THE righteous Ierem. 23.5. branch raised vnto Da­vid by the Lord God of Israel, of whō it was foretold, that he should come, like a Mal. 3.2, 3, 4 purging fire, and like fullers sope, and should be ready to sit downe, to try & fine the silver, even the sonnes of Levi, as also to fift Iudah & Ierusalem, yea, all that would be his, that their sacrifi­ces and workes might bee as purified gold, acceptable to the Lord as in old time; having descended from the highest heavens; well content in flesh to be Esai. 53.5. wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, even then, when he Esai. 53.4. carried our sorrowes, was by divers diversly reputed. Some thought of him as of Mat. 16.14. Iohn Baptist: of others he was ta­ken for Elias; and there wanted not such as said, he was Ieremy or one of the old Prophets risen againe: but asking his disci­ples ( Vers. 15. whom say yee that I am?) he heard otherwise. Vers. 16. Thou art that CHRIST, the sonne of the living God.

And knowing that his disciples (howsoever they were well assured, that he was that King and Priest, promised to our fore­fathers, and foreordained by the almighty to saue mankinde) were notwithstanding ignorant of the meanes of mans redēp­tion and salvation, and so were ignorantly by a common error of their time deceived, looking for an earthly kingdom in him [Page 2] whose Psal. 45.6. scepter is a scepter of righteousnesse, he taught them in a few words, what estate & condition, both of his kingdome and priesthood, should be looked for, even that al our salvation must wholy depend vpon the merit of his death, and vertue of his resurrection: and so much he signified vnto them, in the for­mer verse, the 22. vers. of this chapter, saying, The sonne of man must suffer many things, and be reproved of the elders, and of the High Priests, and Scribes, and be slaine, and the thirde day rise againe.

Having thus instructed them, he delivereth a new doctrine, in these words of my text, whereby all are taught, what must be done by them, who are willing to be partakers of that sal­vation, which he for his followers hath deserved. Which place is so much the more worthy our memory and due considerati­on, because small fruit may redound vnto vs, from all, that is delivered concerning Christ & the whole worke of our redēp­tion, except we throughly vnderstand the meanes, by which we may be made his disciples. For to them onely belong al the promises of his kingdome, and the inheritance thereof. Our Sa­viour therefore being vnwilling that any thing should be hid­den from vs, which might direct vs in the pathway to our sal­vation, hath said vnto all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me.

The occasion of these words, although omitted by this E­vangelist, is notwithstanding expressed by S. Matthew in the 22. ver. of his 16. chapt. & by S. Marke, ch. 8. ver. 32. where we read how that Peter offended at the former words of Christ, wherein he mentioned his owne death, began to advise him to the contrary, and Math. 16.22. tooke him aside, and rebuked him. Thē Christ turning backe reproved Peter, saying get thee behinde me, Sa­than, thou art an offence vnto me, because thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.

And because he knew, that this was a common fault to all his disciples, & therefore much more common to the people, who were all earnestly bent to the heaping vp of worldly wealth, vnwilling to endure tribulations and afflictions, hee [Page 3] thought it now high time to instruct them vnto patience, and therefore called the people with his disciples vnto himselfe; & said vnto all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me.

Which words containing a perfect doctrine, or an exact rule sufficient for the teaching or guiding of the followers of Christ, do yeeld vnto our consideration three things.

The first, who they are, whom this doctrine concerneth, in these words, and he said vnto all.

The second, the condition, for which this doctrine is pro­posed, in the words following: if any man will come after me.

The third, the doctrine it selfe: in the last words, let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me.

They whom this doctrine concerneth, are not comprehen­ded in a small number; for they are all; and he said vnto all. The condition importeth a necessity of this doctrine, if any man wil come after me. The doctrine containeth 3. precepts. 1. let him deny himselfe; 2. let him take vp his crosse daily, 3. let him follow me. Of these in their order.

And said vnto all] here is the vniversality of this doctrine, delivered by our Saviour, not onely to his disciples and their successors in the ministery of the church; nor to the people on­ly, which were then with him, but ioyntly to all: yet not to all simply as some haue defined, but to all with are straint, even to all that will follow him. For albeit we haue learned that God 1. Tim. 2.4. will that all men shall be saved, and come vnto the knowledge of the truth; and Rom. 11.32. hath shut v [...] all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercy on all; and 2. Pet. 3.9. would haue no man to perish, but that al should come to repentance; yet if our vnderstanding of these, & the like places be right, we shall finde, that their generality is also re­strained. God will that all men shalbe saved. 1. Tim. 2.4. yet God will not that all men shall be saved. For Tophe [...] is prepared of old; it is even prepared for the King, it is made deepe & large, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, the branch of the Lord take a river of brimstone doth kindle it, Esai. 30.33. God hath st [...] vp all in vnbeliefe, that he might haue mercy [...]n all, Rom. 11.32. yet [Page 4] God will not haue mercy on al. For he will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth, Rom. 9.18. God would haue no man to perish, but would that al should come to repentance, 2. Pet. 3.9. yet he will haue some man perish, & de­nieth some to come to repentance. For he hated Esau, & made his mountaines wast, and his heritage a wildernesse for dra­gons, Malach. 1.3.

What shal we say then? that there is mutability in the high­est? God forbid. Mat. 5.18. Luk. 16.17. Heaven and earth shall perish, before one iot, or one tittle of his word shall escape not fulfilled. He willeth that 1. Tim. 2.4. all shall be saved, and therefore it must be so. He saith, al shall not be saved, and how can it be otherwise? All indeed shall be saved, if by all, wee vnderstand the elect and chosen of God. But if vnder all we comprehend the reprobate, all shall not bee saved. Say all the elect, Ioan. 17.12. not one of them shall perish; all shall repent; for God will haue mercy on all. Say all the reprobate; all shall perish, and none shall repent, for mercy shall be shewed to none.

S ^t Augustine in his booke de correptione & gratia, cap. 14. teacheth asmuch. Ita dictum est, omnes ho­mines vult salvos fieri, vt intelligantur omnes praede­stinati, quia omne genus hominum in iis est. God will, saith he, that all men shall be saved, meaning by all, all that are predestinate to salvation, because all sorts of men are amongst them. Kings & private men, Iews and Gentiles, Grecians, and Barbarians, bond and free, men & women, rich and poore, all are one in Christ Iesus. All are cho­sen and predestinate to liue with Christ, but then by all wee must vnderstand (as the Perkins in his golden chaine. p. 341. learned haue well noted) Omnia ge­nera singulorum, non singula generum, all sorts of particulars, not each particular of all sorts. And so Kings, and private men, Iewes, and Gentiles, men and women, and the rest are predesti­nate to salvation, though not every King, & every privat man, every Iew and every Gentile, every man and every woman, & so forth in the rest. For he that was worthy to take the booke, and to open the seales thereof, because he was killed, Rev. 5.9. hath redeemed men and women to God by his blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.

It was Dictum est Pharisaeis, De­cimatis omne olus: vhi non est intelligendū nisi omne, quod habebant. Ne (que) enim omne o­lus, quod erat in toto terrarū orbe. decima­bant. said vnto the Pharises, Luk. 11.42. yee tithe all [Page 5] hearbs. Is it credible, that they tithed all the hearbs, which the earth yeelded? vnderstand rather, that they [...]ed all such hearbs as they had.

S ^t Paul saith, giue none offence, Sicut & ego omnibus per omnia placeo Nunquid enim qui hoc dixit, placebat etiam tam multi [...] per­secutoribus f [...]i [...]? Sed placebat omni genari hominum, quod Christi cō ­gregabat Ec­cles [...]a. even as I please all men in all things, 1. Cor. 10.33. yet who knoweth not, how far he was from pleasing the silver smyth Demetrius, & others of the Iews which persecuted him. He meant therefore by all men, all sorts of men gathered together in the Church of Christ.

It is a rule of S ^t Augustines, and a rule full of truth, that all may be vsed for many, and many for all, though sometimes all cannot be many, nor many, all. His discourse is to be read in his 6. booke against Iulian the Pelagian and 12. Chap. Possunt esse aliqua omnia, qua non sunt multa, faith he, &c. Of somethings we may say, they are all, when we cannot say they are many; as we say all the Evangelists, but cannot say many, because they are but foure. Againe, of some things we may say they are ma­ny, when we cannot say they are all: and so we say many do be­leeue in Christ, when all doe not beleeue, for all men haue not faith, 2. Thess. 3.2. But that which God said to Abraham, in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, Gen. 12.3. expoū ­ded by himselfe saying, I haue made thee a father of many nati­ons, sufficiently declareth the indifferent vse of all and many. By one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne, and so death went over all men, Rom. 5.12. and here, all are but many: for in the 19. ver. of the same Chapter it is said, by one mans dis­obedience many were made sinners. Againe in the same Chapter & 18. vers. we read, that by the iustifying of one, the benefit aboū ­ded towards all men to the iustification of life. Where by all men only many are vnderstood: for in the verse following 19. verse it is said, By the obedience of one, many shall bee made righteous. So then Gen. 12.3. all nations of the earth shall be blessed in the seed of Abrahā, not as if all must needs be blessed, but because that all that shall be blessed, shall be blessed in his seed: & so Rom. 5.12. by one mans disobedience all must be condemned, not as if all of neces­sitie must be condemned, but because all that must bee condem­ned, must be condemned in that one mans disobedience: and [Page 6] Rom. 5.11. all men shalbe iustified by Christ his iustice, not as if all necessa­rily must be iustified, but because all that shall be iustified, shall be iustified by Christs iustice. The holy Ghost then vseth this word, all, to giue vs to vnderstand, that none may bee blessed but in Abrahams seed; none condemned, but by Adams diso­bedience, and none saved but by Christs iustice.

If there be Aug. contr. Iulianum Pe­lag. lib. 6. c. 12 Sicut possumus dicere, in ali­quam donum per vnam ian [...] ­a [...]intrar [...] OM­NES, non quia OMNES homi­nes intrant in eādem domum, sed quia nemo intrat nisi per il­lam. one way into a house by one only dore, we pro­perly say, that all men goe into that house by that dore, not because all men goe into that house, for thousandes will never come neere it by thousands of miles; but because all that come into that house come in by that dore. So is it here: wee haue one way to salvation, by one only dore, the iustice of Christ; & the ever true God saith, that all men shall bee saved by Christs iustice, not because all shall bee saved, for assuredly the lake burning with fire and brimstone never to be quenched, is not prepared in vaine; but because all that shall be saued, shall bee saved only by Christs iustice.

Truth cannot passe forth without contrarieties & quarrels of iudgements; and no marvaile, for so it hath beene from the beginning. Kain could not indure that his brother Abels ob­lations should be acceptable to the Lord, & not his, but hee would kill him for it, Gen. 4.8. Esau hated Iacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him, and thought in his mind to slay him for it, Gen. 27.41. The kingdome of darknes was ever against the kingdome of light. The Scribes and Pha­rises were grieved with Christ: infinite haue beene the Here­ticks which haue opposed themselues against the glory of the Gospell. And now, though the truth it selfe teacheth vs, that these generall propositions before alleaged, cannot be spoken of, all, simply, but with a restriction; and that all shall not bee saued; yet they who haue giuen their names to the womā that sitteth vpon the skar [...] coloured beast, hauing beene often drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus, do band themselues against the Lords annointed, and teach that for truth, which that lying woman, the mother of abominati­ons, hath taught them, saying: See Perkins golden chain cap 54. error. 1. p. 199. There is an vniversall election [Page 7] by which Almighty God, without any restraint or exception of persons, hath purposed by Christ to redeeme and reconcile vnto him­selfe, all mankind, the whole nature of man decayed in Adam; e­ven every private man, so that no man may be called reprobate, no man exempted from salvation.

But as Aarons rod devoured the rod of the Sorcerers, Exod. 7, 12. so will truth devoure errour. They say, there is an vniuer­sal election, the truth saith, few are chosen, Mat. 20.16. They say that al mankind, yea every privat man is redeemed & recōciled to God by Christ; the truth saith, that Christ gaue himselfe for vs, that he might redeem vs frō al iniquity, & purge vs to be a pe­culiar people vnto himselfe, Tit. 2.14. They say, that Christ gaue himselfe as well for them, whom we call reprobate, as for the e­lect. The truth saith, I lay down my life for my sheepe, Ioh. 10.15. They hereto reply, that all men are Christs sheepe; the truth it selfe answereth them: My sheepe heare my voice, and I knowe them, and they follow me, and I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand, Ioh. 10.27, & 28.

They adde further that all men shall be taught of God, Esai, Sicut integrè loquimur, cum de aliquo litera­rum Magistro, qui in civitate solus est dicimus OMNES iste hic literas docet; nō quia OMNES discunt, sed quia nemo nisi ab illo discit, quicun (que) ibi literas discit ita rectè dici­mus, OMNES Deus docet Ve­nire ad Christū; non quia omnes veniunt, sed quia nemo aliter venit. 54.13. and therefore that all men may be saued; else, if all men may not be saved, to what end shall all be taught of God? I an­swer them, with that, which S ^t Austine hath in his booke, de praedestinatione sanctorum, cap. 8. If, saith he, in a citie there bee but one schoolmaster, we may well say of him, this man teacheth all in the citie, not because all men in the citie are taught, but be­cause no man is there taught, except he be taught by him. Even so God teacheth all men to come to Christ and be saued, not be­cause all men therefore come and are saved, but because no man commeth and is saved, except hee bee taught by God. If this be so, say they, what is become of Gods iustice, why doth he teach some, and not others; choose some and not all?

Such busie & too curious demanders may learne of S. Paul, that Gods will and pleasure is the onely chiefe cause, why hee electeth some, & reproveth the rest; that this point of doctrine, is to be beleeued by faith, not to be examined by reason: and [Page 8] that whosoever shall dispute, to find a reason of Gods wil, be­sides that which is revealed in his word, is a pleader against God. Rom. 9.20. O man, saith he, what art thou, that pleadest against God? But, I minde not to enter into the depth of this doctrin; I leaue it, as better beseeming greater yeares, and riper iudgements, and the rather, because not long since this same secret, how profound soever it is, hath beene learnedly discovered out of this place, by a zealous disposer of Gods secrets. Only I may warne them that shall so plead against God, in whose handes they are as Rom 9.21. pots in the hands of the potter, that they take heed least themselues be among thē, whom the same God, with his scepter of yron shall Psal. 2.9. crush and breake in peeces like potters vessels. And so I come to the second thing considered in my text.

Such is the condition for which this doctrine is delivered, that thereby every one, that will be Christs Disciple, is assig­ned to the necessary observance thereof. If he bee a Rom. 9.21. vessell of honour, hauing his name written in heaven, exempted from the power of Sathan, as deare to God, as is the apple of his eie, yet in comming after Christ, he must bee directed by Christ his doctrine; he must deny himselfe, he must take vp his Crosse daily, and must follow him. It is not then put to our choice, to doe, or not to doe after this rule prescribed vnto vs by our Savi­our, but we must doe after it: otherwise a heavie dome is pro­nounced against vs; Mat. 7.23. I knowe you not, you cannot come after me. Then shall we bee Esai. 1.30.31 as okes with fading leaues, and as gar­dens that haue no water. Our selues, how well soever we think of our selues, shall bee as towe, and our pleasures as sparkes, & we shall both burne together.

How much better is it for vs to harkē vnto the voice of our Lord, and to be ruled by him? He teacheth vs that we must de­ny our selues, and take vp our crosses dayly, and follow him, if wee will be his disciples. A hard doctrine indeed for flesh & bloud to consent vnto, yet a necessary one, and therefore not to be refused. You will count him a bad servant, vnworthy his ma­sters favour, that will not do, or grieue to doe, that which his [Page 9] master shall command. The wise man saith, that, howsoever the pleasure of a king is in a wise servant, yet his wrath shal be to­wards him that is lewd, Pro. 14.35. Gehazi offends his master Elisha, because he takes mony and rayment of Naaman the Sy­rian; but how shall Gehazi be rewarded for it? The leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto him, & to his seed for ever, & himselfe shalbe a leaper as white as snow, 2. King. 5.27. The king of Egypts chiefe baker must not offend his master, without losse of his head, Gen. 40.22.

If we be Christs servants why do we not, or why grieue wee to do, that which he enioineth vs? If he be Malac. 1.6. our master, where is his feare? Surely he is not a king in vaine; his lewde servants shall smart for their lewdnesse. Why do we grieue him? If we would giue him leaue; if we would but sweepe our house, and make it cleane for him; he would come downe vnto vs, and would dwell in vs. Why do we offend him? Whosoever shal of­fend one of these little ones, which beleeue in me, saith Christ, it were better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, & that he were drowned in the depth of the sea, Mat. 18.6. What! shall the offenders of the little ones that beleeue in Christ bee so hardly entreated? and shall we, that offend Christ himselfe, looke to escape blamelesse?

S. Chrysostome is of opinion, that there cannot be a more grievous sore to a mans conscience, then to offend Christ, for in his 37. homil. out of the 11. Chap. of Mat. he saith; Et simulti Ge­hennam omni­um malorum supremum, at (que) vltimum pu [...]āt [...] ego tamen sic censeo, sic assi­duè praedicabo, multo acerbiùs esse Christum offendere, quā Gehenne ma­lis vexari. Howso­ever men iudge of hell, as of a place of the most bitter, and the ex­treamest torture that may be, yet I thinke, and will alwaies teach, that it is a more bitter and an extreamer torture to offend Christ by living ill, then to be tormented in hell fire. Yet, assure your selues, that they which goe downe to hell for their transgres­sions against the LORD, haue not very easie, and pleasing pu­nishments: for, their worme shall never die, their fire shall never be quenched, and themselues shall be an abhorring to all flesh, Esa 56.24. Since then it is so dāgerous a thing to offend our Christ, let vs indeavour to offend him no more.

The displeasure of an earthly king bringeth many enimies [Page 10] with it; and shall the King of all kings, moued to wrath and dis­pleasure by our wanton and vitious liues, not be able to set his creatures against vs? yes. For his hand is stretched out still. For him, the Iosh. 10.13. Sunne abode in Gibeon, and the Moone stood still in the vally of Aialon, and there rained Iosh. 10.11. haylstones from heaven to take part, in the discomfiting of the fiue kings of the Amo­rites, Iosh. 10.5. For him fire and brimstone fought against So­dome and Gomorah, Gen. 19.24. For him, the water returned, & covered the chariots and horsemen, even all the host of Pha­raoh, Exod. 14.27. For him, the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed vp the murmurers, Dathan and Abiram with their families, and all the men that appertained to Korah, & all their goods, Numb. 16.32. For him, the Lyons spoiled the Idola­ters, their wiues, and their children, and brake all their bones in peeces, Dan. 6, 24. For him, two Beares came out of the for­rest, and tore in peeces two and fortie of them, which mocked Elisha in his way to Bethel, 2. King. 2.24. Thus hath God dealt with them, with whom he hath beene displeased; and yet, his hand is stretched out still. O that the wicked would consider this, and at last forsake their wickednesse.

But, I feare me, their blindnesse is so great, that they wil not see: Esai. 5.18. they draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie, and sinne as with cartropes: Vers. 20. they speake good of evill, and evill of good: V. 21. they are wise in their owne conceits: many of them are V. 22. mightie to drinke wine, and among them, they are greatest, who are strongest to powre in strong drinke. I could wish that such would read over the 22. verse of the 5. Chapter of the Prophecie of Esay, it is but short, and happely it may yeeld them a soveraigne salue for their sore: without doubt if they haue any feeling of God, they will stand in awe of him, when hee denounceth a woe a­gainst them; and if they will passe but the next verse, and come to the 24. they shall there find, that, as the flame of fire devou­reth the stubble, and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame; so their root shall be as rottennesse, and their budde shall rise vp like dust, the reason is added; because they haue cast off the law of the Lord of hosts, and haue contemned the word of the holy one of Israel.

It may be they are the loather to leaue their pleasures, and to part with their sinnes, because they haue some perswasion, that God hideth his face from them, and seeth them not. Let them not deceaue themselues; a godly preacher assureth them, that their pleasures are spurres, & their sinnes very hypocrits, hony in their mouthes, but poyson in their stomacks. Could Samuel tell Saul all that was in his heart? 1. Sam. 9.19. & could Elisha know that Gehazi had taken bribes? 2. King. 5.26. And shall not God bee able to knowe the deedes and thoughts of men? yes, if Miriam & Aaron speake but against Moses, the Lord will heare them, Num. 12.2. & old Sarah must not think to laugh, and not be seene. Gen. 18.13. Hel and destruction are before the Lord, saith Prov. 15.11. Solomon, how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men? He hath Esai. 40.12. measured the waters in his fift, & coun­ted heaven with his spanne, & comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and waighed the mountaines in a waight, & the hils in a ballance, there is no thought hid from him. Let them ther­fore harkē vnto the words of this God in the 3. Chap. of Mal. vers. 5. I will come neere to you to iudgement, and I will be a swift witnesse against the soothsayers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages, and against them that vex the widow, and the fatherlesse, and oppresse the stranger; and against all that feare not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

If Elah king of Iudah drinke till he be drunken, his servant Zimrie must kill him, 1. King. 16.9. If the men of Gibea play the adulterers with an harlot, 25000. Beniamites must loose their liues for it, Iudg. 20.46. If Achan be found to bee cove­tous, he, & all that he hath, must be burnt with fire, Iosh. 7.24. If the swearer persist in his swearing, the lyer in his lying, the idle minister in his idlenesse, and every wicked one in his wic­kednesse, behold, he that Rev. 19.15. treadeth the wine presse of the fierce­nesse and wrath of Almightie God, shall come quickly, Vers. 13 cloa­thed with a garment dipt in blood, his eyes shall be as a Vers. 12 flame of fire, out of his Ver. 15. mouth shall come a sharp sword, his reward shal be with him to thrust every one of them into the ever burning [Page 12] pit. This shall be the portion of their cup, if they will not turne from their wicked waies.

But if they will returne from all their sinnes, and keepe the statutes of the living God, and doe that which is lawfull and right, God will haue mercy on them. If their transgressions were more in number then the sands of the earth, yet God wil be ready to forgiue them. Rehoboam could no sooner humble himselfe, but he was forgiven, howsoever before he had forsa­ken God, 2. Chron. 12.7. Manasseh did evill in the sight of the Lord, like the abominations of the heathen, and was therfore taken by the Captaines of the king of Assyria, put in fetters, bound in chaines, and caried vnto Babel, yet he could no sooner pray vnto God, but his prayer was heard, and God brought him backe againe to Ierusalem, & placed him in the kingdome, 2. Chron. 33.13. If the thiefe, even thē, when he is on the crosse will pray to Christ to remember him, Christ will tell him, that he shall be that night with him in Paradise, Luk. 23.43.

Since then, such is the compassion of our God, let vs not greeue him; let vs not provoke him to 2. Kin. 21.13 stretch over vs the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab, left so hee wipe vs, as a man wipeth a dish, who wipeth it, and then turneth it vpside downe: let him that is covetous be covetous no more; let the swearer sweare no more; let every one mend one; and then our Esai. 1.18. crimson sinnes shall be white as snowe, and our skarlet sins shall be as wooll; for God hath spoken it, Esa. 1.18. Is there any soule among vs, that hath oft times fallen, and most infinitely offended his maker? with such a soule God communeth in the 3. of Ierem. 1. in this sort: They say, that if a woman depart frō her husband, and do ioine her selfe to another man, she may not return to her first husband againe, for that she is polluted and defiled; & yet whereas thou hast departed from me, and hast committed fornication with many other lovers, doe thou returne vnto me againe, and I will receaue thee, saith Almightie God.

Remember the Ninevites; Gods sentence was gone out a­gainst them: Ion. 3.4. yet 40. daies and Nineveh shall bee overthrowne. Come, see, & tast, how good our God is: Esal. 54.10. the mountaines shall [Page 13] remoue, and the hills fall downe, but Gods mercyes shall not de­part from his people, neither shall the covenant of his peace fall away. The Ninevites could no sooner in detestation of their former liues, Ion. 3 5. proclaime a fast, put on sackcloath, and turne frō their wicked waies, but Ver. 10. God repented him of the evill, which he had said, that he would doe vnto them, & he did it not.

Let vs looke to our selues: Gods sentence is given, against all Idolaters, adulterers, wantons, and the like, they shal not in­herite the kingdome of God, 1. Cor. 6.10. yet let not such des­paire of Gods mercy, & so be hardned to persist in living wic­kedly; the Ninevites can assure them, that they may be forgi­ven. If they haue fallen, they may rise againe; if they haue been lost companions, yet they may be saved; if they haue commit­ted adultery, or haue been drunken for the time past, they may be continent, and sober for the time to come: if they haue de­lighted in lewd and evill company, they may hereafter acquaint themselues with good. This only is necessary that they beginne their conversion out of hand, that they repent vnfeignedly, & throughly reforme themselues. If they do this they shall liue. Yea we must all do so, or else we shall not liue. We must repent vs of our sinnes from the bottomes of our harts, and turne frō our wicked waies, and now at last begin to deny our selues and to take vp our crosses dayly and to follow Christ; and this is the doctrine which I noted in the third place.

Diosc. li. 4. ca. 77. Describing the nature of the Nerii sive Re­dodaphnes. En­ecant folia flores (que) ejus jumenta qua­drupedes (que) omnes. Eadē homini con­tra venenato­rum morsus medicinā faciunt. Vide & Leon. Fuchsium Comment. de hist. stirpium cap. 204. rose-laurel, saith that the flower thereof is a very strong poison to al cattle and foure footed beasts, but to men of a soveraigne remedy a­gainst poison: of such a nature is this doctrine of our Saviour. It is as poison to the wicked and vnbeleeving, the very 2. Cor. 2.16. savour of death vnto death; but to the godly and beleeving, it is a preser­vatiue against poison, even the Ibid. savour of life vnto life.

The first precept contained therein is, that we must deny our selues; in which the whole nature of man is reiected and disal­lowed, togither with all the powers and desires thereof, as far vnfit to be in any of Christs disciples. What is man that he should be cleane? and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust? [Page 14] Iob. 15.14. we are Psal. 51.5. borne in iniquity, and our mothers haue conceived vs in sinne; yea, we are servants of sin; Gen. 6.5. all the ima­ginations of our hearts haue been evil even from our youth. By this corruption of our nature, selfe loue hath beene so rooted in vs, that we marveilously please our selues, even in our worst desires. But S. Paule telleth vs, that the wisedome of the flesh, is enmity against God, because it is not subiect to the law of God, nor indeed can be, Rom. 8.7. Wherefore since they that liue in the flesh, overruled by the affections and pleasures which are na­turally engrafted in them, cannot please God; it is very neces­sary that we deny our selues in renouncing all such delights, in humbling our selues vnder the almighty hand of God, and consecrating our selues wholy to him through the obedience of faith. We then being cōmanded to deny our selues, are com­manded nothing else, then that, which is signified by the my­sterie of regeneration, Iohn. 3, 3. & by the mortifying of our earthly members, Colos. 3.5. In the first place Christ telleth vs: Ioan. 3.3. Ex­cept a man be borne againe, he cannot see the kingdome of God. In the other S. Paule warneth vs Coloss. 3.2. to set our affections on thinges which are aboue, and not on things which are on earth. Abraham denied himselfe when he went out of his country, and from his kindred, and from his fathers house, not knowing whither hee should go, or where he should finde any rest, Gen, 12.1. Mo­ses denied himselfe, when he refused to be called the son of Pha­raohs daughter, and chose rather to suffer adversity with the peo­ple of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sins for a season, Heb. 11.24. Paule denied himselfe when he accounted all things losse, & iudged them to be filthe for Christs sake, Phil. 3. [...]

Wilt thou know what it is to deny thy selfe, saith S. Chrys. hom. 56. in 16. Matt? Then consider what it is to deny another man. If thou seest another beaten with rods, or imprisoned, or stoned, or suffer any other ill, as hunger, thirst, cold, nakednes, or the like, and doest not seeke to helpe him, nor takest pitty vpon him, then thou deniest him: Sic nullo nos pacto corpori nostro parcere vult, vt ne (que) si caeditur, ne (que) si pellitur, ne (que) si vritur, nec si quid aliud eius. modi patitur, ei parcamus. so if thou wilt deny thy selfe, thou must not favour thine owne body, whensoever it shal be beaten, or stoned, or burnt, or howsoever it shall bee afflicted. [Page 15] S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel saith, Semetipsum aburgat, quicun (que) mutatur ad meliora, & incipit esse quod non erat, & definit esse quod erat. Be thou changed from worse to better, and beginne to be that which thou hast not beene, and leaue of to be that which thou hast beene, and thou hast denyed thy selfe. S. Hie­rom. in 16. of Matth. saith that he, Qui deponit vererem homi­nem cum operi­bus suis, dene­gat semetipsum. that putteth of the old man with his workes, denieth himselfe. But, howsoever Christ hath commanded vs to deny our selues, we may not presume of our owne ability herein. For he that is 1. Pet. 1.23. borne againe, is borne not of bloud, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, by the seed of his word, by the liuely operation of the holy Ghost.

Yet God would not haue vs to be idle and carelesse, he hath therefore appointed certaine exercises for vs, as good helpes for our denying our selues. 1. We must pray for Gods assistāce. So did David; Create in me a cleane heart O God, & renue a right spirit within me, Psal. 51.10. So did the spowse; draw me, & we wil follow thee, Cant. 1.3. So did the Apostles: Lord encrease our faith, Luk. 17.5.

2 We must vse a dayly & a serious meditation of our professions and vocations. As God hath called every man, so let him walk. Rom. 7.17. We giue no smal occasion to sin when we careles­lie forget our estates, or but seldomly thinke of them, and that as by the way, nothing mindfull of our accompt which we are to render vnto God, who is ready to require at our handes, the bloud of all such as shall perish by our negligence. The consi­deration hereof without doubt made Dauid pray to the Lord, that he would lay the pestilence vpō him & his fathers house, and spare the people committed to his charge, 2. Sam. 24.17. the like affection was in Moses, when he praied that his name might be rased out of the book, wherin God had written him, rather then the sinnes of the people vnder his governement should not be for forgiven, Exod. 32.32. Such was the zeale of S. Paule, when he wished with his owne damnation, to re­deeme the reiection of the Iews, Rom. 9.3. Such should be the affection, loue, and zeale of all the ministers of Gods word.

But as shee in respect of her tribulations, said, Ruth. 1.20. call me no more Naomi, but call me Mara, that is, call me no more beauti­full, but call me bitter; so may too many of the ministery of this age, say very iustly, call vs no more Pastors, that is freeders of our flockes, and call vs no more Doctors, that is, teachers of others; but call vs robbers, for such wee are: call vs sleepers, for we never watch in our vocations: neither is there any other reason, why they should be called pastors and doctors, which feed not, & teach not the people committed to their charges, then that the Idols which Gen. 31.19. Rachel stole were called Gods, be­cause in Labans iudgment they were like Gods, when indeed they were very stockes. Such may learne of Salomon, that as a bird is that wandreth from her nest, so is a man that wandreth from his owne place, Prov. 27.8.

3 We must duely consider the estate of the things of this world, and conferre them with things celestiall and eternal: & so finding nothing vnder heaven, worthy to make vs desirous of our liues, we shall be the more ready to deny our selues. The preacher considered all the works that were done vnder the sunne, and behold, all was vanity and vexation of the spirit, Eccle. 1.14. Eccl. 2.4. He made great works, he built houses, he planted vineyards, he had large Ver. 7. possessions of beeues and sheepe; and he Ver. 8. gathe­red togither silver and gold, the chiefe treasures of kings and provinces; he provided himselfe men singers and women sin­gers, yea all the delights of the sonnes of men; Ver. 10. whatsoever his eies desired, he withheld it not from them; he withdrew not his heart from any ioy, he was great, and encreased aboue all that were before him in Ierusalem; yet when he looked on all his workes that his hands had wrought, behold all was vanity and vexation of the spirit, Eccles. 2.11. Of such a spirit was S. Paul, iudging all the things of this worlde to bee drosse for Christs sake, yea, he desired to be dissolved and to bee with Christ, Phil. 1.23. He saw a law in his members, rebelling against the law of his minde, leading him captiue vnto the law of sin, which was in his members, which made him to cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom. [Page 17] 7.24. As for the Epicures and carnal men, who, making Philip. 3.19 their belly their God, admire the things of this world, and thinke it farre better to be a Eccles. 9.4. living Dogge, then a dead Lyon, not ca­ring how abiect and vile soever they be, so that they may liue: they may know, that it shall advantage them nothing Matt 16.26. to win the whole world, because they destroy and loose themselues for it: they may beleeue, that whosoever will saue his life shall loose it, and whosoever shal loose his life for Christs sake, the same shall saue it, for he that is all truth hath said it, Luk. 9.24.

4 The careful breeding of a man from his childhood, shal bee much available to the denying of himselfe. To doe or to suffer, whatsoever, contrary to the sence of the flesh, shall bee very easie to him, that hath beene taught, and accustomed in his first yeares to keepe vnder, and to bridle his affections. It is good for a man, that he beare the yoke in his youth, saith the Pro­phet, Lament. 3.27. for so when afflictions grow greater, his patience also by experience shall be stronger.

Here all governours to whom the oversight of the younger sort is committed, may remember themselues of their duties, Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2. reporteth of a nation in India called Pandora: that the inhabitants thereof haue Ctesias tra­dit, gentem ex his quae appella­tur Pandorae, in cōvallibus suā, annos ducentos vivere. In juvē ­tâ candide ca­pillo, qui in se­nectute nigres. cat. hoare hayres when they are young, but blacke, when they are old. I would it might not be reported iustly of this place, that many schollers, young gentlemen, & others, come to our Vniversitie, as it were with hoare hayres, well nurtured, full of tokens of sobrietie & mo­desty; which staying here but a short time, haue blacke haires, (such is the contagion of this place) their manners are lost; the tokens of their modesty and sobrietie are no more to be seene. For the better wiping away of this blot, it were to be wished, that all they, who are any way in place to governe, (remem­bring, that Prov. 29.15. a child set at liberty maketh his mother ashamed, and that wisdome is giuen by the rod and correction) would bee no lesse carefull to teach the young ones vnder their rule to walke in truth, then was that noble Lady to teach her chil­dren, 2. Iohn. 4.

It remaineth that I should come to the second precept, but [Page 18] that, with the last I must omit, because of the shortnesse of the time. 1. Sam. 6.10 Here therefore I will conclude. As the Philistines shut vp the calues at home, whilst the two milch-kine caried the arke of the Lord to Bethshemesh, because the crying of the calues should be no stay to the kine; even so let vs, that liue here on earth as pilgrims, travailing towards our owne home, shut vp as it were, al things wherein we haue delighted, let vs deny our selues, let vs not giue eare to the cryings of our Fathers & Mo­thers, or of any our wretched companions, that they bee no stay to vs in this our iourney; and then as these kine went on, till the Lord brought them where the arke should rest, so shall we goe on, till the Lord bring vs where our rest shall bee. To which rest of blessednes the Lord of his infinite mercy vouch­safe to bring vs all, for the loue of his only sonne, our Saviour, Iesus Christ.

THat Zach. 5 1. flying booke, which the Zacharias, sonne of Berechiah saw in a vision, Zach. 5.2. bearing in length 20. cubits, and in breadth 10. cō ­tained Vers. 3. that curse, which then was gone forth over, and yet is continuing vpon the face of the whole earth. For every one that stealeth shall be cut off, as wel on this side, as on that: and every one that sweareth shall be cut off, as well on this side, as on that: and every one that maketh light of the law of his God shall be cut off, as well on this side, as on that: Of this curse flying about with this booke, the LORD of hosts hath said, Vers. 4. I will bring it forth, and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe, and into the house of him, that falsly sweareth by my name, and it shall remaine in the midst of his house, and shall con­sume [Page 19] it with the timber thereof, and with the stones thereof.

When not long since I began the vnfolding of this peece of Scripture which I haue now read vnto you, containing a per­fect doctrine, or an exact rule, sufficient for the teaching, or guiding of all that will follow Christ, then in part I declared the meanes, by which we might be so qualified, that the curse of this flying booke, might no way take hold of vs, or any our houses. Then in this Scripture I considered,

First the vniversalitie, in these words, And he said vnto all.

Secondly, the necessitie implyed in the condition, in the words following, if any man will come after me.

Thirdly, the doctrine it selfe, divided into 3 praecepts, in the last words, let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, & follow me.

