¶ A SERMON preached before the Queen's Majesty, by the reverend Father in God the Bishop of Chichester, at Grenewiche, the .14. day of March. 1573. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed. Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona. Rom. 9 ¶ Imprinted at London die Henry Binneman, for Francis Coldocke. Anno. 1573. ¶ To the Reader, Thomas Browne wisheth grace and peace. Whereas among other learned and notable▪ Sermons preached th●● Lent before the Queen's most excellent Majesty, and by h●r grace highly commended, I understood by those that were present, that her Highness also liked very well, & comm●nded most graciously that sermon which the learned & reverend father in God, the Bishop of Chichester preached before her Majesty, in so much that some noble Peers, and many other desired a copy of the same. I partly to satisfy their desire▪ partly to signify some spark of my good will and duty towards the author and preacher of thy● Sermon, my very good Lord (of whom I have received benefit) traveled so f●rre with those that could pleasure me in this behalf, that I o● length not only received notes▪ but almost the whole discourse of that learned sermon, although not altogether in such sort as it was by the reverend Father preached▪ yet as ●●gh there unto as could be remembered. And for the benefit of other I have here publishe● the ●ame, trusting that this my labour will be no otherwise construed than thus: tha● whereas I myself can offer as of myself very little or nothing at all to the building of God's Temple, I thought good to bring thereunto a goodly and beautiful pillar made by a cunning and noble workman, which I trust for the excellency thereof will be of a great many with plausible allowance joyfully received, to whom for the greater increasing of their joy, I will say that which Aeschines said unto the men of Rhodes, who wondered marvelously at the oration of that famous Orator Demosthenes, being but said and recited by him unto them: Quid inquit Aeschines ●i ipsum audissetis sua verba resonantem? sentiens in Demosthene magnum Demosthenes' partem deesse, ●i quae ipse dixit ab alio recitarentur: Do ye marvel, said Aeschines, at this my rehearsal of Demosthenes oration? what if you had heard himself sounding and pronouncing his own● words? Meaning thereby, that in Demosthenes great part of Demosthenes was wanting, when that those things which he spoke were recited of an other. I doubt not, but unto all, this my little travel will be acceptable: to them that were present, because they shall again be put in mind of that which they before heard, and so may more deeply consider the same: to those that were absent, for that they shall hear that which before they heard not, & so be made better learned unto salvation. And thus desiring thee good Reader▪ to be thankful unto God for this and other good fruits of the labourers in his vineyards, I bid thee farewell, from Westminster the uj of April. 1574. A godly Sermon preached at Grenewiche. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us: that his way may be known upon earth, his saving health among all Nations, through our Lord jesus Christ. Amen. REmember thy maker in the days of thy youth, Eccl. 12. before the time of trouble come, and the years approach, of the which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. 2 Before the sun, & the light, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after rain. 3 Before the keepers of the house do tremble, and the strong men do bow, and the grinders do cease, being few in number, and they that look out of the windows wax dark. 4 And they shut the doors in the street through the weakness of the voice of the grinding: & they yvake at the noise of the bird: and all the daughters of music de deaf. 5 Before the high ones do dread and shake in the way: The Almond trees do blossom, and the Grasshoppers do stick● up, and the Capers wasted: for man shall go to his long home, and the mourners shall go about in the street. 6 Before the silver thread be lengthened, and the golden call do shrink, and the Pipe be broken upon the spring, and the wheel upon the cistern. 7 For dust shall return to earth from whence it was, and the spirit to God which gave it. Before I proc●ede any farther, I shall most humbly beseech you to pray. THe Preacher king Solomon in the ii chapters going before, hath reckoned up all the joys & pleasures, both of the body, and of the mind, & hath found by the wisdom of God, that they be all mere vanity and misery: for he saith, I have considered all the works that are done under the sun, Eccl. 1. 14● and behold all is vanity and vexation of the spirit. And thereupon taketh occasion in this twelfth chapter, to exhort every one to serve God in time, before trouble come, or sickness grieve, or age press, or death carry us away. For the body that is but dust, shall go again to dust, and the spirit which is eternal shall return to God, as will more plainly appear by a brief discourse and expounding of the Metaphors and dark speeches. Remember thy maker in the days of thy youth. That is: Serve the Lord thy God that made thee of nothing, & redeemed thee of worse than nothing, whilst thou art young, strong, healthful, rich, and merry. Before the time of trouble come, and the years, of the which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. That is: before poverty, sickness, loss of friend's, banishment, persecution, and misery come upon thee, in the which flesh and blood bathe no pleasure. Before the sun, and the moon, and the stars be darkened, and the clouds return after rain. That is: Before thou fall to such extremity, that thou not only do not take any joy or comfort of the light of the sun, of the moon, & of the stars, & other creatures which God hath made for the comfort of man: but the clouds return after rain, sickness grow upon sickness, grief upon grief, pain upon pain, sorrow upon sorrow. These Metaphors do signify trouble and sickness. Before the keepers of the house do tremble. The body is called the house, for that as a man is lodged & dwelleth in his house for a time: So the soul or spirit is lodged & dwelleth in the body as in his house for a time. The hands be called the keepers of this house or body: for that, as the keepers of the house do dress up the house, repair and defend the house from spoils and breaches: So the hands do apparel, feed, repair, and defend the body from spoils and inconveniences. The strong men do bow. The legs be called strong men: for that as strong men be porters, and bear burdens, & as posts and pillars do bear up houses, and buildings: so the legs of men do bear up the burdens, the buildings, the houses or bodies of men. And thy grinders do cease, being few in number. The teeth be called the grinders: for that, as the millstones do grind, bruise, and make small the corn that is to be baked: Even so the teeth do grind, chaw, and make small the meat that is to