A PREPARATION vnto FASTING and REPENTANCE.
By PETER MOVLIN, and translated by I. B.
LONDON: Printed by T. S. for Nathaniel Newbery, and are to be sould at the signe of the Starre vnder S. Peters Church in Cornehill, and in Popes head ally. 1620.
To the Religious and Vertuous Lady, the Lady IANE BOYS, Widdow to the right worshipfull Sir IOHN BOYS, sometime Recorder of the City of Canterbury; grace & peace from our LORD IESVS CHRIST.
MAdame, I present vnto your Ladiships view and reading, this Homelie preached in the [Page] French tongue by that learned and iudicious diuine, Mr. Peter du Moulin, Minister of the word of God, and by me translated, touching that excellent conference betweene God and his seruant Abraham; wherein we may behold on the one side the nature of sinne, and the vengeance of God when sinners are come to their full measure; on the other side the patience and familiar accesse, which he affords to those that loue him, how milde and patient he is towards them that feare him, and how hee behaues himselfe towards his enemies, [Page] and all to this end to moue vs all to faith, repentance, and humility.
And sithence my small paines in englishing it yeelds me a right to make choyce of one to whom I may dedicate this little volume, I am bold to present the same vnto your Ladiship (hoping your fauourable acceptance therof) and the rather because it befits you, (Madame) in many respects, for these vertues that are here required, are in you. (Madame) I speake it without flattery; faith, repentance, humility, zeale to Gods house, loue to his word, loue [Page] and faith which you haue to the Lord Iesus, and towards all his Saints; for you are an Anna, alwayes seruing God in the Temple with fasting and prayers, a Lydia in hearing Gods word, a Mary in pondering and meditating the same, a Dorcas to Widdowes and Orphans, a Shunamite to the Prophets and Ministers of God, not onely countenancing our persons and ministery with your person and presence in our Church of Canterbury when you are here, but also cherishing vs with good and comfortable words, and exercising your [Page] liberall charitie towards our poore, not leesing your first loue, like the Ephesians, but continuing it towards vs frō time to time; and therefore the iust God will not forget your piety towards him, nor your charity towards his Saints; but as your name and charitable workes are inregistred in our booke of remembrance, so is your name written in the Booke of Life, your deeds of charity in feeding, couering, visiting the poore, written in that Booke that shall be opened in the day of iudgement to your consolation; then shall you reape plentifully [Page] what you sowe here, and as Damascen speakes, here you giue a little, there you shall receiue much; now you giue a transitory thing, then shall you gaine an eternall; here you giue a penny, there you shall receiue a Kingdome; for if Iulius Cesar gaue Lands to one that gaue him but a draught of water, what a reward will Christ giue to those, that giue but a cup of water to drinke in his name to those that belong to him? If Darius gaue a Kingdome to Silosontes, that gaue him a garment onely; what a Kingdome will Christ giue to those that [Page] giue him cloathing, foode, and drinke, in the name and person of the least and poorest of his brethren? The same Iesus Christ whom you feede, cloath, and visite here on earth in his members; as he feedes you and cloathes you here on earth, not onely corporally, but also spiritually, with the spirituall Manna the bread and water of life, euen he himselfe who is your spirituall foode and garment also, will giue you that euerlasting Kingdome, prepared for you from the foundation of the world; where and when you shall be crowned with the crowne [Page] of righteousnesse, cloathed with the roabes of glory, sit downe with Abraham, Isaack and Iacob to be nourished with the fruit of the tree of life and water of life, and liue eternally with him in the kingdome of heauen, Amen.
¶ A Preparation vnto FASTING and REPENTANCE.
20 And the Lord saide, Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great, and because their Sinne is very grieuous.
21 I will goe downe now, and see whether they haue done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come vnto mee, and if not, I will know, &c.
IT is not needfull my brethren to represent & shew forth vnto you the extraordinary [Page] occasions, for the which we are inuited to afflict our soules, and sanctifie a Fast by Repentance; seeing that we want not ordinary causes: The enmity of Satan, and of the world, the feeblenesse of the Church, the Name of God blasphemed, our vices that doe increase, our zeale which waxeth cold, the hand of God lifted vp to strike vs, and his rods prepared, doe binde vs to tremble vnder his hand, and preuent his iudgements by Fasting and Repentance; least GOD send vs another kinde of Fasting, making vs to Fast from his Word, which is the spirituall bread, sending vs that famine prophecied by the Prophet Amos, not a [Page] famine of bread, but a famine of the hearing of the Word of God, for a punishment, because we taste this spiritual bread with distaste, and receiue not his Word with reuerence.
Let vs doe in such sort, that our humiliation may be acceptable vnto God, and that whiles our bodies are voide of meate, we haue not our hearts replenished with hatred and rancour, that whiles wee abstaine from drinking, we be not drunken with pride: (for God doth as much detest the fast of the hypocrite, as the dissolutenes of the prophane;) that our mouthes doe not only abstaine from meates, but also from bad discourses [Page] and euill words; that we fast with our eares, to keepe them shut against vaine and idle discourses, and with our hands, keeping vs from rapine & vsury: In a word, that al that which is in vs, euen to our secret thoughts celebrat vnto God an holy Fast, and pleasing vnto God, through Iesus Christ. That we may know that fasting is not instituted to satisfie the Iustice of God, but to reuenve vs of our selues. That we giue vnto the poore that which wee spare & take from our selues, that our voluntary fasting may helpe and aide that fast which the poore indureth of force & necessitie. And while that your bodies fast, let your soules feede on [Page] the foode of life, which is a meate which you must eate (as of olde the Paschall Lambe) with bitter hearbes, soaking it in teares of repentance. Instead of sackcloth, after the fashion of the Elders, be ye cloathed and couered all euer with holinesse and integritie; in lieu of sprinckling of ashes, as of olde, acknowledge your selues, with Abraham, to be dust and ashes, and giue glory to GOD, in humbling your selues: Who knoweth if God will not haue pitty on his people, and will not stirre vp his compassions vpon his children? For hauing in times past staied the Sunne at the prayer of one man, how much more will [Page] he stay and keepe backe his iudgements at the generall cry of his whole Church, proceeding from faith, and made strong by Repentance?
To dispose our hearts thereunto, I haue chosen this excellent conference betweene God and his Seruant Abraham; where you see on the one side the nature of sinne, and the vengeance of God when sins are come to their full & heaped measure: on the other side the patience and familiar accesse which hee affords to those that loue him. All this conference may be reduced to these three heads: I. Who he is that speakes. II. How hee behaues himselfe [Page] towards his enemies. III. How milde and patient hee is towards them that feare him.