You heard then, that this doctrine was vniversall, for that Christ delivered it vnto all, yet to all not simply, but to all with a restraint, to al the elect, not to any one of the reprobate. And then likewise you heard that this doctrine was necessarie: for that every one that would not harken to the same, was to look for no better, then to be cast into olde, deepe, and large Esai 30.33. To­phet, whose burning is fire and much wood, kindled with the breath of the Lord, as with a river of brimstone. And then last of all, I spake of the third praecept, wherein you heard that the whole nature of man was reiected and disallowed, together with all the powers and desires thereof, as farre vnfit to bee in any of Christs Disciples; & therefore that a necessitie was laid vpon vs to renounce all fleshly delights, to humble our selues vnder the Almightie hand of God, & to consecrate our selues wholly to him, through the obedience of faith, and that for the better performance hereof, wee ought, First, to pray for Gods assistance. Secondly, to vse a dayly and a serious medita­tion of our professions and vocations. Thirdly, to conferre the estate of the things of this world, with things celestiall and e­ternall. And lastly, to be carefull of our living and conversing even from our childhood, till both our feete bee put into the graue. So farre I then proceeded as God gaue vtterance, lea­ving [Page 20] the 2. precept with the 3. vnspoken of according to which if wee will frame our liues, wee shall find that they are most forcible meanes to make the curse of the Zach. 5.1. flying booke of no force against vs.

The 2. precept therefore is, that wee must take vp our crosses dayly; wherein let mee desire you, to consider with mee, First, what crosses are, for every man must take vp a crosse. Secondly, what crosse it is that every one must take vp, it is his own crosse; let him take vp his crosse. Thirdly, of what behaviour every one must be in bearing his crosse; he must shew willingnesse and o­bedience, for hee must not so much as dislike when his crosse is imposed vpon him, but he must take it vp. Fourthly, when this crosse is to be taken vp, and how long to be borne; this crosse must bee taken vp to day, and not bee laid downe againe to morrow; for it must be borne dayly. Of these only at this time.

Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuance, and ful of troubles, Iob. 14.1. troubles by land, and troubles by sea, troubles by day, and troubles by night; many are Psal. 34.19. the troubles of the righteous, and many are the sorrowes of the wicked, e­very day addeth a new affliction, & every night a new crosse: every man hath cause to cry out, and say: Our transgressions & our sinnes are vpon vs; we are consumed because of them, Ezech. 33.10. That which is vnsavorie shall it be eaten without salt? or is there any tast in the white of an egg, saith Iob. 6.6. What delight then can we take in our liues, whose griefes and miseries, were they wel weighed and laid thgether in the ballance, would be Iob 6.3. heavier then the sands of the sea: Vers. 4. the arrows of the Almightie are in vs; their venim hath even drunke vp our spirits. Wretched man, that thou shouldest bee thus troubled with crosses.

Howsoever these crosses seeme to be infinite, yet the smal­lest number may well include them. For either they are such as are cōmon to all men in generall, whether vessels of honour or of dishonor or else they are such as are proper only to the vessels of honor. For after that the first mā had offēded against the law, which he had receaued of his God, a cursse was pronounced a­gainst him, and against all other creatures of the earth for his [Page 21] sake: cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou e [...]e of yt all the daies of thy life; thornes & thistles shall it bringe forth vnto thee, and thou shalt eate the hearb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread, till thou returne to the earth againe, Gen. 3.17, 18, 19. Here you see a cōmon crosse: labour for every man, of what estate soever he be: labour for the servant, and labour for the maister, labour for the subiect, and labour for the King. Art thou a Ephes. 5.6. child of disobedience, reserved vnto the day of destructiō, to be brought forth to that great Rom. 2.5. day of wrath? Then hast thou no reason, why thou shouldest not labour. Art thou an obedient child registred in the booke of life, and ther­by exempted from the power of Sathan? then hast thou reason to reioyce; but yet behold, in the Gen. 3.19. sweate of thy face, thou shalt eate thy bread.

Other crosses ther are, as common to all men, as this former. Consider, and ther shall appeare vnto you a mans sorrowes at his birth, his whole life a valley full of sorrowes, & his sorrowes at his death: besides the infinitnesse of diseases, to which every mā is by nature subiect. The reason of al which is, for that eve­ry one of vs in our first parēt, whē he should haue sowne to him selfe in righteousnesse, that he might haue reaped after the mea­sure of mercy, hath plowed wickednesse, and reaped iniquitie, Hos. 10.12. to all which the patient man respecteth, saying: Mise­ry commeth not forth of the dust, neither doth affliction spring out of the earth, but man is borne vnto travaile, as naturally the sparkes of the fire fly vpward, Iob. 5.6, 7,

Now, because the world lying wholly in wickednesse, vn­able to receaue the spirit of truth, hateth with all bitternesse all such, in whom the light of the truth sheweth it selfe; other crosses there are proper to the vessels of honour onely. Such are the strange & diverse kinds of persecutions, in which the faith­full haue beene from time to time afflicted, with false accusati­ons, with imprisonments, with losse of goods, with banishment, with dreadful deaths before vnheard of. Eliiah for killing Baals Prophets, found Iezebels heart set against him even to the death, 1. King. 19.2. Micaiah for speaking to Achab accor­ding [Page 22] to the word of the Lord, was put into a dungeon, and there fed with bread and water of affliction, 1. King. 22.27. The hot burning furnace was thought punishment little enough, for the three children which refused to worship Nebuchadnez­zars God, and his golden Image, Dan. 3.20. All which, & like afflictions of the godly, of what sort soever they bee, are called here by Christ, crosses, to put vs in minde, of the communion, which is betweene vs and himselfe. For as hee for our sinnes hath indured vpon the crosse vnspeakable griefes, and a cursed death, so must wee for his sake hating this world, and the plea­sures thereof, be ready to beare all such afflictions as shall befal vs, that our faith in him may be kept holy, and vndefiled.

Every Christian therefore is to take vp his crosse, his owne crosse, even such a crosse, as God shal lay vpon him, as his own; yet so, that he must not neglect the miseries of others. The rule of charitie inviolably to bee kept by all Christians, bids vs to weepe with them that weepe, Rom. 12.15. Pharaohs daughter teacheth vs, when wee meete with a child cast of to the wide world, to take it vp, and nourish it, Exod. 2.6. The Samaritan shall condemne vs, if when we find our neighbour in the high way wounded, we take no compassion vpon him, Luk. 10.33.

We are all 1. Cor. 6.15. Ephes 5.30. members of one body; Christ Iesus is our Ephes. 5.23. head; where is the sympathy should be between vs? Can one member be grievously tormented, and the rest 1. Cor. 12.26. suffer nothing? You knowe that in your naturall bodies, if the foote bee hurt, the hand is ready to lay a plaister to it. Why should it bee other­wise in this our spiritual body? Can your hearts suffer you, see­ing the poore in this time of dearth crying out vnto you at your dores, and in the streets for reliefe, to yeeld them no suc­cour? Bee not loath to lend vnto the Lord, for hee will repay it, Prov. 19.17. Learne counsell of the wise man. He telleth you, that whosoever giueth vnto the poore shall never lacke, but hee that hideth his face from the poore, shall haue many curses, Pro­verb. 28.27.

Our Saviour then commanding vs to take vp our own cros­ses, doth not forbid vs to pitie such, as are to be pitied, but sig­nifieth [Page 23] vnto vs, that the crosse, which wee are to take vp, is such a crosse, as God in his good pleasure shall lay vpon vs, & there­by is made our owne. Shall there bee any evill in the citie, & the Lord hath not done it? saith Amos. 3.6. Howsoever wee are fed with the bread of affliction, wee must still acknowledge God [...] be the author thereof, our sinnes mouing him thereto. Miriam spake against her brother Moses, the servant of the Lord. Num. 12.2. God said a crosse vpon her for it; shee was made leprous like s [...]e, Num. 12.10. Baasha, hee walked in the way of Ieroboam, and made the people of Israel to sinne, and with their sinnes pro­voked the highest God. Behold his crosse for it: Hee that dieth of Baashaes stocke in the citie, him shall the dogges eate; and that man of him, which dieth in the fields, shall the foules of the aire eate, 1. King. 16.4. 2. Chro. 2.6 IEHORAM walked in the way of the king of ISRAEL, as the house of Ahab had done before him, [...]e Vers. 4. slew all his brethren with the sword. See, God had a crosse for him in readines; for he Vers. 14. smote his people, his children, his wiues, and all his substance, with a great plague, yea, he smote Iehorams owne bowels, with an incurable disease, so that in processe of time Vers. 19. after the end of two yeares, they miserably gushed out, 2. Chron. 21.18.

What is man that he should be cleane, or hee that is borne of a woman that he should be iust? Iob. 15.14. God hath found no Iob 15.15. stedfastnesse in his saints; yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight, Vers. 16. how much more is man abominable and filthie, which drinketh iniquitie like water? he is altogether sinfull; sinfull in his conception; sinfull in his birth; in every deed, word, and thought, wholly sinfull. And can we so sinfull, by our sin pro­voking to wrath our good God, thinke to escape our due cros­ses? let vs beleeue S ^t Paule; he telleth vs, that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution, 2. Tim. 3.12.

Yet behold, she that hath beene so oft Apoc. 17.6. drunken with the blood of the saynts & martyrs of Iesus, teacheth her followers to vndertake new crosses, which are not laid vpon them by Gods finger. Some must bring down thēselues with needles fastings, others must vowe pilgrimages full of dangers; many must make [Page 24] choyce to liue poore hermites in an hermitage; such as keepe thēselues within the walls of their cloysters, must watch much, lodge hardly, even vpon the grownd; & often scourge themselues. All which they doe not with-out pretence; for every one must take vp his owne crosse.

S ^t. Austin in his 50 Epist. written to Bonifacius, speaketh of three kindes of deaths wherewith the Donatistes willingly de­sired to be killed, or rather killed themselues. Ad Paganorū celeberrimas so­lennitates ingē ­tia turbarum [Donatistarū] agmina venie­bant, non vt ido­la frange [...]ent, sed vt interfice­rentur à culto­ribus idol [...]rum. Some of them would make request to the worshipers and keepers of Idols to destroy them; Quidam etiā se trucidandos armatis viatori­bus ingerebant, percussuros eos se, nisi ab eis per­imerentur ter­ribiliter commi­nantes. others would offer themselues to armed men lying by the high waies side to be slaine of of them; and there wanted not such among them, Per abrupta praecipitia, per aquas & flam­mas occidere se ipsos, quotidia­nus illis ludus fuit. as delighted to cast themselues down headlong from high places into the water, and into the fire. This these did with like pretence: Everie one must take vp his owne crosse.

In these our daies the Anabaptistes desire to haue crosses laid vpon them, without iust cause, and before God layth them on there shoulders, they are willing to forsake wife, children, sub­stance, and countrie to, to oppose themselues to manifest dan­gers. A Gualter. in Matth. homil. 209. ad c. 16. Vidi ego mulie­rem, quae cum multis annis cum marit [...] honeste vixisse [...], hoc furore per­citam relictis septem liberis, & quidem minimo natu adhuc lactente, ad Anabaptistas profugisse, nec aliam sui facti excusationem praetexuisse, quam quòd Christus nos ad Crucem vocat. zealous preacher of late yeares of Zurich saith that himselfe saw a woman, which (after that shee had lived many yeares, honestly with her husband, and among her neigh­bours) instructed by the Anabaptists, ran away from her hus­band, and forsooke her seven little children, nothing pitying the youngest, although a sucking child, and when she was as­ked why so vnlike a mother, shee left her children, shee had that pretence which the rest of the Anabaptists haue, Every one must take vp his owne crosse Monks, Donatists, and Ana­baptists, all account themselues blessed, for their voluntary ta­king vp of their owne crosses.

The searchers out of naturall causes doe teach, that in many senselesse things, there is a secret friendship, so that the one is much the better for the presence of the other. Pliny saith, that the Elme florisheth if it be set by a vine, Lib. 16. cap. 17 & that [Page 25] Rue groweth best being planted vnder a fig-tree, Lib. 19. c. 8. and the Heliotropium, spreadeth her leaues at the presence of the Sunne, Lib. 22. cap. 21. All which will not bee of so good liking, if these their naturall loues be remoued from them: the Elme will scarse thriue; the Rue will hang downe her tops: the Heliotropium will close her leaues againe. Me thinks that zeal is not of a farre vnlike condition.

If it be ioined with a good cause, how gratious is it in the eies of the Lord! The zeale of Phin [...]has, manifested in his kil­ling Zimrie and Cozbi, was of force to turne away the anger of the Lord from the children of Israel, Numb. 25.11. The zeale of Hezekiah breaking in peices the brasen serpent set vp by Gods word, when it was abused vnto Idolatrie, was a sweet smel­ling sacrifice; the Lord was with him for it, and he prospered in all things that he tooke in hand, 2. King. 18.7. The zeale of Moses commanding the Exod. 32.27, 28. Levites to kill all them, which worshipped the golden Calfe did so please God, that he turned the curse of Iacob against Levi to a blessing, Deut. 33.8. &c.

But once take away a good cause from zeale, and the very absence of it shall make zeale iniquitie. If Ioshuah in zeale de­sire Moses to forbid Eldad and Medad to prophecie, Moses will tell him that his zeale is envie, Numb. 11.29. And let not Peter in zeale desire Christ to pitie himselfe, vnlesse he will be called Sathan for it, Mat. 16.23. Though Saule never so zea­lous (as he thinks, in Gods cause) breath out threatnings and slaughter against Christs Disciples; yet in the ende hee shall re­ceaue a reproofe from Gods owne mouth; It is hard for thee, Saul to kicke against the pricke, Act. 9.5.

I can easily perswade my selfe, that all such men, as these were, (of whose forwardnesse in taking vp their owne and vo­luntary crosses, you haue already heard) are very zealous in their sufferings; yet because their zeal is not accompanied with a good cause; because they doe, whatsoever they doe in this, with a misconceit of Gods word; I must needs say, that their zeale is not worth commendation, it is superstition, it is abo­mination. Although Martyrdome be an excellent worke, and [Page 26] the gift of God; and howsoever Polycarpus did very well, to giue thankes and praise to God when he was put into the fire, as Eusebius specifieth, Lib. 4. Eccles. hist. cap. 15. yet hence it cannot be proued, that a man should voluntarily endanger his life, or any way torment himselfe. Let Marculus fling himselfe downe headlong from a rocke, and let Donatus in like sort cast himselfe into a pit, both with intent to end their liues, yet shal they not therefore be called Martyrs, saith S ^t Austin Trac. 11. in cap. 3. Iohannis.

Dost thou deserue to be called Ier. 6.30. reprobate silver, because the LORD hath reiected thee? or art thou to bee compared to the Esai. 57.20. raging sea, whose waters cannot rest, but must cast vp mire & dirt? Be thou never so wicked, yet thy death may be like to the death of a Martyr. Aug. conc. 2. in Psal. 34 There were three at once on the crosse; one, the Saviour of the world: the second a repentant sinner, which was to be that night with Christ in Paradise: the other a theefe farre from repenting, who was to bee rewarded with damnation: All these three had like punishment, howsoever their causes were altogether different. Wouldst thou be coū ­ted a Martyr at thy death? saith the same father in his 71. Ep. which is to Dulcitius, be thou then a good Christian in thy life assuring thy selfe, that it is not the punishment, but the cause that maketh the Martyr. Eor, saith he, Lib. 1. c. 17. contra ep. Parmeniani, if punishment, without due regard of the cause be sufficient to eternize a Martyr, then let Pagans bee Martyrs, as oft as they are lawfully punished for their superstitiō, which in their opinions, is holy religion: yea then let the devils bee Martyrs too, for they also in a sort suffer persecution at the hands of Christians; when their temples all the world over are overthrowne, their Idols broken, their sacrifices prohibited, & their worshippers punished. The consideration of the absurdity hereof, maketh him in the same place to conclude: Non ergo ex passione certa est iustitia, sed ex iustitia passio gloriosa est, A man is not therefore righteous because he suffereth, but his suffering is therefore glorious, because it is for righteousnes. And therefore the Lord hath not said in generall, blessed are [Page 27] they which suffer persecutiō, but he hath restrained it, blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake, Mat. 5.10.

It is the righteous cause then that maketh the persecution glorious; if our death be for righteousnesse sake, blessednesse shall attend vs: yet with a caveat, that we be not the procurers of our owne persecutions, that we be not the causes of our own deaths. For if we are such, the goodnesse of our causes cannot excuse vs. Christ his counsell is; when they persecute you in this citie, fly vnto another, Matt. 10.23. So farre is hee from willing vs to vndertake needlesse crosses. Wherevpon Clemens Alex­andrinus in his 4. book of his Stromata, discourseth thus: Christ perswades thee to fly, not as if it were ill for thee to suffer persecu­tion, or as if thou shouldest feare death; but that thou mightest not be author of any ill, either to thy selfe, or to thy persecutors. Wilt thou not obey him, then art thou presumptuous & over rash, running vnadvisedly into manifest dangers. Thou canst not be ignorant, that it is sinne against God, Exod. 20.13 to kill a man. Knowe this then, that if thou dost not fly in time of persecution, but dost offer thy selfe to be apprehended by the persecutors, thou kil­lest thy selfe; & as much as in thee lyeth, thou giuest assistance to effect the wicked intents of such as persecute thee.

What then? Is it lawfull to fly in time of persecution? Hee that flyed not, but stood to it, and suffered death for vs all, telleth vs that the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe, Ioh. 10.11 but an Ioh. 10.12. hireling, and he which is not the shepheard, neither the sheepe are his owne, seeth the wolfe comming, and hee leaueth the sheepe and flyeth, and the wolfe catcheth them, and scattereth the sheepe; Ioh. 10.13 so the hireling flyeth, because he is an hireling, & careth not for the sheepe. If then the shepheard ought to put his life in ieopardy for his sheepe, and if all that fly be not shepheards, but hirelings, how is it that the shepheard may flie?

S ^t Austine in his 180. Epist. which is too Honoratus, is of o­pinion, that Christs flocke, purchased and gotten with his owne blood, may not bee forsaken, and made destitute of the necessarie ministery. Wherevpon this is his resolution, that the Pastor, when, and where, there is none to supply his room, [Page 28] so that in flying, his sheepe may bee brought in danger of de­struction, ought not to fly, but with a bold minde to abide, and sustaine persecution, evē vnto death, if need be. When S. Paule fled from Damascus, let downe through the wall in a basket, Act. 9.25. the Church was not left void of the necessary mini­stery, but the thing which ought to bee done was accompli­shed by other faithfull brethren, which remained there; all which willed and egged him forward, that he should preserue and keepe himselfe to the vse and profit of the Church: and therefore he addeth; let the servants of Christ, the ministers of his word and sacraments, doe that which he hath commanded and permitted; let them fly at all times Mat. 10.23. from city to city, when any of them specially and personally is sought of the persecu­tors, so that the Church be not left desolate of others, which are not so persecuted, that their fellow servants may haue their food; and if it shall happen, that the perill and persecution bee generall, pertinent to the whole number of Bishops, and the Clergie; then either let them all goe to places, where they may all be defended, that they may altogether liue; or else let thē all tarry, that they may altogether suffer.

To which S. Austines iudgement, Lyranus, expoūding the 11. verse of the 10. chap. of S. Iohn, giveth his consent, saying: nomine lupi venientis super oves, aliquādo intelligitur diabolus, per tentationes fideles infestans: aliquando haereticus, per falsam doctrinam corrumpens; aliquando tyrannus, violentiâ armorum persequens, &c. The name of wolfe hath three significations for thereby is meant either the Divell, which molesteth the faith­full by often temptations: or the Heretique, which seduceth them by his false doctrine: or the Tyrant, which persecuteth them by his mighty violence. In the first and second significa­tions, if the wolfe come to the sheepe, the Pastor must not flie: for such wolues are not to be resisted by the Pastor corporally, but rather spiritually, by devout praier, by holy preaching, and by sound doctrine. In the third signification of the name of a wolfe a distinction is to be made; for the persecution is either personall, or generall: if personall, so that it be against the Pastor [Page 29] onely, and not against the flocke committed to him, then hee may lawfully flie: but if it be common, both against the shep­heard, & also against the flocke, yet a distinction is to be made; for either there is but one Pastor, or else there be many: if but one, he ought not to flie, and forsake his flock, for so he should be a hireling and not a shepheard: if many, of whom the Church hath need, then some ought to remaine, and others may flie; the flocke remaining behinde ought to bee sufficiently provi­ded for. Wherefore if they shal contend, who shall tary, calling for the grace of the holy Ghost, they may decide it by lots.

Aug. ep. 180 Athanasius that good Bishop of Alexandria, seeking by flight to escape the furie of the Emperour Constantius, left be­hinde him a sufficient, and a learned ministery to governe the Church; and in his Apologie to Constantius, vsing many exam­ples out of Gods booke to proue his flight lawfull, as the fly­ing of Iacob from Esau, of Moses from Pharaoh, of David from Saule, of Elias from Iesabel, of Christ and his disciples from the Iewes, (I omit the rest) maketh this his resolution: Our Savior commanded vs to flie away, and to hide our selues, as oft as we shall be persecuted, and sought for to the death, [...]. Siquidem in ae­quilibrio est, & seipsum occidere, & se inimicis ad occidendū pro­pinare: for it is all one, saith he, for a man to kill himselfe, and to offer himselfe to his enemies to be slaine.

So then, if the Pastor can leaue his flocke sufficiently pro­vided for, he may fly in time of persecution; but if there be none to supply his roome, he must stand to it: he must take vp his own crosse: yea every Christian is bound to the obedience of the same law: as he must not be froward in taking vp needlesse cros­ses, which may not be called his owne; so he must not be backe­ward in bearing such crosses, as God in his good pleasure shall laie vpon him; for they are his owne. Wherefore let vs now see of what behaviour we must be, in bearing our own crosses, which is my third note of the second precept.

Iacob served Laban for Rachel 7. yeares, & they seemed vn­to him but a few daies, because he loved her, Gen. 29.20. Har­ken all yea that are negligent, and wretchlesse, by living in all [Page 30] vngratitude towards God: consider this, that iust one for the loue of Labans daughter purposed withall willingnes to serue Laban 7. yeares. He resolved with patience to endure whatsoe­ver paines and cares might befall him in a shepheards life; his loue so fed him with hope, that so many yeares were but as a few daies vnto him. How canst thou be excused before God, thanklesse Christiā? a LOVE is offered thee; not Labans daugh­ter, but the sonne of God, even thy Saviour CHRIST IESVS; I know thou wouldst gladly obtaine this loue; yet art thou vn­willing to serue God, (I say not 7. yeares,) but 7. daies for him: thou art not resolute with patience to endure such crosses as must befal thee in thy Christians life: howsoever thy loue feeds thee with hope, yet so few daies seeme as many yeares vnto thee. Wouldst thou know in this thy froward course how to bee amended? Harken vnto thy loue; hee bids thee take vp thy crosse. When it shall please God to visite thee with any kind of affliction, thou must beare it willingly, thou must beare it pa­tientlie.

Here you see what behaviour is required of vs, in bearing our crosses; we must be willing, we must be patient. He coulde giue good counsaile that said; Refuse not the chastening of the LORD, nor be grieved with his correction, Prov. 3.11. His coū ­saile there is not without reason, because the Lorde correcteth him, whom he loveth, even as the father doth the childe, in whom he delighteth. What! shall we receiue good at Gods hand, and not receiue evill? Iob. 2.10. Let vs arme our selues with patience; which is as powerfull to the seasoning of our crosses bee they never so bitter, as was the tree, which Moses cast into the spring of force to season the bitternesse of the waters, Exod. 25.25.

The Persians had a custome among thēselues, as oft as they would punish any noble man, to take from him his head tire & his vpper garment, & to beat thē insteed of the man himselfe: Gods dealing to vs ward is not much vnlike; our sinfull soules provoke him to wrath, in stead of thē he punisheth our bodies with diseases, our fields with barrennesse, our goods with fire, or otherwise.

Behold though Luk. 16 20. Lazarus lie at the gate; Gen. 39.20. Ioseph in prison Ieremy in the dungeon, Dan. 6.16. Daniel among the Lyons, Dan. 3.20. the chil­dren in the fornace; yet shall they not be tempted aboue that they are able to beare, 1. Cor. 10.13. Though the troubles of the righ­teous are great, yet the Lord delivereth him out of all Psa. 34.19. Though for a time we dwell in darknesse and in the shadowe of death, bound in misery and yron, Psal. 107.10, yet at last comes the yeare of Iubilee, (wherein all the Lords prisoners, all pri­soners of hope, so called because they may hope to bee set at li­berty, Zach. 9.12, shal be set at liberty) and then shall we haue our liberty too. Then those sweet scriptures will haue their end: the Lord retaineth not his wrath for ever, because mercie pleaseth him, Mich. 7.18. After two daies he will reviue vs, and in the third day he will raise vs vp, and we shal liue in his sight, Hos. 6.2. Surely there is an end, and thine hope shall not be cut of, Prov. 23.18. Heavinesse may endure for a night, but ioy shall come in the morning, Psal. 30.5.

Ps. 107.8.O that we would therefore Praise the LORD for his good­nesse, and declare the wonders, that he hath done, & doth for vs. Rather then Eliah shall starue, the ravens shall feed him, 1. King. 17.6. Rather then Ionah shall be drowned, the fish shall saue him. Ion. 1.17. and if the glutton will not, the dogs shall pity Lazarus; Luk. 16.21. For as David charged his souldiers, not to kill Absolon his sonne, although he sent them against him, to stay his rebellion, 2. Sam. 18.5. So God forbiddeth his crosses to destroy his children, though he send them against his children to purge their corruptions. In regard thereof P. Mar­tyr vpon the 4. verse of the 5. chapter to the Romanes, likeneth vs Nos sumus tanquam quae­dam aro mata quorum odor, nisi ea contude­ris, nō sentitur. Sumus veluti lapides Pyriti­des, qui nō ex­eruat vim eam, quam habent ad comburendū nisi cum pre­muntur digitis. to certaine spices whose sweet smels cannot be perceived, except they be bruised; and to the Marchasite, which cannot exercise that force which it hath of burning, vnlesse you presse it betweene your fingers.

If that which hath already beene spoken, bee not of force to work in vs willingnes, & patience, at such times as crosses are vp­on vs, let vs enter into a due consideration of Gods providence, without which no afflictions can come neere vs. And what [Page 32] are we, that may dare to say, why hath God done this? If Mat. 6.29. Luk. 12.27. So­lomon in all his maiestie could not make himselfe so braue, as the Lilyes of the field; if we cannot adde Luk. 12.25. one cubite to our sta­ture, not change the colour of one Mat. 5.36. haire; if no Mat. 10.29. sparrow lights vpon the ground without the foresight of God; if no water fal­leth from the clowds without his ordināce; if the very Psal. 56.8. teares which trickle downe our cheekes, be numbred in his bottle; how is it, that we dare repine, when wee are afflicted, finding fault with our ill lucke or hard fortune.

The scripture teacheth vs that all things, howsoever many of them seeme casuall and contingent to our weake conceits, are notwithstanding determined and regular in the course of providence. See my first Lecture vpon Amos, 1. p. 11. The fish that came to devour Ionas may seeme to haue arrived in that place by chance; yet the Scripture saith the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Ionas, Ion. 1.17. The storme it selfe which droue the Pilots to this streight, may like wise seeme centingent to the glimse of carnall eies; yet the pro­phet saith, I know that for my sake, this great tempest is vpō you, Ion. 1.12. The fish which Peter tooke, might seeme to haue come to the angle by chance; yet hee brought in his mouth the tribute, which Peter paid for his LORD and himselfe, Mat. 17.27. By the diversitie of opinions among the brethren touch­ing the manner of dispatching Ioseph out of the way, we may gather that the selling of him in Egypt was but accidentall, and only agreed vpon, by reason of the fit arrival of the Marchāts while they were disputing, and debating, what they were best to doe; yet saith Ioseph to his brethren, you sent mee not hether, but God, Gen. 45.8. What may seeme more contingent in our eies, then by the glancing of an arrow from the commō mark to kill a traveller that passeth by the way; yet God himselfe is said to haue delivered the man into the hands of the shooter, Ex­od. 21.13. Some may thinke it hard fortune that Ahab was so strangely made away, because the Scripture telleth, that a cer­taine man hauing bent his bowe, and let slip his arrow at hap hazard, without aime at any certaine marke, 1. Kin. 22.34 stroke the King; but here you shall find no lucke, nor chance at all, otherwise [Page 33] then in respect of vs, for the the shooter did no more, then was denounced to the King by Micheas from Gods owne mouth before the battell was begunne, 1. King. 22.17. What in the world can be more casuall, then lottery; yet Solomon teacheth, that when the lots are cast into the lap, the providence of God di­sposeth them, Prov. 16.33. The Prophet saith that evils shall light heavily vpon our necks, whose originall or cause we shal not vnderstand, Esay, 47.11. yet howsoever in respect of vs, & our knowledge, they may seeme casuall & contingent; in Gods good providence they are absolutely necessarie.

The consideration hereof made Iob even then blesse God, when newes was brought him of the losse of his sonnes, and al his substance: The LORD hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken it, blessed be the name of the Lord, Iob 1.21. The like considera­tion made David forbid Abishai to hurt Shimei: though Shi­mei came out from Bahurim cursing, and casting stones at Da­vid, and all his servants; and crying: come forth, come forth thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial; yet David said vnto Abi­shai; Behold, my sonne, which came out of mine owne bowels, seek­eth my life; then how much more may this sonne of Iemini? suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him, 2. Sam. 16.11. Our Saviour respected the same, when hee said vnto Pilate; thou couldst haue no power at all against me, except it were giuen thee from aboue, Ioh. 19.11. Hence it was that the Macedonians in great triall of affliction had their ioy abounding, 2. Cor. 8.2. And for the same cause the Apostles reioiced in their tribulations, Rom. 5.3.

Why then doe not we, with like consideration of Gods providence, blesse God, when we are punished? Why doe wee not glory and reioice in our tribulations? Happely you wil say, that they are evill, and therefore make a question, how wee may glory in them? I must needs grant, that they are evill, and death, ser­geants, farre to be remoued from the godly. For God shall wipe away all teares from the eies of his Saints, Rev. 7.17. Yet must I ad, that they are evil in their nature only, e [...]i [...] to the reprobate; but to the elect by Gods mercy, good and profitable. For wee [Page 34] knowe, that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God, even to them that are called of purpose, Rom. 8.28. Ne­que enim pij patiuntur ad noxam, sed ad triumphū, saith P. Mar­tyr, Rom. 5.3. The godly are not afflicted for their hurt, but for their triumph. And therefore hee compareth afflictions to the red sea, wherein Pharoah was drowned, but Israel saued; they make the wicked oft times desperate, when the godly are con­firmed in a most sure hope by them. They are the Lords instru­ments, by which he tryeth our hearts, as the fining pot is for sil­ver, and the fornace for gold, Prov. 17.3. By them hee chastneth vs, that we should not be condemned with the world, 1. Cor. 11.32. And therefore be the crosse never so bitter, yet is it sweet to the hungry soule, Prov. 27.7. Resolue wee then to take vp our crosses dayly; which is my last note of the second precept.

The body is then of best liking, when it is dayly exercised, and the godly are then of best living, when they are dayly afflicted. Agur knew it well: and therefore he prayed God not to giue him riches; but only to feed him with food convenient, lest hee should be full and deny God, and say who is the Lord? Prov. 30.9. When Israel waxed fat, hee spurned with his heele, and regar­ded not the strong God of his salvation, Deut. 32.15. When Ge­deon was poore, and a thresher of wheat, the Angel of the Lord visited him; but after that the Lord had giuen the Midianit [...] into his hands, he made an Ephod of golden earings, and placed it in his citie, OPHRAH, so that all Israel went a whoring after it, Iud. 8.27. Wee find not that Ieroboam was reputed evill, as long as he was of low estate, but when he was once preferred to be ruler of the 10 tribes, he made two golden calues, & called them the Gods of Israel, 1. King. 12.28.

We likewise since God hath giuen vs prosperitie, since hee hath withholden from vs his afflicting hand, are very ready Ierem. 5.7. to forsake him: to swear by them that are no Gods, yea impious­ly to sweare by him that is the revenging God, to commit adul­tery, to assemble our selues by companies in harlots houses; to rise vp in the morning like Ierem. 5.8 fed horses; to account religion a prety policie to keepe the meaner sort in awe; to thinke him [Page 35] scarse worthy a Gentlemans company, that will make a con­science of committing any vice, be it never so brutish? Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? shall not my soule bee a­venged on such a nation as this, Ierem. 5.9.

Many of these were the sinnes of Iudah, and all of them are our sweet sinnes. Would you knowe, what was the portion of Iudahs cup, for these her transgressions. The 15. vers. of the 5. Chap. of Ierem. will shew you what the LORD hath said I wil bring a nation vpon you from farre, a mightie nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowst not, neither vnder­standest what they say: whose Vers. 16. quiver is an open sepulcher: they are all very strong; Vers 17. they shall eate thine harvest and thy bread, thy sheepe and thy bullocks, thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall devoure thy sonnes and thy daughters, they shall destroy with the sword the fenced cities, wherein thou hast trusted. Shall our trespasses against God be more then Iudahs were, and can wee looke that our punishments should bee lesse? Let vs not flatter our selues: there is scarse any one of vs, that hath not heard newes of a nation, that is This Sermō was preach­ed, March 28. 1596. cōming against vs from far, a migh­tie nation, an ancient nation, a natiō whose language we know not, neither vnderstand wee what they say. If they come, wee haue learned so much, that God in his good providence, brin­geth them vpon vs, & who knoweth whether God wil streng­then them, that they shall be able, with fire and sword to beate downe all our forces, to devoure our sonnes and daughters, to eate vp our harvest and our bread, our sheepe & our bullocks, our vines and our fig-trees. It may bee, that the strength of our country maketh some, little to regard the invasion of any for­raine enemie.

O put your trust in God, for vaine is the helpe of man. The king is not saued by the multitude of an host, neither is the migh­ty man delivered by his great strength, Psal. 33.16. Iabin, with his confederats, even thirtie and one Kings, with all their for­ces, must fall by the edge of the sword, if the LORD doe but send Ioshua with a few against them, Iosh. 12.24. The whole host of the Midianites shall be discomfited, if the LORD doe [Page 36] but once bid Gedeon goe with his three hundred men, Iud. 7.7 The Moabites and Ammonites, be they never so many, shall yeeld to Iehoshaphat and his small number without resisting, 2. Chron. 20.17. And what are we, that wee may bee sure, that the LORD will not deliver vs into the hands of our enimies? how can we presume to thinke so, since, as a cage is ful of birds, so are our houses full of deceits, Ier. 5.27.

Many among vs are become great and rich; Ier. 5.28. they are waxen far and shining; they doe overpasse the deeds of the wicked, they execute no iudgement, no not the iudgement of the fatherlesse. Vers. 29. Shall not the LORD visit for these things? shall not his soule be avenged of such a nation, as this? He turneth the floods into a wil­dernesse, and the springs of waters into drinesse, & a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them, that dwell therein, Psal, 107.33. It may be Iosh. 7.20. Achan offendeth; yet three thou­sand Israelits shall be put to flight for it, Ios. 7.4. David 2. Sam. 24.1. com­mitteth the sinne; yet seventie thousand of his people must die for it, 2. Sam. 24.15. Baasha may bee the man, that 1. King. 16.2 transgres­seth; yet his whole houshold, his kinsfolke, and friends shall smart for it, 1. King. 16.11.

Rent your harts therefore, and turne vnto the LORD your God with fasting, with weeping and with mourning, for hee is gracious, and mercifull, slow to anger, & of great kindnesse, & re­penteth him of the evill, that he hath said he will do, Ioel. 2.13. Who knoweth if he will returne, and repent, and leaue a blessing for vs, and make his cup to passe from vs? His mercies are called e­verlasting, because they endure for ever: but his anger is compa­red to the clowds, because it lasteth but a season: whom hee lo­veth, he loveth to the end; but whom he scourgeth, he scourgeth till they repent. Ezechias was sicke, but vntil he wept, 2. King. 20 3. Nebuchadnezzar was banished, but vntil he repented, Dan. 4.34. And no doubt, if we wil repent vs vnfeignedly of our sins we shall finde that, to be the best remedy against our present famine, and the warres we looke for.

Now as peace, plenty, and prosperity maketh men, yea manie of vs, to thinke that there is no God, at least to forget him, so on [Page 37] the other side, daily afflictions will make vs feele that there is a God, and daily to remember him. The blewnesse of the wound ser­veth to purge the evil, and the stripes within the bowels of the bel­ly, Prov. 20.30. Sharp punishments that pierce even the inward parts, are profitable for vs to bring vs to amendment. When we are tried, we shall receiue the crowne of life: wee shal then bee bl [...]ssed, when we endure tentations, Iam. 1.12. Let vs therefore take vp our crosses daily; that is, as S. Peter doth interpret it, eve­ry day, if need require, 1. Pet. 1.6. or every day, if the will of God be so, 1. Pet. 3.17.

