Mundanum Speculum, OR, THE WORLDLINGS LOOKING GLASS.  
Wherein he may clearly see what a woeful bargain he makes if he lose his soul for the gain of the World.  
A Work needful and necessary for this careless age, wherein many neglect the means of their Salvation.  
Preached and now published by EDMUND COBS Minister of the Word of God.  LUKE 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 
LONDON, Printed for Philip Water house, and are to be sold at his Shop at the s●gne of St. Paul's Head in Canon street near London Stone. 1630.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful, Reverend, and judicious Divines RICHARD CLERKE Doctor of DIVINITY one of the learned Translators of the Bible, and now Preacher of Christ Church Canterbury: and Daniel Featly Doctor of Divinity, and Rector of Lambeth, The sweet comforts of grace, and plenty of peace here, and the blessedness of immortality hereafter.  
RIGHT Worshipful, and Reverend Divines, I am not ignorant how dangerous a thing it is to present any work to the curious eyes of the world, or to speak any thing unpolished in open audience; such is the delicacy of men's ears, as experience teacheth; and so censorious are the tongues of the envious, that they are ready to condemn before they understand, and to judge of men and their actions, not as they are indeed, but according to their own prejudicate opinions. I know and must needs confess, that it were good reason, nothing should come before your presence, but that which were most perfect, and excellent; How may I then (which am neither sound PHILOSOPHER, eloquent Orator, good Poet, nor learned Divine) presume to present to your judicious considerations this mean and illiterate Treatise, entitled, The Worldlings Looking-glass, whose rudeness, both for matter and method, is fare unfit to wear the liveries of your names; yet Commasculavi frontem pudoris limites transilire, I have put courage into my bashful nature, and have so fare presumed upon your courtesies, as that you will pardon my presumption in venturing so fare upon your manifold favours, as to defend my poor pains by your patronage. And the rather, because the subject is of so great importance, and so not unworthy your best considerations▪  
Touching my own insufficiency to handle a point of so great moment, I have the wise Heathen ready to plead for me, Not who 
Non quis, sed quid dicit attendit●▪ Sen.  is the speaker, but what he saith aught to be regarded. Yet I could wish, I could act the Rhetoritians part, docendo, delectando, flectendo, in teaching, delighting, & persuading: yet seeing the first is a work of necessity, and the latter of victory and delight▪ I shall rejoice if I can perform that which is necessary, leaving the rest to those which excel therein, because our words must rather 
Non delectent verba vestra, sed prosint. Seneca. Melius est vt●●tell●g●nt populi, quam ut commendent grammatici. Amb.  bring profit, than delight. Therefore it is a sure rule which the Father gives, that it is better so to speak, that the meanest may conceive, then for to gain the learneds commendation; because in grave and Divine sentences many times it proves true: That while men add an eloquent 
Dum nameru● addatur, pondus detrahatur.  form of words; they detract from the substance of the matter. But the best affected 
Verum magis amant in verbis, quam verba. Aug.  do rather look to the truth delivered, then to the curiosity of the manner of delivery.  
Concerning this present discourse, let it condemn or commend itself, for great words cannot better it, nor disabling speeces much impair the worth of it; gold is tried by the touch, and good books by the worth; the wise are not so skilful in the one, but judgement makes them as capable of the other. But how ever it be, it is the first Budd that grew in my garden; & if it give not that fragrant smell, that others more full grown do; yet I doubt not but that it may give some small sent, if the diligent Reader come not like Dinah, rather to feed his fancy by gazing on the lines, then to gain by the matter. And though Elijah and Elisha 
2 Kin. 2. 12  be the Chariots of Israel, & the Horsemen thereof, yet I doubt not but the footmen may do some service in the battle: And Apollo's without offence may water where Paul hath planted. And though I am not able to hold way with such strong & able laborers as you are, nor worthy to be accounted in the number of good workmen; yet I doubt not but that by God's assistance I may some way advance his glory, and benefit his Church.  
The consideration hereof hath made me not to regard the nipping checks, & scornful speeches of Momus, and Zoilus, and all the rabble of censorious detractors, which will like of nothing but that which is framed in their own brains, knowing no other way to grace themselves, then by their taunting tongues, which they employ to disgrace others; and as they are careless to do any good themselves; so they are ready to discourage those which are careful and willing to employ their talents to their master's profit: like the envious Jews, who would not build 
Ezra 4. 4.  the Temple of the Lord themselves, nor were willing that any other should; but when the godly did begin to employ themselves in the work, they scoffed, 
Neh. 4. 2.  mocked, and discouraged them, fearing belike that GOD might have too much glory: yet for all this, the godly were not discouraged, but for all their reproaches ceased not till they had finished the Work of the Lord, whose practice shall teach me not to be discouraged, but with the strength of my GOD to arm myself with patience to endure the censures of all men. For as in all good actions, 
Difficile im● impossibile est placere omnibus, nec ●an●a vn●t●u●●, qu●▪ ta sententi●rum diuersi●as est. Hieron.  so especially in publishing of books it is hard to please all men: for there is not less variety in men's countenances, than there is their judgements; and therefore nothing can be so warily spoken, but envious 
Nihil tam circumspect● dici potest, quod non rapiatur ab improbis vel in al●quam calumniam vel in ansam peccandi, ut vix tutum sit quicquid recte monere. Era●. ad Vol.  men may find one thing or other to cavil at, if they be disposed to deprave; though perhaps if they were put to amend, they would show more criticism than ability; yet for all this they 
Optima queque malant ●ontemnere quam discere. P●●n.  think it better to despise those things which are good, then to learn them. But as the scope & aim of all my actions shall be to please God, and discharge my own conscience; so I will not trouble myself to please such men's humours; for if I should, I fear I might spend my time to as little purpose as he did that would fashion 
Plutarch.  a Coat for the Moon: Neither do I intent in this present discourse by adulation to praise your Worships, nor myself by ostentation, nor my work by admiration: the first I leave, lest my words should impair your worth; the second I conceal, because I find nothing in myself that deserves praise; and the last I refrain, for if my labour can but gain your favourable acceptance; and that you will be pleased so fare to countenance it, as that it may appear to the world under your names, I have that which I desire: and then,  
Non ronchos metuam, non vani scommata vulgi,  
Censores treticos, grammaticasue tribus.  
No gleering scorns I'll fear, nor spiteful gibes,  
Nor crabbed Critics, nor Grammarian tribes.  
And thus craving pardon for my boldness, with a thankful acknowledgement of your many undeserved favours extended towards me, I commend you, and yours to the protection of the Almighty, and this present Discourse to your favourable censures, and myself to your service and command, resting always bound in duty, and ever devoted in love,  
From my study at Low Layton in Essex. january 1. 1630. Edmund Cobs   

To the godly, and well affected Reader.  
BELOVED, the chiefest care of every man in this life should be how he may glorify God, and save his soul; and there is great reason it should be so; for as he is the fountain from whence all good things flow, so he is the end 
Rom. 11. 36. Ps. 148. 13 Isa. 42. 8. 48. 11.  unto which all things tend; and as his glory is most excellent, and dear unto himself, as being the end of all his works of Creation, of Election, and redemption; 
Pro. 16. 4. Eph. 1. 5, 6 Tit. 2. 11.  so also of continual preservation of man's life. Therefore the Angels, those 
john 11. 4.  glorious Creatures, out of their zeal to their Creator, are swift winged Heralds to diwlge his glory, and are restless in giving honour 
Isa. 6. 3.  and praise unto him, whose practice the Saints in all ages 
Reu. 14. 7. 4. 8.  have imitated in glorifying their Creator; and in all 
Rom. 4. 20.  their actions have still aimed at his glory; extolling him in 
1 Cor. 6. 20 1 Pet. 4 11. jer. 13. 16. Psa. 116. 5.  his greatness, goodness, and mercy; whose example and practice teacheth us, as to aim at the glory of our Creator in the first place; so in the second place our principal care should be to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, 
Phil. 2. 12.  and to give all diligence to make our calling and election 
2 Pet. 1. 10  sure; and the rather because our souls are so precious, 
Ps. 49. 8: Eccl. 12. 7.  being the gifts of God, which being lost could not be redeemed without an 
1 Pet. 1. 18 19 Luk. 13. 24 1 Co. 9 24. john 6. 27. 1 Pet. 4. 18  infinite price; and the benefit of this price could not be obtained without great pains and labour on our part; because of the difficulty, and the many enemies that seek to deprive us of our salvation; in which respect, that man which is careless of his own salvation, is also mindless of God's glory, & so by these means he fails, and comes short of the end for which he was created.  
If this must be the care of every godly man, then sure our age abounds with many careless and negligent men, which in stead of honouring God, and seeking the salvation of their souls, their chiefest care and diligence is to honour and advance themselves in this world, as appears by their practice & projects, which is all for pleasures and profits, 
Isa. 22. 13. Hab. 1. 15.  in these things they rejoice, and are glad; greedily seeking after them, that they may spend them upon their 
jam. 4. 3.  lusts; making themselves merry while their time lasts. 
Luk. 12. 19 1 Cor. 15. 32.  These men, as they dishonour God in seeking for their 
Eccl. 8. 15.  portion in this life, as thinking these transitory things are the utmost choice of God's reward, as they are of their hopes; so they cousin themselves, as the rich fool did, 
Luk. 12. 21  who laid up treasures in the world, and was not rich toward God; so also they 
1 Tim. 6. 10.  pierce themselves through with many sorrows, by seeking content in that which yields none, and desiring to hold that which hath no stay, till at last they fall into temptation, and snares, & many foolish & hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction, and perdition. 
1 Tim. 6. 9  The consideration hereof hath moved me (the meanest of the sons of Levi) out of love to your salvation, to exhort you to seek the Lord while he may be found. For I fear that many of us are so lulled asleep in the cradle of security, as that neither the golden 
Isay. 58. 1.  Bells of Aaron, the thundering trumpet of Isajah, the well tuned Cymbals of David, nor yet the sweet harmony of the Evangelists can as yet awake us out of our sinful security, and move us to turn to the Lord by true and unfeigned repentance, that he may have mercy upon our souls: yet for as much as times & seasons are in God's hands, & 
john 3. 8.  that his Spirit blows where he lists; I have therefore in the strength of my God presumed to present unto your consideration The Worldlings Looking-glass, wherein he may clearly see and behold the world, and all worldly things to be vain and uncertain, loving none but those which are enemies to Christ; and many 
Rom. 8. 7.  times deceiving them also of their hope and expectation; saucing their pleasures with gall and wormwood. For worldly prosperity proves dangerous snares to bring men to destruction; for when it fawneth most, than it hunteth most eagerly after our salvation, unless we take the better heed. Then what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, if he lose his soul?  
The life of man is short, 
job 14. 1.  and passeth away like a shadow, and that which worldlings enjoy, they buy at hard rates; paying full dear for their momentany pleasures, which many times prove full of misery, & vexation of spirit.  
But yet alas, though we see the deceitfulness of the world, and the misery of it; yet we are content to be deceived thereby, & so to fall at noon days when our eyes are open. We use to laugh at little Children which run up and down after a feather, or some vain toy, till they fall down and take harm; and then we pity their folly: But when we see man, which should have reason to guide him, to toil so eagerly after these transitory things, which at last will deceive him, and steal away his heart from godliness; how should we lament his misery?  
Let the consideration hereof move us all to consider what a pearl we are like to lose for the gaining of these deceitful vanities, that so at the last we may be persuaded to labour for the salvation of our souls. For is it not better to serve God, and to work out our own salvation here, that we may be blessed hereafter; then for the love of this base world to be tormented for ever and ever? Is it not better to want these sinful pleasures, then for enjoying of them, to be turned into Hell? For what 
Gal. 6. 8.  shall we reap of the flesh, but corruption? And what shall we gain of the Devil for all our service, but eternal torments? And what shall 
Psal. 37. 35.  we gain of the world but speedy forgetfulness?  
Seeing then the love of the world is so vain and deceitful, let us then labour for heaven and heavenly things, and take no thought 
Rom. 13. 14  for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof; minding not so much this present world, as that which is to come; for this is temporary and must have an end, but that is eternal, 
2 Cor. 4. 8.  and will abide for ever. This must be done, 
Col. 3. 1, 2.  that thereby we may approve our sanctification; for here we live by faith, 
2 Cor. 5. 7.  and therefore our conversation 
Phil. 3. 20.  must be suitable. This will bring us present ease, 
Heb. 6. 19 joh. 16. 22.  for our hope is certain, and cannot deceive us. This is the only way to be approved 
Rom. 14. 18.  of God, and to gain a good report among men. This will bring a sure reward at last; God himself hath pronounced, that it shall go well with the just, 
Isay 3. 10.  for their end shall be everlasting 
Rom. 6. 22.  life: For the ground of their hope is founded upon 
2 Tim. 1. 12. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 18.  his power that cannot fail, & on his promise that cannot lie, and upon his justice that will not forget 
Heb. 6. 10.  to reward. This, as it will bring comfort when worldlings are at their wits 
2 Cor. 4. 8.  ends, so also it yields an honourable employment in the mean time, while we exercise ourselves in heavenly 
Col. 3. 2.  things. For the things 
Phil. 3. 8.  of this life, as they are base, so they are shameful, and the end of them is death. Then what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul?  
Spare no pains then for to gain thy salvation, abandon and cast away all pleasures and delights, till thou art persuaded thy name is written in heaven. We see 
Luk. 10. 20  worldly men will toil & labour to gain riches, Honour, and preferments; hope of gain will make Rain and windy weather seem fair and pleasant. For shame then let not worldlings diligence condemn ours, for how shall we escape, if we neglect so 
Heb. 2▪ 3.  great salvation? Christ hath done more for us, and shall we do nothing for ourselves? we shall lose nothing at the end, but gain exceedingly; then it shall not repent us that we have sown in tears, when we see we shall reap in joy. As we desire to be members of the new jerusalem hereafter, let us now labour to have the assurance sealed up to our souls▪ by denying the world, and all worldly things. For the glory of the world is but like a blazing Star, which terrifies the mind, by presaging ruin; and the pleasures of the world like candid Wormwood, which deceives the taste, and imbitters the stomach.  
Thus fare Christian Reader, for thy sake I have dived into the world, and all worldly things; if I have said any thing in this ensuing discourse, which may yield thee any profit, give God the glory, and me thy friendly censure, and help 
I●uate me orationib●● vestris, ut s●mper possim loqui, quae op●rt●t & opere i●plere quae loqui. Bernard. in Cant.  me with thy prayers, that I may speak those things I ought, and practice myself what I speak. But if in any place I have erred, than I pray correct it gently, or pass it over with silence; or in a friendly manner admonish me thereof, and then I have of thee as much as I desire; and then I shall be encouraged to set Pen to Paper again, and publish another Treatise upon the Parable of the Unclean Spirit recorded by the Evangelist, Matth. 12. 43. Luke 11. 24. in which if God grant life, and opportunity I will show;  
1. The manner, and the measure of Satan's departure from the soul of man's and then how he demeaneth himself when he is gone.  
2. His diligence to gain his former possession, with the reasons that induce him thereunto.  
3. When he hath regained possession, how strongly he fortifies himself to prevent, expulsion.  
Lastly, the miserable estate of those which he repossesses; how, & wherein their end is worse than their beginning. As also compose a Table for the reading, understanding, and remembering of the Scriptures, and how to reconcile such places as seem to contradict one another; & to prescribe rules to know when the Scriptures are to be taken figuratively, and when literally, with the reasons why. And to set down the time when such famous men lived as are mentioned in Scriptures; with many other occurrences, both profitable and delightful. All which I shall be willing 
Cum lectoris nomen feras, ne lictoris nomen geras.  to perform, if in this discourse thou wilt perform the part of a Reader; that is, to  

Suspend thy judgement, and censure not in haste:  
Before thou judge the first, first read the last.   
But alas, there are many now adays that can spy a moat in another's eye, that had need to have a Beam pulled from their own. some there are so curious in their conceits, as that they can easier find two faults in another man's work, then know how to mend one. If thou be of that mind, (friendly Reader) I do not intent to make thee my judge. My end is not to gain popular applause, but to discharge my Conscience, and to do my Country good.  

Then accept his will, who meaning plain,  
Doth neither write for praise nor hope of gain.   
And though it be not so curiously set forth as perhaps thou expectest, be content to accept of this answer; If it be not so punctual as it should, yet it is as I could; for,  

They that are learned, and have the gift,  
May make of matters what they will:  
But he that hath no other shift,  
Must go the plain way to the Mill.   
When the material Temple was to be built, every man could not bring gold, and silver; so in this spiritual building, every one hath not the skill of carving and working curiously; yet if I by bringing base metals, or by working plainly, may help thee in thy spiritual building, it shall abundantly comfort me. Come not then to carp with Momus, nor to disdain with Zoilus, nor to soothe with Zantippus; if thou dost, I shall care as little for thy censure, as I do for thyself. Therefore, 
Cum tua non aedas ne carpas munera lector:  
Carpere vel noli nostra, vel aede tua.  
Sith that thy works thou dost conceal,  
Good Reader carp not mine:  
Leave off to reprehend our works,  
Or else go publish thine.   
And though there is no end in making books, seeing much reading brings wearisomeness to the flesh, Eccles. 12. 12.  

Yet this we do, and pleasure take in toil,  
Although we do but blow the barren soil.   
And thus having been overbold in presuming upon your patience I will here end, & commend you to God, and to the Word of his grace, which is able to build you up further, and give you an inheritance among 
Act. 20. 32.  them which are sanctified. And rest,  
Yours always in the Lord, EDMUND COBS.   

THE WORLDLINGS LOOKING-GLASS, Wherein he may clearly see what a woeful bargain he makes, if he lose his soul for the gain of the world.  Matth. 16. 26. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

THE time of our blessed Saviour's passion being at hand, he tells and forewarns his Disciples of it, that thereby he might confirm and strengthen them against the scandal of his Cross; But yet for all this they dream of an earthly Kingdom, and that our Saviour should restore them to their ancient liberties, which in time past their fathers enjoyed, in the time of David, and Solomon, and other Kings of Israel; but our Saviour to put them out of this conceit, tells them plainly elsewhere, that his Kingdom is not of this world: and therefore they are not to expect any earthly pomp and state by him, for 
a Vers. 21  he must go to jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders, and chief Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, etc. Peter who loved him dear, and so was more forward to manifest his love then the rest, taketh him aside, thinking he had spoke unadvisedly, that would die when he might live, and began to rebuke him, saying: Be it fare from thee Lord, this shall not be unto thee. q. d. Thou art the promised Seed of the Woman, in whom all the Nations of the world shall be blessed, thou art an innocent man, and therefore oughtest not to die; thy life is very profitable unto all men, by feeding their bodies, curing their diseases, teaching and instructing them in the ways of godliness, therefore thou oughtest rather restore the kingdom to Israel, and to free us out of our captivity. But alas, Peter, thy counsel is carnal, thou understands only the things that belong to thy own ease and quietness, but not the things which are of God, I was sent to seek and to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and am that escape goat, which 
Leu. 16. 10.  must bear the iniquities of the people, and that Lamb which must take away the sins of the world, & by my death and suffering must offer myself as a sacrifice for the redemption of the world; and so by death overcome him which hath the power of death; therefore Peter, get thee behind me with thy devilish counsel, thou art an offence, to me, and an adversary to my father's will, which hath appointed & set me apart to reconcile the world unto him: therefore if thou wilt be my Disciple indeed, as thou professest thyself to be, imitate thou me in my obedience to my Father's Will; & learn thou thy duty which now I teach thee, and which I will have all my Disciples to learn▪ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross and follow me; Teaching all those which will give up their names unto him, what must be their practice, and whereto they must trust; they must renounce their own wit, policy, and affection, and be content to endure crosses, losses, and much affliction, which they must bear cheerfully, and follow their Captain Christ jesus in well doing, though they have never so many pullers back, and hindrances in the way: yet they must imitate the Philistines 
1 Sam. 6.  Kine, which bore the Ark of GOD, though they were milche, and had their Calves at home, yet without any turning to the right hand or left, they kept on their way to Bethshemesh: So the Disciples of Christ, which have given up their names unto him, and do bear the Ark of his law upon their shoulders, though they have many allurements of the world, the flesh and the Devil, to draw them back; which are as dear unto them as the calves were unto the Kine; yet for all this they must keep on their course in the path of a holy life and conversation without turning either to the right hand or left, until they come to Bethshemesh, the house of the Sun: for he that puts his hand to the Plough, and afterwards looks back, makes himself unfit for the Kingdom of God: Therefore our blessed Saviour plainly tells his Disciples what their profession would cost them, and what they should look for; that is, to be hated of all men for his sake, and to endure all manner of crosses, and be content to bear them patiently, and wear them as a crown upon their heads: and to carry death always before them as a seal upon their fingers.  
Now because the heart of man is full of doubts, and out of self-love is ready to call the truth of God in question; our blessed Saviour is careful to fence his doctrine against all doubts, and to prevent all scruples which carnal men can make against the truth thereof, as thinking it very harsh to flesh and blood. Therefore in the 25 and 26 verses he answers a secret objection, which some obiectour might reply upon him, in these or the like words; That so he should lose at least the world's goods, and perhaps his life too. To the one Christ answers in the verse preceding my Text, that to lose life, was the way to find it, meaning eternal life, q. d. for the worst that Tyrants can do, is but to send them to heaven, and the desire to save life by refusing the cross, was the way indeed to lose it, to wit, eternal life. And to the other he answers in the words of my Text, that the gain of the world is nothing if it be compared with the soul's loss, which he lays down in an hypothetical proposition question wise; For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world if he lose his soul? Which categorically turned is, he that wins even a whole world, but loseth his own soul for it, gains not; which is confirmed by the latter part of the verse, that there is nothing worth the soul, nothing equivalent to it, which he propounds question-wise also, because in this form a proposition hath most life and power to work upon the heart, and conscience of the hearer. For what thing is there of greater moment than the soul? & what thing more difficult than to wean it from the love of the world? Therefore by this vehement speech, our Saviour lays strong battery to the hearts of worldlings to make them sound a retreat from the eager pursuit of these terrene things.  
Thus I have made the occasion and manner of Christ's speech the pathway leading to my text, in which I pray observe these two main points.  

1. The world's vanity and inability.  
2. The excellency of the soul.   
These two points by GOD'S grace shall be the subject of my ensuing discourse, and from them to deduce this note of observation: That it is a point of 
Observation.  the greatest folly, to adventure the loss of the soul for the gain of the whole world. The ground of this truth is plain.  
Because the world, and the 
Ground or Reason.  best things which are in it, are but mere vanities and fooleries in respect of our heavenly inheritance. Though they may make a fair show to them which are blinded with their false conceits and glory, and esteem which they have among worldly men: yet if we look upon them in the glass of God's Word, we shall find the world in his chief beauty and pomp to be but as a glorious hypocrite, fair in show and false in truth, promising much, and performing nothing; if therefore it were opened with the sharp knife of truth, it would be found both vain and deceitful; for all that is in the world either it is already past, or else it is present, or else it is to come: That which is past, is not now, and so we can have no profit by it; And that which is to come is uncertain whether we shall live to enjoy it or no; and that which is present is fickle & unstable, and will stand by us but a while, no longer at furthest then our lives last, and in that space our comfort and joy in it may be disturbed by sickness, crosses, losses, or many other accidents: which made David affirm; that man 
Psa. 39 6.  in his best estate is altogether vanity, and that he walketh as a shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain; therefore he compares worldly prosperity to a dream, 
Psa. 73. 20.  which delighteth a man while he sleepeth, but when he awaketh, vanisheth away, and leaveth nothing behind but sorrow and discontent, because their joys and hopes are disappointed: Intimating unto us that the glory and splendour of worldly things are but in show only, and not solid and substantial, in truth. Therefore Solomon which had not only most 
2 Chron. 9 22.  wisdom and judgement, rightly to value them, and more experience of them then any man, because he abounded more in 
1 King. 3. 13.  worldly prosperity than any man that ever lived: for he 
1 King. 4. 21.  reigned over all Kingdoms from the River unto the Land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents and served Solomon all the days of his life: Silver in 
2 Chon. 9 27.  his days was esteemed but as stones, his household provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flower, and threescore measures of meal, which according to the least account, is two hundred thirty two quarters; ten fat Oxen, and twenty 
1 King. 4. 22, 23.  Oxen out of the pastures, and one hundred sheep, besides Hearts, and Robucks, and Fallow Dear, and fatted Fowl. He had forty thousand stalls of Horses for his Charets, and twelve thousand horsemen, his pleasures were answerable to his wealth, for he had seven hundred 
1 Kin. 11. 3  Wives Princes, and three hundred Concubines; he had stately houses, and pleasant gardens, and he lived in health, peace, and prosperity, he was loved, feared, and admired of his subjects for his wisdom justice, for which he was a terror to his enemies: yet for all this, see what verdict he passes 
Eccles. 1. 2.  upon all these prosperities; Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 
Eee. 2. 11.  And afterwards he concludes, that they are not only vanity, but vexation of spirit.  
That we may the better descry the vanities of this world, and their insufficiency to profit us, we will take a view of those things which worldly men do so admire, which though they be manifold in nature, yet we will bring them like dispersed members, and couch them under these heads; jupiter, Saturn, Venus, or Riches, Honour and Pleasure; these wander over the world while the blessed Son of righteousness hath no room in the world of darkness; these are now of so religious account, as the golden Calf of Israel was once, that men sacrifice to them, and say in their hearts, These are thy gods. We will see if there be any hidden happiness in them, which may so fare move us, as for the delight of them to adventure the loss of our souls.  
We will begin with riches, which all men do so dote upon, and for which they will take such pains, and endure such misery, adventuring their lives, healths, liberties, and many times stretch their consciences, thinking him only a happy man which hath his coffers full with Dives, his barns stretching 
Luk. 16. 19 Luk. 12. 18 1 King 4. Dan. 5.  and strutting with the worldling, his stables full with Solomon, his tables full with Belshazzar, his grounds full of Cattle with job, and his purse full of silver with Croesus. What is there in riches? Is there any wisdom, holiness, mercy, peace and truth? what can they do for us? can they keep off God's judgements, preserve our bodies from sickness, and keep our souls from Hell? if they could, than it were great reason we should toil and labour for them, but alas, they are unable and insufficient to do us good in any of these particulars. If riches could purchase salvation, then rich men were the only happy men; they will spare for no cost: the hypocrite 
Micah 6. 6, 7.  will part with his  offerings, Calves of a year old, thousands of Rams, and ten thousand rivers of Oil, he will part with any thing though never so dear to him; he will give his first borne for his transgression, and the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul.  
But o man, it will not be, no 
Psal. 49. 7.  man can give a price unto God, so precious is the redemption of the soul. Rich men die, and go to Hell, so shall all the people that forget God: neither Gold or Silver could redeem 
1 Pet. 1. 18, 19  us, but it is the blood of Christ that cleanses us from sin.  
2. As riches are unable to redeem one soul, so they are unable to help and deliver us in our greatest extremities; therefore the Prophet calls them vain things which cannot profit, 
1 Sam. 12. 21.  for they are vain, they cannot free us from danger, nor deliver us when we are fall'n into any extremity: nay they be so far from aiding sinful men against the hand of God, as that they be many times weapons in his hands to plague them with the strokes of his judgements. And they cease when misery cometh. And as they cannot help us themselves, so they utterly deprive us of our help we should have in God: because trusting in them for deliverance, we either not at all, or in a cold & faint manner, pray unto him for help and deliverance, doubting whether he will help us or no, seeing we have in our prosperity put such trust and confidence in our riches, and trusted in them more than in our Creator: and never craved help from him so long as our Corn, Wine, and Oil abounded. 
Psal. 4.  Therefore in our greatest need we may justly fear, 
jud. 10. 14.  that God should send us packing 
Isa. 47. 17.  to crave help of our Idols, as he did his own people in their miseries.  
Thus the Wise man tells us, That he that trusteth in riches 
Pro. 11. 28.  shall fall. See the truth of this in Pharaoh that proud King, that would wage war with the King of nations, and thought with his strong Chariots to bid defiance to Heaven; but all his riches, strength, and power were unable to keep off the Frogs, Flies, Lice, and other plagues 
Exod. ●●.  from him and his subjects, but these weak Creatures did so confound him, that he was forced to confess that he had sinned against heaven, and compelled to call for a sacrifice to that God which before he had despised.  
By which we may see that there is no privilege in the King's chair. If they sin with a high hand against God, than his hand shall fall upon them to their destruction, for it must be his grace that must season their Thrones, or else they stand in very slippery places, exposed to the judgements of God, as we may see in Belshazzer, in the top of his glory, while he was profaning the Lords sacred Vessels unto his own lusts; & consecrating them to the service of his gods, even as it were to despite the Lord of heaven toh is face; which knew how to be avenged of him, and to make good his own cause, therefore he sent the palm of a hand to 
Dan. 5.  write his doom, and the same night was this proud King slain. The rich man's full barns could not bail his body one night from Hell; and Dives riches 
Luke 16.  could not purchase him one drop of water to cool his tongue. Herod that proud King, thought by his vexing the Lords people to advance himself, but all his stately robes, and praise of the people could not 
Act. 12.  keep off God's judgements, but he was eaten up of Worms. For 
Zeph. 1. 14, 18.  neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver in the day of the Lords wrath, but the whole land shall be devoured with the fire of his jealousy: and in that day the strong man shall cry bitterly: 
Reu. 6. 15.  the righteous shall see it and fear, and laugh at them saying, behold the man that took not God for his strength, but trusted in the multitude 
Ps. 52. 7, 8.  of his riches, and strengthened himself in his substance.  
3. As riches are unable to keep off God's judgements, so also they are unable to give contentment. They are of no satisfying nature, but 
a Pecunia aqua salsa est, sitim provocans, non sedans. Psa. 59 15.  are like sharp liquor which doth not satisfy the belly, but provoke the appepetite to covet after meat, and so to grudge if they be not satisfied. An example hereof we may see in Ahab King over the Lords 
1 King. 21. 34.  own people: his whole Kingdom could not give him content, but he was sick till he had Naboths Vineyard. The large 
He that continually wants, how can he be rich.  Kingdom of Ahashuerosh, the favour of the King, & the reverence of his subjects could not give Haman content, though he were advanced above the Princes, and honoured with the riches 
Esther 5.  of the Kingdom: yet all this did him no good so long as Mordecay the jew would not reverence him.  
Question. What may be the reason hereof may some say? I answer, that the principal cause hereof is this: God in his judgements blinds their eyes, because worldlings love his gifts more than himself that gave them: therefore he deprives them of content, which do not love them according to his Word. Therefore the Preacher saith, He 
Eccl. 5. 10.  that love's silver shall not be satisfied therewith. Covetousness may bring riches, but not rest; They may empty other, but not fill themselves, like Pharaohs lean Kine, which devoured the fat, & were never the fatter themselves. 
Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit, Et minus hunc optat qui non habet. juven. Sat. 14.  The Po●t knew this by nature's light, As the heap is the greater, so the appetite is sharper. And another, The more we have, the more we do desire. And, who possesses least, doth least desire.  
2. Love unto riches are insatiable, not through any necessity which we have of them, but through our unnatural greediness, and delight in them, which carries men forward like the plant by inclination, or like the beast by his appetite, never reflecting his reason upon himself, or to consider the use of worldly things, how they may profit himself and further his own salvation. Hence it cometh to pass, that wise men deceive themselves, and come fare short of the rich man, Luke 12. Who in the fullness of his wealth was able to say, Soul take thy rest, thou hast goods enough, eat, drink, and be merry.  
If we would have this aguish thirst quenched, it must not be by drinking of these intoxicated waters, which will rather increase our appetite, then alloy our thirst: but by purging out of our hearts the choler of worldly concupiscences, and by planting in our hearts the fear of God, which will make us content with our portions. Else if our hearts be not seasoned with grace, every man in his state, & condition of calling, is, and will be full of discontent; The poor man which hath toiled & laboured all the day, when he comes home finding his commons mean, & homely, doth envy the rich man's full table, and soft rest. The rich man he is not content with his estate, but wishes he had less wealth, and more health. The Bachilor that leadeth a single life, is weary of his solitariness, and thinketh the estate of wedlock the only happy condition, but being married, he grows weary of his choice, and unable to endure the troubles of that estate; if he want children, he is as impatient as ever Rachel was; And if he have any, he is not contented, because they are unruly or troublesome, and that which would be another's paradise, is unto him a hell and torment. Which made the Poet in his time to complain of men's inconstancy.  