I. PART.
I. Who he is that speakes.
TOuching him that speakes vnto Abraham, it is said in the beginning of the Chapter, that three men did present themselues to Abraham; one of those is called a while after the LORD: And so in the history of the vision of the burning bush, and in the history of Gideon, and in that of the conception of Sampson, euen he who is called an Angell, is called the LORD; which cannot appertaine [Page] vnto any but vnto the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ: For it is hee, who being sent of God, is notwithstanding God, and the Lord our righteousnesse, Ieremie 23. by whom euen then the Lord gouerned his Church, made it feele his assistance and know his wil; yea, before the floud hee hath by the mouth of Noah preached to the dead, whole spirits are now in the infernall prison. 1 Pet. 3.19.
Perhaps you finde it strange that hee appeared vnto Abraham in the forme of a man, as if before he was borne of the Virgin Mary, he had tooke mans nature; but you must know that the bodies wherein the Son [Page] of God appeared in the olde Testament, were but borrowed bodies for a time and by dispensation, the Deity of the Sonne not being vnited personally to the body, which was an instrument which he vsed for the present action onely, and then left it. Euen as a good or a bad Angel may assume a body and moue it, without giuing it life or forme, and without making himselfe one person with that body.
II. How God behaues himselfe towards his enemies.
NOw touching the manner wherein and wherby God behaueth himselfe towards his enemies, it is expressed [Page] vnto vs in these words: And the Lord said vnto Abraham, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, & because their sin is very grieuous, I will goe downe now, and see whether they haue done altogether according to the crie of it, which is come vnto me, and if not, I will know.
Where you see, that God beares and permits with patience the wicked to rule a long time, but when their sinne is come to the full, then he vnfolds and spreads abroad his terrible iudgements; which he doth here in this place after an inquiry and kinde of information, to shew that he proceedes herein iustly and without precipitation. Hee speakes [Page] then of a sin that cries before God, so Abels bloud, Gen. 4. cryeth from the ground vnto God for vengeance; So Iob in the 31. chapter, speaking of land detained by an vniust possessor, saith, that the land cryes against the vnlawfull possessor, and the furrowes likewise therof complaint. And Habbakuk Chap. 2. speaking of houses built by extortion, saith, that the stones cryes out of the wall, and the beame out of the timber answereth it, as bearing witnesse against their master before God. And Saint Iames in his fist chapter, saith, that the hyre of the labourers, which haue reaped downe your fieldes, which is of you kept backe by fraud, cryeth, and [Page] the cryes of them which haue reaped, are entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath. Which teacheth vs, that there are heinous sins that cry and call God to veangeance, so that though men should holde their peace, the thing it selfe would speake, as our Sauiour saith, Luke 19. If these men should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. For euen as when God speakes, the liuelesse and sencelesse things vnderstand: When he speakes to the rocke, it casteth foorth water; when he speakes to the dead, they rise vp at his word: Euen so God vnderstands the language of sencelesse things, and brings [Page] them foorth to witnesse against them whom hee will punish in his wrath. These crying sinnes are the sinnes that are come to their full measure, as the iniquitie of the Amorites in Ioshuahs time; for in Abrahams time God declareth in the 15. chapter of Genesis, that the iniquitie of the Amorites was not yet full, that is to say, that the measure was not full to the top as then; according to that which Christ Iesus saith vnto the Iewes, Mat. 23 Ye fill vp the measure of your fathers: which the Apostle Paul, 1 Thess. 2. saith, happened in his time, They fill vp their sinnes alwayes, for the wrath is come vpon them to the vttermost.
This last period of sinnes, is when these two things concurre in a countrey or in a twone: I. When siners doe boast of their wicked acts, and haue lost that good that remaines in sinners, to wit, the shame of doing euill, wherein the Prophet Esayas coupleth the Iewes with the Sodomites, in the 3. chapter, They declare their sinne as Sodome, they hide it not Such are they of whom the Wise-man speaketh in the 2. Chapter of Prouerbes, who reioyce to doe euil, and delight in the frowardnesse of the wicked, which is the third and last degree of iniquitie, which Dauid describeth in the 1. Psal. namely, to sit in the seat of the scornfull, [Page] that is to say, of those that with insolency and flowting do mocke at Gods Word, and take a delight, yea, a glory to despight and vexe him. II. The second point that makes this full measure of sinne is, when there is no one man to be found in a citie or countrey that withstands the euill, and opposeth himselfe against it, and as it is said in the 12. Psalme, The godly man ceaseth, the faithfull faile from among the children of men, there is none that doth good, no not one; none that feare GOD, no not one; or else the number of good men is so small that they are as nothing in a crowde, and as a graine of [Page] corne in a heape of straw. Such was the condition of Ierusalem, which Ieremie deplores in his 5. Chapter, Runne yee to and fro through the streetes of Ierusalem and see now, and know, and seeke in the broad places thereof, if ye can finde a man, if there be any that executeth iudgement, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. And in the 22. chapter of Ezekiel, I sought for a man amongst them that should make vp the hedge, and stand in the gappe before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none; therefore haue I powred out mine indignation vpon them, I haue consumed them with the fire of my wrath, their owne way haue I recompensed vpon [Page] their heads, saith the Lord God.