Here might I take iust occasion to reproue diverse sortes of men, which are so farre from taking vp their crosses daily, as that they refuse to take them vp at all. No excuse can bee made for these Christians, which in time of persecution become Turkes, denying Christ, and renouncing their faith: nor for our sea-mē, which, rather then they will be taken by their enimies, wil sink their ship, and drowne themselues: nor for those at land, which in their miseries, are their owne murderers: nor for those poore ones, which make light, (so they may relieue their poverty) to be theeues, robbers, vsurers, enimies to Churches, and Colleges, covetous persons, malicious and shamelesse slanderers, & the like. But neither the time, nor your patience can suffer me, to speak of al these: yet let me briefly touch them, which loosing but an oxe, or having any about them strangely fallē sicke, run forth­with to the wise ones of this our age, to cunning men & cunning women, to witches, enchanters, coniurers, and the like, seeking for helpe of them; and it shall appeare, that neither these may be excused.

God hath promised by his prophet, that whosoever calleth vpon his name, and giveth eare to his voice, as to the sole and only shepheard of his soule; good things shall betide him in this world and his soule shall liue, Ier. 38.20. His plants shal prosper his counsailes shal take effect, his corne and oile shal multiply; he shall Deut. 15.6. & 28.12. lend vnto many, but hee shall not borrow himselfe; his Psal. 128.3. children like oliue branches, shall encloase his table rounde a­bout. On the other side, whosoever will not giue eare to the [Page 38] voice of the LORD his God, but will seeke vnto strange Gods and oracles, to false prophets, to witches, & conjurers, making more accompt of Beelzebub, then of Christ; of Gerizzim, then of Syon; of the prince of darknesse, then of the morning starre; of pleasing errour, then of smarting truth; shall Deut 28. [...]8. sow his field, but never reape it, for the grashoppers shall destroy it: shall Vers. 39. plant a vineyard, and dresse it, but shal neither drinke of the wine, nor ga­ther the grapes; for the wormes shall eat it: shall Vers. 40. haue oliue trees in all his coasts, but shall not annoint himselfe with the oile; for his oliues shall fall: shall Vers. 41. beget sonnes and daughters, but shall not haue them; for they shall go into captivity: the Lord shall Vers. 22. smite him with a consumption, with a feaver, with a burning ague, with fervent heat, with the sword, with blasting, with the mildew; all these shall pursue him till he perish, the Heaven, that is over his head, shalbe brasse, and the Earth, that is vnder him, yron, Deut. 28.23.

Was King Asa punished with death, because in his sicknes he sought for helpe of the Physicians, and not of the LORD, 2. Chron. 16.12. and thinkest thou that runnest to Sathans instru­ments, for recovering of thy lost goods, or of thy health, to es­cape vnpunished? If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health, the LORD will send him word that he shall not come down from his bed, but shal there die the death, 2. King. 1.4. If Saul aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him, and his 1. Chro. 10.4. owne sword shal kil him, 1. Chro. 10.13. If Manasseh vse them, that haue familiar spirits, and are soothsayers, God will send him such evils, as that who so heareth of it, both his eares shall tingle, 2. King. 21.12. And can you, that haue consulted with Ekrons God, with witches, with them that haue familiar spirits, thinke that God will not smite you.

O turne vnto the Lord with vnfeigned repētāce, that God may withhold his revenging hand from you, and you may liue in his sight. For as S. Hierome writes, that God knows not the women which are painted, because they carry not that face, or favour which his hands haue made, so if you fly from witches, [Page 39] and coniurers vnto him vpon necessity, and not for loue, his an­swere will be, I know you not: Come you to dem [...]nde advise of me? As sure as I liue saith the LORD God, when I am asked, I wil not answere you, Ezech. 20.3.

And therefore, whensoever it shall please God to visite vs with losse of goods, with want of health, or other like afflictions, let vs not seeke, by those wicked meanes, to be relieved. Why should we, so much desire to liue at ease? What are we els, thē earthen vessels, soon broken? A spider poisons vs, a gnat chokes vs, a small pin kils vs. Why then should any crosses in this life, so trouble vs? As he said, Gen. 45.28 it is enough for me, that Ioseph my son liveth; so let it be in our greatest miseries our song, it is enough for vs, that our Saviour Christ reigneth. He our head is alreadie crowned, we his members, are thereby honoured: he is alreadie glorified, because he hath ascended, whither at last we must as­cend, that we may bee glorified. To which place of glory the LORD of his infinite mercy: vouchsafe to bring vs all for his sonne Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all praise, power, maiesty, and dominion, both now and ever. Amen.

S ^t Iohn in his Revelation, as appeareth, chap. 19. ver, 11, Saw heaven open, & be­hold, there was a white horse, and he that sate vpō him, was called faithfull & true, and he iudgeth and fighteth righteously. Rev. 19.12. His eies were as a flame of fire; on his head were many crownes, and hee had a name written, which no man knew, but himselfe. Vers. 13. He was cloathed with a gar­ment dipt in blood, and his name is called, THE WORD OF GOD. [Page 40] Vers. 15. Out of his mouth went a sharpe sword, wherwith he might smite the heathen; them shall he rule with a rod of yron. He it is, that treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of almightie God. Vers. 16. Vpon his garment, and vpon his thigh, hath he a name writ­ten, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This our great captaine, because he daily commeth forth to battle against the enimies of his church, hath set downe a rule inviolably to be observed of all such as will come after him, & fight vnder his banner: for he hath said vnto all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dailie, & follow me, when heretofore I entred the examination of this rule, then in part I declared how every Christian souldier gui­ded thereby, ought to prepare himselfe to followe this high captaine. For the better explication whereof I observed

• 1 That this rule was generall out of the first words: And he said vnto all.
• 2 That it was necessary, as it is implyed in the condition, if any man will come after me.
• 3 That the rule it selfe consisted of 3. precepts; let him deny himselfe, & take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me.

You heard then that this rule was generall, for that Christ delivered it vnto all, yet to all not simply, (for the beast, & the Kings of the earth, with their armies, following this beast, and fighting vnder his colours, are no way to bee guided by this rule) but to all with a restraint, but to all the Rev. 19.14. armies in heauen, which the divine saw following him that sate vpon the white horse, which howsoever, they are called armies in heaven, are notwithstanding men vpon the earth: such are Godly Kings, Princes, Nobles, worthie Captaines, and Souldiers, which with the materiall sword, defend the Gospell: such are zealous Mi­nisters, & preachers of the truth, which with the spiritual sword fight against Antichrist: such are all blessed Christians, wal­king before God in the places, whereto they are called, war­ring dayly against their proud enimies, the flesh, the world, and the divell. All which are said to be the armies in heaven, (albeit as yet they liue on earth) in regard, that their cause, for which, [Page 41] and the power, by which, they fight, are both from Heauē. These ride vpon white horses, and are cloathed in fine white linnen, and pure; these come strongly, swiftly, and chearefully to this bat­taile: these are cloathed with sinceritie, integritie, and puritie of faith, loue, and other affections, for all is pure white about them. To these only, and to all these doth this rule appertaine: for he said vnto all, if any man will come after me.

Out of this condition you haue also heard, how necessary this rule is; even so necessary, that neither subiect, nor prince, neither people, nor pastor, neither souldier, nor captaine, how godly soever they seeme in mans eies, can be fit to follow this highest Captaine, except he be qualified according to this rule Let him deny himselfe, and take vp his crosse dayly, and follow me, saith CHRIST.

Of the first two precepts, I haue likewise already spoken; now let vs consider the third: And follow me. Which words do leade me to speake.

1 Of imitation, or following in generall.

2 Of following the best; of such an imitation as besee­meth Christians.

Man by nature how strangely hee is giuen to following, if I should hold my peace, servants, souldiers, all inferiours would make it manifest: servants will eye their masters, souldiers their captaines, inferiors their rulers: be they good, or be they bad, get they honour, or get they discredit, come their profit, or come their losse, their liues will be insteed of lawes, and that must bee holden for well done, which is done after their example, saith Si­raches sonne, Cap. 10. vers. 2. Thus examples, not lawes, doe (when lawes, not examples, should) teach men to liue.

And so it was in former ages. In regard whereof the divine Philosopher would by no meanes suffer Homers booke to bee read in his commonwealth, because in them, Gods & Goddesses were fained to be such; as no honestly minded man, or woman would haue their sonnes, or daughters like them, Yea so it was from the beginning. Eues eating the forbidden fruit, was suf­ficient, to make Adam doe the like, Gen. 3.6. The younger si­ster [Page 42] wold make her father Lot drunken, as well as the elder, Genes. 19.35. When Iudah was forward, his brethren were ready to giue their consents, to sell Ioseph to the Ishmeelites, Gen. 37.27.

Dead flies cause to stincke, and putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecarie, saith the Preacher, Cap. 10. vers. 1. Dead workes the workes of darknesse in the better sort, doe cause to stinke, and putrifie the towardly inclinations of the inferiours. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, fit at table in the Idols temple, shall not the conscience of him that is weake, be boldned to eate those things, which are sacrificed to Idols? saith S ^t Paule, 1. Cor. 8.10. Thou that Rom. 2.21. preachest a man should not steale, doest thou steale? Thou that shouldst punish adulterers and reproue swearers, dost thou, by thy oaths giue them example? Vers. 22. dost thou commit adulterie? Marvell not then, if thy weake bro­ther, seeing thy knowledge, become a swearer, a theefe, and an adulterer. Thy life shall be his law.

Vpon consideration hereof a country man of ours, hath ad­ded, that we of all other people vnder heaven, are most famous yea, & infamous too, for our imitation. For doe we not imitate, Rogers Ep to the fol­lowers of Christ. A. 7. b. the Spanish in his braverie? The French in his vanitie? The Ita­lian in his perfidie? Yea we follow the Dutch in luxurie, who heares not of it? The Papists in idolatrie; who knowes it not? The Atheist in all impietie, and impuritie of life; why lament we not?

O come hither, all yee, that are any way either for birth, or calling, whether it be spirituall, or temporall, better then other men; yea and all yee too, which in the same respect are worse then others: for here are lessons for you both, to teach you to looke vnto your footings. Is there old custome against you? Respect it not; for it will be foiled by a better custome. Is the flesh against you? Care not for it; for that will be bridled by the heate of the spirit. Is that old serpent Sathan against you? Feare him not; for he both at your prayers will fly, and by your godly exercises will be made to runne away.

First therefore for those, that are better then others; won­der [Page 43] we may, what the matter is, or with what spirit they are led, or what commeth into their minds, that knowing their liues and examples to prevaile when laws cannot, doe notwithstanding with such care, and study seeke after vile, and vanish­ing things; and so seldome call their wits together to thinke of doing any good. Is it not because they are perswaded that the LORD spareth the Cedar tree, for his height, the oke for his strength, the poplar for his smoothnesse, the Lawrell for his greenenesse? O! then they are deceaued: for from the Cedar that is in 1. Kin. 4.33. Lebanon, even to the Hysop, that groweth out of the wall, Matth. 3.10. & 7.19. every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe and cast into the fire. Is it not, because they partly thinke that God hideth his face from their sinnes, & seeth them not? O! then they are deceaued: for Samuel could tell Saul al that was in his heart, 1. Sam. 9.19. And Elisha knewe, that his ser­vant had taken bribes, 2. King. 5.26. And shall not God bee able to knowe their deeds, and thoughts? yes: if Miriam, and Aaron speake but against Moses, the LORD wil heare them, Num. 12.2. And if Sarah laugh, but within her selfe; God will see her, Gen. 18.13. Hell and destruction are before the Lord, saith Solomon, Prov. 15.11, how much more the heart of the sonnes of men? Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers. 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist, he hath coun­ted heaven with his spanne, hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance. Can their deeds then, yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God? Is it not because man (of whose censure they stand more in awe, thē of Gods wrath) is not able to discrie their wickednesse, which they haue so se­cretly wrought? O! then they are deceaued. For towne & coū ­try howleth and cryeth out, too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites, tyranous Sauls, negligent Elies, cruell Ahabs, proud Herods, incredulous Pharaohs; here ambi­tion, there covetousnesse, every where glutony, and excesse.

One mole or freckle in the face offends more, then many and great spots, and scarres in the other parts of the body. Men in [Page 44] authoritie, all, I meane, that are better then others, either for birth, or calling, are as the face of the commōwealth. One small escape in them, hurts more, then many great & grievous faults in the inferiours, and therefore one was bold to compare thē to a booke, after whose patterne others are printed; if the first draught haue faults, all the books printed thereby, must needs be faulty; but if there bee no fault in the first, all the rest will haue the fewer.

Whosoever openeth a well, or diggeth a pit, and covereth it not, and an oxe or an asse fall therein, Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good, saith God by his servant, Exod. 21.33. Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour, his weake brother, to sin. O! let vs not be deafe (beloved in the Lord.) That mā, who­soever he be, hath opened a well, and digged a pit, which he hath not covered, into which, because his neighbour hath fallen, and so perished, he must look to make answer for it; his blood shal be required at his hands.

Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed, it is the Lordes commandement, Levit. 19.19. What is this militant church wherein we liue, but Gods field, whose husbandry yea are, 1. Cor. 3.9. Whosoever in this field, sitting either in Aarons seat, or Moses chaire, shall say, but not doe; shall say good things, but doe the contrary; shall in word sow wheat, but in example cast a­broad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell, hee it is, that soweth mingled seed in Gods field, and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at, chap. 6.6. When hee saith, that mighty men shall be mightily tormented.

In the second place, instruction is here to be had for such, as are, either by birth or calling, worse then other men. They see­ing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others, in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow. For all may not be followed. Aske counsaile of the wise man, & he will perswade with you, by no meanes to follow g [...]uttons, sleepers, and drun­kards: for the glutton shall be poore, and the sleeper shal be cloa­thed with ragges, Prov. 23.21. As for the drunkard, he shal haue no want of Prov. 23.29 wo, sorrow, strife, murmuring, woūds without cause, [Page 45] and rednesse of the eies: he shall be bitten as with a Vers. 32. serpent, and hurt, as with a cockatrice: he shall be, as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea, or on the toppe of the mast, Prov. 23.34. Aske counsell of S. Paule, and hee will perswade with you, by no meanes to follow fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, covetous per­sons, and the like: for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God, 1. Cor. 6.10. Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe, and he will perswade with you, by no meanes to follow the Levit. 18.3. doings of the land of Egypt, or the manners of the land of Canaan. For if you commit such abominations, the land shall spue you out, Levit. 18.28.

O, Psal. 1.1. walke not in the counsell of the wicked, nor stand yee in the way of sinners, nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull, for such may not be blessed. You know who hath said it. Assured I am, that in Noahs arke, among his three sonnes, there was one cur­sed Ham: that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes, one Esau was reie­cted: that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren, one only Ioseph was innocent; that in Christs house among twelue Apo­stles, there was a treacherous Iudas; neither may I deny, but that at this day among many Magistrates, Preachers, and Ma­sters, there are some licentious Magistrates, some bad living Preachers, some too too wicked Masters. But what is that to vs? We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, to re­ceiue according to our own deeds: For so may we read, 2. Cor. 5.10. The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect, if he disobey the lawes: the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant, if he be vngracious: the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule, if I be vngodly. For God himselfe telleth vs, that, that soule that sinneth shal die the death, Ezech. 18.4. And thus from the generall imitation; I come to that which best beseemeth Christians.

Follow me] The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid? The LORD God hath spoken, who can but prophecie? Amos 3.8. Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be reverēced, whose voice nothing (be it aboue or beneath, in heaven or in earth, sensible, or in­sensible) ought to disobey. Esai. 1.2. Heare then ô heavens, and hear­ken, [Page 46] ô earth; and therefore heare and harken both men & wo­men, for the LORD hath said: follow me. Else whom will ye fol­low? Is not he the way to guide you? Follow him; and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse, Pro. 4.11. Is not he the truth, to giue you light? Follow him, and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you, Malac. 4.2. Is not he the life, to feede you? Follow him, and you shall go in and out, and finde pasture. Iohn. 10.9. He is the way, in example: for he hath given an example, that wee should do, even as he hath done, Iohn. 13.15. He is the truth, in promises; for his covenant he will not breake, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips, Psal. 89.34. He is the life, in rewarde; for howsoever the wages of sinne is death, yet the gift of God is e­ternall life, through Iesus Christ our LORD, Rom. 6.23. This our LORD, the way, the truth, and the life, in his iourney towardes heaven, began betime; for at Luk. 2.42. twelue yeares of age he went about his Vers. 49. fathers businesse: and he kept the right way; for he boldly said, who can Ioh. 8.46. accuse me of sinne: & he made speed; for he spake, and did more good things in 33. yeares, then might be con­tained in all the Ioh. 21.25. bookes in the world: and hee continued vnto the end; for he Mat. 27.50. died Act. 8.32. like a lambe, Luk. 23.34. prayed to his father, and for­gaue his enemies; See here, those foure notes, to which my de­sire is you should well listen, because they may be much for in­struction in this Christian imitation; wherein you are to begin betime, to keepe the right way to make speede, and to continue to the end. And first begin betime.

Know yee not, that man assone as he was created, had a law given him? Hence may we learne, that every one of vs from the first day of his birth is to liue vnder obedience to the great lawgiver. Doth not experience teach you, that in infancie yee are baptized in the name of God? Hence are we taught, that when we are not able to runne to Christ, yet should we, as well as we may, creepe vnto him. Is it possible for you to forget your dayly praier? Therein you pray, first, that Gods will be done, and then you aske your dayly bread: to shew vs that the very food whereby we liue, is no way to be preferred before the blessed will of God.

God requirest the first borne for his offering, and the first fruits for his service: and dare we presume to present him with our second labours? He requireth a morning sacrifice, as wel as an evening. Abraham rose early in the morning to sacrifice his sonne to God, Gen. 22.3. So should we rise early in the morning of our liues, even in our youthfull daies, and sacrifice our selues to God. We should giue vp our bodies, Rom. 12 1. living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to him. For why should not he that is Rev. 1.8. Alpha, the first, the beginning in every thing, be the first and the be­ginning in our conversion too? Manna was to bee gathered betime before the rising of the sunne, otherwise it would melt away, Exod. 16.21. So fareth it with him, whom yee ought to follow; if you come not to him betime, but stay till businesse & pleasures arise vnto you, well may you seeke him, but you shall not find him. For wisdome her selfe hath said, they which seeke me early shall find me, Prov. 8.17. but of them which are slow in seeking her, she hath also said; they shall seeke mee, but they shall not find me, Prov. 1.28.

The guests are bidden, yet no man commeth: all things are ready, yet no mā regardeth. One saith, I haue bought a Mat. 22.5 Luk. 14.18. farme, and must needs goe out, and see it; O let me be excused: a se­cond saith, I haue bought Luk. 14.19. Oxen, and I goe to proue them; I pray thee haue me excused: another saith, I haue Vers. 20. maried a wife, and therefore I cannot come: if our Mat. 8.21. Luk. 9.59. fathers bee vnburied, if our friends be not Luk. 9.61. bidden farewell, then in reason wee thinke wee may be excused for not comming. O, saith one, were I a free­man; and another, were I a rich man, and a third, were I an olde man, then should we be at leasure to come to Christ; but yet, & till then let vs be excused.

Thus the whole Esai. 1.5. head is sicke, and the whole heart is heavie, and within vs is nothing but Vers. 6. wounds, and swelling, and sores full of corruption. For although wee perswade our selues that Christ ought by vs to bee followed, yet can wee not by any meanes accord of the time, when to beginne to follow him. Wherein we are not much vnlike those Iewes: spoken of, Ag­ge, 1. 2. who knowing that the Lords house ought by them to [Page 48] be builded, did notwithstanding sing alwaies this song: The time is not yet come, that the Lords house should be builded. And did they for this escape vnpunished? Read yee but the 6. verse of the same chapter, and you will say no: for they did sow much but brought in little; they did eate, but had not enough; they dranke, but were not filled; they cloathed themselues, but they were not warme; they did earne wages, but the wages was put in­to a broken bagge.

We knowe that the Lord is Ioel. 2.13. gratious and mercifull, slow to anger and of great kindnesse, otherwise doubtlesse ere this, his scepter of Psal. 2 9. Iron should haue crushed, and bruised vs in peeces. For what is he among vs all, that in his heart hath not said, the time is not yet come, that the Lord Iesus should be followed? How long, how long, o yee sonnes of men, will yee Psal. 4.2. turne Gods glory into shame, by louing vanitie, and seeking lyes? you say the time is not yet come, that the Lord Iesus should be followed: but the holy Ghost saith, behold, now the acceptable time; behold, now the day of salvation, 2. Cor. 6.2. To day if yee will heare his voice, Psal. 95.7. To day, even this day, if yee will heare his voice har­den not your hearts.

There was at Ierusalem the poole Bethesda, where the sicke, the blind, the halt, and the withered lay; once in the day an An­gel came, and stirred the water; & then whosoever stept in first was made whole, of whatsoever disease he had, Ioh. 5.4. He which stept in first was made whole, saith Iohn; none but hee, which stept in first. This is the acceptable time, this is the day of salva­tion, this is the day wherein we may heare Gods voice: take we then this opportunitie while it is offered; & let vs not forslow the time; for the strongest of vs all is not able to assure him­selfe, that he shall liue till to morrow. Elias would be serued be­fore the widow, although shee had but a little cruse of oyle, al­though she had not enough for her selfe, 1. King. 17.13. And can we be so senselesse to thinke, that God will bee serued af­ter vs, after the flesh, after the Divell? God would not haue the labourers hire stay in thy hands all night, but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe, Levit. 19.13. Yet wee dare keepe [Page 49] Gods due from himselfe, shall I say, day and night? I may say, many daies, and many nights, many weekes, many months, yea & perhaps many yeares too.

Thus haue we cast behind vs the first lesson which Iohn Bap­tist taught, that was, repent, for the kingdome of Heaven is at hand, Mat. 3.2. Thus haue we set at naught the first lessō, which the Disciples taught; and that was, repent, for the kingdome of Heavē is at hand, Mat. 10.7. Thus haue we spurned against the first lesson which Christ himselfe taught; and that was, REPENT too, for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand, Mat. 4.17. Mat. 11.15. He that hath eares to heare, let him heare.

REPENT is the first lesson to be learned both by young and old. It is not sufficient for a young man to say, I will repent: for assuredly, could Iudas haue repented, when he had listed: hee would never haue hanged himselfe: neither may it suffice an old man to say, I haue repented; God is, I am; & therefore is best pleased with, I am; he careth not for, I was, or will be. And this the Preacher knewe well, and therefore in the first verse of his 12. Chapt. he directeth his speech to young men: there he saith; Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth. And because young men are very ready to post over this remembrance, vnto age, that generall day, which all men set for themselues to re­pent in, he in the verses following brings in the olde man, with the Eccl. 12.3. keepers of his house trembling, with his strong men bowing downe, with his grinders ceasing, with his lookers out by the win­dowes darkned, with his Vers. 4. dores shut, with his daughters of sin­ging abased; that is, he brings in the old man, feeble, lame, deafe, blind, and stammering, for the young man to behold; as if hee should say, See here my sonne, is it possible for this man to serue God, he can neither heare, nor see, nor feele, nor speake, nor go. Therefore serue thou thy God in the daies of thy youth.

The chiefest thing that made Rehoboam in the beginning of his reigne to choose young counsellers, was, because they were his companions before, 1. King. 12.8. Because they were his companions before, therefore they became his counsellers af­ter. This is the preferment of your sinnes, if they haue beene [Page 50] your companions in youth, in age they will looke to bee your counsellers, yea, and it may be, your masters too. Begin there­fore, as 1. Sam. 2.18 Samuel did, to serue God in your minoritie; and vse, as 2. Tim. 3.15. Timothie did, to read the Scriptures in your childhood; thē shall you, as Luk. 1.80. Iohn did, grow in spirit, as you ripen in yeares. O blessed are you, if you begin betime: yet so, that you keepe the right way. Which is the second note, to be obserued in Christi­an imitation.

Many false Prophets shall arise, saith our Saviour, and shall say vnto you, loe, here is Christ, and loe, there is Christ, but with all he counsels you, not to beleeue them, Mat. 24.23. Long haue some continued, and yet they are not weary of professing, that there is life in their pardons, life in their pilgrimages, life in their sacrifices. Rather then fayle, they can make shift to clam­ber to Heaven, by Angels, by penance, by merits. Each of them hath his way, yet not one of them the right way.

I doubt not, but that all that heare me this day, are suffici­ently already perswaded not to beleeue them. For you haue learned, that Iacob in his way to Haran, saw, not many, but one lad­der reaching vp to heaven, Gen. 28.12. And that the forerun­ner of Christ prepared, not the waies, but the way of the Lord, Esai, 40.3. And thereby are you taught, that there is but one ladder to clime, but one way to walke in, to come to Heaven. And as Mat. 2.13. Herod sought over all Iurie for Christ, but could not find him, because he followed not the starre; so may you, long e­nough, seek for Heaven all the broad way over, but you shall not be able to find it, vnlesse you follow the straight way, & en­ter in at the Mat. 7.13. narrow gate; for that way alone leads to Heavē. One only river, the river Iordan was of force to deliver Naa­man the Syrian from his leaprosy, neither Abana, nor Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, could doe it, 2. King. 5.12. One onely way, the true and liuing way, Christ, our Saviour, is able to set vs in our resting place, in the place of eternall blisse; neither the see­ming powerfull Revel. 13.1 beast, nor any other besides is able to doe it. For as he, which promised a land to the Israelites, sent before the Israelites a pillar of fire to bring them to that land, Exod. [Page 51] 13.21; so he, the same God, hauing prepared a Heauen for vs, hath sent before vs that everliving Ioh. 1.1. word, cloathed with our owne flesh, to guid vs vnto Heaven.

Behold here the patterne of your imitation, such a patterne, as must be followed, alwaies and necessarily. Alwaies, for that no deceit was in his mouth, Es. 53.9. and necessarily, because S ^t Peter doth counsell it, 1. Pet. 2.21. Alwaies, for that no man was able to rebuke him of sinne, Ioh. 8.46. and necessarily, be­cause S ^t Paule commandeth it, Ephes. 5.1. Alwaies, for that he is perfectly good, 1. Ioh. 3.5. and necessarily, because him­selfe will haue it so, Mat. 11.29.

Alwaies therefore, and necessarily, Christ is to bee followed, yet not without a limitation. For as he was God, many things were done by him, wherein wee may not follow him, without note of superstition, or zealous impietie. It was for God alone with Mat. 15.34. seaven loaues, and a few little fishes, to feed, and suffice foure thousand men, besides women, and children, Mat. 15.38. It was for God alone with Mat. 14.17. fiue loaues and two little fishes to feed and suffice fiue thousand men, beside women and children, Mat. 14.21. It was for God alone, to rebuke the waues of the sea, and the windes, and to cause them to cease raging, Luk. 8.24. To Mat. 4.2. fast forty daies, and fortie nights; to Ioh 2.9. turne water into wine; to Mat. 14.26. walke on the Sea, as one dry land; to restore Mat. 11.5. sight to the blind, health to the sicke, life to the dead; these are miracles wrought by God alone, which we may not dare to imitate, be­cause there is neither commandement that we should, nor ex­ample of any Disciple, or Apostle, that would, or durst doe so. In those things therefore, which Christ did as God, worship him religiously; but in those things, which he did as man, follow him zealously. Loue and detest whatsoever Christ, as God, lo­veth and detesteth, and so shall you imitate Christ, as much as a man may imitate God; but with all, doe that as Christ did, as man, and so shall you follow Christ, as a Christian should.

And here, for that my limited time will not suffer me to bee long, I can but only point at a few of the particulars, wherein you are to follow Christ. Follow him therefore in obedience, for [Page 52] he is become Phil. 2.8. obedient vnto the death, even the death of the crosse. Accursed are the disobedient; the Lord shall laugh at their destruction, Prov. 1.26. Follow him, in innocencie, for in his Esai. 53.9. mouth was found no guil [...]. Accursed are the wicked; they are kept vnto the day of destruction, and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath, Iob. 21.30. Follow him in humilitie, for hee Psal. 110 7. drank of the brooke in the way, he made himselfe of Philip. 2.7. no reputa­tion, & became for vs a servant; Accursed are the proud: though their excellency mount vp to the heaven, yet shall they perish for ever like their dung, Iob, 20.6.

He is an example for you in patience, for hee was oppressed and afflicted, yet as a Esai 53.7. Act 8.32. sheepe before his shearer was hee dumbe, and opened not his mouth; being reviled, hee reviled not againe; suffering, he threatned not, but committed it all to him that iudg­eth righteously, 1. Pet. 2.23. He is an example for you in Chari­tie: for he prayed for his enimies; Father forgiue them, for they knowe not what they doe, Luk. 23.34. Hee is an example for you in Constancie: for he died like a lambe, Revel. 5.6. These, & such like, are the things wherein Christ must be followed, alwaies, & necessarily: which although it may not be gainesaid, doth not­withstanding permit the examples of good men to be imitated, sometime, and in some things.

For the better conceaving whereof, let it not bee trouble­some to vs, to obserue foure sorts of examples of the elect, and righteous, set downe vnto vs in the holy Scriptures.

1 Some we find, were singular, such as neither others in those daies might, nor we in our daies may follow; for that they alone had the speciall, and extraordinary motion of the holy Spirit for their warrant. Such was Abrahams readinesse, to kill his own, and only sonne Isaac, Gen. 22.3. Such was the spoile of the Iews made of the Egyptians, by detaining their iewels of gold and silver, Exod. 12.35. Which deeds in them, because they were commanded, were commendable; but in vs, because they are forbidden, should be most damnable.

2 Others in those daies were generall, which wee in our daies may not follow, without displeasure of the Highest. They [Page 53] circumcised their male children the eight day: but wee may not doe so; for if wee bee circumcised, Christ shall profit vs nothing, Gal. 5.2. They offered bloody sacrifices vnto the Lord; wee are forbidden so to doe; for being dead with Christ, from the ordi­nances of the world, wee ought not, as though wee liued in the world, be burdened with traditions, Coloss. 2.20. Among them one brother married the wife of another. Farre from vs let such weddings be remoued. It is not lawfull for Herod to haue his brothers wife. Mat. 14.4.

3 There were wicked examples, which none of vs, I hope, will dare to follow. You cānot, but heare of Gen. 19.33. Lo [...] incest, Num. 20.12 Mo­ses incredulity, 2. Sam. 12.9 Davids adultery, Mat. 26.70. Peters deniall; the Mat. 18.1. ambi­tion of the Apostles, and such like: which all are set before vs; but doubtlesse for good ends. First to shew vs, how false it is, which some teach, that the elect, and regenerate sinne not. 2. To make vs wary how we walke: for if such, whom God hath favoured so highly, and adorned so singularly with his celesti­all gifts; if such, I say, did fal, and so filthily defile themselues, with how great Philip. 2.12 feare and trembling ought we to make an ende of our salvation? 3. To strengthen vs, that though we sinne, we go not on forward in sinning, nor despaire of Gods mercy, no more then they did. For the sonne of man came to seeke and saue that, which was lost, Luk. 19.10. and hee came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Mat. 9.13. and by him Paul did attaine mercy to the ensample of them, which shall in time to come beleeue on him vnto eternall life, 1. Tim. 1.16. Last of all, to teach vs, that as God is merciful, so should we shew mercy vn­to all, that in Gods iudgement we may finde mercy.

4 There were good examples, which we may be bolde to follow; as Rom. 43.20 Abrahams faith, Gen. [...]9.9. Iosephs chastity, Psal. 69.9. Davids zeale, & the like; which are set before vs, as the Apostle witnesseth, that we should not be sloathfull, but followers of them, which through faith, and patience, inherite the promises, Heb. 6.12. And hither­to belongeth that which S. Chrysostome hath, Homil. In Graecâ Savilii editi­one, est hom. 61. 62. in Mat. 18. If, saith he, it seeme a hard matter vnto thee to imitate God, betake thy selfe to the imitation of his servants. Imitate [Page 54] Ioseph; for he was a reliefe vnto his brethren in time of famine, although they iniuriously sold him into bondage, Gen. 42.25. Imitate Moses; for he spared not to powre forth his praiers to the living God for the people, although they had done him ma­ny wrongs, Exod. 32.11. Imitate S. Paule, for hee could haue wished that he might be separated from Christ, for the Iews, al­though they had many times oppressed him, Rom. 9.3. Imitate S. Steven, for he praid for the people, even then when they sto­ned him: LORD lay not this sin to their charge. A & 7.60. Imi­tate Ioseph, Moses, Paule, Steven, and the whole company of holy ones, as Paule himselfe desireth to be imitated: Be yee fol­lowers of me, saith he, even as I am of Christ, 1. Cor. 11.1.

Walke therefore in the way, which the LORD hath made plaine for you; and tread yee those pathes, wherein by the good examples of Gods Saints yee are directed; and so shall yee be a­ble to follow the lambe, whithersoever he goeth. O blessed are you, if you keepe the right way; but withall you must make haste. Which is my third circumstance observed in Christian imita­tion.

The wise man passed by the field of the sloathfull, and lo, it was al growne over with thornes, & nettles had covered the face ther­of, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe, Prov. 24.30. Our corrupt nature, what is it, but this field? If we be sloathfull, and slacke in husbanding it, how can it bring forth any thing, but thornes, & nettles? The wise man passing by, may easily through the broken wall, descry all manner of filthinesse, and abhominati­on. If Saule lie sleeping with his servāts, it wil be no hard mat­ter for David to come, and take away the speare, and the pot of water, even from Saules owne head, 1. Sam. 26.12. If we, being now set in the right way, in the Lords way, shall be negligent, & given to sleeping, too easie will it be for Leviathan, that pear­cing serpent, that crooked serpent, that serpent which fel down from heaven like lightning, to come and steale away all good motions, even from our inmost heart.

The enimy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, but it was while men slept, Mat. 13.25. The foolish virgins, were not provi­ded [Page 55] to go with the bridegroome, for they slept too, Mat. 25.5. It is time then to watch, that the enimy choake not vp out whome with his tares: it is time to watch, if we meane to accompanie the bridegroome.

We must runne (for a slow pace will not serue the turne) we must run, if we looke to obtaine, 1. Cor. 9.24. CHRIST telleth vs, that the kingdome of heaven suffreth violence, and the violent take it by force, Mat. 11.12. And why doth he tell vs so, but to teach vs, how earnest, and zealous, we must be in our professed religiō? If we be but luke-warme, you know, God hath threat­ned to spew vs out of his mouth, Revel. 3.16. If our righteousnes surpasse not the righteousnes of Pharises, Heaven is no place for vs, we may not enter therein, Mat. 5.20. If we be no more then statute protestants, that is, if we thinke our duties sufficiently discharged, in comming once a month to the church to pray, in hearing once a quarter a sermon, in cōmunicating at the Lords table once a yeare, well may we hope to come to Heaven, but that shall be then, as a late and zealous preacher hath said, whē hypocrites haue leaue to come out of Hell.

Therfore were the golden Cherubins set vpon the two ends of the mercy seat, with their wings spread out on high, Exod. 37.9. to teach vs, to be as quicke about the Lords busines, as the Cherubins. Therefore did God reiect the blind, and the halting sacrifice, Deut. 15.21. to shew vs, how he abhorreth slacknesse in all our duties. Therefore did the Apostles leaue all, and follow Christ, Mat. 19.27. for our instruction, that we should speedi­ly follow Christ too. For he is not accursed only which doth not the Lords businesse, but he also, which doth the Lords businesse negligently, Ier. 48.10.

Watch therefore the Mat. 2.2 starre, so soone as it ariseth, & follow the Exod. 13.21 Pillar, so soone as it remooveth, and so shall you withall speed, be received into the 2. Cor. 5.1. building, that precious building, not made with hands, & shall dwell in those Heb. 9.11. tabernacles, those ioyfull tabernacles, which God himselfe hath pitched. O blessed are you if you make hast: yet not so, vnlesse you cōtinue to the end. And this is my last note.

Some came into the vineyard at morning, & some at noone, but no man received any reward, but they which staide vntill night, Mat. 20.8. Iacob did not prevaile with God, when first he began to wrestle with him, but when he had wrestled with him all night, Gen. 32.26. It is not your praying this day only, that can do you good, for you must pray continually, 1. Thess. 5.17. He runnes in vaine ( run he never so swiftly) that sits him down before he comes at the goale. Heaven is the goale, whither our race is intended. Begin we this race betimes, and keepe we the right way, and make we hast too, yet if we continue not to the end, our portion shall be as his, whom CHRIST hath said, the last estate of this man is worse, then the first, Luk. 11.26.

Having hitherto beene fed delicately, and brought vp in scar­let, shall we now perish in the streets, shall we now embrace the dung? Lam. 4.5. Having as yet had our heads of gold, shall we now (to become like to Nabuchadnezzars image) haue our feet of clay? Dan. 2.33. Having already begun in the spirit, shall we now end in the flesh; Gal. 3.3? 1. Cor, 10.12. He that thinkes be standeth let him take heed that he fall not.

