AN EXPLANATION OF THE GENERAL Epistle of Saint jude.  
Delivered in one and forty SERMONS, by that Learned, Reverend, and faithful Servant of Christ, Master SAMVEL OATS, Parson of Sowthreps in Norfolk.  
Preached in the Parish Church of Northwalsham, in the same County, in a public Lecture.  
And now published for the benefit of God's Church, by SAMVEL OATS, his son, Minister of the Word of God at MARSHAM.  2 PET. 1. 15. 
I will endeavour always, that ye also may be able to have remembrance of these things after my departing.  PROV. 13. 9 
The light of righteousness shineth more and more, but the candle of the wicked shall be put out.  PROV. 13. 13. 
He that despiseth the Word, shall be destroyed; but he that feareth the commandment, shall be rewarded.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON, Printed by Elizabeth Purslow for Nicholas Bourne, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the South Entrance of the ROYAL EXCHANGE. 1633.   

TO THE RELIGIOUS AND RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Knight and Baronet, Sir JOHN HOBERT of Blickling, Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of the Country of Norfolk: SAMVEL OATS wisheth all felicity here, and eternal salvation hereafter.  
Right Worshipful,  
THese Sermons of my Fathers upon Saint jude (Right worshipful Sir) after that once I was persuaded, for Zion's sake, to have them printed, I thought good to dedicate them to your worthy self: as Saint Luke dedicated his Gospel to Theophilus, so I to you, another Theophilus, a true lover of God and of his Word, so right honestly affected to Doctrine and Religion, that your Comportment in God's Church, and in all your courses, and in all good causes, persuades the Country, your Piety and Devotion to be unfeigned. The causes why I present them unto you, are these: First, the true respect you merit from all them who profess Learning: Secondly, the many excellent gifts worthy of much commendations in yourself: Thirdly, that my Father (whom God hath taken to his Mercy) was sometime Chaplain to my late Honourable good Lord your Father (who now resteth with God, his body being laid up in peace, and his memory with good men precious) and one of the first Chaplains that ever he entertained: Lastly, to testify my own engagement, you being my worthy Patron, humbly desiring, that as you succeeded your Honourable Father in his Virtues; so I may succeed my Father in your favours. Touching these Sermons upon jude, the natural sense thereof is so clearly opened, and the Doctrines arising so powerfully applied and enforced, and all manner of sin so reproved, that I doubt not, but God's Church and People shall hence reap much benefit, which was the Author's only intent in the exercise of his Ministry. But it becometh not me to say much; they are exposed to public view, and as men's eyes shall be upon them, so my prayer to God shall be, that their hearts may be informed and reform by them. For my part I intent especially (though I be of all men most unworthy to be an instrument herein) to further Christ's Kingdom, which if it may, I have my desire: howsoever, I shall leave it to the blessing of God, and your worthy Patronage. Now the God of all consolation, according to the riches of his Mercy, bless you with the Honourable good Lady your Wife, your hopeful Children, and whole Family, with all external, internal, and eternal blessings of his Spirit, that all your actions may be prosperous, your troubles few, your comforts many, your life long, your death blessed, your election sure, and your salvation certain. Amen.  
Your Worships in all Christian offices to command, Samuel Oats, Minister of the Word of God, at Marsham in Norfolk.   

TO THE GODLY AND Well-affected Reader whosoever.  
COurteous Reader, I am bold at the length to present to thy view these Sermons of my Fathers upon the Epistle of Saint jude, which though in this Learned age, among so many excellent and accurate Sermons and Treatises, it may seem presumption to publish, yet in this sinful age, I thought they might prove most useful for the beating down of sin, and convincing the consciences, and converting the souls of sinners, there being not many of this kind: for though knowledge abound, and learning flourish, and most desire to have their understanding informed, and affections pleased, yet true godliness and righteousness is daily decaying, and few desire to have their lives reform; though they have the form of godliness, yet they have denied the power thereof; and though they profess they know God, yet in their works they deny him. Which this man of God considering, did bend all his labour and learning to the beating down of sin, and building up in virtue and saving knowledge: wherein how powerful and prevalent he was, thou mayst guess by these Sermons tanquam ex ungue leonem. Concerning himself, his learning, life, etc. It is not meet I should say much, seeing I may seem to speak partially out of affection, yet I hope I may without blame give testimony to that truth which all that knew him will acknowledge; namely, that he was a faithful labourer in the work of the Lord, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, a burning and a shining light, burning with zeal, shining both by divine Doctrine and godly conversation. Burning so, as he consumed himself, to give light to others; and shining, not only before his Parochial charge, where he lived and exercised his Ministry; being as an Augustine 
Sowthreps in Norfolk.  to that Hyppo, a Polycarpe to that Smyrna, but the whole Country; so as they all knew him a faithful Samuel, a learned, laborious, and godly Preacher, who did empty himself, to fill others, and did waste and consume his strength, to instruct the flock committed to his charge. Neither was the lustre of his light confined in that Parish or Country wherein he lived, but shined further into other parts of this Kingdom, so as three very Godly and Eminent Persons in this State; worthy instruments of God's glory, flourishing in their time with many excellent graces and virtues on earth, and now all shining glorious Saints in Heaven, did take notice of him, and did successively entertain him Chaplain (namely, Sir Francis Walshingham, Secretary to the State, Sir john Popham, Lord-Chiefe-Iustice of England, and Sir Henry Hobart, Knight and Baronet, Lord Chiefe-Iustice of the Common Pleas;) all which notwithstanding, he continued so lowly in his own eyes, and so zealous in his Function, as he neither carelessly, nor ambitiously, left his Cure to seek other preferment: But having at any time performed his due observance to those Honourable Persons, according as he was engaged, he presently returned to his accustomed weekly, and almost daily task of preaching: for his heart was so inflamed with the zeal of God's glory, and yet so balanced with the fear of God, and true humility, that neither the learning nor graces that were in his own heart, nor the lustre and grace he had with other, did puff him up with price: and this humility and lowliness in his own eyes (Magna & rara virtus, as S. Bernard terms it) made him think neither these nor any of his Sermons or writings worthy of public view, so as though he were much importuned by offers and earnest entreaties, yet would not be drawn to publish any of them. But for as much as it is not meet, those learned labours should dye with him, whereby, he being dead, may (with Abel) yet speak, and the living be furthered in the way of life, I resolved to publish these Sermons upon S. jude, Preached in a weekly Lecture to a public audience on the market day at Northwalsham in Norfolk; Intending (God assisting) if I may understand these to become acceptable & profitable to the people of God, to publish more. In the mean time I shall send these forth, with jacobs' blessing and prayer for his Sons, Gen. 43. 14. God Almighty send thee mercy in the sight of the man, etc. In the sight of the proud man, that he be no more highminded, as Herod; In the sight of the poor man, that he may be content with the things he hath already, as Paul; In the sight of the stubborn man, that he may yield with Saul, and say, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? In the sight of the penitent man, that his wounds may be bound up, and Wine and Oil poured into them; In the sight of the barren man, that he may live and bring forth much fruit; In the sight of every man, that they may draw near to God with a pure heart in assurance of faith, sprinkled in their hearts from an evil conscience, and washed in their body with pure water. But especially in the sight of our joseph, our jesus, who bless thee and these to thee, and all other means of furthering thy salvation; to whose grace I commend thee, this tenth of April, 1633.  
Thine in Christ Jesus, Samuel Oats.   


THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST SERMON Upon Saint JUDAS.  
A Brief description of the Author, Penman, Argument, Occasion of the Epistle.  
The division of it into five parts: 1 Superscription. 2 Exordium. 3 Proposition. 4 Exhortations, Dehortations. 5 Conclusion.  
Superscription in three: 1 Person writing. 2 Person written to. 3 Salutation.  
Person writing by three: His Name. Office. Alliance.   

The Contents of the second Sermon.  
THe persons to whom he writ, described by their Vocation, and Sanctification.  
In Vocation, he describes the fruits, kinds, and parts, necessity, diversity, in respect of time and place.  
In Sanctification, that it follows Vocation, and is threefold; how distinguished from justification, what place it hath in salvation.   

The Contents of the third Sermon.  
THat we may have the benefit of Redemption, we must have both Reconciliation. Sanctification: and Continual preservation in the estate of grace.  
In Reconciliation there is necessary Remission of sins. Imputation of Christ's Righteousness.  
Sanctification consists in Mortification. and Vivification.  
Arguments to urge Sanctification: preservation both of body and soul, especially the soul in sanctification, till brought to glorification.   

The Contents of the fourth Sermon.  
THe Salutation, wherein he wisheth three: Mercy. Peace, and Love. Of Mercy and Peace in this Sermon: Mercy fourfold.  
That that concerns the soul, and salvation thereof, is sevenfold.  
Peace threefold: Externall. Internal. Eternal.  
Outward prosperity and happiness.   

The Contents of the fifth Sermon.  
HAving spoken afore of Mercy and Peace, here he speaks of Love: Love is twofold: Of God to Man, Of Man to Man both set out by their Excellency, and their Effects.  
The want of the latter noted, the kinds of Love condemned: finally, not only Mercy, Peace, and Love, as positive graces are wished; but the continnal increase and multiplication of them.   

The Contents of the sixth Sermon.  
THe proposition in the second part of the Epistle unfolded, that faith must be maintained, wherein two things: 1 They must labour to maintain faith. 2 The reasons: and they are three: 1 From the person of the Apostle. 2 From the person of God. 3 From the person of the Adversary.  
In this Sermon of the first, viz. that Faith must be maintained with all earnestness; and of the first reason drawn from the person of the Apostle; namely, his love, his pains, and his mildness.   

The Contents of the seventh Sermon.  
THe second reason drawn from the person of God that gives faith: wherein three: 1 That Faith is a gift. 2 That given once. 3 That given to the Saints.  
In the first, the diverse acceptions of faith: 1. How the true faith is given.  
In the second, that the same Faith is in all ages.  
In the third, that only the Saints have this true faith, wherein the diverse acceptions of faith are set down, and that here is meant the Saints upon earth.   

The Contents of the eighth Sermon.  
THe third reason is drawn from the persons of the Adversaries, who are described 1 By their life. 2 By their end.  
By their life that they 1 Creep into the Church. 2 Be A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men without God. 3 Be Libertines. 4 Are blasphemers, denying God and Christ, etc.  
The three first hear handled.   

The Contents of the ninth Sermon.  
THe third reason from the persons of the adversaries, is further prosecuted in regard of the fourth branch, of their impiety in their life, 〈…〉, the only Lord, and our Lord jesus Christ: wherein is showed how many ways God and Christ are denied.  
And proved that God is the only God And that jesus Christ is our Lord jure Creationis. jure Redemptionis.   

The Contents of the tenth Sermon.  
THe third reason from the Adversaries is further prosecuted in regard of the end, which is by the Apostle here said to be condemnation, and in that they are said to be before ordained to this condemnation, as by God's decree.  
The two parts of God's decree, Election and Reprobation, largely handled.   

The Contents of the eleventh Sermon.  
NNotwithstanding they to whom he wrote knew before, yet he puts them in remembrance of the mercies of God in delivering the Israelites; and his justice in destroying them, growing rebellious, Wherein note: 1 The necessity of inculcating, and often reiterating doctrines before known. 2 Gods mercy to the Israelites, especially in their deliverance out of Egypt, which is largely described. 3 The greater his mercies, the more grievous his punishments upon the contemners thereof.   

The Contents of the twelfth Sermon.  
THe Israelites sin that brought their destruction, was infidelity; though other sins, yet this the root of all, as proved in them and all.  
The nature, the kinds, the necessity, excellency, and utility of faith is set out.  
Secondly, the sin of the Angels what it was, wherein their nature, and office, their number, kinds, their sin being in general Apostasy, the nature of that sin, and wherein it consists, and how odious it is, is described.   

The Contents the thirteenth Sermon.  
THe punishment of the Angels that fell, which is to be reserved in everlasting chains: hence 1 Comfort to man, that though his malice be infinite, yet his power is limited. 2 Confusion to him, that though he be already punished, yet but like the malefactor in prison and fetters till the Assize: so he in chains till the general judgement, than his torments, as also the torments of all the damned are to be ●ncreased 〈…〉 of the Saints and Angels shall be increased.   

The Contents of the fourteenth Sermon.  
THe sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, fornication and all manner of uncleanness: the odiousness of this sin, the evils that flow from it, the evil it brings upon the Actors described.  
The falls of the Saints, Noah, Lot, Solomon, not to be imitated.  
The polygamy of the Fathers discussed, not justified.  
The causes of Sodoms' uncleanness.   

The Contents of the fifteenth Sermon.  
Sodomes' punishment set out for an example to all unclean persons:  
So all examples, though not for imitation, yet for instruction.  
The kind of their punishment, Fire, and that eternal.  
This described by diverse names, by comparing it with elementary fire, by the degrees of punishment in it, all eternal and irremissible.  
And how God squared their punishment to their sin, and so doth he usually with all sinners.   

The Contents of the sixteenth Sermon.  
MAny of the wicked mentioned, two handled: 1 They are sleepers. 2 Defilers of the flesh.  
In the first what kind of sleepers: 1 Such as sleep in sin and security. 2 How fitly called sleepers. 3 How dangerous this sleep is, and hereupon exhorteth to awake and watch.  
In the second, who these defilers of the flesh are, what misery God brings on them in this life, and will bring in the life to come.  
The heinousness of the sin aggravated by diverse arguments.  
The danger and filthiness set out to make all to loathe it.   

The Contents of the seventeenth Sermon.  
A Third sin formerly mentioned here handled, namely, Despising Government. This shown by rebellion and despiteful speaking. This sin is odious, being the devil's sin, & all rebels his children. Christ taught and practised obedience, and so did the Apostles, and Orthodox Fathers, and all Christians, even to heathenish and persecuting Emperors, rebellion unnatural, a resisting God's ordinance, a cause of all wickedness and confusion.  
They that despise government, do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 war against God, and seek to bring all to confusion; these especially, the Anabaptists and Papists, who are here refuted and reproved, and obedience urged.   

The Contents of the eighteenth Sermon.  
THe confutation of railers and despisers of government, by the example of Michael, that would not rail on the Devil.  
The distinction between an Angel and an Archangel.  
The History of this dspute not extant, and the reason thereof.  
The impudence of Satan assaulting an Archangel.  
Meekness taught us by the example of the Archangel, Christ, his Apostles, and all the Saints.  
Railing and cursed speaking, though ordinary, yet odious, dishonours God, disgraces our brethren, and hurts ourselves.  
Whether railing and cursing be lawful, and how fare further we must learn to govern the tongue.   

The Contents of the nineteenth Sermon.  
A Further reproof of Railers, whose hearts being poisoned with malice, make them uncapable of grace, but like dogs to bark and bite, and like Serpents to vent poisonous speeches.  
The Separatists infected with this poison.  
Ignorance for the most part the cause in them, and Papists that rail on our Church and Doctrine: and in others that they practise this sin. Therefore all should use the means to get knowledge, which means are briefly described.  
They that rail upon ignorance are condemned, much more they that do it upon knowledge, as julian the Apostata. But the general cause is Ignorance, though in some simple, yet in many affected and wilful; and these latter worse than the brute beasts, for they make use of their natural knowledge; these abuse themselves in those things they know.   

The Contents of the twentieth Sermon.  
HAving described, and confuted the wicked, he execrate them, Because they follow the way of Cain, which is described to be 1 Envy, 2 profaneness, 3 Hypocrisy, 4 Despair.  
Every of which he describes by many resemblances, and fearful effects and dehorteth from them.   

The Contents of the one and twentieth Sermon.  
HE prosecuteth the second cause why jude execrate the wicked; which was because they became subject to destruction by the deceit of Baalams' wages, transported by cotetousnesse.  
The odiousness of which sin, he describes in diverse respects.  
First, because i● i● the 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉. Secondly, because so many woes are denounced against it.  
Thirdly, it is the original of all sins against God and Man.  
Fourthly, it deprives of all the beatitudes mentioned, in Mat. 5. and of Heaven itself.  
He dehorts from this sin, by many arguments, especially two; First, because the desire is never satisfied.  
Secondly, because things desired be 1 Uncertain, 2 Unprofitable, 3 Hurtful.   

The Contents of the two and twentieth Sermon.  
HE prosecutes the third cause why jude execrate the wicked, because rebellious as Corah, where having proved all government is God's ordinance, whether Monarchy, Aristocraty, or Democrity; and preferred Monarchy, he concludes rebellion to be a resisting of God's ordinance, and pernicious to Church and Commonwealth, and to the rebels themselves.  
He proceeds to the twelve and thirteen verses, and observes in them these wicked to be described 1 By their sins, 2 By their judgement. Their sins to be three: 1 Epicurism, they eat and drink without fear, feeding themselves. 2 Pride, like swelling waves, 3 Hypocrisy, set out by three comparisons. There First, like clouds without rain.  
Secondly, like trees without fruit, Thirdly, like stars without light.  
Their judgement black darkness, and this after amplified, Vers. 14. and 15.  
In the handling, from the manner how the Apostle describes these sinners, by diverse metaphors.  
He observes first, that it is usual with the Spirit of God to use such metaphors, & therefore lawful for all Preachers in their Sermons to do the like.  
Secondly, that the creatures, beside the consideration of their natures, give occasion of moral meditations.  
He enters upon the first sin, Epicurism, describes it, shows the drowsiness of it in respect of the effects and end.  
He dehorts from this sin by many arguments.  
Further in that they are said to feed themselves, two things are noted.  
First, they do not glorify God, secondly, not relieve others.  
Lastly, in that they are said to be blots in their Love-feasts, that it is a stain to the godly, to eat and feast with those Epicures, or other wicked ones.  
And he describes the Love-feasts, the institution, abuse, and abolishing of them.   

The Contents of the three and twentieth Sermon.  
HE prosecutes the other two sins, Pride and Hypocrisy.  
He shows Pride to be a vice abominable to God in general. In particular he prooveth it vain, in respect of 1 God, 2 Men, 3 the Proud themselves.  
That is naturally in all men, the godly themselves are sometimes overtaken by it.  
It is expressed both in things pertaining to God and Man many ways, though in all, yet most in the worst; and it is not only seen in life, but after death it brings shame and destruction, temporal and eternal.  
Hypocrisy is described by the Apostle, by a threefold comparison, viz. of clouds without rain, trees without fruit, stars without light.  
He setteth it out by many elegant and apt resemblances, insisting especially in the resemblance of it to unfruitful trees.  
Dehorts from it, first, because it is odious to God, which desireth and delighteth in sincerity of the heart; 2. because Christ denounceth so many woes against it, Hell being prepared for it, & Heaven being shut against it.   

The Contents of the four and twentieth Sermon.  
HAving spoken of the sins of the wicked, mentioned by Saint jude, viz. Epicurism, Pride, Hypocrisy: He proceeds to their judgement, which is eternal damnation, it is described by diverse names, yet by none sufficiently expressed. All sufferings here but shadows, the beginning of sorrows in respect of them. He setteth out the torments of Hell by the contraries, the joys of Heaven, and in themselves being of all sorts, yea more than can be either expressed, or conceived: upon the consideration hereof, he exhorts to live godly, that we may escape them; and this exhortation he urgeth further, because they are eternal, irremissible, and by fire which is intolerable, showed by comparison with our fire in diverse respects, and these torments to be multiplied according as they have multiplied their sins.   

The Contents of the five and twentieth Sermon.  
HAving showed that all the former sinners shall be judged, he proves it out of the Prophecy of Enoch, and because this Prophecy being not extant, the Papists gather that this, and many truths beside, being preserved in the Church by traditions, therefore traditions are to be embraced, together with Scripture, as grounds of faith.  
He proveth the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures, for faith and manners without tradition, and refutes their blasphemous slandering and slighting the Scriptures: and so proceeds to speak of the judgement that jude intends, being the last general judgement, proving that it must 〈…〉. Secondly, that it must be executed by the Son, the second person in the Trinity. Thirdly, the manner how he shall appear, which shall be in humane shape, yet with power and great glory; and this he sets out by comparing the second coming with his first: and his proceeding with them in foro justiciae, with this here in foro misericordiae. Fourthly, the end of his coming to judge all, concerning all their works, words, thoughts, that the Swearers and blasphemers, shall have the greatest doom. Fiftly, that this judgement is most certain, God having appointed it, and men's consciences witnessing and telling them it internally.  
He concludes with a threefold use 1 For terror of the wicked, 2 Comfort of the godly penitent, 3 Instruction of all.   

The Contents of the six and twentieth Sermon.  
HE entereth upon Saint judes' description of the wicked by foure-sinnes: 1 Impatience, 2 Lusts, 3 Pride, 4 Flattery.  
He handles the two former, Impatience and Lusts, Showing impatience to be double, 1 Against God, 2 Against Men.  
The first, the root of many sins, occasioned many ways, often mentioned in the Scripture, ever reproved, and severely punished: he exhorts to patience, shows three means to effect it, and shows the danger of impatience.  
Impatience against men manifold in all sorts and degrees, which he doth sharply reprove, and persuades patience in regard of our mutual wants: he entereth upon the second sin, viz. Lust, he showeth that they be most base, most pernicious, which though God hath taught us to tame by many means, yet we are too much led by them, yielding both to evil motion and natural affection, all which we must repress by the word, and though we have them remaining in us, yet we must not suffer them to reign in us. And further, that we may avoid them, he setteth out what they be, what sins they bring forth, that they are insatiable, infectious to soul and body, and make us uncapable of grace and salvation, and subject to damnation.   

The Contents of the seven and twentieth Sermon.  
HAving spoken of the two first sins of the wicked, viz. Impatience and Lusts, he proceedeth to the other two, Pride and Flattery.  
In speaking of Pride, he showeth, that though it be in the heart, yet it vents itself most at the mouth, as all corruption doth.  
That Pride by 〈◊〉 is in all, yet the godly repel it, as David & Paul, & glory in the Lord, & that is the true glory, it is vain to glory in any thing else.  
That proud men show their pride in speaking 〈◊〉 ●hing●, yet usually they vaunt most that have lest worth in them; as their hearts and speeches are vain, so they get nothing but vanity, though they speak proudly for gain.  
Among all vaunters the Pope is chief, and his flatterers in the next rank, secondly, he speaketh of the last sin, viz. Flattery; showeth the property of Flatterers, their aim and their punishments, as also of them that listen to them, and therefore we should stop our ears against them, as Ulysses against the Sirens song.  
That this sin hath its name from servility, and therefore Flatterers are base and servile creatures.  
It is odious in all, but especially in Ministers.  
The desire to be flattered, the cause of flattery; yet he that flatters hath—; and he that reproveth, love. We should therefore embrace truth, and detest flattery, though it please.   

The Contents of the eight and twentieth Sermon.  
HAving observed the opposition between the Saints to whom he writ, and these wicked of whom before he had written, he showeth that the godly and the wicked are every where opposed, and though the wicked, the more in number, yet not to be followed; seeing Christ's flock is little, and there be few that shall be saved, and better to be blessed with those few, then to be condemned with the multitude. After commending you for remembering the Word of God, he setteth out the excellency and utility thereof, taxing our negligence herein, and teaching how we may hear and remember: and because it is called the Word of the Apostles, he first showeth that the Doctrine of the Apostles, and not humane writings or traditions, are to be relied upon. And secondly, he confutes those that gather from hence, that the Author of the Epistle was no Apostle, and the Epistle not Canonical, and shows this to be judes' modesty to allege others, yet no infirming, but a confirming of his own authority. Lastly, from his kind compellation (beloved) he notes his mildness, and commends that grace, and shows that it must be used in all our courses, yet so, as with it some tartness and severe reprehensions must be used, with respect of due circumstances to persons, place, time, kind of offence; and he reprehends three sorts, that reprehends for sinister ends, and shows what should be our chief aim in our reproofs.   

The Contents of the nine and twentieth Sermon.  
IVde prophesing of mockers that should be in the last times, he treats of their sin, observing that jude put it in the forefront. That there have been mockers in ages, some of God and Religion, some of men; but they that have been mockers of God and Religion, most odious, most severely punished, yet all condemned as being persecutors, carnal, lose Libertines; though they think themselves 〈◊〉, yet they 〈◊〉 the bondslaves of sin and Satan; they are only free that are the servants of God, and subdue their lusts, and they have thereby assurance of their election and salvation.   

The Contents of the thirtieth Sermon.  
HEre he condemneth Sectaries, that make a division in the Church, which is one, and the true members thereof preserve unity among themselves; these Sectaries are dangerous, as Idolaters. Three sorts of them, viz. Heretics, Schismatics, and Apostates, who are described and condemned.  
Pride the root of Heresy and Schism, though the Scriptures, the means to confute them, yet they pervert them to maintain their errors. That we may avoid these, we must keep our hearts from infidelity, our minds from false opinions, and our conversation from scandal; they are the chief Engines. Satan's use to overthrow the Church, making Sects and divisions, either for matters Ecclesiastical or Temporal. These Sectaries are by jude called natural men, that is, unregenerate; having no more than they drew from Adam, without grace and knowledge of heavenly things, yet practised many civil virtues, invented Arts, and in many things exceeded many that bear the names of Christians, though they had but natural illumination, not the Spirit of Sanctification, and so Saint jude addeth, having not the Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God; and being without it, had no spiritual grace, but were led by the spirit of pride, error, etc.   

The Contents of the one and thirtieth Sermon.  
HAving noted the opposition between the wicked and the godly from the conjunction discretive. But, that though Sectaries pull down, yet the godly must build up themselves in their holy Faith; he justifieth, first, in the metaphor Edify, he infers two things; first, that we must be builders, using the Word of God for our rule or square, and confute the Papists that took it away; secondly, that we must increase daily in knowledge, grace, and goodness, and reproove our nonproficiency, and show that it is a property of the wicked to decrease, and tax both such, as think they know enough, and such as will not endeavour to know, exhorting all to use all diligence to learn and to build, so as when their earthly tabernacle be dissolved, they may have assurance of a house in the Heavens, he proceedeth with the Apostle to the thing wherein he must be built, and that is, in their Faith; and this not barely named, but with a note of excellency above all virtues, being called, Most holy Faith. He sets out the necessity of Faith in all our actions that they may be pleasing to God; and having showed that Faith is the original of all good works, he showeth the end, and manifold uses of them. Finally, that Faith is the life of the soul, by it God lives in us, and we shall live eternally with him. He proceeds to the note of excellency, that is called most holy: and first shows the excellency of it, above all other virtues, and that holy: first, in regard of the subject, purifying the heart, and making our persons and 〈…〉. Secondly, in respect of the object, the holy Trinity: Thirdly, in respect of the officient cause, the holy Ghost, and hence concluded, that the Papists works are not holy, being not done in Faith, and that the wicked have no Faith, because no holiness. And lastly, he showeth that this holy Faith must be begotten by hearing the holy Word of God.   

The Contents of the two and thirtieth Sermon.  
HAving set out the relation between Faith and Prayer, and the manifold and marvellous effects of Prayer; and that it is not only powerful, but pleasant to God and the Saints themselves, he descends to divide Prayer into diverse kinds in diverse respects; and showeth how all must be uttered. He proceedeth further, to set out the excellency of Prayer by many resemblances, and manifold effects and uses; having spoken of Prayer in general, he comes to show that it must be in Spirit; and showeth what it is to pray in the Spirit, and that he de●ineth, so as either the holy Ghost must be the Author of Prayer, being the Author of all Graces, yet so as the holy Trinity have a hand in it; or secondly, that our Prayers must be spiritual and zealous, not carnal; and with the lips he reprove the Papists that require but an actual intent, and showeth it is the manner, not matter that God respects, That we must take heed, that neither business nor multitude of cogitations steal away the times of prayer; but that we pray always, with pure, zealous, and faithful hearts, and then we may rely upon his promises for all good things.   

The Contents of the three and thirtieth Sermon.  
HAving briefly showed the relation betwixt Faith, Prayer, and Love; he instanceth in Love, setteth out the excellency of it above all virtues, bewails the want of it, and exhorts unto it, yet distinguisheth and showeth it must be the Love of God which we must keep ourselves in, this he describes by four properties: that it must be 1 Holy. 2 Iust. 3 True. 4 Constant.  
And condemns the love of Atheists, carnal worldly men, and Papists, distinguisheth the love of God into 1 His love to us. 2 Our love to him.  
His love to us, though infinite, yet described in diverse respects: 1 By comparison. 2 By distinction. First, into his love 1 Immanent. 2 Transient. Secondly, 1 General. 2 Special. Thirdly, 1 Temporary. 2 Sempiternal  
Our love to god he showeth to be an effect of his love to us, and uses four reasons to excite us to the love of God: First, à, mandato, from the Commandment of God: Secondly, 〈…〉, from the Law of equity: Thirdly, à commodo, from, the manifold good that redounds to us by it: Fourthly▪ 〈…〉 from our duty, he being our Father. Lastly, he showeth the manner how we should perform it, and taxeth our failing in the manner.   

The Contents of the four and thirtieth Sermon.  
FIrst, observing how Saint jude having give diverse Precepts to the godly, commforts them with the hope of eternal life, he shows this to be the duly means to support the souls of the faithful, and entereth into a large, learned, and elegant discourse concerning eternal life and the joys of Heaven; and sets them out, firtst to be in themselves both unspeakable and incomprehensible, yet that may be guessed at by comparison with the most excellent earthly things, and setteth out the glorious estate of the Saints both in body and soul, and reproves such as are so delighted with this life, as they think not on eternal life, and confutes diverse erroneous conceits concerning this life, and again describes it 1 By the eternity. 2 Infinite extent of the place. 3 The infinite kinds of pleasures.  
Lastly, having set out the glorious estate, he showeth the means how we should attain to it, and that not by our merits, but God's mercies, and the merits of Christ jesus: and here he confutes the error of the Papists, holding justification by works, either of themselves, or joined with Christ's merits, discovering the error, and discoursing the point largely and learnedly, and shows that both election, vocation, justification, sanctification and salvation are all of grace and mercy.   

The Contents of the five and thirtieth Sermon.  
HAving showed the sum of the Apostles exhortation to be, that they should use discretion, he teacheth the necessity thereof in all sinners, that they and all should be compassionate over the souls of them that are in danger to perish, comforting the weak, and terrifying the obstinate; and he admonishes all to suffer not only the words of exhortation, but reprehension also. Lastly, expounding the Apostles phrase of saving by fear, to be the endeavouring to save by excommunication, the chiefest discipline of the Church, he showeth how fearful a thing it is to be cast out of the Church by excommunication, and distinguisheth of the kinds thereof, and describes theuses and ends thereof.   

The Contents of the six and thirtieth Sermon.  
FRom Saint judes' phrase of saving by pulling 〈◊〉 of the fire, he observeth first the fearful estate of the wicked, by that and many other resemblances used by the holy Ghost, and especially that they are subject to sudden destruction, whereas the godly are provided against sudden accidents, or death; secondly, in that he exhorts to save such, he takes occasion to set out the excellency and necessity of the Ministry, being God's ordinance to save souls; and confutes the conceit of them that vilify this function as unnecessary, and showeth that it is the greatest happiness that can come unto a people, to have a godly and learned Ministry, seeing they have thereby light, life, and salvation.   

The Contents of the seven and thirtieth Sermon.  
Upon Saint judes' Caveat, Hate the garment spotted by the flesh, etc. he showeth that we must be so fare from sin, as we● must abstain from all appearance of evil, and avoid evil company, both in respect of God, ●hose enemies they are; and of ourselves, both in regard of our outward and inward estate. Further he showeth, that we must hate sin: first, because the whole Trinity hates it: secondly, because Satan, the enemy of God and our souls, is the Author of it: yet so as we must hate it, as it dishonours God, not as it dishonours us, and hate the sin itself, not the person (except a known reprobate) and hate it for conscience sake, not for by respects: and he reproves those that are so fare from hating sin, as they will not be drawn to leave sin. And here taking occasion, of a fearful earthquake happening on Christmas Eve 1601. whilst he was in the Pulpit preaching, he discourses first of the fearfulness of this presage of judgement, as if the earth (trembling under sin) threatened to swallow up sinners, or that some fearful judgement was at hand. Secondly, for the time being Christmas Eve, he applies it as a Caveat given of God, that the solemn Feast following might not be profaned.   

The Contents of the eight and thirtieth Sermon.  
HE cometh to the conclusion of the Epistle, wherein the Apostle commending them to God's grace, to keep themselves from falling, he observes two things: 1 Man's weakness ready to fall. 2 The power of God able to keep him.  
First, he sets out man's weakness, showing that he can do nothing of himself without Christ's grace, and therefore though he be exhorted to stand and keep himself, yet God works in him the will and the deed, otherwise he would not stand among so many powerful enemies and temptations; and therefore we should continually pray. He showeth that our proneness to fall, came from our fall in Adam, yet by grace we are either preserved from falling, or raised being fallen. That the Saints are sometimes suffered to fall, it is for the further manifesting of God's grace and mercy, yet they never fall totally nor finally. Not only particular men, but the whole Church may err, though not totally and finally. And the Popes have erred shamefully.   

The Contents of the nine and thirtieth Sermon.  
PRaying for them that they might be preserved blameless, he shows how this can be, not for that they should have no sin, but for that none should be imputed; for our righteousness stands rather in the remission of our sin, then in the perfection of virtue: and he confutes the opinion of the Papists and diverse others, that vaunt of perfect purity, and expounds those places of Scripture, that ascribe purity or perfection to the Saints, and showeth how they are so called: namely Imputative, Comparative, or Inchoative. Non perfective.  
Distinguisheth of the degrees of perfection in the Church, and confuteth the opinion of Papists concerning justification by works. Lastly, praying for them that in the life to come they may behold his presence with joy, he setteth out the joys of the life to come both simply and comparatively, and exhorteth to seek to attain to them, and contemneth the glory and joys of the world in respect of them.   

The Contents of the fortieth Sermon.  
HEre he enters upon the last point in the conclusion of the Epistle, namely, Praise and thanksgiving to God; showeth that the Apostles concluded their Epistles with it, and often upon the mentioning of God's abundant mercy in Christ, breaks out into it: that David is very frequent in it, and so are all the Saints, and we ought to imitate them, and praise God according to all the Attributes, whereof jude mentioning six, viz. Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, Power, he insisteth in this Sermon in three of them, namely, Wisdom, Salvation, and Glory; and showeth first, that only God is wise, all men are either ignorant, or have but natural worldly wisdom, not true wisdom until God infuse it.  
That God's Wisdom appeareth in creating and disposing all things, but especially in preserving and governing his Church, and exhorts to submit unto it.  
Secondly, he proceeds to the second Attribute of Saviour, and shows that this is the most comfortable to us, and that he saves by Christ, yea, that the name of Saviour is proper to Christ, who purchased salvation for us by his death, that we must therefore be thankful to him, not derogate from his glory (as the Papists do) mincing Christ's merits, and mixing with it their own, and ascribing too much to nature and free will.  
He proceedeth to the third Attribute of God, namely, Glory; that this is an acceptable Sacrifice to God, but neglected by us; we pray in our wants, not praise God when they be supplied: that we ought to perform this duty continually, and if we do not glorify God here, we shall not be glorified with him hereafter. He reproves two sorts that rob God of his glory, the Proud, and the Envious. We must not imitate them, but praise God always in all things, with all the parts of our bodies and powers of our soul.   

The Contents of the one and fortieth Sermon.  
HEre he proceeds to the other three Attributes, viz. Majesty, Dominion, and Power; and showeth what it is first to ascribe Majesty to God: that it is to acknowledge his Majesty and Greatness in all his Works, and reproves our dulness that admire only his Miracles, when all his Works declare his Majesty. Many regard not his Miracles, nor signs of his wrath.  
He proceeds to the fifth, namely, Dominion; and showeth that to consist in that authority, whereby he commands in all Kingdoms, Places, Persons; and he distinguisheth these into three kinds, viz. his kingdom of 1 Power. 2 Grace. 3 Glory. and describes them: But insisteth in his Kingdom of Grace within us, and reproves our rebellions and treacheries, that yield subjection to sin and Satan, and set up our own wills and lusts to bear rule in us, and so make a mock of Christ's Kingdom, and that we ought to subject as the Angels, and do his will as they, most willingly, speedily, and faithfully. And to this end to have our souls and bodies purified, that he may dwell and rule in us.  
He proceeds to the sixth and lost Attribute, of Power; and showeth that this consisteth in that he doth whatsoever he pleaseth in all places and persons, being present in all places by his power, though not in body, and that this is an ascribing Power to him, to depend upon his Power, and to trust to his Strength, being all-sufficient: after that, he observeth all the six Attributes to belong to the whole Trinity, and that for ever. Lastly, he showeth the diverse significations of Amen, and therewith, how powerful a conclusion it is in all prayers, implying in it faith and zeal in him that prayeth.   
Laus Deo.   

The Analysis of the Epistle of Saint JUDAS.  


The Epistle hath five parts. 

1 Salvation: in it three. 

1 The person saluting, described by three: 

1 His name, JUDAS.  
2 His calling, a Servant of jesus Christ.  
3 His kindred or alliance, the brother of james.    
2 The persons saluted; and they are all that are called and sanctified of God the Father, reserved to jesus Christ, Verse 1.  
3 The matter of the salutation, wherein he wisheth to them three things: Verse 2. 

1 Mercy.  
2 Peace.  
3 Love.      
2 Exordium, or entrance; wherein he expresseth his purpose in this Epistle, which was, to write to them concerning salvation, and here he testifies, 

1 His love to them, by his kind compellation, Beloved.  
2 His desire and earnest endeavour to further them in the way of salvation, in that he gave all diligence to write of the common salvation.    
3 Proposition, the main means to further you in the way of salvation, Verse 3. 

The maintenance of the true Faith.  
Not acquired by the power of Nature.  
But given once to the Saints.    
4 Illustration and enforcement by 

Exhortation, Verse 3. that contend earnestly for the maintenance of faith, and use motives, 

1 In respect of God giving, because given to the Saints, and to neglect it, is to neglect God's grace giving means of salvation.  
2 In respect of some wicked Apostates, whom he describes 

1 Generally by their Verse 4. 

1 Subtlety crept in.  
2 Sin, turn the grace of God into wantonness, and deny God.  
3 judgement ordained of old to this condemnation.    
Admonishing them to whom he writ, to take heed both of their sin and judgement, by the examples of the 

Israelites, both their Sin, unbelief, judgement, destruction. Verse 5.  
Angels, both their Sin, pride, judgement, everlasting chains, etc. Vers. 6.  
Sodomites and Gomorrheans, both their Sin, uncleanness, judgement, eternal fire. Ver. 7    
2 Particularly, calling them dreamers, and describe 

1 Their sins ranged into two heads. 

1 Uncleanness, defile the flesh.  
2 Rebellion, in two things: 

1 Despising Government, Verse 8.  
2 Railing on This latter, aggravated V 9, 10    
He parallels them by their patterns: Verse 11. 

Cain for envy.  
Balaam for counselling to uncleanness.  
Corah for contempt of government.    
He sets them out by godly resemblances. 

Verse 12. 

1 Spots, in regard of their defiling & staining.  
2 Dry Clouds, Barren Trees, in respect of hypocrisy.    
Verse 13. 

3 Raging foaming waves, in respect of their pride and vain glory.  
4 Wand'ring Stars, in respect of their error and ignorance.      
2 judgement, the blackness of darkness for ever; this he confirms out of the prophecy of Enoch, wherein two things. 

1 Prophet, by two: 

1 His name, Enoch.  
2 Order of descent from Adam, the seventh from Adam. Verse 14.    
2 Prophecy, the matter of it, Verse 14, 15.      
3 Their properties: Verse 16. 

1 Murmuring.  
2 Repining.  
3 Licentiousness.  
4 Boasting.  
5 Flattery.          
Direction for maintenance of true faith in three things: 

1 How to avoid these impious Apostates, which draw from the faith, which is 

1 By remembering the predictions of the Apostles, that forewarned of such Mockers and lustful livers. Verse 17, 18.  
2 Observing their practice answerable to the Apostles prediction, making sects, being not spiritual, but carnal. Verse 19    
2 How to preserve themselves in the faith, and this by four means: Verse 20, 21. 

1 Mutual edification.  
2 Zealous and spiritual invocation.  
3 Keeping themselves in the love of God.  
4 Constant expectation of eternal life by the mercy and means of our Lord jesus Christ.    
3 How to preserve others in the faith. 

1 The weak by compassion, Verse 22.  
2 The obstinate by fear, Verse 23.        
5 Conclusion, with prayer and praise to God, wherein he insinuates 

1 What they are to expect and desire at God's hand, and their ground, because he is able being Verse 24, 25. 

1 To keep.  
2 To present blameless, etc.  
1 Only wise,  
2 And Saviour.    
2 What is to be ascribed to him 

1. Glory.  
2 Majesty.  
3 Dominion.           


AN EXPOSITION UPON THE whole Epistle of Saint jude.  VERSE. 1. 

The Author and Penman of this Epistle.  jude the servant of jesus Christ, etc.  
BEfore I enter upon the handling of this Epistle, I will speak briefly, first of the Author, 2. of the Penman, 3. of the Argument. 4. of the Occasion of this Epistle. For I cannot dilate at large as Solomon did of trees, from the Cedar to the Isop: nor as Pliny did of beasts, from the Elephant to the Pismeire, nor as Lactantius did of Fishes, from the Whale to the Lamprey. And first, for the Author of this book: it is the holy Ghost For all Scripture is given by inspiration from God, and Prophecy, came 
1 Tim. 3, 16. 2. Pet. 1. 20. Luke 1.  not in old time by the Will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved by the spirit of God, and it was God that spoke by the mouth of all his Prophets which have been since the World began. And as he directed the tongues of Holy men to speak, and therefore saith our Saviour, It is not ye that speak but the spirit of my father in you; so he directed 
Mat. 10. 20.  their pens to write, so that it was not they that wrote, but the holy Ghost by them. By this therefore it evidently appeareth, of what reverend account this Epistle, aught for to be, seeing it hath the holy Ghost for the Author.  
2 The penman or writer was jude, or judas, and of this name our Saviour had two disciples: The one called judas Iscariot, Who for thirty pieces of silver betrayed, & basely sold his Lord and Master. Servus Dominum, discipulus magistrum, homo Deum, creatura 
Mat. 26.  creatorem vendidit, The servant betrayed, sold, most basely sold his Lord. The disciple his Master, man God, the creature the Creator; Infoelix mercator judas, O unhappy Merchant, judas!  
The other called judas, the son of Alphaeas, called also Thaddeus & Labbeus, who was brother to james, & cousin to the Lord jesus, in the flesh: The occasion of which name, with the reason thereof, is set down in the 29. of Gen. the 35, V For when Leah had borne 
judg. 15. Act. 18. 28. cap. 6. 10.  three sons to jacob, she conceived and bore a fourth Son, saying, Now will I praise and confess the Lord, and she called his name judah.  
This jude was as rare and notable an Apostle to beat down the Heretics of that time, as Samson did the Philistines, as Apollo did the jews, as Stephen did the Libertines & Cirenians, as Paphuntius did the Council of Nice in Minister's marriage.  
Concerning the Argument, of this Epistle, it is a stirring 
The Argument and occasion or this Epistle.  them up to a Christian life, to show forth the fruits of faith to join with Words, Works, with communication, conversation, with hearing, keeping, with profession, practice: For after planting must come growing, after light walking 
Col. 1. Ephes' 5. 9 2 Pet. 1. Esa. 2. 3. jam. 1. 22.  after faith works, after teaching obedience, after a good profession some good practice.  
Beside, here in this Epistle, he inveigheth sharply against carnal profession, and gross abusing of Christian Religion. And also he admonisheth them to beware of impostors, seducers, false teachers, cunning deceivers, which were craftily crept in amongst them, drawing men from purity in Religion to impurity of the flesh: Whom the Apostle lively painteth out in their several colours, and against whom he denounceth many judgements of God.  
The occasion of writing this Epistle was this; It is affirmed by the most learned of all times, and agreed upon by the best writers, that this Apostle jude, outlived many (yea most) of the Apostles, continuing and preaching in Mesopotomia, Pontus, Persis, and other parts of the world, till the Reign of Domitian the Emperor; in whose reign Iniquity reigned, Impiety abounded, corruption of manners and dissolution in life raged in every place; for many there were, that were Wantoness in manners, and heretics in opinion, against whom he did lift up his voice like a trumpet. So that this Epistle is notable, and written for our learning; howsoever some deny, this Epistle to be Cannonicall; as Cardinal Cajetane, who 
Esa. 58. 1. Rom. 15. 4.  calleth it Aprocriphall: Which I note the rather, to meet with Campian, and Reighnolds, who say, that we Protestants reject the Scriptures, that we leave no ground for a Christian to rest his Faith on, because Luther doubted of james his Epistle, and we of the Apocryphas. But did not Dionysius Alexandrinus say, that most of his predecessors rejected the Apocalips? Did not the Council of Laodicia leave it out of the Canon? Did not Eumil●us Africanus, deny the books of Esra, job, Paralipomenon? Did not Jerome call the history of David's Marriage, a Poetical fiction, an unseemly jest? Did not Cardinal Caietane, a Pillar of the Church, a Peer of the Court of Rome, accuse the Epistle to the Hebrews to contain too weak grounds to prove Christ's divinity, and yet left they ground for our faith to rest on. So that there was no cause for Campian and Reighnolds to perch on their rouses, to clap their wings, to crow so loud, to whet their dog's eloquence against us. Some Scriptures have been doubted of of some Churches, as the second Epistle of Saint Peter, the second and third, of Saint John, and some have been rejected of all Churches, As the Epistle of Barnabas. The Acts of Peter, The book of the Pastor. The Gospel of Nicodemus and Thaddaeus, etc. 
God hath kept the Scriptures. Of the parts the Epistle. The person writing it.   
God hath kept the Scriptures in all ages, so much as is necessary for our salvation. At the giving of the Law, it was reserved in tables of stone. After the giving of the Law the writings of the Prophets were nailed to the door of the Temple, and reserved in the Lord's treasury. Before the captivity the Septuagint turned them into Greek, and Ptolomaeus 
Exod. 34. Heb. 2.  the King kept them; After the captivity; Ezra gathered all into one volume, in the days of Artaxerxes; and the Church have kept them as Aaron's Rod, and the pot of Manna, and as the two Tables were kept in the Ark, etc. In the primative Church, the Gospel of Matthew was kept in jewry, the Gospel of Mark at Alexandria, that of Luke at Antioch, that of john and the Apocalips at Ephesus: Nam triplex est munus Ecclesiae, the Church's office is threefold; Sacros libros servare instar testis, eos promulgare instar proeconis, eos ab aliis discernere; to keep these sacred books as a witness, to promulgate them, as a Preacher, and to discern them from other books whatsoever. And thus the Church hath kept this Epistle of jude, unto this day. Fremat licet C●jetanus. All Tyrants have raged against the Scripture; Antiochus, for his hatred of the Scriptures is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for he beheaded them, that had the Bible; Dioclesian commanded the books of the Scripture to be burnt, yet by the wonderful providence of God they are preserved.  
And thus much being spoken concerning the Author, the Penman, the Occasion, and Argument of this Epistle, I will now come unto the Epistle itself: the which may be divided into five parts.  
First, The title or superscription.  
Secondly, The Exordium.  
Thirdly, A proposition.  
Fourthly, Exhortations, and dehortations.  
Fiftly, The conclusion, or the shutting up of the Epistle, with a prayer to God.  
But first to begin with the title or superscription, and therein observe with me three things.  
First, The person writing.  
Secondly, The persons written unto.  
Thirdly, The Salutation.  
Now the person writing is described three ways:  
First by his name, jude.  
Secondly, By his calling, a servant of Christ.  
Thirdly, By his kindred, The brother of james.  
But first, the person writing is described by his name, and that was jude, or judas, not judas Iscariot, the traitor, but judas the brother of james, and Cousin to the Lord jesus Christ in the flesh, yet both were the Apostles of Christ, but this man good and godly, that wicked and ungodly: For it is nor the name or 
The Writer by his name and calling described.  office that makes a good man; but the Grace and Mercy of God; If outward titles could make good men, judas Iscariot, had been as good as this Apostle, Nay better, for judas Iscariot was Christ's steward, his pursebearer, disburser of all things for Christ and his company, and yet a thief, a traitor, a devil: Non omnes filii Sanctorum, qui loca sancta tenent. They are not all the sons of Saints, nor Saints themselves, which hold the places of Saints. God oftentimes bestoweth upon wicked men lofty titles and high places, partly to their greater condemnation; the mighty, shall be mightily tormented; and partly for the punishment of ungrateful people, as Saul over the Israelites.  
Again, in that jude was not ashamed of his name, but in the very first inscription of this Epistle setteth down his name, we which are the Ministers of God are taught, not to be ashamed of our calling, though scornfully by scorners of Religion, we are termed Priests. The jews though they mocked Christ, when bowing their knees, they cried, Hail King of the jews, against their wills they honoured him; for indeed he was King of the jews, and of the Gentiles: So these graceless contemners of our glorious calling, when they think to vilify us, by calling us Priests, (against their wills) they magnify us: their reproachful scoffs should not daunt us, nor discourage us in our calling, for he that hath called us and sent us, will be with us, as he was with Moses, and as he was with jeremy. Be not afraid 
Exod. 3. 12. jer. 1. 8.  of their faces, I will be with thee.  
Secondly, the person writing is described by his calling, for he calleth himself, Servum Dei, The servant of God.  
Of servants there be three sorts: Some are servants by slavish and voluntary subjection; these the Apostle calls, The servants of sin; Qui facit peccatum servus est peccati; He which 
john 8. 34. Rom. 6. 16.  committeth sin, is the servant of sin, and they which serve sin, Duram serviunt servitutem, serve an hard service, for the wages of sin is Death.  
Secondly, There be servants by condition; which are either born such by nature, or taken captives in War, or bought with money. To these servants, Saint Paul speaketh thus, Servants obey those which are your Masters, according to the flesh, with fear and 
Ephes' 6. 5, 6. August de Civu Dei, lib. 19 Cap. 15.  trembling, and with simplicity of heart, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ: Nomen istud culpâ mervit, non natura, This name of servant not nature but sin deserved; For the name of servant was never heard of, till Noah cursed Canaan, the son of Cham, Who discovered his father's nakedness, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be. 
Gen. 9 25.   
Thirdly, Servants by Office, Calling and Profession, and these are of two sorts; for men are either the servants of God generally, or particularly.  
Generally, they are Gods servants, which acknowledge 

Servants of God, divors kinds of them.  
To be God's servant the greatest honour.   him for their Lord, and do that service which is due to him, High veri servi Dei, These are the true servants of the true God; and such servants must we be, if we will be saved.  
Particularly, they are the servants of God, who in some several calling do service to God, as Magistrates and Ministers, these, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a special service be the servants of God. Now jude professeth himself a servant of jesus Christ; First, by condition, because by Christ he was redeemed and delivered from the slavery of Sin, and tyranny of Satan. Secondly, by Office, and calling also, he was the servant of jesus Christ, not only in his general calling, as he was a Christian, but also in his particular, as he was an Apostle. And note that Saint jude doth not call himself a governor, a or teacher, or an Apostle, but the servant of jesus Christ, as Paul doth, and as james and Peter did; For this is the best title, above the title of Lords, Dukes, 
Phil. 1. 1. jam. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Esa. 40. 23.  Kings, Emperors, who perish. For God bringeth the Princes to nothing, and maketh the judges of the Earth as Vanity. It is more to be the servant of jesus Christ, than to be the greatest Prince, Potentate, or Personage in the World, for if the servants of jesus Christ, though never so poor, base, and beggarly, yet happy and blessed: if not the servants of jesus Christ, though never so rich, noble, and great, yet miserable and wretched. This knew Paul, and therefore trod all his titles under his feet as 
Phil. 3. 5, 6.  dung, so that he might know Christ and serve him. This service lasteth for ever, as a colour set on with oil. And the Lord jesus as Man is called a servant, as God he was Lord of men and Angels, for he was the man jesus, and the Lord jesus. God's service is perfect 
1 Cor. 8.  freedom, God's servants on Earth, are freemen in Heaven. Citizen with the Saints, Free Denizens of the celestial jerusalem, their 
Ephes. 2. 19 Rom. 6. 22.  fruit is in holiness, and their end everlasting life. What honour should we desire but this, to be the servants of God? Godliness 
1 Tim. 1, 6.  is great gain; and to serve God, hath promise, both of this life, and the life to come. If the service of Solomon was so good a service: That they were counted happy that stood before him. 
1. Chro. 12.  What is the service of God, and how happy are his servants? Many think themselves much graced and honoured, if they can get into some Nobleman's service, and wear his Livery, as did Doeg, and the servants of Saul; how much more honour is it to 
1 Sam. 22.  be God's servant? Who will make us of servants Sons, heirs 
Ephes. 5, 6.  and coheirs with Christ. The Israelites found God's service to be the best service, 2 Chron. 12. 8. Cyrus' at the conquest of Babylon, offered largely to them, that would serve him; but God offereth more largely. Theodosius held it more noble to be membrum Ecclesiae, quam caput imperii, a member of the Church, than the head of the Empire. So we may resolve, that it is better to be a servant of God, than Lord of all the World. For while we serve him, all other creatures in earth and in heaven serve 
God needs not our service, we need his Lordship.  us. But if we will be God's servants, we must addict ourselves wholly to his service, and to serve God in earth, as the Angels do in heaven: for so we pray, Thy Will be done in earth as it is in heaven. And for this end were we created; therefore saith the 
Mat. 6. 10.  Apostle, We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ jesus unto good works. And what better work than to serve the Lord jesus? Nay, the service of God is the end of our Redemption, For he 
Luke 1. 74.  hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies, that we should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Nay, the service of God is the end of our glorification; Therefore the Apostle would have us to walk worthy our God, who hath 
1 Thess. 2. 12.  called us unto his Kingdom of glory. And therefore unless we esteem vilely of our Creation, Redemption, and Glorification, we must become God's servants, and serve him in fear, and rejoice 
Psal. 2. 11.  before him with trembling.  
Austin Observeth, God was never called Lord, until he had placed Adam in Paradise, before he was called God simply; but now the Lord God, because he was not so much a Lord to Angels and other creatures as unto man, to teach him that he must live under God's lordship, and serve him. For though Adam was lord of the creatures, and the creatures must serve him; yet Adam had a Lord whom he must serve. And yet God needeth not our service, and therefore saith David, O my soul, thou hast said unto 
Psal. 16. 2. Psal. 50. 10, 11.  the Lord, my well doing extendeth not to thee: all the beasts of the Forests are his, and the beasts on a thousand Mountains, he knows all the fowls on the Mountains, and wild beasts of the Fields are his. Who (saith the Apostle) hath known the mind of the Lord? or Who was his Counsellor? or Who hath given unto him first? and he shall be recompensed? 
Rom. 11. 35, 36.  But howsoever he standeth not in need of our service, we stand in need of his Lordship and protection; that we may be safe under his Wings; that we fear not the fear of the 
Psal. 91.  night, nor the arrow that flieth by day, nor the pestilence that walketh in the dark, nor the plague that destroyeth at noonday. And do we stand in need of his Lordship? Let us understand our wants, and perform our service and duty to the Lord: For thus he reasoneth by the Prophet; The Son honoureth his Father, the Servant 
Mal. 1. 5.  his Master: If I be your Father, where is my honour? If your Master, where is my fear? Let not God say of us, as of the Israelites, I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me. Ravenna saith thus, A move radium a Sole, & non lucet, rivulum 
Esa. 1. 2, 3.  a fonte, & arescit, a radice ramum, & exiccatur, a corpore membrum, & putrescit, obedientiam a Christiano, & perit. Take away the beam from the Sun, and it shineth not, the river from the Fountain, and it drieth up, the bough from the Root, and it withereth, the member from the Body, and it rotteth, and obedience from a Christian, and he perisheth.  
Consider what Adam lost by his evil service, he fell from purity 

Adam's loss for his evil service.  
If we will serve God, the creatures shall serve us.   to corruption, from eternity to mortality, from Angels to men, from heaven to hell, had not the promised seed come in. He was expelled out of Paradise as a Rebel, an Outlaw, and a shaking Sword hanging to keep him out. He came out of Eden a pleasant garden, to toil among Nettles, Briers, brambles, like the men of Penuel: He became a slave to the creatures, 
Gen. 3. 15. judg. 9  the creatures rebels against him to this day. Homo nascitur cum dolore, man is borne with grief; Vivit cum labour, he lives by labour; Moritur cum moerore, he dies with sorrow. Quis mihi dabit fontem lachrymarum, ut defleam hominis miserabilem ingressum, culpabilem 
Innocentius.  progressum, desolatum egressum? Who shall give me a fountain of tears, that I may bewail man's miserable ingress, his culpable progress, and desolate egress? I know that God hath turned this curse into a blessing; for Plus in Christo lacrati sumus, quam perdidimus in Adamo, we have gained more in Christ, than ever we lost in Adam. For if by the offence of one (saith Saint Paul) Death reigned through one, much more shall they which 
Rom. 5. 17. 18.  receive the abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through one, that is jesus Christ. Likewise then, as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation: So by the justifying of one, the benefit abounded toward all men, to the justification of life. Thus we have gained more in Christ than we lost by Adam. Yet this is of mercy, not of merit; of favour, not of duty; Witness the Apostle, saying, But when the bountifulness and love of God our Saviour towards man, appeared not by the works of 
Tit. 3. 4, 5.  righteousness, which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the holy Ghost: Which he shined on us abundantly, through jesus Christ our Saviour. But Augustine answereth this more fully, and saith, That Adam's disobeying God lost his honour, he serving God, all creatures served him, he disobeying God, all disobeyed him: The earth bringeth forth Weeds, Thorns, Venomous things: The sea swallows us up, with flows and storms: the air fighteth against us with Thunders, Lightnings, Tempests, the heavens conspire against us with mortality of Pestilence, the wild beasts devour us. But to them that serve God, God maketh his creatures serve them, the earth to bring forth corn, grass, fruits; the air, to be sweet, the sea, to be calm, the beasts, to be helpful: Even so the Lions hurted not Daniel, the Viper stung not Paul, the Whale crushed not jonas, the Crows 
Dan. 6. Act. 28. job. 2. 1. Reg. 19 Luke 16. Num. 21.  fed Elias, the dogs licked Lazarus, the Serpents of Sinai poisoned not Israel. The Ecclesiastical and tripartite history tells us how the Crows nourished Anthony an Hermit: and Paulus Thaebeus, how a Lioness fed Marcarius; how an Hart brought Egidius meat into the Wilderness; how Helenus commanded a wild Ass to carry his burden. I pass over that of Linus, Romulus and Rhemus nourished of a shee-Woolfe; and 
God must be served: sin brought in the first service.  that of Plutarch, of the Elephant that loved a Maid of Etholia; and that of Pliny, of a Panther that led a man out of the desert into a plain way; and that of Lucian, of a Dolphin that carried Arion. If we serve God, The stones in the street shall be in league with us, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with us; 
jeb 5. 23.  that is, all creatures shall serve us.  
Let us then addict ourselves wholly unto his service, not serving any other Master, but him, not the World, not the Flesh, not the Devil, not Antichrist. Not the World, Ne illecti, lest we are alured with vain pleasures, and the lying vanities thereof: not of the Flesh, Ne infecti, lest stained, polluted, defiled therewith: not the Devil, Ne interfecti, lest devoured and destroyed by him; not Antichrist, Ne decepti, lest seduced and misled by him. It is a base service to serve the World, for that is to become a vassal unto our servants; it is an uncertain service to serve the Flesh, this master is so choleric, so weak, so sickly, that we may look every day to be turned out of doors, and that which is worst of all he is least, contented when he is most satisfied: It is an unthrifty service, to serve the Devil, all his ways are death, the more service we do him, the worse is our estate: It is an irreligious service to serve Antichrist, for such as have the mark of the Beast, shall perish with the beast: But he that serves God, hath the greatest Lord, who is most able, and the best Lord, who is most willing to prefer his followers, and reward his servants. Let us then serve him, for we are his servants, jure creationis, jure sustentationis, jure redemptionis; By right of creation, sustentation, redemption. If every hair of our head were a life, and every life as long as Methuselahs', it were too little to serve God.  
True it is, that Cham was pronounced the first servant, as I observed 
Gen 3. Gen. 8.  before; for man was made to rule, and not to serve. But as sinne brought in the first nakedness, and the first travel of women in pain, and the first death, and the first sorrow, and the first flood; so it brought in the first service: Only by Christ we are Manumised: Hominis dignitas in tribus splendet, The dignity of 
Rom. 8. 15.  man shineth forth in three things, In imagine Dei, in the image of God; In ejus creationis ex nihilo, in his creation of nothing; In eius dominio super omnes creaturas, in his dominion over all his creatures; ut ergo tria haec per peccatum amisit, sic per gratiam recuperavit, as he lost these three things by sin, so by grace he hath recovered them, dum Domino servit, a quo defecit, while he serves God from whom he fell.  
Now therefore by grace, we are called servants; and if that 
John 15. john 3. Mar. 3. Gal. 3.  be too little, we are called the Friends of God, Friends of the bridegroom: and if that be too little, we are called Brethren, Sisters of Christ: if that be too little, we are called The Sons of God: if that be too little, we are called the Spouse of God, the wife of the 
Apoc. 19 7.  Lamb: And if all this be too little, we are called the members of 
The Pope no Apostle of God, yet calls himself, servum servorum.  God, and of Christ jesus. O the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of God towards us, that we should be called, not foreigners, but servants; not servants, but friends; not friends, but brethren; not brethren, but sons; not sons, but wives; not wives, but members. 
1 Cor. 12.   
By the way observe here, that the Pope not calling himself, servum Dei, the servant of God, but servum servorum, a servant of 
Gen. 9  servants; calleth himself by a cursed title, as Cham was, and indeed he is a servant of servants, that serveth not Christ.  
But (say some) he calleth himself a servant of servants, to show his humility. Indeed he is lowly in name, as any Apostle, but as proud in spirit as the Whore of Babylon, that makes herself Lady over Kings and Emperors. For did not Pope Zachary make Childerike the French King, to troth by his bridle three miles together? Did not Hildebrand cause Henry the fourth to stand three days at his gates, with his wife and his child barefooted? Did not Clement the fifth make Dandalus Duke of Venice to lie under his Table like a dog, to gather crumbs? Did not Alexander the third tread on the neck of that noble Frederick in Venice? Did not Innocent depose King john of England? Did not Clemens the seventh labour to depose Henry the eighth? Did not Pius quintus send a Bull against our Queen? Did not Clemens the eighth cause the French King to go  to Saint Dennis, as a Penitentiary? The troubles of these five hundred years past, may be ascribed to Popes; all Grecia yet ruth it; all Africa, the mother of Martyrs, feeleth it; the Germane Emperors tossed like tennis balls, may not forget it; the Kings of France have felt it; the States of Italy have been shaken with it: the Kings of England have been deposed, whipped, murdered; Let King john speak, Richard the second, Henry the eighth, and Queen Elizabeth. Is this a servant of servants, that will thus insult over Kings and Emperors? Oh no, no.  
But to leave him; Are we with jude, the servants of jesus Christ? Then must we not only apply ourselves to serve him, as I have already said; but we must imitate the virtues of jesus Christ, and we must attend his pleasure.  
But first, we must imitate his virtues. In our Lord and Master Christ jesus shined many excellent virtues: Yea, all virtues; Love, Patience, Humility, Meekness, Mildness, Mercy, Purity, Piety, Constancy, Obedience, etc. these must shine in us, else falsely we are called the servants of Christ. Christiani nomen frustrà ille sortitur, qui Christum minimè imitatur: 
August. de vita Christian●.  Quid tibi prodest vocari quod non es? In vain hath he got the name of a Christian, which doth not imitate Christ: What doth it profit thee to be called that which thou art not? To be called a Christian, and not to be indeed a Christian; a Saint, and not to be Saint; the servant of jesus Christ, and not to be 
We must attend to God's service. We own more to God than servants to their Masters.  the servant of jesus Christ. Qualis haberi velis, talis sias: If thou wilt be the servant of jesus Christ, thou must be holy as he is holy, gracious, as he is gracious, merciful, as he is merciful, yea, perfect as he is perfect, though not by adequation, for that is beyond our power, yet by imitation, for that is all our duties.  
Again, are we Christ's servants? then must we attend his Pleasure, and depend upon his Will, and perform all such holy offices as becometh servants. But as Peter Martyr saith, we 
In Rom. cap. 1.  are contrary to servants, we are rather Quarter-masters, and checkmate with God; for servants bestow all their time in their Master's business, we no time, or little time in God's matters: For our goodness is as the Morning cloud, and as the Morning dew it 
Hos. 6. 4.  goeth away. Servants beaten fall to prayers, we being chastised of God, fall to murmuring and cursing, like job, that cursed the day of his birth; Like jeremy, that cursed him, that told his father of a manchild. Servants are not familiar with their Master's 
job 3. jer. 20.  enemies: we countenance God's enemies in all places: Many Protestants are like Aesop's Crow, of diverse feathers; their Religions like joseph his particoloured coat, or like the rainbow, of all colours: we read how jehoshaphat joined with Ahab to Ramoth-Gilead; how the Corinthians drew the yoke with infidels; how the 
2 Chro. 19 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Esa. 31. 13.  jews strengthened themselves with the Egyptians: I wish the like were not to have been found among Protestants. We have sat with 
Psal. 26. 4.  vain persons, and kept company with dissemblers. Servants, if they be threatened, tremble; We, if God's Prophets reprove us, are the prouder: We say of God's Prophets, as the jews did of jeremy, Come, let us imagine some device against jeremy▪ For the Law shall not perish from the Priests, nor Counsel from the Wise, nor the Word from the 
jer. 18. 18.  Prophets: Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. And yet we own a thousand times more to God than servants to their Masters; God doth not only feed us and  us, as Masters do their servants, but he giveth us all things beside: He ladeth us daily with benefits. Servants, by 
Psal. 68 19  their travel profit their Masters, we profit God nothing: If thou be righteous, what givest thou unto him, or what receiveth he at thy hands? Servants receive small wages, God to us hath given 
job 35. 7. Rom. 8. 32.  his Son, and with him all things: his face was buffeted, his checks nipped, his eyes blinded, his hands nailed, his side launched with a spear: He was as water poured out, all his bones were out of joint, his heart like Wax melted within the midst of his bowels, his strength was 
Psal. 22. 14, 15.  dried up like a potsherd, his tongue did cleave to his jaws, and he was brought unto the dust of death: Non ergo caput, faciem, oculos, manus, cor illi trademus, ut illi serviamus? Must we not therefore give him head, face, eyes, hands, and heart, to serve him? We must not give our members, weapons of unrighteousness unto sin: What then? 
All servants in God's Church.  We must give ourselves to God, and our members of righteousness, to serve God. But alas, we serve not God, he hath the least part of our service, if he hath any at all: The Covetous serve Mammon; the Malicious, their Envy and Rancour; the proud, their Arrogancy; the Gluttonous, their Belly; the Voluptuous, their Pleasure. Tot Dominos habemus, quot peccata, We have so many masters, as we have sins, according to the Axiom of the Apostle. Of whom soever a man is overcome, even unto the same is he in bondage. Thou art a slave to thy malice, thy ambition, 
2 Pet. 2. 19  thy belly: Sed nemo potest duobus Dominis servire, Non man can serve two masters.  
Again observe, That this title Servus Dei, the servant of God, meeteth with the Manichoeans and Libertines, who rail on all the Apostles; for they call Paul, Vas confractum, a broken Vessel; Peter, abnegatorum Dei, a denier of his Master; Andrew, Medicantem piscatorem, a begging Fisherman; john, Stolidum adolescentem, a foolish young man; Luke, Ineptem medicum, an unskilful Physician; Matthew, Faeneratorem, an Usurer.  
To conclude this point: in that Saint jude calleth himself a servant we learn, that we are all but servants in God's Church, and therefore to make no Laws, to alter no decrees, to change no ordinance, to enjoin no orders, but such as the Word of God alloweth, and liketh of. Moses, the greatest Prophet that ever 
Hebr. 3. 5.  rose, or should rise in Israel, yet but a servant; David, a rare Prophet, the sweet singer of Israel, a man after Gods own heart, yet he calleth himself a servant, Thy servant, Lord, thy servant lo, 
Psal. 116. 16.  I do myself confess, etc. Paul, taken up to the third heaven, taken into Paradise, where he heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Secrets not to be uttered, honoured above all the Apostles, yet but a servant: What is the 
Rom. 1. 1.  Pope then, or what is his parentage, that he may dispense with the Doctrine of the old and new Testament? a vile man, that was never further than Rome, & as far from Paradise, as Heaven from Hell: Abolebit eum Dominus, for the Lord shall abolish him: I confess, 
2 Thess. 2. 8.  that Gregory matcheth the four Ecumenical Counsels, with the four Gospels, the Nicene, Constantinople, Ephesian, and Chalcedon, he calleth them, Lapidem quadrantem, ex quo sanctae fidei Structura assurgit: The four corner stones, upon which the building of the holy Faith doth rise. But he spoke like a man, for those Counsels could make no orders, but from the Lords.  
The third thing to be considered in this Apostle, is his alliance and kindred; he nameth himself the Brother of james.  
First, Honoris gracia, for honour's sake to distinguish himself from judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, whom our Saviour calleth a Devil. Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a Devil. For 
John 6. 70.  james? was a pillar in God's Church, he was Bonarges, the son of Thunder; he was a chief man in the Council of jerusalem, he was Bishop of jerusalem, and Paul answereth before 
The alliance and kindred of the Apostle jude.  him, he was with Christ at his transfiguration, he was one of the three at his passion, he was the brother of the Lord, that is, a kinsman unto Christ, for he was the son of Marie Cleophas, Sister to the Virgin Mary and so Christ cousin german, called his Brother, 
Mat. 17. Mat. 26. Gal. 1.  after the manner of the Hebrews, Mar. 3. 32. Behold thy Mother and thy Brethren seek for thee without: and Mat. 13. 55. Is not this the Carpenter's Son? is not his Mother called Mary, and his Brethren james and joses, and Simon and judas.  
This judas is elsewhere called Thaddeus and Labbeus: but he graceth himself by this, that he was the Brother of james, a 
Mat. 10. john 6. 70. john. 12. 6. Act. 1. 18.  rare Apostle, not judas the traitor whom Christ (as ye heard before) called a Devil, whom Saint john calleth a thief, whom Peter calleth an hangman who burst asunder, but the Brother of james, the son of Alpheus, who wrote the Canonical Epistle: for there were two james, one the son of Zebedie, Brother to john, the other the son of Alpheus' Brother to jude.  
Secondly, He calleth himself the Brother of james, to win more credit, not to his person, but to his Doctrine: that all men might know that this Epistle was penned, not by judas the traitor, but by jude the Brother of james the just, and therefore might more reverently receive it, and more religiously regard it: Nam dictum clari hominis facile admittitur, For the saying of an excellent man is easily admitted, these are the causes why he calleth himself the Brother of james.  
And observe with me here, that first he glorieth of his Profession, that he was the servant of jesus Christ, before he maketh any mention of his alliance: For no kindred, Fatherhood, or Motherhood can grace us with God: God is no accepter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness 
Act. 10. 34, 35.  is accepted with him.  
Many will glory of their alliance and kindred, and albeit they have neither Learning, nor Living, nor Wisdom, nor Civility, nor Honesty, nor Piety at all: yet if they can fetch their Pedigree from some Noble or Worshipful House, they boast thereof, and hold themselves worthy of reverence and honour. The jews gloried, that Abraham was their Father, but what gained they by it? When Christ told them, Vos estis ex patre 
john 8. 44.  diabolo, You are of your Father the devil, and his works ye do. 
2 Reg. 21. 2. Reg. 20.  David, had Absolom: Solomon, Rehoboham: Amon a wicked Father, had josiah to his son, a good man: and Ezekiah a good father, had Manasses to his son, a vile man: Ishmael had Isaac to his brother, so had Esau jacob: Cain had Abel, Absolom had Solomon: But Cain was a Vagabond, Ishmael a persecutor, Absolom a Rebel, Esau a Reprobate. 'Tis folly in men to glory in 
Gen. 4. Gal. 4.  stock or kindred: If they will glory, let them glory in this that they are the servants of jesus Christ: for outward titles without inward virtues avail nothing, for what shall it profit 
Not to glory in Alliance and Kindred.  us to be entitled Christians, and yet live as profanely as Infidels? to be called the Church of God, and yet in conversation to resemble the Synagogue of Satan? to be counted the children of God, and yet spend our times like the sons of Belial? to be reputed the servants of Christ jesus, and serve the World, the Flesh and the Devil? to descend of noble, godly Parents, and yet degenerate from their noble, godly ways? God is not pleased with shadows, but with substance; not with outward titles, but with truth in the inward parts. If then 
Psal. 51.  thou wilt boast of thine honourable Kindred, labour, strive, endeavour that thou mayest glory and say, That God is thy Father, the Church thy Mother, Christ jesus thy elder Brother, that is most High, Holy, Honourable Kindred. Thus much for the Person writing, his Name, his Calling, his Kindred.   

THE SECOND SERMON  VERS. I. 
To them which are Called and Sanctified, etc. 
Vocation the beginning of Salvation.   
I Am now come to the persons, to whom he wrote this Epistle, and they are described three ways:  

1 By their Calling.  
2 By their Sanctification.  
3 By their Preservation.   
But first, they are described by their calling, To them that are called, saith he. The beginning of our Salvation is, that we are first called of God, we come not of ourselves, God calleth us, Nemo venit ad Christum nisi pater traxerit: 
john 6. 44.  No man cometh unto Christ except the Father draw him: Et ista attractio est nostra vocatio per Evangelium & Spiritum sanctum: and this drawing is our calling by the Gospel, and holy Spirit. Caro & sanguis non revelat, etc. Flesh and Blood do not reveal these 
Mat. 16. 17.  things, but God our Father by our calling in the Gospel: As the Shepherd with his whistle calleth his sheep: as the two silver trumpets called Israel to war; as the master-Bee calleth the 
Num. 10.  whole hive together with his humming; So God calleth his Church running from him, by his Word and Spirit.  
Wisdom (saith Solomon) cryeth without, she uttereth her voice in 
Prov. 1. 20.  the streets, she calleth in the high street, among the press in the enterings of the gates, and uttereth her words in the City. And again he saith, Wisdom hath built her house, and hewn out her seven Pillars, she hath killed her Victuals, drawn her Wine, and prepared her Table, she hath 
Prov. 9 1, etc.  sent forth her Maidens, and cryeth in the highest places of the City, saying, Whoso is simple, let him come hither, and to him that is destitute of Wisdom, she saith, Come and eat of my Meat, and drink of the 
Christ profitable to none but to them that are called.  Wine that I have drawn: Wisdom there, is Christ jesus, who calleth us by his Gospel.  
The lowest staff or step of Salvation, is Vocation; the highest, is Glorification. For whom he predestinated, them also he called: and whom he called, them also he justified: and whom he justified, 
Rom. 8. 30.  them also he glorified. I speak in respect of men: For with God praescientia, his prescience is the first step of salvation, For those which he knew before, he predestinated: We run from God, but he 
Rom. 8. 29.  calleth us, and cryeth after us, as the Canaanite did after Christ, he seeketh us being lost, he calleth us being deaf, he lighteneth 
Luke 4. 18. 1 Sam. 26. 14.  us being blind, he freeth us being slaves, he healeth us being lame, he quickeneth us being dead, he awaketh us by his Gospel, as David did Abner with his shouting: The top, the root, the foundation, and the roof, the beginning, increasing, and finishing of our salvation is of God. Coepit & perficiet, He hath begun, and he will finish it. So saith the Apostle, He that hath begun this good work in you, will perform it, until the day of jesus Christ.  
Paul arrogateth nothing to himself, but placeth himself in the rank of the Wicked, till God called him: his words are, We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others. And to the 
Ephes. 2. 3. Gal. 1. 13. 15.  Galathians, he writeth thus, Ye have heard of my conversation in times past, in the jewish Religion, how that I persecuted the Church of God extremely and wasted it: But when it had pleased God, which had separated me from my mother's womb, & called me by his Grace, etc. The Galathians, were Idolaters, & knew not God, till God called them. The Ephesians were darkness, but being called, they were lux 
Gal. 4. 8. Ephes. 5. 9  in Domino, Light in the Lord: The same is said of the Corinthians. But what do I light a candle at noonday, or add legs 
1 Cor. 12.  to the Dromedary, who runneth most swiftly? or powre water into the Sea, which overfloweth? or prove a known truth received of all men?  
But to proceed; Christ is not profitable, but unto them that are called; otherwise he is as a Medicine not taken, as a Plaster not applied, as Meat not eaten, as Light to them that are in a dungeon: Hereupon saith Paul, We preach Christ crucified, to the jews a stumbling-blocke, to the Gentiles foolishness, but to them that are called of God, the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God. Persius wept when he saw a Toad, that he had not given thanks to God, who made him not a Toad, but a Man. Socrates thanked Nature, that had made him a reasonable creature, and not a Beast, and among them a Man, and not a Woman, and among men an Athenian, not a Theban. Philip, rejoiced that Alexander was borne, in the days of Aristotle. The Queen of Sheba, pronounced salomon's men happy, for hearing him. How happy 
1 Reg. 10.  are we then, that live in the call of the Gospel? Blessed are the eyes (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) which see that ye see, for I 
A little part of the World called.  tell you, that Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things that ye hear, and have not heard them: O terque, quaterque beati oculi nostri, O 
Luke 10. 23.  thrice and four times blessed are our eyes. For as God called a little angle of jewry, and passed over all the World beside: For he suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their own ways. So God 
Act. 14. 16.  hath passed over all Africa, Asia, America, and called a little piece of Europe; all nations else are polluted. The Grecians adore the Virgin Mary, and Saints painted, the Creature for the Creator. The Aethiopians adore the Emperor Presbyter johannes. The Tartarians, the Great Cham. The Persians, the Fire and the Sun. The Turks, Mahomet. The Borussians, many gods, as Antrimpus, Protrimpus, Pelintus, etc. The Indians, spirits called Zemes. The Papists, Images: But we adore the true God: They worship they know not what, we worship that which we know: God hath given his 
john 4. 22.  Word to Europe, he hath given to other Nations other blessings. To the Muscovites, hides and precious skins; to the Moors of Barbary, sugar and sweet spices: to the Spaniards, wine and fruits; to the Indians, gold and silver; to them of Cathai, pearl and precious stones; to the Persians, silk and margarites; to them of Island, Finland, Greenland, fish and fowls: But to us he hath given his Gospel, Blessed be the day, and happy be the hour, wherein it came to us. Let that day, be as the day wherein Israel came out of Egypt, let it be the head of the year, let no cloud stain it, nor darkness possess it. If we had as many tongues as Argus had eyes; if every hair of our head were a life, and every life as long as Methuselahs'; all were too little to praise God. Thank God that thou livest in this time of the Gospel, Let thy soul praise God, Let all that is 
Psal. 103. 1.  within thee praise his holy name. Thus must God call us by his Word, else we are reprobates in the Church, but not of the Church: For as excrements are in the body, and not of the body; so reprobates are in the Church, but not of the Church. They wet 
1 john 2. 19  out from us; but are not of us: for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. Many that hear this Sermon are among us, but not 
Mat. 25.  of us: and the time shall come, that the Goats shall be separated from the Sheep, the Dogs from the Lambs, the Crows from the Doves, the Bastards from the Children, the Chaff from the Corne. Oh then hear the call of God's Ministers.  
Calling is of two sorts; Externall. Internal.  
Externall, is either common to all, by the instinct of nature, and works of God, or not common to all, by the Word preached.  
Internal and effectual, is the work of the whole Trinity, whereby God the Father, through the Son, by the holy Ghost, not only offers Grace but giveth it to the Elect. Vocantur electi 

Calling external and internal.  
Externall calling unprofitable without the Internal.   vel foris per externam praedicationem, vel intus efficaci operatione spiritus Sancti: The Elect are called either without by outward preaching of the Word, or within, by the inward effectual operation of the holy Ghost.  
This hath two parts; The one, Invitement. The other, Admission.  
Invitement is, when God offers remission, and life everlasting to all that do believe, and this outwardly by the preaching of the Word, and inwardly by inspiration of heavenly desires.  
Admission is, when men are entered into the kingdom of Grace, and this outwardly by Baptism, and inwardly by the spirit, engraffing them into Christ, and making them real members of God's Kingdom.  
Of this effectual calling speaketh jude here, the greatest blessing in the World, For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Spiritus Dei non amittitur totaliter & finaliter, quos semel, 
Rom. 11. 29. john 13.  semper diligit Deus: The spirit of God cannot totally and finally be lost, for whom God loveth once, he loveth ever. Et quos semel, semper vocat deus, ejus vocatio irrita fieri non potest: And whom God once, he ever calleth, for his calling cannot be frustrate, For all things work for the best to them that love God, even to them that are called of purpose. 
Rom. 8. 28.   
The external calling is often unprofitable, because it is not joined with the internal: the Ministry of man in the Church wanteth the Ministry of the spirit in the heart. Paul planteth, Apollo watereth, but God giveth the increase: We call you, but 
1 Cor. 3.  God chooseth you: We light a candle often before them that 
Mat 22. 14. Eccles. 24. Psal. 58.  are blind, as Christ did to the Pharisees: We cry to them that are deaf, as David did to Abner: We set meat on the graves of dead men, that cannot eat: We charm deaf Adders, which will not hear: We mourn to them that will not weep: We pipe to them, that will not dance: We preach to them, that will not repent. 
Luke 7.  Laterem crudam lavamus; We wash a raw brike. For if the internal calling wanteth, we may preach all our life, and you may hear ten thousand Sermons, and yet be never the better, except the inward Schoolmaster, the Spirit of God join with the Preacher. We cannot command Grace; For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of Wisdom: to another, the word of Knowledge, by the same Spirit: to another, is given Faith, by the same Spirit: to another, the gift of Healing, by the same Spirit: and 
1 Cor. 12. 8, 9, 10, 11.  to another the operation of Great works: to another, Prophecy: to another, the discerning of Spirits: to another, diversity of Tongues: and to another, the Interpretation of tongues: and all these things worketh even the self same Spirit, distributing to every man severally even as he will. The Blacke-moore will not change his skin, nor the Leopard alter his spots; the Panther will not be tamed, nor the Adder 
The Gospel powerful to them that are called.  charmed, nor the crooked Serpent made strait, nor the salt Sea made fresh, and wicked men will not be taught; we can but preach to you, God by his Spirit must call you.  
Lactantius speaking of the Word and the Minister, meaneth the inward calling joined with the outward; Da mihi (inquit) 
Libro 3. de falsa sapientia.  hominem iracundum; & uno verbo Dei reddam placidum ut ovem, da avarum, & liberalem tibi reddam, da timidum, jam Cruces, ignes Phalaridis taurum contemnit; da libidinosum, & continentem reddam; tanta Doctrinae vis est, etc. that is, Give me an angry man, and with one Word of God, I will make him as meek as a Lamb; give me a covetous man, and I will render him again liberal; give me a fearful timorous man, and by and by he shall contemn Gallows, Fire, yea and Phalaris his Bull; give me a lecherous man and I will make him chaste and continent; such is the force of Doctrine. As the Loadstone draweth not Iron except it be pure: So the Word of God doth not draw men from the mire and dirt of sin, except they be purified with the Spirit. Briefly in one word, I say with Tertullian in Apologetico, Fiunt homines Christiani, non nascuntur; Men are made Christians, not borne; 
Ephes. 2. 2. Tit. 3.  we are by nature the children of Wrath, by grace we are the Sons of God.  
Once again, Christ is not profitable, the Gospel is not available, but to them that are called; but being called, it is powerful.  
When the men of Cyprus and Cyrene spoke unto the Grecians, and preached the Lord jesus, The hand of the Lord was with them (that is, the power and virtue of the Spirit) so that a great number 
Acts 11. 21.  believed and turned unto the Lord: Whereupon Chrysostome, libro adversus Gentiles, proveth the deity of Christ, that using no Arms but twelve poor Apostles, silly, weak, unlearned men, subdued the whole world to him: He overthrew the Laws of the Fathers, he abrogated the ancient customs. A marvellous power by the Doctrine of Fishers, Toll-gatherers, Tent-makers, to raise the dead, to cleanse the Lepers, to expel Devils, to vanquish Tyrants, to put death to flight, to stay the tongues of the Philosophers, to shut the mouths of the Orators, to conquer Kings and Princes, Barbarians, Grecians, and all men: Alexander with the sword, and the Apostles with the Word to conquer the World: For their sound went out through all the earth, and their 
Rom. 10. 18.  words unto the ends of the World. Pray therefore, that God by his Spirit would make the Word effectual, to be odorem vitae, a favour of life to life, and not a favour of death unto death; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; surely God, even God by his Spirit doth all.  
In a word, God calleth us, else we come not; and his calling is divers. 1. In respect of time: 2. In respect of place. In respect of time; For God calleth in diverse hours of the day, that is, in diverse ages of the world, and in diverse years of our age. 
God's calling divers both for time and place.  Some before the Law, as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham; some under the Law, as Moses, David, josias, Esay, with other Kings and Prophets: Some after the Law, as the blessed Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors. Some in the first hour (their childhood) as Samuel, jeremy, john Baptist; some in the third hour (their youth) as Daniel and john the Evangelist: some in the sixth hour (their middle age) as Peter and Andrew: some in the eleventh hour (their old age) as Gamaliel, joseph of Arimathea: some in the last hour of the day (the last hour of their life) as the Thief upon the Cross.  
In respect of place; For God calleth some from their ship, and some from their shops, some from the Markets, some from under the hedges.  
This divers calling, at diverse times, and in diverse places, intimates A Caveat. A Comfort.  
A Caveat for such as are called, that they magnify not themselves and vilify others. Nemo dicat ideo me vocavit, quia colui Deum, quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses? let no man say, God 
August. de verb. Apost.  hath called me for that I worship him, how shouldest thou worship him if thou wert not called?  
A Comfort for them, that feel not themselves sufficiently called, that they rest in hope. God can and will call, when, where, and whom he will, either at the last hour, with the thief upon the gallows, or out of oppressing Egypt, with the Israelites, 
Luke 23. Exod. 3.  or in the midst of the persecution of the Saints of God, as he did Saul. Let us then patiently attend our calling. Deus adversum 
Acts 9  vocat, credentem docet, sperantem consolatur, diligentem exhortatur, conantem adjisvat, precantem exaudit, & tamen Deus solus fidem, spem, charita tem, laborem, preces operatur: God calleth the adverse, teacheth the believer, comforteth him that hopeth, exhorteth him that loveth, helpeth him that laboureth; and yet God alone worketh faith, hope, charity, etc.  
Ille vocat aversos, vocatos justificat, justificatos sanctificat, sanctificatos glorificat: He calleth the averse, justifieth them that are called, sanctifieth them that are justified, and glorifieth them that are sanctified. The Whelps of a Lion are borne dead; but at the yelling and roaring of the Lion they are quickened, and raised from death: So we are borne dead, dead in our trespasses 
Ephes. 2. 1. Phil. 2. 16.  and sins; but by the calling of the Gospel, as by the roaring of the Lion, we are quickened. It is a word of life, our calling, and all good is wrought by it. As it is verbum scientiae & prudentiae, a word of knowledge and wisdom; & potentiae, 
1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 23. Acts 14.  and of power; & gratiae, and of grace; sic est verbum vitae, so it is the word of life: Nulla scientia, nec potentia, nec gratia, nec vita sine Evangelio; there is no knowledge, nor power, nor grace, nor life, without the Gospel.  
Well, God calleth inwardly by his Spirit, outwardly by his 
Our Vocation what it teacheth us. Sanctification.  Word. This should teach us: first, to walk worthy our calling, that as he which hath called is holy, so should we be holy in all our life and conversation, according as it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy: We are called not to ncleannesse, but unto sanctification; 
Levit. 11. 44. 1 Thes. 4.  for unto this end hath the grace, goodness and bountifulness of our Lord appeared, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: because sancta conversatio confundit inimicum, aedificat proximum, glorificat Deum; a holy life, a godly conversation doth confound and stop the mouths of our enemies, doth edify and build up our Brethren, doth glorify God.  
Secondly, Seeing the internal means of our calling is the Spirit, this should teach us never to grieve the Spirit, by whom we are called out of darkness into light. Nature teacheth us not to grieve our natural parents, and Religion should teach us not to grieve the Spirit: Grieve not the Spirit by whom ye are sealed 
Ephes. 4.  to the day of Redemption.  
Last of all, seeing we are called not only inwardly by the Spirit, but outwardly by the holy Word. This word must be unto us dearer than thousands of silver and gold, more precious than the gold of Ophir; sweeter than the Honey, or the Honeycomb: For albeit God can only, by the inward motion of his blessed Spirit, work out, make-sure, and perfect our salvation; yet it pleaseth him in his eternal wisdom, to use the word as an ordinary means of our vocation and salvation. As than God giveth learning by study, wisdom by experience, riches by travel, and like things by like means: so he maketh perfect the calling of his Saints, by the preaching of the Word, which 
Rom. 1. 16.  is the power of God to salvation to every man that believeth.  
The second title of honour given here to the Saints, is Sanctification; he calleth them sanctified of God the Father: this is the next grace wherewith he adorneth them. For God continueth his graces, as jacob continued his wrestling, as Peter continued his knocking till they let him in: and God will not leave calling and working till he hath sanctified and perfected his graces; like the Sun that never leaveth shining, but cometh 
Psal. 19 Exod. 17.  forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber, and rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course. Like the Fountain of Elim, and waters of Shilo, that never leave running. The calling of God is without repentance: 
Rom. 11. 29.  For God is not a man, that he should lie; neither as the Son of man, 
Numb. 23. 19  that he should repent; as Balaam, though a false Prophet, said most truly. Whom God calleth, them he justifieth; whom he justifieth, he sanctifieth; and whom he sanctifieth, he glorifieth. The learned call this Text in Rom. 8. Auream catenam, a golden 
Rom. 8. 29, 30.  Chain; he that draweth one link, draweth all the Chain: For as he that hath one damnable sin, hath all sin, and is guilty of all; so he that hath one grace effectually, hath all. 
God perfects his Works.  God is not like a stepmother, that putteth out her child to nurse; he is not as the Partridge or Bird, that forsaketh her nests; nor 
jer. 1. 17. job 29. 1 Reg. 3.  like the Ostrich, that leaveth her eggs in the dust; like salomon's Harlot, that exposed her child to the sword: But he is as the Eagle, that carrieth her young in her wings, till they can fly; as the Pelicane, that feedeth her young ones with her heartblood till they can feed themselves: He blesseth us, until he hath brought us into his Kingdom of bliss, where we shall never hunger nor thirst any more. For, He will destroy Death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the rebuke of his 
Esa. 25. 8, 9  people will he take away out of all the Earth, for the Lord hath spoken it, and in that day men shall say, Lo this is our God, We have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will rejoice and be joyful in his Salvation. So the Lord jesus hath perfected the work of our Redemption; he was borne for us, he lived, he died, he rose again, he ascended, he maketh intercession for us, and he will glorify us: so saith our Saviour; Father, I will that they which thou hast given me, be with me, even where I am, that they may behold my glory, that is, that they may enjoy the 
john 17. 24.  eternal glory with me.  
This is a Doctrine of singular comfort, like the wine and oil that revived the wounded man; like the news of josephs' honour, 
Luke 10. Gen. 45. 28. Luke 2.  that comforted old jacob; like the song of the heavenly soldiers, that rejoiced the Shepherds; like David's Harp, to drive away saul's melancholy. Hath God begun with thee? hath he called thee? hast thou felt the motions of his Spirit in thy heart? Noli timere, be not afraid; he will end with thee, and accomplish all his graces in thee; I mean not in perfection: Nam sanctitas tribus gradibus perficitur, Holiness consisteth in three degrees: In this life, while we are regenerate by water and the holy Spirit: after this life, while the Soul enjoyeth the presence of God: after the day of judgement, when in Soul and body we shall be united to our head Christ jesus.  
In this life there is a threefold Sanctification:  

1 Imputed unto us.  
2 Wrought in us.  
3 Wrought by us.   
Imputed Sanctification is, when God imputeth unto us the sanctification of Christ; Who is made to us Wisdom, Righteousness, 
1 Cor. 1. 30.  Sanctification and Redemption, By this we are said to be sanctified, when the virtue of Christ's Passion, the fruit of his Death, the power of his Resurrection is applied unto us, and Christ's Sanctification made ours, by imputation. Therefore the Apostle saith, That jesus Christ to the end that he may sanctify his people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 
Heb. 13. 12.   
Sanctification wrought within us is, the inward change of a man justified, whereby the image of God is restored in him, a 
Protestant's Religion teach Sanctity.  change, not a non esse ad esse, from a not being to a being; for the faculties of the soul were before; not ab esse ad non esse, from a being to a not being, for the faculties of the soul remain still; but ab esse ad esse, from an ill being to a good being; not abolishing the will, mind, and affections, but rectifying and renewing them, a change of a man justified; for we are justified before we are sanctified. justification is actus individuus, Sanctification is actus dividuus; we are justified at once, we are sanctified by degrees: we are justified when our sins are not imputed unto us; we are sanctified when a clean heart is created, and a right spirit renewed in us.  
Sanctification wrought by us, is that, whereby we sanctify and make holy the outward works and actions of our life. This the Lord requireth, Be ye holy for I am holy. To this Saint Paul 
Levit. 11. 44.  exhorteth; let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  of the spirit, and grow up to full holiness in the fear of God. The righteousness of Justification is by faith without works; the righousnesse of Sanctification is by works, and by faith; justifying righteousness is perfect, but not inherent; sanctifying righteousness is imperfect, but inherent; glorifying righteousness is perfect and inherent: nevertheless we must confess, that all our sanctification is from God.  
Here the slander of the Papists is answered for Justification, for whom God calleth, he justifieth; and whom he justifieth, he sanctifieth: We preach not an idle faith, as they say, opening windows and doors to all wickedness, by a Solifidian error, and an imputative justice. A late Papist in his Treatise of the Eucharist, saith, We preach liberty, we hinder good works, we teach a naked faith: No, no, we teach sanctity, holiness, more than they, who with Alexander the third, call whoredom and adultery, Peccadilia, little sins; who cry, Si non castè tamen cautè, if not chastely, yet charily: who maintain open Stews with Pius Quintus, who dispense with all sins. Allen the arch Papist said, Commit our men what sin they list, omit what goodness they list, yet we teach them that bare faith justifieth them. No, no, we say with Zachary, God hath delivered us out of the 
Luke 1. 74, 75.  hands of our enemies, that we should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. We say with Paul, that The 
Tit. 2. 11, 12.  grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared, and teacheth us to forsake all impiety and wicked worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. We say with Saint Peter, If ye call him Father, which without respect of persons judgeth according 
1 Pet. 1. 17.  to every man's work, pass the time of your dwelling here in fear. We say with Saint john, and all other holy men, Let us love one another, for love cometh of God, and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God; he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. We say with Christ, Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and 
justification and Sanctification though joined yet distinguished.  keep it. We urge men more to holiness than they do; we use more sharp and effectual reasons, not like the leaden blunt Doctors in Popery, but arrows drawn out of a better Quiver. Paul thought this a principal reason above others, to move them by the wounds, and blood, and merits of the Lord jesus: For having spent eleven Chapters in the Treatise of justification, at last he breaketh out, as the Sun out of a cloud, and moveth them to holiness, by the name, the death, and merits of Christ jesus; saying, I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of GOD, that ye give up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, 
Rom. 12. 1, 2.  which is your reasonable serving of God, and fashion not yourselves like unto this world. A more effectual reason, than to argue from our works, our merits, our deserts, which is death; For the wages of sin is death. 
Rom. 6. 23.   
justification and Sanctification go together, yet we enter not into heaven chiefly as we are sanctified and regenerated: For that is but in part, but as we are justified by the death and righteousness of Christ, which is perfect, complete, and absolute. Yea, say the Romanists, faith and works cannot be sundered: Ergo, we are justified by works aswell as by faith. But I deny the Argument, they reason like blind men, the light of righteousness hath not shined on them, they feed on ashes. For many things are conjoined, which yet have divers operations; as the light and heat of the Sun, where the one is there is the other, yet are we not warmed by the light, but by the heat, nor yet directed by the heat, but by the light of it. Fides est sola, at non solitaria, sola in actu justificationis, at non solitaria in usu & operatione quotidiana, nam operatur per dilectionem; Faith is alone but not solitary, alone in the act of justification, but not alone in the use and daily operation, for it worketh by love, or as Chemnitius reasoneth against Andradius, and the Council of Trent: We have eyes and ears at once, and they are joint members of the body, yet we hear not with our eyes, and see not with our ears; Manus non est sola, sed coniuncta cum reliquiis membris, at manus sola scribit; the hand is not alone, but joined with the other members, but the hand alone writeth; the tongue is not alone, nor severed from the rest of the members, yet the tongue alone speaketh; the Prince goeth not without the Court, yet the Prince ruleth alone, and not the Court; Fidem & opera coniungi magis quam confundi vellem, I had rather conjoin faith and works than confound them. Finely therefore, saith a Schoolman; Deus justificat effectiuè, fides iustificat apprehensiuè, opera iustificant declaratiuè, God justifieth effectually; Faith justifieth apprehensively; 
Tho. Aquin.  Works justify declaratively; that is, they show and declare unto the world that we are justified; justificatio est verbum forense, nec qualitatem aliquam denotat sed absolutionem a reatu, non 
Rom. 4. 26.  consistit in qualitatum infursione, sed peccatorum remissione, justification 
justification how wrought.  is a Law word, neither doth it note any quality, but absolution from guilt, neither consisteth it in the infusion of qualities, but in the remission of sins. Our invisible faith justifieth us before our invisible God; for he seethe into the heart, and our visible works do justify us before men that be visible and which behold our lives and conversations. And Paul placeth our justification, Non in qualitatum infusione, sed peccatorum remissione, not in the infusion of qualities, but in the remission of sins. Deus dat beatitudinem, Christus redimit, Spiritus obsignat, Fides apprehendit, Opera testificantur; God giveth happiness, Christ purchaseth it, the Spirit sealeth it, Faith apprehendeth it, and Works testify it.   

THE THIRD SERMON.  
VERS. I. 
Reconciliation part of Redemption.   
AS I have begun to speak of this Heavenly Doctrine of Sanctification, so will I proceed therein. And to speak in order, we must know that of Christ's Priesthood there be two parts: Redemption and Intercession.  
Redemption is the first part, whereby he hath wrought for us the matter of our Deliverance from all evils; as Hell, Death, Damnation. 
Heb. 7. 24.  Now of this Redemption, there be two members: The 
Luke 1. 74.  merit or matter of Reconciliation, and Sanctification. According to that of the Apostle, But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord jesus, and by the spirit of God. 
1 Cor. 6. 11. 1.   
Reconciliation is the first part of our Redemption: whereby we are restored from the Curse into the love and favour of God: For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, etc. for he is our peace. And it pleased the Father that in him 
Rom. 5. 10. Ephes. 2. 14. Col. 1. 20. 22.  all fullness should dwell, and by him to reconcile all things unto himself, and to set at peace through the blood of his Cross, both the things in Earth and the things in Heaven.  
Now again of Reconciliation there be two parts: Remission of sins, and Imputation of righteousness: For saith the Apostle; He was delivered to Death for our sins, and is risen again for our justification. And again, God was in Christ, and reconciled the 
Rom. 6. 25.  World to himself, not imputing their sins unto them, and hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation. Now then are we Ambassadors 
2 Cor. 5. 19, 20, 21.  for Christ, as though God did beseech you through us, we pray you in Christ's stead, that ye be reconciled unto God. For he hath made himself 
justification upon remission of sins, and Christ's righteousness imputed.  sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God, through him.  
Remission of sin is the first part of Reconciliation; whereby the guiltiness and punishment of our sins is removed from us by Christ's sufferings. For thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again the third day, that Repentance and Remission of sins might be preached in his name to all nations. And, He through Death, hath destroyed him that had the power of Death, that is the Devil; and that he might deliver all them, which for fear of Death 
Hebr. 2. 14, 15.  were all their life time subject to bondage. Yea, it is Christ alone: That 
Apoc. 1. 5.  hath washed us from our sins with his blood; Yea, His blood it is that cleanseth us from all sin. 
1 john 1. 7.   
Imputation of righteousness is the other part of Reconciliation; whereby, by Christ's righteousness being imputed unto us, we appear just and blameless before God our Father: For by him we have received the atonement. And as by the offence of 
Rom. 5. 11, 16.  one, the fault came on all men to condemnation; So by the justifying of one, the benefit abounded towards all men to the justification of life. And He hath now reconciled us in the body of 
Col. 1. 22.  his flesh, through Death, to make us holy and unblameable and without fault in the sight of God his Father.  
Now again, of Remission and Imputation spring justification and Adoption: For, Being justified by Faith we have Peace 
Rom. 5. 1.  towards God, through our Lord jesus Christ. For, when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, and made under the Law, that he might redeem them which were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons.  
justification is that, whereby we being delivered before God of the guiltiness of sin, are accounted just. For, Who shall lay any thing 
Rom. 8. 33.  to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? As by one man's disobedience many are made sinners; so by the obedience 
Rom. 5. 19  of one, shall many also be made righteous.  
Adoption is that whereby we are accounted. Sons and heirs of God, For ye have not (saith Paul) received the spirit of 
Rom. 8. 15.  bondage to fear again: but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father: And he further affirmeth, That we are all the Sons of God by Faith in Christ jesus.  
From these two, we obtain these two blessings: First, that all crosses turn to us to the best: so saith the Apostle, All 
Rom. 8. 28:  things work together for the best, ●o them even them that are called of purpose. For though he visit 〈◊〉 sins with rods, and our offences with scourges, yet his loving kindness will he never take from us, nor suffer his truth to fail.  
Secondly, by justification and Adoption we obtain a chiefety or rule over all Creatures, except Angels. For so saith David; Thou hast made him little lower than Angels, and crowned him 
Psal. 8. 5, 6.  with glory and worship: Thou hast made him to have dominion in the Works of thy hands, thou hast put all things under his feet. And the 
Sanctification in Mortification and viyification. Sanctification imperfect in this life.  same also the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews affirmeth.  
Now for Sanctification, whereby God beginneth in us holiness; that hath two members: Mortification to sin, and Resurrection to righteousness.  
Mortification is the first part, whereby the power of sin is killed in us; and of this Mortification Paul speaketh thus: Our old man is crucified within, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. And again, That 
Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 2. 19  I might live unto God, I am crucified with Christ.  
Resurrection unto righteousness is, whereby sanctity, holiness, is really inherent, and begun in us, and is increased daily more and more. For, We are buried with Christ by Baptism unto his death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of his 
Rom. 6. 4.  Father; So we also should walk in newness of life.  
These parts of Sanctification, referred unto the Soul, are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but referred to the Body, they are called frustus seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, fruits. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a renewing of all the faculties of the Soul; a converting them from evil to good; A bringing forth of fruits worthy amendment of life. And 
Luke 3. 8.  this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his Initium, beginning, & comitem, and his companion. His beginning is is godly sorrow: for whose heart God's spirit doth touch, is sorry for his sins committed against so merciful a Father. His Companion is a spiritual combat: for, the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh. 
Gal. 5. 17.   
This Sanctification, being the second principal part of our Redemption, is the quality, whereby God's spirit doth renew us, and begin in us newness of life: but it is not perfect, absolute in us. Paenitentia & amor sequuntur noticiam nostram: Repentance and Love follow our Knowledge, but our knowledge is 
1 Cor. 13. 9  but in part. And this I note against the blasphemy of Osiander, who saith that the essential righteousness of Christ is in us: but the righteousness of Christ is without us, not within us, and is apprehended by Faith. And therefore Paul's care was to be found in him, that is in Christ, Not having (saith Paul) mine 
Phil. 3. 9  own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, even the righteousness which is of God through Faith. For the righteousness whereby we are justified, is the mere imputation of Christ's work unto us: and therefore this word Imputation is ten times recited in one Chapter. When a friend 
Rom. 5.  of his own goods and not of mine, payeth debt that I own, that payment, or satisfaction is mine, it is imputed to me, when as yet it is the work of my friend, and none of mine. After the same manner, the righteousness of Christ is ours. This righteousness therefore, whereby we are justified, is Grace and not Nature; Imputation, not Essence; it is a Communication of the benefit of Christ, not a commixion of essence: it is 
Holiness is said in divers senses.  an effect of the proper work of Christ, non substantia ipsa Christi; not the very substance of Christ. The other righteousness, wherewith he sanctifieth us, is but begun only, it is not absolute: For as the Sun shineth, and as the fire warmeth us, and yet do not transfer their essence into us: So Christ doth regenerate and sanctify us by the virtue of his Spirit, (quo homo & Deus est) as he is man and God, not as he is man alone, or as he is God alone; and yet he doth not transfer his essence into us: and therefore Osiander is much deceived. The place of Paul, quoted by him, helpeth him nothing; for we are the righteousness 
2 Cor. 5. 21.  of Christ, ut ille fuit peccatum pro nobis, as he was sin for us: but sin was not really in Christ, no more is Christ's righteousness really in us, but only imputatively: faith as the hand applieth it unto us, and flieth into heaven, and there maketh us partakers of his Sanctity. Our faith wrestleth with God in heaven, our charity wrestleth with men here below on earth; both of them are exercised, neither idle nor unfruitful: and therefore the Apostle joineth, Faith in Christ and love toward 
Col. 1. 4.  all Saints together. O Brethren, how many be there that can tell a smooth tale of Christ, and yet cannot speak one wise word of justification and Sanctification; and yet Peter requireth it of all.  
Hence am I to derive an exhortation to all men to holiness and sanctification, seeing that Rahabs' house was known by a 
Ios. ●. judg. 11. Mat. 26. 2 Reg. 9  red thread, and the Ephramites by lisping, and Peter by speaking, and jehu by driving his Chariot: So Christians are known by sanctification. Every child of God is sanctified, Secundum plus aut minus, either more or less. But first let me speak of the divers acceptions of the word, ne inpingamus ubi non est lapis, lest we stumble where there is no stone.  
1. It is taken for that which is pure and perfect and clean: 
Levit. 19 2.  So God alone is said to be holy.  
2. It is taken for that which is lawful, as 1 Cor. 7. 14. The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the Husband, else were your children unclean, but now they are holy.  
3. For that which is separated and set apart from common uses, and reserved to sacred and holy uses. Thus in the Law, those things were called holy and sanctified, which were taken from the common use of the people, and set apart for the use and service of God; as the Oil, Show bread; first fruits, vessels of the Tabernacle. In this sense the Priests were called holy, because they were separate from the common life of men, to serve in the Tabernacle. Thus the people of Israel, separated from the rest of the Nations, were called by Moses, a sanctified people to the Lord; and by jeremy, a thing hallowed to the Lord.  
4. For that which is consecrated to a godly and holy use: 
We must be holy because God is holy.  In which respect it is opposite to profaneness. So the Temple was holy, jeremy was sanctified, that is, consecrated to be a Prophet. So Christ sanctified himself, that is, dedicated himself to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.  
5. It is taken for purity of body and mind; as 2 Cor. 7. 5. So it is taken here.  
And that we should be holy, that is, pure both in body and in mind, it is the will and commandment of God. Would you know his will and do it, that thou mayst enter into heaven? For not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven: then be holy; For 
Mat. 7. 21.  this is the will of God, even your holiness. 
1 Thes. 4. 3.   
There be many reasons to move us to Sanctification, to Holiness; whereof one is often used, drawn from the person of God our Father; that children must resemble their Father, else are they Bastards rather than sons. So reasoneth God, Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy: repeated by Peter, As he 
Levit. 19 2.  which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy. All that is in God our Father is holy, all that pertaineth to God's name is holy: Holy is his name. His person is holy. Hereupon the Seraphins cried 
Luke 1. 49.  one unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole world is full of his glory, his works are holy: So saith David, 
Esay 6. 3.  The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his Works. His judgements are holy: O my God, (saith the Prophet in his distress) 
Psal. 45. 17.  I cried by day, but thou hearest not, and by night, but have no audience, but thou art holy, etc. His Temple or House is holy: so 
Psal. 22. 1, 2.  saith Paul, The Temple of God is holy, which ye are. His Mountain is holy, and therefore called A holy Mountain. His Kingdom is 
1 Cor. 3. 17.  holy, for no unclean thing shall enter his Kingdom, neither whatsoever 
Psal. 15.  worketh abomination or lies. Therefore we must be holy if we 
Apoc. 21. 27.  look to live with God; Extra sunt Canes, without be dogs, profane and polluted persons. 
Apoc. 22. 15.   
The same reason holdeth for holiness, that doth for mercy, clemency, love, meekness, and all other attributes of the Lord. Let me reason as the Scripture reasoneth. God is merciful, therefore we must be merciful; God forgiveth his enemies, therefore we must forgive. So reasoneth Christ himself; Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you, that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven. God is love, therefore we must love: So reasoneth Saint john; Beloved, let us love one another, 
1 john 4. 7, 8.  for love cometh of God, and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God, he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. God is meek, therefore we must be meek: Learn of me (saith Christ) for I am meek, etc. So God is holy, therefore we must be holy. 
Mat. 11. 29.   
Another reason is taken from the end of our Redemption, urged 
Holiness the end of our Redemption: without it we shall not see God.  by the Apostle, saying; The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, and teacheth us, that we should deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and holily in this present world. Hath Christ sweat water and blood? hath his heart been melted like wax? his strength dried up 
Tit. 2. 11, 12. Psal. 22. 14, 15.  like a potsherd? hath his tongue cloven to his jaws and brought to the dust of the earth, that we should be wantoness? O caecas hominum mentes! O pectora caeca! nati sumus è silice, nutriti lacte ferino: O blind minds of men! O blind hearts! we are borne of a flintstone, and nourished with the milk of wild beasts. If jacob sorrowed so for joseph; if David would have died for Absalon; if Rachel wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not. Let the death of Christ 
Gen. 37. 35. 2 Sam. 17. Mat. 2. Luke 1. 75. Luke 7. Mat. 26. Psal. 51.  pierce our hearts, and move us to holiness, and let us serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. The Lord sustain our hearts, that with Mary we may wash his feet with our tears, and with Peter we may weep bitterly. Create in us Lord a clean heart, and renew in us a right spirit.  
Another reason is taken from our Salvation, for without holiness we cannot be saved. For though we be not saved for it, yet we are not saved without it. Hereupon saith the Apostle; Fellow peace with holiness, without the which ye cannot be saved. A 
Heb. 12. 14.  sore, a fearful speech, like the thunder in Mount Horeb; which I add the rather, because men mock at holiness: Oh say they, you are holy men, you are men of the Spirit, you are Saints, you are Sermon-men. The Bastard Ishmael flouted at Isaac, 
Gal. 5. 29. 2 Sam. 6. jer. 18.  Michol scorneth at David's dancing before the Ark, the men of Anathoth did smite jeremy with their tongue, the Adversaries of juda jested at the people. But if thou be'st not holy, if thou be'st not a Saint, thou art a devil: and know, that if ye 
Esra 4. Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 6. 8.  live after the flesh ye shall dye; for he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. As Naomi said, Call me not Naomi, but Mara: So call not these men Christians, Gospelers, but call them swine, dogs, that tread pearls under their feet; call them Adders that will not be charmed; call them Wolves that hear 
Mat. 7. Psal. 58. john 10. Hebr. 12. john 6.  not their shepherd; call them Bastards, and not sons; yea, call them devils, as Christ called judas; and say unto them, as Christ said to Peter, Come behind me Satan, thou understandest not the things that be of God, but of man. I marvel that the Sun, that is witness of these villainies, standeth in the heavens, that the heavens rain not down fire and Brimstone, as Gen. 19 23. that the earth swallow them not up, as Numb. 16. that the creatures put not on their harness, as joel 1.  
Lastly, we are sanctified; we must therefore be holy, that our names and our natures, our calling, and conversation may be correspondent; if then we will have part with Christ we must live after the example of Christ; if we will have Communion 
Causes of Sanctification. The whole Trinity sanctify.  with the Saints, on Earth, we must be Saints on Earth, if we will have the company of Saints in Heaven, our conversation on Earth must be heavenly: Partly, We are chosen in Christ that we should be holy, and without blame before him, and partly, because the heavenly Court receiveth none, but such as are pure, 
Ephes. 7. 4. Apoc. 21. 27.  holy, innocent.  
David saith, holiness becometh thy house for ever. If holiness become God's house, much more us, which are the servants of his house. Well, the God of peace sanctify you throughout, and I pray God that your Spirits, Souls and Bodies may be holy and harmless, until the coming of the Lord jesus.  
For all our sanctification and holiness is from the Lord, as it appeareth plainly by the words of my Text; Sanctified of God the Father: Causa efficiens sanctitatis; the efficient cause of holiness is God the Father: Instrumentalis causa fides; the instrumental cause is Faith; for, Fides cor purificat, Faith purifieth the heart. Materialis causa, the material cause, est energia sanctitatis quae est in 
Act. 15. 9 john 1. 16.  Christo, for of his fullness we have all received, even grace for grace. Formalis causa, the formal cause; est nostra renovatio ab impuris qualitatibus ad puras & integras: is our renewing from impure qualities to pure and sound: Finalis, Dei cultus, the final, God's worship, to the honour of God and the edifying of our neighbour.  
But yet observe with me, that though sanctification be attributed to the Father, yet the Son, and the holy Ghost are not excluded: for we hold the principle of the Schoolmen; Opera Trinitatis quoad extra sunt indivisa; the outward works of God are common to the whole Trinity; and so are we sanctified by Father, Son, and holy Ghost: yet sanctification is here ascribed to the Father, as being the ground and first author thereof. For the Son ne sanctifieth by meriting sanctification; the holy Ghost sanctifieth by working it; but the Father sanctifieth, both by sending his Son to merit it, and also by giving the holy Spirit to work. Thus Opera Trinitatis, the outward works of God are common to the whole Trinity. Sed opera Trinitatis, quoad intus esse singularia; the inward works of God are singular, and proper to some persons of the Trinity:  patri potentia, filio redemptio, spiritu sanctificatio tribuitur; as power is ascribed to the Father, redemption to the Son, sanctification to the holy Ghost: and yet these three now and then be attributed to all the three persons. Quod Vrsinus; servato ordine agendi, for as the Father and the holy Ghost do redeem, and yet mediately by the Son, so the Father and the Son do sanctify, yet mediately by the Holy Ghost. The proper or incommunicable works of the Trinity, are the inward eternal and hypostatical properties, as thus, Pater generat, the Father begetteth, the Son is begotten, and the holy Ghost proceedeth, 
Distinction of persons in the Trinity.  and yet the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, nor the holy Ghost either Father or Son. The other works of the Trinity are indivisible, how soever sometimes distinct, as Creation to the Father, Redemption to the Son, Sanctification to the holy Ghost. Peter Martyr saith thus; Pater ut fons, filius ut flumen, spiritus ut rivus ab utroque procedens; The Father as the Fountain, the Son as the flood, the Spirit as the River proceeding from them both. The fountain is not the flood, nor the flood the fountain, nor the river either fountain or flood, and yet all these be one water. So the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, nor the Spirit either Father or Son; and yet but one God. Et hi tres sanctificant, and all these three sanctify: quoth Lactantius. Ab uno omnia, per unum omnia, in uno omnia, a quo, per quem, in quo omnia, unus a se unus ab uno, unus ab ambobus; una tamen & eadem operatio? All things from one, all things by one, all things in one: from whom, by whom, and in whom are all things: one of himself, one from one, one from both, and yet one and the same operation. Tres sunt in trinitate, non statu, sed ordine, non essentia, sed forma, non potestate, sed specie, unus status, essentiae & potestatis, quia sunt unus Deus. There be three persons in the Trinity, not in state and condition, but in order; not in essence, but in form; not in power, but in kind: for there is one and the same state of essence and power, because these three persons be but one God.  
But to leave this: The persons of the Trinity are here distinguished: they are sanctified of God the Father, and reserved unto jesus Christ. The persons of the Father and the Son are discerned, as in all other places: Pater quasi fons exuberans; filius ut rivus defluens; ille ut Sol, hic ut radius; ille ut os, hic ut vox procedens: nonautem separantur, sicut nec rivus a fonte, nec radius a Sole, nec vox abore: quia aqua fontis est in Rivo, & solis lumen in radio, & oris virtus in voce: The Father, as the fountain abounding, the Son, as the river flowing; he as the Sun, this as the beam; he as the mouth, this as the voice proceeding: they are not separated, as neither the river is separated from the fountain, nor the beam from the Sun, nor the voice from the mouth, for the water in the fountain is in the river, as the light of the Sun is in the beam, and the virtue of the mouth in the voice.  
The distinction of the persons obscurely delivered in the Old Testament, in the New is made clearer than the noonday. For at the Baptism of Christ, the Son was seen: The holy Ghost descended like a Dove. Again, Christ bade them Baptism, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Again, 
Mat. 3. 16.  this was Paul's farewell to the Churches: The grace of our Lord jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with you, etc. 
Mat. 28. 19  Again, Saint john saith, That there are three that bear witnessein 
Sanctification not available without preservation.  heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one: Also the place, Luk. 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing that shall be borne of thee, shall be called the Son of God; doth 
1 john 5. 7, 8.  sufficiently prove the Trinity; which places the Confession of Belgia quoted against jews, Mahomitans, Martion, Man's, Sabellius, Samositanus, etc.  
The third title of honour here given unto the Elect, is reservation, that they are reserved unto Christ jesus; that is (as St. Peter saith) They are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation. All former blessings without this is to small purpose, 
1 Pet. 1. 15.  in that God not only calleth us, but sanctifieth us, and not only so neither, but also reserveth us in Christ jesus. This maketh 
Luke 6. 38.  up the measure of our joy, till the Bushel run over. So Paul told the Corinthians, that God had called them, and would confirm 
1 Cor. 1. 8.  them unto the end, that they may be blameless in the day of Lord jesus. This is the Anchor of our hope, as the Sun at noon day, as the Moon in the Full, that God preserveth us for ever. He that keepeth Israel, doth neither slumber nor sleep; the Lord is thy keeper, the 
Psal. 121. 4, 5.  Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand, the Sun shall not burn thee by day, nor the Moon by night. He that keepeth a sick man, sleepeth; but he that keepeth us, never sleepeth: his eyes are always open day and night, like the gates of the new jerusalem. 
Apoc. 20.  Christ giveth this reason why his sheep do not perish: My sheep (saith he) hear my voice, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck 
john 10. 27, 28.  them out of my hand. Our life is like a Ship in the Sea, beaten with wind, tossed with waves, turmoiled with all kind of troubles; and were it not that Christ is in this Ship, we were like to sink, nor with Peter into the Sea, but with judas into hell. And this point is most notably handled by Master Calvin, who affirmeth, that God's providence is over all the parts of our life; we cannot 
Calvin libro 1. cap. 17. Instit.  (saith he) take heat nor cold without danger; by heat we may surfeit, and by cold catch an ague, if we mount up an horse, In lapsu unius pedis periclitatur tota vita; in the sliding of one foot is the danger of our life; if we enter into a Ship, we are but an inch from death; if we walk in the streets, so many tiles, so many deaths hang over our heads, walk into the Forests or Fields, so many beasts, so many enemies that conspire our destruction, shut thyself in a Garden, there a Serpent may kill thee: Latet anguis in herbis. And to recapitulate all this: Bibulus a noble Roman, riding through the streets in great pomp, a tile fell from the house, and strooke him so deep into the head, that it killed him. Pope Adrian, drinking at a Fountain, was choked with a fly: Anacreon the Poet was choked with the grain of a Grape; Gregory the 13. was suddenly strangled with a rheum, and it is said of Plato, that he died in a 
God's providence watcheth over all, especially his.  dream, and of Publius Crassus, that he died laughing. Into these dangers might we have fallen, if God had not preserved us.  
Marvellous is the providence of God in our lives: job in his misery saw the want of it, and therefore wished, saying, Oh that I were as in times past, when God preserved me, when his light shined upon 
job. 29. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  my head, and when by his light I walked through the darkness; as I was in the days of my youth, when God's providence was upon my Tabernacle, when the Almighty was with me, and my children round about me; when I washed my paths with butter, and when the rock poured me out Rivers of Oil, etc. In all the parts of our life God miraculously preserveth us, miraculously doth he preserve us in our conception: and therefore saith the just man; Thou hast poured me out like milk, turned me to Curds like Cheese, thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and joined me together with bones and sinews; thou hast given me life and grace, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. Miraculously did he nourish us in our Mother's womb, 
Psal. 8. 2.  miraculously nine months preserved he us; miraculously did he deliver us out of the womb of our Mother; for at our birth 
Psal. 34.  not only women but Angels did assist us; miraculously God keepeth us in our youth: For CHRIST speaking of his little 
Mat. 18. 10.  ones, saith, The Angels of his little ones do always behold the face of his Father which is in Heaven. Miraculously doth he keep us until the day of our death: Therefore saith David, Thou hast showed me great troubles and adversities, but 
Psal. 71. 18.  thou wilt return and revive me, and wilt come again, and take me from the depth of the earth. Miraculously doth he continue his benefits towards us: Therefore saith the sweet Singer of Israel; Cast me not away in the time of my age, forsake me not when my strength 
Psal. 71. 8.  faileth me: let it be our Prayer. If God had not aswell preserved us and kept us, it had been to small purpose to call us and sanctify us. This Doctrine than is a Doctrine of comfort, that God preserveth us; it is as David's Harp, which rejoiced Saul in his melancholy. God hath not only made us, but also preserved us in a wonderful mercy. He telleth all our steps. He numbereth 
job 14. Psal. 56. Psal. 38. Psal. 139. Psal. 34. Mat. 10.  our tears. He counteth our days and times. He telleth our members. He reckoneth our bones. Yea he telleth our hairs.  
Our steps, our tears, our days, our members, our bones, our hairs are told; and yet all these are but little; a step is but a little space, a tear is but a little water, a member is but a little flesh, a bone a little substance, our days a little time, our hair a little exerement; yet all these are kept of God; he that keepeth these little things, will keep our bodies and souls: As Paul prayed for Thessalonica, Now the very God of peace sanctify you throughout, and I pray God, that your whole spirit, soul and body may 
1 Thes. 5. 23.  be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord and Saviour ●esus Christ. God therefore is continually to be praised: (quoth Ambrose) 
The Saints though afflicted yet delivered.  In prosperis, quia consolamnur; in adversis, quia corrigimur; in prosperity, because we are comforted; in adversity, because we are corrected; before we were borne, because he made us; after we were borne, because he saveth us; in our sins, because he 

Ambr. in ora fu. nebri in Theodosium.  
Apoc. 2. 10.   pardoneth us; in our conversion, because he helpeth us; in our preservation, because he keepeth us and crowneth us. But some will say, do we not see good men take harm, sometime break an arm, a leg; yea, and sometime their neck? Where is God's providence? how are they preserved? I say, that GOD sometime throws them down, and leaveth them to themselves, that they may the better see their weakness and God's power; and being delivered, glorify him in it, according to that precept of the Almighty; call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Hereof come all those tragical 
Psal. 50. 15.  speeches of the Saints, that God maketh them as Butts, and all his arrows stick deep in them; that he feareth them with 
job 7. 12. 14, 19  dreams, and astonisheth them with visions, and will not give them so much rest, as to swallow their spittle; that their heart panteth; that their strength faileth; the light of their eyes is 
Psal. 38. 5. 8. 10.  gone; that their wounds are putrified and corrupt; that they are weakened and sore broken, and do roar for the very disquietness of their hearts; that they are as water poured out; that all their bones be out of joint; that their heart is as wax melted 
Psal. 22. 14.  in the midst of their bowels; that God bruiseth them as a Lion; like a Crane or Swallow, so God maketh them to chatter, and to mourn like Doves. True it is, that they be often 
Esay. 38. 12, 13. 14.  in peril for a time.  
jacob lieth in the Fields.  

Gen. 30. 1 Sam. 24. Psal. 125. jer. 20. Dan. 3.  David in the Wilderness.  
joseph in Prison.  
jeremy in the Dungeon.  
The Three Children in the Oven.  
john in the hot Oil at Ephesus.  
Elias among Crows.  
Moses among Sheep.  

1 Reg. 17. Exod. 2. Mat. 12. Dan. 6. Luke 16. Acts 27.  jonas among Fishes.  
Daniel among Lions.  
Lazarus among Dogs.  
Paul among Snakes.  
But at last cometh the year of jubilee, and they are freed; the cloud is dispersed, and the Sun shineth; the clay is removed, and the water runneth; the ashes is scattered, and the fire burneth; the snare is broken, and the Birds are delivered. It is God that preserveth all things, that he may have the glory. 
Psal. 174. 7.  He kept the old world many years from perishing; and when it was destroyed, he reserved a seed of 8. persons: He will keep 
Gen. 8.  this new World in the great burning: For there shall be a new 
God hath preserved his Scriptures. God preserves Bodies and Souls.  Heaven and a new Earth. He kept the primitive Church from ten great persecutors, when the rivers were died with blood; when five thousand died every day, except the Calends of januarie; he kept the Scriptures from Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Dioclesian, the one made monthly Inquisition for the Bibles, and 
2 Pet. 3.  beheaded them that kept them; the other commanded all to be burnt, yet Ezra and they continue to our good; he kept the knowledge of his Name in all the darkness of the World. For as josephus saith, Adam made two tables of stone, or pillars, 
Euseb. lib. 1.  in the one he wrote, Hominis lapsum, Man's fall: In the other Promissionem de Messia, the promise of the Messiah; and so that 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  continueth to this day: he kept the Religion in the days of Queen Mary, as he kept the Law in the days of Manasses and Amon; two or three Berries were left on the top of the tree, some grapes after the vintage, some ears of corn after the gleaning. He kept our late blessed Queen, when Stephen Gardiner bad, Hue at the root, and when some others used her roughly, when the plot of her death was laid. Let our Souls praise the Lord, and 
Psal. 103.  all that is within us, praise his holy name.  
God preserved the Fathers, Egypt received Athanasius from exile, having been seven years in a Cistern at Treveris: France received Hilary, returning from battle: Antioch received Chrysostome, from the malice of Arcadius, and Eudoxia: Italy welcomed Eusebius, from exile: and Milan entertained Ambrose, from the rage of Valentinian and justina; God preserveth the World, and all men in it; and this preservation of the World is greater, than the Creation of the World, greater than the 
Ios. 10. john 2. John 6.  drying up of the red Sea, greater than the standing of the Sun and Moon in Aialon, greater than the turning of Water into Wine, greater than the feeding of five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes: Et tamen haec omnes mirantur, non quia majora, sed quia rariora: Vilescunt miracula, & Dei opera assiduitate; And yet all men wonder at these things, not because they 
August. Tract. 24. in john.  be greater, but because they be rarer Miracles, and the works of God wax vile by assiduity. August. Oh brethren! It is as great a work of God to keep us in body from the Devil: For if he might have his mind, he would tear us in a thousand pieces; and there should not be a man left a live upon the Earth. He that deceived Eva, he that slew jobs children and 
Gen. 3. job 1. 1 Reg. 22. Act. 19 Tob. 3.  , he that was a lying Spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets, he that wounded the seven sons of Sceva a jew, overcame them and prevailed, he that killed Sara her seven husbands, in seven nights, would kill us every night, if God kept us not. Let us therefore commit ourselves too God. Tertullian saith, 
Tertul. libro de Patientia.  Si injuriam apud Deum deposueris, ultor est; si dolorem, consolator est; si morbus, medicus est; si damnum, restitutor est; si mortem, resuscitator est. If thou indurest wrong for Christ sake, he is a revenger; if sorrow, 
God preserves bodies and souls.  he is a comforter; if sickness, he is a Physician; if loss, he is a restorer; if death, he is a reviver, he is the resurrection and the life. He is (quoth one) in our sickness a restorer; in our prisonment, a deliverer; in our sail, a mariner; in our cities, a 
Mat. 9 Psal. 146. Psal. 107. Psal. 127. Exod. 15. Act. 17. 1 Cor. 13. Psal. 30. 5.  watchman; in our buildings, a carpenter; in our battles, a soldier; in our life, a keeper; in our death, a restorer. Blessed be God who always keepeth us. In how many Agues, Palsies, Gouts, Apoplexies, hath God kept us? in how many sick nights, hath he watched at our bed side, and joy hath come in the morning?  
But if I would speak of our spiritual Deliverance, Preservation from Satan, in our Souls; Where shall I begin? or Where shall I end? Dies citiùs quàm dicta, tempora citiùs quàm verba deficerent: The day sooner than words, the time sooner than speech should fail me. A most large field is offered me to walk in; but I will confine myself. God hath kept us in Soul from the great sins of the World; though we cannot say with Christ, Which of you can accuse me of sin? yet we can say, who can accuse us of notorious, gross, open sins. Wherein we have been scandalous to the Church of God? 
john 8. 46.  We are content to walk by good report, and evil report: and are loath to give occasion of offence in any thing. August. hath a pathetical speech, to noto how God keepeth us in Soul: Quantum (inquit) debeo diligere Deum? redimit me, cum perieram; quando ignoravi, 
2 Cor. 6. 3.  docuit me; quando erravi, reduxit me; quando peccavi, corripuit me; quando cecidi, erexit me; quando steti, tenuit me; quando ivi, deduxit 
Aug.  me; quando veni, suscepit me; quando clamavi, exaudivit me; How much am I bound to love God? I had perished, if he had not redeemed me; when I was ignorant, he taught me; when I erred, he reduced me; when I sinned, he corrected me; when I fell, he erected me; when I stood, he held me; when I went, he led me; when I came, he received me; and when I cried, he heard me. Therefore this was Saint Augustine's prayer, Custodi me Domine, hic & ubique, nunc & semper, intus & foris, antè & retro, circum circa; in me nullus pateat locus insidiis Diaboli. Preserve me o Lord here and every where; now and ever; within 
Aug. lib. Medit.  and without; before and behind; round about me; that no place may lie open for the snares of the Devil. Christ praying for his Apostles, and in them for us, saith thus; I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou keep them from evil. If God kept us not in Soul, the Devil would destroy us all; 
john 17. 15.  not a man in the World should be saved, all should go to Hell, note his malice to Adam; he was by Satan's envy, form and deformed, made and marred in one day; he lodged not (say the Fathers) one night in Innocence.  
We read of one in the Gospel, that had a deaf Devil, of another that had a dumb Devil, of Mary Magdalen, that had seven Devils: of a man that had a legion of Devils, that is, 
No safety from Satan except God preserve.  eight hundred Devils: For a Legion containeth five hundred footmen, and three hundred horsemen. Ecce tetendit Satanas ante pedes nostros laqueos insinitos, etc. Behold, Satan layeth before 
Mar. 2. Luke 5. Luke 7. Luke 8. August. in soliloq.  our feet (saith Augustine) infinite snares, he filleth our ways with deceits to catch our poor Souls. He layeth snares for us in Riches, in Poverty, in Meat, in Drink, in Sleep, in Waking, in Word, and Work, and in every thing. In Riches, we are proud; in Poverty, we murmur and steal; in Meat, we surfeit; in Drink, we are drunken; in Dreams, we wander, etc. It is reported of Anthony, that on a time looking up to Heaven; he saw all full of snares, and he cried out; Who shall deliver us? Answer was made. I the Lord will deliver you. Oh then let us always pray with Augustine, Dominetur carni anima, animae ratio, rationi gratia, etc. Let the Soul rule the Flesh, Reason the Soul, Grace Reason, and subdue me to thy will Lord, both within and without: sharpen my Tongue, to sound forth thy praises, illuminate my mind, enlarge my heart to receive thee, give me a wise and understanding heart, etc.  
jovem & junonem a juvando dictos esse, ait Cicero: Cicero saith, that jupiter and juno were so called, a iuvando, of helping: Sed hoc in Deum (quoth Lactantius) optimè quadrat, but this, saith Lactantius, 
Lactan. lib. 1. cap. 10.  doth best of all befit God, Qui juvat, servat, salvat, who both helpeth us, keepeth us, and saveth us, who by Faith 
Ephes. 8. 17.  quencheth all the fiery darts of the Devil. That we have not filled our eyes with vanity, our ears with slander, nor our mouths with blasphemy, nor our bellies with gluttony, nor our bodies with lechery, nor our hands with bribery, it is God's work. For seeds of all sin are in us by nature, and we are no better than others; but he reserveth and keepeth us: we need not then fear what man can do unto us. Nay 
Ephes. 2. 4.  we need not fear the day of Death, or the day of judgement. For in the last day it shall be said to every one reserved and kept of God, Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso, this day shalt thou be with 
Luke 23.  me in Paradise. And in the last day of the World to them all, Venite benedicti, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
Mat. 25. 34.  prepared for you: and therefore as the Hart desireth the water-brookes, so long their Souls after God, their Souls after God, yea after the living God, and they cry day and night, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Thou which art our Lord by right of creation, by right of redemption, by right of gubernation, 
Apoc. 22.  by right of preservation, Come, come away quickly, and crown us with glory, receive us into thy kingdom, where is Gaudium sine fine, sine metu finis, joy without end, without fear of end. Thus much of the Persons saluted, their vocation, sanctification and reservation to jesus Christ.   

THE FOURTH SERMON.  VERS. II. 
Mercy unto you, and Peace and Love, etc. 
Mercy, Peace, and Love from Father, Son, & holy Ghost.   
I Am now come to the Salutation, wherein the Apostle wisheth and prayeth for three things.  

1 Mercy.  
2 Peace.  
3 Love.   
Three things more excellent than 
Mat. 2.  the three gifts, which the Wisemen bestowed on Christ; Gold, Frankincense, 
2 Sam. 23.  and Myrrh; three things more puissant to overthrow the Devil, than the three mighty men that were in the host of Israel to overthrow the Philistines, and to fetch water out of the well of Bethelem, that David longed for; three things more comely, than the three things that Solomon commended, that is, a Lion 
Prov. 30.  among beasts, a Greyhound, and a Goat.  
Mercy, which is the first thing here wished for, is ascribed to God, the Creator; Peace, which is the second, to Christ, the 
2 Cor. 1. 3. Ephes. 2. 14. Rom. 5. 5.  Reconciler; Love, which is the third, to the holy Ghost, the Comforter. For God he is called, The Father of Mercies, Christ is called, Our Peace, and the holy Ghost, Love. The Apostle therefore in saying, Mercy, Peace, and Love be multiplied, is as if he should have said; The God of Mercy forgive you your sins, the God of Peace give you Peace that passeth all understanding, and the God of Love grant that your Love may abound more and more, that ye may be rooted and grounded in Love.  
And yet all this proceedeth from one and the same person; 
General and special Mercies of God.  for albeit Mercy be ascribed to the Father, Peace to the Son, and Love to the holy Ghost: Creation to the Father, Redemption to the Son, and Sanctification to the holy Ghost, yet all these create, redeem, and sanctify. For we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; we confound neither the persons, nor yet their work.  
Mercy be unto you, Mercy in God is not passive, but active, Non quoad affectum, sed quoad effectum. No suffering with us in our wants, but succouring us in them.  
Mercy is here taken for grace and the mere favour of God: The Apostle therefore in wishing Mercy, Peace and Love to the Saints, teacheth us, Quales esse debent Christianorum salutationes, nos literis nostris & epistolis, honorem, opulentiam, salutem, longam vitam amicis optamus, judas verò, misericordiam, pacem, charitatem, & dona coelestia, his tribus, Ecclesia opus est, aliter, actum esset. And first he beginneth with Mercy: For instead of Grace used by the Apostle Paul in sundry of his Epistles, jude here nameth Mercy, which is all one; Mercy and Grace is that, whereby all good is conveyed to us: therefore an excellent blessing to be prayed for, and this Grace and Mercy of God is fourfold:  
1 General.  
2 Special.  
3 Temporal.  
4 Eternal.  
The general Grace and Mercy of God, are those graces and mercies, that he bestoweth upon all men; Hence is it, that he causeth, the Sun to shine upon good and bad, and his Rain to fall upon the just and unjust: For there be some good things, which God giveth indifferently both to the good & bad, as Riches, Honour, Strength, Beauty, Health, etc. And there be some good things, which God giveth only to the good, and not to the wicked; as saving Faith, saving Grace, a new Heart, a right Spirit, peace of Conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, eternal Life: And there are some evil things, whereof the good taste as well as the bad; as Sickness, Sorrow, Weakness of body; Imprisonment, Famine, Sword, loss of Friends, etc. And there are some evil things which God layeth upon the wicked, and not upon the good; as intolerable horror of conscience, desperation, 
Psal. 104. 17, 18.  damnation, etc. This general Grace and Mercy of God is over all his cratures, the Fowls of the Air, the Fishes in the 
Psal. 145. 9  Sea, the beasts of the Fields; His Mercy is over all his Works.  
His special Mercy is that, whereby he succoureth his elect. This was the Mercy of God, that preserved Lot, from the burning of Sodom; Daniel, from the devouring jaws of the hungry 
Gen. 19  Lions; David, from the cruelty of Saul; and the Israelites, 
Dan. 6.  from the fiery Furnace. This is that Grace and Mercy, which the child of God above all things desireth. Lord lift thou up 
Psal. 4.  the light of thy countenance upon us.  
His temporal Mercy is that whereby he spareth sinners, and standeth at their doors, expecting and waiting their conversion. 
Temporal and eternal Mercies.  Hereupon one descanteth very finely, saying, When vain pleasure biddeth us to sell God, and be gone, his Mercy and Grace will not so part with us; when we are lost in ourselves his Mercy and Grace findeth us out; when we lie long in our sins, his Mercy and Grace raiseth us up: when we come unto him, his Mercy and Grace receiveth us; when we come not, his Mercy and Grace draweth us; when we repent, his Mercy and Grace pardoneth us; when we repent not, his Mercy and Grace waiteth our repentance.  
The eternal Mercy and Grace of God is that, which concerneth our everlasting Salvation; & this is that Mercy and Grace principally wished for, By Grace we are saved through Faith, not of 
Ephes. 2.  ourselves, for it is the gift of God.  
This word Mercy or Grace teacheth us to look up unto God, not unto ourselves, if we look to be saved; we choose not the Lord, but he us,  salus esset penes figulum, non penes lutum: 
Aug.  Paul ascriberh all to Grace and Mercy, By the Grace of God (saith he) I am that I am, and his Grace which is in me, was not in vain: and thus he taught the Romans: At this present, there is a remnant through the election of Grace; and if it be of Grace, it is no more of Works, or 
Rom. 11. 5, 6.  else Grace were no more Grace; but if it be of Works, it is no more Grace, or else were work no more work: an invincible Argument.  
Peter letteth the jews see, Terminum a quo, & terminum ad quem pervenerunt; their state under the Law, and under Grace. He hath called you (saith Saint Peter) out of darkness into his marvellous 
1 Pet. 2. 9, 10.  light, which in times past were not a people, but now the people of God: which in times past were not under Mercy, but now have obtained Mercy. We have not loved God, but he us, Venit medicus ad aegrotos, via ad errantes, lux ad tenebras, vita ad mortuos, redemptor ad 
Bern.  captivos: The Physician came unto the sick, the way to wanderers, light to darkness, life to the dead, a redeemer to the captives. We were sick, he healed us; we wandered, he reduced us; we were blind, he lightend us; we were slaves, he redeemed us: No man cometh to the Father but by him. 
john 14. 6.   
This is not only that general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy and Grace of God, which pertaineth to all creatures, Beasts, Fowl, Fishes, whereof I spoke before: but this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiar to man only: the Scripture calleth it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the riches of his bountifulness, etc. For The Lord is rich in Mercy: rich in mercy, because 
Ephes. 2. 4.  the treasury of his Mercy and Grace is never exhausted, the fountain never dried up; rich in Mercy, because he never ceaseth to communicate the riches of his Mercy and Grace to us; rich in Mercy, because he pardoneth all our sins upon our true repentance; rich in Mercy, because he not only pardoneth all our sins upon our true repentance, but giveth us repentance, and 
The abundant riches of God's mercies.  faith to believe the remission of our sins; rich in mercy, because he giveth us privative grace to escape evils, and positive enabling us to do good; finally, rich in mercy, because he preventeth us with mercy and grace, before we seek him, and followeth us with mercy and grace when we have found him.  
Bernard in a certain Sermon, makes mention of a sevenfold 
De Evang. septem panum.  mercy or grace, which (he saith) each child of God may find in himself.  
The first is a preventing mercy or grace, by which the Lord preserves his Elect from falling into gross evils; Fateor & fatebor (saith he) nisi quia Deus adiuvit me paulo minus cecidisset in omne peccatum anima mea; I do and will ingeniously confess, that unless the Lord had preserved me by grace, my soul had gone near to have fallen into all sin.  
The second is his forbearing mercy or grace, whereby the Lord waiteth for the conversion of a sinner: in regard whereof, the same Author writeth thus; Ego peccabam, & tu dissimulas; non continebam a sceleribus, & tu à verberibus abstinebas, I sinned, O Lord, and thou seemest not to regard it, I contained not myself from wickedness, and thou abstainest from scourging me for the same.  
The third is an altering and changing mercy or grace, which makes a man settled in the resolution of holiness, whereas before he was profane, and lose in behaviour.  
The fourth is an embracing mercy or grace, whereby God assureth the Convert of his favour.  
The fifth is a confirming mercy or grace, which strengtheneth and upholdeth the righteous in his goodness.  
The sixth is a mercy or grace, that sets him in hope and expectation of glory.  
The seventh is a crowning mercy or grace, which is the Livery and seisin, and full possession of the Kingdom of heaven.  
Thus the LORD hath seven mercies or graces, nay seventy times seven mercies, even an innumerable multitude of compassions; all which Saint jude here wisheth unto the Saints; by which it appeareth how great a blessing the Apostle wisheth in wishing mercy. Mercy be unto you.  
For indeed all that we have is of mercy; not of merit, of favour, not of debt; of grace, not of nature. It is his mercy that we 
Lament. 3. 2.  be not consumed: therefore when we pray, let this be our petition, O God be merciful unto me a sinner: and when we give thankes, let 
Luke 18. 13. Psal. 36.  this be the foot of our Song, For his mercy endureth for ever; For his mercy endureth for ever.  
His mercy is Communis peccantium portus, the common harbour of all penitent sinners: For it is not the wisdom God, nor his power, noriustice that preserves us from destruction, but his mercy. So many idle words uttered in a day, so many vain 
Mercy that we are not consumed.  thoughts conceived, so many evil works committed; I speak positively, and now privatively; so few prayers in us, so few thanksgiving, so few alms, so weak faith, so little knowledge, so cold zeal, so small love; It is not a mercy, but a miracle, that we are not all consumed, that the air infecteth us not, as it did juda; that the heavens rain not down fire and brimstone, 
2 Sam. 24.  as they did upon Sodom; that the clouds open not and drown us all, as they did the old world; that the earth doth not open 
Gen. 19  and swallow us all, as it did Dathan; such pride in the rich, such envy in the poor, such peevishness in age, such riot in youth, 
Gen. 6. Numb. 16.  such robbery on the land, such piracy on the Sea, such impiety in the Church, such injury in the Commonwealth, such wickedness and Atheism in all; it is a rare mercy that we be not all consumed.  
The Angels desire an end of this evil world, the Saints departed wish the accomplishment of the Elect, the number full, the body of Christ made perfect. The Saints in earth cry, Veni 
Esa. 6. Apoc. 6. Apoc. 22.  Domine jesu, veni citò; Come Lord jesus, come quickly. Why do we not desire to be loosed, that as we are partakers of his general, special, and temporal mercies and graces here: so we may be partakers of his eternal mercies in heaven.  
The second blessing, which the Apostle prayeth for, is peace; which is taken three ways:  
First, for external peace between man and man.  
Secondly, for internal peace, betwixt God and man, peace of conscience.  
Thirdly, for prosperity, and the happy event of all things.  
And in all these significations it may be taken in this place, in a godly sense; if we take it in the first sense, it is a notable blessing, and to be prayed for of all men, as jude doth here: for peace is the ornament of all places, as a Crown of gold upon their head, the Kingdom of Christ is adorned by it. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard shall lie with 
Esa. 11. 6. 7. 9  the Kid, and the Calf and the Lion and the fat beast together, and a little Child shall lead them, and the Cow and the Bear shall feed together, their young ones shall lie together, and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock, and the sucking child shall play upon the hole of the Asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole, then shall none hurt nor destroy in all the Mountain of my holiness. Here men by reason of their cruel affections are called by the name of beasts; but Christ by his Spirit shall so reform them, and work in them such mutual peace and unity, that they shall be as Lambs favouring and loving one another, and cast away all their cruel affections. And again, the Prophet speaking of the Kingdom of Christ, saith, They shall break their swords into mattocks, and their spears into scythes, Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation, neither 
Mich. 4. 3, 4.  shall they learn to fight any more, but they shall sit every man under his 
Peace both good and pleasant.  Vine and under his Figtree, and none shall make them afraid; meaning that peace and unity shall flourish among them, and division and dissension shall be utterly banished.  
Our God is the God of peace; the Devil on the contrary is 
Heb. 13. 20.  the Author of all dissension; it was he that caused division between Abimelech and the men of Sichem. He was a murderer 
Ind. 9 23.  from the beginning: But God is the Author of peace; Litigiosi 
john 6. 44.  ergo non sunt ex Deo; Contentious persons therefore are not of God: For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. Peace is one fruit of the Spirit: so saith the Apostle, The fruits of the Spirit 
1 Cor. 14. 33.  are love, joy, peace, etc. but no peace, no Spirit of God. Paul is not earnester in any thing, than in moving men to embrace peace: Writing to the Philippians he saith thus; If there be any 
Phil. 2. 1, 2.  consolation in Christ, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion and mercy, fulfil my joy that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and of one judgement, that nothing be done through contention or vainglory, etc. And again, I pray 
Phil. 4. 2.  Evodias, and beseech Syntiches, that they be of one accord in the Lord. This was Christ's Ave and Vale ever, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: Dulce nomen pacis, res ipsa tum jucunda, tum salutaris; the very name of peace is sweet and comfortable, the fruit and effect thereof pleasant and profitable; Innumeris potior triumphis, more to be desired than innumerable Triumphs. This blessed peace is the language of heaven; the Angels brought it from heaven: Glory in the highest heavens to God, in earth peace, towards 
Luke 2.  men good will. This is the Legacy which Christ bequeathed to his Disciples; Pacem meam do vobis, My peace I give unto 
john 20. 19  you; this was the usual salutation of the jews, Shenim Vbenim, peace be unto you: this is one of those special blessings, which all the Apostles in all their salutations pray for; Grace be with you and peace: this David commendeth; O quàm bonum, & quàm 
Gal. 1. 9  jucundum, O how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity; it is not bonum & non jucundum, good 
Psal. 133. 1.  and not pleasant, or jucundum & non bonum, pleasant and not good, but bonum & jucundum, good and pleasant. There be some things that be bona sed non jucunda, good and not pleasant, as patience and discipline; some things be jucunda sed non bona; pleasant but not good, as voluptuousness carnal pleasure; some things are nec bona nec jucunda, neither good nor pleasant, as envy, worldly sorrow, etc. and there be some things, & bona & iucunda, which are both good and pleasant, as peace, honesty, charity. This peace Christ commendeth to his Disciples; Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another: this was a 
Mar. 13.  piece of the blessing which God taught the high Priest, that God would grant them his peace. When GOD would have a 
Numb. 6. 6.  Temple builded for his worship, he would not have it in David's 
2 Sam. 7. 5.  time, because it was troublesome, and full of War: but in the 
Contention cause of Destruction.  days of Solomon, who is interpreted Rex pacis, the King of Peace. When Christ came into the World, it was in the days of Augustus, when the whole World was at Peace; and Christ is the corner 
Luke 2.  stone, making peace among men. Tale bonum est bonum pacis, 
Aug.  ut in rebus creatis nihil gratiosius soleat audiri, nihil delectabilius concupisci, nihil utilius possideri, such and so great a good, is the good of Peace, that among all the things created, nothing is heard of more acceptable, nothing desired which is more delectable, nothing possessed more profitable; Peace is the sweetest harmony that ever sounded, the strongest bond that ever united political bodies together, the chiefest prop, pillar & preservative of common wealths. Cum alii sunt pacem recipientes, alii retinentes, alii facientes; when some embrace Peace, others retain it, others make it.  
Let us therefore, Brethren, Be diligent to keep the unity of the 
Ephes. 4. 3, 4, 5.  spirit in the bond of peace, being one body and one spirit, even as we are called into one hope of our calling. For there is but one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father over all, which is above all, through all, and in us all. For contention breedeth division, and division is the mother of destruction, here and ever hereafter, here it impoverisheth us; so saith the Apostle, If ye bark one at another, and bite one another, ye shall at last be devoured one of another: the end of 
Gal. 5. 15.  barking is biting, the end of contention is consumption, the end of dissension destruction. This Christ layeth out by two similitudes, saying, Every Kingdom divided against itself shall be 
Mat. 12. 25.  brought to nought, and every City or House divided against itself cannot stand, hereafter it damneth us. For unto them that are contentious and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, etc. Herein the Devils are wiser than Men, Est Daemonum legio concors, there is an agreement among 
Aug.  the Devils. In Mary Magdalen, of seven; in another of a whole leagion: and Christ saith, That if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself, and how shall his Kingdom endure? The Devils 
Mat. 12. 26. Luke 11. 15.  agree in mischief, and they all obey one head to do a mischief: Coneys are but small things, yet joining together, they overthrew the Isles of Anaph, Maiorica, and Minorica. The Cranes are not great, but being conjoined they beat the Pigmae, Herrings are but little, yet their forces being put together, overturn a great ship. Gnats are but small creatures, yet many being united together, drove back julian the Apostata. Rats are not great yet many of them together devoured Hatto of Moguncia. 
Hist. tripart.  Our bodies stand of four contrary Elements, Fire, Water, Air, Earth; but because they are combined together, therefore live we well, but if there be a jar among them, that one overcome another, the body than perisheth by and by.  
What shall I say then of these brawling, sewing, wrangling spirits; they are like the Salt pillar, that Lot's wife was turned 
Gen. 45.  unto; they be of a salt and fiery humour, like the seven blasted 
Motive to true Peace.  ears, that consumed the full ears; like the seven lean kine that eat up the fat; like the worm that smote jonas wild gourd, they hurt themselves and others also, they strive in the law, like the mouse and the frog for the marish ground, till the kite swee●s them both away, till the Lawyer eat them both up; they are like Fools that bore holes in ships to let out the water, and to let in the whole Sea; so to gain six pence, they will spend six pounds, and at last die beggars. As the Friars of old lived of the ignorance of the people: so the Lawyers now live of the sin and malice of the people; they, as the Locusts, eat up all. Wherefore if ye love your wealth; Seek peace and ensue 
Psal. 34. 14. Rom. 12. 18.  it, and if it be possible as much as in you lieth, have peace with all men. Remember that our God is the God of peace; Christ the Prince of peace; Angels the messengers of peace; the Ministers, the preachers of peace; the Magistrates, defenders of peace, and that we are the children of the God of peace. Let us have therefore peace amongst ourselves; not polluted peace, such as was anong David's enemies, which laid wait for his soul, and took 
Psal. 71. 10. 2 Sam. 13. 28.  counsel together against him; nor counterfeit peace, as was between Absalon and Ammon: for Absalon prepared a feast for Ammon his brother, but caused him to be murdered in the midst of the banquet. So the Spaniards, in 88 treated of peace, but prepared themselves to war: nor inordinate peace: for of this peace saith our Saviour, I came not to bring peace into the world, but a sword: nor peace with sin, the world and the flesh: For this is the Devil's peace.  
Of every of these kinds of peace, I say with a Father; Melior est talis pugna quae proximum facit Deo, quam illa pax quae separat a 
Greg. Nazian.  Deo; Better is that fight and conflict, which maketh a man draw near to God, than that peace which separates a man from God; such agreement is not union, but conspiracy. Our peace therefore must be a Christian peace; and this peace hath for her elder sister, Righteousness: So saith David, justitia & pax osculatae sunt; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other: 
Psal. 85. 10.  As Augustine upon the place, fiat justitia, & habebis pacem; if thou wilt have peace, work righteousness so peace shall be within thy walls, and plenteousness, within thy palaces.  
Secondly, peace is taken for the quietness and peace of conscience betwixt God and man; and of this peace the Apostle speaketh thus; Being justified by Faith, we have peace with God. This 
Rom. 5. 1.  peace passeth all understanding, the tongues of men and Angels cannot utter it; the goodness of this peace cannot be perceived by the eye, nor received by the ear, nor conceived by the heart; yet the ear can hear much, as Saul asleep heard David; and 
2 Sam. 24. Sap. 1. 10.  The ear of jealousy heareth all things. The eye can see further: for Moses saw Canaan from the top of Pisgah. The tongue can utter more than the eye can see; so Achitophel's mouth was as an Oracle 
Peace of conscience most excellent.  of God. The heart can conceive more, than the tongue can utter; so salomon's heart is said to be large, like the sands of the Sea; yet cannot our eyes, nor ears, nor hearts comprehend this peace. It passeth all understanding. It is nothing to have all peace, and to 
Phil. 4. 7.  want the peace of God, the peace of conscience. It is nothing to have 900. chariots of Iron, with Sisera; to have stately buildings 
judg. 4. Dan. 4. Act. 4.  with Nabuchadonezer; to have the applause of the people with Herod; to plant orchards, to dig fountains, to water gardens, to heap and gather gold, to provide men singers, with Solomon; to have all pleasures, with Xerxes, and to want this peace. For Sisera died miserably; Nabuchadonezer was turned into a beast; Herod was eaten of louse: Solomon called all delights, vanities; and Xerxes promised reward to him, that could find him out a new pleasure. Quá tum inventâ non fuit contentus; Which being invented, yet he was not contented.  
Hath God given thee house and lands, wife and children, man-servants, and maidservants? Hast thou thy coffers full, with Croesus? thy purse full with Dives? thy barns full with the Epulo? thy grounds full with job? thy stable full, with Solomon? and thy table full with Balthasar? yet all is nothing without this peace; and therefore look into thy heart: Is there peace between God and thee? as he said finely; Is it peace jehu? is there not Intus vermis? a worm within biting thy conscience? if there 
1 Reg.  be, look to thyself, suffer not thine eyes to sleep, nor thy eyelids to take any rest, until thy peace be made with God, and thy pardon sealed; O pray, pray, that thou mayst have this peace, it is the peace of peace, and without it there can be no peace. The name of peace between man and man is sweet, like the precious ointment upon the head of Aaron, that ran down unto his beard, and from his beard unto the skirts of his clothing, but this peace of conscience is fare sweeter. juge Convivium, a continual 
Pro. 15. 15.  Feast, a daily Christmas unto a good man. This peace the godly seek: so saith David; mark the upright man, and behold the just for the end of that man is peace, but the transgressors shall be destroyed 
Psal. 37. 37, 38.  together, and the end of the wicked shall be cut off. The comparison is, inter pium & impium, between the godly and the ungodly man; the end of the godly man is peace, when he goeth to bed, he saith, I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest: When he 
Esa. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Luke 2.  riseth, He is careful to be found in peace. When he is sick he saith, Lord let thy servant departed in peace. Let us then be diligent to be found in peace, then shall we see hell abolished, death trodden under feet, the first sorrow cast out into shame, immortality shall lengthen our days, and the glory of God shall be before us as in a glass. This testimony is true, the Heavens have sealed unto it, and the living God hath spoken it of the Sons of men; and blessed are we, if we do believe it. There is more happiness in one day in God's service, than in ten thousand days of vanities, 
No peace to the wicked.  in which we fall from the Lord of life: One day in thy Courts (saith David) is better than a thousand other where: I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickedness.  
Sed impiis non est pax; there is no peace unto the wicked, their hearts never rest, they are never quiet, their sin lieth at the doors, 
Esa. 57 20. Gen. 4. 7.  always dogging them, and ever ready to pull out the very throat of their souls. As good men have the first fruits of the Spirit, and certain tastes of heavenly joys in this life. So on the contrary, the wicked have certain flashings of hell-flames on earth, and are as the sea, which always rageth and never resteth. And as the good man when he dyeth, bequeatheth his body which is earthly to the earth; and sins which are devilish unto the Devil, and his goods that are worldly to the world, and his soul that is heavenly to heaven: So the wicked when he dyeth, bequeatheth his goods to the world, his body to the earth, his soul to the Devil. But some will say, The wicked are merry and quiet, none so merrry as they, they sing like birds in May, like Nightingales in a clear night.  
I must distinguish, and say, that some wicked are blockish and senseless like swine, their consciences are seared like dead flesh; 
Mat. 7. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 2.  others are desperate, having an hell in their conscience, trembling like Agag: but yet both states damnable. For is the fish that skippeth in the net? or the bird that singeth in the snare? or the prisoner that is merry in the jail in any good case? No, 
1 Sam. 13. 1 Thes. 5. 3. Esa. 9 6. Ephes. 2. 17.  no: Even so is it with the wicked: when They cry peace, peace, sudden destruction shall come upon them, as upon a Woman in travel: But there is peace to the godly: Peace shall come, they shall rest in their beds, etc. Christ is their peace. Pacem Evangelizavit iis qui prope, iis qui procul: he preached peace unto them that are near, and unto them that are afar off. To this end he died, rose again, ascended into heaven; the first was the lowest step of his humiliation in earth, the second the highest step of his exaltation in earth, the third the highest step of his glorification in heaven; In the first he suffered, in the second he conquered, in the third he triumphed; the first took away sin, and destroyed death, and him that had the Lordship of Death: The second brought Righteousness, for he rose again for our justification: The third 
Heb. 2. 14. Rom. 4. 25.  bringeth glory, and all to this end, to make peace between God and man.  
Thirdly, peace is taken for prosperity and happy success of all things; as in the Psalm, O pray for the peace of jerusalem, they shall 
Psal. 122. 6.  prosper that love thee; peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness be within thy palaces. Peace and plenty are here Synonymies, the one openeth the other, he prayeth for plentiful peace, or peaceable plenty. God hath promised his Church this peace (saying,) The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, in the 
Prosperity is termed peace.  fruit of thy cattles, in the fruit of thy ground, the Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, even the Heaven to give rain unto thy land in due season, and to bless all the works of thy hands, thou shalt lend to many 
Deuter. 28. 11, 12, 13.  nations, and not borrow thyself. The Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail, & thou shalt be above only, & not beneath, etc. jacob blessing judas, saith, That he shall bind his Ass foal to the Vine, & his Ass' colt to the best Vine, he shall wash his garments in wine, & his Cloak with the 
Gen. 49. 11, 12.  blood of the grape: that is, he shall have all prosperity: and this prosperity jude wisheth unto them (saying,) peace be multiplied upon you. Esay prophesied of the wealth and abundance of the Church (saying,) Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt 
Esa. 60. 16, 17.  suck the breasts of Kings, and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy redeemer the mighty one of jacob: For brass I will bring gold, and for Iron I will bring thee silver, and for stones Iron: I will also make thy government peace, and thine exactors righteousness, violence shall no more be heard in thee, neither desolation nor destruction, etc. And God wisheth that his Church had harkened to his commandments, Then had thy prosperity been as the Flood, and thy righteousness as the Waves of the Sea. In six evils God would have delivered 
Esa. 48. 18. job. 5. Psal. 65. 11. Mal. 3. job. 1. Gen. 26. 1 Reg. 10. 27.  it, the clouds shall drop fatness upon it; God would open the windows of heaven, and pour down a blessing with plenteousness. God hath enriched the members of his Church in all ages, as job in Huz, Isaac in Gerar, Solomon in Israel, who had silver as stones.  
Yea this peace and plenty is proper and peculiar to the Church only, to the godly; the wicked have no right nor interest in the blessings of the earth: For the elects sake God made 
Gen. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 8. john 3. Mar. 13. Apo. 6. Rom. 8.  the world; For them he enriched it; for them he redeemed it, for their sakes he preserveth it, for their sakes he deferreth his coming to judge this world. That the wicked enjoy air, fire, water, let them thank the godly, who are coheirs with Christ in all things: the wicked are usurpers intruders into all God's blessings, they have no right to any furrow or foot of land. The faithful only are coheirs with Christ, in whose right they are invested into all the benefits of this life. Thou art no more a servant but a Son, (saith Paul) now if thou be a Son, those art also the heir of 
Gal. 4. 7.  God through Christ. As a bastard hath no inheritance among the legitimate Children; So the wicked, as bastards, have no inheritance among the faithful. They may say of God and heaven, as the ten Tribes said of David and his Kingdom. What portion have we in David? we have no inheritance in the Son of Ishai. So they have no portion in heaven, no inheritance in the Son of God, Christ jesus; they are Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the Covenant and promise: But the godly have right and interest in earth, and heaven also; In their elder brother Christ jesus, heaven is theirs, heaven and earth is theirs, land and sea are theirs, yea all theirs, men and Angels are subject unto them. 
Prosperity oft hurt to the Church.  All things are ours, (saith the Apostle,) whether it be Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or death: Whether they be things present, or things to come, even all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ 
1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. Psal. 112. 6, 7. 9  Gods, (an elegant Climax or gradation.) For he riseth by steps. Such a like figure, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; is 2 Cor. 6. 9 10. Obiter now, that peace and plenty are so fare given unto the Church as is profitable for it, and expedient for the setting out of God's glory. The Church sometime eateth ashes as bread, and mingleth her drink with weeping, she is as a Pelicane in the wilderness, and like an Owl, that is in the desert: She is as a Sparrow, that sitteth alone upon the house top, and her enemies revile her all the day long; Sometime she is eaten up like a Sheep, and scattered among the Heathen, she is sold for nought and made a rebuke, 
Psal. 44. 9 11, 12.  rebuked of her neighbours, laughed to scorn and derided of all: Nay, sometime she is smitten into the place of Dragons, and covered with the shadow of death.  
The Church is oftentimes more hurt by plenty, than penury, according to the voice in Constantine's days: Hodie venenum effusum est in Ecclesiam; this day is poison poured into the 
Hierom.  Church. The Church, when it came to Christian Princes to be defended, Major erat divitiis, virtutibus minor.  
Again, God putteth off her sackcloth and girdeth her with gladness. He giveth her beauty for ashes, and rich apparel instead of sackcloth, 
Psal. 30. 12. Esa. 61. 3.  as he seethe it expedient. Non audit ad voluntatem, ut audiat ad salutem.   

THE FIFTH SERMON.  VERS. II. 
And Love be multiplied. 
God's love the cause of all good.   
THe third and last blessing, which the Apostle here prayeth for, is Love, which of some learned men is thought to be the cause of Mercy and Peace: For Mercy and Peace are the fruits of Love; Love is the fountain, Mercy and Peace the water that floweth from the fountain; Love is as the mother, Mercy and Peace as her daughters; Love as the cause, Mercy and Peace as the effects; yea Love is the cause of all blessings, & as I may say, the cause of itself: yea, Causa causarum, the cause of causes; or Causa causae, the cause of the cause; or Causa causati, the cause of the thing caused. God is merciful because he loveth us, and he loveth us because he loveth us. Eligit quia diligit, & ideo diligit quia diligit; thee hath chosen us because he loveth us, 
Aug.  and therefore he loveth us because he loveth us: No reason can be rendered of the love of God, but the love of God. Let us not buzz too near the candle, with the fly Farsalla, lest we burn: Let us not soar too high with the Eagle, lest we melt; let us not wade too deep with the Elephant, lest we drown. Let us not be curious in these things: It is enough that Moses setteth down, Love to be the cause of all blessings. So God turned Balaams' curse into a blessing unto Israel. The cause Moses affirmeth to be God's love (saying) Because the Lord thy God 
Deut. 23. 5.  loved thee. So Moses telleth Israel, that God did set his Love upon them, and did choose them, not because they were more in number than any people. For they were the fewest of all people; but Because he loved them. jude here prayeth for it, as a most excellent blessing, without which all is nothing. For as 
Deut. 7. 7, 8.  we say, In triviis. He is poor whom God hateth; so he is rich and happy whom God loveth; his favour is as the dew of the 
Gods love abundant, unmeasurable, immutable.  morning, as the shadow in the heat, and as an haven to them that are tossed; as the Cities of refuge to them that are pursued. In thy presence (saith David,) is fullness of joy. That is; where God loveth and favoureth, there is perfect felicity.  
john calleth all men to behold the love of God: Behold what love the Father hath showed us, that we should be called the Sons of God: behold his love, that he calleth us his servants: and behold a 
1 john 3. 1. 2 Cor. 6. Ephes. 2.  greater love, in that he calleth us his Sons: and yet behold a greater love, that he calleth us his heirs and coheyres with Christ; and yet behold a greater love, in an higher degree, that he calleth us his Mother, Brethren and Sisters; but behold the greatest love of all, that he calleth us his Spouse, or Wife, to note, that he loveth us, with all loves; with the master's love, as Abraham loved Eleazar; with the friends love, as David loved jonathan; with the Child's love, as Ruth loved Naomi; with the 
Gen. 15. 1 Sam. 16. Ruth. 1. Gen 29.  husband's love, as jacob loved Rachel: What heart of stone is not moved with this love: Nati sumus è silice, nutriti lacte ferino. This love of God is gratuitall free, partly because it floweth from his grace and goodness, and partly because he loveth, not for his own, but for our good. And it is unmeasurable; therefore saith the Apostle, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he 
1 john 4. 10.  loved us, and sent his Son to be a reconciliation for our sins: greater love could not the Father show, than to send his Son out of his own bosom, and greater love could not the Son show, than to die for his enemies.  
Yea, this love of his it is immutable and constant: For whom he loveth, he loveth to the end, hereupon the Apostle calleth God love. God is love (saith he) and not only love; for there are many properties and attributes in God, as Truth, Mercy, justice, Power, Eternity: Novit omnia, ut veritas, tuetur ut salus, 
john 13. 1 john 4. 16.  sedat ut aequitas, dominatur ut majestas, operatur ut potentia, manet ut aeternitas; he knoweth all things as verity, defendeth all things as health and salvation, appeaseth all things as equity, ruleth all things as Majesty, worketh all things as omnipotency, and abideth and remaineth as eternity. God is not made of love only as wood of trees, as a fountain of water, as a plaster of Balm; but all these attributes are in the Lord equally: But because God delighteth in love, and he reposeth a great part of his glory in love, therefore is he described by that attribute of Love; by this attribute the Evangelist describeth him, God so loved the 
john 3. 16. Cap. 10. 16. 1 john 4. 18.  World, that he gave his only begotten Son, etc. And by this attribute the beloved disciple describeth him, saying, God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. By this attribute David describeth him, As a Father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that love him. And again; The loving 
Psal. 103. 13. 17.  kindness of the Lord endureth for ever and ever, upon them that fear him, etc. This made Paul to say, Who shall separate me from the 
Love exceeds all other virtues.  love of God? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? I am persuaded that neither death nor life; nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate 
Rom. 8. 35. 37, 38.  us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. Malitia nostra finem habet; Our malice hath an end, but God's love hath not; our malice is finite, but his love infinite. As a drop of water to the whole Sea, so are our sins in regard of the love of God, his love is so great, as it cannot be measured; so much as it cannot be numbered; so precious, that it cannot be valued; so large and long, that it cannot be ended: the breadth and length, the height and depth of his love, all the tongues of men, and of Angels cannot utter. As jude wisheth unto them, the love of God, so he wisheth them also mutual love, whereby we love one another; he meaneth both these loves in this place.  
Mutual Love is a chief and principal virtue: Faith and Love, the one with God, and the other with men, be as the root and the branch, as the mother and the daughter, as the foundation and pillars of all Christian building: the end of all is Love; the end of the first table is the Love of God, the end of the second table is the love of man: so saith the Apostle; The end of the Commandments is Love, out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and 
1 Tim. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 22. Exod. 16. judg. 6.  out of a faith unfeigned, Paul reckoning up the fruits of the Spirit, nameth Love first, as the Gentleman-usher to go before all: For as Manna excelled all bread, as Aaron's rod did eat up all the rods of the sorcerers, as Gedeons' sword passed all the swords of the Madianites; so love passeth all other virtues: all our debts should stand in love; Own nothing to any man, but this, that ye love 
Rom. 13. 8. Num. 14. john. 2.  one another; our debts were sooner paid, and our executors but smally troubled, if this were; of this debt, we cannot be discharged so long as we live. The journey of the Israelites was ended in forty years; Herod's Temple was finished in six and forty 
1 john 4. 7, 8. 16.  years; Noah's Ark was perfected in an hundred and twenty years, but this debt is never ended. Let us therefore love one another: For love cometh of God, and every one that loveth, is borne of God, and knoweth God, he that loveth not, knoweth not God: but he that dwelleth in Love; dwelleth in God and God in him. S. Peter naming 
2 Pet. 1. 5. 7.  many virtues, maketh up the measure, and ends in Love. join (saith he) virtue with your faith, and with virtue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, and with godliness, brotherly kindness (Love.) This virtue above all is as the hoop or faggot bond, that keepeth all close. Therefore let me exhort you, with the Apostle, Above all 
Col. 3. 14.  things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. As the Sun giveth light to all planets, as salt seasoneth all meats, as the Moon ruleth over the Sea, and all moist bodies, as the rod of the tribe of Levi passed in honour all other tribes: So love passeth 
Little love to be found on earth.  all qualities in men; therefore let us follow after Love, and let us not give over till we have overtaken her.  
Love is as the appletree of Persia, which buddeth and blossometh and beareth fruit every month. Now abideth faith, hope and 
Numb. 17. 1 Cor. 14. 1. 1 Cor. 13.  love, but the chief of these is love. It lasteth longer, like a pillar of salt, it reacheth further, it profiteth more among men. Faith flieth up to heaven, Love is occupied below, on earth; Faith wrestleth above with the promises of God, Love is busied in good works, as Faith is with God: Paul prayeth for it, in respect of the scantness and excellency of it: For Charitas laudatur & alget; 
Aug. de eivitate Dei. lib. 14. c. 7.  yet, diligi non potest Deus sine proximo, nec proximus sine Deo, qui proximum amare negligit, Deum diligere nescit.  
England is as the Land of Canaan, we have corn, cattles, flesh 
Psal. 65. 11. judg. 1. 1 Sam. 13, 1 Reg. 8.  fish, wool, cloth; our valleys stand thick with corn, we have plenty of all things, but of Love, that is scant: As in the days of Deborah there was neither spear nor shield; As in Saul his days there was no Smith; as in the days of Solomon, there was no Manna to be found: so in our days little or no Love.  
When I behold the state of many towns, me think I see Bulls, Bears, Lions, Tig●es, Wolves shut up, as it were in an iron cage biting, tearing, renting and devouring one another, view all Courts, Assizes, Sessions, Leets, Lawdayes, and you shall see, there is no difference betwixt us, and the Corinthians, but they went to law under Infidels, and we under Christians. 
1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. 15.  We forget Paul's Caveat; If ye bite and devour one another, take heed ye be not devoured one of another: If there be an hundred men in a town, scarce two love together as they should: We are divided into three companies, like Laban's sheep, some white, some black, some speckled; some Protestants, some Papists, some Neuters: Nay, even among Protestants there is hard agreement. But God I hope will make us friends in heaven, where all injuries shall be forgotten; where are those noble pair of lovers David and jonathan? Who had but one soul; Eusebius, and Pamphilus, Martyrs, 
1 Sam. 18.  who had but one name; Pylades and Orestes, who had but one life, 
Ruth. 1.  the one being dead, the other died also: Ruth and Naomi, who had but one grave; Basill and Nazianzen, of whom it is said, Anima una erat inclusa in duobus corporibus, one soul was included in two bodies: Marriage maketh two bodies, one, but love maketh two souls, one; yea many souls, many bodies, but one: If an hundred love, together it is but one heart; as it is said of them of the primative Church, That they had but one heart and one soul. If a man hath an hundred friends, that man is become as an hundred 
Act. 4. 32.  men: Nam amicus alter idem, a friend is a second self: Charitas 
Chrysost.  est res augmentativa. There was a day when Herod and Pilate, were made friends, but that day (I fear) with many will never be, they are like the stone Asbestos, found in Arcadia, being once kindled is never quenched; once angry never pleased. The Heathens 
We must love as God doth without desert  were wont to say of themen of the primitive Church; Ecce ut invicem se diligunt: behold, how they love one another; they knew Christians by that badge: but we may say (quoth one) Ecce 
Zaneh.  ut invicem se oderunt: behold, how they hate one another, oppress one another: not Christians but Wolves, Lions, Leopards, Devils, nay worse: for one Lion eateth not another, and the Devils strive not amongst themselves, but maintain their kingdom. Let Tigers, and Bears, and Leopards tear one another; Let Scythians and Cannibals eat one another, who 
Mat. 12.  know not God nor good humanity. Let them be, without natural affections; but let us love one another, and let the Apostle his precept be our practice; Be of one mind, one suffer with another, 
2 Tim. 3. 3.  love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, nor rebuke for rebuke, but contrariwise bless, knowing that ye are thereunto 
1 Pet. 3. 8, 9  called, that ye should be heirs of blessing.  
But ye will say, such and such men deserve no kindness nor love at our hands: I but see what Christ deserveth, his eyes blinded, his face smitten, his hands nailed, his feet pierced, his heart thrust through with a spear; how ought we then to love one another? Beloved (saith the Apostle) if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. In no quality do we resemble God 
1 john 4. 11.  more than in this Love: God the Father is Love, God the Son is Love, God the holy Ghost is Love: God the Father in Love gave his Son, God the Son in Love gave himself, God the 
john 3. 16. cap. 10. 16.  holy Ghost in Love applieth all this unto us, Charitas Dei diffusa in corda nostra per spiritum.  
But note here what love jude praying for, a true Christian love: framed by knowledge, for among thiefs, murderers, Drunkards, there is a kind of Love.  
First, therefore the love of Atheists is condemned, which come from profit or from pleasure, which love men, as the dog doth the bone; but this love proceedeth not Excorde puro, from a pure heart, therefore to be condemned.  
Secondly, the love of Gamesters, Drunkards, and Pot-companions is here condemned: For to gloss, play, eat, drink, game be no good works, therefore this is not to love; we call it good fellowship, but such good fellows will go to the good fellow the Devil, if they repent not.  
Thirdly, all carnal love is here condemned: For love in man may be a vice aswell as a grace, it is a vice, when it is set upon a wrong object, or is disordered, and that three ways:  
First, when we love things unlawful, as sin.  
Secondly, when we love things lawful, but too much, as the world.  
Thirdly, when love is turned into lust, and so it is the mother of fornication, adultery, incest, and such like.  
But if we will have our love a grace, it must be a Christian 

Our love must be truly Christian.  
Grace's must be daily increased.   love, we must love one another in the Lord, & for the Lord: this love is the badge of Christ's disciples: By this shall all men know that you are my disciples indeed, if ye love one another as I have loved you. To this S. Peter exhorteth, Above all things have fervent love among yourselves, for love shall cover a multitude of sins. Non expiando, non veniam 
john 13. 1 Pet. 4.  promerendo, sed fraternè condonando, non vindicando, non diffamando; not by purging or satisfying for sins, not by deserving pardon, and binding God to forgive sins, but by brotherly forgiving trespasses, not revenging ourselves, not defaming others.  
Here also is condemned the love of Papists, In cathedra unitatis Deus posuit doctrinam veritatis; In the chair of unity God hath put the doctrine of verity: they agree as the false Prophets did, not in the Lord, but against the Lord; they make ado of their council of Trident, and how they agree in all meetings. Alas a few buckram Bishops of Italy conspired together, but thirty eight Bishops in all, not like the council of Nice, where were three hundred and eighteen; or of Arimine, where were six hundred Bishops: Nor like the Council of Constance, where were four Patriarches, twenty nine Cardinals, two hundred threescore and ten Bishops, forty seven Archbishops, five hundred threescore and four Abbots and Doctors, at the deposing of Benedict the third.  
But let our love be, as it should be, Christian love: Let us love as brethren, and then the God of Love and Peace shall be with us: and so much for this love, that Saint jude prayeth for.  
But before I shut up this heavenly doctrine, note that the Apostle wisheth an increase of Mercy, Peace and Love; he would have these things to be multiplied, Mercy, Peace, and Love be multiplied unto you: in that he wisheth a multiplication of these Graces, he showeth that there is no perfection of virtues in this life: for there is a double grace of God.  
A Restraining and A Receiving Grace.  
The one to keep us from sin, the other to increase all virtues in us; for in all virtues we creep like Snails, we glide like Worms, we go like the Messenger of evil news: but in all vices we run like Hazael, or the Roe of the field, we fly like Doves, we grow like the Lily in a night. Paul therefore exclaimed; The Law is Spiritual, but I Carnal, sold under sin, for 
Rom. 7. 14, 15.  I allow not that which I do: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. Whereupon Saint Augustine saith, Impii & volunt & valent peccare, pii volunt sed non valent, benè agere, quia nequiunt quod desiderant; the wicked are willing and able to sin, the 
August.  godly are willing, but not able to do well, because they cannot do that which they desire to do. This made this holy Father 
Never perfect till we come to Glory.  to pray, Domine dominetur carni anima, animae ratio, rationi gratia, etc. Lord, let the Soul rule the Flesh, Reason the Soul, Grace Reason; subdue me to thy will inwardly, outwardly sharpen my tongue more and more to sound forth thy praises, illuminate my mind more and more to see thee, enlarge my heart more and more to believe in thee, etc. For we comprehend not the Mercy, Peace, and Love of God in any measure; Beatitude nostra tribus gradibus perficitur: in hac vita per spem & fidem quotidie crescentem; post hanc vitam, cum anima Dei praesentia fruetur; post extremum judicium, cum anima & corpore glorificabimur. Our happiness is perfected in three degrees; in this life by Faith and Hope increasing and growing daily; after this life, when the Soul shall enjoy the presence of God; after the last judgement, when as in Body and Soul we shall be glorified; and when as we shall sing the songs of triumph, such as none can understand save the hundred and forty four thousand which are 
Apoc. 14. 3.  brought from the Earth.  
Let us therefore pray for grace to increase in us, and say with Augustine, Si quando steti, per Dominum steti; si quando cecidi, per me cecidi, etc. If at any time I stood, I stood by the Lord; if at any time I fell, I fell of myself: his Grace did prevent me, saving me from evils passed, preserving me from evils present, and defending me from evils to come. But I will follow this point no further: but as jude prayed that Mercy, Grace, and Love might be multiplied; So shall I pray, Mercy, Peace and Love be unto you. Mercy from God the Father, the Father of Mercies; Peace from God the Son, the Prince of Peace; Love from God the holy Ghost, the Love of the Father and the Son: Mercy unto you releasing your sins; Peace unto you, quieting your consciences; Love unto you, joining you to God, and one unto another: Now the very God of Mercy, Peace, and Love give you Mercy, Peace and Love. Amen.   