be baked or concocted in the stomach. And they that look out at the windows wax dark. The windows he called eye lids, the eyes be those that look out by the windows. For as they which are in the house, are comforted & directed by the light which they see by the window opened: so the powers of the body be comforted, and directed by the light which they receive by the eyes, the eye lids being opened. And they shutt● the doors in the streat●. The lips be called the doors, for that as the doors do shut and close in all things that be in the house: Even so the lips do shut & close the tongue, the breath, & all other things that be in the house of the body. And they wake at the noise of the bird. When men wax old, their brain waxeth dry, sleep faileth, and then they rather ●●umber tha● sleep, in so much that th● crowing of a cock, the chirping of a bird, or any little noise will awake them. And all the daughters of music be deaf. The ears be called the daughters of music, for that the harmony and consent of notes and sounds, is tuned and judged by the ear. The high ones do dread and shake in the way. The upper parts of the body be called the high ones, which in aged persons do crook and stoup, and as it were shake for fear. Before the Almond trees do blossom. The head is called the Almond tree, and grey hears the blossoms: for that as the blossoms do 'cause the Almond tree to show all white, so the grey hears do make the head show all white. And the Grasshoppers stick up. The shoulders he called the grasshoppers, for that as the legs and wings of Grasshoppers do● stick up, and appear above the body: so the shoulders in lean and aged persons do stick up and appear above the body. And the caper's wasted. The capers do here signify the reins: for that Caparis is an hath which is v●ry good for the reins. His meaning is, before you be aged: for that in aged persons the hands do quaver and tremble, the legs be faint and feeble, the teeth decay and f●ll out, the eyes wax dim, the lips will not easily open and shut: they sleep little, and watch much through the dryness of their brain: their hearing faileth, they stoop, and shake as they go, their heads be white, their shoulders stick out, & their reins be wasted. Before the silver thread be lengthened. The silver thread is the sinews which do stretch and lengthen upon death, and they be called silver threads, for that they be white like silver, and do hold, bind, and tie together the bones of the body, which would else one fall from an other, as threads and lines do bind together other lose things. And the golden call do shrink. The skin which covereth and encloseth the brain is called the golden call: because it is yellow like gold, and doth enclose, and keep together the brain, as the call doth enclose, and keep together the hear. The pipes be broken upon the spring. The heart is called the spring, & the Artery the pipe: for that as water having the beginning in the spring, doth flow out of the spring into the pipe, and from one pipe to an other to every office in the house: so the vital spirits springing or beginning in the heart, go out of the heart into the arteries, which be round & hollow like cundite pipes, and run from one artery to an other, to all the parts of the body. And the wheel upon the cistern. The stomach is called a cistern, a lake, or a pool. For so the Hebrew word doth signify, and the liver is called the wheel, the wrench, or plump: for that as waters do not spring in a lake or pool, but either ●all by rain, or be gathered together by the industry and devise of man: so meat & drink have not their beginning in the stomach, but he put into it by the hand or mouth. And as by a wheel and wrench, or plump and certain lines, men do● plump and draw water out of the lake or pool for their necessary uses: so the liver by the veins doth plump and draw the juice out of the stomach, and doth altar and change it into blout, and convey it to the nourishment of the body. For dust. That is, the flesh and bones, which were made of earth and dust shall die and rot, and return to earth and dust again. The spirit shall go again to God, which gave it. That is (saith the Chalde Paraphrast) the soul shall go again to stand in judgement before the Lord which gave it to man. The principal lessons be these: First, that each one aught to serve God in time. next, that trouble, sickness, age, and death be God's bailiffs to arrest & warn us of our duty to God. Thirdly, that every one shall rise again, and give an account to God of his doings. The first lesson is contained in these words: Remember thy maker in the daye● of thy youth: in the which we are to learn: 1 First, what it is to remember God. 2 Secondly, to note the cause that moveth us to remember him. 3 Thirdly, the time and season of this remembrance. The remembrance or dutiful serving of God. IT appeareth by the course of the Scriptures, that to remember our maker, is to believe in God, Rom. 5. 10 and Christ jesus, which gave himself to die for us being his enemies, which hath quickened us being dead in sin, Eph. 2. 1. who being once dead in the infirmity of the flesh, rose again with power, ascended into heaven with majesty, Eph. 4. 8. hath led away Captivity captive, Eph. 1. 21. and reigneth in heavenly things above all principalities and powers, and above every name that is named, not only in this world, but in the world to come. Who by his flesh hath taken away the division and separation that was between God and us, Eph. 2. 15. abolishing the law which was set against us in precepts & decrees. Who is our peac●, Eph. ●. 14. our advocate, and propitiation for the sins of the whole world. john. 2. 2. By whom we have boldness, Eph. 3. 12. and entrance with all confidence through faith in him. For as ther● is no way into the house but by the door: so there is no coming to God, but by faith in Christ. A●t. 10. ●. By this door entered Cornelius the Roman: by this door entered y Aethiopian Eunuch. Act. 8. 37. By this door Zacheus received the person of Christ into his house, & salvation to him & his whole family. Luc. 19 5. By this door the jailor mentioned in the .16. Act. 16. 31. of the Acts, received salvation to himself, & all his house. And Ambrose Ambrosiu●. upon the Epistle to the Romans. This was God his determination, that the law surceasing, the grace of God should require only faith to salvation. And Basill Basilius. in his book the hu● militate. The humble knoweth that he is void of true justice, and that he is justified by only faith in Christ. And Heze●hius H●zechiu●. upon Leviticus, saith: The grace of God is given of mercy and favour, and received by only faith. And chrysostom Chrysom. upon the epistle to the galatians. chap. 3. They said: whosoever stayeth himself upon only faith is accursed. Contrariwise S. Paul proveth that whosoever stayeth himself upon only faith, is blessed. And yet as fire ever giveth light and heat, so true faith ever yieldeth the fear of God, and love of God. When S. Paul had first taught the Romans that they were sealed and assured of eternal life by faith in Christ: Rom. 12. 