What shall I say (saith Iosh. chap. 7.8. When Israel turnes the back. What shall I say? The trembling of the Pillars is enough to make the whole Temple shake. Peter, he which said even now, that Mat. 26.33. though al should, yet he would neuer forsake Christ, Vers. 74. cur­seth and sweareth, that he knoweth not the man. Lot, he which erst strived so much to preserue his daughters chast in Sodome, doth now in the mount commit Gen. 19.33. incest with his daughters. Sa­lomon himselfe, which so lately erected a Temple for the wor­ship of God, fals now to the worshipping of Idols: As if the starres were falling from their heaven, and the light departing from the sunne.

But it is not long since we were taught, that the Saints of God, though they fal not finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time, doe notwithstanding, fall grievously, and dangerously: of which we then heard in all plenty, and sufficiency, so that I may well surcease to speake thereof. Only let me say once againe, 1. Cor. 10.12. Hee that thinkes he standeth, let him take heed, that he fall not. For [Page 57] not every one, but hee only that [...] shall be sa­ved, Mat. 10.22. and not every one, [...] faith­full vnto the death, shall receiue the [...] of life, Revel. 2.10. and not every one, but such only as are marked in their fore­heads with the letter Ta [...], with the note of perfection, and per­severance, shal enter the inheritance of the blessed, Ezech. 9.4.

Let the 2. Pet. 2.22. dogge returne to his vomit, and the sow to her wal­lowing in the mire, but doe you (as Abraham did) hold on your sacrifices vnto the evening, the last evening of your liues, and so shall a full measure bee measured vnto you. O ever blessed shall you be, if you continue to the end. Then shall the prayers which you haue devoutly made, and the teares which you haue repentantly shed, and the almes, which you haue charitably gi­ven, set vpon your heads the crowne of glory, and the Angels shall triumph for your glorious coronation, and the Saints shall reioice at your blessed perfection, and God himselfe shall say AMEN, to your never dying happinesse. To which happinesse (O gratious father) receaue vs all, for his sake in whom thou art best pleased; to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all praise, power, maiestie, and domini­on, both now and for ever, AMEN.

CVrious questions, and vaine speculati­ons how like they are to plumes of fea­thers, each of vs in part may iudge; for that many very earnestly, and others nothing at all, are desirous to be seene in them. The time was, when Paule re­proved such, as had their heads trou­bled with 1. Tim. 1.4. Tit. 3.9. Genealogies: were he now liuing, to see, how men and women of our daies, busie their heads about as vaine questions, tracing dangerously vpon the pinacles, while they might safely walke vpon the pauement, could he, (thinke you) bee silent? It is a world to see, how many at this day are much more desirous to learne where Hell is, then to bee instructed any way how they may escape Hell. much more ready to heare what God did pur­pose before the world began, then to learne, what hee will doe, whē the world is ended: much more willing to vnderstand, whether they shall knowe one another hereafter in Heaven, then to know now whether themselues belong to Heaven, or not. Vnwise, though worldlings: so ready are they to search mysteries, be­fore they knowe principles: so presume they Rom. 12.3. to vnderstand, a­boue that which is meet; not much vnlike the 1. Sam. 6.19 Bethshemites, who were not content with the sight only of the Arke, but they would also prie into it, and finger it.

The Mat. 2.9. starre when it came to the place, wh [...] Christ was, stood still, and went no further: We likewise when we are come to the knowledge of Christ, should stand still, & goe no further. Are we better then S ^t Paule? he was content to 1. Cor. 2.2 know [...] nothing saue Christ Iesus, and him crucified. For he knew well, how im­possible it was for mans wit, to found the deapth of Gods se­crets. And farther; what shall it availe a mā, subtilly to dispute about the TRINITIE, if through his want of Humilitie, hee displease the TRINITIE? How can it profit thee, to haue the whole booke of God at thy fingers end, if through thy want of Charitie God withdraw his favour from thee? it cannot be­nefit me, schollerlike to define what sinne is, if beastlike wal­lowing in my sinnes, I provoke Gods wrath against my selfe.

It is an item for vs al: To him, that knoweth how to doe well, & doth it not, to him it is sinne. Howsoever in our age lesse, know­ing is not, yet more doing beyond all question is required. It hath pleased God to blesse many among vs with great, and each of vs with some, measure of knowledge; this place is plē ­tifull in witnessing as much. But how smale fruit ariseth from this knowledge, our carelesse kind of living maketh to plaine a declaration. So that I may fitly seeme of these our daies, to make that cōplaint, which Ieremie made of his, cha. 12.11. The whole land lyeth wast, because no man setteth his mind on it. Be­cause no man regardeth Gods word, no man considereth the plagues which he hath sent vpon the land, therefore are the destroyers come vpon all the high places; therefore the Lords sword devoureth all the land from one end thereof vnto the other: therfore no flesh may look for peace. And why may I not vse that which he hath added in the 13. verse? For see wee not Gods Ministers painefull, and labour some in sowing of wheat? Yet be­hold, the badnesse of the ground is such, that they can reap no­thing but thornes. Are they not even stoke with lamenting sin­full soules? Yet, where is their profit? They are, and that wor­thily, (because worthily they may be) ashamed of such a peo­ples fruits, which insteed of amendment groweth worse and worse.

Doe I speake this for a fashion only? or doe not Gods hea­vy iudgements testifie the truth hereof? doth not his fierce wrath speake as much? O then, let vs humble our selues vnder the Almightie hands of this revenging God, that so once a­gaine his face may shine vnto vs. Away for a time with your subtile questions, & attend you the amendment of your liues, for, if not so; Gods anger may not bee appeased. And that you may in part know what belongeth to the amendment of your liues, let not your hearts be shut against S ^t Iames his counsell, as it is in the first words of my text: Cast downe your selues be­fore the LORD. And how can you disobey this counsel, if you doe but think of the reason vsed by him for perswasions sake, in the words following? And he will lift you vp.

In his counsell, we obserue 3. notes.

• 1 (Not lift vp, but) cast downe.
• 2 Cast downe (not others, but) your selues.
• 3 Cast down your selues (not before mē, but) before the Lord.

And in delivering this third note, I may bee fitly occasi­oned to speake somewhat of the reason brought to perswade vs to the obedience of this counsell; for we must cast downe our selues before the LORD, who, as he is most liberall to vs, most present with vs, most able to helpe vs, when we stand in need, is also most willing at all times to worke our ease; and therefore hath our Apostle added, and he will lift you vp. Cast downe your selues before the LORD, and he will lift you vp.

Lift not vp, but cast downe] It hath beene observed, that the Peacocke, as proud as hee is of his gallant feathers, as soone as he beholdeth his foule feete, abateth himselfe, and is humbled. Here might we learne so much wit, as by the feeling, sight, & apprehensiō, of many our foule feet, of our corrupt, & perverse passions, which rule, and raigne in vs, to humble our selues, & to abate our pride ingendred but of a few feathers, and those indeed very blacke, howsoever they cary an appearance of beautie. But the prince of darknes, that subtile serpent, which Luk. 10.18. fell from Heaven like the lightning, not content with that rule, which he hath over the children of vnbeleefe, hath soe busied [Page 61] himselfe to obscure even those, which should shine as lights in this world; that (although the Esai. 24.23. Moone shall bee abashed, and the Son ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts shall raigne in Mount Syon and in Ierusalem, yet) wee, dust and ashes, cloathed in ini­quitie, and replenished with the loathsome infection of sinne, are bold to lift vp our heads in the presence of Gods Maiestie, nothing ashamed of our selues, and that at this time, when in our Syon, and Ierusalem he raigneth gloriously. For examine we our selues, and we shall scarse finde one, that can indure to cast downe, that striueth not, with all his might to lift vp him­selfe.

Some are never contented with their present estate, but would faine be higher; & these do ambitiously lift vp thēselues. Others, pretend glory, & praise in those gifts & graces, which they haue received from the Lord; and these do proudly lift vp themselues. Ambitious men, and proud men, both are lifters vp, fowle sinnes, and infectious: most of you know them to be such. Notwithstanding that we may the better see into them, and by seeing into them more willingly endeavour to avoide them, let not a severall examination of each of them, seeme te­dious vnto you.

The first is Ambition, an evill deeply rooted in mans hart; Ambitio sub­tile malum, se­cretum virus, pestis occu [...]ta, doli artifex, mater hypocrisis. Livoris parens, vitiorum origo, criminū somes, virtutum ae [...]ugo tinea sanctita­tis, excoecatrix cordium, ex re­medus morbos creans, generant ex mediti­na languorem. an evill, that maketh man evermore discontented with his pre­sent estate: a secret poison, a hidden sin, a forger of fraud, a mo­ther of hypocrisie, a spring of envie, the fewell of all vice, a moath to holinesse, a blinding of the heart; it converts reme­dies into diseases, and medicines into languishing; so saith S. Bernard, Serm. 6. in Psal. 91. Here might we wonder, how it can be possible, that man, so excellent a workmāship favoured so highly, and adorned so singularly with all celestiall gifts, & that by the highest God, should suffer so fowle a mōster to ne­stle with in his breast! Yet so it is; man hath a long time foster­ed, & yet is not weary of making much of his sweet Ambition.

A long time it hath beene fostered; the beginning of al ages witnesseth as much. Eue would be as a Goddess, Gen. 3.5. The builders of Babel would vp to Heaven, Gen. 11.4. Miriam and [Page 62] Aaron would speake for the Lord, as well as Moses, Num. 12.2. Looke we to succeeding ages, and they wil speake the same. Did not Ionathan say vnto David, Thou shalt reigne, and I will be next to thee? 1. Sam. 23.17. Did not Zebedees wife make suit to Christ, that her children might sit in his kingdome, the one one his right hand, and the other on his left? Mat. 20.20. Did not Christs disciples among themselues contend, who should bee the greatest? Mark. 9.34. Yeeld we then, that a long time Ambition hath beene fostered, and yet behold we are not weary of ma­king much of it.

The Church and Common wealth both do find it to be so. The Church, shee groaneth, for that shee is almost eaten vp. The Cōmon wealth hath cause to lament too; for (albeit shee yeeld­eth to every one sufficient for his vocation, yet) no man is con­tented with that he hath. Both in Church and Common wealth everie one is set to lift vp himselfe.

For the Church what shall we say? Sisac must be lifted vp; his wealth must be encreased; but how? even thus: He will spoile the Temple: he will take away the treasures of the Lords house: Salomons golden shields, shall be turned in Rehoboams shields of brasse, 1. King. 14.26. Dionysius his religion is not forgotten: if Iupiters coate be rich, it must be had away: it is too colde for winter, and too heavy, or to hot for summer: It is a shame the son should haue a beard, sith the father had none; and thus wittily (they think) they cary away the golden beard. In that old Arke of the testament overlaid round about with gold, were these three things, Manna, Aarons rod, and the tables of the testamēt; for so may we read, Heb. 9.4. Our Arke had these sometimes; but those times are gone. Many Sisackes, and many of Dionysi­us his schollers, haue fatted themselues with a great part of our Manna; that little which remaineth they snatch at too; and would willingly feed thereon, could they but pul downe Aa­rons rode; and so would they leaue vs nothing but the two ta­bles, nothing but poore schollers bookes to liue by. So com­mon a thing it is to rush into Gods treasury, and to rob his sanctuarie.

It may be, they are perswaded, that herein they doe God no wrong. If they be so perswaded, the surely they remember not, or they care not for, Dan. 5.5. that writing hand which appeared to Bel­shazzar, while he was drinking in the place, which his father had taken from the Temple in Ierusalem: for some of them haue done so, and more: and then surely they remember not, or they care not for, the word of the Lord, who hath said, yee haue spoi­led me, by deteining your tithes and offerings, Mal. 3.8. for many of them haue done so, and more: and then surely they remem­ber not, or care not for, the dreadfull iudgement, which befell Ananias, Act. 5.5. & 10. and his wife for keeping backe part of the price of their owne possession, which they sold to the vse of the Church; for all of them haue done (shall I say so? I may not; for neither their ancetors haue ever brought so much as one stone to the foun­dation, nor themselues so much as one tile to cover the roofe of the church) but, I must say al of them haue done much more and more wickedly.

And yet they are not without all excuse; for were there no buyers, there could be no sellers; would no man giue them the liuelyhood of the Church, they could not take it: Ambitious Pastors do make their Patrons rich. Thus while the seller de­fends himselfe by the buyer, the taker by the giver, the patrone by the hireling, and each by the other, they are all become like to Samsons foxes, Iud. 15.4. in their tailes they are vnited, they are knit togither in mischiefe, & they haue their firebrāds too, to burne vp the commodities of the CHVRCH.

Silvester 2. gaue himselfe to the Devill, that hee might at­taine to the papacie, so writeth Platina in the life of Silvester. Silvester hath left many sons behinde him, as desirous of pre­ferment as himselfe: I forge it not, neither suck I it out of mine owne fingers ends: the decayed maintenance of some of our Bishoprickes, Deaneries, Probends, Personages, and Ʋicarages cries out, and tels you it is so.

I meddle not with particulars, being very willing with Sem, and Iaphet to cloake, and cover our fathers nakednesse. For I perswade my selfe, I may not reveale all their sins, lest the vn­circumcised [Page 64] reioice: yet know I withall, that I may not cover some of their sinnes, iest the vncircumcised encrease. One saide, if some mens drunkennesse were not reproved, they would bee drunken still, and make a common wealth of drunkards: let me change the speech, I say, if Simonie were not reproved in some, they would vse Simonie still, and fill the Church with other like themselues. To what end serue those warnings, reproofes, ex­communications, and corrections which Christ hath appoin­ted, if every mans nakednesse should be covered? We may, and must be content to cover the first nakednesse, if they will repēt and do no more so.

But now, when in the hardnesse of their hearts, that cannot repent, they say they stumble not, although every man may see them lie groueling on the ground, shall we follow them, like a blind mans boy, to stay them so oft as they fall? Shall wee say, all our Bishoprickes are as good as ever they were? shall we saie, none of our Deaneries are impaired? shall we say all come free­ly to their Prebends, their Parsonages, their Vicarages? shall we thus cover their nakednesse? So should we indeede make a cloake for their Simony, but it were a cloake of flattery, not of reverence, and therefore not worth the having. Wolues are not the Lambes fathers, but the Lambes butchers; shepheards lear­ning findes that to be true. The maintenance of the Church, the liuelyhood of the yong Lambes, the Lambes not yet borne, is even consumed, by the greedinesse of the Wolues. How can we cal them Fathers, since they are our Butchers? Let them speake to their own children to cover them: let the dead bury the dead; the wicked are fittest to cover the wiked. We haue a rule, and this it is: Them that sinne openly, reproue openly, that the rest may feare, 1. Tim. 5.20.

You haue heard the groaning of the Church; consider now what cause the Common wealth hath of lamentation. Her mem­bers will be no longer members; they must be exalted too. But how? How they care not, so they be exalted. Athaliah woulde be sole governour and Queene, and that made her destroy all the Kings seed, 2. King. 11.1. It was a kingdom that Sellum loo­ked [Page 65] for, and therfore Zacharie must be done to death, 2. Kings 15.10. Abimelech will not sticke to murther his 70 brethren, if so thereby he may attaine to a soveraignety, Iud. 9.5. And what shall I say more? For the time would be too short for me to tel of Absolon, and of Scheba, and of Adoniah, and of Zimrie, also of Assuerus, Schebna, and many others, which through a desire of lifting vp themselues, haue wrought wickednesse, cō ­spired against their masters, rebelled against their rulers, not spared their owne fathers; haue packt craftely, and got of the best offices into their own hands, ever aspiring to the highest; haue made feasts onely to shew forth their riches, their glory, and the honour of their maiestie: haue beene full of wrath, be­cause others haue not bowed the knees vnto them: whom the world was well wearie of, because they wearied all, but them­selues. And can we now looke for a milder flame, when the fewel of all vice is heaped vp vpon the fire?

Honour is the marke we shoote at; and honourable we can­not be, except we be rich; for that is against the fashion of the world. Well, if that be all, we will be rich. Deceit, briberie, op­pression, rapine, and vsurie, all are our helpers. Tell mee, doth not the country gentleman enclose his commons? doth not the landlord racke his tenants? doth not the seller then thinke his gaines best, when he deceaues the buyer? Conceaue you of the rest. For a general deluge of wickednes is gone over the whole world. Now may Amos say iustly of vs, as sometimes hee said of the Iewes. Chap. 2.6. They sell the righteous for silver, and the poore for shooes.

Thus you see, the Church hath her sore, & the Commonwealth her gall; both so festered that they may not abide long spur­ring. And therefore it is high time that wee endeavour to cure them. One salue may serue for both; and the receit thereof is prescribed by S ^f Paule, 1. Tim. 6.6. Godlinesse, saith hee, is great gaine, if a man be content with that he hath. The necke of ambi­tion both in Church, and Cōmonwealth will soone be broken, if men be content, with that they haue. Esther. 5.13. & 7.10. Had Haman beene con­tented, when Mordekai refused to doe him like honour, as o­thers [Page 66] did, hee might haue enioyed his honour longer then hee did. 2. Sam. 17.7. Vers 23. Had Achitophel contented himselfe, when the counsell of Chushai the Arachite was preferred before his, he would not for despite haue hanged himselfe. And could this contentment but once possesse vs, the number of our ravening Harpyes, our cruell Tigers, and our devouring Cannibals, which drawe the skinnes of the poore from their flesh, and the flesh from their bones, to the very dividing of their ioints and marrow, would soone be lessened.

Neuer was Barzillai so happy, as when he would not be ex­alted, 2. Sam. 19.34. Never had the Shunamite such quiet as when she cared not for preferment, 2. Kings 4.13. Never did the Disciples seeme so rich, as when they were willing to leaue all, Luk. 5.11.

Art thou poore? so were the Smyrnians, bee content as they were; Revel. 2.9. and then what God said to them, shall bee said to thee, I knowe thy povertie, but thou are rich. Art thou afflicted? so were the Apostles: Rom. 12.12. be content as they were, and then shalt thou re­ioice in thy tribulations. Art thou spoiled by theeues? hath fire consumed all thy goods? or is it worse with thee? such was Iobs lot: be content as he was, and even then shalt thou say, blessed be the name of the LORD. Iob 1.1 [...].

Thus is contentation like the waters of Iordan, wherein Na­aman was washed, 2. Kings 5.14. For as his flesh, which before was leaprous, became faire, and cleane after his washing; so af­ter we are once bathed in the rivers of contentment, procee­ding from so sweet a fountaine as Godlinesse is, all our tedious and irksome leprosies shall be cleansed, all our actions, and labours, and afflictions shall become ioyous, and pleasant, & comfortable. It is like that tree, which Moses cast into the spring to season the bitternesse of the waters, Exod. 15.25. or that salt, which Elisha cast into the noysome waters to make them whole­some, 2. King. 2.21. or that meale, which the same man of God put into the bitter pottage to make it sweet, 2. Kings 4.41. For come anguish, come sicknesse, come iniuries, come losses, come famine, come banishment, come death, and worse then death, if [Page 67] worse may come, all shall be sweet to the contented soule.

This did Abrahams grandchild knowe well, and therefore for worldly matters, he desired no more of God, but bread to eate, & cloaths to put on, Gen. 28.20. And Agur knew it well: & therefore his prayer was not for riches, but to be fed only with food convenient, Prov. 30.8. And Paul knew it wel too: where­vpon his counsell is; when we haue food and raiment, let vs bee therewith contented, 1. Tim. 6.8. Neither doth hee herein coun­sell vs to that which himselfe had not vndergone, for hee had learned in whatsoever state hee was, to bee content therewith, as appeareth, Philip. 4.11. And that you may in some measure learne the same, take with you these three notes.

1 See, that in worldly things you propound not to high an estate to your selues. You are compared in the Scriptures, Psal. 44.11.22. Rom. 8.36. not to Lyons or Horses, such proud creatures, but to sheepe; to put you in mind of the modesty, and simplicitie, which is requi­red of you: and you are likened not to the high oake, or tall Ce­dar, but to the low creeping vine; to remember you of humilitie.

2 Take heed that at no time yee deny, or lessen the bene­fits of God, but labour yee rather to seeke them al, & acknow­ledge them to be so great as they are, that so in respect of them you may confesse your estate to be so good as it is. It will bee imputed to you for great ingratitude, if being fed even with Psal. 78.25. Angels food, as you are; yee speak of it contemptuously as the Israelites did, and say, there is nothing but this Manna.

3 Perswade your selues of Gods fatherly providence watching over you continually for your good. Hee hath given his sonne Christ Iesus vnto you, will hee not with him giue you all things needfull for you? Hee hath provided a kingdome for you in Heaven, will he then be wanting vnto you on Earth? he wil not. For rather then so, the raven shall bee ready to 1. King 17.6 feed Elias; the Ioh 1.17. fish to saue Ionas; the Iud. 15.19. Asses tooth to yeeld water to Sampson for his reliefe: and since our gluttons will not, our Luk. 16.21. dogges shall pittie poore Lazarus.

O could our hearts once become fleshy, and take the im­pression of these few lessons, then would we not striue for this [Page 68] world, as we do, Lawyer against lawyer, neighbor against neigh­bour, brother against brother, as if we were a company of beg­gars thrusting at a dole: then would there be no 1. King. 21.4 Achabs, to be sicke for Naboths vineyard: then should we, like Christs disci­ples, want nothing, though we haue nothing and then should we haue a poore widdowes mite for others, how little soever we haue for our selues: then should we haue contented minds wai­ted vpon with a thousand blessings: we should haue in readi­nesse for the curing of every wound, a Chirurgion; for the pre­venting of every disease, a Physician; for the ending of everie strife, a lawyer; for the satisfying of every doubt, a preacher; for asswaging of every griefe, a comforter; and all this within our selues: so should we, like Daniel, Dan. 1.12. thriue with water, and pulse, as well as others do with their wine, and iunkets. And so I come to the second sort of lifters vp, which in the pride of their hearts, doe pretend a glory, and praise in those gifts, and graces which they haue received from the Lord.

A little wormewoode is of force sufficient to make bitter a great vessell; and a little leaven maketh sowre the whole lump. As is this wormewood, or this leaven, so is pride. A little of it is of force enough to corrupt, and depraue even an Angels life. For, be he what he may be, that arrogateth any thing to him­selfe, he cannot choose, but put some trust therein; & his trust therein, be it never so little, must needs breed in him some di­strust in God, whom thereby he shall alien, and estrange from himselfe: and when once the fountaine of all goodnesse, of light, of life it selfe is departed from him, how can that man bee but wretched, but wicked, but accursed?

If a marchant, and a friend of yours, after his long travail to the farthest parts either of the East or West Indies, returning home with great riches, should in his owne country haven be­fore your eies suffer shipwracke, & loose al, I know you would pity his estate. Meditate here a while, and thinke whether you haue not as great cause to pity your selues. You your selues haue been travailers a long time in a strange country, farre from your home, much farther then either of the Indies, and manie of [Page 69] you haue laden your selues (I doubt it not) with great riches, with the precious riches, of knowledge, of honesty, and of Godlie living, and you seeme to be cloathed with sincerity, integrity, and purity, of faith, loue, and other affections, as if all were pure white about you; and are even ready to enter the haven of the celestiall Ierusalem: now if any of you thus furnished with the abundance of Gods blessings, shall thereby exalt, and lift vp himselfe, and thinke in his heart, with the prowd Pharisee, that he is not, Luk. 18.11. as other men are, I may boldly say, that, that mā hath made shipwracke of all, and is now as much to be pitied him­selfe, as erst himselfe would haue pitied that marchant.

If you should be set vpon a pinnacle, or vpon the ridge of an house, and then would not looke to your footing, could you be thought lesse then desperate? Such is your estate: it hath plea­sed God many waies to blesse you all; all of you must needes confesse as much. Such his blessings are vnto you, as so manie ridges of houses, or tops of pinnacles, whereon he hath set you to walke, though spiritually: but your immodest, and prowd vsage of thē, argueth your carelesse looking to your footings. For could you but enter the examination of your owne harts, it would easily be graunted me, that the Magistrate taketh a pride in his authority, the Gentleman in his parentage, the Rich man in his wealth, the strong man in his strength, the learned in his knowledge, the preacher in his preaching, yea and every man in every good thing he hath, or doth.

So ready are wee sacrilegiously to attribute to our selues the praise of Gods blessings due to him alone, imitating here­in those Angels, which, for so doing, were cast downe frō Hea­ven, and are now reserved in everlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of that great day, Iude, 1.6. and Nebuchad­nezzar, who for so doing was expelled his palace, and made to eate grasse with the beasts of the forrest, Dan. 4.32. and Pha­raoh, who for so doing, was brought out of his kingdome, and lodged in the red sea among the fishes, Exod. 14.28.

No sinne hath pulled downe so many as this which promi­seth to set vs vp. The first sinne that conquered man, will be the [Page 70] last, and worst sinne for vs to conquer. Were it not for this the Pharisees would haue received Christ, as meekely as the disci­ples did: our mighty ones would come to church, as well as the people do; our elders would abide reproofe, as well as their in­feriours do: our yong ones, and ancients too of our owne coate would leaue swearing as well as any doe: then would our men content themselues to go like Abraham, and our women like Sarah; then would they not make this their worke (as one hath lately and too truely said) so soone as they rise in the morning to put a pedlars shop vpon their backs, and colour their faces, & pricke their ruffes, and frisle their haire, (and then, saith he their daies work is done) as though their office were to paint a faire image every morning, and at night to blot it out againe.

Hence it is, that flesh & blood putteth such confidence in it selfe. Naked we are, yet vaunt we our selues, as though we were gorgeously apparelled: weak we are, yet think we with Nimrod to build a tower to Heaven: ready are we to renounce Christ, yea dayly in deed we do renounce him, yet stoutly we protest with Mat 26.35. Peter, that we wil die with him, rather then forsake him. Thus whilst every one speaketh pleasing words vnto himself, & saith I will reigne, or I shall not be removed, or who shall ascend aboue me? yea though he speake nothing, but in his heart receiveth the applause of the people, as surely as he liveth, hee shall bee cast downe to the ground. The Alarum hath sounded vnto him al­ready from aboue: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee downe from thence; saith the LORD, Ier. 49.16. He casteth downe the prowd, and exalteth the humble, and meeke: this one sentence is observed to be repeated at the least 19. times in the old and new Testaments, and all to teach vs, how detestable a thing pride is in the sight of God.

Absalom slue his brother Amnon, and did many more things wickedly, and all that while was he spared; but when once in the pride of his heart he sought to be king, God resisted him; & hanged him on a tree, 2. Sam. 18.9. Shebna had his purposes to betray the Church, and to provide for himselfe against al dan­gers, & all that while was he spared; but whē once in the pride [Page 71] of his heart he built a sepulcher for his memoriall, God resisted him, and made him to be buried in another country, Es. 22.18. Herod, he killed Iames, imprisoned Peter, and much more did he as wickedly, and all that while was he spared; but whē once in the pride of heart, he accepted the immoderate applause of the people, shouting out, and saying, the voice of God, and not of man, God resisted him, & made the vile wormes to bee his mur­derers, Act. 12.23.

God resisteth the prowd, and giveth grace vnto the hūble. Flat­ter not your selues: whosoever professeth of himselfe, that hee is not, as other men are, that he is no extortioner, no adulterer, no sinner; his profession is as the professiō of that Pharisee, Luk. 18.11. & God wil resist him: but learne yee of him, who in hu­mility of spirit hath said, LORD, Luk. 18.13. be mercifull to me a sinner, and you shalbe exalted. Whosoever speaketh pleasingly to himself, and saith, Is not this great BABEL, which I haue built for the house of MY kingdome, and honour of MY Maiestie? Haue I not done thus, or thus wel, by the might of mine owne power? his words are as the words of Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.26. and God wil resist him: but learne yee of him, who in humility hath said, Ioh. 5.30. I can do nothing of my selfe; and you shall be exalted. Whosoever thinketh with himselfe, I will ascend into Heaven, and exalt my throne aboue besides the starres of God, and will be like the most high; his heart is as the heart of Lucifer, Esay. 14.13. and God will resist him: but learne yee of him, who in humility of spirite Psal. 110.7. dranke of the brooke in the way, and became for vs a Philip. 2.7. servant; and you shall be exalted.

And now that wee may the better apply our selues to this humility of spirit, let vs here also take two notes with vs.

1 Let vs enter into a due consideration of our estate, as it is by nature: which shall easily appeare vnto vs what it is, if we do but call to minde the metall whereof wee are made; the shortnesse of our liues, and the miseries to which wee are sub­iect.

Consider we the metall whereof we are made. You know, it is no better then clay, no better then mire, no better then the [Page 72] very slime of the earth. And therefore it best and most naturally agreeth with vs, if we be beaten as small as the dust, and troden vnder foot as the mire in the streets. This was well knowne (that I may omit the rest) to Abraham, Iob, and Paule; for our bodies, in Abrahams iudgement, are dust, and ashes, Gen. 18.27 very ready with every b [...]ast of wind to be scatered. And in Iobs iudgement they are houses of clay, Iob. 4.19. very easie to bee broken. And in Pauls iudgement, they are earthly tabernacles, 2. Cor. 5.1 certainely, and within short time to bee destroyed. The cogitation hereof made Moses to say, who am I, that I should goe to Pharaoh? Exod. 3.11. & it made David to cry out, and say, I am a worme and no man, Ps. 22.7. and it made Ieremy to say, I cannot speake, Ier. 1.6. And could the like cogitation but touch our hearts, it would crop, yea more then so, it would pull off, and consume all our figge leaues of vanitie. Hee that hath a heart to consider, let him consider of what mettall hee is made; and then be he proud if he can.

And consider we the shortnesse of our liues. All flesh is grasse, and the glory thereof is as the flower of the field; the grasse withe­reth and the flower fadeth, a voice bad Esay crie so, Esay 40.6. Wisdome in the 5. chapter of that booke verse 9. telleth you, that all things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that ha­steth by. A ship passeth over the waues of the water; but when it is once gone, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the path of it in the floods: a bird flyeth through the aire, yet no man seeth any token of her passage: an arrow is shot at a marke, it parteth the aire, but immediatly the aire commeth together againe, and then cannot you knowe where it went through. As is this shadow, this post, this ship, this bird, this arrow; so are our liues, in great hast, and speedely flying away: we are no sooner borne, but we be­ginne to draw to our end.

All things (saith S ^t Chrysostome, homil. 19. ad Eutropium) are but a night, and a dreame; the day commeth, and they vanish a­way. Smoake was, but that is dissolued; bubbles were vpon the water, but they are broken; Spiders webbes haue beene in our windowes, but we haue swept them downe. Here we haue pat­ternes [Page 73] of our liues. We that are met here together at this pre­sent doe liue together; but we shall be dissolued, and therein are we like smoke; but we shall be broken, and therein are we as bubbles vpon the water; but we shall bee swept downe with the besome of death, and therein doe we resemble spiders webs.

Now would yee vse some accompt to finde out of what length your liues are? So may yee follow either Iacobs, or Da­vids, or the Hebrewes, or the Fathers account. Would you fol­low Iacobs account? then must you not reckon yeares; for whē Pharaoh asked him, how old he was? he made this answer: few and evill haue my daies beene, Gen. 47.9. and Moses prayer to the Lord, was, to bee taught to number his daies, Psalm. 90.20. thereby shewing how small wisdome is seene in reckoning after either yeares, or monthes, or weekes. Would you vse Da­vids accompt? then may your hand serue you for a measure; for so your life will be found to be but a spanne long, Psa. 39.5. Would you reckon like the Hebrewes? Then thus doe yee: first deduct your time of sleepe, so, that if your yeares bee threescore and tenne, as it is, Psalm. 90.20. fiue and thirtie of those at once must be dashed out: then take away the time of your youth, for it is not so worthy to be called life, as vanitie, saith Ecclesiastes chap. 11.10. and last of all abate yee the time of your sorrow, wherein you had rather die then liue. This reckoning once made what a small remnant will there be for your liues? But would yee make choice of the Fathers account? then thus pro­ceed yee: first cast away the time past; for it is not: then account not of the time to come, for it is vncertaine: and thus shall you leaue nothing for your liues, but the time present; nothing but a moment: and what is a moment to your expectation? What is a moment to eternitie? He that hath a heart to consider, let him consider how short his life is, and be he proud if he can.

And consider we also the miseries, to which we are subiect. A long time would bee too short for mee to recount them all. Let a general view of them suffice. The Dictamnum herbam extra­hendis sagittis cervi monstra­ve [...]e. Goates of Candie be­ing shot in with a shaft or iavelin, doe forthwith seeke out the hearbe Dittanie, and eate it, by vertue whereof the arrowes or [Page 74] iavelins fall out, and their wounds are cured. If the Chelidoniam visui saluberri­mam hirundi­nes monstrauere vexatis pullorū oculis illâ me­dentes. young swallowes eies be sore, the olde bird fetcheth the hearbe Ce­landine, and applyeth it to the yong ones eyes, & healeth them. Vrsi cùm Mandragorae mala gustavere formicas lam­bunt. Beares against the evill of mandrakes doe vse the benefite of Emmets. These, and many like examples hath Plini [...] set downe, lib. 8. cap. 27. Erasmus hath added this conclusion, Nullum est animal, quod non intelligat sua remedia; &c. There is no liuing creature but knoweth well how to remedy his owne diseases. Man only, only man is of no vnderstanding, hee knoweth not any remedy for any griefe, either of his body, or mind.

Man that is borne of a woman, saith Iob 14.1. is full of troubles. At land, or at sea, by day, or by night troubles wait vpon him. That which is vnsavorie, shall it be eaten without salt? or is there any tast in the white of an egge? Languishing Iob maketh this question, chap. 6.6. O then what delight can wee take to liue, since our griefes, and miseries, were they well weighed, & laid together in the ballance, would bee heavier then the sands of the Sea? Iob. 6.4. The arrowes of the Almightie are in vs, their venim hath even drunke vp our spirits. Miserable men that such should bee our lot. And yet behold, much more miserable are we, if we be not called to grace in this pilgrimage; for so, after this life wee shall bee nothing but prayes for Sathan, nothing but fire­brands of Hell. He that hath a heart to consider, let him consi­der, how subiect he is to miseries, and then be he proud if he can.

A second note to moue vs to Humilitie is this: even to con­sider, whence we haue those good things which we doe enioy. Meate to nourish vs, we haue it from the Lord. Apparell to cloath vs, we haue it from the Lord. The Sunne to comfort vs, the Moone to pleasure vs, we haue them from the Lord. Life for our being, riches, honour, and whatsoever else for our well be­ing, all commeth from the Lord. This is the reason which S ^t Paule vsed to beate downe pride in the Corinthians: what hast thou (saith he) that thou hast not receaued? 1. Cor. 4.7. Art thou rich? it is not of thy selfe: the Lord giueth, saith Iob. 1.12. & hee can take away. Art thou in estimation in this world, it is not of thy selfe. The Lord setteth vp, saith Hannah, 1. Sam. 2.7. and hee [Page 75] can pull thee downe. Hast thou cunning, or skill in any thing whatsoever? it is not of thy selfe: God teacheth handycrafts­men to worke: himselfe saith so to Moses, Exod. 31.3. and he cā againe make them vnskilfull. He can, and will take away thy riches, be they never so great; he can and will pull thee downe, be thou never so high; he can and will make thee vnskilfull, be thou never so cunning, or will doe vnto thee more then so, if for any his gifts, and graces thou be puffed vp, & swell in pride. Art thou steward of much? little cause hast thou to bee proud; thine account shall bee for much. If thou haue fiue talents, Mat. 25.20. thy Lord will looke for the increase of fiue: if thou haue more ri­ches then others, knowe, that they are bestowed vpon thee to relieue, and succour those that want; thou maist not lay them vp in store for thy selfe for many yeares; Luk. 12.19.20 For how knowest thou (ô foole) whether this night they will fetch away thy soule from thee? And thē whose shal those things be, which thou hast prouided?

And thus, whether we consider our estate as it is by nature, or the fountaine, from which all good things, which we enioy, doe proceed, wee may in some measure bee moved to imbrace humilitie. For so shall we be taught, though we giue almes, yet not to blow a trumpet, though we fast twice a weeke, yet to make no words of it: though we haue done many good deeds, yet to forget them all. Then shall wee bee able to make for our Lord borders of gold guilt with silver; that is, we shall be rich inward­ly, howsoever our outward appearance is: then shall wee bee willing to strow our best garments & our most flourishing bran­ches at our Saviours feet: then shall we be ready speedily to cast downe our crownes, yea our very selues, before the Throne of the Lambe. And our Lord and Saviour, this Lambe of God, as he is able, will also be willing, & ready to lift vs vp, and will giue vs a resting place, where no night shall be; there shall we need neither candle, nor light of Sunne, for hee will giue vs light, & make vs to raigne for evermore. Even so bee it, Lord Iesus. To God the father, the sonne, and the holy Ghost, bee all praise, power, Maiestie, and dominion, for evermore.

