A GOLDEN key, OPENING THE lock TO eternal happiness.  
Containing seven most sweet and comfortable directions to a Christian life.  
By FRANCIS DILLINGHAM, Bachelor in divinity, and Preacher of Gods word at WILDEN in Bedfordshire.  
The Contents follow in the next page..  
LONDON Printed for John TAPP, and are to be sold at his Shop on Tower-hil near the bulwark Gate. 1609.   


1 The fiery trial.  
2 The young mans scripture.  
3 The difficulty of salvation. Oeconomie or household government showing the duties of  
4 Husbands and wives.  
5 Parents and children.  
6 Maisters and seruants.  
7 A funeral sermon.    

TO THE RIGHT virtuous, wise, and worshipful Lady, the Lady Mary Winfeild, Grace and Peace.  
THree things there are( right worshipful and virtuous Lady) which as in all times, haue hindered the salvation of men, so in these our daies, do not a little keep men from sincere piety: liveliness pleasure, and persecution. Touching the two first, in the 14. of Luke the 18. verse, they which were bidden to the lords supper, excused themselves after this manner: One said, I haue bought a farm, and another said, I haue married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. The world is like unto a Sea, in which many men are drowned. The fish Polypus, otherwise a sottish creature, yet in the catching of shellfish, useth strange diligence: even so some haue wisdom, onely for gain; but as concerning religion, they are merely brutish. As for pleasure, if it be a principle that plures gula quam gladio periere: more haue perished by gluttony then by the sword: How many haue perished thorough voluptuousness? Riches and pleasures are many a mans God. Now concerning persecution, how many are so effeminate that they cannot abide any trial? Fiery trial through the mercies of God, wee haue none by the means of a gracious King, whom the Lord bless continually; yet are the godly afflicted with vices and sins: blessed are they that can mourn for the sins of other men: neither are the godly persecuted with the sins of men only, but also with their tongues. He that feareth God now a daies, is made a wonder amongst men. This is a grievous persecution, because it is done by men, that profess the same religion; and sogrieuous is it to many, that for this cause they will not bee counted religious: they had rather bee openly profane, then publicly religious, lest they should be scoffed at. Shall wee think that these men would abide the fiery trial, that cannot abide this so easy a kind of trial? Now that men may relinquish the world and worldly pleasures, and also that they bee not offended with persecution, I haue penned this treatise: the lord bless the same, to all that shall red it. A true Christian may say with the Poet: 
Quocumque aspicio nihil est nisi p●ntus& aether  
Fluctibus hic tumidus, nubibus ille minax.   
whethersoever I cast my eyes, there is nothing but the sea, and the air, the one raging with his waves, the other threatening with clouds. To conclude, as I thought good to publish this treatise, so I judged it meet to dedicate the same to your worship, being a true pattern of piety, and a rare example of religion. The Lord for his mercies sake, multiply these his graces vpon you, that you may live Eternally.  
Your usurps 
 to command, 
 FRANCIS DILLINGHAM.   


THE FIERY TRIAL.  1. PETER 4.12. 
dearly beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which thing is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.  
AT this 12. verse St. Peter exhorteth the dispersed Iewes to suffer afflictions, even the fiery affliction: In which exhortation these things are plainly laid down: First, a friendly compellation, in these words; dearly beloved: Secondly, a removing of a wrong and erroneous conceit, touching the fiery affliction, in these words; think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, as though some strange thing happened unto you: Thirdly, a reason to suffer the fiery affliction, in these words; Which is to try you. And it is thus to bee framed: that which trieth men, as the fire trieth the gold, is to be suffered; but the fiery affliction trieth men as the fire trieth the gold, therefore it is to be suffered.  
Touching the friendly compellation: Saint Peter useth it to make his exhortation of greater force, that it may take place with Christians, for men will receive usually the exhortations, admonitions, and reproofs of those which love them; as contrary, they will reject and despise the reproof of them that hate them. 
lib. 2. cap. 2.  trees sunt causae( saith Aristotle) quibus efficitur vt ei qui dicit, &c. There are three things that procure of a mans Auditors credite, wisdom, honesty, and love, wheresoever these things are to be found, there the hearers reap benefit and profit; but where they are not, they go away without a blessing. Hence we learn the sincere love that should bee betwixt Christians, seeing Peter calleth the Christians dearly beloved. unto this duty Saint John in his first Epistle, 3. chap. 18. ver. exhorteth us, saying: My little children, let us not love in word and in tongue, or speech, but in work and truth. There are many arguments to persuade Christians to love one another: First, afflictions; Christians suffer the same afflictions, therefore they ought to love another. Natura asfert, saith the Orator, Pro Muraena, vt cis faueamus &c. Very nature doth teach us to favor those, which suffer the same dangers, out of the which we are delivered. Seeing then Christians suffer the same afflictions in name, in goods, in body, and every way, let them love one another, otherwise they sin against the very light of nature: Secondly, Christians are renewed to the image of God, and so haue the same similitude and likeness. Now all men know, that love ariseth of likeness and similitude. Similitudo morum parit amicitiam: the likeness of manners begetteth friendship. What a strange thing is it then, that men will not love those that are Christians, which are renewed into the same image with themselves: doth it not plainly argue that they haue not the image of God renewed in truth, but onely in appearance? Wee know, saith Saint John 1. Epistle 3. chapped. 14. ver. that we are translated from death unto life, because we love the brethren. Hence it appeareth, that many are still in death because they hate Christians, as it appeareth in all places: Thirdly, nature itself teacheth love. Siccata tellus imbre rigari, &c. The earth being dry, desireth to be watered: when the heauens are full of water, they desire to power it into the bosom of the earth; such natural sympathy is there betwixt these creatures. do not they then teach us love? ask, saith job, chap. 12. ver. 7. the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the fowles of the heaven, and they shall tell thee, or speak to the earth, and it shall show thee, or the fishes of the Sea, and they shall declare unto thee. So say I, the very insensible creatures teach us love: Fourthly, men are made of the same matter; yea, they breath the same air, and yet no love haue they one to another. It is a true saying that, Fratrum irae inter se inimicissimae the anger of brethren is the greatest anger that can be, so the hatred of Christian brethren is the greatest hatred that can be. A brother offended, saieth Salomon, proverbs 18. chap. ver. 19. is harder to win then a strong city, and their contentions are like the bar of a Palace. Vt aqua calefactacum ad frigiditatem, &c. As water that hath been hot, being could again, is colder then it was by nature: so love being turned into hatred, there ariseth the greatest hatred. Vt adamas sifrangi contingat, &c. As the Adamant, if it be once broken, is shivered into so small pieces that they can hardly be seen; so the nearest friendship, if it be dissolved, is turned into the greatest hatred. This doctrine of love, as it hath been always necessary, so especially in these times: for as our saviour Christ saith, Mat. chap. 24. ver. 12. Because iniquity shal increase, the love of many shall bee could. Excellently writeth Bernard 33. Sermon vpon the Canticles. Omnes amici et omnes inimici, &c. All friends and all enemies, all familiars and all aduersaries, all of a house and yet none at peace, all neighbours and yet all seeking their own things. That our love bee right Christian love, let us consider the kindes of love: First, there is a natural love, as of parents towards their children, but Christians must not stay there. Secondly there is a civil love, as one heathen man loveth another for civility, neither must a Christian rest in this love: Thirdly, there is a love for commodity, which is the common love of the world, and indeed this is nothing but self-love. For si ob tuam causam cuiquam, &c. If thou dost profit any for thy own sake, it is no benefit but usury: Fourthly, there is a love for pleasure, which love likewise is very common in the world: this is the love of pot-companions, of dicers and carders, which is soon dissolved. Quemadmodum ignis qui, &c. As the fire that is kindled in light matter, is