefull to some; and the darkenesse at our Sauiours passion, made the world to wonder: how fearefull then and how wonderfull shall the comming of Christ to iudgement bee? when the [Page 342] Sunne, and Moone, and Starres shall all lose their light, and the heauens with their powerfull influences be vtterly obscured (as infe­riour lights are wont) at the bright shining and glorious appearing of Christ Iesus. When the Maister of the fa­mily dieth,Chrysost. in Mat. hom. 49. the house is trou­bled, the seruants lament, and put on mourning appa­rell: so when man the inha­bitant of the world is neare his end, and comming to his triall, his old friends and seruants both in heauen and earth do thus clothe them­selues in mourning weedes, being also abashed to be­hold the glorie of the Saui­our of the world. Saint Luke likewise saith:Luk. 21.25. There shall be [Page 343] signes in the Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the Starres, and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie: the sea and the waters shall roare, and mens hearts shall faile them, for feare and for looking after these things that shall come vpon the world. Onely an earthquake if it be vehement is verie fearefull, and the inundation of wa­ters terrible: but now when the whole massie globe of the earth shall totter and shake, the mightie seas roare and rage, and the glorious heauens become blacke and duskie, how shall the hearts of men bee appalled with dread and terror to behold the same!

2 Christs appearing shall [Page 344] be glorious in respect of his attendants: not silly Fisher men, as in the dayes of his infirmitie; but holy Saints and blessed Angels, as con­sorting with this day of Ma­iestie:Jud. ver. 14 Behold he cometh with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men, and to rebuke all the vngodly, &c. And as Christ shall come with his many Saints, so shall he appeare with his in­finite troupe and traine of Angels.Dan. 7.10. For thousand thou­sands shall minister to him, and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him. Yea he shall come with all his holy Angels: and these, being his fierie messengers,Mat. 24.31 he shall send with a great sound of a trumpet to gather together the elect, &c. [Page 345] Thus glorious seruants shall attend a glorious maister. If Saint Iohn a holy Euangelist fell at the feete of Christ as dead, when he beheld him;Reu. 1.17. and Esay a heauenly Prophet cryed out: Wo be to me, for I am of polluted lippes, Esa. 6.5. because he saw the King and Lord of hostes compassed with the glorious Seraphims: shall not the maiestie of this great God, Tit. 2.13. euen our Sauiour Iesus Christ daunt the hearts of the wicked at his appearing, euen more then can bee expressed.

3 Christs comming shall be glorious in regard of the complements of honour, which he shall haue at his appearing.2. Thes. 1.7. He shall come in flaming fire, with the sound of [Page 346] an Archangell; he shall come in the cloudes and ride vpon the wings of the winde. Act. 1. It was straunge to see mount Sin a on fire at the deliuerie of the Law;Eod. 19. but how straunge will it be when the heauens shall passe away,2. Pet. 3.10 and the elements shall melt with heate, and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp? then shall he sit vpon a throne of glorie, Mat. 25.31 and before him shall be gathe­red all nations. The day was when he poore man, stood before the iudgement seate of Pontius Pilate, to receiue his sentence: but now Pon­tius Pilate with all the po­tentates of the earth must stand before his throne, to receiue their dolefull doom. The gloriousnesse of which [Page 347] throne Daniell describeth,Dan. 7.6. saying: His throne was like a fierie flame, and the wheeles like burning fire; yea so full of dreadfull maiestie it is, that when the earth and the sea do come to be arraigned before it, they flye away, Reu. 20.11. not a­ble to behold the glorie thereof, and the Iudge that sitteth thereupon. And ther­fore, whereas at his birth onely Ierusalem was trou­bled; and at his passion,Mat. 2. Luk. 22. the tender hearted women of Ierusalem wept: now at his comming to iudgement,Mat. 24.30 Reu. 1.7. All the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him. Euen so, Amen.

2 Secondly as his appea­ring is glorious: so shall the strictnesse of his iudgement [Page 348] be no lesse maruellous. If a man might be called to an account for his grosse sinnes onely, there were some hope of safetie: but Christ will call for an account of euerie idle word, Mat. 12. yea he will bring to iudgmēt euery secret thought; Rom. 2.16. and who alas shall be able to answer him one of a thou­sand?Job. 9.3. When the Lord ca­steth his infinite discerning eye vpon the most excellent of his creatures,Job. 4.17.15.15. he findeth no stedfastnesse in them, no not in his Saints and An­gels, yea the heauens are not clean in his sight. This caused Dauid to say: Heare my pray­er ô Lord, Psal. 143.2 and hearken to my supplication, but enter not in­to iudgement with thy seruant: for in thy sight shall no flesh [Page 349] liuing be iustified. If Dauid (a man after Gods owne heart) put vp his petition, appea­ling from the iustice of God vnto his mercie: how vnable shall the wicked be to stand foorth with boldnesse,Psal. 1. or to lift vp their heads with con­fidence in the day of iudge­ment? What shall the shrubbe of the desert do, Gregor. when the Ce­dar of Paradise shall be sha­ken? what shall the lambe doe, where the Lyon doth tremble? and if the righte­ous scarcely be saued, 1. Pet. 4.18 where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare? The warie Auditor will consider the seuerall reckonings that hee is to make: so should the wise Christian thinke vpon the particular accompts, that [Page 350] Christ will exact at the ge­nerall day of iudgement.

Consider then, that hee will call thee to an account for thy bodie, with the parts and members thereof: whe­ther thy handes haue bene readie to distribute to the poore, whether thy feete haue troden the good path, thine eyes haue beheld the thing that is right, thy toung hath vttered wordes which might minister grace to the hearer, thine eares haue bene open to heare the cries of the needie. He will call thee to an accompt for thy soule and the faculties thereof: whether thine vnderstan­ding hath bene furnished with sanctified knowledge, thy affections knit to hea­uenly [Page 351] delights, and thy me­morie retained holy instru­ctions. He will call thee to accompt of those temporall benefits thou hast obtained: thy health, strength, wealth, wit, beautie and the rest; and how thou hast put foorth e­uerie talent of his bountie to the aduancement of Gods glorie, and the good of thy brethren. He will call thee to an accompt for the spiri­tuall graces and mercies which hee had offered, or imparted to thee: what fruite thou hast had by the prea­ching of the word, what en­tertainement thou hast gi­uen to his spirit when hee knocked at the doore of thy heart, and what thy growth hath bene in grace and god­linesse. [Page 352] He will call thee to an accompt of thy carriage in thy calling: if thou be a Magistrate, how thou hast behaued thy selfe in the ad­ministration of iustice, in maintaining the iust cause of the widow, supporting the poore, and defending the fatherlesse, without bribes, feare, fauour, or any other partiall respect. If thou be a Minister, how thou hast laboured in prea­ching the word instantly, in season and out of season, and how thou hast fed the flocke of Christ committed to thy charge, with vertuous disci­pline, wholesome doctrine, and holy conuersation. If thou be a father, how thou hast bred and brought vp [Page 353] thy children: if a maister, how thou hast gouerned thy seruants. He will call thee to an accompt for thy sinnes of omission and commission: not onely cruell Ahab for taking away Naboths vine­yard,1. King. 21. but also mercilesse Di­ues, Luk. 16. because he releeued not poore Lazarus, In a word, euery man from the richest Craesus to the poorest Co­drus, and euery transgression from the highest blasphemy to the least infirmitie, must come to a strict triall in iudgement.

There are sixe principall remedies and refuges of the guiltie before the iudgment seates of mortall men: ei­ther the Iudge may be de­ceiued through ignorance, [Page 354] forestalled with fauour, o­uercome with power, bow­ed with pittie, corrupted with money, or moued with arguments:Ille Iudex nec gratía praeuenitur. &c. Aug. de synch. lib. 3. but when the sinfull soule comes before the tribunall seate of the im­mortall God, all these forts of confidence shal faile him.

1 This Iudge cannot erre through ignorance:Reu. 2.23. for he searcheth the hearts and the reynes: Heb. 4.13. yea all things are na­ked and open to his eyes, be­fore whom wee must ap­peare.Ioh. 1.48. He that saw Natha­nael vnder the Figge-tree, knoweth our goings out, & our commings in, and is a­ble to set before vs, euen our most secret sinnes; to repeate those we do not remember, to reueale those we would [Page 355] hide, and to conuict vs of those we would deny. 2. He cannot be forestalled with fauour:Reu. 2.23. for he is no respecter of persons, but will giue to euery man according to his workes. The poorest beg­gar shall find as good audi­ence in this court of iustice, as the mightiest Prince in the world. Though amongst men,Eccles. 3.16 wickednesse be in the place of iudgement; yet will Christ iudge most iustly, e­uen all those who haue iud­ged most vniustly. 3. He cannot be ouerswayed with power:Mat. 28.18 for to him all power is giuen both in heauen & earth. Therefore may I say with the Prophet: The high lookes of man shall be humbled, and the loftinesse of men shall bee [Page 356] abased in that day. Esa. 2.11. Those that say in the pride and stub­burnenesse of their hearts. Let vs breake their bonds a­sunder, Psal. 2. and cast their cordes from vs, shall then be dashed in peeces with the stone of mount Sion,Dan. 2.45. and all their power and puissance shall not bee sufficient to deliuer them. 4. As he cannot be o­uercome with power, so can he not be mooued with pitie. There was a time whē the wicked might haue re­pented, when Christ offe­red pardon, and powred foorth his precious bloud to cleanse them:Heb. 10. but now there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne. There was a time whē he wept ouer Ierusalem, but now alas there is no place [Page 357] for pardon or repentance, though Ierusalem should seeke it with teares. All the teares in the world (though they distilled like the waters of a fountaine) cannot now mooue Christ to compassiō: for his meekenesse shall bee turned into wrath; and hee that before wept for the mi­serie of the vngodly,Reu. 6.16. will now laugh at their destru­ction.Pro. 1.26. 5. He will not be cor­rupted with gifts, which blinde the eyes of worldly wise men: the wealthiest in the world must come poore, naked, and emptie handed before Christ, and then shall they find, that Riches auaile not in the day of wrath, Prou. 11.4. but righteousnesse deliuereth from death. If the iealous man [Page 358] will not beare the sight of any ransome, Prou. 6. nor bee pacified, though thou multiplie the giftes: will our Sauiours wrath by any rewards be mitigated towards those, that being espoused to him in Baptisme, haue prostituted themselues to euery abho­mination,Heb. 6. and crucified him daily with their grosse ini­quities? 6. Lastly, all the Rhetoricall reasons, and Lo­gicall arguments of men that are most acute, shal no­thing mooue him in this behalfe:Hieron. ad Heliodor. in fi [...]e. foolish Plato with his scholers, nor Aristotle with his arguments shall preuaile but a litle. The con­science shall bee permitted to accuse, and Sathan suffe­red to vrge: but no aduocate [Page 359] allowed to pleade the cause of the wicked. The Angels shall not plead for them, be­ing witnesses to their wilfull wickednesse: the Saints shall not, for it is their office to iudge the world:1. Cor. 6. Christ will not, because they embraced not his mercie and media­tion when they might haue had it: themselues may not, for they shall obtaine no audience. And being thus destitute of all hope and cō ­fort, what can possesse their hearts but dread and horror? what can they expect, but the dreadfull sentence of cō ­demnation to be pronoun­ced vpon them?

When the Lord had ap­peared to the Israelites, in most glorious manner on [Page 360] mount Sina, Moses spea­keth thus vnto them: Feare not, Exod. 20. for God is come to prooue you, and that his feare may be before you, that you sinne not. Marke, Feare not; yet feare: as if he should say, Indeede this glorious appearing is very dreadfull: yet feare not this so much, but rather let this bring to your cogitati­ons his future fearefull ap­pearing, when the Lord shall come and call for an accompt of this his law: and feare you that. So the end & vse of all this is, that the ma­iestie of Christ in his appea­ring, and strictnesse in iud­ging, might possesse our hearts with dread, and cause vs to finish our saluatiō with feare and trembling.

This lesson Saint Paule teacheth. 2. Cor. 5.10. We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, &c. [...] notes an exceeding great feare. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we perswade men. And surely if men did con­sider, that their works must all come to iudgement be­fore such a strict and glori­ous Iudge, it would make them tremble, and stay them from those sinnes into the which they runne with­out feare. What theefe is so desperate, that being sure he cannnot escape the Iud­ges hands, would yet conti­nue his stealing? Lo, thou, whosoeuer thou art, canst not possibly auoide the ap­pearing before Christ, the dreadfull Iudge: shall not [Page 362] the cogitation of this re­claime thy heart from wicked motions, and thy life from vngodly actions? But will Christ call euery man to an accompt for his body, his soule, his temporall be­nefites and spirituall bles­sings, the spending of his time, and conuersation in his calling, for his sinnes of cōmission and omission? Oh good God, what an Audit haue many to make for their manifold impieties and mō ­strous profanenesse? for con­suming the talents of grace, and treasuring nothing but wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2.5. and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God? Whē Ioseph said to his bre­thren:Gen. 45.3. I am Ioseph your bro­ther, [Page 363] whom you sold into Ae­gypt; his brethren could not answer him, for they were a­stonied at his presence. When our Sauiour shall shew that blessed head that was crow­ned with thornes, those ho­ly hands that were pierced with nailes, that gracious side that was thrust tho­rough with the speare; and say, Behold, I am be whom your sinnes caused to bee crucified, and sold into the hands of Pontius Pilate and the malitious Iewes: shall not the vngodly be vnable to answer him for astonish­ment, like Iosephs brethren; and bee speechlesse, like the man that wanted a wed­ding garment?Mat. 22. Then would the kings of the earth, Reu. 6.15. and the [Page 364] great men, and the rich men, and the chiefe Captaines, and the mightie men, and euery bondman, and euery freeman, hide themselues in the dennes and rockes of the mountaines, and say to the rockes and hils: Fal on vs, & hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe: but alas it will not be. Seeing then that all things must be thus dissolued, and the comming of Christ is so dreadful, both for the end and manner of his appearing,2. Pet. 3.10 what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse? If a man had some matter of waight, wherein his whole estate were to be tried before an earthly Iudge, how care­full [Page 365] would he be to consider his cause, sollicite his Aduo­cate, and get the fauour of the Iudge? Behold, at this time all lyes a bleeding, euen our soules and bodies, more deare vnto vs thē the whole world, yea then tenne thou­sand worlds: what care and industrie should we vse, whi­lest there is time, to examine our estate, & sollicite Christ Iesus our Aduocate and Iudge, that we may be deli­uered from the feare of con­uiction in that great and dreadfull day of iudgement? I will therefore conclude this meditation with our Sa­uiours exhortation:Luk 21.36. Watch and pray continually, that you may be counted worthie to e­scape all these things that shall [Page 366] come to passe; and that ye may stand before the sonne of man, when he commeth thus glo­riously to iudgement.

SECT. 3. The third steppe of the wicked into hell at the day of iudge­ment: namely, their ex­ceeding astonishment vpon the sentence of condēnation.

THus haue we brought the vngodly man to the barre: where being accused by the heauens and the earth, with all the creatures therein, conuicted by a iury impanelled of heauenly and earthly inhabitants, the e­lect Angels and blessed Saints, and hauing his con­science [Page 367] crying Guiltie, in stead of a thousand witnesses; what can be expected at the hands of a most iust Iudge in the day of ven­geance, but the sentence of condemnation? and what that is, out Sauiour himselfe hath shewed:M [...]. 25.24. Depart from me (ye cursed) into euerlasting fire, prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. Few words, but full of bitternesse: De­part from me, those are words of separation: you cursed, words of obiurgation: into euerlasting fire, words of de­solation: prepared for the di­uell and his angels, a dolefull exemplification. There are two reasons why these wordes should yeeld asto­nishment. First because they [Page 368] are intollerable: secondly, because they are irreuoca­ble.

Amos. 3.8. The Lyon hath roared, who will not be affraid? saith the Prophet: but behold this thundering foorth the sen­tence of condemnation, is a thousand times more feare­full. When Baltazar in the midst of all his tolitie, saw the fingers of a hand wri­ting vpon the wall of his pallace:Dan. 5.6. Thou art waighed in the ballance, and art found too light: thy kingdome is giuen to the Medes and Persians: his countenance was chaunged, his thoughts troubled him, so that the ioyntes of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. If the Lords temporall decree had [Page 369] this effect in Baltazar, euen before he vnderstood the writing: how shall this sen­tence of eternall death, whereby the wicked are separated from the king­dome of heauen, astonish those vpon whom it shall be pronounced? Behold, 1. Sam. 3.11 (saith the Lord) I will do a thing in Israel, whereof whosoeuer heareth, his eares shall tingle. Shall the eares of men tin­gle which heare of the iudg­ment brought vpon Elies house onely, and shall they not glow, when they heare this dreadfull iudgement passed vpon so many milli­ons of sinfull soules? when that shall be fulfilled:Ezek 5.8. I will execute iudgement in the sight of the nations; so that those [Page 370] which heare it, shall say: Lo, this is the man that neither regarded the Lords promi­ses, nor trembled at his threatnings; and see now how hee quaketh at his iudgments. When the Lord had deliuered the law in his dreadfull voice, the Israe­lites desired,Exod. 20.19 he would speake no more to them, lest they shold dye; so would the vngodly faine haue Christ be silent now:Psal. 2. but he will speak to them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore displeasure; he will send foorth his glorious voice, which shall make the Cedars of Libanus to shake: & the same shall be a sword piercing the hearts of all wretched miscreants. We reade that the band of men [Page 371] and officers, that came to ap­prehend Christ in the gar­den of Gethsemane, were stri­ken downe with the power of his words, saying onely:Ioh. 18.6. I am he: how then shall they be striken dead (thinke you) which appearing before his dreadfull throne, shall heare him vtter this final sentence vpon them: Depart from me ye cursed? For behold, this curse shall bee a thousand times more grieuous, then the cursed and bitter water to the suspected woman,Num. 5.18.24. which caused her thigh to rot, her belly to swell, and made her to be detestable, & accursed among her peo­ple. For hereby both belly and thigh, head and heart, yea bodie and soule shall all [Page 372] be filled with bitternesse, & become accursed and dete­stable in the sight of Al­mightie God, and all the holy companie of heauen.

