EVen as a shepheard, séeking a lost shéepe, Similie 1. is woont to go vp to some high place, that from thence he may view the vallies be­low, and the better whistle and call vnto Ezech. 34. vers. 12. 16. his shéepe: So the Sauiour and redéemer of the world, séeking againe mankinde that was lost, went vp to the high crosse, fixed and fast set vpon mount Caluarie, that with the lowd voice, and great out­crie of his sufferings, death and passion, he might call vs vnto himselfe.

And although the wicked and vngodly ones of this world, do despise the cries and callings of Christ, as he himselfe affirmeth, saying: I haue called, and ye haue refused, I haue stretched foorth Prouerb. 1. 24. my hand, and there was none would looke towards me: yet the elect and saints of God, do heare the fearfull shrikes, and lamen­table noise that he sent from his crosse, euen as the shéepe hea­reth the voice and whistle, of the shepheard.

Wilt thou know whose shéepe thou art, then consider well whose whistle thou dost follow. For Christ doth say: My shéepe Iohn. 10. 27. heare my voice, and I know them, and they do follow me. And immediately before, to the vnbeléeuing Iewes he saith: Ye be­léeue Iohn. 10. 26. not, for ye are not of my shéepe.

SKilful and cunning Physitions, are woont somtimes, when 2 a sick man is sore vexed, with a numnes of his whole bodie, to cut a veine of his head, that the letting of blood, may heale the bodie, of that disease and sicknes: Christ is our head (as the Coloss. 1. 18. Apostle saith) & we are his members: a veine of our head is cut, that our whole bodie may be healed: Christ suffered, that man­kinde might be redéemed. When the fulnes of time was come Galat. 4. 4▪ (saith the Apostle) God sent his sonne made of a woman, brought vnder the law, that he might redéeme those that were vnder the law.

AS they, which by reason of the blearednes of their eies, 3 turne their backs towards the sun, and not daring to open their eies towards the light, are delited with places that be darke, and full of shade, and so not hauing the benefit of the sun light, are caried about, by many waies full of perils and dan­gers: So they, which through the dimnes of their mind, & want Mos Papista­ [...]um. of vnderstanding, do contemne the true & liuing God, do please themselues with al maner of most perilous and pestilent errors, and not considering that cléere and heauenly light, which com­meth from God, they fall into the gulfe, and sinke to the bottom of that most foule and filthie puddle of all false opinions, errors, heresies, and worshippings of false gods.

AS the soule in the body, doth giue to all the members, moo­uing 4 and life: So the prouidence of a godly king, is pre­sent to euerie part of his kingdome, stirring vp his whole commonwealth, to vertue and godlines: and ruling and gouer­ning the same, with iustice and iudgement, as though in his owne person he were present, in euery place.

AS they which do dissolue and marre the picture of a king, ve­ry 5 skilfully made of golde, & pretious iewels, by a wittie and wise workman, and do translate, and change the same gold and goodly gems, into the likenes of a dog, which they do make of the same matter, do say that that their likenes of a dog, is the picture of the king, bicause it is the same golde, & the same pretious iew­els: Euen so all péeuish and pestilent heretikes, do dissolue, Papists, Familists, Brownists, & such others. breake and mar (so far as in them lieth) the proportion of a true, substantiall, and liuely faith, and of the same places and autho­rities of holy scripture, falsly vnderstood, and wickedly expoun­ded, they frame and garnish a resemblance and a paterne, of dis­loialtie, deceit, trecherie, and treason: and they say, it is a perfect picture of faith and truth, bicause it is made of the same places of the holy word of God. And by this their sorcerie, they do be­witch and deceiue many weake and fraile soules, perswading Iude 4. them, that their foule figure of a dog (that is, their pestilent and most detestable heresie) is the goodly picture and resemblance of the king, that is, the expresse proportion of a right faith, and truth it selfe. From all such sorcerers good Lord deliuer vs.

EVen as the raine watereth the fields, and maketh them 6 fruitfull, and causeth corne to grow, & giueth strength vnto the same, and garnisheth and beautifieth all goodly plants, with abundance of most pleasant fruits: Euen so the word of God, and doctrine of Christ, bedeweth & moisteneth the children of God, and féedeth & nourisheth their soules, to euerlasting life, and causeth them to bring foorth very excellent vertues, and most rich and plentifull fruits, & effects of a true Christian faith. This swéete dew of the Gospell of Christ, God hath giuen to vs, in our daies very plentifully, and in great measure, according to that the kinglie prophet saith: Thou, O God, wilt reserue a seasona­ble Psalm. 61. 9. raine for thine inheritance: that is, thy heauenly doctrine, for thine elect and chosen children. Ezechiel also, There shall be Ezec. 34. 26. the dewes of his blessing.