soon exringuished, so love which ariseth of pleasure, is soon put out: Fiftly, there is a christian love, which is, when we love men in the Lord, and for the Lord. Saint Paul Ephes. chap. 6. ver. 1. commandeth children to obey their parents in the lord: that is, so far as they command that, which the Lord commandeth them; so wee must love men in the Lord: If by reason of love, they will us to do unlawful things, we must rmember that it is better to obey God then men. Now we love men for the Lord: first because he hath commanded us so to do: secondly, because of the graces of God which we see in them; and this is right christian love, and they who cannot love men, because they see the graces of God in them, plainly show, that they haue not christian love. What shall wee think then of those, who hate Christian men because they are Christians? As St. John saith, surely they are not passed from death to life, and therefore are in a fearful estate. And thus much touching the friendly compellation. Now I come to the removing of the wrong conceit of the fiery trial, which is the second part of this portion of Scripture. The removing of this conceit is very necessary, for the godly haue been much troubled with the prosperity of the wicked, and with their own miseries and calamities. O Lord, saith jeremy chap. 12. ver. 1. if I dispute with thee thou art righteous, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper, why are they in wealth that rebelliously transgress? david in the 73. psalm also saith, As for me, my feet were almost gone, my sleps had well nere slipped, for I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. The Heathen man Diogenes in Tully, in his 3. book De natura Deorum, uttered this speech: Improborum prosperitates secundaeque res, &c. The prosperity of the wicked reproveth all the power of God. Tully also himself in his Oration, Pro Flac. saith of jerusalem quam chara dijs immortalibus. &c. It is manifest how it was beloved of God, in that it was overcome: thus the Heathen man judged of Gods favour, by afflictions and crosses. Yet further to show the necessity of the removal of this conceit: if men should judge by natural reason, might they not think it strange, that a father should suffer his children to be murdered before his eyes, when he is able to rescue them, and deliver them? The godly are Gods children; and is it not strange, that he should suffer them to be burned before his eyes, when he is able to deliver them? Strange it is to natural reason, but strange it must not bee to those, which haue saving knowledge: the reasons shall be set down in handling of the Apostles reason. Before I come to the handling of the same, Christian reader, meditate of as strange things in divinity, as the afflictions of Gods children: First, God hath concluded all men under sin. Rom. 11. Nostra est saith Bernard Ser. 1. De dominica prima post octa. Epi. Adami cu'pa, &c. Adams fault is ours, for wee haue sinned, although in another, and the fault shall be imputed unto us, by Gods righteous, although secret iudgement: Secondly, God rejected Saul and choose david: yea, he choose some to salvation, and rejected others. Excellently writeth Augustine, Serm. 20. De verbis Apostoli tu homo, expecta, &c. Thou, O man, lookest for an answer of me, and I myself am also a man; therefore both thou, and I, let us harken to him that saith: O man, who art thou that disputest with God? Better far is faithful ignorance then rash knowledge: seek for merit, thou shalt find but punishment. O depth! Peter denieth, the thief believeth. O depth! Thou seekest a reason of this, I will tremble at the deepness; thou reasonest, I will wonder: thou disputest, I will beleeue: A depth I see, to the bottom, I cannot come. Paul calleth them unsearchable ways of God, and thou wilt search them. whosoever liketh not this answer, let him seek for better learned; but let him take heed he find not presumers. Thirdly, God hardeneth whom he will: Fourthly, he punisheth those that go about a righteous work, Iudges 20. Fiftly, he punisheth not all that commit the same sin, Exo. 32. Fatum aspici non inspici vult, &c. Gods secrets must bee looked vpon, but they must not be looked into: believed they must be without curious knowledge. It is sufficient to know that they are, Vt papisiones& minuta quaedam, &c. As Butterflies and small creatures fly about the light of a Candle, until they be burnt; so mans mind itcheth to know secrets: it will needs touch heavenly fire until it vanish away, and climb up into the tower of providence, until it fall down.  
Thus I haue shewed thee as strange things in divinity, as the afflictions of Gods own dear seruants. Now I come to the reason of the fiery trial: The reason why God doth suffer his seruants to pass thorough the fire, is to try them: as gold is tried in the fire, so Gods true seruants are tried from counterfeit seruants, by the fiery trial of afflictions; and no doubt if GOD should sand the fiery trial, many unsound professors would manifest themselves. Constantius meaning and intending to prove some Christians that were in his Palace, whether they were good and sound men or no, called them all forth, and said: if they would worship his Gods, they should remain still with him; but if they would not, they must depart, with thanksgiving, for that they were not punished; but indeed he expelled those that left the true God, and fell to a false worship; affirming, that they would never be good subiects that were traytors to God. Thus we see how trials discern betwixt good and evil; betwixt david and Demas; betwixt Cephas and Caiphas; betwixt Simon Peter and Simon Magus. Let not us then think the fiery trial a strange thing, seeing by it true Christians are discerned from false Christians; as dross is tried from the gold by the fire. Now as the Lord hath this end in sending the fiery trial; so likewise hath he many others, as the increase of his Church: for martyrdom doth increase the same Sanguis martyrum est seemen ecclesiae. The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church. Quoties metuntur Christiani toties multiplicantur. As often as Christians are cut down, so often are they multiplied. The children of Israel, Exod. 1.12. the more they were vexed, the more they increased. By martyrdom was justine Martyr converted. Euseb. in his 4. book and 8. chapter citeth justine his words, touching himself, in this form: Nam ipse ego cum Platonis dogmatibus, &c. I myself being a Platonist, hearing that Christians were traduced, and yet never daunted with death, or any fearful punishment; thought it could not be, that this kind of men should be subject to malice, or to the desire of vain pleasure. Augustine in his 22. book De civitate Dei and 8. chapter writeth thus of Christians; Ligabantur, vrebantur, includebantur, caedebantur, multiplicabantur. They were bound, they were burnt, they were imprisoned, they were beaten, yet were they multiplied. The murtherers of Martyrs, are like to those that cut down trees, many more branches spring out of the roots, then there were boughs before: so out of the ashes of Martyres arise more Christians then were before. Thus we see a second reason and cause, why God doth suffer his Church to pass thorough the fiery trial: namely, the multiplication of the same. Iulius Palmer, as Master fox reporteth, was converted by the suffering of Martyrs, in the bloody persecution that was in this land. And thus much touching the second cause of the fiery trial. The third cause of Gods fiery trial, is to give his seruants so suffering, a greater weight of glory: for the momentany lightness, saith Saint Paul, 2. Cor. chap. 4. of our tribulation, worketh an exceeding weight of glory in us; for although good works, as wee shall hear, deserve not, yet doth God of his mercy plentifully reward them. Mat. 5. Happy are they which suffer persecution, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: happy are you when men speak evil of you, and persecute you: and again, rejoice and be glad, for that your reward is great in heaven. Nemo, saieth Chrysostome, homilia 2. in Epist. ad Colos. talem vitae, &c. No man sheweth such conversation of life, that he can be worthy of Gods kingdom, but is wholly the gift of God: wherefore he saith, when ye haue done all things, say ye, we are unprofitable seruants, for we haue done but the things wee ought. Excellently writeth Ambrose, in Exhor. ad Virg. Vnde mihi tantum meriti, &c. Whence haue I such merit, seeing mercy is my crown? What shal we say then of Papists, who make the suffering of Martyrs so meritorious, that they make up the treasure of the Church? Against this vile and detestable doctrine, let us remember, that david prayeth thus in the 143. psalm: Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, O Lord, for no flesh is righteous in thy sight; and again in the 130. he saith, If thou, O lord, dost mark what is done amiss, who is able to stand? Daniel also in his 9. chap. and 18. verse, prayeth thus: We do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousness, but