1. After he reaches them to yield themselves, a quick, holy, & pleasant sacrifice to God, which is their dutiful serving of God. Eph. 1. 14 When S. Paul had first taught the Ephesians, that Christ is the earnest of their inheritance, after he teacheth them to put on the complete armour of God, Eph. 6. 14 having the loins girded in truth, & having on the breastplate of righteousness, and their feet shod with the Gospel of peace, to take unto themselves the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, & the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and to pray & watch with all perseverance. So when the Praecher had taught first the remembrance of God, after he teacheth the fear & love of God: Eccl. 12. 13 let us hear the conclusion of all, saith he: fear God, and keep his commandments, for that is the duty of each man. Now to keep God his commandments, and to love God is all one as Christ teacheth us in the 14. of john. joh. 14. 12 If you love me, keep my commandments. To the same effect doth S. Hilary Hilarius. expound this sentence. Remember thy maker, that thou mayst reverence his majesty mightily, love his goodness fervently, embrace his truth zealously, and believe his promises faithfully. and also S. Augustine, August. Remember thy maker, that is, remember his might, that thou mayest believe: his mercy, that thou mayst hope: his justice, that thou mayst be fearful: his goodness that thou mayst be thankful. The cause which moveth us to remember God. THe cause which moveth us to rememb●r God is employed in this word Maker. For divers good writers both old● and new say, that this is the sense. Because thou art made after the image of God, Totu● es obligatus ad eius servitutem: Thou art wholly bound to serve him. The Image of God (according to S. Paul) Eph. 4. 24 is nothing else but righteousness & holiness of truth: So that the Preacher saith thus much: God hath made thee, & made thee just and holy, therefore thou oughtest to serve him. In the .20. of Exodus, Exo. 20. 2. the Lord spoke all these sayings: I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other God but me. In the 19 of Exodus, Exo. 19 3. God saith to Moses: These things shalt thou tell to the house of jacob, and declare to the house of Israel: yourselves have seen what I have done to the Egyptians, how I have carried you upon the wings of Eagles, and have adopted you to me: if therefore you hear my voice, and keep my covenant. etc. In the .5. chapter of Esay, Esa. 5. 1. My beloved had a vinyeard in a plentiful ground, and he hedged it, and walled it, and picked stones out of it, and planted it with good Grapes, and builded a tower in the mids of it, and a wine press in the mids of it. What could I have done (saith he) for my vinyeard that I have not done: but that I looked it should yield grapes, and it yielded wild grapes. I looked for judgement, & behold iniquity: I looked for justice, and behold outcry. In Micheas the .6. chapter: Mich. 6. 3 My people what have I done to thee, or wherein have I grieved thee? answer me. Surely I brought thee out of the land of Egypt, I delivered thee from the house of bondage, I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, & Miriah. Remember therefore what Balak king of M●ab had devised, and what Balam the Son of Beor answered him from Sittim unto Gilgall, that thou mayest know th● righteousness of the Lord, and what the Lord requireth of thee: to do justly, & to love mercy, & to humble thyself, & walk with thy God. And in the .102. Psalm▪ Psa. 102. 1 O my soul praise thou the Lord, and all that is within me bless his holy name. O my soul praise thou the Lord, and forget not all his benefits, which forgiveth thee all thine iniquities, which healeth all thine infirmities, which delivereth thy life from death, which crowneth thee with mercy and goodness. The grace & mercy of God hath mad● man just and holy. The grace and mercy of God hath brought man out of the hellish Egypt, and carried him upon the wings of Angels. The grace & mercy of God hath planted the vinyeard of his Church in a fertile ground: hath hedged it with his law: hath walled it with his sacraments: hath picked out the stones of superstition and wickedness: hath builded a tour, & set watchmen, patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, evangelists, & Pastors to keep it: hath made a wine press of Princes, judges & Magistrates. The grace & mercy of God hath set over his people godly Kings and Queens, godly preachers and Ministers. The grace and mercy of God forgiveth all their sins, healeth all their infirmities, and giveth them the crown of mercy and goodness. The grace and mercy of God is the cause of all blessings and goodnesses. jer. 1. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift (as saith S. james) is from above from the father of light. Blessed be therefore God▪ Eph. 1. 3. even the father of our Lord jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ. As he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy & without blame before him in love, who hath ●oreapointed us to be adopted through jesus Christ, unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherewith he hath made us accepted in his beloved: by whom we have redemption through his blood, even th● forgiveness of sins, according to his rich grace, whereby he hath been abundant toward us, in all wisdom & understanding. And therefore he giveth great & just cause to every one to remember and serve him. For sith the father hath entailed his lands unto his son, each son aught, & a good son will honour, love & obey so good a father. Sigh a friend hath made a deed of gift of all his goods to his friend, each friend aught, & a good friend will be kind & thankful to him and his again. The God and father of heaven & earth hath entailed and assured the land of eternal joy to us his children. Their good friend and brother Christ jesus hath given them himself to be borne of a virgin, Mat. 1. 25 to hunger & thirst, to be spitted on and scourged, Mat. 4. 2. to be rend and torn, joh. 19 28. to suffer death, & death of the cross, to hear the pains and torments of hell, Math. 26. 67. and God's wrath. joh. 19 1. He hath given them his holiness, john. 19 his righteousness, his truth, his patience, Math. 27. 46. his mercy, and the inheritance of his glorious kingdom. ●. Cor. 1. 30. And therefore they aught to be obedient to so good a father, and to be thankful to so loving a brother. The Ox doth know his owner, Esa. 1. 3. and the Ass his master's crib: and much more aught man to know the mighty Lord, and merciful God. Ps. 103. 