AS he that entreth into a faire, and goodly goldsmithes shop, 7 richly furnished with pretious pearles, and costly iewels of all sorts, ought not to mislike those excellent things, & great trea­sures, bicause he séeth among them, a blacke fornace, dustie coles, and sundrie instruments of base mettall, bicause those instru­ments, coles and fornace, must néedes be had, to make those iew­els, as chaines, earerings and bracelets of gold, withal: So in the church of God, where are innumerable men, some famous for their wisedome, some renowmed for their pietie, some forward and feruent in Christian loue and charitie: and many excelling in all kinde of vertues: if a man shall sée there, some vnlearned, some deceiuers, some wicked ones, some tyrants, and many vn­godlie ones, he ought not therefore, to picke a quarrel against the church of Christ, nor yet to thinke of the ruine and destruction of the same. For there should be no martyrs, if there were no ty­rants. The Lord would not haue created (saith Augustine) either August. de ci­ui [...]. Dei, lib. 11. cap. 18. angell or man whom he knew would prooue wicked, but that he also knew, to what vses of good men he would imploy them.

AS one candle cannot light another, if it selfe be put out: So a 8 prelate or preacher, shal not inflame others, with the loue of God, himselfe being voide, and without that same loue.

And yet I know, it is possible, if it please God, that by a wic­ked and vngodly man, sinners may be conuerted, and brought to repentance.

FOr euen as a godly maister, somtime giueth a good almes, 9 by the hand of a wicked seruant: So God (if it seeme good to him) by the ministerie of an euill man, can draw the vngod­ly, to know him, to feare and to loue him.

Yet neuertheles, I do exhort all the ministers, and preachers Good coun­sell. of the Gospell, to do their best indeuour, to kéepe themselues vn­spotted of the world, and so boldly (but charitably) to reprooue, taunt, checke, and chide the sinnes and iniquities of others.

The tongs and the snuffers, which were in Salomons Tem­ple, Exod. 37 23. wherewith they did snuffe the lamps, were of most pure golde (as the scriptures do report) to signifie the puritie and cleannes of them, which are bound to reprehend and to correct, the slips and faults of others.

AS he which hoordeth vp, and hideth his wheate, that it may 10 not helpe & succour hungrie soules, in the time of dearth, is grieuously cursed of men, women and children: and he that in a famine and great dearth doth bring foorth his corne, and selleth it, is highly praised and praied for, of the people: So that mini­ster and preacher, deserueth sharpe and rough reprehensions, which will not impart his knowledge and skill, to the hungrie and thirstie soules, of the children of God: and he is woorthily praised, which openeth vnto them, the garner of diuine doctrine, which teacheth and preacheth, and doth faithfully exercise the office of a watchman.

He that kéepeth close, and hideth his corn (saith Salomon) shal Prouerb. 11. be cursed among the people, and a blessing shall be vpon the head of the sellers.

EVen as Perillus that skilfull workman of Athens, that he 11 might gratifie Phalarides that cruell tyrant, presented him with an vglie bull of brasse, wherin men being inclosed, might be tormented and afflicted, with a strange engine, and new deuised torture, lost his life, & suffered a most fearfull death, by that his owne inuention, as Plinie reporteth in the tenth booke of exam­ples: for at the commandement of the wicked tyrant, he being inclosed, and fast shut vp, in the bull, which with great skill, and no lesse charges, he had most cunningly and curiously wrought, that he might delight the eares of Phalarides, a most sauage tyrant, and void of all humanitie, with the lamentable shrikes [Page 5] and intolerable tortures and torments of men, he himselfe first by experience, tried the paine and smart thereof, and imbrewed in his owne blood, that famous and curious péece of worke, which he had deuised to torment others withall: Right so, wicked and cruell counsell, many times redoundeth vpon the heads of the authors of the same: according to that of the Psalmist:

He spred his net, he digged déepe, and fell himselfe, into the Psalm. 8. pit, which he made for others: Let his craftines be turned vpon his owne head, and let his iniquitie fall vpon his owne pate.

Wicked Haman was hanged himselfe, vpon the gallowes, Ester. 7. which he had prepared for good Mardocheus.

AS a field, although it be fertile, without tillage cannot be 12 fruitfull: So the minde of man, without the word of God, and heauenly instruction, must néedes be barren, and can bring foorth no effects of faith, nor fruits of godlines.

AS the sea (especially that, which is called Mare mediterra­neum) 13 is woont to imitate the aire, as, if the aire be calme, the sea is very calme also, if the aire be stormie, the sea also is very stormie: Euen so the common sort of people, in all places for the most part, do follow their prince: if princes be iust, subiects loue iustice: if the prince be vngodly, they imbrace vn­godlines.