for thy great tender mercies. Quamuis, saith Pope lo 83. Epist. multorum sanctorum in conspectu, &c. Although the death of many Saints bee precious in the sight of the Lord, yet was not the death of any Saint a propitiation for the sins of the world. The just haue received their crownes, and not given a crown; and the faithful by their fortitude are become examples of patience, not gifts of righteousness. Yet further to give reasons against this ungodly doctrine: The satisfaction of Christ is of infinite value, therefore there need no adjoining of the satisfactions of Saints: to this argument Bellarmine answereth; it is meet that the passion of Saints bee not in vain: as though the passions of saints were in vain, except they were adjoined to the passions of Christ, to make up the treasure of the Church. Hath not their own Pope set down the use of them in the words which I recited? Yea, are there not many other uses besides the making up of the treasure of the Church: Secondly, the Saints haue received a full reward; there wanteth therefore nothing of their labours, which may be bestowed vpon other men, to satisfy for their sins: to this argument, the same answer is shaped in effect, wherefore I pass it over: Thirdly, if Saints could satisfy for our sins, then were they our redeemers and saviours; but onely Christ is our Redeemer. To this Argument he answereth, that they are our redeemers, which is blasphemy; for they are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, and never are they called redeemers in the whole Scripture. The blood of Iesus Christ, saith Saint John 1. chap. purgeth us from all sin, and in the 7. of the Reu. 17. ver. They which are come out of the great tribulation, are said to haue washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, which Lamb is Christ Iesus. Now here a question by the way may be demanded: Did all the Saints go to heaven immediately, as well as Martyrs? I answer, Augustine in his 20. book, De civitate Dei and 9. chapped. writeth thus: for although they are not yet with their bodies, yet their souls do even now reign with him, but of a part, we understand the whole, even the rest, which pertain to the Church; which is the kingdom of God: Ergo, the rest of the souls are not tormented in purgatory, while the Martyrs reign in heaven with Christ. Omnis anima Deo chara, saith Nazianzen in his Oration concerning Caesarius, Postquam corporis vinculis, &c. every soul beloved of God, being loosed out of the body, flieth joyfully unto the Lord, and enjoyeth the happiness that is laid up for the same. Hence two main points of Popery are thrown down: First, Purgatory: Secondly, prayer for the dead; Iniuriam facit Martyri, saith Augustine, qui orat pro martyr. he doth injury to a martyr, that prayeth for a martyr; so he doth injury to a Saint, that prayeth for a Saint, supposing him to be in misery. And as touching purgatory; justine in his 60. question writeth thus: Est de Diuite& Lazaro narratio evidens, &c. The history of the rich man and Lazarus is an evident narration, and a manifest representation, having this doctrine: that after the separation of the soul from the body, men neither by providence, neither by labour can get or obtain any help. Fourthly, the Lord doth sand the fiery trial unto his seruants, that they may be made like unto Christ; which is, a singular use of the fiery trial: if wee will reign with Christ, we must also suffer with Christ: Christ was put to death, and that we may be conformable to Christ our head, wee that are his members must look for the same death. Neque, saith Cyprian, nobis est ignominia pati &c. Neither is it a shane for us to suffer of our brethren, that which Christ hath suffered: neither a glory for them to do that which Iudas did. again, saith the same worthy martyr: Filius Dei passus est, &c. The son of God suffered to make us the sons of God, and shall not men suffer that they may continue the sons of God? Wherefore remember this fourth end, why God doth lay vpon his seruants the fiery trial; which indeed should move all Christians to endure the same, if there were nothing else in the fiery trial. Fiftly, the Lord doth sand the fiery trial to exercise the graces that he hath bestowed upon us: for in the fiery trial is exercised our faith, whereby wee beleeue the promise of God; therefore faith is defined in the 11. of the Heb. to be a ground of things that are hoped for, and an argument of things that are not seen. Secondly, hope is exercised, which waiteth for the reward that is believed; and these are two graces of God, that stay every Christian man in temptation: faith apprehending the promise, and hope looking for the reward promised. If human hope, comforteth& strengtheneth men in their miseries; how much more should a christian hope strengthen Christians? Spes facit vt videat cum terras vndique nullas, naufragus in medijs brachia iactet aquis, hope maketh him that hath suffered shipwreck, when he can see no land, to cast and spread his arms in the midst of the waters. again, spes etiam valida solatur compede venctum, crura sonant ferro said canit inter opus. Hope comforteth the prisoner, his legs make a noise with chains, yet is he merry at his work: Other ends of the fiery trial, might I haue recited but I desire brevity, I come to the uses of this doctrine: First if men must not think the fiery trial a strange thing, what shall we think of those that will bee Christians, and yet cannot abide small trials; as the loss of name, of goods, and health for Christ his sake: Let us remember that which Cyprian writeth: Nec Christiani vltra durare, aut esse possumus si ad hoc ventum est, vt proditorum minas& insidias pertimescamus: Neither can wee continue or be Christians any longer, if it be come to this, that we fear the threatening and deceipts of wicked men. The second use of the doctrine, is to show that all things work together to the good of Gods children: Rom. 8.28. ver. For doth not the fiery trial help them sooner to heaven; which is the place that they long for: yea here wee may see, how he ordereth the sins of tyrants to his own glory: They that do afflict and vex Gods Church, do sin most grievously; yet this affliction God willeth, as Peter saith: 1. Epist. 4. cap. 19. ver. they which be afflicted by the will of God, let them commit their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator. Excellently wtiteth Fulgentius libr. 1. ad Moni: Deus itaque licet author &c. That is, God therefore although he bee not the author of evil thoughts, yet is he an orderer of evil wills, and by the bad work of every wicked one, he ceaseth not to effect that which is good. To Fulgentius agreeth Augustine in his book, De gen. ad literam: Vitiorum non est author deus, said est ordinator. God is not the Author of our sins, yet is he the disposer of them. The third use of the doctrine is to show the truth of Religion in that men will die rather then they will forsake their Religion, is it not a thing above Nature, that men should rather loose their lives then forsake their belief in God. Memorable is the speech of Ignatius, Frumentum ego dei sum, bestiarum dentibus molor& subigor, vt panis mundus efficiar Christo: I am the Lord his corn, I care not to bee ground with the teeth of beasts, so be it I bee made fine bread for Christ: But some will say, haue not heretics their Martyrs; yes, but mark the difference in three things. First in the cause, Non paena said causa facit Martyrem, not the punishment but the cause maketh a martyr. Secondly, mark the patience of true Martyrs. Thirdly, mark the multitude. The divell hath his Martyrs. As he hath his religion and his Sacraments: so hath he also his Martyrs, for he doth amaze their sences, so that they feel not the grievousness of the punishment which they suffer. To conclude this text of holy Scripture, if thou feelest thy frailty and doubtest that thou canst not abide the fiery trial; Remember this saying of Cyprian Deus adiuuat dimicantes, vincentes coronat, retributione pietatis paternae remunerans in nobis quidquid ipse praestitit& honorans quod ipse perfecit. God doth help those that strive, he crowneth those that overcome, rewarding in us whatsoever he hath wrought, and honouring whatsoever he hath perfected: again remember what Ambrose writeth in his first book of offices 38. Chap. Gratia praeparandus est animus, exercenda mens, stabilienda ad constantiam, vt nullis perturbari animus posset terroribus, nullis frangi molestiis, nullis suppliciis cedere. The mind is to be prepared with grace, and to bee established unto constancy, that it may not bee troubled with any terrors, nor dismayed with any sorrows, nor yield with any punishment. The Lord of his infinite goodness make us to suffer with Christ, that we may reign with Christ.   

THE young MANS Scripture.  ECCLES. Chap. 11. verse 9. 
rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thine hart cheer thee, and walk in the ways of thine hart and in the sight of thine eyes: but know that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement.  