9 The sun setteth & riseth: the Moon keepeth his full, his wane and change: the sea doth ebb and flow: the earth yieldeth grass and corn, and fruit for man, as God hath made them, and appointed them to do: And shall not man labour and watch, pray and fast, be merciful, just, holy, and true, as God hath made him, and appointed him to be? The froward saith: we may do what we li●t: but the holy ghost saith, Deu. 11. 32 thou shalt only do that I command thee. The Epicure saith: Let us eat and drink, and be merry, for to morrow shall we die: 1. Cor. 15. 32. But the holy ghost saith: 1. Co. 6. 13 Meats are ordained for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it, and them. The reject saith: It is as good to sit idle, as work idle, & it needs not, or it boots not: But the holy Ghost saith: All these blessings shall come upon thee and take hold of thee, if thou shalt keep my word. Deu. 28. ● Blessed shal●e thou be in the city, and also in the field: blessed shalt thou be when thou goest forth, and when thou comest in: blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, and all that thou settest thy hand unto. But if thou do not keep my law: Cursed shalt thou be in the City, and also in the field: cursed shalt thou be when thou goest forth, and when thou comest in: cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle: and cursed shall be all that thou settest thy hand unto. The time of our remembrance. IN the days of thy youth. The Hebrew word Bakarah signifieth youth, or a thing chosen of the root Bakar. For that a young man is chosen, and apt for any work, or any thing. So the time of ●ur remembrance is our young years, our flourishing days, the time of prosperity, the time of this our life, whilst we may be framed to remember God. Eccl. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed: Eccl. 5. 7. make no tarrying to turn unto the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord break forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and thou shalt perish in the days of vengeance, for man doth not know his time, but as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as birds that are caught in a snare: so are the children of men besnared in the evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly. Ecce venio sicut fur: Apo. 16. 15 Behold I come suddenly like a thief: Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments. Eccl. 9 10. What soever thy hand can do, do it by and by. For there is neither work, nor invention, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. Work while day is, for night will come when no body can work. joh. 9 4. Cast thy bread upon the waters, for after many days thou shalt find it. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. Gen. 6. 14 Noah builded the Ark whilst the wether was fair: G●. 41. 48 joseph made barns and grayners, and laid up grain and corn in the s●uen plentiful years. The Ant having no guide, Pro. 6. 7. master, nor ruler, provideth meat for herself in summer. Ecc. 18. 1● Ante languorem adhi●e medicinam: Before sickness take physic, and before judgement try thyself, and thou shalt find favour in the sight of God. Mat. 25. 1. The five wise Virgins took oil in their vessels, with their lamps, and were ready when the Bridegroom came forth, and went in with him to the marriage. Luk. 16. 8. The Lord praiseth the unjust Steward, for that be had done wisely: and christ willeth his to make them friends of the Mammon of iniquity, that when they fail, they may receive them into everlasting tabernacles. Now for our particular instruction: God hath delivered England from foreign bondage: the burden whereof as we may behold in our neighbours on every side, so have we domestical glasses to see it in. How the Danes overrunning this land caused the English men to ear and sow● their land, and do all other labours, and the Danes did use their wives, daughters and servants at their pleasure: and if any English man had met a Dane upon a bridge, the English man might not stir one foot before the Lord Dane was passed: and if the English man had not made low curtes●e to the Dane at his coming by, he was sure to be sharply punished. The Normands having title by English blood, and speeding by the good will of the most of English nation, yet burdened them with great tribute and exactions, took to themselves the chief possessions of the land, ordained new laws and new coins, overthrew the houses of the Nobility, and filled all Churches with strangers. God hath delivered his English Church from the Romish Pharaoh, which did not only keep it under with the burdens of Annates, Exo. 5. 4. Elections, Preventions, tot-quots, tolerations, Bulls, Seals, Signatures, Smokefarthings, and Peter pens, and such like: But also loaded their consciences with the straw and clay of superstition, Exo. 5. 7. error, and ignorance. God hath carried the chief of England, the Nobles, Ministers, & many other good folk upon the eagle's wings, through marvelous dangers, & miraculously preserved them, as their own consciences do best know. 2. Re. 11. 1. For remember what Athalia and her bloody priest Matham: 2. Re. 11. 18 what Balam of Italy & his persecuting kings Balaac and Sehon: Num. 22. what his cruel Duke's ●absache and Holoferne: 2. Reg. 18. 19 what Ado●ias, and Abisac had devised: jud. 7. 1. and what their Balamites answered them from Sittim to Gilgall, 1. Re. 2. 17 from the beginning of thorns and troubles, to the wheel & type of rule and dominion. God hath planted his English Church in a pleasant, fertile, and healthful soil: he hath given it plenty of all manner of victuals: he hath endued it with peace and concord above all countries round about it: He hath hedged it with his Gospel, the seed of grace, which sown in the ●urrowes of Christian hearts increaseth and multiplieth exceedingly: Mat. 13. 3. the precious jewel more dear to the godly, Matth. 13. 45. than all the treasures of the world: Eph. 6. 17 the spiritual sword, that cutteth the hearts, and parteth the flesh from the spirit: the heavenly Net, Matth. 13. 47. that encloseth, and bringeth together the children of God: the water of life which washeth away our sins: Apo. 22. 17 the sacr●d fire, jer. 23. 29 that burneth away the superfluous humours of worldly desires: the wholesome leaven that seasoneth and edifieth the soul: Mat. 13. 33 the sweet bread, that ●éedeth the man of God: Luk. 11. 52 And the true key that openeth to us Christ jesus, the door of the kingdom of heaven. God hath builded in it the sincere and substantial walls of the Sacraments of Baptism and the lords Supper, the seals of faith, the watch words of Christian soldiers, the images of our Resurrection, and the pawns of our salvation. He hath picked out the stones of error and heres●e. God hath set over it Miriah▪ ●o set forth his glory, to 'cause his word to be taught, to advance virtue, to punish vice, to be a nurse and fosterer of his people, Esa. 49. 23 to writ out his book, D●. 17. 18. and to read on it continually, to keep his commandments, not turning from them to the left hand, nor to the right. He hath set over it many good Moyseses, that many stand in the gap, Ps. 106. 