The lazy Ox doth wish he were 
Optat ephipia bos piger, optat arare caballus. Hor.   
An horse, on back to bear;  
And so the horse doth wish he were  
An Ox, the soil to tear.   
Then what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lise his soul.  
4. As they cannot give content, so they cannot keep off poverty: riches have wings, & fly away, when we have most need of them, and when they should do us most good. This was well known unto the Prophet, and therefore he calls them deceitful vanity. 
Psal. 31. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 17.  And the Apostle, uncertain riches. Yet how many are there which gape after this uncertain Mammon, which is so full of deceit, like the Selucian birds which 
Aves Seleucides nunquam conspiciuntur nisi cum praesidi● illarum indigetur.  fly away when they might best pleasure us. If any will question this truth, we may for confirmation produce seventy Kings upon their oath. And Adonibezeck that great Conqueror to be their Compurgatour: A 
jud. 1. 6, 7.  lively example hereof we may see in King Zedekiah, which was 
2. King. 25.  forsaken of his riches, honour, and friends, his Children were slain before his face, his eyes put out, and himself bound in Chains, and afterward miserably ended his days in prison. Look upon job, yesterday the richest man in the East, and to day not worth a groat. 
a Quicquid habes bodiè, cras te fortasse relinquet.  They come and go as the ebbing; & flowing of the Sea, taking wings, and leaving us naked at their pleasure. job hath pronounced, that the triumphing of the wicked in worldly things is but short, and the joy of an hypocrite but for a moment, though his excellency mount up to the heavens, & his head reach 
job 20. 5, 6, 7.  unto the clouds, yet he shall perish for ever, and they that have seen him shall say, where is he? Then why do you lay out your silver and not for bread, you labour without being satisfied? Riches may be taken from us by casualties of fire, inundation of water, robbery of thiefs, negligence of servants, suretyship for friends, or by many other accidents. They are many times a bait to entice others to surprise us. The stateliness of jerusalem 
Q●ae verò ex●r●nsecu● ed alium transf●rri possunt. Tull.  was such an eyesore to the King of Babel, that he could not be quiet till he was master of it. They are many times occasions whereby slanderers & oppressors take advantage against us, to ensnare and entrap us. Naboths Vineyard first moved jezabel to produce false witnesses against him, and at last to take away his life; Then what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?  
But suppose Riches would be faithful, and stand to us, even to the last gasp of our breath, yet they can do us no good either for our bodies, or our souls. They cannot profit our bodies, because they cannot prevent diseases, nor cure them if they overtake us, nor give us any comfort or patience to endure them. It is not the Velvet slipper that can cure the Gout, nor a Crown of Pearl that helpeth the Migram, apoplexy, Colic, or the like: Stately houses, soft beds, rich furniture, costly tables, all these cannot prevent the least sickness whatsoever. But they are so fare from helping us, as that they are the cause many times of weakening the strength, and of impairing the health, which cometh to pass; 1, Because riches many times make men wanton, and overtender of their bodies, by using them to too much daintiness, which in a while custom makes them so necessary, that they cannot want them, without the impairing of their health. Now being deprived of their riches, they cannot nourish their bodies in such manner as before they have done.  
2. A second cause may be, because riches fill both head and heart, with cares to preserve them, and fears lest we lose them. Hence the Wise man is bold to say, That the revenue 
Prou. 15. 6.  of the wicked is trouble; not troublesome in the concrete, but trouble itself in the abstract. And job saith, That he 
job 15. 20, 24.  traveleth in pain all his days, which will not suffer him to sleep and take his rest. Without which his health cannot long endure, so saith the Preacher, The abundance 
Eccl. 5. 12.  of riches will not suffer him to sleep. And the Son of Sirach tells us, That the waking after 
Ecclus. 31. 1, 2.  riches doth pine away the body, and the care thereof driveth away sleep. Whereupon the Poet was bold to pass his censure:  

What ever wanteth changeable rest, 
Quod caret altorna requie durabile non est.   
Must needs decay when 'tis at best.   
3. Riches prepare the seeds and simples for all sickness through idleness, which is the effect they produce. And so for want of stirring and action, evil, corrupt, and noisome humours increase and abound, whereby they have no stomach or appetite to their meat, though they have full tables & variety of dishes; And so for want of apperite they can eat nothing; and if they do, it is against their stomaches, which nourishes many filthy humours which causeth diseases, which the poorer sort are free enough from. By which it appears, that riches do neither preserve health, nor cure diseases when they are come. But rather it may be said, That the Hals of the 
Morborum domicilium est divitum Aula.  rich are the harbours where diseases dwell. For as worms soon breed in soft & tender wood, & Cankers fret soon the trees that are fullest of sap, so sickness most easily breeds in those bodies which are made tender with ease and wantonness, therefore being forced to fly to the Physician upon every small occasion, many times they make their lives to become a prey unto them.  
5. As riches cannot keep off poverty, so they cannot pacify a troubled conscience, or secure us from the malice of Satan: but when GOD sets either of them a work, they will not fear the awful Sceptre, nor a heap of Gold, nor a silken garment. As may be seen in Saul, judas and Antiochus; But when God awakes their sleepy consciences, these sweet morsels will be ready to choke them; And then they shall cast their 
Ezek. 7. 19  silver in the streets, their silver and Gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord, they shall not satisfy their souls, nor fill their bowels, because it is the stumbling block of their iniquity.  
6. As they cannot pacify a troubled Conscience, so these terrene things, cannot make those merry & cheerful, which enjoy them. The truth of this we have before seen in Ahab, and Haman, who were so vexed because they could not have what they would, that the one went sick to bed, and the other so filled with discontent, that he was ready to ear out his own heart, because things did not sort according to his desire.  
7. As they cannot in any degree profit our bodies, so they are less able to profit our souls. They cannot enrich them with spiritual graces▪ They cannot purchase Christ, & procure for us the rich Robes of his righteousness, or purchase us an obedience answerable to the Law; They cannot furnish us with faith, hope, & repentance; They cannot reconcile us to God, for he accepteth not the person 
job 34, 19  of Princes, and regards not the rich more than the poor, for they be all the work of his hands. GOD doth not respect men for their goods, but for their Godliness. For better is the poor that walketh 
Pro. 28. 6.  in his uprightness, than he that perverteth his ways though he be rich. They cannot put courage in us to stand resolutely for Christ, and for his cause against Satan and his servants: but rather they make us cold in the performance of holy duties, of which we shall have more occasion to speak of in due place.  
8. As riches cannot profit us in our souls, so they cannot profit us in the course of our life, they cannot keep off old age, the forerunner of death, neither can they make us careful to prepare our hearts for God at our death, and so to submit our will unto God's Will; Neither can they appease God's anger, restrain the Devil's power, but when we are panting and gasping upon our sick beds, all the world will not bribe Death, but he will tell us he hath a warrant from GOD to attach us without bail or mainprice. For it is appointed for 
Heb. 9  all men once to die. Which statute being enacted in heaven all the world is not able to reverse. What comfort then shall rich worldlings find in their bags of 
Luk. 12. 15  Gold, seeing their life consists not in their riches. Then what shall it profit them to have their barns full, when as their souls shall be taken from them? what good will their money do them when the Devils are ready to attach them, then shall they lament, and say, they have spent their strength in vain. For what hope hath the hypocrite though 
job. 27. 8. Quicquid vita dedit tollit cum vita recedit  he hath heaped up riches, when God taketh away his soul? How miserable then will the case of rich worldlings be, when as they shall find, that they have heaped up the wrath of GOD with their riches, and that now as they came naked into the world, so they must return. 
Eccl. 5. 14, 15.  Then what profiteth it a man that he hath laboured for the wind? How much would a man then give for a good Conscience, & to have his peace made up with God? how would he prefer a dram of grace before a bag of Gold, and would be content to part with his Coffers and Treasures to have a share among the inheritance of the Saints? for the rich men shall leave 
jer. 17. 11.  their inheritance in the midst of their days, and their end shall be as a fool.  
But suppose riches could sweeten death and make it less painful to us, yet what good can it do us when we are laid in the Grave, than they cannot preserve our bodies from corruption; no, then there will be no difference between the King and the Beggar. For one heap of dust is not better than another in the dark Chambers of death. For as nature maketh no difference between one man and another, in the birth, so neither doth it distinguish them after their death, open the graves, and stately monuments, and we shall see Kings, and Princes, and great men turned to dust as well as poor men.  
Finally, the riches of the world cannot stand us in stead at the day of judgement, for at that day the Lord the just judge, 
Psal. 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6.  will reward every man according to his works; he will not respect rich men according to the honour which they have with men, but according to the honour which they have 
Solae virtutes faciunt beatum. Macrob.  done to him, and comfort to his poor members; he will not esteem men for their wealth, but according how they have used it to his glory, and the good of their brethren; Then they that 
P●o. 21. 21.  have followed after righteousness, and mercy, shall find life, righteousness & glory. But those which in their life have been contentious, proud, and envious, and have not obeyed the truth: Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul, and the riches 
Rom. 2. 8.  which they have had, shall witness against them, because they have not used them to glorify their Creator. Thus by God's 
jam. 5. 3.  mercy we have traced the rich man through the whole course of his life, and death; we have laid him down in his grave, & have summoned him up to judgement, and have found out the inability of riches, to profit him in life, death, and day of judgement, in all which we have seen the truth of this point, That a man is not profited if he gain the whole world and lose his soul.  
But▪ alas riches are so fare from profiting us, as that they are the cause of much evil to soul and body, For they that will be rich fall into temptations, 
1 Tim. 6. 9  and into many dangerous lusts. The love of money made Balaam adventure to make a long 
Numb. 24.  journey to go to curse the people of God. For hope of reward Dalilah was alured to betray Samson her beloved husband. Hope of preferment will make Doeg flatter Saul and speak evil of David the beloved of the 
1 Sam. 22. 10. 2 Sam. 15. 2.  Lord. And Absalon will seek his Father's life to gain his Kingdom. If joab may but get the chief Captainship, he 
2 Sam. 10.  will make no scruple to kill Amasa. And Abimelech will imbrue his hands in the blood of 
jud. 9 2.  threescore and ten of his brethren to make himself way to the Crown. The love of money made judas sell his Lord and God for thirty pieces, the price of a slave; by which means he brought the blood of Christ upon his soul, that it had been good for him if he had never been borne. The love of gain so tipped the tongue of Demetrius that he became a subtle Orator to plead for Idolatry. The love of money made Gehazie run after Naaman with a lie in his mouth, 
1 King. 21.  & so for a little money & change of raiment to sell God's honour, and his master's credit. The love of Naboths Vineyard made Ahab purchase a place of pleasure with the price of the blood of his subject, which procured the bane of him and his family. The Babylonish garment, and 
los. 7. 21.  wedge of Gold made Achan expose himself and all the host to the judgement of God. The love of money will make men cruel and unnatural: Cruel to 
Mic. 2. 2.  covet fields, and to take them by force. Unnatural, that many do not spare the lives of their own parents, as may be seen in Absalon, his will was good, but the Lord disappointed him. The Turks as Histories report, do many times imbrue their hands with the blood of the Parents which begat them. And cruel Nero ripped up his mother's belly to gaze upon the place where he lay in her womb. Many times the love of 
Filius an●e d●cm, patrios inqui●t in annos. Ouid. Met. lib. 1. I say 3. 1●. Zep. 3. 3. Amos 8. 6.  their father's goods makes them sick of their lives, & wish them fair laid in their graves. The love of money makes men grind the face of the poor, and to buy them for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes. The love of money is the cause of whoredom and adultery, making men and women to embrace strange flesh, and so 
Pro. 2. 17.  forget the Covenant of their God. The greedy desire which Shimei had to bring back his servants, 
1 Kin. 2. 44.  made him adventure his life. The love of money & hope of reward made Ziba to 
2 Sam. 16. 3.  slander and falsely accuse Mephilosheth his Master's son of treason. Money made the soldiers 
Mat. 28. 12  to report a lie, when they watched the Lords sepulchre. The love of money makes a man a thief to himself, defrauding his belly and back of necessaries, to increase his wealth; now he that is a thief to himself, for whom will he spare? he careth and carketh for his riches, as if they were his own: but he reapeth no benefit by them, as if they were another man's. And though he have riches in abundance, yet he hath such a beggarly mind, that he is still poor to himself. The love of a wise, yoke of Oxen, 
Luke 14. 18, 19  and a Farm, were forcible means to keep off those which were bid to the marriage feast. We may, and aught in duty to love our wives well, yet we must take heed, they do not hinder our love to Christ, and that they do not make us careless to perform holy duties: we may buy Farms, Oxen, Merchandise, and perform all other actions agreeable to our callings, so that we do not neglect our soul's health. What is there in the world which a man will not do for money, & preferment, and yet when he hath it, it will do him little or no good. Rather than Esau will want pottage, he will sell away his birthright. And in the Famine of Samaria men and women would part with any thing for food to preserve their lives: their gold and silver for asses dung, and other unwholesome things. Then, what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul. But yet alas, they are so fare from profiting us, as that they hinder us in the service of God, and rob us of many graces of his spirit; we will therefore for our instruction herein, search into the particulars.  
1. They make us sluggish, lazy and untoward in the performance of holy duties, and to err from the faith, and at last to 
1 Tim. 6. 10  forget GOD. This the Lord knew well, therefore he gave his people a caveat, to beware lest they should forget him when 
Deut. 8. 10  they were full. But they unmindful of his watch word, When they were fat, kicked, and forsook 
Deu. 32. 1●  God which made them, and lightly esteemed the rock of their salvation. But according to their pasture 
Hos. 13. 6.  so were they filled, & their hearts were exalted, therefore have they forgotten me saith the Lord. And are not there many among us, as unthankful for the Lords mercies, which he hath bestowed upon them, which can open their mouths wide to crave for riches, and to prey upon the things of the world, but when they should give GOD thankes for his mercies, sunt multi lapides, their tongues are as dead as stones. Such are Pondus iners & intilis tellus. As ungrateful as hard rocks, which yield no fruit; Cages of unclean birds, which being crammed with God's plenty, die in their fatness, and yield forth no notes of God's praise. O foolish 
Deut. 32.  and unwise people, do you so requite the Lord? Hath he opened unto you the Chabinets of his blessings, and do ye like desperate wretches abuse them to your lusts, and his dishonour; and like Traitors fight against him with his own weapons?  
2. Riches are forcible means to draw away our hearts from GOD, and to place them upon these sordid trumperies, that we can spare no time to hear, read, pray: to meditate upon his mercies, to praise him; upon his judgements, to fear him; For where 
Mat. 6. 21.  our treasure is, there is our heart also: And so by this means we nourish a serpent in our bosoms, which will gnaw our Consciences, grieve the good Spirit of God, hinder our salvation, and so make us to fear any thing more than the loss 
Arridet mundus ut saeviat, blanditur ut fallat, illicit ut occi●at, extollit ut deprimat.  of our souls.  
3. Riches deceive us in our hope and expectation, persuading us help in time of need, and to do great matters for us, yet when we expect most from them, than they will deceive us. Did not Achan think that the wedge of Gold would have advanced him to preferment, when as indeed it was the ruin of him and his family. Then why 
Isay 55.  do you lay out your silver, and not for bread, and labour without being satisfied? Weigh up therefore your Anchors, hoist up your sails, for these things will prove your ruin, For he that trusteth in riches shall fall.  
4. Riches rob us of our faith, which is the life of the 
Hab. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 37  righteous: yet for all this the worldling will trust God no longer than his Corn; Wine, and 
Psal. 4. 7.  Oil abounds. But will place his confidence in the wedge of Gold, and say in effect to this glorious Mammon, Thou art my hope, and confidence, the stay of my life, and staff of my age. Now that we may not do these muck-wormes wrong, we will examine their practices, and I doubt not but we shall easily draw this confession, out of their own mouths. Do we not see how vigilant they are over them, to preserve them, scarce daring to trust themselves with them. How niggardly in using them, that they would be as willing to part with their right eye, as with a penny to any good use: what doth this argue, but that they think there is some inherent happiness in them.  
5. Riches are a great enemy to humility. For have we not seen many in a mean estate to be courteous, meek, & gentle, but being advanced, they swell with pride against their inferiors, and envy against their superiors, and disdain against their equals, & contemn those which are better than themselves, as churlish Nabal did 
1 Sam. 15.  David.  
6. Riches cool our zeal; In times past we see many so zealous for GOD while they were in a mean estate, that they could not endure to hear him dishonoured, his Sabbaths profaned, his name taken in vain, but they would have taken his honour into their protection, and would have pleaded his cause against the mighty in the Land, and so would have preferred his glory before their own ease, liberty, peace, and prosperity: but now being full fed with the things of this life, thought they have begun the work of God with great zeal; it happens by their turning back to the world, they dishonour him, hinder the godly, and discourage them in their good entendments, and so lose all their labour before they bring it to any perfection; because they shake off that zeal, wherewith in former times they were comforted, and their brethren edified; But now like cowards they are ashamed of their former preciseness, therefore they betake them to the world again, like those which repent them of their former bargain. Such lukewarm Laodiceans never knew what it was to aim at the glory of God, if they did, they would not retire in such a cowardly manner.  
7. Riches rob us of our charity, in making us censure other men, which out of an honest heart, and in obedience to God's Commandments, are careful to perform holy duties unto him in a due manner, and to mourn and shun the sinful corruptions of the time, yet because they will not run with us in the same covetous courses we walk in, we are ready to speak evil of them, and brand them with names of reproach.  
8. Riches deprive us of our judgement, in making us believe they are good and excellent, Psal. 4. 6. permanent and durable, Prou. 27. 24. when as indeed they are neither good, 1 Tim. 6. 10. But the love of them is the root of all evil: nor durable, Pro. 23. 5. For they remain not always; neither are they our own, but lent us to be employed in our Master's service, Luke 16. 12.  
9 They deceive us of the means of getting them, which the most think to be their 
Pro. 1. 13. jam. 4. 13. Deut. 8. 18  own endeavours, When as indeed they are God's blessing, which giveth us power to get wealth.  
10. They deceive us in our practice and resolution, using 
Pro. 1. 13.  many times unlawful means to get them. Again on the other side, as they hinder us in in the practice of piety, so also they add fuel to our corruptions, and make us ready to fall into any kind of sin whatsoever.  
If riches then be so unprofitable, and so full of deceit, and so unable to do us good for ●●r souls and our bodies. Then learn to esteem them not as they are in outward show full of glory and estimation, but value them according to the account GOD makes of them, which calls them uncertain shadows, 
1 Tim. 6. 19 Psa. 39 6.  & vain shows, & esteems them as nothing, or as good as nothing, For they will fly away 
Pro. 23. 5.  when we have most need of them.  
2. judge them not by present 
Psal. 37. 35, 36. Ezek. 7. 19  estate, but by trial; see what rich men have found in them, sickness, terror of conscience, calamities, fears, and great perplexity, when they should do them most good; and though they have promised much peace to themselves 
Pro. 11. 4.  in they enjoyment of them, yet we see the are disappointed of their hopes, and so are forced to spend their days in sorrow and 
O munde immunde tu multa promutis; et pau●a reddis, imo sic fallax es, et defectuosus, ut quos hic tu divitijs extollas, in fine nudos demittas.  discontent. They are very fitly compared by our Saviour unto thorns, for as thorns do prick and pierce those that touch them, so do riches prick and pierce the heart of those which rest upon them; and as thorns do stop up the common paths, and hinder the growth of corn: so do riches stop up the way to the kingdom of heaven; and as thorns hinder the growth of corn, so riches hinder the spiritual growth of grace, that it cannot thrive in such thorny ground: which made our Saviour say, A rich man can hardly be saved.  
Leave off therefore, o thou rich man, and do not think that the abundance of these worldly things can make thee happy. They purchase not a crown to dignify thee, but thorns to choke thee; for can that make a man happy, which makes him hateful to his Creator? which doth not better him in the main things wherein the excellency of a Christian consists? Which make him never the better to GOD-ward, or himself, nor of more account in the godlies estimation? Therefore brethren as you love your souls, take heed how you set your affections upon these worldly things, you may have them in your hands as stewards to distribute them to good uses, but not to treasure them up in your hearts. 
Psal. 62. 2.   
Q. But may some say, Ifriches are so unable to profit us, 
Whether Riches are of any use.  and are so dangerous in their use, then what are they good for? are they of no worth? may not rich men be saved as well as other? if they may not, than we were best cast away our riches? Unto which I answer, that such is the malice of Satan, that he is ready to bring us from one extreme unto another, and so each the simple, either by adoring riches on the right hand, or casting them down by their abuse on the left, thereby making unstable Christians to hate, & despise the gifts of God, as unlawful to be used; by which means he hath deluded many, insomuch that they have not only condemned the use of riches, & persuaded others to do the like, but have chosen and embraced voluntary poverty, as we may read in histories. Crates a wise heathen, and Philosopher at Thebes, finding his riches did hinder him in his study at Athens, cast a great part of it into the Sea, saying, I will drown 
Ego mergam te p●ius. quam tu mergas me. Hieron. ad Paulmum.  thee, rather than thou shouldest drown me; whose practice S. Hierome in one of his Epistles seems to approve, debasing riches and extolling poverty, in whose steps the Papists at this day tread, thinking it to be the only way to please God, which made many of the Champions of their Church to set their wits 
Bellar de monach. c. 7. & 39 Rhem. annot. in Mat. 19 ver 9  upon the nail to support and uphold their vow of voluntary poverty: equalling their votaries to the Seraphins, and if it were possible, to advance them above the throne of the Angels. But we are to know, that riches in themselves are the good blessings of God, and may be used and possessed of the godly unto very good purposes, although they be abused by the wicked unto their perdition, For the fault (saith S. Gregory) 
Greg. mor. l. 9 c. 28. Crimen non est in rebus sed in usu age●●is.  is not in themselves, but in them that use them. Which saying doth sort well with that of the Scripture, Unto the clean all things are clean. And S. Ambrose 
Dis●ant non in facultatibus crimen haerere, sed in ijs qui uti nesciunt in Luc. 9  saith, The fault is not in riches, but in the ignorance of them that have them, not using them aright; Therefore let no man reject riches, because some abuse them to sin. For riches and wealth to a good man are very comfortable, and good blessings, by reason he hath great means to do good, but to a bad man they are the cause of much evil, because they minister more matter to his sinful desire. A man may warm him by a fire, yet not burn himself in it; so a rich man may moderately use his riches, and yet not hedge up his way to happiness: take away the abuse, and the use of them is very good. It is not riches that Christ and Paul condemn, but the inordinate love of them. They are called in Scripture not only gifts, but benefits and rewards, which God 
Deut. 2. 8.  promised to bestow upon them that serve him. Therefore it is said, God gave job his wealth, 
job 1. 21. c. 42. 10.  and the Israelites their Corn, Wine, and oil, and multiplied 
Hos. 2. 8.  their silver and gold: hence they are called by the wisest of men, the blessings of the Lord, and promised 
Pro. 10. 22.  that they shall be in his house that feareth the lord 
Ps. 112. 1, 3.  And he hath bestowed this blessing upon many of his Children, as upon Abraham, Isaac, jacob, Solomon, that they might be the better enabled to perform holy duties. Therefore we may lawfully pray for them, if we propose right ends to glorify God with them, and benefit his Church, (yet we must submit our wills unto Gods Will) and that we may so live, that we may not be chargeable to others, but provide for ourselves and Children, according to our several places and conditions, for if there be any that provideth no● 
1 Tim. 5. 8.  for his own, especially for those of his own house, such an one is worse than an Infidel, and hath denied the faith. As we must do good unto all, so especially to 
Gal. 6. 10.  them that are most near and dear unto us; joseph sent meat to 
Gen. 43. 34  all his Brethren, both according to the flesh, and according to the faith, but Benjamins' Mess was five times as much as the rest of his brethren, because he loved him best: so the care that we should show to our own family should be five times greater than for any body else, for whom should a man love better than his wife and Children. When the famine was in Samaria, the women cried 
2 Kin. 6. 35.  unto the King with their Children in their arms, saying, Help O King, else we perish for want of bread. Now every man in his own family is a King, whose office is not only to make laws, but also to provide necessaries for his subjects, that they may live in peace and quietness. Therefore when want cometh into the family, whither shall the Wife go, but to her Husband, and the children, but to their father? Now if husbands be careless to provide for their Wives, Fathers for their Children, what a lamentable cry will it be when they are in want? when the Wife shall cry, Husband give us bread, or else we die? and Children cry, and say, Father give us bread, or else we starve? Now in this case what will the careless Husband say to his dear Wife? or the improvident Father to his poor Children? he cannot say perhaps as the King said to the woman of Samaria, Seeing the 
2 Kin. 6. 27.  Lord doth not help, how can I? when as the fault is in himself, which hath pulled this misery upon himself by his own indiscretion, and idle carriage in the course of his calling. The good huswife is described by her carefulness, not only to provide necessaries for her husband and Children, but also for the maintenance of her whole family which depended upon 
Pro. 31. 15.  her; and this care of necessaries must not only be for time present, but also for the time to come. For parents are bound to provide, and to lay up for their 
2 Cor. 12. 14.  Children. Therefore Solomon describing a godly man, says, He shall 
Pro. 13. 22.  give an inheritance to his children's children. Therefore as it is the duty of a good man to take care for his own: so also that he may be able to relieve the poor; for it is a more blessed thing to 
Act. 20. 35.  give then to receive: And our blessed Lord teacheth us to pray for our daily bread; now what we desire in our prayers we may labour for in our practice: and as we must seek the Kingdom of GOD in the first place, so in the second place we may lawfully seek for the things of this world, that we may be able to 
Rom. 13. 7.  give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and tribute to whom tribute belongeth, and be able to bring up our Children in learding, whereby they may become serviceable to the Church and Common wealth. In these respects we may desire riches, if God see them good for us, that we may honour him with them, and become serviceable to his Church; and if he do bless us with riches, we are to esteem them as pledges of his love, and to manifest our thankfulness by obedience to his Commandments, by walking humbly in our lives and conversations, both towards GOD and men. For riches are good, and the blessings of God. Therefore woe unto them that make them the instruments of damnation unto themselves, by not using them to his glory, which gave them, but by abusing them to serve their own lusts: as the Israelites of old, Which sat down 
1 Cor. 10. 7 Ex. 32. 6.  to eat and drink, and rose up again to play. But howsoever though they are good in themselves, as they are the blessings of God, yet we must take heed we do not overvalue them in our judgement, and gripe them hard and close in our hands, they are thorns; and thorns, are dangerous if they be not carefully handled, therefore let us account them good servants, but bad masters, no better than dross and dung in respect of Christ: for unless God bless & sanctify them to us, they will do us little good.  
Let us therefore thrust them out from harbouring in our hearts, and make them servants to follow and obey us, and not lords to rule over us. And if we want their company, not to use any unlawful means for the obtaining of them; but still to esteem them base in comparison of grace, and the means of our salvation, and to be content rather to lose than then the least degree of grace. Money is but as drugs, & as a lenative ointment to mitigate & assuage the swellings & diseases of the body; they cannot remove the Carbuncle or disease, they may mitigate the pain a while, but the root remains still; so though they are good blessings, yet they are not absolutely good, they are but the blessings of Gods left hand, & common: as well the blessings of Esau, as jacob, no man can know love or hatred by them, and are more freely bestowed upon the wicked, then upon the godly. Esau flourished in state and honour, with four hundred servingmen at his heels, when jacob was fain to creep & crouch to him with terms of honour in his mouth to gain his favour. Pharaoh in Majesty and honour dominered over God's people, while Moses and Aaron the beloved of the Lord, are humble petitioners unto him, for the people's liberty. The Scribes and Pharisees like great Rabbins sat in Moses Chair, when Christ and his Disciples, are scorned and contemned as base persons; & when Christ had not a place to put his head in, than Herod had his palace, and places of delight. Esau and Ishmael spent their time in pleasures, while Isaac and jacob spend their time in painful labours. Dives was clothed in purple, and fared deliciously every day, when Lazarus the beloved of the Lord was pinched with hunger, and pained with sores. Riches are such unto a man, as a man is unto himself, a good man is not the worse for 
Diuiti● sunt ut illius animus est qui ea possides, qui bene utiscit ea bona sunt illi, qui non rectè utitur mala. Ter. in Heaut. Diuiti● dantur benis ut ne putentur mal●, malis ne put●ntur bona, multis ne putentur magna. Aug. in Hag. Ille qui non habet, nen ambiat: qui habet non superbiat. Aug. in Psal. 62.  the want of them, nor a wicked man the better for the enjoying of them, as rich men are not to be esteemed less in the favour of GOD for their riches, if they use them well, so godly poor men are not to be despised for their poverty. GOD therefore, as a wise disposer of them, gives them to the godly, lest they might be thought evil things, he gives them to the wicked also, lest they might be thought good things, he gives them unto many, lest they should be thought great blessings; therefore he that hath not these worldly blessings, let him not covetously gapeafter them, and he that hath them, let him not be proud of them; For what is a man profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul.  
Use 1 Are riches so unprofitable, and so unable to do us good for our bodies or souls without God's blessing upon them, than this may serve to check the vain conceit of many, which think themselves happy, because their Corn, Wine, and Oil abounds, although they have many times purchased them at hard rates. Examine then thy conscience how thou hast got thy silver: whether by God's blessing upon thy honest labours, or else by cruelty, fraud, usury, or the like: if thou hast, then timely make restitution to the owners, repent thee of thy unrighteous dealing, or else one day or other thou shalt find that this base pelf will be as troublesome to thee as ever it was to Achan, judas, or the like; For he that getteth riches, 
jer. 17. 11.  & not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. If thou hast got thy riches squarely and with a good Conscience, take heed they be not as a log in thy way to hinder thee of thy happiness, for we cannot serve God and riches; He will not suffer 
1 Sam. 3. 2.  one Altar to serve for himself and Dagon too, though the Philistines used great labour to bring it to pass; So God will not endure to have the Idol of Mammon, which worldlings adore, to lodge in that heart which he hath reserved for himself, and which doth so much dishonour him in his truth, mercy, and providence, and doth so much mischief unto his children, for while it delighteth the eyes, & 
Occulos delectat, aures demulcet, sed mentem inquinat. Amb. de Cain & Abel cap. 5.  tickleth the ears, it makes an incision into the soul. We may, as I said before, in some measure be careful for the things of this life, but we must take heed we be not over-careful, which many times is accompanied with distrust in God's providence; as if times, seasons, and means were not in his hands, and as if he were not able to give success to our labours, unless we torment and vex ourselves, and neglect his service to take care of our own. But of this we shall have fit occasion to speak of in another place.  
Use 2 Are riches so unable to profit, and so deceitful? then this serves to discover the corruptions of our times, which out of a love which they bear to 
Hunc ●abe beatum, non quem vulgus voc●t, sed cui omne bonum in animo est. Seneca.  this base earth, do so magnify it, as to account wicked men happy, though they be branded with as many vicious qualities, as ever was Commodus, Nero, Caligula, and Heliogabolus; For money will make a stigmatical Thraso, fex populi, the very scum of the people, to be esteemed, though he have nothing to commend him but his Coin, which perhaps his father or himself hath got with bribery, usury, or other unlawful practices: by which means he hath leapt to preferment, and so by his golden cover he hides a mass of ill and stinking humours. Which made a lewd fellow once say, If my Father were a hangman, and my mother a Harlot, and myself no better, yet if I have money, I am liked well enough, and am never branded with their misdeeds; for there is no vice that wealth doth not smother: If a rich man be as proud as Tarquin, as cruel as Nero, as churlish as Nabal, and Timon, and as covetous as Dives, yet all these vices are covered with a golden mantle. So that Auri sacra fames quid non? What cannot Gold bring to pass? It can dim the sight, put spirit into a Coward, and gain estimation of the world. If proud Herod do but make an Oration in his fine Robes, the people will admire him, & think he is a god. The rude multitude look at nothing but the outward picture, which makes them many times err in their judgement, and extol an ignorant ass for his gay coat, and Crowns in his Purse, whereby it comes to pass that great places are possessed of men of slender judgement, which have not one dram of worthiness to commend them, but wealth & worldly fame: though such be advanced by the courtesy of wise men, & simplicity of fools, yet let them not flatter themselves, for they are not more honourable in the sight of God, which judges not according to the outward appearance, nor any whit the more esteemed of the godly. So on the contrary, such is the blind world's judgement, that if a man be as prudent as Cato, as just as Manlius, and as magnanimous as Scipio, never so honest, wise, temperate, and never so beautified with virtue, yet 
Non facilè emergunt, quorum virtutibus obslat res angusta domi. Sub sordido pallio latet aliquando sapientia.  if he be a poor man, though he have great wisdom, and many excellent parts, Si res angusta domi, if Coin be wanting, he is despised and rejected, and if he have neither coin nor friends, he is like to have co●d entertainment, and no more regarded than an unwelcome guest, for  

