IN the seauenth of Eccles: and 4. verse, it is written, That it is better to goe into the house of mourning, than into the house of feasting; and therefore I haue chosen a tragicall Text, sounding foorth nothing but passions and mournful notes: like the tunes of those banished Israelites Psal. 137. vpon Babilons banks.

The first voice that euer proceeded from Adam our progenitor after his fall, was a voyce compounded of sorrow and feare, Gen. 3. 10. when God called vpon him, while hee hid himselfe among the trees of the garden: & [Page] all Adams children ought to bee like A­dam, passionate and sorrowfull, making theyr whole life sutable to theyr infancie, as wee all come to the worlde by a sorrowfull conception.

In the 33. of Genesis, Iacob coulde not meete his brother, but their eyes must streame forth teares.

And in the 23. chap. we finde Abraham the Patriarch an old man in yeeres, a verie childe in teares, mourning & weeping.

In Iosiah his time, whole multitudes are recorded to goe out, and weepe before the Lord.

Not to stand vpon particulers, which are not necessary in so cleere a truth, Christ Ie­sus the very mirror of sorow, is in this place presented vnto vs weeping pittifully vpon Ierusalem.

Wherein wee are by the way to note the differences betweene the godly & the wic­ked, betweene the children of God, & the children of this world.

The godlie are euer noted rather sorow­ing then reioycing, rather bewailing & la­menting theyr sinfull condition, than sola­cing themselues with the vaine pleasures of [Page] this transitory life.

VVee finde not them at any time either Gen, 9, 22. Mar, 6, 22. Dan, 5. 2. sporting it like Cham, or dauncing like Herodias, or carowsing like Belshazar.

Search the volume of holy Writ, from Moses, vnto Iohn that saw so many misse­ries in Pathmos, and wee shall finde a con­trary humour, and another kinde of affec­tion raigning in the righteous.

Moses, as hee was drawne vp from the waters, so hee shewed himselfe in the course of his life, to be (as it were) quite swallowed vp with the ouerflowing waters of afflicti­on: and he prayed God to race him out of his booke that he had written, in the 32. of Exod, 32. Exodus.

Dauid watered his couch with continu­all teares.

Paule wept for the Corinthians. 2, Cor, 2. Luke. 22. 62

Peter went out to weepe bitterly for de­nying his Lord.

And to come to our example in thys place, Christ Iesus, though hee were the Sonne of GOD, shewes himselfe in thys to be also the sonne of man, he shed many a salt teare ouer Ierusalem.

VVho among vs can be so deuoted, and so solde ouer (as it were) to sinfull vanitie, now to be sporting, seeing Christ our Lord so heauy and passionate?

The generall proposition vvhich Saint Luke vrgeth in this historicall discourse of Christ his trauailing to Ierusalem, is thys: Hee prooueth that in this place, which in­deede is the scope and drift of the vvhole Booke: viz. to cleere to the world, but e­specially to the vnbeleeuing Iewes, that Christ is the only Messias or Sauiour, pro­ued so by his birth, his life & death, liuing, dying, rising, and ascending.

As Iohn the Baptist poynted at Christ the Lambe of GOD, purging the sinnes of the world; so heere Saint Luke poynts at Christ, vveeping for the sinnes of the world.

When the people of Ierusalem laughed, Christ wept, as when the Ministrell played, Elisha prophecied: and therefore this Cit­tie, otherwise famous, but in this infamous, 2. Reg 3. 15 worthily ranne to ruine, and so receiued a true and due recompence for her securitie.

The Schoole-men do note many things in Christ appertaining to saluation.

Prudentiam in eius doctrina,

Wisedome in his doctrine.

Temperantiam in eius vita,

Temperance in his life.

Fortitudinem in eius tortura,

Fortitude in sustaining torments.

Diuinum numen in miraculis,

Diuine power in his works.

Consolationem in dictis,

Consolation in his words.

and in this place, Compassionem in eius tri­stitia, compassion in his sorrowfulnes: for he wept vpon Ierusalem.

To teach vs to weepe, and to haue com­passion in beholding the lamentable state and condition of our neighbours.

We must weepe for them, as Christ wept for the Iewes: and withall, hee teacheth vs to weepe for our selues; as hee bad the daughters of Ierusalem to weepe for them­selues.

To drawe yet a little neerer to the em­bowelling of these words, for a cleerer nar­ration obserue with me these foure things.

• [Page]1. The person who came, that was Christ.
• 2. The place whether he came, to Ierusalem.
• 3. The action: or rather you may terme it a passion, hee wept.
• 4. His admonition in reprehending theyr igno­rance, and fore-telling theyr fall.

Now then that wee haue founde out the Myne, let vs digge for the treasure.

The person,] who came to Ierusalem, was Christ. And the Scripture doth manifestlie declare how great he was: for he was God. The Father and I are one. Ioh. 10.

How humble he was: for he was the Sa­uiour of the worlde. His humilitie appea­red in taking our nature vpon him. Being God, it pleased him to become man, and to dwell with men: hee withdrew himselfe from none, no not from the Publicans and sinners.

That Iesus, who was Contempte Mundi, a hater of this worlde, one that nothing e­steemed the pompe and glory thereof: for when the Tempter presented before him at one viewe all the kingdoms of the earth, Math. 4. Tempter and temptation were both driuen to retire. One powerfull worde of Christ [Page] quite vanquisht him, as Dauid ouercame Golias with one stone, when it perced into his temples.

That Iesus who refused all worldly supe­rioritie and power: for when in the sixt of Iohn they woulde haue made him theyr King, he conueyed himselfe out of the way. Who was mercifull, for he forgaue the wo­man taken in adultery.

Who was powerful: for his words made the souldiours giue backe when they came to take him. As in the 4. of Mathewe, his worde made the prince of darknesse giue backe when he came to tempt him.

Who was pittifull, this place proueth it. He wept.

That Christ who is called Vera lux, the true light for the saued to walke in. The Iohn, 1, 5, Reu, 22, 16, bright Morning star. The flower of lesse. The mighty Lyon of the trybe of Iudah. The Author, and finisher of our fayth.

That Christ to whō that excellent voyce of glory once sounded from the heauens: This is my well beloued sonne in whom I am Luke, 3, 22, well pleased.

Hee who was promised by the Father, figured in the Lawe, spoken of by the [Page] Prophets, poynted at by Iohn Baptist, ma­nifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, 1. Tim. 3. 16. beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glory. This Christ came to Ierusalem. So much briefely is spoken for the person, now for the place.

The place whether Christ came, was Ie­rusalem, the Metropolis or chiefe Citty in all Asia, by interpretation, A vision of peace. Yet this people knevve not their peace.

God had stampt a remembrance of his blessings in the very name of Ierusalem, yet could not this people cōsider of it, they made no vse of this peace which God had giuen them.

This Citty had in it many faults in Chri­stes time. For first they knewe not theyr peace.

Secondly, they prophaned the Temple of God, making it a denne of theeues, and a shop of Merchants, where it should haue beene the house of prayer.

Thirdly, in it were the Prophets slaine.

Fourthly, it fostered within it the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ.

Fiftly, beeing the Citty of the great King, it was allotted to destroy the great King Christ Iesus, the King of glory.

This Citty so polluted Christ comes to visite.

As once God the Father said, Come let vs goe downe and visit Babel: so heere Christ Gene, 11, 7, the Sonne sayth to his Apostles, Come let vs goe visite Ierusalem.

In which his comming to Ierusalem, we see it first noted by the Euangelist he drew neere the Citty: for beeing a Prophet, hee would doe as did the Prophets. Samuell came neere to Israell, Ionas came to visite Niniuie, and Christ came heere to visit Ie­rusalem.

Hauing first trauailed to Iericho, and af­ter to Beth-phage, and then to Bethany, at last he comes to Ierusalem.

Wherein wee are to note the great dilli­gence of Christ, to verifie his former words, I came to seeke and to saue that which was lost. He neuer ceased to doe the will of his Father.

Beeing but twelue yeeres old, he taught in the Temple, and disputed vvith the [Page] Doctors, hearing them, & apposing them. Luke, 2, 46, We should be armed with like industrious diligence.

The chyldren of God are euer noted to be eyther going, or walking, or running.

Peter, during the time of his fall, is noted sitting, to shew his carefulnes: but so soone as hee felt the soule-stirring motions of Gods Spirit calling him to repentance, hee Luk. 22. 62. sits no longer, but goeth out.

The Israelites are recorded to be alwaies Num. 33. trauailing, and remouing, till they came to Canaan.

Moses, so soone as hee was borne, was Exod. 2. 3. cast out among the flagges, from thence he was brought to the Kings Court in Egypt. After that, he was driuen to she to Midian, and from Mydian backe againe to Egypt. And after all this, what long and tedious trauels did hee vndergoe in that long iour­ney to Canaan.

Wherein is rightly typed the state of e­uery religious Christian mans life.

Our life heere is but a pilgrimage, a va­nishing vapour that suddainly is lost, while a man lookes vpon it: and therefore holie men must learne of Moses, and of Christ, [Page] to redeeme the time, by walking towardes God, and by trauailing about our Fathers busines, as Christ trauailed about his Fa­thers busines, when hee went to Ierusalem.

This is the pilgrimage that best pleaseth God, and not that of the Idolatrous Anti­christians of this age, the Iesuites I meane, and Seminaries, which take great paines to compasse sea and land, to make one prose­lite like themselues, and when they haue made him, hee prooues duplo plus filues Ge­hennae, quam erat prius, two folde more the sonne of perdition then he was before.

Much better were it for such, if they sate still, than so to seale vp iniquitie to theyr greater condemnation.

Christ his trauell, and the trauell of the godly tendeth to a contray purpose: viz. to drawe men to the knowledge of the truth, and the gayning of soules to Christ. Such shall not loose theyr labour. Hee that Dan, 12, 4, conuerteth soules. (saith Daniell) shall shine like the starres for euer.

The Prophet Dauid desireth GOD to make him goe the path of his commaun­dements, and hauing learned to goe, hee striueth to runne, I will runne the way of thy Psal, 119, 32 [Page] commaundements when thou hast set my hart at libertie.

In the tenth of Marke, one comes run­ning to Christ.

Zacheus beholding Christ out of the wilde Figge-tree, made hast to get downe, and runnes to meete him.

Bartymeus threw away his cloake to run to Christ.

In the fourth of Micheas, the cry of reli­gious Iewes is noted: Come, (say they) let vs goe vp to the Mountaine, and to the house Mica, 4, 2, of the God of Iacob.

So the godlie are still in motion: as Christ himselfe is euer noted trauailing for the most part.

VVe read neuer of his sitting, but once, and then hee disputed, teaching vs to shun idlenes.

The Bride cannot bee drawne from the Bridegroome, nor Christ from the citty.

In the first of Canticles, vvee finde the Church the Spousesse of Christ, running after Christ: I will runne after thee.

And in the 3. chapter, we finde her see­king [Page] and diligently inquiring after Christ: Haue yee seene him whom my soule loueth? And in this place vvee finde Christ the Spouse, seeking out his Spousesse the Church; with like correspondent affecti­on he trauaileth to visit Ierusalem.

Wherein, besides his diligence, his loue and tender affection towardes the children of God is manifested. He cherisheth them as his owne bowels, and therefore he draw­eth neere to Ierusalem, as one desirous to know theyr state.

Christ beeing borne in the Citty, couets to liue in the cittie. He came for mans sake into the world, and so he liued in the pre­sence of men 33. yeeres together. He came to call sinners, and therefore he liued in the Citty, because there were the greatest sin­ners.

We reade of Iohn Baptist, that hee liued in Deserto, in the Wildernesse: he shrunke the cittie, for that the citty was full of pol­lution, which Christ needed not to feare.

Hee would liue in the cittie to winne the cittie: like an immaculate Lambe, he tooke away all spots from his elect.

Hee vvoulde liue in Oculis Aduersa­riorum, [Page] in the eyes of his aduersaries, to the end hee might truly iustifie himselfe. Quis exvobis arguat me de peccato, who of you can reprooue me of sinne?

Euery thing couets to liue at home, the byrds in the ayre, the fishes in the water, the beasts in the mountaines: and Christ bred in the Citty, loueth the cittie, & delights to visit it.

More than this, it is added, hee beheld it. In 104. psalme it is sayd; A vertente faci­em tuam, omnia turbabuntur, when thou tur­nest away thy face, all thinges are troubled. To shew that they are blessed vpon whom Christ looketh.

Happy had these people beene, if they had as carefully looked vppon Christ, as Christ did vpon them: for then they had beene healed, as they that looked vpon the brazen Serpent recouered.

That is, in a carefull contemplation hee considered the great corruptions wherwith this cittie was stayned: and withall, he loo­ked with a prophetical eye vpon the seuere iudgements which God already had deter­mined [Page] to throw vpon the citty, for the sins therein committed.

In this example two sorts of men are cal­led vpon, that is, Ministers & Magistrates.

Ministers ought to visit the places most sinfull. They must cry out against the sins of the people. Es. 5.

They must be knowne by theyr teaching and preaching, as Aarons entering into the Sanctuarie was knowne by the sounde of Exo. 28. 35. the belles which he wore in the skirts of his clothing.

Magistrates are likewise called vpon, for Christ was both Rex et Propheta, a King & a Prophet. They may not slumber vvhen iniquitie is increased, but they also must come and visit Ierusalem: that is, they must see the disorders of citties and townes, and labour to reforme them.

Christ hath in his owne person chaulked the way before vs, and other godly Magi­strates in all ages haue succeeded him vvith like holy practize.

Moses, the perfect mirror of sincere ma­gistracie, did looke into the abuses of sin­ners in his time, and laboured carefully to reforme the same. And for that hee coulde [Page] not alone vndergoe so waighty a prouince, by the aduice of Iethro his Father in lawe, Gods counsell also concurring, hee chose vnto himselfe other inferiour Magistrates Exod, 18. 21. to be Rulers and Iudges, and there hee de­scribeth what manner of men they ought to be. viz.

Men of courage, fearing God, dealing What man­ner of men Magistrates ought to be. truly, hating couetousnes. But I am not to speake of this, but in a generalitie.

Magistrates must learne of Christ to be­hold those places ouer which GOD hath made them ouerseers. They must not one­ly in theyr circuites come to Citties, and townes, but they must circumspectly looke into the disorders there.

When Christ came within a sight of Ie­rusalem, he makes there his rest, his station: and there deliberatly in this his prospect, he summoneth & arraigneth at the bar of his iustice, all the sinnes of the people of Ieru­salem.

To behold then in this place, importeth not a slender looking into matters of cor­ruption, as the fashion is of many Magi­strates that carry no conscience of their places, such as was Corah & his complices, [Page] that could smooth vp the matter to Moses with this warme conceit: All is well, and the people are holy enough.

But this intimateth a diligent and a care­full speculation, a due examination of all matters, both of smaller crimes and greater offences; and when they haue founde out the sinner, as Iosuah founde out Achan the theefe, & his theft also, then to punish ac­cording to the weight of the offence.

The Magistrates iudiciall censures must not be like Spyders webs, which intangle onely the small flies.

As Christ passed first from Beth-phage to Bethany, and from Bethany to Ierusa­lem, so shoulde Magistrates passe frō smal­ler sinnes to greater enormities, till all wic­kednes be abandoned: without which due speculatiue courses, nothing can be refor­med in any wel ordered Common-wealth.

The Magistrates ought to haue Lynceos oculos, to bee Eagle-sighted, the better to looke into abuses.

They must be able to iudge of sinne, In­tus et in cute, to make a scruting into euery corner of corruption, that no sinne may escape without his censure.

They must rather shewe themselues se­uere and straight, like vnto Moses and Io­suah in the punishing of sinne, than too slacke and remisse in theyr places, like Ely, who spared to correct the disobedience of his sonnes: and so God tooke the iudge­ment 1. Sam. 4. into his owne hands, and spared not to cut off both him and them in the seueri­tie of his iustice.

Magistrates must remember that they are the Lords Vize-gerents, in Gods sled appoynted for the punishment of euill do­ers, and for the prayse of them that do wel.

The Phylosophers lay downe three pro­perties of a good eye: that is, To see quick. To see long. To see farre.

Like Balaam, to see the vtmost coasts of Israell, euen from Dan to Beershebath.

They are not sound Politicians nor pro­foundly learned in the Arte Speculatiue, that doe not in this sort behold abuses.

They carry not in them the substance of magistracie, till they haue learned to exe­cute the edge of theyr authority in punish­ing offences.

As the Spirituall sworde hath two edges, so the temporall or ciuil sword should haue [Page] two edges, to cut two wayes.

In the foure-score and second psalme, I haue said yee are Gods, saith Dauid, speak­ing in the person of God. As if hee should haue saide, During the time of your magi­stracie, while you sit in Gods chayre, you must forget that you are men, least so base a conceit doe make you yeeld to weaknes, and corruption, but you are for that tyme more then men. You are Gods, and there­fore consider of your places, Behold and punish. Looke into the nature of the sin, and let the punishment be aunswerable.

Otherwise, you are not like Gods, more than in your names and titles, as Labans I­dols were called gods, and yet were but blocks.

If Magistrates, when they shall ascend theyr iudiciall seates did but consider of this, theyr very names would teach them how to carry themselues, and then woulde not sinne so violently breake out, nor walk in the open streets so vncontroled as at this day it doth.

As no halt, nor lame, nor blinde, might be admitted into the Ministery, so vnto the Magistracie should no weake, or corrupt, [Page] or blinde Magistrate be preferred: but the wisest and best approued.

When Christ beheld the monstrous im­pietie, and horrible sinnes in this citty com­mitted, without any hope of speedie refor­mation, or amendement, it greeued him to the very hart, as once it greeued God his Father, when looking vpon the sins of the old world, hee repented that hee had made man. And when he had once entered into this griefe, he could not chuse but expresse the same by teares that flowed amaine frō his eyes in great aboundance, like the wa­ters of Hesbon. Cant. 7. 4.

Hee wept partly for theyr sinnes, partlie for the iudgements of God, which now al­ready were begun to be poured out.

Saint Bernard principally noteth three things in Christ our Sauiour: Dicta conso­lationis, words of consolation. Opera propi­tiationis, works of propitiation. Facta com­miserationis, deeds of commiseration or pit­tie, as in this place, and elswhere.

We read that he wept thrice, once when he raised Lazarus: in this place vpon Ieru­salem: and vpon the crosse. [Page] Yet, we are not to thinke but that hee wept more often. For he did alwaies with teares no doubt lament the wickednes of men, to teach vs not to glory in our neighbors fall, but to weep & bewaile their fraile cōdition.

Cyprian hath a sweet saying: Ʋere pati­tur, qui compatitur: He is most patient, that is most passionate. Or rather, he hath pas­sion enough in him, that hath in him com­passion. And it argueth a most Christian­like, and charitable affection, when we are in a pittifull remorse touched with our bre­threns infirmities.

Such was Moses his compassion in the 25. of Numbers. And Paule, when he wept 3. yeeres for the Corinthians. And Esdras for the afflicted Iewes.

Heere by Christes teares we are to learne three things. First, that hee was a man like others, sin onely excepted: which confu­teth the heresie of the Manichees, which do deny his humanity. For they holde that Christ was not verus homo, but quasi homo, not very man, but in the similitude of a man; and that he had not corpus, but quasi corpus. viz. corpus assumptinum, not a natu­rall body, but an assumptiue body.

In maintaining whereof they crosse that Scripture: Hee was made of the seede of Da­uid according to the flesh. Rom. 1. 3. The word was made flesh. Iohn. 1. 14. And a­gaine, We haue but one Mediatour, euen the man Iesus Christ.

Let them but aske the deuill in this case, and hee (although the father of lyes) vvill speake truth heerein, to conuince them the rather of heresie. Cast thy selfe downe head-long, Mute te deorsum sayth hee to Christ. The deuill is better then the Ana­baptists, for he acknowledgeth that Christ had a body, which they denie.

The second thing that wee learne by his Teares, is, hee was vnwilling that the peo­ple of Israell should commit sinne, against thē that most blasphemously affirme that God is the Authour of sinne. Volens, Effi­ciens, Suggerens. Crossing these Scriptures.

A prophane Writer, that neuer sawe the light of Diuititie, could confute such here­ticall opinions.

[...] Theopom­pus. [...].

Neither must wee imagine that God is the Author of euill, neither yet without God [Page] can any euill be done. For the spirit of God hath spoken it, Non est malum in Ciuitate, quod non facit Dominus.

Thirdly, by Christes weeping we learne the sympathie and holie vnion that is be­twixt Christ and vs. Hee feeleth our sor­rowes, and is touched with our infirmities.

We read of his sighing in Marks gospel, Mark. 7. 34. when he cured one that was deafe, & heere wee reade of his weeping ouer Ierusalem, that had in it many deafe eares, and regar­ded not the voyce of the Charmer.

Of the necessity of weeping, and howe farre teares may preuaile with God, beeing powred out from the eyes of the godlie, I haue plentifully spoken elswhere.

Thus much then shall briefely suffice, cō ­cerning Christes weeping vpon Ierusalem. Now let vs proceede by order of the Text to the cause of his weeping.

Ierusalems sinnes prouoked Christes teares, and of theyr many sinnes one is here discouered: They knew not theyr peace.

The learned doe expound peace three waies: eyther it may signifie Externall or outward peace: or peace of conscience: or [Page] Christ, the Authour of peace.

Ye may admit any of these significations in this place, but in my iudgement the last is fittest, and most specially meant by our Sauiour in this check, when hee told them, They knewe not that which belonged to their peace. Which had they knowne, it had brought them to the knowledge of all the rest. They knewe not Christ by the preaching of the word, they receiued not the Gospell of peace. They yeelded no obedience to the worde of truth, nor did shewe any carefull practise in reforming their liues accordingly.

These people of Ierusalem liued in secu­ritie, and at ease, they liued in peace, euery man vnder his owne Vine, and vnder his own fig-tree. And they soothed vp them­selues in this their securitie: assuring them­selues that this great citty, beeing the Lady of so many Prouinces, the light and beauty of all Asia, and all kings glory, so strongly sortifyed, so richly furnished, and vvith so many people replenished, should neuer bee brought to vtter desolation.

Such is the naturall corruption of men, generally to be carelesse, and not once to [Page] thinke or aduise themselues of future cala­mities, so long as it goeth well with them: so long as they are fatted with the aboun­dance of Gods blessings.

These inhabitants of Ierusalem were not so prouident, nor so wise as the prophane Phylosophers, notwithstanding, they liued then when wisedome cryed in their streets.

Sapientis est in otio de negotio cogitare, a wise man ought in time of peace to think vpon warre.

So is it verifyed vvhich vvas spoken by our Sauiour: The chyldren of this world are Luke, 16, 8. wiser in theyr generation then the chyldren of light.

These carelesse Iewes abused their peace, because they sought no meanes to conti­tiue it: For they killed the Prophets, and stoned thē that were sent vnto them: Yea, when Christ himselfe came among them, they crucified him, to seale vp theyr secu­ritie to theyr greater ouerthrow.

And howe then could this people know theyr peace, vvhen they contemned and euill intreated him that was the onely au­thour and maintainer of theyr peace?

Thys Peace, contayneth in it all other [Page] blessings. And therefore Christ onely na­meth it in this place, as the very continent of all the rest.

The excellencie whereof may appeare in those speciall commendations of it. Before his departure hee commended vnto them Peace. My peace I leaue vnto you. Luk, 24, 36

When he was risen againe hee commen­ded peace: & vpon his byrth-day the An­gels proclaimed peace: and the Gospell is Luke, 2, 14 called the Gospell of peace. Therfore haue peace, and thou hast all the blessings that God hath: and want onely this peace, and thou art worse spoiled of Gods graces, than euer was Iob of his chyldren and goods.

Here it may be proclaimed againe, which once was vttered by that voyce of maiestie proceeding from God himselfe in the 34. of Exodus, The Lord, the Lord, strong, mer­cifull, and gracious, slowe to anger, and aboun­dant in mercy and truth.

See howe Christ our Sauiour trauaileth with mercy in this place, and laboureth to be deliuered. Oh, if thou hadst knowne. Yet, hee offereth mercy to Ierusalem, if Ierusa­lem would haue repented.

Oh that yet they would turne, and be sa­ued. Shall I say, since they will perrish, let them perrisht nay surely, saith Christ, I will yet wash Naaman seauen times more, to clense him of his leprosie, if hee vvill be clensed.

In the 51. of Ieremie & ninth verse, saith the Lorde, I woulde haue cured Babell: So Christ in this place saith: I would haue cu­red Ierusalem, but alas, she will not be cu­red. All the precious balme in Gylead will not suffice to recouer Ierusalem, the prayse of the world.

He calls it Ierusalems day: to shewe that God giueth all men a time; and now is our day, and our time: therefore vse the time, and abuse not Gods lenitie. For the night will come, when no man can worke. And ther­fore it is sayde, To day, if you will heare his voyce. But if you will not to day, I will not to morrow. Beholde, as when I called, you woulde not heare, so when you call, I vvill not heare, saith the Lord.

A day consists but of a morning, an eue­ning, and a noone: and hee that hath the longest time permitted him, hath but a day. [Page] Defer it not then in any case, since thy time in which thou maist turne to God is so na­rowly scantled.

If thou lose the morning of thy life, lose not the noone: and if thou be so carelesse a sinner, as that thou puttest off thy conuer­sion till the euening of thy life, yet euen then reclaime thy selfe, before the sunne of Righteousnes doe set, when it can shine no more vnto thee.

But thou shalt haue a happier successe in my iudgement, if thou begin betimes, like Abraham, in the morning of thy life, to sacrifice thy selfe to GOD. For wee haue an old saying, & it is a true saying: A good beginning makes a good ending. And qua­lis [...]ua. s [...]ns ita. As a man liues, so common­lie he dies.

Euery man would be gladde to die vvell, as Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous, but hee had no care to lyue the life of the righteous. And therfore, though he could prophecie to others, yet hee could not prophecie to himselfe, nor sore-see his owne end.

Farre otherwise did Dauid that prophe­ticall King carry himselfe, and may stande [Page] as a rare president, not for Kinges onelie, but for priuate men also: he began his day betimes, and so continued it to the end. At euening, morning, and at noone will I prayse Psal. 55. 17. thee.

Thys forslowing the time, and continu­all running on in sin, making vp the score of iniquitie, is heere imbrayded vnto these Iewes.

The tyme of grace was offered them, the time of visitation, vvhen the Lorde called vpon them for repentance, but they repen­ted not. The Turtle, the Crane, and the Swallowe, knowe theyr appoynted times, yet Israell knoweth not his time.

God sent his Worde, they neglected it, his Prophets, them they slewe, his ovvne Sonne, and him they crucified. Still they were carelesse, like the olde worlde before the flood. And so GOD shut them out of Tyme, for that vvhen they had Time, they abused the commoditie thereof in the world.

If these people had considered of theyr peace, they had not prouoked Christes eyes to distill into teares: But as fast as Christ drevve them forwardes, sinne and [Page] sathan drew them backwards: euer-more sounding in their eares this so pleasing and so plausible a lesson, It is not yet time, time is not yet.

See howe continuance of sinne breedes custome, & when custome entereth, Gods grace auoydeth, and so the Temple of God becomes a denne of theeues.

For, Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum pec­cati: Custome in sinne, takes away al sence and feeling of sinne: and so beeing once past sence and feeling, the body becomes dead, without motion, life or soule in it.

Note the degrees of sinne in sinfull men, first they grow wicked, then obstinate, then desperate, like Caine, posting it from one sinne to another, at last a griping worme of conscience seazeth vpon theyr soules, as the deuils entered into the heard of Swine. And then they cry out in a desperate rage: Whosoeuer findes me, shall sley me. Genc. 4. 14,

Not much different from this, is that de­stinction of the learned, wherein they make foure degrees of a sinner. The first, in vo­luntary delectation. The second, in cōsent. The third, in fulfilling it by worke. The fourth, in continuance. VVherein whoso­euer [Page] is once buried, is hardly raised to life againe without earnest prayer vnto God, & many teares on his owne behalfe.

And therefore it is said, Languor prolixior grauat medicū: but languorem breuem prae­cidit medicus: A long vlcerat sore troubles the Phisition, but a greene wound is easilie launced.

It followeth, Tut now they are hid from thine eyes.

This call of Christ in this place, was as it were the third Cocke to warne these peo­ple to repent.

The sinner cannot say, but he hath been called. Herod had a call, when Iohn prea­ched vnto him. That other Herode had a call, when he felt a desire to see Christ.

What a call had Pilat, when he was made to vnderstand the innocencie of Christ. And so Ierusalem had a call, & that a loud call by Christ himselfe, preaching vnto them euery day in theyr Temple, and wor­king so many miracles before them, which made Christ vtter with weeping eyes, thys sentence so full of sweet compassion, Oh, if thou hadst knowne, at least in this thy day, those things that belong vnto thy peace.

Now I come to particular application, & so conclude.

When we come to our citties & townes, as Christ came to Ierusalem: & do cleere­lie behold (as we cannot chuse but see) the manifolde pollutions, and sinnes in them committed, haue not we cause to take vp a lamentation, and to weepe for our Ierusa­lem of England, together with our other Citties and Townes: and may not vvee as iustly proclaime with Christ in this place: Oh, if you had knowne, at least now in this your day, the things that belong to your peace.

VVee are as sinfull as euer the men of Ierusalem vvere. Nay, our sinnes exceede theyrs, both in quantitie, qualitie, number, and nature, euery way beyonde compari­son; And may not our eyes then streame foorth teares, for that vvee are they that do not knovv nor regarde the day of our visi­tation.

These dissolute Iewes liued securely, too too much presuming vpon Gods long to­lerance and lenitie. Besides, for that they had the Temple of God amongst them, & the Arke of his Couenaunt, which promi­sed blessing and life for euer-more, they [Page] waxed the more carelesse, & mistrusted no­thing. Yet more then all this, they trusted in the strength of their citty, & in the wise gouernment of theyr sage Senators, and in the multitude of theyr horses & Chariots. But all deceaued them, to iustifie the truth of that Scripture, Cursed is hee that maketh flesh his arme.

Yea, the Emperour Titus himselfe con­fessed, it had been a thing in humaine rea­son impossible to ouercome it. The Pro­phet Ieremie confirming the same. The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not haue beleeued that the aduersary and the enemy, should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem.

But theyr false confidence deceiued thē, GOD had so disposed, that euen at Ea­ster, when there came infinite multitudes from all places to Ierusalem to worship the Citty should then be besieged. And there were gathered together at one tyme, about thirty hundred thousand, as Iosephus testi­fieth.

In that bloody stratageme so many thou­sands left theyr liues, that it greeued the very enemies that came to take it: And it [Page] was commaunded by the Emperour vpon view of the dead bodies, that so many as re­mained aliue, should not bee slaine, but be sold. And the residue of the Iewes were had in so vile a reckoning, that thirtie of them were valued but at one penny: as they va­lued Christ our Lorde but at thirty siluer­lings, so God in his iust iudgement, prized thirtie of them to be woorth but one siluer­ling, and that to be a coyne of the smallest value. Most Writers hold it to be but a far­thing.

And at this day they are accounted the most cōtemptible nation in the world Yea, the very name of a Iewe is odious, and it is not so much as once mentioned vvithout disdaine.

And thus was Ierusalem defaced: thus were the peculiar people of God become no people, & the citty that once was Shem, the glory of the world, nowe become the shame of the world, wherein may not bee found one stone vpon a stone, because they regarded not to know the day of theyr vi­sitation.

So it pleased the most iust Iehouah to re­uenge that place, where our Lord was cru­cified, [Page] and where the blood of Gods saints was spilt vpon the ground like water.

Hence let vs grow wise, and learne by Ie­rusalems fall to stand. Let the shrubs trem­ble when the tall Cedar trees are throwne downe.