This selfe same enormitie and hainousnesse of sinne is here represented by the word, aggrauate, or made heauy and weighing down, where God saith, that the sinne of Sodome is very grieuous, speaking of sinnes as of burthens, which ouerwhelme our soules, and doe hinder them to lift vp themselues to God, and doe cast them downe headlong into the depth of perdition: Or else he speakes of sinnes, as of weights put in a ballance, that carry them against the patience of God, and doe make his will to hang towards the side of the punishment; therefore the Prophet [Page] Zacharie in his fift Chapter compares sin to a lumpe of lead; and the Prophet Dauid Psa. 38. saith, his iniquities are gone ouer his head, as an heauy burthen, they are too heauy for him: and the Prophet Isaiah speaking of our sinnes as of heauy burthens, wherewith Iesus Christ hath charged himselfe to discharge vs; He hath borne our griefes, and carried our sorrowes, the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of vs all and S. Peter, 1 Pet 2. He hath borne our sinnes in his owne body on the tree, by whose stripes we are healed. O how heauy was that burthen, seeing that the least peece of our sinnes which euery one of vs doe commit, is a sufficient weight to cast vs down [Page] headlong, and plunge vs to the bottome of the bottomlesse pit! Now Iesus Christ hath borne the sinnes of all men on his Crosse. It was the most principall burthen and charge of Ionas shippe; the Marriners laboured with strength of armes to vnload the ship, & to saue their liues did cast their wares into the sea, but the heauiest burthen remained in the ship, namely Ionas sinne; neither was there any way to saue themselues, but by casting him into the sea. True it is, that as Leapers doe not feele nor smell their owne infection, nor they that haue an obstructed and corrupt nose doe not smell the scent of their breath; and the swine [Page] wallowing in the mire doe finde that odour sweet; so men plunged and steeped in sinne, feele not the weight of their sinnes, because they are as it were borne and bred with them, and that this naturall euill groweth and increaseth more and more by custome; which is the reason which the Philosophers doe render, why those that swimme betweene two waters, feele not the weight of the water which is ouer their heads, because (say they) that an element is not heauy in his naturall place: Euen so sinne doth not oppresse nor ouercharge the consciences of prophane men, and they feele not their consciences burthened, because sin [Page] is there in them as in his own naturall place, but if God withdraweth a man out from this bottome and depth, and maketh him once to breath the aire of his grace, then the very reliques of sin that are in him weighes him much downe and wearies him much.
When therefore the sinne of the wicked is come to his full and last measure, then God, who by his patience hath inuited sinners to repentance, who hath vncouered, dunged, and pruned this barren figge-tree three yeares long, finally seeing that it bringeth forth no fruit, and that the sinner mocks at his long patience, commands that the are be [Page] laid vnto the roote of this cursed tree, and rewardeth his long expectation with the greatnesse of his punishment. Euen as when a woman condemned to death by law being found with childe, her execution is deferred till she be deliuered of of her childe; so although God hath already determined in his councell to punish some wicked men, notwithstanding he stayes till the sin which they haue conceiued in their hearts, be brought to ripenesse; during which time the sinner often makes merry, as malefactors doe, who to driue themselues from their dumpes, play in prison at cards and dice; but before God the day and [Page] houre of their execution is decreed.
Notwithstanding before he comes to that point, hee speakes as if he doubted of the truth, and prepares himselfe to make a kinde of information and enquest. I wil goe downe and see now, saith he) whether they haue done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come vnto me: And so in the confusion of languages God descends, to see what the children of men builded, and to haue knowledge thereof.
These things are said after the fashion of men, for God descends not, seeing he is euery where, and hath no need to enquire, seeing hee knoweth all things; but [Page] the holy Ghost stuttereth with vs, as with children, in humane words, of Diuine things. God comes downe to vs, when he makes himselfe to be felt of vs; he stretcheth his arme, when he displayes his strength; hee moues himselfe when hee will mooue vs; he wakens when he makes it knowne that he hath not slept; hee enquires of the sinnes of men, when he will conuict and conuince them; hee speakes as doubting, when he will put vs out of doubt of the certainty and full knowledge of our actions.
Notwithstanding God giueth by this practise a rule vnto Magistrates, not to iudge till after a carefull enquiry, [Page] and after a ripe consideration, and to vndergoe that Law which God hath imposed vnto himselfe, saying, I will goe now downe and see if it be thus and thus: Which is also a warning to all particular men, that they be not vniustly prone to beleeue calumnies, nor rashly vniust to condemne others without being well informed of the truth; but expecting the iudgement of GOD that will make all things manifest, let vs beware that wee giue not rashly our iudgement.
III. How gentle and milde God is towards them that feare him, and the care hee hath of his children.
THe third point is the manner, how God behaues himselfe towards those that feare him. This point requires a more carefull and serious consideration, because it toucheth vs more particularly.
Of these three men setting themselues forwards towards Sodome; two of them goe on their way, but the third who is called the Lord, stayes with Abraham who being in thought for his nephew Lot, fearing least he should be intrapped and [Page] inwrapped in the ruine and destruction of Sodome, makes intercession for the men thereof: Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? shall not the iudge of all the earth doe right? Hee could not better ground his supplication, then on Gods Iustice as Saint Paul saith, Rom. 3. What shall we say, is God vnrighteous who taketh vengeance? God forbid, for then how shall God iudge the world? God being by nature righteousnesse it selfe, can no more do iniustice, then white can black, or the flame can freez. To say that God is vnrighteous, is to say hee is God and is not God, for to be, and to be righteous, are one [Page] thing with God, not as with men, or Angels, who are susceptible of contrary qualities without corruption of their substance. Euen as the right of gouerning and of iudging the world, is deuolued and fallen to him by inheritance, not happened by election: so neither is he iust and righteous to be conformable to lawes that any hath imposed to him, but as his Empire, so his Iustice is naturall.
This righteousnesse being necessarily ioyned with goodnesse, Abraham had reason to presuppose, that it was more conuenient and befitting this vpright goodnesse, to support the wicked for the good mens sake, [Page] then to destroy the good for the wickeds sake. Notwithstanding it seemes this beares many exceptions, and hath many difficulties. For not to speake of afflictions for Gods cause, which befall the faithfull alone, while that the vngodly prosper as Christ saith, Yee shall weepe, but the world shall reioyce, because these afflictions are honourable, a glorious reproach, honest brands & blemishes, scarfe, and liueries of our warfare, and conformities to Iesus Christ, I will speake onely of euils and afflictions wherewith God punisheth the good with the wicked, and that because of the wicked: God had foretolde [Page] by his Prophets, that by reason of the sins of the people, the land should vomit out her Inhabitants, which was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar did lead the people captiue into Babylon; with the multitude of this rebellious people, Daniel and Ezekiel were led also away, as also those three men, who by the heate of their faith, ouercame the heate of the burning furnace. There were the good afflicted, for the wicked mens sake. There were seauen thousand in Samaria, and among the ten tribes, that had not bowed their knees vnto Baal, were those exempted from the publicke calamitie, when as Salmanazar & Tiglatpilezer [Page] kings of Syria did leade the ten tribes into captiuitie. Doth not God say by his Prophet Ezekiel, Chap. 21. that his sword shall cut off from the land of Israel, the righteous and the wicked. And when God saith in the 18. Chapter of the Reuelation, Come out of Babylon my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes, and that ye receiue not of her plagnes? doth hee not warne them, that if any of his people remaine there, he shall be partaker of the plagues of Babylon? And if God would now at this time afflict a kingdome, giuen ouer to idolatry, and should finde there a generall plague, who doubts but that the faithfull mixt with the [Page] Idolaters should incurre the same danger?