2 This makes the sen­tence more dreadfull, in that it cannot be reuoked by any meanes possible. The sen­tence proceeding from the iudgement seate of mortall men may be reuoked or stopped, by sundry meanes; as by appellation, by suppli­cation, by complaint, or re­storing the condemned to his former estate: but all these hopes and helpes shall be fruitlesse, when this sen­tence of condemnation shall come forth from the throne of the Lord, whose iudge­ments are more resolute, [Page 373] then the decrees of the Me­des and Persians, which might not be altered. 1. There can be no appeale, for it must bee to a higher Iudge: but there is none such.1. Tim. 6.15 For he is the onely and blessed Prince, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: hee hath the key of Dauid, Reu. 3.7. when hee shutteth no man openeth: & the Father hath commit­ted the iudgement vnto him. Ioh. 5.27. 2. There is no hope of helpe by supplication. For Wise­dome, euen the diuine wise­dome of the Father Christ Iesus saith: Because he called to them, and they would not heare: therefore they shall call vpon him, and hee will not heare. Yea if Iob, and Noah, and Daniel stood vp to in­treat [Page 374] for them, it should be in vaine. 3. Whither shall the damned go to complaine themselues? what, to the Lord whose spirit they haue grieued? what, to the An­gels, whose ministerie they haue abused? what, to the Saints, whose righteous soules they haue vexed? this were a fond conceipt, and a fruitlesse course. Iob saith well:Iob. 9.33. There is no vmpire whē God and man are at oddes. 4. There is no hope of resto­ring of the damned; to whō the Lords wordes shall bee such as he saith to Ieremie: I will put my wordes into thy mouth like a fire, Jer. 5.14. and this peo­ple shall be as wood, and it shall deuoure them. Psal. 2. He will bruse them with a rod of iron, [Page 375] and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell: so that there shall not be left a shard to fetch fire with. When Esau came to Isaac his father for a blessing which was passed before to Iacob, Gen. 27.33 his father said: I haue blessed him, and he shall be blessed: and he (poore soule) could not get the blessing, though hee sought it with teares.Heb. 11. So re­solute shell the Lords sen­tence be at the day of iudge­ment: I haue cursed them, & they shall be cursed; and no teares or weeping shall bee able to reuoke it: for the Lord hauing spoken it, hee will not repent, nor alter the words that are gone out of his lippes. Loe, this is a time of punishment, and [Page 376] not of pardon. Men that are on the sea seeing some mightie tempest arise, are much affraid: when it beates vpon the shippe, it maketh them amazed: but when they begin to sinke,Insequitur clamor (que) vi­rûm, stridor (que) rudentum. [...]irg. Aene. lib. 1. oh, what crying and scriching may there be heard amongst thē? So when wicked men fore­see the daunger of future iudgement, it makes them affraid; when they are brought before the tribunall they shall be mightily asto­nied: but when they beginne once to sinke into the pit of euerlasting perdition, oh Lord, what howling and scriches will they send forth?

Well, seeing this sentence of condemnation is so in­tolerable and irreuocable, [Page 377] why alas haue men no more care to auoide it? Many, yea the most, defer their repen­tance in this life, as though there were hope of pardon in the day of punishment: but our Sauiour teacheth vs better:Mat. 5.25. Agree with thine ad­uersarie quickely, whilest thou art in the way with him; lest thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant, and thou be cast in prison. Let euery one that hath the feare of condemnation before his eyes, seeke reconciliation at the hands of God, by true and vnfained repen­tance: and that quickly whi­lest he is in the way of this life, lest hee bee separated with Go your cursed: and so [Page 378] the damned spirits, the ser­geants of hell, carrie him to the place of euerlasting tor­ments. When men are per­swaded by Preachers to paines, cost, or care in their saluation; to abridge them­selues of their profits, plea­sures, vanities, and iniqui­ties, & so to enter into hea­uen by the streight gate; they are readie to say with our Sauiours flinching fol­lowers:Ioh. 6.60. This is a hard saying. But would to God they did remember and consider this hard saying: Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire, and that would surely make them carefull with Abraham, Gen. 21.11. to cast out wicked Ismael out of the houses of their soules, though it bee grieuous in [Page 379] their eyes: and euen with most painfull indeuours stu­die to make their election sure, and to escape that fa­tall and finall sentence of condemnation. Remember the Apostles exhortation: To day if you will heare his voyce, harden not your hearts. Heb. 3.7. And this do, lest at the day of iudgement, you heare that voyce of terror that shooke the earth, and will shake the hearts of all those that shall be goates separa­ted on the left hand: for they shall stand naked before the tribunall seate of Christ, to heare with trembling harts, the voyce of his condem­nation,3 ern. who haue shut their eares at the voyce of his ex­hortation.

SECT. I. The first steppe of the wicked into hell after the last iudge­ment: namely, the losse of Gods presence, and all heauenly cōforts.

Hest. 7.8.WE reade in the sto­rie of Hester, that king Ahashuerosh hauing decreed the death of haugh­tie Haman; as the word went out of the kings mouth, the officers presently couered his face, and caried him to the place of execution: so when Christ hath pronoun­ced the sentence of Con­demnation vpon the wic­ked, shame shall couer their faces, and the infernall offi­cers the damned spirits, shall [Page 381] instantly carie them to hell, there to be tormented for euer. When the sentence of banishment was pronoun­ced against Coriolanus: Plutar. in vita Coriol. he (to mooue the Iudges to com­passion) pleaded for himselfe his valiant deedes, and prai­sed the souldiers that had serued with him in the wars; but all to no purpose: so the wicked, to mooue Christ to commiseration, shall say to him in that day: Lord, Lord, Mat. 7.22. haue not we by thy name pro­phecied? and by thy name cast out diuels? and by thy name done many great workes? but all to as little purpose: for Christ will professe vnto them: I neuer knew you, de­part from me you workers of iniquitie. And this Depart [Page 382] from me, is the first degree of punishment vnto the vn­godly; being now, not in the suburbes, but entred within the walles and gates of hell. It is indeed but a pri­uatiue punishment, which Diuines do vsually call poe­na damni, but it hath a posi­tiue effect: for as the absence of the Sunne causeth darke­nesse, and the lacke of meat, leanenesse; so the want of Gods presence bringeth ex­ceeding griefe and heaui­nesse:Psa. 16.11 yea as the fulnesse of ioy and pleasure is had by the enioying of his presence, so the fulnesse of sorrow and miserie shall possesse the hearts of men, by being ex­cluded from the fruition thereof. It must needes be a [Page 383] great miserie not to be with him, without whom there is no being. It is written, that when the Arke of God was taken by the Philistims, old Eli with griefe fel back­ward and dyed;1. Sam. 4.18.19. and his daughter in lawe, Phineas wife, fell on trauelling through sorrow, and lost her life. If the losse of the Arke, which was onely a figure & pledge of Gods presence, was thus grieuous to them: how shall the losse and lack of Gods presence it selfe, cause the condemned to tra­uell with griefe and heaui­nesse of heart, and to wish that they might with Eli and his daughter, end their mi­serie with ending of their liues? If a man had bene in [Page 384] some good possibilitie of an earthly kingdome,Chrys [...]st. ad pop. Ant. Hom. 48. and through his owne folly had lost it, how do you thinke it would haue grieued him? Is there any comparison be­tweene the meanest mansion in the kingdome of heauen, and the greatest Monarchie in the world? Now then, when a man hauing bene not onely in possibility of this kingdome, but euen sure of it if he would haue vsed his indeuour to attaine vnto it, shall by his negli­gence haue lost it, will it not vexe and torment him? will it not cause him to rate him­selfe, and say: What a beast was I, through mine owne folly to lose such a blessed inheritance? It was excee­ding [Page 385] [...]rkesome to Absalon, 2. Sam. 14.32. to be banished foorth of his fathers presence, so that hee might not behold his face: what a hell then shal it be, to be banished for euer forth of his presence,2. Cor. 1.3. who is the fa­ther of mercie, and God of all consolation; whose loue to his children is more, then Dauids to his sonne Absalon, or his brother Ionathan: yea, greater then the mothers loue to her tender babe.Esa. 49.15. It was not the least part of A­dams punishment, that hee was cast out of Paradise, and depriued of Gods presence; neither is it a small miserie to be excluded forth of the kingdome of heauen, and to lose the face and fauour of Almightie God. Chrysostome [Page 386] iudgeth it to be much more bitter then the pains of hell, yea worse then a thousand hels,Super. Mat. Hom. 33. if there were so many: howsoeuer it is,Ibid. Hom. 28. surely it must needes bee exceeding grieuous. We haue a Pro­uerbe: Where the eye seeth not, the heart grieues not. If the damned soules might not behold the felicitie that they haue lost by their folly, their griefe would be the lesse; but as the: elect shall haue fruition thereof to their perpetuall comfort, so the view thereof shall yeeld an euerlasting corrasiue to the cōscience of the reprobate. The Captaine of the King of Israel would not beleeue, that it was possible by any meanes, there should bee [Page 387] such a plentie as Elizaeus had promised; but the Prophet tels him: Behold, 2. King. 7.2 thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eate thereof. As this was added to the punish­ment of his infidelitie, that though he should not tast it, yet he should see it: so shall it be to the reprobate at the day of iudgement, when Christ with all his holy An­gels and blessed Saints shall appeare in glory, that which the Psalmist hath, shall bee fulfilled:Psa. 112.10 The vngodly shall see it, and it shall grieue him, he shall gnash with his teeth and consume away: the desire of the vngodly shall perish. It shall grieue the vngodly to see the Saints of God in glo­rie, and he shall pine away [Page 388] with griefe; he shall desire that hee might bee partaker thereof with them, but this desire of his shall be fruite­lesse, according to our Saui­ours saying:Luk 13.28. There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth, when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac and Iacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God, and themselues thrust out of doores. And what grea­ter disgrace can come to a man, then to be thus con­temptuously thrust foorth of the blessed society of hea­uen? and to be shut without, where shall bee dogges and in­chaunters, Reu. 22.15. and whoremongers, and murtherers, & Idolaters, and whosoeuer loueth or ma­keth lyes? Now shall those that haue denyed Christ be­fore [Page 389] men, be denyed before the face of Almightie God: and those that haue despised and scorned the societie of the godly, shall be scorned and contemned in the pre­sence of men and Angels. If the losse of a deare friend be grieuous, and the separation of the soule from the bodie, exceeding terrible: the losse of the fellowship of Saints cannot but bee much more grieuous, and the separation both of soule and body from Almightie God, must needs be both terrible and intol­lerable. He therefore spake truly, who said: That the teares of hell, are not suffici­ent to bewaile the losse of hea­uen.

Seeing then the losse of [Page 390] Gods presence, and the cō ­forts of heauenly ioyes, is so great and grieuous: is it not extreame folly in men, that will rather incurre this dan­gerous and dolefull losse, then they will lose their smallest profites or trifling pleasures? yet such is the fol­ly of most men. But wouldst thou escape this misery? then thinke vpon the Prophets words:2. Chr. 15.2 The Lord is with you, whilest you are with him: and if you seek him he wil be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. If thou be with God in the kingdome of grace, thou shalt be with him in the kingdome of glo­rie; but if thou forsake him in this life, he will forsake thee in the life to come. Cast [Page 391] me not away from thy presence ô Lord, Psal. 51.11 and take not thy holy Spirit from me, saith Dauid. Is this thy prayer? behold then, if thou grieue not Gods Spirit, hee will not take it from thee; and except thou cast thy selfe out of Gods presence by infidelity and disobedience, hee wil not cast thee foorth. It is said of Henoch, Gen. 5.24. that he wal­ked with God: and it is imme­diatly added, that he was no more seene, for God tooke him away: so shall it be done to all those, that vnfainedly feare God. He that walkes with God in holines as He­noch did, shall not be exclu­ded from his presence: but bee taken vp into heauen as he was, there to enioy eter­nall [Page 392] consolation with the blessed Saints and Angels.

SECT. 2. The second step of the wicked into hell after the last iudge­ment: namely, Societie with the Diuels, & the sense of hel­lish torments.

IS it a small matter that a man must be cast out of the presence of God, and be depriued of the communion of Saints and Angels, but he must be also subiect to the societie of Diuels, and the paines of hell? yet such is the condition of the wicked. When Tully was banished,Plu. in vitis Ciceron. & Demost. though he were in Greece, where many cities conten­ded, [Page 393] who should honour him most, and the Sooth­sayers shewed that his exile should be short: yet was he alwaies sad, and could not be merrie, casting his eyes often towards Italie. Demo­sthenes likewise tooke his banishment so heauily, that many times he would weep bitterly when he looked towards Athens, though hee found much kindnesse, euen at the handes of his enemies If the damned soules might meete with such comforts in their exile from heauen, it would mitigate their griefe,Scythie est quo mittitur inquam; Roma relinquē da est Ouid. de Trist. lib 1. Eleg 3. and extenuate the extremitie of their losse: but when their case is like his, that must leaue Rome and liue in Scythia: lose the [Page 394] ioyes of heauen, and meete with the paines of hell, and that without reuocation: oh how lamentable shall their estate & condition be? how full of teares and sadnesse?

Now to the end we may for our warning and safetie, take a suruey of the dangers and miserable condition of the damned in hell: let vs consider first the Agents, then the Patients, and lastly the effects proceeding from them both: and this accor­ding to sobrietie, resting onely vpon such infallible certaintie as the word of God doth yeeld; and lea­uing those curious conceits, which the school-men haue obtruded to the Church of God, without any sound [Page 395] warrant of his word.

1 The damned are vn­der the wrath of God.Mat. 3.7. O ge­neration of Ʋipers, who hath warned you to flie from the wrath to come? If the wrath of a mortall Prince be as the roaring of a Lyon: Pro. 19.12. how terri­ble is the wrath of the im­mortall and omnipotent God? The Scriptures do in sundry places compare the Lords wrath to fire, because it is very fierce, fearefull and mercilesse, as that element is: which causeth the king to pray: Lord, Psal. 6.1. rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy heauie displeasure; knowing, that when the Lords wrath bursteth foorth like fire, Ier. 4.4. it becomes vnquen­chable.

2 They haue an irksome habitation with the diuels,M t. 25.41 and portion of torments with his Angels; and there­fore it is said:Reu. 20.10 That the beast and the false Prophet, were cast into the place of eternall torments with the Diuel. And indeed this conclusion of the wicked doth agree well with their conuersation. For as they haue in this world bene companions with the beast and the false Prophet, in their slauerie to Sathan: so they do iustly de­serue to bee partakers with them of those torments in the world to come. If Dauid cryed:Psal. 120, 5 Wo is me that I re­maine in Mesech, and haue my habitation amongst the tents of Kedar: how wo­full [Page 397] shall their estate be, who shall be constrained to dwell with Sathan, and to haue their habitations for euer, amongst the troupes of re­probates and the infernall spirits?

3 They are subiect to the mercilesse fire of hell: and this fire is a fornace of fire,Mat. 13.42 Reu. 21.8. Heb. 10.27 Mat. 3.12. a lake of brimstone, a deuou­ring fire, an unquenchable fire. The fornace wherein the three children were cast was exceeding fearefull, be­ing made seuen times hotter then it was wont to be:Dan. 3. but how dreadfull shall this for­nace of hell be, whose fire is infinitely hotter then that was? This fire doth differ as much as may bee from our fires, in respect of the vio­lence [Page 398] and durance, of the o­peration and illumination. In respect of the violence, because it is vnspeakeable; of the durance, for it is vn­quenchable; of the operati­on, for it cōsumes not what it burnes; of illumination, for though it burne violent­ly to the vexation of the wicked,Cremationē habet, & lumen non habet. Gre. mor. lib. 9. cap 46. Esa. 33.14. yet shall it not shine to their comfort. So that I may iustly say thereof in the Pro­phets words: Who is able to dwell in this deuouring fire? or who shall be able to dwell in these euerlasting burnings?

4 The place where they are, is not any stately pal­lace,1. Pet. 3.19 but a filthie prison: and this prison is a lothsome dungeon, worse then that wherein Ieremie stucke;Ier. 38. it is [Page 399] worse then the prison wher­in Michaiah was cast, which yeelded nothing but the bread and waters of afflicti­on. For behold, the priso­ners therein are scourged and afflicted by the hellish tormenters, whose furie and malice to man is infinit. Are not those threates fearefull which are denounced. Deu. 28? and do wee not admire those plagues threatened. Reu. 18?Chrysostom saith: They are but la dicra & vrsus ad haec suppl [...] cia: vmbra ad haec tor­menta. Ad pop. Aut. hom. 49. Yet are those affli­ctions but flea-bitings to these torments, but drops to these vials of wrath, but sparks to these flames of in­dignation. We reade of di­uerse lamentable torments deuised by Tyrants agai [...] Gods Saints in the primi­tiue Church, with commise­ration: [Page 400] but alas these exquisit cruelties, are comforts in re­spect of the torments of hel. If Dauid being offered the choice of three chastisemēts, famine, sword, or pestilence, said:2. Sam. 24.14. Let me not fall into the handes of men: how much more should wee pray and beseech our God, that wee may neuer fall into the hand and power of the diuell?