Si hoc fit in viridi, quid fiet de arid [...]? if this were done in the greene tree what shall be­come of the dry? If God spared not Ieru­salem, because the people thereof knewe not theyr peace, shall he spare vs, that know not our peace?

Neuer did so many Prophets cry at once in our streets, as at this day they do throgh­out the whole Land, from Dan to Beerse­ba, from Douer to Saint Dauys, from Bar­wicke to the Mount, Court, Citty, and Country: but who doth listen to the voyce of the Cryer?

Neuer was the vvorde more plentifullie taught, neuer more contemptuously rec­koned, neuer more talking of it, but neuer lesse walking after it: many that can speak well, too too fewe that can doe well. And so we deferre our conuersion. till our con­fusion ouertake vs, like the Iewes in thys place, who woulde not beleeue, till they [Page] smarted for it.

Well, if wee perseuer and runne on the score with him as we doe, certainly a Iubi­lee of yeeres cannot passe ouer vs, till our iudgement come. For the word is the same now it was then, and GOD is the same to day, and yesterday, and the same for euer.

Therefore, while the kingdome of grace is with vs, let vs holde it, least in despysing it, wee lose a better Paradice than Adam did.

VVee liue in that age wherein wee may beholde the starre-bright cleerenes of that glory, and the fulnesse of that peace which the Kings of the earth, & the mighty men before vs haue desired to see, but might not attaine vnto it: all which doth agrauat our sinnes the more: for by howe much more plentifully GOD shines among vs in his graces, by so much the sorer-will our pu­nishment be.

For if the Worde, when it was spoken by Angels, was stedfast: and euery trans­gression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward: howe shall vvee e­scape if vvee neglect so great saluation, which was first preached by the Lord him Hebr. 2. [Page] selfe, and after was confirmed of them that heard him.

Pyndarus writeth, that it was counted a happy Citty on the which it was thought that golde did raine. If any Citty bee so, then hath God poured this blessing vppon vs and our Citties of England, in an extra­ordinary measure.

It is seene in the wealth, the peace, and godly securitie that wee haue nowe a long time inioyed. Euery man now liues vnder his owne Vine, and vnder his owne figge­tree: so that our houses may seeme vnto vs so many Tabernacles of rest. It is seene in the peaceable gouernment, & in the whole frame of our Christian policie.

Euery good man weigh with himselfe the long tranquility, great plenty, peaceable li­bertie which God hath giuen vs, during the raigne of our most gracious Soueraign, making our daies like the daies of Salomon, in whose time siluer was as plentifull as 2. Chr. 9. 27, stones, and Cedar trees like the wild figge­trees that are abundant in the plaine. These so great blessings from her deriued vnto vs, ought in no wise to be forgottē, for they are indeed for number so many, & for valew so [Page] great, as the like haue not beene seene al­most in any age. First, in hauing the true light of the Gospell so shining among vs: so publiquely receiued; so vniuersally pro­fessed; so freely preached. Againe, in gi­uing vs a Prince so vertuous borne among vs, with such peace defending vs, against them that would deuour vs: vvhat coulde God doe more for his Vineyard then hee hath done? so that wee may sing with Da­uid, Peace is within our gates, and plenteous­nesse within our Palaces. And againe, Mercy and truth haue met together, righteousnes and peace haue kissed each other. And again, Non est auditus Armorum sonitus in vrbe.

That may be truly spoken of vs, vvhich Zephany coulde not iustifie of the people in his time. Our Princes are not as roaring Lyons, our Iudges are not like rauening VVolues, that leaue not the bones till the morrowe. Our Prophets are not light and wicked persons, polluting the Sanctuarie, and wresting the law. The iust GOD is in the midst of vs, he will doe no iniquitie.

So many England seeme (these infinite blessings that I haue spoken of duly consi­dered) like Eden the pleasant garden plan­ted [Page] by the Lord.

Since God hath performed these great things for vs, which no tongue of man or Angell is sufficiently able to eternize, let vs be thankfull, and let our gratitude be testi­fied by our obedience, least it be saide of vs that Ierusalem is no better then Samaria.

When Iacob in the 28. of Genesis avva­ked out of his sleepe at Bethel, hee sayde, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware.

So if, when God shall testifie his presence among vs, in his manifold blessings, and we take no notice of it in acknowledging ney­ther him nor them: we may well say as Ja­cob did: Of a surety God was in this place, & we were not aware.

Let vs acknowledge them now wee haue them, for it will be too late when they shall be taken from vs.

Bring forth fruites (saith Iohn) woorthy of repentance. So bring forth good works wor­thy of these blessings. Wee would all seeme to be hanged with leaues. let vs rather shew that we are hanged with fruites, least we be like the fruitelesse Figge-tree; least wee be like Chorazin & Beth-saida where Christ [Page] wrought many miracles, yet they remained faithlesse.

I beseech you brethren in the bowels of Iesus Christ, make much of the Worde which is preached among you: for it is e­uen your life. So termed by Moses in the 32. of Deut.

If you will haue a care of your peace, if you will haue Christes eyes to distil with no teares: if you will not greeue the Spirit of God, by whom yee are sealed to the day of redemption. let Ierusalems ruine be to you a cause of rising. This profit shoulde bee made of others harmes, like the honny that Sampson found in the dead Lyon.

Oh that this heere threatned to Ierusa­lem, were written vppon the tables of our harts with an yron penne, or the poynt of a Dyamant, that it might neuer be forgot­ten Oh that we would yet learne to know our peace, and the time of our visitation.

Yet there is time to consider our selues, yet is the acceptable time, yet is the day of saluation, yet the Sunne of righteousnes shineth, & God calleth to the waters of life. Yet hee cryeth in our eares. Be lifted vp yee gates, and I will enter in, saith the Lord, and [Page] be open vnto me ye euerlasting doores, and the King of glory shall come in. The same Christ our Lorde in the 3. of Reuelation and 20. verse saith, I stand at the doore and knocke, & if any will heare my voyce, and open to mee, I will come in, and sup with him.

I end in a word with this short exhortati­on. As when God made the light, and had it from the darknes, he sayd, Bo­num est, it is good. When he had made the firmament, the earth and the seas, he sayd: bonum est, it is good. When hee had made the trees, hearbes, and plants, and all crea­tures, hee said still bonum est, it is good. But hauing finished his work of creation, & ta­king a perfect view of al that he had made, finding that all things did agree & sute to­gether, after a kind of heauenly harmony, and more then Geometricall proportion, then he pronounced, Ʋalde bonū est, it was exceeding good. So when good & profita­ble lawes shall be established among vs, it may be said, bonū est. When Magistrats mi­nister righteous iudgements, dealing truly & vprightlie in their offices, it may be said: bonum est, it is good.

Whē the Minister preacheth the word of [Page] truth in season, and out of season, and the people doe diligently heare, and reforme theyr liues accordingly, it may be sayd, bo­num est. But when there shall be a musicall consent as it were, and a mutuall harmonie of all [...]hese together, where such matters are duly performed & practized in a Chri­stian policie, it may be said, Valde bonum est, it is exceeding good. And all this will bee easily brought to passe, if wee doe but con­sider of our peace.

Now the very God of peace sanctifie vs throughout: & I pray God that our soules and bodies may be kept blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Iesus.

IN euery action of Christ we may learne to saue our soules, and to shunne those thinges that are enemies to the Spirit of GOD.

By his heauenly doctrine, wee learne hea­uenly wisedom, by his practize of holy life, example of well liuing, by his miracles, our fayths confirmation, and here in this place, by his entrance into the Temple we learne deuotion.

Within this Temple were his professed enemies, the Scribes and Pharisees, yet he­ther hee would enter to expresse his zeale, and kingly authoritie.

He entered once into the Desert, signify­ing the temptations, where-vnto the chyl­dren of God are subiect. Another time hee entred into a shippe, shewing the perrill of Christians. Hee entered into Zacheus his house, shewing the humilitie that must be in Christians.

He entered into iudgement when he was condemned, shewing the persecution of Christians. He entred vp vpon his Crosse, shewing the patience of Christians: and in this place he entred into the Temple shew­ing the deuotion that must bee in Christi­ans. Christ loued the Temple, and there­fore he would enter into the Temple, and holy men that haue theyr names from Christ, must also cary the like affectiō that was in Christ. They must loue the templ [...] & they must learne to say with Dauid, The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me vp.

And againe, I haue loued the habitation of thy house, and the place where thyne honour dwelleth.

Many there be that enter into the Tem­ple of God, but fewe there be that enter in like Christ in this place, for deuotion and zeale.

VVee reade of Antiochus, in the first of Mac. verse 23. and in the 2. of Mac. 5. that he entred into the Temple, but hee entred in like a theefe: for he robbed the Temple of God, and tooke out of it the golden Al­tar, the Candlesticks, the pouring vessels, the golden vestments, & the precious Iew­els, and treasure of infinite value.

The like doe we read of that not so olde as wicked Athenyan, whose name is there omitted, because the Author of the booke reckoned him as a vile person, not worthie to be mentioned in holy writ. He also en­ [...]red into the Temple, but he entered in to [...]rophane it, and to fill it full with dissolu­ [...]ion, and gluttony.

Nichanor another instrument suborned [...]y sathan to rise vp against God, and to de­ [...]ace religion, purposed to enter into Gods [...]ouse, but himselfe vttered his wicked in­ [...]ention, When I come againe (saith he) I will [...]urne vp this house. And so Belshazar in [...]he 5. of Daniel, caused his Lords to go in­ [...]o the Temple, & thence to bring him the [...]olden vessels, that himselfe, his wiues, and [...]oncubines might drink in them.

And these buyers and sellers heere, cast [Page] out by our Sauiour Christ, entered the tem­ple, but not for any holy practise to pray, or praise God in it, but to pollute it and to a­buse it, in making the house of God a shop of merchandize.

In all these wicked men there vvas not found deuotion, but pollution, vncleannes of hart. Sinfulnesse had so possessed them, that they seemed to haue solde themselues to worke impietie, like Ahab. But thys their monstrous sacriledge & horrible pro­phanation of Gods Temple, escaped not vnpunished. For in the same place where theyr faultes are mentioned, their iudge­ments are likewise recorded.

Antiochus was striken with a remedilesse payne in his bowels, and he died most loth­somly: the wormes issuing out of his bodie in great abundance.

Nicanor was the first man that was slaine in the battell, after the Armies had met. His head and right hand were smitten off, and hanged vpon the gates of Ierusalem.

Belshazar in the prime of his pride, and when he was most merry, carowsing vvine in his golden vessels, was striken to a dump when he saw the hideous hande vppon the [Page] wall, penning his tragicall end, and ruine of his kingdome. That night was Belshazer slaine, and forced to resigne at once both life and kingdome.

So as the wicked plow vpon Gods backe large & long furrowes, the furrowes of ini­quitie: so God also ploweth vppon theyr backs, he trampleth vpon them at his plea­sure: and this will hee doe to all them that seeke to dishonour GOD, by stablishing theyr owne honour. To iustifie that which the propheticall King hath published long agoe: Surely God will arise, and his enemies shall be scattered, they also that hate him, shall flee before him. As the smoake vanisheth, so shalt thou driue them away, and as the waxe melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked per­rish at the presence of God.

Let vs then betimes aduise our selues: by these mens falls to learne to stand, and by theyr punishments to hate their sinnes, least wee be ouer-taken with the same condem­nation. This lesson ought we to learne e­uen in the sinners schoole: and thus should we from other mens sinnes deriue instruc­tion to our selues, as Salomon did to him­selfe in the 24. of the Prouerbs, vvhen hee [Page] passed by the fields of the slothfull, & sawe it all couered with weedes.

Let vs know then, that if deuotion call vs not hether, our entrance is in vaine. If the Pharisee when he entered into the Temple had carried with him deuotion, as he caried pride with him when he iustified himselfe, hee had not lost that which the publican found, to teach vs to come as the publican, that is in humilitie, if we will find mercy.

Many come to the Temple, but fewe come as they should: as a number in Chri­stes time came to the Sinagoues to see him, and to heare him, but yet fewe there vvere that drew fayth and deuotion from him, as the woman drew vertue from him by tou­ching but his hem. Herod desired to see Christ, but it was for that hee looked that Christ should worke some miracle before him. In another place wee read of vvhole companies following him, but not for the doctrine he taught them, but rather for the bellies sake, as they that sayd, Rabby, vvhen cammest thou hether? The Scribes & Pha­risees slocked to the temple to heare Christ preach, but it was to intangle hym in his words.

So is it nowe with vs, all will come to the Temple, all will present themselues, some for feare of lawe, some in hypocrisie vvill come, because they will pretend a shewe of religion, and so bee reputed as honest men as any within theyr neighbourhood; other for fashion sake, few or none for cōscience will present themselues to the Lord in pure deuotion, as Christ did here.

The note of instruction then to be raised from this example of Christ is this. VVee must learne how to enter into Gods Tem­ple, that our seruice and ministery there, when we come may be accepted.

For as Paule said to the Philippians, Ma­ny walke, of whom I haue tolde you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ.

So may it be sayd, That many enter into the Temple of GOD, as if they were the enemies of the crosse of Christ. Like the buyers and sellers in this place, that entered in, both to corupt themselues, & the Tem­ple.

Hee that will enter then as hee ought, must first consider of the place vvhether hee presseth. [Page] It is the Temple: more then that, it is Gods Temple; nay yet more, it is Gods house, the place where God dwelleth, and it is the very Arke of his presence: and vnto it hath hee appoynted blessing and life for euer­more.

Wee seeke men commonly at theyr hou­ses, for there is theyr continuall dwelling: So if wee will finde God, wee must seeke him at his house, as Ioseph and Mary did: his house is the Temple.

So then, both in regard of the place whe­ther we come, and of the person to whom we come, wee are to bee armed with reue­rence.

Iacob found the Angell in Bethell, and wee must come to Bethell before wee can finde the Angell, that is, Christ.

Wee must free our selues from corrupti­on, before we enter in hether, & the means to effect that, is by aduising our selues of the place and person.

In the fift of Exodus, when God appea­red to Moses, hee called the place Terram sanctam, a holy place, and hee might not tread vppon it, till first hee had put off his shooes: and so we must put off our shooes [Page] of carnalitie before we enter into this holie place. In the 28. of Genesis, when God ap­peared to Iacob, he called the place Terram terribilem, a fearefull place: so the Temple of God is also a fearefull place: it is both fearefull and holy. It is a terrible place to them that make no conscience howe they enter in, vvith vncircumcized hearts and hands. For to such God is a cōsuming fire, as he consumed Nadab and Abihu, euen in the Temple, making of a place of refuge a place of terror: for that they regarded not with what fire theyr sacrifice was kindled.

But it is a holy place to them that come in holines, and deuotion; to them that be­fore hand prepare thēselues, as Moses pre­pared himselfe before hee aduentured to come neere the flaming bush.

In the 40. of Exodus, Aaron & his sons might not enter into the Sanctuary vvith vnwashen hands, nevther might they mini­ster in the Priestes office, but in theyr holy garments. Why then we must knowe that somewhat is to be doone, before wee enter into Gods Sanctuary, before wee presume to presse into the presence of GOD, wee must prepare our selues, & we must cleuse [Page] our soules from all corruption, wee must purifie first our owne temples, our bodies, and soules: for it is sayd, Estis vos templum Dei: your bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost, therfore glorifie God in your bodies, & in your soules, for they are Gods.

Otherwise, if this reuerent preparation be not made, well wee may thrust in our selues among others into Gods Temple, like as these buyers and sellers intruded thē ­selues, but we haue no comfort in so com­ming, and wee must looke to be throwne out, as they were, and as the vnworthy com­mer to the mariage of the Kings sonne was cast out, because hee brought not with him vestem nuptialem, a wedding-garment.

This is to come vnreuerently & vnwor­thily: and such shall not bee accepted, be­cause they offer vp the sacrifice of fooles, as Salomon noteth. In the 22. of the Re­uel. no vncleane thing might enter into the new Ierusalē: so no vncleane thing should enter our bodies, our earthly Ierusalem.

It is written of Abraham, that when hee went to sacrifice his sonne, he left his Asses at the foote of the hill: So when wee haue a purpose to sacrifice our selues vnto God, [Page] wee must leaue our sinnes and corruptions behind vs, as he did his asses.

Our cares, and our corruptions may not enter in with vs, but wee must leaue them without, as a man leaues his shadowe at the doore when he enters into the house.

Consider when wee are going out from our houses, we are going out frō our selues, and from our vanities, and when vvee are come to the Temple, we are com to God: God & our soules are heere met together, like Abraham & Lazarus in the heauens.

As the Israelites durst not come to the Mount where God spake, till they had wa­shed their clothes, & sanctified themselues, so may not we presume to enter into Gods Temple, till wee haue washed our clothes, our menstruous raggs of sinfulnes; like the Spousesse in the Canti [...]les, who had vva­shed her feete, and changed her rayments, when she went to meet her Spouse.

And to this purpose it is saide; Keepe my Sabbath, & reuerence my Sanctuary. And to this purpose wee haue our preparations before the Sabbath, which we call the Sab­bath Eeue: and on the Sabbath, our mor­ning sacrifice, and our euening incense. [Page] Yea, and the bells that sounde in our eares doe giue vs summons for this reuerence, as Aaron gaue notice of his entrance into the Sanctuarie by the sounde of those golden belles, which were fastned to the skyrts of his robe.

In a worde, not to make a long amplifi­cation in so cleere a matter: by this ente­rance of Christ wee learne two things, first his godly care: secondly, the effect of his carefulnes.

In this chapter tis especially noted, that as soone as he came into the Citty, he made hast to goe visit the Temple. Wee doe not reade that he first entred into any house, to refresh himselfe, or to ease his body, beeing by all likelihoode ouer-wearied with long trauell: for he had come from Iericho, to Beth-phage, and to Bethany, and so to Ie­rusalem.

But all this notwithstanding, to the Tem­ple hee goes, to teach vs principally to be carefull in the seruice of God, before vvee minister to our selues or other, in the busi­nesses of this world. Wee must first serue God, and then our selues, as Eliah sayde to the woman of Sarepsah: Bake mee a Cake [Page] first, and then after prepare for thee & thy fa­milie. So vnto vs God saith; First offer me a sacrifice of holines, and than minister to thy selfe and thine.

First seeke the kingdome of God, and the righteousnes thereof: but we seeke our owne things first. First wee serue the worlde and our lusts, and our vanities, and God is ser­ued eyther not at all, or after all. After sin, and after the word, and after the deuill.

In the Temple giue to GOD all holie worshippe: there is the place where our Lampes ought to be continually burning, kindled with the fire of zeale & deuotion. There ought wee to hold vp pure hands & harts vnto God, praysing him continuallie without ceasing: and in pouring out infi­nite Halle-lu-iahs, like those Saints in the Reuelation, vnto him that was, and is, and is to come.

This is called by our Sauiour. Vnum ne­cessarium, that one necessary thing, and the Better part, which cannot be taken from vs. Christ was carefull, and hee was willing to visit the Temple, for it was the first thing hee did after hee had se [...]te foote within the [Page] streetes of Ierusalem.

He that will serue God, must serue him willingly, we must come to the Church in a voluntarie affection, not by constraint, as doe the Church-papists in our age: For they enter in by compulsion, for feare of Lawe, and the Princes displeasure, not for conscience. Or if it bee loue that drawes thē thither: it is the loue they beare to theyr houses and lands, not for the loue they haue to Christ, or his Gospell, whom they haue denyed, in denying his truth. Such mens roome is better then theyr company: and they goe forth as they cam in: onely a little water is sprinckled, which presently fals of, faster then it lighted on.

These are they that like temporary men­pleasers do only serue the time to serue their turne, hoping whē time wil turne, that they may turne with time. These serue God, as Nabucadnezars chaplains serued their idol god, God Bell, they serued Bell because Bell serued their bellies; & they seeme nowe to serue God, not the true God, whō we wor­ship, but a God whom their owne idola­trous conceits haue erected, another Adoni­ [...]am, another Bell, and all for the belly.

But wee (beloued) haue not so learned Christ: let vs rather sticke to him, and say with the Apostles, Whether shal we goe, thou hast the words of eternall life.

Let vs learne to serue him willingly with alacritie and cheerefulnes, for as it is sayd God loueth a cheerful giuer, so it may be said, God loueth a cheerfull worshipper.

S. Paul in the 12. of Rom. 1. exhorteth vs to giue our bodies: in that hee calls it a gift, hee sheweth a voluntary obedience. And where in the following wordes, hee saith; And fashion not your selues like vnto the world: he iustifieth thereby, that indeede it is far from the fashion of this world to giue our bodies vnto God: for the men of thys world are carnally minded, and doe take theyr bodies from God, and doe giue them to their lusts as the Isralites gaue their chil­dren to Moloch. In the time of the Leuiti­call Law we read, that among those many offrings, some were called Free-will offrings, & these were in greatest request with God. Look the 35. of Exod, how bountifully the people gaue, & how gladly the lord accep­ted it: look the 29. of the 1. booke of chro▪ vvhat a liberall offering is there recorded.

The Princes, and Captaines, and Rulers, gaue for the seruice of the house of God, fiue thousand talents of gold, and ten thou­sand of siluer, and of brasse and y [...]on be­yond measure. Yea, and they with whom precious stones were found, gaue them to the treasure of the house of the Lord: and all this was doone willingly. For it is added in the ninth verse, The people reioyced when they offered willingly, and with a perfect hart.

Loe howe chargeable was the seruice of the Temple then, and none of these things doth God require of vs: Onely (saith hee) giue me thy hart; and yet we cannot afford to giue him but so much.

Surely, wee ought not to with-holde it from him, for he hath deerely bought it, & payde for it. And Paule witnesseth the same: Ye [...] are bought with a price. It was a price indeede of greatest value, more worth then all the Talents of gold before mentio­ned. Euen the hart-blood of the most glo­rious person in the world.

And thus much shall briefely suffice for clearing the matter of substance contayned in these wordes of Christes entrance into the Temple.

You haue hearde of Christes deuotion, nowe shall you heare of his zeale. Where these two are met together, there is a per­fect Christian.

As a Lampe cannot burne without oyle, so deuotion cannot bee kindled without zeale.

Hee threw out them that bought. &c.

Heere is shewed Christes action, what he did vpon his entrance into the Church, he throwes out them that bought and sold: wherein he shewes his regall authority.

Christ entering into the Temple, findes the people there neyther praying nor pro­phecying, but chopping and changing, as if it were Forum, not Templum.

As it is not co [...]enient to make of the house of God a den of theeues: so is it not fit to make it a shop of merchandize.

It was once sayd, Where God hath his Church, the deuill hath his chappell: but nowe it may be sayd, Where God hath his chappell, the deuill hath his church. Nay, God hath scarce a chappell.

These Merchants, these buyers and sel­lers in this place, possesse both church, cha­pell, chauncell and all. Euen frō the porch [Page] to the Altar, and to the Sanctum Sanctorum, all is deuided betweene these buyers & sel­lers: & for the throng Christ is scarce able to haue roome to enter into the Temple.

Of olde time it was established, that it should not be lawfull to carry so much as a vessell through the Temple. Yet in this place, chapmen, buyers and sellers most prophanely durst intrude themselues into Gods Church.

Salomon had so great a care in the buil­ding of that magnificent Temple in Ieru­salem, that he suffered nor, eyther hammer or axe, or any yron toole to be heard in the house, while it was in building.

But this vngodly generation of buyers & sellers, feared not to pollute & defile Gods Temple, with blasphemous clamors, lowd cryings, idle talkings, and walkings, swea­ring, and forswearing: all which horrible and grosse corruptions are wont to bee a­mong them that buy and sell. Yea, & this to be done in Gods house, and in Christes presence.

Needes must Christ be grieued at thys sight. This spectacle must needes make him looke about for his zeale, as Iob loo­ked [Page] about for his patience after so manie heauie messages.

No doubt as Noah was greeued with the sinnes of the olde world, and Lot at the vn­righteousnes of the Sodomites: so it gree­ued Christ our Lorde to finde in the Tem­ple this rout of wicked ones, abusing the Temple of God with theyr most vngodly demeanure.

Doth he shew himselfe onely a looker on? and doth he make no speed to reforme this intollerable outrage: yes hee bestirres him­selfe like a mightie Giant newly wakened out of a dreame: and hee clothes himselfe with zeale as with a garment, and presently proceedeth to purge the Temple of this wicked assembly. He throwes them out.

In the third of Genesis we reade, that as­soone as Adam had sinned. God sent his Angell to thrust him out of Paradice: Heere was zeale.

The Sodomites & people of Gomorha sinned, presently God rained fire & brym­stone from heauen to consume thē at once: and heere was zeale.

Dauid sinned in nūbering the people, for [Page] which 70. thousand lost theyr liues: heere was zeale. Phineas in his zeale slew Zym­rie and Cosby. And in this place GOD sent his Sonne to punish the prophaners of his Temple.

After sinne comes reuenge, the heauiest companion of wickednes. The sinnes of Ierusalem did once make Christes eyes to distill into teares. There hee exercised his eyes expressing his great greefe, and heere theyr sinnes made him exercise his handes, by throwing them out of the Temple, ex­pressing his zeale.

It is woorth the noting to consider vvith what speed Christ laboureth to reform the abuses that had crept into his church.

Presently vppon his enterance into the Temple, he begins to purge it. Sinne must bee strangled in the birth, before it gette strength: for if it may once haue his full growth, it will bee sure to haue the vpper hand of thee, and thou canst not ouer-mai­ster it.

I shewed you before of Christes careful­nes, and in this place againe you may learne his speedines in resisting sinne: to teach vs [Page] to be speedy and quicke in beating downe corruptions whatsoeuer.

Doctor Speede is the best Physition for Mistres Vanity. Sinfulnes is soonest resi­sted vppon her first entrance: but if it ran­cle through continuaunce, and growe to a running fore, it must speedily eyther bee launced, or quite cut off like a putrified member. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily, therfore the harts of men are fully bent in them to doe euill. Eccles. 8. 11.

The vse of this example to our selues is this: When wee purpose to doe anie good thing, wee must testifie our carefulnesse in dooing it presently. If this were carefullie obserued, much euill would soone be stop­ped euen in the fountaine, before it might streame foorth to the vniuersall harme of country, citty, and common-wealth.

For many times when wee minde to doe good, and doe it not presently, our ende­uours doe fayle betweene the purpose and the practize: and so the good to be doone, is not done at all, but it dyeth with vs, like a byrd in a mans hand, while the head is de­uising whether it were best to holde it still, [Page] or let it goe.

As this concernes all men generally: so in a more special manner it concernes them that are aduaunced to high place of autho­ritie in the Common wealth.

Officers are chosen for the punishment of euil doers, & the praise of them that doe well. They must be zealous-in Gods cause, by throwing out such as transgresse.

They must consider that they are ap­poynted as in Gods stedde to punish male­factors: and therefore they must not suffer the sword of iustice to rust in the scabbard of long sufferance.

And zeale it is that will soone aduise you, when and how this may be done: zeale wil tell you by the qualitie of the offence how it may be best corrected. For greater sins, must of necessity haue greater punishmēts, as olde and festered sores, require sharpe and bitter medicaments.

Onely be couragious, saith the Lorde to Iosuah, and I will be with thee: so to the Magistrate God speaketh, Onely be zea­lous, and I will be with thee.

Zeale best graceth an Officer, & it is first named among those 4. in Exod. 18. 21. Such [Page] as must be ready with Phineas, to kill sin in the act. They must when occasion requi­reth, learne to protest with Nehemiah, If you doe it once more, I will lay hands vpon you.

This want of zeale in Officers, suffering sinnes to passe with immunitie, is the cause that corruption nowe carrieth such a sway, and doth spread it selfe like a cankerworme ouer the world.

What a discontentment & mutinous out­rage did Corah and his rebellious confede­rates cause the Israelites to grow vnto, when being prepossest with a key-colde concei­tednes, and an ouer-weening opinion, they would haue perswaded Moses that all was well, and the people holy enough?

Surely the best workes we can doe, yea, our religion it selfe, is starke dead afore vs, vntill zeale come. Religion without zeale, is like the Sunamites dead childe, vvithout breath, life, or soule in it.

All our knowledge, our wisedom, and o­ther vertues can litle auaile vs, litle can they doe, if onely zeale be absent.

They can profit vs no more thē the pro­phets staffe could recouer the dead chyld, till Elisha came himselfe.

Let fayth come, and yet thou art vnper­fect, let patience come, and thou art yet vn­perfect, let temperance come, and thou art yet vnperfect, let charity and chastitie and all come that may come, and thou art still vnperfect. Thou art but a maymed Chri­stian, like Agrippa till zeale come, & then as Dauid said, The riuers of God are full, so maist thou say, The graces of God are full. Thou art as well furnished as Zacheus was, when Christ told him, This day is saluation come to thine house.

But this is sathans policie, when hee can­not drawe vs from religion, nor from our prosession, yet euen then will hee seeke to hinder vs in our good course: he will stand like a Lyon in the passages, that we be not too forward, eyther to stop vs in our run­ning by one rub of iniquitie or other, or by laying some pleasant baite before vs, to tum vs aside out of the way: as hee coosend A­dam out of Paradice.

If needes thou wilt be religious, sayth he, ye [...] thou shalt not be zealous. As Iacob said of Ruben, Thou art my might, & the be­ginning of my strength, but yet thou shalt not be excellent: so though we be of power and [Page] might, and haue made a good growth in Gods graces, and doe carry about vs ex­cellencie of dignitie, as Ruben did, yet saith sathan Ile preuent thee, thou shalt not bee feruent.

The Minister of Laodicia had many good qualities that graced him: but one vice marrs many good vertues, as one dead flie putrifieth the swee [...]e oyntments of the Apothecary. He was not zealous, hee was neyther hote nor cold.

And therefore God sayd, I will spew thee out of my mouth: and so vndoubtedly God will also spue out of his mouth the luke­warme Protestants, and the temporarie gospellers of this age, that are neyther hote nor colde. Oh then let vs labour to haue zeale, or our religion profits vs nothing.

Knowledge & zeale must be vnited to­gether, like the Ʋrym and Thummym to the consecrating of those holy ones.

One briefe note yet remaineth, & so we will descend to particuler application, and so conclude.

If buyers and sellers of small things were throwne out of the church, what and how great shall theyr punishment be, that buy & [Page] sell the patrimonie of the Church.

How shall they be throwne out from the presence of GOD and good men for euer, that so sacriligiously dare intrude vnto gods possession, as if it did descend vnto them by inheritance.

It is a matter of horrour to consider into what iniurie, or rather into what iniquitie of times we are fallen. Nothing is nowe so common, and so familiar a matter, as to see Schollers spending their times in Kinges Courts, making their Courts theyr cloy­sters. Merchants by theyr bylls entering in­to Gentlemens patrimonies, and Gentle­men themselues intruding into Church li­uings, as if the whole frame & course of the world were quite dissolued into the olde Chaos: like Lots wife moulten into a salt­pyllar; so that the godly, zealously look­ing into these intollerable abuses, haue cause to cry out:

Did these men but sounde theyr conscien­ces in this behalfe, Quocunque sint [...]sts [Page] cauterio, yet they must needes cry with thē, and sound forth this ill-sorting harmonie: that they haue no more right norinterest in Church-liuings, then Herod had to Philips wife, or Achab vnto Naboths vineyard.

But this is a sore that may not be ript vp, the contagion thereof is so great and so v­niuersall.

Onely wee are to pray that God may o­pen the eyes of them that are the transgres­sors in this behalfe. And that it woulde please him to worke a speedy reformation in restoring to his Church, that which of right belongs vnto it.

Giue it beauty, ô Lord, in sted of ashes, & rich apparrell in sted of Sack-cloth: that yet it may be pronounced which was once proclaimed by the Prophet Aggei: The glory of the last house, is greater then the glory of the first house.

You haue seene Christ reforming the abu­ses that had crept into this Temple, now let vs make a true vse of this to our selues.