Si nihil attuleris ibis Homer for as,  
If empty handed thou appear,  
No welcome guest thou canst be here.   
Money is the sinews, blood, and soul of a man, for unless the purse be well lined with crowns, neither Science, Art, nor honesty is available to advance to dignity: So that a man is never thought wise and learned unless he be rich, and though he speak well, and to the purpose, yet as the Poet saith; Rara tenui facundia pamno, A 
satire 7. Dum pauper loquitur, tunc barbarus esse videtur  poor man's speech is seldom pleasant, and wisdom under a patched coat seldom Canonical: But let these poor worms know, though they be despised of the world, yet there is a GOD that judgeth the earth, and will come quickly and bring his reward with him, to give unto every one as 
Reu. 12. 12  his works shall be. Therefore let not this neglect of respect dismay the virtuous and well-deserving, though they have no regard in the world, yet wisdom shall be justified of her Children, and their own work shall praise them, yea their very enemies shall be forced to acknowledge their virtues. Though the jews did labour by all means to bury the glory of our Saviour, and the virtues of his Disciples under disgrace, yet for all this their enemies were forced to acknowledge their innocency, and justify them against the faces of their enemies: Therefore we read that Metellus Macedonicus praised Scipio for his virtues, and wept for him at his death, though he were his mortal foe; for no man, though he be never so envious can take that from him which virtue hath merited, If in this life only 
1 Cor, 15. 19  we had our hope, we were of all men most miserable. But let the poor despised comfort themselves, though they sow in tears, yet they shall reap in joy: For man's felicity is not in riches, they are gotten with pain, kept with care, and lost with grief; Then what is a man profited if he gain the whole world?  
This base esteem of the godly poor doth shake the feeble Conscience of many weak ones, when they behold diverse good men stored with many good parts, yet in regard of their poverty are made the scorn of the world: Let such know, man's happiness doth not consist in this world, but in the world to come, where they shall shine as the Stars in the firmament, whereas those which have had their portion in this life shall be turned into hell.  
Use 3 If the world cannot help nor profit us in life nor death, Then let it be our wisdom to seek for that which may, and 
Psal. 32. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 6  that is, For the free pardon of our sins in Christ, And to be truly godly, which is the chiefest gain. The righteousness of 
Phil. 3. 9  Christ, which is the portion of the Saints, A holy conversation 
Phil. 2. 15.  and a good Conscience in all things, which is a pledge of the true joy we shall have in heaven; 
2 Cor. 1. 12  For all other joys are vain, which have not grace for the foundation. Labour then to have GOD reconciled unto thee; And to be at one with him: And if thou fear him thou shalt want nothing that is good. wouldst thou have riches? then fear the Lord, and 
Psal. 112. 3.  then wealth shall be in thy house. wouldst thou have true gain? Christ shall be unto thee in life 
Phil. 1. 2.  and death advantage. Desirest thou salvation? It is he that shall 
Mat. 1. 21.  save his people from their sins. The comforts of the world may leave the , But the consolations 
john 16. 21  of the godly are as wells of living water, their joys shall never be taken from them. And they 
Ps. 119. 165  that love the Lord shall have great prosperity; For the Lord taketh delight 
Psal. 35. 27.  in the prosperity of his servants. This should teach us then to prise grace and the fear of the Lord according to their due worth, They are better than Gold 
Psa. 19 10.  yea then the fine Gold.  
If outward things in their lawful use be so base and unable to do us good, how filthy and vile are they in their sinful abuse? And how excellent then is the Lord jesus? And how ought we to prise his love to us, that when Gold and silver could do us no good, than he bought us for a price, even the 
1 Cor. 6. 20  greatest price that any one could pay? For what can be more costly than blood? or what 
Isay 53. Rom. 5. 10.  more dear than life? Yet when we were his enemies he poured out his blood to reconcile us to God. How ought we then to love, fear and obey him? For it is not the riches of Croesus, the triumphs of Caesar, the conquest of Alexander, nor any worldly pomp can profit us, and make us happy. Though some among the Romans, and some among the Grecians were so advanced to outward felicity, that their Painters did picture them with Towns and cities gliding into 
Plutarch.  their nets while they were asleep, as Plutarch reports; Yet what are these without Christ? they cannot be reduced to any of the beatitudes. The fairest colours are not seen in the dark, and without light have no pleasant show; So are the most specious blessings of the world: take away CHRIST the light of the world, and where is their glory and comfort? They are but dross and dung 
Phil. 3. 8.  without him, full of obscurity and dishonour. Labour I say to get thee an inheritance among the Saints, & the comfort of God's Spirit, and to let the Word of GOD dwell plenteously in thee. This is the true riches, this wealth is permanent, and will be a comfort unto us in our troubles, sickness, and hour of death, when rich worldlings will be at their wit's end. If God bless us with riches, let us pray for wisdom to use them aright. Pray first for goodness, and then in the second place for goods: Else they will not become good unto us, until grace season them and they be sanctified unto us; And then use them for necessity, as men do knaves and thiefs, which they know will be ready to cousin, or steal away something from them: So let us watch over our riches, lest they steal away our hearts from godliness; dull and dead our affections unto holy and religious duties; or hinder us in our spiritual voyage to the Land of Canaan, or split our earthly vessels, upon the craggy Rocks of presumption, or carnal security. Thus if we watch over our hearts, our riches shall not be our ruin.  
Use 4 Seeing riches are so unable to profit us; Then be exhorted in the last place to cast away covetousness, and let every man be content with his own estate; And not repine against God's providence: thereby we shall show ourselves unthankful for mercies received, because we do not abound in the things of the world as others do. But let us wisely consider with ourselves, not so much what others have, as what is fit for us to have, and what we have deserved at God's hands, that he should prefer us before others. Why should we desire more, when as we have already more than we deserve? The consideration hereof should teach the Children God, as to be content with their own portion, so not to envy the prosperity of the wicked, because God gives them a larger allowance; shall our eye be evil because his is good? If we have food and raiment, let us 
1 Tim▪ 6. 8  be therewith content; And if God give us store of these earthly things, take we heed we do not set our hearts upon them. Then we shall be willing to leave them when God calls for them▪ and when they take wings and fly away, we shall look after them with a quiet mind, as 
job 31. 25. 1. 21. Blessed is that poverty which unites our hearts to God.  job did, because he did not set his heart upon his riches when his substance was great: therefore he was not grieved when they were taken away; but in his greatest losses praises the Lord, having learned patience, and contentedness, as well when he wanted, as when he abounded. If God have given us the comforts of his Spirit, & the assurance of salvation; then let us learn to be dieted by him, which knows how ready we are to surfeit upon these unwholesome viands, which produce such obnoxious humours; And let us know that what we want in earth, shall be supplied in heaven: The Lord will not suffer us to want those things, which in his wisdom he knows to be fit for us. Therefore David saith, Nothing is wanting to them 
Ps. 34. 9 10  that fear him, for the Lord forsaketh not his Saints, they shall be preserved for evermore. Therefore 
psa. 37. 28.  let us labour to be content with any estate which God hath chalked out for us by his providence.  
But alas, what a lamentable thing it is to see many which profess themselves the Children of God, to be so worldly minded, that if things go not according to their mind, they will be ready to call the truth of God's providence in question, as appears by their distrustful 
2 Kin. 6. 33.  speeches▪ as if they were borne for no other end, then to be bondslaves to the world. And so by cumbering their minds with the cares thereof, which are in their own nature so heavy a load, that they hinder them in the pursuit of blessedness. What a burden of torments doth the covetous desire bring with it! a disease like to the dropsy, the more it hath the more it would; Always thirsty, as the Serpent Dipsas, which will never be satisfied till it burst. If a covetous man might have his desire, and Midas 
Aurum cuncta pr●ecor fiant, quae c●rpore tangam. Palin. in Tau.  wish were now to be obtained; the covetous man would have the devil & all; and thus by this means he would wrap himself in all misery, by neglecting his soul's health.  
Brethren, what, were you borne to be drudges to the world, and so to spend your days in servitude? No, no, you were born to be the Lords free men, and to serve him with joy and gladness, and not to be slaves to your riches. Solomon levied tribute upon bondmen and Vassals, and not upon the Israelites the Lords own people. So let the world levy her bond-seruice upon the spiritual Amorites Hittites, I mean upon earthworms, Usurers, and the like; Let them be her drudges, and not the true Israel of God, which have him for their Shepherd which will take 
Psal. 23. 5.  care they shall want nothing. Therefore let us cast our care upon God, and make our request known unto him, which is able to help us, and will not fail us, nor sorsake us: If God feed the Ravens, shall we think he will let us and our children want? And if we do want any necessary thing, then let us examine our hearts what may be the cause; have we served God as we ought, and depended upon his providence? if we have failed in any part, how shall we think that he will take care of us? Let us repent for our negligence herein, and humble our souls under the hand of God, and be content to endure hardness and scarcity, because we have sinned against our Maker, and have valued these trifles above the glory of God, and our own salvation. Learn we then to be content with our estates and conditions, and to praise God; and if he give us nothing but bread, or feed us with scarcity, yet let us know he deals more freely with us, than he hath done with many (which have better deserved them then we) that have eat the bread of care, and quenched their thirst with the water of affliction; Let us remember 
Exiguum natura desiderat.  nature is content with a little. Food & Raiment was as much as jacob desired, & Agur craved 
Gen. 28. 20. Pro. 30. 1 Tim. 6. 8.  but food convenient, which if God grant us, we ought to be content, & not to seek after great things here, seeing we must leave them when we die: And if the body be not dieted with moderation it will prove a stubborn servant to the soul, making it fit for nothing but thorny cogitations, which are the greatest enemies to grace, or good exercises. The wise heathen could teach us moderations in these 
Si ad naturam vivis, nunquam eris pauper, si ad opinionem, nunquam diue● Epist. 161. What the wise heathen thought of riches.  things. Seneca that Christian Ethnic, as Erasmus styles him, hath a witty saying of Epicurus, If thou livest (saith he) according to nature, thou shalt never be poor; but if according to opinion, thou shalt never be rich. They feared lest these earthly things would steal away their hearts from their studies in Philosophy, therefore they despised these base and mundane trifles. Annacreon having a huge mass of money sent him by Polycrates, could never rest till he was rid of it again: therefore he sent it back again, saying, That he never lived in such fear as he did while he had the money in his house. Diogenes refused all, and craved nothing but the benefit of the Sun which Alexander 
Quintus Curtius in the life of Alexander.  kept from him, by standing between him and it. And when news was brought unto Zeno and certain other, that their Ships, Goods, and Merchandise were lost, they rejoiced, because it was a cause to make them apply themselves to their studies, which yielded them fare greater content. Philoxenes having purchased a farm, whereby he might live the better at ease, quitted it again, and returned to Athens, saying, These goods shall not lose me, but I them. Therefore Seneca writing to a friend of his, said, that if he had not lost his riches, it might be, they might have lost him: Which made Aristides, Curius, and many other to live in poor conditions. If heathen men by nature's light learned such contentment, what a shame is it for us which have the word of God for our light, yet to be so carking and caring for the things of this life? For if Gold and Silver, were sent us, we should hardly find a man that would send it back again, for, Quis nisi mentis inops oblatum   

respuit aurum; We count him a fool that despises money when it is offered him. But if we would consider, that all things we have, we hold them from God, as borrowed goods; Then we would be content to let him have them again without grief, and give him thanks for the time we have had them, lest we should be convicted of ingratitude. But alas, the lack of experience, not knowing how to apply ourselves to our present estate causeth us to wrap ourselves in a number of passions and torments. We must therefore strive to know the truth of God's providence that we may not be dismayed if God do deprive us of these earthly blessings. It is written of Antiochus, that when the Romans had gotten from him, the greatest part of his Kingdom, he did not murmur and repine as many of us would have done, but said he was much beholding to them that had eased him of so much care. Philip King of Macedon, upon a time being fallen upon the sands, and seeing the mark and print of his body, said, Lord what a little plat of the world is nature contented with, and yet we covet the world? What a shame is it for us, that the heathen should condemn our greedy desires? What would they have done & said, if they might have had as much means and opportunities as we have, to get knowledge, and to know what the Lord required at our hands? Let us repent of our former repining, and let us return unto the Lord with all our hearts; and be content to be governed by him in all things, for there can be no true comfort in any thing in this world; for else it may hap unto us, as it did unto Dinah, who while she wandered to feed her fancies upon the daughters of a strange Country, she lost her Virginity among the sons of the country: so while we seek to fill our minds with the profits of the world, we may lose our sincerity, 
1 Tim. 1. 19  and make shipwreck of a good conscience, and so be forced to go away as Thamar out of her brother Ammon's Chamber, with her garment rend: So those worldlings which sometimes with Demas, followed Paul, but now embrace the world; are forced many times to go away with their garments rend, and torn. And no marvel, for if they will venture through the thorns and bushes of worldly cares to get worldly promotion, it is no marvel if their zeal be abated and quenched, their courage for the performance of holy things cooled, their faith blasted, their knowledge withered, their humility defaced, and the whole grament of piety rend in pieces. For if with Siserah we look for any rest in jaels' tent, we shall be sure to be made fast; so if we look for any sound comfort in the world, we shall be sure to speed as ill as Siserah did; & 'tis a thousand to one but our sincerity and piety will be nailed to the earth before we be ware. And so by longing after the pottage of the world we lose our birthright as Esau did. Therefore seeing God's love or hatred is not known by the having or want of these outward things, therefore let us desire the Lord to wean our hearts from the things of the world, and to give us quiet minds and thankful hearts. But Lord, though we are full of impatience, and doubting of thy Providence, Mercy, and Goodness, and so ready to forget what thou hast done for us all our days, yet we pray thee forget not thyself, but continue a God still to do us good, and if want come, then to keep our faith firm and strong in thy Providence; if sickness, & adversity come, keep our patience entire; if riches and preferment come, keep our zeal unquenced. Remember we pray thee, whereof we be made, from the earth we come, on the earth we live, delighting in earthly things, and at last unto the earth we shall return again.  
Therefore, seeing heavenly things cannot come from so vile a matter, and our earthly nature cannot be changed but by thy heavenly Spirit, we pray thee rouse up our dead affections, and make us to place our hearts only upon thee, give us grace to use and employ our riches to thy honour, and to purchase unto ourselves the means of grace with them, that so we passing the time of our pilgrimage in thy fear, we may die in thy favour, rest in thy peace, and rise again by thy power, which grant unto us for the Lord jesus sake. And thus much for the first point propounded, riches, and their insufficiency to profit us for our souls and our bodies in life and in death: The second follows, which is Honours and Preferments. 
Tul. in Tus●. quest.   
Honour, according as the wise heathens define it, is a union of the praises of good men which judge of virtue without partiality; What is Honour if it be not sanctified, but thraldom and bondage; the beginning of danger, and the occasion of death? and so turns to the ruin of many: How many are there which have strove to enter in at the gate of Honour, which have been trod under foot, as the Mi●e in the street? Those which gape after honour may fitly be compared to those which climb Nut trees, some break their necks with climbing: and other their teeth with cracking. Did not 
2. Sam. 18. 9  Absalon by climbing so high, make his own hair his halter; and Haman by his ambitious 
Esth. 7. 9  thoughts raise himself fifty cubits high upon a stately gallows which he had prepared for Mordechai? 
Act. 12.  and when Herod thought to deify himself, he was quickly brought under by the base worms. And do we not see many break their teeth with cracking these Nuts? Did not Achan think to advance himself by the accursed things? but he was deceived, it was his ruin: for he lost both the wedge of gold, and life too. And have we not heard of many in our times, which by their climbing have got fearful falls: And the 
Amos 8. 12  moon of their hopes hath been eclipsed at the full, and the sun of their preferments hath gone down at noon? Which shows how slippery great men's places are, and how full of dangers on every side. Though promotion come only from the Lord, yet many times through our corrupt nature it doth more hurt than good: unless our hearts be seasoned with grace and the fear of the Lord. Brethren, mistake me not, I do not condemn honour, which in itself is good, lawful, and laudable, and may moderately be desired of Christians. Therefore lest we may lose ourselves in this labyrinth 
Honour's are of two sorts,  we will make a distinction between that honour which is lawful, & commendable, & that which 
1. Laudable. 2. Worldly, & Wicked.  is worldly and wicked. Lawful honour is that which doth not only consist in the witness, which God and our own conscience giveth to our pious endeavours, but also in the account which the godly have for their virtuous and godly carriage both to GOD and man. This honour may also shine in private Christians, in their mean estates, and conditions of life; as well as in public persons, in whose hands is authority and rule, and other dignities and preferments.  
2. Worldly honour is that which is gained by the applause of the rude ignorant, and wavering multitude, joined with worldly preferment, procured by cunning devices, making the show of virtue to stand for the substance, or at leastwise ambitiously to affect those things (which in their own nature are good and may be desired) to serve their turn, and to hide their hypocrisy with. The former kind of honour is very lawful, and may be desired by the godly, but the other is to be contemned and despised. The lawfulness of that honour, and the moderate desire thereof may appear by warrant from sacred Scripture.  
1. Because it is the gift of God, which raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up 
1 Sam. 2. 8.  the beggars from the dunghill, to set them among Princes, and to make them inherit the seat of glory, as Hannah speaketh in her divine song. And David he saith, that riches & honour come from 
2 Chron. 29. 11.  God. Therefore they must needs be good, seeing they issue & slow from him which is the fountain of goodness: And as they are good in themselves, so they serve for good uses; For a godly man in his place, as he protects the godly, so is he a terror 
Rom. 13. 3.  to the workers of iniquity. Let those therefore which are advanced into place of authority take heed they stain not their places by the devil's malice, and their own corruptions; but let them approve their actions and conversations by the sincerity of their hearts, that they seek not their own ends, but how they may honour GOD in their places, and benefit his Church, and to strive to be great in grace, as they are in place, and to shine as lamps in the midst of the people, by professing and practising the fruits of Religion in their lives and conversations, for the eyes of all men are fixed upon them: if they prove wand'ring stars, and do not their duty, they shall greatly dishonour God, offend the godly, and lead the wicked into much evil. jobs Children perished in the house of their elder Brother; so many inferiors perish by the lose example of their superiors. Let the consideration hereof teach all Superiors, & Magistrates in 
Psal. 101.  their place to walk in uprightness, that by their examples they may not embolden their Inferiors to sin, or to settle themselves upon their lees, but to draw out the sword against the workers of iniquity; hereby they shall glorify God, and discharge their duties. For the time shall come when they shall be called to account how they have walked in their places, and how they have honoured God and advanced his Gospel? what a comfort will it be to their souls, if they can say with good Hezekiah, that they have walked before the Lord with upright hearts. Let us also teach Parents so to walk before their children and servants, as that they may be patterns of all goodness for them to imitate, but of their duty we shall▪ have more fit occasion to speak in another place.  
Use. wouldst thou be honourable among men, labour to enrich thy life with holiness, and a virtuous conversation; let thy words be words of grace, thy lips doors of knowledge, & thy heart as a storehouse of understanding, and seek honour from GOD, who maketh low and 
Ps. 75. 6. 7.  high. For the world and worldly men cannot bestow the honour of virtue upon us, and if we would seek it from GOD with hope of obtaining, let us return all glory from ourselves unto him, seeing he hath promised to honour them 
1 Sam. 2. 30.  which honour him: And if we would have honour from men, 
Gloria umbra vertutis est, etiam invitos comitatur. Sen. Ep. 79  then let us abound in all good works, and then honour will attend us like a shadow, though we be unwilling of it. If GOD have ordained us to be great men on earth, he knows how to advance us; and the only way for us to be advanced is, to walk lowly in our own eyes, and to make no account of the world's preferment, which will deceive us: for what will honour do us good if we make GOD our enemy to gain it? Let us therefore submit ourselves to be guided by GOD, and content to wait his leisure for our preferment, and if we be descended from noble parents, which were honourable in the world for their virtues, let us take heed we do not dishonour them by our profane and wicked life: Were our Parents mean and contemptible in the world, then let us labour to advance them by our holy life and virtuous conversation; for it is more honour to be the founder then the overthrower of a noble house; Virtue builds up, but evil manners overturn the best house that ever was: for it is much better to be virtuous ourselves, then to boast of the virtues of our Ancestors. but if we seek to climb to honour by flattery or other base ways, we deceive ourselves: Many think that if they have the favour of their Prince, they are in a great good way to advance themselves and their posterity: But alas, if we trust in the favours of Princes we sleep under a shadow that will quickly be gone. Haman by 
Esther 7. 8  trusting too much to the favout of the King, was deceived of his expectation.  
Some think that if they can marry their son or daughter into a rich stock, they think this is the way to rise to honour, and to keep themselves from the thunderclaps of adversity, though the stock they match their Children in, be never so infected, and blasted with vice, and all manner of ungodliness; yet if rich and mighty, it is well enough; Surely this ethical policy were highly to be commended, if so be our abiding City were here; but seeing all things here are vain and moment any, short and transitory, what a vain thing is it to be in love with the flattering smiles of this life, to gain earth, and to lose heaven? Therefore if we would be truly honourable, we must not place our trust in Princes, nor in any thing in the world, but in the Lord alone, which will be faithful unto us in our life, and in our death, according to his promise 
1 Sam. 2. 30.  and wont manner of dealing; Those that honour me shall be honoured, there is his promise: Now his manner is, not to fail one jot of his promise, but hath made it good in all ages, as we may see in Moses, Aaron; David, Solomon, josiah, etc. whose names he honoured in their lives, and magnified them after their death. But those which would not honour him in their lives, as he branded them in their lives for infamous persons, so they shall be crowned with everlasting shame and reproach; and in ages to come their name shall stink. How infamous is Cain for murdering his Brother Abel, Potiphers wife for her whorish allurements, Pharaoh for his cruelty, Doeg for accusing and killing the Lords Priests, jezabel for whoredom, and murdering Naboth for his Vineyard, judas for betraiing his Lord and Master? All these with many more do stink before God and man, and their reproach shall never be blotted out; For as the memorial of the 
Pro. 10. 6. Pro. 13. 9  just shall be blessed, so the name of the wicked shall rot: To show unto us, that the name of the wicked is no better than carrion, which gives such a noisome sent, that the passers by stop their noses; the remembrance of their lives shall be as noisome as the stinking snuff of a Candle; and this is the just judgement of God upon them, that as they regarded not to glorify him, but themselves, therefore he gave them up to such vile affections and such filthy actions, which can breed nothing but a rotten and a filthy name; For they that dishonour me, saith the Lord, I will dishonour.  
Thus you have heard how honour in itself is good, the means how to attain it, and what doth hinder & defile it: let the consideration hereof stir up and put courage in those which are advanced above the people, to be resolute & zealous for the Lord their God, to maintain his cause against the proud of the world, and to chase away the workers of iniquity. But alas, how may we lament the sinfulness of many which being advanced to place, abuse their authority, (which GOD and the King hath given them) to serve their own lusts, showing themselues patterns of profaneness, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of honours and preferments, and their insufficiency to profit us. We will now proceed to the third point propounded, that is, to consider of pleasures and delights, which the profane Epicures of our age do so much d●ale upon; which vain pleasures, and pleasing vanities, though they are many in number, yet may they be comprised under these heads. 1. Pleasures of the flesh, pride in apparel, beauty, vain glory, and popular applause.  
We will begin with the first, which for methods sake we will subdivide into these particulars. 1, Pleasures of the body. 2, Belly. 3, Eyes. And 4, Ears. But first of pleasure in general, and afterwards we will descend into the particulars.  
Pleasures are so fare from profiting us for our souls, or our bodies, as that many times through the corruption of our nature (which want wisdom to use them aright) they are the cause of much hurt to both. But herein I would not be mistaken, as if I seemed to condemn all pleasures, as unlawful for Christians to use; but because the carnal world is ready to plead for Baal, and so through inordinate love of them is ready to prise them, above their worth; we will therefore dive into them, and for trial bring them to the touchstone of God's Word, by which we will discover which are good and lawful, and how fare they may be used of God's Children, and how they may be abused. To which end we are to know pleasures are of three kinds. 1, Holy 
Pleasures are of three sorts.  and Divine. 2, Temporal and Earthly. 3, Carnal and Sinful.  
1, Holy and Divine pleasures are, when we can rejoice in the Lord, and are glad when we enjoy his gifts and graces of his Spirit here, so as we have a sense and feeling of those joys, which he hath prepared for us in the life to come; unto these pleasures we are exhorted in Scripture to rejoice in the Lord always, and again 
2 Cor. 10. 17. Phil. 4. 4.  I say rejoice. These heavenly pleasures will make us not only to rejoice in prosperity, when our Corn, Wine, and Oil abounds, but also in the midst of our affliction to rejoice continually. 
1 Thes. 5. 16. 1 Sam. 30. 6.  Thus David comforted himself, when the people were ready to stone him, & the Apostles when they were whipped 
Act. 5. 41. 16.  and put in prison, for they knew that they were justified by faith, and had peace with God, therefore they rejoiced in 
Rom. 5. 1.  their tribulation. This is that true pleasure which the Children of God ought to delight themselves in, as being in itself most excellent, sweet, and comfortable. But of this pleasure we will speak in a more fit place.  
The second kind of pleasures 
The second sort of pleasures.  are temporal and earthly, which pleasures in their own nature are good, and in respect of the use of them to us, of an indifferent nature, good to those which have grace to use them well; but very pernicious to them that abuse them. Now by these temporal pleasures we are to understand those which consist in meat, drink and apparel, and all other necessaries for the sustentation of our natural life. Now these are good in their own natures, as they are the gifts of God, which he hath provided for his Children, in the creation, & bestowed them upon his servants, as encouragements to move them to walk cheerfully in the practice of piety. For as that sweet Singer of Israel saith, He hath not only 
Psal. 104. 1●.  made bread to strengthen man's heart, but also wine to make his heart glad, and Oil to make his face to shine. He hath ordained for his Children, not only things necessary, but also pleasant and comfortable for their delight and recreation. Therefore at the Creation God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, where all manner of varieties abounded, not only for necessary use, but also for delight: And our Saviour at the marriage at Cana, by miracle gave the Bridegroom Wine, when as water might have served the turn. These pleasures well used, are warranted and approved in Scripture as a good and comely thing to eat, and drink, and take comfort in a man's labours, 
Eccl. 5. 17.  for this is his portion. And this was the practice of the Church, 
Act. 2. 46.  to eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.  
If these pleasures were unlawful, what would it avail them that are advanced into the seat of honour, or to abound with the things of the world, if they might take no delight or pleasure in them? But these temporal pleasures, if they be wisely used, may serve to good ends, as motives to stir us up to laud and praise the Lord, and to enable us the better to serve GOD, else if our lives were without pleasure, we should faint in the long journey which we are to make to the Land of Canaan. Therefore a wise heathen 
D●mo●ritus apu● Stobaeum.  compareth a man's life, which hath no pleasure in it, to a long voyage, in which there is no Inns or places of rest, in which there is much travail, and no comfort.  
There are a third sort of 
A third sort of pleasures, are pleasures of the body.  pleasures, which are sinful and wicked; & of these not only the abuse, but the use is unlawful. If Herod take pleasure in incest with his brother's wife, he must 
Mark. 6.  be told, it is not lawful for him. If any take pleasure in filthy songs, and ballads, and use their tongues to ribaldry, and foolish, and filthy speaking; such must be told, They are bought with a price, & so must glorify 
Eph. 4. 29.  God in their mortal bodies, and must not let corrupt communication 
Col. 4. 6.  proceed out of their mouths, but their speech must be powdered with salt that it may minister grace to the hearers. But that we may the better uncase these pleasures, which are sinful, we will take a view of them, and pursue them by the Word of GOD. The first sin of pleasure of the body, is that filthy sin of uncleanness, that crying sin which pollutes our land, and cries to heaven for vengeance, unless it be prevented by speedy repentance. This sin is branded under these two heads:  