REturne, and cause others to returne away from your wicked waies, cast from you all your sinnes, wherewith you haue trans­gressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, for why will you die, O house of Israel? When the Lord spake so by his Prophet, Ezech. 18.31. in effect hee spake thus: repent, or be damned, amend your liues, or be damned; consider it well, and you shall find no meane. If they then, then we much more now, and now if ever, had need vnfainedly to repent, & amend our liues. Hereto haue we beene invited (you cannot forget it) by a late pretended in­vasion: but then Psa. 107 [...].6. we cried vnto the LORD in our troubles, & he delivered vs out of our distresse. Hereto haue we as lately beene summoned (and this you may remember) by a grievous sick­nesse, by a farre scattered plague, by a present death eating vp our brethren almost in every place of this land; but then wee cryed out vnto the LORD in our troubles, and he delivered vs out of our distresse. O that we would therefore praise the LORD for his goodnesse, and declare the wonders, that he hath done for vs.

But what? Are we now amēded? haue these two messengers of the Lord turned vs from our vngodlinesse? I would I could say they had: to me it seemeth, that they haue rather strēgthe­ned vs in our iniquities. For they which were ignorant, are ig­norant still; they which were vniust, are vniust still; they which were filthy, are filthy still: yea they which seemed religious, like so many 2. Tim. 4.10 Damases haue embraced this present world. Thus haue all, as it were, made a Esai. 28.15. league with death, and a covenaunt with the graue, perswading themselues, that albeit there come [Page 77] a sword, there come a plague, there come the worst that may come through the land, yet shall there no evill come at them. Now therefore hath the LORD sent a third messenger to trie whether thereby he can stirre vs vp to this repentance, and a­mendment of our liues. Al of you haue heard of it; the godly, and labouring poore, they especially feele it.

Can we thinke of it without bleeding harts how This Sermon was preached Iun. 23. 1597. this want of bread in all our quarters hath set the very print of death in the yet-living faces of many of our brethrē, which are as deare and it may be, much dearer to God, then our selues? Now rea­son haue we (as the Prophet Hosea speaketh, Chap. 7.14.) to assemble our selues, & howle vpon our beds for corne and for wine; that is, for the belly, & for the throat, necessity constraineth vs: yet should we not forget, that their is a greater leanenes in our soules. Now ready are wee to bite the stone, which the Lord hath cast at vs; need driues vs to it: but withall wee ought to looke at the hand, which did send it; for so shall we finde it to be a punishment for sinnes raigning among vs. For this famine is sent vs by him, whose property it is to Ps. 107.33. turne the floods into a wildernes, and the springs of water into drynesse, and a fruitfull land into barrennesse, for the wickednes of them that dwel therein. It is sent vs by him, who for Achans offence, caused Iosh. 7.4. three thousand to be put to slight; for Davids sinne, flew with the pe­stilence seavēty thousand of the 2. Sam. 24 15 people; for Baashaes own trās­gression 1. Kin 16.11 brought evill vpon his whole houshold, his kinsfolk, and his friends; and who knoweth whether the same God, e­ver iust in his punishings, hath laid his heavy hande vpon our poore brethren, for our, or some one of our iniquities? Howso­ever it standeth, we may not presume of the contrary, least the Lord make vs like vile Ierem 24 8 figges, which cannot be eaten, they are so naughty.

What remaineth then on our parts, but that we Ioel. 2.13. rent our hearts, and turne vnto the Lord our God with fasting, with wee­ping, and with mourning: for he it is that must call for corne, and encrease it, or else we shall beare the reproach of famine stil: he it is that must Hos. 6.1. binde vs vp, or els wee shall continue wounded [Page 78] still: he it is that must heale vs, or else wee shall lie thus spoiled stil. Come therefore, & rent, not your garments, but your hearts; cast from you all your sinnes; Ezech. 18 31 wherwith you haue transgressed; turne, and cause others to returne from your evill waies to the Lord your God, and hee will bee ready to repent him of this evill: Humble your selues vnder the Almighty hand of God, and he will once againe make his face to shine vnto you. The summe of all is this; Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

I haue heretofore remembred you of this counsell of Saint Iames in the first words of my text: Cast downe your selues be­fore the Lord, and of his reason vsed by him to perswade you to the obedience of his counsell; in the latter words, and hee will lift you vp. And then in the counsell I observed 3. notes, vsing the direction of the words themselues.

• 1 Lift not vp, but cast downe.
• 2 Cast downe not others, but your selues.
• 3 Cast down your selues, not before mē, but before the Lord Where I signified, that iust occasion was given, to speak of the reason moving vs to the obedience of this counsel, for we must cast downe our selues before the Lord, who as he is most liberall to vs, most present with vs, most able to helpe vs, when we stand in need, is also most willing at all times to worke our ease; and therefore hath our Apostle added, and he will lift you vp. Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

I haue already spoken of the first generall note, wherein I laid open two grievous wounds of our Church, & Cōmonwealth, two raigning evils among vs, the evill of Ambition, and the e­vill of Pride, and at that time, I applyed medicines to thē both. Now followeth the second note, ( cast downe, not others, but your selues,) which devideth it selfe into two parts: 1. cast down not others: 2. but your selues. Cast downe not others; for that is iniurie, & you may not doe it: but your selues, for that is humili­ty, and you must embrace it: not others; for you may not deale vncharitably with them; but your selues, for high minded men are to high to enter in at Heavens streight gate. So then, that [Page 79] yee do no iniurie to any, but deale charitably with all, out of the first part, you may learne three things.

• 1 Not to disgrace your neighbours.
• 2 Not to iudge the persons of sinners.
• 3 Not to condemne the whole profession, because all liue not in the same perfection.

Cast downe not others.] As for the second part it hath relatiō to the third generall note, where it may most fitly be conside­red, for you must cast downe your selues, not before men, but before the Lord.

Cast downe not others) the first thing we learne here, is, not to to disgrace our neighbours. We that are Christians and iourny­ing towards Heaven, must go, not so much by walking, as by lo­ving, not so much with our feet, as with our affections: neither is there any thing which maketh a good or a bad life, but a good or a bad loue. If therefore we will to Heaven by the right way, we must be rich in good works, we must be framed according to the rule of Gospel-like perfectiō; we must loue not our friends only in God, but our foes also for God. We presume that fire is then hottest, when it warmeth them that are farthest of: so is it with loue; it is then most fervent and, perfect, when it forsaketh neither friend, nor foe, be they never so farre of. Is thy neighbor thy friend? Civility bids thee loue him; Is he thy foe? Christianity forbids thee to disgrace him. Friend or foe, is he thy neighbour? Civillity then wils thee Mat. 7 12. to doe vnto him, as thou wouldest bee done vnto; & christianity requireth of thee, that thou Mat. 19.19. loue him as thy selfe. Now think, how thou lovest thy selfe: It is not with a feigned loue, not with a cold loue, not with temporary loue, not in word onely: therefore must thy loue towards thy neighbour, be vnfeigned, it must be fervent, it must be enduring, it must bee effectuall; adde hereto a fift condition; it must be holy, that is, thou must loue thy neighbour, you must loue one another, in God, for God, and to Gods glory.

The ful measure of this our loue is set downe vnto vs by our Saviour Christ, Ioan. 13.34. Who hath given vs a new commā ­dement, that we loue one another, as he hath loved vs, evē so that [Page 80] we loue one another: where we are willed in loving others, not so much to regard that loue, wherewith we loue our selues, as that, wherewith Christ loues vs. As he hath loved vs, even so must we loue one another. But how is that? Consider with mee but 5. things, and you may learne how.

The first is, the cause which moved Christ to loue vs. Wee haue beene Ephes. 1.4. chosen in him by the Father, that we might be sa­ved by him, and therefore hath Christ loved vs with a peculiar loue aboue other men, Galat. 2.20. Therfore must we also loue our brethrē peculiarly in the Lord, for that very cause, because (for ought we know) they are the elect and chosen of the Father in Christ, that they may be saved by Christ.

2 The time, when Christ loved vs. He loved vs first, 1. Ioh. 4.19. Therefore must we also prevent one another in loue; wee must not looke that they loue vs first (for the heathens can bee content to yeeld loue for loue, Mat. 5.46.) But we must loue thē first, and by so loving them stirre them vp to loue vs againe.

3 The quality of the persons, whom Christ hath loved. He hath loved vs, Ioan. 15.9. vs: that is all, all the elect, Iewes, and Gentiles, Graecians, & barbarians, bond, and free, men, & wo­men, the base, and poore as well, as the noble, and rich: for all which, and therfore for all vs he dyed, when as yet we were his enemies, when as yet we were sinners, Rom. 5.8. Therfore must we also loue all men, be they sinners, or seeme they iust; seeme they our friends or be they our foes, bee they of what estate and condition soever.

4 The end, for which Christ hath loued vs. He loued vs for no profit of his owne, but for our soules health. Therfore must we also loue our neighbours, not for our owne gaine, but for their good: and thereto doth S ^t Paul counsell vs, Let every man be carefull for the things of his neighbour, Phil. 2.4.

5 The measure of Christs loue to vs ward. It is a true loue; for Christ is truth it selfe, Iohn. 14.6. It is an ardent loue [...], for Christ laid downe his life, he shed his blood, for his sheepe, Iohn, 10.15. It is a never dying loue, for Christ loues his vnto the end, Ioh. 13.1. And therefore must wee also loue our neighbours [Page 81] truly, earnestly, & constantly. We must abandon al false, feigned, and vaine loue, all corrupt loue, all gainefull loue, al tongue-loue, and the like, as Christ hath loued vs, even so must we loue one an­other.

How this loue hath beene written in the hearts of the god­ly, which long since haue slept in peace, their practises are suf­ficient to declare. Could any thing else haue made Moses pray to haue his name raced out of Gods booke rather, then that the sinnes of the people vnder his government should not bee forgiuen? Exod. 32.32. Could any thing else, haue caused Da­vid to make his petitions to God for to lay the pestilence vp­on him and his fathers house, and to spare the people commit­ted to his charge? 2. Sam. 24.17. Could any thing else haue mo­ved Paule to wish with his owne damnation to redeeme the reiection of the Iewes? Rom. 9.3. What shal I tell you of Elize­us, who took order for the safe returne of his enimies, the king of Arams servants, to their Lord and master? 2. Kings 6.22. or of Ieremie, who stood before the Lord, to speak good for such as had digged a pit for his soule, Ierem. 18.20. or of Steven, who then prayed for the people, when they stoned him? Act. 7.60.

Naomi might haue done her kinseman all the disgrace set downe in the law; she might haue pulled of his Ruth. 4 7. shee; she might haue spit in his face, and so haue defamed him, and his house for ever; yet would she not. Ioseph when he might haue disclo­sed the lust of his mistris, and haue saued his owne Gen. 39.19. imprison­ment, did choose rather to conceale it. The supposed father of Christ, that iust one, perceauing that his betrothed spouse was with child before ever they came together, was minded to put her away Mat. 1.19. secretly; for hee would not make her a publike example.

But all these are dead and gone, and (I feare me, I may to truely say it) their loue is also dead and gone with them. For if not so; could deceit, could bribery, could oppression, could ra­pine, could vsury, could many more such adversaries of true loue bee so common among vs, as they are? Whence is it, that the hand of Caine is so ready at the throat of Abel? Gen. 4.8. [Page 82] Whence is it that the shepheards of Gerar, and the shepheards of Isaac cannot agree? Gen. 26.20. Whence is it that Esau hat­eth Iacob? Gen. 27.41. that Ioseph is ready to be sold for 20 pee­ces of silver? Gen. 37.28. That Saul seeketh David to slay him? 1. Sam. 20.33. that a man lieth wounded by the high way, & nei­ther Priest, nor Levite will helpe him? Luk. 10.31, 32. Is it not from our want of true loue? Now haue we many of Haman his spirit, who did malitiously informe Assuerus against the Iewes, that so he might vtterly destroy them, Hest. 3.8, 9. and many of Doeg his spirit, who by his false accusatiō murdered 85 Priests and smote the city Nob with all the men, women, and childrē in it, 1. Sam. 22.9, 18. and many of Ziba his spirite, who did wrongfully slander Mephibosheth, his Lord, vnto the King, 2. Sam. 16.3.

Now the great man curseth the poore; the poore man com­plaineth of the rich; the seeming godly man hateth his neigh­bour, for he is wicked; the wicked man flyeth from the pure in heart, he is not for his purpose. Knowe wee any thing, wherein our brother hath offended? wee will ring it presently in the eares of his dearest friends. But know we no ill by him? A smal matter, we can and will forge enough; only must we haue one condition yeelded vnto, namely, that we shall not be reveiled, & then our brasen faces will beare vs out without blushing to report of any mā, that there is neither honesty, learning, nor re­ligion in him; or that he is good for nothing, but to be factious, or the like.

Thus doe the wicked Ps. 11.2. bend their bow, and make ready their arrowes vpon the string, that they may secretly shoote at them, which are vpright in heart. And can wee much blame them for so doing, since their nature is so to doe? Vilium est hominum a­lios viles facere, & qui suo merito placere non possunt, placere vel­le aliorum comparatione. You may hold it for a truth, S ^t Ierome hath spoken it; It is the property of a vile nature to seeke by tales to make others vile, or by comparison with others to come to he ac­counted of.

Dead soules I haue no hope to moue: to feeling hearts, which [Page 83] God vouchsafeth to touch with his powerfull word, as with a sharpe Heb. 4.12. sword, is my speech made. Read, and remember, what is written in the law; Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy brethren, Lev. 19.16. Learne, and forget not, why Ierusa­lem was reproued; it was, because in her were men, that caried tales vp and downe to shed blood, Ezech. 22.9. Here, and follow, the counsell of S ^t Iames in the words next after my text; speak no evill one of another. For all which take this reason: he, which slaundreth with his tongue, may not dwell in the LORDS taber­nacle, Psal. 15.3. So filthie and foule it is to bee a false reporter.

And can it be better to haue itching eares to heare such? Sure­ly if he that speaketh slanderously against any mā, hath the Di­vell in his tongue, hee that willingly heareth such a speaker, hath the Divell in his eare. There cannot be a greater poyson, there cannot bee a verier cut-throat of all friendship and amitie be­twixt man & man, then to loue to heare, what peevish tongues shal seek to speak. Soone creepes it into your eares, that wil ne­ver out again, whilst the breath is in your bodies. For instance: suppose a man be misreported to you, to be spotted with adul­tery, with bribery, with theft, or with any like grievous offence; and admit you can bee content not to credit all, because no proofe is brought for it, but much against it; yet something re­maines to the blot of your brother; yet sticks the scarre of suspi­cion still. And therefore the law is, thou shalt not receaue a false tale, Exod. 23.1. and Davids assertion is; thou shalt never dwel in the tabernacle of the Lord, thou shalt never rest in his holy mountaine, if thou receaue a false report against thy neighbour, Psal. 15.3. And Sirachs sonne giues this counsell; if thou haue heard a word against thy neighbour, let it die with thee, Eccles. 19.10. By all which, what are we taught else, but how we should heare? If we will needs heare what is reported of others, & that as we ought, we must not be too easie in beleeuing, wee must wisely weigh, who telleth it, of whom, in what manner, to what end, and such like circumstances; for so may wee, more boldly, and with lesse danger heare.

The Lord God, Deut. 13.12. hath spoken to the rulers of Is­rael, [Page 84] thus; If thou shalt heare say (concerning any of the cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwel in) that wic­ked men are gone out from among you, and haue drawne a­way the inhabitants of their citie: then thou shalt seeke, & make search, and inquire diligently. And why, I pray you, is all this re­petition of words to seeke, to make search, to enquire, and that diligently, if not to giue vs to vnderstand, what a fault it is to condemne before we knowe, and by and by to beleeue what ever we heare? If an Idolater were accused, and had but one witnes against him, he might not be put to death by the testimony of that one; for the law saith plainely, that whosoever is worthie of death, shall die at the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses, Deut. 17.6. & all to teach vs, not to be light of beleefe, when wee are whispered in the eare against any man, and in our hearts by and by to kill him by conceaving ill of him vpon one reporters speech. To rob my neighbour of that his credite in my heart, which hee hath had there heretofore, vnlesse he deserue it, can in mee bee no lesse then a branch of murther. To answer a matter before a man heare it, is folly and shame, saith the wise man, Prov. 18.13. & can it be lesse then folly, can it bee lesse then shame, to beleeue a matter of our neighbour, before we knowe it?

This then must be our care; not to beleeue any ill report a­gainst our neighbour, vnlesse we knowe it; not to heare it, if we can choose; in no wise to be the author and reporter of it. For Mal. 2.10. haue we not all one father, hath not one God made vs all? Why thē should we transgresse every one against his brother, and breake the covenant of our fathers? It is an Item to vs all, & worth our remembring too, although it be but S ^t Austines: Non poterit habere concordiam cum Christo, qui discors voluerit esse cū Chri­stiano: It is vnpossible that wee should bee at one with Christ, if we be at variance with our neighbour.

Cast downe not others] The second thing we learne here, is, not to iudge the persons of sinners. What is man that he should be cleane, or he that is borne of a woman, that he should be iust? Iob. 15.14. He is Ps 51.5. borne in iniquity and in sinne hath his mother cō ­ceived him. His Esai. 1.5, 6. whole head is sicke, and his heart is heavy, and [Page 85] within him is nothing but wo [...]ds, and swelling, and sores, full of corruption. He is Esai. 1.4. laden with sinnes; sinnes like crimsin, and sins as red as scarlet. Therefore inexcusable art thou, ô man, whosoe­ver thou be that iudgest; for in that, that thou iudgest another, thou condemnest thy selfe: for thou that iudgest doest the same things. He that knoweth wel what is in man, tels thee so, Rom. 2.1. When Agur had beheld the follies of other men, he beheld his owne too, and then his saying was; I am more foolish, then a­ny man, Prov. 30.2. When Iudah had thought vpon Thamars vnrighteousnesse, he thought vpon his owne too, and then his confession was; Shee is more righteous, then I, Gen. 38.26. Whē the Publican had considered other mens sinnes, he considered his owne too, and then his praier was; O Lord, be mercifull vnto me a sinner, Luk. 18.13. Come hither, whosoever thou be, that hast a desire to iudge other men, if thou be not too good to learne. Behold (and spare not) the follies of other men, but be­hold thine owne too; and then wilt thou say, I am more foolish then any man: thinke vpon (as long as thou wilt) the vnrighte­ousnesse of other men, but thinke vpon thine owne too; and then shalt thou thus confesse; They are more righteous then I. Consi­der (and cease not to consider) other mens sinnes, but consider thine owne too; and then (if there be any grace in thee) that litle bird within thy brest, will mournefully sing, and pray for thee: O God be mercifull to me a sinner.

So then, thou maist behold, thinke vpon, and consider, the foo­lish, vnrighteous, and sinfull dealings of other men, (as a godly man may behold an image, and detest it) and not offend; but if thou looke vpon them with pleasure, or for some advantage a­gainst any man, then art thou amisse, then thou seest them not aright. There is a wise eie, Eccl. 2.14. and there is a foolish eie; Proverb. 17.24. Now if thou haue this wise eie, it will remaine in thy head, and teach thee like the bee, to gather hony out of e­very weede thy neighbor hath. But if thou haue that foolish eie, it will wander vp and downe, and make thee like the spider, out of the best flowers thou canst finde in thy neighbours life, to sucke strong poison. Ham the father of Canaan, saw his fathers [Page 86] nakednesse, and tooke pleasure in it; & he had the foolish eie: but his two brethren, Sem and Iaphet, covered their fathers naked­nesse, and looked an other way; and they had the wise eie, Gen. 9.22.23. The Edomites looked vpon the afflictions of their bre­thren, and are reproved, Obad. 12. for their foolish eie made thē reioice to see it. But Iobs friends looked vpon his afflictions, & are not reprooved: for their wise eie wrought in them a sorrowe for it.

Be wise then, and ioy not, when thine enemie Prov. 24.17 falleth, nor let thine heart reioice, when he stumbleth, lest as the 2. King. 5.27 leprosie went from Naaman to Gehazie, so God turne his wrath from them that haue fallen, and make it light vpon thee. Be wise then, and when thou seest thy brothers nakednesse, let it moue thee to a cōpassion on him, & a feare of thy selfe. Be wise then, & when any spectacle of frailty is in thine eie, thinke with thy self, that thy neighbours house is on fire, & that it is thy warning, for what priviledge from sin, hast thou, or any man, that another hath not? You know that the greatest light may be eclipsed, the fai­rest beauty stained, and the goodlyest fruit blasted. So is it with your soules; the purest may be corrupted.

What if godly Ruth. 3.14. Bohaz and Ruth will not passe the bounds of continencie? Yet 2. Sam. 11 4. David and Bathschebah, godly also, may be overtaken with that folly. What if good Gen. 39.12. Ioseph refuse his lady and mistresse? yet Gen. 38.18. Iudah, a good man also, may be allured by his disfigured daughter in law. What if many endued with great graces of Gods spirit, doe, like Luk. 19.8. Zacheus, distribute the greatest part of their possessions to satisfie their iniuries and re­lieue the poore? yet many partaking also the like graces, are to much given to the loue of mony. Yea two of the Apostles, Mark, 10.37 Iames and Iohn, will desire the superiority and the highest places in the church, howsoever all the rest envie and disdaine them for it. Thus are many of the Lords tallest Cedars blowne downe to the ground, and thinkest thou (O much inferiour to a Cedar) to stand firme? S. Paule giveth thee friendly counsaile, 1. Cor. 10.12. He that thinkes he standeth, let him take heed that he fall not.

Hast thou hitherto beene fed delicately, and brought vp in scarlet? take heed: ere long thou maist perish in the streets, thou maist embrace the dung, Lam. 4.5. Hast thou as yet had thy head of gold? take heed: least, to become like Nebuchadnezzars i­mage thy feete turne to clay, Dan. 2.32.33. Hast thou already begun in the spirit? take heed: as good as thy selfe haue ended in the flesh, Gal. 3.3. Peter he which said even now, that Mat. 26.33. though all should, yet he would never forsake Christ, Vers. 74. curseth and swea­reth, that he knoweth not the man. Gen. 19.1. Lot, hee which erst strived so much to preserue his daughters chast in Sodome, doth nowe in the mount cōmit incest with his Vers. 36. daughters. Solomon, bles­sed Solomon (for so I reckon him) which so lately erected a tē ­ple for the worship of God, falleth now to the worshipping of I­dols; as if the starres were falling from their Heaven, and the light departing from the Sunne.

I will not trouble you with the relation of Gen. 9.21. Noahs drun­kennesse; 2. Sam. 12.9 Davids murther; Gen. 18.15. Sarahs lie; Gen. 27.3. Rebeccaes perswa­ding her sonne Iacob, to beguile his owne father; the theft of Philem. 11. Onesimus; the many concubines of the Patriarkes; and the like; onely I say, as David said in another case: O noble Israel, how are the mighty overthrowne, 2. Sam. 1.19. When Elisha told Hazael, whst wickednesse he should do in time to come, that he should slay, and trample men, women, and children vn­der foot; what? said Hazael: Am I a dogge, that I should do this? 2. King. 8.13. If I should say to you, that the time shall come, wherein you that seeme most holy, shall become murtherers, a­dulterers, theeues or the like, I doubt not, but every one of you would haue his answere in readinesse; what? Am I a reprobate, that I should do thus, or thus? But I say not so of you; those good graces of the Lord in you, do promise better things; yet let me desire you to remember S. 1. Cor. 10.12 Pauls coūsel; He that thinks he standeth, let him take heed that he fall not.

What shall we do then, when we here of, or see, the slips and escapes of other men? Heare what our Saviour saith, Iudge not, that yee be not iudged, Mat. 7.1. The wise man passed by the field of the sloathfull, and lo it was all growne over with thornes, & net­tles [Page 88] had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken downe, Prov. 24.30.31. But what did he, when hee saw such a confusion? Himselfe telleth you in the verse following: I beheld, I considered it well, I looked vpon it, & I received instru­ction; the marginall note of our English Bibles is, That I might learne by an other mans fault: Our neighbours life resembleth this field; which because he is sloath-full and slacke in husban­ding, can bring forth nothing, but thornes and nettles, so that through the stone wal, which lyeth wasted and broken down, there may be seene al manner of filthinesse and abhomination. In such a case what must we do? Even as Salomon did; that is, we must behold it, we must consider it well, we must looke vpon it, and receiue instruction: that wee may learne by our neigh­bours fault.

Doth our neighbour stand in a slippery place, where it is ea­sie for him to slice? So doe wee. Is hee sent forth weake, naked, and vnarmed, to fight, with powers, and principalities, with the Devill, with the world, withall their adherents? So are wee. Is his flesh as false vnto him, as Gehazi was to Elisha? 2. King. 5.25. Is it ready to lie vnto him, & to face him out, that it hath not sinned, even then, whē it commeth frō sinning? So is ours. Then iudge we not, that we be not iudged. The best men, wee see, haue had their fals, yet they haue risen again: the godliest, they Mat. 14.30. sinke with Peter, yet they perish not, because they are Vers. 31. lifted vp and saved by CHRIST, as Peter was. Old Adam hath cau­sed the children of light, to commit many and grievous sinnes, yet their new Adam hath removed them all. Then iudge we not vncharitably of them.

Do our brethren in our knowledge fleete from one sin to ano­ther, like a fly, which shifteth from one sore to another? Doe they, (like the Iews, 1. Cor. 10.6.) tempt the Lord, do they mur­mure? doe they lust? doe they commit Idolatry? doe they serue the flesh? doe they sit downe to eate, and rise to play? doe they eve­ry day fall so grievously, or more then so? Yet may they rise a­gaine. Why then should wee iudge otherwise of them, then in charitie? God forbid, by speaking thus I should encourage [Page 89] any to sinne: for howsoever grace aboundeth aboue sinne, yet cursed are they, yea ever cursed shall they be, which doe sinne, that grace and blessing may abound vnto them, Rom. 6.1. Wee are forbidden Rom. 3.8. to doe evill, where wee certainely knowe that good may come of it; much lesse may we make the mercy of God a defence for our sinnes. Let this then be vnto vs as a Memorā ­dum, never to be forgotten; There is no Rom. 8.1. condemnation to the righteous, although he fall seven times a day; but if any man shall sinne presuming of Gods mercies, let him knowe that his damnation is iust, and himselfe is like that theefe, which stealeth because he seeth one among 20. pardoned by the Prince. And so come we to our last note.

Cast downe not others] the third thing we learne here, is, not to condemne the whole profession, because all liue not in the same perfection.

The grapes of the vine haue some lesse, & some more sweet­nesse, yet sense teacheth, that all are grapes, and doe growe of the vine: so is it with the Saints of God, some haue more purity and some lesse, yet all are Saints, and doe grow in Christ, that true vine, Ioh. 15.1. What if some (saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.3.) haue not beleeued? shall their unbeleefe make the grace of God of none effect? and Rom. 11.22. What if some haue fallen into sin, shall the whole Gospell for their sakes be discredited?

Iacobs family may be blemished; the wife of his loue that sleepes in his bosome may bee all spotted; yet evermore shall Iacobs sacrifices be acceptable vnto God, and his familie shall be cared for, as the house of the Lord. Iericho may be conque­red and rased by Ioshua; salt may be sowne in it to make it bar­ren; and he whosoever shall attempt to build it againe, may be cursed, Iosh. 6.26. Yet see in this rased Iericho, in this barren soyle in this cursed citie, Christ hath his spirituall harvest, hee hath his holy Temple he hath his blessed building. Cursed Ie­richo hath a blessed Zaccheus, Luk. 19.2. Aholah sister to Aho­libah, Idolatrous Samaria, may be set on fire with her louers, & play the harlot, Ezech. 23.4. she may be made as an heape of the field, her stones may be tumbled downe into the valley, her foun­dations [Page 90] may be discovered Micah. 1.6. Yet may such a city, a wasted citie, afford many that beleeue in Christ, Ioh. 4.39. yea from Galilee, from whence some thought no good thing might come, Ioh 7.52. Christ called diverse of the Apostles, Ioh. 1.43

Fyrre trees and thornes, nettles and myrrh trees may grow together in the good-mans garden; and why may there not be in the Lords field as well brambles, as lillies? why not as well tares, as wheat? The husbandman knew well it was so, & there­fore he charged his servants to suffer the tares to grow vp with his wheat vntill the harvest Ma [...]. 13.30. Assured hee was that the wheat would continue wheat still, howsoever it was ac­companied with the tares. Let Gen 11.28 Chaldaea be never so vnrighte­ous, yet may it haue a righteous Abraham: let Gen 13 12. Sodome bee ne­ver so vniust, yet may it haue a iust Lot; let Babylon bee ever wicked, yet may it haue a godly Dan 1 6. Daniel; yea let the whol world (for ought we can see) be tied together with cartropes of vani­tie; yet shall Tob. 1.3. Niniveh haue a devout Tobias, and Iob. 1.1. Huz a pa­tient Iob, and Damascus a zealous Nehemias. Condemne not then the whole profession, howsoever all liue not in the same per­fection.

We shall impiously conclude, if against truth we draw our argument from a multitude: neither will it follow; many Mini­sters, many Christians, haue devoted themselues wholy to the flesh, to the world, to the Devill; therefore all of both sorts are naught. For what are wee, that wee may not iudge amisse, as well as Elias did? He cōplained that he was left alone. Nay saith God, thou art not alone: I haue reserued vnto my selfe seaven thousand, which haue not bowed the knee to Baal, 1. King. 19.18. In regard hereof S ^t Paule telleth vs, that of Israel there is a rem­nant left, Rom 11.5. And that great shepheard speaking of the Chu [...]ch calleth it a little flock, Luk. 12.32 Feare not little flock, for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome. But seaven thousand, but a remnant, but a little flocke, and yet you shall not be discomfited; feare not, for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome. A kingdome; & therefore for all inferiour things he will not sticke with you.

Sauls court shall yeeld a Ionathan to favour David, 1. Sam. 20.28. Achabs court shall haue in readinesse an Ob [...]diah, to entertaine the Prophets, 1. King. 18.13. Zedech [...] court shall afford a Ebed-melech to entreat for Ieremie, Ierem. 38.7. O the mercifull kindnesse of the Lord, how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them that feare him! Iobs bones and flesh may be in the Devils hand, but God will saue his life, Iob. 2.6. Peter may be imprisoned by Herod, but the Angell of the Lord will bring him out Act. 12.7. Shadrach, Mes [...]ach, and Abedueg [...], may be cast fast bound into the seuen times hot fierie fornace, but the Lords Angell will come, and vnbind them, & walk with them in the midst of the fire, so that not one haire of their head shall perish, Dan. 3.25.

Doe you remember this little Churches complaint, Ps. 129.1. There she saith: Many times haue they fought against me, even from my youth vp. Heare now, how shee comforteth her selfe, vers. 2. But they haue not prevailed against me. Doe you remem­ber, how she further complained, vers. 3. The pl [...]ers plowd vpō my backe, and made long furrowes. Heare now her comfort in the verses following: But the righteous Lord hath cut the cords of the wicked, and they that hate Sion shall be all ashamed, & tur­ned backward, they shall be as the grasse on the house rops, which withereth afore it groweth vp. And therefore I cannot say too oft, O the merciful kindnesse of the Lord, how it endureth for ever and ever vpon them Psal. 103.12 that feare him!

This kind and mercifull God hath reserued to himselfe, evē in the midst of Wolues, & Lions, some Isaac, some Ioseph, some Bohaz, some Daniel, some Zacharie, some Elizabeth, some few or more, whom all the world with all the malice it hath cannot blemish. Condemne not then the whole profession, howsoever all liue not in the same perfection.

And knowe that all liue not in the same perfection, know that some of the best haue had their falls, for these reasons: I will but point at them.

1 That wee bee brought from that errour, which some maintaine, namely that the elect, and regenerate sinne not.

[Page 92]2 That the worke of repentance, so sweet a grace of God, might be exercised among vs.

3 That Gods mercy in sauing great sinners might be magnified

4 That the faithfull considering their dayly falls, might more earnestly desire their finall deliverance.

5 And lastly, that the Lyons whelps, all the children of darknesse, by this meanes might bee occasioned by their blas­phemies, to worke their owne damnation.

Thus hath the vnsearchable wisdome of our God disposed the evill deeds of his deare ones to great, and good purpose. What remaineth then on our parts, but that wee frame our selues to haue a fellow-feeling of other mens imperfections, & not to condemne all, because some are faulty? The Church may be blacke; and so she is; for so much she confesseth of herselfe, Cant. 1.5. yet condemne her not rashly; for her, and our best be­loved saith vnto her: Thou art all faire, my loue, and there is no spot in thee, Cant. 4.7. The Church may bee all spotted, and so ashamed, that shee bee driuen to hide her selfe in the holes of the rocke, and in the secret places of the staires, Cant. 2.14. yet con­demne her not rashly: for her, and our best beloved, is so well pleased in her, that in the same verse he breaketh out into these speeches shew me thy sight my loue, let mee heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet, and thy sight is comely. The Church may bee grieved, and tossed with the mishapen wickednesse of her mē ­bers, as with a tempest, Esai 54, 11. yet condemne her not rash­ly: for it appeareth in the same place, that her, and our best be­loued, will lay her stones with the carbuncle, and her foundations with saphires; and will make her windowes of pearle, and her gates shining stones. So excellent is the Churches estate vnder her well-beloued.

What remaineth then on our parts, but that wee frame our selues, to haue a fellow feeling of other mens imperfections, & not to condemne all, because some are faultie? And here againe we should remember (that so we might bee carefull) neither to iudge the persons of sinners, nor to disgrace our neighbours. En­deavour we but to doe so, or so well, and then the Churches, & [Page 93] our best beloued, will be ready to take vs vp, and deliver vs frō this worldly prison, to a heavenly palace; from present dangers to certaine securitie; from manifold miseries, to never ending felicities. As thy will shall be, so be it Lord Iesus. To God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, bee all praise, power, maiestie, and dominion for evermore.

SVch is the vehemency of the Lords ar­rowes, when he shoots them abroad, that though king Achab bee in his chariot in the middest of his hoast, yet one of thē shall giue him a mortall 1. Kin. 22.34 wounde. So powerfull is the scourge of God, when it makes a famine to invade a countrey, that it creepeth into the wals of the house of bread, into Bethlehem it selfe, & causeth the wealthiest of them all to flie. At such a becke hath the Lord all his creatures, that if he be to bee avenged vpō the 5. kings of the Amorites, the Iosh 10.12. Sunne, and the Moone will bee ready for a seasō to rest frō their courses, to performe so good a service. So wanteth he no meanes Iob, 18.16. to drie vp the rootes of the wicked beneath, and aboue to cut downe all their branches.

You therefore, from whom it hath pleased God to withhold his blessings of rule, & riches, look to your selues, as meane as you are. Your waies are before the eies of the Lord, and he pon­dereth all your pathes. Avoide then the way of the wicked, walke not therein, turne from it, and passe by. Easily may you be snared with their pleasing words; for the wise man telleth you, that they cannot Prov. 41.6. sleepe, except they haue done evill; So eate [Page 94] they the Vers 17. bread of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence. Walke not after such companions, least God giue their Ezec. 23.31 cu [...] into your hands, and execute the same iudgments, and ven­geance against you, which they haue deserved. But rather fol­low S. Iames his counsel: Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

And you also, whose heads the Lords hath advanced over your brethren, looke to your selues. You are sufficiently lear­ned to know, that the voice of the Lord Psal. 29.5. shaketh as well the Ce­dars of Lebanon, as the low, and little shrubs in the Vers. 8. wildernesse of Cades: and that it is as easie with him to binde the nobles, and Psal. 149.8. princes with chaines, and linkes of yron, as to raise vp the poore from the dunghill to the throne. Did darknesse cover the coun­trey of Egypt, and not the court of Pharaoh also? Did the de­stroyer take away the first borne of the poore peasants of the dwelling of Ham, and not of the King also? Let not the lots of your inheritance deceiue you. What if your soile be as fruitful, as that of Iudah, and your possessions as great, as the greatest? yet may you know, that your dignity and your wealth, will be reckoned but for toies, not worth a pardō, when you shall stand in need of one. The counsell therefore is good for you also, and worth your following too: Cast downe your selues before the Lord, and he will lift you vp.

I devided these words into a counsell, and a reason thereof. Cast downe your selues before the Lord, that is the counsell: the reason followeth, and he will lift you vp. In the counsell I haue beene directed by the wordes themselues to three generall notes.

• 1 Lift not vp, but cast downe.
• 2 Cast downe not others, but your selues.
• 3 Cast downe your selues not before men, but before the Lord.

The reason is full of comfort. For albeit we must cast down our selues before the Lord; yet it is before such a Lord, who as hee is most present with vs, most liberall to vs, most able to helpe vs, when we stand in need, is also at al times most willing to worke [Page 95] our ease. And therefore is it added in my text; And he will lift you vp.