As these grosse corruptions crept into the materiall Temple, so the like to these, [Page] or rather worse then these doe creepe into our spirituall Temples, our bodies.

VVhen wee conuert our bodies to anie prophane vse, and doe not glorifie God in them, then it may be sayd that wee pollute our Temple.

When the Magistrate shall be found not to deale truly, when he shall not cary cleane hands, free from corruptions, when he shal peruert iudgement, and turne aside out of the right way, then it may be sayd hee pol­luteth the temple of God.

When the Lawyer or Counseller carry­eth not himselfe to his clyent as he ought, if he incourage him to proceed in lawe vvith his aduersary when he might work a peace betweene both, & all for his priuat gaines, thinking to becom a purchazer with poo [...] mens purses, as Gehazy thought to intich himselfe with Naamans gold: then doth [...] pollute the temple of God.

When the Recorder or Prymitorie doth falsify the record, most of al it cōcernes him to be circumspect, for the record being fal­sifyed, it may doe harme an 100. yeeres af­ter: then he dooth corrupt his conscience, and defileth his temple.

If the Sheriffe shall make a partiall re­turne of such as must determine matters betweene party and party, he prophaneth the temple.

If the Iurors that are impaneled, shall through friendship, fauour or feare, or be­ing blinded with rewards shall deliuer an i [...]ust verdict, they pollute the Temple.

In a worde, this pollution is vniuersall wheresoeuer any kinde of vngodlines shall take place. And the soueraine helpe for all this is that which our Sauiour in his owne example hath heere taught vs. When & so often as these corruptions shall breake out, wee must cast them out betimes, as Christ did the buyers and sellers. This speedy pur­ging must be effected by the word in the godly Minister, and by the sword of au­thority in the ciuill Magistrate.

Euery man can best sound his own con­science, by sending downe the bucket of Gods spirit into his hart. Euery man can best satifie himselfe, whether he hath clen­sed his body, by casting out all sin and vani­tie, and so consecrating it as a holy Temple vnto the Lord, or whether hee hath abused it, by giuing it ouer to all sensualitie vvith [Page] greedines, suffering sin and sathan to haue ingresse, and egrelle and regresse at theyr pleasures, till the graue be possest of his bo­dy, the wormes of his flesh, and the worlde of his goods. And so he returne more rot­ten out of the world, then the matter hee was first made of when hee first came into the world.

Thus you see how the temple of GOD may be polluted, and so in time a generall rent be made from the top to the bottome, till it be quite destroyed and defaced as that famous Temple of Ierusalem is now defa­ced and lyeth in the dust.

But let vs beware how wee runne to the like ruine: howe wee destroy this Temple of God, not made with hands, but by the mightie power of God: for feareful is that saying; He that dest [...] cy [...]th the temple of God, him shall God destroy.

Corruption and sinfulnes are the pullers downe, but holines and righteousnes, holi­nes I meane towards God, and righteous­nes I say towards man, are the raysers vp of this temple.

These two are better builders than No­a [...]s vvor-kmaisters that ioyned vvith him [Page] in the building of the Arke, for they built not for thēselues, but for others: but these doe build for God and vs.

Yea, and Christ himselfe worketh in this frame of this spirituall building: nay, him­selfe becomes the head-corner-stone, in whom all the building beeing coupled to­gether, groweth to a holy temple in the Lord.

It followeth; For it is written: My house is the house of prayer, but you haue made it a denne of theeues.

Christ in these words yeelds them a rea­son why hee threwe them out: hee makes them acquainted with their sinne, it was for defiling the Temple, My house is the house of prayer, but you haue made it a denne of theeues.

Sin till it be knowne cannot be shunned. We shal the sooner be drawne from doing euil, when we shal looke into the nature of it, and the danger that shal insue of it.

Christ proueth to their faces the greatnes of theyr sinne, which they could not deny: nay, they must needs condemne themselues in it vpō this so manifest a profe produced [Page] by our Sauiour. It is written. Eyther imply­ing a notable ignoraunce in not knowing the Scriptures, or an obstinate wilfulnes in them, for not performing obedience to the Word. By these two, as by speciall instru­ments of wrath, sathan worketh mightilie in the children of disobedience, & by them millions of soules are chaind vp, & brought vnder sathans seruitude.

It is written.] As if hee should haue said: Haue you neuer reade that Scripture that speaketh thus. &c.

The Lawyer who woulde needes know what hee must doe to inherite life, had thys aunswere, How readest thou? Christ sendes him to the Word to finde out the life that hee looked sor: and so to these buyers and sellers that polluted the Temple, Christ speaketh in like manner. How reade you. It it not written, A [...]y house is the house of prayer: why goe yee about then to make it a denne of theeues?

You erre (saith our Sauiour in the twelfth of Marke) not knowing the Scriptures: and heere he telleth these prophaners, that they Mark, 12. & Math. 22. erred in polluting the temple, for that they knew not the Scriptures.

In the fourth of Mathew, he droue away the deuill with one word, Scriptum est: and heere with the same word, he driues before him these buyers & sellers out of the Tem­ple.

I woulde the Papists did learne but thys one thing frō Christ, onely to plead Scrip­tumest, in all theyr Counsels, writings, and conferences: for then all controuersies in religion would quickly be decided.

[...]inde vp the testimony, saith Esay, seale vp Esay, 8, 16. the law among my disciples. If they teach not according to this lawe, it is because there is no light in them. If any man bringeth not with him this learning, receiue him not to house, nor bid him so much as God speede. 2. Iohn. 1.

Christ brings his warrant out of Scrip­ture to teach vs to doe the same: other au­thorities cannot build vp our holy faith.

As the sunne is not discerned but by his owne light, so no spirit can interpret Scrip­ture, but by the same spirit that wrote it.

Goe not out of this field to gleane, said Boas to Ruth: so goe not out of the plentifull field of Gods booke to gather. Whatsoe­uer is gathered elswhere, prooues no corne [Page] but chaffe, which euery gale of wind soone scattereth. We must keepe our selues with­in our compasse, that is, within the Canon of the word, as Shimey was charged not to goe beyond the Riuer. Most certaine it is & a matter of vndoubted euidence, that no doctrine ought to be deliuered concerning faith and religion, but Scripture. The reli­gion of God must stand simple, as GOD himselfe left it. Mans additions in Gods matters are but fantasies. In other matters adde what they list: but in matter & cause of saluation, Christ left nothing behinde him to be added any more, eyther by Apo­stles, or Martyrs, or whomsoeuer: because the perfection thereof is absolute, nothing being lest vnperfect. Wherunto who so ad­deth, blasphemeth, & doth no lesse then in­fringe the testament of the Lord.

Let the Papists then beware howe they maintaine vnwritten verities: for in so doo­ing, what do they els but infringe the testa­ment Ambr. in [...]uk lib 3. cap. 3. of the Lord. And they seek to eclipse the glory of Christ like Herod, who caused all the genealogies of the Kings of Israel to be burnt, because hee would not haue his pedigree abased, or obscured.

What certain [...]e of truth can vnwritten verities cary: since they resemble a tale that is told, which passing frō mouth to mouth, is told so many waies as the [...]e be men to tell it. Beware of the leuen of the Phartsees, saith our Sauiour: So I say, Beware of the leuen of vnwritten traditions, for it is a pharisei­call leuen, & it will sowre the whole lumpe. The doctrines of men may not passe for the precepts of God.

These things are written that yee should be­leeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God, & in so beleeuing, you might haue life euerlast­ing. Where it is showed that the Scripture is all sufficient, & hath nothing it it vnper­fect. It includeth all things that are necessa­rily to bee knowne in matters of saluation. Let vs drawe then frō this most holy foun­taine, & for goe the puddles of mans inuen­tion.

But to end this note let vs haue recourse to Christ alone, both in this place and else­where, let vs make him our Pilot, & we shal be sure to be soundly directed in our com­passe that we cannot erre.

Consider but of hys practize, hy [...] proofes are Scriptum est. His demaunds are [Page] Quomodo legis? His apologies, Scrutam [...] s [...]r [...]pturas. And the Apostles, as they vvere taught by him, so they learned to speake as he did: I deliuered to you that which I recea­ued, how that Christ died for our sinnes, accor­ding to the Scriptures: and that he was buried and rose the third day, according to the Scrip­tures. So Christ, himselfe, his Apostles, & all the holy men of God, still poynt vs to the Scriptures, as the onely Touchstone of Saluation, whereby wee try the difference betweene light and darknes, God, and Be­liall, truth and heresie.

In this place▪ God appropriateth to him­selfe the Church to be his house: if it bee Gods house, than are we to haue a greater regard of this than of our owne houses.

Dauid had a speciall care of this house, when he said: One day is better in thy Courts then a thousand elswhere. He had rather ac­cept of the meanest office in Gods house, than to bee a princely commaunder in his owne house. Yea, were it but a Porters roome, he valued the same so greatly, that it made him register his loue to the world, & to all insuing posterities. I had rather be a [Page] doore-keeper in the house of God, than to dwell in Tabernacles of Cedar. And againe, hee saith to expresse further the care hee had of Gods house: Shall the King dwell in his sieled house, and the Arke of God remaine between the Curtaines?

This sheweth Dauids loue and care, and it should draw from vs the like loue & care to Gods house: yea, hee calls vppon vs for this carefulnes in the hundred psalme and in many other places: O enter yee into his gates with prayse, & into his Courtes with re­ioycing. &c.

The very name of the place, as I haue sayd before, should force from vs a religi­ous worshippe. It is Gods house, the place that hee hath sanctified and chosen to him­selfe, to place his Name there. In that it is called an house, it dooth signifie the vnitie that must be betweene Christians. They that are of this houshold may not be deui­ded. The minister that serueth in the Sanc­tuarie, and the people that come together in the holy assembly, to heare, or pray, or to prayse God, must be all of one mind, of one affection. The coate of Christ vvas Inconsutilis, without deuision: shewing that [Page] if we will weare Christes coate, vvee must shun deuision. As there is but one trueth, one fayth, one Baptisine, one Christ, one Lord ouer all, and in vs all: so there should be but one Shepheard, one slock, one Pa­stor, and one pasture. So all is Vnitie, to shew that he was false that maintained [...]n­plicitie.

One lately writ a booke, the title where­of was Tria sunt omnia. But it had com nee­rer to the truth of Druinitie, if he had alte­red his poesie thus, Vnum sunt omnia. For Trinity must be reduced to Vnitie, before our fayth can be perfited.

It pittieth me to see, and it is a matter of such griefe that it ma [...] expresse and vvring teares from trees and stones where men are sencelesse: in beholding the lamentable condition that citties, townes, & almost e­uery particuler congregation is fallen into: and all for want of this vnity. The Minister one way, the Magistrate another way, and the people a third way, deuided from them both. Manasses against Ephraim, & Ephra­im against Manasses, & both against Iuda. Alas, what is this else but in time to eate vp and deuoure one another, and to bring in [Page] ciuill hostilitie, the most mortall and capi­tall enemy to mankind, and the very moth that fretteth and teares in sunder by little & little, the peace that maintaineth all Chri­stian societies. The Minister beates down vanity, the Magistrate raiseth it on foote a­gaine like Dagon, and the people like men amazed, wot not what to do, nor whō they should cleaue vnto, whither to God or Baal.

When Aaron & Myriam were deuided from Moses, what came of it? God depar­ted from them, & the clowd a testimony of his presence, likewise departed frō among them. And we must not think the contrary but that God also departeth from vs, when we cease to be at one. When we deuide our selues, God wil also deuide himselfe, he will goe out from vs, as Lot went out from So­dom to dwell in Zoar. Nay, hee will not so much as leaue behind him the clowde, the testimony of his presence: that is, his bles­sings & graces all shalbe taken from vs, our peace, our liberty, our wealth, & whatsoeuer we had comfort in, [...]l we be left as naked as Adam, whē he ran to the sigtrees, or as Iob, vpon the dunghil, without his children, his vvife, his friends, his wealth, his health. [Page] Hee had nothing now, who before had all things: onely his scabbes & sores did beate him company.

In the 133. psalme, the Prophet conside­ring the great treasure of peace and vnitie, falls into a kinde of admiration, saying: O howe good and ioyfull a thing it is bretheren to dwell together in vnitie? It is like the precious oyntment vpon Aarons head, which ran down vnto his beard, and went downe to the borders of his garment. It is like the dewe of Harmon, that falls vpon the mountaines of Sion.

In the former verse hee calls all the chyl­dren of God brethren, and ought brethen to be deuided?

Abraham, when he deuised how to bring his seruants and Lots seruants to vnitie, vseth this argument, O let not vs fall out, f [...] we are brethren.

The like speech is vsed by the Patriarch in the 42. of Gen. They told Ioseph, W [...] are all one mans sonnes. And in the 13. verse, We thy seruants are al brethrē. So should we say, We are all one mans sonnes: for God is our Father, and we his sonnes: yea, vvee are all brethren; and therefore why should not we agree, and be at one?

A kingdom that is not at peace in it selfe, cannot florish, and a house that is deuided, cannot stand.

What breedes so many Scismes & sects, and varietie in opinions, but diuision?

Labour then for vnitie: for that is the onely watch-man that peserueth the Citty.

My house.] A house consists of a foun­dation, the sellers, the side-poasts, and the roofe: and euery of these must be agreea­ble, and fitting one to another. This shew­eth what vnitie is. And a Citty consists but of many houses ioyned together in due proportion: & the very name sheweth the worke-maister who first built the Cittie. It was vnitie: for it is called Ciuitas, quasi ciui­um vnitas.

Many seedes are sowne in one field, and beeing growne vp they fill but one eare, & are bound vp in one sheaffe, and are lapt vp in one loafe. This sheweth vnitie.

The body of man hath many members, many parts: the head, the arin [...], the shoul­ders, the feete, &c. Yet all make but one bodie.

The head alone commaunds, and all the other parts are pliable and seruiceable to [Page] him. Let vs also learne to serue our head, fo [...] we being many members of one body, haue also but one head: euen Christ. Let vs not then be deuided from our head, for then wee shall be censured to make a worse rent then the Iewes did, who deuided his gar­ments: but we deuide his flesh and his bo­dy, so long as we are not at vnitie.

The Temple is called not the house of crueltie, nor the house of maliciousnes, nor the house of pride, nor the house of coue­tousnesse, as these Merchants thought to make it, but the house of praier. The Iewes had Citties of refuge to she vnto: but the place of refuge for Christians nowe to slye vnto, is Templum Dei, the house of prayer. Here is the place where the Priestes & the people ought to pray before the lord, euen betweene Ʋestibulum et Altare, the porch and the Altar, as Ioell speaketh.

In the 7. of Math it is said, Seeke and you shall find. If wee will sind Christ, heere is the place where we must seek him: not as they that sought after Eliah when hee was trans­lated, but as Ioseph and Mary sought for their sonne, in the temple they sought him, [Page] and there they found him: and there shall wee be sure to finde him, if wee seeke after him with the like affection that they did.

And hauing found him: if you wil know how you may both speake with him, and speed with him in your godly requests, this place resolues you, Prayer must be the har­benger, to passe from you to him, & it will in no wise returne againe to you, till it hath preuailed, like the Doue that returned with the Oliue leafe in her bill. Prayer poured out with deuotion, & vttered with zeale, is for power so forcible, and for motion so swift, that it pearceth like a Thunder-bolt clowdes & skies, and hauing come to God, it departs not away, till it hath preuailed by strong wrestlings, like Iacob for a blessing.

In the 2. chro. 6. we find Salomon praying in the temple: he desired God that his eyes should euer be open, & his eares alwaies at­tentiue to the prayers that should be offred vp in that place: and his prayer then, is ef­fectual for vs now that pray before the lord in the temple, beeing the place whereof hee hath spoken, he would put his name there. This house of prayer hath been [...]requented by the godly in all ages, since there began [Page] to bee a Temple. And when there was [...] Temple, yet there were solemne assemblies and holy meetings from the beginning.

In the 4. of Gen. vpon the restoring and reestablishing of religion, presently after the byrth of Sheth, wee reade that men as­sembled together, & called vpon the name of the Lord. After the flood, Noah & his familie sacrificed vnto the Lord. Gen. 8. 20. And after him, Abraham built an Altar at Bethell, and called vppon the Name of the Lord. Iacob did the like, and Moses & all ages to Christ. The Tabernacle made by Moses, was in sted of a Temple.

Reuerence my Sanctuary. Leuit. Peter & Iohn went vp to the Temple to pray. Sy­meon went to the Temple. Anna prayd in the Temple.

Here is the place where the afflicted may finde consolation: the poore may finde plenty: the wealthy shal find thankfulnes: and the thankful shall haue more gifts: the desperate shall finde comfort: the sicke a Phisition: the sinner in a word, shall finde his Sauiour, where he may embrace him in his armes, if he will, as Symeon did.

Of prayer,] that is, of publique prayer, & [Page] not of priuate. If we will pray priuatly, wee haue houses to pray in at home. Enter into thy chamber, and there poure out thy hart vnto God, and hee that heareth thee in se­cret, shall reward thee openly.

If thou pray when thou shouldest heare, thou prophanest the place, and thy prayer shal returne as a curse into thy bosome. For Math. 6. the word of truth hath spoken it; Hee that turnes away his eare from hearing the law, his prayer shall be abhominable.

It is not a priuat place, and therfore it wil entertaine no priuate action. If thy heart call vpon thee to present any priuat prayer to the Lord, follow the vse of holy men in all ages. Isaac went out into the fieldes to pray and meditate. Iacob beeing alone in Bethel, fell to prayer. Gen. 28. Dauid wa­tered his couch with teares which fell from him while he prayed. Daniell in his cham­ber fell to prayer. Dan. 6. Peter in the 9. of the Acts went vp to the top of the house to pray. Christ went aside into the mountaine to pray.

If I pray, beeing in the Temple, and all the congregation there present, & another preacheth, & a third man standing by rea­deth, [Page] heere is no order, but confusion, and God is not the God of confusion.

Let all things in the Church be done de­cently, and in order.

Thus haue you seene Christ our Lorde entering into the Temple in deuotion, and in zeale correcting the abuses that hee found there. Teaching them withall, the right vse of the Temple, and what exerci­ses of holines the place requireth, that so they might not come together to condem­nation. Let it be considered what is sayd, and the Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all thinges, that hauing attained in some mea­sure to the fulnesse of knowledge that is in Christ Iesus, and beeing stablished in euery good worke and word, our fruite may be holines, and our end euerlasting life. Let vs pray the spirit of Grace to enter into the temples of our harts, and thence to purge and cast out all corruptions whatsoeuer.

To God onely wise, our Sauiour, be ren­dred all honor, glory, & praise, with thanks­giuing, now and euer. Amen.

TWo principall motiues or reasons, beloued in our Lord, induced me to make choise of this Text. One vvas the occasion of our meeting at this time, which is, to solemnize & keep in me­morie the Natiuity of our Lord & Sauiour Christ Iesus. The other, the great necessity of the doctrine in these wordes contained. For they deliuer vnto vs the history & full discourse of Christes Incarnation, beeing one principall branch in the misterie of our Redemption. So you see how both text, & time our meeting & matter, or cause of our meeting, all conspire together, and are alike sutable.

There shoulde be no matter of greater force to draw men together, than this vvee haue nowe in hand: for it is able to furnish vs with all necessary knowledge, like the roule that Ezechiell tooke from the An­gell, which whē he had eaten, it filled both Ezch, 3, belly and bowels: & hee straightwayes be­gan to prophecy.

We liue not in those times wherein vve may offer rich presents vnto Christ, like the Wisemen, nor can wee nowe poynt at the bodily presence of Christ, as Iohn did: not can we feast him in our houses, as Zacheus did, nor can we embrace him in our armes, as once Symeon did, when hee came by in­spiration into the Temple.

Christ nowe looketh not for these curte­sies, nor can we performe thē if we would But this, and all this we do, when we come to heare Christ preached vnto vs, when we open our harts to entertaine the worde, as Lydia did, and when wee embrace with a­lacritie and cheerfulnesse the doctrine of Christ. And as I haue told you, one capi­tall branch of this doctrine, is this concer­ning his natiuitie.

Men are carefull, & very diligent in cal­culating [Page] theyr owne byrth-dayes, and theyr childrens natiuities: for a more certaine ac­count they kalender them vp, to the end they may not be forgotten: and thys they [...]may doe, for reason requireth it, law allow­eth it, and ciuility commends the same.

But a thousand times more careful ought we to be, both Prince, prophet, & people, to kalender and keepe in memory the na­tiuitie of our Lord & Sauiour: conscience [...]inforceth it, custome calls for it and vvhich is most of all. Christ [...]e commaunds it. For vnto this name, and to no other vnder heauen are we baptized. Of Christ wee are called Christians.

We are his schollers his seruaunts, his dis­ciples, and therefore very careful should we be to honour our Lord & Maister in kee­ping holy his day. For as Christ in earth sought nothing but the glory onely of his Father, so his father now in heauen, seekes nothing but the glory of his sonne. And as the same sonne, beeing here on earth hum­bly debased himselfe as a seruaunt vnder all men, to obey his Fathers will: so hath it pleased God his Father againe to exalt him, not onely to surmount the glorie of all [Page] Princes and Potentates whatsoeuer, but al­so with such power & maiestie hath he ad­uaunced him, that euen the very know­ledge and beleese of his glorious Name, is able to giue euerlasting life to all sinners be they neuer so greeuously burdened or la­den, whosoeuer will come vnto him, to seeke any refreshing. So proued by his o [...]n testimony in the 6. of Iohn, verse 40. Thy is the will of him that sent mee, that euery ma [...] that beleeueth in him, should haue euerlasting life, and I will raise him vp at the last day.

Haue not wee great reason then to re­member this day of Christ? a day (as Saint Augustine calls it) of all dayes; the begin­ning of all daies; the beginning of eternitie to the beleeuers.

Hee was borne to make vs rich, hee vvas layd in a stall euen among beastes, to exal [...] vs to the company of Angels.

Hee was borne an exile, a banished per­son, from the cradle driuen to flie into E­gypt, as Moses did to Mydian, to the end he might make vs free. Vt Moses in vluas.

Hee came from heauen to the earth, to the end hee might dravve vs from earth to heauen. Hee tooke vppon him a naturall [Page] [...]ody, to make vs heauenly bodies.

He was made flesh, to make vs spirits, he was made the sonne of man, to make vs the [...]onnes of God. To as many as receiued him, [...]o them gaue hee power that they might be the [...]onnes of God. Great reason haue wee then [...]o remember him that did all this for vs.

And this much shall briefely suffice to [...]tirre vp your mindes to a carefull contem­ [...]lation of Christ and his glory. Now let vs [...]eare S. Mathew speaking.

When Iesus then was borne at Bethleem. &c. For the increase of our fayth, and for an [...]ndoubted certaintie, heere is layd downe [...]he true story of Christes birth, with cir­ [...]umstances thereunto belonging.

The maner of our Lords birth is at large [...]eliuered by this our Euangelist, in the for­ [...]er chap afore my Text, beginning at the 8. verse. The other circumstances runne [...]eere in these wordes: as first; The place [...]here he was born: In Bethleem. 2. When: [...]n the dayes of Herod. 3. Who came first to [...]im: The wise men. 4. How did they know [...]ee was borne, or howe were they directed [...] finde him? They were guided by a starre.

5. To what end came they to him? I [...] worship him.

This day and time, was foretolde by the Prophets, commended to men by Angels and celeb [...]ated by the godly Fathers of the Church.

Esay, long before the comming of Chr [...] prophecied, saying; Loe, a virgine shall [...] ­ceaue, Esay, 7, and beare a sonne, and they shall [...] name Emanuell. And againe, Vnto vs a [...] Esay, 9, is borne, and vnto vs a child is giuen.

And in the ninth of Damel, the very mo­ment of time wherein Christ should come is s [...]gni [...]ied by Ga [...]riell, Seuenty weekes sa [...] Dan 9, 2 [...]. he, are determi [...]ed vpon the people, and [...] the [...]oly C [...]ty, to finish the wickednes, [...] seale vp the sinnes, and to recon [...]ile iniqui [...] to brin [...] in euerl [...]sting righteousnes, & to s [...] vp vision and prophe [...]ie, & to annoynt the [...] ­holie.

To make vp the harmonie, Micah po [...] ­teth to the very place vvhere our Lo [...] should be borne: And thou Bethleem, Mica, 5, 2. little to bee among the thou [...]andes of Iu [...] yet out of thee shall [...]ee come that must rule [...] ­raell.

To produce proofes in so cleere a [...] ­ [...]er, [Page] were to poynt to the sunne, being alrea­ [...]ie mounted to Zenith, where it is per­ [...]ect day.

The legall, the ceremoniall, historical, & [...]ropheticall Scriptures, all prefigured Christ to come.

Christes own testimony agreeing to this: [...]earch the Scriptures, for they testifie of mee. Ioh, 5, 39, And againe, Had ye bel [...]eued Moses ye would [...]lso haue beleeued me: for Moses wrote of me.

Semen mulieris contret caput serp [...]ntis. And [...]thy seede shall all the nations of the [...]arth be [...]lessed.

Of this day and time Iacob prophecied, [...]lmost two thousand yeeres a [...]ore Christ: [...]hat he should come in the fulnes of time; The scepter shall not depart from Iudah, nor a [...]aw-giuer from betweene his feete, vntill Shi­ [...]oh come, and the peopl [...] shall be gathered vnto [...]im.

He shall binde his Ass [...]-fo [...]le vnto the vine, [...]nd his A [...]es colt vnto the b [...]st [...]e.

The Lord Go [...] will rai [...]e vp a Prophet from Deut, 18. [...]mong you, out of your brethren: vnto [...] yee [...]hall barken.

But all this is but to light a candle at [...]oone day. For wee all, from the [...] to the [Page] suckling, from the gray head to the ten [...] babe, all are trayned vp in this doctrine, & we receiue it from an autentique truth. We all professe it and beleeue it, that Christ [...] at this time tooke our nature vpon him, & became flesh for our sakes; and therefore [...] will be the more sparing in amplifying th [...] point.

VVere it so that I were to speake before Infidels, or before an vnbeleeuing sort [...] Iewes, vvhich are not yet resolued th [...] Christ is come: because the vaile is not [...] taken from them, and theyr harts are hard­ned that they cannot beleeue the Scrip­tures: then had I neede to produce all the testimonies that might be founde for con­firmation of this doctrine, and gayning [...] them to the sayth.

And yet all this notwithstanding vvo [...] hardly preuaile, since it appeares by Chri­stes owne testimonie of thē, that they [...] giuen ouer to a rep [...]obate sence. Seeing [...] shall see, and not perceiue, and hearing you [...] heare, and not vnderstand.

For had they not beene altogether hard­ned, and solde to infidelitie, so many scrip­tures and prophecies of Christ, (all which [Page] [...]hey daily read in their Sinagogues,) would haue forced them to acknowledge Christ, whom yet they denie.

VVee would haue thought, that if wee had beene then liuing in that age of theyrs, when Christ was borne among them, con­uersed with them, wrought so many mira­cles before them, vvee could not haue been so faithlesse.

All the chiefest Iewes both Priestes and Scribes, beeing asked where Christ should be borne, aunswered thus: At Bethlehem in Iud [...]a. Yea, and they alleage this preg­nant place out of the Prophets: For it is written, Thou Bethlem. &c.

And againe, which condemneth them further, in the 7. of Iohn, 42. Sayth not the Scripture that Christ shall come of the seed of Dauid, & out of the Towne of Bethleem?

Yet though they knew all this, whē Christ came among them, they denied him: so do they gore themselues in their owne sides, [...]ike the Baalites.

The reason vvhy the Euangelist so pre­cisely layeth downe these circumstances of the manner, time and place, vvith other occurrences of our Sauiour Christ his [Page] birth, is for that hee would take away all di­strustfulnes, and also to verifie the former prophecies of Christ: that when it came to passe, wee might acknowledge the truth therof, since it fell out in the same sort, time, and place, as was so long before fore-told.

Well, let vs especially remember to giue God thanks for this grace giuen vs, that we are not faithlesse like the Iewes, who to this houre resist the truth in vngodlines.

Or like Thomas the Apostle, that would in no wise beleeue, till hee had put his fin­gers into the print of the nayles.

But wee not seeing, doe beleeue, and can say with an vndoubted testimony, Thou art our Lord, & our God. And a special blessing followeth this our faith, for our Sauiour iu­stifies it, Thou hast seene, and beleeuest, [...] Iohn, 20. say, blessed are they that haue not seene, & [...] haue beleeued.

Here we are to learne the mercy of God, in sending his sonne to the worlde for ou [...] good onely: which mercy of GOD, made S. Iohn exclaime with a rauishing kinde of admiration; So God loued the world, that hee sent his only begotten sonne into the world, [...] [Page] [...]re might liue through him.

And in the tenth verse, Heerein is loue, in that God loued vs first, and sent his sonne to be [...]a reconciliation. &c.

And in the 17. verse, he makes the same repeticion in substance, still expressing the mercy and loue of God.

This was so melodious a note in his eares, when he strooke vpon loue▪ that as a byrde beeing taught to record, doth double and treble one and the same thing often, so doth Iohn vpon this loue of God, as if hee could neuer part from it: So God [...] the word. And heerein appeared the [...] of God. And God loued vs first. &c.

Iohn could no more part with this loue, then Elisha could with Ehah, [...] the whirle­winde deuided them.

A Father of the Church [...] vp­on this loue of God, saith that the [...] [...]n of the world, and after that the creation of man, did not argue a greater [...] in God that this: In giuing vs his Son to be borne for vs.

All the other workes of God, as the ma­king of the heauens, the [...] and the crea­tures, haue in them matter enough of ad­miration, [Page] but this one surmounteth all the rest, beeing as Nazianzen speaketh [...], a worke that passeth all admirati­on: & they may wonder at this; that won­der at nothing besides: at this loue of God in sending his sonne to be borne for vs, af­ter such a supernaturall maner to be borne of a virgine, to translate him from the hea­uens to the earth; God, and the Sonne of God, whom the heauens, nor the heauen of heauens could containe, nowe to be in­cluded in so narrow a roome as the wombe of a Virgine. They that passed by Hazaels corpes, stoode still and wondered, here may we rather wonder at a liuing body.

Let the foolish Philosophers henceforth burne their bookes, as the Ephesians did their vaine bookes: they build al vpon rea­son, Acts, 19. & vpon the causes of things: but thys is a reason beyond reason, by no humaine reason to be comprized.

The hautie Astronomers that walke a­mong the starres, that send vp their typtoe­cōceits beyond the clowdes as if they were the onely commaunders of the world, and could measure the heauens with a span, as they seeme to shut vp all in one globe, let [Page] them trace it no more vpon the pinacles of planetary influences.

If they can be so humble, as to walk with vs heere beneath vpon this earth: the seely Cratch in Bethleem where our Lorde lay, and the wombe of a virgin trauailing with the most glorious person of the worlde, Christ Iesus, at whose feete Kings & Em­perours must cast downe theyr crownes, as before the chiefe and supreme King, King of Kings, and all Kings glory; heere may they sinde (I say) matter enough to occu­pie theyr wits and senses withall: and here they may rather contemplate thys Comet, thys blazing starre, as in vvhose presence, the greatest starre, Sunne, Moone, and all doe lose theyr light. Here they may rather wonder at his so strange comming into the worlde: as his Disciples wondered at his going out of the world vpō his ascending.

We all acknowledge this loue of God, in that he gaue vs his sonne to be borne for vs, but where is that serious consideration, where is that Isaac a [...]ong vs, that will goe out into the fieldes to meditate of this so excellent a benefit?

S. Paule counted this world but dung in [Page] respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ: yet with many nowe adaies dunge it selfe, the basest thing, is preferred before the deerest thing. For what is siluer and gold, & the mammon of this world, which the wicked doe so highly magnifie, but very earth, and vile dung?

This time wherin we celebrate our lords natiuity, we make it a time of feasting, and a time of merrie-making, and tyme of re­ioycing: but I feare too too fewe there are, that reioyce that Christ was as at this tyme borne for them.