Therefore, it was woorthily obserued and said, of wise men in times past, That the people is the shadow of the prince.

A king or prince giuen to iniquitie, with his sin killeth him­selfe, and with his example many others, bicause he hath many followers. For we do sée, that whatsoeuer alteration and change of maners, shall be in princes, the same is woont to follow in the people: for princes do not onely conceiue vertues or vices them­selues, but also, they do as it were powre them, into the citie and countrie where they raigne and rule.

EVen as a brooke doth follow the nature of the fountaine, 14 from whence it commeth: So people do follow the dispo­sition of their prince: the fountaine being troubled, the brooke is troubled also, and the prince disquieted, the people finde no peace.

Herod the king was troubled, and all Ierusalem with him. Matth. 2.

[Page 6]Whiles he raigned, impietie ruled, good lawes were nothing set by, iustice and iudgement lay dead, ancient and laudable cu­stoms were banished, there was no rest, no peace, which is the end of godly gouernment. For, to that end are gouernors ordai­ned, that people may liue in peace.

The worke of iustice, shall be peace. Esay. 32. Psal. 85. Psal. 72.

Iustice and peace, haue kissed ech other.

There shall arise in his daies, iustice and abundance of peace.

AS the roote of a trée, being vtterly rotten, the boughes cannot 15 bud and florish, nor bring foorth pleasant fruits in their due time: So iustice being violated, it cannot be, that peace can flo­rish, and bring foorth so plentifull fruits, as she is woont to do.

THe prosperitie of this world, is as the cléerenes of winter 16 weather: as the calmnes of the sea, and stabilitie of the moone. As these do wauer, and be suddenly changed: So the state of wealth and worldly things, hath no firmnes, no per­petuitie, no constancie: for as it is said: All these things passe Sapient. 5. away like a shadowe, and are as a messenger running afore.

Man flieth away like a shadow, and neuer continueth in one Iob. 33. state. For somtime it falleth out, that when thou dost thinke, thy selfe to haue gotten innumerable riches, and great dignitie, and that thou art set, euen in the top of excellencie and honor, then all of a sudden, in the twinkling of an eie, thou art hurled from that high and mounting glorie of the world, downe headlong into a bottomles gulfe of all disgrace. For out of that place, which thou hadst thought, to be full of rest and securitie, very often great ca­lamities, and most bitter blustring stormes, in the turning of an hand suddenly do arise. Séeing therfore, that these things stand so, we ought not to put any confidence in deceiueable dignities, nor to be proud of them: neither must we trust, in the vncertaine riches of this world, which are daily changing, but we must flie to our redéemer & onely sauiour Christ Iesus, & place our whole hope, and settle all our confidence in his infinite and endles mer­cies. God giue vs grace to do so.

Amen.

EVen as the eagle is caried vp on high, and falleth not vpon 17 the ground, but to séeke his necessarie foode, and hauing caught his pray, by and by flieth vp againe, and maketh no [Page 7] abode below on the earth: So we ought to haue our mindes oc­cupied in heauen, and all superfluous care of worldly things laid apart, with the eies of our mindes and faith, to behold our God, and in the quietnes and staiednes of our soules, rest our selues vpon his grace, without hauing more to do with this world, than in our seuerall callings, to séeke lawfully those necessaries onely, which may serue for the preseruation of life. Which had, we should in the meditation of our mindes, and the thoughts of our harts, with all our powers flie vnto our God. The apostle Paule his counsell is excéeding good: Hauing meate and drinke, and 1. Timoth. 6. wherewith we may be clothed, let vs be therewith contented, for they that will be rich, do fall into tentation, and into the snare of the diuell.

And Salomon making his praiers vnto God, hath these words: Prouerb. 30. Giue me (O Lord) onely necessaries for my life, least if I be too full, I may be drawen to denie thée. And againe:

Better is a little with the feare of the Lord, than great and Prouerb. 15. insaciable treasures. Dauid also:

Better is a little that the righteous man hath, than the great Psalm. 36. riches of the vngodly.

EVen as thicke and blacke cloudes, do obscure and darken 18 the bright and glittering stars: So degenerating posteri­ties, and such as be polluted and blemished with trecherie and iniquitie, do dishonor their ancestors, and do extinguish the cléere light of their noble vertues, and do put vpon them the vgly darksomnes of their owne vices: that although they be noble men by birth and discent, yet they fall into obliuion, and by little and little are quite forgotten. It is better, that a man be renow­med and nobled, by his owne noble acts and excellent vertues, than to depend vpon the nobilitie of his ancestors. They ought not to be called the sonnes of noble men, which please them­selues with vanities, and do wallow in ignominie and wicked­nes, but the sonnes of those wicked ones, whose kinde of life they do imitate, and whose footsteps they follow.