5 It is a place of darke­nesse and blacknesse, and consequently of dread and horror.Amos. Zeph. Joel. Dauid in Psal. For the Prophets when they are wont to de­scribe any extreame dolour, do call it darkenesse, blacke­nesse and obscuritie. So saith our Sauiour speaking of the paines and place of the dam­ned:Mat. 8.12.22.13. Take and cast them into [Page 401] the place of vtter darkenesse. The darkenesse of Aegypt was wonderfull and fearfull: wonderfull, for it was so thicke, that it might be felt:Exod. 10.21 fearefull, and therefore was reserued for the ninth of the tenne plagues inflicted vpon the Aegyptians, as being most forceable to mollifie the heart of Pharaoh. But this darkenesse of hell doth farre exceede that palpable darkenesse of Aegypt: and therefore it is called, the Blackenesse of darkenesse: Iude. 13. [...] &. 2. Pet. 2 17. the Hebrew idiotisme tear­meth it a Darkenes of dark­nesse: to vtter in it the vtter­most extract of darkenesse. And this punishment sor­teth well with the merites of those, who call darknes, light; Esa. 5.20. [Page 402] and light, darkenesse: and all those who haue loued darke­nesse rather then light. Iob. 3.19.

Mar. 9.44.6 This torment is cal­led the Worme that neuer dieth, alluding to that of Isaiah: Esa. 66.24. And they shall goe foorth and looke vpon the car­kases of them that haue tres­passed against me, for their worme shall not dye. As of the putrifaction of the bodie, there breedeth a worme which eates and consumes the bodie: so from the cor­ruption of the soule tainted with sinne, there ariseth the worm of conscience, which gnaweth and vexeth the soule with continuall an­guish.Rom. 2.9. So saith the Apostle: Tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery one [Page 403] that doth euill.

7 The torments of hell are called a death, because that as by the separation of the bodie from the soule, the bodie dieth: so the soule and bodie being separated from God,Ʋita vita meae. Aug. Con. lib. 7. b. who is the life of their life, do dye the second death. Also death being the most terrible & bitter thing in this life,Arist Eth. lib. 3. cap. 6. (as the Philoso­pher saith) it may very fitly giue denomination to that condition which is most bit­ter and miserable in the life to come. Now when the e­state of the damned is cal­led death, we must not vn­derstand it as of men alrea­die dead, but readie to dye: when the veines of the bo­die, and the strings of the [Page 404] heart being ready to breake, the dying man is possessed with intolerable anguish, by reason of death-pangs. Of this death Bernard spake when he said:B [...]rn. de. Consid. ad Eugen. li. 5. Horreo in ma­nus incidere mortis viuentis, & vitae morientis; calling it very fitly, A liuing death and a dying life. These are the dolefull agents.

The miserable patients, subiects to these torments, are together with the diuels, the wicked and vngodly, who shall bee tormented both in bodie and soule: the bodie shall bee tormented, because it would not obey the soule; the soule, because it would follow the rebelli­ous bodie: both soule and bodie, because they obeyed [Page 405] the instigations of Sathan, and left the directions of Gods holy Spirit.2. Cor. 5.10. We must all appeare before the iudge­ment seate of Christ, that eue­ry one may receiue the things that he hath done in his bodie, whether they be good or euill. For as the bodie hath sin­ned with all the senses and parts thereof; so shall they all receiue a condigne and correspondent punishment. The eyes that were deligh­ted with beholding nothing but vanitie, shall now bee frighted with beholding of vgly diuels: the eares that tooke pleasure in hearing slanders and filthie talking, shall be troubled with the howlings and blasphemies of hellish spirits: the nose [Page 406] that disdained any smell but sweete perfumes, shall feele the lothsome stinch of fire and brimstone: the fine and daintie bodie that with the rich man was wont to bee clothed in fine linnen, shall with him be tormented in the flames of vnquenchable fire: the mouth that offered the sacrifices of delicious­nes to the deuouring belly, and tooke such pleasure in quaffing and carousing, shall drinke of the pure wine of the wrath of God. Reu. 14.10. In a word, all that bodie which should haue bene the temple for Gods spirit, but was made a cage for vncleane spirits, shall be tormented in euery part without mitigation and intermission. Neither [Page 407] shal the bodie be thus vexed alone; but as the soule hath bene to the bodie, like Si­meon to Leui, a brother in iniquitie: so shall it also par­take with the bodie of the same punishments. The me­morie shall call to mind that which is past, and the vnder­standing cōsider that which is present, and both ioyne together to disquiet them­selues. Now shall it bee thought vpon, how many good motions haue bene neglected; how without fruite, pardon and remission of sinnes hath bene offered; what sweet ioyes are lost, and what grieuous torments are found: for what trifling, foolish and filthie sins, these intolerable, infinit and end­lesse [Page 408] punishments haue bene bought; how easily these miseries might haue bene a­uoyded: but now how im­possible it is to obtaine euen the least mitigation thereof. Thus whilest these faculties are busied in vexing of them selues, the Lord shall powre downe vpon them the vials of his wrath: so that the af­fections being set on fire with the exhalations of fu­rie, and burning with the wicked zeale of reuenge, shall grow mad and rage, & cast out blasphemies both against heauen and earth.

3 Lo, these are the lamen­table fruits of these intolera­ble torments vpon these mi­serable patients. For how can the heauie wrath of [Page 409] God, the irksome societie with the diuels, the merci­lesse fire of hell, the filthie tormēting prison, the dole­full place of darkenesse, the neuer dying worme, and the dreadfull second death, vex­ing the soule with terrors, and the bodie with flames: how can they (I say) but yeeld that which our Sauior doth so oft inculcate:Mat. 8.13.22 & Luk. 13. There shall be wailing, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth? There­fore is hell from these effects not vnfitly compared to Topheth in the valley of Benhinnom: 2. Chr. 28.3 which hath the name from the noise that they made with their instru­ments, that the scriching of their children which they sacrificed to Moloch, might [Page 410] not be heard. For so shall hel yeeld most hideous hor­ror, with extreame dolefull noises: curses shall be their hymnes, and howling their tunes: blasphemie shall be their ditties: and lachrymae th [...]ir notes: lamentation shall be their songs, and scri­ching their straines: yea cur­sing, blasphemie, scriching and howling, shall be their daily morning and euening song: sighs, & sobs, and gna­shing of teeth shall be their dolefull descant and diuisiō.

But what, shall all the damned be tormēted alike?

Surely no: for albeit the least torment in hell, doth farre exceede the greatest torture on the earth; yet are there very different degrees [Page 411] of punishment.Luk. 12.47 The seruant that knew his maisters will, & did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. Mat. 11.22 But it shall be ea­sier for Tyrus and Sidon at the day of iudgement, then for Corazin and Bethsaida. As many liue vnder the same Sunne, yet all feele not the like heate from it:Greg. mor. lib. 4. cap. 43. so many may bee subiect to the same torments of hell, in the same manner, though not in the same measure. But miserable and most accursed shall his condition be, who shall tast euen the least mea­sure and degree thereof.

And are the torments of hell so dreadfull? is the state of the damned so dolefull? Who can thinke vpon the one without feare, or consi­der [Page 412] the other without pitie? Well might our Sauiour say concerning Iudas: Mat. 26.24 It had bin good for him, if he had neuer bene borne. And happie in­deed had he and other cast­awaies bene, if they had ne­uer seene the light, or bene created some loathsome toades or hatefull serpents: that so they might neuer haue bene partakers of hels torments. I wonder to think of some, that vse to confirme their speeches with this fearefull execration: Would I were damned, if &c. Alas, alas, full little do they know what they say: if they cōside­red the horror of condemnatiō, they wold trēble to take such words in their mouths.

Here, that exhortation [Page 413] hath notable vse:Psal. 4.4. Stand in awe, and sinne not. If we be in some great mans daunger that is able to be reuenged vpon vs: Lord, how wee creepe, and crouch, & feare: But we shold feare him which is able to destroy both soule & bodie in hell. Mat. 10.18 If men had harts to conceiue, grace to be­leeue, and minds to medi­tate vpon these fearefull tor­ments, it must needes make them stand in awe, and re­straine them from sinne: but alas for pitie, the force of sin hath banished the feare of God, and the dread of hell: else would men neuer liue as they doe. There are some vngodly men and wo­men so nice and tender, that they cannot abide the heate [Page 414] of the Sunne, and the bi­ting of a flea will not suffer them to sleepe: oh that such could consider, what it is to frie in the vnquencheable flames of fire & brimstone, and to haue the neuer-dy­ing worme gnawing at their consciences. Some are so coy, that they cannot abide to looke vpon the sores of poore Lazarus; and so vn­mercifull, that they stoppe their eares at the cry of their distressed brethren: oh that they would remember what a filthie prison is prepared for the damned, and what yelling and howling the mercilesse shall one day heare. Some there are, to whom the seruice of God is exceeding painefull and [Page 415] irkesome, as to kneele at prayer, to be any thing long at a Sermon, or the like: oh that such had grace to me­ditate vpon the irkesome, and painefull torments pre­pared for the damned. For would not the consideratiō, remembrance, and medita­tion hereof correct their lewd affections, drie vp the fountaine of their filthie words, change the course of their vaine conuersation, and make them willing to do any thing, so they might escape those torments? If a man haue but some extreme fi [...] of the gowt, collicke, or tooth-ach, what paines and cost will he be at to be ea­sed? But what are these to the paines of hell? yet fewe [Page 416] there are, that will bestow cost, or care to auoide them. Do but thinke a little vpon Diues, how that for one droppe of water to coole his tongue, he would haue giuen the whole world (if he had bene Lord of it) yet could not obtaine it: and it will cause thee with prayers and teares, and true repen­tance to finish thy saluation in the feare of God.Chrys. in 2. Epist. ad Corin. hom. 10. If thou shouldest come into a loath­some prison, and there see some looke pale and wan, others bound in chaines and fetters, others hungring and thirsting, others shut vp in the darke and filthie dun­geon, making piteous la­mentation: would it not mooue thy heart with com­miseration, [Page 417] and cause thee carefully to auoide those courses, that might bring thee into the like daunger? Then thinke vpon the pri­son and dungeon of hell, and consider seriously with thy selfe, how many poore souls looke pitifully there: how many are bound strongly in Sathans fetters: how many are shut vp in the place of vtter darkenesse, and being continually tormented with the hellish fiends, doe no­thing but waile, and weepe, and gnash their teeth: and it must needs make thee re­member the rich mans speech:Luk. 16.28. I beseech thee father Abraham, send Lazarus to warne my brethren, lest they come into this place of tor­ments. [Page 418] What? art thou like Thomas, Iob. 20. that thou wilt not beleeue, except thou see and feele?Exod. 10.7 art thou like Pharao, that thou wilt not feare be­fore Aegypt be destroyed? I meane, wilt thou feele the torments of hel, before thou feare them? and wilt thou be destroyed, before thou wilt leaue thy sinnes? Alas, that any man should be so carelesse and senslesse in the view of such torments. The bodie is subiect to bad re­pletion & diseases by sweet meates, but it must be pur­ged by bitter potions: so must the discreete Christian purge his soule of the filthie humors of sinne, and the re­pletion of vanitie, by deepe meditation of the bitter [Page 419] paines of hell. We reade of one, who vpon the violence of any temptation to sinne, would lay his hand on bur­ning coles; and being not a­ble to endure the same, wold say to himselfe: Oh how vn­able shall I be to endure the paines of hell? and this co­gitation did mightily re­straine him from euill. If thou wilt not practise this experiment, yet at the least, ponder seriously these me­ditations: and they will (I hope) through Gods graci­cious assistance, make thee carefull and able to maister thy corruptions, and to o­uercome Sathans temptati­ons.

SECT. 3. The last period of the paines of the damned: which is, the Eternitie of their torments.

WHen I consider the condition of the damned, it makes me re­member Nebuchadnetsar; Dan. 4. who for his pride was driuen from his kingdome, had his dwelling with the beastes, was made to eate grasse with the oxen, and wet with the dew of heauen, till his haires were growne as Ea­gles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes: for so shall the damned for their wic­kednesse, be driuen at the day of iudgement from the [Page 421] kingdome of God, haue their dwelling with the Di­uels, bee tormented in the flames of fire, and transfor­med into the lothsome form of the vgly fiends of hell. Herein indeed Nebuchad­netsar and they do differ: his deposing was but carnall and temporall, theirs is spi­rituall and eternall: he was punished thus onely till se­uen times passed ouer him, they shall be thus plagued till seuentie times seuen times seuen times be passed ouer, euen for euer and euer. That is a long sentence that hath no period, a large day that yeelds no euening, and ample torments that haue no end: behold such a sen­tence, such a day, and such [Page 422] tormēts art thou come now to meditate vpon (my Chri­stian brother;) and therefore inlarge thy meditation to the vttermost, that thou mayest fruitefully ponder these fearefull torments.

The greatnes of the pains of hell in regard of the qua­litie, is lamentable: but the grieuousnesse thereof in re­spect of the quantity, makes them intolerable. Wee haue an old saying: That is no bad day, that hath a good night. The sharpest conflicts to the souldier, the roughest tempest to the mariner, and weariest iourney to the tra­ueller, are not without com­fort, because they yeeld an expectation of an end: but the torments of hell, being [Page 423] as endlesse in quantitie, as they are easelesse in qualitie, yeeld not the least glimpse of consolation to the dam­ned spirits. Was it not won­derfull in the dayes of Iosua, that the Sunne and Moone stood still,Iosua. 10.13 and hasted not to go downe, for a whole day, that the people might be auen­ged on their enemies? But how wonderfull will it be, when the Sun and Moone shall lose their light, and vt­t [...]rly cease to measure time by their motion; leauing the same to passe on without end or intermission, till the Lord be fully auenged vpon all the wicked in hell? Ther­fore are all the torments of the reprobate noted with the Epithets of Eternity and [Page 424] perpetuitie. The shame that shall couer their face,Dan. 12.2. Mar. 9.44. is per­petuall: the worme that gnaweth their conscience, neuer dyeth:Mat. 25.46 the pain which they shall go into, is endles: the fire that shall deuoure them,Iude. 7. is eternall: the tor­ments of the fierie lake last for euer:Reu. 20.10 the perdition which shall punish them from the throne of the Lord, 2. Thes. 1.9. and the glorie of his power is euerla­sting: and the death which they suffer is an euerlasting death. It goeth hard with a man that would faine dye, but cannot: and such shall be the conditiō of the dam­ned, as Saint Iohn speaketh of certaine men, Reu. 9.6. They shall seeke death, but shall not find it; and shall desire [Page 425] to die, but death shall flie from them. And it is a iust recom­pence, that they which might haue found life, but would not seeke it, should now seeke for death, and not find it.

Thus shall they be like to a man, that lyes with ma­ny waights vpon him to bee pressed to death, crying and calling for more waights to dispatch him, but alas hee cannot get them: so shall they wish euen an increase of torments to end their liues, but it shall not bee graunted. That is a fearefull iudgement which the Lord threateneth to the Iewes: Behold, Ier. 8.17. I will send Serpents and Cockatrices among you, which will not be charmed: [Page 426] but this is a farre greater iudgement, that the Lord will cast men into the euer­lasting fire,Mat. 3.12. that shall neuer be quenched. If those who are shut vp in the dungeon of hell, had so many thou­sand yeares to endure there, as there bee sands on the shore, fishes in the sea, stars in the firmament, or grasse in the field, there were some hope and comfort, though (God knowes) it were very small: but when so many millions of ages and worlds are passed ouer, their tor­ments (alas for pitie) are as fresh and new to beginne a­gaine as euer they were; ac­cording to that of Gregory: They (poore wretches) haue a death without a death, Mor. lib. 9. cap. 48. an end [Page 427] without an end, a defect with­out a defect: for the death li­ueth, the end alway beginneth, and the defect neuer faileth. Is it possible for Almightie God, not to be eternall? neither is it possible for the punishment of the wicked in hell, to be temporall: of­fences against an infinite Maiestie, require an infinite punishment. Many (to em­bolden themselues to sinne in this life) are willing to re­member, that Gods mercie endureth for euer: but such shall in the life to come, re­ceiue the reward of their sinnes; and prooue (against their willes) that the arme of his iustice, is as large as the arme of his mercie: and that his wrath and indignation [Page 428] also endureth for euer. Dauid hath a dolefull complaint: Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? Psal. 77.7. and will hee shew no more fauour? is his mercie cleane gone for euer? hath God forgotten to be gracious? and hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure? Alas this were a pitifull case: in­deed he hath not dealt thus with Dauid, but hee will deale so with all the dam­ned. Of many things in the world, me thinkes this is most admirable: That men perswading and assuring themselues, there are such pains prepared for the wic­ked, do yet liue as though they feared no such thing: some making but a iest of sin, Prou. 14.9. Iob. 15.16. others drinking it vp like wa­ter. [Page 429] Oh, God is mercifull thou wilt say, not desiring the death of a sinner: and that giues them hope. I, but to whom is God mercifull, to all? nay, shall not the grea­test part of the world tast of his heauie indignation?Mat. 7. What, to euery man, how lewd so euer he bee? nay hee hath threatened, that to a man going presumptuously on in his lewdnesse without remorse,Deut. 29.20 he will not be merci­full. If it were bruted for cer­taine, that in a citie where there are thousands, the Prince would shortly vse some strange and seuere ex­ecution vpon an hundred, but vpon whom it were vn­certaine: would it not cause euerie man to tremble? If it [Page 430] were told ten going ouer a bridge, that one of them should fall into the water; would it not make euery one looke to his feete, lest he should be the man? If a skilfull Phisitian should as­sure a towne, that many in it were infected with some daungerous disease; what running and riding would there be to Phisitians to preuent the same? Behold now, men do heare that the King of Kings will shortly come to execute his fierce wrath vpon many;Rev. 22.12 Iude. 13. they know, that not one of ten, but rather nine of ten are in danger of falling from the bridge of iniquitie into the pit of eternall destruction;Mat. 7. and see that in euery towne [Page 431] many are infected with those daungerous diseases, which bring eternall death: yet how few are found that tremble, looke to thēselues, or seeke to the Phisitian of their soules, that they may escape these daungers? Who would for thousands of goldly burning in the fire for on­ly one dayes space? who is so mad that he would for one houres pleasure, be racked a whole yeare together? and yet alas, how many are there, that for trifles doe damne themselues to the fire of hell? and how many, that for foolish and sottish sinnes (such as are odious in the sight of God, hatefull to men, and hurtfull to their owne health) do bring them [Page 432] selues to the racke and tor­ments, which endure not for an howre, or a yeare, but for euer and euer: and, if it were possible, for euer and after. If euer it please God to vi­site thee with sicknes, thinke with thy selfe (deare Chri­stian) as thou sittest or lyest in thy bed, how irkesome it would bee to thee, if thou shouldest lye alwayes in that small paine, without com­fort or company of friends: and if that seeme tedious to thee, bethinke thy selfe how gieuous it will bee to lye in the vnspeakeable torments of hell, without all comfort and companie, saue of the terrible fiends, and misera­ble soules of hell, and that world without end: and this [Page 433] meditation must needes mollifie thy heart, and hum­ble thy soule. But alas, men do not remember, or else do onely superficially consider these things. But I beseech thee for Gods sake, who created thee like himselfe; for Christs sake, who shed his bloud and dyed to re­deeme thee: and for thy soules sake, which should be more precious to thee, then ten thousand worlds; let not these infinite torments bee passed ouer with a short or shallow consideration: but engraue the remembrance thereof in the most sensible and secret part of thy soule, with the diamond of a deepe meditation; and let it not passe thence, till it haue [Page 434] wrought and perfected the worke of true repentance, in mortifying thy corrupt affections, and rectifying thy profane conuersation. Otherwise assure thy selfe, that if thou wilt not breake off thine iniquities by repentance, and make an end of sinning, thou shalt surely meet with a correspondent recompence: for there shall be no end of thy torments.