THE SIXTH SERMON:  VERS. III. 
Beloved when I gave, etc. 
Faith and God's worship must be maintained.   
HAving spoken of the Title or Inscription of this Epistle, I am now come unto the second part thereof, namely, the Proposition, which is a stirring of them up to maintain the Faith, worship and religion of God, which was now at an ebb, like the Sea, and eclipsed like the Sun with false Apostles, & had shaken her leaves like a tree in winter. Where note two things.  
1 That they must labour for Faith.  
2 The reasons, why they must so labour.  
The Reasons be three:  
The first, taken from the person of the Apostle.  
The second from the person of God.  
The third from the person of the Adversaries.  
From the person of the Apostle three ways:  
From 1 His love. 2 His pains. 3 His mildness.  
The second reason is taken from the person of God, in that he gave this Faith; where note three things:  

The necessity and excellency of Faith.  That it is 1 His gift. 2 Once given. 3 Given to the Saints.  
The last reason is taken from the Adversary; where note two things:  
1 The qualities 2 The end of the Adversary.  
But first, for Faith; all men must labour for it, that they may say on their deathbeds with Paul, I have fought a good fight, I 
2 Tim. 7, 8.  have finished my course, I have kept the faith, from henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto them also, that love his appearing: None can speak of a Crown of glory, but he that can say, that he hath kept the Faith; For without Faith, it is impossible to please God: Wilt thou please God as Enoch did? and 
Hebr. 11. 6.  not grieve God like Israel? then get faith. Quod enim non est a fide, peccatum est; whatsoever is not of faith, is sin Paul describing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christiani, the armour of a Christian, compareth faith unto a shield; all armour is necessary, but specially a shield: Therefore saith the Apostle, Above all things take the shield of faith, 
Ephes. 6. 17.  wherewith we shall be able to 〈◊〉 all ●he 〈…〉 of the wicked. Where note, that the Apostle contenteth not himself with a bare exhortation to stir us up to labour for faith, but with weighty reasons presseth his exhortation before and behind: before comparatively, preferring it before all other graces (Above all:) behind simply, declaring the virtue and efficacy of it (Whereby ye shall be able to quench, etc.) By the first, he maketh way to his exhortation; by the last, he knocketh it down fast, even to the head, as we use for to say.  
And the Apostle writing to Timothy, willeth him to get faith 
1 Tim. 1. 19  and a good conscience, naming two fearful examples; One of Hymenaeus, another of Alexander, who had made shipwreck of faith, and a good conscience: And therefore Paul delivereth them up to Satan; That they might learn not to blaspheme; that is, he did excommunicate them.  
Faith is the virtue of all virtues: As all rivers run into the Sea; so all virtues come of faith. It giveth light to all virtues, as the Sun doth to all planets: therefore the Apostle is so prolix in it: Faith maketh us the sons of God, else are we bastards illegitimate; So many as received him, to them gave he power to be the 
Hebr. 11. 4, 5. john 1. 12. Epist. ad Adimanth. Gen. 26. 2 Tim. 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4.  Sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. Augustine distinguisheth of Sons, that they are threefold; sons by Nature, so Esau was the son of Isaak; sons by doctrine, or imitation, so Timothy was Paul's son, so he begat the Corinth's, so he traveled of Galatia: Lastly, sons by inspiration or faith, so are we the sons of God: Christ is the natural, we the adopted sons of the Almighty. The third is best; for well is he that hath God to his Father: for the Son abideth in the house for 
Faith must be striven and laboured for.  ever. Faith is the life of the soul, as the soul is the life of the body: Quod carni esca, hoc animae fides; what food is to the flesh, the same is Faith to the soul; quod cibus corpori, hoc verbum spiritui; what meat is to the body, the same is the word to the Spirit. 
john 8. 35.   
To stir us up to strive for this Faith, the Holy Ghost adorneth it with many Epithets: he calleth it Rich faith, 1 Pet. 1. Holy faith. jude vers. 20. strong faith, 1 pet. 5. 8. a saving faith, Ephes. 2. 8. a pure faith, Act. 15. 9 a precious faith, 1 Pet. 1. 7. If their we regard riches, strength, holiness, salvation, purity, let us maintain Faith, which hath all graces in it; as Paradise had all fruits in it, as Lapis Indicus hath all cures in it.  
And note, that they must contend, strive for faith, for all they are accursed that do the work of the Lord negligently; and all 
jer. 48.  they shall be spewed out of God's mouth who are keycold, lukewarm, and not fervent in the faith. Most men therefore shall 
Apoc. 3. 15.  go unto the Devil, and be vomited out of God's mouth; for they are, Tepidi in Fide, they care not what become of faith and religion, so they may prosper in the world: they say unto God, 
joh 21. 14, 15.  Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways: Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit shall we have, if we should pray unto him? they say with Alexander Borgia; Da mihi divitias, caetera tolle tibi, fidem, spem, charitatem: Give me riches, take all the rest to thyself, (speaking unto the Devil,) Faith, Hope, Charity, body and soul, and what thou wilt: for many are cold in faith and many are utterly ignorant in the faith, and regard no faith; they are like Horse and Mule, in whom is no understanding; 
Psal. 32.  but are men Omnium horarum, as one saith, like the rainbow of all colours, like the Trojans tun to hold all liquors; like the Israelites, that cried hail King Solomon, hail King Adonia: So they have cried, hail Queen Marie, hail Queen Elizabeth; they can live in all times, for they can shift their sails for all winds; they regard no faith, but are fit for all faiths, all Princes; yea, for the Devil, as the men of Calcutta at this day; they have two faces with janus, two tongues with judas, two hands with joab, 
Psal. 78.  one to embrace withal, the other to stab withal; they have two hearts with Israel, a double heart, a heart, and a heart. Paul compareth a Christian to a husbandman, to a wrestler, to a soldier, all which labour hard or else they get nothing. No man that 
2 Tim. 2. 4, 5, 6.  warreth (saith Paul) entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier: & if any man also strive for a mastery, he is not crowned except he strive as he ought to do: the husbandman must labour before he receive the fruits. Such like similitudes he hath in another place: know ye not that they which run in a race run all, etc. In this sense saith Solomon, Buy 
1 Cor. 9 24, 25. Prov. 23. 23.  the truth, purchase it, redeem it with the loss of all that thou hast. But we will give all gold and silver for lands, but not a 
Ministers must maintain true faith to death.  penny for God's truth and Religion, that ware is out of request; So Christ saith, Strive to enter in at the straight gate; for many shall seek to enter and shall not be able. The Antithesis is between seeking and striving; some seek, and have some cold desire but they 
Luk. 13.  strive not; Paul therefore calleth it, The fight of faith: and he 
1 Tim. 6. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 7. jude v. 9 1 Pet. 5. 8.  saith of himself, I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, etc. The Devil never so strove with Michael for Moses his body, as he doth with us for faith; therefore resist him in the faith. Thus Ambrose said to Valentinian, Prius animam, quàm fidem auferes mihi, o Imperator; O Emperor, thou shalt first take away my life, before my faith: Hic; hic occidite; here, here kill me, and do with me what 
1 Reg. 21.  thou wilt: Si Naboth vineam patrum tradere noluit, if Naboth would not departed from the vineyard of his Fathers; Absit ut vineam Domini tradam; God forbidden, that I should departed from the vineyard of the Lord: So Jerome said to Ruffian; Si veritas est causa discordiae mori possum, tacere non possum; If truth be the cause of discord and jar, I may dye, but I may not hold my peace: thus Chrysostome would not give place to Arcadius & Eudoxia, but went into exile; and Calvin said in a like case to the Syndici of Geneva, Exarescet hoc brachium pr●●squ●m coenam Domini indig●i● praebere velim; this arm of mine shall first whither, before I will give the supper of the Lord to the unworthy. Hemingius saith, that there 
Libro de Pastorum.  is a fourfold fight and a fourefold-flight in Ministers; his words are these; Quatuor modis sunt mercenarii, cum se non apponunt Sophisticae, tyrannidi, flagitiis, & Hypocrisi; exponant Sophisticae veram doctrinam seu fidem tuendo; tyrannis, tum voce tum precibus, non adulando; flagitiis, ea accusando; quartò hypocritis eorum larvam detrahendo. Men become hirelings four manner of ways, etc. Quia tacuisti, fugisti; tacuisti, quia timuisti; because thou wert silent, thou fled'st; thou wert silent, because thou fearedst. 
Aug.   
Thirdly, they must strive, and that earnestly, even strive unto death; so saith the Wiseman, Strive for the truth unto death, and defend justice for thy life, and the Lord God shall fight for thee against 
Eccles. 4. 28. Esa. 59 4, 5. 14.  thine enemies. God complaineth of the want of this, saying, No man calleth for justice, no man contendeth for truth, they trust in vanity and speak vain things, they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, they hatch Cockatrice eggs, and wove the Spider's web; he that eateth of the eggs dieth, and that which is trodden upon breaketh out into a serpent; therefore judgement is turned backward, and justice standeth fare off, for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. In God's matters we must be earnest, & say, Be strong, and let us be valiant for our people, 
2 Sam. 10. 12.  and for the Cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes. Even so let us fight for our God, the Gospel, and the sacraments of our God. If every hair of our head were a life, and every life as long as Methusalah's, all are to be ventured for the faith of 
Gen. 5.  our God, every drop of blood must be poured out. So the Apostle telleth the Hebrews, ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving 
The earnestness of Idolaters must make us zealous.  against sin: yet had they striven much, and long; and therefore the Apostle telleth them, that they had endured a great fight in afflictions, partly whiles they were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly while they became companions of them, which were so tossed to and fro: he putteth in 
Heb. 12. 4.  this word (Earnestly,) because of the adversaries, that will so earnestly impugn it. Who use their profession, as jehu used his chariot, he drove as if he had been mad; who plead for Baal, 
2 Reg. 9 20.  as Crassus pleaded for Pompey; who broke his sides, and died within three days after; for they are earnest in all errors. The Israelites gave all their jewels to make an Idol, a Golden Calf: The men 
Exod. 32. jer. 44. 19 Act. 19 1 Reg. 18. 28. Mat. 23. Levit. 20.  in jeremies' time were at great cost and burnt incense to the Queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, made Cakes, etc. The Ephesians yelled together, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: Baal's priests cried loud, and cut themselves, as their manner was, with knives and Lancers till the blood gushed out upon them: The pharisees compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte: The Canaanites burned their children to Moloch. The Pagans did eat Cyrils' heart or liver with salt: The Turks in the service of their Mahomet on fridays howl, that ye may hear them 〈…〉 off▪ The Aethiopians tread not in their Temples but barefooted: The Indians kill their Children to the Zemes: The Papists take great pains in their pilgrimages and fastings: A condemnation to us, that are so cold in Religion.  
But will some say though we be not so earnest; yet we love God and his truth: I confess, that there be degrees in zeal; All have not the like earnestness, yet all must have some earnestness and fervency of spirit; some creep, some go; some run, some fly, and, all do well, that tend to perfection. For we must all forget that which is behind, and endeavour ourselves to that 
Phil. 3. 13, 14.  which is before, and follow hard towards the mark, for the price of the high calling, which is in Christ jesus: some creep like snails, some go like horses, some run like dromedaires, and some fly like Eagles, and all do well, that do their best to Godward: Some creep like Agrippa, who was almost persuaded to be a Christian; 
Act. 26. 28.  some go in Religion, like the Galathians, Ye did run well, (saith the Apostle) but who did let you that ye did not obey the truth? Some 
Gal. 5. 7. Psal. 119. 32.  run like David; I will run (saith he) the way of thy Commandments, when thou hast set my heart at liberty. Some fly like Monicha: volemus in Coelos; volemus in Coelos; Let us fly into heaven; let us fly into heaven. Christ riding to jerusalem, all strawed not carpets and coverlets in the way; some strawed their garments, some cried Hosanna. All did their endeavours; and he that doth his best, doth as much as God requireth. For if there be a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, and not according to 
2 Cor. 8. 12. Luk. 8,  that he hath not. All have not the like measure of zeal; some have thirty, some sixty, some an hundred fold; and he that hath the 
All have not the same measure of zeal.  least zeal, if it be in sincerity, it is not rejected of God. A drop of water, is water, and a dram of zeal, is zeal. Let every man strive to his power, and do that he may, and God will accept it: Saul slew his thousand, and David his ten thousands, and both did valiantly. Still I say, that he that hath some heat, must labour 
1 Sam. 18.  to have more; we must both shine and burn, like john the Baptist, who was A burning and a shining candle: Lucere parùm est, 
john 5. 35.  ardere parùm est; lucere & ardere perfectum est; To shine, it is not enough, to burn, it is not enough; but to shine and burn, this is as it should be: he that burneth a little, like a sea-coal, must burn more like the juniper, that keepeth heat a month long. Some shine, like the glowworm, but have no heat; some burn like rotten wood, but have no light: But a Christian must be like the Sun at Noonday, which hath Magnum splendorem, magnumque fervorem; great shining, and great heat. Where the dead carcase is, thither the eagle's resort, Christi doctrina est cadaver, & nos aquilae; Christ his doctrine is the carcase, and we be the Eagles; Contendamus pro ea, ut aquilae pro cadavere; Let us strive for it, as Eagles for the carcase; Let us not as jays, hop and skip here below, said 〈…〉, but let us fly aloft like the Eagles.  
Yet still I say with Ambrose, Qui non potest volare ut aquila, volet ut passer; he that cannot soar as the Eagle to the circle of the Sun, let him flicker like a Sparrow to the house top. If we cannot with Paul set our feet in the third heaven, yet let us lift up our eyes and hearts to heaven: Let us strive in believing, as 
2 Cor. 12.  the Nightingales do in singing, Qui priùs spiritum quàm vocem 
Strigelius.  amittunt; that lose their breath before their voice. So much for this that we must labour for the faith, yea strive for it, and that earnestly.  
And now to the reasons, why we must so labour and strive: and the reasons be three:  
The first, taken from the Person of jude, and that three ways:  
First, from his love & good will towards them: For he calleth them Beloved, I love you, I care for you, I desire your salvation; thus he shows his love to win them. Now love asketh love, and it pierceth a man much and deeply, like an arrow out of the hand of a Giant, when he seethe the party that speaketh, to speak in love: then vulnera diligentis, the wounds of a lover, are better 
Prov. 28. 23.  taken than oscula blandientis, the kisses of a Flatterer. Therefore Paul to persuade the Churches, ever protested his love; writing to the Church of Philippos, he saith thus; God is my record, how I long after you all from the very heart root in Christ jesus. And writing 
Phil. 1. 8.  to the Church of Corinth, he saith thus; Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts, not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in 
2 Cor. 3. 2, 3.  tables of stone but in the fleshly table of the heart. And again, O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is made large, ye 
Love aught to be the motive in all actions.  are not kept straight in us, but ye are kept straight in your own bowels. And having chidden the Corinthians, saying, Now are ye full; now are ye made rich, ye reign as Kings without us, and I would to God, ye did reign, that we also might reign with you. For, I 
2 Cor. 6. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 4. 8, 9, 10.  think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death, for we are made a gazing-stocke unto the World, unto Angels, and unto Men. We are fools for Christ's sake, and ye are wise in Christ; We are weak, and ye are strong; Ye are honourable, and we are despised. And though he did thus taunt them, yet he protested, that he did it in love; and therefore he saith, I writ not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children, I admonish 
1 Cor. 4. 14. Gal. 3. 1.  you. And though he spoke roughly to the Galathians, saying, O ye foolish Galathians, who hath bewitched you? Yet he did it not as one that hated them, but as one that loved them; and therefore he saith in the subsequent Chapter, Am I therefore become your enemy, 
Gal. 4. 16. Ephes. 4. 15.  because I tell you the truth? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow up to him which is the head. Let us pray in love, not as james and john did, for fire to come down from 
Luke 9  Heaven to destroy Samaria; Let us argue in love, not as the Ephramites did wi●h 〈…〉 fuerunt verbera, whose 
judg. 8.  words were nothing else but wounds; Let us talk in love, not as the men of Anathoth did with jeremy, Qui locuti sunt ampullas, 
jer. 11. 21.  & sesquipedalia verba, which spoke proud, haughty, great, and stout words; Let us reprove in love, not as Saul, who breathed 
Act. 8.  out threatenings and slaughter against the Congregation of Christ; but Let all things be done in love. For love is like honey 
1 Cor. 16. 14.  in bitter broth, and sugar in sour wine; it is like the Sun unto the world, and a candle unto the house; a light for our journey, a line for our life, and a rule for our reprehensions: Si diligis, fac 
Aug. in Epi. john  quicquid vis; If thou be'st in love, do what thou wilt, speak, or be silent, exhort and rebuke, call or cry, so it be in love, all is well.  
But we are like the dogs of Coriben, we speak not, but bark and bite one at another. Such were the men, that Paul 
Phil. 3. 2.  gives us warning of, saying, Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of concision. The mother of Nero, shown him her womb to move him, but he unnaturally ripped it up: but the mother of the seven children shown them her breasts, in token 
2 Mach. 7.  of love, and they would not eat Swine's flesh, to dye for it. Sic 
Bern.  ministri proferant ubera, non verbera, so let Ministers show their breasts, not their bat's; Docendo, non jubendo, movendo potius quàm minando procedant, let them proceed and go forward in teaching, not in commanding; in monishing, not in menacing: Nam 
Aug.  plus penetrant mollia quam aspera verba, mild and gentle speeches do more penetrate and pierce, than tart and bitter. As for example, the mild zeal of Paul, preaching before Agrippa, persuaded 
Chrysost.  him almost to become a Christian. They that go about 
In God's matters we must be diligent and zealous.  to persuade with roughness; Quos volunt meliores, plerumque faciunt deteriores, whom they would amend and make better, many times they mar and make worse. Ministers must be like unto Paul, and handle their people as he did the Philippians, kindly 
Act. 26. 28. Aug. Phil. 4.  and lovingly, My brethren, beloved, and longed for, my joy and my Crown: they must strengthen the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken, bring again that which is driven away, they must seek up the lost, and not rule with cruelty and rigour; they must be as the Pelicane, that feedeth her young with her heart blood; like the Eagle, that carrieth her young on her wings: so much for the first reason.  
Another reason drawn from Iude's person, is taken from his pains; He gave all diligence to write of Faith, In God's matters, we must be diligent, like the Dromedaries of Egypt, like the wild Ass used to the Wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind 
jer. 2. 24.  at her pleasure, etc. we must be swift as Hazael or the wild Roe in the cause of God; not creep, nor go, nor run, but fly. We must march on in Religion, like jehu in his Chariot, swiftly and courageously; we must be like the ships of Merchants, that be good under fail. Esay compareth the Church unto 
Esa, 60. 8.  Doves; Who are these that fly like a Cloud, and as Doves to their Windows? Doves they fly swiftly, and they fly in companies, so should we in matters of Religion.  
Demosthenes was ashamed, if he heard the Smith's hammer go, before he read his book in the morning; Plus olei quàm vini expendisse dicitur; he wrote more than he drank. If this diligence was in him for humane learning, what should be in us for divine Knowledge? It is said of Alphonsus King of Naples, that he read the Bible over forty times in his life; such pains did he take for Salvation, and so diligent was he in the work of the Lord; and so must we. Many for the goods of the World, Rise early, go to bed late, eat the bread of carefulness. 
Psal. 127.  Look upon the covetous man, he runs through thick and thin for gold; the voluptuous, he refuseth no pains in pursuing his pleasures: Now this care must be in the Church, for the Religion and the worship of God. Let us learn husbandry for our Souls, from the husbands of our bodies, they are diligent to provide for the body, let us be as provident for our Souls: let us say with the faithful, We, o Lord, have waited for thee in the way of thy judgements, the desire of our Soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee; with my Soul have I desired thee in the 
Esa. 26. 8, 9  night, and with my Spirit within me will I seek thee in the morning. We must take all pains to do the Church good; jewel said, oportet Episcopum mori concionantem, a Bishop must dye preaching: Paul for the space of three years ceased not to warn every one 
Act. 20. 31.  night and day, he was as diligent in teaching, as jude was in writing, and as diligent must we be in reading and hearing, like 
Most men more diligent in earthly than heavenly things.  the men that followed Christ into the Wilderness, and abode with him three days, hearing him and eating nothing. The Artificers left their trades, the Chapmen their shops, the Merchants their exchange, the Mariners their nets, the husbandmen their fields and vineyards, yea blind Bartimaeus left his cloak 
john 6. 2.  to follow Christ and to hear him. Solomon would have men labour for Wisdom, as they do for Silver, and then they should have it; If it concern our profit, or our pleasure, Lord, what pains will we take? Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos, the unwearied Merchant runs to the furthest Indieses. Again, as touching pleasure; pernoctant venatores in nive, pugiles cestibus, contusi non ingemiscunt, the Huntsmen sleep in the Snow, watch 
Tulli. in Tuscuk.  upon turfs, though bruised they are not moved. Only for Faith we will take no pains, though Christ cry unto us, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come unto the Waters, and ye that have no money, 
Esa. 55. 1.  come buy and eat; come I say, buy wine and milk without silver, and without money, yet we come not.  
But to proceed, why was jude so careful and earnest, that he gave all diligence to write unto them? It was because he wrote to them of Salvation, 〈◊〉 was it that carried him into this heat; as the Apostle said, They could not but speak the things which 
Act. 4. 20.  they had heard and seen: So jude gave all dilgence to write of Salvation which he had heard and seen. If a man had as many hands and pens as Argus had eyes, all were too little to write of Salvation, the worthiness and rareness of the Argument is such.  
What a care had Paul of his Salvation; it carried him away in such sort, that he said; Behold I go bound unto jerusalem, and know not what things shall come unto me there, saving that the holy Ghost 
Act. 20. 24.  witnesseth in every City (saying) that bonds and afflictions abide me: but I pass not at all, neither is my life dear unto myself, so that I may fulfil my course with joy, and the ministration which I have received of the Lord jesus, etc. And how desired he it in the jews? Brethren. 
Rom. 10. 1.  my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. And he biddeth Timothy lay hold on it, saying, Fight the good 
1 Tim. 6. 12.  fight of Faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto ye are also called, etc. And when the Church would triumph, it is in this, Now is Salvation in Heaven, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the 
Apoc. 12. 119.  power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them day and night before God. And this was the earnest 
Psal. 67. 1, 2.  prayer of the Church, God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine among us, that thy way may be known upon earth, 
Tit. 2. 11.  thy saving health among all nations, not a bodily health, but a spiritual heavenly health. When Paul will commend the grace of God, and make way for it in the Grecians, he calleth it a saving grace. The Physician can give thee but health, as the 
jer. 9  Physicians of Gilead did; The Lawyer can but plead for thee, as 
Many regard more vain pamphlets than found doctrine.  Tertullus did for the jews; The Magistrate can give thee but thine own, as Solomon did to the two harlots; The musician can give thee but pleasure, and tickle thine ear a little, as the Sons of Asaph did: The historiographer can give thee but the knowledge of the times: But the Divine offereth thee salvation, 
Act. 24. 1 Reg. 3. 2 Sam. 23. 1 Tim. 4. 16.  he writeth and speaketh of salvation. Hereupon saith Paul to Timothy, Take heed unto thyself, and unto thy doctrine, and continue therein, for in so doing thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee. If one should come from the Prince, and offer to every one of you an acre of Land; how would you hear him? as they heard Paul at Troas, till midnight. But we from God offer you an inheritance in heaven, and yet ye regard it not: Pausanias wrote of 
Act. 20.  Nettles; Erasmus, of Foolishness; Demosthenes, of the shadow of an Ass; Musonius, of the wool of a Goat; Virgil, of Gnats; but jude wrote of salvation. If Alexander slept always with Homer's Iliads under his pillow; If Lepta forgot to sleep, reading Tully de oratore; If Cyprian read daily Tertullius Apologiticon: If Chrysippus, read Logic, so that he had perished, but for Melissa his maid: how should the Church read this Epistle? There be many that follow the Apostles diligence in writing, but than it is in foolish, filthy, bawdy matters. To this purpose we have gotten our songs and sonnets, our palaces of pleasure, our unchaste fables and tragedies: Our fathers had their spiritual enchantments; as Gui of Warwick, Bevis of Hampton, Arthur of the round table, and a number of such vanities: as Garagantua, Owlglass, Friar Rush, the Fools of Gotham; strong illusions of the Devil to keep them from reading the Scriptures: And we, like new borne Moabites, that wallow in our vomit, have gotten the Court of Venus, the Castle of love, Perce-pennylesse, etc.  
But if he was so careful to write of salvation, we must be as careful to hear and learn salvation. The jailor made inquiry after it, saying to Paul, and Silas; Sirs, what must we do to be saved? And let us also search, and inquire after salvation. For many never 
Act. 16. 29.  look in what state they stand, whether in the state of grace and salvation, or in the state of death and damnation. But as it was said of Bonosus the Emperor, That he was borne not to live, but to eat & to drink, and to scrape in the ground like molles, or to play like the dormice of India, that sleep all winter, and play all summer. There are none, but must have a care of salvation, except they be Reprobates. The scoffing jews cried, Da 
john 6.  nobis semper hunc panem, give us evermore of this bread. The man in the Gospel would eat of the bread of heaven, and therefore cried, Happy is he that eateth bread in the Kingdom of Heaven. Balaam prayed to die well; O that my soul might die the death of the righteous, 
Luk. 14. Numb. 23. 10.  and that my last end might be like unto his. There is none so wicked, but he would be saved; but if that wilt be saved, examine thy 
Every man to be careful to know in what state he stands in.  self, and ask thy soul; whether thou be'st a dog or a Lamb, a Citizen or a stranger, a sheep or a goat, to stand on the right hand or the left.  
All men know their state, saving Christians; the Merchant can tell whether he gaineth or loseth; the Mariner can tell his 
Mat. 25. 40.  course, whether he be right or wrong on the sea; the Husbandman knoweth his times for ear-ring and reaping; the Physician knoweth his body whether it be in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, consumption, or in good estate? But we look not whether we be saved or damned; but look into thyself as thou dost into the world, whether thou be'st even with God, whether his debt-book be discharged, whether thy sins be forgiven, or no, whether God hath given thee Faith to apprehend his promises, whether the fruits of Faith appear in thee or no. A prisoner will look unto himself before the Assizes, and look into thyself before the judgement day, empanel a Quest on thyself and let thy heart be the Foreman of the jury.  
And note, that he calleth it Common salvation, not proper to Abraham, Isaak, jacob, David, Peter, etc. but common to all.  
1. First, he calleth it common salvation. First, to admonish all men to lay hold of it. So saith Paul to Timothy, lay hold of eternal life. And also to admonish Ministers to neglect no sheep of God, not the very least. Paul said that he was a debtor both to the Grecians and Barbarians, both to the wise and unwise, that he was not 
Rom. 1. 14. 16.  ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it was the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth, to the Iew first and also to the Grecian. And further he saith, that he made himself a servant unto all men, that he might win the more, that unto the jews he became as 
1 Cor. 9 20, 21, 22.  a jew, that he might win the jews; to them that were under the law, as though he were under the law, that he might win them that were under the Law; to them that were without law, as though he were without law, that he might win them, that were without Law; to the weak he became as weak, that he 
Act. 20. 20. 1 Thess. 2. 11.  might win the weak; and became all things to all men, that by all means he might win some: He taught publicly and privately, throughout every house, exhorting and comforting every one, as a Father doth his Children: Even so the Minister of God must be careful of every soul, that he may be partaker of this common salvation.  
2. Secondly, he calleth it common salvation, because it is not prepared for some few, as the Ark was for the Deluge; For 
1 Pet. 3. 20. Exod. 19 john 4. 22.  then but a few, that is, Eight persons were saved in the water: Neither because it appertaineth to one nation, Kingdom or people, as the Law of Moses to the Israelites; Salvation is of the jews: But the doctrine of the Gospel is offered unto all. Christ sent his Apostles in orbem, non in urbem; Go into the world, preach the Gospel to every creature. Erunt illi testes usque ad fines terrae, they were 
As Salvation is common, so the Church is Catholic.  his witnesses to the end of the world. With these places, Augustine refuted the Donatists, which tied the Church to a small corner of the world, Africa.  
Thirdly, he calleth it common Salvation, because we are all saved by one common means, that is, by Christ; Salvation is of the Lord. Ego sum, ego sum, & praeter me non est Salvator, I am, I 
Psal. 13. Esa. 43.  am, and besides me there is no Saviour, no true Saviour. All other come short; Vana salus hominum, Man's salvation is in vain. And therefore the Elders, the Angels, and all Creatures give this glory to Christ, Salvation is of him that sitteth on the Throne, and of the Lamb; and they all together, cry, Amen. For these causes it is called common Salvation.  
In this sense, as Salvation is called common, so the Church is 
Apoc. 4.  called common or Catholic in three respects:  
First, it is not tied to any time, as the time of the Law, but it endureth ever. 
Mar. 16.   
Secondly, it is not tied to any place as to juda: For in juda was God known, and his name was great in Israel; but to the whole 
Psal. 76. 1. Act. 10. 34.  world: For God is no accepter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted. And the true worshippers, worship him in spirit & truth: As Christ said unto the woman. 
john 4. 23.   
Thirdly, it is not tied to any persons, as to the seed of Abraham, but to all that believe: There is neither jew nor Gentile, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, but we 
Gal. 3. 28.  are all one in Christ jesus. In these respects Salvation is called catholic, or common, and so is the Church.  
It is worth your noting, that jude saith, he gave all diligence to write. For jude speaketh here of necessity of writing. For Hosius, Eckius, Pigheus, Andradius say, that Christ commanded the Apostles to preach, not to write; and that their writings are subesse, non praeesse fidei nostrae; that Scripturae sequuntur Ecclesiam, the Scriptures follow the Church, and not the Church the Scriptures. But Saint Peter saith, he wrote that the truth might remain to posterity; his words are these; I think it meet so long as I am in 
2 Pet. 1. 13, 14, 15.  this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance, seeing I know the time is at hand, that I must lay down my tabernacle, etc. I will endeavour therefore always, that ye also may be able to have remembrance of these things, after my departing. So Saint john wrote to all, Little children I writ unto you that your sins are forgiven you. And again, I writ unto you Fathers, because ye have known him 
1 john 2. 12, 13, 14.  that is from the beginning. And again, I writ to you young men, because ye have overcome the world. I writ unto you babes, etc. Chrysostome writing upon these words, They that are in jewry let them fly to the 
Math. 24. 16.  mountains: Id est, qui in fide sunt, conferant se ad Scripturas, that is, quoth Chrysost. Let them that are in the▪ Faith fly unto the Scriptures. I love not allegories, but it is true, that Chrysostome said, 
Traditions the means of propagating errors.  though not upon that occasion. S. john saw three Gospels written; viz. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and approved them. S. Peter allowed of Paul's Epistles, and commended them unto the Churches; yea, the Prophets nailed their prophecies in writing 
2 Pet. 3. 15. Hebr. 2. 2. Hebr. 2. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 16.  to the doors of the Temple, which the Priests reserved in the Sanctuary, lest the things should run out that they received by word of mouth. Paul at the end of his life saith of all the books of the New Testament, that they were able to make the man of God perfect.  
Traditions, and unwritten verities, or vanities, have been ever the Pandora-boxes, full of poison; the Trojan horse, out of which all enemies have issued; that cursed water of Styx, that killeth them that taste it. These traditions the Holy Ghost sometime likeneth to sour grapes, which cannot be eaten; Sometime to broken cisterns, that can hold no water; Sometime to sand, whereupon 
Esa. 5. Jer. 2. Mat. 7. Esa. 64.  to build it is not lawful; Sometime to a menstruous cloth; And sometime to things more base and vile than any of these.  
On the Contrary, the written Word is called a Fountain, waters of life, a Rock whereupon the Church is built, the sword of the 
Esa. 55. Apoc. 21. Luk 6. Ephes. 8. Ephes. 2. 19  spirit; Basis Ecclesiae, the foundation of the Church. But what will not hungry dogs eat, and Papists receive? all the spite of the Papists is against the written word, that they may give us poison for meat, sour Leaven for sweet dough, thorns for grapes, thistles for figs, the Legend for the Gospel, men's traditions, 
Mat. 15. 9 Gen. 8.  for God's precepts; the cup of the whore of Babylon for the cup of the Lord.  
But as Noah's dove found no rest, but in the Ark; so our consciences find no rest, but in the Word: Augustine calleth the scriptures, the Lords Scales, which show Quid grave, quid leve, what 
August. contra Donat.  is heavy, and what is light; Vbi non appendimus, quid volumus, sed omnia per trutinam Domini; whereby we apprehend not what we would, but all things according to the balance of the Sanctuary, of the Lord himself: And he saith unto them often, Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae, procedat in medium codex Dei; take away from among us our own writings, and let the book of God be brought forth: Non audiamus, Haec dico, haec dicis; sed hoc dicit Dominus; Let us not hear these words, This say I, this sayest thou, but this saith the Lord. Christ entering into his glory, could have said much of the traditions of the Prophets; yet notwithstanding he allegeth only those things that are written; 
Luk 24. 44, 45.  Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, etc. Traditions and leaving the written word, is the original of all mischief: Hence came the jewish Cabal and Thalmud, the Turks Alcoran, the Russian tales of S. Nicholas, the Irish fables of S. Patrick, the Romish traditions of their new Saints: hence come the horrible opinions of Ebion and Cerinthus de regno Christi terreno, of the earthly Kingdom of Christ, and of the levitical observations, under 
Mild exhortations more powerful than menaces.  colour or pretext of Apostolical traditions: And the Apostles being all dead, Sua dogma vocarunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though it contained the most deep knowledge of heavenly things, but was indeed drawn out of the dungeon of hell. Thus, as Midas had power to turn all he touched into gold, so these men have power to turn all they touch into lies, and all under colour of traditions. The Apostles dehortation therefore is to be embraced; Beware lest there be any man that spoil you through Philosophy, and vain deceit, 
Col. 2. 8.  through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  
The third reason, taken from the Person of the Apostle, is from the mildness & manner of his doctrine: For he exhorted them, he entreated them, as if a man should lay his hands under their feet; he came not in the Imperative, but in the Optative mood; he came not like Tyrants, or great men, with Sic volo, sic jubeo: For men will rather be drawn with lenity, than driven by extremity. He came not with a searing iron, not with vinegar to ulcerate, but with oil to mollify; he came not with a rod, as Paul to the Corinthians, sedspiritu lenitatis, with the spirit of gentleness. 
1 Cor. 4.   
Exhortation is God's whetstone to ●et an edge of our zeal, it is God's spur to make us run faster in Religion; it is God's milk to nourish us: What face of flint or heart of Adamant, but will be moved with exhortation? The three thousand jews, though vile men, were moved by it, it pricked their hearts, and made them cry out, Men and brethren, what shall we do? It moved Valentinian much when Ambrose said, Rogamus Augustum non 
Act. 2. 46.  pugnamus, we pray Augustus, we fight not; Arma nostra sunt preces & lachrimae, our weapons are prayers and tears. And it moved Arcadius much, when Chrysostome wished that the Emperor might see his heart as he saw his face, that he might see his care to do him good.  
The Minister must learn here to be diligent in exhorting: So saith the Apostle; Preach the Word, be fervent in season and out of season, improve, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine; and 
2 Tim. 4. 2.  as Paul commanded it, so he practised it: You know (saith Paul) how we exhorted you, and comforted you, and besought every one of you, as 
1 Thess. 2. 11.  a father his Children. The shepherd hath his whistle and his dog, and the Minister hath exhortation and reprehension; witness the Apostle; These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  
And as the Minister must exhort, so you the people must suffer the word of exhortation. I beseech you brethren (saith the Author to the Hebrews) suffer the word of exhortation. The wounded man must suffer the Surgeon to launch, to sear his wounds; The 
Hebr. 13. 22.  sick man must suffer the Physician to prescribe sweet or bitter potions unto him; and the ignorant man of a dull spirit must suffer the Minister to exhort him. So God cried unto jerusalem, 
As Ministers must exhort so the people must suffer the word of exhortation.  Be you instructed o jerusalem, lest my soul departed from you, lest I make you desolate as a land not inhabited. So we cry to you to be instructed; O England, be instructed; O Norfolk, be instructed, O Northwalsham be instructed, lest the soul of the Lord depart from you; and the rather, because we have cried long, like Cocks that crow at midnight, and again, at three of the clock, but 
jer. 6. 8.  longest and loudest towards day. The ministers are Gods Cocks, they crowed in King Edward's days and in Queen Elizabeth's days, but longest and loudest in King james his days. As Peter therefore wept at the crowing of the Cock; so let us weep and wake at the crowing of these cocks: For now considering the season, it is high time for us to wake out of sleep, for our salvation is nearer than 
Rom. 13. 11.  when we believed: the night is past, the day is at hand; let us cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light: Be awake therefore and strengthen the things which remain and are ready to dye; Even so awake England, thou hast slept fifty years, like Endymion, like the seven boys of Ephesus mentioned by Nicephorus; like Abner, that would not be awaked. The cruelest Lion is tamed 
1 Sam. 28. 15.  by long art; the stiffest ice is thawed with long heat: the hardest marble is pierced with continual dropping; and let us be pierced with continual exhorting. We teach and exhort you from year to year, from thursday to thursday; let us not roll Sisyphus' stone, nor reach for Tantalus apples; let us not cast pearls before swine, nor give holy things to dogs. 
Mat. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 20.   
We entreat you, as Paul did the Corinthians, That ye will be reconciled unto God; we pray you to hear the word, not to swear; we pray you to sanctify the Sabbath, to be chaste, liberal, merciful, etc. The unrighteous judge, though a vile man, was overcome with importunity, and let our importunity overcome you, 
Suk. 18.  and be you moved with continual exhortation: Let not God say of us, as he did of the jews; I have spread only my hand all the day unto a rebellious people, which walked in a way that was not good, even after their own imaginations, a people that provoked me ever to my face, 
Esa. 1.  etc. But let us be warned by the admonition of the Prophets: for by these God exhorteth continually, and stretcheth out his hand to draw us.   

THE SEVENTH SERMON.  VERS. III. 
For the maintenance of the faith, which was once given to the Saints. 
Faith a gift of God a fruit of the spirit.   
THE second reason is taken from the person of God, that he gave Faith. Now every man must maintain the ordinance of God: For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth: So reasoned Ambrose with Valentinian, when he commanded him to give up his 
2 Cor. 13. 8.  Church to the Arrians; Simo Naboth vineam patrum tradere noluit, etc. If Naboth would not deliver up the vineyard of his fathers, he must not deliver up the vineyard of the lord 
1 Reg. 21.  Here note three things:  

1 That Faith is a gift.  
2 That it is once given.  
3 That it is given unto the Saints.   
And first, that faith is a gift, it is evident by the Apostles own words, where he calleth Christ, The author and finisher of our faith; as the Athenians were called, Inventrices & perfectrices omnium doctrinarum, the inventors and perfecters of all good learning: The 
Hebr. 12. 2.  Romans had their learning from the Grecians, & the Grecians from the Egyptians, and the Egyptians from the Chaldees, and they from Adam, Seth, Noah & the old Patriarches: but the Church 
1 Cor. 2. 22. Act. 7. 222.  hath all her learning, religion & faith from God; he gave it at the first, and he confirmed it at the least: He gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, some Pastors and teachers, for gathering together of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification 
Faith diversely taken.  of the body of Christ, till we meet together in the unity of faith, and knowledge of the Son of God, etc. Luke, having spoken of Stephen's faith, noteth the cause of it, that is, that Stephen was full of the Spirit; 
Ephes. 4. 11. Act. 7. 55. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 12. 9 Rom. 3. 3.  For God worketh it by his Spirit: All good works are the fruits of the Spirit, therefore faith; The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, etc. and it is reckoned up among the gifts of the spirit; To another is given faith (saith the Apostle) by the same spirit: But faith is in the Scriptures diversely taken; sometimes it is given to God, and it signifieth his faithfulness in his promises: In this sense the Apostle useth the word, saying, Shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? when it is given to man, it is taken seven manner of ways.  
First, it is taken for Fidelity, as it is a virtue in the second 
Mat. 23. 23.  table; So Christ useth the word; where speaking to the Pharisees, he saith, Ye tithe Mint, Anise and Commin, and leave the weighty matters of the Law, as judgement, and mercy, and faith.  
Secondly, It is taken for the doctrine of faith, and Christian Religion; so it is said, Many were added unto the faith; that is, to 
Act. 6. 7.  Christian Religion. And again▪ God opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles; that is, of Religion. 
Act. 14. 27.   
Thirdly, It is taken for profession of religion; thus Elimas is 
Act. 13. 8.  charged, To turn the Deputy from the Faith; that is, to make no more profession of Religion.  
Fourthly, It is taken for Christ himself, by a Metonymy, who is both the object and cause of faith: So the Apostle useth the word saying, But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a 
Gal. 325.  schoolmaster.  
Fifthly, It is taken for knowledge only; and thus the Devils are said to believe.  
Sixthly, It is taken for the gift of working miracles; If I had 
1 Cor. 13. 2.  all faith so that I could move mountains, etc.  
Lastly, It is taken for that grace by which, felicity and the chief good is applied; and thus it is taken in my Text.  
And this the Apostle Paul calls the faith of Gods elect; For none but the elect, have it, & all the elect have it, at one time or another; and once had it can never be finally and totally lost, but it continueth with them, till they come to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living & then they shall have no more need of it: It is therefore called Saving faith, because it brings us to salvation: 
Ephes. 2. 8.  And justifying faith, because it is that means or instrument which Gods spirit worketh in us, whereby we apply unto ourselves Christ jesus, in and by whom we are justified: And Sanctifying faith, because by it God purifieth our hearts. This saving, justifying, sanctifying faith is God's gift: for he is the Author of this faith; From whom every good gift, and every perfect gift cometh. And that which is said of Lydia, is true 
The means to beget faith.  of all the faithful, That the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, so that she believed. And Christ saith, This is the work of God, that ye believe; not the work of the Father alone; or of the Son alone, 
jam. 1. 17. john 6. 29.  or of the Holy Ghost alone, but of the whole Trinity: For this is one of the works of God, which are said to be Ad extra, and therefore attributed to all the three persons. To the first, where Christ saith, No man can come unto me, (that is, believe) except the 
john 6. 44.  Father draw him: to the second, where the Apostle calleth jesus, The author and finisher of our faith: to the third, where the Apostle reckoneth faith, amongst the fruits of the spirit: And the only 
Hebr. 12. 2.  thing that moved God to work this precious gift in us, is his mere good will: So saith our Saviour; It is so Father, because thy good pleasure was such. And the end at which he aimed in working 
Mat. 11. 26.  this grace, is, first, the setting forth of his own glory: secondly, the salvation of mankind; and therefore S. Peter calleth salvation, The end of our Faith. 
1 Pet. 1. 9   
This doctrine serveth to humble us; to let us see, that it is not in our power, that faith is not hereditary: God beginneth it, and increaseth it, and finisheth it. The Apostles prayed, Lord, increase 
Luk. 17.  our faith: The means to get this ●aith is double; Outward; Inward. The outward means is the word; hereupon saith the Apostle, How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? 
Rom. 10. 14. Rom. 10. 8.  and thereupon thus concludeth, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God: and hereupon it is called, The Word of faith. And Paul saith of the Ephesians, that they believed, After they 
Ephes. 1. 13.  heard the Gospel. And finely saith Chrysostome, Accenditur fidei lampas igne divini verbi; the lamp of our faith is lighted by the fire of the divine word. And this faith, is wrought in us, both by reading and preaching of the word, and both are commended and ordained of God: and first for reading, God himself commandeth it; and by reading, S. Augustine was converted: for he confesseth 
Deut. 3. 1. 9  of himself, that being inclined to the heresy of the Manichees, he heard a voice, saying, Tolle & lege, take up and read; meaning the book of God; which he presently did, and so by reading was converted: for surely the reading of the word is a means appointed of God, to the begetting of faith and raising up the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men; And to say that bare reading is bare feeding, and a thing unable to work faith in us, is to avouch a great untruth.  
But the especial ordinary means, and the most powerful usual means, is the word preached. This is that which the scripture layeth down: How shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? how shall they hear without a preacher? And again, It pleaseth 
Rom. 10. 14. Gal. 3. 1  God by preaching to save. Reading is profitable, but preaching doth profit more than reading doth: Spice, when it is whole smelleth sweetly, but when it is broken and bruised by the hand of the Apothecary, it smelleth a great deal more: So is the word read of 
The ministry of the word & motion of the spirit means of faith.  us, or to us, sweet as they honey, and bringeth the light of life to many; but if the spiritual Apothecary break it and bruise it, cut it, and divide it, as the Lord hath appointed by preaching, then reacheth the savour of such heavenly sweet to many more, in a fuller measure, by reason of the blessing, that God giveth unto it. The Eunuth read, but he understood not; but when Philip preached unto him, the sweet brake out to his lasting good. 
Act. 8.   
The inward means whereby faith is wrought in us, is the blessed Spirit of God, which softeneth, and openeth our hearts, and maketh them as good ground, that when the seed of the Word is cast into them, it taketh deep rooting, and bringeth forth the blessed fruit of faith. The Apostle saith, that His preaching was 
1 Cor. 2. 4, 5.  in demonstration of the spirit, that their faith might be in the power of God. And the preaching of the Gospel is termed, A ministration of the Spirit: yea, he useth this phrase, The Spirit of faith; because 
2 Cor. 3. 8. cap. 4. 15.  that faith is wrought inwardly by the Spirit. Thus ye see, faith is wrought in us outwardly by the word of God, and inwardly by the Spirit of God; he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Where are confuted Andradius, Latomus, Hosius, who say, that Philosophy justified the Gentiles; that Socrates, Plato, believed aswell as Abraham, Isaak, and jacob. Yet Owlet, a Papist saith, that faith is both begun and increased by the word preached, 
1 Pet. 1. 23.  and that therefore it is called Incorruptible seed.  
Here are confuted also the Atheists, that think, that faith is common: For all of them say, that they believe: but faith is a gift, yea a most rare gift of God; God sent his Patriarches in the ancientest age of the world, and could find no faith: He sent his Prophets in a latter generation, and could find no faith: Last of all, he sent his own Son, a man approved of God, and approved his doctrine with miracles and signs following, and could find no faith. And when the Son of man shall come, shall he find faith on the earth? We read but of two believers in all the host of 
Luk. 18. 8. Num. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 26. Act. 1. 15. Apoc. 3. 4. Mat. 16. jam. 2. 19  Israel; but of eight in all the old world; but of one family that believed in all Asia; but of a hundred and twenty in all Christ's time; but of a few in all Sardis: Caro & sanguis non dant fidem, sed pater in coelis; Flesh and blood give not faith, but the Father in heaven. Many boast of faith, but if they have any, it is the Devil's faith. Nay, many believe not so much as the Devil doth; but say with the fool, Non est Deus, non est daemon, non est infernus, non 
Psal. 14. 1.  est coelum; There is no God, no devil, no hell, no heaven. All by nature are Infidels, we draw it from Adam's loins, and sucked 
Gen. 3.  it from the breasts of Heva, who believed the devil before God. And in that some few believe, it is by grace, not by nature. Now grace is rare; therefore saith the Apostle, unto you it is given for Christ, that not only ye should believe in him, but also, etc. If any ask me, when God gave this faith, I answer, that he did it in the beginning and it hath, doth, and shall continue for ever. This 
As God is immutable, so true faith and Religion.  commendeth the Faith, the Religion of God, that it is before all religions; the ancientest Philosophers, and Poets, as Orpheus, Homer, Hesiod, exceeded not the days of Solomon, who yet lived five hundred years after Moses the writer of the Law.  
Again, all the wonderful things recounted in the Scripture are recorded by the Heathen; as Noah's flood by Berosus, the tower of Babel by the Sibyls, the story of Abraham by Dupolimus, the acts of Solomon recorded by Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus.  
But to proceed to the next point: This faith was once given, once for all, once for ever; which commendeth unto us the constancy of God, With whom is no variableness, nor shadow of change: He 
jam. 1. 17. Psal. 33. 9  speaketh, and it is done; he commandeth, and it is made; he giveth and granteth without revocation. Therefore it was well said Balaam, God is not as man that he should lie, nor the Son of man, that he 
Num. 23. 19  should repent: Shall God say, and not do? shall he speak, and not perform? With men there is unconstancy; as in jael; who offered Sisera rest and milk, but there withal a nail and a hammer. Saul granted peace to David, with a breath, and with a breath revoked 
judg. 4. 1 Sam. 26. 2 Sam. 13. john 6.  it. Ammon loved Thamar once, but hated her by and by more than he loved her. The jews gave Christ the title of a King, & anon after the title of a Rebel. The Antiocheans honoured Paul as a God, but after changed their mind. There is such mutability in men, that they change like the Moon, they altar like the Chameleon; but God altars not; but giveth his gifts to his Church once for ever. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 
Rom. 11. 29.   
Note this word (Once) so often repeated, once God gave the Law, once he gave the Gospel; Once more will I shake, not the earth only, but also Heaven: And again, After he had offered one sacrifice 
Hebr. 12. 26, 27.  for sins, sitteth for ever at the right hand of God. And again, with one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified. And again, 
Heb. 10. 12. 14. Hebr. 9 27, 28. Rom. 6. 10.  It is appointed for men once to dye, etc. so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many. And again, In that he died, he died once to sin. Note all these Texts; one Gospel, one Sacrifice, one death, one appearing of Christ, one death of Christ, one for all, and one for ever.  
If any object, and prove a change in God, because God gave Circumcision, the Passeover, the Sabbath, the Sacrifice, and after took them away again; ye shall understand, that he gave them as figures and shadows, and therefore no mutability in the Lord: The shadow must give place to the body, the figure to the truth, the green blossom to the ripe fruit, the seed time to the harvest. So reasoneth Paul, Let no man condemn you in meat and drink, or in respect of an Holy day, or of the new Moon, or of the sabboth's, which are but a shadow of things to come; but the body is in Christ. The daystar must give place to the Sunrising, and that to the Sun at Noonday. Chrysostome compareth 
Though types cease, yet truth and substance remain ever the same.  the jews to a candle; the Christians, to the brightness of the Sun; The jews, to the first draught of an Image in bare lines; the Christians, to the same Image filled up with all due proportion and furniture of colours; the one to the seedtime, 
Hom. 10. in Mat. Gal. 4.  the other to the harvest, and reaping of the Corn: So Paul compareth the jews to a Child, the Christians to a perfect man: the same light, though not in the same quantity; the same Image, though not with like furniture; the same corn, though not grown to the like ripeness; the same person, though not in the like perfection of age.  
The jews note five things wanting in the Gospel, and in the latter Temple, that were in the first (to disprove this that I have said.)  
First, the fire that came down from heaven, to burn the Holocausts.  
Secondly, the glory of the Angels appearing among the Cherubins.  
Thirdly, the inspiration of God's spirit speaking in the Prophets.  
Fourthly, the presence of the Ark.  
Lastly, Vrim and Thummim. But all this is nothing: for there is now a fuller knowledge of God, and greater liberty to the conscience; yet the same faith still. For the Fathers and we have all 
Col. 2. jer. 23. 5.  but one faith; they believed that Christ should come, according to jeremies' prophecy, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord; that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth. We believe that he is come, and that Christ our Passeover is sacrified for us. 
1 Cor. 5. 7. Esa. 7.  They said, Virgo concipiet, a maid shall conceive, and bring forth a Son; we say, Virgo concepit, a maid hath brought forth her S●●ne: For when the days were accomplished, that she should be delivered, 
Luk. 2. 7.  she brought forth her first begotten Son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a Cratch. They had sacrifices that prefigured his coming, we have Sacraments that represent his coming 
Heb. 9  and being with us: they and we had but one light; they had Lucem matutinam, the moaning light; we, Lucem meridianam, the light at noonday. We differ but In plus & minus: therefore saith Christ; Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see: 
Mat. 10. 24.  For I tell you, that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see the things that ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things that ye hear, and have not heard them.  
If any object, that God giveth us daily new Paith, new graces.  
I answer, that God giveth not a new, a strange faith, but addeth to our old faith, to our old graces, God increaseth, faith and his graces in us, but not a new, a divers faith, like the Arrians that had Fidem annuam & menstruam, a yearly, and a monthly 
The Gospel immutable: Traditions uncertain.  Faith; For whom God loves, he loves to the end.  
This also commendeth unto us the Gospel: that whereas other Laws and Doctrines are changed, altered, augmented, and diminished, God's Law is not: The Law of the Lord is perfect. 
john 13. 1. Psal. 19  The Laws of the Romans written by Numa Pompilius, in Gold; The Laws of the Athenians, written by Draco, in Blood; the Laws of the Persians, written in Brass; The Laws of the Lacedæmonians, written in Milk, were altered; but God's Laws are not. Quoad substantiam, as concerning their substance; Sed quoad maledictionem, as concerning the curse. 
2 Cor. 3.   
All traditions therefore, all Gospels of Thomas, Nicodemus, Thaddeus, and the eternal Gospel invented in Saint Cyrils' time, by abusing the place in the Revelation which runneth thus, I saw another Angel flying in the midst of Heaven, having an 
Apoc. 14. 6.  everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth, etc. must fall to the ground, like the house built upon the sand; as also all those Revelations of the Paraclete, devised by Montanus, together with all those that came after the giving of the Gospel, which is perfect for ever, and so perfect, that If any man shall add unto it, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in 
Apoc. 22. 18, 19  the Book; and if any man shall diminish from the words of the Prophecy of God's Book, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy City, etc. Let us not then add nor diminish from the Gospel being so perfect; for there is but one God, one Faith, one Baptism, one Christian Hope, once revealed 
Ephes. 4.  for all.  
But of the late Romish traditions, which have entered long since the Gospel entered, one may say to Rome as Esay said to jerusalem, Thy Gold is turned into Dross, thy Wine is mixed with Water, thy Seed with Cockle; thou wert sometime a faithful 
Esay 1.  City, but now become an Harlot, thou wert once the house of God, but now turned into a cave of thiefs. Thou sayest that thou art rich, and increased in wealth, and standest in need of nothing; 
Apoc. 3. 17.  but thou art poor, and blind, and naked, (as God said to the Church of Laodice) poor, and blind, and naked indeed, God give them hearts to understand, and eyes to see their poverty and nakedness.  
But to pass with this heavenly Scripture, as Moses did with the people to the land of Canaan.  
Thirdly, this Faith is given to the Saints: By Saints he meaneth the children of God, truly converted; not because they are perfectly holy and without sin, but in these four respects:  
First, in respect of Separation: for they they are elected, and gathered out of this world, and joined to God's people, and dedicated to holy services and uses.  
Secondly, In respect of Vocation, and therefore the Apostle 
The Saints the subjects of Faith and all Graces.  when he said, they were sanctified, he said by explication, that they were Saints by calling.  
Thirdly, In respect of Regeneration, because they are now new creatures. 
1 Cor. 1. 2.   
And lastly, In respect of justification or imputation, because the holiness and sanctity of Christ is imputed unto them. For men may be Saints in this life; For there are Saints in Earth as well as in Heaven: Hereupon saith David, All my delight is upon 
Psal. 16. 3. Psal. 37, 28. Ephes. 3. 8.  the Saints in Earth, and on such as excel in Virtue: And again, He forsaketh not his Saints. And Saint Paul calleth himself, The least of all Saints. And Saint jude here speaketh of Faith given unto the Saints. The Papists will acknowledge no Saints till three things come unto them: first, they must be canonised, by the Pope; secondly, they must be dead first; and thirdly, it must be an hundred years after death: Risum teneatis amici?  
But to leave all this. In that this Faith is given unto the Saints, we learn, that holy things are not to be given to Dogs, 
Mat. 7. 6.  a Gold ring becometh not a Swine's snout; Cardui benedicti are not for the mouths of Mules, the songs of Nightingales are not for the ears of Asses.  
Faith is not given to the Reprobate: God hath made other 
Pro. 11. 22.  things for them, & they for other things: He hath made them For 
Prov. 16. 4. Deut. 4. Jer. 6.  the day of evil. God gave the Law, yet to the Israelites, not to the Hittites, Canaanites, Peresites: He gave the Ark, but not to the Philistines: He gave Incense to Sheba, Balm to Gilead, fine Spices to Arabia, Ezek. 37. Milk and Honey to Canaan, Silver to Tharsis, Gold to Ophir: but He gave his word to jacob, 
jer. 9 Ezec. 37. Deut. 6. 1 Cbr. 29. Psal. 147. Mat. 13. 11. 13. 1 Cor. 10. 15.  his Statutes and his Ordinances unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with every nation, neither had the Heathen knowledge of his Law, Christ speaks mysteries, but he explained them only to his Apostles, Paul spoke, but yet unto them that had knowledge; I spoke to them (saith Paul) that have understanding, judge, ye what I saw. So we speak, but not to them, that are wilfully ignorant, that shut their eyes, stop our ears, and harden their hearts against the Word, with such men we meddle not, but in the sin wherein we find them, in that we leave them; we speak only to bear witness of their sin, against the day of the Lord, they have sinned, and their sin will find them out; as Moses said to the two tribes, Behold ye have sinned against the Lord 
Numb. 32. 25.  and be sure your sin will find you out; and ye shall be assuredly punished for your sin; All things are given unto the Saints, and nothing is given to the Reprobate but in God's wrath, and for the elects sake: for their sake God made the world; for their sakes he redeemed it: For God so loved the World, that he 
Gen. 1.  gave his only begotten Son, that who soever believeth in him might not perish but have life everlasting: For their sakes he preserveth it, and 
john 3. 16.  when the body of Christ is made perfect, the number of the 
The wicked usurpers of God's gifts.  Saints accomplished, God will dissolve the frame of this evil World: and therefore when the souls of the Saints that were killed cried out, How long Lord holy and true tarriest thou, to judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth? Answer was made, that they should rest for a little season until their fellow servants 
Apoc. 6. 10, 11.  and their brethren, that should be killed, even as they were, were fulfilled.  
That the wicked live, they may thank the Saints, the Godly; how soever they hate them, yet they enjoy all for their sakes: the wicked are but usurpers and intruders, to gift of God is due unto them, but plagues only; Upon them he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempests, this shall be their 
Psal. 11.  portion to drink: For judgements are prepared for the scornful, and stripes for the fools back. For tribulation and anguish shall be upon the Soul of every man that doth evil. 
Rom. 2. 9   
As Elisha would not have spoken, but for jehosaphats' sake, so we would not speak unto you, but for some good men's sake that are amongst you, otherwise you should dye in your sin, and rot and dye in your sin; you have neither part nor fellowship 
Act. 8. Apoc. 22.  in jesus Christ, as Philip said to Simon Magus; Let him therefore that is filthy be filthy still.   

THE EIGHTH SERMON.  VERS. iv 
For there are certain men crept in, etc. 
The Church and Religion, hath their adversares.   
WE are now come to the third reason, taken from the person of the Adversaries; and it lieth thus; The adversaries impugn the Faith; therefore the Saints must stand for it.  
The Church hath many adversaries, like Bees in an hive, like Moats in the Sun, like Pismires on a molehill. john saith, That 
Apoc. 12. 7.  he saw a great battle in Heaven, that is, in the Church, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragonfought and his Angels: And Paul said, There were many 
1 Cor. 16. 9  adversaries: We may say of the Church, the Faith and Religion of God, as David said of his own person, Mine enemies 
Psal. 38. 19  live and are mighty, and they that hate me wrongfully, are many in number.  
As there is a contrary in all, day and night, cold and heat, sickness and health, life and death; so in Religion. Chrysostome 
In ser. de nequitat depulsa.  saith, Ferrum rubigo laedit, lanam tinea, ovem lupus, Polium segetes, grando vineam, etc. Rust hurteth Iron, the Moth Wool, the Wolf the Sheep, the Leopard the Kid, the Hail the Vine, the Cockle the Corn, the Caterpillar the Fruits; few but have their adversaries. So Faith and Religion, Atheists, Papists, Pagans, Heretics, schismatics, Sectaries, all these bark against the Saints, as dogs against the Moon.  
Religion divideth men in an house, I am come (saith Christ) 
Secret enemies most dangerous that pretend Love.  to put fire on the Earth; and what is my desire, if it be already kindled? Think ye that I am come to give peace in earth: I tell you nay, but rather debate: From henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The Father shall be divided against the Son, and the Son against the Father; the Mother 
Luke 12. 49, 51, 52. 53.  against the Daughter, and the Daughter against the Mother; the mother in law against the daughter in law, and the daughter in law against the mother in law. The godly, the faithful are as Lambs amongst wolves, as Lilies amongst Thorns, as Doves amongst Ravens; 
Mat. 10. 16.  many oppugn the Faith, therefore we must be ready to defend it, yea strive for it unto death, as joab fought for God: so let us speak for God, and write for God. If we had as many tongues and pens, as Argus had eyes, let them all speak and 
Eccles. 4. 2. Sam. 10.  write for the Truth; yea, if we had as many as hairs on our heads, as Jerome said to Helvidius, Si veritas est causa discordiae, mori possum, tacere non possum; If Truth be the cause of our discord, I may dye, but I may not be silent: We cannot but speak the things 
Act. 4. 20.  we have seen and heard.  
But to come to the description of these Adversaries; they are here described two ways.  
By their Life, End.  
By their Life they are described four ways:  
First, they creep into the Church.  
Secondly, they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men without God.  
Thirdly, they be Libertines.  
Fourthly, they are Blasphemers, Denying God and Christ.  
By their End also they be described; they are ordained to judgement, written in the black Book, not of Life, but of Death.  
But first, they are described by their Life: and they are said first, to creep into the Church. The Greek word signifieth a crafty entrance into the Church; they come not in by the Door 
john 10.  into the Sheepfold, but climb up some other way; they come not in the Day but in the night, like thiefs; they are Woolves in Sheep's clothing, Caterpillars to devour the vineyard of Christ; 
Mat. 24.  they thrust in themselves, like judas amongst the Apostles; therefore the more to be resisted; for no enemy is so dangerous as a secret enemy; It was not an open enemy (quoth David,) that did defame me, for I could have borne it: neither did my Adversary exalt 
Psal. 55. 12, 13.  himself against me, for I would have hidden me from him: but it was thou o man, even mine own companion and guide, and my familiar. They pray with us in one Church, and dip their hand with us in one dish; these creepers are the most dangerous hellhounds above all others, they have Butter in their mouths, but Swords in their hearts: A Dog that barketh may be prevented before he bite, and the serpent that hisseth, before he sting, and the fire 
Satan assaults. sometime by cruelty; sometime by subtlety.  that smoketh, before it burn; so may a known enemy, but a secret enemy, a creeper, is hard to prevent. Satan prevaileth many ways, sometime as a Lion, sometime as a Serpent; sometime by force as a Lion, as in Nero, Domitian, Trajane, Vulerian; sometime by fraud, as a Serpent, as in Herod, in the Pharisees, in julian the Apostata, who corrupted by the faith more by lenity and rewards, than all the bloody persecutors did by the sword; whereupon one distinguisheth of Devils, and saith, that some are black, and some are white; to teach, that he hurteth not one way, but many ways; he showeth himself a black Devil, when He goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking to devour; a white Devil, 
1 Pet. 5. 8. Luk. 4. 41. Act. 16. 17.  when he cried, Thou art Christ the Son of God: and again, he shown himself a white Devil, when as he cried, These men are the servants of the living God, which show untous in the way of salvatio; meaning Paul and Silas. But whether Devils be white or black, yet they be Devils still; yea and so much the more vile, that they be 
Mat. 26. Mat. 7. 2 Cor. 11. 14.  white: For there is no kiss to the kiss of judas; no wolf, to him that is clad in a Lamb's skin; no tear to the tear of a Crocodile; so no Devil to him that appeareth in the shape of an Angel. Satan hath sore wounded the Church every by open & tragical persecutions; as in the days of Christ, Even among the chief 
John 12. 42.  rulers many believed in him; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should be excommunicate. And in the ten persecutions, Satan raged against the Church horribly; but never so much as by inward enemies in the bosom of the Church: For when the Officers that were sent to apprehend Christ, told the pharisees, saying, Never man spoke as this man; The Pharisees answered, Are ye also deceived? Doth any of the rulers or the Pharisees 
john 7. 48.  believe in him? Christ had no greater enemies than the Church, the Synagogue. For who resisted him? not Atheists, but the Church, the Scribes and Pharisees, the expounders of the Law, the friends of the Gospel: Paul had more ado with false Apostles, than with the uncircumcised, the infidels, the Pagans; Some would destroy the purity of majesty & the Gospel by their eloquence; some would bring in judaisme: The subtle Gibeonites troubled josua more than the open Canaanites: The Manichees did more hurt the Church, than all heretics, and that under the colour of not marrying, not eating of flesh, not drinking of wine. None will weep faster than a Crocodyle; none will make a greater face of godliness than these hedge-creepers. Ishmael will 
jer. 41.  weep to Gedaliah; Herod will bid the wise men seek diligently for Christ, and when they have found him, to bring him word, 
Mat. 2.  that he may come and worship him; The Herodians will salute Christ 
Mat. 22.  with many goodly titles, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God truly; for thou carest for no man; thou considerest not the outward appearance of men, etc. Dalila will pretend all love to Samson; O, I love thee Samson. The adversaries of juda 
Popery prevails more by fraud than by force.  and Benjamin will say to Zorobabel, and to the rest, We will build with you, we will sacrifice with you: but Ishmael killed Godaliah; Herod would have butchered Christ; the Herodians tempted him; Dalila betrayed Samson; and the adversaries of juda would have pulled down the Church, and not built it up. Such trees without 
judg. 15. Esder. 4.  fruit, such ears without corn, such nets without fish, such lamps without oil, such clouds without rain shall perish: As they have lived without fear, so shall they did without hope; as they have a body without an heart, so have they a soul without God. They in fell nequitiae, even in the gall of bitterness, & in the bond of iniquity; and therefore they have neither part nor fellowship in God's Kingdom.  
To apply this to the present state of the Church: Satan hath prevailed more in Popery, by fraud, than by force; by creeping, than by breaking in with a scaling ladder. The first Roman Monarchy stood of unjustice, maintained by arms; and this latter of impiety, maintained by fraud and hypocrisy: Whose coming is by the working of Satan with all power and signs, and lying 
2 Thess. ●. 9, 10.  wonders, and in all deceivableness of unrighteousness: The Pope's Kingdom is not described by force and arms, but by sleights and wiles, by the names of women, enchantments, cups, 
Apoc. 17. &. 19  fornications. The beast representing the Roman Empire, had the horns of a Lamb, and the mouth of a dragon. In all the Kingdom of Popery, in Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Monks, Friars, Nuns, what was there but hypocrisy? How deceived they the world with their Prayers, Alms, Fast, Cross, Greasing, Purgatory, Auricular confessions, Trentas, Dirges, Masses, Prayer for the dead, going on Pilgrimage, etc. The Friars under a colour of wilful poverty, begged and rob the world: The Nuns, under a show of single life, filled the world full of bastardy: Sexcenta millia capita infantum in Gregorii piscina reperta sunt; there were six hundred thousand children's heads found in Gregory's fishpoole. The Priests by a colour of Masses, made merchandise of souls, and filled judas satchells; The abbeys, under a colour of alms and hospitality, rob most parishes of their Ecclesiastical live; they stole a goose, and gave a feather; greater thiefs than ever was Barrabas; they gave a meal's meat, and rob a parish of their Church maintenance. The Confessors, under pretence of auricular confession, knew the secrets of all Kingdoms: It was the Pope's fishing net, it hath deposed more than two hundred lawful Princes; it made Frederick Barbarossa the Pope's Footstool at Venice; it exiled the King Desiderius into Lions. The Pope under show of Bulls or pardons, hath rob God of his glory, men of their money and, souls of salvation: he hath gotten thereby in America four millions yearly: they are like their fathers the pharisees, They devour widows houses, even under a colour of long prayers; wherefore they shall 
All Atheists before regeneration and conversion.  receive the greater damnation. The whore of Babylon giveth poison in a golden cup; Beda, Venerable Beda, saith, that the serpent in paradise had vultum virgineum, a virgin's face, that he might deceive Heva, a virgin: for he is a deceiver; Yea from the beginning, 
Math. 23. 14. Apoc. 18. john 8. 44. Apoc. 20. 2.  and abode not in the truth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Dominicans, under the pretence of preaching; the Franciscans, under pretence of chastity, (Nam virilia amputarunt;) the Carmelites under show of virginity; and the Augustine's, under pretext of poverty, have erected the Papal Kingdom by hypocrisy, under colour of religion. But Babylon is fallen, even Rome, the Queen of pride, the nurse of idolatries, the mother of whordomes, the sink of iniquity, Sentina malorum, lacuna scelerum; yea, the Romish jezabel is thrown down, and if the palms of her hands and her skull, or any thing of her remain with us, let us pray, that it may be buried also. This Dagon is fallen down twice, once in King Edward's days, and again in our days, & let it never rise again. Let this golden Diana be beaten down for ever; Let this whore of 
Apoc. ●8.  Babylon perish, and let her smoke rise up for evermore, and let all that love the Lord jesus say, Amen.  
But to proceed in the description of the wicked. Secondly, they are here described by their impiety, he saith that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without God, without Faith, without religion; they deny God the only Lord, and our Lord jesus Christ; so Paul said 
Ephes. 2. 12. Phil. 3. 17, 18.  of the Ephesians before their conversion, They were without Christ; alienes from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the Covenant and promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the World. And such were the Philippians; They were enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose 
Ephes. 4. 17, 18.  end is damnation, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame; which mind earthly things. Such were all the Gentiles, spiced with impiety: For they walked in the vanity of their mind, having their cogitations darkened, and being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that was in them. The world is full of such Atheists, they swarm like bees in Hibla, they abound like louse in Egypt, all the dust was turned into louse; and in England all or most men's profession is turned into Atheism, Machivelisme; saying, that Religion is but policy, to keep men in awe. Many are of the 
Luk. 12.  fool's religion, to eat, drink, play; but to remember no God, to pluckedown, to build up, to gather in, but not to serve God in holiness and righteousness. Heu vivunt homines, tanquam mors nulla sequatur, Et velut infernus fabula vanaforet: Alas, men live as if no death should follow, and as if Hell were but a fable. There be many now like that Captain, that warred under Adrian the Emperor, called Similus, who at his death caused this Epitaph to be written upon his tomb, Hic jacet Similus, etc. Here lieth Similus, a man that was of many years, and lived only but Seven; many years without God, but seven years in God; many years wickedly, but seven years religiously; many years like an Atheist, 
Atheists confuted by reason and sense.  but seven years like a Christian: So a number of us may say, that we have lived many years, and yet but few years for God; many years in sin and wickedness, but few years in virtue and godliness.  
There is a double life, of Nature. Grace.  
In the one all live, but in the other, the elect only. In all ages Atheists have abounded: in David's days, The fool said in his heart, there is no God: In salomon's days; they cried, A quick dog is better 
Psal. 14. Prov. 9  than a dead Lion. We know what we have here, but we know not what we shall have in another world. In Esayes' days; For there were that said: We have made a covenant with death, and with Hell are 
Esa. 28. 15.  we at agreement: In Christ's time; For there were Sadduces that denied the Resurrection, and affirmed that there was neither Angel nor spirit: In Peter's days; For there were that said, Where is the promise of his coming? and so denied the last judgement: In 
2 Pet. 3.  Chrysostom's time they cried, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. give us that which is present; let God alone with that, which is for to come. In Calvins' time; for then there were such, that took away all difference between good and evil, virtue and vice, sin and righteousness: And in our days, we have, that deny God and Christ, and heaven and hell, Angels, Spirits, and all. David calleth them fools; Solomon calleth them Epicures; Esay noteth them as blasphemers; Christ calleth them Sadduces; Chrysostome, Nullifidians; Calvin, Libertines; we call them, Machiavels, ungodly men.  
Such are worse than the Devil: For he confesseth God, but these perhaps deny that there be Devils, so did the Sdaduces: these men therefore shall feel Devils, before they believe Devils. I would not be in their coat for the Kingdom of England; no, not to be Monarch of the world for ten thousand years: Devils are seen, they are felt, they are heard, yet these men deny them: but I will remit them to Philosophy to be counselled, that Sensus non fallitur circa proprium objectum; sense cannot be deceived about his proper object.  
The very Heathen will condemn us: Tully saith, Non temerè nec fortuitò sati aut creati sumus, sed profectò fuit divina quaedam vis, quae generi consuleret humano, nec id gigneret quod cum exantlavisset labores omnes, tum incideret in mortis malum sempiternum; portum potius nobis paratum putemus; We are not borne or created rashly or by chance, but verily there was a certain divine power, which did provide for mankind, neither would it suffer them so to be borne, as that when they had undergone all manner labour, they should be utterly lost in the everlasting evil of Death; but rather let us think some haven of rest is prepared for us. A divine speech of a profane man. The Epicures said, that God was idle in heaven, quodque Deus ambulat circa cardines Coeli: and that he was walking about 
God's power & providence governed all things.  the poles of heaven; that nature ruleth all, by chance, and at adventure: On the contrary, the Stoics held that God is nothing but nature, and that all things are wrought by necessity and destiny, that God can work no miracle, nor contrary to the course of nature, But the Platonists held, that nature is, Quicquid Deus vult; that it is subject to God, that there is neither chance nor destiny, but all things are done by God. Some therefore compare Nature to an horse, and God to the rider, that bridleth her and ruleth her as he list. Anima mundi est virtus Dei, the power of God is the soul of the world; Mundus est schola animarum, the 
Origen. Basil.  world is the school of souls, to lead us to the knowledge of God: God therefore (quoth he) was able by his power to change the course of nature as thus:  
To divide the Sea in two parts. 
Exod. 14. Ios. 10. Num. 16. Ios. 3. Psal. 114. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Luk. 7.   
To stay the Sun.  
To open the Earth.  
To dry up the Waters of jordan.  
To make the Mountains skip like Rams.  
To quench the Flame.  
To mussel the Lions.  
To raise the Dead.  
In this sense Simonides the philosopher said, that Solus Deus est metaphysicus, that God alone was supernatural. Pindarus called God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the best artificer. Diogenes seeing Harpalus that great thief to be fortunate a long time, said, that he gave a lively testimony against the Gods: So Dionysius said, that God favoured pirates, for that he had a good wind after the robbing of the Temple: So Hermogenes reasoned, seeing so much evil in the world, Aut voluit Deus tollere mala, & non potest, & tunc infirmus est; aut potuit & noluit, & tunc invidus est: God either would take away evil and cannot, and then he is impotent; or could and would not, and then he is envious: But Tertullian retorted it thus on him, Deum velle & posse omnia mala tollere quatenus expedit: God is 
Rom. 8. 28.  both willing and able to take away all evil, so fare as it is expedient; For all things work for the best unto them that love God. Quaedam tollit in hac vita, alia reservat in extremum judicium; some he takes away in this life, some he reserves to the last judgement. Facessant ergo illi monoculi Cyclopes, qui Deum negant; istud quatenus expedit relinquamus Deo; herewith therefore let those oneeyed Cyclopes, which deny God, be content; let us leave to God that same, so far forth as it is expedient. So reasoneth the Manichaeans against Moses, when he said, In the beginning God made heaven & 
Gen. 1. 1. Aug. lib. 1. de Genes. john 1. 2.  earth; quaerentes in quo principio Deus fecit Coelum? Quibus respondit Augustinus, Deum non fecisse in principio temporis, sed in Christo per quem omnia facta sunt; nam antequàm fecit Deus tempora, non erant tempora; nam tempus est creatura, & dicit Paulus veritatem fuisse ante tempora aeterna: Ask, in what beginning God made heaven? 
All men by the light of nature have acknowledged a divine power.  To whom Augustine makes answer; God made it not in the beginning of time, but in Christ by whom all things were made; for before God made time, time was not: for time was a creature, & S. Paul saith, The truth was before time eternal. These men say much, but to little purpose; Loquacior est enim vanitas, quàm veritas, & altiùs clamat: for vanity prattles more than verity, and 
Ephes. 3. 9  makes a greater noise. I allege not all these profane writers for need; I know that the darts that are taken out of the Lords armoury pierce deepest, that the arrows that are drawn out of the Lords quiver are the sharpest, that the sword of the spirit cutteth deepest, that proofs taken from the Scripture are strongest. But it is not amiss to confute a natural man by natural men, as here by Philosophers.  
But to follow this point a little further: Naturally a kind of religion is found in all men, in genere, though they err in specie. Cain and Abel did first sacrifice to God; Enoch was the first that 
Gen. 4.  instituted prayer; After Noah's flood were many Laws of religion given to many nations; Mercury, and Mena gave laws to the Egyptians; Melissus to them of Candie; Faunus and janus to the Latins; Orpheus to the Greeks'; Numa pompilius to the Romans; Draco to the Athenians; Lycurgus to the Lacedæmonians; 
Deuter. 4.  but Moses and Aaron gave laws to the Hebrews, that passed them all. Naturally we know that there is a God; For the invisible 
Rom. 1. 20.  things of God, that is, his eternal power and Godhead are seen by the creation of the world. The very Poets spoke of jupiter, Castor and Pollux, Venus, Saturn, Vulcan, Mars, Mercury; yet jupiter was an adulterer; Gastor and Pollux, two incestuous twins; Venus an harlot in Cyprus; Saturn a Runagate in Italy; Vulcan a thief; Mars a bastard; yet this showeth, that there is Divinum numen, a divine power, that the Heathen think so, therefore they adore something as God: they invented Gods in hell, as Pluto & Proserpina; the Egyptians worshipped Calves; the Ophytes, serpents; the Persians, fire; they of Canopus, water; the Coloridians, Heva; the Philistines, Dagon, halfe-fish and halfe-flesh; the Turks at this day worship Mahomet; the Tartarians, grand Cam; the Calecuts, the Devil.  
But there be many reasons to prove, that there is a God; all the creatures of God do it, from the Eágle, to the Fly; from the Elephant, to the Pismire; from the great Whale, to the little Lamprey; from the Camel, to the Gnat; from the Cedar, to the Brake-bush; from the Stars of Heaven, to the Dust of the Earth; from Angels, to Worms. And therefore men that deny God, may be sent to the creatures, to learn that there is a God. Esay reasoneth thus: Who hath measured the waters 
Esa. 40. 17. 21, 22.  in his fist, and counted Heaven with the span, and comprehended the Dust of the Earth in a measure, and weigheth the Mountains in a weight, and the hills in a balance? And again, Know ye nothing? 
Conscience in man a testimony of the divine power.  have ye not heard it? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood it by the foundation of the Earth? He sitteth upon the circle of the Earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as Grasshoppers; he stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in. And Solomon reasoneth thus: Who hath ascended up to Heaven and descended? who hath gathered the Wind in his 
Prov. 30. 4.  fist? who hath bound the Waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the World? what is his name, or his Son's name, if thou canst tell? And God reasoning with job saith, Where wast thou when 
Job 38. 4, 5, 6. 8.  I laid the foundations of the Earth? declare if thou hast understanding: who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line over it? whereupon are the foundations thereof set? or who hath laid the cornerstone thereof? or who hath shut up the Sea with doors. When it issued, and come forth out of the Womb? etc.  
The world is, Schola Dei, the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. And the Apostle affirmeth, 
Psal. 19 1.  that God left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. O every shower of rain is a Preacher, and tells us there is a God.  
Note this, that nothing was made of itself, nor for itself, but for another. The Heavens (we see) do serve the Air, the Air serveth the Earth, the Earth the Beasts, the Beasts serve Man; Man therefore not made of himself, was made to serve another, which can be no other but God; The Lord hath made all things for his own sake: If all things, therefore Man; which 
Pro. 16. 4.  confuteth Atheism.  
Again, it is an arrow, yea a hammer against Atheism, that all men have a conscience of sin, and are afraid of it: Conscience is a witness either with us, or against us; either to excuse us, or accuse us. It beareth witness, of what? of secret particular actions. Against whom? against thyself. To whom? to God; (seeing neither men nor Angels know the secrets of thy heart.) Let all Atheists bark against the Godhead: as long as they will; Intùs est vermis qui illos mordet; within there is a worm that gnaweth them. In that men are afraid and ashamed of sin, it argueth that there is a God: we see, that all creatures purge themselves of their corruption; The Sea her froth, the water her scum, the earth her vapours, the birds their feathers, the wine his lees, the fire his smoke, the oil his some; Man therefore that would avoid his sin, and be rid of it, hath a conscience of God, and proveth there is a God.  
But alas, Religion beggeth in these days; Probitas laudatur & alget; our religion is in imagination, not in faith; in opinion, not in judgement; in the brain, not in the heart; in word, not in deed and effect: They profess they know God, but inwardly in their works they do deny him, being abominable, disobedient and unto every 
Few truly religious but many Epicures and Atheists.  good work reprobate; they have a show of godliness, but have denied the power thereof. O vile times; the worst that have been ever since the creation of the world; and if these days should not be shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the Elects sake God hath shortened them. We 
Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Mat. 24. 22. Esa. 58. 1. 1 Reg. 19 Mar. 3.  had need cry aloud and not spare, lift up our voices like trumpets; For ordinary speaking hath no proportion with extraordinary sinning. We cannot come to you, as God came to Elias, in a still wind, in a soft voice; we must have Stentors voice, be like james and john, the sons of thunder.  
The Heathen said of their infidels, Plus amant bovem quam jovem, they love the ox more than jupiter: we may say of many Christians, Plus amant coenam quam coelum, cibum quam Christum; they love more their supper than heaven, more their meat than Christ: they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, like lapwings, that delight in dung; like Vespasian, who took a tribute of urine. Many nations have lived without , without King, without armour, but never any without God, as Tully said, Nulla gens tamfera, tamimmanis, etc. never nation was so wild, so cruel, so barbarous, but have acknowledged and confessed that there was a God. Near the river Ganges in India be men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, without mouths, that live by the sent of flowers; among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men without hearts, that believe nothing. Socrates' said, Hoc scio, quod nihil scio; I know this that I know nothing; and they, hoc credo, quod nihil credo, I believe this that I believe nothing: they have set down their rest, Non esse Deum, non esse daemonem, non esse coelum, non esse infernum; there is no God, there is no devil, there is no heaven, there is no hell; and therefore they say, Our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no recovery, neither was any known that have returned 
Wisd. 2. 1, 2, 3. 4, 5.  from the grave; we are borne at all adventure, and we shall be hereafter, as though we had never been: for the breath is as smoke in our nostrils, and the words as a spark raised out of the heart, which being extinguished, the body is turned to ashes, and the spirit vanisheth, as in the soft air, etc. Come therefore, let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, etc. These wild Boar's root up the Lord's vineyard, these Foxes destroy the grapes, these Ionas' trouble the ship of England. For Christ's 
Psal. 80. 13, 14.  Church is Christ's ship, tossed with waves: but let us run with the Apostles, and awake our Saviour, that he may hurl out 
Mat. 14.  these Ionas'.  
Thirdly, the wicked are here described by their carnality and liberty, they turn grace into wantonness: for ungodliness hath two branches, iniquity in life and manners, and impurity in religion: of the first, he saith, They turn grace into wantonness: of the second it is said, that they denied God and Christ jesus. Of the 
Act. 6. Rom. 8.  first sort were the Libertines that disputed with Steven: Paul had to do with such heretics, vile men, that said, faciamus mala ut inde veniat bonum; Let us do evil, that good may good come thereof. 
God's grace ought to lead to repentance.  Or let us be evil, that God may be good: let us commit iniquity, that God's glory may be revealed; let sin abound, that grace may superabound. But their judgement is just, and their damnation sleepeth not; such are all presumptuous sinners, 
Rom. 6. 1.  that will sin of purpose, with an high hand, an hard heart, and a whorish forehead: such are idolaters, blasphemers, drunkards, usurers, adulterers, robbers, which say, yet once more will I do this or that sin, once more will I dally; one cup more will I have; for God (say they) is patiented and long suffering: thus sin toucheth sin; but God will whet his sword and bend his bow, and 
Psal. 7. 11, 12.  then ye know what follows, the black arrows and instruments of death.  
Paul showeth a better end of grace, than wantonness; he saith, The grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, 
Tit. 2. 11, 12.  and teacheth us to deny impiety, and wicked worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. The goodness of God leadeth us to repentance, honour, health, wealth; long 
Rom. 2. 4.  life taketh thee by the hand, and leadeth thee to repentance; as the Angel led Ezechiel into the Sanctuary: Noli peccare spe, nam 
Bern.  paenam dabis re; sinne not in hope, for thou shalt smart for it indeed. It is as great a sin to presume of grace and mercy, as to despair of grace and mercy: for they that despair may be raised up, but such as presume are seldom saved: He that heareth 
Deut. 29. 19 20, 21.  the Words of this curse, and blesseth himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, although I walk in the stubborness of my heart, thus adding drunkenness to thirst: The Lord will not be merciful unto him, but then the wrath of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and every curse that is written in this book shall light upon him, and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven: Therefore Paul in all his writings, when he handleth the doctrine of grace and mercy he handleth it very warily, as a man handleth gunpowder or quickesilver, lest they should turn it into wantonness; As 1 Tim. 4. 10. We trust in the living God, which is the Saviour of all men, 
1 Tim. 4. 10. Rom. 8. 1.  especially of those that believe. And Rom. 8. 1. Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Cerist jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. And Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. And 1 Pet. 2. 9 Ye are a chosen generation, 
Gal. 5. 24.  a royal priesthood, an holy nation, that ye should show forth the virtues of him, that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. God is a Saviour of all, that is, of all believers; there is no condemnation, so that we walk in the spirit; we are Christ's, if we crucify the flesh; a royal priesthood, if we show forth the virtues of him, that hath made us Kings and Priests. Other wisdom hath no portion of the Spirit of God; we have neither part nor fellowship in jesus Christ, Sumus in fell nequitiae, we are in gall of bitterness.  
Let us not then turn the grace of God into wantonness, as 
God's benefits and bounty oft make licentious and impious.  many do; for the better God dealeth with them, the worse they deal with him, turning grace into wantonness, and Christian liberty into carnal licentiousness; not regarding the Apostles Counsel, Brethren, ye have been called into liberty, only use not your liberty, as an occasion unto the flesh, but by Love serve ye one another. 
Gal. 5. 13.  If God give us an inch, we take an ell, and abuse his goodness; God dealeth with us, as a nurse doth with her Child, he nourisheth and bringeth us up; but we deal with him, as the Ass' foal with her dam, when she hath sucked her dam, she kicketh with her heel; as the swallow doth with men, she harboureth with us all summer, and in winter departeth, and leaveth nothing but dirt behind her. Thus Moses complained of Israel; Do ye so reward the Lord, O ye foolish people and unwise? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee, he hath made thee and proportioned thee: So 
Deut. 32. 6.  Esau complaineth of juda; I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me: The ox knoweth his owner, and the 
Esa. 1. 3.  Ass his master's crib; but Israel hath not known; my people hath no understanding. jeremy reneweth the same complaint a little before the captivity; They said not, where is the Lord that brought us out of the land of Aegpyt? that ledus through the wilderness, through a desert, 
jer. 2. 6.  a waste land, through a dry land, and by the shadow of death, by a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelled: and again, O generation, take heed to the word of the Lord; have I been as a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of darkness? wherefore saith my people then, we are Lords, we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. The matter is more fully handled by Ezechiel, jeremy his mate and companion, both before and in the captivity, saying; Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and waste polluted in thy blood. Thus all the Prophets 
Ezech. 16. 22.  with open mouth cry out against iniquity: The richer we are, the vainer we are; the higher we are, the prouder we are; the stronger we are, the crueler, and the more quarrelous we are; the younger, the lascivier; the more healthful, the more sinful and careless: we wound God with his own weapon; For he that should have been upright, when he waxed fat spurned with the 
Deut. 32. 15.  heel; thou are fat, thou are gross, thou art laden with fat; therefore he forsook God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation. We abuse every blessing of God; we are like Aesop's snake, that lay still in the frost, but stung him that warmed her in his bosom; so long as God keepeth us sick, and lame, and poor, we are in some order, our ears are full of Sermons, our lips full of prayers, our hands full of alms, our hearts full of holy meditations; For when the outward man perisheth the inward man is renewed daily: but if we come to health, and wealth, and strength, we rage 
2 Cor. 4. 16.  like Giants, we are like bad ground, which the more sweet dews it receiveth, the more weeds it bringeth out; And therefore we 
God's patience makes us presumptuous.  are near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. If God give some liberty and remission, we stretch it too fare; if he permit hawking and hunting, we spend most of our days in it, we make an 
Hebr. 6. 8.  occupation of play: Because God permitteth us to eat and drink, and wear apparel, we eat till we surfeit, and drink till we be drunken, and attire ourselves like peacocks; like Geta the Emperor, that was served in dishes, after the manner of an Alphabet: like Bonosus who (as one saith) was borne, not to live, but to drink: like Tiberius Nero, called Biberius Mero; like jezabel, that painted her face: we pour out ourselves in all excess of riot, and so turn all grace to wantonness: But let us think it sufficient for us, that we have spent the time passed of this life, after the lusts of the Gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in gluttony, 
1 Pet. 4. 3. 4.  drink, and in abominable Idolatry: Wherein it seemeth to them strange, that ye run not with them unto the same excess of riot, etc. They be vile creatures that are unkind to their Sires: as the Hippotamos of Nilus, that eateth his dam; as the Pelicane, that sucketh the heartblood of the old one; as the wild Ass, that kicketh her dam; as the Viper, that eateth out the belly of the old one; and such be we; God may say of us, as jeremy of the 
jer. 5. 7.  jews, I have fed them to the full, yet they committed adultery, and assembled themselves by companies in harlots houses: They rose up in the morning like fed horses, every man neyed after his neighbour's wife.  
Here I have to deal with two sorts of men; the first are they that refuse the grace, & gifts & goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Such were the Stoics, that would enjoy no more than they could carry with them; they said, with Bias, Omnia mea mecum porto; All that is mine I carry with me; that with Crates, hurled their silver into the Sea: Such were the Essenes' in Christ's time, that had a bed but a span-broad, that strawed thorns under them, lest they should sleep too long: Such were the Hermit's in the primitive Church, as Antony, Macarius, Paulus, Thebaeus, Hilarion: Such were the Monks in jeromes' days, of whom he maketh three kinds, Anchorites, Caenobites, and the Enobites,, which fled all company; Oppidum illis erat carcer, the town was their prison; solitudo autem erat Paradisus, the wilderness was their paradise; their bread was acorns, their drink water, their meat roots, their bed cold ground: Biberunt non è chalice, sed è concha, they drank not out of a cup, but out of a shell; Amicti erant non pannis, sed pellibus; they were clad not with cloth, but with skins: such were our Friars that professed wilful poverty: such were women the Anchoresses', that had no more ground, than they scraped with their nails: but God hath given the earth, and the fruits thereof to the Sons of men: So saith the Psalmist, The Heavens, even the Heavens are the Lords, but he hath given the earth to 
Psal. 115. 16.  the Sons of men: It is as lawful to enjoy the creatures of God, as to live. The wicked eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the 
Pleasure oft ends with sudden destruction.  drink of violence, which is unlawful; but to eat the bread of righteousness, and to drink the wine well got is lawful.  
Many are thiefs both to their backs and bellies, and unthankful 
Prou. 4. 17.  unto God; but so must not we: Christ was present at the jews feasts, he came eden's & bibens, eating and drinking; therefore they said that he was Edax & bibax, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if 
Luk. 7. 34.  he had surfeited: we are the heirs of heaven and coheirs with Christ, and have right in all the creatures of God, all is ours; heaven is ours, heaven and earth is ours, if thy garments be silk, 
1 Cor. 3.  thou mayest put them on; if thy table be furnished with meat, thou mayest eat what thy stomach craveth; if thy Hounds will take the beasts of the land, or thy Hawk, the fowls of the air, thou mayest do it.  
I speak not to justify the abuse of the world, that have turned all into riot, and usurped upon all the creatures of God; with such men, or monsters rather, I meddle not; but in the sin wherein I found them, in that I leave them: I speak only of the recreation that God hath given unto his Saints in this weary life; From the heavens, in the Sun, Moon, and Stars; from the air, in fowls and birds, some made for meat, some for mirth; from the earth, in trees, fruits and flowers, and herbs, some made for necessity, some for pleasure, as seeing and smelling; from the Sea, in variety of fishes: Whereupon the Prophet exclaimeth, saying; O Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches; so is the great and 
Psal. 104. 24.  wide Sea also, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small beasts and great: If by faith thou art made a member of Christ, his right is thine in all the creatures of the world, and in his name, and to his glory thou mayest use them.  
But we are not troubled with Stoikes, Essenes', Hermit's, Monks, Friars, Anchoresses', &c. but with Epicures, qui ducunt dies in bonis, & subitò descendunt ad infernum; which a learned man englisheth thus: They sleep sound, and drink profoundly, and go to the Devil roundly, and that is no lie: For they live, wax fat, and grow in wealth, their seed is established in their sight 
job 21. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  with them; and their generation before their eyes: their houses are peaceable, without fear, and the rod of God is not upon them: their bullcoke gendereth and faileth not: their Cow calveth and casteth not her calf: They send forth their children like sheep, and their son's dance: they take the tabret and the harp, and rejoice in the sound of the organs, they spend their days in wealth, and suddenly they go down to the grave. Their throats are sepulchres, their stomaches sponges, their bellies graves, their hands talons, their finger's loadstones: they eat with Ceres, and drink with Bacchus, and sport with Venus: Apollo must tickle their ears with the Lute, the Muses must sound in that service, the Graces must wait on their trencher; Ganymede must fill them the cup, they are sorry that their patrimonies are 
Voluptuous men's practices described.  no larger, their bellies no wider, their throats no deeper, their lives no longer, that they might live still in all pleasure: So that the saying of S. james may be verified in them, Ye have lived in 
jam. 5. 5.  pleasure on the earth, and in wantonness, ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter. They wish, with Philopenus, a neck as long as a Crane's neck, that they may feel the sweetness of their meat a long time; in their company is the tabret, harp, lute, and a pair of cards sooner than the New Testament: and as the Prophet speaketh, The harp, the vial, the timbrel, and pipe, and wine 
Esa. 5. 12.  are in their feasts, they regard not the works of the Lord, neither consider the work of his hands. God calleth them to prayer, fasting, mourning, Et ecce mactant boves & oves: They fall to killing of sheep, and 
Esa. 22. 12, 13.  slaying of oxen, eating flesh, and drinking wine; eating and drinking, for to morrow we shall dye. They turn praying into playing, fasting into feasting, mourning into mumming, almesdeeds into misdeeds: As Xerxes, being weary of all pleasures, promised rewards to the inventors of new pleasures, which being invented, Ipse tamen non fuit contentus, he himself was not satisfied, was not content.  
The word here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is derived from a town in Pisidia, called Selge, built by the Lacedæmonians, where all were temperate and not one drunkard; the contrary whereof is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lasciousnesse; such men sin with an high hand. All sin, but these men sinne presumptuously: they never pray with David, Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins. Sin in them reigneth, 
Psal. 19  not dwelleth; contrary to the rule of the Apostle, Let not sin 
Rom. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 10. Ephes. 4. 19 Esa. 5.  reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof: they walk not after the spirit, but after the flesh; they commit sin with greediness; they draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with cartropes. But man with man will not reason so, the son with his Fathers, the servant with his master, the subject with his Prince; will the servant be vile and unfaithful, because his master is courteous unto him? Absit; God forbidden.  
Here I must answer one slander or challenge of the Papists; they call us Libertines, as Owlet, and others; but they take upon them to judge betwixt us, and the Libertines, as the Ass took upon him to judge between the Cuckoo & the Nightingale: of all others, the Ass might worst do it; and of all others, they may worst do it, seeing most of their doctrines tend to liberty, proving all men to sin by their pardons and indulgences, saying, that holy water doth take away sin, that the sign of the Cross driveth away the Devil, calling with Alexander, whoredom, adultery, incest, Peccadilla, little sins▪ excusing the Pope's theft as the theft of Israel, his drunkenness as that of 
Exod. 11. Gen. 9 judg. 15.  Noah, his murders as those of Samsons. All their doctrines tend to liberty, as their doctrine of ignorance to be the mother of devotion, the doctrine of auricular confession, which some learned call the Pope's fishing net, the doctrine of Purgatory, which 
Popish Doctrine tend to liberty.  others call the Pope's milch Cow, or the soul or paunch of the Mass: their doctrine of satisfactions, that a man may be delivered out of hell by the satisfaction of others, as was Traian the pagan Emperor by the prayer and alms of Gregory. What natural man under heaven would not sin, if he knew that the Pope could give him pardon, that he could free him from hell and purgatory? So that truly, if I were not a Protestant, I would be a Papist, if I respected the pleasure of the flesh.   

THE NINTH SERMON.  VERS. iv 
And deny God, the only Lord, and our Lord jesus. 
God is denied many ways.   
SAint jude having described the wicked by their hypocrisy, that They creep into the Church, and by their Atheism: For he saith, they were  men, and by their Licentiousness, saying, They turn the grace of God into wantonness; he cometh now fourthly, to describe them by their Blasphemy, That they deny God, the only Lord, and our Lord jesus Christ. Now there be many ways to deny God, as to deny his Attributes, his Power, Providence, justice, Mercy, Truth, Strength, Eternity, for these be the names of God, and of the essence of God, and these are denied in the lives of most men. Some deny his Power, as the Proud do: some his Providence, as the Infidels: some his justice, as the Impenitent: some his Mercy, as the Desperate: some his Truth, as Liars and perjured men: some his Strength, as the Fearful do. Of the first sort was Pharaoh; of the second sort were the Israelites; of the third sort were the Libertines; of the fourth was Cain; the fifth were Zedeohia and the house of Saul, of the last were the jews. Pharaoh asked, Who is God, that 
Exod. 5. 2. Psal. 78. 19, 20, 21.  I should let Israel go? The Israelites disinherited God for bread, Can God (quoth they) prepare a Table in the Wilderness? behold, he smote the Rock, that the water gushed out, & the streams overflowed: Can he give bread also, and prepare flesh for his people? Of the third sort 
Outward profession nothing without inward integrity.  were the Libertines, Which turn the grace of God into wantonness: Of the fourth sort was Cain, my sin is greater than can be forgiven? Upon whom Augustine replieth finely: Mentiris Cain, mentiris in gutture, major est Dei misericordia, Cain, thou liest, thou liest in thy 
jude 4. Gen. 4. Aug.  throat, greater is God's Mercy than any man's Iniquity? of the fifth, was Zedechias who forswore himself, and had therefore first, his children slain before his Face; then his own eyes put out, and lastly, he was carried away prisoner into Babylon: of the last sort were the jews, who relied upon the Egyptians. Now who offendeth 
2 Reg. 25. Esa. 31.  not in one of these, or most of these?  
But especially we deny God in our lives, in our deeds, thus the Cretians deny him, They professed they knew God, but by works they did deny him, and were abominable, disobedient, and unto every 
Tit. 1. 16. Tit. 2. 3. 5.  good work reprobate: and so are we, we have a show of Godliness, but we have denied the Power thereof. I say of Professors, as Paul said of the jews, He is not a jew, that is one outward, neither is that Circumcision, which is outward in the Flesh, but he is a jew, that is 
Rom. 2. 28. 29.  one within, and the Circumcision of the heart is the true Circumcision: So he is not a Christian, that is one outward, but he is a Christian, that is one within; that serveth God in Spirit and in Truth. And if we will serve God truly, these Devils must be cast out of us, that are in us, and we must say unto them, as Christ said to Peter, Come behind me Satan, videl. the Devils of Avarice, Pride, Envy, Malice, etc. Which have filled our hearts, 
Mat. 16. 23▪  as they filled the heart of Andnias. The profession of God is known by the fruits of it, as fire is discerned by the smoke that cometh out of the Chimney, as life is discerned by the motion of Man. On the contrary, if a man would persuade us, 
Act. 5. 3.  that there is fire where as there is no heat, or that there were life in a carcase that never moved, we would not believe him: so believe not him, that speaketh of God, and liveth not in God. This is an Axiom in Divinity, that all Adulterers, Swearers, Thiefs, Usurers deny God, whatsoever they pretend in words, Quid dicta audiam, cum facta videam, what do I hear thee talk, when I see thy deeds? Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (saith Christ) but he that 
Mat. 7. 23.  doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Those men are come to the height of sin; For there be six degrees of sin, first Neglectus 
Ephes. 4. 2 Thes. 2. Rom. 1. Esa. 40.  notitiae Dei, the neglect of the knowledge of God; the second is, Execatio, execation, blindness; the third is Idolatry, a fruit of execation, of blindness; the fourth, outrageous wickedness, the effect of idolatry; the fifth, a reprobate mind; the sixth, the fruits of a reprobate mind, that is, an universal injustice in all their works: for they deny God in every work. The wicked deny God, and yet all his creatues declare him; and 
Psal. 19 1.  that four ways, saith Hemingius in his Enchiridion.  
First, In the Variety of them. 
They that here feel not Gods graces shall feel his power.   
Secondly, In the Utility of them.  
Thirdly, In the Order of Creation.  
And fourthly, In the End of their Creation.  
The first declareth his Power.  
The second, his justice.  
The third, his Wisdom.  
The last, his Glory.  
Seeing all things are made for man, it cannot be but man is made for another, and that is God only, but the wicked shall find God and feel God, when it is too late, though here they do deny him. Therefore Hemingius distinguisheth of God's presence, that it is fourfold: A presence of Power in all men, even in the Reprobate; a presence of Grace, even in the Elect only, a presence of glory in the Angels & Saints departed, and an hypostatical presence of the Father, with the Son, Quoad essentiam, as touching his essence. The wicked that deny God here, shall feel his power one day, and say, We have erred from the way of Truth, the light of Righteousness hath not shined unto us, 
Wis. 5, 6. 7.  and the Sun of Understanding rose not upon us: We have wearied ourselves in the ways of wickedness and destruction, and we have gone through dangerous ways, but we have not known the ways of the Lord, etc. Thus God complained of Israel and juda, saying, They have grievosly trespassed against me saith the Lord, they have denied the Lord, and said, It is not he, etc. Thus may we complain. Therefore 
jer. 5. 11. 12.  I say to England, as he said to juda: O daughter of my people, gird thee with Sackcloth and wallow thyself in the ashes, make lamentation and bitter mourning, as for thine only son, for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.  
They deny the only God, etc. God here is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only God to note the Trinity in Unity; there is one God, one Essence of the three persons, Deus unus & trinus; unus Essentia, trinus 
Hierom.  personis, God is one and three, one in Essence, and three in persons. Thus Moses taught Israel; The Lord our God is Lord only. 
Deut. 6. 4.  Malachi asketh the jews, if one God hath not created them? As if he should say, ye know well enough; for the question 
Mal. 2. 10.  is more Emphatical, than a simple proposition. In this point Paul noteth a great difference betwixt the Christians and the Heathen, saying, Though there be many, that are called gods, in Heaven or in Earth (as there be many gods, and many Lords:) yet unto us 
1 Cor. 8. 6, 7.  there is but one God, which is the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Again, he speaketh of the Deity, as of the Mediatorship, Vnus Deus & unus Mediator, etc. There is one God and one Mediator 
1 Tim. 6.  between God and Man, even the Man Christ jesus. And a number of unities he commendeth to the Ephesians: There is one Body andone Spirit, one hope of your Vocation; there is one Lord, one Faith, 
Ephes. 4. 4, 5, 6.  one Baptism, one God and Father over all, etc. We must neither confound 
Many resemblances to illustrate the Unity and Trinity.  the persons, nor divide the Essence, but hold the plurality of persons, and the unity of the Essence.  
The Heathen thought it impossible for one God to govern this great world; therefore they made one God for Heaven, as jupiter, another for Hell, as Pluto; one for Bread, as Ceres; another for Wine, as Bacchus; one for the Sea, as Neptune; another for the Wind, as Aeolus; one for Learning, as Minerva; another for Merchandise, as Mercury. Thus the Heathen vowed Tenths to Hercules, that they might be rich; they killed a Cock to Aesculapius, that they might recover their health; they sacrificed a Bull to Neptune, that they might sail prosperously.  
But what do I name the Heathen, when the Papists multiplied to themselves many gods? they prayed to Sebastian for help from the Plague; to Anthony, for the Gangrene; to Patronilla, for Agues; to Apolonia, for the Touth ache; to Benedict, for the Stone; to Hubert, for the biting of a mad Dog; yea they have made a several God for every Country, as Saint George for England, Saint jaques for Spain, Saint Dennis for France, Saint Patrick for Ireland, Saint Palladius for Scotland. Yea, for every beast a several God; as Loye for Horses, Anthony for Pigs, Wendeline for Sheep: But their madness is evident to all 
2 Tim. 3. 9  men. If they say, they make not these Gods: I ask, why pray they unto them? How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? But we believe in God alone, therefore must we pray to 
Rom. 10. 14.  him alone. There is but one Sun in the Heavens, one Phoenix in Arabia, one master-Bee in an Hive, one Pilot in a Ship, one God in the World. The Trinity of Persons the Fathers have shadowed forth unto us by diverse similitudes, as in the Rainbow, in which is one substance, namely the cloud, and yet three differences, which thou art not able to discern: In the Fountain, where there is Scaturigo, the boiling or rising up of the water out of the Spring; Rivus, the River; & Stagnum, and the Pool: In the Mind, where there is Intellectus, Understanding; Voluntas, the Will; & Memoria, and the Memory: In the Soul, where there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Soul; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Mind, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Spirit; and yet there be not three Minds, nor three Souls, but one Mind and one Soul, but three powers in the Mind and Soul: In the Sun, where there is, Corpus, the Body; Calor, Heat; & Splendour, Light or Brightness; and yet not three Suns, but three distinct things in the Sun. The Orthodox Fathers said truly and wisely, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, One Godhead, and one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. And God is three, not by composition of parts, but by coexistence of persons. The jews also note in the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bara, the mystery of the Trinity, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth, the Son, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resh, Ruah, the Spirit, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph, Ab, the Father. 
Christ is many ways divided.  But this holy mystery is more clearly taught by Moses, Gen. 3. 22.  
Again, They deny Christ; of which sort there be many. The jews deny, that he is come; the Pagans deny, that ever he will come; the Turks confess that he is come, but yet as a man, not as a God, inferior to their Mahomet; the Papists confess in words that he is come, but in truth denying the person of Christ, making his body every where, that is, no where: yea many have denied Christ, and rob the Creator, to give to the Creature; the Italians ascribe all to the Pope; the Irish to Saint Patrick; the Scots to Palladius; the Russians to Saint Nicholas; 
Munster in Cosmog.  and the Calicutes to the Devil.  
But to speak orderly; men deny Christ many ways. Some deny his Divinity, as the Arrians; some his Humanity, as the ubiquitaries; some his Natures, by renting them a sunder as the Nestorians, who make two Christ's, one the son of God, another the son of Mary; some deny them by confounding them, as Eutiches, Qui dixit humanitatem a divinitate absorptam esse, which said, that his Humanity was swallowed up of his Divinity; some deny him, by concealing him in time of persecution, as the Nichodemites do: A Sect against which we are to lift up our voices like Trumpets, for He that denyeth Christ in Earth 
Mat. 10. 33.  before men, shall be denied in Heaven, before Angels. For this cause, they of Ephesus are said not to have denied Christ, but to have suffered for his sake, and to have laboured without fainting. And 
Apoc. 2. 3.  they of Pergamos are said, not to have denied Christ: For though their habitation was where Satan's throne is, yet they professed his name, and not denied the faith. Remember that the fearful are placed with Vriah in the forefront, in the vanguard 
Apoc. 2. 13.  of the damned; so saith Saint john, The fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part 
Apoc. 21. 8.  in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second Death.  
On the contrary, Righteous men are compared to Lions, which fear no colours? so saith Solomon, The wicked flee, when 
Prov. 28. 1. Luke 8. 1 Pet. 1.  none pursueth him, but the Righteous are as bold as a Lion: on the other side, its naughty ground, that will be scorched with heat; it is dross, not gold, that will be melted in the fire, it is counterfeit, not right Balm, that will not abide the water: it is a bastard Eagle, that soareth not to the Sun: He is a Coward, 
Exod. 19  not a Soldier, that shrinketh in the battle, He is an Infidel, and not a Christian that denyeth Christ in persecution. For one Faith is named, one Profession: Hold fast (saith the Apostle) the Profession of your hope without wavering. And again, 
Heb. 10. 23. Heb. 3. 1.  Consider the Apostle, and high Priest of your Profession, Christ jesus: Much Profession, much Faith; no profession, no Faith. 
Christ is denied, when the efficacy of his death is denied.   
But chiefly we deny the Lord jesus two ways: First, by denying the sufficiency of his death, as the Galathians did, and as the jews did, and as our Papists now, who will not let Christ be a Saviour alone, but they join works with him; but all works are accursed (so saith the Apostle) As many as are of the works 
Gal. 2. Rom. 10. Gal. 3. 10.  of the Law (that is, think to be justified by them) are under the Curse.  
Secondly, we deny the Lord jesus, by denying the efficacy or virtue of his Death, not dying unto sin: Therefore Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from Death, that Christ may give thee 
Ephes. 5. 14.  Light. For as the Sun doth not warm all whom it lighteneth, as the people under the North Pole, who have the Sun six months together, and yet freeze; so the Spirit of God doth not cause all to feel the virtue of his Death, whom he illuminateth with the knowledge of his death. Such are our Atheists, the former are Papists, the later are Atheists, and both deny Christ.  
The profession of Christ standeth not in words, but in deeds, not in tongue, but in heart, not in opinion, but in life. The Apostle nameth a true Knowledge; for many know not God truly. Saint Peter calleth it an Idle knowledge, distinguishing of knowledge, that it is Operans, & otiosa, a working and an idle 
2 Pet. 2. 8.  knowledge: for some carry Christ in their mouth and brain, as perfume in a Pomander, without smell; as a sword in a scabbard, without cutting; as fire in a flint, without heat. But this I will say to thee in the sight of God and his Angels; that if thou dost not dye to sin and rise again by a new life; if thou dost not kill sin in thee, as Murder, Whoredom, Malice, covetousness, Usury, Pride, Drunkenness, etc. thou dost neither believe the Death nor the Resurrection of jesus Christ. So saith Paul, Know ye not that all we which have been baptised into jesus Christ, have been baptised into his Death? And again, If we 
Rom. 6. 3, 5, 6.  be grafted with him to the similitude of his Death, even so shall we be to the similitude of his Resurrection; Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin. And Saint john the disciple whom jesus loved, and which leaned on his breast at supper, saith, Hereby are we sure that we know him, if we keep his Commandments; he that saith, he knoweth him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a 
1 john 2. 4, 5.  Liar, and the Truth is not in him. This Death unto sin, and Resurrection to newness of life, Paul calleth it the virtue of his Death, The virtue of his Resurrection? The stone Dioscorides is nothing 
Phil. 3. 10.  in the mouth of a dead man. And all knowledge of Christ is nothing in a carnal man. The death of Christ truly believed, will cause thee to dye unto sin; and the Resurrection of Christ will cause the dead body to rise unto eternal life, and the dead mind to an holy life. So saith the Apostle, If ye 
The Papists deny the offices of Christ by consequence.  be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, set your affections upon Heavenly things, and not upon Earthly, for ye are dead, and your life is hid in God, etc. The jews know Christ, but not truly, that they know him it is evident 
Col. 3. 1, 2, 3.  by the testimony of the Apostle, Behold thou art called a jew, and restest in the Law, and gloriest in God, but that they did not know him truly, the same Apostle also testifieth, saying, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you: yea, the 
Rom. 2. 17. 24.  Devils knew him, and his death, but yet idly, historically only, not unto Salvation. And many so believe historically, & no further than the very Devils themselves do. For sin still reigneth 
jam. 2. 19  in them, notwithstanding the commandment of the Apostle, Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 
Rom. 6. 12.   
But to return to our Papists, who have opened their mouth against Heaven, whose tongue walketh through the world; for pride is to them as a chain, they are found to be notable heretics, denying, not in words, but in truth, the Lord jesus: First, they make him no jesus, by ascribing purging of sin to the blood of Martyrs, which they call, Thesaurum Ecclesiae, the treasure of the Church; out of which they grant their Indulgences.  
They make him no Christ, by denying his Offices; first, they make no Priest, by erecting a daily unbloudy sacrifice, they rob him of his intercession, by praying to Saints.  
They make him no Prophet, by ascribing so much to their traditions, by giving the Pope authority over the Gospel, to coin Laws as they list, by bringing in with Cyrill the Monk, Evangelium aeternum, an everlasting Gospel, which (say they) abolisheth the Gospel, of the Father in the time of the Law, and the Gospel of Christ, in the time of Grace.  
They make him no King, by giving all power to the Pope, to save & to destroy, to pull out of Heaven, to pluck down to Hell: Such a Cerberus is this of Rome, not with three heads, but with three crowns, boasting De plenitudine potestatis, of the fullness of power, whose coming is by the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and in all deceivableness of unrighteousness among them that perish.  
This hath Satan parted his Kingdom, that the Turk in the 
2 Thess. 2. 9  East should deny Christ's Natures, and the Pope in the West his Offices and Merits. For the former Roman Empire stood on Injustice, the latter of Impiety, the first injuring Men, the other God, yet not so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, against God, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, against Christ. The Papists allege the words of the Apostle, Hereby shall ye know the spirit of God, every spirit that confesseth that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: but by the Spirit there is meant the doctrine, not of men; the doctrine is of God, though not the man. They quote also another place of john, Whosoever 
Christ alone paid the whole ransom of our Redemption.  believeth that jesus is Christ, is borne of God; but Saint john speaketh not of a bare confession, but of a right belief, for the Devils confessed Christ.  
To conclude, they hold not the foundation with us, For other 
1 john 5. 1. Luke 4. 1 Cor. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 2.  foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Christ jesus: For if the Galathians, joining Circumcision with Christ, overthrew all; for so saith the Apostle, If ye circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. The Papists joining works with faith, nature with Grace, the Law with the Gospel, the Sacrifice with the Sacrament, Moses with Christ, must needs overthrow all: for whole Christ or no Christ, Totus Christus, aut nullus Christus, He paid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Ransom, and either he paid all, or not a 
1 Tit. 2. Act. 4.  penny: Non est aliud nomen, there is no other name given unto men, whereby they shall be saved, save only by the name of jesus. One compareth Christ to a man that purchaseth a Lease with his own money, and lets it to his successors, to hold it by a Pepper kernel, or a Rose leaf: Christ hath paid for our Salvation, For we are redeemed not with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, etc. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled; all our 
1 Pet. 1. 18, 19  works are but as a pepper kernel; yea as nothing, For when we have done all those things that are commanded us, we may say, that we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duties to do. 
Luke 17. 10.  If the fathers of these men had never sinned, yet could they not do greater injury to the Church of God than to beget such sons, or monsters rather, as Tully said of Catiline, Ecce ecclesiam apostaticam & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, non Catholicam, utinam Deus Nestorem excitaret, qui lites inter nos & illos componeret, Behold a Church Apostolical, and strife-stirring, not Catholic: I would God were pleased to raise some Nestor up to compose these jars, between us and them.  
But to leave this, note that Christ here is called our Lord; which he is two ways:  
jure creationis.  
jure redemptionis.  
First, By right of Creation: for by him God made the World. 
Hebr. 1. 2.   
Secondly, By the right of Redemption: for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to save the World: Hereupon 
john 3. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20.  saith Paul, Ye are bought with a price. Now redeeming is either by price and paying, or by power and force. Christ hath done both; he gave a price to God, And gave himself a ransom for all 
1 Tim. 2. 6.  men, He came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water 
1 john 5.  and blood. In water, is signified washing; by blood, Redemption.  
Secondly, by his Power he redeemeth, and hath taken us from the Devil. So saith the Author to the Hebrews, He hath delivered 
Hebr. 2.  us from death, and him that hath the Lordship of death. And Saint john saith, that He saw a great battle in Heaven, Micbael and his 
Divers effusions of Christ's blood.  Angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his Angels, but prevailed not, neither was their place any more found in Heaven. It was a greater matter to Christ to redeem the World, 
Apoc. 12. 7.  than to make the World. He made it in six days, but he was thirty and three years in redeeming it; he made all with a word, yea, with a breath, By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For the letter 
Psal. 33. 6.  (● He) in the Hebrew is but a breath: But he redeemed it with a great price, not with silver and gold, but with blood, not with blood of Bulls & Goats, but with his own precious Blood: 
1 Pet. 1. 18.  Gold and silver are but red earth, and white earth, which the error of man hath made to be esteemed; but the blood of Christ was so precious, that as a Father saith, Tanti quid valet? what is 
Aug.  of equal price with it? The least drop of Christ's blood was of such value, in regard of the person, that it was able to redeem ten thousand worlds; but less than Christ's blood could not redeem one Soul.  
And there were diverse and sundry effusions of his blood. The first blood he shed was at his Circumcision, when he was but 
De passione Dom. cap. 36.  eight days old; which S. Bernard calls Maturum martyrium, a timely martyrdom: to which end he further addeth, Vix natus est Coeli gloria, Coeli divitiae, deliciae, dulcis jesus, & ecce recenti ortui crucis dolor copulatur; Scarce was sweet jesus come into the world; who was the Glory, the Riches, the Delight of Heaven, but he underwent the painfulness of the Cross.  
The second effusion of blood was in his Agony, whereof Saint Bernard speaketh thus, Ecce quam rubicundus, & quam totus rubicundus, Behold, how red, and how wholly red he is? For Saint Luke affirmeth, that his sweat was like Drops of blood trickling down to the ground.  
The third effusion, was at his whipping; O cum quanta quantitate put as illum sanctissimum sanguinem, è conscisso corpore & flagellato distillassein terram? Oh in what abundance think ye, did the most sacred blood of his, pour down from his torn and scourged body, even to the ground?  
The fourth effusion of blood was when the crown of thorns was despitefully clapped upon his head, Nec hicputo defuisse rivos sanguinis, saith Bernard, nor can I think, that at this time there wanted rivers of blood.  
The fifth and last effusion of blood was upon the Cross, where his Hands, and Feet, and Side were pierced. Quis unquam tam gravia tam pudenda passus fuit? who was ever thus cruelly, 
Bern.  and shamefully handled? Contendunt passio & charitas, illa ut plus ardeat; ista ut plus rubeat, his passion and love did strive together that, that it may be hotter; this, that it may be the redder: O suavissime universorum Domine, etc. O blessed jesus, the most gracious Lord and Saviour of all thy chosen, how can I render thee 
As Christ gave himself for us, so should we give ourselves to him.  sufficient thankes? For thy garment is dipped in blood, and the chastisement of my peace hath been upon thee, from the beginning of thy days unto thy death; yea, and after thy death. Thus Christ's blood was often shed to redeem us: Hear this, you that 
Apoc. 19 13.  make so small account of your souls, and learn to esteem them at a greater price: Hear this, you that are so careless of your sins, and learn to shun them as Hell; hear we this all of us, and learn to be more thankful to Christ for his benefits. Persius wept when he saw a Toad; and being asked why he wept? he answered, that he bewailed his ingratitude, who served not the Lord, that had made him a Man, and not a Toad: Christ's face was buffeted, his eyes were blinded, his hands nailed, his feet pierced, his side launched, that we may give our eyes, hands, feet, heart to Christ in his service, that as we have given our members weapons of unrighteousness unto sin, so 
Rom. 6. 13.  we should give ourselves unto God, as they that are alive from the dead, and give our members as weapons of righteousness unto God. Finely saith one; O stulti! cur Satanae in membris vestris servitis? O ye fools! Why serve ye Satan in your members? Ille non creavit, non redemit, non sanctificat nos, non pascit nos, he hath not created us, not redeemed, not sanctified us, nor feedeth us: Quae haec insania Christum relinquere, à quo omnia bona, Diabolo servire, qui est homicida? what madness is this, to leave Christ from whom we receive all good, and to serve the Devil, who is a murderer? 
john 8. 44.  Stultum est servire Diabolo, qui nullo placatur obsequio; It is a foolish thing to serve the Devil, whom no obedience, no service will content. But the wicked shall one day curse these members, that have served the Devil, Vae vobis (inquient) pedes maledicti, qui per gressus & saltus illicitos me ad infernum traxistis; woe to you (shall 
Greg.  they say) cursed feet, which by unlawful leaping and dancing have drawn me to Hell: Vae vobis manus rapaces, woe to you ravenous hands: Vae tibi cor maledictum, woe to thee cursed heart, which seldom or never thoughtest of God: O cursed tongue which hath uttered so many obscene and filthy words; O cursed eye, which never shedst tear for thy sin, and therefore many thousand years shalt thou weep, and no man shall pity thee. God challengeth both heart and body; My son give me thy heart. Whereupon one descanteth very finely; fili mi 
Mat. 22. 13.  per creationem, fili mi per redemptionem, da mihi cor tuum per dilectionem 
Pro. 23. Holcot.  & devotionem, My Son by Creation, my Son by Redemption, give me thy heart by Love and devotion. And the same Author compareth Christ to a Falcon, and he saith thus Falconi volanticor datur pro mercede; to the flying Falcon, the heart, of the Fowl she taketh is given her for her reward; this Falcon is Christ, Ipse volavit de Coelo in uterum, he flew from Heaven into the Womb of the Virgin; out of the Womb into the Manger, out of the Manger into the World, from the 
Christ's passions ought to move us to dutifulness and thankfulness.  World unto the Cross, from the Cross into the Grave, from the Grave, to Heaven again, Ergo cor vendicat pro praeda, therefore he challengeth ●hy heart for his prey. And Saint Chrysostome, that golden-mouthed Doctor, bringeth in Christ thus speaking, Ego propter vos factus sum homo, propter vos ligatus, propter 
Chrysost.  vos in patibulo mortuus; ecce precium sanguinis, quod pro vobis dedi, ubi est ergo servitus vestra pro tanto pretio? for your sakes I became man, for your sakes was I bound, for your sakes died I upon the Cross; Behold, the price of blood that I paid for you, where is therefore your service and duty, for such a price? your service to him that gave himself for you, that he might redeem you. Vide quid pro te patior, vide dolorem, cum Angelus venit de coelis ad consolandum, vide clavos, quibus confodior, ad te clamo qui pro te morior; See what I suffer for thy sake, see my sorrow, which was so great, that an Angel from heaven was made to come to comfort me: See the nails wherewith I was pierced and thrust through: I cry to thee, which died for thee, etc. A most elegant Prosopopeia: What heart of flint will not be moved with it? O jesus! take away these stony hearts, and give us fleshly hearts. O duri & indurati & obdurati filii Adae! O durate, indurate and obdurate sons of Adam! quos non movet tanta benignitas, whom such great gentleness and courtesy cannot move. Let us sorrow with Corinth, wash Christ's feet with Mary, let us weep bitterly 
2 Cor. 7.  with Peter, that we serve God no better. The Sun knew Christ, and therefore against kind was eclipsed, the wind knew 
Luke 7. Mar. 15. Mar. 2. Mat. 14. Mat. 28. john 1. 10.  him, and therefore left blustering at his word, the Sea knew him and therefore bore him up that he walked dry foot upon the waters, the Earth knew him and therefore opened when he rose, the Devils knew him, only vile man knoweth him not. He came among his own, and his own received him not, but let us receive him, and serve him in holiness and righteousness, let us obey his commandments, fear his judgements, and submit ourselves 
1 Sam. 3. 18.  to his blessed will and pleasure; saying with Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.   

THE TENTH SERMON.  VERS. iv 
Which were of old before ordained to this condemnation, etc. 
Destruction the end of the the ungodly.   
HAving thus described the wicked, Which were before of old ordained to condemnation, by their life; he cometh now to describe them by their end: and here he preventeth an objection, by a figure called Praeoccupatio, lest they should take offence, and say, why doth God suffer these wicked men, Hypocrites, Atheists, Wantoness, Libertines, Blasphemers; why do they prosper? why is pride unto them as a chain? why do the wicked live 
Psal. 73. 6. job 21. 7, 8. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  and wax old, and grow in wealth; their seed is established in their sight with them, and their generation before their eyes; their houses are peaceable and without fear? and the rod of God is not upon them; their Bullock gendereth and faileth not, their Cow calveth, and casteth not her calf, they send forth their Children like Sheep, and their son's dance, they take the Tabret and Harpe, and rejoice in the sound of the Organs, they spend their days in wealth, and suddenly they go down to the grave. jude answereth them, That God hath ordained them to judgement. Fret not thyself therefore because of the ungodly, neither 
Psal. 37. 1.  be envious for evil doers: For they shall soon be cut down, as the grass, and withered like the green herb: Here they far well, here they have cap and knee, and all the honour that may be; but Respice finem, they walk upon ice, in the end they fall. For evil doers shall be cut off; yea, the arms of the wicked shall be broken, the 
Psal. 37. 9, 10. 20.  wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the fat of Lambs, even with the smoke shall they consume away. Look not therefore to their lives, but to their end; their end is damnation; 
The enemies of God's Church and Children shall not long flourish.  For tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that doth evil. In the end, God will rain upon them fire & brimstone, storm and tempest, this shall be their portion to drink. Wheat and Chaff go together, till they come to the flail, but then the wheat is reserved, and the chaff burned: Sheep and Goats go together, 
Rom. 2. 9 Psal. 11. 6, 7. Mat. 3. 12. Mal. 3. 17. 1 Pet. 1. Deut. 32. 19  till they come to the fold, but then they are separated; Gold and Dross go together, till they come to the Furnace, but then the Gold is the purer, and the Dross is molten. Respice ergo finem, look not unto their lives, but unto their end, O that they were wise, than they would understand this, they would consider their latter end. For surely the prosperity of the wicked, shall not continue, it shall have an end, and their hope shall be cut off. God 
Prov. 24. 19  hath appointed them to judgement, they shall have no inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Thou seest Pharaoh in his Chariot, 
Exod. 14.  pursuing Israel; but look again, and thou shalt see him in the Sea, feeding Haddocks. Thou seest Nabuchadnezzar in his Palace of Babel, vaunting and bragging, Is not this great Babel that I have built for the use of my Kingdom, by the might of 
Dan. 4. 27.  my power, and for the honour of my Majesty? but look again, and thou shalt see him in the wilderness amongst brute beasts. Thou seest Herod in his Throne, honoured as an Angel; but look again, and thou shalt see him on the ground amongst 
Act. 12.  worms: Thou seest Dionysius in his Chair of Gold in Siracusa; but look again, and thou shalt see him in Corinth teaching Boys, tossing a Sceptre inferulam. A Christian must not be like Polypheme, the oneeyed Giant: If with one eye we see Damocles in a bed of Gold, with the other eye we shall see a Sword hang over him in a hair, to dash that pleasure: If thou lookest on the prosperity of the wicked, look on his end also, which is Damnation: Antiochus shall not ever make havoke of the Church: the rich man shall not ever ruffle in Silk and purple; Senacherib 
2 Mach. 9 Luke 16.  shall not ever rail on the daughter Zion; Sapor of Persia shall not ever be drawn in a Chariot by four Kings; there will be an 
Prov. 23. 18.  end, there will be an end, and their hope shall be cut off.  
They here used more the Greek word, signifieth noted or written in a book, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a phrase often used. The Prophet 
Mal. 3. 16.  Malachi useth it saying, Then spoke they that feared God, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared God, and thought upon his name. And Christ our Saviour useth the very phrase, saying, Rejoice not that the 
Luke 10. 20.  spirits are subdued unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven. And Saint john useth also the same phrase; I saw the dead, both small and great stand before the throne, and the books 
Apoc. 20. 12.  were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of Life. And again, the same phrase is used in the description of the heavenly jerusalem, And there shall enter into it no unclean thing, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or jyes; but they which are 
God's decree hath two parts Election, Reprobation not to be enquired into.  written in the Lamb's book of Life. Not that God needeth any Book; for this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for our capacity; For he is God only wise, in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding; he knoweth all from everlasting, and is the cause of all the Knowledge, that is in all, both 
Cap. 21. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Col. 1. 9 job. 14. job. 38. 36.  Men and Angels. He calleth all the stars by their names, he hath put Wisdom in the reines, and hath given to the heart understanding, his Wisdom is infinite. But let us see the certainty of his judgements; for, as the voice vanisheth, but litera scripta manet; So the damnation of the wicked is certain, his heart cannot endure, nor his hands be strong; that is, he shall never be able to defend himself, he shall be as dross, as brass, 
Ezech. 22. 14. 18  as tin, and iron, and lead in the midst of the furnace, as God shall melt them, that is, destroy them.  
But to proceed orderly: the decree of God hath two parts: Election, and Reprobation.  
That some are elected, appeareth by many testimonies of the Scripture: Paul saith, Whom he hath predestinate, them hath he also called, etc. Moses willeth Israel to Remember the days of old, when 
Deut. 32. 8.  the most high God divided their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, etc. And Paul saith, That God hath chosen us in him (that is, Christ) before the foundation of the World: Wherefore some are 
Ephes. 1. 4. Rom. 9 17.  elected, some not; For he hath Mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. God hath made all things for his glory; yea even the wicked for the day evil. If any will go further, and say, why will God be thus glorified? The Apostle answereth him, that he will have mercy on him to whom he will show Mercy, and he will have 
Rom. 9 15. 18.  compassion on him on whom he will have compassion. And again, he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth: he doth as pleaseth him; even as the Psalmist saith, Our God is in Heaven, he doth whatsoever he will. Christ giveth no other reason; It is so, O 
Psal. 115. 3. Mat. 11. 26. Psal. 39 9  Father, because thy good pleasure was such. Obmutui (quoth David) quia tu Domine fecisti, I became dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. But if any proud man go yet further, and say, Why will God have it so? It is a proud question for either man or Angel, and the Apostle answereth him, O man! who art thou that pleadest with God? Shall the thing form say 
Rom. 9 20, 21.  to him that form it, why hast thou made me thus? hath not the Potter power of the clay, to make of the same lump one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour. Inscrutabilia sunt Dei judicia; and therefore the Apostle breaketh out, saying, O the deepness of the riches? both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God? how unsearchable are his judgements, 
Rom. 11. 33. 34.  and his ways past finding out; for who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who was his Counsellor? I say with Augustine; Cave praecipitium; Take heed of a breakeneck; With job, lay thy hand 
God's will most perfect, his proceed most just.  o●●y mouth; With David, meddle not with matters above thy reach, Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos; What are above us, pertain not to us; With Paul, Sape adsobrietatem; Presume not to understand above that which is meet to understand but that ye understand according to sobriety. 
job 39 37. Psal. 131. 1. Rom. 12. 3.  God's glory is above the Heavens; we may bark at it, as Dogs do against the Moon, but we cannot pull it down.  
To speak more fully: Gods will is a reason of all reasons, it is the rule of all equity, Ideo vult, quia vult, He will, because he will, E● ideo justum est quia vult, and it is therefore just because he will. Tangere vis coelestes ignes? liquesces, wilt thou touch these 
Lipsius.  Heavenly fires? thou shalt melt. Scandere vis in providentiae montem? wilt thou climb up into the high mount of God's Providence? Cades, thou shalt fall, Natabis in abysso Dei? wilt thou swim in Gods bottomless waters? Mergeris, thou shalt be drowned: Thou seest a little living creature the Fly, buzzing about the Candle till she be burned: So our mind waxeth wanton about God's secrets, till we be overwhelmed. The will of God is Causa causarum, the cause of causes; Cui licet quod libet, & nil libet, nisi quid licet: The judgements of God are 
August.  oftentimes secret, hid, but never unjust. Let us learn Heavenly things by Earthly: A man hath in his house vessels of Gold, and of Clay for his use and pleasure; That a Prince pardoneth one malefactor, and punisheth another, and yet justly; That a Creditor exacteth ten pounds of one Debtor, and remitteth twenty pounds to another, and yet in the one is but just, in the other is merciful: So God damning some is just and saving other, is merciful, and in neither cruel or unjust. David compareth the judgements of God to a great Deep, saying, Thy judgements are like a great Deep, we cannot 
Psal. 36. 6.  wade in them. Finely saith Augustine, Tu homo expectas a me responsum, & ego sum homo, itaque ambo dicentem audiamus: O homo, tu quis 
August. ser. 10. de verbis Apost.  es? melior est fidelis ignorantia, quam temeraria sententia. Petrus negat; Latro credit: O altitudo! quaeris turationem, ego expavescam; tu rationare, ego mirabor; tu disputas, ego credam; altitudinem video & profundum non pervenio: O altitudo! Thou O man expectest an answer from me, and I am a man as well as thou, let us therefore both hear another speaking. O man, who art thou? Faithful Ignorance is better than a rash unadvised Sentence. Peter denyeth; the Thief believeth: O height! thou demandest a reason of this, I will fear and tremble; thou reasonest, I will wonder; thou disputest I will believe: I see a depth, but I cannot come to the bottom; O depth!  
But we, as though God had made us his fellows, as though we were of privy Council, will rush into his Chair, and determine rashly of his judgements. Some grant election, but then they add, that it standeth upon our works: that godly are elected because they will be holy: but we are elected, that we 
God elects us of his free Grace.  may be holy, not because we will be holy. Holiness is the 〈◊〉 or effect, not the cause of election. So saith Paul, He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love, who hath predestinate us to be adopted, 
Ephes. 1. 4, 5.  through jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his Will. As if Paul had said, that he considered nothing without himself, but therefore chose us, because he loved us; no cause can be rendered of our election, but the Will of God. Vocavit 
2 Tim. 1. 9  nos Deus, non secundum opera, etc. he hath called us unto an holy calling; Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us through Christ jesus, before the World was. It is true of all men, that Christ said of his disciples, non vos me elegistis, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you; yea, God so preventeth us with his grace, that he findeth nothing past or to come, whereby God chose us, and be reconciled unto us; For who hath given unto him first? that is, provoked him, by his good works? A lively example we have in these two brethren Esau and jacob, both twins, both enclosed in one womb, yet he rejected the one, and chose the other; Non ex operibus, not by works, but by him that calleth: Deus coronat opera 
Rom. 9 11.  sua, non merita nostra; God crowneth his gifts, not our merits: Cui daret justus judex coron●●●, nisi cui dedisset pater misericors indebitam gratiam? To whom should the just judge give the crown, but unto whom the Father of Mercy giveth undeserved Grace? And he addeth, Ne dicas ideo electus sum, quia credebam, 
Aug. tract. 86. in job.  si enim credebas, jam cum elegeras, non ipse te, & sic judicium esset penos lutum, non penes figulum: Do not say I am elected, because I did believe; for if thou didst believe, thou hadst now chosen him, and not he thee, and so the judgement had been in the power of the clay, and not of the potter. But hear what Christ saith, Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. I say therefore with Saint Ambrose, justitia nostra magis constat remissione peccatorum, quam perfectione virtutum, our righteousness consisteth more in the remission of our sins, than in the perfection of our virtues. Even as David declareth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose 
Psal. 32. 1, 2.  sin is covered; blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth no sin.  
One Father saith thus, when we were not, God made us; when we were sinners, he justified us; when we were in prison, he freed us; when we were mortal, he glorified us. Another 
Rom. 5. 1. Luke 4. 18. Rom. 8. 30.  Father saith, God by his Wisdom hath foreknown us, by his Gospel he calleth us, by his Faith he justifieth us, by his justice he damneth us, by his Grace he saveth us: So that all is of his mere goodness, and no cause to expostulate with God: His judgements are just, but yet secret. Secret things (saith 
Deut. 29. 29.  Moses) belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong unto 
Five signs of Election, two internal.  us. But if the Heavens declare the glory of God, let us speak to his glory: Secreta Dei sunt adoranda, non scrutanda; Secret things are to be adored, not searched: It is not good to eat too 
Prov. 25. 27.  much Honey; so to search their own glory, is not glory. It is reported of Augustine, that being about to write his books of the Trinity, he was taught by a child, who jaded the Sea into a little spoon; to whom Augustine said, that he laboured in vain, for his little spoon could not contain the Sea. To whom the child replied, that his little Wisdom, his shallow brain could not contain the depth of the Trinity.  
But you will say, how shall we know our election, that we may be comforted against all the assaults of Satan, that we may say with the sweet singer of Israel; Though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art 
Psal. 23.  with me, thy rod and thy staff shall comfort me? And with Paul, I 
2 Tim. 4. 6, 7. 8  have fought a good fight, I have kept the Faith, I have finished my course, from hence forward there is laid up for me a crown of glory, which the Lord will give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.  
I answer, that no man can be deceived in the state of his election, but he that deceiveth himself; for we may know whether we stand in the state of Grace, or no. Danaeus maketh 
Danaeus in Isagog.  five signs of election; As the coming of the Swallow is a sign of the Spring; as the putting forth of the figtree is a sign of Summer; as the whiteness of the region is a sign of Harvest: So there be many undoubted signs of our election.  
1 The first is the inward testimony of God's Spirit, the seal and earnest-penny of our Salvation. For it is God that hath Sealed us, and hath given us the Earnest of his Spirit in our 
2 Cor. 1. 22.  hearts. The Apostle compareth the Word to a writing, the Spirit to a seal, that ratifieth all. Clamat in nobis Abba, the same 
Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. Luke 11. 11.  Spirit beareth witness to our Spirit, that we are the children of God. And because we are Sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, which cryeth Abba, Father. And if God be our Father, how can we doubt of our inheritance? If we ask Fish, he will not give us a Serpent, If Heaven, he will not give us Hell.  
2 The second sign is our faith, which is known by the effects, as the Eagle by her feathers, as the tree of Life by the fruits of it. Thus Paul bade the Corinth's, try their faith, Prove yourselves whether ye are in the Faith, examine yourselves, etc. Qui 
2 Cor. 13. 5.  credit, salvabitur, he that believeth shall be saved: and this faith may be known to us, if we will search ourselves. Christ asked 
Mar. 16. 16. john 8.  the woman taken in Adultery, where her accusers were? So ask thy heart where thy sins are? and if thou dost believe, it will say with the woman that they are all gone: Qui enim credit transit 
Three external signs of Election.  a morte ad vitam, He that believeth in him is passed from death to life: for all that are borne of God overcommeth the World. And this is the victory that overcommeth the World, even our Faith. 
john 3. 1 john 5. 4.  Hereupon Paul triumpheth over Death, Hell, Hunger, Cold, Nakedness, Peril, Sword, and concludeth; That neither Death, nor Life nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Power, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, 
Rom. 8. 38, 39  shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord.  
3 The third sign is the conformity of our will to Gods will, to love that which God loveth, and to hate that which God hateth: therefore we pray, that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. He that doth the will of God shall abide 
Mat. 6.  for ever: For not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven.  
4 The fourth sign is a strife against sin: For as the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit, so doth the Spirit against the Flesh. And they that are Christ's, Have crucified the Flesh, with the affections and lusts. 
Gal. 5. 17. 24.  And he that is elected, will cry out with the Apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 
Rom. 7. 24.  Meaning the corruption which yet remained. The Law in our members which rebelleth, they will tame, and give no way to the motions of the flesh.  
5 The fifth and last sign is, the reformation of our whole life, a general walking in the paths of righteousness & holiness, as our election is known unto God from all eternity; For the foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath his seal: The Lord knoweth 
2 Tim. 2. 19  who are his, so is it known to us by our works: and therefore we are willed, To give all diligence to make our election and calling sure, by good works, if we can so live, that at the last; when we 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  shall leave this World? we can say with Simeon, Lord now lettest 
Luke 2.  thou thy servant departed in peace. It is an undoubted sign of our election.  
Our election is perfected by many degrees, Paul nameth three degrees of it: Vocation, justification, and Glorification: for so run his words, Those whom he knew before, he predestinate; and whom he predestinate, them also he called; and whom 
Rom. 8. 29, 30.  he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them also he Glorified. But others make other degrees:  
The first, to be Christ's, with his gifts.  

1 Cor. 3. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 9 Rom. 4. 25. Ephes. 2. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 8.  The second degree is our Adoption.  
The third, is our Vocation by the Gospel.  
The fourth is justification.  
The fifth, is our Sanctification.  
The sixth, is our Glorification.  
These are the signs of our election, and this election is every 
God reprobateth in justice, as well as elocteth in Mercy.  way free: Never man laid hand on this work, never man brought stone to this building, but all is from God, and his Mercy. Let us therefore throw down our crowns with the Elders, and let us say with David, Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise: And if our reason cannot comprehend this our election, 
Psal. 115. 1.  let our Faith comprehend it: Vbi ratio definite, sides incipit: where 
Ambr.  reason faileth, faith beginneth. Let our reason be as Hagar, our faith as Sara; if reason will presume, let Sara, let faith take her down a peg.  
The other part of God's decree is Reprobation, here named of jude, Of old ordained to condemnation. Now whereas many grant election, but not Reprobation, Reprobation is proved by many places of Scripture. Christ saith, Every plant which my Heavenly 
Mat. 15. 13.  Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. And Paul speaketh of Vessels of wrath, ordained to destruction: And Esay telleth us that 
Rom. 9 22.  Tophet is prepared of old, it is prepared even for the King, he hath made 
Esa. 30. 33.  it deep and large, etc. yet many are squeamish of Reprobation, utterly denying it: And Jerome was once of the mind; he said, that God elected some, but reprobated none. Now if he deny all reprobation, this must be wrapped up amongst the rest of his errors: Haec patrum pudenda tegi patior: I love to hide these imperfections 
1 Cor. 3.  of the Fathers; for they did not ever build gold upon the foundation, but sometime hay and stubble, etc. Indeed God reprobates none but for sin: but for sin he reprobates. And thus God is righteous, and his judgements just: thus Christ divideth the whole world into two parts, Corn and Tares, Goats and Sheep; the Tares shall be bound up in bundles, and cast into the fire, the Goats 
Mat. 13. & 25.  shall stand at Christ's left hand, and shall hear, Go ye cursed into everlasting Hell fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels: and mark that he saith, prepared for the Devil and his angels. If of five senses, we want four, we cannot deny this Reprobation.  
But what should I light a candle at noonday, or pour water into the Sea, or bring the breath of a man to help the blast or gale of wind? Magna est veritas & praevalet: great is truth and prevaileth: for we cannot do any thing against the truth, but for the truth. 
2 Cor. 13. 8.  Reprobation standeth with the glory of God: for as his Mercy appeareth in Election, so his justice in Reprobation, and his justice in punishing sin, is as lawful, as holy, as glorious, as his Mercy in Christ jesus. For in God they are equal, and not qualities, but of the essence of God. For he is justice and Mercy itself: God is not made of mercy only, as a loaf is of Corn, or wood of Trees, but of justice also: And God's glory shineth as much in his justice as in his Mercy, God hath made all things for his glory, and the wicked for the day of vengeance. Shall we then reason against God, and say, Why doth he thus? Absit, God forbidden.  
Again, all the works of God have their contraries, wherein 
God not the author of evil, but the disposer.  the infinite Wisdom of God appeareth. In Physic one thing bindeth, and another looseth; one thing comforteth nature, and another thing destroyeth it: In the state of the World, there is light and darkness, honey and gall, sweet and sour, pricks and roses, fair and foul, herbs and weeds. In the creation of the creatures, every thing hath his contrary; the Wolf to the Sheep, the Weasel to the Coney, the Mouse to the Elephant, the Dragon to the Unicorn, the Spider to the Fly, the Lion to the Beasts, the Eagle to the Birds. Again, in the Church there are contraries; the Elect to the Reject, Cain against Abel, Ishmael against Isaac, Hagar against Sara, Esau against jacob, Pharaoh against Moses, Saul against David, the Pharises against Christ, the false god against the true God. Again, all virtues have their contrary vices, Falsehood against Truth, Hatred against Love, Faith against Infidelity, Temperancie against Riot, Prudence against Folly, Liberality against Covetousness, Chastity against Incontinency, Fortitude against Pusillanimity. So God hath them that are elected to life, and fore-written to judgement: for in the whole state of the world God hath showed himself the Author of justice and Mercy. If there were no Darkness, we should not know the benefit of Light; If no sickness, we should not know the benefit of health; If no death, we should not know the goodness of life. So Hell makes the bliss of Heaven seem the greater; and this destruction of the wicked, the salvation of the godly, more happy and glorious.  
But perhaps this seemeth hard, that God should reprobate some, ordain some to condemnation; but I answer, No, sith he reprobates none but such as voluntarily sin, and so are the Authors of their own destruction. Obj. But sinners cannot but sin. Answer. 1. But by grace they might be saved. Secondly, though being left to themselves they sinne necessarily, yet they sinne willingly: for necessity is to be distinguished from coaction. To clear this point and the Lord, Deus est necessariô bonus, non coactè: God is necessarily good, not coactedly: Diabolus & mali necessariò peccant, non coactè: the Devil and the wicked sin, necessarily, not coactedly. But they say, God will have all men to be saved: Audio Paulum loqui de 
2 Tim. 2. 4.  generibus singulorum, non de singulis generum: I hear Paul speak of some of all estates and degrees of men, not of all in general. Noble therefore and Base, Learned and Unlearned, Rich and Poor, God will have to be saved; For there is neither jew, nor Grecian, there is neither Bond, nor Free, there 
Gal. 3. 28.  is neither Male, nor Female: For ye are all one in CHRIST JESUS.  
If any man say that our sin is extenuated by predestination: I answer with Augustine, Deus non est vitiorum nostrorum author, 
Man's sin & destruction from himself.  sed ordinator: God is not the Author of our sins and vices, but the ordinatour, the disposer. Hereupon saith Solomon, The Lord hath made all things for his own sake, yea even the wicked for 
August. lib. de Genesi ad cap. 5. Prov. 16. 4. Hos. 13. 9 job 34. 10, 11, 12.  the day of evil. Blame not God, as Hosea said to Israel, One hath destroyed thee, but in me is thine help. Finely said Elihu, God forbidden that wickedness should be in God, and iniquity in the Almighty: For he will render unto man according to his work, and cause every one to find according to his way, and certainly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgement. Our sin is our own; if we perish, it is our own fault: many lay 
2 Pet. 2. 12.  the fault in Adam, but the Wiseman saith it is our own sin, therefore he counselleth us, Say not thou, It is through 
Eccles. 15. 11.  the Lord, that I turn back, for thou oughtest not to do the thing that he hateth. But Saint james answereth all these cavils, saying, Let no man say, when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man, but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence, 
jam. 1. 13.  and is enticed.  
In this question we have to do with four kinds of Hogs, or Dogs rather: Pelagians, Manichaeans, Anabaptists, Epicures.  
All these bark as the Dogs of Corybant, who tore in sunder Neanthes the son of Pittacus. To all which I answer, that the perdition of the wicked so dependeth on predestination, as that the cause and matter of predestination is found in themselves. Adam fell (God so ordaining it) yet he fell by his own fault: For God made all things good, therefore Adam's sin was not 
Gen. 1. 31.  by creation, but it was the malice and corruption of his will: it being as a wheel flexible to either side, but the hand of the turner coming unto it, it turned it to the left hand, not to the right: God made man right.  
But say some, This doctrine destroyeth all care of well doing: 
Eccles. 7. 29.  for what need we do well, if God hath elected us; or shun vice, if God hath reprobated us? But this presupposeth things impossible: for God elects none to salvation, but whom he first chooseth in Christ unto an holy and blameless life, Ephes. 1. 4. Neither doth he reprobate any but for sin, but upon their refusal of Christ jesus offered to them in the preaching of the Gospel: for men are not vessels of wrath, till considered as sinners, Eph. 2. 3. nor ordained to destruction, but upon refusal of the means of Grace, Ezek. 24. 13. 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. Wherefore if one man only were to be damned in all the whole world, every man should 
Lament. 3. 22.  fear, lest it should be he, & walk carefully, For blessed is the man 
Prov. 28. 14.  that feareth always. And if one man only were to be saved in the whole world, every man should hope that it is he, and so rest on 
The action in sin is from God, the prarity from man's corruption.  God's mercy, walk carefully: Dum spiro, spero, quoth a Father, whilst I breathe, I hope; and above all to take the shield of Faith, wherewith we may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  
To proceed orderly in this point: there be three opinions, the first, of the Libertines: the second, of them that deny God's 
Aug.  Providence, by granting a bare permission, as that he suffereth all things, but not that he willeth all things: the third opinion is of them that grant God to do all, but so, that all actions, as they proceed from God, are just, but as they are done of us, to be unjust.  
For the first; the Libertines make God the author of sin, & say of all thefts, murders, whoredoms, that not man, but God did them, they call all these sins, men's vocations, and that doing them, we do but walk in our vocations; they say, Omnia licent: all things are lawful: Ergo licet scortari, furari, occidere, therefore lawful 
1 Cor. 10.  to whore, steal, kill; so reasoned Quintinus the Libertine with Calvin, saying, Omnia munda mundis: all things are clean to the 
Tit. ●. 15.  clean: Stuprum ergo, furtum, homicidium esse munda: therefore whoredom, theft, murder to be clean. But we make not God the Author of sin; For his soul hateth & abhorreth sin, his Law curseth and condemneth sin. And whereas it is said, There is no evil in the City, but the Lord doth it himself, the words are to be understood, Non quatenus sunt mala, sed quatenus sunt malorum poenae: not as they are evil, but as they are the punishment of evil. Again, every action, so far forth as it is an action, is good, & of God: For in him we live, and move, and have our being. As for example, one man 
Act. 17. 28.  killeth another; the very moving of the body in doing this villainy, is of God, but the evil of the action is from Man and the Devil: as one saith finely, Actio est à Deo, nequitia vero actionis ab 
Bez●.  homine: the action is from God, the lewdness of the action from man. Another useth this comparison, That as the Sun in Summer draweth stench from a Carrion which smelled not before, and yet 
Calvin.  the beams of the Sun pure, and no cause of the stench of the Carrion: so God's Providence draweth evil out of men, and yet no cause of that evil. Another useth this Simile, That as in cutting with a bad knife, the cutting is of myself, but the evil cutting is of the knife; So the action is of God, but the evil of the action is of ourselves. Augustine affirmeth, Deum per malos agere: 
Lipsius. August. in Enchiridion ad Laurentium.  that God worketh by evil men: Deus enim, inquit ille, jussit Shemei Davidimaledicere: for God (saith he) commanded Shemei to curse David. Again, he saith, In peccato peccatoris nihil esse positivum, sed privativum: In the sin of a sinner, nothing is positive, but privative. So God is said to make blind whom he inlightneth not, to harden whom he softeneth not, and to reprobate whom he calleth not effectually. But I will conclude this point with the saying of two worthy men, Augustine, and Fulgentius. Augustine 
The causes of Reprobation are hidden, but just.  saith thus, Deus operatur in cordibus hominum, ad inclinandas voluntates eorum quocunque vult, sive ad bona pro sua misericordia, sive ad mala pro ipsorum meritis; God worketh in the hearts of men, to incline their wills to whatsoever he will, either to good things by his mercy, or to evil by their deserts. And Fulgentius saith thus, Deus licet author non sit malarum cogitationum, ordinator est tamen malarum voluntatum, & de malo opere cujuslibet mali, non desinit ipse bonum operari: Although God be not the Author of evil cogitations, yet is he the orderer of evil wills, and of the evil work of every evil man, he ceaseth not to work a good work.  
Beza hath three Aphorisms against Castellio; Primùm, causas reprobationis esse à nobis absconditas, sed tamen justas, alioquin judicium esset penes lutum, non penes figulum: First, the causes of reprobation are hid from us, yet they be just, otherwise the judgement were in the power of Clay, not of the Potter.  
Secondly, Deum non simpliciter creare quenquam ad exitium, that God not simply hath created any to destruction, but the causes 
1 Hosca 13. 2 Pet. 2.  of destruction are of himself: Perditio tua ex te, O Israel, thy destruction is of thyself, O Israel; and the Apostle saith, that the wicked perish through their own corruption.  
Thirdly, Deum non spectare reproborum exitium, ut ultimum finem, sed gloriam suam, quae in eorum justa condemnatione lucet, that God beholdeth not the destruction of the wicked, as the last end: but his glory, which shineth most brightly in their condemnation. As Solomon saith, The Lord hath made all things for his glory, even the wicked for the day of evil. So that the justice of God shall appear to his glory, even in the destruction of the wicked.  
The second opinion is of them. Qui dicunt Deum omnia permittere, sed non velle; which say, that God permits and suffers all things, but he willeth not all things: but God saith that it is his will, and that nothing is done without his will. Our God (saith 
Psal. 115. 3. Psal. 135. 6.  David) is in heaven, he doth whatsoever he will. No impediment can let his work, but he useth even the impediments to serve his will. And whatsoever he willeth, that doth he in Heaven, and in Earth, in the Sea, and in all deep places. That appeareth in the affliction of job, Satan envied job; and the Chaldees rob him; 
job 1. 1 Reg. 22.  yet job said, Dominus dedit, dominus abstulit, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away. In the deceiving of Achab, the Devil is sent of God to be a lying spirit in the mouths of the four hundred Prophets, Si ista execatio est Dei, nudum permissionis figmentum evanescit; If this execation be the judgement of God, this bare and naked figment of permission must vanish as smoke, and as the untimely fruit of a woman. An earthen pitcher shall drive away the Madianites; Trumpets of Rams horns shall blow down the walls of jericho; a pebble stone shall 
God worketh by evil men, and not in them.  overthrow the great Goliath; that is, the scripture shall overthrow the conceit, the imagination and fiction of bare permission. As jael with one nail stroke Sisera to the ground, so will I with one example beat down the paper-wals of this opinion.  
Absalon defiled his father's bed, and committed a notable villainy, yet God calleth it his work, Verba enim Dei sunt, they are Gods own words; Tufecisti occultè, ego vero palam, & coram 
2 Sam. 16.  hoc Sole, thou hast done it secretly, but I openly, & before this Sun. To strengthen this (for Vis unita fortior) The jews, Pilate, Herod crucified Christ; yet the Apostle said, that they did nothing but that which the hand and counsel of God had decreed. And yet again, 
Act. 4.  that a threefold cable may not easily be broken, the 
jer. 5  cruelty of the Chaldees in judaea, jeremy calleth the work of God. In which since Nabuchadnezzar is called Servus Dei, the servant of God; and God calleth the King of Assyria, the rod of his wrath. 
Esa. 10.  I do but crop some few examples of millions and infinite, that might be alleged. Nothing is clearer than these speeches, that God blindeth men, that he giveth them the spirit of slumber, 
Esa. 29. Exod. 9 Rom. 1. 28.  that he hardeneth their hearts, and so is he said to have hardened Pharoahs' heart, and to give men up into a reprobate sense. And of the inhabiters of Canaan, Moses said, that God hardeneth their hearts, to fight against the Church. And Paul calleth the wisdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. These be not matters of reason, but of faith; Et ubi fides incipit, ratio desinit, where 
Ios. 11. Ephes. 3. 10. Ambr.  faith beginneth, reason endeth? But I answer with Calvin, that though God willeth all things, yet he neither commandeth nor compelleth the wicked; Though God would revenge the Adultery of David, by the Incest of Absalon, yet God neither commanded nor compelled him, which freeth God.  
The third opinion is of them, that say, all things come to pass by God's providence, that our actions as they proceed from God, are just, and as they come of ourselves unjust. Hereupon Beza distinguisheth thus, Deum agere in bonis & per bonos, that God worketh in good men, and by good men; Per malos vero 
1 parte quaes●ionum.  agere, at non in malis; and that he worketh by evil men, but not in evil men: In his enim duntaxat agit quos spiritu suoregit, He worketh in them only whom he ruleth by his spirit, In malis igitur non agit aliquid, he worketh not therefore in evil men: 
Ephes. 2. 2.  for Satan not God worketh in them. And Master Calvin against the Libertines produceth two exceptions, Primò, sic Deum agere periniquos & Satanam, ut ipsi etiam suas agunt parts, non per illos agit, ut per truncos, & lapides, sed ut per creaturas rationales, qui sponte ruunt; First, God so worketh by the wicked, and by Satan, as that they also play their own parts, he worketh not by them, as by blocks, or stones, but as by reasonable creatures, which run headlong of their own accord. Secundò, magnam esse differentiam inter opus Dei & impiorum: there is great difference between 
God, Satan, & Men, concur in the same action, but have different ends.  the work of God, and the work of the wicked, in respect of the end of their work: The Sun draweth stench out of a dead carcase, Non immittit, he doth not send it in: So God worketh by the wicked, and yet so, that his justice doth not justify them, nor their wickedness contaminate him, as it appeareth in jobs example; God, Satan, and the Chaldees concur, move, 
job 1.  work, yet is God clear, and they guilty; Inspecto fine agendi, considering the end of their work: God did it to try job, Satan to destroy job, and the Chaldees, to enrich themselves. So saith S. Augustine of Christ; Pater tradidit filium, filius corpus, judas magistrum: In hac traditione cur Deus justus & homo injustus? nisi quod in re una quam fecerunt, non est causa una ob quam fecerunt? The Father delivered the Son, the Son his body, judas his master; in this tradition or delivering, why is God just, and man unjust? because that in that one thing, which they did, there was not one cause for the which they did it; Deus, in dilectione, Christus, in obedientia, judas ab avaritia, judaei ob invidiam: God delivered him in love, Christ delivered himself in obedience, judas of covetousness, the jews of envy. Thus they all did one action, but not to one end.  
And yet true is the saying of Fulgentius, Malos ad poenam, non culpam praedestinari: the wicked to be predestinate to punishment, not to sin, non ad hoc, quod malè operantur, sed ad hoc, quod justè patiuntur: not to this, that they work evilly, but to this end, that they suffer justly: For God ordains no man to be evil, though he hath ordained the evil unto punishment; for should God ordain men unto sin, than should God be the Author of sin: he ordains indeed the incitements and occasions of sin, to try men withal; he also orders sins committed, and does limit them; and in these regards is said as before to work in them, and to will them: in which regards also they are in Scripture attributed unto him sometimes, as 2 Sam. 12. 11, 12. and 15. 16. But yet we must not say (as some do) that God is the Author of sin, or predestinates men unto it. Sed quia Dei mysteria non capimus, corripimus: because we cannot conceive Gods mysteries, we will cavil and carp at them. Nunquid negandum quod verum est, quia comprehendi non potest, quod occultum est? Is that to be damned which is true, because it cannot be comprehended, for that it is secret? Eat honey, but not too much honey: so search Gods mysteries, but not too far. I say of the proud men of this age, as Chrysostome said of the Heretics called Anomeis; Hanc arborem Anomaeorum Paulus nec plantavit, Apollo non rigavit; this tree of the Anomaei neither hath Paul planted, nor Apollo watered, nor God increased: but curiosity planted it, pride watered it, and ambition increased it. Lipsius 
Lipsius' de constantia, pag. 36.  useth all these similitudes; A man rideth upon a lame horse, and stirs him, the rider is the cause of the motion, but the horse himself of the halting motion; so God is the Author of every action, but not of the evil of the action. The like is in the striking 
All sin from Saten or evil men, none from God.  of a jarring and untuned Harp, the fingering is thine, the jarring or discord is in the Harp or instrument. The earth giveth fatness and juice to all kind of plants, some of these plants yield pestilent and noisome fruits; where is the fault, in the nourishment of the ground, or in the nature of the herb, which by the native corruption decocteth the goodness of the ground into venom and poison? the goodness & moisture is from the earth, the venom from the herb; the sounding from the hand, the jarring from the instrument; So the action is from God, the evil in the action from the impure fountain of thy own heart. I will conclude this point with the saying of the Learned, Impossibile est Deum, 
Confessie.  qui est lux, justitia, veritas, sapientia, bonitas, vita, causam esse tenebrarum, peccati & mendacii, ignorantiae, maliciae & mortis, sed horum omnium causa Satanas & homines sunt; It is impossible that God, who is Light, justice, Truth, Wisdom, Goodness, Life, to be the cause of Darkness, Sin, Dissembling, Ignorance, Malice, and Death, but the Devil and Men are the cause of all these.   