1. The sin of Fornication.  
2. The sin of Adultery.   
The first being committed between single persons, and the other between married folks, at least one of them married. Both of which are remembered in God's Book for great sins, and are very noisome in the common wealth, because they do expose a whole land to the judgements of GOD; and when men neglect the punishment of 
Num. 25. 4  this sin, than God taketh it into his own consideration: For 
Gen. 6. 1.  this sin he brought the flood upon the earth and destroyed all mankind, saving Noah and his family: For this sin he overthrew Sodom and G●morrah, and 
Gen. 20. 3.  the Cities of the plain, because the cry of this sin pierced the ears of God: This sin consumed almost the Tribe of 
jud. 18. & 19  Benjamin: This sin brought ruin upon the family of Ely: 
1 Sam. 2. 22  Kindled a fire in the house of David the man according to 
1 Sam. 12. 11.  Gods own heart: This filthy sin spewed out the Canaanites, and 
Leu. 18. 25  was the cause of the destruction of the Sichemites, because 
Gen. 34.  their Lord's son had committed villainy in Israel: This unlawful pleasure blinds the understanding, 
Hos. 4 1●.  and draws away the heart from all goodness. This sin, though some account it as a trick of youth, yet it is such a crying sin, as was punished 
Numb. 25.  by the death of many of Gods own people.  
Now this sin is to be avoided: First, because GOD hath expressly forbidden it in the seaventh Commandment, Thou shalt not commit Adultery; 
Deu. 23. 17  and, that there shall be no Whores of the daughters of Israel. Which made the Apostle so earnestly to exhort the Corinthians to flee fornication, because God doth 
1 Cor. 6. 18. Heb. 12. 16. Eph. 5. 3.  so hate it, that he would not have it once named amongst the Saints. Therefore if we will approve ourselves to God, end to be his servants, we must rather yield obedience to his Commandments, then to our sinful lusts & pleasures; and the rather, because the living in this sin, is a manifest sign of God's hatred: So saith the Wise man, The mouth▪ of a strange woman 
Pro. 22. 14.  is a deep pit, he whom the Lord hateth shall fall therein. This sin is also to be avoided, & hated, in regard it is a fruit of the flesh, 
Gal. 5. 19  which doth with a high hand oppose the spirit, and cross the Lord 
Col. 3. 5.  in his revealed Will, which would have his Children abstain from fornication, and 
Th●s. 4. 3. Dul●e venenum, importuna lues, perniciosa p●tio, que h●manum corpus debilitat, & virilis a●t●ir●bur en●rua.  that every one should possess his vessel in holiness. This sin, as our learned Countryman Beda calls it, Is a sweet poison, an unseasonable consumption, a pernicious potion, which disableth man's body, and weakeneth the strength of many courageous men: And therefore must so much the more be strove against, as manifestly opposing the Majesty of God, and as an enemy to our salvation, and is as a chain to draw on many other sins; for whoredom is the cause of murder and revenge: for the fire of lust is so furious, that nothing will quench it but blood. The truth hereof will appear in Herodias, who boiled in malice against john the Baptist for speaking against her filthiness, that she prefers her revenge in cutting off his head 
Mark 6.  before half Herod's Kingdom. Yea, holy David had his heart stained with this sin, that to make way to satisfy his lusts, & to preserve his credit, made no scruple to take away the life of his faithful subject, rather than his filthy lust should go unsatisfied. Nay, some are so fare bewitched by Satan, that they to satisfy their lusts, hazard the lives of those who depend upon them.  
A lamentable example I have read of one drowned in this sin; one day being vehemently incensed (by loss and mischief which had betided him) in cruel manner beat his wife, (who came to seek relief of him for her, and her Children) in so much that he and his companions had thought he had killed her; but at last the poor woman recovered herself again, and went home to her house, and when she came in, her poor children, with tears in their eyes (being almost famished for hunger) cried, mother give us bread or else we die: Mam, said the other, and with signs spoke the rest. Alas poor babes, said the Mother with bitter sighs, where shall I get it? your father hath lost his patience with his wealth, and we our hope with his folly: Alas, what shall become of me, or who will secure you my children? better it is to dye with one stroke, then to languish in famine: and being brought to this despair, she took a knife in her hand, & cut their thoats, and set herself down purposing to dye in her misery. Her Husband the same evening returned drunk home, & being more fit to take rest, than to examine these tragedies, cast himself on his bed, neither dreaming of their losses, nor his wife's misery: she urged on by Satan, that ever watcheth opportunities, seeing him asleep that regarded not her sorrow, with the same knife she had killed her children, she cut his throat, saying boldly, thou shalt dye thou negligent man, seeing thy filthy carriage hath been the ruin of me and my Children. Look upon this you beastly wretches, which prefer your own lusts before the care of wise and Children. And thus I have laid open the filthiness of this sin, which excludes out of the 
1 Cor. 6. 9  Kingdom of God, and ranks the committers of it among those damned wretches, which shall be 
Reu. 22. 15.  shut out of the new jerusalem.  
In the next place we are to speak somewhat of the sin of Adultery, which is the sin of those which are married, or betrothed. This sin is called Adulterium, quasi ad alterius torum accessio. This sin of Adultery is either double or single: double, when both parties are married. Single when one party is married, and the other single. This sin is also a filthy abomination 
Ez. 22. 11.  in the sight of the Lord, because they that commit it, violate the ordinance of GOD, in joining themselves to harlots, and so forsake the guide of 
Pro. 2. 17.  their youth. Virginity, and chastity are rare things, and so ought to be esteemed by the godly; then he that spoileth us of that ornament, is unworthy of the name of a man, because he doth the work of a beast. This sin is an enemy to God, an enemy to virtue: It 
Luxuria est inimica Deo, inimica virtutibus, perdit substantiam, & ad tempus voluptatem diligens, futuram non sciunt cogitare paupertatem. Aug. de Doct. Chryst.  consumeth wealth; and loving pleasure for a while, it suffereth us not to think of our future poverty. And as in the first place they sin against GOD, so also in the second place they sin against their Neighbour, by branding him with reproachful nicknames, and so like devilish thiefs they sow their filthy Cockle in another man's ground, and so make another man father their bastardly brood; and then like ungracious thiefs they rob true Children of their inheritance. Therefore the Lord hath ordained, that he that committeth adultery 
Leu. 20. 10  with another man's wife should die. And by the law they were 
Deu. 22. 2●  to be stoned to death; and before the law they were to be burnt, as appears by judah's 
Gen. 38. 24.  censure upon his daughter Thamar. This sin is to be avoided, because it opposeth not only the Law of God, but also the Law of Nations. Cornelius Tacitus reports, that the Adultresses were stripped naked by their kindred, and then had their hair cut off, and were beaten with Cudgels through the Town by their Husbands: This was the Law among the Germans. Now the punishment which GOD afflicteth, is not only poverty, shame, and slavery, their lusts, and harlots, loathsome diseases, and the like, but he useth to punish this sin by the law of requital, as they defile other men's wives, so other men defile their wives. The truth of this was seen in David, who for defiling of Vriahs' 
1 Sam. 12. 22.  wife, had his own wives abused by his son.  
Use. Is whoredom & fornication such a grievous & hateful sin in the sight of God, and so hurtful unto us? then be exhorted every one that looks for salvation, to hate, and detest, and shun, not only this sin, but also all the occasions of it.  
Q. How may I do that, may some say?  
A. Labour to see the filthiness of this sin, how hateful it is unto God, and how dangerous unto ourselves, and that it carrieth with it, not only Gods curse, but such as live in it and dye in it, shall never enter into God's kingdom.  
2. We must labour to cleanse our hearts from all filthiness, and all unclean motions whatsoever, and to set ourselves always as in the presence of God, which knows the very secrets of our hearts; and say with joseph, when we are tempted unto this sin, How can we do this and sin against God? If a mortal man did know our thoughts, or did see us in our uncleanness, we should be ashamed to commit this sin, because they might disgrace us hereafter; how much more should we be fearful to commit it before that God which must be our judge; and our consciences, which must be produced against us as witnesses, and Satan that will be ready to lay open our sin to the full, to accuse us, to our eternal confusion before GOD, Angels, and the spirits of just men.  
3. If we would be fenced against this sin, we must flee the company and society of the Harlot, and all those which are wantonly given, lest they do infect us by their filthy communication, and lewd conversation. To this end the Wiseman exhorts us to keep fare from the Harlot's house, and not to 
Pro. 5. 8.  come near her doors. And if by chance we happen into their company, to flee away in haste, and not to presume upon our own strength, lest we be foiled, and so give our honour unto the harlot.  
4. Lastly, as we must be diligent in our calling, so we must continually pray unto God to preserve us from the whorish woman, that so being vigilant in our calling, we may shun idleness, which is the pathway that leads us to this sin; as also all wanton songs, unlawful embracings, or the like. This if we do carefully, the Lord will preserve us from this unclean and filthy sin.  
To move us hereunto, let us consider that God in a special manner taketh notice of this sin, and will not leave it unpunished, either in this life, or in the life to come. If this were duly thought upon, men and women would be afraid to commit it, though never so secretly, for fear God's judgements should overtake them in the very act, as they did Zimry and Cosby. What a filthy thing is it for a Child of God, a Member of Christ, and a Temple of the holy Ghost, and redeemed with no less price than the blood of the Son of God, for to take the same body, and to make it the member of an harlot? S. Gregory compareth this sin to a fiery furnace, the mouth whereof is gluttony, the flame pride, the sparkles filthy words, the smoke an evil name, the ashes poverty, the end shame and confusion.  
Whoredom, besides the infamy of the world, wasteth the goods, withereth the body, decayeth health, shorteneth life, and maketh a man stink in the sight of God. See and behold the fearful effects of this sin, the Lord open our eyes to see the fearfulness of it, that so we may avoid it. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of this sinful sin of pleasure; come we now to speak of the next pleasurable sin, which is the sin of the belly, I mean the sin of gluttony, which is a disordinate delight in eating, & 
Gula est vorax edacitas, naturae finibus non contenta.  drinking, a mortal enemy to temperance by offending both in quantity, time and manner.  
This sin was first brought from Asia unto Rome, where, in process of time, it came from a servile thing to be the delight of great ones; so that Apicius a base Cook was not ashamed (after it came in credit) to step into the Schools and make an Oration in praise of it, which did so encourage the belly-gods of that age, that Milo Crotoniates would carry his provision with him, which was no less than an ox, which he bore on his shoulders, and when his stomach served him, would eat it up at one meal: and Tagon another belly-god, was so addicted to this sin, that at the Table of Aurelian the Emperor, he eat a Goat, a Hog, and drunk a tierce of Wine. Though these monsters in nature be dead, yet I fear me there be many living which make their belly their god, and glory 
Phil. 3.  in their shame, as may appear by their banquets, which are sa●c●● with surfeits, and exceed nature: Our Fathers were content with bread and water, which at first nourished man's life; but now neither the fruit of trees, variety of corn, fishes of the Sea, beasts of the earth, nor fowls of the air can satisfy our intemperate nature; but as Innocentius saith, Spices 
Lib. de vanitate huma. conduit.  are bought, Fowls are nourished, Cooks hired to please our appetites; some are stamped, others are strained, and another infused to make confections, turning the substance into the accident, and nature into Art: which made the wise heathen, to deride the vanities of our times, say, One Wood sufficeth 
Sen. ep. 8. una silua pluribu● Elephantibus sufficit, homo vero pascitur terra & mari.  to nourish diverse Elephants, but man feedeth both on Sea and Earth. And in another place he saith, Whatsoever bird flieth, whatsoever fish swimmeth, whatsoever beast runneth is buried in our body: all which in the truth of things is both against nature & Art. For both art & nature forbids contraties to be mixed together, which notwithstanding are done at our full feasts, which make men like beasts, and fit to be ranged among them, then among men. Therefore he telleth us, That he was greater, and 
Maius sum, & ad maiora natus sum, quam ut fiam mancipium corporis mei. Rom 13. 13. Gal. 5. 21.  borne to greater things, then to become the bondslave of his body. This fearful sin damns as well as the forenamed. Therefore that we may be freed from this sin also,  
1. Consider that by this sinful pampering of thy body 
Vnus gulosus expendit in piscibus, unde viginti pauperes satis haberent de pane. Bern.  thou deprivest many a hungry soul of many a morsel, which would comfort them very much, and that which thou spendest in variety, would supply their necessity; so that by this means we defraud our brethren of that which is their due.  
2. By moderation in diet, we shall enjoy a healthful body, 
Tenuis mensa sanitatis matter. Pedum aolores, & capitis gravedines, & cruciatus manuum, long faebres, & alia multa plura ex crapula & saturitate nasci solent. Chr. Hom. ●5.  which is to be esteemed above gold, but by over-fulnesse is subject to many diseases, rheums, obstructions, and pains of the head, eyes, and feet, numbness of the hands, Fevers, and the like, pangs of the belly, and many other diseases, which flow from gluttony. How often may we hear some complain of their head for sending done rheum the mother of maladies? But the head might answer, as one says wittily, Be thou sober in pouring 
Desine fundere, & ego desinam fluere.  down, and I will be sparing in dropping down. Do not overloade me with excess, and I will distil fewer humours. When the stomach is burdened above the sphere of its natural heat, and gurmandized with too many delicates one upon the other before the former be concocted; like a fire beginning to burn laden with green wood, sends forth many smoky clouds as it were; so the stomach being piled with delicates one upon another, sends forth many raw crude fumes, which ascending up into the brain, and being fixed there, by the coldness thereof, distil down into the body again abundance of rheum, the source of all diseases, gouts, dropsies, aches, and many other maladies. Therefore if we will be freed from sickness, let us offer a knife to our throats, to keep us from intemperancy herein.  
3. By a moderate diet we preserve our lives, wherein we may repent and make up our peace with God, before the grave shut us up in the land of darkness, in which there shall be no time for us to repent, and to make up our reconciliation with our Maker, before he come to reward every man according to his works: But by this filthy excess we rob ourselves of this precious jewel before our time. Therefore if we would live long, and see many good days, shun this sin of gluttony. Motives to induce.  
1. Consider that this was one of the sins of Sodom, for which GOD destroyed them with fire and brimstone from heaven; and punished his own 
Amos 6. 6.  people, because they drank wine in bowls, and so forgot the affliction of the Church, but sat down to eat, and to drink, and 
1 Cor. 10. 7.  rose up again to play.  
2. We are commanded to redeem the time, and spend it to the glory of God, and the good of our souls; but when the body is filled, than the bones desire to be at rest; and experience shows, than we have little mind to praise God for his mercies, or to think of the safety of our souls.  
3. We are exhorted so to live, as that we may garnish our profession, and honour GOD by letting our godly conversation be seen among them with whom we live; but this we cannot do so long as we stuff our bellies with delicates; so that hereby we deprive God of his due, and our neighbour of our good example. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of this sin, in the next place the sin of drunkenness presents itself to our view and consideration.  
Drunkenness is Satan's bit 
Drunkenness. Nihil aliud est ebrietas, quam voluntaria insania. Sen.  in the mouth of a fool, with which he can turn him to any sin, as the horse is turned to any stop or pace. Thus he turns about the whole body, the heart to lust, the hands to picking and stealing, the wit to quarrel, the strength to murder, the feet, which can scarce stand, are swift to shed blood, and the mouth to belch out blasphemy against their Maker.  
And thus I have showed you what drunkenness is, and that we may the better avoid it, we will set down the fearfulness of the sin, and that it is condemned in the high Court of heaven, & in the inferior court of men's Consciences, as a capital crying sin, against which the Lord of heaven thunders out his sentence of eternal malediction, against all those that are guilty of it, be they of never so great quality and esteem in the world, saying, Woe unto them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, 
Isay. 5. 1.  and unto them that continue until night, till the Wine do inflame them. And again, Woe to 
Isay. 28. 1.  the drunkards of Ephraim. Which terrible woe that it may not take hold upon the servants of Christ, he forewarns them, and advices them to take heed 
Luk. 21. 34  that their hearts be not oppressed with drukennes. Thus we see what entertainment this sin finds at the hands of God, he tells us plainly, that, Drunkards shall not 
1 Cor. 5.  inherit the Kingdom of God. Now let us also see what countenance it hath had of men in all ages.  
The Fathers in their time condemned 
●brietas est flagitiorum omnium matter, culparumque materia. Ad sacras virg.. Esi blandus daemon, dulce venenum Quid ebri●tate miserabilius? Chrys. Ebri●sus cum absorbet Vinum, absorbetur a Vino. Aug. de paenit.  it; Augustine saith, Drunkenness is the mother of all Villainies, the matter of faults, and the fountain of vice. And in ather place he calls it, An alluring devil, and a pleasing poison. And another father by ask a question sets forth the fearfulness of this sin, saying, What is more miserable than the sin of drunkenness, seeing the living creature by drunkenness is become as it were dead? Again, When the drunkard devoureth the Wine, he is devoured of wine.  
This sin is condemned by the wise Heathen by Nature's light. Solon ordained in his law, that if a Prince were found drunk, he should be punished with death; Then much more a private man. The Indians ordained, that if a women would adventure to kill the King in the time of his drunkenness, she should for her reward marry his successor. And Seneca calls drunkenness a voluntary madness.  
Thus we see what verdict GOD and man passes upon this sin of drunkenness. That we may the better see it in its own colours, we will show how and wherein the Majesty of GOD is offended by this filthy sin.  
1. The drunkard sinneth against GOD in making of his belly his Idol, nay his god; so saith the Apostle, Whose god is 
Phil. 3. 19  his belly; he better love's it, and is more careful to please it, than he is his God.  
2. A drunkard is unfit to serve God; for if the Lord will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, how fare are drunkards from this service which he requires? Or how unfit for any good exercise? Take him from the pot, and he is as dead as a door nail; let him go to Church, and he will sleep out the Sermon, and so wraps himself under that curse of doing the work of the Lord negligently; exhort him to sobriety, and he will say that is the way to engender melancholy: examine him of worldly affairs, and he will talk of that tomorrow, the only means to make him speak of sense, is to tell him that there is good Wine coming home from Spain or France, and then he will be sure to prepare him a doublet a quarter wider in the waist then his former, that he may pour the wine down the more frecer into his paunch, which gapes like hell for Wine and strong drink, and then when is belly is full of Wine, and his head void of wit, than you shall see him in his right cue, belching out oaths against God, and scoffing at the Magistrate, and Minister, and questioning of matters of State, too high for his shallow wit to reach unto; so that by this means he is neither fit to serve God, nor to do any profit unto the common wealth. For a Drunkard can neither be a good Magistrate, nor a good subject: for how can he rule others, which cannot rule himself, and as he cannot rule others, so he cannot obey.  
Plutarch makes mention of certain men, who in the midst of their cups reviled their King Pyrrhus in a very reproachful manner, and being convicted of their misdemeanour, & brought before the King, they stood mute, having nothing to say for themselves; at last, seeing they could not deny the fault, nor defend it, one of them more bold than the rest, stepped forth and confessed truth; saying, O King it is true we spoke much evil of thee, and should have spoke much more if our Wine had not failed us. By which we may see that drunkenness is accompanied with backbiting and slandering.  
3. As the Drunkard sinneth against GOD, and his neighbour, so in especial manner he sinneth against the poor, in that by his great expense in drinking, he hath not wherewith to relieve them; for his wealth was not given him to spend in tippling, but that he should break his bread to the hungry, & pour out his drink to the thirsty.  
4. In a special manner he sinneth against his own family, against his wife in spending her portion in his drunken excess, against his Children in depriving them of their patrimony, and of other necessaries, and as he showeth himself a thief abroad in depriving his family of their due, so he playeth the tyrant at home, for either he rails, fights, or swears, when he comes home, or else he disgorges his unsavoury stomach in such a shameful manner, that he is more fit to lie in a hog's Sty among swine, then among those which fear God; and so by making himself a slave to his sin, he utterly deprives himself of all good report among men, and at last poverty like an armed man arrests him; so that as in his youth he would drink nothing but Wine and strong drink, in his age he shall be forced to drink water, or else perish for thirst. For so saith the Wise man; He that loveth 
Pro. 21 17  Wine and Oil shall not be rich.  
And this sin doth not only bring poverty, but also infatuates and deprives the understanding of reason, and common sense, as may be seen in Lot, who committed incest with his daughters, and yet was not ware of his downlying, nor of his uprising; so that drunkenness 
Gen. 19 35  produceth the same operation that deadly poison doth, it depriveth of reason, and exposeth to danger.  
Cyrus' in his Childhood being asked by his Grandfather why he did not drink Wine at the feast, answered, Because (saith he) I took it to be poison: for at the last feast I observed, that those which drunk of it were deprived of their understanding.  
Also, this sin bringeth sickness and diseases upon the body, the forerunner of death; and as the wise Heathen saith, Drunkenness requiteth one hours 
Ebrietas unius horae hilarem infamiam, longi temporis taedio pensat. Sen. ep 39  merry madness with a long time of sorrow.  
Thus we have discovered the heinousness and fearfulness of the sin, we will now set down some effects it produceth.  
First, it is the cause of thraldom. Secondly, the confusion of honesty. Thirdly, the compliment of vice & voluptuousness. Fourthly, the badge of folly; we will make good all these by examples. The first is plain in this, because the root and original of shame and disgrace was in Wine, whereby Noah became the slave of drunkenness, 
Gen. 6.  and so was scorned of his own son.  
Secondly, it is the confusion of honesty, because whosoever is tainted with this sin; he is exiled from the company of good men, and is subject to ill report.  
Thirdly, what can there be more filthy than a drunken man, whose mouth stinks, body trembles, tongue prates, and discovers all his secrets, many times to his great disgrace.  
The ancient Romans in detestation of this sin of drunkenness painted it out in this sort. First, they pictured the Image of a boy, next they painted a horn in his hand, & upon his head they set a crown of glass; they pictured him a Child, to show that drunkenness makes a man Childish, and unfit for any employment of weight, they gave him a horn in his hand, to show that he is always publishing his own secrets, and they crowned him with glass, to show that he boasts of his riches, when he is but a poor man. Upon which I infer, that drunkenness is hurtful to all estates, for if a poor man be a Drunkard; he shall never be rich: If a rich man be a Drunkard, he shall quickly consume his substance; if he be a young man it will infect his youth, that there will be little hope of him, and if an old man, than he is past hope.  
Therefore you men that are endued with reason, and profess yourselves to be Christians, see the filthiness of this sin, hate it in others, and much more detest it in yourselves. For the Heathen could say by Nature's light, There is nothing 
Nihil est tam tre●rū, nihil tam aspe●nandum, nihil homine indignius, quam ebrietas.  more vile, nothing more to be despised, nothing more unworthy a man, than drunkenness.  
Thus by God's mercy we have in some measure discovered the filthiness of this sin; it now remains that we should prescribe some remedy against this infection. The Antidotes against this poison may be,  
1. The consideration of the filthiness of this sin, as hateful unto God, which will banish drunkards out of his Kingdom.  
2. Labour to purge out of thy heart, the desire of Wine, and strong drink, in which there is excess.  
3. Shun the company of drunkards, and Wine-bibbers, 
Pro. 23. 20.  for they will allure thee by their example, therefore if sinners 
Pro. 1. 10.  entice thee, do not consent.  
4. Have fresh in thy mind, that God's judgements may overtake thee as they have done many, therefore repent and be warned by them, and sin no more.  
5. Call upon GOD in the name of his Son, and desire him to cleanse thee from this filthy sin, and be diligent in hearing God's Word, which is the sword of the Spirit to kill this filthy sin, and join thyself in company with those which fear God, which will direct thee how to refrain it by their example.  
Thus if we be careful to use those means God hath provided, we may by his blessing get the victory of this filthy sin, but if any will walk on, and will not be reclaimed, than he that is filthy, let him be filthy 
Reu. 22.  still. And thus much shall suffice to have spoken of drunkenness; as also the pleasures of the belly. Come we now to speak of the pleasures of the body, and first of the eye and ears, of which but a touch, that we may the better pass forward to our intended matter.  
The pleasures of the eye are such, as are taken in beholding vain objects, as Stageplays, Interludes, , Bearbaiting, Bull-baiting, and any other vain delight, whatsoever; we will say something of each, that thereby we may discover the vanity of these sinful delights.  
We will begin with Stage plays.  
What profit and content can they bring us, which for the most part tend to the dishonour of God, and nourishing of vice, with a manifest loss of time, which we are commanded to redeem, and spend in the service of GOD for our souls good? but at Stageplays all the parts of our bodies are employed about sinful objects, the eye to behold vanity, and filthiness in wanton shows, and uncomely gestures, by embracing, kissing, or other wanton toying, whereby young people are stirred up to lust, & have their hearts filled with many unclean cogitations; with our ears upon the Stage many times we hear the Preacher derided, the Word of God profaned, and foolish and filthy communication approved; so that if we will learn to deride, scoff, and flour, to flatter and dissemble, to sing and talk of bawdry, and other filthiness, whereby God is dishonoured, and good manners corrupted; we may see, and learn this, and much more at plays. The consideration hereof made that learned Father to 
Aug. de Civitat. Dei.  say in his time, that Plays were invented by the Devil, and consecrated to the Heathen gods, to draw us from Christianity to Idolatry, and therefore he is bold to pronounce, that to give money to 
Peeuniam ●istrionibus dari, vitium est im●ane, non virtus.  players is a hateful sin; and another father yielding a reason why it is unlawful, says, The shameless gestures 
Histrionum imp● dentif●i●i gestus, nibil aliud nisi libidinem moue●t. Lactant.  of Players serve for no other use, but to move the flesh to lust and uncleanness. Therefore in the Council of Carthage, and Synod of Laodicea, it was enacted, that no Christian man or woman should resort to Plays, and Interludes, where nothing but blasphemy, scurrility, and other filthiness is maintained. Therefore those which maintain them, and countenance them with their presence, do communicate with them in their sins, whereas they should hate & reprove the unfruitful works of darkness.  
The pleasures which men take in these sinful recreations are many, as may appear by the time they wast and spend in them, sometime turning nights into days, and so making recreation to be a vocation; if they had but half so much care for their soul's health, we might well say they are good Christians.  
Another pleasurable sin which men delight in, is lascivious dancing, which as it is used, or rather abused by the wantoness of our time, it is the gate leading to whoredom, and an incitement to all uncleanness, and yet (the more is the pity) many men and women (otherwise well affected) think it an Ornament to their Children to be skilled in this wanton science, whereby they may be enticed and alured to all manner of filthiness, which man's nature of itself is ready to embrace, and needs no allurements; Therefore I conclude, that all lewd, wanton, and lascivious dancing is not only unlawful, but also a great means to increase much wantonness, and filthiness: For our feet were not given us; to trip like Rams, skip like Goats, leap like mad men, but that being bought with a price we should glorify GOD in our mortal bodies.  
Oh but may some say, this is too great preciseness, doth not Solomon say, There is a time to dance? therefore it is not so unlawful as you would make us believe. Unto which I answer, Solomon doth not mean by this place, that there is any time for a filthy and profane mixed dancing of men and women together; but that dancing he speaks of, is rejoicing of the heart, in praising GOD, as may appear by the context, There is a time to mourn, and a time to dance; that is, as there is a time to mourn for our sins, so there is a time to dance or rejoice for the unspeakable mercies showed unto us in jesus Christ, in the pardoning of our sins. But I would not so be understood, as if I discommended all dancing; for than I should seem to cross the practice of the Lords people in ancient 
2 Sam. 6.  time, for David danced before the Ark praising God; and when the Israelites were 
Exod. 15.  passed over the red Sea, they danced and praised God. Indeed, if our dancing were like theirs, we might very lawfully dance also: they danced for joy, and thanksgiving to GOD, but many of us for vain glory, to please ourselves; but that we may put a period to this point, we doubt not but that men & women may lawfully dance for the recreation, and health of their bodies, and to express their rejoicing, and cheer the mind, provided, that each sex modestly and sparingly dance by themselves without any filthy gestures, or unbeseeming behaviour.  
The next delight, where men use to please themselves, is in , Bearbaiting, Bull-baiting, and the like. Alas, what a misery is this, to sport ourselves to torment and vex the poor Creatures, which are subdued under vanity for our sins? They were not put under our feet, to that end, that we should triumph in their misery, and if we wrong them, God, that taketh it as done to himself, will punish it; (for do not we see that men think themselves wronged in their cattles, and are used to revenge their wrongs, as David did the wrongs of his servants by Hanun) Now these Creatures are Gods servants, and in their kind do set forth the glory of God, therefore we are not to take pleasure to see them rend, and tear, and hurt, and maim one another; for this is to imitate the Devil, who reioices in the misery of mankind. Let the consideration hereof move Butchers, and Drovers to use more mercy towards the poor Creatures, than many of them do. For if we love God, we must needs love that which he love's and approves, now he love's the creatures, for in his sight they were very good, and he doth not hate the works of his hands.  
And thus we have made a search into pleasures in general, and have examined them in particular; wherein we have discovered some filthy sinful pleasures, not worthy to be once heard of among those which profess themselves to be the children of the most High. And as we have laid open the diseases, so we have prescribed Antidotes, as preservatives against them, not doubting but the Christian Reader, by God's blessing, may reap some benefit; We will now proceed, and show how these benefits may be used, so that God may have the honour, and these pleasures may be blessed unto us. Which that they may be so, we must know that there are three conditions on our part to be observed and kept.  
1. That we labour for the grace of justification, and reconciliation unto God by faith in jesus Christ, for till we are at peace with him, we can have no comfort in our pleasures.  
2. If we would have these pleasures lawful & sanctified unto us, we must take heed we do not overvalue them in our judgement, nor set our hearts and delights upon them, which are the Lords peculiars, but be content to esteem them as dross and dung in respect of Christ.  
3. We must take heed that these pleasures be moderated, and kept within due bounds, we must be careful to refer them to a right end, and that is the glory of GOD, and our own salvation, else if we set our hearts upon them, God may justly, and yet mercifully afflict us with his heavy hand, and lay upon our body's sickness, upon our conscience terror, upon our reputation disgrace, that thereby he may screw up our hearts from grovelling upon the earth. Therefore let us learn wisdom to watch over our pleasures, lest they encroach upon those times wherein God is to be worshipped, and when we are to perform holy and religious duties.  
Those than offend which profane the Lords day, by spending it about their own pleasures, though pethaps lawful and warrantable at another time; so also they offend which pamper their bellies upon this day, whereby they are more fit to sleep then to perform any holy action. Thus we have showed how pleasures are good in their own nature, and how they become good unto us; it remains now to show how they become pul-backs to hinder us in our spiritual race, and to steal away our hearts from godliness.  
The pleasures of this life are the chief baits with which Satan and the world use to steal away our hearts from God, and the practice of godliness; for when men become lovers of pleasures, them they begin to be careless & negligent in the pursuit of virtue, and have no mind or heart to any godly exercise, but are wholly circumvented & carried away with these sinful, and vain delights, which make the mind dull and careless of good actions; now the reason why they are so dangerous, are.  
1. In regard of their nature, quite opposite to grace, they strive to cherish and advance that which true piety labours to root out.  
2. In regard of our proneness to embrace them; for we are for the most part carnal, and so love and affect those things which please the outward man, and having once attained them, we do too much delight in them.  
Use. 1 Are pleasures such dangerous baits to draw our hearts from grace? 1. Then this may check all those which resolve to prove their hearts with pleasures as Solomon did. And therefore 
Eccles. 2. 1.  they set their hearts upon the tenters, & stretch them this way, and that way, for the inventing of variety to please themselves.  
2. All those which suffer themselves to be overtaken with the pleasures and delights of the world, which appears by the gluing of their hearts unto them, & that they are loath to part with them, as ever Lot's wife 
Gen. 19 26  was to leave Sodom. Hereby they dead their hearts from the 
Isay. 5. 12.  fear of God's judgements, and 
Amo● 6. 6.  from all manner of care, and watchfulness over their ways, 
Luk. 21. 23.  and so leave nothing to themselves 
Eccle. 2. 11 Pro. 11. 5.  but sorrow, and grief of heart, and late repentance.  
Use 2 Be exhorted therefore in the fear of God to abstain from all sinful pleasures, which should not be once named among Christians. And the rather,  
1. Because they are great means to make us forget GOD. Let Noah's example teach us, who when he gave himself liberty to drink wine, forgot himself, and so was overtaken with drunkenness. Sampson when he gave himself to sleep and loiter in Dalilahs' lap, lost the powerful presence of God, and so was made a prey to the enemies of his Church. David when he gave himself to ease, presently he fell into those fearful sins of Adultery and murder. Pleasures and delights made Solomon forget his God. Let their fearful falls teach us wisdom 
Neh. 13. 26  and wathfulnesse.  
2. And the rather, because our pleasures are but short, extending at the utmost but to the end of our lives, in which time they are interrupted many times by sickness, crosses, fear, grief, etc.  
3. Because they are purchased many times at had rates; many times with loss of God's favour, at least with loss of time, peace of Conscience, and so men become lovers of pleasures and not lovers of godliness. 
Q. How to know whether we love pleasures.   
Ob. How may we know (may some say) whether we love pleasures more than godliness?  
Answ. Try thy heart by these marks.  
1. Dost thou take more delight in Carding, Dicing, dancing, drinking, swilling, and hearing filthy songs, then in meditating upon God's righteous judgements, hearing him speaking to thee in his Word, and speaking unto him again by prayer? And are his Sabbaths tedious unto thee, and couldst thou wish they were over and passed, that thou mightst wallow in thy pleasures, and delights? then know that thou art a lover of pleasures more than godliness.  
2. Art thou willing to be at any charge for the maintenance of thy sinful pleasures, in feasting, gaming, or the like, but when the necessity of God's Church calls for thy help, to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, than thou hast no heart, but thinkest all is lost which is spent in the practice of piety? If this be thy practice, and this be thy delight, than I pronounce thou art a lover of pleasure, and so not a lover of God.  
3. Canst thou find time to spend in thy vain delights, even to cross GOD in the course of his providence, by turning nights into days, and days into nights, in Carding, Dicing, drinking, swilling: but canst not spare one hour to watch with CHRIST for thy souls good? If thus thou dost, then know thou art a lover of pleasure, and canst not be a lover of God.  
But will you say, what remedy or way can you provide, or prescribe whereby we may take less delights in pleasures than we have done?  
A. 1. Consider how vain 
Remedies.  they be, and how unable to give content. Let salomon's trial give us an example, his Orchards, Gardens, buildings, and other delights could not give him any sound & solid contentment; but he pronounces this censure of them, and says, that they are vanity, and vexation of spirit. But yet alas, many of us think to find great matters, even Paradises of delights, where he with all his wisdom could find nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit.  
2. They are full of uncertainty: for we have seen many that have had their pleasures turned into Gall and Wormwood.  
Use 3 3. If pleasures are such fearful enemies to grace, and so uncertain to stand by us, than 1. Labour to seek GOD, the true pleasures, his infinite perfection, and Christ the means of our reconciliation. In feeling 
Phil. 3. 3.  the power of his death killing the power of sin, and the efficacy of his resurrection, quickening us to holiness, and new obedience.  
2. Labour so to use pleasures, as that they may preserve our natural health, and make us more fit to serve GOD with cheerfulness, and as helps to hasten us in our journey to the Land of CANAAN.  
3. Labour to watch over our hearts with diligence, lest our pleasures become the Devil's nets to ensnare our souls through our own corruption; therefore rush not upon them with unbridled affection, but before we give any entertainment unto them, consider whether they be lawful and convenient, and then how they may be used, so that God may have the glory, and our souls 
joel 1. 5. Amos 6▪ 7.  may have the comfort, and be content to leave them willingly, if we find they hinder us in the works of God's service.  
Thus if our pleasures be guided by these rules, we shall glorify God, and shall receive a blessing upon our souls: we are now to proceed, and take notice of another pleasing delight, and that is pride in apparel, and see whether there be any thing in it that may commend us to God, and profit our souls.  
Vanity in apparel is a thing so much esteemed in this profane age, as that many place their happiness in it, thinking themselves in best case when they are bravest, and most esteemed when they have gotten costly apparel, insomuch that they think no time too much, nor cost too great, which is wasted and spent in dressing themselves; therefore to maintain them in their bravery, they are ready to sell religion, and conscience, and to defile their conversation: which sin that we may not run headlong into, let us in the fear of GOD learn wisely to esteem of Apparel, not according to men's opinion, but according to the Word of GOD, and esteem of them by their common abuse, as trifling vanities, subject to corruption, and badges of sin. But lest we should reject them as sinful in regard of their abuse; let us therefore in the first place consider, that there is a good and warrantable use of costly Apparel, provided always that they be fitted and sorted according to the place and calling of those that wear them. For as the Lord hath made diverse estates and degrees of men, so he would have every one to apparel himself according to his degree, that thereby there might be a difference whereby one might be distinguished from another. Kings, and Lords, and Nobles, according to their Royal places; Knights and Gentlemen according to their gentry; and meaner men, according to their quality, and condition of life; it is lawful for them that are in high places to wear gold, silver, silks, and Velvets, and other costly apparel: but for other of meaner places, they must content themselves with meaner apparel, that thereby may show their inferiority, and humbleness of mind, in submitting themselves unto the Will of God, whose pleasure it is that some should rule, and some obey.  
As Inferiors offend in going costly in their apparel, and wearing such as is fit for men of high place and calling; so those which are in high places offend in wearing mean and contemptible apparel, and so weaken the authority GOD hath put into their hands. Unless it be in some particular cases, as in the time of fasting and humiliation, and when God by sensible judgements shows, that he hath a controversy with the land 
Ruth 1. 20.  for the sins of the people. In such cases costly apparel must be laid aside, and beautiful 
joel 2. 16.  names of honour denied.  
But I may spare my labour to say much in this licentious age of this point; because men and women are fallen into such an excess of bravery, whereby all respect of order and degree is neglected; for whereas Christ restrained gorgeous apparel to King's Palaces, now it is grown so common, that we may see it in every house almost; which comes to pass because every one is so fare fallen in love with himself, either for his person, qualities, or apparel, which are so excellent in their own eyes, that a poor man's wife will be as fine as a gentleman's, and in all places we shall see pride ruffle in Rustics, for every one will be in the fashion how ever they come by it; the servant can hardly be known from the Master, and the maid from the Mistress, nor scarce any man's estate can be distinguished by his apparel, but plain Coridon that hath no more wit then to know the price of Satin, and Silks, and Taffetas, and other toys, to make him foole-fine, cannot longer be content to hold the Plough, and to be one of those good Commonwealths-men which keep good hopitality; and spend their wealth moderately, doing good in the places where they dwell, but being advanced in wealth by the death of his miserable father, must instantly be dubbed a gentleman, and purchase Arms though it be at a dear rate, and be a smoky gallant in his youth, though he beg his bread in his age, and think he is nobody unless he be out of the fashion, and can swagger, and brave it out, swear himself into smoke, with pure refined oaths, and fustian protestations, and take Tobacco with a whiff, and so lash out that riotously, which his father got miserly, but he is now a gentleman, therefore he will not take it as he hath done, nor will he be clad any longer in good cloth, but will creep into acquaintance with Satins, Velvets, and Plush, too high and costly for his mean conditions. And country maids that have but thirty or forty shillings a year, and a few base shifts, must be tricked and trimmed up like a Maid-Mayrian in a Morris dance; sometime her Ruffs are pinned up to her ears, and sometime they hang over her shoulders like a windmill sail fluttering about her ears.  
Therefore seeing this contagious Leprosy h●th spread itself over this glorious Commonwealth, wherein Gentlemen in their attire go like Nobles, and Yeomen like Gentlemen, and Milkmaid's like Gentlewomen, as if their eyes were so dazelled with pride that they mistook one another's apparel for their own; It were to be wished, that our ancient laws made against this excess were put in execution, against our pride, which testifies against our faces, and yet for all this we are not ashamed; but alas, as if we had cast off the fear of the Lord from before our eyes, we deck our carcases with such costly & unbeseeming apparel, which is light for the fashion, & wanton and immodest, called by the Wife-man the attire of an 
Pro. 7. 16.  Harlot; & by the Prophet strange 
Zeph. 1. 8.  raiment, which shows very vain and inconstant minds; our Fathers kept sheep, now we 
Gen. 43. 3.  their Children scorn to were the wool, but must ruffle it out in Silks, and Velvets, and Taffetas, every one adorning himself in bravery, although their manners be quite out of order. The good chines of Pork, and large pieces of Beef which was wont to be in great men's houses to relieve the poor, are turned now to buy chains of Gold, and the alms that were wont to relieve them, is husbanded now to buy guegawes; the Elephant is admired for carrying a Castle on his back, but now we may see many fair Gentlemen and Gentlewomen to wear whole Lordships, and Manor-houses on their backs without sweeting. Vestium luxus (saith Tully) arguit animum parum sobrium.  
Alas, Sobriety where shalt thou be found where all men affect pomp? the Ploughman which in times past was content to be clad in russet, must now a days have his doublet of the fashion, with wide cuts, and his silk Garters to meet his Sib on Sunday. What would these persons do if their wealth and birth did answer the pride of their hearts? surely they would outstrip Nabuchadnezzar the the King of pride; they would be as dainty in their diet, and costly in their apparel as ever Dives was: how may we lament their folly, that to maintain their pride, turn their lands into laces, and their patrimonies into gay Coats, holding it belike   