SECT. 1. The first steppe of the godly into heauen before the day of iudgement: namely, Sanctimo­nie of life.

WHilest the children of Israel were yet trauelling in the wildernes, the Lord appointed Mo­ses the man of God,Deut. 34.1. to goe to the toppe of mount Ne­bo; from whence he shewed him the spacious region of the pleasant lād of Canaan, which afterwards the Israe­lites shold possesse: so deales Almightie God with his seruants; euen whilest they are trauelling in the wilder­nesse of this troublesome [Page 440] world, he doth from the high tower of a sanctified speculation, shew them an excellent prospect of the ce­lestiall Canaan, the king­dome of heauen: the fruition and fee-simple whereof, he will afterwards bestow vpon them. And therefore one saith well:Bern. Serm. super Ver. 10. cap. [...]0. Sap. The kingdome of heauen is graunted, promised, shewed, and receiued: it is graunted in Predestination, promised in Ʋocation, shewed in Iustification, and receiued in Glorification. When Adam was in his innocencie, hee had his habitation in the ter­restriall Paradise: so when the sonnes of Adam are in some measure restored by regeneration to that holi­nesse, which they lost by [Page 441] their fathers fal, they do enter into the celestiall Paradise. Whereby those visions are fulfilled:Reu. 3.12. that New Ierusalem is come downe out of heauen. The tabernacle of God is with men, and he is their God, 21.3. and they are his people, and God himselfe is their God with them. This will be euident, if we consider the heauenly priuiledges, wherewith the Saints and seruants of God are indowed euen in this life. To let passe the Patriciā robes of the blessed Sacra­ments: 1. They obtaine par­don and remission of their sinnes:Psa. 32.1. Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen, and whose sinnes are couered saith the Prophet Dauid. Lo, this blessednesse do the [Page 442] children of God obtaine in the remission of their sinnes. And to this forgiuing of sin being the foundation of fe­licitie, there is added the giuing of grace for the re­formation of their liues; for where sinne is pardoned, there it is purged: so that they are no more strangers from the life of God, Eph. 2. but it is their meate and drinke to do the will of their heauen­ly father; their thoughts and meditations are lifted aboue earthly cogitations; their words are gracious, as be­commeth the heauenly ci­tizens; and their conuersa­tion holy, while they are clothed with the white robes of righteousnesse, like the companie of our Sa­uiours [Page 443] blessed attendants in the kingdome of heauen.Reu. 7.9. Thus are they by grace vni­ted vnto Almightie God, & obtaine his gracious prote­ction,Ioh. 17.22. according to our Sa­uiours heauenly petition, as the Psalmist saith:Psal. 5.12. For the He­brew word, [...] of [...] a Crowne, implyeth more then a simple pro­tection as Psal. 84.11 1. Pet. 4.14. For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous, and with fauour wilt crowne and compasse him as with a shield. So that the Lord doth euen in this life, crowne his childrē with grace and glo­rie; they may boldly come in the presence of God, and talke with him in their pray­ers; and they haue the bene­fite of his Angels atten­dance.Psal. 91.

2 Againe, as they are vnited vnto God by grace: so are they ingrafted into [Page 444] Christ, (who is the fountain of all heauenly happinesse) and can say with the Apo­stle:Gal. 2.20. I liue not any more, but Christ liueth in me. And a man thus established by faith in Christ, may truly bee said to be in heauen, as Saint Iohn saith:Iohn. 5.24. He hath euerla­sting life, and is alreadie pas­sed from death to life. There are many wretches, which scorn the godly, count their pietie folly,Psal. 4.2. and turne their glory into shame: esteeming [...]hem for the most base ab­iects of the world, whereas their condition is most hap­pie: for though they be vn­der the persecution of wic­ked Esau, yet are they euen then with Iacob in Bethel, Gen. 28.17. the house of God and the [Page 445] gate of heauen.

3 Hereunto wee may adde the communion of Saints, and fellowship with the elect Angels, whereof the Apostle speaketh, when he saith:Phil. 3.20. [...] We are free Citizens of heauen: meaning indeede: that as we are infranchised, and incorporated into the heauenly Ierusalem: our cō ­uersation should bee corres­pondent to this dignitie. And of this priuiledge doth he speak very comfortably, Ephes. 2.6. saying: that God hath raised vs vp together, & made vs sit together in the heauenly places, in Christ Ie­sus. So that Gods Saints on earth, though they be poore and base in regard of their outward estate, yet being [Page 446] faithfull, they are heires of grace, and haue seates of honour in heauen, together with the thrones and domi­nations: and are therefore no more strangers and forrai­ners, Eph. 2.19. but Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of faith. True it is, that as yet the childrē of God on earth do not actually, but poten­tially and mystically enioy these priuiledges: yet be­cause of the present com­fort and future certainetie thereof, they are actually as­cribed to them, as alreadie obtained. When our Sauior meanes to comfort his ser­uants, & to banish distrust of Gods prouidence, he saith: Feare not little flocke, Luk. 12. for it is yours Fathers will to giue you [Page 447] a kingdome. Loe, this king­dome the Lord doth assure to his children in this life, by giuing them the earnest of his spirit for the assurance of the same. Howbeit,2. Cor. 5.5. as Dauid was annoynted by Samuel a great while before he obtained the Crowne: so doth the Lord annoint his children in this life, with the oyle of gladnesse; but sets not the crowne of glory vpon their heades,2. Tim. 4.8. till the triumphant appearing of Christ Iesus.1. Joh 3.2. Dearely belo­ued, euen now are we the sons of God, saith Saint Iohn: so that being adopted in Christ,Rom. 8.17. and heires annexed with him, we haue assurance of that heauenly dignitie, which is prepared in the [Page 446] heauenly places for the sons of God. Thus the godly, in respect of the remission of their sinnes: the sanctificatiō of l [...]fe: their vniō with God: their ingrafting into Christ: their Communion with the Saints: and other priuiled­ges of grace and happinesse, whereof they are possessed: may very well bee said to haue made an entrance, and set foot into the kingdome of heauen: and to haue a glimpse of that glory, which shall shine most resplen­dently at the great day of reward.

These things being wise­ly weighed in the ballance of a sanctified soule, yeeld sundrie profitable vses.

1. Hereby a man may [Page 449] haue triall of his future e­state, by duly considering his present condition. Is thy hart profane, thy faith dead, and thy conuersation wic­ked? then may I say to thee, as Iehu said to Iehorā: 2. King. 9. What hast thou to do with peace? what hast thou to do with the kingdome of heauen? which belongeth onely to the righteous, and hath no roome for the vnrighteous,1. Cor. 6.9. Reu. 21.27. nor entertaineth any vn­cleane thing. But canst thou discerne in thy selfe a sound faith, though it be like smo­king fl [...]xe: and an vpright conuersation, albeit not free from all infirmitie? then may I say to thee, as our Sauiour said to Zachaeus: Luk. 19.9. This day is saluation come to thy house: [Page 450] thou hast set one foote into heauen.

2 This may be a mo­tiue to holinesse of life and conuersation. Some in the weakenesse or profanenesse of their hearts, will bee rea­die to demaund:Mal. 3 14. What pro­fite is it to keepe Gods com­mandements, & to walk hum­bly before the Lord of hostes? and behold, such a one may here receiue an answer: for we see that the godly are in this life interessed in many heauenly priuiledges, and shall assuredly in the life to come, be partakers of euer­lasting happinesse. Therfore Saint Peter hauing exhorted men, to linke a iustifying faith with sanctified ver­tues in a golden chaine, [Page 451] concludes his exhortation with this reason:2. Pet. 1.5.11. For by this meanes an entring shall be mi­nistred vnto you abundantly, into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Ie­sus Christ: making the king­dom of Grace the portall to the kingdome of Glorie.

3 To a faithfull and a god­ly man, this meditation may minister much cause of true comfort:Luk. 10. Reioyce in this (saith our Sauiour) that your names are written in heauen: so let this bee thy comfort (my Christian brother) that the Almightie hath enrolled thee amongst the holy com­panie of heauen. And here­in blesse God for his mercie with the blessed Apostle, who (considering the great­nesse [Page 452] of his fauour vouchsa­fed to the Colossians) ren­dreth hearty thanks to God, for deliuering them out of the power of darknesse, Col. 1.13. and trans­lating them into the kingdome of his deare sonne. A man that stands vpon a high and sure rocke laughes to scorne the rough surges of the raging seas: and so may a Christian that hath laide this good foundation of a sound faith and a sanctified life, safely reioyce against all the sur­ges of troubles and temp­tations whatsoeuer. For though the raine fall, Mat. 7.25. and the flouds come, and the windes blow, and beat vpon this buil­ding it shall not fall, because it is builded vpon a rocke: yea the gates of hell shall not be [Page 453] able to preuaile against it.

SECT. 2. The second steppe to heauen before the day of iudge­ment: namely, Peace of conscience.

AS sorrow of heart and horror of conscience, are the vsuall fruites of sinne and iniquitie: so is ioy of heart and peace of consci­ence, an ordinarie compa­nion of godlinesse and ho­nestie.Gen. 3.8. Adam hauing trans­gressed and defiled himselfe with sinne, when God cals for him, doth hide himselfe. Abraham a man of a sound faith & prompt obedience,Gen. 22.1. when the Lord speakes to him, answereth chearefully: [Page 454] Here am I. Thus we see both parts of the Prouerbe fulfil­led:Prou. 28.1. The wicked flyeth, when none pursueth him: but the righteous is bold as a lyon. When the heauens are clog­ged with foggie mists, it causeth a sudden darkenesse vpon the face of the earth; and when the bodie is op­pressed with pale melan­cholie humors, the heart is heauie, and the countenance cast downe: but the mistes being expelled by the brightnesse of the Sunne, all the Horizon laughes for ioy; and the pale humors being purged, the heart is ioyfull, and makes the countenance chearfull. So do the mistes and humors of sinne, clogge and molest the heart of man: [Page 455] but the same being expelled and purged by the bright Sun-shine of righteousnesse, the heart is enlarged and re­ioyceth; yea daunceth with ioy, as Dauid speaketh,Psal 13.5. and the heart being ioyfull ma­keth a chearefull co [...]ntenance: Pro. 15.13. so that the voyce of ioy and gladnesse is heard in the ta­bernacles of the righteous. Psa. 118.15 And this ioyfulnesse of hart, chearefulnesse of face, and gladnesse of tongue, do testi­fie:Rom. 14.7. that the kingdome of God is righteousnesse & peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost. Of this fruite doth Salomon speake, where he saith:Pro. 15.15. That a good conscience is a continuall feast; setting it foorth with the same comparison that Saint Iohn vseth in describing the [Page 456] ioyes of the kingdome of heauen, calling them the Lambes supper: Reu. 19 9. but indeed all the delicates in the world are not to be compared to the feasting of a good con­science. This the Spouse sheweth in the second of the Canticles:Can. 2.5. He brought me into his wineseller, & Loue was his banner ouer me. Lo here the Ambrosian Nectar, wherewith Christ Iesus ma­keth the heart of his spouse glad, causing her to cry out: Stay me with flagons, Ver. 6. and comfort me with apples; for I am sicke with loue: where the sacred soule is cast into a ho­ly swound, being rauished with the vnspeakeable com­fort that she enioyes vpon this peace of conscience. In­deed [Page 457] these heauenly ioyes and comforts are not tasted of the wicked: for how can they see, that haue no eyes? or those rellish the peace of cōscience, which want their spirituall tast? Yea, who is able to expresse the excel­lencie of this peace? nay, who is able to conceiue it but those that enioy it? Nei­ther indeed are they able: for it passeth all vnderstan­ding. Phil. 4.7. In respect of which large excellēcie of the peace of conscience, it may very wel be counted a part of the kingdome of heauen, whose ioyes are endlesse and infi­nite.

If we consider the foun­tains also from whence this spirituall peace doth spring, [Page 458] wee shall perceiue that our present comfort vpon earth, and future consolation to be enioyed hereafter in heauen, do both arise and flow from the same heads, and fall in­to the same Ocean of felici­tie. 1 A iustifying faith yeelds this peace:Rom. 5.2. for being iustified by faith wee haue peace towards God, through our Lord Iesus Christ. And this peace yeelds ioy, as it followeth in the next verse, and that no small ioy: for they that doe truely beleeue in Christ Iesus,1. Pet. 1.8. doe reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glo­rious. What could the Apo­stle haue said more of the ioy, which the Saints shall enioy hereafter in the king­dome of heauen, then to call [Page 459] it Vnspeakable & glorious? & no maruell: for as the first sight of the blind man wher­by he saw men walke like trees,Mar. 8.28. was the same whereby he saw them to be men a far off, though it was at the first more confused: so the in­choate ioy and peace of cō ­science, which wee obtaine in this life, being vnspeake­able, glorious, and passing all vnderstanding, hath more then a resemblance of that celestiall glorie, which shall be imparted more a­bundantly and perfectly in the life to come. 2 The children of God are endued with the spirit of God, whereby they receiue the comfortable testimonie of their adoption:Rom. 8. & the same [Page 460] manumitting spirit doth also yeeld them most heauenly consolation.Ioh. 14.16. 3. This peace of conscience is the fruite of a holy conuersation, as I said before: and the Apostle can tell vs of his owne ex­perience; for his reioycing is this, 2. Cor. 1.12 the testimonie of his conscience, that in simplicitie and godly purenesse, he hath had his conuersation in the world. Besides this, there is also an vndoubted Hope: which being the first fruites of the spirit, doth after a sort put the children of God in possession of the king­dome of heauen. So that whē they do from the watch tower of a good conscience lift vp this Iacobs staffe, or rather this Iacobs ladder,Gen. 28.12. of [Page 461] a stedfast hope, vnto the heauens, and there behold with holy Stephen the glory of God:Act. 7. it rauisheth and re­ioyceth their hearts more then any tongue is able to expresse. Thus do the godly in this life, tast of the ioyes of heauen: the sweetnesse whereof is such, that it swalloweth vp all the waues of temporall distresses; causing them with Paule and Silas to sing Psalmes in the pri­son, and to say with Dauid: Act. 16.25. Psa 94.19. In the middest of all my trou­bles, thy comforts ô Lord haue refreshed my soule. Which maruellous effect, this peace of conscience could neuer haue in encountering and conquering these infinite earthly calamities, were it [Page 462] not of a diuine and heauen­ly Nature. But what? haue all the children of God this peace and comfort alike? Surely no: but according to Zeba & Zalmunnaes words (As the man is, Iud. 8.21. so is his strength) it may be said in this case: as the man is, so is his comfort and ioy. For where the life is qualified with a great measure of grace, there the heart is re­plenished with a great mea­sure of ioy. Neither are these ioyes alwaies participated alike; but as the heauens are sometime bright, and some­time obscured: so the Sunne of comfort shineth some­times more brightly, some­times obscurely in the hearts of Gods children. So [Page 463] that one while they com­plaine thus:Psal. 77. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? and will hee shew no more fauour? and other whiles,Psal. 35.9. their soule is ioyfull in the Lord, and all their bones do say: Who is like vnto thee, ô Lord? yet euen in their greatest distresse,Dulciores sunt lachry­mae orant [...]ū, quàm gaudia Theatrorum. Aug. super. Psal. 1 [...]7. the very teares of the godly are sweeter, then all the showtes & laughters at the Theaters.