To explaine vnto you this point. Obserue that when God visits a kingdome, or a Citie, with a generall affliction, by reason of the wickednesse of the people, then those of the faithfull, mixt with the wicked shall escape, whom God intends to make as yet vse of, and to imploy them for his glory, and for the good of his Church. So hee saued Noah from the vniuersall Floud; because hee would reserue him, and make vse of him, for the preseruation of mankinde. So also in the dayes of the Emperour Vespasian, the Church of the Apostles that was in Ierusalem, [Page] was warned to goe out of the Citie, and withdraw her selfe to Pella on the other side of Iordan, least shee should be inclosed by the enemies in the besieging of the Citie, whereby it was razed down and the people destroyed. And in the 14. Chapter of Ezekiel, God speakes after this manner: Sonne of man, when the land sinneth against my by trespassing grieuously, then will I stretch out mine hand vpon it, and will breake the staffe of the bread thereof, and will send famine vpon it, and will cut off man and beast from it; though those three men, Noah, Daniel, and Iob were in it, they should deliuer but their owne soules by their [Page] righteousnesse, saith the Lord God; they shall not deliuer neither sonnes nor daughters, they onely shall be deliuered; Because that the conseruation of these men was profitable to the Church of God.
But if God, who prouides for his worke as it pleaseth him, will imploy no more such a one, and will quickly giue him the possession of eternall life, then maruell not if he die as the rest doe; and if the like and semblable accidents do befall him; notwithstanding in his common afflictions with the wicked, he hath particular consolation; God giues him grace to profit by his chastisements, and to take these banishments for [Page] flights from the world, and walking towards God: Pouerty is vnto him a wholesome and profitable dyer, and an exercise of abstinence. In his death-bringing sickenesse, Gods Angel assists him, who wipes off from him his sweaty drops of bloud, and Christ Iesus neere him shewing him the crowne of Glory. His death is as farre different from the death of others, as there is difference betweene the gates of hell, and the Kingdome of God. So Threshers with the same flaile doe alike thresh both the corne and the straw, but to diuers endes; which are as Christ Iesus saith, To gather the Wheate into the Barne, but [Page] to binde the straw in bundles, to burne it in the vnquenchable fire. So the passage through the red Sea, was the ruine of the Egyptians, but was to the Church of God a passage to arriue vnto the promised inheritance. In a word, the chastisements wherewith God doth visite the faithfull, shall neuer be fully distinct and separated from those of the wicked before the day of iudgement; for then the sheepe shall be called out from among the goates, diuided and set a part, and the tares growen pell-mell, and confusedly mingled with Wheate▪ and that hath together endured both storme and weather, winde and [Page] havle, shall be picked vp by the Angels, euen vnto the very last slip and sprig, and be bound in bottles, to be cast into the euerlasting fire.
Notwithstanding, Abraham might seeme to passe the limits of modesty in this demaund, as ready to controule the actions of God, Wilt thou (saith hee) destroy the righteous with the wicked? that be farre from thee; as shewing vnto God his duty. Then afterwards hee seemes to vse policy and Art towards God, endeuouring to obtaine of God by retaile and parcels, that which hee thinkes hee shall not get by the whole, and all at one time; saying, If there be fifty righteous in the Citie, wilt thou [Page] notspare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? And this being granted vnto him, from fifty he comes to forty fiue, and from that to forty, and from that to thirty, and so at last vnto ten. Hardly I suppose is there to be found any Prince, be hee neuer so meane and pettie, that would endure that any of his seruants should leade him so by degrees, and abuse thus his gentlenesse, and yet notwithstanding there is some comparison betweene the greatest Prince of the world, and the meanest begger, yea, betweene the excellentest Angell, and betweene the Pismire and worme, the distance and inequalitie is not infinite, for they are creatures, [Page] and there can be no infinite distance betwixt two finite things; but there is no comparison betweene God and the most excellent creature that is; how much lesse betweene God and between a man, a sinner as Abraham was, who acknowledgeth himselfe to be nought but dust and ashes? whose light is nought but darkenesse? whose righteouinesse is as filthy ragges? whose strength is as smoake that vanisheth away? If God findes no stedfastnesse in his Angels, how much lesse in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the Moth? Such as was the splendor of Herods robes, [Page] when hee was eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost, in comparison of the brightnesse of the Sun, such is the glory of man in the presence of God, and that small lustre which he hath in this world, is accompanied with thousands of briers and incommodities, like a gloeworme in the midst of a bush. What thinke ye is the highest heauen before God? It is as a point in his presence; and what is the earth in regard of heauen, but as a point in comparison? And what is a man in comparison of the whole earth, but as a Pismire wandring in a large countrey? as the Prophet Isaiah Chapter 40. speaketh, Behold the nations are as a drop [Page] of a Bueket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance, and are as nothing before him. And therefore Abraham saith, Behold I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes. It is also the end for the which God hath created man of the dust, to the end that if he should happen to glory of the light of his vnderstanding, hee should be presently abased and abated by the remembrance of the birth and beginning of his body, and by the feeling of his infirmity; and to the end hee should vse and imploy this reason to pray vnto God, who lifteth the poore from the dust, and powreth his treasures into earthen vessels, [Page] that he would not contest against dust, nor enter into an accompt with ashes; that he would let it dissolue by nature, without dissoluing it before his time by the violence of his wrath. This is the consideration which Dauid brings in the 103. Psalme, to moue God to clemency and compassion. Like as a father pittieth his children, so the Lord pittieth them that feare him; for he knoweth our frame, he remembreth that we are dust, before whom wee cannot present our selues, but our haires must stare, our blood must freeze within vs, and all the pride wee haue in vs must needes be abated by feare.
All these considerations [Page] might make this priuate familiaritie of Abraham with God, seeme to be excessiue, as intending to controule the actions of God; and his cunning with small respect to insinuate himselfe little by little, and obtaine by peeces that which hee durst not demand all at once.
Notwithstanding in that God heareth him willingly, and accepts his demaund, hinders vs to presume of any euill in such an holy and excellent seruant of God.
