YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

NICHOL'S SERIES OF STANDARD DIVINES.
PUEITAN PERIOD.

BY JOHN C. MILLEE, D.D.,
LINCOLN OOLLEGE ; HONORARY OANON OF WORCESTER ; BEOTOR OF ST MARTIN'S, BIRUINOHAM.

THE

WOMS OF HENRY SMITH.
VOL. I.

COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.

W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational
Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University,
Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church,
Edinburgh.
WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church
History; Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presby
terian Church, Edinburgh.

6enetal ffiBitor.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, M-A^, Edinburgh.

THE WORKS

HENRY SMITH;

INCLUDING

SERMONS, TREATISES,, PRAYERS, AND POEMS.

WITH LIFE OF THE AUTHOR, \
BY THOMAS FULLER, B.D.
AND OTHER BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

VOL. I.

EDINBURGH: JAMES NICHOL.
LONDON: JAMES NISBET AND CO. DUBLIN: G. HERBEET.

M.DOOO.LXVI.

EDINBURGH
FBINTED BT JOHN GRETG AND SON,
OLD PHYSIC GARDENS.

A/I

CONTENTS.

In Two Sermons —

Sermons-

Life of Mr Henry Smith, by Thomas Fuller, B.D.
Supplementary Notes by the Editor.

SERMONS, &c.
f'A Preparative to Marriage.
k^A Treatise of the Lord's Supper
The First Sermon.
The Second Sermon.
The Examination of Usury. In Two
The First Sermon.
The Second Sermon.
The Christian's Sacrifice.
The True Trial of the Spirits.
The Wedding Garment.
^The Way to Walk in.
Nebuchadnezzar. In Three Sermons —
The Pride of Nebuchadnezzar.
The Fall of King Nebuchadnezzar.
The Eestitution of Nebuchadnezzar.
- A Dissuasion from Pride, and an Exhortation
to Humility.
The Young Man's Task.
The Trial of the Eighteous.
The Christian's Practice.
The Pilgrim's Wish. .
The Godly Man's Eequest. .

pagk
vii

1 Cor. XI. 23, 24.

43

1 Cor. XI. 25-28.

63

Ps. XV. 1-5.

88

.

101

Prov. XXIII. 26.

109

1 Thes. V. 19-22.

127

Bom. XIII. 14.

145

Bom. XIII. 13.

159

Dan. IV. 29, 30.

169

Dan. IV, 31-33.

180

Dan. IV. 34-37.

190

1 Pet. V. 5.

201

Eccles. XII. 1.

215

Ps. XXXIV. 19.

231

Rom. XII. 2.

249

Philip. I. 23.

259

Ps. XC 12.

278

VI

CONTENTS.

Noah's Drunkenness.
A Glass for Drunkards.
The Art of Hearing. In Two Sermons —
The First Sermon.
The Second Sermon.
The Heavenly Thrift.
The Magistrates' Scripture.
The Trial of Vanity.
The Ladder of Peace.
The Betraying of Christ.
The Petition of Moses to God.
The Dialogue between Paul and King Agrippa.
The Humility of Paul.
A Looking- Glass for Christians.
Food for New-Born Babes. .

PAGE
Gen. IX. 20, 21. 291
Gen. IX. 21-27. 304
Luke VIII. 18. 319
Luke VIII. 18. 330
Luke VIII. 18. 339
Ps. LXXXII. 6, 7. 355
Eccles. I. 2. 371
1 Thes. V. 16-18. 389
Mat. XXVII. 1-4. 407
Deut. HI. 28, 24. 421
Acts XXVI. 27-29. 433
Eom. XH. 1, 2. 453
Eom. XII. 3. 467
1 Peter II. 2. 483

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
BY THOMAS FULLER, B.D.
PREFIXED TO THE FIRST COLLECTED EDITIONS OF HIS WORKS.

What is true of the river Nilus, that its fountain is hid and obscure,
but its fall or influx into the midland sea eminently known, is
appliable to many learned men, the places of whose births generally
are either wholly concealed, or at the best uncertain, whilst the
place of their death is made remarkable. For as few did take
notice of their coming out of their attiring-house, so their well
acting on the stage commanded all eyes to observe their returning
thereunto. But this general rule takes not place in the present subject of
our pen, Mr Henry Smith, born at Withcok in Leicestershire, of
gentle extraction, which here shall not be insisted on, seeing he
that is rich of himself needs not to borrow any lustre from another ;
yet were it the more allowable for us to dwell awhile on the honour
of his parentage, seeing he himself would not sojourn thereat, de
clining all notice of such accidental advantages.
He was bred in the famous University of Oxford, where first he
was condus before he was promus ; filled himself, that he might
in due time pour out to others. Nor did he proceed a divine per
saltum, as too many now-a-days, I mean, leaping over all human
arts and sciences, but furnished himself plentifully therewith.
On the other side, he was none of those who in the university
¦wither the stalk they grow on, and, out of idleness, bury their
talents in the ground, putting them out, because they will not put
them out, extinguishing their abilities because they will not employ
them ; but he was resolved to improve his utmost in the ministerial
calling, for the glory of God and converting of souls.

viii THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
Here he triumphed over that temptation wherewith many had
been overcome. Plentiful was his estate for the present, and for
the future he was heir-apparent to a large patrimony.1 Preaching
was presented unto him by some as fit for the refuge of a younger
brother, not for the choice of an heir : his rich relations might
better advantage him in the lucrative profession of the law. But
he was so far from falling or stumbling, that he did not stop at
these carnal considerations, but easily trampled upon them.
But a greater scruple troubled him, as unsatisfied in the point
of subscription, and the lawfulness of some ceremonies. He was
loath to make a rent, either in his own conscience or in the church,
wherefore he resolved on this expedient, not to undertake a pastoral
charge, but contented himself with a lecturer's place at St Clement
Danes, without Temple-Bar.
It may be truly said of him, he was one peaceable in Israel ; for,
notwithstanding his aforesaid scrupling at conformity, and distast
ing the violent pressing thereof, as by some passages in this his
book may appear, he could unite with them in affections from whom
he dissented in judgment. He disdained railing and invectives,
the symptom of a sick wit ; and if he chanced to fall on a sharp
reproof, he wrapped it up in such pleasing expressions, thatj the
persons concerned therein had their souls divided betwixt love and
anger at the hearing thereof.
William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, and Treasurer of England, to whom
he dedicated his Sermons, very favourably reflected upon him ; and
he was often the screen who saved Mr Smith from the scorching,
interposing his greatness betwixt him and the anger of some
episcopal officers. And it is argument enough to prove the emi-
nency of Mr Smith, that so great a stateman as this Lord-Treasurer
set a character of his peculiar respect upon him.
Indeed, that Lord was as thoroughpaced as any in England for
the body of episcopal government, but not for the wens thereof,
when some quiet Nonconformists were prosecuted to persecution by
vexatious informers. In which case he often endeavoured to qualify
the matter, and rescued them from their violent adversaries. Mr
Travers, not unacquainted with Mr Smith (all know the nearness
of the Temple to St Clement Danes), often tasted of this Lord's
benignity on that occasion.
1 Sir Roger Smith of Edmundsthorp, in the county of Leicester, lately deceased
was his younger brother.

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. ix
To return to Mr Smith : he was commonly called the Silver-
tongued preacher, and that was but one metal below St Chrysostom
himself. His church was so crowded with auditors, that persons of
good quality brought their own pews with them, I mean their legs,
to stand thereupon in the alleys. Their ears did so attend to his
lips, their hearts to their ears, that he held the rudder of their affec
tions in his hands, so that he could steer them whither he was
pleased ; and he was pleased to steer them only to God's glory and
their own good. Take one instance of many of the great prevalency
he had with his auditory; —
He preached a sermon on Sarah's nursing of Isaac, and there
upon grounded that general doctrine, that it was the duty of all
mothers to nurse their own children, allowing dispensation to such
who were unsufficienced by weakness, want of milk, or any
avouchable impediment. He pressed the application without
respect of persons, high or low, rich or poor, one or other; taxing
them for pride, or laziness, or both, who would not do that office to
the fruit of their own womb.
It is almost incredible how many persons of honour and worship,
ladies and great gentlewomen, with whom his congregation was
constantly crowded, were affected herewith, so that I have been
informed, from such whose credit I count it a sin to suspect, that
they presently remanded their children from the vicinage round
about London, and endeavoured to discharge the second moiety of a
mother, and to nurse them whom they had brought into the world.
I confess some conceived Mr Smith, because a bachelor, an in
competent judge hereof, as unacquainted with feminine infirmities,
so that, as St Augustine on another account was called durus
pater infantum, so Mr Smith might be termed durus doctor
matrum. However, if all things be impartially considered, no just
cause of exception can be found either with the doctrine or appli
cation. The words of the wise, saith Solomon, Eccles. xii. 11, are like
nails fastened by the masters of the assemblies. And certainly this
Smith had as great a dexterity as any in fastening them in the
judgments of his hearers by his solid reasons, fancies by his proper
similitudes, memories by his orderly method, and consciences by
his home applications.
Some fifteen years since I consulted the Jesses, I mean such
who passed for old men in the parish of St Clement Danes, but

X THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
could recover very little of them, either of the time or manner pf
his death, save that they conceived his disease was a consumption.
I perused also the church register, and found it silent concerning
the date of his death ; for which this reason was alleged, that a
little before his departure out of this life, he departed the city to
have the benefit of country air. But by the exactest proportion of
time, his death may be conjectured to have been about the year
1600.
Thomas Fuller.

The preceding sketch of the life of our author contains nearly
all that is known concerning him. Still there are a few additional
facts which we have ascertained, and which we. have thought it best
to embody in a few supplementary notes. For references to some
of these facts we are indebted to various papers which have appeared
from time to time in that useful periodical, Notes and Queries.
I. His family. His genealogy is very fully traced in Nichol's
History of Leicestershire. From it we learn that William Smith,
Gent, the great-grandfather of our author, was Lord of Withcote, at
the end of the 15th and beginning of the- 16th century. He died
in 1512, leaving one son, John.
This John married Dorothy Cave, by whom he had ten sons and
two daughters. He died in 1545.
His eldest son, Roger, about 1575, sold Withcote to his brother
Ambrose (fourth son of John) who had made a large fortune as a
silk-mercer, in Cheapside, London. This Ambrose died in 1584,
leaving three sons and four daughters.
Erasmus, third son of John, settled at Husband's Bosworth, was
the father of our Henry, and of two other sons, as stated by Fuller.
The first wife of Erasmus, and mother of our author, appears to have
been a Miss Bybb. His second wife was Margaret Cecil, sister of
the famous Lord Burghley, and widow of Roger Cave, Esq.
We shall mention only two or three of the numerous relatives
of our author.
One of the daughters of Ambrose Smith, above mentioned, was
Dorothea, who was first married to Benedict Barneham, an alder-

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. xi
man of London, by whom she had four daughters, one of whom be
came in due time the wife of the great Francis Bacon. Mrs
Barneham was married secondly to Sir John Pakington ; thirdly,
to Lord Kilmurry ; and fourthly, to the Earl of Kelly. It is pretty
plainly hinted by Nichols, that this lady might not have attained so
easily her place in the baronetage and peerage, had alderman Barne-
ham's will been different from what it was. We care not for this ;
as we introduce the lady's name at all, only to point out the con
nection between our author's family, and the author of the Novum
Organum. It is surely worthy of note, that our author's full
cousin was mother-in-law of ' the greatest, wisest, meanest of man
kind.' The above-mentioned Ambrose was succeeded by his eldest son,
Henry, who died about 1605, leaving an only son, Henry, who died
in 1 623, and was succeeded by an only son, Henry, who was after
wards well known ^as ' Regicide Smith,' from the prominent part
which he took in the king's trial.
As stated by Fullor in a note, our author's younger brother was
Roger Smith of Edmondsthorpe. He was knighted at Whitehall in
1635, and died in 1655, aged 84. On Sir Roger's tombstone in
Edmondsthorpe, it is stated that the family was ' by females passing
through the names of Ashby, Zouch, and Conan, Duke of Brit
tany, descended from Henry the First, king of England/
II. Eis education. In the Athence Oxonienses, it is stated that
he was matriculated in 1575 as a member of Lincoln College, thus :
' Henricus Smith, Leicestrensis, generosus, setat. 15.' 'What stay he
made in the same house, or whether he was the same Henry Smith
who received the benefaction of Jo. Claymond in Brazenose College
in 1 574, or whether he took the degree of bachelor of arts, it ap
pears not. Sure it is, that having some ecclesiastical employment
conferred upon him, he was absent from the university for some
time ; and at length, in 1583, did take the degree of master of arts
as a member of Hart-Hall, being then esteemed the miracle and won
der of his age, for his prodigious memory, and for his fluent, eloquent,
and practical way of preaching.'
From a communication by Messrs C. H and Thomson Cooper, in
. .^Notes-and Queries, Aug. 20. 1859, we learn that before going to
Oxford he was admitted a fellow-commoner of Queen's college,
Cambridge, 17th July 1573. As, however, ' he was not matriculated

Xll THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
at Cambridge, the probability is that he did not continue there
long.' Perhaps it may have been the benefaction of Jo. Claymond
that attracted him from the one university to the other ; but still it
does not seem to be very likely that he should have been admitted
a fellow-commoner at Cambridge in 1573, presented to a benefaction
in Brazenose College, Oxford, in 1574, matriculated as a student of
Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1575, and graduated as a member of
Hart-Hall in 1583. We suspect that at least one other member of
the Smith family must be mixed up with him.
In the communication just referred to, the Messrs Cooper express
doubts as to the correctness of Wood's assertion, that it was he who
took the degree of Master of Arts in 1583. This they do upon this
ground, that ' our Henry Smith, although he refers to his having
been at a university, never calls himself M.A., nor do we find him
so called by his contemporaries.' Now it ought to be observed that
the fact of his being the graduate of 1583, is the point on which
Wood speaks with perfect confidence, while he leaves other questions
of his identity in doubt. As to his not calling himself Master of
Arts, or being so called by others, we are perfectly aware that the
Messrs Cooper are abundantly more conversant with English uni
versity customs than we are ; but we suspect that the designation
' Mr Henry Smith,' by which he is generally noted on the title
pages of his separate sermons, is equivalent to ' Henry Smith, M.A.'
We have had occasion to examine many Scottish lists of the 16th
century, and have come to the conclusion that in them the prefix
Mr or Maister is usually employed to designate masters of arts. We
do not know whether the same usage prevailed in England, but we
think it highly probable.
We do not know precisely what was the nature of the ecclesiastical
employment which withdrew him from Oxford ; but it was pro
bably a curacy in Leicestershire ; for we find him there dealing with
a visionary or imposter called Robert Dickons, in the year 1582.
Yet at this time, if Wood's statement of his matriculation at Oxford
is correct, he was only twenty-two years old. Probably he was living
at his father's house at Market Bosworth's, doing duty for the clergy
man of the parish, when he was applied to by the ' Lords Justices,'
at the instigation, we presume, of his uncle, Bryant Cave, the
high sheriff of the county, to take this Dickons in hand. An ac
count of his dealings with him, and the sermon which he preached
on the occasion, are amongst his extant works. No copy of these

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. xiii
that we have seen bears any date ; but in Fuller's Church History,
the case of Dickons is related under the year 1582.
After this he seems to have gone to prosecute theological studies
under the direction of Mr Richard Greenham, an influential clergy
man of considerable note among the early puritans.
III. His patrimony. Some have understood Fuller's statement,
that he was urged by his friends to choose a secular profession, as more
suited than the ministry to the eldest son of a wealthy squire, as
implying that on entering the church he forfeited his patrimony.
Now nothing of this kind is said or implied. He did not indeed
succeed to the family property ; but that was because his father
outlived him. We have no reason to think that a protestant clergy
man in those days was precluded from the possession of landed pro
perty. IV. His appointment at St Clement Banes. The fullest account
that we have found of his appointment to this lectureship is the
following, in Strype's Life of Bishop Aylmer,
' Mr Henry Smith, an eloquent and a witty man, had the last
year, viz., 1587, become Reader or Lecturer at St Clement Danes
without Temple-Bar, at the desire of many of the parishioners, and
by the favour of the Lord Treasurer, who dwelt in the said parish,
and yielded contribution to him. /This is the Smith whose sermons
have been a common family book even to this day, and often re
printed./ He was the son of a gentleman of Leicestershire, and
bred for a little while in Oxford ; but desiring to spend more time
there, his father, whatever the reason was, would not yield unto his
suit. Soon after his coming from Oxford, he lived and followed
his studies with Richard Greenham, a pious minister in the
country, but not thoroughly affected to the orders of the church
established ; and his principles he seemed to have infused into
Smith. The Lord Treasurer took notice of the man, especially v
when he put in for the preacher's place in the parish of St Clement's.
Therefore he obtained a testimonial and character from Greenham
to the said lord ; to whom, after some preface in his letter, as con
sidering his honour's place, and rare wisdom in discerning of gifts,
and his- own unmeetness to commend, and that there were many
better means to inform himself, which he might have ; at length he
thus wrote of him, " That he would not speak of his human litera-

XIV THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
ture, whereof he supposed Smith himself had given him [the Lord
Treasurer] some small token (he meant, I suppose, by a sermon
preached before him), but he had perceived him to have been well
exercised in the holy Scriptures, religious and devout in mind,
moderate and sober in opinions and affection, discreet and temperate
in his behaviour, industrious in his studies and affairs, and, as he
hoped, of an humble spirit and upright heart, joined with the fer
vent zeal of the glory of God and health of souls. Which mixture
of God's gifts put him in hopes that God hereafter might be much
glorified in him, specially if he might have tarried in the Univer
sity until his gifts were grown unto some more maturity. In which
particular, he added, he had earnestly dealt with him unto the
same end [and so had the Lord Treasurer], but he still answered
that he could- not obtain that favour of his father."
' In short he was permitted to read (that is, to preach a lecture)
at St Clement's, where one Harewood was now parson.'
V. His suspension. The continuation of the above extract gives
an account of his suspension.
' But the next year, being the year 1588, our bishop, being in
formed that he had spoken in his sermon some words derogatory to
the Common Prayer, neither had subscribed the Articles, wherein
was contained the approbation of the said book, suspended him
from preaching a while. His own case he drew up briefly, for the
information, it seems, of the Lord Treasurer, which was as follows : —
' Reasons objected and alleged by the Bishop of London against
Henry Smith, preacher of St Clement's vjithout Temple-Bar,
as causes for which he hath proceeded to the suspension of the
said Henry from the exercise of his ministry.
' I. That I was chosen by a popular election, as his Lordship
tei'meth it, that is, by the minister and congregation, without his
Lordship's licence.
' II. That I have preached against the Book of Common Prayer.
' III. That I have not yielded my subscription to certain articles
which his Lordship required at my hands.
' Mine answer to the same.
' " First, touching my calling hither, I was recommended to the

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. XV
parish by certain godly preachers, which had heard me preach in
other places in this city ; and thereupon accepted of by the parish,
and entertained with a stipend raised by voluntary contribution ;
in which sort they had heretofore entertained others without any
such question or exception. Secondarily, his Lordship, calling me
to preach at Paul's Cross, never moved any such question to me.
Nevertheless, if any error have been committed herein either by
me or the parish, through ignorance, our joint desire is to have his
Lordship's good allowance and approbation for the exercise of my
function in his Lordship's diocese.
' " Touching the second, however his Lordship hath been informed
against me, I never used speech in any of my sermons against the
said book of Common Prayer ; whereof the parish doth bear me
witness in this supplication to yonr Lordship.
' " Concerning the third, I refuse not to subscribe to any articles,
which the law of the realm doth require of men of my calling :
acknowledging with all humbleness and loyalty Her Majesty's
sovereignty in all causes, and over all persons within Her Highness's
dominions ; and yielding my full consent to all the articles of faith
and ¦ doctrine taught and ratified in this church, according to a
statute in that behalf provided, the thirteenth year of Her Majesty's
reign. And therefore beseech his Lordship not to urge upon me
any other subscription than the law of God, and the laws positive
of this realm, do require." '
The Messrs Cooper, in the communication already referred to,
suggest that the Lord Treasurer Burghley's interest in Smith may
have been in some measure due to the fact that his Lordship's
sister was Mr Smith's stepmother. This, of course, might have
had a measure of influence ; but it is manifest that Lord Burghley
had a high esteem for Henry Smith personally, while there is
abundant evidence that it was by no means a rare thing for him to
oppose the measures of Archbishop Whitgift and Bishop Aylmer.
In every collection of letters of the time, we have multitudes in
which his Lordship remonstrates with these ecclesiastical potentates
as to the stringent measures which they employed for suppressing
views different from their own.
VI. His subsequent ministry in St Clement's. Strype goes on to
say, in continuation of the previous extract : —
' If he subscribed not afterwards, yet he seemed to have given

XVI THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
some satisfaction to the bishop for his continuance in his place till
the year 1589 ; when upon the dangerous sickness of Harewood the
incumbent, divers of the parish petitioned the Lord Treasurer, that
in case he died, Mr Smith their preacher might succeed him. And
being departed this life, they renewed their petition, signed with
the hands of divers of St Clement's and Lion's Inn, and the two
churchwardens, the one a grocer, the other a locksmith, and a good
number besides of ordinary tradesmen, as smiths, tailors, saddlers,
hosiers, haberdashers, glaziers, cutlers, and such like, most of them
setting their marks. The petition was somewhat rude, as were the
men from whom it came ; for it expressed, " That if there were any ;'
towards his Lordship, whom his honour affected, and was willing to
prefer thereunto, they most humbly and instantly importuned his
Lordship [notwithstanding to lay them aside, and] to prefer Mr
Smith in this, and them some other way, as his Lordship had many.
And in behalf of themselves they set forth, that [if this might be
obtained] then Mr Smith's living should be ascertained [which was
but precarious before], and they eased of his stipend [and so a
charge taken from them], and their desires satisfied in enjoying him
for their parson. In fine, giving this character of him, that his
preaching, living, and sound doctrine had done more good among
them, than any other that had gone before, or, which they doubted, .
could follow after." But notwithstanding, I scarce think these men,
nor their reasons, were of strength to prevail with the Treasurer.'
It is probable that this disappointment, conjoined with failing
health, led to Smith's retirement from the active work of the :
ministry. We suspect that at this time he retired into Leicester- ;
shire ; and it does not appear'that he ever held any ministerial charge, ijj
P
VII. Bate of his death. This is involved in very singular con
fusion. Bishop Tanner, in his Bibliographia Britannica, says that
he flourished in 1613, and probably died about that time.
Mr Phillimore, in a note in his History of the Reign of George
III., says that he certainly died before 1609.
Thomas Fuller, in his Church History, gives Smith's brother as
his authority for stating that he died in 1600. In his life of Smith, '¦¦
published after his Church History, and which we are now anno
tating, he gives 1600 as the probable date of his death, but without
referring to his brother as an authority.
Mr Nichols, in his History of Leicestershire, states that he was

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. xvii
alive at all events in 1597, because he published a volume of sermons
in that year.
Wood says, ' that this person was in very great renown among
men in 1593, in which year, if I mistake not, he died.'
In Piers Penniless's Supplication to the Devil, published in
1592, he is thus apostrophised: ' Silver-tongued Smith, whose well-
tuned style hath made thy death the general tears of the muses !'
He was therefore dead in 1592.
In 1591, a volume of his sermons was published, with the state
ment that they were perused by the author before his death.
Lastly, the same Mr Nichols, who states, as we have said, that he
was alive in 1597, gives in the same volume an extract from the
^parish register of Husband's Bosworth, to the effect that he was
buried there on the 4th July 1591!
Thus have we hunted this date back from 1613 to 1591, a period
of twenty-two years. As therefore we have no reason to doubt the
accuracy of Wood's statement of his age at the time of his matri
culation, and as we have ascertained, beyond question, the date of
his death, we conclude that he was born in 1560, and died in
1591, aged thirty-one years.
VIII. His works. The early editions of separate sermons were ex
ceedingly numerous. Some of them were printed surreptitiously
from shorthand notes, and he was obliged to publish them in self-
defence. The copyright of these different publications being in differ
ent hands, it was of course difficult to get a collected edition of his
works. This was accomplished in 1657, when Thomas Fuller stated
in his preface, ' That this useful and desired volume of sermons,
&c.,.have been for some years past in a manner smothered, to the
regret of many, is not to be imputed as the fault of any one man,
it being occasioned by the diversity of interests to the said copies
of sermons, treatises, &c.' This edition of Fuller's is of a somewhat
composite character. The main part of the volume was printed in
1657, by T. Mabb, for John Saywell. Then there are three ser
mons bearing date 1642, and printed by Francis Smethwick. Lastly,
-there is God's Arrow against Atheists, printed in 1656, for John
Wright and George Sawbridge. This is an exceedingly neat
volume. It was reprinted in 1575, but in inferior style, and with
very numerous typographical errors. It is a copy of this edition
b

XV111 THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
that our printers have had in their hands, but we have corrected
an immense number of blunders by collation with older editions,
the best in our possession, so far as it goes, being that of 1599. It
is, however, incomplete, and our copy is imperfect.
It is not probable that any more English prose works of Henry
Smith were ever published, than those that appear in this volume.
As to his poetical works, we would submit the following notices.
In Piers Penniless's Supplication to the Devil, there occurs the!
following passage : —
' Nor is poetry an art whereof there is no use in a man's whole
life, but to describe discontented thoughts and youthful desires ;
for there is no study but it doth illustrate and beautify. How ad
mirably shine those divines above the common mediocrity, that have
tasted the sweet springs of Parnassus !
' Encomium H. Smithi.1 Silver-tongued Smith, Avhose well
tuned style hath made thy death the general tears of the muses,
quaintly couldest thou devise heavenly ditties to Apollo's lute, and
teach stately verse to trip it as smoothly as if Ovid and thee had
but one soul. Hence-along did it proceed that thou wast such a
plausible pulpit man. Before thou enteredst into the wonderful
ways of theology, thou refinedst, preparedst, and purifiedst thy
wings with sweet poetry. If a simple man's censure may be admitted
to speak in such an open theatre of opinion, I never saw abundant
reading mixed with delight, or sentences which no man can
challenge of profane affectation, sounding more melodious to the
ear, or piercing more deep to the heart.'
This extract clearly enough indicates that Smith wrote poetry, and
makes it probable that some of his poetical effusions were pub
lished. Now, in Watt's Bibliotheca we have the title of a Latin
* Upon this marginal title Mr J. P. Collier has the following note :*-' The mar
ginal note- shews that the Christian name of this poet began with H, Encomium E.
Smithi. Wo have relics of several English versifiers of the name of Smith, but
not one of them was H. Smith. The most noted of the Smiths was "William, who
wrote, Chloris; or the Complaint of the Passionate Despised Shepherd, 1596, 4to, which
¦was dedicated to Spenser. He is not to be confounded with Wentworth Smith, who
was himself confounded with Shakespeare on account of the identity of their initials.'
A strange instance this of Homeric dormitation ! Probably no man ever knew more
of the literature of the Shakespearean era than Mr Payne Collier ; yet when he wrote
this note, he had altogether forgotten the existence of Henry Smith, although he
must have met, a dozen or a score of times, with the epithet Silver-tongued Smith
applied to him, and although the passage which he was annotating clearly shewed him
to be a preacher.

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. xix
poem, Jurisprudential, Medicinal et Theologies Bialogus Bulcis;
and in Tanner's Bibliotheca we learn that this was published in an
8vo volume, London, 1592, by Bryan Cave, uncle of Henry Smith,
and High Sheriff of Leicester.
Further, the works of Joshua Sylvester contain his translation
of a Latin poem called Micro-cosmo^graphia, by Henry Smith,
and also his translation of a few Latin epigrams. Whether the
Latin originals of these were ever published, we have no informa
tion. These translations will be found in the present edition. Our
readers will perhaps not regret deeply that they are not presented
with a reprint of the ' pleasant dialogue.' It is probable, however,
that his poetical compositions are very unfavourably represented by
these versions of them by Sylvester.
In Watt's Bibliotheca, there also occurs Vita Supplzcium, as
the title of one of his compositions. That was probably another
Latin poem.
In the letter to which we have so often referred, the Messrs
Cooper, referring to that note of Mr Collier to which we have just
adverted, remark, ' Mr Collier's note, p. 100 of his edition of Nash's
Pierce Penniless, satisfies us that it is hopeless to expect that the
English poetry of Henry Smith can now be recovered or identified.'
Now, we agree that Mr Collier's ignorance of Henry Smith's name
as an English poet is ground of a strong presumption that no Eng
lish poems of his are extant ; but we cannot see that there is any
reason to believe that he ever wrote English poetry at all. All that
Nash says of him as a poet is satisfied by the Latin poetry which
he unquestionably wrote ; and perhaps the unity of his soul with
that of Ovid, is evinced by poetry written in Ovid's language, more
than it would have been by poems composed in a tongue which
Ovid never knew.
IX. His influence as a preacher. We suspect that Fuller's state
ment, as to the effect produced by Smith's sermon on the suckling
of Isaac by Sarah, is somewhat apocryphal, or at least that it is in
accurate in its details. A higher authority on the subject than we
can pretend to be, assures us, that the ' dear infants' would not
greatly profit by being 'remanded' to their mothers' breasts after
they had been separated from them from the time of their birth
until the time when their mothers were occupying their own pews,
that is, standing on their own feet, in church ! But there is no doubt

XX THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH.
that Smith's influence was very great ; and it is creditable to the
literary and spiritual tastes of Elizabethan London that he should
have been so popular a preacher. In several places we have founds
it stated that his sermons became a ' family book.' Fuller, in the
preface to his first edition, alludes to a good use that was made of his
sermons and prayers. ' That these sermons have been used as a
handmaid to prayer bedward in some families, is not unknown.'
An abuse of this is referred to in the- following epigram, contained
in Quarles'sBivvne Fancies, and transferred into Notes and Queries,
from which we copy it : — On Chamber Christians.
No matter whether (some there be that say),
Or go to church, or stay at home, if pray ;
Smith's dainty sermons have in plenty stored me
With better stuff than pulpits can afford me.
Tell me, why pray'st thou ? Heaven commanded so.
Art not commanded to his temples too ?
Small store of manners ! when thy prince bids come,
And feast at court, to say, I've meat at home !
All who are acquainted with the sermons of Henry Smith ac
knowledge their singular excellence in respect both of matter and
of manner. So free are they from the affectations that disfigure most
of the pulpit productions of the time, that there is scarcely an ex
pression that would require alteration in order to adapt them to
the tastes of the present day. They probably do not contain a dozen
words that would not be understood by an ordinary modern audience;
there is scarcely a pun or a play upon words from the beginning to
the end of them. As to their matter, we cannot say that they are
equal in power of reasoning to those of Goodwin, or in solemn
pathos to those of Brooks ; but they contain a clear, forcible, and
earnest statement of the gospel of the grace of God. We might
easily fill many pages with testimonies to the merits of our author,
borne by competent judges ; but we prefer allowing the reader to
form his own judgment.
X. The present edition. We have already stated that this edition
contains all the prose works of Smith that there is any reason to sup
pose ever to have existed, and Sylvester's translation of one of his
Latin poems and of several of his epigrams. The text is that of the
edition of 1 575, excepting when we suspected an error in that edition.

THE LIFE OF MR HENRY SMITH. XXI
In almost every such case we have found a manifestly better reading
in one or other of the earlier editions. In the few instances in which
this has not been the case, we have suggested a different reading
in the margin. A great proportion of the references to texts of Scrip
ture are manifestly wrong in all the old editions. In most cases we
have put them right. But in a few, where references to texts that
have no existence (as Neh. xxiv. 40) are given in the margin, and
where there does not seem to be in the text any allusion to any
Scriptural passage that we know, we have cancelled the reference
altogether. This is all the change that we have ventured to make,
except on the authority of one or other of the old editions.
The quantity of matter being too great for one volume, and too
little for two ordinary volumes of our series, has enabled us to pre
sent the works of Henry Smith in a form which can scarcely fail to
be acceptable to the tasteful reader, and to accompany them with
a full index, which we have prepared with great care. Upon the
whole, we trust that this edition, as it is unquestionably the fullest,
the most accurate, and the most elegant hitherto published, will be
found to do fair justice to the author's fame.
T. S.

NOBILISSIMO VERO
GULIELMO CECILIO
EQUITI AURATO,
BARONI BURGHLEIENSI,
SUMMO ANGLI*
THESAURARIO, ET
CANTABRIGIENSIS ACADEMIC
CANCELLARIO,
HENEICUS SMITHUS
affile PIGNORA
IN GRATI ANIMI TESTIMONIUM
CONSECRAVIT.

A PEEPAEATIYE TO MAEEIAGE.

VOL. I.

TO THE READER.

Because sickness hath restrained me from preaching, I am con
tent to do any good by writing. Happy is that author which is
instead of others, that after his book is read, men need read no
more of that matter. I go upon a theme which many have
traversed before me prolixly, or cursorily, or barrenly ; if I have
performed by study any more than the rest, let my reader judge,
and give glory to him which teacheth by whom he will. What
I have endeavoured, myself do feel, and others know. We are
ignorant of many things, for a few that we understand ; but I
have been always ashamed that my writings should weigh lighter
for want of pains, which is the bane of printing, and surfeiteth
the reader. Now, I send thee, like a bee, to gather honey out of
flowers and weeds. Every garden is furnished with either, and so
is ours. Read, pray, and meditate. Thy profit shall be little in
any book, unless thou read alone, and unless thou read all, and
record after, as the Bereans did the sermons of Paul. It is one of
the births of my fainting, therefore take it with a right hand ; and
if thou find anything that doth make thee better, I repent not that
othersMmportunity .hath obtained it for thee. Farewell ! As
Jacob blessed his sons when he left them, so now I must leave
my fruit to others. I pray God to bless it, that it may bring forth
fruit in others, and be the savour of life to all that read it.
Thine in Christ,
H S.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.

You are come hither to be contracted in the Lord ; that is, of two
to be made one, Gen. ii. 18 ; for as God hath knit the bones and
sinews together for the strengthening of men's bodies, so he hath
knit man and woman together for the strengthening of their life,
because ' two are firmer than one,' Eccles. iv. 9. And therefore,
when God made the woman for man, he said, ' I will make him an
help,' shewing that man is stronger by his wife. Every marriage,
before it be knit, should be contracted, as it is shewed in Exod. xxii.
16, and Deut. xxii. 28 : which stay between the contract and the
marriage was the time of longing, for their affection to settle in/
because the deferring of that which we love doth kindle the desire,
which, if it came easily and speedily unto us, would make us set
less by it. Therefore we read how Joseph and Mary were contracted
before they were married, Mat. i. 18. In the contract1 Christ was
conceived, and in the marriage Christ was born, that he might
honour both estates : virginity with his conception, and marriage
with his birth. You are contracted, but to be married. Therefore
I pass from contracts to speak of marriage, which is nothing else
but a communion of life between man and woman joined together
according to the ordinance of God.
First, I will shew the excellency of marriage ; then the institu
tion of it ; then the causes of it ; then the choice of it ; then the
duties of it ; and lastly, the divorcement of it.
Well might Paul say, Heb. xiii. 4, ' marriage is honourable ;' for
God hath honoured it himself. It is honourable for the author,
honourable for the time, and honourable for the place. Whereas
all other ordinances were appointed of' God by the hands of men,
or the hands of angels, Acts xii. 7, Heb. ii. 2, marriage was ordained
1 That is, between the contract and the marriage.

6 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
by God himself, which cannot err. No man nor angel brought the
wife to the husband, but God himself, Gen. ii. 12 ; so marriage hath
more honour of God in this than all other ordinances of God beside,
because he solemnized it himself.
Then it is honourable for the time ; for it was the first ordinance
that God instituted, even the first thing which he did, after man
and woman were created, and that in the state of innocency, before
either had sinned : like the finest flower, which will not thrive but
in a clean ground. Before man had any other calling, he was called
to be an husband ; therefore it hath the honour of antiquity above
all other ordinances, because it was ordained first, and is the
ancientest calling of men.
Then it is honourable for the place ; for whereas all other ordi
nances were instituted out of paradise, marriage was instituted in
paradise, in the happiest place, to signify how happy they are that
marry in the Lord ; they do not only marry one another, but Christ
is married unto them ; and so marriage hath the honour of the
place above all other ordinances, because it was ordained in para
dise. As God the Father honoured marriage, so did God the Son, which
is called ' the seed of the woman,' Gen. iii. 15 ; therefore marriage
was so honoured among women because of this seed, that when
Elizabeth brought forth a son, Luke i. 25, she said that ' God had
taken away her rebuke,' counting it the honour of women to bear
children, and, by consequence, the honour of women to be married ;
for the children which are born out of marriage are the dishonour
of women, and called by the shameful name of bastards, Deut.
xxiii. 2.
As Christ honoured marriage with his birth, so he honoured it
with his miracles ; for the first miracle which Christ did, he wrought^
at a marriage in Cana, where he turned the water into wine, John
ii. 8. So, if Christ be at your marriage, that is, if you marry in
Christ, your water shall be turned into wine ; that is, your peace,
and your rest, and your journey, and your happiness, shall begin
with your marriage ; but if you marry not in Christ, then your wine
shall be turned into water : that is, you shall live worse hereafter
than you did before.
As he honoured it with miracles, so he honoured it with praises ;
for he compareth the kingdom of God to a wedding, Mat. xxii. 2 ;
and he compareth holiness to a wedding garment, ver. 11 ; and in
the 5th of Canticles he is wedded himself, Cant. v. 9.
We read in Scripture of three marriages of Christ. The first was

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 7
when Christ and our nature met together. The second is, when
Christ and our soul join together. The third is, the union of Christ
and his church. These are Christ's three wives. As Christ
honoured marriage, so do Christ's disciples ; for John calleth the
conjunction of Christ and the faithful a marriage, Rev. xix. 7. And
in Rev. xxi. 9, the church ha|;h the name of a bride, whereas heresy
is called an harlot, Rev. xvii. 1. Further, for the honour of mar
riage, Paul sheweth how, by it, the curse of the woman was turned
into a blessing ; for the woman's curse was the pains which she
should suffer in her travail, Gen. iii. 16. Now, by marriage this
curse is turned into a blessing ; for children are the first blessing in
all the Scripture, Gen. i. 27. And therefore Christ saith, that so
soon as the mother seeth a man child born into the world, she for
getteth all her sorrows, as though her curse were turned into a
blessing, John xvi. 1 1.
And further, Paul saith, that by bearing of children, if she continue.
in faith and patience, she shall be saved, 1 Tim. ii. 15, as though one
curse were turned into two blessings. For, first, she shall have
children, and after, she shall have salvation. What a merciful God
have we, whose curses are blessings ! So he loved our parents when
he punished them, that he could scarce punish them for love, and
therefore a comfort was folded in his judgment.
To honour marriage more, it is said that God took a rib out of
Adam's side, and thereof built the woman, Gen. ii. 22. He is not said
to make man a wife, but to build him a wife, signifying that man
and wife make as it were one house together, and that the building
was not perfect until the woman was made as well as the man ; there
fore, if the building be not perfect now, it must be destroyed again.
Before God made the woman, it is said that he cast the man into
a sleep, and in his sleep he took a rib out of his side, Gen. ii. 21 ;
and as he made man of earth, so he made the woman of bone while
Adam was asleep.
This doth teach us two things. As the first Adam was a figure
of the second Adam, 1 Cor. xv. 22 and 45, so the first Adam's sleep
was a figure of the second Adam's sleep, and the first Adam's
spouse was a figure of the second Adam's spouse ; that is, as in the
sleep of Adam, Eve was born, so in the sleep of Christ the church
was born, Ephes. v. 14. As a bone came out of the first Adam's
side,^o-blood came out of the second Adam's side. As Adam's
spouse received life in his sleep, so Christ's spouse received life in
his sleep ; that is, the death of Christ is the life of the church, for
the apostle calleth death a sleep ; but Christ which died is called

8 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
life, shewing that in his death we live. Secondly, this sleep which
the man was cast into, while his wife was created, doth teach us,
that our affections, our lusts, and our concupiscences, should sleep
while we go about this action. As the man slept while his wife
was making, so our flesh should sleep while our wife is choosing,.
lest, as the love of venison won Isaac to bless one for another, Gen.
xxvii. 3, so the love of gentry, or riches, or beauty, make us to take
one for another."
To honour marriage more yet, or rather to teach the married how
to honour one another, it is said that the wife was made of the
husband's rib, Gen. ii. 22 ; not of his head, for Paul calleth the hus
band the wife's head, Ephes. v. 23 ; not of the foot, for he must not
set her at his foot. The servant is appointed to serve, and the wife
to help. If she must not match with the head, nor stoop at the
foot, where shall he set her then ? He must set her at his heart,
and therefore she which should lie in his bosom was made in his
bosom, and should be as close to him as his rib, of which she was
fashioned. Lastly, in all nations the day of marriage was reputed the joy-
fullest day in all their life, and is reputed still of all ; as though the
sun of happiness began that day to shine upon us, when a good
wife is brought unto us. Therefore one saith, that marriage doth
signify merry-age, because a play-fellow is come to make our age
merry, as Isaac and Rebekah sported together.
Solomon considering all these excellencies, as though we were
more indebted unto God for this than other temporal gifts, saith,
' Houses and riches are the inheritance of the father, but a prudent
wife cometh of the Lord,' Prov. xix. 14.
Houses and riches are given of God, and all things else, and yet
he saith, houses and riches are given of parents, but a good wife is
given of God, as though a good wife were such a gift as we shouid
account comes from God alone, and accept it as if he should send us
a present from heaven, with this name written on it, the gift of God.
Beasts are ordained for food, and clothes for warmth, and flowers
for pleasure, but the wife is ordained for man ; like little Zoar, a
city of refuge to fly to in all his troubles, Gen. xix. 20 ; and there is
no peace comparable unto her but the peace of conscience.
Now it must needs be, that marriage, which was ordained of such
an excellent author, and in such a happy place, and of such an
ancient time, and after such a notable order, must likewise have
special causes for the ordinance of it. Therefore the Holy Ghost
doth shew us three causes of this union.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 9
One is, the propagation o£.children, signified in that when Moses
saith, Gen. ii. 22, ' He created them male and female,' not both male
nor both female, but one male and the other female ; as if he created
them fit to propagate other. And therefore when he had created
them so, to shew that propagation of children is one end of marriage,
he said unto them, 'Increase and multiply,' Gen. i. 28 ; that is,
bring forth children, as other creatures bring forth their kind.
For this cause marriage is called matrimony, which signifieth
motherage, because it maketh them mothers which were virgins
before, and is the seminary of the world, without which all .things
should be in vain, for want of men to use them ; for God reserveth
the great city to himself ; and this suburbs he hath set out unto
us, which are regents by sea and by land.
If children be such a chief end of marriage, then it seems that
where there can be no hope of children, for age and other causes,
there marriage is not so lawful, because it is maimed of one of his
ends, and seems rather to be sought for wealth, or for lust, than for
this blessing of children. It is not good grafting of an old head
upon young shoulders, for they will never bear it willingly, but
grudgingly. This is signified in Deut. xxiii. 1.
Twice the wife is called 'the wife of thy youth,' Prov. v. 18,
Mai. ii. 15 ; as though, when men are old, the time of marrying
were past. Therefore God makes such unequal matches so ridi
culous everywhere, that they please none but the parties themselves.
The second cause is to avoid fornication. This Paul signifieth
when he saith, ' For the avoiding of fornication, let every man have
his own wife,' 1 Cor. vii. 8. He saith not for avoiding of adultery,
but for avoiding of fornication, shewing that fornication is unlawful,
too, which the papists make lawful, in maintaining their stews, as
a stage for fornicators to play upon, and a sanctuary to defend
them ; like Absalom's tent, which was spread upon the top of the
house, that all Israel might see how he defiled his father's concu
bines, 2 Sam. xvi. 22. For this cause Malachi saith that God did
create but one woman for the' man. He had power t,o create more,
but to shew that he would have him to stick to one, therefore he
created of one rib but one wife for one husband, Mai. ii. 15. And
in the ark there were no more women than men, but four wives for
four husbands, although it was otherwise in the beginning of the
world, when many wives might seem necessary to multiply man
kind. If any might have a dispensation herein, it seems that kings
might be privileged before any other, because of their succession to

10 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
the crown, if his wife should happen to be barren ; and yet the king
is forbidden to take many wives, in Deut. xvii. 17, as: well as the
minister, 1 Tim. iii. 2, shewing that the danger of the state doth
not countervail the danger of fornication.
For this cause, we read of none but wicked Lamech before the
flood, Gen. iv. 23, that had more wives than one, whom Jovinian
calleth a monster, because he made two ribs of one. And another
saith that the name of his second wife doth signify a shadow, be
cause she was not a wife, but the shadow of a wife. For this cause
the Scripture never biddeth man to love his wives, but to love his
wife, and saith, ' They shall be two in one flesh,' Mat. ix. 5 ; not
three, nor four, but only two. For this cause King Solomon calleth
the whorish woman a strange woman, Prov. ii. 16, to shew that she
should be a stranger unto us, and we should be strange to her.
For this cause children which are born in marriage are called liberi,
which signifieth free born; and they which are born out of marriage.
are called bastards, that is, base-born, like the mule, which is en
gendered of an ass and a mare. Therefore adulterers are likened
to the devil, which sowed another man's ground, Mat. xiii. 22.
Adulterers sow for a harvest, but they sow that which they dare
, not reap. Therefore children born in wedlock are counted God's
blessing, Ps. cxxviii. 4, because they come by virtue of that bless
ing, ' Increase and multiply,' Gen. i. 28. But before Adam and Eve
were married, God never said Increase, shewing that he did curse,
and not bless such increase. Therefore we read not in all the
Scripture of one bastard that came to any good but only Jephthah,
Judges xi. 1 ; and to shew that no inheritance did belong to them
in heaven,1 they had no inheritance in earth, neither were counted
of the congregation, as others were, Deut. xxiii. 2.
Now because marriage was appointed for a remedy against for- ¦
nication, therefore the law of God inflicted a sorer punishment
upon him which did commit uncleanness after marriage than upon
him which was not married, because he sinned, although he had
the remedy of sin, like a, rich thief which stealeth and hath no
need. Now if marriage be a remedy against the sin of fornication, 1
Cor. vii. 2, then unless ministers may commit the sin of fornication,
it seems that they may use the remedy as well as other ; for as it
is better for a man to marry than to burn, so it is better for all men
to marry than to burn; and therefore Paul saith, 'Marriage is
honourable amongst all men,' Heb. xiii. 4. And again, ' For the
1 They might be saved, but they had the mark of the curse.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 11
avoiding of fornication, let every man have his wife,' 1 Cor. vii.
And as though he did foresee that some would except the minister
in time to come, in the first Epistle of Timothy, the third chapter,
and second verse, he speaketh more precisely of the minister's wife
than of any other, saying, ' Let him be the husband of one wife.'
And lest he should say that by one wife he meaneth one benefice,
like the papists, he expoundeth himself in the fourth verse, and
saith that he must be one that can rule his house well, and his
children. Sure God would not have these children to be bastards, and
therefore it is like that he aUoweth the minister a wife. Therefore
Paul said well, that he had no commandment for virginity, 1 Cor.
vii. 6 ; for virginity cannot be commanded, because it is a special
gift, but not a special gift to ministers, and therefore they are not
to be bound more than other. A peculiar gift may not be made a
general rule, because none can use it but they which have it ; and
therefore, ICor. vii. 17, he saith, 'As God hath distributed to every
man, so let him walk.' That is, if he have not the gift of con7
tinency, he is bound to marry; and therefore Paul commandeth in
the seventh verse, whether he be minister or other, ' If they cannot
' abstain, let them marry,' as though they tempted God if they mar
ried not.
The law was generals Gen. ii. 18, 'It is not good for a man to
be alone,' exempting one order of men no more than another.
And again, Christ, speaking of chastity, saith, Mat. xix. 11, 'All
men cannot receive this thing.' Therefore, unless that we know
that this order of men can receive this thing, Christ forbids to bind
them more than other ; and therefore as the priests were married
that taught the law^-so- Christ chose apostles that were married to
preach the gospel. Therefore the doctrine of papists is the doctrine
of devils ; for Paul calleth the forbidding of marriage the ' doctrine
of devils,' 1 Tim. iv. 3, a fit title for all their books.
Lastly, if marriage be a remedy against sin, then marriage itself
is no sin ; for if marriage itself were a sin, we might not marry for
any cause, because we must not do the least evil, that the greatest
good may come of it, Rom. iii. 8 ; and if marriage be not a sin,
then the duties of marriage are not sin; that is, the secret of
marriage is not evil ; and therefore Paul saith, not only ' marriage
is honourable,' but 'the bed' is honourable, Heb. xiii. 4; that
js^even the action of marriage is as lawful as marriage.
Besides, Paul saith, 1 Cor. vii. 8, ' Let the husband give unto the
wife due benevolence.' Here is a commandment to yield this duty ;

12 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
that which is commanded is lawful, and not to do it is a breach of
the commandment. Therefore marriage was instituted before any
sin was, to shew that there is no sin in it, if it be not abused ; but
because this is rare, therefore after women were delivered, God
appointed them to be purified, Lev. xii. 4, 5, &c, shewing that
some stain or other doth creep into this action, which had need to
be repented ; and therefore when they prayed, Paul would not have
them come together, lest their prayers should be hindered, 1 Cor.
vii. 5.
The third cause is to avoid the inconvenience of solitariness^, ,
signified in these words, ' It is not good for man to be alone ; ' as
though he had said, This life would be miserable and irksome, and
unpleasant to man, if the Lord had not given him a wife to com
pany his troubles. If it be not good for man to be alone, -then it
is good for man to have a fellow ; therefore as God created a pair .
of all other kinds, so he created a pair of this kind.
We say that one is none, because he cannot be fewer than one,
he cannot be less than one, he cannot be weaker than one, and
therefore the wise man saith, Eccles. iv. 10, ' Woe to him that is
alone,' that is, he which is alone shall have woe. Thoughts, and
cares, and fears will come to him because he hath none to comfortj
him, as thieves steal in when the house is empty ; like a turtle
which hath lost his mate ; like one leg when the other is cut Ctff ;
like one wing when the other is clipped ; so had the man beenf, if
the woman had not been joined to him; therefore for mutjual
society, God coupled two together, that the infinite troubles which
lie upon us in the world might be eased with the comfort and help
one of, another, and that the poor in the world might have some
comfort as well as the rich ; for ' the poor man,' saith Solomon, ' is
forsaken of his own brethren,' Prov. xix. 7 ; yet God hath provided
one comfort for him, like Jonathan's armour-bearer, that shall never
forsake him, 1 Sam. xiv. 7, that is, another self, which is the only
commodity (as I may term it) wherein the poor do match the rich;
without which some persons should have no helper, no comfort, no.
friend at all.
But as it is not good to be alone, so Solomon sheweth that ' it is
better to be alone than to dwell with a froward wife,' Prov. xxi. 9,
which is like a quotidian ague, to keep his patience in ure. Such-
furies do haunt some men, like Saul's spirit, 1 Sam. xvi. 14, as
though the devil had put a sword into their hands to kill them
selves ; therefore choose whom thou mayest enjoy, or live alone still,
and thou shalt not repent thee of thy bargain.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 13
That thou mayest take and keep without repentance, now we will
speak of the choice, which some call the way to good wives' dwelling,
for these flowers grow not on every ground ; therefore they say,
that in wiving and thriving a man should take counsel of all the
world, lest he light upon a curse while he seeks for a blessing. As
. Moses considered what spies he sent into Canaan, Deut. i. 23, so
thou must regard whom thou sendest to spy out a wife for thee.
Discretion is a wary spy, but fancy is a rash spy, end liketh whom
she will mislike again.
In the Revelation, Antichrist is described by a woman ; and in
Zechariah, sin is called a woman, Zech. v. 7 ; which sheweth that
women have many faults ; therefore he which chooseth of them,
had need have judgment, and make an anatomy of their hearts and
minds, before he say, This shall be mine. For the wisest man saith,
Eccles. viii. 30, ' I have found one man of a thousand, but a woman
among them all have I not found.' Although this may be under
stood of his concubines, yet it implieth that generally there is a
greater infirmity in women than in men, because he compareth
them together, as though there were a dearth of good women
over the world.
For help hereof, in 1 Cor. vii. 39, we are taught to marry in the
Lord, then we must choose in the Lord too ; therefore we must be
gin our marriage where Solomon began his wisdom, 1 Kings iii.
9, ' Give unto thy servant an understanding heart.' So, give unto
thy servant an understanding wife... If Abraham's servant prayed
unto the Lord to prosper his business, Gen. xxiv. 12, when he went
about to choose a wife for another, how shouldst thou pray when
thou goest about a wife for thyself, that thou mayest say after, ' My
lot is fallen in a pleasant ground.' To direct thee to a right choice
herein, the Holy Ghost gives the two rules in the choice of a wife,
godliness and fitness ; godliness, because our spouse must be like
Christ's spouse, that is, graced with gifts and embroidered with
virtues, as if we married holiness herself For the marriage of a
man and woman is resembled of the apostle to the marriage of
Christ and the church, Eph. v. 29. Now the church is called holy,
because she is holy. In the sixth of the Canticles she is called un
dented, Cant. vi. 8, because she is undefiled. In the 45th Psalm
she is called fair within, Ps. xiv. 9; because her beauty is inward.
So our spouse should be holy, undefiled, and fair within. As God
respecteth the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 7, so we must respect the heart,
because that must love, and not the face. Covetousness hath ever
been a suitor to the richest, and pride to the highest, and lightness

14 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
to the fairest ; and for revenge hereof, his joy hath ever ended with
his wife's youth, which took her beauty with it. The goods of the
world are good, and the goods of the body are good, but the goods "
of the mind are better. As Paul commendeth faith, hope, and
charity, but saith, ' the greatest of these is charity,' 1 Cor. xiii. 13,
so may I commend beauty, and riches, and godliness ; but the best
of these is godliness, because it hath the things which it wants,
and makes everystate alike with her gift of contentation.
Secondly, The mate must be fit. It is not enough to be virtuous,
but to be suitable ; for divers women have many virtues, and yet
do not fit to some men ; and divers men have many virtues, and
yet do not fit to some women ; and therefore we see many times
even the godly couples to jar when they are married, because there
is some unfitness between them, which makes odds. What is odds,
but the contrary to even ? therefore make them even; saith one,
and there will be no odds. From hence came the first use of the
ring in weddings, to represent this evenness ; for if it be straiter
than the finger it will pinch, and if it be wider than the finger it
will fall off, but if it be fit it neither pincheth nor slippeth j1 so they
which are alike, strive not ; but they which are unlike, are fire and
water. Therefore one observeth, that concord is nothing but like
ness ; and all that strife is for unfitness, as in things when they fit
not together, and in persons when they suit not one another. How
was God pleased when he had found a king2 according to his own
heart ? 1 Sam. ii. 35. So shall that man be pleased that finds a
wife according to his own heart ; whether he be rich or poor, his
peace shall afford him a cheerful life, and teach him to sing, ' In
love is no lack.' Therefore a godly man in our time thanked the
Lord that he had not only given him a godly wife, but a fit wife;
for he had said, not that she was the wisest, nor the holiest, nor
the humblest, nor the modestest wife in the world, but the fittest
wife for him in the world, which every man should think when
that knot is tied, or else so oft as he seeth a better, he. will wish
that his choice were to make again. As he did thank God for
sending him a fit wife, so the unmarried should pray to God to
send him a fit wife ; for if they be not like, they will not like..
The fitness is commended by the Holy Ghost in two words : one
is in the second of Genesis, ver. 18, and the other in 2 Cor. vi. 14.
That in Genesis is meet : God saith, ' I will make man a help meet(
for him ;' shewing, that a wife cannot help well unless she be meet, I
1 The ceremony is not approved, but the invention declared
2 Qu. ' priest' ?— Ed.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 15
Further, it sheweth that man is such an excellent creature, that no
creature was like unto him, or meet for him, till the woman was
made. This meetness God sheweth again in the 22d verse, where Moses
saith, that of the rib which was taken out of man, God built the
woman ; signifying, that as one part of the building doth meetand
fit with another, so the wife should meet and fit with the husband.
that as they are called couples, so they may be called pairs ; that
is, as a pair of gloves or a pair of hose are alike, so man and wife
should be alike, because they are a pair of friends.
If thou be learned, choose one that loveth knowledge ; if thou be
martial, choose one that loveth prowess ; if thou must live by thy
labour, choose one that loveth husbandry; for unless her mind
stand with thy vocation, thou shalt neither enjoy thy wife nor thy
calling. That other word, in 2 Cor. vi. 1 4, is yoke ; there marriage is called
a yoke. Paul saith, ' Be not unequally yoked.' If marriage be a
yoke, then they which draw in it must be fit, like two oxen which
draw the yoke together, or else all the burden will lie upon one.
Therefore they are called yoke-fellows too, Philip, iv. 3, to shew that
they which draw this yoke must be fellows. , As he which soweth
seed chooseth a fit ground, because they say it is good grafting upon
a good stock ; so he which will have godly and virtuous children,
must choose a godly and virtuous wife ; for like mother, saith
Ezekiel, chap. xvi. 44, like daughter. Now, as the traveller hath
marks in his way, that he may proceed aright, so the suitor hath
marks in his way that he may choose aright.
There be certain signs of this fitness and godliness, both in the
man and in the woman. If thou wilt know a godly man, or a godly
woman, thou must mark five things : the report, the looks, the
speech, the apparel, and the companions, which are like the pulses,
that shew whether we be well or ill. The report, because as the
market goes, so, they say, the market-men will talk. A good man
commonly hath a good name, Prov. x. 7, because a good name is
one of the blessings which God promiseth to good men, Mark xiv
9 ; but a good name is not to be prized from the wicked ; and there
fore Christ saith, Luke vi. 26, 'Cursed are you when all men speak
well of you'; that is, when evil men speak well of you; because this
is a sign that you are of the world, for the world liketh and praiseth
her own, John xv. 19. Yet as Christ saith, John viii. 46, 'Who
can accuse me of sin f so it should be said of us, not Who can
accuse me of sin ? but who can accuse me of this sin ? or who can

16 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
accuse me of that sin ? that is, Who can accuse me of swearing ?
who can accuse me of dissembling ? who can accuse me of fornicai^
tion ? No man can say this of his thought, but every man should
say it ofthe act, like Zacharias and Elizabeth, which are called
unblameable before men, Luke i. 6, because none could accuse them
of open sins.
The next sign is the look; for Solomon saith in Eccles. viii. 7,
' Wisdom is in the face of a man ;' so godliness is in the face of a
man, and so folly is in the face of a man, and so wickedness is in
the face of a man. And therefore it is said in Isa. iii. 9, ' The trial
of their countenance testifieth against them ;' as though their looks ;
could speak. And therefore we read of ' proud looks,' and * angry
looks,' and ' wanton looks,' because they bewray pride, and anger,
and wantonness.
I have heard one say, that a modest man dwells at the sign of a
modest countenance ; and an honest woman dwelleth at the sign of
an honest face, which is like the gate of the temple that was called
Beautiful, Acts iii. 2 ; shewing, that if the entry be so beautiful,
within is great beauty. /To shew how a modest countenance and
womanly shamefacedness do commend a chaste wife, it is observed
that the word nuptio^ which signifieth the marriage of the. woman,
doth declare Ae_manner of_her.jnarriage ; for it importeth a cover
ing, because the vifgins which should be married, when they came
to their husbands,(fprinodesty and shamefacedness did cover their
faces, as we read of Rebekah, Gen. xxiv. 65, which so soon as she
saw Isaac, and knew that he should be her husband, she cast a veil
before her face, shewing that modesty should be learned before mar
riage, which is the dowry that God addeth to her portion. ,'
The third thing is her speech, or rather her silence,! for the orna
ment of a woman is silencel; and therefore the law was given to the
man rather than to the woman, to shew that he should be the
teacher and she the hearer. As the echo answereth but one, for
many which are spoken to her, so a maid's answer should be in a
word,. for she which is full of talk is not likely to prove a quiet
wife. The eye and the speech are the mind's glasses. ' for out of the
abundance of the heart,' saith Christ, ' the mouth speaketh/ Mat.
xii. 34 ; as though by the speech we may know what aboundeth in
the heart. And therefore he saith, ' By thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned,' Mat. xiv. 37 ;
that is, thou shalt be justified to be wise, or thou shalt be condemned
to be foolish ; thou shalt be justified to be sober, or thou shalt be

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 17
condemned to be rash ; thou shalt be justified to be humble, or
thou shalt be condemned to be proud ; thou shalt be justified to be
loving, or thou shalt be condemned to be envious. Therefore Solo
mon saith, Prov. xviii. 7, ' A fool's lips are a snare to his own soul.'
Snares are made for others, but this ' snare catcheth a man's self,
because it bewraye_thhis folly, and causeth his trouble, and bringeth
him into discredit Contrariwise, ' The heart of the wise,' saith
Solomon, Prov. xvi. 23, ' guideth his mouth wisely, and the words
of his mouth have grace.' Now to shew that this should be one
mark in the choice of thy wife, Solomon describing a right wife,
saith, Prov. xxxi. 26, ' She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and
the law of grace is in her tongue.' A wife that can speak this
language, is better than she which hath all the tongues. Bu±_as_the
open vessela..were counted, .unclean. Num. xix. 15, so account that
the open mouth hath much uncleanness.
The fourth sign is the agparel ; for_as the pride of the glutton is
noted, in that he went in purple every day, Luke xvi. 19,. so the
humility of John is noted, Mark i. 6, in that he went in haircloth
every day. A modest woman is known by her sober attire, as the
prophet Elijah was known by his rough garment, 2 Kings i. 8.
Look not for better within than thou seest without, for every one
seemeth better than she is ; if the face be vanity, the heart is pride.
He which biddeth thee abstain from the show of evil, 1 Thes. v. 22,
would have thee abstain from those wives which have the shows of
evil ; for it is hard to come in the fashion, and not to be in the
• abuse, and therefore Paul saith, Rom. xii. 2, ' Fashion not yourselves
like unto this world,' as though the fashions of men did declare of
what side they are. (
The fifth sign is the company ; /for birds of a feather will fly
together, And fellows in sin will be fellows in league, even as young
Rehoboam chose young companions, 1 Kings xii. 8. The tame
beasts will not keep with the wild, nor the clean dwell with the
leprous. If a man can be known by nothing else, then he may
be known by his companions ; for like will to like, as Solomon saith,
Prov. i. 11, 'Thieves call one another.' Therefore when David left
iniquity, he said, Ps. vi. 8, ' Away from me, all ye that work ini
quity ;' shewing, that a man never abandoneth evil until he abandon
evil company, for no good is concluded in this parliament. There
fore choose such a companion of thy life as hath chosen company like
thee before. For they which did choose such as loved profane com
panions before, in a while were drawn to be profane too, that their
VOL. I. B

18 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
wives might love them. All these properties are not spied at three
or four comings, for hypocrisy is spun with a fine thread, and none
j are deceived so often as lovers. He which will know all his wife's
qualities before he be married to her, must see her eating, and walk
ing, and working, and playing, and talking, and laughing, and chid
ing, or else he shall have less with her than he looked for, or more
than he wished for.
When these rules are warily observed, they may join together,
and say, as Laban and Bethuel said, Gen. xxiv. 50, ' This cometh of
the Lord, therefore we will not speak against it.' How happy
are those, in whom faith, and love, and godliness are married
together, before they marry themselves ! For none of these martial,
and cloudy, and whining marriages can say, that godliness was
invited to their bridal, and therefore the blessings which are. pro
mised to godliness do fly from them. ;
Now in this choice are two questions : first, Whether children- ¦
may marry without their parents' consent ; secondly, Whether they
may marry with papists or atheists, &c. Touching the first, God*
saith, Exod. xx., ' Honour thy father and thy mother.' Now wherein
canst thou honour them more, than in this honourable action, to
which they have preserved thee, and brought thee up, which, con-
cerneth the state of thy whole life ? Again, in the first institution
of marriage, when there was no" father to give consent, then our .
heavenly Father gave his consent. God supplied the place of the
father, and brought his daughter unto her husband, Gen. ii. 22,
and ever since the father after the same manner hath offered his
daughter unto the husband.
Beside, there is a law that, if any man deflower a virgin, he shall
marry her ; but if the father of the virgin do not like of the marriage,
then he shall pay unto her the dowry of virgins, Exod. xxii. ; that is, •
so much as her virginity is esteemed ; so that the father might alkw
the marriage, or forbid it. , ~
Again, there is a law, Num. xxx. 6, that if a free man or free
woman make a vow, it must be kept. But if a virgin make a vow,
it should not be kept unless the father approve it, because she is hot
free ; therefore if she did voW to marry, yet the father hath power
by this law to break it. Again, our Saviour saith, that in heaven
' there is no marrying, or giving to marriage ;' shewing that in earth
there should.be a giving to marriage, as well as marrying. There-,*
fore the law speaketh unto the father, saying, Deut. vii. 3, ' Thou
shalt not take a wife for thy son of strangers ;' therefore Paul speak
eth to the father, 1 Cor. vii. 38, ' If thou give thy daughter to mar-

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. J 9
riage, thou dost well.' Therefore Job's children are counted part of
Job's substance, Job i. 3 andTD ; shewing, that as a man hath the
disposition of his own substance, so he hath the disposition of his
own children. Therefore, in Mat. xxii. 30, the wife is said to be
bestowed in marriage ; which signifieth, that some did give her be
side herself. Therefore it is said, that Jacob served Labah, that
Laban might give him his daughter to wife, Gen. xxix. 18. There- _
fore Saul saith to David, I will give thee mine eldest daughter to
wife, 1 Sam. xviii. 17. Therefore it is said, that Judah took a wife
to Er his son, Gen. xxxviii. 6. Therefore Shechem saith to his father,
' Get me this maid to wife,' Gen. xxxiv. 4. Therefore in the mar
riage of Isaac, we see Abraham's servant, in the place of Isaac, and
Rebekah the maid, and her parents, sitting in parliament together,
Gen. xxiv. 51-53. Therefore Samson, though he had found a maid
to-his liking, yet he would not take her to wife before he had told
his parents, and craved their assent, Judges xiv. 2. It is a sweet
wedding when the father and the mother bring a blessing to the
feast ; and* a heavy union which is cursed the first day that it is
knit. The parents commit their children to tutors, but themselves are
more than tutors. If children may not make other contracts with
out their good will, shall they contract marriage, which have nothing
to maintain it after, unless they return to beg of them whom they
scorned before ?
Will you take your father's money, and will you not take his in
struction ? Marriage hath need of many counsellors, and dost thou
count thy father too many, which is like the foreman of thy in
structors ? If you mark what kind of youths they be, which have
such haste that they dare not stay for their parents' advice, they
- are such as hunt for nothing but beauty, and for punishment here-
- of they marry to beggary, and lose their father and mother for their
wife ; therefore, honour thy parents in this, as thou wouldst that
'thy children should honour thee.
The second question is answered of Paul, when be saith, 'Be not
unequally yoked with infidels.' _As_ we should not be yoked with
infidels, so we should not be yoked with papists, and so_we should
not be yoked with atheists, for that also is to be unequally yoked,
unless we be atheists too. As_ the Jews might not marry with the
Canaanites, Gen. xxiv. 3 ; Exod. xxxiv. 16; Mai. ii. 11; Ezra ix. 12,
so we may not marry with them which are like Canaanites ; but as
the sons of Jacob said unto Hamor, which would marry their sister,
" We "may not give our sister to a man uncircumcised ; but if you

20 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
will be circumcised like us, then we will marry with you,' Gen. xxxiv.
14, so parents should say to suitors, I may not give my daughter
to a man unsanctified ; but if you will be sanctified, then will I give
my daughter unto you. Though heresy and irreligion be not a
cause of divorce, as Paul teacheth, yet it is a cause of restraint ;
for we may not marry all with whom we may live, being married^
If adultery may separate marriage, shaU not _ idolatry hinder-marr
nageT which is worse than.it? Christ saith, Mat. xix. 6, Mark x.
9, ' Let no man separate whom God hath joined ;' so I may say, '
Let no man join whom God doth separate. For if our father must
be pleased with our marriage, much more should we please that
Father which ordained marriage.
Shall I say, Be my wife, to whom I may not say, Be my com
panion ; or, Come to my bed, to whom I may not say, Come to my
table, Isa. Iii. 11. How should my marriage speed well, when I
marry one to whom I may not say, God speed, because she is
none of God's friends 1 2 John 10. If a man long for a bad wife,
he were best go to. hell a- wooing, that he may have choice. , Is there
no friend but the enemy? no tree but the forbidden tree? He
marrieth with the devil which marrieth with the tempter; for
tempter is his name, and to tempt is his nature, Mat. iv. 3. When
a man may choose, he should choose the best ; but this man chooseth
the worst, like them which call good evil, and evil good.
He prayeth, not to be led into temptation, Luke xi. 4, and lead
eth himself into temptation. Surely he doth not fear sin, which
doth not shun occasions ; and he is worthy to be snared, whicH"
maketh a trap for himself. When Solomon, the mirror of wisdom,
the wonder pf the .world, the figure of our Lord, by idolatrous con
cubines is turned to an idolater, 1 Kings xi. 1, &c, let no man say,
I shall not be secured ;n but say, How shall I stand where such a
1 cedar fell? The wife must be meet, as God said, Gen. ii. 18. But
how is she meet, if thou_be-a Christian and she a papist ? We must
marry in the Lord, as Paul saith, 1 Cor. vii. 39 ; but how do we
marry in the Lord, when we marry the Lord's enemies ? Our
spouse must be like Christ's spouse ; but Christ's spouse is neither
harlot, nor heretic, nor atheist. /if she be poor, the Lord reproveth not
for that .; if she be weak, the Lord reproveth not for that ; if she. be
hard-favoured, the Lord reproveth not for that/, all these wants
may be dispensed with ; but none giveth any dispensation for god
liness but the devil, Gen. iii. 4. Therefore they which take that
privilege,are liketo them which seek to witches, and are guilty of pre-
1 Ou. ' seduced,' or, ' I shall be secure ' ? — Ed.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 21
ferring evil before good. This unequal marriage was the chief cause
that brought the flood, Gen. vi. 2, and the first beginning of giants
and monstrous births, shewing by their monstrous children what
a monstrous thing it is for believers and unbelievers to match
together. In Mat. xxii., Christ sheweth, that before parties married, they
were wont to put on fair and new garments, whieh were called
wedding-garments ; a warning unto all which put on wedding-
garments, to put on truth and holiness too, which so precisely is
resembled by that garment more than other. It is noted, Luke xiv.,
that of all them which were invited to the Lord's banquet, and
came not, only he which had married a wife did not desire to be
excused, but said stoutly, ' I cannot come,' shewing how this state
doth occupy a man most, and draw him often from the service of
God ; and therefore we had not need to take the worst, for the
best are cumbersome enough. In the book of Job it is to be
observed, that his wife did tempt him to blaspheme God, Job
ii. 9 ; and he did not open his mouth to ' curse the day of his birth,'
Job iii. 1, till after he had been so tempted by'her ; shewing that
wicked women are able to change the stedfast man more than all
temptations beside. Sampson would take a Philistine to wife,
Judges xiv., but he lost his honour, his strength, and his life by her,
lest any should do the like.
But what a notable warning is that in 2 Chron. xxi. 6, where the
Holy Ghost saith, * Jehoram walked in the way of Ahab, for he
had the daughter of Ahab to wife,' as though it were a miracle if
he had been better than he was, because his wife was a temptation.
Miserable is that man which is fettered with a woman that liketh
not his religion ; she will be nibbling at his prayers, and at his
study, and atjiis meditations, till she have tiredhis devotion, and
turned the edge of his soul, as David was tfried of his malapert
Michal : she mocked him for his zeal and liked herself in her folly,
2 Sam. vi. 16; many have fallen at this stone. Therefore, as
Christ saith, Luke xvii. 32, 'Remember Lot's wife ;' so when thou
marriest,, remember Jehoram's wife, and be not wedded to her
which hath not the wedding-garment ; but let unity go first, and
let union follow after, and hope not to convert h_er, but fear that
8hejwin_peryert thee, lest thou say after, like him which should
come to the LonTlTbanquet, ' I have married a wife, and cannot
come,' Luke xiv. 20.
Yet the chiefest point is behind, that is, our duties. The duties
of marriage may be reduced to the duties of man and wife, one

22 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
toward another, and their duties towards their children, and their
duty toward their servants. For themselves, saith one, they
must think themselves like to birds : the one is the cock, and
the other is the hen ; the cock flieth abroad tobring in, and the
dam sitteth upon the nest to keep all at homej So God hath made
the man to travel abroad, and the woman to keep home ; and so
their nature, and their wit, and their strength are fitted according-
ingly; for the man's pleasure is most abroad, and the woman's
within. In every state there is some one virtue whieh belongeth to that
calling more than other ; as justice unto magistrates, and knowledge
unto preachers, and fortitude unto soldiers ; so love is the marriage
virtue which sings music to their whole life.
Wedlock is made of two loves, which I may call the first love
and the^afterloye.. As every man is taught to love God before he
be bid to love his neighbour, so they must love God before they
can love one another;
To shew the love which should be between man and wife, mar
riage is called conjugium, which signifieth a knittiag. or joining
Ijtogether ; shewing, that unless there be a joining of hearts, and a
knitting of affections together, it is not marriage in deed, but in
show and name, and they shall dwell in a house like two poisons
in_a stomach, and one shall ever be sick of another.
Therefore, first, that they may love, and keep love one with
another, it is necessary that they both love God, and as their love
increaseth toward him, so it shall increase each to other. But the
man must take heed that his love towards his wife be not greater
than his love toward God^ as Adam's and Samson's were, Gen.
iii. 6, Judges xvi. 17 ; for all unlawful love will turn to hatred, as
the love of Amnon did toward Tamar, 2 Sam. xiii. 1 5, Mat x. 36 ;
and because Christ hath forbidden it, therefore he will cross it.
This made Uriah so fearful lest the pleasure of his wife should
withdraw his heart from God, that he .would not go ito his house so
long as he had eause to mourn and pray, although he had a wife
which feared God like himself ; and that you may see it is no cheap
dalliance for the husband to make the wife, or the wife to make
the husband less zealous than they were, in Deut. xiii., the wife
which did draw her husband from God is condemned to die. There
fore, good wives, when, their- husbands purpose any good, should
encourage them, like Jacob's wife, which bid him do according to
the word of God, Gen. xxxi. 16 ; and if they see them minded to
do any evil, they should stay them, like the wife of Pilate, which

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 23
counselled her husband not to condemn Christ, Mat. xxvii. 19.
For seeing holiness is called the wedding-garment, Mat xxii. 11,
who shall wear this wedding-garment, if they wear it not which
are wedded ? When one holy hath found another, then the Holiest
seenaeth to make the marriage, and his angels come to the feast.
To pass over sleights, which seldom prosper unless they have some
warrant, the bestpolicy in marriage is to begin well ; for as boards
well joined at theiirst frTclose ever after, but if they square1 at the
first they warp more and more, so they which are well joined are well
married ; but they which offend their love before it is settled, fade
every day like a marigold, which closeth her flower as the sun goeth
down, till they hate one another more than they loved at first.
To begin this concord well, it is necessary to learn one another's
natures, and one another's affections, 'and one another's infirmities,
because ye must be helpers, and ye' cannot help unless you know
the disease. All the jars almost which do trouble this band,do rise
of this, that one doth not hit the measure of the other's heart, apply
themselves to either's nature, whereby it cometh to pass that neither
can refrain when either is offended, but one sharpeneth another when
they had need to be ealmed. Therefore they must learn of Paul,
1 .Cor. ix. 20, to fashion themselves one to another, if they would
win one another ; for if any jar do arise, one saith, in no wise divide
beds for it, for then the sun goeth down upon their wrath, Eph. iv.
26, and the means of reconcilement is taken away. Give passions
no time ; for if some men's anger stand but a night, it turneth to
malice, which is incurable.
The apostle saith that there will be offences in the church, 1 Cor.
xi. 19 ; so sure there will be many offences in marriage; but, he
saith, these are trials who have faith, these are but trials who are
good husbands and who are good wives. His anger must be in such
a mood.as_if_Jie_did_diide„with_himself, and their strife as it were
a sauce made of purpose to sharpen their Jove when it waxeth un
pleasant ; like Jonathan's arrows, which were not shot to hurt, but
to give warning, 1 Sam. xx. 20. / Knowing once a couple which were
both choleric, and yet never fell out, I asked the man how they did
order the matter that their infirmity did not make them discordl
"He answered me, When her fit is' upon her, I yield to her, as Abra
ham did to Sarah ; and when my fit is upon me, she yields to me ;
and so we never strive together, but asunder. Methought it was a
good example to commend unto all married folks ; for every one
hath his frenzy, and loveth them that can bear his infirmity. Whom
1 Qu. ' s *uare not ' ?— Ed.

24 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
will a woman suffer if she will not suffer her husband ? and whose
defects willa man bear if he will not bear hers which beareth his ?
Thus much of their duties in general ; now to their severaljoffic£gi
The man may spell his duty out of his name, for he is called ' the
head,' Eph. v. 23, to shew that as the eye, the tongue, and the ear
are in the head to direct the whole body, so the man should be stored
with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge, and discretion, to
direct his. whole Jamily f for it is not right that the worse should
rule the better, but the better should rule the worse, as the Best
rules all. The husband saith that his wife must obey him, because
he is her better ; therefore if he let her be better than himself, he
seems to free her from her obedience, and binds himself to obey her. •
Hisjirst duty is called hearting, that is, hearty affection. As they
are hand-fasted, so they must be heart-fasted ; for the eye, and the
tongue, and the hand, will be her enemies, if the heart be not her
friend. As_Christ draweth all the commandments to love,j>o_I may
draw all their duties to love, which is the heart's gift to the bride at
her marriage./ First, he must choose his love, and then he must
love his choice./ This is the oflwhich maketh all things easy. In
Solomon's Song, which is" nothing else but a description of Christ
the Bridegroom, and the church his spouse, one calleth the other
love, to shew that though both do not honour alike, yet both should
love alike, which the man may do without subjection.
The man is to his wife in the place of Christ to his church; there
fore the apostle requireth such an affection of him towards his spouse
as Christ beareth towards his spouse ; for he saith, ' Husbands, love
your wives, as Christ loved his congregation,' Eph. v. 25 ; that is,
with a holy love, and with a hearty love, and with a constant love, ,
as the church would be loved of Christ. Will not a man love his
glory ? Why, Paul calleth the woman 'the glory of the man,' 1 Cor.
xi. 7 ; for her reverence makes him to be reverenced, and her praise
makes him to be praised. Therefore, he which loveth not his wife,
loveth his shame, because she is his glory, Eph. v. 28. Paul saith,
' He which loveth his wife, loveth himself ;' for thereby he enjoyeth
peace, and comfort, and help to himself in all his affairs ; therefore
in the same verse Paul counselleth husbands to love their wives as
their bodies. And after, in verse 33, as though it were too little to
love them as their bodies, he saith, ' Let every man love his wife as
himself,' that is, as his body and soul too ; for if God commanded
men to love their neighbours as themselves, Lev. xix. 18, much more
are they bound to love their wives, as themselves, wddch are their
next neighbours. As Elkanah did not love his wife less for her

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 25
barrenness, but saith, ' Am not I better unto thee than ten sons ?'
1 Sam. i. 7, as though he favoured her more for that which she thought
herself despised, so a good husband will not take occasion to love
his wife less for her infirmities, but comfort her more for them, as
this man did, that she may bear with his infirmities too.
When Christ saith, Mark x. 7, that 'a man should leave father
and mother and cleave to his wife,' he signifieth how Christ left his
Father for his spouse ; and that man doth not love his wife so much
as he should, until he affect her more than ever he did his father
or mother. Therefore, when God bid Abraham forsake all his
kindred, Gen. xii. 1, yet he bid him not forsake his wife; as though
the other sometime might be forsaken for God, but the wife must
be kept for God, like a charge which bindeth for term of life.
His next duty to love, is a fruit of his love ; that is, to let all
- things be common^etwejn-.them-, wbicrrwere privatebefore. The
man and wife, are partners, like two oars in a boat ; Jthef efore he
must divide offices, and~afluirs, and~"goo3gwlt"rrlier, causing her to
be feared, and reverenced, and obeyed of her children and servants,
like TiTmself, for she_is__an under officerln .his ..commonweal, and
/therefore she must be assisted and borne out like his deputy; as
the prince standeth with his magistrates for his own quiet, because
Jhey are the legs which bear him up. To shew this community
between husband_and wife^ he is to maintain her as he doth him
self, because Christ saith, Mark x. 8, ' They are no more two, but
one.' Therefore, when he maintaineth her, he must think it but
one charge, because he maintaineth no more but himself, for they
two are one. He may not say, as husbands are wont to say, that
which is thine is mine, and that which is mine is mine own ; but
that which is mine is thine, and myself too. ' For as it is said, Rom.
viii. 32, ' He which hath given us his Son, can he deny us any
thing 7 So she may say, He which hath given me himself, can he
deny me anything ? The body is better than the goods ; therefore
if the body be mine, the goods are mine too.
Lastly, he must tender her as much as all her friends, because he
hath taken her from her friends, and covenanted to tender her for
them all. To shew how he should tender her, Peter saith, ' Honour
the woman as the weaker vessel/ 1 Peter iii. 7. As we do not handle
glasses like pots, because they are weaker vessels, but touch them
nicely and softly for fear of cracks, so a man must entreat his wife
with gentleness and softness, not expecting that_wisxk)m, nor that
faith, nor that patience, nor that strength in the weaker vessel,
which should be in the stronger ; but think when he takes a wife

26 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
he takes a vineyard, not grapes, but a vineyard to bear him grapes;
therefore he must sow it, and dress it, and water it, and fence it,
and think it a good vineyard, if at last it bring forth grapes. So
he must not look to find a wife without a fault, but think that she
is committed to him to reclaim her from her faults ; for all are
defective. And if he find the proverb true, that in space cometh
grace, he must rejoice as much at his wife when she amendeth, as
the husbandman rejoiceth when his vineyard beginneth to fructify.
This is far from civil war between man and wife ; in all his
offices is found no office to fight. If he cannot reform his wife
without beating, he is worthy to be beaten for choosingouLbetter ;
when.he hath used all means that he may, and yet she is like her-
self,\he must take her for his cross, and say with Jeremiah, * This
is my cross, and I will bear it.'] But if he strike her, he takes
away his hand from her, whicrTwas the first part he gave her to
join them together ; and she may put her complaint against him,
that he hath taken away part of her goods. Her cheeks are made
for_thv_lips, and not for thy fists.
The very name of a wife is like the angel which stayed Abra
ham's hand when the stroke was coming, Gen. xxii. 11. If David,
because he could not express the good and comfort of unity, was
fain to say, Ps. cxxxiii. 1, ' 0 how good and joyful a thing it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity !' then weigh and judge how
harsh and bitter a thing it is for man and wife to dwell together at
enmity. For the first year after marriage, God would not have the
husband to go to war with his enemies, Deut. xxiv. 5 ; but no year
Jwould he have him war with his wife ; and therefore God gave him
/that year to stay at home and settle his love, that he might not
/ war, nor jar after ; for the God of peace dwelleth not in the house 1
\ of war. As a kingdom cannot stand to be divided, Mat. xii. 26,
so a house cannot stand if it be divided ; for strife is like fire, which
leaves nothing but dust, and smoke, and ashes behind it. We read
in Scripture of masters that struck their servants, but never of any
that struck his wife, but rebuked her. Lot was drunk when he lay
with his daughters instead, of his wife, Gen. xix. 33 ; and so is he
which striketh his wife instead of his servant. The law sheweth
how a bondman should be corrected, but the wife is like a judge,
which is joined in commission with her husband to correct others.
Wilt thou strike one in his own house ? no more shouldst thou
strike thy wife in her house. She is come to thee as to a sanctuary,
to defend her from hurt, and canst thou hurt her thyself? There
fore Abraham was called Sarah's veil, Gen. xx. 16, because he should

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 27
shield her ; for a veil is made to save. Abraham said to Lot, ' Are
we not brethren ?' Gen. xiii. 8, that is, may brethren jar ? But they
may say, Are we not one ? Can one chide with another ? Can one
fight with another ] He is a bad host that welcomes his guest
with_s_tripes. Doth a king trample his crown? Solomon calleth
the wife, ' the crown of her husband,' Prov. xii. 4 ; therefore he
which woundeth her, woundeth his own honour. She is a free citi
zen in thine own house, and hath taken the peace of thee the first
day of her marriage, to hold thy hand till she release thee again.
Adam says of his spouse, Gen. ii. 23, ' This is flesh of my flesh ;' but
' no man,' saith Paul, Eph. v. 29, ' ever hated his own flesh.' So then,
if a man ask whether he may strike his wife, God saith, nay, thou
mayest not hate thy wife, for no man hateth his own flesh ; shewing
that he should not come near blows, but think his wrath too much ;
for Paul saith, Col. iii. 19, 'Be not bitter to your wives,' noting,
that anger in a husband is a vice.
- Doth the cock spur the hen ? Every man is ashamed to lay his
hands on a woman, because she cannot match him ; therefore he is
a shameless man which layeth hands on his wife. The hand doth
not buffet its own cheek, but stroke it. If a man be seen raging
with himself, he is carried to bedlam ; so these madmen which
beat themselves should be sent to bedlam till their madness be
gone. Solomon saith, Prov. v. 19, ' Delight continually in her love,'
that is, begin, proceed, and end in love. In revenge, therefore, he
sheweth that delight is gone, because be calleth love their delight.
Therefore, as Paul saith of bishops, 1 Tim. iii. 3, ' A bishop must be
no striker,' so a husband must be no striker ; for he which striketh
his own flesh breaketh that law which saith, ' Thou shalt not make
a scar in thy flesh,' Lev. xix. 28, Deut. xiv. I,1 and is like the
Baalites which wounded their own bodies, 1 Kings xviii. 28. Thus
we have sent letters unto husbands to read before they fight. Now
let us go home to love again. Wouldst thou learn how to make thy
match delightful ? Solomon saith, ' rejoice in her love continually,'
Prov. v. 19. As though thou couldst not delight without love, and
with love thou mayest delight continually, therefore love is called
the thankful virtue, because it rendereth peace, and ease, and com
fort to them that make use of her. So much for husbands.
Likewise the woman may learn her duty of her names. They
are called goodwives, as goodwife A and goodwife B. Every wife
is called a good wife ; therefore if they be not good wives, their
1 It is properly meant in mourning for the dead, but it doth imply an unlawful
ness to hurt ourselves.

28 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
names do belie them, and they are not worth their titles, but
answer to a wrong name, as players do upon a stage. This name
pleaseth them well. But besides this, a wife is called a yoke
fellow, Philip, iv. 3, to shew that she should help her husband to
bear his yoke, that is, his grief must be her grief; and whether it
be the yoke of poverty, or the yoke of envy, or the yoke of sick
ness, or the yoke of imprisonment, she must submit her neck to
bear it patiently with him, or else she is not his yoke-fellow, but
his yoke ; as though she were inflicted upon him for a penalty, like
to Job's wife, whom the devil left to torment him when he took
away all he had beside, Job ii. 9. The apostle biddeth to ' rejoice ¦
with them that rejoice, and mourn with them that mourn,' Rom.
xii. 15. With whom should the wife rejoice rather than with her
husband ? or with whom should she mourn rather than with her
own flesh ? ' I will not leave thee,' saith Elisha to Elijah, 2 Kings
ii. 6 ; so she should never leave him till death. ' Bear one another's
burden,' saith Paul, Gal. vi. 2. Who shall bear one another's
burden, if the wife do not bear the husband's burden ? Wicked
Jezebel comforted her husband in his sickness, 1 Kings xxi. 5;
and Jeroboam's wife sought for his health, though she were as
bad as he, 1 Kings xiv. 4. God did not bid Sarah leave her
father and her country, as he bade, her husband, Gen. xii. 1 ; yet
because he bid Abraham leave his, she left hers too, shewing that she
was content not only to be his play-fellow, but his yoke-fellow too.
Beside a yoke-fellow, she is called a helper, Gen. ii. 18, to help
him in his business, to help him in his labours, to help him in his
troubles, to help him in his sickness, like a woman-physician, some
time with her. strength, and sometime with her counsel ;t for some
time as God confoundeth the wise by the foolish, and the strong by
the weak, 1 Cor. i. 27, so he teacheth the wise by the foolish, and
helpeth the strong by the weak. Therefore Peter saith, '. Husbands
are won by the conversation of their wives,' 1 Pet. iii. 1 ; as if he
should say, sometime the weaker vessel is the stronger vessel. And
Abraham may take counsel of Sarah, Gen. xvi. 2, as Naamaa was
advised by his -servant, 2 Kings v. 8. The Shunamite's counsel
made her husband receive a prophet into his house, 2 Kings iv. 10 ;
and Esther's counsel made her husband spare the church, Esth. vii.
3 ; so some have been better helpers to their husbands than their
husbands have been to them ; for it pleased God to provoke the wise
with the foolish, as he did the Jews with the Gentiles.
Beside a helper, she iscalleda comforter too ; and therefore the man
is bid rejoice in his wife, Prov. v. 18 ; which is as much to say, that

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 29
wives must be the rejoicing of their husbands, even like David's harp
to comfort Saul, 1 Sam. xvi. 23. Therefore it is said of Rebekah,
that she prepared meat for her husband, such as he loved, Gen. xxvii.;
so a good wife is known, when her words, her deeds, and countenance
are such as her husband loveth. She must not examine whether he
be wise or simple, but that she is his wife ; and therefore they which
are bound must obey : as Abigail loved her husband, though he were
a fool, 1 Sam. xxv. 3 ; for the wife is as much despised for taking
rule over her husband, as he for yielding it unto her. Therefore one
saith, that a mankind-woman is a monster, that is, half a woman,
and half a man. It becomes not the mistress to be master, no more
than it beseemeth the master to be mistress, but both to sail with
their own wind.
Lastly, We call the wife huswife, that is, house-wife ; not a street-
wife, like Tamar, Gen. xxxviii. 14 ; nor a field-wife, like Dinah, Gen.
xxxiv. 2 ; but a housewife, to shew that a good wife keeps her
house ; and therefore Paul biddeth Titus to exhort women that
they be ' chaste, and keeping at home,' Titus ii. 5. Presently after
chaste he saith keeping at home, as though home were chastity's
keeper. And therefore Solomon, depainting the whore, Prov. vii.
1 2, setteth her at the door, now sitting upon her stalls, now walk
ing in the streets, now looking out at the windows, like cursed
Jezebel, 2 Kings ix. 30, as if she held forth the glass of tempta
tion for vanity to gaze upon. /But chastity careth to. please but
one, and therefore.she. keeps her closet, as if she were still at prayer.
The angel asked Abraham, ' Where is thy wife V Abraham answered,
'She is in the tent,' Gen. xviii. 9. The angel knew where she was,
but yet he asked, that he might see how women in old time did
keep their tents and houses. It is recorded of the Shunamite,
2 Kings iv. 22, that she did ask her husband leave to go unto the
prophet. Though she went to a prophet, and went of a good errand,
and for his cause as much as her own, yet she thought it not meet
to go. far abroad without her husband's leave. Phidias, when he
should paint a woman, painted her sitting under a snail's shell ;
sio-nifying that she should go like a snail, which carrieth his house
upon his back. Solomon bade Shimei ' go not beyond the river,'
1 Kings ii. 36, 37 ; so a wife should teach her feet go not beyond
the door. She must count the walls of her house like the bounds
of the river which Shimei might not pass if he would please the
king. For when Adam was away, Eve was made a prey. If her
husband be from her, until he return again she must think herself
a widow, that is, separated from man ; for vidua doth signify a viro

30 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
divisa, that is, widow doth signify divided from man ; therefore
now she must have no fellowship nor company with men, because she
is divided from man. As it becometh her to keep home, so it
becometh her to keep silence, and always speak the best of her
head. Others seek their honour in triumph, but she must seek her
honour in reverence ; for it becometh not any woman to set light by
her husband, nor to publish his infirmities. For they say, That is
an evil bird that defileth her own nest ; and if a wife use her hus
band so, how may the husband use his wife ? Because this is the
quality of that sex, to overthwart, and upbraid, and sue the pre
eminence of their husbands, therefore the philosophers could not
tell how to define a wife, but called her the contrary to a husband,
as though nothing were so cross and contrary to a man as a wife.
This is not Scripture, but no slander to many.
As David exalted the love of women above all other loves, 2 Sam.
i. 26, so Solomon mounteth the envy of women above all other
envies, Prov. xxi. 19. Stubborn, sullen, taunting, gainsaying, out
facing, with such a bitter humour, that one would think they were
molten out of the salt pillar into which Lot's wife was transformed,/
Gen. xix. 26. We say not all are alike, but this sect hath many
disciples. Doth the rib that is in man's side fret or gall him?
No more then should she which is made of the rib, Gen. ii. 20.
Though a woman be wise, and painful, and have many good parts,
yet if she be a shrew, her troublesome jarring in the end will make
her honest behaviour unpleasant, as her overpinching at last causeth
her good housewifery to be evil spoken of. Therefore although she
be a wife, yet sometimes she must observe the servant's lesson,'
Titus ii. 9, ' Not answering again,' and hold her peace to keep the
peace. Therefore they which keep silence are well said to hold
their peace, because silence oftentimes doth keep the peace when
words would break it.
To her silence and patience she must add the acceptable obedience
which makes a woman rule while she is ruled. This is the wife's
tribute to her husband ; for she is not called his head, but he is
called her head. Great cause hath man to make much of his wife,
for great and many are her duties to him ; for Paul saith, ' Wives,
submit yourselves unto your husbands, as to the Lord,' Eph. v. 23,
shewing that she should regard his will as the Lord's will ; but
withal, as the Lord commandeth only that which is good and right,
so she should obey her husband in good and right, or else she doth
not obey him as the Lord, but as the tempter. The first subjection
of woman began at sin ; for when God cursed her for seducing her-

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 31
husband, when the serpent had seduced her, he said, ' He shall have
authority over thee,' Gen. iii. 16. And therefore as the man named
all other creatures, in sign that they should be subject to him, Gen.
ii. 20, as a servant which cometh when his master calleth him by
his name, so did he name the woman also, in token that she should
be subject to him likewise, ver. 23 ; and therefore Ahasuerus made
a law, Esth. i. 20, 22, that every man should bear rule in his own
house, and not the woman. Because she sinned first, therefore she
is humbled most ; and ever since the daughters of Sarah are bound
to call their husbands lords, as Sarah called her husband, Gen. xix.
12, 1 Peter iii. 3, 6; that is, to take them for lords, for heads and
governors. If ye disdain to follow Abraham's spouse, the apostle
biddeth you follow Christ's spouse ; for he saith, Eph. v. 24, ' Let
a wife be subject to her husband, as the church is to Christ.' 'A
greater love than this,' saith Christ, ' no man can have,' John xv. 13 ;
so a better example than this no woman can have. That the wife
may yield this reverence to her husband, Paul would have her attire
to be modest and orderly, 1 Tim. ii. 9 ; for garish apparel hath
taught many gossips to disdain their husbands. This is the folly
of some men, to lay all their pride upon their wives ; they care not
how they sloven themselves, so their wives jet like peacocks. But
Peter doth commend Sarah for her attire, and not Abraham, 1 Peter
iii. 5, shewing that women should brave it no more than men ; and
God made Eve's coat of the same cloth that he made Adam's, Gen.
iii. 21. They covered themselves with leaves, and God derided
them, Gen. iii. 7; but now they cover themselves with pride,
like Satan which is fallen down before them like lightning, Luke
x. 18. Ruff upon ruff, lace upon lace, cut upon cut, four-and-twenty
orders, until the woman be not so precious as her apparel ; that if
any man would picture vanity, he must take a pattern of a woman,
or else he cannot draw her Hkeness. As Herodias was worse for
her fine dancing, Mat. xiv. 6, so a woman may have too many orna
ments. Frizzled locks, naked breasts, painting, perfume, and espe
cially a foiling eye, are the forerunners of adultery ; and he which
hath such a wife, hath a fine plague. Once women were married
without dowries, because they were well nurtured ; but now, if they
weighed not more in gold than in godliness, many should sit like
nuns without husbands. Thus we have shadowed the man's duty
to his wife; and the woman's to her husband.
After their duties one to another, they must learn their duties to
their family. One compareth the master of the house to the sera-
phin, which came and kindled the prophet's zeal ; so he should go

32 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
from wife to servants, and from servants to children, and kindle in
them the zeal of God, longing to teach his knowledge, as a nurse to
empty her breasts. Another saith that a master in his family hath
all the offices of Christ, for he must rule, and teach, and pray j rule like
a king, and teach, like a prophet, and pray like a priest, Rev. v. 10.
To shew how a godly man should behave himself in his household,
when the Holy Ghost speaketh of the conversation1 of any house
keeper, lightly he saith, that ' the man believed with all his house
hold,' Acts xvi. 34, xviii. 8. As Peter being converted, must convert
his brethren ; so the master being converted, must convert his ser
vants. For therefore God said, that he would not hide his counsel
from Abraham, because he would teach his family ; and surely
all duty which is not done of conscience, is but eye-service, and
faileth at most need, as Ziba betrayed his master when he should
have defended him. Therefore before Onesimus was converted,
Paul said, he was an unprofitable servant, Philem. 11, but when he
was converted, he calleth him more than a servant, because such
a servant is better than many servants. Therefore though Laban
was wicked himself, yet he rejoiceth that Jacob his servant was
godly, because God blessed him the better for him, Gen. xxx. 27.
Joshua saith, ' I and my household will serve the Lord,' Joshua
xxiv. 15, shewing that masters should receive none into their houses
but whom they can govern, as Joshua did ; and if any have crept
into their doors, then they must put them forth again ; for David
saith, ' I will not suffer a liar to stay in my house,' Ps. ci. 7. He
saith not a swearer, nor a thief, but a liar ; as if he should say, I
will rid him out of my doors before he be a swearer, and a thief;
for a liar will grow to a swearer and a thief in a day, as a dicer
groweth to a beggar in a night ; therefore it is noted of Cornelius,
Acts x. 2, that all his household* served God as himself did. This
is also reported of Joseph and Mary for an example, Luke ii. 41,
that they went up every year with all their family to worship at
Jerusalem, that their children and their servants might learn to
know God as well as they. These examples be written for house
holders, as others are for magistrates, and ministers, and soldiers
that no calling might seek farther than the Scripture for instruction!
Wherefore as you are masters now, and they your servants, instruct
them and train them as if you would shew what masters they should
be hereafter. After the care of their souls, they must care for their
bodies ; for if the ' labourer is worthy of his hire,' Luke x. 7, which
laboureth but a day, what is the servant worthy of, which labours
1 Qu. 'conversion'?— Ed.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 33
every day ? Therefore Paul is so earnest with Philemon to make
much of Onesimus his servant, that he desired Philemon to receive
him as he would himself, Philem. 17. Therefore, because cruel and
greedy masters should not use them too hardly, God remembered
them in his creation, and made every week one day of rest, wherein
they should be as free as their masters, Gen. ii. 2 ; so God pitieth
the labourer from heaven, and every Sabbath looks down upon him
from heaven, as if he should say, One day thy labours shall have an
end, and thou shalt rest for ever, as thou restedst this day.
By this we see, as David did limit Joab, that he should not kill
Absalom, 2 Sam. xviii. 5, so God hath bound masters, that they
should not oppress their servants. Shall God respect thine more than
thou ? Art thou made fresher to thy labour by a little rest ? And
is not thy servant made stronger by rest to labour for thee ? How
many beasts and sheep did Laban lose, only for hardly entreating
of a good servant, Gen. xxxi. 9 ; therefore that is the way to lose,
but not to thrive. He which counteth his servant a slave is in an
error, for there is difference between believing servants and infidel
servants ; the infidels were made slaves to the Jews, because God
hated them, and would humble them ; but their brethren did serve
them like helpers, which should be trained by them. It is not a
base nor vile thing to be called a servant, for our Lord is called a
servant, Isa. xlii. 1, Mat. xii. 18, which teachefb. Christians to use
their servants well for Christ's sake, seeing they are servants too,
and have one master, Christ. As David speaketh of man, Ps. viii. 6,
saying, ' thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,' so I may
say of servants, that God hath made them a little lower than children ;
not children, but the next to children, as one would say, inferior
children, or sons in law. And therefore the householder is called pater
familias, which signifieth the father of his family, because he should
have a fatherly care over his servants, as if they were his children,
and not use them only for their labour, like beasts.
Besides, the name of a servant doth not signify suffering, but
doing ; therefore masters must not exercise their hands upon them,
but set their hands to work ; and yet as God layeth no more upon
his servants than he makes them able to bear, ] Cor. x. 1 3, so men
should lay no more upon their servants than they are able to bear.
For a good man, saith Solomon, will be merciful to his beast, Prov.
xii. 10, and therefore he will be merciful to his brother.
That man is not worthy to be served, which cannot afford that his
servants should serve God as well as himself. Give unto God that
VOL. I. c

34 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
which is God's, and then thou mayest take that which is thine.
' He that careth not for his family,' saith Paul, ' is worse than an in
fidel,' 1 Tim. v. 8, because infidels care for their families. But as
Agur prayeth, Prov. xxx. 8, ' Give me not too much, nor too little,
but feed me with food convenient ;' so their care should not be too
much nor too little, but convenient, or else they are worse than in
fidels too, because covetousness is called idolatry, which is worse
than infidelity, Col. iii. 5 ; for it is less rebellion not to honour the
king, than to set up another king against him, as the idolaters do
against the King of heaven.
Next unto servants' instructions and labours must be considered
their corrections. As Paul saith, Eph. vi. 4, ' Fathers, provoke not
your children to wrath,' so may I say, Masters, provoke not your
servants to wrath ; that is, use such reproofs and such corrections
that you do not provoke them, but move them ; that you do not
exasperate them, but win them : for reviling words and unseason
able fierceness doth more hurt than good. And therefore the law
of God did charge the master that he should not inflict above forty
stripes upon his servant, lest he should seem despised in his eyes.
For while a child, or scholar, or servant, doth think that he is
reproved for love, or beaten with reason, it makes him think of his
faults, and he is ashamed ; but when he sees that he is rebuked with
curses, and beaten with staves, as though he were hated like a dog,
his heart is hardened against the man which correcteth him, and
the fault for the which he is corrected ; and after he becometh •
desperate, like a horse which turneth upon the striker ; and there
fore think that God even then chides you, whensoever you chide
in such rage. For though there be a fault, yet some things must
be winked at, and some things must be forgiven, and some punished
with a look ; for he which takes the forfeit of every offence, shall
never be in any rest, but vex himself more than his servant.
Further, I have heard experience say, that in these punishments
it is most meet and acceptable to the offender that f.he man should
correct his men, and the women her maids ; for a man's nature
scorneth to be beaten of a woman, and a.maid's nature is corrupted
with the stripes of a man. Therefore we read that Abraham would
not meddle with his maid, but committed her to his wife, and said,
' Do with her as it pleaseth thee,' Gen. xvi. 6 ; as if he should say,
It belongeth not to me, but to thee.
Lastly, We put the duty towards children, because they come
last to their hands. In -Latin, children are called pignora^ that is,
pledges ; as if I should say, A pledge of the husband's love to the

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 35
wife, and a pledge of the wife's love toward the husband ; for there
is nothing which doth so knit love between the man and the wife
as the fruit of the womb. Therefore, when Leah began to con
ceive, she said, ' Now my husband will love me,' Gen. xxx. 20 ; as
though the husband did love for children. If a woman have many
defects (as Leah had), yet this is the amends which she makes her
husband, to bring him children, which is the right wedding-ring,
that sealeth and maketh up the marriage. When their father and
mother fall out, they perk up between them like little mediators,
and with many pretty sports make truce, when others dare not
speak to them. Therefore, now let us consider what these little
ones may challenge of their parents, that stand them instead of
"* lawyers. Before we teach parents to love their children, they had
need be taught not to love them too much, for David's darling was
David's traitor ; and this is the manner of God, when a man begins
to set anything in God's room, and love it above him which gave
it, either to take away it, or to take away him, before he provoke
him too much. Therefore, if parents would have their children
live, they must take heed not to love them too much ; for the giver
is offended when the gift is more esteemed than he.
The first duty is the mother's, that is, to nurse her child at her
own breasts, as Sarah did Isaac, Gen. xxi. 7 ; and therefore Isaiah
joineth the nurse's name and the mother's name both in one, and
calleih--tbem ' nursing mothers ;' shewing that mothers should be
the {nurses. So when God chose a nurse for Moses, Exodus ii. 8,
he l$d the handmaid of Pharaoh's daughter to his mother, as though
God would have none nurse him but his mother. After, when the
SA lof God was born, his Father thought none fit to be his nurse
buylhe virgin his mother, Mat. ii. 14. The earth's fountains are
made to give water, and the breasts of women are made to give
suck. Every beast and every fowl is bred of the same that did bear
it, on\ly women love to be mothers, but not nurses. Therefore, if
their' children prove unnatural, they may say, Thou followest thy
mother, for she was unnatural first, in locking up her breasts from
thee, land committing thee forth like a cuckoo, to be hatched- ki a
sparrow's nest. Hereof it comes that we say, ' He sucked evil from
the dug ;' that is, as the nurse is affected in her body or in her
mind, comm6nly the child draweth the like infirmity from her, as
the eggs of a hen are^ altered under the hawk. Yet they which
have no milk, can give no milk. But whose breasts have this per
petual drought ? Forsooth, it is like the gout ; no beggars may
have it, but citizens or gentlewomen. In the ninth chapter of

36 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
Hosea, dry breasts are named for a curse ; what lamentable hap
have gentlewomen to light upon this curse more than other ? Sure
if their breasts be dry, as they say, they should fast and pray
together, that this curse might be removed from them.
The next duty is, ' Catechise a child in his youth, and he will
remember it when he is old,' Prov. xxii. 6. This is the right blessing
which fathers and mothers give to their children, when they cause
God to bless them too. The wrong mother cared not though the
child were divided, but the right mother would not have it divided,
1 Kings iii. 26 ; so wicked parents care not though their children
be destroyed, but godly parents would not have them destroyed,-
but saved, that when they have dwelt together in earth, they may
dwell together in heaven. As the midwife frameth the body when
it is young and tender, so the parents must frame the mind while
it is green and flexible ; for youth is the seed-time of virtue. They
which are called fathers are called by the name of God, Luke xi. 2,
to warn them that they are instead of God to their children, which
teacheth all his sons. What example have children but tljieir
parents ? And sure the providence of God doth ease their chalrge
more than they are aware of ; for a child will learn better of his
father than of any other. And therefore we read of no schoolma ster
in the Scripture but the parents ;x for when Christ saith to 'the
Jews, John viii. 39, ' If ye be the sons of Abraham, ye will doj the
works of your father Abraham,' he sheweth that sdEs use t-o-waJlk in
their father's steps, whether they be good or bad.
It is a marvellous delight to the father and mother when people
say that their children are like them ; but if they be like thefm in
godliness, it is as great delight to others as to their parents ; oif else
we say that they are so like, that they are the worse for it. f#ell
doth David call children arrows, Ps. cxxvii. 4 ; for if they bel well
bred, they shoot at their parents' enemies ; and if they be evil jbred,
they shoot at their parents. Therefore many parents want at staff
to stay them in their age, because they prepared none before ; like
old Eli, which was corrected himself for not correcting his sons,
1 Sam. ii. 29. Are not children called the fruit of their pai ents ?
Ps. cxxxii. 11. Therefore, as a good tree is known by bringing
forth good fruits, Mat. xii. 33, so parents should shew their (godli
ness in the education of their children, which are their fruit. For
this cause the Jews were wont to name their children so whe^i they
were born, that ever after, if they did but think upon their names,
they would put them in mind of that religion which they should
1 Except of king's sons.

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 37
profess ; for they did signify something that they should learn,
] Sam. i. 20.
An admonition to such as call their children at all adventures,
sometimes by the names of dogs, even as they prove after. In
1 Kings ii. 2, we have David instructing his sons ; in Gen. xlix.,
Jacob correcting his sons ; and in Job i., Job praying for his sons.
These three put together, — instructing, correcting, and praying, —
make good children, and happy parents.
Once Christ took a child, and set him in the midst of his dis
ciples, and said, ' He which will receive the kingdom of heaven,
must receive it as a little child,' Luke xviii. 17 ; shewing that our
children should be so innocent, so humble, and so void of evil, that
they may be taken for examples of the children of God. Therefore,
in Ps. cxxvii. 4, children are called ' the heritage" of the Lord,' to
shew that they should be trained as though they were not men's
children, but God's, that they may have God's heritage after. Thus
if you do, your servants shall be God's servants, and your children
shall be God's children, and your house shall be God's house, like a
little church, when others are like a den of thieves, Cobiv. 15.
Now I speak to one which is a mother so soon as she is married ;
therefore, peradventure, you look that I should shew the duty of
stepmothers. Their name doth shew them their duty too ; for a
~ step-mother doth signify a stead-mother ; that is, one mother dieth.
and another cometh in her stead ; therefore, that your love may
settle to those little ones as it ought, you must remember that you
are their stead-mother, that is, instead of their mother ; and there
fore to love them, and tender them, and cherish them as their mother
did. She must not look upon them like Rehoboam, who told his
people that he would be worse unto them than his predecessors ;
for then they will turn from her, as his subjects did from him ; but
she must come to them as David came to the people after Saul's
death, and said, ' Though your master Saul be dead, yet I will reign
over you,' 2 Sam. ii. 7 ; so she must say to them, Though your mother
be dead, yet I will be as a mother ; so the children will love her as
much as their father. Further, these children are orphans, and
therefore you must not only regard them as children, but as orphan
children. Now God requireth a greater care over widows and
, orphans, than over any other women or children, Jer. xxii. 3; Deut.
;xiv. 29, xxiv. 19, and xxvi. 12.
V Lastly, You must remember that saying, Mat. vii. 2, ' As you
measure unto others, so it shall be measured unto you again ;' that
is, aW you entreat these children, so another may come after and

38 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
entreat your children; for he which hath taken away the first mother,
and sent you, can take away the second mother, and send a third,
which shall not be like a step-mother to yours, unless you be like a
step-mother to these.
If these duties be performed in marriage, then I need not speak
of divorcement, which is the rod of marriage, and divideth them
which were one flesh, as if the body and soul were parted asunder.
But because all perform not their wedlock vows, therefore he which
appointed marriage, hath appointed divorcement, as it were taking
our privilege from us, when we abuse it. As God hath ordained
remedies for every disease, so he hath ordained a remedy for the
disease of marriage.
The disease of marriage is adultery, and the medicine hereof is
divorcement. Moses licensed them to depart for hardness of heart,
Mat. xix. 8 ; but Christ licenseth them to depart for no cause but
adultery. If they might be separated for discord, some would make
a commodity of strife ; but now they are not best to be contentious,
for this law will hold their noses together, till weariness make them
leave struggling ; like two spaniels which are coupled in a chain, at
last they learn to go together, because they may not go asunder.
As nothing might part friends, but ' if thine eye offend thee, pull
it out,' Mat. v. 32 ; that is, thy friend be a tempter ; so nothing may
dissolve marriage but fornication, Mat. xix. 9, which is the breach
of marriage, for marriage is ordained to avoid fornication, 1 Cor. vii.
9 ; and therefore if the condition be broken, the obligation is void.
And besides, so long as all her children are his children, she must
needs be his wife, because the father and mother are man and wife ;
but when her children are not his children, she seems no more to
be his wife, but the other's whose children she bears, and therefore
to be divorced from him. In all the Old Testament, we read of no
divorce between any, which sheweth that they lived chaster than
we ; yet no doubt this law was better executed amongst them than
amongst us. Such a care God had in all ages and callings, to pro
vide for them which live honestly; for divorcement is not instituted
for the carnal, but for the chaste, lest they should be tied to a plague
while they live ; as for the adulterer and adulteress, he hath assigned
death to cut them off, lest their breath should infect others, Lev. <,
xx. 10. Thus he which made marriage, did not make it unseparable; V
for then marriage were a servitude. But as Christ saith of the Sab- ,
bath, ' The Sabbath was made for man,' Mark ii. 27 ; that is, fori
the benefit of man, and not for the hindrance of man ; so marriarC
was made for man ; that is, for the honour of man, and not for ,,§&

A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE. 39
dishonour of man ; but if marriage should turn to fornication, and
when it is turned to fornication, there might be no separation, then
marriage were not for the honour of man, but for the trouble, and
grief, and dishonour of man. Therefore now ye have heard how
divorcement is appointed for a remedy of fornication ; if any be
ashamed of this physic, let them be more ashamed of the disease.
Because I have spoken more than you can remember, if you ask
me what is most needful to bear away, in my opinion, there is one
saying of Paul which is the profitablest sentence in all the Scrip
ture for man and wife to meditate often, and examine whether they
find it in themselves, as they do in other, lest their marriage turn
to sin, which should further them in godliness, 1 Cor. vii. 32, ' The
unmarried man careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please
the Lord ; but he that is married careth for the things of the world,.
how he may please his wife. Also the unmarried woman careth for
the things of the Lord, how she may be holy ; but she that is mar
ried, careth for the things of the world, how she may please her
husband;' as though their pleasing God were turned all to pleasing
one another ; and their carnal love had eaten their spiritual love,
as the lean kine devoured the fat, Gen. xii. 4. Therefore it follows
in the next words, ' This I speak for your commodity,' 1 Cor. vii.
35 ; as though there were great commodity in remembering this
watchword. All men have not the feeling of God's word, or else
such a sentence might be an anchor for the married to stay them,
when any temptation goeth about tbis change, which Paul feared
even in them which feared God before.
If thou hast read all this book, and art never the better, yet catch
this flower before thou go out of the garden, and peradventure the
scent thereof will bring thee back to smell the rest. As the corpse
of Asahel made the passengers to stand, 2 Sam. ii. 23, so I placed
tbis sentence in the door of thy passage, to make thee stand and
consider what thou doest before thou marriest. For this is the scope
and operation of it, to call thy mind to a solemn meditation, and
warn thee to live in marriage as in a temptation, which is like to
make him worse than he was, as the marriage of Jehoram did, 2
Chron. xxi. 6, if he use not Job's preservative, to be jealous over all
his life, Job ix. 28.
The allurements of beauty, the troubles about riches, the charges
of children, the losses by servants, the unquietness of neighbours,
cry unto him that he is entered into the hardest vocation of all other;
and therefore they which have but nine years' apprenticeship to make
them good mercers or drapers, have nineteen years before marriage

40 A PREPARATIVE TO MARRIAGE.
to learn to be good husbands and wives ; as though it were a trade
of nothing but mysteries, and had need of double time over all the
rest. Therefore, so often as you think upon this saying, think whether
you be examples of it, and it will waken you, and chide you, and
lead you a straight path, like the angel which led the servant of
Abraham, Gen. xxiv. 42.
Thus have I chalked the way to prepare you unto marriage, as the
Levites prepared their brethren to the passover, 2 Chron. xxxv. 6.
Remember that this day you are made one, and therefore must have
but one will. And now the Lord Jesus, in whom you are contracted,
knit your hearts together, that ye may love one another like David
and Jonathan, 1 Sam. xviii. 1 ; and go before you in this life like
the star which went before the Gentiles, Mat. ii. 9, that ye may begin,
and proceed, and end, in his glory 1 To whom be all glory for ever !
Amen.

A TEEATISE OF THE LOED'S SIIPPEE.
IN TWO SERMONS.

THE EPISTLE TO THE TREATISE OF THE LOED'S SUPPER.
In the first sermon the adversary is confuted. In the second sermon
the communicants are prepared. In both are many observations, and the
words of the text expounded. Now labour for thyself as I have laboured
for thee : I would have thee profit somewhat more by this book, because it
hath weakened me more than all the rest. Farewell.