Christ called the wicked Iewes, which said they had Abra­ham Ioan. 8. to their father, the children of the diuell. And speaking of Christians he saith: And how many soeuer did receiue him, he Ioan. 1. gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God. In Christ Iesu (saith the apostle) neither circumcision auaileth any thing, nei­ther Galat. [...] ▪ [Page 8] vncircumcision, but a new creature. True nobilitie before God, consisteth not in the prowesse of ancestors, but in newnes of life by faith in Christ.

AS the pleasant and swéete riuer of Iordan, when it runneth 19 into Asphaltites that bitter poole of Palestina, is also made bitter & vnwholsome, & loseth the vertue thereof: So, that man, which ioineth himselfe in friendship, and doth couple himselfe in familiaritie, with wicked and vngodly men, becommeth wicked and vngodly himselfe, and is stained and blemished with their vices, although héertofore he had béen inclined to vertue and god­lines. It is therefore pithily said of Ecclesiasticus: Depart from Eccles 7. the wicked, and euill things will depart from thée. And the apo­stle in the fift of the first to the Corinthians, & also in that to the 1. Corinth. 5. Galath. 5. Galath. saith: A little leauen doth sower a whole lump of dowe.

AS of necessitie, a shadow doth accompany those that walk 20 in the sunne shine: So is enuie a continuall companion, to those, that in good and honest things, do excell others, and are aduanced and renowmed with the best. There is no fe­licitie (saith Valerius Maximus) be it in neuer so good measure and modestie, which can eschew the gnarling and gnawing téeth of enuie. One demanded of a learned man, how he might auoid enuious persons: If (saith he) thou shalt haue no excellent thing in thée, and shalt do nothing fortunately. Enuie is alway vertues companion, and is euer at the héeles of them, which in honestie, vertue, and godlines go beyond others. Miserie onely admitteth no enuie.

EVen as the inferiour planet, shadoweth and ecclipseth the 21 planet that is aboue it, but the higher, not the lower: So, men without honestie, indued with no wisedome, not ac­quainted with vertue, and enimies to true godlines, do their greatest endeuour, to distaine the commendation, and deserued honor, of notable and very woorthie men. Iob calleth him a little Iob. 5. one, or a man of no valure, that is tormented with grudging and repining against the welfare of others. An enuious man, is as vnprofitable to a citie, as darnell is to wheate.

AS rustinesse consumeth iron: so enuie consumeth the en­uious 22 man: enuious persons are mightily tormented, at the prosperitie of a superior, bicause they cannot match [Page 9] him: and they greatly disdaine an inferior, least he should ouer­take them: and they cannot abide their equals, for their equalitie sake. Learned Basill and Bernard, do compare an enuious person with a viper, for as she conceiueth hir yoong one, which (as they report) is brought foorth, with the breaking of the belly of hirdam, and vtterly killing hir bréeder: So the enuious man con­ceiueth that enuie, which gnaweth and teareth in péeces him­selfe, and worketh his owne ruine, and vtter destruction.

ENuie is a picture, or a resemblance of hell: it is a great losse 23 without any gaine or aduantage: it is a dangerous dam­mage, without one dram of commoditie. Cursed Cain, set Genes. 3. forward with the stinging goades, and smarting pricks of enuie, did kill Abel his good and gracious brother. And the sonnes of Iacob, in their hot burning enuie, sold Ioseph their innocent and Genes. 35. best brother. Saule in like maner, being through enuie almost be­side 1. Sam. 18. himselfe, sought by all meanes, to take away the life, of holy and faithfull Dauid. We are taught in the booke of Wisedome, Sapient. 2. that through the enuie of the diuell, death entred into the world. This euil and dangerous disease is very busie in these our daies: to enuie superiors, to speake euill of men in authoritie, to back­bite and slander them, which séeke the vnitie and the peace of the church, and to condemne those that hunger and thirst after the aduancement of Gods glorie, and the frée passage of the Gospell of Christ. The Lord amend it.

AS a staffe made of a réede, is hollow and emptie: So the 24 confidence and trust, which we put in this world, is vaine and will deceiue vs. Therefore the Lord commanded the people of Israel, by the prophet Esay, that they should not go downe into Egypt for refuge, and doth denounce the destruction of those that would flie thither, in these words: We be to them, Esay. 31. which go downe into Egypt to séeke for helpe there. And againe: Thou dost trust vpon a staffe of a réede, and the same broken, that Esay. 36. is, vpon Egypt, &c. it will deceiue thée. Euen such is the helpe of man, whereunto infinite thousands of people, despising and for­saking God, do most earnestly flie. But let vs leane vpon, and Exod. 7. Exod. 14. trust to the rod of our God, which deuoured the rods of the E­gyptians, and diuided the red sea into two parts, whereof Dauid speaketh: Thy rod & thy staffe, O Lord, they haue comforted me. Psalm. 23.