23 to turn away God's wrath, to guide gods people in the wilderness of these perilous days, and to judge them from morning to evening: Exo. 18. 35 and many good Aaron's to ring the golden bells of the Law and Gospel in God's Sanctuary and Church, to present sacrifices of thanksgiving, Ecc. 45. 17 and to give light to God's people by his word. He hath pla●●d in it keepers and watchmen, preachers & ministers, which fe●d● his flock, plough his ground, and sound the trumpet of his word, so godly, so learnedly and painfully, as this 〈◊〉 seldom or never hath tasted the like. Although Cicer●es dogs that should bark at the Romish● wolves, begin to snatch at the christian Belwethers. He hath made a winepress of judges, justices, and Magistrates, to press the husk of controversies and suits from the juice, vi●e from virtue, falsehood from truth. And all these hath he done, to move us to believe that he is God almighty, Gen. 17. 1. the first and the last, Apo. 1. 17. the God of Gods, Lord of Lords, D●. 10. 17. and that besides him is none. To move us to fear the profoundness of his riches, Deu. 4. 35 wisdom, and knowledge. Who is greater than our hearts, Ro. 11. 33. and knoweth all things, 1. Io. 3. 20 who yieldeth wrath in the day of wrath, Rom. 25. to every one according to the hardness of his heart: Psal. 7. 13. who if we will not turn, hath whe● his sword, bend his bow, and prepared the arrows of death. Deu. 32. 4 To love him as true and faithful, Io●l. 2. 13. as gentle and merciful, who hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us after our iniquities: But look how wide the East is from the west, ●s. 102. 10 so far hath he set our sins from us. All these hath he done to move us to seek the Lord with all our hearts, & to be zealous in the truth of the ieolous God, which giveth not his glory to an other, which will have us all, Den. 4. 2● or no part of us, Ex. 34. 14 and casteth the luke warm out of his mouth. Esa. 42. 8. To keep our spirits, souls, Apo. 2. 10. and bodies pure, Le. 11. 44. and without blame to the coming of our Lord jesus Christ. 1. Th. 5. 48 To be faithful and constant that we may receive the crown of life: Apo. 2. 10. To labour to overcome, Apo. 2. 18. that we may eat of the hidden Manna, Ap. 3. 5. 1● to be clothed with white array, and to be made pillars in the Temple of God. All these hath he done to move us to gird ourselves with truth, Eph. 6. 14 to bind it about our necks, Prou. 3. 3 and to writ it in the table of our hearts, Eze. 13. 18. to fly the soft pillows of flattery, the painted cloak of dissimulation, Psal. 52. 4 the sharp razors of slandering, and speak the truth each one to another. Eph. 4. 25. To arm ourselves with righteousness, Eph. 6. 14 and to make good good, and evil evil, Esa. 5. 20. darkness darkness, and light light, sweet sweet, and sour sour, To put on the shoes of peace, Eph. 6. 15. the chain that lincketh Christians together with the bond of love, Eph. 4. 3. the Image of Christ● graven in man's heart, Psal. 132. 2. 3. the sweet dew o● Hermon, and the precious ointment of Aaron to the Levites and servants of God. To move us to keep the garments of innocency, Apo. 16. 15 to labour the wo●ke of God in the day of this life, joh. 9 10. to cast ou● bread upon the waters, Esa. 28. 7. to deal our bread to the hungry, to bring the poor that wander into our houses, when we see the naked to clothe them, to lose the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, to break every yoke of the ungodly, Esa. 58. 6. to help the blind and lame the widow and fatherless, the staunger and friendless. All these hath be done to move us like prudent Noah's, Gen. 6. 41 to bu●lde the ark of a good conscience before the flood of judgement do overflow. Like provident joseph's, G●. 41. 48 to lay up the grain of godliness in the barns of our hearts, before the dearth of mercy shall be. Like painful Ants to provide the food of th● soul, Pro. 6. 7. before the winter of justice approach. Ecc. 18. 18 Like tractable patients to take the preparatives of repentance before the pangs of death do come. Mat. 25. 1 Likewise virgins to have ready the lamp of faith, and the oil of virtue before the bridegroom Christ jesus do shut the doors. Luk. 16. 8 Like good Stewards to provide for the Tabernacle of heaven, before we lose the office of this life. In the days of fair wether, of plenty of Summer, of health, of opportunity, of this life, to remember our maker, and to serve him dutifully. And thus much of the first principal lesson. Trouble, age, sickness, and death, be God's Bailiffs. BUt the nature of man is so crabbed and froward, that commonly the mercies and graces of God do little prevail with him, and therefore when man forgetting the goodness of God, beginneth to wax secure and careless. God hath certain Bailiffs and scourges, as trouble, sickness, age, and death, which he sendeth forth to arrest them to come to his Court of justice, th●re to be warned of their duties, 〈…〉 for their offences. As the holy ghost doth teach in the .28. of Deuteronomie, De. 18. 15. by Moses: If they will not obey the voice of the Lord their God, the Lord shall send upon them, trouble, cursing, and shame: The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto them: the Lord shall smite them with poverty, sickness, and cold, drought, blasting, and meldewe: the heaven that is over their heads shall be brazen, and the earth that is under them iron. In the .32. of Deuteronom. De. 32. 18. Thou haste forsaken th● mighty God that begat thee, and haste forgotten the Lord that made thee. Th● Lord than saw it, and was angry, and said, I will hide my face from thee, and thou shalt be consumed with hunger, and burnt with heat, and bitter destruction. I will also send upon thee the teeth of beasts, with the venom of Serpents. Also he doth complain by the Prophet Ozee. Ozee. 2. 5. Your mother hath said, I will go after my lovers, which gave me my bread and my water, my wool & my glaxe, my oil and my wine. Therefore will I stop her ways with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. And by the Prophet jerem. jere. 15. 2. Cast out this people, and let them depart? And if they say, whither shall we depart? Then tell them: Thus saith the Lord. Such as are appointed to death, unto death: and such as are for the sword, to the sword: and such as are for the famine, to the famine: and such as are for captivity, to captivity. Gen. 11. 24 Nimrod and his adherents forgot God, and said one to another: Come let us make brick, & burn it in the fire, and let us build up a City and a tour whose top may reach unto heaven, that we may get us a name: But God sent his bailiff Trouble, which arrested them with a writ of confusion, and confounded their language, that one might not perceive another's speech. job. 1. 