If thys true reioycing were planted in vs, it would cut off much vanity and much re­ioycing in euill. It would make vs fall into this holy parlee, and angelicall conference: Hath God performed this great worke for me, and shall I be vnthankfull? Shall I for­get him that testified so great & so vnspea­kable kindnes for mee, in not disdaining to take my flesh and nature vppon him, to be borne for me, to die for me, to shed his hart blood for mee, and to sustaine intollerable torments for mee, which I should haue vn­dergone. And all to the end I should lyue, and not die.

If one man should die for another, here were demonstration of great loue: but in that Christ our Lord would die for vs, bee­ing the sonne, the onely sonne of God, the brightnes of glory, & farre superior to the Angels, this is yet greater loue, such loue as no tongue nor pen can amplifie. Expresse it we cannot, rather wee may wonder at it, and exclaime like Paule, O the riches of Gods grace.

Heere we must also learne the obedience of Christ our Lord, and his humility. As it was loue in God the Father, that sent forth Christ into the world: so it was obedience in Christ the Sonne of God, that brought him and presented him vnto the world.

God would haue him come, and it was his will to come: for so testifieth he of him selfe. Loe, I come to doe thy will ò God. Hebr. 10.

O that we could possibly pactise the like holy obedience: that when by the motion of Gods Spyrit working in vs, and calling vpon vs to doe any good thing, wee might be ready to aunswere, We are come to do thy will. This was euer in Christ, but it is sil­dome or neuer in vs: As the Father hath Ioh, 9, 29. [Page] sent me, so I doe alwayes the thinges that please him. His humilitie is likewise testified in [...]a­king our flesh vpon him: in beeing borne for vs: and in de [...]ecting himselfe to sustaine in his glorious body our infirmities. For it pleased him to become in all things like vn­to vs, sinne onely excepted.

Great was this humilitie, & it must beare downe our pride: it must teach vs to bee humble and meeke, if wee will passe from earth to heauen, whether hee is now ascen­ded.

Abraham bowed himselfe to the Angels, to shew that there is no way to come neere vnto God, or to the resemblance of Christ, but by humility.

All do gape after honour, as Eue thought to be equall with GOD her Maker: shee would be higher then shee was, and shee would needes from Paradice mount vp to heauen before her time.

But because she sought it by pride, there­fore by pride she lost both the one and the other, heauen and Eden, till Christ regay­ned them by his humilitie.

Humilitie is the first step to honour, as pride is to basenes: and therefore saith Sa­ [...]omon, [Page] Pride goeth before destruction, and an [...]igh minde before the fall.

Pryde before, and shame behinde, as [...]ewys the French-King spake both pithily and pleasantly; When pryde is on the horse­ [...]acke, then is shame on the crooper.

Our Sauiour in the eyghteene of Mark chaulking the way that leades vnto honor, saith, He that humbleth himselfe, shall be ex­alted: but the proud he checketh, when he saith thus, Hee that exalts himselfe, shall be brought low.

As heere we find humilitie in Christ, so may we find it in all the holy men before & since Christ.

Ioseph, though he were the greatest Po­tentate in Egypt, yet confessed he was but a shepheards sonne, and this he vttered be­ing Gen, 46. in the ruffe and prime of his honour. Yet Ioseph knew right well that the name of a sheep-keeper was odious to the Egyp­tians. Moses is registred to be the meekest man vpon the earth.

Dauid beeing instaled into the king­dome, humbly acknowledgeth his begin­ning: Thou tookest Dauid, when hee fol­lowed the Ewes great with young. [Page] His honour made him not forget his pe [...] ­gree.

That Prince who spake mildly & hum­bly to Eliah, was not consumed: so if [...] will not be consumed with the fire of Go [...] wrath, we must be humble.

Saint Basill speaking of the creation [...] man, saith, Cur accepit Deus [...] Why did God take the dust of the ear [...] C [...]m [...] audis cur el [...]uaris, Why should dust and ashes be proud then?

Surely, neyther honour no [...] riches, n [...] friendes, nor apparrell▪ nor ought else, if [...] the glory of the world were heaped vpp [...] vs, it should not make vs proude. If the [...] mightest weare [...]oth of gold, remembe [...] couers but a [...]oule [...]rka [...]e, dust & ashes.

Of all sorts of proude men, they are [...]o be most condemned that are proude of the [...] apparrell, as if they should glory in th [...] shame: for apparrell was made to coue [...] our shame. When Ad [...] had sinned, and so knew th [...] hee was naked, presently hee made himselfe breeches of [...]g-leaues.

So sinne and shame were the first Tay­lors that shaped Adams garments.

The humble and proude, are both noted [Page] [...] Scripture by theyr diuersitie of apparell.

Iohn is noted to haue vestimentum é pilis Camelorum, et zonum pelliceam, his apparell of Camels haire, and a girdle of a skinne a­bout his loynes. Here was an humble man. But the rich man in Luke 16. is otherwise pictured. It is not omitted as a matter of speciall note, that he was apparelled in pur­ple, and fared deliciously euery day. Heere was a proude man.

How doth the Lorde by Esay rip vp the [...]ryde of our rioting age: expressing by [...]ame al the handmaides of pride. Slippers, calls, and round tyres, sweet balls, bracelets, and bonnets, the tyres of the head, the ta­blets, earings, rings, and mufflers: costlie apparell, the vailes & crisping pynnes, the glasses, fine linnen, hoodes and lawnes, &c. Had the Prophet liued in these times, how might he haue inueighed against the gau­dines of apparrell, long staring ru [...]es, pe­ [...]iwiggs, fardingals, maskes, fannes, painted faces, partlets, bracelets, frontlets, fillets, all lets to let and hinder vs from humilitie.

When God began to make apparrell for man, he made it but of the skinnes of beasts. And all the former Saints were couered [Page] onely with Goates-skinnes, and the ha [...] of Camels. But nowe this fashion is qu [...] out of fashion, for wee rob all the creatu [...] of the world to cloath our backs, by taking from some their wooll, frō some their sk [...] from some their fur, and from some th [...] very excrements, not sparing so much a the silly poore worme: for the silke is b [...] the excrement of wormes.

Nay, rather then wee will be vnfurnished of any thing that may adorne or beaut [...] vs, wee will not sticke to diue as it were [...] to the bottom of the sea, and turne vp [...] sands of the sea for precious stones.

When the glystering silkes [...]uffle on [...] backs, and the precious Indian rings [...] vpon our fingers, when our necks are [...] ­ged with goodly and costly chaynes, [...] the wristes of our hands with bracelets, [...] thinke all the vvorld dooth admire vs: and vvee seeme in our owne eyes like the [...] kyms: or like the builders of Babell, [...] thought to hyde theyr heades among [...] clowdes.

A godly deuoute man, who now is w [...] the Lorde, meruaileth much at the vani [...] of proude men: I wonder (saith hee) th [...] [Page] men should in seeking to exalt themselues, [...]o farre debase themselues: for in clothing [...]hemselues so richly, they make theyr ap­parell better than themselues: theyr bodies are not so much woorth as their apparell: [...]hey would be better then all men, and yet [...]annot make thēselues equall to the clothes [...]hey weare vpon theyr backs.

Salomon, when he was most royally roa­ [...]ed, was not halfe so glorious as the L [...]lly in [...]he fielde.

If the Lilly did exceede S [...]lomon, and [...]ee a King, vvhy should priuate men, or great men in high place, or in lowe place howsoeuer, striue to be proud, since they [...]annot make themselues like one of the flowers of the field, which florisheth before [...]he Sieth, and is cut downe in a moment.

O let vs not so passe away our dayes in vanitie: let vs rather learne this lesson of Christ here taught vs, which is humilitie.

Euen from the beginning of his life, the [...]ime of his birth in Bethleem, to the time of his death in Caluary, alwaies hee practi­zed humilitie.

He sought no rich apparell, but was con­ [...]ent to be lapt vp in a few clow [...]es.

When he came to the world, hee sought no stately building to dwell in. The Foxes had holes, and the birdes of the ayre had nestes, but the Son of man had not where­on to lay his head.

In sted of a cradle hee had but a Cratch, and a stable in sted of a chamber, for there was no roome in the Inne, other guests had taken vp the lodgings.

See what poore entertainement was made heere for him, who was the King of glory, a pallace was not good enough for him: yet in Bethleem, a Towne that had ma [...] houses in it, and many roomes, hee alone could get neither house nor house-roome.

Ioseph his supposed Father, & Mary the blessedst among women, though she were euen nowe trauailing to be deliuered, were glad of a stable, like as Iacob was glad of stones to put vnder his head in stedde of a pyllow, when he slept at Bethell.

The Inne-keeper had made it to enter­taine his guestes horses, yet it is dignified heere, and of a base place it is made an ho­norable place, of better reckoning then a­ny Emperours Chamber or Prince in the worlde: for it was our Sauiour Christ his [Page] [...]odging. The person tooke away the vile­ [...]es of the place, and made it honourable.

Micah, when he wrote of Bethleem, Thou Bethleem art little among the citties of Iudah, might also haue saide, Thou Inne in Beth­ [...]eem, or rather, thou stable of that Inne in Bethleem, art little among the houses in Bethleem, yet in thee shall he be borne that must rule Israell.

Zachary prophecying of Christ his com­ming, sayth thus; Reioyce ô Sion, shoute for [...]oy ô daughter Ierusalem: for behold thy King Zach, 9, 9, commeth vnto thee, he commeth poore, and ri­ding vpon an Asse, and vpon a colt, the foale of an Asse.

Hee was poore indeede when hee might not commaund an house: but hee did it to shewe his humilitie. The Lord of all, had least of all, hee had not so much as a house to be borne in, and yet his father was a car­penter: hee made many a house for others, but none for himselfe, no [...] his sonne.

Humilitie neuer founded gay houses, & this hath sprung vp but of late yeeres: for our auncestors contented themselues vvith simple lodgings. Heere-hence comes it, which is not so cōmonly as truely spoken: [Page] Gay-clothing & sumptuous building, hath vndone England.

Before time, honest men contented them selues with an homely hall, and a loouer, no Now stately buildings, cold kit­chens. chimney nor parlour, nor vpper chamber, and in such houses the poore founde good reliefe. But nowe our houses haue so inlar­ged themselues, as if they were so many cit­ties, for height and statelines like Nabucad­nezers pallace in Babell: and the manie roomes in them like the streetes of Niniuie, one wrought within another like Dedalus Labyrinth, or the Pyramides in Memphis, and Egypt, that a man being once in them, can hardly finde the way out of them: ma­ny halls, and many parlours, & many chim­neyes, or shewes of chimneyes: and of ma­ny, scarce one or none smoaking. Good­lie mock-beggers.

And all this came in with pride: it vvas neuer so in his ruffe as now it is, and there­fore no better time to presse this example of humilitie then nowe. Hee teacheth vs this lesson that teacheth vs al things; Learn of me, for I am humble and meeke, & yee shall [Page] finde rest for your soules.

Christ that was borne for vs, so gouerne vs by his Spirit of grace, that this sinne of pride, and all other enormities beeing sup­pressed in vs, wee may practize that humi­litie, which at last will exalt vs to immorta­litie, and infinite happines.

It followeth: In the dayes of Herod the King.

Heere is deliuered the time when Christ was borne. When Herod raigned in Iedea. It is woorth the noting to consider of the tyme of Christes birth.

It was a time of crueltie, a time of trou­ble, a time of tyrannie, & persecution. The troubles that fell vppon him in his infancie, did presage continuance of like insuing ca­lamities through the whole course of his life. He found no ease, no peace, no place almost in the world, but was euer afflicted, persecuted, betrayed, arrayned, condem­ned, and at last crucified.

Herod was the first that stept vppon the stage, and other tyrants after, succeeded him to act Christes tragedy.

The murdered innocents in that merciles [Page] massacre, can witnesse the bloody crueltie of that time.

Christ new borne, is compeld to flie frō Bethleem to Egypt, like Moses to Mydian, The mo­ther & ten­der babe, were driuen to flie, like as the woman in the reuel. & there remained till they were dead, who sought his life.

In the daies of Herod,] that is, in the dayes of him, whose power was of God: but hee abused his power, & with the same sought to destroy the sonnes of God.

This Herod was the sonne of Hyrcanus, as Iosephus noteth, in lib. 14. Antiq. ca. 18. Three circumstances are to be noted, con­cerning this cruell Herod. First, hee vvas troubled when he heard of Christes birth: and the rather, for that hee was termed a King. Wherein we may see the eare-marke of the wicked and reprobates: they be sad when others are merry: when the Sheep­heards and Wise men triumphed & reioy­ced, then was Herod and his people dis­comforted.

There coulde not come to the vvorlde greater tidings of ioy, than the newes of Christes birth, so proclaimed by the An­gell that appeared to the Sheepheards: in testimony whereof, the multitudes of hea­uenly [Page] souldiours praised God, and sung melodiously vnto the Lord. Yea, and with them, the whole frame of nature seemed to reioyce.

Yet nowe was Herod in the midst of his dumps, not knowing which way to turne him: terrors within, and troubles without so affrighted him, as pangs doe a vvoman that trauaileth with child, and is plained to be deliuered. It droue him to a maze when hee heard of Christ, as the hand-writing droue Baithazer to a stackering.

Herods conscience (it seemes) could tell him that he had no interest in Christ, and therefore no maruell if hee were troubled. He feared also that he should nowe lose his kingly titles and honours, and that Christ would depriue him of his kingdome: and so seeking an earthly kingdome, he lost an heauenly kingdome; and though he lyued for a short time like a king, yet he dyed far vnlike a king, for hee was eaten vp of life in the midst of his glory.

The second circumstance. All Ierusalem was troubled with him. Heere is that pro­uerbe verified, Regis ad exemplar totus com­ponitur orbis. The Citty was mooued to see [Page] the King mooued, the whole people frame themselues to the passions of the Prince.

Moses counsell was this, Non sequere mul­titudinem. &c. Thou shalt not follow a mul­titude to doe euill. But in this place tis no­ted, that the multitude follow, and many are drawne by the example of one to doe euill. King and people & all, oppose them­selues against Christ.

This is it which Dauid so long before prophecied of Christ: The kings of the earth & the mightie men, haue assembled themselues together: they banded themselues against the Lord, and against his annoynted.

Thirdly; this feare proceeded to spill the blood of Saints thereby to destroy Christ. This was not Timor, but Tremor: such a terrour and fearefulnes, as is wont to assault the reprobate.

There is feare in the children of God, but it is a fihall feare, a sonne-like feare: but this is a seruile feare that was in Herod; such a feare as expels all good graces out of vs.

Of that feare Saint Iohn speaketh, when he saith; Feare hath painfulnes, & in Herod heere it had painfulnes: for it disquieted [Page] him and his people.

It hath in it painfulnes, and hatefulnesse, for so soone as this feare entred, he beganne to hate Christ.

By this Herod, the wicked mighty men of this world are noted, which endeuour by all meanes to oppresse the Gospell of Christ. The Tyrants of the earth could not abide that the glory of Christ should stand, but they are like the 4. Angels in the Reuel. with-holding the 4. winds of the earth, that they should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor vpon any greene tree.

Examples of persecuting Tyrants, are plentifull in Scripture.

The tyranny of Pharao against Israell. The tyranny of Saule against Dauid. The tyranny of Achab persecuting Michaeas.

So the deuill still hath his instruments to exercise crueltie, and to insult ouer Gods people, as heere hee proucked Herod to persecute Christ.

This note among the rest must not bee forgotten, concerning the time of Christes birth: when most tiranny was vsed, & reli­gion most defaced, then was Christ borne. And therfore in Iohn he is called Lux lucens [Page] in tenebris, a light shining in darknes.

As our Sauiour was borne vnder tyran­nie: so haue his members euer since beene borne vnder tyrannie & affliction: to teach vs that persecution is euer a marke of the true Church.

To drawe this doctrine to particuler ap­plycation. We see in this place the crueltie and maliciousnes of Herod against Christ, let vs learne to hate crueltie, & rather striue to be meeke and gentle.

God hateth nothing more than crueltie, and the blood-thirsty man neuer commeth to the graue in peace.

Cruelty, rather then it shal scape without punishment, will be it owne executioner; like Caine, whose own conscience did per­secute him for his brothers bloode, crying within him: Whosoeuer findes me, shal sley me.

Let this bloody tyrant Herod, be a pre­sident of terrour to all that carry like bloo­die mindes. As Herod slew the poore in­nocents in Bethleem, so the Lord slew him, the bloode of those innocents cryed to the Lord for reuenge, and theyr cry preuailed: for he died most shamefully. As he sent an army of men, euen men of war to destroy [Page] all those males: so God sent another kinde of vvarriours to fight against him, euen an armie of lice. These came about him in troupes, thicker than the flyes of Egypt, & did eate him vp aliue, as you may reade more at large in the 12. of the Acts.

And as Eusebius reporteth it: he seeing the iudgements of God vpon him, vttered these words; Qui vobis Deus videor vitam turpiter finire cogor. I that am reputed in your eyes as a God, am constrayned to die most filthily.

It followeth: Wise men came frō the East to Ierusalem, saying: Where is he that is borne King of the Iewes?

Since neither Herod, nor his people the inhabitants of Ierusalem, did labour to seek out Christ, loe God styrreth vp others, e­uen meere strangers to come from farre, from the East to Ierusalem to worship his sonne.

A Prophet is not without honour saue in his owne Country, and amongst his owne. Christ beeing in Bethleem among his own, is not receiued, and therfore, as our Sauiour told the Iewes when they bragged they had A­braham to theyr Father, God is able euen [Page] of stones, to raise vp sonnes to Abraham. So heere, rather than Christ shall want ho­nour, God rayseth men from farre, that ne­uer knewe Iury, nor Ierusalem, to come vnto him, and to present him vvith rich gifts, vndoubted testimonies of a true wor­ship.

They were Wise men: yet but worldly wise, till they came to Christ, and then they learned of him true vvisedome, euen the Word of lyfe, which was able to saue theyr soules.

In the example of these Wise men, tra­uailing so farre to seeke Christ, wee must learne, that if vvee will come to Christ, as vvee ought, wee must forsake our parents, our Countrey, and friendes. VVee must leaue all behind vs, the worlde & the cares thereof, to the end we may be the lighter in our iou [...]ney towards Christ.

VVee shall be sure to finde no rubbes in the way able to stay vs, if wee doe but con­sider that we are running vnto Christ.

To Christ must we runne, not to Idols, nor to the power of men; but vvee must trauaile to him alone, to hi [...] onely must vve offer, and to no other.

For he is Agnus Dei: he is the Lambe of GOD, that taketh away the sinnes of the world.

It is neyther Angell nor Saint that can heare vs, or intreate for vs, or can grant the thing wee aske for. Christ alone can do it, for he alone hath borne our infirmities.

Hee is the onely Phisition that healeth vs, hee is the brazen Serpent vpon whom, vvho-soeuer looketh, recouereth. He is the Samaritane that powreth wine and oyle in­to our woundes.

These men thus trauailing to Christ, are not recorded who they were, and it is cu [...]i­ositie for vs to pry vnto that, which the spi­rit of God hath kept secret.

But VVise men they vvere, and religi­ouslie vvise it seemes they vvere, for they vvere inflamed vvith a feruent desire to see Christ.

Some are of opinion that they were Ma­gicians, such as had skill in diuining, and interpreting difficult matters, and in fore­telling thinges to come. And the origi­nall vvord would seeme to carry this sence, Magoi.

Such knowledge was extraordinary: & it is forbidden and accursed in many places of Scripture. Let none bee founde among you that hath a spirit of diuination: or that is a s [...]r­cerer, or a charmer. Deut. 18. 10.

And if any turne after such, Ego excidam. Leuit. 20.

And such it may be were these Wise men before they knewe Christ: but this pro­phane wisedome went from them, vvhen the true knowledge of Christ was implan­ted in them.

These Magi were Wise-men and Gen­tiles, they first came to see Christ, and ther­fore they are called the first fruites of the Gentiles: they had neither the law nor the Prophets read vnto them, yet they first la­bour to finde out Christ.

Signifying, that it is God onely who for­meth euery Christian mans hart, hee can soone turne Dauid from adultery, Adam to confesse his sinne: Paule of a persecu­tor to become a professor. He can make of stones, sonnes to Abraham, and of Gen­tiles sound Christians. As heere hee caused these Wise men to come from farre, euen from the East to Ierusalem to vvorshippe [Page] Christ: So is there no respect of persons with God, but in all places, who so feareth him, and worketh righteousnes, shalbe ac­cepted.

As Christ our Lorde came from the bo­some of his Father to be incarnate, and to dwell among vs: so these Wise men came from theyr country from the East, to finde out Christ their Redeemer.

This sheweth theyr great desire. Ieroboam saide it was too far to goe to Ie­rusalem, but these Wse men did not thinke it too farre to come from the Fast to Ieru­salē to worship Christ, & [...]inding him not at Ierusalem, they traueled yet further, to Bethleem in Iudea: they neuer rested till they found out him that saued them.

By grace they sought him, and by fayth they founde him, whom they woulde not lose againe for the gayning of the world.

But leaue wee these Wise men thus tra­ueling, & returne we to our selues awhile, and I doubt not before wee haue done, by the guide of that starre in this story menti­oned, to place thē in the Inne at Bethleem, together with that princely babe, though [Page] poo [...]ely lodged, whom they with such a longing desire expected to behold.

The vse of the doctrine to our selues is this, we must ca [...]y the like desire, and the same holy affection that they did. We must labour to come to the knowledge of Christ, we must seeke after where it is to be had by traueling for it, though it were as far as Ie­rusalem: knowing that the sufferinges of this world are not woorthy the glory that shall be reuealed.

Wee may not looke that Christ shoulde come to vs, we must rather goe to him, and neuer cease going, till wee come where our soules & he ma [...] belodged together.

We read of the earnest care of the church in the [...] of [...] in the first, second and [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...].

Shee neuer gaue ouer to seeke him, [...] [Page] shee [...]ound him.

And so should wee be like diligent and carefull. VVee should no [...] [...]u [...]er our eyes to sleepe, nor our eye- [...]ds to [...]mber, nor the temples of our [...]ead to take any [...] [...] should not cease [...] and day seeking, & still seeking and inquiring after him whom our soule [...] long for, till we haue [...]ound him. Like these Wise men, whom theyr [...]edious iourney [...] inquired, euen in the [...] of Ierusalem, and in the open places there­of, whether all the people of the wo [...]ld h [...]d recou [...]e: there they demaunded for the newe borne King of the [...]ewes & at length in Bethleem they finde him.

This may [...] the lazie [...] of [...] men, [...]ho [...] they know the comfort and [...] they haue in Christ, yet will not [...] myles to heare the Word which is the [...] [...] now where [...].

Christ is nowe no [...] to be founde in his bodily presence among vs: onely [...] is present in the Word, and there alone hee will be sought for.

As Christ shewed himselfe to the Wise­men [Page] at Bethleem, and after shewed him­selfe to the Doctors in the Temple: So in our Bethleems, in our citties, and Townes, and in our Temples doth he still shew him selfe in his word and in his Gospell, dailie taught and preached.

It is not now that Ierusalem in Iudea, no [...] N [...] [...], [...] [...] ­ [...]m. that Bethleem, where these wise men once were, that Christ will be found in now.

Our trauell is easier, and our iourney [...]a [...] shorter, he is come home to our own coun­trey from [...] to England, and from Ieru­salem to London, and to all the Citties and townes wi [...] in our Land, teaching and ex­pounding in our S [...]agogues euery Sab­baoth. Yet [...]ewe labour to heare him: the Wise men shall rise vp at the last day to cō ­demne such.

Yet more, it controules the loose and dis­solu [...] carelesnes of those licentious liber­tines. I cannot call them men, but rather [...] of men, who hauing Christ prea­ched vnto them at theyr doores, within the walls of theyr Citties and townes, vvill not [...] to it, dishonoring in a gracelesse im­ [...] the Sp [...]it of grace, and despising, as much as in them lyeth, both Christ, and [Page] the Ministers of his Gospell.

Such are worse then the vnbeleeuing Iewes, for they hearde Christ euery Sab­bath: nay they are worse then Herod: for he desired to see Christ, and to heare him.

But leaue we them to theyr dissolute re­solutions: let them remaine while they list, in the darknes of Egypt. But let vs holde Goshen, the comfortable light whereof will direct vs in our passage, as the clowdy pil­ler did the Israelites through the wildernes, or as the starre did these Wise men. When this stifnecked generation shall stumble at the truth, and erre from it, like the Sodo­mites, groping for the doore of Lots house Gene, 19. when they were striken with blindnes.

Where the Spirit of GOD is, there is a longing and a thirsting, and a burning de­sire of the word. But sure there can be no grace where there is no liking of godlines. I exhort you then, and beseech you belo­ued in the Lord, euen in the bowels of Ie­sus Christ, who will one day call you to a reckoning for your single-soale seruice of him labour to heare the word, trauell to it, desire it in a burning affection.

If you haue any grace of Gods Spirit, any [Page] measure of santi [...]ycation, proceede and grow more and more in the liuely fayth of Christ Iesus. Cast away all your cares of this world: and labour onely to haue that sauing knowledge which God hath reuea­led in his w [...]d. This one thing is necessa­rie▪ and it will supply all your wants.

You are not yet the seru [...]unts of Christ, till this desire of the VVord be planted in you.

They that carry not an hungry appetite to the Word [...], let them be for honour and dignitie how excellent so euer, for vvealth and riches how potent soeuer, for friendes and followers howe mighty soeuer, yet are they but [...] [...] or [...], that are full of [...] and pu [...]rifyed [...]ones. Be­cause the comfort of the word is sequestred from theyr soules which alone can magni­fie them. Without the Word nothing can make vs happy, and hauing it, nothing can make vs miserable.

It is the [...] [...] that [...]eedes vs to [...] life: [...] is the pearle for which the wi [...]e Merchant would giue all that euer [...] [...] is the [...] of Dauid, which ope­neth and no man [...], and [...], & [Page] no man openeth: it is the onely eye-salue, where-with our eyes being annoynted, can not chuse but cleerely behold Christ.

Name the Word, and thou hast named all things, it is all [...] all, and contayneth all the blessings of Gods [...]ore-house, which are for number so many, and for value so great, that no man can know them but hee that hath them: like the stone in the Reue­lation, that white stone with a newe Name grauen in it, which no man knoweth, sa­uing he that receaueth it.

These wise men c [...]me [...] from the East, to Ierusalem. Thinges of high prise, and of necessary vse, if they be not neer vs, must be sought farre of, where they are to be had. And we must spare no paynes nor cost in procuring them.

Co [...]elius sent to loppa for Peter, to in­forme him in the way of righteousnes. Da­uid longing for the returne of the Arke, went & brought it from [...].

The [...] longing to see his prod [...]gall sonne, ranne to meete him a great way of, and kissed him.

[...] sent to [...] to [...], and heere these Wise-men [...] [Page] East to Beth-leem to seeke out Christ, Da­uids Lord.

Another note woorthy the obseruation, comes to be considered in these Wise men. These wise men did not cast the perrill and lets that might happen in theyr iourney.

The Gentiles might not conuerse vvith the Iewes, [...]or they were enemies one to the other. Yet these enemies through vvhose country they were to passe, did not ass [...]ight them, the dangers subiect to their iourney did not disquiet them, the tediousnes of the way did not terrifie them: nothing coulde stay them from theyr intended enterprise.

Their io [...]fulnesse to see Christ, tooke a­way all worldly carefulnes: Our practise should be like theyrs. No busines of thys li [...]e should withdraw vs from Christ.

VVhen they came to Ierusalem, they found Herod snaring them, all the Citty in an vproa [...]e, King and people, and all were mooued. So when we come to Christ, [...]e sh [...]l [...]ind an Herod without vs, and an Ido­l [...]call Ierusalem within vs: Tyrants with ou [...] and [...] within: many lets & nets, and [...]ny snates to [...]p vs. Put we must respect neither Herod nor Ier [...]salem, but [Page] still holde on our viage to Bethleem, the place where Christ lodgeth.

In all ages there wil be satans instruments, like so many Lyons in the passages, to stop the children of God in their good courses. And now with vs there are many Herods, many like Herod and Archelaus to cut the throate of Religion, as hee sought the lyfe of Christ in the blood of the innocents.

But yet must we goe forwards like these Wise men, we must not feare them that kill the body, rather [...]eare him that can cast both body and soule into hell fi [...]e.

Stronger is he that is with vs, than whole legions of enemies, that band themselues with them against God. Let them [...]aile and per [...]ecute neuer so much, like Ze [...] che [...]b, and Rab-shakeh: yet GOD will put an hooke in theyr nostrils, and they shall not preuayle. No more than the stoode preua [...] ­led, which was cast out of the mouth of the Dragon in the Reuelation, against the wo­man t [...]t sled to the wildernes.

Heere comes to be considered how they knew he was borne. The sta [...]e gaue them knowledge, and was theyr guide in [...] [Page] iourney, neuer leauing them till they came to Beth-leem.

S. Austin saith, that at the birth of Christ a new starre appeared. A blazing Comet that neuer shewed it selfe before: and at his death, the Sunne, greater then the greatest starre, was obscured.

At this bvrth, infants were murdered, and at his death they were crowned.

At his byrth, hell was more conquered, and his enemies more troubled.

Eusebius saith, that at the b [...]th of Christ, there happened to breake vp on a sudden a goodly Spring, that ranne with oyle the space of one day.

And at the same time in Romea circle was seene about the Sunne, no lesse cleere then the Sunne.

And that vvhen the imperiall Crowne was brought by the Senate to Oct [...]uius Augustus, he refused it: saving that a grea­ter Prince then himselfe was nowe borne: to whom all the crownes and kingdoms in the world did belong.

A famous Temple at the same time rent in s [...]nder: in the dedication whereof when the Oracle was demaunded howe long the [Page] same should continue: answer was giuen it should remaine, till a Virgine should bring foorth a sonne.

These, & many such wonders then hap­pened, all beeing euident signes, and per­fect demonstrations of the newe borne King: the rather to worke in mens ha [...]ts, and to stamp in them a neuer dying know­ledge of this wonderful byrth of Christ our Lord.

By the Starre they knew him: and by the starie they sounde him. And so if wee vvill know Christ and finde him as they did, we must examine our selues [...] thys star hath appeared vnto vs or not.

There is Duplex st [...]lia. This [...] is of two sorts: There is a spirit [...] in vs, and another with [...] vs.

The starre without is the [...] Word. The starre within, [...] of faith and charitie, without [...] not see Christ.

In the first of the Reuel [...] called a starre in the hand [...]

And Christ himselfe [...] morning starre.

The Minister must haue [...] [Page] a starre, which is to be alwayes bright and shining, and to be euer in motu, to shine in doctrine, and to shine in his manner of ly­uing: to goe before his people in example of good life and doctrine, to be a guide vn­to them, as this star was a guide to the wise men to direct them to Christ.

To be euer in motu: that is, to exercise his gifts of teaching and preaching & god­ly conference continually without cealing, without intermission. Like a starre that s [...] trauelleth and keepeth his course night and day.

The star of fayth which is within vs, con­taineth fiue circumstances, noted in the [...] of Iohn. The multitude of beleeuing le [...]s, when they heard that Christ shoulde come to Ierusalem, in testimony of theyr fayth, tooke branches of Palme-trees, shewing theyr gratitude: so our fayth must receaue Christ, [...] Palmis, with palme branches, that is, with praise and thankfulnes.

They were greene branches, [...]ircntes ra­mi, so must our faith be greene, it must ne­uer wither, it must alwaies operari, it must branch forth into good works like to fruc­ [...]ifying greene-boughes.

They confessed him Hosanna, blessed is the King of Israell, that commeth in the Name of the Lord. So sides, fayth, cannot bee without confession. They also called vpon him Hosanna, to shew the necessity of [...]cation.