THis portion of holy writ may be called the Youngmans Scripture. The Minister hath his scripture. 1. Tim. 3. chap. 2. ver. He must be apt to teach. St sacerdos est saith Hierom vpon the 2. of Haggey Sciat legem dei: si ignoratlegem, ipse se arguit non esse sacerdotem domini: If a man be a minister, let him know the lawe of God, if he knoweth not the lawe, he proveth himself not to be the Lords Minister; Yea the learned father Augustine in his fourth book, De doctrina Christiana 16. chap. writeth thus, trees apostolicas Epistolas ad Titum,& ad Timotheum, ante oculos habere debet, cvi est in Ecclesia doctoris persona imposita. he ought to haue before his eyes the three Epistles of paul to Titus and Timothy, who doth sustain the person of a teacher in the Church. The Magistrate also hath his Scripture 82. psalm: I said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men: The rich man hath his scripture. 1. Tim. 6. chap. 17. ver. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they bee not high minded, and that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God: that they do good and be rich in good works and ready to distribute and communicate. The poor man hath his scripture, Pro 30.9. verse: give me not poverty, least I be poor and steal, and take the name of God in vain. The old man hath his scripture Esay 65.20. There shall bee no more there a child of yeares, nor an old man that hath not filled his daies, for he that shall be an hundred yeares old, shall die as a young man, but the sinner being an hundred year old shal be accursed. Lastly, the young man hath his Scripture even the text now red unto you: In which these two things are to be considered. The first is a taunting concession in these words; rejoice O young man, &c. Or an irony which is, when by pronunciation, wee signify a diverse thing, from that which the words do sound. The second thing is a bridle or restraint for the youngman in these words; but know that God will bring thee to iudgement for all these things: Touching the Irony or mocking of the young man, it may bee questioned how it can be lawful. I answer, when it tendeth to instruction, and not to seduce and deceive men, then it is good and lawful and may bee used. Examples whereof we haue in God himself in Elias, mocking the Priests of baal, and the Apostle Paul who when he would reprove the folly of such as did boast of such things as they had not, he did greatly abase himself and advance the Corinthians, by such a kind of speaking: Now to the meaning of the words touching the word rejoice; wee must not understand onely that which the Philosophers call ioy or rejoicing; which is the mirth of the mind, and cometh not to the outward parts, but also outward mirth, and all kind of unlawful pleasures: Yea the abuse of lawful pleasures, and touching the word Young man: wee must not understand him onely that is of the age betwixt thirty yeares and forty yeares, as the Philosophers take the young man; who dividing age into infancy, childhood and striplinges, youth and old age make young age begin at thirty yeeres and to reach to forty: but we must further stretch the signification of this word; Solomon also divideth not onely the Young man, but also the old man that followeth his pleasures: but he nameth the young man, because by reason of yeeres, he is especially given to pleasures. Furthermore Solomon nameth the hart,& saith, let thy heart cheer thee and the eyes also, and walk in the ways of thine eyes, because as the rabbis say, these two members are the brokers of sin, the hart lusteth or desireth, and the eye seeth. That which the eye seeth, the heart desireth, therefore job saith, I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I lo●ke on a maid; And thus much touching the meaning of the Irony. As concerning the meaning of the restraint of the Young man, it needeth not any explication: Now to the doctrine. Hence wee learn, that young men are wonderfully addicted to their pleasures, so are many old men also, but young men especially; therefore Solomon derideth them, because they are so addicted unto them, wherewithal, saith the Prophet david 119. psalm, 9. verse. Shall a young man redress his way? because youth is given most to licentiousness: he admonisheth thē to frame their lives betime to Gods word; A young man is set as it were in a place where two ways meet, and unto him come two tempters: the one virtue, the other 'vice and pleasure, as there did to Hercules: virtue cometh with chased eyes and modest attire: Pleasure cometh with wanton looks, with a painted countenance, and with whorish attire: virtue saith, if thou wilt attain to felicity, and if thou wilt bee happy, thou must take pains; but pleasure saith, if thou wilt follow me, I will show thee a pleasant life, thou shalt care for nothing, but for fine meats and drink: but how thou maiest lye easily and play continually, thus the young man is tempted: virtue propoundeth unto him labour, if he will be happy: 'vice propoundeth unto him pleasure, a clean contrary way. Now the young mans nature being prove and ready to leave labour and to follow pleasure embraceth the same. Hence it is plain, that pleasure fitteth the young mans nature; and indeed what doth he think of; what doth he speak; of what doth he dream; what doth he follow: pleasure, nothing but pleasure; hard it is for a man to resist anger, but harder it is to resist pleasure; pleasure is engrafted and nourished up with men. Secondly, it is continual, anger is but short: Thirdly, anger is bitter, pleasure is sweet: Fourthly pleasure is spread through the whole body: Fiftly, pleasure is fraudulent and deceitful. Seeing then the case standeth so, that pleasure is diffused through all the parts of man, and is natural unto him, needs must he follow the same, as the fish then is taken with the bait, so are young men taken with pleasure: Wherefore let me speak to thee that art a young man, deal with pleasure, as if thou wouldest deal with a dog, if thou desirest to be rid of him, thou drivest him away; for if thou dost feed him he will abide with thee: so if thou desirest to be rid of pleasures, chastise them that they may fly away, if thou dost foster them they will remain still. again; Si vis in perpetua voluptate manner, non voluptatibus adiiciendum said cupiditatibus detrahendum: If thou wilt live in perpetual pleasures, add not to thy pleasures, but take from thy desires. Now let us see the particular pleasures that men are given unto, to omit the pleasure of smelling; for although pleasure doth increase by smelling garments, yet I will omit to speak of this pleasure. To omit then the pleasure of smelling, and to come to the pleasure of tasting, how many men are overcome with gluttony and drunkenness, so that they make themselves the divels swine; but I haue spoken and written of these sins, wherefore I pass them over. Secondly, how many men are overcome with the pleasure of hearing tales and music, tending to adultery and to whoredom; and to this head I refer the pleasure of profane dancing, a sin of which I haue likewise spoken: I think it were better for some to follow their children to punishment, then to profane dancing, tending to whorish 'vice; for if they followed them to punishment, they might be brought to repentance: but in dancing they are so commended that many of them are led unto hell by it. The third pleasure is the pleasure of seeing, to which may be referred the pleasure of getting riches, yea of whoredom, for many men haue eyes full of adultery, as Peter speaketh, 2. Epist 2. chap. And as whoredom may be referred to this head, so likewise may it be referred to the fourth pleasure of touching: of which I will say nothing: seeing then pleasure is such a deceitful harlot, that it deceiveth al the senses, let us beware of it: vultu, voice fallit& vest, She deceiveth by her voice, by her countenance, and by her garments: By her voice she deceiveth the ear, by her countenance the eye, by her sweet garments the sense of smelling: but some man will say, what must wee do then, seeing pleasure is so deceitful, and deceiveth the senses? I answer, that wee must watch over our senses; My son saith Solomon 23. of the Pro. 25. ver. give me thine heart, and let thine eyes delight in my ways: And again in the 4. of Prou. 23. keep thine heart with all diligence, for thereout cometh life; the senses are the windows of the mind, they are also the doors of the same, either to let good or bad things into it; Wherefore as job made a covenant with his eyes, so must men make a covenant with their senses that they behold no evil things: Non debent sensus, ad instar petulantis ancillae foras euagari, our senses ought not to wander abroad, like unto wanton maids; this made Zenocrates to say, nihil interest pedes an oculos in aliena ponas domo, It is no matter whether thou fastenest thine eyes or thy feet in another mans house: Wherefore as the Mariners leave not the Sea, but decline the rocks of the Sea; so we must not leave the world, but decline the wickedness of the same; and as ulysses stopped his own ears and his companions with wax, that they might not hear the enchantments of the Syrens; So must wee stop our ears, yea vail all our senses, that wee hear not the enchantments of the world: Wherefore O young men shut your eyes, stop your ears, least you bee bewitched with the vain pleasures of this world; can you not put a difference betwixt flattery and true friendship: pleasure is but a flattering friend, in a word it is a deceitful enemy; Qui cavet ne decipiatur, vix cavet: saepe is cautor captus est: He that taketh heed least he be deceived is not always wary enough; for sometime he is caught, bee he never so wary. Now that men may avoid pleasures, I will set them down these reasons, why they should do so. First let the young man remember that pleasure is short, but the punishment is eternal: voluptas brevis, paena aeterna. Salomon in the 7. chap. of Eccles. and 8. verse saith; that as the noise of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: as the thorns crackle for a while and profit nothing, so doth pleasure: Cogitate saith Cato, si quid per laborem recte facitis, labour cito recedit, benefactum remanet, si quid per voluptatem nequiter, haec cito perit et illud numquam abibit: Consider if you haue done any thing well bypaines the pains is quickly gone, the good work remaineth still; but if you haue done any thing wickedly through pleasure, the pleasure soon perisheth, but the wicked deed never departeth: the Iewes use, that the new married folk, do break a glass, to signify the fragility of human things. Secondly, the companion of pleasure is sorrow and grief: Ita dijs placitum, voluptati vt maeror comes consequatur. So it pleased God, that sorrow should follow pleasure as a companion: Quam mira res est, saith Plato in Phaede, quam homines appellant voluptatem, quamque miro modo se habet ad dolorem. What a strange thing is that which men call pleasure, and how wonderfully doth it respect grief? He which layeth hold on pleasure, layeth hold also on grief; so that they are knit together, as it were by one head: this might be specified by many examples, as of dicing, dancing, and drunkenness; but I forbear them, and come to a third reason, why men should forsake their pleasures. Thirdly, there is a satiety of pleasure, {αβγδ} there is a satiety of al things, and therefore of pleasure: the reason of this Aristotle giveth, Ethic. 7. the last chap. because our nature is not simplo, but compounded of diuers things; wherefore, saith he, Deus vna& simplici in perpetuum voluptate perfruitur: God doth enjoy one simplo delight for ever, because his nature is most simplo, and without composition. If there were any man of Philoxenus his mind, who wished that he had a Cranes neck, that he might take more pleasure in his banquets; yet would there be a satiety in his delight: is there not a satiety of any pleasure which man taketh in hand, so that he leaveth one pleasure and taketh another in hand? and this argueth that a man is sick in his very pleasures: Proprium aegrotantium est nunc vnum nunc aliud velle, fastidire cibos, lectum, modo huc modo illuc impatienter se conuertere. It is the property ofsicke men, sometime to will this, sometimes that; to loathe meate, even the bed also, and impatiently to turn himself, sometimes hither, sometimes thither. Fourthly, pleasures make the voluptuous men that are addicted unto them, stocks and fools: whoredom and wine taketh away the mind, saith Hosea, chap. 4. ver. 11. and needs must they so do, for they dry the brain much, they trouble the spirits to much; they wound the phantasy: yea, they stir up exceeding griefs in the desire. Hence it is, that very few addicted to these pleasures, are turned unto God: it is a principle in Philosophy that excellens sensibile corrumpit sensum, the object of the sense, being too vehement, corrupteth the sense; as it may be seen in those that dwell near to the river Nylus, whose fall depriveth them of their hearing; so the vehemency of pleasure depriveth men of their senses.  