EVen as learned and skilfull physitions, with the bitter poti­ons, 25 and sharpe medicines, which they minister vnto their patients, do mixe some swéete and pleasant thing, to win those that be sicke, the more willingly to receiue them: So preachers of the word of God, being learned and godly wise, ought (if néede be) to temper their bitter and rough reprehensions, with a swéet and comfortable doctrine, and so of sharpnes and mildnes, to make a soueraigne and holsome medicine, to heale the spirituall griefes and diseases of their hearers. For in all things that are done and spoken, a measure kéeping, and temperance must be vsed, and consideration must be had, what is fit for the time, and agréeable to the persons, and what in all our words and actions doth beséeme or misbese [...]me vs.

AS some birds, afore they flie out, and mount on high, stoupe 26 downe with their heads, and touch the ground with their bils: So euery man, before he be aduanced to any high dignitie, ought to shew great humblenes of minde, and a casting downe of himselfe.

EVen as many men, are much delighted with musicke, and 27 will most gladly heare musitions, make songs of the noble acts, and singular vertues of many men, but neuer care to imitate one vertue of a thousand, which they heare, with praises extolled vnto the skies: So very many men in these our daies, are outwardly very forward, to heare sermons, and the word prea­ched, and as Ananias, will be willingly, to sée to, at some cost to maintaine preachers, and all is (in many) but méere hypocrisie, to please their owne humors, with some strange and new mat­ter, with some Logike, Rethorike, and brauerie of words, which they looke for, without any purpose, to frame their liues, after such doctrine as the preacher deliuereth.

AS bées passing ouer other things, take pleasure only in flow­ers, 28 and forsaking the rest, do crop them: So, some hearers of the word preached, do only desire to haue their eares fed, with fine phrases, delicate flowers of eloquence, daintie similies, pre­tie comparisons, and pleasant histories, as for sound doctrine, they contemne it, and hate to haue it, a bridle for their lusts, a reproouer of their vanities, and a glasse to sée themselues in, they [Page 11] séeke after flatteries and fables, and they loath the truth, which should do them good. The holy apostle foreséeing this, said: The 2. Timoth. 4. time will come, when they will not abide wholsome doctrine, but after their owne lusts, will gather to themselues teachers, & hauing itching eares, will be turned into fables. And we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that the Athenians applied them­selues to nothing else, but to heare, and to learne newes. And yet Act. 17. notwithstanding, though the case stand thus in our time, the preachers of the word, ought not to giue ouer their faithfull la­bours in teaching, but rather to be the more diligent, carefull, and feruent. For although, there be many curious, vaine and idle hearers of their doctrine, yet there be many graue, learned, and godly ones, which séeke onely the good of their soules, and the comfort of their consciences. And if there were among a thousand, onely one that loued and sought the truth, for that one sake the truth of God, ought to be preached. That same excellent saying of the famous Poet Antimachus, is well woorth the re­membring: who, when he read his booke to all his schollers cal­led togither, and all (sauing Plato) forsooke him, before he had en­ded his reading: I will (saith he) go forward, and reade on, for Plato is to me, as much as all the rest.

AS physitions do oftentimes cut off a rotten member, least 29 it corrupt and putrifie the other members: So it behoo­ueth men of authoritie, if they will preserue the common­wealth in safetie, to roote out of it, all those, that do giue them­selues, euen with gréedines, to beastly behauiour, and to rotten conditions, as theft, adulterie, fornication, murther, blasphemie, trecherie, treason, and such like: least the rotten ones, destroy them that be sound, and the brutishly minded, staine those that be of chaste conuersation, and the wicked and rebellious crew, draw the better sort to disobedience. Solon said wisely, that A Solon. common wealth is maintained, and vpholden with two things, to wit, with due reward, and due punishment. For as it behoo­ueth, to reward well, those that be profitable members, and such as do liue in the feare of God, and due obedience: so it is no lesse necessarie, and néedfull, to giue vnto the wicked their deserued punishment.

EVen as the moone is not ecclipsed, nor loseth any light, but 30 when it is at the full: So men are woont, then chiefly to be [Page 12] ecclipsed, and darkened, c [...]ncerning the loue of God and their neighbours, when they be full of riches, and do abound with worldly wealth.