To resolue you of this point, ye must know that in a great similitude of words, there is often a great dissimilitude of sence and intention. Two persons sometimes will vse the same words, and [Page] make the same signes, but to diuers ends, and with different intentions. As in the 17. Chapter of Genesis, Abraham laughes at the promise which God made him touching a Sonne, this laughter in him is not reproued, because it proceeded of ioy, not of distrust; but in the 18. Chapter Sarah laughes at the selfe same thing, and is checked for it, because God did perceiue therein her distrust, as if the thing was impossible. Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist and the Virgin Mary doe answere the Angel in words alike, saying, How shall this be? In Zacharie it was a How of doubt, in the holy virgin Mary it was a How of inquiry, [Page] to demand instruction. Who could approue in any other then in Moses these bolde words, Yet now if thou wilt, forgiue their sinne, if not, blot mee I pray thee out of thy booke which thou hast written?
You know that Iob and Ieremie prest with anguish, haue cursed the day of their birth. I thinke that those that are tormented in hell, say the very same thing; for as Christ saith of Iudas, it had beene good for those men, that they had neuer beene borne. But other was the motion that droue these holy men to this, other the murmuring of the damned; for these are moued and set on with hatred against God, [Page] but Iob and Ieremie haue suffered themselues to slippe by infirmitie to these words of excesse, wherein I doubt not but they haue greatly offended God, and haue asked him pardon thereof. The bubling of their anguish haue casted forth for once this scumme of their impatience; So in a man weaker in faith then Abraham, and lesse accustomed to conferre with God familiarly, this priuate familiarity might seeme excessiue; but the humility whereby he acknowledgeth himselfe dust and ashes, and the fauourable answeres of God to his demands, doe exempt him from the crime of temerity.
Let vs not impute to subtilty this kinde of insinuating himselfe so by degrees, nor looke for any craft therin; let vs rather attribute it to the nature of faith, which imboldeneth her selfe by degrees, and maketh her selfe familiar little by little, by how much shee acknowledgeth the effects of Gods fauour; for the first fauourable answers doe giue liberty to make others, the first graces of God doe containe couert promises of increasing of graces; for God giueth because he hath giuen, his first liberalities doe inuite the following ones, hee crownes not our merits but his gifts, his gifts and his calling are without repentance.
This priuate familiarity of Abraham therefore, was without contempt, his boldnesse was modest; his confidence humble; which hee testifies in acknowledging himselfe dust and ashes, for without this humility his prayer had beene vnpleasing to God, who reiects the prayer of the proud, and inclines his care vnto those that haue a contrite and broken spirit, as it is said in Isaiah, Chapter 66. I will looke to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. God sendeth raine in greater abundance on low places, yea, & when it doth fall on high places it stayes not there. And if any great tempest [Page] or furious storme happeneth, the Oake and Ashe trees are ouerthrowne and cast downe to the earth, but the Time and Marioram remaine whole. Gods graces falling vpon the proud doe not stop nor settle there; God resisteth the proud, but giueth grace vnto the humble: To aske of God graces with a haughty spirit, and opinion of his owne righteousnesse, is to be like him that should begge with a suit of cloath of gold and all perfumed; he that askes after such an vndecent manner must looke to be refused.
Notwithstanding in this gradation of Abrahams de [...]ands, considering that he being come to the number [Page] of ten, he stayes there, and saith not, but Lord if there be fiue found within the Citie, wilt thou not spare the place for those fiue righteous? Whither it was because Abraham did iudge in himselfe, that hee ought to subscribe to the decree and sentence of the iustice of God, and acknowledged that it was a iust thing that a great Citie in the which ten righteous men were not to be found, should be destroyed, and that hee ought not to make intercession for it: Or whither it was, because God hindered him to proceede on in his demands, least hee should aske things contrary to Gods decree and ordinance, and that thereupon [Page] God should haue been faine to haue refused him, and reiect his prayer; for often in the Scripture God forbids his seruants to make intercession for such and such, when hee is resolued not to pardon them; he forbids Samuel to pray for Saul, and Ieremie to make intercession for the Iewes, because God holdes it not conuenient to his goodnesse, to permit his children to pray vnprofitably and without reaping some fruit.
Obserue also that in this conference of God with Abraham, and often elsewhere, the faithfull are called righteous, not that they are without sinne, but in comparison of the wicked; [Page] and because God wipeth out their sinnes by his mercy for his Sonnes sake, whom Ieremie calleth the Lord, our righteousnesse, Ieremie 23. Sometimes also because of the righteousnesse of the cause, which they maintaine, and for the which cause they are persecuted: So Noah, Lot, Iob, Daniel, and Zacharie are called righteous, though Noab fell into drunkennesse, Lot committed incest, Dauid adultery and murther, Iob cursed the day of his birth, Zachrie doubted of Gods promises; which faults are as warts in a faire face, which seeme as an exposition of this word Righteous.
That we may know, that when Christ Iesus saith that [Page] hee is not come for the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance, these sinners are righteous in some sort, and that Iesus Christ by the righteous vnderstands those that thinke they are without sin. Our righteousnesse consists in acknowledging our vnrighteousnesse, and in cloathing our selues with the righteousnes of Iesus Christ, who hath beene made sinne for vs, that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many Isa. 53. Who of God is made vnto vs wisedome, and righteousnesse, and sanctification, & redemption, 1 Cor. 1.
This is the sence and meaning of this history, and [Page] the exposition of the three points which wee haue propounded vnto you; whence springeth diuers doctrines, that serue to comfort, instruct, and to humble vs.
The Application.
FIrst in the manner wherin God proceeds against Sodome, you haue an example and patterne of Gods patience, soliciting sinners to repentance; he sends Lot to those of Sodome, who was among them an Herald and Preacher of righteousnesse, who dwelling among them, vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds, as S. Peter saith, 2 Pet. 2. But they beleeued [Page] him not, Gen, 19.9. This one fellow came in to soiourne, and so will needes be a Iudge? After Lots comming, God sends them wars, that spoiles their Countrey, and leads them into captiuity, whence being deliuered by Abrahams helpe, they amend not. At the last God being prouoked, sends fire from heauen, which consumes them: whereunto serued the nature of the soile, for the countrey was full of slime pits, which serued as matter vnto it, and brought a sudden inflaming.