THE ELEVENTH SERMON.  VERS. V 
I will therefore put you in remembrance, forasmuch as ye once knew this, etc. 
The often inculcating the same doctrine needful.   
WE are now come unto the third part of this Epistle, which containeth a confirmation of judes' purpose, by diverse examples.  
The first, of the Israelites.  
The second, of the Angels.  
The third, of the Sodomites.  
In the first, he noteth their Infidelity.  
In the second, their Apostasy.  
In the third, their Adultery, and Buggery.  
The first were destroyed of God in the wilderness.  
The second fell from Heaven.  
The third were burned: and thus much for their sins and their punishments.  
Now for the first, he saith that they Knew it, howbeit he will put them in remembrance, saying they had forgotten it. We may not think much to hear that which we have heard and known, were our knowledge never so great, like Salomons, who had A large heart, he was filled with understanding as a flood, his mind compassed the Earth, he filled it full of dark and grave sentences, yet we 
1 Reg. 4. Ecclus. 47. 14, 15  may be remembered of it again. Paul was not ashamed to write 
The memory must be often admonished.  one thing often: For so he saith to the Philippians, It grieveth me not to write, the same thing unto you viz. that which ye have often heard of me; for unto you it is a sure thing: and we are not ashamed to preach one thing often, it leaveth a surer print, and a deeper 
Phil. 3. 1.  stamp in our minds; doctrine delivered, is as a nail driven; but doctrine repeated, is as a nail riveted, than it sticketh sure. Such a Simile Solomon useth, saying; The words of the wise are like goods, and like nails fastened by the masters of the assemblies, (that is, 
Eccles. 12. 11. Ezech. 36. jer. 23. john 6. 27. john 6.  the Ministers) which are given by our Pastor (that is, God:) the word of God is the water of life, the more it is waved, the fresher it runneth; it is the fire of God's glory, the more it is blown, the clearer it burneth; it is the bread of heaven, the more it is broken, the more remaineth; as it did in the five loaves and two fishes, wherewith Christ fed five thousand men in the wilderness; the more it is repeated, the more knowledge it breedeth, the more faith it begetteth, the more consolation it affordeth. Therefore Paul rubbeth the memories of the Corinth's in the things 
1 Cor. 6. 2, 3. 9 19  that they knew; do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost? As if he should say, ye know these things, yet I help your memories, otherwise ye may forget even that ye know. This order Paul, as a careful master, prescribeth to Timothy, a painful Scholar, saying; If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister 
1 Tim. 4. 6.  of jesus Christ, etc. The Ephesians, where Paul had preached three years, day and night, knew much, yet Paul would have them put in remembrance; and thereupon he chargeth them to Watch, and 
Act. 20. 31.  to remember that by the space of three years he ceased not to warn every one of them: So said S. Peter of the jews, seeing his race was at an end, his life short, and his tabernacle ready to be laid down: I will not (saith he) be negligent to put you always in remembrance of 
2 Pet. 1. 12, 13.  these things; though that ye have knowledge, and be established in the present truth: For I think it meet so long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance. Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi, sed saepè cadendo; Sic homo fit fidelis, non vi, sed saepè audiendo; As the drops of water make a hole in the stone, not by force, but by often falling; so man becometh faithful, not by force, but by often hearing; Et idem audiendo, in hearing the same: we are like flint or marble, that is not easily pierced; like sieves, which in the water are full, but out of it are empty: So in the Church our ears are full of doctrine, but it is scattered in the Churchyard, by and by we are empty, Ne apicem tenemus, we carry not a tittle home. But as to eat meat, and not to keep it in the stomach, is a sign of the death of the body; so to hear, and not to remember, that argueth the death of the soul; For whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; but he 
Variety delighteth, but the same thing repeated profiteth.  that continueth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Remember then how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast, and repent.  
Let no man say, I will not come to the Sermon, I know the man, I know his gifts, I know what he will say: though we do, 
2 john. 9 Apoc 3. 3.  yet may we be remembered. The incarnation of Christ was revealed to Marie by an Angel, and yet afterwards it was revealed by the shepherds; If Marie had been curious, she would have said, Dic quod nescio, tell me that I know not, I have heard this 
Luk. 1. Luk. 2.  already, why tell you me it again? here is Cooleworts twice sodden; Crambe bis posita mors est; 'tis as bad as death, to hear a thing twice repeated: We cannot abide to hear one doctrine twice; we surfeit of preaching, as Israel did of Manna; 
Numb. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 3.  we have itching ears: many cannot abide wholesome doctrine, but after their own lusts, get them an heap of teachers. We come to the Church as the Athenians did add forum julium, to hear news; like Perillus, that would not hear one sound of music 
Act. 17.  twice; like Heliogabalus, that fed of nightingales tongues, provided that he might not eat twice of one meat; like Xerxes, which propounded great rewards to them that could devise new pleasures: and therefore we cry out unjustly of vain repetitions, idle Anaphoraes and Tautology. We come to the preacher as men come to a minstrel, to have our ears tickled; So saith God to his Prophet, They come unto thee, as people use to come; and my people sit before thee, and hear thy Words, but they will not do them: 
Ezech. 33. 31.  For with their mouths they make jests, and their heart goeth after their covetousness. It is no Sermon, except there be some new and strange thing in it, that we never heard before, that may bring us into a wonderment of that we understand not: Then the preacher hath with Esay a learned tongue; with Peter, a fiery cloven tongue, and with Apollo, a fine eloquent tongue; or else he is 
Esa. 50. Act. 2. Act. 18.  but a plain man, an English Doctor, a Dunce, etc. But we say with Paul, That we have cast from us the cloaks of shame, and walk not in craftiness, neither handle we the word of God decetfully. The oft preaching of the word serveth to put us in remembrance of all things that concern God, and our duty to him, otherwise we soon forget all: as the Israelites did, Who made a Calf in Horeb, 
Psal. 106. 19, 20, 21.  and worshipped the molten Image; thus they turned their glory into the similitude of a bullock, that eateth grass, and forgot God their Saviour. The Israelites in forty days forgot God; so be you forty days absent from a Sermon, and you will forget God: Come therefore, to be put in remembrance.  
A number say, Sermons are too oft, we hear too many, Communia sordent, Common things wax vile; they must come as strawberries once a year; Rara praeclara, seldom things are excellent things. But I wonder that any blasphemous mouth dare say that there is too much preaching! once a quarter, or once a 
The preaching of the Word always necessary.  month is enough: but this is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to preach in season, and out of season: Paul did not so; He, night and day, for the space of three years, ceased not to warn every one: Moses was but forty days absent, and the people that had tasted 
2 Tim. 4. 2. Act. 20. 31. Exod. 32.  so lately and miraculously of God's goodness, fell to Idolatry.  
To prosecute this point: If men could indent with the Devil, to tempt but once in a month, or once in a quarter; preaching once in a Month were sufficient; but if he tempt continually, we must preach continually, and you must hear continually, and we all must be sober and watch, so long as our adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom to devour. 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  The dragon with his tail drew the third part of the stars out of heaven, and cast them to the ground; and the dragon is ready to devour us, as soon as we be brought forth: but we must resist him▪ Resist the Devil, and he will fly from you. So long as joas 
1 Pet. 4.  had jehojada at his elbow, he did well, he walked uprightly in the sight of the Lord. So long as Vzziah had Zechariah to teach him, he sought God, and he understood the visions of God, and God 
2 Chron. 24. 2. 2 Chron. 26. 5.  made him prosper; but they being taken away, Satan prevailed both with the one, and with the other.  
Therefore the Word is compared to showers; so saith Moses, My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall still as doth the dew, as the shower upon the herbs, and as the great rain upon the grass. 
Deut. 32. 2.  The Word is compared to an hammer: Is not my Word like a fire (saith the Lord) and like an hammer that breaketh a stone. And it is compared to Wind; I saw (saith S. john) an Angel standing on the 
jer. 23. 29. Apoc. 7. 1. john 6. 27.  four corners of the earth holding the four winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth. And the word is compared to Food; hereupon saith our Saviour, Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which will endure to eternal life: Grass groweth not green with one shower of reign; knotty wood is not riven with one stroke; a ship saileth not with one blast; a Child groweth not to a man with one meal; and we go not to heaven with one sermon; but with precept upon precept, precept upon precept, 
Esa. 28. 10.  line unto line; line unto line; that is, with doctrine upon doctrine, and we must have one thing oft told. This meeteth with those preachers and auditors, that make strawberries of the Word, to have it once in a year, or once in a quarter; but it is Food, and every one must have his portion of meat in due season, it is not strawberries. It is also food, for that we must hear it often, it must be familiar unto us. There is a waste in the body by reason of the heat in the stomach and the liver, and therefore must be repaired with a fresh supply of meat; So there is a waste in the soul, which must be repaired with a supply of intellectual meat, that is, the word. Sometime there is a waste in the understanding, which is darkened; sometime in the will and affections ' 
Meditation & recordation means to enrich the soul.  which are unruly; sometime in the memory, which is brittle sometime in our faith, which is weak; or in our love which is small; or in our zeal, which may be cold; or in the mind which is earthly; or in the whole man which is lumpish, heavy, unfit for 
Coll. 1. Coll. 3. Hebr. 12. Luk. 17. Phil. 3. 19  any good thing.  
Come therefore still unto the Word, hear it still, hear it to learn, and learn to remember it, and remember to follow it, and follow, to continue it; that I may say to this town of Wallsham, as Christ said to Zacheus house; This day is salvation come unto your town. But as Lords and Barons never put on their 
Luk. 19 9  Parliament robes, till they go to the Parliament house: So we put not on Religion till we go to the Church, and there we leave it till the next Sunday. We remember little and practise less, like Cambridge Scholars, that leave their Logic in Sophisters hills till they return again. But we must hear to be put in remembrance; and though many be soon weary, yet must not we. Be not weary of well doing (saith the Apostle) be not 
Gal. 6.  weary of hearing. I see many, that if they have a preacher in their town on the Sunday, refuse to hear any other on the week day, as though they could hear too much: Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously; not as a guest for an hour, but as 
Col. 3. 16.  an owner continually, which cannot be except we be put oft in remembrance, and hear often.  
But in saying, I will put you in remembrance, he insinuateth that they had forgotten these following examples: for we are like the Ostrich, that forgetteth her eggs in the dust, like Partridges, 
job 29. Jer. 17.  which gather the young that be not theirs; like the bird Fulica, that forgetteth her nest, and hatcheth strange birds; like the Philosopher that forgot his own name: we had need therefore be put in remembrance, and often think, and meditate of the doctrines we have heard. Christian's must be like the cleane-beasts that parted the hoof and chewed the cud; so we must ruminate, and chaw that at home, and concoct that which we have heard in the Church. Marry laid up the words of the Shepherd, In her heart; we must learn of her: For the heart is Thesaurus, the 
Luk. 2. 17.  treasure-house to store up all doctrines of life, and of salvation; the memory is as a chest or coffer, if we had never so great jewels, yet if they be not safely kept, as well as truly gotten, all is lost: not they that eat, but they that digest most, are the most healthful; not they that get most, but they that keep most, are richest: So, not they that hear most, but they that remember most, are most edified. Our memories are like Bankrupts purses, and like Danaides ton, the one can hold no money, the other no liquor, and our memories can hold no doctrine. But let us strive to remember, and as the Apostle speaketh, Whatsoever things are 
Phil. 4. 8.  true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things 
God offereth mercy before he inflicts judgement.  are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things, which ye have both received and heard, etc.  
But what are the things that jude would remember them of? Three notable examples of God's wrath he calleth to their remembrance: The first, of the Israelites: and therein observe with me three things.  
God's mercy in delivering them, the first.  
His justice in destroying them, the second.  
Their sin, the Cause of God's justice, the whetstone unto it, the third and last.  
But first, let us look upon God's mercy in their deliverance: for God beginneth with mercy, that is the first act, mercy is Alpha, justice is Omega, so David placeth it; For speaking of God's attribute, he placeth mercy in the forward, justice in the rearward, saying, My song shall be of mercy and judgement. God is patiented and 
Psal. 110. 1. Rom. 2. 4.  full of mercy. Paul calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the riches of God's mercy; God never useth justice, but when his mercy is despised; like a Prince, that sendeth not his army against rebels, before he hath sent his pardon, and proclaimed it by an Herald of arms: like Tamburlaine, who the first day set up his white tents, and received all that came; the next day, black, betokening the death of the rulers; the third day, red, betokening the bloodshed of all; So the Lord hath his white tents of mercy, his black and red of justice and judgement, if the one be despised, the other shall be felt: hereupon saith Paul, But thou after thy hardness, 
Rom. 2. 5.  and heart which cannot repent, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and declaration of the just judgement of God; who will reward every man according to his works. More particularly, God delivered this people mercifully, yea miraculously, their shoulders from burdens, and their fingers from making of brick, he drew them out of a fiery oven, like the three children, he put off their sackcloth, and girded them with gladness, and compassed them about with songs of deliverance; he carried them on the Wings of Eagles: He brought a vine out of Egypt, he cast out the Heathen, and planted them in. Thou madest room for it, and didst 
Dan. 2. Exod. 19 Psal. 80. 9, 10, 11.  cause it to take root, and it filled the land: She stretched out her branches unto the sea, and her boughs unto the river. God separated them from all the Sons of Adam: For the most high God, who divided to the nations their inheritance, kept them as the apple of his eye, And as an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her birds, stretcheth out her wings, taketh them, and beareth them on her wings; So the 
Deut. 32. 8. 11, 12.  Lord alone led Israel. But for order's sake, I will divide the mercies of God into three several sections or times:  
Their deliverance in Egypt, the first.  
Their coming out of Egypt, the second.  
Their deliverance after they were come out, the third & the last. For First, for their deliverance in Egypt: first, it was much, that 
God's judgements upon the Egyptians  God should love them, being come of the Amorites and Hitites, wallowing in their blood, that he should love them, and choose them for his people; as Moses said, The Lord your God did not set his love upon you, nor chose you, because ye were more in number than 
Ezech. 16. 3. 6. Deut. 7, 8, 9  any people, for ye were the fewest of all people, but because the Lord loved you. There was nothing in them, why God should choose them, for they were no more righteous than others; and therefore saith Moses again unto them; Speak not thou in thy heart, saying, For my 
Cap. 9 4, 5. Cap. 32. 9, 10, 11, 12. Exod. 1.  righteousness hath the Lord brought me in to possess this Land, etc. For thou shalt inherit this land, not for thy righteousness, or for thy upright heart, but for the wickedness of those nations, etc. Israel was God's portion, jacob the lot of his inheritance, he found him in the land of the wilderness, in a waist and roaring wilderness, he led him about, he taught him, and kept him, as the apple of his eye. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her birds, stretcheth out her wings, taketh them, and beareth them on her wings; So the Lord alone led him, and there was no strange God with him. God multiplied them, not by means, but by miracle: For from seventy souls, they grew in few years to 600000. and which is more, the more that they were kept down, the more they prospered, like to Camomile, the more it is trodden, the more it groweth; or to a Palmtree, the more it is pressed, the further it spreadeth, or to fire, the more it is raked, the more it burneth. God gave them Moses, and Aaron, and Miriam, 
Mich. 6. Psal. 78. 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50.  and God plagued the Egyptians for their sake, and did marvellous things in the land of Egypt, even in the field of Zoan. He turned their rivers into blood, and their floods, that they could not drink; he sent a swarm of flies among them, which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them; he gave also their fruits unto the Caterpillar, and their labour unto the grasshopper, he destroyed their vines with hail, and their wild figge-trees with the hailestone, he gave their cattles also to the hail, and their flocks unto the thunderbolts; he cast upon them the furiousness of his anger, indignation, and wrath, and vexation, by the sending of evil Angels; he made a way to his anger, he spared not their soul from death, he 
Act. 12. Exod. 8. 17.  gave their life to the pestilence. If it were much to eat up one man with louse, what is it to eat up a whole land? If it was much to 
john 2. Exod. 7. 19 Gen. 19 2 Reg. 6.  turn water-pots into wine, what was it to turn all the waters of Egypt into blood? If it was a great thing to smite a few Sodomites & Aramites with blindness, what was it to smite a whole land with darkness? that no man could rise for three days. So much for the benefits bestowed upon them in Egypt.  
Now let us see, what he did for them in their deliverance out 
Exod. 10. Exod. 12. Gen. 50. 3. jer. 31. 17.  of Egypt: In their deliverance he smote all the first borne in Egypt, the chief of their strength & passed by Israel; And whereas there was a great cry in Egypt, like that for jacob, for whom was made a great and an exceeding sore lamentation; and like that of Rachel, who weeping for her children, would not be comforted, because they were not; there was joy in the land of Goshen; he inclined the hearts of the 
God's mercy to Israel after their deliverance out of Egypt.  Egyptians to do them good, and they received of them jewels of silver, and jewels of gold; he strengthened them so, that there was not one feeble person among them; Egypt was glad at their departing, for the fear of them had fallen upon them. All the Idols of Egypt fell down at their departure: even as all the oracles 
Psal. 105. 38.  of the world ceased at the coming of Christ, even that at Delphos, Dodo, Delos. God brought them as a vine out of Egypt, God did cast out the Heathen, and planted them, he made 
Psal. 80. 8, 9  a room for them, and caused them to take root, and they filled the land.  
3. After their deliverance; when the red sea was before them, the Egyptians behind them, the mountains on each side of them; God made a ready passage for them, And caused the sea to run 
Exod. 14 21, 22.  back by a strong East wind all the night, and made the Sea dry land; for the waters were divided, and the children of Israel went through the midst of the Sea, upon the dry ground: but the Egyptians pursuing them, 
Psal 105. 39 Exod. 15. Cap. 16. Num. 20. Deut. 8. Num. 21.  were drowned. He spread a cloud to be a covering, and fire to give light in the night; for God went before them in a cloudy pillar by day, and a fiery by night: he made the bitter waters sweet, for their sakes, and fed them with Angel's food. He turned the rock into a river, and the flint stone into a springing well: their foot swollen not, and their  waxed not old in forty year's travel, and when they were bitten with fiery serpents, he cured them with a brazen serpent, a figure of 
Psal. 136. 19, 20, 21.  Christ. He slew great Kings for their sakes; as Sehon King of the Amorites, and Og the King of Bashan, and gave their land for an heritage, even an heritage to Israel his servant; he dried up jordan, that they might pass through it. Whereupon the Psalmist useth a most elegant Prosopopopeia, 
Psal. 114. 5, 6.  saying, What aileth thee, o thou Sea, that thou fieddest, and thou jordan that thou wert driven back? Ye mountains, why leapt ye like rams, and ye hills as Lambs? God gave them Canaan, a land that flowed with milk and honey, as jacob prophesied of 
Gen. 49. 11, 12, 13.  juda, saying, He shall bind his Ass foal to the vine, and his Ass' colt unto the best vine; He shall wash his garment in wine, and his cloak in the blood of grapes; his eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. For the land of judah, of all lands it was the fruitfullest. Moses calleth it, A good land; and the goodness of it, afterwards he describeth at large, and saith? A land in which are rivers of 
Deut. 8. 7, 8, 9, 10.  waters, and fountains, and depths, that spring out of valleys and mountains; a land of wheat, and barley, of vineyards, and figge-trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive and honey; a land wherein thou shlat eat bread without scarceness, neither shalt thou lack any thing therein: A land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains thou shalt dig brass. But especially God gave them his Law, to convert their souls, and his testimonies, which gave wisdom unto the simple; 
Psal. 19 7, 8, 9  his statutes that rejoice the heart, and his Commandments that give light to the eyes, his fear which endureth for ever, & his judgements which be righteous altogether; great in one word was their preferment; 
God's bounty to England.  For to them were committed the Oracles of God. To them also appertained, The adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, of whom are 
Rom. 3. 20. Cap. 9 4, 5, 6.  the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God over all blessed for ever. What should I speak of josuahs' trumpets, 
Ios. 6. judg. 7. judg. 3. Cap. 15. 2 Sam. 1.  which blew down jericho? of Gedeons' pitchards that discomfited the Madianites? Of Shamgars' oxe-goad, which slew heaps upon heaps? Of Sampsons' jawbone, that killed a whole army of Philistines? Of jonathans' bow, and saul's sword, that never returned empty?  
Let us apply all this to ourselves, whom God hath jaded with blessings, so that we have cause to say with the Israelites, Praised be the Lord, even the God of our salvation, which ladeth us daily with benefits: For God hath turned the captivity of our English Zion as 
Psal. 68 19 Psal. 126. 1.  the rivers of the South. As after a Nero, God gave a Vespasian, after Commodus a Severus, after a Sisera a Deborah, after a Saul a David, after an Ahaz an Ezechias, and after a Domitian a Trajane, and a Nerva; So after a Marie, an Elizabeth, a princely james, under whose governments we have sat safely these many years, under our figge-trees and vine-trees from Dan to Beersheba, from the one end of the land unto the other, his eyes have been over us, as over the land of Chanaan, from the beginning of the year to the end of it. He hath trodden down the Northern rebels, with Parrie, Somervile, Ardington, Lopas, Hacket, Madder, Burney, he hath put their life down to the ground, and laid their honour in the dust; he hath made them a portion for the Foxes, they are passed, as water, molten, etc. Psal. 58.  
Of late Balak of Spain had devised our destruction, Balaam of Rome had cursed us; at his commandment subtle Achitophel had conspired abroad, unnatural Absalon rose up at home, and aspiring Adonia would have the Shunamite to wife; but from all these God hath delivered us. We have seen France massacred, Flanders with civil wars distressed; Germany grieved; Scotland divided; only we stand still as an oak of Bashan. Pray, that God stretch not over us the line of Samaria, as 2 Reg. 21. 13. God hath blessed us above many others; his wise mercy is in our Parliaments 
Reg. 21. 13.  and governments, as in Israel, Deut. 4. His learned mercy in our Schools and Universities, as in Naioth, 2 Reg. 2. His strong mercies in our Castles and bulwarks, as in juda, Soph. 1. His peaceable mercies in our Towns and Cities, as was said of jerusalem; 
Mich. 4. 3, 4. Zaeb. 8. 4. 5.  They shall break their swords into mattocks, and their spears into scithes, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to fight any more: But old men and old Women shall dwell in the streets of jerusalem, and every man his staff in his hand for very age, and the streets of the City shallbe full of boys and girls playing in the midst thereof. His rich mercies in our fields and granaries; for he maketh our valleys so thick with corn, that men do laugh and 
Contemners of God's mercy grievously punished.  sing; he crowneth the year with his goodness, and the clouds drop fatness; they drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills shall be compassed with gladness. Would God, we were half thankful for so great blessings, that every one of us could say with David, 
Psal. 65. 11.  Praise the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name: Praise the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 
Psal. 103. 1, 2.   
Ye heard before of God's mercy in delivering the people, now are we come to God's justice in destroying them (ye once know this, that after the Lord had delivered the people out of Egypt, he destroyed them.) First, God shooteth paper, secondly bullet, if men yield not, primùm ubera, deinde, verbera ostendit; first, he openeth his breasts, after shows us his rods: first, by his Ministers, as by heralds, he proclaimeth pardon, after he sendeth an army to destroy. The Lord (saith the Prophet) is slow to anger, but he is great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked; the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, 
Nahum 1. 3, 4, 5, 6.  and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet: He rebuketh the Sea & drieth it, & he drieth up all the rivers. The mountains tremble for him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burnt at his sight; yea the world, and all that dwell therein: who can stand before his wrath? if his wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. God telleth the Idumaeans, Though thou exalt thyself like an Eagle, and make thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith 
Obadiah vers. 4.  the Lord. Paul applieth the example of God's justice on Israel to the Church of Corinth, and all Churches; I would not have you ignorant (quoth he) that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the Sea, etc. but with many of them God was not pleased; for 
1 Cor. 10. 1. 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.  they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these are examples to us, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted; neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand, neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted him, and were destroyed of serpents; neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things came unto them for examples; and were written to admonish us, upon whom the ends of the world are come. The continuance of God's mercy for a long time, doth not assure us of perpetual safety, but of greater destruction if we believe not: Quantò gradus altior, tantò casus gravior, the higher we are in dignity the more grievous our fall and misery; as was said of the whore of Babylon, Inasmuch as she glorified herself, and lived in pleasure, so much give ye to 
Apoc. 18. 7. Mat. 11. 23. jer. 18, 18. 21.  her torment and sorrow. And so Capernaum that was lift up to heaven, was threatened to be thrown down to hell. The jews thought that the dignity of their Priesthood should have continued for ever, and therefore they said, The law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the Prophet. Therefore saith God, deliver up their children to famine, and let them drop away 
The higher exalted the lower dejected if impious.  by force of the sword, and let their wives be rob of their children, and be widows, and let their husbands be put to death, and let the young men be slain with the sword in the battle. They bragged of Moses, that he was their teacher, they boasted of Abraham and a succession from Abraham; but john answereth them, saying, Say not to yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: For God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham, of them came the Fathers, of them came 
Luk. 3. 8.  Christ, yet were they not all Israel that came of Israel, neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham.  
This augmented the punishment of Israel, that God had been so good unto them; for every blessing is as good, as a bill of indictment preferred against us, at the great Assise-day: for listen what God himself saith, O my people, what have I done unto thee, 
Michea 6. 3. 14, 15.  or wherein have I grieved thee? testify against me; surely I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; I have sent before thee, Moses, Aaron, Miriam. And thus the Lord goeth on, intimating unto them, that he never hurt them, but bestowed infinite blessings and benefits upon them; but because they misused them, God threatneth them, That they shall eat and not be satisfied, and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; meaning, that they shall be consumed with inward grief and evil; and further he threatneth them, saying, Thou shalt sow, but not reap; thou shalt tread the Olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and make sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine. This also augmented the punishment of Eli's house, that whereas God did choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be his Priest, and to offer upon God's Altar, and to burn Incense, and to wear an Ephod before God, yet because he honoured his children more than God, God 
1 Sam. 2. 28. 31.  threatened to cut off his arm, and the arm of his Father's house, and that there should not be an old man in his house for ever. Esay and Michah prophesied unto juda sixty years; Hosea and Amos in Israel seventy years, yet God sealed neither the one nor the other an obligation of perpetual mercy; The one was carried into Assyria, a captivity irreturnable; the other into Babylon, where they 
2 Reg. 17. 6. Psal. 137. Amos. 8. 10.  could not sing the Lords songs in a strange land; God turned their songs into mournings, and their feasts into lamentations. The Papists speak of our overthrows in Ireland, as the Syrians said that God was the God of Israel in the mountains, but not in the valleys: So they say, he is our God in England but not in Ireland; they say, that he was a God in the beginning of the Queen's reign, but not now, Zidkia of Rome (the jesuites) have made them horns of iron, as 1 Reg. 22. 11. saying, that they will push England; Herod of Rome hath sent us word of our destruction; but if we repent, we may answer him, as Christ did Herod, Go ye 
Luk. 13. 32. Mat. 9 15.  and tell the Fox, etc. We are the children of the wedding, and therefore cannot mourn yet. The arrow of our deliverance is as yet in the King's hands against the Aramites, the Papists: If we 
Where God spareth long he punisheth more if impenitent.  repent, all our enemies shall be but the Thistles of Lebanon; but if we bring not forth the fruits of the Gospel, we may rather weep with Elisha, to think what evil Hazael (the Papists) will do to the Church of God. Surely God will do to us as to Israel; God bore long with them, but afterwards he destroyed them. 
2 Reg. 14. 9 2 Reg. 8. 11, 12.  God hath hands of iron, and fear of lead, he cometh slowly but when he cometh, he payeth surely: Deus tardus est ad iram, sed tarditatem gravitate poenae compensat; God is slow to anger, but he recompenseth his slowness, with grievousness of punishment. Hereupon saith Paul, But thou after thy hardness, and heart that cannot repent, heap unto thyself wrath against the day of 
Rom. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  wrath, and declaration of the just judgement of God, who will reward every man according to his works: To them which by continuance in welldoing, seek glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every man that doth evil. Look not to the beginning of sin, but the end of it, the root of it is a careless hard heart: and therefore we are commanded to exhort one another daily, while it is called 
Hebr. 3. 13.  to day, lest we be hardened with the deceitfulness of sin: the flower of it is sweet for a time, and therefore called by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, The pleasures of sin: the sight of it is like Heva her apple, which was fair and pleasant to the eye; the taste of 
Hebr. 11. 25. Gen. 3. 6. 1 Sam. 14. 17. Luk. 3. 7.  it is like jonathans' honey comb, which cleared his eyes, which before were dim for weariness and hunger; the committing of it, is like the birth of a viper, which eateth out the belly of her dam; the sting of it as the sting of an Asp, pleasant at the 
Rom. 3. Cap. 6. 21. 23.  first, and brings a man asleep, but the fruit of it, is shame in this life. And therefore (saith the Apostle) what fruit had ye of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? meaning their sins: and the end of it in the life to come is hell fire, For the wages of sin is death. For sin is as a Tyrant which reigneth by force, and at last rewardeth his servants with death and damnation. Thus the root, the flower, the sight, the taste, the sting, the fruit, the end of sin, all is damnable.  
Behold this monster, this Aesop's snake, the ugliness of sin, in Nabuchadenezzar, transformed from a man to a beast; The terror 
Dan. 4. 1 Sam. 15.  of it, in Agag the Amalekite; The folly of it, in Salomons young man; whom Solomon derideth notably, saying, Rejoice thou young man, in thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine 
Eccles. 11. 9  eyes, but know, that for all these things God will will bring thee to judgement; The bitterness of it, in the rich men named by james; Go to, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon 
jam. 5. 1, 2, 3.  you, your riches are corrupt, your garments moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of it shall be a witness against you, and it shall eat your flesh, as it were fire; The unstableness of it, in the Amalekites, now dancing, now dead; The reward of it, in the fools named 
God punisheth not the reprobate till sin be at the fall.  by Solomon; The end of it, in the rich glutton, who for his sin lieth frying in hell in torments. The life of the godly is as a Comedy, doleful at the first, but joyful at the last. So saith David, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; they went weeping, and carried precious seed, but they shall return with 
1 Sam. 30. Wisd. 5. Luk. 16. Psal. 126. 5. 6.  joy, and bring their sheaves. But the life of the wicked is clean contrary; that is as a Tragedy, doleful at the last: so saith our Saviour; Woe be to you, that laugh, for ye shall wail and weep: and 
Luk. 6. 25. Pro. 22. 8.  Solomon affirmeth, That he that soweth iniquity, shall reap affliction: and the rod of his anger shall fail: that is, his authority whereby he did oppress others, shall be taken from him: and Paul saith, That they which sow in the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption (afterwards:) this afterwards mars all; after all pleasure cometh pain and destruction. So said Abraham, to Dives; Son, remember 
Luk. 16. 25.  that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure, contrarily, Lazarus pain; now is he comforted, and thou art punished. The pride of Adam was turned into labour and sorrow; The stoutness of Nimrod into confusion; The beauty of Absalon into hanging; The strength of Goliath into shame; The envy of Cain into desolatition, 
Gen. 3. Cap. 10. 2 Sam. 16. 1 Sam. 17.  he wandered like a Rogue; Nec in caeteris est contrarium videre; and we may behold the same in the rest, when they have added drunkenness to thirst, afterwards cometh God and destroyeth them, he waiteth for the ripeness of our sins, before he pluck us off the tree, or cut us off the earth, he tarrieth till we be dry, before he burneth us: till we be fat, before he slay us; till we be withered, before he hue us down. Therefore is it said, that the earth was full of cruelty, that the sin of Sodom was 
Gen. 6. Gen. 18. Amos 8.  great, that the sins of Israel were as ripe apples: and when our sins be once ripe, God will cut us down, with the scithe of his wrath, and hack us down with the axe of his vengeance.  
And yet we see God to punish some speedily, to crop them in their beginning: True, sometime God killeth the Cockatrice in the egg, before it be a serpent; sometime he plucketh the fruit from the tree, before it be ripe; he rooteth out the prick, before it be a thorn; what then? differt tamen non aufert; God doth defer, but yet he doth not auferre the punishment of the wicked: like Polypheme, that would eat Ulysses' last, but yet eat him, though it were long.  creditor qui debitum ab uno statim exigit, alium in diem reponit, sed cum foenore solvendum; As a Creditor, that requireth his debt of one man presently, to another he giveth day and respite; yet to be paid with usury. God took away Caligula in the beginning of his tyranny, but he suffered Nero to tyrannize longer; but Tiberius raged, and made havoc of the Church longer than they; yet in the end God met with him, and freed the earth of so vile a burden. God killed Omri in two years, he suffered Manasses to wallow in blood fifty years. Tempora mutantur, 
1 Reg. 16. 2 Reg. 21.  & nos mutamur in illis; the times are changed, and we are 
Infidelity the cause of Israel's destruction.  changed in them. Dionysius having a prosperous wind, said, that God favoured Pirates: The Athenians said, that Harpalus gave a lively testimony against the Gods, for that he escaped so long unpunished: But so long goeth the pot to the water, that at last it cometh broken home. God met with these two afterwards: Look not on men as they are here in this world, here they prosper and flourish like a green Bay-tree; but look to their end, & then they whither like trees that cast their leaves in winter; then they wish, they had never been borne: what good hath our pride done us? what profit hath the pomp of riches brought us? Thou seest Dionysius spoiling Syracuse many years; look again, 
Wisd. 5. 8.  and thou shalt see him a poor Schoolmaster in Corinth, Asceptro adferulam devolutum; devolved, fallen from the sceptre to the ferula: Thou seest Caesar triumphing in fifty two set battles; look again, and thou shalt see him to receive fifty two wounds in the Senate, and every one of them mortal: Thou seest Sennacherib glorying at the gates of jerusalem, that he would dry up the rivers with his horses feet, that men should eat their ordure, and 
2 Reg. 19  drink their own piss; but look again, and thou shalt see him slain in the temple by his own Sons, Adramelech, and Sharezar: Look on Manasses, and thou shalt see him triumphing in 
2 Chro. 33. 11.  blood; look again, and thou shalt see him a poor distressed prisoner: Look on Herod, and thou shalt see him in his royal 
Act. 12.  apparel, assuming to himself the title of a God; look again, and thou shalt see him strooken of God's Angel, and eaten up of worms. Thou seest Cardinal Woolsie, with his silver pillars, and pollaxes writing, Ego & Rex meus, I and my King; but look again, and thou shalt see him dead at Leicester with stench and infamy. The wicked are like the cogs of a wheel, now up, now down; like a Player, that now playeth the King, and when the play is ended, he is but a beggar; like a counter, now a pound, now a penny, now nothing: Deus, ut apis, habet mell & aculeum; God, as a Bee, hath honey and a sting; As he is unmeasurable in mercy, so is he exceeding great in justice, very ready in pardoning, and very ready in punishing: vengeance is his, and he will reward. 
Rom. 12.    

THE TWELFTH SERMON.  VERS. V 
Which believed not. 
Infidelity the root of all other sins.   
BUT to come unto the sin itself that was their destruction; & that was their infidelity; They believed not. Of this the Prophet spoke, saying, They spoke against God, saying, Can God prepare a table in the 
Psal. 78. 19, 20, 21, 22.  Wilderness? behold, he smote the rock, that the water gushed out, and the streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? or prepare flesh for the people? Therefore the Lord heard and was angry, and the fire was kindled in jacob, and also wrath came upon Israel, because they believed not in God, nor trusted in his help. Moses reckoneth up their infidelity in order, and he saith, Remember 
Deut. 9 7, 8. 22, 23, 24.  and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the Wilderness, since the day that thou didst departed out of the land of Egypt, until ye came to this place; ye have rebelled against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to anger, so that the Lord was wroth with you to destroy you. Also in Taberah, and in Massah, and in Kibroth-hattaavah ye provoked the Lord to anger; likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the Land, that I have given you, than ye rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord your God, and believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice: ye have been rebellious ever since I knew you: you were never good, egg nor bird, first nor last. The Apostle urgeth this sin in Israel, and insisteth in it above 
Hebr. 3 19 Cap. 4. 2.  all others, saying, They could not enter in because of unbelief. And again, The word that they heard did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it: For he that will hear and 
Infidelity reproved as the root of all other sins.  understand with profit, must temper and mix the word with faith; that is, he must believe it. No doubt this people had many sins: For they were a rebellious people; but the capital arch-sinne was unbelief, the root and wellspring of all other their sins. Paul nameth five sins to have been in Israel: 1. Lusting, 2. Idolatry, 3. Fornication, 4. Tempting of God, 5. murmuring: 
1 Cor. 10. 6.  but yet the original of them all was unbelief; and all these were the fruits of this corrupt tree, unbelief. So Paul ascribed all his evils to this sin of unbelief: I was (saith he) a blasphemer, and 
1 Tim. 1. 13.  a persecutor, and an oppressor; but I was received into mercy; for I did it ignorantly through unbelief. Christ reproved his disciples bitterly for this sin, his words were as thunderbolts; Be not (saith he) careful for your lives, what ye shall eat or drink, or for your bodies, 
Mat. 6. 25. 30.  what raiment ye shall put on: Is not the life more worth than meat? and the body more of value than raiment? If God cloth the grass of the field, which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the furnace, shall he not do much more to you, o ye of little faith? and again, o fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets have spoken. And after his resurrection, appearing unto the eleven, he reproved them of their 
Luk. 24. 25.  unbelief and hardness of heart: and for this sin he did chide Peter; Wherefore dost thou doubt, o thou of little faith? And for this sin he made Thomas ashamed, saying thus unto him; Put thy 
Mar. 16. 14. Mat. 14. 31. john 20. 27.  finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithless, but faithful.  
And here by the way, let me answer a slander of the Papists, who rail of the Gospel, and ask where be the fruits of it; as Osorius, Allen, Bristol. As Christ said, show me the tribute money; 
Mat. 22. 19 Mar. 11. 1. Reg. 3.  so say they, show us the fruits of their profession: they call us the cursed figtree, that had leaves, but no fruit; and barren Rachel, which had no child; and Salomons harlot with the dead child.  
But we answer, that if there be any fault, it is in our lives, not in the Gospel. For it worketh in them that believe; but all believe 
1 Thes. 2. 13.  not, therefore all work not: whom doth the Gospel save? only them that believe; For seeing the world by wisdom knew not ge, 
1 Cor. 1. 20.  it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. To whom is it the power of God? surely to them that believe. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation, to every one that believeth. 
Rom. 1. 16.   
Now this faith is God's gift, and cannot be commanded. For though Christ had done many miracles, and preached many heavenly Sermons unto the jews: yet they believed not, That the saying of Esayas the Prophet might be fulfilled, that he said, Lord, 
john 12. 37, 38, 39, 40.  who believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Therefore could they not believe, because Esayas saith again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Therefore is it said, that so many received the word As believed. Faith is an anchor, but God must 
Faith the gift of God.  fasten it, otherwise it will not be sure and steadfast. It is a shield, but God must frame it, and strengthen it. So that the slander of the Papists redoundeth to God not to us. But I may say to 
Act. 13. 48. Hebr. 6. 19 Ephes, 6. 17. 2 Thess. 2. 11, 12.  you, as Paul said to the Thessalonians; God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies, that all they might be damned, which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God hath fed them with lies, because they received not the truth, they believe not. But to leave this, and to return again to these Israelites.  
These Israelites wanted faith, and so all the parts of a Christian: as the root giveth sap to all the branches, the Sun light to all the Planets, the earth nourishment to all plants, the water life to all fishes; So faith giveth life and allowance to all our actions: For without it, splendida opera sunt splendida peccata, our glistering works are but glistering sins: therefore is it said, that by faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Cain, etc. by faith 
Hebr. 11. 4, 5. 7, 8.  Enoch was taken away, that he should not see death: By faith Noah being warned of God, and moved with reverence, prepared the Ark: By faith Abraham, when he was called obeyed God, etc. Faith is the eye, wherewith we see God, it is the mouth, whereby we speak to God, the hand whereby we touch him, the foot whereby we go unto him, saith Ambrose. Thus Stephen, the ring leader of Martyrs, saw 
Ambros. Act. 6. Luk. 18. Luk, 2. john 1.  him with the eyes of faith; The Publican spoke to him with the mouth of faith; Simeon embraced him with the arms of faith: Thus Andrew walked to Christ with the foot of a lively faith; Thus all must come to Christ, not with the legs of their body, but of faith; We must draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith, 
Hebr. 10. 22.  being sprinkled in our hearts from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water.  
But the Infidels, like Polypheme the Giant, want eyes; like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, at the river Ganges, they want mouths; like the Cripple in the third of the Acts, they want legs: For by faith Christ dwelleth in us, by faith we eat him, by faith we put him on, by 
Ephes. 3. john 6. Gal. 3. Gal. 2. 20.  faith we live in him: therefore wanting faith, we want all. Many therefore want all the parts of Christianity; for few believe, but are Ciphers in the Church of God, and shall be Ciphers in the Kingdom of God. But to cut up the veins and arteries of this vice, and make an Anatomy of it, we can all say, I believe in God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; yet few believe and are persuaded of the love and power of God, but rest in the creature, not in the Creator, if they see not means. If God give us friends, we make Idols of them, and trust in them, as the jews did in 
Esay. 31. Psal. 52. 7. jer. 5. 2 Chro. 16.  the Egyptians; if money, we think never to want, as it is said of Doeg, he trusted in the multitude of his riches, and strengthened himself in his malice; if armour, we trust in them, as the jews did; if Physicians, we trust in them as Asa did; if wisdom, we think to smooth all causes, and to wade through all bad matters, 
Want of faith the cause of all sin and misery.  as the false Prophets. These are our treasures, and our hearts are upon them, as Mat. 6. We make flesh our arm. Thus what for friends, money, munition, physic, cunning, God is not regarded; the helpless trust in friends, the poor in money, the soldier 
jer. 18. Jer. 17.  in armour, the sick in Physicians, the cunning in their wisdom, like Achitophel. But of all others, our infidelity appeareth in our running to witches; wherein I say with Elisha, Is it not because there is no King in England? as 2 Reg. 1. Here I could wish my voice as a trumpet, or as the voice of Stentor, who had the voice of fifty men: Satan is a deceiver, and shall we trust in him? A liar, and shall we believe him? an enemy, and shall we crave aid of him? Absit; God forbidden.  
Most men believe not; For our faith hath a triple foundation: First, that Christ is true God, and therefore can help; 1 Tim. 2. Secondly, true Man, and therefore will help; Hebr. 4. Thirdly, that he is one Person, not by confusion of substance, but by the union of natures: for God and man make but one Christ, and 
Mat. 11. 11. Psal. 30.  will help us: for if a Father will help his Son in his wants, how much more will he help us? Let us therefore put off our sackecloath, and gird us with gladness, let us rejoice for ever; For now is salvation in Heaven and strength, and the Kingdom of our 
Apoc. 12. 10.  God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is thrown down, etc.  
Hence cometh all mischief, that we believe not God, which appeareth in our life. If a sick man should have two Physicians, the one prescribing a present remedy, the other a present poison, if he should follow the latter, would we not conclude, that either he would not be healed, or else that he believed not the other: so standeth the case betwixt God and us, either we would not be saved, or else we do not believe God.  
This is manifest in two men, Adam and Abraham; the one the father of all men, the other of the faithful: Now Adam eat of 
Gen. 3.  the tree which God forbade, and why? because he believed not 
Act. 7.  God but Satan; and so do most men: But Abraham, when God commanded him to leave his Country and kindred, he did so; 
Gen. 22.  when God commanded him to offer his Son, he did it. For he 
Esa. 1.  believed God, and so do few men. But let us not listen to Satan and our own flesh, but to God, promising happiness, if we obey him.  
Thou hast here two counsellors, the flesh, and the spirit. The flesh bids thee follow thy lusts, but the spirit saith, if thou dost so, thou shalt perish: For he that soweth in the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit 
Gal. 6. 8.  reap life everlasting: now whether of these wilt thou believe?  
Yet in all this, I do not speak of the justifying faith, but that the wicked have not, no not so much as the Historical faith to believe the Scriptures: Nam 
Faith a chief instrumental cause of salvation.   
Fidestriplex; justificans. Miraculosa. Historica.  
For faith is threefold, There is a lively justifying Faith, a miraculous, and an historical faith; but the former is most rare, like a black swan, or Phoenix in Arabia. In all the old world there were but eight believers; but two josua and Caleb; and in Christ's time, we read but of an hundred and twenty believers. As Egypt was full of louse, Nilus' full of Crocodyles, Golgotha full of dead men's skulls; so is the world full of Infidels.  
He destroyed them that believed not; And hence cometh it to pass that so many are damned, even because they want faith; Perditio tua ex te, o Israel; thy destruction cometh of thyself, o Israel. Ex nobis quod damnamur; It is of ourselves that we be damned, blame not God, but thine own infidelity; For all things 
Hos. 13. Man. 5.  are possible to them that do believe. And therefore Hemingius in his Enchiridion distinguisheth of the word, that There is:  
Duplex verbum,— Damnans & Salvans.  
That there is a double word, a Damning, and a Saving word: The damning word is the Law, the saving word is the Gospel. The Law offereth grace to them that do it; Ye shall keep therefore 
Deut. 2. 27. Gen. 3. 5. Levit. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 4. 9  my statutes and my judgements, which if a man do, he shall live in them. But the Gospel offereth grace to the believers; For Christ is the end of the Law unto every one that believe. For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Faith is ever a chief doer in matters of salvation: and therefore said Hemingius in his Enchiridion, that Causa imperans salutis est pater, the 
john 3. 16.  commanding cause of our salvation is God. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to save the world: Causa obsequens est filius, the obedient pliant cause is the 
Psal. 40. 7.  Son; In the volume of thy book it is written of me, that I should do thy will, I am content to do it, thy Law is written in my heart. Causa consummans est Spiritus Sanctus; the consummating cause is the holy Ghost: so saith the Apostle, But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, 
1 Cor. 6. 11.  but ye are justified by the grace of the Lord jesus, and by the spirit of God.  
The instrumental cause is double Exhibens. Recipiens. 
Rom. 1. 18.   
The exhibiting Cause is the word; the receiving cause, Faith; as therefore a Smith worketh not in cold iron, so a preacher worketh not on an Infidel. There is no life of God in us, till we believe: 
Ephes. 4. 18.  till than our cogitation is darkened, and we are strangers from the life of God. He that believeth in him, shall not be condemned, but he that 
john 3. 18.  believeth not is condemned already, because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. A tree liveth not without moisture, 
Without faith no access to God.  nor a bird without air, nor a fish without water, nor a Salamander without fire: So the soul liveth not without faith, The just doth live by his faith: this is the spirit and soul of the inward man; we 
Hab. 2.  have a name to live, yet are we dead if we want faith. I live by faith in the Son of God (saith Paul) who loved me, and gave himself for 
Gal. 2. 20.  me. Infidels therefore are dead men.  
What is the cause, that we profit no more by the word? we believe not the preacher: that may be verified of our people, which God said to Ezechiel concerning the jews; They come unto 
Ezech. 33. 31, 32.  thee (saith God) as people useth to come, and my people sit before thee, and he are thy words, but they will not do them: For with their mouths they make jests, and their heart goeth after their covetousness, and lo thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well: for they hear thy words, but do them not: So we come to the Sermon, hear the preacher, but we do not hear him with such zeal and affection as we should; we believe not, but abuse the word to our own condemnation; why care we no more for heaven, but are so worldly? truly we believe not God: what is the cause that we live in sin, seeing it is damnable; For the ways of it is death? we believe not the Scriptures: what is the 
Rom. 6. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 4.  cause of all disorder? even infidelity; The God of this world hath blinded their eyes: our ears are open to hear, but not our hearts to believe, Satan stealeth away the word, lest we should believe, and so be saved. But let us make much of the word, that we may 
Mat. 13. 19  have faith to believe. For faith, nay one dram of faith is of more worth than all the treasure in the world. This that good merchant well knew, that sold all to buy it. For he that believeth shall not be condemned: for every believers cause is removed 
Mat. 13. 24.  from the Court of God's justice, into the Court of God's mercy, where he that believeth, is not condemned: Therefore our care must be with S. Paul, that we may be found, having the righteousness of Christ by faith: For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ 
Phil. 3. 9 Rom. 1.  jesus, as all believers are; and until thou be'st a believer, thou belongest not to God: For as the Eagle refuseth her birds till they can mount, and soar to the Sun; and as the Raven acknowledgeth not her young ones, till they be black; So God rejecteth the infidels, and receiveth none till they believe. None are the Sons of God, but the faithful, the rest are bastards: I confess there be degrees in faith: The first is a rudiment or entrance, 
Gal. 3. Mat. 12. 20. Rom. 14. 1. Hebr. 10. 22. Rom. 4. 18.  which Christ calleth Smoking flax: The second is a weak faith; Him that is weak in faith (saith Paul) receive unto you. The third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, assurance of Faith: Such a faith was in Abraham, who above hope believed, under hope. But no faith is abominable, and may easily be discerned from a weak faith. As a sick man is known from a dead man: So a weak faith from no faith.  
Even a desire of Faith is a token of faith: For God's spirit worketh 
God gives grace according to the measure of Faith.  that; but no faith is accursed: For he that believeth not is còndemned already. There be degrees in faith, three examples we have: The first of the Ruler of the Synagogue, who believed that his daughter should revive, if Christ would but touch her. But the 
john 3. 18. john 4.  woman with the bloody issue believed, that she should be whole if she touched but the hem of his vesture: But the Centurion believed, that his servant should do well, if Christ spoke but the 
Luk. 8. Mat. 8.  word; here is Gradus positivus, the positive degree, the comparative, and the superlative, and all good: Accedens ad flumen, tantum haurit, quantum urna capere potest; A man coming unto the river, or fountain, he draweth as much as his vessel will hold, the defect or want is not in the flood or fountain, but in the vessel: so draw from Christ, from his word and Sacraments, as Rebecca out of the well of jacob; there is no defect in Christ, or in the word and Sacraments, but in the vessel, the heart that doth not believe. Accede aegrotus & sanaberis, debilis & confortaberis, famelicus & satiaberis: Come thou sick man and thou shalt be healed, 
Esa. 55.  thou weak one and thou shalt be strengthened, thou hungry one, and thou shalt be satisfied. But come, Non pedibus corporis, sed cordis, not with the feet of thy body, but of thy heart: Non ambulando, sed credendo, not in walking, but in believing.  
Faith is Illuminatio mentis, the light of the mind: Infidels are blind, and shall not see heaven; they are filii irae, children of 
Luk 15. Act. 15.  wrath, and they that believe not cannot be saved. Faith is God's gate, whereby God enters into our soul; the light that found the lost groat; the purifier of our heart; the conqueror in the race; the polestar for the sailor; the life of the soul▪ and by Faith Christ dwells in our hearts. O help us Lord, we believe, o help our unbelief; he must believe that comes to God: and as is our faith, so is our blessing; faith is the victory that overcometh the world. O Lord increase our faith.  
The second example used for Confirmation of his former proposition; That we must strive for faith: is taken from God's vengeance upon the Angels, who because they kept not their estate, but left their habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains of darkness, to the judgement of the great day. So that here in these Angels, Observe;  
First, Their sin.  
Secondly, Their punishment.  
Thy sin of these Angels I will not precisely discuss; their sin, (like Adam's sin) was not alone, but many.  
First, there was pride in them, as it appeareth by Paul's words to Timothy; where handling the office of a Minister, among other 
2 Tim. 3. 6.  things, he would not have him to be a young scholar, Lest he being puffed up, fall into the condemnation of the Devil; that is, lest being proud of his degree, he be likewise condemned as the Devil was, for lifting up himself by pride: so that it is manifest, 
What was the Angel's sin.  that pride was the sin of the Angels.  
But besides pride, there were many other sins in them, as Infidelity, Ingratitude, Envy, and Rebellion; Denique, quid non? to conclude, what not? not one vice, but many, even a troop, an army of sins: For sins are like Pismires in a moll-hill, like Bees in an hive, like Motes in the Sun, there are many ever together, not one sin alone, they grow like clusters of grapes: sin is like the link of a chain, take hold of one link, and draw the whole chain: so take hold of one sin, and draw a number.  
Other things concerning Angels, as their names, their number, their orders, I dare not define: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Let us be 
Rom. 12. 3. job 4. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Psal. 78. 49. john 8. 44. Wisd. 2. 24.  wise unto sobriety: job nameth folly or pravity in the Angels, as if that were their sin: Paul nameth pride: Peter only calleth it their sin: Asaph calleth them evil, but noteth not the kinds of of their evil, what the evil or sin was which they committed: Christ nameth murder to be their sin, and saith, That the Devil was a murderer from the beginning: The Wise man nameth envy; jude here nameth Apostasy: but the time, the manner, and the circumstance of their fall is not plainly expressed in the Scripture: and in that they are not, it teacheth us Sapere ad sabrietatem, not to presume to understand above that which is meet to understand, but 
Rom. 12. 3. Pro. 25. 27. Ro. 11. 33. Col. 1. 18.  that we understand according to sobriety. Too much honey is not good: who hath known the mind of the Lord? Many are puffed up with a fleshly mind, as though with Moses, God had revealed to them the Creation of the world: as though with Stephen, they had seen 
Gen. 1. Act. 6. 2 Cor. 12. Apoc. 1. Ezra. 4.  the heavens open: as though with Paul, they had been lifted up to the third Paradise: as if the Angel had talked with them, as he did with john in Pathmos; and with Ezras in jerusalem: Such are Holcot, Briccot, Dionysius Areopagita, whom they call, Aquilam, seu volucrem Coeli, the Eagle, or bird of heaven; and make nine orders of Angels: but no man hath so tasted jonathans' honey comb, but he may see, and oversee many things in this, and in all other questions.  
If any man ask, what Angels be? I say, that they be spirits of essence, but having neither body, nor soul: For they differ from bodies, in that they have no flesh, & from souls, in perspicuity; understanding what the soul cannot: Indeed they sometimes take bodies unto them as the Angel that appeared to Abraham, 
Mat. 22. 30. Gen. 18. judg. 13. Mat. 26.  & to Manoahs' wife, & to Marie. So that in respect of their essence, they are called spirits: and as the Apostle speaketh, Ministering spirits: but in respect of their office, they are called Angels. Whereupon David, He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Angel is a name of office, not of nature. Some make them of a fiery nature, as Hemingius in his Enchiridion. I see no soundness in it: For sometime they have their denomination from heat, as the Seraphins; sometime for knowledge and brightness, 
The Apostasy of the Angels irrecoverable.  as the Cherubins; sometime they have appeared in a fiery nature, so they appeared to Elisha and his servant; for the mountain was full of Chariots and horses of fire, that is, Angels to defend them from the Syrians. And so again, while Elias and Elisha 
Esay 6. 2 Reg. 6. 17. 2 Reg. 2. 11. Psal. 114.  went walking and talking together, Behold, there appeared a Chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and did separate them twain. And David saith, He maketh his spirits his Messengers, and a flaming fire his Ministers. And as they have appeared in these forms, so have they appeared in other forms also, as pleaseth the Creator: but to leave this.  
The sin of Angels is notorious, and their punishment is as famous; they are fall'n from light to darkness, from Heaven to hell, from felicity to misery; Valerian fell from a golden chair to a cage of iron; Dionysius fell from a King to a Schoolmaster; Alexander the third fell from being Pope to be a Gardener in Venice; Nabuchadnezzar fell from a man to a beast: but the celestial 
Dan. 4.  spirits fell from Angels to Devils. For their sin of Apostasy was great, it cried to God for vengeance. The Lord jesus noteth this Apostasy in them, to show, that their sin was not by creation, but by wilful corruption. Hereupon saith our Saviour to the jews, You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father do ye; he abode not in the truth. It followeth then, that 
john 8 44.  he was once in the truth, and that he was not created evil. This Apostasy, in some case, joined with wilfulness and malice, is not to be prayed for. So saith Saint john, the Disciple whom jesus loved; If any man see his brother sin a sin, that is not unto death; let him ask, and he shall give life for them that sin not to death: There 
1 john 5. 16.  is a sin unto death, I say not that thou shouldst pray for it. Some Apostasies cannot be renewed: For it is impossible, that they which have been once lightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were 
Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6.  made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the world to come; If they fall away, should be renewed by repentance, seeing they crucify again to themselves, the Son of God, and make a mock of him. For certainly, they that are Apostates, and sin against the Holy Ghost, hate Christ, crucify and mock him, but to their own destruction; and therefore fall into desperation, and cannot repent. Indeed there is no sin but by repentance may be forgiven, but they that sin against the Holy Ghost, which some affirm to be Apostasia aut negatio Christi, Apostasy, or the denying of Christ, it shall not be forgiven; 
●●●lla in Luc. 12. 10.  Quia directè obviant principio, per quod fit remissio peccatorum, because they are directly and plainly opposite and contrary to that whereby remission of sins is obtained; that is, unto repentance. And this is the cause, saith Augustine, why God hath redeemed men, and not Angels; for that they sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from within and of themselves, maliciously and rebelliously: man sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from without and by provocation. And this is 
Christ's death saves only men not Angels.  the cause (saith Augustine) why Moses wrote nothing of the fall of Angels; he named not their wound, because he would not name their medicine; Sed hominis vulnus & medicinam narravit, but he hath showed man his wound and medicine also, for that 
Aug. lib. de mirab. Script. cap. 2.  God would restore him again. Humanam ergo naturam, non Angelicam, sumpsit Christus (quoth Athanasius) therefore he took the nature of man, not the nature of Angels; according to that of 
Athanasius.  the Apostle, He in no sort took the Angels, but he took the seed of Abraham; Quia Angeli per se defecerunt à Deo, because the Angels of themselves fell from God. Therefore the promise of the Messiah was made only to man, not to Angels. The grace of GOD, that 
Tit. 2. 11.  bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared: Grace saveth men, not Angels. For these Angels that fell, have no benefit by Christ's death, he came not to save them, for their sins are not pardonable. But the cause of mercy I leave to God only, the father of mercies: These are but conjectures of Augustine and Athanasius. In the mean time Dorbels reasons are too weak to prove, that men shall be punished in hell more deeply than these Angels that fell. His first reason is, Quia Deus nunquam pro illis passus est, ut pro nobis; that God never suffered so much for them, as for us: His second reason is, Quia Angeli pro uno tantum peccato puniuntur, nos saepe deliquimus; the Angels fell by one sin only, man by many sins he offendeth oft. His third reason is, Quia daemones sunt spiritus tantum, nos autem corpore & anima peccamus; that the bad Angels, the Devils, be spirits only, but men have both bodies and spirits. But these reasons are vanishing, as the untimely dew, unsavoury as the white of an egg, brittle as the web of a spider. He spoke as Phormio spoke before Hannibal, Rem magis delirantem nunquam legi, I never read a more doting thing.  
But to proceed; my meaning is not, that all Apostasy is sin against the Holy Ghost: for every Apostasy is not uncurable, every fall of man is not damnable, as the fall of Angels; yet it is dangerous: for he that settetb his hand to the plough, and looketh back, 
Luke 9 62.  is not fit for the Kingdom of God. And Christ said to the sick man, Behold, thou art made whole, sinne no more, lest a worse thing happen unto 
john 5. 14.  thee. Thus all Apostasy is dangerous, though not damnable: for if damnable, what shall become of the godly themselves? for they often fall from the Lord, slide back, and decrease in the graces of God: They keep not their first estate; which was the sin of the Angels. Ephesus lost her first love, but I would our Church were like it; for Ephesus hated the evil, we hate the good; 
Apoc. 2. 4.  they examined the false Apostles, we examine none; they suffered 
Luke 12. 45.  persecution, we persecute others; we smite our fellow servants. julian the Christian is become julian the Apostata, and Simon Peter is become Simon Magus, joseph is become Pharaoh, grapes are turned into thorns, figs into thistles, Lambs into Lions, and Doves 
There must be a perpetual growth in grace and goodness.  into Serpents. We are fallen from our first love, every day less and less zealous, less and less loving, less and less religious, than heretofore we have been. Memento Anglia, memento Norfolcia unde excideris; Remember England, remember Norfolk whence thou art fallen. Revertere, revertere, Return, return, saith the Lord, 
jer. 3. 14.  for I am your Lord and will bring you to Zion. Let us follow the counsel of the Wise man, In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening 
Eccles. 11. 6.  let not thine hand rest: that is, increase in goodness, do good in 
Gal. 6. 6.  thy youth, do good in thine age, yea do good at all times; be not weary of sowing, be not weary of working, the seedtime is nothing, the harvest is all in all. To do good in youth is nothing, to do well in middle age is nothing, but to continue in old age, to the last gasp, is piety indeed. When a righteous man (saith the Prophet) turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth 
Ezech. 18. 26.  iniquity, he shall even dye for the same, he shall even die for his iniquity that he hath committed: aswell may we drown in the Havens mouth, as in the midst of the boisterous Sea; aswell may we fall through the▪ peevishness of age, as through the lusts and concupiscence of youth. Of many it may be said, as Bernard said, Caput canum, & cor vanum, a grey head, and a green wit; grey hairs and green lusts; but we must go forward, and not fall from the state of grace: Take heed that no man fall away from the 
Heb. 12. 15.  state of grace, saith the Apostle. Christianity, and progress in religion is compared to a building; in a building men must go forward, and to the foundation add the roof: And it is compared to a race; in a race men run on till they come to the goal: 
jude 20.  and it is compared to the growth of trees; Trees grow bigger and 
1 Cor. 9 24. 2 Pet. 3. 28. Ephes. 4. 14.  taller: And it is compared to the ages of men; the ages of men grow still, and they be elder to day than they were yesterday: And it is compared to the morning light, and to the Sun; which 
Prov. 4. 18.  cometh forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber, and rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course. The morning light waxeth brighter and 
Psal. 19  brighter, the Sun shineth more and more unto the noon day: Even so good men must wax better & better. The Church is God's vineyard, his people are his plants, the plants must grow, and the Christians increase: Terra Domini est ecclesia ejus, ipse rigat, ipsam colit ipse agricola pater; Gods ground is his Church, he tills, dungs, 
Aug. in Psa. 36.  waters, himself is the Husbandman; and we must bring forth fruit, and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord jesus. Paul prayeth for the Philippians, that they may abound in grace more and 
Phil. 1. 9  more. And for the Colossians, To increase in knowledge: Let us grow up (therefore) into full holiness in the fear of God; in grace 
1 Cor. 7. 1.  there is no stand, but either a progress, or a regress; non oportet 
Chrysost. Homil. 14.  exordia sola habere clara, sed clariorem finem; A good beginning must have a better end. The runner must continue to the goal, and the Champion to the victory: The Orator will shine most in the end.  cum plausibus discedat, that he may departed with credit: 
The wicked grow worse and worse.  He that puts his hand to the plough, must not look back: he shall have the crown of victory, that continueth unto death, and he be saved, that grows better to the end. Non progredi, est regredi, not 
Luke 9 Mat. 12. Bern.  to go forward, is to go backward: We must not be like joshua his Sun, which stood still, nor like Ezekiahs' Sun, which went backward; but like David's Sun, which always goeth forward; As well was he punished, that hide his talon, as he that spent his 
Mat. 25. Luke 16.  master's goods riotously.  
The Divines hold two principles in divinity: That good men go forward; their ditch becometh a flood, and their flood a Sea, they look forth as the morning, as fair as the Moon, 
Eccles. 24. 35. Cant. 6. 9 john 15. 2.  pure as the Sun, terrible as an army with Banners: they bear fruit, and Christ purgeth them, That they may bring forth more fruit; they flourish like a Palm tree, and grow as a Cedar of Lebanon; they are planted in the house of the Lord, and will flourish in the Courts of our God; they shall still bring forth fruit in their age, they 
Psal. 92. 13. 14.  shall be fat and flourishing.  
Another principle in Divinity is, that bad men decrease; they grow from Lovers, to Lechers; from Liars, to Swearers; from Quarrellers, to Killers. They are ever learning (as Paul said of the 
2 Tim. 3. 7.  Hypocrites) and never come to the knowledge of the truth: they are plants not planted by Christ, therefore to be rooted up, for they be 
jer. 9 2. 3.  Adulterers, and an assembly of rebels: They bend their tongues like their bows, for lies, but they have no courage for the truth upon the earth, for they proceed from evil to worse, and they have not known me, saith the Lord. They have seven sins more, and seven Devils more enter, and their plague shall be seven times greater. 
Mat. 12.  But let us Crescere de virtute in virtutem, grow from virtue to virtue: and let our works be more at the last, than at the first; and let us try ourselves every day, whether we go forward, or 
Apoc.  backward in Religion. A wise occupier will at the years end, see whether he hath gained or lost, and a wise Christian will examine himself, whether he be increased or decreasing in Religion, in Faith, in Zeal, in Knowledge, and Godliness: For there be more Bankrupts in Religion, than in any Trade beside in the whole World. Solomon lost his ships, Laban his sheep, Esau his lands, and birthright, the Prodigal son his patrimony, 
1 Reg. 10. Gen. 30. Heb. 12. Luke 15. job 1 1▪ Tim. 1. 19  job his cattles; but most men lose faith, love, piety, and a good conscience, they are poorer to God this year, than the last: For as touching Faith, Religion, Love, Zeal, etc. they have made shipwreck. The Wicked are like Nebuchadnezzars' Image, whose head was all of gold, whose shoulders were all of silver, whose belly was all of brass, whose legs, were all of iron, and feet of clay, they are worst at last, they live not to amend, but to fulfil the measure of their iniquity. The first year we are Angels, the second 
Mat. 23. 32.  year Men, the third year devils; like the Taxus of India, which the first yielded fruit, the second year leaves, the 
Perseverance brings the Crown.  third year poison. But hast thou left Sodom? Look not back again with Lot's wife, lest thou be turned into a pillar of Salt: Hast thou marched toward the heavenly Canaan? turn not 
Gen. 19 Act. 7. 1 Cor. 9  back again in thine heart, like the Israelites: Hast thou begun to run in the ways of God like the Corinth's? Sic curre ut comprehendas, so run that thou mayst obtain: hast thou begun in the spirit? make not an end in the flesh like the Galathians: 
Gal. 3. 2 Cor. 12.  pray thrice, as Paul did; yea pray seven times, as Elias did; yea, pray without ceasing, that thou mayst go forward in Religion. Non minor est virtus, quàm quaerere, parta tueri. Adam 
1 Reg. 18.  fell from Paradise, judas from the school of our Saviour, the Angels from Heaven; yea, the whole world falleth: Scarce one of a hundred, of a thousand, hold fast the profession of their hope 
Heb. 10 32.  without wavering.  
But to proceed: jude saith of these Angels, That they left their habitation: Where God's justice is discharged of all blot and stain; for willingly, wilfully they fell from God, that God might be just when he speaketh, and pure when he judgeth. The Scripture therefore distinguisheth the times of their state: The first time is their creation, in which they were made all alike, in all fullness of light and glory, immortal spirits, glorious creatures: The Angels being chief of all creatures, as the Sun among Planets; as the Eagle among Fowls, and the Lion among Beasts, & the Whale among Fishes. Angels are the first, and Men 
Psal. 8. 5. Mat. 22. 30.  are next in glory; He made Man a little lower than the Angels; and Christ saith, that we shall be like them in the last day; like them, being exempted from the infirmities of this present life.  
The second time is the constancy of the good, and the fall of the bad Angels: from this time there hath been diversity among them: The good abide in their first estate of Innocency, serving God day and night, according to that of Daniel, A thousand 
Dan. 7. 10. Heb. 1. 14. Mat. 18. Psa. 34. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 4.  thousand minister unto him. And the Apostle calleth them, ministering spirits: They see the face of their heavenly Father. They keep good men, as David saith, The Angels of the Lord pitch their tents round about them that fear him; they rejoice in the Church meetings. On the contrary, the evil Angels suffer pains, they are cast down from their state, and are thrust down into Hell, and are tied in chains of darkness, to be kept unto damnation; they are deprived of the sight of God, and of Christ, and if at any time, they 
job 1. 2 Cor. 18.  stand & appear before God, they stand & appear before an angry judge, not a mild & merciful Father. And thirdly, they are sent about sordid & foul works, as to hurt & destroy the Vessels of wrath. Whereupon saith David, He cast upon them the furiousness 
Psal. 78. 49.  of his wrath, and vexation, by sending out of evil Angels; and his captives he detaineth in their malice so that they cannot come out of the snare of the Devil, but are holden of him at his will; & 
Divers appellations of Angels.  they hinder the good what they can, as they hindered Paul's journey to Rome. Fourthly, they are obdurate, so hardened as they have no hope of instauration or repairing; & those gifts which they had 
2 Tim. 2. 26. Rom. 1. 13.  by nature they do abuse, to the dishonour of God; and hurt of man, seeking continually to devour him.  
The third time is of the last judgement: For then the joy of 
1 Pet. 3. 8.  the good shall be more full, for the glory of Christ unto whom all things shall be subject; and the judgement of the evil 
Hos. 13. Luke 4. 34.  more grievous, and therefore the devils cried out in the Gospel, Art thou come to torment us before our time?  
These times do agree and accord to us: The first time of the Angels agreeth to Man's nativity: the second time to Man's justification: the third to his Glorification.  
And note here, that Angels were not evil by creation, but by transgression, & therefore there are many names given them in the Scripture, to show and declare their depravation, their corruption: they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, accusers, for their calumnies and 
Ephes. 6. Mat. 6. 1 Thes. 3. 1 Pet. 5. Apoc. 12.  slanders; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, evil ones, for their malice; Tempter's, for their suggestion; Lions for their freity in devouring; Dragons, for their cruelty. Some say they were called Devils, A scientia, from their knowledge and understanding: Others say, they were so called, ob naturae excellentiam, for the excellency of their nature. The Manichees, and Priscillianists, An. Dom. 200. and Anno 209. did very strongly maintain, that the Devils were created of an evil God: but Christ confuteth them, when he said unto the jews, You are of your father the Devil; and the 
john 8. 44.  Works of your father will ye do; he hath been a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Fuit in veritate, sed non fletit in ea, he was in the truth, but he abode not in it. As for their names, jude calleth them Angels: The country men call them Satyrs: The women call them fairies: The Poets call them Dryads, and Hamadryades: The nobles call them familiars: The Philosophers call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: but all these names note but one thing. By their fall they are Devils, full of malice.  
This state, that jude here nameth, is the state of Grace: by grace they stood, from grace they fell. They kept not their first estate. By the way observe with me, that the good Angels are not said to be justified or reconciled unto God, because they sinne not: but they are called Elect Angels; I charge thee before God, 
1 Tim. 5. 21.  and the Lord jesus Christ, and the elect Angels, saith Paul to Timothy. Now election is by grace, because that by the grace of God they are, which they are. The place therefore in the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians, where he saith, For it pleased the father that in him, (that is, Christ) all fullness should dwell; and by him to reconcile 
Col. 1. 19, 20.  all things unto himself; and to set at peace through the blood of his Cross both the things on earth, and the things in heaven. Bona cum 
Christ is not the Redeemer of Angels, but their head.  Calvini pace; by master Calvins' good leave, is not referred to the Angels, but to the souls of the Saints, which then were in heaven: Christ is said to be the head of the Angels, but not the Redeemer of them, nor the husband of them. To speak properly; The marriage in the Revelation is betwixt Christ and man, not 
Apoc. 19  between CHRIST and Angels, for he took not their nature; neither can it be said of Christ and Angels, that they are two in one flesh: Yet are they one with Christ in another respect: for he is the head of Angels; and Christ giveth unto them life, 
Heb. 2. 16. Ephes. 1. 22.  grace, and wisdom, as to all the faithful; and so are Membra Christi & ecclesiae nobiscum. Yet Calvin thinketh otherwise of the aforenamed place to the Colossians, using these two reasons: Angeli (inquit) non erant extra periculum lapsus; The Angels (saith he) 
Col. 1. 20.  were not without danger of falling. And furthermore he saith, that the justice of Angels was not answerable to the justice of God to satisfy it fully. Behold (saith job) he found no steadfastness in 
job 4. 18.  his servants, and laid folly upon his angels. But to expound this place of the devil (saith he) frigidum est; it hath so cold a sent, that it cannot be perceived.  
As for the time of the fall of these Angels, as I will not be curious, so it is like, that they fell betwixt the creation of the second day, and the seventh day; (quoth Fenner) their fall could not be long after the creation, because Heva espied not the serpent's 
Fenner method. in methodum Theolog. lib. 3. cap. 73.  tongue to have a further skill than of himself: howsoever it must needs be, that their fall was before the fall of man; for otherwise, this Homicida, this murderer could not have been so ready in the Angel to bring man to confusion. Hereupon 
Gen. 3.  Christ said, Est homicida, he is a murderer. The Scripture speaketh 
john 8. 44.  of his fall; Christ saith, I saw Satan like lightning fall down 
Luke 10. 18.  from heaven. It is enough, that he fell, though we know not the day, the year, the hour of his fall.  
But this is ridiculous, that of the Angels that fell, some make some to be better and truer than others: as those that fell in the air and fire, to be purer than those that fell in the earth and water: for they make them to have fall'n at the first into all the four elements; but these be toys, for they be all Liars. 
john 8. 44.   
Again, they fell not by weight, as a solid substance to stick in a place; but their fall consisteth in quality, that they fell from the grace, wherein they were created, their fall was not local being Spirits.  
Again, Paul speaketh as hardly of them in the air, as Christ doth of them in the earth: For the Apostle saith of them in the 
Ephes. 2. 2.  air, That they work in the children of disobedience: As Christ saith of them in the earth, He walketh (saith Christ) through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. And then he saith, I will return to my 
Mat. 11.  house, whence I came out, and when he cometh, he findeth it swept and 
Devil's many in number, yet one head among them.  garnished, then taketh he seven other spirits worse than himself, and entereth in and dwelleth there, and the end of that man is worse than the beginning.  
Again, note here, that jude nameth Angels plurally, where observe with me, that the Scripture speaketh sometime plurally, as here, The Angels also which kept not their first estate. And so Paul speaketh plurally, We wrestle not against flesh & blood, but against principalities, 
Ephes. 6. 12.  against powers, against worldly governor's, princes of the darkness of this world: And sometime singularly, for Paul speaking of these evil Angels, he calleth him, The prince that ruleth in the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience: As if 
Ephes. 2. 2.  there were but one spirit in the air. And this it doth, partly because there is a chiefty among the evil Angels, one is principal, and the rest are called his angels. The Scripture therefore speaketh singularly, as if there were but one devil. So doth Saint Peter, Your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring Lion. The Scripture nameth Beelzebub, the prince of devils, and Abaddon, 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  king of locusts, the Angel of the bottomless pit, and the great red Dragon that fought with Michael, and Asmodaeus who slew seven men in seven nights. The Apostle nameth him the God of the world, and the prince that ruleth in the air: and in respect of this chiefty he is said to have a kingdom: as God hath his Kingdom, so the devil hath his: witness our Saviour, If Satan be divided against Satan, how can his Kingdom endure. I speak not of it, as if 
Mar. 2.  there were but one devil; for there are infinite; one man had both a deaf and dumb devil; Mary had seven devils; the man 
Luke 7. Mat. 8.  in the Gospel had a Legion.  
That which is said of Lucifer, How art thou fall'n from heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning, & c? is utterly mistaken. For surely 
Esa. 14. 12.  there are infinite devils, as many as men on the earth; infinite Angels fell, as infinite now stand. Hence cometh the world 
Dan. 7.  to be so full of mischief: Art thou prone to any sin? thou shalt not want a devil to help thee forward: If David be proud of his people, Satan will provoke him to number them, that he 
2 Sam. 24.  may be prouder: If Ahabs' Prophets be given to flatter, the devil straightway will become a lying spirit in the mouths of four 
1 Reg. 22.  hundred of them: If Mary Magdalen be whorish, and unchaste, seven devils of lechery will enter into her, and make her become at last a mecenary drab: If judas will be a Traitor, Satan will 
Luke 7.  quickly enter into his heart, and make him sell his Master: If Ananias will be covetous, and lie for advantage, Satan will fill 
john 13. 2.  his heart, and he will bend his tongue like a bow to speak lies. 
Acts 5.  Doth Absalon want a counsellor to advise him in mischief? 
2 Reg. 15.  why here is Achitophel to supply his wants: Doth Ahab want a comforter to rid him of his grief, for the not possessing of Naboths' 
1 Reg. 21.  vineyard? here is jezabel to comfort him, and advise him, which way to effect his purpose: will Achitophel hang himself? 
Though the devils be malicious spirits yet they agree in evil.  Go thy way (saith the Devil) here is an halter. Is judas desperate, will he needs be his own hangman, and hang till he burst too? here is a rope (saith the Devil.) The Devil waiteth as a Spaniel to raise the game, to increase sin in all men: he hath an oar in every boat, a hand in every sin in the World.  
If ye ask, how the Devil is in the wicked, seeing that he hath no Local dimensions?  
I answer; that he is in us, as the soul is in us; Intellectual 
Mar. 9 Mar. 2.  not sensible. And he is in us two ways: by his essence, as in the Child, and in the deaf man: or by his Working and operation, not bodily, but spiritually in the mind; by suggesting evil things to us; so he was in Ananias, he spoke not vocally, but by 
Act. 5.  inspiration. For so are the words of Saint john to be expounded, when as he saith, There was given unto him a mouth that spoke great things and blasphemies, etc. He spoke by the mouth of a greater beast than himself (quoth john) yet he speaketh not vocally, for he wanteth the nine instruments of nature, Duo labia, the two lips, quatuor dentes, four teeth, & guttur, the throat, etc. Seven 
Luke 7.  Devils were in Magdalen by their essence, so seven and seven are in us, though not by essence, yet by operation and working. For as the spirit of God is not in us by his essence, (for then we were Gods) but by his graces; So the evil spirit is not in all the wicked by his essence, but by operation. He worketh in the Children of disobedience.  
Once again I say, that sometime Devils are named in the plural number, sometime but one to note a Chiefety, & to note that they all join together to uphold one kingdom: For though they cannot love one another in deed, yet the hatred they bear against God is as a fagot-bond, that doth tie them together, that these all agree in one to work mischief. They have Seven heads and ten horns: Here in the wicked his members, are 
Apoc. 12.  like to their Head; for howsoever they hate one another in private quarrels, yet agree they in the main point against God, and good men. Ephraim against Manasses; Manasses against Ephraim, 
Esa. 9  yet both against juda: The Pharises against the Saducees, the Saducees against the Pharises, & yet both against Christ: The jews 
Mat. 22.  against the Gentiles, the Gentiles against the jews, and yet both against Paul: The Canonists against the Schoolmen, and the 
Acts 19 9  Schoolmen against the Canonists for auricular Confession, yet both against the Gospel: Parish against Parish, one against another, yet all against the Minister.  
This may be a good lesson to us, that we may learn all to join together against the common enemy. If we will not learn of God and good men to love one another, and to cling and cleave together as one man, for shame let us learn of Devils, for they cleave together like burrs: Howsoever we differ in private matters, yet let us all agree together against the adversary 
Division the cause of Confusion.  the Papists, and other Hellhounds of division, that remain within and without the Land. Division in Christendom opened a way to the Turk to get Constantinople, Buda, Belgrade, Strigonium, and all Hungaria almost: The division in Italy Inter Guelfos & Gibelinos, brought all into the hands of that man of Rome. The division in England brought in the Spanish Navy hither, Anno 1588. Sub spe vincendi, In hope to have conquered us, and that the Papists would have revolted to them. But let not the Papists think, that the Spaniards would have spared them; all had been fish that had come to net: All had been Huguenotes. So was it in the massacre of Paris by the Guise. So was it in the conquest of Antwerp, by Parma. Therefore, that Papist that hath an English heart left in his breast to knock upon, let him pray for our Sovereign and State now, and God bless both the one and the other, and make Gods and our foes, his and our footstool.   

THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. 6. 
He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness. 
The Angels that fell are reserved in eternal slavery.   
HAving already spoken of the sin of the Angels, we are now come to handle their punishment; their fall was great, so was their punishment: Quanto gradus altior, tanto casus gravior, the higher their state and condition, the grievouser their fall. Sin and punishment go together like jonathan and his harness-bearer; Sin goeth before, and punishment follows after. If it was much for Cain 
Gen. 4. Gen. 3.  to be a vagabond, and Adam to be driven out of Paradise, and Ishmael out of his Father Abraham his house? how much more for the Angels to be driven out of heaven: and not to return like Noah's Dove to the Ark: but to live in darkness for ever? Let the earth tremble, let the Sea make a noise, let the Air be dark, let all hearts melt, and all faces gather blackness at the hearing of this judgement. The Lord's face is burning, his lips are full of indignation, 
Esa. 30. 27, 28.  and his tongue is as a devouring fire, his spirit is as a river that over-floweth up to the neck, etc. And when he is kindled, The rivers shall be turned to pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the 
Cap. 34. 9, 19 11.  land thereof shall be burning pitch, it shall not be quenched, night nor day, the smoke thereof shall go up ever, it shall be desolate from generation to generation: none shall pass through it for ever: but the Pelicane and the Hedgehog shall possess it: the great Owl and the Raven shall dwell in it, and he shall stretch out upon it, the line of vanity, and the stones of emptiness. The Angels now are Devils, reserved in chains. If 
The Devil's malice infinite, but his power iimited.  you ask me where? I say in the earth, as it appeareth by the words of our Saviour, When the unclean spirit is driven out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none. etc. And not in the earth only, but in the air; For he is a Prince that ruleth 
Mat. 12. 43. Apoc. 20. 1, 2, 3.  in the air: and not in the earth and air only, but in the deep also: For saith Saint john, I saw an Angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand, and he took the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and he bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and sealed the door upon him, that he should deceive the people no more.  
But in that God hath reserved them in chains, it is a thing of singular comfort, as was David's harp to Saul in his melancholy, and the Dove to Noah in the deluge. Like the news brought unto the shepherds, whiles they were watching their flocks in the 
Gen. 8. Luk. 2.  night.  
Here therefore we learn, that they cannot pass their links and bounds, they are under God, Pendent exillius nutu; they depend on his beck. For God useth Satan to serve his justice (yet Satan knoweth it not) he is God's bandog let slip at wandering sheep, and lawless swine; he is God's hangman, or executioner to punish the reprobate; yet can he go no further, than God will; For he hath him in chains, as Clemens had Dandalus the Duke of Venice; as Sapor had Valerian the Emperor. Hereupon saith, Gregory, Diaboli semper iniqua voluntas, nunquam injusta est potestas, the 
Greg.  will of the Devil is always wicked, but his power never unjust; and he giveth the reason: Voluntatem habet a se, potestatem verò à domino, he hath his will of himself but his power from God. The spirit therefore that vexed Saul, is called the evil spirit of the 
1 Sam. 18.  Lord: evil in regard of his will; the spirit of God, in regard of the power given him of God. Isodore saith Adversaria potestas non habet 
Isodore.  vim cogendi, sed perswadendi, the Devil hath no power to compel but to persuade: For than he would not leave one man alive. He is like the Libberd, who is so hateful to man that if he see but his 
Luk. 8.  picture, he will tear it in pieces. The Devil could not enter into the swine, but by licence. An evil spirit vexed Saul: but it is added, That God sent him. An evil spirit deceived Ahab: but it is added, that God put him into the mouths of the Prophets: Satan 
1 Sam. 16. 1 Reg. 22. job. 1. Exod. 11.  could not touch job but as God permitted him: Moses was a figure of Christ, Pharaoh of the Devil, now as Pharaoh could not hold Israel in Egypt; So Satan cannot hold us in bondage longer than God will. Satan is the strong man, but Christ is stronger than he. As the water-spaniel watcheth the shot, to fetch the fowl, that is stricken; as the jailors watch at the judgement seats, and the hangman for the days of execution: So Satan; and his Angels wait on God's Majesty to be set a-work, but of themselves can do nothing, therefore are they said to be delivered into chains, and reserved 
How Satan is said to be loosed yet ever bound.  in everlasting chains. As in my text: For the Lord dealeth with Devils, as men use to do with cursed bandogs, which will fly at the throat of every one, whom they met; they tie & chain them up 
2 Pet. 2. 4.  for fear of doing hurt: For proof whereof note what God said to the Devil under the serpent, Thou shalt bruise his heel. By which 
Gen. 3. 15.  phrase is implied a restraint, namely that he should not come so high as the Saints head, to crush it, he should only snarl at the heel, and bite it: that is, he should not be able utterly to destroy their souls.  
I but Satan is now loosed, and the thousand years, wherein he 
Apoc. 20. 7.  was chained, are expired: and therefore now he hath liberty to do what he can.  
But brethren, ye shall understand, that this is spoken Comparatiuè, comparatively, in regard of former restraint, as when a dog hath been sometime tied up very close, and afterward his chain is let further, he may be said to be loosed.  
But the Lord limiteth this his liberty, he can go no further, than God will give him leave. For if it were not limited, the Devil should soon devour all mankind, if he were not restrained no creature could resist him, and stand before him: As the Sea, if it 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  had not bounds, would soon overwhelm the whole world. So would the Devil soon turn all topsi-turvy, & bring all to the very depth of Hell, where he himself is. Therefore saith the Apostle, 
jam 4. Rom. 16. 20.  Resist the Devil and he shall fly from you. And Paul telleth the Romans, that The God of peace shall tread Satan under their feet shortly. And in that Christ calleth him, the Strong man, Luke 11.  
And the holy Ghost, the Prince of the World, john 12.  
The God of the World, 2 Cor. 4.  
The Spirit that ruleth in the Air, Ephes. 2.  
A Roaring Lion, 1 Pet. 5. 8.  
A Flying Dragon, Apoc. 12.  
The Angel of the bottomless pit, Apoc. 20.  
Powers dominations, etc. Ephes.  
This is not to fear us, or to make us dread him too much, but to awake us. As Saint Peter saith, Be sober and watch, not to 
1. Pet. 5. 8.  be faint hearted, not to despair: He may sorely assault us, but he shall never prevail against us; He may winnow us as he did Peter, but he shall not finally overthrow us. Our Faith shall 
Ephes. 17.  quench all his fiery darts, though he let them fly at us, as thick as hail stones, as he did at job, being deprived of Goods,  Children, and all that he had; yet these darts we shall keep off by faith: Hellgates shall not prevail against us. Saint Augustine 
Mat. 16. 18.  compareth the Devils to Mastiffs, Qui latrant, non mordent, which bark, but bite not: to Serpents which hiss, but sting not: Permitti● illos Deus saevire, aut ut probet fidem electorum, aut ut 
Aug.  corrigat mores malorum; God suffereth, them to rage either to prove the faith of his Elect, or otherwise, to correct the manners 
The Devil as yet punished in part.  of the evil.  
Well, God hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness, they are punished already, but their full punishment is not before the day of judgement. As yet they are, but as prisoners in fetters and irons: the great Assizes, the day of execution is yet to come. For neither are the wicked, nor yet the Devil punished as they shall be. The wicked departed are now punished in Hell, in soul; For it is appointed for all men once to dye, and then cometh the judgement: but they shall be more tormented, 
Hebr. 9 27.  when soul and body shall be united together: For now they 
Eccles. 12. 7.  smart but in one part, that is, in soul; so the full torment of the Devils is not until the last day; For as the joys of the elect shall then be fuller, and the pains of the damned grievouser; So the glory of the good Angels, and the torments of the bad the fuller, rivers of brimstone shall be poured out upon them. So the Devil said to Christ that he tormented them before their time: For it is torment to the Devil here to want, the presence 
Luk. 5.  of Christ; but it shall be greater after the judgement day, when 
2 Thess. 1.  the hope of killing more souls shall be frustrate: then shall be fletus & stridor dentium, weeping and gnashing of teeth. 
Mat. 22.   
Note these two Aphorisms; that the joys of the elect and blessed Angels shall be greater; and that the torment of the Devils, and the damned shall be heavier, than their double punishment shall be more grievous, than ever it was: that is poena damni, & poena sensus their pain of loss, and pain of sense. Whereof Divines make mention: For the elect shall be more nearly united unto God, than now they are, and the damned shall be more further removed from him, than now they be.  
The captivity of Hell is like the captivity of Israel in Assyria? that is, irreturnable: the joys of the elect shall be so great as no tongue can utter them: and the pains of the damned shall be so extreme, as no ear can hear them, no heart conceive them. Christ having reckoned up many plagues, as how that Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes 
Luk. 2 1. 10. 11.  shall be in diverse places, and hunger, and pestilence, and fearful things etc. At last concludeth, Initium autem dolorum haec; these are but the beginnings of sorrow. As if he had said, All these things are but smoke in respect of a terrible fire ensuing: As a mustering of soldiers before the said battle: What will then the end be, if the beginning be so grievous. The damned, quoth Gregory, suffer an end without end, a death without death, a decay without decay. For their death ever liveth, their end ever beginneth, their decay never ceaseth; they are ever healed to be new wounded, and always repaired to be new devoured; they are ever dying and never dead; eternally broiled, but never burnt up; ever roaring in the pangs of death, and never rid of those pangs. For these evil Angels, with all the wicked, shall have 
The wicked shall be punished in hell in those parts they sinned.  punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succour, crying without comfort, mischief without measure, torment without ease; Where the worm dieth not, and the fire is never quenched; Where the wrath of God shall seize upon body and soul, as the flame of fire doth on pitch and brimstone. Oh who can express the pains of fire and brimstone, stinch and darkness? Without hope of release and comfort. Men and Angels cannot do it, if that they should summon a Parliament together, for the same end and purpose. For as S. john said of the 
1 john. 3. 2.  elect, It doth not appear what we shall be, so say I of these evil Angels, and of all the rabble of the reprobats, it doth not appear what they shall be. judas, Herod, Pilate have been many hundred years in fire already, but yet the greatest is to come.  
Then shall thy lascivious eyes be afflicted with the sight of ghastly spirits; thy curious ears affrighted with the hideous howling of damned Devils and reprobates; thy dainty nose, shall be cloyed with noisome stinch of Sulphur; thy delicate taste, pained with intolerable hunger; thy drunken throat shall be parched with intolerable thirst; thy mind tormented to think, how foolish thou wert for earthly pleasures, to lose heavens joys and incur hellish pains: thy conscience shall ever sting thee like an Adder and thou shalt weep more tears, than there is water in the Sea. For the water of the sea is finite, but the weeping of a reprobate shall be infinite.  
If any man will ask, how it can stand with God's justice to punish a finite sin, with an infinite punishment. S. Gregory 
Greg: lib 4. Moral. cap 12.  answereth two manner of ways: First, he saith Corda non facta pensat deus, God pondereth our hearts not our deeds: peccant cum fine qui vivunt cum fine, their sin hath an end because their life hath an end; but if they could have lived without end, they would have sinned without end. Aequum ergo est, ut nunquam careat supplicio, qui nunquam voluit carere peccato, ut nullus daretur illi terminus ultioni, qui noluit ponere terminum crimini: It is right and just that he should never want punishment, which never would want sin; that no end should be given to him of revenge, which would make no end of sinning.  
Secondly, he answereth thus; Quantò major est persona eò major est injuria in illum commissa. The greater the person is, so much the greater is the trespass and injury done unto him. An injury, a trespass done to a mean man, a common person: that person can bring but his action upon the case against him, but a trespass done against a noble man, is scandalum magnatum; against thy prince and Sovereign, it is death: for it is Crimen lesae Majestatis. Seeing then God is infinite the punishment of the trespass done against him must be infinite also.  
An other objection is made; quomodo paenae inferni perpetuae esse possunt; how the pains of hell can be everlasting? and how bodies 
How the pains of hell are eternal.  can live in those everlasting fires. Augustine answereth that the Salamander liveth in the fire, and is not consumed in the fire, and we have certain creatures called Crickets, that live in hot 
Aug. de Civitat. Dei lib. 21. cap. 2. 4, 5.  Ovens and Chimneys; take them out of those hot places, and they dye. And further he saith, that the ashes of juniper being raked up in the coals of juniper keep fire all the year an end. And again (saith he) Take me a Peacock, and dress it, and it will not putrify, but abide sweet all the year an end. Take me snow and wrap it up in chaff, and it preserves it; but take fruit and lay them in chaff, it melloweth and rotteth them: Take unslaked lime, and bring it into the Sun, it is cold: and throw it into the water, and it burneth: The adamant is not broken, but with the blood of a goat, and who can give a reason of this? Apud Garamantas there is a fountain so cold in the day, that a man cannot drink of the water thereof, and so hot in the night, that a man cannot touch it for scalding. There is a fountain in Epirus if ye bring torches that burn unto it, it puts them out, but if ye bring torches that be out, it kindleth them. There is a stone in Arcadia called Asbestos, which being once kindled, can never be quenched. And there is a stone in Thracia, that burneth in the water, but put out with oil. The horses of Cappadocia conceive with the wind. Thus God dealeth strangely with his creatures, why not with the fire of hell, these evil Angels, and all the damned beside, Semper comburentur, nunquam consumentur, they shall always be burning but never consumed.  
Thirdly, it is demanded, how the evil Angels and men's bodies 
Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 10.  can be tormented in the same fire? Augustine answereth, as the soul of the Epulo was tormented in this fire, when his body was in hell.  
Lastly, note; that the day wherein the Angels shall be judged, is called a great day; He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day. It is called a great day, and it is so called in three respects; Great in respect of the judge, who is thus described by Daniel; I beheld till the thrones were 
Dan. 7. 9, 10.  set up and the ancient of days did sit. Whose garments was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool, his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him, etc. And he is described by Saint john thus; 
Apoc. 20. 11, 12.  And I saw a great white throne, and one sitting thereupon, from whose face fled heaven and earth, and I saw the dead both small and great stand before the throne, and the books were opened, and there was another book opened, which was the book of life, and the dead were judged after those things which were written in those books. And again the same beloved Disciple describeth him thus; I saw heaven open, and behold a 
Apoc. 19 11, 12 16.  white horse, and he that sat upon him, was called faithful and true, and he judgeth and fighteth righteously, and his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, which no man 
The day of the last judgemenr why called the great day.  knew but himself, and he hath upon his garment, and upon his thigh a name written; The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thus ye see the greatness of the judge, and in respect of him, this day is called a great day.  
Secondly, it is called great, in respect of the Assistants the Angels: 
Dan. 7. 10.  For Thousand thousands shall minister unto him, and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him. And he shall come to judgement; 
Mat. 25.  In the glory of his Father, with all his holy Angels.  
Thirdly, great, in respect of the prisoners that shall be arraigned For when he shall come in the clouds of heaven; every eye shall see him, even those that pierced him; and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail 
Apoc. 1. 7.  before him: Nay then, The Kings of the earth and great men, and rich 
Apoc. 6. 15.  men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man shall be arraigned. And therefore it may well be called a great day; for if the particular day of the destruction of jerusalem was so grievous that the Prophet cried out, The great 
Zeph. 1. 14, 15, 16  day of the Lord is near, it is near, & hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the strong man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of 
I●●l 2. 10. 11.  the trumpet and alarm against the strong Cities, etc. And again, the earth shall tremble before him, the heavens shall shake, the Sun and Moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining; and the Lord shall utter his voice before his host, for his host is very great: For he is strong that doth his work: For the day of the Lord is great, & very terrible, and who can abide it. What shall be the general day of the destruction of the whole world? when the Elements shall melt with 
2 Pet. 3.  heat, the heavens shall pass away with a noise, the earth shall reel and stagger like a drunken man, and the world shall burn. Good Lord! what a great day will this be? when all the Saints out of heaven, all the damned out of hell, all the dead bodies out of the earth must appear: Not an Angel spared, not a devil respited, not a Saint or sinner rescued, but all must be summoned to give their attendance, and to make their appearances. Once the world was destroyed with water, but now it shall be consumed with fire: For the Lord jesus shall show himself from heaven with his mighty Angels 
1 Thes. 1. 7, 8.  in flaming fire rendering vengeance unto them which know not God, and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ. Let thy heart dwell seriously in this meditation; but a little imagine that thou sawest the world on fire, the judge sitting, the dead standing before him, the sins of all men revealed, the devils accusing 
Eccles. 7, 38.  them: it would beat down many sins in thee, Remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss. Christ speaking of that day, saith, That there shall be signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars, and 
Luke 21. 25, 26  upon the earth; trouble among Nations with perplexity, the Sea and the waters shall roar, and men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things that shall come on the world, for the powers of heaven 
judgement terrible to all but especially to the wicked:  shall be shaken. Others Sessions and assizes be fearful to malefactors, what shall God's assizes be, when the Ancient of days shall sit, whose garments are white as snow, and the hair of his head is like pure wool, and his throne like a fiery flame: Then 
Dan. 7. 9  fulminabit dominus e Caelo, the Lord shall thunder from heaven, and the highest will give his voice: And if the thunder and rattling of a cloud be so terrible: what terror shall there be when he shall thunder that sits above the clouds? For than Terra tremet, Mare mugiet, the earth shall quake, the Sea roar, the air ring, the World burn: and if Tota terra, the whole pillars of the earth must move, how should this move man, who is but a cold of earth? If virtutes Coeli, the powers of heaven must tremble, what will befall those minds of mud and earth, that have never a thought of heaven? If the Angels of God shall stand then at a gaze, how aghast will the wicked be whose portion is with the Devil and his Angels? If the Heavens must cleave, and the Elements be rend asunder, how will earthly hearts fail and break? If the righteous shall scarce be saved; Vbi impius, Where shall the wicked, and the sinner appear? If S. Cyprian is said so 
Cyprian.  much to fear diem judicii the day of judgement, that he clean forgot diem martyrii the day of Martyrdom and earthly torment: and no marvel, Nam timor mortis nihil ad timorem judicis, the fear of temporal death is nothing to the fear of him that hath power of eternal life and death. And if they be in such amaze, Ad quos judex; For whose glory and good the judge shall come, how shall they stand amazed, Contra quos Index, against 
Apoc. 20.  whom and for whose eternal shame and pain the judge shall 
1 Co●. 1. 25.  come? If Heaven and earth shall fly before him, Quomodo stabimus, ante potentissimum, quem nemo potest vincere? how shall we be 
1 Tim 1. 17.  able to stand before the most mighty, whom none can vanquish? For the weakness of God is stronger than men: Ante prudentissimum, quem nemo potest fallere, before the most wise, whom no man can deceive: For he is God only Wise, and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom, knowledge and understanding: Ante piissimum, quem nemo potest corrumpere; before the most just, whom no man can corrupt: His judgement will be Rectum judicium, a right and a true judgement; he cannot fail, either Ignorantia legis, as not knowing the Law; For he gave the Law and he will judge according to the Law: nor yet ignorantia facti, As not seeing the fact; For his eyes go thorough the World: Ye may interpret them if ye will 7. thousand thousand eyes, For he is Totus oculus, All eye. 
Aug.   
The consideration of this should stir us up to be careful and circumspect in all our ways, that we never tread our shoe awry, nor offend this judge in any thing, that at this great day we may find him a gentle and a loving Lamb, and not a Lion of juda. For as to the wicked the judge is terrible, so to the godly, friendly; and as to the wicked, this great day is a day 
How can the wicked stand before the uncorrupt judge.  of redemption.  
But to proceed a little further; this day is called a day, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an excellency: For never day was like unto it: In the day of Israel, when he went out of Egypt, The Sea fled, jordan was driven back, the mountains skipped like Rams and the little hills like young Sheep. In the day of josua, the Sun stood still in 
Psal. 114.  Heaven from morning to noon, and from noon unto night. In the day 
Ios. 10.  of Ezechia, the Sun went ten degrees backward. In the day of Christ's passion, the Sun waxed dark, and the Moon lost her light, the 
1 Reg. 20.  earth quaked, the graves opened, the stones broke, the dead rose: but in the day of Christ, there shall be no Sun, no Moon, no Heaven, no earth: For the Heavens shall pass away in manner of a tempest, the Element shall melt for fervent heat, the 
2 Pet. 3.  earth and all that is thereupon shall burn, and yet this burning shall not be a consuming of the substance, but only a purging of the creatures from the dross of those alterable qualities, whereunto they are now subject. And therefore finely to this purpose saith venerable Bede, Per imaginem transeunt, per essentiam subsistunt; praeterit figura hujus mundi, non substantia; their image 
Beda.  faileth, their essence remaineth, the figure of this world passeth away, not the substance: For if the day of Christ's humiliation was so glorious, what shall be the day of his glorification? Where then will appear those that make the world, and the things of the world their stay, when the world and all the wealth and substance of the world must pass away? And where ewil the penny-father and covetous person appear, who like the serpent is ever licking up the dust of the earth, and scraping up gold and silver that red and white earth; when silver and gold and earth shall be no more? Where will the proud ones appear that fold themselves in silks, and load themselves with pearls and jewels, when jewels and pearls shall be no more? Where then shall appear the greedy oppressor whose throat hath been an open sepulchre. When he shall not find a man to oppress any more? Where shall the whoremonger appear, whose body hath been as the Oven of a Baker, when he shall find none to defile any more? Where shall the slanderer appear, whose tongue hath cut like a sharp razor when he shall not find any to slander any more? where will the drunkard appear, that hath washed his soul with wine and strong drink, when there shall be no liquor any more. Where will these magnificent and stately builders appear, when building and state shall fall all to the ground? Where shall the usurer appear, who is worse than Hell, for Hell torments only the bad, but the usurer crusheth and oppresseth both good and bad: I say, where shall he appear? seeing his house here is the bank of the Devil and his purse Os diaboli, the mouth of the Devil. Surely he with the Devil must abide in Hell and torments; surely all these and 
The fearful estate of all sinners at the last judgement  all other that have sown in sin shall reap misery; for these that have ploughed wickedness shall reap iniquity; Vanity was their traffic and grief will be their gain; Detestable was their life and damnable shall be their death: For as they have sown 
Hos. 10. 13.  so shall they reap, they have sown in the flesh, and of the flesh they 
Gal. 6. 8.  shall reap corruption: Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one of them, when this great day shall be. Let us pray therefore that in this great day Christ his wisdom may answer for ourfollie, his humility for our pride, his meekness for our cruelty, his righteousness for our sins; that this Lamb that was without spot may answer for us, who like jacobs' Lambs are full of spots: ostend patri latus & vulnera, Show the father thy side and wounds, that thy side and wounds may heal us from these sins, that like the blood of Abel cry against us. Amen.   

THE FOURTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. VII. 
As Sodom and Gomorah; and the Cities about them, which in like manner as they did, etc. 
Sodomesfinne all kind of uncleanness.   
WE are come to the third example of Sodom and Gomorah:  
Wherein also he noteth their Sinne. punishment.  
Their sin was uncleanness, Fornication, whoredom, Incest. Buggery; their punishment hell fire, the second death, the burning lake, fletus & stridor dentium, the horror of conscience, torments unspeakable. Now for their sin, it appeareth how filthy it is, seeing that Paul would not have us eat with whoremongers; If any 
1. Cor. 5. 11.  (saith he) that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, With such see ye eat not. And in another place, he would have us to be so far from this sin. that he would not have it to be once named amongst us, much less committed: For so run his words; But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you. 
Ephes. 5. 3.  The name as it were darkeneth the Air and polluteth the earth, the Lord jesus condemneth the very intent of the heart even lusting after a woman though the act be not done: you have heard 
Mat. 5. 27. 28.  (saith he) that it was said unto them of the old time, thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you, whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Whoredom is one of the manifest works of the flesh: For the Apostle reckoning up the works of the flesh, nameth adultery 
Sodoms' sin all kind of uncleanness.  first, and placeth is as Urias in the forefront of the battle: The works of the flesh (saith he) are manifest; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, etc. Yea, this sin brings with it horrible dishonour: If a thief (saith Solomon) steal to satisfy his soul, because 
Gal. 5. 9  he is hungry, men do not so despise him: but he that committeth adultery with a woman is destitute of understanding, he shall find a wound 
Pro. 23. 27.  and a dishonour, that shall never be put away: for a whore is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit. Yea, this sin will make a man make shipwreck of innocency and honesty. A man may aswell 
Pro. 6. 27.  take fire in his bosom, and not be burnt, or go upon coals, and his feet not be burnt, as go into his neighbour's wife, and be innocent. 
Pro. 23. 28.  The strange woman increaseth the transgressors among men, so that it is impossible to be incontinent and honest. It is a sin 
Hos. 4. 11. Pro. 9 18. Pro. 18. Pro. 6. 26.  of which a man or a woman can hardly repent; For whoredom and wine (as the Prophet notes) take away the heart. The Guests of a strange woman art most of them in Hell. For the wiseman further avoucheth, Surely her house tendeth to death, and her paths unto the dead. This sin will bring God's curse upon a man's estate, many a man by it is brought to a morsel of bread: For fornication is a fire that will devour to destruction, and root out all a man's increase, and bring him quickly into our Lady's bands, and make him sink by beggary. The Apostle Paul useth many reasons against it, able to move an heart of flint, if there be any drop of grace in him, if he pertain to God's election, if he be not vas irae, a vessel of wrarh, a reprobate, a firebrand in Hell, 
1 Cor. 6. 13, 14,  a member of the Devil, His first reasons is, that The body was made for the Lord a swell as the soul: his second, That the body shall 
15, 16, 18, 19  be raised up at the last day to an incorruptible estate: His third, That our bodies are the members of Christ: His fourth, He that coupleth himself with an harlot is one body with an harlot: the fifth, This is sin (in a special sense) against our own bodies: the sixth, The body is the temple of the holy Ghost: finally, The body is bought with a price: and therefore is not our own. These are the reasons, that the Apostle useth against this sin, to make all men to deny it and defy it.  
But to proceed; the wrath of God against this sin of whoredom is as the fire of Aetna, not only to burn the whrne and the whoremonger, but their seed: as one said, the bastard shall be a faggot, a firebrand in Hell to burn the parents; For the children of adulterers shall not be partakers of the holy things, and the seed of the wicked bed shall be rooted out; and though they 
Wisd 3. 16, 17, 18, 19  live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded, and their last age shall be without honour, if they die hastily, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial. For horrible is the end of the wicked generation. And again, the bastard-plants shall 
Wisd. 4. 3, 4.  take no deep root nor lay any fast foundation: For though they bud forth in the branches for a time yet, they shall be shaken with the wind, for they stand not fast they shall be rooted out. As 
The devil prevails most by uncleanness.  one said of the thief on Christ's right hand, that Luke nameth, one thief, to let us see, that all thiefs are not damned, and yet but one thief, to let us see, that all thiefs are not saved: So say 
Luke 23.  I of jephta, that God, nameth one bastard to let us see, that all 
judg. 11. 1.  are not rejected of God, and yet but one, to let us see, that all are not accepted of God. I exclude them not from the Covenant of life. I abridge not the mercies of God. I clip not the wings of his compassion towards them: For it is as great a sin to abridge the mercies of God to the penitent, as to dilate it, and prostitute it to the reprobate; For the Lord is strong; merciful, 
Exod. 34. 6, 7.  and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and truth; reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. And again, He is gracious and slow to anger; and of great kindness, 
joel. 2. 13.  and repenteth him of the evil. But this is it that I insist upon, and take in hand to prove, that God punisheth the unclean, and incontinent persons even in their seed, aswell as in their bodies, goods and name, and let all men that take pleasure in this sin assure themselves, that the end will be bitter as wormwood, 
Prov. 5. 4.  and sharp as a two-edged sword; For he that followeth a strange woman, is as an Ox that goeth to the slaughter, and as a fool that goeth 
Prov. 7. 22.  to the stocks for correction, till a dart strike thorough his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare; not knowing that she is in danger: For they that go to a strange woman seldom return again, neither take they hold of the 
Prov. 2. 18.  way of life. If they reply, that David did commit adultery, and yet did return: I answer, it is true, of many thousand adulterers, one David did return, but thou hast cause rather to fear to perish wirh the multitude, than to return with David.  
But before I prosecute this point further, note the mercy and wisdom of God in the decalogue. In the first precept he provideth for our callings, that no man contemn us, but honour us; in the sixth, for our bodies, that no man kill them; in the eighth, for our goods, that no man steal them; in the seventh for our wives, that no man abuse them, that none violate their chastity: and therefore severely hath God revenged this sin, he hath punished it in the great ones, he hath set a mark, a brand of vengeance upon them, as upon Pharaoh in Egypt, and Abimilech 
Gen. 12. Psal. 160. 30.  in Gerar, and yet they touched not Sara, but only intended it: So Phinees ran thorough a Lord and Lady: Moses 
Numb. 25.  hanged the heads and Princes of the people. And if God hath not spared the high cedars of lebanon, look not that he will spare the low shrubs; Potentes potenter punientur, the mighty shall 
Wisd 6. 6. Acts 10. 34.  be mightily punished, and mean men shall be punished also. Deus non est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God is no accepter of persons. Eusebius Cremonensis reporteth of Jerome, that on his deathbed, he used these words unto his Disciples; Ensis diaboli est luxuria, o quot illa romphaea inter fecit? lechery is the sword of the devil, o how many hath this sword slain? Est rete diaboli, o quot illud rete inescavit? 
Many of the Saints have been overtaken by adultery.  it is the net of the devil, O how many hath it deceived? Est esca diaboli, it is the bait of the devil, O how many hath this bait entrapped. There is no sin in the second table wherein the devil hath more prevailed, and gone away a greater conqueror, than in this sin of Whoredom, and therefore it is noted, that in Mary Magdalen there were seven devils. For this sin we read 
Luke 7. Gen. 6.  that it repent God, that ever he made man: and indeed the mischiefs that come of this sin be manifold: Nam luxuria corpus debilitat, memoriam hebitat, cor aufert, oculos caecat, famam denigrat, marsupium evacuat, furta, homicidia infert, iram Dei provocat: for lechery weakeneth the body, infeebleth the mind, dulleth the memory, taketh away the heart, blindeth the eyes, hurteth the good name, emptieth the purse; causeth thefts murders, and all other sins, kndleth God's wrath. For this sin God brought a flood of water upon the old world; and for this sin, the Lord reigned fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven, and destroyed 
Gen. 6.  Sodom: Yea, for this sin, God slew four and twenty thousand. Cave vinum, cave mulieres; take heed of wine, take heed of women, he that useth wine carrieth fire in his bosom, and a woman is sagitta diaboli, the arrow of the devil: Homo & mulier sunt ignis & palea, man and woman are as fire and stubble: diabolus sufflare non cessat, ut accendatur, the devil never leaveth blowing, till it be kindled: For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is more soft than oil, but the end of her is as bitter as Wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword, her feet go down 
Pro. 5. 3, 4, 5.  to death, and her steps take hold of hell. All her doings lead to destruction: Si sanctus es, non tamen securus es; if thou be sanctified yet be not secure; For He hath overcome the wisest, as Solomon; the strongest, as Samson; the fairest, as Absalon; the holiest, as 
1 Reg 11. judg. 15. 1 Sam. 16. 1 Sam. 16. 2 Sam. 12. Gen. 2. job. 31 9  David; the faithfullest, as Abraham; and surely thou art a happy man, if thou hast not fallen down at any time, under this sin; if thou canst protest with job, If my heart hath been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at the door of my Neighbour; let my wife grind unto another man, and let other men bow down upon, for this is a wickedness and an iniquity to be condemned.  
The wrath of God hath smoked against this sin, above all other sins of the last table: David for whoredom was driven out of his Country; but what should I name one man? the whole City of Sichem was put to the sword for it. But what should I name one town? four Cities were consumed with fire and brimstone for it, and the stinking lake of Asphaltes' near to Sodom is left as a perpetual monument of that plague, killing all fish that swimmeth in it, and fowls that fly over it. But what are five Cities to twelve tribes? for the twelve Princes of the tribes were hanged up against the Sun, and twenty four thousand slain for it, and many wounded in Israel, and Benjamin, for the defiling of one Levites wife: And yet behold a 
Many like the Corinthians think fornication indifferent.  greater plague than that; For, for Idolatry, Oppression, and Adultery, was the whole nation of the jews carried to Babylon; And yet behold a greater plague; For seven nations of the Canaanites were destroyed for it: And yet behold a greater plague, not one 
jud. 20. jer. 229.  man as David; nor one City, as Sichem, nor many Cities as Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, Admah; nor many kingdmes, as these of Canaan, but the whole world destroyed for it. Will God then spare this 
Levit. 18. 24. Gen 6.  sinful; wanton, whorish, polluted kingdom of England? jerusalem justified Sodom, and we have justified jerusalem. England is become Sodom, most towns are full of bastardy, most men are like stoned horses, neighing after another man's wife. So saith the Prophet, They rise early in the morning, like fed horses, every one neighed after his neighbour's wife: like the oven of a baker, so saith 
Ezech. 16.  the Prophet, They are all Adulterers, and as a very oven heated by 
jer. 5. 8, 9  the baker. For as that is never cooled, so these men's lusts are never satisfied. The daughters of England are like the daughters of Zion, haughty, and Walkewith stretched out necks. Walking and mincing as they go and make a tinkling with their feet. As Ephraim was full of 
Hos 7. 4. Esa. 3. 16. Esa. 26. Mich. 7. Tit. 1. Act. 17. Esa. 30. 27, 28. Nah. 13. 4, 5, 6.  drunkards; jerusalem full of oppressors; Crete full of liars; Athens full of idolaters; so England is full of adulterers. The Lord's face is therefore burning, his lips are full of indignation, and his toogue is as a devouring fire, and his spirit is as a river that overfloweth up to the neck: He hath way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet: He rebuketh the Sea and it drieth, and he drieth up all the Rivers: Bashan is wasted, and Carmel the flower of Lebanon is wasted; the mountains trembled for him, and the earth is burnt at his sight; yea the world, and all that dwell therein: who can stand before his wrath? or who can abide the fierceness of his wrath? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken by him.  
We are almost of the mind of the Corinth's, that it is indifferent, to whom, Paul said, The body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Of that mind were the Gentiles, 
1 Cor. 6. 13.  as it appeareth by the Apostles determination to the Churches, where it was decreed that they should Abstain from filthiness of Idols, and fornication, etc. For the Heathen thought this no vice 
Act. 15. 20.  but made it a common custom, and were wont to pray, Dii angeant numerum meretricum, the Gods increase the number of Harlots. But it is a vile sin, and God hateth it extremely: note his speech. How should I spare thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no Gods. Though I fed them to the 
jer. 5. 7. 9  full, yet they committed adultery, and assembled themselves by companies in harlots houses. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Though he winked at many of our sins, yet will he not spare this; God will 
Prov. 10. Wi●d. 3.  be revenged of the whoremonger in his name; Nam nomen eius putrescet, his name shall rot in his posterity; Non enim radices agent, they shall have no rooting in his body; for it shall be full of 
The Adulterer punished many ways.  ulcers, as the Pox and the disease called Morbus Neapolitanus. In his soul; for it shall fry in Hell: For though adulterers escape all manner of judgement from men, yet it is certain, That the whoremongers 
Hebr. 13. 4. Psal. 50. 21, 22.  and adulterers God will judge. Because God for a time holdeth his tongue, therefore they think that God is like unto them, but certainly the time hasteth, when the Lord will set all their filthiness in order before them, and if they consider it not, he will seize upon them, when no man shall deliver them: especially they are assured to lose the Kingdom of Heaven, and to feel the smart 
Apoc. 22. 8.  of God's eternal wrath in the Lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone.  
Bet to strip this strumpet: Whoredom and uncleanness, overthrow the state of mankind, while no man knoweth his own wife no wife her husband; no father his children: For whoredom confounds the World, and utterly overthroweth the state of marriage. Affinitates enim totius mundi sunt compagines, Affinities and consanguinities are the joints and sinews of the Word; Lose these & lose all : Totus mundus ruit, all the World goeth to wrack. Now what affinities or consanguinities can there be when there is nothing but confusion of blood? The son knoweth not his father, nor the father the son; Sed promiscuus est concubitus, there is such a promiscuous companying, Then are we as beasts; The Turtle knoweth her mate, but men do not. Therefore Lady Virtue of all plants in her garden hath watered Continency: lest the World should be confounded, saith a learned man.  
But because many abuse the example of Noah, David, Solomon, etc. saying, were they not Adulteres? first, I say Vivimus praeceptis, non factis,; We live by precepts, not by examples: For saith God, 
Deutr. 12. 32. 2 Sam. 12. 10.  Whatsoever I command you, that shall ye do, Thou shalt put nothing thereto, nor take aught there from; Secondly, I say that God plagued it in these men, their sweet meat had sour sauce. Thirdly, David command it never but but once, therefore saith the holy Ghost, David did that which was upright in the sight of the Lord; and turned from 
1 Reg. 15. 5.  nothing, that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite. But our men will fall with David, but not rise with David, they will sinne with him, but not repent with him. Thus like Eels, they be ever in the mud: like Dogs, they wallow in carrion; like Monkeys, they feed on venom; like Spiders, they suck poison from sweet flowers, and abuse all examples.  
If any allege the Polygamy of the Fathers: I say, that they were Mala tolerata, abnitio non fuit sic, tolerated evils, from the beginning 
Mat 19 8. Mal. 2. 1 Tim. 3, 2.  it was not so: For as the Prophet affirmeth, He made one, he made man and woman as one flesh, not many. And a man must be the husband of one wife, not of many wives: but of one. And again, For the avoiding of fornication (saith the Apostle) let every man have 
Polygamy of the Fathers not lawful originaliy yet tolerated.  his wife, and every woman her husband; one man, one wife. Into Noabs' Ark there entered Noah and his wife, his sons, and their wives, and of beasts both clean and unclean, the male and the female. This coupling of creatures both reasonable and unreasonable, showeth, that Nature in her Seminary condemns polygamy; 
1 Cor. 7. 2. Gen. 7. 7, 8.  furthermore, there be two Axioms or Maxims in Nature.  
The first; Quod tibi fieri non vis, alteri nefeceris; do not that to another which thou wouldst not have done unto thyself.  
The second, Ne quod alterius est, invito eripiatur; let nothing which belongs to another man, be taken from him against his will: How then can the man, without offering manifest wrong unto his Wife, bestow his body upon another woman. Thus by the Law of God and Nature; polygamy is condemned.  
I, but how came it to pass, that the Fathers had many wives? It is answered diversely: First, this came to pass by God's dispensation; for God according to the state of those times dispensed with the Patriarches for the Law, which he made in the beginning, and this is evident by the examples of Abraham, Jacob, and Elc●nah, and other godly Fathers, who were not reproved by any Prophet, for their multiplicity of wives: Nay, which is more, God gave saul's wives (as Nathan saith) into the bosom of 
1 Sam. 12. 8.  David. Now if God gave David wives, notwithstanding his first institution to the contrary, we may conclude, that he dispenseth with his own law, and gave the Patriarches liberty for Polygamy.  
The reason of this dispensation, was this: God in those times had chosen the seed of Abraham to be his people, in whose lineage the true worship of the Deity was preserved; for all other people were given to idolatry, and went a whoring after strange Gods. Now to that intent, that that people, whom God had chosen, namely Israel, might be many in number, polygamy was permitted.  
Again, though the Fathers had many wives, yet they were not hereunto led by lust, but by a chaste desire to augment and multiply God's family.  
From this Polygamy of the Fathers, some have concluded that Polygamy is lawful unto us; let such Opinionists know, that a general canon cannot be infringed by a particular example. If we can claim the same dispensation the Patriarches had, than I grant a man may have many wives; for now there is no Nation more peculiarly God's people than another; But in every Nation 
Act. 10. 35.  he that feareth him, and worketh righttousnesse is accepted with him.  
Furthermore, our Saviour hath canceled this dispensation when he said concerning the husband and the wife, They twain 
Mat. 19 5.  shall be one flesh: Not only now the Law of God is against Polygamy, 
Polygamy not lawful, dispensed with.  but it seemeth also, that the Law of Nature, which one calleth a permanent and firm Edict of God. And by Saint Paul, The Law written in our members, caused the Roman Emperors, 
Socrates Rom.  being infidels, to make decrees against Polygamy, branding such with infamy as had more wives than one. And when as Valentinian a Christian Emperor to cover his own filthiness having besides his legitimate wife Severa, taken to wife also a young maid called justina, made a law, that every man might 
Cod. lib. 3. de incestis & inutilibus nuptiis.  lawfully have two wives: but this law was rejectd and condemned as contrary to the Law of Nature; and therefore I conclude this point with Clemens Alexandrinus, saying, that Polygamy, which was granted to the fathers, is not lawful unto us, and 
Clemens Alexan. in Str●m. lib. 4.  therefore he that hath two wives, is like to wicked Lamech, and his second wife like unto Sela; which by interpretation is, umbra ejus, his shadow; because she is rather to be esteemed the shadow of a wife than a wife indeed.  
And followed strange flesh.  
The word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, strange flesh, for uncleanness hath many branches, furnication, adultery, incest, buggery, beastiality. Fornication is betwixt single persons, as it was betwixt Zimri and Cosbi; adultery betwixt the married, as between David and Bathsheba; incest, is in the degrees prohibited; 
Numb. 25. 2 Sam. 11. 4. Levit. 18. Rom. 1. Levit. 20. 16.  buggery is in the contrary sex; bestiality is with beasts. Solon would make no laws for Parricide, lest he should name that which afterwards might be done: So I wish that there were no cause to name these sins, much less to punish them. But iniquity doth abound; Pietas friget, Piety waxeth cold; Veni Domine jesu, veni cito, Come Lord jesus, come quickly: 
Psal. 4. 9  And crush them with a sceptre of iron, and break them in pieces like a Potter's vessel. Yea Lord, Let thy hand find out out all thy enemies, and thy right hand them that hate thee, make them like a fiery Oven in 
Psal. 2. 8, 9  the time of thy wrath, and let the fire consume them; if they will not repent and turn from their filthiness.  
If you ask how Sodom came to this uncleanness, the Prophet Ezechiel answereth you; for he nameth the sins, that as hands pulled down this uncleanness upon them; that like Loadstones drew it violently unto them; that like sticks kindled the fire; that is, idleness, pride, fullness of bread. And these 
Ezech. 16.  being amongst us, can we doubt of the fruit, which is whoredom; idleness, is the Anvil whereon Satan worketh it; Solomon noteth the Harlot to be idle, not to busy herself in any good trade of life. She sitteth at the door of her house on a seat, in the 
Prov. 9 14, 15.  high places of the City, to call them that pass by the way, etc. her feet cannot abide in her house; now she is without now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner. 
Prov. 7. 10. 11.   
Apelles' painted Venus in a snails shell, to note that women must stay at home, not be gadders like Dina: she fell not till 
The causes of Sodomes' uncleanness many first idleness  then, and then she played the whore, and not before, when came David to adultery, but when he gave over his wars, and was idle: O tia si tollas periere Cupidinis arcus, 
Gen. 34. 2 Sam. 11. 2, 4.  saith the Poet; Take away idleness, and Cupid's bow will soon be broken. Quaeritur Aegysthus quomodo sit factus adulter. 
Ovid.  Inpromptu causa est, de sidiosus erat; If it be demanded how Aegystus became an adulterer, the cause may quickly be rendered, he was slothful, idle; unchaste folly, for the most part, is begot of an idle brain, hatched in a lazy body. Paul noteth it in Ephesus, that the women there were idle, and went about from house to house; 
1 Tim. 5. 13.  and not only idle, but pratlers also, a●d busybodies, speaking things that are not comely. Solomon describeth a virtuous woman, and saith, She seeketh Wool & Flax, and laboureth cheerfully with her hands; she is like the ships of Merchants, she bringeth her food from far, 
Prov. 31. 13. etc.  and she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth her portion to her household, and the ordinary to her maids; she considereth a field and getteth it, and with the fruit of her hands; she planteth a Vineyard, she putteth her hands to the wherne, and her hands handle the spindle; she maketh herself carpets, fine linen and purple is her garment: Such have no leisure to be unchaste. If therefore we will not be overtaken with uncleanness, let us abandon idleness, and use diligence in our calling, for that is a notable help to keep out inordinate desires, and unchaste thoughts.  
Another hand to pull this sin upon us, is pride. The daughters of Zion falling to pride, fell to adultery; they had their slippers and their calls, and their round attires, their sweet balls, 
Esa. 3. 16. etc.  their bracelets and their bonnets, the tires of their head, and their muffler and their head-bands, and their tablets, and their earrings, and their rings and nose-jewels, their costly apparel, and their veils, and their wimples, and their crisping pins, their glasses, and their fine linen, their hoods and their lawns. But God threatened them, That in stead of a sweet savour their should be a stink, and in stead of a girdle a rent, in stead of dressing the hair, baldness, and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth, and burning instead of beauty. This was one whetstone to set an edge upon them to uncleanness. God giveth a precept of apparel, saying, Thou shalt not wear a garment of diverse sorts, as of  and linen together. 
Deut. 22. 11.  A precept, not ceremonial but moral; to this end, that all men & woman might walk soberly & chastely, not beastly or heathenishly, but to abstain from fornication and possess their vessels in holiness and honour, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen. women's 
1 Thes. 4. 3, 4. 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4.  apparel must not be outward, with broided hair, and gold put about, but the inner man must be clothed. I say of apparel, as Paul said of meat; meats are ordained for the belly, and the helly for 
1 Cor. 6. 13.  meats: So it is for the back, and the back for it, but the Lord 
Gluttony, Drunkenness and evil company, the third and fourth causes of Sodomes' uncleanness.  shall destroy both it and them. But the inward apparel shall last for ever. Saint Ambrose calleth pride the banner of whoredom, the net of lechery and filthiness. And prettily said Aesop to a Ruffian strangely attired, that if he did it to pleasure men, he was but a fool, for no wise man will account the better of him; and if he did it to please women, he was but a knave, and meant unchastly. In one word, men now go like women, and women like men: 
Ambr.  Optat ephippia bos, optat arare, Caballus; the Ox wisheth to carry the saddle, the Horse to draw the Plough. We have forgotten that Adam and Heva wore leathern 
Gen. 3. 1 Sam. 28. 2 Reg. 1. Mat. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 9 Mat. 26.  coats; that Samuel had a simple mantel; that Elisha wore haircloth; that john Baptist had on him a Camel's skin; that the women of Ephesus were arrayed with modesty, not with silk, nor gold, nor pearl, or stolen hair; that the Lord jesus had a woven coat without seam. Some Thamar's cover themselves 
Gen. 38.  with veils and masks; some Potiphars' wife allureth joseph; some daughters of Zion perfume themselves with muske-balls: At mulieres bene olent cum nihil olent, women smell well when they smell nothing at all: Some jezabels paint their faces. But I say 
jer. 4.  with a Father, that mulier quae aliter se pingit, quam Deus fingit, verendum ne Creator in die judicii creaturam suam minimé recognoscat: 
Hierome. 2 Reg. 9  the woman that painteth herself otherwise than GOD hath made her, it is to be feared, that the Creator in the day of judgement, 
Cypr.  will not acknowledge her for his creature; and that they Qui crines fulvos, etc. which paint their hair red and yellow, prognosticate aforehand of what colour their heads shall be in hell.  
The third hand to pull this sin on Sodom, was gluttony; Let in his drunkenness committed incest, and begat two cursed nations Ammon and Moab: oftentimes did Israel begin in eating 
Ezech. 16. Gen. 19 1 Cor, 10. 7.  and end in whoring: Sine cerere & baccho friget Venus, without meats and drinks lecherous lust waxeth cold. Lady Venus dwells at the sign of the Ivy bush, where there is cleanness of teeth, usually there is no filthiness of body, but if we stuff our corpse like cloak-bags, making our mouths as tunnels, our throats as 
Vid. Boys, 15. Sunday post Trin. the Crabfish, etc.  wine-pipes, our bellies as barrels, if we fill them full of strong drink and new wine, there must follow some vent some uncleanness of filthiness.  
A fourth hand to pull this sin on them, might be evil company; and therefore the Holy Ghost gives this rule to those that would not be ensnared with the strange woman; Walk thou in the way of good men, and keep the way of the righteous. 
Prov. 3. 29.   
A fifth hand to pull down this sin upon them, might be their high estimation of earthly things, and their too great liking of them; for this love brings in lust. This the Apostle affirmeth, That the love of money (and riches) breeds noisome lusts, which in short 
Sodomes' sins abound in England.  time drawn men in perdition. And thus ye see the means how Sodom came to this uncleanness and Hell full of unclean persons, For if ye could see into Hell, ye should find it so full of 
1 Tim. 6. 9  whoremongers, adulterers, fornicators, that scarce there is any room left for idolaters, blasphemers, cursed Sabath breakers, damnable mocke-preachers, biting usurers, cruel murderers, etc. Many are of the Corinthians mind, that whoredom is a thing indifferent and of the Gentiles opinion, which maintained the same thing that the Corinthians did. But contrariwise, 
1 Cor. 7. Act. 15.  the Counsel of Gangra affirmed, that the Church admired virginity, honoured marriage, praised widowe-hood, and condemned fornication. And so must we, For every man must keep his vessel in holiness, and not in the lust of concupiscence, as do the heathen: our bodies are The temples of the holy Ghost; If the material temple must 
1 Thess. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 19  be kept clean, much more the mystical. Finely saith a Father, Quia templum dei sumus, etc. because we are the temple of God, and the chief chaplain of this temple is chastity, we must not 
Tertull.  suffer any unclean or unworthy thing to be brought thither, lest God who dwelleth there, taking displeasure to see his mansion defiled should forsake it.  
Well Sodom was destroyed, and the Cities about it; it was the Metropolitical City, and the little towns about it, learned of it: but God destroyed them both. We see therefore those to be most vile Cities, which are most large and great, and most subject to ruin, as Babylon, Ninive, jerusalem, Carthage, Constantinople, Corinth, Athens, Rome: under Tiberius the Emperor, thirteen Cities of Asia fell down with an earthquake, and six under Trajan, and twelve under Constantine, in Campania, Ferraria: In Italy Anno 1569. in the space of forty hours, by reason of an earthquake, many palaces, temples, & houses were overthrown, 
Fardentius in hunc locum.  with the loss of many a man, amounting to forty hundred thousand pounds. Bordeaux, was mightily shaken with an earthquake, which reached to Spain and marveilously shaken the Pyrenean hills,  
What a mighty earthquake was in the year 1171. that the City Tripoli, and a great part of Damascus in Antiochia, and Hulcipre, the chief City in the kingdom of Loradin, and other cities of the Saracens, either perished utterly, or were wonderfully defaced: At Venice, Florence, and diverse other places, there were great earthquakes in the year 1539. and did much harm: When Arrius heresy was entertained at Antioch, God punished it with earthquakes. I pass over with silence Paris, Antwerp, Gant, Magline, etc. all which Cities, and many others God hath punished for their sins. Little towns of the Country learn of the greater, and shall perish together with them: and therefore the Prophet having denounced God's judgements against some Countries and Cities, he maketh this demand: What is the 
The greatest Cities as most sinful so most punished.  wickedness of jacob? is not Samaria? and which are the high places of juda? is not jerusalem? meaning that Samaria and jerusalem which should have been an example to all Israel, of true repentance, holiness, was the puddle and stews of all idolatry 
Malach. 5, 6.  and corruption, Therefore will I make Samaria (saith God) as an heap of the field, and for the planting of a vineyard, and I will cause the stones thereof to tumble down into the valley; and will discover the foundations thereof. And as the Prophet saith, What is the sin of jacob? is not Samaria? and what is the sin of juda? is not jerusalem? So say I, What is the sin of Norfolk? is not Norwich? and what is the sin of England? is not London? For men are led by example, more than by doctrines. But let not our little towns follow our great Cities, in evil, lest God come in judgement against them as he did against Sodom, and the Cities about it, Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum, Happy is he, whom other men's harms make to beware.   

THE FIFTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. VII. 
Are set forth for example, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. 
Sodomes' punishment an example to all unclean persons.   
THE Apostle having laid fourth the sin of Sodom, which was uncleanness; for They followed strange flesh, and most horrible pollutions: he cometh now to the second part of this verse, which containeth Sodomes' punishment, and Gods judgements upon the Cities round about. But before he cometh to Sodomes' punishment, he setteth down unto us the end thereof, and saith, They are set forth for an example. For howsoever every example is not our imitation, yet every example is our instruction. It teacheth whoremongers to take heed of whoredom, and all men of turpitude and filthiness. God's judgements 
Esa. 26. 9  are in the earth, to teach the inhabitants of the world to learn righteousness: to learn them to fear God, and to sin no more. Paul applied every example of Israel to the Corinthians, saying, These are ensamples for us, that we should not lust after evil things, as 
1 Cor. 10, 11. &c  they lusted; neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them have committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand; neither let us tempt Christ as some of them have tempted him, and were destroyed of Serpents; neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of 
All examples are lor instructions and cautions.  the destroyer, now all these things came upon them for ensamples, and were written to admonish us, upon whom the latter ends of the world are come, that he will plague us, as he punished them, if we be subject to the like vices. Thus Daniel aggravated the sin of Balthasar, by this, that he profited not by the example of his father. For Daniel told him, that his father's heart was puffed up, and his mind hardened in pride, whereupon he was deposed of his Kingdom, and honour, and he was driven from the Sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, his dwelling was with the wild Asses; he was fed with grass like an Ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, etc. But (saith he) Thou hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knew est all these things, but hast lift up thy 
Dan. 5. 2. 22.  self against the Lord of heaven, etc. And so a number that see the judgement of God upon their fathers and friends, and yet they come not their own hearts, and say with David, It is I that have sinned, and my father's house, and what have these sheep done? let thy 
2 Sam. 24. 17.  hand be upon me, and my father's house, and not upon this people. The fall of Adam was the juster, in that he took no heed, by the fall of Angels. The sin of the old world was the greater, they saw 
Gen. 8.  and heard both of the fall of Angels, and of the fall of Adam, and yet these examples could not make them beware. Thus Paul reasoned with the Romans, for that they learned not by the example of the jews, he calleth them to a second view of it: Behold (saith he) the bountifulness and the severity of God; towards them which have fallen, severity: but towards thee, bountifulness; if 
Rom. 11. 22.  thou continue in this bountifulness, or else thou shalt be cut off. This is the end of all Scripture, to apply examples and doctrines to us; for the increase of knowledge and conscience. Thus Absalon is an example to all rebels, how they lay their hands on the Lords 
2 Sam. 17. 2 Sam. 15, Acts 5. 2 Pet. 2. 2 Reg. 9  anointed; Achitophel to all bad counsellors, Ananias to all liars, Herod to all persecutors, Balaam to all greedy wretches, Iez●bel to all proud women. Therefore Moses upbraideth Israel, that they seeing the examples of them, that worshipped Baal-peor, yet run into the same sin, he maketh them stocks, blocks, beasts without eyes, saying, The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear unto this day. 
Deut. 29. 4.   
To apply this: Hath France been plagued, so that their channels have overflowed with blood, not with water? Hath God plagued Flanders; that their children be fatherless, their wife's widows, their houses turned over unto strangers, their lands to aliens? hath Germany been grieved? Scotland distressed, and we regard it not, we are blinder than Pharaoh, and more beasts than Nabuchadnezzar. To tame a Lion they use to beat a little dog before him; So to tame us of a Lion-like nature, God hathbeaten France, Flanders, Germany, etc. Tune tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet. O England look unto thyself, end let thy neighbour's fire, make 
Examples not regarded aggravate punishment.  thee take heed of approaching flames. As God said of Babel, Come down, and sit in the dust so virgin daughter Babel etc. So say I, Come down, and sit in the dust, o virgin, daughter England. There is no throne o daughter of the Chaldeans. For thou shalt no more be 
Esa. 47. 1.  called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind meal, lose thy locks, make bare thy feet, uncover thy legs, & pass thorough the floods. Thy filthiness is discovered, and thy shame shall beseen. Thou shalt no more be called the mother of kingdoms. Lay thy hand therefore O virgin daughter England upon thy heart repent of thy sins, and God will repent of his plagues, turn away from thy sins and God will turn his face from thy sins, and blot out all thy misdeeds.  
And thus much being spoken as touching the end of Sodomes' punishment; I come now unto the punishment itself, and that is double.  
First fire  
Secondly, Eternal fire.  
But first, fire: For among the judgements of God, fire ever hath been a principal. We use to say that fire and water have no mercy; and it is so: therefore when God would punish notorious sins he plagued them with fire. When the unclean lusts of Sodom cried up to heaven; The Lord reigned, fire and brimstone from 
Gen. 19  the Lord out of Heaven upon them, and destroyed them. When Israel lusted after flesh, God sent fire into the host, which burned amongst 
Numb. 11. 1.  them, and consumed the utmost part of the Host. When the Captains of Ahaziah came proudly against Elisha the man of God, they, 
2 Reg. 1.  and their Fifties were consumed with fire. The two notable whoremongers of juda were burnt with fire, in so much as it 
Luk. 9  grew to a proverb in juda, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and 
Gen. 6.  like Abab, whom the King of Babel burnt in the fire. The Samaritans refusing to lodge the Lord jesus, the Apostles would have prayed 
2 Pet. 3.  for fire to come from heaven to destroy them. When Christ jesus will come to judgement, he will come in fire: Once the world was drowned and then it shall be burned. For The heavens shall pass in manner of a tempest, the Elements shall melt for servant heat the earth 
Mat. 25. 41.  and all that is thereupon shall burn. And when he will judge the 
2 Thess. 1. 8.  world to a certain set punishment, it is to fire; Go ye cursed into everlasting fire. This is the punishment of the damned. For when the Lord shall show himself from heaven, with his mighty Angels In flaming fire, they shall be thrown into a burning Lake.  
The pains of hell are described many ways, they are called? Vermis conscientiae, a worm of Conscience; Tenebrae exteriores, utter 
Mar. 9 4. Mat. 22. 13: Apoc. 20. Luk. 6. 25. Mat. 25. 41. 2 Thes. 1. 8. Esa. 30. Apoc. 19  darkness; Secunda mors, the second death; fletus & stridor dentium, weep and gnashing of teeth; the place of Devils, loss of God's presence, want of his countenance: Tophet, and the valley of mourning; but chief fire, and the burning lake. O what an horror is it ever to feel a gnawing worm, ever to lie in darkness, to see death, ever to weep and gnash our teeth, to be among Devils, to fry in fire. But as the Poet unable to see out the sorrows of Niobe; 
Fire fearful; hell fire more fearful.  was driven to wrap up her head in a cloud: so words fail me, you cannot hear it, my tongue cannot express it, all our hearts cannot comprehend it, the pains of hell are unspeakable, as the joys of heaven are incomprehensible. As the one cannot be 
1 Cor. 2. 8.  perceived by the eye, nor received by the ear, nor conceived by the heart; no more can the other. If a man were in the fire an hour. He would give a hundred thousand pound to come out of it, and yet our fire is no more to hell fire, than a painted fire is to our fire. Horresco referens, I tremble, I quake rehearsing it. Tremble, o tremble ye blaspemers, that toss God's name like to a tennis ball. The flying book of God's vengeance, which is 
Zach. 5. 1. 2. 3.  twenty cubits long, and ten cubits broad, wherein is written 
jer. 5. 8. 9  the curse, that goeth forth oyer the whole earth, will seize upon them, and cut them of, on this side and on that.  
Tremble ye whoremongers, which like stoned horses neigh after your neighbour's wives; For God will visit for these things, and his soul will be avenged on you. Tremble you greedy men, that sell the poor for shoes, and the needy for silver; For God will not forget any of your works, he hath sworn it by the excellency 
Amos. 8. 6. 7.  of jacob the land shall tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein. Tremble ye contemners of God's 
2 Po●. 3.  word, that deride his preachers as the old world did Noah: The Lord himself will have you now in derision. And let all sinners tremble; Let them beware by Dives that cries for a spoonful of water to cool his tongue tormented in the flames, with more rivers of tears, than ever Esau did for the blessing, and yet cannot have it. But if they will not believe hell fire they shall feel it before 
Luk. 16. 27.  they believe it. They shall lie in Hell like sheep; death shall devour them. There lie many jolly fellows that would give ten 
Psal. 49. 14.  thousand worlds to come out, if they had them. The very Poets by some flash of God's spirit intimate Hell, in naming Charon, Phlegeton, Archeron, Erebus, with Tantalus his apples, and Ixion's wheel, and Titius his liver, and Sisyphus his stone: we Christians speak of God's judgement seat, and they name Minos, Rhadamanthus, Aeacus, Triptoleme: we have heaven; they name Camp●s 
Tert. in Apologetico adversus Gemes.  Elysios'; we speak of God, they speak of Dis, Pluto, Proserpina. For as Tertullian said, potaverunt poetae de Prophetarum fonte, The Poets drank of the fountains of the Prophets, Ind Philosophi sitim ingenii sui rigaverunt: There the Philosophers refreshed the thirst of their wits: Antiquior enim omnibus est veritas, Truth is more ancient than all, omnia adversus veritatem de veritate constructa sunt, All things against the truth, were heaped together, and made of the truth.  
But to return to our matter. The Schoolmen distinguish of fire; that there is Ignis ardoris, faetoris, & terroris; Fire of heat, of stench, and of terror. Of heat, as in Mount Aetna; of stench, 
they the have heaven here must have hell hereafter.  as in mount Heda, of terror and fear, as Ignis fulguris, the fire of lightning in America: All those fires, say they, are in Hell. But omitting the Schoolmen, the holy Ghost noteth this fire to be most terrible even to Kings; therefore to mean men: Tophet (that is to say, Hell, where the wicked are tormented) is prepared 
Esai 30. 33.  of old, it is even prepared for the King (so that their estate and degree cannot exempt them, if they be wicked) It is made deep and large; the burning thereof is fire, and much Wood, the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone doth kindle it. Multi in hac vita quaerunt suavia potius quam gravia, varia quam sana, delicacia quamutilia, amara ergo gustabunt in inferno: Many in this world seek more after sweet, than grave things; more after vain than sound things, more after dainty, then profitable things; therefore shall they taste of bitter things in Hell. As Abraham said to the rich man, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure; and 
Luk. 16. 25.  contrariwise, Lazarus received pain, but now is be comforted, and thou tormented. Nemo potesthic & illic voluptate frui; no man can enjoy pleasure in this life and in the life to come also: For twice happy, men cannot be, but the way to heaven is to sail by Hell. For by many tribulations we must entre into the kingdom off heaven.  
A Schooleman that wrote sermons disciplè, maketh five differents 
Act. 4.  between our fire and Hell fire: First, in regard of heat; For our fire being compared to Hell fire is like a fire painted upon a wall; and therefore called, a lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast 
Apot. 20. 10.  and false prophet shall be tormented day and night Secondly, our fire burneth the body alone, it tormenteth not the soul; but the fire of Hell tormented and burneth body and soul: Hereupon saith our Saviour, Fear not him that can hurt the body, and have no power over the soul but fear him, that is able to send both body and soul into 
Mat. 13. 28.  Hell.  
Thirdly, our fire where it burneth, there it shineth, there it lighteneth; but the fire of Hell burneth but giveth no light at all: Therefore Christ calleth it utter darkness. 
Mat. 23. 13.   
Fourthly, our fire wasteth and consumeth whatsoever is cast into it: but the fire of Hell consumeth nothing: For as the Salamander liveth in the fire; so shall the wicked live in the fire of Hell; they shall seek for death, but they shall not find it: Semper cumburentur, nunquam consumentur, they shall always be burned, 
Aug.  but never consumed.  
Fourthly, one fire may be quenched, but the fire of Hell cannot, and therefore called unquenchable, una scintilla ignis Gehennae 
Mar. 4. 44.  plus laedit impium, quam si mulier in partu mille annis perseveraret; one spark of Hell fire doth more torment the wicked, than if a woman should continue in her travel a thousand years. 
Bern:   
Another Schooleman nameth these pains in Hell first, heat; and therefore called a Luke of fire. 
Apoc. 19 20.   
Secondly, stinch; and therefore called a Lake, that burneth with 
Hell terrible to all, but especially to the wicked.  fire and brimstone; which stinketh horribly.  
3. Bands, Take and bind him hand and foot.  
4. Darkness, Cast him into utter darkness.  
5. Visions of devils, Go ye cursed into hell fire prepared for the devil 
Mat. 22. 13. Ibidem. Mat. 25.  and his Angels.  
6. The howling of the damned; and therefore it is said, that all the kindreds of the earth shall wail before him. 
Apoc. 1. 7.   
7. Separation from God; for they shall be punished with eternal perdition, from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power. And 
2 Thes. 1. 8.  this Gregory calleth Paena damni, the pain of loss. Finely said Bernard, Paveo Gehennam, & judicis vultum, contremisco ab ira potentis, à facie furoris ejus, à fragore ruentis mundi, à conflagratione elementorum, 
Bern. Ser. 26. in Cant.  à voce Archangeli, à daemonibus rugientibus paratis ad escam; I fear Hell and the countenance of the judge, I tremble for the wrath of the Almighty, for the face of his fury, for the noise of the falling world, for the burning of the elements, for the voice of the Archangel, and for the roaring Devils prepared to devour.  
But if Bernard feared, what may the wicked do, whose hearts tell them, that they have done little or no good in the world. The Glutton, whose faith is his kitchen, and whose God is his belly. The Whoremonger, who hath eyes full of adultery. The Oppressor, 
Phil. 3: 17 2 Pet. 2. 14. Esa. 1. 15.  whose hands are full of blood. The Drunkard, whose body is as the swill-tub: the irreligious person, that seldom prayeth, seldom giveth thankes, or heareth God's Word. Quaeres quae spes, quoad animi solatium hisce? What hope of heaven, and happiness, can these men have? how think they to escape this fire of hell? Scientes, prudentes, vivi, videntesque pereunt, knowing, understanding, alive, and seeing they shall perish. GOD shall rain upon them snares, fire, brimstone, this shall be their portion to 
Psal. 11.  drink. So much for the first punishment of the reprobate; Fire.  
The second punishment of the reprobate is, eternal fire; fire and eternity of fire. All pains here have an end, but the pains of hell have no end: Whereupon Augustine, Miseris erit mors fine morte, finis sine fine, defectus sine defectu, etc. To these miserable 
Aug. lib. de Spiritu & anima cap. 56.  wretches, there shall be a death without death, an end without end, a decay without decay, because their death shall ever live, and their end shall ever begin, and their decay knoweth not how to decay; death shall press them, but not extinguish them; sorrow shall torment them, and not drive away their fear; the fire shall burn them, and not consume them, nor yet dispel their darkness; for in this fire is obscurity, darkness, and in this obscurity and darkness, fear and trembling; and in this combustion and burning, sorrow: they shall always suffer torment, and always shall fear, because they shall be tormented without hope of pardon. If after so many thousand years, as 
Eternity of torments in hell aggravate misery.  they have hairs on their heads, they might have an end of their torment, there were some hope, and they might endure those torments more quietly, but because they have no hope, that ever their pains shall be either eased or ended, desperatione deficiunt, they fail, they faint, and quail thorough despair; Et ad tormenta non sufficiunt, and they are no way able to endure those torments. Ibi erit tortor semper caedens, there shall be a tormentor ever beating them; Et vermis semper corrodens, and a worm always gnawing them; Etignis semper comburens, a fire always burning them; For their worm shall not dye, neither shall their fire be quenched, sins shall be detected, and the sins shall be punished, 
Esa. 66. 24.  and that for ever, they shall see devils, but not God; Quod est omnium meseriarum miserrimum, which of all miseries is most miserable. For if Absalon took it so grievously, that he 
2 Sam. 14. 32.  was banished his Father's presence, and could not see his face? how grievously shall the Reprobate be afflicted, to be banished God's presence, and not to see his face? for they shall be punished with eternal perdition, from the presence of God, and glory 
2 Thes. 1. 9  of his power.  
But to follow this point a little further; all men in misery comfort themselves with hope of an end; the prisoner with hope of a gaoledelivery, the mariner with hope of arrival, the soldier with hope of victory, the prentice with hope of liberty the galleyslave with hope of ransom; only the poor caitiff in hell hath no hope; he shall have end without end, death without death, night without day, morning without mirth, sorrow without solace, bondage without liberty.  
Let fire and eternal fire move us; common fire is quenched with water, wild fire with milk and vinegar, but hell fire is not quenched, their worm dyeth not, and the fire never goeth out. And 
Mar. 9 44.  why should not we believe this? seeing that their is a certain stone in Arcadia, called Asbestos, which being once kindled, never goeth out, never can be quenched. If this be in a stone, how much more in the power of God? This earthly fire, except it be nourished with wood and other combustible matter will out but the fire of hell never goeth out, it always burneth and never ceaseth. The reason is because our fire is not, In loco proprio, in his proper place, sed violenta, but in a violent. The fire of hell is in his proper place, for the breath of the Lord kindleth it. We 
Greg in moralib●●.  see Aetna to burn always, for it hath burnt from the beginning of the world, and still doth burn: why should not then hell fire burn always? and why should not we believe that men shall always live in the fire of hell? seeing we see and know the Salamander to live in the fire. If this may be by the power of nature, why may not that by the power of God. The pains of hell be such, that all the Arithmetitians in the world, cannot number them, nor all the Geometritians measure them, 
The terrors of hell should deter from sin.  nor all the Rhetoritians express them, Quid hora ad diem, etc. saith one, what is an hour to a day, a day to a month, a month to a year, a year to a thousand years, and a thousand years to eternity. Mathuselah lived almost a thousand years, but the years that are past, are nothing, we have nothing of time, but that which is present. The Pigmaeans lived only seven years, never reached unto eight years: And their be certain creatures bred and borne at the river Hispanis, that live but a day, in the morning they are bred and brought forth, at noon they are at their full strength, at night they make their end, and are gone: compare our years with eternity, and we are in the same state and condition.  
The reason of this endless punishment is the infinite Majesty of God, words against common persons bear but common actions, against noble men they be Scandala magnatum; against Princes, they be treason; so the person of God aggravateth the sin. If any ask then how Christ's death could satisfy the justice of God, seeing it was not eternal. I answer, that he did it thorough the excellency of his Person, and the perfection of his merits.  
The remembrance of these pains in hell, will drive away the remembrance of sin, as the Adamant is contrary to the Loadstone, and suffereth it to draw no iron to it; behold the weight of hell pains in Christ: How sweat he? how cried he, Deus meus, deus meus, quare dereliquisti me? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? How did tears of blood trickle from him? If hell pains were so grievous unto him? what will they be to us? Only this difference is betwixt Christ and us, that he sustained all men's sins, we but our own sins, our pain therefore not so great as his; but yet of greater and longer continuance, his was but temporal, ours eternal, if we repent not, We must suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.  
The remembrance of fire, and eternal fire, swalloweth up all our cogitations: How can our hearts endure, or how can our hands be strong in that day, When the Lord shall have to do with us, the earth 
Ezech. 22. 14.  shall tremble before him, All faces shall gather blackness, the earth shall tremble before him, the heavens shall shake, the Sun and the Moon 
joel 2. 6. 10.  shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. If a Barn were full of Corn, having ten thousand quarters of wheat in it, and a bird should every year carry away one kernel in her neb, it would have an end at last: If a Mountain were twenty miles high, and but one shovel full of earth in a year taken from it, in time it would diminish, and come to nothing: but hell deminisheth not, there is no end of it. When the wicked have been frying in hell so many hundred years as there be piles of grass growing upon the face of the earth, nay, so many thousand years, as there be sands, or drops of water in 
God usually proportions punishment to sin.  the Sea, nay so many million of years, as there be creatures in heaven and in earth; yet are they as fare from being delivered out of the captivity of hell, as they were the first day of their entrance. I say therefore of God's judgements, as Paul said of God's wisdom; O alitudo; O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God O the depth of the justice and judgements of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out. Now the very Papists make four places of torment: 1. Infernum, Hell: 2. Purgatorium, Purgatory: 3. Limbum puerorum non baptizatorum, A place where were children that die without baptism; and 4. Limbum patrum, A place where the Fathers were. Now saw they, Christ never descended into Hell, to deliver any from thence, but he brought the Fathers, E limbo patrum, in his passion; for in hell there is no redemption. 
Sermons discipuli Ser. 156.   
By the way note, that as the Sodomites burned in the fire of unclean lust; so God burned them with the fire of his vengeance. Poena saepe peccato respondet, the punishment is oftentrmes answerable to the sin committed, and done; God punisheth men 
Aug.  according to the quality of their sins. The Philistines adored 
1 Sam. 5.  Mice and rats, so they were plagued with mice and rats. And as they drew the ark out of his bounds: so God drew their intrales out of their course: And as jeroboam overthrew Gods worship in one Altar erected at jerusalem; So God overthrew his 
1 Reg. 13.  Altar at Bethel. And as he restrained the hands of Israel to offer to the true God, but to his golden Calves; so his hand dried up. God punisheth drunkards with dropsies, and then, Woe to the Crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim. And he punisheth the 
Esa. 28. 1.  covetous men with thiefs, who spoise them, as they have spoiled. 
Cap. 30.  And he punisheth the adulterers with pox and such like evils. For the Adulterer many times carrieth a body to the grave full of maladies and a soul to hell, to eternal fire full of iniquities: and he punisheth Tyrants by men as bloody as themselves, and thus he punished Adonizedeck, For he had cut off the fingers and toes of many kings, at last his own fingers and toes were 
judg. 1.  cut off: For With what measure we meet to others the same shall be measured to us again. The house of valois having drunk blood voided blood, and of English persecuters died many strangely: oh than let us take heed, how we offend; For God will come in judgement he will be a swift witness, and a sharp judge against us, as here against the Sodomites; who were not only destroyed with fire and brimstone from Heaven temporally, but also suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.  
And this example of God's vengeance, is so famous that it is recorded by most writers both profane and divine. Among profane, Solinus, Cornelius Tacitus, Strabo, Stephanus, Pliny, Aristotle have written of it. Among divine, Moses, Deut 29. and Esay cap 1. 
Sodom not punished alone, but those that partooke with her.  and 13. jeremy also cap. 23. and 44. Ezekiel in like manner writeth of it as it appeareth cap. 16. Amos in his fourth chapter. Sophany, in his second chapter; and the Lord jesus in the 16. of Matthew mentioneth it; and so also doth S. Paul, Rom. 9 and S. Peter in his second Epistle and second chapter; and S. john in the 11. of the Apocalips. Let us therefore make profit and Cleanse our selves 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  of all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, lest we also suffer The vengeance of eternal fire.  
And further observe with me that not only Sodom was destroyed, and suffered the vengeance of eternal fire; but many Cities beside. Moses. Deut. 29. and the Prophet Hosea. cap 11. besides Sodom nameth 3. Cities more: Gomorra, Zeboim, Admah: and unto these some other writers ad Phagor: so that five Cities suffered the vengeance of eternal fire. Egesippus and Stephanus say that 10. Cities were destroyed: and some say 13. josephus, Tertullian Augustine and others writ, that the air there is so infectious, that if a bird flieth over it, it dieth presently; and that no creature can live there, and the apples, and other fruit that grow there howsoever they seem pleasant unto the eye, yet if you do but touch them, they fall to Cinder and ashes. The sum of all is to admonish us not to follow strange flesh, as they did. But to keep our vessels in holiness and not in the lust of concupiscence. As Sodom and Gomor. 
1 Thess. 4.  And the Cities about them did, lest God destroy us with fire, as he did them, and lest we suffer, The vengeance of eternal fire as they do.  
And now brethren, you look that I should say some thing as touching the fearful accident of fire, that since my last being in this chair of Moses have happened among you, and hath burnt up, and consumed, not an house or two, but almost your whole town, and that no small town, but the chiefest and the greatest in these parts, being the chiefest mart town in all the hundred, as the Lord hath come to Dereham and Aylisham, Beckles, and other neighbour towns: so now at the last he is come to you: your sins have brought down this judgement of God upon you therefore Wash you, make you 
Esa. 1. 16. 17.  clean, put away your evil intents, from before God, cease from doing evil, learn to do well; otherwise the Lords hand will be 
Amo●. 3.  stretched out still against you; and do not think, that this fire came by chance. For There is no evil done in the City, but the Lord doth it himself. And note the providence of God, that the 
Psal. 118. Lament. 2. 1.  doctrine of burning of Sodom should be now handled, when this fearful judgement of fire fell upon you: This is the Lord doing and it is marvellous in our eyes, As David speaketh in another case. As The Lord darkened the daughter of Zion in his Wrath, (that is brought her from prosperity to adversity) so hath he darkened Northwalsham. And as The Lord cast down from Heaven 
Outward afflictions make way to repentance and mercy.  unto the earth the beauty of Israel (that is, hath given her a most sore fall) so hath he cast from Heaven to earth the beauty of Northewalsham. And as the Lord destroyed the habitations of jacob: so hath he your habitations, and laid waste your dwelling places. In the Lowe-Countryes, when, we see Cities burnt, men slain, Churches ruinated. Corne-fields, Gardens, and Orchards destroyed; we say then, the Spaniards have been here: So whosoever shall see Northwalsham burnt and consumed with fire, as it is, he will say. The Lord hath been here. The Lord hath done 
Lament. 2. 17.  that which he purposed, he hath thrown down, and not spared.  
But Brethren comfort yourselves, God will receive you if ye will turn, For he is gracious and merciful, long-suffering, 
Psal. 103.  and of great goodness: he will not always be chiding, neither keepeth he his wrath for ever: Pray therefore with the Prophes Comfort us again, after the time that thou hast plagued, 
Psal. 90. 15.  us and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity, and GOD will restore your losses. It is as easy a matter for him to restore them, as at the first to give them. Thus job bore his losses patiently, The Lord (saith he) gave, 
job. 1. 21.  and the Lord hath taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so it is come to pass; blessed be the name of the Lord. Cyrill said of the 
Cyril.  Eunomians, that they had taken away his goods from him, but not Christ from him. Augustine said, that if GOD should give him all things, that were not enough, except GOD gave himself also to him, and then he had enough: Weep not Agar, a well shall spring up in the wilderness: Fear not Samson; a jawe-bone shall slay a 
Aug. Gen. 21. 15. judg. 15. 1 Reg. 12. 1 Reg. 17.  whose army of Philistines: Die not Elias. The Ravens shall bring thee flesh and bread: Be not discomforted widow of Sarepta; the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse, shall not waste: Faint not jews; Five loaves shall 
john. 6.  feed five thousand: Fear not Daniel; Abacuk shall bring thee meat from jewry: Fear not ye men of wallsham, 
Dan. Exod. Ezra. 4.  God can incline the hearts of all the Country to do you good, as he did the hearts of the Egyptians to lend to Israel; he can reedifye your Town, as he did jerusalem by Nehemiahs', He can restore your losses, as he did the losses of job, that you shall be richer at the last than at the first. He that commanded the whale to cast jonas on the dry land after three days; he that turned the rock into a river, and the Flint stone into a springing well: 
Mat. 12. Nomb. 20.  he that saved Paul in the depth of the Sea; can save you, and your goods; and will, if you rest upon him; only rely on 
Act. 27.  the Lord. My brethren, know, that his eye is not dim, his 
Esa. 39  ear is not heavy his arm is not shortened, his heart is not diminished 
God preserves them that rely on him.  if we turn to him: He is rich to all that call upon him: be not wanting to thyself in faith, and God will not be wanting unto thee in help; believe and throw not yourselves down so 
Rom. 10.  much, The earth is the Lords and all that therein is, the compass of the world and they that dwell therein. He made you rich when ye were 
Psal. 24.  poor, and being poor, he can make you rich again. Seek his kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, and all these earthly things shall be 
Mat. 6. 33.  cast unto you.   

THE SIXTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. VIII. 
Likewise notwithstanding these sleepers also defile the flesh and despise government. 
Where reprehension doth not amend, execration follows.   
SAint jude in these 8, 9, 10. and 11. Verses noteth three things.  
First, A description of the wicked.  
Secondly, A confutation.  
Thirdly, An execration.  
For he ariseth by degrees, as the Eagle mounteth in her flight, higher and higher: So Ind from Description to Confutation, from Confutation to Execration. He proceedeth in the zeal of God, as jehu marched in his chariot, valiantly, like the fire that first smoketh, and then flameth, like the Sun that warmeth in the morning, and burneth at noon tide; so at last he accurseth them, woe to them (quoth jude) Let them be written among the fools, let them be put out of the Book of life, neither let them be written with the righteous: Let their table be made a snare before them. And their prosperity their ruin: let their eyes be blinded, that they see not, and make their 
Psal. 69. 22, 23, 24, 25, 27.  joins always tremble: pour out thy anger upon them, and let thy wrathful displeasure take them. Let their habitation be void, and none dwell in their tents; lay iniquity upon their iniquity, and let them not 
Three kinds of sleepers mentioned in Scripture.  come in thy righteousness. He prayeth God with jeremy to pour out his wrath upon them; he desireth God with David, to arise and scatter them, to drive them away as smoke, and as wax melteth before the fire; so they might perish, and that God would 
jer. 10. 25. Psal. 69. 1, 2. Psal. 74. 11.  withdraw his hand, even his right hand out of his bosom, and consume them.  
Now for the description, he painteth them out, as Zeuxis did the Grapes that deceived the birds, as Parrhasius did the sheet that deceived Zeuxis.  
And first he calleth them sleepers.  
Secondly, defilers of the flesh.  
Thirdly, despisers of Government.  
Fourthly, Railers, speaking evil of them that are in authority.  
Fifthly, he noteth them to be envious, like Caine.  

Gen. 4.  Sixthly, Rebellious, like Corah.  
Seventhly, Covetous, like Balaam. 
Numh. 16. Cap. 16. 9   
Thus, as the Leopard hath many spots, so had they many sins; as josephs' coat had many colours, so had they many wickednesses 
jer. 5.  A vertice ad calcem non erat sanitas, from top to toe there was no soundness, but wounds and swellings, and sores full of corruptions, 
Esa. 1. 4.  they were a monstrous people. A man may say of them, as Virgil spoke of Polypheme, that oneeyed Giant, Monstrum horendum, inform, ingens, cui lumen ademptum, An huge shapeless horrid monster without an eye. For they had a monstrous body, having a drowsy head, a lecherous flesh, a railing tongue, a blasphemous ignorant mouth, an envious eye, a rebellious hand, a covetous heart; like Virgil's Allecto, ●ui nomina mille, mille no●●●di arts, that a thousand names, a thousand ways to do mischief, a strange body compact of vile members, the head of an Ass, the flesh of a Goat, the tongue of a Serpent, the eye of a Basilisk, the hand of a Monkey, the heart of a Dragon, that is, never satisfied. So that jude might say as jeremy said, My heritage 
jer. 12. 8, 9  is unto me, as a Lion in the forest; it cryeth out against me, therefore have I hated it. Shall my heritage be unto me as a bird of diverse colours, etc. Thus much generally for the Text.  
And now to the particular handling of the things therein contained; and first, he calleth them sleepers. He speaketh not of any natural sleep, but the sleep, that he meaneth, is security, negligence; and in affirming them to be sleepers, he meaneth that they were drowsy, blockish, negligent. As Paul said to Titus of the Cretians, That they were liars, evil beasts, slow bellies; so 
Tit. 1. 12.  these were secure and sleepy.  
Sleep in the Scripture hath three significations, sometime it signifieth natural rest, so the Apostles slept: So the Evangelist witnesseth that Christ, Came unto his disciples, and found them asleep. Secondly, it signifieth death, and so Lazarus slept, and 
Mat. 26. 40.  Stephen slept, and the Corinthians slept: Brethren we shall not all sleep, 
The living in sin and security like lying asleep.  that is, we shall not all die. Thirdly, it signifieth dulness of spirit, and the Romans slept, but Paul telleth them, that, Considering the season, it is high time for them to awake from sleep; he meaneth sin, security, carelessness, continuance in sin. For there is a lethargy 
john 11. Acts 7. Rom. 13. 11.  of the mind, as there is of the body, that men die sleeping, and many are overtaken with it, they are as men asleep, like the mice of the Alps, that sleep all winter; like Endymion, that could not be awaked; like Saul and Abner, that could not be stirred with David's shouting. Many labour of the lethargy of 
1 Sam. 26. 14.  the mind, they see not the glory of God, they hear not his voice they smell not the sweet promises of God in Christ jesus; they taste not how good God is unto them, they handle not the Book 
1 Pet. 2. 3.  of life. As a man asleep seethe not, heareth not, walketh not, but is without sense, or motion of life for the time (for sleep is a band and an imprisonment of all the senses) so is a sinner without remorse; he perceiveth not, he regardeth not the things that are of God. As Christ said to Peter, Come behind me Satan, thou 
Mat. 16. 23.  savourest not the things that are of God. Many wake to the world; They rise early, they go late to bed; they eat the bread of carefulness, 
Psal. 127.  they are asleep in all the matters of God. A man may say to them, as the Prophet Esay said unto the jews; Know ye nothing? 
Esa. 40. 21.  have ye not heard it? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood it, by the foundations of the earth he sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabiters thereof are as Grasshoppers; he stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. Their soul it asleep, if not dead; for the trumpet of God's Word hath not awaked them this forty, fifty years: Sed tempus est surgeudi, it is high time for us to awake out of sleep. I will therefore say unto you, as Christ said to the Church of Sardis, Awake and strengthen the things that remain. God's Ministers 
Rom. 13. 11. Apoc. 3. 2.  they are as Trumpets to awake the drowsy Soldier, and to prepare him to the battle; and therefore they are willed to Cry aloud 
Esa. 58. 1.  and not to spare, to lift up their voices like trumpets, that so they may awake men out of their sleep of sin. God's Ministers, they are as Cocks, to crow, and to awaken all to receive the Word; for as the body hath 

Four powers 

Appetitive the First,  
Retentive. the Second,  
Digestive. the Third,  
Expulsive. the Fourth,     So hath the soul, it must desire the word; and as the Hart brayeth 
Psal. 42. 1.  for the rivers of waters; so must our souls pant after God and his Word, and not only desire it, but keep it, for Blessed are they 
Luke 11. 28.  that hear the Word and keep it; and not only desire and keep it, but also digest it into good manners, that so, our conversation may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, and not only 
Phil. 1. 27.  desire it, keep it, and digest it: but also expel whatsoever is contrary 
The sleep of sin most dangerous.  unto it; Laying aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation and envy, and all evil speaking: but this cannot be without crying, for all men be in a slumber. The Apostle saith, awake thou 
1 Pet. 2. 1. Ephes. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 14.  that sleepest, stand up from death: And he explaineth the phrase in his Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, Awake to live righteously; and sinne not, so that to sleep, is to live sinfully, and securely: to awake is to live carefully, righteously, Esay calleth it a Spirit of slumber: The Lord (saith he) hath covered you with a spirit of slumber 
Esai. 29. 10.  and shut up your eyes. Solomon saith to the drunkard, that he sleepeth upon the top of a mast: and this is true of all sins. Christ 
Pro. 23. 34.  at his farewell, and Vltimum vale, cried, Vigilate & orate, watch and 
Mat. 26.  pray: he said not jejunate & virginitatem servate, Fast and keep virginity; but vigilate watch. Christ said to his Apostles, Vigilate, 
Mar. 13.  watch. Paul bade the Thessalonians, watch; Let us not sleep, as do 
1 Thess. 5, 6. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Apoc. 3. 2.  other, but let us watch and be sober. Saint Peter bade the jews watch, Be sober and watch: john bade the Church watch, be awake and strengthen the things that remain. Esay bad jerusalem watch, Awake O 
Esa. 40. 1.  jerusalem, be bright, for thy light is come. As the Turtle hath but one note, so the Godly have but one song, Vigilate, surgite à somno, watch and arise from sleep. It is said of Martinus that he never passed hour of the day without prayer or reading or meditation; Semper aliquid boni agebat, he did always some good, and it is true, that Nostra bona opera sunt flagella diaboli, that our good works are whips for the Devil, Daimonomastyx, if we be vigilant, and diligent in them. Wherefore Saint Peter's exhortation, Give all diligence to join virtue with your faith, and with virtue knowledge, and 
2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7.  with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience godliness, and with godliness brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness love. Mariners, saith Tertullian, are never devoured of the sirens but when they are asleep. The Leopard is never taken 
Tertull. in Apologetico. Cant. 5.  of the Dragon but then. When lost the Church her husband? but when she slept; when lost Saul his pot & his spear, when came the bridegroom? but when the virgins slept: when were tears sown? 
1. Sam. 26. Mat. 25. Mat. 13. judg. 4. cap. 16. jer. 1. Act. 20. Mat. 26.  but when men slept. Shall Sisera sleep then in jaels' tent? shall Samson snort in Dalilahs' lap? shall jonas sleep under the hatches? shall Eutichus sleep in the midst of doctrine? shall james and john nod, when judas is so busy about a mischief? For shame rise, else Sysera may have a nail in the temples of his head: Samson may have his locks shaved; jonas may be hurled over the hatches, etc. & Satan may surprise us all. Nicephorus telleth us of seven boys of Bethel, that slept nine-score years, but I am sure that some of us have slept forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, years. I think that many are such sleepers, as they will never awake, till the last blast of the Archangel that shall awake all: For the Lord will descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and 
1 Thess. 4. 16.  trump of God, and then they shall sleep no longer but awake; whether they will or no. Many sleep all their life, and dye sleeping 
The Devil cannot hurt if we be watchful.  too, but this trump will awake them, but than it will be too late.  
As many are of a drowsy constitution, like unto the disciples, to whom Christ came the first, and the second time, and found them asleep: For their eyes were heavy. So is it with many in regard of their souls, Languido sunt ingenio, they are of a dull, and drowsy disposition, and the Devil hath so besprinkled their temples 
Mat. 26. 43.  with spiritual Opium of evil motions and suggestions, that they are fallen into a lethargy irrecoverable, and it may be said of them, as of Saul and his troops, A dead sleep of God was upon them 
1 Sam. 26. 12.  and they could not awake.  
A man that hath an enemy that watcheth all opportunity to do 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  him hurt, will watch to prevent him. Now the Devil watching day and night to devour our souls, we should watch to save them: Debilis est hostis Diabolus, qui non vincit nisi volentem & torpentem; the Devil is a weak enemy, he vanquisheth none, but 
Greg.  him that is willing and sleepy: Ille suggerit mala, tuum est repellere; he suggesteth evil, but it is thy duty to repel and put back the evil: Latrare potest, non mordere, si caveamus, He may bark, but he cannot 
Bern.  bite, if we be circumspect, and take heed to ourselves: As a charmed Adder, he can hisse but he cannot sting. Quoties resistimus caute, toties diabolum superamus, Angelos laetificamus animas a salvamus, Deum honoramus, As often as we resist warily, so often we overcome the Devil, rejoice the Angels, save our souls, and honour God. At homo sine circumspectione, but a man without circumspection, and diligent regard of himself, is as a City without a wall, as an house without a door, as an host of men without a Sentinel: our danger is great, therefore saith Christ, If thou wilt not watch, I will come on 
Apoc. 3. 3.  thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. And again, Behold, I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments; (of righteousness and holiness wherewith 
cap. 16. 13.  we are clad, through jesus Christ) Lest he walk naked, and men see his filthiness. Early and betimes we ought to awake from sleep, as the little birds, which chirp and sing, and praise God early. 
Ambr.  Indecens est,  invenire Christianum in lecto, It is unseemly and unfit, that the Sun should find a Christian in his bed, Homo somno lentus est imago mortis, a sleepy sluggish man is death's image: 
Aug.  Et mors ab inferis venisse fingitur: and the Poet feigneth death to come from Hell. Let us learn from the base creatures; The 
Bern.  Nightingale keepeth her eggs from the Serpent, and passeth the night not sleeping, but singing. Look upon the Bees, they are neither sleepy nor sluggish, for some war, some search diligently the flowers, some make Wax, some gather Honey, some build cells, some keep watch and ward, not a Bee idle. The little Coney's watch, two keep Sentinel every night, and with a pat with their foot give notice to the rest to return home: Let Christians learn from all these, to be more careful and watchful, and not 
A Christian must always watch.  to be of the number of these sleepers. Sin is this sleep, and sinners are these sleepers, let us not sleep as others sleep, but Awake to righteousness and sin not: and being awaked, let us 
1 Thes. 5. 6.  watch; watch we cannot till we be awaked, and when we are once awaked, we must ever watch, Nam vigilare lene est, pervigilare grave, to awake it is nothing, but to watch; Hic labour, hoc opus 
Martial. lib. 9 cap. 70.  est, there is the work indeed. Vigilandum est semper, multae insidiae sunt bonis, watch we must continually, because our enemy continually lies in wait for us: A thing rather to be regarded, because it is not here, as in a worldly watch, where some watch for the rest, and the rest sleep while they wake: we cannot watch here by a Deputy, no man can watch for us, but every one must watch for himself. Other may watch over us, as the Ministers, who in the Word are called Watchmen; but none can watch for us, every one in person must ever watch for himself. Let us 
Ezech. 3. 17.  not sleep therefore as other men, but let us watch and be sober: but we watch not, but sleep out our lives.  
Tully telleth us of men, whom he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Qui nunquam vident Solem orientem aut occidentem, which never saw the Sun 
Libro 2. de finibus.  rising nor setting; at the rising of the Sun they are in their beds, at the Sun setting they are drunken in the Taverns. So many of us watch no time; but lose all time, we spend few hours in prayer, fewer in hearing and reading, fewest in meditation and thanksgiving. The general sin of this age is security, we are sleepers, and sleep in all good things, we are careless. I appeal to your consciences this day, if it be not so. I call heaven and earth to witness against you, that if ye sleep still, and will not awake and watch, God will arise against you, like a Giant refreshed with wine, and rain upon you snares, fire and brimstone; this shall be your portion to drink. 
Psal. 11.   
Secondly, he calleth them defilers of the flesh, carnal, wantoness, unclean, who keep not their bodies in holiness; but in the lust of concupiscence: as Paul said of the Gentiles. This sin of uncleanness is so much the greater, in as much as God so carefully keepeth all our members: Custodit omnia ossa, he keepeth all our bones; abstergit lachrymas ab oculis, he wipeth the tears from our eyes; docet manus praeliari, he teacheth our hands 
Psal. 34. Psal. 116. Psal. 144. 1.  to war, and our fingers to fight; dirigit gressus nostros in via pacis, he directeth our going in the way of peace; totum denique corpus custodit, to conclude he keepeth the whole body. For the Lord (saith David) is thy keeper, the Lord is the shadow at the right hand. Ought we not then, to give our eyes, our hands, our feet, and the 
Psal. 121. 5.  whole body unto his service, that as we have given our members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity to commit iniquity: So now to give over our members servants unto righteousness in holiness, for being freed from sin, and made the servants of God, our fruit must be in holiness, and our end shall be life eternal. Again, 
God punisheth uncleanness many ways.  our members are the members of Christ, shall we take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbidden. Again, they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost; If any man defile 
1 Cor. 6. 2 Cor. 3.  the Temple of God, him shall God destroy. A Noble man will not lodge in a hogs coat, nor God's Spirit in a filthy, unclean, unchaste body, Quid luci cum tenebris, what communion hath light 
2 Cor. 6. 14.  with darkness? what concord hath Christ with Belial? what part hath the believer with the unbeliever? or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? Again, our members shall be glorified in heaven: Let them therefore glorify God in this life, for as no unclean beast might tarry upon the Lord's Mountain, so no polluted person shall pass thorough the gates 
Apoc. 221  of the new jerusalem.  
God punisheth this sin many ways: First, with beggary, for he that feedeth harlots shall never be rich, for indeed it is a sin 
Prov. 29. 3.  against nature, for whereas other men sow for an Harvest, these defilers of the flesh, which plough with othermen's heifers sow that which they dare not reap.  
Secondly, he punisheth defilers of the flesh with infamy: for their reproach shall never be done away. 
Prov. 6. 33.   
Thirdly, with loathsome diseases, for the most righteous God hath appointed, that they which will taste of the sweet of sin, shall be filled with the gall of punishment, it bringeth corruption of the blood, dissolution of the sinews, rottenness of the marrow, aches in the joints, crudities in the stomach, pains in the head, gowtes and palsies, heaviness in the heart, and stinging of the conscience.  
Fourthly, Yea, and after all these, it shall be punished with hell fire: For it is written, for fornication, uncleanness, inordinate 
Col. 3. 6.  affection; etc. the wrath of God remaineth on such. And again, whoremongers 
Heb. 13. 4.  and adulterers God will judge: for is stabunt moechi, without shall be dogs, and enchanters, and whoremongers, etc. only 
Apoc. 22. 15.  such as be Virgins follow the Lamb. Know ye therefore, ye 
Apoc. 14. Gal. 4. Numb. 5. Deut. 23. 3.  defilers of the flesh, there is no place for you in heaven, you must rest and dwell in the tenement in hell. The Bastard Ishmael hath no place in Abraham's house: the unclean Canaanite hath no room in the host of Israel: The misbegotten Ammonite hath no access into God's Tabernacle. As the whoremongers and defilers of the flesh, have neither foot, nor furrow, nor inch of room in God's Kingdom. Sunt in fell nequitiae, they are in the gall of 
Acts 8. 21.  bitterness, as Simon Peter said of Simon Magus. The holy Ghost joineth a whore and a dog together : Thou shalt not bring the 
Deut. 23. 18.  hire of an whore, nor the price of a dog into the house of God. And jeremy compareth these adulterous beasts unto neighing horses, and 
jer. 5. 8.  the Wise man likens them to an Ox going to the slaughter, and calls 
Prov. 7. 22.  the whore a deep ditch, and a narrow pit, And they that enter into her 
Prov. 2. 19  hardly return again to take hold of the way of life. The guests and 
Whoredom and all uncleanness odious.  companions of harlots are in Hell, nay in the depth of Hell. Heaven will not receive them. O that men could-see into Hell, they should see as many defilers of the flesh, as many whoremongers, as of any sin against the second table!  
Many make little reckoning of this sin of whoredom, which the Apostle meaneth by defiling of the flesh: but if the punishment provided for it, already spoken of, cannot let you see the grievousness of this sin, then listen to that, which now I shall say unto you: First, it taketh away the heart of a man: so saith the Prophet, Whoredom and wine, and new wine take away the heart. As 
Hos. 4. 11.  Nabuchadnezzar had the heart of a beast; so these defilers of the flesh have beastly hearts. Et praestat bestiam esse, quàm bestialiter 
Seneca.  vivere, A man had better be a beast, than live beastly.  
Secondly, This sin is so much the greater, because it hath a lawful remedy. To avoid fornication, saith the Apostle, let every 
1 Cor. 7. 2.  man have his wife, and every wife her husband. And again, They that cannot abstain, let them marry. A poor thief is pitied, that stealeth to satisfy hunger, but he that stealeth, and hath enough of his own, his sin is the greater, and the more to be punished 
Prov. 6. 33.  so he that hath a lawful remedy, and such a remedy as God hath ordained, and yet runs a whoring, his sin is the more abominable, and deserveth greater punishment. Such was David's sin, he had many wives and concubines, and yet he 
2 Sam. 11. 5. etc.  took another man's Wife; and therefore his sin was horrible.  
Thirdly, by this sin of whoredom, Satan gaineth two souls at once; a thief may steal alone, the drunkard may be drunken alone, the murderer, blasphemer, idolater, usurer, etc. may sinne alone, but the whoremonger killeth two souls at one clap. If the blood of Abel cried for vengeance, how much more shall those souls cry for vengeance, whom these defilers of the flesh have brought to destruction: yet these defilers care not how many they abuse, and whores and harlots care not how many they lead to the devil, they open their quiver against every arrow. 
Eccles. 26. 22.   
Fourthly, Defilers of the flesh, whoremongers are the Devil's factors; Satan is a tempter; so are they, and therefore when they go about to defile any, they should answer them as Christ answered 
Mat. 4. 1.  Peter, when he counselled him to save himself, Come behind me Satan, thou art an offence unto me. I read of a certain Matron 
Mat. 16. 23.  that being enticed by a desire of the flesh, an incontinent person, to incontinency, she denied, but not relinquishing his suit at last she calleth for a pan of coals, and desireth him for her sake, to hold his hand in that pan of coals one hour? he answered it was an unreasonable request. She replied, Is my request unreasonable to have you hold your hand in this pan of coals one hour? how unreasonable is yours? which would have have me 
Why our Lusts are by Saint Paul called members.  to yield to that which will burn body and soul in Hell flames for ever. And so she sent him away packing, and so must all chaste bodies answer these defilers.  
Besides all this, this sin of whoredom is an abominable sin, because God forbids it, and all good men abhor it. joseph choosed rather to endanger his life, than to defile himself with his filthy Mistress; Susanna, before she would suffer the filthy judges 
Gen. 39 12.  to defile her, adventured her body to the fire, and burned had she been, had not God delivered her: but in this sinful age many will adventure their lives to do it, and are so fare from josephs', 
Dan. 13. 45.  and Susannaes' affection, from flying filthiness, that like Reuben they cannot rest day nor night till they be of the number of these defilers of the flesh.  
Anger and lust are so such raging affections in man, that they can hardly be resisted: but be they as dear unto us, as our hands and our eyes, yet they must be plucked out and cut off. Paul compareth 
Mat. 18. 8, 9  lust unto a member: first, because actual sins, in relation to original sin, are so many members, as grow from. Secondly, by a Metonymy of the subjects, lust may be called a member, because it is brought to action, by the help and service of the members. And thirdly, because many men delight, and take pleasure in their turpitude, and filthiness, as in their members. But howsoever it be a member, yet it must be mortified; so saith the Apostle, Mortify 
Col. 3. 5, 6. Gal. 5. 24.  your earthly members, Fornication, Uncleanness, unnatural Lust, etc. and it must be crucified also; For they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Qui ergo sordescit, sordescat 
Act. 8. 20.  ad huc: Let him that is filthy, be filthy still. Et pereat secum voluptas, let his voluptuousnessy perish with him: as Simon Peter said to Simon Magus, in another sense, Saint Jerome cryeth out against 
Hierome.  this sin, after this manner, O ignis infernalis luxuria, cujus materia, gula, etc. O thou infernal fire of lechery, and whoredom; whose matter and nourishment, are gluttony and drunkenness, the flame is, Fervour concupiscentiae; The heat of concupiscence; the sparks are corrupt speeches, and filthy communication; the smoke, infamy and disgrace; the acts adultery, fornication, uncleanness; and the end Helltorments.  
But to proceed, Saint Peter speaketh of men that have eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot cease to sin, beguiling unstable souls. 
2 Pet. 2. 14.  Many have ears full of slander: as Doeg, and Saules parasites. Many have mouths full of blasphemy, as Goliath, who railed upon the host of the living God. Many have throats full of gluttony, as the Philippians, whose God was their belly, and glory their shame. Many have their hands full of bribery, as the Pharisees, which made 
1 Sam. 22. 1 Sam. 17. 3, 6. Phil. 3. 17. Mat. 23. 25. Gen. 21. 47.  clean the utter side of the cup and platter, but within were full of bribery and excess. And many have their hearts full of rancour and malice, as Esau who 〈◊〉 ●●cob because of the blessing, and purposed to slay jacob. But most men have eyes full of adultery: but such unclean 
Adultery a sin very common in Italy.  eyes shall never see God, to their comfort. jeremy said of that time, that they were all adulterers, And assembled themselves by companies in harlots houses, they rose up in the morning like fed-horses, 
jer. 5. 7, 8, 9  every man neighed after his neighbour's wife, shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord? shall not my soul be avenged of such a nation as this? Hosea said of Israel that they were all as the Oven of a Baker, for as the Baker's Oven, is seldom cooled, so their lust is seldom 
Hos. 7. 4.  satisfied. CHRIST called the Pharisees, An adulterous generation; as if they all had been Whoremongers. 
Mat. 16. 4.  And Paul said of most men, that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potius quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of godliness. But take 
2 Tim. 3.  away your fornication out of GOD'S sight, and your adulteries from between your breasts, lest God strip you naked, and discover your filthiness 
Hos. 2. 2, 3.  to your confusion.  
One writeth of Genna in Italy, that all of them be either Lovers or Lechers: As the Moabite walloweth in his vomit, as the dog tumbleth in carrion, as the Eels lie in mud, as the Beetles sing in dung, so the Italians boast of lechery, all are either Lovers or Lechers.  
Master Askam said of Venice, that whoredom was as indifferent as a shoe or a pantofle. Bishop jewel said of Rome, that in the year, 1564. after a reformation there, there were found eight and twenty thousand Courtesans. Harding justified the stews, and jasin Pratensis hath written a book, de ratione gignendi liberos, & de mille modis concubandi: and johannes Atlassa, an Archbishop, hath written a book in praise of Sodomitry. And most Papists hold this with Pighius, and them of Colon: Sinon castè, tamen cautè, if not chastely, yet warily; yet condemn they marriage. For as Severus the Heretic, held a woman to be the workmanship of the Devil, and a man also from the Navel downward: So Innocent the eighth, and Pope Siricius condemned marriage, alleging the words of the Apostle, that They which are in the flesh cannot please God. Thus like the second 
Rom. 8. 8.  Nicene Council under Irene, they rack all Scripture, perverting them to their own destruction; like Foxes they spoil 
2 Pet. 3. 16. Cant. 2. Psal. 80.  the Lords Grapes; like Wilde-Boares they root up all the Vineyard. Whoredom was wont to be the sin of Naples, afterwards the sin of France, and now the sin of England.  
Saint Hierome saith, that it is no wisdom to sleep near a Serpent, it may be, that he biteth thee not, but it is forty to 
Hierome libr● de regula monachorum cap. 9  one but that it stingeth thee. A vino & muliere (inquit) fuge, flee from wine and women (saith he) ne te capiat ejus oculus, lest her eye catch thee. The lips of a strange woman drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is more soft than oil, but the end of her is bitter as Wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged Sword: her geetes go down 
Prov. 5. 3, 4.  to death, and her steps took hold of Hell. And Chrysostome saith, 
Vncleanenes harply eschewed, we have so many motives to it.  Quid moecharis? quid semen jaces in aquas? unde nihil es messurus, aut si metes ad ignominiam futures est fructus, Ex adulterio enim nascitur Nothus, qui te vivo carebit honore, & te mortuo extabit ad ignominiam monumentum: Why dost thou commit adultery? Why dost thou cast thy seed upon the waters? where nothing is to be reaped, 
Serm. de non sectando concupiscentias carnis.  or if thou reapest any thing, the fruit will turn to thy ignominy and dishonour? A Bastard is borne of Adultery; who as long as thou livest will deprive thee of honour: and being dead, he shall be as a monument erected to thy reproach and infamy. And (as some say) it shall be a fire brand in Hell, to burn the parents; Quot nothi, tot taedae ardentes in inferno ad comburendum parents; How many Bastards, so many burning torches to burn the parents in Hell. Bernard goeth further, Qui scortum osculatur pulsat (inquit) inferni januam; He that 
Bern.  kisseth or embraceth an harlot rappeth and knocketh at Hell gates to be let in: For her feet go down to death, and her steps 
Prov. 5. 5.  take hold of Hell: Moechus,  Sus, plus amat lutum quàm lectum Eburnium, The Adulterer loveth to wallow in the dirt and clay, more than in a bed of Ivory, he burneth 
Apoc. 21. 8.  in the fire of Lechery, and he shall burn in Hell fire.  
Now, because this temptation of uncleanness is one of the strongest in the world, and most hardly resisted under Heaven, the enemy that we carry in our bosom being so strong, that is, Lust, and our flesh so weak to resist it: 
Mat. 26. 41. Gen. 3.  Chrysostome cryeth out against all Adulterous Women, and saith that the adulterous Woman is Acutum telum diaboli, the sharp dart of the Devil: Per mulierem Adamus foelicissimus 
2 Sam. 11. 1 Reg. 11. judg. 15. Mat. 14.  perdidit Paradisum: per mulierem, David piissimus homicidium perpetravit: per mulierem Salomon prudentissimus in idolatriam incidit: per eam fortissimus Sampson vinctus est: & per eam mundi lucerna johannes Baptista decollatur: By a Woman Adam the happiest, lost Paradise: by a Woman, David the holiest, perpetrated Murder: by a Woman, Solomon the wisest, fell to Idolatry: by a Woman, Samson the strongest, was fettered and bound: and by a Woman, the light of the World John the Baptist was decollated, beheaded. I speak only against wicked Women: For good Women, shall be Heirs with men of the grace of life and shall see thee goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living.  
To conclude this point: let us learn to keep our vessels in holiness, and not to be of the number of the defilers of 
1 Tim. 2. 15.  the flesh, as be Whoremongers, Adulterers, Fornicators, Wantoness, etc. and let us shun the occasion of this sin, which is surfeiting and drunkenness. For Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus, without Corn and Wine Venus starveth: and where Ceres and Bacchus is, there Venus reigneth. And take idleness 
Surfeiting and drunkenness, occasion of Whoredom.  away, and Cupid's bow will soon decay. Let us make a Covenant with our eyes, as job did; Let us meditate upon the Word of God, which is a forcible means against this sin: It shall keep us from the bad Woman. which flattereth 
job. 31. Prov. 6. 22. 24.  with her lips, forsaketh the husband of her youth, and breaketh the Covenant of thy God.   

THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. VIII. 
And despise government, and speak evil of them that are in authority. 
The Devil the first rebel and author of all rebellion   
THis is the third vice objected against the wicked, They despise government: A vice objected to the like men by Saint Peter, who seemeth to have drawn his water from this fountain, and his words from this Apostle, he saith, The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, 
2 Pet. 2. 9, 10.  and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement, to be punished, and chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness, and despise government, These men as they rebel against God like the old Giants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: So they resist man, ordained of God: 
Gen. 11. Luke 8.  they are like the unrighteous judge, that neither cared for God nor man. And no marvel; For the Devil their master-head Captain and father rose against God, and cast off his obedience whereupon Paul calleth pride, the sin of the Devil, noting both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reatum & condemnationem, The guilt and the 
1 Tim. 36.  punishment. Thus he set upon Christ: For being come unto him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread. Thus he warred with Michael and his Angels; I saw (saith john) a great battle in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fought 
Christ and his Apostles taught and preached obedience to heathenish Princes.  with the Dragon, and the Dragon and his Angels fought; and prevailed not. He is the Dragon that opened his mouth, To blaspheme against God, to blaspheme his name, and his Tabernacle, and they that dwell in heaven: He is the beast that shall go out, To deceive the people, which are in the four quarters of the earth, even Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the 
Apoc. 12. 7 Apoc. 13. 6. Cap. 28. 8. john 8. 44.  Sea. As Christ said of the Pharisees, that they were like their father the devil in lying. So say I, of the wicked that they are like their father in rebellion; he inspired them with the spirit of pride and rebellion: For he worketh in them. It was well said of Samuel, Hath the Lord as great pleasure in  offerings and sacrifice as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
Ephes. 2. 2. 1 Sam. 15. 22. 23.  and to hearken is better than the fat of rams, but rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and transgression is wickedness and idolatry: which words may extend aswell to the civil as celestial government. I know that obedience to God, is obedience to man, and on the contrary; disobedience to God, disobedience to man: haec tamen conjungi magis quàm confundi velim, (quoth Calvin) I had rather conjoin these, than confound them. 
Calvin.   
The Lord jesus performed all obedience to Rulers, even then when they were heathen, and knew not God; note his precept; note his practice; note both; his precept was, Da Caesari, give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are 
Mat. 22. 21.  Gods: his practice was, that he paid to Caesar tribute, and to that end willed Peter to go to the Sea, and to cast in an angle, and take the first fish that cometh up, and in his mouth he should find a piece of twenty pence, that take and give unto them for thee and me. And Paul willeth the Ephesians to pray for them, even 
Mat. 17. 27.  then, when like Manasses, they poured out blood like water, and 
1 Tim. 2. 1.  made Towns and Cities swim with blood, as he did jerusalem: when like the Chaldees they gave the dead bodies of God's 
2 Reg. 21.  servants unto the fowls of the air, and the flesh of his Saints unto the beasts of the field. When like Antiochus they burned all 
Psal. 79. 2.  Libraries, and consumed the days of the Christians like smoke 
Psal. 102. 3. 6. 9  and their bones burnt, like an hearth; when they were like Pelicans in the wilderness, and like Owls in the deserts; when they did eat ashes like bread, and mingled their drink with weeping. And to show the constant practice of this, not to go back, like the shadow of Ezechias his dial, to the time of the Law; that the jews are commanded to pray for Nabuchadnezzar and the peace of Babylon; yet Babylon was as the destruction of God in Sodom and Gomorah: the Arabian did not pitch his tent there; 
jer. 29.  but Ziim lodged there, their houses were full of O him; Ostritches dwelled there, and Limb did cry in their palaces, and Dragons in their pleasant palaces. 
Esa. 13. 20, 21, 22.  As for Nabuchadnezzar, as he was a man, he deserved not the name of a man, but of a beast; yet as he was a King, he is 
Dan. 4.  called Theservant of the highest God; and in his peace, they have 
Rebellion is against nature.  peace.  
Tertullian showeth, what affection and love the former Christians carried to the Magistrate, they were so fare from despising 
In Apologetico.  government, that they said, Oramus pro Imperatoribus, ut det Deus illis vitam prolixam; imperium tutum, aulam securam, exercitus fortes, orbem pacatum, Senatum sidelem, etc. we pray for the Emperors, that God would give them a long life, a safe government, a sure dwelling, valiant Soldiers; a peaceable world, a faithful council, etc. And yet the Christians than were as sheep appointed unto the slaughter; the rivers were died red with blood, the 
Rom. 2.  hangman weary with killing, their swords were blunt, caedebantur, ligabantur, torquebantur, they were beaten, bound, tormented, alii 
Aug. de Civitat. dei 22. cap. 6.  ferro perempti, alii flammis exusti, alii flagris verberati, alii vectibus perforati, alii cruciati patibulo, alii vivi decoriati, alii vinculis mancipati, 
Rubanus.  alii linguis privati, alii lapidibus obruti, alii frigore afflicti, alii fame cruciati, alii truncatis manibus, aliisue caesis membris spectaculum contumeliae, nudi propter nomen Domini pottantes, etc. that is, some were slain with the sword, some burnt with fire, some with whips scourged, some stabbed with forks of iron, some fastened to the cross or gibbet, some drowned in the Sea, some their skins plucked off, some their tongues cut out, some stoned to death, some killed with cold, some starved with hunger, some their hands cut off, or otherwise dismembered, have been so left naked to the open shame of the world, etc. yet still they were obedient to government. So Ambrose and the Catholics of Milan, resisted not Valentinian, and justinian in the rage of the Arrians; but cried, Rogamus Auguste, non pugnamus; hic, hic, occidito, si placet, arma nostra sunt preces & lachrymae; we pray Augustus, we fight not; here, here, kill us if thou please, our weapons are prayers and tears. So said Hermogenes, when the Emperor would have had him to worship an image, Da mihi veniam Imperator, minaris tucarcerem, Deus Gehennam, etc. Pardon me, o Emperor, thou threatnest prison; but GOD, hell; thou, the confiscation of my goods, but God the damnation of my soul; Obedirem tibi, nisi quod obediam Domino, I would obey thee, but I must first obey GOD: our lives, our liberty, our goods are subject to the Magistrate, we must not then Despise Government, but obey.  
Rebellion of all sins showeth the corruptions of our nature yea rebellion, and contempt of government is unnatural: for God hath madea chiefty in all things, and every thing keepeth his place. Among the Angels there be Cherubins, and Seraphins: 
Esa. 6.  among the Planets, the Sun is the chief, and the rest borrow their light from him: among the fowls, the Eagle: a-among the beasts, the Lion: among the Serpents, the Basilisk: among the Fishes, the Whale: among the Weathers there is 
job 38.  a leader, a Bell-wether; among the Cranes, there is one as a 
Rebellion is a resisting of God's ordinance.  Captain, that goeth before the rest: In a flock, there is dux gregis, a leader: in an hive of Bees, there is a master-Bee: the very Pismyres have their Governor; and the Grashopers go forth by bands. And hath not God made a chief, a Ruler among men? Absit, God forbidden, therefore that we should despise govenment. 
Prov. 30. 27.  Therefore to three things that order well their going, Solomon addeth a fourth, that is, to a Lion, which is strong among beasts, and turneth not at the sight of any: to a lusty Greyhound and a Goat he addeth a King, against whom there is no rising up: Per deum Reges regnant, By God King's reign; Princes decree justice, by him Princes rule, and the Nobles and all the judges of the earth. Promotion and honour cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the North nor from the South, but it is God that lifteth up one, and pulleth down another: There is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God: Whosoever therefore resisteth 
Rom. 13. 1. 2.  the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgement. Not only the punishment of the Governors, but also the vengeance of God. And God hath 
Numb. 16.  famously revenged this sin, as ever any: As upon Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, they lifted not up their hands, but their mouths against Moses, and the earth opened, and swallowed them quick to Hell. Absalon rebelled against his father, but God's vengeance followed him, and overtook him, for he was hanged, betwixt heaven and earth, the earth vomited him out, and the heavens would not receive him. And it was finely said of jezabel, 
2 Sam. 18. 9  though otherwise a vile creature; Had Zimri peace that slew his master Of late time Ralph Duke of Suevia confessed, that he had lost that 
2. Reg. 9 31.  hand in battle, that had sworn obedience to Henry the fourth, his master: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Anarchy and Disorder, have ever been the bane of all Kingdoms and Commonwealths; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, confusion, bringeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misery, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good order is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prosperity, than Kingdom's flourish. All the villainies and iniquities of Israel are imputed to this, Non erat Rex, there was no King 
judg. 19 21.  in Israel. Magistrates have a spark of God's Majesty in them, or rather a reflection of a spark of God's power, and so extensive are called Gods; I have said that ye are Gods, and that ye all are the children 
Psal. 82. 1.  of the most highest. They be Gods; 1. by Analogy: 2. By Deputation: 3. By Participation.  
First, by Analogy; for as God hath his seat of judgement in Heaven, so these, their tribunals, and judicial thrones, wherein to judge the actions of men; Tanquam in hoc Deum imitantes, as 
Theodor. in Psal. 81.  it were imitating God in this, and their authority though it be not transcendent, yet without control of any, save of the Rex Regum, the King of Kings.  
Secondly, they be Gods by deputation; Ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, saith jehosaphat: The judgement is Gods, saith Moses. 
2 Chro. 19 8.  Magistrates are his mouths to pronounce, and his hands to 
Anabaptists and Papists enemies to magistrat●y.  execute it.  
Thirdly, Gods by Participation, because God dealeth with them as Kings and Princes do with their children, to whom they communicate some part of their glory. Participando sunt 
Aug.  dii, they be Gods, in participating with God, As Stars participate their light from the Sun, the primum lucidum: So these their authority from the supreme Majesty.  
God hath two hands, by the one he governeth in the commonwealth; the other in the Church; by the one he reacheth good things unto the body, by the other, to the souls, that is, by magistrates & ministers. By some magistrates he reacheth peace, by some wealth, by some order, by some justice, by some Mercy: For the magistrate is like the frog, called Borexo, which hath two Livers, one for poison, the other for treacle: So the magistrates hath two hands; one for justice, the other for mercy: his song is of mercy and judgement, habet poenam & proemium,  apis habet mell & 
Psal. 101. 1.  aculeum. He hath punishment and reward, as the Bee hath both honey and a sting.  
But to speak properly, magistrates are fingers of that great hand, that ruleth the World, yet some think the magistracy began in Lucifer, for which they quote, Esai. 14. 
Esa. 14.   
And that it was seconded by the Giants in Gen. 6. and continued by Nimrod that mighty Hunter; and enlarged by the 
Gen. 6. cap. 10. 11.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fighters against God, that builded the tower of Babel. But it is evident to all the World that it came from God, who governed his own people, sometimes by Prophets, as by Moses and Aaron; For he led his people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron: Sometime by judges, & that four hundred & thirty 
Psal. 77. 20.  years together; sometime by Kings; sometime by Princes, 
Act. 13. 1 Sam. 1. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 13. 1.  as after the captivity. And Saint Peter saith, Honour all men, love brotherly fellowship, fear God, and honour the King: For the powers that are, are ordered and ordained of God, and There is no power but of God, siuè jubente, siuè sinente, quoth Augustine, by 
Aug. contra ●au●●um ma●●●haeum libro cap. 7.  Gods either commission or permission, the persons sometime are intruders, as in case of Usurpation; sometime abusers of their authority, as when they Tyrannize, but the powers themselves have God for their Author. Saint Peter, indeed calls them, Humane ordinances; but he speaketh of the several forms, not of the substance of government. 
1 Pet. 2. 13.  But to let all this go here I am to deal with two sorts of men, that be enemies to magistrates, and as I may say, Despise government the one the Anabaptist; the other the Papists; For these two hellhounds join together against the Magistrate: like Sampsons' Foxes, that were tied by the tails, and burnt up the corn of the Philistines: Like the two shee-beares that came out of the wood and devoured the children of Bethel like Ephraim and Manasses against juda: like Herod and Pilate against Christ. And no marvel. For these two like the Edomites, 
The manifold benefits that come to the Church by magistracy.  and Babylonions, shake hands in many sins. The Anabaptist despise the Word, flying to Revelations: The Papist condemn it, as insufficient, sending us to Tradition; For the jews had their Thalmud, the Turks their Alcoran, the Anabaptist 
judg. 15. 2 Reg. 2. Esa 9 Mat. 26. 2 Tim. 3. 16.  Revelations, the Papist Traditions; the Protestants Scripture. The Anabaptist rejecteth Baptism utterly: the Papist defileth it with Grease, Cream, Oil: the Anabaptist, denieth the whole supper of the Lord, the Papist mingleth it, giving but the half only unto the people. The Anabaptist denieth all Magistracy: the Papist subjecteth it to the Pope. The Anabaptist object that the Kings of juda were figures of Christ, and therefore now ceased. Which is true in part, for in part they were shadows & figures but yet they were more than figures: For the Levitical Priesthood took 
Hebr. 9  an end, but the Political government hath no end. For the office of Kings is established: Honour the King (saith the Apostle) and Paul reckoning 
1 Pet. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 28.  up the gifts of God for the right ordering of the Church in the New Testament, mentioneth Governmentes; that is, gifts of government. 
Rom. 13. 4.  The title of Magistrates is to be Ministers of God, their end & use the good of the Church, Paul's counsel is to pray for Kings and those in authority, that they may be converted? Withal he intimates the good uses flowing from their conversion: Peace, Honesty, Godliness to the people of God, their government therefore is not to be despised.  
To conclude this point, it is promised as a blessing to the Church of the New Testament, that she should have Kings, her nursing fathers and Queens, her nursing mothers. And at the conversion of Constantine to Christianity, this promise was accomplished, and never before, except to suck the blood of the Church, were to be nurses unto the Church. It remains then, that magistracy hath God's ordinance to commend it, to the perpetual use of the Church, and Commonwealth, unto the end of the World.  
But to proceed still with these Anabaptists, they condemn the sword utterly, and think Excommunication to be the last punishment that can be in a Christian Church: Which is true in respect of God, and the soul, but not in respect of men, and their bodies; 
1 Cor. 5. 5. Esra 10.  For one man was punished both by loss of goods civilly, and by separation from the congregation: Which was spiritual.  
The Magistrate may punish him, who despiseth the censure of the 
1 Pet. 2. 14. Rom. 13. 4.  Church; For they are appointed for the punishment of evildoers. And he is the minister of God To take vengeance, of them that do evil. Even so they deny all use of weapon and all war, Nam arma nostra, (inquiunt illi) sunt praeces & lachrimae, our weapons are prayers and tears. They alleged the words of our Saviour, By your patience 
Luk. 21. 19  possess your souls. And the words of Paul, Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with goodness. And again, they alleged the 
The Pope depose some, rail on others, and despise all Magistrates.  words of the Prophet of God Esay, They shall break their swords into mattocks, and their spears into Scythes, Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn to fight any more. At Magistratus gerit gladium, saith Paul; the Magistrate beareth the sword; And Saint john biddeth not soldiers deponere gladios, to lay away 
Rom. 12. 21. Esa. 2. 4. Rom. 13. 4. Luk. 3. 14. Acts 10.  their swords, but to do violence to no man, neither to accuse any falsely, and to be content with their wages. Neither did Peter bid Cornelius leave his warring. Other vile heresies they have, they deem it to be a Church without excommunication, they deny all use of an oath; which heresies first spread by Coppine and Quintinus in France, and Persevallus and Pocquinus in Germany; have infected many, as Monsieur johannes Lidencis Kinperdoline; who raised wars wherein perished 100000. men in Germany.  
Secondly, the Papists clip the wings of all Magistracy, subjecting them to the Italian Priest, making him the Ministerial head of the Church calling him Deum terrenum, an earthly God; 
Harding.  Qui ligat Regis in catenis, which bindeth Kings in chains, and Nobles in links of iron, as it is in the Psalm 149. 8. Who justifieth the dealing of Innocentius the third, against King john; and that of Alexander the third, against Fredricke the second; and that of Clemens the seventh, against Henry the eighth; and that of Pius Quintus against our Queen. Now Allen compareth the Priesthood to the Sun, the Princedom to the Moon, that receiveth light from the Sun; the Priesthood to the soul, the other to the body, which is quickened of the soul; the one to gold the other to lead, a course metal. Pighius dat principibus potestatem facti, non juris, power to see Laws executed, not to make them. All late Papists have railed on the Queen in the spirit of Shemei, their tongues cut like razors, their words are as the coals of juniper; for Bristol in his sixth motive calleth the Queen a Schismatic, her Nobles Heretics, her people Apostates; Sanders saith, that, Haeretica princeps, non est ●●●nceps, 
Libro 2. cap. 4. de visibili monarchia.  an Heretical Prince, is no Prince; to which he addeth ●●e Minor, that the Queen is heretical; now than ye can ●●t to the Conclusion. Mark the feature of this Cub, look upon the face of this Babe, and tell me who is his Sire; did ever any Protestant hold the like? Rebellion is not a fruit of the Gospel (as saith Staphilus) but a whelp of that popish litter, an egg of that Cockatrice's nest; the most treasons and rebellions have sprung from Papists, upon this ground, that the Pope may depose Princes, ad placitum, at his pleasure.  
Thus Henry the second was made a private man, and restored to the Crown by the Pope's Legate Pandulphus: King john was deposed and at the last poisoned: Cardinal Poole stirred up the Emperor and French King against Henry the eighth: Anselme ●he Archbishop of Canturbury set himself against King William: Thomas Arundel Archbishop set himself against Henry the second; 
Popish Bishops have deposed Princes.  Richard Scroop Archbishop of York was in field against Henry the fourth; Stephen Lancton Archbishop of Canturbury interdicted the whole Land, and made the King become the Pope's tenant. I need not to speak of Parrie, Somervile, Ardington, Babington. No treason in this Queen's days, but hath issued from Popery, as from the Trojane horse. Let the Prince of Orange speak; let Condie speak; let Henry the third, the French King speak, murdered of a jacobine; let Henry the fourth speak, murdered by Raviliacke: let all the world speak, and they will say, that all these late troubles for five hundred years past, since the days of Hildebrand, may be ascribed to Popes and Papists. All Graecia yet ruth it; all Africa the mother of Martyrs feeleth it; the German Emperors with foul treading upon their necks, may not forget it, the Kings of France felt it, till pragmatica sanctio was made; the States of Italy have been shaken with it; the Kings of England have been poisoned, whipped, murdered; did Gardiner Tonstall, Bonner, who forswore the Pope in Henry 8. days, show any truth in Queen Mary's days? Remember the massacre in France, and the late murders in Cleveland and Germany, and the Low-Countries, since Gregory the 13. days. This Axiom is holden, Da mihi cor tuum, fili, give me thy heart my son; and the Papists reserved for a further mischief. Yet Stapleton is not ashamed to charge Luther, that he said, That a good Prince was Rara avis, a seldom bird, that most of them are either principal fools, or the most wicked knaves on the earth; but this is proper to Papists to speak thus.  
But it is worth your noting, that jude saith not, they deny authority and government, as the Anabaptists do, as you have heard but they despise it, they shall put it out of his place, and they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, take away even government itself, challenging it to themselves. And hath not the man of sin, and son of 〈◊〉 done thus? Gregory the 7. excommunicated Henry the 4. animated his Subjects to rebellion, and when as by these means ●e could not prevail, he went about secretly to murder him, and ●o that end hired one, to let a stone fall from the top of the Church upon the Emperor's head, as he was a praying; but God prevented the practice, by punishing the murderer, who was crushed in pieces with the same stone. Paschalis the 2. raged in the same manner, against the said Emperor, and in the end, caused his own son to rebel against him. Clemens the 5. excommunicated Francis Dandalus, Duke of Venice, & tied him like a dog about the neck with a collar to gather crumbs under his table: Vrbane the 4. dispossessed Conrade son to Conrade the Emperor of the Kingdom of Sicilia, and gave it to Charles Earl of Anjou: Boniface the 8. (of whom it is said, Intravit ut vulpes, regnavit ut Leo, mortuus est ut Canis, that he entered like a Fox, reigned like a Lion, and died like a dog) offered the French King Philip's 
Where no government is there is confusion.  kingdom to Albertus the Emperor: Zachary deposed Childerick the French King, and placed Pipine: Celestine crowned the Emperor Henry the 6. with his foot, and with his foot pushed it off again: Hildebrand caused Henry the 4. to stand three days at his gates  and barelegged, before he would open his gates unto him. Thus have they tossed government up and down, and have put them out of their places, Chrysostome and Tertullian call them, the chief men of the earth, and next to God, and Saint Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most excellent. Our latter Papists 
1 Pet. 2. 13.  call civil Magistrates, carnal Lords; humane creatures; and is not this to take away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sovereign and supreme authority from them that ought to have it? which jesus Christ denied to his Ministers and servants, saying, The Kings of the Gentiles 
Luke 22. 25.  bear rule over them, and they that bear rule over them, are called gracious Lords, but you shall not so.  
Let us therefore Brethren, be subject to the higher power and never despise government; Let us subject ourselves to every ordinance of 
Ro●. 13. 1.  man for the Lords sake: For by them we reap much good; for governor's are appointed of God, For the punishment of evil doers, but 
1 Tim. 2.  for the laud of them that do well, under them we lead, a quiet and a godly life; and where as there is no government, there is no order; and whereas there is no order, Ibi ruinae ostium patet, the door is open to ruin and destruction. Hereupon saith a Father, Malum quidem est, ubi est nullus principatus, etc. It is a passing evil, whereas there is no government; for take from the Quire the Chanter, and the Song will neither be in good tune, nor in good order; take from the Soldiers the Captain, and the same cannot march on, either in due number, or decent manner; take from the Ship the Pilot, and it must needs miscarry; take from the flock the Shepherd, and they must needs be scattered, and so take from the people Governors, and they must come to destruction, ye see therefore the good of Government.  
And to disobey, oras jude speaketh, To despise Government, it is dangerous: Paul saith, They that resist shall receive to themselves 
Rom. 13.  damnation. And he reckoneth up disobedient persons among those, that shall not come into the Kingdom of God. I will conclude 
Gal. 5.  with the admonition of Solomon, My son fear the Lord, and the King, and meddle not (on any pretence) with them that are seditious; 
Prov. 24. 21.  and despise not government; If Governors be impious, pray for their piety; if tyrannous, pray to God to inspire them with clemency: Pray for Kings (saith Paul,) yea though they were such as Gentiliter vixerunt, lived Heathenishly, saith Optatus Milenitanus.   

THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON.  VERS. IX. 
Yet Michael the Archangel, when he strove against the Devil, and disputed about the body of Moses, durst not blame him with cursed speaking, but said, the Lord rebuke thee. 
Railers confuted by Michael the archangel's example.   
THese words contain the confutation of those heady and unruly spirits that despise government; and he confuteth them two ways: first, Michael the Archangel would not rail in a dispute, between him and Satan, how dare then these peasants, base and vile men, take upon them to speak evil; for there is no comparison between men and Angels; for God hath made men lower than the Angels; indeed in the last day, our 
Psal. 8. 5. Mat. 22.  honour shall be like unto them, but not till then.  
Secondly, Michael and the Angels durst not rail on the Devil, that cursed creature, how dare then these chips, and drain of the people, and scum of the world, rail on Rulers and dignities, ordained of God.  
Or, the reason may thus be contracted: An Archangel would not give judgement, these men judge and censure all estates; an Archangel dispute, these condemn, hearing no cause; an Archangel durst not rail, these dare speak all evil; for Pride is a chain unto them, and cruelty covereth them as a garment. They are 
Ps. 73. 6. 8, 9  licentious, and speak wickedly, they talk presumptuously. They set 
No Scripture lost that is necessary for salvation.  their mouth against Heaven, and their tongue walketh thorough the earth.  
This History, Totidem syllabis, is not recorded in the Bible, and yet we must not think that jude feigned it, but rather, that there is much Scripture lost, which we have not, seeing that Antiochus in the Law, and Dioclesian in the Primitive Church, burned the Scriptures, and all Libraries, we want the Book of the battles of the Lord, mentioned by Moses; the Book of the righteous, 
Numb. 21. 14.  cited by josua; and we want much of the Chronicles of Israel 
Ios. 10. 13. 2 Reg. 16.  and juda, we have not the Books of Shemaiah the Prophet, and Iddo the Seer, the Book of Nathan the Prophet, and the Book 
2 Chron. 12. 15.  of the Prophecy of Ahiah, we want many of salomon's Books, who wrote of beasts, stones, herbs, trees, from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hyssop on the wall, as you may read, 1 Reg. 4. Origen 
1 Reg. 4. Origine lib. ● de principiis.  saith that this Text was taken from a Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ascension of Moses, so say Clemens Alexandrinus, Didimus and Athanasius: For, so say they, Paul alleged Epimenides, Aratus, and Menander; why might he not then quote this saying. Others saw that it was delivered by tradition from hand to hand; 
Tit. 1. 12. Act. 17. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 8.  So jannes' and jambres are named, and that speech uttered by the Apostle, Remember the words of the Lord jesus, how that he said, It is a blessed thing to give, rather than to receive; It is not orderly so written in any place of Scripture, yet it is gathered by diverse places 
Acts. 20. 35.  in effect.  
Papists here cry out that jude alleged some profane Author or some tradition; ergo, non solum haerendum est Scriptures, therefore we must not only cleave unto the Scriptures. I confess, Paul cited some things from profane Writers, but it was not to confirm any dogmatic conclusion concerning faith and belief; for as touching these things they cited only the Scriptures; but when they came to entreat of manners, than they borrowed some things of the Ethnic and Heathen, and that to this end to shame Christians. But Christ said, Scriptum est, it is written, non traditum est, not is it a tradition. Thus Sadnele answered Turrianus; and so I in this cause answer Stapleton, Staphilus, and the jesuites.  
Michael is here named, who is also named by Daniel, and by 
Dan. 12. 2. Apoc. 12. 7.  Saint john; this Michael is here called an Archangel; but I will first speak concisely of Angels, then of Archangels. In the Scripture five good Angels are only named: The first is Michael, as here in this my Text, and also by the Prophet Daniel; the 
Dan. 10. 13. Dan. 8. 16. Luk. 1. Esdr. 4.  second was Gabriel, named also by the Prophet Daniel, and by the Evangelist S. Luke, as it appeareth in his Gospel; the third is Raphael, of whom ye may read in the history of Tobias; the fourth was Vriel, mentioned in Esdras 4. the fifth was jeremiel recorded in the 4. of Esdras 5. yet there be infinite good Angels; For Thousand thousands minister unto him, and ten hundred thousand stand 
Divers Angels named, their office and order.  before him. These Angels pitch their tents round about us, they keep in our ways, they rejoice at the conversion of sinners, they behold the face of our heavenly father; they carry our souls into Abraham's bosom: they be ministering spirits, sent forth for their 
Dan. 7. 10. Psal. 34. Psal. 91. Luke 15. Mat. 16. 22. Hebr. 1. 14.  sakes, that be heirs of salvation: though we see not these Angels, for they be spiritual and intellectual substances, yet they attend upon us, they ride, and journey with us.  
As there be Angels, so there be Archangels; as Michael here is called an Archangel. How he came to be an Archangel, there be differences in opinion, but I will pass that over with silence. Some learned men think, that by the Archangel is meant Christ, and that there is no other Archangel but he; but others, think that one and the same spirit may have both the name of an Angel and an Archangel, by reason of a greater or lesser work of God committed to him of God: so saith Basill, a celestial spirit is called 
Basil lib. 3. adversus Eunomium.  an Archangel, when being accompanied with other Angels in the work of the Lord, he is a guide and Leader to them, Nam inter Angelos est ordo, there is an order among Angels. So we read 
Esa. 6. Pro. 25. 27.  of Cherubins and Seraphins. But I will not be curious, where God hath kept secret; Honey is good, but too much honey is not good, Praestat dubitare de occultis, quàm litigare de incertis; It is better to doubt of secret things, than braugle about incertain.  
As for this disputation betwixt Michael and Satan, it was not feigned but true and real, not corporal, but spiritual, they have not Vocem articulatam an articulate voice, they be spirits, and 
Gen. 18.  have neither flesh nor bones as we have, and so consequently neither tongue nor mouth to speak, or dispute with; yet God giveth them speech, and so they spoke to Abraham.  
As men fight with swords, spears, and staves, so the spirits good and bad contend with spiritual weapons, as with will, understanding, and memory. We read of four notable contentions, between the good and bad Angels; the first in Heaven, for saith Saint john, I saw a great battle in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his Angels fought 
Apoc. 12. 7.  and prevailed not. The second, in the Kingdom of the Persians, when as the Angel of the Persians resisted Gabriel one and 
Dan. 10. 13.  twenty days. The third, in the house of Raguel, where Asmodaeus 
Tob. 6.  was vanquished by Raphael. The fourth and last, in mount Nebo, upon the top of Pisgah and of this battle speaketh jude in this present 
Deut. 34. 1.  place.  
The matter of this strife was, that the Devil took upon him to reveal the Sepulchre of Moses, whom God buried secretly, lest the Israelites should commit idolatry with it, as they did with the 
Numb. 21▪  brazen Serpent which cured the stings of the fiery Serpents. So Jerome speaketh of the grave of Hilarion how sixteen blind men received 
jer:  sight there. Eusebius of Spiridions daughter, how she rose from 
Euseb.  the dead, to tell of things lost. So Ambrose speaketh of the tomb 
Satan desire to deceive with false apparitions.  of Saint Agnes, and of Gervasius and Prothisius', how that their bodies were full of blood, and their bones full of marrow, a hundred years after their burial: And there is no end of this madness, 
Ambr.  God seeing this, hid Moses body lest the people should worship it: & Satan laboured to reveal it, that thereby he might bring the people to idolatry: For Satan will move every stone to set up idolatry, yea even Moses body.  
But concerning Moses body, we learn first, that it is said, That 
Deut. 34 6.  the Lord buried him: and therefore to bury the dead is no contemptible work, it is a work fit for God's Minister. Again, it should seem, that no man knew the grave of Moses, yet the Devil knew where it was: and therefore because Moses was one, whom the jews being alive did greatly reverence. For he was a Preacher, Mighty in word, and in deed, the Devil would have made an Idol of his body, and have the people worship it, being dead. So then we may learn that if God would not have Moses body worshipped, much less the image of Moses, or any Saint.  
Again, if the Devil would have had Moses body, to beguile the people, the which he could not have, than no doubt, that which he can have, he will not omit; that is, to take upon him Moses shape, or the shape of a Saint, or an Angel to beguile us withal. Therefore let every good man say with Paul; We are not ignorant of Satan's wiles: we know his fetches, his devices, he took upon him 
2 Cor. 2. 11.  the shape of Samuel, the shape of an Angel, therefore I will believe 
1 Sam. ●8. 14  no apparitions no revelations: I will only rest upon the Word, wherein is contained all things nessarie to salvation.  
But in that Satan durst contend with Michael an Archangel, see his boldness and cruelty; he laboureth to seduce men and Angels, For He was a murderer from the beginning: so that he is like 
john 8. 44.  an old hangman fleshed in blood and cruelty; Christ calleth him the Envious man, and Saint Peter calleth him, a roaring Lion he roareth in Court, in Country, in Cities, in Cloisters, in Shops, 
Mat. ●3. 1 Pet. 5. 8.  and Warehouses, in Schools and Universities, Vbique praedam quaerit, every where he seeketh for his prey, john calleth him the red Dragon, which had seven heads, and ten horns, and he nameth him Appollyon and Abaddon. So it is said that the beast spoke by the 
Apoc. 12. Apoc. 9 Apoc. 13. job 1.  mouth of a greater beast, meaning the Devil. Thus we read, that he did set upon job, only for that he feared God: after the return from Babylon, presently he set upon jehosua, but the Lord reproved him, even the Lord that hath chosen jerusalem. But this is most strange, that he durst encounter with Christ. He came unto him, and said, If thou be the Son of God command these stones be made 
zach. 3. 1, 2. Mat. 4 3. Ephes. 6. 12.  bread, etc. Paul saith that we Wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against worldly governors, against the governors of the darkness of this world, etc. All this I speak to arm us against Satan; For we must enter into a battle with him, 
Railers are the devil's agents.  he that spared not an Angel, yea an Archangel, will not spare men. Tentat diabolus, sed aliud est intus regnare, aliud extra oppugnare; fortis hostis munitissimam civitatem oppugnat, sed non expugnat; 
August. Tract. 52. in john.  omnes potest diabolus ad malum invitare, non tamen trahere delectationem infert, non potestatem; consilium ingerit non conflictum. The Devil (saith Augustine) tempteth, but it is one thing to reign within, and another to assanlt without: this strong enemy oppugneth the most defenced City, but he cannot expugn it, conquer it: The Devil may invite and allure all men to evil, but not draw them; he may infer delight, not power; he may counsel us, not enforce us. Satan may dispute, rail, curse, and blaspheme, but he shall be answered, Debilis est hostis qui non vincit, nisi volentem, he is but a weak enemy, he can vanquish none but such as are willing to be vanquished. Ille suggerit, tuum est repellere, he suggesteth, but it is thy part and duty to withstand all his suggestions. Ille disceptat, tuum est respondere, he disputeth, and thou must answer him; and Bernard 
Bern.  saith, Diabolus est ut canis catena ligatus, latrare potest, non mordere. Quoties illi restiteris, toties coronaberis, The Devil is like a dog tied, he may bark, but he cannot bite; as often as thou resistest him, so often shalt thou be crowned. It is reported of Satan that he should say thus of a learned man; Tu me semper vincis, thou dost always overcome me; Cum enim te volo exaltare, tuteipsum deprimis in humilitate, when I would exalt and promote thee, thou keepest thyself in humility, Et cum volo te de primere, and when I would throw thee down, Tute erigis, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 
Heb. 10. 22.  thou liftest up thyself in assurance of faith.  
But here note the modesty of Michael; he would not rail, revile, nor curse the Devil. It is probable, that the Devil raged, railed, used bad words, for that is his nature; for he hath a mouth full of blasphemies; And he openeth his mouth unto blasphemy against God, to blaspeme his name and his tabernacle, and them that 
Apoc. 13. 7.  dwell in Heaven. And in this respect, Goliath was a figure of the World, as the host of Israel was a figure of the Church, and David that delivered it a figure of Christ; and in this sense the Devil is called, Calumniator fratrum, the accuser of our brethren, 
Apoc. 12. 10.  spiritus blasphemiae, the spirit of blasphemy, and he is called diabolus, by reason of his foul mouth in railing, reviling, and misusing of God's servants: therefore it is said, that the three unclean spirits, like frogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon, for they are ever croaking, belching and railing upon the 
Mat. 4. 2. Apoc. 16. 13.  Saints and Servants of the Almighty, but Michael did not, Par pari refer, return like for like, he gave not the Devil a railing sentence.  
This teacheth us moderation, patience, to lead men to God, ducere homines, non trahere; to lead men, and not to draw them so much as we may. To this end Saint Peter propoundeth Christ's 
We must learn meekness of Christ who taught it.  example; for Christ (saith he) suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth, Who when he was reviled, reviled not again: 
1 Pet. 2. 21.  When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed it to him, that judgeth righteously. Erat ut agnus coram tondente, he was as a Lamb before 
Esa● 53.  the shearer, and opened not his mouth. Learn this mildness of Christ; learn not of him to create a new world, to walk upon the Sea, to seed thousands of men, with a few loaves and fishes, to cure creples, to cleanse lepers, to give sight to the blind and limbs to the lame, to restore the deaf to their hearing, and the dumb unto their speaking, to calm Seas, cease winds, expel Devils, open graves, raise the dead, as he did Lazarus; but learn to be mild, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and 
Mat. 11. 29.  ye shall find rest unto your souls. The Poets propound unto themselves, Homer, hesiod, Demosthenes, Tully, Isocrates: The Philosophers propound Plato, Aristotle, Porphyry: and let Christians for mildness, propound to them Christ jesus.  
One byword, is but a wry-word, Better a shrew than a sheep; but Christ was a sheep, a Lamb, a Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world: So we must be Lambs, and not Lions; 
john. 1.  sheep, and not wolves; doves, and not dogs: For if we bark at one another, We shall be devoured one of another. Saint Peter would have men to lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, 
Gal. 5. 15.  and envy, and all evil speaking. As a Serpent vomiteth up his poison, when he goeth to drink in a clear fountain; so should a 
2 Pet. 2. 1.  Christian vomit up his malice, and all evil speaking; a railing sentence must not come from him. Among all those dignities, that were offered Christ, none touched him more nearly, than their railings; his body was stretched out at length upon the Cross, his hands and feet were pierced with nails, his head crowned with thorns, his flesh rend and torn with whips, his side opened with a spear, yet they that railed on him, and bade him come down from the cross, grieved him more than all the aforenamed tortures,  
But we must not rail, but bless rather; for we are called to be heirs of blessing, and therefore must not render evil for evil, 
1 Pet. 8, 9  or rebuke for rebuke; If any long after life, and to see good days; let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: though others rail, yet must not we; nay, if we be railed upon, for the name of Christ, blessed are we; For the spirit of God, and of 
1 Pet. 4. 14.  glory resteth upon you (saith the Apostle.) And our Saviour Christ to dissuade us from railing, useth sundry reasons, Love your enemies (saith he) bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you, that ye may be the 
Mat. 5. 44, 45.  children of your father which is in heaven; which maketh his sun to arise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust. Let them take heed, that use cursed speaking, railing and reviling, 
We must moderate and keep our tongues from cursed speaking.  they are Satan's children, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a slanderer: he was a murderer from the beginning; a murderer in hand, a liar in tongue, if not in himself, yet in his members; As he was against Moses, by Corah, Dathan and Abiram; David, by Doeg, jeremy, by the men of Anathoth; Paul, by Tertullus; john Baptist, by 
Apoc. 12. 10. john 8. 44. Numb. 16. Psal. 52.  the Scribes; yea, Christ by the Pharisees; but Dathan and his company perished in an earthquake; Doeg was rooted out; the men of Anathoth were captivated; the Scribes were confuted; the Pharisees put to silence. Maledicere est adeo illicitum, ut peccatuin est maledicere diabolo, to speak evil, or to rail is so unlawful that it is a sin to curse or ban the Devil. Michael would not rail, no more ought we to rail or revile one another, when as difference shall chance to arise amongst us, He that calleth his brother fool (contemptuously or opprobriously) is in danger of Hell 
Mat. 5. 22.  fire. And Saint Paul saith, Let all sourness or bitterness, or wrath or anger, and outcries, and blasphemies be quite taken from among you; with all maliciousness; be courteous one to another, and pitiful, forgiving 
Ephes. 4. 31.  one another, even as Christ forgave you. And in another place, Let your patiented mind be known to all men; The Lord is even at hand. As though he should say, will ye be malicious, spiteful, reviling 
Phil. 4. 5.  your brethren, and the Lord is at hand; will ye be falling out one with another, and his coming so near? And yet as Ephraim, was full of drunkards; Crete full of liars; Ephesus full of Idolaters; so the world is full of railers: of whom it may be said, as Hierome said of joviman, Tacere nesciunt quia nunquam didicerunt bene loqui, they know not to be silent, because they never learned 
Hierome.  to speak well. Erasmus speaking of this railing age, saith, that there be three things to keep the tongue in: First, it hath many strings, these strings should curb it in: Secondly, there is a double ditch of teeth: and thirdly, two walls of lips; yet all will not hold in the tongue. Dimidiam partem vitiorum in mundo sibi vendicat lingua, the tongue challengeth half the vices in the 
Gregor. Naziau.  world, for what vice almost floweth not from the tongue, railing reviling, lying, swearing, blasphemy, perjury, slander, etc. all these be the vices of the tongue.  
Hermophilus offending with his tongue, perpetuum silentium sibi indixit, in joined his tongue perpetual silence. And Pambo in three months would not speak, till he had learned the first verse of the 39 Psalm, which runneth thus, I said I will take heed unto my ways, that I offend not in my tongue. Et melius est certè nil loqui, 
Psal. 39 1.  quàm malè loqui, It is much better to be silent, and to speak nothing, than to speak evil: therefore saith the Apostle, As elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercy, kindness, humbleness of 
Col. 3. 12, 13.  mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. Of all victories it is the greatest to forbear, being provoked. Michael would not revile the devil, and wilt thou revile thy brother? yet many pass not what they say, what speeches 
Mildness a means to stay a railing tongue.  they give it, if they be offended. The Scholars of Pythagoras kept silence for five years; it were to be wished, that these might be enjoined silence always, except they could speak better. Epictetus' reduced all virtues into two heads, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, abstain, sustain; and he reduceth all vices into two heads, Impatiency, and Incontinency; when injuries are not borne, nor pleasures eschewed. Spirtus Dei neque mordax, the spirit of God, is neither a liar, nor a biter, a railer, let us then give courteous speeches, Not rendering evil for evil, nor rebuke for rebuke. 
1 Pet. 3. 9   
Again, hard words, railing, cursed speaking, hurt ourselves and do no good to the adversaries. Mollis sermo frangit iram, a soft answer putteth down displeasure; for as a Canon-shot is 
Prov, 15. 1.  repelled with wool, not with brass; as wildfire is quenched with milk, not with water; as the Adamant is broken with the blood of a Goat, and not with an hammer; as the wrath of an Elephant is appeased not with swords, but with Mulberries: So malice is an adversary, in a railer, is quenched with lenity, not with reviling, like a Lion that is mitigated with the humbleness of a beast unto him. Hereupon saith Paul, If thine enemy 
Rom. 12. 20.  hunger, feed him, if he thirst give him drink, for in so doing; thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head, that is, thou shalt win him: Therefore saith Ambrose to Calligonus, Ego patior, & audiam, quod est Episcopi; I will suffer and hear, which is the part of a Bishop. Tu ages & loqueris quae sunt carnificis, thou dost, and speakest, which belongeth to a murderer and cruel person. Regium est audire mala, à quibus laudare esset pudor, it is a princely thing to hear evil of them, of whom it is a shame to be commended. Leave them to God; Dominos illos increpabit, the Lord shall rebuke them; yea, The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud 
Psal. 12. 3, 4.  things. Which have said with our tongues, we will prevail, we are they that that aught to speak, Who is Lord over us? Shemei shall not ever 
2 Sam. 16. 5. Dan. 14. Dan. 6.  rail on David; the judges shall not ever accuse Susanna; the idolaters shall not ever speak evil of Daniel; Doeg shall not ever slander Abimelech; the Arrians shall not always defame Athanasius, 
2 Sam. 22.  as they did for Arsenius; God will make their innocency as 
Psal. 37. 6.  the light, and their judgement as the noonday.  
Here a question may be moved, whither a Christian may at any time curse, and speak hardly to the wicked, and rebuke them. Some object, Levit. 19 Non maledices surdo, Thou shalt not curse the 
Levit. 19 14.  deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind. They say that we may not say Racha, or fool to our brother, much less may we 
Mat. 5.  use hard words, railing sentences: they quote Paul to the Romans; Bless them that persecute you, bless I say, and curse not, Cum 
Rom. 12. 14.  maledico, edere non licet, we may not eat with a railer. They allege the example of Christ: Who when he was reviled, reviled not 
1 Cor. 5. 11.  again. And that of Paul, We are reviled, and yet we bless; We 
Lawful to curse sin though not sinners.  are persecuted and suffer it, We are evil spoken of and yet we pray.  
To all these I answer in two words, that in all speeches we must regard two things: The goodness of the cause, and clearness 
1 Cor. 4. 12. 13.  of our mind: that we speak not of spleen, of affection, of revenge, but to draw the party to remembrance. And so there is place left in the Church, as well for Cursing as Blessing: for rough as for mild speech, so that God's glory be sought in the suppression of sin,  omne os obstruatur, that every mouth may be stopped, and that all glory may be given to God. Thus we 
Gen. 3. cap. 9 Deut. 27.  read, that God cursed the Serpent, that Noah cursed Cham, of the twelve tribes, six of them stood on Mount Garazim to bless, and six on mount Hebal to curse, & all the people to say Amen. jacob uttered a dire imprecation, upon Simeon and Levie, saying, Curb 
Gen. 49. 7. Mat. 23. Mat. 13.  their wrath, for it was fierce, and their rage, for it was cruel. And lest any should restrain this to time of the Law, Note that Christ pronounceth many woes against the Scribes, Pharisees, and Hypocrites in one Chapter. And he cried, woe to the impenitent, saying, Woe be to him, by whom offences come. And again, Woe be 
Mat. 11. Mat. 26.  to thee Corazim, Woe be to thee Bethsaida, etc. And again, Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed, it were good for that man if 
8 Cor. 16.  he had not been borne. And again, Woe to the World, because of offences. And Simon Peter cursed Simon Magus, saying, Thy money perish 
2 Tim. 4. 14.  with thee. And Paul cried, Maranatha Anathema, to them that love not the Lord jesus? And he cursed Alexander the Coppersmith. 
Act. 13. 10. Gen. 49.  He hath done me (saith Paul) much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works. And so he cursed Elimas the sorcerer and called him the Child of the devil, an enemy to all righteousness. But yet we must curse the sins, not the party. So jacob cursed 
Apoc. 2▪  the rage of his Sons, not themselves: So God hated the deeds of the Nicholaitans, not the men. Yea sometimes both sins and men may be cursed, if they give signs of reprobation; So the Church prayed against julian, not for him. And Saint john 
1 john 5. 16.  tells us, that there is a sin unto death; I say not that thou shouldest pray for it.  
But to leave all this: Michael striving with the Devil, durst not give him a railing sentence, but saith, The Lord rebuke thee. Let us learn this lesson of Michael: in all reproaches and bitter speeches of our brethren, to say unto them, The Lord reprove thee, for passion must not overmaster us: But these railers we must answer, sometime with silence: for unto many natures, to answer again, is to put fuel to the fire: for anger is fire, and words are fuel: But if silence will not serve the turn than it is good to give place unto it, I mean to go away from 
Rem. 12. 19  a railing person, till his anger be over, and if that will not serve the turn, then answer him: as Michael did here the Devil. The Lord reprove thee. And in any wise take heed you provoke 
We must give account of idle, much more of evil words.  not anger, for the forcing of Wrath bringeth forth strife, as the churming of milk bringeth forth butter, and wring the nose bringeth forth blood. Let us therefore avoid the customary sins of passions, and not answer evil for evil, or rebuke for rebuke, but say with Michael, The Lord rebuke thee, And with David, judge me o God, and 
Prov. 30. 33. Psal. 43. 1.  defend my cause against the unmerciful people, (that is, the cruel company of mine adversaries) deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.  
The Lord rebuke thee, This teacheth us as to avoid all railing, so to study carefully and diligently the government of the tongue and to beware of rotten speeches. The mouth is the messenger of the heart, and from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. A filthy tongue argueth a filthy heart, an unbridled tongue a licentious heart; A poisoned tongue, that belcheth out nothing but banning, and cursing, railing, and reviling speeches, doth manifest a cursed and corrupt heart. Our Saviour saith. A 
Mat. 12. 13▪  good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth goodthings and an evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things: but I say unto you, that of every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement. If then at the end of the end of the world, and day of judgement, we must reckon and account for idle words? How much more for our railing, reviling speeches? Let us therefore hearken unto the counsel of the Apostle, Let not corrupt communion, proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that may 
Ephes. 4. 29.  minister grace unto the hearers. We should be of a patiented nature and follow the example of Michael, who striving with the Devil, durst not give him a railing sentence, but say, The Lord rebuke thee, If an Archangel abstain from all railing, having to do with the Devil, the greatest enemy of God and his people, we that have to do with bad men, must not take liberty to ourselves to use reviling speeches. We must commit revenge unto God who hath said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay.   

THE NINETEENTH SERMON.  VERS. X. 
But these speak evil of those things they know not, etc. 
Malice turns men into dogs.   
THis is the fourth note that he giveth unto the wicked you shall know them by their evil speaking: they are like unto black-mouthed Rabshakeh, they rail on God and good men. He calleth them first sleepers; secondly, defilers of the flesh; thirdly, despisers of government, and here, railers; they speak evil of all things. As fire lieth not long in the stubble or in the flax, but the flame breaketh out; so hatred lieth not long in these men's hearts, but breaketh out in evil speeches, and many times, They will speak evil of things they know not. Munster writeth of men in India, Qui non loquuntur sed latrant, which speaketh not like men, but bark like dogs; so these bark like dogs against the Moon. Gorgon turned men into stones, and Circe changed them into swine, and malice turneth these men into dogs: like Hecuba at the siege of Troy, for their railing. David saith, The wicked speak evil from their mother's womb, even from their belly have they erred, and speak lies, their poison is even as the poison of 
Psal. 58. 3, 4.  a serpent, like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear, that is, they pass in malice and subtlety the crafty Serpent: the first thing they do, is to speak evil; it is Alpha and Omega, first and last with them. As the serpent vomiteth up her poison, before she drinketh 
Malice in the heart ●he cause of railing in the tongue.  of a clear fountain; so this is the sin that must be avoided before we drink of the water of life, the Word of God, Lay aside (saith the Apostle) all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation and envy, and all evil speaking; as new borne 
2 Pet. 2. 1.  Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.  
Among all the indignities that were offered unto Christ, this was not the least, they nipped his cheeks, they buffeted his face they blinded his eyes, they nailed his hands, they pierced his feet, they lanced his heart, but especially they railed on him, saying, He saved others, let him also save himself, if he be the Christ, the 
Luke 23. 35, 36.  chosen of God. The Soldiers also mocked him, and came and offered him vinegar (mixed with myrrh and gall to hasten his death) and said, if thou be the King of the jews save thyself: Therefore we are willed to think upon him that endured such speaking against of sinners. 
Heb. 12. 3.  As an image is not seen in water that is troubled, no more is truth in a mind that is malicious, but it sendeth forth with violence all manner of evil speakings. A soul mouthed, an evil tongued man, is worse than the devil; not simply but in respect; For a man may avoid the devil; Resist the devil and he 
Jam. 4. 7.  will fly from you, but we cannot resist a slanderer, a railer. And albeit the Apostles charge is, Speak not evil one of another, brethren; he that speaketh evil of his brother, or he that condemneth his brother, 
jam. 4. 11.  speaketh evil of the Law, and condemneth the Law. Yet the world is as full of evil speakers, as Nilus of Crokadyles, as Sodom of Sulphur, and Egypt of Lice. In conviviis rodunt, in circulis vellicant, maledico dente omnia carpunt. It is salt to their meat to rail on men in feasts and banquets. A good name is a precious ointment, and woe to them that bereave a man of it: many men's tongues walk at random, and speak evil of the things they know not. Can the wound be cured, so long as the iron remain in it? Can the iron be cold, so long as it is in the Smith's forge? Can the River cease running, so long as the Fountain floweth? And can the tongue refrain from evil speaking, so long as hatred boileth in the heart; Of the abundance of the heart, the mouth 
Luke 6. 45.  speaketh: And as the water turneth the wheel, so the heart the tongue. Boetius saith, Si irâ, fremis Leo es: si fraude inniteris, Vulpes es: si inconstans, Camaeleon es, si luxuriaris, porcus es, si convitiaris, Canis es; if thou be'st greatly moved with anger, thou art a Lion; if thou delightest in fraud, thou art a Fox; if thou be'st unconstant, thou art a Camaeleon; if lecherous, a Hog; if foul-mouthed, or evill-tongued, a dog, and Beware of dogs (saith the 
Phil. 3. 2.  Apostle) they are always barking and biting, and snarling. One resembleth a foul-mouthed man, an evil speaker to the Basilisk; for as the Basilisk killeth the Bird that flieth in the air with his breath: so doth the evil speaker kill men with his tongue. I will say of these foul-mouthed men, as Hierom sometime said 
Brownists rail on our Church doctrine and Ministry.  of jovinian; Tacere nesciunt, maledicere non cessant, nunquam enim bene loqui dedicerunt: they cannot hold their peace, they cannot cease from evil speaking, they never yet learned to speak well. There is an art in speaking as well as in writing; for there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Right speaking, as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Right writing, and both necessary.  
judge now of what spirit our Brownists be; as Christ said of his disciples, that would have fire come down from Heaven and 
Luke 9 35.  destroy Samaria, Ye know not of what spirit ye are: So they know not of what spirits they be of; for all their eloquence standeth in biting speeches, that our Church is Babylon, Sodom, as Apoc. 11. 8. that our ministers, have the mark of the beast, as Apoc. 13. 16. that our people, are swine, and dogs, as Mat. 7. 6. that our Communion cup, is Calix diaboli, the cup of the Devil; that Mensa Christi, is Mensa diaboli, the table of Christ is the table of the Devil, as 1. Cor. 10. 20. our pulpits, be tubs, our Geneva Psalms, Gehenna Psalms. But I will say to them, as one said, Hoc genus hominum ridere soleo, non odisse: I am wont to laugh at these kind of men, not to hate them: they think much to be touched in doctrine, but I will answer them, as Erasmus answered, Longolius; deponant gladios, nos scuta abiiciemus; removeant venena, nos antidoto uti cessabimus cessent maledicere, nos non regeremus; in hoc illis consentire non possumus, ut pareamus schismaticis: Let them lay away their swords, and we will throw away our shields, Let them remove their poison and we will cease to use any Antidote; Let them refrain from evil speaking, and we will not taunt again: In this we cannot consent unto them in their schisms. I but say they, we are willed, To come out from Babylon, yea, and To separate ourselves, and to touch no unclean thing. I 
2 Cor. 6. 14.  confess, Schismatics interpret this discession locally, but the Fathers understand it mentally and morally. The Prophets and Apostles proclaimed. Touch no unclean thing, but how? Contactu cordis, non corporis. Doth he that commit sin, displease thee? thou touchest no unclean thing. Hast thou charitably rebuked him? thou art come out from him: yet they cry out we have no Ministers, no Sacraments, no Church at all. What is their reason? our lives are not answerable to the doctrine of the Gospel. Be it so, yet this is no reason, why they should make discession from us. How corrupt was jerusalem? so corrupt that Esay compareth her to Sodom and Gomorah, yet he erected 
Esa. 1.  not new Altars, whereupon to offer sacrifice apart, but entered into the same Temples, and celebrated the same Sacraments with them, while Moses received the Law, in the mount the people made a Golden Calf below in the valley, God shown 
Exod. 32.  their idolatry to Moses, making an offer to destroy them, and to multiply him to a greater and better nation. Had not Moses now a fair occasion of departing from them, lest he should 
No men perfectly pure, no state totally corrupt.  touch any unclean thing, yet he leaves them not, but goeth unto them, reproveth them, and maketh intercession to God for them. How desperate was the impiety of the Pharisees in the days of our Saviour? Yet for all that, Christ our Saviour frequented their Temple, and would not forbear their religious exercises. The Church of Corinth was defiled with many sins, and horrible outrages, both in life and Doctrine, they were deriders, sectaries, incestuous, prophaners of the Lords supper, deniers of the most essential Article of the Resurrection; yet so long as the Ministry of the Word and Sacraments was not utterly rejected, Paul acknowledgeth them a glorious Church. Certainly tares and unclean vessels are in the Church, yet let us endeavour ourselves to be good corn, and not go out of the Church, but follow the counsel of Augustine, Corripiat homo, quod potest, quod non potest, patienter ferat, let a man reprove what he can (without danger of Schism) and what he cannot, let him patiently suffer, but let him never make separation. For first, in the Church, there be many more that fear God, and work righteousness, than the outward eye can discern; this deceived Elias, but the foundation of God standeth firm, God knoweth who are his. Secondly, 
2 Tim. 2. 19  even of them that are vile and naught, some of them are touched with grief of conscience for their sins, and hunger and thirst after righteousness. Thirdly, a man is not to be condemned for some particular fact; for the brightest fire hath some smoke, the clearest water some mud, the face of Venus a Molle; and the most heavenly affection, some infection of earth; In multis peccavimus 
jam. 3. 2.  omnes; In many things we offend all. But I may fitly apply that to our Brownists and Separatists, which the religious Emperor said to one of that humour, Si tam sanctus sis, etc. If you be so holy, that you will not communicate in the Word and Sacraments with us, your even fellow Christians set a ladder to the clouds, and climb up to heaven alone. In this point the Donatists were ridiculous, who meeting in an assembly with the Catholics for the allaying of some controversies, and being entreated by the Tribune to sit down with the rest; answered, they stood of purpose, because it is written; Cum sceleratis non sedebo, I will not sit down with the wicked. To whom Saint Augustine wittily and effectually replied; Curio ergo ad nos intrare vobis non fuit religio, etc. why then make you no conscience to enter the same place with us; seeing it is written also in the precedent words, Ad mulignos non ingrediar, I will not go unto the wicked, and with the ungodly I will not sit down. But let the Brownists and all of the Separation leave their evil speaking; let them return home to their mother the Church of England, for doubtless The eye that mocketh his father, and despiseth the government 
Prov. 13. 17.  of his Mother, the Ravens of the Valleys shall pick it out, and the young Eagles eat it, and so to leave our evil-speaking Separists. 
An evil speaker is a murderer with his tongue.   
By the way observe, that if men will do evil, they must hear evil; it is no railing to rebuke him sharply, that doth wickedly. Some finding fault with Saint Augustine for his tartness and sharpness in reproving, answered wittily; Emendate vitam, ego emendabo verba, mend you your ways, and I shall mend my words. Cessate perversè agere, cease you from doing evil, and I shall cease to reprove and rebuke. For where sin is rank and red. Boanarges the son of thunder, is more necessary, than Barnabas the son of consolation.  
They speak evil.  
An evil speaker is a murderer; Et gladium portat in lingua non in vagina, and the sword that murthereth with all, he carrieth in his tongue, not in his scabbard. A man may say to these evil speakers, as Christ said to Peter, Pone gladium in vagina, put up thy sword into thy sheath. These are like Cocks fed with garlic that overcome others with rankness of breath, not with strength of body; Vincunt clamore, non veritate, they overcome with clamours and outcries, not with verity and truth. But if at the day of judgement they must give an account for every idle word, 
Mat. 12. 36.  what for their evil words? And if the wrath of God is wont to fall on the children of unbelief, it must needs fall upon these evil speakers, for they are altogether wrapped in unbelief. If Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed from heaven, for sinning against nature? what vengeance remains for these evil speakers, that offend the God of nature? If then Thou longest after life, and wouldst see good days, refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy 
Psal. 34. 12, 13.  lips that they speak no guile. Pambo, a man utterly unlearned in the Scriptures, on a time came to Saint Hierome to be taught some Scripture without book, he turned him to the first verse of the 39 Psalm, I said I will take heed unto my ways, that I offend not in my tongue. A lesson, that our evil speakers will not learn, for they offend more in the tongue, than in hand, foot, ear, eye, or any member beside; their tongues are like unto the sting of Adders to a sword, yea a sharp sword, to a razor and to arrows; their tongues are fire, yea a world of wickedness, being set on fire of Hell.  
They speak evil of those things which they know not, etc.  
They rail in their ignorance on things, which they know not: Scientia non habet inimicum, praeter ignorantem, the birds have no such enemy as the Owl; nor the Passenger no such enemy as the blind worm; nor the Mariner, no such enemy as the Mermaid; so the learned, no such enemy as the ignorant. Saint Peter speaking of the Epicures and Atheists of the world, saith, They knew not, and that willingly. And Paul said of the Gentiles, that they walked, In mentis vanitate, in the vanity of their mind, having 
2 Pet. 3. 5.  their cogitation darkened, and being strangers from the life of God, thorough 
Divers kinds of ignorance.  the ignorance that is in them. The like he said of the Idolaters, That they were vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was full of darkness, and when they professed themselves to be wise, they became 
Ephes. 4. 17. Rom. 1. 21, 22. Esa. 40. 21.  fools, etc. So Esay said of the jews, Know ye nothing? have ye not heard it? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood it, by the foundation of the earth. Thus Christ said of the Pharisees for denying the resurrection; Ye err, not knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God. Paul imputed all his malice 
Mat. 22. 29.  and his blasphemy to his ignorance; I was (saith he) a blasphemer a persecutor, an oppressor; but I was received into mercy, for that I did it ignorantly, through unbelief. As there be degrees in sin, so is 
1 Tim. 1. 13.  there a gradation in ignorance. It is a sin to be ignorant in that we should know, but a greater to be ignorant in that we are bound to know.  


There is Ignorantia 

Simplex and Affectata.  
Simple and affected Ignorance.    
Or there is Ignorantia 

Ideotarum, of Idols  
Sophistarum, of crafty men.    
Or as some 

Invincibilis, inconquerable.  
Vincibilis, conquerable.    
Or as others 

Voluntaria, willing.  
Involuntaria, unwilling.    
Or as others 

Negativa, negative.  
Privativa, privative.      
There is an ignorance, not sinful, as in Adam, not to know his nakedness, nor the serpent's subtlety; in the Angels and Christ 
Gen. 3.  as man, not to know the latter day; Quia proprium est humanae naturae 
Mar. 13. 32.  futura ignorare, because it is the property of Humanity to be ignorant of future things; and this is Ignorantia justa, lawful ignorance; but there is an ignorance utterly unlawful, for it is sin, and the cause of sin, and companion of the same. The jews crucified Christ thorough ignorance, For if they had known, 
Acts 3. 17.  they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Why did the Samaritans so rail on the jews? Alas, they knew nothing: why 
john 4. 22. 1 Cor. 2. 7.  railed the Princes on Christ? they knew him not: why did the Galathians revile the Christians, in the point of Law? for that they knew it not: why do the Brownists and Papists rail on us? Nesciunt Scripturas, they know not the Scriptures. I say to them as Paul to the Galathians, Tell me ye that be under the Law 
Gal. 4. 21.  do ye not hear of the Law, etc. So tell me ye that will under Antichrist, do ye not know Popery? ye do not: why do the earthworms rail on us in fairs, markets, taverns, Nil sciunt, they know nothing. They may say with Socrates, Hoc scio; quod nihil scio, this one thing I know, that I know nothing. Hence came Anabaptisme from Rotman, Quintinus, Pocquinus, Persevallus, being Ostlers, Chamberlains, Tapsters, Cobblers, etc. Lucinus wished that his writings might not be read, either of men too 
Means to come to true knowledge.  learned, or utterly unlearned; Quod alteri nihil intelligunt, alteri plus fortasse quàm ipse de se, because the one sort understood nothing, the other understood perhaps more, than he understood of himself: So we would preach to neither, Sed si optio daretur, If I might have my wish, we had rather preach to the learned than to the ignorant, for we had rather be reprehended, than not to be understood. Well is he, that preacheth to an ear of understanding, and not as Actaeon did to his dogs: Rebuke not a scorner, lest he hate thee, but rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee; give 
Prov. 9 8, 9  admonition to the wise, and he will be the wiser, teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. And indeed how should we have knowledge? we read nothing; we search not the Scriptures; we attend not to reading, to exhortation and doctrine: All our 
john 5. 29.  knowledge must come from hearing; which being so, our knowledge can be but small, for we hear not a Sermon from one month to another, nor handle a Book from one Sunday to another; and then our knowledge must needs be small; for our ears are like a reedle or sieve, that can hold no water, or an Unthrifts purse, that can hold no money. Saint Augustine commendeth unto us four things, to bring us unto knowledge.  

1. Reading.  
2. Meditating.  
3. Praying.  
4. Contemplating.   
Reading is an assiduous perusing of the holy Scriptures, joined with the attentive hearing of the Word preached. The Eunuch was a diligent reader of the Prophet Esay: The Disciples 
Acts 8. 27.  of Troas heard Paul preach until midnight; The Nobles of Berea received the Word with readiness: But these men hear little, 
Act. 17. 11.  read less.  
Meditating is an earnest employment of the mind, a thing straightly commanded and commended; Let not the Book of the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night. For 
Ios. 1. 8.  blessed is the man that doth delight in the Law of the Lord, and in that 
Psal. 1.  Law doth meditate day and night. But our meditations are not settled upon the Law and Ordinances of the Almighty.  
Prayer is a lifting up of the mind to God craving his blessings, and praising him for his mercies, reading enquireth, meditation findeth, prayer requesteth, but contemplation tasteth how sweet and gracious the Lord is. Ye know, that it is the Commandment of the Lord, Seek, and ye shall find; knock 
Mat. 7.  and it shall be opened unto you: If we seek by reading, we shall find by meditating, if we knock by praying, it shall be opened unto us by contemplating: but these neither seek by reading, nor find by meditating, nor knock by praying; they are as horse and mule; in whom there is no understanding: For they 
Motives to stir up to use the means to get knowledge.  Speak evil of things they know not. Luther said, if there be a Paradise in this earth, it is in Churches of preaching, or schools of learning, so that we have grace to learn in them. They were wont to say, give a man learning and turn him lose; but that Proverb was bred in another age, when learning was more esteemed, Quando erat rarior, & carior, when it was more rare and dear: but this is a time of ignorance, whetein men rail on all the works of God, for want of knowledge: but this is a desperate disease, and for me let it grow till it be rottenness in their bones. I speak not in hope of amendment, but to bear witness of their sin, against the day of the Lord. Is there no Balm in Gilead? Is there no Knowledge in England? A man without Knowledge, is as a workman without his hands, as a 
jer. 8. 22.  Painter without his eyes, as a Traveller without his legs, Imago mortis, vivi hominis sepultura, The image of death, Lazarus sepulchre, no true man. Nemo potest jure dici homo, nisi qui sapiens est; 
Seneca.  only the wise man is a right man; and the man of understanding is only wise. The Heathens took pains for natural knowledge and built Libraries by their Temples; and the Romans, by their Capitol. In Athens, were Universities, and the Students called Philosophers. In Persia, Magi. In India, Gymnosophists; and in England, Druids. jerusalem had more than four hundred schools: Samuel taught at Rama, Elizeus at jerico, john at Ephesus, Mark at Alexandria, and Paul at Rome. Charles erected universities at Paris, Tolouse, Papia, Milan, and Prague: Pythagoras traveled many Countries for knowledge: Apollonius compassed ninty Regions, and Plato was sold in his travails: Simonides studied seventy years: Anaxagoras seventy two; Thales seventy eight: Socrates eighty four: Milesius ninty seven: Livy wrote an hundred and forty books: and Pliny threescore▪ and fifteen. All men desire knowledge, and the reason is; Cupiditas discendi optima ratio vivendi, desire of learning is the best way of living. Philip rejoiced, that Alexander was borne in the days of Aristotle; and bless thou God that thou livest in these days of knowledge: Blessed are the eyes which see, that ye see: For I tell you, that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things that ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things, which ye hear, and have not heard them. 
Luke 10. 23, 24.   
But to proceed, if it be a sin to rail in ignorance; how execrable is it, when it is in knowledge? then it is a double sin, as in julian the Apostata; who said of the Scriptures, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He knew the Scriptures, he had read the Scriptures, but he despised them; and therefore the Church never prayed for him, but against him. So Chrysostome speaking of certain Heretics called Anomaies, saith, Hanc arborem haereseos, nec Paulus plantavit, nec Apollo rigavit, nec Deus auxit, neither have Paul 
Chrys.  planted this tree of heresy, nor Apollo watered it, nor God increased it, sed plantavit superbia, rigavit invidia, but Pride planted it, 
A shame for a Christian to be ignorant of Christianity.  and Envy watered it; they sinned in knowledge, not in ignorance: they said, that they knew God as well as God knew himself. And as these Anomaies went to fare one way, so did the Skeptics, another way; they doubted of all things, Num Chrisippus homo esset, an formica; whether Chrysippus were a man or a pismire, whether snow is white, or black: For Satan is ever in his contraries. All Arrianisme came from pride in knowledge, not ignorance alone. Arrius seeing Alexander preferred before him, denied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ; the consubstantiality, against his own conscience; and his end was accordingly; for as he was a disputing, being provoked to the stool, in exonerating nature, he poured out all his bowels, and so he died. These men had need say, Pone ostium labiis, set a door before my lips. The Pharisees also knew Christ, yet railed on him, they called him Fabri filium: the Carpenter's Son, a man of new learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Psal. 141.  a drunkard, a worker by the Devil, a deceiver: therefore they were fare from mercy, and many sinned, In spiritum sauctum, against the holy Ghost. Lastly, the Devil sinned thus: for it could not be ignorance, they being by creation Angels of light, 
Mat. 13. Mar. 2. Mat. 12. john 7.  he fell upon mere envy, in knowledge,: whereupon Billius in his Anthologiâ maketh the comparison, between him and Christ: Ille voluit esse supra Angelum, He would be above an Angel, Sed hic infra hominem, but Christ beneath a man, and therefore he became a scorn of men, yea, the very outcast of all people: Ille coelum dedignatus est, he disdained Heaven, but Christ disdained not to walk on the earth: Ille omnibus hominibus invidit, he envied all men, and would have them to perish, but Christ Loved 
1 Tim. 2. 4.  all, and would have all to be saved: but this malice of Satan could not be in ignorance, but in knowledge.  
But to return: most men rail in ignorance; they are like unto Herpasta Socrates she fool, that having lost her eyes, did not believe that she was blind, but thought the house to be dark: So we are blind, and yet will not see it: it is nothing to name the ten Commandments, the Lords prayer, the twelve Articles of faith, the two Sacraments, but to understand them. We rail on Catechising, for that we understood it not. 
Acts 8. 30.  I say to thee, as Philip said to the Eunuch, when he heard him read the Prophecy of Esaias, Understandest thou what thou readest? Even so understandest thou what thou prayest, believest, receivest? Christianus sine scientia, est sicut navis sine remis; A Christian without knowledge, is like a ship without sails, rudder, anchor, cable, etc. or like a bird without wings; or like a tree without 
john 3. 19:  roots, or a purse without money, This is the condemnation of the World, that men love darkness more than light, (and why so?) their deeds are evil. They shall one day cry out in Hell, We have erred from the way of truth, the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, the Sun of understanding rose not up upon us, We have wearied our 
Ignorance the cause of destruction.  selves in the way of wickedness and destruction, and we have gone through dangerous ways, but we have not known the way of the Lord. Men are not ignorant for want of teaching, but for want of learning; 
Wisd. 5. 6, 7. 13.  we will not learn, there we shall say, Assoon as we were borne, we began to draw an end, and have showed no token of Virtue, but are consumed in our own wickedness, If we should live so long as Methnsalah, who lived nine hundred sixty nine years: it may be we would have more knowledge for the World, but no more for God, we have sold ourselves with Ahab to do wickedly, the days will come that we shall say as jacob said, Surely 
Gen. 5. ca 28. 16  the Lord was in this place, and I was not ware: The Lord was here but I was not ware of it, he spoke to me, and I heard him not, he offered his grace to me and I regarded it not; his Sun shined, and I beheld it not. And now it is night, and I cannot walk, death cometh, and I cannot work; their bones shall lie down in the graves full of ignorance, blindness, popery: 
john 12.  Qualis enim vita, finis ita, For as thy life is: so is thy death. Thy bones are full of the sin of thy youth, and it shall lie down with thee in the Dust. And Paul is peremptory, namely, That God will render 
job 20. 11. 2 Thess. 1. 8.  vengeance unto them, that do not know him. The wicked seeing the elect in Heaven, shall say to God, as Esau said to Isaac, Hast thou but one blessing my Father? bless me, even me also my Father: But it will be too late, their blessing, shall be turned into a cursing.  
Nay jude chargeth them further, that they abused themselves, in that they knew not; like the Doctors of Ephesus, of whom Paul reporteth thus: They would be Doctors of the Law, and yet understand 
1 Tim. 1. 7.  not what they speak, neither whereof they affirm. And also in that they knew, For saith, jude, Whatsoever things they know naturally, as beasts, which are without reason, in those things, they corrupt themselves: so that every way they are vile and miserable, as Apoc. 3. 17. Some things they knew naturally, as beasts that know sweet, from sour; good, from evil, meat, from poison. The wicked know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the formal things, but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
1 Cor. 2. 7.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the mysteries in Christ, Hereupon saith Paul, We speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hid Wisdom; whereof 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  the wicked have no saving understanding. The natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are not spiritually discerned: They savour not the things that are of God, as Christ said to Peter. Come behind me Satan, thou art on offence unto me, because thou understandest not the things that are of God, but of Men. Where let me distinguish 
Mat. 16.  of knowledge, that there is a natural knowledge and a spiritual knowledge: the first of these, the Apostle calleth the Wisdom of the flesh, the second, the Wisdom of the spirit: the 
Rom. 8. 6.  end of the first is death, the end of the second life and peace. The reason he setteth down also; saying, The Wisdom of the flesh, is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed 
The natural man come short of beasts in use of his knowledge.  can be, etc. Many know naturally like beasts, and no more, like horses and mules that have no understanding. The natural knowledge saith, par pari referto, offer like to like, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: but spiritual knowledge, 
Mat. 5. 38. Rom. 12.  saith, Bonum malo rependite, Recompense good for evil. So did the Apostles, 2. Cor. 4. Natural knowledge saith, Enjoy the pleasures that are present; as said the gallant of the World, Wisd. 2. the other saith, fly from the lusts of youth, as Paul 
2 Tim. 2.  charged his Scholar Timothy. Natural knowledge saith, give us that which is present, let God alone with that which is to come: as the Epicures said, A living Dog is better than a dead Lion, the other saith, Give me the things that are above, where 
●●cl. 9 4. Col. 3. 2.  Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. The one saith, that it is good sleeping in a whole skin, as Peter said, Master favour thy 
Mat. 16. Mat. 5. 10.  self, the other saith, Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur, Blessed are they that suffer persecution, etc.  
Yea natural men know not oftentimes so much as beasts: Beasts know them that give them meat, as do Oxen and Asses, but men do not. So saith the Prophet, The Ox knoweth his owner, 
Esa. 1. 3.  and the Ass his master's crib, but Israel hath not known, my people hath no understanding. Beasts know how to provide, for themselves, as do pismyres, For in the plenty of Summer 
Prov. 6. Luke 15.  they provide for the dearth of Winter. Men do not, but spend all like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the prodigal Son. Beasts know the time of their trouble, as the Crane, the Stork, and the Turtle, so saith jeremy, The Stork in the air knoweth her appointed times, the Turtle 
jer. 8. 7. Luke ●9. 42.  and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming. Men do not; as is said of jerusalem, that she knew not the time of her visitation. Beasts fear their proper adversary, and that will hurt them; as the Sheep, the Wolf; the Lion, the Fire; the 
Ambr.  Elephant, the Mouse; the serpent, the Iron; the Faulkon, the Eagle. Men do not, but join with Satan, and will not know the truth, That they may come to amendment, out of the snare of the Devil, which are taken of him at his will. Beasts know their evils, & their remedies: 
2 Tim. 2. 26.  the Adder being sick, seeketh serpentine grass; the Dog, being sick seekth trifolie; the Swallow, caelidine; the Hart, dictanie; the Bear, pismyres: the Ape, moths: But men seek for nothing that may do them good in this life, and in the World to come. Christ said that Ninive and the Queen of the South should rise in judgement and condemn the jews: but I say 
Mat. 12.  that beasts shall condemn us, in the day of judgement; For they know more by the instinct of nature, than we by doctrine: O miseri, O miserable men that we are, that beasts shall condemn us, like Balaams' Ass, his master. And could they speak now as Ascanius his Popenjaie, and Augustus' Parat spoke, 
Numb. 22.  they would speak against us.  
And yet all spiritual knowledge is not profitable: For the 
Beastly minded men like beasts.  learned distinguish it into a knowledge of judgement, and knowledge of election and choice.  
A knowledge of judgement is a bare knowledge of good from evil; as in the idolaters, Who when they knew God, glorified him not as 
Rom. 1. 21. cap. 2. 23.  God. In the jews, Which knew the Law, and gloried in the Law, and yet through breaking of the Law dishonoured God. In the Cretians, They did profess, they knew God, but by their works they did deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unto every good work reprovable. 
Tit. 1. 16.   
A knowledge of choice is to do good: the one is Scientia; the other is Conscientia. When the Gospel, the word of truth is fruitful from the day we heard of it, and when our conversation is such, as becometh the Gospel of Christ jesus. It is 
Col. 1. 6. Mat. 23. 3.  one thing to know, another thing to know truly, Praedicant multi de virtute, & non habent; Many preach of Virtue, and have it not; praise it, and love it not. For with the Pharisees they say, but do not.  
Lastly, he compareth them to beasts: for in many things the wicked are as beasts, if not worse, by creation little inferior to the Angels, by convesation much inferior to bruit beasts. For the Ox doth know his owner, the Ass his master's crib, but Israel 
Psal. 8. 4. Esa. 13. Mat. 7. 6. Luk. 13.  hath not known, my people (saith God) hath no understanding.  
Christ compareth careless men to Swine, he called Herod a Fox.  
Paul calleth false teachers, Woolves.  
Peter calleth adulterers, Dogs, that return to their vomit. 
Act. 20. 9 2 Pet. 2. Luke 3. 7. jer. 2. 2. Soph. 3. Psal. 5. 8.   
john calleth the Pharisees, Vipers.  
jeremy compareth the jews to Dromedaries, and wild Asses.  
Sophonie calleth Tyrants, Lions.  
David compareth the contemners of his word, to Adders. Man should bear the Image of God, therefore saith the Apostle, Put on the new man, which after God is shapen in righteousness 
Ephes, 4. 24.  and true holiness. In deed we ough to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of the Almighty, but most men do not.  
Well therefore said a learned man, that the proud bear the image of a Lion, the greedy, of a Wolf; the subtle, of a Fox; the ignorant, of a horse and mule; the voluptuous, of a Dromedary or wild Ass; the Apostata, of a Dog.  
Esay hath a notable Prophecy, insinuating, that many men by nature are beasts, but by grace they are cured, tamed, and made good. Where note by the way, that there be diverse kinds 
Esa. 11. 6.  of wicked men, though all agree in evil, and meet in one place, that is Hell: yet they differ in the kinds of evil, all are not alike, yet all hurtful. Some are stout as Lions, some greedy as Woolves, some cruel as Bears, some spiteful as Asps, some ravenous as Leopards; some hurt by pricking; some by stinking, 
Worse to be beastly, than to be a beast.  some by breathing, some by poison, some by worrowing: So is it among the wicked, some hurt as beasts one way, some another. If he be not an usurer, yet is he an oppressor, if not a Papist, yet a profane man; if not covetous, yet prodigal, if not voluptuous, yet superstitious; if not a Lion, yet an Asp. But let us put off our beastly affections, Nam pejus est bestialiter vivere quàm bestiam esse, hoc fuit à natura illud à Diabolo. It is worse 
Seneca.  to live beastly, than to be a beast, the one is of nature, the other of the Devil. Let us then no longer live beastly, lest we perish with the beast, but live Christianly, that so we may see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.   

THE TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XI. 
Woe be unto them, they have followed the way of Caine. 
Execrable sinners may be execrated.   
FRom the description and confuration of the wicked, he cometh to execration; he riseth by degrees, as the Eagle mounteth in her flight, like fire that first smoketh, and then flameth, he casteth them out of the savour of God and state of salvation; Woe be unto them (saith he) 
Psal. 69. 22, 23. etc.  let their table be made a snare before them, and their prosperity their ruin, let their eyes be blinded, that they see not, and make their loins always to tremble. Pour out thine anger upon them, and let thy wrathful displeasure take them; let their habitation be void, and let none dwell in their Tents. Lay iniquity upon their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness; let them be put out of the Book of life, and let them not be written with the righteous. Thus with Esay he lifteth up his voice like 
Esa. 58. 1. Mich. 3. 2 Cor. 4. jer. 5. 24.  a trumpet; with Micah he is full of power and judgement; he cometh to them, as Paul to the Corinthians, with a rod; with jeremy his words are as fire, and the people as wood and straw to be devoured of this fire. Saint jude had hitherto tempered his style, but now coming to their arch-metropolitan sins, he cannot forbear, but breaketh out into these words, Woe be unto them: with james and john he is become Boanarges, the Son of thunder, he telleth them of nothing but destruction; that God 
Ministers must not in their own cause be rigorous, but in Gods.  hath bend his bow and made his arrows ready, that God will arise, and his enemies shall be scattered; that God will meet them, as a she Bear rob of her whelps. There is no doubt but the Apostle would have spoken mildly unto them, would have blessed them as Aaron did the tribes, if there had been any 
Psal. 7. Psal. 68 8. Hos. 13. 8. Numb. 6.  goodness in them; but seeing their sins execrable, he cometh to execration, and saith, Woe be unto them. He dealeth here with them as Christ did with Corazin and Bethsaida; Woe to thee Corazin, Woe to thee Bethsaida. And as Christ did with the 
Mat. 23.  Pharisees, Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees and Hypocrites; and as Paul did with the Corinthians, when he said, Maranatha Anathema be unto them, that love not the Lord jesus. Men are unwilling to 
1 Cor. 16.  hear execrations and woes, they would have pillows sown under their elbows; with the men of Anathoth they love to be soothed in their sins; with Achab, they cannot abide that Micah should prophesy otherwise unto them, than they would have him, they would not have the Lords sword drawn against them, nor no woe denounced upon them; but woe, wo, and woe again to them, that cause us to sharpen our style, and to cry, Woe be unto them.  
And note here, that no private revenge, no sinister affection carried him to this execration; but being moved by the Spirit of God, he was enforced to lay the Axe of God's vengeance to the roots of their trees, and to cry, Woe be unto them. The Prophets and Apostles, in their own causes, are like doves, Sine fell, without gall or bitterness; but in God's cause they rouse themselves like Giants: Moses prayed for Aaron and Myriam, the cause was his; Stephen prayed for his persecutors, the cause was his; but when he cometh to handle the cause of God, he calleth them 
Acts 7.  hardhearted, and stiff necked jews. So Christ in his own cause was meek as a Lamb; but in his Father's cause he roused himself like a Lion; for he that prayed for his enemies, thundered many woes against his Father's adversaries, as the Scribes, 
Mat. 23.  Pharisees and Hypocrites.  
Well, the Apostle having thus denounced God's judgement against them, saying, Woe be unto them, he cometh to set down the cause of this execration, the first whereof was envy, malice, First, he calleth them malicious, envious, like Cain, whose sin the Apostle noteth, and dehorteth men not to be, As Cain, which was of the wicked one, and slew his brother: and wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil, and his brothers good. A miserable 
1 john 3. 12.  thing not to hate the man, but the virtue of the man, the goodness of the man; this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to fight against God, like the old Giants; we should love good men; Lord, who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle (saith David) who shall rest upon thy holy hill? God 
Psal. 15.  answereth him, In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord: All David's delight was upon 
Envy ever ascendeth malign virtue and glory.  them; for so he protesteth in the Psalm, All my delight is upon the Saints, that are on the earth, and upon such as excel in virtue. We should do so, even Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish 
Psal. 16. 3. A●os 5. 15.  judgement in the gate: but we have inverted that order, and good men are in most detestation with us. As there is no Sun beam without motes, no Tree without bark, no garment without moths, no fruit without Caterpillars; so no virtue, no honour without envy. There's no jacob, whom Esau will not perfecute; no David, whom Saul will not malign; no Isaak, whom Ishmael 
Gen. 27.  will not revile; and no good man upon the earth, whom the envious will not bite, tear, and devour. For this cause one resembleth envy to certain Flies, called Cantharideses; for as they light specially upon the fairest wheat, and most blown Roses; so envy commonly opposeth herself against the best men; Invidia virtutis Comes, envy is the companion of virtue. One resembleth envy unto fire, for as fire coveteth the highest places; so envy aimeth at the worthiest men. As for example, Themistocles when he had conquered the navy of Xerxes, which in number was most infinite, through envy was forced to leave his Country, and to live in miserable banishment. Aristides, which for his virtues was called the just, yet through envy, as an unprofitable member, was cut from the body of his Country. This envy is compared, in some respect, by some learned men, unto the Sun: for as the nature of the Sun is to obscure and darken things, which be clear and manifest, and likewise to lighten, and to illustrate that which is obscure: so envy endeavoureth to obscure the glory of those which are famous, and in the gifts and graces of the spirit excel others: for none are more subject to envy than those which for virtue and religion are renowned: but let them envy the good, and malign them to the uttermost, Rumpanturilia Codro, yet let us lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and all envy.  
The eye of envy looks ever upward, who is above, who riseth, who prospereth, who is well spoken of, well thought of, or favoured of God, and as much grieved is an envious man, at the good of another, as at the harm of himself, which Diogenes noted when he saw a known envious knave, look sad; no man can tell (quoth he) whither harm hath happened to this fellow or good unto his neighbour, for both vex him alike.  
Envy was the first venom, which the Devil poured forth against mankind: Hinc periit primus, & perdidit, by this the first 
Cypr.  man perished himself and destroyed others: what was the cause that Cain slew his brother, his only comfort in that new borne world? was it not envy, when he saw the gift of his brother accepted of God, and his own rejected, he was very wrath, And his countenance fell down, as not able to endure the sight of his brother. 
Gen.   
What was the cause, why the Patriarches sold joseph to the Ismalites 
Envy theroot of all mischief.  and then came and told their Father, That a wicked beast had devoured him? Surely it was because they envied him for his dreams. 
Gen. 37.   
Because the women sang in the streets, Saul hath slain his thousand, and David his ten thousand: therefore was Saul exceeding 
1 Sam. 18.  wroth, and had envy to David ever after. It was (saith the King of Preachers) a venomous mischievous eye, such as the burning eyes of Witches, or the Basilisk, or Gorgon, that he cast towards him. The elder brother when he understood of the entertainment, that his father gave to his prodigal brother, and with what joy and rejoicing he was entertained, He was angry at the matter, and would not go in, he envied it. Examine the reason, why Innocence itself was hunted and followed unto death, with crucify him, crucify him, he is not worthy to live; Was it not 
Mat. 27.  envy? Let Pilate be judge, He knew that for envy they had delivered him. Do we look that envy, should favour the honour and welfare of men, when it favoureth not the life of a man? No, not the life of the Lord himself? Poison they say, is life to the Serpent, death to a man; and that which is life to a man, his spittle and natural humidity, is death to a Serpent. I have read it thus applied: Virtue and Felicity, which is life to a good man, is death to the envious: and that which the envious live by, is the misery and death of a good man: for envy endevoreth either that men may not live at all, or that they may live miserably. And therefore amongst other fruits of a reprobate mind, these two are joined together, Envy and Murder; and likewise 
Rom. 1. Gal. 5.  amongst the works of the flesh, they are in the same combination, as if they were twins growing in one body, and could not be separated.  
Envy is the root of all mischief in the World: this is that Trojan horse, that Pandora's box, full of all deadly poison, that Hydra, not with seven heads, but with seven hundred heads of mischief. We marvel that there is so much evil in the world, but cease to marvel at it, seeing there is so much envious pride in the World. For envy cometh from this master sin, Pride, which is as a master-pock, and cannot be healed. Pride, is a liking of ourselves, and envy is the hatred of another man's felicity; where the first is, there is the second, Superbia est metropolis omnium vitiorum, Pride is the chief or mother sin of all sins; Minores despicit, majoribus invidet, ab aequalibus dissentit: She scorneth her inferiors, envieth her betters, and dissenteth from all equals: as was said of Caesar and Pompey, the one could not abide a superior, the other, an equal. Two things be in the Lord, Glory and justice; the proud man robbeth God of the one, as Herod, who would not give the glory to God: and the malicious envious of 
Act. 12.  the other: For he revengeth, whereas all men should give room to vengeance, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, and I will reward 
The etymology of envy it implying to be in the eye.  saith the Lord. Envy is as the dung of swallows, which put out the eyes of Father Tobias: our pride and envy is infinite, we would be Kings, nay, we would be Gods. The Bactrians said of Alexander, that if his body were answerable to his heart, 
Rom. 12. 19  He would touch the East with one hand, & the West with another; he would set one foot in the Land, and the other in the Sea: the same may be said of many of us, for truly we envy the Air, Fire, Water, to others, If we could stop the Sun, or enclose the waters into one fist, or draw up all the Air into one mouth, we would do it to hinder others.  
The Poet describeth envy thus;  
First, with a pale face without blood.  
Secondly, with a lean body, without any juice in it.  
Thirdly, with squint eyes.  
Fourthly, with black teeth.  
Fiftly, with an heart full of gall.  
Sixtly, with a tongue tipped with poison.  
And last of all, with a countenance never laughing, but when others weep; never sleeping, because he studieth, and thinketh continually upon mischief, Invidia dicitur, quiavel non videt, 
Cypr.  vel nimis intuetur, It is c●lled Envy, either because it will not see at all, that which in the blessings of God is to be seen, or because it prieth too deep.  
Envious men are like Mermaids, which never sing, but in a tempest, and mourn in a calm; so they rejoice at the hurt of their neighbours, and sorrow at their welfare. The householder said to his servant that murmured at his bounty to others, is thine eye evil because I am good? enviest thou me because of my liberality? Even so, is thy eye evil, because thy neighbour is wealthier than thou, his wit sharper than thine, his learning more than thine, his credit greater than thine? we would have no man far well, but ourselves: Like Nero, who when he died, wished that all the world might dye with him, Me mortuo Coelum & terra misceatur, 
jer. 6. 10. Psal. 120. 3. Psal. 14. Esa. 1. 5. Phil. 3. 17. Esa. 59 2 Pet. 2.  said Nero. Divers sinners have diverse properties: The contemner of the Word, hath an evil and an uncircumcised ear; the slanderer, hath an evil, a railing tongue; the covetous man, hath a devouring throat, like a sepulchre; the murderer hath a bloody hand; the glutton hath an evil belly; the voluptuous man hath an evil, a vain foot; like Hazael, who ran like a wild Roe; the adulterer hath an evil, a whorish unclean heart: but the envious man hath a Devilish eye. But such ears shall have no mercy, such tongues shall burn in Hell, such throats shall be filled with gravel; such hands shall wither, as did jeroboams'; such eyes, shall be darkened. The Devil is the Father of envy; he envied God's glory at the first, and he envieth man's felicity at the last.  
Hemmingius divideth all affections into Corporal, and Animal. 
The poison of envy make the heart unfit for grace.   
The Mother of all corporal affections is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the love of a man's self; now Primogenita her first borne daughter is Superbia, pride, her second daughter is Invidia, Envy; her third is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, covetousness; all come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which now reigneth in the world, and like another Alexander hath conquered the same; for men are lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, etc. As Demosthenes being asked what was the first part of an orator, what the second, what the third: Answered, Action: so if you ask me what is the first, the second, the third part of a vile man, I must say, Envy.  
What is the cause of quarrels?  
What raiseth slanders?  
What multiplieth suits?  
Envy.  
Invidia est arcus diaboli, Envy is the bow of the devil, detraction is the arrow, she shooteth out of this bow, envy is a fire raked up in the heart; detraction is as the flame. We all complain of envy, and say, Anger is cruel, wrath is raging, but who can stand before envy? and yet we are as Cain, envious.  
A mad dog infuseth his venom into him whom he biteth so doth envy by the tongue; it is the string and pulse of the soul we marvel, why men are so vile; why, they are tainted with a mad dog, and what wisdom is in them? If ye have bitter enoiing, and strife in your hearts, rejoice not, for this wisdom doth not descend 
jam. 3. 14.  from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish, saith the Apostle.  
Chrysostome exclaimeth against this envy, thus; O invidia pessima fera, per te mors intravit in mundum, tu occidisti Abelem; vendidisti 
Gen. 3.  josephum in Aegyptum, fugasti Davidem, decollasti Babtistam; crucifixisti Christum, O envy, the worst of all wild beasts, through thee death entered into the world, thou hast killed Abel, sold joseph into Egypt, persecuted David, beheaded the Baptist; and crucified Christ: All mischiefs flow from envy, as all light from the Sun, and all water from the Sea.  
Envy is a work of the flesh, a note of a Reprobate; Envy blindeth a man,  proximi bona videre non possit, that he cannot see his neighbours 
Gal. 5. Rom. 1.  good; for envy is like unto sore eyes, that are offended at the light.  
Envy overthroweth all love and charity amongst men, for love envieth not. 
1 Cor. 13.   
Envy is contrary to God, and all proceed; for God is so good a God, that he can draw good out of evil; but the envious they are so evil, and mischievous, that they can draw evil out of good.  
But you give us but the hearing of this, and God will one day give you but the hearing also; you shall cry, but he will not regard 
The envious man is his own tormentor.  you. I speak boldly, for that the cause is Gods, for the manner it may exceed, but for the matter, I crave no pardon; I have as good right to speak it, as the Lord Chancellor hath to 
Zach. 7.  carry the broad Seal of England: kill this Cockatrice therefore in the egg, before it be a serpent; kill it in the heart, before it break out into action.  
For even the wicked are not to be envied; so saith the Psalmist, Fret not thyself because of the wicked, neither be thou envious for 
Psal. 37. 1.  the evil doers. Leave him to God, pray for him: we must be like fishes, which live in the salt Sea, and yet are fresh; so we in an uncharitable world, and yet be charitable; though we be reviled, yet we bless; though persecuted, yet we suffer; though evil 
1 Cor. 4. 12, 13.  spoken of, yet we pray; though envied, and maliced, yet we love.  
And yet further observe with me, that though envy is a most mischievous sin, and is the cause of all the uproars of the world, yet it is a thing of that nature, that it indamageth and hurteth him most that hath it.  
For this cause envy is compared to fire, to a moth, to a Bee; for as the fire consumeth the matter that nourisheth it, and the moth the garment, that breedeth it: So doth envy him that envieth.  

Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis.   

The man whom envy doth possess,  
Doth pine at others wealth and good success.   
He thinketh his Neighbour's Ox, fatter than his; his neighbour's pasture, greener than his; his Neighbour's Corn, better than his; his Neighbour's building, stronger, and gayer than his. And as a Bee stinging a man, loseth her sting, and never can make honey after. So the envious man loseth his labour and the grace of God. Envy is to him that envieth, as the rust to the iron, as the Viper that eateth out the belly of her dam. The envious man is as Sisyphus, who rolling up a stone, it reboundeth on him with a greater force. Envy tormenteth the mind, it wasteth the body, it fretteth the heart, it shorteneth our days, and damneth our souls: it setteth a man a-work to backbite & slander his Neighbour, and to deny him all duties of humanity. So then, envy, hatred, and backbiting, always go together, as three cankers, and evil sores that consume the body, hurt the good name, lessen the gifts, and repine at the good of our brethren. Basill compares envious men to Ravens, that fly over sweet Gardens, and at last seize upon a Carrion. He likeneth them to Flies, who pass over sound flesh, and light upon a sore, a galled place; so the envious pass over all the rare graces, that be in men; but 
Cain profane and grudgeth at God's Sacrifice.  if there be any imperfection in them, that they blaze abroad, and cover it not: they do not with Sem and japhet, spread a garment over their Father's nakedness. I confess that there is as little good to be done on these men, as most sinners; for as a 
Gen. 9  Smith cannot work but on hot Iron; so a preacher can do but little good, but in a charitable mind.  
Plutarch, to teach men to hate envy, calleth it sorcery, because that through the poison thereof, it doth not only fill the envious body, with a naughty and hurtful disposition, but the infection disperseth itself thorough the eyes, even upon them that behold it, so that they are touched therewith, as it were by some poisonable influence.  
But besides envy, there were many other sins in Cain; he walked many ways: there was in him profaneness, contempt of God, irreligiousness: God rejected his sacrifice, for it was not 
Hebr. 11. 4, 5.  offered in faith. It is like that he offered an evil, pinching, grudging sacrifice, with an evil heart; So many of us offer the sacrifice of Cain. We grudge God any thing, every little is too much in his service. We build our own houses fair; but we think much to give any thing to God's house and service; we will rather take from the Temple with Balthasar, and rob it with Dionysius, than give to it. As in the land of Israel, look what the 
Dan. 5.  Palmer worm left, that the Grasshopper devoured; and what the Grasshopper left, that the Canker devoured; and what the Canker left, that the Caterpillar devoured. So in our Church, look what Impropriations have left, that have Patrons devoured, & what Patrons have left, that evil Customs have devoured, and what evil Customs have left, that have contentious and covetous parishioners, as with the teeth of a Lion, greedily gained. O that these taking hands might one day see the hand which Balthasar saw upon the wall! they would then bring every Tithe into the Lord's barn, and rob God and his Church no longer. 
Dan. ●. Mal. 3.   
Again, let a man have many children, if there be but one lame, and deformed, or simple in wit, that is given to God, and the ministry; the eldest is made a Gentleman, the rest Lawyers, but the most silly, simple, deformed, is made a Minister: he is good enough for God and his Church: this is the offering of Cain.  
Again, of duties appertaining to the Ministry, if there be any thing worse than another, that we give to the Minister of God. We give not to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, therefore we shall not receive a Prophet's reward. And though the Apostle saith, Let him that is taught in the Word, make him that taught him, partaker of all his goods; yet by their wills they shall 
Mat. 10. 41. Gal. 6. 6.  have nothing, they would have us live of their alms, and of benevolence, stand to their good wills and courtesies, and take what 
The Heathen observed the gods to be severe punishers of sacrilege.  they will give. Yet saith Saint Paul, Who goeth on warfare at any time of his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit of it? Who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of it? And again, Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things, eat of 
1 Cor. 9 7, 13, 14.  the things of the Temple? & they which wait at the Altar, are parertakers of the Altar? So also hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel. This plainly showeth, that the maintenance of the Minister, is not a voluntary and beggarly Alms; but an honourable stipend allotted of God, according to that which Christ saith, Dignus est operarius mercede, the labourer is worthy of his reward: And Paul saith, that He is worthy of double honour; that is, reverence and maintenance: and whosoever shall rob him of his due, the thing so taken, will ring him such a peal to Hell, that he will wish he had never been borne. Laqueus est hominis devorare sancta; It is a destruction to a man to 
Prov. 21. 20.  devour that which is sanctified. The very Heathen observed, that after such time, as the Grecians once offered violence to the 
Vir●il lib. 2. Ae●eid. Lactan. de origin. cap. 8.  Temple of Pallas, that they never prospered. And Lactantius writeth of diverse, who have been grievously punished, for offering violence unto holy things; as namely, of Fulvius the Censor, who taking away certain Marmoreas tegulas, tiles of Marble, out of the Temple, was within a short time after distract of his wits, and had two of his sons slain; for grief whereof he died also. Of Appius Claudius, who for alienating those things that were consecrated to Hercules, lost his eyes. And although Dionysius made a jest of sacrilege in taking a golden Cloak, that was upon the image of jupiter Olympius, and putting a linsey woolsey cloak upon it, in the stead thereof, saying, That a golden cloak was too heavy in Summer, and too cold in Winter, but a linsey woolsey cloak was fit for both. Also in cutting off a golden beard, that Aesculapius did wear, saying, That it was no reason, that the son should have a beard, when as Apollo his father had none. Furthermore in taking away certain golden cups which they held forth in their hands, saying, That it were folly not to take them, being so kindly offered: yet this went not without punishment; for at the last he was driven out of his kingdom. So Xerxes sending four hundred of his soldiers to Delphos, to spoil the Temple of Apollo, they were every one of them destroyed with lightning & thunder. So Marcus Crassus, for taking a great sum of money out of the Temple of jerusalem, viz. ten thousand Talents, within a while perished miserably with his whole Army. But to let these pass; If you would be pleased to cast your eyes a little upon divine Histories, and the Histories of the Church, ye shall see this sin horribly punished. Balthazar for profaning and abusing the holy vessels, received presently a fearful doom and sentence, by a hand-writing upon a wall. Antiochus Epiphanes for taking the vessels of Gold and Silver 
God punished sacrilege in all ages.  out of the Temple; and for destroying the Inhabitants thereof without cause, suffered most grievous pain and misery. Herod surnamed the Great, having opened David's sepulchre to 
1 Mach. 6. 12.  take money out of it, as Hircanus had done before, diverse of his men were consumed with a flash of fire, that broke from a secret place. 
joseph. Ant. lib. 26. cap. 11.   
Look to the age succeeding, I mean, the time of the Gospel: and ye shall see Ananias and Saphira, for withholding secretly a part of that which they had voluntarily given to the use of the Church, most severely punished with sudden death. 
Act. 5. 5.  After this, when the Church was endued with great riches and possessions by the bountiful donations of godly Emperors, and other devoute Christians, julian the Apostata, and Foelix his companion, for taking away the holy vessels of the Temple, and making but a jest of sacrilege, received both of them their just punishments; the one having his mouth, which was an instrument of blasphemy, made a siege, or passage to avoid his filthy excrements, which are naturally egested another way; the other having all the blood of his body, gathered to his mouth, as to a sink, which he never left spitting and spawling out, till all was exhausted, and so died most miserably. I will not ransack our own Chronicles, nor report of the judgements, that have lighted upon diverse of our own nation for this sin; only this I say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sufferings of others are instructions to us to take heed how we meddle with holy and sacred things, and that we give to the Church whatsoever appertaineth unto her: for certainly if we possess that which is Gods, we shall be dispossessed of God himself.  
Another sin in Cain was hypocrisy; he spoke Abel fair, till he got him in the field: So many of us can flatter, to serve one own turn.  
Mell in ore, verba lactis;  
Fel in cord, fraus in factis.  
Honey in the mouth, fair words; Gall in the heart, deceitful 
Esd. 4.  deeds. The adversaries of juda and Benjamin would build the Temple with the jews. Herod desired the Wise men, that when 
Mat. 2.  they had found Christ, to certify him of it, that he might come and worship him. Ishmael did weep to Godoliah, but the adversaries 
jer. 42.  of juda would have pulled down the Temple. Herod would have killed Christ, as he did the children of Bethlem. Ishmael slew Godoliah: So, trust not an Hypocrite: whatsoever he saith, he meaneth it not, his heart is not with thee, though he speak thee fair: he is a Christian only in name, a brother only in show. Of these Hypocrites S. Bernard speaks thus; Multi suut oves habitu, vulpes actu, crudelitate lupi, many are sheep in show, foxes in deed, and woolves in cruelty: For an Hypocrite hath vulpem in cerebro, milvum in manu, & lupum in cord; a Fox in his brain, 
Desperation limits the mercy of God, and destroys the soul, and sometime the body.  a Kite in his hand, and a Wolf in his heart: And therefore our Saviour Christ saith, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in Sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening Woolves: which in painted boxes hide deadly poison; in beautiful Sepulchers, rotten bones; and under jezabels' painted 
Mat. 7. 16, 17.  face, a whore's behaviour. And therefore our Saviour calleth them Serpents, and Viperous Serpents, O ye viperous Serpents, ye generation of Vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation to come? And to show the certainty of their damnation, 
Mat. 23. 33.  besides the manifold woes which Christ denounceth against them, it is said, that The wicked shall have their portion 
Mat. 24. 51.  with hypocrites, to show that the condemnation of hypocrites is most certainly sealed. Let me therefore use the counsel of Gregory, Hypocrita, aut esto quod appares, aut appare quod es; Either be as thou seemest, or appear as thou art; For Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas, counterfeit piety is double impiety; first, because it is impiety, and then because it is counterfeit, making truth falsehood, and God a Liar.  
Thirdly, there was in Cain Desperation: Maius est peccatum quàm remitti potest (quoth he:) my sin is greater than it can be 
Gen. 4.  forgiven. To whom Augustine answereth, Mentiris Cain, mentiris in gutture: misericordia Dei major peccato tuo, major orb: thou liest Cain, thou liest in thy throat: God's mercy is greater than thy 
Psal. 103. 11, 12, 13.  sin, greater than the World: yea as great as himself: For as high as the Heaven is above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him: and as fare as the East is from the West, so fare hath he removed our sins from us: and as a Father hath compassion on his Children, so hath the LORD compassion on them that fear him. Desperation it is, Insanabilis plaga, a wound that cannot be cured and healed. It is like the beast mentioned in Daniel, that had no name. There be four beasts mentioned there, the first, is said to be a Lion; the second, a Bear; the third, a Leopard; the fourth, is not distinguished by any name at all; but it was a fierce and a cruel beast, having teeth of Iron, and Claws of Brass: other sins they are as Lions, Bears, and Leopards to spoil, and to undo the soul of Man; but the final destruction of the soul indeed, so long as there doth remain a seat of justice in Heaven, is Desperation. Yet Desperation is now common, and men kill themselves; but never did any Patriarch; Prophet, or Apostle lay bloody hands on himself: None have done it but Reprobates, 
1 Sam. 31. 4. Act. 1. 2 Sam. 17. 23.  such as Saul and judas, who burst asunder in the midst: and Achitophel, who ended his life in an halter. Nero provided swords of Silver, to stick himself, ropes of Silk, to hang himself, ponds of Rose-water to drown himself in: 
Desperation a great sin.  but if it be damnable to murder another, what is it to murder thyself? as the Gaoler in the Acts would have done, had not Paul and Sylas stayed him in that fury. Augustine maketh desperation, 
Deut. 5.  the greatest sin, next to the sin against the holy 
Act. 16. 30.  Ghost: For he that despaireth of mercy (saith he) maketh God a Liar.   

THE ONE AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XI. 
And are cast away by the deceit of Balaams' wages. 
Covetousness the root of evil, the ruin of good.   
THe next sin is the Covetousness of Balaam, whose story is, Numb. 23. This sin is the root of all evil, the spawn of all sins, a common factor for most villainies of the World; the Eastwind, that blasteth all the trees of virtue; it hindereth all goodness; when thou shouldest give, covetousness saith it is too much; when thou shouldest receive, covetousness saith it is too little; when thou shouldest remit, covetousness saith, it is too great; when thou shouldest hear, covetousness saith, it is too fare; when thou shouldest repent, covetousness saith, it is too soon. Thus as Allecto, Cui nomina mille, mille nocendi arts▪ it hurteth every way: They that will be rich, fall into 
1 Tim. 6. 9, 10.  diverse temptations, and snares of the Devil, & into noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after, they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves thorough with many sorrows. A covetous man is like a dog in the shambles, which will neither gnaw the bone himself, nor suffer any other cur to gnaw it: He is worse than 
Many woes denounced against covetousness▪  judas, he sold his Master for thirty pence; but the covetous carl will sell him for an halfpenny; judas but once, the never contented covetous man continually, and every day. He eateth the flesh, and drinketh the blood of his brother; for he that hindereth a poor man's living, hindereth his life; therefore these men are said, To have their handsfull of blood. There is not a sin 
Esa. 1. 15.  in the second Table, against which so many woes are denounced as against covetousness, as Esay 5. 8. Woe be to them, that join 
Esa. 5. 8.  to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed by their selves in the midst of the earth. And again, Esay 30. 1. Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take council, and 
Esa. 30. 1.  not at me, and cover with a covering, but not by my Spirit, etc. And Habakuk 2. 9 Woe be to him, that coveteth an evil covetousness to his 
Hab. 2. 9  house, that he may set his nest on high, and escape from the power of evil. And Amos 6. 1. Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria. And Luke 6. 24. Woe be to you that are 
Amos 6.  rich, for ye have received your consolation. And Saint james saith, 
Luke 6. 24. jam. 5. 1, 2, 3.  Plorate divites, Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you, your riches are corrupt, your garments motheaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. And no marvel though so many woes are threatened against this sin of covetousness; for it is the original of all sin, committed against God or man.  
Against God, the covetous man maketh gold his hope, and saith to the wedge of Gold, Thou art my confidence. His Oxen his wealth, his 
job 31. 24.  riches is his creator, redeemer, and sanctifier, his God the Father, his God the Son, his God the Holy Ghost.  
His Creator, for when he gets abundance of riches, he thinks himself made, but when by some accident he loseth a yoke of Oxen, or some other temporal thing; he thinks himself undone.  
The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, is not his Creator, he sings that old song, Sol, re, me, fa; sola res me facit, only his wealth makes him.  
God the Son is not his Redeemer, his money delivers him from evil. Hath he escaped any danger? He thanks not God, he thanks his gold: Is he like to fall into any mischief? he puts his trust in his uncertain riches; Soul, thou hast much goods in store, take thy rest. 
Luke 12.   
The Holy Ghost is none of his Sanctifier; Ille sanctior qui ditior, he is best that hath most, he is good enough, that hath gold enough, goods enough.  
And as covetousness is hateful to God, so is it to men; Avarus nemini bonus, sibi verò pessimus, he is good to none, but worst to himself; for covetousness exposeth the heat to all manner of loathsome sins; for the devil hath the covetous always upon 
Covetousness makes uncapable of all the eight beatitudes.  the hip, as we speak, that is, ever at such advantage, that he will be sure to overthrow him: for whatsoever sin he will have him to commit, let him but hollow, and cast up the lure of commodity, he stoops presently, and falls upon it. Would ye have him lie? promise him but profit, and he will tip his tongue with lies. Will ye have him forswear himself? show him but a commodity, use silver persuasions, he will pollute the name of God with a thousand oaths. Would ye have him murder, shed blood? the glistering show of gold will make him wade up to the chin in a stream of blood. This mercenary soldier doth never think himself too good for any service the Devil will command him: Covetousness is the Devil's great Ordnance, wherewith he hath battered the walls of men's consciences, as it is most pitiful to consider: yea, and farther, a man may fall into other sins, and repent for them, but this sin of covetousness is like the harlot, a deep and a narrow ditch, and like the wicked woman, 
Prov. 23. 27. Prov. 5.  that Solomon calls more bitter than death, whose heart is as nets, and snares, and her hands as bands, to keep a man fast in the ward and prison of the devil: For whosoever is overtaken with this sin, cannot set one step to heaven; his covetous desires are as lead to pull him down. Ye know that our Saviour hath 
Mat. 5. 3, 4, etc.  eight beatitudes.  
The first, to be poor in spirit.  
The second, to mourn inwardly.  
The third, to be meek.  
The fourth, to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  
The fifth, to be merciful.  
The sixth, to be pure in heart.  
The seventh, to be a peace maker.  
The eighth, to suffer persecution for righteousness sake.  
These are the steps and stairs to bring men to Heaven, and and therefore so long as men be covetous, it is impossible for them to come there.  
First, poor in spirit, he cannot be; for he so feareth purse-poverty, that he feels not the misery, into which the fall of Adam, and his own sins have cast him.  
Secondly, he cannot mourn for his sins; for worldly sorrow and vexation do turn the stream of weeping quite another way.  
Thirdly, he cannot be meek in spirit; for the Spirit of God calls him a trouble-house, saying, He that is greedy of gain, troubleth 
Prov. 15. 27.  his own house: and it is impossible that his heart should be m●eke and quiet, when he cannot suffer his own house so to be.  
Fourthly, for hungering and thirsting after righteousness, it cannot be, that his appetite should stand that way, for the dogs-hunger, and the dropsie-thirst of wealth doth so gnaw and torment his 
The covetous subject to all the curses contrary to the eight beatitudes.  soul, that he makes no account of CHRIST'S righteousness.  
Fifthly, to be merciful, stands not in any sort with his profession, to open his heart to pity, and his purse to relieve a poor man, he thinks will undo him: a piece of money goes from him, as a drop of blood from him heart, with grief and sorrow enough.  
Sixthly, Pure in heart, he cannot be; for he that hath the root of all evil in his heart, cannot have a pure heart.  
Seventhly, he is no peacemaker: cross him in his penny, and he will trouble all the world; for all the world can tell, that covetousness is the father, mother, and nurse of most debates and strifes that are in the world; covetousness will not lose a penny, he will give the Lawyer a pound first.  
Eighthly, the covetous man will never suffer persecution for righteousness sake; his goods are his god, and if he come to those terms, that he must either leave riches or righteousness, 'tis righteousness that he will forsake before riches; the world is his Mistress, he must embrace her, then farewell righteousness.  
So that now a man may very truly turn the speech of our Saviour against the covetous man, and say, Cursed be the covetous; for he is not poor in spirit, and therefore the kingdom of Hell is his.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he cannot mourn for his sins, but for his losses only, therefore he shall never be comforted.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he is not meek, but froward in heart, and therefore he shall not inherit the earth, which he so much wisheth.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he doth not long after righteousness, but after riches; and therefore he shall never be satisfied.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he is not merciful, but hardhearted, therefore he shall find no mercy.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he is no peacemaker, but a makebate, and therefore he shall be called the child of the devil.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he is not pure, but filthy in heart, and therefore he shall never see God.  
Cursed be the covetous, for he cannot suffer the loss of his wealth for righteousness sake, and therefore the Kingdom of Hell is his.  
And is it thus? is covetousness the occasion of so much evil? Let us take heed and beware of covetousness; and let us have our conversation 
Luke 12. 15.  fare from covetousness; for it is Gods own saying, I will never forsake thee, nor leave thee: so that thou mayst boldly say, 
Heb. 13. 5, 6.  The Lord is my helper. Let us not be like Moles, which make 
Covetousness excludes out of heaven.  many holes, and dig many dens in the earth, and yet are not satisfied, but still labour and dig; Let us not build many houses, dig many cellars, fill many barns, and yet be unsatiable and unthankful, and in all abundance and plenty will not say, Blessed be the name of the Lord; which job did in his greatest 
job 1, 21.  poverty. The covetous Cormorant, when his barns were full, and his houses furnished, was satisfied, saying, as it were, Soul, thou hast sufficient: Eat, drink, and take thine ease: but many having enough and more than enough, are not satisfied: but as the 
Luke 12. 19  Bear seeketh after honey, and the Hart chased, for the soil, and the Eagle for the carcase, and the Wolf for blood; so the covetous man for gold, for gain. Vbi hoc cadaver, ibi hae aquilae; Where this carcase is, there be these Eagles: Their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood; such are the ways of every one, that is 
Prov. 1. 16, 19  greedy of gain: he would take away the life of the owners thereof.  
As Vultures smell a dead carcase, a great way off: As Eagles flying aloft in the Air, behold the little fishes swimming below in the waters, and devour them; Sic avari lucrum longè 
Aug.  odorantur: so the covetous smell their gain afar off, they say with Vespasian, who took a tribute of the people's urine, Suavis odor lucri ex re qualibet, the savour of gain is sweet from every thing; according to that of Solomon, The bread of deceit is sweet 
Prov. 20. 17.  to a man, but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravel. josephs' golden cup was found in Benjamins sack; and if God rifle us, and search us, and our sacks, I fear, that much evil gain will be found amongst us Protestants, That as a Cage is full of birds, 
jer. 5. 27, 29.  so our houses are full of deceit; whereby many are become great and waxed rich. Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? or shall not my soul be avenged on such a people as this is?  
These covetous men have no part with God, no portion in Christ, no fellowship with the Saints. As there be no Serpents in Ireland, no Owls in Crete, no wild beasts in Lebanon: so there be no covetous men in Heaven; For without shall be dogs and enchanters, and whoremongers, and murderers and Idolaters; but covetous 
Apoc. 22. 15.  men are Idolaters, therefore not in Heaven: Yea, and moreover they lose both Heaven and earth, like Aesop's dog, that lost both the shadow and the beef. Therefore Salendine the Emperor of the East, dying, caused a man to carry a sheet in Damascus, on the end of a spear, and to say, Ecce trophaea Imperatoris; Behold, the King of the East carrieth nothing with him, but a winding sheet. And surely, As we brought nothing into the world, so we may carry nothing out. Great men have their Porters, to 
1 Tim, 6, 7.  see that men carry no more out, than they brought in; and if he chance to spy a silver spoon, or a piece of plate in a man's bosom; Soft, sirrah (saith he) whither carry ye this plate? you brought it not in; you must not carry it out. Now death is God's Porter, and performeth this, O terra & cinis, O dust and ashes; 
Earthly minds uncapable of heavenly things.  why art thou greedy? and yet men are most greedy of the world, and then too, when they are ready to leave the world; as old men, which is monstrous in them; Membra frigescunt, cupiditas autem calescit, their members grow cold, but their desire still waxeth warm: Caro senescit, at affectus i●venescunt, the flesh waxeth old, but their affections grow young; grey heads, but green affections: Finis vitae non imponit finem avaritiae, the end of their life makes no end of their covetousness, but still he loadeth himself with thick clay: for gold is but red clay, and silver white clay. 
Hab. 2. 6.  These men are like the dog's snout, that is ever cold; like Tantalus, that standeth in the water, and yet is ever dry. He hath enlarged his desire as Hell, and is as death, that cannot be satisfied. As 
Hab. 2. 5.  the Raven feedeth not her young, till they be black; as the Eagle acknowledgeth not her birds, till they can soar to the Sun: So God acknowledgeth not them that are drowned in the world, and are carried away by the deceit of Balaams' wages, that is, covetousness. If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, 
Col. 3: 1, 2.  where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; set your affections upon heavenly things, and not upon worldly. These bastard Eagles, they cannot mount; like Noah's Raven they seize upon carrion. As dust cast into the eyes hindereth sight, so covetousness hindereth our sight, that we look not to heaven: it is like the Swallows dung, that put out the eyes of Tobias: We see not the powers of the 
Heb. 6. 5. 2 P●●. 2. 14.  world to come. Our hearts are brawned and exercised with covetousness; they think on nothing else from Monday to Sunday, from january to December.  
The Wise man saith, that there is not a viler thing than to love ●●ney. Money doth all now in the world. Give Balaam money, and 
Eccles. 10. 9  he will curse the people of God, whom before he blessed: Give 
2 Pet. 2.  jehoakin money, and he will spoil the poor, rob the fatherless, undo the widow, pervert all justice: Give Achan money, and 
jer. 22. Ios. 7.  he will steal the execrable thing, the Babylonian garment, and the wedge of gold: give judas money, and he will sell his Master, betray Christ jesus; give the Soldier's money, and they will 
Mat. ●6. ●ap. 28.  lie, cog, swear, resweare, forswear Christ's Resurrection; and say, that he is stolen out of his grave: give Silvester the second, money and the Popedom, and he will give himself to the devil body and soul: give Alexander Borgia money, and he will bid the Devil take all; Da mihi divitias, inquit, caetera tolle tibi; Take all, all. Oh money, money doth all in this world: we are like the Lawyer, that heard the poor man, but felt him not: we have golden ears, golden fingers, we savour nothing but money; We savour not the things that are of God. Many say, Amor vincit omnia, Love overcommeth all things; for love is as strong as death: 
Mat. 16. 2●.  for as all things yield to death, so to love. But we may say, Mentiris, inquit pecunia, thou liest (saith money.)  
Atalanta will stoop to golden Apples: ye know the story, 
The covetous mind never satisfied▪  Atalanta daughter of Caeneus, King of Scirus, contended in running with them that came to woe her, and when she had vanquished and put many to death (for that was the wager, or else to have her) at last a noble Youngman, called Hippomanes (whiles they were running) threw at sundry times three Apples of gold from him; in taking up whereof, she was tarried, and so overcome. O! these golden Apples have overcome many, and hindered them in their race to Heaven. It was a shrewd policy of Simon Magus, to offer Peter money, he thought that this key would 
Acts 8. 20.  open any lock, that if the Holy Ghost might be had, he might be had for money, or not at all. But let us answer these moneymates, as Saint Peter did Magus; Thy money perish with thee; thou and thy money go to the devil together. This was the third and last temptation of Satan, to offer Christ the world: he would either 
Mat. 4. 10. Prov. 30.  win the horse or lose the saddle. These men are like Horseleeches, which suck blood till they burst; so these men will never be full of money, till their mouths be full of earth. Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit; the love of money increaseth, as much as the money itself doth increase. The Parthians poured melted gold into the mouth of Crassus, saying, Satura te auro: Satisfy thyself with gold: but men will not be satisfied; from scores they will arise to hundreds; from hundreds, to thousands; from thousands, to millions; from millions, to infinite; they are as hell, as the grave, and as the barren womb of a woman, unsatiable.  
It hath been observed by some; that the most flourishing Commonwealths have been those, that never received money into them, but dealt by exchange & bartering, as did the Cretians, and the Lacedæmonians; whereupon Erasmus noteth, that Sparta no sooner received money into it, but it was overthrown by bribery, usury, oppression, extortion, etc. The Prophet speaking of the Land of Behest; saith, That what the cankerworm left, the caterpillar 
joel 1.  consumed: So, that which the greedy Lawyer leaveth at the Term at London, that doth the Usurer eat up at home; he loveth no man, but by whom he may gain: As the dog loveth the bone, so long as there is flesh on it; and the Fly the pot, so long as there is broth in it; and the Swallow the chimney, so long as there is heat. He playeth with men, as the Spider doth with the Fly, first wrappeth her in her web, and then sucketh her blood; so they get men in bonds, and then confiscate their goods. And as the Prophet speaketh, He lieth in wait 
Psal. 10: 9  secretly, even as a Lion in his den. He lieth in wait to spoil the poor: he doth spoil the poor, when he draweth him into his net. O bone Deus (saith Augustine) quae est ista cupiditas, cum ipsae belluae modum habeant! 
Aug. Ser. 15. de verbis Domini.  tunc rapiunt, cum esuriunt, parcunt, cum satiantur, etc. O good God, what a desire is this? when as the very beasts keep measure! for than they raven and devour, when they are hungry, 
Riches uncertain, not to be relied upon.  but spare when they are satisfied; only covetousness is unsatiable; it neither feareth GOD, nor reverenceth men; nor spareth Father, nor knoweth mother, nor loveth brother, nor keepeth touch with friend; but oppresseth the Widow, invadeth the fatherless, and bringeth free men into bondage: what madness is this, Acquirere mundum, & perdere Coelum, to gain and get the world, and to lose Heaven? as Christ saith, What shall it profit a man to win the whole world, and to lose his own 
Mat. 16. 26.  soul?  
And verily, if men would but consider three things: First, how uncertain. Secondly, how unprofitable. Thirdly, how hurtful these earthly things are, which we so covet, our desire after them will be soon quenched.  
First, the things that we so much covet, are uncertain; for so the Apostle calleth them, when he willed Timothy to charge rich men that they be not highminded, nor put their trust in uncertain riches. 
1 Tim. 6. 17.  They are like bad servants, whose shoes are made of running leather, and will never tarry long with one master: as a bird hoppeth from Tree to Tree, so doth wealth from man to man.  
Therefore the Holy Ghost hath compared wealth to a wild fowl, most swift in wing, and strong in flight; saying, Riches takes her to her wings and flies away: not like a Cock or an Hen, 
Prov. 23. 5.  or some tame house-bird, that a man may follow and catch again; nor like an Hawk, that will show where she is by her Bells, and be called again by a lure; but like an Eagle that mounts aloft past sight, and is carried away with so much haste, as nothing will recall her.  
Let job and Nabuchadnezzer testify this truth, who fell both from great wealth, to great want. Paulus Aemilius tells of a great man, that boasting of his prosperity, as if nothing could shake him, was admonished by his Friend, Solùm iram Numinis procul abesse à tam secundis rebus non posse, God's anger could not long forbear so great prosperity; and shortly after fell into that woeful misery, that greater hath not been heard of.  
The most renowned Frederick lost all, and sued to be made but Sexton of the Church.  
How many great Merchants have suddenly lost all? how many Noble men have spent all? The wealth therefore of this world is compared to a tree that casteth her leaves, and is soon blown down; or to grass that soon withereth; yea to grass on the 
Psal. 37. 35. Psal. 129. 6.  house tops withering, that the Mower cannot take his handful; yea to nothing. Wilt thou cast thine eyes upon that which is nothing? In the Prophecy of jonas we may read of a Gourd, or as some translate it, an Ivy: how that in a night it sprang up, and was an Arbour for jonas to sit under, and suddenly went away again: Wealth and riches is this Ivy, the growing 
Riches unprofitable, if in superfluity.  and increasing of it, the growing and increasing of wealth; the leaves of it, your children, tenants, and followers; the shadow, your repose and contentment that you take in your wealth; the worm that biteth this Ivy, is Death: the fading of this Ivy, is the decay of your estate; the wind that smote jonas his head, is the misfortune that may blow upon you: No man can promise himself to be wealthy till night, one coal of fire, one unadvised word, two false oaths of two false villains, may make thee a Beggar and a Prisoner all at once: or if not so, yet thy wealth may go from thee in a moment, as it did from that rich man, of whom Christ speaks in the Gospel, saying, Thou fool, this night shall they fetch thy soul from thee: For as we came naked out of our mother's 
Luk. 12.  Womb, so naked shall we return thither again. If Riches therefore 
job 1. 2.  increase, let us not set our hearts upon them, nor be carried away by the deceit of Balaams' wages.  
As riches are uncertain, so secondly are they unprofitable, if it be more than for things necessary, and maintenance competent. And therefore the Scripture calls gold and silver, lands and live, riches and possessions, a shadow; Man walketh 
Psal. 39 6.  in a vain shadow, he disquieteth himself in vain, he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. Again, the Scripture calleth them a flower; All flesh is grass, and all the glory as the flower of grass. Again, the Scripture calleth them 
1 Pet. 1. 24.  Liars; The chief men are Liars. And further, the Scripture calleth 
Psal. 62. 9  them vanity, All is vanity. And lastly, nothing: Wilt thou set thine eyes uponit, and it is not? it hath no being. Indeed 
Eccles. 1.  wealth, if it be for more than things necessary, and maintenance competent, is unprofitable, for it will do no good, either to soul, or body, or name, or state. For first, what is good for the Soul, but Faith, Repentance, the Spirit of God, Prayer, Pardon of sins, and eternal Life? But riches and wealth can purchase none of these things: neither gold, no● precious stones can buy Repentance, the holy Ghost, the Spirit, Pardon of sins, and eternal Life: therefore riches are unprofitable for the foul.  
Again, riches are unprofitable for the Body: for can riches buy health, purchase ease, or a good night's rest, or an hour's sleep, or a good stomach? No, no: and what is the body the better for it then?  
Again, riches profit not a man's Name: For they can not win him any credit. For what is credit? to have a cap or knee, or a few compliments given him? to be crouched unto, as a little cur to a mastiff dog? to be soothed up, and to be sprinkled with a little Court holy-water? No, no, but credit is, to be 
Wealth cannot preserve from temporal or spiritual evils.  well esteemed of in the hearts of men, to find reverence in their souls, and to be placed in a good room of their affections: but wealth cannot do this, but grace and virtue: A poor man, that lives virtuously, shall be more respected in the souls and consciences of men, than the richest man under Heaven, wanting these things: as for example, john had more reverence in Herod's heart, than Herod among all his Courtiers. 
Mat. 14.   
Lastly, wealth will not profit a man's Estate; For it cannot free us from evil, nor procure us any good; it cannot free us from evil: For all evils are either spiritual or temporal, ghostly or bodily. The ghostly evils are our sins, as superstition, and idolatry, swearing, and blasphemy, profaning of the Sabbath, and neglecting of the Word, contempt of lawful authorities, murders and cruel hatred, chambering and wantonness, etc. And will a golden plaster heal these diseases? No, no. A man shall not leave his sins the sooner, for that he is rich, and hath his purse full with Dives, his coffers full with Croesus, his grounds full of cattles with job, his barns full of corn with the Epulo: it is not wealth that will make him leave his sins, but weeping, mourning, praying, and crying to God for mercy; this is the plaster that must heal the soul.  
And as wealth cannot preserve us from Ghostly, no more can it from temporal evils, for can it drive away the gout, the stone, the colic, the fever, the plague, the headache, the toothache, yea a felon or a white-loe, or any greater, or lesser disease whatsoever? No, no, the frogs of Egypt entered into the rich 
Exod. 9  men's houses of Egypt, as well as the poor: so diseases and other evils into rich men's bodies, as soon as into poor men's carcases.  
Nay, I will add one thing more which perhaps you will think strange, wealth cannot keep a man from poverty; because I know ye will deny this; I will bring in seventy Kings at a time, to take their oaths upon it. Look into the book of the judges, and ye shall find seventy Kings, with their fingers and toes cut off, glad like whelps to lick up crumbs under another King's table. And then a little while after, ye shall 
judg. 1. 6.  see that the same King, that made all of them so poor, is used in the same sort himself. What beggars brat could come to more need? Now deny if ye can, but that a rich man may dye a beggar, as well as he that is so borne. I have known many that from great wealth have come to a morsel of bread; whose youth swimming in dainties, in old age were glad to snap at a crust.  
Again, for inward troubles, riches cannot free us of them: Nay, as cobwebs breed sooner in Wainescot, & fair hangings, than upon a plain wall: so those that are rich, are more clogged 
Riches hurtful to the outward and inward man.  with these things, than the poor. When a rich man lies sick of any disease, hath he one pang the less? or is he able to bear one fit more patiently, because he can make a greater inventory than his neighbour? No, rather it makes his cross heavyer. Ye see then, wealth cannot profit a man's estate; Why should we then gape after it, as Ravens for heat, and be carried away, with the deceit of Balaams' wages?  
Last of all, wealth is hurtful and dangerous, and yet the hurt proceeds not from the nature of wealth, but from the corruption of men: as cold drink in itself, is good, but to him that hath an Ague, hurtful, and as bad as poison. Wealth is like an Hartichoake, a little picking meat there is, not so wholesome as delicious, and nothing to that it shows for, more than the tenth part is unprofitable leaves, and beside there is a core in the midst of it that will strangle you, if ye take not heed: such a thing is wealth, that men so covetously desire, it is like some kind of fishes so full of bones and unseen, that no man can eat of it without great danger, except he take great heed. But wherein is wealth so dangerous? I answer, that it is very troublesome to the outward man: the rich man's plenty will not suffer him to sleep: his wealth is like a long garment, too side, that a man treads upon it often, and catcheth a fall: So wealth maketh him many times to fall into many maladies, and makes him obnoxious to envy, and so subject to malice, that none are more. But to the soul, the desire of wealth is most pernicious: For first, it makes the soul vainly confident. The rich man's riches, is a strong tower in his imagination; He thinks himself by them walled, 
Prov. 10. 5.  and moated about, though indeed, he is as open to danger, as other men. He thinks himself safe, if he have Balaams' wages, wealth; and puts his trust in his uncertain riches. The Prophet says, they Sacrifice to their Nets, and burn Incense to their Yarn; the meaning is, that the same 
1 Tim. 6. Abac. 1. 16.  confidence, which by Sacrifice and incense we protest to God, they put in their wealth. And it is noted, to be a passion of the covetous, to delight in wealth: to flatter themselves in their abundance, as if gold were their Sun by day, and silver their Moon by night. The wise man saith, Gold and silver fasten the feet, that is, the covetous man 
Eccles. 40. 25.  he thinks he stands firm on no ground, but on that which is paved with gold.  
But there is yet more evil in wealth; it maketh men proud; Charge rich men (saith the Apostle) that they be 
1 Tim. 6. 17.  not highminded: and Bernard saith, that pride is the rich man's Cousin. It is the nature of wealth, when it falleth into vile men's hands, to blow up the heart, as a bladder 
Pride blows up the heart.  is blown with a quill. And therefore Paul saith, The rich fall into lusts and temptations. To conclude, from wealth grows security, as a dead sleep from drunkenness: Let us then beware of this sin, that we never be carried away with the deceit of Balaams' wages, that we be not covetous as he was.   

THE TWO AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XI. 
And perish in the gainsaying of Core. 
After Mercy follows judgement.   
I Am come to the third sin, which is the Rebellion of Core; whose story is recited by Moses, in the Book of Numbers; where is registered and set down unto us, how they rebelled 
Numb. 16.  against Moses in the Commonwealth, and Aaron in the Church; and how the earth opened and swallowed them up; for as it can hardly bear any sins, so most hardly a Rebel; the Sun would give him no light, the Air would give him no breath, the fire no heat, the water no cleansing, the earth no place, but that God for a time disposeth of these creatures, to draw men to repentance. So saith the Apostle, The Lord is not slack, but is patiented towards us, and would have no man to perish, but 
2 Pet. 3. 9  would all men come to repentance. The Idolaters were slain with 
Exod. 32.  the sword, but the Rebels were swallowed up of the earth: as was jericho and Hierapolis in the primitive Church, and twelve 
Numb. 16.  Cities of Campania, in the days of Constantine, and many Cities 
Ios. 7.  in Greece, in the reign of Tiberius. The Minister in the 
2 Thes. 2. 8.  Church is God's mouth, and the Magistrate in the Commonwealth is God's hand: If Aaron's Urim and Thummim would have served, Moses Rod and his staff should not have needed; but when the tongue could not persuade, the Rod and the Staff 
Exod. 32.  compelled.  
After a shepherd's whistle cometh a dog, after Doctrine 
God the Author of Government.  cometh justice: GOD led his people like sheep, by the hands of Moses and Aaron: the one is to govern the souls, the other, the bodies of men in good order. The Magistrate must kill sin 
Psal. 80.  with the Sword; the Minister must destroy it with the Word. The Magistrate must carefully protect and defend the Sacraments of grace; the Minister must faithfully dispense and deliver the Word of truth: The Magistrate must behold the outward person; the Minister must regard the inward man: the Magistrate must punish sin; the Minister reprove iniquity: the Magistrate must respect the public peace of the Commonwealth; the Minister the inward peace of the conscience: the Magistrate must correct the body; the Minister reform the soul: the Magistrate must prohibit outward wickedness; the Minister forbidden the inward corruption of the heart: the Magistrate must subdue with his hand; the Minister reprove with his tongue: the Magistrate must force with violence; the Minister teach with patience: and when Magistrate and Minister, the Sword and the Word, go thus hand in hand together, than Kingdoms prosper like the Apple Tree of Persia, that beareth fruit monthly; for then, Are there thrones set for judgement, even the 
Psal. 122. 5.  thrones of the house of David: And therefore jeremy lamented the overrhrow of the Kingdom, and of the Priest, as the decay of jerusalem, the Eclipse of all their light. God governed his people 
Exod. 12. Acts 13.  of Israel first with a Prophet; then with judges four hundred and thirty years. Thirdly, with Kings, as 1 Sam. 8. Fourthly, with Dukes and Nobles after the captivity: but what the superior be, 
Hag. 1.  it skilleth not, so there be a superior; Nam malum quidem est, ubi nullus est principatus, it is passing evil, whereas there is no government: For when as there was no King in Israel, every man did that which seemed good in his own eyes.  
The learned make three kinds of Government, and all to be obeyed.  
As first, a Monarchy.  
Secondly, an Aristocracy.  
Thirdly, a Democraty.  
To the which they oppose Tyrannidem, Oligarchiam, Anarchiam.  
Our regiment is a Monarchy; that of the Germans and Swissers, seemeth to be an Aristocracy; that of the Low-countries, a Democraty: which of these three is the best, is not agreed upon among the learned. Some do advance the government of many; because many are not so soon corrupted as one may be; even as a great quantity of water will not so soon putrify, as will a small portion. But these must on the other side consider, that it is a great deal more hard to find many good than one: 
Reasons why Monarchy is the best form of government.  and it is most likely, that such an one will prove best, whom the Nobility of Royal blood, and Princely examples of predecessors do invite unto virtue.  
Others do advance the government of one, because it is first, most agreeable to nature: as Jerome doth witness, saying, In apibus principes sunt; grues unum sequuntur ordine literato: Imperator unus; Dux unus provinciae, in navi unus gubernator, in domo unus dominus, etc. Bees have their chief governor; the Cranes do follow one another in an exquisite order: there is one chief commander, one chief judge of a Province, one governor of all in the Ship, one master in an house, in an army, be it never so great, the Ensign of one is specially regarded, and attended on. In the body of Man, though the Limbs, and parts thereof be many, yet they all obey one head.  
Secondly, most fit for cutting off seditions and rebellions: and therefore the Romans in all their greatest dangers, had recourse unto this; Tanquam ad anchoram sacram, as to their shot-anchor, as to their best and last refuge; as Livy witnesseth; for when Hannibal pressed the Romans, Ad Dictatorem dicendum, Remedium jam diu desideratum Civitas confugit, The City went to the pronouncing of a Dictator, which was the remedy they long expected, because (as in another place he writeth) Dictatoris edictum pro numine semper observatum est; the proclamation of the Dictator was esteemed to be the voice of God.  
Thirdly, The government of one doth seem to resemble most lively the image of God's Power and Majesty. For as in the Firmament, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, do as it were represent some image of the glory of the eternal Majesty: So the rule of Monarches in their several Kingdoms upon the earth, do call to our considerations, the government and rule of the Almighty.  
But whether the government of one, or many, be best, I dare not define: but this I say, that it is a most singular token of the mighty Power and Providence of God, that so many several Nations over the face of the World, are upholden and maintained by so many several sorts of government, that Quemadmodum non nisi in aequali temperatura elementa inter se coherent: Ita hae Regiones sua quadam in aequalitate optimè continentur: As in bodily essences, the four Elements do cleave together by unequal temperatures, as it were by a certain inequality, all the several Countries are holden together: Nay, which of all these governments is the best, Otiosum est disputare, it is a very idle thing to dispute; but most yield to this, that a Monarchy is the most perfect, and the blessing of God seen in that chief: Perme Reges regnant: By me King's reign, & Noble men bear rule, saith Wisdom: He therefore that resisteth, Resisteth not man, but God also. True it is, that man was made to rule, not to serve: he was 
Rebellion brings destruction to Rebels themselves.  made to rule over fowls, fishes, cattles, but not men. At the first, men were pecorum pastors, potius quàm Reges hominum; feeders of cattles, than rulers over men; that we might discern the order of creation, from the merit of sin. So we read not of any servant 
Gen. 1. 20. Gen. 9 Gen. 3.  before Cham, saith Augustine; For as sinne brought in the first death, the first sorrow, the first nakedness, the first flood: So it brought in the first service. If man had not sinned, Moses had not needed in the kingdom, nor Aaron in the Church; the one to rule the bodies, the other the souls of men.  
Rebellion of all sins is unnatural: for what can be more unnatural, than the child to rebel against the father, the wife against the husband, the servant against the Master? and no less unnatural is it, for the subject to rebel against his Sovereign. Rebellion God never prospered: hereupon saith Solomon, My son, fear God and the King, and keep no company with the seditious, for their destruction shall 
Pro. 24. 21, 22.  arise suddenly, etc. The seditious Israelites were destroyed, sometime with fire from Heaven, sometime with fiery serpents, sometime by 
Numb. 21.  the earth. For the earth hath opened and swallowed them quick to Hell. Seditious Miriam was strooken with leprosy; seditious Absalon 
Numb. 12.  was hanged by the hair of the head on an oak, as one spewed out of heaven, and vomited out of the earth; seditious Achitophel, for want of an hangman, a convenient servitor for such a Rebel, went and hanged himself; seditious Sheba was arrested by a woman, 
Sam. 20. 22.  who cut off his head, and sent it to joab; seditious Zimri burnt himself, in the king's house, which he had set on fire. Hereupon 
1. Reg. 16. 9  said jezabel, Had Zimri peace that slew his Master? seditious Shallum 
2 Reg. 15. 16.  perished in Samaria, being slain by Menahem, the son of Gadi. Never Rebel went unpunished, For though God oftentimes doth prosper just and lawful enemies, (which be no subjects) against foreign enemies, yet did he never prosper Rebels, who have taken arms against their Prince, were they never so great in authority, or many in number. In Genesis we read, that five kings, with their armies could not prevail against Chodorlaomer, unto whom they 
Gen. 14.  promised loyalty, and obedience, but they were all overthrown and taken prisoners by him: but Abraham with his family & kinsfolks, an handful of men in respect, owing no subjection to Chedorlaomer, overthrew him and his host in battle. Thus God prospereth in battle some few against many thousands: but he never prospered Rebels against their own Prince, were they never so great or noble, so stout, so politic, but always they were overthrown, and came to most shameful ends.  
And to instance but upon a few: One Brennus captain of the Gauls besieging Ephesus, had the City betrayed into his hands by a treacherous woman, for the greedy desire of a jewel, that a Captain wore: but when she had played this tteasonable part, he overwhelmed her with gold. A certain traitor offered Fabritius the Roman, to poison his enemy Pyrrhus; but worthy Fabritius sent 
God hath confounded Rebels in all ages.  the traitor bound to Pyrrhus, who was enemy to the Roman Empire.  
In Anno 1381. in Rich the 2. his time, sixty thousand rebelled, whose Captains were Wat Tiler, jack Straw: but they were overthrown and brought to nought.  
In Anno 1275. Lewellin prince of Wales rebelled against Edward the first: but he prospered not, but was overthrown, and his head strooken off and set on London bridge.  
In the reign of Henry the 4. diverse noble men and kings rebelled, and came every one of them to a miserable end.  
The  and treacherous part of Bannister servant to the Duke of Buckingham, is most odious; the Duke had brought him up of nought, but fleeing from the face of usurping Richard, to Bannister for succour, this wicked man, for hope of one thousand pounds, betrayed his Master, the Duke, but never had one penny. For said usurping Richard, he that will betray so good a Master, will betray any other: and in his old age the wretch was accused of Murder.  
In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, were many treasons conspired, but God ever delivered his worthy Servant, but executed his just judgements upon those traitorous conspirators. All men know the miserable ends of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland; the one beheaded at York; the other fled the land, and left his house to destruction. Many of their followers were hanged, and it were overlong to speak at large of john, and Francis Throgmorton, Brooke, Redman, Parry, Babington, Arden, with diverse others, who received according to their deserts. Let every soul therefore learn to 
Rom. 13. 1.  submit himself to the higher powers, and never to resist. For we must suffer the Prince's will to be done, aut à nobis, aut de nobis: either of us, or on us: of us, when he commands for truth; on us, when he commands against truth; either we must be patients, or agents: Agents, when he is good and godly: Patients, when he is tyrannous and wicked: If we resist, our end will be damnation, either temporal: for The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a lion; he that provoketh him to 
Pro. 20. ●.  anger, sinneth against his own soul: or eternal, as is manifest in Chore, who went down quick to Hell. If murder be a crying sin, than treason may well be called a roaring sin, and calls for speedy judgement. But for as much as I have spoken before of this point, I will proceed no further with it.  
VERSE XII. 

Metaphors very useful in teaching.  These are spots in your feasts of charity; when they feast with you without all fear, feeding themselves, etc.  
IN this Text are contained two things.  
A detection of their sins, and  
A denouncing of judgement.  
The sins here are three.  
The first is Epicurism, in that they eat and drink without fear, feeding themselves.  
The second is Pride, in that they are like the waves of the Sea, swelling on high.  
The third is Hypocrisy, in that they are as clouds promising rain, and yet have nothing but dryness in them; empty clouds, in that they are as Trees, which promise fruit, and yet have nothing but leaves; corrupt trees; in that they are as stars, which promise light, and yet have nothing but darkness in them, wand'ring stars.  
Their judgement is to be reserved to black darkness, that is, Hell fire hell pains; and there he amplifieth it, by setting out God's judgement, how he shall come with thousands of Angels, and that he shall judge all men, namely, them 
Dan. 7.  that speak against him. Lastly, that he shall judge them for every evil work and word, so fearful shall it be.  
But first for the manner, and then for the matter. The manner of handling is plain, he teacheth them by plain things, as spots, waves, clouds, trees, stars, things sensible, and objected to our eyes, because he had a desire to profit them: So Christ's similitudes are fetched from light, salt, fans, corn, chaff, trees, 
Mat. 3. 5. 10. 13. 6.  sheep, wolves, seed, pearls: So Paul's Metaphors, and borrowed speeches are taken from planting, watering, building, tilling, running, fight, leaven, sweet dough. 
1 Cor. 3. 1 Cor. 5. & 9 c.   
Who had better gifts than Paul, more learning, more Philosophy, more tongues? he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, he was not inferior to the very chief Apostles; for though he 
Act. 22.  was rude in speaking, that is, though he used no worldly eloquence, yet for knowledge and understanding he did exceed, and spoke with tongues more than they all: his Epistles are as the shop of an Apothecary; 
1 Cor. 11. 5, 6.  a man cannot read them, but he shall carry away the smell ofexcellent learning; yet came he not in the wisdom of words, 
1 Cor. 1. 1, 2.  for he regarded not to know any thing, save jesus Christ, and him crucified. We come to the Word in the pride of our heart, and have our ears tickled, not our hearts edified; to hear some strange thing that may bring us into a wonderment of things, 
God's Word hath its elegancy and eloquence.  we know not, & God in his justice suffereth us to departed empty; yea worse than we came. If the Preacher fill not the Pulpit full of fine words, trim Phrases, Fathers, Doctors, Counsels, Poetry, Philosophy; if he do not aucupari syllabas, hunt after syllables, to please itching ears, we cry out that he was unlearned, and a plain homely teacher, and English Doctor.  
But we must desire wholesome, not tooth-some meat: For as we must teach wholesome Doctrine, For if any man teach otherwise, 
1 Tim. 6. 3, 4.  and consenteth not to the wholesome words of the Lord jesus Christ, and to the Doctrine, which is according to Godliness, he is pust up and knoweth nothing; so ye must hear wholesome doctrine; & not be like unto those of whom Paul prophesied, saying, The time will come, when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine, but having their ears 
2 Tim. 4. 3, 4.  itching, shall after their own lusts get them an he ape of teachers, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given to fables: to false and unprofitable doctrine. We must speak, and you must hear, as the words of God. All Doctors, Counsels, Poets, Philosophers, are but darkness: the Word is light only; so saith David, 
1 Pet. 4. 11.  Thy word is a Lantern to my feet, and a light to my paths. The Word must sit on the Bench, when all these shall stand at the bar: 
Psal. 119.  those that bombast their Sermons, that fill the Pulpit full of these Authors, either they deliver little doctrine, or else unprofitable doctrine: not as Paul did, He kept back nothing that was profitable, but shown and taught openly, and through every house, 
Act. 20. 20, 21.  witnessing both to the jews, and to the Grecians, the repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord jesus Christ. Such builders either have no mortar, or else untempered mortar; like the false prophets. Such Cooks either have no salt, or unsavoury salt; 
Ezech. 13. 10. Mat. 5. 13.  such nurses either have no milk; or else corrupt milk that hath taken wind; the Word is sincere milk; and yet I deny not but God's Spirit hath his eloquence, and no writings more eloquent 
1 Pet. 2. 2.  than they.  
To give you a little taste; speaking of juda and jerusalems' punishment for their idolatry; he saith, I will stretch over jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, which he wipeth and turneth upside-down. And David speaking of the Sunrising, and wherrying about the Heavens, he saith, that he cometh forth, as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a mighty man to run 
Psal. 19 5. Esa. 5.  his race. So the Prophet Esay speaking of the sin of the people, he saith, that they did draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin with cart-ropes. And speaking of God's power, he setteth it out with such eloquent words, as the like have not been heard; for mark his phrases; Who hath measured the Waters in his fist? and counted Heaven with his span? and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure? and weighed the mountains in a weight, and the hills in a 
Esa. ●0. 12.  balance? For Esay was a noble Courtier, and had a courtly style; 
Ministers may use all helps of humane learning.  but Amos had but an homely style, for he was but an herdsman. Paul used a plain kind of teaching, and as he himself confessed, he was Rude in speaking. Apollo's was eloquent; Qui dedit Petrum piscatorem, dedit Cyprianum Rhetorem; he that made Peter a Fisherman, made Cyprian a Rhetorician; yet plain teaching if it edify, is not to be rejected. Quid prodest clavis aurea, si non aperiat ostium? & quid obest ferrea, si modo aperiat? What good doth a golden key, if it open not the door? and what hurt doth a key of iron, if it open the same? and so, Quid prodest eloquentia non aedificans? what doth eloquence profit, if it edify not? and what doth simple and plain teaching hinder, if it edify? Let all things (saith the Apostle) be done to edifying. 
1 Cor. 14. 26.   
Again, in that jude here teacheth us by spots, clouds, trees, etc. we have to observe the liberty of the Ministers of the Gospel, not only nakedly to deliver unto the people, the whole Council of God, but also to use helps of wit, invention and art, as similitudes, allusions, applications, comparisons, proverbs, and parables, to illustrate the Doctrine delivered. Thus did Christ even by similitudes drawn from this and that thing, instruct the people: So he taught the Astronomers of the East by a star; and Fishermen by a draught of fish. The Woman of Samaria, 
Mat. 2. 10. Luke 5. 6. john 4. 14.  that came to draw water at jacobs' Well, he taught her by that corruptible water, the water of Life. To Mary in the Garden, he appeared as a Gardener; to his travelling Disciples, he appeared as a traveller: so also frequently in the Gospel he teacheth by many exemplary similitudes: the rich man, by the rich man's 
Luke 24.  care and greedy gathering; the Vine-dresser, by the Vine-dressers digging and hedging, and dressing; the Labourer, by the Labourers hire, and working; the Builder, by the Bvilder's laying a good foundation; the Husbandman, by the Husbandman's sowing; the Fisherman, by the Fisherman's casting nets and drawing: as here Saint jude, by spots, clouds, trees, waves, stars, etc. And as Christ himself, so all his Prophets and Apostles have used parables, similitudes and other helps, whereby their Doctrine might have a deeper impression in the hearts of their hearers. Thus did profound Austen in his questions, learned Jerome in his expositions, pathetical Chrysostome in his amplifications, mellifluent Bernard in his meditations, pithy Cyprian in his persuasions, sweet Ambrose in his allusions, eloquent Nazianzen in moving affections, do make great use of these similitudes; and so may Ministers do.  
Lastly, in that jude teacheth us by spots, clouds, trees, stars, etc. this teacheth us, that of all the creatures of God, there is a double use: one natural, the other spiritual. As a spot naturally defileth the garment of the body, so besides this natural signification, it serves to put us in mind, that sin spiritually defileth the soul. And as a tree in nature signifieth such plants 
Every creature afford some profitable meditation.  of the earth, as bring forth fruit: so besides this natural signification, it serves to put us in mind, that we ought to be fruitful Trees in the Lord's Orchard, lest that we prove fuel for the fire; for Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewed 
Mat. 3.  down and cast into the fire: and as clouds naturally pour down rain: so spiritually it teacheth us to rain down righteousness, and to water and refresh the thirsty, as the clouds do the earth: and as stars naturally yield light, so spiritually should we, Our light must so shine before men, that others may see our good works, and glorify our Father in Heaven. So by sowing of corn into the ground to maintain man's life, our Saviour leads us to consider of another thing, that as the Sower 
Mat. 15.  casteth his seed abroad into sundry sorts of ground, and they according to their nature, bring forth fruit accordingly: Even so the Minister of the Word scatters and sows the Seed of God's Word into the ground of men's hearts, and as they be prepared, so they bring forth fruit. So by a Weavers shuttle, we see the shortness of man's life gone in a moment. Dost thou see, how 
job 7.  the Wind drives the chaff, and dust of the Earth about, giving it no rest till it be dispersed? Oh consider how the curse of 
Psal. 1.  God shall dog the wicked, and never let their souls be at rest, till it consume them. Dost thou lie down in thy bed every night? O remember that ere it be long, thou must lie down in thy grave, and be covered in dust, and therefore prepare to dye in the Lord. Dost thou see the beautiful grass and herbs of the earth cut down and whither away? O remember, that All 
Esa. 40.  flesh is grass; and that it must fade and perish. Dost thou put on thy clothes to cover thy nakedness? Labour to put on the Lord jesus, and the robes of his righteousness, that thy filthy nakedness 
Rom. 13. Apoc. 3. 18.  do not appear. Dost thou take a Book into thy hand, and open it leaf by leaf? O consider that the time will come, when the books of thy Conscience shall be opened, wherein all thy sins are recorded, and thou must receive according 
Apoc. 20.  to thy works. And thus we see, of all the creatures of God there is a double use to be made of them, the one natural, the other spiritual. So much for the manner.  
Now for the matter. Their first sin is their Epicurism, in eating, drinking, etc. That which Solomon saith of Princes, may be verified of all private men; Woe to thee, O thou Land, when thy 
Eccles. 10. 16.  King is a child, and thy Princes eat in the morning: Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in time, for strength, and not for drunkenness. So, blessed is that place, that town, where sobermen are, as was Selge in Pisidia, void of drunkenness. This sin never goeth alone, it hath many other sins to wait and attend upon it; it is as the nave of the wheel, which turning about, all the spokes turn with it, there go with it, idleness, fight, quarrelling, whoring, stealing, it is 
Drunkard's incorrigible, gluttons insatiable.  the anvil whereupon the other sins are wrought: Hereupon saith Solomon; To whom is woe? to whom is sorrow? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are wounds without cause? and to whom is the redness of the eyes? Even to him that tarrieth long at the wine, 
Pro. 23. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33.  to them that go, and seek mixed wine. Look not thou on the wine when it is red, and when it showeth his colour in the cup, or goeth down pleasantly: in the end thereof, it will bite like a Serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice. Thine eyes shall look upon strange Women, and thy heart shall speak lewd things, etc. Fullness of bread, that is, Epicurism, was one of the sins of Sodom; and no doubt it was a hand to pull uncleanness the sooner upon them. Raine engendereth 
Ezech. 16.  Snow: so Epicurism engendereth whoredom. Paul exhorting to a Christian life, beginneth with sobriety, as the first staff of the 
Tit. 2. 12.  ladder; for he that liveth not soberly to himself, will not live righteously with men, nor holily with God. Saint Peter speaking of the last day, beginneth with sobriety, as an help to prayer, and to all Christian virtues. This he learned of his 
1 Pet. 4. 7.  Master, who gave this covenant to all; To take heed to yourselves, 
Luke 21. 34.  lest at any time your hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness. Paul reckoneth drunkenness among the works of the flesh, which exclude us out of the Kingdom of Heaven. As no 
Gal. 5. 20. Numb. 5. judg. 12. judg. 7. Deut. 23. Aug. 1 Tim. 5.  Leper might be in the camp of Israel; as no Gileadite might pass over jordan; as no fearful man might enter into the wars of Madian; as no bastard might enter into the Sanctuary: so no Drunkard, no Epicure, shall enter into Heaven. A Drunkard, an Epicure, is Dead being alive; (as Paul said of the wanton Widows;) a voluntary devil, and uncurable disease, a breach unrepairable, a common opprobry of mankind: of all sinners, we see fewest drunkards reform: the Adulterer may become chaste, a thief, a true man, the swearer, have a sanctified tongue: but these come seldom to Repentance.  
We should eat, to live, and live, to praise the Lord: but we live, to eat and drink. Sardanapalus his Epitaph might be graven on our tombs, Haec habeo quae edi, quaeque exaturata libido hausit, etc. for our belly, is our God; our kitchen, our Religion, 
Phil. 3. 18.  our altar, our dresser; our Minister, our Cook; our whole felicity in eating and drinking: most men's bodies are as sponges to receive all liquor, their throats open sepulchers, their bellies graves, to bury all God's creatures: there is not that bird that flieth, that fish that swimmeth, that beast that moveth, that is not buried in their bodies; the earth is weary of such unprofitable burdens, the creatures by them abused will be a witness against them, as Saint james speaketh in another case: from the French, the Spaniards, and Turk we have 
jam. 5. 1, 2. Soph. 1. 9  learned strange attire; from the Italians we have learned pride, and Atheism and wantonness; from the Dutch we have learned to drink; we never learn from any nation any good thing. 
Nature teacheth sobriety and temperance.  And it is a wonder, that we should be such Epicures; for among all the creatures, God hath given to none, so little a mouth as he doth to man, according to his proportion; which argueth that man should be more temperate in meat and drink, than other creatures, and not to be spots in feasts.  
Well noteth Augustine, that God hath not given to man talons 
Aug.  and claws to rent and tear in pieces, as to Bears, and Leopards; nor horns to push, as to Bulls, and Unicorns; nor a sting to prick, as to Wasps, and Bees, and Serpents; nor a bill to strike, as to Eagles and Ostriches; nor a wide mouth to devour, as to Dogs and Lions. Again, the mouth of man is not bend to the earth, as the mouth of other creatures; os homini sublime dedit, to note that he must not eat and drink, as other 
Ovid.  creatures. I say of meat, as Paul said of fornication, Meat for the belly, and the belly for meat, but God shall destroy both it and them. 
1 Cor. 6. 13.  Fire is to warm us, not to burn us; water is to wash us, not to drown us; weapons are to defend us, not to kill us: so meats and drinks are to refresh us, not to oppress the body and vital spirits. If ever Satan hath the vantage of us, it is in our fullness; for then eyes, ears, tongue, heart, and all members are out of frame; then we forget God, Christ, Heaven, Hell, and all. This is the Caveat that God gave his people; When thou hast eaten and filled thyself, thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land, which 
Deut. 8. 10, 11, 12.  he hath given thee; lest when thou hast eaten and filled thyself; thou forget the Lord, etc. Israel sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to 
1 Cor. 10. 7.  play: So we at our feasts handle nothing but cards, dice, bowls, etc. The false witnesses are noted to be Sons of Belial, such are 
1 Reg. 21.  meetest for villainy: God's Spirit and drink are set as opposite by the Apostle; Be not drunken with wine (saith he) wherein is excess, 
Ephes. 5. 18.  but be filled with the Spirit. When wine is in, wit is out: and where drink is in, God's Spirit is out: we cannot be full of them both at one time; and if God's Spirit be not in us, the unclean spirit is in us. God will have the hand of the Father, to be first 
Deut. 21. 21.  on the riotous child. O that we had the Spirit of zeal! O that one Epicurish drunkard were so served! O that the streets of this Town were sanctified, that all England might hear it and tremble at it. It was a good argument in the Primitive Church against drunkards, that it was but the third hour of the day, that is, 
Act. 2. 15.  nine of the clock: but it is not so now; for our men begin at Sunrising, and continue to Sunsetting, and often call for a candle, because the day is too little for them. The Idolaters served god Bel in the day, and god Belly in the night; we serve god 
Dan. 14.  Belly day and night.  
The Holy Ghost maketh mention of a great cup; belike great 
judg. 5. 25.  men drunk in great cups; Amos reproveth them for drinking in bowls: but we, I think, shall drink in Troughes, and eat in 
Amos 6. 6.  Chargers, not in platters. It may be said of many, that was said 
God punisheth drunkenness and gluttony.  of Bonosus the Emperor, that we are borne, not to live, but to eat and drink, to feast and banquet: we strive to match with Heliogabalus, who at one supper was served with six hundred Ostriches: and to match Vitellius, who had at one feast two thousand fishes, and seven thousand birds. This Epicurism of ours God will punish, and hath, punished it with three years dearth; when did God smite the Amalekites? he did it in the midst of 
1 Sam. 30. 16, 17.  their glozing, as in a time, wherein their sin was ripe. When came God to Balthasar? but in his cups and banquets? and when did God strike down the chosen men of Israel, but then? for 
Dan. 5.  while the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon 
Psal. 78. 30, 31.  them, and slew the strongest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. This made job to offer sacrifice for his children; he 
Io● 1. 4, 5.  knew how many falls are in belly-cheer. Men eat and drink away their Christ; yea they eat and drink away their souls; nay, they eat and drink away their salvation: the fruit of the flesh is found more among the poor than the rich; which is a double sin.  
Chrysostome in this respect preferreth brute beasts before us, for they go from belly to labour; we go from belly, to bed, if not to worse: we eat till we surfeit, and drink till we be drunken: we eat while we sleep, and sleep till we be hungry again: we sleep compass from eight to eight of the clock.  
And note, that he saith, that they fed themselves only: where observe two things.  
First, that they did not glorify GOD in their meats and drinks.  
Secondly, That they relieved not others, but fed themselves.  
All our eating and drinking, every morsel of bread or drop of drink that we put into our mouths, should be to the glory of God; (so saith the Apostle) Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  ye do, do all to the glory of God: but we like the Israelites, sit down to eat and drink, and rise up to play; these are the effects of 
1 Cor. 10. 7.  our Feasts.  
Alas, we eat and drink daily, and yet not one among an hundred, nay, scarce one among a thousand can tell, how to eat and drink, to please God in it; namely; that we may be the stronger, and apt to walk in our general calling of Christianity, and in our particular callings, to God's glory, and the good of the Church, in discharge of our duties. We read not that Dives surfeited, yet feeding himself, not doing any good, he 
Luke 16. 19  is condemned: This is that which God spoke by Zachary, When ye fasted and mourned the fifth and seventh month, even these seventy 
Zach. 7. 5, 6.  years, did ye fast unto me? do I approve it? and when ye did eat, and when ye did drink; did ye not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves.  
Secondly, they fed and lived, but not to any bodies good, but 
We must not be like Nabal, providing only to feed ourselves.  to pamper themselves; this was the sin of Israel; not that they had the calves of the stall, that they lay on beds of Ivory, that they warbled to the tune of the Viol, etc. but that they neglected the poor amongst them. We are borne for others, the Heathen 
Amos 6. 6, 8.  could say, Ortus nostri partem patria vendicat; our Country challengeth part of our birth, our friend's part, our kinsfolk's part; for none of us liveth to himself; Nemo igitur sua quaerat, Let no man 
Rom. 14. 7.  seek his own things, his own profit, health or wealth, but his Neighbours. Ye know the life and end of churlish Nabal; at his sheepshearing he kept a feast, as it had been a King, and David sending unto him for some victuals; he answered David's servants, 
1 Sam. 25.  Who is David? and who is the son of Ishai? there be many servants now adays that break from their masters; shall I then take my bread and my water, and my flesh, that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? This was the sin of the shepherds of Israel, they fed themselves, They did eat the fat, and clothed themselves with the wool, yea they did kill them that 
Ezech. 34. ●, 3.  were fed, but fed not the sheep. If we eat only to satisfy hunger, the Horse and the Hog eat with as good a conscience as we do; for as every creature of God is good, so it ought to be received 
1 Tim. 4. 4.  of us with thanksgiving.  
And observe, that jude noteth this as a great fault in the godly, that they suffered the wicked to eat among them, to stain their meetings, these spots, were as the menstruous cloth of a 
Esa. 64.  woman; as the spots of a Leopard, all the water in the Sea cannot 
jer. 13.  wash them away; all Niter and Borith cannot cleanse them; they are as drops of blood in Lawn, or Camericke; they did 
jer. 2.  not only defile their feasts, but them also that feasted with them; they were like menstrusie to stain them, and pollute them. If any that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an 
1 Cor. 5. 11.  Idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one eat not; if ye eat or company with them, they will defile you. Origen would not pray with an Heretic; Martian would have saluted Polycarpe, and taken him by the hand. No, saith he, Agnosco te primogenitum diaboli, I know thou art the first borne of the devil. john the Evangelist would not wash in the bath, wherein Cerinthus an enemy to GOD'S truth bathed himself.  
Every one that will avoid evil, must avoid the company of the evil; for he shall dwell in God's Tabernacle, and rest upon his holy Mountain, In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he 
Psal. 15. 4.  honoureth them that fear the Lord: therefore jude taxeth the godly, for conversing with Epicures, for feeding with them; and telleth them, that they are spots in their feasts. With this also God charged the two Churches of Ephesus and Pergamus, they had many good things in them, yet had God this against Ephesus, that She had them, that maintained the doctrine of the Nicholaitanes, which 
The Godly have ever abandoned the wicked.  were as spots to stain them. And against Pergamus, that She had them, that maintained the doctrine of Balaam. These spots should be wiped out of the Lords glass; these Lepers should be 
Apoc. 2, 6, 14.  banished the host of Israel; these goats should not come into the Lord's field; these tares should not come into the Lord's barn.  
Dost thou love God, and the Gospel of God? then love the friends of God, and hate his enemies, as David did, Do not I 
Psal. 139. 21, 22  hate them that hate thee; and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them right sore, as if they were my enemies. There is no man, but he may do some thing to discountenance sin and sinners: no Fly so little, but hath his spleen; no Pismire, but hath his choler; no Hare so little, but hath his shadow; and no man so mean, but he may reprove the Wicked: therefore let thy countenance to such be as the Northwind, and never entertain judas with john; nor Simon Magus, with Simon Peter. As the sweet river Hippanus is made bitter when it passeth the Pole Exanthe; like the bitter water spoken of in the book of Numbers. So are men made worse by bad company: such as are continually in the Sun, must needs be Sunne-burnt; such as walk in the mist, must needs be bewrayed; such as touch pitch, cannot be but defiled: so such as abide in bad company, cannot be but spotted. joseph living in the Court of Pharaoh, had quickly learned, to swear by the life of Pharaoh; and Peter being among liars and swearers, had quickly learned to lie and swear. Therefore saith Jerome, It is no wisdom to sleep near a Serpent, it may be it will sting thee, it may be, it will not: so it may be that thou conversing with a wicked man, mayest convert him; but it may be, he will pervert, spot, and defile thee. David durst not meddle with these spots and spotted companions. I have not haunted with vain persons, neither kept company with 
Psal. 26. 4, 5.  the dissemblers, I have hated the assembly of the evil, and have not companied with the wicked: and surely he that loveth the Lord, he will love those that love him, and hate those that hate him; not his person, but his manners: Pacem cum hominibus, bellum cum 
Aug.  vitiis; we must have peace with men, but war with their vices. But let men be as blind in mind as Bartimaeus, who followed 
Mat. 20.  Christ by the noise; let them be as deaf, as the Adder; as filthy in soul, as Lazarus in body; as black as the black horse 
Psal. 58. Apoc. 6.  in the Apoc. yet if we gain by him, if he be for our honour, or profit, or pleasure, we countenance him, he is an honest man, a good fellow. But he that justifieth the wicked, is as he that condemneth the just; both are abomination to the Lord. He that saith 
Prov. 17. 25. Cap. 24. 24.  to the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, and the multitude abhor. Let us not then give any countenance to the wicked, but be at defiance with them; as was David, when he cried, Away from me, ye wicked, I will keep the commandments 
Love-feasts abused, were after abolished.  of God.  
But some will say, Is it a sin simply to eat with the wicked? No, there be cases of necessity, and cases voluntary, wherein it is no sin to eat with them. David partaked with the Philistines, 
Psal. 119. 2 Sam. 23.  in the water of Bethlem.  
The Apostles ate meat in Athens consecrated to Minerva, 
Act. 17. cap. 17.  with the Idolaters. Paul went in a ship dedicated to Castor and Pollux: and we now may eat meat in a common Inn, with bad men. Again, in cases voluntary it is not ever a sin to eat with the wicked; so that we do it to exhort them, to reprove them, and gain them to God. Note the Antithesis, the caution, the Apostle useth; Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of 
Ephes. 5. 11.  darkness, but even reprove them rather. So, to reprove them, is not to have fellowship with them.  
These are Spots in your feasts. These feasts were love-feasts, and these love-feasts were used before the communion, as appeareth 
1 Cor. 11. 20, 21, etc.  by the words of the Apostle, and in Tertullians' Apologeticon, to note this, as many members make but one body; many strings make but one sound; many grains, but one loaf; many grapes, but one cup of wine: So many Christians make but one Church. So saith the Apostle, Now ye are the body of Christ, and members for your part: for all Churches dispersed thorough the World, 
1 Cor. 12. 27.  are members of one body, of one Church; for albeit in the evil state there be differences of callings, yet in the spiritual, there is Neither jew, nor Grecian; there is neither bond, nor free; there is neither male, nor female; ye are all one in Christ jesus; all as 
Gal. 3. 28.  one man.  
But these love-feasts being well begun, were afterwards corrupted: for from feasts of charity, they were turned into feasts of 
1 Cor. 11.  drunkenness: for men would be drunken; and so became spots and stains to these feasts; and therefore were these feasts after abolished, as all ceremonies ought to be, if they edify not.  
Ezeehias broke the brazen Serpent, a figure of Christ, and called 
2 Reg. 18.  it, Nehushtan. Nectarius, a learned and a godly Bishop of Constantinople, abrogated auricular confession, when it was used to hypocrisy. So that Pedum lotio, washing of feet, fetched 
john 13.  from Christ's example; when it was made a part of baptism, was abolished by Augustine. The judicial observation of Easter, raising contention between the Latin and the Greek Church, was by Irenaeus and other Fathers removed. Paul circumcised Timothy, not Titus. Legales Ceremoniae, ante Christum erant pars cultus Christi, the legal ceremonies before Christ, were a part of Christ's worship; Post Christi adventum, res erant adiaphorae, after his coming, they were things indifferent: Post templum eversum, quum corrumpebantur, erant sublatae, ut res impiae; after the destruction of the Temple, they were abolished, as 
Ceremonies abused, are to be abolished.  things impious. But to leave this.  
If any man will ask me, when and by whom these love-feasts were taken away; I answer, by the Antisiodorensian Council, than were they abolished. In these feasts at the first was great sobriety, as Tertullian affirmeth; but after, many used riot and excess, 
In Apologetico, 39  they that should have been ornaments, were spots and stains; they that should have been Lights, were scandals to these feasts: and therefore were they abolished.    