ANd as the moone, when she is at the full, is farthest from 31 the sunne, of whom she hath hir light: So, many of those men, which do flowe on euery side, with the goodes and riches of this world, do euen then in the middest of their wealth, withdrawe themselues farthest from God, from whom them­selues, and all their treasures, and whatsoeuer, haue their being. And although, some vertues now and then, do séeme to make, a shew in them, yet through the cares of this world, and the desire of riches, they be quite ouerthrowen and vtterly buried. There­fore our sauiour Christ, compareth riches with thornes. For he Matth. 13. Marc. 4. Luc. 8. expounding what those thrones might signifie, into the which the séede fel, which being choked of them, brought [...]oorth no fruit, he saith, that those thornes ar [...] the riches of the world, the which, though with their beautie they delight men, with their works they do pricke them. Of these doth God speake by Esay the pro­phet, saying: In his daies there shall growe vp thornes and net­tles. Esay. 34. Also Augustine, that ancient and graue teacher saith: Hast thou gotten riches? then hast thou lost quietnes.

HE that is adorned, and well furnished, with many and 32 great vertues, although he be a very poore man, concer­ning this world, yet is he to be honored. For as pretious stones, though they be cast into the mire, yet they lose not their beautie, nature, and propertie: So men indued with honestie, replenished with goodly vertues, and well acquainted with the true worshipping, of the most high and gracious God, although they be silent, as men in their graues, and are had in contempt of the world, yet haue they not lost their dignitie, and the true honor proper to Christians, which consisteth not in the wealth and renowine of this world, but in holines, in righteousnes, and in the faithfull imitation of Christ. Godly men are great men, though the world make no reckoning of them, and wickedmen, are vile and base men, although the world set and place them, in the heighth and top of all honor. Nothing is higher, nothing lof­tier, than vnfained vertue. There is nothing lower, nothing ba­ser, nothing [...]iler than vice. Wheresoeuer is a iust man, there is [Page 13] a great and mightie man, and wheresoeuer is a wicked man, there is a man of no account, with God and his saints.

AS a little image, though it be set vpon an high mountaine, 33 is notwithstanding a little one still: and on the other side, if Colossus that huge and mightie image, be placed in a very lowe vally, yet loseth not his bignes: So a wicked and cursed man, that is fraught with sundrie vices, though he florish in honor and riches, yet is he but a seely meane man: and on the other side, a man that is vertuous and godly wise, although he be in extreme pouertie and beggerly estate, yet out of doubt he is a great man, and to be highly accounted of. And certainly it were an excellent change betwéene these two, if the good poore man, had the honor and the riches of the wicked man, and he the pouertie and beg­gerlines of the good man.

EVen as a cloud darkeneth the aire, and couereth the sunne: 34 So, calamitie and miserie, maketh cloudie the mind of man, and taking from him all his ioy, it leaueth him bare and naked, without comfort, and full of sorrow.

AS a wall all whited on the out side, is not easily perceiued, 35 whether it be made of stone, or of clay, vnlesse it be smitten, and tried with a mallet, or some other instrument: So, a man garnished outwardly with good things to sée to, is not by and by iudged, and presently discerned, whether he be a man of pati­ence, of charitie, and other vertues, vnles he first be smitten, and tried with the mallet or béetle, of obloquies, slanders, afflictions, troubles and temptations. The apostle Paule made answere to one, that would shadow his wickednes, with a cloke of vertue: God will smite thée thou painted wall. Act. 23.

AS those things which agrée not with our nature, and haue 36 no proportion with it, as fire, sulphure, and such other things, if we should eate them, would not onely not profit vs, but would also hurt and kill vs: So, the deceitfull riches of this world, too much desired and sought for, the pompe of honor, vaine glorie, and such like, after the which, very many do run to too earnestly, do not onely not nourish the soules of men to eter­nall life, nor mitigate and appease the wicked lusts of the same, [Page 14] but also do bring vpon them euerlasting wo, with vtter and end­lesse destruction. The foode best agréeing with the soule of man, is vertue, the propertie whereof is, aboue all things to loue God, to wish for him, to sticke to him, to feare nothing but him, and for his sake, to despise this world, and al the trash of the same, and in him, and for his sake, to loue them, that hate vs, to féede them, that would hunger-starue vs, and to saue the liues of them that would kill vs. Riches, dignities and honors, may be possessed and holden without sinne, but the gréedy coueting of them, and ambition, which the apostle calleth the roote of all euils, without great sinne, cannot be holden. 1. Timoth. 6.