A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

THE FIRST SERMON.
The Lord Jesus, in the night that he was betrayed, took bread :
and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat;
this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in remem
brance of me. — 1 Cor. XI. 23, 24.
The word and the sacraments are the two breasts wherewith our
mother doth nurse us. Seeing every one receiveth, and few under
stand what they receive, I thought it the necessariest doctrine to
preach of the sacrament, which is a witness of God's promises, a
remembrance of Christ's death, and a seal of our adoption. There
fore Christ hath not instituted this sacrament for a fashion in his
church, to touch, and feel, and see, as we gaze upon pictures in the
windows ; but as the woman which had the bloody issue, touching
the hem of Christ's garment, drew virtue from Christ himself, be
cause she believed, Mat. ix. 22, so Christ would that we touching
these signs, should draw virtue from himself ; thatjs, all the graces
which these signs represent. Therefore, as the Levites under the
law were bound to prepare their brethren before they came to the
passover, 2 Chron. xxxv. 6, so_ preachers of the gospel should pre
pare their brethren before they come to the supper of the Lord.
For which purpose I have chosen this place to the Corinthians,
which is the clearest and fullest declaration of this sacrament in all
the^Scxipture^ The Lord Jesus, in the night, &c. The sum of all these words is,
the institution and use of the Lord's Supper. First, Paul sheweth
the author of it, the Lord Jesus ; then the time when it was in
stituted, in the night that he was betrayed ; then the manner how

44 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
he did institute it, he took bread, and when he had. given thanks,
he brake it, and gave unto his disciples, &c. ; then the end why
he did institute it, for a remembrance of his death.
Touching the author, he which is signified by it, was the author
of it. The Lord Jesus hath bid us to supper. ' I am not worthy
(saith John) to loose his shoe,' John i. 27 ; so we are not worthy
to wait at his trencher, and yet he will have us to sit at his table.
To him belongeth the power to ordain sacraments in his church, be
cause he fulfilled the sacraments of the law. When Christ came,
the passover -ceasedr-becauseJheJs our passover ; that is,' the Lamb
by whose blood we are saved, Rev. vii. 14. When Christcame,
circumcision ceased, because be is our circumcision; that is, the
purifier and cleanser of our sins.
Now these two sacraments are fulfilled, he hath appointed two
other sacraments for them. Instead of the Paschal lamb which
the Jews did eat, he hath given us another Lamb to eat, which
John calleth ' The Lamb of God,' John i. 29 ; that is, himself, upon
whom all do feed, whosoever do receive the sacrament with an
assured faith that Christ died to possess them of hfe. | The break
ing of the bread doth signify the wounding of the body ; the pour
ing out of the wine doth signify the shedding of his blood ; the
eating of the bread and drinking of the wine doth signify that his
flesh and blood do nourish in us life eternal, as the bread and wine
do nourish the life present^
Instead of circumcision, which began at Abraham, Gen. xvii. 1 0,
he hath ordained baptism, which began at John, Mat. iii. 10, a
more lively representation of the true circumcision of the heart, be
cause it representeth unto us the blood of Christ, which washeth
our souls, as the water in baptism washeth our bodies, Rev. i. 5.
Touching the time, ' In the night,' (saith Paul) ; therefore this
sacrament is called the Lord's Supper, because it was instituted at
night, when they used to sup. But what night ? Even ' that night
(saith Paul) when he was betrayed.' T_hatnight which he should
have cursed, as Job did the day of hislsrrtETTf he had suffered
against his wiJL ; thatjaigilt when he should have thought to destroy
men, as men conspired to destroy him ; that night (saith Paul) this
sacrament of grace, and peace, and life began ; ' Even that night
"when^vre betrayed him.' Manyjaighis did he spend in watching*;
and praying for us ; and is there a.nigh±_now for us to betray him?
iThat was a dark night, when men went about to put out the sun
I which brought them light. Who can but wonder to see how Christ,
and they for whom Christ came, were occupied at one time ? When

THE FIRST SERMON. 45
they devised mischief against him, and sought all means to destroy
liim, then he consulted how to save them, and instituted the same
night this blessed sacrament, to convey all his graces and blessings
unto them, ' Even that night when they betrayed him.'
The reason why this action was deferred until night, is, because
that was the time appointed by the law to eat the passover, which
was like a predecessor of this sacrament. The reason why he de
ferred it until his last night, was because the passover could not be
ended before the fulness of time, and the true Paschal Lamb were
come to be slain instead of the other. Therefore how fitly did
Christ end the passover, which was a sign of his 'suffering, so
presently before his suffering ! And beside, how sweetly did he
confirm his disciples' faith, whenas they should see that the next
day performed before their eyes, which over-night, both in the pass-
over and in the sacrament, was so lively resembled unto them ? If
any man from this do gather, that we ought to eat the Lord's
Supper at night, as Christ did, he must understand that we have
not the same cause to do so which Christ had, because of the pass-
over. And therefore the church, which hath discretion of times
and places, hath altered both the time and the place, using the
temples instead of the chamber, and the morning instead of the
evening ; for indifferent things are ruled by order and decency.
Touching the manner, ' He took bread ; and when he had given
thanks, he brake it, and gave it unto them,' ver. 23, 24. He would
not eat it nor break it before he bad given thanks to God. What
need he, which was God, give thanks to God, but to shew us what
we should do when we eat ourselves ? ' In all things give thanks,'
saith Paul, 1 Thes. v. 18, whereby we declare that all things come
from God ; but the wicked believe easier that God doth take than
that he doth give ; and therefore they never pray heartily unto him *
for anything, nor feelingly thank him for it ; for which the Lord
complaineth, saying, ' I have loved you ; yet ye say, Wherein hast
thou loved us ?' Mai. i. 2, shewing that we are worse than the ox,
which knoweth its feeder, Isa. i. 3 ; and if that we acknowledge all
things from God, yet we do like Lot, — ' Is it not a little one ?'
saith he, when he craved to go unto Zoar, Gen. xix. 20, as though
it were not much which he asked, — so mince and extenuate the
gifts of God before we receive them and after ; like them which
have a grace for dinner and none for breakfast, as though they had
their dinners from God, and breakfasts of their own.
Our Example did not so. Although it was but bread which he
received, yet he was more thankful for bread than many which bury

46 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
the fowls, and fishes, and beasts in their belly ; for if account of all
were kept, for one that prayeth, ' Give us ths day our daily bread,'
Luke xi. 3, a hundred take their bread and meat, and sleep too,
which never pray for it.
'After he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave unto them, and
said, Take, eat ;' for when he had given thanks to God, then it was
sanctified and blessed, and lawful to eat ; for when thou servest God,
then it is lawful for thee to use God's blessings, then thou mayest eat
and drink, as Christ did, but not before ; for these things were
created to serve them which serve God. If thou dost not serve
him for them, thou encroachest upon God's blessings, and stealest
his creatures which are no more thine than thou art his.Jfor the good
God created all things for good men, as the devil's possessions are
reserved for evil men.
Therefore, as Christ would not break the bread before he had
given thanks to the founder, so know that there is something to be
done before thou receive any benefit of God, and presume not to
use his creatures with more liberty than his Son did, which did not
eat without giving thanks, nor rise again without singing a psalm.
It followeth, ' This is my body.' Here is the fruit of his thanks
before ; he prayed that the bread and wine might be blessed, and
they were blessed. As Isaac's blessing shewed itself upon Jacob
whom he blessed, Gen. xxvii., so Christ his blessing appeared straight
upon these mysteries, for it could not be said before, ' This is my
body,' because it was mere bread ; but now it may be called his
body, because his blessing hath infused that virtue into it, that it
doth not only represent his body, but convey his body and himself
unto us. The efficacy of this blessing is in this sacrament ever
since sanctifying it unto us as well as it did to the apostles, even as
Christ's prayer stayed Peter's faith after Christ was dead, Luke
xxii. 32.
Now ye have heard the meaning ofthese words, ' He took bread,
and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it.' You shall see with what
a mystical resemblance they unite Christ and us7 FjrstT as'ChrisT
in the supper took "bread'to feed us, so in his birth he took our
flesh to save us, Heb. ii. 16. Secondly, as Christ, when he had taken
the bread, blessed the bread toTnake it a spiritual food, so Christ,
when he had taken our flesh, poured forth most rich and precious
graces into it to make it food of life unto us, John xvii. 1 9. Thirdly,
as Christ when he had blessed the bread brake the bread, soChrist,
when he had filled his body with most precious graces, brake it up
like a rich treasure-house : his hands by the nails, his back by the

THE FIRST SERMON. 47
stripes, his head by the thorns, his side by the_ spear, that out of
every hole a river of grace and goodness might issue and flow forth
unto us, 1 Peter ii. 24. Lastly, as Christ gave the bread when he
had broken it, so Christ by a lively faith communicateth his body
after he hath crucified it, Eph. iii. 17. Hereby we are- taught'that
when we see the minister take the bread to feed us, we may con
ceive that Christ, being God from everlasting, took our flesh to save
us. When we see the minister bless the bread to a holy use, we
must conceive that Christ, by uniting the Godhead unto it, sanctified
his flesh for our redemption. When we see the minister break the
bread to sustain our bodies, we must conceive that Christ in his death
brake his body to refresh, our souls. When we see the minister give
the bread to our hand, we must conceive that Christ as truly offereth
himself to our faith to be received of us.
•Because upon these words the papists ground their transubstantia-
Jipnj that is, that the bread is changed into Christ's flesh, and the
wine is turned into Christ's blood, whereby we eat the same body
which died upon the cross, and drink the same blood which issued
out of his side ; that jou_ may see the blindness of this popish
dream, I would have you but mark every word of the Scripture,
how they make against transubstantiation, that you may see them
slain like Goliath with their own sword, 1 Sam. xvii. 51. Even as
God made Caiaphas speak against himself, John xviii. 14, so the
Scriptures which heretics allege do make against themselves, like
the Baalites which wounded their own flesh, 1 Kings xviii. 28. I
may liken their allegations to Satan's ; when he tempted Christ in
the wilderness, he alleged but one sentence of Scripture for himself,
Mat. iv. 4, and that psalm out of which he borrowed it, Ps. xci 11,
made so plain against him, that he was fain to pick here a word
and there a word, and leave out that which went before, and skip
in the midst, and omit that which came after, or else he had marred
his cause. The Scripture is so holy, and pure, and true, that no
word nor syllable thereof can make for the devil, or for sinners, or
for heretics ; yet, as the devil alleged Scripture, though it made not
for him, but against him, so do the libertines, and epicures, and
heretics, as though they bad learned at his school.
Now, there is no sentence of the Scripture, which the wiser
papists, allege boldly for their transubstantiation, but this, that
Christ said, ' This is my body,' Mat. xxvi. 26 ; by which they may
prove as well that Christ is a door, because he saith, ' I am the
door,' John x. 7, 9 ; or a vine, because he saith, ' I am the vine,'
John xv. 1 ; for his sayings are like. Figurativejipeeches must not

48 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
be_^pnjku_ejLli±eEally ; but this is heretics' fashion. If you mark,
you shall see throughout that all the testimonies which the papists
allege for their heresies, are either tropes, or figures, or allegories,
or parables, or allusions, or dark speeches ; which when they pre
sume to expound allegorically, or literally, without conference of
any other scriptures, then they wander and stray from the mark, or
else it is impossible that the truth should maintain error, that is,
that the Scriptures should speak for heresy, if it were not wrested
and perverted ; therefore we see that Eve never erred, until she
corrupted the text, Gen. iii. 3.
Now we will enter the lists with our adversaries, and see whether
these words do prove that the bread and wine are turned into
Christ's body. Paul saith, ' Jesus took bread ;' well then, yet it is
bread. When he bad taken it, then he blessed it. What did he
bless ? the bread which he took ; welLthen, yet jt_is. bread. When
he had blessed it, then he brake it. What did he break ? the bread
which he blessed ; weUjbej»_yei_itjs bread. When he had broken
it, then he gave it. What did he give ? the bread which he brake ;
wejljhen2_ye^j^is_^bread. When he had given it, then they did
eat it. What did they eat ? the bread which he gave them ; well.
then, yet itjsjbread. When they did eat it, then he said, ' This is
my body'. What did he call his body? the bread which they did
eat ; well then, yet. it is JbreadL_, If it be bread all this while, when
he did take it, and bless it, and brake it, and gave it, and they did
eat it, when is it turned into his body ? Here they stand Hke the
Sadducees, Mat. xxii. 34, as mute as fishes.
2. Now that ye may see7~tb~at not we only say it is bread and
wine after the consecration ; in verse 27, Christ himself doth call it
bread and wine after he had given it, as be did before. And in
Mark be saith, ' I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine,' Mark
xiv. 25. Here Christ saith, that it was the fruit of the vine which
he drank, but his blood is not the fruit of the vine, but wine ; there
fore wine was his drink, and not blood.
3. Besides, if you would hear Paul expound Christ, he sheweth
that all our fathers had the same substance of Christ in their sacra
ments that we have in ours ; for he saith, 1 Cor. x. 4, * They all did
eat the same spiritual meat, and all drink the same spiritual drink.'
Straight he saith, that this meat and tbis drink was Christ. Mark
that, he saith not only 'they did eat the same meat' that we did
eat, but he saith ' that the meat was Christ ; ' and not only so, but
to shew that Christ is not^a. corporal meat_as_the_papists [say, he
saith he is a sj3u^aLmeatf_a&-we.-say_; therefore you see that we

THE FIRST SERMON. 49
do not eat him corporally, no more than our fathers ; but that _as
they did eat him spiritually, so do we ; for spiritual meat must be
eaten spiritually, as corporal meat is eaten corporally.
4. Again, for the figures to be turned into the thing signified by
them, is utterly against the nature of a sacrament, and makes it no
sacrament, because there is no sign ; for every sacrament doth con
sist of a sign, and a thing signified : the sign is ever an earthly
thing, and that which is signified is an heavenly thing. This shall
appear in all examples : as, in paradise there was a very tree for the
sign, and Christ the thing signified by it, Gen. ii. 9 ; in circumcision
there was a cutting off of the skin, and the cutting off of sin, Gen.
xvii. 11 ; in the passover there was a lamb, and Christ, Exod. xii. 3 ;
in the Sabbath there was a day of rest, and eternal rest, Exod. xxiii.
11 ; in the sacrifices there was an offering of some beasts, and the
offering of Christ, Heb. ix. 1 ; in the sanctuary there was the holy ,
place, and heaven, Exod. xxx. ; in the propitiatory there was the
golden covering, and Christ our cover, Exod. xxv. 24 ; in the wil
derness there was a rock yielding . water, and Christ yielding his
blood, Exod. xvii. 16 ; in the apparition there was a dove, and the
Holy Ghost, Mat. iii. 16 ; in the manna there was bread, and Christ,
John vi. 45 ; in baptism there is very water which washeth us, and
Christ's blood washing us, John i. 33 ; so in the supper of Christ
there is very bread and wine for the sign, and the body and blood
of Christ for the thing signified, 1 Cor. xi. 26, or else this sacrament
is against the nature of all other sacraments.
5. Again, there must be a proportion between the passover and
the Lord's supper, because this was figured by the other, Exod. xii.
Now, the Jews had in their passover bread, and wine, and a
lamb ; so our Saviour Christ, instituting his last supper, left bread,
and wine, and a lamb, the which name is given to himself, because
he came like a lamb, and died like a lamb.
Again, if Christ's very body was offered in the sacrament, then it
were not a sacrament, but a sacrifice, which two differ as much as
giving and taking ; for in a sacrifice we give, and in a sacrament we
receive ; and therefore we say our sacrifice, and Christ's sacrament.
6. Again, every sacrifice was offered upon the altar. Now, mark
the wisdom of the Holy Ghost : lest we should take this for a sacri
fice, he never names altar when he speaks of it, but ' the table of
the Lord.' Therefore it is no doubt but the devil hath kept the
name of altar, that we might think it a sacrifice.
7. Again, if the bread were Christ's flesh, and the wine his blood
' VOL. L »

50 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
as these two are separate one from the other, so Christ's flesh
should be separate from his blood ; but his body is not divided, for
then it were a dead body.
8. Again, that which remaineth doth nourish the body, and relish
in the mouth as it did before,. which could not be but that it is the
same food which it was before.
9. Again,. I would ask whose are this whiteness, and hardness, and
roundness, and coldness ? None of them say that it is the white
ness, and hardness, and roundness, and coldness of Christ's body ;
therefore it must needs be the whiteness, and hardness, and round
ness, and coldness of the bread, or else qualities should stand with
out substances, which is as if one should tell you of a house without
a foundation. 10. Again, as Christ dwelleth'in us, so he is eaten of us ; but he
dwelleth in us only by faith, Eph. iii. 17 ; therefore he is eaten only
J3y_faithi_4 11. Again, none can be saved without the communion of the
body of Christ ; but if all should communicate with it corporally,
then neither infants nor any of our fathers, the patriarchs or the
prophets, should be saved, because they receive it not so.
12. Again, Christ saith not this wine, but this cup ; and there
fore, by their conclusion, not only the wine should be turned into
blood, but the cup too.
13. Again, Paul saith, ' They which receive unworthily, receive
their own damnation.' But if it were the flesh of Christ, they
should rather receive salvation than damnation, because Christ
saith, ' He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath life
everlasting,' John vi. 54.
14. Again, if they would hear an angel from heaven. When
Christ's body was glorified, an angel said to the woman, ' He is
risen, and is not here,' Mat. xxviii. ; as if he should say, His body
is but in one place at once, or else he might have been there, though
he was risen.
15. Again, why do they say in receiving this sacrament ever
since the primitive church, ' Lift up your hearts,' if they have all in
their mouths.
To end this controversy, here we may say, as the disciples said to
Christ, John vi. 68, ' Whither shall we go from thee ?' I mean we
need not to go to any other expositor than Christ himself. There
fore mark what he saith. At first, when Christ said that he was the
bread of life, and that all which would live must eat him, they mur
mured until he expounded his words ; and how did he expound his

THE FIRST SERMON. 51
words ? Thus, ' He that cometh unto me hath eaten, and he that
believeth in me hath drunk.' After, when he instituted the sacra
ment in like words, they murmured not, which they would, as be
fore, if he had not resolved them before, that to eat his body, and
to drink his blood, was nothing but to come to him and believe in
him. After he had said so, they murmured not, because they did see
some reason in it. As it is plainly said, ' This is my body,' so it is
plainly said, ' These words are spirit ;' that is, they must be under
stood spiritually, and not literally.
But if it be flesh indeed, why do they not satisfy the simple people
how they may eat this flesh in Lent, when they forbid them to eat
any flesh? They must needs eat it doubtfully, and he which
doubteth, saith James, receiveth nothing ; therefore he which eateth
the mass receiveth nothing.
I did not allege the fathers in my sermon ; but if any suspend
his assent till they bring in their verdict, let him hear them make
confession of their belief.
Augustine1 saith, ' The Lord doubted not to say, " This is my body,"
when he gave only a sign or sacrament of his body.'
Tertullian2 saith, ' " This is my body," that is, a sign of his body.'
Ambrose3 saith, ' The bread and wine remain still the same thing
that they were.'
Theodoret4 saith, ' After the consecration the mystical signs do not
cast off their own nature, but abide still in their first substance and
form.' Origen6 saith, 'The bread that is sanctified with the word of
God, as touching the material substance thereof, goeth into the
belly, and forth again like other meats.'
Irenseus6 saith, ' That it hath two things in it ; one earthly, and
the other heavenly.'
Cyril7 saith, ' Our sacraments avouch not the eating of a man.'
Cyprian8 saith, ' The Lord called bread, made of many grains,
his body, and called wine, made of many grapes, his blood.'
Athanasius9 saith, 'Christ made mention of his ascension into
heaven, that he might withdraw his disciples from corporal and
fleshly eating.' .
Chrystosom10 saith, ' God giveth us things spiritual under things
1 Aug. upon the 3d Psalm. 2 Tertul. against Maroion, the 4th book.
8 Arabro. 4th book 4th chapter, of Sacraments. 4 Theod. Dialogue i.
6 Orig. on Mat. xv. 6 Iren. lib. iv. cap. xxxiv. against Valentius.
7 Ad ob. Theod. Anathematis. s Oyp. Epist. lib. i.
9 Hom. Ix. to the people of Antioch. 10 To Csesarius the monk.

52 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
visible and natural.'- And again,1 ' Being sanctified, it is delivered
from the name of bread, and exalted to the name of the Lord's
body, although the nature of the bread still remain.'
And because they believe that the pope cannot err, pope Gelasius
setteth to his hand, and saith with the rest, ' Neither the substance
of the bread, or nature of the wine, cease to be more than they
were before.'
Tell us, papists, do not these fathers speak as plain as we?
Canst thou avouch transubstantiation more flatly than they deny
it? How had this heresy been chased, if the devil had hatched it
in their time ?
Thus the Scripture on the one side, and the fathers on the other
side, did so trouble three areh-papists, Biel, Tonstal, and Fisher,
that Gabriel Biel2 saith, How the body of Christ is in the sacrament,
is not found in the canon of the Bible.
Tonstal3 saith, < It had been better to leave every man to his own
conjecture, ,as they were before the council of Lateran, than to bring
in such a question.'
Fisher4 saith, ' No man can prove by the words of the gospel,
that any priest in these days doth consecrate the very body and
blood of Christ.'
Here is fulfilled, ' Out of thine own mouth I will condemn thee,'
Luke xix. 22. But_we_ wilL_carry_ the matter so, because a Judge
must have two ears, therefore now let them speak.
Because they cannot tell how the bread and wine should be turned
into flesh and blood, and yet appear bread and wine still, they say
it is a miracle .; but how do they prove it ? If they contend it is a
miraele, .they must shew us a sign, for every miracle may be seen,
like all the miracles of Moses, and Christ, and the apostles, and
therefore a miracle is called a sign, because it may be seen like a
sign, and the word signifieth a wonder. And the Jews craving a
miracle said, ' Shew us a miracle ,' as though they were taught to
judge ..of miracles by sight All which doth shew, that a miracle
may be seen, ,but here no miracle is seen.
Again, .a miracle, .especially in the time of the gospel, is an
extraordinary thing, but they make this an ordinary .thing, for if
the bread and wine be turned into flesh and blood, then miracles
are as common as sacraments ; and so, because they have mass
every day, they should work miracles every day.
1 Against Eutychus <the heretic. * Upon the Canon, lect. xl
3 First Book of the Sacraments, p. 46.
4 Against the captivity of Babylon, made by M. Luther.

THE FIRST SERMON. 53
Lastly, this seemeth strange, that Augustine, whom they so
much honour, gathered all the miracles which are written in the
Scripture, and yet amongst all speaks not of this, therefore then it
was counted no miracle ; but Paul speaks of lying miracles, 2 Thess.
ii. 9, and this is one of them.
If they say that Christ cam, turn bread and wine into his body,
and therefore he doth. First, they must prove that he will, for
they can do many things themselves which they do not, because
they will not; therefore it is an old answer that, from can tawill, no
argument followeth. The leper did not say unto Christ, ' If thou
canst, thou wilt,' but ' If thou wilt, thou canst,' Mark i. 40.
But the question which they think cannot be answered, ljke their
invincible navies, is this : If the bread be not his body, why doth
he call it his body ? Resolve this knot, and all is clear.. Mark then,
and we will loose it as well as we can. He saith, ' This is my body,'
and he saith after, ' which is broken for you.' Why, his body was
not broken before he suffered;, how did he say then, which is broken,
before it was broken ? Thej^^_np jjensg of it but this : bread was
broken, and signified that his body should be broken.
Now, as the breaking of the bread did signify the breaking of his
body, so the bread must needs signify his- body ; but as his body was
not broken indeed when the bread was broken, so the bread could •
not be his body indeed ; for then his body should have been broken
when the bread was broken ;. yet let them object what they can.
- If, say they, the bread and wine be not changed intohis body and
blood, why_doth he_srjeftk_so_ darkly ? be might have' spoken plainer.
I answer,, though this seem dark to papists, yet it was not dark
to the apostles, they understood his meaning well enough,' and all
the rest, for 1215 years after Christ, before transubstantiation was
spoken of. If the apostles had not understood his meaning, they
would not stick to ask him,, as their manner was ; until they were
acquainted with Christ's phrase, whensoever they doubted upon
any of his speeches, they were wont to come unto him, and say,
Master, what is thy meaning? Luke viii. 9. But. they were used to
such phrases ; for it was Christ's manner to teach byjrirnilitudes,
shewing one thing by another,, which is _the plainest manner of
teaching, and mo~sTused"m"^oIy Scripture, especially in the types
and shadows of this sacrament For example, Christ calleth the
lamb the passover, Mat. xxvi. 17, in place whereof this sacrament
succeeded; and therefore presently after they had eaten the passover,
Christ instituted this sacrament to be used for it. Christ, I say,
called the lamb the passover, and yet the passover was this : an angel

54 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUrPER.
passed over the houses of the Israelites, and struck the Egyptians,
Exod. xii. 23. This was not a lamb ; and yet because a lamb was a
sign of this passover, as the bread and wine is of Christ's body,
therefore Christ called the lamb the passover, as he called the bread
and wine his body.
Again, circumcision is called the covenant, Gen. xvii. 13, and yet
circumcision was nothing but the cutting away of a skin ; but the
covenant is, Gen. xii. 3, 'In Abraham's seed all nations shall be
blessed ;' ' I will be their God, and they shall be my people ;' ,'I
will defend and save them, and they shall serve and worship me.'
This is not circumcision, and yet as though circumcision were the
covenant itself, it is called the covenant, because it signifieth the
covenant ; so bread and wine are called Christ's body, because they
signify Christ's body.
Again, baptism is called regeneration, Titus iii. 5, and yet bap^
tism is a dipping of our bodies in water, but regeneration is the
renewing of the mind to the image wherein it was created, 1 Cor.
vi. 11. This is not baptism, and yet as though baptism were
regeneration itself, it is called regeneration, bebause it signifieth
regeneration ; so the bread and wine are called Christ's body, be
cause they signify Christ's body.
Again, the cup is called the New Testament Luke xxii. 20, and
yet the cup is but a piece of metal filled with wine ; but the New
Testament is, ' He which believeth in the Son shall be saved,' John
iii. 36. This is not a cup ; and yet as though the cup were the
New Testament itself, it is called the New Testament, because it
signifieth the New Testament ,; so the bread and wine are called
Christ's body, because they signify Christ's body.
They which knew that the lamb is not the passover, though
Christ called it the passover; that circumcision is not the covenant,
though God called it the covenant; that baptism is not regeneration,
though it be called regeneration; that the cup is not the NewTesta^
ment, though Christ called it the New Testament ; could they not
as well understand that the bread and wine were not Christ's body,
though Christ called them bis body ? As they understood these
speeches, so they understood this speech ; therefore they which say,
that the bread and wine are Christ's body, because Christ saith,
' This is my body,' Mat. xxvi. 26 ; may as well say, that the lamb
is the passover, because Christ calleth it the passover; that baptism
is regeneration, because Paul calleth it regeneration ; that the cup
is the New Testament, because Christ calleth it the New Testament.
If every sacrament was called by the thing it signified, and yet

THE FIRST SERMON. 55
never any sacrament was taken for the thing itself, what reason
have they to take this sacrament for the thing itself more than all
the rest ? It is the consent of all writers, that a sacrament is a sign,
therefore not the thing signified ; no more than the bush at the
doorjs the wine jnjthe_cellar. If I call the prince a phoenix, the
university a fountain, the court a peacock, the city a sea, the
country an hermit ; why can the papists understand me, and not
understand Christ?
What a dark, and strange, and intricate, and incredible speech
had this beenTor them to understand grossly and literally? Would
they think that they did eat Christ's body, when his body stood
before them, and he had told them before, that his body was like
their body ? Nay, this would have required more words, and made
them come again with, ' Master, what is thy meaning f Luke viii.
9. For they were not so instructed yet before the resurrection, to
believe everything without questioning, if it were contrary to sense
and reason ; but as they asked, John iv. 33, who had given him any
meat, when he said that he had meat, and they could see none, so
they would have asked, What meat is this which we see not? How
can every one of us eat his body, and yet he hath but one body,
and that body is whole when we eat it ? Lo, he standeth before us
and saith, that his body is like unto "ours, Luke xxiv. 39, and yet he
takes bread and breaks it, and gives it unto us to eat, and when
we eat it he saith, • This is my body,' and yet his body standeth
before us still. If his body be like ours, as he saith, how can
it be eaten, and be there ? for ours cannot Thus they would have
questioned if they had not been used to such phrases ; but as they
could understand him when he called himself a stone, a rock, a
door, a window, and a vine, so they picked out his meaning when
he had said that bread was his body ; for he told them before that
he was ' the bread of eternal life,' John vi. 35.
Now the bread of eternal life is not eaten with teeth ; for the
body cannot eat spiritually, no more than the soul can eat corpo
rally, and therefore he is such a bread as is eaten with faith, and
so himself saith in the Gospel of John, John vi. 63. Ma.-rfr tbia
eatingby_ faith, and all the strife is_endedi Flesh and blood, in-
deedTneed not faith to chew them, for the teeth can chew them
well enough. Therefore, if the bread and wine were the body oi
Christ, then we need not faith to eat it ; but all those which have
teeth might eat Christ's body, yea, the mice might eat it as well as
men, for they eat the same bread that we do, as well after it is con
secrated as before.

56 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
If this be not enough to batter the ruins of this upstart heresy,
I will come to interrogatories, and see whether they have learned
it by rote or by reason.
If they ground their transubstantiation upon these words of
Christ, ' This is my body,' which he spake to his disciples, I ask
them whether they receive that body which was mortal, or that
body which is glorified ? because one of these bodies they must
needs receive, either his mortal body or his glorified body. If they
say that it is his mortal body, the mortal body will not profit them,
for you see that mortal food is but for this mortal life ; neither hath
Christ a mortal body now to communicate unto them, because it is
changed to an immortal body ; therefore they cannot receive the
mortal body, because Christ hath not a mortal body to give unto
them. If they say that they receive his glorified body, then they
must fly from this text, for at that time Christ had not any glorified
body. When this sacrament was instituted, and Christ said, 'This is my
body,' his body was not glorified, because the sacrament was in
stituted before his death, and his body was glorified after his resur-
jection ; therefore if they receive the same body which the apostles
received, as they say they do, they cannot receive a glorified body,
because then Christ had not a glorified body to communicate unto
them. Thus the rocks and sands are on both sides them ; they receive
a body neither mortal nor immortal; if Christ bath any such body,
judge you. Here they stand like a fool, which cannot tell on his
tale. Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream, and knew not what it
meant, Dan. iv. 15.
Beside, I ask them to whom Christ spake when he said, ' This is
my body.' Mark saith he spake it to them, Mark xiv, 24, that is,
to his disciples. Well, then, if these words, This is my body, were
not spoken to the signs, but to the persons, not to the bread and
wine, but to the receivers, as the words which follow, ' Do this in
remembrance of me;'^f these words were not spoken to the bread
and wine, then it is plain that they do not change the nature of
the bread and wine./ If the nature of them be not altered, then
the substance remaineth, and then we receive no other substance
with them, because two substances cannot be in one place.
What, then, is there nothing in the sacrament but bread and-
wine, like an hungry nuncion?1 Nay, we say not that the sacrament
1 That is, a scanty luncheon, consisting of a bit of bread and a glass of -wine.'
—Ed.

THE FIRST SERMON. 57
is nothing but a bare sign, or that you receive no more than you
see ; for Christ saith that it is his body, and Paul saith, ] Cor. x.
1 6, that it is the communion of Christ's body and blood. Therefore
there is move in sacramental bread than in common bread ; though
the nature be not changed, yet_the use . js^changed ; it doth not
only nourish the body, as it did before, but also it bringeth a bread
with it which nourisbeth the soul ; for as sure as we receive bread,
so sure we receive Christ ; not only the benefits of Christ, but
Christ, although not in a popish manner ; yet we are so joined
and united unto him, even as though we were but one body with
him. As the spouse doth not marry with the lands and goods, but with
the man himself, and being partaker of him, is made partaker of
them, so the faithful do not only marry with Christ's benefits, but
with Christ himself; and being partakers of him, they are . made
partakers of his benefits} for Christ may not in any wise be divided
from his benefits, no more than the sun from his light.
It is said, Rom. viii. 32, ' The Father gave us his Son/ and so the
Son giveth us himself ; for as the bread is a sign of his body, so the
giving of the bread is a sign of the giving of his body. Thus he
lieth before us like a pelican, which letteth her young ones suck
her blood ; so that we may say, The Lord invited us to supper, and
he himself was our meat.
But if you ask how this is ? I must answer, It is a mystery ; but
if I could tell it, it were no mystery. Yet as it is said, Dan. iii. 25,
when three men walked in the midst of the furnace, ' one like the
Son of God walked amongst them,' so when the faithful receive the
bread and wine, one like the Son of God seemeth to come unto
them, which fills them with peace, and joy, and grace, that they
marvel what it was which they received besides bread and
wine. For example, thou makest a bargain with thy neighbour for
house or land, and receivest in earnest a piece of gold. That which
thou receivest is but a piece of gold, but now it is a sign of thy
bargain ; and if thou keep not touch with him, haply it will clasp
thee for all that thou art worth ; so that which thou receivest is
bread, but this bread is a sign of another matter, which passeth
bread. - —
Again^ihou hast an obligation in thy hand, and I ask thee what /
hast thou there ? and thou sayest, I have here an hundredjounds. /
Why, say I, there is nothing but paper, ink, and wax ; oh but by
this, sayest thou, I will recover an hundred pounds, and that is as

58 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
good. So beloved, this is as good, that under these signs you receive
the virtue of Christ's body and blood by faith, as if you did eat his
body, and drink his blood indeed, which were horrible to think, that
any should devour their God, thinking thereby to worship him ;
never any heretic nor idolater conceived so grossly of their. God
before the papist. We read of a people which did eat men, but
never of any people which did eat their God.
All the apostles say that it was needful that Christ should take
our flesh ; but no apostle saith that it is needful that we should
take Christ's flesh ; for all the blessings of Christ are apprehended
by faith, and nothing fit to apprehend him whom we see not but
faith ; and therefore one of their own pillars said, ' Believe, and thou
hast eaten.' Faith, doth more in religion than the mouth ; or else
we might say with the woman,.Luke xi. 27, ' Blessed are the breasts
which gave thee suck,' and so none should be blessed but Mary ;
but Mary was not blessed because Christ was in her body, but
because Christ was in her heart. And lest this should seem incredi
ble unto you, because Mary is called blessed among women ; when
Christ heard the woman say, ' Blessed are the breasts which gave
thee suck,' he replied unto her, ' Blessed are they which hear the
word of God, and keep it;' 'These are my brethren, and sisters,
and mother,' saith Christ, Luke viii. 21, as though the rest were no
kin to him in heaven, though they were kin in earth. Thus if
Christ were in thy body, and thou shouldst say as this woman,
' Blessed is the body that hath thee in it ;' nay, would Christ say,
' Blessed is the heart that hath me in it.' If Mary were nojvhji
better for having Christ in her arms, nor for having him in her
body, how much better art thou for having him in thy belly, where
thou canst not see him ? Must the sun needs come to us, or else
cannot his heat and light profit us ? Nay, it doth us more good,
because it is so far off. So this Sun is gone from us, that he might
give more light unto us ; which made him say, ' It is good for you
that I go from you,' John xvi. 7, therefore away with this carnal
eating of spiritual things. ' Many daughters have done virtuously,
but thou,' saith Solomon, 'surpasseth them all,' Prov. xxxi. 29. So
many heretics have spoken absurdly, but this surpasseth them all,
that Christ must be applied like physic ; as though his blood could
not profit us unless we did drink it, and swallow it as a potion. Is
this the papists' union with Christ ? Is this the manner whereby
we are made one flesh with Christ, to eat his flesh ? Nay, when he
took our flesh unto him, and was made man, then we were united
to him in the flesh, and not now. Christ took our flesh, we take

THE FIRST SERMON. 59
not his flesh, but believe he took ours ; therefore if you would know
whether Christ's body be in the sacrament, I say unto you as Christ
said unto Thomas, Touch, feel, and see, John xx. 27. In visible
things God hath appointed our eyes to be judges ; for_as the spirit
discerneth spiritual objects, so sense discerneth sensible objects.
As Christ taught Thomas to judge of his body, j;o _may we, and so
should they ; therefore if you cannot see his body, nor feel his body,
you may gather by Christ's sayings to Thomas, that he would not
have you believe that it is his body; for my body, saith Christ,
may be seen and felt. ^And, thus transubstantiation is found a liar.
Now if you ask me why Christ called the sign by the name of the
thing itself, I ask thee again, mayest thou say, when thou seest the
picture of the queen, This is the queen ? and when thou seest the
picture of a lion, This is a lion ? and may not Christ say when he
seeth a thing like his body, ' This is my body' ?
I shewed you before that every sacrament is called by the name
of the thing which it doth signify, and therefore why should we
stumble at this more than the rest ? The reason why the signs
have the names of the things, is to strike a deep reverence in us, to
receive this sacrament of Christ reverently, sincerely, and holily, as
if that Christ were there present in body and blood himself.
And surely as he which defaceth the king's seal is convicted of
contempt and treason to his own person ; so he which profaneth
these seals of Christ doth not worship Christ, but despise him, and
that contempt shall be required of him, as if he had contemned
Christ himself. This is the reason why Christ calleth the signs of
his body, his body, to make us take this sacrament reverently,
because we are apt to contemn it as the <J ews did their manna.
It followeth, ver. 22, 'Do this in remembrance of me;' that is,
these signs shall be a remembrance of my death. When you break
the bread, you shall remember the wounding of my body ; and when
you drink the wine, you shall remember the shedding of my blood.
If we do this in remembrance of Christ's body, which was broken
like the bread, it is an argument that his body is not there, because
remembrance is not of things present, but of things absent ; we
remember not, but we see that whieh is before us. This might put
the papists in remembrance that Christ is not sacrificed now, when
we do but remember his sacrifice. This is not Christ's sacrifice, but
a remembrance of his sacrifice ; he was sacrificed before, and now it
is applied, lest his sacrifice should be in vain. This was done once
really, when he offered himself upon the cross ; therefore that offer
ing was called a sacrifice, because he was sacrificed indeed ; but

60 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
this offering is called a sacrament, because it is but a sign of his
sacrifice. If Christ in this sacrament were offered indeed, then itshould be
called a sacrifice, as his once offering was ; but because it is but a
remembrance of his sacrifice, therefore it is called a sacrament.
This is not a sacrifice of Christ, but a sacrifice of ourselves. Lest
we should take it to be a sacrifice of Christ, Christ himself calleth
it a remembrance of his sacrifice, 'Do this in my remembrance.'
Here is our work. As Christ hath done, so must we do ; so we
minister, and so you receive. We can give you nothing but that
which we have received from him, as Paul saith. Therefore, if
Christ did not give his mortal body which stood before them, and
eould not profit them, nor his glorified body, which was not glorified
then, and when he was glorified ascended up into heaven, and there
abideth, how can these juggling priests make their God again
which made them ? They can no more turn wine into blood and
bread into flesh than they can command. a,jgnat_toi)ecome a camel ;
for it is a greater work to make God than to make the world.
Therefore, as Christ saith, Mat. xxiv. 23, ' When they tell you, Here
is Christ, and there is Christ, believe them not' So when they tell
you that Christ is in heaven, and that Christ is in earth, in this
place and that place, believe them not ; for Elijah's ascension was a
figure of Christ's ascension. When Elias was ascended, yet some
sought for his body upon earth, 2 Kings ii. 17 ; so though Christ be
ascended, yet many seek his body upon earth; but as they could
not find Elias's body, so these cannot find Christ's body,, although
they have sought three hundred years.
But if his body were upon earth, as they say, should we handle
it and toueh it now it is glorified ? After his resurrection he said
unto Mary, John xx. 17, ' Touch me not,' because his body was
glorified ; that is, not to be touched with fingers any more, but with
faith. Therefore we read of none which touched his body (after it
was risen) but only Thomas, to settle his faith.
Thus you see we need to suborn no witnesses, for every word in
this text which they allege for transubstantiation doth make against
transubstantiation ; whereby, if antichrist doth ssignify those which_,
are against Christ, you see who may be called antichrist. There is
no question in popery (except purgatory, the Pope's publican and
tasker) about which the papists are at such civil w/ars among
themselves as about this transubstantiation. They cannot tell when
the change beginneth, nor what manner of change it is, nor how
long the change continueth ; some hang one way, and'some another,

THE FIRST SERMON. 61
like the Midianites which fought one against another, Judges vii. 22.
And no marvel though their consciences stagger about it ; for to
shew you the right father of it, it was one of the dreams of Inno-
centius1 the Third, in the year of our Lord 1215. So many years
passed before transubstantiation was named, and then a pope set
it first on foot. So it came out of Rome the grandam of all heresies :
and for want of Soriptures hath been defended with fire and sword,
and swallowed more martyrs than all the gulfs of the papal sea
beside. Now, when the doctrines of men go for scriptures, you shall see
how many errors~rushln'foTh~e church ; for grant but this to Pope
Innocentius, as the papists do, that the bread and wine are changed
into Christ's body .:
1. First, It will follow that Christ's body is not ascended up to
heaven, because it remaineth upon earth, and so one of the articles
of our faith shall be falsified, which saith, ' He is ascended into
heaven,' Acts i. 9-11 ; or if he be ascended and descended again,
another article will be falsified, which saith that ' he sitteth at the
right hand of his Father,' Rom. viii. 34 ; that is, as Peter saith,
Acts iii 21, he abideth in heaven.
2. Secondly, It will follow that Christ hath not a true body, but
a fantastical body, because it may be in many places at one time ;
for if his body be in the sacrament, he must needs have so many
bodies as there be sacraments ; nay, he must have so many bodies
as there be bits in every sacrament.
3. Thirdly, It will follow that his bodyis divided from his soul,
and consequently is a dead body, because the bread is only changed
into his body and not into his soul.
4. Fourthly, It will follow that the wicked, and profane, and
reprobate may receiyeChrist as well as the godly, because they have
a mouth to eat as well as the best.
5. Fifthly, It will follow that Christ's _sacrifice_oiiee--f&r-all- was
not_sufficient Heb. ix. 28, and x. 12, because we must sacrifice him
again, and break his body, and shed his blood, as the Jews crucified
him upon the cross.
6. Sixthly, It will follow that the bread, being turned into the
body of our Redeemer, hath a part in our redemption as well as
Christ. 7. Seventhly, It will follow that Christ did eat his own body ;
for all the fathers say that he did eat the same bread which he gave
to his disciples. 1 A monster of his age.

62 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
8. Lastly, It doth follow that a massing priest should be the
creator _of his_Creator, because he makes him which made him. All
these absurdities are hatched of transubstantiation.
Thus when men devise~articles of their own, while they_strike
upon the anvil, the sparks fly in their face ; and they are like the
man which began to build, and could not finish it. When I see the
papist in so many absurdities for entertaining one error, methinks
he seemeth like a collier .jwhich is grimed with . Jiis _own__coals.
Therefore, as in manners we should think of Peter's saying, ~Xcts
v. 29, ' Whether it be meet to obey God or men,' so in doctrines
we should think, whether it be meet to believe God or men.
Thus you have heard the author of this sacrament, ' the Lord
Jesus ;' the time when it was instituted, ' in the night when he
was betrayed ; the ^manner how it was instituted, ' after thanks
giving ;' the end why it was instituted, ' for a remembrance of his
death ;' and the discovery of transubstantiation, one of the last here
sies which Babylon hatched. Now they which have been patrons
of it beToreTshould do like the father and mother of an idolater,
Deut. xiii. 6-9, that is, lay the first hand upon him to shorten his
life. Thus I end. Think what account ye shall give of that ye
have heard

A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

THE SECOND SERMON.

After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood : this do, as
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye
shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shew the Lord's
death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread,
and drmk the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of
the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man therefore examine
himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this
cup.— I Cor. XI. 25-28. ,
Here I am to speak of the second service, as it were, at the Lord's
table, and of that preparation which is like the wedding-garment,
that every man must bring to his banquet. These words are
diversely repeated of the evangelists. Here it is said, ' This cup is
the new testament in my blood.' In Matthew and in Mark it is
said, ' This cup is my blood of the new testament,' Mat. xxvi. 28,
Mark xiv. 24. This is the first mention which Christ makes of a
testament, as though now his promises deserved the name of a tes
tament, because the seal is set unto them, which before this sacra
ment were not sealed, but like a bare writing without a sig
net. This word testament doth imply a promise, and therefore
teacheth us, that the sacrament doth confirm, and strengthen, and
nourish our faith, because it sealeth the promise which we should
believe. Here it is to be noted, that Christ doth not only speak of a tes
tament, but he calleth it a n^wjteskimmit, which words never met
together before ; as though the law were for the old man to mor-

64 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
tify him, and the gospel for the new man to comfort him again ;
or as if the old testament had so washed her face, and changed her
apparel, at Christ's coming, that one would not think it the same,
but a new testament, because even now she was shadowed with a
thousand ceremonies, and now they are gone from her like a mist
at _the sun-rising. As Christ calleth love ' a new commandment,'
John xiii. 34, because he renewed it, like a law worn'out of memory;
so he calleth the promise of salvation ' a new testament,' because,
as it was renewed -to Shem, and after renewed to Abraham, and
after renewed to David, so now he renewed it again, which should
be alway new and fresh unto us. Every testament is confirmed
with blood, Heb. ix. 18. T^e_oJd_tejtament was confirmed by the
blood of goats, and bullocks, and rams ; but the new_testament is
confirmed by the blood of Christ. ' My blood,' saith Christ, ' is
the blood of the new testament,' Mat. xxvi. ; nay, ' This cup,' saith
Christ, ' is the new testament,' Luke xxii. 20. You may see, then,
that they may gather as well of Christ's words, that the cup is the
new testament, as that the wine is his blood ; for Christ saith,
' This cup is the new testament,' as well as he saith, ' This wine is
my blood,' or ' This bread is my body.' Beside, when Christ speaks
of a new testament, he implieth that the old testament is fulfilled,
Heb. viii. 13. The sacrifices and ceremonies of the law did signify
Christ before he came, therefore they are fulfilled in his coming.
No more sacrifices^no. more cp.rpmomes^for^the truth is come. Sa
crifices and ceremonies are honourably buried with the priesthood
of Aaron, let them rest ; it is not lawful to violate the sepulchres
of the dead, and take their bodies out of earth, as the witch would
raise Samuel out of his grave, 1 Sam. xxviii. 14. Therefore they
whichjretain. certain. ceremonies, which should be abrogated, relics
of Judaism, or relics of_papism, may be said to violate the sepul
chres of the dead, and disturb the deceased, like the witch which
presumed to raise Samuel out of his grave.
This testament is called a testament in blood, because the testa
ment and will of a man is confirmed when the man is dead ¦ so
Christ confirmed his testament by his death. Moses saith, that
' life is in the blood,' Lev. xvii. 1] ; so the blood of Christ is the
life of this testament. If Christ's blood had not been shed, this
testament made unto us had been unprofitable, as the testament
of a father is unto his son, if the father should not die, but live ;
therefore the apostle saith, Heb. ix. 22, ' Without shedding of blood
there is no remission of sins.' Therefore the testament or covenant
of the remission of our sins is called the testament in blood ; the

THE SECOND SERMON. 65
blood of Christ is the seal of the testament, which we have to shew
unto God for the remission of our sins ; and the two sacraments are
a seal of that blood, to witness that it was shed.
Again, this is a matter regarded in testaments and wills. To the
testament of him that is dead, no man addeth or detracteth ; but as
the testator made it, so it standeth without alteration. So should
this testament of Christ, and this sacrament of Christ ; no man
should alter it now he is dead, for he which addeth or detracteth,
hath a curse in God's books, Deut. iv. 2, Rev. xxii. 18.
Therefore Christ, when he instituted this sacrament, commanded,
Bo this, that is, do as I do, lest they should swerve one whit from
his own manner ; yet how many gaudaliave the papists added to it !
That he which had heard Christ say, ' Do this in remembrance of
me,' and should see how they handle the matter in their mass,
could see nothing to remember Christ by, but a veil to hide Christ
from him. Therefore this commandment was repeated again, when
he gave the wine, ' Do this,' &c.
As he commanded them to eat the bread in remembrance of him,
so he commanded them to drink the wine in remembrance of him ;
nay, he speaks more precisely of the wine than the bread, for he
saith of the wine, ' Drink you all of this,' Mat. xxvi. 27, which he
saith not of the bread. Surely Christ did foresee, that some proud
heretics would do otherwise after him, even as it is come to pass ;
for^he_^ajDists__doJjieakJihis_CQmmandm-ent of. Christ as_.flatly as
&ul_brake_^e_jcpjnjiiandment- of -Samuel, 1 Sam. xv. 9. Samuel
commanded him to kill the fat and the lean ; Saul killed the lean,
but not the fat ; so Christ commandeth to receive bread and wine,
they teach to receive bread, but notwine, . Christ saith, ' Drink you
all of this ;' they say, jJrink not all of this. Christ gave the bread
and wine to all, they give the bread to all, and the wine to some ;
their priests receive all, but the people must contentthemselves with
half ; the priest eats and drinks, but the people must not drink for
spilling on their clothes ! Is this the church which cannot err ?
Do they think to hem Christ in their mass, and shut his ordinance
out of their' mass ? The soldiers divided Christ's coat, Mat. xxvii.
15, but these divide his body, and separate the bread and wine which
Christ hath joined. Paul speaketh of heretics which taught, ' Touch
not, taste not, handle not,' Col. ii. 21 ; so these say, Touch not,
taste not, handle not, when they should say, Touch, and taste, and
handle. Of_allJieresies, either old or new, there is none so in
jurious to the common people as the pasture of popish shavelings ;

66 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
for they may not read the Scriptures, they may not come to councils^,.
they may not examine that which is taught them, they may not be
buried without a mortuary, they may not drink at the communion,
as though their priests were their lords.
Therefore we may say, as a heathen did, there_is no charity in the
papists' sacraments, because, like Ananias, Acts v. 2, the priests keep
back that which they should distribute, and mangle the sacrifice, as
though Eli his sons had left bis hook to the massing friars, 1 Sam.
ii. 13.
Thus that ye may know who succeedeth the pharisees, they have
fulfilled that which the pharisees did, that is, ' by their own com
mandments they have made the commandment of God of no effect,'
Mark vii. 13. For whereas the purpose of Christ was to tie our
faith wholly to himself, that we should not seek for anything with
out him, knowing that the maintenance of this life hath need both
of meat and drink, to teach us that sufficiency is in himself, by
bread and wine he sheweth, that he is instead both of meat and
drink, that is, instead of all ; which signification is taken away where
the wine is not given as well as the bread. Therefore, as it is said of
a horrible and odious crime, 'Consider the matter, and give sentence,'
Judges xix. 30 ; so I wish all to consider this innovation, and give
sentence of it. Can there be any clearer contradiction to the word,
or bolder check to Christ, than when he saith, ' Drink ye all of this,'
to say, 'Drink not allof this'? It is even as when God said, 'Ye
shall die,' Gen. ii. 17 ; the devil said, 'You shall not die.' Shall we
go now to a council, or a father, or a doctor to inquire whether this
• doctrine be like Christ's doctrine ? _I do verily, think, thatjione
here is so simple, but that he seeth that if anything can be contrary to
Christ's speech, this is contrary to it ; but this is only their detrac
tion from the sacrament.
Nowi^u_sMUJiearjtheir_additionsJo thg sacrament. Look upon
their vestures, and their gestures, and their altars, and their pyx,
and their incense, and their becks, and their nods, and their turnings,
all this is more than Christ did ; and therefore the prophet may say
again, ' Who hath required this of you ?' Isa. i. 12. Did Christ
command you to do more than he did, and not do as he did ? Therer
fore let them that have eyes to see, be thankful for their light, when
they hear how blind they were whom God gave over to be seduced.
The fruit of this sacrament is noted in these words, ver. 24, ' which
is broken for you,' ' which is shed for you ;' that is, as Matthew in
terprets, Mat. xxvi. 28, 'shed for the remission of sins.' As all was
made for us, so all which Christ spake, he spake for usT^andjll

THE SECOND SERMON. 67
which Christ did, he_did_for_us ; and all which Christ suffered, he
suffered for us, 2 Cor. iv. 15, that the sins of men might be forgiven ;
and yet so few apprehend this benefit, that the way to heaven is
called 'a narrow way,' Mat. vii. 13, as though all these pains did
ransom but a small number, and certain order of men. All are not
saved by Christ's death, but all which are saved, are saved by
Christ's death ; his death is sufficient to save all, as the sun is suffi
cient to lighten all ; but if any man wink, the sun will not give
him light, so if any man contemn and will not receive Christ, he will
not thrust him into heaven, but every man shall have that which he
chooseth, as David saith, Ps. cix. J 7, ' Blessing to him that loveth
blessing, and cursing to him that loveth cursing.' There wants not
a hand to give, but a hand to take ; ' I would,' saith Christ, ' but you
would not,' Mat. xxiii. Stretch forth thy hand, and here is Christ's
hand, which takes God's hand, and man's hand, and joins them to
gether, and then the remission of sins is sealed. This is the will and
testament of Christ.
He had no goods, nor land, nor money to give by his testament.
A rich man, when he dieth, bestoweth the money which he hath
gathered, and forgiveth many debts which are owing him ; but
Christ hath nothing to give, nor anything to forgive. The Lord of
all had least of all, and he might say, like his servant Peter, Acts
iii. 6, ' Gold and silver have I none,' no, not a grave to bury his body
in ; but the grave that Joseph made for himself served to bury
Christ, Mark xvi. 46. His father was a carpenter, Mat. xiii. 55, but
never made any house for himself ; his mother lay in a stable for
want of a chamber, Luke ii. 16 ; his disciple was fain to borrow
twenty-pence for him of a fish, Mat. xvii. 27. Therefore, when one
offered, ' Master, I will follow thee,' thinking to gain by his service,
like retainers to noblemen, he replied unto him, ' The foxes have
holes, and the fowls have nests, but the Son of man hath not a house
to hide his head,' Luke ix. 57 : shewing, that the beasts and fowls
were richer than he ; therefore, when he had nothing to give, he
gave himself, and when he had no debtors to forgive, he forgave
his enemies, Luke xxiii. 34. What then? This is a poor and weak
testament which gave nothing ? Oh the goodliest testament that
ever was made, for it bringeth to us the remission of sins ! Is it
such a matter to forgive sins ? Yea, the greatest benefit in all the
world; nay, a greater benefit than all the world, Jor_thjiaiLstood_:
thou hadst committed treason against the queen's person ; thou
art detected, apprehended, accused, convicted, and condemned upon
it to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, and thy quarters to be set

68 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
up for a spectacle, like a carcase which thou hast seen hanged upon
a gibbet, and the crows pecking upon it. What a horror and shak
ing to thy mind to think of that day, when all these torments,
and shame, and fear shall surprise thee at once, which would make
thee quake and tremble, if thou shouldst see but another so dis
membered before thy face. Thou hast no comfort now but this :
When I have suffered, I shall be free ; before to-morrow at this
time, all my pain will be past, though my shame continue, and my
children be beggars. What grace, wbat favour, what mercy now
to pardon thee all this, and save thy life, and set thee at liberty, as
though thou hadst never offended ! So I and thou, and every one
here, had committed treason against the King of kings, and stood
condemned for it, not to suffer, and then be free, like them which
break the laws of men, but to suffer, and suffjgr, and ever to suffer
all that the devils would heap upon us.
Then came the mercy of God ; for Christ, which shed his blood,
like an umpire between God and us, and said,1 as Isaiah said to
Hezekiah, 2 Kings xx. 5, ' Thou shalt not die, but live.' 'Loose him,
and let him go,' for he is mine ; -so we were stayed, like the widow's
son when he was carried to his grave, Luke vii. 15. This is the
benefit of Christ's death, and this sacrament is the remembrance
of it, and therefore, whensoever wo receive it, this addition cometh
with it, 'which is shed for the remission of sins,' Mat. xxvi. 28 ;
our fault was so heinous and grievous, that no ransom could coun
tervail it, unless God himself had suffered for us.
Being in this extremity, neither man nor angel offered his life
for us, but the prince himself, which should have crucified us, came
to be crucified of us, for us, that we might say with stedfast faith,
' I believe the remission of sin ;' not the satisfaction of sins, but
the remission of sins. Markthis. distinction, against_popish_m-erits
of works or penance. -Christ hath satisfied, and not we; we are
remitted, and not Christ.; therefore we say in our confession, 'I
believe the remission of sins, which I may call the mercifu]ljw3tid&,
because it is the quintessence and sweetness of the twelve. There
fore, who but antichrist durst deprave it ? If there be a satisfaction
for our sins by our works, or by our pilgrimages, or by our masses,
or by our penance, let Christ never be called a forgiver, but an ex
changer, liketbe pope, which seUetb_hi,s i pardons.
Wretched creatures, which will not receive the Lord when he
comes to the door ! Christ saith, Take for nothing ; and they say,
No, we will not take, but buy. Vile, base, miserable men, disdain
1 His words are not so, but the effect of his words.

THE SECOND SERMON. 69
to take the grace of God without satisfaction ; but they will cope
with the Lord, and give him so many pilgrimages, fast so many
days, hear so many masses, and pay so many works- for it, until
they have done as much good as they have done evil. Our sins
are infinite, and God is infinite ; but our works are finite in number
and measure i how can they answer, then, to that which exceeds
number and measure? Therefore be content, with Joseph's
brethren, Gen. xlii. 25, to take your money again,, and say that you
have corn for nothing, that is, you are saved for nothing; or else
when you say, ' I believe the remission of sins,' you lie unto God,
because you do not believe the remission of sin, but satisfaction
for sins, like the papists.
It followeth, ver. 26, ' As often as ye shall eat this bread, and
drink tbis cup, ye shall shew the Lord's death till he come.' Here
are thrge_j.nvincible arguments_aga,inst popish transubstantiation,,
like the three witnesses, Deut xvii. 6j undeFwhich every word doth
stand.
( 0 We are said to eat bread; then it is not flesh, but bread.
J Secondly, we are said to shew the Lord's death ;. then" it is but a
( show or representation of his death. Thirdly, it is said, until he
come : if he be to come, then he is not come ; if he be come, how
can we say, until he come ? The effect of this verse was shewed
in these words, ' Do this in remembrance of me ;' and to say, ' So
oft as ye do this, ye shew my death,' is much at one. So that if you
call this sacrament a show of Christ's death, as it is called here, then
it is not Christ ;. or if you call it a remembrance of Christ, as it is
called there, yet it is not Christ,, but a show or remembrance of
Christ } but this is- such a show and remembrance, that the next
verse saith, ' Whosoever receiveth it unworthily, is guilty of the
body and blood of Christ'
Will ye know who receiveth unworthily? In the nine-and-
twentieth verse Paul saith, ' he discerneth not the Lord's body,'
that is, which putteth no difference between this bread and other,
but eateth, like a child, the meat which he knoweth not ; and after, the
bread seemeth stones to him, and the wine poison, because his con
science telleth him I have received unworthily, before I could say
like David, Ps. cviii. 1, Ps. lvii. 7, ' My heart is prepared.' ' My
sheep,' saith Christ, ' know my voice,' John x. 27. As they discern
Christ's words, so they discern Christ's body ; and therefore, so
often as they come to the Lord's table, they seem to come into the
Lord's presence ; there they greet, and kiss, and embrace one
another with affections which none can know but they that feel,

70 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
like John, which leaped in the womb so soon as Christ came near
him, Luke i. 41.
Will_ye_knowJ>eside what it is to be.. '.guilty of-the-bedy-and
blood" of. Christ?' Even as Judas was guilty for betraying him,
Mark xiv. 44, and Pilate for delivering him, Mat. xxvii. 15, and the
Jews for crucifying him, Mark xv. 25, so they are guilty which
receive this sacrament unworthily, as Pilate, and Caiaphas, and
Judas were. If they be guilty of Christ's death, they are guilty of
their own death too, as if they had committed two murders ; and
therefore Paul saith after, 1 Cor. xi. 30, that many of the Corin
thians died only for the unworthy receiving of this sacrament. As
the word is the, say our of death to them which receive it unworthily,
2 Cor. ii. 16, so the sacrament is the savour of death to them which
receive it unworthily. It never goeth into their mouth but they
are traitors ipso facto, and may say to hell, This day have I taken
possession of thee, because I am guilty of Christ's blood. There
fore it follows immediately, ' Let a man examine himself before he
eat of this bread, or drink of this wine ;' as if he should say, If he
which receiveth this sacrament unworthily be guilty of Christ's
death, like Judai which hanged himself; if these signs be received
to salvation or damnation, like the word, the next lesson is to
examine yourselves before you receive, lest you receive like the son
of perdition, which swallowed the bread and the devil together,
John xiii. 27. Therefore ' let a man examine himself, and so let
him eat ;' that is, let him examine first, and receive after ; for if we
should receive the bread of the earth reverently, 1 Sam. ix. 13, how
should we receive the bread of heaven ? When Jehonadab came
to Jehu his chariot, he said, ' Is thy heart upright, as my heart is
toward thee?' 2 Kings x. 15. So when we come to the Lord's
table, he would have our hearts upright to him, as his heart is to
us ; for who feasteth his enemies and mockers ? The golden ring
sitteth highest at our table, James ii. 2, but the wedding garment
sitteth highest at this table. It is safer eating with unwashed
hands than with unwashed hearts. The Jews were taught to choose
the lamb of the passover on the tenth day of the first month, in
which month they came out of Egypt ; and on the fourteenth day
after, they were taught to eat him, Exod. xii. 3, 6 ; so they had four
days' respite between the choosing and the killing, to prepare and
sanctify themselves for the passover, which was a sign of the Lord's
supper. This admonished them that the matter (now to be per
formed) was very weighty, and therefore they were deeply to con
sider it ; for now was the action and sum of all salvation in hand-

THE SECOND SERMON. 71
ling. If they did prepare themselves so before they did receive the
figure of this sacrament, how should we be prepared before we
receive the sacrament itself? Therefore, as Josiah commanded the
Levites to prepare the people, 2 Chron. xxxv. 6, so Paul adviseth
the people to prepare themselves ; that is, to examine whether they
have faith, and love, and repentance, before they come to this feast.
By this all may see, first, that Paul would have every layman
skilful in the Scripture, that he be able to examine himself by it ;
for this admonition is not to them which minister the sacrament,
but to, all which receive the sacrament. And the rule by which we
must examine ourselves is the law which we should obey; therefore
if the rule be unknown, the examination must be undone. Our
doctrine must be examined by the doctrine of the prophets and
apostles, Acts xvii. 11 ; our prayers must be examined by the six
petitions of Christ's prayer ; our belief must be examined by the
twelve articles of faith; our life must be examined by the ten
commandments of the law, Exod. xx. 1 , &c. Now he which hath
this touchstone may try gold from copper; but he which hath it not
takes one for the other ; therefore before Paul's examine, 2 Cor.
xiii. 5, you had need to learn Christ's search : John v. 39, ' Search
the Scriptures,' and they will lighten you to search yourselves".
This is the doctrine with which I will end, and the necessary_point
for which I chose jthis text, to teach you, if I could, that Christian
art, how to examine yourselves.
- Ver. 28. ' Let a man examine himself before he eat. Here is,
first, an examination ; secondly, an examination of ourselves; thirdly,
an examination before we come to the sacrament. Touching the
first, here Paul saith, ' Examine yourselves ;' but in 2 Cor. xiii. he
doubleth his charge, ' Prove yourselves ;' and again at next word,
'Examine yourselves;' as if he should say, This work must be done
when it is done, because it is never thoroughly done ; and therefore
we must double our examination, as Paul doubleth his counsel. If
a man suspect his enemy, he will try him with a question ; if that
will not search him, he will put forth another ; if that be spied, he
will move another, like one wHch_putteih_d|yere keys into_a lock
until it be open ; so he which examineth must try and toy, prove
and prove, search and s_earcb,; for the angel of darkness is like an
angeTonight, 2 Cor. xi. 14, and we have no way to discover him
but that of John, ' Try the spirits,' 1 John iv. 1. God examineth
with trials, the devil examineth with temptations, the world exa
mineth with persecutions. We which are thus examined had need
tc~examine too. If any man skill not what examining meaneth,

72 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
the very word examine is so pregnant, that it prompteth us how we
should examine ; Jnr it, signifiethrto put ourselves unto the touch
stone, as if we would try gold from copper. Therefore one saith
thaTexamination is the eye of the soul, whereby she seeth herself, _
and her safety, and her danger, and her way which she walketh,
and her pace which she holdeth, and the end to which she tendeth.
She looksinto her glass, and spieth every~spot in herl ace, how all
her graces are stained ; then she takes the water of life and washeth
her blots away. After she looks again, and beholdeth all her gifts ;
her faith, fear, love, patience, meekness, and marketh how every
one do flourish or wither. If they fade and decay, that she feeleth
a consumption; then she takes preservatives and restoratives of
prayer, and counsel, and repentance, before the sickness grow. Thus
every dayjshe letteth down a bucket in to.her .heart, tojsee what water
it bringeth up, lest she should corrupt within, and perish suddenly.
To hear, and read, and pray, and fast, and communicate, is a
work of many, but to examine those works is the fashion of few ;
and therefore Jeremiah complaineth, chap. viii. 6, "' No man saith,
What have I done ?' as if he should say, No man examineth himself.
And therefore in all the Scripture it is said but of one that he feared
all his works, Job ix. 28 ; as though he durst not think, nor speak,
nor do anything before he had examined what it was, from whence
it came, and whither it went; so the more precious treasure is
deeper hid in the ground, Mat. xiii. 44.
The second point is to examine ourselves. . Paul saith, 1 Theg.
v. 21, ' Try all things ;' much more should we try ourselves. The
good sower doth sow his own ground, but the bad sower doth sow
another man's ground, as the devil did, Mat. xiii. 25. The disciples
of Christ, Mat. xxvi. 22, said, ' Master, is it I ?' not ' Master, is it
he ?' The disciples of John asked, Luke iii. 10, ' Master, what shall
we dp ?' not ' Master, what shall they do.' We must obey some an
hear others, and admonish others, and love all, but examine ourselves.
That which we apply unto others the apostle applieth unto our
selves ; for when we speak of an examiner, we intend one which
examineth others; when we speak of an accuser, we intend one which
accuseth others ; when we speak of a judge, we -mean one that
judgeth others; but the Scriptures crieth, Examine thyself, accuse
thyself, judge thyself, 1 Cor. xi. 28-31 ; that is, be not curious to
search a mote in thy brother's eye, but pull out the beam which is
in thine own eye, Mat. vii. 3. This doth shew that they which sit
in God's chair to judge others, commonly have greater faults them
selves than they whom they use to judge ; and therefore Christ

THE SECOND SERMON. 73
called their fault a beam, and the other's a mote. This made David
say, Ps. iv. 4, ' Examine thy heart.' Thy heart is thine own heart ;
therefore thou must examine whether jthoupray, whether thou watch,
whether thaujast, and not whether lie, pray, whether he .watch,
whether he^fast, as the pharisee examined the publican, Luke xviii.
11, lest thou have Peter's check, when he examined what John should
do, John xxi. 22 : Christ said, ' What is that to thee ? Follow thou me'
Thou art a private man, and hast a private examination ; therefore let
thy question be, 'What have I done?' andmake thy anatomy of thyself.
See, beloved, we may not believe ourselves before we have exa
mined ourselves, for we are false-hearted ; and the notablest cozener,
that deceiveth most, for one time that he deceiveth others, ten times
he deceiveth himself, because the flesh is a wily servant, and will
lie, like Gehazi to his master, 2 Kings v. 25, 26, and face him that
he hath not sinned when he cometh from sin. Therefore, as Elisha
examined his servant, so the soul must examine her servant ; that
is, man must be jealous of himself, and take himself for a liar, for
a flatterer, for a dissembler, until he be thoroughly acquainted
with himself; for no man is so oft beguiled as by himself, by
trusting his double heart, and taking his own word without further
trial. If Paul had bid us examine others, we would have sifted
them like Satan : ' Satan hath desired to sift thee,' saith Christ to
Peter, Luke xxii. 31 ; so we have a desire to sift others, even as
Peter, which was sifted of Satan, longed to sift John, and know
what he should do, John xxi. 21, before he hearkened to his own
charge. Therefore the help of examination is a needful preservative,
although we were as sound as Peter. They which are suspected of
a crime do not examine themselves, but are examined of others, lest
they should be partial ; but a Christian must examine himself of
his crime, and be his own judge, his own accuser, and his own con
demnor, 1 Cor. xi. 31 ; for ino man knoweth the spirit of a man but
the spirit which is in man,' 1 Cor. ii. 11, which will condemn him if
he be guilty, Rom. ii. 1 5, and tell him all that he hath done, and
with what mind he did it, and what he deserveth for it. This is the
private arraignment or close sessions, when conscience sits in her
chair to examine, and accuse, and judge, and condemn herself, because
she will not be condemned of God, l'John iii. 21.
Thus holy men have kept the sessions at home, and made their
hearts the foremen of the jury, and examined themselves as we ex
amine others. Thelear of the" Lord stood at the door of their souls,
to examine every thought before it went in, and at the door of their
lips, to examine every word before it went out, whereby they escaped

74 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
a thousand sins which we commit, as though we had no other work.
So thou shouldst sit in judgment of thyself, and call thy thoughts,
and speeches, and actions to give in evidence against thee, whether
thou be a Christian or an infidel, a son or a bastard, a servant or a
rebel, a protestant or an hypocrite. ' If thou find not faith, nor fear,
nor love, nor zeal, when thou examinest thyself, let no man make
thee believe that thou art holy, that thou art sanctified, that thou
art a Christian, that thou art a believer, that thou art a gospeller,
because thou art worse than thou seemest thyself, for every man is
partial to himself when he is most humbled.
Therefore, if my heart tell me that I do love God, whom shall I
believe before myself ? As Solomon saith, Prov. xxv. 3, ' No man
can search the heart of the king,' so Paul saith, 1 Cor. ii. 11, 'No
man knoweth the spirit of any man, but the spirit which is in man;'
that is, no man feeleth the heart of man so well as himself; and yet
himself, although he have lived with it ever since be was born, doth
not know his own heart, unless he examine it narrowly ; no more than
he knoweth his own bones, or his veins, or his sinews, or his arteries,
or his muscles, how many are in his body, or where they lie, or what
they do. ""
This seems strange, that a man should not know his own heart ;
yet it is true that the best of all doth not know^his-Qwn hearty
though he hath dwelt with it fromTiis mother's womb ; for Christ
saith to his disciples, even to his disciples, Luke ix. 55, ' You know
not of what spirit you are ;' that is, ye think better of yourselves
than you are, and know not what the clock striketh within. There
is a zeal without knowledge, and there is a knowledge without zeal.;
there is a faith without obedience, and there is an obedience without
faith ; there is a love without fear, and there is a fear without love,
and both are hypocrites. Therefore, as Delilah 'searched where
Samson's strength lay, Judges xvi. 6, so let every man search where
his weakness lieth, and alway be filling the empty gap.
Now, this examination must go before us to the sacrament.
Every meat worketh according as it is digested ; and this meat
worketh according as it is received. Therefore when Christ had
taught what we should do in receiving the sacrament, now the
apostle Paul sheweth what we should do before we receive the
sacrament, ' Let a man examine himself But some will come be
fore they examine themselves ; and therefore as the priests of the
law had authority to put by lame and blind sacrifices, so the minis
ters of the gospel have power to put by lame and blind receivers ;
and he which doth not so, giveth a sword into their bands to kill

THE SECOND SERMON. 75
themselves. If the pastor would use this examination duly, it were
the only way to make every one examine himself, lest he be put by
like non-proficients. As Jephtbah discerned the Ephraimites, because
when^they should pronounce Shibboleth, they pronounced Sibboleth;
so all which cannot pronounce Christ, that is, give reason of their
faith, are to be thrust from this table.
There is a hearing, and a preparative before hearing, Luke' viii.
18 ; there is a praying, and a preparative before praying, Eccles. v.
1 ; there is a receiving, and a preparative before receiving, which,
if it be wanting, the receiver receiveth uncomfortably, the prayer
prayeth idly, the hearer heareth unfruitfully, like those which do
eat before hunger, and drink before thirst.
This preparative before hearing, and praying, and receiving, doth
signify that there is a kind of physic in these three ; for prepara
tives are ministered always before physic. And as the preparative
which goeth before maketh way to the physic, or else it would do
no good but hurt ; so, unless examination go before the sacrament,
we seal up the threatenings which are written against us, instead
of the promises which are made unto us ; for the sacrament is a
seal, and therefore sealeth good or evil, as every other seal doth.
The preparative before we receive is to examine. As John was
the forerunner of Christ, Luke i. 76 ; so examination is the fore
runner of the sacrament, like the harbinger which rideth before to
prepare the room. For if Job commanded his sons to sanctify
themselves before they did come to his sacrifice, Job i. 5, how
should we sanctify ourselves before we come to Christ's sacrament
wherein we are commanded to do as the Lord himself did, which
instituted it ? It is said that the chamber wherein Christ did in
stitute this sacrament was trimmed, Luke xxii. 12 ; the chamber
wherein the apostles received this sacrament was trimmed. If
Judas's chamber, his inner chamber, had been trimmed so too, he
had received this sacrament with as much comfort as the other
disciples did ; but because his heart was not trimmed, therefore he
was the -first which was condemned for the unworthy receiving of
this sacrament
Adam did not think that death had been in an apple, Gen. iii.
6 ; so you would not think that death should be in bread ; but as a
coal_haJih fire in .itv.b.esides the coal itself, which fire doth either
warm or burn, so this meat hath another meat in it beside that
which is seen, which doth either save or destroy; therefore he which
cometh to this spiritual meat must examine whether he hath a
spiritual mouth as well as a carnal mouth, or else shall receive no

76 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
more than he [seeth, and that which he seeth not shall destroy
him. 'No man,' saith Christ, 'putteth new wine into old vessels, lest
the vessels break, and the wine leak,' Mark ii. 22. This wine is
new wine, therefore put it into new_ygssels, holy vessels, sanctified,
vessels, or else it will leak forth, and break the vessel, and thou
shalf. have no more taste of it, than while the relish of bread is in
thy mouth. When Christ cometh to our house, shall we not look
whether our chamhers be trimmed, as the chamber was trimmed
against his coming to'the passover ? But how shall we trim it?
When a man takes an office, he examines his substance ; when
he takes a trade, he examineth his skill ; when he goeth to fight, he
examineth his strength ; but these wants are no wants when he
goeth to the sacrament. Wilt thou know now upon what articles
thou must inquire at that time; that is, bow thou shouldst examine
thyself? As some prayer may be at all times, 1 Thes. v. 1 7, so some
examination is at all times. Thus Job examined himself every
day, nay, every hour, because he scanned all that he did, Job ix. 28.
But there is a special examination before the sacrament, because
it is the bread which is received to salvation or damnation, 1 Cor.
xi. 29 ; because it is the feast to which whosoever cometh without
his wedding garment shall be cast into utter darkness, Mat. xxii.
11, because it is a seal which sealeth a curse or a blessing.
Therefore, having observed that examination is the necessariest
lesson in Christianity, and less known than other, I have studied
since my sermon to lay down three examinations which you should
use at all times, and a special examination for the communicant's
catechism, which leadeth immediately to the sacraments, as a guest
is handed to the table. In the first examination, I will shew thee
a rule how thou shalt try others' spirits, and then how thou shalt
try thine own.
1. Thou shalt try strange spirits by their manner of speaking,
plainly or doubtfully, boldly or fearfully; therefore we read that
the oracles of the heathen had a double meaning, and that the
false prophets never spake boldly, but where their patrons were
ready to flesh them. 1 Kings xxii. 11.
2. By the proportion of faith ; for every heresy is contrary to
some article of our belief, as every sin is against some of the ten
commandments 3. By the event of their speeches ; for they take no effect, as it
is said in the 18th chapter of Deuteronomy, and therefore they are
called false prophets.

THE SECOND SERMON. 77
4. By their fruits, Mat. vii. 1 6, for none of the false prophets were
good men.
5. By their success ; for if they be not of God, they will come
to nought. As the Arians, and Manichees, and Pelagians are
vanished, as if they had never been ; so time shall wear out every
doctrine that is not truth. This is thy rule to try others'
spirits. 1. Thou shalt try thine own spirit by the motions that it hath to
good or evil. For as a good stomach turneth all that it eats into
good nutriment, and a bad stomach turneth all that it eats into raw
humours, so likewise a good mind converteth all that it heareth,
and all that it seeth, and all that it feeleth, into some profit ; but
a bad mind maketh a tentation of every thing ; therefore it is said,
Rom. xiv. 14, Titus i. 15, 'To the clean all things are clean ;' and
so, 'to the unclean nothing is clean;' that is, they defile them
selves with everything.
2. Secondly, By the first cause, or preparation which thou hadst
unto it ; for whatsoever it be, thy thoughts will be where thou
lovest, to verify that saying, ' Where a man's treasure is, there will
be bis heart ;' for likely the beginning is a picture of the end, and
the act is like the thought which set it a-work.
3. Thirdly, By the manner of the consolation in it, whether it be
of knowledge or ignorance, whether it be constant or mutable, calm
or boisterous, simple or mixed ; for as a clear fountain yieldeth
clear streams, so a pure heart hath pure joys.
4. Fourthly, Whether it bring to Christ or take anything from
him to thyself, like all the parts of .popery, .which.mangle.his hon
our either to angels^or to. .saints, or to pope, or to images. If it
abide all these questions, and draw thee not from any good, then
thou mayest say, It is from God ;' water the seed, 0 Lord, which thou
hast sown. This is the fruit of thy first examination. In the
second, by making thee discern whether another be a Christian, I
wjll teach thee to know whether thyself be a Christian ; which that
thou mayest reach to, observe this direction, and thou shalt see of
what side thou art.
It must needs be, that they which walk to contrary ends should
go diverse ways ; therefore there be more differences between the
children of God and the children of the world, than there be be
tween men and beasts.
1 First, They are distinguished in will ; for the wicked strive to
bring God's will to their will, like Balaam, Num. xxii. 19, which,
when be had an answer, stayed for another ; but the faithful labour

78 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
to bring their will to God's will, like Christ, which said, Mat. xxvi.
39, ' Not as I will, but as thou wilt.'
2. They are distinguished in faith. ' All men have not faith,'
saith Paul, 2 Thes. iii. 2 ; but ' the just live by faith,' Rom. i. 17 ;
as if he should say, The just believe,, and the unjust believe not.
The just believe, and apply that they believe to themselves ; the
wicked may believe like the devils, James ii. 19, but their faith is
like the gadding hen, which carrieth her eggs to others, and never
layeth at home ; so they believe that others shall be saved, but not
themselves. 3. They are distinguished in hope ; for because the wicked hope
not for any mends of God, therefore they never defer their reward ;
but if they do any good, they are trumpets of it themselves, for fear
it should not be blazed enough, Mat. vi. 2 ; and therefore Christ
said that the Pharisees had their reward already, because they were
boasters of their works ; and if they do not good, but evil, yet they
would be magnified as much for evil, as others are for good. But
the faithful are likened to handmaids which wait their reward, Ps.
cxxiii. 2 ; their left hand seeth not when their right hand doth
well, Mat. vi. 3 ; and they are afraid to take honour of men, for
losing their honour with God, like John Baptist, which made his
virtues meaner than they were, and debased himself, when he might
have got a name above his Lord, John i. 21.
4. They are distinguished in obedience ; therefore Christ teacheth
us to judge men by their fruit, as an infallible rule, Mat vii. 17 •
for the evil tree will bring forth evil fruit, and the good tree good
fruit ; and neither can change his property, although the evil fruit
is sometimes beautiful, and the good fruit sometimes blasted. All
slip ; but in the wicked, one sin teacheth another, and in the faith
ful, one sin preventeth another.
5. They are distinguished in repentance ; for the wicked do but
weep for their sins past, but the godly purpose to sin no more. So
Pharaoh, Exod. x. 16, Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 30, and Judas, Mat. xxvii. 3,
said, ' I have sinned ;' but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, said,
' We will not sin,' Dan. iii. 18 ; therefore the heart of the godly is
called a contrite heart, Ps. li. 17 ; but the heart of the wicked is
called a heart that cannot repent, Rom. ii. 5. Besides as Christ
cast out a legion of devils at once, Luke viii. 30, so the godly would
be purged of all their sins together ; but the wicked never consent
to leave all, but as Naaman said, 2 Kings v. 1 8, ' Let the Lord
spare me in this,' so ever he excepteth one sin, which is his beloved

THE SECOND SERMON. 79
sin ; like Herod, which reformed many things, and yet would not
leave his brother's wife, Mat. xiv. 3.
6. They are distinguished in charity ; for ye shall never see the
wicked love their enemies ; and therefore when the Pharisees could
not love their enemies, they taught that men might hate their
enemies ; and Christ speaking of the publicans and sinners, ex-
horteth his disciples not to love like them, because they loved none
but their friends, Mat. v. 43, Luke vi. 32.
7. They are distinguished in prayer ; for the wicked cannot pray,
therefore David saith, Ps. xiv. 4, ' they call not upon the Lord,' as
if they had not the spirit of prayer, Zech. xii. 10, Rom. viii. 16 ;
and therefore Christ calleth their prayer babbling, Mat. vi. 7, for
they think not of God when they speak unto him.
8. They are distinguished in patience. No hypocrite can bear
the cross, but saith, like Cain, Gen. iv. 13, 'It is heavier than I can
suffer ;' but Paul and Silas sung in prison, Acts xvi. 25, for a faith
ful man would have something to humble him, and rejoiceth to bear
his master's marks, Gal. vi. 17, because the wounds of a lover are
sweet. 9. They are distinguished in the use of adversity, for this is a
proper and peculiar mark of God's children, to profit by affliction,
and therefore we read not in all the punishments of the wicked,
that one of them said like David, Ps. cxix. 71, ' It is good for me
that I have been afflicted.'
10. They are distinguished in humility, for the wicked are not
humbled before the cross. Like Pharaoh, that never sorrowed but
when he suffered, Exod. viii. 8, 15 ; Mat. xi. 29 ; but the apostles
learned humility of their Master, before their persecution came.
11. They are distinguished in their judgment of the word, for to
the wicked it seemeth the hardest, and simplest, and unpleasantest
book that island therefore Paul saith, 1 Cor. i. 18, that 'it is fool
ishness unto them ;' but to the godly it seemeth the wisest, and
eloquentest, and "sweetest, and easiest book of all others, as though
God did suddenly bring the understanding of it to them, as Jacob
said of his venison, Gen. xxvii. 20 ; according to that, ' He that will
do his will shall know his doctrine,' John vii. 17.
12. They are distinguished in their judgment of God. The
wicked are persuaded now and then of God's mercy for the present
time while they feel it, as the Jews praised him always when he did
as they would have him, Exod. xv. 20 ; but they cannot persuade
themselves that God will be merciful to them still, like Job, which
said, ' Though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him,' Job xiii.

80 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
15; therefore the hope of the righteous is called 'hope in death,'
Prov. xiv. 32 ; xxiii. 18. Beside, if the wicked love God, it is but
for his benefits, as Saul loved him for his kingdom, 1 Sam. x. 6.
And this is always to be noted, that in the wicked the fear of hell is
greater than is their hope of heaven ; but in the faithful the hope
of heaven is greater than their fear of hell.
13. They are distinguished in their delights, for the sport of the
ungodly is folly, like Belshazzar's, Dan. v. 4 ; and therefore when
they are sick or troubled, they never run to the word for comfort,
as though God's promise pertained not to them ; but to feasts, or
tables, or tales, or music, as Saul did to the harp, 1 Sam: xvi. 23.
But all the delights of the godly are like David's dance about the
ark, 2 Sam. vi. 14, they are never merry but when they are doing
well, nor at peace but when their prayers have overcome God, like
Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 28.
14. They are distinguished in their opinions of death, for the
faithful long to be dissolved, Philip, i. 23, Luke ii. 29 ; and
although they might live ever in continual prosperity, yet they
would not stay so long out of heaven. But the wicked would never
be dissolved, because death comes always unto them like a gaoler,
to hale unto prison, as Ahab said of Micaiah, that he never pro
phesied good to him, 1 Kings xxii. 8. Hereby a man shall know
whether he have faith, for if he do believe the promises, he will be
glad to receive them.
15. They are distinguished in their sense of sin. Wicked men
feel the loathsomeness of their vices ; but none but the faithful
feel the defects of their righteousness. The natural man never
complaineth of his good works, but vaunteth of them ; but a godly
man findeth fault with his prayers, and his alms, and his watches,
like Isaiah, that said, his righteousness was like a menstruous •
cloth, Isa. lxiv. 6, Ps. xvi. 2. As Christ met the tempter in the
wilderness, a place of prayer, and fasting, and meditation, Mat. iv.
1, 2, so a godly man meeteth the tempter in his prayer, and in his
fasts, and in his meditations ; that is, he finds some let^or spot, or
want in all his devotions. Therefore, unless thy righteousness mis-
like thee as well as thy profaneness, know that thou art yet no
further than the wicked.
16. They are distinguished in their ends, for the children of God
propose the glory of God, and level all- their thoughts, and speeches,
and actions, as if they were messengers sent to carry him presents
of honour.
Thus did David, when he said, Ps. ciii. 1, ' All that is within me

THE SECOND SERMON. 81
praise the Lord.' As though himself had rather been without praise
than his Master ; but the children of the world set up their own
glory for their mark, like Nebuchadnezzar, which said, ' For the
honour of my majesty,' Dan. iv. 30. Therefore they speak, and look,
and walk, as if they did say to their tongue, and eyes, and feet, and
apparel, as Saul said to Samuel, 1 Sam. xv. 30, ' Honour me before
this people.'
17. Lastly, they are distinguished in perseverance, for the zeal
of the wicked lasteth not, and therefore God saith, ' They are soon
turned out of the way,' Exod. xxxii. 8 ; but the zeal of the faithful
was represented by the fire of the temple, which never went out,
Lev. vi. 12. By these differences thou mayest see how much thou
dost differ from the wicked, or whether thou be of their band.
Then come to the third examination. As the devil tempteth thee
to see what thou wilt do for him, so thou must tempt thyself, and get
of thy soul what it would do for God, and what it would suffer for
him, which hath suffered death for it. Therefore here we will set
down certain interrogatories, whereof thou shalt examine it.
1. First, Whether thou have the heart of Joshua, Josh. xxiv. 15,
to worship God as boldly as thou dost, though all the world did
renounce him, and every one did mock thee, as they did Noah while
he built the ark ?
2. Whether thou wouldst not deny Christ, as Peter did, Mat. xxvi.
70, if thou wert in Peter's straits, and nothing to succour thee but
policy ?
3. Whether thou wouldst not steal, if thou didst see a booty as
fit as Achan, Josh. vii. 21, which thou mightest catch up, and no man
spy thee ?
4. Whether thou wouldst refuse a bribe like Elisha, 2 Kings
v. 16, if thou didst meet with one which were as willing and able
to give it as Naaman ?
5. Whether thou would not deceive, if thou were in such an
office as the false steward, Luke xvi. 6> whose master referred all
unto him, and knew not when he kept anything back V.
6. Whether thou wouldst not fulfil thy lust, as David did, 2 Sam.
xi., if thou hadst his opportunity and allurement, and mightest do
it without danger of the law, like a king, as David might s
7. Whether thou wouldst not tell a lie, as Abraham did, if it
stood upon thy life, which made him twice dissemble that his wife
was his sister, lest he should die for her beauty ? Gen. xii. 13, xx. 2.
1 Although this is a parable, yet it earrieth the signification of a history.
VOL. I. F

82 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
8. Finally, if it should be said unto thee, as the devil said to
Christ, Mat. iv. 9, ' All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down
and worship me ;' that is no more, but if thou wilt sin, whether
thou wouldst yield or no ?
If thou have sinned thus and thus before, I will not say therefore
the Lord will not hear thee ; but David saith, Ps. lxvi. 18, 'If I re
gard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me ;' that is,
if for any cause a man purpose and carry a mind to sin when he is
tempted, the Lord is so far from helping him, that he will stand
like Baal, 1 Kings xiii. 26, as though he did not hear him ; for he
hath a traitor's mind as deep as any, which thinks for a dukedom,
I would betray my prince, though be never play the traitor in his
life. Thus you have heard hpw_to try spirits, and how to discern
a Christian from an hypocrite, and how to oppose yourjiearts, that
ye may be sure to judge rightly what ye are.
Now we come to that examination, which is the epitome or
abridgment of all these ; for memory is short, and all are not of one
strength ; but some run, and some go, and some creep, and all do
well, so long as they strive to perfection, Heb. vi. 1. The matters
whereof principally the mind should be examined before the sacra
ment are these :
1. First, whether thou hast faith, not only to believe that Christ
died, but that he died for thee ; for as the Scripture calleth him
Redeemer, Isa. lix. 20, so Job calleth him his Redeemer, Job xix. 25.
2. The second article is, whether thou be in charity; not whether
thou love them which love thee, but whether thou love them that
hate thee ; for Christ commandeth us to love our enemies, Mat.
v. 44.
3. The third article is, whether thou repent, not for thy open and
gross sins, but for thy secret sins and petty sins, because Christ
saith, Mat. xii. 36, that * we must give account of every idle word.'
4. The fourth article is, whether thou resolve not to sin again
for any cause, but to amend thy evil life, not when age cometh,* or
for a spurt, but to begin now, and last till death ; for Christ is Alpbi
and Omega, both the beginning and the end, Rev. xxii. 13; as well
in our living as in our being, which hath made no promise to them
which begin, but to them which persevere, Rev. ii. 11.
5. The last article is, whether thou canst find in thy heart to
die for Christ, as Christ died for thee. We are bid not only to
follow him, but to bear his cross ; and therefore we are called ser
vants, to shew how we should obey, Luke xii. 38; and we are called
soldiers, to shew how we should suffer, 2 Tim. ii. 3.

THE SECOND SERMON. 83
These are the receiver's articles, whereof his conscience must be
examined before be receive this sacrament ; happy is he which can
say, All these have I kept, Mat. xix. 20 ; for the dove, Gen. viii. 11,
was not so welcome to Noah as this man is to Christ. But if thou
find not these affections within, but a nest of vices, leave thine
offering at the altar, Mat. v. 24, and return to thine examination
again, for thou art not a fit guest to sup with the Lord, until thou
have on this wedding garment, Mat xxii. 11.
How is it then that some regard their other garments more than
this ? Paul saith, Examine yourselves, and they examine their ap
parel ; if they haye_new clothes, in the country, then. they_ are ready
to receive. I have known many kept from the sacrament a whole
year together by their masters, for nothing but for want of a new
suit to set them forth with their fellows !
Others respect whether it be a fair_day, that they may walk after
service ; making that day upon which they receive like a scholar's
Thursday, which he loves better than all the days in the week, only
¦Because it is his play day. Thus like the Jews, ' they sit down to
eat, and rise up to play ;' that as Christ calleth the Pharisees' prayer
' babbling,' Mat. vi. 7, so their receiving may be called dallying.
When they have the sacrament in their belly, they think that all
is well, as Micah, when he had a Levite in his house, thought that
God loved him, Judges xvii. 13; but as the. Levite did not profit
him, because he received nothing but the Levite, so the bread and
wine do them no good, because they receive nothing but bread and
wine, for want of faith. Marvel not then if you have not felt that
comfort after the sacrament which you looked for, for it is comfort
able to none but to them which prepare their hearts, and examine
themselves before, because it is not the mouth but the heart which
receiveth comfort.
Now it may be that the most which are here have brought a
mouth and not a heart; these go away from the sacrament to de
spite Christ, as Judas went from the sacrament to betray him,
John xiii. 30.
The other go away like one which had received a cheerful coun
tenance of the prince ; all his thoughts are joy, and the countenance
of the prince is still in his eye. As he which hath eaten sweet
meat hath a sweet breath, so they which have eaten Christ, all
their sayings and doings are sweet, like a perfume to men, and in
cense to God; their peace of conscience, and joy of heart, and desire
to do good, will tell them whether they have received bare signs, or
the thing signified.

84 A TREATISE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
Every one which receiveth this sacrament shall feel himself
better after it, like the apostles; or else he shall find himself worse
after it, like Judas. Hereby ye shall know whether ye have re
ceived like the apostles, or like Judas. Thus we have ended the
doctrine of the Lord's Supper. Now if you cannot remember all
that I have said, yet remember the text, that is, Examine yourselves
before you receive this sacrament hereafter.

THE EXAMINATION OF USUEY.
IN TWO SERMONS.

TO THE READER.

Here thou hast the sermons which have been often desired, be
cause of the matter fit for the city. One saith that he would never
speak to usurers and bribe-mongers but when they be upon their
death-beds ; for he which liveth by sin, resdlveth to sin that he
may live ; but when he goeth to hanging, Judas himself will say,
' I have sinned,' Mat. xxvii. 4. If I speak not to usurers upon their
death-bed, yet I speak to usurers which shall lie on their death-bed.
Three things do give me hope : one is, that all hearts are in the
hands of God, to call them at what hour he list, and therefore Saul
may become an apostle.
The next is, that the third crow doth waken more than the
former ; and therefore, after the crowing of other, this_crow may
happily be hearcL,
The last is, that there is no sin but some men have been reclaimed
from it, Acts ix. 11, and so may usurers from their sin.
Therefore go, my book, like David against Goliath, 1 Sam. xvii.
51, and fight the Lord's battles against usurers. The Lord give
that success to his doctrines in these leaves, that it may consume
usurers, as Joshua drove out the, Canaanites before him ! Josh. v. 1.
If I could take but this one weed out of the Londoners', garden, I
were answered for my health and my strength spent amongst them.
Read with thy best mind, and thou shalt profit more.
Thine,
H. S.

THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.

THE FIRST SERMON.

Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ? who shall rest in thine
holy mountain ? He that giveth not his money to usury.—
Ps. XV. 1, 5.
These two verses must now be considered together, because one is
the question, and the other is the answer. David demands who
shall come to heaven ; and God tells him that usurers shall not
come thither ; as if he should say, they go to hell. Therefore, as
Paul taught Timothy to warn them which are rich, 1 Tim. vi. 17,
as though they had more need to be warned than other ; so this
sentence seemeth to be penned for the warning of the rich, because
it strikes upon the rich man's vice.
I have spoken of~bribery and simony, and now I must speak of
their sister usury. Many times I have thought to speak of this
theme, but the arguments which are alleged for it have made me
doubtful what to say in it, because it hath gone, as it were, under
protection. At last you see it faileth into my text, and therefore
now I cannot baulk it any longer. Therefore, if any here have
favoured this occupation before, let him now submit bis thoughts
to God's thoughts, for I will allege nothing against it but that
which is built upon the rock.
Usury is the sin which God will try now whether you love better
than his word ; that is, whether you will leave it if he forbid it ;
for if he flatly forbid it, and yet you will fully retain it, then you
love usury better than God's word. Therefore one saith well, that
our usurers are heretics, because after many admonitions yet they
maintain their error, and persist in it obstinately, as papists do in
popery. For this cause I am glad that I have an occasion to grapple

THE FIRST SERMON. 89
with this sin, where it hath made so many spoils, and where it hath
so many patrons ; for it is said that there be more of_this_profession
inthis city, thanjberg.bj3-in all. the-land beside. There be certain
sins which are like an unreasonable enemy, which will not be recon
ciled to death ; and this is one of those everlasting sins which will
live and die with a man. For when he hath resigned his pride, and
his envy, and his lust, yet usury remaineth with him, and he saith,
as Naaman said, 2 Kings v. 18,. 'Let the Lord be merciful unto
me in this ;' let me have a dispensation for this ; as though this
were a necessary sin, and he could not live without it. There are
three sins which_areacOQunted no. sins,, and yet they do more hurt
than all their fellows; and those are, bribery, non-residence, and
usury. These three, because they are gainful, are turned from sins
to occupatiojis.
How many of this city, for all they are usurers, yet would be
counted honest men, and would fain have usury esteemed as a
trade ! whereas, if it were not so gainful, it would be counted as great
a sin as any other, and so it is accounted of all but them which live
by it. This is the nature of pleasure and profit, to make sins seem
no sins, if we gain anything by them ; but the more gainful a sin
is, the more dangerous it is ; and the more gainful usury is, the
more dangerous it is. J will speak the more of it, because haply
^oushall not hea£,of lbis_matter again.
First, I will define what usury is ; secondly. I will shew you what
usury doth signify ; thirdly, I will shew the unlawfulness of it ;
fourthly, I will shew the kinds of it ; fifthly, I will shew the argu
ments which are alleged for it ; sixthly, I will shew the punishment
of it ; seventhly, I will shew you what opinion we should hold of
them which do not lend upon usury, but borrow upon usury ; lastly,
I will shew you what they should do which have got their riches
by usury.
Touching the first, usury is that pain which is-gotten-by lending,
for the use of a thing which a man lendgth. joyenanting before with
the borrower to receive more than was borrowed ; and therefore
one calls tlieTisurer^le^aiihief^-because before he steal, he tells the
party how much he will steal, as though he stole by the law. This
word more comes in like_a_ sixth finger,- which makes a monster,
because it is more than should be. Another defining usury, calleth
it the contrary to charity ; for Paul saith, ' Love seeketh not her
own,' but usury seeketh another's that is not her own ; therefore
usury is far from love ; but ' God is love,' saith John, 1 John iv. 8,
therefore usury is far from God too.

90 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
Now all the commandments of God are fulfilled by love, which
Christ noteth, when he draweth all the commandments to one com
mandment, which is, ' Love God above all things, and thy neighbour
as thyself/ Mat. xxii. 37 ; as if he should say, he which loveth God
will keep all the commandments which respect God ; and he which
loveth his neighbour, will respect all the commandments which
respect his neighbour ; therefore to maintain love, God forbiddeth
all_ihings_whiehr4iiiider_thisJove ; and amongst the rest, he forbid-
dethusury, as one of her deadliest enemies. For a man cannot
love and be an usurer, because usury is a kind of cruelty, and a
kind of extortion, and a kind of persecution ; and therefore the want
of love doth make usurers ; for if there were love there would be
no usujy, no deceit, no extortion, no slandering, no revenging, no
oppression ; but we should live in peace, and joy, and contentment,
like the angels./ Whereby you see that all our sins are against our
selves ; for if there were no deceit, we should not be deceived ; if there
were no slander, then we should not be slandered ; if there were
no envy, then we should not be envied ; if there were no extortion,
then we should not be injured ; if there were no usury, then we
should not be oppressed./ Therefore God's law had been better for
us than our own law ; for if his law did stand, then we should not
be deceived, nor slandered, nor envied, nor injured, nor oppressed.
God hath commanded every man to lend freely, Luke vi. 35 ; and
who would not borrow freely ? Therefore they which brought in
usury, brought in a law against themselves.
The first usurers which we read of were the Jews, which were for
bidden to be usurers ; yet for want of faith and love, Ezekiel and
Nehemiah do shew how the Jews, even the Jews, which received this
law from God himself, did swerve from it as they did from the rest,
Ezek. xviii. 1 3, Neh. v. 5. First, they did lend upon usury to stran
gers ; after they began to lend upon usury to their brethren ; and
now there be no such usurers .upon earth. as the JewsJ..W.hich_werej
forbidden to be usurers ; whereby you may see how the malice of
man hath turned malice into cruelty, Deut. xv. 1 0. For whereas
lending was commanded for the benefit of men, usury hath turned
it to the undoing of men ; for they take when they seem to give,
they hurt when they seem to help, they damage when they seem
to advantage ; therefore it is well noted that usury bath her name
oibiMng. And she may well signify biting, for many have not only
been bitten by it, but devoured by it ; that is, consumed all that
they have. Therefore as the apostle saith, Gal. v. 15, 'If you bite
one another, take heed ye be not devoured one of another.' So I

THE FIRST SERMON. 91
may say, if you be usurers one to another, take heed you be not
devoured one of another, for usurers are biters.
As the name of the devil doth declare what an enemy he is, so
the name of usury doth declare what an enemy she is. That you
may know usury for a biter, her name doth signify biting (neshec).
If there were one biting usury and another healing usury, then
usury should have two names, one of biting and another of healing;
but all .usury signifieth biting, to shew that all usury is unlawful.
Now, you have heard what usury is, and of what it is derived ;
) you shall hear the unlawfulness of it.
First, It is against the law of charity, because charity biddeth us
to give every man his awn, and to require no more than our own ;
but usury requireth more than our own, and gives not to other their
own. Charity rejoiceth to communicate her goods to other, and
usury rejoiceth to gather other men's goods to herself.
Segondly, It is against the law of nations ; for every nation hath
some law against usury, and some restraints against usurers, as you
shall hear when we speak of the punishment
Thirdly, As it is against the law of nations, so it is against the law
of nature ; that is, the natural compassion which should be amongst
men. You see a river when it goeth by an empty place, it will not
pass until it hath filled that empty place, and then it goeth forward
to another empty place, and filleth it; and so to another place, and
filleth it ; always filling the places which are empty. , So should
we ; the rich should fill the poor, the full should fill the hungry,
they which abound should fill them which want ; for the rich are
but God's almoners, and their riches are committed to them of God,
to distribute and do good, as God doth himself. As the water is
charitable after a sort, so is the jurj fox it goeth into empty places
too, and filleth them as the water doth. Nature cannot abide that
any place should be empty ; and therefore the air, though it be a
light body, and so naturally ascendeth upward, yet rather than any
place in the earth should be empty, the air will descend (as it were)
from his throne, and go into caves, into dens, and into dungeons, to
fill them. If the rich were so good to their empty brethren as the
air and water are to other empty things ; as there is no empty place
in the world, so there should be no empty person in the world; that
is, the rich in Israel would fill the poor in Israel. But the rich
make the poor to fill them:; for usurers feed upon the poor, even as
great fishes devour the small. Therefore he which said, ' Let there
not be a beggar in Israel,' Deut. xv. 4, said too, Let there not be an
usurer in Israel. For if there be usurers in Israel there will be

92 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
beggars in Israel ; for usurers make beggars, even as lawyers make
quarrellers. Fourthly, It is againstthe ;J.aw_of_God. First, It is forbidden in
Exod. xxii. 25, where it is said, 'If thou lend money unto my
people, that is, to the poor with thee, thou shalt not oppress them
with usury.' Here is usury called oppression; therefore if oppres
sion be a sin, usury is a sin too. Secondly, It is forbidden, Lev.
xxv. 37, where it is said, ' Thou shalt not give thy money to usury,
nor lend thy victuals for increase.' Here you may see that men
may be usurers of victuals and other things, as well as of money.
Thirdly, It is forbidden in Deut. xxiii. 19, where it is said, ' Thou
shalt not lend unto thy brother upon usury.' And lest you should
say that he meaneth but one kind of 'usury, he sheweth that he
meaneth all kinds of usury; for after, in the 19*h verse he saith,
' As usury of mbney, usury of victuals, usury of corn, or usury of
anything that is given to usury;' because some are no usurers of
money, but some are usurers of victuals, some are usurers of cloth,
some are usurers of corn, some are usurers of wine, some are usurers
of oil, and some of one thing, and some of another; and none would
be counted usurers but they which lend money unto usury ; there
fore God forbiddeth so precisely usury of anything, shewing that
all usury is unlawful.
It is a miserable occupation to live by sin, and a great comfort
to a man when he looketh upon his gold and silver, and his heart
telleth him, All this is well gotten; and when he lieth upon his
death-bed, and must leave all to his children, he can say unto them,
I leave you mine own ; but the usurer cannot say, I leave you mine
own, but I leave you other men's; therefore the usurer can never
die in peace, because if he die before he make restitution, he dieth
in his sin.
When Christ raised Lazarus from death, after he had lain four
days in the grave, he wept so over his sepulchre, that the standers
about said one to another, ' See how he loved him !' John xi. 36.
As it may be said of Christ, See how he loveth us! so it should be
saidjof us,..Sfie..how they love .one. anolher i For Christ said to his
disciples, John xv. 12, ' Love one another, as I have loved you;' but
it may be said of the usurer, See how he hateth others and loveth
himself! For when he saith that he lendeth for compassion, he
meaneth for compassion of himself, that he may gain by his pity.
The usurer loveth the borrower as the ivy lpyethjthe oak i the ivy
loveth the oak to grow up by it, so the usurer loveth the borrower
to grow rich by him. The ivy claspeth the oak like a lover, but it

THE FIRST SERMON. 93
claspeth out all the juice and sap, that the oak cannot thrive after
it; so the usurer lendeth like a friend, but he covenanteth like an
enemy; for he claspeth the borrower with such bonds, that ever
after he diminisheth as fast as the usurer increaseth.
Christ expounding the commandment which forbiddeth to steal,
saith, ' lend freely ;' : shewing that usury, because she lendeth not
freely, is a kind of theft, and the usurers a kind of thieves, or else
this exposition were not right. Therefore Zaccheus, Luke xix. 8, as
though he had stolen other men's goods, when he began to repent,
he restored them again fourfold, even as thieves are enjoined to
restore fourfold for that which they have stolen ;s so Zaccheus re
stored fourfold, as though he had stolen. It seemeth that Zaccheus
was no great thief, because be restored fourfold for all that he had
gotten wrongfully; for he got but the fourth part of his goods
wrongfully at the most, or else he could not have restored fourfold
again. But now, if some should restore fourfold for all that they
have gotten wrongfully, they should restore more than they have,
because all which usurers get, they get wrongfully ; for their occu
pation is a sin, Exod. xxii.; and therefore one saith, because they
cannot restore fourfold here, they shall suffer an hundredfold here
after. Amaziah is forbidden to strengthen himself with the armies of
Israel, only because Israel had offended God, 2 Chron. xxv. If
Amaziah might not join the armies of Israel with his armies to
strengthen them, darest thou join the goods of the poor with thy
goods to enrich thee? When God set Adam his work, he said, 'In
the sweat of thy brows thou shalt live,' Gen iii. 19 ; not in the sweat
of his brows, but in the sweat of thy brows; but the usurer liveth
in the sweat of his brows, and her brows, that is, by the pains and
cares, and, labours of another; for he taketh no pains himself, but
only expecteth the time when his interest will come in ; like the
belly, which doth no work, and yet eateth all the meat.
When God had finished his creation, he said unto man, and unto
beasts, and unto fishes, ' Increase and multiply,' Gen. i. 28; but he
never said unto money, Increase and multiply, because it is a dead
thing which hath no seed, and therefore is not fit to engender.
Therefore he which saith to his money, Increase and multiply, be-
gettetb a monstrous birth, like Anah, which devised a creature
which God had not created before, Gen. xxxvi. 24. Christ saith
to his disciples, ' If you love but them which love you, what are
1 Understand that his sermon upon the mount is an exposition of the command
ments, or else the text will not seem to imply this. 8 In some kind of theft.

94 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
you better than the publicans? for they love their brethren,' Mat.
v. 46; so may I say, If you will lend to none but to them which
will pay you usury for it, what are you better than the' Jews? for
the Jews would lend for usury; and if you be no better than the
Jews, then you shall speed ne better than they. For as Christ said,"
Mat v. 20, 'Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of
the Pharisees, your reward shall not exceed the reward of the
Pharisees;' so except your charity do exceed the charity of the
Jews, your reward shall not exceed the reward of the Jews. All
this doth shew, that the usurer is like Esau, of whom God said,
'Esau have I hated,' Mai. i. 3. Now in Ps. cxii., you shall see who
is like Jacob, of whom God saith, 'Jacob have I loved;' for there
David saith, 'A good man is merciful and lendeth;' and straight
upon it he setteth this crown, ' He shall never be moved, but be had
in perpetual remembranee;' as if he should say, This is the good
man's usury, this is his increase, even a good name and everlasting
joy. Again, in Exod. xxiii. it is said, ' Lend unto him which wanteth
without usury, that the Lord may bless thee;' as if he should say,
Let the Lord pay the increase, fear not to- be losers by doing good,
for God hath given his word to requite it himself. As he saith to
them which were afraid to pay tithes and offer sacrifice, ' Try me
if I will not pour down a blessing upon you,' Mai. iii. 1.0, Deut. xv.
10 ; so he seemeth to say to them which are afraid to lend, Try
me if I will not pour down a blessing upon you. Whom will you
trust, if you do not trust your Creator, your Father, your Redeemer,
your Preserver, and your Saviour?
Now you have heard the unlawfulness of usury, you shall hear
how many kinds there be of it. As other crafts are called mys
teries, so I may fitly call it the mystery of usury ; for they have
devised more sorts of usury than there be tricks at cards ; I cannot
reckon half, and I am afraid to shew, you all, lest I should teach
you to be usurers while I dissuadlTyou from usury. Yet I will
bring forth some ; and the same reasons which are alleged against
these shall condemn all the rest.
Some will not take usury, but they will have the use of your
pasture, or your land, or your orchard, or your team, or your_kine,
until you pay the money again, which in that time will grow to~a
greater gain to the usurer, and a greater loss to the borrower, than
if he had paid more money than other usurers are wont to take.
Some will not take usury, but they will take plate, and vessel
and tapestry, and bedding, and other household _stufly to use and
wear until their money comes home, which will lose more in wear-

THE FIRST SERMON. 95
ing than the interest of the money would come to. This usury is
forbidden in the second of Amos, where God complaineth, saying,
' They lie down upon the clothes which are laid to pledge ;' shewing
that we should not lie down upon such clothes, that is, we should
not use or wear the thing which is laid to pledge.
Some will take no usury, but they will take a pawn, which is
better than the money which they lend ; and then they will cove-
nant, that if he bring, not the money_again by such a day, he for-
feiteth his pawn ; which day the usurer knoweth that the poor man
is not able to keep, and so he keepeth the pawn for his money,
which is worth twice his money. This usury is forbidden in Lev.
xxv., where it is said, ' Thou shalt not take usury or vantage.' As
if he should say, Thou shalt not take the forfeiture, for then thou
takest vantage, when thou takest more than thou lendest.
Some will not take usury, but they will buy something at a small
price, and then covenant with the bonower that he buy the same
again of the same price at such a day; which day the usurer know
eth that the borrower is not able to keep, and so be getteth for a
little that which the other might have sold for much more. This
usury is condemned in 1 Thes. iv. 6, where it is said, ' Let no man
defraud or circumvent his brethren in anything.'
Some will not take usury, but they will lend their money to
occupiers, upon condition to be partakers in their gains, but not in
their losses. So one takes all the pains, and abideth all the ven
ture, ancTf be other that taketh no pains reapeth half the profit.
This usury is forbidden in 2 Thes. iii. 10, where it is said, ' He
which will not work, let him not eat.*
Some will not take usury, but if he be a labourer, or a mason, or
a carpenter, which borroweth of him, he will covenant with him for
so many days'. work; he shall labour with him so many days, or so
many weeks, for no money, but the loan of money. This usury is
condemned in Luke x. 7, where it is said, ' The labourer is worthy
of his hire.'
Some will not take usury, but if you have not present money to
pay for their wares, they will set a high price on them for the for
bearing of the time ; and so they do not only sell their wares, but
tiieylsell time tooTthat is, they do not only sell their own, but they
sell God's own. Therefore, one saith of these, When he selleth tbe
day, be selleth the light ; and when he selleth the night, he selleth
rest • therefore, when he would have the light of heaven, and the
rest of paradise, it shall be said unto him, that he hath sold both
already : for he sold light when he sold the day, and he sold rest

96 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
when he sold the night ; and therefore now he can have neither
light nor rest. Hereafter let not the Londoners say that they give
time, but that they sell time.
There be other usurers which will not lend- themselves, but give
leave to their wives, and they play like hucksters, that is, every
month a penny for a shilling, which is one hundred for another
in the year.
But that I was informed of them since this sermon was preached,
I had left out our capital usurers, which will not lend any money,
because they dare not require so much gain as they would have ;
but if you would borrow a hundred pound, they will give you wares
worth threescore pound, and you shall answer them an hundred
pound, for it. These are the usjorers^general, which lurk about the
city like rats, and weasels, and fumers,1 of whom may be said the
same which is said of the devils, 1 Peter v. 8, ' They seek whom they
may devour.'
There be other cousins to usurers which are not counted usurers;
such as take money for that which they should give freely; such as
take as much for a counterfeit, as for the best ; such as take a fee
of a client, and do him no pleasure ; such as take money for masses,
and dirges, and trentals,, and pardons, and such like drugs, which
do no more good than fire out of the chimney. This is a kind of
usury, and deceit besides, which one day they will cast away, as
Judas did his thirty pence.
Now you have heard of the kinds of usury, you shall hear the
arguments which are devised for usury.
Sin is never complete until it be excused ; this is the vantage
which the devil getteth by every sin. Whensoever he can fasten any
temptation upon us, we give him a sin for it, and an excuse to boot,
as Adam our father did. First he sinned, and then he excused,
Gen. iii. 12 ; so first we sin, and then we excuse ; first an usurer, and
then anj3xcuser ; therefore, every usurer will defend usury with his
tongue, though he condemn it with his conscience. If the image-
makers of Ephesus had not lived by images, they would have spoken
for images no more than the rest ; for none stood for images but the
image-makers, Acts xix. 25 ; so if the usurers did not live by usury,
they should speak for usury no more than the rest ; for none stand
for usury but usurers.
It is an easy matter (if a man be disposed) to speak something
for every vice ; and some defend the stews, some defend non-resi
dency, some defend swearing by my faith, some defend bolvung"
1 That is, * pole-cats. ' — Ed.

THE FIRST SERMON. 97
upon the Sabbath, and some defend usury ; but, ' Will you plead
for Baal ?' saith Joash, Judges vi. 31 ; that is, will you plead for sin,
which will plead against you ? A sin is ' sin when it is defended ;
nay, a sin is two sins when it is defended ; for, ' He that breaketh
one of the least commandments' (saith Christ), ' and teacheth others
to do so, is the least in the kingdom of heaven,' Mat. v. 19. A
squire of low degree is a squire of no degree ; so the least in the king
dom of heaven is none of the kingdom of heaven. Who then is the
least mjthe_kingdom. of heaven ? Not he which breaketh the least
of the commandments, but h_e which teacheth others .to 3° so; that
is, he which by defending, and excusing, and mincing, and extenu
ating his sin, encourageth others to sin too.
To defend usury, 'they distinguish upon it, as they distinguish of
lying. As they say, there is a pernicious lie, and an officious lie,
and a merry lie, and a godly lie ; so they say, there is a merchant's
usury, and the stranger's usury, and the widow's usury, and the
orphan's usury, and the poor man|s usury, and the biting usury, and
the charitable usury, and the necessary usury. As God said, ' Ye
shall die ;' and the woman said, ' Peradventure ye shall die ;' and
the serpent said, ' Ye shall not die ; ' so there be three opinions of
¦ usury. Some say, like God, ' Thou shalt die ;' they think that usury
is utterly unlawful, because God hath utterly forbidden it : some say
like to the woman, 'Peradventure thou shalt die ;' they doubt whether
usury be utterly unlawful or no, because it is so much tolerated ;
some say like the serpent, 'Thou shalt. not die;' they think that
usury is lawful, because it is gainful, as Saul thought that the idola
ters' beasts should not be killed, because they were fat, 1 Sam. xv.
9. But as he was commanded to kill the fat beasts as well as the
lean beasts ; even so we are commanded to kill fat sins, as well as
lean sins ; gainful sins, as' well as prodigal sins.
They which plead for usury object these arguments : First, they
say, God doth allow some kind of usury ; for in Deut. xxiii. it is said,
' Of a stranger thou mayest take usury.' I perceive no scriptures
speaketh for usurers. ' Of a stranger,' saith God, ' thou mayest take
usury ;' but thou takest usury of thy brother ; therefore this con
demneth thee, because thou usest thy brother like a stranger. Here
stranger doth signify the Jews' enemies, whom they were commanded
to destroy ; therefore mark how much this maketh against usury, which
they object for usury. !/ God doth not license the Jews to take usury
of any but their enemies, whom they might kill, j They might not
be usurers unto any, but to them of whom they might be destroyers,
VOL. I. o

98 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
whom they might slay ; of them only they might take usury ; shew
ing that usury is a kind of punishment, and such a kind of punish
ment as, if we are to kill a man, it were a very fit punishment for
him ; and therefore the Jews might take usury of none but them
whom they might kill. I hope usurers will allege this Scripture no
more. Secondly, They say they lend for compassion, and so make usury
a work of charity. This were charity: not to be partakers in our
gains, but to be partakers in our losses ; but usurers will be par
takers in our gains, but not in our losses ; nay, though we lose, yet
they will gain. Is this charity ? It is usurers' charity.
Thirdly, They say, If he gain, and I gain too, is not this well ?
may he not consider my friendship, and be thankful ? Yes, he may
be thankful ; but no man is bound to be thankful, but when he
hath received a good turn, then he is tried whether he will be
thankful or no ; and if he requite thy courtesy, then he is thank
ful ; but if thou bind him to requite it, then thou art covetous.
Fourthly, They say, Usury is necessary for orphans, and widows,
and strangers, which have no other way to get their living, and
therefore some. usury must be tolerated. If usury be necessary
for us, how did the Jews without it ? Did God think it good for
the state of their commonweal to be without usurers ; and is it
good for the state of our commonweal to have usurers ? This is
wisdom against God.
Fifthly, They say, If I may not gain by the money which I lend,
I will lend no more, but keep my money to myself. Nay, that is
as bad, to keep thy money from them which need, as to lend thy
money for usury ; for Christ saith, Mat. v. 42, ' From him which
borroweth, turn not away thy face ;' therefore thou art bound to
lend. As he hath a curse in Prov. xi., which keepeth his corn when
he should sell it unto them which hunger, so he hath a curse in
Ezek. xviii., which keepeth his money when he should lend it unto
them which want.
Sixthly, They say, Because usury comes of biting, the biting usury
is only forbidden, and none but the biting usury. Why, then, all
usury is forbidden, for all usury cometh of biting ; so the wise God
hath given it a name to condemn it.
Lastly, they allege the law_o£tiieJand_for it, and say, The queen's
statute doth allow us to take upon usury ten in the hundred. These
are like the Jews, John xix. 7, which said, ' We have a law, and by
our law he shall die.' When they could not say, By God's law he
shall die, then they say, By our law he shall die ; so when they

THE FIRST SERMON. 99
cannot say, By God's law we may take usury, they say, By man's
law we may take usury. This is the poorest defence of all the rest ;
for if God's law forbid thee, can any law of man excuse thee ? As
it would not serve Adam to say, ' The woman bade me,' Gen. iii.,
so it will not serve the usurer to say, The law doth license me ; for
though peradventure our law doth tolerate more than should be
tolerated, yet I. would have you know that our law doth not allow
ten in the hundred^ nor five in the hundred, nor one in the hundred,
nor any usury at all ; but there is a restraint in our law, that no
usurer take above ten in the, hundred, It doth not allow ten in the
hundred, but punisheth that tyrant which exacteth above ten in
the hundred. It is much like that toleration which we read of
divorces : Mat. xix. 8, ' For the hardness of men's hearts,' Christ
saith, that Moses did suffer the man and wife to part asunder ; so
for the hardness of men's hearts our Moses, our prince, is fain to
suffer as it were a kind of usury, because otherwise no man would
lend. These are the best excuses which our usurers have to plead for
themselves against they come before the tribunal seat of God ; and
if their reasons will not stand before men, nor their own conscience,
how will they stand before the Lord ? and yet he which speaketh
to these, maketh himself _a_moct. Christ preacEeoTmany sermons,
and never was scorned at any;, but when he preached against
covetousness, then it is said that he was mocked, Luke xvi. 14,
shewing that these kind of men are most incorrigible, and wedded
to their sin, till death make them part. Yet (for their greater con
demnation) we are commanded to speak to them which will not
hear, Ezek. ii. 5, of which number is every reader ofjthis sermon, if
he be an usurer after.
Now you long to hear what a usurer is like. To what shall I
liken this generation ? They are lie a butler's boxj for as all the
counters at last come to the butler, so all the money at last cometh
to the usurer ; ten after ten, and ten after ten, and ten to ten,
till at last he receive not only ten for an hundred, but an hundred
-for ten. This is the only difference, that the butler can receive no
more than he delivered, but the usurer receiveth more than he de
livereth. They are even like a moth, that eateth a hole in cloth,, sc
usury eateth a hole in silver. If you have a piece of silver which
is as much as an hundred pounds, in one year usury will eat a hole
in it as big as ten pounds ; in two years, she will eat a hole as big
as twenty pounds ; in three years, she will eat a hole as big as
thirty pounds. Nay, now they say he is but a bad husband which

100 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
cannot eat a hole as big as fifty pounds in a year, that is, which
cannot gain half in half. How many holes have their moths eaten
in poor men's garments ! They are like non-residents, that is, such
bad members that no man speaketh for but themselves. As no man
standeth for non-residency but he which is a non-resident, or he
which will be a non-resident, so no man standeth for usury but he
which is an usurer, or he which would be an usurer.
They are like Jezebel, which said, ' Let me alone, I have a way,'
1 Kings xxi. 7. If there be no way to live, saith the false steward,
Luke xvi. 4, I know what to do, I will deceive. So if there be no
way to live, saith the usurer, I know what to do, I will oppress. If
I cannot live by buying, nor by selling, nor by flattering, nor by
labouring, I will live by oppression. But as one in his comment
speaks to the false steward, Thou sayest, I know what to do; but
dost thou know what thou shalt suffer? so I say to usurers, You say
you know what to do ; but do you know what ye shall suffer ? In
deed, he knoweth not what to do, which knoweth not to do well ;
and therefore Christ said of his persecutors, Luke xxiii. 34, ' that
they knew not what they did.' Here I will end the first day's ex
amination. Now I may conclude with Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 10, ' I have
not spoken, but the Lord ;' and therefore, as the Lord said unto Saul,
Acts ix. 5, 2 Cor. xi. 8, that he persecuted him, so_tiieyjwhich_resist
this doctrine do condemn him, and not me.

THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.

THE SECOND SERMON.

It remaineth that we speak of the usurer's punishment. Then what
may bd thought of them which do not take usury, but give usury.
Lastly, what they should do which have got their riches by usury.
To begin with-the-j>rmishment ; not_only God's law, buteyen the
, canon law doth so condemn usury, that first it doth excommunicate
him from the church, as though he- had no communion with saints.
Secondly, It doth detain him from the sacraments, as though he
had no communion with Christ.
Thirdly, It doth deprive him of his sepulchre, and will not suffer
him to be buried, as though he were not worthy to lie in the earth, but
to lie in hell.
Lastly, It maketh his will to be no will, as though his goods were
not his own ; for nothing is ours but that which we have rightly
got, and therefore we say, It is mine by right, as though it were
not ours unless it be ours by right. This is the judgment of man's
law. Now youjshjdl_bear thejudgment of_God's law. An usurer doth
receive two incomes, one of the borrower, and another of the re
venger ; of the borrower he looks for gain, but of the revenger he
looks for punishment. Therefore all the Scripture prophesieth evil
unto him, as Micaiah did to Ahab. Solomon saitb, Prov. xxviii. 8,
' He which increaseth his riches by usury, gathereth for them which
will be merciful to the poor ;' as if he should say, When he hath
loaden himself like a cart, he shall be unloaden like a cart again,
and they shall inherit his money for whom he did never gather it ;
for he which is unmerciful to the poor, meaneth not to gather for
them which will be merciful to the poor. But Solomon saith, that
they shall be his heirs which will be merciful as he was unmerciful.

102 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
Now mark whether this prophecy of Solomon be true. I know not
how many in this city do increase by usury ; but this prophecy
seemeth to be verified of many, for it is noted, that the riches and lands,
ofakjermenand rnercbj©jfe„aBdjat^^
nor endure so well, as the riches and lands of gth^SnJhsjiS)m^IJ.
and that their children. do not prove so well as others, nor come to
that place in the commonweal, which for their wealth their parents
looked that they should come to. I can give no reason for it but the
reason of Solomon, ' He which increaseth by usury, gathereth for
them which will be merciful to the poor ;' that is, their riches shall go
from their heirs to God's heirs, according to that Prov. xiii. 22, ' The
riches of the sinner is laid up for the righteous,' that is, the righteous
shall enjoy that which the wicked gathereth.
All riches are uncertain, but the riches which are evil gotten are
most uncertain ; they may be called moveable goods, for they are
very mnvpabl^ likp. thp. nlonds, which never rest till they fall as they
climb. God saith, that he will smite the usurer with his fist, Ezek.
xxii. 13; not with the palm of his hand, but with his fist, which
giveth a greater blow. As his hands were shut against the poor, so
God's hands shall be shut against him, that his punishment may be
like his sin. But if you will hear their final sentence, David saith
here, that they 'shall not dwell in God's temple, nor rest in his holy
mountain.' Then we will seek no more punishments, for this
punishment is all punishments. If they shall not come to heaven,
whose then shall those riches be? Nay, whose then shall the
-Jififfiaux^be when the day cometh ? _Jf he shall not rest in heaven,
O^njip. shall rest_.in hell. jwJbacq_a.a-r.eat-.ia,. . Then saith one, the
usurer shall cry unto his children, (Jursed be you, my children,
because you were the cause of these torments ; for lest you should
be poor, I was an usurer, and robbed others to leave riches unto
you. To whom the children shall reply again, Nay, cursed be you,
father, for you were the cause of our torments ; for if you had not
left us other men's goods, we had not kept other men's goods. Thus
when they are cursed of God, they shall en rap, one another ; curse.
the Lord for condemning them, curse their sins for accusing them,
Qiirse. their parents for begetting them, and curse themselves because
they cannot help themselves. As they which are blessed do no
thing but bless^sothey which are accursed do nothing but curse.
Tbis is the second usury, which the usurer shall receive of God,
after he hath received usury of men ; then the name of usury shall
be fulfilled. As it signifieth biting, so when it hath bitten others, it
1 Qu. 'owner'?— Ed.