Three things are happened vnto them for examples, and are written for our admonition, vpon whom the ends of the world are come, [Page] least we should abuse Gods patience, who hath so long time supported vs, solicites & calls vs to repentance: for what hath not God done, to binde vs to his loue and feare? He hath sent vs his seruants, and set his word before our eyes, he hath chastised vs often, and hath set vs on foote againe by his helpe; he hath scattered vs in strange countreys, and then re-assembled vs together againe by his mercy. He makes vs to subsist now as the remainder of the massacre, as some plankes saued from shipwracke, or like a brand reserued from the fire, and doe as yet subsist as a miracle to strangers, and a rare example of his prouidence; [Page] for in the troubles of a State it happeneth ordinarily as with catarres and defluctions, which alwayes fall vpon the weakest part. Now the weakest part in the body of this kingdome is the Church of God, notwithstanding in these last stirres which haue troubled this estate, God hath secured and saued harmeles his Church, and restrained the peoples will, though on our side we haue enough contributed to our owne ruine, and yet God euen this day giueth vs this grace, that we are here assembled in peace, to lift vp together our hands and hearts before his presence. He may then say that which he saith, Isai. 5. What could [Page] haue beene done more to the vineyard, that I haue not done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wilde grapes: For that we doe not bring forth fruit worthy of repentance, is it because we haue not beene chastised? but wee newly come forth out of persecution: Or is it because he hath not threatned vs? but yet euen now we were at deaths dore, and as it were on the point of our steepe downe-fall: Or is it because he hath imparted vnto vs his gifts and graces so sparingly? but who can comprehend his goodnesse towards vs, his liberalitie and his patience? Or is it because you haue not beene [Page] sufficiently and carefully informed? but surely we haue not spared our selues in this point, yea, our liberty and freedome of reprehending seemes intollerable vnto many. After a continuall labour, we receiue instead of recompence, calumnies, which tend to make our Ministery vnfruitfull, and to take away the efficacy from our preaching: The time will come ( [...]f GOD hath not pitty on vs) wherin ye shall haue teachers according to your desire, or else shall haue leasure to fast after the Word of God.
But if we speake in our exhortations against the abuses of Popery, ye heare that with great attention, [Page] but yee will not enter into disputation with your own vices, as being at agreement with the diuell on that side. You condemne the Church of Rome, in that she forbids the people the reading of the holy Scripture, but are we for all that the carefuller to reade it? they are hindred to reade it by scruple, but you by contempt and negligence. Ye blame those that pray, not vnderstanding what they say; but are ye more excusable to pray without thinking what yee say? You reprehend them for superstitious signes and gesture that they haue in the Church; but you in auoiding superstition fall into irreuerence, one keeping [Page] on his Hat in Prayer time: another makes difficulty to kneele, to shew vnto our aduersaries that wee neede not suffer so much for religion, seeing we haue it in so litle esteeme. You condemne the idolatry of the Church of Rome, and notwithstanding you idolatrize, and as it were worship your bodies and goods, which you serue much more and better then you serue God. You condemne spirituall whoredome, and you pollute your selues with corporall fornication. You condemne those that esteeme to merit Paradise by their good works, & in the meane time you liue as if you would go into hel by your euill workes, or as [Page] hoping to be saued without your good workes. Wee blame auricular confession, but are we for all that now carefull to confesse our sinnes to God? Wee blame those that thinke to redeeme their sinnes by money giuen to the Church, but the money we spare on that side, is it bestowed in almes-deedes? and that which we withdraw from the idle, is it consecrated to Gods seruice. Contrariwise the poore languish and accuse the rich to be little charitable, the cry of the poore is mounted and entred into the cares of the LORD of hostes.
And therefore doe not take it as an iniurie to be [Page] compared to Sodome and Gomorrah; for although we are guiltlesse of that sin, for the which God consumed them with fire; notwithstanding there are other sinnes that cry as loude as that, and for the which many hearers of the Word of God, shal be more roughly handled in the day of Iudgement then Sodome and Gomorrah, as it is denounced vnto Capernaum, Corazin, and Bethsaida, Mat. 11. that had seene the miracles of Iesus Christ, and heard his word, which they had reiected, and were not conuerted.
And indeed the Scripture teacheth vs, that beside the sinne of Sodome, [Page] there are other sinnes that cry and call for the vengeance of God. There is the cry of the innocent bloud, witnesse the bloud of Abel, that cryed from the earth vnto God. There is the cry of the labourers and Seruants, whose hire is kept backe by fraude, whereof Saint Iames speaketh, Iam. 5.4. There is the cry of the widdow, and of the orphan, whereof Moses speaketh, Exod. 22. Yee shall not afflict any widdow, or fatherlesse childe, if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all vnto me, I will surely heare their cry, and my wrath shall waxe hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wiues shall be widdowes, and your [Page] children fatherlesse. Which is a sinne that is to be found among vs, besides which, example of violent snatching and vsury are to be found. Such a one fasteth this day from flesh and meat, that eateth at his house the flesh of the poore, and consumeth his neighbours substance. Many ouerturning Gods commandement that forbids to come vnto the altar with voide hands, bring to the Lords Table hands full of violence and extortion, farre from cloathing Iesus Christ in his members, seeing that they strip them thereof.
And what thinke yee of the mortall, or rather immortall quarrels of those, [Page] that haue not learnt to forgiue, that aske of God euery day that hee forgiue them not their sinnes, seeing they forgiue not those that haue trespassed against them; that hate a thousand times more their neighbour, then they loue God; seeing they defame the Church of God by their quarrels, and put it to an open shame? What, doe yee thinke that these things cry not against heauen? Doe ye thinke that the Heathen souldiers, hauing not torne Christs coate, those can be suffered that teare his body, which is the Church? and seeing that he who offendeth one of the least ones, deserues to be thrown and drowned in the depth [Page] of the Sea, with a milstone about his necke, hee which offends the whole Church, deserues he not to be cast into Hell? Or do ye thinke that he can haue peace with his father, that is alwayes in quarrell with his brethren?
It is good also to obserue the causes of the destruction of Sodome, and by what degrees she came to be corrupted. The Prophet Ezekiel, tels vs in the 16. Chapter. Behold, this was the iniquitie of thy Sister Sodome, pride, fulnesse of bread, and abundance of idlenesse, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poore and needy. These selfe-same vices doe infect our flocke; charity diminisheth [Page] amongst vs, and couetousnesse increaseth; the quarrels are hot, and the prayers cold; the word of GOD ill planted in our hearts, rancour and hatred firmely rooted in them; the parents are careful to hoord vp goods for their children, but not to teach them to make good vse of them, and to forgoe them willingly for the Gospels sake. In poore families, you shall find in an extream pouerty, an extreame pride, idlenes & drunkennes; they had rather see their children go naked, then apply themselues to labour and sobriety. Yee shall see in many of the Nobility a prophane humour, an arrogant ignorance, vncleane [Page] and filthy words, ordinary swearing, a distaste of Gods Word. They are couragious to reuenge their owne iniuries, but cowards to resist their vices, or to defend Gods cause; sumptuous in cloathes, but niggards in almes-deeds. They are not such as our forefathers were in olde time, ready to run to Martyrdome, but they are ready to runne to euery publike faction and sedition.