I haue already spoken of the 2. first generall notes. In the one I laid open 2. grievous woūds made in the very bowels of our Church, & Commōwealth, two raigning evils among vs: the evill of ambition, and the evil of pride: at that time in some sort, I applied medicines to them both. In the other I endea­voured to shew how vnmeete it was first to disgrace our neigh­bours; then to iudge the persons of sinners, and last of all, to con­demne the whole profession, because all liue not in the same perfe­ction. Of both which heretofore.

Now come I to the thirde generall note, which devides it selfe into two parts.

• 1 Cast downe your selues not before men.
• 2 But before the Lord.

Not before men; for that may be hypocrisie, & you must fly frō it: but before the LORD, for that will be true humility, & you must embrace it. Not before men: for so, may you haue the praise of mē, your reward in this world, hereafter to be cast into tor­ments, when that great & severe iudge shall passe his sentence against you, depart from me yee cursed; but before the Lord, for so, howsoever yee may be contemned in this worlde, hereafter shall yee be crowned with eternity, when it shall be said vnto you: Come yee blessed.

Cast downe your selues not before men.] Reioice ye Heavens, & yee that dwell in them; for, where you are, is salvation, and strength, and the kingdome of our God, & the power of his Christ: but Rev. 12.12. wo to the inhabitants of the earth, & of the Sea; for the De­vill is come downe vnto you with great wrath, knowing that his time is but short: such was the song of the finger for the victo­ry which Michael had gotten over the great dragon, Revel. 12.10. As it flood then, so stands it still. Yet, and ever may the heavenly reioice; for which there is salvation, and strength, and the kingdome of our God, & the power of his Christ; but a w [...] now is and shall be vnto vs, as long as the Sunne & Moone may en­dure. For the Devill is come down vnto vs with great wrath, he [Page 96] knowes his time is but short; and therfore lets he slip no oppor­tunity, but emploies all his malice, his might, his rage, his sub­tilty, his industry, and all to devour vs. But if he cannot cōpasse vs about, as he did Eue, when he perswaded her to eat the for­bidden apple; or as hee did David, when hee caused him to number Israel; or as he would haue done with Iob, when hee entended to make him blaspheme God to his face; that is, if hee cannot keepe vs from doing of good works, yet hee leaues vs not there; but puts in practise his old and vsuall course, He will perswade vs (for that is easie with him) he will perswade vs I say, to be proude of our well doing.

He hath perswaded many Ministers, (shall I say of his owne intruding?) assured I am, he hath perswaded many Ministers, to be tongue-tied altogether: but some there are, whose mouthes, with all the policie he hath, he hath not beene able to shut; yet diverse of them hath he perswaded, to take a pride in their prea­ching. He hath perswaded many of the people (you know it well enough) wholy to absent themselues from hearing of Gods word; but some there are (this, and the like places may witnes), whose diligence in hearing, he hath not beene able to hinder [...] yet diuerse of them also hath he made to like well of thēselues for their diligence. He hath perswaded many of the richer sorte (the poore knowe it too well) to bestow no almes at all; but some there are who in despite of him, doe giue dayly benevo­lence for the reliefe of the needy; yet diverse of them also, hath he made to glory in their almes-giuing.

Are wee resolved to satisfie that charge which is laid vpon vs for praying? he is ready with vs, to wish vs to doe it in com­mon assemblies, and in the corners of the streets, that we may be seene of men. Doe we intend a fasting? hee is at hand with vs, to counsell vs to disfigure our faces, that we may seeme to men to fast. Are we willing to humble our selues before our God? that is, is it our whole intent, to discharge all Christian duties, which God requireth at our hands? yet see the diligēce of this world­ly prince; hee is no where wanting, to aduise vs, to doe all such things in the sight of men. So doth hee staine the beautie of our [Page 97] good workes, and steale away our [...]: so [...]heth hee of true professours palpable Hypocrites. So that in good time may this caveat be giuen you, Cast downe your selues, not before men.

Art thou desirous to chastise thy body by fas [...]ing? Is it thy mind to be reconciled to God by praying? Art thou willing to exercise thy charitie by almes-giuing? Thē follow the doctrine which thy Saviour delivered vpon the mount: doe all such things in secret; let not thy left hand knowe what thy right hand doth, Mat. 6.3. Thy lot, and mine, is the same as was S ^t Pauls: we cannot be Christs servants, if wee seeke to please men, Gal. 1.10. For Christ himselfe hath pronounced awaie vnto vs, when all men speake well of vs. Luk. 6.26. Whether we eate or drinke, fast or pray, preach or heare the word, or giue almes, or what­soever we doe else, all must bee done to the praise, and 1. Cor. 10.31. glory of God, our owne praise, our owne glory must not be regarded.

Neither indeed is there any thing, wherein our selues may glory. For strength the Elephant, for courage the Liō, for sweet singing many a bird, for faire beautie many a vile strumpet pas­seth vs. The hare out runnes vs, the Eagle outsees vs: the Asse outheares vs: the Dogge outsmels vs, Non pudet his gloriari, (saith Isidore. one) quibus & bruta, & sceleratissimi qui (que) possunt glori­ari? Shamelesse shall we be, if wee seek a glory in such things, wherein vnreasonable creatures, and gracelesse persons do far exceed vs.

Can we say as the Disciples said, Luk. 10.17. Lord, even the Divels are subdued to vs through thy nu [...]? yet may we not glo­ry herein; for Christ hath forbidden vs so to doe, verse 20. Can we say with the Pharisee, Luk. 18.11. Wee are not as other men are, extortioners, vniust, adulterers, or the like? can wee professe that we fast twise in the week, & that we pay tithe of all that ever we possesse? Yet may we not glory herein; for sorrowfull sinners are like to bee more iustified, then wee: Can wee say with the young man, Mat. 19.20. concerning the laws of God, All these haue we kept from our youth? Yet may wee not glory herein; for still we went one thing: if we will be perfect we must fell all wee haue, and giue it to the poore.

It hath beene said that Hypocrisie is spunne with so fine a thread, that we may liue as long with a man, as Noah did with Cham, and scarse discerne him. Which how truely it hath been said, I dispute not. Assuredly I perswade my selfe, that as a man may iudge an Asse by his eares, to be but an Asse, howsoever he be put into a Lucianus in Piscatore. Plato in Cra­tylo. Eusebi­us Caesarien­sis adversus Hieroclem Lions skinne: so some one thing or other will ever bewray an hypocrite. It is not the surest to iudge of a sheep by the out-skinne only, for wolues may be in Mat. 7 15. sheepes clothings: neither may you safely choose your cloth by the list. Will you deeme a Pharisee to bee good, by his long fringe, or broad Phy­lactery? Then surely haue you much forgotten your selues. It cannot bee, but you haue heard of certaine Apes in Egypt clad in purple. Thence came the proverbe; Lucianus in orat. cont. incruditum. Simia Simia est, etiamsi aurea gestet insignia: A carter may put on Doctors attire. The Ostrich may haue gallant fethers, yet not be able to flie. You may hold it for a truth: Christianitie is rei, non speciei, it is a matter of substance, not of forme and shew.

S ^t Bernard found fault with certaine Monks, which thought it impossible the Sunne should shine any where, but in their cell. Were he now liuing, how would he entreat many among vs, who thinke themselues so godly, so wise, so sincere, so pure, so perfit, so Christianlike, as if Gods holy spirit had only lighted vp­on them. It will not bee amisse for them to consider, how our Saviour Christ hath in one Mat. 23. chapter pronounced a sevenfold woe against this sinne of Hypocrisie: Woe vnto you Hypocrites, yee are like vnto Vers. 27. painted Sepulchers, or white [...] tombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but within are ful of dead mens bones, and all filthinesse: woe vnto you Hypocrites, for yee Vers. 25. make cleane the outside of the cup, and of the platter, but within are full of all bribery, and excesse. I will not trouble you with the repetitiō of the rest, they are al to be read, Mat. 23. And it may be for their bettering, to giue eare to the wise mans counsell: he hath said, be not an Hypocrite in the sight of men; for the Hypocrite shall not come before God, Iob 13.16. Neither can it be lost labour for them to meditate vpon that which followeth, chapter 15.34. where he ioyneth the Hypocrite with the houses that are built, [Page 99] and maintained with polling, and briberie: for hee saith, The con­gregation of the Hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall devoure the houses of bribes: he addeth this reason, because they cōceaue mischiefe, and bring forth vanitie, and their bellies haue prepared deceit.

What did it availe Iudas to seeme to bee a blessed Apostle, when in the end he proued himselfe a cursed traytor? Luk. 22.48. What did it profit the people to seeme to follow Christ for his miracles, when indeed they followed for nothing, but for bread? Ioh. 6.26. Felix could tremble, and seeme to be moued at S ^t Paules Sermon as he disputed of righteousnesse, and tempe­rance, and of the iudgement to come, Act. 24.25. but deepe was his dissimulation; his drift was to get money of Paule, as appea­reth, vers. 26. The Scripture telleth vs, that the fathers of Israel turned vnto God, and sought him early, they remembred that God was their strength, and the most High their redeemer, Psal. 78.34. You see here a goodly shew of religious; yet were such fathers of Israel Hypocrites: for the same scripture addeth in the words that follow, vers. 37. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth, & dissēbled with him in their tongues, for their heart was not vpright with him, neither were they stedfast in his cove­nant. They which call themselues Iewes, and are not, because they lye, shall be of the Synagogue of Sathan, Apoc. 3.9.

Thus may many professe that they knowe God, when their workes will shew that they deny him: themselues inwardly be­ing abominable, and disobedient, and vnto every good worke re­probate, Tit. 1.16. Wherein (as I take it) you may fitly compare them with falling starres, which commonly are thought to bee in the firmament, and to be true starres indeed: but thinking so, we are deceaued: for they are only certaine fat exhalations, lif­ted vp from the earth by the operation of the Sunne, & carried through the vpper region of the aire, from whence being kin­led by the heate and force of the firie element, they fall againe. Is it not so with Hypocrites? Such is their carriage among vs, that commonly they may be thought to be spirituall lights en­flamed of God, and in mind to be conversant in heaven: when [Page 100] indeed they are farthest from it; and therefore as the light of such supposed starres is momentary and, vanishing; so the ioy of the Hypocrite lasteth but a moment, Iob. 20.5. though his excel­lency, and his head reach vnto the clouds, yet shall hee perish for ever like his owne dung, and they which haue seene him shall say where is he? he shall fly away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him; he shall passe away as a vision of the night.

Thus you see the portion of Hypocrites. Can you now en­dure to drinke of their cup? Then shall you Esai. 33.11. conceaue chaffe, & bring forth stubble, and the fire of your owne breath shall devoure you. O yee sonnes of men, sunken deepe in rebellion, turne a­gaine; yet the day is with you: therefore cast away those Idols of gold, and silver, which your owne hands haue made; I meane your sinnes: cast them from you. Why will you be like them, of whom the Lord hath said; This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but haue re­moued their heart from me? Esay. 29.13. Why will you not la­bour to be such as you would seeme to be? what shall it profit you to be like gloe-wormes, which, although they shine in the night, are notwithstanding in the day to behold vncleane, and vile wormes? What shall it profit you, I say, to shine in the night of this world, through a false shew of godlinesse; when in the day time, that is in the world to come, you shall present your selues before your iust iudge, foule and abhominable?

When the king of Iudah proclaimed warre against the king of Israel, the king of Israel returned this answer; the thistle re­belleth against the Cedar, 2. King. 14.9. And yet what was there, but a king against a king? but a man against a man? Humble thy selfe thou proud earth, not before men; for thy hypocrisie will soone be espied: but before the Lord. For if thou shalt dare con­tinue in thy rebellion, shall not the king of Heaven much more iustly say to thee, the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar? The Iewes thought themselues holy by offering of sacrifices, when in the meane season they had neither faith, nor repentance. But was God well pleased with them? No: for he detested him, that killed a bullocke, as if he had slaine a man; him that sacrificed a [Page 101] sheepe, as if he had cut off a dogges neck; him that offered an obla­tion, as if he had offered swines blood; him that burned incense, as if he had blessed an Idole, Esay. 66.3. and all to make you knowe that he detesteth all your sacrifices, your prayers, your fasts, your almes, yea all your good workes too, when they are done without faith, and repentance, as much as he detested the sacri­fices of the Heathen when they offered men, dogges, and swine vnto their Idols.

Wherewith then shall you Micah 6.6. come before the Lord, & how your selues before the high God? Shall you come before him with burnt offerings, & calues of a yeare old? Will the Lord bee plea­sed with thousands of rammes, or with ten thousand rivers of oile? Wil you giue your first borne for your transgressiō? Wil you giue the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soule? The Lord hath shewed thee, o man, what is good, and what hee requireth of thee; surely to doe iustly, and to loue mercy, and to humble thy selfe, & to walke with thy God, Micah. 6.8. to bee of a contrite heart, to be poore in spirit, and to tremble at Gods word, Esay, 66.2. And this is it, which in the Lord, I wish may bee printed in our hearts, by this caveat; Cast downe your selues, not before men.

What then? may we not fast, or pray, or giue almes? may we not doe good workes in the sight of men? Yes; wee may, & must doe our good workes even before men. And therefore are wee counselled to haue our lights burning, Luk. 12.35. & to let our light shine before men, Mat. 5.16. and to make our faith knowne by our good workes, Iam. 2.18. Whereas then wee haue beene counselled to beware, how we doe any good thing in the sight of men, we haue beene counselled onely, to beware of Hypocri­sie, to beware of vaine glory, to be warie, that wee neither giue almes, nor doe any other good thing before men, with a pur­pose to gaine vnto our selues praise, and commendation of men. And therefore when our Lord forbids vs to doe good in the sight of men, he adds that which makes it vnlawfull; Wee must take heed that we do it not to be seene of men, or to be praised of men. As also when he chargeth vs to let our light shine before men, that they may see our goodworkes, he adds that which makes it [Page 102] lawfull; we must doe our good workes before men, that by thē our heavenly father may be glorified. So then, to doe good workes before men, in it selfe is not evill; yea it is commendable, it is ne­cessary: but to doe them to this end, that wee may be well spoken of, that makes it faulty. In like sort to doe no wicked thing before men, in it selfe is not evil; yea it is commendable, it is necessary: but to abstaine from doing wickedly for feare of mans censure, rather then of Gods displeasure, that makes it faulty. To doe good workes, to abstaine from doing wickedly before men; both are such, I cannot but commend them: but so to doe good workes, but so to abstaine from doing wickedly, as if we regar­ded man more then God, both are such, as Christ vtterly dete­steth them.

Would you now knowe, for those good workes which you are to doe in the sight of men, how to present them before your God pure and spotlesse? Heare what our Saviour saith; Make cleane within, and all will be cleane, Mat. 23.26. It was the Lords commandement to Noah, to pitch the Arke with pitch as well within, as without, Gen. 6.14. Without only was not sufficient, it was to be pitched with pitch as well within, as without. It is the Lords commandement to you to sanctifie your selues, and to be holy, for the Lord is holy, Levit. 20.26. to be holy outward­ly only will not serue your turnes, you must bee holy as well within as without. Your hearts are within, they must be holy. Let your Psal. 45.1. hearts indite good matters, and your tongues must needes be the pennes of ready writers. Decke your hearts with faith, & repentance, and then shall your prayers, your almes, your fas­tings, & all your good workes be acceptable in the Lords sight.

There is a melodie may bee made in your heartes, to which only the Lord will listen; and therefore Paule adviseth you to make melody to the Lord in your hearts, Eph. 5.19. So Christ did, who said it was meat & drink to him, to doe his fathers will, Ioh. 4.34. & so did David, when with all his might he danced before the Arke, 2. Sam. 6.14. & so did the Israelits, when they offered willingly vnto the Lord with a perfit heart, 2. Chron. 19.9. But where this melody is wanting, the Lords delight also will bee [Page 103] wanting; and therefore the Pharisees prayer, the harlots vow, the traitours kisse, are nothing to him: and therefore he respec­teth not the sacrifice of Cain, nor the fast of Iezabel: and there­fore let Ananiah bring his oblation, and Esau his teares, they will be abhominable in his sight. There is a melody may bee made in your hearts, to which only the Lord will listen; & this is that melody: to cast downe your selues not before men, but before the Lord. Now therefore spare a little more time to be remem­bred, how you may Cast downe your selues before the Lord, which is my second part.

This our Lord may, and ought in reverence to be considered of vs, as our Creator, as our King, as our teacher, as our father, as our spouse, and as our Master. In all which respects diverse duties without excuse must by vs bee discharged, if wee will aright Cast downe our selues before the Lord. Therefore as he is our creator, it is required of vs,

• 1. That we glorifie him.
• 2 That we be wholy moved in him and by him.
• 3 That we rest contented in his holy will.

As he is our king, so must we feare him,

• 1 Because of the power, and authority which hee hath o­ver vs.
• 2 In regard of his Maiestie compared with our meane condition.
• 3 In regard of the infirmity of our owne nature.

And this feare of God hath three notable vses. For it serveth as a bridle,

• 1 To restraine vs from falling from God by our disobe­dience.
• 2 To keepe vs from all presumptuous, bold, and vndecent behaviour in respect of God.
• 3 To put vs in minde, to make vs acknowledge, as the basenesse, infirmity and mutability of our own nature, so also the infinite power, authority, & maiesty of God.

As he is our teacher, so two duties are enioined vs.

• 1 We must be ready to learne whatsoever it shall please [Page 104] him to teach.
• 2 We must beleeue it all.

As he is our father, so must we yeeld him sonne-like subiec­tion; for we must reverence him, we must imitate him, we must seeke vnto him for those things we stand in need of, and lastly we must haue patience, in regard of those manifold, (bee they never so grievous) afflictions, wherewith it shall please God to chastice, trie, and nurture vs, his children.

As he is our spouse, hee looketh that we endeavour withall our might to please him, and that we renounce al other things in the world to cleaue fast vnto him without separation.

As hee is our Master, so we owe him three duties.

• 1 Wee must obey him.
• 2 Wee must minister vnto him.
• 3 Wee must profit him.

O that our heads were full of Ierem. 9.1. water, and our eies fountaine [...] of teares, that wee might weepe day and night, (for daie and night had wee need to weepe) for our continual backslidings from the observance of such duties as by our Creator, by our King, by our teacher, by our Father, by our spouse, and by our Master haue beene enioined vs. Shall I need to tell you (as the prophet Ieremie told the Iewes, Ier. 9.2.) that in heart, you are all adulterers, and an assembly of rebels? You know it as well as I. Shal I remember you, how you (as they did) do Vers. 3. bend your tongues like bowes for lies, to belie and slander your neigh­bours, how there is no courage for truth vpon the earth, how e­very one proceedeth from evill to worse? Would to God, remem­bring it would amend it. And may it not so be amended? Is Ierem. 8.22. there no balme in Gilead? Is there no Physician there? Why then is not your health recovered? The reason is plaine: the balme of Gilead is not soveraigne for you; the Physicians there can little profit you; vaine is the helpe of man: if you will recover your soules health, Cast downe your selues before the LORD.

The time will not suffer me, neither hath it ben my purpose, to enter the particular examination of those our duties be­fore specified, and in diverse respects laid vpo [...] vs. Sith the [Page 105] performance of al the rest consisteth in obedience, that first du­ty, which the LORD, as our Master, requireth at your hands, I haue chosen to speake therof aboue the rest, as most befit­ting the times, wherein we liue.

Concerning therefore our first duty to our chiefest Master; our obedience consisteth in this: that we conforme our will to Gods will, with a resolution to doe his will. Many are of Israel, which are not Israel, & many are of the seed of Abrahā, which may not be called the children of Abraham. So S. Paule told the Romanes, chap. 9. ver. 6.7. So may I say here: many do will that which God willeth, who notwithstanding conforme not their wils to Gods wil, neither can be said to do his will. Where it shal not be much amisse for vs to examine, what it is, to frame our wils to Gods will, and what it is, to do his will: both which if wee will learne with a purpose to performe them, we shall in some good sort discharge our first duty, we shall obey our Master.

God hath a will, which is holy, is pure, is perfect, eternall, e­verlasting from all beginning; according to which, his doings are incomprehensible, his iudgements secret, his waies past finding out: by which he ruleth all, he governeth all, he guideth and protecteth all: in which all things are, as they are. This will of God is alwaies fulfilled; no man hindreth it; no man stoppeth it. The Lord hath his decree aboue all the inhabitants of the earth, & of the Sea, and whether they will or no, they must be obedient. If he call a bird from the East, that bird must come; if he speake, he will bring it to passe; if he purpose, he will doe it, his counsell shall stand, he will doe whatsoever he will, Esay, 46.20. According to his will, he worketh in the armie of Heaven, and in the inhabitants of the earth, & none can stay his hand, nor say vn­to him, what dost thou? Dan. 4.35. It was Iehoshaphats acknow­ledgment; In thine hand, O LORD, is power, and might, & none is able to withstand thee, 2. Chro. 20.6. No Annas, no Caiaphas, no Herod, no Pilate, no Iew, no Devill could haue wrought the death of our Saviour Christ, if the Lords secret will and counsell had not before determined, that it should be done.

There are two causes why this wil of God is called secret, or [Page 106] hiddē. 1 Because it is so indeed to a [...] [...]en, til such time as God manifesteth by events, what hee hath appointed to every one. In respect whereof S ^t Chap. 4.15. Iames willeth every one to put in this condition, if the Lord will, and if wee liue, to doe this, or that. 2. Because the reason of the Lords will, thus or thus, when it is manifested, for the most part is not comprehended of man, but is hiddē in himselfe: as why he chose Iacob, & refused Esau; why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence, and not David for many, no man knoweth, it is hidden in the Lord. Onely this we knowe, that he Rom. 9.18. hath mercy, on whom he will haue mercy, and whom he will, he hardneth.

Now your dutie in regard of this will is, as hath beene said: Non est curiosè investiganda sed adoranda, you must not sift it, but highly reverence it; so that, whatsoever this hidden will be concerning you, whether to liue, or die, to bee rich, or poore, to be high, or low in this world, you must rest in the same, and bee contented, and giue leaue to the Lord that made you, to doe with you, and dispose of you at his pleasure; & then afterward when the Lord reveal it by effects, much more must yee rest in it, & giue him thankes, howsoever it is. Good Chap. 2.10. Iob took at the Lords hand evill things, as well as good, sower as well as sweet; the losse of all, as well as the possession of al & so must you do, & say with him, The Iob. 1.21. Lord hath giuen, & the Lord hath takē it: blessed be the name of the Lord. But what? Are we able to know, how the Lord Iob. 38.41. feedeth the young ravens? how the Phenix is hatched? how the Storke is kept? Doe we waver, do we faile in things that be common among vs? Since then this will of God, this absolute, this secreat, this hidden will of God is such, as our wils may in no wise be conformed to it, let vs lay our hands vp on our mouths, and stop the course of our lips, lest, medling with such secrets, we falter in our speeches before the Lord.

God hath another will, which is manifested vnto vs, which I call another will, not as if it differed from the former in nature, (for Gods will is one and the same) but because it remaines no longer hidden, as the former doth. For Gods will, as yet it is partly vnrevealed, is commonly called his hidden, or his secret [Page 107] will: but as it is made knowne to vs, by the written word, and continuall successe of things, so is it called the revealed will of God. And this is that will of God, to which wee must make like, fashion, and frame our wills. And so shall we doe, if first we will nothing but what God willeth; then if will it in such a sort, as God would haue vs will it: and lastly if for such ends.

What God willeth, you cannot well (at lest you should not) be ignorant. The Scriptures teaching, that the best of you, is borne in iniquitie, and conceaved in sinne, and feedeth vpon trans­gressians, doe they not tell you, that God willeth the amend­ment of your liues? The not long since pretended invasion, which made the stoutest to feare; the late, and long, and yet du­ring famine, which hath made most to faint; This Sermon was preached Sept. 15. 1597. the now raigning sicknesse among vs, which hath taken away diverse of our bre­thren, and still threatneth vs; these three great scourges of our angry God, shew they not that something among vs is amisse, whereof God willeth the amendment? Thus may all in generall out of Gods word, and every one in particular, by such things as daily befall him, and others, perceaue what Gods blessed will is; to which our wills must be framed after this manner.

Our hearts must bee pure, and sincere, without hypocrisie, without guile; all the powers and faculties of our soules and bodies must be invested with integritie, and that, not for a sea­son only, but for ever. For now to be fed delicately, and hereaf­ter to perish in the streets; to haue our heads of gold, and our feet of clay; to beginne in the spirit, and end in the flesh, can it be lesse then abomination in the Lords fight? We must continue even vnto the end: our hearts must bee sincere, they must bee pure, not for a season only, but for ever: integritie must be in all our affections, not for a season only, but for ever.

And so must we respect two ends. The one, & chiefest which is last, and is without end, is the glory of God: the other, and se­cundarie end, taking place in this life onely, is the profit of the Church. So then, if we will nothing, but what God willeth, and that with sinceritie, integritie, and puritie of our hearts, our faith, our loue, and all other our affections, and that with per­severance, [Page 108] with continuance even vnto the ende, and that for no other ends, but for the good of the Church while wee haue our abiding here, and here, and ever for Gods glory; wee may simply be said to haue conformed our wils to Gods will.

How necessary these conditions are for the framing of our wils to Gods will, you may cōceaue by two vndoubted truths in divinitie.

The first: Whosoever willeth that, which God willeth, but doth it with another mind, with an vnpure heart, with corrupt affections, and for evill ends, he cannot be said to haue confor­med his will to Gods will, but rather to haue done against his wil. S ^t Austen in enchiridio ad Laurent. c. 101. sets it down thus: Fieri potest, vt hoc velit homo voluntate malâ, quod Deus vult bonâ, a man may wickedly wil that, which God well willeth.

For example sake; many a rich father hath a gracelesse sonne: this sonne longeth for the inheritance, and therefore willeth his fathers death: God also willeth the same, and effecteth it. Thus we see our iust God, and a gracelesse child willing one, and the same thing; yet, because what God well willeth, that bad sonne willeth wickedly, he cannot bee said to haue conformed his will to Gods will, but rather to haue done against his wil. As also, when God was willing that Christ should die, the Iewes, Pilat, and the Divell did wil the same; yet, because what God willeth iustly, and lovingly, they did will wickedly, and hatefully, we cā ­not, wee may not say, that they conformed their wils to Gods will, but rather, that they did against his will. Albeit I doubt not of the truth of that which S ^t Austen hath, concerning wic­ked men, that is; Dum faciunt contra voluntatem Dei, per ipsos impletur voluntas Dei. For it is a certaintie, that the children of darknesse, while they oppose themselues against the revea­led will of God, doe fulfill his secret will: yet because they op­pose themselues against Gods revealed will, not with a minde to fulfill his secret will, wee cannot, wee may not say, that they conforme their wils to Gods will; we must say, that they doe a­gainst Gods will.

The second truth as vndoubted is this: Whosoever willeth [Page 109] that, which God willeth not, but doth it with a pure mind, with an vpright hart, with integrity of affections, & for good ends he may truely bee said to haue conformed his will to God will. S. Austen in the place before cited sets it downe thus: Ali­quando bonâ voluntate homo vult aliquid, quod Deu [...] non vult, bonâ multò amplius, multó (que) certi [...] voluntate. Nam illi [...] mala voluntas esse nunquam potest: a man may well, and religiously will that, which God much better and blessedly willeth not.

For instance; a happy father hath a good sonne; this his son willeth the continuance of his fathers life; but in Gods good wil it is so disposed, that the father may no longer liue. We see here a gracious sonne willing the life, and our iust God willing the death, of one and the same man: yet, because what God in iustice will not haue done, this good childe with a godly minde and in charity willeth to be done, he may truely be said to haue conformed his will to the will of God. So may Mary and Mar­tha, although they willed the life of their brother Lazarus, whē God willed his death: and so may the brethren which were at Cesarea, although they willed PAVLE not to come at Ierusalē, Act. 21.11. when Gods will was (as appeared by the prophecie of Aga [...]us) that at Ierusalem he should suffer for the name of Christ.

So true is it, which S. Austen addeth in the same place: Bonae Dei voluntati potiùs consonat hominis aliud volentis pietas, quā hominis, idem volentis impietas. Giue me (saith he) a godly, zea­lous, & a pure hearted man, & admit he willeth not that, which God willeth; yet I say, that his will is rather conformable to the will of God, then a wicked mans will can be, although hee will the same, that God willeth. Where he addeth this word potiùs (Rather) to shew the necessity of our inward integrity, and pure affections.

For to speake simply & without comparison, I must say, as I said before: if we will simply be said, to haue cōformed our wils to Gods will, we must will that, which God willeth, & that with sincerity, integrity, and purity of our hearts, our faith, our loue, and all other our affections: and that with perseverance, with continuance even vnto the end, and that for no other ends, but [Page 110] for the good of the Church while we haue our abiding here; and here and ever for the glory of our God.

Thus we plainely see, what it is to conforme our wils to Gods will. Let vs now in like sort consider, what it is to doe his will.

In which kind of speech by the will of God is meant nothing else, but that, which God commaundeth vs to do: so that pro­perly to do Gods will, is to performe such things, as we are com­manded by him. That such things are to be done, that they are to be performed, it cannot be doubted. But how they are to be done, and performed, that is the question.

Some are of opinion, that to do Gods will, is nothing else, but inwardly to be possessed with an hearty, & earnest desire of ful­filling his will; & wholy to employ all the powers of our souls in the observance of his commādements. They ascribe so much to the Godly purposes, and zealous affections of our minds, as that they thinke all externall fact, al outward observance altoge­ther needlesse. And thus haue they thought, because they find, that many haue beene said to haue done the will of God, to haue walked in his waies, to haue done iudgement, and iustice, to haue kept their feet from treading in any evill path, and so to haue beene reputed for Saints, who notwithstanding haue manie waies, and most grievously fallen. For they can tell you of Pe­ters deniall, of Lots incest, of Salomons Idolatry, of Noahs drun­kennesse, of Davids murther, of Sarahs lie, of Rebeccahs perswa­ding her sonne Iacob to beguile his owne father, of the theft of O­nesimus, of the many Concubines of the patriarchs, and the like, of whose obedience to the will of God, we may not doubt, be­cause we may not doubt of their salvation.

Which opinion of theirs, as I may not altogether reiect; so will I not simply allow of: for wee haue two propositions of certaine truth.

1 Externall obedience is necessary to the doing of the wil of God: and therefore that which they thinke, is not simplie to be allowed.

2 The fulfilling of the wil of God consisteth chiefly and es­pecially in our hearty, and earnest desire of doing it: and therfore [Page 111] what they thinke, may not altogither be reiected.

That outwarde obedience is necessary for our doing of Gods will, is so plaine, that it needs no proofe. For to whō gaue God his commandements to be done? Was it not to man? Now who knoweth not, that man consisteth of a body, as well as of a soul? The body then is bound to obey, as well as the soule. The inward desire serues not the turne: outward obedience must be practised. Outward obediēce (I say not perfit, for that is impossible, do we all we can do, we shalbe vnprofitable servāts; yet I say) outward obedience must be practised. And therefore S. Paule hath besee­ched you to giue your bodies to God, Rom. 12.1. shewing that your bodies should be Gods servants, as wel as your souls. Both are too little, one cannot be enough. Will you glorifie God in your souls you shal do wel: but glorifie him in your bodies too, 1. Cor. 6.20. Do your hearts beleeue, yet that is not enough; your monthes must cōfesse too, Rom. 10.10. your tongues must be kept from evill, and your lips that they speake no guile too, Psal. 34.13. your eares must heare too, Matt. 11.15. your eies must behold the right too, Prov. 4.25. your hands must be lift vp to his sanctuary too, Psa. 134.2. your feet must be removed from evill too, Prov 4.27. The summe of all is: you must giue your bodies a sacrifice to God. Now a Sacrifice (as you know) is wherein all the members are offered together, Levit. 1.9. & 13. Therefore must you giue your members also to God. Your eies, your eares, your tongues, your hands, your feet, with all the rest, must be emploied in the service of God. For he who comman­ded you to loue the LORD with al your soule, and with al your minde, Deut. 6.5. hath commanded you also to loue him with all your strength; to teach you, that the strength of your handes, eies, and eares, and every other part of you, must wholy be em­ploied in his service. And therefore as we would be changed in our thoughes, so must we also be changed in our wordes, so must we be changed in our works; we must be carefull that our tongues speake no more idely; that our eies behold no more va­nity, that our eares heare no more folly; that our hands worke no more iniquitie: and as oft as we shall go about the service [Page 112] of God, which we cannot do to oft; everie one of vs should cal all his powers togither, and saie with David, Psal. 103.1. My soule, praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me, praise his holy name. And thus much of the first proposition, of the ne­cessity of our outward obedience.

The second proposition, if you remember was this: The ful­filling of the will of God, consisteth cheifly and especially in our hearty and earnest desire of doing it. The proofe hereof is easy: The chiefest part of man is his minde, therfore the fulfilling of the Law, especiallie consisteth in the desires and intents of the minde: and it so consisteth in these affections, that tou­ching the elect (who only beleeue in Christ, and alone may be said to do Gods will) God resteth contented with this inwarde desire, as long as this flesh encombreth them. All other imbeci­lities are not imputed vnto thē. This godly purpose & earnest desire of doing Gods wil stands them in steed. For it is so grate­full to God, as that he accepteth this begun obedience for most perfit. And reckons of thē that are thus obedient, as if they had kept the whole law; which he so doth, not for this their desire, not for this their begun obedience, but because by faith they are engrafted into Christ. So chiefly the fulfilling of Gods wil con­sisteth in our inward obedience, but not wholy.

I deny not, but that Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Is­rael, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Iu­dah, neither were there any such before him; for hee claue to the Lord and departed not from him, but kept his commaundements, which the Lord had cōmanded Moses: for so we read, 2. Kin. 18.5, 6. yet we read also that this same Hezekiah did some things, which pleased not the Lord, 2. King. 20.13. Neither may I de­nie, but that Iosiah did vprightly in the sight of the Lord: for so it is written, 2. King. 22.2. yet it is written also, that this Io­siah would not obey the word of God. 2. Chron. 35.22. Nei­ther will I denie, but that David fulfilled the will of the Lord, for he is bold to saie of himselfe; O Lord I haue refrained my feete frō every evil way, & haue not declined frō thy iudgements, O Lord, Psal. 119.101, 102. yet his notorious murther and a­dultery [Page 113] are witnesses of his not fulfilling the will of God. So then of Hezekiah, of Iosiah, and of David, I may say, that they haue fulfilled the will of God, because with integritie of inward affections they haue desired the fulfilling thereof: but to say that absolutely, and simply they haue done this will of God, I may not, I dare not open my mouth. If thou, O Lord, shalt mark what is done amisse, O Lord, who is able to abide it?

Let this then be our resolution concerning this point: the holy Scriptures by this speech, by this phrase (to doe the will of God) doe signifie perfect obedience of the whole man towards God, perfect obedience both of body and soule: yet because the chiefest part of this obedience is rooted in the minde, the Al­mightie by the same phrase signifieth, that hee is willing to ac­cept the readinesse of our minds, if it bee ioyned with faith in Christ, for most perfect obedience to the Law. And I adde this; howsoever the Lord will accept the integritie of our mindes, when it is ioyned with faith in Christ, for perfect obedience, yet he requireth the perfect obedience both of body and soule.

Now let vs lay these things to our owne hearts and consci­ences, and see, whether we haue conformed our wils to the will of God, with a resolution to doe it; whether wee haue performed our obedience to our great Master. To iudge of your heartes is not within the compasse of my commission: yet, if it bee true, that a Luk. 6.43. good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit; if it bee true, that Mat. 7.16. grapes growe not of thornes, nor figges of thistles; then may I boldly say, that your wils are not conformed to the will of God that you haue much failed of that obedience, which your Lord and Master hath enioyned you.

The Prophet Hoseah. 4.1.2. told the Iewes that the LORD had a controversie with them; because there was no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in their land; because by swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring, they breake out, and blood touched blood. Whether this same complaint may iustly be made of you, I appeale to yourselues, as iudges. It may be your cheekes will bee redd to talke of Christ, as theirs were who went to Luk. 23.13. Emaus, and you will blush apace to seeme so [Page 114] holy; but say, will not the black-moore blush faster then you, when fearefully and fowly you sinne against the Lord? Is there any delight more wicked then other? we are by and by desirous to wallow in it, to tumble in it, to ioy in it, to liue and growe old in it. So bath we in all pleasure and ease this mater of earth, and wormes meat, wherewith we are clogged, as if there were nei­ther corruption to rot it, nor Heaven to receaue it, nor Hell to burne it.

Hence is it, that we are dead in sleepe, and watch not at all o­ver the soules of our children, our servants, and all others com­mitted to our goverments; who, (were they rightly trained vp by vs in the grounds of Christian religion) might happely grow vp like to glorious oliues, for the Church, & Commōwealth.