a point of policy to put their Lands into two or three Trunks of , that wearing their lands on their backs, they may see their Tenants do them no waste? but alas, when they would turn back their clothes into lands again, they are so threadbare and out at the 
W B. on Math. 6.  Elbows, that they will not come near the former value, so that at length for want of better consideration they must march under Sir john Hadlands colours, among the poor gentlemen of penniless bench, and so are forced at last to act the 
Est quodam prodie tenus si non datur ultra Hor.  King and beggar's part at one time, the King abroad and the beggar at home.  
Here I might enter into a large field of matter, but by this which hath been said, we may imagine that all is out of frame.  
But vain man, and proud woman, know that by thy pride and excess in apparel thou offendest God, and makest him at variance with the works of his hands: for the Wiseman telleth us that every one that is proud in 
Pro. 16. 5.  heart is abomination to the Lord. Therefore the Lord by the Prophet denounceth a woe to the 
Isay 28. 1.  crown of pride.  
It must needs be a miserable thing for the Creature to be abhorred of the Creator. Pride is and hath been always the forerunner of destruction; the consideration hereof should strike amazement into every one of our hearts, when we consider what thunderbolts God hath shot out against this sin, & yet what little amendment is to be found among us? what loss of precious time is there among us? yea, among the Children of God in decking and adorning those carcases which at last must be Worm's meat? how many an hour is there spent in tricking and trimming of the body upon the LORDS day, which might have been spent in prayer and meditation? But alas, unless their bodies be trimmed and decked with costly apparel, and after a curious manner, they will not be seen at Church. These come to humble themselves in pride, as the oppressor cometh, to ask mercy with cruelty brave Landlords, and Landladies which wear about them such cruel rents, as rend husband, Wife, and Children all to pieces: such come to keep holy the Sabbath day with profaneness, to give up their bodies as a living sacrifice to 
Rom. 12. 1  GOD, by fashioning themselves unto the fashions and colours of the world, sometime blue, sometime yellow; sometime all body, sometime no body, as if they liked all fashions saving that which God hath given them.  
It is a great matter to see the vanity of women in these days, which are so trimmed and tricked, that you would say they rather wore great forests on their backs, then modest & civil furniture; and so in striving to be fine and handsome before men, they become vile in the sight of God, who looks not upon the outward appearance, 
1 Sam. 1. 6 7.  but upon the heart. Thou therefore which spendest the prime of the morning in pouncing and trimming thy hair, & perhaps in painting thy face, that thereby thou mayst seem more lovely and amiable to men; if this be thy aim, that seekest to please men, than art 
Gal. 1. 10.  thou not the servant of God. If thou hadst a touch & sense of thy own uncleanness, and spiritual deformity in the eyes of GOD, thou wouldst take as much pains to adorn thy inward 
1 Tim 2. 9 1 Pet. 3. 3.  parts with humility and lowliness of mind, so much set by of God. Women should array themselves with shamefastness and modesty, and not with broidered hair, and immodest, and unseemly attires, for our clothes are the fruit of sin; and shall the thief be proud of his halter? Pull down therefore your proud looks you wanton Dames, and cast away your filthy and unbeseeming apparel, which doth not honour your bodies, but disgrace them by your fantastical fashions, and lascivious habits, by laying open your naked breasts, as alluring baits to filthiness, & so proclaim by your outward garments your inward pride and filthiness, as if you would have all men take notice of your vanity and light carriage. Pride and bravery cause wantonness, and wantonness maketh an easy way for lust & uncleanness: Those therefore which so curiously deck and adorn their bodies with such costly and wanton attire, set forth their beauty to sale, & so by consequent betray their chastity to them which bid most, or pleaseth them best. To this purpose Cyprian saith fitly, Gorgeous 
Ornamentorum & vestium insignia & lenocinia formarum non nisi prostitutis, & impudicis faeminis congruunt, & nullarum fere praeciosior cultus, quam quarum pudor vilis est. Cyp. de Hab. virg..  and garish attire, and adulterate beauty become none but harlots, who set themselues forth to sale, neither do any put on more precious apparel than they who most basely prise their chastity. By which (as by their immodest audacious impudence) as they defile their own hearts with pride and wantonness, so also they entice others with carnal love and fleshly lusts; and so they bring upon themselves sin and condemnation, though others be not catched in their snares. For as Hierome saith, If any wantonly deck themselves to provoke others in a wanton manner to 
Si vir vel mulierse adornaverit, ut vultus hominum adse provocaret, etsi nullum inde sequatur damnum, iudicium tamen patietur aeternum; quia venenum attulit, si fuisset qui ●iberit.  gaze upon them, though no hurt follow upon it, yet they shall be liable to eternal judgement, because they prepared a poison, if there had been any one who would have tasted it.  
But Lucifer the Prince of Pride, hath taught the stately Dames of our age a new lesson, unknown to the godly women mentioned in Scripture, and that is, that unless they be gallant, they shall not be esteemed and regarded in places 
A vain excuse.  where they come.  
Unto which I answer, their apparel may purchase them some credit among ignorant men and women, but wise men 
Non hac ●rnant corpus, sed mentem detegunt. Quint.  will not esteem them the more for their vain apparel, though they be never so plumed with the deceitful feathers of pride.  
Beloved, though I be earnest against this sin, bear with me, I touch not those that be good, and are modest in their apparel, showing the humbleness of their mind; and I cannot say too much to those which be proud, and haughty, and vain and foolish in their attire; I appeal to God who knoweth these things to be true, and to the world who cannot for shame deny them; and if I have said nothing but the truth then blame me not, but go and repent you of your former sins; and seeing the most of us are faulty herein, let us now in truth of heart turn unto the Lord. And if we would have reverence and respect among men, let us labour to be virtuous, modest, and discreet, and to put on humbleness of mind; for pride, and costly apparel are collateral cousins, and so combined together, that one can hardly be separated from the other without the destruction of both; therefore the godly wise in all ages have laboured to strive against this stream, and shunned this excess, and have had special care so to attire themselves, that they might neither offend the Majesty of God, or well affected Christians in any respect. For the very Heathen by the light of nature have condemned pride in apparel as a great evil.  
Democrites being demanded wherein the comeliness of man & woman consisted, answered; In fewness of speech well tempted together, and in virtue and integrity of life.  
Sophocles seeing one in gorgeous apparel, said to him, Thou fool, thy apparel is no ornament to thee, but a manifest show of thy folly.  
The wife of Philo the Philosopher being demanded why she did not wear gold, and silver, and costly garments, said, She thought the virtues of her husband were sufficient ornaments for her.  
What would these wise heathens have said, if they had had the light of God's Word? Surely they would have shamed many of us Christians. To conclude this point, let us know that excess in apparel, is not only a sin in itself, but also the cause and effect of many other sins.  
1. As it is the cause of lust and uncleanness in them that wear gorgeous apparel, so it doth animate and encourage others to assault, and lay siege to their Chastity, with hope of obtaining victory, while the ensigns of pride are so displayed.  
2. It causeth men and women to misspend their time, which they waste with musing how they may be brave, and trying what fashion will become them best, by which means it comes to pass, that they have little leisure to adorn their souls with saving grace, as knowledge, faith, and repentance; whereupon it is, that our gallants are so ignorant in spiritual matters.  
3. This excess in apparel causeth many men and women to run in debt, (which is the very bane of a quiet mind) and so become servile slaves, and are forced to put up many harsh words at the hands of the 
Pro▪ 22. 7.  lender.  
4. As they torment and discrutiate their minds, and bring desolation upon their temporal estates, so also they wrap themselves under the judgement of 
Isay 2. 11.  God for their bravery.  
Use. Be exhorted than you that fear GOD, to wean your hearts from this sinful vanity, and labour to deck them with the saving graces of God's spirit, the wedding garment of faith, and labour to be covered with the long white Robe of Christ's innocency, so that thy 
Reu. 3. 18.  filthy nakedness may not appear, that so thou being clothed with the righteousness of Christ, thou mayest at the 
Rom. 13. 14.  day of refreshing follow the LAMB wheresoever he 
Reu. 7. 13. 14.  goeth.  
Q. Oh but may some say, how shall I wean my heart from this sinful vanity?  
Answ. Every mischief is best avoided by opposing against him his contrary, so the best way to prevent pride, is to arm ourselves with humility, and stop this filthy disease in the beginning; and therefore the Poet's counsel in this case is very good;  

Obsta principijs sero medicina p●ratur, 
Ouid.   
Cum mala per longas convaluere moras.   
And another very fitly seconds him saying,  