This being the excellen­cie of the peace of consci­ence, let it be thy care (good Christian) to obtaine, and maintaine it. A kinde and comfortable friend is much woorth: but who can prize the peace of a quiet consci­ence? Lo, it was the best hymne the blessed Angels could sing:Luk. 2.14. Glorie be to God [Page 464] in the highest heauens, and peace on the earth. The best Legacie our Sauiour could leaue to his seruants: My peace I leaue with you, Iohn. 14.27 my peace I giue you. The best prayer the Apostle could make for the Thessalonians: Now the Lord of peace, 2. Thes. 3.16 giue you peace alwaies by all means. Though there be many that say:Psal. 4. Who will shew vs any good? and haue their minds wholy set vpon their corne, their wine and oyle: yet the godly haue more true glad­nesse from the Lords coun­tenance by a thousand de­grees, then the worldling hath in all these transitorie trifles.

Hast thou a good con­science? then cherish it: it is [Page 465] the greatest blessing vnder heauen. Is this peace and comfort of conscience wanting or weake in thee? then vse the meanes, whereby the same is procured and preserued. Labour to ob­taine a sound faith, & a san­ctified life:Esa. 32.17 for the worke of righteousnesse is peace. Mel­chizedec being king of righ­teousnesse, Heb. 7.2. was after that the king of peace: get righteous­nesse, and peace will follow it.Psal. 85.11 For righteousnesse and peace will kisse each other: yea the more thou art conuer­sant in holinesse of conuer­sation, the more abundant shalt thou be in the comfor­table peace of conscience. For where righteousnesse flou­risheth, Psal. 72.7. there shall be abun­dance [Page 466] of peace. Behold, it will be thy companion, both by day and by night, at home and abroad, in life and in death: yea, it will not onely guide thee (as Moses did the children of Israel) to the celestiall Canaan; but (as Iosua did) will there take vp her habitation with thee for euer. And as the starre led the Wise men till they came to Christ,Mat. [...]. and then stood still: so shall this light of ioy leade thee to the kingdome of heauen, and there stand still in the firmament of thy soule, world without end.

SECT. 3. The third steppe to Heauen before the day of iudge­ment: namely, Ioy & comfort at the day of death.

THe traueller that hath a long iourney to take though happely hee meete with many delights by the way, yet is glad when he co­meth within the kenne of his countrie; but reioyceth exceedingly, when hee hath attained the end of his iourney. Behold, the waies of righteousnesse are the steps we take in our trauaile; the peace of conscience setteth before vs the ioy of the hea­uenly mansions: but the day [Page 468] of death giueth vs fruition thereof; and is therefore to be desired of all those, that are trauelling the right way to the kingdome of heauen. The heauenly bodies are best seene in the euening when the Sunne is set: and the heauenly ioyes are most enioyed at the euening of our dayes, when the Sunne of our life is set; by reason that the soule is then deliue­red from a masse of corrup­tions, and both soule and bodie from a mixture of in­finite miseries, The godly may now especially be said to set foote into heauen in a twofold respect. First, be­cause they are freed from the calamities of this life, the bitternesse whereof doth [Page 469] greatly allay the sweetnesse of the heauenly ioyes. Se­condly,Eccles. 12 7 because their soules returning to God, do actu­ally possesse those eternall ioyes, which the kingdome of heauen doth yeeld.

1 Concerning this life, what is it but a vale of mise­rie? and what is the fruite thereof,Psal. 90.10 but labour and sor­row? therefore doth the O­racle of heauen rightly pro­nounce:Reu. 14 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord, because they cease from their labours. The sea-faring man is glad when he meets with a plea­sant gale of winde, that will bring him to the hauen where he would bee. Lo, this world is the sea: the bo­die, the shippe: the soule, the [Page 470] mariner; and death, the plea­sant gale of wind that brings vs into the hauen of eternal blisse. This the Apostle insi­nuates in an elegant Meta­phor, [...]. Phil. 2.23. when he saith: I long to be diss [...]lued, and to bee with Christ. When Noah had bin tossed vp and downe in the floud, almost a whole yeare, was he not glad (thinke you) of mount Ararat, where­upon he rested the Arke? So the children of God hauing bene tossed vp and downe the waters of this wicked world, peraduenture for many yeares, haue they not reason to be glad of the day of death, the mount Ararat that giues rest to the beaten barke of their turmoyled soules & bodies? Is the soule [Page 471] kept in the bodie as it were in a prison?Seneca Tully &c. and is not the day of death therefore to be desired, as the day of deliue­rance from imprisonment? Surely yes: and that makes Simeon to say: Lord, Luk 2.29. [...] thou loosest now let­test thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word. The dayes of man (saith Iob) are as the dayes of an hireling. Iob. 7.2. And as the seruant longeth for the shadow, and an hireling looketh for the end of his worke: so do the godly looke and long for the euening & Sun-set of their age, because then the time of labour is past, and the day of paiment comes in, which causeth thē to pray: Euen so, Reu. 22.20. come Lord Iesus.

2 As the faithfull are by [Page 472] death deliuered from the miseries of this life, which hindred their felicitie: so are they by it (as it were by a gate) led and let into the ioyes of heauen. For the soules of the iust, when by death they pay the old debt, do receiue a new reward of ioy, which they shall neuer repay. Salomon saith com­fortably:Pro. 14.32. The righteous hath hope in his death: but the A­postle more comfortably: We know, 2. Cor. 5.1. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed, we haue a building giuen of God, euen an house not made with hands, but eter­nall in the heauens. If the godly dyed doubtfully, and with a staggering confi­dence, there were some rea­son [Page 473] they should suffer a won­derfull conflict and relucta­tion in death: but seeing they commit their soules in­to the hands of a faithfull Cre­ator, 1. Pet. 4.19. and their bodies to the ground, with an assured confidence, that at the last day they shall with the same eyes behold their Redee­mer,Iob. 19. who will send his An­gels to fetch them, and hath promised to glorifie them: seeing that being dissolued they shall be with Christ,Phil. 1.23. & haue the reward of their workes following them to hea­uen, Reu. 14.13. where their time shall bee spent in singing the hymnes of prayses to the harpe of glorie;Reu. 5.8.9. haue they not reason to long for death, to search for it more [Page 474] then for treasures, and to reioyce when they finde it? Dauid saith, that the death of the Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord. Psa. 116.15 And our Sauiour makes the day of death, the Saints seede time for that happie haruest, wherein the Angels shall be reapers to gather the good corne into the Lords barne, the kingdome of heauen. For except the wheate corne fall into the ground and dye, Ioh. 12.24. it bideth alone; but if it dye, it bringeth foorth much fruite.

Seeing now, that death is of such singular vse to the godly: wee see that to bee a most false position of the Philosopher, and an erro­neous opinion of many Christians: That death is the worst [Page 475] and most terrible thing that can happen to man. For al­beit, that to the wicked it be so, yet to the godly it is not: to whome (if either you re­spect their freedome from temporall miseries, or the fruition of eternall felicitie) The day of death is better, Eccles. 7.3. then the day that they are borne. If the house wherein thou dwellest were rotten,Cypr. de mortal. sect 17. and readie to fall on thy head; if the shippe wherein thou art carried, leaked very daungerously, and like to drowne thee; wouldest thou not leaue thy house: and de­sire the shore that might yeeld thee safetie? Then maruell not, that the godly desire to be freed from the crazed houses, and leaking [Page 476] shippes of their mortall bo­dies, and long for the hou­ses, & hauens of euerlasting securitie. What though death be a serpent and sting the wicked, griping them at the heart: yet to the elect Christ hath vanquished this serpent, and plucked out his sting, yea, deaths sting, be­ing sinne. As bodies that haue fewest bad humors, are least shaken with agues: so those that are freest from sinne, though death assault them bitterly, are least an­noyed by the pains and ter­ror of death. Our Sauiour saith:Ioh. 16.33. Be of good cheare, I haue ouercome the world; and I may say: Bee of good cheare,2 Cor. 15.16 for Christ hath ouer­come death.

2 This may be an occa­sion to mitigate that extreme sorrow, which many take vppon the death of their god­ly friends: seeing their death yeeldeth rather cause of cō ­fort then of sorrow; of mirth then of mourning; and of reioycing, rather then of weeping and lamenting. If you loued me, you would re­ioyce (saith our Sauiour to his disciples) because I said, Ioh. 14.28. I goe to the Father: so, those that loue their friends in­deed, haue cause to reioyce rather then to mourne for their death, because they go to be glorified with their heauenly Father. The little child that sees the mother cutting and bruising the sweet and pleasant hearbes [Page 478] and flowers, is sorie because hee thinkes they are spoiled: but the mother hath a pur­pose to preserue thē, where­by they are made much bet­ter. A simple bodie that should see the Gold-smith melting the pure mettals, would bee discontent, ima­gining that all were marred: whereas the skilfull worke­man hath a purpose to cast some excellent peece of plate thereof. So wee silly men, when the Lord cuts off some of our friends (by death) like the flower, and lets others wither like the greene hearbe: and when he melteth them in the fornace of the graue, are ouercome with sorrowfull conceipts, as though some euill thing [Page 479] were befallen our friendes: whereas we should remem­ber, that the Lord hath a purpose by this meanes to preserue them, and to trans­forme them into that glori­ous estate, which the An­gels enioy in heauen. And this reason is first intimated, and after plainely expressed by Saint Paule in his dehor­tation to the Thessalonians: I would not (brethren) haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe, 1. Thes. 4.13 that you sorrow not as others which haue no hope. Who would be sorrie to see his friend fall a­sleepe, seeing that thereby he is made lightsome, fresh, and lustie? Now death is to the godly nothing but a sleepe, whereby they are re­fined [Page 480] and refreshed: why should we then be offended therewith? If thy friend (which dieth) bee wicked, then hast thou iust cause of mourning: but if thou knewest him to liue and die in the feare of God, howsoeuer nature or affection may haue force to wring teares from thine eyes, or sighes from thy heart; yet hast thou rea­son to reioyce, and be glad for his happie change, as Augustine his example may teach:Aug confe. lib. 9. v. who bridled the in­firmitie of Nature, and sup­pressed his teares at his mo­thers death, though he ho­noured and loued her deare­ly: thinking it an vnfit thing to celebrate her funerals with weeping and wailing, [Page 481] because she had liued religi­ously, and died vertuously.

3 To conclude this point, me thinkes if there were no farther reason to perswade, yet euen this me­ditation might mooue any one to the practise of godli­nesse; in that it yeeldeth this heauenly peace of consci­ence in the time of our life, and eternall consolation at the day of our death. Oh, what a sweete comfort will it be to thee (my Christian brother) when friends, ho­nour, wealth, dignities, and all other comfortes in the world become vaine and faile thee, to haue the ioy­full peace of conscience to rest with thee? When thou shalt bee able (recounting [Page 482] thy sincere care in Gods ser­uice) to pray with good Ne­hemiah: Neh. 13.22 Remember me, ô my God, concerning this? to say with godly Hezechiah vpon his death bed:2. King 20.3. I beseech thee (ô Lord) remember now, how I haue walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect hart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight? and with our blessed Sauiour before his passion:Ioh. 17.4. Father, I haue glorified thee on earth, I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe? For then shall the vprght c [...]nsci­ence eccho a comfort to thy humble soule: and either the Lord wil enlarge the lease of thy life with H [...]zechiah, or glorifie thee in the heauens with his beloued Sonne.

SECT. 1. The first steppe into heauen at the day of iudgement: namely, A blessed Resurrection.

IF the godly in this life, and at the day of their death, haue a tast of those heauenly ioyes which can­not be expressed: how much more shall they haue in the resurrection, when body and soule shall both be reunited, and indued with a blessed condition? Therefore do the Scriptures describe the ex­cellencie of the resurrection by sundry comfortable me­taphors.Ioh. 12. 1. Cor 15. Saint Paule com­pares it to the husbandmans haruest: when reaping and [Page 484] receiuing the fruites of his labours, his heart reioyceth: and so shall it be to the god­ly; for they which sowe in teares at the day of death, shall reape in ioy at their resurrection.Pro. 19.17. 2. Salomon saith: hee which hath pittie on the poore, lendeth to the Lord: and looke what he layeth out, it shall bee payed him againe. Now, men that haue great debts desire earnestly the day of payment: and behold our Sauiour calleth the day of resurrection,Luk. 14.14. The day of payment: because then hee hauing his reward with him, Reu. 22.12. will come foorth of euerie ones debt, and reward their good [...]esse with glorie.

3. Those that labor must needes haue a time to rest in, [Page 485] that so they may be refresh­ed. Our life is nothing but la­bour, our death a sleepe: and therefore the Apostle fitly calles the resur [...]ection,Act. 3.19. Th [...] time of refreshing: being as the gladsome morning to a si [...]ke man,Psal. 49.14 15. which hath tossed and turned vp and downe wearily all the night long. The bird that hath bene kept a great while in a cage, will chaunt it merrily when shee commeth foorth into the open aire: the prisoner that hath lyen lōg in the dū ­geon, re [...]oyceth exceedingly when he hath obtained li­bertie: so shall the resurre­ction be ioyfull and comfor­table to the godly, when they are deliuered from the cage and prison of the graue [Page 486] and restored into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. Rom. 8.21. There is nothing that doth better r [...]semble & set foorth the excellencie of the Resur­rection, then the spring time; for as we flourish in our childhood, bring foorth fruite in our youth, waxe ripe in our old age, and wi­ther at our death: so wee spring fresh againe at our re­surrection. The trees in win­ter being despoiled of their leaues, the garden of the flowers, and the fields of the grasse, do seeme vtterly to perish: but when the Spring time comes, they all waxe as fresh and flourishing as euer they were: so the body (which during the winter of many ages, is depriued of [Page 487] her beautie and turned to rottennesse) doth at the Spring time of the resurre­ction, not onely recouer her former beautie, but obtai­neth a farre more excellent glorie.Num. 17.8. The budding of A­arons rod was verie admira­ble, and the resurrection of our bodies is more wonder­full: but it is the Lords doing, and is maruellous in our eyes.

1 The resurrection is comfortable in regard of the chaunge of the bodie: which shall then in beautie asmuch exceede the former estate thereof, as the bright Sunne doth excell the least Starre in glorie.1. Cor. 15.41.44. For the bo­die which is sowne in corrup­tion, is raised in incorruption: it is sowne in dishonour, and is [Page 488] raised in glorie: it is sowne in weak [...]nesse, and is raised in po­wer: it is sowne a naturall bo­die, and is raised a spirituall bodie. Thus shall the bodie become more excellent in foure principall respects. It shall be immortall, and so freed from corruption: it shall bee glorious, and so de­liuered from dishonour: it shall not neede the helpes of foode, Phisicke, sleepe, or clothing, and so bee exemp­ted from weaknesse: it shall bee bright, pure, and nimble, and so shall differ from the naturall bodie. For as birds being hatched, doe flie lightly vp into the skies; which being egges, were a heauie and slimie matter: so man (which by nature is a [Page 489] massie substance) being hat­ched by the resur [...]ection,Zanch. de. [...]per. Dei. is made pure and nimble, and able to mount vp into the heauens. The sinne of our first parents in Paradise, ad­ded shame to their naked­nesse: but in the resurrectio [...] this shame shall be abolish­ed; and in stead thereof the bodie shall in euerie part be­come glorious and beauti­full. If the Creeple which lay at the temple gate (being re­stored to his lims by Peter and Iohn) did come into th [...] temple walking, leaping, Act. 3.8. and praising God: oh, how much greater cause of reioycing and glorifying God, shall the godly haue, when all de­form [...]ties and infirmities of the bodie shall bee taken [Page 490] away,Aug de Ciu. lib. 22. c. 19 and they made not one­ly whole and sound, but euen beautifull and glorious?

2 As the beautie of the bodie doth of it selfe com­mend the felicitie of the re­surrection: so shall the re­uniting of the soule with the bodie, much enlarge the [...]x­cellencie thereof. Two old friends that haue bene a long time, and with great distance of place separated each frō other, how glad and ioyfull are they when they meet to­gether, and embrace one a­nother? how doth the kinde father salute his sonne retur­ning home?Luk. [...]5.20. and shall not the soule and bodie (two old friends knit together in the nearest league) be exceeding ioyfull and glad at their re­newed [Page 491] vnion in the resurre­ction? This cannot other­wise bee, if either the forme or end of this reuniting bee considered. The forme is glorious and angelicall:Luk 20.36. for the godly are equall vnto the Angels, and the sonnes of God, since they are the children of the resurrection of life. The end is blessed and happie: for they that haue done good, Ioh. 5.29. shall come foorth to the resur­rection of life. Thus in respect of the glorie and beautie be­stowed on the bodie, and the felicitie imparted both to soule and bodie vpon the vnion in the Resurrection, the godly may well bee said to enioy a great measure of heauenly felicitie. The con­sideration hereof may serue [Page 492] to asswage and sweeten the bittternesse of those miseries which happen to the chil­drē of God in this life. This was Iobs comfort in the middest of his grieuous triall: I am sure that my redeemer li­ueth, Iob. 19.25. and that I shall rise a­gaine out of the dust at the last day. This was Dauids ioy in the dayes of his wonder­full afflictions:Psal 16.9. My heart is glad, and my tongue reioyceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope: for thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue, neither will thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Yea, the remem­brance hereof hath made many to submit themselues willingly to martyrdome, and to sticke to the truth to the death:Heb. 11.35. For diuerse haue [Page 493] bene racked, and would not accept of deliuerance, that they might obtaine a better resurrection. Though the re­demption from the racke were a thing much to bee desired: yet the redemption from hell, and the resurre­ction to eternall life, was much more to be sought for; without which condition they wold not be deliuered. For what though the racke should rent their flesh, and disioynt their limmes? they were assured that at the re­surrection, all should bee conioyned and perfected. Here then wee may learne, not to care for any ignomi­nie that can bee done vnto vs, nor bee much troubled for any infirmities that can [Page 494] befall our bodies; knowing that the same must one day be eaten with wormes, and consumed with rottennesse: but especially, being assured that the same shall be refor­med, and refined in the Re­surrection.