Lastly they followed him: so faith al­waies followeth Christ, and is euer vvith christ, like the beloued disciple that leaned vpon his bosome.

Heere is sette downe the end why they came. They came to worshippe him. For they opened theyr treasures, and presented vnto him Gold, Frankincense, & My [...]th. By theyr rich presents, you may gesse at the rich assection and loue they bare to Christ. They came to giue all holy worship to him that was the King of glory.

And therefore, in testimony of theyr loialty & obedience: they bring vnto him gystes worthy such a King, as it were to de­fray the t [...]bute of an vndeuided loue gold, Frankencense and Mirth.

Behold a free-will-offering, which fayth [Page] drew forth, and pure deuotion presented an offering better accepted then all the f [...] of Ra [...]s. What gyfts might bee of great [...] value then these? So is it shll with the god­ly, they count count nothing too deere which they bring to Christ.

Looke the [...] of Exod. Pure Myrth & Frankencense were appoynted by a spec [...] ­commaund, for the oyle o [...] holy oyntment, and for the persume, among other thinges of price there noted.

In the 36. of Exod. the people brought so liberall and so [...] towards the building of the Sanc [...]: that M [...]s was [...] to pro [...]me they [...] giue o­uer. Such and so free is the hurt of the righ­teous, when fayth dooth [...] it, and the grace of Gods sp [...]t inflames it, & such was the gift of these Wise men.

This read [...]nes in them must incourage vs to present and giue out of the [...]easures of harts, [...] to the [...]ord.

And thys we may [...] doe, since God requireth of vs, not golde o [...] [...]uer, or the like: but hee requireth vs to offer but our selues, a [...] euen our soules & bodies to serue the Lord.

Offer not to me thy goods, or thy welth, or thy gold: but (saith God) if thou vvilt giue me any thing, giue me thy hart.

Sliuer it mine, and golde is mine: sayth the Lord Aggei.

We cannot enrich him, if wee giue him all that we haue, if we giue him al the world and the kingdoms thereof, we giue him but his owne. For, Terra est Do [...]ani, [...]t pl [...]nt­iu [...] e [...]s: The earth [...]s the Lords, and the fulnes thereof.

GOD required in former ages large sa­crifices. Oxen, Sheepe, and Calues: but these sacrifices haue nowe an end, and are long agone determined: but the offering that best pleaseth GOD now, is that pro­claimed by Salomon, [...], giue [...] thy hart. And that spoken by Micah in his sixt chapter.

Where-withall shall I come [...] the Lord, or how my selfe before the [...] GOD? shall I come before him with burnt [...]rings, or with Calues of a [...] old?

Will the Lord bee [...] of Ra [...]es, or with t [...]nne [...] of o [...]le, or shall I giue my first [...] for my trans­gression, euen the fruite of my bodie for the [Page] sinne of my soule.

He hath shewed thee ô man what is good, & what the Lord requireth, surely to doe iustice, to loue mercy, and to humble thy selfe, and to walke with thy God.

So then ye honour Christ aright, and ye then worship him in spirit & truth, in pre­senting these treasures of the hart. Thys wil be better accepted then the sacrifycing of a Bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes.

If you thus glorifie Christ, hee will also glorifie you: and when hee commeth in glorie, he will take vs to himselfe, and giue vs better habitations then his owne Sonne found with vs when hee dwelt among vs, euen glorious mansions in his Kingdome of glory.

To him be glorie for euer.

THis loue holdes me to it like an ada­mant, & I cannot be deuided frō it: for that it is such a matter as car [...]ieth vvith it doctrine of greatest sub­stance, and of greatest necessity.

Some-what already hath been spoken in the former Treatise concerning this loue: & now comes more to be spoken therof in this place by course of the text. Not doubt­ing, but that this argument of loue, being presented againe before [...]our eyes, as at a second view, it will the rather be planted in you.

Eyther the one or the other, that former, or this latter discourse, must needes slampe so deepe an impression in the tables of your harts, as no perpetuitie of time shall be able [Page] to out-weare.

Saint Mathew first in his Gospell com­mended vnto vs the loue of God, in sen­ding his sonne into the world to bee borne for vs: and heere Saint Iohn in his Epistle, commends vnto vs the like loue of God, in sending his sonne into the world to die for vs.

Iohn was hee of the Apostles, who alone with a speciall appellation is termed the di­sciple of the Lord: and the disciple whom Iesus loued: whom our Lorde also seemed to carry (as it were) in his owne bosome.

Christ his Lorde for louing him, must needes drawe like loue and like affection from him towards Christ.

And to expresse thys loue, as if hee were wholy compounded of loue, thys beloued Disciple soundeth nothing else almost throughout his Epistle, but thys loue vvee speake of.

The loue of GOD towardes vs, our loue againe towards God. Gods loue first, and ours after: all is loue.

And therefore thys Text may well bee called, The Louers Canticle. For the Apo­stle begins the Text with loue, and conti­nues [Page] and endes the same with loue: ma­king loue (as it were) the burden of his song. Heere-in is loue, in that GOD loued vs, and sent his sonne to reconcile vs: Beloued, if God so loued vs, wee ought also to loue one an [...]ther.

All you that haue beene foolishly deuo­ted to fond loue, that haue ill spent manie good howres in powring out your passio­nate complaynts, & in a vaine vaine of hu­morous conceytednesse, haue taken great paynes to penne loues Poems, idle toyes of adle-heads: hence-foorth suspende both penne and poeme: cast them from you, as the Israelites hanged theyr harpes vpon the willowes.

Tyme that tryeth all thinges, and is the mother of Truth, can well assu [...]e you with infallible demonstrations, that such lasciui­ous loue, or rather such lawlesse lust, vvill but leade you to vanitie, and vanitie vvill seale vp iniquitie.

And so beeing bereaued of all grace and godlinesse, you become in a moment vt­terlie irreligious.

If you must and vvill needes loue: if you haue made it your profession to bee [Page] amorous, heere is loue, euen that true loue, (that other to this, is but an Idoll, like Da­gon to the Arke) this loue, how simply ty­red s [...]euer, is able to drawe all ha [...]ts-con-ceits.

In eternizing her praises, if so bee you make her the Mistres of your affections, you shall sinde matter enough to vvorke vpon.

This loue calls vppon you, as the cheefe commaunder of all your actions, and the onely supreme Soueraigne, vnto vvhich your tongues and pennes shoulde sacrifice theyr well-bestowed labours.

VVhere-vnto shall I liken this loue of GOD? This holy loue is like a golden chaine that by an inseparable vnion linketh together God and vs, like Dauid aad Iona­than, yoaked together by an inuiolable leagne of amitie.

VVhere-vnto againe may I liken thys loue? It is like to Iacobs ladder, which rea­ched from the earth to the heauens: on the Gene, 28. which were Angels descending and ascen­ding, & God himselfe slanding aboue vp­pon the top of it.

Yet once more, to what shall I liken this loue, or where-vnto may it bee compared? It is like to the golden Censer in the hande of the Angell before the Altar, which Cen­ser was full of sweete odours, the smoake whereof did ascend vp before God out of the Angels hand.

And it was a sweete sauour in Gods no­s [...]rils, for God accepted it: so wee reade in the 8. of the Renel. Now i [...] we will bee ac­cepted with God, we must vse this incense. Loue must be the golden Censer of vvell­smelling odours to bee carried vp to the Lord, and to be presented be [...]ore the Altar, and before the throane, by the ministery of the Angell, that is Christ, the holiest of all holies, who alone shall be accepted for vs, for that he alone hath reconciled vs.

Iacobs ladder reached vp to heauen, and this must be our ladder, if we will learn like the Angels to ascend vp where God is.

A chaine consists of many linkes, and all are fastned in so sure one in another, that they cannot be sundred or deuided, and he that drawes but the one linke, drawes vnto him all the whole chaine. Thys chavne is loue, and we must of necessity be possest of [Page] this chayne, if wee will haue to doe vvith god. For God is not but where is vnitie, & this chayne is vnitie: for vvhat is a chayne but many linkes in one. First one link, then another, then a third to that, and after that another, and so the chayne is perfited.

Nay, there is such a mutuall relation be­tweene GOD and vs, if thys loue bee in vs whereof wee speake, that wee can in no sort separate the one from the other, no not in intellectu, not so much as in conceit, as the Schoole-men terme it.

The Apostle Saint Iohn proouing the same, where he sayth, GOD is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, & God in him. &c.

Thys loue is two-sold, consisting of two parts: The loue of God towards vs, and our loue to one another.

VVee ought first to consider of Gods loue, and then to descend to our selues, ma­king a patterne first of his loue towards vs, and out of it to frame a like loue in our selues one to another.

God goeth before vs in the example of thys loue and we must follow after as neere as wee can, in practizing the like loue a­mong [Page] our selues.

The principall proposition handled by the Apostle in thys place, is the generall doctrine of Christ, who was sent foorth from the bosome of his Father vnto the vvorld, to reconcile vs by the vertue of his death: which doctrine is grounded vppon these arguments, for strength like a brazen vvall, against which, sathan and the power of hell cannot preuaile.

The first argument is drawne from the mercie or loue of God: in these vvordes: Heerein is loue.

The second from his will, beeing a spe­ciall effect of his loue, in these words: And sent his sonne. &c.

Many properties and attributes are in GOD, vvhich it behooueth vs especially to take notice of.

First, hee is omnipotent, prooued by his Creation. Wise, by his daily gubernation. Iust in his promises. Mercifull, for hee spa­reth sinners. Louing to all, for hee calleth all, and is carefull for all.

But specially for the elect: who do heare when he calleth.

His lone is heere iustified: for that hee sent his sonne to the world, that so many as beleeued, might haue life euerlasting.

The fountaine of all graces is loue, which drewe from him a greater worke then the Creation of the world: euen the vvork of our Redemption, a matter of so great my­sterie, that it caused all the Prophets, from Adam the sonne of God, to Iohn Baptist the sonne of Zacharie, in all times and ages to speake and write of this superabundant grace and rich good will long before the foundations of the world determined, but in the fulnesse of time reuealed vnto vs by the comming of his Sonne, by whom wee [...]he. 1. 7. haue redemption through his blood, euen the forgiuenes of our sinnes according to his rich grace.

This exceeding loue of GOD, beeing deepely wa [...]ed in a carefull consideration, m [...] needes work mightily in the chyldren of God▪ and driue them to acknowledge with S. Iohn in this place: That [...]eere [...] [...] [...] indeede.

These first words in the Text, how bare and naked so euer they may seeme at the first front or blush, do carry in them matter [Page] of moment: they must run in our mouthes if we sound them rightly and significantlie with a kinde of Emphasis. Thus if you re­quire to know the loue of God, why heere you may learne it: Saint Iohn tels you that hee [...]e-in was the loue of God made manifest, in that he sent his sonne. &c.

You are bought with a price, saith the Apo­stle: the words make but a bare shewe, but they are very significant: as if hee shoulde haue sayd: A price with a witnes.

So heerein is loue: that is, a loue vvith a witnes. For God so loued vs, that he spared not his onely Sonne, but gaue him for vs all to death.

Him that knewe no sinne. God made to be sinne for vs, that we should be made the righteousnes of God by him.

It is not possible for vs to expresse the greatnes of this loue of God in this behalfe, for it is infinite, it is as great as God is great, whose glory filleth the world, the heauens, the earth, and the creatures.

No man can vnderstand this loue, but they that haue the bene [...]e of it, I meane the redeemed of the lord: as no man could learne the Elders newe song, [...]u [...] the [...] [Page] forty foure thousand which were brought from the earth. Reuel. 14.

This loue of God we all doe behold, like the brightnes of the Sunne, whose fierie beames and christall rayes, proceeding as from the Father of all lights, passe forth to the ends of the world.

But where be they that in beholding this loue of God, this sunne-bright cleerenesse of Gods rich grace, will bee ready with the Wise-men to present vnto God all holie vvorshyp.

Where is the rich thankfulnes aunswera­ble to this rich grace?

VVee read of [...]enne Lepers that vvere clensed: and of the tenne but one returned to giue thanks. So we are all clensed by the bloode of Christ, but scarce one of ten re­turnes to giue thankes to him that clensed him, thereby to testifie our dutifull affecti­on to Christ, as Christ testified his to vs, in laying downe his life for the many: sealing vp remission of sinnes by his blood.

The sicke is cured, but he hath forgotten the Physition that cured him. The diseased is deliuered, and the mortall wounde is sal­ued: but the Patient now become a whole [Page] man, remembers neyther his sore, nor yet the Physition.

Saint Iohn in speaking of this loue, doth not presently acquaint vs with the particu­laritie of this loue; but hee first suspendeth the matter, the rather to drawe from vs at­tention and carefulnes.

Before I proceede to tell you what thys loue is, I will first tell you what it is not.

A thing that is sought for being present­ly found, is no longer thought on, and so if the Apostle should vppon the sudden dis­couer to vs this so great a mistery of Gods loue, it would be but lightly regarded.

Therefore hee offers it, and yet drawes it backe againe, and then presents it againe: stil offering, and yet with-holding, to make vs the rather long after it with a more eager and feruent affection.

Like children in this respect, vvho the more they be denyed of that they woulde haue, the more they cry, & do neuer leaue crying till it be giuen them.

The loue I meane, sayth Saint Iohn▪ is not the loue that you meane. It is not [Page] vaine loue, nor selfe-loue, nor carnall loue, nor the loue of the worlde, nor the loue of honours, nor the loue of pleasures, nor the loue of riches, it is none of all these, for this is our loue: but I am to tell you of Gods loue.

It was not loue in vs, but in God was this loue that caused Christ to come vnto the world Nay there was in vs no loue at all, the contrary was in vs, euen hatred and enmi­tie: & therfore it is sayd, cum hostes essemus.

And therefore well might the Apostle make this conclusion against vs, not that we loued God. And wee our selues doe iustifie the truth therof in our selues, for we know that we loue our lusts, and our vanities, and the world, more then God.

Adams corruption hath trans-fused it selfe into Adams children, euen all his po­steritie. God had giuen him all the king­doms of the earth, and placed him in Pa­radice, this worlds heauen, heere God ex­hibited plentifull testimony of his loue, but Adam could shewe forth no loue to God for this: so prooued by his wilful disobedi­ence. The taste of one Apple made hym forget both himselfe and God his Maker. [Page] And haue not our pleasures the same soue­raigntie ouer vs.

Iudas solde his Maister for thirtie pence, he loued his mony better then his Maister, and many Mammonites now, whose cares are vppon theyr coffers, and whose mindes are vppon the bagge as Iudas was, if they would not be corrupted with mony to be­tray Christ, yet they could be contented to betray the members of Christ, theyr bre­thren and neighbours, for fewer shekels of filuer then Delilah tooke from the Princes of the Philistims.

No man would willingly be leprous, yet many worldlings that are carried away with the loue of riches, could be cōtented to buy a leprofie with lesse then two bags of siluer, 2. Reg. 5. as Gehazie did.

Esau, as hee had an earthly name, so vvas he earthly minded: his prophanenes is laid open to all eyes, where it is registred of him that hee solde his birth-right for a messe of pottage. And he is no lesse infamous for so dooing, then hee that burnt Dianas Tem­ple at Ephesus, or that Tyrant, who harped N [...]o. at Romes flames.

That Esau is long agoe dissolued into [Page] earth and dust, but out of his ashes others like him are risen vp (like Cadmus brood) and the same prophannes that was in Esau, is growne vp with them. Many Edomites liue now, that can be content to sell a better patrimonie then he did, euen their spiritu­all inhearitance which they should haue in Christ, and all for the transitory pleasures of this life.

To be short, we should loue God onelie & principally, before all things. We should loue God more thē our parents, our coun­trey, our friends, our selues. &c.

Hee that loueth Father or mother, or sister or brother, or wife or [...]hyldren, or kinsfolkes, more then mee, saith our Sauiour Christ, is not woorthy to be my disciple. This ought to be: but wee cannot yet apply our selues to this loue which Christ doth here so neces­sarily require. We are all like Demas loth to part with the world, & like the young rich man in the gospel, who was vnwilling to leaue his possessions: he loued his vvealth better than Christ. And therefore, vvhen Christ bad him folow him, he chose rather to folow the world. And al the peace-ma­kers in the earth, are not able to sette these [Page] two at one, the loue of God, & the loue of the world. For Christ hath spoken it, If you loue the world, the loue of God cannot be in you. You see the truth then of this conclusion, not that we loued God, but that God loued vs: and sent his Sonne.

Heere the Apostle sheweth the particu­laritie of the loue, which all this while hee suspended. Heerein is that loue manifested, in sending his sonne. &c.

There was no good thing in vs at all, no mirit or desert that might moue GOD to giue vs his Sonne. It was his loue onely, and the good pleasure of his wil, as the A­postle speaketh to the Ephesians, in the first chapter.

Our aduersaries ought to blush, if Chri­stian modestie did rest vpon them, vvhen they read this text in Iohns Epistle, & that other in his gospel: since they denie that truth which is is both places & elswhere so strongly maintained.

They would perswade men by their doc­trine of merit, that this loue of God is but a matter of course: as if God were bounde to loue vs, and that we can deserue at gods hands to be so loued.

Yea, they say we may doe good works of Supererogation, more then God requireth. Wee neede not farre fet Scriptures to aun­swere such. One Text of many shal suffise, this now in handling. God loued vs first, and not we him.

Nay, he loued vs when we hated him, and fell from him by wilful transgression.

As soone as Adam had sinned, GOD in this his loue salued him with the promise of Christ, the seede of the vvoman breaking the Serpents head.

This loue of God was vniuersall, it ex­tended to all men, of all sorts, Iewes and Gentiles, circumcised and vncircumcised, bond and free, beleeuers and vnbeleeuers.

In thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. All might haue taken hold of this blessing, as freely as Adam might stretch his hand to all the trees of the garden, saue the tree of knowledge. God would haue all men to bee saued, and therefore Christ was offred to all: but in that all bee not sa­ued, the fault is theyrs that will not pertake of this blessing.

The death of Christ was sufficient for al, but it was not effectuall for all: it was ef­fectuall [Page] onely for the beleeuers.

And therfore saith this same Iohn in the 3. Chap. of his Gospel: That, so many as be­leeued on him, should not perrish.

All were bidden to the marriage of the Kings Sonne, yet all did not come: nay, they who were first bidden came not at all. So the fault was theirs, that refused, being so solemnly inuited.

In like manner, all are not saued that are called to partake of this loue of God, vni­uersally made knowne to the whole world in Christ, who would haue all men to be saued.

Onely the beleeuers haue this preroga­tiue: For many are called, but few are chosen.

And sent his sonne to be a reconciliation.

Infinite are the testimonies of Gods loue towards vs, as Paule said, O how vnsearcha­ble are thy iudgements (O Lord) and thy waies past finding out: So may wee say; ô howe deepe is thy loue (ô Lord) towards vs, how vnsearchable & past finding out? no buc­ket of mans vnderstanding is able to sound the bottome of this bottomlesse fountaine.

Thy loue was manifested first, in giuing vs a Being, when before wee were not, in [Page] committing to vs the gouernment of this mossie vvorlde, and the creatures therein; making vs for dignitie but a little infe [...]iour to the Angelles, pouring vppon vs all temporall blessings. For all thinges that e­uer vvere or are, for our sakes they vvere, and are created, all for the ministerie of man [...] all to serue man, and man to serue GOD.

This tes [...]s [...]th the aboundant loue of our Creatoar: but more then can be most, is this exceeding testimonie of his loue, in sending his Sonne, his onelie begotten Sonne, Christ Iesus, into the world for our redemption. The worke of the sixe daies Creating of the worlde, is nothing to the worke of the redemption of the world.

Which made Saint Iohn exclaine with a speciall kinde of admiration: So God loued the world, that he gaue. &c.

And againe in this place, Heerein is loue, in that God [...]ent his s [...]nne to be a reconciliation. Hee spared not his onely sonne, but gaue him for vs all to death.

Neuer was there a time since man began to be vpon the earth, sitter for the learning and practising of this heauenly lesson, than [Page] now, for these are the worst and last times, wherein the sinns of men are growne ripe, for the sickle of Gods wrath: and men drinke vp iniquity like water. Men are so frozen in their dreggs, and the world with the lustes thereof, [...]ath so captiued them, that they can sinde no leasure at all to en­ter into this carefull consideration of Gods loue.

You knowe the parable of the excusers, in the gospel: One had bought a Farme, another had bought a yoake o [...] Oxen, the third had married a wi [...]e So is it in this de­clyning age of the vvorld: some are so in­tangled and wholely prepossest with t [...]e cares of this lyfe: others agayne so solde to carnality and lycensiousnes, as if they had bound themselues appren [...]zes to the deuil, to serue in the stauery of sinne.

And a thirde sort so irreligiously care­lesse, and voyde of all seeling, that they can finde no svveetenesse, no comfort, no tast in GODS worde, farie wide of Da­uids affection: it vvas in his mouth swee­ter than the honey-combe; but to these menne, it is more bitter than vvorme­wood.

They thinke euery moment of time too long, which is bestowed in Gods seruice. Onely, they come to the Temple of God for fashions sake, and as it were by compul­sion, like a Beare to a stake, drawne by vio­lence, & as soone as they are in the church, they couet to be out of the Church, far vn­like those Lampes in the Sanctuary, which were alwayes burning.

And so by one meanes or other, fewe or none can thinke vpon the loue of God.

All such are heere pinched by the elbow, and are wakened with the alarum that S. Iohn heere soundeth. Heerein is loue. &c.

In the 3. Chap. of his Gospel (hee sayth) He gaue his Sonne: all is one.

God giues and sendes his Sonne Christ vnto vs, and yet the Papistes will keepe him from vs, vnlesse wee will buy him at their hands.

God doth giue his Sonne freely, and the Sonne offers him selfe freely, and yet the Pope wil sell him.

Hoe, euery one that is thirstie, come to the Esa. 50. waters, and you that haue no mony, come?

The Popes proclamation runnes in ano­ther [Page] tenor. Hoe (saith hee) you that haue mony, come and buy out your sinnes, you shall haue Bulls, and pardons, and indul­gences, and dispensations, and priuiledges to sinne while you liue. These are strong delusions, sweete allurements, and able to enti [...]e all the Marchants of the earth to this so great a Mart.

But he kils all dead in the [...]ewse: this is it that marres the market; you shal be sure to pay well for it.

S. Iohn sayes, heere was loue in God to giue his sonne for vs: but we may say, heere is no loue in the Pope, saue the loue of lu­cre, the loue of mony.

So dooth he throughout shew himselfe a playne Antichrist, and a Vi [...]ar, not to God, but to the deuill, euen his chiefe so­ueraigne.

God lookes for no retribution: his loue freely presents him: he hath giuen vs him, and all things with him.

In this gift are all things contayned, For in him dwelleth all fulnes.

Hee is omnia in omnibus, all in all thinges, and had wee all the worlde, without him it were nothing. In him we liue, and moue, [Page] and haue our Being; in him we are at peace with God and men; in him we obtaine re­mission of our sins: it is he, who was woun­ded for our sinns, & smitten for our iniqui­ties. He was borne for vs that we might be borne againe in him; & so by that our new birth might haue an entrance into that ho­ly place whether [...]e is now ascended.

It is he that suffered for vs, to the end we should not suffer those indurable torments which by our sins we had incurred. He was [...] for vs, that we shold learne to cru­ [...] our old man with our crooked affecti­ons. In a worde: Hee is become our re­demption, sanctification, saluation, & daily preseruation: he is our health, our wealth, our liberty; name but Christ, & thou hast named heauen & earth, & all the rich trea­sures & blessings in them both. For in that God hath giuen vnto vs his sonne, he hath likewise with him giuen vs all things.

Reconciliation importeth a regayning of Gods fauour once lost.

Why then wee cannot per [...]itly consider of the greatnes of this benefit of reconcilia­tion, vnlesse we looke backe into our con­dition [Page] and state, before this attonement and reconciliation wrought in Christ.

We were before in a most wretched and miserable estate, subiect to sinne, & [...]athan, vnder the curse and malediction of the law and the wrath of God, quite aliants from God, and from the couenant.

This was the state wherein Adam left vs: a state that had in it nothing but wretched­nes, sinfulnes, and corruption; but nowe since the exceeding loue of God hath ap­peared, in sending his sonne to be our re­conciliation, & to set vs at peace with God by the vertue of his death: Since this true sunne of righteousnes shewed it selfe, all is salued: sinne, death, and the deuill, haue no more power ouer vs: for Christ hath en­larged vs, and set vs at liberty, like prisoners at a laile-deliuery.

All this duly considered, wee may sing with Paul, Nulla [...]st [...]: new there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesu

And henceforth wee may be ready with our Apostle, in th [...] place, to [...] vp our harts in the midst of all our cros [...]es, vvith this song of deliuerance, vvhich [...] [Page] a better harmony then all the Instruments of musique in the world.

Heerein is loue, not that wee loued God, but that God loued vs, and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes.

It followeth.] Beloued, if God so loued vs, we ought also to loue one another.

We are not capable of this loue of God, except we also loue one another.

Gods loue going first, should beget and forme in vs a like loue one towardes ano­ther.

Heere then wee are to learne a lesson of charity.

It is sayd, that loue couereth a multitude of sinnes. If wee will haue many sinnes co­uered, we must labour for this charity.

Wee ought to loue euen our enemies, as God loued vs being his enemies: but much rather our brethren and neighbours.

This is not a common loue, but a bro­therly loue that is heere meant, such a loue as Peter commended to the Church, in his 1. Epistle. 1. 22. Loue one another with a pure hart, feruently. Where we may obserue the properties of true loue, which is, It must be brotherly, pure, and feruent.

Brotherly: not after a common affecti­on; for brotherhood is the bond that knit­teth together Christians among thēselues euen as brothers, without any respect, or difference: for we haue all but one Christ, one baptisme, and one fayth; so we should haue all one loue.

Pure it must be: without faining, with­out glozing, without hipocrisie.

For many call their neighbours, brethren, and friends: and yet will not stick priuily and secretly to vndermine them.

It must be feruent: there is heate in true loue, as there is fire in iealousie.

VVhere this heate is, it will make thee tender thy friend so deerely, as that thou wilt not stick to lay downe thy life for him, as Christ laide downe his life for the bre­thren.

If you will knowne the excellencie of this loue, peruse at your leasure the 13. of the first to the Corinthians, there you may see the wonderfull effects of it. No vertue in the worlde brancheth it selfe into so many strange operations of godlines: it will be a spectacle worth the looking on, to behold vpon one stalke so many fruites growing [Page] of infinite varieties.

It suffereth long, it is bountifull: it enuieth not, it boastes not it selfe, it is not puffed vp, it disdayneth not: it is not prouoked to anger, it reioyeeth not in iniquitie: it suffereth all thinges, it beleeueth all thinges, it neuer falls away. &c.

I end with this one note: if you will be resolued, that this loue is in you, wherof we speake, you shal principally know it by this one fruite among many.

You will so loue one another, that you wil wholely imploy your endeuours to doe good one to another, and not euill all the dayes of our lyues.

You will forget and forgiue all iniuries, and trespasses committed, for his sake, who forgiueth you your great trespasses, your sinnes: a greater debt then vvas forgiuen to the mercilesse debter.

We cannot come neerer to God, than in the resemblance of this loue. S. Iohn proues it, If thou loue not thy brother whom thou hast seene, how shouldst thou loue God whom thou hast not seene.

Thou sinnest ten thousand times more against God, than thy neighbour can tres­passe [Page] against thee, yet he forgiues thee all: and canst not thou forgiue thy brother?

Some can soone shift of the matter, by aunswering it thus. I will forgiue him, but Ile neuer forget him.

He shall come to my pater noster, but ne­uer to my Creede.

God vvill reaunswere such in the same measure. Thou shalt come to my presence, where thou shalt see me and my holy An­gels, and all the holy company of heauen in that honorable consistory, when quick and Omnis caro. dead shall be iudged: but thou shalt be de­barred from that holy society: Thou shalt not rest vpon my holy mountaine.

Thus you haue seene God louing vs, and manifesting the same, his loue, in sending vs his sonne to reconcile vs.

You haue seene, how tender hee is ouer vs, & how gracious in louing vs; more then that, howe carefull to manifest his loue, in sending vs his onely sonne to reconcile vs: and lastly, what he requireth of vs in liew of this his carefulnes: which is, that he louing vs, we should also loue one another.

God is the first that inuiteth, and the last that forsaketh, neuer leauing, but first left, [Page] and euer offering till he be refused.

Hee still spreadeth his armes, like as the Cherubins doe their wings.

O let vs yeelde to his embracings, least when wee would, he will not: and so wee seeke the blessing with Esau, too late, and cannot preuaile though we shedde many teares.

And so I end this Loue-song as I began, to the end, that if you be so dull of hearing, as that you haue forgotten the sum of all that hath beene deliuered; yet at least you may remember the burthen of the song. Heerein is loue, not that we loued God, but that God loued vs, and sent his Sonne to be a recon­ciliation for our sinnes. Beloued, if God so lo­ued vs, we ought also to loue one another.

Soli Deo gloria.

The whole Argument of the Psalme, is in substance thus much.

DAuid being the last, and least of all his Father house, being despised of his owne brethren, persecuted by Saule, and vtterly reiected of the Iewes, dooth notwithstanding obtaine the Kingdome, to iustifie the trueth of that Scripture. There is no regard of persons with Acts. 10. 35. God, but in all places, and among all Nations, who so feareth him and worketh righteousnes, shall be accepted.

And agayne, God hath chosen the vile things of the world to confound the honourable.

And the virgins song was this. God hath Luk. 1, 52. put downe the mighty from their seates, and hath exalted the humble and meeke.

Dauid being the yongest sonne of Ishay, and of smallest reckoning, is taken from [Page] the sheepe-fold, and crowned a King, from guiding sheepe in Bethleem, to gouerne a 1. Sam. 16. mighty Nation in Israel.

So God alone numbreth, wayeth, & de­uideth. Hee measureth seasons, times, and yeares: hee setteth vp Kings, and putteth downe Kings at his pleasure: as wee reade in the 2. of Dan. 21.

The very cōsideration of which kindnes and exceeding fauour of the Lord, caused Dauid to pen this Psalme, to testifie there­by his thankfulnes. And this is briefely the substance of this Psalme.

And yet is this but a litterall constructi­on: you must knowe, that another misti­call matter, and of greater import, is heere deliuered.

In the person of Dauid, Christ our Lord is most liuely set forth. Who being the king of glory, the very sonne of God, heire and Lord of all things, was notwithstanding re­iected of the Iewes, among whom hee was borne; he came among his owne, and his owne receaued him not.

But maugre the malice of the deuill, and his instruments: flesh and blood could not preuaile. Herod, and all the wayting for [Page] of the people of the Iewes, could not o­uerthrow Christ, and his Kingdome: Nay, they rather ouerthrow themselues. Hee is neuerthelesse exalted, & his enemies quite confounded: yea, hee hath crushed them with a Scepter of iron, and broken them in peeces like a potters vessell. To make the Tyrantes of the vvorlde to knovve how vayne a thing it is to band themselues against the Lord, and agaynst his annoyn­ted.

The carefull consideration heere of glad­ded the hart of Dauid, more then the sta­blishment of his owne throane. Yea, it fil­led him vvith such vnspeakeable ioy, when once the Spyrite of GOD had taught him that Christ shoulde come from hys loynes to be a Prince to his people, and to gouerne them vvith righteous iudgements for euer: and howe hee alone must make his enemies his foote-stoole: I say it so re­ioyced him, that hee could not choose but sing tryumphantly to the Lord. The right hand of the Lorde is exalted: The right hand of the Lorde bringeth mightie thinges to passe. The stone which the builders refused, is be­come the head-stone in the corner. And so in a [Page] heauenly kinde of meditation, he conti [...] ­eth the same note to the words of my text, proclayming as it were a new holy-day to the Lord, which should religiously be ob­serued throughout a [...]l ensuing posterities, euen to a thousand generations.