Stop the beginnings, and you shall be sure,  
All dangerous diseases to help and cure.   
Pride sinketh to hell, but humility lifteth to heaven; Pride is the first step to Apostasy, and being opposed to God is the greatest sin in man, for all other vices are to be taken heed of in sins, but this in good doing, lest those things which be laudibly done be lost in the desire of praise; follow Christ who is humble and meek, 
Ecce habes humilitatis exemplum, superbiae medicamentum.  in whom thou hast an example of humility, and a medicine against pride; Call to mind thy base metal, from what thou camest, what now thou art, and whither thou must go at length. What is man? an unprofitable 
Telluris inutile pondus. Gen. 3. job. 10. 9  lump of earth. Man was earth, he is earth, and to earth he shall return again. What is man? his matter is base Slime and Clay, his nature weak and feeble, his birth pain and sorrow, his life vain and miserable, his state slippery and uncertain, his sins horrible and filthy, and his end grievous and loathsome. Why swellest thou O man, thou filthy matter, why art thou inflamed? Thy Prince is humble, and art thou proud? Oh earth. earth, earth, cast down thy Peacock's feathers, look down whither thou must, and be ashamed; consider how GOD hath severely punished pride, in all ages, and hath rewarded humility.  
Let the consideration hereof make us all labour for humility: There remains another kind of pride, and that is of a man's gifts of nature or grace, but I intent to speak of that when I come to handle the vanity of men in hunting after vain glory, and popular applause, unto which place I refer the discreet Reader. And to put a period to this point of pride in apparel, let all those which are so curious in decking their bodies with acquaint attire, take heed they do not forget to deck their souls, with the pearls of sobriety, and humility, and therefore follow not the foolish fashion of the world, and if any new fangled fashion come up be thou the first to pull it down, so shalt thou show thyself a pattern for modest matrons to imitate. And thus we have done with pride in apparel.  
Do we take delight in beauty, what is beauty if it be separated from grace, but pleasing vanity? Beauty according 
Pro. 31. 30.  to Saint Augustine's definition, Is a proportional agreement of all 
Pulchritudo corporis est congruentia partium, cum quadam coloris suaevitate, Aug. ●d Nebr.  the parts of the body, joined with a certain sweetness of colour and countenance. Which in its own nature is good, as being the gift of GOD, which he hath bestowed upon many of his children, as upon Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Naomi, Abigail, Esther, the daughters of job; but we shall 
job 42. 15.  have little need to persuade any to the love of this, seeing all men by instinct of nature do reverence and respect it; The Poet long ago could say, 
Forma corporis Dei munus. Ouid.  that Beauty is the gift of God, yet through the corruption of nature, this blessing is much abused, and made a snare to entangle many, and therefore we are to account it among those common blessings which he bestows upon the wicked as well as upon his own children, as upon Saul, Adoniah, Absol●n, 
1 Sam. 9 2 1 Kin. 1. 6. Pulcritudo corporis bonum Dei donum est: sed propteria id largitur etiam malis, ne m●gnum bonum videatur bonis. Aug de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 22. Pro. 31. 30.  2 Sam. 14. 25. Beauty indeed is the gift of God, but he hath bestowed it on the evil also, lest it might seem to the godly to be of any value; yea, he hath bestowed it on the dumb creatures, as the Peacock, Swan, yea the Lilies exceed Solomon in all his royalty; therefore we are not to dote upon it, for the Wise man saith, It is vain and deceitful; and experience shows, that sickness, care, grief, or the scratch of a pin will deface it, and the Sun quickly alter it: If it were an absolute blessing, the Sun that glorious creature would not so soon deface it. Therefore Chrysostom saith to the virtuous in his time, I do not (saith 
Nolo pulcritudinem c●rpo●oris, honestatem mentis requiro. in Psal. 50. Hom. 1.  he) so much require the beauty of the body, as the honesty of the mind. But seeing it is so esteemed, and overvalued, let it be the wisdom of the godly to turn the edge of their love from this deceitful vanity, (which is better many times to those which see it, than those which have it) to that perfect, and undeceivable beauty of 
Pulchrius est pulch●um fieri, quam nasci: illud enim casus hoc studij est. Petrar.  the mind, adorned with the sanctifying grace of God's Spirit, as lowliness of mind, brotherly kindness, and the bowels of compassion to the poor, these are perpetual and durable; sickness, and disgrace cannot blemish virtue.  
But alas, this carnal beauty is so fare from profiting us, or helping us in the way of godliness, as that many times through the corruption of nature it proves the bane of the 
Rara est ade● concordia form● atque pudiciti●. Iwenal Satyr. 10.  soul, for many times we see beauty and chastity oppose each other, which comes to pass not through beauty in itself, for many beautiful women have been, and are chaste and godly Matrons, but the reason is, because their beauty doth expose their chastity to the lust of wicked men, which are alured by these pleasing objects, 
Cum periculo magno custoditur quod multis placet.  now that is hardly preserved which is of so many beloved.  
Lustful bloods at the show of fair women give wanton sights, or wicked wishes; Beauty 
Depredari desiderat, qui thesa●rum publice portat.  is like unto a rich treasure, which being carried uncovered by the high ways side, tempts and entices many to set upon it: thus Dinahs' beauty offered violence to her chastity, Thamar's beauty enticed her brother Amnon, and Bathshebahs' beauty alured godly David, and josephs' beauty enticed his wanton Mistress. Thus we find that 
Multos forma fecit adulteros, castu● ver● nullum. Petrarch. de Remed.  beauty hath made many adulterers, but never any chaste.  
Let the consideration hereof make all beautiful women to walk humbly before God, and so demean themselves; that they may not allure or entice any.  
Saint Ambrose records a story of a beautiful young man, who perceiving his fair face to be an enchantment to diverse wanton women, slashed and bemangled his face, lest any more wantoness should door on him; this young man had more regard to the inward beauty of his mind, than the outward beauty of his body: This man had also care of his outward conversation, that he might so carry himself as became a Child of GOD.  
But alas, what great odds is there between this young man, and the youth of our age, which hang their hair, heads, ears, and bosom full of nets to ensnare the wantoness of these sinful times, and have their breasts left naked, that thereby their wantonness may the better be discovered.  
Another evil effect of beauty is, that as it makes them forgetful of GOD, and all good duties, so it puffs them up in pride and conceit of themselves, that they scorn and despise others, and so neglect their duty which they own to their Superiors. Vasty knew that 
Est. 1. 11, 12  the King was ravished with her beauty, therefore she grew insolent and proud, and would not come when he sent for her.  
Let the consideration hereof teach all virtuous women to adorn their minds with virtue, and good conversation in all things, that they may be able to give up their account with joy unto that God which hath bought them with a price, and so hath commanded them to glorify him in their mortal bodies.  
We are now come to the last branch proposed, and that is vain glory, and popular applause, which for the most part is engendered out of the feces and dregs of worldly wisdom: What profit is there in the praise of men? or what good can they do us if they magnify and extol us for carnal respects, if all this while we be vile in the eyes of God? What will the praise of men do us good, when God and our own conscience condemn us? It is not the waxed wings of men's praises will carry us to heaven; therefore let us labour to honour God, and to keep faith & a good conscience in all our ways; we are to know, that wisdom & humane learning is a great gift & blessing of God, which although it be good in its own nature, yet many times through the corruption of our nature it is a dangerous enemy to grace, because for the most part it is joined with pride and vain glory, which robs God of his glory, therefore the Lord forbiddeth the wise man to glory in his wisdom. 
jer. 9 23.  And denounceth a woe against all those which are wise 
Isay 5. 21.  in their own eyes; which woe and sin that we may not fall into, let us know that God hath not given us worldly wisdom, & humane learning, to the end we should make sale of them, and set them a sun shining for vain people to gaze at; but he hath given them us, to the end that we should use them to his glory, and the good of his Church: but such is the pride of our nature, that if one man excel another in learning, wit, and elocution, presently they swell with pride, and so forget God and themselves, by not honouring him with his gifts, and by despising his children, which peradventure have better hearts to God-ward then themselves; we all glory now a days of our knowledge and wisdom, and think that ourselves are the only men, now what may be the reason of this? Surely this, because in times past the Church had many learners, and but a few teachers; now the case is altered, we have many teachers, and but a few learners. In ancient time it was thought there was but seven wise men among the Greeks', and now we think there be not so many fools among us.  
Another reason may be, for want of right choice of good natures, in those which are to be trained up in learning, for the greater sort many times are either fantastical, wayward, or wilful, whose wits being strained against kind, become disordered, contentious, and seditious: for it is a hard thing to make that strait by art, which was made crooked by nature. When learning and eloquence is grafted in a wrangling stock, which is stubborn and contentious, it many times proves very dangerous; for a contentious person having wit and learning, and a plausible tongue, is able to set whole kingdoms by the ears.  
Seeing then that learning may be abused, let Preachers pray for wisdom and humility, that they may not please men, nor please themselves with their learning, but that they may honour God, and labour to be profitable instruments to his Church. But because all men in general hunt after praise, & he is nobody now adays that cannot soar aloft, therefore Scholars are forced to stretch their wits, and set them upon the Tenters, to please the intoxicated multitude; and to beat their brains, and hazard their health, and many times endanger their souls, to satisfy the curious ears of many fantastical hearers, which will be pleased with nothing else but novelties: such take great delight to come to Sermons, but not as Scholars to learn, but rather as judges to control, being now grown so curious in their own conceits, that it is easier for a Cook to please a hundred men's palates, then for a Preacher to order one Sermon to please a dozen hearers. Some must needs know what God did before he made the world; another, who was Melchizedeches father; another, whether he shall meet his old friends and companions in heaven which might tell him of his merry conceits; such a one would needs know what he shall do in heaven before he hath learned the way how to come thither; another, he is content to come to Church to hear his Minister, but alas, he grows weary quickly, and out of heart, his Minister speaks no Latin, nor Greek, and so he thinks it is lost time to hear such a homely Sermon. But alas, poor ignorant soul! if thou wert condemned to die, thou wouldst be glad to hear thy pardon read unto thee in plain English without any other curious matter, but thy Prince's hand to ratify it: but now God must sand thee thy pardon, and set it forth in such eloquent words as may best please thee, else thou wilt have none of it, as if GOD were bound to save thee a condemned slave, & to feed thy ears with fine speeches. But if these curious & dainty hearers were examined in the points of salvation, as of faith & repentance, & the meaning of any of the Commandments, or of the Articles of our Faith, I fear many of them which carry their heads full high, would be found to be as grossly ignorant as ever Nicodemus was, and would be as ready to make as simple an answer as the Disciples of Ephesus 
Act. 19 2.  did, when the Apostle asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost, they told him plainly, that they had not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost or no●.  
What a vain thing is it then to hunt after those things which will do us no good? How much better were it to be busied in matters of greater importance, and not to please ourselves in such knotty questions which have ensnared better judgements than our own? 
Parum placent cae literae, qua ad virtutem non profuerant. Sallust. de Bel. jurg.   
The very Heathen do condemn our vanity herein, who tell us, that, That learning doth us little good which doth not help us forward in virtuous courses.  
For what will it avail men to be accounted subtle and acute Logicians to find out arguments, and to be as able to discourse, and as skilful in disputation, as the men of Gibeah were in slinging, that they could sling at a hair's breadth, when as they are not able to find out that good and perfect Will of God, nor able to confute the subtle sophistry of Satan? what will it profit men to be plausible Rhetoricians to persuade others unto what they 
Melius est é duobus impe●fectis, rustic tatem sanctam habere, quam eloquentiam peccatricem Hieron.  list, by masking a false cause with a fair gloss, if they have not sanctified eloquence to persuade and assure themselves of their own salvation?  
What will it profit men to be good Grammarians, and to have the knowledge of all tongues, and to be able to negotiate with strangers of all Kingdoms without an interpreter, yet for all this not to be able to speak the language of Canaan? which is gloria in excelsis.  
What will it profit men to be skilful in the secrets of numbers, if they want skill to number 
Knowledge without virtue, and learning without good living are like trees without fruit.  their days that they may apply their hearts unto wisdom.  
What would it profit men, if they could with Solomon dive into the secrets of nature, and yield a reason of all things, if they be ignorant of the corruption of their nature, and of the means how to be freed from it?  
Therefore that godly & learned 
Ex curiositate non solum frivolae, sed etiam no●iae quaestiones scaturiunt, ex quibus nulla utilitas elici potest. Caluin. instit. lib. 3. cap. 25.  Neoterick hath well observed, that from this bitter root of cursed curiosity innumerable questions do bud & blossom in the minds of men, which are not only frivolous, but very hurtful to them that ask them.  
Let hearers then be content with those things which may 
Pluris est una gultula sapient●ae divinae, quam vastiss. pelagus sapientiae huius mundi. Stella de contemptu mundi. Dum nug●s tenemus & opinionum riu●los consectemur, ipsum veritatis foutem amittimus. Hier. epist.  profit them for their soul's healths, and not puff them up; for a little heavenly knowledge is better than all the frothy knowledge of the world, for while we hunt after trifles, many times the truth slips from us before we are ware: yet many good DIVINES are herein faulty, which by their too often quoting Poets and schoolmen cause the people to make little difference between the pure Word of God, and the authority of man, whose breath is in his nostrils. Hence it comes to pass that many times they omit that which should be the sum of a Preacher, to teach the people to fear God and honour the King: This popular applause and vain glory, many times makes men of weak judgement to outgo themselves, and so by thinking to make a show of learning, they bewray their own ignorance, and so prove as tedious to their hearers, as a muddy way is to a weary Traveller; and being nearly touched they appear nothing else but empty bags, Nomine grammatici, re barbari. Therefore men must take heed that they meddle not with matters above their understanding, and look that they use not their mouths to spruce Inkhorn terms, and swelling words, bombasted with the flocks of sundry languages; as Cleantes and Chrysippus did in their painted Rhetoric, which that wise heathen hath so sharply 
Cicer. de fi●. lib. 4.  rebuked; hereby they show themselves good Nurses for 
Nugarum matrem, virtutum Novercam. Bern.  vanity, but Stepdames for virtue.  
But let no man mistake me, as if hereby I seemed to mislike learning; no, I am so fare from condemning it, as that I honour it wheresoever I find it; for learning in itself is good, and an excellent blessing of God, adorning the mind with natural gifts, mollifying the roughness of nature, and sitting it to receive the seeds of knowledge, therefore to neglect it when it may be had, is to tempt God with an high hand; It is not then the use of learning 
Crimen non est in rebus, sed in usu agentis. Greg. mo●. lib 9 e. 28.  that I speak against, but the abuse, when men labour to set up themselves, and so seek to rob God of his glory.  
Use. Seeing then learning is such an excellent thing, let us pray unto God to sanctify it to us, and then to make a sanctified use of it, by employing it so that God may be honoured, and the Church edified; for that is true 
Sa●ientia illa clara est, non quae verbis volat, sed quae virtutib●s constat. Greg. in mor. Psal. 11. 10 Ps. 19 7. jam. 3. 13. Vera Sapientia est thesaurus, quae solum in ag●o scripturarum nascitur. Hieron. in c  wisdom which doth not fly in the wind of words, but consists in the operation of virtue. Now this true wisdom is to be craved only at the hands of God, which only giveth wisdom to the simple, and this true wisdom is a treasure which groweth only in the field of the Scripture, where the man of God may be instructed in whatsoever belongeth to policy, Civility, and Christianity, for this life, or for the life to come: If we would know our Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, we may see them described in the Scripture, in which is contained a salve for every sore: Then those are much to blame which leave this pure 
Many strive rather to speak tunably to the care, then powerfully to the heart, delighting more ●o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 to p 〈…〉 thei● hearers, and ●● charge their duty before God. Pro. 19 23.  fountain of running water, and dig unto themselves Cisterns that will hold no water; such men's main end is to be admired for their learning, by which they hope to gain popular applause. Now this ambition many times waiteth upon God's dear Children, which makes them many times sacrifice to their own nets, and to seek themselues, & not the Lord jesus, therefore the Lord doth often deprive them of their hopes, and frustrate their expectation, and so brings down the pride of man, that thereby he may make way for his own glory.  
As then the office of a Preacher is a Calling of great reverence, 
Reu. 2. 8.  God himself dignifying them with the title of Angels, whose tongues he hath consecrated to comfort the dejected, instruct the ignorant, and direct the simple; Therefore all those which are called to this high calling should not be green plants, but well seasoned timber, grounded in knowledge and experience, that they may be able to maintain their Master's cause, and by sound arguments defend the truth powerfully, and persuade to the love of virtue pithily, and not to abuse that learning & knowledge God hath given them to jangling and contention, as many of the Separation have done, who having a great desire to be taken for singular wise men, and zealous professors, and being puffed up with a vain opinion conceived of themselves, and of their own knowledge, have laboured for to sow contention in the Church, and to displant good order established, whereby it comes to pass that not only weak Christians are amazed, but also the hearts of many are alienated from obedience to lawful authority; These men being further wrapped in devotion than they can wade through with discretion, yet under the colour of zeal for reformation in the Church, they have disgraced the government, as if God's Spirit enforced them to pass the bounds of Christian modesty.  
Touching those that carp at the present estate of Church-discipline, it lies not in the limits of my Text to say much, yet thus much I will say, though many things may seem to be misliked, as not so precisely good to them that look a far off with a sleight imagination, yet may very well be tolerated in policy to keep peace and quietness, for it is no sure course to go about to change laws, and to break down discipline, which is already established (to please the itching fancies of those humorous Sectaries, which delight in nothing but innovation) lest therewith all comeliness & good order be overthrown. David's resolution is 
Ps. 39 1, 2.  worn out of date, he said, he would look to his ways, that he did not sin with his tongue; but now a day's men are fall'n from David's practice to be busy bodies to pry and to look into matters of State, and to censure and carp at the government of the Church, which was so graciously established by that virtuous Princess of blessed memory, Queen ELIZABETH, now as glorious a Saint in heavan as ever shined in this our hemisphere, and since ratified and confirmed by two learned Kings, upon the examinarion of the learned Clergy, confirmed by the Peers and Nobility, and subscribed unto by the Commons, by the powerful authority of that honourable Court of Parliament, and now many year's experience bathe taught us to be peaceful and religious, yet for all this they can see Moats in the Church, but care not for searching their own hearts, and reforming their crooked manners; and so being puffed up with singularity they think they are able to instruct the wisdom of the State without book, when as they cannot learn obedience, their own duty, in all the books in the world.  
Brethren, what mean you to pry into those things which are above your reach, and cannot be fathomed by your shallow conceits? God be thanked the grave Senators which sit at the stern, do foresee dangers, and godly, discreetly, and providently prevent them, and so do preserve and protect us in peace and quietness, and so we may long enjoy our happiness, if our unthankfulness to God, and undutifulness to our Governors do not hinder it. Therefore seeing by them we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done 
Act. 24. 23.  unto this nation by their providence, we ought to acknowledge it with all thankfulness; wherefore in stead of prying into matters above our reach, let us remember that the time will shortly come that we shall be called to give account of our own stewardships; then we shall find that it is better to be of small learning with humility, then to be profoundly learned with a proud mind.  
There is a second branch which springs from this bitter root of vain glory, and popular applause; and they are those pragmatical censurers, and curious observers of other men's lives, and actions, that can mark and observe the slips and infirmities of their brethren, to disgrace them, but lack an eye to see their own filthy conversation; but let us remember again that we must give account of our own Stewardship; and not of others. What, can we spare so much of our short time to pry into others, and can find so little to ransack our own hearts? Surely to be curious in scanning other men's lives, and careless of our own is certainly an argument of an evil mind, and a great sign of an unsanctified heart; if thou wilt needs be prying into other men's conversations, look into the state of the poor and needy; behold their faces pale and wan, their  ragged and torn; Be thou as job was, An eye to the blind, feet to the lame, and a comfort to the needy; this is the way to gain honour and praise of men, when the loins of the poor shall bless thee; and the Lord will reward thee 
Possessa onerant. amata inquinant, amissa cruciant. Worldly things when we have them they load us, when we love them they defile us, when we lose them they vex us.  at the day of his appearing.  
Thus we have dived into the pleasing delights of the world, and have found out their insufficiency to profit us in life and death; come we now to consider of the world in itself.  
As all worldly things are vain and insufficient in their use, and unable in themselves to do us good for our souls and our bodies, so the world itself is momentany and mutable: momentany in regard of itself, as at the first it was a confused Chaos, so some shall live to see it pass away as a scroll or squib in the Air; so also it is mutable in regard of us who are changeable and subject to alteration. If the world could always continue, yet could not we, for one generation must pass 
Eccles. 1. 4. Quod breviter d●r●t, quis prudens quaerere curate.  away, and another come in their place. Then what wise man would set up his rest upon such an uncertain place, so unable to do us good? what is the world? a vale of misery: a sink of sin: a Court of Satan: a purgatory of pain: a mother to the wicked: and a Stepdame to the godly; where the proud are advanced without desert, and the virtuous oppressed without cause? What is the world? a second hell: full of ambitious desires, wicked wiles, and devilish intents, a cruel Serpent, that biteth us with her teeth, scratcheth us with her nails, and swelleth us with her poison: much like Laban who made poor jacob serve seven years for fair Rachel, and in the end deceived him with foul Leah. Even so dealeth the world with us, promising health, wealth, long life, and in the end deceiveth us with sickness, poverty, and death. What is the World? her music is grief, sorrow, shame and pain: her wealth, misery, nothing is to be looked for in it but troubles following one another as jobs messengers; Some are pinched with poverty, and overwhelmed with misery; some vexed with strife and contention: some tortured with sickness, boyles, and ulcers; some amazed with crosses, losses, and the like, some one way, some another way, in so much that if an old man should consider the dangers of his life from his birth to his grave he might wonder how he could be able to endure so painful a journey.  
What is the world? no place to continue in, all mankind are either strangers, or stragglers; 
1 Pet. 2. 11 Heb. 11. 13  the godly they are Strangers and Pilgrims, so the godly have confessed; and the wicked they are Stragglers, howsoever they take their portion in this life, yet at last they must away 
Psa 17. 14. Act. 1. 25.  with judas to their own home.  
Then what a vain thing is it to build up Tabernacles of rest here, of whose favour and love there can be no certainty? for the world itself is subject to change: look upon the earth, it waxeth weak and feeble for age, and therefore not so fruitful as in times past; look up to the heavens, they are not free from mutability; the Sun and the Moon have their eclipses, the times vary & change one with another, Summer with winter, day with night: look upon the world, sometime it flourisheth and abounds with delights, and seems to be as the garden of God, as Sodom and her neighbour Cities, and presently turned into ashes: Look upon the Assyrian & Babylonian Monarchy, for a time Master of the world, but at last was fain to yield to the Monarchy of the Medes & Persians, & they at last were forced to stoop to the Grecians; and they to submit to the Romans. So that we see that the glory of the Nations was quickly laid in the dust. And have not we lived to see many in our days which have shined as the Stars, which in a moment have vanished away like a Comet? have not our eyes beheld, and our ears heard the setting of as glorious stars as ever shined in the World since the death of josiah? I mean the setting of that glorious Princess of everliving memory, Queen Elizabeth, the Phoenix of her age, whose name shall smell as precious as ever Mary's ointment in the nostrils of all true hearted English: as also the going 
Dum tumu lum cernis, our non mortalia sper●is.  down of the Sun of that prudent, learned, & godly prince King james of blessed memory, who was in virtue excellent, in glory renowned, in government politic, removing debate by diligent foresight, filling our hearts with the fruit of peace; yet for all this, though they 
Quid valet hic mundus, quid gloria quidue triumphus. Sic transit gloria mundi.  were great in God's favour, yet they died. When God doth call, Nature must obey. Alexander that conquered the world, could find no weapon to conquer death. Man in honour must not continue.  
Brethren, what mean you then to set up your rest in such an uncertain place? What, hath Christ redeemed you from the world, and will you be partners with the devil in possessing it? it will shortly pass away & perish before your eyes, and yet will you make it your God? What madness is it to repose hope, & felicity in that which is nothing else but troubles to our bodies, disquietness to our minds, enticements of vice to our children, seeds of envy to our neighbours, the bait of sin, the snare of the soul and the gate of death? The world is like unto salomon's harlot that lays open her breasts to entice Travellers and Strangers, the two Dugs whereof are profit and pleasure, with the first she deals like Hypomanes and Attalanta, who being to run a race for a kingdom, Hypomanes casting a ball of gold on this side, and that side, so besotted Attalanta, that for to gain the gold she lost the victory, so doth the world misled the gold desiring Merchant.  
With the second the world deals like Cyrces', who alluring Grillus to taste of her drugs, made him so drunk with the pleasure thereof, as that he neither remembered the dignity of his person, nor sight of his Country; so deals the world with the pleasurable worldling. But of this point we have spoken enough: yet for all this so linked in league are we with the world, that we can be content to hazard our salvation for the uncertain enjoying of it. If we look upon the rich Giants of the world, which join house to house, and land to land, to maintain their proud backs, golden heads, and dainty throats, they have power to get riches, policy to keep them, and time to possess them, but they want hearts to use them: they build great and gorgeous houses, as if they should live for ever, and surfeit themselves with dainty diet, as if they should die to morrow, having less charity to the poor than the Devil, he desired to have stones turned into bread, but they turn Beef and bread, which was wont (by the charity of the godly) to feed the poor, these they turn into stones to raise up their Babel, and into Silks and Velvets to maintain them in their bravery, and so by this means they have almost brought the Commonwealth into ruin, for there was never good house kept by Gentlemen since the Tailor measured their lands by the yard, for now while they strive to advance themselves on high, they fearfully plunge their souls in misery. But woe to such fat Bulls of Bashan, without speedy repentance they shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God; then,  

Pudeat tanto bona velle caduca. 
Manil. l. 4.   
Oh be ashamed so much your hearts to stay,  
On things so frail, that swiftly pass away.   
Thus much of the former point propounded, the vanity and insufficiency of the world, and all worldly things: the second follows, the excellency of the soul, the love whereof should make us basely to esteem of all worldly things, and to count them no better than dung in respect of Christ, for Riches as we have heard are transitory, and will beguile us, Honours are slippery and will deceive us, and the world is Moth-eaten and wears away, and we ourselves are brittle, and so shall perish; then what is a man profited if he gain the world, and lose his own soul? In which words we may observe again these particulars.  
1. A comparison of the price with the thing prized; the price is amplified by the subject matter thereof, which is the soul. 2. By the propinquity and propriety, it is his own soul, more worth than all the world, which must continue when all these transitory things must pass away, and that which shall eternally rue the bargain; for what is the earth to heaven, and what can the world profit when the soul is plunged in Hell, where it can neither mitigate pain, nor purchase redemption?  
2. The irrecoverablenesse of the loss; what shall a man give for the exchange of his soul? There is nothing in the world sufficient; so precious is the redemption of the soul. The 
Psal. 49. 8.  words are expressed by a metaphor borrowed from captive prisoners, supprised or taken in war, which were wont to be redeemed by money, or else by exchange of one prisoner for another; but if that cruel Pirate Satan have taken us prisoners, we are past hope of recovery, there is no redemption; then what is a man profited if he gain the world, and lose his own soul.  
Doct. The note of observation which offers itself to our consideration is this; That men ought not principally to respect this life only, but that their chiefest care and labour should be to get their souls saved in the day of the Lord.  
To this we are exhorted by our Saviour, to labour for the 
john 6. 37. Luk. 13. 24  meat that endureth for ever, and to strive to enter in at the 
Mat. 7. 13.  straight Gate. Now, striving we know is an action of labour, teaching us that it requires great pains and diligence; for many shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. And the Apostle exhorts us to give all diligence to make our calling and Election sure, and he tells us of the benefit that will follow, If ye do these things, you shall never fall. This hath been the practice of God's Children, to press toward 
Phil. 3. 14.  the mark for the high Calling of God in Christ: and this is a mark of trial for the Saints, if they be risen with Christ to seek 
Col. 3. 1. Phil. 3. 20.  the things which are above, and to have their conversation in heaven. And therefore he would have as many as be perfect to be thus 
vers. 15.  minded. This is also a point of wisdom, which our Saviour would have us learn, to make us friends of the Mammon 
Luke 16. 9  of unrighteousness; and promised a reward to him that 
Reu. 3. 21.  overcometh, he shall sit with him on his Throne, and a Crown of life to those that continue 
Reu. 2. 10.  faithful to the death.  
Reason. 1 Ground of this truth is; 
Effiie●s ● qua.   
1. In regard of the excellency of the soul, which is seen in the work of Creation, for therein all the causes did concur for the perfecting of it.  
1. The efficient and supreme cause is God himself, which he hath reserved to himself as his 
Eccle. 12. 7  own Royalty.  
2. The Material cause was 
2. Materia e● qua.  not the rude Chaos and base slime of the earth, as was the body made of, neither was it made of the pure Gold of Ophir, but as if there were nothing precious enough in heaven and in earth, it is said the Lord breathed it out of his mouth.  
3. The formal cause, it was 
3. Forma per quam. Gen. 1. 27. Eph. 4. 24.  made after the Image of God, resembling him in Holiness, Wisdom, and Righteousness.  
4. The final cause, that it 
4. Finis propter quem. 1 Cor. 6. 19  might be the temple of God, and an habitation for his Spirit.  
2. The excellency of the soul is seen in the work of Redemption, for the soul's sake Christ laid aside his Robes of glory, was made man, and endured 
Phil. 2. 7.  so much misery & shame in his life, and so much torment and sorrow at his death, and all 
1 Pet. 1. 18  to redeem the soul with no less price than the Blood of 
Act. 20. 28  the Son of God.  
3. The excellency of the soul appears by Satan's malice, who goes about like a roaring 
1 Pet. 5. 6. Re●. 12. 7.  Lion seeking to devour it, he hath not such a spite to our wealth, our learning, cunning, or credit (though he love none of those things which are good and comfortable to us) as he hath to our souls, and the graces of God's Spirit in us. Was it jobs wealth he so much envied, or did he sift him because he was a rich man? No, nothing grieved him so much, as to see job continue in his uprightness, therefore he laboured by all means to cross him in his estate, and torment him in his body, that he might move him to despair, or else to blaspheme, that thereby he might destroy his soul; so also he shows himself an adversary to all God's Children, crossing 
Zach. 3. 1.  them in their suits which they make to God, or else defiles their prayers, by mingling hypocrisy and vain glory with their best sacrifices.  
4. The excellency of the soul is also seen by the ministry of the Angels, which are ever about the godly men to deliver them from danger, and are about their beds in sickness, and at the day of death like swift Posts to carry their souls into Abraham's bosom.  
Reason 2 2. Ground of this truth is, because as the soul is the most excellent part of man, so the loss of it is the greatest loss in the world, and therefore our Saviour adds, What shall a man give for the exchange of his soul? intimating unto us, that the world, and worldly things are not able to make recompense and satisfaction for the loss of the soul.  
Use. 1 Is the soul so excellent, then be exhorted to use all means that it may be saved, part with liberty, life, & all rather than thy soul. We see worldly men will endure any trouble, and take any pains for to gain preferment, they will hazard their lives, abide hunger and cold, take long and tedious journeys, and dive into the bowels of the earth to satisfy their longing desire for the things of this earth, which can stand by them no longer than their lives, yet says the Poet,  Impiger extrem●s ●urrit Mercator ad Indos. 
If riches may be had in India, Turkey, or any other places, though never so dangerous, yet the greedy worldling will venture his life rather than he will go without them.  
The husbandman, what pains and care will he take, rising early, and going to bed late for the things of this life, faring hard, and going thin, sparing from back and belly to advance himself in the world? what tortures, and troubles, and pains will a sick man endure for to gain health? he will be contented to have a leg or an arm cut and lanced to preserve and gain health: he will endure fretting tents, and corroding plasters, and deprive himself of pleasure, nay many times he will be content the endure the cutting off of his leg, arm, or other of his members for the preserving of the health of his body; If Naaman can recover 
2 Kin. 5. 17  help for his Leprosy he will spare for no cost.  
Oh how careful are men for their bodies and states, but how careless for their souls! they will be sure to look to their estates, and make them sure by good advice from their learned Counsel, but for their souls they take little or no care. Oh how ought we to break out into tears for the carelessness of our own salvation? what a Childhood and youth have we spent in ignorance and vanity? and how careless have we been to serve God, and save our souls? Nay, what enemies have we been to our own salvation? what filthy and unclean thoughts have we harboured in our hearts? what filthy words have we uttered with our tongues? how often have we sworn, lied, & blasphemed God, and taken his name in vain? how often have our hearts disdained and envied not only our Superiors whom we should have honoured, but also scorned and despised our Inferiors & equals, whom we should have loved and respected as ourselves? how have we spent our days in ignorance of God, and of our own fearful estate, spending our days in idleness, pride, and all manner of profaneness, presumption of God's mercy, and turning his grace into wantonness, grieving his Spirit, and wounding our own consciences? how should the consideration hereof cause us to pour forth our souls in godly sorrow before the Lord, because we have offended our Maker, sinned against our Redeemer, grieved the Holy Spirit, wronged our Neighbours, and so have deserved damnation, and to be cast out from the presence of the Lord for ever; and as we have cause to weep and mourn for our sins, and for that we have neglected the care of our own salvation; so also we are to mourn and lament to see others so careless of their salvation; some sell their souls, some carelessly lose them.  
1. Some sell them as Ahab, and as some wrangling and corrupt Lawyers, which have Linguam venalem, a tongue to be sold, which for a paltry fee will many times stretch his conscience by maintaining a false cause, or marring a good, to the undoing of his Neighbour. (Mistake me not, I speak not of all Lawyers, for some are conscionable and just in their proceed) The covetous man hath Animam venalem, a soul to sell for the base thick clay of this world, which cannot be redeemed with all the world: So the voluptuous man he sells his soul for pleasure, as Esau did his Birthright, esteeming more the pleasures of sin, which last but for a season, than the salvation of his soul. The proud man he sells his soul for advancement, as Alexander the sixth for the Popedom. GOD he commands us in the first Commandment to have no other Gods but him alone, yet the proud man will make Honour his god, the covetous man the wedge of gold his god, the voluptuous man his belly his god; The first of 
Ph●l. 3. 19 johannis de Combis compen. theol. lib. 5. cap. 10.  these as one well saith, hath his Idol in the Air, the second on the earth, the third in the water.  
2. Some lose their souls, as the carnal Gospelers, who think if they be not guilty of the crying sins of Sodom, nor 
Gen. 18. 20 Isa. 1. 18.  of the crimson sins of Israel, nor of the bitter sins of Simon Magus, they think they are in good case, though their lives abound with ignorance, and profaneness, and their souls with many infirmities, & their lives with many deformities, which they take no notice of. Alas poor souls, what good will it do you at the great day of account, when man cannot justly charge with crime, when God and your own conscience knows you want the wedding garment of faith, it is not sufficient to be cleansed from the one, unless ye be furnished with the other, else being weighed in the 
Dan. 5. 27.  balance of God's justice y●e shall be found too light.  
Others lose their souls by trifling away their time, like idle people in the market, while other are buying they stand gaping after the sinful vanities of the world, and think if they do as their Neighbours do, & come to Church although it be for fashion's sake, they are in very good case, though all this while their minds rove and wander after their worldly business, and so for want of watchfulness, they betray their souls into Satan's hands, and wrap themselves under that curse of doing the work of the Lord negligently.  
Others so live that unless all be saved, it is impossible but they shall be damned, because they love, like, and continue in their miserable estate of nature, being so chained in their sins and iniquities, that they cannot stir one foot to heaven-ward, yet for all this they do not consider their miserable state and condition, that they are slaves to sin, for whosoever 
john▪ 8. 34. Eph. 2. 3.  committeth sin is the servant of sin, and his servants ye are to 
Rom. 6. 16  whom ye obey. Nay, by nature we are the children of wrath, and heirs of hell, and bound over to the curse of the law, Gal. 3. 10 
Deut. 27. 2, 6.  and so liable to all crosses and calamities, & at our death to be haled by Satan into Hell; This fearful and miserable condition is fare worse than the bondage of Turks and Barbarians, for theirs though it be cruel, yet it extends but to the body, and cannot hurt the soul; the most that Tyrants can do, is, but to take away our lives, and deprive us of our liberty: but this bondage is spiritual, and deprives us of God's Image in our souls; In the other there may be possibility of escaping that miserable bondage, either by fear, force, or favour, or at leastwise our pains may be mitigated; if not, death will set us free; but in this bondage, as we are unable to set ourselves free, so we are unwilling to be freed, and are the greatest enemies to our own salvation; for, Satan having got possession of us deals with us as the Babylonians did with Zedekiah, first put out his eyes, and then bound him in chains; so doth Satan, he puts out the eyes of our understanding, and then binds us with the chains of ignorance, hypocrisy, hardness of heart; so that to our unability we ourselves add unwillingness to come out; and so by hating to be reform, we plunge ourselves unrecoverably under the wrath of GOD, pleasing ourselves in our ignorance, blindness, and hardness of heart; and so having lost the harmony of a good Conscience, we use variety of objects to take away tediousness, and get some jubal or other to play upon the Organ, to make us merry with our sins. In this corporal bondage we have a feeling of our misery, and so sigh and groan under the burden of it; but this bondage is spiritual, pleasing and delightful to our nature, so that we are so fare from being weary of it, that if any one seek to set us free out of this slavery, we hate him, scorn him, and deride him; and so put back the means of salvation from us.  
Brethren, what cruelty is this to neglect the means of our soul's health, which was bred and brought up with us, and which hath spent and wasted herself in our service, to minister strength and relief to our bodies, and shall not we take care to preserve it, and to use all means that it may be saved, God hath shut it up in our breasts, that it may be always in readiness to supply our wants, and shall we not take care to preserve it from destruction; our souls are shut up in a dark dungeon which is neither lightsome nor pleasant, but dark, and dirty, and full of all manner of uncleanness, and polluted with our original and actual sins, which made the the Apostle cry out, O wretched man, who shall deliver me from this 
Rom. 7. 24  body of death.  
If our souls had tongues to speak for themselves, they would cry out against us for our great cruelty, in that we starve them for want of food, and rob them of heavenly comforts, and scarce allow them a good meal in a whole year.  
Brethren, what food is to the body, such is the Word of God to the soul; now if by chance we come where any good matter is to be handled, so cruel are many to their souls, that they choke and dead them by drunkenness, surfeiting, or other uncleanness, or filthy vanity, so that their souls take little or no comfort by the Word, Sacrament, or Christian communication. As for the Sabbath day, which should be spent holy and religiously unto God, we spend it many of us most profanely, & ; as if we had no part in the Creation of the world, nor redemption of it by jesus Christ. For where is the man that bridles his desires, to sanctify that day as he ought? if God should now look down from heaven to behold the sons of men upon earth, should he not find many a Master, and Father, many a Mother, and many a Mistress either snorting or lazing upon their beds, prating, walking, trimming & smoothing themselves upon that day, & on that time which they should have spent for their soul's health? And yet alas, so careless are they of their souls that they think that time is lost which is spent for their good. Should he not also find many a Child, many a Servant, nay perhaps many a father, many a master, drinking, swilling, gaming, and peradventure whoring upon this day; or at leastwise swearing, fight, or quarrelling, or bargaining, or chopping or changing? But how few among many of us should he find praying, reading, and meditating upon the Word of God, and his righteous judgements? Men are very careful for their bodies, but very careless of their souls. But O foolish people, will you watch and take care to keep your Chickens from the Kite; your Lambs from the Wolf; your Pigeons and Coneys from the Vermin; and will you take no care for your souls? The soul being once lost, it is impossible to recover it again; other losses may be recovered, but this cannot. If job lose his health, wealth, and Children, yet they may be recovered, either by God's blessing upon our labours or else by the charity of friends; but if thy soul be once lost, there is no recovery; thousand of Rams, and ten thousand rivers of Oil will then do us no good.  
Saint Chysostom hath well observed, 
Omnia Deus d●dit duplicia, animam vero unam. Chry. ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 22. Nullo remedio sarciri, nullo precio redimi potest. Chrys. Hom. 56.  that God in the frame of the body hath given man two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet, etc. that if one fail the other may supply the want; but he hath given him but one soul, so that if that be lost, there is no supply to be had, no means can repair it, no price can redeem it, all the world cannot recompense it; for what would it avail us to have the wisdom and riches of Solomon, the strength of Samson, and the beauty of Absalon, and to enjoy the blessings of the world as long a life as Methushelah lived, if at our death 
Gen. 5. 27. Daretur caro Verminibus, anima daemonibus. Isodor. de Summo bono.  our flesh shall be made a booty for the Worms, and our souls a prey for the Devil? Oh consider this all you that forget God, and are careless of your own salvation! GOD hath made man a most glorious creature, and therefore all creatures admire & serve him, the wonder of the world; now as nothing is so glorious in earth as man, so there is nothing so glorious in man as his soul, which man himself should admire, and by all means seek the welfare of it; for this is our glory, our life, save this, and save all; But oh the carelessness of many, nay the most of us all, for that which should be our chiefest care, we are less careful! our souls are more worth than all the world, yet men now so live, as if their souls were of no worth. How justly may we take up that sad complaint of the Prophet, The 
jer. 12. 11.  whole land is made desolate because no man layeth it to heart: all manner of sins do now so abound, pride, hypocrisy, self-love, and cruelty; profaneness and Atheism have gotten the upper hand, and men do so live, that they think they have no soul to save; every man spends his days in pleasure, and following his own delights, as if God had sent us hither for no other end, but to sport, and play, and follow the lusts of our own hearts.  
Brethren, hath God created us in his own Image that we should so vilely and despitefully deface it? hath Christ redeemed us with such a price to save our souls, and shall we so negligently and wilfully cast them away? the wiseman saith, God hath created all things for 
Pro. 16. 4.  himself: Now if man swerve from the end for which he was created, & serve the Devil, the world, & his filthy lusts; and being made for heaven, should walk in the path that leads to hell; this is to degenerate from his nature, and become worse than the very beasts: for they stand firm in their places enjoined them by God in their Creation; The Bee and the Pismire are careful to do Gods work having no Tutor nor remembrancer; But Man the most excellent of all Creatures, wallows in all manner of riot and disorder: the Trees bear fruit, Flowers send forth sweet odours, herbs their secret virtues, and the waters post apace to the main Ocean; but Man is senseless and careless to obey his Maker; the senseless being forced contrary to his inclination to mount upward, never rests but sinks and descends again until it come to its proper centre, which is the determined place appointed of God; And shall Man that glorious Creature, created after the Image of God, run from his end, and delight to do every thing saving that which God hath prescribed him to do? The Frogs, Flies, Lice, and Grasshoppers, being appointed of God to take down the pride of that stout King, were zealous and diligent to obey their Creator; And shall Man which hath his heart filled with understanding and judgement being so many ways called upon, and put in mind of his duty; yet shall he swerve and go awry? shall God rejoice and delight himself in all the Creatures that he hath made, and repent that he hath made Man, which is so careless of such a precious jewel as he hath committed to him? There is nothing in the world should be so dear unto man as his soul, and yet how wretched are the most of us, we pass away our souls for trifles; We spit at judas who sold his Master, his Lord and God for thirty pieces of silver, but we sell away heaven for earth; the place of glory and bliss, to purchase hell the place of torment. Oh consider this, and be ashamed all ye that forget God. If the soul did die & perish with the body, than there were not so much care to be taken of it; but seeing the soul is immortal, and must for ever live with GOD or the Devil; how much care should we take to get it saved? for with the loss of our souls, we lose GOD the life of our souls, in whose presence is fullness of 
Psal. 16.  joys, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore. With the loss of our souls we lose Christ with all his merits, the presence and protection of all the Angels, and in stead of enjoying the society of the godly Spirits, we are plunged into Hell that loathsome prison, that shall never be unlocked; but shall for ever endure the fierceness of God's wrath in that everlasting burning, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and in stead of hearing of that blessed sentence of approbation, Come ye blessed of my Father, etc. the damned wretches shall hear that terrible sentence of condemnation, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting torments, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Every one of these words shall be pronounced with such power and authority, that they shall strike those damned wretches even to the bottom of Hell. Go from me, who have all help and comfort, all power and might, which all the days of your lives have had care to protect and save you from dangers, which have nourished your bodies withal manner of delights; but seeing you have had no care to glorify me, I will now take no further care to help you, but will glorify myself in your destruction; therefore depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, where you shall endure torments remediless, and endless; where you shall cry and roar, but I will not hear you; where you shall be always burning and frying, and yet never consumed. You shall seek death, and yet never find it; you shall be tormented 
Ibi d●lor permanet, ut affligat, & natura perdurat, ut sentiat, quia utrumque non deficit, ne● poena deficiet. Aug. de Ci●. Dei. l. 19  with griping hunger, but shall never be satisfied; with intolerable thirst which shall never be quenched; your Music shall be howling, and weeping of damned wretches like yourselves; but all in vain, you are now accursed, because you did abuse the titles of Honour which God gave you in your life, therefore now you shall have the title of curse, you shall be cursed of God, whose curse is everlasting damnation; you shall be cursed of the blessed Angels, whose curse shall be the horrors of your conscience; you shall be cursed of the devils, whose curse shall be the execution of your punishment, you shall be cursed of the damned wretches, whose curses shall be the aggravation of your torments, and you shall be plunged into everlasting fire, and be 
Mat. 22. 13  bound hand and foot, from whence you shall never be able to stir nor move, but shall for ever and ever so long as God is, remain frying and broiling in everlasting torments, which shall burn so violently, that the damned shall prise a drop of water above all the world; but they shall not obtain it; For there the Tormentors are Devils, and will never pity the damneds misery, and as they will never be weary with tormenting, so the torments shall never be ended, nor the tormented consumed; and therefore it is a misery of all miseries to be always dying and never dead. The soul also shall be tormented with the remembrance of pleasures past, and mercy refused; and now with pains and torments present, but unavoidable; and of joys lost, but now unrecoverable: and thus the Worm of your Conscience shall lie gnawing and fretting you, by bringing to your remembrance the cause 
Omnes gebennae superat cruciatus carere bonis, quibus in potestate habuerunt perfrui. Chrys.  of your misery, and how easily you might have escaped these torments, but that you had no grace to use the means; the consideration hereof shall make you curse God your Creator, and curse his justice, because he punishes you so cruelly; you shall curse his bounty and liberality, because he so severely prizes it now at so high a rate, and you shall curse the virtue of Christ's blood which was able to cleanse thousands from their sins, but now hath no virtue to purge you from your filthiness, and you shall curse the Saints in heaven, because you shall see them in glory when as yourselves are in torment; and though you yell and cry with the damned rich man for mercy, for mercy, but alas, the time of mercy than will be past, & Christ the judge will not now be entreated; from whose sentence you cannot appeal, the soul being once lost there is no place left for mercy.  
A good Father doth bring in a Sinner and his judge expostulating each with other;  Sweet Saviour (saith the Sinner) remember now thy Passion. 
True (saith the judge) but yet now there is no place for compassion.  Yet jesus let me come to thee. 
No, for in thy life time thou saidst, departed from me.  Yet jesus hast thou but one blessing, give me a blessing before I part 
No, thou art under the curse, therefore go from me ye cursed.  But Lord, since we are accursed, let us feel no other punishments than thy curse. 
No, as you have burned with the fire of lusts, so now you shall burn with the fire of Hell.  But who is able to endure this 
Isay. 33. 11.  everlasting burning, therefore sweet jesus let it not continue long. 
Yes, as you would have sinned for ever, so shall this fire last for ever; therefore go ye cursed into everlasting fire.  But Lord, seeing we must go away with a curse, yet give us some comfortable companions, which may refresh and comfort us in this flame. 
No, but as you were of your father the Devil, so go ye into that flame prepared for him and his Angels, from whence ye shall never departed till you have paid the uttermost farthing, which you will never be able to do.  
Hell is a great deep without 
Infernus ab inferendo dictus est.  bottom, out of which there is no redemption. In earthly prisons, and dungeons, there may be some possibility of escape, as we read of many that were condemned to die by the tyranny of Gog, and Magog, the Turk, and Pope, and yet have escaped; but out of hell never any escaped. The party which 
Mat. 13. 22  intruded himself into the wedding feast, and had not on his wedding garment, was bound hand and foot, and cast into utter darkness. If a man were bound hand and foot with a thousand Cords cross one another, this way, and that way, as the wit of man might conceive, so to hamper and fetter a man as that he were never able to stir or move, much less able to lose and set free himself; were not such a man in a miserable case? but if this man so bound should be cast into a Well or Pit a thousand mile deep, what hope could such a man have of ever coming out? So they that are once in Hell shall never come out thence; for, Between you and us 
Luk. 16. 29  (saith Father Abraham) is a great gulf set, so that it is impossible to come out thence. Now this Gulf is the eternal Decree of God, and it is passed the skill of men, Angels, and devils to give 
Dan. 12. 2  ease to a tormented soul, or purchase their liberty, for their Worm never dyeth, and their 
Mat. 9 24. 2 Thes. 1. 9  perdition is everlasting, and Saint jude saith, that they shall suffer eternal fire, and as the 
Reu. 20. 10.  Mercy of the Lord endures for ever, so doth the justice of the Lord endure from everlasting to everlasting, world without end.  
Ob. Oh but may some say, Is not God unjust to punish mortal man, which hath lived not above 20. 30. 40. 60, or 80. years, and hath endured a great deal of misery in this world; is he not then unjust to punish him eternally in the world to come?  
A. Unto which I answer, Oh man, who art thou that repliest 
Rom. 9 20.  against God? It is just with the most holy, righteous, & glorious God to punish man for ever, for these reasons:  
1. If we consider the infinite Holiness and Purity of GOD that is offended, & the intolerable indignity that hath been offered to his sacred Majesty, he may justly punish man with eternal torments.  
2. If man should live ever, he would sinne ever, and despite, and offer violence to the sacred Majesty of the Lord, and lad him with his sins, as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves.  
3. It is just with God to punish sinners so long as they continue   