EVen as the bough of a trée, the fuller it is of fruit, the waigh­tier 37 it is, and the greater and more plentiful fruit it beareth, the lower it falleth: So the wiser a man is, the more humble he is, and the more he is loden with the fruits of wisedome, the lower he stoupeth, and humbleth himselfe the more: but the proud man, like a fruitlesse and barren bough, lifteth his head on high, not séeking the profit and good of his soule, but the idle praises of men, and the vaine glory of the world. Thus is it, that the proud man, comming to the sacred and most holy scriptures, there he worketh his owne woe, and as it were suppeth vp his remedilesse destruction. For it is that holy mountaine, where­vnto if any shall come, in the likenes of a man, & shall bring with Exod. 19. him the life of a beast, he shall be stoned to death: and where he might haue furnished, and stored himselfe, with true and hea­uenly wisedome, if he had come vnto the holy word, in humility, reuerence, and with an hart and minde well prepared, from thence he carrieth his owne vndoubted, and most certaine death, and helpelesse damnation: bicause he would with his owne ar­rogancie and swelling pride, pearce into the déepe secrets, and hid­den mysteries, of the oracles of God. Of such speaketh Salomon in his Prouerbs: He that will be a searcher out of God his ma­iestie, Prouerb. 25. shall be ouerwhelmed of his glorie.

EVen as, if any man would stéedily looke vpon the bright 38 sphere of the sunne, he should become blinde, bicause the weake sight of his eies, is not able to abide so great a brightnes: So, whosoeuer, trusting to his owne wit, shall cast the eies of his minde, vpon the woonderfull and vnspeakable [Page 15] brightnes, of the secrets of God, he shall be ouerthrowen of the same, and the sight of his minde being blinded and put out, he shall neuer attaine to that, which he would: bicause the great and hidden mysteries of the most high God, cannot be compre­hended, by mans wit being puffed vp with pride, or else there should be no difference betwéene God and man, if man of him­selfe, could attaine vnto, the secrets of Gods eternall maiestie sealed vp in his blessed word, and not to be opened, but by the mightie power of his most holy spirit. So much did those things Exod. 40. 1. Reg. 6. & 8. signifie which were in sanctis sanctorum hid and couered.

Paule, perhaps, leaning & trusting to his owne wit, before he receiued the faith of Christ, would pearce into Gods mysteries, but comming far short of his purpose, he wandred in a great and dangerous error, and would néeds (being inflamed with hatred) euen kil those Christians with the sword, whom he ought not to haue wounded or vexed with a word. But a light from heauen Act. 9. compassed him about, and falling to the ground, he saw nothing, & yet his eies open, as before, wherby his former disposition was signified: but afterward when he did cast downe and truly hum­ble himselfe, and all his pride laid apart, came to Ananias, he re­ceiued his sight. And in that his humilitie he said: I am the 1. Cor. 15. least of the apostles, which am not woorthie to be called an apo­stle, bicause I persecuted the Church of God. Dauid saith: The Psal. 25. Lord openeth his secrets inclosed in his word to those that feare him. In which words our God promiseth, that he will vnfold and reueale, to godly and humble men of hart, the secrets and priuities of his holy oracles. Vpon whom shall I looke (saith the Esay. 66. Lord) but vpon the sillie poore man, that is contrite in hart, and trembleth at my words? Héerehence commeth that saying of the blessed virgin: He hath beholden the lowlines of his handmaidē.

THou shalt sée somtimes in the aire, a cloud hauing the fi­gure 39 and likenes of a tall and mightie man, which by and by is spred abroad and representeth huge and high towers: but in the turning of an hand, being taken with a blast of winde, it is dissolued and vanisheth away: Euen such is the trust, that we put in this transitorie world. This world doth set before vs, in the conceit of our imagination, that we shall be great men, and that we shall be very famous, and attaine to great dignitie, it doth promise vnto vs mountaines of golde, and huge and lofti [...] [Page 16] towers of honor and renowme: but all these things are towers builded in the aire, and castles made of winde and grounded vp­on vanitie, which are dissolued and dispersed most suddenly. Iohn the seruant of God did well consider of this, when he gaue this 1. Ioan. 2. counsell: Loue not the world, nor those things that be in the world: the world passeth away, and the lust of the same. And Paule saith: The shape of this world passeth away: he saith not, 1. Cor. 7. the substance of this world, but the shape passeth away. If then this world must néedes passe away, and returne to it nothing againe, if that we take to be a substance, be but a shape, thinke we then, that our life, our hope, our riches, our pleasures, shall continue? no surely. For Iames saith: Our life is as a vapour, Iacob. 4. Sapien. 2. appéering for a very short time, and our life is dissolued as a cloud in the aire.