THE THREE AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XII. 
Clouds they are without water, etc. 
Pride occasioned many ways, ever odious to God.   
THis was the second sin of this people; viz. Pride: they swollen like waves of the sea, and lifted up themselves against God and good men. Of such swelling proud men, spoke Peter, calling them (presumptuous) and saith, That they stand in their own 
2 Pet. 2. 10, 18.  conceit, speaking swelling words of vanity: for it seemeth that Peter took these words from jude, or jude from Peter rather: they spoke swelling words, words of a foot and a half long; glorious words, like Thraso in the Comedy. Such were the Quintinists and Libertines in Germany, who boasted of a celestial perfection: such were one Henry Nicolitanes, who spoke in the clouds highly, mystically, that we are codeified with God, and God co-homonified with us: such are our Papists, whose doctrine savours nothing but of pride; as their doctrine of free will, justification by works, works of supererogation; which they call the treasure of the Church; works of preparation, etc. thus they speak words of the wind, and fill their belly with the East wind: For what is pride, but wind? A wind to fill, and a wind to torment: Men may be spiritually swelled both in life and opinion; there is a swelling for abundance of riches: there is a swelling behaviour in men's courses, there is a swelling in sin, a swelling in opinion. Oh that we could learn to abhor pride, 
Pride hath been in all places, in all sorts, even in the godly.  and swelling, by considering how much the Lord abhorreth it, as many Scriptures show; Solomon saith, that, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, as Pride and arrogancy, etc. And again he saith, All that are proud in heart, are an abomination to the Lord. And 
Prov. 8. 13. Cap. 16. 5. 19  again he saith, He that exalteth his gate, seeketh destruction. And again the Holy Ghost affirmeth, that the Lord beholdeth every one that is proud, and abaseth him. For certainly when the Lord shall 
job 40. 6.  come to judgement, that day of his coming shall burn like an Oven; and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble, and 
Mal. 4. 1.  the day that cometh, shall burn them up, and shall leave them neither root nor branch: therefore let us not be highminded, proud and swelling as many are; for it is a thing most vain. 
1 Tim. 64.   
First, in respect of God, for he resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble; he putteth down the mighty from their seat, and exalteth 
Luke 1. 51.  the humble and meek.  
Secondly, in respect of men, who will not regard it; When pride cometh (saith the Wise man) then cometh shame; for when men 
Prov. 11. ●.  will be exalted above their vocation, than God bringeth them to confusion.  
Thirdly, in respect of themselves, who inherit nothing by it but folly; for The foolish (that is, the proud) inherit folly: yet, 
Cap. 14. 18.  this sin of Pride hath troubled all places, yea, the whole world; it troubled Paradise, for Adam was proud, and would be like unto 
Gen. 3. Aug.  God; Sed dum rapere voluit Divinitatem, amisit foelicitatem, but whilst he endeavoured to snatch the Divinity, he lost his felicity. It troubled the Israeliticall Church, they would be as good as Moses in the Kingdom, and as Aaron in the Priesthood: it troubled the Apostles, for they strove for superiority; yea, it 
Numb. 16. Mat. 18. 2. Pet. 2. 4.  troubled heaven itself; for pride was the sin of the Angels. Let all men therefore beware of this sin: for first it is natural; for every one hath some sparks of pride in him. Again, whereas all other sins are occupied about evil subjects, or about indifferent things, as drunkenness about wine, whoredom about women, covetousness about wealth, gluttony about meat, only pride is to be feared in well doing; and therefore the better that a man doth, the more jealous let him be of himself; to look to himself, that this sin of pride overtake him not; for what hast thou, that thou hast not received? Nay, Paul began to be proud through the abundance of his revelations, but lest he should be exalted above 
1 Cor. 4. 7.  measure, there was given unto him a prick in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him, because he should not be exalted above measure. Augustine 
2 Cor. 12. 7.  having overcome many sins, yet overcame not the sin of pride, it did dog him like a bloodhound. Luther strove more with this sin, than any sin; do what he could, like a sea it came upon him. This stained all the works of the Pharisees, they fasted, but then they disfigured their faces; they prayed, 
Mat. 6.  but it was in the Marketplace; they gave alms, but yet they 
Pride expressed many ways in things that pertain to God and man.  blew the trumpet. Habet quisque naevos superbiae; every man hath stains and marks of pride in him; secundum plus aut minus, either more or less: the most godly have it: but some are all pride, as Erasmus said of the Friar, that he was all belly.  
Generally, pride is expressed either in things concerning God; 
Jerome.  or in things appertaining to men.  
In the things that concern God, there is the pride of the Atheist, whereby he striveth to remove the sense of the being of God; and the pride of the heretic, when he assaults the attributes of God, or his persons; and the pride of the Papist, who will scale the high Fort of heaven by the broken ladder of his own merits; and the pride of the curious, who will search into things not revealed; and the pride of the persecutor, who will pursue by slanders or violence, the power of God's ordinances; and the pride of the impenitent; who dare live and dye in his sins, without care of God's threatenings. Again, pride is expressed against God, as first when a man imagineth himself to be God, and would be so conceited of men, as Caligula, who (being an open mocker of all religion) at length fell to think, that there was no other God but himself.  
Secondly, when men imagine, that what they have, they have it of themselves, and so sacrifice to their nets, as the Prophet speaketh.  
Thirdly, when in their hearts they say, He shall not reign over us. Who shall control us? and so contemn the ordinances of God, his Word, his Sacraments, their work, their power.  
Fourthly, when a man shall think he is perfect and breaks not the Law, and that they can by their own strength run the way of God's Commandments. 
Psal. 119.   
Fifthly, when in heart they say, We will do this and this: who shall let us? we will go thither and thither, who shall hinder us?  
Sixthly, when men will disobey the will of God; break his yoke, and burst his bonds asunder. Thus is pride against God shown manywayes.  
Pride against man discovereth itself sundry ways also,  
As by oppugning the fame of the best men:  
By bragging and boasting.  
By striving for offices and highest places.  
By costly apparel, of purpose to be counted better men than they be.  
By painting of the face, to be thought a beautiful creature, not being so.  
By envying the good of another, as if he deemed himself either only worthy, or else the most worthy.  
The proud man will acknowledge no superior nor equal by his good will: he useth his equals as inferiors, his inferiors, as servants, his servants, as slaves, his slaves, as beasts: and when he is climbed up on high, he plucks up the ladder 
Usually the basest are proudest.  after him (if he can) that no man shall come up after, or but such as he pleaseth. Thus pride is expressed both to God and man. David was fare from this pride, Lord (saith he) I am not 
Psal. 113. 1.  highminded, I have no proud looks: I do not exercise myself in matters, that are too high for me, etc. But few are like David: many men forget themselves to be men, they take to them the name of God, 
Act. 12. Esa. 14. 13.  as Herod did; they will make their nests in the stars, as Nabuchadnezer did. The Bactrians said of Alexander, that his pride was such, that if his body had been answerable to his heart, he would set one foot on the land, and the other on the sea: For our pride is infinite.  
But it is not so much in the rich, as in the poor; the poorest, the basest are many times the proudest; pretty is the parable of jotham; the best trees refused to be the King, but the bramble affected it, & did sperare & aspirare, hope & aspire, as did the bastard Abimelech. 
judg. 9 15.  Such a fine parable is also in the book of the Kings, of the Thistle; the parable runneth thus; The thistle that is in Lebanon, sent to the Cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son, to wife. The thistle, 
2 Reg. 14. 9  the beggar is proud, none worse. The Cumane Ass jetteth up and down with his long ears in a Lion's skin. Aesop's Crow craketh in the feathers of other birds: Among fowls, the Peacock for pride challength the sovereignty. Hagar the kitchen maid will be proud, 
Gen. 23. Mat. 20.  & insult over her mistress Sara. The poor Sons of Zebede would sit at Christ's right hand, and at his left; and they that job would not set over the dogs of his sheep: yet were so proud, as they contemned him. None prouder than the basest and the meanest: If they have but a little muck, or a few clods, to commend them, a little land, they look aloft, and a King must not be their Cousin.  
It is said of them that live under the North Pole, that no plant groweth in Summer, for the great heat there, nor none in Winter for the extreme cold: So no virtue can grow in our Climate; not in rich, for they are proud, nor in the poor, for they are prouder.  
We all complain of the envy, the quarrelling, the strife, the suits, the troubles of this age: but where is the root of all these, but pride? Only by pride doth man make contention: For where every man contendeth to have preeminence, & none will give place to other, there can 
Pro. 13. 10.  be no peace. We have the heart of Caesar, & the stomach of Pompey, the one could not endure an equal, nor the other a superior. Quisque gerit regnum in pectore; every man carries a King within him. When we follow a dead corpse to be buried, or walk among the graves, we can condemn our vanity and insolency; every man can be a preacher against pride, and cry out, Why should men be proud, who are but earth and ashes, a bubble, a vapour, a shadow, whose breath is in his nostrils; to day a man, to morrow none; to day a Prince, to morrow a dead carrion? Quid superbis cinis & pulvis? Why art thou 
Psal. 39 5, 6. Eccles. 10. 9 Mat. 23. 5.  proud, dust and ashes? but we forget all, and like the Pharises love the chief places: but it is certain, where pride is in the saddle, 
God hateth pride, and resisteth it.  shame is in the crupper, for he that exalteth himself, shall be brought low: for glory is like a shadow, if a man follow it, it goeth from him, if he goeth from it, it followeth him. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, proud; these proud men please none; not God, for 
Prov. 18. 12.  he resisteth them; nor their betters, for they envy them; nor themselves, 
1 Pet. 5. 5.  for they are not so proud, as they would be. Whom do they please then? Certainly the Devil; who of a beautiful Angel, is made an unclean ugly spirit: humilitas autem hominem Angelo similem 
Aug.  facit, & superbia Angelum daemonem reddit: humility maketh a man like an Angel, and pride maketh an Angel, a Devil; and therefore Paul would not have a Bishop to be a young man, lest he 
1 Tim. 3. 6.  being puffed up, fall into the condemnation of the Devil. The which words may be taken either actively, or passively; actively, lest the Devil condemn us: or passively, lest we by our pride be condemned of the Devil, or with the Devil.  
Many swell in pride, but let them take heed, they swell not as Aesop's toad did; who seeing the Ox feeding by her, envied him, and swollen herself so big, that she swollen herself out of her skin, she burst withal: yea indeed the proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine: he is as a drunkard, without reason and sense; 
Hab. 2. 5.  whom God will punish and make a laughing stock to all the world: for God opposeth himself against the proud; and who then can stand for them? Pride is one of the sins that God hateth; he hateth 
1 Pet. 5. 5.  all sins, but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: so saith Solomon; These six things doth the Lord hate, yea his soul abhorreth seven: the haughty eyes, a lying 
Pro. 6. 16.  tongue, etc. See how he placeth pride in the forefront, in the vanguard, like Urias. The sin of this age, is pride, and the pride of this age is monstrous. Christ set a little Child among his Apostles: 
Mat. 18.  but it had need be a sucking child, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an infant, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a child, a boy, for even children are proud, like the saucy boys of Bethel. 
2 Reg. 2. 23. Esa. 3. 5.  Children presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable: servants ride, and masters go on foot. Paul prophesied of this age, 
Eccles 10, 6.  Know (saith he) that in the last days shall come perilous times, men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, etc. 
2 Tim. 3. 1, 2   
There is a pride in the Church, and Commonwealth; hic & ubique, here & every where. In the Church all would be Apostles, and Prophets, and teachers, and every man as good as his fellow, as Paul 
1 Cor. 12.  said of the Corinthians; docent antequam discunt, they teach before they have learned, quoth a father of that age; so is it now; and all 
Hier.  the troubles of the Church come from pride: the people think, they have as much knowledge, as the Pastor: Arrius the heretic, who sprang up An. Dom. 358. to maintain his heresy, that no sin were it never so great, should be reputed to him, that had faith, said, that God revealed that to him, which he concealed from the Apostles. Montanus called himself Paracletum, the Holy Ghost; and his two trulls, Prisca, and Maximilla, he named Prophetesses. Arrius fell into his heresy, for that he could not be 
Pride the cause of heresy in the Church, and disorder in the commonwealth.  a Bishop. The Anomaei said, that they knew God, as he knew himself: most heresies have come from pride; Si ergo vana gloria te titillaverit, dic ei, ut Christus, Magdalenae: Noli me tangere, nondum ascendi ad Patrem: if therefore pride, or vain glory shall tickle thee, say unto it, as Christ did unto Magdalen, Touch me not, I have not yet ascended to my Father. 
Chrysost. Bern.   
In the Commonwealth there is pride; for the foot striveth to equal the head; the servant would be as the Master, the peasant, as the Prince: the cobbler, as the Counsellor. Corrus sequitur Curiam, the cart will follow the Court: and as the Preacher saith, Folly is set in great excellency, and the rich set in the low place. I have seen servants on horses, and Princes walking as servants, on the ground. As 
Eccles. 10. 6, 7.  the Academics said, they knew nothing, and the Anomies, all things: so some are too base, but most are too proud, like the Fly, that sitting in the Chariot, said, Heu, quantum pulverem excitavi? What a dust have I raised? The poor Fly was proud: and so most men swell in pride, like the Egyptian Ass, that carried the Goddess Isis; thinking the honour done to the Goddess, to be done to her, pricking up her cares, till he that drove her, lashed her for her folly, saying, Non tibi, sed deae (stulte Asine) datur hie honos; O foolish Ass, this honour is not done to thee, but to the Goddess: like Caius Caligula, who was so proud, that he would have his horse called Velocissimus, and to be fed with barely 
Dion. histo. sua.  in vessels of gold, and to drink wine in Caldrons of gold, and resolved to make his horse, Consul of Rome: like Sapor King of Persia, who was so proud, that he wrote himself, King of Kings, brother to the Sun and Moon, partner with the stars: like Haman, who was so proud, that none must ride upon the King's horse, but he.  
To most men pride is as a chain: they will lose their goods, yea their lives, before they will lose their will. Let there be a proud 
Psal. 73. 6.  man in a town, & he must domineer over all, to die for it, he must rule and have his will; but be jealous over thy soul, suspect thyself of pride, while thou livest; it creepeth on us in most of our actions, chiefly when we do best: therefore Pascentius niger was a rare man, who being praised of an Orator for an excellent act, answered thus, Writ the praises of Marius, jugurth and Hannibal, but praise not me, till I be dead, for that (quoth he) is but flattery: A most grave saying, to shame us Christians. And surely, as Demosthenes said, that the first, the second, and third virtue in an Orator, was Action; so Augustine said well, that the first, second, and third virtue of a Christian, is humility: for that is the Congregation of all virtues: without which, the gathering together of all virtues is nothing else, but a scattering of them: Give honour (saith the Apostle) and go one before another. Give honour, take it not, strive not for the highest pew in the Church, the highest room at a Feast, be 
Pride brings confusion.  lowest, not highest. If Paul had said, In taking honour, go one before another; he had had five thousand disciples. Let not these words be heard among you, I am as good as he, I am as well borne as he; he shall not have my neck under his girdle, for these speeches savour of pride, and pride of all other sins doth most discredit and disgrace a Christian, as it did Tarqvinius Superbus; who being a traitor, an whoremonger, yet was not called Tarqvinius the Traitor, or Tarqvinius the Adulterer; but Tarqvinius the proud; to teach us, that pride doth more disgrace a man than any other sin.  
Let us not therefore swell like waves, be lifted up with pride, the end will be shame; and therefore he saith, these waves do but foam out their own shame: For God will confound them, throw them from their Pinnaces, shake them with his whirlwinds, strike them with his lightnings, beat them with his thunderclaps; for pride must have a fall, and great pride a great fall. Herod fell from a throne of gold, to a bed of dust, to be 
Act. 12. 23. Dan. 4. 29.  eaten of worms; and yet behold a greater fall; Nabuchodonozer fell from the glory of a King, to the state of a beast, to eat grass like an Ox, to be wet with the dew of Heaven, his nails to grow like the talons of an Eagle, and yet behold a greater fall; Adam fell from innocency, to mortality, to be exiled 
Gen. 3. 24.  out of Paradise, and kept out with a shaking sword, and yet to make up the mess, the upshot, behold a greater fall: The Angels fell from Heaven to Hell, from felicity, to all misery, & are now reserved in everlasting chains. In the Primitive Church, Simon Magus did abuse the Ascension of Christ our Saviour, 
jude vers. 6.  and made himself wings, and pretended and offered to fly up to Heaven: but Peter prayed, and he fell down like lead, and crushed his members grievously: Ante pervenit justa petitio, quam iniqua praesumptio: A just prayer came up before an unjust presumption: 
Euseb.  such were the Giants in the old World, that would lay Pelion upon Ossa, and both upon Olympus, and pull jupiter out of Heaven; but their language was confounded. What should I speak of Haman, who by pride broke his neck; of Holofernes, 
judith 13.  who by pride lost his head; of Sennacherib, who for his pride had killed in one night an hundred fourscore and five thousand of his men, and not long after, his own Sons Adramelech & Sharezer 
Esa. 37. 38.  slew him, as he was in the Temple worshipping Nisroch his god; Of Antiochus, who for his pride had his head and hand cut off, and hanged up upon the gates of jerusalem; Of Pharaoh, who for his 
2 Mach. 1. 15. Exod. 12.  pride against God, and his people, was drowned in the red sea; of Apris a King of Egypt, who for his pride, and glorying that neither God nor man could put him from his Kingdom, was strangled; Of Caphaneus, who for his pride was overthrown with lightning; For he said, he would overthrow Thebes, invito Deo, whether God would, or no; Of Domitian, who for his pride (for 
Examples of the fall of diverse proud men.  he would be called a God, and worshipped) was slain of his servants with daggers in his privy Chamber, his body was buried without honour, his memory cursed, and his trophies defaced; Of Queen Venda, daughter to the famous King of Poland, who out of the pride of her heart refused to be married, she thought none good enough for her, but at last she was drowned in the river Vestula. And many ways doth the Lord meet with proud men; sometimes giving them up to hardness, and impenitence of heart; sometime bringing them to disgrace, and open shame; sometime suffering them to fall into other sins, whereby the Laws of men take hold of them, either to deprive them of their lives or of their honours: One way or other he doth usually punish them in this life; to say nothing of those punishments prepared for them in the life to come. Yet all these judgements cannot keep us from swelling, from pride, but still men will be like the raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame; and though there be nothing more foolish, nothing more base, nothing more inhuman, nothing more impious than pride, yet there is no end of this humour, men are proud in death, and life, yea, and beyond death, like Abimelech, who bade his Page kill him, that it might not be said, that he died by the hand of a woman; yet a 
judg. 9 55.  woman gave him his deadly wound. This made men to call their houses, and their towns after their own names; that they might live in spite of God, if not in themselves, yet in their posterity; but they are notably travised by the Spirit of God, when he saith, Wise men die aswell as fools, and leave their riches for 
Psal. 49. 10, 11, 12.  others, yet they think that their houses and habitations shall continue for ever, and call their Lands after their own names: but man shall not continue in honour, but is like the beasts that perish. Many desire to live, if it be but in an Epitaph, in an Inscription on their grave, yet names are rotten many times before their carcases. Sir Thomas More sent unto Erasmus, for verses to be engraven upon his tomb: At patibulum erat illi pro sepulchro, the block was to him for a sepulchre, quoth Calvin: who compareth him to Shebna, unto whom God said, What hast thou to do here, that thou shouldest here hue thee out a sepulchre, as he that heweth out his sepulchre in an high place, or that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? for whereas Shebna thought to make his name immortal, by his famous sepulchre, he died most miserably among the Assyrians. So Sir Thomas More thought to make his name immortal by his tomb, & epitaph there written, he perished as a traitor. Stately tombs and epitaphs are nothing, every passenger censureth and saith, Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, the worm is spread under thee, and 
Esa. 14. 11:  the worms cover thee. Thou saidst, I will ascend up to heaven, and exalt my throne above, besides the stars of God, but thou shalt be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit. So Caesar an heathen derided the pride of Cyrus for his sepulchre, and said, Coelo tegitur, qui non habet 
True zeal burns out by degrees, till it come to full flame.  urnam; superbiain coelo nata est, sed velut immemor qua via inde cecidit, illuc ideo redire non potuit: Pride (as one prettily speaketh) was bred in heaven, but having (as it were) forgotten which way it fell from thence, it could never afterwards find the way thither again. 
Hugo lib. de anima.  Let us therefore abandon this sin of pride, and hate it as the Devil himself, nay more than the Devil; For the Devil cannot hurt thee, till pride hath possessed thee.  
And there be two things that make a man proud:  
Scientia & Divitiae. & Knowledge and Riches.  
Scientiainflat, saith Paul, Knowledge puffeth up: & Divitiae inflant, Riches also puff up: therefore saith Paul to Timothy, Charge 
1 Cor. 8. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 17.  rich men, that they be not highminded; As he that drinks wine, shall feel it fume into his head, though he be never so sober: so wealth is a cup of fuming wine, which the best man that lives shall feel fuming in his heart; and some are made stark drunk withal: They are drunk, but not with wine: and as worms breed 
Esa. 29. 9 Aug.  in the hearts of trees, so pride, the Worm of wealth (for so a Father calls it) commonly breedeth in the hearts of rich men. And this pride God hateth, let us hate it also; For it is Radix cuncti mali, & Regina omnium vitiorum: It is the root of all evil, and the 
Greg. in M●.  Queen of all vice.  
The third vice that he chargeth them with, it is hypocrisy, in that they being in malice, like Cain, in covetousness, like Balaam; in rebellion, like Chore; yet eat and feast with the godly, Clouds without rain, waves without water, trees without fruit, stars without light.  
And here is to be observed the greae zeal of the Apostle, which as fire kindling by little and little, is now come to his height and heat: he cannot forbear them any longer, but must needs paint them out in their colours. james and john were 
Mar. 3.  filii tonitrui, sons of thunder. And surely we had need thunder in this age, men are so asleep; By these degrees did the zeal of Paul grow to this height: Ye cannot drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils: ye cannot be partaker of the Lords table, 
1 Cor. 10. 21, 22.  and of the table of Devils: do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger than he? as if he should say, God will either break thee, or bend thee, there is no striving against him. David speaking of Idols, at last bursteth out, They that make them, are like unto 
Psal. 135. 18.  them, and so are all they that put their trust in them, and God will bind them both in one bundle, and cast them into the fire. So Debcra having spoken of the wickedness of Sisera, concludeth with an execration against all the wicked, rising ab Hypothesi ad Thesim, saying, They fought from Heaven, even the Searres in their courses 
judg. 5. 20, 21, 26, 31.  fought against Sisera. The river Kison swept them away, the ancient river, the river Kishon. She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the Workman's hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera, she 
God loveth sincerity, and detesteth hypocrisy.  smote off his head, after she had wounded and pierced his temples. So let all thine enemies perish, o Lord, etc.  
But to leave this, and to come to the sin here condemned, which is hypocrisy. In speaking whereof he clappeth on all his sails, and goeth with full wind: For he compareth hypocrites to clouds which promise rain, and yet they be dry clouds: they deceive the husbandman, they bring no rain at all. He compareth them to trees, which blossom and flourish, but bring forth no fruit; and unto stars, which promise light, and yet do but deceive the poor traveller, for they be wand'ring stars. The Lord detesteth nothing more, then for men to make his religion a cloak to their wickedness, and to think the bare profession of his name enough. God requireth truth in the inward parts. And in another 
Psal. 51. 6.  Psalm, he bringeth in the Lord thus reasoning against hypocrites, and counterfeits, which pretend, but not intent. Why dost thou take my Covenant in thy mouth, and hatest to be reform, & c? 
Psal. 50. 16.  For this sin God destroyed Shilo, and removed his Ark from it: the Ark had remained in Shilo about three hundred years, but after, it was taken, the Priests slain, and the people miserably discomfited. Hereupon saith God, Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and 
jer. 7. 7, 8, 9 1 Sam. 4. 11. jer. 7. 9, 10, 11, 12.  walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called, and say, We are delivered, though we have done all these abominations? Is this house become a den of thiefs, whereupon my name is called before your eyes? Behold, even I see it, saith the Lord. But go ye now unto my place which is in Shilo, where I set my name at the beginning, and behold what I did to it, for the wickedness of my people Israel. Thus for hypocrisy was Shilo destroyed: they halted with God. Dicunt sed non faciunt, they said, but they did not. He is not a jew, that is one outward, neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew that is one within, and 
Rom. 2. 28, 29.  the Circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter: whose praise is not of men, but of God. So we are Protestants in the Letter, not in the Spirit; professors outward, none inward; Christians in the 
1 Pet. 3. 21.  flesh, none in the heart; baptised in the body, not in the conscience.  
It is said of Epicurus, that he did put on but the bare name of 
Cicero 5. Tuscul.  a Philosopher, & was not a Philosopher in truth. It may as truly be spoken, that many in this age put on but the naked shape of Christians, and are not Christians indeed, and that many colour their wickedness by outward pretence of Religion, and by bearing Bibles in their hands, and the Word in their mouth, though it be never settled in their hearts; being like the Carbuncle, that hath a fiery show, yet never flames, & like those that use musk, and pommanders, to conceal their unsavoury and stinking breath. But such God hateth with a double hatred, and will be revenged of them. It were better, that we had no ears to hear, 
Hypocrisy the counterfeit of religion.  nor tongues in our head to talk of God; rather then by talking and hearing, to cover our notorious wickedness; For we shall perish, and we shall have neither part nor fellowship in the number of the faithful. God above all things commended sincerity in jehosaphat: 
Act. 8. 21. 2 Chro. 19 3.  For he had prepared his heart to seek God: he had some sap, but he had the heart of an Oak also, and was sincere: so was Eleazar, he 
2 Mac. 6. 23.  could not be drawn to play the hypocrite, by no flatteries, nor allurements, no, not to save his life thereby, and to avoid most grievous torments. And Nazianzen could say of his Father, that he chastised pride, and loved humility: not feignedly, or colourably, but sincerely, truly, and that he reposed humility in his soul, and not in his garments, or bowing down of his head, or low speech, or a thick and long beard, or coloured hair, or grave pace in going: For these things (saith he) are easily devised, yet quickly reproved; for no counterfeit thing can be durable. Such men there were once; but where are they now to be found? and how rare are they? Most men are like the Church of Sardis, they have a name to live, and yet are dead, they seem to live, but with God they are dead, their faith is dead, their zeal dead: men live, when they bring forth fruit, else they be dead. Tully's son brought from Atheus, not only nomen, but rem, not the name of learning only; but learning itself; So we should bring and carry away from Christ not his name only, but his virtues and so be followers of God as dear Children; otherwise if we be Christians 
Ephes. 5. 1.  in name, and not in truth; if we draw near unto God with our mouths, and have our hearts fare from him, we shall perish; for Can a rush grow without mire? or can grass grow without water? so are 
job. 8. 11, 13, 14.  the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish: his confidence shall be cut off, and his trust shall be as in the house of a spider. And again, it is said of the hypocrite, that his joy is but a moment, and though his excellency mount up to Heaven, and his head reach unto 
Cap. 20. 5, 6.  the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever like his dung, etc. Let us then, as we love our souls, shun hypocrisy, and use sincerity; this shall comfort us at the last, as it did Ezechias: for being upon his deathbed, this was his comfort, that he had served God (not in show) but 
Esa. 38. 3:  in truth: but we are cloven-footed, & cloven-hearted with God : In animis hominum multae sunt latebrae multique recessus, In men's hearts there be many dens, and lurking places, and many windings & turnings. But let me say to the hypocrite, as Chrysostome said; Hypocrita, aut esto, quod appares, aut appare quod es, Hypocrite, either be as thou seemest, or appear as thou art: for simulata sanctitas est 
Aug.  duplexiniquitas, counterfeit piety is double impiety. First, because it is impiety, and then because it is counterfeit, making truth falsehood, and God a liar. But as it is said, Non auditores, sed factores legis, Not the hearers, but the doers of the Law shall be justified; so of religion, Non eandem profitentes, sed eidem obedientes, 
Rom. 2.  not professors, but performers shall be glorified. Let us not 
Sincerity is by God required, hypocrisy reproved.  then be like the Fig tree, which our Saviour cursed, that had leaves in abundance, but no fruit at all: For it is not the lifting up of our eyes, or the knocking of our breasts, nor the holding up of our hands, which shall stand us in stead at the last day: but 
Mat. 21.  the wounded soul, the sincerity of the heart, the contrite spirit, joined with outward observance and obedience, which shall administer true joy in the latter end. Therefore let us, as elect of God, holy & beloved, let us, I say, profess with our mouths, and practise with our lives; let us sing in voice, & with the spirit also; let us repent in life, and sow in tears; let us cleanse the flesh, that we may be mortified, and cleanse our spirit, so shall we be glorified; let us never be as clouds without water, as trees without fruit, as the raging waves of the sea, as stars without light; I mean hypocrites. For hypocrites are as clouds without water, as trees without fruit, as stars without light. Thus jude painteth them out, and that finely; and so doth our Saviour: for speaking of hypocrites, he saith, They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, but they themselves will 
Mat. 23.  not move them with one of their fingers: and he saith, that They do all their works to be seen of men: that they strain at a gnat, and swallow down a Camel; that they tithe Mint, anise and Cummin, but leave the weightier matters of the law, as judgement and mercy; that they make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but inwardly are full of bribery and excess. One saith, that hypocrisy is the 
Greg. l. 8. moral.  cloaking of a secret vice under the show of virtue, and that the life of an hypocrite is nothing else, but Quaedam visi● phantasmatis, the show of an imaginary matter, which appears some thing, and is nothing; and compares the hypocrite, to Simon of Cyrene, that bare Christ's Cross, but died not with Christ; so every hypocrite professeth to live to Christ, but will not dye to sin and the world: and Saint Chrysostome likens the hypocrite to Herod, 
Super Mat. 12.  that promised devotion, and performed persecution; & he saith, that a sincere man is like to a fair woman, that needs no external ornaments, but hath natural beauty; but the hypocrite is like 
Hom. 57  a filthy deformed harlot, which useth many meretricious colour, that cannot cover her filthiness, but the nearer any draws unto her, the more he mislikes her. And again he saith, that an hypocrite is like a Wolf clothed in a sheep's skin, 
Super Mat. 7.  but that he is found out by his voice and by his doing; for the sheep bleats, and looks toward the earth, and eateth grass, which is a sign of humility: but the Wolf howls and looks towards heaven, which is a sign of pride and cruelty: the hypocrite hath jacobs' voice, but the hands of Esau, that is, he talketh religiously and zealously, but he walks impiously and profanely; the hypocrite is like the statues of Mercury, that were wont to be set in high ways to direct travellers to some City or Town, but did not travel nor move themselves: the 
Hypocrisy hath many woes denounced against it,  hypocrite is like the Stage-player, that when he cried, O heaven! he pointed with his finger to the earth, when he cried, O earth! he pointed with his finger to Heaven; and therefore the wise Polemon gave him no reward, being judge of the Actors, saying, Hic manu Solaecismum fecit, he hath spoken false Language, and committed an error with his hand. And to conclude, the hypocrite is like a deaf and hollow Nut, which hath no kernel within, but is wasted with the worm, and fit for nothing but the fire.  
Hereupon it came to pass, that Christ dealt not so hardly with any sinners, no not with Atheists that denied the Resurrection, and God's power; nor with Temporizers, that are always of the same Religion that the company is: that can blow hot and cold with one breath, as with hypocrites: for having to deal with Sadduces, he shaketh them off, as damned creatures, as vessels of destruction, children of wrath, whose judgement was just, and their damnation slept not: he telleth them, that they erred; Ye err (saith he) not knowing the Scriptures, neither 
Mat. 22. 29.  the power of God: but when he hath to do with Pharisees, with Hypocrites, he doubleth and redoubleth, and tripleth, and multiplieth woes and curses; he thundereth like james and john; his zeal stayeth not with a little. O woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, ye Hypocrites, and so the second, the third, the fourth, the fift, the sixth time, Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, ye Hypocrites: as though all the woes and curses in this life, and in the life to come, were not enough for them.  
And it is not to be forgotten, that God calleth it blasphemy, to speak one thing, and to do another; with man, it is hypocrisy, but to do so with God, it is blasphemy; the sin increaseth, as the dignity of the person increaseth: as for example; speak a word against a common person, and he hath but his action of the Case against thee, speak against a noble man, it is Scandalum Magnatum; against the Prince, it is death; against God, it is damnation of body and soul: double and dissemble with men, it is hypocrisy; halt with God, counterfeit with him, it is blasphemy. Therefore saith Christ to the Church of Smyrna, I know the blasphemy of them which say they are 
Apoc. 2. 19  jews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.  
And it is further to be observed, that Christ speaketh of hypocrites, as if Hell were only prepared for them: for entreating of the evil servant, that said in his heart, My master will defer his 
Mat. 24. 51.  coming; he saith, that he will cut that servant in pieces, and give him his portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Christ our Saviour asketh them, how they shall escape Hell? O ye Serpents and generation of Vipers, how shall ye escape 
Mat. 23. 33.  the damnation to come? And to show the certainty of their damnation (besides this interrogation, how shall ye escape the damnation to come? As if he should say, It cannot be, but ye must 
Hypocrites make a show of Religion, being irreligious.  be damned: For the interrogation implieth an affirmation.) He saith of the wicked, that They shall have their portion with Hypocrites: to show, that the condemnation of hypocrites is most surely sealed. And this aggravated the sin of Corazin, and Bethsaida, and 
Mat. 24. 51.  Capernaum; that they pretended Religion, but in painted boxes they did hide deadly poisons, in beautiful sepulchres, rotten bones; and under jezabels' painted face, a whore's behaviour. Woe (therefore) to thee, Corazin, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if so be, the miracles, 
Mat. 11. 21, 23.  that had been done in thee, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they bade repent long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And thou Capernaum which art lifted up on high, shalt be brought dowue to hell. And verily of all sinners, the hypocrite is the worst; he is ovis habitis, vulpis actu, crudelitatelupus; 
Eern.  a sheep in show, a fox in deed, and a wolf in cruelty, for an hypocrite hath vulpem in cerebro, a Fox in his brain, milvum in manu, a kite in his hand, & lupum in cord, and a wolf in his heart: a fox in his brain, subtle and crafty to ensnare; he hath a kite in his fist, to hold fast; and when he hath caught hold, he hath a wolf in his heart to devour: and therefore saith our Saviour Christ, Beware of false prophets which come to 
Mat. 7. 16.  you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening woolves: beware of them, they are like Swans, that have white feathers, & black flesh; and one thinks, the Swan was forbidden to be eaten of the jews, to show, that God abhors all hypocrisy. But in that he compareth hypocrites to clouds, that have no rain in them; to trees, that have no fruit; to stars, that have no light: and some others do compare them to the rainbow, that hath many colours, and yet never a colour; to broken glasses, that have many faces, and yet never a face; to Copper, that resembleth gold, and is nothing less. We have to note, that none make greater shows of sanctity, and holiness, than hypocrites: as dry clouds make shows of rain, corrupt trees, a show of fruit, wand'ring stars, of light: so they of religion. They have a show of holiness (saith the Apostle) but inwardly they deny the power of it: outwardly 
2 Tim. 3. 5.  they profess to know God, but inwardly in their works they do deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unto every good 
Tit. 1. 16. Mat. 7. 21.  work reprobate: They cry, Lord, Lord, but they do not the will of the Lord; they say, The Lord liveth, yet they swear to deceive.  
Herod will make a great brag of loving and worshipping of Christ; Go your ways, and search diligently for the Child, and when ye 
Mat. 2.  have found him, bring me word that I may come and worship him. jezabel will proclaim a solemn feast; the Herodians will speak 
1 Reg. 21. 9  Christ fair, Good master, thou art true, and teachest the way of God truly. The adversaries of judah and Benjamin will pretend to worship God: we will build with you; we will sacrifice with you: Simon 
Mat. 22.  Magus will offer money to the Apostles, that on whomsoever he 
God will reward the hypocrite as he is, not as he showeth.  lay his hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost; and Saul will say, that he hath done all that God commandeth; and judas will come to Christ with a kiss, and say, Hail Master. But Herod's purpose was to kill Christ; jezabels', to get away Naboths' 
Act. 8. 1 Sam. 13. Mat. 26.  vineyard; the Herodians drift was to tempt and entrap Christ; the adversaries of juda & Benjamin, to hinder the work of God, to spy out their liberty; Simon Magus, to make gain of the Holy Ghost; judas to betray Christ: for none will weep faster than the Crocodile, and as did Ishmael; none will give a fairer 
jer. 41. 6. 2. Cor. 11.  kiss, than a judas; and no Devil is so dangerous as the white Devil, as he that changeth himself into an Angel of light: but such trees without fruit, such wells without water, such clouds without rain, such lamps without oil, such stars without light, such ears without corn, such lamps without oil, as they live not the life of the righteous, so shall they not dye the death of the righteous.  
Therefore, brethren, let us not be like silver, white in show, and yet makes black strikes and lines; nor like the Vintner, that delivers good wine to his guests, and drinks the lees himself: For though we can talk holily and speak religiously, yet Not 
Mat. 7. 21.  every one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of God which is in Heaven. It was wittily observed of one, that God in forming man, first frames the heart, but the Painter in portraying a man, first deciphers the face: so the hypocrite, he is all in show, nothing in heart, his heart is with Venus or Bacchus, or Mammon; his face, his countenance only with God. It is written of the fox, that he feigns himself dead, when he comes among birds or poultry; but when he sees them come near unto him, he suddenly preys on them: So the hypocrite as one dead unto the world, and a man mortified, converseth amongst the harmless, until he getteth some occasion of calumniating, biting, and devouring: this is john Baptists generation of Vipers, that inwardly nourish poison, 
Mat. 3. 7.  but outwardly hisse forth a kind of zeal. Solomon speaketh of a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed 
Pro. 30. 12.  from their filthiness: these are the generation of hypocrites, they profess well, and make a show of religion, but express it not: like the figtree, that bare leaves, but no fruit. The profession 
Mar. 11.  of many is as the travel of the mountains; we have two faces with janus; one to look forward, another to look backward: we have two hands with joab; one to embrace withal, another 
2 Sam. 3.  to stab withal: we have two tongues with judas, one to salute Christ, another to betray Christ: we have two hearts with Israel; 
Mat. 25. Psal. 78.  one for God, another for the world. The frog Borax hath two livers; one for meat, another for poison. The Arrians had two faiths; one for the truth and Nicene Council, another for the 
Many Christians in show, few in deed & truth.  time; they had fidem annuam, ac fidem menstruam, a yearly faith & a monthly faith. The Israelites cried, Hail King Solomon, hail King Adonia. Apuleius Parrot said, Ave Auguste Imperator; Ave Antoni; hail Augustus the Emperor, hail Anthony. And many hypocrites 
1 Reg. 1.  have said, Hail Marry, & Hail Elizabeth: and to gain the world, we would say, Ave Papa, Hail Pope, Ave Turca, Hail Turk, hail Devil. We make profession of any religion under heaven: In Egypt all the dust was turned into louse, all the waters into blood; and in England not all, but most religion is turned into 
Exod. 7.  hypocrisy. We can say, The Lord liveth, yet we swear to deceive. Coelum aedificamus voce, vita autem Infernum, We build heaven with our voice, but hell with our life; we are Angels in words, but Devils in deeds: like the Peacock, we are Angels for our feathers, Devils for our feet, and Hell for our voice.  
Augustine would not have the Churches of Africa excommunicated for drunkenness, for then no professor had been left in Africa: and if all hypocrites, temporizers, and formalists in England were excommunicated, few, or no Professors would be left in England. The good man, the sincere professor should then have just cause to cry out with the Prophet, Woe is me, for I am as the summer gathering, and as the grapes of the vintage, there is no cluster to eat, 
Mich. 7. 1.  my soul desired the first ripe fruits. There be many stars in heaven, but few give light as the Sun and Moon do; many many birds in the air, but few Phoenix's as in Arabia; many stones in the earth, but few precious stones as the Diamond; many trees in a forest, yet few Cedars as in Libanus; many Israelites, but few true Israelites like Nathaniel, who had no guile. Rara avis in terris, nigró que simillima Cygno, A rare bird, and comparable to a black 
john 1. 47.  Swan. Hypocrisy in a Christian, is as rottenness in an apple; For as rottenness begins at the heart of the apple, so doth hypocrisy begin at the heart of a Christian; and as rottenness corrupteth the favour, the odour, the colour, the vigour of the whole apple; so doth hypocrisy the soul of a man; it taketh from it the dignity of grace, the odour of a good name, and all goodness whatsoever: For as rottenness mars the apple, so doth hypocrisy the Christian. Foris Cato, intus Nero; a Cato without, and a Nero within, is monstrous. One saith, Canis mortuus minùs faetet in naribus hominum, quàm anima dissimulans coram Deo & Angelis, A dead dog savoureth less in our noses, than a dissembling soul, an hypocrite doth in Gods; and therefore Let death seize upon them, let them go down quick into the grave, for wickedness is in 
Psal. 55. 15.  their dwellings, even in the midst of them.  
But in that he compareth us to trees, it is to teach us, that God will come, & take an account of our fruit. A grievous day it will be, when he shall say to these hypocritical professors, Where is prayer, knowledge, godly conference, meditation, instruction of your families, education of your children, love of religion, 
The greater part of Christians hypocrites.  zeal of my glory? When he shall say, Why stand these vineyards, and yield no grapes? why hangeth this ivy-bush here, and there is no wine? why stand these trees, and yield no fruit? what do these stars in heaven, and yield no light? why do these husbandmen occupy my farm, and pay no rent? He will command the clouds to rain no rain upon these vineyards; he will 
Esa. 5. 7. Luk. 13.  cut down these trees and burn them; he will destroy these husbandmen, & let out his vineyard to other husbandmen; which shall deliver him the fruits in their seasons. When God shall ask for fruits, we may say, as the woman said of her accusers, Lord they are gone; either we never had any, or else they are lost; 
Mat. 21. 41.  either our breasts never had milk, or else like dry nurses we have lost our milk; either our candles never had light, or else are out; 
john. 8. 1 Pet. 2. Hebr. 12.  either we never had any birthright, or else with Esau we have sold our birthright; either we never had zeal, or else it is quenched, like the fire on the Altar in the babylonical captivity. We hear the word, we communicate: but where is private prayer? private conference? private meditation? private instruction of our families? We profess Religion, we come to the Church, we hear the Word for show only, for fashion only, of custom, not of conscience. Dagon of the Philistines, and the Ark of God is all one to us; the temple of Solomon, and the temple of Rimmon is all one; the service of God, and the worship of Diana is all one. Zion and Samaria, jerusalem, and jerico: the Gospeland the Mass, to us are both alike.  
Satan may say to us, as he did unto the Monk who had his portise in one hand, and his harlot in the other, Parùm refert, atraque enim via ducit ad interitum; it is no matter, both ways lead to hell, and to destruction: so it is not matter whether we profess the Gospel, or not, so long as we profess it so coldly, and so carnally; so hypocritically, & so dissemblingly; both are naught, both damnable: Our carnal gospelling, first took King Edward from us; then Queen Elizabeth from us; then King james; I pray God, at the last it take not the Gospel from us, and our Sovereign from us.  
It is monstrous for trees to stand seven and seven years, yea forty, fifty, nay sixty years and more, and to yield no fruit. For us to live long in the Church, and to do no good. Divide the world into an hundred parts, scarce one is Christendom: and that one divide into ten, and scarce one is sincere, void of hypocrisy. Oh remember that ye are washed with the water of Baptism, that ye have God for your Father, the Church for your mother; that ye have been fed with the milk of the Gospel, instructed in the Word of God, fed with the bread of Angels, with sacramental bread, and will ye yet live like Ethnics, like Pagans, like Turks, like infidels; and like hypocrites? yet most men so live: For what forbidden fruit will they not eat 
judgements denounced against hypocrisy.  with Adam? What Babylonish garment will they not take with Achan? What usury with Zacheus? and what Naboths' vineyard will they not covet with Ahab? what sin is there, which they can commit, but they have committed? they be trees indeed, but bad trees, without fruit; and therefore two things hath God prepared for them, a sharp axe, and a quick fire: For every tree 
Mat. 3.  that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewed down and cast into the fire.  
And Saint jude tells us, that these trees be twice dead, and plucked up by the roots: dead in work and deed, and inword; dead tam in ramis bonorum operum, aswell in the boughs of good works, quàm in radicibus fidei, as in the roots of faith, twice dead, because according to the flesh they be most corrupt, and according to the soul most perverse, twice dead, dead to God, dead unto the world; both in this world, and in the world to come. Augustine maketh three deaths; the death of the soul, the death of the body, the death of both body and soul, called the second death: the first death is here meant.  
But to draw unto a Conclusion: If hypocrisy be a sin so odious, and seeing that hypocrites be as clouds without rain, as stars without light, as trees without fruit, and shall be sharply 
Apoc. 20. 1.  punished, and pulled up by the roots: Let us steadfastly cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart, and let us abandon hypocrisy, that we may please the Lord, and let us reject dissimulation, that we may be blessed, and let us not presume to carry the name of Christ without sincerity and godliness of conversation.   

THE FOUR AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XIII. 
To whom is reserved, blackness of darkness for ever. 
Hell torments set out by diverse names.   
YE heard before of their sins, as namely of their Epicurism, in that they did eat and drink without fear, feeding themselves; then of their pride, in that they were like the waves of the sea, swelling high; lastly, of their hypocrisy, in that they were as clouds, that promise rain, and had nothing but dryness in them; in that they were as trees that promise fruit, and yet they had nothing but leaves.  
And now in these words he cometh to their punishment, and their punishment is, that blackness of darkness is reserved for them for evermote. Whereby he meaneth Hell fire, Hell pains: For there the Sun never shineth, the Moon and Stars never give light.  
Hell is diversely called by the holy Ghost, who taketh great pains in this matter, and all to drive us from sin and wickedness. He calleth Hell:  
A place for devils. 
Mat. 25. Mat. 18. 8. Mark 9 2 Thes. 1. 8. Psal. 11.   

Unquenchable fire.  
A worm that ever gnaweth.  
Flaming fire.  
Fire and brimstone.  
A river of hot brimstone.  

All sufferings here but shadows, and beginning of sorrows.  A Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.  
A second death.  
The winepress of God's wrath.  
Damnation of body and soul.  

Esa. 30. Apoc. 19 20. Apoc. 20. Apoc. 14. 19 Mat. 10. 2. 9 Cap. 22. 13.  Utter darkness.   
And here in this my text, Blackness of darkness for evermore: yet all these do but shadow out the matter, they cannot paint it lively: Tophte and Gehinnon shadowed out hell, there they sacrificed their children to Moloch, in hot brass, & had a noise of instruments to darken the cry of their children. Christ alludeth unto it in the word, Gehenna. 
jer. 19 4, 5. Mat. 5. 2.   
But as all the joys of the elect here are but earnest pennies, and first-fruits of heaven; for here is but the seedtime, there is the harvest; There is fullness of joy and pleasure for evermore: so all 
Psal. 16. 11.  the pains and torments that the wicked suffer here, they are but moll-hilles to mountains, as a spark, to the fire, as a drop of water, to the main Ocean, nothing in respect of that which they shall feel there: all the pains of Achitophel, Saul, judas, Francis Spira, are nothing to their pains now.  
Christ having reckoned up many plagues; as how that nation shall rise up against nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom, 
Luke 21. 10, 11, 25, 26.  and great earth quakes shall be in diverse places, and hunger, and pestilence, and fearful things; and great signs shall there be from heaven in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, and upon the earth, trouble among the nations with perplexity: For men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things, that shall come on the world: at last, he addeth: Initium dolorum haec; these are but the beginnings of sorrow: as if he should have said, All these things are but smoke in respect of the terrible fire ensuing; as a muster of soldiers, before the terrible bloody battle. What will the end be, if the beginning be so grievous? If his little finger be so heavy, what will be the weight of his loins? He beateth us on earth with whips, but he will beat us in hell with Scorpions, as Rehoboam said of the ten tribes. The torments invented by tyrants, and inflicted upon the Saints and servants of God, have been most hideous and fearful; as the teeth of wild beasts, hot glowing Ovens and Furnaces, caldrons of boiling oil, fiery brazen bulls, powning to death in mortars, rolling in barrels of nails, roasting upon spits, boaring with angers, parting the nails, and fingers ends with Needles, nipping the flesh with pinsers, racking and rending asunder the joints with wild horses; no pity, no remorse taken, whilst there was either flesh or blood, or sinew, or bone: but the torments of Hell are greater, the mourning of Hannah, the grief of job, the sorrow of David, the lamentations of jeremy, the bitter smart of jerusalem were great, as much as mortality could bear, yet all nothing to the mournings, grief, 
The torments of Hell opposed to the joys of Heaven.  sorrows, and lamentations of the wicked in Hell. If all griefs and woes, and as many beside as ever wrung and wrested the spirit and heart of man, since the breath of life was breathed into him, were put together, to part the torments of Hell among them part after part, as if they would empty the storehouses, and break the stream of it, yet hath the hand of Hell an unmeasurable portion behind, to distribute to her children, an endless patrimony of howling and wring and gnashing; which all the foreprized griefs and torments of this life, have scarce been shadows and counterfeits of: all the pains in the World are nothing to the pains of Hell: therefore saith our Saviour, If thy hand and thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt and maimed, than having two hands, and two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire, Mat. 18. 8.  
Again, as two contraries set together, the one doth set out the other, as black being set by white, seemeth the blacker, and gall set by honey, seemeth the bitterer; for contrariorum contraria est ratio; therefore whatsoever can be said of the joys of Heaven, may be said of the pains of Hell. Well of the one Paul saith, The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, the heart of man cannot comprehend nor contain the great joys of Heaven, 1. Cor. 2. 9 then of the other side it may be said of the pains of Hell, that the eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, nor the heart cannot conceive the pains of Hell. O brethren, if all the trees and plants in the World were pens, all the Earth paper, all the water of the Sea Ink, and all creatures in Heaven and Earth, Penmen, yet are they not able to set out the pains of Hell: No, if a man had the learning of Moses, the understanding of Esay, the zeal of Elias, the thundering tongue of james and john, the eloquence of Apollo, yet they cannot give thee a shadow of the torments of Hell.  
Again, as touching Heaven, it is said of the faithful, But ye 
Heb. 12. 22. 23.  are come to Mount Zion, to the City of the living God, to the colestiall jerusalem, to the company of innumerable Angels, and to the Congregation of the first borne, which are written in Heaven; and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just and perfect men: but the wicked come to mount Ebal, where the six Tribes cursed; to the valley of Anchor, they come not to the celestial, but the infernal jerusalem, etc. not to the company of innumerable Angels, but to a company of innumerable Devils; not to the spirits of perfect and just men, but to the damned spirits of wicked and vile men; not to jesus the Mediator of the New testament, but unto Belzebub, the Prince of darkness.  
Again, as touching the elect, Augustine saith, they shall have joy every way; joy within, & joy without, joy beneath, and joy above, and joy round about them: joy within, for they shall have 
The damned tormented in all parts in hell.  peace of conscience; joy without, for they shall have the fellowship of God and Angels; joy above, from the sight of God; joy beneath, from the beauty of the World: For there shall be a new Heaven, and a new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness: and joy round about them, for they shall see all the delights that may be. God shall be a glass to their eyes; music to their ears; a jubilee to their hearts: yea God shall be unto them all in all, as 1. Cor. 15. Is it thus with Gods elect? then the damned shall have sorrow within, and sorrow without, sorrow above, and sorrow benath, and sorrow round about them, sorrow within, from the worm of their conscience; sorrow without, by means of the accusation of the Devils; sorrow above, for the angry judge; sorrow beneath, for the gaping gulf of hell, fire ready to swallow them up; and sorrow round about them, for the world burning: For à dextris erunt peccata accusantia; à sinistris, infinita daemonia; subtùs, horrendum Chaos inferni; desuper, judex iratus: foris, mundus arden's; intus, conscientia urens: Anselmus. Think thou seest all this: go a little out of thyself, and meditate a little of these sorrows: think upon Cain, Achitophel, judas, etc. think thou seest their eyes distil like fountains, their teeth clatter like armed men, their minds contemplating endless misery, their memories recounting their damnable iniquities, their eyes beholding Legions of unclean spirits, their ears hearing the roar of fiends; their noses smelling Sulphur and brimstone, their hands catching nothing but flames of fire; think a little of this: nay think continually of this: For so Chrysostome would have us, in all our meetings to speak of nothing but of hell, of this blackness of darkness: that so by a Christian course of life, we may avoid it: for the pain of the damned is so great, as a man would not undergo it an hour, for ten thousand worlds, and the damned would give ten thousand worlds, if it were in them for to give, for one hours' release of these torments.  
But to follow this a little further; If Christ suffering for the sins of the world, felt such an extremity of torment, that he was like water poured out, that all his bones were out of joint, that his heart was as melting wax, that his strength was dried up like a potsherd, and that his tongue did cleave to his jaws, Psal. 22. 14, 15.  
Again, if his torment was such, as that he did not sweat water only, but water and blood, and was in such an Agony, that an Angel from heaven was sent to comfort him, Luk. 23. If his tears and sorrows were such, that there was but one word between him and desperation, crying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat. 27. 46. then what are the pains of the damned? O brethren, the pains of hell are the whole weight of God's wrath: If the weight of God's finger be so great when he striketh us with colics, with gowtes, with pleurisies, with Apoplexies, 
There be all torments in hell, of all sorts of all parts.  etc. O what is the weight of his whole hand? If his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, it taketh on like the fire, and maketh the hard rocks cleave asunder at the sound of it: what will it do then, when it is kindled totally? There be many plagues and torments in this life, which make a man to wish with job, that his mother's womb had been his grave, job. 3. Now if a little grief be so great in this life, what shall be their grief, when the streams of God's wrath shall fall upon them?  
How fearful have God's judgements been against sin in this life? How grievous was the burning of Sodom? Gen. 19 how fearful the swallowing up of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram? Numb. 16. how lamentable the destruction of jerusalem? What a grievous sight was the burning of this town? How fearful are those plagues, that God menaceth, Levit. 26. Deuter. 28. If God's judgements against sin in this life be so grievous, how grievous will his judgements be in the life and world to come; when the wicked shall lie in hell like sheep, and death shall devour them? Again, to see the justice of God against 
Apoc. 9  sin, gather it by this argument: as men that use to take the length of one arm by another, look how great the mercy of God is, so is his justice, great in pardoning, great in punishing. If in this life the punishment of God be so grievous, what will they be in the life to come? For here, justice is mixed with mercy; what shall it be, when there shall be judgement without mercy? jam. 3.  
The Schoolmen affirm, that in hell there is Ignis ardoris, foetoris & terroris: ardoris, as in mount Aetna; foetoris, as in mount Egla; terroris, as in America, and in India: and certainly all those are in hell: Tophet is prepared of old, it is prepared for the King, it is made large and deep, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of 
Esa. 30. 33.  the Lord is a river of brimstone to kindle it.  
Another Schooleman speaking of these torments, saith, that there is first bonds, Take him, (saith the Gospel) bind him hand and foot, Luk. 12. Secondly, there is darkness, cast him into utter darkness, Mat. 22. Thirdly, intolerable heat, and stinch, and therefore it is called a lake burning with fire and brimstone, Apoc. 19 Fourthly, sequestration from God's presence, Go ye cursed into everlasting hell fire, Mat. 25. Fifthly, Thirst, Father Abraham, send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool, etc. Luk. 16. Sixthly, vision of Devils, Mat. 25. Seventhly, the howling of the damned. Eighthly, deprivation of all heavenly joys: and at last he concludeth, that there be all torments in hell. For as the Painter being unable to set out the sorrows of Niobe, was enforced to wrap up her head in a clout; So this Schooleman being unable to set out the torments of hell; he is fain to wrap up his speech with all torments: There be all torments in hell.  
Other Schoolmen do distinguish the pains of Hell; and 
Pains in hell double, Poena damni, poena sensus.  they say there is Poena sensus, & poena damni, of this pain of sense, Gregory speaketh thus; Vae illis, quibus paratus est ignis inextinguibilis, dolour intolerabilis, foetor incomparabilis, timor horribilis; ubi nil audietur, nisi fletus & luctus, nil videbitur, nisi animae damnatae, & daemons; nil odorabitur, nisi sulphur & foetor, nil sentietur, nisi ardour & ignis: habebunt damnati in oculis lachrymas; in auribus rugitus, in dentibus stridorem, in naribus, foetorem; in ore eiulatum, in cord dolerem ineffabilem in omnibus membris, ignis ardorem: Woe unto them for whom is prepared unquenchable fire, pain intolerable, stinch incomparable, and horrible fear: where nothing shall be heard but weeping and wailing: nothing shall be seen but damned souls and Devils; nothing shall be smelled but a sulphurous stench, nothing shall be felt but burning and fire: the damned shall have tears in their eyes, roaring in their ears, gnashing in their teeth, stench in their nostrils, howl in their mouths, unspeakable grief in their hearts, in all their members the burning of fire: this is the pain of sense, that the damned shall feel: The pain of loss is, they shall never see the face of God; but they shall be punished with eternal perdition, from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power, 2. Thess. 1. 9 If Absalon thought it such a grief to want his father's presence, and not to see his face, 2. Sam. 14. what grief will it be to the wicked, to want the presence of God, and not to see his face, in the sight of whom, is the knowledge of all things 1 Cor. 13. Augustine saith, Mala inferni dicere, aut cogitare, ut sint, nemo potest, priora sunt quippt, quàm cogitentur. No man can tell or imagine the miseries of hell as they, for they are worse than may be conceived. O brethren, let us therefore fear hell, before we feel hell: For hell is a lake without bottom; broad without measure; deep without sounding; full of incomparable burning; intolerable stinch, and unspeakable sorrow, quoth Hugo. If the thief fear the Assize day, and moment any pains, how ought we to fear eternal torments, so exactly noted by Christ? Ter uno oris halitu, thrice with one breath, saying, If thy hand cause thee to offend, cut it off; it is better 
Mar. 9 43, 44, 45.  for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into Hell: into the fire that never shall be quenched, where the worm dyeth not, and the fire goeth not out. Likewise if thy foot cause thee to offend, cut it off: it is better for thee to go halt into life, than having two feet, to be cast into hell; into the fire, that never shall be quenched, where the worm dyeth not, and the fire never goeth out. If thy eye cause thee to offend, pluck it out, it is better for thee to go into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into Hell fire: where the worm dyeth not, and the fire goeth not out. Common fire is quenched with water; wild fire with vinegar and milk: Hell fire cannot be quenched.  
Let us therefore fear hell, before we feel hell. All creatures fear that which may hurt them, Elephas timet murem, Leo ignem, 
Fear of hell torments should work repentance.  Lupus lapidem, ceruus canem; columb a accipitrem, canis baculum; ovis lupum, avis laqueum, piscis hamum, latro patibulum; An Elephant fears the mouse, a Lion fire, the Wolf a stone, the Hart a dog, the Pigeon an Hawk, the Dog a cudgel, the Sheep a Wolf, a Bird the net, a Fish the hook, a thief the Gallows: and shall not we fear hell? but many neither fear nor believe there is a hell.  
Heu viwnt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur,  
Et velut infernus, fabula vana foret.  
Men live now as though no death should follow, and hell were but a tale. We lie down in sin, we sleep in sin, we rest in sin, we live in sin, and we dye in sin: for what sin is there, that we could have committed, but we have committed? What Bethsabe have we not defiled with David? what forbidden fruit have we not eaten with Adam? What Babylonish garment have we not stolen with Achan? what usury have we not taken with Zachee? what vineyard have we not coveted with Ahab? If a man were at a table of dainties, and his friend, his dear friend should say unto him, Eat nothing, Touch nothing, Meddle with nothing, there is poison in these delicates: he would not taste, nor touch them, nor meddle with them; yet in sin there is poison, there is mors in olla; and yet we will venture upon it. Hell and damnation, and blackness of darkness, which is the reward of sin, cannot make us leave sin, and cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit. And though we hear, that the pains of hell be intolerable, and that a man may say of them, as Aeneas said in another case; Non mihi si linguae centum sint, or àque centum, etc. Had I an hundred tongues, & mouths to hold them, & a mouth of iron, yet can I not uphold them. We hear this all of us, but we know not how long we shall hear it. Many that heard this since this day twelvemonth, yea since this day month, are gone to give an account of their life, either to God, or to the Devil, where their state is unchangeable. We use to say, that he that dieth this year, is excused for the next. But away with this vile proverb; for he that dieth this year, and not in the Lord, is excused never, but dieth for ever: for there is a second death. Death is fourfold; there is a death in sin; a death unto sin; a death of the body; and a death of body and soul. As the judge telleth the prisoner, You shall go from hence to the place of execution, and there hang till you be dead: So God saith unto the wicked, You shall go from hence to the place from whence ye came: that is, to the earth, and from thence to the place of execution in hell, and there thou shalt hang in torments intolerable and perpetual, prepared for the Devil and his angels. Fear and terror shall be dealt for thy dole, and the curses of the people shall follow thee to thy grave; and brimstone shall be scattered upon thy habitations, thy root 
Nothing so hard as the impenitent heart.  shall be dried up beneath, and above, thy branch shall be cut down; thy remembrante shall perish from the earth, and thou shalt have no name in the streets, etc. Thou shalt not departed out of this place of hell; till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing, that is, thou shalt never be 
job 18. 14, 15. Mat. 5. 25.  delivered from thence. O brethren, mark this doctrine, and fear hell, that I may say of this town, as Christ said to Zachees house, Salvation is happened unto it. For hell is as the Lion's den, O mnia adversum spectantia, nulla retrorsum, there is an ingress, but no egress. Facilis est descensus Averni, the descent into hell is easy; we go to hell as a bowl runneth down the hill. What hearts have we then of flesh, or of flint, of folly, or of madness, that this moveth us not? O caeci ad videndum propriam miseriam! o ignari, ad intelligendum proprium damnum! o corda Adamante duriora, quae non contremiscunt audire haec! O blind men, that cannot see their own misery! o ignorant men, that cannot understand their own danger! o hearts, harder than the Adamant, that cannot tremble to hear these things!  
Granatensis said, Nil tam durum, quàm cor hominis, nothing so hard as a man's heart: Omnia dura metalla igne liquescunt, all hard metals are softened with fire; the iron is dissolved in the furnace; the Adamant broken with the blood of a Goat; the congealed ice and snow melted with the Sun; the hard marble pierced with drops, the hard rocks rend asunder with strokes: At cor humanum durius petra, durius ferro; durius Adamant: but the heart of man is harder than the rock, harder than the iron, harder than the Adamant: nec amor Deite mollat, neither can the love of God mollify thee, nec sanguis Christi te frangat, nor the blood of Christ break thee; nec ignis inferni te moveat, nor the fire of hell move thee: For vile men savour nothing, either of the joys of heaven, or pains of hell: they are as men without taste, whose palates are corrupted with humours, that they are not able to discern between honey and gall; they neither savour Gods threatenings of wrath, nor promises of grace; they will still draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin like cartropes.  
But to follow this matter of hell and of the torments thereof a little more fully: As the pains of hell be unutterable: For all the tortures and torments of the world are but flea-bite to the torments of hell: so are they everlasting, they abide not for a day, a week, a month, a year, but for ever. Hell is like the stone in Arcadia, called Abestos, which being set on fire, never goeth out; facilis est descensus adinfernum, difficile revertere gradum; It is an easy matter to descend into hell, but not easy to return back.  
To all men in misery, there is hope, that once they shall have an end; the mariner comforteth himself with arrival; the soldier, with hope of victory; the prisoner, with a gaoledelivery; the apprentice with freedom; but in hell, nulla res, nulla spes, there is no end of that misery: the captivity of Hell is not like the 
Hell torments everlasting.  captivity of Israel in Egypt, which lasted four hundred and thirty years, Exod. 12. 40. nor like the captivity of Babylon, which continued seventy years, but the captivity of Hell is like the captivity of Israel in Syria; they never returned again: So in hell there is no redemption. The greatest cross that can be laid upon man in this life, is to be cast into perpetual prison, to lose lands and goods, and want the company of our wives and children, and other our friends that love us; but yet in this case we always live in hope of liberty, and release of our punishment; or if our hope be vain, yet God will stir up the hearts of strangers to visit us, to pity us, to comfort and relieve us, some with meat, some with money, some with cloth, some with counsel; every man as he is able, and hath compassion and feeling of our estate: but out of hell there is no redemption, no hope of pains to be ever ended or eased, no frineds to pity us, to see us, to speak with us, or to comfort us. If a barn were full of corn, and a bird once every year should carry away one kernel thereof, at last it would be all gone; If a mountain twenty miles about had taken from it once every year a shovel full, at last it would be all consumed; but it would be long first, yet at last there would be an end; but in hell there is no end: those torments are everlasting; the days of the hellish torments of the damned shall never wear out, nor their years come to an end: the longer they continue, the less hope they have; when as many years are expired, as there be men in the world, and stars in the heavens; when as many thousand years are ended as there be stones, and sands by the seashore, yet still there be ten hundred thousand times so many more to come; the miseries of the wicked shall last as long as God shall live, & that is ever. For he is Alpha and Omega, Apoc. 1. The covenant of the day and night shall one day be changed, the stars shall finish their race, the Elements melt with heat, heaven and earth be renewed, summer and winter have an end, but the plagues of the prisoners in hell shall never be released. For in hell, as Gregory saith, there is Mors sine morte, finis sine fine, an end not ending, a death not dying, unquenchable fire, yet a darkness therewithal to accompany it, more palpable than the frogs of Egypt, and blacker than blackness itself; everlasting, burning, but not consuming: For the damned, quoth Greg. suffer an end without an end, a death without a death, a decay without a decay: for their death ever liveth, their end always beginneth, their decay never ceaseth; they are ever healed, to be new wounded; and are always repaired, to be new devoured: they are ever dying, and never dead, eternally broiled, and never burnt up. For the fire of Hell differeth from our fire in many properties: First, in Heat, for our fire compared to hell fire, is but as fire painted upon a wall, yet is it a painful thing 
Hell fire compared with elementary and ordinary fire.  for a man to hold his finger in the fire an hour, the smart is so grievous, but it is more painful to hold his hand in the fire an hour, and yet more painful to hold his whole arm; but yet more painful to hold his whole body: O how great will it be, to have our bodies and souls tormented in the flames of Hell fire? all the tongues of men and Angels cannot express the grief and smart thereof.  
Secondly, the fire of Hell differeth from our fire, in continuance: for our fire may be quenched, hellfire cannot: For the breath of the Lord is as a river of brimstone to kindle it. And therefore so long as the Lord breatheth, that is, liveth, so long that fire burneth, and that is ever: therefore it is called everlasting hellfire, Mat. 25. If any man ask, how that fire can be everlasting, cum sit corruptibile elementum; ye shall understand, that this fire is not nourished and continued with wood, and other matter, sed sola Dei voluntate, it is the will of God, that it should ever burn: and therefore it burneth everlastingly. Aug. lib. 21. de Civitate Dei, proveth it by the examples of the mountains of Sicilia, which have ever burned since the beginning of the world, and yet do burn, and are not consumed.  
Finely saith a Schooleman, Lacus inferni tali igne repletus est, ut si totum mare in eo influeret, non extingueretur: infoelix anima, quae tanto & tam diuturno igne cruciatur: The infernal lake is filled with such fire, that if the whole sea should overflow it, it would not put it out: unhappy soul, the which is tormented with such and so lasting fire.  
Thirdly, the fire of hell differeth from our fire in light; for our fire yields light, hell fire nothing but darkness, and therefore hell is called darkness; Blackness of darkness; and blackness of darkness for evermore. Take him, saith the Gospel, bind him hand and foot, Mat. 22. What? no more but so? I lictor, liga manus, Go Sergeant, bind his hands? yes; cast him into utter darkness; outward to those inward, wherein they delighted before, blindness of mind and understanding; outward because the whole man, body and soul, shall be folded and comprehended therein; outward, because in extremity without any limits, and borders of any favour of God, to be extended; where neither the light of Sun, Moon, and Stars, and much less the sight of God's glorious face shall ever shine. Isidore saith, Ignis Gehennae lucebit miseris, ad miseriae augmentum, ut videant unde doleant; non ad consolationem, ut videant, unde gaudeant: Hell fire gives light to the damned soul, to increase their misery, that they may see wherefore to grieve; not for their comfort, that they might see any cause to rejoice for.  
Fourthly, our fire differeth from hell fire in consuming: for our fire consumeth all that is put into it, but hell fire consumeth nothing. Semper comburentur, nunquam consumentur, they shall 
Hell fire burn, but not consume.  always be burning, never be consumed. If any ask, How this can be, that a man shall always burn in hell, and never be consumed? I answer, that it is the nature of this fire always to burn the bodies and souls of the damned, and yet never to consume or make an end of them. Augustine saith, that God worketh strangely in his creatures; as for example, the Salamander liveth in the fire; take him out of the fire and he dieth. And there be certain creatures, that live in hot ovens and chimneys, as the crickets. Take the coals of juniper, and rake them up in the ashes of it, and they will keep fire a year. Take a Peacock, and kill it, and the flesh thereof (as Augustine saith) will remain sweet and continue without putrefaction a year. Take Chaff, and it preserveth snow, that is wrapped up in it, and melloweth fruit. Take lime, and bring it to the Sun, and it is cold, cast it into the water, and it burneth. Again, the Adamant is not broken, but by the blood of a Goat: and who can give a reason for it? There is a fountain in Epyrus, which will put out a candle if it burn, and light a candle if it be out. The horses of Cappadocia conceive with the wind. God thus worketh strangely in his creatures: why not in the fire of hell?  
Last of all, our fire differeth from hell fire in this; our fire but burns and torments the body; but hell fire torments both body and soul. Hereupon saith Christ, Fear not him that is able to kill the body, and hath no power over the soul; but fear him that is able to send both body and soul into everlasting hell fire, Mat. 10. These are the differences between our fire and hell fire: the thought of this should make our bodies to tremble, and our hearts to melt, and the hair of our head to stand upright, and to desire God to deliver us from this Lion's den: For when a man is once in, there is no getting out; the gates of hell are kept from egress, as the gates of Paradise were warded from entrance, not by Cherubins, with the blade of a sword, but by the angels of Satan, with all the instruments of death.  
judas and Cain, that have been so many thousand years in this torment, their pains are as great now, as they were at the first. The accursed glutton in the Gospel, who could speak by experience of his unspeakable discrutiations, as Aeneas could of the troubles of Troy, he would have a warning given to all his brethren in the flesh, to make men take heed of hell, and of the torments of that place; the flames and fervour whereof were such, that he craved with more streams of tears, than ever Esau sought his blessing, but one drop of water to cool his tongue with, and could not obtain it, Luk. 16. This made Bernard to cry; Paveo gehennam, paveo judicis vultum, etc. I dread Hell, I dread the judge's countenance. If Bernard thus trembled, what shall we do? Augustine, libro de anima, etc. cap. 56. saith, Omnino miseris erit mors, sine morte, defectus, sine defectu, semper tolerabunt, semper timebunt. 
judgement necessary to be denounced in time of sin.  To the damned shall be always a death without death, and a decay without decay; they shall always be in pain, and always be in fear. For they shall always be in pain, and always be in fear. For they shall be tormented without hope of pardon: Videbunt daemons, & Deum non videbunt, they shall see the Devils, and not God. There shall be the hangman always tormenting, and the worm always gnawing.  
Anger not therefore, offend not this Lion of the tribe of judah, lest he anger you, and cast you into the Devil's dungeon; Vbi progredi intolerabile, regredi impossibile: Where to go forward is intolerable, to go backward impossible.  
I have stood so much the longer upon the pains of hell, because I would awake you from the Lethargy of your sins; For I see, the world is come unto the stay, that it was in Esayes' days, Let mercy be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness, Esay. 26. Preach honour, and glory, and peace, a garland of righteousness, an uncorruptible crown, fruit of the tree of life, sight of the face of God, following the Lamb, fellowship with Angels and Saints, and the congregation of the first borne; new names, and white garments, pleasures at the right hand of God, and fullness of joy in his presence for evermore, unto the wicked; yet are they obstinately bend, and unmovably settled against the blessings of God, as Daniel against the hire of Balthasar, Keep thy reward to thyself, and give thy gifts to another, Dan. 5. And therefore because the blessing of the six Levits upon mount Gerizim, will not move them, I have made them to hear the cursing of six others upon mount Ebal: they take no pleasure in the beauty of Zion, and therefore I have feared them with the thunderings and lightnings of Sinai, and fed them with the bread of judgement, as Ezechiel calleth it. I pray God it may work effectually with them, and make them to shake off the burden of their sins, and turn unto God with unfeigned conversion.  
One other thing can I not conceal from you, as touching the wicked in hell, and that is, as they have sinned, so their pains shall be multiplied. Upon the ungodly, God shall rain snares, fire, brimstone, storm and tempest, this shall be their portion to drink, Psal. 11. 7. The Prophet useth many words, whereof e●ery one seemeth more grievous than other, to teach us, that so much the greater shall be the judgement of the damned, by how much the greater and more their sins be. For as they treasure up their sins, so God doth treasure up his wrath, Rom. 2. Not that there be many hells, or many fires in hell, but that the justice of God requireth, to measure out the grievousness of their punishment, according to the grievousness of their sins.  & ignem non dissimilem habeant, & tamen eosdem singulos dissimiliter exurat, that not having a diverse fire, yet every one to be tormented diversely in the same fire. Greg. Even as we feel in our bodies, when many stand together in the Sun, the Sun hath power of them all alike, yet do 
The more sin the damned committed, the more torment in hell.  they not feel the like heat, but some feel it hotter than other some, every man according to the complexion and constitution of his body: Even so according to the quality of his sins, shall every man receive his punishment; therefore abate your sins, that God may abate your punishment. Nay, cast away all your works of darkness, that ye may never come into the place of darkness, the Devil's dungeon; where the worm dyeth not, where the fire goeth not out, but continual weeping and gnashing of teeth, howling; yelling, and crying without ease of pain, or comfort of mind: that is, such endless misery, as the grief thereof can neither be conceived of us, nor expressed of them that feel it.   

THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XIV. XV. 
And Enoch, the seventh also from Adam, prophesied of such saying, Behold, the Lord cometh, etc. 
Antiquity with Verity bring Authority to Doctrine.   
HEre he describeth the judgement of God at large▪ which is ready to hasten, nay to full upon these Epicures, and Hypocrites, and all proud swelling men, yea, and upon all ungodly persons whatsoever. For as the power of the Lord had her day in the creation of the World, and the mercy of God, her day in redemption of man, the little World, so the justice of God must have her day in the just punishment of the unjust and wicked of the world.  
This text of judgement divides itself into four branches.  

1 That there shall be a judgement.  
2 That the Lord shall be the judge.  
3 The manner of the judgement.  
4 The end of it. To condemn all the ungodly of their evil deeds, and cruel speakings against God.   
But first, he citeth his Author, and saith, that Enoch the seventh prophesied of such men, that is, of such Epicures, of such proud swelling persons, & of such hypocrites. Enoch is named the seventh 
Though some Scripture be lost, yet it is supplied in others, and is perfect  from Adam: for Adam, Seth, Enos, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Iared lived before him, and died; only he was taken up alive into Heaven, as was Elias in a fiery chariot, Tanquam candidati resurrectionis, as the forerunners of the resurrection.  
So that note here the antiquity of the Prophecy of Enoch, which jude citeth, to purchase authority unto the doctrine; antiquity joined with verity is of great force: Quod primum, illud verum, quod posterius, illud falsum, whatsoever is first, that is true; what is later, that is false. jeremy sendeth men to the old ways, Stand in the way, saith he, and behold; ask for the old way, and walk 
jer. 6. 16.  therein, & ye shall find rest unto your souls. Christ debating a question, sendeth them to Antiquity, saying, Ab initio non fuit sic, from 
Mat. 19 8.  the beginning it was not so: Ab initio non Papae, non Cardinals, etc. from the beginning no Popes, no Cardinals, no patriarchs, etc. therefore shall they not continue for ever, sed eradicabuntur, but shall be rooted out. So reasoned the Wise man for idols, saying; 
Wisd. 14. 12. cap.  The inventing of Idols was the beginning of whoredom, and the finding of them, is the corruption of life: for they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for ever: Sed vetusta consuetudo sine veritate, vetustus 
Cypr.  error: an old custom without truth, is but an old error.  
The Papists, to warrant their traditions and unwritten verities, mightily urge the Prophecy of Enoch; but this prophecy is not counterfeit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, inscriptum quiddam, but we must know, that much Scripture is lost, which we have not; which might be when Antiochus and Maximine caused the books of the Law to be burnt. We lack many of salomon's works, who wrote of all things, from the Cedar of Lebanon, to the Hyssop on the 
1 Reg 4.  wall. In that God hath not given us the books of Nathan, of 
1 Chro. 29. 2 Chro. 9  Gad, of jado, of Shemaia, of Athia the Shilonite, of john the son of Hanani, etc. It is not for that the Scriptures are unperfect, and to be supplied with unwritten verities, but for some other causes best known to God. They say the Scriptures are unperfect, and therefore have added their unwritten traditions, which they call Apostolical, unto the Scriptures, to make the total rule of Faith, the Scriptures making but one part thereof, and their traditions another; as it appeareth by the late Trident Council, and of Bellarmine's exposition thereof. The Council saith, Omnes libros veteris & novi Testamenti, necnon traditiones ipsas, 
Sess. 4. decret. 1.  tum ad fidem, tum ad mores pertinentes, tanquam vel ore tenus a Christo, vel à Spiritu Sancto dictatas, & continua successione in Ecclesia Catholica conservatas, pari pietatis affectu & reverentia suscipit, ac veneratur Tridentina Synodus, that is, All the books of the old and new Testament, as also the traditions themselves, pertaining both to Faith and manners, as being either pronounced by the mouth of Christ, or delivered by the holy Ghost, and by continual succession preserved in the Catholic Church, the Council of Trent, receiveth and honoureth with like, and equal affection of piety 
The Papists hold the Scriptures insufficient without traditions.  and reverence.  
And Cardinal Bellarmine writeth thus; Asserimus in Scriptures non contineri expressè, totam doctrinam necessariam, sive de fide, sive de moribus, & proinde praeter Verbum Dei scriptum requiri, etiam Verbum Dei non scriptum, idest, divinas & Apostolicas traditiones; that is, 
Libro de verbo Dei non Script. cap. 3.  We affirm, that in the Scripture is not contained expressly, all necessary doctrine, whether of faith or manners, and therefore beside the written Word of God, is required also the unwritten word of God, namely divine and Apostolical traditions. And again he saith, Scripturae sine traditionibus nec fuer unt simpliciter necessariae, necsufficientes, The Scriptures without traditions, were 
Ibid. cap. 4.  neither simply necessary, nor yet sufficient. And again, Dico Scripturam, etsi non sit facta praecipuè, ut sit regula fidei, esse tamen regulam 
Ibid. cap. 12.  fidei, non totalem, sed partialem; totalis enim regula fidei est Verbum Dei, sive revelatio Dei Ecclesiaefacta, quae dividitur in duas regulas partiales, scripturam; & traditiones; I say, that the Scripture, though it were not made especially, to be the rule of faith, yet it is the rule of faith, not in whole, but in part: For the whole rule of faith, is the Word of God, or the revelation of God made unto the Church; which is divided into two partie-rules, Scripture, and traditions. Besides, they further allege that the Church was 2249. years before the Word written; but how shall that appear that the Church then had not the written Word? Why, Moses citeth a book called The wars of the Lord; and in josua, the book of the just is cited; and it may be, that Noah, Abraham, 
Numb. ●. Ios. 10.  and Isaac wrote those things, that did belong to those times. jude also in this Epistle eiteth the book of Enoch. Papists allege that which is written in jeremy, I will put my Laws in their minds, and in their hearts will I write them: And they allege the saying of 
jer. 51.  Paul, Ye are our Epistle, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. Nay, they say further, that the Apostles went beyond 
2 Cor. 3.  yond their Commission, when they did write the Scriptures, for they were commanded to preach, not to write. But the Apostle 
Mat. 28. 19  to the Hebrews, while he doth write the doctrine of the new Covenant, allegeth the forenamed sentence of jeremy; and Paul had already written two Epistles to the Thessalonians, and the former Epistle also to the Corinthians; when as he said, Tee are our Epistle witten, not with ink, etc. But as Carpocrates, Cerdo, Manes rejected the books of the Law, and Cerinthus all the Gospel, except Matthew; and Severianus, and Paulinus, the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles; so Papists do accuse the whole Scripture of imperfection and ambiguity.  
Paul being ready to finish his course, and to bid a farewell to the world, as appeareth in his second Epistle to Timothy, when as already the books of the New Testament were written, saith thus unto Timothy; The whole Scripture is given by inspiration, and is 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  profitable to teach, to improve; to correct and instruct in righteousness: 
All things necessary to salvation contained in Scripture.  where he bringeth the whole Scripture unto four heads; doctrine, redargution, correction, instruction: doctrine is occupied about the chief points of faith and religion; Redargution confuteth errors in faith and religion; instruction comprehendeth information of manners; correction is occupied in reproving and punishing delinquents. If the Word of God be a two-edged sword to wound the Devil: If it be the hatchet to cut off the head of all heretics: If the Word be mighty in operation, & entereth thorough even to the dividing asunder of the soul, and of the spirit, of the joints, and of the marrow: If it be a lantern unto our fee●▪ and a light unto our paths: If Christ used no other weapon to repel the Devil, but the Word, saying; It is written: If Apollo confuted the jews openly, proving by the Scriptures jesus to be Christ: If Christ's proofs were, Scriptum est, and his demands, Quomodo legis? How read you? and his Apologies, Scrutamini Scripturas, search the Scriptures: certainly in the Scriptures is contained alone all things necessary to salvation. I will therefore conclude this point with the saying of Augustine; Neither will I allege the Council of Nice, neither shalt thou 
August. lib. 3. cap. 14. adverse. Maxim.  allege the Council of Arimine against me, by the authority of the Scriptures: Let us weigh matter with matter, cause with cause, reason with reason.  
There is no cause therefore why Papists should take the wings of the morning, and fly from the written Word unto unwritten verities; that the fathers of Colen should call the Scriptures A nose of wax; that Pighius should term it, The Leaden rule of the Lesbian building; that other Papists should term it, A shipmans-hoase, A black Gospel, Inken divinity. If any will add or 
Apoc. 22.  detract from it, let the curse be pronounced upon him, and let all the people say, Amen. It is false, that we have the Baptism of infants, the celebration of the Sunday, the distinction of the persons in the Trinity, the number of the books of the Scripture, by tradition, not by the written Word; God hath kept his law in the Ark, and all Popish Philistines could not keep the Ark 
1 Sam. 5. john 20.  from us. These things are written, that ye may believe. Traditions are gathered of an evil egg: dig the Papists never so deep, they shall not find the my nor spring of them in the Primitive Church; they labour to put life into a dead carcase of them; but it will not be. Avaunt therefore, ye Anabaptists, with your revelations: Avaunt, ye Montanists, with your new comforter: Avaunt, ye jews, with your Cabal and Talmud: Avaunt, Trent Council, and Papists, with your Traditions: our salvation is Christ; for There is no other name given unto men, whereby they shall be saved, save only by the name of jesus: The way to salvation, is faith, the guide 
Act. 4. 12.  to this way, is the Scripture. Hereupon saith Paul, Ye are no longer foreigners and strangers, but Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and 
There is a fourfold judgement.  Prophets, jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. So much for the Author cited. Enoch the seventh from Adam.  
Now to the thing prophesied, which is judgement, and therein, 
Ephes. 2. 19, 20.  first we have to observe, that there shall be a judgement. There is a fourfold judgement.  
The first judgement was that, that was accomplished, of man and Angels at their first fall. The Angels that fell, were judged and thrown out of Heaven: Adam that fell, was judged and thrown out of Paradise. 
Gen. 3.   
Secondly, There is a middle judgement, and so God judgeth the wicked, and the godly every day, Visiting ●●eir sins with 
Psal.  the rod, and their offences with the scourge.  
There is a third, a particular judgement, in the day of every man's death; of Lazarus, and good men to Heaven; of Dives, and bad men to Hell; and of this particular judgement, the Author 
Luk. 16.  of the Epistle to the Hebrews speaketh thus : It is apppointed for all men once to dye, and then cometh the judgement. 
Hebr. 9 27.   
Fourthly, there is general judgement, of quick and of dead, whereof Enoch prophesied here, saying, The Lord will come with thousands of his Saints, to give judgement, etc. But some will say, Why should God judge man after death, since he hath his judgement at his death? I answer, that in death we have a particular judgement, but God will also have his general 
Aug.  judgement.  
Secondly, In death we have the judgement of the soul: But God will judge both body and soul.  
Thirdly, In death we have a secret Doom: But God will have an open Assize, a public Sessions, and a manifest judgement.  
Concerning which general judgement, I could produce a cloud of Scriptures to avouch it, both out of the old and new Testament: Ezechiel saith, An end is come, an end is come, it is looked for: Behold it is come. Moses also prophesied of this judgement, Deut. 32. and David, Psal. 50. and Solomon, Eccles. 11. 9 and Daniel, Cap. 7. 13. and joel, Cap. 3. and Malachy Cap. 4. So did Christ himself, Mat. 24. and Paul the Apostle of us Gentiles, 2. Thes. 5. and Peter 2. Pet. 3. and john 9 Apoc. 20. Neither is this assurance of the judgement to come, warranted by the words of God's servants only, but the Lord hath left many works of his own, to teach us, that he will once at length for all, judge the whole World for sin. The drowning of the old World, the burning of Sodom, the destruction of jerusalem, were assured tokens that the Lord would not put up the infinite iniquities of the World, but will judge it, and punishit; the pleading of the Conscience foretelleth a judgement to come; the sentence of of death pronounced in Paradise, and renewed with such terror on mount 
The Lord jesus Christ shall judge.  Sinai, did evidently assure us, that God meant to call men to judgement; the lesser judgements in this life are forerunners to this great and last judgement; the dragging of men out of the World by death, is nothing else, but an Alarm to judgement. God hath promised that there shall be a judgement: I will contend with thee in judgement, saith God. The nations shall see my judgements, saith God. I will sit and judge the people, saith God. Now all the promises of God, are Yea and Amen, so firmly ratified, that Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but his Word and promise shall not pass. The day and the night may fail in their courses; the Sun and Moon may fail in their motions; the Earth may fail and totter upon her props; the Sea and Rivers may fail, and be emptied of their waters, but the promises of God shall not fail. God promised a flood, and it came: Et qui verus erat in diluvio, cur non in iudicio? He that performed it in the one, why should he not perform it in the other?  
The justice of God requireth that there shall be a judgement, Hîc optimi pessimè agunt; Here the best men are the worst used, and most wronged: Here jezabel sits braving in a window, whilst jeremy lies sticking in the mud. Here Dives sits in his palace, clothed richly, faring daintily, while Lazarus lies at his gates naked and hungry: Here Herod will please Herodias, though it be with the head of john the Baptist (Nun visitabit haec?) shall not God visit & come to judgement for these things? Certainly judgement will come, and then down go the wicked, and up the godly: horror, hell and death shall be the doom of the wicked; heaven, joy and life shall be the lot of the righteous. Thus ye see there shall be a judgement.  
I will pass on to the next, Who shall be the judge in this judgement? The Lord, The Lord? saith Enoch, cometh with thousands of his Saints, to give judgement, etc. And in that the Lord shall be our judge, there will be first, rectum iudicium, a right and true judgement: for the Lord is true, and cannot fail either: Ignorantia legis, as not knowing the Law: For he gave the Law, and will judge according to the Law: nor yet Ignorantia facti, as not seeing the fact; for his seven eyes go thorough the World. Ye may interpret them, if ye will, seven thousand thousand eyes. 
Zach. 4.   
Again, if the Lord be the judge, there will be aequum iudicium, his judgement will be righteous and good; for Necerrat ipse, nec sustinet errantem, He can neither sin himself, nor yet endure a wilful sinner: we cannot corrupt him, he hath no need of our goods.  
But when he saith, The Lord shall be the judge and come to judgement; ye shall understand, that this word Lord is taken sometime essentially; and than it signifieth all the three persons in the Trinity: and so it is taken in the Psalm, The Lord, even the most mighty hath spoken, and called the round World, etc. And indeed in 
Christ shall judge in his humanity.  respect of authority, the whole Trinity shall be the judge: but sometime this word Lord is taken personally, and then it signifieth, the second person in the Trinity, as here in this my Text, The Lord shall come to judgement. For in respect of the execution of this judgement, Christ alone shall judge. And why Christ? And not the Father, and the Holy Ghost? First, because Saint john tells us; The Father hath given all judgement to the Son: 
john 5.  And as Saint Bernard expounds the words : non ut Filius suus, sed ut Filius Hominis: not as he is the Son of God, but as he is the Son of the blessed Virgin, borne in the world.  
2. The Son judgeth, and not the Father, because it best befitteth a King to judge his own subjects; and we are now the immediate subjects of the Son. Indeed in our creation we were absolutely the subjects of God, but by rebelling against God, we became the slaves and vassals of the Devil, and not the subjects of God: yet now being redeemed from death, and from him that hath the power of death, the Devil: by the precious blood of the Son of God, we are become the subjects of the Son, not that this is to be understood, Exclusive, as excluding from the work of our redemption, the Father, and the Holy Ghost, said Appretiativen, as the Schoolmen speak, but because the price of our redemption was paid by the Son, and not by the person of the Father, or Holy Ghost; and in that the Son did sustinere poenas, undergo our punishment, et procurare praemia, purchase our reward; he must dispensare praemia & poenas, both dispose of our punishment and reward.  
But forasmuch as there be two natures in Christ; the Divine, and humane; it may be questioned in what form or Nature he shall judge? Saint Augustine answereth, Eadem forma iudicabit te, qua sub judice s●etit pro te; In the same nature he shall judge thee, wherein he stood before the judge for thee; he shall judge us not as God, but as man; according to that in the Gospel, Ye shall see the Son of Man (not of God, but of Man) coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory. Veniet qui Deus, non qua Deus, he that shall judge us, is God, but he shall not judge us, as he is God. Vrsinus in his Catechism pag. 451. giveth three reasons of this; Quia per eum Mediatorem glorificanda est Ecclesia, per quem iustificata est; because the Church is to be glorified by that Mediator, by which she was justified. Secundom, ob consolationem nostram, dum scimus illum fore judicem, qui redimit nos; est enim frater noster, & caro nostra. Secondly, for our comfort, to give us to understand that he shall be our judge, which redeemed us, and is our brother and our flesh. Tertio, propter iustitiam Dei, quia filium hominis contumelia affecerunt. Thirdly, for the justice of God, because the Son of Man hath been much reproached with many contumelies and slanders. If any man will object, that Christ saith, That 
Though Christ shall come in humanity, yet with power and great glory.  he came not to judge the World, but to save the World: I answer, that these words are not to be understood of his second, but of his first coming into the World: then indeed he came to save the World, but now to judge the World; and he shall not judge it as God, because that as Esay saith, Tollatur impius; The wicked must be taken away, that he may never see the glory of God; but 
john 12. 47.  as man,  homines videant, that men might see the judge of men. August. saith, Quamvis non recedat pater à filio, unum enim sunt, tamen ad iudicium veniet filius, non Pater: although the Father departeth not from the Son, (for they are one) yet the Son shall come to judgement, and not the Father : Quia ibi nec Deitas Filij, nec Patris videbitur, for there neither the Deity of the Father, nor of the Son shall be seen.  
The third thing to be handled, is the manner of his coming to judgement; it will be a most fearful, yet a glorious coming; he will come with thousands of his Saints: For if other Benches be furnished with justices of Peace, God's Bench shall be furnished with Angels: Thousand thousands shall minister unto him, and ten thousand thousand shall stand before him, and when he shall thus come in his glory, fulminabit è Coelo, the Lord will thunder from Heaven; and the highest will give his voice. Now if the thunder and and crackling of a cloud be so terrible; what terror shall there be, when he shall thunder, that sitteth above the clouds? The thunder doth but demolish Mountains, and root up trees; but when God shall thunder out his judgements, he will crush and cast down King, Prince, and People, that have not made him their fortress, and their tower. The thunder doth but shake the clouds, & make them to fly up and down; as birds in the air: but when God shall thunder out his judgements, he will shake and astonish the heart and conscience. Yet shall there be then a great difference betwixt a good and a guilty conscience; for a good conscience shall be moved, sed ut folium, but as a leaf, with a little wind and breath of God's displeasure, but the guilty shall be removed, as the foundations of the Earth are shaken with the full rigour of God's wrath: For then, as Saint Jerome hath it, Terra tremet, mare mugiet, the Earth shall quake, the Sea roar, the Air ring, the World burn; And all this all becometh as a firebrand or burning coal.  
O miserable sinner, how wilt thou tremble; when the Lord shall come with thousands of his Saints to judgement! and if the just and upright man job was afraid of this judgement, and therefore cried out and said, Quid agam? quo me convertam, cum veniet Dominus ad iudicum? What shall I do? or whither shall I turn 
job 31. 14.  me, when the Lord cometh to judgement? If Blessed Hillary, who from the fourteenth year of his age, served the Lord in fear, and rejoiced before him with trembling, as David did 
By the terror of particular judgements, we may gather the general.  who was afraid of this day, as it appeareth by his speech upon his deathbed, Egredere anima, egredere, quid dubitas? quid times? Go forth, O soul, go forth, why art thou afraid? why doubtest thou? thou hast served God these seventy years, and art thou 
Psal. 14.  afraid now to departed? If these holy men were afraid of this day, how oughtest thou, O sinner, which hast drunk iniquity like water, & hast not served thy God one day, as thou oughtest to do? I say, how oughtest thou to quake and to tremble? If the just shall scarce be saved, where shall the poor wretch appear? then thou wilt cry to the Mountains, Fallon us, and to the Hills, Cover us, hide us from the presence of the Lord, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of the Lords wrath is come, and who can abide it? but all will be in vain.  
If Zephanie spoke so tragically, of the particular judgement of God by Nebuchadnezar, saying, The great day of the Lord, 
Zeph. 1. 14, 15.  is come, a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm. If jeremy spoke sorrowfully, and lamentably of the particular judgement of God upon jerusalem, saying, How is the gold become dim? the most fine gold is changed, and the stones of the Sanctuary are scattered in the corner of 
Lament. 4. 1. 2, 4, 5, 10, 11.  every street. The noble men of Zion comparable to fine gold; how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers? the tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst, and the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh unto them. They that did feed dilicately, perish in the streets, and they that were brought up in scarlet, embrace the dung. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their Children, which were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. The Lord hath accomplished his indignation, he hath poured out his fierce wrath, he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof: what may be said of the general judgement, when not one City, but all Cities shall be destroyed? The reprobates shall see above them an angry judge, beneath them Hell fire, on the right hand their Sins accusing them, on the left hand the Devils tormenting them; within them, their gnawing conscience, without them, the damned spirits bewailing; on every side, the World burning: Vbi regredi impossibile, progredi intolerabile, where to go backward, it is impossible, and to go forward intolerable.  
The glorious manner of Christ's coming is described by the Apostle; The Lord (saith he) shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God: then he shall come, not with twelve poor Apostles, but with twelve thousand thousand Angels. Well, the Lord shall come with thousands of his Angels: where note, that his second coming shall not be like his first; At the first he came in poverty, now shall he 
In Christ's humility, his glory appeared.  come in glory; at the first he came in humility; now shall he come in Majesty; at the first he came with the tongues of men, now shall he come with the voice of an Archangel and trump of God; At the first he came in misery, now shall he come in 
Mat. 24. Luk. 9 58.  Majesty; at the first he came with Glory be to God on high, now shall he come with vae, vae, vae, with a threefold woe upon them that dwell upon the face of the earth; At the first he came with tidings of great joy, that shall come upon all people, now shall he come with fear and trembling upon all the nations of the earth; At the first he came 
1 Tim. 1. 17. Apoc. 1. 7. Apoc. 5.  as a servant, now shall he come as a King; At the first he came as a prisoner, between two thiefs, now shall he come as a judge. At the first he came as a Lamb, now shall he come as a Lion: Venit tunc salvare, nunc iudicare, he came then to save us, now he shall come to judge us.  
And yet to speak fully, his first coming was not without glory; two contraries were conjoined, Summa humilitas, & summa sublimitas, the deepest humility, and the highest sublimity: 
Aug.  he lay among the beasts, yet praised of Angels which sung, Gloria in excelsis, Glory be to God on high. What is he; 
Luk 2.  that is so base, and so glorious, so little, and so great: so poor, and so rich? poor in the flesh, poor in the manger, poor in the stable; but great, and rich, and glorious in heaven, whom the stars obey; great and glorious in the air, 
Mat. 2.  where the Angels sing; great and glorious in earth, for Herod and all jerusalem were moved at the tidings of him. It is the greatest baseness 
Luk 2.  for God to be conceived, and the greatest glory to be conceived by the Holy Ghost; the greatest baseness to be borne 
Esay 7.  of a Woman, and the greatest glory to be borne of a Virgin; the greatest baseness to be borne in a stable, and the greatest glory to shine in the Heavens; the greatest baseness to deplore among beasts, and the greatest glory to be sung of Angels; the greatest baseness, to be baptised among sinners, and the greatest glory to have the heavens open, the spirit to descend, and to hear the Father of heaven speaking from heaven, This is my beloved Son 
Mat. 3. 16.  in whom I am well pleased: It is the greatest baseness to suffer death upon the Cross, and the greatest glory to rise again from the dead: formosus erat in Coelis, formosus erat in terra, he was fair and beautiful in heaven, fair and beautiful in earth, fair and beautiful in his throne of glory, fair and beautiful in the manger, fair and beautiful among the Angels, fair and beautiful among the beasts: Quid facitis, o Magi, puerum ne adoratis? What do ye, o ye Wisemen, do ye worship the child? Is he not therefore a King? I but where is the King's Court? Where is his Throne? Where the continual resort and haunt of this Court? Is not his Court, the stable? his Throne, the Manger? They that resort and haunt this Court, the Ox and the Ass? Yet undique formosus est, on every side he was fair and glorious. 
The Lords two Courts, one of Mercy, the other of justice.  For when he spoke, the sea was calm; when he commanded, the winds were whist; when he called, the dead did rise; and when he died, the Sun was eclipsed; when he rose, the earth trembled; when he ascended, the heavens opened; so fare Augustine. Thus his first coming was not without glory, but his second shall be glorious indeed, He shall come in the glory of his Father, with 
Mat. 24.  all the holy Angels.  
One speaking of this coming of Christ to judgement, saith, Posterior Christi adventus non erit mitis, sed terribilis, Christ's latter coming shall not be gentle, but terrible and fearful: For measure me the greatness of one arm, by the quantity of another, the justice of God, by the mercy of God: If he was so merciful in his first coming, as to take our flesh, and to suffer death upon the Cross for us; and how just? how severe will he be in his second coming to all those, that have either contemned or abused his mercy? Quam facilis fuit in primo adventu, Look how facile, gentle and propice he was in his first coming; tam difficilis erit in secundo adventu, so hard, so uneasy to be entreated will he be in his second coming: infinite in mercy, infinite in justice; ready to pardon, and ready to punish, God shall arise, and his enemies shall be scattered, they also that hate him, shall fly before him. As 
Psal. 88 1, 2.  the smoke vanisheth, so shalt thou drive them away, and as Wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God: And as the Prophet saith, God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, even the Lord of anger, the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth 
Nahum 1. 1, 2.  wrath for his enemies: the Lord is slow to anger, but great in power, and will not surely clear the wicked. As we treasure up our sins, so he treasureth up his wrath; Indies crescunt peccata, indies crescit ira, our sins increase daily, and his wrath daily.  
Bernard saith, that the Lord hath two Courts, the one of mercy, the other of justice; the one in this life, the other in the life to come: when he shall come with thousands of his Saints to judgement. Here is forum miscricordiae, the Court of mercy: there shall be forum justitiae, the Court of justice, for there he will reward every man according to his Works. Augustine bringeth in Christ thus 
Rom. 2. 6.  speaking at the last day; Ecce fabri Filium, quem irrisistis; Behold the Carpenter's Son whom ye have derided: Ecce eum in quem non credidistis, Behold him, in whom ye have not believed; behold the wounds which ye have made in my hands and feet, behold the side which ye have pierced, behold the face which you have berayed with your spittle: Behold the glory that shall press and overwhelm you, and the Majesty that shall break and bruise you.  
For our judge will judge righteously and justly; He will reward every man according to his work: that is, to them, which by continuance 
Rom. 2. 6, 7.  in well doing, seek glory and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and disobey the truth, and obey 
We must meditate as well on the justice of God, as on his mercy.  unrighteousness, shall be indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every man that doth evil. And here note the blindness of the World, All men prate of mercy, but few talk of justice; like the Benjamites, we cast stones with one hand; like 
judg. 19 Mat. 26.  Polypheme, we see but with one eye; with Malchus, we hear but with one ear; like the Unicorn we defend ourselves with one horn from God; like the Amazons, many brethren give suck to the Church, with one pap; delivering but one doctrine, namely that of mercy. But let me speak familiarly: If a felon will not trust only on the mercy of the judge, at the Assize; Let us not deceive ourselves against that great Assize day: Whatsoever 
Gal. 6, 7, 8.  a man soweth, that shall he reap: for he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting: In quo statu novissimus vitae dies relinquet, in eo resurrectionis primus dies inveniet: qualis in isto die quisque moritur, talis in die illo iudicabitur: In what estate or condition the last day shall leave thee, in the same, the first day of thy resurrection 
Augustine Hesichio Epistola 80.  shall find thee: As every one dieth this day, so shall he be judged in that day. And again he saith, Potentia Dei est insuperabilis, 
Aug. lib. 4. de Symbolo. 1 Cor. 1. 25. Heb. 4.  the power of God is insuperable; For the weakness of God is stronger than men: Eius scientia est infallibilis; his knowledge is infallible: For all things are naked, and before him: Eius iracundia est implacabilis, his anger is implacable; If his wrath be kindled, yea, but a little, 
Psal. 2. 12.  blessed are all they that put their trust in him: Ejus justitia est inflexibilis, his justice is inflexible; For he is a God of Gods, and Lord of Lords; a great God, mighty and terrible, and regardeth no man's person: Contra ejus potentiam nil valebit tyrannorum crudelicas, against his power, the cruelty of tyrants shall nothing prevail: neither against his knowledge shall the subtlety of Advocates prevail; nor against his wrath shall simplicity of words prevail, nor against his justice shall abundance of money prevail : Nec gratia praeventura; nec misericordia flectetur, nec poenitentia mitigabitur; nec pecunia corrumpetur; he will neither be prevented by grace, nor moved with mercy, nor mitigated with repentance, nor corrupted with money.  
Again, how soever men flatter themselves now in this or that thing, that which we esteem a virtue now, will be then in God's sight an abomination; our ways and judgements are not Gods ●udgements: 
Luk. 16. 15. Esay 55. 8. Pro. 1. 31.  to follow our own hearts, is with God a kind of whoredom. The very Heathen Orator could say, that similem lacte nutricis errorem suximus, we sucked in with our mother's milk alike error. Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire; The Ammonites burned their children to Moloch; The Canaanites sacrificed their children to Idols, Baal and Astaroth; every Vzziah will play the Levite; every Gedeon will have his Ephod; every Saul will have his sacrifice; Peter will plead to Christ his good meaning; The jacobites in Aethiopia circumcise their young ones; The Indians 
All must come to judgement.  worship Zemes, that are Devils: but when it cometh to the judgement of God, it is reversed: there is a writ of error sued: Nadab perished, with fire from heaven; The Ammonites 
Levit. 10. cap. 20. Psal. 106. 2 Sam. 6. judg. 8. 1 Sam. 15. Mat. 16. 23.  were accursed; The Canaanites, were destroyed; Vzziah was stricken; Gedeons' posterity was plagued; Saul was deposed; Peter was called Devil; The Aethiopians foolish; The Indians blasphemers: we have not our Quietus est, till God hath judged us.  
Again, howsoever we slander the judgements of God: yet are they just; judicia Dei saepe occulta, nunquam iniusta; Gods judgements are many times secret and hid, but never unjust: I say with 
Aug.  Augustine; Cave praecipitium, take heed of a breakneck; The judgements of God are fire, come not too near them, lest they burn thee; they are Abyssus, a bottomless pit, swim not in them, lest they drown thee; they are as a steep and high mountain, climb not too high, lest thou come down again headlong: Paul durst not wade too fare in the cause of Election, Vis 
Rom. 11. 32, 33.  disputare mecum? mirare mecum, o altitudo! Petrus negat, Latro credit, o altitudo: Wilt thou dispute with me? wonder with me, o depth! Peter denieth, the thief believeth, o depth! Secreta Dei sunt adoranda, non scrutanda; Gods secrets are to be adored, not searched. 
Aug.  Do ye know these things? Happy are ye if ye do them.  
The end of his coming to judgement is the next thing to be considered; and that is, to judge all men; the mighty, the honourable, shall not escape in that day, neither shall they be able to defend thee; that in obeying them, thou hast desobeyed God: For let me see, if any Ruler, King or Keisar, shall come forth in that day, and say, I bade thee do this; I gave thee my warrant to do it. No, no, he shall be judged himself. We shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive the 
2 Cor. 5. 10.  things, that he hath done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. No man can redeem another man's soul. Let no 
Psal. 47. 7.  man think to hide himself; ye know what counsel the wise man giveth you, Say not, I will hide myself from the Lord: for 
Eccles. 16. 17, 18.  who will think upon me from above? I shall not be known in so great an heap of people: for what is my soul among such an infinite number of creatures? Behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens are for God: the depth, and the earth, and all that therein is shall be moved when he cometh to judge. Thou shalt no more hide thyself, and go away without thy judgement, than the guest at the wedding could go 
Mat. 22. Soph. 1. 14.  unespied. The strong man shall then cry bitterly; many that now sit at the Bench, shall then stand at the bar, he is the Lord-Chiefe-Iustice of Heaven.  
For every work and word shall come to judgement: so saith Solomon, God will bring every work unto judgement, with every 
Eccles. 12. 14.  secret thing, whether it be good or evil. Nothing so secret, but shall 
God knoweth every sin, therefore none can escape judgement.  be disclosed, neither hid, that shall not be known: for whatsoever hath been spoken in darkness, it shall be heard in light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear, in secret places, shall be preached on the houses openly, that all men may hear. Of every idle word we must give an account. God is greater than our 
Luke 12. 2. 3. Mat. 12. 36. 1 john 3. 20.  hearts; he beginneth where we leave; he remembreth that which we have forgotten; his memory is as himself is, infinite; he will set down our sins in order and say, In such and such a place, and such a time, and upon such an occasion, hast thou committed this or that sin. Unto the wicked saith God, Why dost 
Psal. 50. 16, 18, 19, 20, 21.  thou take my Covenant within thy mouth, and hatest to be reform? when thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst unto him, and hast been partaker with the adulterers, thou givest thy mouth to evil, and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit, thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thy mother's son. These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue, therefore thou thoughtest that I was like thee, but I will reprove thee, and set before thee the things that thou hast done.  
He calleth all the Stars by their name.  
He numbereth our steps. 
job 26. 6. job 14. 16. Mat. 10. Mat. 10. 29. Psal. 56. 8. Psal. 50. Psal. 139.   
He telleth the Sparrows of the Air.  
He counteth all the hairs of our head.  
He putteth all the tears of the afflicted into his bottle.  
He knoweth the cattles upon a thousand mountains.  
All our members were written in his book before we were borne.  
Now if he call the stars by their names, if he number our steps, if he tell the sparrows, if he count the hairs of our head, if he register the tears of the afflicted, if he know all the cattles on the mountains, if he wrote our members in his book, long before we were borne; then surely he hath written all our sins in his book, as is said by jeremy, The sin of 
jer. 17. 1.  judah is written with a pen of ●ron, and with a point of a Diamond graven upon the table of his heart.  
Infinite are the sins of one year, of one month, of one week, yea of one day; how many vain thoughts, idle words, ungodly works pass from us in one day? David said, they passed the hairs of his head: he said, that he could not number them. Job said, that we drink iniquity like water. Esay said, We draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin like cart ropes. Solomon saith, that the mouth of the wicked swalloweth iniquity. A thousand idle words, yea oaths we utter in one day. Septi es in die cadit justus, the righteous sinneth seven times a day, that is, many times in a day: what by committing of evil, what by omitting of good: how often then in our whole life? and yet not one sin doth escape God. What is done in earth, is registered in heaven; in one moment, it is in God's debt-book. And herein is God's omniscience, herein differeth the knowledge of God, from that of 
Thoughts and words shall be judged as well as works.  men and devils. Deus scit praesentia, praeterita & futura, God knoweth things past, present, and future; they know not things future: God only knoweth the thoughts of our hearts, they only our words and works, not our thoughts.  
Yea, every thought also shall be judged. We say, Thought is free: but God shall arrest it, indite it, arraign it, it shall hold up the hand at the bar of God; for the Law is spiritual, and bindeth as well the spirit as the body; so saith the Apostle, We know that the Law is spiritual, (so that it can judge the affections of 
Rom. 7. 14. Psal. 44. 21.  the heart:) God knoweth the secrets of the heart. A true hand, and a true heart, a chaste body, and a chaste mind must go together, else all is lost. O jerusalem, wash thy heart from thy wickedness, 
jer. 4. 14.  that thou mayest be saved: how long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee? Not deeds, but thoughts must be washed and cleansed.  
As our deeds and thoughts, so our words shall be judged.  
All the cruel speakings, which wicked sinners have spoken against God, shall come to judgement, It will be said here, that none are so mad as to speak against God. Yes, and men speak against God two ways.  
First, when they speak against any ordinance of God. 
1   
Secondly, when we speak against the servants of God. 
2   
Against the ordinance of God, as thus, Stephen charged the jews, that they resisted the holy Ghost; yet resisted they but his 
Act. 7. 51. 1 Cor. 10. 21.  word. The Corinthians were said to provoke God for being present at Idols feasts. The Apostle charged the jews to rise up against the Lord jesus, for that they resisted the preaching the doctrine of 
Act. 4. 27.  jesus.  
Again, men speak against God, when they speak against the servants of God, as thus, Christ codemneth Paul for persecuting 
Act. 9 4.  him, yet persecuted he but the Saints of jerusalem. The people, in contemning Samuel, cast God away: So God told Samuel, 
1 Sam. 8. 7.  They have not cast thee away, but me away. And well said said Gamaleel; that to strive against the Apostles, had been to strive 
Act. 5. 39  against God. So Moses told Israel, Your murmurings are not against 
Exod. 16. 7, 8.  us, but against the Lord.  
But among all that speak against God, our swearers are the chief: The Prophet said, He was a man of polluted lips: but no 
Esay 6.  lip more polluted than the swearers, they spew out their venom against God, spit him in the teeth, justle with him for his chair, throw him into the channel, trample upon him with their filthy feet, making his name a tennis ball, a page, and waitingman to their choler. Because of oaths the land shall mourn: and men's mouths now are died red with oaths; they make no conscience to speak against God; many men's hearts be all earth, their stomaches all water, their brains all air, and their tongues all fire, being set on fire of hell. Saint Ambrose telleth us of a dog, that pulled 
Swearing and falsehood came into the world together.  out the throat of him that murdered his master. Shall a dog do this for him that giveth him a crust of bread; and shall not our wrath kindle against them, that have killed the 
jam. 3. 6. Ambr. libr. 6. Hexam.  Lord jesus? men's sins, men's oaths, men's blasphemies and perjuries have pierced him, and nailed him, and let out his heart blood: These were the nails and spear that lanced him. judas, Pilate, Herod, could have done nothing unto him, if these our sins had not given them strength. One saith, that three members of the body are hardly governed; the heart, the reines, the 
Vinaldus libr. de cont.  tongue. In the heart is vanity, in the reines is pleasure, in the tongue is falsehood, perjury, blasphemy: He that can rule these three, is a persect man: So saith the Apostle, If a man sin not in 
jam. 3. 2, 3, 4.  word, he is a perfect man, and able to bridle all the body: behold, we put bits into the horses months, that they should obey us, and we turn about all their body: behold also the ships, that though they be great, and are driven of sierce winds, yet are they turned about with avery small rudeer, wheresoever the governor listeth: Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth of great things; Behold how great a thing, a little fire kindleth: and the tongue is a fire, yea a World of wickedness, etc. Better it is, that men should never speak, then to swear and blaspheme, and so speak against God. Vita & mors est in potestate linguae, life and death is in the power of the tongue. Metals are judged by the sound, whether they be gold or brass: A man is judged by his speech, whether he be good or evil, if his words be brazen, his heart cannot be golden. Chrysostome noteth, that swearing came into the world, when all untruth entered into the World, and all villainy. In the first age men were believed on their word, but in the ages following they were scarce believed on their oath: lying brought swearing, swearing brought per jury into the world; Ex multis i●ramentis perventum est ●andem in pe●iu●ia, in multil●quio non deest, peceatum: From many oaths men 
Chrysost.  came at last to perjury; and in much speaking there is sin with much water there goeth some gravel; with much fire, some smoke; and with many words, some lies; as among many wounds, some scars. Aquinas saith, that we must use an oath, as we use physic; which is not used, but in necessity, in diseases: So an oath is to be used in necessity, when the truth otherwise cannot appear: Parcè utenda medicina, parcè iur amentum: A medicine 
Aquin.  is to be used sparingly, and an oath sparingly: yet a number cannot talk, but they must swear. As the girl said of Peter, Thou art of Galilee, for thy speech bewrayeth thee: So these 
Mat. 26.  swearers, that thus speak against God, are of the Devil. By thy barking I know thee to be a dog: by thy hissing, to be a serpent; and by thy swearing, to be a vile man. Shall I call that a sweet fountain, that sendeth out nothing but brine, salt water and sulphurous? Shall I call that good earth, that yieldeth nothing, but briers and brambles? And shall I call him a Christian, 
The general judgement most certain.  that cannot speak five words, but one shall be against God; one shall be an oath, by God, and by God? As she said; Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara: So call not these Christians; but beasts, monsters, Devils, as Christ called judas. These men 
john 6. 70.  (as S. john said) have the horns of the Lamb, but they speak like the dragon; they have a show of religion, but they swear like reprobates; they speak by the mouth of a greater beast, 
Apoc. 13.  than themselves; These men are like bells, that hang in the steeple, but they are not seen, but heard: so these men though they be nor seen, they may be heard in the Ale houses and Taverns; as men pass by, there they roar, and swear, and speak against God, and count it a gentlemenly quality. In times past, Gentlemen were known by three properties, Learning, Arms, and Gentleness: but now by swearing, wantonness and taking of Tobacco. I speak not of all, God hath his number: Lord, how are men degenerated from that they have been? What a Metamorphosis is in the world? Have men drunk of Circe's cup, or are they changed with Hecuba, for railing at the siege of Troy into dogs, that they bark thus against God? Well, they shall come to judgement one day, for this: Christ will come, and we expect it, To give judgement against all men, and to rebuke all the ungodly among them, of all their wicked deeds, that they have committed, and of all their cruel speakings, which ungodly sinners have spoken against. And Come Lord jesus, come quickly. 
Apoc. 22.   
One thing further let me observe unto you, that he saith, Behold, the Lord cometh with thousand of his Saints; to give judgement against all men, etc. That he speaketh in the present tense, not in the future tense; to note the certainty of his coming. So Esay 
Esay 9  said of Christ, Unto us a Child is borne, yet was he not then borne, but five hundred years at the least after. So john spoke; Ecce, venit 
Apoc. 1. 7.  in nubibus, Behold, he cometh in the clouds; and yet he is not come: but to note the truth of his coming, he affirmeth that he cometh. The Apostle saith, That Faith overcommeth the World: and yet we are striving with the world, as yet we are in the 
1 john 5. 1.  main battle; as yet the plowers plough long furrows on our backs; as yet we strive unto blood; and yet he saith, We have overcome the world; because we shall overcome it. The Shepherds said, that the words of the Angel were come to pass, yet had they 
Luk 2. 15. Rom. 3. Numb. 23. 19  not been a Bethelem: Let God be true, and all men liars: He is not a man that he should lie, neither as the Son of man, that he should repent: hath be said, and shall he not do it? and hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it? Heaven and earth shall pass, before one jot or tittle of his 
Luk 16, 17.  Word shall pass. As for him that thinks, that the Lord will never come to judgement, nor that this body shall rise again: Let him remember, that he who bringeth the Sun out of his Chamber daily, who reneweth the dead horns of the Moon, 
Psal. 19 Psal. 104.  every month, who dried up the sea in one night, who caused 
None so vile but sometime feareth judgement inwardly.  Aaron's withered rod in one night to bear ripe Almonds; who quickened Sara her dead womb; who revived the dead corn in the ground, can raise again this body; and howsoever the 
Exod. 14. Gen. 18. 1 Cor. 15.  wicked sear up their consciences with a hot iron, yet I am persuaded, there is none so wicked, but sometime trembleth at the judgement: That the Lord shall come with thousand of his Saints, to give judgement on all flesh, etc. None so riotous but sometime he saith, Esca ventri, & venture escis, Meat for the belly, and the belly, for 
1 Cor. 6. 13.  meat, but God shall destroy both it and them. None so covetous, but sometime saith, The rust of these things will be a witness against me. None so blasphemous, but at one time, or other, 
jam. 5. 3.  saith, The plague departeth not from the house of the swearer. None so adulterous, but saith, I may not make the 
Ecclus. 23. 12.  members of Christ, the members of an harlot. I may not make the 
1 Cor. 6.  temple of God, the stable for the Devil. And to conclude, none so past all fear of God, but sometimes saith, This gear will not last always; what shall become of me: when I stand before God's judgement seat? Foelix trembled, when he heard Paul preach of judgement; and Adrian the Emperor said at his death, Animula 
Act. 24.  vagula, blandula, quo nunc vagaris? O my little wand'ring, tender soul, whither dost thou now go? Thou wouldst not have the conscience of a damned creature, to gain ten thousand worlds, and to be the Monarch of them for so many thousand years. Well, ye see, there shall be a judgement, ye see the person, that shall be our judge; The Lord; he shall come in his own person to judge us, and what a comfort will this be, that he shall come for us, that went up to send the Comforter unto us?  
Ye see the manner of his coming, with thousand of his Saints. The end of it, to rebuke all the ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all the cruel speakings that wicked sinners have spoken against.  
And now to make some use of all this, that hath been spoken concerning this judgement: The use of it is triple.  

1. For terror.  
2. For comfort.  
3. For Instruction.   
But first it serveth for terror; it is a wonderful terrible doctrine to the wicked: for how can it be, but terrible, when the Lord shall come with thousand of his Saints, to give judgement against all men, and to rebuke, & c? their hearts shall fail them for fear. 
Luk 21. Apoc. 9 6  They shall seek death in those days; and shall not find it. This hath been their day, wherein so fare as they could, they have done their will: The next is the Lords day, wherein they must suffer his will; how can it be but terrible, when they shall see the Son of man in the clouds above, to condemn them? beneath, hell mouth open ready to devour them; before, the Devils haling 
No way for the wicked to escape judgement.  them; behind them, the Saints, and all their dearest friends forsaking them; on their left hand their sins accusing them; on the right, justice threatening them; on all sides the world made a bonfire, terrifying them; how can it be but terrible, when the hills cannot hide them, nor the Mountains cover them, from the presence of the judge? For he is here, and there, and every where: If they mount and soar up to heaven, he is there; if they go into hell, he is there too: So that pati intolerabile, latere impossibile, it is not possible to endure, nor possible to avoid the judgement. How can it be but terrible, when God shall rain upon them, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest? This shall be their portion to drink; when God shall pour even the vials of his wrath upon them, and they shall feel the mass of his displeasure. Here the wicked are judged, that they may be amended; but there their judgement shall be, that they may be confounded; For there will be no place for repentance. If Foelix trembled, to hear tell of judgement? What will poor Foelix do, when he must feel judgement both in the sentence and execution? If john and Daniel at the sight of a mild Angel, fell upon the earth as dead, Dan. 4. 8. Apoc. 1. 17. How shalt thou miserable sinner endure the presence of the terrible judge? If Haman could not abide the angry countenance of Assuerus, Hest. 7. 9 how shalt thou, o wicked man, iudure the angry countenance of this frowning judge? If Adam for the commission of one sin, ran from God in great fear, and hid himself among the trees that were in the garden, Gen. 3. 8. whither shalt thou run, o sinful Adamite, that hast committed as many sins, as stars in the sky, or sands by the sea? Imo horum numerus numero non clauditur ullo; Yea the number of them is not to be numbered. Whither, I say, wilt thou run, or where shalt thou hide thyself from this terrible judge? If the drowning of the old World, the burning of Sodom, the opening of the earth to swallow up Corah, etc. and such like the judgements have such horror in them; who can express the horror of this day? when many millions of wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the people that forget God? If it be such a shame to do penance for one fault in one congregation, where men will pray for the offendor, what a shame will it be, when all our faults shall be discovered before all the whole world, without all hope of pity and help, and all workers of iniquity shall be cast alive into that lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone? Look therefore to yourselves, ye generation of Vipers, and wash your hands, and cleanse your hearts: For certainly the judge of all the world will do right.  
2. This doctrine of judgement serveth for comfort to all penitent Christians, they may lift up their heads, & rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious: For the Lord shall then come, & be glorified 
2 Thess. 1. 10.  in his Saints, and made marvelous on them that believe. Hereupon 
The consideration of the general judgement should instruct us.  saith Augustine, Quare non gauds, cum venerit iudicare te, qui venit iudicari propter te? Why dost thou not rejoice, when he shall come to judge thee, that came to be judged for thee? he hath been thy advocate to plead thy suits to God his Father, and certainly when he comes to judgement, he will not go against his own pleading? He is thy brother, and carries a most brotherly affection unto thee: and will he condemn his own brother? He is thy head, and hath performed all the offices of an head unto thee: and can he then fail thee, when thou hast most need of him? he died for us, to redeem us, a people peculiar unto himself; and will he fail us in the last act of our redemption? Oh no, no, lift up your heads then, and in patience possess your souls: What though he be terrible to the wicked? to thee he will be kind and merciful: thou shalt not be wronged by false witnesses, neither shalt thou be judged by common fame, or outward appearance. The judge will not be transported either by passion or spleen, nor will condemn thee, to satisfy the people, as Pilate did jesus: and beside, nothing shall be remembered, but what good thou hast wrought and done; thy sins shall be clean blotted out of remembrance; they shall be buried in the heart of the earth, and drowned in the bottom of the sea; they shall never rise up to judgement against thee. Rejoice therefore, poor penitent, thou shalt find Christ a friend, no foe; a jesus, no judge; a Saviour, no confounder: thou shalt find Heaven, and not Hell; Angels, not Devils; Gods right hand, not his left hand; everlasting life, and not everlasting death.  
3. This doctrine of judgement serveth for instruction: First, it should restrain uncharitable censuring, and judging one another: Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? he standeth or falleth to his master. Christ is the Lord of quick and dead: judge therefore nothing before the time. If we could consider, that we should every one give account to God himself, as Rom. 14. 12. we should find work enough, to look to our own score, and little leisure to forestall God in this matter of judging.  
2. Are there matters of difference among us? Let the Saints judge them, and end them. God will be contented to put his cause to them at the last day; For we know that the Saints shall judge 
1 Cor. 6. 2.  the World: and therefore why should we refuse their arbitrement?  
3. It should order and moderate our sorrows for our dead friends; We should not sorrow, as people without hope, seeing we believe, that all that sleep in jesus, God will bring with him, 1. Thess. 4. 13, 14, 17, 18. we shall meet together again in that day, and ever live together with the Lord; and therefore we should comfort one another with these words.  
4. This summons to judgement gives a dreadful warning, & admonition to the world, even to all men every where to repent; 
We should prevent judgement, by judging ourselves.  in so much as God hath appointed a day, wherein he will judge the world with righteousness, by that Man whom he hath appointed: Act. 17. 31. Woe will be unto us, if that day come upon us unawares, before we have made our peace, and humbled ourselves before God, and by true repentance turn from sin, to sanctity. It is an unspeable favour, that God shows us, when he offers us this mercy, that if we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged of the Lord in that day, 1 Cor. 11. 34. And it will on the other side kindle his wrath extremely, when having such grace offered, we neglect it, and death, and judgement find our sins unremitted on God's part, and unrepented of ours.  
5. Seeing that all these things shall be dissolved, it should stir us up to an holy conversation: So reasoneth S. Peter, Seeing that all those things must be dissolved, what manner persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of God, & c? 2. Pet. 3. 11, 12. We are Gods stewards, let us arm ourselves, as they that must give accounts of their stewardship, and let us jmploy such talents, as God hath lent us, to God's glory, and our neighbours good.  
Lastly, since the day of judgement is the day of our full and final Redemption; and since he shall come as a thief in the night, even the hour that we think not; Let us therefore watch and be ready, always careful and diligent, sighing and groaning, longing and praying, hasting to, and looking for this glorious coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ to judgement.   

THE SIX AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XVI. 
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, etc. 
Many discontented with Gods dealing with them.   
HE proceedeth to describe the wicked, and that four ways.  

1 By their Impatiency.  
2 By their Lusts.  
3 By their Pride.  
4 By their Flattery.   
For they yield many sins, as Nilus yields many Crocodiles, and the Scorpion, many Serpents at one birth:  
This impatiency is twofold, Against God, and against man.  
And first for God, many are never content, but if they have one thing, they would have another, like the daughter of Caleb, when we have pasture ground, we must have arable, and when we have that, we must have wood ground for fuel, and parks for pleasure; like some Clergy men, that must have one benefice for corn ground, another for glebe land; like Aesop's Lion, they must have the first, second, and third part; and except God give them the fourth part also, they will fall out with him, they will murmur, and as the Prophet speaketh, In the evening they will 
Psal. 59 15.  go to and fro, and bark like dogs, and grin, if they be not satisfied. Paul noteth this sin in Israel, and applieth it to Corinth, and in them to all Churches, saying, Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer: but to see it plainly, 
Murmuring, the sin of the Israelites.  read Exod. 16. and there ye shall find, that the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, in the wilderness, and said, Oh that we had died by 
1 Cor. 10. 10. Exod. 16. 2, 3, 4, 5.  the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots; when we ate bread our bellies full! But Moses told them, That God heard their grudge against them; and further said, At even shall the Lord give you flesh to eat, and in the morning your fill of bread; for the Lord (saith he) hath heard the murmurings that ye murmur against him, etc. and so at even quails came and covered the ground, and in the morning he reigned Manna upon them.  
Again, God having given them bread and flesh, no sooner wanted they water, but they were as vile: Wherefore the people contended with Moses and said, Give us water, that we may drink; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore hast thou brought us out of Egypt, to kill us, and our children, and our cattles with thirst? Thus like dogs, except their mouths were filled, they barked continually, like the Gangrene or the disease called the Wolf, which gnaweth ever except it be fed: For no sooner had God delivered them out of Egypt, but except he would deliver them from Pharaoh also, they would rail. Hereupon they said unto Moses: Hast thou brought us to dye in the Wilderness, because there were no graves in Egypt? Wherefore hast thou served us thus, to carry us out 
Exod. 14. 11, 12.  of Egypt? did not we tell thee this thing in Egypt, saying, Let us be at rest, that we may serve the Egyptians? for it had been better for us to have served the Egyptians, then that we should dye in the wilderness.  
Thus they dealt with God for water at another time: Why have ye brought the Congregation of the Lord into this Wilderness, 
Numb. 20. 4. 5.  that both we and our cattles should dye there? Wherefore now have ye made us to come up from Egypt, to bring us to this miserable place, which is no place of seed, nor figs, nor vines, nor pomegranates? neither is there any water to drink? Cyrill noteth upon the 6. of john, Vers. 52. that this sin of murmuring is hereditary to the jews; it was morbus haereditarius (like the stone) the Fathers conveyed it ever to their children, and this sin like the heads of Hydra, drew many other sins after it, as disobedience, ingratitude, impatience, distrust, tempting of God, blasphemy; it was never alone.  
The whole course of the sacred Scriptures crieth out against this sin, specially in men professing God, Do all things (saith the Apostle) 
Phil. 2. 14.  without murmuring or reasoning: and Saint Peter, Be ye harbourous one to another without murmuring: and Wisdom bids us, Beware 
1 Pet. 4, 9 Sap. 1. 10. Gen. 4. 14.  of murmuring. Cain murmured, and the Scripture noteth it as his sin.  
The Israelites were grievous murmurers.  
Sometimes for their Labour.  
Sometimes, for Drink.  

Exod. 5. 21. Cap. 16. 25. Cap. 17. 3.  Sometimes, for Flesh, as ye heard before.  
Sometimes in distrust, to obtain the City so strongly 
The punishment of murmurers.  walled.  
Sometimes for fear to be killed of their enemies.  
Sometimes for want of dainties, as figs, pomegranates, 
Num. 13. 3. Num. 14. 2. Cap. 16. 42. Cap. 20. 3.  vines, etc.  
Sometimes for that they were overlayed with Manna.  
And for other like causes, upon which the holy Ghost setteth a brand of dislike, and so by their sins admonisheth us to beware. For this sin never went unpunished.  
There is murmuring for good done on the Sabbath day: For not washing before meat, for the ointment that was poured upon Christ, and not rather sold, and given unto the poor; that widows were neglected; that Mary did not help Martha, but sat and heard Christ's words. But still observe, that all these were sinful and grievous unto God.  
Miriam, Moses Sister, for murmuring was punished with Leprosy; and she became a Leper white as snow. The labourers in 
Num. 12. 10.  the vineyard, which came at the first hour, & bore the burden & heat of the day, murmured at the master of the vineyard: because they received no more wages, than they that came at the last hour; but ye know his answer, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree 
Mat. 20. 13, 14, 15.  with me for a penny? take that which is thine own, and go thy way. I will give to this last as much as to thee. Is it not lawful for me to do as I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? etc. So the Pharises murmured against Christ, because he did eat with Publicans, but he reproved them. And in these last times the Gnostickes, Valentinians, Menander, Cerinthus, Elion, Martion, and some others cease not to vomit out their poison against the Son of God. But Ishmael shall not always grudge at Isaac; the Babylonians shall not always repine at the songs of Zion; Arrius shall not ever bark at the Son of God; Macedonius shall not ever murmur against the holy Ghost; Ishmael shall be 
Gen. 21. Psal. 137.  hurled out; the Babylonians dashed in pieces; Arrius voided his guts in secessu, in the common jakes; Macedonius rotten in the earth. Such a plague john noteth, saying, And the fourth Angel poured out his vial on the Sun, & it was given unto him to torment 
Apoc. 16. 8, 9, 10, 11.  men with heat of fire, and men boiled in great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues; and they repent not, to give him glory. And the fifth Angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom waxed dark, and they did gnaw their tongues for sorrow, and blasphemed the God of Heaven for their pains, and their sores, and repent not of their works. Finely therefore answered job his wife, What, shall we receive good things at the hands of God, and not receive evil? We must say with Paul, 
job 2. 10.  Novi saturari, novi esurire, I know to be full, and I know to hunger: 
Phil. 2. 12.  for he that cannot bear all states, can bear no state; he that cannot hunger without fainting, can hardly be full, without surfeiting; he that cannot bear adversity without murmuring, 
That is best that God allots, we ought therewith to be content.  cannot bear prosperity without pride, and arrogancy; he that is ashamed of a freeze coat, will be proud of a velvet coat; he that cannot bear a private life, if he were a ruler, would be a Tyrant; he that cannot endure sickness, if he had health, would be a wanton. An ancient Father calleth murmurers, or a diaboli, the Devil's mouth: but we must do all 
Irenaeus Phil.  things without murmuring: we must be like ground that can endure all weather, rain, and drought; like ships that can sail at all times, in a storm, and in a calm; like the stone in Thracia, that neither burneth in the fire, nor sinketh in the water. Felicity consisteth not in the things of this life; therefore we should not murmur for the want of them. job blesseth the name of God in his greatest afflictions, & murmureth not. Of the godly is often said, That the praises of God are ever in their mouths: than not murmuring: 
Psal. 135. 21.  Murmurers want David's staff so comfortable unto him, therefore we should avoid it. Seneca saith, Optimum est pati 
Psal. 23. 4.  quod emendare non potes, & Deum, quo authore cuncta proveniunt, sine murmur atione comitare; It is best to suffer what thou canst not amend, and to follow God, (from whom) as from a fountain, all things do come without murmuring. Some will have fair weather, some foul, some wet, some dry; if they have it not, they repine and murmur. Holcot commentarying upon the book of Wisdom, hath many pretty histories; and among many, he telleth us a tale of a Hermit, that having sown potherbs in his garden, desired fair weather, and foul weather, as he judged to be best for his herbs: and so had still granted of God, according to his request: but not one herb came up: whereupon he thought, that there was a general failing of herbs in all places: till on a time walking to another Hermit, not fare off, he saw with him a very excellent crop. Then he told him, what he had begged, and obtained touching the weather, and what effect it had. Whereunto the other Hermit answered, Putabas tesapientiorem Deo, & ipse ostendit tibi fatuitatem tuam, etc. Thou didst think thyself wiser than God, and he hath showed thee thy folly. I for my part never asked any other weather, than God should please to send. I would this old Hermit might teach many in these days, ever to rely upon God, & to take all things which he sendeth, thankfully without murmuring.  
And the only way to repress this murmuring and repining against God; is first to consider the providence of God, ruling all things in heaven and in earth, and overswaying all creatures, that nothing falleth out without his will and pleasure, as our Saviour teacheth; Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of 
Mat. 10. 29, 30.  them shall not fall on the ground without your Father? Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. For who giveth us our bodies? who clotheth the Lilies, that Solomon in all his glory was not like one of them? Who feedeth the young Ravens, 
Earthly things will not discontent, it affection be heavenly.  that cry unto him? Who sustaineth the wicked, that are his enemies? Who provideth all things for man in the beginning, before he was made, and created? Is it not the Lord, whose all the beasts of the forest are, and the cattles upon a thousand mountains? Let us than never murmur, but rest upon God's providence, and he will feed us, and  us, and care for us.  
A second remedy to repress this murmuring, is to root out all distrustful cares, and to be content with such things as we 
Hebr. 13.  have already, and to bear with patience, whatsoever the Lord sendeth. This mind was in jacob, in his journey he did not desire silver and gold, house, or lands, but only a competent and a convenient living: If God will be with me, and keep me in my journey which I go, and will give me bread to eat, and  to put on, then shall the 
Gen. 28. 20.  Lord be my God. So the Apostle teacheth; Godliness is great gain, if a man be content with that he hath. And again, I have learned in 
1 Tim. 6. 6. Phil. 4. 11.  whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content.  
The last remedy to keep us from murmuring, is, to set our affections upon Heavenly things, and not upon earthly. If we do believe that God doth forbear, and forgive us our sins, and not deal with us according to our deservings; if he sanctify us with his spirit, and make our bodies, temples of the Holy Ghost; if he turn us unto himself, working our conversion, which is as great a work, as at the first to create us; we may be well assured, that he will deliver our souls from death, and preserve us from famine : For if he spared not his own Son, but hath given him 
Psal. 33. 19 Rom. 8. 32. Luk. 12. 32.  for us all to death, how shall he not with him give us all things also? Murmur not then, for the want of outward things, which perish with their use: For it is your Father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom. This is the way to repress murmuring; Yet men many times are murmurers; yea Gods children themselves sometime fall into this sin: but this is to let us see our infirmity, and God's mercy, not to excuse this sin. True it is that job did pass the bounds 
job 3. 3, 4, 5. 11, 12.  of patience, saying, Let the day perish, wherein I was borne, and the night wherein it was said, that a man child is conceived; let the day be darkness: Let not God regard it from above, (that is, let it be put out of the number of days.) Neither let the light shine upon it, but let darkness and the shadow of death sustain it, and let the clouds remain upon it. Let them make it fearful as a bitter day. Why died I not in the birth? and why died I not, when I came out of the womb? Why did the knees prevent me? and why did I suck the breasts? And so jeremy, Cursed be the day wherein I was borne, and let not the day wherein my 
jer. 20. 14, 15, 16.  mother bore me, be blessed. Cursed be the man that shown my father, saying, A man child is borne unto thee, and comforted him: and let that man be as the Cities, which the Lord hath overturned, and repent not, and let them he are the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noon day. The 
jon. 4. 8.  like may be said of jonas; who wished in his heart to die; and said, It is better to die then to live. And the same may also be said of Elias, It 
God never fails the faithful.  is enough, Lord, take away my life; I am no better than my Fathers. These are examples to make us beware, not to be followed. In multis peccavimus omnes, in many things we sinne all, when the water is 
jam. 3.  troubled, it is not clear, nor good to drink of. When men's minds are troubled, their speeches are passionate and grievous; but God shall strengthen them, if they pertain to him: premimur, sed non opprimimur, We are pressed, but not oppressed: we 
2 Cor. 4. 8.  fall, but we rise again. Let us chide our souls, as David did, Why art thou so heavy, o my soul? why art thou so disquieted within me? Wait 
Psal. 42. 14.  on God; relent not, murmur not, though troubles be long and great; dic animae tuae, Quid tumultuaris? say unto thy soul, Why dost thou make tumult? why dost thou fret and storm? Art thou hungry? God will feed thee, as he did Elias by Ravens, that brought him meat morning and evening. Art thou weak? God will strengthen thee, as he did Shamgar, with his Ox goad. Art thou shut up close in prison? God will deliver thee, as he did Peter; the brazen gates of their own accord shall open unto thee. Pharaoh may pursue Israel, but he shall be drowned in the red Sea; jeroboam may stretch out his hand, but it shall whither: Abraham may lift up his hand, to smite Isaac, but God's Angel shall stay him, and a ram in a bush shall be present to be sacrificed in the room and stead of him: The Arrians may lie in wait for Ambrose, but he shall pass thorough the midst of them without hurt: A lion shall feed Macarius: A Hart shall bring meat to Aegidius: A wild Ass shall carry Haebaenus over the sea: A whale shall receive jonas safely: The Duke of Savoy may besiege Geneva, sed providebit Deus (quoth Beza) God shall provide. Ne deses Deo in fide, & non deerit tibi in , Be not wanting to God in faith, and he will not be wanting unto thee in help. Trust thou in the Lord, and do good, dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly, 
Psal. 137. 3, 4, 5.  and delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thy hearts desire: Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Sed hoc facile dictu, sed arduum factis: This is soon spoken, but not so soon done; few will in patience possess their souls, scarce one of a thousand will bear his Cross patiently without murmuring. Let us but want any corporal food, by and by we break out, What, means the Lord to kill us with famine? What greater sinners are we, than such, and such, that have the world at will? Would God he would either amend these things, or make an end of us: who can endure such an hard time? better to dye any way, then to dye of Famine. But away with this murmuring; and let us rely upon God, and say with job, Though he killme, yet will I put my trust in him.  
There is murmuring also against man, grudging either at their wealth, or at their love and favour, or at the credit and preferment, wherein they go before other men. So the Pharises murmured against jesus, and against his Disciples, because the 
One man repines ordinarily against another.  people followed them: and thus the Grecians murmured against the Disciples of Christ, because their widows were neglected in their daily ministering; a fault whether more bad, or common 
Act. 6. 1.  among us, it is hard to say: For what more ordinary among men than murmuring? If he be our superior in wealth, or in honour, or in credit, we murmur against him, as too great to dwell so near us; and if he be our equal, we grudge that he should thrive and prosper aswell as we; if he be our inferior, we disdain him. Thus among all sorts there is murmuring: so that whereas all things should be done without murmuring, nothing is done without murmuring: one man repines against another: We say, as Peter said, Lord, what shall this man do? We grudge like the men of the vineyard: Nemo sua sorte contentus: 
john 21, 21. Mat. 21.  No man resteth contented with his lot. It was wont to be a proverb, Homo homini Deus, One man is a God unto another; but now, Homo homini Daemon, One man is a Devil to another; to repine, disdain and hurt another: yet are we commanded to be patiented, and to settle our hearts, not to grudge one against another, 
jam. 5. 8, 9  lest we be condemned. The people murmur against their teachers, as Israel did; For they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, saying, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation 
Numb. 6. 16, 3, 13, 14, 32.  is holy, every one of them: and the Lord is among them, wherefore do ye lift up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? Is it a small thing, that thou hast brought us out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the Wilderness, except thou make thyself Lord and ruler over us also? Also thou hast not brought us into a land, that floweth with milk and honey, neither given us inheritance of fields and vineyards, etc. But yet know their end, The earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, with their families, and all the men that were with Corah. Against these kinds of murmurers Saint Gregory hath a good saying, in his morals, Qui contra suprapositam fibi potestatem Murmurat, liquet, quòd illum redarguit qui eandem potestatem dedit; Who so murmureth against authority set over him; it is manifest he reproveth him, that gave him the same authority: and upon the seventh Psalm, murmurantes dicuntur intrare in judicium cum Deo, Murmurers are said to enter into judgement with God. They are like, saith another, to a filthy swine, who whether he wake, or sleep, is always grunting: Murmur atores similes sunt versantibus in gyrum, donec capite & sensibus perturbati, caetera omnia perturbari putant: Murmurers are such as turn round about, till their heads and senses being turned, they imagine all 
Pythag.  things to turn round. Sed noli versus quenquam murmurare, est enim abjectorum, be not thou a murmurer against any man, for it is a base thing, and a quality of a base person; yet men will be murmuring against Governors, as Corah against Moses: but let his fearful punishment make us to fly murmuring, as a sin odious to God and man.  
Many again that are Governors, repine at the people, calling 
Our mutual wants should make us not repine.  them cursed men, rude men, as the Pharisees did. So Harding calleth them swine, that tread pearls under their feet. Staphilus calleth them dogs, unto whom we must not give holy things. Hosius calleth them bestiam multorum capitum, a beast of 
john 7. 49. Mat. 7.  many heads, who are not to meddle with sacred things.  
The Subjects repine against their Rulers, and call them Tyrants, Oppressors; as the ten Tribes did: the rulers make small account of their people, and use them as vassals, and peasants, 
1 Reg. 12. 16.  as Rehoboam did. The poor envy the rich, and say, These Churls eat up all, they have all, no man can have an acre of 
1 Reg, 12. 10.  land for them: their throats are never full. Thus began the rebellion in Kent in the days of Richard the second, and Henry the sixth: When under Wat Tyler, and jacke Cade, they beheaded all Lawyers, and learned men: they fired the Savoy, they beheaded the Archbishop of Canterbury, and put the King in great danger at Mile-end Greene. Thus began the rebellion of Ket in Norff. in casting down enclosures. The rich on the other side, call the poor, Mice, Snakes, Vermine, unprofitable men; as Hatto Bishop of Mentz did, who burned a barn full of poor folk, calling them Mice, and afterward was eaten of Rats in a town built on the Sea, called to this day Rats Tower. To conclude, all men for the most part are malcontented, as Nazianzene said, Miles dux erit, the soldier will be a Captain, Ovis pastoris mu●●s vendicat, the sheep challengeth the shepherds office; Pes caput fieri contendit, the foot striveth to be the head, Optat Ephippiam bos, optat arare Caballus, the Ox wisheth to bear the saddle, and the Horse to go to plough; the Merchant repineth against the Lawyer, and the Lawyer against the Merchant; the Till-man against the Soldier, and the Soldier against the Tilman. But if all were Merchants, where were Lawyers? if all were an eye, where were the hearing? one have need of another, the rich of the poor, and the poor of the rich; they of the 
1 Cor. 12. 19  poor in respect of their work, and the poor have need of them, in respect of their money: How should the rich do their work, if there were no poor? and how should the poor be relieved, if there were no rich? Pretty is the Fable of the Lion, delivered out of the snare by the gnawing of the Mouse: For the greatest needeth the help of the basest, and the rich of the poorest. Away therefore with murmuring, and all evil speaking, for a man is known by his speech, as metal is by his sound; and no glass showeth more plainly the spots of the face, than the tongue will show the spots of the heart.  
Secondly, He describeth the wicked by their lusts: They walk after their own lusts: sunt carnis mancipia & servi voluptatum, they are the slaves of the flesh, and servants of pleasures; they walk at random, neither fearing God, nor reverencing man, like the unrighteous judge: they do not, as they are enjoined 
The flesh must be subject to the Spirit.  by the Apostle, Put on the Lord jesus, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it: but they are all for the flesh, nothing for the Spirit; explent libidinem, they deny the flesh nothing that it would have. Here beginneth all mischief, that we leave the 
Luk. 18. Rom. 13, 14.  ordinance of God, and are ruled by our lusts; the Word of God, not our own will should rule us : Wherewith shall a young man redress his way? Bytaking heed thereto, according to thy Word. We must 
Psal. 119. 9  frame our lives to God's Word, and not walk after our own lusts. It is true in young & old, and in all men; Verbum, ut Sara: voluntas, 
Gen. 21.  ut Hagar; the word must be as Sara, the will like Hagar: if Hagar be disobedient, froward, stubborn, sullen, self-willed; Let Sara correct and chastise her, that the handmaid may not be proud, and of a lofty and haughty stomach against her mistress. So the flesh, if it rebel against the Spirit; snibbe her, punish her, chastise and tame her. And for the taming of the flesh, God hath taken diverse excellent courses: first, he hath laid a necessity of mortality upon it; All flesh is grass. Secondly, he hath enacted terrible decrees against such as walk after the flesh. Thirdly, he hath placed the spirit within us, to lust against the flesh. Lastly, he hath delivered us many rules, whereby we may subdue the flesh, as when he telleth us; First, that we must be sober: sober in our diet, sober in our apparel, sober in our recreations. Secondly, that we must mortify the flesh by godly sorrow: And thirdly, We must put no confidence in the flesh. The flesh is one of the three great enemies of God, and man's salvation, it is a treacherous, domestical enemy, and not only so, but also a tyrannical enemy; it will not be pleased except it reign; a most secret enemy, for she sits at the fountain, and poy soneth all; she lets in the Devil, and suffers him to set up his holds and fortifications in us, and is never quiet, till it bring the soul into actual high treason against God; snibbe her, punish her, chastise her, tame her; therefore lead all thy thoughts into captivity, and bring them to the obedience of Christ. The jews would not listen to the Prophets, but walked after their own fleshly 
2 Cor. 10.  lusts; and therefore saith God unto his Prophet, Speak thou now unto the men of judah, and to the Inhabitants of jerusalem, saying; 
jer. 18. 11, 12.  Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you, return you therefore every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your works good. But they said desperately, (as men that had no remorse, but were altogether bend to rebellion, and to walk after their fleshly lusts) Surely we will walk after our own imaginations, and do every man after the stubborness of his own wicked heart. This is our case, thus we say; Let them teach, let them preach their bellies full, it is but one Doctors opinion. The jews for all Ezechiel, followed their covetousness; They come unto you (saith God) as a people useth to come; and my people sit before thee, and hear thy words; but they will not do them: for with their 
Bad thoughts must be banished.  mouths they make jests, and their heart goeth after their covetousness: and lo, thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well: for they hear thy words, but do them not. This English people, in the like sort giveth us the hearing, but not the doing: they are covetous still, bribers, oppressors, usurers, and still they follow their lusts, etc. Quid odit Deus nisi propriam voluntatem? What doth God hate, but our own proper will? What doth God punish, but our will? Let thy will cease, and Hell shall cease; Non erit tibi infernus, Thou shalt feel no hell: for if thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy will, refrain from wicked works, and honour thy God, not doing thine own ways, nor seeking thine own will, nor speaking a vain word, I will cause thee to mount upon th● high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of jacob, etc.  
The heart is warily to be kept from two things, A vanis cogitationibus, & inordinatis affectibus, from vain cogitations and inordinate affections, or wandr●ng lusts: From these two let thy heart be free, wherein the Spirit dwelleth. As Painters use to blanche, and make white their tables, wherein they do paint, and to draw out the shape and form of any thing: so make thou clean, and expunge the tables of thy soul, thy understanding and will, as touching thy desires and lusts; that is, as touching thy thoughts and cogitations; that the finger of God, that is, the Holy Ghost may paint good things in thy heart. The heart of the evil is as an highway continually trampled upon, worn with their affections, by the instigation of Satan: For what affection do the wicked repress? What lust do they resist? What did they ever deny the flesh that it longed for, or desired? God may now complain of us, as he did of his own people; Wherefore is this people of jerusalem turned back with a perpetual rebellion? they gave themselves to deceit, and would not return: I hearkened 
jer. 8. 5, 6.  and heard, but none spoke aright, none repent him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his race, as the horse rusheth into the battle, drawing iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin like 
Esay. 5. 18.  cart-ropes; they use allurements, occasions, and excuses to harden their hearts in sin: and as the Apostle speaketh, They are past feeling, and have given themselves to wantonness, to work all uncleanness 
Ephes. 4. 19  with greediness. The malicious pursue their revenge, the drunkard his cups; the whoremonger his pleasures, the covetous their gain: Sed aequum est, ut qui nunquam voluit carere vitio, nunquam careret supplicio; It is meet and right, that he that would never want sin, should never want punishment, but that God should rain upon them snares, and fire, and brimstone, storm, and tempest evermore. To these men it shall be said, as unto Babylon, Reward her, even as she rewarded you, and give her double, according 
Psal. 11. Apoc. 18. 8.  to her works: and in the c●p that she hath filled to you, fill her the double, in as much as she glorified herself, and lived in pleasure, so 
The Word of God the chiefest means to restrain lusts.  much give you to her torment and sorrow. Cor verò bonorum est ut hortus conclusus, the heart of good men, is as a garden shut up, and as a fountain sealed, whereof no man must taste, no man must drink 
Cant. 3. 7.  but God; as the bed of Solomon, that had threescore strong men round about it, of the valiant men of Israel; but the heart of the wicked is as a vessel without a cover, ad accipiendam omnem spurcitiem, to receive all filthiness, all uncleanness, as Paul speaketh of the Gentiles; They kept not their vessels in holiness, but in the lust of concupiscence; 
1 Thess. 4. 5.  It intertaineth any sin whatsoever. Again, Let thy heart be free and at liberty from affections: there is nothing that troubleth and disquieteth the heart so much as our natural affections and passions; as are love, and hatred; joy, and sorrow; hope, and fear; anger, and desire, etc. These are the winds which vehemently toss and trouble this sea; these are the clouds which darken this Heaven; these are the weights, which do depress the spirit: Let us therefore cast away every thing that presseth down, 
Hebr. 12. 1.  and the sin that hangeth on so fast. As our bodily eyes cannot behold the Sun, and the stars in cloudy and dark weather: so our spiritual eyes, the eyes of our soul cannot see God, nor heaven the seat of God, when they are obscured and darkened with the clouds of lusts & passions. As in a clear & pure water, all things are seen, even unto the least sand, which in a troubled foul water cannot be: so the soul is blind and seethe not, when passions and lusts obscure her. Beware therefore, lest the two wings of thy soul, understanding and will, be not defiled with the birdlime of earthly things, that is to say, wicked affections: Rule therefore thine affections by the Word of God; Let this Word be a lantern unto thy feet, and a light unto thy paths: For 
Psal. 119. 105.  of ourselves we are but darkness, and cannot see, except we be lightened with God's Word: Refraena naturam in his, quae verbo Dei prohibentur, Bridle, and restrain nature in those things that are forbidden in the Word. O jerusalem (saith God) wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall thy wicked 
jer. 4. 14.  thoughts remain within thee? A natural man through sin is like the man that traveled from jerusalem to jericho, and fell among thiefs, and was rob of his raiment, wounded, etc. So the 
Luk. 10.  natural man is spoilt of all his goods of grace, wounded in all the goods of nature; his understanding is blinded, his will is weak, his memory wand'ring, his imagination restless, his appetite rebellious, his senses curious, his flesh inclined to all filthiness. What good is to be expected of an Infant, sitting upon an untamed horse, holding weak reines in his hand in an hilly way full of breaknecks? In the same state and condition abideth man, destitute of the grace of the Spirit, & of the Word of God; his appetite is as an untamed horse; his reason, which should rule his appetite is weak, and the world is full of breake-necks and snares: how miserable therefore is our nature, which is carried 
Lust stirreth to all sins.  head long into wrath, envy, pride, covetousness, whoredom, and all uncleanness? Our own will doth oppugn and fight against God, spoileth Paradise, enricheth hell, evacuateth the blood of Christ, subjects the world unto the Devil; in this part of the soul is the shop of sin, out of which Satan draweth all his source, and armour to wound us: this is the vineyard in which we ought to labour; in this garden, let us always walk, having the hook in our hand, whereby we may cut off all these noisome 
Mat. 20.  plants, if they happen to increase and grow: Thy will saith, Vlciscere, invide, extol teipsum: Revenge, envy, extol thyself: noli pacem quaerere, seek not peace, iura, periura, ede, bibe, lude, swear, forswear, eat, drink, play. But let the Word of God rule thee: Put off the old man which is corrupt, with his deceivable lusts, and put 
Ephes. 4. 23.  on the new man, which after God is shapen in righteousness and true holiness. Mortify your earthly members, fornication, uncleanness, unnatural lusts and covetousness, which is Idolatry: crucify the flesh with the affections 
Col. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 24.  and lusts; The Fowler knoweth with what lure to take hawks; the fisher knoweth with what bait to catch the fishes; and the Devil knoweth to what sins and vices we incline, and lean unto; and thither he carrieth us headlong, whither our lusts carry us. Vince ergo libidinem, & vicisti diabolum: Vanquish thy lusts, and thou hast vanquished the Devil. Herupon saith john, I writ unto you young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God 
1 john 2. 14.  abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked. Such young men God send us many; they shall be like little David to overthrow Goliath; like the three Worthies, that broke thorough the host of the Philistines; like Gedeons' pitcher, that drove back the Madianites. Fraena libidinem, aliter ingratus es: Bridle thy lusts, otherwise thou art unthankful to God, which hath given thee so many weapons; dedit legem per quam vivis, he hath given thee his Law, by which thou livest; he hath given grace, to perform it; he hath given Doctors to instruct us; he hath given Sacraments to increase our faith; he hath given inspirations by his Spirit. Do not therefore quench them; he hath given us himself: give then therefore thyself, and offer thy body and soul a quick, an holy, and acceptable sacrifice unto him; and walk not after thine own lusts; For lust is the mother of all wickedness, if it be not betimes killed in the conception. The Apostle shows, that lust will be quickly enticed; and being enticed, it will conceive; and being conceived, it will bring forth the birth of some notable evil action; and when it is gone so fare, like an impudent beldame, it will egg on still to the finishing of sin, that so it may bring us to death and destruction.  
But it will be said, that the best men have their lusts, and sometimes follow them. It is true: so the brightest fire hath some smoke, the soundest oak his sap; the purest gold, his dross; the fairest body, his phlegm, choler, and excrements: yet is 
Lust brings▪ forth sin, and sin destruction.  there difference between all smoke, and some smoke: all dross, and some dross; all evil, & some evil: the evil are notably evil; For as they regard not to know God, even so God delivereth them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being 
Rom. 1. 28, 29.  full of all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, of murder, of debate, of deceit, etc. but good men, they are evil only in part, the spirit of Sanctification is sometimes interrupted in the regenerate, but never quite abolished; while lusts bear sway in the heart, it is hindered, but not extinguished: For the seed of God abideth in them: even as madness 
1 john 3.  interrupteth reason, (sunt enim lucida intervalla) as drunkenness doth not take away the mind itself, but the use of the mind for a time: so doth our lusts; yet we return, as David 
1 Sam. 12. john 21.  to his chastity, as Peter to the confession of Christ; for he which thrice together denied him, thrice together did confess him; as he fell, he rose, he fell thrice together, and thrice together rose again. The jebusite did dwell in jerusalem, but he did not domineer, nor rule in jerusalme; So lust dwelleth in the godly, but it reigneth not in them. He that wanteth all affections, is either 
Rom. 6▪  a God, or a stone; and he that obeyeth all, is either damned, or a Devil: cut them off therefore: though they be as an eye, or an hand unto thee, yet pluck out that eye, smite off that hand, 
Mat. 18.  that thou mayest enter into Heaven: come unto Christ, that he may ease thee of the burden of thine affections. Mundus clamat, Ego deficiam te, the World cryeth, I will fail thee, For the World passeth away, and the lusts thereof: Caro clamat, Ego inficiam 
1 john 2. 17.  te: the flesh cryeth, I will infect thee: Fulfil not therefore the lusts of the flesh: diabolus clamat, Ego decipiam te, the Devil cryeth, I will 
Gal. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 5.  deceive thee: For he goeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking not only to deceive, but to devour: At Christus clamat, Ego reficiam te, but Christ cryeth, I will refresh thee; Come to me, all that travel, 
Mat. 11. 29.  and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Vtrum sequi sequi vis? Whether of these wilt thou follow? the World failing, the flesh infecting, or the Devil deceiving, or Christ refreshing? Satan requireth no more of thee, but to follow thy lusts : Sequere carnem, & ducet te adinteritum: Fellow the flesh, and it will lead thee to destruction: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall dye. Now to live 
Rom. 8. 13.  after the flesh, is to commit the works of the flesh, and the 
Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21.  works of the flesh are, first, Adultery; secondly, Fornication; thirdly, Uncleanness; fourthly, Wantonness; fifthly, Idolatry; sixthly, Witchcraft; seventhly, Hatred; eighthly, Debate; ninthly, Emulations; tenthly, Wrath; eleventhly, Contentions; twelfthly, Seditions; thirteenthly, Here sies; fourteenthly, Envy; fifteenthly, Murders; sixteenthly, Drunkenness; last of all, Gluttony; and they that do these things, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Divide the World into an hundred parts, and scarce one is Christian; and among a hundred 
Lust promiseth pleasure, but brings damnation.  that are called Christians, scarce one can say with Paul, Miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin? The flesh speaketh guilefully to the Spirit, that hath left her with her lusts, as Laban did to jacob, to cause him to retire, and go 
Rom. 7. 24.  home again with him; so saith the flesh to the spirit, and body, I would have filled thine eyes with goodly sights, thine ears with sweet music, thy  with dainty dishes, thy appetite with all lusts and pleasures. So Augustine bringeth in his affections, lusts, and concupiscences thus speaking unto him and crying, Dimittes ne nos nunc? Wilt thou leave us now, and shall we not be with thee for ever? The flesh fighteth against the spirit; herein it resembleth Eva, alluring Adam to the forbidden fruit; like 
Gal. 5. 16. Gen. 3. Gen. 39 judg. 4. judg. 16.  Putiphars' wife, soliciting joseph to all filthiness; like jael, who slew Sisera, under the show of love; like Dalila, who delivered Samson sleeping in her lap, into the hands of the Philistians: Sed opera carnis damnabilia, the works of the flesh are damnable. 
Gal. 5. ●2.  If we live after the flesh, we shall dye. Seneca, a Gentile could say, Major sum, & ad majora natus; quàm ut carnis mancipium fiam, I am greater, and borne to greater things, than to be a slave unto the flesh. So must a Christian say, I am borne to greater things, than to serve the flesh, which yields nothing but corruption: For he that soweth in the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. I 
Gal. 6. 8. Gen. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ephes. 4. 1 Cor. 10. 3. Phil. 3. 21.  am created after God's image, redeemed with his Blood, sanctified by his Spirit, instructed by his Word, fed by his Sacraments, appointed to be glorified, that I may live to God here, & in Heaven hereafter. What man having two servants, the one wise, the other foolish, would have the fool to overrule the wiseman? So we let the flesh over-ruel the Spirit. Our lusts are as fire unquenchable, as a devouring beast that is not satisfied: as the horseleech, which sucketh till she burst: Quod solatium habere potest pater? What comfort or joy can a Father have, that having 10 or 12 hungry sons ready to starve for want, & hear them cry out for food & succour, & hath not wherewith to feed & still them? So what quiet can a man have, whose appetites & desires cry out, & yet cannot satisfy nor suffice them? Clamat luxuria. Lechery crieth; Give me women, & yet thy strength cannot perform that thou lustest after. Clamat superbia, Pride cryeth, Be liberal & a good companion: Tuae tamen facultates hoc negant: Thy wealth denyeth this. Clamat invidia, Envy cryeth, Revenge thyself of such & such injury, & yet thy weakness will not suffer thee to be revenged. Clamat voluptas, Pleasure cryeth, Ede, bibe, Eat, drink, fish, fowl, hunt, hawk, rush, ride: reclamat tamen senectus, but old age cryeth again, Desunt vires: Strength is wanting to perform these things, he must sit coughing in his chair, and grunting in his bed, his will is good to follow these delights, but (poor man) he wanteth strength: Miserè torquentur isti libidinosi, nunquam explentur: these libidinous men are miserably tormented, but never filled: like the horseleech daughters, they are never satiate; quot sensus, tot arma, so 
Lust poisons all the powers of the soul.  many senses, so many weapons: our words blow, our works wound, our eyes and ears open gates for the Devil, to send loads of sin into our mind, our taste and senses, and feeling, are 
Prov. 30. 15. Rom: 6. 1 Cor. 6.  tinder and fuel to feed the fire of our concupiscence; our bodies, which should have been Templum Spiritus Sancti, the Temple of the Holy Ghost, a haunt of Devils, and a sepulchre of a corrupted soul, the soul betrothed to Christ in Baptism, a 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  riotous, disloyal lozel, our understanding darkened, our will, with her affections a common Courtesan, lusting after every offer 
Ephes. 2. 3.  of the flesh; in so much as one Father bringeth in the Devil speaking thus to Christ, I have more right to this man than thou. judge him to be mine. I never loved him, and yet he served me; I never did him good, yet hath he obeyed me; what I suggested, he performed; what I proffered, he embraced: Meus est per naturam, tuus est per gratiam, he is mine by nature, he should have been thine by grace; mine he is by transgression, but thine he should have been by redemption, but he gave himself to lust, and lust being conceived, brought forth sin, & therefore he is mine, mine, mine. An elegant Prosopopeia; without us are our affections to seduce us, within, our conscience to accuse us, above us, God's justice, beneath us, hell fire: Let us not therefore lust after evil things, but crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts.  
Where lust is, there is no mortification, and where no mortification is, there is no rising again with Christ, & where there is no rising again with Christ, there is no salvation: For Peter Martyr divided mortification into two members; patience in bearing adversity, and temperancy in bridling the lusts of the flesh. Now measure our Christianity by this, and Lord, how little would be found in the world? as one said, Call on houses and chambers under which thou hast lived, ask the fields & gardens where thou hast walked, summon seats whereon thou hast sitten; examine thy pillows, upon which thy head hath rested, & all these will cry with one mouth, that we have walked after our lusts, that we have lived at random, that we have followed our pleasures, that we have lived in gluttony, in chambering, and wantonness, that we take no thought but for the flesh, To fulfil the lusts of it: this is not to walk honestly, as in the day time. The Image of God is not restored in us, till our lusts be subdued, and we cease to walk after our lusts. Imaginis Dei duae sunt parts, sanctitas intellectus, & sanctitas voluntatis in fraenandis libidinibus. Of the Image of God there be two parts, sancity of understanding the one, and sanctity of will the other in bridling lusts: and this the Apostle calleth The new man, which after God (that is, the image of God) is shapen in righteousness, and true holiness: Loosen the reines to thy lusts, and there is no image of God in thee; but of 
Ephes. 4. 24.  the Devil which seduceth thee, and therefore reserved to the 
The Godly man, though lust be in, yet it reigns not over him.  day of judgement to be punished, because thou walkest after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness. Seneca telleth us of one Sextius, qui nocte animum suum semper interrogabat, quod malum hodie sanâsti? which nightly would ask his own soul, What evil hast thou 
2 Pet. 2. 10.  healed to day? What vice hast thou resisted? In what part art thou better to day than thou wert yesterday? O, if thou a Christian couldst do this, thou wert a blessed man! O happy golden day in which thou hast tamed one lust, one sin! thou mayest then say with Paul, I have fought a good fight, etc. Sapientis est animus, 
2 Tim. 4. 6.  ut status mundi supra lunam; a wise man's mind, is as the state of the world above the Moon: Nec nubes, nec fulgur, nec turbines ibi sunt, There be neither clouds, nor lightning, nor whirlwinds, but all things bright, and shining, calm and quiet : Sic nulla ira, nulla libido, nulla perturbatio cadit in animum sapientis: So no anger, no 
Seneca.  lust, no perturbation cometh into a wise man's mind: but I will not say none, but not so much as in other men, libido inest, sed non praeest; lust is in him, not over him: habitat, sed non regnat; 
Rom. 6. 12.  it dwelleth in him, but reigneth not: bellat, sed non debellat, it wars in him, but it wins not: we are not like the Heathen, 
1 Thess. 4. 5.  which keep their vessels in the lust of concupiscence. Satanas duobus armis nos oppugnat, voluptate & timore, Satan oppugneth us with two weapons, voluptuousness, and fear; with voluptuousness he taketh us, and with fear he breaketh us: against the one let us arm our hearts with godly affections; & against the other with faith and confidence; let us take the shield of faith, wherewith we may quench the fiery darts of lust, and concupiscence.   

THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XVI. 
Whose mouth speaketh proud things, having men's persons in admiration, etc. 
The tongue the discoverer of the heart.   
HAving formerly described the wicked by their impatiency, and by their lusts, he cometh now thirdly, to describe them by their pride, and he saith, that their mouth speaketh proud things. These words seem to be drawn from Saint Peter, where speaking of the wicked, he saith that they utter swelling words of vanity, they beguile with wantonness through 
2 Pet. 2. 18.  the lusts of the flesh, them that were clean escaped from them, which are wrapped in error: For jude wrote later than the other Apostles.  
Where note first, that he proceedeth from their walking, to their speaking; from their heart, to their mouth; from the fountain, to the channel: for commonly if the heart be humble, the speeches are lowly, but if it be proud, the speeches are lofty: For of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh: Lingua penna, 
Luke 6.  seu nuntius cordis: the tongue is the pen or messenger of the heart. Hercules' body was known by the length of his foot; and the heart is known by the speech of his mouth: good men speak well, for their heart is good: so saith the Prophet, The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom, and his tongue will talk 
Psal. 37. 30, 31.  of judgement: For the Law of God is in his heart, and bad men speak vilely; for their heart is naught. For no constancy is in their mouth: within 
A proud heart showeth itself by proud speeches.  they are very corruptions, their throat is an open sepulchre, and they flatter with their tongue. Ex putredine quid nisi putridum prodeat? From rottenness and corruption, what can proceed, but that which is corruptible and rotten? What shall a man expect from a bitter 
Psal. 5. 9  fountain, but bitter waters? What from the egg of a Cockatrice, but a Serpent? What from a Spider, but poison? What from the lake Asphaltis, but stinch and corruption? The Apostle telleth us, That unto the pure, all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds and 
Tit. 1. 15.  consciences are defiled.  
It seemeth that jude here alludeth unto David; For he ever bringeth in the wicked on the stage, speaking presumptuously like Thraso, loquuntur ampullas, their words are bombasted; hear them from morning till night, and all their speech (like Goliath) is bragging, all their talk tendeth to the commendation of themselves: they are in love with themselves, as Narcissus with his shadow; their mouth as a trumpet soundeth out their own praise; they reckon up all their virtues, but they pass over all their vices; like captains, who number their soldiers, but mark not how many are of the side of the enemy to encounter them, and therefore lose the field oftentimes. The nature of the wicked is to boast; so David speaketh of the enemies of the Church, They are enclosed in their own fat (that is, they are post up with pride, as the stomach that is choked with fat) and their 
Psal. 17. 10, 11.  mouth speaketh proud things, they have compassed us now in our steps, they have set their eyes to bring us down to the ground. They say, With our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own. Who is Lord over us? 
Psal. 12. 4.  These proud tongues are never quiet from prittle prattle, from scanning this neighbour's wealth, that neighbour's wit, this man's doings, that man's sayings, coursing over the whole Country, till all men have been within the compass of their tongues, drawn out by them (peradventure) by the power of a pot too much, or such like influence. For their mouth is unnaturally bigger than their hand; what they want in doing, they supply in talking; though they cannot work it, yet they can word it: Linguis, si non factis, praevalebunt, they will prevail with their tongues, if not with their deeds: Os ponunt in Coelos, they set their mouth against Heaven, and their tongue walketh thorough the 
Psal. 73. 9  Earth; they are licentious, and speak proudly, and talk presumptuously: Portant gladium non in vagina, sed in ore, they carry a sword, not in their sheath, but in their mouth: Their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Thus boasted 
Psal. 57 5.  railing Rabshakeh, with most insolent words, and haughty pride, and said to Hezechiah, that he would make his men eat their own dung, and drink their own piss: and thus boasted the Kings and 
2 Reg. 18. 27.  Rulers of the Earth against the Lord, and against his Anointed, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us: 
Happy is he that can see his own vileness.  but it followeth well there; He that dwelleth in Heaven, shall laugh them to scorn, the Lord shall have them in derision: Let not the wiseman glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength: 
Psal. 2. 3.  but he that will glory, let him glory in the Lord, and make his boast of his praise.  
The Pharises boasted much of their doings, they delivered their alms with the sound of trumpets, but they muttered their sins in the ears of their fellows: they spoke softly (quoth Epiphanius) like the peacock that croweth when he looketh at his wings, but is mute, when he looketh at his feet, which are foul and ugly. This sin of pride is natural, or universal, and therefore the more to be eschewed of the children of God. Habet quisque naevos superbiae, not drops, but rivers, blottes, stains of 
Jerome.  pride, spotted like a Leopard; we drew it from the loins of Adam, and sucked it out of the breasts of Heva; for they were proud, and would be like unto God; Sed dum rapere voluerunt divinitatem, 
August.  amiserunt foelicitatem, whiles they would have caught the divinity, they lost their felicity: yea the Angels that sinned before man, fell through pride, (though not only pride.) Paul 
1 Tim. 3.  calleth it, The condemnation of the Devil. Not long after the destruction of the old world, and the reparation of the new, the builders of Babel fell this way, saying proudly, Faciamus turrim extensam in coelos, Let us build a City & a tower whose top may reach 
Gen. 11.  unto the heaven. But God plagued their pride with the confusion of tongues, and divided them into seventy three tongues, which before, spoke all but one tongue. It is natural to us to think proudly of ourselves, to speak proud things, to deal arrogantly, and to boast outrageously. We are like the Ciclopians, and like Poliphemus, see but with one eye; we see our virtues, not our vices, which are ten to one, as the Leopard hath ten black spots to one white: but he is an happy man that can see his vileness, his sin, and can accuse himself, not praise himself, as Paul did, when he said, God forbidden, that I should rejoice in anything, but in the Cross of our Lord jesus, whereby the world is crucified 
Gal. 6. 14.  unto me, and I unto the world. Paul was a great Apostle, circumcised the eighth day, of the kindred of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, an 
Phil. 3, 4, 6, 8.  Hebrew of the Hebrews, by the Law a Pharisee, concerning zeal, wonderful, touching the righteousness which is in the Law, unrebukeable; Yet he was not proud of any of these things; but counted all things loss, and did judge them to be dung, that he might win Christ: and writing to the Corinthians he saith thus, Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs rejoice, I will 
2 Cor. 11. 30, 31.  rejoice in mine infirmities, as imprisonments, beating, hunger, thirst, and such like: which things the adversaries did condemn as infirm in him. And again he said, I know nothing by myself, yet am I not thereby justified; he knew no oaths, no lies, no rancour, no whoredom, by himself, no Capital sin, for the Child of 
jesting base fruit of wit.  God may say, with Christ in some respect, Which of you can reprove me of sin? yet would not he boast, for he had peccata occulta, secret 
john 10.  sins. There be some that apply their wit and understanding to nothing else, but to frumps, and jests, to disgrace others, to move laughter, if they can nip, or by a girding scoff, disgrace another, honester than themselves; we call them merry Greeks, pleasant companions, good fellows: but this is the least harvest, the least fruit of their wit. jocis utuntur qui currum poties quàm Curiam decent, as one saith, they use jests and sports which become rather the Cart, than the Court: Quique vomitum citius quàm risum moveant, and which will sooner move vomit than sport; and then they triumph, but in truth without victory. These are dogs, not men: For of evil men there be two kinds, alij sunt Canes, alij porci, some are dogs, some are hogs; Fools are hogs, which neglect the truth, secure, and refuse the Word, but some are dogs, which slander, and deride the professors of the truth: beware of these dogs; these dogs shall not go to 
Phil. 3. 2. Apoc. 22. 14.  Heaven; as Seneca said of Sylla, that he left killing, when none were left to be killed; so these proud tongues will leave scoffing, when there are no honest men to be played upon.  
Good men strive to debase themselves, they stop their ears at their praises, as Mariners do at the song of the Meremaid: As Adders do at the voice of the Charmer: they say with David, Peccatum meum semper coram me: My sin is ever before me: they 
Psal. 51.  are vile, and will be more vile: as David said to Michol; who taunted him, nay despised him in her heart, when she saw him dancing before the Ark. O how glorious (quoth she) was the King 
2 Sam. 6. 20, 21, 22.  of Israel this day, which was uncovered to d●y in the eyes of the maidens of his servants, as a fool uncovereth himself! But he answered her, That which he did, was for noworldly affection, but only for the zeal he bore to God, and to his glory, and I will (quoth he) be yet more vile than thus, and I will be low in mine own sight, etc. So God's Children, they are vile, and low in their own sight; they can say with David, Lord, I am not highminded, I have no proud looks, I 
Psal. 131. 1, 2.  do not exercise myself in matters that are too high for me, etc. But many are proud & haughty, boasting & bragging of their works, as of their prayers, alms, readings, fastings, etc. But dost thou glory in thy prayers? O fool, where thou prayest one prayer, others pray a thousand: The Eutiches prayed continually, james had his knees horne-hoofed with prayer; Christ prayed a whole night, which thou never didst. Dost thou glory of thy Alms? O fool, where thou givest a penny, thou receivest a pound at the hands of God, and in all that, thou art but a steward, and thou must reddere rationem, give an account of thy stewardship. Zachee would give half his good to the poor: thou, not the hundred, not the thousand part, yet he boasted not. Dost thou glory in thy reading? Where thou readest a line, others read a 
We must so live, that our conscience may comfort us.  volume. Alphonsus' King of Naples read over the Bible forty times; thou not twice, not once, yet boastest that thou art a Christian. Dost thou glory in thy works? O fool, es seruus inutilis, thou art an unprofitable servant. And what deserveth he, but stripes and blows? And yet obiter, by the way, to them that insult 
Luk. 17.  over us, as if we were Metropolitan, or Captain sinners, we say, as Paul said, As touching me, I pass very little to be judged of you, or of man's judgement, no, I judge not mine own self. And again, We give 
1 Cor. 4. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 3, 4.  none occasion of offence in any thing that our ministry should not be reprehended, but in all things, we approve ourselves as the Ministers of God. So said Ambrose; Non it a vixi, ut me vixissepudeat, nec mori timeo, quia bonum habemus Dominum; I have not so lived, as that I am a shamed to live, neither am I afraid to dye, because we have a good Lord. If we have to do with God, we say, O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, and unto us open shame. O Lord, to us appertaineth open shame, 
Dan. 9 7, 8.  to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our Fathers, because we have sinned against thee. But if with men, that slander us, we say with jeremy, 
jer. 15. 10, 15.  woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a contentious man, and a man that striveth with the whole earth: I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury, yet every one doth curse me. O Lord, thou knowest, remember me and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors: take me not away in the continuance of thy anger: know, that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. judge's may say with Samuel, Whose ox have I taken? Or whom have I done wrong to? Or whom have I hurt? Or of 
1 Sam. 12. 3.  whose hands have I received any bribe, to blind mine eyes therewith, and I will restore it you? Ministers must say, We have cast from us the cloaks of shame, and walk not in craftiness, neither handle we the Word of God 
2 Cor. 4. 2.  deceitfully; but in declaration of the truth, we approve ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And every Christian must say with job, My witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high. And again, he must say with Paul, Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of 
job 16. 19 2 Cor. 1. 12.  our conscience, that in simplicity and godly pureness, and not in fleshly Wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, etc.  
They speak proud things.] To speak things, hath been a frequent sin from the beginning of the primitive Church, to this day; like Noah's deluge, it hath overflowed, and like another Alexander conquered: it was in the Gnostics, the root of their heresy; For Simon Magus, their Prince, as saith Irenaeus, called himself the Son of God, the power of God, and under Claudius the Emperor his Image was set up, and worshipped as God; after him came Menander, and spoke proud things, affirming, that he was sent a Saviour from invisible things, for the salvation of the world. After him, Apelles, Montanus, Manes, which affirmed that they were sent by the Holy Ghost: such in our time were 
Act. 8.  the Quintinists and Libertines in Germany, which call themselves mere spiritual: such are the Henry Nicolaitans, who say, that they 
It is ordinary to them that are vile, to speak ill.  are codeified with God, and God cohominified with them; such was the traitor Hacket, Anno. 1591. who blasphemed God, and called for fire to consume the world that believed not in him.  
Thus men now swell in pride, in opinion, in words, in deeds, in all things. Hagar waxeth proud against her dame Sara. Aesop's crow jetteth in the plumes and feathers of other birds; and the Cumane Ass walketh up and down with his long ears, in a Lion's skin: For commonly none are prouder, than the unworthiest: As the Holy Ghost noteth of the bramble; who would be King over the trees, when as the figtree, the olive-tree, and the vinetree refused it; For the figtree would not leave his sweetness, nor the olive-tree her fatness, nor the vine her wine, wherewith she did cheer the heart both of God and man, to rule over the trees: only the scratching bramble, he was so proud, that he would. Pan will compare with Apollo; Arachne, with Minerva; Silenus with Mercury, Phaethon will manage his father's team; Icarus will mount up with his wings of wax; the Fly Farsalla will sport with the candle; the Pharise will say, there is no sinner like the Publican. The Laodicians will boast of their wealth, knowledge, and all graces. The young man will say that he hath kept all the precepts of God; Naminania dolia acutissimè resonant, the emptiest tubs make the greatest sound. The Apothecary's boxes, which have nothing in them, are best painted; but the bramble was burned, Phaethon spoilt the frame of the world; Icarus wings melted; the Fly is burnt in the flame; the Pharise went home unjustified; the Laodicians were thrown down to hell, the young man went away sorrowful. God will humble the proud; Let every man therefore think better of another, then of himself. But we forget, that sequitur superbos ultor è tergo Deus, that God followeth the proud man at the heels, to plague him and punish him; nay, we forget, that we are men, and weak men, and so our pride groweth to be infinite. julius' the second would make no water, but in silver basons; Heliogabalus would avoid no excrements, but in vessels of gold; Sardanapalus would eat no meat, but Nightingales tongues; Sapor, the King of Persia, would use no footstool, but the neck of the Emperor Valerian; in Arabia foelix, the Nobles would kindle no fire, but of Cinnamon; the grand Cham of Tartary will not be drawn of horses, but of Elephants: our pride is infinite, our words, our deeds, our thoughts Majestical. Sed quid superbis terra & cinis? Why art thou proud, dust and ashes? And yet this proud man catcheth nothing but smoke, and gaineth nothing but smoke. We marvel at the Emperor, who passed all his festival days in killing of flies; but how much more may we marvel at him, who passeth all his days in catching of smoke, and the blast of men's mouths. A certain King therefore appointed this punishment 
Flatterers applaud others, to enrich themselves.  for proud men, that they should be suffocated, and choked with smoke, saying, that it was right and meet, that they should perish in smoke, which have spent their whole life in catching the smoke of vanity and vainglory.  
The end of all this clawing, is gain: men speak for advantage, they have sugared tongues, oiled mouths, dulced words: but suspect them, for they speak for gain; like Aesops-Foxe, that telleth the Crow, that she was the fairest bird in the heavens, if she could sing: and therewithal she opened her mouth to sing, but she lost her meat by it. Thus the flatterer aimeth at advantage, at gain, at profit; he maketh a show he is thy friend, and wisheth thee well; but he is but a verbal friend, a friend from teeth outward, a flattering friend, a friend in show, but not in deed; like Aristotle's fallations; and falling stars, which seem to be, and are not, a friend only in name, one that will give thee his hand, but not the heart; for he hath a tongue to commend thee, but yet no longer, than it is for his advantage; like Hyena, he hath a fair face, but a false heart, like jael, to Sisera. We read in Theognis this saying, Seem with thy tongue to flatter all, but in thy deeds love none at all. O these flatterers, they are lucritam cupidi, so greedy of gain, that they have animam venalem, a soul to sell: for quid non mortalia pectora cogit auri sacra fames? What doth not the cursed hunger of gold drive men to do? This sets them a-work to flatter, lie, swear, and forswear, and what not? Solomon saith of the harlot, that she will not leave a man worth a morsel of bread; no more will these flatterers, they will soak, and suck men, as the Ivy doth the Oak, and bring them at last into our Lady's bands, and make them sing by beggary. Chrysostome saith, Sicut finis oratoris est, dilectione persuasisse; & medici, medicina cuirass; sic adulatoris est, suavi loquio se ditasse; As the end of an Orator is to persuade in love, and the end of a Physician, to cure by medicine; so the end of the flatterer is, with his sweethony-sugar-candy speeches to enrich himself and beggar thee, and the end of his clawing is gain, advantage. I will conclude with the saying of Augustine, Melius est a quolibet reprehendi, quàm ab adulante laudari, It is better to be blamed of any, then praised of a flatterer.  
Augustine being asked, What was the first, second, and third part of a good man, of a Christian? answered, Humility: so if I were asked, What were the first, second, and third part of a vile man? I will answer, Pride: and he hath pride, whose mouth speaketh proud things. And of all mouths, let the Popish mouths go in the quintessence of pride and bragging: they speak of merits, works of justification, and supererogation, enough for themselves and their neighbours, wherein they injure both the justice & Mercy of God; for his justice cannot be perfect, if he take for satisfaction, either all, or part of that which proceedeth from a 
The Popes and their flatterers the proudest vaunters.  sinner; they injure his mercies; For it is not perfect, absolute; if he forgive not all the debt, but receiveth part of us; But his blood cleanseth us from all sin; original, and actual sins, secret, and open sins; sins of omission, sins of commission; his blood cleanseth all, purgeth all, doth away all. But to proceed; 
1 john 1. 7.  the Canonists say, that Papa potest dispensare contra jus divinum, jus naturae, contra Apostolos, contra omnia praecepta Dei: The Pope can dispense against the Law Divine, the Law of Nature, against the Apostles, against all the Commandments of God. Let God, men, and Angels judge, what mouth now speaketh proudly. The great Cham of Tartary, after he hath dined, soundeth a trumpet, and giveth leave to all Christian Princes to go to dinner, and by this pretty conceit maketh himself head over Kings and Emperors: because Peter said, Ecce, hîc sunt duo gladij, Behold, here are two swords. Thus this Italian Priest is not ashamed to be called, Dominus Deus noster Papa, our Lord God the Pope; to be kneeled unto, with these words : Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis: Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. As was Martin the fifth. Harding calleth us Goliath; and themselves little David; but forasmuch as they have neither David's sling in their hands, nor David's stones in their scrip, they must not look, that the wise Ladies of Israel will with their lutes and timbrels, sing before them, that David hath slain his ten thousand: but he is Goliath, that 
1 Sam. 18.  crieth, I cannot err: Habeo omnes leges in scrinio pectoris, I have all laws in the closet of my breast; I am above Counsels, I judge all, no man judgeth me; Sum rex regum, I am King of Kings, I can do whatsoever Christ could do, All power is given unto me. But let us deal with the Papists, as Agesilaus did with his enemies: 
Mat. 28.  he pulled off their bombasted coats, and shown their apish wearish bodies to his soldiers, saying, Ecce ingentia corpora; Ecce magna illorum ossa; behold their mighty bodies, behold their big bones. The Pope calleth himself, servum servorum, the servant of servants: but can he, that is carried on Noble men's shoulders, that caused the French King to trot by his bridle, as Zacharie did Childericke the Emperor to hold his stirrup, Noble men to kiss his feet, be servus servorum? the servant of servants? I need not name Hildebrands' usage to Henry the fourth at Canusia, nor that of Clemens the fifth to Francis Dandalus, nor that of Alexander the third, to Frederick the Emperor: nor that of Innocentius the third, to King john of England, nor of Pius Quintus, to the Queen.  
But to leave the man of sin himself, and to come to the frogs that creep out of his mouth; what a croaking do they make? How do their mouths exceed in pride? Staphilus calleth our people, hogs, dogs; Harding calleth our Bishops and Ministers, Cumane Asses; Martin calleth them; novos Oratores, 
Popish Priests and jesuites, notorious railers:  new Orators, Stultos adolescentes, Foolish young men; non tam disertos in errore, quàm desertos à veritate, not so cunning in error, as ignorant of the truth. Bellarmine calleth our writers, Pecudes, Gigantes, Monstra, Beasts, Giants, Monsters; and saith, that they give no honour to Christ, nor Angels, nor Saints. Thus they disgrace us in words, and their mouths speak proud, swelling things; when they cannot confute us, they rail on us, and deal with us, as Nero dealt with the Christians, who hurled them to dogs to be devoured; and when the mastiffs would not touch them, he clad the Christians in Bears skins, to kindle the fury of the dogs, that they might take them to be beasts, and not men: so they impute all lewdness to us, to make men think that we are that which we are not: they are like the beast Bonosus, mentioned by Aristotle, who having his horns reflexed, not being able to defend himself with them, three or four furlongs off poisoneth the dogs with his dung; which is so hot, as it burneth off all their hair. So, when they cannot hurt us with truth, they defile us with the dirt and dung of their calumnies: this vein of railing cleaveth unto them, as Naamans' jeprosie did to Gehezi, and his seed for ever: they are of the mind of Medius, parasiteto Alexander, who willed his Scholars ever to slander their enemies; Nam si vulnus (inquit) sanaverint, manet tamen cicatrix; for although they have healed the wound, the scar of the slander abideth still. So, some will believe them, they leave still a sting behind them, they think much, that we should say thus much, and therefore call our Apologies, railings. Thus the Guisians accused the Protestants to have Loricas ferri, non fidei, Brest-plates of iron, not of faith; when as they klled three thousand in one Church at Vesse in the time of doctrine. So the thiefs of Sicilia, accused the merchants and travellers, that they road cruelly armed, when as they had all engines to rob men. So Fimbria sued Scevola, for that he received not his weapon deep enough. Must their mouths be open to offend, and not ours to defend? O tempora! o mores! What a world is this? May they say all evil on their Alebenches, and we not defend our innocency? The Lord cut off those lips. 
Psal. 12.   
That which I say of Papists, I say of Atheists also. Nam facti sumus speculum, We are become a spectacle to men and Angels: 
1 Cor. 4.  but let men and Angels, and Devils, Papists and Atheists, say what they can, so that they say truly.  
The fourth and last sin, is Flattery, in admiring men's persons: they lift up, and throw down, praise and dispraise; they wonder at men, as if they were Angels; Illorum enim lingua venabilis, their tongue is saleable, they will say any thing for gain, make the Crow white, and the Snow black: but if we give titles, our Maker will destroy us: Now to give titles, is to change 
job. 22. 22.  the name, as to call a fool, a wiseman; to cloak the truth, to flatter 
Flatterers worthily rewarded.  men; For woe unto them that speak good of evil, and evil of good, which put darkness for light, and light for darkness, put bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour. God blesseth plain speaking. He 
Esa. 5. 20. Pro. 28. 23.  that rebuketh a man, shall find more favour at length, than he that flattereth with his tongue: he that pertaineth to God, will love such. Solomon preferreth the wounds of a friend, to the kisses of an enemy; Open rebuke (saith he) is better than secret love: the wounds of a lover are 
Pro. 27. 5, 6.  faithful, and the kisses of an enemy are pleasant, that is, they are flattering, and seem friendly. David prayed God to cut off all flattering lips, saying, The Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things; which have said, With our tongue will we 
Psal. 12. 3. 4.  prevail, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us: And we see this punishment verified in two notable rare examples; the one, in the Amalekite, who came upon Saul and slew him, and took the 
2 Sam. 1. 8, 10, 15.  crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and brought it unto David; because he would curry favour with him, and flatter him, expecting hereby some preferment at his hands: but David commanded one of his young men to fall upon him, who smote him that he died. The other in Baanah and Rechab, who slew Isboseth, the son of Saul, and brought his head unto David, to Hebron: and said unto the King, Behold 
2 Sam. 4. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.  the head of Isboseth, saul's son thine enemy, who sought after thy life, and the Lord hath avenged the Lord my King this day of Saul, and of his seed. Thus they went about to flatter him, and hoping for some preferment, for that they did. But David said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul from all adversity, when one told me, that Saul was dead (thinking that he had brought good tidings) I took him and slew him: how much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house, and upon his bed; shall I not now therefore require his blood at your hands, and take you from the Earth? And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. Let all flatterers speed so, let all Sycophants eat the fruit of their hands, and be filled with their own inventions. Liquescant ut limax, let them melt away like a snail; Let them be poured out like water, that runneth apace, and be like the untimely fruit of a woman, and let them not see the Sun, and or ever their pots be made hot with thorns, so let indignation vex them, as a thing that is raw. God punisheth flatterers, yea and them that hear them also, & listen to them. Thus Ahab lost the victory at Ramoth Gilead; thus Rehoboam lost his Kingdom; thus Herod lost his life. This should 
1 Reg. 22. 2 Chro. 10. 10. Act. 12.  make all men give God the glory, lest we be proud of those things that are not ours. Are we praised for Learning, for Wisdom, Patience, Liberality, Housekeeping? Give God the glory: say as Paul said, who hath separated thee? (to wit, from 
1 Cor. 4. 7.  other men, and preferred thee) and what hast thou, that thou hast not received? and if thou hast received it, why rejoicest thou as though 
Flattery, a base and slavish sin.  thou hadst not received it? Consider that the purpose of these flatterers is their profit: it is an old proverb, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit vivere; he that knoweth not how to dissemble, knoweth not how to live: but change the letter e into o and it is true: Qui nescit dissimulare, adulari, mentiri, noscit vivere, he that knoweth not to dissemble, flatter, lie, he knoweth how to live. Coggers, 
Psal. 55. 23.  Foysters, Flatterers, shall not prosper. These Flatterers are worse than Crows, for they prey upon the dead, these upon the living. The child of God must speak as God speaketh, God speaketh to the heart, he lanceth the conscience, and woundeth the spirit: he speaketh plainly, to draw men to Repentance; but a Flatterer is a weathercock, his tongue is set to sale, his heart is at the will of others; Aiunt, aijt; negant, negat: if they affirm any thing, he affirmeth it too; if they deny any thing, he denieth it also: Aliud stans, aliud sedens loquitur, he speaketh one thing, and another thing sitting: as Tully said of Catiline, they study to please men, not God: they cannot say with Paul, We speak not as they that please men, but God, which trieth our hearts: they have their reward. 
1 Thess. 2. 4.  How often have we being in company, heard religion railed on, Popery extolled, virtue condemned, vice commended, the good defamed, & yet either held our tongues, or yielded to that, for fear to offend the great ones? But we must not please men, for than we cannot please God. If I should please men (saith the 
Gal. 1. 10.  Apostle) I am not the servant of God. Now choose whether thou wilt serve God or men: we must learn of the Lord jesus. His enemies could say, though temptingly, That he was true, & taught the way of 
Mat. 22. 16.  God truly, neither cared for any man, for he considered not the person of men. As touching the outward quality, as whether a man be rich or poor, some works of Christ are our instruction, as his miracles; some are our imitation, as his deeds & virtues. Learn not therefore of Christ to rebuke the Wind, to still the Sea, to turn 
Mar. 5. john 2. Luke 7. john 9  Water into Wine, to raise the Dead, to open the eyes of the Blind; for these thou canst not do: all these are thy instruction: but learn to speak truly, this thou mayest do, and this is thy imitation: speak truth, and that truly; for God liketh better of Adverbes, than of Nouns. Christ spoke without regard of men; let us learn to speak so. The word flatterer in Greek signifieth servility, or slavishness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For he is a Page, a Servant, a Slave to other men's affections; & there is no difference between a Galleyslave and him, but that the one is fettered in body, the other in mind; the one serveth the Turk, the other the Devil; the one chained for a time, the other for ever: For the Flatterer is in the snare of the Devil, and is taken of him at his will. Tota vincula habemus, quot peccata; we have so many bands, as we have sins. I would, that there were not 
2 Tim. 2. 26.  of these Flatterers amongst the Churchmen; who should rather rebuke, then flatter. Surely the vulgar people delight to 
Soothing Preachers the most base flatterers.  be flattered; and would not by their wills hear the Law of the Lord: and hence is it, That they say to the seers, See not, and to the Prophets, Prophecy not unto us right things, but speak flattering things unto us: Prophecy errors. But such flattering prophets, the Holy Ghost 
Esay 30. 10.  calleth the tail, and saith, The Lord will cut off from Israel, head and tail, branch and rush in one day: the ancient, and the honourable man, he 
Esay 9 14, 15.  is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. But as touching these flattering prophets, that will sow pillows under men's elbows, and soothe them up in their sins; God will punish them: He will feed them with Wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall. The Holy Ghost compareth them to bad surgeons, 
jer. 23. 15.  that bring toothsome, but not wholesome medicines: They have 
jer. 8. 11.  healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words, (saith God) saying, Peace, peace; when there was no peace. Hence grew the ruin of jerusalem; hence is the ruin of England, that we are not plain with our people; we monish them not; the complaint of God against the false prophets, may be taken up against many of us; Thy prophets have looked out vain and foolish things for thee, and they have not discovered thine iniquity to turn away thy captivity, but 
Lament. 2. 14.  looked out for thee false prophecies, etc. Ministers are called, The salt 
Mat. 5. jer. 8.  of the earth, the light of the World, Physicians, Surgeons. Salt must needs be sharp to a rotten wound; light is painful to a sore eye; a good Physician must trouble his patiented, ere he heal him; A Surgeon must launce a festered wound. God will have Esay cry aloud, 
Esay 58. 1.  lift up his voice, like a trumpet, show the people their offences, and the house of jacob their sins. jeremy must speak all that God commandeth, He must not be afraid of men's faces. Esay would not flatter Princes, but told them, that they were rebellious, and companions of 
jer. 1. 8. Esay 1. 23.  thiefs, that they loved gifts, and followed after rewards, that they judged not the fatherless, and the Widow's complaints came not before them. He that shall deal so with the Nobles of England, shall have small thankes; yet are they men, and not God; flesh, and not spirit; sinful, aswell as they of juda. james and john were Boanarges, sons of thunder: we had need thunder and lighten, as Pericles did 
Mar. 3.  in Greece; speaking will do little good: we must not sow pillows under 
Ezech. 13. 10. Gal. 4. 16.  men's elbows: We say, as Paul said to the Galatians, Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Better you hate us, than God; For they that flatter you, serve not the Lord jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and with fair speeches and flattering deceive the hearts 
Rom. 16. 18.  of the simple.  
Flattery is a sin, but we are the cause of it, the fault is in ourselves. No man can be flattered, but he first flattereth himself; no vermin breedeth, where he findeth no warmth; no flies swarm, where they see no flesh; no eagle's light, where they see no carcase; no man claweth, but where he seethe pride in the party to work upon. These men are as brasse-pots, which, be they never so huge, yet a man can carry them by the ears, where he 
Reproof profits more than flattery.  will; so may these men be carried by the ears; and yet it is to their own hurt: For flatterers are like worms, and moths, which eat wool and garments; but it cannot be seen, till the knop be off; so proud men see not their sins till it be too late. Si fueris Thraso, non deerit tibi Gnato; If thou wilt be a boasting, bragging Thraso, thou shalt never want a flattering parasitical Gnato. Thus by these flatterers many Gentlemen be consumed, before they be ware, their flattering followers undo them. There be two kinds of persecutions; Manus persequentis, & Lingua adulantis, the hand of the Tyrant, and the tongue of the flatterer; the latter is the worse; as it is most pernicious to the soul, it doth the soul good to be reproved, it driveth away sin, as the Northwind doth the rain. Multi culpant amicos, Many blame their friends, but those accusations are but like water in a Smithes-forge to kindle, not to quench the fire. Let us blame and rebuke men, not to make them worse, but better; not viler, but warier. David prayed, Corripiat me justus: Let the righteous smite me: For that is a benefit; 
Psal. 41. 5.  Let him reprove me, and it shall be a precious oil, that shall not break my 
August. ser. 59 de verbis Domini.  head. Well said Augustine, Non omnis qui parcit, est amicus, nec omnis qui ferit, est inimicus: Not every one that spareth us, is a Friend, nor every one that striketh us, is an enemy. Melius cum sinceritate diligere, quàm cum levitate decipere, better to love with sincerity, then to deceive with levity. Qui phreneticum ligat, & Lethargicum excitat, ambobus molestus, ambobus tamen utilis: He that bindeth a frantic man, vexed with a frenzy, and he that awaketh a drowsy man, possessed with a Lethargy; he is troublesome to them both, and yet profitable to them both. Let charity therefore go on to bind the one, & to awake the other, and to love both: Ama fratrem, sed noli adulari: Love thy brother, but flatter him not: Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit: Flattery getteth friendship, and truth hatred; yet Veritas temporis filia: Truth is the daughter of time, and in fine will save itself. Answer flatterers, as Antigonus did his clawback's, Mentiris, thou liest, (quoth he, to one of them) Mentiris in gutture, thou liest in thy throat: Hae virtures non, latent in me, These virtues that thou speakest of, I have not, but I am like a Leopard, that have ten black spots to one white.  
Augustus Caesar, and Tiberius Caesar, were deadly enemies to these oyle-mouthed flatterers, in somuch that they would not endure to be called Lords, by their own Children. If they living in darkness, did thus detest this sweet poison, how ought we to abhor it, which are the children of light? Finely said one: If thy friend praise thee to thy face, give no countenance to his words, lest of a friend he become a dissembler: and if a common parasite commend thee, reject and contemn his praises, because he is a flatterer. If this Counsel were well followed, Satan would cease to transform himself into an Angel of light; and 
Such as delight to be flattered, are vain and unconstant.  his Orators, who (as Diogenes affirmeth) are worse than Crows, should in stead of living men, be compelled to prey upon Carrion; the fittest food for such flattering Harpies, and greedy fowls. One calls flattery, the food of folly, and the spur of vainglory, wherewith when the ear is infected, the soul is soon perverted. Another calls flattery the Devil's praise, who as he is a liar from the beginning, so his praise is ever feigned and adulterate.  
The Athenians so grossly flattered Demetrius, that they decreed,  quod Demetrius iuberet, apud deos sanctum, & apud homines iustum esset, That, that which Demetrius commanded, should be accounted holy among the gods, and just among men: For they thought him like the gods; as Herod took himself for a God. 
Act. 12.  men's tongues are chained to great men's affections, as Praxaspes, a Noble man of Persia, said to Cambyses, for he having admonished the King, to drink more sparingly; the King, to deliver himself from that suspicion, shot with an arrow at the heart of Praxaspes his child, and left the arrow in his heart, ask Praxaspes, whether he had shot well? To whom he answered, Apollo certiùs mittere non potuit, Apollo himself could not have shot more certainly: Dij illum hominem malè perdant, animo magis quàm conditione 
Seneca.  mancipium, adulare regem, non amare didicit, The gods punish such a man, a slave rather in mind, then in condition, that learned to flatter the King, not to love him. We should stop our ears against these flatterers, as Ulysses did against the sirens.  
Bernard compareth them that love praises, to windmills: For they are carried with the blast of men's mouths; & to the Moon, which because it hath borrowed light, sometime she waxeth, sometime she waneth, and sometime she is not seen at all: So they that depend upon other men's lips, sometime are of great account, sometime of little account, sometime of no account: but he that with the Sun carrieth his light within him, may say as Paul said; Gloria mea testimonium conscientiae, My glory is the testimony of my conscience. Virtue requires no scaffold, but a good 
2 Cor. 1. 12.  conscience. As for the wicked, they have a borrowed light, a borrowed fame, a borrowed praise, and therefore it lasteth not. Thus when Caesar triumphed in other men's blood, his parasites said, that he was Semideus: when Caligula spoke like a fool in the Senate; Domitius gave him the price of eloquence, and Vitellus affirmed that he had been with the Meeni. The Sicilians soothed up Dionysius his cruelty, by the name of justice. The parasites make of Molehilles, mountains; if thou be'st black, they say thou art manly; if fair, that thou art heavenly; when thou runnest, thou art Pegasus; when thou wrestlest, thou art Samson, or Hercules; when thou speakest, thou art Mercury. Thus the jews told Herod, that his voice was vox Dei, The voice of God, & not of man: but you know his end. Many will say any thing for advantage, 
Flatterers soothe men in their sins, and applaud them as virtuous.  so they may gain by it; like Harpalus, who said, Quod Regi placet, mihi placet: That which pleaseth the King, pleaseth me: when Astyages set his own Son before him, to feed upon him. But we must say, Quod Deo placet, mihi placet: That which pleaseth God, pleaseth me. Our tongues may not be tied to other men's humours. For we must speak, not as they that please men, but God, which trieth the hearts. Answer these flatterers, as Alexander Magnus did, who being hit with an arrow in the siege of an Indian City, which would not heal, told his parasites, Vos me dixistis jovis filium, vulnus autem istud clamat me esse hominem; You say, that I am jupiters' son, but this wound cries, that I am but a man. So say thou to thy flatterers, which without shame, or blushing, heap upon us many praises; you say that I am wise; but I see, I am not so wise as I should be; you say I excel in many virtues: but I see and know, that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no goodness: away, away, I will not believe you.   

THE EIGHT AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XVII. 
But ye beloved, remember the words, which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord jesus Christ. 
The godly & the wicked opposed.   
THese words contain a comparison betwixt the faithful and the unfaithful, the sons of light and the sons of darkness, lambs and goats, Doves and Serpents, Vessels of wrath and Vessels of Mercy; the end of the one, and the destruction of the other: for the opposition holdeth in all points. The Godly remember the words of God, they go forward in faith, à fide in fidem, from faith to faith; they pray in the Spirit, they continue in love, they look for mercy; lastly, their end is eternal life. On the contrary, the Wicked forget all words of God, they flout at Religion, they live at random, they walk after their lusts, they are natural, they are Sectaries, renting asunder Christ's coat without seam, they keep not the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
Ephes. 4. 3.   
First there is a dependence of these words from the former; he putteth not a narrow river, but a main sea, betwixt the godly and the ungodly: The Emphasis is in the conjunction (Autem) as if he had said, Thou must not be like the wicked, they murmur, complain, speak proudly, flatter for gain, but thou must not do so, but thou must turn over another leaf, learn 
Christian's must not live like Heathen Infidels.  a new lesson. But ye beloved, this teacheth all Christians to love like Christians, to walk worthy of their calling, not to be like the Pagans, the Heathen: For what hath light to do with darkness, 
2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16, 17.  or righteousness with unrighteousness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? And what part hath the believer with the Infidel? Come out therefore from among them, and separate yourselves, saith the Lord; and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. Christ will not have his Apostles be like the Heathen: When ye pray, use no vain 
Mat. 6. 7, 8.  repetitions like the Heathen, be not like to them. And he would not have us to be like the Pharises: For all the works that they do, is 
Cap. 23, 6, 7, 8.  to be seen of men; they love greeting in the market, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi, but be ye not called Rabbi: for the godly, and the ungodly have two divers fathers, God and the Devil; ye are of 
john 8. 44.  your father the Devil, and the works of the Devil do ye: two divers mothers, the Church and the Synagogue of Satan: two divers Schoolmasters, the Flesh and the Spirit: two divers 
Rom. 6. 8. Esa. 30.  Countries, the Heavenly jerusalem and Tophet: therefore their life must be divers. So reasoneth Christ: Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? After all these things seek the Gentiles: for your heavenly Father knoweth, that ye have need of all these things. Thus Paul 
Mat. 6. 32.  maketh an Antithesis between the Gentiles and the Christians: This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye hence forth walk not 
Ephes. 4. 17, 18, 19, 20.  as other Gentiles walk, in vanity of their mind, having their cogitations darkened, and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, which being past feeling, have given themselves to wantonness, to work all uncleanness with greediness: but ye have not so learned Christ. Again, having spoken of the enemies of the Cross: he maketh the comparison between them and the Apostles, the friends of Christ, saying, Brethren, be ye followers of me, and look on 
Phil. 3. 17, 18, 19, 20.  them which walk so, as ye have have us for an ensample: for many walk, of whom I told you before, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, which mind earthly things. But our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for a Saviour, even the Lord jesus. Let others live as they list, but we will remember the words of the Lord. So josuah said, Let others serve Idols, 
Ios. 24. 15.  I and my household will serve the Lord: Let other perish; their life is no rule to us: Vivimus praeceptis, non factis, We live by precepts, not by deeds: Legibus D●i, non exemplis hominum, by the Laws of God, not by the examples of men. Foolishly therefore said Radbode the King of Phrisia: for, coming to the Font, to be baptised, he asked, What was become of his Ancestors? And answer being made, that they died in a fearful state unchristned, replied, that he would rather perish with the multitude, than go to heaven with a few. So Constantius said, that Athanasius, 
God's Word doth stay from running on with the wicked.  with his few, troubled the whole world. But he answered him again, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth ●o destruction, and many there be, which go in thereat: straight is the gate, and the way narrow that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. If but eight 
Mat. 7. 13, 14.  men in all the world should be saved, as in Noah's flood, labour thou to be of these eight. Many reason thus; Others do it, most men do it, therefore will I do so. These be the drunken arguments of the world, but we must not follow a multitude; Major pars saepe vincit meliorem, the greater part often times overcommeth 
Exod. 23. 2.  the better. The Nicene Council had erred, but for Paphnutius; but eight only were saved in Noah's Ark: but two Israelites of 
Gen. 8. Num. 14. Act. 1. Ezech. 9 Apoc. 3. 4.  600000. entered into Canaan, but an hundred and twenty believers were found in the primitive Church, but few in jerusalem were marked with the letter Tau, but few in Sardis walked with God in white.  
To conclude, The whole world is set on wickedness. Good men are as black swans, we must shine as lights in the midst of a 
1 john 5. 19 Phil. 2. 15.  crooked nation. If other be dogs, let us be Lambs; if other be crows, let us be doves, if other be tares, let us be wheat: let others live as they list, let us live in the Lord, let us say with the Saints, Come, let us go up into the Mountain of the Lord, and to the 
Mich. 4. 2, 5.  house of the God of jacob, & he will teach us his ways, & we will walk in his paths: yea let us walk in the name of our God for ever and ever. Let others murmur, complain, walk after their own lusts, speak proudly and flatter men, because of advantage. Let us remember the words of the Lord: Let us build on in our most holy faith, let us pray in the spirit; and cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit; and grow up in full holiness, 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  in the fear of God. Let not us look at the multitude, to go to hell with them for company: Non enim minor erit gloria, si fueris foelix cum paucis; nec minor erit poena, si miser erit cum multis: For thy glory shall not be the lesser, if with few thou be'st happy; nor thy pain the lesser, if with many thou be miserable; every man shall have pain enough in hell, not the lesser for the multitude, but the greater: For as the Saints in heaven have joy each one from another; so the damned in Hell have the more grief, each one from another. 
Mat. 22, 13.   
Now more particularly, he biddeth them remember the words of the Apostles, to stay up and to comfort them in the midst of murmurers, complainers, proud men, flatterers, sectaries, mockers; and sendeth them to the Scriptures, to the words of the Apostles: But I will arise ab Hypothesi, ad Thesin: from the supposition to the position. And here we learn to whom the Scriptures are profitable, and comfortable, even to them that remember them. We must not be forgetful readers, nor forgetful hearers; For, He that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of 
jam. 1. 25.  the Word, is blessed in his deed. There be two points of husbandry, to 
We hear the Word, but remember it not.  get, and to hold fast; and there be two points of Christianity, to learn, and to remember that we have learned: many have this first, few the latter. Christ speaking of the future state of the Church, biddeth them remember; Remember the Words (saith 
john 15. 20.  Christ) that I said unto you, The servant, is not greater than the Master, etc. The Apostle speaking to the Hebrews, chargeth them with forgetfulness; And ye have forgotten (saith he) the consolation 
Hebr. 12. 5.  that speaketh to you as children. The Lord jesus writing to the Church of Sardis, biddeth it remember; Remember how thou hast 
Apoc. 3. 3.  received, and heard, and hold fast and repent. When Paul cometh to this, his zeal breaketh out in great measure, he doth not sound out words, but a trumpet like Esay: he doth not speak, but thunder, 
Esa. 58. 1. Mar. 3.  like james & john: he crieth out like a Giant, & as a strong man refreshed with wine, his zeal breaketh out, as the Sun thorough a cloud, Furthermore brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever 
Phil. 3. 8.  things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to Love, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, or any praise; think on these things. At the news of Christ's birth many heard, many wondered, some mocked; but Mary kept it in her heart, & the words of the Shepherds also she kept, and would neither forgo them nor forget them. Many good lessons in a year do we hear, but we profit but a little, because we remember not; if it be an evil word, that we will remember, or a promise of debt that we look to profit by, our memory is of brass; but Lord, how forgetful in the best things? Which of us is there, that having a portion left us, by the will and testament of our Father, will not remember? What hearts have we of flesh, or of flint, or folly, or of madness, that we cannot remember a better inheritance, left to us in the Word of the Lord? That is our Copy, or free Deed rather: for thereby we hold Heaven. Hereupon Paul commended the elders of Ephesus; first, to God, secondly, to the Word of his grace: which is able to build further, (that is, to increase them with more graces) and to 
Act. 20. 32.  give them an inheritance, among all them that are sanctified. The Word remembered worketh faith, faith apprehendeth Christ, Christ uniteth us to God, and giveth salvation; For salvation is of the 
Psal. 3. 8.  Lord, and his blessing is upon the people; and our Saviour and Redeemer is the mighty one of jacob: & God would have his Word so 
Esa. 60. 16.  remembered, that he chargeth his people Israel, saying, Ye shall 
Deut. 11. 18.  lay up these my Words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they be as a frontlet between your eyes; that ye may ever remember them. David did it; I have hid thy Word 
Psal. 119. 11.  within my heart, that I might not sinne against thee: And thus he describeth a good man, The Law of his God is in his heart; and his doings shall not slide. The Apostle crieth out to the Corinthians, to receive 
Psal. 37. 31.  the Word of God fruitfully; We beseech you (saith he) that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. But alas, how often have we 
The neglect of the Word, will bring a famine of it.  received it in vain? How often have we come to God's School, and have taken out never a lesson? How often have we received the food of our souls, and never digested it? How many Sermons have we heard in vain? How often hath the sower sowed 
2 Cor. 6. 1.  his seed in vain; Either in the highway, or among stones, and thorns? If in the time to come we profit no more than in the times past, I assure you, our graves will meet with us in the way, and it will be too late to learn, when we are fallen into the pit of silence, and into the land where all things are 
Psal. ●●. 12.  forgotten. Not he that eateth most, but he that digesteth most, is most healthful; not he that heareth most, but he that remembreth most, is most edified, and most comforted by it: hearing is as chewing, Christus auditu devorandus, Christ is to be devoured by hearing: and remembrance is unto the soul, 
Bern.  as digestion is to the stomach: meat is nothing without digestion; the Word is nothing without remembrance of it: by it we are saved, if we keep it in memory; that is it, that maketh or marreth all. In this plenty, but not of bread, in this abundance, 
1 Cor. 15. 2.  but not of water, we shall, I fear me, for our negligence and forgetfulness, we shall have a famine, not of bread, a thirst, but not of water: I fear me the days will come, that the Word of God will be rare, as in the days of Heli, that a good Minister will be 
1 Sam. 3. Amos 8. 11. 2 Chro. 15. 10.  precious in our eyes; as in the days of Amos, when m●n ran from sea to sea, to hear, and could not hear; as in the days of Asa, who was wroth with Hanani the Seer, and put him in prison. Except the time of the Prophets and the Primitive Church, wherein they spoke with fiery tongues and cloven tongues, there was never, I am 
Act. 2. 3.  persuaded, such a time as this is, such excellency and variety of God's gifts; For surely for doctrine, for exhortation, for prayer, arguing, utterance, and persuasion, men in these days have rare gifts, and the contempt of such precious gifts cannot but bring some rare and great plague upon this age; yea the plague that Amos threatened; The prudenr shall keep silence in that time, For it is an evil time; and no marvel, we regard not the Word, but sit gaping for sleep in the Church, as Ravens upon the housetop for heat in the Summer time. Magnes ferrum rubiginosum ad se non trahit, The Loadstone draweth not to itself rusty Iron, but iron that is pure; and jet draweth not unto itself straw that is soul, but that which is clean: Sic Verbum reprobos non ad se trahit, nisi fuerint Spiritu Dei sanctificati: So the Word doth not draw unto it the Reprobates, except they be sanctified by the Spirit of God; it worketh not upon incredulous sluggish Auditors, which are not touched with any care of the Word; but upon attentive and diligent hearers, such as bring with them before they come to hear,  
1. A desire to hear. 
Who are profitable hearers of the Word.   
2. A preparation to hear.  
3. A purpose to obey.  
And such as in hearing bring 1. Attention. 2. Circumspection. 3. Application.  
And such as when they have heard the Word, use 1. Meditation. 2. Action. 3. Continuation.  
To these the Word is a savour of life unto life; but unto those that regard not these things, it is a savour of death unto death. I have read of many flourishing memories; Seneca writeth of himself, that he was able to recite by heart 2000 names in the same order, wherein they were spoken: Portius Latro had such a memory, that ye could not name that martial man, but he would run thorough his acts presently; and Cyneas, the next day he came to Rome, could salute all the Senators of Rome in order, and all the people that stood round about him, whom he never saw, nor knew before: and Tully, for memory commendeth Hortentius, and Lucullus; Lucullus for matter, the other for words.  
Now the excellentest matter of all others, either for the memory to account, or for any part of the soul to conceive, is the Word of God: therefore saith jude, Remember the words which were spoken, etc. Memory is as the verticle of the soul, and the habitacle of the Word; as the meat in the stomach, so the Word in the memory. The belly is the body's storehouse, and the memory the soul's treasury, Thesaurus & custos omnium: In this storehouse, Esdras is reported to store up the Bible; and Mary, the sayings of our Saviour: in this, Carindes did lay up volumes, 
Aug. prologo in lib. 1. de doctrina Christi.  and Cyrus of Persia 300000. Soldiers: and Antony the unlearned Eremite of Egypt by hearing remembered, and by remembering, came to understand the Scriptures.  
The beasts that chew not the cud, were hold for unclean; the mind that remembers not the Word, is unpure, unclean: there is Memoria & reminiscentia, the habitual & actual memory, the present and recalling remembrance; which some resemble to a book and the reading in the book, unseparable twins in matters of Divinity, lest our memory unpractised, be turned like Pharaoh's butler, to forgetfulness, is well compared to a game at tennis, which so long endures, quàm diu pila inter èos proijciatur, as the ball is tossing; and the Scriptures so long profit, as they are remembered. Sicut nullum momentum est, quo homo non utetur vel fruatur Dei bonitate; Ita nullum debet esse momentum, quo Verbum in 
Hugo. de anima.  memoria non habeat; The Word of God ought to be so frequent in out memories, as God's blessings are to our ordinary senses: the one is ever present, the other ought never to be forgotten: but ourmemory, as touching this Word of God, it is as an unthrifts purse, that holdeth no money: like a riven dish, that holdeth 
We are dull to hear, careless to remember God's Word.  no water; ut Danaidum dolium, which runneth out so soon as it is filled; our ears are like a riddle, or five which letteth go clean water, and keepeth gravel and stones still; but they must be like a glass window, that shutteth out a tempest, & admitteth the light; they must be stopped at vain things, and opened to good things: ye must not be like them of whom Paul prophesied, Which will not suffer wholesome doctrine, but having their ears itching, 
2 Tim. 4. 3.  shall after their own lusts get to themselves an heap of teachers.  
Men are so dull, deaf, careless; that God sometime is enforced to speak to the Heavens, saying, Hear ob Heavens, and hearken oh Earth, for the Lord hath spoken. Sometimes to the Earth, O Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the Lord: sometime to the 
Esa. 1. jer. 22. 29.  Mountains, Hear O ye Mountains, the Lords quarrel, and ye mighty foundations of the Earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with his people: sometime to the trees: so he may speak to the pillars, roof, and glass windows, for we will not hear him, or if we hear him, we remember it not. Aristotle saith, that the Thracians do not count above five, they cannot remember to five, but we can remember five hundred things of the World, but not five things of God's doctrine. Can a maid forget her ornament, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number: 
jer. ●. 32.  we neither remember the text, nor any doctrine, nor any exhortation delivered from it: like the Philosopher that remembered not his own name; like the Ostrich, that remembreth not her eggs left in the dust: but we must hear to learn, and learn to remember, to follow it, and follow it to continue in that good, that we have heard; then are we blessed: so saith our Saviour, Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it: that is, that keep it in his life, and keep it in his memory, that we 
Luk. 11. 28.  may say of our Sundays, as Titus Vespasian said of his days, wherein he gave not an Alms: Hoc Sabbatum perdidi, I have lost the Sabbath. Yea a thousand, yea ten thousand Sabbaths have we lost: we are no whit the better for coming unto Church, as Peter said to Christ, Master, we have laboured all night, and have catched nothing: so may we say, We have come to the Church, and have heard the Word of Life and Salvation, but we have learned nothing, we can remember nothing, we are now hit the better for coming to the Church: Frustrà Dei gratiam accipimus, we have received the Word of God in vain. Memory is as a chest. If a 
● Cor. 16. 1.  man have all the gold of Ophir, and the silver of Tharsis, and the treasures of Ganges, it is nothing, except he hath a place to keep them in: if a man hear ten thousand sermons: it is nothing, except he remember them; they are gotten in the Church, and forgotten and scattered in the Churchyard; like Hannibal, that could get the victory, but could not keep it.  
Tell me, O tell me; what day in the week do we give so evil 
The doctrine of Christ and his Apostles the foundation of the Church.  example, of sitting and lulling in our beds as on the Sabbath? either we come not to Church, or if we come, we hear not, or if we hear, we remember it not. O filthy favour that ariseth out of this loathsome channel! I spare to speak, I shame to see, I rue to know what I fully know against our souls in this respect: how can we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? 
Hebr. 2. 2.  Sin's past be gone, and the Lord forgive us; some be to come, and the Lord strengthen us: lie we may not, the Lord being judge; clear ourselves, we cannot, our consciences bearing witness of so many negligences, and our great forgetfulness. How great might our knowledge have been? How strong our faith? How ardent our love? How fiery our zeal? How reform our lives, if we had heard with any conscience? Tertullian telleth of a water in Paphlagonia called Salmacis, of the which they that drink, either fall into a frenzy, or into a lethargy: so, are we not either mad, or fallen into a dead sleep, to hear God so often, and remember him so little? Shame appertaineth unto us, and confusion may cover us as a cloak. O deaf ears, dumb 
Dan. 9  tongues, dead hearts, dull souls: How long shall Wisdom cry? How 
Prov. 1. 20, 21, 22.  long shall she utter her voice in the streets? she calleth in the highstreete among the press in the entering of the gates, and uttereth her words in the City, saying, O ye foolish, how long will ye love foolishness, and the scornful take their pleasure inscorning, and the fools hate knowledge? But let us leave this sin, and learn to remember more, and keep more, else the more shall be our judgement.  
But what must we remember? we must remember the words of the Apostles, not of the Rabbins, Fathers, Doctors of the Church: therefore it is noted of the three thousand, that they continued in the 
Act. 2. 42.  Apostles doctrine: It is Basis Ecclesiae, so saith Paul, Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, jesus Christ himself being 
Ephes. 2. 20.  the chief corner stone. Peter calleth it a most sure word : We have 
1 Pet. 1. 19  (saith he) a most sure word of the Prophets, to the which ye do well, that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, etc. Esay sendeth all men to the Law, To the Law, to the testimony (saith the Prophet) If they speak not according to this Word, it is because 
Esa. 8. 20.  there is no light in them. jeremy calleth all men's traditions, dreams, chaff: How long do the Prophet's delight to prophesy lies? 
jer. 23. 26, 27, 28, 29.  Even prophesying the deceit of their own heart. Think they to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams, which they tell every man unto his neighbour, as their forefathers have forgotten my Name for Baal? The Prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; & he that hath my Word, let him speak my Word faithfully: what is the Chaff to the Wheat, saith the Lord? Is not my word even like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the stone? These Saint Peter calleth deceivable fables: We followed not (quoth he) deceivable fables, when we opened 
2 Pet. 1. 16.  unto you the power and coming of our Lord jesus Christ. What need we to run to the channel, when we may drink of the 
The Scripture the rule of faith, the touch stone to try Scripture.  fountain? or to feed of Acorns, when we may have the pure Wheat? Or to see with a Candle, when we may have the Sun light? All men's writings they are as puddles and cisterns, that can hold no water, they are Labruscae, sour grapes. I looked (saith the Lord) that my vineyard should have brought forth good grapes, 
jer. 2. Esa. 5. 3.  and it brought forth wild and sour grapes. Now by these sour grapes he meaneth errors in doctrine, as well as in life: The 
Zuingsius.  Word of God must sit on the Bench: when Fathers, Counsels, Doctors, Rabbins, Poets, Philosophers must stand at the bar. Paul discussing the question of justification, he saith not, What saith reason? What say the Rabbins? The Thalmud? The Cabal? What say the Bishops? Doctors of jerusalem? But, What saith the Scripture? So Peter proveth all from the Scripture. Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture: Behold, I put a stone in Zion, 
Rom. 4. 3.  etc. This is to build on the Rock: but a most miserable state it is, when a man buildeth on the sand: The house must needs fall, when the Church goeth from the doctrine Apostolical, to 
Luk. 6.  the doctrines of men; then is the Sun as sackcloth, the Moon turned into blood, the stars have lost their light; then the three 
Apoc. 6.  unclean Frogs be come out of the mouth of the Dragon, when Popes, Cardinals, Schoolmen rule the Church: Removeantur Chartae 
Apoc. 13. 16. Aug. Donato.  nostrae, procedat in medium Codex Dei, Let our writings be taken away, let God's Book be produced and brought in the place: Let us take away our deceitful balance, and let Gods balance weigh and sway the truth of our cause.  
Martin refused Scripture, and fled to traditions, and therefore Tertullian calleth him Apostatical, & not Apostolical. He calleth the Marcionites Owls, & Lucifrigas scripturarum: & saith that 
Tertull. lib. 4. contra Marcionitas.  the Wasps make nests aswell as the Bees; and that the Marcionites erect Churches aswell as Christians: but in their nests is no honey, and in the Churches of the Marcionites is no Truth, no Scripture: they teach for doctrine, precepts of men: they are like unto Ravens, which conceive not with seed, but with wind; their 
Mat. 15.  doctrine, is the doctrine of the wind, and the speech of the Eastwind: We are borne again, not of mortal, but of immortal seed, 
1 Pet. 1. 23.  even by the Word of God, which liveth and endureth for ever, that is the true seed. The Papists are like the Marcionites, and the Valentinians, qui prius persuadent, quàm docent, which first persuade, and after teach; but Christians do first teach, and after persuade, and teach too, out of the Scriptures, as Apollo did, He proved by the Scriptures jesus to be Christ: for he was a man, eloquent and 
Act. 18. 24, 28. 1 Thess. 4. 15.  mighty in the Scriptures. Thus Paul taught, This say we unto you by the Word of the Lord: thus must we say, for every point of Doctrine.  
Again, in that jude bids them, Remember the Words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord jesus Christ; some gather from these words, that this Epistle is not Canonical, not written by 
The Saints of God are meek and gentle.  jude the Apostle. But I answer, that jude naming other Apostles, excludeth not himself, but rather useth the authority of others, then of himself. So john calleth himself john at every word, not an Apostle; yet avoucheth his calling against Cerinthus 
Apoc. 1. 4, 9  and Ebion, saying, that the Lord jesus commanded him to write. 
Apoc. 1.  So Paul modestly and humbly, having to do with God, renounceth his titles, and saith; that he was not worthy to be called an Apostle: he saith that he was among them, in much weakness, that 
1 Cor. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 3.  he persecuted and wasted the Church of God, that he preached in infirmity, that he was mad in his judaisme: but having to do with the false apostles, and Pharises, he avoucheth his calling, and rouseth himself like a Lion; I certify you brethren, that 
Gal. 1. 13. Act. 26. 11. Gal. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 9 1. 1 Cor. 13. 10. Gal. 2. 8, 9, 11.  the Gospel, which was preached of me, was not after man, for neither received I it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of jesus Christ: he calleth himself, an Apostle; he saith that he laboured more than they all, that God was as mighty in him as in Peter, and how that james and Cephas, & john, that were counted pillars, gave unto him the right hands of fellowship, and that he withstood Peter to his face: he holdeth up his head with the best, comparing with them; I suppose that I was not (quoth he) inferior to the very chief 
2 Cor. 11. 5, 22.  Apostles; they are Hebrews, so am I; they are Israelites, so am I; they are of the seed of Abraham, so am I, they are the Ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am more.  
Again: For the phrase of jude, it is loving, mild; but ye beloved, Spiritus enim Dei nec mendax, nec mordax est; the Spirit of God is neither a liar, nor a biter: and jude here like Paul will 
1 Cor. 4. 21.  not come with a rod, but in love, and in the Spirit of meekness: Nam facilius penetrant mollia quàm aspera verba; Mild and gentle words do more pierce and persuade, then rough and rigorous speeches. Paul intreateth the Ephesians, that they would walk worthy the vocation 
Ephes. 4. 1, 2.  whereunto they are called, with all humbleness of mind, and meekness, with long suffering, supporting one another through love: and so he taught Timothy; The servant of God (quoth he) must be gentle towards all men, instructing them with meekness: so S. john was mild in his 
2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. 1 john. 2. 12, 14, 18, 28.  doctrine, calling them sometime little children, sometime Babes; hereby declaring his love and affection toward them: and in all the servants of God ye shall see a mild spirit, not spirantem flammas, not breathing threatenings as Saul did, and yet menaces and 
Act. 9 1. jude ver. 22.  roughness must be used. We must have compassion of some, and other some we must save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, and it is the Apostles charge; Admonish the unraly, comfort the feeble minded, bear 
1 Thess. 2. 14.  with the weak, be patiented towards all men. The Samaritan had both oil to mollify, and wine to search : He poured wine and oil into the wound. The Chirurgeon hath both Balm and Cauterium; 
Luk. 10.  the shepherd both a whistle and a dog; all sinners are not to be reproved alike, because all offend not alike▪ Nobilis equus umbra virgae regitur, whereas indomitus nec calcaribus incitari potest, a rod 
In reproving, due circumstances must be observed.  will check a free-horse, and a twig command a gentle nag; whereas the spur cannot stiree the stubborn jade, nor the whip scare an untamed Colt.  
In reproving these circumstances, are to be considered The Persons. The Place. The Time, and the Offence.  
For the first, all sinners are to be rebuked, yet with wisdom and discretion; Qui mittit in altum lapidem, recidet in caput ejus, lest he deal like a man that throweth up a stone rashly in his humour, and it fall down again upon his own head; to teach him wisdom.  
Secondly, for the place; it must be done by our Saviour Christ's form, Secretè, come teste, coram Ecclesia, alone, between him and thee, with two or three witnesses, before the whole Church; and if then he will not hear and amend, let him be as an Heathen man and a Publican.  
Thirdly, the time must be, while physic may do good; Nullum medicamentum sanat, nisi quod opportunè adhibueris, No salve is saving that is ministered out of season: it is too late for birds to build their nests in summer; for the husbandman to sow in harvest; for the mariner to go to sea, when the ship is under sail; for the gardener to displant trees, when they be old; for a sick man to go to physic, when he is a dying; for the cook to season meat that is putrified; for the vine-dresser to gather fruit when they be rotten; for a man to cast water, when the house is burnt; and for the groom of the stable to shut the door when the Steed is stolen: but the bird builds her nest in the Spring, the husbandman soweth his seed in Autumn, the Mariner goeth to sea, when the ship is in the Haven, a wise man ante languorem, before sickness goeth to physic, the gardinet planteth trees when they are young, the cook seasoneth his meat before it be tainted, and a wise man casteth water, when the house beginneth to smoke; & reproofs must be used, while the sinner is curable.  
Lastly, the offence is either public, or private; if public, then coram omnibus arguere, to reprove openly; a practice not unpractised in the primitive Church, as is apparent by the Excommunication of the incestuous man of Corinth; the public confessions 
1 Cor. 5. Socrates lib. 3. Cap. 13.  of Ecebolius, and many others. If private, than we must do as the physicians doth, who if he can by any means cure the wound, he will not cut the member from the body: so the physician of the soul, that will cure his brother's sin, if he may do it without farther danger, he must conserve his name, and keep his credit; if not, he must proceed to his farther shame. For an ingenious nature will be quickly sorry, because he hath offended: whereas a currish spirit will be too too angry, because he is rebuked. 
Malicious reprehenders condemned.  Now the end of all our reprovings must be, to bring the party reproved to repentance: This was S. Peter's end, in rebuking Simon Magus, and Paul's end, in excommunicating the incestuous 
Act. 8. 22. 1 Cor. 5. 3.  person: S. Ambrose his end in reproving Theodosius; and this must be the end of all reprovings, rebukings and threatenings.  
And here I am to deal with three sorts of men: our covetous, ambitious and malicious reprehenders.  
Our covetous will bark with the dog, cackle with the daw, and sing with the crow for gain; while there is hope of a prey; but deal as the Fox did with the crow, make frustrate their covetous hope, say and do what ye will, ye shall not have aword 
Aesop.  of them.  
The second, are like Pierius ambitious daughters, that were turned into Magpies, for correcting the Muses; these will reprehend 
Ovid Metam.  Rulers, to win applause of the Commons; propound Christ for an example, but their end is vainglory.  
The third, with Eupoles, will correct Alcibiades through malice: 
1 Sam. 16.  and with Shemei, rebuke David for envy: with the malcontent power out their malice, and with the Satirist satisfy their anger. The Prophet compares them to barking dogs, their teeth are cruel, their tongues venomous, they do breathe 
Psal. 59  out spears and lances; and have swords within their lips; their end is not to cure the sore, but to uncover the wound; not to amend their sick brother, but to content their own sinful humour. But so to reprehend is no way lawful; we must deal with sinners, as Samuel did with Saul; chide them for their sin, yet pray for their soul; as Moses did with the Israelites, who corrected their iniquities; yet would be blotted out of God's Book for their safeties: as David did with Absalon; who detested his fault, and yet would have died for his sake; then shall we show ourselves true physicians, that sear the sore, to preserve the person; and hate the sin, to preserve the soul.   

THE NINE AND TWENTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XVIII. 
How that they told you, that there shall be mockers in the last time, etc. 
Scorning and mocking, the highest degree of sin.   
NOw he cometh to the words, that he will have them to remember, & they be these, That there shall come in the last day's mockers: he calleth the wicked, mockers: for in mustering up their sins, he beginneth with their flouting, as an arch sin, a capital sin, he placeth it in the forefront, as joab did Urias: it is a Metropolitan sin, as salomon's harlot 
1 Reg. 3.  was among women the worst of all, as the beast in the Apocalyps, 
Apoc. 13.  which inspired the other with blasphemy: like Antiochus, who did more hurt than all the Tyrants before him. Of these mockers speaketh Peter, as though he had followed jude verbatim, word for word, but he hath answered them so fully, that we need not go any further for their confutation: There shall (saith he) come in the last day's mockers, which will walk after their lusts, and say, Where 
1 Pet. 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 8, 9  is the promise of his coming? for since the Fathers died, all things continue alike, from the beginning of the creation: For this they willingly know not, that the Heavens were of old, and the earth that was of the water, and by the water, by the Word of God: wherefore the world that then was, perished, overflowed with the water; but the Heavens and earth, which 
There have been scorners in all ages.  are now, are kept by the same Word in store, and reserved unto fire, against the day of judgement, and of the destruction of ungodly men. Dear beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness) but is patiented toward us, etc. Solomon had to do with such. All things come alike to all, 
Eccles. 9 2.  and the same condition; is to the just, and to the wicked, to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, and he that feareth an oath: so they said in Chrysostom's time, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Give me something here, let hereafter go to others: 
Mat. 22.  such were in Christ's days the Sadduces, they denied the Resurrection: Paul had to do with these beasts, which said, Let us eat, and drink, for to morrow we shall dye. But if Peter reasoned well, 
1 Cor. 15. 32. 1 Pet. 47.  saying, Now is the end of all things at hand, be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer: The Epicures in Paul's time reasoned vilely and beastly, nam contrariorum, contraria est ratio: for of contraries there is a contrary reason. Such skummes have been in all ages: when Esay spoke of sackcloth, they spoke of slaying of oxen, and 
Esa. 22.  drinking wine: when the Apostles spoke with new tongues, they spoke with their old tongues and said, that they were drunken with new wine: when Paul spoke of the true God, the Athenians 
Act. 2. 13.  called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; a babbler, a rascal, a trifler: when Christ wrought miracles, they said, that he did them by the Devil: and 
Mat. 12.  now that we speak of God, and the Kingdom of God, they say that we are idle, and must say something, and that our doctrine is good for those that have little to do: they deride us as simple men that know nothing; with the Corinthians they call our preaching foolishness; with the Egyptians they call our resort unto the Church, idleness; with the Captains, they call our 
Exod. 8. 2 Reg. 9 Act. 26. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Act. 26. 25.  preachers mad men; with Festus, they call our zeal, plain dotage and madness; and with Pliny, they call our meetings, conventicles: but we will answer them, as Paul did the Corinth's, It pleaseth God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. As the Apostle did Festus, We are not mad, but we speak the Words of truth and soberness. As the Christians did Pliny, Trajane, and others for their night meetings, our witness is above, our praise is not with men, but with God.  
The Latins for mocking use a triple Synonyme, Irrisio, subsannatio, 
Rom. 2.  illusio, àrisu, ●●gatu, ludo, a laughing to scorn, a mocking, by snuffing up the nose, and a scorning, by way of jesting; the first two are open, the third more secret, when we break a jest upon our neighbour, that tends to his disgrace.  
Of these mockers there be sundry kinds:  
Some that mock God.  
Some that mock Gods man.  
They that mock God, are of two sorts; the open that deny 
Divers sorts of mockers both of God and men.  God in word, and in deed, as Pharaoh.  
And the secret, that profess in show, but deny in truth, like the Son in the Gospel, who in word said, I go, father, but in truth went not at all: Multi adorantes Crucem exteriùs, Crucem spiritualem per contemptum conculcant, Many will bear the Cross in their bosoms, that never imprint it in their hearts, and many fall before it in their closet, that never follow it in their lives: Irrisor, non poenitens, qui adhuc agit, quod penitet; He is a 〈◊〉, 
Iside.  no repenter, whose works are not answerable to their words. These mocke-Gods shall one day feel the hand of God. Glaucus, that scoffed at Venus, was torn in pieces with his mares; Lycurgus despising Bacchus, chopped his own legs asunder, as he lopped his vines; Holofernes acknowledging no God, but Nabuchodonozer, 
judith. 13.  was murdered by a woman; the people that will sacrifice to the Queen of heaven, were consumed with the sword of famine; Nicanor, that derided the Lord of the Sabbath, lost his head, hand, shoulder: Phericides in derision of the Godhead, bragged 
jer. 44. 17.  abroad, that himself had as much prosperity, that never did sacrifice, as they that offered an hundred Hecatombs to the gods: but was as Herod consumed with louse; Daphida a scoffer, in derision 
Act. 12. 23.  of Apollo's Oracle at Delphos, enquired of it, whether he should find his horse that he lost, when indeed he had none; the Oracle made this answer: Inventurum quidem, sed ut co turbatus periret, that he should find an horse, but lose his life: whereupon he returning (joyful that he deluded the Oracle) fell into the hands of King Attalus, whom he had abused in speeches, & was by him commanded to be thrown headlong from a Rock called the horse, and so perished. Pope Leo, the tenth, hearing Cardinal Bembus speaking of the Gospel, broke out into this blasphemy, Quantum nobis, ac nostro caetui profuerit e● de Christ fabula, satis est omnibus seculis; What profit and commodity hath redounded to us and our order, by that fable reported of Christ, the world can bear sufficient winesse; but he died miserably among his cups, cùm nec Coelum, nec infernum post hanc vitam esse crederet, believing neither Heaven, nor Hell after this life, but thought heaven but a mockage, and hell but a scarecrow. So julius the third, making his belly his God, commanded a hot Peacock to be kept cold for supper, and being deceived of it, began bitterly to blaspheme: a Cardinal sitting by, entreated his holiness, not to be moved for a trifle▪ Quid, (inquit) si Deus voluit usque adeo propter unum pomum irasci, & c? Not moved (quoth he?) shall God be so angry with our first parents as for an apple to deprive them of Paradise; and not I, that am his vicar, be much more angry for a Peacock, so much better than an apple? But God met with him, and he died of a gout. These are examples for mock-Gods, to deride the Lord of hosts no longer: for his hand will be heavy upon them one day. 
Scoffing and jesting the bafest fruit of Wit.   
The second sort of mocking, is Irrisio hominum, mocking of men, but the disgrace alights on God, for as the defacing of the image is the disgrace of the Prince: so the mocking of a Christian, is the scorning of Christ. David was dishonoured in the disgrace of his servants, and Christ derided in the derision 
Mat. 24.  of a Christian; For what is done unto them, is done unto him; yet many offend greatly in this regard, applying their wits and understanding to nothing else, but to frumps, and mocks, and jests, to disgrace others, to move laughter, if they can nip, or by a grudging scoff, disgrace another honester than themselves; then we call them merry Greeks', pleasant companions, good fellows; but this is the least harvest, the least fruit of their wit; jocis utuntur, qui currum potius quàm curiam decent, they use jests befitting rather the dung-cart, than the Court, and which will sooner procure vomit than laughter, and then they triumph, but indeed, sine victoria, without victory. These are dogs, not men: Nam malorum duo sunt genera, there be two kinds of bad men, alii Canes, alii porci, some are dogs, some are hogs; many are hogs, their heads be dull, their ears deaf, their eyes blind, and the whole man so cold, as they desire not the knowledge of God's ways; but most are dogs, reproaching, jesting, deriding, mocking the professors of the truth: but take heed of such dogs. Of these dogs the Apostle speaketh thus, without shall be dogs and enchanters, and whoremongers, etc. these shall never have any right in the Tree of life, nor enter 
Phil. 3. 2. Apoc. 22. 15.  into the gates of the heavenly City: and he nameth first these Dogs, because these dogs, these mockers are in the height of sin, and therefore he placeth them foremost, as Urias in the forefront of the battle. As Seneca said of Scylla, that he left killing, when none were left to be killed; so these men will leave scoffing, when there is no honest man left to be played upon. But let us not sin with an high hand; these men are furthest from mercy; For if we sinne willingly, after that we have received 
Heb. 10. 26, 27.  the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for judgement and violent fire, which shall drown the adversary.  
These mockers are the worst sort of men. David nameth three sorts of sinners, the first are they, that walk after the counsel of the ungodly: The second are they, that stand in the way of sinners: 
Phil. 1. 1.  And the third are they that sit in the seat of the scornful: these last are the worst: they are set in cathedra pestilentiae, in the chair of pestilence; for so the Septuagint translate it.  
The Scripture discovers unto us a threefold chair or seat: First of justice; and such a one may that Throne seem to be which Solomon erected.  
The second, is of Doctrine: as our Saviour Christ saith of 
1 Reg. 10. 18.  the Pharises, They sit in Moses chair. 
Divers notorious scoffing Atheists.   
And thirdly, we read of the chair of Pestilence, where these mockers sit, here they do ease themselves, and take their delight as sometimes Babylon did, who vaunted so much that she 
Mat. 23. 2.  did sit like a Queen, and should see no mourning; as it were in a scorn of all that God could do unto her. And this was the case of cursed Pharaoh, who seemed to mock God to his face, when he said, I know not the Lord, neither will I let the children of Israel go: these mockers are pestilent fellows, their breath is 
Exod. 9  as the breath of a Basilisk, it infecteth the air: David complaineth of them, The proud, meaning the wicked which contemn God's Word, and tread Religion under their feet, have had me exceedingly in derision; and yet flout they & mock they never so much, no sooner doth God touch them, but they shake, and quiver like a leaf: Their heart dieth within them, like Nabal. 
1 Sam. 2 5.  For none fear more at the last, than these proud scorners, that jest at God and all goodness. Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicily, contemned, derided God, finding Jupiter Olympus in a golden coat, pulled it off, and gave him a linsey-wolsey coat, warm for Winter, and light for Summer, and plucked away Aesculapius his golden beard, saying, His Father Apollo had no beard, and therefore not meet that he should be better than his Father: he took away the golden cups and rings from the Images, et se accipere, non auferre dicebat, he said, he received them, not taken them away; because the Images held out their hands, as if they had offered him them: Having gotten a prey and having a prosperous wind, he said, that God favoured Pirates. Such a scorner was Clearchus of Pontus, and Aristodemus of Troy: but no sooner did God touch Dionysiw, but he trembled, he durst trust no Barbour, but caused his daughters to burn his hair with hot Walnut-shels: Clearchus of Pontus slept in a Chest: and Aristodemus of Troy had a bed in the Air: they feared their own shadow. Thus Pashur was a terror to himself, & to all his friends: for jeremy said unto him, The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magermissabib, that is, fear, and terror round about. It made 
jer. 20. 3, 4.  Balaam say, Moriatur anima mea, Let my soul dye the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like unto his. julian took his blood 
Numb. 23. 10.  in his hands, being strooken with an arrow from Heaven, and threw it up into the Air; saying, Vicisti, Galilaee, O man of Galilee, thou hast gotten the victory. Calvin writing upon the hundred and fifteenth Psalm, verse sixteen, telleth a notable story, how God suddenly shut up the mouth of a Blasphemer, and made him dumb, who derided God, saying, Coeli coelorum Domini: The Heaven of Heavens unto the Lord, and the Earth hath he given to the children of men, as though men in Earth might live at random. Thus Esay traverseth the scorners of jerusalem, saying, Hear the Word of the Lord, ye scornful men, because ye have 
Esa. 28. 14, 15.  said, We have made a covenant with Death, and with Hell are we at an 
Scoffers and mockers punished.  agreement; though a scourge run over, and pass thorough, it shall not come at us: for we have made falsehood our refuge, and under vanity are we hid. But saith God, I will lay judgement to the rule, and Righteousness to the balance, and your covenant with Death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with Hell shall not stand: now therefore be no mockers, lest your bonds increase. So hear this, ye scorners of Norfolk, God will meet with you one day, He will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of him that walketh in 
Psal. 68 21. Psal. 21. 8, 9  his sins, and his right handshall find out all these mockers that hate him: He shall make them like a fiery Oven in the time of his anger. The Lord shall destroy them in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. These mockers shall not always do him this dishonour: but God will draw his hand, yea his right hand out of his bosom and consume them. 
Psal. 74. 11.   
Four notable scoffers I knew in my time, that held of one ging; the first died mad; the second hanged himself; the third is a beggar, and yet was richly left; the fourth, is strooken blind. Let men take heed, if God be God, they shall not go unpunished; for they open their mouth against Heaven. David cryeth out that he was a worm and not a man, a shame of men, and 
Psal. 22. 6. 7.  the outcast of all people; that all that saw him, had him in derision, they made a mow and nod the head at him: but yet he gathereth heart, and insulteth over these his enemies, saying, Let the wicked be put to confusion, and to silence in the grave, and let these lying lips be made 
Psal. 31. 17, 18.  dumb, which cruelly, proudly, and spitefully speak against the righteous. Herod and Pilate scoffed at the Lord jesus his simplicity, made a May-game of him, the rascal soldiers flouted 
juke 22.  him, but he left the vengeance to his Father, who met with them all. One saith that the scoffers shall be punished in Hell, in their tongues; quoting Luke 16. 24. for said he, In quo membro peccamus, in codem plectemur: In what member we sin, in the same must we be punished; as the Envious in their eyes, the Gluttons in their throats, the Lecherous in their bodies, the Malicious in their hearts, the Covetous in their hands, the Scoffers in their tongues: but this is but a speculation, a quiddity; for surely the damned are tormented in all parts, but yet chiefly in that part that hath offended; paena peccato respondet, the punishment is answerable to the sin.  
The World is full of these mockers; for men are come to a wonderful height of sin, and are grown to be most notoriously wicked and ungodly: so it is said, that cursed Cham mocked his Father Noah; I smael mocked godly Isaac, because it is like, I smael 
Gen. 2. 22. Gen. 21.  seeing godly Isaac performing some duties of Religion, Prayer, Thanksgiving, or the like, he laughed him to scorn. The Athenians mocked Paul, What will this babbler say? So the Scribes 
Act. 17. Mat. 26. 68  and Pharisees mocked our Saviour, saying, Hail, King of the jews. The jews mocked Saint Peter's Sermon, saying, These 
Scoffing a kind of persetion.  men are full of new wine, they are possessed with the spirit of the Buttery. The children of Bethel mocked Elisha, saying, Go up, bald pate. This was the complaint of godly jeremy, O Lord, I am in 
2 Reg. 2. 22. jer. 20. 7.  derision daily, every one mocketh me: and as it was, so it is still, and shall be: the World is full of such lewd and wicked men, (as Nilus of Crocodiles;) such mockes-God, that mock and mow at all good duties, scoffing and scorning all Religion, flouting and misusing all Gods faithful Ministers, rail upon them, and revile them; yea, if any man fear God, and work righteousness, attend to reading, exhortation and doctrine, pray evening and morning, and at noonday, instruct their families with Abraham, and will not swear with the swearer, drink with the drunkard, nor run with the profane in all excess of riot; this man shall be derided, mocked, scorned, jested at, and railed upon, branded with many odious names: but let these mockers take heed, God will come in judgement, he will be a swift witness and a sharp judge against them. Look on that cursed Cham, and scoffing Ishmael; behold God's vengeance upon those forty two boys that mocked Elisha. What became of them that mocked and misused the Prophets of the Lord? What became of them that mocked and misused Christ jesus our Saviour? and ye shall see, none of them escaped unpunished.  
This mocking is a kind of persecution; these mockers are persecutors; Ishmael did but gibe, and fleer and flout at Isaac, yet 
Gen. 21. Gal. 5. 29. Mat. 27. 39  Paul calleth it persecution: those that railed on Christ, despited him as much, as they that crucified him with their hands, as those that ran him to the heart with a spear. The wicked now persecute the Saints, and laugh, and gibe, and fleer at them to the full: but God shall laugh at them another day: he will, ye mockers, He will laugh at your destruction, and mock you, when 
Prou. 1. 26, 27.  your fear cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction shall come like a whirlwind, when affliction and anguish shall come upon you, etc. The rich man's tongue burned in Hell, and could not have a spoonful of water; and shall not these tongues fry in Hell, 
Luke 16.  that rail, that jest, that mock at Honesty and Religion? Who say, that they will believe their hound, before a Preacher, for he will not hunt counter. God will burn one day these tongues: For if that tongue, that mocketh his earthly Father and Mother shall be pulled out; As Agur said, The eye that mocketh 
Prov. 3. 17.  his Father, and despiseth the instruction of his Mother, let the Ravens in the valley pick it out, and the young eagle's eateit; what shall the tongue do, that mocketh God, his heavenly Father, the 
2 Cor. 5. 20.  Church, his Mother, the Saints, his fellow brethren, & members of Christ's Body, the holy Ghost his Schoolmaster, the Preachers, the messengers of God, the Gospel, the Word of life, the two Sacraments, the two dugs of life, the Food of our souls? Into their secrets, let not my soul come, saith old father jacob. Many 
Scoffers and railers smite with the tongue.  condemn us of singularity, preciseness, puritanism; they would not have us so odd, but to be good fellows, boon companions, sport and play, drink and swill like other men, and to 
Gen. 49. 6.  walk as the world doth. But let us answer these men, as Alexander answered Parmenio, counselling him to a thing undecent and unseemly, Facerem, si Parmenio essem, at Alexandro neutiquam licet, I would do this, if I were Parmenio, but it is no way beseeming Alexander to do it. So will we answer Atheists, Papists, Worldlings, We would do such and such things, we would drink with the drunkard, swear with the swaggerer, and run into all excess of riot, if we were Atheists, Papists, profane worldlings; At Protestantibus & Christianis non licet: But it is not lawful for Christians, and Protestants, so to do. God be thanked, we are free now from open persecution, the Moon is not turned into blood, the Dragon pursueth not the woman, the daughters of Zion are not 
Apoc. 6. Cap. 12. Lament. 2. 1. 2 Reg. 21.  darkened, the Church is not black, as Cant. 1. our blood is not poured out like water; as in jerusalem, the Preachers are not scattered abroad, as Moses in Madian, Daniel in Chaldaea, Hosea in Israel, jeremy in juda, john in Asia, Peter in Samaria, Philip in Alexandria, Thomas in Aethiopia, Bartholomew in India, Andrew in Scythia, Simon in Persia, judas in Mesopotamia, Marcus in Colonia, Nathanael in France, joseph of Aramathia in Scotland, and Paul in England: yet are we not free from all persecution, for we are persecuted with the tongue; the wolf cannot bite, yet can he bark; the wicked cannot smite with the fist, yet can he smite with the tongue: these serpents cannot sting, yet can they hisse, as they said of jeremy, Come, let 
jer. 18. 18.  us smite him with the tongue, and let ●● not give heed to any of his Words: so good men shall be sure to be smitten with the tongue. These voices are oftentimes heard; Oh these holy men, oh these Bible-men, oh these precisians, Puritans, mortified men, men of the spiritlare not others holy, and honest, and good as well as they? Oh take heed: Dathan, Corah and Abiram went to hell for as li●lle as 
Numb. 6. 16.  that; and thither shall these go, if they repent not. The first Christians wanted not these derisions, mockings, and scoffings; Tertullian in Apologetico saith, that they in the Primitive Church were called Asinarij, Semissijs, homines Crucifixi discipuli, Galilaei, Nazareni, herds of Asses, vile Fellows, the disciples of a man crucified, Galilaeans, Nazarites, eaters of man's flesh, drinkers of man's blood; for that they received the Sacraments. Libanus, scholar to julian the Apostata, scoffed at Christ, ask what the Son of the Carpenter did then in heaven? To whom the Schoolmaster of Antioch answered, Concinnat loculos juliano: he was making coffins for julian. So he died within 3. days (saith the Tripartite History:) The same Tripartite History telleth of one Lucius 
Lib. 7. cap. 12.  Samasatensis, who mocking at Christianity, said, that he got nothing by it, but the increase of his name in one syllable: For 
The godly usually mocked, for well doing.  before he was christened, he was called Lucius, but after that he was called Lucianu●: but he mocked, and barked so long at Christ, that in fine he was torn in pieces of dogs; one dog are another. A wicked witness mocketh judgement (saith Solomon) but judgements 
Prov. 19 28, 29. 2 Sam. 6. 21, 21.  are prepared for the scornful, that is, mockers. Finely did David answer Michol, It was before the Lord, which chose me rather than thy Father's house, etc. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be low in my own sight, etc. So let us answer these huswives, dames, scoffers, mockers, God hath not chosen them, nor their Father's house, and we will be yet more vile, seeing it is before our God. But yet howsoever julian flout at Christ, Diagoras jest at religion, Dionysius scoff at the last judgement, Ishmael the bastard 
2 Reg. 2. 19  mock Isaac, Senacherib laugh at the virgin Zion, and nod his head at jerusalem; yet how le they, weep they, and lament this sin in hell. Oh brethren, he that heard our men, how in their secret meetings they deride the Preacher, the Word, the Auditors, the Church, the assemblies, how they canvice every professor his life, & how they censure all men, how they open their mouth against heaven, and their tongues walk thorough the earth, how they talk on their Alebench, sparing neither Magistrate, not Minister, nor private man, would wonder, that such iniquity should be in the world, yet are they no sooner in danger, but they tremble.  
But the vileness of this sin of mocking shall yet more plainly appear; if ye mark the cause of it, it is ever lightly for doing well, and refraining evil: For this cause Cain disdained, and hated his brother Abel, because his own works were evil, & 
1 john 3. 12.  his brother's good, a vile spirit, that cannot abide virtue, but so greedily thirsteth after sin, which is of the Devil; drink not with the drunkard, and they mock thee; swear not with the swearers, and they mock thee; be not vain in words, in apparel, in behaviour, and they mock thee. Hear the Word, read of it, talk of it, and by and by, a young Saint, and an old Devil, you will to Heaven, ere your bones be cold, with a number of such mocks and devilish taunts: but judgements are prepared for these, 
Prov. 19 29.  sin seen and sorrowed for, hath pardon promised, but sin jested at and played withal, hath vengeacne threatened. It is the 
2 Sam. 24.  voice of a Christian to say, I have sinned: but it is the voice of a reprobate, to say, Tush, let them preach, I will sinne still: and 
Prov. 14. 9  so verifieth the saying of Solomon, The fool maketh a mock of sin, he doth not know the grievousness thereof, nor God's judgements against the same.  
It is strange that one reporteth, that in Collecke a town in Germany, Anno. 1505. certain vain persons hopping and dancing in the Churchyard, being admonished by the minister to cease, and contemning it, ran round about, till at last they fell all down dead. And note that these vile men shall be in the 
It is damnable to scoff at the Saints.  last times, they have been at all times; For sin is as ancient as Satan, who was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, but now they abound, like Bees in Hibla, like Serpents in 
john 8. 44.  Sinai, like louse in Egypt. Cornelius Agrippa derided Moses, calling him a coozener, and said, that the sea dried not up, but that he marked the tides and course of the Moon; that he drew no water out of the rock, but marked the haunts of the wild beasts. The Philosophers called Christ a Magician, that he did all by Necromancy: The Libertines contemn all the Apostles, they call Matthew an usurer, Peter an Apostata, Luke a pelting physician, Paul, vas confractum, a broken vessel, john, adolescentem stolidum, a foolish young man. The Novatians called Cyprianus, Caprianus; & the Arrians called Athanasius, Sathanasius: but all this is nothing to the contempt of these dogs. We may say now, as the Prophet said, The children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile, against 
Esay. 3. 3. 2 Reg. 2.  the honourable. The boys of Bethel scorned Elisha: and the saucy boys of England scorn at all doctrine. Veni Domine jesu, Come Lord jesus, come quickly. O beloved, our time is now to be wise; To kiss the Son: if we do not, Mercy passeth, and judgement 
Psal. 2.  cometh, and warned men must die in their sins, and their blood be upon them.  
Lastly, he noteth in these mockers, that they live at random; They walk after their lusts: like beasts they fulfil their sensual appetites, they do what seemeth good in their own eyes; They make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it: All their care is for 
Rom. 13. 14.  the flesh, none for the spirit; all for the body, little or none for 
2 Cor. 10. 3.  the soul; all for earth, little for heaven; they walk after the flesh; and they war after the flesh: For so doth Paul distinguish 
Rom. 16. 18.  them; these men are the slaves of the flesh, they serve not the Lord, but their belly; they think themselves the only men of the world, and count their life the happiest, & promise to themselves liberty, yet are they worse than galley-slaves, & the vilest prisoners in the world: other prisoners have men to be their jailers; these have 
2 Tim. 2. 26. Mat. 22. 13.  devils: For they are in the snare of the Devil, and are taken of him at his will. Others have chains of iron, these have chains of darkness: others are for a time, these for ever; Thou shalt not come out thence, 
Mat. 5. 26.  till thou hast paid the utmost farthing: but that will never be; now that 
2 Pet. 2. 19  they are prisoners. Note Peter's reason; Of whomsoever a man is overcome, even unto the same is he in bondage; but their malice, their envy, their pride overcommeth them; therefore be they in bondage to them. Pius, etsi serviat, liber est, a godly man, though he serveth, yet is he a free man. I will walk at liberty (saith David) for I seek thy precepts. Malus, etiamsi regnat, seruus est: a bad man although he ruleth, yet is he a servant, et tot dominorum, quot vitiorum, and that of so many masters, as he hath vices. Hereupon saith our Saviour, 
john 8. 34, 35.  Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin; and the servant abideth not in the house for ever. His lechery, envy, malice, covetousness 
The Understanding and Will, the subjects of Wisdom.  mastereth him: Be not (therefore) overcome of evil: but overcome evil with goodness: Vincimur, non vincimus: we are not overcome, we not overcome; Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof: And again, 
Rom. 6. 12. 21. Rom. 12. 14.  Let not sin have dominion over you. In these men all the members of their body are defiled, they be arma injustiviae, weapons of unrighteousness, and all the powers of their soul are corrupted; peccati enim sedes est anima, the soul is the seat of sin, the two powers of the soul are Understanding and Will; either we know not that which is good, or we cannot perform it, for the weakness of our understanding. The natural wise man, 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  (whose knowledge is not cleared by God's Spirit) perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. And further the Apostle saith, that the wisdom of the Flesh is death: and the reason he rendereth after in the next verse, saying, Because 
Rom. ●. 6, 7.  the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, for it is not subject unto the Law of God, neither can be. Naturally our cogitations are darkened, and we strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in 
Ephes. 4. 18.  us. Thus we either know not that which is good, or we do it not, by reason of the weakness of our understanding: Or otherwise we know God's Commandments and do them not, ob voluntatis defectum, because our wills are defective; our wills are readily carried unto lusts, to fulfil them, not to the commandments of God, to obey them, Video meliora, proboque, I see better 
Ovid.  things, ct I allow them, quoth Medea. We fulfil the lusts of the flesh and of the mind, serving lusts and diverse pleasures. Understanding 
Ephes. 2. Tit. 33.  and Will are the two subjects of true Wisdom, in the one Knowledge, in the other, Affection cleaveth and sticketh, and both are to be helped by Grace, the Understanding without the Will, is weak and profiteth not, and the Will without it, is blind: To know God, and not to love him, is very little; and who can love him, except he know him? Knowledge and Understanding is the gate, by which things at pleasure enter, but we must not stand in the gate, we must go further; for God respecteth not how much a man understandeth, but how much he loveth; & affectus subiugat, and how much he subdueth his affections. The Understanding is to be enlightened, the Will to be moved, the Understanding to be instructed, the Will to be defended; the Understanding to be lightened by Faith, & the Will to be inflamed with love, to trample, & tread all lust under the feet. He that can overcome his lusts, as Samson the Philistines, with the jawbone of an Ass; as David did Goliath, 
judg. 13. 1 Sam. 18.  with a sling: he that can overcome this tower of Babylon, pull down these walls of jericho, he shall see the goodness of the Lord, 
Psal. 27.  in the land of the Living. We talk of Christianity, but it is true, in the Land of the living: we talk of Christianity, but it is true 
Mortification a sign of justification.  Christianity, true manhood, to master thy lusts: For they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. This is Christianity indeed; this is to profess to know God, both in 
Gad. 5. 24. Tit. 1. 15. 2 Tim 3. Mar. 10. john 8. judg. 3. judge 15.  words and in works; this is both to have a show of godliness & the power of godliness; this is to have both leaves & fruit; this is to be a true child of Abraham. We read of the strength of Shamgar, who slew six hundred men with an Ox goad; of Samson, who slew a whole Army of the Philistines with a jaw bone; of David, who smote down a Giant with a pebble stone; of Hercules, 
1 Sam. 17.  who overcame a Lion and a Bear, and threw down the birds of Stinphalida, and put down an Amazon, a mighty warrior, and cut off the head of Hydra; but as Lactantius said, Lib. 1. cap. 9 these are nothing: he is a stronger man, who overcommeth his wrath, than he that overcommeth a Lion; he that treadeth under his desires, than he that casteth down Birds and ravenous fowls; he that suppresseth his lust, than he that suppresseth the Amazons. Hercules for all his strength, was a slave to Omphale, and sat spinning in a woman's attire at her feet, with a Rock and a Distaff. He that is slow to anger, is better than a mighty man: and he that ruleth his own mind, is better than he that winneth a 
Prov. 16. 32.  City. We are desirous to know the state of our Salvation, our Election, and Glorification: Let us then begin where God beginneth, at the renouncing of our lusts; For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men, teacheth us to deny ungodliness, and 
Tit. 2. 12.  worldly lusts. None can look for the blessed hope, but they that have denied ungodliness & worldly lusts. None can say, There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, but such as can say, I have fought a good fight, except they have striven against 
2 Tim. 4. 7.  their lusts. Election is a thing revealed by steps. As therefore it is madness to a man, that climbeth a ladder, to labour to set his foot at the first step, on the highest step of the Ladder, but to begin at the lowest, and so go to the highest: Paul maketh these steps, Vocation, justification, Sanctification, Glorification; 
Rom. 8.  so that if I would come to Glorification the highest step, and is in Heaven with God, then must I begin at the lowest step.  
But to prosecute this worthy point farther: If I be called of God, then am I justified; if justified, then am I sanctified; if sanctified now, then shall I be glorified hereafter. Paul saith, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus. Yea, but who 
Rom. 8.  are those? Which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So then, if I would know whether I be in Christ jesus, or no, I must look how I walk, how I tame the flesh, and the lusts of it. If I find that God in mercy hath wrought in me a change, a hatred of sin, a love of virtue, a zeal to his Gospel, a care of his Glory, a quenching of my lusts and concupiscence; then is the conclusion inferred, I am in Christ jesus, I am elected. Thus we 
If no sanctification, no assurance of glorification.  make our election sure to ourselves, as the Apostle counselleth us, Make your election and calling sure by good works: it is known to God before the foundations of the World were laid: but it is known to us, by the effect of it: so that still our rule holdeth, 
Rom. 8. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 10.  If we will know, whether we be elected to live in Heaven with God, we must ever look how we lead our lives in earth with men. We must give all diligence, & join virtue (godly manners) with our Faith; and with Virtue, Knowledge; and with Knowledge, 
2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8.  Temperance; and with Temperance, Patience; and with Patience, Godliness; with Godliness, Brotherly kindness; and with Brotherly kindness, Love. For if these things be among us, and abound, they will make that we shall not be idle, nor unfruitful in the knewledge of our Lord jesus Christ. If these things be, then are we happy, if God hath changed us from careless, to careful men and women, from drinking, riot, whoredom, profaneness, to holiness of life: then are we Gods, than Heaven is ours. Now live like a Christian among men, and ever live like a Saint among the Angels of Heaven. But now live in sin, in lusts and pleasures, follow the flesh, and then rot in the reward of it, go to the Devil and his angels; the end of these thing is death. I pray you 
Rom. 6.  therefore, as you love your life with God another day, and assurance of it to your souls in this world, Give your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, and fashion not yourselves according 
Rom. 12. 1, 2.  to this World: but be ye changed by the renewing of your mind: and whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whosoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to 
Phil. 4. 8.  love, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, or if there be any praise, think on these things. This desire is the fruit of our life, and there is not in the world a better portion. This we have chosen, and in this we will dwell, until the fullness of time, that we shall say in our course, Nunc dimittis, Lord: now let thy servant departed in peace. These shall assure us, that we are the Lords, cared 
Luk. 2.  for here, and elected elsewhere to live with him for ever.   

THE THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XIX. 
These are makers of Sects, natural men, having not the Spirit. 
Sectaries cause division in the Church.   
AS before in the former verse, he called them Mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts: so here he calleth them Sectaries; not keeping the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace, not remembering that there is 
Ephes. 4. 3, 4.  but one body, one Spirit, one faith, one God and Father over all, which is above all, and in us all. But these Sectaries set Altar against Altar, and cut in sunder Christ's seamelesse coat; they divide Christ: Such were the Corinthians; one said I am Paul's, another I am Apollo's, a third, I am Cephas, a fourth, I am Christ's. Is Christ divided? This dividing of Christ, 
1 Cor. 1. 12.  is a sign, that men are carnal, unregenerate; so reasoneth the Apostle, Ye are carnal, for whereas there is among you envying and 
1 Cor. 3. 3, 5.  strife, and divisions; are ye not carnal and walk as men? Who is Paul? And who is Apollo's? but ministers by whom ye believed? There was a rough Altar in jerusalem, to note the imperfection of the law, and there was but one Altar, to note the unity of the Church. Well 
Exod. 27.  said Jerome; Meum propositum est, antiquos legere, singula probare, tenere 
jorome.  quae bona sunt, & à fide Ecclesiae Catholicae non recedere: My purpose is, to read the ancient Fathers, to prove, and try every thing, and 
Sectaries seek novelties, and admire them.  to hold that which is good, and not to departed from the faith of the Catholic Church; For there is but one dove, one spouse, one body of Christ. Of this sin the Apostle giveth the Church warning, saying; Let us consider one another, and provoke unto love, 
Hebr. 10. 24, 25.  and unto good Works, not forsaking the fellowship that we have among ourselves, as is the manner of some. It is the manner of some, to turn with the spider's breath, the sweet juice of flowers into poison; to seek knots in bulrushes: to stumble at every straw, that stoppeth the course of their eager spirit; to break the bonds of peace; to forsake this fellowship, that we should have among ourselves; and to single and sever themselves by themselves; they busy their brains about Pythagoras' numbers, & Plato's Idea, and Aristotle's commonwealth; they see not at Damascus a strange 
2 Reg. 16. 10, 11  Altar with Ahaz, but they straightway get the pattern, and Urias the Priest must make them the like at home. But what saith Paul, concerning these Sectaries, I beseech you brethren (saith he) mark them diligently, which cause division and offences, contrary to the 
Rom. 16, 17, 18.  doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them; for they that are such, serve not the Lord jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and with fair speeches and flattering deceive the heart of the simple.  
The Prophet David saith, jerusalem (a figure of the Church, is built as a City, that is at unity in itself; and when the Holy Ghost 
Psal. 122. 3. Act. 2. 1. Act. 4. 32. judg. 20. 1.  came down in visible signs upon the Aponstles, They were all with one accord in one place; and it is said, that the whole multitude of them that believed in the first times, had but one heart, and one Soul. It is said of Israel, that they came together, as it had been one man, with the same mind and intent, not with as many opinions, as persons. The jews had but one kind of worship prescribed, and 
2 Chro. 30. 12.  that in one only Temple. And it is said of juda, that the hand of the Lord was in juda, so that he gave them one heart, to do the commandment of the King and of the rulers, according to the Word of the Lord: So if we will become a spiritual building unto God, if we will receive the promise of the Holy Ghost, if we will worship God in Spirit and truth, if we will have the hand of the Lord upon us; we must be at unity and concord with ourselves; we must abide with one accord and one mind in an house; we must have one heart to do the commandment of the King, and of the rulers; we must not leave the Temple, to follow every opinion, but we must be no makers of Sects, but must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. S. Peter prophesied and foretold of these Sectaries, 
Ephes. 4. 3.  which privily should bring in damnable heresies, even denying the 
2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3.  Lord, that hath bought them; and bring upon thmselves swift damnation: and that many should follow their damnable ways: by whom the way of truth (saith he) shall be evil spoken of, and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, etc.  
There is in a natural body a quicking soul, a radical humour, and a natural heat; and there is in the spiritual body 
Division sometime more dangerous than Idolatry.  of the Church, the Holy Ghost to give life to it. Faith is the radical humour to continue it, and charity, as the natural heat or vital Spirit carried throughout the Arteries, or parts of the Church: For All things must be done in love. Division and discord, 
1 Cor. 10. 14.  Sects, and Schisms, are the cause of all evil, of all mischief: this is that Pandora's box, that Trojane horse from whom all evil and mischief do proceed. Example among many other may be the Church of Corinth; who beginning about matters of ceremonies, and policy, proceeded first to division and separation; some holding of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas, and some of Christ; and so to false doctrine, denying the Resurrection; 
1 Cor. 1. 12.  and therefore by the Canon of the Apostle to be avoided: and Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria told Novatus, that it was 
Euseb. de vit. Const. 2.  more grievous to break the unity of the Church, then to commit Idolatry; For this (saith he) was punished but with the sword, but the other, with the opening gulf of the earth, swallowing up the Authors and confederates thereof: Et non dubitabitur sceleratius esse commissum, quod gravius erat vindicatum. And there is no doubt, but that was more heinous committed, which was more sharply and severely punished. If ye have bitter 
jam. 3. 14, 16.  envying and strife in your hearts (saith the Holy Ghost) rejoice not; for where envying and strife is, there is sedition, and all manner of evil ways.  
There be three Furies in Hell: Heresy. Schism. Apostasy.  
Saith a learned man, Haeresis errorem fundamentalem in side tuetur: Heresy defendeth some fundamental error in the faith: Schisma unitatem Ecclesiae ob minuta discindit, Schism cutteth in sunder the unity of the Church for small and trifling things: Apostasia rectam fidem & religionem penitùs abdicat, Apostasy utterly rejecteth and forsaketh the right Faith & Religion of God, and turneth from the holy Commandments given of God: For heresy is occupied about dogmatic conclusions concerning Faith and belief; Schism about rites and ceremonies, and other things of no moment; For whosoever shall obstinately defend any perverse, corrupt opinion, is an Heretic: whosoever shall divide himself from the Church, for manners and rites, is a Schismatic. Again, one and the selfsame error in diverse men hath diverse names; For a false opinion of God, is in a jew, Infidelity; in an Ethnic, Paganism; in a Christian, heresy; in a Turk, Ignorancy. Heresy is only in such as are baptised, even as Schism is. Finely said Bibliander, that one sin, according to diverse effects, hath diverse names: For to do any thing against the Scriptures (saith he) it is sin, or rebellion rather; to think any thing contrary to the Scriptures, it is foolishness; to contradict them, is error; to forsake them, Apostasy. 
Pride the cause of heresy & schism.  All these are pardonable, if they be not wilful: we must therefore be very watchful, that Satan possesseth not our mind, heart, or life; our mind with perverse doctrine, our heart with wicked affections, our life with evil manners. Study therefore day and night to keep the mind in purity, and in the knowledge 
Hemming.  of the truth, the heart with pious and holy cogitations, and thy life with chaste manners, and good examples. Cyprian saith, Vnum tentat diabolus, tentat ut lupus ovem àgrege: The Devil tempteth 
Cypri.  and assayeth one thing, as a Wolf; he tempteth the sheep from the flock, as an hawk; he tempteth to sever the flying Dove from her company: as a swordplayer, he proveth to divide and cut the member from the body. And so the Devil tempteth to sever and divide a Christian from the Church, than which nothing is more dangerous. Hilary saith, Periculosum est, atque etiam maximè miserabile, tot nunc fides existere, quot volunt ates, 
Hil. lib. ad Constan.  tot nobis doctrinas esse, quot mores: & tot causas blasphemiarum pullulare, quot vitia sunt: dum aut fides scribuntur, ut volumus, aut ita ut volumus intelliguntur: It is most dangerous and very miserable, that there are so many faiths, as wills; and so many doctrines, as manners of men; and thereby so many causes of blasphemy should spring up, as there are private faults and vices in men: whilst either we set down and pen our faith as we will, or else expound and understand it, as we lust and like of. And indeed for Sects and Schisms we abound, Omnes volunt esse Apostolos; 
Cypr. lib. 1. ep. 1.  All would be Apostles, all Prophets, all Doctors: Pastoris officium oves vendicant; The sheep do vindicate and challenge the office of the shepherd; the foot contendeth to be the head; the soldier striveth to be the Captain; every member would usurp another's office, and be in others place: hinc Schismata; hence spring Schisms and Sects; et radix eorum superbia; and the 
Nazianz.  root of them is pride. The Sects in Christ's time among the 
Mat. 22. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 1.  Pharises, Sadduces, Essenes', the Sects that sprung up in Corinth; those in Rome: where of ye may read, Rom. 16. and the Sects & Schisms that are this day in our Church, rose either of pride, or of covetousness.  
As a member cut from the body dieth; as a branch cut from the vine, whithereth; as a river cut and divided into many parts, drieth up: so if we be cut and divided from the Church, we perish utterly: For what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath the believer with the Infidel? or what agreement hath the Temple of 
2 Cor. 6. 15.  God with Idols? Yet this I note withal, that these Sects hinder not the Church forever; God by them revealeth his truth. Si hosts Ecclesiam gladio persequuntur, exercent ejus patientiam; If enemies 
August. de civet. Dei, lib. 18. cap. 51.  persecute the Church with the sword, they do exercise her patience: sin malè sentiunt, exercent ejus sapientiam; but if they imagine evil against the Church, they do exercise her wisdom There must needs be offences, aswell in doctrine, as in manners: 
God turns the malice of heretics to the good of his Church.  oportet esse haereses; there must be heresies, That they which are approved among you, might be known. For God's Church, is not only subject to dissension, as touching orders and manners; but also to heresies, as touching doctrine: Per haec otium & torporem Ecclesiae discutit Deus; By these things, God shaketh off the idleness 
Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 11. 19  or slothful heaviness, or dulness of his Church, and wipeth away the rust thereof, and maketh the Church & people of God careful and diligent to search the Scriptures; whereby all heresy and schisms might be destroyed, and so avoided.  
But you will say, that these heretics and Sectaries quote Scriptures; and what shall the simple do? I answer, that we must deal with them, as Christ did with Satan, return Scripture upon them: For the Devil having taken Christ into the holy City, and set him on the pinnacle of the Temple, said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down; For it is written, He will give his Angels charge over thee, and with their hands they shall 
Mat. 4, 5, 6, 7.  lift thee up, lest at any time thou shouldest dash thy foot against a stone. But Christ our Saviour retorted Scripture upon him again; and said, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. The Pelagians, to prove God's grace is not sufficient without our will, allege these words of the Almighty, If ye consent and obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land. The Anabaptists, to overthrow 
Esay 1. 19  Magistracy, quote the words of Paul; Standfast in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again, with the yoke 
Gal. 5. 1.  of bondage. The Donatists, to prove a perfection, quote the saying of the Apostle, Now the God of peace sanctifio you throughout, and I 
Gal. 5.  pray God, that your whole Spirit, soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ. The Anthropomorphites, to prove God like a man, quote the saying of the Psalmist, The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers. 
Psal. 34. 15.  The Familists, to prove that we are codeified with God: and God cohominified with us, allege the saying of the Apostle; Whosoever is borne of God, sinneth not, the seed of God abideth in him; neither 
1 john 3. 9  can he sin, for he is borne of God. The Papists, to prove the primacy of the Pope, allege, God made two lights, the greater Light to 
Gen. 1. 16.  rule the Day, and the lesser, the Night: meaning, say they, the Pope, and the Emperor; the Pope, to rule the Clergy, and the Emperor the Laity. To prove Purgatory, they quote the 8. Psalm, Thou hast put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, 
Psal. 8. 8.  and the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea: per pisces animas in Purgatorio intelligunt; by fishes, they understand the souls in Purgatory; as by the birds, the Angels, and by beasts, men. The Brownists, to prove that no good can be done by a Parliament, quote these words of the Holy Ghost; Neither by an army 
Zacha, 4. 6.  or strength, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. To prove that Kings have no authority in the Church, they allege this text, To bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles with links of iron. To prove, that we have in our Church no Word preached, no Sacraments 
The Papists charging us with Sects, have more themselves.  rightly ministered, no Minister lawfully called of God, they allege this Scripture; How shall they preach, except they be sent? To all which we must be able to say, Rursus scriptum est, as Christ did: we must have judgement: We must abound in knowledge 
Psal. 149. Rom. 10. 15. Mat. 4. 7. Phil. 1. 9 Hebr. 13. 9 1 Cor. 14. 20.  and in judgement; The heart must be established with grace; we must not be children in understanding; as concerning maliciousness, we must be children, but in understanding, we must be adulti, of ripe age. But alas, our English people want judgement, therefore all Sects bud in our age.  
The Papists charge us with Sects, and variety of opinions; that we have Brownists, Barrowists, Separatists; that some will wear Cap and Surplice, some will not; they derive twenty Sects from Luther, as Anabaptists, Adiaphorists, Sacramentaries, Zwinglians, Calvinists, etc. But we may retort it upon them: For they swarm in 
Staphilus.  Sects, and multitude of opinions; as Nominals, Reals, Augustins, Dominicans, Franciscans, Benedictins; as Thomists against Scotists, and Canonists against Schoolmen, and one against another, and God against them all. I might speak of Pope against Pope; as Stephanus against Formosus; one digging up the grave of another, cutting off of their fingers, thrusting ●hem into a sack, and throwing them into Tiber: Council against Council, as that of Arimine against the Council of Nice; and the two Nicene Counsels under Irene, against that of Frankford; the whole University of Paris against john 22. Denying the immortality of the soul; an opinion condemned there with the blast of trumpets. I might name Sir Thomas Moor, and Fisher of Rochester, striving about Purgatory, the one to prove no water in it, alleging the place of Zacharie; I have loosed the prisoners out of the pit where is no water: the other, 
Zach. 9 11.  to prove both fire & water in it, allege the saying of the Psalm, We went thorough fire, and water, but thou broughtest us out, into a wealthy 
Psal. 66. 12.  place. I might name Owlet lately condemning all our English Papists for coming to the Church; of which mind is Dowanus, a late Papist: I pass over the stirs between Cardinal Caietane, and Cardinal Turrecremata: so that if we differ in the shell, they in the kernel; if we in the bone, they in the marrow; if we in ceremonies, they in matters of substance; if our contentions be motes, theirs be beams; if ours molehills, theirs be mountains. Turpe est doctori, cum culpa red arguit ipsum: it is a shame to rebuke, being guilty of the same fault. They name us Sectaries, for leaving Rome, commended so by the Apostle: Their faith was published throughout the world: But we have not left old Rome, but 
Rom. 1. 8.  this new Rome, the mother of whoredoms, as the Spirit of God calls her; the den of thiefs, as the Prophet speaketh: Non 
Apoc. 18. 2, 3. Esay 1. 21.  à civitate, sed à peste: we are departed not from the City, but from the plague in the City; not from Rome, but from the heresy of Rome; Daemonum paschua, quoth Bernard. 
Satan's chief enemis to overthrow the Church, division and dissentiori.   
But to leave this: Let not us be of the number of these wicked ones, which are makers of Sects: For a Christian must be careful to keep three things: His heart, His mind, and conversation.  
His heart from infidelity, His mind from false opinions, and his conversation from Schism and scandal.  
By Sects and divisions, the Communion of Saints, the society of Christians, the fellowship and unity that we should have among ourselves, is quite overthrown. When God would confound their proud attempt in building Babel, He divided their language, 
Gen. 11. 8.  and so scattered them abroad into all places of the earth. So the Devil knowing unity to be the overthrow of his Kingdom, soweth the tares of Sects, of Schisms, and Heresies amongst us; that so he may scatter the workmen, that should pull down his kingdom, and set up the kingdom of Christ. When King Cyrus would pass over to conquer Scythia (as saith Herodotus) coming to a great and broad River which hindered his journey; his policy was this, to cut it, and divide it in many arms & sluices, and so made it passable for all his Army. This policy is most ready and common with the Devil also, who bringing his power of darkness, to invade us, and overrun us, and finding his passage stopped by the flowing streams of Love and concord, hath put in execution his wont means & practice, to separate us, & divide us into many parts & factions: For as S. August. saith, Concords nos scit, & quòd sic possidere non potest, he knoweth 
August. ser. 16. the util. Iei●nij.  that being at concord, and unity together, he cannot possess us: he cannot now divide one true God among us; he can no more enforce false gods upon us. Well, he hath yet another way, sentit vitam nostram esse charitatem, mortem dissentionem; he seethe that love and charity is our life, and discord and diffention our death and destruction; and therefore lights immisit inter Christian●s; he hath sent strife and debate among Christians; and because he cannot frame us to many gods, he laboureth to multiply and distract our opinions, and soweth tares of Sects and errors in the Lord's field. Solomon inhibiteth us to meddle with these men; 
Prov. 24. ●1.  Keep no company with the seditious. Sedition is moved either for matters Ecclesiastical or Temporal.  
When for matters Ecclesiastical, it is called Schism; which signifieth a rent, a division, or a cutting asunder, and thereupon comes the word Schismatics or Sectaries, dividers, hewers, cutters asunder; For they divide the body of Christ, break the unity of the Church, which is an heinous sin. Hemingius saith, Qui violate Ecclesiastic ampolitiam, multis modis peccat, he that violateth Ecclesiastical policy, offendeth many ways: yet some like 
Natural men n either relish grace, nor discern spiritual things.  Diotrephes, because they cannot have the chief place in the Church, Ideirco illam scindunt, vel ab eo deficiunt, either they will cut the Church in pieces, or forsake it. These Sects, and Schisms among us, have done much hurt, as they of Athens said of their dissensions, Auximus Phillippum nostris dissentionibus: We have augmented, and strengthened Philip by our dissensions: so we the Pope and his favourites. Remember that it is a man's honour to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling. Remember 
Prov. 20. 3.  that there is but one body and one spirit, one hope of your calling, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father over all, for his 
Ephes. 4. 4.  blood that died for us. Let all these ones make us one, endeavouring to our dying day to avoid these makers of sects, and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  
Thirdly, he calleth them natural men. No marvel though they jest and mock at all Religion with Michol; flout and fleer with the adversaries of jude and Benjamin; deride and rail with the 
2 Sam. 6. Esdr. 4. Esa. 28.  scorners of jerusalem: for why? they are mere natural men, and such savour not the things of God, as Christ said to Peter, Come behind me, Satan: thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men: for their understanding is as the 
Mat. 16. 23.  Sun under a cloud, not lightened, and their will not rectified; Dost enim intellectus, voluntatis consiliari●s, for understanding is wanting, which is the Counsellor of the soul. The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: at spiritus non natura, sed gratia, the spirit is not of nature, but of grace. So said Christ of the whole world, O righteous Father, 
john 17. 25.  the World hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known, etc. therefore he prayed for his Apostles, and in them for us all; I pray not, that thou shouldest take them out of the World, but that thou keep them from evil. And again, Sanctify them 
john 17. 15, 17.  with thy truth; by nature we are the children of wrath, by grace we are Gods adopted Sons. Hereupon saith the Apostle, In times past we walked according to the course of the World, and after the spirit that ruleth in the Air, and that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also we had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, and fulfilling the will of the flesh, and of the mind, 
Ephes. 2. 3, 4, 5.  and were by nature the children of Wrath, nor by creation, but by Adam's transgression, and so by birth, as well as others. But God which is rich in mercy, through the great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace we are saved. There are but two things in us, either nature or grace, either flesh or spirit. Now in the state of nature all are accursed, in the state of grace we are blessed; For by grace we believe, and faith 
Act. 18. 27. john 1. 12, 13.  maketh us the sons of God: for as many as received him, to them he gave power to be the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his name, which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the 
No true good in us by nature, till regenerate.  will of man, but of God. Where he distinguisheth of two births, the one natural, and the other spiritual; a birth from men, a birth from God; a generation by nature, a regeneration by the Spirit, as he doth again to Nicodemus, Except a man be borne of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God: and again, Ye 
Cap. 3. 5, 6. Psal. 2. 7.  must be borne again, there is no natural Son of God, but the Lord jesus; we are all the adopted Sons of God in Christ and by Christ: by his means we are raised up together, and made to sit together 
Ephes. 2. 6. Rom. 8. 17.  in Heavenly places: For saith the Apostle, If we be children, we are also heirs, even the heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ, etc. we bring nothing from our mother's womb, but death and damnation; every one must say with David, I was shapen in wickedness, 
Psal. 51. 5.  and in sin hath my mother conceived me. Quis dabit mundum de immundo? Who can bring a clean thing out of filthiness? What 
job 14. 4.  can be had from the egg of a Cockatrice, but a Serpent? From a spider but venom? from the Taxus tree in India, but poison? from the bitter pool Exanthus, but bitter water? We have not 
Math. 7.  Lambs from Woolves, no grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles. Well said the Schooleman, Quòd dona naturalia in Adamo sunt corrupta, supernaturalia ablata, ille ut radix, nos ut rami; radix est venenata, ergo & rami; Our natural gifts in Adam were corrupt, our supernatural taken away, he as the root, we as the boughs; the root is poisoned, therefore the boughs like the waters of Mara, until Moses put in the sweet wood, until God 
Exod. 17.  infuse grace; for by grace we are saved, and where sin abounded, there grace abounded much more, that as sin had reigned unto death, so 
Ephes. 2. 8. Rom. 5. 20, 21.  might grace also reign by righteousness unto eternal life. The Pelagians held, that sin came by imitation, not by propagation; but Paul confuteth them, saying, As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death went over all men, forasmuch as 
Rom. 5. 12.  all men have sinned, etc.  
These men (quoth jude) walk as Natural men, that is, in all sin and vanity: as is said of the Gentiles, That they walked in the vanity of their mind, having their cogitations darkened, being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts. So Paul reasoned with the Corinth's, Are ye not carnal? For whereas there is among you, envying, and strife, and divisions, 
1 Cor. 3. 3.  are ye not carnal, and walk as men? even so reason we with you: When malice, envy, rancour, whoredom, covetousness, pride reigneth among us, are we not natural men? For God would cut down these sins as a sickle: If ye live after the flesh, ye shall dye, but if ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, 
Rom. 8. 13.  ye shall live: Yea many natural men go before us in bridling their lusts and affections. Aristides being by the unjust Law of Ostracism in Athens banished: and being asked, what he would to Athens? answered; Se nihil velle, quin tantam rerum prosperitatem, ut illis nunquam in mentem veniat Aristides; he desired nothing, 
We should strive to exceed natural men.  but so much prosperity to Athens, as that they might never remember Aristides. The like is said of Photion condemned to drink hemlock, the juce whereof through extreme cold is poison. Being asked what he would unto his Sons, said, Nothing, sed ne hujus unquam iniuriae velint meminisse; but that they should never remember this injury. Socrates, by Philosophy bridled whoredom in himself; and Telamonius by it bore the death of his son patiently, saying; Sciebam me genuisse mortalem; I did know, that I begat a mortal man. I take no pleasure in these profane examples, save only to ashame us, as Paul did the Athenians by Aratus, and the Cretians by Epimenides, and the Corinth's by Menander. Let our righteousness exceed theirs, else there is no room for us in God's Kingdom; our life must have all virtues in it: such a life led the Christians, they could be touched with no open crime, or notorious fault, but that they sung Psalms to jesus before day, as Plinius secundus writeth of them to the Emperor: our Saviour Christ told his disciples, that their justice must exceed the justice 
Mat. 5. 20.  of the Scribes and Pharises; and so must we tell all Christians, that they must exceed Turks and Pagans, or else they shall never see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living: yet it is reported, that their truth in their dealings, their religion in swearing, their zeal in serving their false gods, far exceeds ours: But let us shake off every thing that presseth down, and the sin that hangeth on so fast, and strive to exceed them. I must confess that the best men have their faults, they have their lusts; the best oak hath sap, the best gold hath his dross, the best oil his some, and the best tree his bark; but yet there is a difference between an Oak that hath some sap, and some heart withal, and that which is all sap; betwixt smoking flax, that never flameth, and juniper coals which smoke, and yet burn also; betwixt men that are sick, and men that are dead; betwixt them that have some faults, and them that yield to all faults: The wicked man mocketh at judgement, & the mouth of the wicked swalloweth up iniquity. There is difference between eating and swallowing: 
Prov. 19 28.  such a distinction the Apostle maketh, Nevertheless though we walk in the flesh, yet we war not after the flesh; though we 
2 Cor. 10. 3.  fall, we do not lie by it, like the Elephant: habitat peccatum, sed non regnat, sin dwelleth in us, but it reigneth not; bellat, sed non 
Rom. 6. 12.  debellat, it wars, but it wins not; all are sick in sin, but all are not dead in sin; all live in the flesh, but sow not to the 
Ephes. 2. 1. Gal. 6. 8.  flesh; we all hold out our profession in many infirmities. Who can say, My heart is clean? There is a difference between blasted trees, 
Prov. 20.  and barren trees. And yet S. jude condemneth not nature utterly, as though there were no goodness in it, for many excellent things are done by the light and instinct of nature, though not available to salvation: For as the heat of the Sun is not ever there, where the light is (as under the North pole) so the sanctification 
Natural men were generally illuminated, though not sanctified.  of the Spirit is not ever where the illumination is. Natural men are illuminated, but not sanctified by the Spirit. Hence it cometh, that they have found out many arts and sciences, and have spoken rarely, yea above Christians. Emere & vendere instituit Bacchus: Bacchus taught men to buy and sell; Ceres to sow Corn, when as before, men were fed with acorns: the Assyrians found out letters, for before that time, men could neither write nor read: Euryalus and Hiperbius taught men to build houses, whereas before, they lodged in the dens & caves of the earth; Socrates called philosophy from heaven, and placed it in Cities: for before that time men wandered up and down in the wilderness, after the manner of beasts: Cecrops taught men to build towns; for before, men lived disjoined and severed one from another; the Egyptians found out weaving, for before, men went naked; Ericthonius of Athens found out silver; for before, there was nothing but chopping and changing; Aesculapius invented physic; for before, men died suddenly of many diseases: yea the very beasts by nature excel many men: the Elephant seemeth to understand the mother tongue, and to have a kind of religion, to adore the Sunrising; a kind of humanity, as to reduce the wanderer; a kind of obedience, as to know the Prince; the very Lion is gentle to that beast that humbleth himself, he is gentler to women, than men, and prayeth not on an infant, except in great extremity of hunger; he killeth the Lioness having had copulation with the Leopard: Sabinus his dog held up the dead corpse of his Master in Tiber; and Bucephalus ate no meat after the death of Alexander. These things are not found in all men. Oh brethren, we walk as natural men, as carnal, worldly, fleshly men, void of God's Spirit: therefore the Scripture compareth good men, spiritual men, to pearls and precious stones; to signify, tantam esse horum raritatem, quanta est gemmarum, that there is as great a rarity and scarceness of them, as of precious stones; and that as common stones exceed in number precious stones, so natural men exceed spiritual men. Solomon saith, Stultorum numerum 
Eccles. 1. 4.  esse infinitum, The number of fools to be numberless: and Paul faith, All seek their own, and not that which appertains to the Lord jesus; none understandeth, from the least of them to the 
Phil. 3. 11.  greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness, and from the Prophet even unto the Priest, all deal falsely, and as the Prophet speaketh, Mens hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers 
jer. 6. 12. Esay 59 3, 4, 5.  with iniquity, their lips speak lies, and their tongues murmur forth iniquity: no man calleth for justice, no man contendeth for truth, they trust in vanity, and speak vain things, they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, they hatch Cockatrice eggs, and wove the spider's web; he that eateth of their eggs, dieth, and that which is trodden upon, breaketh out into a Serpent. The Law of God is called 
Deut. 5. 33.  the way of our life, & men are willed to walk in all the ways that 
Love makes all things easy.  God hath commanded them, that they may live; habet haec via duo in sese, difficultatem & suavitatem, saith one, in this way there be two things, hardness, and sweetness; hardness, by reason of our nature, and sweetness, by reason of grace: that which is hard by nature, is sweetened by grace: hereupon Christ saith, that his yoke 
Mat. 11.  is sweet, eò quòd jugum est, grave est, in that it is a yoke, it is grievous, but sweet by reason of grace: for as the bush burned with fire, and was not consumed with fire, because God was in the bush: so our heavy yoke is made light, because the Lord is in it, who helpeth 
Exod. 30.  us with his grace to bear it: For grace stirreth up the love of God in our hearts, which maketh the yoke of his commandments easy: For nothing is grievous unto love, love swalloweth all difficulties. Why do hunters, fowlers, fishers take such intolerable pains? It is because they love the sport: pernoctant venatores in nive, hunters do watch all the night in the snow; such is their love to their game. What maketh the mother to watch many nights, to give the child suck, with great pain, to take such toil in the washing, keeping, attending, and in the education of it, but love? Can a mother forget her child? She cannot. The 
Esay 49. 15.  interrogation implieth a negation. What mean the beasts and fowls to spare meat from their own mouths, and to put it into the mouth of their young? What maketh the Pelicane to feed her young birds with her blood, but love? So the love of God maketh the precepts of God seem easy to us: Non est arduum orare, legere, meditare, jejunare, It is no hard matter for us to pray, to read, to meditate, to fast, because the Love of God is shed abroad 
Rom. 5. 5.  in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. The spies of Canaan said, that it was nothing to overcome it: and the godly 
Numb. 13.  say, it is nothing to walk in the ways of God, to do the precepts of God, to read, to pray, to meditate, to fast is nothing: For saith the Apostle, I am able to do all things through the help of 
Phil. 4. 13.  Christ which strengtheneth me. As for a natural man, all good things are grievous unto him; it is death to him to fast, to pray, to hear, read, meditate, etc. as they of Israel said, When will the 
Amos 8. 5.  new month be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat? So say a number of natural men, When shall these prayers cease, and the Sermon be at an end, that we may go about our business? For indeed they sit in the Church, as joseph in the jail; they think every minute a month, till they be gone.  
All sins are pleasant to a natural man: to hunt, to hawk, to eat, to drink, to swear, to whore, to lie, to revenge, to follow his pleasures; whereof we have two notable examples; the one in Cyprian, who confesseth what he was by nature: the other in Augustine, who telleth Alipius how hardly his natural sins left him, how they cried unto him, Dimittésne nos nunc? What, wilt thou leave us now? Et non erimus tecum ultra in aeternum? 
None boast more of the Spirit, than they that are led by the spirit of error.  And shall we not be with thee any more for ever? What uncleanness, and what dishonesty did they put into my mind? Avertat Dominus has sordes ab animo meo, the Lord turn these filthy thoughts out of my mind (saith he;) clamavit, Vsquequo Domine, usque quo ●rasceris, How long, Lord, how long wilt thou be angry? in finem, for ever? Quamdiu cras, cras & cras? How long to morrow, to morrow? Why not now dost thou not put an end unto my turpitude? And being converted by God's Spirit, infinite thankes he gave unto God, saying, Dirupisti vincula mea Domine, Thou hast burst my bands in sunder, o Lord, to thee will I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise, my heart shall praise thee, my tongue shall bless thee, and all my bones shall say, Who is like unto thee? Praise the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me, praise 
Psal. 103. 1, 2, 3.  his holy name: praise the Lord, o my soul, forget not all his benefits, which forgiveth all thy sin, and healeth all thy infirmities, which saveth thy soul from death, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness. Sometime God leaveth us to mere nature; sometime he sustaineth us with his grace, which is as the Sunbeams: quando adest Sol, omnia illustrat, cùm removetur, omnia sunt tenebrae: when the Sun is present, it lighteneth every thing; but when it is removed, there is nothing but darkness: So God sometime removeth the beams of his grace, which when he doth, there is nothing in us but darkness; his grace is sufficient for us. Nature is not sufficient for us, but grace: For that is the fountain from 
2 Cor. 12. 9  whence flow all blessings.  
Lastly, he saith of these men, that they have not the Spirit; yet none will boast more of the Spirit than they: so did the Gnostics, so did the Montanists; as Montanus, who carried his two trulls with him, Prisca and Maximilla: so did the Manichaeans: so did Mahomet, who teaching a Dove to pick corn at his ear, called it the Holy Ghost, and being subject to the falling sickness, called it a trance, wherein he had conference with the Angel Gabriel; and so did the late Libertines, of whom jude here seemeth to prophecy, that is, Coppinus in Flanders, Quintinus and Claudius, Persenallus and Pocquius in France, and some few others, who of late have troubled a great part of Christendom: Quintinus being an ostler, Antonius Pocquius a Chamberlain: the other two being utterly unlearned, led four thousand men at the first into this error; so strong are the delusions of Satan, to them that love not the truth of God, that they might be saved: So unconstant 
2 Thes. 2. 9  are the multitude, that whereas they should not be as children wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the 
Ephes. 4. 14.  deceit of men, yet are they wavering, and are of as many religions as the Rainbow is of colours. The Apostles privative precept can take no place with them; Be not carried away with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing, that the heart be established 
Hebr. 13. 9  shed with grace, and not with meats, etc. These late Libertines 
Lose Libertines count all sins lawful.  took away all difference of good, and evil, they gave the bridle-reine lose to all licentiousness, prophesied of by Saint Peter, They speak high and swelling words of vanity, 
2 Pet. 2. 19  and their words are delivered in a strange manner; as the Henry Nicolitans, to astonish the simple, put two beginnings, God and the world: if any be of their Sect, they say, that he was made God, and all wickedness they did ascribe to God, under the name of vocation, or calling, they did cover all impiety, they justified thiefs, murderers, adulterers, and all licentious livers: for say they, it is their calling, and let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he is called. Thus do they wrest and pervert Scripture, to their destruction: they allege further, 
1 Cor. 7. 20.  Omnia munda mundis esse, That all things are clean to the 
Tit. 1. 15.  clean; when as Paul speaketh there the adiaphoris, of things indifferent, not of sins: to these things they further feign and affirm, that Regeneration is a restitution of that innocency, which was in Adam, and they interpret the state of innocency to be this, not to be able to discern between white and black, good and evil: and they say, that they are continually guided and governed by the Spirit; beside, they reject all Scripture; For the letter killeth, etc. But these men be either fanatici, mad and beside themselves, which 
2 Cor. 3.  move such foolish questions and genealogies, or else they are profane, which having cast off the yoke of Christ, wax wanton.  
But to leave these men (they have not the Spirit.) Note here the Antithesis between natural and spiritual men: these two are opposite, where by the way, note how fond the Papists speak, in calling their Clergy spiritual, and the people temporal, whereas these two are not opposite, but spiritual, and carnal or natural: so the Apostle distinguisheth them, Natural and Spiritual; The Natural man perceiveth not the things of God, but 
1 Cor. 2. 14.  the Spiritual discerneth all things: and fond do they call their Priests spiritual, as though the people were all damned, for so must they be, if they savour not of God's Spirit: For the Wisdom of the flesh is death, the Wisdom of the Spirit, is life and 
Rom. 8. 6, 8, 13.  peace: and again, They that are in the flesh, cannot please God; and again, If ye live after the flesh, ye shall dye; but if ye mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit, ye shall live: and again, Whatsoever a man soweth; that shall he reap: he that soweth 
Gal. 6. 7, 8.  to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, and he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Now temporal and eternal are opposite, The things that are seen, are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal: But not 
2 Cor. 4. 18.  Temporal and Spiritual. But this was the policy of the Papists, to name themselves spiritual, that they might withdraw themselves from the Magistrate, as though they pertained to God only, not to Caesar. Secondly, they called their 
The regenerate only have the Spirit of God in them.  lands and live spiritual, to exempt them also from the Magistrate; and yet Paul calleth all these earthly commodities, carnal; as in his Epistle to the Corinthians, If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap 
1 Cor. 9 11.  your carnal things? And again, If the Gentiles be made partakers 
Rom. 15. 27.  of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. And to the end to defeat Caesar, they set the Image of the Church upon their Coin, not Caesar's Image. Thirdly, to make the more gain, they took to the punishment of Adultery, Incest, Drunkenness, Usury, Perjury, Simony, Sorcery, under the colour of spiritual things, and so they caught Testaments, Legacies, Marriages, Dowries. Jerome calleth the people, Secular men; but Temporal, no man calleth them, as though their hope reached but unto this life only, whereas they are to be saved, aswell as Churchmen. To whom wrote Paul, but unto the people? For whom else prayed he? His words are plain, Brethren, my hearts desire for Israel is, that they might be saved.  
Well, They have not the Spirit; not the Spirit of Regeneration and sanctification, but they have the Spirit of illumination, but God's children they have God's Spirit of regeneration, they are led by God's Spirit: and the Spirit of God certifieth 
Rom. 8. 16.  their Spirits, that they are the sons of God; and he that hath not the Spirit of God, is none of Gods: it is the Spirit of God, that worketh in us all in all: The bath of regeneration, and the renovation of the Spirit saveth us: We are justified, sanctified, and 
Tit. 3. 1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. 22.  washed by the Spirit: All good works are the fruits of the Spirit: until God's Spirit hath renewed us, we are stables for the Devil: Si durus sit hic sermo, as the Disciples said, 
john 6. Luk 11. 21.  blame him that spoke it. O there is No medium betwixt these two; either God's Spirit dwelleth in us, or Satan; Know ye 
1 Cor. 6. 16.  not that ye are the Temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? The Spirit is the same in the Church, as the soul in the body, it is it that quickeneth us, he leadeth us into all 
john 16. 3.  truth; he sealeth up all graces in our hearts; he applieth all the mercies of God, all the merits of Christ jesus unto us: he worketh all graces, and giveth all spiritual gifts unto us. The Apostle making the comparison between the 
1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 13. 3. 8. Gal. 5. 2.  flesh and the Spirit, resembleth it to a tree that yields all manner of good fruits, like the appletree of Persia, or like the Tree of life. Let us then entertain God's Spirit, make much of him, nourish every good motion that is wrought in us by him, and every spark will be a fire flaming out of us, every drop will be a river issuing out of us, to eternal life, if we nourish it: but let us not quench the Spirit, 
All grace and goodness flows from God's Spirit.  nor grieve the Spirit, lest Saint jude his Prophecy be verified of us, that we are natural men, fleshly, not having the Spirit: but let us stir up the gift of God in us, blow at the coal, and put spurs to this horse. 
1 Thess. 5. 19    

THE ONE AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XX. 
But ye beloved, edify yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost. 
The godly and the wicked every way opposite.   
STill he proceedeth in the comparison betwixt the godly and ungodly, the elect and the reprobate, the lambs on the right hand, and the goats on the left hand of the Lord jesus, noting that the godly remember the words of the Lord, they are peaceable, without sects, spiritual, they increase in faith, they pray in the Holy Ghost, they keep themselves in the love of God, they look for eternal life: but on the contrary, the wicked remember nothing, they scoff at Religion, they be scorners, they be unquiet, they be mere natural men, they decrease in goodness, they pray not, they love not God; they cannot look for life, but death and destruction: Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the souls of them. Upon 
Rom. 9 Psal. 11. 6, 7.  them God will rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest, this shall be their portion to drink. A Lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a Wolf in the wilderness shall destroy them: a 
jer. 1. 5, 6.  Leopard shall watch over their Cities, every one that goeth out, shall be torn in pieces, because their trespasses are many, and 
The Church and Saints, as houses, must be edified or builded daily.  their rebellions are increased.  
Sed, but ye beloved, (but) this Conjunction discretive here, is emphatical; Sed vos autem dilecti, but you beloved; as if he should have said, You must not be like the wicked, they be mockers, they walk after their ungodly lusts, they are makers of sects, fleshly, having not the Spirit: but you must not do so, but you must turn over another leaf, learn a new lesson. This teacheth all Christians, to live like Christians, not as miscreants; the true Christian turns away his eyes from vanity, as job; the miscreant applies his senses to folly, as Holofernes. The 
job. judith 10.  true Christian setteth a watch before his mouth, and keepeth the door of his lips; the miscreant gives liberty to his tongue, to speak evil and rail like Rabshakeh: the true Christian is always doing good, as Abraham; the miscreant, always doing 
2 Reg. 18.  evil, as Achab: the one loveth goodness, the other badness; the one setteth Gods judgements before his face, the other puts them from his sight; the one kills sin in the thought, the other suffers it to reign in the heart; the one knows, the end of his sin will be tristitia & pudor, confusion and punishment, but the other thinks of nothing but his present joy & merriment.  
Let others therefore live as they list; we must edify ourselves and build up ourselves in our most holy Faith; let other serve Mammon, or Bacchus, or Venus; we must serve none of them, but the Lord jesus. But of this I have spoken before in the seventeenth Verse.  
But ye beloved, edify yourselves. This word (edify) signifieth to build; the metaphor is taken from Carpenters, from builders, who by little & little rear up their work, until it come to a certain height and perfection: this metaphor is not improperly applied to the Saints: for building & edification is proper to houses. Now the Church and Saints of God are as houses, & therefore may be said to be builded and edified. Saint Peter calleth the Saints, an house, saying, The time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God. And again, And ye as lively stones are 
1 Pet. 4. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 5.  made a spiritual house. So spoke Paul, Now therefore ye are no more strangers, and forreners, but Citizens with the Saints, and of the household 
Ephes. 2. 19, 20.  of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. And again, writing to the Hebrews, he saith, Christ is as the Son over his own 
Hebr. 3. 6:  house, whose house we are. For in obeying the Son, we are made the house of God. But most plainly in his Epistle unto the the Saints at Corinth, Ye are God's husbandry, and God's building. 
1 Cor. 3. 9   
This teacheth us two things, first, that all Christians should be edifiers, builders, that is, should make themselves a seemly house for God to dwell in. We read what care David had to build a Temple; but God would not suffer him: but now every man must build a Temple for God, even his own soul. We read 
The Word of God must be the square wherewith we must build.  what cost Solomon bestowed upon the Temple: but now God careth not for such Temples made of stone, he will have a Temple made of lively stones: For howsoever Heaven is his seat, and the Earth his footstole, yet his most principal & princely palace of 
1 Chro. 17. 1, 4. 1 Pet. 2. 5.  pleasure is man's heart: hereupon saith a father, Quàm excelsus es, Domine, & humiles corde sunt domus tuae! O how high & how Sovereign art thou, O Lord! yet the humble-hearted are the houses wherein thou dwellest: For as the Lord loved the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of jacob, so he loveth a faithful heart, a devout soul, more than all the pavilions of Princes.  
All true Christians must be builders; therefore saith Paul, Let all be to edification, 1. Cor. 14. 27. but before they build, they 
1 Cor. 14 27.  must know how to build; and the way to come to this knowledge is the Scripture. No Carpenter will build an house without rule and square, and the rule and square of Christian building is the Word of God; by it our hearts and souls are squared, and made fit for God's house: and therefore Saint Paul taking his leave of the Church of Ephesus, commendeth them to God and to the 
Act. 20. 32.  Word of his grace, which is able to build further, and to give them an inheritance, with all them that are sanctified. Where withal (saith David) 
Psal. 1 19  shall a young man cleanse his way? Even by ruling himself after thy Word. Timothy knew the Scriptures from a child, his grandmother 
2 Tim. 3. 15.  Lois, and his mother Eunica taught him them. Without the knowledge of the Scripture, we can no more edify and build, than a Carpenter can build without tools, or a Mariner sail without his compass, or a bird fly without his feathers: it is the Word of God that is able to make the man of God perfect: it is that that will make him become a fit house, and Temple for the Lord: Of this building Saint Peter speaketh thus: Ye are come to the Lord jesus, as a living stone, rejected of men, but precious and chosen of God: wherefore you yourselves be built as lively 
1 Pet. 2. 4.  stones, a spiritual house. And Saint Paul, Let all things be done to edification, 
1 Cor. 14. 27.  that is, Let this be the end of all thy works, the building of God's spiritual Temple; be more careful to build it, than Solomon was for his Temple. If salomon's workmen were one month in Libanus, about the work of the Temple, and 
1 Reg. 5. 14.  two months at home about their own business; Let us exceed them, let us employ two months about the Lord's building, and but one about our own business. Let us first seek the Kingdom of God: for as Elias said unto the widow of Sarepta, Bake me a cake 
Mat. 6. 33. 1 Reg. 17. 13.  first, and after provide for thee and thine: so saith Almighty God to us, Build me an house first, and after for thee and thine.  
And as we must edify and build houses for ourselves, so for our brethren also: so saith the Apostle, Exhort one another, and edify one another, but especially we must edify our children: a 
1 Thess. 5. 11.  son in Hebrew is called Ben, that is, a building, because the father should especially build his son in Religion and Virtue. 
Parents must edif●e their children by godly instruction.  Nature teacheth all men this; the Savage Bear fashioneth her whelps being deformed, with her tongue: so should all Christians with gentle admonitions, frame the deformed manners of their children. That commandment which enjoineth fathers to teach their children, what the Passover meant, teacheth them 
Deut. 6. 10.  this building; and all Parents, if they will have their Children lead a pure life; if they will have them strong in the Lord, and through the power of his might; if they will have them to overcome the Devil; if they will have them true Saints, Sons of Abraham; they must edify them with instruction, and see that the Word of God dwell plentifully in them in all Wisdom. Papists were great builders, they built Churches, Religious houses, as 
Col. 3. 16.  Abbeys, Nunneries, etc. but they left the principal work undone, they did not build themselves by the Word of God, in their most holy faith, neither would they suffer others to build, but their guides and leaders took away from the people the level and square of the Word, without which men cannot build: but God be blessed, the Word is restored, we have the level to build by; let us not be idle, but build up an holy house for God, that he may dwell with us, and that we may dwell with him hereafter for ever.  
Secondly, this teacheth us, that it is not enough to begin to build in faith and good works, but we must go on, go forward, increase in it. Hereupon the Apostles prayed unto the Lord, Increase our faith: habent enim omnes virtutes suas conceptiones, nativitates, incunabula, aetatis incrementa: all virtues have 
Luke 17. 5.  their conceptions, births, infancies, increasings. Hereupon Paul exhorteth the jews of Thessalonica, To increase more and more: Our progress in Religion is compared to building in this Verse, 
1 Thess. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 9 24.  and to a race, 
2 Pet. 3. 18. Ephes. 4. 14. Pro. 4. 18. Cant. 6. 9  

To the growth of trees.  
To the ages of men.  
To the morning light.  
To the Moon which waxeth.    
All which note a progress in Christianity: houses are edified from the foundation to the walls; from the walls to the roof; in a race, men run on to the goal; trees grow bigger and bigger; men wax taller and higher; the morning light, is brighter and brighter until the noon day; the Moon waxeth, so must Christians, we must neither stand still in Religion, nor go backward; we must not stand still in Religion like the Sun in Gibeon, nor go back like Ahaz his Dial, but we must go forward; it is not enough to keep one talon, but we must gain by 
Mat. 25. 28.  it, like good land that giveth not his own seed, but much more: as well was he punished, that hide his talon, as he that spent his 
Luke 16.  master's goods riotously: to stand still in Religion, is all one as 
Good men grow better daily.  to go backward; Non progredi, est regredi, not to go forward, is to go backward; but truly the man who hide his talon, is better than we: For we cannot show that love, and that zeal, that knowledge that hath been in us in times past. The Church of Ephesus lost her first love, but I would that our Churches were like it: they hated the evil, we hate the good; they examined the 
Apoc. 2. 4. Luk 12. 45.  false apostles, we examine none; they suffered persecution, we persecute others, we smite our fellow servants. julian the Christian, is become julian the Apostata; Simon Peter, is become Simon Magus; joseph is become Pharaoh, Lambs are turned into dogs, & doves, into serpents: We have been idle in the Lord's vineyard 
Mat. 20.  not one hour, but eleven hours, as the Master and Owner of the vineyard said unto the men, whom he found standing doing nothing in the market stead, Why stand ye here idle? So may God say to us, Quare statis otiosi in Ecclesia? Why stand ye here idle in the Church? We have stood still with the figtree, not three years, but threescore years: I fear me God will say to us, as of the figtree, Never fruit grow on thee hereafter: so to 
Mat. 11. 14.  us, Never Faith, never love, never knowledge be in thee hereafter.  
It is a principle in Divinity, a Maxim in that art, that good men go forward, wax better: For such as be planted in the house of 
Psal. 92, 13, 14.  the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God, they shall bring forth more fruit in their age; they shall be fat and well liking: They are like the Cypres-tree, that bringeth most fruit when it is an hundred year old; like the Eagle that reneweth her age; like the Hart that reneweth his strength, by snuffing up a snake into his nostrils: Every branch (saith our Saviour) that beareth 
john 13. 2.  not fruit in me, he taketh away, and every one that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. We must be as the Sun, when he riseth in his might, we must increase, and grow in goodness, and so daily more and more in God's favour; we must 
judg. 5. 31. Cant. 6. 9  look forth as the morning, we must be fair as the Moon, pure as the Sun, terrible as an army with banners; For though our gifts and graces be small at the first, yet we must grow up and increase more and more; our ditch must become a flood, and our flood a sea: For as Solomon saith, A wiseman will hear and increase 
Ecclesiast. 24. 35.  in learning, and a man of understanding will attain to wise counsels; yea, and further he affirmeth, Give admonition to the Wise, and he will be the wiser; teach a righteous man, & he will increase in learning. Examples 
Pro. 1. 5.  we have in the Church of Thiatyra, of whom Christ speaketh 
Pro. 9 9  thus, I know thy works, thy love and thy service, and thy faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and that they are more at the last then at the 
Apoc. 21. 19  first.  
Another principle is, that the evil decease, they are ever learning and never come unto the knowledge of the truth; like the Almond-tree, 
2 Tim. 3. 7.  that is soon blossomed and soon blasted: they 
We are most of us non-proficients in plenty of means.  go backward, Yea and they proceed from evil to worse. We grow in years, but do we grow in grace, and knowledge, as S. Peter exhorteth, saying, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ? We draw near unto our graves, but do we 
Esa. 1. 4. jer. 9 3. 2 Pet. 3. 18.  draw nearer God and heaven? Alas, there be more dunces and non-proficients, and bankerupts in religion, then in all trades and arts of the world beside: we creep like snails, we glide like worms, we go like the messenger of ill news, slowly: We learn little, we know little, we do little: if in forty years to come, we learn no more than in forty years past, our graves will meet with us in the way, and it will be too late to learn, when we are come into the land of darkness, and place where all things are forgotten. Will God show a miracle to the dead, or shall the 
Psal. 88 10, 11. 12.  deadrise, and praise God? Shall his loving kindness be declared in the grave, or his faithfulness in destruction? Shall his wondrous works be known in the dark, and his righteousness in the land of oblivion? We may say with the Apostle, that whereas concerning the time we 
Hebr. 12. 5.  ought to be teachers, we ourselves had need to be taught the first principles of the Word of God, for we are such as have need of milk, not of strong meat. Alas, we are still children; still at our milk, still in our A. B. C. still in the Crosse-row of Divinity; for what know we now, that we knew not ten, twenty, thirty, forty years ago? We are like the women that Paul speaketh of, Always learning, and never coming to the knowledge 
2 Tim. 3. 7.  of the truth: like Tantalus, that perished for thirst in the midst of the waters; and we in the midst of doctrine: as yet we are in the doctrine of beginnings of Christ; nay, we have not begun yet: for of Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Imposition of 
Hebr. 6.  hands, and of the Resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement, we can say nothing.  
Here I am to speak to two sorts of men; the one is proud, and say they have enough, they eede not to learn, as Laodicia said, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing: the 
Apoc. 3. 17.  other is dull and saith he cannot learn. The first is confuted by the Apostle, If any man thinketh he knoweth any thing, he knoweth 
1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 13. 9  nothing yet as he ought to know: We see here in a glass, in a dark speaking, Letus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let us not presume 
Rom. 12. 3.  to understand above that which is meet for us to understand, but that we understand according to sobriety. Plura nescio quàm scio, I am ignorant of many more things, than I know. Ignorantiam meam non ignoro, 
Aug. Origen. Cal.  I am not ignorant of my ignorance. Hoc unum scio, quòd nihil scio, this one thing I know, that I know nothing as I should know.  
The other, the dull man, he belly God, he belly not man, but God; for God hath said we may learn: If thou callest 
Pro. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  for knowledge, and criest for understanding, if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear 
We must be diligent and constant in seeking Knowledge.  of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: for the Lord giveth Wisdom, out of his mouth cometh Knowledge and Understanding. And again, the Wise man saith, That all the ways of God are plain to them that will understand; meaning, that the Word of God is 
Pro. 8. 9  easy to all that have a will and a desire unto it: so be thou willing to understand the Lords Word and Way, and thou shalt understand it: there is no want but Will. Ask (saith our Saviour) and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and 
Mat. 7. 7.  it shall be opened unto you: so that if so be we would but take a little pains, our knowledge would not be at the ebb, as it is. Ephorus and Theopompus were two Scholars; the one needed a bridle, the other a spur; the one went on too fast, the other too slow: it is not the bridle, but the spur that we need. Our faith, I must confess, is a little stronger, our knowledge a little greater, our lives a little better than in the time of Popery: for them we were blind indeed, not as whelps that see after nine days, not as the man in the Gospel, that saw men walk like trees; but blind as Beetles, blind as the men of Sodom, that groped for Lot's door: but alas, how weak is our Faith, how small is our Knowledge, how cold is our Zeal, in respect of that which we might have had, if we had applied our hearts to Wisdom? What know we at fourscore years old, that a child knows not at eight years old? If a child should never grow in height nor Wisdom, it were prodigious; even so we are children still, nay monsters: But be not (saith the Apostle) children in 
2 Cor. 14. 20.  understanding, but as concerning maliciousness be children, but in understanding be of ripe age. But we have inverted the order: Let us follow the counsel of the Wise man, In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand rest: that is, do good in thy 
Eccles. 11. 6.  youth, do good in thy age, yea at all times be not weary of sowing, and be not weary of working, Of well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: the seed time is nothing, 
Gal. 6. 9  the growth is nothing, the harvest is all in all; to do well in youth, is nothing; to do well in age, is nothing; but to continue till death, to the last gasp, is piety in deed. If the righteous turn away from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and do 
Ezech. 18. 24, 26  according to all the abominations, that the wicked man doth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done, shall not be mentioned, but in the transgresston that he hath committed, in his sin that he hath sinned; in them he shall dye: for when a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even dye for the same, he shall even dye for his iniquity that he hath done. As well may we drown in the Havens mouth, as in the midst of the boisterous sea; & as well fall through the peevishness of age, as through the lusts and concupiscences of youth: but of many it may be said, Caput canum, & cor vanum, a grey head, and a green wit: Anni multi, & acta stulta; dies uberes, & fructus steriles facies rugosa●at 
We must build here against the time to come.  lingua nugosa; many years, but foolish acts; plentiful days, but barren fruits; a wrinkled face, but a trifling toyish tongue.  
The wicked is like the Vintner in the Gospel, who broached his best wine first, and after, that which is worse; like Nebuchadnezers 
john 2. 10.  Image, whose head was all of gold, whose shoulders were of silver, whose belly was all of brass, whose legs were all of iron, and feet of clay; still worse and worse. O brethren, we build apace, but it is with blood, as the Prophet said, They build up Zion with blood, and jerusalem with iniquity, but Zion shall be 
Mich. 3. 10, 12.  ploughed up as a field, and jerusalem shall be an heap, etc. And Woe unto 
Hab. 2. 12.  to him that buildeth a town with blood, and erecteth a City with iniquity. But if we build not in zeal, faith, knowledge, our houses here shall fall or be desolate; even great and fair without inhabitant; the foundation is not good: but if we do good, and 
Esa. 59  be rich in good works; if we be ready to distribute and communicate, Then shall we lay up for ourselves in store a good foundation against the time to come. We have no houses in Heaven, we 
1 Tim. 6. 19  cannot say with Paul, We know that if the Earthly house of this Tabernacle 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  be destroyed, we have an house, that is to say, a building, not made with hands, but eternal in Heaven. We have fair houses here, but what have we in Heaven? Are we built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, jesus Christ himself being the head corner 
Ephes. 2. 20.  stone? Can a man go a long journey with standing still? Did the Istaelites go into Canaan? Or the wise men to Bethlem, with never moving? Heaven is a long journey: we must not stand still, but run wtih patience the race that is set before us. 
Heb. 12. 1.   
And can we go to heaven with doing nothing? With learning nothing? Believing nothing? We wove Penelope's web: Ipsa texuit, & retexuit, what she woave in the day, she did undo in the night: so we learn and unlearne; whatsoever we learn on the Sunday, we forget in the week day: we may say of our coming to Church, as Peter said of his fishing, Master, we have 
Luke 5. 5.  traveled all night, and have taken nothing. So we have come to the Church twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty years, & some more, and have gotten nothing, have learned nothing, got no Faith, no Zeal, no Knowledge.  
But to proceed: As they must edify themselves, increase and go forward: so the thing that they must increase and go forward in, is Faith, for that is the foundation of all Christian Virtues; it is Alpha and O mega, & absque ea nemo potest placere Deo, 
Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23.  Without it no man can please God, for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. Omnia ergo splendida opera Paganorum, & Infidelium, saint splendida peccata, all the glistering works of Pagans and Infidels, be glistering sins, their prayers, alms, fastings, the patience of Socrates, the justice of Aristides, the piety of Epaminondas, 
Faith the original of all good works.  the constancy of Photion; they were but bastard-workes, not right works; they are begotten of Hagar, not of Sara the freewoman; they spring from the waters of Marah, not of Siloh; from the bitter pool Exanthe, not the sweet flood of Hispanis; they proceed from fear or vainglory, not from faith; For as unto the 
Tit. 1. 15.  pure all things are pure, so unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but their minds and consciences are defiled. It is true in all works, that Paul said of prayer, How shall they call on him, in whom 
Rom. 10. 14.  they have not believed? Even so, how can they glorify God, or love God, or serve God, in whom they never believed? Paul making a Catalogue of good men, beginneth with Faith, and saith:  
By faith, Abel offered to God a greater sacrifice than Cain. 
Heb. 11. 4, 5, 7. 8, 20, 21, 33-34.   
By faith, Enoch was taken away that he should not see death, etc.  
By Faith, Noah being warned of God, of the things which were not yet seen, moved with reverence, prepared the Ark, etc.  
By Faith, Abraham when he was called, obeyed God, offered Isaac, etc.  
By Faith, Isaac blessed jacob and Esau.  
By Faith, jacob, when he was a dying, blessed the sons of joseph: and thus he goeth on, and at the last concludeth, that by faith, they subdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, of weak were made strong, waxed valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the Aliens, etc.  
In every good work three things are to be considered.  
Origo, Finis, Vsus, The beginning. The end, and Use.  
The original or beginning of every good work is faith: faith is as the Mother, and the holy Ghost the Father of all good works: Faith begetteth Love, and Love blossometh forth in Virtue, and Virtue buddeth forth in good Works: whereupon Saint Peter inferreth this exhortation, join moreover Virtue with your Faith, and with Virtue, Knowledge, and with Knowledge, 
2 Pet. 1. 5, 7, 8.  Temperance, and with Temperance, Patience, and with Patience, Godliness, and with Godliness, brotherly-kindness, and with brotherly-kindness, Love.  
Secondly, the end is the glory of God; Hereupon saith the Apostle, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 
1 Cor. 1, 3●.   
Thirdly, the use is manifold: First, they are unto us signs of our election; and therefore Saint Peter would have us to make our election & calling sure by them. Indeed our election is sure in itself, 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  for God cannot change; yet we must confirm it in ourselves by the fruits of the Spirit. Secondly, they edify others: Hereupon saith our Saviour, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see 
No life of grace without Faith.  your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Thirdly, that they may stop the mouth of the Adversary: For which cause we are willed to have honest conversation among the Gentiles, that whereas they do backbite us as evil doers, they may see our good works, and glorify 
Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 12.  our Father which is in Heaven. Here is the trial of a Christian; that proveth us either sons or bastards; this proveth us dead, or alive; by Faith we live: this is the spirit and soul of the inner man; we have a name to live, yet are we dead, if we want 
john 1. 12.  Faith.  
There is a double life; of grace, and of nature; Infidels, unbelievers are strangers from the life of grace. As a tree liveth not without 
Ephes. 4. 18.  moisture, nor a bird without air; nor the fish without water, nor a body without a soul, so neither the soul without faith: For in that we live now in the flesh, we live by the Faith of the Son of God, who hath loved us; and gave himself for us. Ye see Infidels eating, 
Gal. 2. 20.  drinking, sporting, playing, yet are they dead; they are alive to the world, but dead unto God: but the faithful, they are dead (with Christ) unto the world; but their life is hid with Christ, with God, and when Christ which is their life, shall appear, then shall they 
Col. 2, 3, 4.  also appear with him in glory. Pandora carried deadly poison in a painted box, and Lusimachus the cutter, a leaden sword in a golden sheath; and many men, a dead soul in a living body: the body is alive, but the soul is dead, as Paul said of the voluptuous widow; But she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. To conclude, faith joineth us to Christ: For Christ dwelleth in 
1 Tim. 5. 6.  our hearts by Faith; Christ uniteth us to God, 1 john 5. God assureth 
Ephes. 3. 17.  us of life: For in him we live, and move, and have our being. So that no faith, no Christ; no Christ, no God; no God, no life: God 
Act. 17. 28.  so loved the world, that he gave his only be gotten Son, that whosoever 
john 3. 16, 18.  believeth in him, should not perish, but have life everlasting: he that believeth in him, shall not be condemned, but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Knowledge is the fountain of all virtue, and Faith is the sea in which they all run, and where they jointly end their course.  
But it is to be observed, that he calleth it not simply Faith, but holy Faith; yea most holy Faith; he riseth to the superlative degree, as David extolled Bashan above all mountains, saying, The mountain of God, is like the mountain of Bashan; it is a high mountain, 
Psal. 68 15.  as the mount Bashan. As Solomon extolled his huswife above all women, saying, Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou 
Pro. 31. 29.  surmountest them all: As Christ commended john Baptist above all Nazarites, saying, There is no greater Prophet than john among them 
Luk. 7. 28.  that are begotten of women: And the Lord, Moses above all Prophets: So jude commendeth Faith above all virtues. All precious stones 
Deut. 34.  are good, yet none like the Topaz; all flowers are fair, yet none 
job 28.  like the Lily; most trees bring fruit, but none like the Appletree 
Faith purifies our hearts, and makes our actions and persons holy.  of Persia; or the Tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and gave fruit every month. Many virtues are excellent, and further our salvation, yet none like faith. justice giveth every man his own, temperancy restraineth lusts, fortitude beareth 
Apoc. 22. 2. 1 john 5. 4.  all labour and toil, prudence guideth our actions, but faith overcommeth the world; so do not other virtues: faith is like the three 
2 Sam. 23.  worthies of David, who broke thorough the whole host, and drew water of the Well of Bethlem. jonathan and his armour-bearer 
1 Sam. 19  slew twenty men. Shamgar, with an Ox goad, slew six hundred 
judg. 3. 31. judg. 15.  Philistines; Samson with the jawbone of an Ass, slew a thousand men: thus these men broke thorough an whole host; and faith overcommeth the whole world. In this faith Paul insulted over heaven and earth, men and Angels, I am persuaded (saith Paul) that neither life nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
Rom. 8. 38.  things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. And again, he saith, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that, which I have committed unto him (meaning himself) against that day. It is called Holy, yea most Holy, for all our works are polluted, and receive their holiness from faith, and faith from Christ, who is the object of it. As the Sun giveth light to all Planets; as salt seasoneth all meats; so Faith seasoneth all works: for in themselves they are polluted; For who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am clean from sin? For as the holy man of god saith, He found no steadfastness 
Pro. 20. 9 job 4. 18, 19  in his servants, and laid folly upon his Angels; how much more in them that dwell in houses of Clay, whose foundation is the dust, which shall be destroyed before the moth? And again, he maketh this demand, and saith, What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is borne of a Woman, that he should be just? We are all as a menstruous cloth, 
Cap. 15. 14.  as an unclean thing: we all do fade like a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind, have taken us away: only Faith purifieth our hearts. To come nearer, fidem sanctissimam vocat, ratione objecti: he 
Act. 15. 9  calleth it most holy Faith, by reason of the object: Deum enim trinum & unum respicit, it respecteth three and one, three in Persons, one in Essence. Moral virtues, they are occupied about humane objects, and things created; as liberality about giving of good things; temperance, about meat, drink, fleshly lusts, lechery, etc. Fortitude in suffering adversity: therefore they cannot be called most holy virtues.  
Again, it is called most holy Faith, in respect of the efficient cause thereof, that is to say, the Holy Ghost; For the Holy Ghost bestoweth upon us all good things, love, joy, peace, long 
1 Cor. 12: Gal. 5. 22.  suffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith, meekness, temperance: all these, and all the rest are the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. Now because the Author is holy, his Works, his gifts, and graces be holy, Nil nisi sanctum à, sancto spiritu prodire potest, 
If no holiness, no Faith.  Nothing can come from the holy Spirit, but that which is holy. 
Aug.   
Learn here to judge of the works of the elder World, their alms, their prayer, their love: what love could there be without faith? and what faith could there be among them without the doctrine of God? Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. But did they fast often? We seldom or never. Did they 
Rom. 10. 14.  give alms, and do we live unto ourselves? are our right hands dried up with jeroboams'? Did they pray in the night, we scarce in the day? Did they love one another, agree together? and do we sue and sting one another, like the Serpents of Sinai? O brethren, they shall rise in judgement against us, as Christ said of the Ninivites, Except our righteousness, our prayers, our love exceed theirs, we shall not enter into Heaven: our faith is 
Mat. 11.  not most holy, no, nor holy, nay, no faith at all.  
And by the way note that he calleth faith holy, not unholy, unjust, unchaste drunken faith, such as the world braggeth of in these days; the dead faith that Saint james inveigheth against so earnestly. All lewd men boast of faith: but I will say to them as james said, O stende mihi fidem per opera: Show me thy faith by thy works; show me it by thy zeal, thy piety, thy truth, thy chastity, thy mercy; with our faith let us join virtue. The Israelites cried Templum Domini, templum Domini, the Temple of 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; the Pharisees cried, The Baptism of john, the Baptism of john; the jews cried, We have Abraham to our Father; the Scribes cried, We have Moses to our Doctor; the Ephesians cried, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: but jeremy bade the Israelites amend their ways and their works: 
jer. 7. 4.  john bade the Pharisees bring forth fruits of Repentance: Christ bade the jews do the Works of Abraham: He told the Scribes, 
Luk. 3. 8. john. 8. john. 5. Ephes. 4. 20.  that Moses would condemn them; and Paul told the Ephesians, that they had not so learned Christ; and so say we to these men that boast of faith: I will reason with them as jeremy did with the people, Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, 
jer. 7. 9, 10.  and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods, whom ye know not, and come and stand before me in this house, whereupon my Name is called? even so, will we swear, lie, rail, slander, and say that we believe? Was God's house a den for thiefs? is faith become a cloak for thiefs, whoremongers, liars, swearers, usurers, Idolaters, blasphemers, drunkards, pot-companions, & c? I say of this faith, as Saint james said of Wisdom, This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual and devilish: so 
jam. 3. 5.  this faith is not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish: For faith showeth itself in good works, and can no more be separated from it, than light can be from the Sun, or heat from the fire, or moisture from water.  
Lastly, note that he saith, that this faith is edified and increased 
If we had never such measure of faith, yet we must hear daily.  by hearing (there understood, not expressed of Saint jude) for the Word is the foundation. Paul in naming the Christian armour, coupleth Faith and the Word together, Above all, take the shield of faith, whereby ye may quench the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of Salvation, and the swrd of the 
Ephes. 2. 20. Ephes. 6. 17, 18. Rom. 10. 14.  Spirit, which is the Word of God. Fides ex auditu, Faith, cometh by hearing: As possible for a man to see without eyes, or a tree to grow without moisture, or a bird to live without meat, or a house to stand without a foundation, as Faith to be without the Word. Esay cryeth out, Hear and your souls shall live. Ita 
Esay. 55. 3. Ephes. 4. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 21.  didicistis Christum? Have ye so learned Christ, saith the Apostle? It pleaseth God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  
We think that we are wise enough, that the Preacher can tell us nothing that we know not, and this is the cause of all contempt: but if thy knowledge were as great as salomon's, to 
1 Reg. 4. 29, 30, 32, 33.  whom God gave Wisdom and Understanding exceeding much, and a large heart, even as the sand which is by the sea shore: and salomon's Wisdom excelled the Wisdom of all the children of the East, and all the Wisdom of Egypt: and Solomon spoke three thousand Proverbs: and his Songs were one thousand and five, and he spoke of trees from the Cedar of Lebanon, to the Hyssop that groweth out of the wall: he spoke also of Beasts and of Fowls, and of creeping things, and of Fishes: I say, were thy wisdom as much as salomon's, yet must it be helped with doctrine; we must still be remembered of that which we know, and still know more: Yea the Preacher, though he be learned, teacheth himself as well as thee, and his own faith as well thine, and speaketh to his own heart as well as to others: such a secret power hath God put into his Word, and such is his Ordinance : He hath given some to be Apostles, and some 
Ephes. 4. 11.  Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. By these are the Saints gathered, thus is Christ's body edified, thus are the godly repaired, thus we meet in unity of faith. Paul bidding the Gaoler believe, preached unto him the Word. Never 
Act. 16. 31.  think to go to Heaven without faith, or to have faith without preaching (I speak of ordinary faith.) For God can work miraculously as in children and deaf men, as in Medaelde, mentioned by Danaeus, and in captives; A man may live without meat, but all the world cannot assure thee of it; thou mayst have faith by miracle, but neither men nor Angels can assure thee of it; where means are, we must use means. Wilt thou fast forty days, because Moses and Elias did so? or go thorough the red Sea, because the Israelites did so? Or go into an hot 
Exod. 32. Exod. 14.  oven, because the three children did so? Thou mayst perhaps starve then, or be drowned, or burned. Where God giveth means, he giveth no miracles. So long as Israel was in the desert, God gave Manna, but when they came into Canaan, where 
God works not by miracle when he affords means.  they might plough and sow, Manna ceased: the Star appeared to the Wisemen in the way, but in jerusalem it vanished, for there they might inquire. Let us therefore use the means; and seeing the means of the edifying and increasing of our most holy 
Exod. 16. Iosh. 5.  faith, is doctrine, let us attend unto it, even so long as God shall give us a body as an house, hands as keepers, legs as strong men, 
Eccles. 12.  eyes as windows, ears as doors, and an heart as a Treasure-house.   