Fiftly and lastly, there is a woe in Scripture, denounced against those that follow their pleasures: Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and to them that are strong to power in strong drink. Esay 5. ver. 22. Woe unto them that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but no man is sorry for the affliction of joseph. Amo. 6. ver. 6. In the damnation of the rich man, this is alleged; Luke 16. ver. 25. Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure, and likewise Lazarus pains: but now is he comforted, and thou art tormented: to be then in continual pleasure, ease, wealth, peace, and prosperity in this world is perilous, and a sign of pains in the next: and here by the way men may observe, that it is no marvell, though there bee many papists; for the Papists religion is a very pleasant religion to corrupt nature; there is music for the ears; goodly Images for the eyes; yea, delights for the other senses; yea, there is pleasure for the flesh: for what care many to commit whoredom, seeing by confessing to a Priest they may haue their sins pardonned? Yea, is not this religion very pleasant to Priestes themselves? who, as Aluarius writeth, ●aepe cum parochianis mulieribus quas ad confessionem admittunt, scelestissime fornicantur, do oftentimes commit fornication most wickedly with the women, that do confess their sins unto them: if they say that satisfaction is enjoined them, which is very grievous. I answer with the Prophet Michah, chap. 6. ver. 4. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand riuers of oil: Shal I give my first born for my transgression, even the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Noting, that there is nothing so dear, but that Hypocrites will give, rather then leave their sins: Magnum non est sua, magnum est se relinquere. It is no great thing to leave goods; it is a great thing to leave himself.  
But now me thinks I hear the young man, saying, Tush, I may follow my pleasures in my youth, and repent when I am old. The young man is content, that God should haue the blind, lame, and sick sacrifice: but, saieth Malachy, chap. 1.8. Offer it unto the Prince, will he be content with thee, or accept thy person, saieth the Lord of Hostes? But for the further abandoning of this base mind, remember these things which I shall set down: First remember, that late repentance may bee justly suspected; Nam si quis quinquaginta annis tibi insestus, cum te ad regiam dignitatem &c. If a man should live thy enemy fifty years, and seeing thee preferred to a kingdom, should then seek thy friendship, wouldest thou trust him? So is it to bee thought of those, who despising God, haue served the divell; and yet at the last hour will turn unto God: it is to be thought I say, that they do it more for fear of punishment, then for love of the judge: Secondly, if thou repentest when thou art old, it is to be feared that thy sins haue left thee, and that thou hast not forsaken thy sins: Peccata tua te dimiserunt, non tu pecca tua; thy sins haue given thee a divorce, thou hast not given thy sins; which is a very fearful estate: Thirdly, remember that it is late then to begin to live, when wee must die: Quam serum est tunc vivere incipere, cum desinendum est? How late is it then to take in hand a new life, when we must go out of this life? Fourthly, it is the divels persuasion, to give him the present time, and God the time to come: give me, saith the divell, the time that now is; give God the future time; give me thy youth, and God thy old age; give me thy pleasant time, and God thy unprofitable time: seeing this is the divels persuasion, that seeketh the destruction of thy soul, never yield to the same.  
Fiftly, quam stultum est ind velle aetatem disponere, quo pauci perduxerunt? How foolish a thing is it then to dispose of thy age, when few haue lived so long: many are dead we know before gray hairs. sixthly, Non te pudet reliquias vitae tibi reseruare,& id solum tempus bonae menti destinari, quod in nullam rem conferri posset? art thou not ashamed to reserve to thyself the dregs of thy life, and to appoint onely that time for repentance, which can be bestowed vpon nothing? vt ex amphora primum quod est sincerissimum fluit, grauissimum quodque& turbidum subsidet: sic in aetatequod est optimum, prius est, as out of a vessel the purest liquour runneth first out, the filthy remaineth in the bottom, so in our life that which is best, is first. eleventhly, remember that it is a hard thing to leave custom in sin, custom is another nature as it were, and therefore will hardly be forsaken. Eightly, remember that repentance is the gift of God, and his gifts are not at thy command. Ninthly, remember the tyranny of death, yea the pain which thy sickness may bring, it may be will hardly suffer thee to think of repentance; how darest thou then defer repentance. Tenthly, the sins of thy youth should bee most grievous unto thee; the Prophet david in the 25. psalm, 7. verse, prayeth thus: Remember not the sins of my youth nor my rebellions, but according to thy kindness remember thou me, for thy goodness sake O Lord: These reasons may suffice to make any young man to abhor to delay repentance; but some will say, will you deprive a man of all pleasures? God forbid, but in thy pleasures remember these rules. First measure thy pleasures by the end, if they tend to nourish sin they are nought; hence judge of dancing of men and women together which nourisheth whoredom; if Plato would haue every Poet to be cast out of a commonwealth, how much more should this kind of dancing be banished the common wealth? Secondly, hereby judge of plays which yield the very seeds of wickedness, Histrionici gestus, saieth Lactantius Epit. divi Insti, quibus infames foeminas imitantur, libidines quas saltando exprimunt, docent. The behaviour of players whereby they do imitate infamous women, do teach lust which they do express by dancing. Secondly, measure thy pleasures by time, see thou usest them not out of time. Blessed art thou O land, when thy Princes eat in time for strength, and not for drunkenness, saith Solomon. Eccles. 10. chap. Thirdly, see that thy pleasures for the matter bee lawful. Aristotle, 4. Ethic. 1. numbereth the dicer among illiberal persons, and saith, he is given to filthy gain. Socrates in Zenophon in his first book of Re. saith, that dicers are idle persons: let dicers therefore look that the matter of their play bee lawful. Fourthly, measure thy pleasures by thy ability, and see that they bring thee not unto poverty; this hath hunting and hawking done to many. Fiftly, see that thy pleasures bee recreations, not vocations. Saint Paul 1. Tim. 5. chap. 6. verse, saith that the widow that liveth in pleasure, is dead while shee liveth, so say I of those that live in pleasures, and make recreations their vocations. Seneca 55. Epistle saith of an idle person, that he is dead, the same may bee said of him that maketh pleasure his calling. sixthly, see that thy pleasure make thee more fit to serve God, For voluptates illae solum verae habentur quae actionem pii perficiunt: those are onely true pleasures, which perfect the actions of godly men. seventhly, in thy pleasures begin with prayer, that God may bless them unto thee {αβγδ} saith Nazianzen, it is the best order that can bee, to begin in God and to end in God. Eightly, in all thy pleasures remember the day of Iudgement, know that God will call thee to iudgement: But yet further some will say the life of a Christian is without pleasure, therefore who can endure it? O fool, deceive not thy soul, the life of a Christian is the most pleasant life that can be, for spiritual delights are far better then bodily delights, the reasons are many. First, man is more delighted in that he understandeth things, then in that he perceiveth them by sense; because it is a more excellent knowledge. Secondly, the knowledge of the understanding, is more beloved then the knowledge of the senses, for there is no man that had not rather want his bodily sight, then his sight of his soul, which is his understanding. Thirdly, the spiritual good which causeth ioy, is greater then any bodily good: men will abstain from many bodily pleasures, that they mayobtaine honour: but some will say how cometh it then to pass, that bodily pleasures are more followed after? There are diuers causes. First bodily pleasures are better known. Secondly, they are preservatives against griefs of the body, which man cannot endure, vt quidam morbo aliquo& sensus stupore suavitatem cibi non sentiunt, sic libidinosi, auari facinorosi &c. As they which are sick feel not the sweetness of meate, so they that are given to lust, to covetousness and wickedness, feel not the sweetness of true pleasure: I haue had, saith david 119. psalm, a great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all manner of riches: And again, except thy lawe had been my delight I should haue perished in mine afflictions: and thus much touching the first part of my text. Now I come to the second: which is a bridle and restraint to keep the young man from his pleasures: but know saith Solomon that God will bring thee to iudgement for all these things: In which words I will handle three things. First what Iudgement is; Secondly, the diversity of judgements, Thirdly, the use of the doctrine. Touching the first to omit the diverse significations of the word iudgement: Iudgement is an act of a judge, either absolving or condemning any person: this to bee true, no man can deny, Christ is the judge of the quick and the dead, and he will either absolve them, or condemn them: absolve them he will if they bee members of his mystical body; condemn them he will, if they live in their sins without repentance; touching the diversities of judgements, there are two iudgments, the one particular: the other general: The particular iudgement every man hath at his death: the general iudgement, shall be at Christ his second coming. For the proof of this particular iudgement, it is evident that the wicked are carried to eternal punishment, 16. of Luke and the godly to eternal rewards: but it is no way probable, that the rewards should be rendered before iudgement: therefore at the hour of death there is a particular iudgement. Chrysostome in his 37. homily vpon matthew doth make this plain; Postquam, saith he, Diem tuum obieris, judicium& paena consequetur: After thou art dead, iudgement and punishment will follow: In which place, he confuteth those, that think that Christ will bring the dead to repentance: he useth this argument; after death there followeth iudgement, and after iudgement punishment; therefore there is no place for repentance. By the way wee may observe, what is become of Popish purgatory, wherefore wee must hold with Augustine, lib. 2. De Origi. ainae. cap. 2. Illu● rectissime& valde saiubriter credit, judicari animas cum de corporibus exierint, antequam veniant ad illud judicium, quo case oportet iam redditis corporibus judicari. He doth very well beleeue, that the souls are judged when they go out of their bodies, before they come to that iudgement, in which they shall bee judged with their bodies. But some will say, Then to what end serveth the general iudgement? I answer, there are many causes of the same: First, that the mercy and iustice of God might be made manifest, God hath made all things to declare his glory: the wicked might accuse him of injustice, therefore he will haue the same made manifest to the whole world, as likewise his mercy in the salvation of his seruants.  