4. Job's sons forgot God, & made feasts every one in his course, but on a day when they were eating and drinking in their elder brother's house, GOD caused his bailiff Trouble to arrest them with a writ of tempest, which smote the four corners of the house, and killed them all. The people of Israel forgot God, Exo. 17. 2. and murmured for bread and drink: But God caused his Bailiff trouble to arrest them with a writ of war, for the Amalechites smote a great number of them. The people of Israel mere weary of their journey to the land of promise, Num. 21. 6 wherefore God caused them to be arrested with a writ of fire, which consumed the uttermost part of the host. The people of God blasphemed God, Num. 21. 6 but he caused them to be arrested with a writ of fiery Serpents, which stung them so, that many of the people of Israel were destroyed. The inhabitants of juda and jerusalem trespassed wonderfully, 2. Par. 36. 14. according to all the wickedness of the Heathen, and polluted the house of God, and mocked the messengers of God, despised his word, and evil used his Prophets, wherefore the Lords caused them to be arrested a●d ●●ed with long captivity: for they were led away prisoners unto Babylon. The ten tribes worshipped strange Gods, ●. Reg. 17. 23. and walked after the rites of the Gentiles, and therefore GO caused them to be arrested, and fyned with long captivity: for they were prisoners amongst the Assyrians. 1. Re. 13. ● jeroboam King of Israel, hearing the words of the man of God which cursed the altar in bethel, stretched forth his hand, saying, lay hold on him: But his hand withered, and he could not pluck it in again. 2. Re. 1. 1. Okezias trusted in Belsebub of Esceron, and therefore he did fall out of the Gallery in the top of his house in Samaria, and died upon it. 2. Re. 25. 7 Zedechias did evil in the sight of the Lord, and Nabuchodonozer king of Babylon slew his sons before his face, & put out his eyes, and bound him in chains, and carried him prisoner to Babylon. 1. Mach. 9 55. Alcimus general to king Demetrius, commanded all the walls of the holy house, and the monuments of Prophets, to be pulled down: But he was plagued, and his mouth was stopped, for he weas stricken with a palsy, and could no more speak. Ualerian the Emperor cruelly persecuted the Christians, whom Sapor king of Persia took in battle: and did not only lead him about with a leace like a blood hound, but also used him for a footstool to get upon his horse. 1. Reg. 21. 13. Achab caused Naboth to be put to death, for that he refused to cell him his Uyneyarde: But both Achab himself was slain in battle, and all his house utterly destroyed. 2. Mach. 9 9 Antiochus' swelled in pride against God: but God smote him with an incurable and invincible plague: the pain of the bowels (which was remediless) came upon him, and he fell down from the Chariot that ran swiftly, and bruised all his bones, and the worms came out of his body in abundance, and whilst he was alive his flesh fell off from him for pain and torment. They of the Church of Israel were unthankful or GOD, and ascribed unto Idols their bread, and their water, their wool and their flax, their Oil and their drink: they gloried in themselves, and made them Castles and Towers: they were secure and careless, and gave themselves to eating and drinking, and pastime: They followed the wickedness of the Heathen, and mocked the Prophets of God, and despised his word: They gave themselves to covetousness and wrong: They grew in pride, infidelity, and contempt of God: and therefore GOD did arrest them with Trouble, with pestilence, with famine, with sword, with fire, with serpents, with captivity, with destruction. We of the Church of England, are unthankful to God for our Treasures, and jewels, for our houses and lands, our unity and peace: his blessed word and Sacraments, and many other his unspeakable benefits and rich blessings of GOD. We think they come not from GOD, but from our Parents, from our Friends, from our wit and cunning, from our ●●ppe and labour. We build Castles and towers in the air to get us a name. So many heads, so many wits, so many common wealths. Plato his Idea, Aristotle's felicity, and Pythagoras numbers, trouble most men's brains. Wishers and woulders were never good householders, devisers and phansiers' were never good Common wealths men. Phaeton thought that he could have ruled Phoebus' Chariot, but his body was too light for the flying horses. Gen. 11. 4. Nimrod thought he could have builded a tour to heaven, but he wrought confusion upon earth. The bramble thought it could have shadowed all the trees of Lybanon▪ but it brought destruction. jud. 9 15 These light Phaeton's, these devising Nimrods', disturbing brambles, fancy many chariots and forms, devise many towers and plaits, and promise' many shadows of common wealths, but the end of all is infidelity, confusion & destruction. The figtree would not leave his sweetness, jud. 9 9 the olive tree his fatness, the vine his wine, wherewith he did cheer both God and man: neither should we leave the sweetness of unity, the fatness & substance of religion, the wine of obedience, which do please both God and man, and be carried away with the brambles of infidelity and confusion. We grow secure & careless, we eat, we drink, we buy, we cell, we plant, we build, we pastime, and make merry. Every one looketh that an other should serve God, they care not to serve God themselves. job. 1. 5. They think that job should pray and sacrifice for them. The spiritual men (say they) should keep hospitality, the spiritual men should see the people taught, should give alms, should live according to their profession: most true, and therefore should Gentlemen, and Noble men keep hospitality, should see the people taught, give alms, live according to their profession. For all be, or aught to be spiritual men. I know not whence that distinction of spiritual and temporal men came, I suppose from beyond the Alpes. The word of God doth acknowledge no difference of man but spiritual or carnal: 1. Cor. 3. 1. and carnal none should be. You are (saith S. Peter to all generally) a chosen people, a regal priesthood, a holy nation, that yo● should show forth the virtues of him that ●ath called you out of darkness into marvelous light. But these that be called spiritual men have their livings for the said purposes: and so have they whom we call temporal men also. Their lands be not their own, they have them not of their friends, ●. Cor. 4. 7 they have them from God, who giveth to every one according to his ability, and requireth again a reckoning according to his receipt: Mat. 25. 15 for one talon of the servant and labourer: for two talentes of the farmer and merchant: for three talents of gentlemen and knights: for more of the Nobles and counsellors: for most of the Princes: whosoever hath most living and authority, is most bound to walk in the fear of God, and to see such as be under his government brought up in the knowledge and fear of God. For every one is God's Steward, Luc. 16. 