THE TWO AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XX. 
Praying in the Holy Ghost. 
Faith and Prayer inseparable.   
FRom faith he cometh to prayer: for increase of faith, and all graces must be had by prayer: where, by the way note, that the original of faith is immediately from God, it is his work; so saith our Saviour, This 
john 6. 25.  is the work of God, that ye believe in him, whom he hath sent: And for this cause the Apostle calleth Christ jesus, The Author and finisher of our 
Luk. 17. 5.  faith. But the increase of faith is by prayer, & prayer mediate from God by faith, is the gift of God, and prayer is ever a companion, nay the daughter of faith; faith the mother, and it the daughter; for how can we pray without faith? How shall they call upon him, in 
Rom. 10. 14.  whom they have not believed?  
A question grew between Musculus, Bullinger, and other Churches of Mensbelgarde, Num fides sit à Deo petenda? Whether faith is to be begged of God? Calvin being to decide the question, said, that Musculus and Bullinger spoke duriusculè, somewhat hard: Nam nulla oratio, nisi fide fundata, probatur: God alloweth of no prayer, except it be founded on faith; For whatsoever is not of 
Rom. 14. 29.  faith, is sin.  
Faith is the mother of prayer; and the mother goes before the daughter. Augustine proveth, that Cornelius believed, because his 
Prayer the conduit whereby all good things are conveyed to us.  prayers were heard. Infideli dat Deus fidem, at non per orationem, sed immediatè, God giveth the Infidel faith, not by prayer, but immediately.  
A strong faith begetteth many prayers; a weak faith, weak, and few prayers. No faith, no prayer. Paul coupleth them together, 
Act. 10. Aug. Ephes. 6. 16, 18.  as an armour of proof; Above all take the shield of Faith: and by and by in the next subsequent verse save one, and pray always with all manner of supplication in the Spirit, etc. Faith begetteth prayer, and prayer increaseth faith: For as fire kindleth the wood, and the same wood increaseth the flame; so faith begetteth prayer. Rejoice evermore (saith the Apostle) and pray continually: 
1 Thess. 5. 16, 17.  Faith worketh joy: for being justified by faith, we have peace with God; and yet the same joy is augmented by prayer. 
Rom. 5. 1.   
But now more generally to handle this doctrine, because increase of faith and all graces must be had by prayer: for by that hand God reacheth them, and in that conduit he conveigheth them unto us: therefore Saint jude saith, Orate per Spiritum. Ask, seek, knock, and promiseth us that we shall have, find, and 
Mat. 7. 7.  that it shall be opened unto us. We have not, because we ask not. 
jam. 4.  Solomon nameth prayer, as the Indian stone that remedieth all diseases; For mark his prayer, which he poured forth to God in the Temple, When a man shall trespass against his neighbour, and he lay upon him an oath to cause him to swear, and the swearer shall come before 
1 Reg. 8. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38.  thy Altar in this house; then hear thou in Heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, that thou condemn the wicked, to bring his way upon his head, and justify the righteous, and give him according to his righteousness. When thy people Israel shall be overthrown before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and turn again unto thee, confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this House; Then hear thou in Heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel. And when Heaven shall be shut, and there shall be no rain, because they have sinned against thee, and shall pray, etc. Then hear thou in Heaven, and pardon the sin of thy servants. When there shall be famine in the land, when there shall be pestilence, when there shall be blasting, mildew, grasshopper, or caterpillar: when their enemy shall besiege them in the Cities of their land, or any plague, or any sickness, and they make their prayers before thee, hear them, and be merciful unto them, etc. Thus prayer is a remedy against all mischief. Physicians for diverse diseases, have diverse remedies; but a Christian for all and every disease, hath but one only remedy, and that is prayer: For Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved: fides est janua ad misericordiam, 
joel. 2. 32.  & oratio est clavis quae januam reserat. Faith is the gate to mercy, and Prayer is the key to unlock this gate. Hereupon saith Saint james, Is any man among you sick? Let him pray, and the prayer 
Jam. 5. 13, 15.  of faith shall save the sick. Prayer is profitable, powerful, and pleasant: it is every way profitable, first, to obtain every good thing: Verily, verily (saith Christ) I say unto you, whatsoever ye ask 
Prayer prevalent with not only the creature, but Creator.  the Father in my name, he will give it you. Secondly, to prevent judgements, present or future: Note for this purpose the prayer of Solomon before mentioned. Thirdly, to confirm and strengthen us in all spiritual graces: By Christ's prayer was Peter's faith kept 
john. 16. 23. 1 Reg. 8. 33. Luk. 22. 32. Col. 1. 9 Act. 8. 22.  from sailing: and the Apostle prayed for the Colossians, That they might be filled with knowledge, etc. increasing therein and strengthened. Fourthly, to obtain remission of sins: For which cause Saint Peter said to Simon Magus, Pray God, that if it be possible, the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Whereby he giveth us to understand, that if remission of sins may be obtained by any means, prayer is the means; And this also Christ hath taught us, when he willed us to pray thus, Forgive us our trespasses, as we 
Mat. 6.  forgive them that trespass against us. Fifthly, prayer sanctifieth all God's creatures unto us; so saith the Apostle, The creature is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. To conclude, prayer is profitable 
1 Tim. 4. 5.  unto all things; it is like unto jacobs' ladder; by which Gods blessings descended down upon us; or as Catena aurea, a golden 
Isidor. de f●uctu Orandi.  chain, by which we ascend up to God. And as prayer is profitable, so is it powerful; For it prevaileth over all creatures, whether reasonable or unreasonable, and of reasonable, both visible, as man, and invisible, as Angels, whether evil or good; yea, it prevaileth with the Creator himself; Daniel by prayer stopped the 
Dan. 6. 12.  mouths of Lions, among whom he was cast; by David's prayer 
2 Sam. 15. 31. Gen. 32.  was Achitophel's wisdom turned into foolishness; by jacobs' prayer was Esau's wrath allayed; by Mardochaeus and ester's prayer was Hamans' malice, like saul's sword, turned into his own bowels; by 
Est. 4. 6. cap. 7. 10. 2 Reg. 19 15.  Ezechias prayer, was the whole host of Senacherib overthrown: one faithful man's prayer, is more forcible than the power of an whole army. Witness the example of Moses, who lift up his hands, 
Exod. 17. 11.  while Israel fought against Amalech, and prevailed. When Marcus Aurelius had almost lost his army in Germany for want of water, the Christians in his camp prayed, and God sent rain in great 
Eusib.  abundance. And Theodoret affirmeth, that Theodosius in a battle 
Theodo.  that he fought, being in danger to be overthrown, and his men ready to fly, prayeth, and God giveth him the victory. For as Origen saith, One man prevaileth more in prayer, then innumerable sinners do with fight. 
Orig.   
By prayer the Devils are cast out: for there is a kind of Devils that go not out but by fasting and prayer. 
Mat. 17. 11.   
If Christ would have prayed, he might have had more than 
Mat. 26. 53.  twelve legions of Angels to guard him and defend him. At Elishaes' prayer, the mountains were full of charrets and horses of 
2 Reg. 6. 17.  fire round about.  
Many admirable and extraordinary things have Gods children in all ages effected by prayer. By prayer, Abraham obtained favour for Ishmael; by prayer, Moses divided the red sea; by prayer, joshua made the Sun to stand still in the midst of heaven; by 
Prayer pleasant to God and man.  prayer, Anna became fertile; by prayer, Ezechias procured a longer life; by prayer, judith destroyed Holofernes; and Ester saveth the jews; by prayer, Susanna is saved from the unjust judges; Daniel from the Lions, and Peter from Herod; by prayer, the Leper is cured, the Publican justified, the Devils scared, Heaven gates opened, the fetters loosed, and iniquity vanquished; by prayer, we have access unto the throne of grace; It is a great blessing, that God in his Word vouchsafeth to speak to man, but not comparable to this, that man should talk with God. Ye see the power of prayer.  
Thirdly, prayer is a pleasant thing, to God and man.  
To God, and therefore resembled to the incense, Let my prayer come forth as the incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening 
Psal. 141.  sacrifice. For as the sent of incense is pleasant to the nostrils of man, so are the prayers of the Saints unto God: for when they 
Chrysost.  ascend to heaven, God seemeth to smell a sweet savour like the incense.  
Prayer also is pleasant, and delightful unto man; For if it were a pleasure to jacob, for to speak to Rachel, and to jonathan, with David; what a pleasure is it for a devour soul to speak unto God? Oratio locutio est ad Deum, quando legis, Deus tibi loquitur: quando oras, cum Deo loqueris: Prayer is a speaking to God; when 
Aug.  thou readest, God speaks to thee; when thou prayest, thou talkest with God. The child is never better, then when it is in the fathers or mother's lap: so we shall never be better, then when by prayer we creep (as it were) into our Heavenly Father's bosom.  
And thus we see the profit, power, and pleasure of prayer: the experience of this hath made good men to spend their days in prayer. David rose at midnight to pray; Daniel prayed three 
Psal. 119. Dan. 6. Hist. tripart.  times a day: It is reported of Saint james, that his knees were horne-hoofed with prayer; and Nazianzene writeth of his sister Gorgonia, that she was so given to prayer, that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth, by reason of her continual kneeling at prayer; and Gregory in his dialogues writeth of his Aunt Trasilla, being dead, that she was found to have her elbows as hard as horns, which hardness she got by leaning to a desk, at which she used to pray: and Saint Jerome writing of Paul the Hermit, affirmeth, that he was found dead, kneeling upon his knees, holding up his hands, and lifting up his eyes; so that the very dead corpse seemed yet to live, and by a kind of religious gesture to pray still to God. The jews began the day, and ended it with 
Levit. 1.  prayer. It is said of Anthony the Hermit, that having spent the whole night in prayer, he chid the Sun at the rising of it, saying, O Sol, mimis properè nobis redijsti; O Sun, thou hast returned to us oversoone; I am troubled with thy light, the greatness of 
Divers kinds of prayer, in respect of matter.  thy light hindereth me from contemplation, and the light of my God; and of Bessarion, that he passed twelve days and nights in contemplation; pavimentum erat lectus, the pavement was his bed, water his drink, barley his bread, and roots his dainties. If we compare with these men, we shall be found like the Pigmaei, in respect of the great Giants. We be not men of prayer, we rise in the morning, as the wild Ass to his prey, and we lie down at night, as dogs do in their kennel: The Euchites pray too much, we too little, or not at all; the Papists prayed in the night, but we neither day nor night.  
But of prayer in respect of the matter there be diverse kinds: Petition. Deprecation. Intercession. Expostulation.  
Petition, is for good things.  
Deprecation, to remove evil things.  
Intercession, for others.  
Expostulation, against others.  
The Apostle Paul devideth prayer into Supplications. Prayers. Intercessions. 
1 Tim. 2. 2.  Thanksgiving.  
Supplications, are for the removing of evil, whether it be malum culpae, or Malum poenae; the evil of sin, or the evil of punishment.  
Prayers, are for the obtaining of good, for God will give good 
Mat. 7. 11.  things to them that ask of him.  
Intercessions, are in the behalf of others; so Moses made intercession for the people, saying, Forgive them, or else raze me out of 
Exod. 32.  the book of life, which thou hast written. So Christ made intercession for his crucifiers, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.  
thanksgivings, are for benefits received. 
Mat. 27.   
And these four, the Apostle referreth in another place to two heads. 1. Requests, 2. Thanksgiving. 
Phil. 4. 6.   
Under request, he comprehendeth supplication, prayer, and intercession.  
But the most usual distinction is grounded on 1 Thess. 5. 17, 18. which is, Petition, and Thanksgiving.  
And in all these kinds of prayer, a Christian must be conversant and use them as occasion serves: and thus ye see the distinct kinds of prayer in respect of the matter.  
There are other distinctions in regard of the manner, the first Mental and Vocal.  
Mental, is an inward lifting up of the heart to God, without any outward manifestation of the same by word; such as Moses was, when God said unto him, Why criest thou to me? yet he spoke 
Prayer diverse in respect of the manner.  never a word with his tongue, only he sighed and groaned.  
Vocal is that which is uttered with words, as was the Publicans, 
Exod 14. 15. Luk. 18.  when he cried, God be merciful unto me a sinner.  
Secondly, A prayer in regard of the manner of it, is Sudden, or Composed.  
Sudden, when as upon some occasion the heart is lifted up to God either by sighing or speaking; such as was Nehemiahs' prayer; 
Nehe. 2. 4.  and these are called the ejaculations of the heart, which (as one saith) are to be used as salt with meat; with every bit of meat we commonly take a little salt to season it; so when we do any thing, we must lift up our hearts to God, and season our business by prayer.  
Composed prayer, is the pouring forth of some solemn prayer to God, privately by ourselves: and such were the prayers that Daniel used to make three times a day. 
Dan. 6. 10.   
Thirdly, prayer is either Conceived or Prescribed.  
Conceived prayer is that, which he who uttereth the prayer, inventeth and conceiveth of himself; and such are most of the prayers recorded in the Scripture.  
Prescribed is, when a set constant form of prayer is laid down beforehand; a thing very frequent in the Scriptures: in Numbers God prescribed a set form of blessing for the Priests continually 
Numb. 6. 23, 24.  to use: and the 92. Psalm was prescribed, A song for the Sabbath 
Mat. 6.  day; and Christ himself prescribed an excellent form of prayer; and S. Paul observes a set form of blessing in the beginning and end of his Epistles.  
Fourthly, prayer is either Public or Private.  
Public, when a whole Congregation with one joint consent call upon God.  
Private is that, which is made by some few together, as Elisha, 
2 Reg. 4. 33.  and his servant were alone in a chamber praying for the Shunamites child; or when a man prayeth by himself alone, as did Cornelius: and of this kind of prayer Christ speaketh thus, When thou 
Act. 10. 30.  prayest, enter into thy chamber, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and thy Father which seethe in secret, shall reward thee openly.  
All these prayers must we send up to God in the mediation of Christ: Nam quid dulcius quàm Genitorem in nomine Vnigeniti invocare? 
Aug.  What is sweeter, then to call upon the Father in the name of his only begotten Son? And they must be poured out with fear and reverence: Our hearts must be raised from the dunghill of the earth, to the glorious Throne of Heaven, as the Prophet saith, Let our hearts be lifted up. Our gestures must be reverend and humble, and kneeling is the fittest gesture in prayer: 
Lament. 3. 41.  and they must be delivered with fervency, For the prayer of 
jam. 5.  the righteous availeth much, if it be fervent. 
Prayer is for all times and all things.   
Yea in prayer we must be diligent; Paul would have the Thessalonians to pray always, nay indesinenter orare, to pray without ceasing: but if any man say, they cannot spend so much time 
1 Thess. 5. 17.  in prayer, they have other things to attend: I answer, that prayer hindereth no labour, it is opus animi, non corporis, a work of the mind, not of the body: for why, the husbandman at the plough, the pilot at the helm, the mariner at the oars, the coblar at his Last, the weaver at his Looms, the woman at her rock may pray, and yet lose no time; the heart may be occupied as was Moses heart at the red Sea. Epiphanius calleth Christians Bees, that have 
Exod. 14.  wax in their hands, their claws: to note their work, and honey in their mouths, that is Hymns, Psalms, prayers to glorify God; as is said of the Primitive Church, These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, etc.  
One calleth prayers, Gods Grasshoppers, Gods Nightingales, 
Onuphrius.  who praise him in the day, and pray in the night: and good men will pray always with all manner of prayers and supplications in the spirit, 
Ephes. 6. 18. 2 Tim. 1. 6.  and watch thereunto with all perseverancy, etc. O stir up thy heart that is dull, rouse it up to God, blow the coal, but spit not upon it. Benajah is said to kill a Lion in the snow. It is a great glory to kill a Lion, greater to kill him in the snow, when the hands are 
2 Sam. 23. 20.  cold, and the body frozen, that a man cannot draw his sword: so the soul is cold, congealed, the spirit is dull, the mind languishing in good things: but if thou canst, then put heat unto it, to wrestle with the Devil that roaring Lion, in prayer and meditation: 
1 Pet. 5. 8.  it is thy glory with God, & men, & Angels. In other virtues thou overcommest another, in this thou overcommest thyself. This world is a sea, our souls are as vessels tossed on it; our virtues, 
Apoc. 15.  as wares to be transported to the Haven, prayer is as a prosperous wind to carry them forward. Now as in the straits of Magellane, of three ships scarce one is saved; so in the sea of this world, of an hundred, scarce one is saved; for why? Men pray not. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see 
Psal. 14. 2, 3, 4.  if there were any that would understand and seek after God: all are gone out of the way, they are all corrupt, there is none that doth good, no not one: do not all the workers of iniquity know, that they eat up my people as they eat bread? they call not upon the Lord. On these God poureth out wrath: For so the Prophet prayed, saying; Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen, that know thee not, and upon the families that call not 
jer. 10. 25.  upon thy name. Prayer is as a spiritual chair, wherein the soul sitteth down at the feet of the Lord to receive the influences of his graces: est porta regalis, per quam Dominus in cor intrat: prayer is the regal gate by which the Lord entereth into the heart, the first fruits of future glory: Manna, that had in it Omne delectamentum, the delicacy and taste of every sweet; the Ladder of jacob, by which we must ascend into heaven.  
By this note, God distinguisheth his house from all houses, My house shall be called an house of prayer; and his people, from all 
Prayer comforteth in all estates.  the people of the world: they are a people that delight in prayer, and the praises of God are ever in their mouth: others are houses 
Mat. 21. 12.  of banqueting, as the houses of jobs sons; or houses of sporting, as the houses of the Philistines, where Samson played; or 
job. 1. 1 Reg. 16. judg. 16. Mich 3. Luk. 12.  houses of cruelty, as were the houses of the jews; or houses of receipt, as the barns of the fool; or houses of destruction, as those of jeroboams' and Baasha: but God's house is an house of prayer, all other came to nought: the houses of jobs sons were blown down with the wind; the houses of the Philistines fell upon their heads and slew them; the houses of the jews were turned into a field; the barns of the fool came to a strange heir; the Palaces of jeroboam and Baasha, became a proverb.  
Prayer is a conjoining of God and man together; in doctrine God speaketh unto us, and therefore the Word is called, The Spirit 
2 Thess. 2. 8.  of God's mouth: and in prayer we speak to God, and pour out our griefs into his lap: Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Oratio est Deo sacrificium: 
Psal. 50. 15.  Prayer is a sacrifice to God, music unto the Angels, a banquet to the Saints, an help to them that pray, a remedy for the penitent, a weapon against their enemies. To orante fugit daemon: When thou prayest, the Devil takes him to his heels and is gone, Resist the Devil (by prayer) and he will fly from you. Vis omnia patienter far? sis homo precum: Wilt thou carry all things patiently? 
jam. 4. 7.  be a man of prayers. Pray continually, in all things give thanks. Wilt thou root up vices, and be enriched with virtues? Be a 
1 Thess. 5. 17, 18  man of prayers; Cease not to pray to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all Wisdom and spiritual Understanding. Wilt thou overcome 
Col. 1. 9  troubles? be a man of prayer: for Saint james will have thee troubled and afflicted to pray. Wilt thou know the subtlety of 
jam 5. 13.  Satan, and vanquish his temptations? Be a man of prayers. Pray with all manner of prayer and supplications, and then neither rule nor power, nor worldly rulers, nor the governor's of the darkness of this world shall cause thee to fall. Wilt thou trample under-feets thy corrupt and evil affections? Be a man of prayers: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. I never knew a man of much praying, a man of much sin, no, not of the superstitious 
Mat. 26. 41.  sort, touching the gross sins of the world: Per preces charitas pascitur, fides augetur, spes corroboratur, spiritus exhilaratur, cor pacatur, detegitur veritas, vincitur tentotio, renovantur sensus, totus homo immutatur & fit melior; by prayer Charity is fed, Faith increased, Hop strengthened, the Spirit exhilarated, the Heart pacified, Verity discovered, temptation vanquished, the Senses renewed, and the whole man is altered and bettered.  
Paul prayed, and God answered him, My grace is sufficient for 
Prayer the food of the soul.  thee. The Philosophers affirm, God to be the perfection of all creatures: the creature than is so much the more perfect, by how much he is nearer unto God: in prayers and supplications, 
2 Cor. 12. 8, 9  we draw nearer unto God then at other times, therefore the perfecter; for we draw near unto God, not in walking, but in loving; not with the feet of our bodies, but with the affections of our hearts. Let us draw near (saith the Apostle) with a true 
Heb. 10. 22.  heart in assurance, being sprinkled in our heats from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water. All living creatures have their nourishment, every one in their kind; some live of the Earth as Molles, other some of the Water as Fishes, some of the Air, as the Chameleon, some of the fire, as the Salamander: other creatures more noble than they, live by meat, as the natural man: but others more noble than he, as the Angels, by meditations & contemplations. The Soul therefore being a spiritual substance, as the Angels, is nourished and fed with the same meat that they be: Here is the difference, their vision of God is 
Col. 3. 3. Ephes. 4. 18.  clear and manifest, ours obscure and dark; their life perfect, ours imperfect; their life is a life of glory, ours is called the life of grace. As the sea followeth the moving of the Moon: for as she increaseth, that waxeth; so the perfection of a Christian life dependeth on prayer; as our prayers increase, so doth our perfection in Christianity increase also. For seeing the heart is the beginning of life, and of works, Et quale cor, talia opera: and as our heart is, such be our works: if the heart therefore be devout, and well ordered, our works will be devout and good also: if otherwise, our works will be vile and naught; For unto 
Tit. 1. 15.  the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled. To conclude, it is no little proof of the virtue of prayer, to behold the two principal glories and testimonies, which the Father gave to Christ jesus in prayer; for in his transfiguration while he prayed, His face did shine as the Sun, and his  were as 
Mat. 17. 2.  white as the light: and in his Baptism, while he prayed, The Heavens were opened unto him, & the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, lighted 
Mat. 3. 15.  upon him. This should encourage us to pray, and to pray always, to pray, and to pray continually, even every moment, as the least occasion is offered: prayer should be the key to open the day, and the lock to shut in the night; when we rise in the morning, we should pray with Abraham's servant, and say, O Lord God, 
Gen. 14. 12.  I beseech thee, send me good speed this day: & when we lay us down at night, to pray with the sweet Singer of Israel, Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death: and whatsoever we take in hand 
Psal. 13. 3.  either by day or night, to prevent it with the blessing of the Psalm, Prosper the work of our hands, O prosper thou our handy work. Egredientes de hospitio armet oratio; regredientibus de platea, occurrat 
Psal. jer. Ep.  intercessio: when thou goest out of the house, let prayer arm thee; 
Prayer the means whereby we receive all good things.  when thou returnest into thy house, let prayer meet with thee: prayer is vinculum invincibile: wouldst thou bind the Almighty that he may not hurt thee? Prayer is the band by which he is tied; and wouldst thou untie him to do thee good? Prayer must do it. Prayer is Clavis Scripturae, it is our Oedipus to resolve our doubts; it is our Commentary to understand God's Word; Oratio est Deo sacrificium, Diabolo flagellum, oranti subsidium: Prayer is a sacrifice to God, a scourge to the Devil, and a help to our 
Aug.  selves in all our troubles. And again, Orationis purae magna est virtus, & velut fidelis nuntius mandatum peragit & penetrate, quò caro non pervenit: Great is the power of pure prayer, for it is a faithful 
Aug. in Psal. 36.  messenger, she delivers her errand, and pierceth thither whither flesh cannot come. And this was it which made Bernard to say, Nemo nostrûm parvipendeat orationem suam; dico enim vobis, quodipse ad quem oramus, non parvipendet eam; postquam egressa est ab ore nostrùm, ipse scribit eam in libro suo, & unum in duobus indubitanter sperare possumus, quoniam aut dabit quod petimus, aut quod novit utilius: Let none of us lightly esteem his prayer; I tell you that he to whom we pray, doth not lightly esteem it; after it is out of our mouth, he writes it in his book, and one of these two we may doubtless expect, either that he will grant our petition, or that which he knoweth to be better for us. Call upon me, and I will hear thee (saith God.) Ask, and you shall have (saith Christ.) Before they cry, I will hear them, saith jehovah. The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him, saith David. O then let us call and cry unto him by earnest and hearty prayer night and day: but let us pray in knowledge with understanding; in faith by believing; in remorse, with seeking, in zeal; without cooling; in attention without wandering; in reverence, without contemning; in constancy without revolting; and in love, without revenging. Let our eyes be fastened, hearts fixed, knees bowed, mouths opened, and our hands lifted up as to the King of Kings; and as jacob would not let the Angel go, till he were blessed, so let not God go, till we be heard. Finely said one, Orat misericordia, & non orat miseria? orat innocentia, & non orat nequitia? orat judex, & desiderat parcere? & non orat reus, ut indulgentiam mereatur accipere? Doth mercy pray? and shall not misery? piety entreat, and shall not iniquity? the Physician request, and shall not the sick? the rich beg, and not the poor? the innocent pray, and not the guilty? the just and he that never sinned, fall down, and the sinful sinner stand upright? the Son of righteousness be humbled, and the son of wickedness wax proud? shall the judge entreat and desire to pardon, and the traitor not beg to be forgiven?  
Is not Christi actio Christiani institutio? Christ's practice our precedent? But he prays, and shall not we pray? We must pray for our bodies, that they may be preserved; for our souls, 
The Holy Ghost, the Author of prayer.  that they may be saved; for our estates, that they may be maintained; for our thoughts, that they may be sanctified; for our words, that they may be seasoned; for our actions, that they may be ordered by God's Spirit.  
But Saint jude doth not only exhort to prayer, but also showeth how we must pray; In the Spirit: the which words may be understood two manner of ways, either of the Author of prayer, or of the Manner of praying.  
If we understand it of the Author, the sense is good, for God's Spirit causeth prayer and every good work; For we know not how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh requests for us, 
Rom. 8. 26, 27.  with sighs that cannot be expressed: for he that searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit, for he maketh requests for the Saints according to the Will of God. The fire which God would have continually to burn upon his Altar, came out from the Lord. 
Levit. 9 24.  If sacrifices were offered up with any other fire, the fire was counted strange, and the sacrifices no whit acceptable, but abominable 
Cap. 10. 1, etc.  to the Lord. The Heavenly fire, whereby our spiritual sacrifices of prayer must be offered up, is that holy Spirit which cometh out from God; we must therefore pray in the Spirit; yea all good gifts proceed from the Spirit; so saith the Apostle, The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit 
1 Cor. 12: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.  withal: for to one is given by the Spirit, the word of Wisdom; to another, the word of Knowledge by the same Spirit; to another is given Faith by the same Spirit; to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit; to another, operations of great works; to another Prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; and to another diversity of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues: and all these worketh even the selfsame Spirit, distributing to every man severally, as he will. So Christ told his Apostles, that they spoke not, but the Spirit of his Father; It is not you (saith he) that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. Paul compareth the Spirit of God to a tree, that like the Tree of life yields all graces; The fruit of the Spirit, 
Ephes. 1. 18.  is Love, joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, against such there is no Law; for they are under the Spirit of grace. The Antithesis is between the flesh and the Spirit : Paul calleth it, the Spirit of Wisdom, And Esay nameth it, The Spirit of Wisdom, Counsel, Power, Strength; Because all these are the effects of it; for Bezaliel 
Esay. 11. 2. Exod. 31. 3.  and Aholiab had their knowledge from God's Spirit, in the works of brass and silver: how much more have we in heavenly things? There is no Art, no cunning, no science, but from the Spirit, even in the most wicked. If you say, Quid Spiritui Sancto impies? What have the wicked to do with the Spirit? I can answer it thus: The wicked have the spirit of illumination, as had Achitophel, 
2 Sam. 16. Mat. 18. Act. 23.  and judas, and Tertullus; but not the Spirit of Sanctification and adoption. It is said of all the judges and Kings, 
The Holy Ghost the Author of all excellent gifts in any.  that the Spirit of God came upon them: so it is said, that, the Spirit of God came upon Gedeon: so it is said of Saul, that the Spirit of the Lord should come upon him, and he should prophecy: and of David, that the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, from that day forward. 
judg. 6. 34. 1 Sam. 10. 6. 1 Sam. 10. 13.  All the rare excellent things of God, are judged by the Spirit. The natural wise man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God: But he that is spiritual, judgeth all things. It is God's Spirit that frameth all our actions and works, and all good things 
1 Cor. 14. 15.  in us. Hitherto tendeth the ceremony used in the Law, that in the sacrifices, things without life were consecrated with oil; which thing had a double reference; first, to Christ, to note, that he was anointed with the gifts of the Spirit, to perform his three offices: for so we read, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, therefore hath the Lord anointed me, & a. And again, Thou hast loved 
Esay. 61. 1. Heb. 1. 9  righteousness, and hated iniquity, wherefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Secondly, it had reference unto us, to note, that all our duties are accepted of God, as they are wrought in us by the Spirit; but nothing, no not prayer, is accepted otherwise then it is a work of the Spirit, and cometh from his motion. For this purpose, note what the Prophet saith in the person of God to jerusalem, I will pour upon them the Spirit of supplications. He calleth the gift of prayer, the Spirit 
Zach. 12. 10.  of supplications, because it is God's Spirit which worketh in us this gift, and maketh us to call upon God: but more directly is this point proved by that phrase, which Saint jude here useth, praying in the Holy Ghost. And this yet farther confirmed, in that it is said; The Spirit in our hearts crieth, Abba Father. And Paul layeth down this point first, Affirmatively, saying, The Spirit helpeth 
Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 16, 27.  our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us: then Negatively, We know not what to pray: yet must we not think, that the Holy Ghost doth indeed pray for us, as Christ doth, or as one of us doth for another: For than should the Holy Ghost be our Mediator, (which was one of Arrius his heresies;) but the meaning is, that the Holy Ghost stirreth us up to pray, and putteth life into our dead and dull spirits, to make our prayers fervent. Well then, prayer is a gift of the Spirit; not common to all, but proper and peculiar to Gods elect, who have the Spirit of God: if no man can say that jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost: Surely, no 
1 Cor. 12. 3.  man can pray and call upon God, but by the Spirit of God. Let us then labour for God's sanctifying Spirit, and having it, Let us go along with him, and follow his motions, pouring forth those prayers which he suggesteth unto us: and let us take heed, that we grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, which is done by quenching the good motions thereof through our carelessness; or by 
Ephes. 4. 36. 1 Thess. 5. 19  resisting the Spirit through our rebellion.  
But yet note further, that howsoever prayer is attributed to the Spirit: yet it is a work of the whole Trinity, & the Holy Trinity hath a hand in this holy exercise of prayer. The holy Ghost 
The whole Trinity concurres in prayer.  frameth our requests, the Son offereth them to his Father, the Father accepteth them thus framed, and offered up; For the works of the Trinity are invisible, yet distinguished so, that unto the Father is ascribed the original & beginning of all actions. Ille agit 
Hebr. 11.  a se per Filium & Spiritum; he worketh of himself by the Son and the Spirit; to the Son, is ascribed the disposing of the action, 
job. 26. 7, 8, 9  from the Father, by the Spirit: to the Holy Ghost, is attributed the consummating, and as it were perfecting of things, seeing he worketh from the Father and the Son : Pater agit ace, Filius per se, Spiritus Sanctus, à Patre & Filio: The Father worketh by himself, 
1 Cor. 12. 11.  the Son by him, the Holy Ghost, from the Father and the Son: so that prayer is a work of the Trinity, as are all good works. O noble work, ad quod tanti artifices concurrunt! to 
Visinu●.  the performing whereof so many Artisans do concur and meet! the Omnipotency of the Father, the wisdom of the Son, and goodness of the Holy Ghost; where goodness willeth, wisdom disposeth, Omnipotency performeth; potens est, sapiens est, bonus est, & tamen unus Deus est, qui omnia in omnibus operatur: he is mighty, he is wise, he is good, and yet but one God that worketh all in all.  
Or these words, Orate in spiritu: Pray in the spirit, may be meant of the quality of prayer, that it must be spiritual, not carnal; proceed from the heart, not from the lips; from the soul, 
1 Sam. 1. 15.  not the mouth only. Hence is it, that they which pray in the Spirit, are said to pour out their souls and their heart unto God: The Virgin Mary (who without all question praised God in the Spirit) saith, My soul magnifieth the Lord, my Spirit rejoiceth in God: 
Luk. 1. 46. Rom. 8. 26.  And Paul telleth us, that the Spirit maketh intercession, with groans. Now groans proceed from the heart and Spirit; not from the tongue and lips. And the Apostle telleth us, that the Spirit which crieth Abba Father, is sent into our hearts. The jews prayed with their lips; but not with their hearts: therefore God complaineth of them, saying, This people draw near unto me 
Esay. 29. 13.  with their lips, but their hearts are fare from me: Our prayers must be fervent like the spirit: Be fervent in spirit (saith the Apostle;) our hearts in prayer must be lifted up to God; the heart of man, is as it were God's chair of estate, whereunto no creature can come; it is proper to God alone, it is his Palace wherein he most delighteth, wherefore God's Spirit maketh his abode there, and stirreth it up to pray. The prayer that cometh not from the heart and spirit, it is a key cold prayer: it is frozen before it cometh halfway to heaven. David, to note his earnestness in prayer, said, that he roared, he spoke not, but roared, cried out; and indeed 
Psal. 38.  the Spirit of God is a crying Spirit, not a cold spirit.  
Hereby then may we judge, whether the Spirit of God be 
Rom. 8. 15.  in us, and move us to pray, or no: If thy prayer come but from 
Fervent prayer prevails with God.  the teeth, though it be never so well framed in regard of words, and though thy gestures be never so reverend and humble, yet all is nothing, the Spirit of God hath no part in this work: if thy spirit pray not, thou dost but babble; a kind of praying condemned by our Saviour: Paul would have us to pray in the Spirit, 
Mat. 6. 7. 1 Cor. 14.  and to pray with the understanding; that is, earnestly from the heart, and yet intelligibly of the Church and congregation; he had reference to this, when writing to the Saints of Ephesus, he biddeth them, to be filled with the Spirit, speaking unto yourselves, (saith he) in Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody 
Ephes. 5. 18, 19  to God in your hearts. Hearty singing, hearty praying, hearty speaking unto God, is the thing that God accepteth; My Son (saith 
Prov. 23.  he) give me thy heart. It is of the essence of prayer to be hearty, spiritual, and servant. As a painted fire, is no fire, a dead man, no man; so a cold lip-labour prayer, no prayer; in a painted fire there is no heat, in a dead man, no life, in a cold prayer, no devotion, no blessing: The prayer of the righteous availeth much, if it be 
jam. 5. 16, 17, 18.  fervent; it is that, that makes and mars all. And he exemplifieth this, by the prayer of Elias, he prayed, that it might not rain, and it reigned not on the earth for three years and six months: and he prayed again, & Heaven gave rain, & the earth brought forth her fruit. A cold prayer could not have locked up heaven three years, nor opened heaven; such a prayer made Hanna, 1. Sam. 2. her lips went: yet spoke nothing; Loquebatur non voce, sed cord, prece occulta, sed manifesta fide; She spoke not with the mouth, but with the heart, 
Aug.  her prayer was hid, her faith made manifest: such a prayer made Moses, yet spoke not a word with his mouth, his heart spoke, but his tongue was silent: such must our prayers be, or else they rebound 
Exod. 14.  back again, as a tennis ball; yea they turn to be sin 
Psal. 109. 7.  unto us. What? Is honey turned into gall? And balm into wormwood? Is treacle become poison? is prayer become sin? Yea a plain sin, a notable sin, if we do it not rightly: quot preces, tot peccata. As physic killeth the body, if it work not in the body: so prayer killeth the soul, if it proceed not aright from the soul: For we have two Axioms in Divinity.  

1. That God regardeth not only the matter, but the manner.  
2. Quod non actibus, sed finibus pensantur officia; That duties are esteemed not by their acts, but by their ends.   
The manner must be good, and the end good. The Church of Rome saith, that virtualis intentio nonex necessitate requiritur in precibus, sed actualis intentio: a virtuous intent is not of necessity required in prayer, but an actual. But better said the Papist Criton, who said, that God loved better Adverbes, than Nouns, not to pray only, but to praywell: Non bonum, sed bene agere: Not to do good, but to do it well: for we may do bona, good things, and yet go to hell: as did the Pharises, Oratio nec timida, nec temeraria, 
Mat. 23.  nec tepida sit: Prayer must be neither falsehearted, nor 
They that call upon God, must departed from iniquity.  foolhardy, nor lukewarm: Oratio timida coelos non penetrate: A falsehearted prayer cannot pierce the Heavens; temeraria resilet ut pila palmaria: a foolhardy, a rash prayer reboundeth back again like an hand-ball; tepida frigescit, conglaciatur, priusquam coelos ascendit: the lukewarm prayer is cooled and frozen up, before it can get heaven.  
In prayer, two things are required, Tempus, & cor: time, and the heart: much business steals away the time, and a multitude of cogitations, the heart: so that we cannot confer quietly with God.  
Here therefore the prayers of the wicked are rejected. I will (saith Paul) that men pray every where, lifting up pure hands to God, 
1 Tim. 2. 8.  without wrath or doubting; but the hands which they lift up in prayer, are impure hands, and so are the hearts also.  
Prettily said Bias to the Grecians in a naufrage, in a shipwreck, when they prayed, and cried out to their gods, Silete, ne orate, ne dij, vos nebulones, hîc navigantes sentiant: Be silent, pray not, that the gods may not understand, that you like roguish robbing rascals are here sailing. Alas, we tumble out our prayers, as a Bear's whelp; they are like arrows without heads, that cannot pierce; like swords without edge, that cannot cut; they be too blunt to obtain any thing of God: they have no wings to mount up to heaven; We ask and receive not, because we ask amiss. We do either postulare non postulanda: we ask things that 
jam. 4. 3. Bern.  are not to be asked; or else, when we ask them, we pray not in the holy Ghost.  
Oh that all men knew this, that all England had learned, that not all prayers, but spiritual prayers are accepted of God but we are ignorant, and will be ignorant still; filthy and will be 
Apoc. 22. 11.  filthy still.  
But let us amend this fault, & learn at last to pray: for prayer is good, so that it be a true reflection of the soul, from the feeling of God's mercies, and our own wants: God hath promised us all good things under his hand and seal; but yet with a condition, so that we pray truly, and ask them as we should: The Lord is near to all them that call upon him, yea unto all such as call upon 
Psal. 145. 18.  him faithfully: For many carry prayer in their mouths, as men carry fire in a flint, and perfume in a pomander; the one without heat, the other without smell; so they carry prayer without all devotion; verbal, vocal prayers can obtain nothing of God. When ye stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you (saith God) and though ye make many prayers, I will not hear.   

THE THREE AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXI. 
And keep yourselves in the Love of God, etc. 
Faith, prayer, and love, have mutual relation.   
FRom faith he came unto prayer; from prayer he cometh now to love: buy est enim aurea catena: for this is a golden chain, every link is one within another; these three go together, like the three Angels that came to Lot; like the three graces that are 
Gen. 19  inseparable; or like the three Worthies who broke thorough the host of the Philistines. Faith begetteth 
2 Sam. 23.  prayer, and prayer strengtheneth the faith; and neither of these can stand without love: prayer and love be as the two mighty rivers, named in Genesis, Pishon and Gihen; and faith as the garden of Eden, out of which they flow, or the sea, into which they run, and where all of them jointly do end their course. Love is a chief, a principal virtue; Faith and Love, the one with God, the other with men be as the root and the branch; as the mother and the daughter; as the foundation and pillars of all Christian buildings▪ the end of all is Love; the end of the first table, the Love of God; the end of the second, the love of man; so saith the Holy Ghost, The end of the Commandment is Love out of a pure heart, out 
1 Tim. 1. 15.  of a good conscience, and out of a faith not feigned. Whatsoever precept or commandment is in the Scripture, it hath relation to Love; For be that loveth another, fulfilleth the Law. Christianity is where the 
Rom. 13.  Spirit is, and where the Spirit is, there is Love; For, God is Love, 
Love the most excellent of all virtues.  and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. Austen saith; that a man may have baptism, and yet be wicked; prophecy, and yet be wicked; take the Sacrament of the body and 
Aug. Hom. 15.  blood of the Lord, and yet be wicked; be named a Christian, and yet be wicked: Habere Sacramenta ista omnia, & malus esse potest; habere autem charitatem, & malus esse non potest; He may have all these Sacraments, and yet be wicked; but if he have Love, he cannot be wicked. Paul reckoning up the fruits of the Spirit, he nameth Love, first, as the Gentleman-usher to go before them all: The fruits of the Spirit (saith he) is Love, joy, peace, etc. For as Manna 
Gal. 5. 22. Exod. 16. Exod. 3. judg.  excelled all bread; as Aaron's rod did eat up the rods of the sorcerers; as Gedeons' sword passed all the swords of the Madianites; so Love passeth all other virtues. All our bebts should stand in Love; so saith the Apostle, Own nothing to any man but this, 
Rom. 13. 8.  that ye love one another. Our debts were soon paid, and our Executors should be soon discharged, if this were: of this debt we can never be discharged, so long as we live. The journey of Israel was ended in forty years; Herod's temple was built & finished in six & forty years, Noah's Ark was perfited in an 120. years; but this debt is never ended. Beloved (saith S. john) let us love one another; for Love cometh of God, & every one that loveth, is borne of God, & knoweth God: but he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is Love. S. Peter naming many virtues, maketh up the measure, and ends in love; join (saith he) virtue with your faith; & with vert●e, knowledge, 
2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7.  & with knowledge, temperance; and with temperance, patience; and with patience, godliness; and with godliness, brotherly kindness; and with brotherly kindness, Love. This virtue above all others, is as the hoop or fagot-band that keepeth all close; therefore saith the Apostle, Above all things put on Love, which is the bond of perfection. 
Col. 3. 14.  As the Sun giveth light to all Planets; as salt seasoneth all meats; as the Moon ruleth over the Sea, and all moist bodies; as the rod of the Tribe of Levi passed in honour all other tribes: so Love passeth all qualities among men. Though I spoke 
1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3.  with the tongues of men and Angels, and have no love, I am as sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal: and though I bade the gift of Prophecy, and knew all secrets, and all knowledge; yea if I had all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and had no love, it profiteth me nothing: and though I feed the poor with all my goods, and though I give my body, that I be burned, and have not Love; it profiteth me nothing. For this cause he willeth the Ephesians to follow the truth in Love. Moses did wish that 
Ephes. 4. 13. Numb. 11. 29.  all the Lords people could prophesy, and That the Lord would put his Spirit upon them. Saint Paul did wish, that all men were like himself in purity, and that all did speak strange languages, but rather that 
1 Cor. 7. 7. 1 Cor. 14. 5. Aug.  they prophesied. Saint Augustine wished, that all would remember Love; and brings this reason, Sola est enim quae & vincit omnia, & sine qua, nil valent omnia, and ubique fuerit, trahit ad se omnia; For only Love overcommeth all things, and without Love, all things 
Love is every where very cold.  are nothing worth, and wheresoever love is, it draweth all things unto it. And surely, if I might have my wish, and desire, as Solomon had; it should be this, that Saint jude here exhorteth unto; 
1 Reg. 3.  namely, so to love, that we may keep ourselves in the Love of God evermore; that if any of us Christians, be at any time asked what we worship? we may answer with Gregory Nazianzen, Charitatem veneramur, we worship charity. We had need cry out, and writ no longer against false Catholics; sola fides, faith only; but against false Protestants, Sola charitas, Love only; for malice and mischief aboundeth, and Love abateth. Let faith only justify, and Love only rectify.  
David compareth Love to the Ointment on Aaron's head, and unto the dew of Hermon: I can compare it to the Oil in the cruse, 
Psal. 133. 2. 1 Reg. 17.  to the meal in the barrel that wasted not, and unto the appletree of Persia, which buddeth, blossometh, and beareth fruit every month: Now abideth faith, hope, and love; but the chief of these is love: It lasteth longer, like a pillar of Salt, it reacheth 
1 Cor. 13.  further, it profiteth more among men: faith flieth up to Heaven; Charity is occupied here below on Earth; Faith wrestleth above with the promises of God; Love is busied in good works, as Faith is with God. Paul prayeth that Love may abound more and more: and this he doth in respect of the scantiness and excellency; Charitas laudatur, & alget: Iniquity aboundeth, Charity 
Mat. 24. 12.  waxeth cold. This is the Iron age that Paul prophesied of, Know (saith Paul) that in the last days shall come perilous times: for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, proud, boasters, 
2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3. 4.  cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, unthankifull, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traitors, heady-minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God. Inveniètue Christus fidem? Shall Christ, 
Luk. 18. 8. Gal. 5. 6.  when he cometh, find Faith upon the Earth? But Love followeth Faith; therefore shall he find any Love at his coming? Surely, but a little: England is as the land of Canaan; we have corn and cattles, we have fish and flesh, cloth and wool; our valleys stand thick with corn, that maketh us to laugh and sing; God 
Psal. 65. 11.  crowneth the year with his goodness, and the clouds drop fatness: they drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the hills are compassed with gladness. Our sons grow up as the young plants, our daughters are as the polished corners of the Temple, 
Psal 144. 12, 13, 14.  our Garners are full, & abounding with store, our Sheep bring forth thousands, and ten thousands in our streets; our Oxen are strong to labour; there is no invasion, nor going out, nor crying in our streets. The Mountains drop Wine, and we wash our paths in butter. We have plenty 
joel 3. 28. job 29. judg. 5. 1 Sam. 13. 1 Reg. 8.  of all things, but of Love. As in the days of Deborah, there was neither spear nor shield; as in the days of Saul, there was no Smith in Israel; as in the days of Solomon, there was no Manna to be found; and as in Gilboa, there is no Rain; in Gilead 
Few united in Love.  no Balm; in Bashan, no flowers; in Sichem, no Corn, being sown with salt; in Tyrus no Ships; in Cimmeria no Light: 
jer. 8. judg. 9 45. Ezech. 28.  so in England, no Love, or but a little. If there be an hundred men in one town, scarce two love together, and agree together as they should; wherein they be worse than Devils, for seven of them could agree in Marie Magdaiene; a legion in another man, that is, twelve thousand five hundred Devils, or as other 
Mat. 26.  affirm, six thousand seven hundred twenty two Devils: for so Varro and Vegetius affirm, that a legion containeth so many: but scarce seven men of seven score, love as brethren, and so keep themselves in the love of God.  
We are now divided into three companies, like Laban's sheep, some white, some black, some speckled; some Protestants, some Papists, some Newters; Nay, even among Protestants, there is little love, and less agreement; but God, I hope, will make us friends in Heaven, where all injuries shall be forgotten. Where are these noble pair of lovers become, David and jonathan, who had but one soul? Eusebius and Pamphilus martyr, 
1 Sam. 18.  who had but one name? Pylades and Orestes, who had but one life? the one being dead, the other died also? Ruth, and Naomi, who could not be parted, but where the one would go, the other 
Ruth. 1.  would go, where the one would dwell, the other would dwell, where the one would dye, the other would dye, and where one would be buried, the other would be buried also? Basil and Nazianzene, of whom it is said, that anima una erat inclusa in duobus corporibus, that there was one soul shut in two bodies? Marriage maketh two bodies one (so saith our Saviour:) For this 
Mat. 19 5.  cause a man shall leave Father and Mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one: but love maketh two souls one, yea many bodies, many souls but one. If an hundred men love together, there is but one heart, as in the Acts, The multitude of them 
1 Sam 18. 1. Act. 4. 32.  that believed, were of one heart and of one soul, of one mind, will and consent. If a man hath an hundred friends, that man is become as an hundred men; Nam amicus est alter idem: a friend is another the same: Charitas est res augmentativa; Charity is an 
Chrysost.  increasing thing. There was a day when Herod and Pilate were made friends, but that day (I fear) with many of us will never be, if any are implacable, like the stone Arbestos, which being once kindled, is never quenched; once angered, never pleased. A sign of a reprobate mind: for Paul describing the reprobates, saith, that they are full of unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, 
Rom. 1. 29, 30.  covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, of murder, of debate, of deceit, taking all things in the evil part, whisperers, backebiters, haters of God, doers of wrong, etc. The Romans were wont to say of the men of the Primitive Church, Ecce ut invicem se diligunt! See how they love one another! They knew Christians by that badge, as Christ said, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples indeed, 
The love of God above all love.  if ye love one another, as I have loved you. But we may say, quoth a modern Father; Ecce ut invicem se oderunt! Behold, how they hate one another, oppress one another! It was wont to be said, 
john 13. Za●che.  Homo homini Deus: One man is a God to another; but now homo homini Leo, one man is a Lion to another; Nay, one man is a Wolf unto another; Nay, one man is a Devil unto another: we are not now Christians, but Woolves, Leopards, Lions, Devils: Nay, worse: for one Lion eateth not another, and the devils strive not among themselves, but maintain one another's kingdom. Let Tigers and Bears, and Leopards tear one another; Let Scythians and Cannibals eat one another, who know not God, nor good humanity, but are without all natural affection: But let us love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, nor rebuke for rebuke; but contrariwise bless, knowing that we are thereunto called, that we should be heirs of blessing: and if enemies will not be pacified, recommend the cause to God, till we meet in Heaven, where all injury shall be forgotten: and in the mean while I beseech you (as Saint Paul did the Saints of Corinth) I beseech you (I say) by the name of our Lord 
1 Cor. 1. 10.  jesus Christ, that ye all speak one thing, and that there be no descension among you, but that ye be knit together in one mind and in one judgement: and whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 
Phil. 4. 8.  things pertain to love, etc. think on these things, and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you, and the Lord increase your love, and make 
1 Thess. 3. 12.  it abound more and more one towards another. Christ's commandment is all love; his Spouse is all loving: and john will preach nothing but love, and we must follow after love, and above all have fervent love among ourselves, for that shall cover a multitude of sins.  
But mark, that the love whereunto Saint jude exhorteth, is called the love of God; and keep yourselves in the love of God: so that not all love is commended, but such love only,  
As is Holy, Just, True, Constant.  
For first, our love must be Holy love: it is for God, and not against God, under God, and not above God: for he loves not God, that loves not his neighbour with God, whom he loves not for God: and he that loves his neighbour more than God, is unworthy of God, and makes his neighbour to be his God.  
Secondly, Our love must be just: we must not love one another in evil, but in good, and for good, Pacem cum hominibus, bellum cum vitijs: we must have peace with men, war with their vices. We must love their persons, but hate their manners if they 
Four properties of the Love of God.  be evil.  
Thirdly, our love must be true Love: We 〈…〉 and in tongue, but in work and in truth. Nemo potest 〈…〉 
●●●hn 3. 18.  hominis, nist primitus fuerit amicus ipsius veritatis 〈…〉 
August.  be a true lover of man, unless first he be a lover of th● 〈…〉 must love one another, not for their riches, honours, greatness, but for themselves; their good must be sought, not their goods: We● must not love one another as dogs do bones, for the flesh that is on them, or as men do trees for their fruit; but we must love them for themselves, for this, that they are men, but especially, for that they are virtuous and good men.  
Lastly, our love one towards another must be constant; with some, friends are like flowers, no longer regarded then whiles they are fresh. Many men's love is like the harlot's love, who love while there is lucre; and when gifts go hence, their love goes hence: they are like the puttocks in the fable, that followed the old wife bearing tripes to the market, but forsook her homeward when her tripes were sold. En ego non paucis quondam munitus amicis, etc. A man shall be loved in prosperity, but in adversity, as rats forsake an house, when it is ready to fall, and as lice forsake a man's head, when he is dying; so his lovers and his friends will forsake him. Thus our love should be holy, just, true, constant: this is true Christian love, wherein men should keep themselves; For among murderers, thiefs, and drunkards, there is a kind of love, but not the Love that jude would here to be among us. First therefore the love of Atheists is condemned, which comes from profit or from pleasure. It is not Charitas ex corde puro, Love out of a pure heart. Love and good works must go together: 
1 Tim. 1. 5.  to gloze, eat, play, drink, game, be no good works; therefore this is not love; we call it good fellowship, but such good fellows will go to the goodfellow the Devil, if they repent not: For if we sinne willingly, after that we have received the 
Hebr. 10. 26, 27.  knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for judgement. There is a carnal love: but ours must be a spiritual love, such as was among the Colossians, of whose 
Col. 1. 8.  love Paul speaketh, Who hath also certified us, of your love which ye have by the Spirit. There is a worldly love, and there is an heavenly Love, and knowledge giveth life to this love; without it, Love is as a dead picture, Lover's glorious, the name is honourable, the praise of it, is from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the Sun. One saith, that love is like honey in bitter broth, and sugar in sour wine; it is like unto the Sun unto the world, a candle unto the house, a light for our journey, a line for our life, and a rule for our reprehensions. Si diligis, fac quicquid vis: If 
Calvin in john. Aug.  thou be'st in love, do what thou wilt; speak or be silent, exhort or rebuke, call or cry, so it be in love, all is well.  
Yet it must be a godly love, an holy charity, but it is impossible to have it with all, some are so wicked. If thou canst have 
Most love for lucre sake.  the favour and love of men, with the favour and Love of God, take it, it is precious, but if thou canst not have the favour and 
Psal. 133. 1.  love of men, but with the disfavour and dislike of God, let it go: For certainly, The amity of the World is enmity with God: We must 
jam. 4. 4.  love men in the Lord; God for himself, man for God: Diligendus est Deus propter se, homo propter Deum.  
I may compare the love of Atheists to the agreement that is among a kennel of hounds, who sleep together, play together, hunt merrily together, but if a man hurl a bone, they grin, snatch, and bite one another: So Atheists agree together, till some matter come of private gain, but then there is grinning, biting, fight one with another; for the best of them is as a brier, and 
Mich. 7. 4.  the most righteous of them is sharper than a thorn hedge; for from the least of them, to the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness: and 
jer. 6. 13.  their love is nothing else but a money love, Come with us (say they) we will lay wait for blood, and lie privily for the innocent without a 
Prov. 1. 11, 12, 13, 14.  cause. We will swallow them up alive, like the grave, even whole, as those that go down into the pit; we shall find all precious riches, and fill our houses with spoil: cast in thy lot amongst us, we will have all one purse. Atheists love their brethren, as Flies love the pot; as Dionysius loved his bottles: so long as there is any meat in the pot, the Fly loves: and Dionysius loved his bottles when they were full, but hurled them away when they were empty: so we play with our friends. job said, when I washed my paths with butter, & when the rock 
job 29. 6, 8.  poured me out rivers of oil, the young men saw me, and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up: but now they that are younger than I, mock 
job 30. 1.  me, yea and they whose Fathers I have refused to set with the dogs of my flocks. But let us no longer love from the teeth outward, but from the heart inward: we speak fair, as Cain did to Abel; we give good words, as jacobs' Sons did to the Sichemites; we salute 
Gen. 4. Gen. 35.  men as joab did Abner; we shed Crocodiles tears, as Ishmael did to Godoliah; we kiss one another with judas, but with no true 
2 Sam. 3. jer. 41. Mat. 26.  love, all is but Court-holy water. This made David to complain, saying; Surely mine enemy did not defame me, for I could have borne it, neither did my adversary exalt himself against me, for I would have hid 
Psal. 55. 12, 13, 14.  me from him: but it was thou, o man, my companion, and my familiar, we delighted in consulting together, and went into the house of God, as companions: and again, If he come to see me, he speaketh lies: for pretending love and good will unto me, he desireth my destruction 
Psal. 41. 6.  in his heart. We love men for profit: Voluntatis duo sunt calcaria, There be two spurs of the will, honesty and utility; but utility, profit is the stronger spur; we should carry holy Love, religious love towards our parents, delectable love towards our neighbours.  
The love of Papists is also condemned; In cathedra unitatis Deus posuit doctrinam veritatis: God hath placed the doctrine of verity 
Unity without verity, is nothing but conspiracy.  in the chair of unity: unity without verity, is but conspiracy: for so it is called, their brotherhood is in evil, as jacob said of Simeon and Levi; they consent against the Gospel, as the high Priests did against Christ; they have neither unity, nor verity; they agree 
Esay 8. 12. Gen. 49. 5. Act. 4. 27.  as the false prophets did, not in the Lord, but against the Lord; they make ado of their Council of Trident, and how they agree in all meetings. Alas, a few buckram Bishops of Italy conspired together, but thirty eight Bishops in all, not like the Council of Nice, wherein were 318. Bishops, or that of Arimine, where were 600. Bishops, nor like the Council of Constance, where were 4. patriarchs. 29. Cardinals, 47. Archbishops, 270. Bishops, 564. Abbots and Doctors, at the deposing of Benedict the third. But to leave all this.  
Keep yourselves in the Love of God. And first, of God's Love towards us; next, of our love towards God: but in speaking of the Love of God to us, I shall enter into a labyrinth without end, into a sea without bottom: For his Love is so much, as there is no affection in nature, no proportion in the whole world hath been found fit to express it; the height of heaven above the earth, the distance of the East from the West, the affection of Fathers towards their children; of mothers towards the fruit of their womb; of nurses towards their sucklings; of Eagles towards their young ones, of hens towards their chickens; all these are but the shadows of Gods Love. Love in God is in the abstract, it is not in him as in us, by accident and participation, but by essence only.  
And God hath an immanent Love in him, whereby he loveth himself, by the necessity of his own nature; and hath a transient love flowing from him, whereby he loveth his creatures, some more and some less: according to the liberty of his own will.  
He hath a general Love to all. For all are his creatures and the workmanship of his hands: but he hath a special Love to some, as unto his Elect and chosen, and his Love towards them is both Temporary, and Sempiternal.  
Temporary, Sustentando, Regendo, Conservando. By Sustaining, Ruling, Preserving.  
Sempiternal; gloriam dando: in giving them eternal glory; and the more holy men are, the more he loveth them: whereupon Saint Augustine doth excellently observe, that God loved the humanity of Christ more than any man, because he was full of 
August. Tract. in john. job. 1. 14.  grace and truth: Yea, God's Love hath all the dimensions, Thy mercy o God reacheth unto the Heavens: there is the height of his Love. Great is thy goodness, and thou hast delivered my soul from the 
Psal. 36. 5. Psal. 86. 13. Psal. 104. 24.  nethermost Hell: There is the depth of his love. The earth is full of thy goodness, saith David; there is the breadth of his Love. All the 
No love to be compared to God's love.  ends of the world have seen the salvation of God; There is the length of his Love. Yea, God's Love is transcendent, it can no more be measured, than ye can measure the water with your fist: For 
Psal. 104. 24. Psal. 98. 4. Esa. 40.  what love shall I compare unto his Love? The love of a woman? It is great indeed: but yet the love of jonathan to David, was greater than it, Thy love to me was wonderful, yea passing the love of 
2 Sam. 1. 26.  women. The love of a mother? Here is a greater degree than in the former; but yet this love is not so certain, and infallible, as Gods Love. Can a woman forget her child, and not have compassion of 
Esa. 49. 15.  the son of her womb? If they should forget (as some may be, and some have been so unnatural) yet will not I forget thee, saith God to his disconsolate and afflicted Zion. For as none can be compared to God: so no love can be compared to his Love; as jeremy spoke literally of his own grief, but typically of Christ: Was there ever grief as my grief? So may I say of God's Love, Was there 
Lament. 1. 12.  ever love like his Love? No, no; his Love passeth all understanding. Let us then labour to obtain, and retain this Love of God, and keep ourselves in his Love: which we shall do, if we conform our wills to his will, and labour to be like him; to be holy, as he is holy; merciful, as he is merciful; righteous, as he is righteous: yea perfect, as he is perfect: For we must be followers of God, as dear children, and walk in Love, as he loved 
Ephes. 6.  us. So much for God's Love towards us.  
And now to speak of our love to God; and that the love whereby we love God, is a work of God's Love, whereby he loves man. Causa diligendi Deum, Deus est, modus sine modo: The 
Bern▪  cause that we love God, is God himself, the measure without measure. And Saint john saith, We loved him, because he loved us first: For our love springs out of his; as the rivers from the Sea, 
1 john. 4. 19  his Love drawing our hearts to him, as the Loadstone doth iron to it; or as the Sardius doth wood, our love answering to his Love, as an Echo to a man's voice: and as one candle doth light another, so the consideration of his Love to us, doth cause a reflection of our love to him.  
And there be many reasons to move us to keep ourselves in the Love of God: The first is his Commandment, Thou shalt 
Deut. 6. 5. Deut. 10. 12.  love the Lord thy God; And again, What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear and love him? This our Saviour calleth, The great Commandment. The Commander is great, the Object is great, the use of the duty is great, and their reward is great, that take care to do it: and though there were no other reason to move us to love God, but his bare Commandment, yet were that reason strong enough to bind us; the power of a King, the authority of a Father, the place of a master, requireth obedience of a subject, child, and servant; but God is our King, our Father, and Master, and therefore his bare command is sufficient to bind us to love 
We must love God, because he commands it, and equity requires it.  him.  
A second reason, to move us to keep ourselves in the Love of God, is in regard of equity: For seeing Almighty God doth love us, it is a matter of equity, that we should requite love with love again. For though we cannot love him as we ought, and as he loveth us; yet must we love, for ours is an ascending, his a descending love; and love descending, is more natural, more fervent and vehement, than love ascending; as we see in parents, who love their children better, than their children love them: beside, God loved us, when we were his enemies: 
Ephes. 2. Aug.  Durus est animus, qui si dilectionem nolebat impendere, nolet rependere; His heart is oak, not flesh, but flint, that though he will not begin to love, yet finding love, will show no love. God doth love us; out of his Love he sent his Son, his only Son, the Son of his Love, into the world, to save us: he giveth for us the early and latter rain, and reserveth 
jer. 5.  for us, the appointed weeks of harvest yearly; He anointeth our head with oil, and our cup runneth over▪ we should be 
Psal. 23. 5.  very unjust and injurious unto ourselves, if we will not love him : For all things work for the best to them that love God. 
Rom. 8. 28.   
Thirdly, Commodity should move us to keep ourselves in the Love of God: For first, by this Love, our faith produceth those good duties, which we own unto God. For faith is as one hand receiving love, as the other giving. For Faith worketh by 
Gal. 5. 6.  Love. And as Augustine saith, Our life, and all our conversation is named of our love. Nec faciunt bonos, vel malos mores, nisi boni vel mali amores; which being good or bad, make our manners to be thereafter: such as our love is, such is our life; an holy Love, an holy life; an earthly love, an earthly life; if a man's love be set on God, his life must needs be good; and though this be certain, That a man is justified by Faith, yet this is as certain, that the life of a man is justified by love. 
Rom. 3.   
Again, by the Love of God, we may know in what estate we are in. Saint Augustine saith, Duas Civitates duo faciunt amores: 
Aug. in Psal. 64.  Jerusalem facit amor Dei, Babyloniam amor saeculi; Interroget ergo se quisque quid amat, & inveniet unde sit Civis: Two loves make two Cities: the Love of God maketh jerusalem, the love of the world Babylon; therefore let every man but examine himself, what he loves, and he shall see in what estate he is, and to what City he belongs. As a man by looking upon a dial, may know the motion of the Sun in heaven; so by looking upon the thing he loveth, he may know in what estate he standeth; whether he belong to Babylon, or jerusalem, to Hell, or Heaven, to God or the Devil.  
Again, the Love of God engenders in us the love of the 
We must love God, because duty requires it.  godly for God: for as he that loves the Father, cannot but love his children, and as he that loves his friend, will not misuse his picture; so he that truly loves God, will love God's children which are the lively pictures of God: & this love is comfortable, because it assureth us, that we are Christ's disciples, and by this we know that we are translated from death to 
joh. 13. 1 john. 3. 14.  life.  
Again, from the Love of God ariseth much grace and goodness, as much water from one spring. Non habet viriditatem ramus boni operis, nisi manserit in radice charitatis: Good works whither, except they be nourished by this Love. As the love of money is the root, and nourisher of all evil; so the Love of God is the mother, and nurse of all good, of all pious offices to God, and Christian duties to man.  
To conclude this point: the Love of God is as strong as death; for as death doth kill the body, so our love to God doth mortify our love to the world, and dispels rancour, wrath, malice; and as the rising of the Sun doth chase away the darkness of the night: so the Love of God doth drive away the inordinate love of worldly vanities: and thus ye see the utility of the Love of God.  
4. We ought to keep ourselves in the Love of God, because he is our gtacious Father, and of his own good will begat he us, through the Word of truth. Now, if a child must love his father, 
jam. 1. 18.  of whom he hath received a part of his body, how much more ought we to love God, qui animam suam infundendo creavit, & creando infudit: of whom he hath received his soul, and unto whose goodness, he stands obliged both for soul and body? Hereupon saith job, Thine hands have made me, and fashioned me 
job 10. 8, 11, 11.  wholly round about: thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and joined me with bones and sinews. Thou hast given me life and grace, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. For these causes ought we to keep ourselves in the Love of God.  
These among many, are reasons most sorcible, to keep ourselves in the Love of God. How our God is to be loved, our Saviour showeth, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. But first, we must love 
Mat. 22 37.  him with all our heart, that is, with all our affections, joying and delighting in none but in him; For he loves not God, that delights in any thing more than God, as Augustine saith truly, Minus te amat, qui aliquid tecum amat, quod non propter te amat: He loves thee not, who loves any thing with thee, which he loves 
Aug.  not for thee.  
2. We must love him with all our soul, enduring rather a separation of the soul from the body, than that our soul should be separated from God, who is the Soul of the soul, and the comsort both of soul and body. 
How we are to love God.   
3. We must love him with all our mind, so that our cogitations must be fixed upon him, and ruled by him; his Word should direct our reason, our reason rule our wills, that so we may say with the Apostle, we live not, but God doth live within us. Our chiefest care should be how to perform this duty to God, how to love him, as the Church said; I am full of love, I am sick of love. All own this duty to God, but few pay it, or if they 
Cant. 5. 8.  do, it is with cracked money, not currant in God's Exchequer: for our love to God is cold, yea plain dead; and that appeareth in the breach of the first Table; we are bankrupts both in piety towards God, and charity towards men: we love the world and our pleasures more than God; we worship not God in Spirit and in truth; we swear and blaspheme the name of God; we profane and pollute the Sabbaths of God, we come seldom to the house of God; how can we say, that we love God? The Love of God standeth in the keeping of his Commandments: So saith our Saviour; He that hath my Commandments, 
john 14. 21, 23, 24.  and keepeth them, is he that loves me: And again, If any man love me, he will keep my Word, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and dwell with him: And again, He that loveth me not, keepeth not my words, etc. He speaketh positively and privatively; The blessed and undivided Trinity will dwell with that man, who loveth God truly; but till we serve God in holiness, and righteousness, till we pray diligently, hear his Word attentively, receive the Sacraments penitently, keep the Sabbaths religiously, use his name reverently▪ let us be ashamed to say, that we love God: Nam Regnum Dei, non est in verbis, 
1 Cor. 4. 20.  sed in virtute: The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. Many Christians are mutilated and lame, either they want an ear, and cannot hear God, or they want a tongue, and cannot praise God, or they want an heart, and cannot love God. These Atheists are a disgrace to Religion, a Moth in the garment of the Church, Monsters in nature, Devils in shape of men, as Christ said of judas; hollow trees, not holy trees; these men are reprived till the last Sessions; a gibbet is built in hell for them, and all the gold in the world cannot purchase their pardon: this is durus sermo, sed verus sermo: an hard saying, but a true saying.  
We talk of the love of men, and say, Charity is waxed cold; but as touching the Love of God, there is altum silentium: not a word: we are like unslaked lime, hot in the water, cold in the Sun; as the stone of Thracia, which burneth in the river, but is quenched with hot oil: we are pennie-wise, and pound-foolish; like the Pharises, which did tithe Mint and Rew, and all manner 
Luk. 11. 42.  of herbs, and passed over judgement and the Love of God: And yet if we loved God an ell, where we love him an inch, it were but due debt. O, it is a most honourable thing to be a lover of God it was one of Abraham's greatest titles of honour, to be called the friend 
The hope of eternal life, makes Gods precepts seem easy.  of God; it is a most blessed thing, to be a lover of God; They that love the Lord, shall be as the Sun that riseth in his strength. And it is a most miserable thing not to love God: for Maranatha, Anathema to them that love not the Lord jesus. Therefore as Paul prayed for the Thessalonians, that God would guide their hearts in his Love; and this 
judg. 5. 31. 1 Cor. 16.  aught to be thy prayer, and my prayer, and all our prayers; that God would guide our hearts in his Love. And God guide our hearts in his Love evermore.   

THE FOUR AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXI. 
Looking for the mercy of our Lord jesus Christ unto eternal Life. 
The hope of eternal life makes Gods precepts seem easy.   
YE have heard before, that jude gave the Saints many precepts: now, to mitigate the rigour of those precepts, he biddeth them look for eternal life: as if he should say, If it be grievous to remember the words of the Lord, to hear it, to get faith to pray, to keep themselves in the Love of God; if nature, if flesh and blood will hardly take out these lessons, yet comfort yourselves with the hope of eternal life, there will be an end of all troubles. Solomon hath told you this long ago, saying, Surely there is an end, and thy hope shall not be cut off: 
Prov. 23. 18.  all tears shall be wiped from your eyes, and ye shall be filled with perfect joy: after this iron world, there is a golden world, 
Esa. 25. 8.  there is a better life prepared for them in God's house; there are many dwellings, as Christ said, In my Father's house, there be many mansions: the time of refreshing will come, as Peter said, Act. 
john. 14. 1.  3. 19  
And this is all joy, and there is no joy but this: I will give you 
Luk. 10. 19, 20.  power (saith our Saviour to his disciples) to tread on serpents, and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, in this rejoice not, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven. Let not the rich man rejoice in his riches, nor the 
Hope of reward makes all labour's light.  wiseman in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, as jeremy speaketh; but let us rejoice, that our names are written in heaven. Shall the soldier in the wars, the mariner in the boisterous 
jer. 9  waves, the husbandman in the cloddy lands, the apprentice in a hard service, undergo great pains in hope, and shall not we? For what sustaineth the soldier but hope of victory? and the mariner, but hope of arrival? and the husbandman, but hope of harvest? and the prentice, but hope of freedom? And shall not the hope of eternal life sustain us? Dum spiro, spero: whilst I breathe, I hope: this is the poesy of a Christian; the hope of salvation, we must put it on as a helmet; though we sow in tears, we shall reap in joy. Paul 
1 Thess. 5. 8. Psal. 126. 5.  setting down the parts of a Christian life, to sweeten the actions of it; they being hard to flesh & blood, propoundeth the blessed hope, saying, The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath 
Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13.  appeared, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present World; looking for the blessed hope & appearing of the glory of the mighty God, and our Saviour jesus Christ. It is a blessed hope, a blessed place that we look for, it is mount Garisim, not mount Hebal. He is a blessed God, 
Deut. 27. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Rom. 9 5. john 16. Mat. 25. Apoc. 21. Deut. 27. Exod. 19 Numb. 21. Exod. 10. Gen. 3. cap. 13. Zach. 14.  Christ is a blessed Saviour, the holy Ghost a blessed Comforter; we are blessed Children, Heaven is a blessed Kingdom.  
There is mount Garisim without any curse, mount Horeb without any thunder, the wilderness of Sinai without any serpent, the land of Goshen without any darkness, a Paradise without any serpent, Eden without any weeds, jerusalem without any Canaanite; there is day without night, Summer without Winter, riches without measure, fullness without hunger, pleasure without loathing, life without death.  
The faith and love of the Colossians, sprang from the hope of Heaven: therefore Paul tells them, that he thanked God for them, and prayed for them, ever since he heard of their faith in Christ, and of 
Col. 1. 4, 5.  their love towards the Saints, for the hopes sake which is laid up for them in Heaven. This stayed job in all his extremities; when his cattles were stolen, his houses blown down, his children slain, his friends grieved, his body wounded, his wife alienated from him; I am sure (saith he) my Redeemer liveth, and 
job 19 25.  I hope to find him my deliverer, and Saviour: yea the Lord jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross. God will put a 
Hebr. 12. 2.  difference one day between his children and bastards, between them that say, that it is but vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Commandments, and that we walked humbly, 
Mal. 3. 14, 15.  before Lord of Hosts? and those that fear God; the Corn shall be gathered into the Garner, the Chaff shall be burnt, the 
Mat. 3.  Goats shall be separated from the Lambs, the vessels of Clay shall be broken. Here is a mixture of sons, and of bastards; 
Ma●. 25.  of Corn, and Chaff; of Goats and Lambs; vessels 
Apoc. 2.  of Clay and of Gold: but in Heaven shall be a difference; and 
Body and soul shall be glorified in all parts and powers.  if that were not, we were the most miserable: even Tully would not be rocked again in his Cradle.  
Amas vivere (quoth Aug.) in vita aeterna? Dost thou love to live everlastingly? Hope (with David) to see the goodness of the 
1 Cor. 15. 19 Aug.  Lord in the land of the living. In this life (quoth Bern.) erit mira serenitas, plena securitas, aeterna foelicitas: wonderful serenity, full security, eternal felicity; then the whole man shall be renewed, our souls shall be fully reform to the Image of God, as touching the two powers thereof. From our understanding shall be dispelled all darkness, and it shall be filled with new light, and that of herself, she shall know God, and the will of God, without preaching, without praying, without Sacraments, without books and writings to instruct her: for preaching shall have an end, prayer an end, Sacraments an end; we shall be as the Angels of God, understanding all things: Now we know but in part, 
1 Cor. 13. 12.  but then shall we know, even as we are known. Our will also shall want all wicked lusts, and shall be filled with all true Love, both towards God and man, and this love shall never be interrupted. To conclude, all the faculties of the soul shall be filled with God and with his power; so as the soul shall nourish the body without meat, drink, sleep, because he shall be replenished with God, and God shall be all in all. Erimus cives Coeli, socij Angelorum, 
Ephes. 2. 3.  cohaeredes Christi: we shall be Citizens of Heaven, fellows of Angels, coheirs with Christ, Citizens with Saints, and of the household of God.  
As touching the body, the other part of man, it shall also be glorified: nulla illius erit senectus, nulla mors, nullus morbus, nullum peccatum: No old age shall molest it, nor death, nor disease, nor sin, our bodies shall be like the glorious body of the Lord jesus. Nemo ibi irascitur, nemo invidet, nemo laeditur: there is no man angry, no man envieth, no man is any way hurt or harmed; No lust doth annoy, no devil doth terrify: there is a Sun without setting, life without dying, labour without weariness, pleasures without tediousness▪ there we shall see God as he is, in the sight 
1 john 2. 3. Aug.  of whom, we shall do four things; we shall know, we shall love, we shall rejoice, and we shall praise: we shall know the secrets of God, which is a depth without bottom: we shall love God above all, and our neighbour, as we should; we shall rejoice, for in Heaven there is fullness of joy, and at the right 
Psal. 16. 11.  hand of God, there is pleasure for evermore: and we shall praise God without ceasing. For saith David, Blessed are they that dwell in thy 
Psal. 84. 1.  house, they shall always be praising of thee; there our joy shall be full; all joy here is at an ebb, but there is the flood of joy, perfection, 
job 15. 11.  fullness of joy.  
Again, here all joy is mixed with pain; Health, with Sickness; Life, with Death; Summer, with Winter; the Spring with the Autumn; Liberty, with bondage; there is all solace, no sorrow; 
The joys of of heaven unspeakable incomprehensible.  the first sorrow cast out into shame.  
But as touching this eternal Life, whereof Saint jude here speaketh, a man may well think of it, and talk of it, but he 
Apoc. 21. 4.  can never think nor talk of it as it is; Paul saith, The eye hath not seen, the ear hath not heard, the heart of man cannot conceive the 
1 Cor. 2. 9  joys of this life. The eye of man, What can it not see? How little a sound will the ear hear? What great matters can the tongue utter? What wonderful things can the heart of man conceive? Even for thousands, and thousand years. What Arts and Sciences have been found out by man? yet cannot the eye see, nor the ear hear, nor the tongue utter, nor the heart conceive of Life eternal. The Apostle maketh a glorious comparison, and yet speaketh but of an earthly building, and of earthly and corruptible things. So the Prophet Esay describeth the Church militant and triumphant, but yet by earthly things; For it passeth his skill and cunning, to set out the perfect beauty and glory of it; God is infinite; so the reward laid up for the just, is infinite: like unto himself; the infinite God giveth infinite pains to sinners, and infinite joys unto the just.  
Peter having but a glimmering of Heaven, was ravished, and cried out, Master, here is good being let us build Tabernacles, one for thee, another for Moses, and another for Elias. How great then is 
Mat. 17. 4.  the full sight of Heaven? There be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, such joys as are not possible for a man to utter. Mount Thabor was a goodly 
2 Cor. 12. 4.  Mount: but in the celestial Mount in Heaven you shall see that, that eye never saw, riches without measure, glory without comparison, life without death, day without night, solace without ceasing, joy without ending, a land that floweth with milk and honey; there we shall see the City of the living God. the celestial jerusalem, a company of innumerable Angels, the congregation of the 
Hebr. 12. 22.  first borne, which are written in Heaven, the Spirits of just and perfect men, jesus the Mediator of the new Testament, and the blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than the blood of Abel.  
But to reason from the less to the greater: If here in an Inn be so many pleasures, what are in our own home? For whiles we are strangers in the body, we are absent from the Lord, but when we 
2 Cor. 5. 6.  shall remove out of the body, we shall ever dwell with the Lord, and abide in Heaven, which is our home. If in a prison our senses are filled with so many delights, what shall be in a Palace? There shall be fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore. If here in a jail there be so many pleasures to entertain us, such variety 
Psal. 16. 11.  of colours for the eye, such melody and sweet sounds for the ear, such fragrant odours for the nose, such multitude of dishes for the taste; if in Mount Horeb are so many things, What are in Mount Zion, in our own Country? For here we are but strangers and pilgrims, but we seek another Country, and we desire a 
Hebr. 11, 13, 16.  better, that is to say, an Heavenly. If a corruptible body feel 
Our glorified bo●y shall have Spiritual, and Heavenly qualities.  such great sweetness, what shall a glorified body feel? For our bodies shall one day be glorified; Though they be sown in dishonour, they shall be raised in glory; though sown in weakness, they shall be raised in power; though sown a natural body, it shall be raised a spiritual body: There is no comparison between Light and 
Hebr. 11. 13, 16. 1 Cor. 15. 42, 43.  Darkness, Gold and Lead, Glass and Pearl, Men and Angels, Heaven and Earth, Corruption and Glory, Weakness and Power, Honour and Dishonour; Our life is hid with Christ in 
Col. 3. 3.  God, and when Christ which is our life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in Glory: For life is threefold, Of Nature, Grace, and Glory.  
The life of Nature is sweet, the life of Grace sweeter, and the life of Glory sweetest of all; and this life of Glory is hid with Christ in God; and in this life of Glory, there shall be in our bodies, first, Claritas, beauty and clearness, in so much that as Saint Chrysostome saith, that the bodies of the Saints shall be septies clariora Sole: seven times brighter than the Sun. Secondly, in this life of Glory, there shall be in our bodies spiritual agility: and hence is it, that some ascribe the activity and quickness of our soul & spirit, to a glorified body, saying, that such bodies are not spirits, but spiritualised bodies. Thirdly, in this life of Glory, there shall be in our body's Impassibility; For though here we suffer of every thing, yet there we shall be subject to no corruptible passion, or suffering. Lastly, in this life of Glory, there shall be in our body's Immortality; here indeed orimur & morimur, at our birth, we begin to dye, accedimus, we enter into the world, succedimus, we succeed one another in the world; and last of all decedimus, we depart all out of the world; but in this life of Glory, we shall have immortal bodies.  
And as the body, so the soul in this life of Glory shall be glorified: and this her glory consisteth of two things; in her union with God, and in our vision of God: both of these may be gathered out of that of Saint john, When he shall appear, we shall be like him, and see him as he is: we shall be like unto him, there 
1 john. 3.  is our union; we shall see him as he is, there is our vision. Others add to the beatitude of the soul, two other actions: one, the fruition, the other, the eternal retention of God: and it is a question among the Learned, in which of these four, the felicity of the soul doth consist: some, in her vision of God; some, in her fruition of God; some, in her retention of God. I will not determine, only I say, that in this life of Glory, both souls and bodies shall have triumphum & gaudium, triumph, and joy, they shall triumph over Death; for Death shall be no more over him, that hath the Lordship of Death, the Devil; for he shall never be able to hurt him. Again, they shall have joy, 
God all in all to the glorified Saints.  first, in the Majesty of God: secondly, in the humanity of Christ: thirdly, in the society of Angels and Saints: Vide intùs, & extrà, suprà & infrà, circumcircà, & ubique gaudium: Look 
Aug.  within thee, and without thee; above thee, and beneath thee; about thee, and  there is joy: Nay, Gaudium super gaudium: joy, above joy; joy surmounting all joy, and without the which there can be no joy; within thee shall be joy in the glorification of body and soul; without thee, in the company of the blessed Saints and Angels; above thee, in the sight of God; beneath thee, in the beauty of the Heaven and Earth: For there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth 
2 Pet. 3.  righteousness, round about us, in the delight of all our senses; for God himself shall be the object of all our senses: Erit enim speculum visui: He shall be a glass to our eyes, music to our ears, honey to our mouths, a flower to our hands, balm to our nose: Ibi erit candor Aestatis, amaenitas Veris, abundantia Autumni, 
Bern.  requies Hiemalis: There shall be the fairness of Summer, the sweetness of the Spring, the pienty of the Autumn, and the Winter's rest: Nay, God shall be all in all unto us. Heaven is described in the Apocalyps, that the walls are of precious stones, 
1 Cor. 13.  the gates pearls, the porters Angels, the streets paid with gold, the City Interlaced with crystal rivers, the banks set with trees of life, which bear fruit monthly, and the leaves cure the Nations: Their Sun is the countenance of God, their day never endeth, their felicity never decayeth, their state never altereth. You have been in mount Horeb, where you saw thunderings and lightnings; now are ye called to mount Thabor, where ye shall enjoy the glory of Christ jesus, and say with Peter, Bonum est hic esse, It is good to be here. Let them make account of this life, who make their Lusts their guides, their Belly their god, their Kitchen their faith, the World their Friend, and are not only in it, but of it. But our Country is Heaven, our friends Angels, our companions the Saints, our Father God, our mother the Church, our brother Christ, our guide the holy Ghost, our inheritance jerusalem, that is from above. The Saint, by loving another as himself, hath as many joys as fellows, and for that they all love God more than themselves, they take more pleasure of his bliss, than all their joys beside: the damnation of their friends grieveth them not, because it standeth with the glory of God, which is more to them, than all their bliss.  
And thus ye see the joys of life: and yet all that I have said of Heaven, where we shall lead a life eternal, and possess a Paradise of infinite pleasure, is nothing; it is but stilla mari, a drop of water to the whole sea, scintilla igni comparata, as a spark compared to the great fire of Aetna, it is nothing: there 
In Heaven no decay or damping of joy.  needeth no Sun to shine, no Moon to give light, no porters; the gates of it are open continually, there is food better than the Mann, that fell from Heaven, apparel finer than Aaron's Ephod, 
Ecclus. 18. 9 Exod. 16. Exod. 30. Psal. 133. 2. Mat. 24. Apoc. 2. Hebr. 12. 22. Mat. 17. Esa. 11.  perfume sweeter than the perfume of the Tabernacle, a building more stately than salomon's Temple; there is Paradise, without any Serpent to tempt us: Mount Horeb, without any Thunder to fear us; Mount Thabor, without any change to grieve us, Libanon, without any Wilderness to rend us: there is mirth without mourning, and such joys and delights, that if all the plants of the Earth were Pens, if all the Earth were Paper, if all the Sea were Ink, if every Man, Woman, and Child were a good Penman, yet they were not able to express the thousandth part of these joys: Hic in terris, omnium rerum est vicissitudo; here in earth, all things alter and change: after Day cometh Night; after Winter, Summer; after Sickness, Health; after Life, Death; after Youth, old Age; after Pleasure, Paine; but there is Day without Night, Summer without any Winter; Health without any Sickness, or Sorrow; Life without Death, Youth without old Age, Pleasure without any Pain: there is the Beauty of Absalon, without Deformity, the Strength of Samson, without any Debility, the Wisdom of Solomon, without any Folly: We shall come from Faith to Sight; 
Aug. Epist. 121. Pro●e Viduae.  from the Glass to the Face; from Aenigma to a plain Truth; Hic enim ambulamus per fidem, non per aspectum: here we walk by Faith, and not by Sight; Nunc in spe, ●unc in re; Now in Hope, then in Deed; Nuncforis, tunc domi; Now abroad, then at home; For when this earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be destroyed, we shall have an house not made with hands, but eternal in Heaven. For 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  as the Father said, Quid ibi deesse potest ubi Deus est, cui nihil deest? What can there be wanting where God is, to whom nothing is want? O beati visio, videre Regem Angelorum, Sanctum sanctorum, Deum Coeli, Rectorem terrae, Patrem viventium! O blessed sight, to behold 
Aug. lib. despir. etc. cap. 57  the King of Angels, the Holy of holies, the God of Heaven, the Ruler of the Earth, the Father of the Living! Woe to me miserable creature (quoth August.) which am not where the holy Saints be; for your life is without all gunne-shot and danger of death, your knowledge without error, your love without offence, your joy without any annoy; I (alas) am in the region of the shadow of death, I know not my end, I would departed hence, but I know not when; I would dye, and this haply shall be my last day.  
But many have no regard at all of this life, they look too much to the pleasures of the world, which makes them not to look into the powers of the life to come, not to look to eternity. It is said of Moses, that he chose rather to suffer afflictions, with the 
Hebr. 11. 25.  people of God in Egypt, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; The wicked, the Infidels have made a Covenant with death, and are 
Divers errors concerning eternal life.  with Hell at an agreement: they believe not eternal life, they hold with the Sadduces, that there is no resurrection; nothing maketh us loath to dye, but unbelief. Withipoll wished to live five hundred 
Esa. 28. 15. Mat. 22.  years, though but in the shape of a toad; Paulus tertius said at his death, Nunc tria experiar: Now shall I try three things, Num sit Deus, whether there be a God, num anima sit immortalis, whether the soul be immortal, num sit vita post mortem, and whether there be a life after death. The Borussians and the Irish cry to their dead, Quare mortuus es? Why didst thou dye? Thou hadst wife, children, corn, cattles, oh why didst thou dye? They have no hope. But, brethren, things present will be past, and things future will 
1 Thess. 4.  be present, and last for ever: this life is no life. It were long to rehearse all the errors, that Satan hath troubled the Church withal in this point: I will name but some, of many: first, the Libertines err, who say, that all men shall be saved, all shall go to Heaven, contrary to that which our Saviour saith, Not every one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven: And 
Mat. 7. 14.  again, Many shall come in that day, and shall say, Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, cast out Devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? But he shall answer them, Depart from me, for verily I know you not. And the Prophet telleth us, That though the 
Esa. 10. 21.  number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saved. The Atheists err also, who say, Non est Deut: There is no God, no Devil, no heaven, no hell, contrary to that of our Saviour, Go ye cursed, into everlasting Hell fire.  
The Lucianists and Epicures err, who place all happiness in 
Mat. 25. 34. 41.  the pleasures of this life contrary to that of the Apostle; If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable. 
1 Cor. 15. 19  The Philosophers, and Pagans err, who define felicity to be the abundance of riches, joined with virtue, and not the fruition of God in Christ jesus, contrary to that of our Saviour, This is life 
john 17. 3.  eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; this indeed is felicity, this is happiness. The Pep●sians err, who say, that the heavenly jerusalem is in this earth, contrary to that of Paul, who saith, jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the 
Gal. 4. 26.  mother of us all. The Origenists err, who say, that the Devils shall be saved, contrary to Math. 15. The Chiliasts or Millinaries err, who say, that God's Kingdom shall last but a thousand years; contrary to that of the Apostle, which saith, That we shall be ever 
1 Thess. 4. 17.  with the Lord: and indeed, there shall never be end of this life, it shall be eternal; eternal, not in respect of beginning, but in respect of ending, it shall continue for ever: and unto this end Paul saith, That Christ hath abolished death, and brought life of immortality 
2 Tim. 1. 10.  unto light by the Gospel: they that have an entrance into this life, shall never see end of it. Suppose that the whole world were a Sea, and every hundred years expired, a bird must drink up one drop of it, in process of time, it would come to 
Heaven set out by comparison of the Womb and World.  pass, that this huge Sea shall be dried up, but yet many millions of years must be passed before this were done. Now if a man should enjoy this happy life, but for the space of time in which the Sea is drying up, he would think his case most happy and blessed: but behold, the Saints shall enjoy this happy life, not only for that time, but for ever; it is an everlasting life, we shall never see end thereof.  
And as for the glory and happiness of this life, the quantity and quality may be gathered from the situation of the place, for Coelum Empyreum is higher than all the Heavens: for Paul nameth it the third Heaven; and it is called, The Land of the living, as if 
2 Cor. 12. Psal. 27.  the Land which we now inhabit, were a Land of dead men; & indeed, We be dead, but our life is hid with Christ in God. Now, if in this 
Col. 3. 3.  Region of dead men the creatures be so noble, & precious, what are they in Heaven, in terra viventium, in the land of the living? In this land of the dead, behold the greatness of the Heavens, the brightness of the Stars, the beauty of the Earth, the plainness of the fields, the highness of the Mountains, the greatness of the Valleys, the Floods and Rivers running like, the veins in a man's body; Si omnia haec in terra mortuorum, if all these things be in the land of the dead, what shall be in the Land of the living?  
Again, we know that there be three places in this life; the first is the Womb, the second, the World, the third, Heaven: between these places there is a proportion: For Heaven is so much greater than the World, as the World is greater than the Womb, and the more excellent, as well for continuance of time, as greatness of place. As touching continuance of time, the first life is no longer than nine months, the second life is fourscore years, the third is infinite and eternal. Furthermore the diversity of dwellers in Heaven, and Earth, do notably set forth unto us the difference of these two places: Haec terra plena peccatorum: this Earth is full of sinners; 
2 Pet. 3. 13.  illa justorum, that of just and righteous men: for there dwelleth righteousness: this of Men, that of Angels, for there are a company of innumerable Angels: here penitents inhabit, there such as have their sins forgiven them do dwell; Here men 
Hebr. 12. 22.  militant, there men triumphant; here friends and enemies, there friends only, and the elect. If the inhabitants do so differ, how much do the places differ? There God shall be fullness of light to the understanding, abundance of Peace to the Will, 
Bern.  continuance of eternity to the Memory; there the wisdom of Solomon shall be ignorance, the beauty of Absalon deformity, the strength of Samson debility; the treasure and wealth of Princes, poverty; Curio ergo in Aegypto haeremus? Why do we still stick, and stay in Egypt? Why do we not go the direct way to Canaan? Why feed we of acorns, and not of the Tree of 
Eternal life the gift of God through Christ.  Life? Why drink we of broken Cysternes, and not of the waters of life? If we had but a little sight of this Heavenly jerusalem; we would despise Babylon, for in Heaven we shall see God, and be equal with the Angels; there we shall partake of so great joys, as no Geometrician can measure; so many, as no Arithmetician can number; and so wonderful, as no Rhetorician can utter, had he the tongue both of Men and Angels. O ineffabilis delectatio! O unspeakeble delight! where God is their object, a looking glass for their eyes, music for their ears, honey for their taste, sweet balsam for their smell, a posy of all delights for their Heavenly hands. Seeing then that there be such, and we look for such things, Let us be diligent to be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. 
2 Pet. 3. 4.   
But to proceed. As he would have them to look for eternal life, so here he telleth them, how they shall come by it, namely by Christ: for eternal life is the gift of God, and cometh of mere mercy, not of any desert of ours: we never brought stone to this building; The builder and worker is God: we never brought one dish to this banquet: Omnia parata sunt, all things are ready: we never spun 
2 Cor. 5. 1. Mat. 22.  one thread of this garment; the garment is Christ alone, & therefore we are willed to put on the Lord jesus: we never deserved 
Rom. 13. 14.  the least drop of the joys of Heaven: we be servi inutiles, unprofitable 
Luk. 17. 10.  servants: Et quid possunt inutiles servi mereri nisi flagellum? And what can unprofitable servants deserve but the whip? Quaeris merita? (quoth Aug.) non invenies nisi poenam: Dost thou seek Merit? thou shalt find nothing but punishment; if we stand at 
Aug.  the staves end of God, for wages, it is Death, not Life; Hell, not Heaven; Paines, not joys; For the wages of sin is death: that 
Rom. 6. 23.  which God doth for us, is a gift, not a stipend, It is he that must give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified. So Christ said, 
Act. 20. 32.  It is your Father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom: Gift is free, gift and 
Luk. 12. 32.  desert they are as opposite as the Tropickes, and cannot stand together: we have not chosen Christ, but he hath chosen us; he 
john 15. 18.  gave the occasion, not we; it is mercy, not merit; grace, not nature; favour, not debt, that we must challenge: For by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of 
Ephes. 2. 8, 9  God, not of Works, lest any man should boast himself: so said Marie, His mercy is on them that fear him; yet our fear is defective, we can 
Luk 1. 50.  claim nothing, but mercy; the Canaanite craved but mercy; O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on me. Cui daret justus judex coronam, 
Mat. 15. 22. Aug.  nisi cui dedisset Pater misericors gratiam? To whom should the just judge give the Crown, but unto whom the merciful Father hath given grace? Gratia non invenit, sed fecit nos eligendos: Grace hath not found us, but hath made us to be chosen. Cum Deus coronat merita tua, nihil aliud coronat, nisi munera sua: When God crowneth our merits, he crowneth nothing else, but his own gifts.  
Blasphemous therefore is the saying of Dorbel; Quòd Deus Coelum carè vendit 
Three sorts of merits, Congrui, Digni, Condigni.  amicis; & quod ipsi carè emunt: That God selleth heaven dear to his friends, and they buy it dear; some travel thither by the footepath of righteousness, as the Prophets; some by the footepath of cleanness, as virgins; some by the footepath of repentance, as the Confessors; some by the footepath of affliction, as the Martyrs; some by the footepath of poverty, as the Apostles; some by the footepath of hospitality, as the patriarchs. But God selleth not heaven, he giveth it freely: We are 
Rom. 3. 24.  justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ jesus. Lex data est, ut gratia quaereretur, the Law was given, that grace should be sought; gratia data est, ut lex impleretur, and grace is given, that the Law might be fulfilled: for All is of grace. Abraham in his faith, David, in his godliness, job in his patience, 
Rom. 11.  Solomon in his wisdom, Elias in his zeal, cannot stand before God: If thou, o Lord, markest iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? Where 
Psal. 130. 3.  the Prophet showeth, that we cannot be just before God by merit, but by mercy in the forgiveness of our sins: therefore saith S. jude, Look for the mercies of our Lord jesus Christ unto eternal life.  
But to face out this mercy of God, the Papists have found out three sorts of merits; Meritum congrui, digni, & condigni. Merit of congruity, they call those preparations that are before grace, and to this end they allege Cornelius, who was a devout man, and 
Act. 10. 2.  one that feared God with all his household, and gave much alms to the people, and prayed God continually; And yet his prayer, and alms did proceed from that spark of faith that he had in Christ, not from any work of nature.  
Meritum digni, as when a just man prayeth for an unjust; as job, & Daniel for the jews, of whose prayer God saith thus, When the land sinneth against me by committing a trespass, then will I stretch out my hand 
Ezech. 14. 13, 14.  upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof; & I will send famine upon it, etc. And though these three men, Noah, Daniel & job were among them, they shoul deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. Whereas it is spoken but by way of supposition.  
Meritum condigni, be works of supererogation; Loud words of Lewd blasphemy! too proud words for either men or Angels: For no work of itself is pure, and can stand before God. Quis dabit mundum de immundo? Who can bring a clean thing out of 
job 14. 4.  filthiness? The Heavens are not clean in his sight, much less men. He found folly in his Angels, how much more in us, that dwell in 
job 15. job 4. 18, 19  houses of clay? This Moses often inculcated to Israel, lest they should presume of their righteousness, and think themselves exalted by it: Speak not thou in thy heart (saith Moses) For my righteousness, the Lord hath brought me in to possess the land: for thou interest not 
Deut. 9 4, 5.  to inherit their land, for thy righteousness, or for thy upright heart, but for the wickedness of those nations, etc. The Lord giveth not thee this good land to possess, for thy righteousness: for thou art a stiffnecked people. And he maketh a Catalogue of their vices, how in the wilderness, in Horeb, and in many other places, they provoked the 
No merit of condignity but in Christ.  Lord to anger: you were never good, neither egg, nor bird, quoth Moses. Merit of condignity, is an action belonging to such a nature, as is both God and man, not to a bare creature; for the Angels themselves cannot merit any thing at God's hand, for they are said to be elected; now, election is by grace, otherwise salvation 
1 Tim. 6. Rom. 11. 5.  is in the power of the clay, not of the potter. Yea, Adam also, if he had stood, could have merited nothing of God, seeing it is the bounden duty of every creature to obey the Creator: For we are his workmanship, created unto Christ jesus, unto good works, 
Ephes. 2. 10.  which God hath ordained that we should walk in them. If we do good works, yet do we but our duty: the merit therefore of condignity doth only agree to Christ, God and man, whom each nature doth to the effecting of this merit, that which belongeth unto it: for the humanity doth minister matter to the merit by suffering, and performing obedience; & the Deity of Christ, unto which the humanity is hypostatically united, doth confer full and sufficient worthiness to the work; Hereupon came the voice; This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; For God was never pleased in any but in Christ: For we are all by nature the 
Mat. 3. 17. Ephes. 2. 3, 4, 5.  children of wrath, but God which is rich in mercy, through the great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace ye are saved.  
Again, that a work may be meritorious, there must be a proportion betwixt that and eternal life; but eternal life is infinite, & our merits are finite. Now, a finite work cannot equal infinite joy: Inter finitum & infinitum nulla est comparatio: There is no comparison between a thing finite and a thing infinite, therefore we merit not. The afflictions of this world are not worthy of the 
Rom. 8. 18.  glory that shall be showed unto us.  
Again, all our works are imperfect, Ergo, do not condignly merit; for all our work cometh immediately from the Natural faculties of the soul, that is, understanding and will: but these are imperfect, being regenerated but in part; therefore our works are imperfect. For the understanding, it is said: that ex parte tantum videmus: we see but in part, know but in part. For the will it is said, Est Lex in membris: There is a Law in my members, rebelling against the Law of God: for I know (saith the Apostle) that in me (that 
Rom. 7. 18, 24.  is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing. And again he crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of death? Bern. saith, Cantabo non justitiam meam, sedtuam, Domine; I will not 
Bern.  sing my own righteousness, but thine, O Lord. Should I fear whether that one justice will suffice two, or no? It is not a short cloak, that is able to cover a couple; thy justice is just for evermore, and will cover both thee and me: it is largely large, and covereth all my sins. And again, Meritum meum est misericordia 
Bern. serm. 62. in Cant.  Domini, My merit is God's mercy; I am not void of merit, so 
Our works merit not jointly with Christ's merits.  long as he is not void of mercy.  
The Papists join their works with Christ, in case of justifying; for they say, that we are Coomperarij; fellow-workers, and coadjutors, and fellowhelpers with God, abusing the words of Paul; So we therefore as workers together beseech you, that ye recejve 
2 Cor. 6. 1.  not the grace of God in vain: as Melchior Canus, in his common places confesseth, that God alone worketh salvation, and by and by he addeth, Et nos agere sub Deo, & cum Deo, That we work under God, and with God: to which end he quoteth 1 Cor. 15. Not I, but the grace of God with me: as if God could not do it, without us. But we need not answer these dogs, which can bark, but not bite; neither can they take away the truth of God, though they can obscure it. But I reason thus with them, Such as the wound is, such is the salve: but the wound came by one only, therefore the salve is by one only: the Major and Minor are justified by Paul; If through the offence of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man jesus Christ, hath abounded 
Rom. 5. 15, 17, 18, 19  to many: For if by the offence of one, death reigned through one, much more shall they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, reign in life, through one, that is, jesus Christ: Likewise then as by the offence of one, the fault came on all men to condemnation; so by the justifying of one man, the benefit abounded toward all men (that believe) to the justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, shall many also be made righteous. The conclusion followeth of the premises. This doctrine of merits is to Christ, as the Moon to the Sun, or the earth to the Moon, in her eclipse, it eclipseth the death and merits of Christ; For if righteousness be by the Law, than Christ died for 
Gal. 2. 21. Fulgent. admoni.  nothing. Deus salvandos praevenit, damnandos invenit, praeveniente misericordia, velle incipimus, & subsequent misericordia, bonum quod volumus, facere valemus, etc. God preventeth such as are to be saved, and findeth such as are to be damned, his mercy preventing us, we begin to will, and his mercy following us, we are able to do that good we will; grace in preventing beginneth, and in following keepeth; grace preventeth the wicked, that he may be just, and grace followeth the just, that he may not be wicked: the beginnings of our vocations, the increasings of our justification, the rewards of our glorification, all these are laid up with God in predestination. And again, Deus est qui gratis vocat, & vocatos justificat, etc. It is God, that freely calleth us, and justifieth them that are called, and glorifieth them that are justified; 
Rom. 8. 30. Rom. 9  and Paul calleth good men, Vasa misericordiae, Vessels of mercy, not of righteousness: if he had called them, vessels of righteousness, peradventure they might have thought, that they had righteousness of themselves, Quoth Fulgentius, A Deo est initium bonae voluntatis, ab eo facultas est bene agendi, & ab eo perseverantia bonae conversationis: From God is the beginning of a good will, from him is 
Many Papists have renounced their own merits.  the power, and ability of well-doing, and from him the perseverancy of a good life and conversation; he giveth in this life humility, and in the future, felicity, that they may be happy without end, that were humble without end: Vtrumque tamen a Deo (quoth Fulgentius:) Yet notwithstanding both from God: we claim no 
Fulgent. Epistola. 14. ad.  works, but Christ's works: Yea the Papists at a dead lift say so with us; Pighius hath given them all the slip in this point. One at his death cried, Solus Christus, solus ille Salvator, Only Christ, he alone is a Saviour: and Sherwin at his death cried, O jesus, jesa, esto mihi jesus: O jesus, jesus, be to me a jesus, a Saviour, he knew no other Saviour; and Bellarmine having tired himself about the question of justification, at the last he concludeth, that 
Bellar.  it is our safest course to rely upon the mercies of God, and merits of Christ jesus, propter propriae justitiae incertitudinem, & periculum inanis gloriae: for the uncertainty of our own righteousness, and danger of vainglory. And Bernard upon his Sermon of the Annunciation 
Bern.  said, that the merits of men are not such, as eternal life by right is owing for them; his reason is this; Omnia merita Dei dona sunt, & ita homo magis propter ipsa, Deo debitor est, quàm Deus homini; for (saith he) all our merits are the gifts of God; and so man is rather a debtor to God for them, than God to man: and Friar Ferus affirmeth, that whatsoever God giveth us, is of grace, not of debt: and Gregorius Ariminensis, upon Peter Lombard defends at large, That no work done by man, though coming from the greatest charity, merits, of condignity, either eternal life, or any other reward temporal, because every such work is the gift of God; For these are his words, Ex hoc infero, quod nedum vita aeterna, nec alius alterius praemij aeterni, vel temporalis aliquis actus hominis, ex quantacunque charitate elicitus est, de condigno meritorius apud Deum, quia quilibet talis est donum Dei: From this I infer, that neither life everlasting, nor any other, either of another eternal reward or temporal act of man, proceeding from never so great charity, is meritorious of condignity with God, because every such action is the gift of God. And Lodovicus Granatensis 
Lodo. Gran.  said, Salva me, o jesus, o vita, sine qua morior; o veritas, sine qua fallor; o via sine qua err●; o lumen, sine quo in tenebris ambulo! Save me, o jesus, o life, without which I die; o truth, without which I am deceived; o way, without which I wander; o light, without which I walk in darkness! in te aliquid sum, sine te nihil sum: in thee I am something, without thee, nothing: There is not a wise Papist, but will say this at a dead lift; so said Luther, when he was a Minorite, Triplex est benedictio, praeveniens, adjuvans, consummans: There is a threefold blessing, a preventing blessing, an helping 
Luther.  blessing, and a consummating; prima est misericordiae, the first is of mercy; the second, of grace, the third, of glory: Mercy preventeth our conversion, grace helpeth our conversation, glory perfecteth our consummation. We can neither think any 
Election, Vocation & justification, are of God's free grace.  good thing, till we be prevented of mercy; neither can we do any good thing, till we be helped of grace, nor discharged, till we be filled with glory. Wherein now differ we from him in the doctrine of Mercy?  
The cause of our salvation is God's mercy alone, his good will and pleasure, not our works: Concerning election; If the question be asked, why Abraham was chosen, and not Nachor, why jacob 
Gen. 11. Mal. 1. Rom. 9 1 Sam. 16.  was loved, and Esau hated; why Moses was elected, and Pharaoh hardened, why David was accepted, and Saul refused; why few be chosen, and the most forsaken? It cannot otherwise be answered, but thus, it was the good will of God to have it so: Non est volentis, 
Mat. 22. Rom. 9  neque currentis, sed miserentis Dei: It is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but of God showing mercy. Secondly, concerning vocation: If the question be, why Cornelius the Gentile was called, & not 
Act. 10. Mat. 11.  Tertullus the jew? Why the babes and little ones of the world, & not the great men? Why the poor, the base, the vile, not the rich, the noble, the honourable? Why the sinners, and not the just? 
1 Cor. 1. 26. Mat. 9 Luk. 14. Mat. 11. 26.  Why the beggars by the high way were called, and the bidden guests excluded? we can tender no other reason, but this: It was the good pleasure of God. Thirdly, concerning justification: If the question be asked, why the Publican went home more justified 
Luk. 18.  than the Pharise? Why Mary the sinner, and not Simon the Leper? 
Luk. 11.  Why harlots and Publicans go before Scribes and Pharises 
Mat. 21. Gen. 21.  into heaven? Why the son of the freewoman was received, and the Son of the bondwoman rejected, being the elder? Why Israel, which so long sought for righteousness, found it 
Rom. 9  not, and the Gentiles which sought it not, found it? We can render no cause, but this, they sought for it by the works of the 
Rom. 10.  Law, not by faith: our justification is perfect, because we are counted just, justitia Christi, through the righteousness of 
2 Cor. 5. 21.  Christ: but our sanctification is unperfect,  mera gratia servati, in Domino, non in nobis gloriemur: That being saved by mere 
1 Cor. 1. 3.  grace, we may glory, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. Finely & truly saith one, Proprijs meritis non obtineo regnum coelorum: I cannot 
Bern.  come to heaven by mine own merits; but Christ in a double right obtaining, First, by the inheritance of his Father; And secondly, by the merit of his Passion: Altero ipse contentus, alterum mihi resignavit, he being contented with the one, hath resigned the other to me; it is our worthiness to know our unworthiness; Say, thou art an unprofitable servant; say with Vivaldus, Non abscondo 
Luk. 17.  peccata, sed ostendo: I hide not my sins, but I show them; non abspergo, sed aspergo: I wipe them not away, but I sprinkle them; non excuso, sed accuso: I do not excuse them, but accuse them: peccata enim non nocent, si non placent: my sins hurt me not, if they like me not; Initium salutis, cognitio peccati: the beginning of salvation, is the knowledge of my transgression: in this flesh dwelleth no goodness. M. Knox said at his death, Satan tempted him to 
Confession the way to salvation.  desperation: but he alleged 1 Tim. 1. 15. that jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners: after, he tempted him to presumption, and his merits; and he alleged 1 Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou, that thou hast not received? and if thou hast received it, why rejoicest thou, as though thou hadst not received it? And so drove Satan away. Let us renounce our own merits, and fly to Christ's, so shall we be partakers of eternal life.   

THE FIVE AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VIRS. XXII. 
And have compassion of some, putting difference, etc. 
We must use discretion, putting difference betwixt sinners.   
THis is the last exhortation; the pith and marrow whereof is, to teach us to use discretion, to put difference of sinners; to pity some, to reprove others; & lastly, so to walk betwixt both, as that they may hate all sin, even the garment of a sinner, for the sinner's sake; the thiefs coat, the Adulterers coat, for the hatred they bear to theft and adultery: for we must hate the evil, love the 
Amos 5. 15.  good, that we may be like our elder Brother Christ jesus; who loved righteousness, and hated 
Hebr. 1. 9  iniquity.  
First, generally we must use discretion, and make difference of men; we must be like Surgeons, and expert Physicians, who do not lay one plaster to all sores, nor minister one potion to all patients: this is that serpentine Wisdom, that Christ requireth of his Apostles; Be wise as Serpents, be innocent as Doves; 
Mat. 10. 16.  Wisdom mixed with Innocence, and Innocency with it; Wisdom without Innocence, is but craft and subtlety: and Innocency without Wisdom, is dotage and folly; the one maketh us Foxes, the other Asses; join them together, and we are perfect Christians: we must have the Word of Knowledge, to know what to speak, and the Word of Wisdom, to 
Ministers must be discreet.  know when, and where, and how, and to whom to speak; to some mildly, to others roughly, as occasion requireth: this is the precept given to Thessalonica; We desire you, Brethren, admonish 
1 Cor. 12. 1 Thess. 5. 14.  them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded: bear with the weak, be patiented towards all men. Some are wild heifers, and must have a yoke; some are rude horses, and must have a snaffle; some are dull asses, and must have a whip and a spur; some are unruly, and must be admonished; some feeble, and must be comforted; some weak, and must be tolerated, and towards all we must use patience.  
This doctrine concerneth all, but chief Ministers, they must know, who be woolves, and who be sheep; who be serpents, and who be doves; whom to draw, and whom to lead; when to pipe, and when to mourn; when to pour in oil, when to pour vinegar, when to use the menaces of the Law, when to use the promises of the Gospel. All ground is not alike, some must have a share, some a clotting: All wood is not to be used aliee, some will be plained and is soft, some must have a wedge and a beetle: All sores are not to be handled alike, some must have searing iron, some a cerecloth: So all Christians are not alike to be handled; and it is a notable work of God's Spirit, to discern spirits; thus Philip discerned not Simon Magus, as Peter did; Philip 
1 Cor. 12. Act. 8.  admitted him to Baptism, but Peter spied him, in fell nequitiae, in the gall of bitterness.  
In Rome the Magistrate had carried before him, Secures & fasces, hatchets and rods; the first, for the great, the second, for the less offenders: Alterius vitia emendandae, alterius frangenda. Paul 
Aug. in. Gal. 2. Act. 5. Seneca.  reprehended Peter to his amendment, & Peter corrected Ananias to his condemnment: Nobilis equus umbra virgae regitur, at indomitus, nec calcaribus incitari potest. A rod will check a free-horse, and a twig command a gentle nag, whereas the spur cannot stir a stubborn jade, nor the whip scare the untamed colt. The Nurse, when the Child hath a fall, will first help it up, after chide it, and if it fall again, correct it; so must the Nurse of souls, first help a brother out of the mire of sin, then chide him for falling into the ditch; and if this will not serve, apply a sharper corrasive to his sore: yet let all this be done with wisdom and discretion, Qui mittit in altum lapidem, recidet in caput ejus, lest he deal like a man that throws up a stone rashly in his humour, and it falleth down again upon his own head, 
Hierom. ad Ru●t. Monac●.  to teach him wisdom.  
Well, we must have compassion of some; for some sins are to be pitied: we must be so far from hating, and rejoicing at their falls, that we ought rather to sorrow and to be greeved. Hereupon saith Paul, Brethren, if any of you be overtaken with any fault, you that are spiritual, help to restore him in the spirit of meekness, 
Gal. 6. 12.  insult not over him, but restore him, know that thou mayest fall, 
We must be compassionate to such as sin of infirmity.  thou art of the same mould, he is fall'n by his own infirmity, thou standest by the grace of God. Noli superbire: be not proud: thou standest not of thyself, Noli superbire; but be strong in the Lord, and through the power of his might: pity thy brother, and restore him with 
Ephes. 6. 10.  meekness. The Word in the original signifieth, to set a thing in joint, as we do a leg or an arm dislocated; not breaking it, but putting it into the place again, when it is out: and this is done four ways, quoth Master Perkins; first, by reprehending 
Perkins in his Treatise of the Tongue. 2 Sam. 12.  generally and covertly, as Nathan did David in a parable, which entered further into him, than if it had been done roughly. Secondly, in the place of a reprehension, to put an exhortation, as are pills in Sugar; so Paul prescribed, saying, Rebuke 
1 Tim. 5. 1.  not an Elder, but exhort him as a Father, and the younger men, as brethren, etc. Thirdly, to propound the reproof in a man's own person: so Paul did, saying, Now these things, Brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself, and to Apollo's, for your sake, that ye may 
1 Cor. 4. 6.  learn by us, that no man presume above that which is written; that one swell not against another for any man's cause. Fourthly, to reprove, but with prefaces & insinuations, as that we do it of love, that we do it of good will: so Naamans' servant said to his Master, saying, 
2 Reg. 5. 13.  Father, if the Prophet had commanded thee some great thing, oughtest thou not to have done it? If we be believers of Christ, we cannot but lament the fall of a brother: and among the members there is such sympathy, that if one suffer, all the rest suffer with it; We are the 
1 Cor. 12. 26.  members of Christ, and the members one of another. Paul told the Corinthians, that in stead of laughing, they should have sorrowed. What 
1 Cor. 5. 2.  father is not greeved with the hurt of his children? What friend is not greeved at the loss of his friend? What shepherd delighteth in the wronging and scattering of his flock, and not in gathering it together? How did it grieve Abraham to lose 
Gen. 17. 1 Sam. 19  Ishmael? How did jonathan vex himself for David? And how did David rescue a poor sheep or a Lamb, out of the mouth of the Lion? And shall not we rescue a soul out of the mouth 
1 Sam. 16.  of the Devil? If men be of a contrary mind to us, oh do not hate them, but pity them, and instruct them with meekness, 
2 Tim. 2. 25, 26.  praying God to give them repentance, that they may know the truth, and that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the Devil, which is taken of him, at his will. Monicha wept so long for Augustine a Manichaean, that a Bishop said unto her, Filius iot lachrymarum perire non potest: A son of so many tears cannot perish. This affection should be in us towards a sinner.  
This was in Abraham, when he prayed for Sodom, saying, 
Gen. 18.  What if there be but ten righteous men, will you not spare the City? And this was also in Moses, when he cried to God, saying, Forgive them, O Lord, or else raze me out of the Book of life, that thou 
Exod. 32.  hast written. And in Esay, when he cried, TurneTurne away from me, labour 
M●n more compassionate toward beasts, and beasts to men, than men to men.  not to comfort me, I will weep bitterly, because my people perish. And in jeremy, when he wished, That his head were a well of water, and his eyes fountains of tears, that he might weep day and night for the people. And this affection was also in Christ, when he wept over jerusalem, saying, Oh if thou hadst known at the least in this 
Esa. 22. 4. jer. 9 1. Luke 19 Rom. 9  thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! The like we read in Paul, who wished himself, to be separate from Christ for his brethren the Israelites. And it is all our parts to grieve at sin in another man, and to take pity upon him, according to the words of my Text, Have compassion on some: but where shall we single out one among the sons of Adam, that is so compassionate, as that he will sorrow for sin in another man? When he seethe his brother to be a vicious liver, one wedded to wickedness, and sunk in sin, he will salve it up with humanum est? Cato is said, never to laugh except once, and that was, when he saw an Ass eat thistles, that the senseless beast should take pleasure in pricks, which should have been spurs to him to take pains: so we seeing our brethren eating up sin as bread, and drinking iniquity like water, rather laugh with Democritus, at their follies, than with Heraclitus lament their faults. And what compassion is in this? Cadit asinus, & est qui sublevet; perit anima, & non est qui curate: men will pity the poor Ass, for when he falleth, they will help him up again, but they will show no compassion on men's souls; for though they perish, they care not: herein they are like the baseminded Gergesites, who had more care of their swine than of their souls. 
Mat. ●. 25.   
The Elephant, if he meet a wounded person in the Wilderness, he bringeth him into his way again; and the like is fathered on the Dolphin, who when Arion was cast into the Sea, speedily conveyed him unto the shore. I could wish that men were Elephants, or Dolphins in spark of good nature one to another. To sorrow one for another's sin, it is not our custom. The compassionate Samaritane to the poor passenger▪ may teach us to show mercy unto sinners: his wounds resemble afflicted sinners; 
Mat. 18.  his descension from jerusalem to jericho; his falling from the service of God; his spoiling by thiefs; sinners overthrew by Satan; the Priest and Levite which went aloof, Sunt mali ecclesiae ministri: bad ministers. Now, the stranger, that infused Oleum misericordiae & vinum justitiae: the oil of mercy, 
Lir●.  and the wine of justice, is any good man moved with mercy and compassion at a sinners wretched estate, and useth all good means to reclaim him. To this purpose tendeth the counsel of the Apostle, Bear ye one another's burden; and as Christ stretched out his hand to take fast hold on Peter, when he was ready 
Gal. 6. 2.  to sink into the Sea, so ought we towards our faithful brethren, overwhelmed with the waves of wickedness, to have compassion on them, and by counsel and comfort out of the Word of God, 
We should not envy the sinner, but pity him.  to save their souls? and this is compassion indeed.  
Augustine speaking of the drunkenness and other sins in Africa, said, Tollantur ista, sed tamen cum commisseratione, non asperè, non duriter: Let these sins (quoth August.) be taken away; yet with compassion, with mercy, not sharply, not bitterly; Docendo potius quàm jubendo, monendo, non minando: by teaching rather than by commanding, by monishing rather than by menacing: for those jews, whom the thunders of Sinai could not terrify, Saint john, with the sweet song of Zion did 
Mat. 3.  persuade.  
Again, the same Father aforenamed, saith thus, Qui phreneticum ligat, & lethargicum excitat: he that bindeth a phranticke man, and awaketh a man sick of a Lethargy, ambobus molestus, ambobus tamen utilis: he is troublesome to both, yet profitable for them both; Rogat charitas hunc ligare, illum excitare, ambos tamen amare: Charity obligeth a man to bind the one, and to awake the other, yet to love both: Let all be done in love, and pity, and as the Apostle counselleth us, Let us follow the truth in 
Ephes. 4. 15.  love. The Drunkards, Usurers, Swearers rail on us, in all places, in all Fairs and Markets. What then? O pity them; Have compassion on them: alas, poor souls, their state is pitiful, 
Luke 23.  not odious; Nesciunt, quid faciunt: they know not what they do: Nec deludendi, nec minandi, sed plangendi: these men are not to be 
Aug.  mocked, nor menaced, but mourned for. I say to them, as Christ said to the woman of Samaria, If thou knewest the gift of God, and 
john 4. 10.  who it is, that saith unto thee, etc. so if these men knew the gift of God, the power of the Word, they would not do, as they do: fret not then at these men, as David counselleth thee, saying, Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, neither be thou envious for the evil doer, for they shall soon be cut down as the grass, and whither 
Psal. 37. 1, 2.  like a green herb. And as Christ commandeth thee, Break not a 
Mat. 12. 20.  bruised Reed, quench not the smoking flax. Paul, that so hated sin, and sharply reproved it in Elymas the Sorcerer, saying, O full of 
Acts. 13. 10.  all subtlety, and all mischief, the Child of the Devil, and enemy to all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the strait ways of the Lord? Yet writing to the Corinthians, he saith, I fear lest when 
2 Cor. 12. 21.  I come again, my God abase me among you, and I shall bewail many of them which have sinned already, and have not repent of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness, which they have committed: For as there was nothing that did so much rejoice his heart, as when his preaching profited, so nothing did more cast down his heart, then when his labour did no good: and again he saith, We are fools for Christ's sake, and ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, and ye 
1 Cor. 4. 10, 11, 12, 13, 21.  are strong; ye are honourable, and we are despised; unto this hour we both hunger & thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, and labour, working with our own hands; we are reviled, and yet we bless. We are persecuted, and suffer it; we are evil spoken of, and we pray: we are made as the filth of the world, the off scouring 
The godly bewail the fearful estate of the wicked.  of all things, unto this day. He came not with a rod, but in love, and in the Spirit of meekness: he wept over the Philippians. jeremy cries out against the sins of the jews, saying, I hearkened and heard, but no man spoke aright, no man repent him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to their race, as the horse 
Phil. 3. 18. jer. 8. 6, 7.  into the battle: even the Stork in the air knoweth her appointed time, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people knoweth not the judgement of the Lord: Yet did he it with great compassion, as appeareth by his own words, saying, Oh that my head were full of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of 
jer. 9 1.  my people! How greeved it Samuel, after that God had cast away Saul! The text doth say, that Samuel mourned for Saul, and God did chide him for it, saying, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing 
1 Sam. 15. 25. Cap. 16. 1.  I have cast him away, for reigning over Israel? Samuel did not say, as many do, Let him perish, Let him die, He is a reprobate, Let him go; but mourned and sorrowed for him. Yea the Lord jesus wept over jerusalem, so saith the Evangelist, When he came near and beheld the City, he wept over it, saying, Oh if thou hadst 
Luk. 19  known at the least in this thy day the things that do belong unto thy peace! etc. As if he should have said, Alas poor town, alas poor people, ye are now merry and jocund: but oh poor souls, you know not your state, how near your fall is: whereupon one noteth, We read that Christ was hungry, weary, sorry, angry, how he wept often; but we read not that he laughed: for even this 
Mat. 21. john 4. john 11. Mat. 3. Mat. 12. 25.  laughter proceedeth from vanity; Ea sola ridentur, quae notant turpitudinem aliquam non turpiter. As Christ was God, he said: I give thee thanks, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast opened them to children: But as he was man, he sorrowed for the wicked; and here, by the way note, for the weak and penitent, that when we speak roughly, and denounce menaces, we do it not to them, but to the impenitent: For as a Father sometimes layeth Ratsbane, to kill mice, and the children ignorantly fall upon it: so the weak apply the menaces done to the reprobate, to themselves; but yet they pertain not to them, but to the bastards, to the impenitent. The Lord will try the righteous, but the wicked, and him that loveth 
Psal. 11. 5. 6.  iniquity, doth his soul abhor; upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and stormy tempest, this is the portion of their cup. Wherefore hear the Word of the Lord, ye scornful men: You say, that you made a Covenant with death, and are with Hell at agreement, but your Covenant with death shall be dissolved, and your agreement with Hell shall not stand, but the scourge shall run over you, and pass thorough you, etc.  
Again, though we must have compassion of some, and pity them; yet this compassion and pity must chiefly extend to the 
We must imitate Christ in mercy & compassion.  soul of a sinner (as partly was touched before;) for Saint jude speaketh here of the soul, this is the highest and greatest point of compassion in the world, to pity the soul, to help it: Learn this of the Schoolmaster of the world, of the wisdom of the 
Col 2. Hebr. 2. Apoc. 1.  Father, of the brightness of glory, the Ancient of days: for he had pity on the ignorance of the people: saith the Evangelist. When he saw the multitude, he had compassion upon them, because he saw 
Mat. 9 36.  them destitute, as sheep wanting a shepherd. He weepeth now over many a congregation in England, that is without a pastor; he pitieth all sinners, He is a merciful and faithful high Priest, and he 
Hebr. 2. 17. cap. 4. 15.  is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. We are all to learn of Christ, to have pity on our ignorant brethren, to instruct them, to teach them, to exhort them, to do them good; blessed are such: so saith Solomon, He that winneth souls, (that is, that bringeth them to the knowledge of God) is wise; the tongue of such a one is as fined 
Prov. 11. 30. Prov. 10. 20.  silver: those pastors feed best, that are pitiful and compassionate. Papists pretend to follow Christ in those things that are impossible; as in fasting forty days; in giving the Holy Ghost to their shavelings; in opening the eyes of the blind, in doing miracles; but in teaching and preaching, & showing mercy to the people's souls, they never come near him: they seek not the rest of their souls, as Christ did. I am commanded to have compassion on the body of my brother, as, To deal bread to the hungry, to bring the poor that wandreth, into my 
Mat. 11. 29. Esay 58. 7.  house, to cover the naked, and never to hide my face from mine own flesh; but specially I must have compassion on the soul of my brother, for the more precious that a thing is, the more care is ever to be had of it; herein standeth the love of a father to his children, of the Prince to his subjects, of the minister to his flock, of one friend to another; for you know the Commandment, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but thou shalt 
Levit. 19 17.  plainly rebuke thy neighbour, and suffer him not to sin. It is strange to see how we pity an Ox, or an Ass fallen into a ditch, but not a brother drowned in sin; it is vile to set an house on fire, but it is vile also to pass by it, and not to quench it, when it is in our power: it is vile to wound a man, but it is vile also to pass by him, as the Levite did, and as the Priest did, and not to help him, as the Samaritane did: it is vile to sin, it 
Luk. 10.  is vile also not to reprove a sinner, and in time of need, not to comfort him, to save a soul: He that hath converted a sinner from going 
jam. 5. 20.  astray out of the way, shall save a soul from death, and he shall hide a multitude of sins. We think it a great matter to give a penny or two to a poor man: but what though I help his need, fill his belly, cloth his nakedness, and yet pity not his ignorance, blasphemy, and to increase knowledge, zeal, and the fear of the Lord in him; our liberality is maimed, we pity, but the worst and weakest part, that is, the body: follow therefore the 
Obstinate sinners must be terrified.  counsel of the Apostle, Instruct with meekness them that are contrary minded, (meaning such as are not come to the knowledge of the truth, but fall through ignorance) proving that God at any 
2 Tim. 2. 25.  time will give them repentance, that they may know the truth.  
Again, as some men are to be pitied, so other some are to be reproved, and must have the judgements of God denounced against them, and must be terrified with menaces, for that they sin of malice, not of weakness; in knowledge, not in ignorance; they be pertinaces: stubborn, obstinate opinionative, & so to be handled; For as we must not be too sharp against a weak brother, lest we deprive him of hope: so we may not be too soft with an obstinate man, lest we increase his pride; the one may be driven to desperation, the other to presumption; we may not incidere in Scyllam, evitare Charybdim: We must not fall into Scylla, to avoid Charybdis, but draw out God's sword, and lay God's axe to the root of their trees: so S. Paul in one of his Epistles to 
Mat. 3.  the Corynthians, used oil to mollify, in the other, wine to search 
1 Cor. 5.  the wounds; he brought not a search-cloth, but a searing iron. For there be four uses of the Scripture, to teach 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  truth; to confute error; to instruct in manners; to reprove viciousness of life: this aggravated the sin of Ananias, that he 
Act. 5. 4.  sinned willingly, and this extenuated the sin of the jews, that they did it ignorantly: Ignorantia enim liberat non à toto, sed à tanto. If Elymas had been a weak brother, Paul would not have used the 
Act. 3. 17.  roughness that he did: but because he was an inveterate enemy, steeped in his Lees, frozen in his dregs, he rattleth him up, and saith, O full of all subtlety, and mischief, the child of the Devil, and 
Act. 13. 10.  enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the strait ways of the Lord? So Saint Peter dealt with Simon Magus, Thy money 
Act. 8. 20.  perish with thee, because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obtained with money. james and john were filij tonitrui: sons of thunder; we had need now not speak, but thunder, not use tongues, but trumpets, men are so asleep, that they will not awake, except we thunder. It is said of the three Ministers of Geneva, Vireto nemo fatur dulcius, Farrello nemo tonuit fortius, Calvino nemo docuit doctius: None ever spoke more sweetly than Viret, none thundered more strongly than farrel, none taught more learnedly than Calvin. He that could do all these three, were a perfect Minister. A Christian must not be afraid to reprove sin; Noah reproved the old world; Lot, Sodom, and Gomorah; Samuel, Saul; Nathan, David the King; jaddi and Ahias, jeroboam the Idolater; Hanani, 
1 Reg. 13. 1 Reg. 14.  Asa; Elias, Ahab; jeremy— but what, should I rip up all the Prophets, Christ, john the Baptist, & the Apostles? Ignatius reproved Trajane; Ambrose, Theodocian; Polycarpe, Martion; Chrysostome the Clergy; Gelasius, Anastasius. All these reproved sin, and are precedents to us to do the same. If Herod will marry his brother's wife. Let john tell him, Non licet, it may not be; if Ahab will go 
The Prophets of God have terrified the wicked.  to Ramoth in Gilead, Michea must tell him, he shall never return; if Amazia forbidden Amos to preach, he may tell him, Thy wife shall be an harlot in the City, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou shalt dye in a 
Mat. 14. 1 Reg. 22. Amos 7. 17.  polluted Land, and Israel shall surely go into captivity. If the men of jerusalem will scorn us and our doctrine, Let us say unto them, Hear the Word of the Lord, ye scornful men▪ Thus saith the 
Esa. 23. 14, 17.  Lord, judgement will I lay to the rule, and righteousness to the balance, and the hail shall sweep away your vain confidence, etc. This teacheth Ministers to deal plainly and roundly, not to blanche, not to bring honey in stead of wormwood; not to do as the false prophets did, of whom God speaketh thus, They have healed the hurt of 
jer. 6. 14.  the daughter of my people, with sweet words, saying, Peace, peace, when there was no peace. This was their sin, the prophets looked out 
Lamen● 2. 14.  vain and foolish things for you, they have not discovered your iniquities, but have looked out false prophecies and causes of banishment. Esay said of the prophets of that time, Qui ducunt te, 
Esay. 9 15.  seducunt te: The leaders of the people cause you to err, and they that are led by them, are devoured; they should have mourned, not piped. jeremy cried out against these prophets, I have seen in the prophets of jerusalem, filthiness, they commit adultery, and walk in 
jer. 23. 14.  lies, they strengthen also the hands of the wicked, that none can return from his wickedness, they are all unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorah: therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the Prophets of jerusalem is wickedness gone forth into all the land: Hear not the words of these prophets (saith the Lord of Hosts) that prophecy unto you, and teach you vanity, and speak the vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord: they say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, ye shall have peace, and they say to every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. So did Ezechiel at Gods own commandment cry out against these prophets, saying, Woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. O Israel, thy prophets are 
Ezech. 13. 3, 4.  like the Foxes in waste places, they have seen vanity, and lying divinations, etc. And of these prophets Almighty God complaineth sore, 
Ezeth. 22. 25, 26, 28.  saying; The prophets are like roaring Lions, ravening for the prey, they have devoured souls, they have taken the riches, and precious things, they have made her many widows, her priests have broken my Law, and have defiled mine holy things: They have put no difference between the holy and profane; neither discerned between the clean and unclean, they have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them, they daub with untempered mortar; seeing vanities and divining lies, etc. Ministers must not be of the number of these prophets, but they must cry aloud, and not spare, they must lift up their voices like trumpets, they must show the people their offences, and the house of 
Esay. 58. 1.  jacob her sins. Christ, who broke not a bruised reed, yet thundered against the Pharises, and denounceth many woes against 
They that reproove, profit more than they that sooth.  them.  
This also teacheth the people to suffer the Word of Exhortation: but flatterers are most esteemed of them, such as can sow 
Mat. 12. 20. cap. 25. Esay. 30. 10. 1 Reg. 22. 8.  pillows under their elbows, and can preach placentia, pleasing things unto them. Ahab cannot abide Michea, if he prophecy otherwise, than he would have him. This is the difference between a wise man, and a fool; the wise will hear rebukes, but the foolish will not: so saith Solomon, Rebuke not a scorner, (meaning them that are incorrigible, such as Christ calleth dogs 
Prov. 9 8.  and hogs: or he speaketh this by way of comparison, not that the wicked should be rebuked, but he showeth their malice, and the small hope of their amendment.) Well, Rebuke not a scorner (saith Solomon) lest he hate thee; but rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. And the Prophet speaking of the wicked, saith, They hate him that speaketh in the gate (meaning the Prophet, that openly 
Am●●. 5. 10.  reproveth them) and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. But if a Physician give a sharp potion, or a Surgeon, a sharp corrasive, it is not to kill the patiented, but to recover him. If a shepherd, after his whistle, sets his dog on his sheep, it is not to woorry them, but to return them home; therefore let men suffer the Word of exhortation, as the Apostle intreateth them, saying, I beseech you, brethren, suffer the Word of Exhortation: You are 
Hebr. 13. 22.  sheep, we shepherds, and no difference but this, that they in the field have to do with unreasonable sheep; we in the Church with reasonable: yet some are woolves, not sheep; some are unreasonable and evil men, yet rebuke them. Dilexit Theodosius arguentem: non adulantem: Theodosius loved a reprover, not a flatterer, for better are the wounds of a lover, than the kisses of an hater. David wished to be rebuked: Let the righteous smite me, for that is a benefit, and let him reprove me, and it shall be a precious oil. Better 
Psal. 141. 5.  we chide, than God chide.  
And other save with fear.] The fear here named, is not only the denouncing of judgement, by way of doctrine against impenitent sinners, but also the holy discipline of the Church, the fearful sentence of Excommunication, whereby men are delivered up to Satan, as was the incestuous Corinthian, of whom Paul writeth thus, When ye are gathered together, and my spirit with you, in the name of our Lord jesus Christ; that such one, I say, by the power 
1 Cor. 5. 4, 5:  of our Lord jesus Christ, be delivered unto Satar for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord jesus. So Hymeneus and Alexander were excommunicate and delivered up to Satan 
1 Tim. 1. 20.  for their blasphemy. For can there be a greater fear, then to think, that we are estranged from the company of the Saints, put out of the Church, delivered into the power of Satan, wholly committed and commended to the Devil? Thus Babilas Bishop of Antioch, excommunicated Philip the Emperor for the executing 
Divers kind● of excommunication.  of an hostage committed unto him: thus Ambrose Bishop of Milan excommunicated Theodosius for a murder done at Thessalonica; thus Symonachus excommunicated Anastasius the Emperor for blasphemy, and Paganism: thus Innocentius excommunicated Arcadius & Eudoxia, for persecuting Chrysostome. Thus are vile men to be handled, they are to be excommunicate and delivered up to Satan: We must have no fellowship with them. Finely saith one, Triplex est Communio: there is a threefold 
Hemingius.  Communion, Spiritualis, Moralis, Sacramentales. Spiritual, Moral, Sacramental.  
The first with God in a spiritual life, the second with men in our daily conversing, the third, with the Pastor and the Church in partaking of the holy mysteries.  
And again, Triplex est excommunicatio; Spiritualis, Moralis, Sacramentalis. Spiritual, Moral, Sacramental.  
Spiritual, whereby a man is shut out of Heaven, and shall never be partaker of the price of our high calling, which is in Christ jesus.  
Moral, whereby a man is excluded from the company of men. Sacramental; whereby he is excluded from prayer, the Word & Sacraments. And this excommunication is a fearful thing; it is to be cut or divided from the body of Christ, and to be delivered up to Satan.  
There is a two fold use of Excommunication:  
First,  excommunicatus pudore victus, ad poenitentiam excitetur, & deflectat à malo: That the excommunicate may be ashamed of 
2 Cor. 2. 7.  his sin, and be brought to repentance, and so to eschew evil. Secondly, Ne contagio ad reliquos serpat: Lest the contagion should creep and infect others; For a little leaven soureth a whole lump of 
2 Cor. 5. 6.  dough: And excommunication is sometime just, sometime unjust: but howsoever it passeth against us, justly, or unjustly, it is to be 
Greg.  feared. Sententia excommunicationis siuè justa, siuè injusta, metuenda est.   

THE SIX AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXIII. 
Pulling them out of the fire. 
The sinner, in a dangerous estate.   
BEfore ye heard, that we must use discretion, and put difference of sinners, to pity some, and to reprove some; To save them with fear, that is, by sharp reproofs to draw them out of danger. Now here in these words he showeth the great danger men are in; when they sin, they are in the fire, ready to be consumed, and therefore he saith, Pluck them out of the fire. And who can pluck them out of the fire, but with violence? This is the state of the wicked, they are as dry trees and rotten wood; and two things are prepared for them, a sharp hatchet, and a quick fire: for, every tree, that bringeth 
Luke 3. 9  not forth good fruit, shall be hewed down, and cast into the fire. This is that which the Apostle calleth, the deceitfulness of sin. Exhort one 
Hebr. 3. 13.  another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; It promiseth safety, and bringeth destruction; so the Apostle affirmeth, Sin (saith he) took occasion by the Commandment, and thereby slew me. We think we are well 
Rom. 7. 11.  enough when we sin, and yet indeed we are at the very pits mouth, For when the wicked grow as grass, and all workers of iniquity 
Psal. 92. vers. 7.  flourish, then shall they be destroyed for ever: And job speaking of the wicked: saith, One dieth in his full strength, being in all ease and 
job. 21. 23, 24.  prosperity, his breasts are full of milk, and his bones full of marrow.  
And as the sudden ruin of the wicked is set out by fire, they are 
The fickle estate of the wicked.  ready to be burned; so again, their state is described by ye, they are as men, that walking on an ye, suddenly fall. So saith the Psalmist, Thou dost set them in slippery places, and castest them 
Psal. 73. 17, 18.  down into desolation; how suddenly are they destroyed, perished, and horribly consumed? Their estate also is set out by grass and herbs, which grow to day, and are cut down to morrow; so saith David: They shall soon be cut down like grass, and shall whither 
Psal. 37. 2.  as the green herb: their estate also is compared to Chaff, which now lies in the floor, and by and by is blown away with the wind. The Prophet saith, They are as Chaff which the wind driveth away. Alas, all their felicity, and great pomp, it 
Psal. 1. 4.  is but a dream, it is but as Chaff, the least blast of God's wrath will overthrow all their happiness and felicity, which at the best is most uncertain and mutable. job saith, They spend their days in pleasure; and suddenly go down to Hell. And he saith, The Lord 
job 21. 18.  doth make them as stubble before the wind, and as chaff shall they be dispersed: for in a moment they are gone, and like chaff scattered abroad: the godly are as trees; the wicked are as chaff; there is difference between chaff and trees.  
jeremy layeth out the estate of the wicked, by comparing them to sheep; Let us talk with thee of thy judgements (saith jeremy 
jer. 12. 1, 2, 3.  to God) Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all they in wealth, that rebelliously transgress? Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root, they grow, and bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, but fare from their reynes: and at last he saith, Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. Now they live, and within an hour are led to the shambles. job compareth them to a dream or vision in the night, and saith, That the rejoicing of the wicked is but 
job 20. 5, 8, 9  short, and the joy of hypocrites is but for a moment: he shall flee away as a dream, and they shall not find him, and shall pass away as a vision in the night, so that the eye which had seen him, shall see him no more, and his place shall see him no more. Moses compareth them to a tale that is told, and he saith, that they bring their years to an 
Psal. 90.  end as a tale that is told: and Saint james to a vapour, that continueth but a little season. How soon is the ye molten? How soon 
jam. 4.  is the flower withered? How soon is a vapour consumed of the Sun? How soon is a dream vanished? How soon is a tale told? How soon is a ship past? How swift is the flight of an 
job 4. 25.  Eagle? And such is our life: so elegantly David setteth out their fall, I have seen (saith he) the wicked strong, spreading himself like a green Bay three, yet he passed away, and he was gone; I sought him, but he could not be found: they are gone, they shall no more return 
Psal. 37. 35, 36.  to their fair houses, and their places shall know them no more where they dwelled; & how they lived we know, but where they died, & where they are, God knoweth; they were here, but they are gone; Ederunt, biberunt, riserunt, luserunt: they have eaten, drunken, laughed, sported, and made themselves merry; but suddenly 
No man's estate permanent.  they are gone. Fear dwelleth in their houses, and brimstone is scattered in their habitations: their roots are dried up beneath, and above is his branch cut down, his remembrance shall perish from the earth, and 
job 18, 15, 16, 17.  he shall have no name in the street.  
David in his Epitaph cryeth out, Quomodo ceciderunt potentes? How are the mighty overthrown? So how are these wicked ones overthrown? So Saint Ambrose made it the foot of his song, speaking of the death of the three noble Emperors, Valentinian, Gratian, and Theodosius; Omnibus, O Valentiniane & Gratiane, speciosi fuistis; O Valentinian and Gratian, that have been 
Oratione funebride Theodosi● obitu & Gratiani.  beautiful to all, and admired of all, conjoined in life, not divided in death, one grave did not separate them, whom one affection joined together, meeker than Doves, swifter than Eagles, stouter than Lions, gentler than Lambs; the bow of Gratian never turned back, neither did the sword of Valentinian return empty. Quomodo ceciderunt potentes? How are the mighty fallen? O quomodo? O how? how? Again speaking of Theodosius, he saith, Obitum ejus omnia elementa moerebant: All the Elements mourned for his death; the Sun was eclipsed, the Moon did not shine, the Air was darkened, the Earth trembled, the Waters roared, and the whole World bewailed the loss of such a man: Quomodo ceciderunt potentes? O quomodo corruerunt? How are the mighty fallen? How are the mighty overthrown? etc. No man's state is permanent: let no man trust his present state: for how soon are rich men impoverished? How suddenly are wise men infatuated? How soon are the honourable abased? How suddenly are the strong weakened? How suddenly are the fair blemished? Laban hath lost his sheep, Achitophel his wisdom, Haman 
Gen. 30. 2 Sam. 16. Ester.  his honour, Samson his strength, Absalon his beauty, Dionysius his kingdom? How suddenly do the wicked perish? The wicked are as men in the fire, ready to be burned, as prisoners adjudged ready to be executed, as sheep for the shambles; For behold, Pharaoh now sitting in his chariot, now drowned in the Sea, 
Exod. 14.  and meat for Haddocks! Behold Balthasar, now tossing the pots, and by and by quaking like a beast; behold Herod, now sitting in a chair of gold, and the people crying, The voice of a God, and not of a man, and presently strucken of an Angel, and eaten of Worms; behold Dionysius, to day a King in Syracuse, to morrow a Schoolmaster in Corinth. Lastly, behold Cardinal Woolsey with silver pillars, pollaxes, and golden crosses, writing, I and my King, and within a while dead at Leicester of an Italian Fig, with his stinch putting out the torch. To these examples of Balthasar, Pharaoh, Dionysius and others, ●erome addeth many more. Nam feriunt summes fulmine montes, subitò: The Lightnings strike the high mountains suddenly. Constantins 
Death comes not sudden to the godly.  died suddenly in a Village called Mopsi; julianus was suddenly hit with an arrow from Heaven; jovinianus stifled with stinch in a vomit of blood, Valius perished in the wars against the Goths; Gratian was slain suddenly at Lions; Valentinianus the younger was hanged; Procopius Maximinus, Eugenius (quoth he) died suddenly on the sword; they say that Gregory the thirteenth died suddenly of a Rheum, of whom Beza wrote, Nec panifex, nec potifex, sed carnifex, Papa pater pontifex. This is the case of all men. But what wicked man will believe this, till he feel it? Every man flatters himself, till the plague come, and then he cryeth out that it came too suddenly, it came ere he looked for it; For certainly, when a man shall hear the words of the curse, and 
Deut. 29. 19, 20.  bless himself in his heart, and saith, I shall have peace, although I walk after the stubbornness of mine own heart, thus adding drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not be merciful unto him, but the wrath of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and every curse that is written in this book, shall light upon him, and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven. Solomon noteth three things in the wicked; their plague cometh shortly, suddenly, and without recovery; for mark his words, His destruction (saith he) comes 
Prov. 6. 15.  speedily, he shall be destroyed suddenly, without hope of recovery: all these three be fearful. The wages of sin is death, yea sudden death. We pray in the Litany to be delivered from sudden death: 
Rom. 6. 23.  but our prayer is nothing, except our life be godly; that shall give a rest to God's children. No sickness, no death cometh suddenly 
Esa. 28. 12.  to the child of God, for he prepareth himself ever, he is a child of light, and of the day, therefore he will not sleep as other men do, but he will watch and be sober. God's children have oil in their Lamps, that is, Faith and Repentance; 
1 Thess. 5 5, 6. Mat. 25.  they have made their reckonings, their loins be girt, and their lights burning; and let us be like unto these servants, that wait 
Luk. 14. 28.  for their master, when he cometh from the marriage, that when he cometh & koncketh, we may open unto him immediately. 
Luk. 12.  The troubles that came upon job were not sudden, he looked for them long before they came; Multa cadunt inter calicem, supremaque labra: many things happen between the cup and the upper 
job 1. 25.  lip, but not to the godly, for they stand always in awe of God, and are afraid to offend him: for which cause Solomon counteth them blessed, saying, Blessed is the man that feareth always: And again, he saith, A prudent man seethe the plague, and hideth himself, 
Pro. 28. 14. Prov. 22. 3.  that is, the punishment that is prepared for the wicked, and flieth to God for succour; he seethe his wants, he suspecteth himself, he daily asketh God mercy; whereas the wicked feareth nothing, like the Amalekites, who eating, drinking, 
1 Sam. 30. 16.  playing, dancing, and even in the midst of all their sport and pastime were suddenly slain: For the wicked say, Come, I will bring wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink, and to morrow 
Repentance and godly life must not be deserted till death.  shall be as this day, and much more abundant: but God saith, Hac nocte repetent animam tuam: This night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee; when some are eating, some drinking, some stealing, some whoring, some building, buying, selling, 
Esay 56. 12. Luke 12. 45. 1 Thess. 5. 2, 3.  then shall God come: For the day of the Lord shall come even as a thief in the night: for when they shall say, Peace, peace, sudden destruction shall come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a Woman travelling with child, and they shall not escape: and therefore the counsel of Augustine is good, Vitam emendare, dum tempus habenius, to amend our lives, while we have time: Operari dum dies est, to work, 
Aug. Ser. 4. de sanctis.  while it is day: Pulsare dum aperitur ostium; to knock while the door is opened; falcem mittere, dum messis durat; to thrust in the sickle, while the harvest lasteth; Negotiari tempore nundinarum; to buy and sell while the Fair or Market lasteth; Misericordiam implorare, ante diem justitiae; to crave mercy, before the day 
2 Cor. 5. 2.  of justice approacheth: For now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation. Beg mercy then to day, thou knowest not whether God will give thee time and grace to do it to morrow. To this saying of Augustine, I might add the saying of Jerome upon his deathbed, as saith Eusebius Cremonensis, Curio moraris, miser, de die in diem converti ad Deum? O miserable and wretched man, why dost thou defer from day to day to be converted unto God? Cur te jam malorum nonpoenitet? Why dost thou not now repent thee of thy sins and wickedness? Ecce mors properat, ut te conterat: Behold, death approacheth to tear thee, and kill thee; the Devil plyeth him to receive thee; the worms expect thee daily to devour thee; wit and strength and all begin to fail thee. But thou wilt say, I will repent in articulo mortis; at the very point of death. O vana suspitio, oh falsa meditatio! O vain suspicion, oh false meditation! Look and see, if thou canst find one of an hundred, nay, one of a thousand, that have obtained this grace, and mercy of God, that his end should be happy, whose life was unhappy; his death good, whose conversation hath been bad. Ignis est ira Dei: Gods wrath is fire: Nos sumus stipula: we are as stubble and straw devoured of the fire: wherefore let us work while it is day, the night cometh when as no 
john 9  man can work. And as Noah built the Ark in fair weather, and joseph laid up grain and corn in the seven plentiful years; and 
Gen. 6.  as the Ant that hath neither Master, Ruler, nor Guide, provideth in the plenty of Summer for the dearth of Winter; so let us 
Prov. 6.  like good Noah's build the Ark of a good Conscience, before the judgement overflow; like provident josephs', let us lay up the grain of godliness in the barns of our hearts, before the dearth of Mercy come, and like painful Aunts, provide food for our souls, before the Winter of justice doth approach. And whatsoever 
Eccles. 11.  we put our hands unto, let us do it quickly; For there is neither work, nor invention, nor wisdom, nor understanding in 
Ministers save the souls.  the grave that we go unto.  
Save them with fear, in plucking them out of the fire.] he saith, Save them with fear. Christians are said to save men, when God useth their speech and exhortation to do good on men; they are said to win souls, which is the greatest gain in the world: For all the gold in the world laid in one balance, and the soul of a man in another, will not countervail one soul; they cost more than so, for We are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 
1 Pet. 1. 18.  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled, and without spot. Solomon gained gold and silver, and had it in abundance: Alexander gained men, for he subdued whole hosts: Augustus gained 
1 Reg. 10. Luk. 2.  Countries, for he taxed the world; but good men gain souls: this is most of all; For he that winneth souls, is happy; happy indeed : For they that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the 
Prov. 11. 30. Dan. 12. 3.  stars for ever and ever. We are said to convert a sinner, because God useth our ministry in it: and this should be our chief care, to convert one another from sin, to sanctity; from Sodom to Zion; from Babylon to jerusalem; from the power of Satan, unto God; For he which hath converted a sinner from going astray out of the 
jam. 5. 20.  way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins: And our Saviour saith, If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell 
Mat. 18. 15.  him his fault between him and thee; if he hear thee, thou hast won thy brother. If parents were as careful to win the souls of their children, as they are to save their bodies; and masters to do the same to their servants, by instructing their family; God should have more glory, and they more comfort: but to complain of this, Vbi incipiam, aut ubi desinaem? Where should I begin, and where should I make an end? All the foundations of the earth are out of course, most men have no conscience of them that be under them, and an heavy judgement remaineth for them: their judgement is just, and their damnation sleepeth not. Paul would not 
2 Pet. 2.  have the husband to leave the wife, nor the wife the husband, for that the one may save the soul of the other; for mark his words, For what knowest thou, o wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? 
1 Cor. 7. 16.  or what knowest thou, o man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? Even so what knowest thou, o Father, whether thou shalt save thy child? And what knowest thou, o master, whether thou shalt save thy servant? do thou thy duty: leave the success to God. For neither is he that planteth, any thing, nor he that watereth, but God 
1 Cor. 3. 7.  that giveth the increase: So the Minister is said to save men; Take heed (saith Paul to Timothy) to thyself, and to thy doctrine, and continue 
1 Tim. 4. 16.  therein, for in so doing, thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee: And yet to speak strictly and properly, there is no Saviour but God; for, there is salvation in no other, neither is there any 
Act. 4. 12.  other name given unto men, whereby they shall be saved: that is, no other cause or mean. Yet it is said that grace saveth, The grace 
Tit. 2. 11.  of God bringeth salvation to all men; And that the Word saveth: For it pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them 
Many concur in the work of Salvation.  that believe: And that faith saveth; By grace are ye saved through faith; And that the Sacraments save us: so saith Saint P●ter, The figure, that now saveth us, even Baptism, etc. 
1 Cor. 1. 21. Ephes. 2. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 21.  And that Ministers save us; so said Paul afore Agrippa, that God had appeared unto him, for this purpose, To open the eyes of the Gentiles, that they may return from darkness to light, from the power 
Act. 26. 18.  of Satan, unto God; meaning, that they might be saved: and that God saveth us, Ego sum, ego sum, & praeter me non est Salvator: I am, 
Esa. 42.  I am, and besides me there is no Saviour; that Christ saveth us, for the Apostle saith, That he is the Saviour of all men, but especially 
1 Tim. 4. 10.  of them that believe: That the Holy Ghost saveth us: and all this is true in a godly sense: grace saveth as the origen, the root of all; 
1 john. 5.  the Word as a means under God, faith as the instrument, Sacraments as helps and leaders to Heaven; Ministers as Legates from God; God as the efficient cause, Christ as the material, 
john 3. 16. 1 john. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 11.  the Holy Ghost as the applying cause.  
And by the way note, that if the Minister under God saveth men, how then dare some say, that they do no good? Do they no good, that save men's souls? Yes, their lips feed many, The 
Prov. 10, 11, 20, 21.  mouth of a righteous man is a well of life, the tongue of a just man is as fined silver; the lips of the righteous do feed many: But many think that the Preacher doth no good, they think, that they can go to heaven without a guide, they think themselves wise, and to see into all duties, as fare as the Minister. Well it may be, that they are wise in some respect; yet as the little eye of the Eagle can see from the height of Heaven, and the great eye of an Owl cannot see the Sun; so great men, and old men may oversee that which base men, and poor men may see, being learned in the Word. Hereupon said Elihu, Surely there is a spirit in man, but 
job 32. 8, 9  the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding; Great men are not always wise, neither do the Ancient always understand judgement. David said, I have had more understanding than all my teachers: 
Psal. 119. 99, 100  for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancient, because I keep thy precepts. As Polypheme had but one eye; so these Cyclopeans see but with one eye; they see but the world, they see not Heaven? Oh how long shall we charm these 
Psal. 55. Mat. 7.  deaf Adders? How long shall we give holy things to dogs, and cast pearls to swine? How long shall we play on Orpheus' harp to these Asses? How long shall we sow seed in this barren ground? We pray to be delivered from these unreasonable 
2 Thess. 3. 2.  and evil men. Shall Titius Sabinus his dog bring meat to the mouth of his dead Master, and hold up his head in Tiber from sinking, because sometime he gave him a crust of bread? And shall not the people love the Pastor that giveth them the Bread of Heaven, and saves their souls? Shall dogs be kinder than men? Or is there no good to be done to a Parish, but bodily 
The saving use should be made of the Word.  good? Christ fed four or five thousand with five barley loaves, and two fishes, but we read not, that he did it above twice, and that in necessity: But he bestowed three whole years in preaching to them; the greatest good that he did in his life, was in 
john 6. Mat. 14. Mat. 5. Mat. 13. Luke 24. Luke 10. Mat. 12. Act. 10. 38.  teaching them.  
In the Mount,  
In the Ship,  
In the Temple,  
In their Houses,  
In the Fields. Yea in all places; for he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil. These men therefore that say, that we do no good, have lost their senses and their souls also: For the living soul, as touching the natural life, hath four powers, and four touching the spiritual life, that is,  
Appetitive.  
Retentive.  
Digestive.  
Expulsive.  
It must desire the Word. Hereupon saith S. Peter, As new borne babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word; so did David, I will (saith 
1 Pet. 2. 2.  he) go to the Altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness, etc.  
2. It must keep; for, Blessed are they that hear the Word and 
Luk. 11. 28.  keep it: So did the Corinth's, for which cause, Paul did much praise them, saying, Now I commend you, brethren, that ye remember all my 
1 Cor. 11. 2.  things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.  
3. It must digest it into good manners; and to this purpose tendeth the exhortation of Saint james, See that ye be doors of the Word, not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. So did the Thessalonians, 
jam. 1. 22.  they received the Word, not as the word of man, but as it is 
1 Thess. 2. 1.  indeed, the Word of God.  
4. It must expel dishonest things; as namely, all maliciousness, and all guile▪ all dissimulation and envy, and all evil speaking: So did 
1 Pet. 2. 1.  the Antiochians: for the hand of the Lord was with them, so that a great 
Act. 11. 21.  number believed, and turned unto the Lord. All these benefits come by the teacher under God; For as the nurse hath two breasts to give milk to the Infant: so the Minister hath two also, doctrine and life; the one for example, the other for instruction: touching both, we will say as Paul said, Ye are witnesses, and God also, how 
1 Thess. 2. 10.  holily, and justly, and unblamably we behaved ourselves among them that believe. We appeal not to the Infidels, but to the believers: For if an inquest of Infidels be impanelled on us, certainly we go down. Elias shall be said to trouble Israel, the Apostles shall be seditious, john Baptist shall have the Devil, 
1 Reg. 18.  Christ is an enemy to Caesar; we appeal therefore from Infidels to believers, and we hope, they will acquit us: for we may labi in domo: fall in the house, but not à domo: from the house; they shall find us sine crimine, without offensive fault, though not sine peccato, without fault. 
Ministry the means of salvation.   
Well said the women of Rome to Constantius the Emperor, when he would have deposed Foelix, the Bishop, or have joined with him Liberius the heretic, V●us Deus, unus Christus▪ una fides, unus Episcopus; One God, one Christ, one faith, one Bishop, (quoth he.) Pretty is the fable of Demostenes, how the woolves made league of peace with the sheep, so that the dogs might be removed: but when the dogs were removed, the sheep were woorried: so the Devil maketh league with worldlings, so that they will put away their Ministers: but when they are removed, be sure, the Devil will woorry and devour the souls of the people, as the woolves did the sheep: For the great red Dragon, that hath seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads, and who with his tail draws down the third part of the stars of Heaven, and casts them to the earth, stands before the woman travelling with Child, to devour the Child as soon as it is brought forth: For when the shepherd is smitten, the flock will be scattered, and your adversary 
Mat. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 8.  the Devil, as a roaring Lion, goeth about seeking to devour. Well, of all the indignities offered to us, we will say as Mauritus said to Phocas, murdering his children, Videat Dominus, & judicet: So let God judge betwixt you and us: we labour to save you, and you are like the dog in the water, who biteth him by the hands, who would save him from drowning.  
When Fulvius cóquered over the French, & Scipio over Numantia, the people cried, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Saviour, A Saviour: & the earth rebounded, and the birds of the air fell down dead, with the resound of the earth, & yet these saved but men's bodies: Ministers save men's souls. As we cannot have trees without planting, 
1 Tim. 4. 13.  nor corn without sowing, nor houses without building: so we cannot come to heaven without teaching: the clouds pour down rain and make the earth fruitful, Ministers are the 
Ephes. 4. 20. Deuter. 32.  clouds, and their doctrines as the dew to make our hearts fruitful. Can a bird live without air, or a fish without water, or a body without a soul? No more can the soul without the Word; It is Verbum vitae, the Word of life: Triplex est vita: there is a threefold life: Vitanaturae brutis peculiaris, a life of nature peculiar 
jobn 6. Eccles. 2. Col 3. 3. Ephes. 4. 18.  to beasts; Vita gloriae, Angelis: A life of glory proper to the Angels; Vita gratia, elect is: and life of grace to the elect; and this life is had by the Word of God. Pregnant are the similitudes, that the Holy Ghost useth in the Scriptures, where he compareth Ministers to Fathers, to mothers, nurses, watchmen, 
1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal. 4. Ezeeb. 3. 1 Reg. 13. Hebr. 13. 7. Apoc. 12. 2.  and soldiers, overseers, stars. Children cannot be without fathers, nor brought up without mothers, nor tended without nurses. Cities in war cannot be kept without watchmen, nor kingdoms without soldiers, nor men walk in the dark without sta-light. ? mundo tollunt, qui Verbum Dei tollunt: They take the Sun out of world, that take away the Word: they are the 
Without the light of the Ministry, all in darkness.  light of the world, the salt of the earth, all would wander and rankle in their affections, if they were not: they should be as the men of Cimmeria, who never saw the Sun; men should sit in the Church, as the Egyptians did in their houses, not able to 
Exod. 10. Wisd. 5. 6.  arise in three days. Men might say, We have erred from the light of truth, the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the Sun of Understanding rose not up uponus. Philip rejoiced, that Alexander was borne in the days of Arislotle; Socrates rejoiced that he was borne an Athevian; and rejoice thou, that thou art a Christian, that thou livest in the days of a learned Ministry. The Queen of Sheba pronounced salomon's servants happy for hearing him; 
1 Reg. 10.  how happy then shall we think ourselves, that hear God speak to us by a Minister! O blessed men, that may hear God speak to us every Sunday, and every Thursday, for the increase of faith and repentance in every one of us! Blessed be that day, and happy be that hour, wherein God speaketh unto thee by a man. How happy was Galatia then? How did all the Churches count that a blessed Church? Philip thought Alexander happy, that he was borne in the days of Aristotle: and we think ourselves unhappy, that we are borne in the time of Light and doctrine: We wish a change, we wish Mariana tempora; we say, that it was a good world then, men loved one another: yet than they knew no love, no faith, no hope, no God, no Christ; they believed as the Church believed, and the Church believed, as they believe, and neither could tell what they believed. O blind times! o vile days! If a Prince should send an Ambassador to Rebels, to proclaim pardon, and they should take and abuse him; would it not kindle the ire of the Prince? So standeth the case betwixt God and his people; Ministers being God's Legates, Gods Heralds; men having run all the days of their life the broad way, when death cometh, than they call for a Guide, but than it is too late, if God's mercy be not the more.   

THE SEVEN AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXIII. 
And hate even the garment spotted in the flesh. 
We●●●ust abstain from all appearance of evil.   
THis is the last exhortation that Saint jude useth, to hate even the garment spotted in the flesh; that is, to hate not only the wicked works of the flesh, but also all things which are nigh unto it, all provocations, and enticements thereunto: and so Paul would have men not only to abstain from evil, but also from all show of evil: Abstain (saith he) from all appearance of 
● Th●ss. 5. ●●.  evil.  
Oh the great zeal of jude here, which ought to be a mirror to us all! And surely if we love God, we cannot but love virtue which he loveth, and hate sin, even the garment spotted in the flesh, which he hateth. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil, (saith the Prophet) he preserveth the souls of his Saints, and will deliver 
Psal. 97. 10.  them from the hand of the wicked. Note the condition; If men will have their souls preserved; if they will be freed and delivered from the wicked, they must hate evil; otherwise, no preservation of souls, no deliverance of them out of the hands of the wicked: they that sport and laugh at sin, are fools, and damned fools, reprobate fools, fools in folio, fools in print. The fool maketh a mock of sin (saith Solomon) and doth not know the greevousnesse thereof, nor God's judgements against the 
Prov. 14. 9  same. Do we laugh at Christ's death? at that which made 
We must have no communion with the wicked.  him sweat water and blood? at that for which an Angel came from Heaven, to comfort him? At that which cost him his heart blood? Sumus in fell nequitiae: We are in the gall of bitterness: What hearts have we, of flesh or of flint? of folly 
Act. 8. 23.  or of madness, that we can laugh at sin? We feed of ashes (as 
Esa. 44. 20. Psal. 11. Apoc. 2. 2.  the proverb speaketh.) Upon these men, God will rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest, this shall be their portion to drink. Oh how it pleased God, that the Ephesians hated the Nicolaitans! If that had not been, it is like, that God's plague had fallen upon them, seeing they were fall'n from their first love: but this made amends for all. David would not suffer a vile man in his house, There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house, he that telleth 
Mat. 10. 1, 7, 8.  lies, shall not remain in my sight: betimes will I destroy all the wicked of the Land, that I may cut off all workers of iniquity from the City of God. David would not sit in the chair of vile men; he hated the enemies of God. Do not I hate them, oh Lord, that hate thee? Do not I earnestly contend with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with an 
Psal. 1. 1. Psal. 139. 20.  unfeigned hatred as they were mine utter enemies. Let all that speak wickedly against God, and take his Name in vain, observe here, that they are no better than haters of God, and such as rise up against him. And further the Prophet, to work in us an hatred of the wicked, he saith, I have not sit with vain persons, neither will 
Psal. 26. 4, 5.  I go with dessemblers: I have hated the company of evil doers, and will not sit with the wicked. Now, if all that is written, is written for 
Rom. 15. 4.  our learning, this teacheth us to have no communion with the wicked. Hereupon, when the Apostle had inveighed bitterly against fornication and all uncleanness, filthiness, foolish talking and jesting; he giveth immediately the Ephesians this charge, not to be so deceived with vain words, as to be companions with 
Ephes. 5. 6, 7.  any defiled with the said evils. That which Solomon saith against making friendship with an angry man, and against going with 
Pro. 22. 24.  a furious man, is likewise to be practised touching all other wicked and ungodly men. jacob would not have his bones buried among 
Gen. 44. 29.  the Idolaters, he would then have shaken to have linked, and joined, and eaten, and drunken with them. Paul would not have the Corinth's eat with bad men, lest they should seem to countenance them, If any (saith he) that is called a brother, be a Fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a Railer, or a Drunkard, or an 
1 Cor. 5. 11.  Extortioner, with such a one eat not. If that Christianity were amongst ●● that aught to be, an open profane evil man should be unto us as a Viper, or a serpent, the smell of him should be so grievous, as the air or smell of the plague. For sin is the same to the soul, that the plague is to the body, rottenness to the apple, saving that the plague hurteth but for a time, sin for ever. For the worm dyeth not, and the fire never goeth 
Mar. 9 44.  out, that destroyeth the body, this destroyeth body and soul. For tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that doth 
Sin is as contagious to the soul, as the plague to the body.  evil.  
Wicked men must be avoided in respect Of God: Of ourselves.  
In respect of God, because they are Gods enemies, for so the 
Rom. 2. 9  Psalmist calleth them, saying, The wicked shall perish, and the enemies 
Psal. 37. 20.  of the Lord shall consume as the fat of Lambs, even as the smoke shall they consume away. And again, God will arise, and his enemies shall be scattered (meaning the wicked.) If they be God's enemies, it is 
Psal. 68 1.  fit that all good men should shun and avoid them. A subject will not have familiarity with a Traitor and Rebel against his Sovereign: the wicked are Traitors and Rebels against God; we ought therefore to have no familiarity with them.  
Again wicked men must be avoided in respect of ourselves, for they draw us into great danger; and the danger they draw us unto, is twofold.  
The one concerning our outward, The other concerning our inward Estate.  
Concerning our outward estate: how dangerous a thing it is to converse with the wicked; Let these two examples show, and let them be instar mille, in stead of a thousand: jehoshaphat was in so great danger by joining in wars with Achab, against the Aramites, that all the Aramites bend themselves against him (as supposing him to be Achab) and that if he had not in his extremity cried out unto the Lord, he had been slain in the battle.  
A second example we have in Ahaziah King of juda (himself being wicked) who went but to visit joram King of Israel (more wicked than himself) lying sick of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, and it cost him his life: For the sword of jehu smote him, and wounded him to death.  
Concerning our inward danger, the Apostle saith thus, Evil 
1 Cor. 15. 33.  words, or evil communications (that is, often conversation with the wicked, noted by the plural number) corrupt good manners: yea the Apostle is so severe in this point, that he will not have a wicked person suffered in the Congregation, and therefore he commandeth the incestuous Corinthian to be cast out, that is, excommunicated; and he giveth the reason, Know ye not that a 
1 Cor. 5. 5.  little leaven soureth a whole lump? Intimating thereby, that one evil person might corrupt the whole Church; and a little Coloquintida marreth a whole mess of pottage; one scabbed sheep 
1 Reg. 4. 39  infecteth a flock; one spark of fire may burn an house; and one infected house may spoil a City; one root of bitterness 
Hebr. 12. 15.  suffered to spring up, may trouble and defile many: sin is as contagious as any disease, and we are as apt to take the contagion of sin, as of the plague. This knew David well enough, and 
We must hate sin, because God hates it in all.  therefore he crieth out, Depart from me, ye wicked; keep aloof, come not near me to infect my Royal person: For I tell you plainly, I will keep the Commandments of my God. Even so, we 
Psal. 16.  should not brook the society of them that be vile and wicked, and hate to be reform, and cast Gods Words behind them. 
Psal. 50. 17.   
But some will say, This is a doctrine of preciseness; they say we need not be so severe against sinners; peccata eorum sunt parva & pauca: their sins be but small and few. But small sins may wound the conscience, and damn us, if we look not to them, to strive against them. A mouse is but little, yet killeth he an Elephant, if he get into his trunk; a Scorpion is little, yet able to sting a Lion unto death; the Leopard being great, is poisoned with an head of garlic; a little spittle of a man fasting, will kill a serpent: and the Devil by little sins will wound us to death. The sin, and the coat of the sin is to be hated, quoth Ambrose. 
Lib. 6. Hexameron.  A reason may be drawn from the blessed Trinity. God the Father hateth sin, The foolish shall not stand in his sight, and he hateth them that work iniquity; Therefore we his children must hate 
Psal. 5. 5.  it. God the Son hateth sin, saith the Apostle, Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore we his fellow brethren, 
Hebr. 1. 9  fellow heirs must hate it, that we may be like our elder brother. God the Holy Ghost hateth it, therefore it is said, Grieve not the Spirit, by whom we are sealed unto the day of Redemption: 
Ephes. 4. Gen. 3. 15.  Therefore we the temples of him must hate it: we must hate the serpent, and the seed of the serpent. By the hatred of God against the sin of Achan, judge of all sin. As great as the Eagle is, yet one may see her virtue in a feather: for it consumeth all feathers; as mighty as the fire of Aetna is, yet one may feel the heat of it in a spark; as huge as the sea is, yet one may taste the saltness of it in a drop; as great as the Whale is, yet we may feel the power of him in one breath. Hercules' body was known by the length of his foot, and we by this sin of Achan, may know God's hatred against all sins. For the theft of Achan buried close under the ground, broke forth such a stinch in the nostrils of God, as that his garment brought the plague to the whole host; and God no less hateth it in all men. Finely saith Augustine, Deus in non renatis odit & peccata & personas: God hateth in the not regenerate both their sins, and also their persons; in renatis verò odit peccata, non personas: in the regenerate he truly hateth their sins, but not their persons, as the physician hateth the disease of the sick man, not his person, or body of the sick.  
Again, From whence cometh sin, but from the Devil? What mean we then to join with Satan our enemy, and the enemy of God? He that committeth sin, is of the Devil; for, the Devil sinneth from the beginning: Resist the Devil therefore, give 
1 john 3. 8.  no place to him: He is an adversary, and shall we love him? He 
Sin must be hated, as it tends to God's dishonour.  is a serpent, and shall we trust him? He is a murderer, and shall we entertain him? Sin is furthered by him: therefore let us hate it. I grant, that some enemies are to be loved, because they are our enemies only: whereupon saith our Saviour, Love your 
jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Apoc. 10. ●ohn 8. 44. Mat. 5. 44.  enemies, do good to them that hate you; pray for them that persecute you. And some are to be hated, because they are Gods enemies, and the friends of Satan; so john the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet jehosaphat, and said unto him, wouldst thou help the 
2 Chro. 19 2.  wicked, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore for this thing the wrath of the Lord is upon thee. And so the wrath and judgement of God is over all those that support the wicked, and will not show themselves enemies to all such as hate the Lord.  
Wicked men must be hated, but yet for their evil, not as the evil concerneth any way us, but as the evil tendeth to the dishonour of God. Simeon and Levi hated the Sychemites for the 
Gen. 34. 25.  sin of their sister Dinah: but this hatred sprang not, in that God was dishonoured by this sin, but from a regard of themselves, because that hereby they might receive some disgrace. So Absalon is said to have hated his brother Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar, and two years after, he murdered his 
2 Sam. 23. 22.  brother for this fact; this hatred of Absalon against Amnon, though it were for Amnons' wickedness, yet it was not good, but wicked, for the original of this his hatred was not simply the sin of Amnon, as committed against God, but because Absalon had some special disgrace hereby; For Tamar was borne to David of the same woman that was mother also to Absalon. But we must hate the wicked, for their dishonouring of God, and not suffer them to go unreproved nor unpunished. Immmunity and impunity cause much iniquity. I would learn this; Are Papists the friends of God, or his enemies? If they be friends; Why have we professed otherwise these many years? If they be enemies, then do we well not to suffer them. You know what Christ said to the Church of Pergamus, I have a few things against 
Apoc. 2. 14.  thee, because thou hast there, them that maintain the doctrine of Balaam, which taught Balac to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, 
Vers. 15.  that they should eat of things sacrificed unto Idols, and commit fornication: even so hast thou them that maintain the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. So we have some among us that maintain the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, and therefore do well to reprove them, and punish them. The posterity of Saul being rooted out, the famine ceased. Baal Prophets 
1 Sam. 15. 2 Sam. 21. 1. 1 Reg. 18. 1 Reg. 20. 42.  being put to death, rain and blessing came from God. Remember God's speech to Ahab, Because thou hast let go a man out of thy hands, whom I appointed to dye, thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. This was the sin of the false prophets: They did strengthen the hands of the wicked. I would it were not the sin of 
jer. 23. 14.  some in this time. I would this sentence were written in the foreheads 
We must not suffer ourselves to be defiled in body or soul.  of our Rulers, or on the hems of their garments, as had the Pharises; trust not a jesuite, a Romish priest, bear not with him, flatter him not, he waiteth but his opportunity. If Cain may get Abel in the field, he will murder him; if Ishmael may get Godeliah fitly, he dieth for it; Designant oculis ad caedem unumquemque nostrûm, 
Gen. 4. jer. 42.  de urbis & orbis exitu cogitant: They have appointed to the slaughter every one of us, and they think of nothing, but of the ruin, destruction of City, Country and of the whole world. The adversaries of juda and Benjamin, notwithstanding their fair speeches to Zorobabel, and the rest of the Fathers, We will build with you: We will sacrifice with you; yet their 
Ezra. 4.  drift was to hinder the building. The Herodians fair speech to our Saviour, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way 
Mat. 22.  of God truly, etc. was, but to entrap Christ our Saviour: So all their shows of love and kindness towards us, is but to deceive, they wait but for a day, and then our bodies shall be made faggots for their fires. What though the fals-horned Lambs whom they serve, call themselves, Pius, Clemens, Innocent, Bonifacius, yet I may resemble them to the two thiefs of Naples; the one called himself Pater noster, the other Ave Maria, and yet under that colour they rob an 116. men: so these rob many poor souls, not of their substance only, but of their lives. But to leave this, we must hate the garment spotted in the flesh. We must be like unto them of the Church of Sardis, which defiled not their garments; 
Apoc. 3. 4.  we must by no means defile ourselves through sin, which by the Metaphor of a garment spotted in the flesh is understood. The Babylonians, whom God sent to destroy the men 
Lament. 4. 14.  of Zion, would not touch their garments, lest they should be defiled. If a man bear holy things in the skirt of his garment, and with 
Hag. 2. 13.  the skirt doth touch the bread, oil, wine, or meat, shall it be holy? the Prophet said, No. If a polluted man or person touch any thing of these, shall it be unclean? And the Priest answered, it should be unclean. For the thing which of itself is good, cannot make another thing so; but contrarily, the unclean and not pure in heart, do defile and spot those things, and make them odious unto God, which else are good and godly. Well, as jacob exhorted his household to 
Gen. 35. 2.  cleanse themselves, and change their garments: so must we cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  and put on our wedding garment of holiness and righteousness: So sh●ll we hate the garment spotted in the flesh. We must not be like the wicked, which love the garment spotted in the flesh, and therefore drink in iniquity like water; but we must fly from sin, as a serpent: the wicked are like Storks, who feed on venomous things, and make their nest in dung, and are full of sin, as the Leopard is of spots: but we must hate sin, as Amnon hated Thamar, with a double hatred. Why doth God hate the Devil, but for sin? by creation he is an Angel of light, by 
Sin only hated of God, and should be of the godly.  substance a spirit intellectual, in understanding more profound than any man; yet God hateth him for no other cause but sin, of which if he were rid, he were a more glorious and lovely creature, than any man, yet sin maketh us like the Devil, and 
Psal. 8.  no difference, but that he hath much sin; and he is all 
john. 8. 44.  sin, we are sinful, and he is sin itself, malice, envy itself; so vile is sin, that nothing could purge it, but Christ's blood, yea so vile it is, that hell and everlasting torments 
1 Pet. 1. 18.  are prepared for it, transit voluptas ejus, non mansura, manet poena non terminatura: the pleasure of sin passeth, & abideth not, the punishment remaineth, and endeth not. It was a divine voice of a heathen, that if there were no God to punish him, no Devil to torment him, no hell to burn him, no man to see him, yet 
Seneca.  would he not sin, for the ugliness of sin, and the grief of his own conscience. Hate sin therefore, and hate the Devil, hate death, hate damnation. Si scirem Deos mihi condonaturos, & homines ignoraturos, non peccarem tamen, ob solam peccati turpitudinem: If I knew certainly, that the Gods would pardon me, and that men were ignorant, and knew nothing of my transgression, yet would I not sin, because of the only turpitude of sin.  
We marvel, that things are so out of frame, that sin doth so abound; but what is the cause? Even our bearing with sin: for how can the ship be qniet, so long as jonas is in it? Moses 
Exod. 10. 26.  would not leave an hoof in Egypt; and we must not suffer sin to go unreproved. All the vessels of Baal must be burnt without the City; the very gold that was upon the Idols, was abomination; 
2 Reg. 23. 4.  and so sin is an abomination to God.  
And here by the way learn to kill sin in thyself, that God may spare thee; Mactemus porcum gulae, jugulemus hircum luxuriae, occid●mus Leonem iracundiae, extinguamus serpent●m hypocresios, conteramus c●lubrum invidiae, suffocemus Canem concupiscentiae: Let us slay the hog of gluttony, kill the goat of Lechery, murder the Lion of wrath, extinguish the serpent of hypocrisy, tear in pieces the Adder of envy, strangle the dog of concupiscence; yea Mortify all our earthly members, as fornication, uncleanness, unnatural lusts, evil concupiscence, and Covetousness, which is idolatry. Yea and Let us crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts: 
Col. 3. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Cor. 9  Ye and Let us chasten our bodies, and bring them in subjection. Yea and Let us deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and follow Christ.  
Again, jude here nameth vestem maculatam, the spotted garment; so the sin must be ha●ed, not the person that sinneth; the person must be loved, the sin hated: For the person is made after the Image of God, and God's Image must not be hated: the person is redeemed with Christ's blood; and seeing he 
Gen. 9  loveth them, we must love them. Again, he can make of Woolves, Lambs, Exvasisirae, vasa misericordiae: of vessels of 
Reprobates, not to be loved or prayed for.  wrath, vessels of mercy: therefore seek thou to save him, and instruct them with meekness, proving, if God at any time will give them repentance. Quis potest odisse hominem, cujus naturam & similitudinem videt in humanitate Christi? Who can hate a man, whose nature 
1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 25. August.  and similitude he may behold in the humanity of Christ? Deum odit, qui hominem odit: he hateth God, that hateth man: therefore amorem cum hominibus, odium cum vitijs: have love with men, hatred with their vices: so it is said of Ephesus; that they hated the deeds of 
Apoc. 2. Gen. 49.  the Nicolaitans, not their persons, but their errors: so jacob cursed the wrath of his sons, but blessed their persons: so Paul having bitterly enveighed against the Corinth's, yet loved the men, and spoke it, not to shame them; for so he himself saith, I writ not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children to admonish you: 
1 Cor. 4. 15.  thus would he have us deal with a bad man, with an excommunicate man, not to account him an enemy, but admonish 
2 Thess. 3. 15. 1 Cor. 5.  him as a brother; he would have his body punished, that his soul may be saved.  
But yet in some cases the wicked may be hated and cursed, when they show open signs of a reprobate mind; such God hateth: so saith the Prophet, Thou art not a God that loveth wickedness, 
Psal. 5. 4, 5.  neither shall evil dwell with thee; the foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all them that work iniquity. Such must not be prayed for. The Church therefore prayed not for julian, but against him; they knew him to be a reprobate. For there are two judgements; the judgement of Faith, and Love.  
The first is in God, the second is left to us: Multi enim lupi sunt intùs: there be many woolves within, if we respect the first; Et multaeoves foris; many sheep without, if we respect the latter: and yet we may judge, when men give signs of reprobation, and hate such persons: thus David hated the wicked, & bade them be packing; Away from me, ye wicked, I will keep the Commandments 
Psal. 119. 115.  of my God. And again, I have not haunted with vain persons, neither kept company with the dissemblers: I have hated the assembly of the evil, 
Psal. 26. 4, 5.  and have not companied with the wicked. But to leave this.  
Again, it is not enough to leave sin, but we must leave it with a conscience, with a hatred of it; many leave it to get credit: and some, lest they suffer loss by it, but not of conscience to God: and of many it may be said, they leave not sin, but sin leaveth them: the drunkard leaveth drinking, because his stomach is decayed; the Adulterer whoredom, for that the strength of nature faileth him; the quarrel leaves sighting, for that he is crooked and lame, he cannot bestir him, as in times heretofore; the covetour leaves oppressing, because he can oppress no longer: but all this is nothing; For the body must not only leave the act of sin, but the heart must leave the desire of sin: Abhor that which is evil, and cleave unto that 
Sin must be hated for conscience.  which is good. And again, we must cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light: Thus must we leave sin of conscience with an hatred of it, else it is nothing. But many hold 
Rom. 12. 9 Rom. 13. 12.  sin, as Cinegerus the Athenian held the ships of his enemies, laden with the rich spoils of his Country, and now ready to hoist sail, and to be gone: First, he held them with his hands, till his hands were cut off, then with his stumps, till his arms were cut off; then with his teeth, till his head was cut off; and when all was done, still he held them in desire: So many, when God hath cut off all occasions of sin, yet they hold it in heart; the old man is sorry, that he cannot be young, to play the wanton; the prisoner, that he cannot be abroad, to steal and rob; the sick man, that he cannot revel nor rout among his companions; the disgraced man, that he hath not authority to oppress; the envious man, that he cannot revenge: if they might live ever, they would sinne ever; they are sorry they cannot offend God any more; like julian, who sorrowed at his death, because he could not be revenged of the Galilaean: but we must leave our sins, and be angry, grieved, and displeased with ourselves, for our sins. Thus Paul was angry with himself, with his flesh, with his spirit, and calls himself Wretch: Yea miserable, miserable wretch: for thus he saith, Miserable wretch that I am, who 
Rom. 7. 24.  shall deliver me from this body of sin? He speaks in the excess, he calls himself the first, the greatest sinner: but when he nameth 
1 Tim. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 15.  his virtue, he speaks in the defect, that he is the least Apostle, the first and greatest sinner, but the last and least Apostle. Note his zeal against sin! If men could weep tears of blood for their sin, if they could die a thousand times in one day for very grief, yet could they not be greeved enough; if thou knewest sin, and the reward of sin, in the damned, thou wouldst not sinne willingly for ten thousand worlds, for the wages of sin is death: not only the death of the body, temporal 
Rom. 6. 23.  death, but also the death of body and soul, everlasting death; when men shall always be a dying and never dead; For there men shall seek for death, & shall not find it. We hate judas, Herod, Pilate. 
Apoc. 9  But hate thine own manners: thy sins with theirs, were the nails, the spears, the thorns that pierced the Lord jesus. All 
Hebr. 10.  say that Christ died for sin, that he was wounded for our sins, and smitten for our transgressions; yet all make him a 
Esay 53.  patron of their sins: the thief makes him the receivour; the murderer, his sanctuary; the whoremonger, his bawd; they live in sin, and yet they say Christ died for sin; kill sin, 
Calui● in Gal. 6. 1.  and kill the Devil; kill sin and kill death, the first and second death. He that will encounter with Samson, must cut off his locks; he that will encounter with a serpent, must pull out his sting: Now death is a serpent, and his sting is sin: one may put a serpent in his bosom, when his sting is out: and we may 
Earthquakes upon extraordinary occasions.  let death into our bosom, when sin is gone, the venom and poison gone.  
But to draw us to a greater hatred of sin, let me apply this late judgement of the earthquake unto you. These judgements 
Anno Domini. 1601. Decembr. 24.  have never been, but upon great and rare occasions, and for horrible and notorious sins, to note the wonderful power of God, and to presage some rare events, some strange plagues to fall upon the world. When God gave the Law, the earth shaken. God did it in fearful manner, to teach Israel, that if the earth shaken, when God spoke; much more should their hearts shake. The like earth quake was at the restoring of the Law, in the days of Elias. And indeed to whom is the Word of God powerful & 
1 Reg. 19 Esay. 66. 25.  profitable, but to him that trembleth at it? Of these former judgements David speaketh, O God, when thou goest forth before the 
Psal. 68▪ 7. 8.  people, when thou goest thorough the wilderness, the earth shaken, and the Heavens dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai was moved at the presence of God, even the God of Israel.  
Again, in the horrible rebellion of Corah, Dathan and Abiram; 
Numb. 16.  the one in the Church, the other in the Commonwealth; the one against the Lord's Priest, the other against the Lord's Magistrate; there was an earthquake, to teach that hell shall swallow us, as it did them, if we rebel so. Of all judgements, these most manifest the power of God, and foreshow his great anger: so David spoke, The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations also of the mountains moved and shaken, because he was angry: smoke went out of 
Psal. 28. 7, 8, 9  his nostrils, and a consuming fire out of his mouth; coals were kindled thereat, he bowed the Heavens, and came down, and darkness was under his feet, etc. When Vzziah would usurp the Priest's office, and 
Zach. 14. ●.  confound Church and Commonwealth, and make a Chaos of all religion and goodness, God shaken the earth; and when jericho fell, it is thought by the learned, to have been by an earth quake. 
Iosh. 6.  And when the wicked jews crucified the Lord of glory, all creatures 
Mat. 27.  shown their disliking; the Sun was eclipsed, the Heavens lost their light, the stars were moved, the veil of the Temple rend asunder, the graves opened, the dead rose, the earth quaked: O dura, & obdurata, & indurata corda hominum, quae non contremiscunt! O durate and obdurate, and indurate hearts of men, that cannot tremble! David speaketh of the rare judgement of God in this case, and thereby stirreth up all men to fear God. Shall the wilderness quake, and shall not our hearts quake? Absit. The voice of the Lord maketh the wilderness to tremble: and shall not 
Psal. 26. 5.  we tremble? In the great persecution of the Church, S. john speaketh of an earthquake. Let us not think, that these judgements 
Apoc. 6. 12.  be ordinary, and rise altogether of natural causes, for great hurt hath ensued. The three famous Cities of Asia, Laodicea for wealth, Hierapolis for learning, and Colossos' for strength, were all overthrown with earthquakes. Constantinople was tormented with shaking a whole year together. In the days of Boniface 
Earthquakes, forerunners of fearful judgements.  there happened an Earthquake, and after followed such a plague of scabs and botches, as a man could hardly tell his own dead from other men's. Burdeam: was mightily shaken with 
Anno. 741.  an earthquake. And in the year of our Lord, 1171. the City Tripoli, a great part of Damascus in Antiochia, and Halapre, the chief City of Loradin, and other Cities of the Saracens, either perished utterly, or were wonderfully defaced. And An. 1539. in diverse places, as at Venice & Floremce, there were great earthquakes which did much hurt. In Anno 1579. April the 6. an earthquake tolled the great bell at Westminster, and threw down a piece of Dover Castle: and part of Sutten Church in Kent; to note unto us, that our sins overburden the earth, the earth groans, and would be eased: God shakes his hand, the earth trembles, man is careless: beware it gapes not, and swallow thee up quick. When Arrius heresy was entertained in Antioch, God punished it with earthquakes, to give a Caveat how we admit of heresy: and six great Cities in Greece, in the days of Tiberius; and twelve Cities of Campania in the days of Constantine. And we all now might have been swallowed up, if God's mercy had not been the 
Anno. 1601.  greater. Blessed be God who kept us; and he keep us evermore. But surely this earthquake prognosticateth that God is coming to judgement. As the City of Rome was never shaken, but it presaged some strange event. The year before the Carthaginian war, there were 57 earthquakes at Rome, but there presently followed a lamentable war. After an earthquake in Venice, there followed a famine; and upon the neck of that, a plague, which beginning fare North, spread over the whole earth, but so raged at Venice, as scarcely one lived of an hundred: but as a wonder lasteth but nine days, so this earthquake will be forgotten of many. When Ananias fell down dead suddenly 
Act. 5.  at the feet of Peter, all the Church trembled: and this should make us all tremble; For in my judgement it is a forerunner of Christ's coming, or else of some fearful judgement of war, 
Mat. 26. 7. Pliny.  or famine, or of pestilence. For an heathen man could say, that earthquakes portend and foretell fearful matters ensuing. And note that God sent it at this time, to begin our Christmas with it so misspent of all men. The Heathen had their Floralia, Bacchanalia, Cerealia; they went naked, surfeited and were drunken, and they light torches to Proserpina, going naked; and what else do we? We eat and drink, and rise up to play, and go up and down shouting and revelling. Hath the grace of God appeared to 
Tit. 2. 11.  this end? Brethren, hath the Lord jesus gotten twelve days of his Father, for profaneness, swearing, revelling, & c? I am ashamed that the Turk, the jew, the Persian should know this: Propter nos male audit nomen Christi: The name of God is blasphemed 
Rom. 2. 24.  among the Gentiles through us. The heathen had their Cerealias, 
Fearful earthquakes and comets warn to repent.  (as I said before) wherein they surfeited to Ceres; and their Bacchanalia, wherein they were drunken to the honour of Bacchus; they had their Floralia, wherein they were idle, and gave themselves to lust and Venery. Wherein differ our Christmas feasts from theirs; it being spent only in eating, drinking, nay gluttony, and drunkenness, riot, cards, dice, swearing, swaggering, toying, fooling and what not? Is this to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord jesus? Erubescat Sol, & confundatur Luna: Let the Sun blush, and let the Moon be ashamed; Did the Heavenly soldiers thus? did the shepherds thus? did Mary thus? We make melody, 
Luk. 2. Ephes. 5. 19  but not to the Lord, our rejoicing is not good, God will turn our feasts into mournings. 
1 Cor. 5. 6. Amos. 8.   
To this riotous time God fitted this earthquake; a rare work of God, the earth being seventeen hundred miles thick, & odd; it being 800. miles and odd, to the Centre, as saith Munster, what a work of God is it to shake the whole Globe, the whole womb of the earth, being so mighty? A great earthquake there was in the reign of King Henry the sixth, thorough the world in the even of S. Michael, which continued two hours with thunder and lightning; so that the beasts roared, and the fowls of the air cried out: but in this Queen's time there have been two earthquakes, a thing not observed in the reign of one Prince of this Land this five hundred years. A new star appeared in Heaven in this Queen's reign, Anno. 15. that was never seen before: 26. acres of ground removed in Hartfordshire; and three acres at another time, in Devonshire; strange monsters have appeared; strange Comets have been seen. Hate your sins, the judge is at the door.   