Secondly, God will haue his son Christ Iesus, publicly to be glorified, and honoured: He was publicly dishonoured in this world, therefore his father will haue him publicly honoured at the day of iudgement.  
Thirdly, the Lord will haue his seruants publicly honoured: the Saints haue been made a spectacle to men in this world, therefore he will haue them honoured before the whole world. Fourthly, whole man must bee judged and receive his reward, both in soul and in body; therefore there must be a general day of iudgement. Fiftly, the works of men are not ended at their death: the wicked men by their examples, writings, and many evil deeds, do much hurt, even after their death: and the godly after their death, do much good by writings; therfore when there shal be an end of good and evil works, which shall bee at the end of the world, then shall be a general day of iudgement: And that there shal be a iudgement, it is plain by many reasons: First, many wicked men escape unpunished in this life, therefore seeing the Lord is righteous, he must needs punish them in the life to come: wherefore excellently speaketh Isocrates in his Parae. justi, si nulla alia re iniustis praestant, spe certe bona sunt superiores. If the just excel the unjust in nothing, yet are they better in respect of hope: Secondly, the conscience of a man doth declare evidently, that there shall be a iudgement, for that will accuse him most fearfully, after sin, which is a lively representation of a iudgement to come: therfore conscience is called, before sin be committed, a bridle; and after sin, a scourge or whip. To give one or two examples: Pausanias after he had ravished Cleonice, how fearfully was he troubled? Her shape did appear unto him in his sleep, and threatened punishment, saying, paena tibi luenda est thou must be punished. Nero having murdered his mother, as Suetonius writeth Saepe confessus est se exagitari materna specie, oftentimes acknowledged, that he was tormented with her shape: Thirdly, there are iudgments in this world; therefore there is a judge of the world: God hath fearfully punished many sinners, as swearers, adulterers, usurers, even in this life; which is an evident argument, that there is a judge of the world. Excellently writeth Augustine in his 1. book De civit. Dei, chap. 3. If God should punish no sin in this life, his providence would not be believed: if he should punish al sin, nothing would be thought to bee reserved to the day of iudgement. Fourthly, it is an article of our belief, that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead: Fiftly, sibyl hath prophesied of Christ his second coming to iudgment, writing thus: Tunc castus Christus ponet certamina iusta, ornabitque probos aeternaque praemia reddet. Then chast Christ shall compound all controversies: he shall beautify the good, and give them everlasting rewards. Now I come to the uses of this doctrine, which are many: first, it should make the Ministers diligent in preaching; I charge thee before God, saieth Saint Paul, 2. Tim. chap. 4. ver. 12. and before Iesus Christ, who shall come to judge the quick and the dead, that thou preach the word, &c. Secondly, it should teach Magistrates to judge righteous iudgement, for they haue a judge in heaven: Thirdly, it should teach men to be fruitful in good works: for although works deserve nothing, yet shall men be judged according to works, because they do declare a man to bee in Christ Iesus. Fourthly, it teacheth men to abstain from all uncharitable judgements, for God is our judge: Fiftly, it teacheth men, little to esteem these vnchristian censures, that men will give one of another: sixthly, it teacheth all men to haue a clear conscience; for if our conscience do condemn us, God is greater then our conscience: seventhly, it should stay mens mindes from the greedy desires of this world: Lastly, it should teach young men to abstain from the unlawful pleasures of this life, Know that God will bring thee to iudgement, whosoever thou art that art addicted to thy pleasures. said quam caecus inest vitiis amor? Omne futurum, despicitur, suadentque &c. But alas, how blind is the love of 'vice? all things to come are despised; things present persuade, profit and pleasure, neglecting punishment, causeth men to transgress, while that punishment is deferred. Thus much shall serve to haue spoken of this text: the Lord of his infinite goodness and mercy grant, that in al our thoughts, words, and deeds, wee haue the day of iudgement before our eyes.   

THE DIFFICVLTIE of salvation.  MAT. 19.25. 
Who then can be saved?  
our blessed saviour Iesus Christ immediately before these words, had taught this doctrine: that rich men are hardly saved, which he made manifest by aprouerbiall speech: It is harder for a camel to go thorough the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven; vpon which doctrine and proverb, the Disciples infer this question: Who then can be saved? as if they had said, then is salvation indeed a difficult matter; for rich men haue the most especial means to be saved: they haue wealth, whereby they may get knowledge; but, as Solomon saith, proverbs 17. ver. 16. Wherefore is there a prise in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, and he hath no heart? again, they haue whereof to relieve the poor; so that they make them friends of the unrighteous Mammon, Luke 16. ver. 9, Make you friends, saith our saviour Christ, with the riches of iniquity, that when ye shall want, they may receive you into everlasting habitations: Furthermore, they haue leisure to pray and instruct their families, but they haue no care of these dueties. For the further explaining of the words; the word Who is sometime a word of mourning, as Gal. the 5. ver. 7. Ye did run well, who letted you, that ye did not obey the truth: Non interrogantis est illud quis, said deplorantis, saith Oecumenius, that Who is not a word of asking, but a word of bewailing. Secondly, this word Who is a word of exhortation, Hos. 14. ver. 10. Who is wise, that he may understand these things? so likewise in the 107. psalm, Who is wise, that he may observe these things? and jer. 9. ver. 11. Who is wise, that he may understand this? Thirdly, this word Who is a word of wondering, Esay 53. ver 1. Who hath believed our report! Fourthly, it is a word of questioning, and so it is in this place: Who then can be saved? Now concerning the word saved: sometimes by salvation is ment temporal salvation; that is preservation: 1. of Tim. 4.10. God is said to be the saviour of all men, especially of those that beleeue, that is the preserver. psalm 36. ver. 6. Thou Lord dost save man and beast: that is, thou preservest them. But in this place it noteth not preservation, but eternal salvation, as in many other places of holy scripture; the words then do not deny salvation to rich men, but note the difficulty of salvation. Here two errors are to be avoided, the first is we must not think that riches are unlawful for christians: the holy Scriptures do every where forbid thefts, and commend alms; which would never haue been done, if riches had been unlawful for Christians: The second error is, wee must not think that alms is sufficient unto salvation, without saith, hope, love, repentance, and other graces of God: for, saith our saviour Christ, Luke 13. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: and Saint Paul 1. Cor. 13. saith, If I feed the poor with al my goods, and though I give my body to be burned, and haue not love, it profiteth nothing. Saint Augustine in his 21. book De civitate Dei, 22. writeth thus: qui fecerit( inquit) elemosynas, quamuis mores in melius non mutauerit, said inter ipsas suas elemosynas, &c. There are some that hold, that he which giveth alms, although he mendeth not his life, but liveth wickedly; yet shall he haue iudgement with mercy: so that he shall never be condemned, or else he shall be delivered out of damnation, either after some short or long time. This is a damnable opinion, for the Scripture every where requireth unto salvation, a change of our lives; yet should it seem, that some are possessed with it, even in these daies, for there are fearful cursers, usurers, and such as live in other sins; yet because they give now and then alms to the poor, they expect and look for salvation: these two errors being avoided, now I come to the handling of the text. The doctrine which ariseth from thence is this: namely, that it is an exceeding hard matter for a man to be saved: yea, indeed it is a wonder that any man attaineth unto salvation: to make this point plain, is it not a great work to make something of nothing? If thou wilt be saved, God must work as great a work for thee, for thou must be a new creature, 2. Cor. 5. ver. 17. If any man be in Christ Iesus, let him be a new creature: so Gal. 6.15. saith Saint Paul, for in Christ Iesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. again, Ephes. 2.10. for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Iesus, unto good works: so then is it as great a matter for any to be saved, as to be created? Yea, in some sort greater; for when God created the world, he found nothing to resist his will, but in this new creation of man, he findeth the perverse will of man, to resist his will; which perverseness he must take away. Secondly, men are dead in their sins by nature, Ephes. 