sinful, but the damned in hell remain sinful; therefore it is just with God to punish them with eternal torments; for sin is like Oil, and the justice of God like fire; and we see by experience that so long as the Oil lasts, the fire will burn; so, as long as the damned remain sinful; so long they shall be tormented, now in hell as we shown before, the damned do continually blaspheme, and sin against God; therefore their torments shall be endless, for ever and ever.  
Now let the greedy worldling 
Extrema gaudia sequuntur perpetuae laments.  tell me what a match he makes, to gain the world, and lose his soul, which is more worth than ten thousand worlds; and which cannot be ransomed again at any rate. If gold and silver and the riches of the world could redeem the soul, then sure the Devil would have made sure work for himself, but alas, it cannot be obtained; he cannot purchase his redemption, but at last shall be cast into that fiery lake, and shall be tormented day and night, for ever and ever.  
Brethren, if the torments of Hell be so fearful and so painful as we have heard, and so impossible to come out of them; the Devil being the Gaoler, and being armed with the purpose and decree of God, that it is impossible to escape; Those he possessed in our Saviour's time, how hard a matter was it to make him let go his hold, so loathe he was to lose those he held captive by permission? how much more careful will he be now to hold the damned under the fierceness of God's wrath for ever? How then may we wonder at the folly and madness of many of us that so wilfully cast away our souls? What ado have we to win and persuade men from their wickedness, which is the high way to lose their souls? Some cast away their souls to satisfy their drunkenness; some by blasphemous oaths; some by gripping and greedy covetousness; some one way, some another; in so much that God may thunder from heaven against the deaf sinners of our times, and say as once he did to Israel, Why will ye die? why will ye cast away your souls? And yet for all this we will not amend: Christ may lay load upon our Consciences, as once he did upon judas, and tell us, that if we lose our souls, it had been better for us we had never been borne; but for all this neither his Word nor his judgements can stay us from walking in those sinful courses which lead to hell; We love the way to hell better than the way to heaven, and we prefer the pleasures of sin before the joys of heaven. We are careful for the world, lest we should want, but for the soul we make no question; for the body we take care, and upon every light occasion do distrust, and fall to shifts, fearing we shall want: but for our souls we persuade ourselves that all is well with them, albeit they want all the means of salvation, and we ourselves live in our corruption unreformed: many ways there are to make supply for the body in earthly things, but one way for heavenly; our labour here may procure us maintenance, and what we want may be supplied by the Charity of our friends; but no man can redeem his soul: We may win the world as Alexander did, and yet for all this lose our souls. Oh consider this all ye that forget GOD, and are careless of your salvation: we will be at great cost for the assurance of our lands, and for gain we will travel fare, and to be sure of promotion we will endure much toil and drudgery, and shall we take no pains to be assured of heaven, the gain of glory, and the salvation of our souls? Naturally we are moved to seek after those things, by which we may escape loss, and gain some good, but oh the carelessness of the most of us for the salvation of our souls! Men study to become learned, they labour for friends, strive for riches, and seek for promotion, because the benefit of them is much for man's welfare, & the want of them is held to be very hurtful, without them men are judged but miserable, yet riches & honour are nothing so available for us here, learning and friends cannot make them happy that have them, unless they be assured of the salvation of their souls; but alas, we are like Balaam, we can wish that our souls may die the death of the righteous, but are unwilling to live their life; we would with Dives far delicately every day, and yet with Lazarus look for heaven at our ending: Thus we pass our days in the sinful vanities of the world, and are careless of our own salvation, and so spending our days in pleasure suddenly we sink down into hell.  
Oh but may some say, God forbidden we should be so careless for our souls as to lose them for the world, we hope we have more care than so.  
Unto whom I answer, if you be so careful as you say you are, what means that rising up early, and going to bed late? what toiling, & carking & caring for the world, like the bleating & lowing of the Amalekites sheep and Oxen? what means that excessive care for the belly and back? these cry so loud that men may see that the care of the most is for the world, and the least care is for the soul the most precious jewel we have. But thou that sayest thou art so careful for thy soul, let me ask thee a question or two, and let thy Conscience answer before God that knows the secrets of thy heart; Do you feel as great thirst after righteousness, as ever at any time you have felt after drink to refresh your dry body, or as great a desire after God's Kingdom, as the Covetous man hath after money? is your principal care night and day how you may please God? canst thou sorrow and mourn more for sin, and for the loss of God's favour; then for the loss of any worldly estate? Canst thou put up wrongs and injuries done thee patiently and quietly, and see God's hand in them, as David did the cursing of Shimei? If these things thou dost out of a good Conscience, than I say thou art careful for thy soul. But on the contrary art thou a willing servant of sin, more willing to do what thy lust leads thee unto, than what God commands? Dost thou bestow upon the world that love, fear, joy, delight, strength, and time which God challengeth, and the godly in all ages have been careful to perform and give unto him, then where is thy care for thy soul? doth thy life and conversation agree better with the will of the Devil, then with the Will of God, & dost thou take more care & pains to fulfil the Will of the flesh, and Satan, then in doing what God requireth? If thus thou dost, for shame never say thou takest care for thy soul, for the devils take as much care as thou dost; If the righteous can hardly be saved, where shall the profane sinners appear? if they which have set their faces towards heaven all the days of their life, shall scarce be saved, what shall become of those that have set their faces against heaven all their life? If we have care of our souls as we ought, where is our zeal to God-ward? where is our reverend fear of his Majesty? where is our service and obedience we yield unto our Lord and God? where is our very reason that makes us differ from beasts, which by the instinct of Nature follow those things which are profitable to them, and shun those things which are hurtful; yet we having direction from the Word of God, have no desire of everlasting happiness, nor fear of endless destruction.  
Ob. Oh but may some say, I mean to take care for my soul, but as yet I have no leisure, I have many businesses in hand, and within short space I mean to put off my trade, and by that time I shall have got money, and then I mean to betake myself to a religious course of life.  
A. But doth not God in the first place command thee to seek his Kingdom, which is the greatest & principal work? and wilt thou seek that last which he hath commanded to seek first? Thou sayest thou wilt serve God when thou art rich, but how dost thou know that thou shalt have a heart then to serve God? have not we seen many rich men have made their riches their god, and so have withdrawn their hearts from God? Again, no Calling must be a calling from God, every man can find time to spare out of his Calling to eat, drink, sleep, and many times to prate, game, and the like, and canst thou find time to fill thy belly, and no time to provide for thy soul?  
Oh but may some say, I will repent when I am sick, then will I humble myself, and seek for my soul's health, for sickness will put me in mind of death.  
Unto which I answer, suppose thou be never sick, wilt thou never take care for thy soul? have we not heard of many that have died suddenly, and so have had no time to prepare for their soul's health? Was not Zimry and Cosby taken in the very act of sin, and so by the hand of justice sent to Hell without any time to repent in? If old Ely had had his repentance to seek, and the provision for his soul to get when he fell down and his neck was broken, in what a fearful case had he been? Do we not see many in their sickness to have died senseless like Nabal, and it is just with GOD, that 
Soepe morie●s oblivi. scitur sui, qui dum vi●eret oblitus est Dei.  they which have forgotten him in their life, should forget themselves in their death? Did not the Israelites die suddenly with the Quails in their mouths? and Ananias and Saphira his wife before they were summoned by sickness, or thought of their souls? and how many are there which are taken away by senseless diseases, as the Apoplexy, dead Palsy, or other diseases, which make men unfit to take care for their soul's health? Sickness is a time to live by faith, and not a time to get faith. What a madness and misery were it for the Soldier to have his Sword and Helmet to seek when the enemy sounds alarm to the battle? so what a foolish thing is it to have the provision for our souls to seek when death is ready to get in at the window? But admit that sickness put them in mind of death, & that they were sure to die to morrow, yet many would not be the better for it. The Apostle 
1 Cor. 15. 32.  tells us of the Epicures of his time, that spoke of dying to morrow; and yet had no grace to provide for their souls, for thus they say, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die; which shows that grace is not wrought by sickness, or fear of death, but by the power of God's Spirit.  
Ob. Oh but then we will send for the Minister, and he shall pray for us.  
Answ. Wilt thou send for them to pray for thee in thy sickness, whom thou hast scorned, despised, and disregarded in thy life, and health, as much as ever Pharaoh did Moses and Aaron? If they could do no good unto thy soul while thou wert in thy health, what canst thou think they can do unto thee now a sick, passionate, and diseased man: dost thou think they can work faith and repentance in thy heart? No, they cannot gather Grapes of Thorns, nor Figs of Thistles; if thy heart be overgrown with the weeds of sin and profaneness, they can do thee little good, unless thou show great signs of repentance, and hatred of all thy former sinful life. 
Let no man think I would deprive the distressed of those means God hath appointed to confirm their faith, that is not my meaning.   
Ob. Oh but then we will receive the Sacrament, and then no doubt but it shall go well with us.  
Answ. The Sacrament is not a means to beget faith, but to confirm faith, where it is already begotten; take heed therefore thou do not receive it with unclean hands, and an unrepentant heart, lest it seal up to thee thy damnation, and be unto thee as the Sop was unto judas.  
Brethren, mistake me not I pray you, I do not condemn nor disallow for any that is sick to send for the godly learned Minister, for to receive help and comfort from him in the time of distress; no, no, that is not my meaning, the Apostle exhorts those that are sick to call for the Elders of the Church, and to let them pray 
jam. 5. 15, 16.  over them; & he shows the benefit that will follow, The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven. And if he repent truly of his sins, the Sacrament shall seal up, and assure him of Christ and his righteousness, to be imputed unto him for his salvation▪ But the thing that I aim at is this, when as I see profane men contemn and despise the godly faithful Ministers in their life & health; I fear me they deceive themselves, to think that the Minister can do them any good by his own power and presence: no, no, he can but declare their remission of their sins upon their repentance: if then they do truly repent them of their sins, and resolve from the bottom of their hearts to lead new lives, let them not doubt but they shall receive much comfort by God's blessing from them; for to this end hath the Lord given them the tongue of the learned, that they might know how to minister a word of comfort in due season to a wearied Conscience.  
Therefore Brethren, if you would have comfort by them in your sickness, and at your death, make much of them, and reverence them in your lives, and let them be dear and precious unto you, and honour them for their works sake.  
But here may some object, and say, What a stir is here for the salvation of the soul? here is more ado than needs, we may provide for that at our leisure, & there is no time unfit to repent and turn to the Lord; he is a God of mercy, he will have mercy upon our souls whensoever we repent and turn to him: did he not show mercy to the Thief at the last gasp? therefore I doubt not but if I repent in my old age I shall be saved well enough.  
To which I answer, that though no time be unfit or too late for repentance while we are here in this life, yet many times we hear of many which are taken out of the world before they thought of repentance, and late repentance proves seldom good, but many times feigned and dissembled like Cain's, Esau's, and judas.  
If the case be so (dear brethren) than it is a point of wisdom to look into it, whether it were best policy for us to take the opportunity of time while it is offered, or else post it off to another time; we see that the men of the world are wiser in their generation, 
Fro●te capila●● p●st est occasio calua.  let us learn a point of wisdom of them.  
Ask the Merchant when it is best time to provide for his Commodities, and he will tell you, while the Mart lasts. Ask the Husbandman when it is time to sow his ground, and he will tell you, while the season lasteth. The dumb Creatures, as the Stork, and the Turtle, and the Crane, know their appointed times, but man will not know when it is time to turn unto GOD, that he may have mercy upon his soul, and if they do know the time, yet they put it off, & neglect it, though they be often called, Today if you will hear his voice barden not your hearts; yet the most of us like drowsy men sleep still in sin, and answer the Lord as Saint Austin saith of himself, saying, Lord I had not wherewith to answer thee, when thou saidst unto me, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee life. And thou demonstrating those things to be true in every point which thou spakest unto me, I being convinced of the truth, had not any answer at all, but only the words and speeches of a loitering sluggard, and of a drowsy sleeper. 
Nil nisi tantum verba lenta & somnolenta modo, ecce modo, fine paululum, sed modo & modo non habebat modum, & fine paululum in longum ibat. Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 5.  By and by, and behold anon, & by and by, behold anon, had neither measure nor moderation: and let me alone held on a long time. So do sinful men with GOD, they by procrastinating the time, hazard their salvation. Now if by the Word of God we can convince the careless world in this point for the neglect of the salvation of their souls, and dissolve this objection, we hope we shall not unprofitably spend our time; let us therefore in the fear of God set upon the work.  
We all know that the chiefest care of a Christian should be to glorify God, and save his soul, and to this end we all know, that amendment of our lives is a work necessarily required, without which no man can be assured of his salvation; so that here nothing cometh into the question, but the time when, we ought to take care for the salvation of our souls; thou sayest the time is to be deferred hereafter, and givest a reason for it, because God is a God of mercy: But we say it is to be done presently, therefore let us see which opinion is most conformable to the truth. We grant that God is a God of mercy to the penitent, so he is a God of justice to the obstinate; and Mercy abused makes way for his justice; and though God (saith St. Gregory) hath promised pardon to the penitent, yet he hath not promised to morrow to a sinner, Times and seasons (saith our Saviour) are in God's hands, than what a folly is it for us to think that we can dispose of the time to come for our own salvation? Christ hath the Keys of life and death 
Reu. 1.  committed to him, to open, and shut at his pleasure; then how can we presume he will open to us the gate of repentance at our pleasures? It is true that God calleth at all hours, yet we must not look he will call us when we list; therefore let us learn the wisdom which God would have to us learn, that is, to seek the Lord while he may 
Is. 55. 6, 7.  be found, & to call upon him while he is near; and to follow that good counsel of the Wiseman, to make no tarrying to turn to 
Eccles. 5.  the Lord.  
A Father hath well observed; that if gold should be offered unto us, none would be so foolish or negligent as to say, I will not accept of it till to morrow, or I▪ will come to you next year for it; but they will take it presently, and admit of no excuse. But the redemption 
Redemptio animae pro●ittitur, nemo festinat. Amb.  of the soul is promised and proffered, and where is the man, or where is the woman that accepteth of it? How truly may that speech of the Father be applied to our times? Men are greedy, and careful for earthly things, no man will take time, but will take them when they are offered: but for spiritual things men may think they have too much; or lest peradventure they fear they may fall from young Saints to become old 
Ca●endi opportunitas non est omittenda.  devils; But suppose our life might be long, and that we shall have time to repent in our old age, and make up our reconciliation with our God, which no man can promise unto himself; what, will it be more easy to do it then, than now, whilst we have our health, our limbs, our sight, and hearing? no, no, brethren deceive not yourselves, old age is no fit time to begin to repent in, and to provide for our souls; for than we shall find that sin is increased with the years of our age, which will make us more unfit to seek for our souls good; old age is wilful and peevish, and will hardly be reclaimed; and the custom of sin will take away the sense of sin; and if now it be a hard matter to conquer one or two sins, what will it be to fight against a hundred? and if it be so hard a matter to break and subdue the corruption of one or two year's sins, how hard will it be to overcome the sins of Childhood, youth, & middle age? & it is a hard thing to leave that custom which a man hath 
Cum magn● dolore relinquitur, quod cum magno amore possidetur. Bern. de coena Don.  been enured unto all his days, he will be as loath to part with his sins, as his sins are to part with him; who will then be persuaded to believe, unless he be a mad man, that the offence increasing, the pardon may easily be obtained? The Wiseman 
Eccles. 10.  telleth us, that an old inveterate disease troubleth the Physician, and shall we think that old sins will not be troublesome to get pardoned in old age? for then sins although they are great and horrible, when as they are come into 
Peccata quamu● magna & horrenda, cum in co●suetudinem tenerint, aut parna, aut nulla, esse creduntur. Aug. E●ch. cap. 17.  a custom, are thought to be no sins, or at least very little ones: we see that old men which have trifled away their days in the practice of sin, in their old age begin to be wilful and perverse, and so hate to be reform; and experience shows how hard a thing it is to reclaim an old Swearer, an old Usurer, or an old Lecher: how hard a thing it is to reclaim one that is died in grain in his sins, and the lust of their vices are so rooted and fixed in the bones and marrow 
job 20.  of their souls, and so are ready to lie down with them in the grave.  
But yet suppose for all this, thou mayst repent in old age, yet what a deal of time hast thou lost, while thou hast lived in thy sins? what a deal of comfort mightst thou have had if thou hadst spent thy time in the practice of Piety? and what a pattern of virtue mightst thou have been to young men, and to have caused them by thy example to fear the Lord in the days of their youth?  
Again, how unequal and indiscreet a thing is it to reserve old age for repentance? were it not unfit, or very foolish, if a man had many great and weighty burdens to be carried a long and tedious journey, and had many strong and lusty Horses to carry them, yet should lay all the burdens upon one, and the weakest, and poorest horse, which is scarce able to go, how foolish a thing were this? such is their folly that do cast the burden of their repentance upon their old age, sparing their youth and middle age, and letting them go empty which were fare more fit than old age, which is scarce able to bear itself.  
Again, how unjust a thing it is to serve the world, the flesh, and the devil with our Summer and best days, and to offer our old, lame and decrepit age unto God? The Lord charged his people that they 
Deut. 25.  should not have two manner of weights, a great and a small to measure by, and how dare any man have two unequal measures in his live, one so great for the Devil, the flesh, and the world, as if they were our friends, and the other so short for God, as if he were our enemy? thus we see how unequal a thing it is, and how hard a thing it is to defer the taking care for our souls until sickness or old age, and how difficult then it is to seek the Lord, and to make up our peace with him; Let us therefore remember the counsel of the Wiseman, to remember our Creator in the days of our youth; and the rather,  
1. Because our lives are uncertain, 
Motives to to induce us.  therefore they are compared to a Pilgrim, to a Weaver's shuttle, to the flower of the Grass, to smoke, to a Vapour, to a Bubble, to a dream that is ended before it be well begun. All which show the shortness of our days; and what need had we then to spend them in the service of God? yet for all this, many (we see) are ready to go out of the world before they knew wherefore they came into it. Therefore he that is well now may be sick and dead before he is ware: Herod was well and in health when he began his flourishing Oration, but 
Act. 21. 23.  before the end thereof, and his departure from the people, the Angel of the Lord smote him, and he was eaten up of worms; by whose fearful example we may learn, that if we defer our repentance but one day, yea but one hour, death may prevent us, before we repent, for no man can tell what dangers a day or an honre may bring forth.  
2. Because as we have showed before, that the longer a man doth defer his repentance, the harder it will be for him to repent, to leave and forsake his sin; the nail that is driven fast in with a hammer with many strokes is not easily got out: So sin the longer we nourish it in our bosoms, the harder at last it will be to master, and the weaker we shall be to overcome it.  
If a man have received a deadly wound in his body, he will not defer the cure of it to a year, or a quarter, or a month, nay a week, but will take the opportunity of time. Are men so careful to preserve their bodily life? but oh how careless are many for their souls, which will post off their repentance to their sickness, or old age? But let no man so dangerously adventure to tempt God as to put all to the success of the last battle, having no better weapons than these wherewith so many have been foiled.  
3. If we defer our repentance to the last, we may in the mean time be deprived of the means by which God usually worketh faith and repentance; that is, the preaching of the Word, which may be tanslated either nationally, or parochially from us, and if we neglect the means it is presumption for us to think that God will work faith and repentance without the means, which being neglected, our comforts are abated, our faith weakened, and the Devil advantaged against us. If therefore we would be assured that our care is good, and that we shall not be deprived of our hope, let us take the opportunity of time while it is offered unto us, for if it be offered us now, who knows whether it shall be offered us again or no? and the more pauses and delays we make, the more unfit we are to lay hold upon the means hereafter: for when Satan hath so prevailed with men, that he can bring them into a custom of sin by negligence, carelessness, or any thing else, what follows but hardness of heart, and what follows hardness of heart but impenitency? & so we treasure up God's wrath against 
Rom. 2. 4, 5  the day of wrath; this should carefully be laid to heart of all, but especially of those which have so many lets and hindrances, that they can find no time to take care for their souls. If old age make men unfit to attend a King, as Barzillai tells David, saying, that 
● Sam. 19 35.  he was unfit to do him service; how unfit are all those that defer the serving of GOD to their old age, in which many have as little taste and relish in godliness, as ever he had in his meat?  
4. We are not sure we shall live till old age, how fearful a thing then is it for us to defer our conversion? The Israelites perished 
Num. 11. 33.  while the meat was in their mouths; and jobs Children 
job 1. 18.  were slain while they were banqueting in their brother's house; and many we see and hear of are taken away before they are ware: happy then are we, if we can learn wisdom by other men's harms; if we could now descend into hell to behold the damned in their torments, frying, and burning in fire and brimstone; If we should ask them the cause of their misery, one would tell us he made account to repent him of his sins, & make his peace with God when he was sick: but alas, he died suddenly, and now must live miserably in torments. Another, he meant to repent him when he was old, but he died while he was young; All of them would tell us in effect, that if they were to live again, they would prepare for their souls presently. Well, they are gone and passed recovery, let us now while we have time, and means, & opportunity, repent, & turn unto the Lord that he may show mercy unto our souls.  
5. Late repentance is not so acceptable to God, as the willing service of youth. Late repentance is feldome true repentance. A good devout Father disputing this point, saith, He 
Ambr.  that repenteth, and reconcileth himself at the last cast, and passeth hence, I confess unto you, that we deny not unto him what he desireth, 
Non dico saluabitur, non dico damnabitur, tu ver● age poenitentiam dum sanuses.  but I dare not say he went well hence, I do not presume, I do not promise, I do not say, he shall be damned, neither do I say, he shall be saved; but if thou wilt be assured and freed from doubt, repent while thou art in health; so run that thou mayest obtain, and then thou shalt be sure to be safe, because thou repentedst at that time when thou mightst have sinned; but if thou wilt repent when thou canst sinne no longer, thy sins have dismissed thee, and not thou them, 
Si aetate prohibitus a peccato desistis, debilitati gratias agendum. Basil. Qui prius a peccatis relinquitur quam ipsa relinquat, ea non libere. sed quasi ex necessitate condemnat. Aug. de vera & falsa poenitentia. c●. 17.  and if a man leave sin when age and weakness hinder him from following it, we must thank his weakness, and not him, and it is no thanks to mortify our sins, when they are mortified by sickness.  
True repentance must be voluntary, & performed willingly: therefore let no man tarry so long in sin as he can; for God requireth the liberty of the will, & he that will not take the time that God gives, it is just with God that he should seek for time, which shall be denied; Let us prevent it, lest we be prevented by it, we know in 
Praef●at praevenire. quam prae●eniri.  regard of our time, we have but a short time to live, and that short time full of misery, many of us have spun a long thread, and so have set our feet within the gates of death, and many of us have trod in the path of old age, in which the Almond flourishes, & many of our hairs are turned white to the harvest of death. Old age is honourable if it be found in the ways of righteousness; but if old men be found in the ways of sin, ignorance, and profaneness, oh how dishonourable are those grey hairs! what, an old man a swearer! an old man a Drunkard! an old man a Gamester! an old man a Liar! an old man a Whoremaster! an old man an ignorant man! oh what a shame is this!  
Brethren, the Israelites were commanded to gather twice so 
Ex. 16. 22.  much Manna the day before their Sabbath as they did any day in the week before; and should not the grey hoar head that looks every day for his last day of mortality, and his Sabbath of rest, should not he I say labour to get twice so much knowledge, pray twice so much, read twice so much, and ponder in his heart the works of the Lord, of mercy, and of justice, and grow in the graces of God's Spirit, that they 
Tit. 2.. 7.  may show themselves patterns of all goodness for young men to imitate? the days of man's life are threescore years and ten, says Moses the Man of 
Psal. 19  God; but oh the carelessness of many! which have passed this age, and though death stand at the door, yet they will not believe it. It is said of Ephraim, that grey hairs were upon him, yet he knew it not; he had 
Hos. 7. 9  marks of death upon his face, and hair, yet would still be young; and what was said of Ephraim may justly be said of many old men in our days, whose windows grow dim, whose sight fail, and they bend downward to their long home, and yet they consider not their latter end, therefore they fall 
Lam. 1. 9  miserably, and many die fearfully. Oh consider this all ye that forget God oh how sour and stinking are the dregs of sin and profaneness of old men in the sight of God as old men are to repent betime, so are young men, they are to remember their Creator in the days 
Eccles. 1. 2.  of their youth; for it is needful to begin betimes, because they have much work to do, and they have no lease of their lives, time and tide stayeth not: therefore all of us while it is called to day, harken and obey, for between old men, & young men there is little difference; old men go to death, and death comes to young men; therefore as all men must die, all must labour to get their souls saved.  
For it is a just thing with 
justum est ut a Deo contemnatur moriens, qui Deum omnipotentem contemp sit vivens.  God that he should contemn that man in his death, which contemned God Almighty in his life; therefore let us not defer this needful work, but presently set upon it while we have time, and while it is called to day, for it may be to morrow may be too late; & God's mercy being abused, he is a consuming fire: and therefore it will be a most fearful thing to fall into his hands.  
Ob. Oh but God is a God of mercy, and he shown mercy unto the Thief at the last hour, and therefore I doubt not but he will also show mercy unto me.  
A. It is true indeed, God is a God of mercy, full of compassion, and his tender mercies 
Ps. 145. 8, 9 Eph. 2. 4.  are over all his works, yea, he is rich in mercy, and therefore thou thinkest his mercy will be as great to thee, as it was to the Thief upon the Cross; This was a rare example of Christ's mercy, and cannot be applied to any particular man, because the promises of mercy do join the means and end together. Therefore we cannot deny, but that as God is merciful, so also he is just, and justice and Mercy cannot dispense one with another. God deals with man, as Physicians deal with their Patients; we see many learned Physicians sometimes give over their Patients, not for that they want skill, but because they see them incurable: so thou that posts off, and defers thy repentance, and care for the salvation of thy soul till the last gasp, if thou be damned, it is not because the Lord wants mercy, but because thou art dead in thy sins, and past recovery, and so the mercy of the Lord can do thee no good: thou remainest in thy impenitency, hardness of heart, and unbelief. The Apostle tells the believing Romans that God is able to graft the jews into the true Olive plant again, if they do not continue in their unbelief; Intimating unto us that God is not able to show mercy unto unbelieving and unrepentant 
Rom. 11. 23  wretches, so long as they continue in unbelife. See therefore what thou art like to gain by this rare example of the Lords mercy, showed unto the thief upon the Cross. But because this is the strong hold wherein many desperate wretches hide themselves, we will therefore by the light of God's Word dive into this example, and weigh every circumstance in it, and what we discover, we will plainly set down, and show what rocks and shelves lie in this harbour, and how dangerous it is to cast Anchor here▪ & having found out the danger, we will hang out a bloody Flag, which may threaten death and destruction to all that seek to harbour upon this sandy foundation. Tell me not therefore of the Thief upon the Cross, for of two thiefs one was damned, though he saw the repentance of his fellow, & heard Christ's gracious promise, yet for all this he repent not; Why do we not bring him for a pattern, and apply it to ourselves, and say, Might not this be our case, which have put off our repentance unto the last? Here is a Thief against a Thief, the one is saved and the other damned: that this thief was saved was a miracle, & miracles were no miracles if they were common; We have of this rare mercy of GOD one example, that no man should despair; and but one example that no man should presume.  
1. This is a rare example without any promise of God, if that thou canst show a promise that thou shalt repent at the last hour of thy life; but if thou canst not, than thou promisest that to thyself, which God never promised to give thee.  
2. Again, this was a work of wonder, and every way miraculous, for Christ was hereby pleased to honour the ignominy of his Cross, and to manifest his power in his greatest humiliation, his cruel enemies raged, and blasphemed; his stripes and wounds shown him to be but a mortal and despised man, and his Disciples despairing after so many miracles, whether he were the promised Messiah or no; therefore our blessed Saviour to manifest his power, and to show that he was the Lord of life and death, was pleased to show mercy to this poor wretch, that he might acknowledge that which his Disciples believed not, or at leastwise doubted of: therefore this miracle is placed among the wonderful works of God, raising the dead, & darkening the Sun.  
3. This was but one particular instance, & therefore it is no sure arguing from a particular example unto a general cause, and from an extraordinary example to draw an ordinary; one Swallow we use to say, doth not make Summer; all the Scriptures do not afford such another example, and therefore to presume upon this shadowy hope, is all one as if some mad man should hope that his horse would speak English, because Balaams' Ass once expostulated the case with his Master; or because once the Israelites went through the Red Sea, and were not drowned; Once Daniel was cast into the Lion's Den, and was preserved; And the three Children were cast into the fiery furnace, and were not hurt, but we are so worldly wise as that we will not try conclusions herein; why then should we rest on the other? for if once the Prince pardoneth a condemned Malefactor, when the halter was about his neck, and he ready to be turned off; is it safe then for every Malefactor to trust to that? Our Lord jesus being now to go into his Kingdom, pardoned a great offender, as Princes use to do at their Coronation; were it safe, and a worldly wise part for a man to commit a robbery, and to expect a Coronation between the fact and his execution.  
4. This was a work of Christ's Divine power, which could command and work grace, which none now can give.  
5. The case of this thief & many desperate wretches now a days is not one and the same; he had never grace offered him, nor never heard of Christ till now, for if he had, he would not have been the last among the Apostles, which is before them in heaven; but it is probable he was a Roman, and never had any knowledge of Christ before, but thou hast heard of Christ, and despised, and rejected the means which he hath appointed for thy salvation; then what hope canst thou have to be saved? or what comfort canst thou take in this example? Lay all these circumstances together, and see if he be a fit pattern for thee to imitate, and if thou wilt needs make him a pattern, then when Christ comes again to be crucified upon the Cross, and thou be a thief, and never heard of Christ in thy life, then mayst thou expect in such a miraculous manner to be saved. But if we will make a right use of the mercy of God, let us rather be led by it to repentance, than any way to be 
Rom. 2, 4. Quae maior iniquitas, quam ut inde a te Creator contemnatur, unde plus amari merebatur. Bern.  settled in security; for what greater iniquity can there be, then that thy Creator should be contemned of thee, for which he deserved more to be loved.  
But to conclude this point, it is a double shame and sin for old men to put off their conversion, and to be of an unclean life, or ignorant in matters concerning their salvation; for the nearer we draw to Canaan, the further we should be from Egypt, otherwise it may come to pass in Gods just judgement, that he shall swear we shall never enter into his rest. Oh how miserable will it be for that man when he comes to the very point of time, when God's Children shall enter into the spiritual rest, than he to be cast down into utter darkness, where shall be weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, for the longer that God in mercy, expecteth thy a mendment, so much the more grievously will he punish thee if thou neglect it? Oh consider this all ye that forget GOD, 
Quanto diutius Deus expectat ut emendetis tanto cravius iudicabit si neglexeritus Aug. de vanit. saec.  for by this deferring of our repentance, and putting off the time of our salvation we sinne three ways;  