1. and every Steward is bound to make his account, according to his receit, and charge. We despise God's word, and mock● his Ministers, we blaspheme God, and abuse his holy name, we worship strange Gods, our belly, our purse, our birth, our lands, our wit and authority: we trust more to Belzebub of Ecceron, 2. Reg. 1. ● and Apollo of Delphos, to conjurers and soothsayers, than to the Prophets, and Apostles. Every man hunteth his brother with a net: Mich. 7. 2 Every man hunteth after Nabothes vineyard. 1. Reg. 22. 17. Such as have Lordships and Manors, long after Naboths little field. They that have to much, or spent too much, long after the vineyards of poor Parsons and vicars, and other that labour full truly in God his vinyeard. We swell in pride & contempt of God and man, disdaining one another, contemning one another, and are sorry that an other doth live or thrive by us: And yet we think that God can not, or doth not see it. Gen. 3. 7. We are clothed with the fig leaves of authority, of parentage, of friendship, of self love, of flattery, dissembling, and our own fancies. Gen. 11. Well, our language hath not been confounded: our houses smitten down: Exod. 17. 2 the Amalechites have not prevailed against us in war: Nabuchodonozor hath not killed our children before our faces, 2. Reg. 25. 7. bound us in chains, carried us away captives: we have not been stricken with palseis: 1. Mach. 9 let us not despise the great patience and long suffering Rom. 2. 4. of God. We know what hath been: God knoweth what may be, and shall be. But be these things as they shall be, yet if these two bailiffs can not find us, God hath a third Bailiff, Bailiff Age, which will find us out, and 'cause our strong men or legs to bow, the keepers of our house and hands to tremble, our grinders and teeth to decay, those that look out of the windows and the eyes to be blind, the doors and lips to shut, sleep to ●ayle, the daughters of Music & ears to be deaf, the Almond tree and head to be white, the high ones and shoulders to stick up, the capers and reins to waste: for all these when we feel them in ourselves, or see them in others, be God's bailiffs to warn us, and tell us that it is time for us to prepare ourselves to begin to remember, and serve God. But some can use themselves so cunningly, Ma●h. 4. 3 that Bailiff trouble shall never find them. For if he seek them with poverty, they will make stones bread rather than want. They will ●ord up their corn and wares, until the poorer sort hath sold, and then cell it at their own price, or keep it until it be rot. They will varnish their wares, and make them show fair to the eye, though never so bad to the use: or they will leave their natural and lawful travel, and use unnatural and unlawful multiplication of money: or they will cell their lands and live by usury: or they will set their lands upon the last, and stretch them from six pound a year to six score pound a year. Or they will make all fish that cometh to net by S●a or by land, or they will transport corn, butter, cheese, and all kind of good necessaries, and that to them that neither love God's word, nor this country: or they will cell their lands three or four times to be sure. If trouble seek them by loss of friends, they can comfort themselves with th● commodity that they reap of their friends goods and lands, after they have worn black a while. If trouble seek them by displeasure, they will say that white is black, and black white: they will run with the hare, and hold with the hound: they will carry fire in one hand, and water in another: They will play Ait, Aio, Negat, Nego. They will leave truth, justice, and equity, and play the English Collier, who first met King Henry the sixth soldiers, and was beaten of them, for that he said he served king Edward the fourth: next he met king Edward the fourth's soldiers, and was beaten of them, for that he said he served king Henry the sixth: afterward he met a third hand of men, to whom he answered he served the Devil, who when they had him be gone in the devils name, so he answered he would: for quoth he, I have been beaten of king Henry's men, and king Edward's men, for answering that I served the one, and then the other, and now I have said I serve the Devil, I go without hurt, he is the best master I met with this morning. They will leave their duties towards God, their Prince, and their country, rather than by displeasure to fall into trouble. Some partly by the goodness of nature, partly by diet and exercise▪ partly by medicines, will order their body in such sort, that Bailiff sickness shall not find them. And some with fair and pleasant houses, with their warm and soft apparel, with their choice of meats and drinks, with their several pastimes and recreations will cherish bailiff Age in such sort, that he shall little or nothing grieve them. Marry yet God hath one sure and trusty Bailiff, Bailiff Death, which never faileth him. For he never returneth, Non est in●entus in baliva mea, but bringeth corpus cum causa. Be he old, be he young, rich or poor, Lord or Lady, Knight or Emperor; he keepeth them without bail or mainprize. This Bailiff can neither be deceived by subtlety, nor alured by beauty, nor corrupted by money, nor withstood by strength. When death cometh there is no way to escape: Be it to day, be it to morrow, it will be, it is a debt, it must be paid. Strive man never so much, this sentence definitive of God shall never be reversed, earth thou art, Gen. 3. 16. to earth thou shalt. Live you never so long, you must say with job: job. 17. 13 The grave is my house, darkness is my bed, I said unto rottenness, you are my father: I said unto the worms, you are my mother, you are my sisters. What say some, I have in bank a hundred thousand pounds, my plate, my jewels, my lands are worth as much: and yet must you say: The grave is my house, darkness is my bed: yet must you say to rottenness, you are my father, and to the worms, you are my mother, you are my sisters. But I am able to overrule any case in the law, I am able to be an Ambassador through the world, I have the knowledge of all tongues and learning. I am able to serve any Prince in the field, I am able to be of Council with any Prince Christian. Yet must you say, the grave is my house. etc. I am a gentleman, a Noble man, I came in with the conqueror, I can fetch my pedigree long before the Conquest, a King was my father, a Queen was my mother, a King my brother, a Queen my sister: yet must you say, The grave is my house, darkness is my bed: yet must you say to rottenness, you are my father, and to the worms, you are my mother, you are my sisters. For the silver threads & sinews shall stretch, your golden call and brayne-skinne shall shrink, your spring and heart, your pipes and Arteries shall fail, your cistern and wheel, your liver & stomach shall be dried up, and consumed, and man shall go to his long home, and dust to earth, from whence it came. And now followeth the third principal lesson. That each one shall rise again, and give an account to God of his doings. THe earth is a mistress unto us of our resurrection: whose trees, flowers and herbs do die in winter, and revive in summer. The day, the month, the year, the spring, the summer, the winter, do pass●, & return again, & teach our resurrection. We ourselves once in .24. hours do as it were die in sleep, but the morning awaketh us out of sleep, & showeth us a manifest token of our resurrection. But we marvel how the dry and rotten bones can be fetched out of the Sea, out of the earth, out of the ashes again. He that fetcheth the sun out of his cave every morning: ●e that (as it were) quickeneth the dead Moon every month: Num. 17. 