We read Gen. 31.53. that when Laban swore by his false Gods, then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Isaac; so ex­cellent was the instruction given him by his father, that in the presence of Idolatrous Laban, neither for feare, nor favour would he alter his religion: yea, it was so fastned in him, that, having been 20. years among the Idolatrous Syrians, he chāged not the maner of the oath, which hee learned of his father. Are our fathers so carefull, to teach their children in religiō? Indeed, if to bee skilfull in oathes be to be religious, I cannot finde fault with their nurturing. But so they should not learne Christ.

The time was, when servants prayed to the God of their Ma­sters, Gen. 24.42. But in these daies if they should doe so; some must pray vnto pride, some to coveteousnesse, some to gluttony, most to ignorance. Now may we say, as commonly is said: like servant, like Master, if one loue the wicked, the other will loth the godly; like father, like sonne, if one sell vertue, the other will buy sinne; like Priest, like people, if one freeze in loue, the other will boyle in malice: as the governour is, so are they that are ruled; if one refuse Christ, the other will choose Barabbas: such as the seed is, such is the harvest; every one layeth away life, and playeth with death.

Yet let the children of Abraham, doe like Abraham, let them teach their sonnes, their daughters, their servants, their [Page 115] people, and al that are ruled by them, the covenants of the Lord; let them teach them to conforme their wils to the will of God; let them teach them to doe his will; let them teach them perfect obe­dience both of body and soule. So they with all their seed, and posteritie, shal be blessed, not only in this life with a temporall promise, but also in the life to come with that ever during pro­mise, that they shall bee inheritours of the kingdome of God. Of which promise, vouchsafe, good Lord, to make vs all parta­kers through faith in Christ Iesus, to whom with thee, and the holy Ghost, three persons and one God, be rendred all praise, power, maiestie, and dominion, for evermore. Amen.

WEE are come to the promise of the bles­sing made vnto vs: Hee will lift you vp. Wherein let vs consider,

1 The person, who it is that may fulfill this promise; it is HEE, the Lord, none but he, vaine is the helpe of man, HE, the Lord, will lift you vp.

2 The certaintie of his promise, for it is not said, hee will assay, hee will trie, he will doe his best to lift you vp, but simply it is said, he WILL lift you vp.

3 The time when this promise shall bee fulfilled, which note we must borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6. where the matter of my text is thus repeated; Humble your selues vnder the Almightie hand of God, that he may lift you vp, [...], in opportunitie of time, in due time, in a time when himselfe shall thinke it most meet: He will lift you vp in due time.

[Page 116]4 What it is, that is promised vnto you, even your exalta­tiō, your lifting vp: He wil lift you vp. Of these few notes at this time, as God shall assist me with his holy-spirit.

The first is, the person, who may performe so sweete a pro­mise: it is HE, the Lord, none but HEE (vaine is the helpe of man) HE, the Lord will lift you vp.

The word of God worthely tearmed the shoote-anker of an vpright conscience, teacheth, that every plant, how gallant, or how faire soever, yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree, which springing vp in the midst of the garden, was exceeding pleasant in the sight of man; yet, if it be not planted by our heavenly Father, shall be rooted out. It teacheth that all coynes, be they never so currant among men, yet, if they can­not abide this sacred touch, shall be counted of a base mettall, as of tinne, or altogether counterfeit, and so shall be burnt like drosse. It teacheth, that the great ones of this world, how mightie soever they are, yea, though their heads reach vnto the cloudes, though they bee to all others as the tallest Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little shrubs of the wildernesse of Cades, yet if they build their hope vpon any thing besides the Lord, they shall perish for ever Iob. 20.7, 8. like their dung, and you, which haue seene them shall say, where are they? they shall flie away as a dreame, and you shall not find them; they shall passe away as a vision of the night.

And because you haue so good a teacher, well may you bee perswaded, that a horse his helpe is vaine, Ps. 33.17. that mans helpe is vaine, Psal. 60.11. that the helpe of Princes is vaine, Psal. 146.3. that much strength is vaine, 2. Chron. 25.7. that much wealth is vaine, Psal. 49.6. that all worldly helps are vaine, Esay, 30.1. A reason of all which may be had, Micah. 5.10. for neither horses, nor men, nor princes, nor strength, nor wealth, nor all the worldly helps, that may be, shall bee able to deliver you, when the LORD will punish.

Will you yet knowe a farther reason of this, namely why those helpes before specified shall not be able to deliver, when the Lord will punish? The 3. vers. of the 31. of Esai, will yeeld [Page 117] you two reasons: when the I [...] vpon the helpe of Egypt, trusting in their Chariors, beca [...]e they were many; and their horses, because they were strong God gi [...]eth them no o­ther answer then this, The Egyptians are men, & not God, their horses are flesh, and not spi [...], Io [...] Egyp [...] [...], & not God] that may be a first reason; their horses are flesh, and not spirit] that may be the second.

The Egyptians are men, and not God, that is, if Abrahams ex­position may be admitted, they are dust, and ashes, Gen. 18.27. very ready with every blast of winde to be scattered. They are men, and not God, that is, if Iobs, interpretation bee good, they are houses of clay, Iob 4.19. very easie to be broken in pieces. They are men, and not God, that is, if Paul may be the interpre­tour, they are earthly tabernacles, 2. Cor. 5. [...]. certainly, & with­in short time to be dissolved. Esai. 2.12. Cease yee then from the man, whose breath is in his nostrels, for wherin is he to be esteemed? The Egyptians are men, and therefore may they not be accounted of, as of hopes, of fortresses, of castles, of deliverers, of defenders; they cannot teach your Psal. 144.1. hands to war, nor your singers to fight: they are not God and therefore must they be holden, for feeble, for weake, for miserable. Cease then frō [...] who is like a thing of nought, hee passeth away as a shadow, Psal. 146.4. his breath goeth forth, he turnes againe to his earth, and then all his thoughts pe­rish. The Egyptians are men: will you therfore fly from them, & seeke for helpe at the God of Iacob? Blessed shall yee be, ye shall be as a tree that is Psal. 1.3. planted by the waters, which spreadeth out her rootes by the river, yee shall not feele when the heat com­meth, your leafe shall be greene, you shal not care for the drought of summer; neither shall you cease from yeelding fruit, Ierem. 17.8. They are not God: wil you notwithstāding repose your trust in them? Cursed shall yee bee: ye shall bee like the heath in the desert, yee shall not see when any good commeth, yee shall dwell in the parched places in the wildernesse, in a salt land, in a land not inhabited, Ier. 17.6. Cease then from man, even from every son of man, for there is no hlpe in him.

Their horses also are flesh, and not spirit.] They are flesh, but [Page 118] cursed be he that maketh flesh his arme; they are not spirit, and never blessed shall he be whose protectour is not spirit. The E­gyptians are men, and not God, their horses are flesh, & not spirit: and therefore let the LORD but str [...]tch out his hand; the helper shall faile, he that is h [...]lpen shall faile, they shall altogether faile.

But grant we, that in the course of this life, some one may haue girded himselfe with strength, and decked himselfe with maiestie, so that he may seeme to haue exalted himselfe like an Eagle, and to haue built his nest among the starres; yet let such a one looke backe to his tr [...]b [...], to his fathers poore house, to the pit whence he was hewe [...], he shall finde that at length he must be cast downe to the ground: let him examine his Pedegree and descent, he shall finde that he is but one of the sonnes of men. And then who knowes not what shall bee the portion of his cuppe?

Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance, and full of troubles; Iob vpon his experience hath said so much, Iob. 14.1. Did it helpe the children of Canaan, that the sonnes of A­nak, gyants of the earth, dwelt amongst them? Indeed the Isra­elites somewhat daunted in bed [...] [...]at the sight of them, brake out into these speeches: this people is greater, and taller then we; their cities are great, and walled vp to Heaven, moreover, we haue seene the sonnes of Anak there, Num. 13.28. But in the end what became of them? They were all destroied by Iosuah, they and their cities, and there was not one Anakim left in the mountaines of Israel and Iudah, Ios. 11.21.22. Did it profit the Bashanites, to haue so mighty a king as Og was? His bed in­deed was a bed of yron; the length of it was nine cubits, and the breadth foure cubits, after the cubite of man. Deut. 3.11. & such a man in all likelyhood might be some incouragement to his people. But what was his ende? The Lord delivered him into the hand of Moses. So sweetly sings the Psalmist: He hath slain mighty kings, Sehon king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan, Psal. 135.10.11. And be recounts it againe in the Psal. following, ver. 18.19.20. Hee hath slaine mighty kings, Sehon [Page 119] king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bas [...]. Where to fill vp the measure of his song, he addes to the end of every verse this sweet burden: for his mercy endureth forever. Did it availe any thing the Philistines that 1. Sam. 17.4. Golias was amongst thē? Proud Golias of whose so His height was six cubits and a spa [...]. huge asta [...]o you haue so often heard, whose Vers. 5, 6. helmet, whose gre [...], whose cors [...]s, whose shield were all of brasse: whose Vers. 7. sp [...]res shaft was nothing inferiour to a weavers beame. But what was his ende? You knowe it well e­nough: a David ve [...] 42. childe in comparison came with his shepheards staffe, with his sling in his hand, with a few Vers. 40. smooth stones in his scrip, who in the name of the Lord of Hostes, did s [...]e greate Go­lias.

What shall I remember you of that excellent, that mightie, that prosperous, that peaceable king of Assyria, set forth vnto you in the 31. of Ezechiel. Albeit such was his excellencie, as that he exceeded all other Monarches, & Princes vnder Hea­ven; in regard whereof he is said to be like a C [...]dar in Lebanon, whose branches are faire, whose shadowing boughes are thick [...], whose top is shot vp very high, ver. 3. albeit such was his might, as that there was no greater power in the world, then his was, in liew whereof, it is said, that the Cedars in the garden of God could not hide him, that no firre tree was like his branches, that no chesnut tree did equall his boughes, yea, that all the trees in the garden of God gaue place vnto him, vers. 8. albeit such was his prosperity, as that hee seemed to bee swadled there with a­gainst all calamities; in respect whereof we read that the wa­ters nourished him; that the deepe exalted him on high with her rivers running round about his plants; that his height was aboue all the trees in the field, his boughes were multiplied, his branches were long, and all because of the multitude of the waters, which the deepe sent out, vers. 4.5. And lastly, alb [...]t such was the peace in his time, as that all peoples committed themselues to his protection: to which purpose it is said; that all the fowles of Heaven made their nests in his boughes, that all the beastes of the field brought forth their yong vnder his branches, that all mighty nations dwelt vnder his shadow, vers. 6. yet was such a king, this [Page 120] excellent, this mighty, this prosperous, this peaceable king of Assyria, ASSAR-ADON filius Sennaherib Rex Assyriae an. 10. Captus à MERO­DACH BA­LADAN An. Mundi 32 43. Func. ESAR-HADDON delivered into the handes of MERODAC-BALADAN.

I shall not need to tell you, how Gen. 14.1. foure kings, withall their hostes were discomfited by ABRAHAM accompanied onelie with his three hundred and eighteene servants, Gen. 14.14. nor, how the Midianites and Amalek [...]tes and all they of the East, lying in the valley like grashoppers in multitude, with their cammels, like sand, which is by the Sea side, innumerable, were o­verthrowne by the hand of Gedeon, with his Iudg 7.16. three hundred souldiers, without any stroake of weapon but only the Vers. 19. bro [...] ­king of Pitchers, blowing of trumpets, and crying the sword of the LORD, and of Gedeon, Iud. 7.12. nor, how those hundred and fourescore and fiue thousand valiant men conducted by Rab­shakeh, Senacheribs servant were all in one night overthrowne, Esay, 37.36. The examples before specified; the fall of the sons of Anak, the destruction of Og, the death of Goliah, the delive­ry of Esar-haddon, into the hands of Merodac-Baladan, may perswade you, that it is but a broken reede of Egypt to rely vp­on those that are either mighty, or many. By so doing you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you shall never helpe your selues.

What shall I say of honour? It may seeme to stand you much insteed, when it sets you a loft, and makes the knee bow, and the tongue sooth, and the head stand bare, and all for your sakes. The wise man teacheth me, what I shall say: Humility goeth before honour, Prov. 15.33. If then you will choose the better part, if you will be humbled, and forget your honour for a while, you may conceiue with me, that our estates may well be suited by counters, which in a large account stand for great summes, but after they are shuffled togither in the bag, all are of equal value, the least with the greatest, one with another: you may cōceiue with me, that our estates may wel be suted by players on a stage some represent kings, some persons of meane estate, but when the Plaudites are past, where is any difference? you may con­ceiue with me that our very selues may welbe suted by sif [...], or [Page 121] waxe candles, some are burned, and consumed to the socket in a reasonable time; some tossed to and fro with a great winde, begin to run, and spend apace; yea they that haue the strongest wicke hold out no longer, then till the last drop of their moi­sture quench the last spark of their light. Your selues can make the application; only I adde thus much of honour, that is a bro­ken reed of Egypt, if you shall dare relie vpon it, you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you shal never helpe your selues.

What shall I say of riches? They also may seem to stand you much insteed: for by experience wee finde it to bee true, as it is written: Riches gather many friends, Prov. 19.4. Yet haue I a word to speake vnto you; Goe to now, yee rich men, weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you:, your riches are corrupted, your garments are moth-eaten, your gold & silver are cankered, the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh like fire: you knowe Iam. 5.1, 2, 3 whence I haue it. Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, & smote the dust of the earth, and lice came vpon man and beast: all the dust of the earth was lice, throughout all the land of Egypt, Exod. 8.17. such a dust, if not worse, hath stained the beauty of your riches, and shall bee no lesse annoyance to you, then that truly changed dust was to them of Egypt. Behold the evill sicknesse which the preacher saw, Eccl. 5.13. riches reserued to the owners thereof for their e­vil. Are not these the broken reeds, whereon you leane so much? take heed; by so doing you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you shall never help your selues.

What shall I say of your witts, your trades, and occupations wherby you seeme to liue? Bee they, as they may bee, passing gaynefull to you: yet because your hearts are soe sett vpon this gaine, as that yee neglect the truest gaine, which is godlynesse; those helps shal be vnto you as bad as those letters, which Ʋri­ah caried against himselfe. 2. Sam. 11.14. as bad as those cups of Circe spiced with conceits and fancies for the nonce, to make Vlisses his most skilfull Pilots to renounce their dutie; as bad as those Pomegran [...]s of that excerable l [...]ke i [...] Palestine, which [Page 122] intise a licorish and wanton eye to plucke, but are no sooner tou­ched with the finger, but they dissolue to ashes: yea they are as so many broken reeds, and haue their splinters too. Howsoever yea leane vnto them, you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you shall never helpe your selues.

What shall I say of all other your worldly helpes? one shall serue for all. If any of you hath his child fallen strangely sicke, you will by and by seeke helpe for him, and wel may it be done with this Item, that it be done by prayer to the Lord, and the ordinary helpe of Phisitians: but your conceits are, your children are bewitched, and therefore can haue no helpe, except they bee vnwitched againe. If any of you hath his horse, or his asse stollē, or looseth ware in the night time out of his shop, you will by & by seeke to haue your owne; and well may that bee done, with this Item, that it be lawfully done; but your conceits are, such a cunning man by his art can helpe me to my goodes, then why should I loose them? So vnpatient are we: the Lord doth strang­ly visite vs, we may not endure it, wee will seeke howsoever to be healed: the Lord taketh away our goods, wee may not endure it, we will looke to haue our owne, although it bee in the De­vils name.

Much better was his conceit who thus answered his temp­ting wife: Shall we receaue good at the hand of God, and not re­ceaue evill? Iob. 2.10. God hath promised (and hee cannot but performe) that whosoever calleth vpon his name, & giueth care to his voice, as to the only shepheard of his soule, good things shall betide him in this world, and his soule shall liue, Ier. 38.20. his plants shall prosper, his counsels shall take effect, his corne and oyle shall multiplie; he Deut 15.6. & 28 12. shall lend to many, but shall not bor­row himselfe, his children, like so many oliue branches Psal. 128.3. shal en­close his table round about.

If this cannot perswade you (and what godly heart can it not perswade?) to forsake those your wicked helpers, and to re­ly only on the Lord; then heare farther God hath promised (& he cannot but performe) that whosoever will not giue care to his voice, but will relieue himselfe, by the practises of cunning [Page 123] men, witches, coniurers, and the like, preferring Belial before Christ, the Prince of darknesse before the ever-shining morning starre; errour because it pleaseth, before truth, because it smar­teth; may Deut. 28.38. sow his field, but shall never reape it, for the grashop­pers shall destroy it: may Vers. 39. plant his vineyard, and dresse it, but shall never drinke of the wine, nor gather the grapes, for the wormes shall eate it: may haue Vers. 40. oliue trees in all his coasts, but shall not annoint himselfe with the oyle, for his oliues shall fall: may Vers. 41. beget sonnes and daughters, but shall not haue them, for they shall goe into captivitie. The Lords still-stretched-out hand shall smite such a one with a Vers 22. consumption, with a fever, with a burning ague, with fervent heate, with a sword, with bla­sting, with mildew; all these shall pursue him till hee perish, Vers. 23. the Heaven that is over his head shall be brasse, and the earth that is vnder him, shall be yron.

You that haue knowne it may remember (& you that haue not knowne it) may learne that in the 28. of Deut. from the 15 verse to the 68. there are besides those which I haue recited, many other as grievous plagues assuredly allotted to all such, as disobeying the Lords voice, shall rely vpon such helplesse helps, as I haue already mentioned. We read, 2. Chron. 16.12. that King Asa was punished with death for no other cause, but because in his sicknes he sought for help at the Phisitians, & not of the Lord: and can we be so senselesse, as to thinke, when for recovering of our lost goods, or of our healths, wee seeke to Sathans instruments, that we shall escape vnpunished?

If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron a­bout the recovering of his health, the Lord wil send him word that he shall not come downe from his bed, but shall there die the death, 2. King. 1.4. If Saule aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him, and his owne 1. Chro. 10.4 sword shall kill him, 1. Chron. 10.13. If Manasseh vse them that haue familiar spirits, God wil send him such evils, that who so heareth of it, both his eares shall tingle, 2. King. 21.12.

If this cannot perswade you (and what godly heart cannot this perswade?) to forsake those your wicked helpers, and to re­ly [Page 124] only on the Lord, as you haue heard what dome abideth you for running to such helpers; heare also, how such may bee deci­phered vnto you out of the holy Scriptures. Would yee knowe how to cal them? yee may tearme them rebels against the light, Iob. 24.13. brethren to dragons, Iob. 30.29. snares of a fowler in all their waies, snares for the vngodly, Hos. 9.8. if thou list to scanne their descent, they are the seed, not of Iudah, but of that cursed father of Canaan, their fathers are Amorites and their mothers Hittites, Ezec. 16.45. If their alliance, Samaria is their elder sister, Ezech. 16.46. If the lot of their inheritance; it shall be a never-ending kingdome: but full of weeping and gnashing of teeth, Mat. 8.12. where their table shall bee a table of Devils, 1. Cor. 10.21. their diet worse then that Coliquintida, 2. King. 4.40. their mirth folded vp in the pride of a smoake, Esay, 9.18. So is it not for nothing, that witches may not be suffered to liue. The charge is giuen against them, Exod. 22.18.

The Prophet Ieremy hauing roundly glanced at their faults, foretels their fall; that they shall surely bee consumed with fa­mine, and with the sword, chap. 14. ver. 15. with famine for their disquiet, & with the sword for their execution. And c. 50. v. 35. he saith there shal be slaughter vpon the Chaldeans, & a slaugh­ter vpon the southsayers; & the rather because they are the ven­geance of the Lord, & the vengeance of his Temple, Ch. 51. v. 11.

The like favour for all the world is to be found at the hands of Ezechiel. chap. 13.9. where hee denounceth against all glo­sing Prophets, which see vanitie, & divine lies, that the scourge of God shall be for ever vpon them; that they shall not bee in the assembly of Gods people; that they shall not be written in the writings of the house of Israel, in the booke of life; that they shall not enter into the land of Israel, that heavenly Ierusalem.

Of like severitie is that sentence pronoūced by the Prophet Esay, chap. 47. Where willing the Babylonians to repaire to their sooth-sayers, to their astrologers, to their starre-gazers, to their Prognosticators, (for all these names hee there vseth, verse 12.13.) And to make triall whether they can finde profit or strength among them: he speaketh to them in the 14. vers. thus: [Page 125] Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burne them, they shall not deliver their owne liues from the power of the flame, yea they shalbe so consumed with the flaming fire, as that there shall not be anie thing remaining, no not to much as one coale to warme at, nor anie light to sit by.

Considering then your owne lots, and this their portion, can yee hope for anie helpe at their hands? Iudge vprightly & you shall finde that neither their leaues are delightfull; nor their blossoms gracefull, nor their fruits restoratiue: yea you must confesse, that they are but so manie broken reedes full of splin­ters, whereto if you leane you may wound your hands, you may pierce your hands, you shall never helpe your selues.

By this I doubt not, but it appeareth, what affiance may bee had in all worldly helps, of what sort soever. Now would I per­swade you that all true helpe is to be sought for at the hande of the God of Iacob. For it is he; the Lorde, none but he, since all worldly helps are vaine, it is he the Lord, that will lift you vp. And of this shall yee be well perswaded, if yee meditate vpon Gods presence, vpon his liberality, vpon his ability, & vpon his willingnesse: for as he is most present with you, most liberall to you, most able to helpe you, when you stand in need: so also is he at all times most willing to worke your ease.

First of his presence. We hold it as a truth vndoubted, that God is every where, and in all things, by his essence, by his power, and by his presence: by his essence, in regard of his creating the world; by his power, in regard of his operation, & his working in the world; by his presence in regard of his preserving, his go­verning the world. It may fit our purpose in general only to vnderstand, that God in presence is every where, and in al things. A­gainst those of Israel; which should seek to flee frō the presence of the Lord, we haue the words of the Lord, as they are writtē, Amos, 9.2. Though they dig into the hell, thence shall mine hand take them: though they clime vp to heaven, thence will I bring them down: though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel, I wil search and take them thence: though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea, thence will I commande the serpent, and he [Page 126] shall bite them: and though they go into captivity before their ene­mies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them. See my 10. Lecture vpō the fi st Ch. of Amos, p. 115 & Lect. 14. p 159. No corner in Hell, no mansion in Heavē, no caue in the top of Car­mel, no fishes belly in the bottome of the Sea, no darke dungeon in the land of captivity can hide Israel from the presence of the LORD. Am I a God farre off, saith the LORD, and not a God at, hand? Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shal not see him saith the LORD? Do not I fill heaven & earth, saith the LORD? Thus hath the Lord spoken, Ierem. 23.23, 24. Nere or farther of, in Heaven or in Earth, in places most secret, our Lord is a God, he seeth all things, he fils both Heaven and Earth. To like purpose is Davids answere to his owne question. His question is: Psal. 139.7. whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I fly from thy presence, O Lord? His answere is, Vers. 8. if to Heaven, thou art there; if to Hel thou art there; if to the vttermost parts of the sea, thou art there; if to the darknesse, thou art there also. Nor Hea­ven, nor Hell, nor Sea, nor darknes could hide David from the presence of the Lord. Yea, the darknesse hideth not from thee O Lord, but the night shineth as the day; the darknesse and light are both alike; so should we confesse with David, Psal. 139.12.

Consider the Mat. 6.28. Lilies of the field, the Lord hath cloathed thē: Mat. 10.29. Sparrowes light vpon the ground, but not without the fore­sight of the Lord; the clowds drop fatnesse, but every drop is by Gods ordinance, and cold salt teares trickle down our cheeks, with remembrance of our sinnes committed, every such teare should be numbred in the Lords Psal. 56.8. bottle. The Lilies, the Spar­rowes, the clowds, or teares are all regarded by the Lord. How then can we deny his presence?

And let vs not be moved to thinke, that Gods purity is anie whit stained, because in presence he beholdeth the crimsin and scarlet sinnes, the most vile and filthy actions of wretchlesse mā. The Sunne you know, casts his most glorious beames into foule and sordide places, yet none of you wil thinke that the Sunne is therefore defiled. But grant we a possibility for the Sunne to be polluted by shining into such vncleane places, yet impossible shall it be for God, all pure, all holy to partake any variablenesse [Page 127] or shadow of change. Wicked man wallowing in his wicked­nesse, because God holds his tongue, may think wickedly that God is even such a one, as himselfe; but God, all pure, all holy, par­taking no variablenesse nor shaddow of change, shall at last reproue man for his wickednes, and for before him the things that he hath done, Psal. 50.21.

It cannot be that the presence of God, who sitteth vpon the circle of heaven, and thence beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as grashoppers, whose Mat. 5.34. throne is the Heaven of Heavens, whose Vers. 35. foot-stoole is the Earth, whose waies are in the great deepe, it cannot be, I say, that the presence of such a God should be avoided. Ipse manet intra omnia, ipse extra om­nia, ipse supra omnia, ipse in­fra omnia: & superior est per potentiā, & inferior per su­stentationem; exterior per magnitudinem, interior per subtilitatem: Sursū regens, deorsum con­tinens; extra circumdans, in­terius penetrās &c. He is aboue all, beneath all, without all, within all: aboue, by his might, beneath, by his helpe, without, by his great­nesse, within, by his subtilitie: aboue he ruleth al, beneath he cō ­taineth all, without he compasseth all, within, he pierceth all. It is S. Gregories Moral. expos. in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. I will not trou­ble you with many authorities of the Fathers, who in this point are very excellent and plentifull. Out of that which hath already beene delivered, it is manifest, that nor Egypt, nor anie region beyond the seas, not a couch in a chamber, nor a cabin in a ship, nor clowds of the day, nor the darknesse of night; nor the moū ­taine caues, nor the Sea bottome; nor a secret friend, nor a more secret conscience, not Heaven, nor Hell, nor any like evasion, can hide vs, can hide any our actions frō the Lords presence. Which manifest truth, if we shall yet doubt of, I shall dare pronounce, that (according to the proverbs) we are [...], that we are [...], more foolish then Corabus, more foo­lish then Melitides, those, though naturall, yet most happy fooles; of whom the one was never able to number aboue fiue, nor the other to tell of which parent he was borne.

But such palpable and grosse ignorance is farre from vs. For knowing, as we do, that God was well knowne in Iurie, & his name great in Israel, we cannot well be ignorant that God is the same God with vs, and the presence of his godhead no lesse among vs, and in our country.

Which may make vs the rather wonder to thinke how boldly [Page 128] we dare deale with God, how impudently we dare behaue our selues in his presence, how wickedly we dare do evē before his eies; as if our reckoning were, that he had neither eie to see vs, nor sword to punish vs, nor iudgement seat to condemne vs. Do we not commit all vncleannesse, even with greedinesse in the presence of our God, which, for our liues, we durst not bee so bold as do in the presence of a childe, were he but a doozen yeares old? So ready are we to eschew momentary shame that might be discovered by a childe, when we care nothing at al to incurre Gods eternall displeasure.

Deceaue we not our selues (beloved in the Lord) we might haue long since learned, that God hath seaven eies which goe through the whole world, Zach. 4.10. You may interpret them with me, many millions of eies: he is Hieronym. in Psal. 94.9. See my 10. Lecture vpō Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus, altogether eie, for he seeth all things. We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters, and to span the hea­vens, Esay 40.12. You may interpret it with me, that hee hath many Millions of hands, he is totus manus, altogether hand, for he worketh all things. We may well remember that God hath feet, to set vpon his footstoole, Mat. 5.35. You may interpret it with me, that he hath many millions of feet, he is totus pos, al­together foot; fot he is every where.

O then, farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knowe­ledge, as, when we sinne, to say with those, Psal. 10.11. Tush, who seeth vs, God hath forgotten, he hideth away his face, & will never see. Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch, that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie: as he said, the Lord was in this place, and I was not aware; how fearefull is this place? This is the house of God, and the gate of Heavē, Gen. 28.16.17. So let vs, (for that place, and this place, and all other places, vpō the face of the earth, are alike) let vs, I say, let each of vs in par­ticular, wheresoever and whensoever, we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait, rouse vp our selues, and bee awaked, as Iacob was, and say with him: The Lord was in this place, and I was not aware, how feareful is this place? this is the house of God, and the gate of Heaven.

The due consideration of this all-eyed, all-handed, all-footed presence of God, as it must needs strike a terrour into the har­dest hearts of the children of darknesse, while they In circuitu impii ambulāt. Psa. 11.9. vul. walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies: so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light, walking with a right foote toward the Phil. 3.14. marke, in hope to attaine to the price set before them. For whē they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations, they cannot chuse but en­dure with patience, the worst that may befall them: especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best, because they loue God, Rom. 8.28. So doth Gods presence perswade his children, that it is he, the Lord, none but Hee, since all worldly helpes are vaine, that it is He, the Lord, that will lift them vp.

A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes libe­ralitie, whereof many things (worthy our meditation) might be delivered; but let it suffise for our present occasion to vn­derstand, that all the good things we haue, are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs, wee haue it from the Lord: apparell to cloath vs, wee haue it from the Lord; the Sunne to comfort vs, the Moone to pleasure vs, wee haue them from the Lord; life for our being, riches, honour, & whatsoever else for our wel being, all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou, saith S ^t Paul, that thou hast not receaued? 1. Cor. 4.7. Art thou rich? it is not of thy selfe: the LORD giueth, saith Iob. ch. 1.21. Art thou in estima­tion in this world? It is not of thy selfe: The LORD setteth vp, saith Hannah, 1. Sam. 2.7. Hast thou cūning, or skil in any thing whatsoever? It is not of thy selfe. God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke. Himselfe saith so to Moses, Exod. 31.3.

It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings, wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs: such is their infinitie. Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast; and then say hee, whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him. O yee righteous Psal. 33.1. reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull; yea, it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song, and to say with [Page 130] him. O Lord, let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing of thy glory, and honour, all the day long, Psalm. 71.8. Vpon which place a blessed Augustine. Father hath this meditation. What mea­neth the Prophet by these words (al the day long?) He meaneth, saith he (continually.) O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY, because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort, in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement: when I was not, thou madest me; since I haue beene, thou hast preserued me; when I had offended, thou forgavest mee, at my conversion, thou receavedst me, and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me. O let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long; that I may sing continu­ally.

And the rather doe I commend to you the due considerati­on of the liberalitie of our God, because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation. It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatiō to cal to mind the good­nesse of the LORD forepassed, either to our selues, or others. If we th [...]nke with our selues, that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe, that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts, that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse: if thus we think vnfeignedly, can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still?

Here should we compare and lay the times together as Da­vids vse was. Thus he argued: I haue heretofore slaine a Lion, and a Beare at the fold, therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine, 1. Sam. 17.37. So may we reason: The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times, to create vs of the slime of the ground, to breath into vs a living soule, to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey, to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne, to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell, to blesse our garners with store, and our baskets with increase, to be no­where wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good; such, and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs; his arme is not now shortned, hee is the same to day, that hee was [Page 131] yesterday: therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for e­vermore.

Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions com­plaint, Esai, 49.14. and say, The LORD hath forsaken me, & my Lord hath forgotten me. Never would any so complaine, if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name, as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai, Exod. 34.6, 7. The LORD, the LORD strong, mer­cifull, and gratious: slow to anger, and abundant in goodnesse, & in truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquitie, trans­gression, and sinne. Never would any so complaine, if hee would remember, why Ioel would haue vs turne vnto the Lord, Ioel, 2.13. His reason is, the Lord is gratious, & mercifull, slow to an­ger, and of great kindnesse, & repenteth him of evill. Never would any so complaine, would he but beleeue the Lords answere to Sions complaint, Esai, 49.15. Can a woman forget her child, and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe? Bee that possible; yet will I not forget thee, saith the Lord.

O all yee that thirst, come to the waters of comfort: bibite, & inebriamini; let me vse the words to you, although in ano­ther sense, Ier. 25.27. bibite, & inebriamini; drinke, and drinke till your soules bee more then satisfied. Call to remembrance how hee hath accepted the thiefe vpon the crosse confessing. Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome, the womā washing his feet with her teares, the Canaanitish womā begging for her daughter, the woman taken in adulterie, the Publican standing a farre off, the Disciple that denied him, that other Disciple which persecuted him and his followers, the wicked that cruci­fied him: call to remembrance these his mercies, yea call to re­membrance all other the tender mercies of the Lord, which haue beene ever of olde, and say, whether such his liberalitie hath not perswaded you that He, the Lord, none but He, since all worldly helps are vaine, that He, the Lord, will lift you vp.

A third motiue to the same perswasion, of no lesse weight then the two former, then that of Gods presence, & the other of his liberalitie, is his abilitie; of which the schoolemen in ge­nerall teach thus: That God is absolutely Almightie. In this ge­nerall [Page 132] they all agree, but when they come to scanne, how God may be said to be thus Almightie, they vary much.

Some say that God is therefore said to be Almightie, because he is able to doe, whatsoever he will doe. These doe so tie Gods power to his will, as if he were able to do nothing, but what his wil is to doe. But S ^t. Austine was of another mind in Enchirid. c. 95. where he saith, Deum multa posse, quae tamen nolit, nihil autem velle, quod non possit. God is able to doe many things, which hee willeth not; but willeth not any thing, which he is not able to doe: plainely shewing, that Gods will & power are not equall; that his power is extended to more things, then his will: that those things which God is able to doe, are more then those things which he willeth. The Scriptures also doe confirme this difference of Gods will and power. Thinkest thou, saith Christ, that I cannot pray now to my Father, and he will giue me more thē twelue legions of Angels? Mat. 26.53. Christ was able to aske his Father, and his Father was able to giue him that host of Angels, but neither would he aske, nor his father giue. God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham, saith our Saviour, Mat. 3.9. He is able, but will not. God hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy, and whom hee will hee hardneth, saith the Apo­stle, Roman. 9.18. Is it not herehence plaine, that God is able to haue mercy on all, and is able to harden all, but will not? So true is it, against the first opinion, That God is not there­fore said to be Almightie, because he is able to doe, whatsoever he will doe.

Others are of opinion that God is therefore saide too bee Al­mighty, because he is absolutly & simply able to do al things, what­soever may be spokē, or thought of. If you shal aske thē, whether God can sin, their answer is, he can, but wil not: if, whether he cā suffer, they say he can, but will not: if whether he cā lie, they say, he can, but wil not. But this opinion is, as more wicked, so more foolish then the former. For to say that God is able to doe such things, as are repugnant to his nature is, as to say, the fire is able to cause cold, the Sun to make darknesse, & a bad tree to bring forth good fruit. But S. Paule hath not feared to say that God [Page 133] cannot do some things, 2. Timoth. 2.13. He saith, If we beleeue not, yet abideth he faithfull, yet abideth God faithfull, he cannot deny himselfe: he saith not, he will not deny himselfe, but plainely he saith, he cannot deny himselfe. And why can he not deny him­selfe? The reason is set downe before: because he is faithfull. He is faithful, non tam voluntate, quam naturà the is naturally faith­full, and therfore can he not deny himselfe. I adde; he is naturally living, and therefore cannot die; hee is naturally righteous, and therefore cannot sinne; he is naturally immutable, and therefore cannot be changed; hee is naturally God, and therefore cannot be like man. Quam mult a non potest, & omnipotens est? Here is matter to wonder at; God cannot do many things, & yet he is Almighty: yea because he cannot do those many things, ther­fore is he Almighty. For could he die, he were not Almighty; could he ly, he were not Almighty; could he be deceived, could he deceiue, could he do wickedly, he were not Almighty. Quā multa non potest Deus, & omnipotens est? How many things is God not able to do, and yet is Almighty, saith S. Austine de Sym­bolo ad Catechumenos, lib. 1. cap. 1. So true is it against this se­cond opinion, that God is not therefore said to bee Almighty, be­cause he is absolutely and simply able to doe all things, whatsoever may be spoken or thought of.

But why thē is God said to be Almighty? Out of that which is already delivered, this proposition may be gathered; God is therefore said to bee Almighty, because he is able to do all such things, as naturally in themselues, and simply, are not impossible with God. The truth whereof, as it might evidently appeare by particulars, whereon I cannot now stand; so also may it suffici­ently be manifest, if in generall only we will consider this Al­ablenesse of God. I deny not, but earthly man, hard to beleeue the workes of God, in mans eies vnprobable, hath ever beene ready to demand, How? How can this, or these things bee? An Angell from heaven may tell Sarah of a sonne, after it hath ceased to be with her after the manner of women; but shee will laugh within her selfe: but shee wil say, what! after I am waxen old, and my Lord also! Gen. 18.12. But what saith the Angell [Page 134] to her; Shall any thing be hard to the LORD? vers. 14. God may promise a whole moneths meate to the children of Israel lu­sting after flesh; but Moses will hardly beleeue it; but Moses will say: Six hundred thousand footmen are there among the peo­ple, among whom I am, and thou saiest, I will giue them flesh to eate a moneth long. Shall the sheepe & the beenes be slaine for them, to finde them? Either shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them? Num. 11.21. But what saith God to Moses? Is the Lords hand shortned? You shall see now whether my word shall come to passe, or no, vers. 23. A Prophet may prophecie in the greatest famine of Samaria, albeit an Asses head, & Doues dunge be bought at an vnreasonable rate, that yet to morrow at a certaine howre a measure of fine flower, and two measures of barly shall be sold at a reasonable rate: but a great man will not beleeue it; but a prince will say: though the LORD would make windowes in Heaven, can this thing come to passe? 2. King 7.2. But what saith Elisha to this Prince, Beholde, thou shalt see it with thine eies, but shalt not eate thereof, vers. 2.