Are these those, whom God hath raised to vnderprop & support his Church? or doe we hope that God will deliuer his people by their hands?
Of all in generall wee make this complaint, with [Page] the Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 9. The people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the LORD of hostes. Thou hast strucken them, and they haue felt no paine; thou hast consumed them and they haue refused to receiue instruction; they haue hardened their faces like stone, they haue refused to turne themselues; and as it is in the 29. Chapter of Deuteronomie: They haue blessed themselues in their hearts, that is to say, flattered themselues, saying, I shal haue peace, though I walk in the imagination & stubbornes of mine heart, to adde drunkennes to thirst. By this meanes Gods patience, that should serue to amend vs, [Page] serues to marre vs. God will giue vs thereby leasure to repent vs of our sinnes, and we take leasure thereby to reioyce in our wickednes. God commands vs to be holy, but we will make him a sinner, winking at our prophane humour. Hee will haue vs expect his helpe, and we will haue him expect our amendment at our leasure. This is the right brimstone that puls downe fire from heauen, that sulphurous earth of Sodome neuer had such force, to draw downe Gods inflaming anger consuming them with fire, as the contempt of Gods Word hath power to pull downe his iudgements on our heads: Let vs feare [Page] least his patience being in the ende ouercome by his wrath, we find no more place of repentance, as Godthreatneth by his Prophet Isaiah, Chap. 1. Therefore when you spread foorth your hands, I will hide mine eies from you, yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not heare. But as for them that turne themselues vnto the LORD. Gods familiarity with Abraham, and the free accesse he giues to his Seruant, ought to giue them a holy confidence to speak vnto God familiarly, and to be assured that God will heare them. For as Saint Paul teacheth vs, Rom. 4. that that which is written of Abrahams faith, which was imputed to him for [Page] righteousnesse, Was not written for his sake alone, but for vs also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we beleeue on him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead. So then hold certainely, that this benignitie of our God in hearing Abrahams demaunds, that seemed to be importunate, is not propounded onely for Abrahams sake; but for you also that beleeue, that yee may haue this assurance, that God is euen delighted and desires to be importuned by his children, and is not offended with this filiall freedome, which proceedes from the spirit of Adoption; that he loues this holy obstinacy; who according to Iacob wrastling with [Page] him, lets him not goe, till it hath got a blessing; or after the example of the woman of Canaan, who being often repulsed by Iesus Christ, yea euen so far as to be compared by him to a dogge, yet at last she obtaines, besides the curing of her daughter, this testimonie of Christ that her faith was great, and that hee had not found so great a faith, no not in Israel. And this is that spirit of adoption, of freenesse and libertie, which makes, that as in afflictions wee had rather fall into the hands of God, then into the hands of men, because his compassions are great and many; so in matter of demands and requests we dare aske of him [Page] such things, as we dare not aske of men, because his grace and goodnesse are according to his greatnesse, that is to say, are incomprehensible.
Nay, which is more, to giue vs the more priuate familiarity to call vpon him, although he doth vs good by his free-will, and without any constraint; notwithstanding he will haue vs to thinke that he giues it to our importunity and continuance in prayer, as wee are taught by our Sauiour Christ, Luke 11. by that similitude of a friend that goes vnto his friend at midnight, and sayes vnto him; friend, lend me three Loaues, I say vnto you, saith Christ, [Page] though hee will not rise and giue him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and giue him as many as he needeth; and by the example of an vniust Iudge, which dispatcheth the poore widdow of her suit to deliuer himselfe from her importunitie, whence Christ saith, Shall not God auenge his owne elect, which cry day and night vnto him, though he beare long with them?
This confidence and familiarity of praying vnto God, shall no more barre humility, then it did in Abraham, who amiddest his requests, full of liberty, acknowledgeth himselfe notwithstanding to bee [Page] naught but dust and ashes. There is an humble familiarity, an humility with freenes, which being drawne to by loue, diminisheth not the reuerence due vnto him. Wherefore in prayer wee ioyne together these two gestures, we bow our knees, and lift vp our eyes, whereof the one witnesseth our humility, the other our confidence. Many other doctrines doe arise from this Text, which we will briefly touch. When you reade that in a great city, ten righteous are not to be found among many thousands; you may learne, that you must not square your selfe by the multitude to liue well, as the LORD saith, Exod. 23. [Page] Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill. The multitude hath been alwayes a bad counsellor, the broad way leades to destruction. The whole world, shall run after and follow the beast, Reuel. 13. They that produce the greatnesse, multitude and vniuersality for markes of the Church, had they liued in Sodome, would haue sooner ioyned themselues with the Sodomites, then with Lot, who was almost alone among this multitude.
Which Lot being righteous, of whom Abraham speaketh, when hee saith, wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? teacheth vs by his example, [Page] that it is a dangerous thing for an holy man to liue in the company of the wicked. Wherefore Dauid saith, Psal. 26. Gather not my soule with sinners, nor my life with bloudy men. One Ionas thinking to escape and fly from the presence of God, and to exempt himselfe from his obedience, had like to haue cast away the whole ship. A heathen Captaine of a ship, hearing a wicked man making his prayer among the rest during the tempest, Hold thy peace, saith he, and hide thy selfe, lest the gods know that thou art heere. Wherefore God saide vnto the Israelites, depart from the tents of these wicked men; namely, Korah, Dathan [Page] and Abiram, and touch nothing of theirs, least ye be consumed in all their sinnes: Come out of Babylon my people, that ye be not partakers of her sinnes, and that ye receiue not of her plagues; and that therefore not onely for feare of the like peril & punishment, but also for feare of the contagion of vices. There is nothing so glewish as euill examples, nothing so pernicious as the company of the wicked. If Dina had not haunted dancing, shee had preserued her chastity. If the Israelites in Nehemiahs time had not allied themselues by marriage with the infidels, their children should not haue spoken the [Page] language of Ashdod. A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe, by the conuersation and acquaintance with the wicked, wee become like them. Wherefore euen as one counselleth women that conceiue, to haue by their bed side the pictures of faire children, so must we haue faire examples before our eyes, to the end we may conceiue good thoughts, and bring forth good actions▪ For what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath hee that belieueth with an Infidell? wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated▪ [...]aith the LORD, and touch not the vncleane thing, 2 Cor. 6.