This is the day, which the Lord hath made. Let vs reioyce and be glad in it.

This Text needes no curious diuision, for the words deuide themselues.

This is the day: There is the Prophets proclamation.

Which the Lord hath made: There is the Author from whom it is sent.

Let vs reioyce, &c. There is the celebra­tion of it.

Dauid beeing endued with the spirit of prophecie, could tell that Christ shoulde come in the flesh: as could the Patriarchs and all the holy men before him.

And least a matter of so great tydinges should by the malice of sathan, or by the practise of bloody tyrants, be lapt vp in ob­scurity, both our Prophet heere and all the rest did in all ages record the same in sun­dry places of Scripture: as well to chalenge [Page] it from forgetfulnes and obliuion, as also to take away all excuse from the vnbeleeuing Iewes: who if they had not beene altoge­ther giuen ouer to a reprobate sence, they must of necessity haue acknowledged Christ, since he was so liuely poynted at by so many prophecies throughout the whole Scripture.

Moses in the 3. of Genesis told it plainly, or rather God himselfe by Moses speaketh, that the seede of the woman shoulde breake the serpents head.

Zachary telleth Sion and Ierusalem, that her King was comming, He commeth poore, Zach, 9. 9. ryding vpon an asse. &c.

Christ himselfe, speaking of Abrahams testimony, sayth, Abraham sawe my dayes and reioyced. As a lambe before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth. And diuers other testimonies, whereof the Scriptures are plentifull.

Dauid, as if hee had seene all prophecies sealed vp, speaketh in this place of Christes day as it were, as if he had beene already in the world. This is the day. Blessed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord.

For Sions sake I will not hold my tongue, & Esiy, 62. [Page] for Ierusalems sake I will not rest, till the righ­teousnes thereof breake forth as the light.

What was that lampe & light but Christ, all the law and the Prophets, did presignify to the world that Christ should come, euen to the time that the Angell appeared to the Shepheards, and bad them goe see him, whom all the world desired to behold. So that we may preach to our selues, as Christ did to the Iewes. In our eares this day are all these Scriptures fulfilled.

This proclamation is very sutable to that in the second of Luke, Beholde, I bring you ty [...]ings of great ioy, which shall bee to all flesh: that vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour.

It was indeed tydings of the greatest ioy that might come into the world: for then was the world redeemed from her olde si­lence. Then began the true sonne of righ­teousnes to appeare, who alone was able to expell all the clowdy mists of ignorance.

What greater ioy can be then for the pri­soner to heare of liberty, the sicke of his health, the sinner of his saluation.

In the comming of Christ, it is to be ob­serued, that God sent his Angel, he did not [Page] vse the ministerie of man to publish thys mes [...]age, which shewes the dignity thereof. This Angell was accompanied with hea­uenly souldiours, who so soone as these ty­dings were published, began to sing, Glory to God on high. Peace on earth. Good will to­wards men.

Three notable wonders wrought in one day. The first part of this heauenly song noteth, that the benefite of Christes Incar­nation was not in earth onely, but in hea­uen also, and therefore, as there was peace on earth, so there was glory in heauen a­mong the Angels.

2. Peace on earth: This sheweth that [...]e came as a Medratour to make peace be­tweene God and vs.

3. Good will towards men: To shew that as hee was Fons Charitatis, the fountaine of charitie, so he would worke loue and cha­ritie among men.

What day coulde bring foorth greater matters, and therefore wee haue re [...]son to sing with Dauid; This is the [...]ay.

The day of our Creation, is in no sort to be cōpared to this day of our Redemption. Gods mercy appeared in making vs, but his [Page] greater mercy in sauing vs.

Before thys day wee were in a state most miserable, vnder the curse wherein Adam left vs, vnder wretchednes, vnder sinne, the curse of the lawe, and dominion of the de­uill. But nowe that Christ hath appeared, hell is conquered, sathan confounded, sin put to flight, and heauen set open to all be­leeuers.

So is it verified: Heauines may indure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning: our comming in hath been with teares, but our returne to Sion, is with euerlasting ioy vp­pon our heads.

The first Adam brought into the worlde darknes, fearefulnes and sorrowe, but the last Adam brought comfort, light [...] fulnes.

All is changed in our seconde Adam, mortalitie to immortalitie, mourning to mirth, misery to felicitie, sadnes to solace: now is the sinner iustified, the law dischar­ged, the dead reuiued, and the deuill van­quished, according to his mighty power who hath subdued all things vnto himselfe.

The Iubilee yeere to the Israelites vvas not halfe so welcome, as this day ought to [Page] be to vs: when that yeere came, it brought with it freedome and releasing of debts: & thys day and time, this acceptable yeere of Christ, hath brought vnto vs a greater free­dome, euen our soules freedome, & a grea­ter releasing of debts, our sinnes: for vvee owe vnto God more than the cruel debter, not ten thousand talents, but ten thousand times tenne thousand talents.

Neyther was the day of theyr deliue­rance from Pharao halfe so acceptable vn­to them, as this day of our deliuerance is to vs. For wee are set free from our spyrituall Pharao the deuill.

As Moses sayd to the Israelites, Remem­ber this day: so I say, Remember this day: for it is the day of our deliuerance: the day of our redemption: the acceptable day of the Lord.

This is a day wherein light first appeared to the Gentiles, euen to vs that were aliants from God, yet to vs hath the light appea­red, according to Symeons saying: A light to lighten the gentiles.

We that once were not a people, are now become a people: wee are made through Christ to bee the sonnes of the liuing God. [Page] For to the Israelites pertained the adoption and the glory, and the couenaunt, & giuing of the law, and the seruice of God, and the promises, of whom are the Fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh, Christ came. Rom. 9. 4.

A whole Sea of matter is heere laid open to mee, if I woulde at large discourse of the inestimable good deriued vnto vs by Chri­stes birth: but the time will not permit: & this little that hath beene spoken may carry you to the consideration of all the rest.

As a certaine Geometrician, finding Hercules foote vppon Olympus, by that one foote drewe the proportion of the whole body: so by this little, beeing but as it were a foote, in respect of the body of the matter included, you may conceiue vvhat might further be amplified in this poynt: the absolute fulnesse whereof, wee cannot possibly be able to comprehend.

Onely let vs consider that as at this tyme God sent his sonne to be our Sauiour. Hee hath giuen vs him, and all things with him, so that we may nowe say with the Apostle Saint Paule, All is ours, the world and the Creatures, thinges present and things to come, [Page] all is ours, and wee are Christes, and Christ is GOD.

Abraham seeing Christes daies a farre of reioyced: and yet hee was before Christ thrice foure-teene generations: How may wee reioyce, that liue to those daies alreadie determined?

Neyther Abraham, nor the Patriarchs, nor all the Prophets coulde say as we can: They coulde say no more but Christ shall come, vvee can say he is come.

Blessed are the eyes that see the thinges that you see, and the eares that heare the thinges that you heare.

VVhere it appeareth, vvee are rather blessed than all that vvere before Christ. The Kinges of the earth haue desired to see that which you see. &c.

All that vvere before Christ, sawe but a glymse of that lyght, the fulnesse where­of wee nowe behold, like the Sunne in his strength.

Wee haue seene the righteousnes of Sion breake out like the light, and the saluation thereof as a burning lampe.

Thus haue we a greater priuiledge than the Keysars and mighty Monarchs might be suffered to enioy. For vs were these bet­ter things reserued, euen we that now lyue in the time of the glorious Kingdome of Christ, haue obtayned this so rich preroga­tiue: all to shew foorth the greatnes of our felicitie.

Great cause haue we then to reioyce. As the babe sprang in Elizabeths wombe: so shoulde our harts spring within our bodies for ioy of the presence of Christ.

If Annah reioyced for that GOD gaue her a sonne, and so tooke away the rebuke of her barrennes, much more cause haue wee to reioyce, that God hath giuen vs his sonne to be borne for vs, whereby our bar­rennes of fayth is taken away, and vvee are made fruitefull in the workes of righteous­nesse.

If Iephtah his daughter went out vvith Tymbrels to welcome home her Father, how may we prepare to welcome a greater then Iephtah, nay a greater then Salomon. How should we prepare our minslrelsie to welcome home thys victorious Lyon of the Trybe of Iuda, since by him we do returne [Page] in victorie? and may tryumph as Iephtha did, not ouer a sew faint-harted Gybeonits, but ouer many millions of spirituall aduer­saries; Sin, death and hell, this worlde, and the lusts thereof.

Wee haue then cause to reioyce and to prepare our musicall instruments. VVee should say with Dauid: Awake vp Lute and Harpe, awake vp my glory, I my selfe will awake right early.

If Dauid daunced before the Ark, which was but a testimony & a signe of gods pre­sence, how would Dauid haue daunced & skypt, and trypt it, if he had liued to see his Lord walking vppon the earth, as his Apo­stles did?

What should I more say: surely this is all I can say: if this loue of Christ, & this true reioycing were planted in you, you would carry lesse loue to the world then you do.

Neyther the loue of riches, nor the loue of honour, nor the loue of long life, no wealth, no friendes, no treasure, shoulde weare it: the gayning of tenne thousande worlds should not be able to draw vs from Christ.

Symeon was wearie of the world vvhen [Page] once hee had founde Christ: Nowe let mee die, saith he: As if he should say, Now haue I had the fruition of the greatest blessing, a greater treasure then this, the worlde can­not afford me: For mine eyes haue seene my saluation. And so haue our eyes seene the same saluation: wee should therefore loue the world no more than Simeon did.

I count all things but losse, saith Paul, in re­spect Philip. 3. of the excellent knowledge of my Lorde: yea, very d [...]ng, &c.

And in the eyght to the Romaines, hee concludeth with a sweete protestation, say­ing: Neyther death, nor life, nor Angells, nor Principal [...]ties, nor height, nor depth, nor things Rom. 8. Present, nor thinges to come, nor any creature, shall be able to separate mee from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord.

Oh, that now among vs, might be found some such like Simeon, or like Paul, or like Dauid in his Psalmes, and elswhere, euer sending foorth plentifull testimonies of his reioycing in Christ.

This reioycing is not a matter so soone practized as many conceiue it to be.

Euerie man will be ready to say wee doe reioyce, and wee are right glad of thys day of the Lorde. And as a signe of our reioy­cing, wee are willing to celebrate not thys day onely, but euen this whole feast in re­membrance of our Lord.

And to this purpose wee deck our hou­ses, and our streetes, & our Temples vvith boughes, like them that strewed branches in the way where Christ should come, and crying Hosanna before him as hee rid to le­rusalem.

And we with mouth and hart, are readie to cry Hosanna in like sort: Blessed is he that commeth is the name of the Lord.

All this beloued wee may doe, and yet come short of the true [...]eioycing.

It is not in euery man power to reioyce, and therefore Dauid saith: Blessed are the people that can [...]

And to shewe who they are that can so reioyce, it is added: They [...] the light of thy cou [...] [...] Psalm. 88. continually in thy N [...], [...] ­nesse shall they exalt them-se [...]ues. Their hearts are euer indyting good matters: [Page] and theyr tongues are as the pennes of rea­die Writers, freely and cheerefully to tell out the goodnes of the Lord.

They wil not hide the mercies of the lord from theyr children, yea, to the generation to come will they shewe the prayses of the Lord, and the wonderfull acts that he hath doone.

Hence we may learne the manner of true reioycing. Wee should be euer meditating vpon the Lords mercies: and wee shoulde publish them to our chyldren. If it vvere possible, we should make it knowne to the whole world, what God hath done for our soules. This should bee our continuall ex­ercise, not for a day, or a month, or a yeere, but for euer. Infinitely happy were wee, if we could thus reioyce.

But alas, our reioycing is in euill, wee re­ioyce not in Christ: or if we doe reioyce, it is but an interim, a starting ioy, a tempo­rarie and a [...]leeting ioy, of no continuance, like a buble on the water, which dies while it swells.

As long as my Text runnes, or vvhyle you are in the Church and do heare Christ spoken of, you remember him, and [...]ou can [Page] breathe out a short thanks-giuing, like a Schollers grace: but no sooner shall you get home to your houses, and a fayre payre of cardes or tables throwne vpon the table, but all is forgotten; the price of our Re­demption forgotten, yea, Christ himselfe forgotten: so dooth a little vanitie like a dampe soone extinguish all the lights of godlines.

I knowe you would be loath to bee thus censured: doe but aske your selues & your consciences and they shall tell you whether I misdeeme or not.

Your comming hether nowe, I com­mend: & the simplest that sits among vs in Gods house, will seeme to present himselfe before the Lorde as a sacrifice of thanksgi­uing, for this great benefit in Christ, be­gun to be wrought as vppon this day, the ioyfull day of Christes incarnation.

But thou must know, that God requireth no temporary, but a continuall sacrifycing of thy selfe, a daily presenting of thy Chri­stian duties. VVhat is become of you, or where are you bestowed all the yere after? The Church is now ful, but a few Sabbaths hence, scarce the fourth person wilbe found [Page] in this place. Heere one, and there one, like the after-gleaning in the vintage.

What doth this argue, but that wee cele­brate this feast rather for custome than for conscience.

Thys is called a time of feasting, and a time of reioycing, and a tyme of merrie­making: and so it ought to bee, so it bee doone in the Lord.

But wee greatly prophane the same, in bestowing it wholy vpon our lusts: in ryo­ting, reuelling, and roysting, in dycing and carding and in pampering vp our bodies too much with the supers [...]uities of Gods creatures. All such reioycing is euill.

You seemed once thys day as Lampes burning in the Sanctuary: and novve you seeme to haue neyther oyle nor light at all. Nowe no Lampes, but lumpes of sinful­nesse, and the senceles [...]e earth groneth vn­der the massy weight of such a burden.

If the prophane Iewes should come into your houses, and to your Taue [...]es, and there looke vpon your disorders. Finding you not trau [...]sing the Scriptures, nor rea­ding the lawe and the Prophers: nay all of [Page] you otherwise exercised, wholy deuoted to sinsul vanitie, some at cardes, some at dice, swearing, and forswearing. &c.

Others, carowsing and qu [...]ing, pow­ring in wine & strong drinke without mea­sure, as if theyr [...]odies were giuen them to no other purpose.

And hee is the iolliest fellowe that can drink his companion vnder the boord. As if they meant to make themselues famous in this, as the S [...]ythians thought to make themselues famous in another respect.

Among them, hee was reputed the bra­uest Gentleman that had committed the bloodiest s [...]aughter.

Such forget Esayes woe in the thirde of his prophecie. 11. 12. 14. verses.

Ther [...]ore hath hell inlarged it selfe, and hath opened his mouth without measure.

O that this one sentence of terrour were ingrauen in the tables of our hearts, or in­rolled in lead, or in stone, for euer.

This one sentence of the seuerity of gods iustice against such, would make vs beware to transgresse: and how to carry our selues in a greater measure of sobrietie.

Surely great, and beioynd measure intol­lerable [Page] is the vanitie of sinfull men in thys behalfe: for we dishonour God in our bo­dies where we should glorifie him. GOD hath made vs Christian men, but we shewe our selues no men, but beasts among men.

Hee that loueth father or mother more then me, saith Christ, is not worthy of me. We do worse, we loue our follies, our vanities, and our pastimes more then God.

Some are giuen to one vanitie, some to another: as all sinnes are not found in one, and yet in one are many founde, and no [...]e without some, and all are in vs, and among vs all.

Our true reioycing were rather this, to bestow the time in meditation, stil to praise God for this rich treasure, to penne godlie songs and psalmes of thankfulnes like Da­uid: to be deuising with Micah what wee should giue vnto the Lord, for that which he hath giuen vs.

Wee hang our houses with Holies and greene boughes: but we our selues should rather be holy boughes, euen trees of righ­teousnes, as we are called by Esay. 61.

If wee will needes feast, let vs yet beware of the abuses in feasting. Iob can best coun­saile [Page] vs heerein. We reade in the 1. chapter of his booke, That when his sonnes and daughters had made an end of banquet­ting in theyr houses, euery one his day, hee like a carefull Father sent for them, and sanctified them, and sacrificed for them. And this did Iob euery day: for he feared his sonnes had blasphemed God in theyr harts.

Iob doubted that his children had com­mitted many slips, and that they carried not themselues in such a Christian-like sobrie­ty, as was required in those holy feasts, and therefore hee did both send for them, and sacrificed for them.

Parents ouer their children, and maisters ouer their housholds, should be armed with like godly iealousie. For if this religious care were had both of our selues and ours, fewer offences would be committed; or at least beeing committed, they would bee soone salued by prayer and sanctisication, as Iob did.

For this example is pend and registred for our good, and for our imitation, that in all our feastings, and meetings, and mer­ry-makings, wee should remember our [Page] selues, & pray that God would pardon our corruptions and prophane carriage of our selues, in time of our feasting.

For it is an hard and difficult matter, at such times to keepe our selues so cleare, but some corruption or other will cling vn­to vs.

Sinnes then are soonest swallowed, lyke the dainty morsells that passe downe our throates: and so sinne goes downe as fast, and is deuoured with pleasure, like the Ap­ple that Eue tasted. The pleasantnes of it to the eye, and the toothsomnes of it to the mouth, pricked forward her desire, and so in eating shee fell, and so in eating vvee fall.

And therefore it is sayde, Woe to the full, for the full are apt to sorget God.

The deuill neuer fell to tempting, till the houre of eating came. And when hun­ger called for meate, hee also called for his temptations, and presented before them the most delicious meate, such as hee well knewe was fitting to theyr swnet-mouthd humours.

It behooueth vs therefore especiallie, to beware howe wee feast, not for that fea­sting [Page] in it selfe is euill: nay, it is a thing commended and commaunded in Scrip­ture, as the feastes of Tabernacles, and the feastes of Sabaoths, and Iubilees, and new moones, &c.

And Christ wrought his first miracle at a feast.

The abuse it is that wee speake of, which often is committed in our feastinges. For in our pleasures the deuill hath hidde hys snares: and therfore a godly man giues this prouiso or caueat.

Handle your pleasures (sayeth hee) as you handle Bees, that is, first take out the sting, and after, you may play with them without harme.

It may be that my Sonnes haue sinned, and blasphemed God in their harts.

So let vs say of our selues, as Iob spake of his Sonnes: It may be, in this tyme of our banquetting, we haue sinned and blas­phemed.

It may be, our good cheere, and delici­ous fare, and our carde-playing, and our dauncing, and our reuelling, and our other vanities, haue made vs forgette GOD, [Page] and our selues, and forget Christ, who is the feast-maker, the cause and Author of our meeting at this time.

Now then that I haue shewed you the difference betweene the true reioycing and the false: aduise your selues which you will follow.

As Iosuah said at his farewell, when hee was to be gathered to his people, & to goe the way of all the worlde. Now (saith hee) choose you, whether you will serue the Gods of the heathen, or serue the Lord.

So I say, whether you will hence-forth serue your lustes, or serue God. If God be God, serue him: If Baal be God, serue him. Eyther sticke to vanity, or sticke to God. God hath not redeemed you to sinne any more; but that you should subdue, and vt­terly kill the whole body of sinne: for it is said, Be ye holy, as I am holy.

But know, that if you runne on in your vanities, you runne from God, who hath created you, and from Christ who hath re­deemed you; and from the spirit of God, by whom you are sealed.

If wee sinne wilfully nowe after we haue receaued the knowledge of the truth, there [Page] remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne: but a fearefull looking for of iudgement, and Heb. 10, 26, violent fire, which shall deuoure the aduer­sarie.

Full of dreadfulnes is that, in the 6. of the same Author to the Heb. It is impossible that they which were once lightned, and haue tasted of the heauenly gift, and were made pertakers of the holy Ghost, & haue tasted of the good worde of God, and the powers of the world to come: if they fall Heb. 6, 4. away, should be renued againe by repen­tance, seeing they crucifie the sonne of god, and make a mock of him.

But beloued, wee haue perswaded our selues better things of you, and things that accompanie saluation, though wee thus speake.

God forbid that I should thinke, that all the good seede of the worde, so plentifully sowed in your harts now, the space of forty yeares, should fall to the ground in vaine.

Paul hath not so planted you: no [...] A­pollo watred you in vaine; that you should still proue faithlesse and barren: but there must needes be in you, some increasing in knowledge, some growing in religion, some [Page] prositing in vnderstanding.

The thornes choake not all; nor doe the birds deuoure vp all; nor is all fallen vpon stony ground to hinder the growth of the word.

And yet if all this should be so, there is hope neuerthelesse in the fourth part: it beeing the better part, and the fructifying part, will make amendes for all the rest: yeelding increase an hundred fold, like the seede of Isaac.

GOD hath made vs principally, and before all thinges, to glorifie him, and serue him in holines all the daies of our sinfull pylgrimage; he hath also for a secondarie purpose created vs, e­uen to be helpfull and seruiceable one to a­nother.

As we must be especially carefull howe wee runne into those sinnes that are offen­siue to the maiestie of God, and doe pro­uoke his displeasure: so must we be carefull in like manner howe wee commit such of­fences and trespasses agaynst our brethren or ne [...]ghbours, whereby wee may incurre their hatred and displeasure. God dooth looke into our carriage & behauior among our selues, that we offend not one another: that so being created after the similitude of God, in holines, wee might also bee pro­fited [Page] in holding on our course in the same holines, by performing all Christian duties both towards God and man.

The vvhole duty of a Christian man, consists but in two points: viz. in holines towards God, and in righteousnes towards man: aunsvverable to that short diuision made by our Sauiour. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart, &c. And thy neighbour as thy selfe.

The one dooth necessarily imply the o­ther, and they cannot be seperated: for S. Iohn prooues it. If thou loue not thy brother whom thou hast seene, howe canst thou loue God whom thou hast not seene?

Of the latter onely I am to speake in this place: and of that, but in a particularity neither, as my Text doth leade me.

This portion of Scripture nowe to bee handled is one of the branches of the com­mandements, in the second table, inforcing righteousnes towards man.

It is one of the edges of that more than one edged sword, to cut in sunder the very hart-strings of false witnes-bearing. For a false tale is a false testimony: and the secret accusing of our neighbours by bad reports, [Page] whereby their name and fame may be im­peached, is a species or kind of false witnes bearing: and it is such a trespasse, as doth quite ouerthrow the peaceable state of all Christian societies.

God in this place, vseth two principall arguments, to inforce this cōmaundement. The one taken frō the person of our selues, in the word thou: and the other from the person of God, in the word shalt.

Thou, being as thou art, my creature, the workmanship of my hands, whom I haue formed and fashioned out of the clay, and so by breathing into thee breath of life, did make thee a lyuing soule.

Thou, who art but vile earth, very corrup­tion, and rottennes: Thou shalt not. &c.

The carefull remembrance of our selues in a dutifull remorce, is a matter of such force, that it is able to batter, or at least, to mollifie the most obdurate heart of anie Christian, and to stirre him vp to a sincere obedience toward God his Creatour.

Nature it selfe hath stampt a reuerent impression, euen in the vnreasonable crea­tures, [Page] working a dutifulnes in them to­wards their benefactours. Esay prooues it to reprooue men, that somtimes shew thē ­selues worse then beasts. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his maisters crib, yet Israel knoweth not me. My people hau [...] forgot­ten him that made them.

Though it were practised by a prophane man, yet was it a practise of Christianity, that which we read of Phillip King of Ma­cedon: Hee caused this lesson of mortali­ty, to bee euery morning sounded at his dore: Memento Philippe te esse hominem.

This lesson did hee learne, euen in the morning, in the beginning of the day, least his kingly tytles, and honours, and magnificence, might make him forget him selfe, as Coruinus forgot his name.

Least hee might vvaxe insolent, and proude against GOD, lyke Nabuchad­nezer, when hee ietted it in his royall Pal­lace at Babell.

Or like Alexander, Sonne to this King Phillippe, who after this, farre vnlyke his Father, being rapt away with the high con­ceite of honour, termed himselfe a God. To verifie that, which hath beene long a­goe [Page] fore-tolde by the propheticall King: Man being in honour, may be compared to the beasts that perrish.

This consideration of a mans selfe, it is the very eye of the soule, vvhereby shee looketh and pryeth into her vvhole e­state.

It is the very doore of humility: and where it is soundly planted in any religious Christian, it so beauti [...]ieth and inuesteth him, that he shall seeme no other than a ve­rie liuely resemblance of Christ our Lord, svvadled vp in cloutes, and layde in a man­ger.

This consideration was in Dauid, when looking first vppon him-selfe: hee after looked vp to GOD, and exclaymed with a rauishing kinde of admiration. (O Lord) what is man, that thou shouldst be so mindfull of him: or what is this mortall generation, that thou shouldst so graciously visite it.

And agayne, in a greater measure of humility, in the two and twentieth Psalm: hee calles hym-selfe a vvorme, and no man.

I haue saide to corruption, thou art my Fa­ther, and to rottennes, thou art my mother.

Moses the seruant of God, and the mee­kest man vppon the earth, thought there could be no greater argument of perswasi­on to draw the Israelites to the true seruice of God, than this we now speake of, being taken from the person of man. I haue cho­sen thee from among all Nations vnder heauen, to be a peculier people to my selfe: therefore thou shalt obserue all my ordinances to doe them: And againe, in the 40. of Exodus, Thou art my first borne, &c. Therefore I looke that thou obserue my commaundements.

A certaine deuoute man was woont to thanke God for three things

First, for that God had made him a rea­sonable creature, not a beast.

2. For making him a man, and not a woman.

3. For making him a Christian man.

Where this or the like cōsideration goeth before, there sinne and sathan following af­ter, can no more preuaile against thee, than the Philistines could against Sampson, whē he brake the cords.

I say, if wee doe but consider, what wee are, how weake and corruptible we are, and what great thinges notwithstanding God [Page] hath done for vs, in making vs of nothing, giuing vs the whole worlde to commaund, and the creatures in it; the sunne to shine to vs, the fire to warme vs, the earth to beare vs, beastes, fowles, and fishes to feede vs. These, and a thousand times greater things than these, beeing duly considered, must needes produce in vs an effectuall operati­on, for performance of this righteousnes we speake of.

God being so mindful of vs, should force vs to bee mindfull of him, in the carefull practise of his commaundementes. And thus much for the first argument, drawne from the person of our selues.

The second argument is taken from the person of God: noted in the word shalt not.

Before God had published the comman­dements, he pressed them with this speciall charge. I am Lord that brought thee out of the land of Aegipt, &c. Wherein thou wast a staanger 400. yeares. Therefore bee carefull to doe my commandements.

And the same againe is repeated, in the second of Leuit. I am the Lord who brought thee, &c.

Twice seauen times these wordes are re­peated [Page] in the nineteenth of Leuitticus: I am the Lorde. Yee shall not turne to I [...]lls: I am the Lorde. Yee shall not steale, nor doe wrong to your neighbours: I am the Lord, &c. Thou shalt not walke about with tales among my people, I am the Lord.

The originall vvord is Iehouah: which signifieth the verie essence of GOD. [...], quam colunt Angeli, obser­uant [...]npi [...], osculatur vniuersitatis natura.

Thys vvorde is lefte vntranslated in Scripture, in respect of the maiestie there­of.

Saint Augustine sayth: That certayne wordes are not alwayes to bee translated, eyther propter maiorem sanctuatem, as the vvoorde H [...]leilutah, and Amen. Or be­cause they cannot significantlie bee tran­slated into another tongue: as Osanna, Ra­cha.

The maiesticall name of God being ex­amined in the weights of the Sanctuarie, it is able to strike a terrour in the hearts of them, who shall violate this law.

VVhen Moses came to Pharaoh, hee came vnto him in the person of God, and said, Thus saith the Lord. Exod. [...].

And the booke of GOD in many pla­ces vseth the name of God, as a speciall motiue to drawe men to obedience: Deus exercituum: Hee that sitteth betweene the Cherubines: Hee that turneth the floods into a Wildernes, and dryeth vp the water-springs: Hee that sittes amidst the golden candlestickes, arayed in a golden garment, downe to the feet, and girt about the pappes with a golden girdle. Whose head and hayre were white as wooll, and his eyes a flaming fire. Reuel. 1.

And againe, He that hath the sword with two edges.

I am he that hath

• Celsitudinē dignitatis.
• Rectitudinē v [...]ritatis.
• Magnitudinē potestatis
• Fortitudinē firmitatis.

Vnconquerable truth it selfe, power it selfe immutable.

I am he who haue

• Condicionem liberiorem.
• Dilectionem vberiorem.
• Praelationem superiorem.

And therfore you are to respect my laws; as if hee should haue sayde: All these cir­cumstances of maiestie, doe euidently de­clare, and clearely prooue to the eyes and eares of all the world, that I am the Lorde Iehouah. I am God alone, and there is no o­ther besides me. Therefore thou shalt not vi­olate any of my lawes, nor shalt thou trans­gresse in the least of my commandements. Thou shalt not walke about with tales among my people.

And thus much briefely for the second argument, taken from the person of God. Hauing thus proceeded by these two mo­tiues, to the charge of this cōmaundement, he comes in order to the substance or mat­ter of the same.

The principall matter heere forbidden by expresse words in this commandement, is, the carrying of tales.

There are many sorts of passengers, that doe intercourse betweene man & man.

Princes haue their Embassadours, that eyther doe denounce open warre and ho­stility, or else doe intreate for peace.

Noble men haue their attedants and fol­lowers, [Page] that post it vpon their maisters af­faires, in executing theyr commaunde­ments.

Ministers, are Gods messengers, to preach good tydings, the glad tydinges of the go­spell: thereby to reconcile sinners vnto God, through the word of reconciliation.

Merchants haue theyr Factours on thys side and beyond the Seas, which transport newes and other matter concerning theyr traffique. &c.

Priuate men haue some or other theyr friendes, to carry theyr minde in theyr de­sires what-soeuer, whether it be by mouth or by letter, to such as they would acquaint with theyr busines, beeing separated by di­stance of place.

None of these are charged in this com­maundement, it concernes them not: and yet they are such as carry and reca [...]y. They are a kinde of people that passe & repasse, still going, and returning, and walking a­bout from man to man, and from house to house, and from citty to citty, euen through the world.

No post, no passenger, no trauailer, nor no Embassadour in the world, euer carried [Page] about him a larger commission or pasport, then these we speake of; nay, whom God especially noteth by expresse name: those that walk about with tales among the peo­ple.

Princes Embassadours are necessarie in­struments, and without such exercising theyr places and offices in all dutifull dilli­gence & fidelity, the state of kingdoms can not be maintained. Noble men, Merchants, Ministers, & priuate men, are special mem­bers of the body politick, & they may law­fully vse others theyr followers to walke a­bout for the executing & effecting of their honest desires: but these Tale-bearers are vtterly to be condemned, for that they run before they be sent, and doe deuise all the meanes they can to breed dislention, and hatred betweene men.

Where the Bee drawes forth honny, these like Spyders suck out poyson, and with the same as by a generall contagion, do seeke to infect the whole world.

Theyr names disery their natures. They are called in this place walkers about: bee­ing busie-bodies, they trouble them-selues and others with vnnecessary busines. No [Page] body bids them walke, and yet they walke.

Sathans instruments are like sathan: for in the second of Iob, when God asked him where hee had beene, his aunswere vvas. I come from comp [...]ssing the world to and fro, & walking in it.

And so heere the Tale-bearer suborned by sathan, hee comes from comp [...]ssing the worlde to and fro, and f [...]om walking in it.

The deuill is the Muster-m [...]ster, and these be his souldiours. [...]ee walkes in his Marches. greater circuite, and these in the lesser cir­cuit, they runne to and fro, hee [...]e and there, and euery where, filling the Court, c [...]e, and country.

They walk from dore to do [...]e▪ and from house to house, begging for [...]ales, [...] thē the slarued beg for bread.

There is no name in Scripture giuen to the deuill, but it may bee as s [...]ly giuen to these. He is called a Lyar, so are they, hee is called an Accusar▪ so are they: hee is called an Aduersary, so are they, for they are like Ismaell, who was against all.