Distrustfull men, to satisfie our selues in such distrustful rea­sonings. Heare we what S. Austin saith, Ep. 3. ad Volusianum, concerning the workes of God to vs vnprobable. Tota ratio facti, potentia facientis: considera autorem, tolle dubitationem: the whole reason of the doing is the power of the doer, it is God that hath done them. Consider the author, and all doubts will cease. Sing we, with the sweet singer, Exod. 15.11. Who is like vnto thee, O LORD, among the Gods? Who is like thee? So glori­ous in holynesse, so fearefull in praises, so doing wonders. Say wee with the shipmen, Ionah. 1.14. Thou, O LORD, hast done as it hath pleased thee.

This point, as it cannot wel choose, but strike a terrour into the seared cōsciences of the wicked, because God is able to cast both body and soule into hell fire; so may it well yeeld comfort to the Godly: comfort to the barrē; for he was able to make Hā ­nah fruitfull: comfort to the afflicted; for he was able to deliver Iob from his miseries: comfort to the hungry, for he was able to send food to Elias by ravens: comfort to the thirstie, for he was [Page 135] able of an Asses tooth to make a spring of water, to quench Sampsons thirst: comfort for all, for God is able to do al in all: a­ble to deliver from the fiery fornace, able to make the shadow in the diall of Ahaz to run backe 10. degrees: able to cause the Sunne and Moone to rest from their courses. Thou haste done great things O LORD, LORD, who is like vnto thee? O consider the Almightinesse of our God, and say, whether you are not thereby perswaded, that it is he, the Lord, and none but he, since all worldly helps are vaine, that it is he, the Lord, that will lift you vp?

A fourth motiue to the same perswasion, is the willingnes of God: whereas hee is most present with you, most liberall to you, most able to help you, whē you stand in need, hee is also at all times most willing to work your ease; This willingnesse of God importeth the necessity of the fulfilling of Gods promises, and so concurreth with the second general note, whereof in the next Sermon.

THE second note is, of the certainety of the fulfilling of this promise, concer­ning our lifting vp. It is not here saide he will assay, he will try, he will doe his best to lift you vp, but simply, he will lift you vp.

The promises of God, made vnto the sonnes of men, in the word of God are of two sorts: either they haue a con­dition annexed vnto them, or else they are without condition: the Gospel, which is Gods power to salvation to them that be­leeue, [Page 136] is the foundation of the one: the law which is his rod of yron, to crush them in pieces that transgresse, is the wel-spring of the other. Both one and other assuredly true, in their time shall be fulfilled. For is the 1. Sam. 15.29. strength of Israel, as man, Num. 23.19 that hee should lie? or as the sonne of man that he should repent? Is he not Heb. 13.1. yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever? That Rev. 1.4. was, that is, and that is to come? My meaning is, not only in substance, but in will and intention, doth he vse lightnesse? Are his wordes yea and nay? Hath he beene knowne to affirme, & deny too? No. All his promises, all his threatnings, all his mercies, all his iudgmēts, all his words, yea, all the titles of all his words are Rev. 1.7. Yea and A­men, so firmely ratified, that they cannot be broken; so stāding immutable; that they cannot be changed. Mat. 5.18. Heaven and Earth may passe, they may be changed, they may waxe old like a gar­ment, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

When Ahiiah the prophet had foretold Ieroboam of his o­verthrow; namely, that God would sweepe away 1. Kin. 14.10 the remnant of his house, as a man sweepeth away dunge till it be all gone: that of his stocke none should die in the city, but the dogs should eat; none in the fields, but the fowles should pray vpon: that there should a king come over Israel, to set abroach all those evils; vnwilling to leaue any hope, that this time was not yet to come, that it was far of removed; he correcteth himselfe with suddaine and quicke demaund, and maketh the answere vnto it; what? (saith he) Yea, evē now, 1. Kin. 14.14. as if he had said, what? said I, it should come to passe thus, or thus? Yea even now it is come to passe, it is already done. What this Prophet hath spoken concerning the Lords threatnings against Ieroboam, may be verified of all the promises of the Lord: such is their certainety, ratified by the Lords owne wordes: My covenant will I not breake, nor alter any thing, that is gone out of my lippes, Psal. 89.34. confirmed, by his visiting of Sarah, as he had saide, and doing vnto her, according as he had promised, Gen. 21.1. al­lowed of by Ioshua's consent, when he told the Israëlites, that there had failed nothing of all the good things, which the Lord had said vnto them, but all came to passe, Iosh. 23.14. What? shall [Page 137] I say then, that Gods promises shall be fulfilled? Yea, even now; even now they are come to passe, they are fulfilled already.

God hath spoken once, and I haue heard it twice, that power be­longeth vnto God, saith David, Psal. 62.11. and so let mee say, God hath spoken once, and I haue heard it twice, that truth belon­geth vnto God. God is very constant in the performance of his promises. To driue it into our conceits hee hath spoken it, once and twice: not once, but once and twice, many times; he hath spo­ken it eternally, vnmoueably, effectually, without revokemēt: once in the law, and againe, & againe in the Gospell. This sweet milke may be suckt plentifully out of both the breastes of the Church, out of Moses, and out of Christ; out of the Prophets, & out of the Evangelists; out of the Law, and out of the Gospell. O happy are they, that feed only on this milke.

It is commonly said, that truth cannot passe forth without contrarieties, and quarrels of iudgement. And so is it here. The truth of God, the neverfading truth of his promises, hath some­what beene encombred with doubts. This doubt hath especi­ally beene made: How it may stand with the constancie, & truth of the eternall God, to pronounce a iudgement against any man, or place, and not effect it? or, to repent for any thing hee hath done, or hath promised to doe hereafter? For if it bee plaine that God fai­leth in bringing to passe his iudgements and threatnings, how can I assure my selfe, that he will be constant and faithfull in his mercies, and promises? if it bee plaine that hee repenteth for any thing that hee hath done, or hath promised to doe hereafter, how can I assure my selfe, that he will not repent of those good promises, which I account of, as made vnto my selfe?

Now, who knoweth not, how the Lord repented for making man on the earth? Gen. 6.6. how hee repented for making Saule King? 1. Sam. 15.11. and how he promised to repent of good or evill, accordingly as man should repent of, or hold on, his evil? Ier. 18.7, 8, 9, 10. The LORD said vnto Abimelech, Thou art but a dead man, because of the woman which thou hast taken, Gen. 20.3. yet the event fell out otherwise, and Abimelech was purged with God. The LORD said to sicke Hezekias, put [Page 138] thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not liue, Esai, 38.1. yet did Hezechias liue fifteene yeares after. The LORD would haue it proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh, Yet fortie daies & Nineveh shal be destroyed, Ion. 3.4. yet did Nineveh escape that plunge, and was reserved to vnderstand of her finall destructi­on by the ministery of Nahum. These places, and the like inti­mating in some sort both repentance, and also change of minde and purpose in the LORD of Heauen may be some cause of the former doubt. For satisfying whereof diverse haue answered diversely.

Some answer thus: As the spirit is said to make request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed, Rom. 8.26. so may God bee said to repent himselfe. Now the holy spirit cannot bee said to cry, as if it selfe did crie, or to pray, as if it selfe did pray, or to sigh, as if it selfe did sigh; but because it stirreth in the Saints of God such affections; and maketh them to cry, to pray, and to sigh. And so they vnderstand that other place of S ^t Paul, Eph. 4.30. Grieue not the holy spirit, that is, say they, take heed that by your wicked living, yee offend not the Saints of God, in whom the holy spirit dwelleth. In their application they say, that God may then be said to repent, when he maketh his chil­dren, in whom he dwelleth, to repent for their sinnes.

But this exposition, albeit in some places it may haue good vse, as in those before cited of the holy spirit: yet may it not ge­nerally be applyed to all such places, wherein God is said to repent. It repented God that he made man, Gen. 6.6. Here this sense may not bee admitted: to say, it repented man that God made him: for it repented God himselfe, that he made man. It re­pented God also, that hee had made Saul king, 1. Sam. 15.11. neither here may this sense be admitted, to say; it repented Saul that God had made him King: for it repented God himselfe that he had made Saul King. I will speake suddenly against a nati­on, or against a kingdome to plucke it vp, to root it out, and to de­stroy it; but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednesse, I will repent of the plague, that I thought to bring vpon them, saith the Lord, Ierem. 18.7. nor here may [Page 139] this sense bee admitted, to say; the people should repent of the plague, which the Lord had thought to bring vpon them: for it is God himselfe, that will repent of the plague, which hee had thought to bring vpon the people. I deny not, but God may truely be said, to doe that which hee maketh vs to doe; but to say, whatsoever God may be said to doe, therefore hee may bee said to doe it, because he maketh vs to doe it; this is vtterly to be denyed.

Others answer thus: God may then bee said to repent, and to change his mind, when things themselues be changed. For exam­ple sake: as long as men ly wallowing in their sinnes, the wrath of God, Gods scourges shal be vpon them: such is the wil of God revealed in the Law. But when men shall repent them of their sinnes committed, God also shall repent him of his fore-threat­ned plagues; when men shall be changed, there shal be a change also, not in the will of God; for that is impossible; but in the wrath of God: his curses shall be turned to blessings. And this sense is tolerable in the place before cited, Ierem. 18.7, 8. I will speake suddainely against a nation, or against a kingdome to pluck it vp, to root it out, and to destroy it: but if this nation against whō I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednesse, I will repent of the plague, that I thought to bring vpon them; because they are changed, from worse to better, my curse shall bee changed into a blessing: I wil repent of the plague, that I thought to bring vpon them. And in the 2. verses following; 9, 10. he saith, I will speake suddenly concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdome, to build it, and to plant it; but if it doe evill in my sight, and heare not my voice, I will repent of the good, that I haue thought to do for them: because they are changed from better to worse, my blessing shall also be changed into a curse; I will repent of the good that I haue thought to doe for them.

This exposition howsoever it be naturall to this place, may not generally be fitted to all other places. I deny hot, whē men repent themselues of their sinnes committed, but that Gods sen­tence, in regard of any eternall punishment to bee inflicted on them, shall be changed; but to say, that his sentence in regard of [Page 140] temporary punishments shall bee changed, is more then I dare, as long as I thinke of the continuall afflictions, wherewith god­ly hearts haue dayly beene tryed.

Others answere thus: God may be said to repent, as he is said to be angry, & ielouse. Where we may note that these attributs, and all other like these, must be taken [...], as if they were vsed for mans easier vnderstanding. It is a common thing for God, in his holy word to apply himselfe to our capacities, and to attribute to himselfe such things, as are vsuall in the course of our liues. For instance: because men vse not to bee re­venged on others, except they be angry, therefore when God revengeth our wickednesse, he is said to bee angry. Againe be­cause men by their exceeding care they haue to keepe their wiues chast, doe get to be called iealous: therefore God caring in like sort to keepe his spouse chast, to preserue his Church spotlesse, is called also Ielous. So is it here. Because men vse not to change their former purposes & intents, except it repenteth them, that they had so purposed and intended before; therefore God is said also to repent, when he altereth not his will, for that is vn­changeable; not his decree, for that cannot bee altered; but the thing which he had promised, or threatned. Thus is God truely said to repent, according to S ^t Austines discourse, Lib. 83. quast. quae.. 5.2.

Now, touching the word of the Lord, which came to Abi­melech, Hezechiah, and Nineveh, and was not fulfilled, & ther­fore to carnall eies might seeme to make much against the cō ­stancie and truth of the eternall God: the Schoolemen teach thus: Aquin. 1. q. 19. art. 7. Aliud est mutare voluntatem, aliud velle mutationem: it is one thing to change the will, another thing to wish that a change should be. God will haue the law, and the ceremonies at one time, gospell without ceremonies at an other time: this was his will frō everlasting, constant, and vnmoueable, that in their severall courses both should be. There may be a change in the matter, and subiect, yet not a change in him, that disposeth it. Our will is, in winter to vse the fire, in sommer a cold, & open aire; the thing is changed according to the season: the vnseasonablenesse [Page 141] of the sommer craving fire, & the warmth of the winter needing none, will argue the thing changed; but our will, whereby we haue decreed and determined in our selues so to doe, remaineth the same. So writes S. Austine to Marcellium: The husbandmā at one time soweth, at another time moweth, as a third time dū ­geth his fields: according to the diversity of times, his workes are changed. Shal we say then, that the art of husbandry is chā ­ged? No: nor yet the will of the husbandman. This is the groūd of it; A mutatione effectuum non valet consequentia ad mutatio­nem causarum, voluntate liberâ operantium: let the causes be free-working wils, howsoever the effects may be changed, they shall stand immutable.

Some teach thus: the decrees, and purposes of God consist of two parts: the one whereof God revealeth at the first, and the other he concealeth a while, & keepeth in his own knowledge: as in the action enioined to Abraham, Gods purpose was two-fold, 1. To try his obedience, 2. To saue the childe: and if any shal impute it to vnconstancie thus to bid, and vnbid, he may know that the will of the Lord was not fully vnderstood in the first part. Hitherto belongeth that which S. Gregory hath, lib. 20. moral. cap, 23. Nouit Deus aliquando mutare sententiam, sed nū ­quam novit mutare consilium. God changeth his sentence pro­nounced sometimes, but never changeth his counsaile intended.

By this counsaile intended, hee meaneth that decree of God, which from all eternity he hath made & established with him­selfe, concerning any thing to be done according to the good pleasure of his will: yea, by this counsaile he meaneth the very will of God, which is holy, is pure, is perfect, eternall, everlasting, from al beginning; according to which his doings are incompre­hensible, his iudgements secret, his waies past finding; by which he ruleth all, he governeth all, he guideth, and protecteth all, in which all things are, as they are. This his will, this his counsaile is alwaies fulfilled; no man hindreth it; no man stoppeth it.

By the sentence of God pronounced, he meaneth his sentence passed, concerning punishment to be inflicted vpon any, either in regard of mans deserts, or in relatiō to second causes. In regard [Page 142] of mans deserts: so was the sentence passed against NINEVEH: yet 40. daies, and Nineveh shalbe destroied. The sinnes of Nine­veh were winged sinnes; they flew vp aboue the top of Carmel; they aspired and pressed before the Maiesty of Gods owne throne; they cried out in the eares of God, & enforced him to passe his sentence: Yet 40. daies and Nineveh shalbe destroyed. In relation to two causes: so was his sentence passed against Heze­chias. Put thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not liue. The kings sicknesse was such, such was the weakenes of his bodie, such was the extremity of his disease, as that the Prophet had good reason to warrant his prophecy: Put thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not liue.

Here may we see a manifest difference betweene Gods de­crees, and his menacings, betweene his counsails, and his threat­nings. betweene his secret will, and his revealed will. Vnmouea­ble are his decrees, but his menacings changeable; vnmutable are his counsails, but his threatnings variable; his secret wil may not, when his revealed will shall, bee altered. One might haue said, and haue said truely both waies, Lazarus shall rise againe, and Lazarus shall not rise againe. Esteeme it by the power and finger of God, it shall be; but leaue it to nature, & to the arme of flesh, it shall never bee. Esay might haue said, & haue said truely both waies: Hezechias shall die, and Hezechias shal not die: loo­king only to nature, and to the arme of flesh, he could say no otherwise, but Hezechias shall die; but looking to the might, and mercy of God, who received the praiers of the king, hee must needs haue said, & said truely, Hezechias shall not dy. Ionas might haue said, and haue said truely both waies; Nineveh shal be destroied, and Nineveh shall not be destroied; the sinnes of Ni­neveh might haue warranted the one, and Gods mercies the o­ther. Gods decree, Gods counsaile, Gods secret will reserved sal­vation for them, against whom his menacings, his threatnings, his revealed will proclaimed destruction.

Others teach thus: In most of the Lords threatnings there is a conditiō annexed, which alwaies is not exprest, but somtimes vnderstood: and it is, as hinges to adore; it turnes forwards or [Page 143] backwards the whole matter. Where we must not forget, that a conditionall sentence putteth no certainty; nihil ponit in esse, as the schoolemen speake; it forceth nothing, but accordingly as the condition shall be either broken, or kept. The Lord saide to Abimelech: Thou art but a dead man, his meaning was; except thou restore to Abraham his wife: Sarah was restored, and A­bimelech purged with God. The Lord said to Hezechiah, Put thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not liue, his meaning was; except thou be humbled before me by praier: Hezechiah was humbled, and lived fifteene yeares after. The Lord would haue it proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh, Yet 40. daies, and Nineveh shall be destroied: his meaning was, except Nineveh re­pent: Nineveh repented, and was reserved to vnderstand of her finall destruction by the ministery of Nahum.

Thus, I hope, that the afore-cited places are answered, and that the doubt arising from them is cleared. So it remaineth, that we beleeue Gods promises to be certaine, full of constan­cie, and full of truth. It was Balaams confession: God is not as man, that he should lie, neither as the sonne of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it? Num. 23.19. It was Samuels confessiō; Indeed the strength of Israel will not lie, nor repent: for he is not as man, that he should repent, 1. Sam. 15.29. It was Gods own pro­testatiō my coūsel shall stand, my wil shall be done: as I haue spokē, so wil I bring it passe; as I haue purposed, so wil I do, Esai. 46.10.11.

If for Balaams confession, if for Samuels confession, if for God his owne protestation, we will not beleeue the certainety of Gods promises, what shall I say? Surely that the spirit of in­credulity, which possessed Pharaohs heart, hath also possessed ours. He was preached vnto, not only in the name of the Lord, and with kinde exhortation, as: Exod 5.1. Let my people go: not only by threats, & sentences of iudgment, but also by apparent plagues (and what preaching can be more effectuall?) by Ex. c. 8. &c. frogs, by lice, by flies, by grashoppers: morraine, botches, darknesse, hailestones, blood, & death it selfe, were arguments of perswasiō. But could all these things moue him? No: but the first time he returned in­to [Page 144] his house and hardned his heart; the second time whē he saw he had rest, he hardned his heart againe: the third time his heart remained obstinate; so likewise the fourth time (though especial warning was given him, as: Let not Pharaoh from hence forth deceiue me any more;) yet this fourth time he returned into his house and hardned his heart againe.

We also haue been daily preached vnto, not only in the name of the Lord, and with kinde exhortation, as; Amend your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand; not only by threats, and sen­tences of iudgement; but also by apparent plagues (& what prea­ching can be more effectual?) by warre, by sickenesse, by famine, as so many arguments of perswasion. But could al these things moue vs? No: but the first time from this place and the like, we returned to our houses, & hardned our hearts: the second time when we saw wee had rest, we hardned our hearts againe; the third time our hearts remained obstinate; & likewise the fourth time, Gal. 3.10. (though especiall warning were given vs, as: Cursed is e­very man, that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the law, to do them) yet this fourth time also, haue we returned to our houses, and hardned our hearts againe: and so returne we still, and harden our hearts still, as if we meant to build vp incredulity, as high as ever Babel was intended, evē vp to Heaven, and there to defie God to his face.

What may be thought of this? Even what S. Paule hath said, 2. Thess. 3.2. All men haue not faith. If we looke to the infancie of the world, God sent his Patriarches, and found not faith: if to the generation following; God sent his Prophets, and found not faith: if to the succeeding age, God sent his own Sonne, and found not faith: And when the Sonne of man commeth againe, shall he find faith on the earth? Luk. 18.8. So contrary is it to our corrupt natures, to beleeue any thing, which by discourse of reason we cannot comprehend, or wherewith by custome, and expe­rience we haue not beene invred.

In this generall defect what shall we doe? It is no bad coun­sell, to lay before our eies the example of our Father Abraham for imitation. A promise was made to him, Gen. 15.5. thy seed [Page 145] shall be in number as the starres in heauen. Faithfull Abraham considered not his owne body, even now dead, being almost an hundred yeares old; neither the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe, but beleeued the promise of God. Afterwardes this promise was more particular: In Isaac shall thy seed bee called, Genes. 21.12. here also was he strengthned in faith, and gaue the glory vnto God. At last a charge is given him: Take now thine onely sonne Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee vnto the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering, vpon one of the Moun­tains, which I shall shew thee, Gen. 22.2. What? must he, in whose loynes the treasure of the whole world lieth hidden, must he, of whom the promise was so lately made, must Isaac now bee slaughtered? Yea, Abraham perswades himself it must be so; & is ready to lay the knife to the childs throat; and yet beleeueth he, that in this same Isaac all nations of the earth shall be bles­sed: and yet beleeueth he vnder hope against all hope, that in this same Isaac, his seed shall be called: hee perswades himselfe that God will rather raise Isaac out of the ashes, then faile of his promise,

See we not in this patterne, how we ought to be affected to­wards the promises of God? we must beleeue them, even against hope, being fully assured, that he who hath promised, is able also to performe. What if tentations assayle vs? What if sinne dwel in vs? What if the Law accuse vs? What if death it selfe doe even devoure vs? Shall we therefore doubt of Gods promises? No: we must beleeue them, even against hope, being fully assured, that he who hath promised is able also to performe, & not that only, but willing also to performe. Hee is a Lord of mercy; Psal. 130.7. with him is plentifull redemption. Redemption a thousand waies: redemption by nature, and redemption against nature; redemption by hope, and redemption against hope: redemption by things that are, Psal. 105.8. & redemption by things that are not. He hath alwaie beene minde­full of his covenant, and promise, that hee made to a thousand ge­nerations. He promised salvation to Israel, and effected it in the midst of the redde Sea: promised salvation to his children, and brought it to passe in the fierie oven: promised salvation to his [Page 146] Prophet, and wrought it in the Lions den. O! let the willingnes of so powerfull a God moue you to beleeue his promises. Hath he PROMISED to lift you vp? He will lift you vp. Nor Sea, nor fire, nor al the Lions in the Forrests, nor al the lets in the world shall withstand him, he will lift you vp, but you must stay a time then. And this is my third note.

Dwell in this land, and I will be with thee, and blesse thee, saith the LORD vnto Abraham, Gen. 26.3. Without doubt it is a great blessing of God vpon his children, when they abide where God appointeth them. If wee carue vnto our selues, it shall be vnto vs according to our boldnesse. But if we tarry Gods lea­sure, if we follow his calling, and vse his direction, surely it shall be vnto vs, there, wheresoever we shal be, according to mercy. So was it to Barzillai when he would bee exalted, 2. Sam. 19.33. So was it to the Shunamite, when shee cared not for prefer­ment, 2. King. 4.13. So was it to the Disciples, when they were willing to leaue all, Luk. 5.11.

It may be thou art poore; So were the Smyrnians: dwell in thy povertie, and be content as they were, and then what God said to them, Rev. 2.9. shall be said to thee: I knowe thy povertie, but thou art rich. It may bee thou art afflicted. So were the Apostles: dwell in thy afflictions, and be content as they were, and then shalt thou reioyce in the midst of them all. Act. 5.41. It may bee thou art spoiled of thy sonnes and daughters, and of all thy substance; Such was Iobs lot: dwell in these thy losses, and be content as he was, Iob. 1.21. & even then shalt thou say; blessed be the name of the Lord. Dwell where God placeth thee, and he will bee with thee, and will blesse thee. Dwell in the land: it is Davids, counsell, Psal. 47.3. His inducement is: and verily thou shalt be fed. Dwel in the land] Psal 37.1. Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked men; envie not their prosperitie; be not grieved because they florish; for they shall soone Vers. 2. be cut downe like grasse, they shall wither as the greene hearbe; yea, they shall bee so cut off, as that they shall not liue out halfe their daies: but dwell thou in the land; commit thy way, thy selfe, thy life, and all thy affaires vnto the Lord: wait patiently vpon him; tarry his time; and hee shall giue thee [Page 147] thine hearts desire: verily you shall be fedde.

I deny not, but that the consciences of the godly can hardly be quieted, so long as they feele Gods wrath against them­selues. For thus we read in the prayer of the Church; LORD, how long? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy ielousie burne like fire? Psal. 79.5. LORD, how long? How long wilt thou withhold thine helpe and aid from vs, and let the wicked insult over vs, as they doe? Wilt thou be angry for ever? Wilt thou never put an end to our miseries, those testimonies of thy heavy wrath, and continuall anger against vs? Shall thy ielousie, over thine owne glory, and vs also, (even for our good could wee see it) shall it burne like fire? shall it consume vs vtterly, as the fire doth every thing that is before it? I deny not, I say, but that the cōsciences of the Godly, sometimes disquieted with the feeling they haue of Gods wrath, may enforce them to breake out into these, or the like speeches: but assured I am, they should in all hope and patience wait vpon the LORD, who by his Prophet, Ps. 37.10. hath thus spokē to alay this their impatiencie: Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not appeare: looke after his place, and hee shall not be found. Yet a little while] vnderstand, wait thou in hope, & patience, and the wicked shall not appeare] nor hee, nor any of his posteritie shall be left among the sonnes of men: looke after his place] see now, whether thou canst finde the place of his abode, seeke with all thy diligence, and thou shalt not finde him] for hee is perished as Psal. 37.20. the fat of lambes, even with the smoke is he consu­med; vtter destruction is befallen him, for as is the fat of lambs, even so is he perished; sudden destruction hath overtaken him, for as is the smoke, even so is he consumed.

Be it then true (as needs it must be true) that the face of God is for ever against them that do evill, to cut off their remembrance from the earth: & grant wee that hence it followeth (as needs it must follow) that therfore the godly, haue no cause to envy the prosperity of the wicked, but rather to pity them: what remai­neth, but that we consider, how the distressed child of God, even falling downe vnder the burden of his miseries, because hee seeth no helpe neere at hand, may find comfort?

To let passe those many ends, for which it hath pleased God to lay his crosses vpon his children, wherof every end duly con­sidered, would be an argument of force sufficient to worke pa­tience in the most affl [...]cted: let vs briefly consider two propo­sitions, both pointing at the time, when Gods promises shalbe made good vnto vs.

1 God oftentimes withdraweth himselfe, & his gracious help from his children, to make them the more earnest in seeking to him.

2 God oftentimes deferreth his helpe till greatest necessity.

Touching the first; namely, that God withdraweth himselfe, & his gracious helpe from his children, to make thē the more earnest in seeking to him, we haue the confession of Christs own spouse; who opening the dore of her hart to her welbeloved, that was now past and gone, and making diligent search to finde him, her soule so loved him, speaketh thus, Cant. 3.1. I sought him, but I found him not: and againe, Cant. 3.2. I sought him, but I founde him not: and so likewise, Cant. 5.6. I sought him, but I coulde not finde him; I called him, but he answered me not. Wee haue also Davids protestation: In waiting haue I waited for the LORD, I haue waited pacitntly for him, Psal. 40.1. And we haue the do­ctrine of the whol Church, against which the gates of Hel shal never be able to prevaile: The Saints of God, howsoever they fal not finally in the end, nor vtterly at any time, doe notwithstanding fall grievously, do fall dangerously: so, that for a time they may seeme to be forsaken of God. But this misse of Gods presence and favour, maketh them the more earnest in seeking to him. So the Spouse sought, and never left seeking, till shee had founde her best-beloved: and David waited, and never left waiting, till the Lord had enclined to him, and heard his crie: and Gods holy ones, fallen thus grievously, thus dangerously, do request, and never leaue requesting with vnexpresseable sighes, till God come with his right hand stretched-out to lift them vp. So true is this first proposition, God oftentimes withdraweth himselfe & his gracious helpe from his children, to make them the more ear­nest in seeking to him.

The second was this; God oftentimes deferreth his helpe till [Page 149] greatest necessity. We read, when the king of Assyria had inva­ded the kingdome of Ezechiah, wonne his cities, subdued his country, conquered his people, and had made him destitute of all helpe, that then the LORD raised vp the king of Ethiopia to cal the Assyrians from the siege of Ierusalem, 2. King. 19.9. We read, when David had beene chased, as a bird by the fowler, frō country to country, first to Samuel in Ramah, then to Achime­lech in Nob, afterwards to Achish in Gath, sometimes into a caue, sometimes into a wildernesse, that then the LORD delive­red him, and set his feet in a large roome, Psal. 18.36. Wee read, when Abraham was at the very instant to kil innocent Isaac, lying vpon the fagots, that then the good will of him, that dwelt in the burning bush, sent a Ramme into a neare bush to be sa­crified in steed of Isaac, Gen. 22.13. Could any haue thought, that an East winde should haue filled the campe of Israell with Ps. 105.40. Exod. 16.12. Quailes? Many a blast had that winde blowne before, but ne­ver Quailes. Could any in that great want of bread in the wil­dernesse haue looked for Exod 16.15 Ps. 105.40. Manna from Heaven? Many a dewe and frost had they seene vpon the ground before, but never the like. Durst any presume to thinke, that Iordan should run back, that the red Sea should devide it selfe; never did they so before, yet now Ps. 114.3, 5. Iordan runneth backe, the red Ps. 136.13. Ex. 14 21, 22. Sea devides it selfe. The Babylonians woulde haue sworen that the Lions shoulde haue devoured Daniel, and the fire the three children; yet a­gainst nature, the Dan. 6, 18. Lions became meeke, and the Dan. 3.26. fire merciful, when they were to deale with the servants of the most Highe. Excellent is that of CHRIST, sleeping in the ship on a pillow, suffring his disciples to be so long tossed with the violence of the Sea, till they cried out, LORD saue, we perish: for now in this extremity, hee awaketh, rebuketh the windes, stilleth the stormes of the Sea, and causeth a peaceable calme to follow, Mat. 8.23. I shal not need to trouble you with the remēbrance of Sampson, of Iob, of Peter, of Paule, of Lazarus, and manie o­thers, miraculously aboue all hope freed from thirst, from mise­ries, from imprisonmēt, from shipwracke, from the graue it selfe, and the like: out of that which is before delivered, the truth of [Page 150] the second proposition may be inferred. God oftentimes differ­reth his helpe till greatest necessity.

Both these laide to our heartes and consciences, and duely thought vpō, wil affoord comfort to our most fainting spirits; for that they will stay our mindes on the leasure of the Lorde. Thus should we thinke with our selues; are we better then the spouse of Christ? better then David? better then any other the children of the Lord? If not: then in our greatest afflictions, in the deepest griefe of our consciences, voide of all spiritual cō ­fort, learne we of the spouse, to seeke and never leaue seeking, til we finde our best-beloved; learne we of David to waite, and ne­ver leaue waiting, till our God encline to vs, and heare our crie, learne we of the rest of Gods children to request, & never leaue requesting with vnexpresseable sighes, till God come with his right hand stretched-out to lift vs vp.

Why should we at the first looke to haue our desires? Abra­ham was old before he had any children, and so was Zacharie, and yet in the end the Lord promised, and also performed. It is a certainety, when we haue lest hope for obtaining our desires, we may soonest receiue them. God vseth not at the first to grant our requests, but differreth them for the triall of our faith, and patience, that like as the wheat corne groweth not til it be dead; so his workes may not answere our expectation, till they seeme to vs vnpossible. And therefore as Iudeth, chap. 8.14. spake vnto the governour of Bethulia, so let me to you, my brethren, pro­voke not the Lord our God to anger; the words are in the lat­ter end of the 14. verse; My brethren, provoke not the Lord our God to anger, it followeth; for if he will not helpe vs, within these fiue daies, he hath power to defend vs when he will, even every day, or to destroy vs before our enimies. Do not you therefore bind the counsels of the Lord our God, bind not the counsels of the Lord our God. For God is not as man, that he may threatned, neither as the sonne of man to be brought to iudgement; therfore let vs waite for salvation of him, and call vpon him to helpe vs, & he wil heare our voice, if it please him; he wil heare our voice, if it please him.

Therfore be of good comfort, you that now sorrow, for you [Page 151] shalbe comforted; you that now be hungry, for you shal be satis­fied; you that now weep, for you shal laugh. The Lord wil short­ly come, beare but a little, and in his time all shall be well with you, all teares shall be wiped from your eies, and be you assured, that whatsoever he hath promised to you, (so true is he, so good is he, so himselfe is he, so constant, so vnmoueable is he) it shal be fulfilled; the LORD will rise earely to do it: he will set wheeles as it were, to his power, and goodnesse, that he may speedily bring it to passe. And hath he promised in his good time to lift you vp? So will he lift you vp.

Now a word or two of the thing he promised vnto you: it is your exaltation, your lifting vp.

Where we must be warned, not to dreame of any temporary exaltation, of any worldly lifting vp, like the Iewes who drea­med of the restitution of Davids kingdome, Mark. 11.10. or like the Apostles, who looked that Christ should shortly re­store the kingdome to Israel, Act. 1.6. Preferments should not be aimed at: ambition should be put apart from vs, for our ex­altation is spirituall, we shall be lifted vp, but in a spiritual sense.

I deny not, but it is God, that advanceth the heads of the mighty over their brethren: by him kings reigne: and true it is, preferment is neither from the Psal. 75.6. East, nor from the West, nor frō the South; God is iudge, he maketh low, and he maketh hie; he is the bestower of all temporall blessings. Yet withall I know that such his blessings are bestowed in common, as well on the wic­ked, as the godly: the Sunne shineth as well on the evil, as on the good: the raine falleth as wel on the vniust, as the iust. God bindeth not himselfe, either to one, or other, but storeth vp his blessings for both: health, wealth, honour, and whatsoever else, this world may affoord, he storeth vp for both, iust and vniust, good and evill, according as himselfe shal dispose to both. Cer­taine it is he will dispose to both sorts; but to whom of both sorts he will dispose, it is not in man, nor in any sonne of man, to discerne.

Set we then our hearts at rest, for any assurance wee haue of these temporall blessings: without doubt our exaltation is spiri­tuall, [Page 152] and so shall we be lifted vp. The holy are vouchsafed to enter into the kingdome of God, but wee know, this entrance must be through many afflictions, Act. 14.22. Through persecu­tions, and tribulations, 2. Thess. 1.4. All that will liue Godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution, 2. Tim. 3.12.

Giue care yee faint spirits, be strengthened yee weak hands, yee feeble knees receiue comfort. Is it true indeed, that the god­ly must be known by the badge of afflictions, of tribulations, of persecutions? Yet be yee not dismaide. Be the burdē you beare, never so vnwildy, be it never so heavy; there is one in Heaven (& he can come a pace, for he flieth vpon the wings of the winde) who is able to master it, & to lighten it. And therefore though we walke in the very shadow of death, we must not take dis­comfort at it.

The Lord sitteth aboue the water flouds, hee commandeth the Heaven, the Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is. Never will he forsake his children, neither in health nor sicknesse, light nor darknes, in the land of the living, nor in the land of forget­fulnesse.

But be it, we are not set free from our miseries; be it, I saie, that God suffereth vs, as he suffered Stephen to be stoned; or as hee suffered many his blessed Martyrs, to bee stretched on the racke, to be burnt with fire, or more grievously to be tor­mented, yet must we be full of comfort: for God hath, doth, & yet hereafter will deliver his children, and yet hereafter will de­liver vs, not only from the death of our bodies, when wormes, & rottennesse shall haue made their last prey vpon vs, but from the death of our mindes too, from that death, I say, whereby the spi­rit is buried vnder sorrowes, and findeth no creature in Heavē or Earth to giue it comfort.

Content we then our selues for any assurance he haue of any temporall exaltation, it is manifest our exaltation is spirituall, & so shall we be lifted vp. So shall we be lifted vp, from mortalitie, to immortalitie; from this vale of miserie, to the citie of happi­nesse, Ierusalem, which is aboue; from a momentary life, to life eternall. Which eternall life though we cannot fully possesse as [Page 153] long as this flesh encombreth vs, yet in this flesh also in part we doe enioy it. For in this flesh we knowe God to be the only ve­ry God, and whome he hath sent IESVS CHRIST. And this is life eternall, saith Christ himselfe, Ioh. 17.3.

Hitherto belongeth that which is written, 1. Cor. 13.9. wee knowe in part, and we prophecie in part. And Colos. 1.13. God hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne, and 1. Ioh. 3.14. wee knowe that we are translated from death vnto life. Other like places might bee alleaged: but these may suffice to shew, that even in this life we haue a feeling and a tast of eternal life: and therefore, that even in this life our exaltation is begun, which then shall be perfected, when we shall be lifted vp from mortalitie to immortalitie; from this vale of miserie to that citie of happinesse, IERVSALEM, which is aboue; from a momentarie life to life eternall. Gratious God, make vs so to cast downe our selues before thee, that thou in thy good time maist lift vs vp.