THE SECOND SERMON. 103
shall bite the usurer too, and never rest biting; then they shall wish
that they could restore again, as Zaccheus did, Luke xix. and shall
not restore because their money is gone. Therefore if Christ be
come to your hearts, as he came to Zaccheus's house, restore now as
Zaccheus did, and escape this judgment. This is the end of the
usurer and his money ; if they stay together till death, yet at last
there shall be a division, J__e_d_vjl shall take his soul, thfi_earth_shall
take his body, the_strangeis.shall take his goods, and thejiiojarners
shall rejoice under their blacks, and say, Wickedness is come to the
grave. Therefore if thou wouldst not be counted an usurer then,
refrain to be an usurer now, for they whieh are usurers now shall
be counted usurers then. Thus you have heard the usurers' pay
ment. Now if you would know whether it be unlawful to give usury,
as it is unlawful to take usury, I wish that you could resolve your
selves, that I might not speak of it ; for I have heard some preachers
say, that there be some truths whieh they would be loath to preach ;
and so there be some truths which I would be loath to preach, be
cause many hear by halves ; and some for malice or ignorance will
take things otherwise than they are spoken ; yet because I have
promised, I will speak something of it.
Well then, may we neither take usury nor give usury ? I know
that Jeremiah saith, ' I have_nojQem^jrpjm_u^u/yJ;o^
have others lent upon usury to me,' Jer. xv. 10 ; as though both
were unlawful, not only to take usury, but to give usury. But
thereby Jeremiah doth signify, that he was no meddler in the world,
whereby they should envy him Hke other men ; and therefore he
cleareth himself chiefly from usury, because usurers were most
envied. And to shew that he was not an usurer, he saith, that he
was no borrower, which is more lawful than to be an usurer ; like a
man which saith, I do neither hate him, nor know him ; why, it was
lawful to know him ; but to prove that he did not hate him, he
saith that he doth not know him.
So Jeremiah, to prove that he had not lent upon usury, doth say,
that he never borrowed upon usury, which many will do that will
not lend. The best .exfiositar&^aiss~&hi&^ I know be
sides, that Christ did cast forth the buyers out of the temple, as well
as the sellers. But that was not fo'r buying, but for buying in the
temple, where they should not buy, but pray ; or else it was as law
ful to buy anything as it is lawful to use it..
I know, besides, that it is a common saying, If there were no
buyers, there would be no sellers ; if there were no bribe-givers,

104 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
there would be no bribe-takers. But in this case it may be rather
said, If there were no takers, there would be no givers ; for the
giver doth not make the receiver to take, but the receiver doth
make the giver to give, because he will not lend unless the other
will give him for the loan ; therefore, as we say, the receiver makes
the thief, so I may say, the receiver of usury makes_the giver^of
usury^ Therefore I would be loath to compare them which are con
strained to borrow upon usury, unto them which did buy in the
temple, and were not constrained more than they which sold in the
temple. Much less may I compare them which give usury, unto
them which take usury ; for there is as great odds between them as
there is between giving and taking, or between covetousness and
necessity ; for the one is covetousness, and the other is necessity.
He which lendeth for usury, lendeth for covetousness ; but he which
borroweth upon usury, borroweth for necessity.
Now, for necessity God hath allowed many things ; as, for neces
sity it was lawful for Adam's sons to marry with Adam's daughters,
because there were no other women ; for necessity it was lawful for
David to"eat the shew-bread, because he had no other food, 1 Sam.
xxi. 6 ; for necessity it was lawful to work, and heal, and fight upon.
the Sabbath, which was not lawful but for necessity, Luke xiii. 10 ;
therefore, for necessity, why may not a man pay more than he
borrowed ? Seeing no scripture doth forbid us to pay more than we
borrowed, but to require more than we lend, some do think, that
as God did use the ambition of Absalom, and the malice of Pharaoh,
and the treachery of Judas, unto good, so men may use the covet
ousness of usurers unto good ; that is, to help at need, when a man
is like to be undone, and his children east away, and his lease for
feited, and many inconveniences beside like to ensue (which you
know better than I), unless he have present money at some time to
prevent a mischief. For example hereof, I may allege how Jacob
did use the sin of Laban, Gen. xxxi. 53. Laban did evil in swear
ing to idols ; but Jacob did not evil in receiving such an oath of
him, though it was an unlawful oath ; so though the usurer doth
evil in taking usury, yet a man doth not evil in giving usury. Be
side, I may allege the example of Abraham and Abimelech : Abra
ham made a covenant with Abimelech ; to confirm this covenant,
Abraham sware and Abimelech sware, Gen. xxi. 31, Abraham
sware by the true God, but Abimelech sware by his false gods, and
yet Abraham did receive his oath, and sinned not /So^if Her
Majesty and the Turk should make a covenant, the Turk would

THE SECOND SERMON. 105
not swear as the queen would swear, for the queen would swear by
the Lord, but the Turk would swear by Mahomet. If it be lawful
then to receive such an oath, though it be an unlawful oath, why
may it not be lawful for me to give more than I borrowed, though
it be unlawful for the usurer to take more than he lent ? Beside, a
prince may not lawfully pardon a murderer, yet I think that no
man will say in haste, that he which hath committed murder may
not take a pardon. As this unlawful giving doth not make the
taking unlawful, so the other unlawful taking doth not make the
giving unlawful. Besides, it is lawful to suffer injury,, though it be
unlawful to offer injury,; it is lawful to suffer injury, as Christ paid
tribute, which was injury, Mat. xvii. 27, but it is not lawful to offer
injury, because there are six commandments against it.
Now, to take usury is, as it were, to offer injury ; but to give
usury is, as it were, to suffer injury ; therefore, though I may not
take more than I lent, yet may I give more than I borrowed.
Moreover, I may compare giving of usury to swearing ; if a man
swear without a cause, he sinneth ; but if he swear as the word
teacheth him to swear, he sinneth not ; so, if a man borrow upon
usury, and borrow without cause, he sinneth, because he feedeth the
usurer ; but else, as a man may swear in some case, so in some case
a man may borrow upon usury ; that is, in cagej)f jieaessity, when
a man must needs borrow, and can borrow of none but usurers.
Lastly, I may allege that usury and usurers are never read in the
Scripture but they signify him that takes usury, not him which
gives usury ; and therefore the Scripture seemeth to forbid taking,
but not giving.
Many reasons more are alleged, which I cannot refute, and there
fore I will not contradict them. Yet I mean not to decide the
question, because I will not be mistaken. But if some should come
unto me in that necessity and extremity which I can imagine, and
ask, May I borrow money of these usurers to save my life, or my
credit, or my living, seeing no man will lend, me freely ? I would
answer him as the prophet answered Naaman, neither Do, nor Do
not, but 'Go in peace.' I will not forbid thee, nor I will not con
demn thee ; butifj^frvcwr^^ think thy
sin one of the least sins; and as Naaman prayed, ' Lord, be merciful
unto me in this,' 2 Kings v. 18, so I think the Lord will be mer
ciful unto thee in this. But if thy conscience go against it, then do
it not ; for it is sin to thee, though it be free for another, because
' whatsoever is not done of faith is sin,' Rom. xiv. 23. I charge you,
in the fear of God, that you do not mistake that which is said, for

106 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
I know no learned preacher nor learned writer of other mind.
Yetj£st I should mistake the matter, as I distinguished of lenders,
so I will distinguish of borrowers.
If some, may borrow upon'usury, it doth not follow that all may
borrow upon usury, because all have not the like cause ; ^therefore
do not say that I teach you_ to JbojTOw„irpo^usurj^ for I think that
the most in this city~which borrow upon usury should not borrow
as they do, because they rather maintain usury than supply their
necessity. Some I know borrow from mere necessity: if any may
be allowed, these are they ; JjuiAherejsj^indjjfJ^
citvwhich-feed. usurers as the bellows kindle the fire so they have
no need to borrow; but because they would be rich, and richer,
and richest of all, therefore they will employ all the money which
they can borrow, thinking to get more by the use of it than the
usury of it doth come to. This maketh tMp/m aell their wares so
dear, because they must not only gain the price, but the interest
beside, and more than the interest too, or else they gain nothing.
These borrowers are in . another predicament than those which
borrow for necessity, and therefore if they be not old enough to
answer for themselves, I am too young to answer for them. There
are_other borrowers__ajs , I have beard, which for some secret cause
would seeui_b_acerand needier than" they are, either because they
would not be charged deeply"with' subsidies, or else because they
would compound with their creditors for a little ; therefore they
will have always something for usury, that their creditors may
think them bare of money, or that others may pity them in their
charges. These are like those foxes which have wealth enough, to
pay their debts, and yet lie in prison because they would defraud
their creditors. I doubt not but there be more sorts than I know ;
I_can^pJJiujit^yejr^_co^ie^b^^Se I want, experience/ .But this
is my conclusion, I would have no man pay interest unto usurers
but for necessity, even as a traveller giveth his purse unto a thief
because he cannot choose. Thus you have heard what I can say
of them which take usury and them which give usury.
Now you would understand the last question : If you have been
usurers already, what, ghnnlrl ynn do WJ+k that mnnpy which you
.have gained-hy- usury? Surely even as Zaccheus did, restore it
again. If you cannot say as Samuel said, 1 Sam. xii. 3, ' Whose
goods have I taken V then you must say as Zaccheus said, Luke
xix., Whose goods have I kept ? The best thing is, to do no man
wrong ; but the next to that is, to make him amends. This God
signifieth when he saith, Josh. vi. 18, 'Put away the execrable thing

THE SECOND SERMON. 107
from you ; that is, let no unlawful thing stay in your hands, like
the wedge of Achan which he had got by sin. The same law serveth
for all which is got wrongfully, which was instituted agamst thieves,
Restore it again.' The reason of this law is, because the sin is not
remitted until TiEeTJebt belJatorecT "*"" "
. For as humility is the repentance of pride, and abstinence is the
repentance of surfeit, and alms is the repentance of covetousness,
and forgiveness is the repentance of malice, so restitution is the
repentance of usury. As he which is not humble doth not repent
his pride, he which doth not abstain doth not repent his gluttony,
he which doth not forgive doth not repent his malice, so he which
doth not restore doth not repent his usury ; for how cau he be said
to repent for his usury which liveth by usury still ? Therefore
Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iv. 27, ' Break off thy sins by
righteousness,' shewing that nothing but righteousness can break
unrighteousness. (As_di§sases are healed by the contrary, so pride
is healed by humility, gluttony by abstinence, malice by forgive
ness, covetousness by alms,* and usury by restoring^ This Paul
calleth the revenge of a Christian, 2 Cor. vii. 11, when he takes
revenge upon his sins, and punisheth his lusts, so that he maketh
them do contrary to that which they would do. Therefore you
must restore that which you have gotten by usury, or else you do
not repent of your usury.
As a camel, when he comes home, casteth off his burden at the
door, that he may enter into his stable ; so they which are laden
with other men's goods, when they go to heaven, must leave their
burden where they had it, lest they be too gross to get in at the
narrow gate. But as the disciples of Christ said, John vi. 60,
' This is a hard speech ;' so to them which have got most that they
have by unlawful means, this is a hard speech to bid them restore
it again. There be two great rubs in the way ; — ,
First. The loss which they shall sustain if they restore again all
which they have got unjustly ; then the difficulty to restore it again
to the right parties. If you ask me, as Amaziah asked the pro
phet, ' How shall we do for those hundred talents ?' 2 Chron. xxv.
9. How shall I live when all is gone that I have gotten wrong
fully ? I can say no more than the prophet said to him, ' The
Lord is able to give thee more than this.' Zaccheus did not fear
how he should live, but Zaccheus did fear to offend, Luke xix ;
so thou shouldst not fear to restore other men's goods, but thou
shouldst fear to keep other men's goods ; and as Zaccheus lived when
he had restored, so shalt thou live when thou hast restored. He

108 THE EXAMINATION OF USURY.
which saith, Mai. iii. 10, ' Try me if I will not pour down a bless
ing ;' try him whether he will not pour down a blessing ; for he hath
promised to bless the lender as well as the sacrifices Deut. xv. 10.
He which is the Lord of all can give thee more wealth than thou
needest, but if you cannot restore to the owner, nor to his heirs,
then_giye it to the poor, for they are the next heirs ; and repent
that thou hast kept it so long, but in no wise thou mayest keep it
unto thyself, because it is none of thine.
When Hezekiah was like to die, Isaiah said unto him, ' Set thy
things in order before thou die,' Isa. xxxviii. 1. That which he
advised him, he adviseth all ; set your things in order before you
die. What is this to set things in order, but to restore unto every
one his own ? When thou bequeathest thy body to the earth, then
thy body is set in order; when thou bequeathest thy soul to God,
then thy soul is set in order ; when thou bequeathest thy goods to
the owners, then thy goods are set in order ; therefore if thou die
with other men's goods in thy hand, then thou diest before thou
hast set things in order, and then thou diest in thy sins, and then
no promise in all the Scripture appertaineth unto thee, because
nothing is promised unto sinners, but unto penitent sinners.
Therefore, that you may not die in your sins, it is necessary to
make restitution before you die, or else you die in your sin, and
are crossed out of all the joys of heaven. Wherefore, as Abner
said to Joab, 2 Sam. ii. 26, ' Knowest thou not that it will be
bitterness in the latter end ?' so remember whether this course
will be sweet or bitter in the end. If they be condemned, which
give not their own goods to them which need, like the rich glutton*
how can they be saved which draw other men's goods from them,
that have more need of theirs ?
Thus you have heard the definition of usury, and the derivation
of it, and the unlawfulness of it, and the kinds of it, and the punish
ment of it, and the arguments which are alleged for it, and what
may be thought of them which do not take usury but give usury,
and what they should do which have got their living by usury.
Now, seeing you may not be usurers to men, let every man here
after be an usurer to God, which promiseth, Mat xix. 29, ' If thou
leave father or mother, or wife or children; or house or land, for
him ;' not ten in the hundred, but an hundred for ten, nay, ' an
hundred for one, and in the world to come life everlasting,' that is,
a thousand for one. That we receive this usury, let us pray that
the words which we have heard out of this psalm may dwell with
us till we dwell in heaven.

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACEIFICE.

EPISTLE DEDICATORY.

To my late Auditors, the Congregation of Clement Danes, all the
good will which I can wish.
Beloved in Christ Jesus, my first fruits, I have nothing but this
mite to leave with you, which is the sum of all my sermons. Ye
have heard it already ; and as the apostle calls the Corinthians his
epistle, 2 Cor. iii. 2, so ye should be my sermon ; that is, my ser
mon should be printed in your hearts, as this is_printed in paper.
If you have not given your hearts to him that sent for them, now
think that God hath sent for them again, and hear me writing,
whom ye cannot hear speaking. Take not custom for religion ;
shun occasion as well as sin ; seek the use of everything ; desire
not to have your kingdom here. And so I leave you all with
Christ, whom I have preached, to bring forth the fruit of that seed
which is sown, beseeching you for all the love that you have of
heaven, that ye would not count anything in this world worthy to
keep your hearts from God, but think of the day when ye shall
give account for every sermon which ye have heard ; and he which
hathcalled you hi this prison will glorify you in his palace, where
ye shall see him to whom ye have given your hearts, and enjoy that
blessing of blessings which makes all the world to worshio_him.
The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath begun to draw
you to his kingdom, never leave you until you come unto it. Amen.
Your late unworthy servant for the Lord,
H. S.

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.

My son, give me thy heart. — Prov. XXIII. 26.
To bind all the lessons together which ye have learned since I
came, this sentence came unto my mind, 'My son, give me thy heart,'
which is the sum of all that ye have heard, and shews in what
chest you should lay up these treasures in your heart, and then
give that heart to God, and he will keep all safe, Job xxii. 22, Luke
ii. 19, Ps. xxxvii. 22, Dan. vii. 28.
A supplication is come, as it were, from God to man, that man
would send God his heart ; penned by Solomon, under the name
of Wisdom, Prov. ix. 1, and directed to her sons. JWisdom entreateth
her sons that they would give her their hearts. This Wisdom is
God ; we by adoption are his sons, Rom. viii. 1 5, Gal. iv. 24, and
our heart is that which Christ calls ' spirit and truth,' John iv. 24,
without hypocrisy. Give me that heart, saith God. He which gives
anything to another, considers before what he loves, and gives that
which he thinks will be accepted, that he may be loved for the
gift ; therefore David, as though he were at a stand, and sorrowed '
that he could not do enough for God, breaks forth to himself, ' What
shall I give unto the Lord for all that he hath given me ?' Ps. cxvi. 12.
The Lord hearing, as it were, these sighs of his servants which care
and study what they may do to please him, comes in their suspense^
and like a friend which desires nothing but good will, answers from
heaven, 'My son, .givejne. thyjheart' Under which suit he taxeth
them beside which are suitors always to him, and look still to re
ceive like the publicans, but never cast in their mind what they
should give ; therefore their tribute is set down by equal measure
under the king's seal, every man must homage his heart.
He which always gave, now craves; and he which craves always,

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 113
now gives. Christ stands at the door like a poor man, and asks
not bread, nor clothes, nor lodgings, which we should give to his
members, but our heart, that is, even the continent of all, and
governor of man's house, which sits on the bench like a judge to
give the charge, and teacheth the tongue to speak, the hand to
work, the foot to walk, the ear to attend, the eye to observe, the
mind to choose, and the flesh to obey. That we must present to
God, like a burnt-sacrifice, wherein all is offered together, Lev. i. 9,
a wise tongue, a diligent hand, a wary foot, a watchful eye, an at
tentive ear, an humble mind, an obedient flesh, put all together,
and it is but the heart : ' My son/ saith . God, LgiEfijmihyJaeaxt.' i
Here thou art a giver, God the petitioner, thy heart the gift which
he claimeth by the name of a son. Should God be a suppliant unto
thee and me, but that our unthankfulness condemns us, that for
all the things which he hath given unto us, we never considered
yet what we should give unto him before he asketh ? He is fain to
put in his petition like a suitor, and say, ' Give me thy heart' ....
Mark what God hath chosen for himself : not that which any
other should lose by, like the demands of them which care for none
but themselves, but that which, being given to God, moves us to
give unto every man his due, as Zaccheus, when he gave heart to
Christ, parted his goods to the poor, and restored to all that which
he had gotten by wrong, Luke xix. 8.
Once God required offerings and sacrifices which men were un
willing to give, beeause it was a dear service of God, Mai. i. 13, and
iii. 13; but now he saith that the heart is more than all burnt-
offerings and sacrifices, Mark xii. 33. Jacob loved Joseph more
than all his brethren, Gen. xxxvii., so God loveth the heart more
than all her fellows ; this mite God will have for all his benefits,
which we may best afford him. Thy alms to the poor, thy counsel
to the simple, thy inheritance to thy children, thy tribute to Caesar,
but thy heart to God ; he which is a Spirit requires a spirit, John
iv. 24, and delights to dwell in the hearts of men. Here God
plants himself, as m^jgastle ^which is always besieged with the
world, the flesh, and the devil. If the enemy get a thought, or a
word, or a work, yet he hath but razed the walls ; but if he take
the heart, then the fortress is lost. For that time all our thoughts,
words, and works are captive unto him : he bids them go, and they
go ; do, and they do it.
That man is like Esau, which had an inheritance, whieh had a
heart, but now he hath not possession of his own ; therefore, give
God thy heart, that he may keep it ; not a piece of thy heart, not
VOL. I. H

114 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
a room in thy heart, but thy heart The heart dividacLdietL, God
is not like the mother which would have the child divided, but like
the natural mother which said, Rather than it should be divided,
let her take all. Let the devil have all, if he which gave it be not
worthy of it. God hath Tin mpe-ma,te. .therefore he will have no
parting of stakes, but all or none ; and therefore, he which asks
here thy heart, in the sixth of Deuteronomy and the fifth verse,
asketh 'all thy heart, all thy soul, and all thy strength ;' thrice he
requireth all, lest we should keep a thought behind ; yet it is thy
heart, that is, a vain heart, a barren heart, a sinful heart, until thou
give it unto God, and then it is the spouse of C.hrist, the templeof
the Holy Ghost, and the image of God, so changed, and formed, and
refined7that God calls it a new heart.
Some have a double heart, as it is in the twelfth Psalm, ver. 2 ;
but God acknowledgeth but one heart, saying, 'Give me thy heart ;'
not, Give thy hearts, declaring that a single heart is pleasing unto
him, and that they which have a double heart, ' a heart and a heart,'
have never a good heart.
God doth not require the heart, as though he required no more
but the heart, like the pope, which saith, Give me thy heart, it
sufficeth. To maintain his jjapists pendant and crouchant, which
live amongst Christians, he requireth nothing of such but their
heart, that they may worship God with their' lips, but dissemble
their religion, and forswear their opinion, and come to sermons, and
subscribe to our laws, and seem protestants. As the deviTTIcenseth
witches to seem Christians, so they give him their heart; he dis-
penseth with them to dissemble, and give the rest as they list; but
God requireth the heart, because we should not dissemble ; for in
the twelfth to the Romans he commandeth the body too, — ' offer up
your bodies,' — which we cannot do unless we give the heart, and
hand, and tongue, and eyes, and ears, and all ; for the body is all,
but the heart is chief in request, because if there be any goodness,
it lies in the heart, and because he which gives the heart gives all;
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Luke
vi. 45, the hand worketh, the eye looketh, the ear listeneth, the foot
walketh to do good or evil.
Therefore there is such strife for the heart as there was for Moses's
body. Give it me, saith the Lord; Give it me, saith the tempter;
Give it me, saith the pope ; Give it me, saith riches; Give it me, saith
pleasure; as though thou must needs give it. Now here is the
choice, whether thou wilt give it to God or to the_deyjl; God's
heart, or the devil's heart, whose wilt thou be ?

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 115
Thus doth man hang in a balance, like a young virgin which
hath many suitors; some she fancieth for parentage, some for per
sonage, some for friends, some for wealth, some for wit, some for
virtue, and after all chooseth the worst of all. So the heart hath
so many suitors beside God, that sometimes she marrieth with one,
sometimes with another; the world keeps her, the flesh keeps her,
the devil keeps her; which have no more interest in her than Herod
to his sister, Mat. xiv. 4, but seek her spoil ; like them that marry
for riches, are glad when one dies, that another may come. These
suitors are like Absalom, which did not seek the hearts of the people
like David, but stole them with flattery and lies, 2 Sam. xv. 6 J but
God would have thee give thy heart.
As a man considers what he doth when he gives, so God licenseth
us to consider of that which we do for him, whether he deserves it,
whether we owe it, whether he can require it, lest it should come
against our will; therefore give me, saith God, as though he would
not strain upon us or take from us; but if thou wilt give him thy
heart, then he accepts it; it must come freely like a gift, as his
blessings come to us, and then his demand is granted. Here is no
respect of time, how long thou mayest stay it, or how long he will
keep it; but give it, is the present time; as though he would have
it out of hand while he asketh, before ye go out of the church ; for
what can we ask of him, when we deny him but one thing when he
asks of us?yTherefore consider who is a suitor to you. Now I am a
collector for God to gather hearts ; either you must grant him or
deny him ; think who shall lose by it, if thou wilt not pay thy land
lord his rent/ How many subjects would rejoice if they had any
thing to give to their prince, and pray fogr to accept it, and be glad
if she would take it, that they might but say, I have given a present
to the queen ! So Mary rejoiced that she had a little oil to sprinkle
upon Christ ; but she would take no money for it Yea, the widow
of Zareptah was so joyful that she had a little food for the prophet,
that she spared it from her child and herself, to serve him first. So
they which love the Lord, like his disciples, which left all to follow
him, Luke v. 11, bad rather that he should have their riches, their
honours, their hearts, and their lives, than they themselves.
Why is David called ' a man after God's own heart,' 1 Sam. xiii. 14,
but because when God said, ' Give me thy heart,' his spirit answered
like an echo, 'I give thee my heart'? Is God so desirous of my heart?
What good can my heart do to God? It is not worthy to come
under his roof. I would I had a better gift to send unto my Lord ;
go, my heart, to thy Maker; the Bridegroom hath sent for thee, put

116 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
on thy wedding garment, for the King himself will marry thee.
Who is not sorry now that he did not give his heart before? Is he
not worthy to die which will take his heart from hirn that made it,
from jrim_ that jedee.med.it, from him. which preserves it, from him
tha^wjfl^lorify_it; to give it unto him which will infect it, torment
it, condemn it? Will a servant reach the cup to a stranger, when
his master calls for it ? Or will a man sell his coat, if he have no
more ? What dost thou reserve for God, when thou hast given Satan
thy heart? Christ hath promised to come and dwell with thee,
Rev. iii. 20 ; where shall he stay, where shall he dine, if the chamber
be taken up, and the heart let forth to another? Thou art but a
tenant, and yet thou takest his house over his head, and placest in
it whom thou wilt, as if thou wert landlord.
Canst thou possess another man's goods, but he will molest thee,
and trouble thee, until he have his own ? 2 Sam. iii. 8. And dost
thou think to keep that which is God's, and hold it in peace ? No,
he will never suffer thee to rest, but cry upon thee day and night. As
Moses vexed Pharaoh until he let the people go, Exod. viii. 13, and
ix. 28 ; so thou shalt be distracted with fears and thoughts, as one
plague foiloweth another, until thou let thy heart go, that it may
serve God, Acts xvi. 14 ; for as if a man should pull out thy heart,
and take it from thee, so grievous is it to God to keep thy heart
from him, Exod. viii. and ix. and x.
Therefore let all suitors have their answer, that thy heart is mar
ried already. As Isaac answered Esau, ' Jacob have I blessed, and
he shall be blessed,' Gen. xxvii., so thou mayest say, God hath my^
heart, and he shall have it ; and them that crave it hereafter, send
them to Christ for it, for it is not thine to give, if thou hast given it
to God already. But take heed thy heart do not lie to thyself, and say
it is God's when it is the world's ; like Jeroboam's wife, which would
not seem to be Jeroboam's wife, 1 Kings xiv. 2. By this thou shalt
know whether thou hast given it to him or no ; if the heart be
gone, all will follow. , As the sun riseth first, and then the beasts
arise from their dens, the fowls from their nests, and men from their
beds ;_jojvhen the heart sets forward to God, all the members will
follow after it, the tongue will praise him, the foot will follow him,
the ear will attend him, the eye will watch him, the hand will serve
him, nothing will stay after the heart, but every one goes, like hand
maids after their mistress, Ps. cxxiii. 2 ; this Christ verified, saying,
Make clean within, and all will be clean, Mat. xxiii. 26. Therefore
the publican did beat upon his heart, as though he were angry with
it, because it did not waken all the rest; shewing, that as the Father

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 117
gave us all when he gave his Son, Rom. viii. 32, so we give him all when
we give our hearts. This is the melody which Paul speaketh of: Eph.
v. 19, ' Make melody to the Lord in your hearts ;' shewing, that there
is a concert of all the members when the heart is in tune, and that
it sounds like a melody in the ears of God, and makes us rejoice
while we serve him. We have example hereof in Christ, which said
it was meat and drink unto him to do his Father's will,. John iv. 34 ;
and in David, which danced to see the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 14 ; and in
the Israelites, of whom it is said,- that they rejoiced when they offered
from their heart unto the Lord, 1 Chron. xxix. 9.
Therefore Solomon, picking out the heart for God, spake as though
he would set out the pleasantest, and fairest, and easiest way to
serve him, without any grudging," or toil, or weariness. Touch but
the first link, all the rest will follow ; so set the heart a-going, and
it is like_the poise of. a clock, which turns all the wheels one way.
Such an oil is upon the heart, which makes all nimble and current
about it ; therefore it is almost as easy to speak well, and do well,
as to think well. If the heart indite a good matter, no marvel
though the tongue be the pen of a ready writer, Ps. xiv. 1, but if
the heart be dull, all is like a left hand, so unapt and untoward,
that it cannot turn itself to any good.
Therefore God's suitors have so hard passage in men's councils,
judgments, and parliaments, because they do not give him their
hearts, which should be the first offering of all ; if they would give
him their hearts before they sit down to hear his cause, they could
not deny him anythingthat is for his honour, though it were against
their profit ; but as Christ saith, Mat. xxvi. 39, ' Not my will, but
thy will ;' so they would say, It is not our kingdom, but thy king
dom ; it is not our church, but thy church ; therefore not our will,
but thy will ; not our law, but thy law ; not our discipline, but thy
discipline reign in it ; and all that give their hearts, subscribe to
this : the rest say, Not thy will, but our will ; not thy law, but our
law ; not thy discipline, but our discipline ; because, as the apostle
saith, ' They seek their own glory, but not Christ's,' Philip, ii. 21.
This hath been the rub ever since antichrist was first resisted.
Herod could not see how he should be king, if Christ should reign,
Mat. ii. 3 ; therefore, as the image-makers cried and stormed when
images should go down, alleging that they lived by that craft, Acts
xix. 25, so if you mark what kind of men they were which did
preach, and write, and labour so hotly against religion, it is they
that were like to lose some of their dignities or their commodities
by it.

118 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
The scribes and pharisees resisted Christ more than the people,
John xi. 47, because he denounced woe to them, and misliked that
they should be called rabbi, Mat. xxiii. 7. How hard is it to follow
Christ when he saith, ' Leave all,' Mark x. 21 ; nay, if he bid us
leave anything for him, though we should leave ourselves, Mat. xvi.
24. The tongue will not praise, because the heart doth not love ;
the ear doth not hear, because the heart doth not mind ; the hand
doth not give, because the heart doth not pity ; the foot doth not
go, because the heart will not stir : all stay upon the heart, like
the captain that should give the onset. Thus to shew that he
deserveth all, the Lord requireth that which bringeth all.
Secondly, God requireth the heart, shewing that all the things of
this world are not worthy of it, nor a piece of it, nor a thought,
unless it be to contemn them, as Solomon thought of vanity, Eccles.
i. 13, 14 ; for if the heart be the temple of God, he which- giveth it
to anything else committeth sacrilege, and breaketh that command
ment, ' Give unto God that which is God's,' Mat. xxii. 21.
Thirdly, That all should consent so with jthe heart, that we should
speak as if our heart did speak, Ps. iv. 4 ; pray as if our heart did
pray, hear as if our heart did hear, give as if our heart did give,
remit as if our heart did remit, and counsel as if our heart did
counsel, as the apostle saith, ' Do all things heartily,' Col. iii 23,
which if we could keep, nothing that we do should any way trouble
us, because nothing is troublesome but that which goeth against the
heart. Fourthly, That we should serve God for himself, and not for our
selves, as he which gives his heart doth all for love. This Christ
requires, when he cast off that disciple that offered to follow him
for advantage, Mat. viii. 19, ' The birds have nests, and the foxes
have holes,' saith Christ, ' but the Son of man bath not a place to
hide his head,' shewing his disciple, if he will follow him, he must
not look for a place to hide his head, he must leave all to follow
Christ, as Peter did, Mat. iv. 20 ; and not seek all by following him,
as they that went after him for bread, John vi. 26.
Fifthly, That we should not serve God by fits, as we use to pray
when the night comes, to hear when the Sabbath comes, to fast
when Lent comes, to repent when death comes ; but the service
of the heart is a continual sprviwv, like that in 1 Thess. v. 16,
' Rejoice evermore, pray continually, in all things give thanks.'
Who is this which rejoiceth, and prayeth, and thanketh continually?
The tongue prayeth but sometime, the ear attendeth but sometime,
he hand giveth but sometime ; but the heart prayeth, and praiseth,

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 119
and worshippeth always. A man may serve God always with his
heart, and never be weary, because the heart cannot serve him
unless it rejoice in his service, and therefore the Israelites praised
God with music, 1 Chron. xv. 16, which did not delight God, but
shewed that they delighted in his service, as they did in music.
But if the tongue, or the hand, or the ear, think to serve God with
out the heart, it is the irksomest occupation in the world, the hour
of tediousness, like a long sickness ; he is tired before he begin, and
thinketh himself in the stocks until the sermon be ended, and until
his prayer be done, that he may be at liberty, and return to his old
bias again.
Lastly, This shews how God.mislikes.our coldness, in hearing, or
praying, if we cannot say with, the virgin in Luke, the first chapter,
and six-and-fortieth verse, ' My soul doth magnify the Lord.' All
that comes short of this is hypocrisy, and pleaseth God like the
offering of Cain, Gen. iv. 5. As Joseph charged his brethren that
they should not come to him for corn unless they brought Ben
jamin unto him, whom they left at home, Gen. xlii. 15, Mark xv. 8,
so God will not have us to speak to him, nor come to him for any
thing, unless we bring our hearts unto him, which we leave behind.
The tongue without the heart is a flattering tongue ; the eye
without the heart is a wicked eye ; the ear without the heart is a
vain ear ; the hand without the heart is a false hand. / Dost thou
think that God will accept a flattering tongue, a wickea eye, a vain
ear, a false hand, which rejecteth a sacrifice if it be but lean or
bruised/ No, saith Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians,
Chap. xiiL ver. 1, ' If I give all that I have, and not love,' that is,
give not my heart, ' it avails me nothing.' He saith not, that they
which give not their heart, give nothing, but that they shall have
nothing for such offerings. He which brings but a mite, and brings
his heart, brings more than he which offers a talent, Mark xii. 42 ;
and he shall go away more justified than he which said, ' All these
have I kept from my youth upward,' Mat. xix. 20 ; for God is not
mocked, Gal. vi. 7, but knows how much is behind, though Ananias
seem to bring all, Acts v. 3. He marks how I speak, and how you
hear, and how we pray in tbis place ; and if it come not from the
heart, he repels it as fast as it goes up, like the smoke which climbs
towards heaven, but never comes there. Man thinks when he hath
the gift, he hath the heart too ; but God, when he hath the gift,
calls for the heart still, Ps. lxxiii. 1. The pharisee's prayer, the
harlot's vow, the traitor's kiss, the sacrifice of Cain, the feast of
JezebeL~the oblations of Ananias, the tears of Esau, are nothingJo

120 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
him, but still he_cries, J^i^jLhyJieart^ 01 i^agjaathi^jj^sj^
jealous. huiEJal when he hath a wife, yet he is jealous whether he
hath her heart or no, so, whatsoever thou do, yet'God is jealous
still, and respects not what thou dost, but whether thou do it from
thy heart ; that is, of mere love toward him. If Pilate bad washed
his heart when he washed his hands, Mat xxvii. 24, he had been
cleaner than Naaman when he came out of Jordan, 2 Kings v. 13 ;
if the Shechemites had circumcised their hearts when they circum
cised their flesh, Gen. xxxiv. 22, they had saved. their souls when
they lost their lives ; if Cain had offered his heart when he offered
the fruits, his offering had been as acceptable as Abel's; but as
swine's flesh was like sheep's flesh, yet was not accepted, because it
came from an unclean beast, so Cain's offering, Gen. iv. 3, Pilate's
washing, the Shechemite's circumcision, the pharisee's prayer, and
fasts, and alms, were as fair as the apostle's ; yet they bad no re
ward but ' Woe to you hypocrites,' Mat. xxiii., because they wanted
the.heart^which is fike^efirethaj^kuidleth the sacrifice, 1 Kings
xviii. 25. But will he require our prayers, and lasts, and alms, as
he did theirs ? Yea, saith Christ, ' Except your righteousness ex
ceed the pharisees',' Mat. v. 20 ; that is, except we give our heart
beside our lips, and our ears, and our alms, which they gave, ' we
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven,' because our righteous
ness doth not exceed the righteousness of the pharisees, but their
righteousness very far exceedeth ours.
Christ doth not bid them woe because they were pharisees, as we
are not, but because they were hypocrites, as we are. God delights
himself in giving, Micah vii. 18, 1 Cor. ix. 7, and therefore he loveth
a cheerful giver ; but he cannot give cheerfully whieh gives not his
heart. Therefore as Judas thought the oil spent which was poured
upon Christ, Mat. xxvi. 9, and wished the price of it in his purse,
so they grudge and grieve when they should do good ; and think,
Shall I give it ? can I spare ? what will it bring ? So the good
work dieth in the birth, Jjke_jaJhird_ which droopeth in the hand,
while the head considers whether he shall let her go or hold her
still. As easy to wring Hercules's club out of his fists, as to wring
a penitent tear from their eyes, a faithful prayer from their lips, or
a good thought from their heart, which cannot afford the heart
itself. All is too much which they do, and they think God more
beholding to them for ^blurting out a paternoster, or staying a ser
mon, or fasting a Friday, than they to him forall his benefits; and
when they have done, what is their reward ? 'Woe be unto you>'
like the scribes and pharisees, Mat. xxiii. 1, because you give not

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 121
your hearts, but your mouths ; therefore we do but vex ourselves,
and lose our labour, thinking to make God believe that we pray,
when indeed our lips do but pray ; whereby it comes to pass, as
we serve him, so he serveth us ; our peace is not in deed, but in
word, Mat. xv. 8 ;, our joy is not in heart, but in countenance : a
false comfort, like our false worship ; for he which giveth God his
lips instead of his heart, teacheth God to give him-stones instead of
bread, that is, a shadow of comfort for comfort itself.
Now when we have given God fair words and long prayers, and
solemn fasts, and mourning countenances, he puts us in but a word
more to fill up the sacrifice, ' Give me thy heart,' and it sufficeth.
It is like the last suit of Abraham, when he said to God, ' I will
speak but this once ; ' so if thou wilt hear him in this, he will ask
no more; therefore now conclude, whether God shall have thy
heart or nothing ; if thou consider what right he hath to ask it, and
what cause thou hast to give it, thou canst not keep it till I end
my sermon.
Of all the suitors which come unto you, it seems there is none
which hath any title to claim the heart but God, which challengeth
it by the name of a son, Mai. i. 8, as if he should say, Thou shaft
give it to thy Father which gave it to thee : art thou my son ?
My sons give me their hearts, and by this they know that I am
their Father, if I dwell in their hearts, for the heart is the temple
of God, 1 Cor. vi. 16; therefore, if thou be. his son, thou wilt ' give
him thy heart, because thy Father desires it, thy Maker desires it,
thy Redeemer desires it, thy Saviour desires it ; thy Lord, and thy
King, and thy Master desires it, which hath given his Son for a
ransom, his Spirit for a pledge, his word for a guide, the world for
a walk, and reserves a kingdom for thine inheritance/ Canst thou
deny him anything, which hath given the heir for the servant, his
beloved for his enemy, the best for the worst ? Rom. viii. 32. Canst
thou deny him anything, whose goodness created us> whose favour
elected us, whose mercy redeemed us, whose wisdom converteth us,
whose grace preserved us, whose glory shall glorify us ? Oh, if thou
knewest, as Christ said to the woman of Samaria when she huckt1
to give him water, John iv. 10, 'If thou knewest who it is that saith
unto thee,' Give me thy heart, thou wouldst say unto him, as Peter
did when Christ would wash his feet, John xiii, 9, ' Lord, not my
feet only, but my hands and my head ;' not my heart only, but all my
body, and my thoughts, and my words, and my works, and my goods,
and my life, take all that thou hast given. For whyshould we not give
1 That is,' hesitated.'— Ed.

122 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
him our hearts as well as our lips, unless we mean to deceive him
with words for deeds ? If Abraham gave Lot leave to choose what
part he did like, Gen. xiii. 8, 9, shall we not give God leave to
choose that which he liketh ? If he did not love thee, he would
not require thy heart ; for they which love, require the hearty The
master requires labour, the landlord requires service, the captain
requires fight ; but he that requires the heart, requires it for love,
for the heart is love. / We will give him little, if we will not give
him that which he asks for love towards ourselves ; though he say,
give it, yet indeed he hath bought it, and that dearly, Ps. xxxi. 5,
with the dearest blood that ever was shed, 1 Peter i. 18, 19. He
gave thee his heart before he desired thy heart ; but a heart for a
heart, a living heart for a heart which died. Thou dost not lose
thy life, as he did for thee, but thou bestowest thy life to glorify
him ; thou dost not part from thy heart when thou givest it, but
he doth keep it for thee, lest the serpent should steal it from thee,
as he stole paradise from Adam when it was in his own custody,
Gen. iii. 1. He can keep it better than we, and he will keep it if
we commit it to him, and lay it in bed of peace, and lap it with joy,
and none shall take it out of his hands, Ps. xxxi 5, 7. Therefore,
if ye ask me, why you should give your hearts to God? I do not
answer like the disciples which went for the ass and colt, 'The
Lord hath need,' Mat. xxi. 3, but we have need ; for unless we give
our souls, how can he have them ? and unless he have them, how
can he save them ? Therefore we have need. If ever the saying
were true, Acts xx. 35, ' It is more blessed to give than to take,'
more blessed are they which do give their hearts to God than they
Which take possession of the world. Abigail did not gain so much
by her gift to David, 1 Sam. xxv. 43, as we for our gift to God ; for
she was married unto David, but we are married unto Christ, of
whom the church doth sing in Cant, v., that * no well-beloved is
like her beloved.' What heart would not be loved of him, though
it do not love him ? Who can assoil this riddle ? We would have
Christ our bridegroom, and yet we will not be his spouse. I
__would have him take my heart, and yet I will not give ify How
should he keep it, or save it, or glorify it, if I hide it away, like the
servant that buried his talent in the earth ? Mat. xxv. 24. So much
as I keep from God, so much I keep from heaven, and will not
suffer him to glorify it ; as if I did wish one part to be saved, and
another damned. He which would have his heart sanctified, and
comforted, and enlightened, and will not give it to God which
should do iti is like a woman which would_baye_h_er dough leavened.

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE. 123
and layeth her dough in one place and the leaven in another, where
one cannot touch the other; then cometh the tempter, and takes
them asuiider, and seizeth upon the heart, because he finds her
alone. This is his Seed-time, now he enters into it, and fills it with
his poison, till the temple of God be the sink of sin ; and the heart,
which should be the seat of holiness, grace, and wisdom, a heart of
pride, a heart of envy, a heart of lust, more like a belly than a
heart. How many things lodge in the heart when God is not
there ? It is a world to think how the divine soul, which de
scended from heaven to bring forth fruit, is become a fit soil for
every weed, whereby we may see what hearts we have before we
give them to God.
Therefore now ask your hearts. whose they are, and how they are
moved with these words. How many here will give to this collec
tion ? Whose heart, is gone up unto him since I began to speak ?
^Here_pne^and there one runs up„tha ladder,. like, the angels that
Jacob saw in his dream, Gen. xxviii. 12, and sing with David, Ps.
cviii. 1, ' My heart is prepared, my heart is prepared ;' and why
not thou as well as he ? Doth he not send for all alike ? Wilt
thou be the thorn, or the stone, or the highway where the seed doth
lose his fruit, Mat. xiii. ? Why hadst thou rather be compelled than
invited, since thou art called to a banquet, Mat. xxii. ? How many
hearts more might we draw to God, if aji that.be here would go t©
him this day ? But thus it stands, God hath sent unto us for our
hearts, and we answer him as the husbandmen of the vineyard
when he sent for fruits, Mat. xxi. 33 ; or as Nabal answered David
when he sent for food, Who is David ? 1 Sam. xxv. 10 ; or who is
the Lord, that I should take my heart from pleasure and sin, and
give it unto him ? Thus we demur upon the cause when we should
give, whether we should give or no ; and ask the flesh, and our
lusts, and our pleasures ; and if the devil will not give his assent,
then we return an excuse, It is not mine to give ; or if thou canst
get the devil's good will, I will not stand ; or let sin and pleasure
have it for a while, and when they have done with it, then God
shall have it. Thus everything which should be thrown out, hath
a place in our heart ; and he which should be received in, can have
no room there, though he would open the doors of heaven, if we
would open the doors of our hearts, that the King of glory might
come in, Ps. xxiv. 4.
, What shall become of those hearts, when he which craves them
now, shaHjudge them hereafter,? Then shall they stand like Esau,
and see them blessed, like Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 36, which gave their

124 THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE.
hearts ; and cry themselves, as he did to his father Isaac, Hast thou
not reserved a blessing for us ? What a heavy heart will it be then,
when it may not joy any longer here, and the joys of heaven are
shut against it? and be which desired it will not have it, because
it comes like the foolish virgins, when the doors of mercy are shut,
Mat. xxv. 11.
Thus ye have heard what God requires for all that he hath given
you, and how all your services are lost until you bring it. What
shall I wish you now before my departure ? I wish you would give
all your hearts to God while I speak, that ye might have a king
dom for them. __Sead-JfiL.yQ.UL .hearts ..wheje_Jhey_aj£jwamlerir^
one from the bank, another from the tavern,, another from the shop,.
another from the theatres ; call them home, and give them all to
God, and see how he will welcome, them, as the father embraceth '
the son. Luke xv. 22. If your hearts were with God, durst the
devil fetch them ? Durst those sins come at them ? Even as Dinah
was deflowered when she strayed from home, Gen. xxxiv. 2, so is the
heart when it strayeth from God. Therefore call thy members
together, and let them fast, like a quest of twelve men, until they
consent upon the law, before any more .terms pass, to give God his
right ; and let him take the heart which he wooeth, which he would
marry, which he would endow with all his goods, and make it the
heir of the crown. ) When you pray, let your heart, pray ; when you
hear, let your heart hear ; when you give, let your heart give ; what
soever you do, set the heart to do it, Prov. iii. 1 ; and if it be not
so perfect as it should or ought to be, yet it shall be accepted for
the friend that gives it, Dan. x. 1 2.1
Now if you • cannot command your hearts to turn unto God,
because the devil pleads custom, and the flesh will not agree to
leave her possessions, then remember what Christ saith, Mat vi. 2,
' When you give alms, let not your left hand know what the right
hand doth ' ; so the flesh must not know what the spirit doth. Thou
must not make thy lust of counsel ; but as Abraham when he was
bid to offer his son, rose up betime, and left his wife at home, and
never made Sarah privy, lest she should stop him, being more ten
der over her child (like women) than the father is, Gen. xxii. 6 ; so
thou must give thy heart to God before the flesh hear of it, for if
Abigail had consulted with Nabal whether she should have supplied
David with victuals or no when he sent, the miser would never have
consented, which scolded so soon as he heard of it, 1 Sam. xxv. 18 ;
therefore she went alone, and gave that which he asked, and never
told her husband what she would do, lest he should hinder her,

THE CHRISTIAN'S SACRIFICE, 12.5
which sought her welfare and his too ; so we should steal our hearts
from the world, as the world stole them from us, and transport them
to God when the flesh is asleep.
I have but one day more to teach you, all that.yoii.must.learn of
met therefore I would hold you here until you assent to give all
your hearts to God. If ye give them not now, where have I cast
the seed ? and frnw ha.ve._ynn bpard-all-iLin-yaax? If ye will give
them now, ye shall be adopted this day the sons of God, and I shall
leave you in the bosom of Christ, which will give you heaven for
your hearts. The Lord Jesus grant that my words be not the
savour of death unto any soul here, 2 Cor. ii. 16, but that you may
go in strength thereof through prosperity and adversity, till you
hear that comfort from heaven, ' Come, ye blessed, and receive the
inheritance prepared for you.'

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.

Quench not the Spirit. Bespise not prophesying. Try all things,
and keep that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of
evil.—l Thes. V. 19-22.
^At the last time. when I spake of these words, ' In all things give
thanks/ and ' Quench not the Spirit,' touching the first, I shewed
you that it is an easier thing to obtain of God, than to be thankful
to him ; for more have gone away speeders, than have gone away
thankers, Luke xvii. 17. Then, how the wicked are beholden
to God, as well as the just; and therefore it is said, that the sun
doth shine upon the just and the unjust, Mat. v. 45. Then, how
Jacob came not so barely to Laban, when he brought nothing with
him but his staff in his hand, Gen. xxix. 13, as man cometh into this
world without strength or staff to sustain him ; which made the apostle
to ask, 1 Cor. iv. 7, 'What have you wrhich you have not received?'
Therefore, to teach man to be thankful unto his Maker, he was not
made in paradise, Gen. ii. 8, the place of joy and happiness ; but
being made out of paradise, he was brought into paradise, to shew
how all his joy and happiness came from God, and not from nature,
that he might know where to bestow his thanks. Therefore David,
to persuade all men to thankfulness, saith, ' It is a good and pleasant
thing to be thankful,' Ps. cxlvii. 1 . If he had said no more but
good, all which love goodness are bound to be thankful ; but when
he saith not only good, but pleasant too, all which love pleasure are
bound to be thankful ; and therefore, as Peter's mother-in-law, so
soon as Christ healed her of a fever, rose up immediately to minister
unto him, Mat. <viii., so we, so soon as Christ hath done anything
for us, should rise up immediately to serve him. And as Hannah,
VOL. I. I

130 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
when she had received a son from God, did consecrate him to God
again, 1 Sam. i., so whatsoever we receive of God, we must give it to
God again ; that is, use it to his glory, and make it one of our means
to serve him ; for all things which we receive in this life are given
unto us, lest we should want any means to serve God. Then because
the apostle requireth thanks for all things, I shewed you that he is
not thankful before God which thanks him only for his benefits ;
but he is thankful indeed which thanks him for his chastisement.
It may be, while the Lord giveth, many will say, ' Blessed be the
name of the Lord.' But when the Lord taketh, who will say, ' Blessed ,
be the name of the Lord ' ? When the Lord did take, Job said, ' Blessed
be the name of the Lord,' Job i. There is one example, then, of
Paul's doctrine, which in all things gave thanks. The prophet David
saith, Ps. xxiii. 4, ' Thy staff and thy rod have comforted me ;' there
is another example of Paul's doctrine, which gave thanks unto God
for his rod ; for an obedient child doth not only kiss the hand which
giveth, but the rod which beateth.
After speaking of those words, Quench not the Spirit, I shewed
you that the Spirit doth signify the gifts and motions of the Spirit.
The Spirit in the 3d of Matthew is likened to fire ; and therefore
Paul saith well, ' Quench not the Spirit/ because fire may be
quenched. Here I took occasion to speak of zeal, which is the fire of the
Spirit ; shewing you, that God is pleased with zeal, as men are
pleased with love ; but as Christ did baptize with fire, so John did
baptize with water, Mat. iii. 11 ; and as the Holy Ghost descended
with fire, so he did descend with wind, that cooleth fire, Acts ii. ;
shewing that our zeal should be a temperate zeal, as our Master's
was. Isaiah was commanded to cry, but not to roar, Isa. vi. 8 ; the
Jews might not gather too much manna, no more than they might
gather too little, Exod. xvi. 18. As there is a measure in know
ledge, so there is a measure in zeal ; that is, be zealous according to
discretion, as Paul saith, Rom. xii. 3, ' Be wise according to sobriety/
The disciples were commended for their zeal, when they left all to
follow Christ, Mark x. 28 ; but Christ reproved them for their zeal,
when they would pray for fire from heaven to consume the Samari
tans, Luke ix. 55. Therefore zeal and discretion united together,
are |ike_jyhe_J^iLJlions„which supported-jthe. throne of Solomon, 1
Kings x. ; and he which hath them both, is like Moses for his mild
ness, and like Phinehas for his fervency ; therefore, .as wine is tegv^
¦Pjsred with water^ so let idiscre.tio.n. temper, zeal But I need not
bring water to quench that fire that is out already. I would rather

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 131
I could say of you, You are too zealous, as Paul told the Athenians,
they were too superstitious, Acts xvii. 22. But our sickness is not a
hot sickness, but a cold sickness ; the hot body is distempered, but the
cold body is dead. Zeal was never infamous before our days ; the
papists are commended if they be zealous; but the protestant, if he
be zealous, is held in derision.
Then I shewed you how the Spirit is quenched, as a man doth
quench his reason with over-much wine ; and therefore we say,
<When the wine is in, the wit is out ; because before, he seems to
have reason, and now he seems to have none ; so our zeal, and our
faith, and our love, are quenched with sin. /Every vain thought, and
every idle word, and every wicked deed, is like so many drops to
quench the Spirit of God. /'Some quench it with the business of this
world ; some quench it with the lusts of the flesh ; some quench it
with the cares of the mind ; some quench it with long delays, that
is, not plying the motion when it cometh, but crossing the good
thoughts with bad thoughts, and doing a thing when the Spirit saith,
Do it not ; as Ahab went to battle after he was forbidden. Some
time a man shall feel himself stirred to a good work, as though he
were led to it by the hand ; and again, he shall be frighted from
some evil thing, as though he were reproved in his ear ; then, if he
resist, he shall straight feel the Spirit going out of him, and hear a
voice pronouncing him guilty, and he shall hardly recover his peace
again. Therefore Paul saith, ' Grieve not the Spirit,' Eph. iv. 30 ;
shewing that the Spirit is often grieved before it be. quenched ; and
that when a man begins to grieve, and check, and persecute the
Spirit, lightly he never ceaseth until he have quenched it ; that is,
until he seem to have no spirit at all, but walketh like a lump of
flesh. After Quench not the Spirit, folio weth Bespise not prophesying. \
In the end of this epistle, Paul speaketh like a father which is come /
to the end of his life ; who, because he hath but a while to speak,
heapeth his lessons together, which he would have his sons remem
ber when he is gone. So Paul, as though he were set to give good
counsel, and had not leisure to speak that he would, sendeth the
Thessalonians a brief of his mind, which their meditation should
after amplify and expound unto them.
His first advice is, ' Quench not the Spirit ;' that is, when a good
motion cometh, welcome it like a friend, and cross it not with thy
lusts. The second admonition teacheth how the first should be
kept, 'Despise not prophesying;' and the Spirit will not quench,
because prophesying doth kindle it The third admonition teacheth

132 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
how to make fruit of the second. Try the doctrines of them which
prophesy, and thou shall not believe error for truth, but hold the
best. The fourth admonition is the sum of all, and it cometh last,
because it is longest in learning ; that is, ' Abstain from all appear
ance of evil/ / This is the sum of all ; for he which can abstain not
only from evil, but from the appearance of evil, is so perfect as a
man can be in this sinful life./ Put all these together, and it is as
if Paul should say, Quench not the Spirit by despising of prophesy
ing ; neither despise prophesying, because all do not prophesy alike ;
but rather, when you hear some preach one way, and aome another,
when you see some follow him, and others follow him, do you-lry
the jdoctrines by the Scripture, as the men of Berea did, Acts xvii.
11, and choose that which is best and soundest and trufigk having
alway such an eye to the truth, that you abstain from all appear-
ance of error. So jealous the Holy Ghost would have us of our
faith, thaTwe set no article upon our religion, but that which is
an undoubted truth - as Moses did nothing in the tabernacle but
that which was shewed in his pattern. It seems that there were
some among the Thessalonians, as there be amongst us, which did
forsake all religion, because the preachers did not agree, or because
the riveTof professors gave some offence.; therefore Paul sheweth,
th^rmti^e*is"no"cause why they should mislike the word_jor_ the_
preacher, or why they should despise religion fortl^jr^ofessor^
because the jvord and the religion are not theirs which teach it,
and profess it, but_Go^"~ahd "therefore ^annoF™be~polluted by
them, no more than God. Then he concludeth, that seeing it is
necessary that there shall be always errors and heresies to try us^
we should„ajso_tey__them, and thereby be provoked -so mu.ch.thg_
more from error, or heresy, or superstition, that we abstainjeyen
from tr±e~appearance thereof, lest we fall into the sin ; that is the
scope of these words.
Bespise not prophesying. This admonition is, as it were, the
keeper of the former ; for by prophesying the Spirit is kindled, and
without prophesying the Spirit is quenched ; and therefore after
' Quench not the Spirit,' Paul saith, 'Despise not prophesying/ shew
ing that as our sin doth quench the Spirit, so prophesying doth
kindle it. This you may see in the disciples that went to Emmaus,
of whom it is said, when Christ preached unto them out of the law
and the prophets, the Spirit was so kindled with his prophesying,
that their hearts waxed hot within them, Luke xxiv. 32. This you
see again in Saul's messengers which were sent for David, when they
came among the prophets, and heard them prophesy, their spirit

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 133
was so kindled that they could not choose but prophesy also, 1 Sam.
xix. 20 ; insomuch that Saul came after himself, and hearing the
prophets, as they did, the Spirit came upon him likewise, and he
prophesied too ; whereupon it was said, ' Is Saul also among the
prophets ?' 1 Sam. ix. 25. This is no marvel, that the spirit of man
should be so kindled, and revived, and refreshed with the word ; for
the word is called the food of the soul, Heb. v. ; take away the word
from the soul, and it hath no food to eat ; as if you should take food
from the body, the body would pine. And therefore Solomon saith,
' Without visions the people perish/ Pro' v. xxix. 18 ; that is, without
prophesying the people famish. Therefore he which loveth his
soul, had not need to despise prophesying, for then he famisheth
his own soul, and is guilty of her death ; therefore that pastor^, or
that patrm^whjifihjsjhp. ianm why any place doth want preaching,
' Jsjruilty of their destruction, because he which taketh or keepeth
awaythe food, doth famishThe body. The apostle might have said,
Love^plo^nTsyihg^'oinEonour prophesying, but he saith, 'Despise
not prophesying.' And why doth he forbid to despise prophesying ?
why did Christ say, ' The poor receive the gospel/ Mat. xi. 5, but
to shew, that the rich did contemn it ? Why doth Paul say, ' I am
not ashamed of the gospel/ Rom. i. 16, but to shew that many are
ashamed of it ? Even so he saith, ' Despise not prophesying ;' shew
ing, that the greatest honour which we give to prophets, is not to
despise them ; and the greatest love which we carry to the word is
not to loathe it. If we do not despise the preachers, then we
think that we honour them enough ; and if we do not loathe the
word, then we think that we love it enough ; therefore the apostle
saith, 'Despise not prophesying,' but honour prophesying. „£ep-
jphesying here doth signify preaching, as it doth in Rom xii. 6.
Will you know~wEypreaching is called prophesying ? To add more
honour and renown to the preachers of the word, to make you
receive them like prophets ; and then Christ saith, ' You shall have
a prophet's reward/ Mat x. 41 ; that is, not such a reward as you
give, but such a reward as God giveth.
Lastly, If you mark, Paul saith not, despise not prophets, but.
prophesying ; signifying, that from the contempt of the prophets,
at last we come to despise prophesying too, like the Jews, who, when
they were offended with the prophet, charged him to prophesy no
more, Jer. xi. 21. Therefore, as Christ warned his disciples to hear
the Scribes and Pharisees, although they did not as they taught, Mat.
xxiii. 3 ; so Paul warneth the Thessalonians, that if any prophets
among them do not as they teach, and therefore seem worthy to be

134 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
despised, like the Scribes and Pharisees, yet that they take heed
that they do not despise prophesying_for the prophets! Because the
preachers are despised before the word be despised, therefore we will
speak first of their contempt.
Christ asked his disciples what they thought of him, Mat. xvi.
13, so I would ask you, what you think of preachers. Is he a con
temptible person which bringeth the message of God, which hath
the name of an angel, 2 Cor. v. 20, and all his words are messengers
of life ? Prophets are of such account with God, that it is said,
Amos iii. 7, ' God will do nothing before he reveals it unto his
prophets ;' so prophets are, as it were, God's counsellors. Again,
kings, and priests, and prophets, were figures of Christ ; all these three
were anointed with oil, to shew that they had greater graces than
the rest ; but especially the prophets are calledjnen of God,_l Kings
xiii. 1, to shew, that all which are of God will make much of pro
phets for God's sake. Therefore women are forbidden to take, upon
them to prophesy, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, lest that noble calling should be
come vile and despised by such unskilful handlers of it. Therefore
when the prophet Elisha would send for Naaman the leper to come
unto him, these were his words, Naaman ' shall know that there is
a prophet in Israel/ 2 Kings v. 8 : as though all the glory of Israel
were chiefly in this, that they had prophets, and others had none ;
as if one parish should triumph over another, because they have a
preacher, and the other have none. . Therefore when this prophet
was dead, Joash the king came unto his corpse, and wept over his
face, and cried, ' 0 my father, my father ! the ehariots of Israel, and
the horsemen of the. same !' 2 Kings xiii. 14; shewing that the
chariots, and horses, and soldiers, do not so safeguard a city, as the
prophets which teach it, and pray for it. Therefore when God would
mark the Israelites with a name of greatest reproach, he calleth
them a people which rebuke their priests, as if he should say, usurp
ers of the priest's office, for they rebuke their priests, which are
appointed to rebuke them.
How joyful and glad was Lydia when she could draw Paul and
Silas toher house : 'If you think me to be faithful,' saith she, 'come to
my house/ Acts xvi. 15, shewing that never any guests were so
welcome to her house before. How tender was the Shunamite over
Elisha, that she built an house to welcome him, and to keep him with
her, 2 Kings iv. 10 ; thinking all the places in her house too bad for
him, she built him a new room to make him stay with her. How
much did the Galatians make of Paul, that he saith, they would
pull out their own eyes to do him good, Gal. iv. 15 ; so once a pro-

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 135
phet was esteemed like a prophet. And hath he bid you despise
them now, which bade you honour them before ? No ; Paul chargeth
us to receive our teachers as he was received himself, saying, ' He
which laboureth in the word is worthy of double honour,' 1 Tim. v.
17, that is, the preacher, after a sort, is more to be honoured than
the ruler, for Aaron was "the elder brother, but Moses was the
younger brother; and therefore, if there be any appendix, the magis
trate is the appendix, for if Aaron's Urim and Thummim would have
served, Exod. xxviii. 30, Moses's rod and staff should not have
needed; but when the tongue could not persuade, the rod did com
pel, and so came in the magistrate. As Paul sheweth the Thes
salonians how the preachers of the word should be honoured, so
he teacheth the Philippians how to honour their teachers, saying,
' Receive him in the Lord with great gladness, and make much of
such/ Philip, ii. 29 ; that is, shew yourselves so glad of him, that he
may be glad of you. Have you need to be„ taught why Paul would
have you make much of such ? Because they are like lamps, which
consTTnTe"themselves' to give light to others, so they consume them-
seTvesTo give light to you ; because they are jike a hen, which cluck-
eth her chickens together from the kite, so they cfueE you together'
from the serpent ; because they are like the shout which did beat
down the walls of Jericho, Josh. vi. 20, so they beat down the walls
of sin ; because they are like the fiery pillar which went before the
Israelites to the land of promise, so they go before you to the land
of promise ; because they are Hke good Andrew, which called his
brother to see the Messias, John i. 41, so they call upon you to
see the Messias ; and therefore makemuch_of suchL
If we should make much of prophets, how much should we make
of prophesying ! If we should love our instructors, how much
should we love instruction ! Simeon keeping in the temple met
with Christ, Luke ii. 28 ; so many hearing the word,_haye met .with
knowledge, ha^-met^dtkiiomfort, baye met^ with j)eace^have met
with salvation ; but without, the ..word ..never any was converted to
GocL Therefore, whensoever the word is preached, every one may
say to himself, as the disciples said to the blind man, ' Be of good
comfort, he calleth thee/ Mark x. 49 ; be of good comfort, the Lord
calleth thee ; but when the word is not preached, then every man
may say to himself, Beware, the devil calleth thee. When the pro
phets went from Jerusalem, the sword, and famine, and pestilence,
and all the plagues of God rained upon them, even as fire came
upon Sodom so soon as Lot was gone out, Gen. xix. 24 ; therefore
what may those lands fear, which use their prophets as the Jews

136 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
used those which were sent to them ? Amos calleth it an evil time,
wherein the.prudent keep silence, chap. v. 13, therefore this is an
evil time, wherein the prudent are silent.
There bejayp trades in thkJanxL without the which the realm
cannot stand : the one is the king's soldiers, and the other is the
Lord's soldiers ; and the Lord's soldiers are handled like the king's
soldiers ; for, from the merchant to the porter, no calling is so
despised, so contemned, so derided, that they may beg for their
service, for their .living is turned into an alms. One saith, that
Moses is quis, that is, the magistrate is somebody ; but Aaron is
quasi quis, that is, the minister is nobody, because nobody is de
spised like him. Receive a prophet in the name of a prophet !
Nay, receive a prophet in the name of an enemy, as Ahab received
Elias, ' Art thou here, mine enemy ?' 1 Kings xxi. 20. If Paul had
lived in our days, he would not have said, ' Despise not the pro
phets/ Jbut ' Persecute not the prophets ;' for he should have seen
not only despisers of the prophets, but mockers of them ; not only
mockers of, but slanderers of them : not only slanderers, but
hunters, and biters, and smiters of them. Joseph was troubled so
soon as he began to feed his father's sheep, Gen. xxxvii. 4, so the
pastors areJj_ubIed-~sa_sfioj^s_ they begin to feed their Father's
sheegj Every man thinks to find friends against them ; and though
there be no law to hurt them, yet no man fears to accuse them ; be
cause authority doth disfavour thern^ they cannot tell how to
preach, nor what to say, because there be so jmany Ahabs which
would have themjsay that which . jalejisej^ them, though it be not,
true,_l Kings xxii. 13. Charm the charmer never so sweetly, let his
song be never "so pleasant, yet many adders are ready to stop their
ears, and stop his mouth, like a bird which is smitten in her song,
of the archer whom she singeth unto. Even as Saul let his spear
fly at David while he played upon the harp to solace, and comfort,
and drive the evil spirit from him, 1 Sam. xviii. 10 ; so while we
play upon David^sjiarp to solace, .and_ comfort, and driyethe evil
spirit from you, many let the darts of, reproach and the, arrows oT
slander' fly at us, saying, as the woman said Jo.EHjahj ' If thou hadst
not been, niy child had not died/ 1 Kings xviii. 10 ; if we had not
been, their peace had n0t.died4.if we had not been, their sports had .
not died ; if we had not been, their customs, and their titles^ancj
their honours had not. died. And why should not Herod and
Archelaus die, which sought the death of the child? Mat. ii. 15.
Why should not any custom, or honour, or pleasure die, which
seeketh the death of religion ? ' Alas/ saith Jeremiah, ' what have

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 137
I done that all men should curse me ? Jer. xv. 10. If we do preach
but the truth, you should-jmtJiate-us.far..lh&,teath. Now Obadiah
had need to hide the prophets again to save them out of prison,
1 Kings xviii. 3, 4. Where is Rahab, that she might convey away
the servants of God? Joshua ii 1. Once Baal's prophets were
punished, 1 Kings xviii. 40, but now.Christkprophota are-pttBished.
Once they did ask, ' Where is the seer, that he may teach us ?'
1 Sam. ix. 9, but now they ask, Where is the seer, that we may take
him ? Once_they did build houses for the prophets, like the Shu-
namite, 2 Kings iv. 10, but now they take their houses from them,
and think they do God service when they make them, and their
wives, and their children, and their servants, beggars. Once Paul
said to Timothy, 'Let no man despise thy youth/ lTim. iv. 12,
shewing that preachers should not be despised for their youth ; but
now they despise the young prophets and the old too. How is the
double honour turned to single honour ! Nay, how is our honour
turned to dishonour ! - ' If I be a master/ saith God, ' where is my
fear ?' MaTT™6~7so7if we be prophets, where is our reverence ? Doth
not the contempt of the prophets cry unto God, as well as the blood
of Abel ? Gen. iv. 10. When the messengers which were sent unto
the vineyard for fruit were beaten of them which should have laden
them, then it is said that the lord of the vineyard waxed wroth, and
said that he would let out the , vineyard to others, which should
yield him the fruits thereof, Mat. xxi. 43. | The meaning hereof is.'
this, that when the preachers and teachers whieh Christ sendeth tof
ms church for fruits are abused and persecuted of them whom they\
call to the banquet, then he will rjmiove_Jlyyr_ligh_t and his gospeF
to others, which will yield him the fruits thereof, i Therefore, what!
may this land fear, which hath used Christ's ambassadors as Ammon
used Davi3?s~'ambassadors ? 1 Chron. xix7"47™TerusaIem is left

without one prophet, because she despised him. Sodom was burned,
because she despised Lot ; and the whole world was drowned,
because it despised Noah ; and are not these examples written, for
our warning ? The time came that Saul sought for a prophet, and
God would not answer him by prophets, because he had despised
his prophets before, 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. So the time cometh when
you shall ask, Where is the seer ? and they shall say, He is rapt
away like Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 11. A prophet was amongst us, but
when he was despised in Jerusalem, he was sent to Nineveh. Is
not judgment begun ajreadyj. Doth not thj^gj^^l_stend^±.fhe
door, as if she were ready to take herTeave ? Are we not come
from despisihg~oT prophets 'almost to the despising of prophesying

1 38 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
too ? Do not many run unto the, rulere^as young Joshua ran to
Moses, and cry, Masters, forbid them to prophesy ? Do not many
walk in the streets while we preach in the temple ? The beasts
came to the ark to save themselves, Gen. vii. 9 ; and will not men
come to the church to save themselves ? But we may cry unto
them as the children did unto their fellows in the market, ' We
have piped unto you, and ye would not dance ; we have lamented
for you, and ye would not mourn/ Mat. xi. 17. Some come to hear
us as Naaman came to Elisha ; when the prophet had told him
what he should do, he mocked him for it ; he thought that he
knew a better way than that himself, 2 Kings v. 11. So they come
to hear us, but they think they can teach us ; but they must re
member that Paul saith, ' God hath chosen the foolish to confound
the wise/ 1 Cor. i. 27. Therefore, if they think themselves wise,
let them think us those fools whom God hath chosen to confound
them ; for although at all other times we are plain and simple as
Jacob, yet at this time we have a promise, and it is given to us for
your sake to speak sometime that which we conceive not ourselves,
because the hour is come wherein God hath appointed to call some
of you, as he hath done some of you before. Therefore, as the
princely spirit came upon Saul when he should reign, to teach him
how he should rule, 1 Sam. xi. 6, so the prophetical spirit cometh.
upon preachers when they should, teach^ to teach. thfimJoojsLlhfi^:
should speak. Therefore, as Christ was contented to be baptized
of John, Mat. iii. 18, so be yoa~contented-,to be instructed of us,_
that if we be more simple than you, the glory of God may appear
more in converting you by us.
Hath not this despising of the preachers almost made the
preachers despise preaching ? The people's neglect of the prophets
hath made the prophets neglect prophesying. The non_ssjdfiDt
keeps himself away, because he thinks the people like him better
because he doth not trouble them ; and the drone never studieth
to preach, for he saith that an homily is better liked of than a
sermon ; andthey whichjrojuld^udyjdjyinity above jjj. when they
look upon our contempt and beggary, and vexation, turn to law, jo
physic, to trades, or anything, rather than they will enJejM^iiscon;
temptifele-calling. "Snd is not the ark, then, ready to depart from
Israel? Now, if you will know what makes prophets and prophesying so
despised, you may see first in Jeroboam's priests. It is said that
Jeroboam made Israel to sin, 1 Kings xv. 26 ; that is, Jeroboam
made Israel to contemn religion, because he made priests of the

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 139
basest of the people, 1 Kings xiii. 33 ; therefore they which make
priests hke Jeroboam's priests, make the people contemn the priests
and religion too. Why might none carry the ark but the Levites ?
Deut. x. 8. Was it not lest the ark (which was a sign of God)
should be despised ? Therefore none should meddle with the word
(which is the law of God) but they which ar<yj£, lest they make it
despised. Hannah said, ' I will not offer the child to God before
he be weaned/ 1 Sam. i. 22, that is, before he be taken from the
dug ; but now they offer their children to God before they be
weaned, before they can go, before they can speak ; and send_them
to fight the Lord's battles before theyjiaveone stone in their hand
tosImg^TXroTja^/ fhaf is, one scripture to resist „the_. tempter,
Mat. iv. This is either because the patrons or the bishops have
lime upon their fingers, which makes them like blind Isaac, Gen.
xxvii. 11, that they take no heed whojnjieybless.
The seconxTthing which makes prophets and prophesying de
spised, is the lewdjisss and neghggnee of them that are able to do
well injjhefr ministry, and yet do contrary. It is said of Hophni
and Phinehas, that by their corrupt sacrificing they made the people
abhor the sacrifice, 1 Sam. ii. 17 ; so many, by their slubbering of
the word (for want of study and meditation), do make men think
that there is no more wisdom in the word of God than they shew
out of it ; and therefore they stay at home, and say, they know as
much as the preacher can teach them. >
There is ajrind of preachers^risen up but of late, whicF shroud
and cover) every rustical, and unsavoury, and childish, ana absurd
sermon, under the name of thersimpJe_kind_of teaching, like the
pojiiish priests, which make ignorance the mother of devotion. ; but
indeed, to preach simply is not to preacE~ru.d.elyJ nor unlearnedly,
nor confusedly, but to preach plainly and perspicuously, that the
simplest man may understand what is taught, as if he did hear his
name. Therefore, if you will know what makes many preachers
preach so barely, and loosely, and simply, it isj[our_own^yxipJ.icity,
which makes them think/that if they^go on and say^omething, all
is one, and no fault will be found, because you are not able to judge
in or out ; and so because they give no attendance to doctrine, as
Paul teacheth them, 1 Tim. iv. 16, it is almost come"fo~pass, that in
a whole sermon the hearer cannot pick out one note more thanjie
could gather .himself.. Wheat is good, but they which sell the
refuse of wheat are reproved, Amos viii. 6 ; so preaching is good,
but this refuse of preaching is but like swearing : for one takes the
name of God in vain, and the other takes the word of God in vain.

140 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
As every sound is not music, so every sermon is not preaching, but
worse than if we should read an homily. In Jer. xlviii. there is a
curse upon them_wJuiJx^-ihe-buainess^fJJie-Tiord negligp,ntil£. If
this curse do not touch them which do the chiefest business of the
Lord negligently, truly -I cannot tell whom the prophet meaneth.
These would not have prophesying despised, and yet they make it
despised themselves.
The last thing which makes prophets and prophesying despised
is, the diversity of minds. While one holdeth one way, and another
another way, some leave all, and will be of no religion, until both
parties agree ; as if a patient should pine himself, and eat no meat
at all, because one physician saith that this meat will hurt him, and
another saith that meat will hurt him. These are the three enemies
which makejis and our laJtKUK&despised,-.
Now, what shall we answer to our despisers ? ' Rejoice not
against me, O mine enemy/ saith the church, 'for I shall be raised/
Micah vii. 8 ; so, despise not the prophets, O ye Israelites, for they
shall be honoured. Peter saith to Ananias and Sapphira, ' You have
not lied unto men, but unto God/ Acts v. 3 ; so you have not
despised man, but God : for Christ saith, 'He which despiseth you,
despiseth me/ Luke x. 16. When Satan slew Job's servants, his
malice was against Job, Job i. 1 6 ; so, when you despise God's
servants, ^mjr^reramjitiorLis-again§t .God : for ' that which you do
unto them,' saith Christ, ' you do unto me/ Mat. x. Why then, if
they despise Christ, Christ will despise them ; for he told Saul that
he spurned against the prick, that is, he spurned against that which
would spurn against him. Therefore, if you give unto Christ when
you give unto the poor, and if you honour Christ when you honour
his prophets, then, as you give to the poor for Christ's sake, so de
spise not the prophets for Christ's- sake. If, for all this, we must
be despised still, then this is our remedy : Paul saith, 'Whatsoever
we are to you, yet we are a sweet savour to God, both in them
which are saved, and them which perish/ 2 Cor. ii. 15; that is,
though we bring him word that you will not come to the banquet,
yet we shall be welcome without you, Amlsojmuchjof_tiiat,
After Bespise not prophesying, followeth Try all things, as if he
should say, Despise not prophesying, but for all that try prophesy
ing, lest thou believe error for truth ; for as among rulers there be
bad rulers, so among prophets there be false prophets. This made
Christ warn his disciples to beware of the leaven of the pharisees,
that is, of their false doctrine, Mark viii. 15. This made John say,
' Try the spirits/ 1 John iv. 1. And therefore we read, in Acts

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 141
xvii. 11, how the men of Berea would not receive Paul's doctrine
before they had tried it ; and how did they try it ? It is said that
they searched the Scripture. This is the way which Paul would
teach you to try others, whereby he was tried himself; whereby we
may see that if you use to read the Scriptures, you shall be able to
try all doctrines : for the jvor3~of/God"ls the~touchsJone_oX.every-
thing, like tfie~light which God made to behold" all his creatures,
Gen. i. 2. So is the^Scriptufe to decide all quejstionsj every doubt
must come to the word7and all controvers'ies must be_endedat this
tribunal. The Scripture must speak which is right, and which is
wrong ; which is truth, and which is error ; and all tongues must
keep silence to hear it. So God hath appointed that the judge of
our controversies, which, he saith in John xii. 48, shall judge us in
the last day. Here a man may ask, If it be so that God would
have us to try all our religion by the Scripture, and not by fathers,
nor by doctors, nor by councils, nor by angel, nor by pope, howthen
do the papists say we must believe_as the church believeth, and
never look m the'Scripture whether our teachers say as God saith,
but take it upon their credit, as a blind man eateth his meat?
A man trieth his horse, which must bear him, and shall be not
try his faith, which must save him ? Paul saith, ' Let .every one be
able to give a reason of his faith.' Is this a reason of our faith to
say, I belie ve_soj;becatt~se Romjfl[eKeveth_so, or rather, because that
the word doth teach me so ? It will not answer for them which die
in heresy to say, The priests taught us so ; no more than it would
excuse Eve to say, The serpent taught her so, Gen. iii. 13 : for God
saith, ' Be not deceived/ neither by serpent, nor by prophet, nor by
angel. Therefore I conclude with Paul, 'Despise ncrt prophesying,'
lest the gospel be taken from you ; and yet, 'try prophesying/ lest
you receive error for truth.
As we are" to" try doctrines, so Paul would have us to try our
thoughts, and our ^speeches, and our actions ; therefore he saith,
'"Try alT things/ He doth not bid us take a taste of all sins and
vanities, as Solomon did, to try them ; for they are tried already :
but that we should set the word of God alway before us like a
rule and believe nothing but that which it teacheth, love nothing
but that which it prescribeth, hate nothing but that which it for-
biddeth, do nothing but that which it commandeth, and then we try
all things by the word. As the eunuch said, ' How should I under
stand without an interpreter?' Acts viii. 31, so thou mayest say,
' How should I try without the word, which is the touchstone of
good and evil?

1 42 THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
Now, when we have tried by the word which is truth and which
is error, what should we do then ? ' Keep that which is best : '
that is, stay at the truth, as the wise men stayed when they came
to Christ. We must keep and hold the truth, as a man grippeth a
thing with both his hands; that is, defend it with thy tongue,
maintain it with thy purse, further it with thy labour, in danger and
trouble, and loss and displeasure, come life, come death ; think, as
Christ did seal the truth with his blood, so thou must seal it with
thy blood, or else thou dost not keep it, but let it go. Well doth
Paul- put try before choose, for he which trieth may choose the best,
but he which chooseth before he try, takes the worse sooner than
the best, and therefore the pope^priests, because the people should
take superstition before religion, will never let them have the
touch-stone, but keejp them Jrom theScripture, and lock it up in an
unknown tongue, which they cannot skill_qf, lest they should try
their doctrines, like the men of Berea, Acts xvii, making religion a
craft, as men call their trades. Therefore, as Josiah rejoiced that
the book of God was found again, so we may rejoice that the book
of God is found again, for when the people might not read it, it was
all one as if they had lost it.
After Try all things and keep the best, folio weth Abstain from aU _
appearance of evil ; as if he should say, That is like to be best
which is so far from evil that it hath not the appearance of
evil ; and that is like to be the truth, which is so far from error
that it hath not the show of error ; whereby he sheweth that
nothing should be brought into the church, or added to our re
ligion, but that which is undoubted truth, without suspicion pf
error. I It is not enough to be persuaded of our faith, but we must
be assured of it ; for religion is not built upon doubts, but upon
knowledge. / Here we may marvel why Paul biddeth us abstain
from all appearance of evil, because sin, and heresy, and super
stition are hypocrites ; that is, sin hath the appearance of virtue, and'-
heresy hath the appearance of truth, and superstition hath~tEe~
appearance of religion. But by this the apostle doth note that there
is no sin, nor heresy, nor superstition, but, if the visor be taken away
from it, it will appear to be a sin, and heresy, and superstition, though
at the first sight the visor do make it seem none, because it covereth
the evil, like a painted sepulchre upon worms and rotten bones.
Hereby we are taught to judge of all things as they are, and not
as they seem to be. As we draw aside the curtain before we behold
the picture, so we must remove our prudence and all surmises, and
then behold the thing naked as it is, if we will know it indeed.

THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS. 143
Here I might admonish them which separate themselves from
our church. As Paul saith, ' Examine whether youHbe IrTthe faith/
so_examine whether you have the show of error. Hath it not the
show of error to broach a religion "which was never heard of before ?
Hath it not the show of error to retain an opinion which the author
himself hath recanted, as though ye would suck up that which the
dog hath vomited ? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that
those preachers may not be heard, which (by their own confessions)
have converted them to the knowledge of God, and daily convert
others ? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that the Lord's
prayer may not be used for a prayer, which for anything that we or
they can read, was so used from the beginning ?
Hath it not the show of error to say that no. man may use any
set prayer, seeing there be many set prayers, and psalms, and bless-
ings inThe holy Scripture, which Were used in the same form ?
Hath it not the show of error to affirm that we have na church, and
yet to grant that our martyrs which died in popery were true mem
bers of the church ? Hath it not the show of error to affirm that
two or three may excommunicate all the rest without a minister,
seeing the pastor is the mouth of the church ? Hath it not the
show of error to affirm that the church of Christ was ever invisible
before this age, and that it is such asmall flock as their number is,;
and that it hath set foot nowherejjut j.n England ? Hath it not the
show of error to hold that for good and sound religion which is
altered every day, adding and detracting, as though a man should
make a religion of "nis" own invention, so fast as new conceits come
into his brain ? Let them think what Paul saith unto them, ' Be
wise unto sobriety/ Rom. xii. 3, and suspect that construction which
yourselves devised ; for Solomon saith, There is an error upon the
right hand as well as upon the left, Prov. iv. 27 ; that is (as I may
call it), the zealous error ; and if this be not, I know none within
this land.
Yet shall I say that we have not the show of error ? Nay; I
would we were but in the show of error. I may not call evil good,
no more than I may call good evil ; and therefore letjis pull out
the beam out of eur own eyes, as we would pull the mote out of
tESfjiyesT IfPauT would have us abstain from every appearance
oTeViCsure he would have us abstain from her£S#_and idolatry, for
these are the greatest evils. But if we be not idolaters, yet we have
the chow_lirl"1gt-1-y If we be not of antichrist's religion, yet we are
of antichristsjashiao^so long as we have the same vestures, and the
same~orders, and the same titles that antichrist knowethhls minis-

144 % THE TRUE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS.
ters by. It is said that the serpent's sting is in her tail, and so it
seems ; for this tail of antichrist (which the pope hath left behind
him like an evil savour) is unto us as the remnant of the Canaanites
were unto the Jews, Num. xxxiii. 55. They should have destroyed
all the Canaanites, but because they spared some, therefore they
. whom they left were goads in their sides and pricks in their eyes,
that they could never be in quiet for them. So we should have
expejlecLtheJieacLand the tail too of antichrist ;~l5ut because we did
not, therefore the remnants of popery are goads in ourjsides and
pricks in our eyes, that we cannot yet be in quiet for them! There
fore let us pray that he which hath taken away the evil, will take
away the show of evil too.

THE WEDDING GARMENT.

VOL. I. K

THE WEDDING GARMENT.

Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ— Rom. XIII. 14.
I HAVE chosen a text which is the sum of the Bible. For all
Scripture runneth upon Christ, like the title of a book, because he
is Alpha and Omega, Rev. i. 8, the beginning and the end of man's
salvation ; therefore he is figured in the law, foretold in the prophets,
and fulfilled in the gospel. Some places point to his divinity, some
to his humanity, some to his kingdom, some to his priesthood, some
to his prophecy, some to his conception, some to his birth, some to
his life, some to his miracles, some to his passion, some to his resur
rection, some to his ascension, some to his glorification; all point to
the Saviour, like John Baptist, when he said, ' This is the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sins of the world/ John i. 29. There
fore learn Christ and learn all. Now, to teach us how we should
hear, and how we should love, and how we should fear, and how
we should believe, and how we should follow Christ, that we may
know when we have learned him, the apostle saith, ' Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ;' as though this word did contain all our duties
unto Christ, to put him on; which seems to be the level of this
phrase, if you mark how it cometh in. For before, ver 12, Paul
saith, ' Cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armour of
light;' then he nameth the works of darkness which we should cast
off, ver. 13 ; that is, gluttony, drunkenness, strife, envy, chambering,
wantonness ; after he nameth the armour of fight, which we should
put on, and calleth it by the name of the giver, the Lord Jesus
Christ, ver. 14. Instead of gluttony, and drunkenness, and strife,
and chambering, and wantonness, and other patches of the devil,
wherewith man clotheth himself as with a garment, Ps. cix. 18, the
apostle giveth him another garment, which he calleth Jesus Christ.

148 THE WEDDING GARMENT.
He doth not oppose virtue to vice, as one would think, when he had
said, Cast off gluttony, he should have said, Put on sobriety; when
he had said, Cast off wantonness, he should have said, Put on con-
tinency ; when he said, Cast off envy, he should have said, Put on
love. But instead of all virtues he commendeth the example of
Christ for every virtue, and opposeth it to every vice ; as if he should
say, He which thinketh only to follow Christ, needeth not to be led
by the hand from virtue to virtue, but his example will teach him
what he shall follow, and what he shall .fly, better than all the pre
cepts in the world. Therefore this is the best thought in every
action, for a man to think what Christ would do, which was made
not only redemption and salvation to save us, but wisdom and ex
ample to guide us, 1 Cor. i. 307 Therefore, he saith, ' Learn of me/
and ' Follow me/ Mat. xi. .29, Mark x. 21 ; as though we should think
before we speak, whether he would speak so, and consider before
-we do, whether be would do so, and do all by his example, as the
scholar writeth by his copy; or else we do not learn of him, but of
ourselves; and then we go away, like a, child which scribbleth with
out a rule. If thou resolvest to speak and do no otherwise than
Christ. would speak and do himself, thou shalt be sure to do all
things well, because thou fallowest a straight pattern.; therefore
study what this meaneth, to put on Christ. /It is a strange speech
and a strange garment/ They which cannot tell (like Nicodemus)
what Christ meaneth when he saith, that we must be born again,
John iii. 4, cannot tell what Paul -meaneth when he saith, ' Put on
Christ,' as if one should put on another. I think many here may
go to the apostle, as the apostles went to Christ, and ask of him,
Master, expound to us what is this parable.
This phrase is read in none but Paul, which hath written most of
justification by Christ; and therefore he useth all fit phrases to ex
press how we should apply Christ unto us, and in no terms he hath
shewed it more lively .than in this phrase, 'Put on Christ;' for it
signifieth that Christ doth cover .us like a .garment, and defend us
also safely like an armour. He hideth our unrighteousness with
his righteousness, he covereth -our disobedience with his obedience,
he shadoweth our .death with his death, that the wrath of God can
not find us, judgment cannot spy us, the curse cannot see us, for
the garment which covereth and hideth us. But as Jacob got a
blessing in the name and apparel of Esau his elder brother, Gen.
xxvii. 23 ; so in the name and apparel of Christ our elder brother,
we receive the blessing, and are received into favour like Christ
himself. For God saith not, This is my beloved Son which pleaseth

THE WEDDING GARMENT. '149
me; but, in whom I am pleased, Mat. iii. 17; meaning, that not
only Christ pleaseth God, but we please God in Christ; for Christ
is our head, 1 Cor. xi. 3, Eph. v. 23.
Therefore, as one looking in the face of a man, doth like him
straight if he like his face; so God, beholding us in the face of
Christ, doth love us straight, because his face doth please him. But
Christ is not our head unless we be his members ; Christ is not our
garment, unless we put him on ; as Christ did put on our garment
when he clothed himself with our flesh, and took our infirmities,
and bore our curse ; so we must put on bis garment, that is, his
righteousness, his merits^ and his death, which is as strange a virtue
to us, as our flesh was to him, and much ado we have to' put it on ;
and when it is on, there is a great cunning to wear it cleanly and
comely from soiling and renting, Rev. iii. 4, that such a precious
garment be not taken from us again, Mat. xxii. 11.
Therefore many seem to wear this garment which shall be thrust
from the banquet, Mat. vii. 23, beeause they wear it not ; as those
which will say,, when the Lord shall come to> judgment, We have
seen thee in our streets, we have- heard thee in our synagogues, we
have prophesied, we have cast out devils, we have wrought miracles
by thy name, Luke xiii. 26- ; as though if any had put him on, or
borne his marks, they were the men which were marked like his
servants ; therefore who but they shall enter into heaven ? Yet
Christ saitb, ' I know you not,' ver. 27 ; there is their reward, I
know you not ; as if he should answer, You wear not my livery,
you bear not my cognisance for all your shows, therefore depart
from me ; so he put them off, because they had not put him on ;
for though they had seen his person, and heard of his virtues, yet
they had no faith to> apply his mercies, his merits, his death, and
his righteousness unto them, without which no man can put on
Christ, nor wear him. Faith is the hand which putteth him on.
Faith taketh first his righteousness, and covereth her unrighteous
ness ; then she taketh his obedience, and covereth her disobedi
ence ; then she taketh his patience, and covereth her impatience ;
then she taketh his temperance, and covereth her intemperance; then
she taketh his continency, and covereth her incontinency ; then she
taketh his constancy, and covereth her inconstancy; then she
taketh his faith, and covereth her diffidence ; then she taketh his
humility, and covereth her pride ; then she taketh his love, and
covereth her rancour ; and so taketh one robe after another, and
tricketh herself until she have put on Jesus Christ; that is, until
she appear in the sight of God like Jesus Christ, clothed with his

150 THE WEDDING GARMENT.
merits and graces, that God hath no power to be angry with her,
because she cometh so like his Son. This is to put on Jgjusjghrist,
as you shall see more lively, when you have fallen a view of the
'garment, for~w£areJo_ speak of Christ the garment, and of our
putting it on.
There be many fashions of apparel, but they are too light, or too
heavy, or too coarse, or too stale, and all wear out. At last the
apostle found a fashion that surpasseth them all ; it is never out of
fashion, meet for all seasons, fit for all persons/and such a profitable
weed, that the more it is worn the fresher it is. What fashion have
you seen comparable to this ? It is not like the clothes of David's
ambassadors, which covered their upper parts, 2 Sam. x. 4 ; nor like
Saul's armour, which tired David when he should fight with it,
1 Sam. xvii. 39 ; nor like the counterfeit Jeroboam's wife, which
disguised herself to go unknown, 1 Kings xiv. 2 ; nor like the old
rags of the Gibeonites, which deceived Joshua, Joshua ix. 4, 5; nor
like the paltry suit of Micah, which he gave once a year to his
Levite, Judges xvii. 10 ; norjike the glutton's flaunt, which jetted
in purple every day ; nor like the light clothes which Christ said
are in kings' courts, and make them lighter that wear them, Mat.
xL 8.- But it is like the garment of the high priests, which had all
the names of the tribes of Israel written upon his breast, Exod.
xxviii. 21 ; so all the names of the faithful are written in the breast
of Christ, and registered in the book of his merits, Mai. iii. 16.
It is like Elias's mantle, which divided the waters, 2 Kings ii. 8 ;
so he divided our sins and punishments, that they which are clothed
with Christ, are armed both against sin and death. It is like the
garments of the Israelites in the wilderness, which did not wear ;
forty years together they wandered in the desert, and yet, saith
Moses, their shoes were not worn, but their apparel was as when
they came out of Egypt, Deut. xxix. 5 ; so the righteousness of
Christ doth last for ever, and his merits are never worn out. As
Mordecai shined in the king's robes before the people, Esther vi.
11 ; so and more glorious are the faithful in the robes of Christ be
fore God. When Christ was transfigured upon the mount, Matthew
saith, that his face shined like the sun, and his clothes were as
white as the light, Mat. xvii. 2 ; so when we are transfigured into
the image of Christ, we shall shine before other men like lights ;
and therefore Christ's disciples are called lights, because they were
clothed with light, and shined to the world, Mat. v. 14. Solomon
was not so glorious in all his royalty, nor the lilies which are
braver than Solomon, Mat. vi. 29, as he which is clothed with Christ,

THE WEDDING GARMENT. 151
because the apparel upon him is better than all the world about
him. Therefore, if David said, 'Weep, ye daughters of Israel, for
Saul which clothed you in purple/ 2 Sam. i. 24 ; I may say, Rejoice, ye
daughters of Israel, for Christ which hath clothed you with right
eousness, as it were with a vesture, before you come to the banquet.
Tjusis the wedding garment, without which no man can feast
with the~Lord, Mat. xxii. 12. This garment is called an armour,
Eph. vi. 11, because it defendeth us from all the assaults of the
devil, the flesh, the world, the heat of persecution, and the cold of
defection. This garmgnt is m.llprl ligbt.^ Rom. xiii. 12, because it is
the beauty and glory of them which wear it. This garment is
called_a kingdom, because none but kings do wear it ; that isTthey
are enthroned in the kingdom of Christ, and made kings over the
world, the flesh, and Satan, which wear this garment ; like the hair
of Samson, which while he wore he was like a king, and all his
enemies had no power to hurt him, Judges xvi. 6.
This garment Paul hath sent unto you, to go before the king of
heaven and earth, a holy garment, a royal garment, an immaculate
garment, an everlasting garment ; a garment^ whereof every hem is
peace of conscience, every plait is joy in the Holy Ghost, every
stitch is the remission of some sin, and saveth him which weareth
it. If she which touched the hem of Christ's garment was healed,
Mat. ix. 21 ; he which wears this garment, nay, he which wears
Christ himself, shall not he be healed of all his sores, though he
were wounded from head to foot? You need not clothe him now
which saith, ' When I was naked, you did not clothe me/ nor cast
your garments in the way, as they did when he came to Jerusalem,
but take his garment and suffer yourselves to be clothed, as Noah
did, to cover your nakedness, Gen. ix. 23. As the good Samaritan
put him upon his own beast which was spoiled with thieves, and
bound up his sores when he was wounded, Luke x. 34 j1 so Christ
Jesus mounteth the faithful upon his righteousness, and healeth
their sins ; as though he should cover them with his garments,
whom the world, the flesh, and the devil have robbed of their gar
ments, that is, the righteousness which they had in paradise before
the serpent came, Gen. iii. 1 ; so if we put on Christ, we are
clothed with his obedience, whereby our wickedness is covered ; we
are clothed with his merits, whereby our sins are forgiven ; we are
clothed Fwith his Spirit, whereby our hearts are mollified, and
sanctified, and renewed, till we resemble Christ himself. This is
the apostle's meaning, to put on Christ, as it is unfolded in Col. iii
1 This Samaritan doth not signify Christ, but yet may be resembled to Christ.

1 52 THE WEDDING GARMENT.
12. Where he brings forth all the robes of Christ, and sorts of
them, and saith, Put on mercy, put on meekness, put on humility,
put on patience, put on love ; all which before he called the new
man. So that to put on Christ, is to put on the new man with all
his virtues, until we be renewed to the image of Christ, which is
like a new man amongst men. They which labour to be righteous,
and yet believe that Christ's righteousness shall save them, have
put on Christ as Paul would have them. We are not taught to put
on angels, nor saints, nor the Virgin Mary, nor Paul himself, to
cover our sins with their righteousness, as the papists do; but we
are commanded to put on Christ, and cover our sins with his right
eousness. The body hath many garments, but the soul hath one
garment. Every clout will cover our sores, but the finest silk will
not coyerour sins. Therefore when we seem brave to others, we
seem foul to God, because his eye is upon our sins, which lie naked
when all the rest is covered, until we put on Christ, and then we
hear the voice, ' Thy sins are forgiven/ Mat. ix. 2 ; and then we
have that blessing, ' Blessed is the man whose sin is covered/ Ps.
xxxii. 1 ; so we are clothed and blessed together. Yet this garment
is out of request, too rough for some, too graye for others, tocTBase
for others. And therefore, instead of putting on Christ, they put
him off ; instead of welcoming him, they discharge him ; like the
Gadarenes, that they may keep their swine, that is, their beastly
pleasures, which he would cast into the sea. These are like the
foolish soldiers, which should have made Christ their garment, and
they cast lots upon his garments, and divided them, and so spoiled
them ; so do the jjapists deal with this garment : they say it is not
fit for them, and therefore they break_it, and mangleit, and piece
it with rags of their own inventions ; they say it is too light, and
not able to beat off the storms of death, and heat of hell, and there
fore choose rather to make themselves garrnentsjrf their ; merits, and
their masses, and their penance, and their pardons, and their pil
grimages ; like Adam and Eve, which made themselves coats of fig-
leaves, Gen. iii. 7, 21, which God destroyed again, to shew that
when men have patched all their leaves of masses, of pardons, of
pilgrimages, and satisfactions together, yet they will not cover their
nakedness, nor keep off the heat of God's wrath ; but are like the
curtailed skirts of David's ambassadors, 2 Sam. x. 4, which hid not
their shame. Therefore when we may go in our Master's attire,
shall we scrub like beggars patched in our rags ? Mine own gar
ments defile me, saith Job, Job ix. 31. Our own garments, our
own righteousness defileth us ; for what garment, what righteousness

THE WEDDING GARMENT. 153
have we of our own, but that which is like a menstruous cloth, Isa.
Ixiv. 6, which had more need to be washed itself, than to wipe that
which is foul ? Therefore Christ must make us garments, or else
when our backs flaunt it likecourtiers. our souls shall strip like
beggars ; and the devils will sport~themselves like Ham to see our
nakedness, Gen. ix. 22. First, the Father made us garments in
paradise, Gen. iii. 21 ; now the Son makes us garments in the
wilderness ; nay, the Son is made our garment, as Paul saith, 1 Cor.
i. 30, ' Christ is made unto us righteousness ;' that is, Christ's
righteousness must be our garment, or else we shall be ashamed
when our righteousness doth not reach to cover our nakedness,
but still some part will peep bare until he cast his righteousness
upon it, and then all is covered. ( As David needed no other armour
against the giant than a sling, 1 Sam, xvii. 40 ; so we need no other
garment against sin than Christ. There wants nothing but this to
put it on. Now let us see how to put this garment on. Many
fumble about it, like children which have need of one to put on
their clothes, j Some put on Christ like a precious head-tire, which
all day is worn, beautified with jewels, and beset with gems, to make
the face seem more amiable ; but at night that riches is laid aside,
and the head muffled with some regardless tire. (Thus do our
curious women put on Christ, who when they hear the messengers
of grace offering this garment, and preparing to make the body fit
to be garnished with so glorious a vesture, as Paul did the Romans,
first washing away drunkenness and gluttony, then chambering
and wantonness, then strife and envy, and so sin after sin, they
seem like the stony ground to receive it with joy, and think to beau
tify their heads with this precious ointment ; but when he tells
them there is no communion between Christ and Belial, that if this
garment be put on, all other vanities must be put off ; they then
turn their day into darkness, and reject Christ, that would be an
eternal crown of beauty to their heads, and wrap their temples in
the uncomely rags and refuse of every nation's pride ; and in these
toys they cause their servants to spend many hours on every day
in the week, but especially on the Sabbath day, to deck their bodies,
as if they were but little children, whichjiad need of one to put on
their clothes./ Soine~putonUhrist as a cloak, which hangeth upon
their shoulders, and covereth them : when they go abroad to be
seen of men, they can cast on the cloak of holiness, and seem for a
while as holy as the best ; but so soon as they come home the cloak
goeth off, and the man is as he was, whose vizard was better than
his face. Thus hypocrites put on Christ, as many retain unto

154 THE WEDDING GARMENT.
noblemen, not to do them any service, but to have their counte
nance. Many put on Christ, hke a hat, which goeth off to every one
which meets them ; so every temptation which meets them, makes'
them forget what they heard, what they promised, what they
resolved, and change their way as though they had not repented at
all. So the. TOramurupaople (like^aacsebzes) put on Christ : they
are zealous so long as they are inj;he,church,_ and beat their breasts,
and cast up their eyes like the publican, Luke xviii. 13, when they
hear a sentence which moves them ; as though they would do no
more against that saying whiles they live ; but the next business
putteth all out of mind till they come to the church again. Some
put on Christ .as a glove, which covereth but the hand ; so they put
on the face of Christ, or the tongue of Christ ; but their hands
work, and their feet walk, as they did before. So many professors
of religion put on Christ, which call but for discipline and reforma
tion, that they might get a name of zeal and sincerity, to cover
some fault which they would not be suspected of. Thus every man
would cover himself with Christ, but they have not the skill, or
they have not the will to put him on. What will you do then ?
Though the garment be never so good, yet it is not good to them
that do not wear it ; for what profit have we of the garments which
we do not wear ? they neither keep us from heat nor cold. There
fore Paul doth not bring you a garment to lay by you for the moths,
but he bids you put it on. Here is the cunning now in putting it
on. If Paul had taught us this, then you would hearken unto him.
Well, you shall hear.what. Paul saith to the putting of it on.
First (saith Paul), you must cast away the works of darkness,
and then put on the armour of light ; first, you must put off, and
then put on. As the_eagleV-feathers wiU-Jiot-lie-with_any_.Q±lie]L
feathers, but consume them which lie with them ; so the wedding
garment will not be worn with filthy garments, but scorns, like the
ark, that Dagon should stand by it, 1 Sam. v. 8. If any man may not
wear women's apparel for lightness, may he wear the devil's apparel,
and clothe himself with pride, with covetousness, with envy, with hy
pocrisy, with uncleanness, and when he is like the devil, sit at God's
table? No man (saith Christ) patcheth a new piece to an old garment,
Mat. ix. 16; and wilt thou patch an old piece to a new garment? God
forbade the people to wear linsey-woolsey, because it was a sign of
inconstancy, Lev. xix. 19 ; but this is inconstancy itself.
He doth not put on Christ, but putteth off Christ, and putteth
on Belial, which fashions himself to God and the world too. As
Christ's coat was without seam, Mat. xix. 23, so they must be

THE WEDDING GARMENT. 155
without stain that wear it, Rev. iii. 5. For when a man putteth
on fair clothes, he maketh himself fair too, and avoideth every foul
thing, lest it should foul his clothes ; so must he which putteth on
Christ, for the finest garment is soonest stained. Therefore when
thou hast put on this garment, thou must wash thyself, and pick
thy way, and choose thy works, and handle nothing that is foul, for
marring thy clothes ; that is, thou must not think as thou didst,
nor speak as thou didst, nor live as thou didst ; but remember that
thou hast changed thy master, and serve him with whom thou art
bound. For if God and the devil could not agree upon Moses's
body, Jude 9, for one to have one part, and the other another
part, but God would have all ; much less will God agree that the
devil should have part of the soul, which would not yield him part
of the body.
Thus have you heard^viat .jo_u_musi..put_off ; bow hear how
Christ must Ee~put on. As the angel taught John to read the
book, when he bade him eat it, Rev. x. 9, so must we put on
Christ, as if we did eat him, not as the papists do in their mass,
but as the meat is turned into the substance of the body, and goeth
through every part of man, so Christ and his word should go from
part to part, from ear to heart, from heart to mouth, from mouth
to hand, till we be of one nature with them, that they be the very
substance of our thoughts, and speeches, and actions, as the meat is
of our body. This is to eat Christ and his word ; or else we do not
eat them but chew them, and when our taste is satisfied, spue them
out again. Thus we must put on Christ ; for the word signifieth
to put him on, as thou wouldest put him in, that he may be one
with thee, and thou with him, as it were in a body together. As
he hath put on all our infirmities, so we must put on all his graces,
not half on^butjilLQn, andclasp him to us, and^gird him about us,
and wear him, even as we wear our skin, which is alway about us.
Then there shall be no need of wires, nor curls, nor periwigs ; the
husbands shall not be forced to rack their rents, nor enhance their
fines, nor sell their lands to deck their wives ; but as the poor
mantle of Elijah seemed better to Elisha than all the robes of Solo
mon, 2 Kings ii. 13, so the wedding garment shall seem better than
all the flaunts of vanity, and put every fashion out of fashion, which
is not modest and comely like itself.
If you will know further how to put on Christ, you shall see how
your text will catechise you in his three names, Lord, Jesus, Christ.
The apostle seemeth to spell out the way unto us how we should
wear this garment : First, we must put him on as Lord; then we

156 THE WEDDING GARMENT.
must put him on as Jesus; lastly, we must put him on as Christ,
Thou must put him on as Lord ; that is, thy ruler to command thee,
thy tutor to govern thee, and thy master to direct thee ; thou must
be no man's servant but his, take no man's part against him, but
say with the apostles, ' Whether is it meet to obey God or thee ?'
Acts iv. 19. Thou must put him on as Jesus, that is, thy Saviour
in whom thou trustest, thy protector on whom thou dependest, thy
Redeemer on whom thou believest ; thou must not look for thy sal
vation from angel, nor saint, nor anything beside him. For . the
name of Jesus signifieth a Saviour, and is given to none but him,1
and he is not only called the Saviour, but the Salvation, in the
Song of Simeon, Luke i. 69, to shew that he is the only Saviour ; for
there be many saviours, but there can be but one salvation ; as there
may be many tortures, and yet but one death. Therefore, when he
is called the Salvation, it implieth that there is no saviour beside
him. Thou must put him on as Christ, that is, a king to rule, a
prophet to teach, a priest to pray and sacrifice, and pacify the wrath
of God for thee. For this name Christ doth signify that he was
anointed a king, a priest, and a prophet for man : a king to rule
him, a priest to offer sacrifice for him, a prophet to teach him. So
that he putteth on Christ as Lord, which worshippeth none but him ;
he putteth on Christ as Jesus, which believeth in none but him ;
and he putteth on Christ as Christ, which worshippeth none but him,
believeth in none but him, and heareth none but him.
You put on Christ first when you are baptized, Rom. vi. 3 ; then
you were sealed and consecrated to his service ; so soon as you came
into the world, you vowed to renounce the world and follow God.
How many have put on Christ thus, and since have put him off
again ? which have broken the first promise that ever they made,
and were never faithful to God since ? You put on Christ again
when you are called and sanctified, that is, when you cast off the
old man, which is corrupt with the lusts of the flesh, the pride of
life, and the cares of this world, Eph. iv. 22 ; and put on the new
man, which is regenerate in righteousness and holiness to the image
of Christ, or likeness of Adam in his innocency, Rom. xii. 2 ; for to
put on the new man is to become a new man, as if thou wert born
again and conceived of the Holy Ghost. Of this Job speaketh when
he saith, ' I put on justice, and it covereth me/ Job xxix. 14. You
put on Christ again when you receive his holy sacrament, 1 Cor. x.
16, and are partakers of his body and blood, that is, the merits
of his obedience and passion, by faith, which heareth him as if she
1 Joshua hath the like name, but not from God, nor to that end.

THE WEDDING GARMENT. 157
did see him, and seeth him as if she did feel him, and feeleth him
as if she did taste him, and tasteth him as if she did digest him ;
then Christ has become yours, and dwelleth in you, and feedeth you
with his grace to eternal life, as the bread and wine sustaineth the
life present. Lastly, when you have put on Christ in these three
sorts, which is your garment for this world, after you shall put on
Christ in heaven, and be clothed with his glory ; and that shall be
your last vesture, which shall never wear out, Philip, iii. 21, 1 Cor.
xv. 49.
Thus have you heard what is meant by putting on Christ : first,
to clothe ourselves with righteousness and holiness like Christ ; and
then, because our own righteousness is too short to cover our arms,
and legs, and thighs of sin, but still some bare place will peer out,
and shame us in the sight of God, therefore we must borrow Christ's
garments, as Jacob did his brother's, Gen. xxvii. 15, and cover our
selves with his righteousness ; that is, believe that his righteousness
shall supply our unrighteousness, and his sufferings shall stand for our
sufferings, because he came to fulfil the law, and bear the curse, and
satisfy his Father for us, that all which believe in him might not
die, but have life everlasting, John iii. 16.
Now I have shewed you this goodly garment, you must go to
another to help you to put it on ; and none can put this garment
upon you, but he which is the garment, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore to him let us pray.

THE WAY TO WALK IN.

THE WAY TO WALK IN.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in gluttony and drunk
enness, neither in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife
and envying, &c. — Rom. XIII. 13.
Having alre.adx^hag^...^ou^aJringdom-..now I will shew you
wherein this kingdom consisteth, and in what it doth not consist ;
as in Rom. xiv., he sheweth that it consisteth not in meats, and
drinks, &c, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost. But because I am to speak of some vices which this text
calleth me unto, I will proceed in them, beseeching you, as you
shall hear them to be condemned, so speedily to proceed in execu
tion to put them to death, and so to go forward with the rest of
your sins.
' Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in gluttony and drunk
enness,' &c. As if he should say, Know you, that I bid you put
away from you the works of darkness. He nameth not all the works
of darkness, but chiefly those that do reign and are cause of more
wickedness ; that is, gluttony, drunkenness, strife, and envying, &c,
three monsters come out of hell, and troubling the whole world ;
therefore, cast off these, and you have cast off all.
Now, to speak of them, I will begin where the' vices begin, and, as
I point them out unto you, so I pray you to. slay them, as if you
had martial law in your hands to put them to death. By this
narration the apostle sheweth the chain of sin, how one sin will draw
on another after it, for no sin is so base that it will go alone ; where
fore resist all sins or none, for if you entertain one sin it will pre
sently draw another after it, and so the whole house will be full of
thieves : as Gehazi his pride made him to lie, and Adam's fall made
him to excuse himself, and Peter's denial made him swear, and
after his swearing, made him curse himself, &c. ; for the sinner
cannot stay after he hath committed one sin to commit another,
nor till he hath come to the bottom of hell. If I should stand to
anatomise and paint out all vices in their kind, I should crave a
longer time than is allotted to me ; therefore I will briefly touch them.
VOL. I. L

162 THE WAY TO WALK IN.
As huge as the sea is, yet one may taste the saltness of it in a
drop, so in one sin you may see how ill-favoured all the rest be ;
for there is no sin but weakeneth the body, shorten eth the life, cor-
rupteth and consumeth the goods, perverteth grace, and maketh us
odious to God and angels. You are given to hate your enemies ;
these are they, therefore hate them ; they keep you from repentance
lest you should be saved; wherefore I will shew you what is in this
box, lest the same go into your eyes, and so blind you.
' Walk not in gluttony, drunkenness, and strife/ &c. These
come like fair ladies, with presents in their hands, to woo the un
stable soul of man ; gluttony cometh with the pleasure of the flesh,
drunkenness with the satisfying of the thirst, strife with the revenge
of the enemy.
And first, what gluttony and drunkenness offereth, and how
many have been deceived with their sweet meats and strong drinks,
till all have been turned into a belly, and so turned the body into
sin, daily experience teacheth us.
Now, by the way, the apostle, we must note, doth approve
sobriety and virtue, that as a man may drink and not be drunken,
so he may eat that he loveth, and not glut himself ; for he forbid-
deth not to eat meat, but not to eat too much, lest thou surfeit ;
for the golden mean is good for all things. Solomon doth not for
bid to eat honey, but eat not too much, lest thou surfeit. As the
body may not offend the soul, so the soul may not injure the body,
lest it be unfit to serve the soul.
Many there be that think they have not sinned in gluttony till
they surfeit ; but this is gluttony in excess, and punisheth itself
with many diseases, and dulness of wit, want of memory, and short
ness of life. Now, that you may sin in gluttony and not surfeit,
appeareth by the rich man in the 16th of Luke, who fared deli
riously every day, and never surfeited ; yet for all that he is called
glutton, to teach us that there be gluttons which do not surfeit.
This kind of sin much displeaseth God, when men eat and drink,
and rise up to play, and remember not the afflictions of Joseph and
Lazarus lying at the door ; many be such banquets, where none
do come with a wedding garment, and where Christ is never invited.
Many things may persuade us to temperance, and we may learn
it of the beasts, who desire no change, nor hoard not, and are con
tent. God provided meat for all creatures, as herbs, roots, and
grass, before he provided any for man, to teach and instruct us
what little care we should have for our belly ; for we live not by
bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of

THE WAY TO WALK IN. 163
God. Christ hath taught us to fast when he prepared himself
thereunto in the wilderness, but he never by any example taught us
to feast. Some there be which think he did never eat flesh but in
the paschal lamb, which, although it doth not teach or debar us from
eating flesh, which Peter was willed to eat in the vision, yet it
teacheth us to tame the flesh, lest Hagar should get the upper
hand of her mistress. When the belly is full, the flesh lusteth, the
tongue prateth, the wit sleepeth, and Satan carrieth away the mind
when the understanding is away. As the moist and waterish
grounds bring forth nothing but frogs and toads, so the belly and
waterish stomach that is stuffed like a tun, bringeth forth nothing
but a drowsy mind, foggy thoughts, filthy speeches, and corrupt
affections ; therefore the physician saith, nothing better for the body
than abstinence ; the divine saith, nothing better for the soul than
abstinence ; the lawyer saith, nothing better for the wits than ab
stinence; but because there is no law for this vice, therefore it
breaketh out so mightily. Whoredom hath a law, ihfift_hafch_a
law, .murderJiath-alaw,- but this sin. is_without a law.-
Now to the second sin, which is drunkenness, these are two sisters,
betwixt whom there is little difference. In this sin some are mad,
some are merry, some do vomit, some do sleep, and some do reel ;
and then there is no difference between a man and a beast, saving
that the one can stand, and the other cannot. As every Scripture
that maketh against theft, maketh against non-residency ; so every
reason which maketh against gluttony, maketh against drunkenness.
Now after these cometh chambering and wantonness ; and no
marvel, saith one, though the imps do follow, when the devil goeth
before ; for fulness of bread went before the sin of the Sodomites.
.So when David had dined, and was Jiill, walking upon his palace,
his eyes glancedjjis flesh lusted, his heart consented, the fire burned,
and there was no water to quench it. And therefore in that so
great a ch~ampion'asT5avid did fall, let him that standeth take heed
lest he fall. And seeing that thou in thyself art no stronger or
mightier, imitate and follow the example of those that are cunning
wrestlers, who, 'to cast down others, will first fall down them
selves ; so we, to overthrow our enemies, must subject ourselves,
and humble ourselves first by fasting and prayer.
Sodom was burned, but the sins have escaped. Sweet words,
soft attire, wanton behaviour, and such like, have conspired and
agreed all together, and set honesty to sale. And we use daily to
pray that we be not led into temptation, and yet we do lead our
selves into temptation. For our fair words, wanton gestures, and

164 THE WAY TO WALK IN.
dainty fare, with many other pleasures, do beckon unto sin ; and if
there be no wine, wh}r hangs the bush ? and if there be no wantons,
why is there any wanton, or unseemly, or ungodly attire ?
'Let us not walk in gluttony and drunkenness, neither in cham
bering and wantonness, nor in strife and envying.' It is hard to
say which of these sins is most in the world. Haply some will say,
I have been no glutton, no drunkard, no whoremonger, no murderer;
no false image worshipper, &c. ; but who can come forth and say
he is free from strife ? For strife hatb eompassed the whole world,
strife, in country, strife in city, strife in court, .strife in common-
weaLjrtrife in the church ; who can say that he is free from strife,
or that he hath not injured his brother ? Surely that man shall
stand alone, for it will light upon nonebut Christ.
I can but exhort you with the apostle, that you would not walk
in strife and envying. Therefore put away these amongst the rest ;
for he that hath not put off these, hath not put on Christ ; and if
he have not put on Christ, he is no Christian./ Ettvy_is sin, and it
punisheth itself like gluttony ; for it fretteth the heart, shorteneth
the life, and eateth the flesh)^as_th£_fire-eonsumeththe_wpod : it is
the mother of strife, and a great worker in the court. This is it
which brought labour, and sickness, and death into the world, even
the envy of the serpent and the devil ; and it will condemn thee in
thy conscience, if thou be an envious man. Nothing resembleth
God more than love, for God is love. So if thou hast love, thou
resemblest God, but if thou hast envy, and art an adversary, thou
resemblest the devil ; for thou canst not come nearer the devil any
way than to be envious. Asjthe dustcomethby the wind, so the
devil cometh with envy ; and he that is possessed with envy, is
possessed with the devil. Why doth the apostle say, in the third
chapter of his epistle to the Colossians, ' Above all things put on
love'? Because love is best of all. Why doth he call love ' the band
of perfection' ? Because it bindeth all virtues together. If love be
the band of perfection to bind all virtues together, then envy is the
band of impiety, to bind all sins together ; therefore, if we must
cast off all but love, we must cast off envy. Thou canst not come
to the kingdom of peace without love. The kingdom of Satan is
at peace, and shall not God's kingdom be at peace ? Shall we be
at peace with the flesh, the world, and the devil, and be at variance
with God, and at strife one with another ? ' Fire is cruel, wrath is
raging; but who can stand before envy ?' Prov. xxvii. And if there
be none can stand before envy, how then can envy stand before God?
If thou canst not forgive him that doth offend thee, thou prayest

THE WAY TO WALK IN. 165
against thyself, and askest vengeance upon thee ; therefore the
apostle exhorteth thee not to let the sun go down upon thy wrath,
Eph. iv. 26. Charity envieth not, saith St Paul ; therefore see thou
have charity, lest thou be counted an envious person. The beasts
of the field are armed with horns, with hoofs, with tusks and such
like, to take revenge ; but nature hath left nothing for man to put
him in mind of revenge, and yet man above all other creatures is
most desirous of revengement, for he hateth his own life ; therefore
it is against nature to envy. John saith, he that hateth his brother
is a manslayer, and loveth not God, neither knoweth God. If an
envious man, saith he, say he loveth God, he is a liar, because he
hateth his image ; if he say he knoweth God, he is a liar. How canst
thou love God, and hate good men? And how canst thou love
learning, when thou hatest the learned ? So doth the envious man
all, both good and bad. Therefore this is the worst sin, because
it cometh nearest the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Consider, therefore, whom thou hatest, even thine image. The
devil was appointed to hate man, and not man to hate man ; and
if thou hatest a good man, thou hatest God ; if thou hatest an evil
man, thou hatest one like thyself; and if thou hatest one [like thy
self, thou hatest thine own soul ; therefore, as St Paul saith, ' Have
peace with all men/ Canst thou not hate the sin, and love the per
son, as the physician hateth the disease, and yet loveth the diseased ?
As a great many of bees can lodge together in a hive, so a legion
ofclevils can~nestle togefHeFih- one (man T;' but many, although tney
canh6fTive~asunder, yelrtrieyTiaTmoTiiveTbgether.
Wherefore now consider the pedigree of peace. God is the God
of peace, the Holy Ghost is the SpiriFoi peaceTthe angels are the
messengers of peace, the ministers are the preachers of peace, and
the magistrate is the defender of peace. Shall we, then, that have
the God of peace, the Spirit of peace, the messengers of peace, the
preachers of peace, the magistrates of peace, and, as I may_say, the
queenofj2eace, be at envy and war one with another ? Marvel not
though I am so long upon this sin ; for there is none of you that hear
me this day, but you can give me sufficient matter to speak hereof.
Then can I want words when ye bring matter ? Shall I not wrestle,
and seek to overthrow this giant, which challengeth every man ?
As no man finding a serpent, leaveth him before he be dead, so
let us slaughter this monster while he is under the axe, that he
never rise any more. Consider of the wrong thou doest to thyself,
when thou enviest another ; for the stroke of envy redounds unto
thee. It were better thou didst gratulate them with good things,

166 THE WAY TO WALK IN.
as good men have done, and do daily ; but instead of imitating
their virtues, or commending their gifts, we envy them, and
malign them, and so their joy is our sorrow. But the envious man
doth pay for his spite, for it recoils upon himself ; and envy is
punished with envy, and hatred also with hatred ; for he which
hateth all, shall be hated of all. Thus he is tormented for another,
as Herod tormented himself for Christ; and the Jews troubled
themselves for Paul ; for envy is as gall to the heart, as pricks to
the stomach, and as a canker in the mouth, and ever vexeth thee,
as the evil spirit of Saul vexed him.
Love is so contrary to envy, as that it hath more joy of others'
welfare, than envy hath of his own. Therefore an envious man
may be compared to Cain, who, when he had killed his brother
Abel, was so troubled, that he said, ' Whosoever findeth me, shall kill
me.' The covetous man, although he will not communicate his own
goods, yet he would have others to communicate their goods. The
proud man, although he be proud himself, yet he would have others
to be humble ; but the envious man careth not who doth any good.
As the eagle doth count them bastards that cannot abide to look
upon the sun ; so Christ doth account them bastards which will
not take him to be an example of lowliness.
Every creature doth impart his good unto man, but the envious man ;
he hath separated himself from doing good to any, even as an apostate.
Every vice is the contrary of some virtue ; as intemperance to
moderation, incontinency to chastity, pride to humility ; but envy
is contrary to all. This is the cognisance of the devil ; for God
saith, ' By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you
love one another.' So the devil he saith, By this shall men know
that you are my disciples, if you envy and hate one another. The
proud, the prodigal, the covetous, the lascivious, they are loved of
some, but the envious man is hated of all. And this sin is so loath-
some unto him, that he cannot abide it in any but in himself.
Therefore, if we love ourselves, let us love our neighbours ; for
nothing doth more please God than love ; so that if the blackamoor
could be clean, here is water enough to wash him. But the flesh
of man is more strong than all these reasons.
God hath put enmity between us and the serpent, and the ser
pent he hath put enmity between man and man.
When Joseph had laden his brethren full of corn, and sent them
away, he bade them not to fall out by the way ; so I would this lesson,
when we have plenty of all things, and are full, had deep impres
sion in our hearts, that we forget it not : ' Fall not out by the way.'

NEBUCHADNEZZAR. IN THREE SERMONS.

TO THE BEADEE.1

Whereas these sermons of Nebuchadnezzar have heretofore been printed
by an unperfecteopy^ and by means thereof have passed through the hands
of divers, having in some places the^mind_of&e_ author obscured, in other
some the sentencesjrnsMfulIy patched together ; whereby the author's dis
credit might be furthered, and the sale of the sermons have been hindered:
now as I have caused them to be examined by the best copies, and to be
corrected accordingly, so I thought good to certify thee of the same, that the
wants which were in the first impression might not cause thee to suspect
this impression also, and so discourage thee from acquainting thyself with
the excellent instructions offered in these treatises.
* This note is in all the copies that I have seen. I do not know who is its author.
—Ed.

THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.

At the end of the twelve months he walked in the royal palace of
Babel. And the king spake, and said, Is not this great Babel,
that I have built for the house of my kingdom, by the might
of my power, and for the honour of my majesty ? — Dan. IV.
29, 30.
I HAVE chosen this story of Nebuchadnezzar, wherein Js_Jaid_d.own
bis__pridei^s_Jall, and nis~restitution. This Nebuchadnezzar was
a wicked king, and therefore God warned him by a dream, and
by Daniel, to amend his life ; but all would not serve. He made
many shews, but he revolted again ; therefore at the last God give
him over for a time, and he became like a beast, until he acknow
ledged his power to come from God. A warning to all rulers, to
put them in remembrance, that one Ruler is above, which must be
served of them all, or else all their buildings, and treasures, and
guard will not shield them from judgment when the stroke cometh,
no more than they could save Nebuchadnezzar. ' At the end of
twelve months/ saith Daniel, ' this king walked in his royal palace.'
The prophet shewed that he had deserved his punishment before,
and that his dream which he had did tell him that his kingdom
should depart from him for his pride ; yet this respite of twelve
months was granted him, like the forty days which were granted
to the Ninevites, to try what he would do upon his warning, and
whether he would repent as the Ninevites did. Therefore the Holy
Ghost sheweth how the time ran, and how he lived after, as if he
would say, If he will return yet, and be warned by the dreams,
or by the prophets which I sent him, I will stay my hand, and
his kingdom shall not depart from him. But here he sheweth

170 THE FIRST SEEMON.
that he forgot his dream like a dream, and was more desirous to
know what it meant, than to be warned by it. The twelve months
ran, month after month, yet Nebuchadnezzar is all one. Now his
dreams are gone, he thinketh that all is ended; therefore he gets
him up into his palace amidst his delights^obeak himself as it were
in the sun of all his pleasures, where indeed he hastened God to
take away all his pleasures and delights from him. When he
should have repented, as the prophet Daniel willed him, and ripped
up his sins, and bewailed his wicked life, and poured forth tears,
and prevented his judgment with his prayer upon his knees, then
was he stalking in his galleries, and thinking what sin should be
next, to fill up the number of his rebellions, that God might not
spare him when he judged. So the wicked will not suffer the
prophecies of God against them to be vain, but they will put G0Q
in mind of their punishments and sin till the punishment do come
upon them, to fulfil the threatenings due unto them.
Some think that Nebuchadnezzar walked upon the roof of his
palace, from whence he might see all parts of the city round about
him, like the mountain whither the tempter led our Saviour Christ,
to shew him the beauty of the world.
This the prophet Daniel would signify, that the king lived in
ease as he lived before, and pleased himself in vanity still, for all
his warnings, and turned his time of repentance to sin again.
Therefore God would defer the time no longer, but cut him down,
like the barren and fruitless fig-tree, to teach us to take mercy
when it is offered, and repent while we have time and space, and if
God speak unto us but once, to lay it up in our hearts for ever, not
looking or expecting to be spoken to again, because God is not
bound to admonish, or give us any warning at all.
One would have thought that Nebuchadnezzar would have re
membered his warning while he had lived, which had such a strange
and fearful dream, and after that another dream, being no less
strange and fearful than the former dream, to confirm it ; and after
such a prophet to expound it, and the exposition of it threatening
such a miserable ruin and downfall to himself.
One would have thought and believed that he could never have
forgotten it, nor put it out of his remembrance, although he had
lived unto this day. But like a wonder which lasteth not above
nine days, so is the repentance of them which sin by custom ; for
when sin is rooted it sticketh fast, and will hardly be weeded out,
though God should send us dreams and visions, or should raise up
prophets ; Daniel himself cannot make this blackamoor white, which

. THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 171
always hath been black before. And this we may see in ourselves,
for why have we need to hear so often of repentance, more than of
anything else, but that it is such a thing as we cannot frame our
selves unto ? If we be warned of anything but of sin, one warning
will serve. But we are so incorporate and inured to sin, that a
thousand sermons will not serve ; so custom hath made sin stronger
in many, than the word of God. Well, remember or apply it how
you will, after twelve months, God will come and take account of
his dreams, and of his prophets which he sent him, to see what he
hath profited by them. Although he hath leaden feet which are
long in coming, yet he hath iron hands, which, when he cometh,
will strike home.
Now the twelve months are expired, God comes and finds Nebu
chadnezzar upon his towers. When he should have cast himself
down to the ground, and thought upon his dream and Daniel, and
so have humbled his pride, he was perched upon his roost, and
there he begins to crow of his wealth : ' Is not this great Babel,
which I have built for the house of my kingdom, by the might of
my power, and for the honour of my majesty?' See how the man
standeth in admiration of his vanity, like an usurer which doateth
on his money, as though he had deserved immortal fame for spend
ing his money "vainly. ' Is not this great Babel ? ' &c. ; he should
rather have said, Is not this Nebuchadnezzar's folly, which he hath
built for a mock to his name, and an impeachment to his wisdom,
for men to say when they pass by, Look how our king hath be
stowed his revenues ; here lie our subsidies and tributes in this stone
wall ? But Nebuchadnezzar thinks that every one will praise him
for his folly ; therefore, like a woman when she is pranked up in her
bravery, thinks that all do admire her, and hath as goodly an
opinion of herself as the peacock hath of his feathers, and frameth
all her looks, and her gestures, and her speeches accordingly ; so
when NebuchadnezzarjaJLin^his palace, and saw such shows about
him, Now, saith pride, thou must frame thy lobk'sTand gestures, and
speeches accordingly, or else the king's palace will be braver than
the king himself ; so he beginneth to exalt his mind higher than
his palace, and to look and speak stouter than he did before. The
temptation was no sooner in his heart, but the words were in his
mouth, and he pleased himself therein so well, that he could not re
frain, being alone ; but as a fool admires himself in a glass, so when
he was alone, and nobody with him, he strutted along, and bragged
by himself, to think what a jolly fellow he was, and how men began
to talk of his buildings. By this we may see how wealth and hon-

172 THE FIRST SERMON.
our change manners, and how a gay coat, or a great band, or a gold
ring, can brave a man's mind, and make him look and speak after
another manner than he is accustomed when they are away from
him. It is a wonderful thing, to see what power these pretty vain toys
have over the mind, and alter and change a man suddenly, to make
him think better of himself that day he wears them, than any other
day besides.
' Is not this great Babel, which I have built for the house of my
kingdom, by the might of my power, for the honour of my majesty?'
Before the Holy Ghost layeth down Nebuchadnezzar's words, mark
how he cometh unto them, ' The king spake and said.' Spake and
said ; was not one enough, but he must say, spake and said ? This
doubling of the words sheweth that he spoke with a premeditate
pride, from his heart-root, which passed not whether it were a sin or
no, come what will come of it. The Holy Ghost doth bring other
speeches which he said, and no more ; but here he saith, spake and
said, as though he spake twice, nor as he spoke at other times, but
like a man at defiance, which would not recall any word, but if he
could say more, he would say more to anger.
Did I call it great Babel ? I may call it great Babel. Did I say
that I built it ? I will say that I built it. Did I add, for the hon
our of my majesty ? Let it go for the honour of my majesty. Thus
he spake, and said, as though he would be constant in his pride,
although he were constant in no other thing.
' Is not this great Babel, whicb I have built for the house of my
kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my
majesty ?'
Three things I note in this saying. First, what a glorious opinion
Nebuchadnezzar had of his vain building, out of these words, ' Is
not this great Babel ?' The second out of these words, ' which I
have built by the might of my power ;' wherein he termeth him
self the founder of it, as if he had done all without a helper. The
third is, that in all his work he sought nothing but vain glory, out
of these words, ' for the honour of my majesty.' These three sins
Nebuchadnezzar doth bewray in one brag, and in all these three we
are so like, that the beasts were not so like him, when he became
like a beast.
First, We have not so wonderful an opinion of God, or of his
word, or of his heaven, as we have of our own acts, although we be
never able to do half that Nebuchadnezzar did. Secondly, This is
our manner, to attribute all to ourselves, whatsoever it be, riches,

THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 1 73
honour, health, or knowledge ; as though all came by labour, or
policy, or art, or literature. If we cannot draw it to one of these,
then we think it fortune, although we understand not what fortune
is. If we did count ourselves beholding unto God for them, then
we would find some time to be thankful unto him.
Lastly, When we over-view these matters, this is our solace and
comfort, to think these are the things which make me famous and
spoken of, and pointed at ; and then we end as though it were
enough to be pointed at, 'Is not tbis great Babel?' That which
one loves seems greater and more precious above all which he loveth
not, although they be better than it ; so did these buildings seem
to Nebuchadnezzar.
One would not think that a house were a matter to make a king
proud, although it were never so fair; stone walls are not so precious
that he should repose all his honour upon lime and mortar. But
this is a just thing with God : vain hope, vain prosperity, vain com
fort, and vain glory, that may deceive them when they trust unto
it. Therefore, as the faithful soul looketh up to God, or upon the
word, or up to heaven, and saith to itself, Is not this my hope ? is
not this my joy 1 is not this my inheritance ? so the carnal man,
when he looketh upon his buildings, or his ground, or his money,
saith to himself, Is not this my joy ? is not this my life ? is not this
my comfort ? So, while he pores and gapes upon it, by little and
little the love of it grows more and more in his heart, until at last
he hath mind on nothing else.
This was the first dotage of Nebuchadnezzar ; the second was,
' which I have built by the might of my power.' What a vaunt
was this, to say that he built Babylon ! when all histories accord
that it was built by Semiramis before Nebuchadnezzar was born.
. Therefore, why doth he boast of that which another did ?
The answer is easy. Why do other men so now ? We see that
every one doth labour to obscure the fame of others, that they may
shine alone, and bear the name themselves, especially in great
buildings ; for if they do but add or alter anything in schools, or
hospitals, or colleges, they look straight to be counted the founders
of them, and so the founders of many places are forgotten. So it
is like that Nebuchadnezzar did add or alter something in this city,
and therefore he took, all to himself, as the fashion hath been ever
since. But if none had built it, but he had been the founder of it,
as some would seem, yet this had been a proud and arrogant
speech, to say, 'which I have built by the might of my power ;'
for it was not he which could build Babel, no more than Nimrod

174 THE FIRST SERMON.
could finish Babel, but 'unless the Lord build the house, the
builders build in vain.' Therefore, when he said, ' by the might
of my power,' he should have said, ' by the might of God's power.'
But by this you may plainly discern how hard and difficult a
thing it is to hit upon a right word, or a good work, which hath
not a good thought to bring it forth. Therefore make the root
sweet, or the fruit will be sour, counterfeit as cunningly as you
can. Lastly, when he putteth in ' for the honour of my majesty/ he
sheweth that he was of Absalom's humour, who, although he had
deserved shame, yet he would hayefame^ Because he had no children
to keep his name in remembrance ; therefore he erected a pillar,
which lie called ' Absalom's place.' So, many stately houses and
places in England bear the names of those lords or others that do
possess or own them, for the like vanity.
Here Absalom thought to be buried, as Nebuchadnezzar thought
to dwell in his palace; but he was cast into a pit, as Nebuchadnezzar
was turned into the wilderness. So Shebna made his sepulchre in
one country, and was buried in another. For why should pride
have the reward of humility ? Humility, saith Solomon, goeth. be
fore honour ; that is to say, honour is the reward of humility. And
yet Nebuchadnezzar would be honoured for his pride. What had
he, or Shebna, or Absalom done, that they should erect such monu
ments to be praised after death, which were not worthy to be praised
in their life ? Before the building, Nebuchadnezzar had done
nothing worth speaking of ; for because he lived always like a beast,
therefore God punished him hke a beast, and did he deserve now to
be spoken of in all ages for heaping of stones together ? We may
see that great men are proud of a small matter, and they look to
be praised for everything that they do./But look how God over-
thwarteth them : for oftentimes in that they look to make their
greatest glory, they shame themselves most of all ; and that which
they practise to exalt them, doth disgrace them ; and that which
they do to win them love, getteth them hatred; Sin so deceiveth
them, like the blind Aramites, that they take a clean contrary way
to their desires, as we may see in Gen. xi. They which built Babel
said they would build it to get them a_nameJ.but they got shame;
for they could not finish it when they had begun it, but were con
founded in such sort that they knew not what they did, so suddenly
they understood not what one another said. So when Nebuchad
nezzar came to himself again, he shewed that when he sought his
own r^onour, honour departed from him, and he was made like a

THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. ] 75
beast ; but when he sought God's honour, hojmui; came to him
again, and he was made a king.
This would pull away many toys from women's backs, if they did
consider how God maketh them ridiculous, by that they wear to
make themselves amiable ; if they did think that the apparel
which they clog on to please the world, by the secret judgment of
God, did not please but displease, they would be ashamed of their
attire, as Eve was of her nakedness. Would they wear such garbs
and paint their faces but to please ? See how how God doth mock
them, tor they are~ircrtrrikeTT"buf"^isliked, and worser thought of for
it, than they that go in russet coats and seek no praise at all. They
think, Am I not brave ? Others think, Is she not proud ? They
think, Am I not sweet ? Others think, Is she not light ? Yet they
dream that every man praiseth them for their bravery, as Nebuchad
nezzar thought that every one would honour him for his palace.
If their bravery condemn them before men, how will it condemn
them before God ? Therefore, when Nebuchadnezzar saith, ' for
the honour of my majesty,' he should have said, ' for the honour of
God's majesty ;' and then this had been recorded for his honour
indeed, and his house had been the house of God, for as we should
speak, and study, and labour to God's glory, so we should build
also to God's glory, that our houses may be like temples, as Oba-
diah's was. But few seek glory that way, they had rather pull
down than build in such sort.
Thus you have heard what Nebuchadnezzar spake in secret, as
though God would display the thoughts and pride of such builders.
These are the meditations of princes and noblemen ; when they
behold their buildings, or open their coffers, or look upon their train
swimming after them, they think as Nebuchadnezzar thought, ' Is
not this great Babel ?' Is not this great glory ? Is not this the
train that maketh me reverenced in the streets ? Are not these the
things which shall make my children rich ? Is not this the house
that shall keep my name, and cause me to be remembered, and make
them which are children now to speak of me hereafter ? When
they shall pass by and look up, and see these antics and knacks
over their heads, they will say, Oh, he which built this was a great
man, he bare a sway both in court and country ; who but he while
he lived ? Although this king be dead and buried, yet his pride
is escaped and come to us. Nebuchadnezzar hath children yet
alive, which build as high as he, look as high as he, go as brave as
he, spend as vainly as he, and are as proud as he, although they be
not kings, nor dukes, nor earls, nor knights, nor yet good esquires.