SECT. 2. The second steppe into heauen at the day of iudgement: namely, The ioyfull appearing before Christ.

AT the birth of our bles­sed Sauiour, though it were base, the heauenly quire chaunted it ioyfully.Luk. 2. In his infancie, when he lay swadled in a cratch in stead of a cradle,Mat. 2. and tooke his [Page 495] Inne in a stable in stead of a stately pallace; yet the Wise men came from the East to adore him. In his riper years albeit he came attended on­ly with poore fishermen,Mar. 10. yet Rulers kneeled to him: and when he rode meekely to Ierusalem vpon an Asse,M [...]t. 21. the people cutte downe boughes, and strewed their garments in the way to ho­nour him: at his passion the Centurion acknowledged him to be the Son of God:Mat. 27. and Ioseph of Arimathea af­ter his death, honoured his corpes with a seemely fune­rall. If our Sauiour in his birth, life, and death (being the dayes of his weaknesse and infirmitie) was thus ho­noured by men and Angels: [Page 496] how glorious shall hee be in the day of power and maie­stie, when he shall appeare in the clouds, sit vpon a glo­rious throne, and bee atten­ded by blessed Angels, and decked with a Crowne of glorie? Now shall the godly meete him in the ayre with great ioy, and sing Hosanna in excelsis: Blessed is the king that commeth in the name of the Lord. The Saints happi­nesse doth now consist in three principall points. First, in beholding the glorie of Christ: secondly, in being vnder his iudgement: third­ly, in being themselues ho­nored with the dignitie of Iudges.

1 When Iacob heard of the honour of his sonne Io­seph [Page 497] in Aegypt, his heart fai­led him through distrust; yet when he beheld the cha­riots which he had sent for him, his spirit reuiued: but when he saw him, hee said vnto him; Now let me dye, Gen. 46.30. since I haue seene thy face. So fareth it with the children of God in this life, being hindred through their infir­mities from the comforta­ble considerations of Christs exaltation: yet when they shall see his chariots, the blessed Angels, whom hee shall send to gather the elect from the foure winds, and to carrie them into the land of the liuing, their hearts shall bee much comforted: but when they shall looke vpon the face of Christ, and [Page 498] behold his glorie, how shall their mouths be filled with laughter, and their tongues with ioy?Luk. 2.29. If Simeon behol­ding Christ, a little infant in the temple, reioyced saying: Lord, now l [...]ttest thou thy ser­uant depart in peace: what peace and ioy shall the godly haue, when they behold Christ, a triumphant King at the day of iudgement; when they shal not take him vp in their armes as Simeon did, but shall bee embraced by him in the armes of his mercie? Though Peter see­ing Christ in his troubles, fled from him, when hee went to mount Caluarie: yet, he said it was good stay­ing with him, when he saw him glorified on mount [Page 499] Tabor.

It is written of Salomon: 1. King. 10.24. That all the world sought to see him, and to heare his wise­dom. If men were so desirous to see Salomon, the shadow: how much more desirous shall they bee to behold Christ Iesus, the substance? in comparison of whose glo­rie and wisedome, Salomons was but like a droppe of wa­ter to the mightie Ocean; yea in respect thereof, no­thing but folly and deformi­tie. We obserued before, that Iob reioyceth vpon the remembrance of his resur­rection; and here wee may consider how he addeth and iterateth for an augmenta­tion of his ioy:Ioh. 19.27. That he shall see, and his eyes shall behold [Page 500] his Redeemer. And this yeel­ded Stephen much comfort, and caused him to lay down his life chearefully, when he beheld Christ on the right hand of God.Act. 7.

Mat. 13. Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your eares, for they heare (saith our Sauiour) that which many kings and great men would haue bene glad to haue seene & heard, but could not. [...]. Abrahā reioy­ced to see the day of Christ: and saw it, and was glad. If Abra­ham beholding it by the eye of faith onely, reioyced so exceedingly: what would hee haue done, if hee might haue externally seene, and heard, and handled of the word of life, 1. Ioh. 1.4. as the Disciples did? These things wee write [Page 501] vnto you, that your ioy may bee full. If the relation of these things yeeld the fulnesse of ioy: how much more thinke you, did the contemplation and fruition thereof? And yet is this also inferiour, and farre too short of the behol­ding of Christ in glorie at the day of iudgement. Once our Sauiour said:Ioh. 20.29. Blessed are they that haue not seene, and haue beleeued: but now I may say, Blessed are they that see, and do not beleeue: because that now, Faith which vnited vs to Christ in the kingdome of grace, doth vanish: and only loue, which vniteth vs to God in the kingdome of glorie, doth remaine.

2 This is the Saints hap­pinesse, [Page 502] that they shall bee iudged by Christ. For now shall that bee fulfilled in the manifestation of his glorie, which the Prophet spea­keth of the reuelation of his grace:Psa. 102.16 When the Lord shall build vp Sion, and when his glorie shall appeare, hee shall turne vnto the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their desires. It is vsuall in our tri­als, for the Iudge to bid the Iurors, Looke vpon the pri­soners: oh, with what a com­passionate eye shall Christ looke vpon the elect, which come before his iudgement seate!Gen. 18.25. When Abraham in­treateth the Lord for So­dome, he reasoneth on this manner: B [...]e it farre from thee for doing this, to slay the [Page 503] righteous with the wicked, & that the righteous should bee euen as the wicked, be it farre from thee: shall not the Iudge of all the world do right? And so may it bee said concer­ning our Sauiours iudge­ment, before whom all the world must appeare: farre be it from him, that the righte­ous should fare as hardly as the wicked: shall not he (the Iudge of all the world) doe iudgement?2. Thes. 1.7. Now it is iust with him to render peace & comfort to the godly, aswell as tribulation and an­guish to the wicked, at his appearing with his holy Angels.

Saint Paule asketh:Rom. 8.33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen, seeing [Page 504] God doth iustifie them? and may not I say: Who shall be able to condemne the righ­teous, seeing Christ shall iudge them? did Christ shed his precious bloud to wash them, and lay downe his life to redeeme them, and will he now suffer thē to perish? No man yet euer hated his owne flesh,Eph. 5. but nourisheth and cherisheth it: and behold, we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. Let Sa­than then, and all the dam­ned crew accuse, and charge and chalenge the godly: yet Christ being their iudge, they shall neuer bee conui­cted, they shal neuer be con­demned.

3 Besides the contem­plation of Christ: and the [Page 505] fruition of his fauour in iudgement, behold a fur­ther priuiledge of the chil­dren of God: for they them­selues shall at this day be­come Iudges,Mat. 19.28 and sit vpon thrones of maiestie with the great Iudge, and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell. Know you not, 1. Cor. 6.2. that the Saints shall iudge the world? The most may answer negatiuely to this question: it is a point which few do know or con­sider. But let all the wicked and vngracious vpon the earth remember (though now they be neuer so migh­tie in the world) that the godlie whome they haue scorned, wronged, and dis­graced (albeit they be poore and simple) shall one day be [Page 506] assistants vnto Christ, and sit with him vpō the bench: when themselues shall stand trembling at the barre of his tribunall, and shal be subiect to their assent in their iust and most deserued condem­nation.

Lo then, here is a singu­lar cause of ioy and comfort to all those that do vnfai­nedly feare God. The re­membrance of the dreadfull day of iudgement cannot be altogether without ter­ror to vs; but when we con­sider that Christ shall be our Iudge, the consideration thereof may be sufficient to affect our hearts with glad­nesse.Heb. 4.15. The Apostle notes it for a matter of much com­fort, that wee haue such an [Page 507] high Priest, as hath tasted of our infirmities, that so hee may be touched with them. And surely it is our great happinesse, that wee shall haue him our Iudge, who hath bene subiect to seuere iudgement; that so he may haue compassion vpon vs at the dreadful day of account: therefore Christ biddeth vs, when his coming to iudge­ment approacheth, then to lift vp our heads and cheare vp our hearts,Luk. 21.28. because our redemption draweth neare.

To conclude, seeing that the iudgement of Christ shall be terrible to the wic­ked, and comfortable to the godly, let vs embrace that heauenly exhortation of S. Iohn: 1. Ioh. 2.28. And now little children [Page 508] abide in him, that when hee shall appeare, we may be hold, and not bee ashamed before him at his comming. Which happinesse we shall assured­ly obtaine, if we leade a san­ctified life: for such honour and happinesse haue all his Saints.

SECT. 3. The third steppe into heauen at the day of iudgement: name­ly, The comfortable and hono­rable sentence of acqui­ting: Come you blessed of my Father.

THe Lord by his Euan­gelicall Prophet did in times past, make this graci­ous promise concerning his forlorne & desolate Church: [Page 509] In an acceptable time haue I heard thee, Esa. 49 8. in the day of sal­uation haue I helped thee. And Saint Paule making the time of promulgation of the Gospell the period of his promise, addeth by the way of exemplification:2. Cor. 6.2. Be­hold now the accepted time: behold the day of saluation. If the Apostle spake thus of the time wherein saluation was published and offered: how much more may it bee said of the day wherein sal­uation is giuen and recei­ued? Behold the day of sal­uation, euen now behold it, when the Sauiour of the world is become the Iudge of the world, and shall pro­nounce the comfortable sentence of mercie and absolu­tion: [Page 510] Come yee blessed of my Father, Mat. 25.34 possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the be­ginning of the world. In which sentence euery word hath his woorth and weight, and deserues to be ingraued in letters of gold. Come, (saith Christ) there is a bles­sed vocation: ye blessed of my Father, a gracious appella­tion: poss [...]sse the kingdome, a happie exaltation: prepared for you from the beginning of the world, the foundation of all consolation. It is wor­thie the obseruation, that all Christs words are words of consolation, his deedes are deedes of compassion, and his workes the workes of propitiation. Thus is Christ alwaies l [...]ke himselfe, excee­ding [Page 511] compassionate. In the time of his life, hee cryes: Come vnto me all you that la­bour, and are heauie laden, Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you: Ioh. 7.37. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drinke. At his death vpon the crosse, his armes are stretched out, and his bloud gusheth forth; as if he should say: Come that I may wash thee, come that I may embrace thee. At the day of iudge­ment, he cals: Come ye blessed of my Father, receiue the kingdome prepared for you. And this Come is most comforta­ble of all others, being such a word as Salomon speakes of: Like apples of gold, Prou. 25.11 with pictures of siluer, euen as pre­cious and pleasant as possi­bly may be. Come? yea, but [Page 512] who? You blessed of my fa­ther. There are sundry kinds of blessings mentioned in the word of God.Psal. 5. Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous, and with fauour wilt crowne him as with a shield: there is the blessing of protection. The Lord blessed the house of O bed Edom, 1. Ch. 13.14 and all that hee had: there is the blessing of prosperitie.Psa. 128.3. Thy children shall bee like the Oliue plants round about thy table: there is the blessing of procreatiō. Thou crownest the yeare with thy goodnesse, Psal. 65.11 and thy steppes droppe fatnesse: there is the blessing of plentie. Euen in these and such like are the godl [...] often blessed; but the Blessing of blessings is that which is here mentioned: [Page 513] Come you blessed, Mat. 25.34 receiue the kingdome. And this blessed­nesse is both obtained by Christ, and pronounced by him.Isaiah. 65.8 Destroy not my Ʋine (saith the Lord:) and why? for a blessing is in it. Receiue the kingdome (saith our Sa­uiour:) why? because you are the blessed of my Father. Happie are the people that are in such a case: yea hap­pie and thrise happie are they who are the blessed of the Lord. Our Sauiour som­times promiseth the king­dome of God:Luk. 12. Feare not lit­tle flocke, it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome. Sometimes hee exhorteth men to seeke the kingdome of God:Mat. 6. First seeke the king­dome of God, and the righte­ousnesse [Page 514] thereof: and his pro­mise is comfortable, his ex­hortation profitable. But behold, here hee takes men by the hand, and bids them come and take possession of the kingdome: which is much more comfortable, because fruition farre excee­deth expectation. That was a gladsome speech of Christ to the penitent thiefe:Luk.. 23.43 This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise: but this is farre more gladsom, when Christ shall say, Come and possesse it; and so shall presently take both soule and bodie into his eternall kingdome. If Dauid said:Psa 1.122. I was glad when they said vnto me, We will go into the house of the Lord; how ioyfull and glad shall [Page 515] the children of God be, whē Christ shall say vnto them: Come you blessed of my Fa­ther into the house of God, e­uen the kingdome of heauen?

This was Gods bounti­full goodnesse to Adam, that before he was created, the Lord had prouided a­bundantly for him; and fur­nished most exquisitly (as it were for a great guest) the tables both of heauen, the earth, and the sea, with all things necessarie for his vse and delight. But, behold here a greater mercie of the Lord towards the elect: that altogether without their merite, not onely before they were borne, but euen before the foundations of the world were laid, the Lord [Page 516] hath prepared a blessed and glorious kingdome for thē. And this is the elects happi­nesse, that at the last day when these foundations of heauen and earth shall bee shaken, Christ will call them most graciously to possesse the kingdome which can­not be shaken.Heb. 12.

Wee reade in the first of Luke, Luk. 1.44. that Elizabeth won­dered at the blessed Virgins visiting of her: and said, that so soone as the voice of her salutation sounded in her eares, the babe in her wombe did leape for ioy. Shall not our Sauiours sentence bee more admirable then the Virgins salutation? and as soone as it sounds in the eares of the elect, shall it not cause the [Page 517] hearts in their bellies euen to leape for ioy?

Seeing now, that the con­dition of the godly is so happie, that they shall bee partakers of this thrise hap­pie sentence; let euery ones care and carriage bee such, that he may enioy the com­fort thereof. For as they one­ly are the sheepe of Christ, which heare his voice in the ministerie of his holy word,Ioh. 10.27. and follow him in the steppes of righteousnesse: so shall they onely be the sheepe on his right hand; they onely shall heare him say vnto them (Come you blessed of my Father) and follow him in­to his kingdome.Mat. 25.33 To those that haue fedde him being hungrie, clothed him being [Page 518] naked, and visited him be­ing sicke, and in prison; to those that haue sanctified his Sabboths, honoured his name, embraced his word, and dealt vprightly with their neighbours; to them (I say) doth this blessing be­long. Let no man then bee ouercome with Dauids in­firmitie, to say: I haue clean­sed my heart in vaine, and washed my hands in innocen­cie. For the Apostles words shall euer bee found true: Your worke shall not bee in vaine in the Lord. 1. Co. 15.58 And be­hold here a recompence: as thou mayest lift vp pure hands with comfort in this life, so shall Christ take thee by the hand at the day of iudgement,Mat. 25. and say to thee: [Page 519] Enter into thy maisters ioy. When the kings daughter is all glorious within, Psal. 45. and her clothing of wrought gold, shee shall be brought vnto the king with ioy and gladnesse, and shall enter into the kings Pal­lace: and so shall it bee done to euery sanctified Chri­stian at the last day: he shall bee brought by the blessed Angels, to Christ the most blessed king with great ioy: & hauing heard his gracious sentence (Come yee blessed) shall enter into his glorious pallace, the kingdome of heauen, and possesse the same for euer and euer.

SECT. 1. The first steppe into heauen af­ter the last iudgement: namely, Freedome from miserie.

EXperience teacheth, that the consideration of passed miserie, doth giue a sweet rellish to future feli­citie:Olim haec meminisse iu­uabit. Virg, Aened 1. the remembrance of the fierce assaults, sharpe conflicts, and deadly fights is ioyfull to the souldier: the cogitation of escape from the deuouring gulfes, peri­lous rockes, and dangerous streights, yeeld delight vnto the mariner: and is not the sicke man glad, when the extremitie of his fit is past, though he be not as yet re­stored [Page 521] to his perfect health? So fareth it with the chil­dren of God at the last day: the consideration of their deliuerance from the dan­gerous combats with sinne and Sathan, their escaping the perilous sayling in the seas of this troublesome world, and freedome from the sicke fits of their inward corruptions, doth adde a­bundantly to their euerla­sting happines in the world to come: and the greater their troubles or daungers haue bene, the more is their comfort. Now to the end that this happinesse of the children of God may the better appeare; the mappe of escaped miseries is to bee considered of vs, as that [Page 522] blessed Captaine and Pilot, Christ Iesus, with his ser­uants and souldiers, haue described the same in the sa­cred Scriptures.

1 The soule is deliuered from disordered passions, as hope and feare, ioy and sor­row: which contending like so manie contrarie disorde­red elements and humors in the bodie, and strugling like the hote exhalation in a cold cloud, do distract the mind, and rent the soule like a cloud. When man was at vnitie with God, there was a sweet harmonie & friend­ship betweene all the facul­ties of his soule; but when man rebelled against his God, as al the external crea­tures opposed themselues [Page 523] against him to worke his ru­ine: so did his internall co­gitations conspire against him to be reuenged on him for his sinne; and now that man is reconciled and acquited by the finall sentence of the great Iudge, all his vn­ruly and rebellious pertur­bations are brought into subiection.