8 he that caused Aaron his rod, that had been many years dried, in one night to bud, blossom, & bear ripe Almonds, can also bring the dry bones out of the grave, sea, & ashes, & 'cause them to hear ripe & perfect flesh. And why should we doubt, that of the rotten body a perfect body may spring, since we see by daily experience that of rotten corn perfect corn doth grow, and that of rotten seeds & kernels perfect seeds & kernels do come, which be clothed with stalk, husk, & leaves: and this mortality shall put on immortality, 1. Cor. 15. 53. and this corruption incorruption. john. 5. The hour shall come, joh. 5. 25. when all that be in the grave shall hear the voice of the Son of GOD, and shall come forth. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 11 If the power of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies. For as in Adam all do die, 1. Cor. 15. 22. so in Christ all shall be made alive. Apo. 10. 11 Apoca. 20. I saw (saith S. john) a great white throne, and one that sat on it, from whose face fled away both heaven and earth. I saw the dead both great and small stand before God. For the sea gave up her dead that were in her, and death, and the grave gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged every one according to their works. Whosoever was not written in the book of life, were cast into the fire. As S. john Baptist saith, Mat. 3. 12. he hath his fan in his hand, and will make clean his floor, a●d gather his Wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Math. 13. 30. In the time of Harvest, in the end of the world, the Sun of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom, all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: Then shall the just shine as the sun in the kingdom of the father. Math. 13. 47. The kingdom of Heaven is like unto a draw net, cast into the Sea, that gathereth of all kind of things: which when it is full, men draw to land, and sit and gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away: so shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall go forth and sever the good from the bad: and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of tooth. When the Son of man cometh in his glory, Math. 25. 31. and all the holy Angels with him, then shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from an other, as a shepherd separateth his sheep from the Goats. And he shall set the Sheep on his right hand, and the Goats on the left: Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Then shall he say to them on the left hand, Departed from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels. And therefore S. Paul's rule to the Corinthians is very necessary, where he saith: Let every man take heed, 1. Cor. 3. 11 how he buyl●eth, for other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is jesus Christ. And if any man build on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, timber, ●ay, or stubble: every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by the fire: and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receive wages, if any man's work burn he shall lose. Behold the Lord will come with fire, and his chariots like a whirl wind, that he may recompense his anger with Esa. 66. 15 wrath, and his judgement with the flame of fire: for the Lord will judge with fire and with his sword all flesh. Thou after the hardness of thy heart, which can not repent, Rom. 2. 5. heapest unto thyself wrath in the day of wrath, and of the just declaration of the just judgement of God, who will reward every one according to his works, that is, to them which by continuance of well doing, seek glory & honour, & immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, ● disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, shall be indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon the soul of every man that doth evil. For we must all appear before the tribunal seat of Christ, 2. Co. 5. 10 that every man may receive the things that are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. Learn therefore to remember your maker in the days of your youth, for either trouble will come, or sickness will come, or age will come, and death will come, and we shall rise again, and the judge will come, which will neither show favour or mercy, nor receive money, nor allow repentance. Here let every soul repent whilst there is place and time for mercy: for there is only time & place for justice. The day of judgement shall come, in the which pure hearts shall more avail, than fair words, and a good conscience than great Treasure. And though some ma● think that that day is far ●ence, let him be sure, that his last day is not far hence: And look how this his last day in this world shall take him, so shall the last day in the next world find him. For such as he dieth in this day, such shall he be judged in that day. And therefore S. Hierome Hiero. saith well, whether I eat or drink, or what soever I do, me think I hear this sound always in my ears: Surgite mortui, & venite ad judicium, Arise ye dead, and come to judgement. Psa. 66. 1. God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and show us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us, that in the youth of this life we may be thankful to the merciful and gracious God, for ●is infinite mercies & blessings: And that we may learn to believe in him as almighty, to fear him as just, to love him as merciful, to be zealous in his truth, holy and constant, that we may gird ourselves with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, take the shield of faith, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and the helmet of salvation, and to watch, and pray with all perseverance, that we may keep the garments of innocency, labour the work of God in the day of this life, yield the sweet grapes of judgement, cast our bread upon the waters of the poor, that when Christ jesus shall come to judge both quick and dead, we may be deemed the good corn to be laid up in the grayner of bliss, the good fish to be put into the vessels of glory, and live for ever with God the father, God the son, and God the holy Ghost: To whom be all honour, praise, and glory, both now, and evermore. Amen.