176 THE FIRST SERMON.
Look upon their palaces, and think whether they be of Nebuchad
nezzar's brood ;• ' Is not this great Babel V and is not Nebuchad
nezzar lord of it ? Oh, if they might live to walk in these gal
leries still, they would desire no other heaven ; but Nebuchadnezzar
hath shewed the way before them, and they must all dance after
him ; though they were as mighty, though they were mightier than
he, death will not take his kingdom for a ransom. Now what is
Babel ? and what is Nebuchadnezzar, the king thereof ? Now Babel
is destroyed, and the king that built it laid in the dust ; had it not
been better to have built an house in heaven, which might have
received him when he died ?
The name of these palaces may well be called Babel, that is, con
fusion, because they prophesy confusion to them that build them,
because their foundation is pride, their walls extortion, their roof
ambition, and all within them usury, bribery, and cruelty. If this
be the best that Nebuchadnezzar hath to vaunt of, what is the worst
which he may be ashamed of ?
When I see how earnest this king was about bis dream, and how
loose he sat after in his palace, methinks I see the image of the
world in one man. How lively doth Nebuchadnezzar resemble the
dreamers of our time ? He could not rest till he knew the inter
pretation of his dream ; such inquiry, such diligence to know God's
will, that a man would have thought, Now if the king meet with a
prophet that can tell him the truth, and instruct him from God,
that his dream warned him to amend his life, he will then reclaim
himself and reform his realm, and become such a king as was never
in the land before.
But, behold, no sooner resolved of this doubt, but he is ready to
be warned again, and was not so attentive to the prophet as he was
to his dream, although he cared for neither; for when he understood
that his dream went about to change the course of his life, he went
away like Naaman in a chafe, and cared no more for his dream after.
Before the dream came, all would have said, that such a dream
would -have humbled his heart for ever. Before the prophet came,
all would have said, that such a prophet would have converted him
with a word ; but Nebuchadnezzar is Nebuchadnezzar, and if another
dream come more fearful than this, yet Nebuchadnezzar would be
Nebuchadnezzar, and love his palace better than paradise;
So we think, if God would send a famine upon this land, that
would make us fear him ; but God hath sent a famine, and yet we
do not fear him. If God would send an earthquake upon this
land, that would make us fear him ; but God hath sent an earth-

THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 177
quake, and yet we do not fear him. If God would send a pestilence
upon this land, that would make us fear him ; but God hath sent a
pestilence, and yet we do not fear him. If God would send war
upon this land, that would make us fear him ; but God hath sent
war, and yet we do not fear him ; therefore, what will make us fear
him? There be many which dream upon religion, as Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed upon his dream ; and as he desired only to know what it
meant, so they desire only to know. ' Master/ saith the young man
to Christ, ' what shall I do to come into heaven?' He would fain
know the way to heaven, but when Christ shewed him the way, he
would not take it; so they will go from preacher to preacher, as
Nebuchadnezzar sent from one wise man to another, to be resolved
in points of religion. Such a scrutiny, such attention, such heed,
as though they would run out of the world, and go beyond all, that
a man would think they would do anything ; as the Jews came unto
Moses, and this young man unto Christ. But when they have heard
what they came for, they do, like Nebuchadnezzar, as they did be
fore ; now they say it was but a dream, because the meaning doth
not answer according unto their will. So Ahab inquired of the
prophet, to hear what he would say, but it appears that he never
meant to follow him, except he would answer as he would have
him. When it cometh to the act, which is every man's trial, then you
shall see who are like Nebuchadnezzar, that is, which affect only
to know; and who is like Zaccheus, that is, which practise as they
know; for as the truth is revealed, so it must be witnessed, or else
the fall of Nebuchadnezzar sheweth what judgment will follow upon
such neglecting.
Because he would not do as his dream warned him, and as the
prophet counselled him, therefore God forsook him, and his king
dom departed from him, and he was thrust out of his palace, and
turned like an ox into the wilderness, where he lived like a beast
until seven years were ended: a warning to all, to take warning
by the word, for it is the gentle warner; the next will be harder,
the third and fourth harder than it, like to the nine plagues of
Egypt, which did exceed one another; for what is he that can weigh
the wrath of God, or the grievousnass of sin?
Some men would think that Nebuchadnezzar might have spoken
all this without any such great offence as was taken at it (for he
said no more, but that it was a fair house, and that he builded it,
vol. I. M

178 THE FIRST SERMON.
and that he erected it for his honour), seeing many under princes
delight in worse vanities than fair buildings, and speak vainer often
in a week. Therefore when you see how it displeaseth God, to
vaunt of these earthly things, or to impute anything to ourselves,
think what shall be the doom of great sins. If Nebuchadnezzar
became like a beast, and lodged in the wilderness for his pride, they
which bear pride, and covetousness, and lust, and wrath, and malice
in one breast, shall lodge in hell, and become like devils, because
they are like beasts already. Therefore let this be instead of Daniel's
warning; if God did take such strait account of Nebuchadnezzar
for his dream, what he had profited by it, what account will he
take of us, what profit we have made by Nebuchadnezzar's fall and
punishment. Thus you have heard what the voice spake from earth; now you
shall hear what the voice spake from heaven; for it followeth,
' While the word was in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven,
and said, 0 king, to thee be it spoken; thy kingdom shall be taken
from thee/ &c. God will warn him no more by dreams nor by
prophets, as he did; but his judgments shall speak. Here is ful
filled that which Elihu saith to Job, ' God speaketh once, and twice
by dreams, and visions in the night, and man seeth it not ; at the last
God openeth his eyes, by the corrections which he had sealed/ Job
xxxiii. 14. So God spake unto Nebuchadnezzar, first by dreams,
and after by his prophets, and Nebuchadnezzar regarded it not; at
last God openeth his eyes by corrections, which he had sealed up,
that they should not touch him, if any other messenger could bring
him. As the Holy Ghost doth note the time when Nebuchadnezzar
spake in his palace ; so he noteth the time when God spake from
heaven, ' Even while the words were in the king's mouth ;' as though
he should say, God answered before he looked for it, when he thought
God had been as far from him, as he was all the year before. Thus
God lay (as it were in the scout), to watch when he spake treason,
and to apprehend him upon it; O Nebuchadnezzar, thou hast
vaunted these twelve months since I warned thee ; I made as though
I heard not, but suffered thee to do and speak thy pleasure ; and
vauntest thou still? Surely thou shalt escape me no longer, I will
not hear one word more against my honour. So he cutteth him off
while the words were in his mouth, and pronounceth the word of
judgment against him.
The first note in this verse, is the time when God spake from
heaven. 'Pride/ saith Solomon, 'goeth before the fall;' so when
pride had spoken, then judgment spake, even while the proud

THE PRIDE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 179
word was in his mouth. See how God shews that these brags
offended him, and therefore he judges while he speaks. How short
is the triumph of the wicked! When they begin to crow, God
stoppeth their breath, and judgment seizeth upon them when they
think no danger near them. So when Belshazzar was in his mirth
with his nobles, the fearful hand wrote bis doom upon the wall,
and presently his mirth was changed into sadness, that he became as
one that was stricken with a palsy; so while Herod vaunted himself,
and the people honoured him like a god, the angel of God smote
him upon his throne, and immediately he was devoured of worms
in the face of them which honoured him ; so while the Philistines
were triumphing and banqueting, Samson pulled the temple upon'
their heads ; so when the men of Ziklag were feasting and dancing,
David came upon them and slew them ; when the Israelites were
at their manna and quails, even while the meat, saith David, was yet
in their mouths, God took away their lives ; when Job's children
were making merry one with another, the wind came and blew
down the house ; while the old world was marrying and giving in
marriage, the flood came and drowned them ; while the steward
was recounting with himself, and thinking that his master knew
not what policy was in his heart, suddenly his lord called him to
an account ; while the churl was musing of his barns full of corn,
and saying to himself, ' Be merry, my soul,' that night his soul was
taken from him ; so while we sin and think nothing of it, our sins
mount up to heaven, and stand at the bar, and call for vengeance
against , us. How soon Abel's blood cried for vengeance of Cain !
We cannot sin so quickly, but God seeth us as quickly. How many
have been stricken while the oath have been in their mouths ! as
Jeroboam was stricken while he struck, that they might see why
they were stricken, and yet all this will not keep us from swearing.
Though a man sin often, and steal his sins, as it were, without
punishment, yet at last he is taken napping, even while the wicked
ness is in his hand, and his day is set when he shall pay for all,
whether it be after twelve months, or twelve years ; when it cometh
it will seem too soon. Therefore once again let this be instead of
Daniel's warning. If God did take so strait account of Nebuchad
nezzar, how he had profited by his dream, what an account will he
take of us, how we have profited by Nebuchadnezzar's punishment !
Here I end.

THE FALL OF KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR,

While the word was in his mouth, a voice came from heaven,
saying, 0 king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee be it spoken; Thy king
dom is departed from thee : and they shall drive thee from
men, and thy duelling shall be with the beasts of the field : they
shall make thee to eat grass with the oxen, and seven times shall
pass over thee, until thou knowest that the most high God beareth
rule over the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will. The very same hour was this thing fulfilled upon
Nebuchadnezzar ; and he was driven from men, and did eat
grass as the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven,
till his hairs were grown as eagles' feathers, and his nails as
birds' claws. — Daniel IV. 31-33.
From the 26th verse to the end of this chapter, is laid down the
pride, fall, and restitution of Nebuchadnezzar. The two first verses
are like a banner of his pride, which sheweth him in his ruffling as
it were in the air, before he knew God or himself. The three next
verses are the discovery of his shame, which shew him in his
misery, as it were grovelling on the ground, after God hath cooled
his^cojirage. The four last verses are the celebration of his recovery,
which shew him in holiness as it were rapt into heaven, and
^singing with thejaiats for joy, that God had brought him unto his,
knowledge, though it were through shame and trouble, and loss of
all that he had, seven years together. Of his pride we have heard
already ; yet because we are friends to vices, as we are to men, so
long as they prosper and flourish, but when they decay and fall,
then we shrink away, and are ashamed of them; so it may be, if ye
could see pride take a fall, though ye love her well, yet ye would

THE FALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 181
forsake her like a bankrupt, when ye see that she can pleasure you
no longer.
Therefore you shall see Nebuchadnezzar upon his feet again ;
before you beheld him upon his knees,1 that when you see what a
king he was in his galleries, and after find his servants in his
palace, and his subjects in his throne, and himself like a beast in
the wilderness, God may give you hearts to think a little of this
sin, what it is which cost so dear, and is so common now in every
house, as it was then in the king's court.
' After twelve months,' saith Daniel, that is, twelve months after
God had warned this king by dreams, and by Daniel, to repent his
sins, he was strutting in his galleries, and thought what sin should
be next, as though he had never heard of dream or prophet. By
this computation of sin, wherein the months are observed so
exactly, how long Nebuchadnezzar rebelled after he was warned,
Daniel shews what reckoning God keeps of our months, and weeks,
and days, which he gives us to repent, as he did Nebuchadnezzar,
and what an account we shall make of them, as Nebuchadnezzar
did. Though we count no more of our age, than the child doth of
his youth, and have done no more of our task at twenty, than when
we were but ten ; nor at thirty, than when we were but twenty ;
nor at forty, than when we were but thirty ; yet we shall give
account of more hours in the day of judgment, and it shall be
heavier to the old, than young ; to you which have the word, than
they which want it ; and there is a great odds between Nebuchad
nezzar and us ; for he which challenged Nebuchadnezzar for twelve
months since he was warned, may challenge us of twelve years
since we were warned ; and yet we look not for so great punishment
as fell upon Nebuchadnezzar for twelve months. Daniel names
there twelve months, as though he would speak of a great matter,
and shews how worthy Nebuchadnezzar was to be punished, be
cause he might have reformed his life since he was warned ; for
there were twelve months between his dreams and his punishment.
But that year wherein he had so many warnings and teachings
was as vain as the rest, and vainer than the years before ; for now he
should have been a mourner, like the king of Nineveh when Jonas
threatened destruction unto them ; but like a victor of a country
returned from battle to solemnize his triumph, first he decked his
palace as brave as himself, and then be walks his stations in it, and
when he hath set all things before bim which might make him forget
1 Qu. ' Therefore, you shall see Nebuchadnezzar upon his knees, before you be
hold him upon his feet again ' ? — £d.

182 THE SECOND SERMON.
God, and like a serpent that would burst unless he discharged some
of his poison, he breaketh out, and said, 'Is not this great Babel, which
I have built by the might of my power, for the honour of my ma
jesty ?' Wherein observe, first, what a glorious opinion this vain
king had of his vain buildings ; secondly, how that he names him
self the founder of them, as though he had done all without an
help ; thirdly, that in all bis works he sought nothing but vain
glory, as he witnesseth against himself, saying, ' which I have built
for the honour of my majesty ;' not for the honour of God's majesty,
but for the honour of my majesty. So first, that which he should
have contemned, as Christ did the beauty of the temple, he ad
mired it ; and nothing seemed so glorious to him, as that which
made him shameful to God. Secondly, that city which was built
by Semiramis, he arrogateth to himself, and never joined the chief
Workmaster with him, but saith, ' which I have built by the might
of my power/ when he should have said, by the might of God's
power ; for ' unless God build the house, the builder/ saith David,
' buildeth but in vain.' Lastly, that which he should have built for
the honour of God, as the man built a chamber for the prophet, he
builded for his honour, as our Nebuchadnezzars do. Therefore,
when all his pleasures were prepared like a feast, and he came to
sit down at the banquet, it happened to him as to the churl in the
Gospel : after he had filled his barns, when he came to sing in his
heart, ' Be merry my soul/ that night his soul was taken from him,
and the devils made merry with it in hell ; so he had feathered his
nest, and began to crow upon his roost, ' Is not this great Babel/
&c. ? as if he should say, Now Nebuchadnezzar, make thee merry.
That hour his honour was taken from him ; for a voice came down
from heaven, like the terrible hand which wrote upon the wall when
Belshazzar sat at his banquet, and dashed his pride upon such a
rock, that within an hour all his pomp, and pleasures, and trea
sures, suffered such a shipwreck, that his fall was more admired of
all, than his glory and buildings were admired of himself. Thus all
the joy, and pleasure, and glory of pride, are spoken with a breath,
and stopped with another.
You have heard what the voice spake from earth ; now ye shall
hear what the voice sounds from heaven. These three verses fol
lowing declare this king's fall, when, and how, and from whom it
was : ' While thewords were yet/ &c. ; there is the time. ' A voice/
&c. ; there is the judge, &c. ' 0 king,' &c. ; there is the arraign
ment. 'Thy kingdom/ &c. ; there is the judgment. 'He was
driven from men, and lived with beasts in the wilderness, till his

THE FALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 183
hairs were grown like eagles' feathers ;' there is the execution and
manner of his punishment. First of the time, ' While, &c.
As Daniel observed the time when Nebuchadnezzar sinned, so
he observed the time when Nebuchadnezzar is punished ; as if God
had lain in wait to catch him in his words, and take him at the
trip, even as he watched Lot's wife when she looked back, and
transformed her into a pillar of salt, so soon as she looked behind
her. So now the Lord lav as JLwere. in the scout, to watch when
Nebuchadnezzar spake treason, and to apprehend him upon it. O,
Nebuchadnezzar, thou hast vaunted these twelve months since I
warned thee, and I made as though I heard not, but suffered thee
to do and speak thy pleasure ; and vauntest thou still ? Surely
thou shalt escape me no longer, I will not hear a word more against
mine honour. So he cut him off while the words were in his
mouth, and propoundeth the words of judgment against him. If
you mark the time when the voice spake from heaven, you may
see three wisdoms of God : First, God takes him in his fault, that
he might see his fault, as Jeroboam was stricken when he struck
the prophet, 1 Kings xiii., that he might know why he was stricken.
Then he takes him suddenly, because he contemneth his warning,
as the fire came upon Sodom while they contemned Lot's warning,
Gen. xix. 24. Thirdly, God takes him where he is pleasantest and
lustiest, and safest, in his palace, which was like a castle, as he
took Herod when his guard stood by him, Acts xii. 23, that he might
see that nothing can guard him from God, but God must guard him
from danger, or else princes be not safer than subjects ; so, though a
man sin often, and steal his sins as it were without punishment,
yet at the last he is took napping while the wickedness is in his
hand, as the Jews were while the quails were in their mouths, Num.
xi. 33, and his day is set when he shall pay for all, whether it be
after twelve months or twelve years, whensoever it cometh, it
will seem too soon. Vengeance doth stay till sin be ripe, and watch
the time when they are most occupied, then judgment steps forth,
like the angel to stop Balaam in his way, Num. xxii. 22, and xxiii.
10, because the punishment is more grievous and terrible when
they look not for it (for the worst that is wish, like Balaam, to ' die
the death of the righteous'), therefore God will cross them in that ;
though they prosper always before, yet their ends shall be a kind
of judgment upon all their life, and a prophecy of torment, for all
men to see what become of the wicked after death, that they may
fear to be like unto them. As when we see some fall down under
the table while they sit swilling at the wine, some stricken dumb

184 THE SECOND SERMON.
in the pulpit while they preach untruths, even as the Philistines
were slain while they feasted, and as Herod was ashamed while he
vaunted, Acts xii. 23, and as Jeroboam was stricken while he
struck, 1 Kings xiii. 4. What doth this teach us, but that our sins
depart from us so soon as they are done, unto the Judge, and there
they accuse us, as Cain's murder cried out against him, so soon as
he slew his brother. ' I know thy works/ saith God, Rev. iii. 15 ;
he may say, I know thy works and thy thoughts too ; for Judas
could not go so closely about his treachery, Mat. xxvi. 14-16, but
that Christ did know when the thought entered into his heart, and
heard when he conferred also with the scribes, and saw likewise
when he took the bribe, though he kept a time to punish him, as
he saith, Ps. xxxvii. 2, ' When I see a convenient time, then will I
execute judgment.'
Now the time was come when this king should be made an ex
ample unto all other kings after him, to amend their lives, and
reform their realms, whenas the prophet cometh from God unto
them to tell them what they should do. When dream and Daniel
had done what they could, now God calls forth his judgments, and
bids them see what they can do, and commands them to chase
Nebuchadnezzar, until he have lost his kingdom, until he be
driven out of his palace, until he be fled into the wilderness, until
he be degenerate like a beast, until his subjects, and servants, and
pages make their sport, and gaze and wonder at him, like a fool
which goeth unto the stocks, or a trespasser, which is gazed at upon
the pillory; so the king was debased, when God heard him but
vaunt of his buildings. Therefore let us take heed and be careful
after what sort we speak, and what words slip from us, lest God take
us in our lies, or oaths, or slanders, or ribaldry, as he took Nebuchad
nezzar when his tongue walked without a bit, for if he had supposed
that God had been so near, and that he would have answered him
as he did, he would have held his peace, and laid his hand upon
his mouth, rather than pay so dear for a vain word, which did him
no good when it was spoken.
The second note is of the judge, 'A voice came down from
heaven/ the controlling voice came down from heaven. God is
most offended with our sin, for Nebuchadnezzar might have spoken
more than this, before any other man; and no man could control him,
because he was king, and kings delight in greater vanities than
buildings, yet no man saith, Why doest thou so ? Because Solomon
saith, ' He which repeateth a matter separateth the prince :' that is,
he which tells princes their faults maketh them his enemies, there-

THE FALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 185
fore since Johh Baptist died, only God is left to reprove almost all
that sin by authority, yet there is one in heaven hath an ear and
a tongue, and checketh the king as boldly as ever the king checketh
his subjects. When the voice from earth spake vainly, the voice
from heaven spake judgment,/ Here is the King of heaven against
the king of earth ; the voice of God against the voice of man ; a
divine wrath warring with a human pride ; the fire is kindled,
woe to the stubble. The Lord of hosts is in arms against the lord
of Babel, and begins to lay hands on him, and to thrust him out of
his throne. First, he rattles him like a thunder, ' 0 king Nebuchad
nezzar/ as if he should say, For all thou art a king, thou shalt see
whether another be above thee ; now guard thy person, now defend
thy honour, for he whom thou hast despised, threateneth to take
thy kingdom from thee ; go now and walk in thy galleries, fetch
one turn more before thou be turned out of door, and walk with the
beasts in the forest.
Now he comes to the arraignment, and calls him to the bar : ' 0
king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee be it spoken.' He was never called
king with more reverence, nor had such pay for sin in all his reign.
God gives him his title, and he tells him his lot ; he calls him king,
but without a kingdom, as if he had said, Late king of Babel, hold
up thy hand ! Here a king is arraigned in his own kingdom, and
no evidence given against him ; but as though he had witnessed
against himself, as all sinners do, God condemneth him out of his
own mouth, and to open his ears, he calleth him by his own name,
'0 king Nebuchadnezzar,' as the prisoner is called when he holds up
his hand at the bar. Then he pronounceth the judgment, ' To thee
be it spoken ;' to thee, which advancest thyself like God ; to thee,
which wouldst not take heed by thy dream ; to thee, which wouldst
not be warned by the prophet ; to thee, which didst all for thine
own honour. Now hearken to thy judgment : ' Thy kingdom is
departed from thee ;' 'thou shalt be driven out of thy palace ;' they
which should honour thee shall expulse thee ; thou shalt reign with
the beasts in the desert, there shall be thy dwelling seven years ;
go now and stalk in the woods, as thou didst in thy palace ;' and
when thou art among the lions, and wolves, and bears, look upon
Babel which thou hast built.
How doth this speech differ from Nebuchadnezzar's speech. His
words were but words, but God's words were, ' He spake and it was
done.' For ' in the same hour that which was spoken was done,'
saith Daniel, and whatsoever the voice threateneth unto our sins, or
unto the sinner, shall be done at first or at last. To Nebuchad-

186 THE SECOND SERMON.
nezzar it was said, ' Thy kingdom shall be taken from thee ;' to
us it is said, Thy Hfe shall be taken from thee. To him it was said,
' Thou shalt be thrust forth into the desert ;' to us it is said, Thou
shalt be thrown forth into darkness. To him it was said, ' Thou
shalt be like beasts ;' to us it is said, Thou shalt be like the damned.
Shall not the voice spoken to us be remembered with God, as well
as the threatenings menaced to him ?
This voice came from heaven, and therefore it spake home ; not
like them which glide by the faults of princes, and whisper behind
their backs, as though they would reprove them if they durst, but
for fear lest the prince, or councillor, or judge, or magistrate should
take it as he means it, and think that he aims at them ; which
makes them speak in parables, as though they would cast a veil
over their reproof, and eat their message before they have spoken it.
The Holy Ghost teacheth us here to reprove, so that whosoever
sinneth may know that thou speakest to him. He which speaketh
from heaven (as the voice did) must speak like John Baptist among
the publicans, and harlots, and soldiers, as though he went from one
to another, and said, This is spoken to thee, this is spoken to thee,
this is spoken to thee. For unless we come near these mortal gods,
and proud Nebuchadnezzars, as near as Elias came to Ahab, when
he said, ' It is thou that troublest Israel,' they will boast it over,
and think that thou speakest not to them until thou speakest plainly,
as the voice spake from heaven, ' To thee be it spoken/ And they
must reform the matter, or else God will shew some judgment- upon
them, as he did here upon this great king Nebuchadnezzar.
Now the decree goeth forth that Nebuchadnezzar shall be king
no more, ' Thy kingdom is departed from thee.' This is such a
saying, as if Nebuchadnezzar had thought of it before, he would
have wept when he vaunted, to think that his honour was going
from him when he thought it was coming to him ; and yet his
kingdom was not departed from him, and yet God saith, ' Thy
kingdom is departed from thee/ because the decree was passed which
should as surely come to pass, as if it were past already. There
fore because we care not so long as the prophet saith, we shall die, we
shall suffer, we shall answer, he leaveth shall and saith now, as God
said to Abimelech, ' Thou art a dead man/ not thou shalt die, but
thou art dead, which roused him more than if he had threatened him
an hundred deaths, because he thought that he should die presently.
So the Holy Ghost is forced, as it were, to exceed and speak more
than we think he should speak, for the hardness of our hearts,_
which hear like stones and go like snails. ""Tfwe have but a week

THE FALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 187
to repent, we will defer it to the last day, that we may sin all the
rest. Therefore it was meet to say, ' Thy kingdom is departed from
thee.' That seeing his judgment should not stay, he should not
stay his repentance. If this voice had said, Thy Babel shall sink
as Nimrod's Babel did, it seemeth he would have thought his
honour buried ; but when he was stripped, not only of his palace,
but also of his kingdom, what heavy news was this unto him, which
thought himself equal with God, and now may not be a king ! But
when he was thrust among beasts to eat grass with oxen, what a
downfall was this, to be brought under all his subjects, which spake
even now as though there were none but he ; and now his servant's
servant would not be like unto him ! So the King of kings will
be honoured of kings, as they are of their subjects, or else he will
tread upon their crowns, and they shall hear the same at last, ' Thy
kingdom shall depart from thee.'
Now followeth the execution of his judgment, for Daniel saith,
'The same hour all this was fulfilled.' So he sheweth the order of
it. As a prisoner is brought to the bar, and led to a gibbet, so the
king was drawn from his throne, and turned into the wilderness,
where he abode among wild beasts so long, ' till his hairs were
grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.' When
God began he made haste, as it was long before he spoke ; but when
he spoke he did it, and effected in an hour all that the dream and
the prophet had foretold.
Then was fulfilled, ' the pride of man shall bring him low.' Even
in the hour that Nebuchadnezzar advanced himself more than be
fore, in the same hour he was brought under all his subjects, all his
servants and pages ; so he which setteth up can pull down, he which
gave can take, he which made can destroy. Therefore let no man
vaunt, though he were a king, of his house, or land, or farm, or
children, but know that he should have nothing, if God did not re
gard him more than others ; and think when thou dost read this
story, whether thou be not as proud of thy wealth as Nebuchad
nezzar was of his palace ; whether thou be not as proud of thy
children as Nebuchadnezzar was of his kingdom ; whether thou be
not as proud of thy parentage as Nebuchadnezzar was of his honour ;
whether thou be not so proud of thy learning as Nebuchadnezzar
was of his train. If thou be so proud, then God doth say no more"^
' 0 king, to thee be it spoken/ but, 0 subject, to thee be it spoken,
these blessings shall be taken from thee. For, hath God taken no
man's kingdom from him but Nebuchadnezzar's ? Hath he taken no

188 THE SECOND SERMON.
man's office from him but Judas's ? Hath he taken no man's riches
from him but Job's ? How did Antiochus, and Julian, and Herod,
and Saul, and Athaliah, and Jezebel, and Richard the Third go from
their thrones, as if God had pulled them out by the ears ! He had
no respect to their persons, but used them like beasts, as he did
Nebuchadnezzar, and fulfilled his threatenings ; the candle of the
wicked shall be put out. Therefore, as Christ saith unto them
which turn back, 'Remember Lot's wife;' so I may say to them which
bear high minds, and proud looks, and stout words, Remember king
Nebuchadnezzar, how God resisteth the proud. Now, if any man
long to be resolved how this king was changed to a beast, he must
not imagine any strange metamorphosis, or popish transubstantia
tion, as though his shape were altered, or his manhood removed, or
that he put on horns and hoofs, as poets feign Actseon ; for the voice
doth not say that he should become a beast, but that he should
dwell with the beasts. Daniel doth not say that his head, or arms,
or legs were transformed ; but that the hair of his head, and the
nails of his fingers, did grow like eagles' feathers, and like birds'
claws, as every man's hair and nails will do if he do not pare
them. Lastly, Nebuchadnezzar saith not that his shape was restored
unto him, but that his understanding was restored unto him; all
which declare that he was not changed in body, but in mind, not
in shape, but in quality. A savage mind came on him, like that
which drave Cain from the company of men, Gen. iv. 12, and he i
became like a satyr, or wild man, which differeth not from a beast
but in shape ; though he was not turned to a beast, yet this was a
strange alteration to be so changed in an hour, that his nobles ab
horred him, his subjects despised him, his servants forsook him, none
would company with him but the beasts. Consider this, all that
advance yourselves against God, and despise his word, as Nebuchad
nezzar did. Take warning by a king, which even now walked in his
galleries, and his nobles served him in his palace with all dishes
that the air, or sea, or land could afford ; now he is turned to graze
and feed like an ox with the beasts in the wilderness. This was to
shew that God makes no more account of the wicked than of beasts,
and therefore the Holy Ghost calleth them often by the name of
beasts ; shewing how that sin and pleasure make them like beasts.
When they have abused their wits often, and perverted their reason,
at last God taketh their understanding from them, and they become
like beasts, loathsome to themselves and others. Many such beasts
we have still like Nebuchadnezzar, who were fitter to live in the

THE FALL OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. ] 89
desert among lions, where they might not annoy others, than in
towns amongst men, where they infect more than the plague. Thus,
if you have not considered the beastliness of sin, look upon Nebu
chadnezzar like a beast. If you would see the guilt of it, look upon
wandering Cain, Gen. iv. 14. If you would see the frenzy of it,
look upon frantic Saul, 1 Sam. xvi. 14. If thou wouldst see the
fear of it, look upon trembling Belshazzar, Dan. v. 6. If thou wilt
see the shame of it, look upon Haman hanging upon his own gal
lows, Esther vii. 10. If thou wilt seethe end of it, look upon the
glutton frying in hell, Luke xvi. 23. These are the pictures of sin,
which God hath set for a terror before us ; like the pillar of salt,
Gen. xix. 20, or Achan's sepulchre to speak to us, Josh. vii. 29.
Take heed by those ; when I have warned you, as I have warned
them, I will punish you, as I punished them. This is the epitaph,
as it were, which God engraveth upon Nebuchadnezzar's sepulchre:
— Be thou an example to kings and rulers, for all the children of
pride to beware how they set themselves against him who advanced
them. ' Thus he which sets up can pull down. Did not I send thee
dreams to warn thee ? Did not I send a prophet to warn thee ? If
either of them would have served, thou mightest have ruled still,
and walked in thy galleries, and feasted in thy palace, and judged
upon thy throne, and died a king ; but now thy kingdom is departed
from thee. Who would be like Nebuchadnezzar, now he is like a
beast ? If this heathen was thus challenged for his warning, which
had heard but one prophet, we may tremble to think what we
shall answer for our warnings, which have been threatened as often
as the Israelites, and yet provoke the Lord while he serveth us, like
those which curse the sun,*while he shineth upon them.
Thus you have seen the fall of pride. Even now he said, ' Is not
this great Babel ?' Now he may say, Is not this unhappy Babel?
Even now he said, ' which I have built by the might of my power ;'
and now he may say, which I have built by the vanity of my pride.
Even now be said, ' for the honour of my majesty ;' now he may say,
for the ruin of my kingdom. Yet after this he rose again and came
to himself, and received his kingdom, and honoured him which
punished him so. But the time will prevent me to speak of his
restitution, therefore here I end.

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.

And at the end of those days, I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine eyes
unto heaven, and my understanding was restored unto me, and
I gave thanks unto the most High, and I praised and honoured
hvm that liveth for ever, whose power is an everlasting power, and
his kingdom is from generation to generation : and all the in
habitants are reputed as nothing : and according to his will he
worketh in the army of heaven, and in the inhabitants of the
earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, Why doest
thou so? At the same time I had my understanding restored
unto me, and I returned to the honour of my kingdom ; my
glory, and my beauty was restored unto me : and my counsellors,
and my princes sought unto me ; and 1 was established in my
kingdom, and my glory was augmented toivards me. Now,
therefore, T Nebuchadnezzar praise, and extol, and magnify
the King of heaven, whose works are all truth, and his ways
judgment ; and those that walk in pride, he is able to abase. —
Daniel IV. 34-37. *
Now are we come to his restitution. First, Nebuchadnezzar was
humbled as God humbleth his enemies ; now he is humbled as
God humbleth his children ; that although he had more honour
than he had before, yet he is not proud of it as he was before, but
crieth with the prophet David, Ps. cxv. 1, ' Not . unto me, 0 Lord,
not unto me, but unto thy name, give the glory.' So he which said,
not only with heart, but almost with mouth too, There is no God,
now with heart and mouth honoureth none but God ; his pride and
his fall Daniel declared, but when he came to his restitution, he
makes Nebuchadnezzar to speak himself, and give thanks in his
own person, like a witness brought in to testify the truth of this
wonderful story.

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 191
When the prophet had shewed how this king vaunted, and how
he was debased for it, presently after he had spoken it, he calls in
as it were the king himself to witness his report, and declares how
he was raised again, like a man which having received grace from
a prince or great person, is brought in before him to give thanks for
his favour received, and then is dismissed.
In these verses two things shew themselves at the first view, that
is, Nebuchadnezzar's restitution, and his thankfulness in his re
stitution. First, he sheweth the time when he was restored, in these
words, ' At the end of these days,' then he sheweth the manner how
he was restored, in these words, ' I Nebuchadnezzar lift up my eyes
to heaven, and mine understanding was restored to me.' In his
thankfulness, first, he extolleth God's power in setting him up, and
pulling him down, and raising him again ; then he commendeth
God's justice and truth, which deserves to be praised for his judg
ments, as much as for his mercy, as though he rejoiced that God
hath made him like a beast, that he might die Hke a man.
' At the end of these days.' As Daniel noted the time of his
pride when he walked in his palace, to shew how pride grows out
of buildings, and wealth, and apparel, and such roots, so he noteth
the time of his fall, ' while the words were in his mouth/ to shew
that he was punished for his pride and ignorance, that he might
know where to begin his conversion, and abate his pride. And when
he had taken away the cause, then God would take away the punish-
\ ment, so likewise he noteth the time of his restitution, ' at the end
of these days/ that is, after seven years were expired, to shew how
long the sickness of pride is in curing, and to shew how everything
was fulfilled which was prophesied, even to the point of time, for it
was told him by Daniel, that he should be like a beast seven years ;
therefore Nebuchadnezzar is prompt as it were to confess the truth,
and say as the prophet said, ' At the end of these days/ that is, at
the end of seven years, 'I Nebuchadnezzar was restored to my
kingdom/ as Daniel toldme. Yet another note is set upon this beast :
lest we should think that God only regardeth the season, and thinks
seven years' punishment enough for such a sin, he saith not barely,
that his understanding and honour was restored unto him when
seven years were ended, but that they were restored unto him when
he began to lift up his eyes to heaven, to shew that this blessing
came from above, and that he which had humbled him had re
stored him again ; as if he should say to all that are cast down with
sickness, or poverty, or infamy, or any trouble whatsoever in body
or mind, He which hath humbled you will raise you, as he hath

192 THE THIRD SERMON.
done me ; but you must look up unto heaven, and lift up your hearts
unto him, and then your understanding, and comfort, and wealth,
and pleasure, and health, and liberty, and good name, and all, shall
return unto you again, like Job's sheep, and camels, and oxen, in
greater number than he had before. As'all the blessings of God
returned to Nebuchadnezzar when he looked up to heaven, so they
shall come back like a river upon you, when your eyes can go by
these vainities, and look upon him which looks upon you, or else
seven and seven years shall pass over you, and you shall be never
the better, but worse and worse, like Saul, which was vexed more
and more, till he had killed himself.
Therefore, as the Jews looked up to the brazen serpent, which was
a figure of Christ, when they would be healed, Num. xxi. 8, so all
that would recover that which they have lost, or obtain that which
they want, Nebuchadnezzar doth teach them here to lift up their
eyes to heaven, from whence, saith Christ, cometh every blessing of
man. ' At the end of these days, I Nebuchadnezzar lift up mine
eyes,' &c. Like a man which is wakened out of a long trance, now
he began to stir and lift up his eyes. When the heart is once lift up,
it will lift up the eyes, and the hand, and voice, and all to heaven.
He which never looked up to heaven so long as his comfort was upon
the earth, now his mind is changed, his looks, and gestures, and
speeches, and all are changed with it, as though God would shew a
visible difference between the spiritual and carnal, even in their
looks arfd gestures, as there is between a child and an old man.
The spiritual minds are heavenly, and look up, because their joy is
above ; the carnal minds are earthly, and look down, like beasts, be
cause their treasure is below. As the serpent grovels upon the
ground, Gen. iii. 14, so doth the serpent's seed, and hath not so
much as the countenance of grace.
Therefore, by lifting up his eyes to heaven is signified that the
time was come which the Lord had set down that he should be like
a beast, until be had learned that lesson, 'that the most High
beareth rule over the sons of men.' Therefore Nebuchadnezzar
sheweth that he hath learned his lesson ; for he looked not up to
heaven to behold the sun, the moon, or the stars, like an astronomer ;
but thinking how he had set himself against heaven, from whence
came all his honour, in a godly shame and holy anger toward him
self he turns his face from earth to heaven, to magnify him which
had humbled him, that so contemned him which advanced him.
Now he talks no more of his palace, nor his power, nor his majesty,
though it be greater than it was ; but he looked above his own

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.' 1 93
palace to another palace, from whence that terrible voice came down
unto him, ' Thy kingdom is departed from thee ;' which expresseth
his contrite heart and wounded spirit, how many passions battled
within, as if he should chide himself and say, Unthankful man, my
power ever descended from above, and I ever looked upon the earth ;
and mine honour came down from heaven, and I never lift up mine
eyes before ; but now, saith he, go up, my voice, and my hands, and
my eyes. How long will ye pore upon the earth like a beast ? So
he lifted up his eyes unto heaven. After he had lifted up his eyes,
he beginneth to pray, and praise, and give thanks to God, which
sheweth that he did* not only lift up his eyes, but his heart too ;
for unless we can say with David, ' I lift up my heart/ Ps. xxv. 1,
it is in vain to lift up eyes, or hands, or voice, as the hypocrites
do, because he which is a Spirit will be worshipped in spirit,' John
iv. Therefore Mary saith, ' My heart doth magnify the Lord/ Luke
i 46. As for the infidels and idolaters, they have no hearty service,
but their religion is like an occupation which is done with the body ;
for when we read of the sacrifice or prayers of the idolaters and
infidels, we do not find that they lift up their hearts to their idols,
but their hands, or their eyes, or their voice, as the Baalites roared
to Baal, 1 Kings xviii. 28 ; and the mariners cried to their sea-gods,
Jonas i. 5 ; and the Ephesians shouted to Diana, Acts xix. 28 ; but,
the lifting up of the heart is the holy seYvice, and alway appropriate
unto God, which saith, ' My son, give me thy heart/ Prov. xxiii. 26.
Therefore now Nebuchadnezzar lifts up his heart to God, shewing
that he had learned that lesson which God gave him seven years to
study, that ' the most High beareth rule over the sons of men/ &c.
Now God thinks the time long enough ; and as he reformed the
ground after the flood with fruit, and herbs, and flowers again, so
he reformed Nebuchadnezzar with understanding, and beauty, and
honour again. As when he repented himself and said, I will drown
the earth no more, Gen. viii. 21, so I will chase Nebuchadnezzar no
more. Now he knows a King above him, he shall be a king again ;
now he seeks my honour, I will give him honour ; now he magnifieth
him which debased him, I will return to exalt him. So the voice
which thundered from heaven, ' Thy kingdom is departed from thee/
sounds again, ' Thy kingdom is restored to thee.' For it was not
told that he should be like a beast until he died, but ' until he knew
that the Most High beareth rule over the sons of men.' Therefore,
when he knew this, nothing could stay him from his kingdom, no
more than they could stay him in it before. Thus the displeasure
VOL. I. N

194 THE THIRD SERMON.
of God is but an imterim, until we know something that we should
know, and then Nebuchadnezzar shall be king again, then the sick
man shall be whole again, then the bondman shall be'free again,
then the poor man shall be rich agaim Hismercies are called^ ever
lasting, because they endure for ever, Ps. cxxxvi. 1, 2 ; buli*iL25&?*
is comparedToTFe clouds/ because it Tasteth. but j. season. Whom
he loveth, he loveth to the end ; but whom he scourgeth,he scourgeth
tTrepentr~'As -Hezeklah was "sick until he wept, Nebuchadnezzar
was banished but until he repented. Now the first cure of the
king's restitution was of his mind : ' Mine understanding/ saith
Nebuchadnezzar, ' was restored unto me.' To shew what an ines
timable gift our understanding and reason is, whereby we differ from
beasts, for which we cannot be thankful enough, therefore he records
it twice, as though his heart did flow with gladness, and his tongue
could not choose but speak often of it, as a man thinketh and
speaketh of that which he loveth : ' Mine understanding was re
stored unto me,' &c. That which was first taken away was first
restored again, which so soon as it was gone, he was counted a man
no more, but a beast. As David saith, ' Like horse and mule which
have no understanding/ Ps. xxxii. 9, counting them which are void
of understanding no better than horse and mule. Therefore, they
which have lost their understanding at the taverns, jjis many here
havejloae^ometime^^andJhey-wliich-u^ yet what is
the book of God, are but horse^and mule, though they bear the
visors of men. After he had said, ' Mine understanding was restored
to me/ he annexeth, ' mine honour was restored to me ;' so he
grew to a king again. As he was wont to put on one robe after
another when he was a king, so when God would make him a king
again, first he puts upon him the robe of understanding, as it were
the foundation of a king, like the princely spirit which came upon
Saul, 1 Sam. x. 9 ; and when he had a prince's heart, then God
gave him a prince's power, and proclaimed, like a voice from heaven,
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel : so gloriously he rose again
like the sun, with a triumph of his restitution, and welcome of his
subjects, like the shout which went before Solomon, 1 Kings i. 34.
One would think, when Nebuchadnezzar was a king, God would
never have made him like a beast, nor after have made him a king
again ; for who would suffer a beast to rule over them, seeing such
stomachs are in men that they will hardly endure any rulers ?
Therefore it is strange that these men would suffer one to rule over
them that had been seven years like a beast ; it is even as if one
had lain seven years in the grave, and after came to challenge his

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 1 95
house and goods from them which have it in possession, and count
it their own. I think such a one should have so cold a suit, that
unless it were some few that loved him while he lived, he might go
again to his grave for a house to dwell in ; so nobody looketh now
for Nebuchadnezzar to come out of the wilderness ; he was the
unlikeliest man in the world to be a king after such a change ; but
see what God can do, though all be against it, he which made a
king like a beast, raised a king of a beast.
' Mine understanding,' saith Nebuchadnezzar, ' was restored to
me ;' and more than that, ' mine honour was augmented/ more than
it was when I. was so proud of it. As God turned his heart, so he
turned the hearts of his nobles and people, that they received him
for their king again, and sought unto him, and reverenced him, for
all the disgrace which they had seen, which made them before to
contemn him like a beast.
Here a wise man may study and wonder, like Elisha, when his
master was rapt to heaven. For as though a snuff had been, taken
from the ground, and set in the candlestick again, and shined
brighter than it did before ; so Nebuchadnezzar^was_raised from
the dust and set in the throne ; even now no man cared for him, and
now no man dare displease him. That which Solomon saith in Prov.
xvi. 7, ' When the ways of a man please the Lord, he will make all
his enemies at peace with him ;' so when Nebuchadnezzar pleased
the Lord, God gave him grace with men, and his glory was aug
mented : ' My glory was increased/ &c. That is, he received not
only his kingdom, and power, and honour again, but he received
usury of them. For this seven years' banishment they had been
put out seven years to the bank, for him to receive more when he
came again ; so when he sought his own honour, honour departed
from him, his palace could not hold it, his treasures could not
redeem it, his guard could not stay it, but pride chased it away
whilst he followed after it. But when he sought God's honour,
and cared not for his own, honour was increased, according to that,
1 Sam. ii. 30, ' I will honour them that honour me.'
What would Nebuchadnezzar say to our Nebuchadnezzars, if he
were living, which think it against their honour to seek Christ's
honour, and that if his kingdom went up, their kingdom should go-
down : "like Herod, which thought he could not be king if Christ
should reign ; and the pharisees, which thought they should be
despised, if Christ were regarded ?
If Nebuchadnezzar's honour came unto him for the honour which
he gave to God, how long will their honour last, which eat and

196 THE THIRD SERMON.
drink, give and take, set up and pull down, and do all that they do
to honour themselves ? As Nebuchadnezzar built Babel, until that
voice came thundering from heaven, ' Thy kingdom is departed from
thee/ thy office is departed from thee, thy life is departed from thee.
Some have exalted themselves like Nebuchadnezzar, and are not
fallen yet ; some mounted up have fallen lower and lower, like
Balaam, but they are not yet at the ground ; they have ruled like
beasts longer than Nebuchadnezzar, and yet look not up to heaven
that they may be changed. Thus Nebuchadnezzar is welcome to
his throne again.
Now he hath received grace, let us examine his thankfulness.
If you mark how every thing comes in his order, you shall see a
marvellous consequence observed both in his fall and restitution.
When he looked upon his palace, then he waxed proud ; when he
waxed proud, then God threatened him ; when he was threatened,
then God banished him ; when he was banished, then he lift up his
eyes to heaven ; when he lift up his eyes to heaven, his understand
ing came unto him ; when his understanding came unto him, then
he gave thanks to God ; shewing us the use of our understanding,
why God hath given reason unto men, viz., to serve him and praise
him upon earth. As Nebuchadnezzar worshipped God so soon as
he came to his understanding, so we, as soon as we come to years
of discretion, and begin to understand, we should begin a new life,
and serve him whom all creatures do serve with us, or else our under
standing is in vain, and we are beasts still ; for by this Nebuchad
nezzar shews that he had understanding, and was like a man, because
he gave praise to God, and was moved in heart to worship him
which made him, according to that definition that David maketh of
understanding : Ps. cxi. 10, 'They which observe them have a good
understanding/ They which observe the commandments have a
good understanding ; not they which speak of the commandments,
nor they which write of the commandments, nor they which preach
of the commandments, but they which keepthe_conimandments,
have a good understanding. The rest have a false understanding,
a vain understanding, an understanding like that of the scribes and
pharisees, which was enough to condemn- them, but not to save
them. By this every man should try his wisdom, for so soon_as under
standing cometh to him, as it came to Nebuchadnezzar, it will ex
tort prayer and obedience from him whether he will or no ; therefore
"our Nebuchadnezzars "are beasts still, for this is no part of their
understanding.

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 197
But he which can go beyond all in shifts and policy, is counted
the wisest man in court and city. Oh, if Machiavel had lived in
our country, what a monarch should be be ! To what honour, and
wealth, and power, and credit, might he have risen unto in short
time, whether he had been a lawyer, or a courtier, or a prelate '•
Methinks I see how many fingers would point at him in the streets,
as they do at his apes, and say, There goeth a deep fellow ; he hath
more wit in his little finger than the rest in their whole body. You
talk of sectaries, how fast they grow, and how fast they breed ; I
warrant you, where any sectary hath one son, Machiavel hath a
score, and those not the brats, but the fatlings of the land ; which,
if they had but a dram of religion for an ounce of their policy, they
might go like saints among men. But we speak to the belly that
hath no ears.
Now let us see the parts of this king's confession, that we may
see how his thankfulness did answer to his sin. Before, he had
robbed God of his honour ; now, as though he came to make resti
tution, he brings praise, and thanks, and glory in his mouth.
First, He advanceth God's power, and saith, that his ' kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom ;' in which words he confesseth that God
was above him, because that his kingdom was not an everlasting
kingdom, but a momentary kingdom, like a spark which riseth
from the fire, and faileth into the fire again. Therefore he sheweth
what a fool he was to vaunt of his kingdom, as though it were like
God's kingdom, which lasteth for ever.
Secondly, He magnifieth the power of God, and saith, that God
' doth what he listeth both in heaven and earth/ and nothing can
hinder him, or ' say unto him, What dost thou ?' Under which
words he confesseth again that God was above him, because he
could not reign as he listed ; for when he thought to live at his
pleasure, he was thrust out at doors, and God said not to him, What
doest thou ? but ' Thy kingdom shall depart from thee.' Therefore
he sheweth what a fool he was to vaunt of his power, as though it
had been like God's power, which cannot be checked.
Thirdly, He commendeth the justice of God, and saith, that his
works were all truth, and his ways were all judgment. Under
which words, he confesseth again that God was above him ; for his
ways were all errors, and his works were all sins, as the end proved.
Therefore he shews what a fool he was to vaunt of his works, as
though they had been like God's works, which cannot be blamed ;
therefore he concludes, ' I Nebuchadnezzar praise, and extol, and
magnify the King of heaven.' When he lighted upon the right

198 THE THIRD SERMON.
string, mark how he harps upon it, and doubles it, and trebles it,
hke a bond which is ratified with many words of like sense ; so he
ratifieth his bond to God with many words of like meaning : ' I will
praise, and extol, and magnify the King of heaven ;' as if he would
praise him, and more than praise him. They which love with the
heart, and repent from the bottom, praise, and praise, joray and
nray, give and give, serve and serve ; that is, when they have served
him, they are ready to serve him again.
Here is a glass for all the children of pride. First, look upon
Nebuchadnezzar, jou that are great ^enJikeJ^bMbadnezzar; for
thus will God make his e^im^e^fgrea^men, because they should
be examples to others. Many wicked men died in Jewry, and
scarce a man was by to see their end ; but Herod was stricken
before the people, that all might see, because he was a wicked king.
There were many in Babel as proud as Nebuchadnezzar, but none
but Nebuchadnezzar was made like a beast, because he was a proud
king ; so God doth stomach sin in those that bear his own person.
As princes use to pick those that are principal and chief in rebel
lion, to make them examples of terror to others, which were ring
leaders in the treason ; so God doth bend his shot against the
captains of his enemies, like the king of Aram, which charged his sol
diers that they should fight with none but against Ahab the king,
as it is written in 2 Chron. xviii. 30. For as Solomon saith in Prov.
xix. 25, ' Strike the strong, and the rest will beware ;' so justice
shewed upon a ruler or great personage doth terrify many. If we
could but see one of our Nebuchadnezzars so degraded, it would
make all the rest better in their office, and think when they sit in
their majesties, as queen Esther did, that their power is given them
for the church, and not against the church. Paul being before
Festus and Agrippa, wished not unto the king Agrippa more wealth,
or more honour, or more riches, but more religion, which is the
greatest want of princes and magistrates. They sit in God's chair,
and are called gods, but are not like God, but like Mammon, except
their names and their crowns ; peradventure a David, or a Solomon,
a Joshua, that is, a few that remember whose person they bear ;
the rest are like Saul, and Herod, and Nebuchadnezzar, which know
not from whom their kingdoms come. Nebuchadnezzar built for
his honour, and they build for their honour; Nebuchadnezzar
gathered for his wealth, and they gather for their wealth ; Nebu
chadnezzar sought after his pleasure, and they seek after their
pleasure ; Nebuchadnezzar vaunted of his power, and they vaunt
of their power ; what did Nebuchadnezzar which they do not, but

THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. 199
repent, which they do not ? I cannot wish them beasts to do them
good like Nebuchadnezzar, because it is a question whether they
are not worse than beasts already ; but if we drive them out of their
palaces to live like beasts in the wilderness, it were a good riddance,
for there they should do less harm. Where now their proud horns
do gore others, and their hoof is up to strike every one that is
better than themselves ; which maketh many fly into the wilder
ness from their house, and church, and calling, lest they should fall
into their clutches. The Lord which restored Nebuchadnezzar from
the likeness of a beast, restore them to the likeness of men, or else
fright them like Nebuchadnezzar to run from their rooms, that
better may have their places !
Thus you see Nebuchadnezzar was made like a beast, that he
might die like a man, for he could never learn from whence his
kingdom came, until he had been apprentice seven years unto the
cross ; and when he perceived who took his kingdom from him, then
he perceived also who gave his kingdom to him, and learned his
thankfulness in the wilderness, when all the blessings were gone,
which he should have been thankful for. He thought that God
was nobody, until he became like nobody himself ; and then who
but God ? no power but of him, no honour but from him. His first
honour came from God as well as his last ; but then he was like a
beast which knew not his owner, like a babe which knew not his
father, like an image which knows not his maker; but now he
knoweth from whom kings reign, and hath learned to say thy king
dom, as well as my kingdom, and is like to the elders in the Reve
lation, which cast down their crowns before the Lamb.
Such a schoolmaster is affliction, to teach that which prophets
and angels cannot teach. For the prophet and his dream had told
.him as much before, yet he could never say, ' The Lord hath given/
before he did see how the Lord had taken. They say a friend is
never known before he be lost ; so when God fled, then Nebuchad
nezzar followed, but when God called, then Nebuchadnezzar con
temned. When he hath all things, he is unthankful ; and when he
hath nothing, he beginneth to be thankful.
So we must learn God's love out of his wrath, and spell his good
ness out of his justice ; therefore we preach judgment unto you, to
make you fly unto mercy ; we denounce the law against you, to
make you love the gospel ; we shew you hell, to make you seek
heaven. Because we are like Pharaoh his sorcerers, though we
receive never so much, yet we never say, the finger of God hath
done this ; but when he begins to plague us, then we cry, the finger

200 THE RESTITUTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
of God hath done this ; therefore if we will not be invited, it is good
to be compelled. To conclude: he which made Nebuchadnezzar a
king when he was like a beast, is he which makes them rich which
were poor, and he which makes them free which were bound, and
he which makes them beloved which were hated, and he which
makes them wise which were rude, and he which makes them whole
which were sick. They must stay a time, seven days, or seven
weeks, or seven months, or seven years, as Nebuchadnezzar did,
and when they are ready for it, it will come suddenly, as the angels
came to refresh Christ so soon as he was hungry. Yet a little while,
a little longer comfort is on foot, and that goodness which is coming
will come, as the sun which was rising is risen ; for as Nebucbad-^
nezzar said, ' Mine honour was restored to me/ so I am sure<Jaany
many here may say, My right was restored to me, my liberty was
restored to me, my health was restored to me, my good name was
restored to me, in less time than Nebuchadnezzar's honour was. And
what then ? ' Therefore I Nebuchadnezzar praise, and extol, and
magnify the King of heaven, whose works are all truth, and his ways
judgment, and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.' This
is the conclusion of all God's benefits ; they which do not praise
and extol the King of heaven are worse than Nebuchadnezzar.
Therefore let all which said in their hearts like Nebuchadnezzar,
Is not this the house which I have built ? is not this the land
which I have purchased ? is not this the money which I have
gathered ? are not these the children which I have begotten ? say
now with Nebuchadnezzar, For all, I praise, and extol, and magnify
the King of heaven, which can take all again, as he did from
Nebuchadnezzar. Thus you have seen pride and humility, one pulling Nebuchad
nezzar out of his throne, the other lifting him into his throne ;
whereby they which stand may take heed lest they fall, and they
which are fallen may learn to rise again.

A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE, AND AN
EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY.

A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE, AND AN
EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY.

God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. — 1 Pet.
V. 5.
Saint Peter teaching every man his duty, how one should behave
himself to another, exhorteth all men to be humble, and abstain
from pride ; as though humility were the bond of all duties, like a
list, which holdeth men in a compass, and pride were the make-
bait over all the world : to which Solomon giveth witness, Prov.
xiii. 10, saying, ' Only by pride man maketh contention ;' because
pride maketh every one think better of himself than of others,
whereby he scorneth to give place to the other; and therefore, when
neither party will yield, as Abraham did to Lot, Gen. xiii. 2, how
should there be any peace ? Thus pride doth break the peace, and
humility doth set it again ; therefore, to toll, men from pride to
humility, as it were from the concubine to the right wife, the
apostle sheweth how God is affected to pride, and what mind he
beareth to humility : ' God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to
the humble ;' as if he should.whisper_men in the ears, and say,
Take heed how you company with pride, or give entertainment to
her, for she is not Caesar's friend; the king counteth her his enemy,
and all that take her part ; she hath been suspected ever since the
angels rebelled in heaven, and Adam sought to be equal with God,
Gen. iii. ; therefore, his maiesty hath a stitch against her, as Solo-
mon had to Shimei, 1 Kings ii. 36, and would not have her fa
vourites come in his court unless they hold down their mace,
stoop when they enter. But if you can get in with humility, and
wear the colours of lowliness, then you may go boldly, and stand in

204 A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE,
the king's sight, and step to his chamber of presence, and put up
your petitions, and come to honour. For humility is very gracious
with him, and so near of his counsel, that as David and Solomon
say, he committeth all his secrets to her, Prov. iii. 32. Ps. xxv. Tbis
is Peter's meaning, that the humble shall find grace with God and
men ; as we read of David and John Baptist, according to that in
Ps. i. 4, 'All things which he doth shall prosper;' but the proud
shall be troubled and crossed, and when they would do best they
shall do worst; when they would grace themselves, they shall
shame themselves ; and God will be to them like the spirit of Saul,
which tormented him wheresoever he went. This sentence is re
peated again, James iv. 6. The like sentence to this is in Prov.
iii. 34, where he saith, ' With the scornful he scorneth, but he giv
eth grace to the humble.' The like sentence is again in Prov.
xvi. 18, where he saith, 'Pride goeth before destruction;' and in
Prov. xviii. 12, ' Before honour goeth humility.' The like sentence
is again in Prov. xxix. 23, where he saith, ' The pride of man shall
bring him low, but the humble in spirit shall enjoy glory/
The like sentence is again in Luke i. 52, where the virgin sings,
' He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted
the humble and meek/ that, as it were, by two or three witnesses,
pride might be condemned and humility acquitted. One is to God
like Jacob, of whom he saith, 'Jacob have I loved/ Rom. ix. 13,
Mai. i. 3 ; the other is to God like Esau, of wrhom he saith, ' Esau
have I hated.' Isaac loved Esau because he loved venison, but
Rebekah loved Jacob because he was loved of God, Gen. xxv. 28.
So the proud are in the king's court, because they seek honour ;
but the humble are in God's courts, because they contemn honour.
As he saith in Prov. iii. 34, ' With the froward he will shew him
self froward/ So he threateneth here, that with the proud he will
shew himself proud, that is, if they challenge, he will defend ; if
they will provoke him, he will resist them ; if they will climb
higher than their compass, he will pull them lower than their will
Peter speaks of the proud, as if they did challenge God like
champions, and provoke him like rebels, so that, unless he did re
sist them, they would go about to deprive him of his rule, as
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram undermined Moses, Num. xvi. 2. For
so the proud man saith, I will be like the highest, Isa. xiv., and, if
he could, above the highest too. This is the creature that was
taken out of the dust, Gen. ii. 7, and so soon as he was made, he
opposeth himself against that majesty which the angels adore,
the thrones worship, the devils fear, and the heavens obey. How

AND AN EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY. 205
many sins are in this sinful world ! and yet, as Solomon saith of
the good wife, Prov. xxxi. 29, ' Many daughters have done virtu
ously, but thou surmountest them all.' So I may say of pride,
many sins have done wickedly, but thou surmountest them all ;
for the wrathful man, the prodigal man, the lascivious man, the
surfeiting man, the slothful man, is rather an enemy to himself
than to God ; the envious man, the covetous man, the deceitful
man, the ungrateful man, is rather an enemy to men than to God ;
but the proud man sets himself against God, because he doth against
his laws, he maketh himself equal with God, because he doth all
Without God, and craves no help of him; he exalteth himself
above God, because he will have his own will, though it be
contrary to God's wilL As the humble man saith, 'Not unto
us, Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory/ Ps.
cxv. 1. ; so the proud man saith, Not unto him, not unto
him, but unto us give the glory. Like unto Herod, which took
the name of God, and was honoured of all but the worms, and they
shewed that he was not a God, but a man, Acts xii. 21. There
fore the proud men may be called God's enemies, because, as the
covetous pull riches from men, so the proud pull honour from God.
Beside, the proud man hath no cause to be" proud, as other sinners
have ; the covetous for riches, the ambitious for honour, the volup
tuous for pleasure, the envious for wrong, the slothful for ease ; but
the proud man hath no cause to be proud, but pride itself, which
saith, like Pharaoh, ' I will not obey/ Exod. v. 2. Therefore God
is specially said to resist the proud, because the proud resist him.
Here is heaven against earth, the Creator against the creature, the
Father against the Son, the Lord against the servant, the Prince
against the subject : who is like to win the field ? ' If the Lord
justify/ saith Paul, ' who shall condemn ?' So, if the Lord resist,
who shall defend ? If his law come with thunder, and lightning,
and tempest, with what terror will he come himself ! It was but a
brag when the king of Judah proclaimed war against the king of
Aram, and said, ' No man shall deliver them out of my hands /
but it is true when God saith, No man shall deliver them out of
my hands. Therefore the author to the Hebrews saith, ' It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of God,' Heb. x., for he ever over
cometh. Therefore, when the Egyptians perceived that God fought
against them, they cried, 'We will fly, we will fly ; for God fighteth
against us/ Exod. xiv. 25. So the proud may cry, I will fly, I will
fly ; for God fighteth against us. When the king of Judah pro
claimed war against the king of Israel, the king of Israel returned

206 A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE,
answer, that the thistle rebelled against the cedar, 2 Kings xiv. 9 ;
and yet there was but king against king, a man against a man :
how much rather may the King of heaven answer this proud earth,'
the thistle rebelleth against the cedar ! The giant durst challenge'
but one of the host of Israel, 1 Sam. xvii. 2; but the Lord challenge
eth all the host of pride. Even as he giveth grace to all that are
humble, so he resisteth all that are proud. It had been too heavy
for them if he had said, the Lord doth not care for them ; for God's "
care preserveth us, and our own care doth but trouble us : but to
say that the Lord doth resist them, is as if Michael should denounce
war with the dragon, till he hath cast him into the pit, Rev. xii. 7.
This is a martial word, and comes with arms and weapons upon
them. If a man should see a lion come upon him, would he not
start ? If he should see a giant come against him, would he not
fear ? But now the Lord of hosts, the lion of Judah, which de
stroyed the giants, is up in arms to resist the proud, and the proud
fear not so much as the humble. ' God resisteth the proud, and
giveth grace to the humble ;' but the world resisteth the humble,
and giveth grace to the proud, as David notes, Ps. xlix. 18. Men
will praise thee, not when thou reformest thyself to God, but when
thou dost form thyself to thy lusts ; that is, they which will be
strutters shall not want flatterers, which will praise everything that
they do, and everything that they speak, and everything that they
wear, and say it becomes them well to wear long hair ; that it be
comes them well to ..wear jellied doublets j that it becomes them
well to jet in their going j that it becomes them well ta sweaxJn.
their_talkmg. Now, when they hear men soothe them in their
follies, then, think they, we have nothing else to commend us, if
men will praise us ; for our vanities we will have friends enow.
So the humour swelleth, and thinks with itself, if they will look
upon me when I do set but a stout face upon it, how would they
behold me if I were in apparel ! If they do so admire me in silks, -
how would they cap me, and eurtsey me, and worship me, if I were
in velvets ! If I be so brave in plain velvet, what if my velvet were
pinked, or cut, or printed ! So they study for fashions, as lawyers^
do for delays, and count that part naked which is not as gaudy as ^
the rest, till all their body be covered over with pride, as their mind
with folly. Therefore David saith, Ps. lxxiii. 6, that pride is as a
chain unto them, that is, it goeth round about them like a chain,
and makes them think that all men love them, and praise them,
and admire them, and worship them for their bravery. Therefore,
as Saul said to Samuel, 'Honour me before this people/ so the

AND AN EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY. 207
proud man saith to his chain, and his ruffs, and his pinks, and his
cuts, Honour me before this people. All that be speaketh, or doeth,
or weareth, is like Nebuchadnezzar's palace, which he built for his
honour, Dan.»iv. TJrijysjfclieir work so soon as they rise, to put a
pedlar's shop urjon_their backs, and colour their faces, and prick
their ruffs, and frizzle their hair, and then their day's work is done,
as J-hough their office were to paint a fair image every morning, and.
at night to blot it out again. From that day that pride is born in
the heart of man, as the false prophets were schooled to speak as
the king would have them, so their eyes, and feet, and tongues
are bound to speak, and look, and walk, as the proud heart doth
prompt them. If God were in iQye...with fashions, he were never
better served thanTnthis age ; for our world is like a pageant,
where every man's apparel iFbetter than himself. Once Christ said,
that-sofirtrlothi-ng is in king's" courts, Mat. xi. 8 ; but now it is
crept into every house; then the rich glutton jetted in purple every
day, Luke xvi, but- now the poor unthrift jets_jas_hraye_jis the
glutton, with so many circumstances about him, that if ye could see
^how-priiiajgould walk herself, if she did wear apparel, she would
even go like many in the streets, for she could not go Jjraver, jnor
look stouter, nor mince finer, nor set on more laces, nor make larger
cuts, nor carry more trappings about her, than our ruffians and
wantonsjlo at this day. - How far "are these- fashions Altered from
those leather coats which God made in paradise ! Gen. iii. 21. „ Jf
their bodies did change forms so often as their apparel changeth
fashions, they should have more shapes than they have fingers and
toes._ As Jeroboam's wife disguised herself that the prophet might
not know her, 1 Kings xiv. 2 ; so we may think that they disguise
themselves that God might not know them; nay, they disguise
their bodies so, till they know not themselves; for the_servahTgoefh
like the "master, the handmaid likejher mistress, the subjectjiike
the prince, as though he had forgotten his calling, and mistook
himself/lTkira man in the~dark~,"which puts" on another man's coat
for~his~ ownTlEaT is too wide, or too siajT for his body ; so their
'"attires' are "sb~unfitloFtheir Todies, so unmeet TolRheircalling, so
contrary to nature, that I cannot call them fitter than the monsters
of apparel. For the giants were not so monstrous in nature, Gen.
vi., as their attires are in fashion ; that if they could see their
apparel but with the glance of a spiritual eye, how monstrous it
makes them (like apes, and puppets, and vices1), they would fling
* That is, the actors representing the vices in the religious plays or ' mysteries.'
—Ed.

208 A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE,
away their attire, as David flung away Saul's armour, 1 Sam. xvii.
39 ; and be as much ashamed of their clothes, as Adam was of his
nakedness, Gen. iii. 9.
Pride hath been the deviser of all these vanities, which now
neither shame, nor laws,.nor preaching can .lake, away ; therefore
had we not need to shew you how God resisteth this vice, that
careth not for any else ? Who can tell how this weed groweth,
seeing we have nothing to be proud of, but more cause to be
ashamed of ourselves, and fly from the face of God and man too,
than Adam our Father had? AVe were earth, we are flesh, and we
shall be worms' meat ; what cause hath earth, or flesh, or worms'
meat to be proud? We are born in sin, we live in misery, we shall
die in corruption ; what cause hath sin, or misery, or corruption to
puff us, but to humble us ? JThere is nothing good which we are
proud of; but a wise man is ashamed of the same things whereof
we boast. It is a wonder to see how a gay coat, or a gold ring, or
a wrought handkerchief can brave a man's mind, that he thinks
better of himself that day when he weareth them than any day
else, and speaks, and walks, and looks after another fashion than
he did before.
If you could say, as the disciples said, Luke x. 17, 'Lord, the
devils are subject unto us ;' yet, saith the Lord, 'glory not in this.'
How many things do we glory in, which we should not, if we may
not glory in the gift of miracles ! Even as a covetous man is greedy
of a halfpenny, and an envious man is angry for a word, so the
proud man is proud of a feather. Therefore shall not God resist
them which glory in all things but himself, and should glory in
nothing but him ? As he did emulate that lofty Babel, so he doth
resist these lofty minds. But for pride, the angels which are in
hell should be in heaven, Jude 6 ; but for pride, we which are in
earth should be in paradise, Gen. iii. ; but for pride, Nebuchad
nezzar which is in the forest should be in his palace, Dan. iv. ; but
for pride, Pharaoh, which lies with the fishes, should be with his
nobles, Exod. xiv. ; no sin hath pulled so many down as this, which
promised to set them up. Of all the children of pride, the pope is
the faihfirT,which sitteth in the temple of God, and is worshipped
as God, 2 Thes. ii. 4. The Lord's ministers are called servants, and
his ministers are called lords. But for pride, the Pharisees would
have received Christ as gently as his disciples ; but for pride, Herod
would have worshipped Christ as humbly as the shepherds ; but
for pride, our men would go like Abraham, and our women like
Sarah, as they would be called their children ; bjjLfoi. pride,- noble-

AND AN EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY. 209
s-welt-as— tbe-peeple ; but for pride,
gentles would abide reproof as well as servants; but for pride, thou
wouldst forgive thy brother, and thy brother would forgive thee,
and the lawyers should have no work. But when thou thinkest of
these things, pride comes in, and saith, Wilt thou go like a haggler,
wilt thou follow sermons, wilt thou take the check, wilt thou put
up wrong? What will men say? That thou art a mome, and a
coward, and a fool, and no man will reverence thee, but every man
will contemn and abuse thee. Thus men are fain to put on the
livery of pride, as they put on the liveries of noblemen, to shroud
and defend them from the contempt of the world. Who hath not
felt these counsels in his heart, which would not believe that any
pride was in him? Yet as Absalom was a worse son than Adonijah,
because Adonijah rebelled against his brother, 1 Kings i. 5, but
Absalom rebelled against his father, so pride hath worse children
than vanity of apparel. Tyranny in princes, ambition in nobles,
rebellion in subjects, disobedience in children, stubbornness in ser
vants ; name pride, and thou hast named their mother ; therefore
shall not God resist pride ? which hath sowed so many tares in his
ground, that scarce a man can say like David, ' I am not high-
minded/ Ps. cxxxi. 1. Give me the minds of all men humbled, and
there is nothing left to raise strife in the world. But as James
saith, chap. iv. 5, 'The heart of man lusteth after envy/ so the
heart of man lusteth after pride ; though he have many heart
breaks and pull-downs, and many times no countenance to shew it,
yet if a little spark be put to the tow, you shall see how soon this
flax will flame ; therefore Solomon saith, Eccles. iii. 10, that all the
troubles that God layeth upon a man have this purpose, to humble
him, as though all troubles were little enough to humble pride, and
that but for pride there were no need almost of our troubles. For
the avoiding of this vice, God suffereth men to fall into other vices,
which men abhor and punish, as theft and fornication, and drunken
ness, to make them ashamed by these vices, which were not ashamed
of pride. This is an argument, that of all sins pride is the worst, be
cause God suffereth other sins to come and shame us, lest we should
be proud. Again, pride hath this property and sleight, that it mixeth
itself with our good works, and follows virtue./As from the ashes of
a phoenix ariseth another phoenix, so of the ashes of our good works
ariseth pride. /When the devil cannot stay us from a good work,
then he laboureth by all means to make us proud of it, and so he
staineth our work, and stealeth our reward. For though a man do
VOL. I. O

210

A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE,

never so much good, yet if he be proud of it he loseth his reward,
as the pharisees did; therefore the best, and the wisest, and the
holiest men had need to watch this vice ; for if they take not great
heed, it will make them proud of their wisdom, and of their zeal, and
op their goodness. Paul was almost puffed up with revelations,
2 Cor. xii. ; Aaron and Miriam began to rebel, because they thought
themselves as good as Moses, Num. xii. ; and all the fathers of any
heresy began their heresy at this, a magnificate opinion of them
selves, and an overweening of their own gifts. So pride setteth
upon the best, even as the tempter set upon Christ, Mat. iv. Again,
a man had need to take heed of pride, for she will not keep counsel ;
but if he be proud, she will tell that he is proud, and therefore is
called an impudent sin, because she descrieth herself in the eye, in
the speech, in the gesture, in the look, in the gait, like the drunkard ;
so that a man cannot be proud and seem bumble.
Thus God hath tied a just punishment to this vice, that he which
entertaineth the vice which he loveth, should not avoid the name
which he abhorreth, but he shall be esteemed proud, and called
proud of all that know him ; and many that know him not, shall
point at him with their fingers in the streets, and say, There goes
a proud fellow ; which they pronounce of no vice else, but the
drunkard, because these two bewray themselves. Thus you see
how the proud resist God ; now you shall see how God resisteth the
proud ; they are so heady, that almost none dare resist them but
God : ' I will resist them,' saith God. Therefore when he heard the
proud man say, in Isa. xiv., ' I will ascend up into heaven,' he
answered himself, ' Thou shalt be brought down to the grave.
This is he which resisteth the proud. When Haman's wife heard
her husband say that Mordecai was against him, because he was an
Israelite, she said that her husband should take the foil, and Mor
decai should prevail, Esther vi. 13. What if she had heard her hus
band say, that the Lord of Mordecai was against him ? If the
servant be so terrible, who dare encounter with his master ? God
hated Esau, Rom. ix., and how did Esau prosper ? Though he was
the elder brother, yet he missed the birthright ; and though his
father loved him, yet he could not bless him, because God hated
him, Gen. xxvii. 28. God was wroth with the angels, and drove
them out of heaven, Jude 6 ; God was wroth with Adam, and
thrust him out of paradise, Gen. iii. ; God was wroth with Nebu
chadnezzar, and turned him out of his palace, Dan. iv. ; God was
wroth with Cain, and though he were the first man that was born
of a woman, yet God made him a vagabond upon his own land,

AND AN EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY. 211
Gen. iv. 12 ; God was wroth with Saul, and though he was the first
king that ever was anointed, yet God made his own hand his exe
cutioner, 1 Sam. xxxi. 4 ; God was wroth with the old world, and
though the earth was naked when they were drowned, yet he re
garded nothing, but destroyed a world of men together, Gen. vi.
This is he which resisted the proud ; what shall we do if the wTorld
be against us, and the flesh against us, and the devil against us, and
God against us too, which should defend us ?/ln heaven, in earth,
and in the sea he finds us out./ And as the displeasure of a king
draweth many enemies with re, so the displeasure of God setteth all
his creatures against us ; therefore he is called the Lord of hosts, as
though he came with an army against us, Isa. i. 24. When he
fought with the Aramites, the sun took his part, Joshua x. 13 ;
when he fought against the Sodomites, the fire took his part, Gen.
xvi. ; when he fought against the Egyptians, the water took his
part, Exod. xiv. ; when he fought against the murmurers, the earth
took his part, Num. xvi. ; when he fought against the idolaters, the
lions took his part, Dan. iii. ; when he fought against the mockers,
) the bears took his part, 2 Kings ii. 24 ; this is he which resisteth
the proud. What can he hope, which remembereth that God is set
against him, and that the Lord of heaven and of earth is his enemy?
This thought made the Philistines fly and say, ' God is come into
the host,' 1 Sam. iv. 7. No enemy is like this enemy ; he ever over
cometh, and when he hath overcome, he can cast into hell, and
make the devils torment them again ; therefore, well might Solomon
prophesy, Prov. xxix. 23, ' The pride of man shall bring him low ; '
for God hath overcome him who brought pride into the world ; and
as pride brought him low, so Solomon saith it shall bring men low
too. What a turn is this, that that which he took like a chain (as
David saith) to adorn him, Ps. lxxiii. 6, doth hang him ; that which
he took to exalt him, doth debase him ; that which he took to win
love, getteth hatred ; that which he took to obtain glory, procureth
shame ; as if God did take the sword out of his hand, as David took
the sword out of Goliath, and slew him with his own weapon! 1 Sam.
xvii. 51.
When the pharisee said he was not like the publican, Luke xix. 11,
he said true, for then he was not like the publican indeed, because
the publican was better than he. So when a proud man thinks best
of himself, then God and men think worst of him; all his glory is
but like a vapour, which climbeth as though it would go up to
heaven, but when it comes to a little height, it falls down again, and
never ascends more. So Adam thought that the fair apple should

212 A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE,
make him like his Maker, Gen. iii. ; but God resisted his pride, and
that apple made him like the serpent that tempted him with it.
Absalom thought that rebellion would make him a king, 2 Sam. xv.
2 ; but God resisted his pride, and his rebellion hanged bim on a tree.
Nimrod thought that Babel should get him a name, Gen. xi ; but
God resisted bis pride, and the name of his building was called con
fusion ever since. Nebuchadnezzar built his palace for bis honour,
Dan. iv. ; but God resisted his pride, and his palace spued him out
when bis servants remained in it. Shebna builded a sepulchre for his
memorial, Isa. xxii". ; but God resisted his pride, and buried him in
another country, where he had no sepulchre provided. Herod hoped
when the people cried at his words, ' It is the voice of God/ that he
should be worshipped ever after as God ; but God resisted his pride,
and before he descended from his throne, the worms so defaced his
pomp, that none which called him God would We like unto him.
So when women take more pains to dress themselves than they do
all the year after, and pay dearer to maintain one vice than they
need to learn all virtues, they think to please men by it ; but God
resisteth their pride, and all that see them, though they cap and
curtsey to them, yet they think worse of them, and think that they
would not wear these signs of lightness and pride, unless they were
light and proud indeed. yThus if their apparel condemn them before
men, bow will it condemn them before God ! If sin did not blind
them, would they so deceive themselves to take the contrary way,
and think that should honour them which disgraceth others ? But
as Balaam was stopped and knew not who stopped him, Num. xxii.
so they are resisted, and -know not who resisteth them. Though
they do all to please, yet they can please none : they please not God,
for God resisteth them ; they please not the humble, for the humble
are contrary to them ; they please not the proud, for the proud do
envy them which strive to be as proud as they; they please not
themselves, because they cannot be so proud and brave as they
would be, only they content and please the devil, because their
pride doth entitle him to them.
Thus much of God's battles against the proud. Here Peter
leaveth the proud with this brand in their forehead, ' This is the
man whom God resisteth;' then he turneth to the lowly, and com-
forteth them, ' but he giveth grace to the humble ;' as if he should
say, You are like John the beloved disciple, which leaned on Christ's
bosom, John xiii. 23 ; though God resisteth the proud, yet he will
not frown upon you, but when he resisteth them, he will give grace
unto you ; as if he should say, The proud are without grace, for God

AND AN EXHORTATION TO HUMILITY. 213
giveth not grace unto the proud, but to the humble, according to
that of Isa. lxvi. 2, ' To him will I look, even to him that is poor,
and of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my words ;' therefore
' learn of me/ saith Christ, Mat. xi, ' to be humble and meek/ as
though the humble and ¦ meek were his scholars. Therefore God
must needs love the humble, because they are like his Son. They
shall have his best gifts, of which he saith, 2 Cor. xii. 9, ' my grace
is sufficient ;' as if he should say, He which hath given you his
grace, can he deny you anything ? as Paul saith, ' he which hath
given us his Son, will he not give us all things with him ?' There
fore grace may be called the gift of gifts, because all gifts come
with grace, as the court goeth with the queen. Therefore fear not
to be humble, lest you be contemned ; for all the promises of God
are made to humility, and yet men fear to be humble, lest they
should be contemned. Humility did not make John contemptible,
but when he refused the name of a prophet, Christ saith, that he
was more than a prophet, Mat. xi. 2. Humility did not make
Moses contemptible, but as he was the mildest man upon earth, so
he was the greatest upon earth, Num. xii. Humility did not make
David contemptible, but when he humbled himself, he said unto
Michal, I will be more humble yet, and lowly in my own sight, yet
thou and thy maids shall honour me, 2 Sam. vi. 22. As Christ
ceased not to be a king because he was like a servant, nor to be a
lion because he was Hke a lamb, nor to be God because he was
made man, nor to be a judge because he was judged; so a man doth
not lose his honour by humility, but he shall be honoured for his
humility, as the Son was honoured when he was humbled, Luke
xv. 8. Thus humility hath found that which pride sought, like
little David, which was least accounted of, and yet got the victory;
yea, when no man durst encounter with the giant, 1 Sam. xvii. 28.
This is the ladder whereby we must ascend, Gen. xxviii. 12. Pride
did cast us down, and humility must raise us up. As the way to
heaven is narrow, Mat. vii. 13, so the gate is low, and he had need
to stoop which entereth in at it ; therefore be not proud, lest God
oppose himself against you ; but be humble, and the grace of God
belongeth to you. So long as thou art proud and readest this sen
tence, 'God giveth grace to the humble/ thou mayest say to thy soul,
Soul, thou hast no part herein, for grace is the portion of the hum
ble, and the dowry of the meek, and the treasure of the lowly ; but
to thee it is said, ' The Lord resisteth the proud/ as if he should say,
¦'Avoid Satan,' Mat. iv. ; or, 'Depart from me, ye wicked/ Mat. xxv. 45.
Thus you see how you may have God your friend or your enemy.

214 A DISSUASION FROM PRIDE, &C.
' He resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble/ If thou
disdain to learn humility of man, learn it of God, who humbled
himself from heaven to earth, to exalt thee from earth to heaven,
to which kingdom (when the proud shall be shut out) the Lord
Jesus bring us for his mercy's sake !

THE YOIJM MAFS TASK.

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.

Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. — Eccles. XII. 1.
If it be so, as they say, that none but young men do hear our
doctrine, then this text is well chosen for the auditory, to teach
young men that, which if they learn, they may say with David, ' I
have more understanding than the ancient,' Ps. cxix. 100. All
Scripture is man's duty, and answers, like John Baptist, to ' What
shall we do?' In 1 John ii. 12, John saith, 'I write unto you
babes, I write unto you children, I write unto you fathers, I write
unto you old men.' So the word, which is called ' a flying book,'
flieth from one age to another, from one sex to another, from one
calling to another, till, like a judge, it hath given every man his
charge. Among the rest, I may call this Scripture The young
man's task, wherein the wise man sheweth when is the best time
to sow the seed of virtue, that it may bring forth the fruit of life,
and make a man always ready to die. Let him remember his
Creator in the days of his youth, and all his life shall run in a line,
the middle like the beginning, and the end like the middle ; as
the sun setteth against the place where it rose.
After Solomon had described man, like Martha, troubling and
toiling herself about many things ; at last he bringeth him to that
one thing necessary, which Christ taught Mary, and shews him that
if he had begun there at first, he had found that which he sought -
without trouble, and been happier many years since than he is now.
Therefore to them which are young, Solomon shews what advan
tage they have above the aged ; like a ship which seeing another
ship sink before her, looks about her, pulls down her sail, turneth
her course, and escapes the sands, which would swallow her, as they
had done the other.
So they which are young need not try the snares and allurements

218 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
of the world, or the issues and effects of sin, which old men have
tried before them, but take the trial and experience of others, and
go a nearer way to obtain their wished desires. That is this, saith
Solomon: if thou wouldst have any settled peace or hearty joy in this
vain or transitory world, which thou hast been seeking all the time
since thou wert born, thou must ' remember thy Creator/ wbich did
make thee, which hath elected thee, which hath redeemed thee, which
daily preserveth thee, which will for ever glorify thee. And as the
kind remembrance of a friend doth recreate the mind, so to think and
meditate upon God will supply thy thoughts, dispel thy grief, and
make thee cheerful, as the sight of the ark comforted David ; for joy,
and comfort, and pleasure is where God is, as light, and cheer
fulness, and beauty is where the sun is. Now, if thou wouldst have
this joy, and comfort, and pleasure to be long, and wouldst escape
those thousand miseries, vexations, and vanities, which Solomon,
by many weary and tedious trials, sought to make naked before
thee, and yet held all but vanity when he had found the way, thou
must ' remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth' at the first
spring-time, and then thy happiness shall be as long as thy life, and
all thy thoughts while thou remainest on earth a foretaste of the
glory of heaven. This is the sum of Solomon's oounsel.
Solomon finds man seeking happiness out of the way, as Esau
hunted long for a blessing, and yet went without it. He pities to
see him seek and not find, to run and not obtain ; therefore he
setteth him in the way, like a guide sent from heaven, which often
had strayed himself before, and been now recovered to his right way ;
stands like a mark of knowledge in the turnings that lead unto
blind by-ways, to direct all those that pass by, that they may follow
the ready path that leadeth to eternal happiness. And because the
traveller marcheth cheerfully which knoweth his way before he
setteth forth, therefore from the first setting forth, even from the
time of youth, when a manbeginneth to run his pilgrimage, Solomon
tells him how he shall therein prepare himself to walk, and sets
him in a fair high way, wherein is no turning either to the right
hand or the left, which he calleth the remembrance of God ; as if
he should say, Walk with God as Enoch did, and remember well
that he which shall be thy judge doth see all that thou dost, and
heareth thee at every word ; and this thought shall keep thee in
the way at all times, like the cloud and pillar of fire which went
before the children'of Israel as well by day as by night, when they
travelled in the wilderness.
In the next chapter before, and ver. 9, Solomon said, ' Rejoice,

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 219
0 young man, in thy youth ;' now he hath changed his note to
' Remember, 0 young man, in thy youth/ No more rejoice, but
remember. Solomon mocked before, and shewed what they did
remember ; here he shews what they should remember. Lest any
libertine should misconstrue him, and say, Solomon taught to rejoice,
Solomon gave us leave to sin, Solomon said, Do as ye list, for you
are young men, and have a privilege to be lascivious and vain ; he
recants with a breath, and denies forthwith his word, even where he
spake it.
What said I ? ' Rejoice, 0 young man, in thy youth '? I would
say, ' Remember, 0 young man, in thy youth/ So God mocks us
while we sin, like Macaiah, which bid Ahab fight against Aram, and
then forbade him again ; so he bids them rejoice, and forbids them
again. Rejoice not in thy youth, but repent in thy youth. One
would think that Solomon should have given this memorandum
rather to old men than to young men, Let them repent which look to
die. Oh, saith Jeremiah, Lam. iii. 27, ' It is good for a man to bear
the yoke in his youth/ If it be goodjtg_sjiffes-ia--ye«tfa, it-is better
to learn in youth. Therefore, if David wished that his tongue might
cleaTe~to~iflierooTof his mouth if he forgot Jerusalem, Ps. cxxxvii. 6,
what are they worthy which forget God, the King of Jerusalem ?
Can a child forget his father ? Is not God our Father ? Therefore,
who is too young to remember him, seeing the child doth know his
father ? As the deepest wounds had need to be first tented, so the
unstablest minds have need to be first confirmed. In this extremity
is youth, as Solomon shews them before he teacheth them ; for in
the last verse of the former chapter he calleth youth ' vanity/ as if
he should speak all evil in a word, and say that youth is even the
age of sin. Therefore, when he had shewed young men their folly
under the name of vanity, like a good tutor he taketh them to
school, and teacheth them their duty, ' Remember thy Creator/ as
though all sin were the forgetfulness of God ; and all our obedience
came from this remembrance, that God created us after his own
image, in righteousness and holiness, to serve him here for a while,
and after to inherit the joys which he hath himself, which if we did
remember, doubtless it would make us ashamed to think, and speak,
and do as we are wont. For what man doth remember his Creator,
or why he was created, while he sweareth and forsweareth, and
maketh his trade of sin, as though there were no God to judge, nor
hell to punish ? This is because the remembrance of God, which
would wake sinners, is so chased from men, for fear it should curb
them of their pleasures, that they dare not think of them, but strive

220 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
to forget him, that they may sin without fear. Therefore he be
cometh a schoolmaster for God, and calleth children unto him
before they be corrupted, to teach them this one lesson for the guide
of their life, 'Remember thy Creator.' To which he draweth them as
it were with two cords : the short flight of their youth, and the in
finite infirmities of age. To shew how soon our youth is gone, which
we think will never have end, Solomon doth not reckon it by
years, but by days, 'in the days of thy youth;' so the Scripture
numbers our life by days, and hours, and minutes, to teach us to
make use of all our time, and every day to think upon the end.
Yet, lest they should post over this remembrance unto age, which is
the general day that all set to repent, after this verse Solomon
brings in the old man deaf, and blind, and lame, and stammering,
for the young man to behold, as if he should say, Look, my son, is
this man fit to learn, which cannot hear, nor see, nor speak, nor go ?
Therefore remember thou thy Creator in the days of thy youth,
before this dotage come. This then is the level of our message, to
hasten them forward which travel towards heaven, because there is
a great space between God and us, and much ado to aspire the top of
mount Zion, but more ado to aspire the top of the mount of heaven.
Therefore, as Abraham rose early to sacrifice his son in the morn
ing, Gen. xxii. 3, so in the morning of thy life sacrifice thyself to
God, and let him which is Alpha in everything, be Alpha in thy
conversion, that is, the beginning as well as the end. Because we
are given to set the best last, that we may have a longer time for
our sins and pleasures, like the Jews, Hag. i. 2, which said alway,
' the time was not yet come when they should build the temple ;'
therefore, the Holy Ghost crieth so often, 'This is the acceptable
time ; this is the day of salvation/ 2 Cor. vi. 2. ' To-day hear his
voice/ like Rebekah, which taught her son the nearest way to get
the blessing, Gen. xxvii. 9. When Christ went about to cast out
devils, they said, that he ' tormented them before the time,' Mat.
viii. 29 ; so whensoever thou goest about to dismiss thy sins and
pleasures, though thou stay till thou be an old man, yet they will
say still that thou dismissest them before the time. But then is
the time, when the devil saith, the time is not yet ; for the devil is
a liar, and knoweth that with what liquor our vessels be seasoned
at first, they will taste of the same ever after, whether it be good or
bad. Therefore, as God sueth to have us begin at goodness, so the
devil wooes us to begin at wickedness ; alleging either that we are
not resolved yet to leave our pleasures, or else that' God is exceed
ing merciful to sinners, or else that we shall have space enough to

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 221
serve him hereafter. So he stands as it were at the ladder foot,
and keeps us off with these weapons, that we cannot get upon the
first staff, but one thought or other pulleth us back, when the foot
is in the stirrup ready to ride away from all our sins at once.
Thus we have long purposed to serve God, and every man thinketh
that he should be served, but we cannot accord of the time when
to begin : one saith, When I am rich ; another saith, When I am
free ; another saith, When I am settled ; another saith, When I am
old, then my pleasure will leave me, and I shall be fitter to fast
and pray, and sequester myself, but now I shall be mocked if I be
not like others. Thus, like bad borrowers, when our day is past
already, we crave a longer, and a longer, and yet a longer, till we
be arrested with death ; so the prince of creatures dieth before he
considered why he lived ; for as no discipline is used where Christ's
discipline is neglected, so no time is observed where God's time is
omitted. It is an old saying, Repentance is never too late ; but it is a true
saying, Repentance is never too soon. Therefore, we are commanded
to run that we may obtain, 1 Cor. ix. 24, which is the swiftest pace
of man. The cherubims were pourtrayed with wings before the
place where the Israelites prayed, Exod. xxv. 20, to shew how
quickly they went about the Lord's business. The hound which
runs but for the hare, girds forth so soon as he sees the hare start ;
the hawk which flieth but for the partridge, taketh her flight so
soon as she spieth the partridge spring ; so we should follow the
word so soon as it speaketh, and come to our Master so soon as he
calleth. For God requiring the first-born for his offering, and the
first-fruits for his service, requireth the first labours of his servants,
and, as I may say, the maidenhead of every man. Therefore, so
soon as man was created, a law was given him, Gen. ii. 1 5, 16, to
shew that he should live under obedience -from the day that he is
born. So, so soon as he is born, he is baptized in the name of God, to
shew that when we cannot run to Christ, we should creep unto him,
and serve him as we can in youth and age ; so soon as he beginneth
to pray, he saith, ' Thy name be hallowed, thy kingdom come, thy
will be done/ before he asks his daily bread, to shew that we should
seek the will of God, before the food which we live by, much more
before the sins and pleasures which we perish by. So soon as the
Lord distributed the talents, he enjoined his servants to use them.
Who is so young which hath not received some talent or other ?
therefore youth cannot excuse him, because the talent requires to
be asked of every one which hath it. So soon as God had created

222 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
the man and the woman, he commanded them to increase and
multiply; shall we increase and multiply in the flesh, before we
increase and multiply in the spirit ? The first thing which God
did after he had created heaven and earth, he did separate light
from darkness, Gen. i. 4, to shew us how we should separate good
from evil, before our good become evil. The first lesson that John
taught was, ' Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand/
Mat. iii. 2. The first lesson that the disciples taught was ' Repent,'
too, ' for the kingdom of heaven is at hand/ Acts iii. 1 9. And the first
lesson that Christ taught was, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand/ Mat. iv. 17, to teach us what we should do first. Repent was
the first lesson to young and old. For what can we owe God to
morrow which we are not indebted to-day? Therefore David
prayed, ' Teach me, 0 Lord, to number my days/ Ps. xc. 12 ; not
my years, nor my months, nor my weeks, but my days ; shewing
that we shall answer for days as well as years, for to-day as well as
to-morrow ; and for our youth as straitly as our age, which made
him cry, ' Remember not the sins of my youth/ which he would
not have spoken if God did not mark the sins of youth as well as
age. Therefore he calleth children unto him, as Solomon doth, and
saith, that he will teach them the fear of the Lord. For should
children honour their father, and not honour God ? It was a
sweet comfort1 when the children went before Christ to his temple,
and sang their hosanna to make their fathers ashamed, which did
not know the Messias when he came, when their little children
knew him. It is written, that when Christ heard a young man
answer that he had kept the commandments from his youth, Christ
began to love him ; which shews how Christ loveth these timely
beginnings, when we make him our nurse and draw our first milk
from his breasts. There is not one confession for old men and an
other for young men : the old man saith not, I did believe in God ;
the young man saith not, I will believe in God ; but both say, I
do believe in God, for he which is called I AM, Exod. iii., loveth I
am, and careth not for I was, nor 2" will be. When Christ asked
Peter, ' Lovest thou me ?' he looked that Peter should answer him,
' Yea, Lord, I love thee,' and not drive him off, as Felix did Paul,
I will hear thee, I will love thee, when I have a convenient time.
For he which will not come when God calls, whatsoever he say, it
is impossible that he should resolve to come hereafter ; for he which
is evil, how should he resolve to be good ? , Therefore now or never,
now and ever, the tree which buddeth not in the spring is dead all
1 Qu. ' concert ' ? — Ed.

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 223
the year./ When a married man is first married, he may use the
matter so to win his wife unto him, or estrange her heart for ever.
When a pastor cometh first to a place, with a small matter he may
make the simple people like him, or dislike him, so long as he stay-
eth ; when the heir comes to his lands, lightly all his tenants
begin to speak well of him, or evil of him ; when a prince cometh
to the crown, by the laws which he maketh first, the people guess i
how he will rule ever after, and either dispose their hearts to love
him, or wish his death.
• Therefore the sage and beaten counsellors advised Rehoboam when
he began to reign, ' Shew thyself loving to the people this day, and
they will be thy servants for ever/ 2 Chron. x., as though all the
days after could not do so much as the first. Such a victory it is to
begin well, as our proverb saith, He which hath begun well, is half
his way ; especially it is good for a man to begin his repentance
before he learn to be evil ; for herein our minds do follow our bodies.
If our children be deformed in their youth, Ave never look to see
them well favoured ; so if the mind be planted in sin, seldom any
goodness buddeth out of that stock. For virtue must have a time
to grow, the seed is sown in youth, which cometh up in age.
And if we can say of others, when we see a graceless boy, Thou
wilt prove a wagstring if thou live to be older ; why should we, if
we begin as ill as he, think that we shall be better and better, which
judge that he will be worse and worse ? As the arrowjs directed
at the first, so it flieth all the way, over or under, or beside, but it
never findeth the mark, unless it be levelled right in the hand ; so
they which make an evil beginning, for-speak themselves at the
first, and wander out all their race, because when they should have
levelled their life, they took their aim amiss. Therefore happy are
they which have their arrow in their hand, and day before them,
for they need not wish to be young again. Now kill the serpent
in the egg, for when he is a serpent he will kill thee ; if thou canst
not overcome sin in the infancy, before the root fasten, and the fence
be made about it, how wilt thou struggle with the lion, when he
useth his paws, and sin is become like an old man, so tough and
froward, that he will not hear ? As hard as it is to reclaim one of
these old sinners, or grand papists, which are incorporate into popery,
and as poison is settled in a serpent, so hard it will be to reclaim thee,
when thou wilt begin to say, It hath been my custom, and I cannot
leave it.
Try thy strength but with one of thy sins, and see what shifts,
what excuses, what delays it will find, and how it will importune

224 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
thee to let it alone, as the devil tormented the child before he went
out ; if thou canst not discharge one vice that thou hast accustomed
thyself unto, when all thy vices are become customs, how wilt thou
wrestle with them ?
Therefore we bend the tree while it is a twig, and break the horse
while he is a colt, and teach the dog while he is a whelp, and tame
the eagle while he is young.
Youth is like the day to do all our works in. For when the
night of age cometh, then every man saith, I might have been
learned, I might have been a teacher, I might have been like him,
or him, but the harvest was past before I began to sow, and winter
is come, now my fruit should ripe. Thus every man that is old
saith, he cannot do that which he thought to do, and crieth with
Solomon, Catechise the child in his youth, and he will remember it
when he is old ; so corrupt him in his youth, and he will remember
that too. This Nebuchadnezzar perceived, and therefore he chose
the towardUe^t^chJldren of the Israelites to train them up in
idolatry, Dan. i, like the popish seminaries, that they might be his
instruments another day. If he had let them alone till they had
learned the truth first, he thought that they would not take his
way; therefore he took them b^foja^they^had-any religion, to frame
themjo his religion. If idolaters and^papists be so cunning in their
generation, to poison their children betime, lest they should prove
Christians after, what care appertaineth to Christians to season
their children in their spring, like the virtuous lady which John
commendeth, lest they prove papists, and traitors, and reprobates,
when they look for comfort of them ! There was nothing which
made Rehoboam to choose such young counsellors, when he began
to reign, but because they were his companions before, therefore
they became his counsellors after. This is the preferment of our
sins, if they have been our companions in youth, in age they will
look to be counsellors and masters too. Therefore, the best season
to seek God, is to seek him early, before the floods of wrath arise,
and the heap of sins stand up Hke a rampired wall between God
and us. ' They which seek me early shall find me/ saith Wisdom,
in the eighth of Proverbs^; but to them which defer, she saith, 'they
shall seek me, but they shall not find me/ Prov. i, ' because they
did not choose the fear of the Lord.' That is, when good and
evil were set before them, they did prefer evil before good, as
a man chooseth that which he liketh. Therefore, 'when they
seek me/ saith God, ' they shall not find me.' How do ye say
then that ye will seek God, when God himself saith that ye

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 225
shall not find him? Therefore, in the fourth of Proverbs, and the
seventh verse, Wisdom is called 'the beginning;' to teach us to seek
wisdom in the beginning; for, saith Christ, 'If ye seek the kingdom
of heaven first, all the rest shall be cast upon you/ Mat. vi. 33. He
saith not, If you seek the world first, heaven shall be cast upon
, you ; but if you seek heaven first, worldly things shall be cast upon
you. He which doth believe this, would first seek the kingdom of
heaven, for that which followeth, that all the rest might be cast
upon him; as when Solomon desired wisdom before honour, God
gave him wisdom and honour too, because he sought the best
first. There was a pool in Jewry where the sick and leprous lay, John
v. 2 ; for at one time of the day the angel came and stirred the
water, and then he which stepped in first was healed of his disease.
He which stepped in first was healed, saith John; none but he which
stepped in first; so he which taketh time is sure, but he which
foresloweth time oftener faileth than speedeth. For when golden
opportunity is past, no time will fit for her. If Elias would be
served before the widow, when she had but a little cruse of oil,
which was not enough to serve herself, will God be served after
Elias? Will God be served after thee ? nay, after the flesh, and
after the devil? Thou mayest read in Lev. xix. 13, that God would
not have the labourer's hire stay in thy hands all night, but would
have thee pay him before thou sleep. If God would not have the
labourer's due stay in thy hands one night, how darest thou keep
his due from him day and night? so many days and nights, weeks,
and months, and years together? Where is the morning sacrifice
which God requireth? Nay, where is the evening sacrifice which
God requireth ? The gloomy morning hath overcast the whole day.
Dost thou think it enough if thou do not sit in the seat of the
scorners, or if thou do not stand in the way of sinners ? He which
standeth stayeth not, he which sitteth taketh his ease, but he which
walketh goeth his way. Yet he which walketh in the way of sin
ners, though he neither sit nor stand, is not of the blesssed number.
But he which neither sitteth, nor standeth, nor walketh, is blessed,
saith David, Ps. i. 1. Alas, then, why do we sit, if they which stand
are accursed, and they which walk are not blessed? Christ saith,
Mat. vi. 33, ' First seek the kingdom of God;' and we say, First let
me bury my father, first let me bid my friends farewell, and so
many things first. So long in burying our father, and bidding our
friends farewell (that is, the riches, and honours, and pleasures of
Vol. i. p

226 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
this world), that there is no time left to seek the kingdom; but
follow me is turned to follow us; Christ must follow our sins, and
pome after our pleasures, or else he shall not be served at all.
/When we were children, we deferred till we were men ; when we
are men, we defer till we be old men; when we are old men, we
defer till death; in all our life we find no leisure to live well, but
flit from sin to sin, from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches, from
wicked speeches to wicked deeds, as the fly skipp.eth from scab_to_
scab, until we be cast so far behind, that we have no courage to go
forward, or else strayed so far out of the way, that we care not to
seek it again. Therefore, I cannot say to you as Christ said, ' First
seek the kingdom of heaven/ for then you should have sought it
long ago ; but now I must say with the apostle, ' Redeem the time/
and at last seek the kingdom of heaven. For it is to be feared,
that as little flies, when many came together, plagued and destroyed
the Egyptians ; so short hours, but many, in sin and security, will
steal away our whole life, and deceive our repentance, while we
live like beasts longer than Nebuchadnezzar.
There be not many Lots, but many linger like Lot, loath to depart,
until they see the fire burn. If the angel had hot snatched him
away, Lot had perished with Sodom for his delay. There be not
five foolish virgins and five wise, but five for one knock when the
door is shut. There be not many Simeons, but many as old as
Simeon, which never yet embraced Christ in their hearts. They
thought to repent before they were so old, yet now they doat for
age, they are not old enough to repent yet. Nay, I answer, many
masters of Israel, mayors, aldermen, sheriffs, justices, bailiffs, con
stables, gentlemen, know no more what it is to be born again, than
Nicodemus which came by night; line after line, sermon after ser
mon, and the blackmoor like himself. All their terms are vaca
tions, all their religion promises, and all their promises hypocrisies.
Inste.ad_o£.catchising their children, as Solomon teacheth them,
they catechise them to huntand Jiawk, to ride and_ vaunt, to ruffle
and swear, to game and dance, as they were catechisedJhjmTselves,
lest the chiH sFduld prove better jtEan his father,. and .then.he_is
qualifiedJiltfi.aIgentleman. Is this to seek the kingdom of heaven
first, or last, or not at all? Woe to the security, woe to the stub-
bornness, woe to the drowsiness of this age. The thief cometh at
mio^gtnTanoTwe sleep"till the dawning of the day; we let in Satan
before we bid him avoid; we sell our birthright before it come to
our hands; we seek for oil when our lamps should burn; this day
passeth like yesterday, and to-morrow we shall spend like this day.

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 227
So he which should have the first fruits, can get no fruits, because
we mar the ground before we sow it.
Consider this, ye which might have known a thousand things
more than ye do, if ye had begun when Solomon taught you. God
will not always knock at the door, Christ will not always cluck like
a hen, John will not alway cry in the wilderness ; but mercy is in
the foreward, and judgment in the rearward. They which can say
now, We have a prophet, shall say, We had a prophet, but we en
tertained him like the Gargesites ; so God sent him away from us
like Jonah to the Ninevites, when the Israelites despised him. Yet
Wisdom crieth in the streets, Let every Joseph store up before the
famine comes ; for be which promiseth thee pardon when thou dost
return, doth not promise that to-morrow thou shalt return. Repent
ance is a gift, and a gift must be taken when it is offered. /The time
past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in ; the time
to come is uncertain, and thou canst not assure that to repent in ;
the present time is only thine, and thou mayest repent in that ; but
anon that will be gone too. / Therefore, as Samuel began to serve
God in his minority, as Timothy read the Scriptures in his child
hood, and John grew in spirit as he ripened in years ; so whether
thou be old or young, thy repentance cannot come too soon, because
thy sin is gone before. If thou lackest a spur to make thee run,
see how every day runneth away with thy fife. Youth cometh
upon childhood, age cometh upon youth, death cometh upon age,
with such a swift sail, that if all our minutes were spent in mortify
ing ourselves, yet our glass will be run out before we had purged
half our corruptions. All these examples, and sentences, and pro
verbs, and reasons, do cry with Solomon, ' Remember thy Creator
in the days of thy youth.' This is the king's commendation or
greeting to the college of youth. But how should young men re
member God, when old men forget him ? If Noah be drunk, who
shall rebuke Ham ? /it is time to remember God in age, or else
to forget him for ever. A Therefore, as the Israelites gathered twice
so much manna the day before the Sabbath, as they gathered any
day before that, because they might not gather upon the Sabbath ;
so the grey head, which looketh every day for the last Sabbath,
when he shall rest in the grave, should pray twice as much, hear
twice as much, do twice as much, to prepare the sacrifice of his
body and soul ready and acceptable unto God, because the night is
at hand, when he cannot hear, nor pray, nor repent any more. / It
is said, the devil is very busy because his time is short, but an old
man's is shorter. AWhat haste should he make that must go further

228 THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK.
than the moon, than the sun, in a year, or a month, or a week, which
the saints were going all their life ? Therefore, if youth had need
of legs, age had need of wings to fly unto God. But as Christ said,
' The poor receive the gospel', though the rich be more bound ; so
we may say, the young men receive the gospel, though the old men
have more cause.
~" The young menJollow Christ, the young men hear the word, the
youagjneisanctify themselves, the young men stand for the church,
the young men bear the heat of this day ; old Noah is drunk, old
Lotjs"sIeepy; old Samson^ hath lost his strength. Once the younger
brother did steal the blessing from the elder, and now he hath got
it again, as the malice of Esau shews, which persecutes him for it.
I speak it to their shame, they that wear the furs and scarlets, as
though they were all wisdom, and gravity, and holiness, even to
the skirts, may say as Zedekiah said to Micaiah, ' When did the
Spirit depart from me and go to thee ?' when did zeal depart from
us and go to you ? They are so nouseled to the world, and acquainted
with sin, that it is too late now fortn*eword to speak unto them ;
they may look upon the signs of wisdom, and gravity, and holiness,
when they see their long beards, and grey heads, and side gowns,
and ask, Why is this bush hanged out, and no wine within ? What
marvel, then, if they be not reverenced, but mocked and pointed at,
when Shem and Japhet had need to come again, and cover their
nakedness ? What a shame was it to the Israelites when Christ
said by a Canaanite, ' I have not found so great faith in Israel'!
So what a shame is it to the elders, that Christ may say again, I
have not found so great faith, nor knowledge, nor zeal in masters,
and fathers, and rulers, as in servants, and children, and appren
tices ; which made an old father of this city say, which now is with
God, that if there were any good to be done in these days, it is the
young men that must do it ; for the old men are out of date, their
courage stoops like their shoulders, their zeal is withered like their
brows, their faith staggereth like their feet, and their religion is
dead before them. Be assured of this, that ye are come to that
time which yourselves set to repent ; and yet, as though there were
another age to repent after old age, you spend old age like youth,
as if you were appointed to die in- your sins. ' God hath chosen
the weak things/ saith Paul, 1 Cor. i., so I may say, God hath chosen
the young things to do his works ; as if the Lord had spoken to you
in his wrath, Fathers, I will provoke you by your children ; mas
ters, I will provoke you by your servants ; as once he threatened to
provoke the Jews by the Gentiles. Therefore, be of good cheer,

THE YOUNG MAN'S TASK. 229
young Daniel, young Samuel, young Timothy ; though our adver
saries be as the Aramites, yet there be more with us than against
us. Flesh and blood could not overcome flesh and blood ; but if you
be sanctified, it is the Spirit which hath sanctified you ; for the devil
would not go out unless a stronger than the devil hath entered the
house ; when you come to be rich and elder, like Demas, then take
heed that ye do not embrace the world, as Demas did, and turn to
that which ye condemn. The vine would not leave her grapes, nor
the olive her fatness, nor the fig-tree her sweetness, to be a king,
but the bramble did ; he is not a vine, nor an olive, nor a fig-tree,
but a bramble made for the fire, which leaveth his righteousness to
become worse. He which is of the church will say with the church,
' I have washed my feet, how should I defile them again V Let the
dog turn to his vomit, and the swine to her wallowing ; but hold
thou on thy sacrifice, like Abraham, to the evening of thy life, and
a full measure shall be measured unto thee, as thou hast measured
thyself. Unto the which measure without measure, the Lord Jesus
bring us !

THE TEIAL OE THE RIGHTEOUS.

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him
out of all— Vs. XXXIV. 19.
The sum of this verse is as if he should say, Let the righteous
look for more troubles than other, and likewise let them hope for
greater comforts than other ; for when they are well, they shall be
eclipsed again, to shew that their light was but borrowed ; and when
they are eclipsed, their light shall return, to shew their difference
from them whom God hateth, whieh fall from plague to plague, as
they run from sin to sin.
This verse hath three parts, for here the righteous are the agents,
their condition troubles, and the Lord their deliverer. So many
things fall out contrary unto our minds every day, that he which
wanteth patience in this world, is like a man which standeth trem
bling in the field without his armour, because every one can strike
him, and he can strike none. So the least push of pain, or loss, or
disgrace, doth trouble that man more whieh hath not the skill to
suffer, than twenty trials can move him which is armed with patience,
like a golden shield in his hand, to break the stroke of every cross,
and save the heart though the body suffer ; for while the heart is
whole, all is well. ' A sound spirit/ saith Solomon, ' will bear his
infirmity, but a wounded spirit what can sustain ?' Prov. xviii. 14.
Therefore, as the lid is made to open and_shut, to save the eye, so
patience is set to keep the soul, and save the heart whole, to cheer
the body again. Therefore if^you mark, when you can go by an
offence, and take a little wrong and suffer trouble quietly, you have
a kind of peace and joy in your heart, as if you have gotten a
victory, and the more your patience is, still the less your pain is.
For as a light burden, borne at the arm's end, weigheth heavier by

234 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
much, than a burden of treble weight, if it be borne upon the
shoulders, which are made to bear ; so if a man set impatience to
bear his cross, which is not fit to bear, it will grumble, and murmur,
and start, and shrink, and let the burden fall upon his head, like
a broken staff, which promiseth to help him over the water, and
leaveth him in the ditch. But if you put it to patience, and set
her to bear it, which is appointed to bear, she is like the hearty
spies that came from Canaan, and said, ' It is nothing to overcome
them/ Joshua ii. So patience saith, It is nothing to bear, it is
nothing to fast, it is nothing to watch, it is nothing to labour, it is
nothing to be envied, it is nothing to be backbited, it is nothing to
be imprisoned. ' In all these things/ saith Paul, ' we are more than
conquerors/ Rom. viii. 37. As though all these things came not to
make us mourners, but to make us conquerors, nay, more than con
querors, because a conqueror conquereth his enemy but once, but
we conquer these as often as Christ did the tempter. Thus all is in
the manner of bearing, which maketh persecution seem joyful unto
some, and irksome to others ; which maketh poverty welcome to
one, and bitter to another ; which maketh him sing in his sickness,
as if he were whole ; and thee rave, and whine, and curse, as if thou
wert not sick, but frantic. Therefore Christ's yoke is called an
easy yoke, Mat. xi, because it is easy to some ; that is, to them
which have skill to bear it as Christ did bear it. /By_his infinite
patienee, he suffered infinite pains for infinite sins/J Patience is
like a privy coat upon his soul, that when the devil struck at him
he was stricken himself /'When death came to kill him, he was
killed himself, and all their shot could not hurt him, because of his
preservative which he had about him, like Samson's hair, which
saved him from all his enemies, Judges xvi. 17. If the master
carried patience about him for to guard him through these pikes of
troubles, which stand like the fiery sword between us and paradise,
Gen. iii., how can the servant escape them, unless he be armed as
his master was ? For what hath the poor man to bear his wants,
what hath the bondman to bear his griefs, what hath the sick man
to bear his pains, but to lay all upon the shoulders of patience, and
say with Jeremiah, ' This is my sorrow, I will bear it/ Jer. x. 19. As
the tree which Moses cast into the spring seasoned the bitterness
of the waters, Exod. xv. 25, so patience cast into our troubles
seasoneth the bitterness of the cross, and is as it were instead of an
assistant unto every man, to overthrow and overcome his troubles,
like the armour-bearer which helped Jonathan to vanquish his
enemies, 1 Sam. xiv. She hath a device to draw such a skin over

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 235
our sores that shall make our poverty seem riches, our reproaches
seem honour, our bondage seem liberty, our labour seem rest, our
sorrow seem joy, our pain seem ease, our sickness seem health, and
all that hurt us rejoice us, until we say with David, ' Thy judgments
are pleasant/ shewing that God's justice is as pleasant to the patient
as his mercies to others. Therefore what a peacemaker were this
in the commonwealth, if the magistrate had patience to bear his
envy, if the preacher had patience to bear his study, if the creditor
had patience to bear his losses, if the bondman had patience to bear
his service, if the husbandman had patience to bear his labour, if the
sick man had patience to bear his pain, if the poor man had patience
to bear his wants. For want whereof many think themselves in
hell, and say that no man's pain is like their pain, no man's wants
like their wants, no man's foes like their foes, no man's wrongs like
their wrongs, when they can scarce tell where their pain holds
them. Therefore, albeit few can brook of humility, and charity,
and meekness, and thankfulness, and temperance, and those severe
virtues which pull from pleasure ; yet every man doth wish for
patience, like a physieian, to ease his grief by all means that they
can. So they which are wicked, although they cannot see the
goodness of other virtues, yet can see the goodness of patience, and
perceive when they see a patient man and an impatient man both
sick of one disease, yet both are not troubled alike, but that he which
hath most patience hath most ease, and he whieh is most impatient
is most tormented, like a fish which strives with the hook. There
fore even those which cannot sm^erThaEThey might have rest, yet
sing the patient proverb, ' In sufferance is rest/ This is a lesson
that I know you would gladly learn, even as Pharaoh longed to
know his dream, Gen. xii. 15. Though ye care_not_for virtue^ as
the cruel judge cared not for charity, yet if you could gain^such a
bargain by any virtue, to ease you of your pains, it would make you
look^unto ^vfrtuie s as Pharaoh used Moses, but to remove the plagues,
Exod. ix. 28.
This power God hath given to patience, the medicinable virtue,
that it should be like an wholesome herb in the world, or a general
physician for all persons and all diseases. Therefore when the
angel had recorded all the troubles which should come in the latter
days, at last he concluded, ' Here is the patience of saints/ Rev.
xiii. 10, as though patience should bear all. Therefore so many
scriptures go, like preachers, about the Bible, to exhort unto
patience, like a beacon which is set up to call men together, shew
ing us that by 'patience we possess our souls/ Luke xxi. 19, as

236 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
though a man without patience had no rule of himself ; that ' a
man's wisdom is known by his patience/ Prov. ix., as though that
he which is not patient cannot be wise ; that ' by patience we re
ceive the promises/ Heb. x., as though the promises did not belong
unto us unless we have patience ; that ' patience breedeth ex
perience, and experience hope,' Rom. v., as though he which wanteth
patience had no experience of God, to know the scope of bis doings,
nor any hope to comfort him about the life to come ; besides many
reasons more ; that ' the afflictions of this world are not worthy of
the joys that succeed them'; that ' all things' (even our afflictions)
'turn to the best if we love God/ Rom. viii; that 'they are
blessed which weep here, because they shall laugh hereafter/ Mat. v.;
that ' if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with Christ/ 2 Tim. ii. ;
that ' the Lord doth love those whom he chasteneth/ Prov. iii. ;
that ' by suffering we are made like the' Son of God/ whose life was
a persecution, as though the Holy Ghost, by often calling upon us,
like the importunate woman, Luke xviii, would compel us to be
patient, whether our flesh will or no.
Besides these honourable praises of patience, the prophets, evan
gelists, and apostles, have set a number of examples before our eyes,
like banners, of such cures as have been healed by her, that, as the
author to the Hebrews saith, chap, xi., 'By faith Abel offered a
better sacrifice than Cain ; by faith Enoch was translated before he
saw death ; by faith Noah prepared the ark, and was preserved
from the flood ; by faith Abraham was content to sacrifice his son,
and yet believed that in his seed all the world should be blessed ;
by faith Sarah received strength to bring forth a child when she
was stricken in years, and past the strength of the womb ;' so I
may say of patience, By patience Job did bear all the torments that
the devil could heap upon him, Job i. ; by patience Jacob put up a
thousand wrongs from Laban and his children, and never complained
in one and twenty years before he departed, Gen. xxix.-xxxi. ; by
patience Joseph forgave his brethren, when he might have put them
to death, and gave them food when they feared revenge, Gen. xiv. 15 ;
by patience Christ suffered banishment, and reproaches, and
scourges, until he went to his death like a lamb to the slaughter.
Among the strange cures of patience, David may report of his
experience what this plaster hath done for him ; for, being a figure
of Christ, he was always hedged about with the cross, which proved
his patience like a touchstone every day. As Christ was contemned
of his countrymen, so David was contemned of his brethren, 1 Sam.
xxvi. 2; as Christ fled to Egypt, so David fled unto Gath; as Christ

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 237
received food of women, so David received fOod of Abigail, Luke
viii. 2 ; as Herod persecuted Christ, so Saul persecuted David ;
and the wrath of the king brought many enemies with it, that when
he was anointed, yet he could not reign ; and when be reigned,
yet his reign was but a warfare : the Philistines against him, the
Ammonites against him, the Edomites against him, the Moabites
against him, and Absalom (his- own bowels) against him, for whom
he cried, ' Would God I had died for thee !' This son, which was
his darling, was his traitor, and sought his death that brought him
to life, as though Saul had been risen from the grave again. In all
these troubles Samuel shews what was this pilgrim's comfort, 'But
David comforted himself in the Lord his God/ 1 Sam. xxx. 6, as
though he had no comfort but in God alone. This was the stone
upon which he leaned his head : Be patient, for ' many are the
troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of all/
When he did behold his trouble, like the host of the Aramites,
2 Kings vi. 16, he looked back unto God like Elisha, and spied one
with him stronger than all against him. Therefore, respecting his
afflictions he crieth, ' Many are the troubles of the righteous ;' re
specting the promise he singeth, ' The Lord delivereth them out of
all/ Thus, by his own foot, David measureth the condition of the
righteous, and saith, ' Many are the troubles of the righteous ;' and
then, by his own cure, be sheweth how they should be healed, say
ing, ' The Lord will deliver him out of all/ If ye mark, the Spirit
hath directed David to those two things which make us take our
troubles grievously : one, because we do not look for them before
they come. Therefore, as Christ told Peter-before he suffered, to
strengthen him when he suffered, John xxi. 18; so the Holy Ghost
doth run upon the cross to keep us in expectation of troubles, that
we might prepare faith, and patience, and constancy for them, as
Noah prepared an ark for the flood.
The second thing which makes us to start so at the cross is, be
cause we are like the prophet's servant, which did see his foes, but
not his friends, 2 Kings vi. ; so we see our sore,_but not our salve.
Comfort seems afar off, like Abraham in the heavens, Luke xvi, as
though it would never come so low. Therefore we go about to de
liver ourselves, as it is said, Ps. ii, ' Let us break his bands/ as
though we could deliver ourselves. But ' hold your peace/ saith
Moses, ' the Lord shall fight for you,' Exod. xiv. 14. So David
comes in like a pacifier, and saith, ' Vex not yourselves, for the Lord
will deliver you.' Bear both these sentences in mind, that you
must go through a sea of troubles, and that then you shall come to

238 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
the haven of rest, and no affliction shall take you before you be
armed for it, and in every trouble you shall know where to have
your remedy : ' Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the
Lord delivereth him out of all/ Here be the two hands of God,
like a wound and a plaster; one casteth down, and the other rais
eth up. It is good for a man to know his troubles before they come,
because afflictions are lightened in the expectation ; therefore, God
saith of Paul, Acts ix. 16, ' I will shew him how many things he shall
suffer for me..' God dealeth plainly, and tells us the worst first ;
what we shall trust to, as Christ told his disciples at the first, ' If ye
will be my disciples, ye must take up the cross/ Mat. xvi. 24 ;
cold entertainment, to break their fast with the rod ! Other feast
makers, saith Christ, broach the best wine first, but Christ keepeth
the best till the last, John ii. 10. This is the manner of God's
proceedings, to_jeneLgoj3ii_afiar.eyilJ as he made light after dark
ness, GenTiT3 ; to turn justice into mercy, as he turned water into
wine, John ii. ; for as the beasts must be killed before they could
be sacrificed, so men must be killed before they can be sacrificed ;
that is, the knife of correction must prune and dress them, and lop
off their rotten twigs before they can bring forth fruit. These are
the cords which bind the ram unto the altar, lest when he is brought
thither he should run from thence again ; this is the chariot which
carrieth our thoughts to heaven, as it did Nebuchadnezzar's, and
our assumption before our assumption. This is the hammer which
squareth the rough stones till they be plain, and smooth, and fit
for the temple ; this is the first messenger which is sent to compel
them to the banquet, which will not come when they are invited.
Because we are naturally given to love the world more than is good
for us, therefore God hath set an edge of bitterness upon us to make
us loathe it, like a nurse which layeth mustard upon her breasts to
wean the child from the dug ; so, ' many ara the troubles of the
righteous/ to wean us from the dug of the world. The cross is one
of our schoolmasters in this life, and the best wisdom is dearest
bought. Prosperity seeketh for nothing, but necessity seeketh, and
studieth, and laboureth, and prayeth for her wants. As the rod
maketh the scholar to ply his book, so all our knowledge is beaten
into us ; some learn their goodness of poverty, some of sickness,
some of troubles. Adversity is the fit time to learn the justice,'
mercy, power, and providence of God ; a fit time to learn the
patience, wisdom, faith, and obedience of man ; a fit time to learn
the subtilty, frailty, and misery of this world. All this thou buyest
for troubles ; yet they are but troubles, not plagues, nor curses, nor

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. • 239
torments, but like the travails of a woman ; when the birth is ripe
she is delivered, and straight she forgetteth all her pains, for joy
that a man-child is born into the world ; so the servants of God
travail but till the fruits be ripe. When the new man is born,
their travails are ended, and they forget all their troubles, because
one is born into the world like the Son of God. This is the
difference between the afflictions of the righteous and the ungodly.
When God doth visit the wicked, his punishments are called
plagues, and curses, and destructions ; the plagues of Egypt, the
curse of Cain, the destruction of Sodom. But when he doth visit
the righteous, his punishments are called corrections, and chastise
ments, and rods, which proceed from a Father, not to destroy us,
but to try us, and purge us, and instruct us ; therefore, when we
are afflicted, one saith, That God letteth us blood to save our lives,
for our lives are rank, and must be lopped. And as Jacob was
blessed and halted both at one time, so a man may be blessed and
afflicted both together. Afflictions do not hinder our happiness,
but our happiness cometh by affliction, as Jacob's blessing came with
halting, Gen. xxxii, and as peace is procured by war. Therefore,
'blessed are ye/ saith Christ, ' when men persecute you/ Mat. v. ; as
though they were blessed even while they were persecuted. There
fore, this must not dismay us, that the Scripture saith, ' many are
the troubles of the righteous/ but rather rejoice us, because we bear
the marks of the righteous. Daniel complaineth not of his sickness,
but of his sins. Who shall fight the Lord's battles but the Lord's
servants ? Therefore, when David spake of many troubles, he
pointed to the righteous, as if he should say, This is your share ;
the rod. is made for the child. Christ called the cross his cup,
Mat. xx. The servant is beloved that drinks of his master's cup ;
therefore, Christ teacheth it to the righteous, and bids none but his
disciples take the cross, Mat. xi. Every man which hath his heaven
here, doth labour and sweat for his living, Gen. iii. ; and shall not
they which have their hell here, suffer more than they which have
their heaven here ? All men are subject to dangers, and losses,
and sicknesses, but ' all that believe in Christ/ saith Paul, ' shall
suffer persecutions/ 2 Tim. iii. ; that is, more than dangers, or losses,
or sicknesses which the wicked suffer ; for the world will not per
secute her children, but she will persecute God's children : there
fore, this church is called the militant church, because it is always
in warfare. Therefore the gospel is called the word of the cross,
as though it came to cross_us ; therefore Paul, describing the way
to heaven, draweth by this line, 'by many tribulations/ Acts xiv. 22.