Finally touching that [Page] which you haue heard; namely, if there had beene tenne righteous men in Sodome, God would haue spared the Citie for their sakes; ye may learne how God esteemeth his children, chusing rather the preseruation of ten of his children, then the ruine of ten thousands of his enemies. He beares with the wickednesse of the world, and fore slowes his iudgements for his Church sake mixed with the world; so God would not send the floud till after Methusalems death, who dyed a yeare before the floud; as soone as Iosias is dead, Nebuchadnezzar inuadeth the countrey of Iudea; the life of one seruant of God did support [Page] the countrey, and keepe backe Gods iudgements. So soone as Saint Augustine was dead, the Citie Bona, whereof hee was Bishop, was wonne by the Vandals, and sacked by them; as if by the death of that good man of God, the rampiers and walles of the towne were fallen downe. Therefore the LORD in the 57. Chapter of Isaiah, after he had saide, that the righteous man perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and mercifull men are taken away; immediately after hee makes the punishment of the wicked to follow, as a necessary sequele and consequence. But draw ye hither yee sonnes of the Sorceresse, [Page] against whom doe ye spore your selues? &c. Nay which is more, God hauing lifted vp his hand, to turne vpside downe heauen and earth, because they are become a temple of idols, and the kingdome of the deuill, is stopped and withheld from doing it, because there are a few of the faithfull mingled among the wicked, least in rooting vp the darnell, hee should also plucke vp by the rootes the good corne; therefore it is said to the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God, that were vnder the altar, and cryed for vengeance against them that dwell on earth, Apocal. 6. that they should rest yet for a little [Page] season, vntill their fellow seruants, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled; that being once done, the end of the world will necessarily follow: for should the world be so possest by the diuell that God should haue no part in it? or should the Sunne rise onely to giue light to those that doe euill? It is therefore one of the reasons, for the which the faithfull are called the salt of the earth, Matth. 5. Because it is that part that preserues the rest of the Inhabitants of the earth, and protects the world from corruption.
And to apply these things to our selues, I esteeme that [Page] these last dayes past, when our Churches were in great danger, God cast his eyes vpon vs; hee considered therein many mischiefes and maladies that infect the flocke; that couetousnesse is very rise among vs, so that wee esteeme of men as wee esteeme of bagges of money, that is to say, according to the money they haue, the man is esteemed as nothing, as the bagge is nothing esteemed. That euery one tels lyes and liues subtilly with his neighbour. That destruction, hatred, suspition are among vs, in the highest degree; that vsury, whoredome, and blasphemies are to be found among vs, to the great dishonour [Page] of the Gospell, that so soone as there is neuer so little prosperitie, excesse, not and superfluity of apparell doe incontinently appeare; and that charity towards the poore, and the zeale of the honour of God is waxed colde; while as the superstitious powere out their goods at the feete of an Idoll, doe lay foundations of new religions, build Churches, giue offrings, buy masses and seruices at a great rate and with an extreame cost; that is to say, that superstition is seruent in them, but true religion key-cold in vs; that they to make a molten Calfe, doe contribute euen vnto their iewels and golden eare-rings, whiles that the seruice of the [Page] honour of God is ill maintained.
For these causes he had already sent his destroying Angels, and had snatcht away his word from vs, had it not beene that euen hee the same vnto whom Abraham spake, who is his onely Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus hath stayed his wrath, and therevpon hee hath considered ten righteous amidst this corruption, that is to say, some few of the number of the true faithfull, and of holy soules that feare him, and groane vnder the generall corruption; for whose sake he suspends as yet his iudgements, and spares the flocke; and those perhaps not the greatest [Page] ones, nor the richest, nor the most noble; but perhaps some poore, whom we know not, and to whom we, as vngratefull, con little thankes; He hath stopt and stayed Gods iudgements, and hath stood in the gap, and hath beene in the publicke commotion, like the lifting vp of the hands of Moses, that did more then Iosuahs sword; which is the obseruation that the wise-man makes in the 9. of Ecclesiastes, That there was a little City and few men within it, and there came a great King against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarkes against it; now there was found in it a poore wise-man, and he by his wisedome deliuered the [Page] City, yet no man remembred that poore man.
Seing then that the number of those that feare the Lord among vs, is the defence and the safety of the Church, and as King Ioram said of Elisha, the Chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, for whose sake God pardoneth the rest: Let vs labour to increase the number of them; and that notten not thirty, not fifty, but that the whole troupe and flocke be truely the holy nation and the portion of the Lord. Let vs make our sinnes hold their peace that cry, and that their crie be ouercome with the crye of repentance, which powres vnto the feete of our Sauiour Iesus, [Page] that precious ointment, with an holy griefe, and bedewes them with herteares as heretofore Mary did, whose teares were a thousand times more odoriferous, then her precious ointment, for this filled the chamber with a sweet pleasing smell, but her repentance is euen yet of good fauour in the Church of God.
And in stead of that heauy burthen of sinnes, wherof Christ Iesus doth discharge vs, Let vs charge and take vpon vs his yoake which is easie, and his burthen which is light; whether by this yoake and burthen we vnderstand his crosse; or whether wee take it in [Page] generall for our subiection vnto his word; that hereafter we haue no other will then his, no other trust and confidence then in his promises, no other ioy then in his loue.
And that wee may make vse of our vices, and giue to our desires a lawfull imploiment and occupation; let not the violent haue hereafter any other violence, then that which taketh by force the Kingdome of heauen. Let vsurers giue themselues to giuing to the poore, for that is to lend vnto God by vsury. Let the couerous gather a treasure in heauen. Let the quarrellers make an irreconcillable warre against their vices. [Page] Let the haughty and ambitious glory in the knowledge of God, and in that they are the children of the most high.
If ye doe so, God who desires not the death of a sinner, but his conuersion, whose compassions are alwaies open towards those that seeke him; will watch for your safegard; hee will blow vpon the enterprizes of our enemies, and will frustrate their hopes; his prouidence shall be as a wall of fire about his Church. If you feare GOD, you will not feare men. Beare your selues couragious against mens threatnings, but tremble at Gods Word, who hath bought and redeemed you [Page] with too great a price, to leaue you. He will not deny you things necessary for this present life, seeing that from the foundation of the world he hath prepared for you an euerlasting kingdome; as he himselfe will proclaime in the last day. Come yee blessed of my Father, inherito the kingdome prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. To whom be ascribed all honour, power and dominion, for euer and euer, Amen.