He in Saint Peters Epistle is called a De­uourer, and so are they.

Note well Saint Peter his description of [Page] sathan, and see if they be not sathans.

Saint Peter saith, he goeth about: As the Keeper rayles in his Deere, so the deuill makes his raile about vs, to the end we may not escape him. And euen so do Tale-bea­rers goe about, as Saint Paul hath testifyed of them, beeing busie-bodies, they learn to goe about from house to house, yea, they are not onely idle, but also pratlers, & spea­king things that are not comly. 1. Tim. 5. 13.

The second property of sathan is to roare in his walke: hee goeth about like a roaring Lyon, and so dooth the Tale-teller roare as he walkes like a Lion: but indeed the most part of them are Lyonesses. They spare no words that may furnish the matter, before they will goe away vnheard, they wil make a double and treble repetion of that they speake.

Thirdly, S. Peter saith the deuill seekes as he goeth, & so doe they: they are as glad of a tale by the end, as a fryer of a pudding.

At last comes in, to deuoure: seeking whō he may deuoure: & there he ends: shewing that to deuoure is his purpose, and so to de­uoure is their purpose.

The deuill hath a deepe swallowe, and [Page] therefore he is called Diabolos, quasi duo bo­ls: he makes but two morsels of a man: & in that respect hee may well be called a de­uourer. No lesse deuourer is the tale-guest. For Salomon, the only experimented man of the world, he that cōsidered of al things, considered this also among rest.

There is a generation (saith hee) of peo­ple, Prou, 30. 14 whose teeth are as swordes, and theyr chawes as kniues, to eate vp the afflicted out of the earth, and the poore frō among men.

Other men carry their swordes by theyr sides, but these carry them in their mouthes, because they may draw them forth at their pleasure.

These people are worse then Crowes: for they feede but vpon dead carkasses but these carriers of tales feede vpon them that are aliue. Like those Anth [...]opophagi, whō the Cospographers speake of, such as eate mans flesh.

To cut vp the Anatomy, & to embowel it throughly for a cleerer viewe: to what shall I liken this generation? They are like a moath: as a moath eates a hole in cloath, so these eate holes in euery mans coate.

To what shal I liken this generation they are like to the Camelion, which feedes one­lie vpon the ayre: and so these tale guestes f [...]e vppon the ayre, that is, the breath of men, and yet sometimes they draw soorth [...]roth from the k [...]chm.

To what againe may I liken this genera­tion: The Tale-bearer is like an Archer, men are his markes and euill reports are his arrowes: and therefore saith the prophet, They bende theyr tongues like bowes to shoote Ier [...]n [...]9. out lyes.

Dauid saith, the Angels pitch theyr campes about them that serue God, & de­liuereth them. But wee may say Tale-bea­rers pitch their campe [...] of lyes, & rumors, and slaunders, about them that feare God, and deuoureth them.

These wicked Ismaelites, who oppose themselues against all the worlde, are by so much the more odious, for that theyr chat­tering tongues offending all mens eares with a more then [...]ioting talkeatiuenes, can neuer come to a period, till they haue runne themselues cleane out of breath, as they haue runne out of credite.

VVhen there shall be no men vpon the [Page] earth, then shall the slaunderer cease from slaundering.

Hell, and the Tale-bearer are much a­like: Like the Hors [...] lee­ches daugh­ter, still cry­ing, giue, giue. the one is neuer satisfied with sinners, the other with slaunders.

There is no way to bee rid of a slaunde­rer, but eyther by cutting out his tongue: that though he can deuise and heare, yet he cannot vtter what hee hath heard or deui­sed. Or else, by shutting him out of all companie, that he might neyther heare nor see.

For as it was permitted to Abraham to see the smoake of Sodom, but Lot might not be pri [...]iledged to see it: so hee that can make a vse of what is done, may be permit­ted to heare and see, and to pry into the ac­tions of men, but others may not: for that they are like Spyders, which sucke vp no­thing but poyson, euen out of the most wholesome hearbes that are.

As the charitable peace-makers labour to breed peace, and good wil among men: so these make-bates straine their endeuours to sette men together by the eares.

They are alwaies sowing the seed of deui­sion betwixt one & another, as the enuious [Page] man sowed tāres in the husbandmans field while he slept.

When men are sleeping, then bee these waking, and walking about like Night­crowes, being ashamed the day should di­scouer them, because theyr deedes are euill.

These messengers of sathan, as they shew themselues vigilant and diligent, so are they pollitick withall, and full of craft, like theyr crafts-maister the deuill.

For when they deliuer any matter of ob­loquy and manifest vntruth, they indent & couenaunt with the partie to whom they discouer it, that hee shall not bewray them, or make them the Authors of the report. And all to blinde the truth, and to stop all the meanes whereby it may be found out.

If men woulde be aduised to take heede howe they entertaine such idle circumceli­ans, or if they did but publish their names to the world, much contention and hatred would be slopped.

The Tale-hearer is as much in some re­spects to be cōdemned as the Tale-bearer. For many are light of hearing, and are apt to receiue with open eares what-soeuer is told them by whisperers, and flatterers, and [Page] the like. As the Athenians gaue themselues to heare newes, so doe these to heare tales.

Micah was not halfe so willing to enter­taine a Leuit, as a number be nowe to en­tertaine tale-guests.

Others be so light of credit, that whatsoe­uer they heare told, that they beleeue, and do so beleeue the first tale, that they wil not beleeue the second: and these are homines altera tantum parte auriti. And they deserue to haue but one eare, that will not heare with both.

A third sort there is which is worst of all, some are so wayward and so froward, that they wil neuer or very hardly be reconciled after they haue beene once prepossest with sinister reports.

And this varietie of ill-affected humors in men, spring all from the Tale-bearer, or from the back-byter, who cannot in anie wise brooke that peace should rest among men.

When the Lord had determined Achabs fall, a spirit came foorth and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will goe foorth and bee a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.

So the Tale-teller, he also stands vp like [Page] a speedie messenger, & he like a lying spy­rit, possesseth both the mouthes and harts of all men, to make them fall.

If God should make vs see our countrey dispeopled, our Citties ransacked, and our houses spoyled, as GOD graunt our eyes may neuer see such ruines, wee might say, The enemy hath been here. So when wee see our peace become confusion, our vnitie turned to enuy, our good lyking turned to froward grudging: When friends become foes, and neighbours aduersaries one to an­other, vvee may well say, The Tale-bearer, or the slaunderer, or the back-byter hath beene heere.

Thus are weeds sprung vp where grapes should haue beene planted.

But why goe I about to wash a Negro: vvho vvill still be blacke, though hee were washt vvith all the sope of the gospel.

I doe but like him that purgeth and scoures a stinking channel, which the more it is stirred, the worse it sauours. Hee is yet as read [...]e to ba [...]kbite as before, and to re­turne me aslaunder for this his Anatomy.

VVell, though hee be in this place but controlled the slying booke which Zacha­ne speakes of in his fift chapter, the length whereof was twentie cubits, & the breadth tenne cubites, euen the booke that con­taines the curses of the wicked, shall more largelie decypher him heereafter, in his full proportion.

For enery one that slaundereth, shall be cut off, as well on this side as on that.

And euery one that telleth tales, shall be cut off, as well on this side as on that.

And it shall bee brought foorth, and it shall enter into the house of the s [...]underer, and him that telleth tales, and him that de­lighteth to hatch lyes.

And it shall remaine in the midst there­of, and it shall consume it with the Tym­ber thereof, and the stones thereof.

Thus as the Tale-bearer accuseth o­thers, so haue I accused him: and blazed him to the worlde, that yee may the rather beware of him, and shunne him nowe you know him. And when he shal intrude into [Page] your company, or presume to tread within your houses, ye may shut the doore against him, and be ready to giue him the like en­tertainement as Christ did to the deuil, whē he said, Auoyde sathan: & so you may say to this messenger of sathan, Auoyde Tale­teller, come not at mee. Thou art the bree­der of my trouble, and the Authour of my confusion.

Thou commest as a friend, ful of [...]ayning [...]lattery, but I know thee to be a fiende, and a mortall foe to me and mine. Therefore I defie thee, and do debar thee from my soci­etie for euer.

Now then in time be warned: all ye that haue lent diligent eares to such, beware how you pertake with theyr sinnes.

As no theefe woulde presume to steale without a receauer: so no Tale-bearer will presume to bring a tale, without a receauer. Therefore as Christ warned his disciples: Beware how yee heare: So I say vnto you, Beware how you heare.

Be not carryed away with euerie winde, be swift to heare good things.

If thou hast heard a slaunder against any, let it die with thee, and bee sure it shall not [Page] burst thee.

Blessed is the man that hath not offen­ded Ecclus, 14. in his tongue, nor hath fallen by the word of his mouth.

SAthan the Accuser of our bretheren, will euer stirre vp one or other to per­secute the poore Church of Christ. He beganne with Adam our graund­father, euen in Paradice, prouoking him to eate of the forbidden siuite: whereas it had beene told him before, In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.

Hee proceeded further, and procured Caine to sley Abell: hee incensed [...]sau a­gainst Iacob, made Saul to persecute Da­uid, sette Nabucadnezar against Daniell: Iesabell against Eliah: Not to [...]unne vpon particulars, the Scribes & pharisces against Christ, Herod the Father against the In­nocents, Herod the Sonne against Iohn Baptist, and this Herod against Iames and Pete [...]

Beholde the Serpents policie, note in what sort he bestirres himselfe, euen by sea­ting himselfe in the hearts and consciences of great men, by making Kings and Prin­ces & Rulers his instruments, for the prac­tizing of crueltie against Gods Church.

The mightie men of the earth, vvhich ought with their authoritie that they haue from God, to maintaine and stablish true religion, and to vphold the Church when stormes of persecution doe arise; Theyr handes and theyr endeuours are most for­warde in labouring to suppresse Religion, and the professours theirof: they first lyft themselues vp against the Lord, & against his annoynted.

The second [...]ormer Herod raged most violently against Iohn Baptist, and against Christ, and this Herod heere mentioned, exerciseth like tyrannie against the Apo­stles of Christ.

Iames was alreadie slaine, and so had Pe­ter beene but for the holy time of Passeo­uer, as now commeth to be considered.

The Text offereth these three thinges worthy our obseruation.

First, the captiuitie of Peter.

Secondly, his deliuerance. Thirdlie, his thankfulnesse.

And when he saw it pleased the people.

This bloody persecuting Tirant, did vex the Church of God by killing Iames with the sword, & by imprisoning Peter, think­ing to dispatch him in like manner, hauing no cause at all.

Sometimes men persecute of malice, as Caine did Abel: sometimes of enuie, as E­sau did Iacob: sometimes through Idola­try, and for religion, as Nabucadnezer did the three chyldren: somtimes of couetous­nesse, as Iudas did his maister: sometimes of ignorance, as the Iewes in putting Christ to death: Father forgiue them, they know not what they doe.

But thys Tyrant could yeeld no cause or reason for his imp [...]soning of Peter, but this, the slenderest and weakest reason of a thousand, For that hee saw it pleased the peo­ple. Hee did it to win the peoples fauour, not caring for Gods fauour.

Thus did Herod, and the same doe the wicked Tyrants continually, buy the fa­uour & good lyking of their subiects, with the blood of Gods seruaunts.

Saul, whē he persecuted Dauid, had some pretence, for he feared his kingdome.

The Philippians in like maner had some pretence, when they beate Paul and Sylas with rods, and after cast them into prison. They trouble our Citty (quoth they) & preach ordinances that are not lawfull.

Demetrius had somewhat to colour the sedition and tumult raisd in their Citty a­gainst Paul: he feared his craft would little auaile him, if Paules doctrine had taken place, for beeing a siluer Smith, hee made shrines for Diana.

The king of Babilon had some pretence, when he put the three children into the fi­erie furnace: he feared that the Gods whō he worshipped should be despised.

The Princes of Zedechiah had some pretence, when they put Ieremie into the dungeon: He weakened, say they, the hands of the men of warre, in prophecying, that their Citty should bee giuen ouer, into the hands of the King of Babell.

These pretences how colourable so euer, could not excuse thē in their actions; they were but base subterfuges, no better then coates of nettes, or like Fig-leaues, to couer [Page] the nakednes of their cause, of little mo­ment, and lesse substance. Yet they carried some shew of reason, and with men made of the same grist, might seeme to bee of force in defence of that they did.

But this reason of Herod, for impriso­ning Peter, is too too vaine, and ridiculous, onely he did it, because hee sawe it pleased the people.

The like we reade of Pestus, in the Acts, willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure, he deli­uered Acts, 25. Paul into their hands.

And so Pilat, for feare of the Iewes, deli­uered Christ to be crucified.

It skilleth much how the people are af­fected: if the multitude be religious, & doe loue the word tyrants shall not dare to rage so much; their tyrannous purposes howe wicked so euer shal not break out no more then the practises of the Scribes & Phari­sies could preuaile against Iohn, to put him openly to death, because of the multitude; for all the people counted Iohn as a pro­phet. King, and people, & all in this place ioyned together, in a wicked conspiracie against Peter. The people encouraged the King, and the King prepares himselfe to [Page] satisfie their desires, in committing Peter to close prison.

A King hath a name of soueraignty, hee is called, Rex a Regendo, he must gouerne, and not be gouerned.

But hee that should rule, is heere ouer­ruled. The subiect commaunds the King, Herod plies himselfe to the humour o [...] his people. C [...]ossing that Scripture, Non seque­ [...]e multitudinem ad fa [...]iendum malum. Wic­ked tyrants, if they shall perceaue the peo­ple like affected to themselues, will be the more imboldned in their cruelty.

This Herod, could not abide that Peter should [...]eprooue him in his sinnes, no more than the other He [...]od could Iohn Baptist. And finding the applause of the people to concurre with his practise, hee is the rather whetted on to doe wickedly.

Since therefore the successe and growth of religion depends so much vpon the peo­ples lyking or dislyking: the Minister of the word ought especially to labour in this, that the people bewel informed in the true way, & be soundly taught to know God, if they shall shew themselues zealous profes­sours. Though a wicked tyrant did raigne [Page] ouer them, yet should hee not preuaile to doe hurt to the children of God.

Heere is great ods, & a manifest inequa­lity: one against many, and many against one. The whole people oppose themselues against Peter, to destory him, like so many Philistims against Sampson: but as Samp­son brake the cords, so Peter brake the pri­son. or rather God for Peter opened the prison, and so hee escaped, and so Herods expectation was frustied, the multitude of their purpose disappoynted, & the glory of God mightily magnisied: as shall appeare in the sequell of the story.

You haue heard the reason why Herod tooke Peter: Heere it followes, how he v­sed him, where wee are first to note in a word, the degrees of Herods cruelty.

First, he tooke him, or caught him, which argues, that he lay in waite for him before: then he committed him to prison, & cau­sed him to be kept with a straite guard, no lesse then foure quaternions of Souldiers. Lastly, hee purposed after the feast, to put him to death: that was the mark he aymed at, and the drift of his endeuours. His ap­prehending [Page] of him, his committing him to prison, his diligence in close and sure kee­ping him, all was to murther him at last.

The deuils purposes, and tyrants practi­ses, are both one: hee is an aduersary, hee goeth about, he seeketh, he roa [...]eth, hee de­uoureth: So doe tyrants, they neuer rest going about, seeking, watching, threating, till at length they haue deuoured vs.

Mark the care that Herod took to keepe Peter, that hee should by no meanes start from him: hee would neuer haue vsed the like carefulnes in any good matter. A qua­ternion contayned foure Souldiours, so the whole make sixteene. There was a keeper before the dore of the prison, and two with him, betwixt whom hee lay, and the rest round about him, in their seuerall wards or stations: this was notable diligence, they meant to make sure worke.

This theyr ouer vvarie circumspection, was no doubt a testimonie of a guilty and distrustfull conscience. In this tyrant so many circumstances in this Scripture deli­uered, concerning the apprehension of Pe­ter, may stand in steed of so many witnes­ses accusing him within of wrongfull im­prisonment. [Page] Hee saw in him selfe that hee had no iust cause to doe it, and therefore he feared that this prisoner vvould by some meanes get from him, notwithstanding this so sure a watch.

Such was Herods watchfulnes; and such was Peters vveakenesse, that no resis [...]ance might bee made. But least this Tyrant should growe too insolent, GOD him­selfe sendeth his Angell to take part vvith Peter, and to rescue him from Herods ty­rannie.

Dalilah did thinke she had made Samp­son fast enough with ropes and cords; but through his strength he brake them.

Saul thought he had Dauid sure enough when hee was in his bed; but hee escaped out of his hands, his vvife Micholl letting him downe at a window.

Paule was by an earthquake deliuered out of pryson: and at another time the Iewes tooke counsaile to kill him; they laid vvayte day and night at the gates to take him: but the other Apos [...]les put him out at a wall and l [...]t him downe in a basket, and so he escaped.

And in this place, the Angell deliuereth [Page] Peter in like sort, from the hands of them who sought to slay him.

Rather then the enemie shall insult ouer the children of God: hee will worke a mi­racle, the rather to procure their safety e­uen beyond all expectation.

As Elias was fed by a Rauen, at the Ri­uers side: and Daniell refreshed with the pottage that Abacuck brought vnto him, when he lay in the Lyons denne.

And as Ehsha compassed his aduersaries, while they compassed him.

So in the midst of all our afflictions, God will make a way for vs escape, if it bee good for vs, and stand with his will.

As the hills stand about Ierusalem, so the Lord causeth a whole Armie of Angels to stand about vs.

It followeth:] That night Peter slept be­tweene two Souldiours.

Peter is all this while in prison: & what dooth he in the midst of these so great ex­tremities?

Our text tells vs what he did.

VVhat meanes Peter to sleepe in so great a daunger: as if hee vvere altogether [Page] carelesse, as if hee had beene possest with a stoycall stupidity, without all sence and fee­ling: and this security or carelesnes to rest vpon him then, when hee was ready to re­signe vp his life; euen the very night be­fore he should be brought forth to be exe­cuted.

Indeede, by reason of long watching be­fore, all the former time of his indurance, nature might haue forced him to slumber a little: but the words are (he slept) it was a sound sleepe that he slept.

His danger so imminent, & his sorrowes full of terrour and fearefulnes, beeing the post▪ maisters of death, should haue beene able to keepe him waking, and not to suffer the temples of his head to rest.

Some there are that expound this sleepe of Peter, to signifie not a dissolute careles­nes, but a godly security, & confident trust­fulnes in him.

God commaunds vs to cast our care vp­pon him, for he careth for vs: and so Peter knowing that God did care for him, did cast his care vpon the Lord. And therfore he mistrusting no euill, suffered his body to take his repose: hee knewe that God, the [Page] watchman of Israell, was also his watch­man; and so the rather might he sleepe in safety.

Peter had commended him selfe to his prouidence and protection: hee knew his quarrell to be good, if he were to die, it was in the Lords cause; and these reasons made him sleepe so soundly.

Others interprete this place otherwise; they hold this sleeping in Peter to be an in­firmity of nature, and a great weakenes in him: for which, he was worthy reprehen­sion; then to be sleeping when hee should haue been most watchfull, in attending the Lords leasure, and in laying hold vpon the Lords mercies, in working his deliuerance. God would haue him to be a spectacle of infirmity, to the end wee looking into our selues, should acknowledge our owne frail­tie.

Say, hee had cast all his care vppon the Lord, and was assured that nothing should befall him contrary to Gods appointment, yet should he haue beene watchfull, as the Angel was watchfull ouer him.

The Lord indeede hath promised neuer to faile vs, nor forsake vs in our troubles: [Page] yet he will not haue vs to doe nothing our selues: but as God worketh, so must wee work with him, & call vpō our endeuours to further that which God will haue effected.

Who so falleth into a ditch, & prayeth to the Lord to be deliuered thence, & yet will not seeke to raise himselfe with one of his fingers, shall be sure neuer to get forth.

God helpeth by meanes, & he that con­temneth those meanes, must not looke for helpe. Let vs put to our endeuors, & if they come short, Gods helping hand wil be rea­dy to yeeld a present supply.

Though hee had slept all the time of his imprisonment, yet now being the last night before his determined execution, he should haue beene watchfull: he should haue be­slowed this time in prayer & meditation.

Christ rebuked the Disciples, for that they slept the very night before he was be­trayed. Peter, sleepest thou, couldest thou not watch one houre: Watch, and pray, least ye en­ter into temptation. Hee came againe the 2. and third time, and found them sleeping.

Peter was carelesse then for his Maister: and in this place, he is as carelesse for him­selfe; lyke Ionas, sleeping vnder the Hat­ches, [Page] when hee was in ieopardie of drovv­ning.

Hee was so heauy, and in such a dead sleepe, as we say, that the Angell was faine to strike him on the side, before hee would awake.

Though Peter slept, the rest of Gods Church slept not: The other Apostles greeuing at his troubles, and vexed in spirit at Herods cruelty, and his imprisonment, made earnest prayer vnto God for him.

Where we are to note the simpathy and mutual feeling that one mēber hath with a­nother. Peters passions wrought cōpassion in the brethren, and therfore they both sor­rowed for him, & prayed for him. It gree­ued them to see so notable an instrument of Gods glory lie in bonds.

To teach vs to haue a feeling each of o­thers calamity, to bee touched with com­punction, in beholding our brethrens di­stresses and miseries.

They could not helpe him out of pri­son, nor set him free: they sawe that there was no way possible for him to escape in the iudgment of man: therfore they com­mend him vnto God, praying him not to [Page] leaue him comfortlesse: nor to suffer him to be swallowed vp by the malicious cruel­ty of his aduersaries.

They were perswaded that these suffe­rings of Peter were inflicted vpon him, by the speciall appoyntment of God, for the tryall of his faith and patience: and there­fore they cōmitted him vnto God in their prayers, as vnto a faithfull Creator.

God hath giuen vnto euery lyuing crea­ture, his weapon to defend himselfe against the enemie.

To the Lyon his taile, to the Elephant his nose, to the Bee his sting, to the Bore his tuske, to the Bull his hornes, to the Cocke his spurres, to the Eagle his talents, to the Hedgehogge his prickles, to the Horse his heeles▪ to the Beare his pawes, to the fish his sinnes: but to man, to vs that are his reaso­nable creatures, he hath giuen one weapon more forcible then all the weapons of war, that is to say, Prayer, issuing from faith out of a pure hart.

This hath beene the course of the godly, in all ages, when the church of God, or any one member thereof hath been afflicted.

There was comfort in Peter, though he were euē in bonds: for it is said, He slept that night, &c. And there was also confidence in the congregation; for they prayed for Peter, hoping that GOD would deliuer him.

We can looke for nothing so long as we remaine distrustfull: for fayth alone must support vs.

In all troubles that shall assaile vs, fayth alone must be sent forth to gaine the con­quest: and vntill wee be arined with this faith, we are not fit to march with Christ, as none might goe to battell with Gedeon, which were timorous and fearefull.

Though wee seeme neuer so weake, and our aduersaries neuer so strong let them be mighty and tall, like the Enakyms. Yet if wee haue faith, and doe trust in God, wee shall be strong enough to saue our selues, and to foyle our foes like Gedeon, vvith his empty pitchers.

Dauid hauing courage and confidence, when hee tooke with him but a sling and stone, feared not to encounter with Goli­ah of Gath: notwithstanding, that he came against him with a shield of brasse, and his [Page] speare like a Weauers beame.

Earnest Prayer was made.] This argu­eth their feruencie; and that they prayed in a feeling. Be feruent in spirit, sayth the Apostle: and it is heere practised by the Rom. 12, 12 Apostles, they were feruent in spirit when they prayed for Peter.

The prayer that GOD accepteth, must be feruent: and it must be with watchful­nes & perseuerance, as Paul w [...]iteth to the Ephe. 6. 18. Ephesians.

Euery prayer is not accepted, as euery fire might not bee allowed to kindle the sacri­fice; onely that prayer is auaileable, which faith poureth out, and is presented vnto God by zeale and feruencie.

The Lord accepts not a colde prayer, a lip-prayer, from the teeth outward: such praying, or such babling rather is thus chee­ked by our Sauiour. This people draweth nigh vnto me with their mouth, and honoureth Math, 5. 18. me with their lips, but their hart is far from me.

As Moses said vnto the people, When ye offer vnto the Lord, ye shall offer freely: So I say, when ye pray vnto the Lord, pray zea­lously. Let your prayers be earnest, lyke the Apostles, in this place.

Earnest Prayer was made by the Church.] Heere is discoursed not onely the manner of prayer, but the persons also by whom it was offered: it was a prayer made by the Church.

The prayer of the iust preuaileth much, if Iam. 5, 16. it be feruent. And of Helias prayer it is noted: When he prayed for raine, he pray­ed earnestly.

The wicked mans prayer is abhomina­ble. Cayn and Habell did both sacrifice vnto the Lord: but Habels was onely ac­cepted.

To wicked Sacrifices marke vvhat the Lorde speaketh, in Esa 1. What haue I to doe with the multitudes of your Sacrifices: I am full of the burnt efferings of Rammes, and of the fatte of sed beasts. I desire not the blood of Bullockes, nor of Lambes, nor of Goates. When ye come to appeare before mee, who re­quired this at your handes, to treade in my Courts. &c.

This sheweth to whom we are to pray, only to God. We may not with our aduer­saries the Papists runne to Saints, to seeke [Page] succour of them. God alone must be pray­ed vnto; for that hee alone is able to helpe vs: in him dwelleth all fulnes.

Abraham hath forgotttn vs, and Israelkno­weth vs not. Es. 63.

The prayer thus offered of holy men, in a feeling zeale, and feruencie of spirit vnto God. is a sanctified prayer, an acceptable prayer; a prayer that pearceth the cloudes, presseth vnto the presence of God, and re­turneth not empty vnto them that poure it forth.

Such was the prayer of meeke Moses, for the Israehtes, against Pharaoh, and pre­uailed.

Such was the prayer of Iehosaphat a­gainst Ammon and Moab, and preuailed.

Such vvas the praver of the godlie for Paul, in the Acts, against his persecutours, and preuailed.

And such was the prayer of the congre­gation heere for Peter, and it likewise pre­uailed.

Such a prayer doth the Lord looke for, for such a prayer doth he call vpon Dauid, and vs, in Dauid in the 149. psalm. Call vp­pon me in the day of tribulation: and I will de­liuer [Page] thee, and thou shalt glorifie me.

It was not the sling, but the prayer of Dauid, that caused the stone to sincke into the fore-head of the vncircumcised Phili­s [...]an.

See heere the powerfull effect of prayer. As the Church sent soorth theyr prayers, so here God sends forth his Angell to execute that which they prayed for.

Rather then the prayer of the iust should fast, God ceased not to worke Peters deli­uerance by a miracle.

The Angell smote Peter on the side, & raysed him vp, saying? Vp quickly, and the chaynes fell off from his hands.

Theyr prayer found a speedy successe, in a most strange and extraordinary man­ner.

Peter, beyond all expectation, is deliue­red for a greater comfort to Gods church: and the greater terrour to the persecuting Tyrant.

So hath God his enemies in derision, & laughes them to scorne in theyr owne ima­ginatious. [Page] When they thought themselues most sure of Peter, euen then they finde them-selues most deceiued.

Herod did purpose on the next morrow to put Peter to death, but hee failed of his purpose: as the Philistims failed of Samp­son, though he lay bound with great cords in the midst of them.

So man doth purpose, but God doth di­spose: man imagineth, but God determi­neth all to the best for them that loue him.

Hence we are to learne, that what-soeuer troubles shall happen vnto vs, they bee knowne before hande, & are especially ap­pointed vpon whom they shall fall: so that they cannot come sooner or later vnto vs, nor can preuaile further against vs, then GOD shall permit: as God gaue Herod power to take Peter, but he had no power to kill him.

The Lord cutteth short the arme of Ty­rants at his pleasure, hee can put a brydle in theyr mouthes, and an hooke in their no­strils, as he did Zenacharib, when he came vp against Ezechiah.

Many such examples of the Lordes pro­uidence ouer his elect we find in the Scrip­ture, as in the sixt of the second of Kinges, when the seruaunt of Eliseus rose vp earely in the morning to goe out, an host of men sent thether from the King of Aram com­passed the Citty rounde about with horses and charyots; and he cryed to his Maister, Alas we perrish. But he aunswered, Feare not, they that are with vs, are more then they that are with them.

Then Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of his seruaunt, that he might see, and he looked, and beholde the moun­taine was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. There we find Gods gracious prouidence garding the prophet: and heere we find another president of the like prouidence of God in rescuing Peter by the ministery of an Angell, from the vi­olent rage of Herod.

An Angell appeared to Paule in that Acts, 27. dangerous viage, and told him that none in the shyp should perrish.

And here an Angell tells Peter that hee shall not miscarry nor perrish, though hee were euen nowe shutte vp in the lowest [Page] dungeon, and kept with foure quaternions of souldiours.

Lot by Angels was deliuered from the flames of Sodome.

Rather then the three children should be consumed in the siery Ouen, God sent his Angell to protect them, causing the fire a­gainst nature to lose his heate, & as it were to quench it selfe in his owne flame.

The fire lost his heat, as the yron chaines lost theyr strength when they fell frō Pe­ters hands.

What should I stand vppon particulars, when as the prophet Dauid saith; The An­gels of the Lord pitch theyr camps round about them that feare him, and deliuereth them.

This deliueraunce came to Peter vnloo­ked for, as appeareth by these words. Had he knowne of thys happy newes, he would surely haue watched for the Angels com­ming: and not haue suffered his eyes to sleep, being a time so full of peril, when no­thing but death was presented before him. And vpon the next morrow, he was to bee [Page] ledde to the place of execution.

Well, comming vnlooked for, it was by so much the better welcome: and it was a motiue of forcible efficacie, to cause Peter enter into a deeper consideration of Gods goodnes, in so strange a sort working his deliueraunce.

This circumstance in Peters deliuerance is woorth the nothing, viz. The time of the Angels comming, when now there was al­most no hope of any euasion or escape out of their hands: for vpon the day following Herod thought to dispatch him. Euen then in the moment as it were of his greatest ex­tremitie, comes the Angell & openeth the prison doores, and causeth the chaynes to fall from his handes: and so Peter escapeth almost before he awaketh, or before he can haue any leysure to consider of his deliue­rance.

The historie speaketh, that hee thought he had seene a vision.

So was Dauid deliuered from the handes of Saul, and Ierusalem from the tyranny of the King of Ashur, and Samaria from the Aramites; and this hapned vnto thē vpon a sudden, when no help was expected.

In that it pleased God not to deliuer him sooner, it proueth that the Lorde will haue the measure of affliction left to himselfe.

He will sift vs to the vttermost to try our patience.

Our Sauiour had told Peter before, that sathan should winow both him and the o­ther Apostles, as one winoweth VVheate. And here hee findes it true, that sathan in­deed had winowed him by his instruments of crueltie, Herod and the rest, & hee was euen nowe at the next doore to death. But the prouidence of God became vnto him a present helpe in time of trouble: he rescu­ed him from the violence of his mighty ad­uersaries, and stayed theyr furie in the very instant. As the Angell stayde Abrahams hande, vvhen the fatall blowe vvas com­ming.

The very night before Herod purposed to bring him out to the people, came thys vnexpected deliuerance.

Christ suffered the shyppe to be almost vnder the waues before hee woulde awake. God went farre with Heliah, when he was forced to flie from Iesabell: and to cry out, [Page] They haue killed the prophets: & I alone 1, Reg, 19. am left, and they seeke my soule.

And Dauid the freend of God, was put to his shy [...]ts, when he cryed out in greefe & anguish of his soule, Why doost thou turne away thy face, and why forgettest thou my Psalm, 30. tribulation.

And in another place, Christ suffered Peter to sin [...]k, & to be in danger of drow­ning, before he would stretch out his hand to support him.