240 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
The cross way is the way to heaven, and the righteous walk in it ;
therefore, the children of God are not only called labourers, Mat.
xxi., to shew what they should do for God, but they are called
soldiers, 2 Tim. ii. 3, to shew what they should suffer for God.
' The servant is not above his master/ John xv. 20 ; but if Christ
should suffer and we should rest, the servant were above his master.
The prophecy must be fulfilled, ' I will put enmity between the seed
of the woman, and the seed of the serpent/ Gen. iii. ; but if there
be no war between the children of God and the children of the
world, the prophecy is not fulfilled. Therefore Esau and Jacob had no
sooner life but they began to struggle one with another before they
came out of their mother's womb, Gen. xxv. 22 ; therefore Abraham
was banished so soon as he received the promise ; therefore Abel
was envied of his brother so soon as he was accepted of God, Gen.
iv. 5. The righteous man was alway, like Lot among the Sodomites,
and like Samson among the Philistines, set a- work by his enemies.
As Christ was no sooner born but Herod sought his life, Mat. ii.,
so the new man is no sooner born of the Spirit but the serpent is
ready to devour him, his brethren to banish him, and hell to swallow
him. In all the world he hath no friend but he which made the
world. (This is the state of the church militant ; she is like the
ark floating upon the waters, like a hly^growing among thorns, like
the bjish which burned with fire, and was not consumed, Exod.
iii. 2. So the city of God is always besieged, but never ruined.
Christians and persecutions close together like Christ and his cross.
As Christ was made to bear his own cross, Luke xxiii. 33, John
xix. 17, so they are made to hold their cheeks to the nippers, their
faces to be buffeted, their backs to be scourged, their eyes to be
pulled out. /Their peace is persecution, their rest labour, their.
riches poverty, their glory reproaches, their liberty imprisonment./
Although they be the sons of God, the brethren of Christ, the only
heirs of heaven, yet because they suffer their hell here, they must
be content to be subject to their enemies, to be abjects to their
kinsmen, to be hated of most, to be contemned of all, to be perse
cuted over the earth, a very haven and receptacle of troubles, Ps.
lxix. 7, 8, 17. Yet, as Christ was the Son of God, though his life
was nothing but persecution, so the righteous are the sons of God
for all these troubles. This is like a bait in their journey, to think
as the Samaritan told his host, ' If thou spend any more, I will re
compense thee when I come/ Luke x. 35 ; so Christ will mend their
wages when he cometh. Why should not God try his friends, as
well as we try our friends ? The same afflictions, saith Peter, are

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 241
accomplished in others, nay, greater afflictions are borne of others,
which would make us despair like Cain. Christ was consecrated
by afflictions ; therefore we cannot be consecrated without afflic
tions ; who would not go to heaven with Elijah, though it were
in a whirlwind ? If our troubles be light and few, it is because we
are weak and tender ; therefore God doth respect our feebleness, and
layeth no more upon us, because we are not able to bear more, 1 Cor.
x. 13. It is not a sign that we are righteous because our troubles are
few; but because our troubles are few, it is rather a sign that we are
not righteous, because ' many are the troubles of the righteous.' For
they must be made examples of patience, they must suffer their hell
here, they must be squared for the temple ; therefore they must have
many strokes to make them fit. God is not like a wasp, which, when
she hath stung once, cannot sting again ; but there is a generation of
crosses and a plurality of troubles. When David spake of troubles,
he spake of troops, and heaps, and stars, and sands ; and therefore
he saith many, as though he were fain to lay them down in the
gross sum, not reckon them. By ' many tribulatious/ saith Paul,
Acts xiv., but how many he could not number ; for, except our sins,
there is not such plenty of any thing in the world as there is of
troubles which come from sin. As one heavy messenger came to
Job after another, chap. i. 14-16, so now since we are not in para
dise, but in the wilderness, we must look for one trouble after
another. Therefore afflictions are called waters, because as one wave
faileth upon another, so one trouble faileth upon another, Ps. xlii. 7-9.
As a bear came to David after a lion, and a giant after a bear,
1 Sam. xvii. 34, and a king after a giant, and Philistines after the
king, so when they have fought with poverty, they shall fight with
envy ; when they have fought with envy, they shall fight with
infamy ; when they have fought with infamy, they shall fight with
sickness, like a labourer which is never out of work. Thus you see
the righteous in troubles, like the Israelites in exile, Exod. iii. 10.
Now the Lord cometh like Moses to deliver them. Adversity
seeketh out the promise, the promise seeketh out faith, faith seeketh
out prayer; then God heareth, and mercy answereth. All this
while Christ seemeth to sleep, as he did in the ship ; now he rebukes
the winds and waves, Mat. viii. 26, and troubles fly before him like
a troop of wolves before the shepherd. As he asked the adulteress
Where are thy accusers ? and she said, They are gone ; so he may
ask his patients, Where are your troubles ? and they may say,
They are gone. The sun rose, and the mists vanished ; yet, saith
VOL. I. Q

242 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
David, God is good to all that are pure in heart ; that is, he remem-
bereth them while he afflicteth them, and is preparing an issue
while the cross prepareth them. When Christ' heard them say, ' He
whom thou lovest is sick,' he answered, 'This sickness is not unto
death/ John xi. 3. So when it may be said, He whom God loveth
is sick, then it may be said, This sickness is not unto death ; and
though it be to the first death, yet not to the second. Who would
think when Jonah was in the sea, Jonah iii, that he would preach at
Nineveh ? Who would .think when Nebuchadnezzar was in the
forest, Dan. iv., that he should reign again in Babel ? Who would
think when Joseph was banished of his brethren, that his brethren
should seek unto him like his servants ? Who would think when
Job scraped his sores upon the dunghill, all his houses were burned,
all his cattle stolen, and all his children dead, that he should be
richer than ever he was ? These are the acts of mercy which make
the righteous sing, ' The Lord hath triumphed valiantly/ Exod.
xv. 21 . This is the privilege of the righteous. As God saith, ' Ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed/ Mai. iii. 6 ; so they answer again, ' We
are not consumed/ Therefore, Paul saith, 'We are in distress, but
we are not forsaken/ 2 Cor. iv. 9 ; as Christ rose out of the grave,
Luke xxiv. 6, so we shall rise out of trouble ; and when the gold is
fined, the fire shall hold it no longer. When Jesus was in banish
ment with Mary and Joseph, at last the angel came and said,
' They are dead which sought the child's life/ Mat. ii. 20 ; so when
the days of our banishment, and scarcity, and bondage, and sick
ness are ended, at last tidings shall come that our troubles are
dead, and the 'righteous shall look up like Moses when he was past
the sea, and see all their enemies, all their troubles drowned behind
them ; then the heart shall dance like Miriam, and sing the song
which sounded before Moses, ' The Lord, the Lord is strong, merci
ful, and gracious, slow to anger, but abundant in goodness and
truth/ Exod. xxx. 1 5, 20, 34. And if David had stayed at troubles,
and spoken of nothing but rods, the wicked might say, as they do
in Ps. cxv., ' Where is their God ?' and the righteous might com
plain with David, 'I have cleansed my heart in vain/ Ps. lxxiii. 13;
but as the waters of the sea flow and ebb again, so the waters of
affliction flow and ebb again ; one casteth Moses into the water,
and another draweth him out of the water. There lieth Lazarus at
the gate, there lieth Joseph in prison, there lies Jeremiah in the
dungeon, there lies Job in the ashes, there lies Jacob in the fields,
there lies David in the wilderness, there lies Abraham in exile,
there lies Daniel among the lions, there lie the children in the fur-

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 243
nace ; at last comes the year of jubilee, and all the prisoners of
the Lord are set at liberty; therefore they are called the 'prisoners
of hope/ Zech. ix. 12, because they may hope to be delivered, &c.
Therefore God translateth his cross from the head to the heart, from
the heart to the foot, from poverty to sickness, from sickness to
labour; that wheresoever he placeth it, we might have patience,
knowing that he can remove it as he placeth it.
Then are fulfilled all these sweet scriptures: 'The Lord retaineth
not his wrath for ever, because mercy pleaseth him/ Micah vii. 18 ;
' After two days he will revive us, and the third day he will raise us
up/ Hosea vi. 2 ; ' Surely there is an end, and thy hope shall not
be cut off,' Prov. xxiii. 18 ; ' Heaviness may endure for a night, but
joy will come in the morning/ Ps. xxx. 5. He which hath over
come death, and Satan, and the world, can easily overcome all the
troubles in the world. Rather than Elijah shall starve, the ravens
shall feed him, 1 Kings xvii. 6; rather than Jonah shall drown, the
fish shall save him, Jonah i. ; as when the glutton did not pity,
the dogs took compassion, Luke xvi. Until David saith, ' The
Lord will deliver,' the righteous and the wicked go together, but now
they part; one is taken, and the other is refused; one is delivered, the
other is left in prison. As Abraham came not to deliver the
Sodomites, but to deliver his brethren, Gen. xiv. 16, so Christ came
not to deliver his enemies, but to deliver his servants; not to deliver
them from troubles, but to deliver them out of troubles ; that they
may say as well, ' The Lord hath taken/ as ' The Lord hath given,'
Job i. 21. As David gave charge to his soldiers, that they should
not kill Absalom his son, though he sent them against Absalom to
stay his rebelliqn, 2 Sam. xviii. 5, so God forbids his crosses to
destroy his children, though he send them against his children to
purge their corruptions. As the angel passed by the houses of the
Israelites, when he saw the. blood of the lamb upon their doors,
Exod. xii. 13, so God hath his marks, whereby he knoweth whom
he should deliver out of trouble, and whom he shall leave in trouble.
To one he saith, Take my cross; to another he saith, Be thou healed;
to another he saith, Stay till thy time cometh. Every hard word
may be spoken to the godly, as well as to the wicked, but that
deadly word, ' Depart into everlasting fire/ Mat. xxv. Although
they seem to depart here, yet then it shall be said, 'Come/ and not
' Depart/ As John after the voice of thunder heard the voice of
harpers, Rev. xiv. 2 ; so when they have been beaten, they shall be
cherished. Therefore the trials of the righteous, though they be
called many troubles, yet they are not called everlasting troubles.

244 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
As David saith ' here, ' Many are the troubles of the righteous/
so in Ps. xxxii. 10, he saith, 'Many are the sorrows of- the righteous;'
but it followeth, ' the Lord will deliver them out of all/ Nay, saith
Solomon, ' when the righteous escape out of trouble, the wicked
shall come in his stead/ Prov. xi. 8 ; that is, the troubles of the
righteous shall shift to the ungodly, as the leprosy of Naaman went
to Gehazi, 2 Kings v. 27. And therefore the wicked are called the
ransom of the just, Prov. xxi. 18, because they lie in bail for them.
As one bird chirpeth to another, so one plague shall whistle to
another, Exod. viii, ix., and say, Come and help me to torment this
sinner (for one plague will not serve the Egyptians), until he be so
loaden with torments, that he cry like Cain, Gen. iv., ' My punish
ment is greater than I can bear.' The righteous never said, that
their troubles were more, or greater, or longer than they could bear,
for God hath promised he will not lay more upon them than they are
able to bear, 1 Cor. x. 13 ; but when they begin to sink, like Peter upon
the sea, then the hand is ready to catch them, and straight God
maketh an issue for their troubles. As the viper leapt upon Paul, and
leapt off again, Acts xxviii. ; so troubles leap upon the righteous, and
leap off again ; as though they had mistaken the party, and rapped
at the wrong door. Therefore, 'Mark the upright man/ saith David,
' and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace/ Ps. xxxvii.
37. . Though his beginning be trouble, yet his end is peace : ' He
will not suffer the righteous to fall for ever.' He saith not, that
he will not suffer him to fall, but that he shall not fall for ever ;
that is, at last his shackle faileth from him, the net breaks, the
prison openeth, and he goes forth, like Lazarus out of his grave, to
shew what wonderful things the Lord hath done for him. So
Paul, after he had spoken of his troubles (as though he thought
upon this sentence of David), repeateth the same of himself, saying,
' But the Lord delivered me out of all,' 2 Tim. ii. Therefore one
calleth affliction the trance of the righteous, because they seem dead
for a while ; but they wake again : therefore they challenge their
enemies, and say, ' Rejoice not against me, 0 mine enemy ; for
though I fall, yet I shall rise/ Micah vii. 18.
This should content the righteous, to be delivered at last ; as
David quieted himself, saying, Ps. xii. 11, 'By this I know the
Lord favoureth me, because mine enemies do not triumph over me ;'
not because I have no enemies, or because I have no troubles
which would overcome me. Therefore when he wrote down many
troubles, he blotted it (as it were) with his pen again, as a mer
chant razeth his book when the debt is discharged ; and instead of

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 245
many troubles, he putteth in, the Lord delivereth. Because he
forgiveth all sins, he is said to deliver from all troubles ; to shew
that we have need of no Saviour, no helper, no comforter, but him.
The lawyer can deliver his client but from strife ; the physician
can deliver his patient but from sickness ; the master can deliver
his servant but from bondage ; but ' The Lord/ saith David, ' de
livereth out of all/ As when Moses came to deliver the Israelites,
he would not leave an hoof behind him ; so when the Lord cometh
to deliver the righteous, he will not leave a trouble behind him.
But even as they pray in Ps. xxv., ' Deliver Israel, 0 Lord, out of
all his troubles ;' so he will answer them, ' Be thou delivered out of
all thy troubles ;' that is, this, and this, and this (that trouble that
thou thinkest intolerable, that trouble which thou thinkest incu
rable) ; the Almighty hath might against all. When Job is tried,
not a sore shall stick upon him. Therefore, as Elisha feared not
when he saw as many angels as enemies, 2 Kings vi. ; so, when you
see as many mercies as troubles, let the comfort satisfy you, which
satisfied Paul, ' Fear not ; for I am with thee/ Acts xxvii. 24, thy
pardon is coming; like the angel which stayed the sword over
Isaac's head, Gen. xxii. Read on but a little further, and thou
shalt hear the voice which proclaimed war proclaim peace ; many
troubles in the beginning of the verse, and no troubles in the end.
What physician hath been here? The Lord, saith David. ' The
Lord was in this place/ saith Jacob, ' and I knew it not/ Gen.
xxviii. 16 ; so the Lord is in affliction, and men know it not. He
which saith, I put away thine iniquities, Isa. xliii. 25, must say, I
put away thine infirmities. For there is no Saviour but one ; which
saith to death, ' I will be thy death.' As the woman was sick until
Christ came, Mat. ix. 19 ; so until the Lord come, there is nothing
but trouble. Many troubles of the righteous, but one deliverer
of the righteous ; many terrors, but one comforter. Troubles
come in an hundred ways, Jjkf» water through a grate ; but mercy
entereth always at one door, like a pardon which cometFonly from
the prince. Therefore, saith God, ' In me is thy help/ Hosea
xiii. 9. ' I create comfort/ Isa. lxv. Mark that he calleth himself
a Creator of comfort ; that is, as there is but one Creator, so there
is but one comforter ; and as he created all things of nothing, so
he createth comfort of nothing ; that is, when all comfort is worn
out, and no seed of joy left to raise up comfort again, then he
bringeth comfort out of sorrow, as he brought water out of the
rock, Exod. xvii. 6, 8, 14 ; that we may say, ' The finger of the
Lord hath done this/

246 THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
This is the anchor of the righteous ; as he looks upon his
troubles, the promise cometh in like a messenger from Christ
(while he is praying and weeping), and saith, ' The Lord will de
liver thee out of all.' Then he resolveth, like Nehemiah, and saith,
' Shall such a man as I fly ?' Neh. vi. 11. Shall such a man as I
recant ? If I be faint in the day of adversity, Solomon saith, My
strength is small, Prov. xxiv. 10 ; as if he should say, I was never
strong, but did counterfeit like Demas. If I want comfort in
trouble, Solomon saith, 'A good conscience is a continual feast/
Prov. xv. 15. As if he should say, that I have not a good con
science, if I have not comfort in the cross. Therefore I will wait
the Lord's leisure, because Isaiah saith, ' Faith maketh no haste.'
I will not break his bands, because then I am like the heathen,
Ps. ii. I will not flatter the judge, because Solomon saith it is in
vain, Prov. xxix. 26. I will not betray the cause, because God
hath appointed it to try me. I will not offend my brethren, be
cause Paul had rather die than do so, 1 Cor. viii. 10. I will not
charge my conscience, because it can vex me more than their
bands. I will not turn from my profession, because I learned.it of
God, and vowed to leave all for it in the day that I was baptised a
Christian. Though my friends tempt me, like Job's wife ; though
my flesh flatter me, like Eve ; though my persecutors would bribe
me, like Balak ; though they which suffer with me should revolt
for fear ; yet I will be as Joshua, which stood alone, Joshua xxiv.
15 ; and as Elkanah was instead of children to Hannah, 1 Sam. i. ;
so Christ shall be, instead of comfort, instead of wealth, and health,
and liberty to me. For many were the troubles of Joseph, and the
Lord delivered him out of all ; many were the troubles of Abraham,
and the Lord delivered him out of all ; many were the troubles
of David, and the Lord delivered him out of all ; many were
the troubles of Job, and the Lord delivered him out of all :
therefore he can deliver me out of all. But if he do not, saith
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, yet we will not do evil to escape
danger, because Christ hath suffered more for us. Therefore, ' If I
perish, I perish/ saith Esther, chap. iv. 16. She was content that
her life should perish; but if my purse suffer, my money doth but
perish; if my body be imprisoned, my pleasures do but perish; and
who can tell when he hath suffered that which is appointed ? There
fore God saith, Ps. lxxv., 'When I see convenient time, I will
execute judgment.' Not when thou dost think it convenient time,
but when he doth think it a convenient time. Therefore, saith
David to the Lord, Ps. xxv. 5, ' In thee do I trust all the day;' that

THE TRIAL OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 247
is, if he come not in the morning, he will come at noon ; if he come
not at noon, he will come at night; at one hour of the day he will
deliver me ; and then as the calm was greater after the tempest than
it was before, Mat. viii. 26, so my joy shall be sweeter after tears
than it was before ; the remembrance of Babylon will make us sing
more joyful in Zion, Ps. cxxxvii.
Thus Moses describeth the journey of the righteous, as if they
should go through the sea and wilderness, as the Israelites went to
Canaan, Exod. xiii. 17. Look not for ease nor pleasure in your
way, but for beasts, and serpents, and thieves ; until you be past the
wilderness, all is strait, and dark, and fearful; but as soon as you
are through the narrow gate, all is large, and goodly and pleasant,
as if you were in paradise. Seeing then your kingdom is not here,
look not for a golden li.fe_Jri_j^JronjTOrldj_bu.t remember that
Lazarus doth not mourn in heaven, though he suffered pains upon
earth, Luke xvi. ; but the glutton mourneth in hell, that stayed not
for the pleasures of heaven. TTo which pleasures the Lord Jesus
bring us, when this cloud of trouble is blown over us ! Amen.

THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.

THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.

Be ye changed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove
what is the good will of God, acceptable and perfect— -Rom.
XII. 2.
When Christ sent forth his disciples, he said unto them, ' Go preach
and baptize/ Mat. xxviii. 19, joining these two together, preaching
and baptizing. This , being. thaJQQcagion,,fi£,l.Qur excise, because I
am to speak of baptism, which is the sacrament of regeneration, I
could not chooser fitter scripture than that which I handledlast,
which speaks of the renewing of our minds; for when minds are re
newed, then the vow which we mad*em baptism is performed.
When Paul had forbidden the Romans to fashion themselves
unto the world, he shewed them another fashion, which he calls
the ' renewing of the mind.' As the eagle reneweth her youth, Ps.
ciii. 5, so men must renew their minds. This fashion is called the
wedding garment, Mat. xxii. 12, which every man must wear that
comes to the banquet of the king. As when men have gone over
one fashion after another, at last they come to the old fashion ; so
here Paul calls them to the old fashion again, which was used in
Adam's time, that is, the image and fashion wherein they were
created, Gen. i. 26. Now the reason followeth.
That they may prove what the will of God is; as if he should say,
This shall be the fruit of your regeneration : when your minds are
renewed, you shall know many things which are hid from you ; you
shall be able to judge doctrines, who preach truth, and who preach
error; and you shall understand the will of God, what he would
have you do, and what he would have you fly, as if you were in his
bosom. As new wine will not abide but in new vessels, Mat. ix. 17,
so this new knowledge will not abide but in new minds. The mind

252 THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.
renewed knoweth God; so that this scripture maybe called the
path to knowledge, or the way to sound the mind of God, which is
a secret that every man longs to know, but the most turn a wrong
leaf to find it; as Paul saith of Peter, Gal. ii. 14, he looks a wrong
way to the gospel. When the serpent taught knowledge, Gen. iii. 3,
he said, If ye eat the forbidden fruit, ' your eyes shall be opened,
and you shall know good and evil;' but Paul saith, If ye will not
eat the forbidden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall
know good and evil. This is one reason why Paul would have
them renew their minds, that they might know the will of God.
Why, doth not the word of God teach us the will of God? Yes,
but no man doth understand this word, but he which hath a new
mind; because, as the.sun is not discerned by any light but by his own
light, so no spirit can interpret the Scripture but the same Spirit
which wrote it, which is called the Holy Spirit, because it is holy,
and because it makes holy. Sin was the first veil which obscured
man's understanding, Gen. iii. 7, and till the cause of this eclipse
be taken away, the apostle saith, that 'we shall 'see but in part/
1 Cor. xiii. 9 ; that is, as the sun may be seen in his eclipse, but he
seems liker to darkness than to light, so understanding may be
seen in the wicked, but is liker ignorance than knowledge ; there
fore Paul makes knowledge one of the fruits which bud out of
righteousness. They which have renewed their minds, saith he, shall prove what
the will of God is ; that is, they shall try all that they do, hear, and
learn by all that they see, until that they track out the will and
meaning of God. /As the water engendereth ice, and the ice again
engendereth water, so knowledge begets righteousness, and right
eousness again begetteth knoweldgejaccording to that in Eccles.
ii. 26, ' To a man that is good in his sight, God giveth wisdom and
knowledge.' Therefore, though ye have seen cunning lawyers by
much reading, and expert physicians by long study, yet you could
never see a perfect, and sound, and judicious divine without holi
ness. I cannot tell how ; this knowledge is rather feeling than learn
ing in the abundance of Aejieart^r an extreme study sent by
God unto good men/like the ram which was brought unto Abraham,
when he would sacrifice his son, Gen. xxii. 13.
As Solomon saith, ' The knowledge of good things is understand
ing/ Prov. ix. 10; so none but they which are holy have this under
standing. He which can say with David, Ps. cxix. 117, 'I love thy
law, and keep thy precepts/ may follow with David, ' I have more
understanding than my teachers, and know more than the ancient.'

THE CHRISTIAN S PRACTICE. 253
He which cannot say with David, Ps. xiv. 1, ' My heart meditateth
a good matter/ cannot follow with David, ' My tongue is the pen of
a ready writer/ This is the equity of God ; they which are unwill
ing to obey, are not thought worthy to know ; for what should he
do with his talent, which will not use it ? He which forbids us to
cast pearls before swine, doth stay his own hand from casting know
ledge to the ungodly ; they may know so much as shall con
demn them, but they shall never know what will save them. When
Christ heard Peter say, ' Thou art the Son of the living God/ Christ
answered, ' Flesh and blood hath not taught thee this/ Mat. xvi. 16,
17;' shewing that carnal men have not this knowledge. This is the
word of which Christ saith, ' All men do not receive it/ Mat. xix. 11.
It is true, that ' the Spirit breatheth where it will,' John iii. 8 ; but
it will breathe upon none but her lovers. Wisdom is like the
daughter of God, whicn he marrieth to none but to him which loves
her, and sues for her. As David could not understand why the
wicked prospered, until he entered into the sanctuary of God, Ps.
„ lxxiii. 17 ; and as Aaron might not enter the sanctuary where God
did answer, until he had sanctified himself ; so if we will understand
mysteries, and hear God himself speak, we must put off our sins, as
Moses put off his shoes, Exod. iii. 5, or else we shall be like images
which have ears, and cannot hear, Ps. cxv. 6. When Paul heard
' mysteries, he was rapt into the third heaven, 1 Cor. xii. 2 ; when
God would talk with his church, he saith, ' I will take her aside
into the wilderness, and then I will speak friendly unto her/ Hosea
ii. 14 ; so when we will learn divinity, we must go aside from the
world, and sequester our sins, and lift up our minds above the earth,
or else it will not stay with us. . As the Spirit went from Saul when
he sinned ; so when knowledge hath saluted the wicked, she bids
them farewell ; like unto a martin, which will not build but in fair
houses. It is said in John xiv. 1 5, when Jesus went to eat the pass-
over, he came to a chamber which was trimmed ; so the chamber
which receiveth God, the heart which should lodge knowledge, must
be trimmed, and all the sinful corners swept ; or else, as Samuel
would not come to Saul, 1 Sam. xv. 16, so wisdom will not come to
that host. There is an harbinger which goeth alway before the
knowledge of God, to prepare the house, and this is love, the bond
of perfection. ' They which have love (saith John) know God ; but
they which have not love know not God/ 1 John iv. 7, though they
have never so much knowledge beside. Unto good Nathanael Christ
said, ' Thou shalt see greater things than these ;' but unto the ob
stinate Jews he said, ' Seeing ye will not see/ Mat. xiii. 14 ; like

254 THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.
Hagar which had the well before her, and did not see the water,
Gen. xxi. 19. He which cannot say with Paul, ' We have the Spirit
of Christ/ 1 Cor. ii. 12, cannot say with Paul, 'We have knowledge/
1 Cor. viii. 1. Holy men were always interpreters of God's word,
because a godly mind easiliest pierceth into God's meaning, accord
ing to that, ' The pure in heart shall see God,' Mat. v. 8 ; and that
in John vii. 17, ' If any man will do God's will, he shall understand
the doctrine whether it be of God or no.' And in Ps. cxi. 10, ' They
which keep thy precepts have a good understanding.' And that in
1 Cor. ii. 15, 'The spiritual man understandeth all things.' And
therefore, ' the fear of the Lord' is not only called ' the beginning of
wisdom/ Prov. i. 7 ; but in Prov. ii. 5, it is taken for wisdom itself.
As when Christ taught in the temple, they asked, ' How knoweth
this man the Scriptures, seeing he never learned them ?' John vii.
15 ; so it is a wonder what learning some men have, which have
no learning ; like Priscilla and Aquila, poor tent-makers, wrhich were
able to school Apollos, that great clerk, a man renowned for his
learning, Acts xviii. 25. What can we say to this but as Christ
said, ' Father, so it pleaseth thee/ Luke x. 21. As Jacob came so
soon with the venison, and his father asked him how he came by
it so suddenly, Jacob answered, ' Because the Lord thy God
brought it suddenly to mine hand/ Gen. xxvii. 20 ; so the holy and
righteous men cannot give any reason why they conceive the words
ofGocTso easily, and the wicked do conceive them so hardly; but
that God brings the meaning suddenly to their hearts, as we read
in Luke xxiv7™4"5^ When the disciples~were settled in the profes
sion of Christ, it is said, that Christ opened their understanding,
and made them understand the Scriptures, so suddenly came their
knowledge. So we read in Prov. i. 23. Wisdom promiseth to the
righteous, ' If thou wilt turn at my correction, I will pour out my
heart unto you, and make you understand my words.' A school
master might say to his scholars, I will pour out mine heart unto
you ; but he cannot say as God saith, I will make you understand
mine heart. Therefore, if the queen of Sheba thought the servants
of Solomon happy, because they heard his wisdom, 1 Kings x. 8,
how happy was Solomon himself, that served God which gave him
wisdom ! ' Come unto me/ saith Christ, * all ye which are weary
and I will refresh you/ Mat. xi. 28. As Christ hath no comfort but
for the weary, so he hath no wisdom but for the righteous. They
are his brethren, and sisters, and father, and mother, Mark iii. 35.
There is a kind of familiarity between God and the righteous, that
he makes them of his counsel, as Solomon saith, Prov. iii. 32, ' His

THE CHRISTIAN S PRACTICE. 2oo
secrets are with the righteous.' Ps. xxv. 14, ' His secrets are re
vealed unto them that fear the Lord.'
They are like John, the beloved disciple, which leaned on his
bosom, John xiii. 25 ; like Moses, to whom he shewed himself, Exod.
iii. ; like Simeon, that embraced him in his arms, Luke ii. ; like
the three disciples which went up to the mount to see his glory.
So we read of Abraham, Gen. xviii. 17, ' Shall I hide it from Abra
ham ?' saith God, as though this were an offence in God, if he should
tell the righteous no more than he tells the wicked ; therefore be
cause Abraham was a good man, he told him more than he shewed
all the rest. As Adam's knowledge was perfect, so long as his
righteousness was untainted ; so the nearer we come to that right
eousness again, the more things come to our knowledge ; according
to that, Prov. xxviii. ' They that seek the Lord understand all things.
Such an heart God hath given to his servants, like a touchstone, or
a lamp to go before them to examine all things, as they go in this
dark wilderness, lest they should take error for truth, evil for good,
or their own will for the will of God ; that they which hate evil
might be preserved from evil, as David was from the blood of Nabal,
1 Sam. xxv. Now because none but the righteous have this lamp
before them, you see what a difference there is between the know
ledge of the godly, and the knowledge of the wicked.
As the windows of the temple were large within, but narrow
without, so they which are within the church have greater light
than they which are without. They sit like Pharaoh in the dark
ness of Egypt, when the other dwell like Israel in the light of
Goshen. Knowledge is easy to him which loveth knowledge, saith
Solomon ; but the scorner seeketh knowledge and findeth it not,
saith Solomon, Prov. iv. ' The spiritual man,' saith Paul, searcheth
the deep things of God, 1 Cor. ii. 14, but ' the natural man/ saith
Paul, ' perceiveth not the things of God.' ' Thou hast revealed these
things to babes/ saith Christ, ' but thou hast hid them from the
wise of the world/ Luke x. 21. ' If any man will do God's will, he,
saith Christ, ' shall understand the doctrine ;' but to the obstinate
Jews Christ saith, ' You cannot understand my talk.' ' My sheep
hear my voice/ saith Christ ; but to the wicked Christ saith, ' You
cannot hear my words.' 'Believest thou for this?' saith he to
Nathanael, 'thou shalt see greater things than these;' but, 'if ye
believe not/ saith Isaiah, ' ye shall not understand/ Isaiah vii. 9.
That these scriptures might be fulfilled, you see that as sin is
called blindness, 2 Chron. vi. 18, so sinners are called blind, Isaiah
lvi. 10, and may be called ' strangers in Israel.' Until we be born

256 THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.
again, we are like Nicodemus, which knew not what it was to he
born again, John iii.
Until we become zealous ourselves, we are like Festus, which
thought zeal madness, Acts xxvi. Until we be humble ourselves,
we are like Miehal, which mocked David for his humility, 2 Sam.
vi. 16. It was true then, and it is true now, and it- will be
true always, which Paul observeth, 1 Cor. i. 18, that to some, re
ligion shall seem foolishness. The reason of all this Paul layeth
down in a word ; if ye ask why the wicked cannot understand
heavenly things, he saith, ' because they are spiritually discerned/
1 Cor. ii. 14, therefore how should he discern them that hath not
the Spirit ?
For this cause Wisdom is not said to be justified of any, but of her
own children, Mat. xi. 19; neither doth Christ say, that any sheep
hear his voice, but his own sheep : ' My sheep/ saith he, John x. 27,
' hear my voice/ They follow their shepherd, they hear his voice,
they understand his law, they judge of his judgments, they have
the measure of his words ; all is open, and plain, and manifest, and
clear unto them ; they search deeper, and judge lighter, and know
sooner, and though they have no learning, yet they have better
judgment than the learned; whereas the other, that labour and study
without God, walk in a labyrinth and fall into doubts, while they
seek resolutions. When a wicked man reads the Scriptures, he seeth
no difference between the word of God and the word of men ; like
Cleophas, which talked with Christ, and knew not Christ, Luke xxiv.
16. When he speaks of religion, he flutters like a young bird,
which cannot fly because her wings are not grown ; when he prayeth,
his prayer is like a child's grace, that understandeth not one word
that he saith. He which hath but a show of holiness, hath but a
show of wisdom ; a little knowledge is in his head, and there is no
knowledge in his heart. An evil man may know something, and
speak something of his reading and hearing, as Job saith, ' There is
a spirit in man/ that is, every man hath a kind of knowledge, ' but
the inspiration of the Lord giveth understanding/ Job xxxii. 8 ; as
though the sinner's understanding did not deserve to be called
understanding If the wicked man speak anything that is good, he speaks by rote ;
but he which speaks not out of the abundance of his heart is soon
drawn dry, Luke vi. 45. The preaching of the word doth not be
come him ; it is harsh and unkind in his mouth, as though it came
' 4-—.-  O 
out of a wrong bow, or like unto a shuttle, which flittereth from the
hand of a child ; he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet

THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE. * 257
which wanted his wedding garment, Mat. xxii. 11 ; he speaks not
like one which hath authority, Mat. vii. 29, but as one that hath
no authority, and always his conscience sounds unto him, ' What
bast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest
to be reformed ?' Ps. 1. 16. Therefore be renewed, that ye may
know what the will of God is ; this is the A B C, and primer,j_nd
grammar, the first lesson and_last_ lesson^ of a Christian, to know
the good, and perfect, and acceptable will of Goda which, musi.make
us good, and perfectj_and_.accept.able ourselves. The will of God is
always good, and acceptable, and perfect, howsoever it seem to us :
though it condemn us of evil, yet it is good ; though we see not
how it is perfect, yet it is perfect ; nay, it is so perfect, that we
cannot see the perfection of it ; asthesunjs so bright that we
cannot behold the brightness of it. First, it seems gOod unto man
before it be acceptable; when it is acceptable, then it seems perfect ;
and as God's will doth seem to us, so do we seem to him) ; if his
will cannot seem good, and acceptable, and perfect to us, much less
may our will seem good, or acceptable, or perfect unto him,, for this
is our goodness, to acknowledge his goodness. If it be such a con
tentment to know the will of God, what shall keep us. from the
knowledge of it ? Shall sin, which is the worst thing in the world t
Because we will not renew our minds, therefore we are ignorant of
so many things which we would know, and untiljvefee willing to-
followjthj_jwordAjwe shall never thoroughly understand it',, but buzz:
and grope at it like owls^jwhich pry at the sun _out <c£ a barn. Oh
wFaTaTbenefit riaoTSolomon lost, if he had lost his wisdem which God
gave him ! 1 Kings iii. 2. As great a benefit dost thou lose, if thou lose
the knowledge of God's will ; for from the day that a man. cannot disr-
cern the will of Satan from the will of Christ, every hesesy seemeth^
truth, every evil seems good. And this hath been the* beginning;
of all errors in the church ; because men did not love the truth,.
therefore God would not reveal his truth unto them. Therefore I
conclude as I began, 'Be ye changed by the renewing of your minds,.
that ye may prove what is the good will of God, and acceptable;, audi
perfect.' Now a word of the sacrament. There is an infant to be received?'
into the church^~wh~iclTputte"th us in mind of the promise which we
made unto God, when we were received into the church ourselves.
This sacrament was instituted by Christ, when he was baptized by
John in the river of Jordan, Mat. iii. 14 ; and it succeedeth circum
cision, as the communion was ordained instead of the passover. So
VOL. I. R

258 THE CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE.
soon as we are born, we are baptized, 'in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost/ Mat. xxviii. 19, to signify that we
owe a duty unto God from the day we come into the world.
In this baptism our bodies are washed with water, to signify how
our sins are washed with Christ's blood ; when our bodies are washed,
they are taken out of the water again, to signify how we shall be
raised from death to life by the resurrection of Christ, and how we
should rise from sin to righteousness. Thus we begin our life with
a solemn promise to God before the church, to serve him with our
bodies and souls till death us depart.1
Now let us remember how we have kept this promise with the
Lord, or rather how we have broken promise with him. Then we
gave ourselves to God, but since we have given ourselves to sin.
Then we promised to renounce the world, but_eyer since *we have
embraced the world, j Therefore now let us begin to pay that which
we owed so long, and pray the Lord, which hath instituted this
sacrament as a seal of his mercy, to receive this child into his favour,
as we receive it into his church ; to baptize it with his Spirit, as we
baptize it with water, and pour upon it his grace, as we give it the
sign of grace. 1 Now more commonly expressed, ' do part.' — Ed.

THE PILGRIM'S WISH.

THE PILGRIM'S WISH.

/ desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ — Philip. I. 23.
Here is Paul's desire, • to be dissolved ;' and the cause, '* that he
might be with Christ :' wherein firjiLyou shall see the difference
between the faithful and the wicked ; how one loatheth this life,
and the other longeth after it. Secondly, because the apostle seems
to desire death, you shall see whether any man may wish to die.
Thirdly, because after this dissolution he hopes to be with Christ,
you shall see the diversity of judgments between Paul and the
papists, which think when they are dead that they shall go on to
purgatory. Lastly, because the souls which are with Christ cannot
walk as they did when they lived upon earth, you shall hear a
little of walking spirits, which have been so much talked of in time
of popery, and were taken for the souls of them which were dead.
After we will speak a little of the sacrament which ye come to re
ceive, and so commit you to God.
I desire to be dissolved. Before Christ's coming, when the kings
or patriarchs died, it is said that they went to their fathers, as we
read of David and Solomon, 1 Kings ii. 10 ; 2 Chron. ix. 31, xxi. 1 ;
Acts vii, &c. But after Christ's coming, when the faithful die,
they are said to go to Christ, as we read of the penitent thief,
Luke xxiii. 43. Not because the patriarchs went not to Christ, as
well as they ; but because yet Christ was not ascended to heaven,
therefore they are not said to go to Christ, although if they went to
heaven, they must heeds go to Christ ; because Christ, touching bis
Godhead, was always in heaven.
i" desire to be dissolved. As the Worldly long for Christ to come
to them, so the faithful long to go to Christ ; for unless we ascend
to him, as he descended to us, his descending is in vain : because
he came down, that wj3 might go up ; he descended to take our

262 the pilgrim's wish.
flesh, vre ascend to take his kingdom ; he descended to be crucified,
we^ascend to be glorified ; he descended to hell, we ascend to heaven ;
that is, to joy, to glory, to bliss, to our Father, to our_Saviour, to
our Comforter, to angels, to saints, to eternaUife. Therefore good
cause had Paul to desire to be with Christ, that he might be at
rest ; for no doubt it was the sweetest voice that ever the thief
heard in this life, when Christ said unto him, ' This day shalt thou
be with me in paradise/ Luke xxiii. 43. Besides, as Paul perse
cuted before, so he was after persecuted himself, as he tells the Co
rinthians, 2 Cor. xi. 25, ' I was thrice beaten with rods, I was once
stoned, I suffered thrice shipwreck/ &c. Therefore good cause had
Paul to desire to be with Christ, that he might be out of trouble.
Yet he will not dissolve himself, but desireth to be dissolved ; that
is, that he which brought him into this world, would take him out
of the world ; neither doth he wish, or pray, or make any petition
to God to take away his life, but tells him his desire, desiring to be
dissolved. Todesire is not-jto-yay--hut-Jshews-JBdiat we approve.
Neither doth he desire so to be dissolved, as though he were weary
of his labours, and would suffer no more for Christ ; but he is con
tent to live, as he saith in verse 24, ' Nevertheless for me to abide
in the flesh, were better for you ;' as if he should say, To do you
good, I am content to suffer evil, and stay still from Christ, whom
I long to be with. Seeing then that he will not dissolve himself,
nor pray to be dissolved, but is content to live still, why doth he
say, 'I desire to be dissolved' ? Only to shew what he preferreth
in his desire. If he might choose life or death for his own respect,
he could be content to leave his friends, and riches, and pleasure,
and life, and all, only to be with Christ. This seems to be a good
lesson for sick men, when they can live no longer ; then to be with
Christ, were better than to be with the glutton, which never thought
of heaven till he was in hell, Luke xvi. ; but Paul was not sick nor
sore when he desired to be dissolved, therefore this is not only for
the sick, but for the whole. If he had wished to live and stay still
in the world, no man need to be taught to say after him ; for young
and old desire not to be dissolved ; but few are content to be dis
solved. To a natural man, in this life nothing is so sweet as life ;
and he which is in love with this world, seldom dieth quietly on his
bed]; but to a mind which misliketh this world, nothing can come
so welcome as death, because it takes him out of the world. /This
is it which Paul would have us learn, that nothing in this world is
so precious, that for it we should desire to live, or stay from God
one hour./ Though all may not wish to die, yet all must subscribe

THE pilgrim's wish. 263
to this, that death is better than life, because it leads to Christ,
which, when Paul had thoroughly tasted, he was satisfied of all
things else, and desired to live no longer, that he might be with
Christ. Herein appeareth the end of man's life, which, when he
hath obtained, he desires to live no longer, how great riches, and
honours, and friends soever he leave behind him. From the time
he knoweth Christ crucified, and begins like Enoch to walk with
God, Gen. v. 22, he crieth ever after with the apostle, ' I desire to
be dissolved, and to be with Christ.' ' Who shall deliver me from
this body of sin ?' Rom. vii. 24 ; ' death were to me advantage/
Even as Simeon rejoiced that Christ came to him, Luke ii. 28, so
the faithful rejoice that they shall go to Christ.
The necessity of sin is so irksome to him which knoweth the vile-
ness of sin, that the faithful man, but to do good, would not live out
of heaven, no, notan hour. This made the martyrs so willing to
abide any kind of death that tyranny could devise, to be rid of their
sinful bands, and this corruptible burden, which presseth down the
soul, that looks after Christ, like his disciples, when he ascended to
heaven, Acts i. 10. All is trouble, and weariness, and vanity to the
godly mind ; whether he eat, or drink, or sleep, he counteth it a
servitude unto the flesh, and wisheth with David to be rid from these
necessities ; so the knowledge and love of God maketh a man forget
his own flesh, maketh him to despise the whole world, taketh away
the difference from life and death, changeth his nature, which he
could never overcome, and teacheth him to renounce his dear self,
and say, though he should die, ' Not my will, but thy will be done.'
All this appeareth even in this example, what operation is in the
knowledge and love of Christ : it made the world irksome unto Paul,
which all men naturally desire ; it made death pleasant unto him,
which all men naturally abhor ; although they be weary of their life,
and have no pleasure from morning to night, yet it will not please
them to change, which they needs must; they never loathe, but love,
their miseries ; I will not die one hour to live for ever. Do not the
wicked themselves prophesy by their fear of death a worse condition
of some dreadful judgment after this life, prepared for sinners and
all that contemn God, when none but they stand in such fear of
death ? Why doth one wish it, and another tremble to hear of it ?
If it were but a sleep, no man would fear it at all ; for who feareth
to take his rest when the night approacheth ? If it did take away
sense and feeling, and make men trees or stones, no man would fear,
it at all ; for who would fear strokes, if he could feel no more than
a stone ? Or who would care for anything, if he had no sense of

264 THE PILGRIM'S WISH,
anything ? Would any man tremble so to be as the dead creatures,
which have no sense of evil ? They must needs be in a better case
than the happiest man in this life, which is not without the sense
of evil. Therefore this fear of death, which you see in all but the
faithful, doth presage some strange torment, some heavy change, and
sharp punishment to those men, which they begin to taste already
before they die, like the spirit which persecuted Saul before his end,
1 Sam. xvi. 14. They desire not to be dissolved, but they fear to
be dissolved ; they go not to Christ, but tbeir departure is an ever
lasting departure from Christ to the damned, to the devils, to hell,
without either end, or ease, or any patience to endure it.
Thus you see that no man is willing to die before his conscience
be quieted toward God, and that he can catch some hope of a better
life after this life. He which knows that he shall go to Christ, it is
impossible that he should die unwillingly; but he which cannot hope
for a better world, must needs leave this world ungrudgingly, and
fear death more than all the terrors of life. He had rather to be
sick, and cold, and hungry, and want, and beg, than go with death ;
because he knoweth what he suffereth here, but he knoweth not
what he shall suffer hereafter. Therefore he which is not willing to
be dissolved, hath not learned Christ yet as Paul did ; for no man
esteemeth this life when he begins to taste of the next, but then
the love of the world doth fall from him like the mantle of Elias,
when he was rapt into heaven, 2 Kings ii. 14.
The apostle had seen many good things in his days, and was never
satisfied ; willing to be dissolved, but thirsted still ; and no water
could quench his thirst until he drank of the water of life, and then
he thirsted no more; so nothing can fill the soul which was made
for God, but God alone. Riches, and honours, and pleasures, did not
make Simeon willing to die, but the sight of Christ, Luke ii. 29.
Happy are the eyes which see him, for they are as willing to die as
Simeon was. So soon as John Baptist did see our Saviour, and
knew that it was he, he debased himself as if he had been nobody,
and would not be accounted of, but sought to lose the opinion of
the people, that Christ might have all, John i. 20, Mat. iii. 11,
although he was a prophet, and more than a prophet, and not a
greater amongst the sons of women. So when Paul had seen his
Saviour, he forgat all that he loved, all that he desired, and all that
he possessed ;_no_jpjvJ_no_gjorx.no_life-now hut-tojdie.. All things
must yield to the Son, and be content, with John, that he increase
and we decrease. This is our glory and life, that he lives in glory.
'It is enough/ saith Jacob, 'for me, that Joseph my son liveth,'

THE pilgrim's WISH. 265
Gen. xiv. 28 ; it is enough for us that Jesus our Saviour reigneth.
If the head be crowned, all the body is more honoured ; therefore
let us glory that Christ is glorified, and rejoice as much that he is
ascended as our fathers rejoiced that he descended ; for where the
head is, there the body must needs be.
I desire to be dissolved. He calleth his death not a destruction,
but a dissolution, for three causes : first, he departeth from this life,
and hath no more society with them that live upon the earth ;
secondly, his soul departeth from the body until the day of resur
rection ; then she findeth her own body again, and they rejoice like
friends which are met together ; thirdly, he departeth from this vale
of misery, into the paradise of joy and all felicity, to live and reign
with God for ever, in assurance whereof he saith that he shall be with
Christ ; so that death is the way to Christ. As the dove found no rest
until she came to the ark, Gen. viii. 9, so. the faithful find no rest till
they come to Christ, they go through the wilderness like other men.
Until the Jews arrived at Canaan, all their life was spent in sinful
Egypt, or in the dreadful desert; during the time of their journey
they had no settled rest, or continuing pleasure. Peace beginneth
when the battle endeth ; there is the prerogative of the dead, lest
death should be too fearful to us. /The best of God's blessings are
behind, that is, everlasting life, and the way to it is death ; thou art
going to joy, therefore look not for it, until thou come to thy journey's
end, Rev. ii. 10. If Canaan, the land of peace, the land of plenty, the ,
land of pleasure, be in the wilderness, stay here, march no further.
Whither do you go, like the pilgrims of Israel, if Canaan be in the
wilderness ? But Paul looks for the crown at the goal. He is not
with Christ, but trusts to be with Christ ; he is not in heaven; but
he hopes to come to heaven ; and this hope led him through the
wilderness, that he murmured not like the Israelites, but only
longed for that day, when Christ shall say unto him, as he said to the
penitent thief, ' This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' Thus
you have heard the difference between the faithful and wicked,
how the one loatheth this life, and the other longeth after it.
Now we come to our question. Simeon said, ' Lord, now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace/ Luke ii. 29. So Paul saith, ' I
desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.' They doubted not,
as the papists do, what should become of them after death, for one
says that he goes to Christ, and the other says that he goes to
peace ; therefore it seems that purgatory was not yet found when
the just men went to peace. This is one of the fruits of a godly
life, it hath hope, saith Solomon, in the end, Prov. xiv. 32, xi. 7 ; in

266 THE pilgrim's wish.
death it warranteth a man of life, and when the flesh saith fear,
and the serpent despavr, it makes the flesh crouch, and the serpent
fly, and the soul rejoice while death is opening the prison door,
that she may fly to her country from whence she came. Therefore
what shall I say to purgatory, if Paul go to Christ, and Simeon go to
peace ? Some say it is in -the air ; some say that it is in the earth ;
some under the earth ; some a little above hell. Thus Nebuchad
nezzar cannot assoil his own dream, Dan. iv. 1. /Youjnust under
stand that purgatary„is like your painted sepulchres, which were
framed more for the living than for the dead ; for you know that the
locusts jpf Rome live by trentals, and dirges, and masses for the
dead, as the silversmiths in Ephesus lived by images, Acts xix. 25 ;
and therefore, as they were loath that images should go down, so
they are loath that their purgatory should be quenched, for it is
the gainfullest lie in all popery, for out of this lake issue their
masses, and dirges, and trentals for the dead. They are said for 'the
dead, but they make for the living; for 'the dead have no portion olf
all that is done under the sun.' Do what you will, say what yo
can, masses, dirges, or trentals, they have no portion in it, for the;
have received their reward already, and ' the tree lieth where it fell ;\
yet these foolish virgins hope for oil of the wise virgins, and think J
they shall be paid for other men's labours, and alms, and trentals,r
and pilgrimages, and masses, as though they never read that ' thes
just shall live by his own faith/ Gal. iii. 11, that he which believeth
shall not go to judgment, John v. 24, but pass from death to life,
that ' they that die in the Lord rest from their labours/ Rev. xiv. 13.
How do they go presently into paradise, if they stay at purgatory,
and fire, and torments ? Hath Christ satisfied for us, and must we
now make satisfaction for ourselves ? Whither the glutton and the
beggar are gone, Luke xvi., thither must we all, that is, to Abra
ham's bosoirvpr_hell-fire. There are but two kinds of men, and
therefore but two ways, and where then is purgatory, which the
best of the fathers confesseth that he could never find in Scripture?
Therefore take heed of hell, for purgatory is a scare-babe.
Furthermore, when Paul saith, that he shall go to Christ, this
seems to resolve the old question often debated among the simple
people, once deluded, whether the souls of men departed walk after
death, and appear unto men, exhorting them to this or that, as Gre
gory, or some counterfeit, reporteth in his dialogues. The apostles,
before their full growth, might seem to be encumbered with this
error, because when they saw Christ walking upon the waters, they
said, •' It is a spirit.' And when Peter knocked at the door in the

THE pilgrim's WISH. 267
night, they said to Rhoda, a damsel, *It is his angel/ Acts xii.
15. Which error was drawn from the illusion of Satan, and vulgar
opinion received from Pythagoras, which taught that the souls of
men departed did return into the bodies of other men after death,
either for correction, or for reward. If they were good souls, then
they were preferred to better men ; if they had been bad souls, then
they were cast into worse bodies than they had before : a fine
philosophical dream.
This deluded Herod : when he heard of Christ, he supposed that
John Baptist was risen again, whom he had beheaded ; and the
better sort of the people, as we read in Mat. xvi. 14, dreamed that
Christ was Elias, or John Baptist, or Jeremiah, or some of the pro
phets risen again. But touching the soul once departed from the
body, that it returns not, nor can return into the world, many ex
amples, and testimonies, and reasons, and the order of our resurec-
tion declareth. The souls of the righteous are in the hands of the
Lord, and no man or devil can take them out of his hands, John x.
28, 29 ; the souls of the wicked are in the hands of the devil, and
God Avill not take them out of his hands. And therefore Abraham
saith, ' He which is here, cannot come from hence ; and they which
be there, cannot come from thence/ Luke xvi. ; for then the pains
of hell were not everlasting pains, nor the joys of heaven everlast
ing joys, but temporal, like the pains and joys of this world. There
fore it is no soul which walks about. How then ? What is this
which I see in the night like such a man, and such a man ? The
devil, which changeth himself into an angel of light to deceive, can
change himself into the likeness of a man much more. That is it
which thou seest, as Saul saw Samuel, 1 Sam. xxviii. 8, not Samuel
himself ; for could the witch raise Samuel out of the grave, which
could not keep herself out of the grave ? Or could the devil dis
turb the prophet after death ? Then he should never be in quiet
if the devil could disturb him, because he disquieteth the godly so
much while they live.
If this apparition be called Samuel, how doth he call it Samuel,
if it be not Samuel ? As the books of Calvin are called Calvin^;
as the picture of Beza is called Beza ; as he~wh~ich_playeth the king ,
upon the stage js_called a king ; as the golden mice and emerods
which the Philistines laid in the ark were called mice and emerods,
although they were but mere shapes and figures of them ; so this
likeness of Samuel is called Samuel, though it was not Samuel in
deed, but a counterfeit shape of Samuel. For God would not answer
Saul before by oracle, nor by priest, nor by prophet, and would he

268 THE pilgrim's WISH.
answer him by the dead, which doth forbid to ask counsel of the
dead ? No, saith Abraham ; ' they have Moses and the prophets/
Luke xvi:"-: as if he should say, Let them learn of the books of the
dead, for the dead shall not return unto them. t Again, if it had
been Samuel himself, which had taught Saul to worship God, would
that holy prophet have received worship himself, as this spirit did ?
Again, if it had been Samuel, Saul's schoolmaster, whieh taught
him always to repent while he lived, he would rather have exhorted
him to repentance now than before, seeing the day of his death was
so near. But you will say, Whosoever it was, it seems that he
could prophesy of things to come, for he foretold Saul's death. Can
the devil prophesy ? This was an easy matter for the devil to pro
phesy, because he knew that David was anointed before, and there
fore Saul must be removed, that he might reign, as he was anointed.
Secondly, he knew that Samuel had prophesied his confusion ; and
therefore he must be degraded, that the prophecy might be fulfilled.
Thirdly, he did see the Philistines coming against him, and there
fore no marvel if he did aim that his death was near at hand, seeing
a man might prophesy the same.
If any man be not satisfied with this, to believe that the souls of
the dead do not walk after their dissolution, let me reason with him
thus : Is it a soul which thou seest ? Why, a soul is a spirit, and
cannot be seen, no more than the voice or an echo. Didst thou ever
see thine own soul, though it hath been ever with thee since thou
wast born ? Dost thou think it is a body ? Why, a body cannot
walk without a soul ; for the soul is the life which moveth the body.
If thou say it is a body and soul too, then why doth Paul call death
a dissolution ? Jjfc^ js a se^parationof ±he_soulfrom thebody, If the
body and soul be not/dissolved, then the man is not dead, but liv
ing still. If thou say the soul is come to the body, and the body
is risen to the soul for that time, then I can say no more to thee,
but believe thine own eyes. If thou thinkest that it is such a man's
body which thou seest, look in the grave, and open the ground, and
there thou shalt see the body where it is laid, even while this vizor
walks in thy sight. Therefore apparitions are no other than that
which appeared to Saul. /Thus the devil hath many ways to de
ceive ; and this is one, and a dangerous one, to draw us from God's
word to visions, and dreams, and apparitions, upon which many of
the doctrines of the papists are grounded. /
They had never heard of purgatory "but for these spirits that
walked in the night, and told them that they were the souls of such
and such, which suffered in fire till their masses, and alms, and

THE pilgrim's wish. 269
pilgrimages did ransom them out. So these night-spirits begat
purgatory, and purgatory begat trentals, as_ one serpent hatcheth
another. Yet a third question ariseth out of these words, and that is this :
Whether a Christian may wish for death ? As Paul desired, so may
we desire, if we have Paul's spirit. As Christ told his disciples when
they asked him whether they should pray for fire from heaven, as
Elias did, Christ answered that they knew not of what spirit they
were, Luke ix. 54 ; as if he should say, If you were of Elias's spirit,
and did pray with the same mind, and to the same end that he did,
then you might pray as he prayed. The wicked wish to die, be
cause they would be rid of the cross, and suffer no more for God ;
as Cain, so soon as he was cursed, and knew that his life should be
a torment, he sought to die, to prevent the just judgment of God,
and spite him, as it were, which should punish sins. So do the
people oftentimes which have not to satisfy hunger, and the sick
which faint of an uncurable disease, and the weary captives in prison,
galleys, and bonds. As for the faithful, if they at any time wish to
die, they pray for death as the last remedy against sin and Satan ;
even as they pray in Revelation for the hastening of Christ's coming
to judgment, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly/ Rev. xxii. 20, for
the shortening of the days of sin, lest all flesh should perish. But
they which wish for death in this sort, would die as the will of God
hath ordained, and mortify their flesh to abide these troubles, and
still by faith suppress the dolorous grief of sin, by frequent medita
tion of inward joy, received by grace in Christ, and therein revive
themselves, as with the earnest-penny of their inheritance, which
they shall receive at the fit time, when it shall comfort them much
to have suffered so long. Much, therefore, have they to answer,
which are not contented to die in peace, and stay till they be dis
solved; but as though themselves were the authors of life and death,
whose cruel heart give wrongful commission to the bloody hand, to
cut asunder that whieh God hath joined, the loving soul and their
body; as Judas, Ahithophel, Saul, and Pilate did; not one of these
was good in life or death. Yet the author of the Maccabees com
mendeth Razis most of all, for that which was the greatest sin that
ever he did, for killing himself, 2 Mac. xiv. Man was not born of
his own pleasure, neither must he die at his own lust; or else it had
been good for Job, which suffered more than any saint except
Christ, to make away himself, as Judas did. But why is it com
manded then, 'Thou shalt not kill'? If thou mayest not kill an
other, much less mayest thou kill thyself As for the example of

270 THE PILGRIM'S WISH.
Samson, Judges xvi. 30, which may seem to oppose against this, in
that he killed himself whenas he pulled the house upon his own
head, and all that were with him : understand that he was a figure
of Christ, which vanquished more in his death than all his life; and
it appeareth that he had warrant from God, in that his strength
being taken from him, was, for the act, in a moment restored to
him upon his prayer. And the epistle to the Hebrews, xi. 13, to
clear that fact, saith, that he did it of faith; that is, knowing c that
he bad deserved to die, and that by these means the enemies of
God should be destroyed, he submitted himself to the good will of
God, like a good captain, which ventured his fife to kill his enemies ;
therefore we must not look to particular examples, but to the gene
ral law. Wherefore let no man do this evil, that any good may
come of it, but rather follow the advice of the holy apostle, as it
becometh us ; with patience let us run out the race which is set
before us.
Here I might shew you, that they are guilty of their own death,
that kill themselves with surfeiting, intemperance, drunkenness,
&c. Although they love their life too dear, yet they take all means
to hasten their deaths. / Thus much of purgatory, and night-spirits,
and praying for death.;
Now it remaineth, that as the Levites sanctified their brethren
before they did eat the passover, so I would prepare you before you
eat tbis holy sacrament, of which the passover was but a sign. The
Jews were taught of God, before they did eat the passover, to put
away leaven out of their houses the day before, Exod. xii. 1 5. Hath
God care of leaven? No; this is it which the apostle teacheth; 1
Cor. v. : before ye come to the Lord's supper, ' purge the old leaven
of maliciousness and wickedness out of your hearts;' that is, the
leaven which you should purge out of your houses. Therefore
mark what the apostle writeth to the Corinthians, 1 Cor xi (I be
lieve it is a matter which you did never consider), ' For this cause
many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep/ or die. For
what cause? Because they received this holy sacrament unworthily
and unreverently, before they were prepared with faith, and hope,
and repentance. ' For this cause many are weak and sick among
you, and many die/ Who did ever think that his sickness, or his
wants, or his infirmities did grow, for that be received the Lord's
supper unworthily? Many causes have been supposed, but this
cause was never thought of. Have any of you said in distresses of
body or mind, This is come unto me, because I did receive the
blessed sacrament of Christ unworthily; because I came not pre-

THE PILGRIM'S WISH. 271
pared with that mind, as they do which believe and know God?
Yet the apostle, which by his divine spirit knew the cause of these
calamities among the Corinthians, doth depute their strange diseases
and sudden death to none other cause, but to their unworthy and
unreverent receiving of his holy sacrament. Nay, he saith further,
that ' he which eateth and drinketh this sacrament unworthily,
eateth and drinketh his own damnation/ 1 Cor. xi. 27; that is, he
taketh possession of death, hell, and damnation, even while he eats,
as the devil entered into Judas while be received. Now if youi'
physician should warn you of such a thing, that you take it in season
and measure, or else it is a poison, and will kill you, I suppose you
would observe the season and measure, and take it in such order as
he prescribeth, as near as you could, if you believe him ; so if you
believe the apostle, that you receive the sacrament to your damna
tion, if you receive it unworthily, I am sure you will not take it
unreverently or rashly for all the world. If I had the words of
motion to speak that which might be spoken of this matter, it
would fright Judas himself, that no man would come to this holy
banquet without his wedding garment, Mat. xxii. Consider but
this, how you would come into the presence of God, how you would
prepare yourselves to come before the Maker of heaven and earth,
which searcheth the reins, and knoweth every corner of the heart.
If ever ye did approach unto God, if ever ye came near unto the
Lord, you never came so near as now, when you come to receive
his body and blood, and are united unto him in one spiritual
body; and yet, peradventure, many come not so prepared, so
cleansed, so dressed, so trimmed, into the presence of God, as
Esther did into the presence of Ahasuerus, Esther v. What do
you think of these elements? What do you imagine of this
bread and wine? They are seals. W^at_seals? Seals of his
word, seals of God's promises, seals of your adoption. If ever
you were instructed out of this book, that instruction is confirmed
and ratified unto you now by Christ's seal. Christ hath not or
dained sacraments in his church for a fashion or dumb show, that
you should feel, or see, or taste, but as the woman which had a
bloody flux, when she touched the hem of Christ's garment, he said
that virtue was gone out of him; that is, all the graces which
these signs represent, that is, all the blessings that Christ Jesus
hath purchased unto man by his death. Now, because if you re
ceive this sacrament rightly, you are united unto Christ, as the
members with the head ; if ever you did believe, or love, or repent
before, this requireth you to believe, and love, and repent more,

272 THE PILGRIM'S WISH.
because now you are Christ's body, which shews that ye must
obey Christ the head, like members of the body, for the body is
ruled by the head. What have you now to receive all these bless
ings ? If you have not faith, how can you lay hold of any pro
mises or merits of Christ, to say, This is mine ? If you had a
hand to take, and a faith to apprehend, now you might eat of
the bread which is better than manna, which he that tasteth doth
not hunger again after any pleasure in the World. Here is enough
for Abraham and Abraham's seed. Come unto it, all that
thirst, and it will refresh you. Happier is that man now that
hath his wedding garment, than the rich glutton, that fareth deli
riously, and goeth in purple every day, Luke xvi. Now you are
the Lord's guests, and the Lord himself is your feast, and this feast
is before you, the holiest meat that ever ye did eat, and the com-
fortablest meat that ever you did eat, and the dangerousest meat
that ever you did eat. You stand upon life or death, you eat to
salvation or damnation ; there is nothing in this world which you
can receive with greater benefit, or with greater periL Adam did
not eat the forbidden fruit with greater danger, Gen. iii. Adam
could not taste the tree of life with greater fruit than you may
taste and receive this sacrament. The ark was a sign of mercy,
yet Uzzah was slain for touching the ark unreverently, 2 Sam. vi.
Circumcision was a good thing, yet circumcision did not profit the
Shechemites, but was a way to make their enemies to slay them,
Gen. xxxiv. ; because they were not circumcised for religion, but
for lucre ; so if you receive for custom, and not for devotion, this
sacrament shall be to you as circumcision was to them. Therefore
take heed how you receive as they received, lest you meet with a
curse when you look for a blessing. If thou rememberest any sin
against God, or against thy neighbour, leave thine offering at the
altar, and be reconciled before thou come into his presence ; for if
stubble come to fire, there is no way but burn. Now, beloved, let
faith, and love, and repentance, have their perfect work, that you
may receive this sacrament as Christ would have you receive it ;
and God grant you as much profit by it, as is offered in it ; and so
much comfort of it, as it hath brought to any, whosoever have re
ceived it faithfully, reverently, and worthily before you !

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.

VOL. I.

THE GODLY MAFS REQUEST.

Teach us, 0 Lord, to number our days, that we may apply our
hearts to wisdom. — Ps. XC. 12.
This psalm was compiled by Moses, as ye may see by the title,
at what time the spies returned from the land of Canaan, and God,
for the murmuring of the people, pronounced, that all which were
above twenty years old should die in the wilderness, except Caleb
and Joshua, that encouraged their brethren to go into Canaan.
Now, when Moses heard the sentence of death pronounced against
himself and all the Jews which came out of Egypt, except only two,
Caleb and Joshua, that all should die before they came to the land
which they sought, he prayeth thus for himself and the rest, ' Teach
us, 0 Lord, to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to
wisdom ;' that is, seeing we must needs die, teach us to think of
our death, that we may die in thy fear, to live again ; shewing us
how the consideration of our mortality will make us apply our hearts
to godliness. He which is tottering himself, had need lean unto a
stable thing ; therefore a wavering man is commended here to con
stant wisdom. Man is mortal, wisdom is immortal ; yet by wisdom
man becomes immortal too ; therefore Moses, thinking of his death,
runneth to wisdom, as a remedy against death. I have chosen a
text fit for the time,1 which warneth^ us how our_.years-pass ; that
when we think- of tha old, year, how soon it is gone, we may see
upon what^a whirling wheel we are set,.. which putteth us in mind
every day of that last day which is coming for us, when we shall
give account how every day was spent before it. So many years as
are oaat^so many years we are nearer to the last ; and though the
old year be gone, and a new year come, yet whether another shall
come after this, as this came after the former, no man, I think, hath
1 For it was preached at the beginning of the year.

276 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
any promise of him that made time ; for even these two days since
the old year went out, many have gone the way which we all shall
follow. Now, why days, or weeks, or years, but for us ? But for
man there should be no winter, no summer, no spring, no autumn ;
that we, seeing how the seasons are renewed, at last with them we
may learn to renew ourselves ; for to celebrate new years with old
sins, is to let everything go before ourselves, and suffer the time to
condemn us, which was given to save us. God hath shewed us new
years, but he would have us shew him new men. This is God's
new year's gift ; not sheep, nor doves, nor fruits, which the Jews
offered ; neither myrrh, frankincense, and gold, which the Gentiles
offered, Mat. ii., but a new creature, Gal. vi. 15. Therefore we must
come to some schoolmaster, which teacheth us, like John Baptist,
what we should do, that we may grow in knowledge, as we grow in
years. ' Teach me to number my days/ saith Moses, ' that. I may
apply my heart to wisdom.' Whereby Moses telleth us, that this
was one of his helps, which made him profit in the knowledge of
God, to number his days. As a man that hath set a time for his
task, listens to the clock, and counts his hours, so we have a set
time to serve God. 'Work while it is day/ saith Christ, John ix. 4.
What he doth mean by this, the apostle sheweth you, ' This is the
day of salvation ;' that is, this life is the day wherein you should
work. What work have you to do ? The apostle tells you, 'Work
out your salvation.' This is a long task; therefore we had need to
* number our days,' and not lose a minute, lest we be benighted
before our work be done. ' Teach me, O Lord, to number my days/.
He which in the land of Midian learned to number sheep, now he
is come into the wilderness, learneth to number his days : ' Teach
us, O Lord, to number our days/ Not, Teach us the number of our
days, for we shall quite forget it again; and the knowledge of times
and course of seasons is the knowledge of God himself ; but, ' Teach
us to number our days ;' that is, that we may be still numbering
and counting our days, and hours, and minutes, to see how fast we
die, that every day and hour we may learn something. As God
hathjoumbered-oux-days^so. we must learn to number our days, or
else it seems that we cannot ' apply our hearts to wisdom ;' that is,
unless we think upon death, we cannot fashion ourselves to a godly
life, though we were as well instructed as Moses. This we find
daily in ourselves, that the forgetfulness of death makes us to apply
our hearts unto folly, and pleasure, and all voluptuousness ; that,
contrary to his advice, Work your salvation, we work our damna
tion. We are so far from numbering our days, that we do not

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 277
number our weeks, nor our months, nor our years ; but as the
apostle saith, ' A thousand years with God are as one day/ 2 Peter
iii. 8, so one day with us is as a thousand years ; that is, our time
seems so; long that we think we shall never die ; but he which
made this prayer is now dead, and the number of his days is ended,
and nothing is left but his holy books which bring this prayer unto us,
that we may learn to pray so too. Now, I must pray, ' Teach me, O
Lord, to number my days ;' and thou must pray, 'Teach me, 0 Lord,
to number my days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom ; ' that
is, so to pray, and fast, and watch, and hear, and do, as becometh
him which shall shortly give account of his stewardship, Luke
xvi. 2.
' This is the fruit which comes to a man by numbering hisjlayg,
God teacheth man to apply his heart to wisdom ; and this is his
lesson which he gives for that purpose, number thy days ; that is,
think that wisdom is a long study, and that thou hast but a short
time to get it, and this will make thee get ground of virtue ; for
there is no such enemy to repentance, as to think that we have
time enough to repent hereafter, which makes a man say, when any
good motion cometh, Nay, I may stay yet, yet I may stay ; like the
sluggard which turnsupon his bed like a door upon_the.hinges>-and
saith, ' Yet' a little more, a little more sleep, a little more slumber,'
I may lie still a while,~Prov.~virTD: This is hofTto number our days,
but to stretch our days, and make them seem more than they are ;
and they that do so, never apply their hearts unto wisdom. So you
see what a preservative Moses used against sin and pleasure ; he
kept a calendar as it were of his days, which called upon him, Be
diligent, for thou hast but a short time.
Fiyejhings I note in these words : first, that death is the haven
of every man ; whether he sit in the throne, or keep in a cottage, at
last he must knock at death's door, as all his fathers have done be
fore him. Secondly, that man's time is set, and his bounds ap
pointed, which he cannot pass, no more than the Egyptians could
pass the sea ; and therefore Moses saith, ' Teach us to number our
days/ as though there were a number of our days. Thirdly, that
our days are few, as though we were sent into this world but to see
it ; and therefore Moses, speaking of our life, speaks of days, not of
years, nor of months, nor of weeks ; but ' Teach us to number our
days/ shewing that it is an easy thing ever for a man to number his
days, they be so few. JTourthly, the aptness of man to forget death
rather than anything else ; and therefore Moses prayeth the Lord to
teach him to number his days, as though they were still slipping out

278 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
of his mind. Lastiy,±hat to remember how short a time we have
to live, will makTusapply our hearts to that which is good.
The first point is, that as every one bad a day to come into this
world, so he shall have a day to go out of this world. When Moses had
spoken of some which lived seven hundred years, and other which
lived eight hundred years, and other which lived nine hundred years,
shewing that some had a longer time, and some a shorter, yet he
speaks this of all, mortuus est; at last comes in mortuus est, that
is, he died, which is the epitaph of every man. We are not lodged
in a castle, but in an inn, where we are but guests, and therefore
Peter calls us strangers, 1 Peter ii. 11. We are not citizens of the
earth, but citizens of heaven, and therefore the apostle saith, ' We
have here no abiding city, but we look for one to come/ Heb. xiii. 14.
As Christ saith, ' My kingdom -is not of this world,' John xviii. 36,
so we may say, My dwelling is not in this world, but the soul
soareth upward whence she came, and the body stoopeth downward
whence it came ; as the tabernacles of the Jews were made to re
move, so our tabernacles are made to remove. Every jnanjs_a
tenant at wilL and. there is nothing sure in life but death. As he
which wrote this is gone, so I which preach it, and you which hear
it, one coming in, and one going out, is to all. Although this is
daily seen, yet it had need be proved, nay, every man had need to
die, to make him believe that he shall die. When Adam and Eve
became subject to death because of their sin, to teach them to think
on death, so soon as they were thrust out of paradise, God clothed
them with the skins of dead beasts, which shewed them that now
they were clothed with death, and that as the beasts were dead
whose skins they wore, so they should die also ; therefore David
saith, ' Man being in honour became like the beasts that perish/
Ps. xlix. 20. When he saith that he did become like the beasts which
perish, he implieth that man should not perish like the beasts, but
when he did like a beast, he died lik^a^east. From that day
every man might say with Job,"7 Corruption was my father, and the
worm was my mother/ Job xvii. 14. For the rich glutton is locked
in his grave as fast as poor Lazarus, Luke xvi. 22. Therefore God,
speaking of kings, saith, ' I said ye are gods, but ye shall die like
men/ If kings must die like men, then the expectation of men is
dead ; therefore when this king was ready to die, he said to Solo
mon, that he should go the way of all the earth, calling death the
way of all the earth ; to which Isaiah bears witness, crying, ' All
flesh is grass/ Isa. xl. 6, that is, it faileth, and is cut down like
grass. In paradise we might live or die, Gen. i. 27 ; in the world

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 27&
we live and must die, Gen. iii. 21 ; in heaven we shall live and not
die. Before sin nothing could change us ; now everything doth
change us ; for when winter comes we are cold, when age comes we
are withered, when sickness comes we are weak, to shew that when
death comes we shall die. /The clothes which we wear upon our
backs, the .sun which sets over our heads, the graves which lie under
our feet, the meat which goes into our mouths, cry unto us that we
shall wear, and fade, and die, like the fishes, and fowls, and beasts,
which even now were living in their elements, and now are dead in
our dishes. Every thing every day suffers some eclipse, and nothing
stands at a stay, but one creature calls to another, Let us leave this
world. . Our fathers summoned us, and we shall summon our chil
dren to the grave ; first we wax old, then we wax dry, then we wax
weak, thenjwe_wax._si.ckj. and so wejmelt away by drops ; at last,
as we carried others, so others carry us unto the grave. This is the
la_i_Jbed_wbicb__evejry_man_shall sleep in ; we must returrTto^our
mother's womb. Therefore Jacob callefFhls/lifeTuf a pilgrimage ;
therefore Paul called his life but a race, 2 Tim. iv. 7 ; therefore
David calleth himself but a worm, Ps. xxii. 6. A pilgrimage hath
an end. ajacej___h_a..stop, a worm is but trodden under, jfook. and
dead straight ; so in an hour we are, and are not. Here we .aje
now, andanon we are separated"; anoTto^morrow one sickeneth, and
the next da^_anoJthlersicken.eth4-and_ all. that, be .here never meet
again/ We may w.ejd_bje.called_earthen vessels, 2 Cor. iv. 7, for we
aae_spon broken ; a spider is jable to. choke us, a pin is able to- kill
usiall_ofj^are^om. onft.way, and die a hundred ways. As Elijah
stood at the door of the cave when God passed by, 1 Kings xix. 9,
so we stand in the passages of this world, ready to go out whenso
ever God shall call. We lose first our infancy, and then our childhood,
and then our youth ; at last, as we came in the rooms of others, so
others come into our rooms. If all our days were as long as the day
of Joshua, when the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, Joshua
x. 13, yet it will be night at last, and our sun shall set like others.
It is not long that we grow, but when we begin to fall, we are like
the ice which thaweth sooner than it froze : so these little worlds
are destroyed first, and at last the great world shall be destroyed
too ; for all which was made for us shall perish with us. What do
you learn when you think of this, but that which Moses saith, to
apply your hearts to wisdom ? Death cometh after life, and yet
guides to the whole life, like the stern of a ship ; but for death there
would be no rule, but every man's lust should be his law ; he is
like a king, which frighteth afar off, though he defer his sessions,

280 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
and stay the execution, yet the very fear that he will come makes
the proudest peacock lay down his feathers, and is_ like a damp
which puts out all the lights of pleasure.
The second note is, that the time of man is set, and his bounds ap
pointed which be cannot pass ; and therefore Moses prayeth the Lord
that he would teach him to number his days ; as though there were a
number of our days : therefore God is called Palmoni} which signi
fieth a secret numberer, because he knoweth the number of our days;
which is secret to us. As it was said to Belshazzar, ' God hath num
bered thy kingdom ;' so it may be said to all, 'God hath numbered thy
life.' To this Job bears witness, saying, ' Are not his days deter
mined ? thou hast appointed his bounds, which he cannot pass/ Job
xiv. 5. Again Jeremiah saith, ' They could not stand, because the
day of their destruction was come/ Jer. xlvi. 20. As there is- a day
of destruction, and a day of death; so there is a day of birth, a day
of marriage, a day of honour, a day of deliverance. According to
that the determination is made, Dan. xi. 36 ; that is, God hath de
termined all things. As God appointed a time when his Son should
come into the world, Dan. ix. 25 ; and he came at the same time, as
the prophets and evangelists accord, Gal. iv. 4 ; so he hath appointed
a time when all his blessings shall come unto us, and they come at
the same time. As we read of Joseph, when his appointed time
came, Ps. cv. 1 9, shewing that God appointed a time when to exalt
him, and before that time came he could not be exalted ; therefore
Christ saith so often, ' My time is not yet come/ John vii. 8, shew
ing that he knew the time of his baptizing, the time of his preach
ing, the time of his working, the time of his rising, and the time of
his ascending. As for that which is objected of Hezekiah, because
Isaiah shewed him that he should die, and after told him that
fifteen years were added to his fife, 2 Kings xx. 1, it is like the
preaching of Jonas to the Ninevites, Jonah iii. 3, ' Forty days, and
Nineveh shall be destroyed,' and yet Nineveh was not destroyed,
because they repented ; so Hezekiah was not abridged, because he
repented. Therefore you must understand the phrase of God. As
when we say that we shall journey to-morrow, we understand, if
God will ; so when God saith, I will destroy, he understands, if we
persist. As all the promises of God are conditional, to take place
if we repent, so all the threatenings of God are conditional, to take
place if we repent not ; and therefore sometime this word if is put
in, as where there is no blessing nor cursing without an */. I may
answer again, that God is a judge, and spake like a judge to Heze-
1 See Dan. viii. 13, marginal rendering. — Ed.

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 281
kiah. A judge doth not condemn all whom he saith he will condemn,
nor a schoolmaster beat every one whom he saith he will beat, to
make him learn ; yet the judge and schoolmaster doth not dissemble,
but menace ; this is not lying, but threatening. But you will- say,
If my time be set, thus long I shall live, and I cannot pass, then I
will take no physic. You may as well say, I will take no meat.
God hath not ordained the end without means, but the means as
well as the end. If he have appointed one to die in his youth, he
hath appointed some means to shorten his life, as he did Absalom's,
2 Sam. xviii. 6 ; if he iave appointed one to live long, he hath
appointed also some means to preserve his life, as Joseph cherished
Jacob in his age. Therefore, though God had promised Paul that
his company should not be drowned, yet he told the mariners that
unless " they kept in the ship they should be drowned, as if their
safety should not be without means ; but a good mind never
quarrels about these things.
The third point is, that our life is but a short life. As many
little skulls are in Golgotha as great skulls. For one apple ' that
faileth from the tree, ten are pulled before they are ripe ; and the
parents mourn for the death of their children, as often as the chil
dren for the decease of their parents. This is our April and May,
wherein we flourish ; our June and July are next, when we shall be
cut down. What a change is this, that within fourscore years not
one of this assembly shall be left alive, but another preacher and
other hearers shall fill these rooms, and tread upon us where our
feet tread now !
The raven, and the phoenix, and the elephant, and the lion, and
the hart, fulfil their hundreds, but man dieth when he thinks yet his
sun riseth ; before his eye be satisfied with seeing, or his ear with
hearing, or his heart with lusting, death knocks at his door, and
will not give him leave to meditate an excuse before he come to
judgment, j To shew the shortness of man's life, Moses used the
shortest division in nature to express it by ; he might have said;
Teach me, 0 Lord, to number my months, or my years, but he
speaks of days ; so the Scripture is wont to number our life by days,
and hours, and minutes, to shew us that we shall give account
for hours as well as for days, for days as well as for weeks, for weeks
as well as for months, for months as well as for years ; which warneth
us to make use of all our time, and every day to think upon the last.
Tbis was the arithmetic of holy men in former times, to reckon
their days, so that their time might seem short, to make them
' apply their hearts to wisdom/ The Hebrews did number their

282 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
days thus : first, they did deduct the time of sleep, so that if our'
years be threescore and ten, as the prophet saith, Ps. xc. 10, five
and thirty of these years are stricken off at one blow, because we
spend half our time in sleep ; then they did deduct the time of
youth, which Solomon calleth vanity, Eccles. xi 10, as though it
were not worthy to be called life, but vanity ; then they did deduct
the days of sorrow, because in sorrow a man had rather die than
live. So, when the hours of sleep, and the hours of youth, and the
hours of sorrow are taken away, what an epitome is man's life come
to. The fathers used another account : fhjst, they did deduct all
the time which is past, for the time which is past is nothing ; then
they did deduct the time to come, because the time to come is un
certain, and no man can say that he shall live. Now, when the
time past and the time to come is set aside, there is nothing left
but the time present, that is, a moment, which is not so much in
respect of eternity, as a little mote to the whole earth.
David numbered his days by a measure : ' My life/ saith he, ' is
like a span long,' Ps. xxxix. 5. When he measured his life, he took
not a pole, or an ell, nor a yard to measure it by, but a short mea
sure, his short span, ' My fife is like a span long.' Thus you have
learned to number your days, or rather the hours of your days. As
some came into the vineyard in the morning, and some at noon,
and some at night, so some go out of this vineyard in the morning,
some at noon, and some at night. Some men's life hath nothing
but a morning, some have a morning and noon ; he which liveth
longest, liveth all the day, and therefore the youngest of all pray
but for this day, and if he live till to-morrow, then he prayeth for
that day, saying still, ' Give us this day our daily bread.' So that
a pleasant life may be compared but to a glorious day, and a sorrow
ful life to a cloudy day, and a long life to a summer's day, and a
short life to a winter's day. How comes it to pass, that when a
man dies, all his years seem but so many days, and before he dies,
all his days seem so many years ? Job speaketh of all alike, ' Man
which is born of a woman hath but a short time to live/ Job xiv. 1,
Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old, and yet when he came
before Pharaoh, he said, ' Few and evil have my days been/
Though Pharaoh did not speak of days, but asked him ' how old he
was/ yet he answered of days, to shew that not only his years but his
days were few. Our fathers, marvelling to see how suddenly men
are, and are not, compared life to a. dream-in the night, to aj_ubble
in the water, to a ship pn the sea, to an arrow which never resteth
till it fall, to a player which speaketh his part upon the -stage, and

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 283
straight he giveth place to another; to a man which cometh to the
market to buy one thing and sell another, and then is gone home
again ; so the figure of this world passeth away. This is our life ;
while we -.enjoy it, we lose it. . As Jacob said that his days had
been few, Gen. xlvii. 9, so we may say, that our days shall be few.
Now, why hath God appointed such a short time to man in this
world ? Surely, lest he should defer to do good, as his manner is ;
for though his life is so short, yet he thinks it too long to repent.
The prophet saith, that ' our years are but threescore and ten/ Ps.
xc. 10, as though this was but a little time to live. But why should
we live so long ? For if our life were but a year, yet a year is more
than we use, all the rest is lost ; for we defer till that week which
we think will be last. It is said of the devil, that ' he is busy, be
cause his time is short/ Rev. xii. 12 ; but the time of man is shorter,
and therefore Christ saith, ' in this thy day/ Luke xix. 42, as though
no day could be called thy day but this day; and therefore, all that
thou hast to do, thou must do this day. Consider this, all which
travel to heaven ; had we not need to make haste, which must go
such a long journey in such a short time ? How can he choose but
run; which remembereth that every day runneth away with his life?
The fourth point is our aptness to forget death rather than any
thing else ; and therefore Moses prayeth the Lord to teach him to
number his days, as though they were still slipping out of his mind.
He which hath numbered our days, must teach us to number our
days ; for when Moses prayeth the Lord to teach him to number
his days, he signifieth. that he would very fain remember them, but
still his mind did turn from them, and that he could not think upon
them longer than he thought on the Lord, whieh taught him to
number them. Such is the_rebellion of our nature, we cannot re
member that which we should, because we remember so many things
which we should forget. Howj)ften_doth the Scriptures call death
to our minds ! Yet we read how they put the day of death from
them, and would not remember it, Amos vi. 1. Solomon bids us
remember that we shall come to judgment, Eccles. xi. 9. And yet
we read how they plead against the day of judgment, and syllogise
to their sins, that ' all things shall continue as they be, because
there hath been no change yet/ 2 Peter iii. 4. Even so it is with
us. As ' the fool saith in his heart, There is no God/ Ps. xiv. 1, so we
say in our hearts There is no death, or at least death will not come
befpre we be old. Of all numbers we cannot skill to number our
days. We can number our sheep, and our oxen, and our coin ; but
we think that our days are infinite, and therefore we never go about

284 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
to number them. We can number other men's days and years, and
think they will die e'reltTbe long, if we see them sick, or sore, or
cold ; but we cannot number our own. When twoships meet on
the sea, they which are in one ship think that the other ship doth
safi "exceeding fast, but that their ship goeth fair and softly, or
rather standeth still, although in truth one ship saileth as fast as
the other ; so every man thinks that the other post, and run, and
fly to the grave, but that himself standeth stock still, although
indeed a year with him is no longer than it is with the other/
Beside that, we are given to forget death, we strive to forget it, like
them which say, ' We may not remember/ Amos vi. 10.
Teach me to number my days ? Nay, teach me to multiplymy
days. Teach me to remember death ? Nay, teach me to prolong
death ; or, if I cannot prolong death, teach me to forget death, that
I may sin without fear; for the remembranee of death maketh
a man to sin fearfully, and. takes away the pleasure of sin. There
fore, if ye mark, there is a kind of men which cannot abide to hear
of death ; they are sick of the name of it. The reason is, Ahab ' can
not abide Micaiah, because he never prophesied good unto him, but
evil/ 1 Kings xxii. ; so death never prophesied good to the wicked,
but evil, for which they cannot abide it. Therefore, as Pharaoh bade
Moses go out of his sight, so they bid death go out of their sight,
and say when he comes, as Ahab said to Elijah, ' Art thou here, my
enemy ?' when they should say, Welcome, nty friend. For as the
devils thought Christ was come to torment them, so the ungodly
think that death comes to torment them. Is it peace when they
see death ? They doubt it is not peace, because they never loved
the God of peace. Oh that I could bring you into their hearts, that
ye might see more than the tongue can express ; for I do not think
that any epicure, or worldling, or noEtresident have any joy to
think of death, or desire to be dissolved, but rather that he might
never be dissolved ; because death comes to the wicked like a jailor,
which comes always to hale unto prison; therefore their care is not
to remember death, 'that they might apply their hearts to wisdom/
but to forget death, lest they should apply their hearts to wisdom,
and lose their pleasures before the time ; for be which is not pur
posed yet to leave his sins, would not be troubled with any thought
that might make him take his pleasure fearfully,' lest he should leave
sin before sin leave him. Therefore the devil doth never teach a
man to number his days, because he gains by the forgetfulness of
death ; but the Lord, which would have a man to apply his heart
to wisdom, it is he which teacheth us to number our days ; and

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 285
therefore Moses prayeth unto him. And because we pray not unto
him, as he did, to teach us to number our days, therefore we die like
worms before we be aware. So far we are from that which he
shooteth at, to apply our heart to wisdom, that we are not in the
way unto it ; that is, to remember that we shall die.
The last point is the cause why Moses would learn to number his
days, that he might apply his heart to wisdom ; as if he should
say, Until men think upon death, they never apply their hearts to
wisdom, but busy themselves with worldly matters, as though they
were feathering a nest that shall never be pulled down. Wisdom
hath always carried that show of excellency, that the very wicked
have laboured to put on this vizor. As we read of Pharaoh, who,
to cover his foolishness, saith, ' Come, let us do wisely/ Exod. i. 10.
And again, it is said that the Grecians sought after wisdom, 1 Cor.
i. 22 ; even the nation which God calls the foolish nation, Deut.
xxxii. 21, did seek after wisdom, that is, they would have the name
of wisdom. But this wisdom, whieh Moses calls wisdom, is counted
foolishness : ' The foolishness of preaching/ saith Paul, 1 Cor. i. 21,
meaning how the foolish count preaching foolishness. Again,
' foolishness to the Gentiles/ meaning that the word of God seemeth
like a foolish thing unto many. For that which Christ said unto
Peter, he may say almost to all, ' They do not savour the things
of God/ Mat. xvi. 23. As Anah devised a new creature, Gen.
xxxvi. 24, so they have found out another wisdom, which is called
the wisdom of the flesh, Rom. viii. 7. They remember, be ' wise as
serpents/ Mat. x. 16 ; but they forget, be ' simple as doves.' He
which is like to Ahithophel is counted a deep counsellor, 2 Sam.
xvii. 7 ; he which is like Machiavel is counted a wise fellow. Alas,
how easy a matter is it to deceive/ana" counterfeit, and play the
subtle serpent, if a man would set his head into it ! Could not
David go as far as Ahithophel ? Could not Paul shew as much
cunning as Tertullus ? Acts xxiv. 2. Yes, yes, if they were not
taught to be simple as doves. But this wisdom comes not by the
remembrance of death, but by the forgetfulness of death. Men do
not use to think of death when they go about such matters, but
say like the serpent, ' We shall not die,'" Gen. iii. 4.
Two things I note in these words : first, that if we will find
wisdom, we must apply our hearts to seek her ; then, that the re
membrance of death makes us apply our hearts unto it. Touching
the first, Moses found some fault with himself, that for all that he
had heard, and seen, and observed, and was counted wise, yet he
was new to begin, and had not applied his heart to learn wisdom,

286 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
like the wise man, which saith, ' I am more foolish than any man ;
J. have not the wisdom of a man in me,' Prov. xxx. 2. So insatiable
and covetous, as I may say, are the servants of God, the more
wisdom, and faith, and zeal they have, the more they desire. Moses
speaketh of wisdom as if it were physic, which doth no good before
it be applied ; and the part to apply it to is the heart, where all
Sman's affections are to love it and cherish it, like a kind of hostess.
When the heart seeketh it findeth, as though it were brought unto
her, like Abraham's ram. Therefore God saith, ' They shall seek me
and find me, because they shall seek me with their hearts/ Jer. xxix.
13, as though they should not find him with all their seeking unless
they did seek him with their heart. Therefore the way to get
wisdom is to apply your hearts unto it, as if it were your calling and
living, to which you were bound 'prentices. A man may apply his
ears and his eyes as many truants do to their books, and yet never
prove scholars ; but from that day which a man begins to apply his
heart unto wisdom, he learneth more in a month after than he did
in a year before, nay, than ever he did in bis life. Even as you see
the wicked, because, they apply their hearts to wickedness, how fast
they proceed, how easily and how quickly they become perfect
swearers, expert drunkards, cunning deceivers, so if ye could apply
your hearts as thoroughly to knowledge and goodness, you might
become like the apostle which teacheth you. Therefore, when
Solomon sheweth men the way how to come by wisdom, he speaks
often of the heart, as, 'Give thine heart to wisdom/ 'let wisdom enter
into thine heart/ 'get wisdom/ 'keep wisdom/ 'embrace wisdom/
Prov. ii. 10, iv. 5, xiii. 8, as though a man went a- wooing for wisdom.
Wisdom is like God's daughter, that be giveth to the man that
loveth her, and sueth for her, and meaneth to set her at his heart.
Thus we have learned how to apply knowledge that it may do us
good ; not to our ears, like them which hear sermons only, nor to
our tongues, like them which make table-talk of religion, but to our
hearts, that we may say with the virgin, ' My heart doth magnify
the Lord/ Luke i., and the heart will apply it to the ear and to the
tongue, as Christ saith, ' Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh/ Mat. xii. 34.
The last point is, that the remembrance of death makes us
to apply our hearts to wisdom. Moses commended not many
books to a wise man learned, but, as David commends one book
instead of many : ' Meditate in the law of God day and night/
Ps. i. 2, for ' the reading of many books/ saith Solomon, ' is but
weariness to the flesh/ Eccles. xii. 12 ; therefore, as though Moses

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 287
had marked what did move him most to seek after God, he
prayeth that that thought may run in his mind still, the remem
brance of death. As many benefits come unto us by death, so
many benefits come unto us by the remembrance of death ; and
this is one ; it maketh a man to apply his heart to wisdom ; for
when he considereth that he hath but a short time to live, he is
careful to spend it well, fike Moses, of whom it is said, that when
he considered how he had but a season to live, he ' chose rather
to suffer afflictions with the servants of God, than to enjoy the
' pleasures of sin for a season,' Heb. xi. 25. This is that which makes
the old men fast, and watch, and prepare themselves more than
young, because they think themselves nearer the door, like old
Isaac, which, when he was blind for age, said unto Esau, ' Behold I
am now old, and know not the day of my death/ Gen. xxvii. 2 ;
that is, because I am old, I look to die shortly. And therefore, as
Isaiah taught Hezekiah to set all things in order before he died,
2 Kings xx. 1, so he called his eldest son, to whom he thought that
his inheritance belonged, that he might bless him before he died.
This wisdom the fathers called the wisdom of the cross, which we
call the best, because it was dearest bought. It is hard for a man
to think of a short fife, and think evil, or to think of a long life,
and thinTs^SnZTTherefore whenTlTereniiaii had numbered all the
calamities and sins of the Jews, at the last he imputed all to this,
She remembered not her end/ Lam. i. 9 ; so if I may judge why
natural men care for nothing but their pomp, why great men
care for nothing but their honour and dignity, why covetous
worldlings care for nothing but their gain, why voluptuous epi
cures care for nothing but their pleasure, I may say with Jere
miah, They remember not their end. We never covet the same
things living and dying ; therefore when Solomon had spoken of all
the vanities of men, at last he opposeth this memorandum as a
counterpoise against them all, ' Remember that for all these things
thou shalt come to judgment/ Eccles. xi. 9, as if he should say, Men
would never speak as they speak, nor do as they do, if they did but
think that these speeches and deeds should come to judgment.
As the bird guideth her flight with her train, so the life of man is
' best directed with a continual recourse unto his end. The thought
of death hath made many sins avoid, fike the devil when Christ
alleged scripture; it is like a strainer, all the thoughts, and speeches,
and actions which come through it, are' cleansed and purified-like
a cloth which cometh out of the water.
Seeing then that so much fruit grews of one stalk, which is the

288 THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST.
numbering of our days, let us consider what an harvest we have
lost, which haply before this day never prayed with Moses, that the
Lord would teach us to number our days. What if we had died
in the days of our ignorance, like Judas, which hanged himself be
fore he could see the passion, or resurrection, or ascension of Christ ?
But God hath cared for us more than we have cared for ourselves.
We should have numbered our days and sins too ; but, alas, how
many days have we spent, and yet never thought why any day was
given us ! But as the old year went, and a new year came, so
we thought that a new would follow that, and so we think that an
other will come after this ; and so they thought which are dead
already. This is not to number our days, but to provoke God to
shorten our days. There are few here which have not seen twenty
years ; now if we had but every year learned one virtue since we
were born, we might by this time have been like saints among men ;
but the time is yet to come, when we must apply our hearts to wis
dom. To riches and pleasures we have applied our hearts, and pur
eyes, and our ears, and our hands too ; but to wisdom we have not
applied our hearts.
There be many causes, but there should be no cause if we had
numbered our days. For surely if a man could persuade himself
that this is his last day, as it may be, he would not defer his re
pentance until to-morrow ; if he could think that this is his last meal
that ever he shall eat, he would not surfeit ; if he could believe that
the words which he doth speak to-day, should be the last that ever
he should speak, he would not offend with his tongue ; if he could
be persuaded that this sermon should be the last sermon that ever
he should hear, he would hear it better than ever he heard any yet.
Yet breath is in the body, and the heart may apply itself, and the
eye may apply itself, and the ear may apply itself, and the hand may
apply itself ; work while it is light. I can but teach you with words,
as John baptized with water. As Moses prayed the Lord to teach
him to number his days, so you must pray the Lord to teach you to
number your days. And now I lead you to number your days. It
may be that thou hast but twenty years to serve God ; wilt thou
not live twenty years like a Christian, that thou mayest live a
thousand years like an angel ? It may be that thou hast but ten
years to serve him ; wilt thou not serve ten years for heaven, which
wouldst serve twenty years for a farm ? It may be that thou hast
but five years to serve God ; wilt thou not spend five years well,
to redeem all thy years for five ? Yet God doth know whether
many here have so long to repent for all the years which they

THE GODLY MAN'S REQUEST. 289
have spent in sin. If thou wert born but to-day, thy journey is not
an hundred years ; if thou be a man, half thy time is spent already ;
if thou be an old man, then thou art drawing to thy inn, and thy
race is but a breath ; therefore, as Christ said unto his disciples when
he found them sleeping, 'Could ye not watch one hour?' so I say
to myself, and to you, Can we not pray ? Can we not suffer a little
while ? He which is tired can crawl a little way, ajittle-further,
one step jnore forjTklngdorrr For this cause God would not have
men know when they shall die, because they should make ready
at all times, having no more certainty of one hour than another.
Therefore our Saviour saith, ' Watch,' because you know not when
the Lord will come to take you, or to judge you ; ' Happy are they
which hear the word and keep it.' Thus you see that death is the
last upon earth, that the time of man is set, that his race is short,
that he thinks not of it, that if he did remember it, it would make
him apply his mind to good, as he doth to evil. And now lend as
I began, ' The Lord teach us to number our days, that we may apply
our hearts to wisdom/ Amen.

/
VOL. I.

NOAH'S DBTJMENNESS.
IN TWO SERMONS.

NOAH'S DRUNKENNESS.

THE FIRST SERMON.
Noah also began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard :
and he drank of the wine, and was drunken ; and was un
covered in the midst of his tent — Gen. IX. 20, 21.
First, we are to speak of Noah; then of Ham, his wicked son ; and
after of Shem and Japbet, his good sons. In Noah first, of that
which he did well, and then of his sin ; in Ham, first of his sin, and
then of his curse ; in his brethren, first of their reverence and then
of their blessing.
Now we will speak of the father, and after of his children. Then
(saith Moses) that ' Noah began to be an husbandman.'
This is the first name which is given to Noah after the flood, he
is called a husbandman ; and the first work which is mentioned was
the planting of a vineyard. One would think, when all men were
drowned with the flood, and nOne left alive to possess the earth but
Noah and his sons, that he should have found himself something
else to do than to plant vineyards ; and that the Holy Ghost should
have entitled him king of the world, and not a husbandman of
the earth, seeing there be no such men as Noah was, which had
more in his hand than any king hath in the world, or shall have
to the world's end ; but thereby the Holy Ghost would shew, that
God doth not respect kings for their titles, nor men for their
riches, as we do, and therefore he nameth Noah, after the work
which he did, not after the possessions which he had, an husband
man. It seemeth that there was great diversity between this age and
ours ; for if we should see now a king go to plough, a nobleman

294 THE FIRST SERMON.
to drive the team, a gentleman keep sheep, he would be scorned
for his labour, more than Noah was for drunkenness ; yet when we
read how this monarch of the world thought no scorn to play the
husbandman, we consider not his princely calling, nor his ancient
years, nor his large [possessions, to commend his industry, or mo
desty, or lowly mind therein: which may teach us humility,
though we learn to disdain husbandry. Of whom will we learn
to be humble, if kings give example, and the Son of God hum
bleth himself from heaven to earth ? And yet we contemn the ex
ample of the kings of the earth, and the example of the King of
•heaven. The time was when Adam digged and delved, and David kept
sheep, and all the house of Jacob Were called ' men occupied about
cattle ;' but as they for this were abominable to the Egyptians (as
Moses saith in the same verse), so they which do like them are ab
horred of their brethren, and they which live by them scorn them
for their works, which would be chastened themselves because they
work not.
There was no art nor science which was so much set by in former
times, and is now profitable to the commonwealth, bringing less
profit unto herself, that may so justly complain of her fall without
cause, and her despite from them that live by her, as this painl';:!
science of husbandry ; that it is marvel that any man will take the
pain for the rest, to be contemned for his labour, and be a scorn for
the rest, which might hunger and starve, if he did not labour for
them more than they do for themselves. No marvel then though
many in the poor countries murmur and complain, that other can
not live by them, and they cannot live themselves ; but it is marvel
if their complaints do not grow in time to rebellion, and pull others
as low as themselves ; for why should the greatest pain yield the
less profit ? Yet this is their case ; for if you mark, you shall see
that the husbandman doth bate the price of his fruits so soon as
the dearth is past, though he raiseth it a little while that dearth
lasteth ; but they which raise the price of their wares with him,
seldom fall down, but make men pay as dear when the dearth is
past, as if it were a dearth still. Thus a plentiful year doth dam
age him, and a hard year doth advantage them. So this painful
man is fain to live poorly, fare meanly, go barely, house homely,
rise early, labour daily, sell cheap, and buy dear, that I may truly
say, that uo man deserveth his living better, no man fulfilleth the
law better, — that is, ' Thou shalt get thy living in the sweat of thy
brow/ — than this poor son of Adam, which picks his crumbs out of

noah's drunkenness. . 295
the earth. Therefore he should not be mocked for his labour,
which hath vexation enough, though all men speak well of him.
And in my opinion, if any deserve to be loved for his innocency,
or for his truth, or his pain, or the good which he brings to the
commonwealth, this realm is not so much beholden to any sort
of men (but those that feed the soul), as those that feed the
body, that is, those that labour the earth. Yet you see how they
live like drudges, as though they were your servants to provide
food for you, and after to bring it to your doors ; as the beasts
serve them, so they serve you, as though you were another kind
of men. I cannot think upon their misery, but my thoughts tell
me, that it is a great part of our unthankfulness, that we never
consider what an easy fife and living God hath given unto us in re
spect of them.
If the apostle's rule were kept, ' they which do not work should
not eat ;' but now they which do not work eat most, and the hus
bandmen which work eat not, but are like bees, which provide food
for others, and pinch themselves. Let us consider this, for they
had not one law and we another, but the same curse which was
denounced upon Adam was denounced upon all his children, that
every man should get his living in the sweat of his brows. Although
I know there be divers works, and divers gifts, and divers callings
to work in ; yet always provided they which do not work should
not eat, for in the sweat of thy brow7s, that is, in labour and travail,
thou king, and thou judge, and thou prelate, and thou landlord,
and thou gentleman, shalt get thy living, as Adam thy father did,
or else thou dost avoid the curse, and a greater curse shall follow ;
that is, they wrh.ich-wiU.--BOt-swea.t on^earih shall sweat in hell.
Adam had food as well as thou, and so had Noah, and more than
thou, unless thou hadst all, for they had all ; and yet they might
not be idle, because their hands were not given them for nothing.
Some work with their pen ; some with their tongues ; some with
their fingers : as nature hath made nothing idle, but that he which
is a magistrate, should do the work of a magistrate ; he which is a
judge, should do the work of a judge; he which is a captain, should
do the work of captain ; he which is a minister, should do the work
of a minister ; as when Noah was called a husbandman, he did the
work of an husbandmar/ This contempt ofjthe country doth
threaten danger to the land, as much as anything else in our days,
unless their burden be eased, and their estimation qualified in some
part to their pains. Thinking that you have not heard of this
theme before, seeing the words of my text did lie for it, thus much

296 THE FIRST SERMON.
I have spoken to put you in mind how easily you live in respect of
them, and to rectify our minds towards our poor brethren, which
indeed seem too base in our eyes, and are scorned for their labours,
as much as we should be for. our idleness.
Then, saith Moses, Noah began to be an husbandman. In that
it is here said that Noah began, it doth not disprove that he gave
not himself to husbandry before, but it importeth that Noah began
to set up husbandry again after the flood before any other. . So this
good man, recomforted with the experience of God's favour (which
had exempted him and his seed out of the world), and rejoicing to
see the face of the earth again, after the waters were gone, though
an old man, and weaker than he was, yet he turned to his labour
afresh, and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions, as
though he were an husbandman. Such a lowliness is always joined
with the fear of God ; and they that are humbled with religion, do
not think themselves- too good to do any good thing.
Here note by the way, that none of Noah's sons are said to begim
this work, but Noah himself; the old man, the hoary head,, and
careful father begins to teach the rest, and shews his sons the way
how they should provide for their sons, and how all the world after
should labour and travail, till they return to dust. So the old man,
whom age dispenseth withal to take his ease, is more willing to pro
vide for the wants of his children, than they are which are bound to
labour for themselves and their parents too ; as the stork doth feed
the dam when she is old, because the dam fed her when she was
young. What a shame is this to Shem and Japhet, that is, to us
which are young and strong, that the father should be called a
labourer, when the sons stand by ! Now the ground was barren
because of the flood, and could not bring forth fruit of itself because
of the curse ; therefore it pitied Noah to see the desolation, and
barrenness, and slime upon the face of the earth, which he had seen
so glorious, and sweet, and fertile, with all manner of herbs, and
fruits, and flowers before. Therefore he setteth himself to manure
it, which waited for nothing now, but a painful labourer to till and
dress it, that it might bring forth delights and profits for sinful
man, as it did before.
By this we may learn to use all means for the obtaining of God's
blessings, and not to lose anything which we might have or save
for want of pains ; for that is sin, as Solomon noteth in Prov. xxiv.,
when he reproveth the slothful husbandman, because his field
brought forth nettles and thistles, instead of grapes, not because
the ground would not bear grapes, but because the slothful man

NOAH'S DRUNKENNESS. 297
would not set them. Shall God command the earth and all his
creatures to increase for us, and shall not we further their increase
for ourselves ? As we increase and multiply ourselves, so we are
bound to join hand and help, that all creatures may increase and
multiply too, or else the fathers, should eat the children's portion,
and in time there would be nothing left for them that come after.
This regardJSioah iseemeth-tojleaye unto his posterity, and therefore
he gave himself unto husbandry, which is commended in him unto
this day, and shall be .recorded of him so long as this book is read ;
whereby we are warned, that he which liveth only to himself, is not
to be remembered of them which live after. But as David cared
how the realm should be governed after his death, as well as he did
during his life, so though we die and depart this world, yet we
sjiould leaye_ thatj3xample,.or those books, or those works behind us,
which may juofitjthechurch and commonwealth, when we are dead
and buried, as much as we did when we lived among them ; even
as Noah planted a vineyard, not for himself but for the ages to
come after.
Some do think that Noah planted the first vineyard, and drank
the first wine, and that there was no use of grapes before ; which
opinion they are led unto, that they might excuse Noah, and miti
gate his fault if he did sup too deep of that cup> the strength and
operation whereof was not known unto him, nor unto any man
before. But it is not like that the excellent liquor and wholesome
juice of the grape did lie hid from the world so many hundred
years ; and no doubt but there were vines from the beginning, and
created with other trees ; for how could Noah plant a vineyard
unless he had slips of other vines, or grapes that grew before, seeing
he did not create fruits, but plant fruits as we do. For this is
principally to be noted, that so soon as he had opportunity to do
good, he omitted no time, but presently after the flood was gone,
and that the earth began to dry, he plied it with seeds, and wrought
it till he saw the fruits of his labour. By this we learn to omit no
occasion to do good, but whensoever we may do good, to count it
sin if we do it not.
But if we be so exercised, then all our works shall prosper like
the vineyard of Noah ; because the fruit of the vine doth cheer the
countenance and glad the heart of man. Therefore some have
gathered upon the planting of this vineyard a signification of glad
ness and thankfulness in Noah for his late deliverance, and the Jews
by their solemn feasts did celebrate the memorial of some great
benefit ; but I rather judge that God would have us see in this

298 THE FIRST SERMON.
example what men did in these days, and how we are degenerate
from our parents, that we may prepare against the fire, as Noah
prepared against the water.
This is worthy to be noted too : God did not so regard his hus
bandry but that he had an eye to his drunkenness, and speaks of
his fault as well as his virtue ; whereby we are warned that though
God bless us now while we remember him, yet he will chasten us so
soon as we forget him ; though we be in a good name now, infamy
will rise in an hour ; though we be rich at this present, poverty
may come presently ; though we be whole while we be here, yet we
may fall sick before night, even as Noah is praised in one verse
and dispraised in another verse. Even now God commendeth him
for his lowliness, and now discommendeth him for his drunkenness,
as though he had forgotten all his righteousness so soon as he had
sinned, and would call in his praise again.
This was to shew that Noah was not saved from the flood because
he deserved to be saved, but because God had favour unto him, for
he which was not drowned with water was after drowned with
wine. As the Pharisees when they had done well were proud of it,
and lost their reward, so when Noah had done a good work, he
spotted it with sin, and was dispraised where he was praised, as
though God had repented him that he commended him. He planted
well, but he drank not well ; therefore that which was good did
him hurt. Then seeing he was trapped with a good work, whatso
ever we do we may remember how easy it is to sin, if we miss in
the matter, or in the manner, or time, or place, or the measure, as
Noah did. He which planted the vineyard is worthy to taste of
the grape ; but if thou have found honey, saith Solomon, eat not
too much lest thou surfeit. So if thou hast found wine, drink not
too much lest thou surfeit. A little wine is better than a great
deal, and if thou wilt follow the apostle's counsel, thou must drink
it but for thy stomach's sake, lest that happen to thee which thou
shalt hear of this noble patriarch.
Though he were never so righteous before God and men, though
he escaped the destruction which lighted upon all the world, though-
he had all the fowls of the air and beasts of the land at his com
mand, though he passed the pilgrimage of man nine hundred years,
yet Noah was but a man, so ancient, so righteous, so mighty, so
happy. Noah shewed himself but a man, for, drinking the wine
which himself had planted, he was drunken. This was Noah's
fault, he was drunken with his own wine, as Lot was defiled with
his own daughters. If Ham his son had taken too much, and

NOAH'S DRUNKENNESS. 299
stripped himself as his father did, the Holy Ghost would scarce have
spoken of it, because he was a man of no note ; but when the
father forgat himself, and gave his offence, mark the manner of the
Holy Ghost, as though he would shew you a wonder ; he displayeth
Noah's drunkenness, as Ham displayed his nakedness, as if he
would say, Come and see the strength of man ! He which was
counted so righteous, he which believed the threatening, like Lot,
when the rest mocked, he to whom all the fowls of the air, and the
beasts of the earth, flocked in couples as they came to Adam, he
which was reserved to declare the judgments of God, and to begin
the wrorld again ; Noah, the example of sobriety, the example of
moderation, is overcome with drink, as if he had never been the man.
How easy, how quickly the just, the wise, the prudent, hath lost
his sense, his memory, his reason, as though he had never been the
man! And how hard is it to avoid sin, when occasion is at hand, and
pleasant opportunity tempteth to sin ! It is easier for the bird to
go by the net than to break the net ; so it is easier for a man to
avoid temptations than to overcome temptations. Therefore G0<1
forbade Balaam, not only to curse the people as Balak would have
him, but he forbade him to go with Balak's servants, knowing that if
he went with them, and saw the pomp of the court, and heard the
king himself speak unto him, and felt the tickling reward, it would
strain his conscience, and make him doubt whether he should curse
or bless.
Peter but warming himself at Caiaphas's fire, was overcome by
a silly damsel to do that which he never thought, even to forswear
his Lord God. Therefore Daniel would not eat of the king's meat,
lest he should be tempted to the king's will, shewing us that there
is no way to escape sin, but to avoid occasion. Therefore David
prayeth, ' Turn away mine eyes from vanity/ as though his eyes
would draw his heart, as the bait tilleth on the hook. Noah
thought to drink, he thought not to be drunk ; but as he which
cometh to the field to sound the trumpet is slain as soon as he
which cometh to fight, so the same wine distempereth Noah which
hath distempered so many since. Where he thought to take his
reward, and taste of the fruit of his own hands, God set an ever
lasting blot upon him, which sticks fast till this day, like a bar in
his arms, so long as the name of Noah is spoken of, that we cannot
read of his virtue, but we must read "of his sin ; whereby every man
is warned to receive the gifts of God reverently, to use them soberly,
and to sanctify himself before he reach forth his hand unto them,

300 THE FIRST SERMON.
that they may comfort and profit us, with that secret blessing
which God hath hid in them ; or else everything, the best gifts of
God may hurt us, as the pleasant wine stained and confounded the
great patriarch, when he delighted too much in it, which he might
have drunk as Christ did at his last supper, and this disgrace had
never been written in his story. But God would have a fearful
example, fike the pillar of salt, to stand before those beasts, whose
only strife is to make trial who can quaff deepest, and shew all their
valiantness in wine.
Because there is such warning before us, now we have the
drunkard in schooling, I will spend the time that is left to shew
you the deformity of this sin. If any hear me which have been
overtaken with it, let them not marvel why he cannot love his
enemies, which loveth such an enemy as this, which leadeth till he
reeleth, dulls him till he be a fool, and steals away his sense, his
wit, his memory, his health, his credit, his friends, and when she
hath stripped him as bare as Noah, then she exposeth him like
Noah to Ham, and all that see him do mock him. It is a wonder
almost that any man would be drunk that hath seen a drunkard
before, swelling, and puffing, and foaming, and spewing, and grovel
ling like a beast ¦ for who would be like a beast for all the world ?
Look upon the drunkard when his eyes^stare, his moutli_drivels,
his tongue falters, his face flames, his hands tremble, his feet reel,
how ugly, how monstrous, how loathsome doth he seem_to thee ?
So loathsome dost thou seem to others when thou art in like
taking. And how loathsome, then, dost thou seem to God ? Therefore;
the first law that Adam received of God was abstinence, which, if
he had kept, he had kept all virtues beside ; but intemperance lost
all. In abstinence the law came to Moses; and he fasted when he
received it, to shew that they which receive the word of God, re
ceive it soberly. A temperate man seldom sinneth, because the
flesh, which doth tempt, is mortified, lest it should tempt ; but when
the handmaid is above the mistress, and a man hath lost the image
of God, and scarce retaineth the image of man, all his thoughts and
speeches, and actions, must needs be sin, and nothing but sin,
because the band of virtue, sobriety, is broken, which kept all to
gether. When didst thou want discretion to consider? When
didst thou want patience to forgive? When didst thou want heart
to pray, but when sobriety was fled away, and intemperancy filled
her room? If shame let to sin, it casteth out shame; if fear let to
sin, it casteth out fear; if love let to sin, it expulseth love ; if know-

NOAH'S DRUNKENNESS. 301
ledge let to sin, it expulseth knowledge, like a covetous landlord
which would have all to himself and dwell alone.
There is no sin but hath some show of virtue ; only the sin of
drunkenness is like nothing but sin. There is no sin but, although
it hurt the soul, it beautifieth the body, or promiseth profit, or plea
sure, or glory, or something to his servants; only drunkenness is so
impudent, that it descrieth itself; so unthankful, that it maketh no
recompence; so noisome, that it consumeth the body, which maketh
sinners spare, lest they should appear to be sinners. Every sin de-
fileth a man, but drunkenness maketh him like a beast ; every sin
defaceth a man, but drunkenness taketh away the image of a man ;
every sin robbeth a man of some virtue, but drunkenness stealeth
away all virtues at once; every sin deserveth punishment, but
drunkenness upbraids a man while the wine is in the stomach.
And though he would dissemble his drunkenness, yet he is not able
to set a countenance of it, but the child descrieth him; the fool
knows that he is drunk, because his face betrayeth him, like the
leprosy which brast out of the forehead; so worthily hath he lost
his opinion of sobriety which hath lost itself. His son thinks him
self more master now than his father; his servant makes him a fool;
his children lead him like a child ; his wife useth him like a ser
vant. And although his drunkenness leaveth him when he hath
slept, yet no man seeks to him for counsel after, no man regards
his word, no man reckons of his judgment, no man is persuaded by
his counsel, no man accounts of his learning, no man hath any
glory to accompany with him, but so soon as drunkenness hath
made him like a beast, every man abhorreth him like a beast, as
they did Nebuchadnezzar; the Spirit flieth from him, lest he should
grieve it ; his friends go away, lest he should shame them ; and no
virtues dare come near, lest he should defile them.
JEow many things fly out when wine goes in ! How is it then
that he which loveth himself can be so cruel to himself, that he
should love his life, and shorten his life; that he should love his
health, and destroy his health; that he should love his strength, and
weaken his strength; that he should love his wealth, and consume
his wealth ; that he should love his credit, and crack his credit; that
he should love his understanding, and overturn his understanding;
that he should love his beauty, and deform his beauty ? The poets
need feigning no more, that men are transformed into beasts, for if
they were living now, they should see men like beasts ; some like
lions, some like wolves, some like foxes, some like bears, some like
swine. Who is the beast, when the beasts satisfy nature, and man

302 THE FIRST SERMON.
satisfieth appetite ; when the beasts keep measure, and man ex
ceeds measure? When the beasts are found labouring, and man
found surfeiting, who is the beast? I have read of a bird which
hath the face of a man, but is so cruel of nature, that sometimes
for hunger she will set upon a man and slay him ; after, when she
comes for thirst unto the water to drink, seeing the face in the
water like the face of him whom she devoured, for grief that she
had killed one like herself, takes such sorrow, that she never eateth
nor drinketh after, but beats, and frets, and pines herself to death.
What wilt thou do then, which hast not slain one like thyself, but
thyself, thy very self, with a cup of wine, and murderest so many
virtues and graces in one hour?
As Esau sold bis land and living for a mess of pottage, so the
drunkard selleth his sense, and wit, and memory, and credit, for a
cup of wine. Thou hast not murdered thy brother like Cain, but
thou hast murdered thyself like Judas. As the Rechabites abstain
ing from wine, as Jonadab bid them, obtained the blessing which
God had appointed to the Israelites ; so let us take heed lest they
which we account idolaters,. whilst they fast and watch, obtain the
blessing which God hath appointed for us, get away the blessings,
while we sit down to eat, and rise to play. Therefore, as Christ
said, 'Remember Lot's wife/ so I say, Remember Lot; one hour of
drunkenness did him more hurt than all his enemies in Sodom.
Remember Noah ; one hour of drunkenness discovered that which
was hid six hundred years. Ten times more might be said against
this vice ; but if I have said enough to make you abhor it, I have
had as much as I would.
Some go about to excuse Noah, because he was an old man, and
therefore might soon be taken cup-shot. Some because the wines
were hotter in those countries than they are with us. Some be
cause of his change of drinks, which had not wonted himself to
wine before. Some because, as most men delight in that which
by great labour they have brought to pass of themselves, so
no marvel though Noah had a longing to his own grapes, fol
lowing herein the example of a curious cook, which doth sup and
sup his broth, to taste whether it be well seasoned, that he may
mend it, if he can, or mend the next ; but as the fly, by often dally
ing with the candle, at last scorcheth her wings with the flame, so
taking, he was taken, and at last was drunk. Yet this is imputed to
him for his fault, that he was drunk, as the punishment which
follows doth witness. Such is the providence of God, that his mercy
might be glorified in all. He hath concluded all under sin, and

noah's drunkenness. 303
suffered the best to fall, that no man might trust in his own strength ;
and that we, seeing their, repentance, may learn _to rise again, how
grievous soever our sins be. If we have been idolaters, if adulterers,
if "persecutors, if murmurers, if murderers, if blasphemers, if drunk
ards ; Aaron and Moses, and Lot and Abraham, and David and
Solomon, and Peter and Paul, and Noah, have been the like, who
reign now in the kingdom of Christ with his angels ; and so may
we, if we repent like them. These examples, saith Paul, are not
written for our imitation, but for our admonition.
Thus you have seen Noah sober, and Noah drunken ; whereby
you may see that a man may be drunk with his own wine, he may
surfeit with his own meats, he may lust with his own wife, he may
offend with his own gifts, his own honour may make him proud,
his own riches may make him covetous, his own strength may make
him venturous, bis own wit may make him contentious. Therefore,
as the child plucks out the sting before he takes the honey, so let
every man, before he receives the gifts of God, sit down and look
what baits, what snares, what temptations Satan hath hid in them,
and when he hath taken out the sting, then eat the honey, and he
shall use the blessings of Christ, as Christ did himself.