2.7. Is it not a wonderful work to raise a dead man, and to give him life? even so is it to raise a man out of the grave of his sins, and to give him a spiritual life. Excellently therefore doth Aquinas hold prima secundae 113. quae. Ar. 9. that justificatio impij est maximum opus Dei. To make an ungodly man righteous is the greatest work of God. judicet qu● potest, saith Augustine, Trac. 72. in joh. vtrum maius sit justos Angelos creare, quam impios justificare, certe si aequalis est vtrumque potentiae, hoc maioris est misericordiae. Let him judge that is able, whether it is a greater matter to create the Angels righteous, or to justify the ungodly man; that is, to make him righteous: verily if both be of equal power, yet is it a work of greater mercy, to make an unrighteous man righteous. To come to particulars, it is a harder matter for a rich man to be saved: First, in respect of pride, for he is in danger to be proud, 1. Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded. The Prophet Hos. chap. 13. verse 6. saith of the Israelites, that they were filled, and their heart was exalted. I know, saieth Cato in Gell. in his 7. book and 3. chapter, that most men by prosperity do wax proud; but this should not be, for quemadmodum arboris ramus quo est plenior, eo est grauior: even as the bow of a three, the fuller of fruit it is, the lower it is: so the more blessings the lord do bestow vpon men, the more humble they should be. Agricolae saith Plutarch, libenter vident spicas quae vergunt ad terram, quae enim ob leuitatem sursum attolluntur, inanes sunt. Husbandmen do willingly behold ears of corn that turn towards the earth; for they which look upward are empty, and haue nothing in them: so may I say, God regardeth the humble, but the proud he scorneth. Seeing then rich men bee in danger of pride, and they which will be saved must be humble, it must needs be, that it is a hard matter for rich men to be saved. Esto, saith Chrysostome in his Homily Profec. Junii. multumaedifices, habeas elemosynas, preces, jejunia, virtutsque omnes, humilitate non praeiecta, frustra& in vanum erunt omnia, facileque ruet supper arenam extructum aedificium. Be it thou buildest much, thou mayest haue alms, prayers, fastings, al virtues; yet if humility be not laid for a foundation, all is in vain, and thy building will easily fall, being but vpon the sand. Secondly, it is hard for rich men to be saved, in respect of putting their trust in riches: Charge rich men, saieth Saint Paul in the place before cited, that they trust not in uncertain riches. For this cause Ephes. 5. ver. 5. a covetous man is called an Idolater, because he putteth his trust in his riches; not onely because in respect of riches, he neglecteth the service of God, but because he thinketh that his life doth consist in riches; therefore I say, is he called an Idolater. Riches through the corruption of men, do marvelously steal their hearts from God, for they will no longer trust God, then they see him in their barns or Chests. give me not, saith Agur 30. of the proverbs, 8. verse, poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me, least I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the lord? meaning, that many rich men put their trust in their riches, and so deny God. {αβγδ} is {αβγδ}. To make many Gods, is no better then a kind of atheism: seeing then the rich man doth make many Gods, he is in danger to deny God; and seeing he is in danger of both these: to make both many Gods, and to deny God, it must needs bee a hard matter for him to be saved. Thirdly, it is a hard matter for a rich man to be saved in respect of covetousness: the more riches do increase, the more they are desired. The desire of riches is like unto a dropsy, crescit indulgens sibi dirus hydrops; the more he that hath the dropsy drinketh, the more he desireth; so the more riches that a rich man hath, the more he desireth: insomuch that physic doth increase the disease. Thirst is quenched with drink, hunger with meate, but the thirst and hunger of riches is never satisfied. Excellent therefore is the speech of the holy Prophet david in the 62. psalm, If riches increase, set not your hearts vpon them. There be three things that will not be satisfied, saith Agur, Pro. 30.15. yea, four that say not, it is enough: the grave, the barren womb, the earth that cannot be satisfied with water, and the fire that saith not, It is enough. The same may be said of covetousness, it is never satisfied: qui plus cupiunt, sic divitias habent, quomodo habere dicimur febrem: diceredebemus, febris illumtenet; sic divitiae illum possident, non ille divitias. They that desire more, possess riches as a man is said to haue an ague; we should say the ague hath him: so riches possess him, not he riches: wherefore Christian brother, whosoever thou art, learn to moderate thy appetite, concerning riches; for they that will be rich, saith the Apostle, 1. Tim. 6.9. fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. A poor man needeth many things, a covetous man all things. As men cannot use a horse without a bridle, no more can a man use riches without moderation of his appetite: the best riches then are want of the desire of riches. Fourthly, rich men are hardly saved in respect of pleasures, for many of them, are exceedingly addicted unto a voluptuous life, and indeed live in no calling; onely pleasure is their calling, as if God had ever ordained any such calling: They take the Tabret and the harp and rejoice in the sound of Organs. job 21.12. I take not away pleasures from men, but I desire to temper them with an holy and Christian vocation. If the heathen man said, that qui ad eruditionem aspirant, iis omittendae sunt omnes voluptates, relinquenda studia delectationis, ioci conuivium, sermo etiam pene omium familiarium deserendus. They which aspire to learning, must abandon pleasures, relinquish delights, and forsake mirth, banqueting; yea, the talk almost of familiar friends: how much more may I say, that they which will attain to the kingdom of heaven, must abandon their delights and pleasures. Let no man think that God hath placed them in this world, to be the seruants of pleasures, but that they should follow after virtue: many men desire to be accounted valiant; here is valor and strength to be shewed: namely, in vanquishing their pleasure: hannibal when he was nine yeares old, swore that he would be an enemy to the very name of a Roman: we in baptism vowed to relinquish pleasures, yet do not men forsake the same: If Euripides, as Plutarch reporteth, findeth fault with those that used music at their banquets, because it is to bee used for comfort and solace, and not to weaken mens minds with pleasure: how much more may they justly be found fault withall, that use nothing else but pleasures and pastimes? Hence is it that they are so nice, that they can bear no afflictions. Excellent is the counsel of Isocrates: {αβγδ} Exercisethy self in voluntary labours, that thou maiest bear necessary afflictions: but enough of this point. Fiftly, rich men are hardly saved in respect of cruelty: for many of them are cruel oppressors. To this head I refer Inclosers, who turn men into sheep; so that they dispeople towns, and disteeple Churches. I cannot more fitly resemble these men, then to Aesops lion, who said, one part is mine, because I am most worthy, another is mine because I am strongest, the third is also mine, because I laboured most, and if you will not also grant me the fourth part, and indeed all, fare-well friendship: so saith the encloser, one part is mine, I am most worthy, for I am a Gentleman; an other part is mine, I am strongest, for I am wealthiest, the third part is mine, for I paid for all, and touching the fourth part, except thou wilt also grant me that, fare-well friendship. If the eloquent Prophet Esay in his 5. chap. and 8. verse, denounced a woe unto th●se that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there bee no place, that they may be placed themselves in the midst of the earth. Why should not a woe be denounced against those that join field to field, so that there bee no Commons for the poor, nor corn and grain for them: haue not those Inclosers forgotten the law of nature, which is, to do as men would be done unto? Would they be thus dealt withall themselves? I pray God that these Inclosers enclose not the divell in their Pastures, and their souls in hell. again, to the head of cruelty I refer usury: the usurer may be fitly resembled to lightning, which melteth the money in the purse, and never hurteth the purse. Loculis integris,( saith Seneca) pecunia, quae in his fuerat, conflata reperitur: quia ignis tenu●ssimuper occulta foramina transit. The Lord in the 23. of Deut. ve. 19. saith plainly, Thou shalt not give to usury to thy brother, as usury of money, usury of meate, usury of any thing, that i● put to usury. Hence I thus conclude; to no brother must we lend vpon usury, but all Christians are brethren: Ergo, to no Christian must we lend vpon usury. If it be objected, that the Iewes were permitted to lend to strangers; I answer with Ambrose, cvi jure inferuntur ar ma, huic legitime indicuntur vsurae: they that might lawfully be killed, might lawfully be oppressed with usury; and in very dead the practise of the Iewes doth manifest this permission in some sort, for one jew will not lend to another vpon usury; if he doth, he is condemned by the law of God; and shall one Christian then lend to another vpon usury? My purpose is not to handle this same at large, therefore I leave