THE EIGHT AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXIIII. 
Now unto him, that is able to keep you, that ye fall not, etc. 
We can neither stand nor rise being fallen, without Christ.   
THis is the Epilogue, the conclusion, the last part of this Epistle; and it containeth two things.  
First, A commending them to God and his Grace.  
And secondly, A celebration of the name and praises of God.  
The first is double, for he commendeth them two ways to God: for this life, and the life to come.  
Again, for this life two ways, first, that they fall not, but persist and stand in the grace begun.  
Secondly, that they may be pure, perfect, absolute until the day of Christ.  
Lastly, for the other life, that they may be glorious lambs, and not goats; sons, and not bastards; citizens, and not strangers; built on the foundation of the Prophets, and Apostles, jesus Christ 
Ephes. 2. 20.  himself being the chief corner stone: that they may follow the Lamb on mount Zion, and there sing the songs of their joy, 
Apoc. 14. 3.  which none can understand, save the hundred forty and four thousand, which were bought from the earth.  
Now in the first part of this prayer, Saint jude noteth two things.  
First, the weakness of man ready to fall. 
All our sufficiency is of God.   
Secondly, the power of God able to keep us.  
Touching our weakness, we neither rise when we are fallen, nor stand when we are risen, of ourselves; all is of God: for we are not sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency 
2 Cor. 3. 5.  is of God. Cum Christo nil nobis deficit: With Christ nothing is wanting unto us, for as Paul saith, I am able to do all things, through the 
Phil. 4. 13.  help of Christ, which strengtheneth me. Sine Christo, nil nobis sufficit: and without Christ nothing is sufficient for us; For as the branch cannot 
john 15. 4, 5.  bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me: I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. In eo omnia possumus, absque eo nil possumus: in him we can do all things, without him we can do nothing. And therefore Paul willeth us to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, for all our sufficiency 
Ephes. 6. 10. john 15. 5. Psal. 18. 1, 2.  is of God. Hence is it, that David saith unto God, I love thee dear, oh Lord my Strength; the Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, etc.  
We can neither begin, nor continue, nor make an end, of ourselves, but by God: therefore Paul commendeth the Churches to God ever, as he only that keepeth them, that the whole work of our salvation may be ascribed unto him: Initium, incrementum, & finis: the beginning, the increase, and the end. We are of him in Christ jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, 
1 Cor. 1. 30, 31.  and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption, that according as it is written, He that rejoiceth, let him rejoice in the Lord. Wherein he noteth three things; What we are of ourselves; what in God; and the end of all, that God may have the glory. Thus Paul commendeth the Church of Thessalonica to God, saying: Now the very God of Peace sanctify you throughout, and I 
1 Thess. 5. 23.  pray God, that your whole spirit, and soul and body may be kept blameless, unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ: and thus he commended the Church of Ephesus at Miletum to God, saying, Now brethren, I commend you to God, and the Word of his Grace, which is 
Act. 20. 32.  able to build further, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. And thus he commended the Church of Rome to God, To him now that is of power to establish you according to 
Rom. 16. 25.  my Gospel, and preaching of jesus Christ, by the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, etc. And thus did the Apostle commend the Church of the jews to God, whether it was Paul, or Luke, or Barnabas, it skilleth not: The God of peace (saith he) which brought again from the dead our Lord jesus, the great 
Heb. 13. 20, 21.  Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in all good works, to do his Will, working in you that which is pleasant in his sight, through jesus Christ.  
Here by the way, let me answer one cavil in Popery: they urge, that we are bidden to stand fast, to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord jesus, to go forward, to 
We cannot but fall, except we be preserved.  continue.  
I answer, that all those places are meant conditionally, if God doth assist us with his Spirit: Sit unus contextus instar mille: Let one context be in stead of a thousand; as namely, that of Paul's to the Thessalonians, where he telleth them, that it is God which worketh in us both the will and the deed, even of his good pleasure. 
2 Thes. 1. Psal. 4. 1.  He biddeth them work, yet he explaineth it by and by, that it is God that worketh. Agimus passiuè, quatenus è coelis suggeritur facultas; 
Calvin.  agis & ageris, & tunc bene agis, cum à bono ageris Spiritu; We work passively, because we are helped from Heaven, power is ministered unto thee; thou workest, and art wrought, and then thou workest well, when thou art wrought of the good Spirit: so Paul ascribed the rising and the standing of the Philippians to God, I am persuaded (saith Paul) that he, that hath begun this good 
Phil. 1. 6.  work in you, will perform it, until the day of Christ jesus: And writing to the Corinthians, he saith, That God shall confirm them to the end, that they may be blameless in the day of our Lord jesus Christ. 
1 Cor. 1. 8.  To that end, Christ prayed for the Apostles, saying, Holy Father, 
john 17. 11, 12, 15.  keep them in thy name, even them whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are: while I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me, have I kept: I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou keep them from evil. If then the Papists should use these words ten thousand times (Stand fast) & again, Continue; ten thousand times would I retort upon them, that we cannot stand fast, we cannot continue, but by God: We fly not with our own wings, we swim not in our own bark; not nature, but grace: not man, but God, doth all in the work of salvation. We stand not of ourselves, in our own strength, but in God. Leviores sumus vanitate: We 
Psal. 62.  are lighter than vanity itself. If God kept us not, we should fall every day, every hour, every moment; so great are our temptations. Quomodo stabit debilis inter tot fortes homines? How can a weak man stand between so many strong men? homuncio inter tot fortes Gigantes? a little dwarf, between so many strong Giants? ●ndus, inter tot armatos? a naked man, between so many armed men? Caecus inter tot laqueos? a blind man between so many snares? Viator, inter tot fures? a traveller, between so many thiefs? Mortalis, inter tot immortales & immundos spiritus? a mortal man, between so many immortal and unclean spirits? For we wrestle 
Ephes. 6. 12.  not against flesh and blood, that is, principally and chiefly: for our most mortal enemies are more than flesh and blood, more in number, greater in power, craftier in their wiles, or longer continuance; more envious, malicious, cruel, as namely, against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly governor's, the Princes of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickednesses, which are in the high places. He calls them Principalities, because they have great rule and dominion, not so much over other 
Our enemies many and powerful.  Devils, as over wicked men; and calls them Powers, to show, that their principality is not a mere titular matter, but is armed with power, so as they are able to do great matters.  
He calls them worldly governor's, to show over whom the Devil hath government; not over the elect, but over the world, the reprobates of the world.  
He calls them spiritual wickedness, to declare their nature, that they are spirits, and that they be evil, and malicious: the words in the original signify, spirituals of wickedness, or spirits of wickedness, that is, most monstrous wicked spirits: these are they against whom we war and fight, how can we stand against them of ourselves? Nam illi sunt astuti, nos fatui: they are crafty, we are foolish; illi fortes, nos debiles: they strong, we weak: illi experti, nos inexperti: they expert, we unexpert : illi vigilantes, nos somnolenti: they watching, we sleepy: illi spiritus, nos caro: they 
Ephes. 6. 14. 1 Pet. 5. 8. Apoc. 12. cap. 10. Luk. 11. john. 12. 1 Cor. 4.  spirit, we flesh: the armour therefore is called the Armour of God, not our armour, but his. The Devil is ever described mighty, and we weak: to this end he is called, Leo rugiens: a roaring Lion; Draco volans: a flying Dragon: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that old serpent: homo fortis: a strong man: princeps mundi: the prince of the world: Deus mundi: the God of the world: it is therefore the miraculous grace of God, that he killeth not our souls every hour: for God would have us to live both lives, the natural and supernatural: As concerning the natural life; from the soul, the natural powers of understanding, will, and perceiving flow: as touching the supernatural, from grace, prayer, thanksgiving, zeal, love, repentance, mortification do proceed; and this is called, The life of God: if God withdraw his grace, we fall presently, even the best men. Peter a notable Apostle, yet fell 
Ephes. 4. 18. Mat. 26. jer. 2. 14.  for all his brags, at the voice of a girl. jeremy a worthy Prophet, yet grew desperate: he that foiled our first parents standing 
Gen. 3.  upon legs of brass, would soon foil us, standing upon legs of clay: it is as great a matter to resist temptations, being moved unto it, as for dry wood and flax to resist fire being put to it, it is supernatural in the one, so is it in the other, for us to resist sin: therefore pray as Christ said: Watch and pray, 
Mat. 26. 41.  that ye enter not into temptation: The fish is not more taken in the net, nor the bird in the snare, than we of the Devil; soon he 
john 13. 2.  entered into the heart of judas; soon he filled Ananias his heart; quickly he tempted David, to number the people; and quickly 
Act. 5.  will he overthrow us, unless God keep us, that we fall not.  
But to make further use of this doctrine; S. jude here intimateth unto us, that of ourselves we are ready to fall; our building by nature is upon the sand, not upon the rock, our shields and swords are of blotting paper, not of steel; our wings like Icarus, are of wax: All which I speak to humble the pride of 
None can presume of his own strength, but must fly to Prayer.  flesh, and blood, that no flesh rejoice in God's presence. To which end Paul applieth his speech; Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed, that he fall not. Adam fell in Paradise, judas in the school of our Saviour; the Angels from heaven; and do we think to stand of ourselves? No, no. Dost thou trust in 
1 Cor. 10. 12. Gen. 3. Mat. 27. 2 Pet. 2. 4. 1 Reg. 11. judg. 15.  thy wisdom? None was ever wiser than Solomon, yet was he deceived. Dost thou trust in thy strength? None was ever stronger than Samson, yet was he vanquished, dost thou trust in thy stableness and constancy? None more stable, more constant than Peter, yet he fell; For he that said unto Christ, I will dye with 
Mat. 26.  thee, before I deny thee; denied him thrice, and every time more fearfully than other. Dost thou trust in thy riches? None richer than the Epulo, and yet he is in hell in torments. God saith unto 
Luk. 16.  all, Let not the rich man glory in his riches, nor the wiseman in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength. O pray to God for perseverance, trust not to thyself, be not proud of thy continuance in the faith; thou mayest fall: when thou seest so many fall, suspect thyself, insult not over them; but follow the advice of the Apostle, Brethren, if any of you be overtaken with any fault, you that 
Gal. 6. 1.  are spiritual, help to restore him in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Noli superbire, sed time: Be not 
Rom. 11. Phil. 12.  proud, but fear: as he said unto the Romans; yea : Let us work out our salvation with trembling and with fear. O tremble, tremble, tremble, thou mayest fall. O double and redouble, and triple, and multiply thy prayers unto God, for his assistance; when thou seest the dragon's tail cast down so many stars, so many learned 
Apoc. 12. 5.  teachers, rare men in Church and commonwealth, say to thyself, Am I better than all these? am I wiser than Solomon? meeker than Moses; patienter then job? zealouser than Elias? godlier than David? humbler than Paul? yet Solomon was deceived, Moses spoke unadvisedly, job cursed the day wherein he was borne, 
1 Reg. 11. Psal. 106. job 3.  and the night, wherein it was said, A man child is conceived; Elias was almost desperate; It is enough, Lord, take away my life; Paul was proud of his revelations, and besought God thrice; David fell by 
1 Reg. 17. 2 Cor. 12. 2 Sam. 12.  Bathsheba. Have all these fallen? and shall I stand for ever? Hath God made me a lease, a grant of his grace, without impeachment of waste? No, I am weak, like a broken hedge, like a torturing wall, Immo in hac carne non habitat bonum: Yea in this flesh of mine 
Rom. 7. 18.  there dwelleth no good thing. Beda, Venerable Beda maketh mention of four effects of sin, that is, of our original fall in Adam.  
Infirmity. Ignorance. Malice. Concupiscence.  
Infirmity, or weakness, is in the body.  
Ignorance, in the mind.  
Malice, in the will.  
Concupiscence in the liver, or in the affections of the sensitive 
Our proneness to fall, comes from our original corruption.  soul. Vndique ergo labimur, nusquam tuti sumus: we fall therefore every way, and we are safe no way.  
Augustine said of himself, and the rest of the godly, Quid sum ego, sine te, Domine? What am I without thee, o Lord? And again 
Aug. lib. 4. confess.  in his Soliloquies: Quod cecidi, fuit in me: That I fell, it was of myself; quod surrexi & steti, ex te fuit, Domine: That I rose and stood, this came from thee, o Lord; thou hast opened mine eyes, and I see, that a temptation and a warfare is the life of man upon the earth: no man living is justified in thy sight, for if there be any good thing in us, great or small, it is of thee, and it is thy gift, none of ours; if any evil, it is of ourselves: For no evil dwelleth with thee: 
Psal. 5.  he therefore that seeketh glory to him of that which is thine, fur est & latro, he is a thief and a robber, & similis diabolo, qui invidit gloriae tuae: and like unto the Devil, which envied thy glory: If at any time I have stood, I have stood by thee; if at any time I have fallen, I have fallen of myself; and always should have been in the dirt and mire, hadst thou not raised me; always thy grace prevented me, delivering me from all evils, saving me from evils passed, raising me from evils present, defending me from evils to come, cutting off before me all the snares of sin, which if thou hadst not done, I had been a thief, a murderer, an adulterer, a drunkard, an usurer, and there is no sin, or kind of sin, that ever manned idd, but I might have done it: so fare Augustine: for the seeds of the same sins that be in others, be in us, and would grow, if grace cut them not down: For there is an infusing grace, and a restraining grace. Granatensis, in his meditations confesseth, that God working in us by grace, doth as a man that kindleth green wood, he blows often, but it burneth not: so God sendeth many good inspirations into the heart, but we stifle them; For, the flesh lusteth against 
Gal. 5. 16. Mat. 26. Rom. 7. 24.  the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; the flesh is weak, and there is a Law in our members rebelling against the Law of our mind, and leading us captive into the law of sin: This Popish Friar disableth nature, and yet ascribeth unto it, a power, an ability to receive grace, and to stand in it.  
Herein we and the Romanists differ, in that they say, grace helpeth nature; we say, that it wholly frameth nature, that there is no more goodness in our nature, than there is water in a flint stone. Hereupon saith God, I will put a new spirit within their 
Ezech. 11. 19  bowels, and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies, and will give them an heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes. And the same thing he promiseth afterward, that is, to give them a 
Ezech. 37. 26, 27.  new heart, and a new spirit, to take away their stony heart out of their bodies, & to give them an heart of flesh, and to put his spirit within them, to cause them to walk in his statutes, and to keep his judgements to do them: and Paul saith, I know, that 
Rom. 7. 18.  in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Non dicit exiguum, sed 
No goodness in us, but that which is infused by grace.  nullum bonum in nobis: he doth not say, a little good, but there dwelleth no good thing in us; the allurements of the world, the temptations of the flesh, the suggestions of Satan, are so many, that if the grace of God did not keep us, we should fall every hour, yea if it were possible, the very elect of God should not 
Mat. 24.  be saved. Laquei sunt in senectute, jwentute, divitijs, honoribus, cibo, somno: there be snares in old age, in youth, in riches, in honours, meat, drink, sleep. Saint Anthony saw the air full of snares; of ten ships, which sail in the sea, scarce one is drowned, and of ten souls, that float in the seas of this world, scarce one is saved: Ablata gratia Dei, the grace of God being taken away, what can a weak man do among so many strong? a dwarf 
Bern.  among so many Giants? a traveller among so many thiefs, and robbers? a naked man among so many armed enemies, not men, but devils? God would have us to live both lives, the natural, and supernatural; from the soul, which is the natural form, the powers and senses do proceed; from grace, which is the supernatural form, the virtues and the gifts of the spirit do proceed: Let us not despair therefore: There be more with us, than against 
2 Reg. 2.  us, as Elisha said unto his servant; Nam naturae gratia se apponit, daemoni Deus, malae cons●●tudini bonus usus, multitudini malorum spirituum, exercitus Angelorum: Grace opposeth itself to nature, God opposeth himself against the Devil, good custom against evil, an host of heavenly Angels against a multitude of evil spirits: For the Angels of the Lord do pitch their tents about them 
Psal. 34.  that fear him. God telleth us, that his grace is sufficient for us, and that his power is made perfect, is known and evidently seen through our 
2 Cor. 12. 9  weakness.  
A question here may be asked; If God be able to keep us from falling, why then doth he suffer us to fall? Why did he let Adam fall by the subtlety of the serpent? why did he let Lot 
Gen. 3. Gen. 19 Numb. 21. 1 Reg. 11.  fall in Zoar, by wine and strong drink? Why did he suffer Moses in the desert by infidelity? Why did he let Solomon, King Solomon, wise King Solomon, fall by women? Why did he let Peter fall through fear, into lying, perjury, banning and cursing? 
Mat. 26.  Why doth he suffer most of his Saints to fall, some into one sin, some into another; and all into some sin? So that it may be said of the best of them, Septies in die cadit justus; the 
Prov. 24. jam. 3. 2.  righteous man sinneth seven times a day: Et in multis peccavimus omnes: in many things we offend all.  
Hereto I answer, Adam's fall was permitted of God, to bring to pass this eternal counsel decreed before the foundation of the world, concerning the incarnation of his Son, and the redemption of mankind through him: Nam tu quis es, qui litigas cum Deo? Who art thou that strivest with God? Secondly, concerning 
Rom. 9  the fall of other Saints, God permitteth them for two causes: either that his mercy might be made manifest in their 
God permitted Adam, and the Saints, to fall for diverse reasons.  pardon, and reclaiming; or else that they may see the frailty of their nature, that they stand not by themselves but by God; For the way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man to direct his paths: that thus God may humble us, and that he that standeth, may take heed he fall not. Saint jude saith not, that God ever keepeth us 
jer. 10. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 12.  from falling, but that he is able to keep us, and will so fare forth do it, as shall stand with his glory, and our consolation.  
And this withal I note, that God never suffereth his to fall for ever: Qui ex Deo est, non peccat: He that is of God, sinneth not, that is, non peccat in aeternum: he sinneth not for ever: their 
1 john. 3.  light is eclipsed sometime like the Sun, but never quenched, like the fire on the Altar in the babylonical captivity; they sleep, but they wake again to righteousness, they be not in a lethargy, in a dead sleep, like Coranus and Plato, who slept, and never waked again; ●hey fall sometime, but they rise again, like the Dromedary; they lie not by it, like the Elephant that wanteth jointes: they have weeds and faults, but they have corn and virtues also like the fields of Sharon, whereas the wicked are as Sichem sown with salt, where never fruit grew: they have leaves, 
Cant. 4.  but they have fruit also, like the vine of Megeddo; but the wicked 
judg. 9 Mar. 11.  are like the figtree that Christ cursed, they are all leaves, all sin, being full of unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, 
Rom. 1. 29.  full of envy, of murder, of debate, taking all things in evil part; they lie down in sin, they sleep in sin, they rise up in sin in the morning, they live in it, they die in it; it is Alpha & Omega, Aleph, and Tau, first and last, for the wicked are strangers from the 
Psal. 58. 3.  womb, even from the belly, thy have erred and spoke lies. They fall and never rise again, they sin and repent not of the uncleanness, and fornication, and wantonness which they have committed. 
2 Cor. 12. 21.   
In one word, God is able to keep us, and doth keep us, else should we fall as often as we are tempted; For we are as dry stubble apt to receive fire, but there is a plurality of mercies with God, He is rich in mercy, he hath mercy for thousands, he hath 
Ephes. 2. Exod. 20. Psal. 51. Psal. 126. ●. Ephes. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 2. 8.  a multitude of mercies; he hath lesser mercies and greater mercies; He filleth our mouths with laughter, and our tongues with joy; he hath corporal blessings, and spiritual blessings, temporal joys in earth, and everlasting joys in heaven; he hath a preventing grace in delivering from sin, and a following grace in pardoning sin: he hath an infusing grace, and a restraining grace, and 
john. 17. 2 Cor. 12. 7.  his grace is sufficient for us.  
But here a question may be moved, whether the Church may fall from God, in doctrine & in manners? num errare potest tam fide quàm vita? whether it may err as well in faith, as in life? To this some answer, Ecclesia non cadit, non errat universaliter, totaliter, fundamentaliter, finaliter; that the Church doth not fall, doth not err universally, totally, fundamentally, finally: non universaliter 
The best have erred.  in omnibus membris: not universally in all the members: non totaliter in singulis fidei capitibus: not totally in every article of faith; non fundamentaliter in praecipuis capitibus: not fundamentally in the chief heads; non finaliter in aeternum: not finally for ever unto perdition. But admit this, yet it may fall, it may err.  
The question is not, what it doth, but what it may do: Ecclesia potest errare: the Church may err; whether ye respect it as universal in Counsels, or the singular members thereof severally, quoth Danaeus; for it is manifest that I may err, and you may 
Danaeus.  err, and he may err, & sic de singulis: and so of every one; For we set but in part: the which words are meant of every one; we 
1 Cor. 13. 9  proceed and go forward daily, we are not yet come unto perfection, we see the most excellent men have erred, as Thomas in 
Phil. 3. john 20. Act. 10. Num 9 Exod. 32. Act. 1.  the resurrection, Peter in circumcision, Moses in the Passeover, Aaron in the golden Calf, in Idolatry; All the Apostles in the Kingdom of Christ. Lactantius, Eusebius, Apollinaris, Arnobius were tainted errore Chiliastarum: with the error of the Chiliasts, which held that Christ should come personally, and reign as a King in this world, a thousand years; yea, all men are liars, and all pray, Forgive us our trespasses; yea look into the Apocalyps, and 
Mat. 5. Apos. 12. 2 Reg. 11.  ye shall find, that the woman fled into the wilderness; the whole visible Church under joram fell to idolatry; Hilary did believe the Church rather hid, for he could not see it flourishing, and he said, that the mountains, the woods, the prisons, and the whirlpools were safer than the temples; for these are his own words; Montes, & lucus, & carceres, & voragines sunt tutiores quàm templa: Arrianisme so prevailed at that time, Hierome said, Ingemuit totus mundus, & Arrianum se esse miratus est: That 
〈◊〉.  the whole world wept and wondered, that it was become an Arrian. Peter's little ship was now endangered, the winds tossed her, the waves beat her on the sides, little hope, but was at the point of sinking, but at the last the Lord did arise, commanded the winds, and the tempest ceased, and a calm succeeded, and all the Bishops which were exiled, were called home again; then Egypt received his Athanasius triumphing; then France embraced Hilary returning from war; then was Antioch glad at the return of Chrysostome, and Italy threw off her mourning garments at the return of Eusebius. I know that Canus calleth these speeches hyperbolical of Hilary and Hierome: but that is but his hyperbolical lie. This is the common Inn wherein the Papists lodge most of our objections: but I reason thus, Eadem est ratio totius, quae est singulornus membrorum;  
At singula membra possunt cadere.  
Ergo totum corpus.  
The same reason is of the whole, which is of every particular member.  
But every particular member may fall. 
The Pope may err.   
Therefore the whole body.  
The epistles of the Bishops were corrected by Counsels provincial; and the Provincial Counsels, by the general; and the former general Counsels, by those that came afterward, saith Augustine. Ecclesiam Dei finaliter errare nego: that the Church of 
Aug. lib. 2. the Baptism. 1. john 3.  God can finally err, I deny: for he that is of God, sinneth not; and Christ telleth us, that there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, so that if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect; if it were possible, but impossible, that they should finally be deceived.  
Here the great question is decided, Num Papa potest in fide deficere? whether the Pope can fail in faith? because he is the whole Church, Virtualiter. To this we object Pope john the 22. That he erred, because he affirmed and held, that the souls of the righteous did not see God till the day of judgement; which heresy of his was condemned at Paris with the blast of trumpers: and we say that C●lestine erred, when he held, that marriage was dissolved, if either of them, meaning the man or wife fell into heresy: and Gregory, when writing to Augustine of Canterbury, he said, that the husband might marry another wife, Si mulier non possit debitum ma●i●o reddere. Saint Ambrose in a certain Sermon of his, dicit Petrum fidem sum perdidisse: saith, 
Ambr. ser. 47.  that Saint Peter lost his faith. If Peter failed, certainly his successors may fail. To these Canus answereth, that john the 22. and the rest, erred personally, not judicially: to Ambrose his speech, he saith, Fides capitur pro fidelitate: that faith is there taken for fidelity; illam ergo, non fidem amisit: it was that he lost, namely his fidelity, not his faith: and he further addeth, Papam haeredem esse Petri privilegiorum, non culparum: that the Pope was the heir of Peter's privileges, not of his offences.  
To conclude with Canus: all come to this point, Bishops, Fathers, Counsels, The Pope's Legates in Counsels may err; for Christ prayed not for Peter's Legates, but for Peter himself, quoth the Cardinal of Ture: Immo Papam errare posse, sed moribus: yea the Pope may err, but yet in manners, not in faith: yea the Pope may err in faith personaliter, non judicialiter: personally, not judicially, quoad factum, non quoad fidem: as touching facts, not as touching faith, as Sixtus 4. which taught Catherinam Senensem stigmata non habuisse, where he erred as touching the history, not as touching faith: and they all affirm, that the Pope may err in his gallery, not in his Consistory: which is a monstrous answer; as though Christ had prayed for the place, the walls, not for the person: as if faith were in the walls, not in the heart. But if the Pope dye in an heresy, though never holden in his Consistory, as john the two and twentieth did, let them tell me in what state he dieth: Cord creditur ad justitiam: With 
Rom. 10.  the heart man believeth unto righteousness: shall they give 
The Papists distinctions, how the Pope may err, and not err: nice and frivolous.  us such dross for gold, such chaff for corn, such lees for wine? Shall they build such stubble upon the foundation? Ignis probabit: the fire shall try it. Let God and man judge of this answer. 
1 Cor. 3.    

THE NINE AND THIRTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXIIII. 
And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with joy. 
We must be presented blameless before God.   
THis is the second thing he prayeth for, as touching this life, that God shall present them faultless. We shall be pure and perfect, without fault, without spot, or wrinkle, Nam nil 
Apot. 21. 27.  immundum intrabit, etc. No unclean thing shall pass thorough the gates of the new jerusalem. To this end God hath elected us before the foundation of the World, That we should be holy, 
Ephes. 1. 4.  and without blame before him in love. Hitherto tendeth Paul's prayer, Now the very God of Peace sanctify you throughout, and I pray God that your whole spirit, soul and body 
1 Thess. 5. 23.  may be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord jesus Christ. We are said to be faultless, blameless, and without spot; not that we are without sin, but because God imputes not our sins unto us. So Saint Paul would have a Bishop, sine crimine, without fault, non dicit, sine peccate, he doth not say, without sin, for no man is sine peccato, without fault, though many be sine crimine, without offensive fault, and yet sine peccate sumus, we are without sin, without fault, quia non imputatur nothis because it is not imputed to us: Whereupon David, Blessed is 
Psal. 32. 2.  the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin. If therefore the Papists should cry all the day long, and all their life long, Beatus qui 
We are righteous by imputation of Christ's righteousness.  timet Deum: Blessed is he that feareth God: Beatus qui miseretur pauperibus: Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: Beatus qui operatur justitiam: Blessed is he that worketh righteousness: Beatus qui loquitur verè: Blessed is he that speaketh truly, for 
Psal. 112. 1. Psal. 42. 1. Psal. 119. Esa. 33. 15.  he shall dwell on high, his defence shall be the munitions of the rocks, bread shall be given him, and his waters shall be sure. I will expound all these blessednesses, by this one, Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth no sin. In this sense Zacharias and Elizabeth are 
Rom. 4. 6. Luke 1. 6.  called just, non quia non potuit, sed quia noluit Deus illis imputare peccata: not because God could not, but because he would not impute unto them their sin; for otherwise, if God should be extreme, To mark what is done amiss, who can abide it? For 
Psal. 130. 3.  we cannot be just before God, but by forgiveness of sins: in which respect, the Prophet prayeth thus, Enter not into judgement 
Psal. 143. 2.  with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man that liveth be justified. Let us then learn to expound the Scripture by the Scripture: for that which the holy Ghost saith, obscurely in one place, that he saith more plainly in another place; and surely, if the Papists had conferred Scriptures, and weighed things by the Word of God, as they have done in the lying Schools of their own reason, and traditions, they might easily have reconciled these two, that no man is righteous, and yet that men are righteous and faultless, when God imputeth not their faults unto them. For this cause Paul judged all things as dung, that he might win Christ, and might be found in him, that is, (saith Paul) 
Phil. 3. 8, 9  not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which is of God through Faith. He maketh two kinds of righteousness:  
The one of the Law,  
The other of Faith,  
Contenting himself with the latter; thus,  
August. said, justitiam nostram magis constare remissione peccatorum, 
A●g.  quàm perfectione virtutum, Our righteousness to consist more in remission of our sins, then in the perfection of our virtues: and thus Ambrose said, Non gloriabor, quia justus sum, sed quia redemptus 
Ambr.  sum, non quod vacuus sum peccati, sed quod remissa sunt mihi peccata; I will not glory because I am just, but because I am redeemed, not because I am void of sin, but because my sins are pardoned me and forgiven me. We must all say with Daniel, O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, and unto us shame: And again, O Lord, unto us appertaineth open shame, to our Kings, to our 
De●. 9 7, 8, 9  Princes, to our Fathers, because we have sinned against thee, yet compassion and forgiveness is in thee, o Lord our God, although we have rebelled against thee. For though a man seem never so pure in his own eyes, yet all is corruption before God, and therefore faith holy job, Though I wash myself in snow water, and purge myself 
job 9 30, 31.  most clean, yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit, and mine own clothes 
All knowledge and virtue in us imperfect in this life.  shall make me filthy. Paul said, that we are perfect, and yet eodem oris halitu, dixit nos imperfectos esse: and with the same breath he said, that we are unperfect. If any man should urge the former words, to prove that our knowledge, our will, our righteousness is perfect, Paul confuteth it in the twelfth verse of the same Chapter: so he said, I know to be full, and to be hungry: he can do 
Phil. 4. 13.  this, and he can do that, but how? of himself? No: Sed per jesum Christum. I am able to do all things through the help of Christ, which strengtheneth me: not of his own power or free will. This answereth the common slander of the world, that we are Puritans, Precisians, etc. But surely if there be any Puritans among us, either they be Papists, or Familists: for the one say that they are saved by their works, and the other, that they have paid a price for their sins, as well as Christ, saving that he hath paid his money before them; he died first. As for us, we know no purity, but the purity of Christ jesus, we know that we are washed in his blood, and that his blood doth cleanse us 
1 john 1. 7.  from all sin.  
But they object the words of our Saviour to the young man, If thou wilt be perfect, go sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, etc. And again, Ye shall be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect: 
Mat. 19 21. Mat. 5. 48.  And again, they allege the saying of Paul, how? that Christ gave himself, that he might make it to himself a glorious 
Ephes. 5. 27.  Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blame. The two former places deceived the Monks, and the third deceived Augustine: for it is not meant of this life, but of the life to come: the Church shall be without blot, not here, but elsewhere in Heaven: For when Christ which is our life, shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory. Augustine 
Col. 3. 4. Aug.  reasoneth thus, Amor sequitur notitiam, at notitia nostra est imperfecta, ergo amor, justicia, obedientia nostra imperfecta sunt: Love followeth knowledge, but our knowledge is imperfect, therefore our Love, righteousness and obedience are imperfect. Sumus 
1 Cor. 13. 9, 10. Luke 17. 10.  servi inutiles: we are unprofitable servants, yea even when we have done all that we can.  
To answer therefore that which they allege out of Matthew, Ye shall be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect: And again, 
Mat. 5. 48. cap 19 21.  If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast. Christ showeth rather what we should strive for, than what we have attained to. Pij vocantur perfecti imputatiuè & inchoatiuè: The godly are called perfect, imputatively and inchoatively, for who can say, quoth Chemnisius, My heart is clean? Et tamen omnia munda mundis, yet 
Chemnisius versus Andra.  to the clean, all things are clean, because we are accounted clean, and esteemed as worthy. Mark, what Christ saith, Watch 
Pro. 20. Tit. 1. 15.  and pray continually, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things. The phrase therefore warranted of Christ, our cleanness, 
Luke 21. 36.  our worthiness, our perfection, is by imputation: the Catharists, the Donatists, the Pelagians, the Celestines, the Anabaptists, the 
No Saint without sin.  Familists, the Papists, abuse this doctrine of perfection, to derogate from God, and to arrogate unto themselves: and for Canisius in his Catechism, he setteth down in his Chapter of satisfactions, that I never read in any Papist before: he maketh three sorts of men:  
One that never sinned.  
A second sort, indifferent.  
A third, extremely evil.  
For the first, he quoteth the place in the prayer of Manasses, that Abraham sinned not; which is spoken comparatively, by way of comparison: such a phrase is used by the elect and chosen vessel of God, Saint Paul, where he saith thus, Adam was not deceived, 
1 Tim. 2. 14. Gen. 3. Cap. 12. 13.  but the woman was deceived, and was in the transgression; yet Adam sinned, and God condemned him, but he sinned not as Eve sinned; so Abraham sinned, in willing Sara his wife to say, that she was his sister, and not only so; but he himself said that she was his sister; Abraham had now twice fallen into one fault, into one 
Cap. 20. 2.  sin: except Canisius will now say, that lying is no fault, no sin, and excuse in Abraham, as they do theft, murder and whoredom in the Pope, by the example of Israel, who spoilt the Egyptians of their jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and by the example of Samson, Who with the jaw bone of an Ass killed 
Exod. 12. 35. judg. 15. 25.  a thousand men: And by the example of jacobs' polygamy, it is said: Qui ex Deo est, non peccat: He that is of God, sinneth not; 
1 john 3. 9 ● john 1. 10.  and yet the same beloved disciple saith, If we say we have not sinned, we make God a liar, and his word is not in us. Canisius therefore hath frontem meretric●●m: an harlot's forehead, and a brow of brass, and carrieth his face in his fist. These last Papists have exceeded all their fathers in impudence. jerusalem justified Sodom; and Canisius, Andradius, Ganus, Genebrard, Bellarmine, 
Ezech. 16.  Turrian, Stapleton have justified Thomas Aquinas, Holcot, Briccot, Dorbell, Duns, etc. The Locusts be crept out of the bottomless pit; 
Apoc. 9 3. Apoc. 16. cap. 20.  these croaking frogs are crept out of the mouth of the dragon; Satan is let lose to deceive the world, spirits of error are gone abroad, which speak lies through Hypocrisy, and have their 
1 Tim. 4. 2.  consciences burned with an hot iron: and the last error in popery is worse than the first, as the Pharises said to Pilate concerning 
Mat. 27. 64.  Christ. Sadeele calleth the jesuites now, postremum Satanae anhelantis crepitum; as Munster said of the men of India: Habent capita canina: they have heads like dogs : non loquuntur, sed latrant: they speak not, but bark against all truth, like the dogs of the Capital, who left barking at thiefs, and barked at true men: but God shall confound them spiritu oris sui, with the breath of 
2 Thess. 2.  his mouth.  
Quod nominamur perfecti, inculpati, immaculati, in that we are called perfect, blameless; immaculate, and without spot, this 
The Church unperfect in itself, perfect in Christ.  cometh to pass, non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: we are called, perfect, blameless, immaculate, not in respect of God, but of man; & comparatione quadam, by a certain comparison, for not the Angels are like unto God's righteousness; for he found folly in his Angels: our righteousness is in part, not absolute, For he 
job 4. 18. jam. 2. 10.  that faileth in one point, is guilty of all: Et in uno omnes labimur: but in one point we fail all. You can now put to the conclusion easily, Fortasse vivimus sine crimine coram hominibus; Peradventure we live without crime before men: Non sine peccato coram Deo: not without sin before God: which is Paul's distinction. The Church sometimes is called pure, perfect, blameless. But it is one thing to consider the Church in itself, another thing to consider it in Christ; the Church in itself, whether we consider each member of it severally, or all the members of it jointly, hath many spots or wrinkles, or else how should it be said; to be saved by the grace of our Lord jesus? The Church considered 
Act. 15. 11.  in Christ may be said; to be without spot, because it is washed in the blood of Christ; and it may be said to be without wrinkle, because 
Apoc. 1. 5.  it is clad with the righteousness of Christ, for Christ is the white raiment, wherewith we being clothed, our filthy nakedness 
Apoc. 13. 18.  shall not appear. The Church militant is holy in affection: for she fulfilleth not the lusts of the flesh; the Church 
Gal. 6. 16.  triumphant, is holier in perfection; for long white robes are given to every one of them; both the militant and triumphant Church is most holy by the grace of redemption, in the fruition of glory: but the militant spe, in hope; the triumphant, re, indeed; For unto her was granted that she should be arrayed with pure, fine linen, 
Apoc. 19 8.  and shining; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the Saints: for our blessedness is perfected in three degrees; Per spem & fidem 
2 Thess. 1.  quotidie crescentem in hac vita: by hope and faith continually growing, and increasing in this life; after this life, while the spirit enjoys 
Eccles. 12. 7.  the presence of God; after the resurrection, when we shall be glorified in body and in spirit, when the Lord jesus shall change 
Phil. 3. 20. 1 Cor. 13.  our vile body, and make it like his glorious body, when God shall be unto us all in all things. God's will is done two ways: sincerely and perfectly; again, sincerely only: but imperfectly: the former is natural to the Son of God, for God giveth not him the spirit by 
john 3. 34.  measure: the latter to the adopted Sons of God, for in many 
jam. 3.  things we offend all; we have the spirit by measure, and that a little measure; In the old Testament who were more holy among all the people, than the Priests? and yet God commanded them to offer sacrifice, first for their own sins, then for the 
Levit. 4.  people's: and in the new Testament among all the people under grace, who more holy than the Apostles themselves? yet Christ commanded them to pray daily, and to say, Dimitte nobis debita nostra: Forgive us our trespasses; this therefore is the hope of the 
Mat. 6.  penitent sinners, that they have an Advocate with the Father. I conclude 
Our righteousness is in the remission of sins.  therefore with Aug. Multum eum profecisse, qui se parùm profecisse sentit, & perfectum esse, qui se imperfectum esse novit, & tamen aspirare ad perfectionem; that he hath profited much, which thinketh that he hath profited but a little, and that he is perfect, 
1 john 2. 2.  which knoweth himself to be unperfect, and yet aspireth to perfection. For God measureth us by our will, not by our power: For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to 
2 Cor. 8. 12.  that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.  
This doctrine will give light, and open a window to the doctrine now in controversy, Whether faith or works justify? Bellarmine saith, the word Imputation is the opinion of a thing done in deed, not in show only: and this is true in a godly sense, for they are truly righteous, to whom God imputeth righteousness; but yet in the righteousness of Christ, not in an inherent righteousness of our own: as he is said to have paid the money to his creditor, who paid it by another, though himself was not able. And unto this end the Apostle saith, that we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption 
Rom. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.  that is in Christ jesus.  
To the place in the Romans, where Paul saith, But to him that worketh not, but believeth in him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness; even as David declared the blessedness of that man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed is the man, whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not the sin. Bellarmine answereth, that Paul setteth not down a full definition of justification: For sin is not remitted (saith he) except righteousness be infused, but yet inchoated only, not perfected: and yet the comparison holdeth not, betwixt the infusion of light into the air, and the infusion of righteousness into a man; similia illustrant, non probant: similes do illustrate a thing, but prove not.  
Bellarmine argueth from the comparison, betwixt Adam, and Christ, Per Adae peccatum inhaerens, peccatores sumus: By 
Rom. 5.  the inhaerent sin of Adam, we are sinners; therefore per infusionem inhaerentis justitiae justi sumus, by infusion of inhaerent righteousness we are righteous. I answer, that the argument followeth not, the comparison holdeth not in the inherence of sin or righteousness, but in the adoption, or getting: From Adam, we have gotten sin naturally, but from Christ, supernaturally by faith; by which the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us. Bellarmine reckoneth up many things which be necessary to salvation, out of the second Epistle of S. Peter, the first Chapter; as how we must join Virtue 
2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7.  with Faith, and with virtue, knowledge; and with knowledge, temperance; and with temperance, patience, and with patience, godliness; and with godliness, brotherly kindness; and with brotherly kindness, 
Good works the way, not the cause of the Kingdom of Heaven.  love: But he doth detorquere, writhe and bow the question another way, and to another end: For we do not exclude good works simply from the obtaining of salvation, (sunt enim via regni, non causa regnandi: they are the way to God's Kingdom, not the cause of our ruling and reigning in God's 
Bern.  Kingdom,) but from the obtaining of righteousness: For it is only Christ's righteousness, that maketh us righteous before God, for, he is our wisdom, and righteousness, and holiness, and redemption; wisdom to instruct us, righteousness to justify us, holiness to sanctify us, and redemption to free us. He reasoneth thus.  
Faith without Love doth not justify, Therefore faith alone doth not justify, for faith worketh by love. 
Gal. 5.  I deny the Confequence; For though faith be not alone, without other virtues, yet it justifieth alone; as the hand of the writer is not alone, but hath other members adjoined unto it, yet it writeth alone; as the eye is not alone, and yet it seethe alone; and the ear is not alone, and yet it heareth alone; and yet to speak properly, faith doth not justify: it is a metonymical speech; for to speak properly, the righteousness of Christ, apprehended by faith, justifieth us; faith as the principal cause doth not justify us, sed ut causa instrumentalis: but as the instrumental cause: non per modum dispositionis, sed per modum apprehensionis: not by the manner of disposition, but by the manner of apprehension; For although it doth dispose unto good works, yet it doth not justify in respect of that, but in respect of the object which is Christ; For the blood of jesus 
1 john 1. 7.  Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin.  
But justification (saith he) is motus à peccato ad justitiam: a moving from sin to righteousness; as illumination is a moving from darkness, to light.  
I grant, sed non adjustitiam inhaerentem: not unto inherent or infused righteousness, but imputative. He argueth, that things are denominated from the internal, not the external form; as we call an Aethiopian black, though he have a white garment on him, quia nigredo est illi insita: because blackness is naturally graffed in him. Ergo nos justos dici à justitia intra nos, non extra nos; Therefore we are said to be righteous, of the righteousness that is within us, not without us. I answer, This is true in Philosophy, but false in Divinity. Here we may say with Paul, Beware lest there be any man that spoil you through 
Col. 2. ●.  philosophy. Philosophy may be used, so as she be content to be a servant, not a mistress: but when men measure all doctrine by humane reason, and philosophical positions, as Bellarmine here doth, than Philosophy is to be taken heed of.  
Owlet, in the fifth part of his resolution confesseth, that works are not the causes of salvation, but the path that leadeth 
Papists at death fly to God's mercy in Christ, and not to merit.  to salvation, the fruits and effects of faith: as Christ saith, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven: That Paul speaking of the cause of justification, saying, we conclude, that 
Mat. 5. 16. Rom. 3. 18.  a man is justified by faith, without the works of the Law, is not contrary to james speaking of the notes and signs of justification, saying, Ye see then, how that of works a man is justified, and not of faith only. This truth, God extorted from him, as also 
jam. 2. 24.  from Stephen Gardiner, who confessed this at his death, but would not have it preached to the people; Open that door (quoth he) and then farewell all. He would be wiser than God. Mounser also granted it, and cried, Solus Christus, solus Christus: Christ alone, Christ alone. And so Sherwin a seminary Priest, executed for treason with Campian, and others at Tyburn, when he was in the cart, ready to dye, though he held himself a martyr for the Catholic faith, acknowledged notwithstanding ingenuously, the miseries, imperfections, and corruptions of his own vile nature, relying wholly upon Christ, cried out at his death: O jesus, jesus, jesus, be to me a jesus. And Bellarmine cities often in his works out of Augustine, Domus Dei credendo fundatur, sperando exigitur, diligendo perficitur: the foundation of God's house in our souls is faith, the walls hope, the roof, charity. If faith be the foundation of all other virtues, as himself affirms, and if it be our safest 
Lib. 1. de Rom. Pont. cap. 10. De justificatione. lib. 5. Cap. 7.  course to repose our whole trust in the only mercy of God, Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae, & periculum inanis gloriae, tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere; For the uncertainty of our own righteousness and danger of vain glory, it is the safest way to repose all our confidence in Gods only mercy and bounty. Then is it not as he disputes, Lib. 1. de justificatione, cap. 4. wrought by charity: but contrariwise charity doth arise from faith. I will conclude with Bernard, Omnia merita Dei dona sunt, ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est, quàm Deus homini; all our merits are the gifts of God, so man is rather a debtor to God for them, than God to man. So much as touching this life.  
Touching the other life, he commends them to God, that they may behold the presence of his glory with joy: for in the life to come we shall have plenitudinem gaudy: fullness of joy. Here all 
Psal. 16.  joy is at an ebb, it is mixed with some sorrow; light with darkness, heat, with cold; health, with sickness: life, with death; glory, with ignominy: but there is joy, and nothing but joy; no change, no alteration; day, without night: light, without darkness; summer, without winter: youth, without age: life, without death: there we shall have all tears wiped away from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall 
Apoc. 21. 4.  there be any more pain; but they shall have perpetual joy: death 
The joys of Heaven fill all powers of soul & body.  and Hell shall be cast into the lake of fire, and shall be destroyed for ever; The second death shall have no power upon them that be in heaven, but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years; That is, for ever. We look too much to 
Apoc. 20. 6, 5, 14. Hebr. 6.  the pleasures of this world, which maketh us care less for Heaven; but look into the powers of the world to come, vide intùs, & extra, supra & infra, circumcirca, & ubique erit gaudium: Look within and without, above and beneath, and round about, and ye shall find joy every where; within shall be joy for the glorification of the body and soul: for our Saviour, even The Lord jesus, shall change our vile body, and make it like his glorious body, according 
Phil. 3. 21.  to the working, whereby he is able to sub due all things unto himself. It is much to have our bodies changed, more, to have our vile bodies changed, but to have our vile bodies so changed, that they shall be facioned like the glorious body of the Lord jesus, is most of all, and must needs fill us with joy. We shall have joy without, by reason of the company of the blessed Angels; for we shall enjoy not only the celestial jerusalem, but also the company of innumerable Angels, which shall glad us, and rejoice us exceedingly. We shall have joy above, in the sight of God, for we shall be like God, and see him as he is. We shall have joy beneath, of the beauty of Heaven and of the world; for 
1 john 3. 2.  We look for new Heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 
2 Pet. 3. 13.  We shall have joy round about of the delight of all our senses, when God shall be the object of them all: for he shall be a glass unto our eyes, music unto our ear, honey to our taste, a flower to our hands, and sweet Balsamum to our smell; there shall be the fairness of the Summer, the sweetness of the Spring, the plenty of the Autumn, the rest of the Winter, yea God shall 
1 Cor. 13.  be all in all unto us. This life is as a seedtime in tears, as the travel of a woman, as a weary prentice-hood, as a tedious journey, but the harvest is in the life to come, there shall we reap joy, there 
Psal. 126. 5.  are we delivered of our child birth, and forget our sorrow, for joy that salvation is come, our sorrow shall be turned into joy. A 
john 16. 21, 22.  woman when she travaileth hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of her Child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is borne into the world. In this world we have sorrow, but in Heaven joy, there we shall rejoice, and our joy shall no man take from us.  
Look to jesus the Author and finisher of our faith; and let the same animate us, that did him, he for the joy that was set before 
Hebr. 12. 2.  him, endured the Cross, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the Throne of God. Let us so do, and we shall follow the Lamb, and be partakers of the price of our high calling, which is in Christ jesus: tantum gaudebunt, quantum amabunt; tantum amabunt, quantum cognoscunt Deum; sic cognoscunt, ut cogniti 
Rom. 8.  sunt; so much shall they rejoice, by how much they love, and so 
The land of the living, compared with the land of the dead.  much shall they love, by how much they know God; and they so know, as they are known.  
The situation and height of Heaven, may teach us the quantity and quality of the glory of heaven; Coelum Empyraeum is 
1 Cor. 13.  higher, greater, and more excellent than all Heavens; the Scripture calleth it, The land of the living; as if the earth which we inhabit, were the land of dead men: and indeed, We are dead, and 
Psal. 116. 9  our life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ, which is our life, 
Col. 3. 3.  shall appear, then shall we also appear in glory. Now if in this land of dead men, the creatures be so precious, what shall they be hereafter, in the land of the living? In this dead land see the greatness of the heavens, the brightness of the Sun, and Moon, and stars: the beauty of the earth; how pleasant is it to see the height of the mountains, the plains of the fields, the greenness of the valleys, the fountains of waters, the current of the streams and rivers; which like veins run thorough the earth; the mines of gold and silver, pearl, the mines of metals. If all these be in the land of the dead: what is in the land of the living? There shall be a new Heaven and a new earth, and new creatures. 
2 Pet. 3. 15.   
Again, there be three places in this life:  
The first, is in the womb from our corruption.  
The second, is in the world from our birth.  
The third, is in Heaven after death.  
Betwixt these three, there is a proportion; look how much the world is bigger and pleasanter than the womb; so much is Heaven bigger, and fairer than the world, as well in length of time, as in beauty; Touching durance, the first life in the 
2 Mathab. 7.  womb, is not above nine months; the second life, is four score years, at the most; the third is infinite and eternal: the 
Psal. 90. 1 Cor. 13.  womb of the mother, is nothing to the world, and the world, is nothing to heaven, seeing one star is bigger than the earth. 
job 38.   
Again, the difference of the inhabitants maketh a difference betwixt Heaven and earth; that is full of living men; this of dead 
Luk. 9 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rom. 3.  men; that of just men, this of sinners; this of men, Rom. 3. 24. that of Angels, Dan. 7. here dwell the penitent, there the perfect; here dwell the militant, there the triumphant; here dwell friends, and enemies, there friends only, and the elect; there 
Hebr. 12. 23. job 7. Apoc. 14.  God shall be plenitudo lucis nostro intellectui: fullness of light to our understanding; Multitudo pacis voluntati: multitude of peace, to our will, Et continuatio aeternitatis: memoriae, and continuance of eternity to our memory.  
It is said of the Swans, that they sing dying,  
Cantator Cignus, funeris ipse sui.  
And we like Swans in the assurance of the glory that shall be revealed to us, should live and die rejoicing: For we shall be made, an eternal joy and glory, from generation, to generation; salvation shall 
The happiness of Heaven, set out by comparison.  be our walls, and praise our gate: we shall have no more Sun to shine by day, neither shall the brightness of the Moon shine unto us, for the Lord shall be our everlasting light, and our God our glory; our Sun shall never go down, neither shall our Moon be hid, for the Lord shall be our 
Esay. 60. 15, 18, 19, 20, 21.  everlasting light, and the days of our sorrow shall be ended: we shall be all righteous, and possess the land for ever. We shall come with Israel, from Mount Horeb, where was nothing but thunder, lightning, and clouds; to mount Thabor, where we shall enjoy the glory of Christ jesus, and say with Peter, Bonum est hîc esse: It is 
Mat. 17.  good for us to be here. Let them make account of this life, who make the world their friend, and are not only in it, but of it, whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded, that they look 
2 Cor. 4. 3.  not for future things: we are here pilgrims, our Country is Heaven, our friends the Angels, our companions 
Apoc. 21.  the Saints, our City the new jerusalem: how can we sit among the rivers of Babylon, and not weep to remember the heavenly Zion? O curvae in terris animae, & coelestium inanes! O crooked souls on earth, and devoid of heavenly things! We marvel at the Pigmaeans, that are but a cub it high, and live but seven years; and yet our life to eternity is not seven years, nor seven days, nor seven hours, nor one hour, it is but a moment; 
2 Cor. 4. 17.  so S. Paul calleth it. Saturn, one star, is thirty years in motion, in circuit, and we may go round about the world in three years and odd days; so little a space is it. What is a drop of water to the whole Sea? An acre of land to the map of the world? the light of a candle, to the brightness of the Sun? the life of a child, to the years of Methusalah? the conceit of a fool, to the experience of Noah, who saw two Worlds? or one drop of rain to all the waters in the Clouds, which drowned a whole world? Such is our life to eternity, and the glory of this world to the glory of Heaven: a thousand years are but a day: nay, S. john calleth 
2 Pet. 3.  all the time since Christ's coming, but an hour; he maketh sixteen hundred years but an hour to eternity, to the days 
1 john. 3.  everlasting! Oh think oftener of heaven, and the glory of it! Oh, seek the things that be above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of 
Col. 3. 1.  God: set your affections upon Heavenly things, and not upon earthly. Paul prayed for the Ephesians, that they might see the hope of their calling, & 
Ephes. 1 17.  the riches of the glorious inheritance. And pray you for it; for as yet these things are hid from our eyes; videmus tantum terrena: we behold only earthly things.  
If in a golden game some should step aside, and run after flies and feathers, would we not count them mad? so is it in Christianity; our life is a race, we all are runners, heaven is the goal, eternal life the prize, but many step aside after flies and 
1 Cor. 9  vanity; We tyre ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction, and 
Wisd. 5. 7, 8, 9  we have gone thorough dangerous ways, but we have not known the way of the Lord: what hath pride profited us? Or what profit hath the pomp 
One day in Heaven more joyous, than many in the greatest honour.  of riches brought us? All these things are passed away as a shadow, and as a post that passeth by. If a man knew the thoughts of Alexander Magnus, when he died of the poison of Styx, after all his victories, or the thoughts of julius Caesar, receiving in the Senate 52. wounds, and all deadly, after that he had conquered the world: he shall see that they took little pleasure in their former honours and victories. Philip Mornay saith of Carolus quintus, whom of all men the world judged most happy, that he cursed all his honours in his old age, his victories, trophies, riches, saying; Abite hinc, abite longè, Get ye hence: get ye away a sarre off; he found more joy in one days contemplation of Heaven, than in all his Imperial life. Then, then was his mourning turned into joy, and his sack loosed, and he girded with gladness. He that knew the 
Psa. 30: 11.  thoughts of the soul of the rich man in hell, he shall see, that he crieth, Woe, woe to all the wealth, honour, pomp, and glory of the world; and had rather be one day in Paradise, than ten thousand years in this world: he curseth gold, house, land, credit, and saith! Vae domni lut●ae, ob quam perdidi auream in coelis: Woe to this house of clay, that hath made me lose an house 
2 Cor. 5. 1.  of gold in Heaven!  
In Saint Luke's Gospel we do read, that when some spoke of the temple how it was garnished with goodly stones, and consecrate things; O (saith our Saviour) are these the things that ye look upon? The days will come, when a stone shall not be left upon a 
Luk. 21. 6.  stone. So say I, O then look up higher.  
Again, in Heaven is the presence of glory: As there is no light but that which is derived from the Sun, so there is no glory but that which is derived from the glory of God, that is, true everlasting glory. As there is no right Balm but in Gilead, no right incense but in Sheba: so there is no true glory, but the Heavenly glory: Gloria mundi ut fumus: The glory of the world is but smoke, and as chaff that vanisheth, as a dream and vision in the night, that tarrieth not; as if an hungry man dreameth, and 
Esay 29. 8, 9  thinketh that he eateth; and when he awaketh, his soul is empty; and like a thirsty man, which thinketh the drinketh, and behold, when he is awaked, his soul is faint: so in the world to come men shall say, O what hath pride profited us? Or what profit hath the pomp of riches brought us? Or what good hath the glory of the world done us? Where is the glory of Solomon, the power of Alexander, the edifices and buildings of Nabuchadnezar? The nine hundred chariots of Sisera? The authority of Augustus, which commanded the whole world to be taxed? What did vain glory, the multitude of servants, the power of the world, the hugeness of their armies, their abundance of wealth, and troops of flatterers profit these? All was as a shadow, all was as smoke, All are passed away as a shadow, and as a post that passeth by, as a ship that 
Wisd. 5. 9, 10.  passeth over the waves of the waters, which when it is gone, the trace 
This world fraudulent, turbulent, momentany.  thereof cannot be found, neither the path of it in the floods. In mundi foelicitate videbis plus fellis quàm mellis: in the felicity of this world ye shall see more gall, than honey; more wormwood, than sugar: the world is full of thorns, not of roses, it promiseth a man that which he shall never have, and leaveth a man in the chief of his pleasures: this world is a coffer of sorrows, a school of vanity, a market of frauds, a labyrinth of errors, a flood of tears, a sweet poison; the joy of this world hath sorrow; his security is without foundation; his labours, without fruit; his tears, without purpose; and his purposes, without success; his hope is vain, sorrow certain, and joy feigned. An heathen man could say, that he would not be wrapped again in his swaddling clothes to gain much. The Apostle calleth it a sea of glass, a sea for the troubles of it, or glass for the bitterness of it, or because 
Apoc. 15.  God seethe into it, as we see into a glass. Now rich, now poor; now full, now empty; now honourable, now despised; now alive, and now dead, and never certain; the pomp therefore of it, Saint john compareth to the Moon, crescit & decrescit: it increaseth 
Apoc. 12. 1. job 14. 10, 11, 12.  and decreaseth. Man is sick and dieth, and man perisheth, and where is he? As waters pass from the Sea, and as the flood decayeth, and drieth up; so man sleepeth, and riseth not; for he shall not wake again, nor be raised from his sleep, till the Heaven be no more. And as it is written in another place; Our days are more swift than a post, they 
job 9 25.  have fled and seen no good thing. Xerxes, that great Emperor, was weary of all pleasure, and offered rewards to the inventors of new pleasures, and yet when these new pleasures were found, he was not contented.  
As Elkanah said to Hannah, Why weepest thou? am not I better to 
1 Sam. 1. 8.  thee, than ten sons? So saith God to us, Why weep ye, and sorrow ye, why do ye thus vex and torment yourselves? am not I better unto you, than ten worlds? Is not heavenly glory better than all earthly? Why do ye leave the fountain of Paradise; 
jer. 2. 10.  and drink of the broken and troublesome cysternes of this world? Why in this golden race do ye step aside after flies and feathers. O taste & see how sweet the glory of God is! look, o look into the powers of the world to come! As the inhabitants 
1 Pet. 2. 3.  of Nilus are deaf by the noise of the water, so many are deaf, when they should hear of Heaven; the world maketh such a noise in their ears, they savour not the things which are of God: 
Mat. 16.  These Ravens feed of nothing but garbage, like Noah's Raven; 
Gen. 8.  these Lapwings make their nests in the ordure; these Beetles never sing but in a bed of dung; these Eagles never seize, but upon a 
Mat. 24. 28.  carcase; Vbi cadaver, ibi Aquilae; Where the dead carcase is, thither the eagle's resort. Where there is buying, selling, bargaining, profit, gain, thither fly these Eagles, their hearts are exercised with Covetousness, they are brawned in it, they think of 
2 Pet. 2. 14, 16.  nothing but the world, and the glory of it; but these men shall see one day the glory of Christ to their shame and confusion: but 
Christ, comfort both in this life, and that to come.  the elect shall see Christ's humanity more glorious than ever the Apostle saw it on Mount Thabor; apparebit Christus in similitudine carnis: Christ shall appear in the similitude of flesh, that both 
Mat. 17. August. in Man. 1. cap. 26.  the eyes of man might be blessed in him, that the eye of the heart might be refreshed in his divinity; and the eye of the body in his humanity; that going in or out, our humane nature might find in him food and delight. Christ hath made to his 
Mat. 10.  Church a double promise: the one of his spiritual presence by grace, the other of his Heavenly presence in glory; the first is performed; the second, not yet. The Saints therefore pray, Come Lord jesus, come quickly. And if we pertain to God, we will 
Apoc. 22.  look for his coming, and desire it: we will look for the appearance of the glory of our great God, and of our Saviour Christ jesus: but if we love the world, the Love of God is not in us. 
Tit. 2. 3. 1 john 2. 15.    

THE FORTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXV. 
That is, to God only Wise, and our Saviour, be Glory and Majesty, etc. 
The six Atributes of God.   
WE are now come to the last thing contained in this Epistle, which is a thanksgiving to God, with a description of his Attributes.  
For he ascribeth to God Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Power.  
For I divided this Epistle into the Salvation, Precation, The general Proposition, The Confirmation by diverse examples, The Confutation, and Lastly, the Conclusion.  
And the conclusion into two; Prayer and Thanksgiving: this is a Thanksgiving to God, he began with Prayer, and endeth with thanksgiving; for the worship of God doth consist and stand upon two parts:  
Precatio, 
We cannot think on Christ without thankfulness.  Gratiarum actio. Prayer, and Thanksgiving.  
And these both the Apostle 〈◊〉 included ●● one verse, saying, Let both your requests ●ee showed unto God in prayer and supplication, with giving of thankes▪ ●ut to leave this.  
Saint jude cannot speak of God without thankfulness; thus Paul concluded the Epistle to Rome, saying, To him now that 
Rom. 16. 25, 27.  is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, etc. to God, I say, only wise, be praise through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. So concluded the other Apostles: The God of peace that brought again from the dead, the Lord jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the 
Heb. 13. 20, 21.  blood of his everlasting covenant, make you perfect in all good works to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through jesus Christ to whom, be praise for ever and ever. Amen. And thus concluded Saint Peter, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: to him be glory both now and evermore, 
2 Pet. 3. 18.  Amen. Augustine said, Tu Domine sic excitas ut laudare te delectet, fecisti nos pro te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te: thou 
August. lib. 1. confess. cap. 1.  Lord dost so excite me, that to praise thee it delighteth me, thou hast made us for thee, and our heart cannot be quiet, till it rest in thee. Vae tacentibus de te, taceat la●des tuas, qui miserationes tuas non novit: Woe be to them which speak not of thee, he setteth not forth thy praise, who is ignorant of thy mercies. Again saith the father, Si omnia membra nostra verteventur in linguas, si tot haberemus, quot Argus oculos, nequaquam sufficerent: If all our 
August. lib. Meditationum.  members were converted into tongues, if we had as many tongues as Argus had eyes, they were not sufficient to set forth thy praises: thou art a Lord exceeding great and infinite, without measure and end, and oughtest to be praised and beloved of all. Paul could not name Christ, but abruptly, but breaketh out into thanksgiving, having often other matters inhand, yet cannot he stay, but soundeth out his gratitude, as with a trumpet, as writing to Timothy, & handling other matters, on a sudden he leaveth the thing in hand, and crieth out, Now unto the King everlasting, immortal, invisible, unto God only wise, be honour and glory for 
1 Tim. 16. 17.  ever and ever, Amen. So writing to the Romans, and handling the privileges of the jews, on a sudden he leaveth off, and breaketh out into thanksgiving, saying, Of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God over all blessed for ever, Amen. So writing 
Rom. 9 5.  to the Corinthians, and handling the resurrection from the dead, on a sudden he breaketh out to gratitude, saying, Thanks be to God which hath given us victory, through jesus Christ 
1 Cor. 15. 57  our Lord.  
jude here useth a figure called Ple●nasmus, to express his zeal, he doubleth and redoubleth, tripleth, and multiplieth his words, till they be many in number; he is full as the Moon, he 
job 32.  floweth as the Sea, he is as the new vessels which have no vent, for if the fountain be full, the channels cannot be empty; if 
The Saints plentiful in thanksgiving.  there be moisture in the root, the branches cannot whither; if there be heat in the chimney, the house cannot be cold; if the heart abound, the mouth will be full of God's praises; Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur: out of the abundance of the heart 
Luke 6.  the mouth speaketh.  
Note this in all the Saints of God, how plentifully doth David describe his thankfulness, My soul, praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits: And again, Praise the Lord, o my 
Psal. 103. 1, 2. Psal. 146. 1.  soul; I will praise the Lord during my life, as long as I have any being, I will sing unto my God. With how many words commendeth he the Law? What variety he useth? What cornucopia he hath? Mark his words; The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom 
Psal. 19 7, 8, 9  unto the simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoce the heart; the Commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgements of the Lord are truth, and righteous altogether. Mark I pray you, how he calleth it the Law, the Testimonies, the Statutes, the Commandments, the Fear, the judgements of the Lord: then what Epithets he giveth it; the Law Perfect, the Testimonies sure, the Statutes Right, the fear Clean, the judgements Truth; then, what fruits he ascribeth to it; that it converteth the soul, giveth wisdom, rejoiceth the heart, endureth for ever. Thus let us learn to measure ourselves, and to know the goodness of our hearts by the mouth; if we can speak scantly of God and good things, & plentifully of the world and the vanities of it, our heart is naught, it is withered like grass, all the dews of God's grace are dried up in it: but we must rouse up both our hearts and tongues, and say with David, My heart is prepared, O my 
Psal. 57 7, 8, 9  God, my heart is prepared, I will sing and give praise: Awake, my tongue, awake, viol and harp: I will awake right early, I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing unto thee among the nations.  
But to come to a more particular description of God's attributes; and the attributes wherewith he is described, are  
Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Dominion▪ and Power.  
And yet this description is but in part, not a full description; for who can describe him perfectly? he is shadowed out unto us by the holy Ghost after this manner: The Lord, the Lord, strong, 
Exod. 34. 6, 7.  merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodness and truth, reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity, and transgression and sin: not making the wicked innocent, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon their Children, unto the third and fourth generation. And again, Solomon, King Solomon, wise King Solomon shadoweth him out after this manner: Who hath ascended up to Heaven, and 
Prov. 30. 4.  descended? Who hath gathered the Wind in his fist? Who hath bound 
All men ignorant, till enlightened.  the Waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the World? What is his name, or what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell? Oh who can tell his name, or his Son's name? Est bonus sine qualitate, magnus sine quantitate, praesens sine situ, sempiternus sine tempore, sine initio, sine fine: He is good without quality, great without quantity, present without situation, everlasting without time, without beginning, and without end. Seditut aequitas, dominatur ut majestas, novit ut veritas, amat ut charitas: he sitteth as equity, ruleth as majesty, knoweth as verity, and loveth as charity. For these be not qualities, but of the essence of God; Of 
Rom. 11.  him, and for him, and through him are all things. He calleth him only wise, wherein he bestrippeth all men, and bereaveth them of wisdom, as the Cumane Ass of the Lion's skin: as Aesop's Crow of her feathers, except they have it of God: Hereupon saith the Apostle, If any man want Wisdom, let him ask of God, 
jam. 1. 5.  who giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him. jeremy speaketh generally, Every man is a beast in his own 
jer. 10. 14.  knowledge, not some, but all; not a few men, but every man. So saith David, The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of 
Psal. 14. 2.  men, to see if there were any that would understand, and seek after God, but all are gone out of the way, all are corrupt, etc. Paul calleth the Ephesians darkness, not dark, but darkness, night itself: Ye 
Ephes. 5. 8.  were sometime darkness (quoth he) and he prayeth God to lighten them, The God of our Lord jesus Christ, and Father of Glory, give unto yo● the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation through the knowledge 
Ephes. 1. 17.  of him. And let this be our prayer, that the God of our Lord jesus Christ, and Father of Glory, would give us the Spirit of Wisdom, and he give us all the Spirit of Wisdom, that we may be wise unto Salvation: for that which Christ said of Laodicea, is true of all, Thou sayest, thou art rich, and increased in 
Apoc. 13. 17, 18.  goodness, and hast need of nothing, and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be made rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that thy filthy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see: that is, suffer the eyes of thy understanding to be opened. We are blind, not as whelps that see after nine days, not as the man in the Gospel, who saw men walk like trees, but we be as blind as beetles, as blind as the men of Sodom, who groped for Lot's door: for what see we, that the Gentiles saw not? And 
Gen. 19  yet saw they nothing: for the Apostle affirmeth, that they walked 
Ephes. 4. 17, 18.  in the vanity of their mind, having their cogitation darkened, and being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them; and because of the hardness of their hearts. God by the Gospel openeth our eyes, that we may turn from darkness to light, and from 
Act. 26. 18. Col. 2. 3.  the power of Satan unto God. All the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in Christ. Wisdom and Knowledge are in Angels and in 
No true wisdom in man, till God infuse it.  men as well as in Christ; how can then all Wisdom and Knowledge be hid in him? Yes, they have it from Christ▪ for Wisdom and Knowledge is in Angels by Vision, in Men by Revelation, 
Col. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 22. Prov. 9 1.  but in Christ by union, for he is the Power and Wisdom of his Father; he is Wisdom and the Church and House Wisdom, wherein all must learn Wisdom: we know not all things that appertain to God, nor are we ignorant of all things which are proper to beasts, but we know some things, and are ignorant of others, which are peculiar to men: and so far we see, as God hath illuminated us, and no further; for as all fountains come from the Sea, and all lights from the Sun: so all Wisdom from God; there may be Science in the wicked, but not Sapience. Scientia est rerum humanarum, Sapientia rerum divinarum: 
Aug,  Science is of humane and earthly things, Sapience of divine and heavenly things: there is in the wicked Wit, but not Wisdom; or if there be any Wisdom, it is the wisdom of the world, and of the flesh, but the Wisdom of the Spirit they have it not. They that are of the flesh (saith the Apostle) savour 
Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7.  the things of the flesh, but they that are of the Spirit, savour the things of the Spirit: for the Wisdom of the flesh is Death, but the Wisdom of the Spirit is Life and Peace, because the Wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God. Achitophel was wise, but not in God, nor for God; the Grecians were wise, but not spiritually; the Philosophers 
2 Sam. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 22. 1 Cor. 2. 14.  were wise, but yet in part, and in the least part, for from whence cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? from whence came this division of the gods into majores & minores, into greater and lesser gods? from whence came the furies of Epicures with their Attomies: which cannot be divided? from whence the fate of Stoics, bending fast and tying strait jehova himself? from the doting of Aristotle, dreaming of the World's eternity? which of these knew the World to be made of nothing; the Word to be made flesh, Christ to be borne of a virgin, the righteousness of one man, to be conferred to another to make him righteous, in three substances or parts to be but one God? For all Wisdom & Religion flow from one fountain, that is, God. Quem qui nescit, licèt videat, caecus 
Lactantius.  est, licet audiat, surdus est, licet loquitur, mutus est, licet vivat, mortuus est, Whom, whoso knoweth not, though he seethe, yet is he blind; though he heareth, yet he is deaf; though he speaketh, yet is he dumb; though he liveth, yet is he dead; for this is life, nay, life eternal, To know God to be the only very God, & jesus Christ whom he hath 
john 17. 3, 25.  sent. The World knows not God, saith our Saviour, But I have known you, and these have known me. Seneca & the Philosophers said, Fortunam à Deo petendum, sapientia à nobis, Fortune is to be begged and craved of God, Wisdom of ourselves, Nemo (inquit) Deo ob sapientiam gratias egit: No man hath thanked God for Wisdom. But there was no grace in these lips, they spoke proudly. The Philosophers affirm, reason to be seated in the head, as in a Tower, and from thence as a lamp to shine unto our counsels, 
God saves by Christ.  and as a Queen to moderate the will.  
Well, it is God that is only Wise, and his Wisdom appeareth in the creation, in disposing so orderly, and placing so seemly, all things in their place and degree, as is most wonderful to behold, with such beauty and proportion in every creature, that unless we be too too blockish, we may cry out with David, O Lord, how wonderful are thy works! in Wisdom hast 
Psal. 8.  thou made them all. And again, Great is our Lord, and great is his power, yea his Wisdom is infinite. To see the goodly order of Heaven, it will make a man to be astonished at the Wisdom of God, more than the Queen of Saba was at the wisdom of Solomon; to see how God preserveth his Church by his power, and knows ways and means by his Wisdom to deliver it, might ravish us with the consideration of his wisdom, & to cry out with Paul, O the depth 
Rom. 11.  of the riches, and wisdom, and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding ●ut! Yea so wise a God is he, that deprehendit astutos in astutia: that he taketh the wily and subtle in their craft and subtlety; nay, there is no Wisdom, there is no understanding, there is no Counsel against the Lord. Let us 
Prov. 21.  always then submit ourselves to this only wise God, who knoweth how to deliver us out of temptation and trouble, and to 
2 Pet. 2.  punish the wicked; for with him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 
job 21. 22.   
I am come unto the second title, and that title is, that he calleth him a Saviour, yea our Saviour, a title of great comfort; he is able to save us, he is willing to save us: what now is wanting to our full consolation? There is power, there is will in him to save us: upon these two pillars resteth our faith. So Saint Peter comforted the dispersed Church: for having showed how that through the abundant mercy of our God, we are elect, and regenerate to a lively hope, and how faith must be tried, he cometh at last to this salvation here spoken of, and telleth them, that they shall one day receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls. The which salvation in Christ is no new thing, but a thing prophesied of old: salvation is the thing that we all long for: for there is none so wicked, but he would be saved, and no salvation but in Christ: There is no other name given unto men by which they shall be saved, save only by the name of 
Act. 4. 12.  jesus: he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Saviour; so called at his birth. This day is 
Luke 2. 11.  borne a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord; so named before his birth, Thou shalt call his name jesus: for be shall save his people from their 
Mat. 1. 21.  sins. And thus called after his birth, and joseph called his name jesus, a title known in Heaven, honoured in Earth, and feared in Hell. He is a Saviour; a powerful Saviour, when he 
Mat. 1. 25.  was weakest, then did he the greatest works, that ever were done: he was powerful in his life in doing miracles, in giving sight 
Christ is properly called the Saviour.  to the blind, ears to the deaf, tongues to the dumb, legs to the ame, life to the dead. O but more powerful at his death, in saving the world. For then the Sun was darkened, the earth trembled, the stones clavae in pieces, the graves opened, the dead raised; his death reached to Heaven, to earth, to Hell; the Angels rejoiced, the Devils trembled, and all men were comforted. Let Satan boast like Rabsache, that God cannot deliver jerusalem out of his hands, that God cannot deliver the elect from his power, he is a liar; & the God of peace, shall tread him under our feet shortly; our Michael hath cast down the Dragon, we may sing the ●o Paean, the joyful triumph with the Saints; Now is salvation in Heaven, and strength, and the Kingdom of God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is thrown down, which accused them day and night before God, and they overcame him with the blood of the Lamb.  
For indeed Christ's death was our life; his sacrifice our satisfaction; 
Lact.  his labour hath eased our burdens; his wounds, our curing; his stripes, our healing; his curse, our blessing; his damnation, our absolution.  
Finely saith one, Thou art sick, he is the Physician of thy soul; yea dead in sin, he is thy Saviour and reviver; thou art starved through sin, he is the bread of life, thou art thirsty, he is the water; nay dead with thirst, he is the everspringing well, the River of Paradise, one drop whereof is more than all the Ocean.  
The Grecians for an earthly deliverance by Flaminius, cried so loud, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that the earth gave an Echo, and a rebound, that their cry made the Fowls of the air to fall down dead, their voice and shout was as the sound of a thunder; how much more cause have we to rejoice in the Lord jesus, who saveth both body and soul, and delivereth from dangers of this life, and the life to come. The Angels sung at his birth: Glory be to God on bigh, 
Luk. 2.  in earth peace, good will towards men. No tongues of men or Angels are able to express this benefit, it is a greater my stery than so, for so the Apostle confesseth, saying, Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, justified 
1 Tim. 3. 16.  in the spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up in glory. Moses saved Israel from Pharaoh; Christ saveth us from the Devil; he from Egypt, Christ from hell; he brought them into the land of Chanaan, Christ will bring us 
Exod. 12. Col. 1.  into heaven; he sprinkled the door posts with the blood of the Lamb, Christ our hearts with his own blood.  
The Papists are injurious to Christ, and break in upon his titles and offices, making him either no Saviour, or else but a little Saviour, in ascribing salvation to Agnus Dei, to the blood of Martyrs, to Crosses, Masses. Papists do as much encroach upon Christ, as the Turks do: they will not acknowledge election, justification to come from grace, as a right 
Popish doctrine tends to the disgracing of Grace.  Father, but from works, a stepmother: all their doctrine savours of pride, blaspheming grace, and the work of grace. Note their doctrines: de igniculis virtutum insitis à natura: of sparks of virtue grafted in us by nature; de gratia operante & coomperante: of operating and coomperating grace; de puris naturalibus: of pure naturals: they will not suffer any body to call God Father, and yet is he the Father of Mercies, and God of all 
2 Cor. 1. 3.  comfort. The Church of Rome saith, That all the actions of men unregenerate be not sin; that original sin needeth no repentance; that a man by mere naturals may love God, fear God, and believe in Christ; that a regenerate man may fulfil the whole Law; as said the Trident Council, that we may do works of supererogation. Et quid nunc relinquitar Christ jesus? And what is now left for Christ jesus? The jesuites ask, Why is it not as honourable for God, & as great glory to pour in an inherent righteousness into us, as to give us, a reputed or imputed righteousness? But so they may ask, Why God kept not Adam from falling? Had it not been as honourable to have kept him from falling? No, no, for than we had not known the sweetness of the Messiah. So it may seem as honourable 
Gen. 3. 15.  for God to have kept us from sickness; but then we had not known the goodness of the Physician; so God might have given us continual light; but then we had not felt the comfort of it, as now we do by darkness: one contrary openeth another, so that still the reason of the Apostle is good, By grace are 
Ephes. 2. 8.  ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: And again, We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption, 
Rom. 3. 24.  which is in Christ jesus. As poverty causeth wealth to seem 
Lact. lib. 2. c. 8. the orig. erroris.  good; as darkness commendeth light; and sickness, health, and death, life: so our imputed righteousness, the glory of God. We are as passengers on the sea, we have many waves to overturn our ship. God biddeth us undo our Cables, cast out our anchors, 
Hebr. 6.  and fasten them in Christ: but a sister of ours, that saileth with us, unlooseth our Cables, and casteth out our anchors on the sand, on our works, not on Christ's works.  
But still to prosecute this point: base miserable men will not be beholding to God, but they will barter or cope with God, as our men do in Ice-land, and give him so many pilgrimages, fast so many days, hear so many Masses, and do so many works, till God be satisfied; but our sins are infinite, and God's Majesty is infinite, and our works are finite: how therefore can they answer that which is infinite? In finitum ac infinitum, nulla est comparatio: There is no comparison between that which is finite, and that which is infinite. The Papists are like the mad man Thraselaus, who coming to the haven Piraeum, imagined all the ships to be his; but being cured of that madness, saw 
If we see our sins, we will extol God's grace.  his poverty: so they imagine all their works to be good, Heaven to be this earth, Purgatory to be theirs, all to be theirs: but when they shall see their sins truly, they will be of another mind, as was Cardinal Poole, who said that God's grace cannot be extolled too high, nor man's righteousness cast down too low: so said Luther, so said Staphilus, so said Turrian, wishing that he had never written against Sadele.  
The third title is glory: For shutting up his Epistle with thanksgiving, he ascribeth to God, glory: glory is the commendation of our lips from the bottom of our hearts for benefits received. The Apostle calleth it the cabves of our lips: they in 
Hebr. 13.  the Law offered unreasonable calves, we the calves of our lips; they offered strange flesh, we our own flesh; they beasts, we ourselves. Whereupon Paul, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of 
Rom. 12. 1.  God, that ye offer your bodies a quick, an holy and lively acceptable sacrifice to God. God himself prescribeth this order in trouble; first, to call upon him; secondly, a promise of hearing us; thirdly, a precept to give thanks; Call upon me in time of trouble, I will hear 
Psal. 50. 15.  thee, and thou shalt glorify me. We perform the first, God the second, but we perform not the last: we pray in misery, but we give not God glory, after that we be delivered from that misery. Thus the Israelites, when God slew them, they sought him, 
Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36.  and they returned, and sought God early, and they remembered, that God was their strength, and the most high God their Redeemer, but they would not glority and praise him for their deliverance: but flattered him with their mouth, and dissembled with him with their tongue. Ten lepers prayed loud in their trouble, for they lifted up their voices and said; jesus, Master, have mercy on us: but they were mute as fishes 
Luk 17. 13. 17.  after their deliverance, but one glorified God for his cleansing; witness our Saviour himself, Are there not ten cleansed? where are those nine? they have not returned to give God praise, save only this stranger. The tenth man with them returned to give thanks and glory to God, but not the twentieth, not the hundred man with us will glorify God; Many pray loud in their misery, like the prisoners in the castle. The sick man in his grief with Ezechiah 
Esa. 38.  turneth his face to the wall, and prayeth earnestly unto the Lord; like a Crane and a Swallow, so do they chatter and mourn, as Doves with their eyes lifted up on high. So the Mariner in a storm prayeth; as the mariners in Assyria, who cried every man 
jonas 1. 5.  to his God, and cast the wares that were in the ship, into the Sea, for the safety of themselves; so the soldier in the battle prayeth earnestly to God, as the Soldiers of Asa; the husbandmen in a drought pray for rain, like the Ten Tribes: but when health cometh, when it is calm with the mariner, when the victory is obtained of the soldier, when a gracious rain is fallen to the husbandman; they forget thankfulness, and rob God of his glory. Many in their sicknesses 
Thanksgiving the chiefest duty of a Christian.  promise great zeal and goodness, and thankfulness, but they are like the man in Erasmus his Naufragium, who in a storm promised the virgin a picture of wax, as big as Saint Christopher, but when he came to shore, would not give a tallow candle. We promise mountains, but yield molehills. Paul saith, As 
Ephes. 5 3, 4.  for fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as it becometh saints, neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, neither jesting, which are things not comely, but rather giving of thanks. As though the life of a Christian should be spent only in praising God; as if our tongues were given us only to that end, as if he had said, jest not, Rail not, Speak not ribaldry, but rather give thankes, use thy tongue to God's glory, and whether 
1 Cor. 10. 31.  ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. They that have not glorified God here, shall not be glorified in the life to come; those tongues shall burn in Hell: this is to lay a good foundation. Paul willeth Timothy to charge rich men that that they do good, that they be rich in good works, 
1 Tim. 6. 19  that they be ready to distribute and communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain eternal life. Now there is not a better work than to glorify God, therefore give thankes and sing with the heavenly soldiers, Gloria in excelsis; Glory be to God on high. Those tongues shall not sing the New song, nor follow the 
Apot. 14.  Lamb, that here have given God no glory. Let thy heart meditate of God's goodness, and let thy tongue utter it, it is that which God requireth, Let them confess before the Lord his Loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. Nicephorus 
Psal. 107. 15.  reporteth of Nestorius the Heretic, that after his condemnation, in the second Council of Ephesus, his members consumed, and his tongue rotten in his mouth. The like, the tripartite History reporteth of Nicasius the Donatist and the Eumenians, who eat up Cyrillus liver or heart with salt. The tongues of the wicked shall rot in this life or burn in hell fire, that give God no glory. 'tis not enough to meditate of God's goodness in thy heart, but thou must also proclaim it with thy tongue. Noli nimis vultum seu oculos meditationis intueri, nam meliora sunt ubera gratiarum actionis; Do not behold the countenance or eyes of meditation too much, better are the breasts of praises and thanksgivings. David said, I will always give thankes unto the Lord: 
Psal. 34. 1, 2.  his praise shall be in my mouth continually, my soul shall glory in the Lord, etc. So let us always praise our God; and never rob him of his glory.  
There be two sorts of thiefs that rob God; the proud man and the envious: the proud man robs him of his glory; the envious of his justice: these be greater robbers than the Sabeans, 
job 1. 14, 17.  who carried away jobs Oxen and Asses; then the Chaldeans, who carried away his Camels; then Achan, who stole the wedge 
We should exercise ourselves to this duty of thankfulness.  of gold, than Barrabas: for all these rob but from men, but these from God, and that not the least thing, but the greatest, his glory. When we should sound our praises and glory to God, we are silent like Pythagoras' Scholars, who spoke not in five years; like the dumb man in the Gospel, who spoke not at all. 
Ios. 7. Mat. 27.  I appeal to your consciences, whether for forty requests made to God, we have given him one thanks? No, no, shame may cover our faces, we may hang down our heads with the Publican, and say, Lord, be merciful unto us, ingrateful, unkind, forgetful 
Luk. 38.  and vile men. The Father of all mercies, and the God of all consolation give us eyes to see, and hearts to feel so great unkindness. Let us awake our tongues, our hearts, as David did, and let us say, My heart is fixed, o God, my heart is fixed, I will sing 
Psal. 57 7, 8, 9  and give praise: awake, my tongue, awake, viol and harp. I will awake early, I will praise thee, o Lord, among the people, and I will sing unto thee among the nations. There is a spiritual palsy in our tongue, that we cannot praise God; a veil is over our eyes, that we see not God's glory; an impostumation is in our ears, that we hear not his Word; a Cardiaca passio hath covered over our hearts, that we think not of his blessings; a lethargy in the whole man, that we give him not glory: say therefore with David, Awake, o my tongue, awake, viol, and harp; I will awake early: 
Psal. 103. 1, 2.  I will praise thee, o Lord, among the people, and I will sing unto thee among the nations. Speak unto thy soul, chide it, and say, My soul, praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me, praise his holy name: My soul praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits. Vow to God, as the Prophet did, that thou wilt praise the Lord during thy life: Yea, as long as thou hast any being, to sing unto God, and fulfil his desire: I mean david's, o sing praises, sing praises unto 
Psal. 146. 1.  our God, sing praises, sing praises unto our King; for God is the King of the whole earth, sing ye praises with understanding. Mark how he doubleth, & redoubleth his words, as Roscius did his gestures; as the Nightingale doth her notes; as the Chameleon doth her colours. When the people would not praise and glorify God, he spoke to the Heavens; Hear, o Heavens, and hearken, o earth: And 
Esa. 1. 3. jer. 9 22.  he spoke unto the earth, O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of the Lord. And he spoke unto the mountains, Hear, o mountains, the 
Mich. 6.  Lord his quarrel, and ye mighty foundations of the earth. He may do so now, this English people will give him no glory▪ yet all that we have, our wit, our wisdom, our riches our honour, our authority, we should use these to his glory; this is the right end, why God hath given them; we must not seek our own glory in them, but Gods: when Herod was magnified of the people for his eloquence, and honoured as a God, Immediately the Angel of 
Act. 12. 23.  the Lord smote him, because he gave not the glory to God; and so he was eaten of worms, and gave up the Ghost. O brethren, it is wonderful, that the Heavens rain not down fire and brimstone upon us, 
Our unthankfulness deserveth God's vengeance.  as upon Sodom, that the air infect us not, as it did juda, that the earth openeth not, and swallow us quick to hell, as it did Corah and his company, that the fire burn us not as it did Sodom. For that which Christ objecteth to the jews, may be verified of 
Gen. 19 2 Sam. 24. Numb. 6. 16.  us. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God alone? In all things that we do, we must seek to set forth the glory of God: If any man Minister (saith Saint Peter) let him do it as of the ability, which God ministereth, that God in all things may be glorified 
john 5. 44. 1 Pet. 4. 11.  through jesus Christ. Say to God as Aeschines said to Socrates: when others gave him gold, silver, jewels, Aeschines gave himself, like the poor widow, who cast into the treasury, two mites even all her substance. So give God all; thine eyes to see his glory; thine ears to hear his Word, thine heart to believe in him, thy tongue to praise him, thy foot to follow him, and thy hand to serve him: and let the saying of the Apostle be never forgotten, Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in 
1 Cor. 6. 20.  your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods: stir up thy tongue therefore to speak of God, and his works plentifully; shall thy bow, and thine arrows, thy hawk, and thy hound, thy cart, and thy plough have thy tongue tied to them, to delight in their talk? And shall not the Minister in Christ jesus? Hath thy tongue no portion in such heavenly things? Or if it it be in thy heart, will it not fill thy mouth with praise? Sermo index animi: thy speech is a messenger of thy mind; an Heavenly heart will use Heavenly talk, and an earthly heart sendeth out vain and earthly words: deceive not thyself; such as thy speeches are, such is thy heart, if thou canst eat, drink, ride, play, journey with men, and seldom or never talk of God, it argueth a barren heart. If there be no meat in the dresser, there is little in the kitchen: the mouth is as the dresser, the heart is as the kitchen, wherein things are prepared for God; the vessel is at tilt, when dregs and lees, wanton and filthy speeches, be drawn from the heart; the quiver is empty, when never an arrow can be drawn out, never a word that savoureth of goodness, but all our speeches are for our profit or our pleasure; we are men of polluted lips: CHRIST is the fountain of the water of life, and 
Esa. 6. Esa. 35.  faith in the heart is as the leads or pipes that receive it, and hold the water, and confession is as the cock of the conduit, 
Rom. 10.  the spout that lets out the water to all comers. Earthly men seldom talk of CHRIST: but we have not so unfruitfully learned CHRIST, nor so unhappily given witness of his truth, but better things belong to us, in better ways we will run our course, in a better hope lay down our bodies: Let them talk of the world that make it their portion; we look for a City, whose builder and maker is God. Let the Egyptians talk of their walled 
The godly talk of God, and praise him.  Cities; Nabuchaduezzar of his buildings, the fool of his barns, the voluptuous of his hawks, and hounds; we will speak of God, and our care shall be to glorify him: he is a God of glory, and his is glory: to him will we give glory, and honour and thanks for evermore.   

THE ONE AND FORTIETH SERMON.  VERS. XXV. 
To God only Wise, and our Saviour be Glory, Majesty, Power, and Dominion. 
How Majesty is ascribed to God.   
THere be six Attributes here in this verse, of God: Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Power.  
We have handled and heard of three of them, that is, of his Wisdom, Salvation, and Glory; and I am to speak of the other three, Majesty, Dominion, and Power.  
Majesty is his incomprehensible greatness, which worketh wonders, and bringeth forth most excellent and rare works: to ascribe therefore unto God, a power and an incomprehensible might, whereby he doth the works of wonder, is to render majesty to God. Hereupon said David, Blessed be the Lord God, even the 
Psal. 72. 18, 19  God of Israel, which only doth wondrous things: and blessed be his glorious name for ever, and let all the earth be filled with his glory: so be it: Therefore is David so earnest with the tyrants and great men of the world, to give this Majesty to God, and addeth often, Vno oris halitu, that the voice of the Lord doth all, Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength, give unto 
Psal. 29. 1, 2, 3, 4, 10.  the Lord glory due unto his name: worship the Lord in his glorious Sanctuary. 
Miracles admired for the the rareness.  The voice of the Lord is upon the Waters. The God of glory maketh it to thunder: the Lord is upon the great Waters, the voice of the Lord is mighty, the voice of the Lord is glorious, etc. The Lord sitteth upon the flood, and the Lord doth remain King for ever. He repeateth one thing often over: for we pass over all the works of God without consideration, like horse and mule that have no understanding, and they are buried in the grave of oblivion. We 
Psal. 22.  will not confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. They that dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in misery 
Psal. 107. 8, 10, 14, 15.  and iron, he brought out of darkness and shadow of death, and broke their bands asunder: Let them therefore confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. The like he saith of the sick, whose soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they are hard at death's door; and of the mariners which go down to the Sea in ships, and fee the wondrous works of God; and to all these, one and the same conclusion is repeated, Let them confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men. We see many wonders, but we give not God praise in them; a wonder lasteth but nine days. Vilescunt omnia Dei miracu●●▪ all Gods miracles are vile and are not regarded. Augustine said, God doth not now miracles, ob duas causas, for two causes: First, Ne vilescant miracula, as I said before: Secondly, Ne terrena semper 
Aug. lib. 9 de civitate Dei.  quaeramus: that we should not always seek after earthly things: it is as great a miracle to govern the World, as to feed 
john 6.  five thousand men with five loaves and two Fishes; Et tamen illud ownes mirantur, hoc nemo: yet all men wonder at that, none at this: Non quia majus, sed quia rarum: not because it is the greater, but because it is rare: it is as great a miracle to raise a barley kernel, as to raise a dead body out of the grave, Vilescit tamen 
1 Cor. 15.  ob assiduitatem: yet this is not respected, because of assiduity; whereas the other is thought impossible. The Israelites saw the light of Egypt turned into darkness, the waters into blood, the dust into lice, the bitter waters of March into sweet, the 
Psal. 105.  Heaven open to give them Manna, the rock open to give them drink, the flint stone turned into a well, yet doubted of God's 
Psal. 78.  Majesty in giving them bread. The Pharisees saw, and perceived the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, the dead to live, yet blasphemed God. The 
Luke 7.  jews saw the fiery and cloven tongues, yet railed on the Apostles, as men not full of the Spirit, but full of new wine. We 
Act. 2.  in England have seen wonders in Heaven, as strange stars never seen before, blazing Comets at other times; and wonders in 
Anno 16. Eliz.  the Sea, as fishes at the I'll of Tennet, two and twenty yards long; and wonders in the Earth, as trees to remove in , and Hereford-shire; yet have we ascribed to God no Majesty. Nay, 
God reveals himself six ways.  greater wonders than these have we seen: for God did restore to us the light of the Gospel in the greatest darkness of the world; he did unhorsed the Pope in the time of King Henry the eighth, and increased the light of it, as the noonday, in the days of Edward the sixth; and after it was eclipsed, he restored the light of it in the days of Queen Elizabeth: he hath put down the Northern tumults, hath drowned the Spanish Navy: Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the sons of men!  
But alas, we have eyes, but we see not; ears and hear not, we have hearts like mules, and understand not, we see no more than beasts, we are as stocks and blocks: what folly hath 
jer. 5. 21, 23.  wrapped up all our understanding? What blindness hath possessed our brain? And how hath a covering of brawn covered our hearts, that we give no Majesty to God? That which Paul said of the Gospel, If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that 
2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.  are lost, in whom the God of this World hath blinded their minds. So say I of God's wonders, This sin of England is written with an Iron pen, and with a point of a Diamond. God revealeth himself 
jer. 17. 1.  to the World six ways.  

1 By his Word,  
2 By Visions, 
Act. 26. 18. Esa. 1. 1.   
3 By Dreams,  
4 By Wonders, or Miracles, 
Numb. 12. john 5. Mat. 28. 19   
5 By Sacraments,  
6 By Types and figures.   
By four or five of these means God hath made himself known to us, especially by wonders, yet we know him not: we are greater fools than Nabal, and verier beasts than ever was Nabuchadnezzar: 
1 Sam. 25. Dan. 4. jer. 8. 5, 6, 7.  God must end us, before he mend us; we are turned back to a perpetual rebellion. We give ourselves to deceit, and will not return; no man reputes him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his race, as the horse to the battle. Even the Stork in the air (saith God) knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people knoweth not the judgement of the Lord. This is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord, nor receiveth Discipline; shall not these two great earthquakes this year, the one in the day, the other in the night, work in us a fear of God's majesty? It is a token 
Am●● 1602.  that God is angry, and so applied by the Prophet: The earth trembled and shaken, the very foundations of the Earth were seen at thy chyding, at the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure. 
Psal. 18.   
When God would take revenge of the people in the days of Tiberius, he overthrew with an earthquake twelve Cities of Asia; and in Constantine's days, ten or eleven towns in Campania; 
Lipisius.  when the jews under julian had tools of silver to reedify 
God's dominion is in all creatures, especially in man.  jerusalem, the earthquake in the night destroyed their work in the day, & fire from heaven burnt up their tools. The righteous will see this and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth; and who is wise, that he may observe these things? that God is a God of Majesty, and magnificence, for it is he alone that doth wondrous things.  
The fifth thing here attributed to God, is Dominion, which is the authority of commanding and making Laws unto all men in the world: by which means God ruleth, and hath a dominion or Kingdom in every one of us, whereof the Lord jesus speaketh in the knitting up of his prayer to God, For thine is the Kingdom, etc. Of this David speaketh, The Lord hath prepared his 
Mat 6. 13. Psal. ●03. 19, 22.  Throne in Heaven, and his Kingdom ruleth over all: And again, Praise the Lord, all works of his in all places of his dominion: And again, Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and thy dominion endureth 
Psal. 145. 13.  throughout all ages. And here learn a profitable lesson, that when we obey the Word of the Lord, and suffer it to rule, and overrule our passions, then hath God a Kingdom, and we ascribe Dominion to him: hereof the Lord jesus spoke, For when 
Luk. 17. 20, 21.  he was demanded of the Pharises, when the Kingdom of God should come? He answered them and said, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, neither shall men say, Lo here, or lo there: for behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is within you: he meant not the Kingdom of glory, but of grace:  
For this dominion or Kingdom is threefold; of Power, Grace, Glory.  
The Kingdom of Power is, whereby God subdueth his enemies, and Tyrants of his Church, and crusheth them in pieces like a potter's vessel: and of this Kingdom the Prophet thus 
Psal. 2. 9 Psal. 93. 1. Psal. 97. 1, 2.  speaketh, The Lord reigneth, and is clothed with Majesty, the Lord is clothed and girded with power, etc. And again, the Lord reigneth, let the people tremble, he sitteth between the Cherubins, let the earth be moved: the Lord is great in Zion, and high above all people.  
His Kingdom of Grace is that, whereby God ruleth in his elect, through his Spirit inwardly, as his Word outwardly: whereof the Prophet speaketh thus, With righteousness shall he judge the poor, 
Esa. 11. 4, 5, 6.  and with equity shall he reprove, etc. justice's shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reines: the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, and the Leopard shall lie with the kid, and the calf, and the Lion, and the fat beast together, and a little Child shall lead them. When the corruption of our nature beginneth to be like the house of Saul, weaker and weaker, and faith, repentance, zeal, knowledge, and other graces of the Spirit stronger and stronger in us, and we now begin to love, fear, trust, and serve and obey God, then is the Kingdom of grace in us.  
The Kingdom of Glory is that wherein the Angels and Saints 
We count ourselves subjects of Christ's Kingdom of grace, but are rebellious.  departed now are, and we shall be hereafter, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, when we shall sing the songs of our triumph; O death where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory? The songs of our joy, such as none can understand, save the hundred forty and four thousand, which are received up from 
1 Cor. 15.  the earth.  
But here he meaneth chiefly the Kingdom of grace; for God is a King everlasting, immortal, invisible, and only wise. We 
1 Tim. 1. 17.  are then his subjects.  
The Laws are the Word. 
Psal. 2. 8. Psal. 119. 105. Ephes. 6. 12.   
The enemies of this Kingdom are Satan, sin, & death, Hell, domination, the flesh, and the wicked.  
The time of it, is to the world's end. 
Mat. 28. 20.   
The place, is this world and the world to come. 
Apot. 5. 10.   
But o foolish men, how do we pray for this dominion and Kingdom of the Lord, when in our works we destroy it? When we rebel against the Word, like a rebellious nation? 
Ezech. 2. 3, 4.  and like impudent children, and stiffe-hearted? As the horse rusheth into the battle, so we rush into our sins; we sin 
jer. 8. 6. Ephes. 4. 19  with greediness, we draw it with cords of vanity; we love the wicked, we loathe the godly; we frieze in love, we boil in malice; 
Esa. 5.  we sell virtue, we buy vice; we refuse Christ, we choose Barrabas; we lay away life, and embrace death: we overthwart the will of God in all things, we follow our own wills and desires; we are traitors to God in the highest degree, as God complaineth; I have nourished, and brought up Children, but they have rebelled against me. The Ox doth know his owner, the Ass his master's crib, but Israel 
Esa. 1. 2, 3, 4.  hath not known, my people hath not understood. We are a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children: We have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the Holy one of Israel to anger. We profess to serve God, but in works we deny God; we have a show of godliness, but inwardly we deny the power of it; our profession 
Tit. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3.  is like the apples, and grapes of Sodom, fair to the sight, but if you touch them, they vanish to smoke; so all our profession standeth in words, not in works, as james said, ostend mihi fidem per opera: Show me thy faith by thy works; so ostend 
jam. 2.  mihi regnum Dei per subjectionem tuam: Show me the Kingdom of God by thy subjection, by thy obedience which is due to his Word: apply thy heart to keep his statutes always unto the end.  
Be not deceived, God will not thus be mocked, in fine we shall receive the reward of Rebels. Quid dicta audiam, cùm facta videam? What should I hear words, when I should see deeds, as Moses said to Israeel, laying out their several rebellions. So might I lay out the rebellions of England; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, egg, and bird, all naught; our Fathers naught, and we also; our Fathers have forsaken God, and kept not his Law, and we have 
Notorious sinners, Satan's subjects.  done worse than our Fathers, and walk every one after the stubborness of his heart. As well may we spit on Christ jesus, buffet and beat him with a reed, and cry with the mockers, Hail King of the jews, as kneel in the Church, and say, Thy Kingdom come, Lord, and yet in our deeds promote the kingdom of Satan, disobey and not receive the Word, which is the power of God 
Rom. 1. 16.  to salvation to every one that believeth. Therefore he so highly extolleth it, saying, The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to cast down holds, casting down the imaginations, 
2 Cor. 10. 5.  and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. We pray to be like the Angels; we must strive then to come near 
Mat. 6.  them in obedience.  
Three properties are noted in the Angels:  


Obediunt 

Libentissimè,  
Citissimè,  
Fidelissimè.    
most 

Willingly,  
Speedily,  
Faithfully.      
They are willing to obey: and so we read, that one Angel with speed killed an hundred, fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrians in one night. We must be like Angels, if we look 
Esa. 37.  to live with Angels: they praise God day and night, so must we. 
Esa. 6.  But it may be said of most of us, that which Vivaldus said of Corasius, Erat foris Cato, intus Nero: he was a Cato without, a Nero within: foris Angelus, intus Diabolus: an Angel without, a Devil within; foris Agnus, intus Lupus: a Lamb without, a Wolf within; Deum ore laudabat, cord & factis negabat: he praised God with his mouth, but denied him in heart, in deeds: tales sunt mancipia Diaboli: such are the slaves of Satan. God doth not reign as a King in them, his grace hath no dominion over them; they are in the snare of the Devil, and are taken of him at his will. In this sense, Christ called the jews, the sons of the Devil: Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father will ye do: so 
2 Tim. 2. 26. john 8. 44. 1 john 2. 14.  john saith in the contrary, I writ unto you babes, because ye have known the father. Impij servi sunt tot daemoniorum, quot vitiorum: the wicked are the servants of so many devils, as they have sins and transgressions: it is the devil that hath dominion over them, not God by his grace.  
As there is in the body a palsy, that striketh the one half, and an Apoplexy, that striketh the whole body; so there is in our souls a spiritual palsy, if not an Apoplexy; our understanding is not lightened with the doctrine of God, and our will is not inflamed with the Love of God to do his will, as it becometh us. Hereupon Saint Augustine crieth out, Augusta & foeda est domus 
Aug.  animae meae: Strait and filthy is the house of my soul, but when thou comest unto it, o Lord, it shall be enlarged and mundified of thee; it is ruinous, Lord; repair and amend it; it is filthy, Lord, cleanse it and wash it; there be many things in this 
Christ will dwell and reign in a pure soul.  house of my soul, which may offend thy sacred eyes, but who shall purge it and purify it? or unto whom shall I cry, but unto thee; Ab ocultis meis purga me; Cleanse me from my secret sins? Let this be our prayer, and pray with that spirit wherewith Augustine prayed it, and no doubt God will hear thee, and have a Kingdom in thy soul. This testimony is true, the Heavens have sealed unto it, and the living God hath spoken it of the children of men; and blessed are we, if we believe it; there is more happiness in one day of God's service, and under his Dominion, then in ten thousand days of vanity, in which Satan hath dominion, and we fall from the Lord of life.  
The sixth and last attribute is Power, wherein the excellent praise of God consisteth, which is the ability in God to do what he listeth; like unto the former attributes, but not all one with them: haec enim magis conjungi, quàm confundi velim: I had rather conjoin these things, than confound them, as Calvin said in another case. Of this power speaketh David, O Lord my God, thou art 
Psal. 104. 1.  exceeding great, thou art clothed with glory, and Majesty. And of this power speaketh Esay, Who hath measured the waters in his fist, and counted Heaven with a span? and comprehended the dust of the earth in 
Esa. 40. 12.  a measure? and weighted the mountains in a weight, and the hills in a balance? And of this power of God speaketh Solomon, Who hath 
Prov. 30. 4.  ascended up to Heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the Wind in his fist? Who hath bound the Waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the world? What is his Name, or his Son's Name, if thou canst tell? And in respect of this power, Christ said, Ecce, vobiscum sum, Behold, I am with you, to the end of the world; whereupon 
Mat. 28. 20. Aug.  Augustine finely; Iturus erat Christus ad dextram Patris, per mortem praesentia Corporali, In regard of his Corporal presence, he was by death to go to the right hand of his Father, and in regard of his Spiritual presence, he is with his Church unto the end of the world; secundum ineffabilem & invisibilem gratiam impletur illud, Ecce vobiscum sum: according to his unspeakable and invisible grace that is fulfilled, I am with you always to the end of the world: but according to the flesh, which the Word did take, and as he was borne of a Virgin, and apprehended of the jews, and fastened to the Cross, and as he was taken from the Cross, and wrapped in linen clothes, and laid in the grave, that is fulfilled which is said, Me ye shall not have always: for forty days after 
john 20.  his resurrection he ascended; Et non est hîc: and he is not here: for he sitteth at the right hand of his Father in Heaven, & est hîc, and yet he is here: for he departed not from them in regard of his Majesty and power, but is still with them: Magna quidem sententia, & tali viro digna. A worthy saying fitting so worthy a Father. As the soul is whole in the whole body, and whole in every part of the body; so Christ, secundum potentiam, by his power and might is all whole in Heaven, all whole in earth, and all 
The Christian is strong in Christ, who is all sufficient.  whole in every part of the earth: and this is our comfort, for in his passion love is kindled, in his resurrection faith is confirmed, in his resurrection hope is strengthened: for while our Head by his power ascended into Heaven, we also with him shall together ascend: For all power is given unto him. If jacob understanding that 
Mat. 28.  joseph was alive, could say, Sufficit mihi, quòd filius meus vivit: It sufficeth me, that my son liveth? much more ought every faithful 
Gen. 45.  soul to say, It sufficeth me, that Christ liveth and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, who is unto me in mourning, mirth; in hunger, meat; in sickness, health; in poverty, wealth, in darkness, light; in weakness, power; in death, life: and this is to give power to God, always to depend and hang on his power: not to say as the Aramites, to make him weak in one place and at one time, and strong in another place, and at another time; but strong 
1 Reg. 20. 28.  for ever: in his strength we are strong, in his victory, we overcome. In all things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved 
Rom. 8. 37.  us. Conquerors, and more than conquerors? What is this, more than Conquerors? O noble Apostle, thou wantest words to express thy meaning: what men or Angels can express it fitly, what we shall call this more? Rest in him, trust in him, though your bodies be weak, your beauty frail, your health uncerten, your life short, your honours vain, your pleasures brittle, your troubles great, your wisdom little, your virtues few, your affections many and turbulent, and one day ye shall be conquerors, and more than conquerors : for his power is made perfect through weakness; he can bring strength out of weakness, light 
1 Cor. 12. 9  out of darkness, life out of death, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and make the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. 
1 Cor. 1. 27.   
Thomas Aquinas doth set out unto us the power of God, by the 
Aquin.  order of natural things: Name majora sunt, quae semper nobiliora: for they be the greater, which are always the most noble (saith he.) As in the Elements the Water is ten times more than the earth in greatness, the air is greater than the water, the fire, (which we call the air) is greater than the air, and the Heavens are greater than the fire, and the highest Heaven greater than the rest; because it containeth, and is not contained. God therefore which made all, is more noble, more great than all, and is infinite in his essence and power : Sum qui sum: I am that I am, is his name: he is of himself, as Kings are of themselves in their own Kingdoms; we of him, as the authority of Magistrates dependeth on the King. I am, that I am, is his name. As the eye, 
Exod. 3.  which is ordained to see all colours, wanteth all colour, otherwise all things should seem to be of the same colour: so the first Mover is subject to no body, and yet can rule all bodies by his power, and to be ruled of none; his power is incomprehensible.  
The meditation of Christ's power, is sweet and comfortable, who can despair, knowing that in him is fullness of power? Thus the 
Christ is all in all unto us.  Apostles solaced themselves among the midst of their persecutions; thus let us solace ourselves; for who can do, as Christ 
Act. 4.  hath done? Aesculapius among the Heathen is adored as God in physic: but Christ hath cured all diseases, he hath given sight to the blind, and tongues to the dumb, and legs to the lame, 
Mat. 9 Luk. 7.  and life to the dead : Aesculapius did it by herbs, but Christ by his Word. Hercules is adored for his strength, for kill men, beasts and monsters; but Christ hath overcome Devils, and death itself. Bacchus is worshipped for wine, and Ceres for bread: but Christ 
Hebr. 2.  turned water into wine, and fed five thousand men, with five 
1 Cor. 15. john 2. cap. 6.  loaves and two fishes. Minerva is famous for learning, but Christ by twelve unlearned men subdued the world. Alexander with the sword, and the Apostles with the Word, one of the greatest miracles in the world. Athanasius libro de incarnatione Christi, layeth out the power of Christ four ways; that at his first coming the miralces of Boetia, Licia, Lybia, Egypt, Cabirus ceased; and secondly, all the oracles of the Devils in Delphos, Dido, Delos, and all Greece: thirdly, their magic of Chaldaea and India vanished then away; and lastly, that the wisdom and eloquence of Philosophers was silenced and suppressed by the doctrine of the Apostles. Whereupon libro de Passione Dei, he thus crieth out, O Christ, tu lumen nobis in tenebris illuminasti: thou o Christ, our light, didst 
john 3. 19  lighten us in darkness; thou at the right hand of thy Father hast 
Act. 2.  loosed our sorrows; thou being life, hast quickened us being dead; 
Col. 2.  thou being poor, hast enriched us with thy poverty; thou being 
2 Cor. 8. Rom. 8. 38.  our Mediator, hast reconciled us to thy Father: thou art to us all in all.  
If any object, that he cannot do some things, for he cannot lie. I answer, that God's power doth not fight with God's truth. Dicitur omnipotens faciendo quod vult, non patiendo quod non vult: he is called Omnipotent in doing what he will, not in suffering what 
Aug. lib. 5. de Civitate Dei.  he will not. Nil Deo difficile: There is nothing hard for God. Potest Deus omnia, sed non vult: God can do all things, but he will not: Non tamen pugnat ejus potentia cum voluntate: his power fighteth 
Tart. adversus Prax.  not with his will. Lay thy hand on thy mouth with job, reason not against God; Quis es qui litigas cum Deo? Who art thou that strivest with God? so much for the attributes, Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Power.  
But it is further to be noted, that in naming God, To God only wise, etc. He comprehendeth the three persons; for these attributes are due to all the whole Trinity, Wisdom, Salvation, Glory, Majesty, Power, and Dominion. The Scripture speaketh diversely of the Trinity; sometime ascribing things to one person, sometime to another, sometimes to all jointly; as power to the Father, wisdom to the Son, goodness to the Holy Ghost. 
Psal. 104. 1. Prov. 14.  Grieve not the good Spirit of God, saith the Apostle. Yet power, wisdom goodness, are due to all the persons of the whole Trinity, in a 
God's glory, dominion, & power, is eternal.  more strict sense & signification. Again, ye shall see the creation of all things ascribed to the omnipotency of the Father; the administration of all ascribed to the Son; the sanctification 
Ephes. 4. 30. Gen. 1. Prov. 9 1. 1 Cor. 6. ●1.  of all ascribed to the Holy Ghost: yet all three create, preserve, and sanctify the Church; Pater à se, Filius per se, Sanctus Spiritus à Patre & Filio: The Father of himself, the Son by him, and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son. Augustine speaketh 
Aug.  thus, Sicut ex intellectu generatur voluntas, & ex his ambobus procedit memoria in anima ipsa; As the will springing from the understanding, and from them both the memory in the soul itself: so the Son is begotten of the Father, and from both these proceedeth the Holy Ghost. This causeth the Scriptures to speak so diversely of the Trinity: Power is attributed to the Father, but not exclusiuè, exclusively (quoth Vrsinus) in his Catechism, sed inclusiuè, but inclusively, for all three are of equal power; sed Patri potentia tribuitur, 
Vrsinus.  quia est fons & origo: but power is given to the Father, because he is the fountain, the original; the rest of the persons are from him, but not as touching their essence, but person and manner of existing. To conclude, the works of the Trinity, quoad extra, are indivisible, but quoad intus, they be singular, as the Father begetteth, the Son is begotten, the Holy Ghost proceedeth from them both: hold this Axiom in divinity, and learn to speak wisely and soberly of the Trinity.  
Well, this glory, Majesty, dominion and power must be yielded now and ever: for the glory of God endeth not with the end of the world, it is for ever, here, and in heaven; the continuance of this world before God, is but as a day; the Morning of this day was the creation of the Heaven, and of Adam, until the flood; the Noon of this day was the coming of Christ, the Evening, is the end of the world; a thousand and six hundred years, S. john calls but one year. A thousand and six hundred years are passed as 
1 john 2.  an hour, but the glory of the Lord is from eternity to eternity; from everlasting to everlasting; from eternity, as touching election, quae est sine principio, to eternity, quoad reprobationem, as touching reprobation; for it shall abide without end: but in that he saith, both now and for ever; this teacheth us, that there must be no end of praising God: his praises must be ever in our mouth, First, for spiritual blessings bestowed here in earth, & in Heaven; as Election, Redemption, Adoption, Vocation, justification, Sanctification, 
Psal. 86.  Glorification, for every one of these cometh from God, therefore he is to be praised both now and for ever. Now, in this life we must sing Hosanna to the Son of David, and hereafter we shall sing Allelujah in Heaven, with all the Saints. For all spiritual blessings we must say with the Apostle, Blessed be God, which hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings; For temporal blessings, 
Ephes. 1. 3.  glory and praise is to be given to God: Christ gave thanks for 
God is to be prayed to, and praised for all things.  food; Anna, for a child; jacob, for riches; Abraham's servant, for prospering his journey; and in a word for all other temporal blessings, as health, wealth, peace, prosperity, God is to be praised now and ever. As there is no end of his benefits towards us, 
john 6. 12. 2 Sam. 2. 1. Gen. 32. 10. Gen. 24. 48.  so there should be no end of our praises towards him; but we must praise him both now and ever.  
To conclude this point: here is a secret comparison between the glory of man, and the glory, dominion, and power of God: man's glory is as a flower, All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass: for so Esay was willed to cry: but though he 
Esa. 40. 6.  cry it, few will believe it, we trust not the Lord: one speaketh of an Epitaph graven in the tomb of a great man.  

Hic fuit, hic fecit, pugnavit, vicit, amavit,  
Composuis libros, gentes, populósque subegit:  
Quid mihi cum fuit, aut erit? est valet unum.   

He was, he did, he fought, he conquered, loved,  
Wrote books, nations and people he subdued;  
But what have I to do with was or Shall▪  
With me the Present only, is worth all.   
Things past be gone, things to come are uncerten, that which is, and is for ever, goeth for all: glory present will be past, and glory future will be for ever: haec vita, haec gloria, non est vita, non est gloria: this life, this glory, is neither life nor glory; for we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ, which is our life, shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory.  
AMEN.  
This word is an Hebrew word, and it is taken in the Scriptures three manner of ways, sometime as a Noun, signifying Christ himself; sometime as an Adverbe: so Christ useth the word, saying, Amen, Amen, that is, Verily, Verily I say unto you: and sometime as a Verb, as in this place signifying, So be it, or be it so. So that this word Amen containeth more than the prayer it 
Apoc. 1. john 3.  self; For in the prayer, we testify our desire, how that we desire Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Power, to be given unto God: but in this word Amen, we witness our faith, that we believe, Glory, and Majesty, Dominion, and Power, to be his. So that from hence we have to observe, to pray with faith, to believe we shall receive those things we have prayed for. This appeareth in the Prophet, Praised be the Lord for evermore: so be it, even so be it. And Christ hath taught us thus to shut up our prayers: 
Psal. 89. 52. Mat. 6. 13.  and the Apostle closeth and concludeth his Epistle with it, Grace be with you, Amen; for we must not doubt of God's promises, but believe steadfastly, That all the promises of God are in 
Amen, diversely used in Scripture.  Christ, yea, and are in him, AMEN.  
Again, this word Amen, teacheth us to desire earnestly, 
2 Tim. 4. 22.  and fervently the thing we pray for: For the prayer of the righteous availeth much, if it be fervent. David was fervent in his 
jam. 9 16. Psal. 106. 48.  prayer, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever, and let all the people say, Amen. And verily this word, Amen, noteth our desire, our earnest fervent desire to be heard, and to obtain; it is in effect thus much; O Lord, thus be it unto me, what my tongue or soul have begged, give it me, grant it me. Amen, Amen. So Lord, even so, Lord.   
FINIS.   

THE TABLE OF THE Sermons upon Saint JUDAS.  

Points handled. Serm. 1.  


THe holy Ghost the Author of all Scripture, Fol. 1.  
Two judases, 1 Iscariot, 2 Brother of james, 1  
Some Scriptures doubted of, 2  
A threefold office of the Church concerning Scripture, 3  
Honourable titles given the wicked, why, 4  
Storms should not discourage the godly, ibid.  
Three sorts of servants, ibid.  
God's service most happy, 5  
Gods service perfect freedom, ibid.  
Brings all good to us, 6  
All other service vile or dangerous, 7  
Man's dignity in three things, 8  
Privileges of God's servants, ibid.  
Pope abuseth the title of servant, 9  
Servants must imitate their Master, obey him, 10  
Gods servants rewarded, ibid.  
Servants may not Lord it over the rest of the Family, 11  
Godly profession brings more glory, than honourable alliance, 12, 13.     

Sermon 2.  


VOcation the first step to Salvation, 15  
Before calling, we are children of wrath, not capable of Christ, 16  
The happiness of having the Gospel, 17  
Vocation Externall, Internal, Invitation, Admission. 17, 18  
Externall calling unprofitable without internal, 18  
The efficacy of God's Word in the ministry thereof, 19  
Vocation divers in respect of time and place, 20  
None called for desert, ibid.  
Sanctification follows vocation, 21  
God, as he begin, will finish, till he glorify, ibid.  
Sanctification threefold: Imputed unto us, Wrought in us, Wrought by us, 22  
Difference of righteousness, of justification and Sanctification, 23  
Papistical doctrine tends to licentiousness, ours to holiness, ibid.  
Faith and Works joined in the person justified in the act of justification, 24     

Sermon. 3.  


Christs' Priesthood, two parts, Redemption, Intercession, 26  
Redemption hath two parts, Reconciliation and Sanctification, ibid.  
Reconciliation consists in two points, Remission of sins, and imputation of Christ's righteousness, 27  
justification what it is, ibid.  
Adoption what it is, ibid.  
Benefits of Adoption and justification, 27  
Sanctification consists in mortification and vivification, 28  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his beginning godly sorrow, his companion the Spiritual combat, ibid.  
Sanctification but in part, as our knowledge, ibid.  
Divers acceptions of holiness, 29  
We must be holy, because God is holy, 30  
We must be holy, because it is the end of our Redemption, 31  
Without holiness, no salvation, ibid.  
We must be holy, because called Saints, ibid.  
All our holiness is from God, 32  
The persons of the Trinity distinguished, 33  
Preservation in the state of Grace, the chiefest blessing, 34  
Gods providence preserves in all accidents of life, 35  
God frees from all afflictions, 36  
God preserves his Scriptures and Saints, 37  
Gods preservation of soul and spiritual estate most gracious, 38, 39     

Sermon. 4.  


Mercy, Peace, and Love, three most excellent gifts, 40  
How these three flow from the Trinity, ibid.  
How mercy in God, 41  
A rule for Christian salutations, ibid.  
Mercy fourfold, ibid.  
General mercies bestowed on all, ibid.  
Special mercies on the elect, ibid.  
The long suffering of God, 42  
The greatest mercy concerns salvation, ibid.  
Our election is of Mercy, ibid.  
God's abundant mercy in Christ, 43  
Mercy sevenfold, ibid.  
All that we have is of mercy, ibid.  
Misericordia communis peccantium portus, ibid.  
Peace threefold, 44  
Peace the ornament of the Church, and sign of Christ's Kingdom, ibid.  
God the Author of Peace, 45  
A commendation of peace. ibid.  
Contention, cause of destruction, 46  
Union makes powerful, ibid.  
True peace to be sought and embraced, 47  
Righteousness cause of peace, ibid.  
Peace of Conscience passeth all understanding, 48  
Prosperity profiteth not, without peace of Conscience, ibid.  
The wicked have no peace, 49  
Christ died, rose, ascended to perfect our peace, ibid.  
Peace is used for outward prosperity, 50  
All privileges spiritual and temporal belong to the godly, ibid.  
Yet sometime God withholds outward blessings, 51     

Sermon. 5.  


God loves the fountain of mercy, peace, and all good things, 52  
Gods love is most abundant, immeasurable, immutable, unspeakable, 53  
How God is said to be love, ibid.  
Love of man to man, the most excellent virtue, 54  
No Love to man, without the love of God, 55  
True love rare among men, 56  
That love which is truly Christian, must be embraced, all other abandoned, 57  
Not sufficient to have grace, but there must be a desire of increase, till we come to glory, 58     

Sermon. 6.  


FAith the most necessary and excellent virtue, 61  
Sons threefold, by Nature, by Doctrine, by Adoption or Inspiration, 62  
Faith set out by its attributes, that we might labour for it, 63  
Many careless to get Faith or maintain it, ibid.  
Faith must be maintained to the death, 64  
A fourfold fight and flight of Ministers, ibid.  
The zeal of Idolaters and Heretics, for false religion, should make us to be zealous for God's truth, 65  
Divers degrees of zeal, ibid.  
God looks to the truth of our zeal, not the heat, 66  
God accepts according to that a man hath, if in truth, ibid.  
Love aught to be showed in all our instructions and reprehensions, 67  
What love required in Ministers to their people, ibid.  
We must be zealous in the matter of Religion, and industrious for our souls, 68  
Salvation ought to be our only aim, to have it assured to ourselves, and propagated to others, 69  
Many more regard humane writings, yea vain pamphlets than Scriptures, 70  
All men ought to labour to get assurance of salvation, 71  
Salvation common in three respects, ibid.  
As salvation is common; so the Church Catholic, 72  
Writing, the most safe means to perform God truth, ibid.  
Traditions bring errors to the Church, 73  
Exhortation powerful; urged in meekness, 74  
The Minister must exhort, and the people suffer the Word of exhortation, 75     

Sermon. 7.  


GOds truth must be maintained, 76  
Faith the gift of God, a fruit of the Spirit, ibid.  
Divers acceptions of Faith, 77  
Divers excellent attributes of saving Faith, ibid.  
Faith a work of the Trinity, 78  
The means to beget Faith outwardly, the Ministry of the Word, inwardly, the operation of the Spirit, 79  
True Faith in few in all ages, ibid.  
True Religion most ancient, and Scriptures before all other writings, 80  
As God is immutable, so his truth and Religion, ibid.  
Though types and shadows vanish, truth and substance remain ever, 81  
The Scriptures immutable, tradition uncertain, 82  
Divers acceptions of Saints, ibid.  
The Saints only the subjects of true Faith, 83  
The wicked usurpers of God's gifts, ibid.  
Whatsoever they have, is for the Saints sake, 84     

Sermon. 8.  


THe Church and Religion hath many adversaries, 85  
Every thing hath its contrary, ibid.  
Religion cause of division, 86  
Religion must be maintained to death, ibid.  
Secret enemies most dangerous, especially such as in a show of Religion, seek to undermine Religion, ibid.  
The Devil opposeth the Church, sometime as a Lion, by cruelty, sometime as a Serpent, by subtlety, but he hurts most by subtlety, 87  
Popery prevails most by policy and fraud, 88  
All Atheists without God, before regeneration and conversion, 89  
There is a twofold life, the one of Nature, the other of Grace, 90  
Most men live as Naturalists, ibid.  
Atheists worse than Devils, ibid.  
Nature teacheth that there is a divine Power, 91  
Gods power ruleth in all things, and doth often change the course of Nature, ibid.  
Reasons to prove the divine Power, 92  
Religion is more in profession than practice, 94  
Many by their lives seem Atheists, ibid.  
Ungodliness hath two branches, iniquity in life and manners, and impurity in Religion, ibid.  
Many turn the grace of God into wantonness, ibid.  
God's grace and bounty ought to lead to Repentance, not to make men presumptuous, 95  
Afflictions make us seek God, 96  
Prosperity makes us forget him and grow rebellious, 97  
We may not despise or renounce the creatures or blessings of God, as the Stoics, Anachorites, Hermit's, &c. have done, ibid.  
Epicures, their practice described and their end, 98  
unde, 99  
Popish Doctrine tends to licentiousness, ibid.     

Sermon. 9  


GOd is denied many ways, 101  
They that profess God, and live ungodly, deny him, ibid.  
Six degrees in sin, ibid.  
God's creatures declare him four ways, 103  
God is present four ways, ibid.  
The wicked that deny God here, shall hereafter feel and acknowledge him, ibid.  
God is one in substance, three in person, ibid.  
The Heathen worshipped many gods, and the Papists invocate many as Gods, yet there is but one only true God, ibid.  
The unity and trinity in the Godhead, illustrated by diverse resemblances, 104  
Christ is denied many ways, 105  
Faith is most eminent and confident in persecution, ibid.  
Christ is denied, when either the sufficiency or efficacy of his death is denied, 106  
Knowledge and profession of Christ, without practice, nothing worth, ibid.  
The Papists deny the offices of Christ consequently, 107  
Christ only paid the full ransom for our Redemption, 108  
Christ our Lord jure Creationis, Redemptionis, ibid.  
Divers effusions of Christ's blood, especially five, 109  
Christ's passions for us, require that we should consecrate our whole selves, and all the service of our souls and bodies him, 110     

Sermon. 10.  


DEstruction the end of the ungodly, 112  
Look not on the present estate, but the end of the wicked, 113  
God is said to write in a book, for the certainty of his decree. 114  
Gods decree hath two parts Election, Reprobation, ibid.  
The causes of either not to be inquired after, 115  
Gods judgements often secret, always just, ibid.  
We must not pry into God's secrets, ibid.  
God's will the cause of our election, not faith or works, 116  
Five signs of election, 117  
Our election perfected by many degrees, 118  
Reprobation a second part of God's decree, 119  
And as he electeth some, so he reprobates others, ibid.  
As all things else have their contraries, so the elect theirs, namely the reprobate, 120  
God ordereth sin, but urgeth not to it, ibid.  
Man's sin and destruction come from himself, 121  
Three opinions concerning Gods dealing in sin, 122  
How God is said to cause evil, ibid.  
How God dealeth in reprobation, 122  
More than God's bare permission in sin, ibid.  
How God is said to harden and to blind, 124  
God worketh by evil men, not in them, ibid.  
God, Satan, and Men, concur in the same action, yet have different ends, 125     

Sermon. 11.  


THough we know much, yet we had need be put in remembrance, 527  
Continual instruction, like the continual dropping of rain, ibid.  
Itching ears listen after novelties, rather than wholesome doctrine, 129  
Preaching always necessary, otherwise the soul decays in grace, 130  
If instruction fail, Satan prevails, ibid.  
Meditation & recordation, chief means to enrich the soul, 131  
God first offereth mercy before he inflict judgement, 132  
Gods abundant mercies and miraculous deliverances of the Israelites, 133  
Gods wrath upon the Egyptians. ibid.  
God's abundant mercies to England, 135  
God allures by mercies before he punisheth, 136  
Contemners of God's mercies, severely punished, ibid.  
Sin pleasant in the committing, in the end damnable, 137  
God suffereth the wicked till their sin be at the full, 139  
God punishes some sooner, some later, ibid.  
Look not on their present estate, but their end, 140     

Sermon 12.  


INfidelity the cause of Israel's destruction, 140  
And of their sin the root, 141  
Faith the gift of God, 143  
And the original of all virtues, ibid.  
True faith is in few, 144  
Most men led by the flesh rather than by the Spirit, ibid.  
Faith hath a triple foundation, ibid.  
Faith threefold, justifying, of miracles, historical, 145  
The causes of Salvation, ibid.  
The just live by Faith, if no Faith, no access to God, no interest in him, 146  
Degrees of Faith, ibid.  
God giveth grace according to the measure of Faith, 147  
Faith all in all, in applying and assuring Salvation, ibid.  
The Angels that fell, committed many sins in one, ibid.  
We must be wise according to sobriety, 148  
Angels, though Spirits in essence, yet appeared in diverse forms, ibid.  
The sin of Angels in general was Apostasy, 149  
Some Apostasy is unpardonable, ibid.  
Why the Angels that fell were not restored, 150  
Three reasons of Dorbell, why the wicked shall be punished in Hell, more than the Devils, recited, rejected, ibid.  
All apostasy dangerous, though some not damnable, ibid.  
It is the end that crownes all our actions, 151  
The Christian must be always increasing, ibid.  
The wicked grow worse and worse, 152  
There is a decay in most, ibid.  
The estate of Angels considered, in regard of three several times, namely, of Creation, Confirmation, last judgement, 153  
Divers names of Angels, 154  
Whence the Angels fell, ibid.  
God the head, but not the Redeemer of the good Angels, 155  
The time of the fall of Angels, uncertain, as also the places whither, ibid.  
The Devils, though many in number, yet there is one chief, 156  
How the Devil is said to work, and to be in the wicked, ibid.  
The Devils, though malicious Spirits, yet agree in mischief, 157  
Division the cause of confusion. 158     

Sermon. 13.  


THe case of the Angels, most fearful to be cast out of Heaven, 159  
Their abode is not certain, but some in the Air, some in the Earth, some in the Sea, 160  
The Devil's malice infinite, but his power by God limited, ibid.  
Satan is said to be loosed, Apoc. 20. 7. not simply, but comparatively, 161  
The Devils and wicked shall have their torments increased after the day of judgement, 162  
The pains of Hell are eternal, irremissible, ibid.  
The wicked shall be tormented in those parts they abused, 163  
God punishes the finite act of sin, with infinite torments, and why, ibid.  
How the bodies of the damned can endure eternally in fire, illustrated, 164  
The last judgement called a great day in three respects, 165  
judgement terrible to all, but specially to the wicked, 166  
The fire at the day of judgement shall not consume utterly, but purify, ibid.  
The fearful estate of all sorts of sinners at the day of judgement, 167     

Sermon. 14.  


FOrnication and all uncleanness most odious, 169  
Reasons to dissuade from adultery, ibid.  
God's wrath not only against adulterers, but their seed, 170  
The end of Whoredom destruction, ibid.  
God provides as well for the preservation of wife, as of life, goods, or good name, ibid.  
No sin that Satan prevails more in, than adultery, 171  
Gods vengeance showed upon adulterers, ibid.  
Many Saints have been overtaken by adultery, 172  
Many persons, cities, countries, kingdoms destroyed for adultery, ibid.  
Though many think adultery indifferent or a petty sin, yet to God it is most odious, 173  
Adultery cause of confusion in affinity and consanguinity, 174  
The adultery of the Saints not to be imitated, ibid.  
Polygamy originally not lawful, though tolerated in the Fathers, 175  
Polygamy not lawful to us, ibid.  
Uncleanness hath many branches, 176  
The causes of Sodoms' uncleanness, 177  
Idleness and Pride causes of adultery, ibid.  
Perfuming and painting in women odious, ibid.  
Gluttony cause of adultery, 178  
Bad company cause of sin, ibid.  
Too much love of Earthly things, cause of adultery, ibid.  
Great cities usually sinful. 179  
God destroyeth the places, for the persons inhabiting them, 180     

Sermon. 15.  


GOds punishments upon some sinners, should make others leave sin, 181  
Fire the instrument of God's wrath, 183  
The horror of Hell fire set out, to terrify sinners, ibid.  
Poets and Philosophers apprehended some things concerning Hell and Heaven, 184  
Hell fire the most horrible of all fears, ibid.  
We cannot have a Heaven here, and hereafter, 185  
Five differences between elementary fire, ●d that of Hell, ibid.  
Seven several pains in Hell, 186  
Hell fire terrible to all, but specially to the wicked, ibid.  
Eternity of Hell torments aggravate the misery of the damned, 187  
How the torments of Hell are eternal, and why, ibid.  
The torments of Hell are eternal, and irremissible, 188  
Gods punishments often squared according to sin, 189  
Sodoms' destruction related by heathen Historiographers, ibid.  
Those cities that partake with Sodom in sin, are destroyed with her, 190  
Though sin bring down punishment, yet God hath a hand in it, ibid.  
God in judgement remembers mercy, 191     

Sermon. 16.  


When reprehension amends not, execration follows, 193  
One sin goeth seldom alone, 194  
Sleep threefold, ibid.  
Sin and security like sleep, 195  
Ministers trumpets to rouse the sleepers in sin, ibid.  
Waking and watchfulness, necessary for a Christian, ibid.  
The sleep in sin dangerous, 196  
The enemy cannot hurt, if we be watchful, 197  
Uncleanness beseems not a Christian, whose members are Christ's, and his body the temple of the holy Ghost, 198  
God punisheth uncleanness many ways, 199  
Whoredom and adultery odious, 200  
The heinousness of adultery, aggravated by many arguments, ibid.  
Why lusts called of Paul, our members, 201  
Adultery a sin tootoo common in Italy, and slighted by the papists, 202  
Many arguments to deter from adultery, 203  
A wicked woman a dangerous motive to draw to adultery, ibid.     

Sermon. 17.  


SAtan the author of rebellion being the first Rebel, 205  
Christ and his Apostles taught and preached obedience to Magistrates though persecutors, 206  
The Christians in the primative Church, though cruelly tortured, yet rebelled not, ibid.  
Rebellion against nature seeing subordination in all creatures, 207  
God the author of government, etc. they that resist, rebel against God, 208  
God hath showed his vengeance upon rebels ibid.  
The Magistrates, gods in three respects, ibid.  
Like God in executing justice, and showing mercy, 209  
Anabaptists and Papists enemies to Magistracy, the one deny, the other abuse it, ibid.  
Many benefits both to Church and Commonwealth from magistracy, 210  
The Anabaptists deny that Christians should be subject to magistrates, or make war, ibid.  
The Papists debase magistracy, 211  
Popish Bishops causers of distractions, and rebellions, 212  
The usurpation of Popes over Emperors and Kings, with their treacheries, ibid.  
Where no government, nothing but confusion, 213     

Sermon. 18  


WE must learn meekness from Michael the Archangel, that would not rail on the Devil, 214  
Though many parts of Scripture are lost, yet so much as is necessary for faith and manners, is and hath been preserved, 215  
The names of some Angels, the office and distinction of all, ibid.  
How Angels speak and contend, 216  
Four contentions of Angels, ibid.  
Satan seeks by all means to draw to Idolatry, 217  
The Devil never ceaseth tempting all estates, in all places, ibid.  
Though Satan tempt, yet he prevails not with God's children, ibid.  
Satan a railer and cursed speaker, as employed in his names, 218  
Reasons why we should abstain from railing and cursed speaking, ibid.  
Motives to moderate and rule the tongue, 219  
Railers imitate the Devil, 220  
Mildness represseth wrath and railing, 221  
God will confound railers, ibid.  
It is lawful sometime to curse and to use harsh speeches, so it be in God's cause, and a mind free from wrath and malice, and that it be to reclaim sin, 222  
How to carry ourselves toward railers, ibid.  
Corrupt speeches a sign of a corrupt heart, 223     

Sermon. 19  


RAiling a sign of a malicious and wicked man, 224  
Malice in the heart causeth railing of the tongue, ibid.  
The Brownists, of railing and censuring dispositions. 226  
Separation may not be made from the true Church, for corruption in manners, ibid.  
No man absolutely perfect, no state totally corrupt, 227  
A railers tongue a sword, himself a murderer, 228  
Ignorance the cause of railing and other sins, ibid.  
Divers ●inds of ignorance, 229  
Four means to get true knowledge, 230  
Knowledge the chief ornament to a man, and hath been in all ages, reverenced and desired, 231  
They that rail or sin against a known truth, are desperate, ibid.  
Satan's sin was upon knowledge, 232  
Want of knowledge, cause of error and destruction, 233  
Natural men make not that profitable uso of their knowledge that beasts do, 234  
Wicked men called by names of beasts, as they resemble them in quality, 235     

Sermon. 20.  


Minister's may denounce execution to execrable sinners, 237  
The godly Ministers, Magistrates and others, must be zealous and severe in God's cause, but mild in their own, 238  
Envy always ascendeth and maligneth virtue and honour, 239  
Envy set out by many resemblances and fearful effects, 240  
Envy described by her properties, 241  
Envies etymology implies the vice to proceed from the eye, ibid.  
Envy the cause of much evil, and makes the soul uncapable of Wisdom and Grace, 242  
Envy doth most torment him in whom it is, 243  
The envious is fretted at good, and glad at the evil betides any, ibid.  
Cain was profane and grudged at God's sacrifice, 244  
Many like Cain grudge to give that is good, to God, ibid.  
God's Ministers are to have honourable maintenance, 245  
Sacrilege odious among the Heathen, they have observed the vengeance of their gods, have followed such as have been sacrilegious, ibid.  
God himself hath punished sacrilege in all ages, 246  
Hypocrites and dissemblers, pretend good, intent evil, ibid.  
God detesteth hypcrisie and falsehood 247  
Desperation the bane of the soul excluding God's mercy. ibid.     

Sermon. 21.  


Covetousness, the root of evil, and ruin of good, 249  
Many woes against covetousness, 250  
The covetous man trusteth more in his riches, than in the blessed Trinity, ibid.  
Covetousness deprives the covetous of the 8. beatitudes, and makes them subject to the contrary curses, 251  
Covetousness insatiable, 253  
Covetousness excludes out of Heaven, ibid.  
Riches unprofitable to soul and body, credit and estate, 254  
A covetous mind never satisfied, 255  
Usurers more cruel than wild beasts, ibid.  
Riches uncertain not to be relied on, 256  
Riches unprofitable, if in superfluity, 257  
Riches preserve not, neither from temporal, nor spiritual evils, 258  
Riches not hurtful by nature, but by corruption, ibid.  
Riches hurtful to the outward and inward man. 259     

Sermon. 22.  


GOds mercy contemned, draweth on judgement, 261  
The utility and necessity of both Magistracy and Ministry in Church and Commonwealth, 262  
Government necessary for preservation of states, ibid.  
Three forms of Government, viz. Monarchy, Aristocracy, Democraty, ibid.  
Reasons why Monarchy the best, 263  
All lawful government of God, ibid.  
Rebellion pernicious not only to states, but to the Rebels themselves, 264  
Resemblances being ordinary teach best, 266  
Preachers may use humane learning, but the Word must be his ground, to give light, 268  
The creatures afford a double consideration, one natural, another moral or spiritual, 269  
Epicurism hath many sins accompanying it, ibid.  
Drunkenness and glutonny odious and pernicious, 270  
Nature teacheth temperance and sobriety, 271  
We are most prone to sin in our drunkenness, ibid.  
Drunkenness makes uncapable of God's spirit, and spiritual graces, 272  
Gluttonous Epicures neither glorify God, nor relieve the poor, ibid.  
Dangerous to converse with Epicures, lest stained by them, 273  
How one may converse with the wicked, 274  
Love-feasts, how used, abused, abolished, 275     

Sermon. 23.  


PRide many ways occasioned, every way odious to God, 277  
Pride vain in three respects, 278  
Pride hath been in all places, and all sorts ibid.  
The godly sometime overtaken by it, ibid.  
Pride is expressed in the things that pertain to God, six ways, 279  
Pride shows itself many ways, ibid.  
The proud man insulteth over all, 280  
Though all prone to pride, yet usually the basest proudest, ibid.  
Pride the cause of contention, ibid.  
Pride makes us forget our mortality, ibid.  
The proud odious to all, God, Angels, Men, only please the Devil, 281  
God detesteth pride, ibid.  
Pride is both in Church and Commonwealth, and causes heresy in the one, and disorder in the other, 282  
Pride so puffs up men, as they become not only foolish, but phrentike, ibid.  
Pride brings shame and destruction, 283  
Pride will show itself after the death of the proud, 284  
Knowledge and riches the cause of pride, ibid.  
True zeal like fire that kindleth and burneth by degrees, till it come to a full flame, 285  
Hypocrisy most odious to God, and severely punished by him. ibid.  
Sincerity most pleasing to God. 286  
Christ pronounced against no sin so many woes, as against hypocrisy, 289  
Hypocrisy, blasphemy, ibid.  
Hypocrites make fair shows without truth inwardly, pretend religion, when they intent the subversion of it, 290  
Sincerity very rare, hypocrisy hath banished, 292  
Men often compared to trees, to show that God looks for fruits, or we must look for the axe, ibid.  
Many carnal gospelers, few true professors, 293  
Most like trees twice dead, both in words and deeds, 294  
We must take heed of the sin of hypocrisy, lest we endure the punishment, ibid.     

Sermon. 24.  


HEll set out by diverse names, yet none sets it out sufficiently, but are as shadows, or the beginning of sorrows, 213  
Hell torments amplified, being opposed to the joys of Heaven, 297  
The damned every way tormented. 298  
The effects of God's wrath in afflicting Christ, bearing our sins, and punishing others temporally, may serve to set out the torments of the damned whom he punisheth eternally, 299  
The damned suffer all punishments both of loss and sense, 300  
The horror of hell should make us abhor sin, 301  
Nothing more hard than the impenitent heart, 302  
Hell torments as unspeakable, so everlasting and irremissible. 303  
Hell fire compared with our elementary fire in five respects, 304  
judgement and damnation necessary to be preached in time of sin and security, 306  
The wicked shall be tormented according to their sins; the greater sins, the greater punishment, 307     

Sermon. 25.  


THere must be a time of manifesting God's justice, as well as his power and mercy, 301  
Antiquity with verity, most authentic, 308  
Traditions equalled with Scriptures by Bellarmine and the Papists, ibid.  
The Scriptures all sufficient for faith and manners, 311  
Though some scriptures are lost, yet so much as is necessary to salvation, is preserved, ibid.  
judgement fourfold, 312  
judgement general must needs be, as proved by Scripture, ibid.  
The second person of the Trinity shall judge, 313  
Christ shall judge as man, and why? 314  
Though Christ shall come in his humanity to judge, yet with power and great glory, 315  
judgement fearful to all, much more to the wicked, ibid.  
Christ's second coming to judgement compared with his first, 316  
Christ's glory appeared in his humility, at his first coming, 317  
The greatness of God's mercy at first, aggravates the severity of his justice at the last, 318  
God hath two Courts, Forum misericordiae, Forum justitiae, Ibid.  
God's judgement impartial. 319  
judgement shall be general of all men and of every, Work, Word, Thought. 320  
Swearers, blasphemers most abominable, 322  
Gods judgement most certain, 324  
The conscience of the wicked tell him there will be a judgement, 325  
The consideration of Christ's coming to judgement, aught to terrify the wicked, comfort the godly, instruct all. 326     

Sermon. 26.  


MVrmuring twofold against God and against men, 329  
Murmuring and discontent in most, ibid.  
Murmuring the sin of the Israelites, 330  
Murmurers never content, ibid.  
Murmurers severely punished, 331  
We must patiently subject our wills to Gods, 332  
The remedies against murmuring, ibid.  
The Saints have been discountenanced, yet subjected their wills to Gods, will and have been pacified and comforted, 334  
Man murmurs against man for diverse causes, 335  
All estates are discontent, and murmur against others, 336  
Murmuring the property of base and envious persons, ibid.  
The lusts of the flesh must be tamed, 337  
God uses many means to teach us to tame our lusts, ibid.  
Most men rather follow their lusts, than obey God's Word, 338  
Evil thoughts and inordinate affections must be vanquished, ibid.  
God's Word the chief means to restrain lust, 339  
Lust tempteth to all sin, 340  
The best assaulted by lusts, but not led by them, ibid.  
All the works of the flesh are from the lusts of the flesh, 341  
Lusts bring damnation, ibid.  
Lust insatiable, 342  
Lust defiles body and soul, and gives Satan interest in the whole man, 343  
Lust defaces God's Image, ibid.  
Lust is in the godly, but gains not in them, 344     

Sermon. 27.  


THe corruption of the heart, is showed by corrupt speaking, 345  
The wicked have been always great boasters with their tongues, but perform little with their hands, 346  
Pride is natural to us, we have it from our first parents, 347  
Pride the ruin of angels and men, ibid.  
The godly humble in regard of their sins, not proud of their virtues, ibid.  
Scoffers and slanderers like dogs, 348  
Good men despise the applause of flatterers and debase themselves, ibid.  
Though we must not endure vain applause, yet we must free ourselves from slanders, 349  
The most vile, usually the most proud, and greatest boasters, 350  
Pride endeth with vanity, ibid.  
Flatterers applaud others for their own gain, 351  
The Pope's great boasters, 352  
Flattery described with the properties and punishment thereof, 353  
We must not listen to flatterers, but give God the glory, 354  
Flattery servile and base, 355  
Flattering preachers most pernicious, ibid.  
Ministers must reprove the greatest, 356  
Such as desire to be flattered, are occasion of flattery, ibid.  
He that reproveth, doth profit more, than he that applauds, 357  
Flattery to be rejected and despised, ibid.  
Flattery & flatterers compared to diverse things, 358  
Flattery gives to vices the names of virtues, 359     

Sermon. 28.  


Christians' must not live like Heathen infidels, 360  
The godly and wicked opposite in diverse respects, 361  
We must not be led by the multitude, for the greater part are the worse, 362  
The more glorified, the greater joy, the more damned, the greater torment, ibid.  
Not sufficient to have the Word, unless we remember it, 363  
How we may hear the Word profitably, that we may find it the savour of life unto life, 365  
The memory the soul's treasury, ibid.  
Whatsoever doctrine is not remembered, is lost, 366  
Our forgetfulness and negligence in divine doctrine most gross, ibid.  
The Word of God the most sure foundation to build upon, 367  
The Saints modest in their own praise, but zealous for God's glory, 369  
Circumstances to be observed in reproving, 370  
Three sorts of malicious reprehenders condemned, 371     

Sermon 29.  


THere have been scoffers and mockers in all ages, 372  
Mocking what in Latin, whence derived, 373  
Divers sorts of mockers, 374  
Mockers of God and religion most odious, ibid.  
Mocking, scoffing, and jesting, the basest fruit of wit, 375  
Some sinners like Dogs, some Hogs, ibid.  
Scoffers punished, 376  
Mocking a kind of persecution, 378  
The tongues of scoffers instruments of persecution, 379  
Many scoffing Atheists, at Christ and Religion, 380  
Scoffers as the Devil's band-dogges: so bondslaves, ibid.  
He is strongest that overcomes his lusts, 381  
Mortification a sign of justification, 383  
If no sanctification; no glorification, 384     

Sermon. 30.  


SEctaries cause division in the Church, 385  
The Church and members thereof love Unity, 386  
Dissension, the cause of all mischief in the Church, ibid.  
Three causes of division in the Church, Heresy, Schism, Apostasy, 387  
The difference of these, ibid.  
Pride the cause of Schism, 388  
No salvation out of the Church, ibid.  
Heresies though hurtful in themselves yet God makes them profitable to the Church, 389  
Heretics pervert Scriptures to maintain their errors, ibid.  
The Papists charging us with Sects, have more among themselves, 390  
Satan's chiefest engine to hurt the Church is dissension, 391  
Schism a grievous sin, ibid.  
Natural men perceive not the things of God nor any good, 392  
By regeneration we are adopted the Sons of God, 393  
Many natural men exceed Christians in bridling their affections and in some mortal actions, 394  
Natural men inventors of Arts and trades, 395  
Beasts exceed many natural men, ibid.  
Love makes all things easy, 396  
A sinner hardly drawn from sin, ibid.  
God's grace is to our hearts as the Sunbeams to the earth, ibid.  
None boast more of the spirit, than they that are led by the spirit of error, 397  
The Pope's pride reproved, that call only their Clergy spiritual, all other temporal, ibid.  
Natural men, though they have not the spirit of sanctification, yet illuminated, 398  
All grace and true goodness flows from God's Spirit, 400     

Sermon. 31.  


THe godly and the wicked every way opposite, 403  
Edification being a building, the Saints be the houses, 404  
We must build in ourselves temples for the Holy Ghost, ibid.  
God's Word the rule and square whereby we must build, 405  
We must endeavour to edify others especially our children, 406  
We must daily increase in knowledge, grace and goodness, 407  
Good men grow daily in grace and goodness, ibid.  
The wicked grow daily worse and worse, 408  
We are none proficients in plenty of means, ibid.  
Pride and negligence cause of none proficiciency, ibid.  
We be diligent in seaking knowledge we shall attain to it, 409  
We should not build our hope on earth, but in Heaven, 410  
Faith is the original of all good works, 411  
No life of grace here or glory hereafter without faith, 412  
Faith the most excellent of all virtues, ibid.  
Faith is called holy in respect of the effect in the subject; secondly, of the object, thirdly, the efficient cause thereof, 413  
All good works without faith vain, 414  
If no holiness in life, no true faith in heart, ibid.  
Faith is begotten by hearing and increased also, 415  
God works not by miracles when he affords means, 416     

Sermon. 32.  


FAith and prayer may not be disjoined, 417  
Faith the mother of prayer, and prayer the means to confirm faith, ibid.  
Prayer the means whereby we receive all good things, 418  
Prayer prevalent over all creatures, 419  
Prayer pleasant to God and man, 420  
The Saints have delighted to spend much time in prayer, ibid.  
Divers divisions of prayer into diverse kinds in diverse respects, 421  
All prayer must be offered in the mediation of Christ, 422  
Prayer necessary for all estates, for all times, 423  
Gods wrath poured out upon them that do not pray, ibid.  
God's house a house of prayer, 424  
Prayer comforteth in all estates, ibid.  
☞ Prayer the food and nourishmert of the soul, 405  
Prayer sanctifyeth all our actions, ibid.  
Prayer admirable in the effects, if in due manner, 406  
We must pray continually, ibid.  
We must pray in the spirit and how, 407  
The Holy Ghost the Author of prayer, yet so as the whole Trinity hath a hand, ibid.  
Prayers must be spiritual and fervent, 409  
God regards both the manner and end in all holy duties, 410  
Our prayers must be neither tepidae, timidae, nec temerariae, ibid.  
God heareth not the prayers of sinners, except for vengeance, 411  
God hath promised all good things to prayer, ibid.     

Sermon. 33.  


FAith, Prayer, and Love, have mutual relation, 412  
Love the most excellent of all virtues, 413  
All virtues vain without love, ibid.  
Many excellent properties of Love, 414  
Little love in this age, ibid.  
Love makes men of one heart, 415  
Many men implacable, cruel, like Wolves or Devils, ibid.  
An exhortation to love. 416  
Four properties of love that it be holy, just, true, constant, ibid.  
The love amongst Atheists, and impious condemned, 417  
The excellency of Love, ibid.  
Atheists agree like a kennel of dogs, 418  
Most love for lucre, ibid.  
God's love to us infinite, 419  
Gods love to us diversely distinguished, ibid.  
God's love set out by all the dimensions, yet transcendent and unmeasurable, ibid.  
No love comparable to God's Love, 420  
Gods love to us, the cause of our love to him and the godly, ibid.  
Four reasons or motives to incite us to love God, 1. à mandato. 2. ab aequo & justo, 3. à commodo, 4. ab officio, 421  
The manner how God is to be loved, 422  
Love a debt, that all own to God, and man, but few poy it, ibid.  
We must show our love to God, by keeping his commandments, and serving him, 423  
An honourable and happy thing to love God, ibid.     

Sermon. 34.  


THe hope of eternal life allays the hardness of God's Commandments, 425  
Hope of reward makes men endure labours and dangers, 426  
The blessed estate of the Saints in Heaven, 427  
Christ, and the Saints, in their sufferings had an eye to the reward, ibid.  
The joys of Heaven unspeakable, incomprehensible, 428  
The glorified bodies shall have spiritual and heavenly qualities, namely, clarity, agility, subtlety, unpassibility, and immortality, 429  
The principal points wherein the glory and joy of the glorified soul, and whole Saint consist, 430  
Earthly minds regard not Heavenly joys, 431  
Divers errors concerning eternal life, 432  
The joys of Heaven eternal and infinite, ibid.  
Heaven compared with the womb of the world, 433  
An exhortation to seek after eternal joys, ibid.  
Eternal life only the free gift of God, 434  
Merit end mercy, gift and desert opposite, ibid.  
Papists works, many of them merit death, 435  
Merit threefold Congrui, Digni, Condigni, ibid.  
None can merit ex condigno, but Christ, 436  
Our works cannot merit because finite and unperfect, ibid.  
Christ's righteousness ours, 437  
Our works merit not jointly with Christ's, ibid.  
Grace threefold Praeveniens, Subsequens, Consummans, ibid.  
Many Papists renounce their merits and fly to God's mercy, 438  
Our election, vocation, justification, sanctification, all from grace, 439  
We must not trust in our works, but confess our sins, ibid.     

Sermon. 35.  


DIscretion necessary for distinguishing sins and sinners, 441  
Ministers must use discretion & not deal alike with all sins and sinners, ibid.  
How to restore with meekness them that are fallen, 442  
We should pity and pray for sinners and not despise them, ibid.  
Many men more compassionate toward their beasts nhan brethren 444  
We must taken away sins with mildness and mercy if possible, ibid.  
Reproof though not pleasing yet profitable, 446  
Compassion must be showed especially to the soul, 447  
The Saints bewail the estate of the wicked, ibid.  
Threats of judgement belong to the wicked, 448  
The obstinate must be terrified, not soothed, ibid.  
judgements denounced against soothing false prophets, 449  
Reproofs more profitable than soothing flattery, 450  
Excommunication a grievous censure, ibid.  
Excommunication threefold, 451  
Two uses of Excommunication, ibid.     

Sermon. 36.  


THe sinner always in danger, 452  
The fickle estate of the wicked set out by diverse resemblances, 453  
No estate permanent, 454  
Sudden destruction wait on the wicked, ibid.  
Death comes not sudden to the Godly, 455  
The Godly prepare by repentance, and godly life for death, while they have time, 456  
Repentance must not be deferred, ibid.  
The saving of souls, a most blessed work, 457  
Though God save, yet both Grace, and Faith, and Ministry concur, 458  
Tho Ministry being God's ordinance to save souls, is not to be slighted, though the World despise them. ibid.  
Four faculties in the soul, whereby it converts the food of the Word and Sacraments, to nourishment of the spiritual life, 459  
The necessity and excellent fruits of the Ministry set out by diverse resemblances, 460  
The happy estate of them that have means of knowledge, 461  
Salvation and the misery of them that want it, ibid.     

Sermon. 37.  


NOt only evil, but all appearance of evil is to be avoided. 462  
Sin must be hated, not sported, at if if we love our own souls, ibid.  
No communion to be holden or society with the wicked, 463  
Wicked men must be avoided in respect of God and ourselves, ibid.  
Sin as contagious as the plague, and more dangerous, 464  
We must hate sin because the whole Trinity detest it, 465  
We must hate sin, because Satan is the author, being enemy to God and our souls, ibid.  
Sin must be hated, because it dishonours God, not ourselves, 466  
We may not hold amity with the wicked boing God's enemies, 467  
The amity of the wicked, treachery, ibid.  
Sin only is hated of God and man, and not the person, except reprobate, 468  
Two judgements, the one of Faith, the other of Charity, 469  
We must leave sin of conscience, not for other respects, 470  
The punishment of sin ought to deter from sin, ibid.  
Earthquakes, an evident sign of God's anger, and a forerunner of judgement, 471  
Many earthquakes in many places and much hurt, 472  
Christians not to be profaned. 473     

Sermon. 38  


WE are not sufficient to do any good of ourselves without grace, 476  
Exhortations do not show what we can, but what we should do, 477  
Grace both preserves from falling, and raiseth us being fallen, 478  
Our enemies many and powerful, 479  
Prayer the best means to repel Satan and his temptations, 480  
All sorts of men have fallen, even the Saints, ibid.  
All have the Seminary of all sins in them, 481  
Grace worketh all in all, ibid.  
We walk in the midst of snares, 482  
God suffered Adam, and doth still suffer the Saints to fall for diverse reasons, 483  
Difference between the sins of Saints and Reprobates, ibid.  
Whether and how the Church may err, 484  
The best have erred, ibid.  
The Pope may err, and many of them have erred. 485  
The distinctions about the erring of the Pope, nice and frivolous, 486     

Sermon. 39  


HOw we are said to be blameless, notwithstanding we are full of sin, 487  
Two kinds of righteousness, 488  
Our righteousness consists rather, in the remission of sin, than perfection of virtue, ibid.  
How we are said to be perfect, and yet imperfect, 489  
The jesuits and latter Popish writers the worst, 490  
The Church and members of it impure in itself, but perfect and pure in Christ, 491  
Our service may be sincere, not perfect, 492  
justification by works confuted, how justified by faith explained, 493  
Papists fly to the mercy of God, and merit of Christ, 494  
No true joys and pleasures in this world, but all in Heaven, ibid.  
The Saints in Heaven shall have fullness of joy, undique, 495  
Heaven the land of the living, and Earth land of dead men, 496  
God shall be all in all to the Saints in Heaven, ibid.  
Worldly minded men, desire not Heaven, 497  
Our life nothing to eternal life, ibid.  
All honours and pleasures on earth, nothing to them in Heaven 498  
The World fraudulent, turbulent, momentary, 499  
Christ the only comfort to the elect, both in this life and that to come, ibid.  
Many hindered from Heaven by pleasure,     

Sermon. 40.  


PRayer and praise the two chiefest parts of God's worship must follow one another, 501  
The glory of God hath been celebrated by all Saints, 502  
We slauld not think of the mercies of God in Christ, without praising him, 503  
God described by many attributes, yet none can sufficiently set him out, ibid.  
God only wise, all men ignorant and foolish, 504  
We have no true wisdom till infused by God, ibid.  
All wisdom and Knowledge hid in Christ 505  
Distinction between Science and Sapience, ibid.  
Worldly wisdom folly, ibid.  
God's Wisdom seen in creation and disposing of all creatures, and governing the Church, 506  
Christ a merciful and powerful Saviour in life and death, ibid.  
No Saviour's comparable to Christ, 507  
The Papists derogate from the power and merit of Christ, ibid.  
The imputative righteousness of the Saints more set out God's glory than the inherent, 508  
Man's work cannot merit, ibid.  
What it is to glorify God, 509  
Thankfulness the only sacrifice that God requires, ibid.  
We pray in our wants, and do not praise God when we are relieved, 510  
Thanksgiving and the praise of God, the end of our creation. ibid.  
They thrt do not glorify God here, shall not be glorified of him hereafter, ibid.  
Two thiefs that rob God of his glory and justice, 511  
A powerful exhortation to praise God, and give up ourselves in thankfulness, ibid.  
If no praise of God in the mouth, no thankfulness or grace in the heart, 512.     

Sermon 29.  


What it is to ascribe majesty to God, 514  
Miracles are admired for the rareness, 515  
All Gods ordinary works wonderful, 516  
Our dulness in ascribing to God majesty in regard of his works, ibid.  
God re●eales himself six ways, ibid.  
God's judgement do not work Repentance, ibid.  
Wherein God's dominion standeth, 517  
Gods threefold kingdom, of power, grace, glory, ibid.  
We acknowledge ourselves subjects, of Christ's kingdom of grace, and yet are rebellious. 518  
Three properties in the Angel's Obedience, Libentissime, Citissime, Fidelissime, Obediunt, 519  
Notorious sinners Satan's bondslaves, ibid.  
We must be pure in soul and body, that Christ may dwell and rule in us, 520  
Gods power omnipotent, ibid.  
Christ every where present by his power, though not corporally, ibid.  
Christ's omnipotenty gives comfort to the Christian, 521  
Gods incomprehensibleness set out by comparison, ibid.  
Christ all in all to us, 522  
God cannot do those things that imply contradiction or defect, ibid.  
How attributes are ascribed some time to the whole Trinity, sometime to particular persons, 523  
All Gods attributes are eternal, ibid.  
God must be prayed, and praised for all things temporal and eternal, 524  
Amen. the divers significations thereof, and the efficacy thereof in the conclusion of our prayers, ibid.     
Note that the folios are mistaken at fol. 425. where you shall find this mark 〈◊〉  
FINIS.