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS.

THE SECOND SERMON.
And when Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his
father, he told his two brethren without Then took Shem and
Japheth a garment, and put it upon both their shoulders, and
went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; with
their faces backward : so they saw not their father's nakedness.
Then Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger
son had done unto him. And said, Cursed be Canaan; a
servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. He said
moreover, Bhssed be the Lord God of Shem, ; and let Canaan
be his servant God persuade Japheth that he may dwell in
the tents of Shem ; and let Canaan be his servant, &c. — Gen.
IX. 21-27.
You have here the story of Noah and his sons. As Noah did well
and evil, so he had good sons.and evil ; but as his virtues were more
notorious than his vibes, so God blessed him more than he crossed
him ; for he had two good sons, and but one evil son ; his good sons
were Shem and Japhet, his wicked son was Ham ; his good sons
were blessed, his wicked son was cursed. First, of the father, and
then of his sons. In Noah, first you see his husbandry, and then
his drunkenness, and after his nakedness. In Ham, first you see
his mockery, and after his curse ; in Shem and Japhet, first you see
their reverence, and after their blessing.
Of Noah's drunkenness and his husbandry we have spoken ; now
a word of his nakedness. ' Drinking of the wine, he was drunk, and
was uncovered in the midst of his tent/ &c. It is said that drunken
porters keep open gates ; so when Noah was drunken, he set all
open. As wine went , in, so wit wentout ; as wit went out, so his

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 305
clothes went, off Thus Adam, which began the world at first, was
made naked with sin, Gen. iii. ; and Noah, which began the world
again, is made naked with sin, to shew that sin is no shrouder, but
a stripper. This is one fruit of the vine more than Noah looked
for ; instead of being refreshed and comforted, he was stripped and
scorned. There is a thing which followeth sin, which Job calleth a rod,
Job ix. 34, xxi. 9, which the sinner never thinketh of, before he
have done. When the child hath faulted, then he is beaten ; so
now Noah hath sinned, he must be beaten ; first he is stripped naked,
after he is scourged ; wine putteth off his clothes, and then Ham
cometh and lasheth him ; to shew that wine can both cheer the
heart and grieve the heart. As the forbidden tree, when it promised
our parents knowledge, took their knowledge from them, Gen. iii. 3,
so every sin giveth other wages than it promiseth. Little thought
Noah that wine would make him naked ; but now he is naked and
stripped too, as though he were first stripped, and then whipped.
.He which believed the threatening (like Lot) when others mocked,
Gen. xix. ; he which escaped the flood when others were drowned ;
he to whom all the fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth
flocked in couples, as they did to Adam, Gen. ii. ; he which was
reserved to declare the judgments of God, and begin the world
again ; Noah, the example of temperance, the example of modera
tion, the example of sobriety, lieth naked in his tent for drinking
the wine which he himself had planted. The operation of wine was
drunkenness, the sequel of drunkenness was nakedness, the effect
of nakedness was derision. As the serpent's sting is in his tail, so
the end of sin is bitterness. Lest he should love the vice where
with he was once defiled (as they which are once drunk hardly get
out of the cellar), God giveth him a memorandum, like Jacob's
limping, that he was never drunken after, but learned temperance
of intemperance ; therefore it is good a little to feel the sting of sin,
that we may handle it like a hornet.
Now when Noah the father was drunken, Ham the son becometh
a scorner ; the father deserved to be despised of his son, because he
had disfigured the image of a father. Therefore followeth, ' When
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, he told
his two brethren without/ &c. Drunkenness was his fault, and shame
must be his punishment. Whereby you may note, how God doth
proportionate and match sins and punishments together, that a man
may look upon his punishment like a glass and see his sin. Again,
VOL. I. U

306 THE SECOND SERMON.
by this you may see how God doth bring forth the faults of the
just, as well as the unjust ; or else others would say as Christ saith,
John viii, ' Who can accuse me of sin ?' What a grief was tbis to
David, that "his son should be his traitor! So to increase the grief
of Noah, his son was his scorner. He may say as the psalmist saith,
Ps. Iv. 12, 'It is thou, O man ! even my companion and familiar,
which delighted together.' If mine enemy had defamed me, I could
have borne it, or I would have fled from him ; but he whom I have
loved, nay, he whom I have brought into the world, made me a shame
to the world, like the viper, which killeth the dam that beareth it.
So oftentimes the prophecy of Micah proveth true, ' A man's ene
mies are they of his own house/ chap. vii. 6 ; as Judas betrayed
his Master.
Who can reclaim a wicked disposition ? How deep was the root
of evil hid in his heart, that Noah could never know it before he
shewed it ! Until now, Ham seemed as good as Shem ; and if
Japhet had said, Thou shalt be cursed, he would have said, Thou
shalt be cursed. Hypocrisy is spun with such fine thread, that we
may live as long with a man as Noah did with Ham, and scarce
discern him.
Here are two sins which go before Ham's curse : one, that he did
see his father's nakedness ; the other, that he did reveal it unto his
brethren. When he saith that ' Ham saw his father's nakedness,' he mean
eth that he looked upon it with a pleasure, as David did upon the
nakedness of Bathsheba, 2 Sam. xi. ; for he might have seen it by
chance, and not offended, as a man seeth an image and detesteth it.
The Edomites are reproved for looking upon the affliction of their
brethren, because they rejoiced to see it, Obad. 11; but the friends
of Job looked upon his afflictions, and are not reproved, because^
they sorrowed to see his sorrows. Therefore Ham did not sin in
seeing, but in gazing and rejoicing, like the Edomites.
There is a wise eye, and there is a foolish eye, Eccles. ii. 14. The
wise eye is like the bee, which gathereth honey of every weed ; the
foolish eye is like the spider, which gathereth poison of every flower.
Therefore God licensed Abraham to see the flames of Sodom, which
he forbade Lot, because that which teacheth one tempteth another.
It is a true proverb, The eye is a shrew ; although it shew light,
yet it leadeth many into darkness. If Eve had not seen, she had
not lusted ; for it is said, ' Seeing that the tree was pleasant to the
eye, she took and ate/ Gen. iii. 6. If Achan had not seen, he had
not stolen ; for he saith, first I saw, and then I coveted, Josh. vii. 21.

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 307
If David had not seen, he had not lusted ; for it is said first, that
he did see her, and then he sent for her, 2 Sam. xi. 2. So when
Ham had seen the temptation, he was snared with the sin ; there
fore it followeth, ' He told his brethren which were without,' &c.
Thus sin groweth of sin, from the eye to the heart, and from the
heart to the tongue. A man may go into a labyrinth easily ; but
when he is in he cannot get out ; so Ham did see a temptation
easily, but when he had seen it, he could not look from it. There
fore when Isaiah speaketh of vanity, he named 'cart-ropes of vanity/
Isa. v. 18, to shew how one sin draweth another, as it were with
cart-ropes, and one sinner maketh another, as Eve did Adam, Gen.
iii. When Satan was cast out himself, he sought ever after whom
he might devour, 1 Pet. v. 8 ; so when Ham had strained reverence
himself, he laboured to bring his brethren into the same disobe
dience. All men seek after fellows, and we think it evil to be evil
alone ; therefore the thieves, before they go to steal, call their mates,
and say, ' Come with us/ Prov. i. 10. ' It is enough/ saith Peter,
'that we have spent our former time in lust,' 1 Pet. iv. 3 ; so it was
enough that Ham had faulted himself, but when he had seen, he
would have his brethren see too ; when he was become a scorner,
he would have his brethren scorn too ; therefore, as Andrew called
Simon, and Philip called Nathanael, to see the Son of God, so Ham
called his brethren to see the nakedness of his father. The sins of
men are like a plume of feathers ; for itching ears and an evil dis
position breedeth an evil suspicion ; therefore Ham, thinking that
his brethren had been as shameless as himself, thought this a merry
May-game to make them sport. Come with me, saith he, and I
will shew you my father naked. They say it is an evil bird which
will defile his own nest ; so it is an evil son that will shame his own
father. He should have covered his father's nakedness so soon as
he saw it, lest his brethren should see it too ; but he was ready to
make it worse, fike them which hear a suspicion and make it a re
port. He should have taken the beam out of his own eye, when he
spied a mote in his father's eye ; but as the eye seeth all things and
cannot see itself, so we can see other men's faults, but not our own.
When Agur had considered the follies of others, he considered
his own follies, and said, ' I am more foolish than any man/ Prov.
xxx. 2. When Judah had considered Tamar's sins, he considered
his own, and said, ' She is more righteous than 1/ Gen. xxxviii.
But when Ham did see a fault in his father, all his own faults were
hid under a bushel ; he cared not that he was his father, nor that
he was saved for his righteousness, nor that he had planted a vine-

308 THE SECOND SERMON.
yard for him and his brethren, nor that he was never drunken be
fore, nor that he had committed greater sins himself ; but like them
which make their sport of that which should be their sorrow, so he
laughed at that which might make him weep. Often did I well,
might Noah say, and thou didst never honour me for that ; but once
did I evil, and for that thou wouldst shame me !
There is a kind of men which are ashamed of other men's faults.
but not of their own ; they are like flies, which always light upon
the sore ; if they find any sin, thereof they talk, that is their sport,
like a tennis-ball, when they come to their ordinaries ; and though
they did never well in all their life, yet that fault seemeth greater
to them than all their own ; these men are so like the devil, that in
Rev. xii. 10 the devil is called by their name, an ' accuser of the
brethren ;' and that you may know that such tongues shall burn in
the fire of hell, Saint James saith, that their ' tongues are kindled
with the flame of hell' already, James iii. 6. This was ever the
property of bad men, to seek faults in good men, to object again,
that they may sin without reproof of them. Therefore said Paul,
' So behave yourselves, that they which would slander you may be
ashamed, having nothing to speak evil of you/ Titus ii. 8. If Noah
had ngfjaeen-dnunken, Ham had-lost bis. sport.
Now because this fact of Ham was so heinous, when he is accused
of it he is called the father of Canaan, as if he should say, Think
what he deserveth, which, being a father himself, would so dishonour
bis father. It was meet that he which had children should know
the duty of a child, and ever think that as he behaved himself
towards his father, so his sons would behave themselves to him
again ; but all this did nothing move him ; therefore the greater
was his sin.
To conclude, then, as Ham was worse than Noah, whom he derided,
so if you mark, they which are wont to speak hardly of others,
have greater faults themselves, which they cannot tell how to cover
but by disgracing others. Thus much of the wicked son : now of
the good sons it followeth ; —
Then took Shem and Japhet a garment, and put it upon both
their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of
their father, &c. Solomon saith, 'If sinners tempt thee, yet consent
thou not/ Prov. i. 10. So though Ham tempted them, they con
sented not ; but when he said, Come and see, they went and hid.
Noah stripped himself, but he could not cover himself ; so we can
corrupt ourselves, but we cannot amend ourselves. As Ham is
accused of two faults, for beholding his father's nakedness, and for

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 309
revealing it, so Shem and Japhet are commended for two things,
that they would not see their father's nakedness, and that they
covered it. All came out of one root, and all had one duty, and
yet see what difference was between them : one was glad of his
father's shame, and the other were sorry for it ; one published it,
and the other smothered it. These two, saith Moses, saw not their
father's nakedness.
Once it was no shame to be naked, for it is said that Adam and
Eve were ' both naked, and were not ashamed,' Gen. ii. 25. But as
sin made labour irksome, which was not irksome before, and made
heat offensive, which was not offensive before, and made cold hurtful,
which was not hurtful before, so it made nakedness shameful, which
was not shameful before, that rather than a man would be naked
now, he would cover himself, as Adam did, with fig-leaves. There
fore we never read that Noah was naked before he was drunken,
shewing that a sober man will never open that which nature hath hid.
This is the difference between man and beast : men are not only
ashamed to be seen naked themselves, but, unless it be some Ham,
they are ashamed to see another naked : ' Shem and Japhet saw
not their father's nakedness.' Who is so blind as he which will not
see ? Nay, who is so blind as he which will see ? The sight of the
eye oftentimes draweth the soul out of light into darkness. Knowing,
therefore, that it was hard to see like Ham, and not to sin like Ham,
they would not see lest they should offend. As they would not see
it themselves, so they were careful that none other should see it,
and therefore they covered it with their cloaks. For we must not
only refrain sin but restrain sin, according to that, Lev. xix. 17,
' Suffer not thy brother to sin/ So Shem and Japhet, seeing how
their brother had sinned, stopped the cause, that no more might sin ;
they were loath that he should see that which he would have them
to see ; their grief and modesty was such that they did not stay to
make him any answer, or ask him any question, but straight they
thought what was best to be done ; and as a nurse taketh the milk
out of her own mouth to give to the child, so they took off their
clothes from their backs to cover their father. Such a reverence is
in children toward their parents, if they have but nature, that they
will not suffer the majesty of their father to wax vile, but rather they
will hear any reproach against themselves than abide a word against
their father. Now if we do such reverence to earthly fathers, which
brings us unto misery, that we had rather shame ourselves than they
should bear any shame, why are we so ashamed and afraid to speak
for our Father, which calleth us out of misery into happiness ? If

310 THE SECOND SERMON.
Ham be cursed for dishonouring a man, let them fear which dishonour
God. You know that the papists do cover the spots of their bishops
with this cloak of Shem and Japhet ; and not only they, but others
too, for if any speak of corruption in rulers, or bribery in judges, or
simony in bishops, or non-residency in pastors, he is said to discover
his father's nakedness like Ham. But as we may not reveal all sins
lest the uncircumcised rejoice, so we may not cover some sins lest
the uncircumcised increase ; for if some men's drunkenness were not
reproved, they would be drunken still, and make a commonweal of
drunkards. Therefore they which will be covered, first let them
prove themselves fathers, as Noah was, and after let them amend, as
Noah did ; and they which cover them, let them distinguish between
Noah and Ham, and between error and obstinacy. For some Christ
appointed admonition, for others reprehension, for others excom
munication, and for others correction ; therefore every man's naked
ness must not be covered as Noah's was. We will cover the
first drunkenness, as Shem and Japhet did, if they will repent as
Noah did, and be drunken no more. But shall we follow them like
a blind man's boy, to stay them so often as they fall, when they say
that they stumble not, though they lie on the ground ? This is not
the cloak of reverence, but the cloak of flattery. Therefore, as
Christ said, ' Let the dead bury the dead/ so I may say, Let the
wicked cover the wicked ; the wolves are not the lambs' fathers,
but the lambs' butchers ; therefore if they would be covered, let them
speakto their children to cover them ; for this is our rule, 'They which
sin openly, reprove openly, that the rest may fear/ 1 Tim. v. 20.
Thus you have heard what the bad son did, and what the good
sons did. Now we come to Noah again. Then Noah awoke, and
knew what his younger son had done unto him, and said unto
him, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto
his brethren. He said moreover, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem,
and let Canaan be his servant, &c.
First, he sheweth how Noah cometh to himself, then how he knew
what his sons had done unto him, then how he curseth one and
blesseth another. As his sons were ashamed of bis nakedness when
he was drunken, so now he is sober, he is ashamed of it himself; there
fore he is said to awake from his wine, as though he had been asleep ;
for the drunkard, saith Solomon, ' is as one that sleepeth/ Prov.
xxiii. 34. When the belly is full, the bones are at rest, so, when
Noah was full, his thoughts were at rest; therefore, being as it were
lulled asleep with over much wine, he may be said to awake.

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 311
Here Moses would exhort all them that sleep with Noah, to awake
with Noah. Noah was once intemperate, and many follow him in
that; Noah was but once intemperate, and few follow him in that.
David was once incontinent, and many follow him in that ; David
was but once incontinent, and few follow him in that. Peter was
once unfaithful, and many follow him in that ; Peter was but once
unfaithful, and few follow him in that. This is the difference be
tween the faithful and the wicked, both fall, and but one riseth
again. It followeth, He knew what his younger son had done unto him,
either by the Spirit of God, which suggested him, or else by some
other that told him ; for a drunken man doth not remember what
is said or dene, and therefore the drunkard saith, ' I was beaten, but
when I awaked, I knew it not/ Prov. xxiii. 35. Therefore when Lot
was drunken, his daughters lay with him, and it is said, Gen. xix.
33, that ' he perceived not when they lay down, nor when they
rose up ;' therefore Noah knew, either by the Spirit which informed
him, or by others that told him.
/Now, as Moses, declaring Ham's sin, called him ' the father of
Canaan/ so Noah repeating his sin again, called him ' his younger
gon.' He disdaineth to name him, but calleth him a younger son,
/to aggravate bis fault, because we will suffer our elder sons to be
familiar with us, but of the younger we look for more reverence ; or
else because parents are wont to make more of the youngest, and
dandle them, as Jacob did Benjamin ; and so he might say, My
younger son, which for his years should have shewed me most duty,
and for i»y affection should have borne me most love ; my younger
son hath sought my dishonour, and not content to scorn me himself,
hath published my shame, and as much as in him lay, provoked his
brethren to scorn me too.
Of whom is a man so often deceived, as of bis nearest friend?
Lightly the younger son is better than the elder, as Joseph was
better than his elder brethren ; David was better than his elder
brethren ; Abel was better than his elder brother ; Isaac was better
than his dder brother ; Jacob was better than his elder brother ;
but here tie youngest is worst, so neither virtue nor vice goeth by
age. Now as Christ, when he awoke, rebuked the winds, and com
forted his iisciples, so Noah, when he awoke, cursed the scorner,
and blessec the other. Moses doth not set down his words of choler,
but bringeih him in, speaking by the spirit of prophecy, what should
come upon all his sons. It is like that the good patriarch had be
wailed his Dwn sin before, and now having repented, and got pardon

312 THE SECOND SERMON.
for it, he cometh forth like a proclaimer of God's judgment, and
thundereth against this mocker. What a grief was this to the
father, to be constrained to condemn his own son, and with his own
mouth to pronounce him banished from the church of God. For
though Ham had not the nature of a son, yet Noah had not lost the
nature of a father, and he saw what a small number was left upon
earth, like Adam's children, for to replenish the whole world again ;
therefore it grieved him to curse his son, as much as it rejoiced his
son to scorn him. Yet as Abraham would sacrifice his son, rather
than displease God, so Noah did curse his son, rather than he would
displease God, shewing that we should not spare our own bowels,
when God would have them punished ; but do as the fathers and
mothers of idolaters and blasphemers did in the law, yho brought
the first stone to press their sons to death, Deut. xiii. ; pewing that
as the Son of God died for them, so their sons should! die for God,
if they would not serve him. Now the curse goeth forth, ' Cursed
be Canaan ;' that is, cursed be scorners, cursed be all they which
dishonour their father and mother, ' a servant of servants shall he
be.' This is the first mention of servants in all the Scripture. Man
was not made to serve, but to rule ; but sin maketh them serve which
should rule ; therefore as you saw sin bring in the first nakedness,
so you see sin bringing in the first servant. ' A servant of servants^
shall he be/ This curse is denounced with great vehemency; for
he saith not simply, a servant shall be be, but ' a servant of ser
vants shall he be ;' as if he should say, a servant, and more than a
servant; that is, of a servile condition, and a servile mind. As the
' Sabbath of Sabbaths' signifieth a high Sabbath, as the ' Song of
songs' signifieth an excellent song, as the 'holy of holies 'signifieth
the holiest place, and as the 'Lord of lords' signifieth the chiefest
Lord, so ' vanity of vanities' signifieth the greatest vanity, and ' ser
vant of servants' signifieth the vilest servant. Seeing, /ben, that
the_p_ope taketh this name unto him, and writeth himself ' the ser
vant of servants' in all his indulgences, as though he dd ground
upon this curse of Ham, it seemeth that the Lord wjtuld shew
thereby who is like Ham, and who is cursed. Therefore let us not
deny him that which the Holy Ghost doth give him; (but as he
taketh Ham's name, so let him take his curse too. (
Cursed be Canaan, &c. It was not Canaan which tempted Shem
and Japhet to gaze upon their father's nakedness, but ii was Ham.
How cometh it then that Noah doth curse Canaan, and not Ham ?
In verse 22 Ham is called ' the father of Canaan/ so mat Canaan
was Ham's son ; therefore God, not content with the puiishment of

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 313
Ham alone, saith, ' Cursed be Canaan' also ; shewing that both
Ham and Canaan, the father and the children, shall be cursed for
this impiety. Because Ham had shewed himself a rebellious child
to Noah, God sheweth that his children shall do the like by him.
Here is to be noted, that whereas Ham had elder sons than
Canaan, and Canaan was his youngest, yet God, for a purpose,
nameth the youngest in the curse ; shewing that his wrath should
last even to the youngest, and be a great while before it was for
gotten. Here is to be noted again, that whereas the country of
Canaan was so fruitful, and so blessed a country, that it was called
the land that floweth with milk and honey ; yet under the name of
Canaan, Ham's youngest son (of whom the country of Canaan took
the name), God sheweth that the Canaanites shall be cursed in this
blessed land, as Cain was a vagabond upon his own ground, Gen. iv.,
to shew that joy of heart and peace of conscience cometh from God,
and nothing else. Now, the issues which followed from this curse
do shew that Noah spake not from spleen, but from the Spirit of
God ; for, first, you read how the Canaanites, who came of Canaan,
were slain of the Israelites ; then you read how the Gibeonites,
which came of Canaan, were made slaves to the Israelites ; then
you read how the Egyptians and Ethiopians, which came of Canaan,
were taken captive by the king of Asshur, Isa. xx. 4 ; then you read
how Nimrod and his accomplices, that came of Canaan, were con
founded at Babel, when they went about to exalt themselves.
Beside, whereas length of days is a blessing to them which honour
their father, Ham, which dishonoured his father, had not one son of
his fine which lived above one hundred years. So that as Isaac
said, ' Jacob have I blessed, and he shall be bleesed/ Gen. xxvii., so
Noah may say, Ham have I cursed, and he shall be cursed ; for he
was cursed indeed, cursed in himself and cursed in his children,
cursed in heaven and cursed in earth, cursed with God and cursed
with men ; for after this he began to be abhorred, and they that
came of him. Therefore Abraham commanded his servant that he
should not choose a wife for his son of the Canaanites. Isaac giveth
the like commandment to his son Jacob ; because they were a cursed
nation, and hated of God ever since Noah said, ' Cursed be Canaan.'
Thus when Ham said unto his brethren, ' Come, and I will shew
you my father naked/ he might have said, ' Come, and I will shew
you myself accursed.' If God have such wrath against a scorner,
think whether thou followest not some sin worse than scorning.
Now, after Noah had cursed Ham, he blessed his brethren :
'Blessed be the Lord God of Shem/ &c. Of Shem came the Jews,

314 THE SECOND SERMON.
which had the first blessing ; and therefore Shem is blessed first.
Of Japhet came the Gentiles, which had the latter blessing ; and
therefore Japhet is blessed after.- The form of Shem's blessing is,
' Blessed be the Lord God of Shem/ &c. One which heareth this
blessing would think that Noah did not bless Shem, but that he
blessed God; for he saith not, 'Blessed be Shem/ but 'Blessed be
the Lord God of Shem/ This is to signify that as cursed Canaan
came of Ham, so the blessed Messiah should come of Shem ; which,
though he were Shem's son, yet here he is called Shem's Lord, as
be was called David's Son and David's Lord. Then, to shew that
Noah doth not bless Shem, but God doth bless him, and Noah
prayed that he might be blessed, as Christ gave the Spirit, and John
ministered but the water. Thirdly, to shew that God for blessing
us should be blessed of us. And therefore Noah said, ' Blessed be
the Lord God of Shem.' &c. ; as if he should say, Blessed be the Lord
which blesseth Shem, Further, this sheweth the difference between
Shem's blessing and Japhet's blessing, that is, the Jews and the
Gentiles ; for he saith, 'God persuade Japhet to dwell in the tents
of Shem/ as though Japhet were not blessed yet, but should be
blessed. But he saith of Shem, ' Blesssed be the Lord God of
Shem ;' as if he should give him possession, and say, Take thy
blessing. For to assure him of God's blessing, he calleth God
Shem's God. As we say, My lands are my goods, so he might say,
My God and my Lord. Such a propriety the faithful have in
God. As Paul1 saith, ' God is not the God of the dead, but of the
living/ so I may say, God is not the God of the wicked, but of the
righteous ; and therefore he is is called ' the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob/ which were all good, and right
eous, and holy men.
The next blessing is Japhet's. . The form of his blessing is, ' God
persuade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem ;' that is, God per
suade the Gentiles, which come of Japhet, to embrace the religion
of the Jews, which come of Shem. See how God counteth it for
a blessing to be in the true religion, and how men should be per
suaded unto it, because it is love which cannot be forced. This is
the first prophecy in Scripture of the calling of the Gentiles ; that
is, of our calling to Christ. And to put us in mind that we were
once out of the covenant, and but added to the covenant, the name
of Japhet, which was the father of the Gentiles, doth signify per
suaded or enlarged, as it were added to the church, as though the
time were whefii we were out of the church. Therefore, first, we are
X ' Qu. ' Christ ' ?— Ed.

A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS. 315
indebted to our good Mediator, which added us to the kingdom
when we were out of the kingdom ; and then that he did it by
persuasion, not by compulsion. As Noah prayed to God to persuade
Japhet, so he hath persuaded us by his word, and not forced us by
his rods ; shewing how we should persuade one another to the truth,
in the spirit of mildness, remembering that we come of Japhet, which
signifieth persuaded.
Now, after Shem's blessing, and after Japhet's blessing likewise,
he saith, ' Let Canaan be his servant.' This is thrice repeated in
three verses together, as if God had ratified it, and sworn it, with a
treble verity. For when Joseph told Pharaoh why his dream was
doubled, he gave this reason, because it should surely come to pass,
Gen. xii. 32. Here is a sweet observation beside, how Shem and
Japhet are blessed in Ham's curse, and how Ham is cursed in their
blessing ; for when he saith, Let Canaan be Shem and Japhet's ser
vant, he implieth this, that besides they were blessed in their own
children (because they were obedient to them), they should be
blessed in Ham's children, because they were servants to them. So
Shem and Japhet were blessed in Ham's curse. Again, beside that
Ham was cursed in his own 'children, because they were rebellious
to him, he is cursed also in Shem's and Japhet's children, because
they were lords over him, according to this saying, ' Let Canaan be
their servant.' So Ham is cursed in Shem and Japhet's blessing,
as the Egyptians were drowned in the waters which saved the
Israelites. These are the notes which I could pick out of the story.
Here you see how Ham was cursed, but for doing evil ; and how
Shem and Japhet were blessed, but for doing well. Therefore, as the
angel said to them which sought Christ at the sepulchre, ' Fear not
you/ so I may say to all which seek Christ, Fear not you ; for when
Ham is cursed, Shem and Japhet are blessed. So when the wicked
are cursed, the godly shall be blessed, as the sheep went to the right
hand when the goats went to the left hand. This is enough to
shew what we are, that when God saved but eight persons in the
flood, yet you see one of them drink until he be drunken, and an
other scorn until he be cursed. If two among so few did so, when
the flood was by them, what marvel though so many do so now the
flood is gone and the weather calm ! As there was a Ham in the
ark, so look always to have a Ham in the church. Shem did not go
out of the ark because Ham was in the ark, neither let the faithful
go out of the church because the wicked are in the church. As
Ham scorned, and Noah was scorned, so there shall be always one
that persecuteth and one which is persecuted. If the son persecute

316 A GLASS FOR DRUNKARDS.
the father, think it not strange to be persecuted of any ; for they
which are not persecuted, likely are persecutors themselves. Thus
you have seen Noah drunken and scorned, Ham scorning and cursed,
Shem and Japhet reverencing and blessed. In this story is the first
mention of planting vineyards, the first speech of drinking wine, the
first example of drunkenness, the first blessing and cursing of parents,
the first name of servant, and the first prophecy of the calling of the
Gentiles. Noah is a warning to all drunkards, Ham is a warning
to all scorners, Shem and Japhet are an example for all subjects to
reverence their rulers, and for all children to reverence their parents.
Now, as Noah prayed, God persuade Japhet to dwell -with Shem, so
God persuade us to dwell with Christ !

THE ART OE HEARING.
IN two sermons.

TO THE READER.

By the ear cometh knowledge, and therefore it is likely that many would
profit by sermons, if they were taught to hear. But before they can tell
how to hear, that is, what things to observe, and the way to remember
them, it is not possible that they should learn much, though they hear
often ; for this I know by trial, even of those which are accounted among
the best and ancientest hearers in London, that they might learn more in
a month than they have gathered in twenty years. For they understand
neither the Lord's prayer, nor the creed, nor the ten commandments ; but
have a few nptes in their heads of some sermons that they have heard, and
that is all their knowledge, except some few which have kept the order laid
down in this book. Therefore, that every man may be able not only to
make a confession of his faith, but to give a reason of his faith too ; that
whieh I have preached, here I have written, as a catechism for hearers to
begin at ; desiring all my brethren that they would tell their flocks at the
first, that they shall never profit much, unless they record their sermons
so soon as they are gone, and that they, as teachers, would study to deliver
that which is worthy to be recorded.

THE ART OF HEARING;
Teaching a way to remember Sermons or Counsel afterward as well
as presently, and how every Sermon shall take away some cor
ruption from the Hearer.

THE FIRST SERMON.
Take heed how you hear. — Luke VIII. 18.
This is the warning of Christ to his disciples, after they had heard
the parable of the seed, how it fell in four grounds, and but one of
the four brought forth fruit. Here Christ exhorteth his disciples
to be that ground, and we exhort you. As God sent his prophets
and teachers to Jerusalem, that was the chief city of the Jews, where
the temple was built, and where the priests, and the Levites, and
the doctors dwelt, like an university, that from it all the towns and
villages about might receive instruction and light, like a beacon
which standeth upon a hill, and is seen over all the country, so God
hath done to this Jerusalem of yours. The city of Jerusalem had
never so many prophets crying at once in her streets as this city
wherein we dwell, though the ox which treadeth out the corn hath
often been attempted to be muzzled, even of those which tread not
at all. Yet as the lambs breed in winter, and quails came with
the wind, so preachers spring in the time of discouragement more
than when nothing hindereth them. And whether it be our ambition
(as the kindred of Christ said, ' They which will be famous go to
great places'), or whether God would make this city a spring and
fountain to water the land, as he did Jerusalem, here is the college
of the prophets, here is the voice of a crier, here dwells the seer,
though he be hated, and scorned, and contemned for his pains.
When I consider how many labourers God hath sent to this vine-

320 THE ART OF HEARING.
yard, and yet how little fruit it yieldeth to the sower, I cannot im
pute it to the want of teaching, but to the want of hearing; neither
so much to the want of hearing, as to a kind of negligent hearing,
like the highway which received the seed, but did not cover it.
Therefore when this sentence came to my mind, methought I should
go no further uiilil^..hadJaugbjL_you how to hear. I stood in a
doubt a while whether I should take such a short text ; but when
I looked into longer than it, methought this seemed longer than
they, and, as I judge, a text which should be preached before all
texts, which,, because it was not taught and learned at the first, a
thousand sermons have been lost and forgotten, as though they had
never been preached at all ; therefore let me say as my text saith,
before I expound it, ' Take heed bow you hear/ while I teach you
how to hear.
There is no sentence in Scripture which the devil had rather you
should not regard than this lesson of hearing ; for if you take heed
how you hear, you shall not only profit by this sermon, but every
sermon after this shall leave such instruction, and peace, and com
fort with you as you never thought the word contained for you ;
therefore no marvel if the tempter do trouble you when you should
hear, as the fowls cumbered Abraham when he should offer sacri
fice. For be ye well assured that this is an infallible sign that
some excellent and notable good is toward you, when the devil is so
busy to hinder your hearing of the word, which of all other things
he doth most envy unto you. Therefore as he pointed Adam to
another tree, lest he should go to the tree of life, Gen. iii., so,
knowing the word to be like unto the tree of life, he appointeth you
to other business, to other exercises, to other works, and to other
studies, lest you should hear it and be converted to God, whereby
the tribute and revenue of his kingdom should be impaired ; there
fore mark how many forces he hath bent against one little scripture,
to frustrate this counsel of Christ, ' Take heed how you hear.' First,
he labours all that he can to stay us from hearing ; to effect this,
he keeps us at taverns, at plays, in our shops, and appoints us
some other business at the same time, that when the bell calls to
the sermon, we say, like the churlish guests, We cannot come, Mat.
xxii. If he cannot stay us away with any business or exercise,
then he casts fancies into our minds, and drowsiness into our
heads, and sounds into our ears, and sets temptations before our
eyes ; that though we hear, yet we should not mark, fike the birds
which fly about the church. If he cannot stay our ears, nor slack
our attention as he would, then he tickleth us to mislike something

THE FIRST SERMON. 321
which-was-saidr-and by that make us reject all the rest. If we can
not mislike anything which is said, then he infecteth us with some
prejudice of the preacher ; he doth not as he teacheth, and therefore
we less regard whalThe~ saith. If there be no fault in the man, nor
in the doctrine, then, lest it would convert us, and reclaim us, he
courseth all means to keep us from the consideration of it, until we
have forgot it. To compass tbis, so soon as we have heard, he
takes us to dinner, or to company, or to pastime, to remove our
minds, that we should think no more of it. If it stay in our
thoughts, and like us well, then he hath this trick ; instead of
applying the doctrine, which we should follow, he turns us to praise
and^xtoLthe-.preacher. He made an excellent sermon ! he hath a
notable gift ! I never heard any like him ! He which can say so,
hath heard enough ; this is the repetition which you make of our
sermons when you come home, and so to your businesslagain till
the next sermon come ; a breath goeth from us, and a sound cometh
to you, and so the matter is ended. If all these comers hear in
vain, and the tempter be so busy to hinder this work more than
any other, Christ's warning may serve for you, as well as his
disciples, 'Take heed how you hear/ Mark iv. 24. There is a hear
ing, and a preparative before hearing, Eccles. v. 1 ; there is a pray
ing, and a preparative before praying ; there is a receiving, and a
preparative before receiving, 1 Cor. xi. 28. As I called examination
the forerunner, which prepareth the way to the receiver, so I may
call attention the forerunner, which prepareth the way to the
preacher : like the plough, which cutteth up the ground, that it
may receive the seed. As there is a foundation, upon which the
stones, and lime, and timber are laid, which holdeth the building
together ; so, where this foundation of hearing is laid, there the
instructions, and lessons, and comforts do stay and are remembered;
but he which leaneth his ears on his pillow, goeth home again like
the child which he leadeth in his hand, and scarce remembereth
the preacher's text. A divine tongue and a holy ear make sweet
music, but a deaf ear makes a dumb tongue. There is nothing so
easy as to hear, and yet there is nothing so hard as to hear well.
You come not hither to learn how to bear, but you come hither to
hear as you were wont ; for there is none but thinks before he
comes to hear, that he knows how to hear already. But when I
have shewed you Christ's meaning in this caveat, you shall judge
whether you have heard or not heard before you learned how to
hear. In the seventeenth chapter, and the fifth verse of St Matthew's
VOL. I. X

322 THE ART OF HEARING.
Gospel, the Father teacheth you how to hear ; now, the Son teacheth
you how to hear ; shewing, as James saith, that ' hearers only' are
not blessed, for many shall say unto Christ, ' Have we not heard
thee in our synagogues ?' whom he will answer with, ' I know you
not ;' and therefore it is not enough to hear, but you must care
how you hear; it is not enough to pray, but you must care how you
pray; it is not enough to receive, but you must care how you re
ceive; it is not enough to suffer, but you must care how you suffer;
it is not enough to give, but you must care bow you give ; it is not
enough to believe, but you must care how you believe ; for God
hath appointed the way as well as the end. Because Cain regarded
not the manner, God regarded not his sacrifice. It is better to do
well than to do good ; for a man cannot offend in doing well, but
he may offend in doing good, if he do not well. Therefore Christ,
whom the Father bade us hear, teacheth us not only to hear, but
how to bear, Mark iv. 14; teacheth us not only to read, but how to
read, Mat. xxiv. 1 5 ; teacheth us not only to suffer, but how to
suffer, Mat. v. 10 ; teacheth us not only to receive, but how to re
ceive, Luke xxii. 19 ; teacheth us not only to pray, but how to
pray, Luke xi. 1 ; signifying that there is more sin in hearing, and
reading, and praying, and suffering, and receiving amiss, than in
not hearing, reading, praying, suffering, or receiving at all. There
fore Paul takes the Christian before his race, and gives him this
watchword : ' So run that thou mayest obtain/ 1 Cor. ix. 24. That
is, so seek, that thou mayest find ; so ask, that thou mayest obtain;
so knock, that it may be opened ; so give, that thou mayest do
good ; so suffer, that thou mayest have comfort ; so bear, that thou
mayest profit. How many have fasted, and watched, and prayed
more than we, and yet lost all their devotions, because they thought
not of this rule, to do good in a good sort ! The papists, so they
pray, care not how they pray, for they think it enough to pray ;
and therefore when they have gone over their beads, their prayer
is done, although they never thought what they asked. /But
Jeremiah saith, ' Cursed be he that doth the business of the Lord
negligently/ whether we hear negligently, or pray negligently, or
receive negligently, or preach, negligently. The scribes and
pharisees did fast, and watch, and pray, and hear, and read, and
give, and do all that we can do, and yet Christ rewarded all their
works with a woe : ' Woe be unto you, scribes and pharisees.' The
disciple which betrayed Christ, heard as much as the disciples that
loved Christ ; yet he had no feeling, nor comfort, nor profit with all
his company with Christ, because he did not use it as the rest did.

THE FIRST SERMON. 323
The Jews did hear more than all the world beside, yet because they
took no heed to that which they heard, therefore they crucified him
which came to save them, and became the cursedest people upon
the earth, which were the blessedest nation before ; therefore the
A B C of a Christian is to learn the_art of hearing. We care bow
we sow, lest our seed should be lost ; so let us care how we hear,
lest God's seed be lost. There is no seed which groweth so fast
as God's seed, if it be sown well ; therefore, that I may shew you
that method of hearing, which Christ commendeth here to his.
disciples, it is necessary to_observe five, Jbjngs : first, the necessity
of hearing ; secondly, the fruit which cometh by hearing; thirdly, the
kinds of hearers ; fourthly, the danger of hearing amiss ; fifthly, that
manner of hearing, which will make you remember that which is said,
and teach you more in a year than you have learned all your life.
Touching the necessity of hearing. When Christ saith, Talce heed
how you hear, he implieth that all his disciples should hear ; nay,
they which were excommunicate from the prayers, and from the
councils, and from the sacraments for their sins, yet were not ex
communicate from hearing, because they should learn to repent.
Here that large commandment of our Saviour Christ standeth,
' that which I say unto you, I say unto all ; ' therefore it is a general
proclamation, ' Whosoever hath an ear to hear, let him hear/ Luke
viii. 8 ; the place implieth that all should hear, though it importeth
that all cannot hear. When the voice spake from heaven, it said
nothing but, ' This is my beloved Son, hear him/ Mat. xvii. 5, as
though all the duties of man were comprised in hearing. When
Christ spake but of one thing which is necessary, he spake of hear
ing, Luke x. 42 ; as though it were so necessary to hear, that all
necessities should give place unto it. When men would not hear,
God spake to the ground, ' 0 earth, earth, earth, hear the word of
the Lord/ Jer. xxii. 29, shewing that God so contemneth them
which will not hear, that he regards the earth, and the trees, and
the stones, being senseless creatures, above them.
When God struck Zacharias, he made him dumb, but not deaf,
Luke i 20 ; when God struck Saul, he made him blind, but not
deaf, Acts ix. 8 ; when God struck Mephibosheth, he made him
lame, but not deaf, 2 Sam. iv. 4. Thus God would have them hear,
which cannot see, nor speak, nor go. But there is a devil which is
called the deaf devil, Mark ix. 25, shewing that the devil would
have us deaf, because he that heareth instruction is in the way to
life, but ' He which hears not instruction, goeth out of the way/
Prov. x. 17. To shew the necessity of hearing, the word which we

324 THE ART OF HEARING.
should hear is called meat, Heb. v. 12, and the want of the word is
called a famine, Amos viii. 11, as though it were as necessary for
us to hear as it is to eat.
Although our hearts are contrary to the word, more than to any
thing beside, yet no man can think that this is the word of God, but
he thinks it necessary to be heard. Besides, if Christ be the' Word
(as St John calleth him in chap. i. 14), and the word is received by
no other means, but by hearing only, can any man receive Christ
without hearing ? Let not any be thus fond so vainly to dream, for
that were to receive the Word without the word.
Therefore, as John wept until the book was opened, and so soon as
it was opened, all the elders sung ; so we should count it the greatest
cause of weeping, when the word is taken from us that we cannot
hear it, and the greatest cause of rejoicing when it is open to us, that
we may hear without let. Thus much of the necessity of hearing.
Secondly, Touching the fruit that cometh by hearing. Of all our
senses, hearing is the sense of learning ; and therefore Solomon be
gins his wisdom with, 'Hearken, my son/ Prov. i. 8, opening as it were
the door where wisdom must enter. Therefore, except in praying,
temptations never trouble a man so much as in hearing, which shew
eth that these two are the destroyers of the destroyer; therefore, as the
tempter himself could not abide to hear the word when Christ spake,
Mat. iv., so be cannot abide that we should hear the word. It must
needs be good for us, which our enemies would keep from us.
Many hearing the word have met with knowledge, have met with
comfort, have met with salvation ; but without the word never any
was converted to God. Therefore whensoever the word is preached,
every one may say to himself, as the disciples said to the blind man,
' Be of good comfort, he calleth thee/ Mark x. 49, be of good comfort,
the Lord calleth thee. When Christ heard a woman say, ' Blessed are
the breasts which gave thee suck/ Christ replied, ' Blessed are
they which hear the word of God/ Luke xi. 28, shewing that his
disciples were more blessed for hearing him, than his mother for
bearing him. As Isaac gave Jacob a double blessing, so Christ
blessed them again ; for in Mat. xvi. 17, he saith, ' Blessed are the
ears which hear the things which you hear/ shewing that the Jews
were more blessed than all the world, because they had this one
blessing, to hear the truth. If they be blessed which hear, then
you come hither for a blessing, and he which is blessed wanteth
nothing. Every privilege doth import some special good to him
which hath it ; but it is the privilege of man to hear the word, and
therefore ' the Word became man/ John i. 1 4, because it belongeth

THE FIRST SERMON. 325
only to man. God hath given life, and light, and food, to fowls, and
^!^J^i§-^Z!h5t2Ls_word js Jhe_jp^rero^at^of man. As to
speak is the property of man, so to hear is the property of man-
To shew the fruit which cometh by hearing, Christ calleth the word
which we should hear, verbum regni, ' the word of the kingdom/
__ Mat. xiii. ] 9, as though it brought a kingdom with it ; to shew the
fruit which cometh by hearing, the disciples, call the word which we
should hear, verbum vital, ' the word of life/ John vi. 68, as though
it brought life with it ; to shew the fruit that cometh by hearing,
Christ compareth the good hearers to the fruitful ground ; to shew
the fruit that cometh by hearing, Paul saith, ' Faith cometh by
hearing/ in Rom. x. ; there is one fruit. Knowledge cometh by hear
ing, Mat. xv. 10 ; there is another fruit. Comfort cometh by hear
ing, Ps. cxix. ; there is another fruit. The sense of sin cometh by
hearing ; there is another fruit. As Christ with five loaves and two
fishes fed five thousand men, so Peter with one sermon converted
three thousand souls. Agrippa hearing Paul but once, almost be
came a Christian ; the eunuch hearing Philip but once, straight re
ceived the faith ; Zaccheus hearing Christ but once, gave half his
goods to the poor ; so I doubt not but some go from our sermons
almost Christians, like Agrippa; some whole Christians, like the
eunuch, expressing their faith like Zaccheus. Now a little, and then
a little, the soul groweth like the body. If you hear well, our voice
is like the sound of the rams' horns, that made the walls of Jericho
to reel ; nay, it will make the walls of hell to reel ; for the same
word made the prince of hell give back, Mat. iv. 7. Although at
all other times we are as plain and simple as Jacob, yet at this time
we have a promise, and it is given to us (for your sake) to speak
sometime that which we conceive not ourselves, because the hour is
come wherein God hath appointed to call some of you, as he hath
done some of you before. Therefore as the princely spirit came
upon Saul when he should reign, to teach him how he should rule,
1 Sam. ,xi, so the prophetical spirit cometh upon preachers when
they should teach, to teach them how they should speak. There
fore, as Christ was contented to be baptized of John, Mat. iii. 15, so
be you content to be instructed of us, that if we be more simple
than you, the glory of God may appear more in converting you by us.
Thirdly, Touching the kind of hearers. If all which come to hear
did hear as they should, Christ need not warn us, Take heed how
you hear. But as we pray, so we hear ; the one is a lip-labour and
the other is an ear-labour. As children play the truants in the
school, so men play the truants in the church. How many come to

326 THE ART OF HEARING.
hear me, and yet, peradventure, some do not hear, while I speak of
hearing ! One hath no pitcher, another hath left his pitcher behind
him, another hath brought a broken pitcher which will hold no
water ; therefore Christ calleth us fishers ; for as a fisher taketh
but a few in respect of those which go by, so we reform but a few
in respect of them which go as they came. First, of Paul's hearers,
and then of Christ's hearers, and after of our hearers. When the
Athenians heard Paul preach of the resurrection, it is said that
' some mocked ;' there is one sort, ' the chair of scorners,' Ps. i. : some
said, ' We will hear thee of this again ;' there is another sort, which
are not yet resolved, but desire to be better instructed ; some did
assent unto him, and received his doctrine, as Dionysius Areopagita,
and Damaris, a woman, Acts xvii. 32 ; there is the best sort. We
never preach but we have all these hearers : some mock, some waver,
and some believe.
Now of Christ's hearers. We find in the Gospel that Christ had
four sorts of hearers ; while I count them to you, think of what sort
you are, for I doubt not but that there be here of all sorts. Some
heard him to wonder at him, like Herod, which was moved with
the fame that went of him. Some came to hear, because they
would know all things, that they might be able to talk of them.
It seems that Judas was such a scholar, for he had learned to preach,
but not to follow. Some came to cavil and to trip him in bis speeches ;
of these hearers were the scribes and pharisees, which would make
him an enemy to Caesar. Some were like to the good ground, which
came to know what they might do, and how they should believe ;
like the humble scribe which inquired the way to heaven.
Now to our hearers. As there were wise virgins and foolish
virgins, so there are wise hearers and foolish hearers. Some are so
nice that they had rather pine than take their food of any which is
licensed by a bishop, as if Elias should refuse his food because a
raven brought it to him, and not an angel ; some come unto the
service to save forfeiture, and then they stay the sermon for shame ;
some come because they would not be counted atheists; some come
because they would avoid the name of papists; some come to please
their friends. One hath a good man to his friend, and lest he should
offend him, he frequents the preachers, that his friend may think
well of him; some come with their masters and mistresses for
attendance ; some come with a fame ; they have heard great speech
of the man, and therefore they will spend one hour to hear him
once, but to see whether it be so as they say ; some come because
they be idle ; to pass the time they go to a sermon, lest they should

THE FIRST SERMON. 327
be weary of doing nothing ; some come with their fellows : one saith,
Let us go to the sermon ; Content, saith he, and he goeth for company ;
some hear the sound of a voice as they pass by the church, and step
in before they be aware ; another hath some occasion of business,
and he appoints his friends to meet him at such a sermon, as they
do at Paul's. All these are accidental hearers; like children which
sit in the market and neither buy nor sell. But as many foxes have
been taken when they came to take, so . they which come to spy,
or wonder, or gaze, or scoff, have changed their minds before they
went home, like one which finds -vjhen he doth not seek.
As ye come with divers motions, so ye hear in divers manners :
one is like an Athenian, and he hearkeneth after-news; if the
preacher say anything of our armies beyond the sea, or council at
home, or matters at court, that is his lure. Another is like the
pharisee, and he watcheth if anything be said that may be wrested
to be spoken against persons in high place, that he may play the
devil in accusing of his brethren ; let him write that in his tables
too. Another smacks of eloquence, and he gapes for a phrase, that
when he cometh to "Eis ordinary he may have one figure more to
grace and worship his tale. Another is malcontent, and he never
pricketh up his ears till the preacher come to gird against some
whom he spiteth, and when the sermon is done, he remembereth
nothing which was said to him, but that which was spoken against
others. Another cometh to gaze about the church ; he hath an evil
eye, which is still looking upon that from which Job did avert his
eye. Another cometh to muse ; so soon as he is set, he faileth into a
brown study ; sometimes bis mind runs on bis market, sometime on
his journey, sometimes of his suit, sometimes of his dinner, some
times of his sport after dinner, and the sermon is done before the
man thinks where he is. Another cometh to hear, but so soon as
the preacher hath said his prayer, he fallsjasjLflsleep^as though he
had been brought in for a corpse, and the preacher should preach
at his funeral.
This is the generation of hearers. Is not the saying of Christ
fulfilled now, 'Hearing you hear not'? because we hear and hear
not ; like a covetous churl which goeth by a beggar when he crieth
in Christ's name for relief, and heareth him cry, but will not hear
bim, because he craveth that which he will not part with. May we
not say again with Christ, ' What went ye out to see,' rather than,
' What went ye out to hear ? ' seeing ye remember that which ye see,
and forget all that which ye hear. So you depart from our sermons
like a slide-thrift's purse, which will hold no money ; and as you go

328 THE ART OF HEARING.
home one saith, he doth not edify.; another saith, I cannot profit
by him ; another saith, he keeps not to his text ; another saith, he
speaks not to the heart ; as if the ground should complain of the
seed, which will not receive the seed, /is not this the cause why]
your preachers about J;he_jCJty_care_noj~K
their flocks have no care to hear ? Is not~this the cause why God
doth not hear us, because we will not hear him ? Is not this the
cause why ye are such doctors in the world, and such infants in the
church ? Ye learned your trade in seven years, but you have not
learned religion in all your years. Can you give any reason for it
but this? you marked when your master taught you your trade,-
because you should live by it ; but you marked not the preacher
when he taught you religion, because you do not live by it.
Come now to the danger by hearing amiss: Christ saith, 'Take
heed how you hear.' In the fourth chapter of Deuterqnomy(it is
said, ' Take heed how you forget that which ye hear.' This take -.
heed always goeth before some danger ; therefore, as Paul saith, that
men receive the sacrament to their salvation, or to their damnation,
1 Cor. xi, so Christ saith, that men hear the word to their salvation,
or to their damnation, ' The word which I have spoken shall judge
you in the latter day/ John xii. It is called ' the savour of fife/
because it saveth ; and it is called ' the savour of death/ because it
condemneth, 2 Cor. ii. 16. An evil eye engendereth lust, and an
evil tongue engendereth strife ; but an evil ear maketh an heretiq,^
and a schismatic, and an idolater. This careless hearing made God
take away his word from the Jews ; therefore, you may hear the
word so as it may be taken from you, as the talent was from him
that hid it, Mat. xxv. ; for God will not leave his pearls with swine ;
but as he saith, ' What hadst thou to do to take my words in thy
mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reformed?' so he will say, What j
hadst thou to do to take my word in, thy ear, seeing thou hatest to
be reformed 1 If any of you go away no better than you came, you
are not like hearers, but like cyphers, which supply a place, but •
signify nothing ; so you take a room, but learn nothing ; and they
which are cyphers in the house of God, shall be cyphers in the ;
kingdom of God. Therefore, if thou have an evil eye, and an evil
tongue, and an evil hand, and an evil foot, yet have not an evil ear
too : for then all is evil, because the ear must teach all ; if the ear
hearken to evil, then the heart must learn evil. Therefore an evil
ear is compared to a bad porter, which lets in every one in a gay
coat, though he be never so bad, and keeps out him that goeth bare,
though he be never so good ; so an evil ear lets all that is evil enter :

THE FIRST SERMON. 329
into the heart, but all that is good it shuts the door against, lest it
should set the spirit and the flesh at variance. Oh, if the adder
had not stopped his ear, how long since had "he been charmed !
Bat the shortest time in God's service, is the longest time in all the
dayT The beastlTcame to the ark to'savethemselves ; and men will
"Sot come to the church to save themselves. It is too far, saith
Jeroboam ; but it were not too far if Jeroboam were not unwilling.
One thing is necessary, and all unnecessaries are preferred before it.
The greatest treasure in the world is most despised, the star which
should lead us to Christ, the ladder which should mount us to heaven,
the water that should cleanse our leprosy, the manna that should
refresh our hunger, and the book that we should meditate on day
and night, Ps. i. 2, lieth in our windows, no man readeth it, no
man regardeth it ; the love of God, and the love of knowledge, and
the love of salvation is so cold, that we will not read over one book
for it, for all we spend so many idle times while we live. If Samuel
had thought that God had spoken to him, he would not have slept ;
but because he thought it was not God, but Eli, therefore he slept ;
so, because you remember not that it is God which speaks, there
fore you mark not. But if you remember Christ's saying, ' He which
heareth you, heareth me, and he which despiseth you, despiseth me/
you would hear the voice of the preacher, as you would hear the
voice of God. Surely, beloved, we know no other way to save you,
nor ourselves ; if we did, how wretched were we to keep it from
you, which have no other calling, but to shew you the way of sal
vation ! If this be the way and no other, if this be shewed you and
no other, and yet you will not take it, but choose another, then are
not you condemned by any other, but you condemn yourselves. He
which will not hear, is worse than Herod ; for as bad as he was, yet
it is said of him, that he heard John. Nay, even those whom our
Saviour Christ in the parable before this text compareth to the
barren, the stony, and the thorny ground, were all hearers ; and
therefore he which will not hear, is worse than any ground. It is
said of Saul, that though he were haunted with an evil spirit, yet
when he heard David play upon the harp, the evil spirit departed
from him ; so they which hear have some ease of their sins, some
peace of conscience, some intermission of their fear, as Saul had
when he heard the harp ; but they which will not hear, have no
intermission of their fear, nor of their grief, nor of their sins, be
cause the evil spirit never departeth from them. Therefore, as all
the beasts tremble when the lion roareth, so let all men hearken
when God teacheth.

THE ART OF HEARING.

THE SECOND SERMON.
Take heed how you hear. — Luke VIII. 1 8.
In the end hereof is proved that none should preach without due
meditation, which is a common presumption- in these days, and
makes the word and ministry despised.
Now it remaineth that I should teach you so to hear, that you
may remember that which is said, and learn more by one sermon
than you reap by ten. Christ calleth none unto him but them
which hunger and thirst ; as if none were fit to hear the word but
they which hunger after it, and bring a stomactLwith them. It is
written of the hart, that when he lifteth tip bis ears he is quick of
hearing, and beareth every noise ; but when he layeth down his
ears, he is deaf and hearetb nothing ; so it is when you mark, and
when you mark not. They which are quick of hearing, are sure of
remembrance, but they which are dull of hearing, are short in keep
ing ; therefore, before I teach you how to hear, give me leave to
say again as my text saith, ' Take heed how you hear/ that both
our labours be not lost.
As there be two spirits, so there be two doctrines, two wisdoms,
and two counsels. In 1 Tim. iv. 1, there is a doctrine of devils ; if
you hear that doctrine, you hearken to the devil, as Saul did to a
witch. In Mat. xv., there is a doctrine of men, which Christ called
' leaven ;' if you hearken to that, you shall err like men, because the
blind lead the blind, Mark x. In Gen. iii, there is a counsel of the
serpent ; if you hearken to that, you shall perish like Eve. In 2
Sam. xviii, there is a wisdom of Ahithophel; if you hearken to
that, you shall speed like Absalom. Of all these Solomon saith,
' Hearken no more to the words which make thee err/ Prov. xi£

THE SECOND SERMON. 331
27. But there is another doctrine, Acts xiii. 12, which is called,
' The doctrine of the Lord;' of this it is said, Luke viii, 'Whosoever
hath an ear to hear, let him bear/
Now, to shew you how you should hear ; when Peter and John
would make the cripple attentive, they said unto him, 'Look upon
us,' Acts iii. ; so many, to sharpen their attention, desire to stand
before the preacher, that they may look him in the face. By this
little help Peter sheweth that we had need to use many helps to
make us hear well. In Jer. xiii. 15, when the Lord speaketh, it is
said, ' Hear, and give ear/ as though we should hear, and more
than hear. This more than hear, is to mark, and understand, and
remember, and believe, and follow that which we hear ; like the
Jews which said, ' All which thou speakest from the Lord, we will
do it/ Exod. xxiv. 3 ; so all that which we speak unto you from the
Lord, you should do it ; therefore all the commandments but the
last, are commandments of doing. And Solomon, in Eccles. xii. 13,
concludes his doctrine with this, which he called the sum of all,
' Fear the Lord, and keep bis commandments.'
In Exod. iii. 5, God teacheth us how to hear, when he speaks to
Moses, and bids him 'put off his shoes;' so we should put off our
lusts, and our thoughts, and our cares, and our fancies, and all our
business, when God speaks ; for he which thinks or doth anything
else, when he should do that which is better, though it be good
which he doth, yet he doth sin in doing it. In Rev. x. an angel
teacheth us how to hear, when he willed John to eat the book,
' shewing that we should hunger after the word, and digest it into
every part, as we digest meat.
In Mat. xv., Christ teacheth us how to hear, when he saith 'Hear
and understand.' And again, in Mark iv., when he saith, ' Take
heed what you hear/ And Isaiah teacheth you how to hear, when
he saith, hear for afterwards, Isa. xlii. 23, shewing that more do
hear for the present than for afterward, because they forget it
again, and after a while are never the better. In 2 Cor. vi. 1, Paul
teacheth us how to hear, when he saith, ' Receive not the grace of
God in vain ;' shewing that many hear comfort, and are not com
forted; many here instruction, and are not instructed. James
teacheth us how to hear, chap. i. 22, when he saith, 'Be not hearers
only, but doers/ shewing that you should do as you hear, as you
would have us do as we teach. In Luke x., Mary teacheth us how
to hear, when she leaves all to sit at Christ's feet and' mark his
doctrine, shewing that we should not say, like the churlish guests,
we have other business, Mat: xviii., but that this is our business, as

332 THE ART OF HEARING.
Christ answered his parents, ' I must go about my Father's busi
ness/ In Luke ii., the virgin teacheth us how to hear : when she heard
the sayings of Anna, and Simeon, and Christ, it is said that * she
pondered them, and laid them up in her heart/ shewing that our
ears should be but messengers to the heart; for our treasure should
be where the heart is, as the heart is where the treasure is. In
Acts xvii., the men of Berea teach us how to hear, when they went
home and searched the Scriptures so soon as they had heard Paul
preach, to see whether Moses and the prophets did teach the same,
shewing that the wordis our touchstone to try the doctrines.
In Luke viii, all the disciples" teach us bow to hear, vvfien they
noted Christ's parable, and repeated it again unto him to know the
meaning ; shewing that we should not only hear, and the preacher
only preach, but if you doubt of anything, you should inquire, and
they should instruct you again.
In Luke iii., the soldiers, and the harlots, and the publicans
teach us how to hear, when they come to inquire, and ask, ' Master,
what shall we do?' shewing that we should come to hear something
which may encourage us to this virtue, or arm us against that vice,
that we go from hearing to doing, as John taught them. All these
are glasses in the Scripture for the hearer to dress himself by, before
he come to the sermon.
Beside these, other things do teach us too. As Solomon saith,
' Go to the pismire, and learn to labour/ so Christ in the beginning
of this chapter sends us to the husbandman to learn to hear. As
be prepareth the ground before be soweth his seed, lest his seed
should be lost, so we should prepare our hearts before we hear, lest
God's seed be lost. In John x., he sends us to the sheep ; as they
know the voice of their shepherd, and will not hear a stranger, so
we should know the voice of Christ from the voice of popes, or
doctors, or councils, or traditions, lest we go, fike Samuel, from God
to Eli. When you have been in the sheep folds, go to the woods
and learn of the birds ; for they will listen to him which teacheth
them to sing, that they may learn to sing the same note after him;
so we should learn to sing the tune of the Spirit, for they which
hear the word aright, learn to speak even as the word speaketh.
Beside these schoolmasters, we have other teachers too ; all the
titles which are given to the word, do teach us how we should hear
the word. The apostles call their writings epistles, the epistle to
the Romans, the epistle to the Corinthians, &c. ; shewing that the
word is like an epistle sent from God to man, wherein he writes his

THE SECOND SERMON. 333
mind familiarly unto us, and therefore we should read it, hear it,
mark it, and scan it, as we would scan a letter which comes from
some of our familiar and dear friends.
In Mark xiv., the gospel of Christ is called his testament, or will,
Shewing that our legacies are written in it, and that we should hear
it, and mark it, and ply it, till we be as cunning in God's will as
we are in our father's will. In 1 Tim. vi. the word is called a
charge, and in 2 Tim. iv. God is called a judge ; shewing that we
should hear the word of God as we hearken to a judge, when he
gives a charge or pronounceth a sentence; for every sentence
in this book is a charge to the king, or the counsellor, or the
lawyer, or the preacher, or one or other ; let every one hear his
charge. In Heb. v. 14, the word is called meat, shewing that we should
desire and hunger to hear it. And as the stomach sends the
strength of the meat into every member of the body, so we should
send to the eye that which is spoken to the eye ; and to the ear,
that which is spoken to the ear ; and to the tongue, that which is
spoken to the tongue ; and to the hand, that which is spoken to
the hand. If thou hear comfort, apply that to fear ; if thou hear
a promise, apply that to thy distrust ; if thou hear a threatening,
apply that to thy presumption, and fill up the gap still where the
devil entereth.
In the parable before my text, the word is compared to seed, the
preachers to sowers, and the hearers to the ground ; shewing that
ye come hither to be watered, and dressed, and manured ; there
fore if God's seed be sown, and the devil's fruit eome up, you are
like the Jews, which brought Christ vinegar, when he thirsted, for
wine. As the little birds perk up their heads when their dam comes with
meat, and prepare their beaks to take it, striving who shall catch
most (now this looks to be served, and now that looks for a bit, so
every mouth is open till it be filled) ; so you are here like birds,
and we the dam, and the word the food ; therefore you must pre
pare a mouth to take it They which are hungry will strive for
the bread which is cast amongst them, and think, This is spoken to
me, this is spoken to me, I have need of this, and I have need of
this : comfort, go thou to my fear; promise, go thou to my distrust ;
threatening, go thou to my security ; and the word shall be like a
perfume, which hath odour for every one.
These are good remembrancers for all hearers, to think that the
word is an epistle from God unto them; that it is the will wherein

334 THE ART OF HEARING.
their legacies are written ; that it is a charge from the Judge of
life and death ; that it is the meat whereby they live ; that it is
the seed, which if it grow they are fruitful, if it grow not they have
no fruit. But these are general matters ; my desire is to teach you
a compendious way of hearing, which you have not heard before ;
that as the word is called ' a brief word/ so you may learn it briefly ;
for it is not gainful unto us, as it is to lawyers, physicians, and chi-
riirgeons, to keep you long in hand ; but to healyou, and despatch;,
you quickly^as Christ liealed. iheJeper-sr-
~This age hath devised divers methods to learn" many things in
shorter time than they were learned of old. A man may spend
seven years in learning to write, and he may meet with a scribe
which will teach him as much in a month. A prentice may spend ,
nine years in learning a trade, and some master (if he were disposed),
would teach him as much in a twelvemonth. A man may fetch
such a compass that he may be a whole month in going to Berwick ;
and another, which knoweth the way, will go it in less than a week ;
so to every thing there is a further way, and a nearer way, and so
there is to knowledge. You do not remember the hundredth part
of that which you have heard, and to-morrow you will not re
member the tenth note which you have heard this day; It may be
that some will remember more ; and why not thou as well as he \
because one useth an help of his memory, which the other useth not.
If you will use his policy, you shall remember as well as he ; for let
him neglect his help, and the best memory here shall not carry
away half which he marketh now, until it be night. When the
woman of Samaria heard Christ speak of a water, of which ' he that
drinketh shall thirst no more/ Oh (saith she), ' give me of that
water.' So, now you hear of such a way, you would fain know it,
but will you use it ? I wish that I were such a messenger, that I
could compel you unto it ; for truly until you use it, you shall never
learn faster than you do. Now I think you have a desire to hear
it, I will shew it unto you ; firpt, ]n mine opinion two things out of
. every sermon are especially to be noted ; thatwJbiimJJioju_djdstjioi
know -before, and that which. sp£ake.th„to--thine own sin ; for so
thou shalt increase thy knowledge, and lessen thy vices.
Now if thou wouldest remember both these a year hence as fresh
as now, this is the best policy that ever thou shalt learn, to put
them presently in practice ; that is, to send them abroad to all the
parts of thy soul and members of thy body, and reform thyself
semblably to them, and thou shalt never forget them, for thy
practice remembereth them. But before this you must use an-

THE SECOND SERMON. 335
other help, that is, record every note in thy mind, as the preacher
goeth ; and after, before thou dost eat, or drink, or talk, or do any
thing elsej repeat all to thyself. I do know some in the university,
which did never hear good sermon, but as soon as they were gone
they rehearsed it thus, and learned more by this (as they said) than
by their reading and study ; for recording that which they had ;
heard when it was fresh, they could remember all, and hereby got
a better facility in preaching than they could learn in books. The
like profit I remember I gained, when I was a scholar, by the like
practice. The philosophers and orators that have written such volumes,
have left in their writings, that this was the keeper of their learn
ing, like the bag which beareth the treasures. Therefore I may
say with Christ, that the wicked are wiser than Christians ; for the
orators and philosophers used this help in hearing of earthly things,
and we will not use it in hearing of heavenly things. The only
cause why you forget so fast as you hear, and of all the sermons
which you have heard, have scarce the substance of one in your
heart, to comfort or counsel you when you have need, is because
you went from sermon to dinner, and never thought any more of
the matter ; as though it were enough to hear, like sieves which
hold water _no longer than they are in a river.
What a shame is this, to remember every clause in your lease,
and every point in your father's will ; nay, to remember an old tale
so long as you live, though it be long since you heard it ; and the
lessons which ye hear now will be gone within this hour, that you
may ask, What hath stolen my sermon from me ? Therefore, that you
may not hear us in vain, as you have heard others, my exhortation
to you is, to record when you are gone that which you have heard.
If I could teach you a better way, I would ; but Christ's disciples
used this way when their thoughts ran upon this speech, and made
them come again to him to ask the meaning; the virgin his mother
used this way when she pondered his sayings, and laid them up in
her heart; the good hearers of Berea used this way, when they
carried Paul's sermon home with them, that they might examine
it by the Scripture. This difference is noted between Jacob and
his sons : when Joseph uttered his dream, his brethren gave no re
gard to it; but it is said that father Jacob noted the saying, Gen.
xxxvii. 11. Therefore this must needs be an excellent way. For
if Joseph and Mary, and Christ's disciples, should speak unto you as
I do, and shew you a way to hear, they would shew you the same
way that they used themselves. You cannot tell how much it will

336 THE ART OF HEARING.
profit you until you practise it; do< you try it one month, and if
you love knowledge, I am sure you will use it while you live ; but
if you will not use it for all that can be said, truly you shall be
like the old women which St Paul speaks of, which were ' always
learning, and never the wiser/ 2 Tim. iii. 7.
This is our first lesson unto you, 'Take heed how you hear;' I
may say now, take heed how you read too. For there are books
abroad like Ishmael's scoffs, like Rabshakeh his railings, Isa. xxxvi.,
like the songs which were made against David, Ps. lxix. 12, which
may write for the title of their books, Jfools^njprint If Hiel
had not built Jericho again, 1 Kings xvi. 34, these might be fit
workmen for such a frame.
If you must take heed how you hear, then we must take heed
how we preach; for you hear that which we preach. Therefore
Paul putteth none among the number of preachers, but they which
' cut the word aright,' 2 Tim. ii. 15; that is, in right words, in right
sense, and in right method; and because none can do this without
study and meditation, therefore he teacheth Timothy to ' give at
tendance to doctrine'; that is, to make a study and labour of it; for
as Saint Peter saith, that in Paul's epistles, ' there be many things
hard to understand,' 2 Peter iii. 16; so in Peter's epistles, and
John's epistles, and James's epistle, there be many things too
which David before called, ' the wonders of the law/ Ps. cxix., and
Paul calleth, ' the mystery of salvation/ Eph. iii., and Christ calleth,
' a treasure bid in the ground.' Therefore Solomon confesseth, that
he studied for his doctrines, Eccles xii. 10. Although he was the
wisest and learnedes£ man that ever was, yet he thought that with
out study he could not do so much good. Daniel was a prophet,
and yet he desired respite to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream,
Dan. ii. 1 6. Is the Scripture lighter than a dream, that we should
interpret it without meditation? It seems that Solomon and Daniel
would not count them sermons, which come forth like untimely
births, from uncircumcised lips, and unwashen hands, as though they
had the Spirit at commandment Wheat is good, but they which
sell the refuse thereof are reproved, Amos viii. 6. So preaching is
good, but this refuse of preaching is but like swearing; for one takes
the name of God in vain, and the other takes the word of God in
vain. As every sound is not music, so every sermon is not preach
ing, but worse than if he should read an homily. For if James
would have us consider what we ask before we come to pray, much
more should we consider before we come to preach; for it is harder
to speak God's word, than to speak to God ; yet there are preachers

THE SECOND SERMON. 337
risen lately up, which shroud every absurd sermon under the name
of the simple kind of teaching, like the popish priests, which made
ignorance the mother of devotion ; but, indeed, to preach simply, is
not to preach unlearnedly, nor confusedly, but plainly and perspicu
ously, that the simplest which doth hear, may understand what is
taught, as if he did hear his name.
But if you will know why many preachers preach so barely, loosely,
and simply, it is your own simplicity which makes them think that
if they go on and say something, all is one, and no fault will be
found; because you are not able to judge in or out; and so because
they give no attendance to doctrine, as Paul teacheth them, it is
almost come to pass, that in a whole sermon, the hearer cannot pick
out one note more than he could gather himself ; and many loathe
preaching, as the Jews abhorred the sacrifice for the slubbering
priests, which cared not what they offered ; and the greater sort
imagine that there is no more wisdom in the word of God, than
their teachers shew out of it. What a shame is tbis, that the
preachers should make preaching be despised ! In Jeremiah xlviii,
there_js_a_auxae upon tiiem which-do the business of the Lord negli-
eently; if this curse do not touch them which do the chiefest busi
ness of the Lord negligently, it cannot take bold of any other.
Therefore let every preacher first see how his notes do move himself
and then he shall have comfort to deliver them to others, fike an
experienced medicine, which himself hath proved.
Thus much of preaching, now to you which hear. Think that
you are gathering manna, and that it is God w.hicb speaks unto you,
and that you shall give account for every lesson which you hear ; and
therefore record like Mary when you are gone, and the seed which
we sow shall grow faster than the seed which you sow.

VOL. I.

THE HEAYENLY THRIET.

THE HEAYENLY THRIFT.

Whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not,
from him shall be taken even that which it seemeth that he
hath.— Luke VIII. 18.
The next words before are, ' Take heed how you hear ;' the reason
follows. To make us take heed how we hear, he saith, ' Whosoever
hath,' &c. This sentence hath two hands, as it were ; one giveth
and the other taketh. Therefore, one calleth it a comfortable
saying, and a dreadful saying ; for it blesseth some and curseth
other, like Moses, which saved the Israelites, and slew the Egyp
tians. ' Whosoever hath, to him shall be given ;' there goeth the
blessing : ' whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken ;' there
runneth the curse. Thus, looking back to the words before, viz.,
' Take heed how ye hear/ this doctrine cometh unto us, that he
which taketh heed how he heareth, sprouteth and flourisheth like a
twig which hath life in it, till it come to a tree ; but he which taketh
no heed how he heareth, fadeth and withereth like a stock which is
dead, until he hath not only lost the gifts which be had, but till the
Spirit do leave him too, and he seem as naked to men as Adam did
to God. The like sentence is in Mat. xxi, where it is said, ' The
kingdom of heaven shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a
nation which will bring forth the fruits thereof There is a taking
from them which bring no fruits, and a giving to them which bring
fruits. The like is in Rev. xxi., where it is said, ' Let him that is
just be just still, and let him that is filthy be filthy still ;' whereby
it is meant that the just shall be more just, and the filthy shall be
more filthy. .The like is in John xv. 2, where it is said, 'Every
branch which bringeth no fruit, he taketh away ; but every branch
which bringeth forth fruit, he purgeth, that it may bring forth more
fruit.' The like is in Mat. xxv., where this sentence is repeated
again after the parable of the talents. As to one servant were com
mitted five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to in-

342 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
crease and multiply ; and he which used his talent doubled it, and
he which hid his talent lost it ; even so to every man God hath
given some gift, of judgment, of tongues, or interpretation, or counsel,
to employ and do good ; and he which useth that gift which God
hath given him to the profit of others and God's glory, shall receive
more gifts of God, as the servant which used two talents received
two. more ; but he which useth it not, but abuseth it, as many do,
that gift which he hath shall be taken from him, as the odd talent
was from the servant which had but one, shewing that one gift is
too much for the wicked, and therefore it shall not stay with him.
One would think it should be said, Whosoever bath not, to him
shall be given ; and whosoever bath, from him shall be taken ; for
God biddeth us give to them which want. But this is contrary ;
for he taketh from them which want, and giveth to them which
have. It is said that our thoughts are not like God's thoughts, and
so our gifts are not like God's gifts ; for he giveth spiritual things,
and we give temporal- things. Temporal things are to be given to
them which have not, but spiritual things to them which have.
Therefore Christ calleth none to receive his word, and Spirit, and
grace, but them which hunger and thirst, which is the first possession
of heaven. When it is said, ' It shall be given/ God sheweth him
self rich and bountiful, because he giveth to them which have, that
is, he giveth after he hath given ; for ' What hath any that he hath
not received ?' Therefore none can say, as Esau said to Isaac, ' Hast
thou but one blessing, my father ?' for he blesseth when he hath
blessed, as a spring runneth when it hath run. First, mark the
growth of God's gifts in them which use them, how he watereth his
seed like a gardener until it spring in the earth ; and after he
watereth it again, until it spring above the earth ; and after he
watereth it again, until it bring forth fruit upon the earth. There
fore God is called ' The Lord of the harvest/ Mat. ix. 38, because
the seed, and the blade, and the ear, and the corn, and all do come
from him. After, you shall see the want and the eclipse of their gifts
which use them not, ho w their learning, and knowledge, and judgment
doth betray them, as strength went from Samson when he had lost his
hair, till at last they may say like Zedekiah, 'When did the Spirit de
part from me ?' 1 Kings xxii, when did love depart from me ? when
did knowledge depart from me ? when did my zeal depart from me ?
The first part of this sentence is like the gratulation to him which
used his talent in Mat. xxv., ' Good and faithful servant, I will make
thee lord over much.'
The second part is the objurgation to him which hid his talent,

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 343
'Naughty and slothful servant, take his talent from him/ So God
beginneth here to separate between the sheep and the goats. Jacob
shall not be cursed because Esau is cursed, neither shall Esau be
blessed because Jacob is blessed ; but the Lord knoweth who are
his, and who are not ; and therefore he saith, Whosoever hath, and
Whosoever hath not, as though he knew them all, whosoever they be.
This scripture was performed before it was written. For when
Adam served God, God served him ; he consulted for a mansion for
him ; he consulted for meat for him ; he consulted for a companion
for him. Until Adam rebelled against God, we read of nothing that
God did, but his works for Adam six days together, as though he
had been hired to labour for him. But when he left his innocency,
then God began to take again that which he had given him : he
lost his wisdom, he lost his quietness, he lost his liberty, he lost his
glory, he lost his dwelling, like the man which fell among thieves.
Thus while Adam had righteousness, it might be said of him, 'Who
soever hath, to him shall be given/ And when he had not right
eousness, it might be said of him too, ' From him which hath not
shall be taken.' God is called a Father, because he is like a father,
which taketh a pleasure to see his son thrive, and grieveth to see
him an unthrift First, he giveth us a stock, to prove our husbandry,
and then if we thrive with that, he doth add more unto it, now a
little, and then a little, until at last the inheritance come too. As
they which try a vessel, first put water into it, to see whether it
will hold water, then they commit wine into it ; so, first, God giveth
us one grace ; if we use that well, then he giveth another, and an
other, aud another ; according to that, ' He which is found faithful
in a little, shall be made lord over much/ ' My Father/ saith Christ,
' is an husbandman/ John xv. ; shewing, that as we dress the ground,
that it may bring forth fruit, so God dresseth us, that we may
bring forth fruit. All cometh not at once, but as the body groweth,
so the spirit groweth: first, good thoughts, and then good speeches,
and then good works ; as the blade followeth the seed, and the ear
the blade, and the corn the ear. Look how in our first generation
one thing comes after,, another ; so it is in our second generation.
As the child springeth in the mother's womb, from a jelly unto
milk, and from milk to blood, and from blood to flesh, and she
knoweth not how it- groweth, till it come forth; so the spirit
groweth in us, and we see not how it groweth, but that it is
grown, Faith calleth to love, and love calleth to obedience, and
obedience calleth to constancy, and one grace is the foundation of
another. Therefore Paul saith, ' Whom he predestinated, them he

344 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
called ; whom he called, them he justified ; and whom he justified;
them he glorified.' Thus, as the rich easily grow richer, so the good
easily grow better. He which hath power to ask, hath power to
receive ; for it is said, ' Ask, and ye shall receive.' He which hath
power to seek, hath power to find ; for it is said, ' Seek, and you
shall find.' He which hath power to knock, hath power to enter;
for it is said, ' Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' As God's
riches are infinite, so he is never weary, of giving; when a man
serveth God, at last it cometh to this, that God delighteth, as it
were, to do him good ; as it is said, Jer. xxxii., and Micah. vii, ' I
will delight to do them good/
Now, when it cometh to this pass, that God hath a delight to do a
man good, ' then ask what thou wilt/ saith Solomon to his mother,
' and I will not say thee nay/ 1 Kings ii. 20 ; so ask what thou wilt, '
and God will not say thee nay. He which hath the Son, jnay have
the Father ; he which hath the wedding garment, may have the
wedding feast ; he which hath' the spirit of Elisha, may have the
spirit of Elijah; he which cometh unto Christ, may make Christ
come unto him ; as when the son came toward the father, the
father met him in the way ; shewing, that God is as ready to give,
as we to ask. When David did well, Nathan said unto him, ' The
Lord hath given thee this, and this, and this ; and if that had not
been enough, he would have given thee such and such things ¦/
shewing us, that the cause why we have not such and such things
is, for that we are not thankful for these and these things. When
the eunuch believed, he said, ' What letteth me to be baptized ?'
Acts viii. So when thou believest, thou mayest say, What letteth
me to be loved ? what letteth me to be blessed ? what letteth me
to be saved? and as Philip said, 'Nothing;' so Christ saith 'Nothing/
but ' be it unto thee as thou believest.' From that day, righteous
ness standeth over their heads, as the sun did over Joshua, and
they renew their virtues, as the eagle reneweth her youth. There
fore when Isaac had said, ' Jacob have I blessed/ he addeth, ' and
he shall be blessed ;' as if he should say, He beginneth to be blessed
now, but he shall be more blessed ; so they which are blessed of
God, shall be more blessed, rising and rising like the sun, until it
come to the height.
When God hath begun to bless, he saith as he said to Abraham,
' What shall I hide from him ? what shall I keep from him ?' as
though one of his gifts did bind him to give another ; therefore, his
mercies are called ' everlasting mercies/ because when they begin
they have no end. So soon as he had moved Solomon to pray for

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 345
wisdom, he gave him wisdom ; so soon as he had moved Abraham
to go from his country, he began to guide him ; so soon as he had
moved Gideon to fight, he began to strengthen him. God's mercies
are resembled to rain: first it rains small drops, and after fall great
drops, and the small are signs of the great. First you see Elisha
with a single spirit, and after you see him with a double /spirit ;
first you see Paul sitting at Gamaliel's feet, and afterward you see
him preaching in Moses's chair ; first you see Timothy a student,
and after you see him an evangelist ; first you see Cornelius pray
ing, and after you see Peter instructing ; first you see David repent
ing, and after you see Nathan comforting ; first you see the disciples
worshipping, after you see the Holy Ghost descending ; first you see
the wise men seeking Christ, and after you see them together with
Christ ; first you see the son coming toward the father, and after
you see the. father coming toward the son ; first you see the
eunuch reading, and after you see him understanding, and after
you see him believing, and after you see him baptized. Most not
able is the example of Nathanael : so soon as he believed, Christ
remembered this promise and said, ' Believest thou for this ? thou
shalt see rgreater things than these.' So he gave more to him
which had some. . That which he said to Nathanael, he saith to
all which are like Nathanael, Believest thou this sermon ? thou
shalt hear other sermons than this. Repentest thou for this ex
ample ? thou shalt see other examples than this. Lovest thou for
one benefit ? thou shalt receive more benefits than one: Honourest
thou God for his gifts upon others ? thou shalt feel his gifts upon
thyself ; for ' he which keepeth Israel doth not sleep, but watch.'
What doth he watch ? He watcheth who seeketh for comfort, and
who looketh for wisdom, and who prayeth for faith, and who en-
treateth for patience, that he may give abundantly to him which
desires fervently.
If he see one pray like Cornelius, he sendeth another to strengthen
him, like Peter ; if he see one study like the eunuch, he sendeth
another to instruct him, like Philip ; if he see one mourn like David,
he sendeth another to comfort him, like Nathan ; if he see one will
ing like Isaiah, he sendeth another to enable him, fike the seraphim;
if he see one that thinketh well, he teacheth him to speak well ;
if he see one that speaketh well, he teacheth him to do well ; if he
see one do well, he teacheth him to continue well ; if he see one
meek fike Moses, he maketh him wise like Solomon ; if he see one
wise like Solomon, he maketh him righteous like Abraham ; if he
see one righteous like Abraham, he maketh him patient like Job :

346 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
if he see one patient like Job, he maketh him penitent like Peter ;
if he see one love one virtue, he maketh him love another virtue ;
if he see one hate one vice, he maketh him hate another vice ; if
he see one like one sermon, he maketh him like another sermon.
When he hath him in his school, and he cometh once to this, to say
like Samuel, ' Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth/ 1 Sam. iii, then
he taketh him up to the mount like Moses, and openeth his heart
unto him, teaching him a way to make use of all that he seeth, and
of all that he heareth, and of all that he readetb, and of all that he
feeleth. Thus, when God hath strained and fined him, he is apt
to every good work, and takes all occasions to do them. If he but
see one pray, his heart burneth to pray too ; if he see one reading,
he hath a mind to read too ; if he see one meditating, he hath a
zeal to meditate too ; if he see one sorrowing, he hath a desire to
sorrow too. Like the disciples, when they heard Peter say, We go
a-fishing, they said, We will go a-fishing too. After this, every
benefit maketh him thankful, every instruction maketh him fearful,
and he is never well but when he is walking with God, like Enoch,
or when Christ is speaking to him, or when he is speaking to Christ;
for when God meeteth with his children, like a nurse he emptieth
himself of his milk : according to this text which we now handle,
' To him which hath shall be given.'
Thus, when you use those gifts well which you have, the Lord
will come unto you, and say, that your heart may hear him, ' Good
servant and faithful, I will make thee lord over much ;' thy seed
shall become a tree, thy spirit shall be doubled. First, thou shalt
have a love to hear, read, and meditate ; after thou shalt have a
little knowledge to judge and speak of God's word, of the Spirit,
and of doctrines ; then thou shalt ascend to faith, which will bring
thee unto peace of conscience; then thou shalt meet with good
books, and God will send thee teachers to instruct thee, and en
courage thee, like the angels which came to Christ when he
hungered. Thus a traveller passeth from town unto town, until he
come to his inn ; so a Christian passeth from virtue to virtue, until
he come to heaven, which is the journey that every man must en
deavour to go till death.
It followeth, ' And whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken,
even that which it seemeth that he hath.'
As the Lord saith to his faithful servant, ' Thou shalt be ruler
over much,' so he saith of his slothful servant, ' Take his talent from
him.' Here is one like Jacob whom God loveth, ' To him/ he saith,
' shall be given ;' here is another like Esau whom God hateth, ' From

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 347
him/ he saith, * shall be taken/ So one may say like Job, ' The
Lord hath given ;' and the other may say like Job, ' The Lord hath
taken/ But from whom doth he take ? ' From him which hath not'
And to whom doth he give ? ' To him which hath.' In this God
seemeth not to deal his gifts charitably ; for be should give to them
which want. Joseph marvelled to see Jacob lay his left hand upon
Manasseh, and his right hand upon Ephraim, as though the younger
should be more blessed than the elder. Jesse marvelled to see
Samuel choose the least of his sons before the tallest, as though the
unfittest were the fittest ; so it is marvel that he which commandeth
us to give unto them which want, should take from them which
want, and give to them which have. Isaac would not have blessed
Jacob but Esau, but God would have him bless Jacob and not Esau ;
Joseph would that Manasseh should have more than Ephraim, but
God would that Ephraim should have more than Manasseh. As
God loveth not as man loveth, so he giveth not as man giveth.
Why should Abraham have three angels, and Lot but two, and
Balaam but one, and Balak none ? Why should not Philip go up the
mount as well as James ? Why should not Aaron behold God as well
as Moses ? Why should not Moses go to Canaan as well as Caleb ?
According to our love is God's love, and according to our hatred
is God's hatred. Reuben should have had as good a blessing as
Judah, but when Jacob blessed him, Gen. xlix. 4, he remembered
his sin with Bilhah, Gen. xxxv. 22, and therefore curbed his bless
ing ; for when he blessed him, he said, ' Thou shalt not be excellent ;'
as if he should say, Reuben, thou shalt have something, but thou
shalt not have so much as thou shouldest have had, because of thy
uncleanness with Bilhah. So Moses should have gone to Canaan
as well as Caleb, but God remembered his murmuring at the waters
of bitterness ; and when he desired to go unto it, God would not
hear him, but let him see it from an hill, and so he died. So the
third servant should have received as many talents as his fellows ;
but the Lord remembered how he hid the talent which he had, and
therefore would give him no more, lest he should hide them too ;
so we should have more understanding, more judgment, and more
knowledge ; but God seeth what we do with this, and therefore
stayetb his hand, lest we should abuse any more. This is St John's
meaning when he saith, John i. 16, 'God giveth grace for grace;'
that is, where he finds one grace, there he giveth another. This is
St Paul's meaning, Rom. i, where he saith, ' The righteousness of
God is revealed from faith to faith;' signifying, that they which
have faith shall have more faith. Therefore, this is the fearfulest

348 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
! sign that we have no faith, nor grace, if God do not increase our
I faith, and his graces in us ; for ' to him which hath shall be given.'
Therefore, if we had faith, we should have love ; if we had love, we
should have knowledge ; if we had knowledge, we should have zeal;
if we had zeal, we should have holiness. As he which hath broken
one commandment is made guilty of all, so he which hath one vir
tue is made partaker of all. It is said, so long as Jehoiada lived
Joash prospered and did well, 2 Chron. xxiv., because Jehoiada in
structed and guided him ; but when Jehoiada died, Joash's good
ness died with him, and he was never like himself after, but turned
like his fathers. So there is a seed in the heart, which while it
liveth and is fostered, we sprout and prosper, as Joash did ; but
when that seed dieth for want of cherishing, then we begin to droop
and fade, and decay again, as Joash did. If one virtue be offended,
she lureth all her fellows from us, as many of Ishbosheth's friends
shrunk with Abner.
David setteth forth the godly man, ' like a tree planted by the
water's side, which sprouteth and groweth, and bringeth forth fruit/
Ps. i. 3. Straight upon this, he saith, ' It is not so with the wicked.'
When lie spake of growing, and flourishing, and fructifying, he saith,
' It is not so with the wicked ;' that is, it is contrary with the
wicked, therefore their gifts are not like 'the tree planted by the
water's side,' but like 'the chaff which the wind bloweth away,'
Nay, saith David, themselves are ' like chaff which the wind blow
eth away.' If they be chaff, then their fruit is chaff. The glutton's
table was for the ungodly, Luke xvi, but the Lord's table was for
the holy, therefore he which had not the wedding garment, Mat.
xxii, had not the wedding feast. For if the Lord would cast pearls
unto swine, why doth he forbid us to do so ? Therefore it is not
said, ' Be it unto thee as thou desirest,' lest all should look to re
ceive ; but, ' Be it unto thee as thou believest,' that all might care
to believe. It is not said to them that seek not, Ye shall find, but
' Seek, and you shall find/ How should they enter, which have not
a hand to knock at the door ? How should they receive, which
have no tongue to ask the giver ? How should they have wisdom,
which have not ' the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of
wisdom' ? Prov. i. Thus, as James saith, 'Shew me thy faith and
I will shew thee my faith ; ' so God saith, Shew me thy love, and I
will shew thee my love. As Christ was known at Emmaus, by break
ing of bread, so you may know him here by dealing his gift. It is
said when Joseph feasted his brethren, Benjamin's mess had five
times more than any of his brethren, because Joseph loved him

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 349
more than the rest, Gen. xliii. So the mercy and graces of God will
shew to whom his affection standeth. If you see Christ leaning on
a man's breast, as John did on Christ's breast, then may you say,
This is a beloved disciple ; for as Lydia persuaded Paul and Silas
to come to her house, saying, ' If you judge me to be faithful, come
to my house/ Acts xvi. 15, so you may judge them to be faithful
to whose house the Lord cometh. If you ask Solomon to whom the
Lord giveth wisdom and knowledge, he answereth, 'To a man
which is good in his sight/ Eccles. ii. 26, shewing that those men
are gracious in God's sight, as Joseph was in Pharaoh's. Contrari
wise, if you see God flying from a man, as David fled from Saul,
that is, withdrawing his Spirit, as the master did his talent, then
you may say, This is not a faithful servant to his Master ; for if he
had used his talent well, the Lord would increase it, as he promised ;
but because he doth abuse it, therefore the Lord doth withdraw it
again, as he threatened.
To some God giveth, and never recalleth again ; to some he
giveth, and after taketh it from them. A§ some angels went up
the ladder, and some went down, so some men's gifts increase, and
some decrease. In Eph. iv. you have God giving ; in Mat. xxi. you
have him taking. In Gen. i. you have God blessing ; in Gen. iv.
you have God cursing. In Acts xxvi. you have God opening eyes ;
in Isaiah you have God shutting eyes. In Daniel ii. you have God
making wise ; in Isa. xliv. you have God making fools. In John
xv. you have God dressing trees ; in Mat. iii. you have God hewing
down trees. When one sea floweth another ebbeth; when one
star riseth another setteth ; when light is in Goshen, darkness is
in Egypt ; when Mordecai groweth into favour, Haman groweth
out of favour ; when Benjamin beginneth, Rachel endeth. Thus
we are rising or setting, getting or spending, winning or losing,
growing or fading, until we arrive at heaven or hell. As Elisha his
spirit was doubled, so Saul's spirit departed. As the Gentiles be
come believers, so the Jews become infidels. As Saul becometh
an apostle, so Judas becometh an apostate. As John groweth
in the spirit, so Joash decayeth in the spirit. As Zaccheus
turneth from the world, so Demas turneth to the world. As Lydia's
heart is opened, Acts xvi, so Pharaoh's heart is hardened, even as
the thorns bum while the vines fructify. When Ishbosheth was
asleep upon his bed, Baanab and Rechab came and took away his
life ¦ so while men sleep and do no good, God cometh and taketh
away their gifts. It was never said, Samson hath lost his strength,
until he hearkened unto Delilah. It was never said, Saul hath

350 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
lost his Spirit, until he hearkened not to Samuel. It was never
said, ' Take his talent from him,' until he hid it in the ground./ One
sin openeth the door for many virtues to go out. While Jacob
stayed with Laban, Laban's cattle increased, because God blessed
him for Jacob's sake ; but when Jacob went from him, many of
Laban's sheep went with him, and he grew poor again ; so while
the love of righteousness is with thee, to husband thy knowledge
and wisdom like Jacob, thou shalt thrive in graces, and one day
shall teach another ; but when that steward departeth from thee,
then look that thy wisdom, and knowledge, and judgment should
decrease, as fast as the widow's oil increased. The world will win
the flesh, and the flesh will win the spirit, and one sin will cry to
another, as the Moabites did at the river, 'Now Moab to the spoil/
now sins to your spoil ; then thy knowledge shall fly, as though it
were afraid to be taken captive of ignorance, thy love shall not
abide thy hatred, thy humility shall not abide thy pride, thy tem
perance shall not abide thy concupiscence. As thou seest the
leaves fall from the trees in a boisterous wind, so thy graces shall'
drop away one ofter another, as though thou wert in a consumption.
As the ark would not stay with the Philistines, so the grace of God
will not stay with sinners, but flieth from them like persecutors.
David was not so ready to fly from Saul, but the Spirit was as ready
to fly from him too. This must come upon all which sin fike
Samson, their strength must depart from them, until they learn
like Nebuchadnezzar from whence it came, Dan. iv. This sentence
is such a meditation, that he which would preach it to the quick/
had need to have an eye in all men's hearts, to see how one virtue
dieth after another, until the soul die too.
As there is a fall of leaves, and an eclipse of the sun, and a con
sumption of the body, so there is a fall of gifts, and an eclipse of
knowledge, and a consumption of the spirit. It is strange to see
how wisdom, and knowledge, and judgment do shun the wicked, as
though they were afraid to be defiled. As Barak would not go
unless Deborah would go with him, so knowledge will not stay
unless virtue will stay with her. To this Jeremiah pointed when
he mocked the Jews for saying, ' Knowledge shall not depart from
the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the pro
phet,' Jer. xviii. 18. To this Isaiah pointed when he saith, 'The
wisdom of the wise men shall perish, and the understanding of the
prudent shall be hid/ Isa. xxix. ] 4, as if he should say, One day Christ
will tell you, that ' whosoever hath not, from him/ &c. And when
you hear that saying, then remember these examples, how he hath

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 351
fulfilled it before. After come the apostles, and they shew some
'hardened/ some 'bewitched/ some 'blinded/ Paul tells how Demas
' fell away/ and John sheweth how ' many fell away.' Thus the
prophets and apostles on either side, and Christ in the midst, hold
up this threatening, as if it were a pit, which all are falling into. The
soul of man is called ' the temple of the Holy Ghost/ As God
pulled down his temple when it became a den of thieves, so he for-
saketh the temple of the soul, and taketh his grace from her, as
from a divorced spouse, when it lusteth after other loves. With
any talent he giveth this charge, ' Use and increase it until I come ;'
being left, at last he cometh again to see what we have done. The
seed was sown, this year the Lord calls for fruit, and none will come ;
the next year, and the next after, and none comes ; at last the curse
goeth forth, ' Never fruit grow upon thee more.' Then as the fig-
tree began to wither, so bis gifts begin to pai*-,1 as if a worm were
still gnawing at them ; his knowledge loseth his relish, like the Jews'
manna; his judgment rusts like a sword which is not used ; his zeal
trembleth as though it were in a palsy; his faith withereth as
though it were blasted, and the image of death is upon all his reli
gion. After this he thinketh like Samson to pray as he did, and
speak as he did, and hath no power, but wondereth like Zedekiah,
how the Spirit is gone from him. Now when the good Spirit is
gone, then cometh the spirit of blindness, and the spirit of error,
and the spirit of fear, and all to seduce the spirit of man. After
this, by little and little, first he falls into error, then he comes unto
heresy, at last he plungeth into despair ; after this, if he inquire, God
will not suffer him to learn ; if he read, God will not suffer him to
understand ; if he hear, God will not suffer him to remember ; if
he pray, God seemeth unto him like Baal, which could not hear ;
at last he beholdeth his wretchedness, as Adam looked upon his
nakedness, and mourneth for his gifts ; as Rachel wept for her
children, ' because they were not/ All this cometh to pass, that
the scripture might be fulfilled, 'Whosoever hath not, from him
shall be taken that which he seemeth to have.' As the ship
sinketh upon the sea while the merchant sporteth upon the land,
and makes him a bankrupt when he thinketh that his goods are
coming in ; so while we are secure, and the heart spendetb, and
the ear bringeth not in, by little and little the stock decayeth, and
more become bankrupts in religion than in all trades beside. When
a man sinneth, he thinketh with himself, I will do this no more ;
after, another sin promisetb as much profit as that, and he saith
1 Qu. 'fade'?— Ed.

352 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
again, I will do this no more ; presently another sin promiseth as
much profit as that, and he saith again, I will do tbis, and no more.
There goeth strength, and there cometh a wound ; so the soul
bleedeth to death, and knoweth not her sickness till she be at the
last gasp. Even as a man undresseth himself to bed, first he casteth
off his cloak, then his coat, and then his doublet, so when God
rifleth our hearts, he pulleth away one feather after another ; first
he wounds his faith, after he strikes his love, then he blindeth his
knowledge, then he shall have no delight to hear the word ; after,
he shall grow to hate the preachers of the word ; at last, he shall
even hate the word itself. This is the bleeding of the soul, or the
spiritual consumption, when graces drop away, as the hairs fall
from an hoary head before death. Let Ahithophel be a spectacle
for all to fear : he was counted a wise man and a deep counsellor,
yet because it was the wisdom of the flesh, the story saith that God
turned his wisdom into folly ; and that he might seem foolish (as
he was indeed), God made him to hang himself, whereby bis folly
was more notorious than his wisdom. But most notable is the
example of persecuting Saul ; when he began to fall, he ran head
long. First he fell in hatred of David, then he fell in hatred of
God, after God fell in hatred of him ; anon the Spirit departed
from him ; at last he sought for help at witches, which he had con
demned before. Tbis is the property of sin, to spur a man forward
until he commit that which he condemneth himself, that he may
be tormented of his own conscience. Now, if 1 might apply this
scripture, as Christ saith, Are there no more sinners but they upon
whom the tower of Siloam fell ? so I may say, Is the talent taken
from none but from him which hid it in the ground ? Nay, Saul
was but a type of many which should lose the Spirit ; Samson
was but a type of many which should lose their strength ; Demas
was but a type of many which should embrace the world. As
David crieth, ' How are the mighty overthrown !' so we may mourn
and say, How are the zealous cooled ! how are the diligent tired !
Theyjvhich should .season others^_are_ become like the white of an
ejEg^jybich. bath no jaste_; once they seemed to have fruit, but now
they are not hanged with leaves. As God cried unto Adam, 'Adam,
where art thou ?' so they may cry, Zeal, where art thou ? Learn
ing, where art thou ? Conscience, where art thou ? Love, where
art thou ? They which shined like the sun when they rose, seem
now to be eclipsed of their light. The world hath won the flesh,
the flesh hath won the spirit, and ' Jordan is turned back/ As
God took heat from the fire when it would burn his children, so he

THE HEAVENLY THRIFT. 353
taketh knowledge from the learned when they turn it to evil. Now,
when they see such ruins of their gifts, with what heart can they
: think, I am the tree whom Christ accurseth ; or, I am the servant
of whom it is said, 'Take his talent from him'? Therefore I say
to you, as Christ said, ' Remember Lot's wife ;' as her body was
turned into salt, so your wisdom may turn into folly, your know
ledge may turn into ignorance, your understanding may turn into
blindness, your zeal may turn into coldness ; therefore let all which
have a talent take heed how they use it. Three things I note in
these words, and then I end : First, Christ saith not, It shall be
taken from them which have, but from them which ' seem to have.'
Lest they which stand should fear to fall, Paul saith not, Let him
which standeth take heed lest he fall, but ' Let him which thinketh
he standeth ;' so, lest they which have the Spirit should fear, Christ
isaith, ' It shall be taken from them which seem to have.' Mark
how warily the Scripture speaketh ; for this speech doth shew that
many shall fall, and yet it doth shew that none shall fall but they
which seem to stand ; that none shall lose the Spirit but they
which seem to have it. For if Christ would take from them which
have, as he giveth to them which have, he would not say, They
which seem to have at his taking, no more than he said at his giving.
So we have a comfort in this terror, like the honey which Samson
Tound in the lion's jaws ; for if God will take from none but them
which seem to have, then we need not fear unless we be hypocrites,
for the threatening is made to none but them which seem.
Secondly, This speech doth shew that many have that show of
holiness which Paul speaketh of, wherewith they would deceive
God, and deceive themselves. You have Pilate washing his hands
in hypocrisy, as well as you have David washing his hands in in
nocency. You have the Shechemites with their circumcision, as well
as the Israelites with their circumcision. You have the Sadducees
with their doctrine, as well as the apostles with their doctrine. You
have the pharisee with his prayer, as well as the publican with his
prayer. You have the Pythonist with her confession, as well as
Peter with bis confession. You have the exorcists with their Jesus,
Acts viii, as well as Paul with his Jesus. You have Satan with
his Scripture, Mat. iv., as well as Christ with his scripture. You
have Judas with his kiss, as well as Jonathan with his kiss. You
have Cain with his sacrifice, as well as Abel with his sacrifice.
You have Esau with his tears, as well as Mary with her tears. You
have Ahithophel with his wisdom, as well as Solomon with his,
wisdom. You have Zedekiah with his spirit, as well as Elijah with
VOL. I. z

354 THE HEAVENLY THRIFT.
his spirit You have Jezebel with her fasts, as well as Anna with
her fasts. You have the harlot with her vows, as well as Jacob
with his vow. Of all these the scripture is fulfilled, ' That which
they seemed to have was taken from them.'
This is the first note, the very show of godliness shall be taken
from them which have not goodness itself. Lest men should content
themselves with shows and shadows, Christ saith, ' That which he
seems to have shall be taken from him ;' as if he should say, Take
away his talent, and his napkin too, that be may not seem to have
a talent ; as Moses saith, ' I will not leave a hoof behind/ Thou
shalt not seem just, nor wise, nor honest, but I will make thee as
naked to men as Adam was to me. Even as the fig-tree, because
it had no fruit, was spoiled of his leaves, which shewed like fruit ;
so they which have made shipwreck of honesty, shall make ship
wreck of credit too. Their name shall go with a brand upon it,
like Cain the murderer, Achan the thief, Absalom the rebel, Magus
the sorcerer. Judas had for his title, 'Judas which betrayed
the Lord,' Acts i. Jeroboam had for his title, ' Jeroboam which
made Israel to sin.' Demas had for his title, ' Demas which em
braced the world.' Mark how sin doth persecute and vex the
sinner. Indeed, Demas had embraced the world, but he would not
have the world to know it ; but see first how God makes Paul to
know it, and after, he makes him to proclaim it ; that now Demas
is not only an hypocrite, but known to be an hypocrite, like a
rogue which is burned in the ear. When Jeroboam's wife came to
the prophet to inquire of her son, she disguised herself, because she
would not be known ; yet the prophet knew her, for so soon as she
knocked at the door, he called, 'Come in, Jeroboam's wife ;' so though
men disguise themselves with sober countenances, and holy speeches,
and honest company, because they would not be known, yet when
God seeth an hypocrite, he will pull his vizor from his face, as Adam
was stripped of his fig-leaves, and shew the anatomy of his heart, as
though his life were written in his forehead ; and he shall marvel how
men know that which he scarce thought had been known to God.
Thus he which hath made the day, can bring forth thy right
eousness like the light ; he which hath made the night, can bring
forth thy wickedness like the dark. Therefore Solomon saith, ' The
candle of the wicked shall be put out ;' that is, the least light that
he hath shall be quenched, Prov. xv.
Thus you see how God will increase your gifts if you use them,
and how God will decrease them if you use them not. Now let us
pray that he will teach us this use, that we may receive his blessing.

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.

/ have said, Ye are gods; and ye are all the children of the Most
High : but ye shall die as a man, and ye princes shall die like
others.— Vs. LXXXII. 6, 7.
I may call this text, the Magistrates' Scripture ; considering the
state of kings and governors, how much good they might do, and
how little they perform, God becomes a remembrancer unto them.
And first, shews what a high calling princes and rulers have, and
then, lest they should be proud of it, and make their magistracy a
chair of ease, he turns upon them again, as though he had another
message unto them, and tells them, that though they be above
others, yet they shall die like others ; and though they judge here,
yet they shall be judged hereafter, and give account of their
stewardship, how they have governed, and straightway their sub
jects, how they have obeyed. A good memorandum for all in
authority, so to deal in this kingdom, that they lose not the king
dom to come.
/ have said, Ye are gods, &c. How can he call them gods, which
calls himself the only God? and saith, There are no more gods but
he, Isa. xliv. 6, xiv. 21. 'I have made thee Pharaoh's god/ saith
God to Moses, Exod. vii. 1, because he had given him power to
speak unto Pharaoh in his name, and to execute his judgments
upon him ; so he calleth magistrates gods, because he hath given
them power to speak to the people in his name, and to execute his
judgments upon them. Out of this name rulers may learn how to
govern, and subjects how to obey. As the inferior magistrates do
nothing but as the superior magistrate prescribeth, so they which
rule under God, for God, must rule by the prescript of God, and do
no thing but as their conscience tells them that God would do him-

358 THE magistrates' scripture.
self. Therefore they which use their power against God, which bear
the person of God and execute the will of the devil, which make
laws against God's law, and be enemies to his servants, are worse
than Balaam, which would not curse whom God blessed, Num. xxii.
18; and so much as in them lieth, make God a liar, because they
cannot so well be called gods, as devils. Such gods go to helL
/ have said, Ye are gods, &c. First, this name informs us what
kind of rulers and magistrates we should choose ; those which excel
all other men, like gods among men. For a king should be a man
after God's own heart, like David, as appeareth in the first book of
Samuel, the thirteenth chapter, and fourteenth verse. As all those
whom God set over bis people in his mercy, and not in his anger,
had some note of excellency above the rest, which God chose them
by, as it were thg Tng.gi.sfaa.tp'K mark ; the mildesLman, Num. xii. 3;
or the gisest man, 1 Kings iv. 31 ; or the jusifiat man, Heb. vii. 2 ;
as though if all these had met in one, the inquisition should have
stayed there, and all give place to him ; but our virtues are so
singled, that he which was called the mildest, is not called the
wisest ; and he which was called the wisest, is not called the justest ;
as though God found some defect in his own election. For when
he chose one mild, another wise, and another just, he shewed that
he would have one which is mild, and wise, and just like himself;
that is, (as I may say) a man made even in print.
As Paul biddeth to ' choose widows which were widows indeed/
1 Tim. v. 3, so we should choose magistrates which are magistrates
indeed ; that is, such as seem to be sent of God for that purpose, as
Pharaoh chose Joseph, because he was the fittest in all the land,
Gen. xii. 38. Elisha thought that the single spirit was not enough,
but required that the spirit of Elijah might be doubled upon him,
because he was a prophet which should teach others, 2 Kings ii. 9 ;
so we should pick out them which have a double spirit to be
magistrates, because they must govern others ; as God picked forth
Joshua in Moses's room ; be might have chosen many out of all
Israel, which had the spirit of wisdom ; but he chose Joshua, of
whom he saith, that he was ' full of the spirit of wisdom/ Deut.
xxxiv. 9, shewing that if one be better than another, he should be
chosen before the rest, because the best have said, Send another,
Exod. iv. 13, as though none were fit ; but for want of angels we
are fain to make magistrates of men. Therefore, as Samuel went
over all the sons of Jesse, to anoint a successor to Saul, 1 Sam. xvi.
5, and put back one after another which thought themselves fit,
yet there was but one amongst them which pleased God, and the

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 359
prophet could scarce discern him ; so necessary it is, that this choice
be committed to none but to the godly, because he which would have
chosen the best, yet liked another before him. Therefore there was
such a scrutiny amongst the tribes to find out the man whom God
had chosen, as Jethro taught Moses to cull out of all the people
those Which ' had best courage, and feared God, and dealt truly,
and hated covetousness,' Exod. xviii. 21. Therefore a wicked man
may not supply the place of God, as the scribes and pharisees sat in
Moses's chair, Mat. xxiii. 2 ; but as it is said of Judas, ' Let another
take his place/ Acts i. 20, so let better take their place, for they
which are called gods must be like God. If all should be ' holy as
he is Jholy/_X John iii. 3, how much more should they be pure as he
is pure^wise as he is wise, just as he is just, which bear his name,
which supply his person, and guide Jthe world unto good or evil" If
the race shoulcTbe to the swift, and the battle to the strong, Eccles.
ix. 11, then, as Saul did exceed all the men of Israel from the
shoulders upward, 1 Sam. ix. 2, so he which commands others,
should exceed others in gifts of grace, that they may know him
from the rest, and say, This is he, for he exceeds the rest in virtue
as Saul did in stature, fike the king of bees, which is the fairest of
all the hive. Therefore, , if Pharaoh would let none but Joseph
govern Egypt, Gen. xii 38, Pharaoh shall rise up against those kings,
which care not whom they place over their people, imitating Reho-
boam, which made them his companions, whom he should have ex
pelled from his court, 1 Kings xii. 8.
Secondly, This extolleth the calling of magistrates. As Jacob
honoured Joseph's children, when "he said they should be called
after his name, Gen. xlviii. 16 ; so God honoureth the magistrates
when he gives them his own name, calling them gods, as though
there were a kind of godhead in thorn. ' These things pertain to
the wise/ Prov. xxiv. 23, and they themselves do not always see it ;
yet he which hath a spiritual eye, and carries the pattern of God in
his heart, may see another likeness of God in magistrates, than in,
common persons. As the builders of the temple had a special
wisdom and spirit, which God gave them for that work which they
were chosen to, Exod. xxxi. 3 and xxxv. 31, so when Samuel had
anointed David, he saith, that ' the Spirit of the Lord came upon
David from that day forward,' 1 Sam. xvi. 13, as though he had
another spirit after than he had before. There is a difference, be
tween kings and jnlerioxjaaagistiatfis; for'the^prince is like a great
image of God, the magistrates are like ;. little images of God, ap
pointed to "rule for God, to make laws for God, to reward for God,

360 THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.
to punish for God, to speak for God, to fight for God, to reform for
God, and therefore their battles are called ' The Lord's battles ;'
and their judgments, 'The Lord's judgments ; ' and their throne,
'The Lord's throne;' and the kings themselves, 'His kings/ to shew
that they are all for God, like his hands. By some he teacheth mercy, ;
by some justice, by some peace, by some counsel, as Christ dis
tributed the loaves and the fishes by the hands of his disciples,
Mat. xiv. 18. This God requires of all when he calls them gods,
to rule as he would rule, judge as he would judge, correct as he
would correct, reward as he would reward, because it is said, that
they are instead of the Lord God ; that is, to do as he would do, as
a scholar writes by a copy. This is a good study for magistrates in
all their judgments, to consider what God would do, because they
are instead of Jjod, I rule for God, I speak.forGod,Jjadgf!.for-Gad,
I reward for God, Lcoxrect for God; then as -hewfiuld_do.and.de;
termine, so must be my sentence. As we should think how Christ
prayed before we pray, and how he spake before we speak, because
his actions are our instructions, Mat. xi. 29 ; so they should think
how Christ would judge before they judge, because God's law is
appointed for their law, Deut. xvii. 10. Such a thought must needs
level the way before them, and put them in mind of a good, and
just, and holy judgment, because God is good, and just, and holy.
Thirdly, /Thpy a.re callpd gods, t,n tpach thp.TnJinw_thf,y should
govern. Howsoever other care for the glory of God, the perform
ance of his will, the reformation of his church, princes and rulers,
which are gods themselves, are to do the business of God as their
own business, because they are gods. God's business is their busi
ness, God's law is their law, God's honour is their honour. When
the king, or judge, or magistrate, doth seek the kingdom and glory
of God, he should think he seeketh his own kingdom and glory,
and therefore seek it, and further it, as earnestly and diligently as
he would his own ; and rule, and judge, and speak, and punish, and
counsel, as he would for himself; even as David counted God's foes
his foes, and God's friends his friends, Ps. cxxxix. 21 ; and Moses
persecuted them that were idolaters against God, Exod. xlii. 27, as
he did them which were traitors to himself, Num. xvi. 16.
If this were observed, we should see such a change, that divers
which take should give, and they which give should take ; they
which labour should rest, and they which rest should labour. How
can they pray to God, which know that the laws of God are not
obeyed; that his will is not regarded; but the poor unpitied,
because of their remissness in not bridling the insolent? It may

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 361
seem that in Elijah his answer to Ahab, it was prophesied who
should trouble Israel to the world's end ; for speaking to the wicked
magistrate hej said, ' It is thou which troublest it/ 1 Kings xviii.
1 8. So the ungodly rulers, and graceless, jtriyers^^ainst kwf ul
I^§jJ3jthefrown hearts calling themselves gods, not being so called
of God, are cause of all disorder in every commonweal.
Fourthly. They are called gods, to encourage them in their office,
and to teach them that they need not dread the persons of men ;
but as God doth that which is just and good without the jealousy
of men, so they, upon the bench, and in all causes of justice, should
forget themselves to be men, which are led by the arms between
favour and fear, stud think themselves gods, which fear nothing.
This boldness is so necessary in them which should judge all alike,
that in Deut. iii. 28, Moses encouraged Joshua. In Josh, i 18, the
people enourage him ; in verse 9, God doth encourage him, saying,
that he will be with him ; but here he is with him ; for hearing God
call them gods, shews that God is there, nay, that they are he,
which should strike a wonderful mind in them. As a princely spirit
came upon Saul so soon as be was a king, so hearing that they are
gods, it should change them, and make them excel the order of
men, until they resemble God, after whom they are named; as
Solomon studied and prayed till he was wiser than all that he
governed, 1 Kings iii. 6, iv. 33; then they need not blush to read
this testimony, 'I have said, Ye are gods;' or else it will seem
a check unto them, like the mock which God gave unto Adam,
when he said, that he was become like himself, Gen. iii. 22. As
jnany^u^Jn God's place, and yet never knew that the Scripture
called them gods, nor why they have this name no more than Nabal ;
so many play Nabal in their offices, and are readier to ask, Who is
David? 1 Sam. xxv. 26, Who is Christ? than, when his cause comes
before them, speak or do anything for him. But the women go be
fore them again like Abigail, as though God would shame them
with the weaker vessel. I cannot compare them fitter than with
king Agrippa, who thought it better to be a Christian almost, than
altogether. This is the religion of these times: jthey fear nothing
.more than to be counted too precise; but God doth call them more
than precise, fOr he calls them godsfbf all men they should not for
get his name. Princes and rulers have many names of honour, but
this is the honourablest name in their titles, that they are called
gods ; other names have been given them of men for reverence, or
flattery, but no man could give them this name but God himself.
Therefore their name is a glass wherein they may see their duty,

362 THE magistrates' scripture.
how God doth honour them, and how they should honour him.
What am I more than he, that God should set me in his own chair;
and give me his own name, and more than others ! He hath not
done so to all; but if they which are called his children are happy,
they which are called his disciples are happy, Mat. v. ; they which
are called his servants are happy, 1 Sam. xviii. 23 ; how happy are
they whom he calleth gods ! It seems, that if God could have
called them by a higher name than his own, he would have called
them by some other name ; but this word is enough to put them in
mind of all that they should do. Think that ye are gods, and it
will make, you ashamed to obey the devil ; for then ye are like gods
no more, but fike sinful men ; and the poorest vassal which serves
God in a cottage, is liker God than you. Are they gods which op
press God's children ? Nay, doth he not lie which calls them wor
shipful, or noble ? If such deserve not their titles, how can anti
christ of Rome think of his usurped names, and not be abashed ?
Can he sit down in God's place and speak against him, judge against
him, decree against him, even in the temple of God resisting God ?
2 Thes. ii. 4.
Again, for another sort of gods : Doth iniquity become gods ?
Doth partiality become gods ? Doth bribes become gods ? They
are greedy gods, idol gods, belly gods, and may be termed gods, be
cause they are like ' the god of this world,' 2 Cor. iv. 4, which do
but stay (like Nebuchadnezzar), until their iniquity be full, that
they may be cast out like beasts, as a derision to them they govern,
Dan. iv. But they whieh regard this honourable testimony of God,
as Nehemiah said when he was tempted to fly, ' Should such a man
as I fly?' Neh. vi. 11, so when they are tempted with bribes,
Should such a man as I take bribes ? Should such a man as I do
wrong ? Should such a man as I be a liar, or a swearer, or a scoffer,
or a drunkard, or a gamester, or an usurer, or a profaner, upon
whom all eyes are set to take their example, and to whom they
would hearken sooner than to God himself ? Then he resolveth to
rule according to his name ; knowing that all the souls which might
be won by him shall be required of him, as the sins of Israel were
imputed to Jeroboam, 1 Kings xv. 30.
Thus God doth catechize them in their own names, and calls
them gods, to teach them their duty to God. All should be godly,
but they should be like God ; that (as I may say), more than godly,
or the next to God in godliness. If any come between them, they
lose all their honour, and would think themselves put down, like a
guest which is set lower, or a justice which is turned out of office-

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 363
For so God doth humble them, and disgrace them, which dishonour
their calling, as he did Saul when the princely spirit departed from
him. His sons and his daughters, and his subjects did favour David
more than him, that he could do nothing with them. Because God
did not love him, he would not let his servants love him, 1 Sam.
xxii. 7, 1 Sam. xix. 4, 1 Sam. xviii. 7, 1 Sam. xxii. 17. But when
David came to the crown, because he had grace with God, he pros
pered in all that he went about, and ever reformed what he
would, 2 Sam. v. 10 ; for the Lord (as he said) ' subdued the people
unto him/ Ps. xviii. 47 ; that is, made them incline to his wilL As
we read of Saul, in the beginning of his reign, before he had re
belled, * a band of men did cleave to him/ of whom it is said,
' whose hearts God bad touched/ 1 Sam. x. 26 ; as though while
the rulers' hearts do stand toward God, the peoples' hearts should
stand towards them, and they should carry them like God to all
their desires ; as it is said of David, ' Whatsoever the king did,
pleased all the people/ 2 Sam. iii. 36.
Therefore, looking into this divine ordinance, what a power they
have over the people, which they should never have got from men,
if God had not given it them. I have thought it an easier matter
to redress an hundred things which trouble Christendom without
reason, and none would kick against it, if these gods would cast
down their crowns, and begin to the rest ; for all stay upon them,
like the alarm which soundeth first to the battle ; for our expe
rience shows, that there will be..na_graat good done, if_the_example
of the best give noJLligb-tjiiito the. rest—
Uh ! wouldthat princely spirit would once come upon them to
go before the people, which Moses appointed for the King's place,
Num. xxvii. 17, and not lag after them like Herod, which said he
would come after the wise men to Christ, Mat. ii. 8 ; for if Nicode
mus came by night, John iii. 1, no marvel though the rest came
not at all Thus their name tells them how they should rule, and
by consequence teacheth how we should obey. God calls them
gods, therefore he which contemneth them, contemneth God ;
God calls them fathers, therefore we must reverence them like
fathers ; God calls them kings, princes, lords, judges, powers, rulers,
governors, which are names of honour ; and shall we dishonour
them whom God doth honour? Our first lesson is, ' Fear_GpiL.;'
the next is, ' Honour_ the king/_Prov. xxiv. 21, 1 Peter ii. 17 ; that
is (as Paul interpreteth), we must ' obey for cflQficjgn.ee/ Rom.
xiii. 5, not against conscience ; for that were to put a stranger
before the king, and the king before God, which, Christ saith, have

364 THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.
no power but from God, John xix. 11 ; and therefore cannot make
themselves magistrates, Heb. v. 4, no more than they can make
themselves gods. As none could give this name but God, so.no
man which exalteth himself can challenge this honour, no more
than Simon Magus was great, because he called himself a great
man, Acts viii. 9. But they to whom God saith, I h*ave~called ye
gods, as if he had the naming and appointing of them. ' Every
power is from God/ Rom. xiii. 2 ; for by nature no man can chal
lenge power over other, but by the word ; and therefore every soul
which is subject to God, must be subject to them, 1 Peter ii. 13 ;
for he which calls them kings, calls us subjects; this is their patent
(as the queen of Sheba said to Solomon), 2 Chron. ix. 3, that God
had chosen them kings, and set them upon the throne. As he said,
and all things were made, Gen. i. ; so as he saith, all things should
be, Jer. xxvii. 12. Therefore, unless ye hear this, I say, ye that
are lords, judges, and magistrates, ye are no lords, no judges, no
magistrates of God. And therefore the pope and bis clergy, to
whom God never said, Ye are lords, or judges, or magistrates ; are
no lords, no judges, no magistrates of God"7~but^ .t^tjivhich__the_
Lord^aith. they are, that they are, and no more, though they~put
on_a .triple .crown. If they were worthy to be called, as others,
pastors, doctors, and teachers, we would give them those titles.
They which give them more than the Lord gives them, make
them proud, and insolent, and tyrannous, more than they which
are lords, judges, and magistrates indeed. But for these usurped
titles, and base-born honours which they have encroached from
men (which puff them up, and trouble them, like Saul's armour,
] Sam. xvii. 39), they would have intended the duty of ministers
and teachers, as* the apostles did ; whereas now they are so
cumbered and mingled, by their usurping over princes, that they
are neither _goqd ministers nor good magistrates ; but Jinseyj:
wolsey, a mmgle-mangle between both, nay, utterly fallen from both,
beingno shepherds, but wolves, of whose slaughters all Christian
kingdoms have been the shaj&hles, who, seeking a superfluous title,
they have foregone all necessary duties ; and but for their for
malities, a man could not know of what profession they are ; for
they never preach, nor write, but to maintain their kingdom, which
falls, like the tower of Babel, faster than they build, Gen. xi. There
fore, as Naomi said, ' Call me no more Naomi,' which signifieth
beautiful, ' but call me Mara/ which signifieth bitter, Ruth i 20 ;
so they may say, Call us no more bishops, or pastors, or doctors, or
preachers, but call us robbers, and sleepers, and giants, and phari-

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 365
sees, whom we succeed. For why should they be called bishops,
which do not watch ; or pastors, which dp not feedL; or doctors,
which do not teach ; or justices^ which do not justice, except this
be the reason : the idols were called gods, though they were unlike
God, Exod. xx. 23. If their bodies had grown as far out of square,
since Christ's ascension, as their titles, pomp, and honour, they might
stand in the main seas and not be drowned ; for their heads would
crow above the water.
It followeth, but ye shall die as a man. Here he distinguisheth
between mortal gods and the immortal God. Ye have seen their
glory ; now behold their end, ' They shall all die like others.'
Though they be never so rich, so goodly, so mighty, so honourable
while their date lasteth, yet they may as truly as Job call ' corrup
tion their father, and the worm their mother/ Job xvii. 14 ; for the
grave shall be the last bed of all flesh. As they were born like
men, so they shall die like men ; the same coming in and going out
is to all ; nay, if ye respect but the body, he might say, Ye shall
die like beasts ; for ' man being in honour/ saith David, may well
be compared unto ' beasts that perish/ Ps. xlix. Though he be in
honour, yet he perisheth fike the beasts which have no honour ; and
death will not take his kingdomJbx.a ransom, when God doth but
say his time is come. When Isaiah had said that ' all flesh was
grass/ as though he would correct his speech, he adds, ' and the
glory of it is as the flower of the field/ Isa. xl. As if he should say,
Some men have more glory than other, and they are like flowers ;
the other are like grass : no great difference, the flower shews
fairer, but grass stands longer ; one scythe cuts both down, like the
fat sheep and the lean, that feed in two pastures, but are killed in
one slaughter. So, though the great man five in his palace, and
the poor man dwells in his cottage, yet both shall meet at the grave,
and vanish together. Even they which are lords, and judges, and
counsellors now, are but successors to them which are dead, and are
nearer to death now than when I began to preach of this theme.
It had been a great sessions for all others to die ; but for magistrates,
princes, for kings, for emperors to die as they die, what a battle is
this that leaves no man alive ! Shall the gods die too ? / He gives
them their title, but he tells them their lot. Though their power,
though their wealth, though their honour, though their titles,
though their train, though their friends, though their ease, though
their pleasures, though their diet, though their clothing be not like
others', yet their end shall be like others', nay, their ends are like
to be more fearful than others' ; for God makes him examples of

366 THE magistrates' scripture.
great men, as he did of Pharaoh ; and therefore we see so many
strange and sudden deaths of princesjnore than of others. There-
fore he spake herewith the least when he said, 'Ye shall die like
others ;' for very few of them escape the sword, or knife, or poison,
which others never or very seldom fear, Exod. ix. 1 6. But if all
your subjects were your friends, yet you shall die .like them ; for
are ye not cold when winter comes ? are ye not withered when age
comes ? are ye not weak when sickness comes ? and shall ye not go,
as well as the meanest, when death comes ? Therefore be not
proud of thine honour, as though it would last always, for thou shalt
die, and then all thine honour shall forsake thee, and another shall
rise in thy place as great as thou ; and when his glass is run.
another shall follow him, and so another, till death have all.
Be not cruel in thine authority, as though it would last always ;
for thou shalt die, and then, thy authority shall die with thee, and
they which remain alive will send infinite curses after thee, because
thy life was a scourge unto them.
Be not secure for thy wealth, as though it would last always ; for
thou shalt die, and then others shall take thy riches, and thou shalt
go to give account how thou earnest by them. How many things
doth he imply when he saith, 'Ye shall die'? Tbis is a bar \p
their armSj.which makes the proudest peacpck.lay down his feathers^
when he thinks upon it, though he prick th ejn ujd againj whereby
the HolyTjEost woiild'have"tEem learn that nothing will make them
live, and rule, and deal so well in their thrones, as to remember that
they shall dje^ and shortly give account for all, signifying that
prosperity make^^g.iojgeifulof our ends, and that these mortal
gods live as though they were immortal. A hard thing for princes
to remember death ; they have no leisure to think of it, but chop
into the earth before they be aware, like a man which walketh over
a field covered with snow, and sees not his way, but when he think
eth to run on, suddenly falls into a pit ; even so they which have
all things at will, and swim in pleasure, which as a snow covereth their
way and dazzleth their sight, while they think to five on and rejoice
still, suddenly rush upon death, and make shipwreck in the calm sea
Therefore, as it is good for them to hear they are gods, so it is
meet to know they shall die. Wherefore ' ye shall die/ saith he, in
the next words. As if he would prevent some conceit that they
would take of the words which he cast out before, he cools them
quickly before they swell, and defers not to another time ; but where
he calls them gods, there he calls them worms' meat, lest they
should crow between the praise and the check, 'I have said that ye

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 367
are gods, but ye shall die like other men.' But for this die, many
would live a merry life, and feast, and sport, and let the world slide ;
but the remembrance of death is like a damp, which puts out all
the lights of pleasure, and makes him rub, and frown, and whine
which thinks upon it, as if a mote were in his eye. Oh how heavy
tidings is this to hear thou shalt die, from him which hath life and
death in his own hands, when the message is sent to them which
reigned fike gods ! as if be should say, Even you which glister like
angels, whom all the world admire, and sues and bows to, which
are called honourable, mighty and gracious lords, I will tell you to
what your honour shall come : first, ye shall wax old like others,
then ye shall fall sick like others, then ye shall die like others,
then ye shall be buried like others, then ye shall be consumed fike
others, then ye shall be judged like others, even fike the beggars
which cry at your gates : one sickens, the other sickens,; one dies,
the other dies ; one rots, the other rots : look in the grave, and
shew me which was Dives and which was Lazarus. This is some
comfort to tbp poor, |bg.t, once he shall be like the rich ; one day he
shall be as wealthy, as mighty, and as glorious as a king ; £ne_hour
of death will make all alike ; they which crowed over others, and
lookecTdown uponThem _like .oaks, others shall walk upon them like
worms, and they shall be gone as if they had never been.
Where is Alexander, that conquered all the world, and after sought
for another, because one would not satisfy him ? Where is Xerxes,
which could not number his army for multitude ? Where is Nim
rod, which built his nest in the clouds ? Gen. xi. 4. Where is
jSamson, which slew an armywith the jaw of an ass ? Judges xv. 15.
Where is Constantine, Nero, Caligula, Titus, Vespasian, Domitian,
thunderbolts in their times ? A hundred princes of England are
dead, and but on^ilive ; the rest are gone to give an account how
they ruled here, when they sustained the person of God.
Who would have thought, saith Jeremiah, that the enemy should
have entered into Jerusalem and spoiled that fair city ? Lam. iv. 12.
Yet he brake into it, and Jerusalem was ransacked fike others.
Who would have thought that Herod, which was honoured like a
god, should have been devoured with worms, and savoured that
none could abide him ? Acts xii. 23. Yet while he was in his pomp
like an idol, suddenly he was stricken, and all his glory like the
snuff of a candle, which all men looked upon, even now when it
shined, and now it so savours that they tread it under foot, Job
xii 5.
Who would have thought Jezebel, that beautiful temptation,

368 THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.
should have been gnawed with dogs ; yet she was cast unto dogs,
and jipt an ear left to season the grave. What would he think that
hacTseen Solomon in his royalty, and after seen him in the clay ?
Oh world, unworthy to be beloved, who hath made this proud
slaughter ? Age, sickness, and death, the three sumners,1 who
have no respect of persons, made them pay the ransom themselves,
and bow to the earth from whence tbey came ; there lie the men
that were called gods. /How soon the flower of this world is faded !
Yesterday the tallest cedar in Libanus, to-day like a broken stick
trodden under foot ; yesterday he stately lived upon earth, to-day
shrouded in earth, forsaken, forgotten, that the poorest wretch would
not be like unto him, which yesterday crouched and bowed to his
knees. Then woe to them which had the name of God, and sins
of men, for the mighty jihall be mightily, tormented. J ATT their
friends, and subjects, and servants forsake them, because they go
to prison, to try the mercy of hell, and take what the spirits of dark
ness will heap upon them ; there lie many of the men which were
called gods, and thus ends the pilgrimage of kings, princes, and
rulers. This is our life; while we enjoy it, we lose it; like the sun,
which flies swifter than an arrow, and yet no man perceives that it
moves. He which lasted nine hundred years, could not hold out
one hour longer ; and what hath he now more than a child which
fived but a year ? Where are they which founded this goodly city,
whieh possessed these fair houses, and walked these pleasant fields,
which erected these stately temples, which kneeled in these seats,
which preached out of this place but thirty years agoi/ Is not
earth turned to earth ? and shall not our sun set like theirs when
the night comes ? Yet we cannot believe that death will find out
us, as he hath found out them ; though all men die, yet every
man dreams^I shall escape ; or at the least, I sh*l live till I be old.
This is strange, men cannot think that God will do again that
which he doth daily, or that he will deal with them as he deals with
others. Tell one of us that all others shall die, we believe it ; tell
one of us we shall die, and we believe it sooner pfall than of one ;
though we be sore, though we be weak, though we be~sick",
though we be elder than those whom we follow to the ground.
So they thought which lie in this mould under your feet, as you
do. If wisdom, or riches, or favour, could have entreated death,
those which have lived before us would have kept our possessions
from us ; but death would take no bail, we are all tenants at will,
and we must leave this cottage whensoever the landlord^wirTput
1 That is, ' summoner,' or sergeant  Ed.

THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE. 369
another in Our room, at a year's, at a month's, at a week's, at a
day's, at an hour's warning, or less. The clothes which we wear upon
our backs, the graves which are under our feet, the sun which sets
over our heads, and the meats which go into our mouths, do cry
unto us that we shall wear, and set, and die like the beasts, and
fowls, and fishes, which now are dead in our dishes, and but even
now were living in the elements. Our fathers have summoned us,
and we must summon our children, to the grave. jCyeryJjhing every
day suffers some eclipse, nothing standing at a stay ; but one
creature calls to another, Let us leave this world. While we play
our pageants upon this stage of short continuance, every man hath
a part, some longer, and some shorter ; and while the actors are at
it, snrlrlpTily dpatb st.ppp, upon tbfl.Btaggg, like a hawk which separates
one of the doves from the flight ; he shoots his dart ; where it lights,
there falls one of the actors dead before them, and makes all the
rest aghast ; they muse, and mourn, and bury him, and then to the
sport again ! While they sing, play, and dance, death comes again
and strikes another ; there he lies, they mourn for him, and bury
him as they did the former, and play again. So one after another
till the players be vanished, like the accusers which came before
Christ, John viii. 9 ; and death is the last upon the stage, so ' the
figure of this world passeth away/ Many which stand here, may
lie here or elsewhere within this twelvemonth. But thou thinkest
it is not I, and he thinketh it is not he ; but he which thinks so
cometh soonest to it. If I could make you^believe that you have
but a year, to live, and that all which hear me this day shall" come
'to the har_before this day twelvemonth return again, ye would pre
pare yourselves to die, and leave your sins behind you, and depart
Christians out of the church, with a mind to do all that God would
have you ; that when the twelvemonth is ended^ye might live with
the angels in heaven, and escape that fiery lake where the glutton
he^s_hut.a_drop_ot water to cool, the tip of his tongue, and jt will
not be granted him, lest it should ease him. But now we know
not whether we shall live a week to an end, we will do nothing that
he bids us, but abide the venture, and try the market, what God
will give for sin ; so one is taken after another, and because we are
not ready, we go against our will, like Lot's wife out of Sodom.
This is our fashion, to set the best last, till we can neither forsake
our sin, nor hope of mercy. Thus I have proclaimed to all kings,
princes, judges, councillors, and magistrates, that which Isaiah fore
told to one, ' Set thy things in order, for thou shalt die ;' yet fifteen
VOL. I. A a

370 THE MAGISTRATES' SCRIPTURE.
years were behind when the prophet warned him to set all things
in order. But I cannot promise you fifteen years ; for many princes
do not reign so long, for one that doth. That which Isaiah spake
to one, God here pronoun ceth to all, 'Ye shall die;' therefore the
message is sent to you, and when ye think of your honour, think of
your end. These two notes, that ye are gods, and that ye shall die,
the Holy Ghost thought enough to teach you how to live and how
to rule. And that we may be all like gods hereafter, let Us pre
pare before the account ; for none are in heaven but they that left
the world before it left them.
Therefore let us pray that God would keep us in remembrance
of his judgments, that the subtilty of sin never steal our hearts
from him, but that we may count this life a respite to repent, before
the judge sit to divide between the sheep and the goats ; when we
shall give account of all his instructions, corrections, and benefits,
even of this seed which hath been sown since ye came in, how you
have received his word this hour.

THE TRIAL OE YANITY.

THE TRIAL OF YAKITY.

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities ; all is
vanity. — Eccles. I. 2.
This book begins with All is vanity, and ends with Fear God, and
keep his commandments. If that sentence were knit to this, which
Solomon keepeth to the end, as the haven of rest, after the turmoils
of vanity ; it is like that which Christ said to Martha, ' Thou art
troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary,' Luke x.
40. That which troubleth us, Solomon calls vanity; that which
is necessary, he calls the fear of God. From that to this, should be
every man's pilgrimage in this world ; we begin at vanity, and never
know perfectly that we are vain, until we repent with Solomon.
Therefore this is his first greeting and lesson to all after his conver
sion, to warn them that all is vanity ; as if God had said to him, as
he said to Ezekiel, ' Cause Jerusalem to know her abomination,'
Ezek. xvi. 2; as though men did not know their sins bow vain they
are, as Eliphaz saith, ' He believeth not that he is vain/ Job xv. 31 ;
which makes every man defer his repentance until the very hour
cometh that sin maketh preparation to leave him; and then faint
ing, he is unwilling to depart, because he is not ready. Therefore
I have chosen this sentence, which speaks of nothing but vanity,
to shew how we take the way to misery, for the way to happiness,
and turn the ' day of salvation ' to the ' day of vanity.' Let every
man think as I go in this matter, why he should love that which
Solomon repented, if he think Solomon happier after he repented
than he was before. This verse is the sum or contents of all this
book, and therefore Solomon begins with it, and ends with it; as if
he should say, first, This is the matter which I will prove ; and after,
This is the matter which I have proved ; now you see whether I told
you true, that all is vanity. I may call it Solomon's theme, or the

374 THE TRIAL OF VANITY.
fardel of vanities, which, when he hath bound in a bundle, he bids
us cast it into the fire ; for after he hath done with them, in his
last chapter and thirteenth verse, as though he would have no more
thought of them, he turns away from them, as if he had buried
them, and goes to another matter, saying, 'Now let us hear the end
of all ; Fear God, and keep his commandments : for this is the
whole duty of man.' As though he were exceeding glad, that after
so many dangers through the route of vanity, yet God let him
see the_haven_of_rest, and brought him to the right end, and set
him upon shore, where he might see his vanities, as Moses looked
back upon his enemies, and saw them drowned behind him, Exod.
xiv. 30.
The whole narration doth shew, that Solomon wrote this book
after his fall. When he bad the experience of vanities, and seen the
folly of the world, what evil comes of pleasure, and what fruit
groweth of sin, he was bold to say, ' Vanity of vanities/ &c. ; which
he avoucheth with such a protestation, as though he would justify
it against many adversaries ; for all the world is in love with that
which he calls vanity. Therefore he puts to his name in the midst
of his sentence, as if he would defend it against all comers ; if any
man ask, Who broached this strange doctrine ? The Preacher, saith
Solomon. To testify his hearty conversion unto God, he calls him
self a preacher, in the witness of his unfeigned repentance ; as if
God had said unto him, ' Thou being converted, convert thy bre
thren/ and be a preacher, as thou art a king. So when we are
converted, we should become preachers unto others, and shew some
fruits of our calling, as Solomon left this book for a monument to
all ages of his conversion. Therefore they which write that Solo
mon died in his sin, and that such a famous instrument of God
went to the damned, do great wrong to the worthy king, which
gives them such an example to repent, and would correct their rash
judgment, if they considered, first, that he was the clearest figure
of Christ (except Melchisedec), which passed all kings in prosperity,
and all men in wisdom ; secondly, that he was inspired by the
Holy Ghost, like the prophets, to be one of the pens of God to
write his holy word, Ps. xiv. 1, the word of salvation, which was
not fit for a reprobate ; thirdly, that God promised to his father,
that he would not take his Spirit and his mercy from him as he
did from Saul, nor forsake him as be did Saul, but correct him in
another sort, 1 Chron. xvii. 13, 2 Sam. vii. 13; fourthly, that God
is said to love him, 2 Sam. xii., Neh. xiii. 26 ; therefore, as Paul
concludes that Jacob was elected, because God saith, ' Jacob have

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 375
I loved/ Rom. ix., Gen. xxvii., so we may conclude that Solomon
was elected, because God saith, 'Solomon have I loved;' fifthly,
that in Luke xiii. 28, all the prophets of God are said to be in
heaven ; and therefore Solomon, being an holy prophet, must be
holden to be in heaven. To shew that he was a holy prophet, in
2 Peter iii. 2, Peter calleth all the prophets which wrote in the
Scripture, ' holy prophets.' Lastly, We may gather out of Eccles. vii.
15, and Prov. v. 14, that Solomon had left his concubines and vanities
before he wrote this book, 1 Kings xi. 43, 2 Chron. ix. 31 . Therefore,
to say that the figure of Christ, the penman of the holy Scripture, the
man whom God loved, the wisest man that ever was, and one of the
holy prophets, died a reprobate, is presumption against the word, im
piety against God, and wrong to the dead ; although, because of his
grievous fall into idolatry and uncleanness, God left him in disgrace,
and makes no mention of his repentance, where he speaks of his
death, 1 Kings xi. 43, that they ' which stand may take heed lest
they fall/ 1 (Jor. x. 12, and see how easy it is to slip, by the example
of him who was wiser than they. Solomon, being wicked, and yet
saved, was a figure of the church, whose sins are forgiven.
Thus having found as it were the mine, now let us dig for the
treasure, vanity of vanities, &c. This is Solomon's conclusion:
when he had gone through the whole world, and tried all things,
like a spy sent into a strange country, as if he were now come home
from his pilgrimage, they gather about him to inquire what he
hath heard and seen abroad, and what he thinks of the world, and
these things which are so loved among men, like a man in admira
tion of that which he had seen, and not able to express particularly
one after another, he contracts his news into a word. You ask me
what I have seen, and what I have heard, ' Vanity/ saith Solomon.
And what else ? ' Vanity of vanities/ And what else ? ' All is
vanity.' This is the history of my voyage : I have seen nothing
but vanity over the world. Carry this for the news from the Preacher,
' Vanity of vanities, all is vanity ;' as if he should say, vanity and
greater vanity, and more than vanity. So the further he did go,
the more vanity he did see, and the nearer he looked the greater it
seemed, till at last he could see nothing but vanity. When he was
come to this, that he ^did see all things vain, upon which men set
their hearts, he was moved to compassion, and could be silent no
longer, but needs he must write to them which seek felicity, as he
did, in transitory things, to warn them that they seek it not any
longer in these foolish things, which have no stability nor contenta-
tion, but fly from them to "the fear of God, which hath the promises

376 THE TRIAL OF VANITY. *
of this life and the life to come, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Therefore he begins
with all is vanity, as if he should say, ' Love not the world, nor the
things of the world/ 1 John ii. 1 5, for I have tried that there is no
certainty in them. Thus he withdraweth them, first, from the
wrong way, and then sets them in the right way to happiness, which
he defineth, at last, to ' Fear God and keep his commandments,'
Eccles. xii. 13. When he had gone through a thousand vanities,
then that comes in at the end, even like our repentance, which stays
till death. So his drift is to shew that man's happiness is not in
these things which we count of, but in those which we defer.
His reason is, they are all vanity ; his proof is because there is no
stability in them, nor contentation of mind ; his conclusion is there
fore, Contemn the world, and look up to heaven from whence ye came,
and whither ye shall go.
This is the scope which Solomon aims at, as though we did
all seek happiness, but we go a wrong way unto it ; therefore he
sounds a retreat, shewing that if we hold on our course, and go
forwards as we have begun, we shall not find happiness, but great
misery, because we go by vanity. Therefore, to fright us out of this
way, he breaks forth into an exclamation, ' Vanity of vanities, all is
vanity.' Now Solomon, full of wisdom, and schooled with experience, is
licensed to -give his sentence of the whole world. For ' the spiritual
man judgeth all things/ 1 Cor. ii. 15, his judgment is so certain
that it runs before the evidence, and condemns all for vanity,
before he convince them to be vain. Whereas we prove first and
condemn after, because our words are no authorities ; he concludes
first, and proves after ; never any judge did condemn so many
together. Solomon resolved all the questions of the queen of
Sheba, 2 Chron. ix. 2 ; yet Solomon never answered so many ques
tions at once as now. For what can you inquire, but here you have
an answer? Ask him, as the soldiers, and harlots, and publicans
asked John, Luke iii. 14. What is sin ? Vanity, saith Solomon.
What is pleasure? Vanity too. What is beauty? Vanity too.
What is riches ? Vanity too. What is honour ? Vanity too. What
is long life ? Vanity too. This is the state of all things after the
fall, all turn to vanity. This is no reproach to the things, but
shame to him which so abused them, that all things should be called
vanity for him. What a testimony is this of him which should be
the only servant of God on earth, whom be created in holiness and
righteousness, whom he framed to his own image, whom he placed
in paradise, and would have raised to heaven, to hear that he hath

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 377
so polluted his life with every sin, that now there is nothing but
vanity. That is a lamentable song, which will make him weep that
tunes it, if he think what he saith, how his state is changed since
Adam his father died. Once God said, ' That all was good/ Gen. i. ;
and now he saith that all is naught and vain, as though he forbade
man that which he created for man. That is not Solomon's mean
ing, to debar men from the use of creatures. Although kall things
changed with man, and became worse than they were, Rom. viii. 20,
yet he doth here rather shew, that man reaps nothing but vanity
out of these things by reason of his corruption, than that the things
themselves are vain, if they were well used. For ever since the
creation, Paul saith, 1 Tim. iv. 4, that ' every creature of God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received or used with thanks
giving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.' That is
it which maketh them profitable to us, which because it is wanting
for the most part, therefore Solomon saith, that all are vain to us ;
not vain of themselves, but because they are not sanctified as they
should be, therefore in Eccles. ii. 24, iii. 12, 22, v. 18, viii. 15, he
shews a way how we may make profit of all, and rejoice in our
labours, and find a lawful pleasure in earthly things. So often he
calls to the use, lest we should ejxj^themonks and hermits have
done before. Mistaking these words~when he saith, that^All is
vanity/ they have forsaken all company, and government, and
office, and trade, and got themselves into the wilderness among
beasts, to live in quiet and silence, saying, that men could not
live in the world and please God, because ' All is vanity/ So while
they counted all things vain, they became vain themselves, and left
those blessings which Solomon enjoyedafter his knowledge morethan
he did before. Therefore it is vain man which Solomon reproveth ;
which is not only called 'vanity/ but 'lighter than vanity/ Ps.
lxii. 9. If he did not things vainly, nothing should be vain in
the world ;. whereas now, by abuse, we may see sometimes as great
vanity in the best things as in the worst. For are not many vain
in their knowledge, vain in their policies, vain in their learning, as
other are vain in their ignorance ? Was not the wisdom of Ahitho
phel a vain thing? the swiftness of Asahel a vain thing? the
strength of Goliath a vain thing ? the treasures of Nebuchadnez
zar a vain thing ? the honour of Haman a vain thing ? the
beauty of Absalom a vain thing ? the knowledge of the scribes a
vain thing ? the devotion of the pharisees a vain thing ? And so
is the learning of all those a vain thing that do no good with it, but
either it lies under a bushel and moulds, or else it prattles like

3.78 THE TRIAL OF VANITY.
Tertullus, always against Paul, Acts xxiv. 5, striving to make war
between them which love dearer than any brethren.
By this you may see that vanity is bold, when she breaks into
houses and churches and palaces, and sometimes vanity may come
to infect, where truth may not come to reprove. Is it not high
time then to sound this alarm again, ' Vanity of vanities/ &c.
If we would hear how vehemently and how pitifully Solomon
pronounceth this outcry, haply it would move us a little to hear
how he did exclaim of his own life, and condemned himself, as it
were by the sound of a trumpet, that all might hear. For we are
all by nature such deaf adders, that whether the prophets come
piping, or mourning, or crying, they go away from us again mourn
ing like Jeremiah,^' We would have cured Babel, but she would not
be cured,' Jer. li. 9. Nay, the city of Jerusalem would not, saith
our Saviour Christ, when he wept for his Israelites. Therefore
Solomon speaks thrice, like a crier, ' Vanity of vanities.' As the
mother which would fain make her son to hear, she doubles and
trebles her words, ' What, my son ! and what, the son of my womb !
and what, the son of my desire !' Prov. xxi. 1, So when God would
stir us up to hear, he crieth thrice to the earth, and saith, ' Earth,
earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord,' Jer. xxii. 29. So when
Solomon would dissuade from the company of the wicked (read
Prov. iv. 14) how often he repeats the charge, ' Enter not into the
way of the wicked, walk not in it, avOid it, go not by it, turn from
it, and pass by/ as though he would never have done, or as though
we would never hear. So Christ, when he taught Peter what was
his duty, rehearsed ¦ it thrice, ' Feed, feed, feed/ John xxi. 1 6.
Joseph sheweth the reason of these repetitions, when he tells
Pharaoh why his dream was doubled, because the matter was im
portant and certain, Gen. xii 32. Therefore when Solomon repeats
this saying so often, he calls for audience, as though he had some
weighty and great matter to utter. Such a point of wisdom it is
for every man to know that all is vanity, if we direct not things to
their right end. As when the Holy Ghost would signify that God
is all holy, he repeated thrice, ' Holy, holy, holy/ Isa. vi. So when
he would shew how man is all vain, thrice he repeateth vanity, to
shew how hardly man believes that he is vain, Job xv. 31 ; there
fore he brings in three assertions, as it were three witnesses to
prove it. All agree upon the same words, but that the last is more
plain, and saith, that ' All is vanity ;' that is, that man is not only
changed and become vain; but for the vanity of man, as the apostle
saith, ' The creatures are subject to vanity, and have not the

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 379
glory and liberty which they should have, for the sin of man/ Rom.
viii. 20.
A spiritual eye doth see some vanity or other in everything,
as appeareth betwixt Christ and his disciples at Jerusalem, Luke
xxi. 5, Mat. xxiv. 1. They gazed upon the building of the temple
as a brave thing, and would have Christ to behold it with them ;
but he did see that it was but vanity, and therefore said, ' Are these
the things that ye look upon ?' As if he should say, How vain are
you to gaze upon this ! If Christ thought the beauty of his temple
a vain thing, and not worth the sight, which yet was beautified
and built by his own prescription, how should Solomon express all
the vanity of the world, to which all men have added more and
more since the beginning ! Therefore, as if he wanted words to
express it, as he did see it, he breaks forth into an exclamation,
and repeats the same often, ' Vanity of vanities/ as if he should
say, I cannot speak how vain the world is, but vain it is, and very
vain, and nought but vain ; speaking as if he . had the feeling and
sense of it, as though the world stood naked before him ; and it
grieved him to see, he cuts his words in chiding manner, and makes
short riddance, as if it irked him to speak all that he knew ; there
fore that which he speaks, he speaks roundly, that if they read no
more, but sleep all the sermon after, yet the first sentence shall
strike a sting into their hearts, and leave a sound behind to waken
them when they are gone ; as many (you know) remember this
sentence, which remember no sentence in all this book beside.
Who hath not heard vanity of vanities, &c, though few have con
ceived it ? This is the phrase of Scripture. When the Holy Ghost
would commend the Song of Solomon above all other songs, he calls
it the Song of songs, so called in the Hebrew, and mentioned in the
first book of Kings, the fourth chapter, and the 32d verse. When
he would exalt the heavenly King above ally he calls him the King
of kings ; so when he would note a great vanity, and yet a greater,
and a greater than that, which is the greatest of all, he 'calls it
vanity of vanities, as when we would note a great fool, we will say,
a fool of fools, a sin of sins, a servant of servants. These are
scornful names to the world, and homely titles to give our pleasures,
to call them vanity of vanities, and again vanity of vanities, and
yet again vanity ; as though we would provoke them to fall out
with us, like a man which sharpens his enemy with taunts, when
he would egg him to fight. He might have mollified his terms,
before he condemned the world thrice ; but the world is no change
ling, that Solomon should change his judgment ; but vain it was,

380 THE TRIAL OF VANITY. ,
vain it is, and vain it will be ; and therefore a thrice vain world he
may call it ; first, vanity, straight vanity of vanities, and suddenly
all is vanity. What a transcendent is this ! As though it in
creased while he spake ; so fast groweth this weed to worse and
worse, like the image which appeared to Nebuchadnezzar : the first
part was of gold, the second of silver, the third of brass, the fourth
of iron, the fifth of clay ; so by many changes the world grows worse
and worse, and all they which follow it. When a man begins to
like of pleasure, and opens the door to one vanity which he loves,
straight as many vanities flock to him as Solomon had concubines,
1 Kings xi. 3, till the temple of God be like a den of thieves-
Therefore when Solomon beheld such a plurality, and tot quot of
vanities, like surges, coming one upon another in plaits and folds,
he spake as though he would shew us vanity hatching vanities :
' Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.' The first saying doth pass without
let ; but the last rubs and sinks not into the hearts of men so easily
as it is spoken. Methinks I bear some men dispute for Baal, and
bid Solomon stay before he comes to all is vanity. It may be that
sin is vanity, and pleasure is vanity ; but shall we condemn all for
sin and pleasure? What say you to beauty, which is nature's
dowry, and cheereth the eye, as sweet meat doth the taste ? Beauty
is like a fair picture ; take away the colour, and there is nothing
left. Beauty indeed is both a colour and a temptation, the colour
fadeth and the temptation snareth. But what say you to riches,
which make men lords over the rest, and allow them to go brave,
and lie soft, and fare daintly, and have what they list ? Riches are
like painted grapes, which look as though they would satisfy a man,
but do not slake his hunger, nor quench his thirst. Riches indeed
do make a man covet more, and get envy, and keep the mind in
care. But what say you to honour, which sets a man aloft, and
makes the knee bow, and the tongue sooth, and the head stand
bare, as though they were other kind of creatures above them %
Honour is like a king in a play : when his part is done, his orna
ments are taken from him, and he which held the bason to him is
as good as he. Honour indeed may command all but fife ; he
makes a fair show now, but when death comes, all is one. But
what say you to profound knowledge in deep mysteries, which
makes men sought unto, and called deep clerks, and great doctors ?
Knowledge is like the letter which Uriah carried against himself,
2 Sam. xi. ; so knowledge draws on a greater judgment, and often
times condemns the bearer. Knowledge without virtue leaves a
man without excuse, and is a witness against him, because he under-

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 381
stands what is good, and will not do it. Yet there is another
darling of account behind. What say you to long life, which
causeth a man to see his children's children, and makes him reverend
before the people ? Long life is like a long night, when a man
cannot sleep ; so age is wearisome with sickness, and strives with
itself, because it cannot walk, nor talk, nor hear, nor see, nor taste,
nor sleep, as it was wont ; therefore wisheth often the night were
gone, and the pain were past. Indeed, he that sees many days, sees
many miseries ; and therefore what is not vain in life, sith life it
self is vain ? Shew me the light which will not darken, shew me
the flower which will not fade, shew me the fruit which will not
corrupt, shew me the garment which will not wear, shew me the
beauty which will not wither, shew me the strength which will not
weaken, shew me the time which will not pass, and I will recall that
all is vanity ; but if all things vanish, then all things are vain ; yet
this will not go for truth before men have smarted for the trial.
Some are so vain that they count nothing vanity, but that which is
vainer than the rest delights them most ; for there is as it were a
commonweal of vain persons, and he which can be vainest is like a
king of the rest. Some are of this mind, that they think all is
vanity but that which they love ; and therefore they call them vain
and curious, and fantastical, which speak against their vanities, and
say that it is necessary to be vain, Prov. xii. 12, xiv. 9, xxviii. 4 ;
for they cannot live unless they deceive, they cannot please unless
they flatter, they cannot be believed unless they swear, they cannot
be esteemed unless they roist, as Demetrius thought that he should
beg unless he might sell images, Acts xix. 24. There is another sort
like the buyer in Prov. xx., which saith, ' It is naught, it is naught,
but when he is gone apart, he boasteth.' So they will say of the
world, It is naught, it is naught, before men, and swear that all is
vanity ; but when they are gone apart, they reconcile themselves
unto it, and kiss it, and promise to be vain still, but they cannot
abide to be counted vain, the vainest man that is. This shews that
the folly of the world is so open and shameful, that her lovers must
needs condemn her. You shall hear them say oftentimes, It is a
vain world, a wicked world, a naughty world, yet they will not for
sake it, to die ; fike dastard soldiers, who rail against the enemy,
but dare not fight against him. '-AJlJ^vanityj' buUhis is '.vanity
of vanitias/_tbat-men will lollow that-whick-, they xumd.ema„. But
thisls/that every sinner might condemn himself ; for the conscience
must judge first, and then God; as our Saviour saitb, 'Out of
thine own mouth/ and so, out of thine own heart, ' I will condemn

382 THE TRIAL OF VANITY.
thee, naughty servant/ Luke xix. 22, shewing that the wicked con
demn themselves, before they are condemned of God. These are
the world's fools, which care not what be their end, so that their
way be pleasant.
Oh that here were a full end or conclusion of vanities ; but be
hold a greater vanity is behind ; for our religion is vanity, like the
Scribes and Pharisees, as Matthew saith in the 23d chapter, and
27th verse, having a bare show of holiness, as he saith he could call
it but a show of holiness, and scarce that. Our vanity is vanity, but
our holiness is but a show of holiness, not worthy to be called holi
ness, but like holiness ; jet the most part have not so much as the
show of holiness, as the Pharisees had, but are vain in show, inside
and outside too. Thus we find nothing yet but vanity. I cannot
lead you from one unto another, to shew you the several vanities of
every person, or every thing, because Solomon saith, ' All is vanity.'
How many sins, then, have we to condemn us, whose vanities are
sprinkled in every thing ? Which have not only so many vanities as
there be things, but many vanities in everything? As in our fare, how
many vanities be there, which makes us rise sometimes sick, some-
time sleepy, sometime drunken. Yet are there more vanities in
our sports, our laughing, and swearing, and jesting, and_scoffing,
and dallying, and playing with the Scriptures ; which oftentimes
leaves such a sting behind, that we had rather have lost our
sport, than feel the worm that gnaws us for it. And yet there are
more vanities in our apparel, ruff upon ruff, lace upon lace, cut upon
cut, four and twenty orders, to the third and fourth degree, as though
our apparel were apparelled, until the woman be not worth so much
as her attire ; that if we would_see vanity herself how she would go
if she did wear apparel, she would even go fike our women ; for
she could not go, nor speak, nor look vainer. Who doth not know
jthat these are vanities, and that they might leave them if they
would ? But that ye might see there is a heart within, vainer than
the apparel is without, therefore when these vanities are worn out,
they will have new, and still new, till all be spent upon vanity; and
then they begin, like the prodigal child, to see how vain they were,
when they have bought wisdom with sorrow, Luke xv. 7. What
would Solomon say, if he should see how vanity is grown since his
time, what a height she is mounted, what a train follows her, that
there is no prince in the world hath so many attendants as vanity !
She was but an imp then, but now she is a mother, and who can
number her sons and daughters? The child is vain in playing,
the mother vain in dandling, the father vain in giving, the courtier

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 383
vain in spending, the soldier vain in boasting, the suitor vain in
striving, the traveller vain in talking, the merchant vain in swear
ing, the gentleman vain in building, the husbandman vain in cark-
ing, the old man vain in coveting, the servant-man vain in soothing,
the young man vain in sporting, the papist vain in superstition, the
protestant vain in conversation. Every vanity is so pleasant to
one or other, that they cannot miss one. So she gads by sea, and
by land, and still more disciples flock unto her, of gamesters, and
swearers, and players, and tipplers, and hacksters, and courtiers, as
thick as the flies of Egypt, which buzzed in their ears, and their
eyes, and their necks, before and behind, that a man cannot set
his foot but upon vanity. As the waters covered the earth when
but eight persons were saved, Gen. viii. 30, so vanity hath covered
it again, a worse deluge than the first, 'because it hath not suffered
eight persons to escape, but every man is tainted with some vanity
or other ; which God seeing in that place and city which should be
best in the world, that all men in the city were vain, calls it ' The
city of vanity/ Isa. xxiv. 10. So we may say, 'the world of vanity/
because she hath an interest in every person of it, she sits upon the
earth like a serpent, and hatcheth all the sins which you see
amongst men. As full as heaven is of bliss, so the world is fraught
with vanity, court, city, and country. Whither doth not vanity go,
but to heaven ? Seeing then that vanity is so extolled amongst
men, Solomon gives this sentence, that ' all is vanity.' Christ like
a mediator concludes upon it, that 'there is but one thing necessary/
Luke x. 42 ; therefore let our sentence be like theirs ; for sure, if we
had Solomon's repentance, we should see such an image of vanity
before us, as would make us cry again and again, as often as
Solomon, ' Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.'
What a sweet sentence is this from a king, who may live as he list
by authority, to say that all is vanity ! Oh that we may hear
kings speak so again ! for it is a speech which had need of some
to countenance it ; for none are counted vain now, but they that
speak against vanity. Then Solomon cried it, but now we must
whisper it. You may see how times are changed. Once this was
sound divinity, now it is flat railing ; to say that all is vanity, is
even the upshot of a disturber. If ye ask the atheist, or epicure,
or those roguish players, what is a disturber ? you shall see that
they will make Solomon one, because be speaketh against vanity,
for this is their definition. He which will not allow men to profane
the Sabbath, but saith, that cards, and dice, and stage-players, and
May-games, and May-poles, and May-fools, and morris dancers

384

THE TRIAL OF VANITY.

are vanity, is a^prattler, disturber, and an arch-puritan, by the
law, which tbeJews had to kill Christ, John xix. 7. The
reason is^^because men cannot abide to be controlled of their
pleasures, Prov. xiii. 1. Therefore they hold it as an offence to
speak against their sports, or their customs, or their follies, or their
pleasures, or their titles, or their toys ; and tbpy which would
not be counted precise in these times, must take heed that they
gb/notTso far as SoToinbn, to/term all vanity. But they must say,
that the Vanities, of _ great, men are necessary recreations, and thp,
vanities of the people are means to make unity ! Greater books are
written to maintain tbis, than Solomon made to refute it ; so they
have made their wit and their learning vanity, and are vain in print.
But they that would know now of what standing such precise re
provers are, and how ancient this reproof is, may see here, that if
this be a crime to call vanity, vanity, the wisest man that ever was
before Christ, was herein criminal, not when he strayed, but whett
he repented. In his best mind, when he came like a preacher, he
preached this first, ' Vanity of vanities, all is vanity/ yet many had
rather try it with Solomon, than believe it of Solomon ; and while
they are wandering with him, some are taken out of their way, and
cut short of the time which they set to repent ; from others God
taketh away his grace, so they never return, because their guideis
gone. This the Holy Ghost pointed at when he saith, 'They
followed vanity, and became vain/ 2 Kings xvii. 15, shewing that
the things we follow will make us like themselves, and lead us
whither they belong, to heaven or hell. In Rom. viii. 20, vanity is
put for destruction, but it is never put for salvation. If other
creatures are subject to a kind of destruction for the sin of man, as
Paul sheweth, what destruction shall fight upon man for his own
sin ? Therefore let our sentence run with Solomon, ' Vanity of
vanities, all is vain.' We could afford the world better words, and
fairer titles than Vanity of vanities, but call it what we will, Solomon
shews what it is, and what we will say in the end when we have
tried it, then Vanity of vanities ; yet it is comfort of comforts,
glory of glories, and life of lives. But as Laban shewed himself at
parting, Gen xxxi, - so at parting you shall see how it will serve
you. They seem pleasant vanities, and honest vanities, and pro
fitable vanities, but David calls them ' deceitful vanities/ Ps. xxxi. 6.
Jonah comes after and calls them ' lying vanities/ Jonah ii. 8, that
is, which promise pleasure, and profit, and all, but deceive all.
When they should perform, they play Laban, which gave Leah for
Rachel. If they be lying vanities, and deceitful vanities, then are

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 385
they woful and miserable vanities. Therefore if we be not come to
Solomon's conclusion, to think all is vanity, it is because our own
vanity will not suffer us to see the vanity of other things. When
we have proved, like Solomon, as fast as every man groweth in know
ledge and experience, so he begins to cry vanity, and after, vanity
of vanities, and at last, all is vanity ; so we contemn not all at
once, but one sin after another, one pleasure after another, till at
last we count all is vanity, and f.hen we are come home with
Solomon, and may be preachers unto others.
Thus I have shewed you, as it were, ajimb of vanity, you may
look about you and see the whole body ; for if she be anywhere in
this land, this is her pontifical seat, where she is never non-resident.
Now I will leave you to examine these sayings, whether all things
have not been in vain unto you yet. If they have been vain to you,
and yet are good in their own nature, then think how vain you are,
who have turned so many good things to vanity. Yet to set you in
the way before I end, I will answer them which ask, if all things be
vain, as Solomon saith, tell us what we should choose, that we be
not vain. Christ saith, that 'one thing is necessary,' Luke x. Is
Solomon contrary to Christ ? No ; therefore one- thing Solomon ex
cepts too, to 'fear God and keep his commandments;' therefore if
all be vain but this, let the tempter take thee up again, and shew
thee the kingdoms of the world : when he saith, ' All these will I
give thee/ Mat. iv., thou mayest say, All these I contemn, for all is
vain. What then ? ' Turn away mine eyes,' saith the prophet David,
and my ears, and my heart too, ' from vanity/ Ps. cxix. Try and
prove thou no longer, for Solomon hath proved for thee ; it is better
to believe him, than try with him ; therefore now it remaineth, that
as they brought forth their vain books after Paul's preaching, and
cast them into the fire, Acts xix. 19, so ye should cast out all your
vanities this day, and sacrifice them to God, for they have been
your idols ; therefore bury them, as Jacob did the idols, that never
man saw them after, Gen. xxxv. 4. And as God gave Job other
children, so he will give you other pleasures ; fear not that your
joys will go away with your vanities, as many think they shall never
be merry again, if they would be converted to religion. But as
David danced before the ark, as merrily as Herodias danced before
the king, 2 Sam. vi. 14, so know undoubtedly that the_J3ghteous_
find more joy in goodness, thanever the wicked found in. filthiness.
l^ay/saifnTJavid^ ' more~than they can find in riches or honours,
vol. i. B b •

386 THE TRIAL OF VANITY.
when their wheat and wine abound/ Ps. iv. 7. As a ' horse is a vain
thing to save a man,' Ps. xxxiii. 17, so all these things are too vain
to make a man happy. I appeal to yourselves, if ye have tried the
pleasures of vanity already, as I know ye have, whether ye may
readily say with St Paul, ' What profit have we of these things
whereof we are ashamed ?' No profit, but shame, and grief, and
guilt, and a dreadful expectation of judgment. As Solomon calls
folly the ' inheritance of folly,' Prov. xiv. 18 ; so vanity is the inheri
tance of vanity. Ten times Laban changed Jacob's wages, but ten
thousand times sin hath changed your wages, and deceived you
with other success than you looked for ; like Shebna, which built his
sepulchre in one country, and was buried in the other, Isa. xxii.
And yet how many changes are behind you know not, for if you
did, you would make inquisition now, and banish them at first; for
whensoever ye go about to cast them out, they will say still like the
devils, that thou 'tormentest them before "the time/ Mat. viii. 29.
It seems that many are touched with compassion of this, and there
fore reprieve their vanities, and slack the execution, as though they
Were afraid to offend the devil ; even we perhaps are in the trace of
vanity, hunting with Solomon to find that which we love, and find
it not, because we seek out of the way. What is the remedy? ' So
run/ saith Paul, ' that ye may obtain/ 1 Cor. ix. 24 ; you have tried
the evil way to happiness, now try the good way, and then that
which ye love now shall not only seem vain, but vanity of vanities,
that ye will marvel how ye could love them so long, and would not
be in the dotage of them again for all the world. Until these
earthly things seem vain, no heavenly thing shall seem precious ;
therefore lose no more time ; the day comes when vanity of vanities
shall be turned to misery of miseries, and all is vanity to all is
misery. There is a certain place called_hell, where God keeps general
sessions ; there justice shall sit to examine vanity, who hath em
braced her, and who hath forsaken God ; and he which made his
pleasure of sin, so soon as he hears this doom, ' Depart from me, ye
wicked/ shall go down by a black way with many a sigh and sob
from God, from the angels, from the saints, from joy, from glory,
from bliss, with the fiends of hell, to sup in the place of darkness
with the princes of horror, the table of vengeance, in the chair of
calamity, with the crown of death upon his head ; and he which
tempted him to sin, shall plague him for sinning, until he cry like
Cain, ' My punishment is greater than I can bear;' for all the griefs,
and fears, and cares, and troubles, which fed upon him while he

THE TRIAL OF VANITY. 387
lived, shall meet in an hour, and exceed them so far that he suffers
for all, and marvels how any torment can be left for others. What
faith or fear have they that go dancing or leaping to this fire, as it
were to a banquet, like a fool which runneth to the stocks ? How
happy were it for men, as we live in these days, if there were no
judgment at all ! What will we answer, when he which made Solo
mon to write this, shall ask why we would not believe it ? What
shall we say, when he which came from his kingdom to bring us
unto it, demands why we did turn the day of salvation into the day
of vanity? If ye cannot excuse it here, bow will ye defend it there?
We were born in vanity, and we live in vanity, but we would not
die in vanity, because no man looks for any good of his sins after
he is past this world ; therefore let us remember, that whither the
vain men are gone, thither vain men shall go. There be not two
ends for sinners, but one ; what a woful bargain will it seem then
to remember that thou didst sell thy soul for vanity ! If anything
will reclaim us, this will be a terror in our hearts, to think that we
shall give account unto him, which will measure to us as much
misery as we have taken vanity ; therefore, as Abner said to Joab,
' Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end ?'
2 Sam. ii. 26, so let every man consider with himself, though his
vanities be sweet now, yet they will be bitter in the end. As
Amnon, after he had fulfilled his lust, did hate Tamar, which de
filed her, more than he loved her before, 2 Sam. xiii. 15, so when
the sport is past, and death looks us in the face, we shall hate our
vanities more than we love them now. All this doth conclude that
our Saviour said to Martha, 'But one thing is necessary/ Luke
x. 41, which God grant we may choose, for his Son Jesus Christ
and then we have learned this lesson I

THE LADDER OE PEACE.

THE LADDER OF PEACE.

Rejoice evermore. Pray continually. In all things give thanks.
—1 Thes. V. 16-18.
When I spake last of these words, I shewed you how the apostle
commendeth unto us three virtues, of greater price than the three
presents which the wise men brought unto Christ: the first is,
'Rejoice evermore;' the second is, 'Pray continually;' the third,
'In all things give thanks.' All three are of one last, for we must
rejoice continually, because he saith, Rejoice evermore ; and we
must pray continually, because he saith, Pray continually ; and we
must give thanks continually, because he saith, In all things give
thanks. These are the three things which, one saith, all men do,
and no man doth, because every man doth them, and scarce one
doth them as he should ; therefore the apostle, to shew us how we
should do them well, doth put continually unto them, as though
continuance were the perfection of all virtues. I_ chose this scrip-
ture for a consolation_ta..thfim. wjiich~are-..afflintpd in—conscience,
which is commonly the disease of the innocentest soul, for they
think that they do well to mourn continually; and Paul saith,
Rejoice continually; and therefore I will speak a little more of
these words than I did before. If you mark it, it may well be
called The Ladder of Peace, for it stands upon three_steps, and
every step" is a step from trouble tope^g]lrom~sbrr"ow to Joy ; for
he which can rejoice, is past grief; and he which can pray, is pass
ing from his grief ; and he which can give thanks, hath obtained
his desire. A man cannot rejoice and mourn ; a man cannot pray
and despair ; a man cannot give thanks and be offended ; therefore
keep still upon one of these three steps, and you shall never sorrow
too much. If thou canst not rejoice, as if thy pain were past, then

392 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
give thanks, because thy pain is profitable. If thou canst not
think that thy pain is worth thanks, then pray that thou mayest
have patience to bear it ; and it is impossible in praying, or thank
ing, or rejoicing, that any grief should want patience enough to
bear it. But when you forget to rejoice in the Lord, then you
begin to muse, and after to fear, and after to distrust, and at last
to despair, and then every thought seems to be a sin against the
Holy Ghost. How many sins doth the afflicted conscience record
against itself, repenting for breaking tbis commandment and that
commandment, and never repenteth for breaking tbis command
ment, ' Rejoice evermore' !
It is not an indifferent thing to rejoice, or not to rejoice ; but we
are commanded to rejoice, to shew that we break a commandment
if we rejoice not. Oh what a comfort is this, when the Comforter
himself shall command us to rejoice ! God was wont to say, Repent,
and not rejoice, because men rejoice too much ; but here God com-
mandeth to rejoice, as though some men did not rejoice enough;
therefore you must understand to whom he_ speaketh. In Ps.
cxlix. 5, it is said, ' Let the saints be glad ;' not, let the wicked be
glad. And in Isa. xl. 1, he saith, 'Comfort my people/ not comfort
mine enemies; shewing to whom this commandment of Paul is sent, ,
' Rejoice evermore.' It is not in this as Christ saith, 'That which
I say unto you, I say unto all;' but that which I say unto you, I
say not unto all. ' Give wine/ saith Solomon, " unto fiim that is
sorrowful, that he may forget his grief Prov. xxxi. 6; so give com
fort unto him which is penitent, that he may forget his fear. Solo
mon saith five times, that this is the portion of man under the sun,
to receive the gifts of God with thankfulness, and to rejoice in them.
He which would have us holy as he is holy, Lev. xi, 1 Peter i. 16,
would have us joyful as he is joyful ; he which would have us to
do his will upon earth, as the angels do it in heaven, would have
us rejoice upon earth, as the angels rejoice in heaven ; he which
hath ordained us to the kingdom of saints, would have us rejoice
that we have such a kingdom to receive. Therefore he saith to his
disciples, ' Rejoice that your names are written in the book of life/
Luke x. 20. As Boaz said unto Ruth, ' Go not out of this field to
glean in any other field, for here thou shalt have enough,' Ruth
ii. 8, so he would not have us go from this comfort unto any other
comfort, for here we shall have enough. The Spirit of God is called
the Comforter, because we should have comfort in it. ' I will send
you the Comforter/ saith Christ, John xiv. 16, to shew that they
which have the Spirit have comfort too, and they which resist com-

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 393
fort resist the Spirit ; therefore the Son of God is called ' The con
solation of Israel,' Luke ii. 25, to shew that he brings consolation
with him, and that joy is where Christ is, as light is where the sun
is ; therefore the chiefest joy is called ' The joy of the Holy Ghost/
Rom. xiv. 17, to shew that they have the chiefest joy which have
the Holy Ghost ; therefore the greatest peace is called ' The peace
of conscience/ Philip, iv. 7, to shew that tbey have the greatest peace
which have a good conscience ; therefore the faithful are said to be
'anointed with the oil of joy,' Isa. lxi 3, as though joy were in their
countenance ; therefore they are said to be ' clothed with the gar
ment of gladness/ as though gladness did compass them like a gar
ment; therefore Paul, in all his epistles, doth join ' grace and peace'
together, Rom. i. 7, 1 Cor. i. 3, 2 Cor. i. 2, Gal. i. 3, Eph. i. 2, Col.
i 2, 2 Thes. i. 2, Titus i. 4, Philem. 3, and shew that the peace of God
doth follow them which have the grace of God. It is not in vain
that the Holy Ghost, when he named Barnabas, interpreted his
name too, because it signifieth 'the son of consolation/ Acts iv. 36;
as though he delighted in such men as were the sons of consolation.
' Comfort one another/ saith Paul, 1 Thes. iv. 18. How shall we
comfort one another without comfort ? Therefore Paul saith, ' God
comforteth us, that we may be able to comfort others, by the com
fort whereby we ourselves are comforted of God,' 2 Cor i. 4, shew
ing that we cannot comfort others unless we be comfortable ourselves ;
and therefore, that we may perform this duty, we are bound to
nourish comfort in ourselves. Paul saith, ' I am full of comfort/
2 Cor. vii. 4 ; who then can say, I am full of sorrow, but be must
contrary Paul ? As the body may not offend the soul, so the soul
may not injure the body, because it is the body's keeper; but a pen
sive man doth injure the body and the soul too ; for Solomon saith,
' A sound spirit will bear his infirmities, but a wounded spirit who
can bear?' Prov. xviii. 14 : as if he should say, The heart must be
kept courageous, and strong, and lively, like an instrument which is
tuned to tune all the rest, or else every grief will make thee im
patient. In Deut. xxx. 9 it is said, that God ' rejoiceth to do us
good ;' and therefore, in Deut. xxviii., the Jews are reproved, be
cause they rejoiced not in the service of God. As he loveth a cheer
ful giver, so he loveth a cheerful server, and a_cheerful_preacher,
and a cheerful hearer, and a cheerful worshipper ; and therefore
David saith, 'Let us sing heartily unto the Lord,' Ps. xcv. 1; shew
ing, as it were, the tune which delighteth God's ears. If you would
know with what tune ye should sing unto God, David saith, heartily ;
that is, you must give heartily, you must love heartily, you must

394 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
obey heartily, you must pray heartily ; and when you do all things
heartily, then you shall do all things cheerfully.
Therefore, now I may say unto them which resist comfort, and
nourish grief, as the prophet saith, ' Who hath required these things
of you ?' Isa. i 12, God doth require no sorrow, but the sorrow for
sin, no fear but the fear to sin, no care but the care to please him;
nay, he hath forbidden all other care ; and therefore Peter saith,
' Cast your care upon him/ 1 Peter v. 7. As though God did not
allow us to care, he sent his apostle with this charge, ' Cast your
care upon him. ' As we do cast our sins upon Christ, so we must cast
our care upon him ; for God hath commanded us to labour, but not
to care, because care hindereth our labour, like the Samaritans, which
seemed to help the Jews to build the temple, and hindered them
to build the temple, Neh. iv. So care, and sorroygjuid thought, seem__
to help us in our labours, and our studies, and our prayers^ndjHK
strife, but indeed they hinder us ; for they take all. the time from
that which we should do, and disable us to do it; and therefore,
when care cometh to us, we should answer it as Christ said unto
Satan, ' Avoid, Satan !' Mat. iv. Avoid, care ! for every care which
is not of God, is of Satan, and we may not bear that which God
commandeth us to cast upon him. Should I hang my joy, my faith,
and my hope, because I have sinned, as Judas hanged himself? The
Scripture saith not, Let him which hath stolen despair of mercy;
but, ' Let him which hath stolen steal no more/ and it is enough, .
Eph. iv. 28. As we are taught to discern of spirits and of doctrines,
so we must discern of cares and sorrows ; for when Paul saith, ' There
is a repentance not to be repented of/ 2 Cor. vii. 10, he shewed that
there is a repentance to be repented of, that is, a repentance which
is a sin, like the tears of Esau, which wept not for his sins, but for
his patrimony, Gen. xxv. 33 ; Gen. xxvii. 34. When we sorrow for
anything but for sin, as Esau did, then our sorrow is murmuring ;
and when we sorrow more for sin than we should, as some do, then
our sorrow is distrust, which hurteth us more than the thing which
we sorrow for ; for ' the sorrow of the heart/ saith Solomon, ' is the
consuming of the bones/ Prov. xvii. 22 ; not only the consuming of
the soft flesh, but the consuming of the hard bones; that is, it will
pull down the strongest man that is ; and he which entertaineth it
shall quickly say with Naomi, ' Call me no more beautiful, but
bitter,' Ruth i. 20 ; Call me no more strong, but weak ; for it will
change him like a sickness. Therefore, as Christ refused the vinegar,
and would not drink it when he tasted it, so let no man drink of
sorrow before he taste it ; but if anything eat thee up, let the zeal

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 395
of God's house eat thee up, Ps. lxix. 9 ; for thy charge is not to get
thy living with the care of thy mind, but with the sweat of thy
brows, Gen. iii. 19. Now, as James saith, ' Resist the devil, and he
will fly from you/ James iv. 7, so resist sorrow, and it will fly from
you. This is all the care, and all the fear, and all the repentance
which ever I could find in the Scripture. Therefore, let us pray
God every day to turn all our joy into the joy of the Holy Ghost,
and all our peace into the peace of conscience, and all our sorrow
into the sorrow for sin, and all our fear into the fear to sin, that so
we may sorrow and rejoice together, fear and hope together ; that
is, have one eye to the law, to keep us from presumption, and an
other eye to the gospel, to keep us from despair ; and then this com
fort is sent to us, ' Rejoice evermore/ or else we have nothing to do
with it.
It followeth, pray continually.. As Elisha would not prophesy
until the musician came, and while the musician played Elisha pro
phesied ; so, when the heart rejoiceth in God, then it is fittest to
call upon God ; and therefore Paul putteth rejoice before pray, like
the musician which played before Elisha prophesied. After rejoice
continually, he biddeth us pray continually; shewing that it must
be such a rejoicing continually, that we may pray continually too,
or else he doth not allow us to rejoice. How can these two join
together, pray and rejoice ? Some, if they should pray, cannot
rejoice for their hearts ; nay, their hearts are sick until their prayers-
be done, although they pray not themselves, but hear another pray
for them : this is the difference between the rejoicing of the wicked
and the rejoicing of the godly.
The comfort of the wicked is like a compound medicine, made of
many mixtures ; for there must be piping, and dancing, and play
ing, and feasting, and dallying at their game, or else they cannot
be merry ; but the comfort of the faithful is like a light in the air,
which shines when no matter is seen ; so the godly rejoice when no
cause is seen; if they do but think upon God, they rejoice straight
If there be but a prayer, and a thankfulness, and a meditation,
there are instruments enow for them, and they can be as merry
as birds in May. The reason of it is this: as Christ said, ' I have
another meat which you know not of John iv. 32, so the godly
, have another joy which the world knows not of. Of this joy a man
may rejoice continually. And therefore Solomon saith, ' A good
conscience is a continual feast,' Prov. xv. 15 ; that is, a continual
joy. But of the wicked's joy he saith, ' In laughter their heart is
sorrowful ;' that is, their laughter is sorrow ; as if he should say

396 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
The wicked never rejoice indeed, but counterfeit joy, as they
counterfeit virtue. Thus Paul joineth rejoice continually, with
pray continually ; as if he should say, By this thou shalt know
whether thou rejoice well, if thou canst pray too ; that is, if thy
rejoicing move thee to prayer, as the joy of angels makes them
praise God and sing, ' Holy, holy, holy/ unto him. This is accord
ing to that in the fifth of James, ' If any man be merry, let him
sing psalms,' James v. 13. Mark how James joineth mirth and
psalms, as Paul joineth rejoicing and praying. All this doth con
clude, that as we should do God's will ' in earth as it is done in
heaven/ so we should rejoice in earth as they rejoice in heaven, and
then this joy is a sign of another joy ; but if we cannot rejoice in
praying, how shall we rejoice in suffering ? I am now in a large
field, wdiere I might shew you to whom we should pray, and the
cause why we should pray, and the things which we should pray
for, and the mediator which we should pray by, and the affections
which we should bring to prayer ; but I will keep myself within
my text, which saith no more but ' Pray continually/ First, we
are comm anded to pray, and then we are commanded to pray con
tinually ; of all our duties, this is only God's duty, which is given
to none but God, according to that, ' Him only shalt thou serve,'
Mat. iv. 10. Such an excellent thing is prayer, that it is offered
to none but to him which Solomon calleth Excellent, Prov. xxvi.
10. Secondly, It is such a pleasant thing, that Paul joineth, pray
continually, with rejoice continually, to shew that no man hath
such joy, as he which is often talking with God by prayer ; as if he
should say, If thou have the skill to pray continually, it will make
thee rejoice continually ; for in the company of God is nothing
but joy and gladness of heart.
Thirdly, It is such a necessary thing, that Christ calleth his tem
ple, ' The house of prayer/ to shew, that as we sell in our shops,
and as we buy in the market, and as we eat in our parlours, and as
we sleep in our chambers, and as we walk in our galleries, so we
should pray in the temple; which is such a necessary trade for
men, that God built a house for it, and called it, ' The house of
prayer/ as though prayer brought God and us to dwell continually
in one house together.
Further, he hath made a day for it in every Week, as though he
would bind us to pray ; and because we cannot pray before we be
sanctified, therefore he set down an order for us to observe and
keep, which is this, that before every Sabbath he appointed an-

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 397
other day beside, in which we should provide ourselves to, sanctify
and prepare us, that we might pray in so effectual manner as we
ought. Fourthly, If we endeavour ourselves to live uprightly, and in the
fear of God, according to the precise rule of his commandments, we
shall find it such an heavenly life, that it will make us like the
angels which are in heaven. For when we read, God speaketh to
us, because we read his word ; but when we pray, we speak to God,
because we commence our suit to him ; and so prayer makes us
like the angels, which are always singing to God. Now if the com
pany of wise men can so change one, that in a short time he re-
presenteth their speeches and qualities, how will their nature and
their manners alter, which are still talking with God, like the be
loved disciple which leaned on Christ's bosom ?
Fifthly, It is such a sweet thing, above other things that we do
for God, that in Rev. vii. the prayers of the saints are called ' in
cense/ because when they ascend to heaven, God seems to smell a
§weet savour like incense.
Sixthly, It is such a profitable thing, that it doth more good than
alms ; for with mine alms I help but three or four, but with my
prayer I help thousands. Prayer is the rich man's alms as well as
the poor man's ; for Pharaoh begged for prayers, as well as Lazarus
begged for crumbs.
Lastly, It is so victorious and powerful, that it overcometh God
himself, which overcometh all things ; for if we will overcome our
Lord as Jacob did, Gen. xxxii. 28, we must overcome him with
prayer. This God sheweth when he saith to Jeremiah, ' Pray not
for this people,' Jer. xiv. 11 ; — shewing that the prayer of the
righteous is of such, force and power, that God is fain to forbid them
to pray when he would not grant, lest he should be overcome. This
Christ sheweth again when he resembleth his Father to the deaf
judge, and his suppliants to the importunate woman which cried
upon him, and made him hearken unto her, as if she had compelled
him, Luke xviii. 2, 3. Therefore one compareth prayer unto
Samson's hair. As all Samson's strength lay in his hair, Judges
xvi. 17, so all our strength lieth in prayer. I have read of many
which write that they did learn more by praying than they could
by reading ; and I have heard some say, that they have done that
by prayer which they could not do by counsel. In Exodus xvii,
we read that the Jews prevailed more by prayer than they could
by fight. Therefore one saith, that he which can pray can do all
things, because he can overcome God, which helpeth him to do all

398 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
things ; and he which can overcome God can overcome the devil
too, which hindereth all things.
Who ever fell into heresy, or into apostasy, or into despair, before
he fell from prayer, the preservative of the soul ? ' If thou hadst
been here/ saith Martha to Christ, 'my brother had not died/
John xi. 32 ; so if prayer had been here, these evils had not hap
pened. This is the holy water which driveth away unclean spirits,
as Christ sheweth when he speaketh of the devil, which is ' not
cast out but by fasting and prayer/ Mat. xvii. 21. This is the
cross which saveth us from evil, as Christ sheweth when he teacheth
us to pray (as it is written in the 11th of Luke), ' Deliver us from
evil.' This is the oil which healeth our sickness, as James sheweth
in his 5th chap. ver. 25, when he saith, ' The prayer of faith shall
save the sick.' It hath such a hand in all things, that it is like the
sanctifier of everything. It blesseth our thoughts, and blesseth our
speeches, and blesseth our actions. As Abraham blessed his servant
before he went from him, Gen. xxiv., so prayer blesseth our works
before they go from us. Whatsoever thou doest before thou hast
blessed it with prayer, thou hast no promise that it shall prosper
or do good, because he which should bless it is not made a counsel
to it. Therefore we should not presume to use any of God's gifts,
or any of God's graces, without prayer, lest that which is good do
not good but hurt unto us.
For this cause St Paul, in the 14th of the Romans, and the 6th
verse, teacheth us to pray before we eat. For this cause Paul
prayed before he journeyed, Acts xx. 26, 38 ; for this cause Elias
prayed before he sacrificed, as it appeareth in the 1st book of Kings,
xviii. 36 ; for this cause the Israelites prayed before they fought ;
and for this cause we prayJaeJOEa-we-^afeaefar It is a good thing to
preach, and yet you see we do not presume to preach before we
pray ; because ' Paul planteth, Apollos watereth ; but God giveth
the increase/ 1 Cor. iii. 6. Even so, we should not presume to give
alms, nor to give counsel, nor to give help, before we have prayed
that it may do good. Nay, we should not presume to exercise our
faith, nor our repentance, nor our obedience, without prayer
because there is no faith so perfect but it had need of prayer to
strengthen it. Also, there is no love so perfect but it had need of
prayer to confirm it. There is no repentance so perfect but it had
need of prayer to continue it ; there is no obedience so perfect but
it had need of prayer to direct it. Therefore lie doth sin which
presumeth to do any good work without prayer, because he seems
to do if by his owh'power"; for that he craveth not assistance" from

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 399
God, which giveth power to faith to bring forth works, as well as he
doth to trees to bring forth fruits, or to physic to_bring forth health.
Therefore no virtue hath done so much as prayer hath done, for all
virtues have had their power from prayer ; and therefore one saith,
that prayer hath done as many exploits as all virtues beside.
The apostle Paul, in Heb. xi, saith, that by faith Noah did this,
and Abraham did this, and David did this, and Enoch did this ; but
did their faith anything without prayer ? For their faith was
strengthened by prayer, and therefore the disciples prayed Christ
to strengthen their faith, Luke xvii. 5. By prayer Elias made the
clouds to fall, 1 Kings xviii. 45 ; by prayer Joshua made the sun
to stand still, Joshua x. 12, 13 ; by prayer Elisha raised the dead
to life, 2 Kings iv. 33-35 ; by prayer Moses made the enemies to
fly, Exod. xvi. 11 ; by prayer Solomon obtained wisdom, 1 Kings
iii. 1 2. So that, as Paul, 1 Tim. iv., saith of godliness, ' Godliness
is profitable to all things/ so I may say of prayer, Prayer is profit
able tO all things. Tko r^yp. frmlrl fi.Ba..n^ rvact...fnr tho caIp cf Tipt-
foot until she returned to the ark, Gen. viii. 9 ; so the sinner, when
he can fly no longer, nor suffer any longer, nor help himself any
longer, at last he turneth to prayer, which is like the city of refuge,
Num. xxxix. 11, where no enemy, where no adversity, and where no
tentation, hath power to hurt him.
Lastly, As prayer is excellent in respect of God, to whom only it
is offered, so it is excellent in respect of the godly, who only offer
it. For as Paul saith of faith, in the second to the Thessalonians,
' All men have not faith,' so I may say of prayer, All men have
not the gift of prayer; and therefore Zechariah speaketh of a
' spirit of prayer/ Zech. xii. 1 0 ; and when we pray, Paul saith, that
' the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, and prayeth in us/ Rom. viii.
29 ; as though there were a peculiar spirit for prayer, and none
could pray but they which had that spirit.
I have known many wicked men hear, and I have known many
wicked men study, and I have known many wicked men fast, and I
have known many wicked men preach, and I have known many
wicked men counsel ; but I did never know^ any wicked man that
could pray well, nor any that could pray well,live wickedly. This
PeteTploveErTin his first epistle and fourth chapter, when be saith,
' Be sober and watchful in prayer ;' shewing, that all cannot pray,
but they which are sober and watchful.
This Peter the apostle proveth again in his first epistle and third
chapter, when he exhortetb the husband and wife to love one an
other, lest their prayers be interrupted ; shewing that sin doth

400 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
hinder our prayer, and that a man cannot pray heartily, when wrath,
and malice, or lust doth carry his' mind away. This Paul witnesseth
again when he saith, ' How should they call upon him in whom
they have not believed V shewing that none can pray but they
which have faith, and that it is a sign that the Spirit is within, if
he can pray ; and therefore one saith, so long as God doth not take
away thy praying, he hath not taken away his mercy. Seeing then
that prayer is such a sacrifice as is offered to none but God, and
none can offer it but they which have faith, and love, and repentance,
to bring it to him ; as Aaron did not stand before the Lord before
he was washed, Exod. xxix. 4, so let no man call upon God before
he be sanctified. For as Isaac did first taste Jacob's meat, and
then blessed him when he liked his offering, Gen. xxvii. 25, so God
will have an offering which pleaseth him, before he give the
, blessing which pleaseth us. Therefore, as Jacob charged his sons
when they went unto Joseph, 'Take the best fruits of the land
and give unto him/ Gen. xliii. 11, so I advise myself and you, when
we go to God, let us take the best fruits of our hearts and give
unto him, that is, not the show of .repentance^ but repentanee
indeed. As Abraham left his ass at the foot of the hill when he went to
sacrifice, so when we go to pray, we must leave our passions, and
affections, and lusts behind, lest they trouble us, like the fowls which
hindered Abraham in his sacrifice. And when our prayers do please
God, as Jacob's meat pleased his father, then God will hear our
prayers and; bless us, as his father blessed him.
Now, to inform us what prayer delighteth God, the apostle Paul
in his first epistle to the Corinthians, and the seventh chapter, shew
ing that he had the mind of Christ, teacheth us to pray continually.
This he expoundeth in the second epistle to the Thessalonians, the
third. chapter and the thirteenth verse, when he saith, 'Be not
weary of well doing.' Therefore, if you do well when you pray, you
must not be weary of praying.
The like saying is in Rom. xii., where it is said, ' Continue in
prayer/ The like saying is in Rom. i, where it is said, ' Pray at
all times.' The like saying also is in Luke xviii, where it is said,
' Pray always, and be not faint/ We are not commanded to preach
continually, nor ye to hear continually, nor to fast continually, nor
to watch continually, nor to give continually ; but we are com
manded to pray continually, as though prayer were more needful
than all the rest. We want continually, and we are tempted con
tinually, and we sin continually ; and therefore we had need to pray

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 401
to God continually, that God would supply our wants, and forgive
our sins, and prevent our temptations.
To shew that we should pray daily, Christ teacheth us in Luke
xi. to say, ' Give us this day our daily bread.' Tbis day we ask no
more but our daily bread ; and if we live till the morrow, then we
ask no more but our daily bread. So the word daily doth teach us
to pray daily ; for there is great reason that , they which have con
tinually need of God, should pray continually unto him. But as
some answered Christ, as it appeareth in St John's Gospel, ' Who is
able to do this ?' so you will say unto me, Who is able to pray con
tinually ?
Saint Paul, in Rom. xii., teacheth us a reasonable service of God.
Here he seems to enjoin us an unreasonable^jeryice of God. For
who did ever pray continually ? or if we should pray continually,
when should we hear, or preach, or when should we study, or when
should we work ? So one service seems to binder all services ; but
indeed it doth further all services, and therefore we are commanded
to pray continually, because we can do nothing without prayer.
But if you imagine that this commandment is broken, if your lips
be not always going, which was the heresy of the Messalians, or if
you dwell not always in the church, like the golden candlesticks,
then you are out of Paul's mind, for Paul did not pray continually
withhis lips, and therefore he doth not mean a lipprayer ; neither did
Paul live day and night in the temple, and therefore he doth not
mean achurch prayer ; and further, it seems that the Jews were not
appointed to pray at all times, for they had set times of prayer ;
and therefore we read how ' Peter and John went up to the temple
at the time of prayer,' Acts iii. 1 ; therefore to pray continually,
is to lift up our hearts continually_jmto— £kid. and to pray in
our thought, as' Moses did, though we open not our lips ; and
so we pray continually. As when a good man is to answer
before his persecutor, a thought prayeth in his heart that he
may answer wisely ; when he is to give alms, a thought prayeth
in his heart that it may do good ; when he is to give counsel, a
thought prayeth in his heart that it may prosper; when he
is to hear a sermon, a thought prayeth in his heart that he may
be edified and sanctified by it. Thus we may pray and hear, pray
and speak, pray and eat, pray and study, pray and work together,
as the Jews built and fought together, Neh. iv. 7. And therefore
prayer seems a harder thing than it is. For if it had been irksome
for any to pray, Paul would not have joined praying and rejoicing
VOL. I. U C

402 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
together. It is not hard which a man may do and rejoice too. If
a man love entirely, he hath no such delight as to talk often, and
to confer daily with him whom he loveth ; for by this his love is
increased, and his joy is doubled ; but the seldomer we commune
together, by little and little our affections abate, till at last we be
come strange one to the other, as though we had never been
acquainted. Even so our affections and familiarity doth grow to
wards God by often praying unto him ; and when we leave off to
pray, then our affections draw from him, and his affections from us ;
therefore we read how often the good men were wont to pray in times
past. Daniel saith, that he prayed thrice a day, Dan. vi. 19 ; David
saith, that he prayed seven times a day, Ps. cxix. 164; it is said
that Cornelius prayed continually ; it is said that the disciples
prayed continually ; and in Rom. i. Paul, which teacheth us here
to pray without ceasing, saith, that he himself prayed without
ceasing. As Jacob would not let the angel go before he had blessed
him ; so a Christian should not let God rest before he hear him.
This is the state that a Christian, should strive to, and never think
that he is sound at the heart till all his thoughts be a kind of
prayer. Now if we should examine ourselves whether we pray as
we should, as Paul teacheth us to examine ourselves whether we
believe as we should, 1 Cor. xi. 28, I am of opinion, that there is no
suchvvantjr^tifisjand as tiie want of prayer ; for it is neglected,
as though it were never commanded, as if there were no God to
worship, or as if we had no need of him. In the papists' time
none were called beadsmen (that is, men which were bound to
pray), but the poor men; as though none were bound to pray
tout poor men ; but now the worid_ goeth. .as., though neither.
richnoj^poor_were~bound to pray. One would think that our
deliverance out of EgyplTtEat~o"uT victory against the Spaniards,
that the weSjher^which threateneth sickness, that the dearth which
threateneth farrnneT^rTolHdnmake us pray, and yet doth not ; for
where is the person that prayeth now more than he did before ?
Some are like the fool, which ' saith in his heart, There is no God/
Ps. xiv. 1 ; for they pray never, though Paul say, pray ever.
Cain was rejected for offering an unworthy sacrifice, Gen. iv. What
shall be done to them which offer no sacrifice at all ? Some are
like exorcists, which cannot adjure but in a circle ; so they cannot
pray but in the church, and then they pray when they should hear.
Some are like the Ephraimites, which can pronounce every word
but that which they should, Judges xii. 6 ; so they never want
words but when they speak to God. It is strange to think how

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 403
lively they are to everything else, and how dead they are to pray.
As many come to sermons, and never mark what the preacher
saith, until he come to this, To whom be all praise, power, and
dominion for ever ; so many pray, and never mark what they say,
until they come to this, Give us this day our daily bread. Dost
thou think that God doth mark that prayerwhich thou dost not
mark thyself? Some come to God as if they did fetch fire, a spurt
and away, like a messenger which is gone before he have his answer.
If God will take a Pater noster of them, and hear them for that,
so it is, for they never made any other prayer in their lives, but
even as a child sayeth grace, so say they, Our Father; put them out
of that, and they cannot pray a word, no more than a child can
make a grace, if he be put out of his own. Some are like Nadab
and Abihu, which never look with what fire their sacrifice is kindled,
Num. iii. 4 ; so they never respect with what motion their prayer
is kindled, whether it be from the Spirit or from the flesh, but
sometime they pray of malice for revenge, sometime of greediness
for riches, sometime of lust for pleasure. Now, as no sacrifice was
accepted with God, but that which was kindled with the fire which
came down from heaven, Lev. iii. 5, so no prayer is accepted with
God, but that which is kindled with some motion from heaven.
Their prayer never ascendeth to heaven ; for Abel's heart made
Abel's offering accepted, Gen. iv. 4. Some are like the builders of
Babel, which call for one thing, when they should call for another,
Gen. xi. 3 ; so they pray for one thing, when they should pray for
another ; when they called for stones, they brought them timber ;
when they called for timber, they brought them stones. So, when
they call for health, God sends them sickness ; when they call for
rest, God sends them trouble ; when they call for riches, God sends
them wants ; when they call for honour, God sends them shame ;
. when they call for ease, God sends them a yoke; for it is a just
thing with God, that they which do one thing for another, should
receive one thing for another. Some are like the prodigal son,
which jirayed but until he got his patrimony, and then he forsook
his father which gave it him, Luke xv. 12 ; so they pray no longer
but until they have that which they would have, and then they fly
from God, as he did from his father, and live like swine in another
country, till extremity and penury send them home again. These
are the beadsmen of our age, and these are the prayers which we
offer to him which made heaven and earth. Wouldst thou regard
his suit which should entreat thee so contemptuously as thou
entreatest God ? Let us consider how that prayer should obtain

404 THE LADDER OF PEACE.
remission of sin, which is sin itself. Paul saith, ' Let all which
call upon the name of the Lord, depart from iniquity/ 2 Tim.
ii. 19 ; as if he should say, The Lord will hear none which pray
unto him, but them which depart from iniquity. Solomon saith,
' The prayer of the wicked is an abomination/ Prov. xxviii. 9. If
his best work be an abomination, what are his worst deeds, and the
sinner himself ? Therefore, he adviseth, ' Prepare thy heart before
thou go into the temple, lest thou offer the sacrifice of fools/ Eccles.
v. 1 ; as if he should say, He which offereth a present unto a prince,
which the prince likes not, is a fool for his pains. Tbis is the
cause, saith one, why God doth not hear our prayers as he did our
fathers, because we pray not with such humility and perseverance
as they did. Many touched Christ, yet but one drew virtue out of
him ; so many pray unto Christ, but few draw comfort from him.
Now, if you will know what prayer is accepted with God, James
saith, ' The prayer of the just availeth much, if it be fervent/ James
v. 16. He saith not that the prayer of the wicked availeth anything,
though it be never so fervent ; bnt, the person must bp -jnntr, tbn
praver^nrust_J^^iieisie»t-toe--: by this thou knowest then whether
thy prayer be accepted with God. As God sent down fire from
heaven to consume Elijah his sacrifice, because it pleased him,
1 Kings xviii. 38, so he will send down a kind, of joy andjightneig.
upon_t.hy heart, which shall kindle thee within, as the fire kindled
Elijah's sacrifice, and send thee away with such a joy, like a suitor
which cometh from the prince when his petition is granted. This
is the end of every prayer which is made in faith. As Christ
answered the centurion, ' Be it unto thee as thou believest/ so thy
heart shall answer thee, ' Be it unto thee as thou believest/ When
we begin to pray, we are going from the devil ; and when we end
our prayer, we are come to God. tl.^Z^~m^'nJ +PTnptiatiCTiff W1'^
hinder thee^_b_ut„.wiih. earn.ostness^ thou _^ialj^ drive them away.
' Then make no haste,' as Solomon saith, ' to get out of the king's
presence ;' for the Lord and thy prayer are met together in heaven,
like Christ and the woman at Jacob's well, John iv.
Seeing, then, that prayer is such an excellent thing, that it is
given to none but to him which is called excellent ; and such a
pleasant thing, that Paul joineth pray continually with rejoice
continually ; and such an heavenly thing, that it makes us like
the angels which are in heaven; and such a necessary thing, that
God built a house for it, and made a day for it ; and such a holy
thing, that none but the holy can deal with it ; and such a strong
thing, that it overcometh God which overcometh all ; how is it,

THE LADDER OF PEACE. 405
then, that our fathers spent so much time in prayer, and we make
no account of it ? Have we nothing to pray for as well as they ?
Nay, they prayed for nothing but we had need to pray for the like.
The Turks and idolaters pray to them -that cannot hear ; but he
which saith, ' I will hear/ hath not so many supplications to him
as noblemen. What will we give God, if we will not afford him
thanks? What will we do for him, if we will not praise him ? ' If
thou be wise/ saith Solomon, ' thou art wise unto thyself ;' so if we
do pray, we do pray for ourselves. Shall the birds sing unto God,
and not they for whom he created birds ? What a fool is he which
will fight, and travel, and watch for himself, and will not speak for
himself ? If God had required such costly sacrifices of us as he
did of the Jews, it is to be feared that he would not be served at
all; for we are such Gergesites, that we would not part from our
beasts to sacrifice to him. Therefore, let us not say, God will not
hear, but let us say, We do not ask ; for God is readier to give than
we to ask. Therefore, let us pray that our neglect of prayer may
be forgiven.

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders
of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
And led him away bound, and delivered him unto Pontius
Pilate the governor. Then when Judas, which betrayed him,
saw that he was condemned, he repented himself and brought
again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
saying, I have sinned, betraying the innocent blood. But they
said, What is that to us ? see thou to it. — Mat. XXVII. 1-4.
The last, time you heard how a publican rpcpjvp.dJIJivQst ; now you
shall hear how an apostle betrayeth Christ. But first here is set
down what the priests and the elders did against Christ, of whom
it is said, ' When the morning was come, all the chief priests and
the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to
death, and led him away bound, and delivered him unto Pontius
Pilate the governor/ The priests were ecclesiastical persons, and
the elders were civil magistrates ; so they which should have stood
most for Christ, stood most against him. Mark putteth in the
scribes too, Mark xv. 1, and Luke putteth in the whole multitude,
Luke xxii. 66 ; as if he should say, the priests, and the scribes, and
the pharisees, and the elders and the people. He which stood for
all, had all against him. Here is fulfilled that which was prophe
sied in the second Psalm, ' They banded themselves against the
Lord, and against his Anointed/ Ps. ii. 2. But why did they band
themselves against the Lord, or against his Anointed ? What was
their desire of him ? To have his goods ? No, he had none for
himself; but they were richer than he. To have his liberty?
Nay, that would not suffice them ; for they had bound him before.
To bring the people into dislike of him ? Nay, that would not

410 THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.
serve them ; for they had done so already, until even his disciples
were fled from him. What would they have then ? his blood ? Yea,
' they took counsel/ saith Matthew, ' to put him to death/ They
had the devil's mind, which is not satisfied but with death. And
how do they contrive it ? He saith, ' They took counsel about it/
When Pharaoh did most foolishly, he said, ' Come, let us work
wisely,' Exod. i 10. So when they did worst, then they seemed to
do it in best manner, for they will not sin without counsel. A wise
counsel to consult of murder, like the papists' counsels when they
give licence for treason. They may be fitlier said to take arras than
to take counsel. For Christ saith before, that they came with
swords and staves to take him, Mat. xxvi. 55. David speaks of a
malignant church, that is, a church of malicious persons ; such a
church was this, for they called themselves the church, and went
about to kill the head of the church. In the beginning of the
night Christ instituted the sacrament, and consulted how to save
them ; and at midnight they instituted their treason, and consulted
how to destroy him. The time whidh they chose, and the judge
which they chose, are specially to be noted. The time, ' In the
morning/ &c.
This therefore is not to be expounded of the beginning of their
counsel, but of the end of their counsel ; for they took counsel in
the night, and executed it in the morning. When they agreed to
go unto Pilate, it was night ; but when they brought him to Pilate,
it was morning. But mark how unjustly they handled him before
they brought him to the judge. They should have done nothing
against him before he came to his judgment; but they did all
against him, except condemning him and crucifying him, before
they came to the judge. For all that is spoken before of examining
him, and mocking him, and reviling him, and buffeting him, and
spitting in his face, was done before they came to the judge, which
shews, that they were even angry that they could not kill him with
out the judge too.
All this was done in the night, and therefore Christ said to his
disciples in the evening, ' This night all of you shall be offended -
for me/ Mat. xxvi. 31 ; shewing that all these things should be
done in the night. Therefore St Mark saith, that Peter, and James,
and John were asleep, when Judas and his companions came against •
him, Mark xiv. 41 ; which sheweth it was the time of sleep ; and in
the 51st verse he saith, that a young man ran after with a linen
garment upon his bare body, which sheweth that he, hearing a
tumult and an uproar to grow in the night, ran forth of doors in

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST. 411
great haste without his clothes, as they do in a fire (to see what
was done), and it is added, that they strove to take him, and that
he was fain to slip off his linen, and run away from them naked, as
Joseph did when he left his cloak with his light mistress, when he
slipped from her ; which sheweth how void of shame and modesty they
were, to offer such violence to a stranger, that he could scarce scape
their hands naked, although they had nothing against him. This I
note, to shew that their conspiracy against Christ was a night-work,
like them which hate the light because they do evil. It was not
their wont to sit in counsel in the night, but in the day. It would
have troubled them to watch so long for a good cause ; but it was
fit that the work of darkness should be done in darkness ; and
therefore Christ saith, ' This is the hour of darkness/ Luke xxii.
53 ; the hour of darkness, the power of darkness, and the work of
darkness met together. When they should rest, malice would not
suffer them to rest, but they became like owls, which watch in the
night, and cannot sleep. Here was fulfilled Solomon's saying,
'They cannot sleep before they have done evil/ Prov. iv. 16. So
eager we are upon revenge, more than anything else. They say
that he cannot stay which rideth upon the devil ; for malice driveth
him, and fury spurs him. Therefore Zaccheus went not so hastily
to receive Christ, as his enemies haste to destroy him ; nay, rather I
may say, to destroy themselves ; for as they prayed at Christ's
death, so it came upon them. They said, ' His blood be upon us
and our children/ Mat. xxvii. 25 ; so his blood is upon them, and
upon their children, which have been vagabonds over the earth ever
since, and have no country of their own. For if they be cursed
which do the Lord's business negligently, Jer. xlviii. 10, they must
be cursed too which do the devil's business diligently.
If men were so hasty, in executing justice, as they were in exe
cuting malice, so many men should not be undone by suits of law ;
for in one day they could apprehend, and accuse, and examine, and
condemn, and execute him which was innocent ; but he which is just
cannot be quit in one term or two j^jiayjjfhe have right in a year,
it is counted~o^iicFdeipatch, and he is glad that he met ; witfTsuch
a speedy lawyer. How then when they take a bad cause in hand,
and prolongTttoo, which keeps their clients in suspense from day
to day, and from week to week, in great charge and sin together ?
I would to God that some did not sit in counsel against good Chris
tians, as those priests did against Christ ; but God in bis mercy
daily doth confound and bring to nothing the accursed counsels of
the wicked antichrist, and all his rebellious confederates. So when

412 THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.
the wicked took counsel together, wickedness was the end of their
counsels ; for there is nothing worse to the ungodly, than to meet
together ; for before they meet, their wickedness is a little hid, like
the poison in a serpent ; but when they meet together, one setteth
another on, and the poison breaks forth into vile speeches, and
detestable works, and ungodly practices ; as we see in taverns, and
such like assemblies as this.
For now they are met together, they have conspired amongst
themselves to accuse unto the governor the most innocent man in
the world, as if he were the worst man living ; they abused him,
and mocked him, and reviled him, and buffeted him, before they
brought him to the governor; which sheweth that they would have
killed him too, if they durst, without the governor; but sin is crafty,
and therefore they observe the order of law and form of judgment,
lest they should be taken in the snare which they made for him.
First, Because that Pilate had the authority over judgments of
death, and not they, therefore they are enforced to seek unto his
judgment-seat, to save themselves from blame, and to be delivered
out of trouble, if they did usurp anything upon the magistrate's
office. Then, Because they might not run unto the governor before day
without suspicion of tumult, they stayed until it was morning; but
so soon as they could come, they came post-haste ; for the sun did
no sooner peep, but even at the very break of the day they were all
ready to flock unto the judge against him. This they did without
knowdedge ; but God directed everything unto a right end. For it
was meet that the Son of God should be cleared in a solemn manner
by an earthly judge, to shew how we shall be cleared by the heavenly
judge ; and therefore, as it appeareth Mat. xxvii. 23, Pilate saith
that he ' found no evil in him/ before be gave sentence against
him ; which sheweth that he died not for his own sins, but for our
sins : and therefore, though they went to the judge to save them
selves from blame, yet God sent them to the judge that his word
might be fulfilled.
Lastly, This Pilate was a Roman governor, which ruled for Caesar^
as Zaccheus was a Roman collector, which gathered for Caesar ; for
at that time the Romans had brought much of the world into their
subjection, as since that time they have brought much of the world
into idolatry. And therefore God would have his Son to be judged
by the Roman policy, and to be condemned by a Roman judge, and
to be slain with a Roman death, as it were joiningjihe Jews and
the Romans in impiety together ; to shew that these two nations

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST. 413
should be the odiousest people unto him in all the world, and how
his servants should be crucified there where he was crucified him
self; for as the Romans did crucify Christ upon the cross, so they
crucify him now upon the altar, and resemble the dragon, which,
when he could not prevail against Michael himself, then he fought
against the woman and her seed, that is, the church and her children,
which are slain in Rome, as the prophets were in Jerusalem, Rev.
xii. Thus Rome began with the head, and ends with the members.
So much of the priests, and the scribes, and the pharisees, and the
elders, and Pilate, what they did against Christ, of whom was ful
filled David's prayer, ' Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel unto
folly/ 2 Sam. xv. 31 ; so their counsel was turned unto folly. For
as Paul revived when he was stoned, so Christ rose again when be
was buried ; to shew that there is no counsel against God. And
therefore let all our counsels be for God.
Now we come to Judas. To aggravate this tragical counsel, the
evangelist annexeth unto it the desperate end of the cursedest man
that ever was. Three things are especially notecLoL this, traitor :
his death, the cause of his death, and the confession which he made
before his death. His death, in the fifth verse : ' He went and
hanged himself The cause of his death, in the third verse : For
that he had betrayed his Lord, and now did see him condemned,
and had no joy of the money which was given unto him for his
treason. His confession, in the fourth verse : ' I have sinned in
betraying the innocent blood/ I will speak of every word as they
lie, for your memory. Therefore, first, of his treason : 'When Judas
the traitor.' Before he was called Judas the apostle, now he is
called Judas the traitor, to distinguish him from others of that
name ; lest any of his name should be defamed for him, a brand is
set in his forehead like the letter Tau, or Cain's mark, Gen. iv., to
make him hateful, like a rogue which is burned in the ear. So
Esau was called Edom, which signifieth red, to keep his wickedness
in remembrance, because he sold his birthright for a mess of red
pottage. So Simon is called the sorcerer, Acts viii, as though God
would note him for the worst of that name. So God knoweth
Simon Peter from Simon Magus, and Judas his brother from Judas
his betrayer ; and therefore, as Jeroboam comes in with his train
after him, ' Jeroboam which made Israel to sin/ 1 Kings xxii. 52,
so Judas comes in with his train after him, Judas which betrayeth
the Lord. For when God said, ' I will honour them which honour
me/ he signifieth how he would dishonour them which dishonour
him ; and therefore this name is a word of reproach until this day,

414 THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.
and all traitors are called Judases for his sake, that the prophecy
might be fulfilled, ' The names of the wicked shall rot/ Prov. x. 7 ;
that is, they shall be named with loathsomeness, and remembered'
with disdain, as a man passeth by rotten carrion, and stoppeth his
nose until he be past it. That is the just wrath of God. As
Christ promised that Mary's good work should be spoken of to the-
world's end, so he hath caused Judas's evil work to be spoken of
unto the world's end too. For there were three evils in one : first,
his practice was impudent, because be offered himself to be a traitor
before he was asked ; then it was covetous, because he was con
tented to betray his Lord for thirty pence ; and lastly, it was crafty,
because he betrayed him with a kiss, which is a sign of love. Like
this traitor do all other traitors, and therefore are all called Judases,
that is, impudent, and covetous, and crafty, like their master.
The next consideration is, how Judas his repentance came upon
him, in these words, ' When he saw that Jesus was condemned/
&c. Peter heard three crows before he felt any remorse ; so Judas
saw his Lord apprehended, and yet he repented not; then he saw
him accused, and yet he repented not; then he saw him mocked,
and yet he repented not; then he saw him buffeted, and yet he
repented not; at last be saw him condemned, and then, saith
Matthew, he repented : like one which slayeth his friend in his
rage, and sorroweth when it is past. In Gen. vi, God is said to
repent, but God repenteth not like men; so here the wicked are said
to repent, but the wicked repent not like the faithful. But as it is
said of Esau, that he sought repentance; so they may be rather said
to repent,1 than to repent indeed. For if Judas had repented like
Peter, he should have been forgiven fike Peter; but to shew that
he did not repent well, when he had committed one sin, he addeth
another to it; for. when he had murdered his master, he murdered
himself too. Therefore, if you ask how he repented, I think he
repented so as most usurers repent, upon their death-beds. There
is a shame of sin, and guilt of conscience, and fear of judgment,
even in a reprobate, which is a foretaste of hell, which the wicked
feel ; even as the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is
a foretaste of heaven, which the godly feel before they come thither.
So Judas was displeased with the ugliness of his treachery, and had
a mis-shapen sorrow, like a bear's whelp, but without any conversion
to God, or hope of mercy, or prayer for pardon, or purpose to amend. '
Only he felt a shame, and guilt, and anguish in his heart, which
was rather a punishment of sin, than a repentance for his sin, and
1 Qu. ' to seek to repent ' ? — Ed.

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST. 415
a preparative to hell which he was going unto. For hardness of
heart and despair of mercy are sins, and punishments for sin too ;
but true repentance is such a sorrow for one sin, as breedeth a dis
like of all sins, and moveth to pray, and resolveth to amend, which
faileth upon none but the elect. And therefore Paul calleth the
heart of the reprobate, ' A heart which cannot repent.' Bjitjfthe
papists' doctrine of repentance be true, there is nothing wanting in
Judas's repentance; for in. him may be found all the parts of their
repentance. For we see in this reprobate, contrition of heart, con
fession of mouth, and satisfaction of work, which is all the papists'
repentance. For contrition, it is said, ' he repented;' for confession,
he saith, 'I have sinned;' for satisfaction, he restored the money
again ; and yet he is Judas ' the son of perdition.' And therefore,
as Christ told the lawyer, that one thing was wanting in his obedi
ence; so Judas telleth the papists, that one thing is wanting in
their repentance; that is, the conversion of a man to God, and
change of mind ; when a sinner renounceth himself for shame of his
sin, and yieldeth to righteousness with as great love as ever he loved
wickedness. If Judas had repented so, he would rather have suf
fered pain like Job, than by unlawful means rid himself out of pain
like Cain, which thought to prevent God's judgment against him.
This was not a sign of repentance, but a sign of despair. There
fore let every one learn this, that so long as God's mercy is greater
than man's iniquity, there is no cause to despair, but to hope. For
why did our Saviour save Mary Magdalene, which had seven devils,
and spare the thief which never did good, but lest as great sinners
as they should despair of mercy, if they repented ? If thou canst
knock, his promiseth bindeth him to open. Therefore say not, God
will not give, but, I do not ask ; for God is readier to give than we
to ask.
The next consideration is, how Judas restored his bribe again.
In the first of the Proverbs, ver. 31, Solomon saith, 'The wicked
shall be filled with their own devices ;' and in the fourteenth chap
ter, verse 14, he saith, 'They shall be satiate with their own ways;'
for Judas hath sinned so long, that now he is weary of his sin, and
would restore bis bribe again, even the same day that he took it.
It was given him in the night, and in the morning he brought it
back; so soon is the pleasure of sin eclipsed. Even now his thirty
pence was the sweetest silver that ever he fingered, and now it is
the bitterest money that ever he pursed. Therefore, let all con
sider what Abner said unto Joab, ' Knowest thou not that it will
be bitterness in the latter end?' 2 Sam. ii. 26. The sting of the

4^6 THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.
serpent is in his tail, so the tail of sin hath the sting, that is, the
end. There is no sin but it hath three punishments which follow
it fike handmaids, fear, shame, and guilt ; fear of judgment, shame
of men, and guilt of conscience. AU these did surprise Judas at
once, as suddenly as Adam spied his nakedness ; and though they
come after every sin, yet they are never looked for. Gehazi took
his bribe merrily, but he did wear it heavily. Jezebel thought that
she had got a vineyard for nothing, 1 Kings xxi, but she paid more
for it than she would give for all the world. So Judas thought
that he was made for ever, when he was undone for ever. Here
was the scripture fulfilled, ' The bread of deceit is sweet to man,
but his mouth shall be filled with gravel/ Prov. xx. 17. So this
gain of treason was sweet to Judas, but when he digested it, it
f-ra.nkpd likp gra,vel in his teeth. Who would suffer for millions of
gold that which Judas suffered for thirty pence? And yet many are
content to sin for less. Judas was a traitor for thirty pence, but a
thousand are liars, and deceivers, and swearers for a penny. If
they can get anything by lies, or oaths, or wiles, it is like the
mystery of their occupation. Be not deceived, the time cometh
when you would restore this gain again, as Judas did, and perad
venture you shall not find the owners where to make restitution.
How many at the hour of death have offered their prayers and
their supplications and service to God, as Judas offered his money
to the priest, and God would not accept it ! but they died as they
lived, and went from despair unto destruction. Therefore, ' to-day
hear his voice/ If you will not be so good as Zaccheus, to restore
fourfold for all that you have gotten by usury, or bribery, or ex
tortion, or deceit, yet be so good as Judas, to bring again so much
as you have taken ; and if you do it not with Judas's mind, but
with Zaccheus's mind, it shall be accepted as Zaccheus was.
The last consideration is, the confession which he makes before
bis death, ' I have sinned/ &c. O Judas ! saith one, dost thou
know that thou hast sinned, and didst not know that thou shouldst
sin ? It is not enough to say, I have sinned ; so said Saul, and
Cain, and Pharaoh, I have sinned. But who saith, I will not
sin ? When sin is past, then we know ; but if we did look to it ~
before, then we need not say, 1 have sinned ; for sin is chosen in
the dark, like bad wares, when the faults are not seen. Sin seems
no sin until it come to I have sinned, that is, until it be past. If
Judas had shewed his repentance to God as he shewed* it but to
men, haply his offence might have found mercy ; but he did separate
himself farther from God by his despair, than he was separate!]!

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST. 417
before by his treason, and chose rather to run unto them which
would mock him, than unto him which should succour him ; there
fore his confession was without remission, and though he said, 'I
have sinned/ yet God answers not, ' I have forgiven :' to shew that
except our repentance be better than his, it shall not weigh against
one sin. Yet Judas doth not only acknowledge himself a sinner,
which is the most that many of us confess, because he would not be
counted worse than others, but reckoned his sin without an accuser.
As if one should come forth and say, I have stolen a horse ; so he
saith, I have betrayed my Master. In what did Judas sin ? In
treason. Then treason is sin ; and yet the papists count it a merit,
as-though they should merit by sin. Tlier£-was-Ji&v£r--an3Li3.e^etic
which majntameiLirea&Q^ papists... 'Touch not mine
anointed/ saith God. Yes, kill his anointed, say they. How far
are they from David, which would not lay his hand upon Saul ! If
he were a man after God's heart, as he is called, then they must be
men after the devil's heart. After Judas had received meat of
Christ, he went about to betray him ; so after they have received
peace and plenty and prosperity of their jarince, they go about to
betray her. As David's enemies longed and said, 'When will
David die, and the name of David perish ?' so they long and cry,
When will Elizabeth die, and the name of Elizabeth perish ? But
Elizabeth liveth, and they die which seek her death.
John calls the pharisees a generation of vipers, which never are
born, but their mother dieth for it. How right this fitteth with
the papists ? for they cannot live without the death of their mother.
For the Spaniard which would slaughter them, they would slaughter
the nurse which cherisheth them. 'Had Zimri peace/ saith
Jezebel, ' which slew his master ?' So I may say, Have they died
in peace, which would have slain their mistress ? They which have
not hanged themselves like Judas, have been hanged by others,
like Haman, as though they had been sent over but to visit Tyburn.
So God hath blessed them that" bless her, and cursed them which
curse her. Therefore some traitors have confessed that they have
sinned in betraying the Lord's anointed, as Judas confessed that
he had sinned in betraying the Lord himself. He betrayed him
as though he had not been innocent ; and now he must die, he
saith, ' I have betrayed the innocent blood.'
Innocent, indeed, for when he had asked his enemies which of
them could accuse him of sin, they had nothing to answer. Inno
cent in fife, innocent in speech, and innocent in thought ; the
VOL L i> d

418 THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST.
infants which be called innocents were not so innocent ; therefore",
how should he be innocent which betrayed the innocentest of all?
We are taught to do good unto all, but especially to the good ; but
Judas was naught to all, but worse to the best. If he had betrayed
any, he might say, I have sinned, because all dissimulation and
guile is condemned, 1. Peter ii. 1. But when the innocents are
betrayed, nay, when the innocentest is betrayed, it seemeth more
than sin, because never any betrayed innocent Christ but Judas.
Thus Christ was justified of his disciples and his enemies. He
which betrayed him said he was innocent ; he which condemned
him said he was innocent. And the devils, which made Judas
betray him and Pilate condemn him, said before, that he was the
Son of God, and called him holy. Thus every sinner shall be con
demned of himself before be be condemned of God, that the Lord
may be justified when he judgeth. If Judas could have said, I
believe, when he said, I have sinned, God would have answered
him as Nathan answered David, ' Thy sins are forgiven ;' but he
confessed and amended not. What shall be to them which do not
confess, but defend their sins ? Is not thy sin worse than Judas's,
when Judas saith, ' I have sinned/ and thou sayest, ' I have not
sinned' ? This is our manner, to plead not guilty so long as we
live. Sins and excuses are twins, born at a birth, and one fol
loweth another, as Zarah came after Pharez out of the womb, Gen.
xxxviii. 30. Judas saith, 'I have sinned,' but we say, I have not
sinned, or, I have sinned but a little, or, I have sinned against my
will ; so we mince our sins as though they needed no forgiveness.
Solomon saith, ' I am more foolish than any man ;' but we would
be counted wiser than any man. Paul calleth himself the greatest
sinner ; but we would be j udged the 1 east sinners. So we are ashamed
of sin, and yet not ashamed to sin. If we would judge ourselves,
we should not be judged. Be not deceived, for sin doth not end as
it begins. When the terrors of Judas come upon the soul, the tongue
cannot hide his sins, for despair and horror will not be smothered ;
but he which hath Saul's spirit haunting him, will rage as Saul did.
There is a warning conscience and a gnawing conscience. The
warning conscience cometh before sin, the gnawing conscience fol
loweth after sin. The warning conscience is often lulled asleep, but
the gnawing conscience wakeneth her again. If there be any hell
in this world, they which feel the worm of conscience gnaw upon
their hearts may truly say, that they have felt the torments of hell.
Who can express that man's horror but himself? Nay, what horrors
are there which he cannot express himself ? Sorrows are met in

THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST. 419
his soul at a feast ; and fear, thought, and anguish, divide his soul
between them. All the furies of hell leap upon his heart like a
stage. Thought calleth to fear ; fear whistleth to horror ; horror
beckoneth to despair, and saith, Come and help me to torment the
sinner. One saith, that she cometh from this sin, and another saith,
that she cometh from that sin, so he goeth through a thousand
deaths and cannot die. Irons are laid upon his body like a pri
soner. All his lights are put out at once ; he hath no soul fit to be
comforted. Thus he lies as it were upon the rack, and saith, that
he bears the world upon his shoulders, and that no man suffereth
that which he suffereth. So let him lie, saith God, without ease,
until he confess, and repent, and call for mercy. This is the goodly
way which the serpent said would make you gods, and made him
a devil. Therefore, at the last, learn the sleight of Satan in this
wretched traitor. His subtilties are well called the depths of Satan, for
he is so deep that few can sound him. Now he lets Judas see his sin ;
before, he hid it from him. Until he had sinned, he made as though
it- were no sin, but with promises and bribes muffled bis face, and
covered the vileness of his fact, lest shame should keep him from it ;
but when he hath done, he made it seem as vile as he could, to
make him despair for it. All his baits are made of this fashion,
that the sin is done before the punishment be considered. Let us
not look for Judas to come out of hell to warn us, for this is written
for our learning ; and, therefore, ' be as wise as serpents/ that the
serpent may not deceive you.

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.

And I besought the Lord the same time, saying, 0 Lord God,
thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy
mighty hand : for where is there a God in heaven or in earth
that can do like thy works, and like thy power ? — Deut. III.
23, 24, &c.
Here Moses teacheth us how to pray. He beginneth first and
telleth God that he hath begun to shew him favour ; and well
might Moses so say, for he was no sooner born but the Lord began
to shew him bis greatness, in saving him when he was cast into the
river, and delivering him unto a king's daughter to be brought up ;
and after, by his mighty providence, bringing him to his mother to
be nursed, Exod. ii. 5, &c. If all that the Lord had done for him
till this time be considered, he had great cause to say, ' 0 Lord,
thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness/ Herein Moses
in some part sheweth himself thankful for that be had received,
trusting thereby to entreat God to continue his benefits and loving-
kindness towards him, which is a thing which pleaseth God. For
which of us having a friend at whose hands we have received a
benefit heretofore, if we should stand in need of him again, would
not say unto him, Sir, you have been my friend heretofore, and
many ways done good unto me ; the consideration whereof at this
time hath emboldened me to come unto you again. Who is it but
will account this a thankful fellow, and say, See, it is a good deed
to do for one which shews himself so thankful ? Even so Moses
cometh to God. He is not like one who sitteth in his door, and
seeth one day by day come by him and salute him, and yet taketh
no acquaintance, so that if he stand in need of him, either he
knoweth not where he dwelleth ; or else, because he is not acquainted

424 THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.
with him, he is abashed to ask anything of him. Moses is not
such an one, but he is acquainted with the Lord, who so often
passed by him ; and, therefore, he now saith, ' Thou hast begun, 0
Lord, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy:
mighty hand.' Of this is already spoken ; what this greatness and
mighty hand which God sheweth to Moses was, we have already
heard, namely, that mighty deliverance which the Lord, even from
his birth to this time, had sent him in the time of need.
For where is there a God in heaven or i/n earth that can do
like thy works, or like thy power ?
Here Moses challengeth all the idol gods, and telleth them, that
amongst them all there is not one of them that can do like bis God.
So God, when he is opposed and set against his enemies, is then
most glorious, and confoundeth them all, Ps. lxxxix. 6.
Now, Moses proceedeth in his prayer, saying, 'T pray thee, let
me go overj and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that
goodly mountain of Lebanon. But the Lord was angry with me
for your sakes, and would not hear me : and the Lord said unto me,
Let it suffice thee, or be content ; speak no more unto me of this
matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up/ &c.
Here are four things to be considered : first, the prayer of Moses,
in these words, ' I pray thee/ &c. ; then the answer of God to bis
prayer ; then the mitigating of his anger, set down in these words,
' Let it suffice/ or ' be content ; Speak no more unto me of this
matter ;' then the promise which God maketh unto Moses, that
he should see the land of Canaan, though not possess it.
First, for the prayer of Moses, set down in these words, ' I pray
thee, let me go over and see the good land/ &c.
Here Moses prayeth like one of us, who are always craving, but
never hath respect to the will of God, to say, ' Thy will be done.'
Christ hath not taught us to ask our daily bread, before he taught
us to say, ' Thy will be done ;' and therefore Christ when he went
to pray, after he had prayed that ' if it were possible that hour
might pass from him'; yet afterward, remembering how he had
taught his disciples before, returned again, and said, ' Nevertheless,
not that I will, but that thou wilt, be done/ Mark xiv. 35, 36. And
our prayer made after this sort is the cause many times why we
are not heard ; therefore let us hereafter learn in our prayers to pray
that God's will may be done.
What is this mountain Lebanon ? Surely Moses meaneth the
place where the temple should be built, and God honoured ; for
after that Joshua had quietly possessed the land of Canaan, he

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD. 425
only builded a tabernacle, Joshua xviii. 1, wherein to call upon the
Lord.1 Now it followeth in the text, ' But the Lord was angry with me
for your sakes, and would not hear me/ &c.
So soon as Moses changed his prayer, God turneth from him,
and will not hear him ; so soon we make God to forsake us, if we
do not according to his will. Moses sheweth the cause why God
would not hear him ; although he were a great man, and in high
. authority, yet he is not ashamed to confess his fault, which he
might have kept secret if he would, for the people knew not that
he had sinned, because the sin which he committed was not open,
but secret ; yea, it was but a little repining, as Numbers xi. 11, &c,
and therefore Moses might have kept it from them ; but because
he would not justify himself, he telleth them that the Lord was
angry with him ; and because he would not have the people to
justify themselves, he telleth them it is ' for their sakes/ Thus
when Moses changfitb, kic p^ny^r, G^d-will n^ -Ifrngfr h°ar him.
So we see that where sin is, there prayer is not effectual ; so that
if we will hope to receive by prayer anything at God's hands, we
must first remove and take away the cause of our hindrance,
which is sin, before we can receive the thing we pray for. For
here we see that prayer, which before pacified the wrath of God,
which healed Miriam being stricken with leprosy, Num. xii. 14 ;
which raised the widow's son from death to life, 1 Kings xvii. 21,
22 ; by which David obtained victory, which brought down fire
from heaven to consume the sacrifice of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. ;
which brought Jeremiah out of prison, and Jonah out of the fish's
belly, Jonah ii. ; and made the sun to stand still, Joshua x. ; and
the rain to fall from heaven, 1 Kings xviii. ; and triumphed over
all; is here by a little sin quite overthrown, even like a great
monarch poisoned with a little spider.
But the Lord was angry with me for your sake, and would not
hear me. God, when -Moses bad prayed, did not grant his request
but was angry with him ; but lest Moses should he quite discouraged,
he straightways mitigated his anger, and biddeth him be content,
and speak no more unto him of that matter. God doth not bid
him that he should not pray any more unto him, but that he
should pray no more for that thing. First, God biddeth him to be
1 In two old editions, and in Fuller's edition of 1657, the reading is, ' wherein to
call upon the Lord, not perfect;' and in the reprint of Fuller's edition of 1675 it is,
' wherein to call upon the Lord. . . .' the editor having evidently conjectured
that the words ' not perfect' were a marginal note, intimating the author's intention
to carry out further the statement contained in the paragraph. — Ed.

426 THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.
content; as if he should have said, Although thou mayest not enter
into the land, yet I will content thee otherways. Thus God would
havg_us. in what estate soever we be, to be content with our call-
ing, for it is his appointment. And seeing he hath enough to con-
Tent us all,~tbereToTe~we "should not murmur nor grudge one at an
other but be thankful unto him, because it is his good will and
pleasure it should be so. And surely Moses would, and was willing
that the Jews should, profit by his doctrine, for he hath set it down
in the 20th of Numbers twice, and in the xxvii. 1 3, in Deut. xxxii.
49, and in this place, all to the intent to shew that God is able to
content alL He is not like to Isaac, who, when he had blessed
one of his sons, could not bless the other, Gen. xxvii. 33 ; but he,
when he had blessed the poor, blessed the hungry ; and when he
had blessed the hungry, he blessed them that wept ; when he had
blessed them that wept, be blessed them that were reviled and
suffered for Christ's sake. There is no end of blessing, ' because
his mercy endureth for ever/ Ps. cxxxvi. God is so merciful, that
though we are not able to pray aright, yet he considereth our
prayers, and turneth all to the best for our good ; not granting our
requests many times, but a better thing than we do desire of him.
As when David prayed that the child gotten in adultery might
live, God heard him, and did consider of it, yet did not grant his
request, but a better thing ; that was, that his son Solomon should
reign after him. And when our Saviour Christ prayed that that
hour might pass over him, God heard him, and did consider it, yet
did not grant his request, but a better thing, that his death should
take away the sins of the world. And here, in this place, where
Moses prayeth, God heareth his prayer, and doth consider of it, yet
doth not grant his request, but a better thing ; that is, that he
shall go into the heavenly Canaan. Thus we see that God is so
merciful, that he can scarce punish sinners ; he is so loving, that
often he giveth us better things than we can desire. Who, then,
will offend so merciful and loving a Father ? Let us, seeing God
is so merciful unto us, take heed that we abuse not his mercies, lest
in so doing we provoke him unto judgment
Now God hath told Moses that he shall not go into the land, he
beginneth to teach him how he shall do to see it, and biddeth him
go up into the top of Pisgah, and cast his eyes eastward, and west
ward, and northward, and southward, and behold it, &c.
As a bird stayed with a little string, or a strong man in swimming
held back by a small twig, so a little sin stayeth this great captain,
that he cannot come within the land of Canaan. First, God is

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD. 427
angry with him, and envies him altogether, as though he were not
worthy so much as to go up to the mount. Thus we may see how
one of the least sins is able to turn from us all the goodness and all
the favour which God beareth to us. After, God commands Moses
to go up to the mount. Here Moses obeyeth God's commandment ;
but if he had been like many a murmuring man, he would have
denied to go up to the mount, saying, What banquet is this to me,
but a dainty dish set before one forbidden to eat ? But Moses had
rather die than anger the Lord again, when he had bid him be
content. This we may learn of Moses, to be contP"* with nnr
'.calling, whether we have little or much ; for God contented Moses
as well with the sight of Canaan as those who possessed it. So
when God hath not ordained us to see great saibstance, as he hath
some of our brethren, yet because we should not be discontent, he
will give us as much pleasure at the sight of them in others as
though we ourselves enjoyed them. So God contenteth Moses, and
he contenteth Joshua ; for as Joshua came into the land as Moses
could not, so Moses saw it as Joshua could not. So, I say, God
contenteth all, that Joshua should not envy Moses, nor Moses envy
Joshua. And this was the great power of God, that although
Moses were very old, yet was his eye-sight most perfect, insomuch
that he could see farther than any of his company ; for being upon
the mount, he saw ' all the land of Gilead unto Dan, and all Naph-
thali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of
Judah, unto the uttermost sea/ &c, Deut. xxxiv. 1-3. The like to
this did never any see being of the age of Moses, who was one
hundred and twenty years old. Many things might Moses have
objected which might have hindered him from going up the mount ;
for surely it must needs be a grief to him, when he considered that
great pain which he had taken in bringing them through the wil
derness, and conducting them forty years together ; and now, when
he had no farther to go, but even over Jordan, to be taken away
then; and another, which never took any pains, possess all his
labours : this, I say, must be a great and intolerable thing to flesh
and blood ; for when one hath laid a foundation, and another comes
and builds upon it, surely he will think himself hardly dealt withal.
Or if one have drawn a picture, head and face, and all saving the
legs, if one come and draw the legs, and so take his labours, he
would hardly take it well. You know how they which were hired,
and wrought all the day long, because they had not more than those
which began the last hour, murmured against the master of the
house, Mat. xx. 11. Such is our nature; and yet, notwithstanding

428 THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.
all this, Moses is content. He knoweth that God doth him no
wrong, but is just and merciful also. He blesseth all alike, as
Jacob's children were blessed, Gen. xlix.
Moses, so long as he was upon the plain ground, could not see
the type of heaven ; but when he was upon the mount, he saw it
before he came to heaven itself. So let us even now scale the
mount as Moses did, that we may see and consider these joys ;
which thing shall serve to reclaim our hearts from earthly matters:
As Peter went up the mount to see Christ's glory, and Moses went
up the mount to see the land of promise, so let us ascend from
these earthly things to the contemplation of heavenly. This should
be our journey, till we come up to heaven itself, to climb the hill ;
for we are low men of stature, like Zaccheus, who cannot see
Christ before we be lifted from the earth ; so that if we will ever
possess heaven, we must pluck our hearts from the earth, and then
¦ shall we see God nearer than we can possibly, if we keep our mind
upon earthly matters. God sheweth himself to some nearer, to
some farther off, and to some in parables ; as the prophets saw God
nearer than the patriarchs, and the apostles nearer than the pro
phets. As to Abraham, he said, ' In thy seed/ &c, Gen. xii.;Tsaiah
came nearer, and said, ' Unto us a child is born/ &c, Isa. ix. 6 ;
John yet came more near, and said, ' Behold the Lamb of God/
John i. 36.
Get tltee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes
westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward,
and behold it with thine eyes; for thou shall not go over this
Jordan. Now Moses is in his prospect, as David was in his tower. Here
he must prepare himself to die, while he is looking upon the land
which so long he hath been in coming to. Who would not have
grieved at this, that, after so long as forty years travel in hope to
possess it, he should now in the end be content with a sight of it,
and so vanish away! Yet Moses, for all this, murmureth not, but,
like Job, taketh it, patiently. And as he was upon the mount where
God vanished, so here he is upon the mount and vanisheth away
himself; as it appeareth, Deut. xxxiv. 6, 'No man knoweth his
tomb,' nor which way he is gone, lest the Jews should have wor
shipped his relics, as the papists do theirs. So good rulers are
taken away in a time when death is least suspected. As Lot was
taken away before the people of Sodom knew, as is shewed Gen.'
xix. 10; so we see that when our time is come, and our glass run
out, that neither our riches, nor our wits, nor our friends, nor any-1

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD. 429
thing that we have in this world, can carry us any farther. No, no
more than Moses could go over this Jordan.
But charge Joshua* and encourage him, and embolden him, for
he shall go before this people, and he shall divide for inheritance
unto them the land which thou shalt see.
Now Moses fainteth, here cometh Joshua, a figure of Christ, who
leadeth the people into Canaan, as Christ doth lead them into
heaven. Moses is no sooner dead, but God chooseth another cap
tain to go in and out before his people, Num. xxvii. And now God
chooseth a governor, see what a man he chooseth. Oh would that
God might have the choosing still ! for then all governors should
be such as Joshua ; for such is our corruption, that if we choose
ourselves, we still choose such as God would not have chosen ; and
therefore we had need to pray to the Lord God, as Moses did, that
he would ' appoint a man which may go in and out before us, that
we be not as sheep without a shepherd/ Num. xxvii. 16.
But charge Joshua, encourage him, and embolden him. God
would not have Moses to encourage Joshua in words only, but in
deeds too ; and therefore Moses giveth him all the glory he can, as
John gave it unto Christ.
Charge Joshua, encourage him, and embolden him. Here God
would have Joshua encouraged with all the encouragement that
may be, as though he could never be encouraged enougli. He had
encouraged him before, as in the 21st verse, 'And I charged Joshua
the same time,' &c. And in the 27th of Numbers, ' Moses setteth
him before Eleazar the priest, and he put his hand upon him, and
gave him a charge/ &c. And in Deut. xxxi. 23, God bids him, ' Be
strong, and of a good courage/ And in Joshua i. 5, God tells him
that ' there shall not be a man able to withstand him all the days
of his life, for he will be with him, and never leave him nor forsake
him.' And again in the ninth verse he saith, ' Have not I com
manded thee not to fear ? for I will be with thee whithersoever
thou goest' And in the 31st of Deut. ver. 7, when Moses prepared
himself to die, he called Joshua, and bids him ' Be strong, and of a
good courage/ And in the eighth of Joshua, verse 1, the Lord
biddeth him ' not to fear' when his enemies came upon him. Thus
is Joshua encouraged of all ; and thus should Joshua be encouraged
still. But who encourageth Joshua so ? Nay, where is that he
that doth not discourage Joshua ? Now Joshua is contemned and
scorned of the vilest. And is this to encourage him ? No ; Joshua
had need of better encouragement than this, else Joshua, and all
the Joshuas in this land, will faint; and so shall the people be left

430 THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD.
without a guide to go in and out before them, and then shall they!
be ready and a fit prey for the wolf. Well, we see that Joshua
here is better encouraged, and it is not without a cause that God
would have Joshua thus encouraged; for if he had an ear at every
man's mouth, he would rather wish to die with Moses upon the
mount, than take in hand to bring such wicked Cains into the land
of Canaan. That which old Jethro taught Moses, that a governor
had need to be a man of courage, here he findeth true ; for nothing
more hurteth justice than fear. Therefore a magistrate had needf
to be such a one as shall not fear the face of any whatsoever, which
caused Moses to speak so often to Joshua, bidding him to be of
good courage. And to that end God commandeth Moses again and
again to encourage him, using these three words, charge, encourage;.
and embolden him ; as the cock crowed thrice, that if Peter were
asleep the first and the second time, yet he might at last awake
. him. Now it resteth that I should encourage Joshua, which succeedeth
me. But how shall I begin to encourage him ? or where should I
begin ? Shall I tell him that he shall live now at ease and in se
curity ? No. How shall I encourage Joshua ? Shall I tell him
you will love him, and follow him, and that be shall find you will
ing and forward in every good action ? If I promise it, shall I not
lie ? If I become bounden for you, shall I not forfeit ? I fear yes.
Why, how then should I encourage Joshua? Shall I tell him all
will speak well of him? or shall I tell him none will slander him?
No. For if he be as righteous as Christ, yet some of the scribes
and pharisees will seek to persecute him. If he will live in quiet
ness, he must not utter all the counsel of God, though God com
mand him. Nor must he reprove some sins, for then he shall be
thought to bear envy against some persons. Nor must he keep
company with the godly, for then he shall be accounted a partaker.
Nor must be deny the company of the wicked, for then be shall be
accounted a precisian, a puritan, and I know not what. But thou
wilt say, What then ? is there no comfort for Joshua ? I answer,
Yes ; and that is, it may be after some three or four years' labour
and travail he shall win some two or three unto Christ, which shall
extinguish all grief; for God will one day reward him for his labour,
and glorify him in heaven. But if Joshua should be in trouble, as
he cannot almost otherwise choose, if he keep a good conscience, and
reprove the mighty under his charge, then he shall see most of the
great ones will quite forsake him, which now seem to favour him ;
and they will see him persecuted like Christ, and stand afar off like

THE PETITION OF MOSES TO GOD. 431
Pilate, and wash their hands, as though they were innocent, when
it is in their power and authority to amend it.
. If he stand out like a valiant soldier and prevail, then all will
draw unto him ; but if he faint for lack of strength, although he
weep like Peter, yet none will pity him. Therefore stand you to
him both in prosperity and adversity. Love him and obey him in
all righteousness, as the Jews did their Joshua ; and here 1 deliver
you unto him, and with my love, leave, and good will, I give him
my possession, my labour, and my twelve months' travails. And
here, because I^wauldjmLkefip yoajxyexJoBg,. like as Joshua kept
the people before his death, with an exhortation to fear God, or as
one friend holdeth another by the hand being loath to part, I will
make an end, beseeching you, as Joshua besought the people of
Israel, that you will henr,pfnrwaxdn.ff^.r_tha.Ijj,rd»^Jid^.s.erveJiim-in
truth, find putaway all envy and u p godliness, that Jt may not be
said, they have 'returned with the dog to his vomit, or with the
swine to the puddle ;' but that you may go on forward in all good
ness, serving the Lord in spirit and in truth. Then shall the God
of heaven bless and prosper you in all temporal graces, and in the
end glorify you in the kingdom of heaven. To the which the Lord
for his mercy's sake bring you all ! Amen.
[This was the last sermon that Henry Smith made at St Clement
Danes.]

THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN PAUL AND KING
AGRIPPA.

VOL. I. E e

THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN PAUL AND
KING AGRIPPA.