2 The godly are deli­uered from sundrie outward calamities, as sicknes, pains, labour, reproch, &c. to the which, the dearest seruants of God are subiect: (yea, frō the which the Son of God in the dayes of his infirmi­tie was not exempted:) for Dauid had a Doeg to accuse him, a Shimei to reuile him,1. Sam. 22.9 2. Sam. 16.7 1. Sam. 24. &c. & a Saul to persecute him. [Page 524] But now,Ioh. 16. the sorrowes of the godly shall be turned in­to ioy,Reu. 21.4. and Christ will wipe all teares from their eyes. E­uen as tender hearted mo­thers do wipe from the eyes of their little babes, the teares which they shedde through the sense of some calamitie: so will the Lord with the handkerchiffe of compassion, drie vp the streames of his childrens teares, that issued from the springs of dolour.

3 They are deliuered frō the prouocations & allure­ments of the wicked world; which is the fanne and fire­brand of iniquitie.Reu. 19.20. For the beast and that false Prophet, which wrought miracles, whereby hee deceiued the [Page 525] world, shall (now) be cast into a lake that burnes with fire and brimstone, there to bee tormented for euer: and all the vngodly shall bee de­stroyed with an euerlasting perdition, 2. Thes. 1.9. and so shall neuer haue power any more to tempt or torment the chil­dren of God. That was a gracious petition of our blessed Sauiour: I pray not, Ioh. 17.15. that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keepe them from euill. But forasmuch as the most sanctified seruants of God, whilst they are in the world, are not free from all prouo­cations of euill: happie is he that is freed from dwelling any longer in Mesech, and hauing his habitation [Page 526] amongst the tents of vngod­linesse.

4 They are deliuered from the power of the diuel, who now goeth about like a roaring Lyon, 1. Pet. 5.8. seeking whom he may deuoure. Christ came to loose the workes of the Di­uell: 1. Ioh. 3.8. and albeit hee hath not as yet vtterly crushed his power;Rom 16.20. yet is hee the God of peace, that will shortly treade downe Sathan vnder our feet, and cast him into the lake of fire and brimstone. Reu. 20.10. Saint Iohn hauing related a victorie o­uer Sathan,Reu. 12.12. bids: Reioyce therefore you heauens, and yee that dwell therein: and shall not the seruants of God haue great cause to reioyce now, when not onely Sa­thans power is weakened, [Page 527] & his fierce darts quenched, but himselfe vtterly subdued and fettered in the infernall lake for euer?

5 They are deliuered frō the slauerie of sinne, which is grieuous to all those that desire to liue godly. The sense h [...]reof made Saint Paule crye out:Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deli­uer mee from the bodie of this death? Lo, here is the deli­uerance, that the holy A­postle did so earnestly de­sire. For the cause ceassing, the effects must needes fol­low▪ mans corruptions being conquered the worlds al­lurements abolished, and Sathans darts quenched; the soule and bodie of man be­ing reformed and refined: [Page 528] there shall neither remaine any cause of sinne, or (if there did) any fit subiect for sinne to worke vpon. And now is the time, when the spouse of Christ shall bee washed and cleansed, Eph. 5.26.27. that shee may bee without spot or wrin­kle.

6 They are deliuered from death, as Saint Iohn saith: There shall bee no more death. Reu. 21.14. And no maruell; for as light expelleth darknesse: so eter­nall life putteth death to flight.Rom. 6.23. Death is the reward of sinne: so that sinne being a­bandoned, death must needs be abolished. Can that which is immortall dye? to affirme that, were to vtter a senslesse cōtradiction. Ther­fore when this corruptible 1. Co. 15.54. [Page 529] hath put on incorruption, and this mortall hath put on im­mortalitie; then shall bee brought to passe that saying that is written: Death is swal­lowed vp into victorie. If our first parents had kept them­selues vpright, they could not haue died, for their state was angelicall: neither can the Saints of God dye now, because they are like to the Angels. Luk.. 20.36

7 Lastly, they are deli­uered from hell, and from the second death; euen the eternall death both of bodie and soule, tenne thousand times more dolefull and dreadfull, then the tempo­rall and corporall death. Now this hell and death shall bee cast into the lake of Reu. 20.14 [Page 530] fire. Whereby, albeit the propheticall Euangelist vn­derstand The infernall spi­rits yet he saith Hell it selfe, because they are both con­fined within the same mise­rable & immutable bounds, neither of them both ha­uing power ouer the chil­dren of God. This thing A­braham tels the rich man: Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set, Luk. 16 20. so that they which would go from hence to you, cannot. Doubtlesse it can neuer come into the heartes of the elect, that they should bee willing to go into hell: and it is as impossible they should be able, as that they should be willing: if they could, they would not; and if they would, they cannot. [Page 531] Thus whilest the Elect are deliuered from the disorde­red passions of the soule, the externall calamities both of soule and bodie, the prouo­cations of the world, the power of Sathan, the slaue­rie of sinne, the feare of death, and the dread of hell; they may very well be ac­counted blessed and happie: and the meditation thereof should make euery one de­sirous to bee partakers of that happinesse. If a man had a true sense of these mi­series, oh what would hee giue to be freed from them? how much wold the world­ling giue to redeeme him­selfe from temporall death? But how many worlds wold Diues giue (if he had them) [Page 532] to be deliuered from the in­tolerable paines of eternall death? If thou desire to bee freed from all these miseries and calamities, then sticke to the truth, Io. 8.32.36. and it shall make thee free. He that will raigne must conquer, and hee that would conquer, must fight valiantly. Labour then very earnestly to conquer and subdue thine owne corrup­tions, the worlds allure­ments, and the diuels temp­tations: and then assure thy selfe, though the miseries of the damned were as many as the Locusts of Aegypt, yet they shal haue no power ouer thee, but thou shalt es­cape them all:Reu. 2.11. For hee that ouercometh, shall not be hurt of the second death.

SECT. 2. The second degree of happi­nesse after the last iudgement: namely. The fruition of celestiall felicity.

IF Noah hauing escaped the floud,Gen. 8.20. builded an altar and offered burnt offerings thereupon; if the children of Israel sung ioyfully for their deliuerance from Aegypt;Exod. 15.1 if Dauid were so glad for e­scaping the hands of his cru­ell enemies,Psa 34.3. that he praiseth God, and exhorteth others to ioyne with him in magni­fying the Lord: how much more had they cause to re­ioyce; the one, when hee had obtained a quiet habitation in the restored earth; the [Page 534] other, that rich possession of the pleasant land; and the third, the expected fruition of the princely Crowne? So may it bee said of the chil­dren of God. If they haue cause to offer the sacrifices of praise vpon the altar of a thankfull soule, for escaping the inundation of sinne; to sing Alleluiah with cheare­full voyces, for their deliue­rance from the Aegypt of hell; and to magnif [...] the Lord, for freeing them from the deadly assaults of al their infernal enemies: how much more are they bound, when they are seated in the hea­uens, possessed of the cele­stiall Canaan, and haue the crowne of eternall glorie set vpon their heades, to [Page 535] magnifie the Lord for his mercie, and to say with the blessed Angels: Praise, Reu. 7.12. and glorie, and wisedome, and thankes, and honour, and power, and might, be vnto our God for euermore? For behold, this is the highest pitch and perfection of their happinesse.

Whilest I am to take a view of the kingdome of heauen; oh, that I might with the holy Apostle bee taken vp into the third hea­uens!2. Cor. 12.2. And whilest I shall en­deuour to blaze foorth the blisse of the celestiall Ieru­salem; oh, that the light of that glorie might shine into my sinfull soule: that my thoughts being winged with the contemplation of [Page 536] Angels,Reu. 21.15. and the Angels gol­den reede being giuen mee to measure that citie withall, I might be able to compre­hend with the blessed Saints the excellencie of that glo­rious place, which farre sur­mounteth euerie humane e­stimate! that so my soule being rauished with the glo­rie thereof, my pen might distill the Nectar of comfort to inflame the harts of those that shall ioyne with mee in this sweete meditation! For how (alas) shall he that was euer in darknesse, be able to describe this light? how can he that is of the earth, mea­sure the heauens? or he that hath alwaies liued in this vale of miserie, know what belongs to the mountaine [Page 537] of true felicitie? No more surely then hee which is a slaue by birth, and base by his continuall habitation, is able ingeniously to describe the thrones, the state, and maiestie of Princes. How many workes of God euen in this life, do surmount our reach?Ioh 3. If Nicodemus vnder­stand not the manner of our regeneration, how shall hee be able to conceiue the ex­cellencie of glorification?

The dearest seruants of God▪ who had Eagles eyes▪ and Angels meditations,Esay. S Paul. 1 Cor 2.20. can tell vs: that neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, neither haue those ioyes come into mans heart, which God hath prepared for those that loue him. [Page 538] Though our eyes haue seene many glorious obiects, and our eares haue heard report of greater matters: yet our conceipt hath farre excee­ded them both. But behold, the ioyes that God hath prepared for his elect, do excee­dingly surpasse the appre­hensiō of all our senses, both externall and internall:Aug. de ciu. Dei lib. 22. th [...]y may be obtained, they can­not be valued.Cott. in Cicer. de n [...]t. Deor. lib. 1. Hee in Tully said truly: That it is an easier matter, to know what God is not, then to tell what hee is: and so m [...]y I s [...]y in this case, That it is much ea­sier to tell what is not in hea­uen, then what is there. And therefore Saint Augustine in relating the blisse thereof taketh stand, and demaun­deth [Page 539] this of himselfe after a large discourse: What shall I say? surely I cannot tell:Sed Deus habet quod exhib [...]at. Aug. super. [...]oh. hom. 3. but I know that God hath such ioyes to bestow. Yet foras­much as the Lords pen-men haue according to our ca­pacities, described in sundry places, diuerse particulars of this heauenly blessednes; let vs briefly, and according to the rules of sobrietie, col­lect and consider the sam [...] for our instruction and com­fort. And in the consideratiō thereof, wee will obserue three principall points: first, the wonderfull beautie of that habitation: secondly▪ the glorious view and vision of Almightie God: & third­ly the blessed condition of the Saints in glorie.

1 If any one looke for a curious discourse of the mat­ter, or forme of the heauens, I intend to faile his expecta­tion. My desire in these me­ditations, is rather to stirre vp the affections of the god­ly, then to conuerse with the conceipts of any curiously affected.August de Genes. ad Li er. lib. 2. cap. 9. I like his iudge­ment, who holds the dis­putes about the forme and figure of the heauens, to bee vnprofitable: and his cen­sure,Damasc. de Orthodox. fid. lib. 2. c. 6 [...], &c. who saith; That to search out the substance of them is vnlawfull: whereun­to, if I may adde my owne opiniō, I hold it impossible. Farewell thē to the schoole­mens friuolous and fruitlesse discourses about the forme▪ the substance, and quantity [Page 541] of the heauens.

Ʋery glorious things are spoken of thee, Psal. 87.3. thou citie of God. If the Prophet might say so of the terrestriall Ie­rusalem: how much more may it iustly bee said of the celestiall citie, which is a­boue and the mother of vs all? And Saint Iohn indeede hath made a very excellent description of that glorious kingdome. Reu. 21. calling it first in generall:Reu. 21.11. The holy Ierusalem, which had the glo­ [...]ie of God shining in it: and her shining was like a stone most precious, as a Iasper stone, and cleare as Christall. Then in particular he sets downe the forme of it, which was very perfect, being quadrangu­lar: then the quantitie, it [Page 542] was large and spacious, con­taining many cubits: then the matter and ornaments of it, which was pure gold, and all manner of precious stones: then the adiuncts be­longing to it, the brightnes of glorie shining therein. By which speeches borrowed from things which are most precious in mens estimation Saint Iohn would teach vs to conceiue of those excel­lencies,Ioh. 14.1. which no man in­deed is able to value. Our Sauiour cals heauen, his Fa­thers house: and therefore it must needes be exceeding beautifull and glorious.Dan. 4. Ne­buchadnetsar spake ambiti­ously of his Pallace: Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the king­dome, [Page 543] by the might of my po­wer, and for the honour of my maiestie? But of the Lords house it may be iustly said: Is not that great Bethel, which the Lord himselfe hath built for the house of his kingdome, the habitati­ons of his Saints, and for the honour and ornament of his Maiestie? If the hea­uens which are subiect to vanitie,Psal. 19.1. do declare the glorie of God: what shall the pure and Christall heauens doe, when they are changed and refined?H [...]b. 1. If the builders of the tabernacle were renow­med, as those that had per­fected an excellent worke:Psal. 74.5. how much more excellent shall that tabernacle bee, whose maker and builder isHeb. 11.10. [Page 544] God?Psal. 84.1. Oh how amiable are thy dwelling places, ô Lord of hostes! Doth the beautie of the temple exceede Dauids conceipt, and leaue him to the taske of admiration? Oh how admirable, amiable, and glorious do wee thinke the kingdome of heauen shall bee,Reu. 21.22. where the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe are the temple! where the king is Veritie: the lawes Charitie: the honour, Equi­tie: the peace, Felicitie: the life▪ Eternitie: as Saint Au­gustine saith!

Plutar. in. vita Them.2 Themistocles hauing a peece of ground to sell, ap­pointed the Cryer to pro­claime in the sale thereof, that whosoeuer would buy it, should haue a good [Page 545] neighbour: so, although the kindome of heauen be ex­cellent of it selfe; yet Al­mightie God sending foorth his Criers and Ambassadors to offer the same to the world,Mat. 3. 2. Cor. 5. hath caused them to adde this in their proclama­tion: That whosoeuer ob­taineth it, shall haue many good neighbours, euen the holy Saints and blessed An­gels; & that which is aboue all, he shall behold God Al­mightie, and Christ Iesus the immaculate Lambe of God, shining there in most resplendent glorie:Reue. 22.4. They shal see his face, and his name shall bee in their foreheads. This was one of the last requests made by Christ in the be­halfe of his Church: Father [Page 546] I will that those which thou hast giuen me, Ioh. 17.24. be with me, e­uen wh [...]re I am; that they may beh [...]ld my glorie, which thou hast giuen me: a gracious petition for a blessed habi­tation and a glorious vision. How earnestly did Moses importune the Lord,Exo. 33.18 saying: I beseech thee shew me thy glorie: and it was a singular fa­uour, that the Lord vouch­safed to shew him a glimpse of his glorie, which he cal­leth his backe parts,Vers. 23. because a man is almost past fight, when his backe is turned. But behold, Christ hath prayed for, and the Lord hath promised a more glori­ous view of him in the life to come:1. Ioh. 3.2. For wee know, that when he shall be made mani­fest, [Page 547] we shall see him as he is. A man that lookes into the sea, cannot see to the bot­tome; and he that lookes vp to the heauens, can behold no further then the Horizō: and so indeed is this vision of Gods Saints bounded in the limites of finitenesse. Yet is there as great difference betweene their present and future contemplation of glorie,1. Cor. 13. as betweene looking a man in the face, and be­holding him in a glasse: for then they shall as fully be­hold the glorie of God, as the fraile condition of man­kinde may possibly permit. When the Queene of Sheba had seene al the honour and magnificence of Salomon, shee said with admiration: [Page 548] Happie are thy men, 1. Kin. 10.8 happie are these thy seruants that stand euer before thee, and heare thy wisedome. If those were so happie, who stood before Salomon to behold and heare his wisedome: oh how happie shall they bee, who shall stand before Al­mightie God and our blessed Sauiour, to behold and see their glorie!Psal. 16.11 For in their presence is the fulnesse of ioy, and at th [...]ir right hand are pleasures for euermore. And this is the cause,Psa. 42 1.2. that as the Hart brayeth for the ri­uers of waters: so do the soules of the godlie pant after the Lord, longing to appeare be­fore his presence. The pon­derous stone inclineth downeward, and lighter [Page 549] substances are carried vp­ward: thus euery thing seeks his center. Now the Lord is the Soules Center: and like Noahs doue, it finds no rest till it returne to him that gaue it,Aug. Confes lib. 1. cap. 1 according to Augustines saying: O Lord, thou hast made vs for thy selfe, and our heart is vn­quiet, till it rest in thy selfe. But when the soule of man hath once attained this mer­cie, then can the child of God say:Psal. 17.15. I will behold thy face in righteousnesse, and [...] satisfied with it: because it yeelds him the fulnesse of comfort and contentation.

3 When Christ was transfigured vpō the mount, wee reade that Peter (albeit himselfe was not changed)Luk. 9.33. [Page 550] said vnto our Sauiour: Iesus maister, it is good to be here. If Peter spake thus, onely vp­on the view of Christs trans­figuration: how much more shall the children of God reioyce at the last day in heauen, when they enioy, not onely the places beautie, and the beholding of Christ his glorie: but shall themselues also be glorified,Mat. 13.43 and shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father? Shall they not be glad to be there, and wish themselues euerlasting ta­bernacles in that glorious mount Sion? And this shall assuredly be the condition of the godly at that day. For as the Lords glorie reflected vpon Moses, Exo. 34.30. made his face to shine when he was vpon the [Page 551] mount: so shall the Saints of God become glorious in beholding the glory of God and of Christ,1. Ioh. 3.2. and so shall be like vnto him. For as hee shall chaunge our vile bo­dies,Phil. 3.21. that they may be like to his glorious bodie: so shall he refine and beautifie the fa­culties of our soules,1. Co 12.10 that the perfection of grace may concurre with the fruition of glorie. And euen as a little water mixed with much wine, loseth his owne na­ture, and taketh the tast and colour of the wine; as iron put into the fire becomes white and like to the fire, his old forme being chaun­ged: and as the ayre perfu­sed with the light of the Sunne, is so transformed in­to [Page 552] the brightnesse thereof, that it seemes not so much to be lightened as to be light it selfe: so shall euery hu­mane defect and deformitie bee now dissolued and abo­lished in the Saints of God, and they shall bee transfor­med into the glorious image of Almightie God.