the usurer condemned by Gods law, by mans law, by the law of nature, and by his own conscience, and say with Plautus, Quid est danista? genus hominum improbissimum est. What is an usurer? It is a most wicked kind of men, for indeed he is worse then a jew; for one jew will not take usury of another, but the usurer will take usury of his Christian brother: he is worse then death, for death killeth but the body, but the usurer killeth both body and soul. Lastly, to this head of cruelty, I refer oppressing Land-lordes, who, as Galba made his Citizens most dry sponges, so these men make their tenants: their rents are now set vpon the tenter-hookes, and they grinned the faces of the poor, not considering that they are the Lords tenants: and lastly, not thinking vpon the saying of Iulius Caesar, misera comes senectutis, est pristinae crudelitatis memoria. The remembrance of old cruelty, is a miserable companion of old age. Alexander being asked where he had his tresures, answered at his friends: so cannot those raking Land-lords say, for few friends haue they: this is a crying sin, and day and night it maketh such a noise in the ears of the Lord, that he will not hear the prayers of those oppressing Land-lords. The Land-lord now a dayes letteth his grounds best, that destroyeth his tenants: if any man marvel at these things, let him remember, that old age inclineth to covetousness. Hoc vitium affert senectus hominibus, attentiores sunt omnes ad rem, quam sat est: This is the fault of old age, it is too much given to the world; no marvell then, though men bee exceedingly addicted to this sin. sixthly, rich men are hardly saved, in this respect, that they are impatient of reproof, which is a means to save mens souls. The rich man thinketh that he must not be reproved, for he is a certain God vpon the earth: dives quasi Deus. If a Minister now a daies cry vae vobis, Woe unto you rich men: it will be hard, if they bring him not coram nobis, before the Magistrate. Minucius, as livy reporteth, said eum esse primum virum, qui recte consulit; eum secundum, qui been monenti obtemperat: qui nec been monet nec paret, extremi ingenij esse, that he was the best man, that could give good counsel; he was the second that did obey, but he that did neither give good counsel nor obey, was of a nature to bee deplored. What nature then haue these rich men, that will neither give good counsel nor take good counsel? Take none they will not, for they cannot abide to bee reproved: reproving is railing in their corrupt iudgement. But let them know, that Isocrates the Heathen man could put a difference betwixt these two. Nam accusare putandi sunt( saith he) qui laedendi causa conuicia dicunt; admonere, qui propter audientium utilitatem, idem faciunt. They are said to accuse that tell men of their faults to hurt them, but they do admonish that tel men of their faults, for their good: seeing then that rich men are told of their faults for their good, and not for their hurt, let them put a difference betwixt railing and reproof.  
But howsoever these men are impatient of reproof, let the Minister do his duty; let him not be Lapis laeuigatorius, a sleeke-stone to sooth and smooth men in their sins. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil: sin is sin in whomsoever it is found, whether he be rich or poor, God respecteth no mans person: let the rich man then as he deserveth, haue his reproof. seventhly and lastly, a rich man is hardly saved, for he is in danger to break all the commandments of God, or the most of them: he is in danger of idolatry, as I shewed before: yea, is he not in danger of swearing? And do not rich men now a daies crack oaths, as the bide Sitta cracketh nuts? doth not the rich man most woefully profane the sabbath, in using fairs and worldly business vpon the same? Furthermore, he is disobedient to his parents, for he careth not for the Ministers of Gods word, who should be his fathers: yea, he careth not to murder by not feeding the poor: and what careth he to commit whoredom, because by his wealth he can countenance his sin? Stealings, false witness, and coveting are his daily sins. Seeing then that these things are thus; how hard is it for a rich man to be saved? But some man will say, is it not also hard for a poor man to be saved? Yes very hard: for when our saviour Christ saith, It is hard for a rich man to be saved, he doth not deny, but that it is also hard for a poor man to be saved. The affirming of the one, doth not make a denial of the other; and indeed it is also exceeding hard for a poor man to bee saved: First, a poor man is in danger of impatiency in respect of his poverty. How do the poor fret and murmur against God, because they are in want? Secondly, it is a hard matter also for a poor man to be saved in respect of envy, for the poor men envy the estate of rich men, and pine away with sorrow, that any are in better estate then themselves: this is a very fearful sin, for they should rejoice at the good one of another, as members of the same mystical body. The poor and the rich meet together( saith Solomon, Pro. 22.2.) the Lord is the maker of them all. again, inuidia ipsa maximam partem veneni sui bibit. envy drinketh the greatest part of his own poison. The Serpents keep poison without their own hurt, and power it out to the hurt of others; but the envious man keepeth his envy, which is poison, to his own hurt, and poureth it out to the hurt of others, and to the ruin of his own soul. Thirdly, it is hard for a poor man to be saved, in respect of lying, for because he is poor, he thinketh that he may lie to relieve himself. Fourthly, it is hard for a poor man to be saved, in respect of stealing; for to help himself, he careth not to commit this sin. give me not poverty( saith Agur, Prou. 30.8.) least I be poor and steal, and take the name of God in vain. Now let not any man take me thus, as if rich men would not murmur, as if they were not envious, or would not steal; or as if poor men might not be proud, covetous, or cruel: but as it is said in the 25. of Ecclesiasticus, ver. 2. Three sorts of men my soul hateth, and I utterly abhor the life of them: a poor man that is proud: a rich man that is a liar, and an old adulterer that doteth: So then it is monstrous for rich men to lie, as it is for poor men to be proud.  
Furthermore I might show that it is a hard matter for them both to be saved: I mean both poor and rich, in respect of buying and selling; for as a nail in the wall, sticketh fast between the joints of stones, so doth sin stick between buying and selling, Eccles. 27.2. But I come to the uses of the doctrine: The first use of the doctrine is this: namely, that men ascribe their salvation to God alone, not partly to him and partly to themselves, seeing salvation is as great a work as creation. Excellently writeth Bernard in his book of free-will, Id totum gratia Dei est, quod creamur sanamur,& saluamur. It is the mere grace of God that wee are created, that we are made whole, and that wee are saved. again, saith Augustine in his sentences, Ad caelestis jerusalem consortium non ascendit, nisi qui toto cord profitetur, non proprij esse operis, said divini muneris, quod ascendit. He ascendeth not to heaven, who doth not aclowledge with his whole heart, that it is not by his own work, but by Gods gift, that he ascendeth thither. Furthermore, saith the same Augustine, lib. 2. De peccatorum meritis& remissione cap. 18. laborant homines invenire, in nostra voluntate quid boni sit nostrum, quod nobis non sit ex Deo;& quomodo inveniri posset ignoro. Men do labour to find in our will, what good is ours, which is not of God; but how it should bee found I know not. Lastly, in his 106. Epistle he writeth sweetly; gratia Deisic operatur, vt nec voluntas accipientium praetermittatur vel adiungatur, said subsequatur; quandoquidem tantum beneficium non solum non libentibus said etiam reluctantibus datur. Gods grace doth so work, that neither the will of him that receiveth it, is past over or joined with the same grace, but followeth it, seeing so great a benefit is not only given to those that are not willing, but even to those that resist the same. The second use of the doctrine is this; seeing it is so hard a matter to be saved, let men take pains in this business of salvation: hard matters must be laboured: wonderful it is to see what pains men take in the things of this life, but most pitiful, to behold what little pains they take in the business of salvation, as if it were a matter of no labour. Thirdly, seeing it is so hard a matter, both for rich and poor to be saved; let them eschew the sins that hinder their salvation: let the rich man eschew pride, pleasure, covetousness and voluptu ousnes: let the poor man eschew impatience, envy, lying and stealing. Lastly, seeing it is so hard a matter to attain unto salvation, what thankfulness ought they to render to GOD, who hath wrought this great work of salvation in them: laudabo deum ob beneficium creationis: said magnificabo& extollam eum ob beneficium redemptionis. I will praise God for the benefit of creation; but I will magnify and extol him for the benefit of redemption. It cost him the blood of his own son to save men, so did it not in the work of mans creation. The lord of his infinite and great mercy work this great work of salvation both in rich and poor, both in high and low: if this be not wrought in them, it had been good for them they had never been born.