0 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ? 1 know that thou
believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou per-
suadest me to become a Christian. Then Paul said, I would
to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day,
were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these
bonds.— Acts XXVI. 27-29.
In this dialogue between Agrippa the king, and Paul the apostle, first,
you shall hear what Paul saith ; then you shall hear what Agrippa
answers ; after, you shall hear what Paul replies. In Agrippa, you
shall hear what we are ; in Paul, you shall see what we should be ;
for the king shews that he is almost a Christian, and the apostle
shews that he should be altogether a Christian. This is the sum of
their discourse : First, Paul begins and speaks, as though he would
teach us a way to win sinners ; every word is a motive, and shews
that he that fisheth for souls bad need to have many nets, and ob
serve time, and place, and calling, and fit all words before in his mind,
lest he lose his bait. For unless he seek the vantage, and get the
upper ground of sin, before he encounter, it is liker to give him the
foil, as the devils did to the exorcists, Acts xix. 16, than to be driven
out by him. Therefore, as Jacob came to Esau with seven cour
tesies, Gen. xxxiii. 3, to prepare his heart, and turn his wrath, before
they met together ; so Paul useth, as it were, three preambles be
fore he embraceth this king.
First, with a reverent title, 0 King Agrippa. Secondly, with a
profitable question, Bost thou believe the prophets ? Thirdly, with

436 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
a favourable prevention, I know that thou believest. With these
three congees he closes so with king Agrippa, that he could not
start out of his circle. The Holy Spirit so placed every word when
he meant to do good, that it was not possible to correct them, so
they hit in their speeches which have that prompter, and seek not
themselves, but would fain speak that which might touch the heart,
and win the hearer to God.
0 King Agrippa, &c. I note here a question and an objection, as
though he were opponent and respondent too ; for he asks the
question, and answers himself. ' 0 king, dost thou believe ?' Now
Agrippa should say,- Yea or No, and Paul takes the word out of his
mouth ; lest he should say, No, he answers for him, ' I know thou
believest/ This is his preparative to Agrippa, before he come with
that hard lesson to be a Christian altogether. Before, Paul had
to deal with Festus, the president of Csesarea, which came now
from the idolatrous Gentiles, an obstinate, brutish and barbarous
man ; which, because he savoured not the things of God, but flesh
and blood, thought that Paul was ' beside himself' when he spake of
Christ, and said, that ' too much learning had made him mad ;' as
some giddy spirits think now, that they which are zealouser than
themselves know not what they say or do, and impute all the trou
bles of the realm, and the invasion of the Spaniards, unto the
preaching of the word, and to the fasts and prayers that were ex
ercised about that time ; fike Ahab, which said that the prophet
troubled Israel, when he himself was the cause of all their plagues,
What will not dogs spue out when they are set to vomit ? When
Paul saw such a brutish president, he turned his speech from him
to Agrippa, in whom he did see better tokens of faith. Thinking to
kindle, the sparks which he saw in him; thus boldly he sets upon
him, ' 0 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ?' As if he
should say, If thou believest the prophets, it is easy for thee to be
lieve that which I teach out of the prophets ; for all that I speak of
this Jesus is written in the prophets, and fulfilled in Christ. Look
upon the prophets, and look upon him, there thou shalt see all that
1 say ; that it is no report of mine, but that which I have received
from good witnesses, and thou mayest hear it of the same, if thou
do but read the prophets. Therefore, before other questions, he asks,
' Dost thou believe the prophets ?' Like a wise schoolmaster, which
examines his scholar before he begins to teach him, to know what
he hath learned already, and how he understandeth, that he may
go forward with him, so Paul examines this king, when he intended
to make him a scholar of Christ ; he asked him what he hath

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 437
learned already, before he teaches him farther ; and posing him, he
begins at the foundation, which is faith, saying, Tell me, dost thou
believe the prophets ? Yet if we should ask some of you, before ye
come to the Lord's table, Do ye believe the Scriptures ? Do ye
know Christ ? Can ye give a reason of your faith ? you will think
yourselves much disgraced to be catechised as this king was. We
must not ask you with Paul, Do you believe ? but say with Paul,
' We know that ye believe/ before we ask you. Is this like the
child which Christ set in the midst of his disciples, and said, that
' Whosoever received the kingdom of heaven, he should receive it as
a child ;' that is, he should humble himself, and take correction,
and learn like a child ; for heaven's gate is low, and he must stoop
that goes in at it ? The soldiers, and publicans, and harlots, had
such remorse, that they came to John before they were baptized,
' confessing their sins, and asked, Master, what shall we do ?' They
were not ashamed to acknowledge both their sins and their ignorance,
which made John wonder, and ask who had taught them, as though
this should be a strange thing in time to come, and so it is. If ye
be not like publicans, when will ye be like Christians ? They con
fessed before they were baptized, but we must think that you know,
though you know that we think wrong ; we must take you for re
ligious, though you know we take you amiss. Shame of face was
ordained for sin, but shame is turned from sin to righteousness ; for
they which are ashamed of no evil, are ashamed of any good. This
is a bashful devil.
Now, when Paul had asked him, he answered himself, ' Dost
thou believe ? I know thou believest.' He asked Agrippa whether
he believed, and saith, he knoweth that he doth believe. What
need he ask that which he knows ?
Here you may see that we have need to suspect our judgment,
when we conceive not the cause why they which are wiser and
holier than ourselves do thus or thus, speak thus or thus. Let us
remember that the spiritual man judgeth all, and is judged of
none, because no man knoweth the counsels of the Spirit but he
which hath it. Wise men have large exceptions, and it becomes
us to construe their sayings and doings better than others shall
construe ours. As the disciples reverenced many sayings of Christ,
when they knew not his meaning, so we should rather think that
we know not the reason, than that they speak without reason.
Christ did know that Peter loved him ; yet that he might get a
confession of him, and instruct him farther, he did ask him that
which he knew ; so Paul catechising Agrippa, doth ask him that

438 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
which he knew, to teach him that which he knew not. But why
doth Paul say flatly, that he knows that which no man thought of
this king before ? Either because that be did perceive that Agrippa
did believe in part, and therefore he rejoiced like the father to see
the son coming towards him ; so he meets him in the way, and
embraceth him as it were with this commendation, ' I know that
thou believest ;' that is, I know thou hast a kind of faith, and be
lievest that the prophets said truly, as many of the Gentiles did,
though thou canst not apply it unto thyself : so to bring him from
faith to faith, from knowledge to knowledge, from love to love, he
commends those sparks in him which deserved not to be called
faith, but almost faith, as Agrippa saith. Or else he saith, ' I
know thou believest/ because he would have him believe. There
fore he prevents him, and answers for him, lest Agrippa should go
back, and mislike with his boldness, and say, No, I believe not the
prophets ; as it is like he would have said, if Paul had not spoken
mildly to him ; therefore he begs the question, and answers him,
' I know thou believest.' As when we will make a man our friend,
and willing to do us a pleasure, we speak as though he were will
ing already, and that we made no doubt of him. Dost thou be
lieve ? Yea, I know thou believest. And yet it was but almost
believe, as Agrippa confessed himself. But if he had not believed,
this was the way to make him believe ; for this makes many
zealous, to be counted zealous ; and many studious, valiant, and
bountiful, to have a name of more than is in them. As, if ye
mark, ye shall see generally, to speak well of a man, rather than .
evil, doth stir him to virtue, and encourage him in the virtue ; for
no man is so humble but he leans to fame ; and a good report doth
tickle and please him which deserves it, and him which deservesit
not. Therefore Paul, which knew by long experience what bait
was best to catch fowls, when he cast forth such a strange' question,
anticipates the answer, lest Agrippa should answer otherwise than
be would have him ; he will not trust him with such a question,
but speaks for him, ' I know that thou believest/ Solomon saith
that ' he is wise who winneth souls/ Prov. xi. 30, And so you may
see in this example : here zeal and discretion were met together ;
the dove's simplicity and the serpent's policy kiss each other, to
win one soul to God. What study Paul took, and how he beat his
brains, and picked his words, to win a king to religion ! because
many turn with their head. He doth not so much flatter Agrippa,
as he persuades him to do that which he saith he doth. That was
Paul's drift, to draw him, as it were, with the cords of joy, and

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 439
make him confess Christ before he was aware, that so he might get
more and more of him ; even as Nathan made David by a sleight
to confess against himself, and repent his adultery, whenas it is
like that plain and blunt speeches would have done more hurt than
good. This is the subtlety of wisdom, as I term it, which Solomon
intendeth, when she saith, 'I wisdom dwell with prudence,' Prov.
viii. 12, where prudence signifieth Christian policy, which Christ
commends when he saith, ' Be wise like serpents/ Mat. x. 16. This
you have as a pattern before you ; they which convert souls to God
may see how Paul encounters with Agrippa ; whereby no doubt the
Holy Ghost would have us learn how to gratulate our brethren in
their small beginnings, and praise the mite which comes from them
that have learned but a while, and take hold of such as are coming
forward, and draw them farther with all the signs of love, and not
disdain those which come at the last hour to the vineyard, though
we ourselves have laboured since the morning. For ' he which is
first may be last ; and he which seemed last may be first' There
fore let no man insult beyond the lists of humility ; as many make
themselves unprofitable servants, by counting themselves more pro
fitable than others. It is a fault among the best, which are like
Aaron and Miriam, a little proud of the Spirit, and contemn them
which are so ignorant as Agrippa, whom Paul bears in his arms,
like the lost sheep to the fold again.
Now Paul had spoken, Agrippa answers, 'Almost thou persuadest
me to become a Christian ;' wherein ye may see how Paul's speech
wrought with him, that be was almost converted with a word,
when it was spoken in wisdom and love ; so what power is in one
sermon if ye hear attentively. Agrippa was an heathen even now,
and worshipped idols, and never heard a preacher before ; yet one
sermon made him ' almost a Christian.' As Luke saith of Stephen
when he disputed against the Cyrenians, Acts vi. 10, ' They could
not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake/ so Agrippa
could not resist the wisdom and the spirit by which Paul spake, but
was so fettered with the holy chain, that as Paul was captive to
Festus, so Agrippa was captive to Paul. The word had him in
bands like a prisoner, and made him confess against himself before
Festus that he was ' almost a Christian/ For Paul's speech was to
the amaze of that obstinate president, and wonder of all that stood
by, to see a king, an heathen and an idolater, which sat to judge, to
be so changed with a word of a captive from his opinion, whom they
thought all the words in God's book could not alter if Paul and
Christ had spoken to him all his life. Then it was verified which

440 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
before was prophesied, ' They shall bind kings in chains, and nobles
in fetters of iron/ Ps. cxfix. 8. Ob, the majesty and force of the
word ! When faith doth kindle it, and zeal doth utter it, it flies
like the stone out of David's sling, and strikes sin and sinners both
together at the heart.
This Paul did in bonds : when he was bound, he was stronger than
they that bound him ; when he was a captive, he was freer than they
which kept him ; and when his judges examined him, he examined
them, and made them free which were bound to Satan before he was
free from them. Send for Paul out of prison to instruct Agrippa,
and he is in bonds which should convert Oh, that such doctors
might preach unto the Romish princes of Europe ! Oh, that the
kings that honour yet the most antiehristian beast would hear like
this king ! But they have some Amaziahs, which have an eye to
Amos that he cannot speak in the court : ' Go, thou seer, fly into
the land of Judea, prophesy to the lambs, and keep sheep. Speak
no more at Bethel ; for this is the king's chapel, and the king's court/
Amos vii. 12, 13 ; a goodly reason why none but flatterers should
preach to princes, ' because it is the king's court/ Should not kings
hear the truth as well as others ? Must not Bethel hear of salvation
as well as Judah, because Amaziah doth fear his fall, lest Amos get.
his honour from him ? When will he convert Agrippa, which will
not preach in bonds nor in liberty ? Happy Agrippa, not by the
name of a king, but by the name of a Christian. Happy Agrippa,
not by the presents which thou receivedst of Festus, but by the words
which thou heardest of Paul. Thou earnest to see, but God brought
thee to hear. Thy intent was to gratulate Festus, but now thou
mayest gratulate PauL The captive was better to thee than the presi
dent ; for Festus hath shewed thee but his pomp, but Paul hath
shewed thee his Saviour, and persuaded thee to become a Christian.
Almost, saith Agrippa, but not altogether. Here you may see
your pittance, how you measure God with almost, and serve him by
halves, which hath given all ; like Ananias, which brought a part,
and kept a part behind.
This is our worship of God, though we will not say for shame with
Agrippa, that we are but almost Christians ; yet we are not almost
when we would be counted altogether. We go before him in hypo
crisy, and come behind him in modesty ; for Agrippa would not
shew more than he had to be counted better than he was. Though
altogether had been as ready as almost, as it is to us, yet when
almost was all, he said almost, not altogether. It seems that the
flax began to smoke, though it did not burn. The first temper is

PAUL AND KING AGBIPPA. 441
cold, the next is lukewarm, the last is hot. Almost is first, and
altogether is last, and many come between before we can go from one
to another. Agrippa confesseth that almost is all ; and here he
stays to hear what Paul will say to instruct him further : ' Paul,
thou hast persuaded me almost to become a Christian/ It is like
the faint confession of him that wept, and said, ' I believe, Lord,
help my unbelief:' I am a Christian, teach me to be a Christian.
Therefore, they which descant upon his name do note that ijgrippa-
is as much as dilgre pario, which signifies him which hardly
laboureth, and brings forth with pain, as Agrippa did. ' Nabal is
his name/ saith Abigail, ' and folly is with him ;' so Agrippa is his
name, and difficulty is with him ; for hard and scarce was his concep
tion : instead of a Christian, he brought forth ' almost a Christian.'
Shall we now behold our face in Agrippa's glass, whether we be
altogether, like Paul, or almost, like Agrippa, or fike Festus, not at
all ? Christians or no Christians, or what kind of Christians are
we ? There be many degrees upon earth, but this is the highest
degree ; there be many names of honour, but this is the honourablest
name ; there be many professions of men, but this is the best pro
fession, to be a Christian ; that is, the son of God, the fellow of
angels, the heir of heaven. Yet whether we should be Christians,
or Christians almost, or Christians altogether, is a question which
troubleth every man, and when altogether is approved for best, yet
we choose almost before it.
There is something always behind, like the eye which looked to
Sodom. As an owl peeps at the sun out of a bam, but dares not
come to it, so we peep at religion, and will not come near it, but
stand ^alnnf nf^ pinking and winking, as though we were more afraid
of God than the deviL For self-Jove, and regard of persons, and
fear of laws, and sway of time, more are afraid to be too holy than
to be profane, because holiness is worse entreated than profane
ness. Go away and sin no more, because thou art healed. Nay, go
away and sin again, because thou art healed ! As Naaman en
treated for one sin, that he might stand before the idol when his
lord leaned upon his shoulder ; so this sin and that sin will not let
let us pass the compass of almost, lest we should have a perfect.
reward. God would have nothing so perfect as a Christian, for
whom he bath given his well-beloved Son, his Spirit, his law, and
his prophets, ' that the man of God may be perfect/ as Paul saith.
Yet everything grows till it be perfect The builder builds till it
be an bouse ; the tailor seweth till it be a garment ; the painter

442 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
paints till it be a picture ; only the Christian leaves off before he
attain to be a Christian, and makes a full period at almost.
That which God would have to be perfectest of all, men had
rather have imperfect than perfect, half than all ; a little wealth, a
little rest, a little honour, and a little pleasure, seems nothing; but a
little faith is enough, although it be never so small a mite. /We
have a weight for all kind of metals, a touchstone for gold, a mea
sure for grain, and we will not take one jot less than measure of
any man ; only we cut God of his weight and measure, and weigh
our service in half balances. This I will do, and this I will not do.
God shall have one part, and the world shall have another part, and
the flesh shall have another part, and the devil shall have another
part. Thus we have brought God to his stint : ask while he will,
he shall have no more but almost; almost zealous, almost faithful,
almost righteous ; as though almost were better than altogether^
that is, the counterfeit than the truth, the shadow than the body.
Paul saith, that the Athenians were too religious in worshipping
an idol, Acts xvii. 22. But where doth Paul find that excess in
worshipping God ? We are not too diligent, but too negligent
where we should be diligent. James, speaking of our sins, calls
them ' the superfluity of our maliciousness ;' whereby he sheweth,
that though our wickedness be a superfluous and vain thing, yet it
overfloweth, and exceedeth the banks. But Christ, speaking of his
disciples' progress in righteousness, calls them all by this name, ' 0
ye of little faith/ &c. So he may say, of little love, of little zeal,
&c. For all our virtues are little ones, and the waters of life are at
such an ebb, that the least temptation may wade over them and
not be drowned. ,' God hath a controversy with us, as he had with
Israel, Hosea iv. 1, and this is it. We were born when wisdom
cried in the streets, and yet she may call us fools, and say, ' How
long wilt thou hate knowledge ?t Prov. i. 22. For ' What could
God do more unto his vineyard, that he hath not done ?' Thirty years
we have been dressing, and pruning, and watering ; and yet what
is in Jerusalem more than in Samaria ? in the vineyard, than in
the mountains, which were never tilled nor dressed ? How long
shall he dress a barren fig-tree, which is dead at the root ? Our
church is in a consumption, her heads are sick, her members
weak, her physicians fearful ; from little to little our zeal is come
to the last gasp, ready to take her leave of all, because she sees not
that we love religion, but chase it from us. Her enemies are
placed above her ; she grows amongst thorns ; she is fed with
checks ; she mourneth in a corner ; she speaks in a reed. Her gar-

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 443
ments are clipped ; her friends dare not defend her from her enemies.
What shall I say ? We had rather be whole sinners than half
Christians. White is counted no colour ; so zeal is counted no vir
tue. But mere hypocrisy is counted true Christianity ; and true
Christianity is counted but hypocrisy. Our wealth is in an ephah,
our zeal is in an omer ; our sin like an oak, our faith like a mus
tard-seed. They which have nojeligion-are-co'intptd honest, men ;
fjprthey count ,it Las easy a matter to be a Christianas to say the
Lord's prayer, the, apostles'. creeds the ten commandments, and to
go to the church. This is country divinity, this is city divinity,
and/Tinay say, Rt Clement's divinity "He™which can swear that
the pq^lFafiticnrist, and that flesh is good on Fridays, is a pro
testant, at least a Christian every inch ; he hath zeal, knowledge,
and religion in folio ! This is the rampire in our days, like a lion
in the passages ; almost standeth in the way before we can come
to altogether ; and they which will go beyond almost are counted
curious, factious, precise, fantastical ; as though almost were more
than altogether, and altogether were not so much as almost ' If
his righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pha
risees/ which is but hypocrisy, he shall be punished for his right
eousness, as if it were a fault ; as Cain persecuted Abel, because his
sacrifice was better than his.
Our Saviour saith, ' Learn of me to be humble/ and zealous, and
righteous ; but now we must learn of others, and set a crooked pat
tern before us, lest we go too straight. We may preach like John,
as in Mat. iii. 8, ' Bring forth fruits ;' but we may not preach like
Christ, ' Bring forth much fruit/ John xv. 5. For that is counted
an unreasonable service of God. If we give him the seventh day,
the seventh part, the tenths or tithes of our lives, and of our
thoughts, and of our speeches, and of our works, it is enough ; so
we define altogether, out of measure. Thus we dodge with God,
and draw back from our promise which we made in baptism, as
though he were not worthy of such a goodly creature, to have that
which he gives. Ever since we were born we have served two
masters. If one foot stand in the church, the other foot sticketh in*
the world ; if one hand carry fire, the other hand carries water ; if
one word savour of religion, the next word whatsoever savoureth of
pride, or envy, or lust.
How few of our thoughts are consecrated to God ! How few of
our speeches taste of grace ! How few of our works are squared to
the word of God, which should be the line and level of all our thoughts,
speeches, and actions ! Tell thy sins which thou hast committed

444 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
since thou didst rise in the morning, and record thy good deeds
which thou hast done ever since thou wast born, and the first shall
exceed the last. Thou which sayest thou art a Christian, hast re
belled more since thou rosest, than thou hast obeyed since thou wert
born. Is this altogether like Paul, or, like Festus, not at all ? Now if
we be almost Christians, let us see what it is to be almost a Christian.
Almost a son, is a bastard ; almost sweet, is unsavoury ; almost hot,
is lukewarm, which God spueth out of his mouth* Be v. iii. 16 ; so,
almost a Christian is not a Christian, but that which God spueth
out of his mouth. A. Christian almost is like a woman which dieth
in travail; almost she brought forth a son, but that almost killed
the mother and the son too. Almost a Christian is like Jeroboam,
which said, ' It is too far to go to Jerusalem to worship/ and there
fore chose rather to worship calves at home. Almost a Christian
is like Micah, which thought himself religious enough because he
had gotten a priest into his house. Almost a Christian is like the
Ephraimites, which could not pronounce Shibboleth, but Sibboleth.
Almost a Christian is like Ananias, which brought a* part, but left
a part behind. Almost a Christian is like Eli's sons, which polled
the sacrifices; fike the fig-tree, whieh deceived Christ with leaves;
like the virgins, which carried lamps without oil; like the willing
unwilling son, which said he would come and came not. What is
it to be born almost? If the new man be but born almost, be is
not born. What is it to be married almost unto Christ? He .which
is married but almost, is not married. What is it to offer sacrifice
almost? The sacrifice must be killed ere ever it can be sacrificed.
He which gives almost, gives not, but denieth. He which believeth
almost, believeth not, but doubteth. Can the door which is but
almost shut keep out the thief? Can the cup which is but almost
whole hold any wine ? Can the ship which is but almost sound
keep out water 1 The soldier which doth but almost fight, is a
coward. The physician which doth but almost cure, is but a slub-
berer- The servant which doth but almost labour, is a loiterer.
I cannot tell what to make of these defectives, nor where to place
them, nor how to call them, nor unto what to liken them. They
are like unto children which sit in the market place, where is
mourning and piping, and they neither weep nor dance, but keep
a note between them both ; they weep almost, and dance almost.
Believest thou almost ? ' Be it unto thee/ saith Christ, ' as thou be
lievest.' Therefore if thou believest, thou shalt be saved ; if thou
believest almost, thou shalt be saved almost. As when a pardon

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 445
comes while the thief hangs upon the gallows, he is almost saved,
but the pardon doth him no good ; so he which is almost a Chris
tian, almost zealous, almost righteous, which doth almost love,
almost believe, shall be almost saved ; that is, if he had been a
'Christian altogether, he should not be damned. Thus every man
is a Christian almost, before he be a Christian altogether.
Now I must lead you from almost to altoqether; as it were to
*- ...HiMni— »  ' ¦¦""""¦¦ ' """"-—mf/-..  milium . ....  .——»¦«--' " -
Christians' trom the figure of Christians. This is the step which we
must tread at this time. ' I would to God/ saith Paul, ' that thou
wert not almost, but altogether, as I am.' When he saw Agrippa
¦coming on, and said almost, then Paul cast up his lure again.
Comest thou, Agrippa ? Come, Agrippa, I will not have thee stay at
almost, if anything will bring thee to altogether. I did not ask
thee whether thou didst believe the prophets, that thou mightest
be a Christian almost, but a Christian altogether. Art thou come
thus far; and stayest thou at almost? Nay, Agrippa, thou must
take out this lesson, for there is no measure in Christianity.
' Come unto me/ saith Christ ; not, ' Come toward me.' Yet he
was glad, like the father, to see his son coming toward him ; for it
was a sign that he would come to him ; he was comforted with
almost; but he was not satisfied without altogether. Is this thy
offering, almost ? It will not serve, Agrippa ; it is light, it is
soldered, it is cracked, correct it again ; for our Master saith, ' Be ye
holy as I am holy ; ' therefore almost a Christian will not please
him. But if thou be almost a Christian already, how easy is it for
thee to be a Christian altogether ! Therefore come, Agrippa, let
.us go forward to heaven. The seed is sown-io-grow — .EKeayibing
must increase._amlrmjilijnby.~.. Almost^ is iLy-fksLanswer,..an.d.®i-
llogg^Fthy last. I must no_t takejihis.for an answer. Shall J_ tell
Christ,J^_.Ajgrij^a, j^ 0 Agrippa, God would
haveThee hot or cold, as it appeareth, Rev. iii. 15. Cold to him is
as pleasing as lukewarm ; he loveth altogether, and he will not be
loved almost. Who shall have the other half, if God have but
almost'! Therefore, speak again, good Agrippa. Thus he pleadeth
unkindness with him, fike an importunate suitor which will not be
answered. Shall I go with almost? Then thou usest me but
hardly, if thou wilt give no more. Thus he stands in an argument
with him. What shall I say to Agrippa, if he will give me but
almost ? I will pray for thee till thou comest off with all ; if I can
get no more of Agrippa, I will crave more of God. He which hath
made thee almost, can make thee altogether.
I would to God, &c. So now he converteth himself to prayer

446 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
Thus we must learn to fish for souls with prayers, and entreaties,
and questions. Change the bait, cast thy lure again, follow the
siege, pursue the blow, close with sin and gather more upon it. At
first he will call thee enemy, as Ahab did to Elias, ' Art thou here,
mine enemy ?' But if thou wilt not bow to him, he will bow unto
thee, and hearken what thou sayest, and change his robe, and put
on sackcloth, and mourn and fast, and do all that thou wouldst
have him. ^A preacher jnust_noJjJook to find them QhriatiaBSr-but-
make them Christians. Thou shalt not find them converted, be
cause thou comest to convert them. If Paul will not yield to
Agrippa, Agrippa will yield to Paul ; but if Paul had fallen to
almost, he had never brought Agrippa to altogether. Therefore^
they which fish for souls, must take Paul's net, and remember
what God saith to Jeremiah, chap. xv. 19, ' Let them be converted
unto thee, but be not thou converted unto them/ for then thou shalt
never convert them ; signifying that our constancy in goodness
shall induce others to turn from their wickedness, and make him
which is but almost come to altogether. This is the substance of
Paul's reply, that it is not enough to be a Christian almost ; that is, to
have a kind of religion, a little knowledge, a little faith, a cold
zeal, a flattering holiness, like the touch of the hem ; but we must
march to perfection, and ' do his will upon earth as it is in heaven/
and contend to be ' holy as he is holy/ ' This is religion/ saith
James, ' to keep thyself unspotted/ like a glass which is still wiped.
To this end, saith Paul. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17, 'The Scripture doth
teach, and reprove, and instruct, and comfort ; that the man of God
might be absolute/ And Eph. i. 4, to this end we are elected,
' that we might be holy, and without blame.' And Rom. i. 17, he
describes our journey, ' from faith to faith,' not from faith to dis
trust. As David describes the way of the righteous, Ps. lxxxiv. 7,
' from virtue to virtue,' as a traveller goes from town to town, till
he come to his inn. What a foolish thing were it for the scribe to
stay there, when our Lord tells him ' Thou art not far from the
kingdom of heaven.' For therefore Christ telleth him that he is not
far from heaven, to encourage him, lest he should give over before
he come to it. So if ye stay at almost, and repent in some sort, as
Esau did when he wept, you may hunt for the blessing, as Esau
did, and go without it ; for God is not mocked, but God is mocked
if colours and shows will serve.
When God said, ' Seek ye my face ; mine heart answered/ said
David, ' I will seek thy face/ Ps. xxvii. 8. So we must answer the
Lord to that which he asketh, and not, when he bids us seek his

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 447
face, seek his back ; when he requireth all, give him half. God
asks, Art thou a Christian? and thou answerest, O Lord, I am
almost a Christian. What niggardly answer is this to him, which
deserveth a thousand times more than the best can give 1 If thy
master ask thee, Art thou my servant ? wilt thou answer him, I
am almost thy servant ? If thy prince ask thee, Art thou my sub
ject ? wilt thou answer, I am almost thy subject ? If thy father
ask thee, Art thou my son ? wilt thou answer, I am almost thy
son ? If thou art but almost his son, then he is but almost thy
father. And so it is with God, a son or no son ; half a son is a
bastard. How dost thou know God to be thy God, but as thou
art his servant ? How dost thou know God to be thy Father, but
as thou art his son ? By thy love thou shalt know God's love ; for
according to thy mind towards him is his mind of thee, whereby
thou mayest judge whether he favour thee, or hate thee, and no
way else.
God loveth nothing almost, therefore he doth not love almost.
Therefore love as thou mayest be loved, or else thy love is lost ;
thou must seek as thou mayest find, or else thy labour is lost.
' They shall seek and find me/ saith God, ' because they shall seek
with all their hearts/ Jer. xxix. 13 ; as though they should not find
him though they sought him, unless they sought him with all their
hearts. Naaman is not only commanded to wash himself in Jordan, but
to wash himself seven times, and then he shall be healed ; so, man
is not only commanded to obey God, but to obey him while he
lives, and then he shall be saved. ' Be faithful/ saith the angel,
' unto death, and then I will give thee the crown of life/ Rev. ii. 1 0.
When Saul was commanded to kill the idolatrous beasts, he was
commanded to kill all; and because he spared some, God rejected
him. Yet God hath more mercy on beasts than on sins. Would
he have the beasts of sinners die, and their vices live? No, saith
Christ, ' Make clean within/ that is, leave no filth behind. When
soever Christ cast out one devil, we read that he cast out all, even
the legion together ; so when thou castest out one vice, cast out all,
for one is not worthier than another.
The prophet doth teach us to pour out our sins like water, which
leaveth no taste, or colour, or scent behind. There is a whole old
man, and there must be a whole new man. The old man must
change with the new man wisdom for wisdom, love for love, fear
for fear ; his worldly wisdom for heavenly wisdom, his carnal love
for spiritual love, his servile fear for Christian fear, his idle thoughts

448 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
for holy thoughts, his vain words for wholesome words, his fleshly
works.for righteous works. This is a Christian altogether, as if he
were cast in a new mould. As if a painter would draw a beautiful
picture, which should be fairer than all the women in the world, he
would mark the special graee of every one, and make one beauty of
all ; so we must make up a Christian, and take modesty from him,
faith from him, love from him, patience from him, zeal from him,
and humility from him, until it be like the image of Christ. This
is the building of a Christian. First, his foundation is laid, and
then his walls, and then his roof, and then a Christian, like Adam
in paradise. God made all things good ; therefore if we be but
almost good, all things are better than we. The wicked man
speaketh out of the corruption of his fleshly heart ; and shall not the
righteous speak out of the abundance of his spiritual heart ? He
which is merry would be merrier if he knew how ; he which is
envious would look sterner if he could ; he which is proud would go
braver if he had it ; and all, if we could be worse, we would. But
let them amend which look to die. For what kind of man should
he be which must bear the image of God, be the temple of the
Holy Ghost, and inherit the kingdom of heaven ? ' Who is fit for
these things ?' saith Paul. Nay, who is not unfit for these things?
Do you know no enough in riches, nor pleasure, nor sin ; and think
that you have enough of religion, before you have any ? The good
are known, because none but they which are good strive to be better.
We are invited to a banquet, and shall we go but half the way un
to it ? Were it not better that the fig-tree had borne fruit, than
leaves ? that the virgins had carried oil, than lamps ? So is it not
better for us to be vessels of gold that come to the Lord^ table,
than like the image in Daniel, part of gold, part of silver, part of
brass, part of iron, and part of clay, which was after broken ? If
the crown did fie in the midway, then thou needest run but half the
way ; but to shew that there is no reward for them that begin well, '
all the promises are made to him that ' continueth to the end.'
Not only he is cursed which doeth evil, but he which doeth the
work of the Lord negligently, or by halves, that is, he which offereth.
a maimed sacrifice for a sound, almost a Christian for altogether
Therefore David, before he prays, summoneth his thoughts, his
speeches and actions, and saith, ' All that is within me, praise the
Lord ;' as a man giveth that which he thinketh will be accepted^
that he may be welcome for it. If we did serve an ungrateful
master, then we might think almost enough. But Christ did not
love almost, when he shed his heart's blood for us ; and therefore he

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 449
cannot ask more than he gave ; and yet the inheritance of his
blessing is behind ; why shouldest not thou give as much for it as
Abraham, or David, or Simeon, which would have served God till
this time if they had lived, and still reformed themselves, and yet
thought they had done nothing ; as Jacob counted his service for
Rachel nothing, because he loved her. But thou thinkest, if thou
givest thy pleasures, thou shalt want thy pleasures. No ; as Abra
ham did not lose his son, when he would have sacrificed his son,
so God can keep his pleasures when thou resignest thy pleasures.
Thou thinkest that God will not miss it, as Ananias thought that
Peter would not miss it ; but if Peter did miss it, will not God miss
it ? So we pare the offering like Eli's sons, which kept the best and
fattest to themselves, which made the people abhor the sacrifices ;
and shall not God abhor such sacrifices ? If Eli reproved his sons,
how will God reprove them, which reproved Eli for not reproving
them enough ? A spiritual ear can hear God reproving this land
for this mincing of his worship. Can the preaching of the word,
the signs of heaven, the shaking of the earth, the victory over your
enemies, and all the blessings of God, make you but almost Chris
tians, almost religious, almost thankful ? Is this my reward, saith
God, as though you were afraid to be too good ? If you think that
you shall be mocked if you be too zealous, as Michal scorned David
when he danced before the ark, 2 Sam. vi, David tells you how
you shall stop such scorners' mouths. Oh (saith David) ' I will be
more humble yet before my God/ When Michal saw bis resolu
tion, she mocked him no more, but reverenced him ever after. So
tell the devil and all his mockers, I will be more zealous, more fer
vent, and more holy yet, until I be like him which said, ' Follow
me,' and they which mock thee shall reverence thee, as Michal did
David. Thus when thou art in the way to heaven, remember that thou
must go forward or backward ; for Jacob did see none stand upon
the ladder which ascended up to heaven, but either they went up
or down ; they which go not forward, go backward. They which
will not come so forward as altogether, shall not stay at almost, but
fall from their faith, and love, and knowledge, and zeal, by descents,
till Christ's threatening be fulfilled, ' That which they seem to have
shall be taken from them/ as though they never had any taste at
all. Thus I have set you a glass to behold whether you are in almost
or altogether. Hitherto Paul lured for Agrippa ; now he sues to
VOL. I. F f

450 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN
the people. When he had caught the king, he spread his net for
the people. ' I would to God that not only thou, but all that hear
me, were not only almost, but altogether, as I am.'
He might wish rather than hope, and therefore he prays, I would
to God that all were Christians, as Moses wished that all could
prophesy. Peter was taught both to feed the sheep and the lambs,
great and small, old and young, rich and poor ; so Paul prays for the
king and for the people too, and wisheth that they were all Chris
tians. This prayer we may say for them that do not pray for them
selves, to make them ashamed, when they see others more careful
for their souls than they themselves. The pastor's care extendeth
to all ; although some are more to be laboured, yet none is to be de
spised, which is but a lamb of the flock. Paul doth not wish
Agrippa more honour, or more wealth, or more friends, but more
religion, which is the greate£twant-o£-pri«ees. Although they have
"received a kingdom, yet they are not so thankful as they which
have received nothing but from hand to mouth. Though they have
done a thousand times more evil, yet they are not so penitent as he
which hath done least of all. They sit in God's seat, and are called
gods, but are not like God, but like mammon, more than their
names and their crowns ; except David, or Solomon, or Joshua, a
few which remember whose persons they bear ; the rest are like
Herod, and Saul, and Nebuchadnezzar, which know not from whom
their kingdoms come. ' As I am,' saith Paul directly. Paul should
have replied, 'altogether a Christian/ and not, 'altogether as I am;'
but who shall teach the Spirit to persuade ? He chose to say, ' as
I am/ that Agrippa might see his single heart and love toward
him, who went not about to seduce him, but wished unto him as
unto himself, ' Even as I am/ If anything will persuade, most fit
is the example, when he which teacheth us goeth before us ; for
then we see that he dealeth plainly, and speaks of love, and means
no deceit, when we see him do as he saith. ' Saul hath slain his
thousand, but David his ten thousand ;' so where another converts
a thousand, he shall convert ten thousand, which can say, like Christ,
' Follow me.' Oh, what is this, when a Christian and I am all
one ! that ye might say to your children, I would to God thou wert
a Christian, when ye say, I would to God thou wert like me.
The king should be like Paul by this saying : How then do some
say with Festus, ' Too much zeal hath made thee mad.' If the
people know the Lord's prayer, the ten commandments, and the
articles of belief, it is enough ! Is this to be like Paul ? No, Festus ;
the knowledge of the word doth not make a man mad, but makes

PAUL AND KING AGRIPPA. 451
him wise to salvation. Can that which makes a man wise make a
man mad ? Therefore they which say that we are the worse for
knowledge, or worse for religion, or worse for zeal, are like Festus,
which had neither knowledge, zeal, nor religion in him. And they
which teach the people that they shall not need to be as Paul, but
thata mediocritywill serve, incur that curse of Paul, 'Hewhich teach
eth another doctrine than that which ye have received of us/ which
wisheth all as perfect as himself, ' let him be anathema/ that is,
accursed. They which love you like Paul, do not wish you zeal
by weight, and knowledge by ounces, and works by number, a
shekel, or an omer, or an ephah ; but that ye abound in all know
ledge, and all zeal ; and let thembe lukewarm which willbe spued out.
Except my bands. Yet Paul excepteth something ; not his
knowledge, nor his zeal, but his bands ; not, ' altogether as I am/
but, ' altogether as I am, except these bands.'. He excepteth nothing
but his troubles. Charity had rather suffer than others should
suffer ; as David prayed God to turn his wrath from the Israelites
upon him. Now, if you ask me, Who can love his neighbour as
himself ? Here is one had rather suffer himself than Agrippa should
suffer ; he would have him partaker in all his good, but not in his
troubles ; ' as I am, except these bands.' Paul glories in his bands,
and shews his chains like his ensigns ; these are the marks of
Christ ; this is the cognizance of my Lord, his "sweet yoke and easy
burden. But he wisheth faith to them without a burden : ' The
battle is to the strong ;' and the cross is not to be wished for, but
to be borne.
Thus the Spirit of wisdom hath set us an example how men are
won to the truth, and led forward by little and little, with lenity
and softness, putting difference between them which- know not the
truth, and them which resist the truth. Paul did not speak so to
Elymas the sorcerer, which withstood the truth, Acts xiii. 10, but
' set his eyes upou him, and said, O full of all subtilty and mischief,
the child of the devil, and enemy of all righteousness/ Neither
did Peter speak so to Simon Magus, Acts viii. 23. But as Solomon
saith, 'A wise man knoweth the time and place;' and as Paul saith,
' The spiritual man discerneth all things ; so he knoweth when to
be soft, and when to be rough. They which resist the truth, as
Elymas, and labour to keep the rulers from it, as Elymas did
^Sergius Paulus the deputy of Cyprus, and many like him now,
""must not be entreated like Agrippa, which is coming to the truth,
but as Elymas was. He which hath Paul's spirit knoweth how to
handle both in their kind. Though we may not discover the

452 THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN PAUL AND AGRIPPA.
nakedness of some, yet we may not hide the nakedness of others.
An humble heart is a good schoolmaster, both to apply comfort and
reproof. Now, the Lord Jesus, which hath made you Christians
almost, make you Christians altogether !

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.

2" beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
give up your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable serving of God. And fashion not
yourselves like unto this world ; but be you changed by the re
newing of your minds, that ye may prove what is the good will
of God, and acceptable, and perfect — Rom. XII. 1, 2.
Paul, an apostle of the Gentiles, writing to the Romans, which
were Gentiles, aftefc he had shewed what God had done for them, in
receiving them into his covenant which were not of his covenant,
and making them his people which were not his people, that the
Gentiles might triumph now over the Jews, as much as the Jews
triumphed over the Gentiles, because the Jews were rejected and
the Gentiles received in their place, Rom. xi. 13 ; now he sheweth
what they should do for God : ' Give your bodies a sacrifice to
him.' That is, as Christ gave himself for you, so you must give
yourselves to him ; as he was sacrificed for you, so you must be
sacrificed for him ; not your sheep, nor your oxen, nor your goats,
but yourselves, you must be the sacrifice. This sacrifice Paul
calleth 'a living, and holy, and acceptable sacrifice.' A living
sacrifice, because the Jews' sacrifices wrere dead sacrifices ; an holy
sacrifice, because they might sacrifice beasts, and not be holy, but
they cannot sacrifice themselves, but they must needs be holy ; an
acceptable sacrifice, because the sacrifices of beasts did not please
God, unless they did sacrifice themselves too, but if they sacrifice
themselves, it doth please God, though they do not sacrifice beasts.
It is true, that God did require this sacrifice of the Jews as well as
of the Gentiles, for in Deut. x. 16, he saith, ' Circumcise your
heart •' and 1 Sam xv. 22, he saith, * Obedience is better than sac-

456 THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.
rifice;' which shews, that even then God did require the sacrifice of
the body more than of beasts. But although God did require this
of the Jews also, that they should sacrifice their bodies too, yet
Paul signifies that God requireth larger of the Gentiles, because, as
Christ saith, we have a greater light, Mat. xi. 21. The gospel is a
greater benefit than the law, and therefore our thankfulness should
be greater than theirs.
First, here is an exhortation to sacrifice our bodies to God ; then,
an explication what this sacrifice, is, ' It is your reasonable service/
and ' not fashioning yourselves to the world/ and the ' renewing of
your minds' to the image of God in which they were created. Then
follow two reasons to persuade : one drawn from the mercies of
God, ' I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God ;' the other
drawn from the fruit of our regeneration, ' that ye may prove whart
that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God is.' The exhorta
tion is, to sacrifice ourselves to God. It seems that the Jews grudged
to sacrifice their beasts, therefore Paul thought that the Gentiles
would grudge to sacrifice themselves, and therefore mark how he
prepared himself for them.
Brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God. This is his pre
parative. He calls them brethren ; which sheweth, first, his affec
tion to all Christians, which after Christ wei^ called brethren ;
secondly, our adoption by Christ, which makes us brethren ; thirdly,
the duty which we owe one to another, as if we were brethren.
The apostle doth not use tbis name so lightly as we, as you may see
here, for Paul made it a preamble to persuade the Romans to god
liness. So Abraham made it a mediator to keep peace between
Lot and him : ' Are not we brethren,' saith Abraham ? Gen. xiii. 8.
As if he should say, Shall brethren fall out for trifles, like infidels ?
This was enough to pacify Lot, for Abraham to put him in mind
that they were brethren ; when he heard the name of brethren,
straight his heart yielded, and the strife was ended. So this should
be the lawyer to end quarrels between Christians, to call to mind
that they are brethren. And they which have spent all at law have
wished that they had taken this lawyer, to think, with Lot, whether
it were meet for brethren to strive like enemies : with such rever
ence then did they use the name of brethren ; but now there is no
reverence in naming of God, for many speak of him when they do
not think of him, and many never speak of him but when they
swear by him.
When he had called them brethren, then he beseecheth them ;
' Brethren, I beseech you.' This is the apostle's style. If God did

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL. 457
humble himself for man, much more should man humble himself
for men. Therefore, though Paul speak of a matter wherein he
might command, as he saith to Philemon, ' I might command thee/
yet as he did rather beseech him, so he doth rather beseech them.
Mark the subtlety of wisdom, as I may call it. As the serpent did
use policy to tempt, Gen. iii, so the preacher may use policy to
convert ; and so Paul won Agrippa to believe, by persuading him
that he did believe, Acts xxvi. 27. It was Paul's office to teach
the Romans ; but it was Paul's policy to beseech the Romans.
Until compulsion need, gentleness is better than bitterness ; lenity
deserves to go first, and correction hath no place if persuasion will
serve. I beseech you, brethren. We do not use to entreat and beseech,
but for our profit ; but Paul did beseech for their profit. We would
have other humble themselves to us, but Paul humbjedjtamseb^ to
his inferiors^ to make them humble themselves to God. Heje~thp.
preachers may take example of the preacher of the Gentiles. The
loving phraseis~the apostle's pnrase; and he which beseecheth shall
persuadfi-easiexjha/n hp. which thundereth- Many have beerTarawh
with the cords of love, which could never be hauled with the chains
of iron. God is love, and his ministers must speak like love, or else
they do not speak like PauL We whicn fishetn tor "souls, and doth
not take this net, shall fish all day in vain, as Peter fished all night,
and caught nothing. Although a temperate preacher, be a wise
preacher, and this be ojjr policy, to entreat and beseech you, like
Paul, yet you should not look to be entreated like the guests which
would not come to the banquet, Mat. xxii. ; for you must be
entreated to your profit. It is no reason that Christ pay and pray :
the servant prayeth, but the master commandeth.
Yet Paul hath not done his preparative : he is loath that his
suit should take the repulse, and therefore he useth a mediator unto
them, and beseecheth them by the mercies of God : ' I beseech you,
brethren, by the mercies of God.' Mercy is a loving solicitor, and
worthy to be heard, because it heareth again. God doth entreat
us by the same mediator that we entreat God : we entreat God for
his mercy, and God entreateth us for his mercy. So that mercy is
like a sign between us, which calleth God to hear us, and us to hear
him. What will not a good subject do for a merciful prince ?
Many sweet things are in the word of God, but the name of mercy
is the sweetest word in all the Scriptures, which made David harp
upon it twenty-six times in one psalm : six and twenty times he
repeats this in the 136th Psalm, ' For his mercy endureth for ever.'

458 THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.
It was such a cheerful note in his ears when he struck upon mercy,
that, like a bird which is taught to record, when he had sung it, he
sung it again, and when he had sung it again, he recorded it again,
and made it the burden of his song, ' For his mercy endureth for
ever.' Like a nightingale which, when she is in a pleasant vein,
quavers and capers, and trebles upon it, so did David upon his
mercy, ' For his mercy endureth for ever/ But here Paul speaks
in the plural number : not by the mercy, but by the mercies of God.
There is a plurality of God's mercies : his lesser mercies in his
corporal blessings, and his greater mercies in his spiritual blessings;
his temporal mercies in earth, and his everlasting mercies in heaven ;
his preventing mercies in delivering us from sin, and his following
mercies in pardoning of our sin. How many sins came with Adam,
Gen. iii, and how many curses came with sin, so many mercies came
with Christ to answer them both. Therefore, when Paul could not
number them for multitude, he was fain to lay them down together in
the gross sum, and in a word' calls them mercies ; as if he should
say, I cannot number the mercies of God, but the less I can number
them, the more they are. Thus much why Paul calleth them
brethren, and why he beseecheth them, and why he remembereth
them of God's mercies.
Now he hath prepared the way, he commenceth his suit, that
they would ' give their bodies to God.' He speaks not here of the
soul, though he would have them give their souls too, as you may
see in the next verse-; but he speaks here of the body, to shew that
the body is a servant to God as well as the soul : both are too little,*-
and therefore one is not enough. And therefore Paul saith,
' Glorify God in your bodies, and in your souls too/ 1 Cor. vi. 20.
But here he speaks the rather of the body, to shew that their battle
will be with the flesh, and that the flesh will be unwilling to this
sacrifice ; as Christ saith, ' The spirit is willing, but the flesh is
frail,' Mat. xxvi. 41 ; that is, the flesh will not afford anything to
God, though he do never so much for her, yet she is like churlish
Nabal, which will do nothing again. Therefore the apostle urgeth
so to give the body ; as if he should say, Draw forward that which
draweth thee backward, and let thy conversion begin where sin
hath his root. If you can win the flesh, which is like Nabal, the
soul will come, like Abigail, and bring her train with her.
Now, to shew bow we should give our bodies to God, the apostle
saith, ' Give your bodies a sacrifice to God ;' that is, you must give
your bodies to God as if you did sacrifice them. The law appointed
a sacrifice in which all the members were offered together. So ye

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL. 459
must give your members to God ; that is, the body : for all is but
parts of the body ; therefore, if you must give your bodies, you
must give eye, and ear, and tongue, and hand, and feet unto him.
For 'the heart/ saith Paul, 'doth believe;' but because it is not
enough to believe, therefore he addeth, ' the mouth doth confess/
Rom. x. 1 0. As it is as necessary to confess unto salvation, as to
believe unto justification, so it is as necessary to sacrifice the tongue
as the heart. What then ? Is the tongue enough ? Nay, saith
Christ, 'He which'hath an ear to bear, let him hear/ Mat. xi. 15.
Is the ear enough ? Nay, saith David, ' Lift up your hands to his
sanctuary/ Ps. cxxxiv. 2. Is the hand enough ? Nay, saith Solo
mon, ' Let thine eyes behold the right/ Prov. iv. 25. Is the eye
enough ? Nay, saith Solomon, ' Remove thy foot from evil/ Prov.
iv. 27. So the word passeth, fike a collector, from one member to
another, to gather tribute for God, until the body have paid as well
as the soul. Therefore, Deut. vi. 5, God commandeth not only
' Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soul, and with all thy mind/
but ' with all thy strength ;' that is, if thou canst do anything for
him with the strength of thine hand, or the strength of thine eye,
or the strength of thine ear, or any part else, thou art bound by
this commandment to do it with all thy strength. Therefore, when
David went about the service of God, he called all his powers to
gether, summoning them like a crier: 'All that is within me, praise
the Lord.' If every part look to be glorified of God, it is reason
that every part should glorify him ; for this is all that they pay.
As every subject oweth loyalty unto his prince, so every member
oweth a duty to his Creator : the heart to love him, the tongue to
praise him, the eye to mark him, the ear to attend him, the hand
to serve him, the foot to follow him ; and every part should serve
God as it serveth us, nay, more than it serveth us ; because we are
bound to love God more than ourselves. For it is said, ' Love God
above all ;' therefore we must give more to God's desire than to our
own desire.
, ,. Christ hath a part in every part ; nay, every part is his part,
X1 because he gave all for all. Shall the hand say to the heart, Serve
thou him ? Or the heart say to the tongue, Serve thou him ? Or
the tongue say to the eye, Serve thou him ? Or the eye say to
the foot, Serve thou him ? Nay, if Christ be the head, every part
will serve him, for all the body is ruled by the head ; and there
fore, if he be the head, every part of the body will serve him like a
head. Now, if you will know how every part may be a sacrifice, thus it

460 THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.
is : when thou canst say, with the virgin, ' My heart doth magnify
the Lord/ Luke i. 46, then thine heart is a sacrifice to God ; when
thou canst say with Samuel, ' Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth/
1 Sam. iii. 9, then thine ear is sacrificed to God ; when thou canst
say with David, ' Mine eyes are always towards the Lord/ Ps. xxv.
1 5, then thine eye is a sacrifice to God ; when thou canst say with
David, ' All the day long I stretch out mine hand to thee,' Ps.
lxxxviii. 9, then thine hands are a sacrifice to God ; when thou
canst say with David, ' My foot standeth in uprightness/ Ps. xxvi.
12, then thy feet are a sacrifice to God. So at length, by following
of these examples, every member is a sacrifice.
He which offereth this sacrifice is freely excused of all sacrifices
besides ; for since Christ sacrificed himself, God hath required none
other sacrifice of the Jews nor Gentiles, but that they sacrifice1
themselves. Now, when God doth require of thee to sacrifice thy
body, he doth but require thee to sacrifice the sins of thy body, as
you may pick out of the next word, be changed ; that is, change
thy thoughts, change thy words, change thy works ; let thy tongue
speak no more idly, let thine eyes look no more to vanity, let thine
ears hearken no more to folly, let thine hands work no more ini
quity ; and then thou hast sacrificed thy body.
This seems a dear sacrifice, to sacrifice thy body ; yet thou seest
it is but a cheap sacrifice, for it is nothing but to sacrifice thy sins,
which would sacrifice thee. If God had required thee to sacrifice
thy son to him, as be required Abraham, Gen. xxii. 2, wouldst thou
not give him ? But now he requireth nothing of thee but thy
sins ; it is as if he should sue unto thee for thy shame, and thy
trouble, and thy guilt, and thy fear, that he might have all which
hurts thee. What wilt thou part from, if thou wilt not part from
thine hurt ? Therefore sacrifice thy body, and thou hast sacrificed
all that hurts thee.
Here Christ is the altar, and we the sacrifice, and the fire whieh
kindleth it the love of God, and the smoke which goeth up the
consumption of our sins ; but a worldly man killed, and a spiritual
man revived, and the sacrifice is ended.
This sacrifice goeth under three titles, living, holy, and accept
able. Every one persuades, with the apostle, that they should offer
it ; for in that it is a holy sacrifice, it cannot but please, because he
is holy which takes it ; in that it is a living sacrifice, it cannot
lose them anything, because there is no death nor loss in it, as there
was in the Jews' sacrifices ; in that it is an acceptable sacrifice, it
must needs benefit them, for when the sacrifice is accepted, the

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL. 461
saorificer is accepted too ; as Abel pleased when his sacrifice pleased,
Gen. iv.
First, It is called a living sacrifice, because the beasts died when
they were sacrificed ; but men live when they are sacrificed, nay,
they die unless they be sacrificed. As Abraham did not lose his
son when he was content to sacrifice him to God, so men do not
lose their pleasures when they sacrifice them to God. But as Christ
saith, ' He which leaveth father or mother for me shall receive an
hundred fold,' so he which leaveth any comfort for God shall receive
an hundred comforts for it. For God's demands are not only de
mands, but gifts. He bids thee sacrifice thy body, that thou
mightest partake of the sacrifice of his body. Here, then, is but
one sacrifice for another, one body for another, a beggar's body for
a king's body. Well may he require a living sacrifice, which hath
given a dead sacrifice. Christ died for us ; but he desireth not our
death, but our life, that we should serve him with our life.
2. It is called an holy sacrifice, because our 'bodies are the temples
of the Holy Ghost/ 1 Cor. vi. 19; that is, if they are not, they should
be, the temples of the Holy Ghost. But as the Jews abused the
temple of stone, so we have abused the temple of flesh ; and there
is no way to make it holy again but for the Holy Ghost to dwell
in it, that is, to sacrifice it to God, and then it is holy ; because, as
virtue came out of Christ to heal the woman's disease, so holiness
cometh out of Christ to heal every man's sins, and then they are
noly. As nothing doth please us unless it be some way like us, and
agreeable to our nature, so nothing doth please God but that which
is like God ; therefore, because God is holy, no sacrifice doth please
him but the holy sacrifice. Therefore, holy goeth before acceptable,
to shew that our sacrifice is not acceptable unless it be holy ; a
living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice.
3. It is called an acceptable sacrifice, because no sacrifice is so
accepted as when we offer ourselves. Therefore Samuel saith,
'tQbedience is better than sacrifice/ 1 Sam. xv. 22 ; that is, it
pleaseth God better than sacrifice. Now if we must sacrifice to
God, we should do as we do to princes ; that is, offer that which
may be accepted, that we may be accepted for our gifts, or else they
are better undone than done. When Cain had sacrificed to God,
because his sacrifice was not accepted, therefore Moses saith, that
'his countenance was cast down/ Gen. iv. 5 ; but if we sacrifice our
bodies our countenance need not be cast down, for Paul saith that
this sacrifice is accepted. All other sacrifices were kindled with
the fire of the temple, but this sacrifice is like the sacrifice of Elijah,

462 THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.
which God kindled himself with fire from heaven, 1 Kings xviii. 38 ;
and therefore this must needs be acceptable, which man only doth
not offer, but God himself doth offer.
When the apostle ends our sacrifice with this clause, acceptable,
he meaneth that this should be the level of all our thoughts ; that
whatsoever we think, or speak, or do, be acceptable and liking unto
God. As David thought to build the temple, but would not build
it when Nathan told him that God would not have him build it,
1 Chron. xvii. 1, &e. ; as Ananias would not baptize Saul, but did
baptize him when he understood that God would have him bap
tized, Acts ix. 13, &c. ; as Joseph would not take Mary to wife so
long as he thought God did disallow his marriage, but did marry
her when the angel told him that he should marry her, Mat. i. 19,
&c. ; so a good man will do nothing before he do consult with God's
word, and all that he doeth he approveth unto God before he doeth
it : if it be not his word and will, then he turneth back, as if the
wind and weather were against him, always reforming his own will
to God's will, that his thoughts, and words, and works may be ac
ceptable. If reason teach us this, that when we offer unto God, we
must give bim an acceptable sacrifice, an acceptable honour, an ac
ceptable service, then why do we not give him that which he asketh?
for he knoweth what is acceptable to him. If he ask the first-
fruits, we must not offer him the last fruits, for the first is accept
able. So if be appoint his discipline, we may not set up our
discipline, for that is not acceptable to him, but to us.
Now Paul shews what this sacrifice is ; it is ' your reasonable ser
vice of God/ lest they should grudge to sacrifice their bodies, he
sheweth that he meaneth but the sins of their bodies. For this
sacrifice, saith Paul, is your service, ' your reasonable service/ He
calleth it ' a reasonable service/ because it is not in ceremonies,
like the Jews' service, but in spirit, as Peter saith ; then, because it
is that service which every man's reason and conscience doth tell
him that he oweth unto God, it may well be called a reasonable
service, because it is so reasonable. Therefore if we will not serve
God thus, that is, as our reason teacheth us, then we serve him not
like men, but like beasts void of reason, whom God may be said to
rule, but they cannot be said to obey, because they are ruled per
force. All things do yield a service to God, but all things do not
yield a reasonable service, which he requireth of man. There was
no reason why Christ should serve us ; but there is great cause
why we should serve Christ, because he served us without cause ;
so that I may say, Christ requireth but a reasonable sacrifice for an

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL. 463
unreasonable sacrifice, a living sacrifice for a dead sacrifice, a
cheap sacrifice for a precious sacrifice, counting us as it were like
to the poor widow, of whom he is content to take a mite, because
we are needy.
Thus much of our reasonable service. The law of this service is
laid down in these words, ' Fashion not yourselves to the world.'
The world followeth the world, ' But 1/ saith Christ to his disciples,
' have chosen you out of the world/ John xv. 19 ; therefore do not
you follow the world. The world is taken sometime for heaven,
and earth, and sea, which are parts of the world ; sometime for the
men of the world; sometime for the elect in the world, but most
commonly it is taken for the wicked in the world, John i 10,
because the wicked are most common. Like a man which by often
faulting is grown to an evil name, so the world, which doth not
signify evil of itself, is taken for evil, because it is accustomed to do
evil, John vii. 7, John viii. 23 ; and therefore the devil • is called
' the god of this world/ 2 Cor. iv. 4, because the world's fashions are
the devil's fashions. Therefore 'fashion not yourselves unto the
world,' lest you be in the devil's fashion. Then you must not prank
up yourselves like players, for this is the fashion of the world ; then
you must not respect persons more than justice, for this is the
fashion of the world ; then you must not flatter to please, for this is
the fashion of the world ; then you must not deceive to grow rich,
for this is the fashion of the world ; then you must not seek revenge
for every word, for this is the fashion of the world ; then you must
not take scorn to be told of your faults, for this is the fashion of the
world; then you must not give alms to be seen, for this is the fashion
of the world ; then you must not obey for fear of the law, for this
is the fashion of the world ; then you must not receive the sacra
ment for order, for this is the fashion of the world ; then you
must not come to church for custom, for this is the fashion of the
world ; then you must not make religion but a table-talk, for
this is the fashion of the world ; then you must not turn with
the time, for this is the fashion of the world; then you must
not defer to do good till you die, for this is the fashion of the
world. The world is a bad pattern to follow, because, as the flesh
followeth the devil, so the world followeth the flesh. Therefore, say
no more, We must do as the world doeth, but rather, We must not
do as the world doeth. You say you go so, because it is the fashion.
God saith, Go not so, because it is the fashion. If you come but in
the fashion, you shall be in the abuse. There is no man that
weareth the cutter's fashion, but he is a cutter ; none which cutteth

464 THE HUMILITY OF PAUL.
his hair like them which are proud, but he is proud ; none which
coloureth her face like them which are wanton, but she is wanton.;
none which swearetb like them which lie, but he will lie as well as
swear ; therefore, make not your life of the world's fashion. The
wedding-garment was of another fashion than all the rest, Mat. xxii. ;
therefore, if thou fashionest thyself like the rest, thou hast not on
thee the wedding-garment, for this was nothing like unto the rest.
Christ's garment was of another manner of fashion differing from the
world, John xix. 23 ; so thy life must be of another fashion than the
world's, or else as the fashion of the world passeth away, so thou
shalt pass and perish with it God doth not like the fashion of the
world ; and surely he liketh as ill the fashion of idolatry, or the
fashion of antichrist, as the fashion of the world. He which biddeth
us to ' refrain from every show of evil/ 1 Thes. v. 22, would have us
refrain from the show of idolatry, and the show of heresy, for these
are the greatest evils. But if we be not idolatrous, yet we have the
show of idolatry ; if we be not of antichrist's religion, yet we be of
, antichrist's fashion, so long as we shew forth the same badge and
cognisance. You know what I mean: this is to jump withJihfi
world l a.pd lpa,p t" h^-11-; this is not to be in fashion, but out of
fashion. Therefore now ye shall hear the best fashions.
It followeth, ' Be you changed by the renewing of your minds.'
This is the second part of your reasonable service, the changing and
renewing of the mind to the likeness wherein it was created. As
before he required you to give your bodies, so here he requireth yon
to give your minds. Outward service is like a tinkling cymbal ;
though it hath never so pleasant a sound, yet it doth not please God,
because it hath no mind to please him ; so is the service of the eye,
or the ear, or the hand, or the foot, if the mind be away. It may
please others, like the cymbal, but it pleaseth not God.
The body is a servant as well as the soul; but there is no promise
made to the bodily service, but to the spiritual service ; for unless
the mind work, the body will serve but a while. Therefore, ' make
clean within/ saith Christ, Mat. xxiii. 26. Sanctification begins
within ; until the mind be renewed, the body is never sacrificed.
Therefore now Paul shews as it were the knife that must kill this
sacrifice, that is, the mind. The mind must sacrifice the body :
' Be ye changed ;' as if he should say, Suffer yourselves to be
changed, as Noah suffered himself to be covered, Gen. x. ; that is,
'Grieve not the Spirit/ 1 Thes. v. 19, do not resist God, be not
against your conversion, and God will convert you, God will comfort
you, God will renew you. By this ' renewing of our minds/ Paul

THE HUMILITY OF PAUL. 465
calleth to our remembrance that once we had a pure mind, and that
we come the nearer unto God the nearer we draw to that similitude
again ; and therefore the Scripture calleth so often for a new man, a
new creature, a new heart. As ye may read, Ps. li. 10, David prayeth
the Lord to ' create him a new heart ;' not to correct his old heart,
but to create him a new heart ; shewing that his heart was like an
old garment, so rotten and tattered that he could make no good of
it by patching or piecing, but even must cut it off, and take a new.
'Therefore Paul saith, ' Cast off the old man ;' not pick him and wash
him till he be clean, but cast him off, and begin anew, as David
did. Will ye know what this renewing is ? It is the repairing of
the image of God, until we be like Adam when he dwelt in para
dise. As there is a whole old man, so there must be a whole new
man. The old man must change with the new man, wisdom for
wisdom, love for love, fear for fear ; his worldly wisdom for heavenly
wisdom, his carnal love for spiritual love, his servile fear for Chris
tian fear, bis ! idle thoughts for holy thoughts, his vain words for
wholesome words, his fleshly works for sanctified works.
If the mind must be so renewed, I would know of the papists
where are their ' pure naturals.' If our naturals were pure, our minds
need not to be renewed ; for it is good to be pure, and evil to change
it ; but because there is no pureness in us, therefore the apostle
would have us changed. Again, let them tell me why our minds
should be renewed, if we have free will to do good if we list ; but be
cause our minds are so corrupted that we have no free will to good,
nor will to do good neither, therefore the apostle would have our
minds renewed. Thus one word of God hath battered two castles of
antichrist's.

VOL. I. ^ o

A LOOKING-GLASS FOE CHEISTIANS.

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.

I say, through the grace that is given unto me, to every one that is
among you, that no man presume to understand above that
which is meet to understand; but that he understand according
to sobriety, as God hath dealt to every man the measure of
faith.— Rom. XII. 3.
First of the preface, and then of the counsel. In the first verse of
this chapter Paul persuadeth the Romans 'by the mercy of God'
towards them ; here he persuadeth them ' by the grace of God to
wards him.' Paul speaks like a man on his death-bed, which is set
to give good counsel, and goeth from one lesson to another, as though
he would speak all with a breath. First, he counselled them to
make their bodies serve God, because the body is a servant as well
as the soul ; then he forbade them to fashion themselves to the
world, because no man can serve two contrary masters ; then he
advised them to renew their minds, because, except the mind be
reformed, the body will serve but a while ; and he setteth them to
seek God's will, because the will of man doth seduce him. And
now, to make up his testament, as it were, he admonisheth them
to rest in the knowledge of God's will, and not to search farther,
nor to be proud of their knowledge, but to use their knowledge to
humble their pride. This lesson may seem vain to the Romans,
for they were not yet come to be wise, and he counselleth them not
to be too wise. Paul saith that ' the Gentiles sought after wisdom,'
1 Cor. i. 22 ; but he saith here that ' the preaching of the gospel
seemeth foolishness unto them/ which was wisdom ; and therefore
God calleth them 'a foolish nation/ Deut. xxxii. 21, because they
counted the true wisdom foolishness, and their own folly wisdom.
For this cause there was such emulation between the Jew and the
Gentile ; one despised another, because they did not accord what

470 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
wisdom was, although both sought for it. Therefore, that ye may
not only seek wisdom, as the Gentiles did, but find wisdom, as
Solomon did, Paul layeth a foundation for wisdom to stay upon,
which he calleth sobriety : ' Be wise according to sobriety/
A word of his preface, which is this, ' by the grace of God which
is given to me.' Because he speaks to all, and his charge is of great
moment ; and they which think themselves wise will hardly be per
suaded but they are wise ; therefore he comes with authority, like
an ambassador from God, and saith, ' By the grace of God which is
given to me ;' that is, by the virtue of my apostleship, which I have
not received from men, but from God, not from earth, but from
heaven ; ' I charge you that no man among you/ whether he be
learned or unlearned, whether he be an hearer or a teacher, ' pre
sume to know above that which is meet to know;' that is, make
himself wiser than he is, or boast of the graces which God hath
given him, or despise the gifts of God in others, or rove beyond his
calling, or trouble his head with curiosity ; ' but that he be wise
according to sobriety;' that is, walk within his vocation, be humble
in his knowledge, and use his gifts to the profit of others ; ' as God
hath given to every man the measure of faith ;' that is, remember
ing that it is a gift of God, which hath dealt gifts to others as well
as to him, that they might do him good, as he may do them good.
So that if you ask Paul, as the Jews asked Christ, 'By what
authority doest thou this ?' he sheweth his letters patent from the
King himself, ' By the grace of God,' &c. Well doth he call his
apostleship ' the grace of God ; ' for he was a persecutor of the same
doctrine which he preached ; and therefore, if it had not been God's
marvellous grace, he should never have been an apostle. It was as
strange to hear that persecuting Saul was among the apostles, Acts
ix. 21, as to hear that king Saul was among the prophets ; but ' by
the grace of God/ saith Paul, so it is ; I did not usurp this calling,
but it was given me. I came not from men, as I did before when
I persecuted, but I am sent from God. I do not count mine office
a labour or a burden, but I esteem it a grace, the grace of God both
to me and to you. By this Paul teacheth us to receive the ministry
of the word as a grace from him. For if Paul speak by grace, then
you hear by grace ; as he said, ' I speak by the grace of God which
is given me ;' so you may say, We hear by the grace of God which
is given to us ; and therefore I exhort you, as he did the Corin
thians, 'Receive not the grace of God in vain/ 2 Cor. vi. 1.
Now to his counsel, 'Let no man .presume to understand above
that which is meet to understand, but let every man understand

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 471
according to sobriety.' When the apostle speaketh of things meet
to understand, he signifieth that it is not meet to search all things.
It seems that many among the Romans were sick of our disease,
which is, to think ourselves wiser than we are ; therefore be which
taught them to be wise in all his exhortations before, teacheth them
here not to be over-wise, but sober-wise. As God appointeth the Jews
a measure, how much manna they might gather, so Paul appointeth
the Romans a measure, how much wisdom they might gather. The
Jews' measure of manna was so much as an omer would hold ; the
Romans' measure of wisdom is so much as sobriety would hold.
For as the manna which the Jews gathered over an omer did them
no good, but mould and fust, so the wisdom which men gather more
than sobriety doth no good, but puff them, and corrupt them, and
turn them either into pride, or into envy, or into wiles, or into strife,
or one cogitation or other, as their superfluous manna turned into
worms. When Paul entered into this sage doctrine, which I may
call the lopping or pruning of wisdom, which must be kept low,
like a man which is given to be pursy and gross, he summoneth all
sorts of men to hear him, as though he spake of a fault, like the
darkness of Egypt, which went over the whole land ; therefore he
excepts no calling nor person, but crieth, ' I say unto every one,'
&c. The wise, and the ancient, and the learned, are to learn this
lesson. ' One thing is behind/ saith Christ to him which thought
he had done all; soone thing is behind to him which thinks that be
knoweth all. Art thou wise ? Be not too wise, like thy mother Eve,
which would know as much as God. Paul hath two suits to move
unto you : the first is, that ye would be wise ; the other is, that ye
would not be too wise, for too good, we say, is stark naught ; so he
which is too wise is a very fool. Nay, saith Solomon, ' There is more
hope of a fool, than of him which is wise in his own conceit/ There
is hope of a fool that he may be wise, because he will hear in
struction, but of him that is wise in his own conceit, there is no
hope to make him wise, because he thinketh he knoweth that which
he should learn. For this cause Christ pronounced his woes to the
pharisees, and his doctrines to the people ; because ' the whole/ saith
Christ, ' have no need of a physician/ that is, they which think
themselves wise, like the pharisees, think they have no need of a
teacher ; and therefore Christ doth not teach them, but rate them,
and teach them which did not think themselves wise. Therefore, if
we will be Christ's scholars, we must be Paul's scholars, that is,
' presume to know no more than is meet to know ;' and then he will
teach us as much as is meet to know.

472 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
There is as>much need to warn men, with Paul, that they be not
over wise, as to warn them, with Solomon, to ' seek wisdom/ Prov.
iv. 7, for there is an error of the left hand and of the right hand.
A man may be as well too wise as too simple, too careful as too care
less, too hasty as too slack ; and therefore Solomon saith, ' Turn not
to the left hand, nor to the right/ Prov. iv. 27 ; and again, ' Be not
too just, neither make thyself too wise/ Eccles. vii. 16 ; and again,
* If thou have found honey, eat not too much/ Prov. xxv. 16. All
which places do shew that men are given to over-reach, like Moses,
which, when he had heard God, would needs see him too, which was
not possible for man to behold. This is the last sleight of Satan ;
when he cannot keep men from knowledge, then he casteth how to
puff them up with their knowledge, which makes them as vain as
ignorance made them before. Festus did not apply truly when he
said, that too much learning had made Paul mad, Acts xxvi. 14 ;
but it is true, that too much learning hath made others mad, and
would have made Paul mad too, if he bad been as proud of his
learning as Festus was of his honour. And, for all he was an
apostle, yet it began to work upon him ; as he saith, ' I was almost
puffed up with the multitude of revelations,' 2 Cor. xii. 7 ; he was not
wise above sobriety, but he was almost wise above sobriety. And
therefore he might well sound the retire of wisdom. Look to your
wisdom, and learning, and knowledge ; for I myself was almost puffed
up with it. If Paul might learn bis own lesson, then it is like that
none here have learned it. The scribes and pharisees did not come
to Christ, as the people came to John, to ask, ' Master, what shall
we do ?' But these rabbis might have come to Christ, as well as
their scholars came to Christ's disciples, to whom he would have
answered like Paul, ' Be wise unto sobriety.'
Five things, in my judgment, are to be noted in these words: The
first is, that wisdom is a thing to be desired, for when he saith,
not above sobriety, he would have us wise within sobriety. The
second is, that every man affecteth a kind of wisdom, either ac
cording to sobriety, as Paul counselled the Romans, or above sobriety,
as the Romans did before. The third is, few are wise, as God
counteth wisdom ; and therefore Paul speaketh to all, as though all
were to learn this lesson. The fourth is, that sobriety doth shew,
like a glass, who are wise, and who are not The last is, that the
wisdom which goeth beyond sobriety doth hurt him which hath it,
and others ; for when Paul saith, ' Be wise to sobriety/ he implieth,
that who is not so is in a kind of distemperature, like one scarce
sober. As the meat which is not digested with exercise doth

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 473
rumble in the stomach, so the knowledge which is not, digested
withso^riej^^oubleth-the-brain-. Pouching the first point, the forbidden tree seemed to Eve a tree
to be desired, because it would teach them knowledge, Gen. iii. 6.
Nature taught her, that knowledge was a thing to be desired, though
the serpent pointed her to a wrong tree. For indeed the tree of
life was the tree of knowledge ; and when they went to the other
tree, they changed their knowledge for ignorance, as they changed
their holiness for wickedness. Beside, all other virtues are called
wisdom, Prov. iv. 7, to shew that wisdom is the bond of virtues,
and as much to be desired as all the rest. Beside, God himself is
called Wisdom, to shew that in nothing we can come nearer God
than in the study of wisdom. Beside, the word, the Spirit, and
the ministry, are all appointed to teach wisdom, Prov. v. 7 ; because
other things are not so necessary, therefore they have not so many
schoolmasters. Solomon, speaking of wisdom, preferreth it before silver, to
shew that we should desire it before silver ; then before gold, to
shew that we should desire it before' gold ; then before precious
stones, to shew that we should desire it before precious stones,
Prov. iii. 14, 15, and viii. 13. Therefore Solomon prayeth for wis
dom, and Moses studieth for wisdom, and the queen of Sheba
travelled for wisdom; to shew that wisdom will requite all the
labours and pains that are taken for her. As wisdom is excellent
above all, so it is affected of all, as oil was both of the wise virgins
and the foolish virgins. Nay, the very name to be wise is so
plausible, that Paul saith, 'The Grecians sought after wisdom/
1 Cor. i. 22; they whom God callethv'a foolish nation/ Deut. xxxii.
21 : ' The foolish nation/ saith Paul, ' sought after wisdom,' though
he doth not say that they found wisdom. And in the second of
Matthew we find, that the Gentiles called those men that were
singular amongst them by the name of wise men, as we call them
noblemen which are singular amongst us ; shewing that wise men
should be noblemen, or noblemen should be wise men, according to
the saying of David, ' Be wise, ye which judge the earth,' Ps. ii. 10.
And likewise in Paul we read, that they which never knew what
wisdom meant, yet named themselves philosophers, that is, lovers
of wisdom, Col. ii. 8 ; as though there were such a thing behind,
which all men should love. Thus wisdom bath been a mark which
every man hath shot at, ever since Eve sought to be as wise as her
Maker. But as an hundred shoot, and not one hits the white, so
some come short of wisdom, and some fly over, and some go beside,

474 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
like the arrows which Jonathan shot at David. Therefore Solomon,
speaking of wise men, saith, ' I have scarce found one among a
thousand/ Eccles. vii. 28. Therefore Paul makes a general charge,
' I say to every one, Be wise according to sobriety;' as though every
one had too much wisdom, or too little. Virtue is a mean betwixt
two vices, which couch so close beside her, that one can scarce see
her ; covetousness on the one side, and prodigality on the other
side, and charity in the midst ; pride on the one side, rusticity on
the other side, and comeliness in the midst ; flattery on the one
side, malice on the other side, and love in the midst; carefulness on
the one side, carelessness on the other side, and diligence in the
midst ; diffidence on the one side, presumption on the other side,
and faith in the midst ; superstition on the one side, atheism on the
other side, and religion in the midst ; ignorance on the one side,
curiosity on the other side, and knowledge in the midst ; so that
there is but one virtue still for two vices ; therefore extremities
bear rule in this world. Either we cry Hosanna, or else Crucifige;
either Christ must not wash our feet, or else he must wash our
feet and body too ; either we will have Paul a god, or else we say
he is cursed of God, Acts xxviii. 4, 6 ; either we say, ' Touch not
taste not/ for it is unclean, or else we say, ' Let us eat and drink,
for to-morrow we shall die.' If we love, we do over-love ; if we
fear, we over -fear ; if we be careful, we be over-careful ; if we be'
merry, we are over-merry ; if we be solemn, we are over-solemn ; if
so, we cannot be wise, but we are over-wise ; so soon as we are
thought to know something, we would be thought ignorant of
nothing. There is a kind of down or curdle upon wisdom, like
the train of gentlewomen, which is more than needs, which we
call the crotchets of the brain, which must be weeded out, as the
tree is lopped when it groweth too thick ; or else they will perish
in the brain, like a scum which seetheth into the broth. The
Scripture speaketh of many ancient, and many rich, and many
strong, and many mighty ; but of one wise man, and yet that wise
man, too, before he died, stepped beyond sobriety. Therefore, even
as ye look, lest other men's wisdom should deceive you, so look
lest your own wisdom deceive yourselves. There is a kind of
wisdom which is more contrary to wisdom than ignorance. As
good corn and bad corn come both to market to be sold, and the
bad would have as much money as the good ; so true wisdom and
false wisdom come both, shew both, offer both, praise both, and, as
Jacob took Leah for Rachel, so many take the worse for the better.
Pharaoh said, ' Come, let us do wisely/ when he went about that

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 475
which destroyed him, Exod. i. 10. The scribes and the pharisees
and the elders took counsel against Christ, as though they would
most wisely prevent their salvation. Judas would betray his
Master wisely, and therefore he came with a kiss, and said, ' Hail,
Master/ when he betrayed him. Cain thought to murder his
brother wisely ; and therefore be called him aside into the field, as
though he would walk with him, that none might see, Gen. iv. 8.
Jezebel thought to kill Naboth wisely ; and therefore she suborned
false witnesses, and proclaimed a fast before the murder. Eve
thought it wisdom to eat the forbidden fruit, Gen. iii. 6. Absalom
thought it wisdom to lie with his father's concubines, 2 Sam. xvi. 21,
22 ; the idle servant thought it wisdom to bide his talent ; the false
steward .thought it wisdom to deceive bis master. All these were
wise above sobriety, of whom we may say with Paul, ' presuming
to be wise, they became fools/ Rom. i. 22 ; because they were wise
to evil, their wisdom had but an evil end. All these examples are
recorded to give credit unto this doctrine, ' Be not wise above
sobriety.' As Paul would have the Galatians' zeal according to knowledge,
so he would have the Romans' knowledge according to sobriety. He
which forbiddeth us to trust in our riches, and in our friends, and
in our strength, forbiddeth us to trust in our wisdom : ' Trust not
in thine own wisdom/ We count the simple fools, but God counts
the crafty fools. He which thinks himself wise is a fool ipso facto.
And to shew that they are most fools of all, the apostle saith, that
God chose the foolish to confound them, 1 Cor i. 27. It is said,
Be merry and wise ; but it may be said, Be wise and wise ; for
every wisdom is not wise. As the wise men went no farther than
they were guided by the star, Mat. ii, so a wise man should run
no farther than he is led by the word. When God hath brought
thee unto goodness, he saith, Acquiesce, set down thy rest ; go no
farther than goodness ; so when thou art come to wisdom, rest
where thou art well, as the dove did in the ark.
' The first blessing which Christ pronounceth to any, is to ' the
poor in spirit.' As Paul would have you rich in knowledge, so
Christ would have you poor in spirit, that is, humble in your know
ledge ; for the proud knowledge is the devil's knowledge, and wis
dom to the wicked is like the ark to the Philistines, which did
them more hurt than good. Therefore, as God appointed the people
their bounds which they might not pass, when he talked with Moses
in the mount; so he hath appointed certain precincts of wisdom,'
which when we transgress, we may be said to exceed our commis-

476 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
sion ; like Shimei, when he went beyond the river, which Solomon
forbade him. The rail or pale of wisdom is sobriety. As wisdom
is made overseer of all other virtues, so sobriety is made overseer
of wisdom, to measure it forth in even portions and due seasons^
that none of God's gifts be lost. As water is unto the wine, to allay
the heat of it, and salt is to meat, to make it savoury ; so sobriety
is to wisdom, to make it wholesome and profitable to him which
hath it, and them which seek it of him. ' If thou hast found honey/
saith Solomon, ' take not too much, lest thou surfeit/ Prov. xxv.
16. Nay, if thou hast found wisdom, take not too much, lest thou
surfeit. There is a surfeit of wisdom, which is the dangerousest
surfeit of all other ; when a man begins, like Paul, to be puffed up,
which was Aaron's and Miriam's disease, when they murmured
against Moses, because they thought themselves fitter to govern
than he, Num. xii. 2. No virtue is better than wisdom and humi
lity ; but if a man be proud of his wisdom and humility, then the
virtue is turned into vice. ' If the light be darkness/ saith Christ,
' how great is that darkness ? So if our humility be pride, how
great is that pride ! If our knowledge be ignorance, how great is
that ignorance ! Therefore, as we remember, be wise as serpents ;
so let us remember, be simple as doves ; or else we drown in our
wisdom, like a light that quencheth in his own tallow.
Now, that ye may know how to be wise according to sobriety,
there be certain properties of this sober wisdom which I will shew
you. The first is, Not to arrogate to ourselves more than God hath
given us. As the man said, ' I believe, Lord, help my unbelief ;'
so the wise man may say, I understand, Lord, help my ignorance.
For one thing which we know, we are ignorant of a thousand things
which we should know ; yet the foolish virgins would be thought as
wise as their sisters.
No man can abide to be disgraced in his wit ; we had rather seem
wicked than simple. As every bird thinks her own birds fairest,
so every man thinks his own wit ripest. ' There is a generation/
saith Solomon, ' which are pure in their own conceit, but they are
not cleansed from their filthiness/ Prov. xxx. 12. So there is a
generation which are wise in their own conceit, but they are not
cleansed from their foolishness. There is a generation of such wise
men ; but he which is wise indeed saith, ' I am more foolish than
any man,' Prov. xxx. 2. He which is called Wisdom saith, ' Learn
of me to be humble/ Mat. xi. 29. And he which was counted the
wisest man before Solomon, is called ' the mildest man upon the

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 477
earth/ Num. xii. 3. Therefore James, describing the wisdom which
is from above, saith, that it is ' gentle wisdom/ James iii. 17 ; the
gentle are not arrogant, but the scornful.
The second property is, Not to glory of anything in ourselves.
As James saith, ' Let him which is merry sing psalms ;' so Paul
saith, ' Let him which glorieth, glory in the Lord.' For, as we say,
' Thine is the kingdom/ so we say, ' Thine is the glory ;' and there
fore David saith, ' Not unto me, Lord, not unto me/ &c. Oh, saith
Satan, this is a thing to glory of, knowledge, and learning, and wis
dom ; or else what should a man be proud of ? But when Christ
heard his disciples glory that they had the gift of miracles, which
is a greater matter than knowledge, yet he said, ' Glory not in this,
that ye can work miracles ;' therefore glory not in this, that ye
know him which can work miracles. If that wisdom be given thee,
then thou hast received it ; if thou hast received it, then I say with
Paul, ' Why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?'
1 Cor. iv. 7. Wisdom is not so base a thing, that thine own glory
should be the end of it But, as Esther thougbt that her honour
was given her for the glory of God, so the learned should think
that their learning is given them for the glory of God ; the rich
should think that their riches are given them for the glory of God ;
the wise should think that their wisdom is given them for the glory
of God. The value and praise and honour of wisdom is to do good ;
if we be wise to do evil, we are not wise as serpents, but wise
serpents. The third property is, Not to despise others. Therefore James
calleth the true wisdom a ' peaceable wisdom/ James iii. 17, because
it makes no strife. As he which had five talents did not disdain
him which had but one, so they whieh have more gifts should not
contemn them which have but few. For as the unicorn doth more
good with one horn than otber beasts do with two, so some men
doth more good with one gift than others do with five, because they
choke them with pride. When the pharisee said, ' I am not like
this publican/ he said true ; for then he was not like the publican
indeed, because the publican was better than he was.
The fourth property is, To keep within our calling. He which
meddleth with that which he bath not to do with, is compared to
one that catcheth a dog by the ears, and dares neither hold him
- still, nor let him go ; so he can neither go forward for want of skill,
nor backwark for shame. Paul saith he was set apart to preach
the gospel; so to every work God .hath set some men apart, and
fitted them to that work ; as he did Bezaleel to the building of the

478 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
tabernacle ; and therefore, unless a man be set apart to this work,
he should think of Peter, which, when he struck with the sword,
was bid to put up his sword again, for the sword was not committed
to him, but the keys. In Exod. xvii. 11, we find Joshua fighting,
and Moses praying, and Aaron and Hur holding up bis hands ; so
every man should have a several work. God hath given certain
gifts to certain callings; as no man can exceed his gifts, so no man
should exceeo^his, calling. It is not meeTtlTalTe^nouldnoe'aTree-""
man which was never a prentice, nor that he should leap into
Moses's chair that never sat at Gamaliel's feet. If thou doest never
so well, and be not called to it, the Scripture saith straight, ' Who
hath required this of thee ?' thou art an usurper of another's office.
'A fool/ saith Solomon, 'is meddling;' shewing that a wise man
meddleth not but where he hath to do. We are compared, to a
Jbody^. some men are like the heacLy-and—they-must-rule-; some_are_
like the tongue, and they must teach ;. some .are like the h andj_and
they must work. When this order is confounded, then that cometh
"to pass which we read of Eve ; when the woman would lead her
husband, both fell into the ditch, Gen. iii. Therefore, as Christ
said, 'Who bath made me a judge over you ?' Luke xii. 14, so
they which are not judges should say, Who hath made me a judge ?
He which is not a teacher should say, Who hath made me a teacher ?
He which is not a ruler should say, Who hath made me a ruler ?
And this is a better peace-maker than the lawyer.
The fifth property is, Not to be curious in searching mysteries.
This Paul meaneth when he saith, ' Let no man presume to under
stand above that which is meet to understand/ • The star, when it
came to Christ, stood still, and went no farther ; so when we come
to the knowledge of Christ, we should stand still and go no farther ;
for Paul was content to ' know nothing but Christ crucified/ It is
not necessary to know that which God hath not revealed ; and the
well of God's secrets is so deep, that no bucket of man can sound
it ; therefore we must row in shallow waters, because our boats are
light, and small, and soon overturned. They which have such
crotchets and circumstances in their brain, I have marked this in
them, that they seldom find any room for that which they should
know, but go to and fro, seeking and seeking, like them which
sought Elias's body, and found it not. Let men desire knowledge
of God as Solomon did ; but not desire knowledge as Eve did. For
these aspiring wits fall again like Babel, and run into doubts, while
they seek for resolutions. As the Jews,1 when they heard the
1 It does not seem certain that they were Jews, Acts xix. 13.  Ed.

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 479
apostle preach, burnt their curious books, and had no more delight
'to study such toys ; so when men come to the truth, they are con
tent to leave these fancies, and say with Paul, ' I know nothing but
Christ crucified.' Curious questions and vain speculations are like
a plume of feathers, which some will give anything for, and some
will give nothing for. Paul rebuked them which troubled their
heads about genealogies ; how would he reprove men and women
of our days, if he did see how they busy their heads about vain
questions, tracing upon the pinnacles, where they may fall, while
they might walk upon the pavement without danger ? Some have
a great deal more desire to learn where hell is, than to know any
way how they may escape it ; to hear what God did purpose before
the world began, rather than to learn what he will do when the
world is ended ; to understand whether they shall know one another
in heaven, than to know whether they belong to heaven. This
rock hath made many shipwrecks, that men search mysteries before
they know principles ; fike the Bethshemites, which were not con
tent to see the ark, but they must pry into it, and finger it. Com
monly the simplest men busy their heads about the highest matters ;
so 'that if they meet with a rough and crabbed question, like a
knob in the tree, and while they hack and hew at it with their own
wits to make it plain, their saw sticks fast in the cleft, and cannot
get out again ; at last in wrath they become like malcontents
with God, as though the Scripture were not perfect, and either fall
into despair, or into contempt of all. Therefore it is good to leave
off learning where God hath left off teaching ; for they which have
an ear where God hath no tongue, hearken not unto God, but to
the tempter, as Eve did to the serpent This is the rule whereby
a man may know whether his wisdom stand right. As the covetous
man is needy in the midst of his riches, so a proud man is ignorant
in the midst of his knowledge. Now if our wisdom were examined
by these properties, I fear, as the angel said, 'Thou hast examined
them which called themselves apostles, and found them liars/ Rev.
ii. 2 • so I mi°\bt say, I have examined them which call themselves
wise men, and found them liars. Indeed Solomon saith, ' Many
boast of their goodness, but who can find a good man ?' Prov. xx. 6.
So, many boast of their wisdom, but who can find a wise man ?
They are wise, saith he, in their own judgment; but be saith not
that they are wise in others' judgments. As Paul told the Athenians
that they were too religious, so he would tell many now that they
were too wise ; so wise, that they are fools again. The Galatians'
zeal was without knowledge, but our knowledge is without zeal.

480 A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS.
' Having a show of holiness/ Paul saith ; so some have a show of
knowledge. But as the show of holiness is hypocrisy, so the show
of wisdom is vanity. If they which think themselves wise be wise,
then we have more wise men than beggars ; and peradventure there
be more wise men than of any other sort beside.
As you have heard the notes of them which are ' wise according
to sobriety,' so if you would know such as are wise above sobriety,
you shall discern them by these marks : First, they will have all
the talk wheresoever they come, like parrots. Secondly, they con
temn others, like the pharisees. Thirdly, they spurn at him which
tells them of their faults, like Abner. Fourthly, they jump with
Caasar, like the Herodians. Fifthly, they turn with the time, like
Demas. Sixthly, they seek their own credit by the discredit of
others, like the enemies of Paul. Seventhly, they love to hear their
own praise, like Herod. Eighthly, above all things they would
have their own will, like Jezebel. Whensoever these eight marks
meet, there is a wise man and a fool ; a wise man in his own con
ceit, and a fool in proof. These are the wise men of the north, and
the philosophers of England.
Thus you have heard , the wisdom which is according to sobriety.
If any man do see the spots of his own face in this glass, let him
wash, and be clean. ' He that is wise/ saith Solomon, 'is wise to
himself;' "but be that is over wise, is wise against himself. Here
you may see that a note above Ela is a jarring note, and always
makes a discord in the harmony. Christ would not have us wise
serpents, but as wise as serpents, lest they which are like serpents
should circumvent us. To be wise to evil is an evil wisdom ; and
there is no such enemy unto knowledge as the opinion of knowledge ;
for one which is wedded unto his own wit will never be counselled
of any. Therefore how necessary is it to remember this doctrine ;
and God grant we may remember it. I cannot tell how it comes
to pass that no man can serve God unless he know God (for none
do obey him except they which do know him), and yet it is said
that there was never so much knowledge and so little goodness. •
Surely as Christ said to his disciples,-*' O ye of little faith !' so he
might say to us, 0 ye of little understanding ! for there is not too
much wisdom, but too much ostentation ; humility is none of our
virtues. They which should teach others to be wise according to
sobriety, pass the bounds of sobriety themselves. Every man hath
a commonwealth in his head, and travails to bring forth new
fashions. As the Jews were not content with such rules as God
had appointed them, but would have a king like the Gentiles ; as

A LOOKING-GLASS FOR CHRISTIANS. 481
thepapists" are not content with such laws as God hath appointed
them.'Tut^e^ywiUhaye traditions, fike the Jews ; so the wisdom
of this worldTis to- devise better orders, better laws, better titles,
better callings, better discipline than God hath devised himself.
' Every plant/ saith Christ, ' which my Father hath not planted
shall be rooted up ;' that is, every title, and every office, and every
calling which God hath not planted, shall be rooted up. To be
wise according to this book, is to be wise according to sobriety.
Therefore seek the wisdom of Christ, for the wisdom of the serpent
is turned into a curse, the wisdom of the pharisees is turned into a
woe, the wisdom of Ahithophel is turned to folly, the wisdom of
Nimrod is turned to confusion, the wisdom of the steward is turned
to expulsion, the wisdom of Jezebel is turned to death. This is the
end of the deceiver's wisdom, of the extortioner's wisdom, of the
usurer's wisdom, of the persecutor's wisdom, of the flatterer's wis
dom, of the. sorcerer's wisdom, of the hypocrite's wisdom, of the
Machiavellian's wisdom. As Moses's serpent devoured the sor
cerer's serpent, so God's wisdom shall devour man's wisdom.
Wherefore, ' By the grace of God which is given unto me, I say
unto every one of you,' with Paul, ' Be wise unto sobriety/ Be not
ashamed to seem ignorant of some things, but remember that it is
better to seem ignorant, than to be proud. Thus you have heard
what wisdom is ; now let us pray unto God for it.

VOL. I.

Hh

FOOD FOE NEW-BOEN BABES.

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.

As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye
may grow by it. — 1 Peter II. 2.
This scripture, beloved in the Lord, containeth an exhortation to
incite and stir up the believing Jews, that as God bad enlightened
them with some knowledge of his truth, and sanctified them in
some measure with the grace of his Spirit ; so they would proceed
and go on, and daily increase more and more in the faith and fear
of Jesus Christ, fike the glorious sun, which still augmenteth and
redoubleth his heat and light, till it come to the midst of heaven,
where is perfect day. N_owJhe means whereby we receive all our
growth and increase in God, is the lively preaching of the word of
trutL, And therefore the apostle, by a figurative and borrowed
kind of speech, earnestly presseth them to thirst and long for the
word of God, even the food of their souls, as little infants, which are
new born, cry for the mother's milk to nourish and sustain them.
Fop there are two births mentioned in the Scripture : the one
fleshly and natural, by propagation from the first Adam, whereby ori
ginal and our birth-sin, as it were a serpent's poison, passeth and
transfuseth itself into us ; the other heavenly and spiritual, by
renovation from the second Adam, which is Jesus Christ, whereby
grace and holiness is derived and brought unto us.
In this latter and better birth God is our Father to beget us,
1 Pet. i. 3 ; the church, his spouse, our mother to conceive us, Gal.
iv. 26 ; the seed whereby we are bred and born again is the word
of God, 1 Pet. i 23 ; the nurses to feed and to wean and to cherish
us are the ministers of the gospel, 1 Thess. ii. 7 ; and the food
whereby we are nourished and held in life is the milk of the word,
as in this place. And, therefore, inasmuch as children which are

486 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
new born cannot increase in growth and stature, but must needs die
and come to dissolution, unless they be continually fed and nourished
with wholesome food ; it behoveth all the faithful and godly, who
are quickened and revived in the life of God, ' as new-born babes, to
desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow by it/ I
think we need not many words to clear the general drift and scope
ofthjs scripfjure^ as we need not many fingers to point at the shining
sun. Let us now therefore descend to the particular doctrines which
issue and spring from the several branches of this scripture.
First here is noted ajprepjration^ If we will be bettered and
increased by the word, we must be as new-born babes. Secondly^
our affection and duty when we are new born, we must desire.
Thirdly, thejnattej^and_oJfie^^ the milk of the word.
Fourthly,, the quality of the milk, it must be sincere. Lastly, the
end and use for which we desire it, that we may grow thereby.
For the first point, we must be as new-born babes. Children, we
know, are principally commended for simplicity and harmlessness,
Mat. xviii. 4, 1 Cor. xiv. 20; and, therefore, all those which will
profit in the school of Christ, and receive light and comfort by the
preaching of the word, are here taught to become as babes, to lay
aside all maliciousness, and to bring holy and sanctified hearts, to
the hearing of it : ' Suffer the little babes to come unto me,' saith
our Saviour, ' and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of
heaven/ Luke xviii. 16 ; as if we were never fit to hear and learn of
Christ till we be reformed, and newly changed into little babes
again. For 'the secret of the Lord/ as the psalmist speaketh,, * is
with them that fear him,' Ps. xxv. 14 ; to teach us, that as David
would admit no vile person into his counsel, so God will admit no
sinful souls into his secrets. ' If any man will do God's will/ saith
our Saviour, ' he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or
no,' John vii. 17 ; because no man can learn this doctrine but he
that doeth it, as no man could learn the virgins' song but they which
sang it, Rev. xiv. 3. And Solomon to the same effect saith, ' The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge/ Prov. i. 7 ; as if the
first lesson to be wise were to be holy. And, therefore, Christ is
said to have ' expounded all things to his disciples apart ;' to shew,
that if we will have Christ to teach us, we must go apart from the
world. So that as a man slippeth off all his clothes when he
goeth into a bath to wash him, so we must slip off all our sins when
we come to the word' to feed us ; for wisdom will not rest in the
defiled soul, nor in a body that is subject unto sin. As the devil
would not dwell but in a house that was swept from godliness,

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 487
IJuke xi. 25 ; so the graces of God will not come into the heart
which, is not cleansed from wickedness, for God will not pour new
wine but into new vessels, Mat. ix. 17. Therefore, unless you have
prepared new hearts, look for no new blessings to be poured on you.
The Jews read the Scriptures dailyin their synagogues to find Christ ;
but all in vain, because their veil is not taken away in reading
them ; even so do we preach in vain, and you hear in vain, because
the veil of sin, which is drawn like a curtain over your hearts,
A hideth and eclipseth the glorious light of the gospel from you.
nd therefore, beloved brethren^if youwifiJiayejbeJLord to bless
your hearing, and to prosper our preaching, you must wash and
rinse out the dregs of sin that are frozen in you ; you must purge
the leaven of maliciousness that soureth your souls ; you must cast
up your covetousness, and your pride, and your slothfulness; and
your partial prejudice, like the serpent which spews up his poison
when he goes to drink ; for this is the cause why there are so many
fruitless and non-proficient hearers, because there are so many sin
ful and wicked hearers, j It is said of Christ, that ' he did not many
great, works in his own country, for their unbelief's sake/ Mat. xiii.
58 ; so it may be said that God concealeth many great mysteries of
faith from us for our sins' sake. Qur wickedness stops Christ's
mouth, that he will not speak, as the Jews' incredulity chained bis
bands, that he would not work. Will an embroiderer teach another
man's servant his trade, if he know he will hurt him ? No more
will God teach the devil's servants his truth, because he knoweth
they will offend him. The seed which fell into the thorny ground
sprang up. very cheerfully for a time, that it might seem to give a
great hope of a joyful harvest ; but because thorns grew up with
it, at length they choked it, Mat. xiii. 22; : so that unless we cut up
the thorny sins which naturally sprout and spring up in us, they
will overthrow all the good plants of holy doctrine that are grafted
in us. And therefore the ' prophet Jeremiah willeth us to ' break
up the fallow ground, and not to sow among thorns/ Jer. iv. 3 ; as
if the heart must first be sanctified^ and afterwards instructed, as
iron must first be heated, and afterwards be fashioned. In regard
whereof, I beseech you, my beloved, in the fear and reverence of
God's blessed name, look to your feet when you enter into the house
of God ; press not into this marriage feast without a wedding gar
ment ; 'tread not in the holy sanctuary to hear the word with an
Unsanctified and defiled, filthy soul,
A man will not keep the Sabbath in his working apparel, but
will put on his richest jewels,, and array himself in his best attire ;

488 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
and ¦ yet we make no scruple^ at all to come unto the Sabbath s
exercise with a profane, and a wicked, and our working-day heart.
When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord, God
said, ' I will be honoured of them that draw nigh unto me,' Ley.
x. 3 ; to shew that the Lord doth then look for more holiness at
our hands, when, by practice of his service, and the duties of holy
religion, we approach and draw more near unto him. Wherefore,
to shut up this point, as the beggar, in the Gospel, cast off his cloak
to come to Christ, so must we cast off the cloak of our wickedness
when we come to hear. We must be as babes if we will be Christ's
pupils, because he revealeth knowledge and wisdom to none but
babes, Mat. xi. 25. And yet we must not be babes only, but new
born babes, which have a new soul, a new life, new members, new
affections imparted to them. Whereby we learn that it is not
enough, in our generation, to redress and reform some one dis
ordered affection in us, but we must be changed and new fashioned
in every part. As Saul, when the kingly spirit came upon him, was
turned, as it were, into another man, 1 Sam. x. 9 ; so we, when the
word begetteth us anew, must be turned and changed into other
men : and therefore they which are implanted into Christ are called
' new creatures/ 2 Cor. v. 17, because neither the old heart, nor the
old hand, nor the old ear, nor the old eye, will serve the turn, but
all must be molten and new framed again ; for ' whatsoever is
born of the flesh is flesh,' John iii. 6. If we will have it spirit,
that is, fit for God's worship (who ' is a spirit, and will be wor
shipped in spirit and truth/ John iv. 24), it must be born again of
the Spirit. The sense hereof made the prophet David cry out,
' Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within
me/ Ps. li. 10. And therefore we must not patch and piece out our
hearts for God like a beggar's cloak, which is made of shreds ; but
we must be ' renewed ' and thoroughly changed ' in the spirit of
our minds/ Eph. iv. 23. When Naaman the leper had washed in
Jordan, his flesh came again like the flesh of a young child ; if the
leprosy of sin be washed and purged from us, all our affections, all
our desires will be altered and changed like the flesh of a child.
And therefore, if we will fit ourselves to be good bearers, we must
not entertain friendship with any sin. As the adder slips off her
skin, and the eagle casteth her bill, so we must quite strip ourselves
of all our lusts, when, as new-born babes, we come to hear.
' Touch no unclean thing,' saith the Lord, 2 Cor. vi. 1 7. Because
sin will cling to the conscience like bird-lime to a feather, therefore
we must not touch it ; it must not have a finger of us. When the

c

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 489
devil made his re-entry, he took unto himself seven other spirits
worse than himself, Luke xi. 26, Mat. xii. 45. Thusjme devilbr jngs
5?orejleviISjjn^ .sins>,^s».j3.n.s..„cro w. calleth
many crows toajarrion. And therefore, as the leaven was hid in the
meal till all was soured, Mat. xiii. 33, so let us never rest seasoning
our souls till all be sanctified ; for then we be fit to understand
every part of God's will, when we be in every part new-born again.
Furthermore, this point discovereth and descrieth a gross error (J
in popery concerning the works of nature, which are wrought and
e§^t-^~X.%e~-§lrAg]£^^ °X°uj ownjfree will, without
the finger and grace of God. For whereas the papists acquit many
of them, and clear them from sin (as if an unregenerate man, by the
strength and ability of his own will, as it were mounted upon his
own wings, were able to aspire to the accomplishment of holy desire),
we see that the_ apostle in this plac^e_ma^ejbh^u)_pJJi£r.^account of
the unregenerate thanjD.f.djadJmin ; and therefore that they must
be quickened and new born again, before they can practise or per
form any vital action in the fife of God. Christ is resembled to a
vine, and we to the branches, John xv. 5 ; for as all the juice and
sap, whereby the branches spring and live, issueth and ariseth from
the root of the vine, so all the grace and goodness that is in us
droppeth and distilleth from the riches of the person *of Jesus
Christ. Before God blessed Sarah, she was barren and childless ;
so, until God bless our hearts, they be wicked and fruitless. And
therefore, as an unclean fountain cannot send forth sweet water,
nor a bad tree bring forth good fruit, no more can the corrupt and
wicked heart of the unregenerate bud and bring forth any good and
virtuous actions, Mat. xii. 33. Thus much of our condition and
preparation, whereby we have learned with how holy and with how
sanctified affections we ought to repair to the hearing of the word.
Now followeth our duty and affection when we are new born.
As new-born babes, desire. We must not be children in waver
ing and inconstancy; because the apostle saith, that God hath fur
nished his church with ' pastors and teachers, that we be no more
children, wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine/
Eph. iv. 11, 14 ; reeling from faith to faith^from religionjto religion,
like a drunken man from wall to wall. Nor must we be children
in understanding anHTEnowledge, because the same apostle saith,
'Brethren, be not children in understanding; but concerning
maliciousness be children, but in understanding be of a ripe age/
1 Cor. xiv. 20. But we must be children in an ardent and burning
affection, in thirsting and longing for the word of God : ' Blessed are

490 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
they which hunger and thirst, after- righteousness, for they shall be
filled, Mat. v. 6 ; because ' God fills the hungry with good things,
but the rich and the wealthy he dismisseth empty/ Luke i. 53.
' The kingdom of God suffereth violence,' Mat. xi. 12, because none
can enter at the narrow gate, but such as strive, and throng, and
thrust to enter. And therefore, as when the dam feeds her young,
every bird gapeth, and struggled, and stretcheth out the neck to
receive the food, so when we come to hear, every man must reach
and stretch out his heart to receive the word ; for then, indeed,
the word worketh most effectually in us, when our hearts before are
kindled and inflamed with desire of it, like wax which receiveth
any stamp after it is heated. The Shunamite's child, which was
raised by Elisha, so soon as his flesh began to wax warm, sneezed,
and opened his eyes, and revived again ; so, when we wax warm in
the spirit, and conceive a desire and a thirst of the word of God,
it is an undoubted token that we are born again, and there is
breath and a soul within us, and we are. not utterly dead in the life
of grace. As, contrariwise, they which, have not a sharp and hungry-
appetite to be fed and satisfied, with the milk of the word, are but
dead carcases, and skins full of rotten bones ; so that this city.
which should be the glory of the kingdom, may well be termed'
Golgotha, the place of dead men's skulls, in regard there are so
many thousand souls dead in sin, dead in desire, who have no thirst
and hunger for the word, of God. If they have a bare reading
minister, as children have a puppet to play with, they think them
selves in a happy estate ; as if Efisha's staff could raise the dead child
without Elisha, and the word give life without a preacher. It may
be they can be content, with Micah, to accept a Levite, if they light
upon him ; but who will send to Jerusalem, the school of the pro-.
phets, as Saul sent to. Bethlehem, to fetch David for his comfort I
I think you know my meaning : I would not wish you wait till
preachers offer themselves to instruct you, but to send to the schools
of learning, to provide godly and able men, who may minister the
word in due season. Balak, because he longed for Baalam, went
to the utmost coast of the country to meet him ; the father, because
he longed for his prodigal son, ran to kiss him a great way off ;
David, because he longed for the ark, went and brought it up from
Kirjath-jearim. So then, indeed, we desire the word of God, when
we will not stay till it come unto us, but we will prevent, it, and go
to the utmost borders of our country to fetch it home unto us.
We must ' desire the milk of the word/ and we must ' desire it
as babes, that is, in three respects. First, they say children, so

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 491
soon as they are born into the world, presently cry out for the
mother's dug ; so must we, so soon as we feel the grace of God to
have renewed us, while we are yet hot from the womb, hunger and
thirst for the milk of the word. If the mother should defer to give
her child suck, were it able to live a month, or a week, or a day ?
No more is our faith able to sustain and support itself, unless it be
presently nourished with the food of life. Christ, so soon as he had
raised up Jairus's daughter, commanded her meat, Mark v. 43 ; as
if it were in vain for us to be quickened by the finger of his power,
unless we be fed by the word of his grace. . And therefore Eden was
watered so soon as it was planted, Gen. ii. 8, 10, to show that we
must be strengthened so soon as we are instructed. So that it is.
a great fault amongst us, when God hath quickened us with his
Spirit, and we perceive his graces to bud and to blossom in us, that
we presently provide not moisture to nourish and to preserve them.
We count it a miracle that Elias lived forty days without food, arid
yet we, after many years of famine, still post off the feeding of our
souls. We think it always too soon to begin, though we begin then
when we are ready to end; as the rich man, who then went in hand
to enlarge his barns, when he was even at death's door to resign his
life, Luke xii 18, 20. As Christ was sent to heal the ruler's daughter
when she was ready to depart, Mat. ix. 18, so many never desire the.
preacher's company till they be ready to die. They say that the time
is not yet come that the Lord's house should be built, nor is it yet
time to sanctify their souls for God, nor yet time to provide for the
milk of the word. And thus we post off from day to day, from year
to year, till we be arrested by death, as the bad lawyer drives off
his client from term to term, till the suit be lost Lot was so long
loitering and trifling in Sodom, that the angel was fain to pluck him
out with violence ; and certainly, unless the Lord by the good means
of his providence should pluck us out of ignorance and darkness,
wherein we use such trifling, and plunging, and delaying, scarce one
of a thousand would be saved. Wherefore, beloved in Christ, if Paul
have planted you in the true faith, desire also an Apollos to water
you. If the foundation be laid by a master builder, seek out a skilful
workman who may roof it also. If you have received one grace,
speedily desire the preaching of the word, that it may increase and
grow up, by dressing and manuring, into a double grace ; for even
the best gifts will wither and decay in you unless they be presently
watered with the word.
Again, we know that children are so greedily carried with a desire
of their food, that when hunger assails them, they neither regard

492

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.

leisure, nor necessity, nor willingness of the mothers ; but, all ex
cuses and business set apart, so soon as they cry for it, they must be
fed. Even so we must not think it enough to desire the word, but
we must be earnest, and fervent, and importunate in calling and
crying for it. A notable parable it is in Luke, how one called for
bread in the night ; the other answered that he was in bed, which
seemed a reasonable answer, and yet it would not serve, Luke xi. 5,
&c. So we have long called, my brethren, and we have a great while
craved the bread of life. Though it may seem a reasonable answer,
that they cannot give it us without impoverishing themselves and
their children, who are fat and enriched with the minister's main
tenance, yet we ought not to be daunted and discouraged so, but to
continue asking still, as Peter continued knocking till the door was
opened, Acts xii. 16. For as Jehu was known by his furious march
ing, so you may know a faithful and true Christian by his zealous
perfecting of holy purposes. The mother does not always feed her .
child for love ; but many times to keep it still and quiet, is con
strained to leave all and give it suck. So if our mother neither*
reverenced God nor feared men, yet if we would be earnest and
importunate with her, if we would continually cry and call for it, as
babes do for the milk, she would feed us at last, if not of love, yet at
least to be eased of us. It is an old saying, that he which asketh ,
faintly, teacheth us to deny him. If we would teach men to grant
us, we must ask with courage and constancy. And therefore, as
Jacob wrestled with the angel, and said, ' I will not let thee go
until thou bless me/ so must our requests wrestle with the governors
of our land, and say, I will not let you rest until you hear me. This
doctrine indicteth and convinceth a great number of us, who, though
we have a desire to the word, yet we are so chill, and so cold, and
so loose in it, that in every cross event we stand stone still. If it
be but a straw, it is a block in our way, because, as Jeremiah
speaketh, ' we have no courage for the truth upon earth/ Jer. ix. 3.
We have some love to the truth, but we have no courage to labour
and adventure for it, as a merchant that would gladly gain, but
dares not venture the seas for fear of drowning. If the people be
somewhat backward, or a preacher cannot be procured at the first
dash, while the fit is fresh upon us, we take our discharge, and cast
off the care for ever after. ' The slothful man says, There is a lion
in the way ;' and so we discourage ourselves in seeking good things,
because there is pains in the way. But if we desire the word as
i babes do milk, we must never rest to desire it until we have it.
Lastly, we know children are continually craving food ; a little

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 493
pause, and then to the breast again ; and therefore we must not be
gorged and glutted with once serving, but continually desire it. We
must be of Elias's diet, bread and flesh in the morning and evening
too ; so morning and evening our souls must be fed. The apostle
exhorteth, ' Let the word of God dwell in you/ Col. iii. 1 6 ; because
it must not take up a night's lodging, and so be gone ; but it must
have a continual residence and abode in our hearts. Though the
ground be good, yet it must have the former and the latter rain to
make it fertile ; and yet many of us think to grow green with one
ghower, and to go unto heaven with one sermon. It is reported of
the faithful, that ' they continued daily in the temple,' Acts ii. 46,
as if a Sabbath day's exercise would not serve the turn, unless we
had some ordinary repast on the working days also. And therefore,
as the lamp burneth continually in the temple without quenching,
so the word must continually sound in our ears without inter
mission. Thus you see, beloved, that if you will ' desire the milk of
the word as new-born babes/ you must desire it presently, without
'¦ delay ; importunately, without fainting ; and continuaUy, without
loathing, never being satisfied with it.
Now we come to the matter and object which we must desire,
namely, our food and nourishment in Christ, which is here called
' the milk of the word.' To this our Saviour recalleth us from all
our dainties : ' Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for
the meat which endures to eternal life/ John vi. 27. For the word
is everlasting food, and immortal seed, 1 Peter i 23, 25, because it
makes us immortal, and to last for ever. We desire wealth, honour,
pomp, and pleasure, and everything save the milk of the word,
which we should desire ; like Adam, who had all trees, and yet
liked none but the forbidden tree. There is a desire of the world,
but it is a tare to choke the good corn, Mat. xiii. 22 ; there is a de
sire of money, but it is 'the root of all evil/ 1 Tim. vi. 10 ; there is
a desire of the flesh, but it fighteth and wageth war against the
spirit, Gal. v. 17 ; there is a desire of pre-eminence, but it is swell
ing and ambitious, James iv. 1 ; there is a desire of revenge, but it
ariseth from a rash and carnal spirit, Luke ix. 54 ; there is a desire
of praise, but it is cursed and pharisaical, John v. 44, and xii. 43 ;
the blessed and holy desire is, to desire the milk of the word.
When Jonathan saw the honey dropping, he must needs be licking;
so when ye see the milk of the gospel, ye must desire to be suck
ing. Of all the blessings of Canaan this was the chiefest, that it
flowed with milk and honey ; and this encouraged the Israelites to
travel through the desert to possess it. The word is a land flowing

494 FOOD FOR. NEW-BORN BABES.
with better milk and honey, and we must not think any pains or
toil too much to attain it. God hath many names in scripture to
make us conceive more honourably of him ; so hath the word many
titles to make it more amiable. It is called a lantern, to direct us,
Ps. cxix. 105; a medioine, to heal us; a guide, to conduct us; a bit,
to restrain us ; a sword, to defend us ; water, to wash us ; fire, to in
flame us ; salt, to season us ; milk, to nourish us ; wine, to rejoice
us ,; rain, to .refresh us ; a treasure, to enrich us ; and the key, to
unlock heaven gates unto us. Thus the word is named by all
things, that we should only desire it instead of all things. And
surely therefore the word is in no great request among us, because
we know not what blessings it bringeth with it. It is called 'the
word of salvation/ because it saveth the soul from pining ; as the
corn which Joseph sent did Jacob's house from famine. So that as
-Elisha said of Jordan, ' Wash, and be cleansed ;' so may we say of
the word, ' Hear it, and be saved/ It is . called ' the word of life/
because it reviveth the spirit ; as Elisha's bones revived the
Israelite. It is called 'the word of reconciliation/ because it is
like a golden chain to link God and us together. And in regard
hereof it is called ' a jewel of inestimable price,' Mat. xiii. 46; as if
all the treature in Egypt were not wealth enough to buy it. And
therefore, as David longed for the well of Bethlehem, so we must
long and languish for the milk of the word.
The word is resembled to milk in three respects : first, because
it is the only food of the faithful, as milk is the only and proper
food of babes ; secondly, because it is not hard and intricate, but
plain and easy to be 'conceived, as milk is easy to be digested-;
thirdly, because it is sweet and comfortable to the soul, as milk is
sweet and pleasant in taste.
For the first point, the Lord chargeth the Israelites to ' do what
soever he had commanded, and not to add or diminish anything,'
Deut. xii. 32. And Josiah, Joshua, and the rest, when they would
renew the Lord's covenant with the people, read nothing but the
law ; to shew that it was the only rule and square of all their duty.
And therefore Isaiah recalleth us 'to the law and to the testimony/
Isa. viii. 20, &c. ; and Christ sends us to search the Scriptures, be
cause ' by them we have eternal life/ John v. 39. And therefore
the popish chuxchr-which, not content with the milk of the gospel,
hathbjrpached many heathen traditions and unwritten trasfiTdoth
not feed, but choJke_ancTpoison her children with them, and deprive
the Lord's people of this food of life ; and, like cursed Philistines,
stopping up the wells of water which others have digged, what do

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 495
they else but starve and famish so many nations ? Well may their
•hedge-priests, like dry nurses, delight and disport the children for a
season ; but when hunger bites, when the distressed conscience
would be fed and comforted, then they are not able to afford them
the very crumbs from Christ's table. And therefore we must needs
account the estate of those congregations to be full of dread and
horror, which have not this milk of the word to feed their souls ;
which want a good steward to give them their meat in due season;
which, fike the Egyptians, lie crawling in the dark, when other
"cTiurches enjoy most'cbmfortable light. Jacob forsook the blessed
land of Canaan when it had no bread ; and can we be enamoured
of those assemblies where there is no soul's food ? If ye did consider,
my beloved, that ye cannot be nourished unto eternal life but by the
milk of the word, ye would rather desire your bodies might be without
souls, than your churches without preachers. I tremble to think how
oft you have heard this, and yet how little you have performed it.
For the second point, that the doctrine of the gospel is plain,
appeareth when 'the wise man saith, ' All the words of his mouth
are plain and easy to him that will understand/ Prov. viii. 9 ; ' The
testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth light to the simple/ Ps.
xix. 7 ; ' If our gospel be hid/ saith the apostle, ' it is hid unto
them that perish/ 2 Cor. iv. 3. For as the sun, which was made
to lighten all things, is most light, so the word, which was made to
clear all things, is most clear ; so that, if there be no communion
between light and darkness, and the word of God be ' a lantern
unto our feet, and a light unto our paths/ Ps. cxix. 105, then it is
evident that the word hath no darkness in it. If we see -not all
things, the fault is not in the light, but in the eye ; as Hagar could
not see the water, which yet was before her. And therefore our
adversaries falsely charge the Scriptures of exceeding hardness and
intricateness. When the spies were returned from Canaan, they
could not say but that it was a good land, Num. xiii, but they said
.it was hard to come by ; sojthejapists must needs confess that the
^Scripture is a good word ; and yet, to dissuade the Lord's people
from'"a"senous"and diligent search of it, they bring up a slander,
and say, It hath many_ obscurities and _ by-paths. But as Elisha
saw tFe"horses" and fiery chariots which his enemies could not see,
•so, beloved, if ye come with a faithful _and .a holy heart to the word
*and to the scripture/ye i shall "see that plainness and easiness in the
¦doctrine which our adversaries cannot see.
For the" third ^point, that the gospel is the only comfort and con-
isolation of a faithful soul, the prophet Jeremiah saith, ' Thy words

496 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
were found by me, and I did eat them ; and thy word was unto me
the joy and rejoicing of my heart/ Jer. xv. 16. ' Thy testimonies
have I taken for an heritage ; for they are the joy of my heart/
Ps. cxix. 111. As a man will be glad to be hired to a nobleman,
so David, when he had gotten the milk of the word, rejoiced as
much as if he had been hired unto God. And, therefore, in all the
story of the Acts, we see joy and comfort to have followed the word,
as Elisha followed Elias, and would not leave him. As the wise
men rejoiced exceedingly when they saw the star which should lead
them to Christ, so ye have matter of great joy and comfort when
ye hear the word preached, which shall carry you to heaven, like
the chariots which conveyed Jacob into Egypt. There be many
Michals in this land, which have mocked king David for dancing
before the ark. There be many which term us heady and foolish
men, because we come, and throng, and press thus to a sermon.
But as Christ said, ' Father, forgive them, they know not what they
do/ so I, God forgive them, they know not what they say. For if
they did feel the calm of conscience, the joy of heart, the consola- •
tion of spirit, and the exceeding and everlasting comforts in God,
which the faithful possess and enjoy by hearing the word, they
would account us not only fools, but stark mad, if all the pleasures,
or profits, or dangers of the world should withdraw or withhold us
from it. So much for our food ; now we come to the quality of our
food. It must be sincere milk.
Sincere, both in its savour, and also in effect and operation ; for,
as in nourishing our body naturally, our blood cannot be good if
our diet be unwholesome, so in feeding our souls spiritually, neither
our hearts nor affections, nor our words nor our works, can be good,
unless the milk be wholesome whereupon we feed ; and therefore,
as our Saviour bids us 'take heed what we hear/ Mark iv. 24, so
the apostle, to the like effect, gives a caveat to take heed upon what
we feed. For there is a pure and fresh doctrine in Jer. i. 7, and
there is a sour and leavened doctrine in Mat. xvi. 6. There is a
new wine of the gospel in Mat. ix. 17, and there is a mixed wine in
the cup of fornicators, Rev. xvii. 2. There are wholesome words,
2 Tim. i. 13, and there are corrupt and unwholesome words, Eph.
iv. 29. There is a doctrine of God, John vii. 16, and there is a
doctrine of the devil, 1 Tim. iv. 1. There is an edifying and a
building word, Eph. iv. 29, and there is a fretting and cankered
word, 2 Tim. ii. 17. As the prophet's children cried out, 'Death in
the pot/ so some places may say, Death in our food ; and therefore
it is that we are so often forewarned in the Scripture to ' beware of

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 497
the leaven of the scribes and pharisees/ Mat. xvi. 6 ; to ' take
heed of the prophets, which come to us in sheep's clothing/ Mat.
vn. J 5 ; to ' beware that no man seduce us through philosophy/
Col. ii 8; to 'try the spirits, whether they be of God or no/ 1 John
iv. 1 ; as we must taste our food before we digest it, and try our
gold before we treasure it. Christ tasted the vinegar, but would
not drink; so when we taste false doctrine, we must reject it.
There are many greedy of milk, but it is dragon's milk ; they take
great pains to learn, but it is to learn the language of Ashdod, and
not the language of Canaan ; they run to hear, but to hear fables
and untruths. Nimrod was as painful in building of Babel as
Solomon in rearing the holy temple. Micah entertained a Levite,
and consecrated his silver, but to an idolatrous worship. The
Israelites melted their ear-rings, but to erect a calf. Jezebel fed a
great rout of trencher-chaplains, but to honour Baal. Many desire
to have milk, but they will have it from dragons, poisoned ; and
therefore we are here warned to desire the sincere milk, &c. ; for
the Lord will not have the wine of his .word to be mingled and
mashed with the water of human inventions : ' He that hath my
word, let him speak faithfully/ Jer. xxiii 28. What is the chaff
to the wheat ? God would not have one field sowed with two kinds
of grain, to shew us that he would not have one heart filled with
two kinds of doctrine. Dagon could not stand with the Lord's
ark ; no more can Christ's truth hold any fellowship with the word
of error. And therefore, as the ministers must beware that they
make not_merc^han^ise_of_tiiejTOrd_of God, so must the people also,
that they drink not any milk but that which is sincere. And here
ye ought, my beloved, more carefully to behave yourselves, as ye
see the devil more subtilly to assault you ; and under the cloak of
zeal and reformation, to bring into the Lord's sanctuary most
wicked profanation.
As a man will be more wary to try every piece of gold, when he
sees many counterfeit and Flemish angels- to fly abroad ; so when
ye see many sorts of doctrine crawling daily like locusts out of the
bottomless pit, ye must be more diligent to taste and try which is
sound and sincere.
It followeth, that ye may grow by it. Here is the end of our
hearing, that we may grow in grace, and increase in the faith of
righteousness. For the faithful are called the ' trees of righteous
ness/ because they must be always springing, Isa. lxi. 3 ; ' living
stones/ because they must grow in the building, 1 Peter ii. 5 ; ' good
VOL. I. i i .

498 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
servants/ which must trade and traffic the Lord's talents to in
crease, Mat. xxv. 21, 23 ; ' fruitful branches/ which must be purged
and pruned by the hand of the heavenly husbandman, John xv. 2.
Isaac must not always hang on Sarah's breast, but must be weaned ;
so we must not always be children, but grow up and increase, and
profit more and more. As the star never ceased till it came over
Christ, so we must never rest walking till we come to God. If we
have faith, we must proceed ' from faith to faith/ Rom. i. 17 ; if
we have love, we must ' increase and abound in love/ 1 Thes. iii.
12; if we have zeal, we must endeavour to be 'consumed with
zeal/ John ii. 17 ; if we be ' liberal to the distressed saints' of God,
Rom. xii. 13, we must double our liberality, as Elkanah gave
Hannah a double portion, 1 Sam. i. 5. If we read the Scriptures,
2 Tim. iii. ] 5, we must go on and ' continue in prayer/ Col. iv. 2. If
we ' give alms/ we must step on one foot farther, and give them
' with cheerfulness/ 2 Cor. ix. 7. And thus, as the eagle continually
soareth till she come to' the highest, so must we still increase till
we come to perfection. Let us be ' led forward unto perfection' ;
Heb. vi. 1 ; as if a faithful man were like a ship under sail, never
anchoring till he arrive at heaven. The greater is our sin, which
hear, and hear, but are never the more reformed for our hearing;
like Pharaoh's ill-favoured kine, which devoured the fat kine, but
remained as ill-favoured as they were before ; so many of us, when
we have lugged the breast almost dry, after twenty, or thirty years
feeding are as scragged and lean as we were before. /No man almost
among us is more zealous, no man more faithful, no man more con
stant for the truth, no man more fervent in religion, no man more
sanctified, no man more diligent in practising, nor less vicious now,
than he was an hundred sermons ago ; as if we were night-black
ravens, which cannot be washed with all the snap .o^_tbe_^gsp_g1,
Though we have long heard, and still desire to hear, yet we do not
grow by our hearing ; we are very dwarfs in Christ, scant able to
go, little in faith, little in love, little in patience, little in obedience,
little in zeal ; like Zaccheus, so little that we cannot see Christ.
This is an undoubted evidence that we have not fleshly but stony
hearts, which, though they be washed, yet they cannot be watered
with the sweet showers of the gospel. For is there not in every
tavern, and in every shop, and in every house, and in every ball, as
much covetousness, as much bribery, as much cozening, as much
wantonness, as much maliciousness, after this long shine of the
word, as there was before ? Are we not now as slothful in God's
service, as dissolute in the practice of Christian duties, as dishonest

FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES. 499
m our dealings between man and man, as proud in our attire, as
light in our behaviour, as hypocritical abroad, as sinful at home, as
we were before? And what is the reason thereof, but that we
come to the fountain rather to draw than to drink ; rather to hear
than to be bettered and sanctified, and increased by our hearing ?
One sort heareth not at all, like Eutychus, which was sleeping when
Paul was preaching, Acts xx. 9 ; another sort forgets all, as Nebu
chadnezzar did his dream ; the most part remembers all, but will
make no practice of it, as a carpenter, which should square all by
rule, and sticks it at his back, and works all by aim. But assuredly,
my beloved, it were better you never heard, than thus in despite of
God to abuse your hearing. ' If I had not spoken to them/ saitb
Christ, ' they should have had no sin ; but now have they no cloak
for their sin/ John xv. 22. What cloak can ye have, when God
offereth grace, and ye wilfully refuse it ? As meat, the more a
man receiveth, the more it distempereth, if it be not digested ; so
the more ye learn, and the more ye hear/the greater is your sin, if
ye grow not by it. If the servant which hid his talent in a napkin
was so handled, what shall be done to them which suffer their talent
to perish? And therefore every man must 'beware bow he
heareth/ Luke viii. 18 ; every man must take heed that he 're
ceive not the grace of God in vain/ 2 Cor. vi. 1 ; that he ' desire
the milk' of the word/ to be bettered and 'increased by it.'
Wherefore, whosoever thou be that hearest this, and wilt hear
others, search thy conscience, whether thou be grown in any virtue
since thou heardest the last sermon ; consider what sin thou hadst
last Sabbatb, which thou hast not this Sabbath. If thou find no
; change, then the word hath not had his working in thee ; thou art
not increased by the food which thou receivest. Will not a man be
angry to set his child to school, and find him always at his A B C ?
So God will be displeased if we be negligent and slack, and never
take out his lessons, but stand at a stay. I know many of you will
give me the hearing of this, as you have done many of my brethren
heretofore ; but as the worm struck Jonah's gourd, and it died in
the morning : so by the next morning a greedy worm of covetous
ness, or the like sin, will have perished all. If it do so, know ' the
Judge standeth at the door/ ready every hour to summon you to
death, to make your appearance at the bar of justice, and to give
up your account for every talent, yea, for every lessOn that you have
learned and left unpractised. As for you, if any of you walk in
dutiful obedience to the word, I beseech you in the fear of God, and
in the bowels and love of Jesus Christ, that ye will abound and in-

500 FOOD FOR NEW-BORN BABES.
crease yet more and more, and contend by all means to put in
practice and exercise those things that you hear ; that so at length,
when ye be ripe for the sickle, and the great day of harvest be
come, ye may be gathered as good com into the Lord's garner, and
be invested in the holy heavens with that blessed kingdom which
God hath provided for them that serve and fear him. Amen.

END OF VOL I.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

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