What tongue is able to expresse, or heart conceiue the happinesse of Gods chil­dren, being thus in glorie? They enioy a kingdome,Mat. 25. yea and that a glorious king­dome, for it is the house of God, the kingdome of hea­uen:Tit. 1.2. they obtaine a life, and that a blessed life, for it can neuer see death: they haue the hidden Manna, Reu. 2.17. the white stone, and the new name [Page 553] written in it. They are clo­thed in the long white robes of honour and dignitie,Reu. 7.9. and adorned with the palmes of triumph and victorie. They sit vpon the glorious thrones of maiestie,Reu. 3.21. and haue set vp­pon their heads the crownes of eternall glorie.2. Tim. 4.8. When Naomi returned from her peregrination, shee said to her old acquaintance:Ruth. 1.20. Call me not Naomi, but call mee Marah; for the Almightie hath giuen mee much bitter­nesse: but contrarily may the child of God say, when hee returns from the pilgrimage of this world: Call mee not Marah, but call me Naomi; for the Almightie hath gi­uen me much beautie and bles­sednesse. The honour that [Page 554] Pharo did to Ioseph was ve­ry great, but yet it was with this exception:Gen. 41.40 In the kings throne will I be aboue thee. Pharo will sit alone vpon his throne: but behold the ho­nour that Christ will do to his seruants, when he will also vouchsafe them this dignitie, that they shall sit with him vpon his throne: for they are heires, Rom. 8. yea co­heires annexed with Christ, who hath promised thus:Reu. 3.21. To him that ouercommeth, will I graunt to sit with me in my throne, euen as I ouercame, and do sit with my Father in his throne.

But here it may perad­uenture be demanded, whe­ther there be an equalitie or difference of the degrees of [Page 555] blisse and glorie to all the e­lect in the kingdome of hea­uen? For answer whereunto we must consider, that there is a double equalitie, to wit,Proportion [...] quantitatis. of proportion, & quantitie: which ariseth, not from the obiect, Almighty God, who is alwaies the same; but from man, the subiect, who is not in euery particular alike ca­pable of glorie. For as the same meate is more delecta­ble to the tast of some then of others; the same obiect is better seene by some then by others; the same matter better vnderstood of some then of others: so the same glorie shineth more bright­ly into the soules of some, then of others. Two vessels of a diuerse content, may be [Page 556] filled with the same wine, yet by reason of their big­nesse, differ in quantitie of that they containe; two met­tals of a diuerse kind may be cast into the same fire, yet receiue a different heate ac­cording to their different nature; two men of sundrie statures may be fitted with the same cloth of gold, each of them hauing that which is sufficient in proportion, though in quantitie they differ: so the soules of the godly may be all filled with the same wine of gladnesse, be made feruent with the same heate of comfort, and clothed with the same robes of glorie; yet differ much in respect of their capacitie. And according to the mea­sure [Page 557] of grace, shall be the measure of glorie:2. Cor. 9.6. for they that sow sparingly, shall reape sparingly: but they that sow li­berally, shall reape liberally: so that whilest some shine like the brightnesse of the firma­ment, Dan. 12.3. other some shall shine as the starres for euer and euer. Yet happie and thrise hap­pie shall that man be, who shall be partaker euen of the least degree of heauenly glo­rie: for it infinitly surmoun­teth all the glorie and digni­tie of the world.

This being the blessed condition of the elect in heauen, the meditation thereof should affect vs ac­cordingly. First, it may make vs despise the vaine and base felicitie of this transitorie [Page 558] life, and to count all doung and drosse in respect of those admirable ioyes, that are prepared for the godly in the kingdome of heauen. It was a hard thing for Abra­ham to leaue his owne coun­trie, and to trauell as a pil­grime he knew not whither; yet the expectation of the heauenly citie wonne his af­fection from his natiue ha­bitation:Heb. 11. so should the sweet consideration of hea­uenly happinesse, weine our harts from the loue of earth­ly vanities.Cic. Tuscu. quaest. lib. 1. Lactant. instit. lib. 3. Cap. 18. It is written of one Cleōbrotus, that reading Platoes booke of the Immor­talitie of the Soule, hee was so rauished with the conceipt thereof, that hee cast himselfe headlong into [Page 559] the sea. It was his sinful error to depriue himselfe of life: but his desire of immortali­tie may make many Christi­ans ashamed, whom neither the expectation of immor­talitie, glorie, or felicitie, can estrange from the loue of this vaine world.Psal. [...]4.11 One day in the Lords house is better then a thousand: yea sur [...]ly one hower in the kingdome of heauen, is better then a thousand yeares in the grea­test blisse this vaine and wretched world can yeeld. Let vs learne therefore to tune our affections to Da­uids dittie, that we may be able to say of the celestiall tabernacle, as he speaketh of the terrestriall:Ibid. I had ra­ther be a doore keeper in the [Page 560] house of the Lord, then to dwell in the tents of the vn­godly.

2 It may yeeld comfort to all those that haue liued godly, because they shall enioy the comfort of a glo­rious vision, a blessed habi­tation, and the crowne of eternall glorie: and so bee partakers of a threefold blessednesse, mentioned by our Sauiour and his seruants. Bless [...]d are they that dwell in thy house, Psal. 84.4. they shall euer be praising of thee: there is the blessed habitation.Mat. 5.8. Blessed are they that are pure in heart, for they shall see God, there is the glorious vision.Reue. 19.9. Blessed are they that are bidden to the Lambes supper: there is the happie fruition. Yea, the [Page 561] godly being thus happie in heauen, do enioy ioye, without sadnesse; health, without sicknesse: light, without darknes: life, with­out death: ease, without la­bour; wealth, without want: and in a word, an Ocean of all felicitie, without the least droppe of miserie.

3 Lastly, this should caus [...] euery one to embrace ou [...] Sauiours exhortation:Mat. 6. First seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof. E­uery one would willingly enioy the kingdome: but it will not be, except they also do embrace the righteousnesse thereof.Num. 23. Bala [...]m may cry: Oh, that I might dye the death of the righteou [...]: but all in vaine, except he indeuour [Page 562] to liue the life of the righte­ous. Dauids question should be the demaund of euery Christian;Psal. 15.1. Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? who shall rest vpon thy holy hill? And behold, there is an an­swer, as it were an eccho frō heauen: Those that walke vp­rightly, and worke righteous­nesse, and speake the truth in their heart. Heauen is a glo­rious place, and it is reser­ued for gracious men: the ioyes thereof are the crowne of righteousnesse, which shall not be set vpon the head of those, that haue made themselues the base vassalles and slaues to sinne and Sathan. Shall the pro­phane, carnall, and licenti­ous that do sinke and soake [Page 563] in their sinnes, haue any place there? no, no,1. Co. 15.50 flesh and bloud cannot inherite the king­dome of heauen, Our Sauiour said well:Mat. 15. It is not meet to giue the childrens bread to dogges: neither shall the damned spirits haue any portion in the heauenly Manna,Reu. 2.17. the foode of holy men and Angels. The earthly Para­dise was no place for Adam when he had defiled him­selfe with sinne:Gen. 3.23 and the he­uenly Paradise will giue en­trance and entertainement to no vncleane thing.Reu. 21.27. Hee that will be caried into A­brahams bosome, must walk in the pathes of Abrahams faith and obedience▪ Doest thou hope to attaine to this kingdome? then remember, [Page 564] that euery one which hath this hope,1. Ioh. 3.3. purgeth himselfe. And to a man that is of such a sanctified life, I may say with our Sauiour:Re [...]. 22.14. Bl [...]ssed are they that do his comm [...]unde­ments, that their right may be in the tree of life.

SECT. 3. The third and last degree of happinesse after the last iudge­ment, namely, The eter­nitie of celestiall glorie.

THe Prophet Dauid hath one petition to make to God aboue all o­ther whatsoeuer:Psal. 27.4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord, which I will require: That I may dwell alwaies in the house [Page 565] of the Lord, to behold the beautie of the Lord, and to visit his temple. And if the blessed e­state in heauen before men­tioned, be duly considered, wee must needes acknow­ledge, that the same should be the principall prayer of euerie Christian: euen, To dwell alwaies in the Lords house, and to behold his beautie without ceassing When the disciples heard our Sauiour speake of the heauenly nature of the bread of life, they presently fell to this prayer: Lord, Ioh. 6.34. euermore giue vs this bread: so when a man heares and reades of these vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen, his prayer should be: Lord, euermore giue me these ioyes. And if this be [Page 566] thy desire (my Christian brother,) I may say to thee as the Lord said to Lot: Gen. 19.21. Thy request is also receiued con­cerning this. For he that is once partaker of these ioyes shall neuer lose them: hee that is possessed of this in­heritance, shall neuer be dispossessed of it: and he that once dwels in the Lords house, shall dwell therein for euer.

Now for the enlargement of our comfort, and the in­crease of our industrie, it will be very expedient to medi­tate vpon this eternitie of ioy.Greg. mor. li. 26. ca. 27. When man reasoneth of eternitie, a blind man speaketh of light: for how can those meditations or cogitations, that are boun­ded [Page 567] within their limites of finitenesse, comprehend that which is infinit and eternal? Yet,Cic. de leg. lib. 1. as the Heathen know that there is a God, though they know not what a one he is: so may our hearts be able to conceiue, that the ioyes of heauen are infinite and e­ternall, though they be not able to comprehend the na­ture of this infinitenesse and eternitie. And this we know, that the word of God which propoundeth and promi­seth life, glory, ioy, a crowne, saluation, an inheritance, & an habitation to the godly;Mat. 19.29 2. Cor. 4.17. Ioh. 16 22. 1. Pet. 5.4. telleth vs that this life is e­uerlasting, this glorie is e­ternall, this ioy is perma­nent, the crowne neuer fa­deth, the saluation is per­durable, [Page 568] the inheritance im­mortall,Esa. 45.17. 1 Pet. 1.4. Luk.. 16.9. the habitation per­petuall. Behold, what a cloud of witnesses here are to strengthen the perpetuity of this heauenly inheri­tance.

H [...]b. 12.28. For, him I hold to be the vndoubted author of that Epi­stle. Vide, Bez [...], super inscr. Piscat. pro­legom. Iun. paralel. l. 3.Saint Paule saith: We re­ceiue a kingdome which can­not be shaken. There was ne­uer any kingdome or mo­narchie so surely established vpon the earth, but it hath bene shaken and shiuered in peeces also: but of this kingdome there shall neuer be an end. Ierusalem was a glorious citie; yet was it so battered, that there was not left a stone vpon a stone accor­ding to our Sauiours threat­ning:Mat. 24. but the celestiall Ieru­salē shal neuer be destroyed, [Page 569] but be a blessed habitation for the Saints of God, world without end. Therefore as Christ saith, that the righ­teous shall shine in the king­dome of their Father: Dan. 12.3. so Da­niel saith, that they shall shine for euer and euer. The Stars of the firmament shall fall from heauen at the day of iudgement: but the godly shall shine like bright stars in the glorious heauens, and neuer lose the light or brightnesse of their glorie. As the Moone and Starres do receiue their light from the Sunne: so do we, both our light of grace and glo­rie from Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse. And this is our happinesse, that albeit in this life we do often la­bour [Page 570] in obscuritie; yet in the life to come wee shall neuer be eclipsed, because all earthly interpositions shall then be vtterly aboli­shed.Gen. 3. When Adam had made himselfe miserable by eating of the tree of Know­ledge of good and euill, hee might not eate of the tree of life, lest he should liue for euer: but now the children of God being deliuered frō this miserie,Reu. 22.2. shall eate of that tree of life which hath twelue kinds of fruites, and beareth fruite euerie moneth; and so shall liue for euer, to enioy those ioyes that are infinite and permanent: and they shall drinke of the Christall water that springs in Para­dise, being an Ocean with­out [Page 571] brimme or bottome, which can neuer be dryed, but floweth with her siluer streames to euerlasting life.Ioh. 4 Therefore, as Saint Paule saith, that the ioyes of hea­uen are so great, that no tongue is able to expresse or vtter them: so may I say, they are so permanent, that no time can consume or end them.

This Meditation hath three principall vses.

1 It may cause vs to beare patiently, and take thanke­fully the crosses and calami­ties of this life; considering that they being short and momentanie,2. Cor. 4.17. do procure vn­to vs an euerlasting weight of glorie. For who would not indure much miserie, to [Page 572] enioy eternall felicitie? If we be killed all the day long: Psa 44.22. yea if we were tortured all our life long, what were that to the endlesse ioy and blisse of the kingdome of heauen? God forbid there­fore, that tribulation, or an­guish, or persecution, or fa­mine, or nakednesse, or pe­rill, or sword, or any, or all the distresses and calamities in the world, should cause vs to neglect our euerlasting inheritance. Saint Paul ha­uing shewed, that we shall be taken vp by Christ at his second comming,1. Thes. 4.17 18. and be with him for euer, conclu­deth thereupon: Comfort your selues with these words. A cōfort indeed, fit to coun­terpoise a greater miserie [Page 573] then death can yeeld. But if the Apostles exhortation perswade not, yet should Christs example preuaile with vs:Heb. 12.2. Who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, despised the sham: and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. If then ei­ther sicknesse, or pouertie, persecution, or any such af­fliction befall thee, doe but thinke (with Christ Iesus) vpon the eternall glorie that is prepared in the kingdome of heauen: and the medita­tion thereof will be as sugar to sweeten thy calamities.

2 Seeing the ioyes of hea­uen are eternall; it is our part with paines and perse­uerance to labour for them. Balaam was rauished with [Page 574] the ioyes of heauen,Num. 23. yet did he not enioy them. The Ru­ler that kneeled to our Sa­uiour,Mar. 10.17 and said: Good maister what shall I do to possesse eter­nall life? had a good conceit of this blessednesse: but this was his fault, that he would not do what hee was com­maunded, to obtaine it. And is not that the fault and folly of most people, who, though they seeme to be much affected with the ioyes of heauen, will not yet take paines to attaine vnto them? In them is our Saui­ours saying verified:Luk. 13.24. Many shall seeke to enter into hea­uen, but shall not be able. And why? Doubtlesse, be­cause they take not paines with perseuerance in well [Page 575] doing. And therefore hee bids, Striue to enter into it: [...]. vsing a Metaphor drawne from Champions, who bend all their forces, and employ their best indeuors, to attaine the price, and the trophies of triumph. When the spies, which Iosua sent to view the land of Canaan returned, they said:Num. 13.28 Surely the land floweth with milke and honie, and here is of the fruite of it: neuerthelesse the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and exceeding great: and moreouer, we saw the sons of Anak there. Nu. 14.1.2. Thus were the children of Israel discoura­ged. And so fareth it with many in the consideration of the kingdome of heauen. [Page 576] They will confesse, that it is a place which floweth with the milke and honie of vn­speakable ioy, and yeeldeth the excellent fruite of eter­nall glorie: yet because they must contend with many daungers and difficulties: they must subdue their cor­rupt affections,Rom. 7.5.23 which are like strong men: and con­quer the spirituall wicked­nesses which are in the high places,Eph. 6.12. who resemble the Anakims; they are dismayed, and so do lose the blessed land, euen the land of the liuing. To such I may say with the children of Dan: Iud. 18.9.10 Seeing the land is good, and a place that lacketh nothing in the world; let vs not sit still, and be slouthfull to go, and [Page 577] enter to possesse the land: yea, seeing the kingdome of hea­uen is a blessed place, and lacketh no good thing that the tongue can expresse, or heart imagine; let vs not be carelesse and negligent in seeking to poss [...]sse it: which if we be, our desire thereun­to shall be fruitlesse; for ex­cellent things are difficult. No paines seeme too great for the attaining of temporall pleasures and dignities, which are very short and temporarie; yea, diuerse of the Philosophers haue ex­posed themselues, not onely to daungers, but euen to death it selfe, for the attai­ning of a little vaine & transitorie glorie: how much more then should wee b [...] [Page 578] willing to spend our paines, wit, wealth, strength, yea, and life it selfe, for the ob­taining of those pleasures, and that glorie, which are without measure, and shall neuer haue an end?

3 To conclude: are the ioyes of heauen so exquisite? is the felicitie permanent, and the glorie eternall? Where then is that audaci­ous man liuing, that dares say he hath merited them,Ambros in Serm. 16 in Psal. 119. yea, or the least of them? Who is able to match such excellent benefits of saluation with cor­respondent seruice? If a­ny thing were meritorious, then were persecutions and afflictions. But the Apostle iudgeth,Rom. 8.18. that the afflictions of this present time, are not [Page 579] worthie of the glorie that shal [...] be reuealed vnto vs: and else­where he giueth this reason of his iudgement:2. Cor. 4.17. Our affli­ctions are light, the glorie is weightie: our afflictions are but for a moment, the glorie is eternall. In so great a dis­proportion of value and e­stimation, though there be a most certaine reward of mercie, yet where is the re­compence that should rise vpon merit? Let vs learne therefore to confesse with Iacob: I am vnworthie, Lord, Gen. 32.10. the least of all thy mercies; much more of this eternall weight of glorie. Let vs cast downe our crownes of glo­rie at the feet of Christ, with the Elders in the Reuelatiō,Reu. 4.10. and say with the blessed A­postle: [Page 580] Ʋnto the God of all grace, 1. Pet. 5.10 11. who hath called vs vn­to his eternall glorie by Christ Iesus, be glorie and do­minion for euer and euer. Amen.