As heere, hee sent not his Angell to deli­uer him forth of prison, till the verie night before his execution.

This is a further circumstance of his mi­raculous deliuerance. They passed throgh all the watches, and the watch-men neuer perceiued it. They came to the yron gate, and it opened voluntarily.

Sencelesse thinges made shewe of pittie, when neither King nor people could yeeld compassion.

The chaynes & linkes fell from him be­fore, and heere the yron gate giues way to Peter, both working out together his de­liueraunce.

These things must admonish vs of the forcible effect of prayer.

Prayer it is that breaketh the strongest prysons, looseth the yron bands, openeth the well-barred gates, & draweth the An­gels out of heauen to come to the earth to worke our deliuerance.

Heere is layd downe Peters thankfulnes after his deliuerance. Hee acknowledgeth the louing kindnes of the Lorde, who had so graciously set him free from the tyrannie of his enemies, that thirsted after his blood.

We must learne by this example to giue thanks for what-soeuer benefits God shall powre vpon vs.

For to receiue Gods benefits, and not to be thankfull for them, is to contemne God in them.

The Lorde expecteth no retribution at our handes, Quis enim dedit ei, Who hath giuen vnto him, as the Apostle speaketh. Yet hee will haue vs to he thankfull, that is the speciall dutie that he requireth of vs.

Who so offereth me thankes, hee honoureth me: and to him that ordereth his conuersation aright, will I shew the saluation of God.

If one man doe pleasure or gratifie ano­ther, there will be an expectancy of thanks at least: and shall not the Lorde much ra­ther require the same of vs, from whom we receaue our selues, our liues, and all that we are worth: the bread we feede vppon, the ground we tread vpon, the light wee looke vpon, all comes from God, and what-soe­uer is within vs, or without vs, all tempo­rall and spirituall graces, whereof each one is more worth then a thousand worlds.

The consideration whereof, caused the prophet Dauid to call vpon himselfe & o­thers for this thankfulnesse in his Booke of psalmes, saying; O that m [...]n would praise the goodnes of the Lord, and that they woulde tell [Page] out the wonders that bee dooth for the chyldren of men.

Hee calleth all the blessings of GOD Mirabilia, Wonders: all haue in thē mat­ter of admiration, the rather to stamp in vs an impression of gratitude.

We haue well waded vnto this thankful­nesse, when wee haue learned to say with Dauid, and with the like spirit that he did: I will make it knowne to the worlde, what God hath doone for my soule. Psalm, 84.

All the day long will I be telling of his won­derfull workes.

Thus haue you briefely heard the summe of thys historie of Peters imprisonment, & his deliueraunce.

You haue seene on the one side the peo­ple solliciting, & Herod consenting to the death of Peter.

They in theyr wicked purposes, and the King in his cruell practises, conspired his ouerthrow.

But on the other side, the congregation of the faithfull powred forth their impor­tant peticions for Peter: and these more strong then the yron bands, preuailed for his deliuerance.

Prayer went vp from them, and the An­gell came downe to him: and so was Peter deliuered, Herode of his purpose disap­pointed, the Church comforted, & Gods Name highly magnified.

THese words consist of question & an aunswere. The occasion of the question grewe thus, noted in the precedent verses: When Paule and Sylas had beene imprisoned in the Citty of Philippi for the testimonie of Gods truth, and beeing now in the lowest dungeon, it pleased the Lorde to worke theyr deliue­rance in a miraculous manner, as appeareth in the 26. verse. For suddainly there came an Earth-quake, so that the foundation of the pryson was shaken, and anone all the doores opened, & euery mans bands were loosed: and the Iayler beeing striken with a great terror, would straight-wayes haue slaine himselfe, had not Paule staid his fury.

Where-vppon, after a more sober consi­deration, finding all the prisoners to bee there, euery man sure and forth-comming, and withall, acknowledging the mightie power of God, he comes in great humility before Paule and Silas, & he brought them forth and sayd; Syrs, what must I doe to bee saued? Where we are to note the suddaine and strange, & yet not so strange as power­ful and mighty operation of Gods Spirit in this Iaylor.

He who euen nowe would haue spoyled himselfe, seekes to saue himselfe & hee that but now was most desperate, is becom de­uoute, and most desirous to be informed in the way of his saluation.

So in a moment, hee becomes of an hea­then man a Christian man, as if hee had beene made anewe, his affections cleane changed, his wicked resolution altered, his crueltie turned to Christianitie. All thys came vpon him in a moment, as vvisedom came vpon Saul, when a kingly spirit vvas giuen him.

Heere it is verified, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. [Page] And again, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israell.

Behold the power of God in his effectu­all calling of sinners: Saul in his greatest rage, when hee tyrannized most against Gods Saints, was vpon a suddaine made of Saul a persecuter, Paule a professour. The same powerfull Spirit wrought in the con­uersion of Zacheus, making him of a pub­lican a zealous Christian. So of stones, God can and still dooth raise vp chyldren to A­braham, as in this place he wrought in thys wicked and cruell saylor nowe to seeke the meanes of his saluation.

He who ere-whiles had chained others, is nowe chayned vp himselfe, and by the mighty power of God driuen to seeke re­leefe at his handes whom before hee despi­sed, and shut vp in the basest place of his house.

Feare made him runne to the Apostles: as shame draue Adam to the fig-trees. And he who before was lofty and proud, & dis­dainfull, nowe stoopes downe and hum­bles himselfe, and discouers his ignorance, as Adam did his nakednes.

Sirs, what must I doe to be saued.

It is a voyce of passionate fearefulnesse, such as is wont to proceed from them that are distracted, and as it were at theyr wits end. What shall I doe.

This Iaylour was not carefull howe to aunswere the Rulers, that had committed them: nor doth he deuise what excuse hee might make to the officers & Magistrates, who in all likelihood would exact them at his handes, who had the custodie of them. But all these matters layd apart, hee is nowe possessed with a deeper meditation, which is, how he may be saued.

Syrs,] The first word noteth his humility and reuerence. Syrs, or Lordes, to signifie that there is a reuerence and an honour stampt in the very name and office of Mi­nisters: and therefore it is said: Feare God, and honour his Priestes. And they that mini­ster well, are worthy of double honour.

O howe beautifull vppon the Mountaines, (saith Esay) are the feete of them that preach peace, that publish good tydins, saying to Syon, thy King raigneth.

They are called the eyes of the body, ope­ratores messis, the work-men in the haruest.

The messengers inuiting to the mariage of the Kings sonne. The horse-men and chariots of Israell: Spirituall Fathers, An­gels, starres, &c.

If men did but consider of these honora­ble tytles which the word of God doth at­tribute to the Ministers of his Word, thys calling would not receaue that contempt as at this day it dooth: Gods sacred Worde would be more reuerently entertayned, and the Ministerie it selfe better reckoned.

Surely, great is, and beyond measure in­tollerable, the misterie of iniquitie in thys respect, which woorketh strongly i [...] the chyldren of disobedience.

Sinne & sathan haue both conspired to­gether to broach in mens hearts thys con­tempt of the Ministers of the Gospell, to the end that in the Minister, the Ministerie it selfe in time might vtterly bee contem­ned.

The Authour to the Hebrues, denoun­ceth an heau [...]e iudgement against thē that doe but neglect the meanes of theyr salua­tion. Much rather then must they expect the seueritie of Gods iudgements, that shall despise and contemne with and high hand [Page] the ministery of the word.

He that despised Moses law, died vnder two or three witnesses: but how shall hee be sentenced that treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament where-with he was sancti­fied, as an vnholy thing, and so despites the spirit of grace.

Certainly, if Princes take the contempt as done to them, which is done to theyr Embassadours.

If Hanun and Ammon stinke in the no­sthrils of Israell, for their vill [...]ny ossered to Dauids messengers.

If Iudas tooke peny-worths of himselfe, and became his owne executioner, for be­traying his Lord and Maister.

If Ierusalem, fai [...]e and famous Ierusalem, became an heape of stones, and the shame of the world, for despising, and euill intrea­ting of so many prophets that were sent vn­to them: how shall God suffer these moc­king Micholls, these oppressing Pharaoes, and rayling Rabshakehs? Whether they be Libertines, or Neutrals, Athiests, or Papists, of any Religion, or of no Religion, in Cit­ty, or in Country, or wheresoeuer they be, [Page] how shall God suffer them at last, though he suffer them long to escape his wrath.

And know you, that heare the Preacher for fashion sake, that goe home and iest at him your bellies full: that censure him at your pleasures, that eate him at your feasts, that buy and sell him at your shoppes, that recreate your selues with his faults.

The day will come when ye shall know, and be driuen to confesse, that Prophets haue beene among you: and then you will wish you had learned that which the Iaylor nowe teacheth you: which is, to humble your selues in all reuerence, euen at the feet of Gods messengers, and so to seeke the meanes of your saluation.

Sirs.

So then the first doore that openeth to Gods graces and treasures, is humility.

Many a faire and large house hath but a narrow entry, and a low doore.

And so the lowe gate of humility is the doore of Gods house, narrow without, but within are many Mansions. And we must first passe by the narrow, before we come to the broad.

Hauing made this reuerent preparatiue, he comes to the matter. What must I doe to be saued?

This one question is woorth all questi­ons that may bee made: for in other de­maundes whatsoeuer, a per [...]ect aunswere cannot be so giuen at once: but wee must demaund againe, and againe, & neuer giue ouer questroning, till wee haue a full aun­swer that pleaseth vs.

But this demaund, this one question but once made, cuts off all others; and beeing but once aunswered, wee rest satisfied like this laylour, for it ministreth a full content­ment to our desires.

O that all men were like this Iaylour, to make like questions.

This should be our first demaund, but wee make it our last: after all the lessons that wee haue learned, yet wee haue beene schooled in this: we haue not learned how to be saued.

Wee haue no leasure to thinke on this, for our other businesses of the world call vs from it.

Like those lingerers in the Gospell. Hee that should haue followed Christ, sayde, [Page] Nay, suffer me first to goe bury my Father.

Still there will be one let or other to hin­der vs from saluation, like the fowles that cumbered Abraham in his sacrifice.

Eyther we haue bought a yoake of Ox­en, and must of necessity goe proue them: or we haue taken a Farme, & we must goe see it: or we haue married a wife, and can­not come.

So we haue no time yet, and lesse leasure to learne how to be saued.

We will learne this lesson last of all, and after all, when we are most vnsit to learne, and haue almost quite lost our wits & our sences then we will goe to schoole.

This Iaylour did not so: so soone as hee felt the motion of Gods spirit within him, calling him to the knowledge of this holy lesson, he lingers not, nor deferres the time; but hee suffers the spirit of God to worke him and to frame him now he is pliable, as the Smith doth his i [...]on while it is hote.

He did not suffer this golden oportunity to slip, which in no case (specially in hea­uenlie matters) ought to be neglected: but he runnes to the Apostles, as the Apostles themselues a little before ranne to Christ, [Page] when they prayed in the prison, and saith, What must I doe to be saued.

Of all intergatories, this is the sweetest, yet least thought vppon or practised, fewe that haue learned to minister it to them­selues, or others.

All generally settle their mindes vpon o­ther matters, meerely contrary to this.

The most part study howe they may be rich? how they may be honourable? how they may aduance themselues, and so be magnified in this world.

How they may be possessed of house & lands? how in a word they may reape the crop of all the pleasures that this transito [...]y life can aford them.

Fewe or none care how to be saued: so this that should be the Alpha of our desires, it is the Omega of our endeuours.

Christ saith, Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and the righteousnes thereof: but the carnall man saith, Nay, I will first seeke af­vanity, and after my lusts & after my plea­sures. The greatest nu [...]ber are like Ha­man, or Belshazzar, or like the [...]ple [...]i [...]h man in the Gospell. Ve [...]y sewe [...] Da­uid, or Solomon, or Ioliah, tha [...]b [...] [...]or [Page] wisedom, that seeke after the sauing know­ledge. Few like this Iaylor that will run to Christ, or his Ministers, as he did to the A­postles, to demaund how they may be saued.

Well, where the graces of God are im­planted, and where the sweete motions of his holy spirit sind enterance, there hath va­nity no place: but all the whole man, the soule, and spirit, and body, all is carried away with heauenly desires; as Paule was raui­shed with new visions, when he was rapt vp into the third heauen.

But this cannot be, till wee haue bidden the world farewell, with the deceaueable glory thereof, vntill the olde man be vtter­lie abollished, and the whole body of sinne be destroyed. And vntill wee be moulded as it were a new like Adam in Paradise be­fore his fall.

The cou [...]se of this wo [...]lde is such, that whatsoeuer in face we professe, yet our ma­ner of liuing bewrayes our contrary desire. Wee all would seeme to haue the smooth voyce of Iacob; but wee can be content to carry within vs Esaus hart and hands.

Where the Iaylour questioneth how hee may be saued, the greater part of men of this [Page] age demaund howe they may be damned. No man asketh how he may be made more holy, but how be more wicked, not how he may becom more humble, but how he may waxe more proud; not how hee may goe like Iohn in Cammels haire, and girt about after the homeliest fashion, with the girdle of a skinne: but how he may iet it, and ruf­fle it in silkes and veluets, like them that are Velut He­ [...]od in regu­li v [...]stiru splendidus. in Kings Courts.

This Iaylour had been a wicked & pro­phane cruell man; but now hee lamenteth his former cariage of himselfe, and he now careth to know nothing now, but howe to be saued.

As if hee should say, I haue taken great paines to be wicked, & I haue deuised by all meanes how to exercise cruelty against the children of God; but if I knew now how to recouer Gods fauour, how to become a Christian, I would refuse to vndergoe no paines in the world. Nothing should stand in my way, no perrill were it euer so hurt­full no persecution, were it euer so hot and raging, should with-hold me from the re­couery of Gods rich mercies, the happie mans onely prerogatiue.

Heere wee may see the growth of Gods graces in his children: first, God planteth and soweth in our harts a desire of well do­ing, a desire to knowe Gods will: second­ly, a holy knowledge: and thirdly, a prac­tike obedience of the same will of God, ac­cording to the measure of our knowledge. A desire, a knowledge, and a practise, like Herba cul­mus spica. the seed that is sowne, comes vp by degrees; first it is grasse. then the blade, and then the eare. So first wee must labour to haue knowledge, and that will soone appeare, if we haue in vs a desire to learne, as this lay­lour had. And last of all, to worke accor­dingly, and so the Christian man is fully perfited: and so groweth vp in holines and righteousnes, after the similitude of him that made him.

Must, importeth the present oportunity, which in no case ought to bee neglected, specielly in matters of saluation.

Men are least carefull in this behalfe: they deserre their conuersion till theyr last and latest time; Beeing loath to part with sinne, as Lot was to goe out of Sodome: they would not leaue sinne till sinne leaue [Page] them. This Iaylor teacheth you otherwise, if you aske him, when it is best to enter into this holy resolution, when it is time to turne to God and so be saued: He tells you now you must doe it, now is the time. Aske So­lomon, Hee tells thee in the dayes of thy youth remember thy Creatour.

Aske God himselfe, he tels thee, To day, heare my voyce. If thou wilt knowe the time of the day, aske Abraham, Hee tells thee it must be in the morning: as he in the morning of the day rose vp to sacrifice his sonne, so thou In mane vitae tuae. In the mor­ning of thy life.

If thou let the day slip till the morrow, to thee belongs that curse. Ʋae qui dicitis cras: cras, cras, non Christianorum, sed Cor­uorum vox est miserè crocitantium. Woe be to you that say to morrow: to morrow, to morrow, is not the voyce of Christians, but the vnlucky croaking of Rauens and Crowes.

Praesens tempus tantum nostrum est. The present time is onely ours.

Dum dicitur hodie. Whilst to day wee liue.

Qui non est hodie, [...]ras minus aptus erit. He [Page] that endeuoureth not to day, will be lesse apt for any good to morrow.

All men would gladly goe to heauen, but they cannot resolue to goe yet: they would a while liue vpon the earth; they are not of this laylours mind, nor of Paules minde. I desire, saith he, to be dissolued: And what must I doe? He doth not so much as giue the A­postles leaue and respite to refresh and feed themselues he was so earnest.

As Abrahams seruant did not eate meate till hee had first tolde his message: so the laylour would not suffer the Apostles nor himselfe to eate meate, till he had told them his message.

Hee cared like Mary, rather to feede the soule then the body; not respecting the pe­rishing food, but rather that which should feed him vp to eternall life.

This sheweth a carefull desire in the lay­lour: but we must proceede further than to a naked desire. He that onely desireth to doe well, and eyther goes no further, or retires backe againe where hee beganne: is like to the smoake which goeth vp towards heauen, but neuer comes there. Or like a cloude that mountes aloft, as long as the [Page] sunnes heat lasteth; but the sunne once set, it falleth downe to the earth faster then it mounted vp.

This laylour went further then so, for as we find him in this place desiring to know the meanes of his saluation: so in the next verse to my Text, wee finde him vsing the meanes of his saluation.

The Apostles were diligent to preach vnto him, & he as diligent to heare them.

As our bodies grow, so must our soules: first we creepe, and then we grow, and then we runne: so we must grow in the spirit, & encrease in knowledge, and profit in Reli­gion, till the man of God be perfect.

As this laylour sayde, What shall I doe to be saued: so let euery man say, What shall I doe to haue knowledge? vvhat shall I doe to haue fayth? vvhat shall I doe to haue charitie? vvhat shall I doe to haue zeale?

All these are so many meanes of thy sal­uation, and shall carry thee to heauen, faster then the fierie chariot caried Elias thither, when he was translated.

And thus much is spoken briefely for the question of the laylour.

Now let vs consider of the Apostles an­swere. Beleeue in the Lord Iesus, and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold.

This is their aunswere: hee was not so ready to aske, but they are as ready to satis­fie his demaund.

Christes Disciples are like Christ; he in the 10. of Mark, answered thus to him that demaunded what he might doe to inherite eternall life: Hoc fac et viues: This doe and thou shalt liue.

And heere the Apostles gaue like aun­swer to this Iaylour: Doe this and thou shalt be saued.

Heere wee are to learne by this example of the Apostles, to be helpful to our neigh­bours, or whom so euer we find fit for the Kingdome of God: wee ought to furnish them with all spirituall knowledge: wee must like Peter, strengthen them that are weake, when we our selues are strong.

But we see the contrary practised; for the greatest part are apt to draw men frō God, and from his truth; as the Athiests & Pa­pists of these times who straine their ende­uours to make others like themselues.

More then a good many can be apt to say with Chora: The people are all holy, and whereto serues this precisenes.

They vvould perswade men that they are too good, when they are stark naught.

They will be straight-wayes in the extre­mity, before they haue attained the medio­crity: Like the lazie trauailer, that sittes downe in the midst of his iourney: or like him, that running in a race, giues ouer in the midst of his course, and suffers others to get the goale before him.

This is the reluctation betweene the ho­ly and vnholy, the children of light, and the children of the darknes.

Good men striue to be holy themselues, and to beget holines in others: but the wic­ked striue to be naught, and to make others worse than themselues.

And the deuill comes in to act vp the tragedy, and so he rageth, and so sinne sug­gesteth, [Page] & so the weaknes of man yeeldeth, because he hath not faith, in which only we can ouerthrow the world.

The Apostles sinding this Iaylour in the way of his saluation, do help him forwards, and doe support his weaknes: as Christ ca­ried the lost sheepe vpon his shoulders, & as the mercifull Samaritane did lay the man that lay by the way side robd & wounded, vpon his owne beast.

Beleeue say they in the Lord.

This may seeme to be a lesson soone lear­ned, and the gayning of heauen a matter of short and easie surprize, if it may be obtay­ned only by beleeuing in the Lord Iesus.

Indeed the answer is short, but the matter of substance included therein is great: for as one tree hath many braunches, and one branch many blossoms: so this one answer hath many circumstances. All which being duly considered, we shall be forced to ac­knowledge it a matter of greatest difficulty; and that we haue neede to call vpon Gods spirit, for his special furtherance in this great frame of our spirituall building.

For it is not giuen to all, to beleeue in the Lord Iesus, nay, it is giuen but to a fewe, to [Page] those onely whom the Father hath sealed for that purpose.

Yea, euen the best of vs, to whom the Lorde hath giuen most talents of his rich graces, may say notwithstanding, looking vpon our imperfections.

Lord wee beleeue, helpe our unbeleefe, and the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weake.

Faith in the strongest, wil be found to be but a deficient faith, as Peters was, when he began to sinke.

God will haue it to be so, to the end we should haue recourse to the fulnes that is in Christ. That when we see our faith weak­ned or wounded, wee should doe, as they did, who were bitten by Scorpions: cast vp our eyes to Christ, the brazen serpent, who will not cease, since now he is lifred vp, to draw vs vp also vnto himselfe.

Asour Sauiour told Martha, one thing is necessary; so the Apostles tell this Iaylor, one thing is necessary to furnish him for the Kingdome of heauen, euen faith: Be­lecu [...] onely and thou shalt be saued.

To beleeue, is to giue consent in thy hart [Page] to the worde of truth: to subscribe there­vnto by an vnfained profession, & to yeeld all Christian obedience aunswerable to the measure of grace giuen vnto vs.

This faith is begotten in vs, by the im­mediate gift of God, and increased in vs by the word of God read and preached.

God giues the word, and the word giues faith, and faith giues saluation.

The Iewes reade the Scriptures, and they heard Christ preaching vnto them euery Sabaoth in their Sinagogues: yet they be­leeued not, because the vaile was not taken from them: and they were still in theyr sinnes, to shew that faith is the speciall gift of God, and all cannot receaue it, which makes so many to withstand the truth in vngodlines.

Where it is said heere, Beleeue onely, and thou shalt be saued: Wee learne that faith is the onely principall instrument, whereby we apprehend Christ, and so consequently our saluation.

For without faith it is impossible to please God; and so without faith it is impossible to be saued.

Heere may the Papistes lay their handes [Page] vpon theyr mouthes; for they are no lon­ger In architec­tura totū ar­tificiū attri­buitur archi­tecto, non arti, non in­strumentis. Ol [...]ū et ig­nis duo sunt, sed coharēt in vno lam­ [...]ad [...]o. Make your [...] sure by good workes. In facto, nō pto facto. able to maintaine theyr doctrine of Good-workes in the act of iustification.

They would haue vs acknowledge with them, that fayth without workes is not suf­ficient to iustifie: but with our sayth (say they) our works must be cōcurrent. Which is a manifest errour, and this place conuin­ceth it.

True it is that fayth neuer goeth alone, but is alwayes accompanied vvith good­works: as the heate is neuer separated from the fire: but in the act of iustification faith alone must be cōsidered: otherwise Christ dyed in vaine.

Homines meritum quid esse potest [...] vt ait vaus, hommis desperatio, aut vt a [...] alter, Dei miseratio.

For what is mans merrit? but as one au­thour saith, mans desperation. Or as an­other saith; the mercy of God.

VVho can say, My hart is cleane? Can the infant or the tender babe newly drawne from the wombe? In no wise they cannot. For quis dabit mundum, ex immundo semme? Of vncleane seede, vvhat cleannesse can come?

Num adult us? vt sunt annorum, sic vitiorum incrementa. In youth; as yeeres multiply, so vices increase.

Cum omnia feceritis dicite vos esse seruos in vtiles. When ye haue done all you can, say ye are vnprofitable seruants.

Si dixerimus nos volumus, respondet Apo­stolus, Deus dat velle: si dixerimus nos faci­mus, at vt facimus Deus facit, qui dat et velle, et perficere. If wee say we will, the Apostle aunswereth, God giueth the will: If wee say wee doe endeuour, God giueth that endeuour; for in him is both the will and the worke.

Most excellent is that place of Paule, in the 5. to the Ephe. A voyce for strength so forcible as Sampsons hairie lockes, euen to foile whole Armies of aduersaries. [...] gratia estis seruati. By grace ye are saued through faith; not of your selues, it is the gift of God, not of workes, least any man should boast. Ʋita, [...]ternum Dei do­num est. Shall wee so vnkindly entertaine this bountifulnes of Gods free mercy, as not to accept heereof.

Yet saith the Papist, Ile not haue it, like a disdainfull proud Merchant, vnlesse I may [Page] pay for it: eyther Ile merrit heauen by my works, or Ile not come there.

If the Papist had saide, he would neuer come there, I had the rather beleeued him. Certainly, if he stay till merit carry him thi­ther, vnlesse by merit he vnderstand the me­rit of Christ, he is neuer like to come there.

In the Lord Iesus Christ.

Beleeue in the Lord: he doth not say, be­leeue the Lord. This sheweth the manner howe we ought to beleeue; it is one thing credere Deum, another thing credere in De [...].

The one is a generall faith, such as the deuill hath, and his instrumentes, the A­thiests, Daemones cred [...]nt & contremis­cunt. and Heretiques, and all the Repro­bates.

They haue a generall knowledge: they Simon Ma­gus credidit ve [...]am esse docuinam Apostolo­rum. non h [...] ­buit tam [...]n veram sidē. 1, 10. 4. beleeue, and they will acknowledge, that there is a God that made the world, & that gouerneth the world. And wee finde this confession of God and of Christ, in many places of the Gospell. Thou art Christ, the Sonne of the lyuing God.

Wee neuer finde that hee confessed him to be filium homines. Daemon ag­noscit Chri­stam vt Deū, sed nō vt ho­minē simul.

Iesus I know, and Paule I know: but who are yee? [Page] But we are taught another speciall kinde of fayth, which is to beleeue in God, and in Christ.

That is, to apply by faith vnto our selues, all that GOD hath wrought for vs in his Sonne Christ: as that hee hath created vs: redeemed vs, preserued vs: sanctified vs: and in time will glorifie vs: & all in Christ nothing of our selues, not for vs: but all in Christ, and for Christ: for vvithout him, we can doe nothing.

Yea, this our faith, as it comes from vs, as of it selfe cannot iustifie, nor please God: onely it is his will to accept it, and vs in it, how imperfect soeuer it be: because Christ our Lord presenteth it, and doth perfect it. Nam i [...]llo habitat omms plenitudo, for in him dwelleth all fulnes.

This is briefely the substaunce of that saith which beeing planted in vs by the spi­rit of GOD, will bring with it all sauing kn [...]ledge.

This true beleefe is in vs, when wee be­l [...]ue the wholsome Worde of truth: All that the Prophets haue written concerning Christ, how that hee was borne for vs, and [Page] dyed for vs, and so entred into his glory.

To beleeue this, and to doe there-after, so making our election sure, as the Ap [...]s [...]le warneth vs, this is to haue eternall life: this is to finde out that saluation which the Iay­lour so diligently sought for.

I shut vp all with this one note, the true iustifying faith hath these properties.

Acquiescit in Christo, omnes cius promissio­nes, et merita apprehendus. It doth repose it selfe in Christ, laying holde on all his pro­mises and merrits.

Non est temporaria, semper cons [...]ntit doctri­nae caelesti: per Prophetas et Apostolos tra­ditae: Math, 13. 20 eum profitetur, de ea gloriatur, eius cog­nitione laetatur: non ad tempus, sed perpetuo: It is not for a time: but alwayes agreeable with the heauenly doctrine deliuered by the Prophets & Apostles: the same it pro­fesseth, of it she glorieth, in the knowledge thereof shee reioyceth, not for a time, but for euer.

Semper est fructuosa, & operans per chari­tem: It is alwayes fruitfull, and worketh by loue.

The Scripture mentioneth but two kinds of [...]ayth.

The one a dead faith without good wor­kes, which beleeueth all you say of Christ, but obserueth not his commandements.

The other, a liuely, a iustifying fayth, which dooth not onely beleeue, but worke also in charity.

And thus much may be spoken of fayth, which as Chrisostome saith, No man kno­weth, or vnderstandeth a-right, but he that receaueth it: as no man knoweth the sa­uour of honey but he that hath seene it, and tasted it.

This faith, as the same holy man also wri­teth, is, Lumen animae, ostium vitae, fundamen­tum salutis [...]ternae.

Hee that hath this faith, hath already the kingdom of God within him: and he may say as Iacob, did when he rested him in Be­thel: and this is no other but the house of God, & this is the gate of heauen.

Lord.

Lord, importeth his soueraignty, and po­wer, in that he is a Lord: he is able to saue vs, and to protect vs, if we submit our selues to his gouernment.

In that he is called a Lord, wee must be directed onely by him: he must raigne in [Page] vs, and ouer vs.

The homage wee must pay to this our Lord and King, is our selues, our soules and bodies. A liuing sacrifice holy and accep­table vnto God, which is our reasonable seruice of God.

If I be a Lord, where is mine honour, sayth the Lord by Malachy.

God wil not be our Lord, vnlesse we will become his seruaunts: but if wee serue the world, or our lusts, or our vanities, then we cast his yoake from vs.

Iesus.

Signifieth a Sauiour: I came not to de­stroy, but that the world in me might haue life. And this is eternall life: to beleeue that God hath sent his sonne. They shall call his name Iesus; for he shall saue his people from their sinnes.

There is no other name giuen vnder hea­uen, whereby we must be saued, neither is saluation in any other.

Christ.

Ʋnctus: The Lord hath annoynted him with the oile of gladnes aboue his fellowes. Heb. 1. Kings, Priests, and Prophets, were first a­noynted, before they executed their offices.

And Christ our Lorde beeing a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, is likewise annoyn­ted to execute his three-fold office for vs, in gouerning, sacrifycing, and praying for vs.

He was a Prophet & the last of the pro­phets, who now hath sealed vp both vision and prophecie, and the whole misterie of godlines: which is. God is manifested in the 1. Tim, 3. 16 flesh, iustified in the spirit▪ s [...]ne of Angels, prea­ched vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receu [...]ed vp in glory.

Behold heere the wondersull cōfort pre­sented vpon a suddaine to this laylour. Sal­uation is freely in this place offered vnto him by faith in Christ, whom Paul & Sy­las preached.

Neuer was the coole shadow so comfor­table to the weary traueler in the extremity of Sommers drought, as this glad tydings of saluation was to this distres [...]ed Iaylour.

Sin and s [...]than seazed vpon him before, as the legion of fi [...]nds vppon the heard of Swine: but now he hath separated frō him his sinnes, and quite expulsed all the inty­ [...]ing vanities of this decei [...]full world, & hee [Page] runneth to Christ, faster then Zacheus out of the wilde fig-tree. Before hee was vnder the wrath of God, but nowe hee is vnder grace, and is vppon a suddaine become an elect vessell of mercy.

See howe full the riuers of God are, and how vniuersally they streame foorth to wa­ter the harts of all Christians that are apt to receiue them. Not the Iaylour alone hath the benefit of this wholeso [...]e Emplayster, but his whole houshold are salued as wel as himselfe: they for his sake haue a promise of the like grace.

Seruaunts may be glad that are in seruice vnder a religious Maister, for that the bles­sings of God in the Maister are deriued vn­to them. Here we may cry out with Paul▪ O the riches of Gods mercisulnes. And with Moses, Dominus domtnus potens et misericors, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and truth: reseruing mercy for thousands. The housholder himselfe, and his family, chyl­dren, seruaunts, and all are saued.

The vnbelceuing wife shall be accepted for the beleeuing husband: & in this place [Page] the houshold is accepted for the houshol­der.

And this that hath beene spoken, shall suffize, for the clearing of this story of the Iaylour.

In whose example we are called vpon, to make straite steps vnto our paths, and to be alwayes deuising what wee may doe to be saued: He ranue to the Apostles, to learne how he might be saued: we must also run to the Apostles, that is, to the word and we shall be sure to be informed as he was in the way of our saluation.

We must apply to our sick soules the be­nefit of the same emplaister: and we must beleeue in the Lord Iesus, as he did, that is, Let vs acknowledge him alone to bee our Messias, our Redeemer, & Aduocate; and according to this faith let vs work and fruc­tifie, by testifying the same both to the world, and our own consciences: and then shall this vndoubtedly follow. We shall be saued and our housholds.

Soli Deo gloria.