1. Against God.  
2. Against the Saints.  
3. Against our own souls.   
We will endeavour to make all this good.  
1. Hereby we sin against God, because we dally with him, and abuse his patience, putting that day far off which may come in a moment, if the Lord do but withdraw our breath from us.  
2. By deferring of the care for the salvation of our souls we sin against the Saints, because we deprive them of that company, comfort, and profit which they might have of us, and we of them, for herein standeth the Communion of the Saints, in having a fellow-feeling of one another's miseries, comforting them in their griefs, strengthening them in their infirmities, helping them in their wants, by endeavouring to bear one another's burden, and by encouraging them in the faith and power of grace which they have received.  
3. And lastly we sin against our own souls in putting them upon such an uncertain & doubtful adventure, in not providing mercy before they are plunged into those desperate straits, and then it is just with God to let our consciences fly in our faces as a just revenge for our former carelessness in neglecting the means of our salvation.  
Ob. Oh but may some say, that servant in the Gospel which was hired at the eleventh 
Mat. 20.  hour received the same reward that those received which came in at the third, sixth, and ninth hour?  
Answ. Thou that thinkest thou mayst repent at the last hour, how dost thou know that thou shalt come to the eleventh hour? mayst thou not be cut off in thy youth, & so perish before thou art ware? then why should thou lose thy time, and what answer canst thou make to GOD for the neglect thereof? It is lamentable to consider, that though nothing be more precious 
Nihil praetiosius tempore, sed he● nihil bodiè vilius astimatur. Transeu●t dies salutis, & nemo recogitat, nemo sibi non reditura momenta perijsse causatur. Bern. decls.  than time, yet nothing is more basely accounted of? The days of salvation pass away, and no man regardeth it; no man considereth that his time which will never return again doth perish from him.  
2. From parabolical divinity we cannot ground sound arguments, because many times we may miss of the sense and intent of them, & so cannot infer such conclusions from them, as that we may build our faith upon them.  
3. In Parables we must observe the scope and main end wherefore they were propounded, else we may draw much blood from them in stead of wholesome food.  
The scope and main end of this Parable is to show, that eternal life is the free gift of 
Rom. 6. 23  God without any merit or desert of man; and tha● some men are called sooner, some later, yet they that are called at the last hour may be saved as well as those which are called at the first; for an old man which hath wanted the means all the days of his life, may when the means is offered him, comfortably lay hold of everlasting salvation; else God would never have enjoined 
Nunquam pecca●ti indicta esset pro peccatis deprecatio, si deprecanti, non esset remissio concendenda. Aug. de fide.  man to crave the remission of his sins, if he had no purpose to grant it.  
2. This Parable doth fully answer this objection, in showing that those which were hired at the eleventh hour, came as soon as they were called; if they had been called at the third, sixth, or ninth hour, no doubt but they would have come: therefore this example will not justify them that are called at all hours, early and late, and yet will not come.  
3. This Parable shows, that the householder went out early in the morning to hire labourers, therefore God expects that we should come in at the first hour, and begin our repentance betimes, and if we do not come when God calls, it is questionable whether we shall receive repentance to come at last. And though God have 
Qui promisit poenitenti veniam, non promisit peccanti poeni●entiam. Aug. de poenit.  promised pardon to him that repenteth: yet hath he never promised repentance to him that continueth in his sins; neither is it in any man's power to repent when he will.  
Thus brethren by God's mercy we have beaten the presumptuous sinners out of their strong holds; what remains now, but that every one of us enter into examination of his heart, and bewail the loss of his time misspent, and now labour to make up his peace with God, that the Lord may have mercy upon his soul; else what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his soul. Seeing the soul is so excellent; we must have principal care to avoid those evils that may endanger it, and to use those means whereby it may be saved.  
The things then which are dangerous to the soul may be couched under these two heads; as there are two ways of destroying the body, so are there likewise two ways of destroying the soul:  
The first is positive, by offering violence to it.  
The second privative, by withholding the means of preservation of it.  
Sin is that which offers violence to the soul; sin is like leaven that will leaven the whole lump; & like poison that will corrupt the whole body, by obscuring the Will, and Understanding, and by disturbing the faculties of the soul, and body. The devil as a strong armed man, keeps rule in that soul which is held under the slavery of sin. Sin though it be delightsome in the committing, yet it breedeth a worm in the conscience, which perpetually vexeth it with endless 
Voluptas transijt, peccatum remansit. Bern. Citò praeterit quod delectat, permanet sine fine quod cruciat. Aug. Omne peccatum est mors animae  woe, and remaineth when the pleasure is gone. All the itching delight of sin is soon at an end; but it leaveth bitter footsteps in the soul; every sin doth wound and kill the soul. We use to say, we will not buy gold too dear; why then are we so foolish as to buy the pleasures of sin at so high a rate, as the loss of our soul? When the Fish hath swallowed the Hook, had she not been better without the bait? so when our souls are lost, how much better had it been for us never to have tasted of the pleasures of sin? If then we would have our souls saved, we must be careful to expel and cast out sin by unfeigned repentance. We see men will subdue their appetites, and defraud themselves of many things nature desires for bodily health; and shall we do nothing for the salvation of our souls?  
Now then seeing we have found a way to remove our sin, and to obtain of our Physician a purgation to cure 
Cur cessas aggredi, quod scias mederi tibi? Tertul. de poenit.  our sores, which is repentance, then why do we delay to get that which will be our cure, and why do not we seek the Lord while he may be found? for else it may happen, That he 
Qui tempus senectutis expectat ad poenitendum speret misericordiam, mu●niet iudicium. Greg. Seminemus dum tempus est, ut met●mus, nauige●us dum mare navigari potest, antiquam sit ●iems, quando magnus ille, & tremen. dus dies advenerit non licebit navigare. Chrys.  which putteth off his repentance until the time of age, or day of death, in stead of mercy may find judgement. Therefore let us sow our seed while it is seed time, and set forward to sail while the Sea will serve; for it may be it will be too late to begin our journey when the Sun sets, and to hoist up our sail when the tempest ariseth; to sow our seed when we should reap our corn; & to repent when we lie a dying, and to do good when we are dead.  
One thing I lament saith a holy Father, and I fear another; the first is my sins, the second is God's judgements seat, bewail therefore thy sins, and lament thy iniquity, so shalt thou shun those tormenting 
Vbi nec tortores deficiunt, nec torti misere morientur. Aug.  torments, where the tormentors are never weary, nor the tormented shall ever dye; Therefore while it is called to day harden not thy heart, but break off thy sin by true repentance. Hast thou therefore been a drunkard? now learn sobriety: Hast thou been intemperate? now embrace chastity: Hast thou been malicious? now show charity: Hast thou been proud? now be humble; labour now to get the life of grace into thy soul; which must be done by the amendment of thy life, and by forsaking of thy sins; for regeneration beginneth at repentance, and repentance at the leaving and forsaking of sin. Try and examine thyself then whether thou hast forsaken sin or no; if thou hast not bridled thy tongue from bitter, and blasphemous speeches; if thou hast not taught thy hands to work without deceit, and brought thy heart to pray without hypocrisy, and do to thy neighbour as thou wouldst have thy neighbour do to thee; thou hast not yet forsaken thy sin, but remainest still in the gall of bitterness, and so hast neglected thy soul's health.  
2. The second way of losing the soul is by withholding from it the means of preservation. Thus those hazard their salvation that despise, and contemn the powerful preaching of the Word of God, and so by putting from them the Word of GOD, they judge themselves unworthy of eternal 
Act. 13. 46.  life. Thus also many hazard their salvation by neglecting of prayer, and are careless in the duties of mortification.  
Seeing then the soul is so excellent, and may be lost, then let it be every one's care to get it saved in the day of the Lord. To this end labour to keep faith and a good Conscience in 
Rom. 13. 14.  all thy ways, for faith doth apply, and put on Christ; now if Christ be put on by faith, than he is a most glorious garment to cover all our filthy nakedness out of God's sight, and an armour of proof to defend, and protect us from all dangers of our souls, and of our bodies.  
A good Conscience is a sweet comfort in all troubles; If then we can rejoice in the testimony of a good Conscience, we are in a happy condition. Be conversant in the Scriptures, let the Word of GOD dwell plenteously in thee; this will be as great a comfort unto thee in all thy afflictions, as ever it was unto David in his troubles.  
Be fervent in prayer; begin the day with calling upon God's name, and praising him for all the mercies thou hast received; and at night let prayer be a Key to lock thee up under the protection of the Almighty.  
join thyself in society with those that fear God; they can teach thee by their experience, and direct thee in the ways of Godliness; and labour to exhort one another to continue constantly in the fear of the Lord. Thus if we do, we shall redeem the time for our soul's health. But alas, how many times have we come together, and yet have had no care nor thought to do one another good, for our soul's health; but have spent our time in profane and Idle talk; letting our tongues lose to discourse of all manner of vanity?  
But oh the miseries of our times, in which there are many which are so fare from helping their brethren in their salvation, as that they hinder them, and by their lewd examples turn them from the way of godliness! Our time is short, as we have heard; and as we behave ourselves here upon earth, either in walking in the ways of godliness, or spending the time in serving our own turns; so shall we far everlastingly in the world to come.  
Therefore seeing life or death is gained in this world, let us give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure. And seeing our time is but short, let us learn a point of policy of the Devil, he knows his time is but short, therefore he doth all the mischief he can: so let us on the contrary, knowing our time is short, labour to do all the good we can for our souls. But if we will still turn the grace of God into wantonness by despising the riches of his mercy, in waiting for our repentance and humiliation, we shall at length be turned out of these houses of clay, (wherein we have lived in much peace) as the most unworthiest wretches that ever lived, and shall give a strict account unto God for all the time and means that he hath vouchsafed us for our souls good; and if we have spent our days well, than we shall receive the reward of the Just; but if ill, than woe unto our souls that we have sinned; for, What is a man profited ●f he gain the whole world and lose his soul?  
And thus having finished this small Treatise, I beseech you in the bowels of our Lord jesus to suffer the words of exhortation, and the Lord from heaven give us all grace to make use of it for the salvation of our souls. But I fear I have wearied your patience with this 
Non minor virtus scire desinere, quam scire dicere.  my tedious discourse, and therefore because it is not less commendable for an Orator to end his speech in good time, then to begin with good liking, I will therefore at this time imitate the Roman Orator; Non omnia effundam, 
Cicero Philip. Orat. 2.  ut si saepius dicendum ut erit, semper nows veniam. I will be loath to spend all my store at this once, but I will keep somewhat fresh, if I shall have any occasion to come again. In the mean time for our farewell, let us commend each other to the protection of Almighty GOD, and to the Word of his grace, which is able to build us up in godliness, and give us an inheritance among them that be sanctified by faith in Christ jesus our Lord, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Spirit be ascribed, as is due, all honour & glory from this time forth for evermore.   
Amen.  
FINIS.   

An Alphabetical Table expressing the chief matter contained in this Book.  

A  
Apostasy, the danger thereof, 6  
Apparel, vain and immodest, 196 

Makes men proud, 190  
How to be esteemed, 191  
Men exceed their degrees, 195  
Every one will be in the fashion, 195  
Men of place may wear costly Apparel, 192  
When it must be laid aside, 193    
Age, the dignity and duty, 340, 341 

Old age unfit to begin to repent, 326, 336  
A shame to defer repentance, 353  
Reasons why, 327, 328, 336  
It is very unequal, 329  
Unjust, 330    
Adultery defined, 137 

The filthiness of the sin, ibid.  
Danger of it, 138, 143, 144  
Condemned by the Law of God, 139  
Of Nations, ibid.  
God takes notice of it, 143  
Preseruatives against it, 140, 141, 142     Vide Fornication. 

B  
Busybodies, 249 

What they should do, 247    
Beauty defined, 217 

Good in its nature, 217, 218  
Granted to the wicked why, 218, 219  
To the Peacock, Swan, Lilies, 219  
If not sanctified vain and deceitful 219  
A snare to entangle, 222  
Bane of the Soul, 220  
Hath made many adulterers, 222  
Never any chaste, ibid.  
Full of evil effects, 223     

C  
Charity, the Devil shown more charity than many of our proud Dames will show, 256  
Christ's Kingdom not earthly, 1, 2 

Necessity of his death, 4  
His great love to us in helping when riches could not, 8    
Peter Counsel carnal, 2, 3  
Covetousness, makes the godly slaves to the world, 93, 94 

To question God's Providence, 93  
They desire riches to their destruction, 94    
Care, true Christians care, 322  
Cross, the godlies portion, 6, 7 

Yet they must endure it patiently, 7  
Though they have many pullers' back, 6    
Contentation, a duty, 90, 91 

How obtained, 26, 27 

1. By learning the truth of God's providence, 100  
2. Because nature is content with a little, 96  
3. Because it must leave all at death, 97    
God will supply earth's wants with heaven's joys, 9  
All men full of discontents, 26, 27  
Heathens teach Contentation by nature's light, 99  
They shame Christians, 101    
Cock fight, unlawful, 175, 176   

D  
Drunkenness, what it is, 153 

Satan turns him about like a fool, 153  
Condemned by God, 154  
By Fathers, 155  
By wise heathen, 156, 165  
A Drunkard unfit for any employment, 157, 159  
He is a thief abroad, 160  
A Tyrant & a beast at home, 161  
The effects it produceth, 163  
What will make him speak sense, 158  
Antidotes to prevent it, 166, 167    
Damned, their intolerable pains, 289, 291 

Ever dying, 292, 300  
Their fearful sins, 292  
What they would tell us, 337  
Difficult to wean the heart from the world, 9  
More to save the soul, 324    
If we neglect our duty, and fail of our hopes we must not murmur, 96  
Day of sickness and death no fit time to repent in, with reasons wherefore, 311, 345 

Very dangerous to hazard our salvation upon uncertainties, 320, 221, 322    
Dancing, wanton dancing a gate leading to whoredom, 172 

A provocation to uncleanness, ibid.  
Feet not given to trip like Rams, skip like Goats, and leap like mad men, 173  
Dancing, how lawful, 175     

E  
Enemies, men are great enemies to their own salvation, 268, 276, 285, 305 

Separatists enemies to the peaceable government of the Church 243, 244    
Example, a lamentable example, 134   

F  
Men are fearful of wants, but few of the loss of their souls, 305, 281, 303  
Fornication, a great sin, 130 

The cause of great judgements, 130  
God will not let it go unpunished, ibid.  
A Fornicator branded with the sign of God's hatred, 13●  
An enemy to salvation, 133  
To be abhorred, 131  
The cause of many sins, 133     Vide Adultery. 

G  
Gluttony, what it is, 145 

Whence it came, 145  
A dangerous sin, 148  
Sin of Sodom, 151  
Gluttons monsters in nature, 146  
They make a god of their belly, 147  
Effects it produceth, 149  
Benefit of moderation, 151  
Motives to induce to the practice thereof, ibid.    
Garment, he wedding garment, 213   

H  
Hell, a place of t●●ment, 291 

A great deep, 296  
O●t of it no redemption, 301, 298  
The Devil is the Gaoler, ibid.  
He delights to torment, 292  
He will spare none, ibid.  
Torments are lamentable, 291  
Always dying, ibid.  
Nature preserved to endure torments, ibid.  
They shall last eternally, 298    
Humility, Christ a pattern of humility, 215 

It is a medicine against pride, ibid.  
Benefit of i●, 214    
Hearers, fantastical, hard to please, 229 

What they delight to hear, 230  
Such are very ignorant, 231  
What they must hea●e, 235     

I  
Idle persons neglect their salvation, 273, 284  
Inkhorn terms, 236   

K  
Knowledge, without practice vain, 232, 233 

Excellency of heavenly knowledge, 235  
Where it grows, 238     

L  
Loss of the soul the greatest loss, 265 

How lost, 273, 277  
Nothing able to recompense the loss, 265  
It is unrecoverable, 259    
Landlords cruel, 202, 203  
Learning a great blessing, 225 

To be honoured, 237  
Pray for Wisdom to use it well, 228, 238  
No profit in it without grace, 233, 234  
Else dangerous, 228, 232  
How abused, 226, 235    
Life very short and uncertain, 331   

M  
Man made of earth, 215 

His nature weak and feeble, ibid.  
His life vain and miserable, 215  
Therefore he must not be proud, ibid.    
Mammon the worldling's Idol, 76  
Means being neglected fearful, 334  
Ministers dignity, 240 

How they should be qualified, ib.  
Their duty, ibid.     

N  
Natural men their fearful estate, 275 

Their bondage worfer then the Turks, 275  
Wherein, 275  
Men are unwilling to be freed, 276     

O  
Ornament, modesty joined with piety the best ornament, 204  
Obedience, Separatists cannot learn it in all the books of the world,  
Objections for the neglect of salvation answered, 307 

For the clearing of the severity of God's justice, 290, 298, 300    
Opportunities to be embraced, 335, 343 

Their profit, 359  
Men will watch opportunities to enrich their estates, but are careless of their souls, 320, 321, 324, 325, 333     

P  
Pleasures are of diverse sorts, 123 

Blessings of God, 125  
Lawful, 123, 124  
Sinful, 128  
Pleasures dangerous, 125, 182, 183  
Cause of ruin, 130  
They draw away the heart from goodness, 131, 179, 184  
Satan's baits, 180  
Opposite to grace, 181  
Full of uncertainty, 188  
How to be used, 178, 179, 187  
Lovers of pleasures, 185  
More than godliness, 185, 186  
Constant pleasures, 188, 189  
How to get them, 179    
Pride the forerunner of destruction, 201 

A woe denounced against it, ibid.  
Causes Gods judgements, 211, 212  
Pride turns charity out of doors, 198  
Their wanton apparel disgraces them, 205  
Becomes none but harlots, 206  
Pride makes way for lust, 205  
Heathen condemn Christians, 210  
How pride may be prevented, 213, 215    
Plays, stageplays unlawful, 170, 171 

Dishonour God, and nourish vice, 169  
Misspend time, ibid.  
By whom invented, 170  
What they teach, 169, 170    
Parables, no sound conclusions can be drawn from them, 357 

Their scope and end, 358     

R  
Riches, salomon's riches and prosperity, his verdict on them, 14 

They are in their own nature good, 64, 71  
May be desired, 65  
Yet not to be overvalued, 71  
They are a blessing which the wicked enjoy, 72  
How they are a burden, 76, ●9  
They fill the head with care, 32  
Heart wi●h distrust, 77  
They are deceitful, 28, 29, 52. 258  
Dangerous to trust in them, 20  
They are unable to preserve from judgements, 17, 20  
Sickness 17  
Satan's m●lice, 35  
Mitigate pains, 40  
Give content, 22, 23  
Purchase faith, repentance, etc. 36, 37  
They make men forget God, 49  
Question his Providence, 76    
Steal away faith & humility, 52, 53 

How to be esteemed, 58  
Durable riches, 85, 89    
Repentance not to be neglected, 335, 336 

It must be voluntary, 338  
Late repentance seldom true, 338  
Very dangerous, 365  
Trial whether sound, 365, 366     

S  
Soul, how excellent, 280 

How admirable, 285  
How serviceable, 378  
How cruel we are to them, 279  
And careless of them, 268, 270, 273, 279  
Live as if they had no souls, 284  
Men will labour for any thing but their soul, 305  
Loss of the Soul the greatest loss, 288  
What destroys it, 361, 366  
It is immortal, and therefore will rue it, 288  
A lamentation for the neglect of the soul, 268, 284, 302, 303, 366  
How it may be saved, 367, 368    
Scriptures purity, 239 

Contains a salve for every sore, 238    
Sin a bone to the soul, 362 

Delight soon at an end, 362    
Sabbaths how profaned, 280 

Men so live as if they had no part in the work of Creation nor Redemption, 280  
If God should look down from heaven, how many he should find prosaning it, 281  
How few praying & reading, ibid.  
Sinner and his Saviour's Dialogue, 294, 295    
Sobriety hard to be found in this proud age, 199 

Therefore be content to be told of your faults, 208    
Sickness, a time to live by faith, 313 

Unfit to begin to repent in, 315    
Strangers, the godly are strangers, 250 

The wicked are stragglers, ibid.    
Separatists, they labour to displant good order, 241 

They amaze weak Christians, ib.  
They are further wrapped in zeal than they can pass through with discretion ibid.     

T  
The repentant Thief a Patron for all sinners, 346 

A rare example, and work of wonder, 348  
Of Christ's Divine power, 351  
No fit pa●●erne, 352    
Temptation, to hazard salvation upon the last hour, 334  
Time abused and neglected, 357 

Must be redeemed for our souls good, 226  
Time ●● repentance when, 323, 324  
It is in God's hand, 324  
Very shameful to defer it till old age, 353, 354     

V  
Vain glories original, 224 

Sets men's wits a working, 234  
Lays open men's ignorance, 235  
How worthless, 225     

W  
World, what it is, 249, 255 

Momentany and mutable, 248  
An unfit place to set up rest, 248, 250, 251, 255  
It must pass away, 55  
World's glory cannot be reduced to any of the Beatitudes, 88  
Upon whom the world must levy her bond service, 95  
Worldlings happy man, 16, 75  
He is a miserable man, 39  
His triumph vain, 87  
What he would give for a good Conscience, and to have his peace made up with God, 40  
Worldly men vain in their judgements, 78, 79    
Wicked, how God esteems them, 78, 119   

Y  
Youth, sins to be repent, 268   

Z  
Zeal, Separatists zeal furious, 241   
FINIS.   

Errata.  
Page 20. for Exod. 14. read 8. p. 107. for mice r. mire. p. 117. for ethical r. ethnical. p. 121 for deal r. dote. p. 131. l. vl●. deal. end. p. 167. for the r. to. p. 286. ●. senseless stone. Other faults less material are omitted▪