AS our eies, which do behold heauen and earth, and other 40 innumerable creatures of God, do not sée themselues, but looking in a glasse, by that meane, they perfectly sée them­selues: So we do not sée and consider our owne frailtie, and bric­kle estate, but if we will set before our eies, the glasse of the re­membrance of death, and the true knowledge of our selues, be­holding diligently (I say) that cléere glasse, we cannot choose but very plainly sée our selues and what we be. Iames the apostle Iames. [...]. doth point vs to the law of our God, and willeth vs to vse that glasse, to behold our selues in. Indéed it is a true glasse, it wil not flatter nor deceiue vs: it will tel vs that we be but dust, and that we shall againe returne to dust. Iames séemeth to say plainly to vs thus: Know your selues, and least ye be deceiued, behold your selues in the glasse of truth, which is the perfect law of libertie. Sée what thou art, and what thou shalt be. Remember that thou art a man, and consequently dust and ashes. O that we would re­member this: O that we would be content to imbrace this most certaine truth: O that this glasse might neuer depart, out of our hands and harts▪ Augustine that learned teacher, saith well: Be­fore thou wast man, thou wast earth: and before thou wast earth, thou wast nothing. Héere thou maist easily sée thy progenie, thy nobilitie, and the woorthinesse and excellencie of thy stocke and linage. Be not proud therefore, for thou art but dust and ashes. Eccl [...]. 10.

EVen as a little bird shut vp in a cage, although it be very pre­tious 41 and costly, and be made of Cedar, Iuorie, or gold, yet [Page 17] she desireth to go out, and striueth to haue hir libertie, and in hir eager and earnest desire to be gone, she doth oftentimes thrust hir bill through the loupes of the cage: So the soule of a vertuous man, inflamed with an vnfained loue of God, being shut vp and holden in the coupe of his bodie, although he abound with all necessaries, fit for the preseruation of this temporall life, yet most earnestly desireth, to depart hence, and to go to his countrie, which is heauen. And in token that he would faine go thither, he fetcheth many a déepe sigh, and many a gréeuous grone, and doth full often craue of his creator, with his chéekes all to bedewed, and smeared with the teares of his eies, that, this exilement being finished, he might rest for euer, in that happie and holy house of blessed soules, where he may haue the fruition of his God, and euerlasting life through Iesus Christ his onely sauiour and redéemer. Euery Christian man, although he haue wealth at will, and haue stately and roiall houses, glittering and florishing with Iuorie and golde, yet ought he to aspire towards heauen, and in hart and desire, to flie towards his best countrie, saying with the Apostle: I would faine remooue hence, and go 2. Cor. 5. Philipp. 1. to dwell with the Lord. And againe: I do séeke, or desire to be dissolued, and to be with the Lord Iesu.

EVen as vipers do eate out, and teare in péeces the bellies of 42 their bréeders, that themselues may get out: So, not the Iewes onely, but the Papists also, do mangle and teare in péeces the law of God, and do rent, and corrupt the words and doctrine of the holy prophets of God, euen as it were a belly, and bowels, that they may créepe out, and escape from a liuely, per­fect and a sauing faith, and they may be confirmed in their er­rors, heresies, and infidelitie. Yea, as the Iewes, haue from time to time, slain the gracious and wise prophets of God, euen so the Papists now, where they beare any sway, of rule and authori­tie, do most cruelly torment and murther the saints of God.

EVen as the delicate ballance of a goldsmith is mooued with 43 euery little weight, so that with one graine laid vpon it, it falleth downward: So, with euery thing, whether it bée luckie or vnfortunate, we are woont to be greatly mooued, and do suddenly change our purposes: somtime we excéede in mirth, by and by we are ouerwhelmed with sorrow: we are euen now [Page] praising men to the skies: and presently we hurle them downe from heauen, with our toongs, and thrust them into hell. We loue men, and hate them: we saue men, and kill them, all with one breth: now we choose vertue, and by and by vice. Thus doth mans will obey his vnbrideled lust. The Lorde redresse, and amend it.

FOr euen as the Chameleon, changeth his colour, according 44 to the thing whereupon he sitteth: So we at euery tenta­tion do change our mindes, and are driuen from our pur­poses, and determinations, and our wicked lusts, and the vngra­cious thoughts of our harts, do force, and driue vs, euen whither they will.

ANd as the Chameleon, will be changed into any colour, saue 45 white: So are we most apt and prone, to all kinde of vice, but to no vertue.

AS he that falleth into a riuer, if he neither mooue hands, 46 armes, nor legs, is quickly drowned, and sinketh downe dead to the bottome; but if he swim, escapeth aliue: So he that trusteth to that faith, which the apostle Iames calleth a dead Iam. 2. faith, bicause it hath no good effects, and bringeth foorth no liuely fruits, as an holy loue to God and man, pietie, patience, pitie, mercie, compassion, and such like vertues, he must néedes be drowned in vtter destruction, and sinke downe into the bottom­lesse gulfe and pit of hell: but he that mooueth his hands and his féete, to do the déedes of a true and right faith, which (as the Apo­stle Paule saith) worketh by loue, and shall be a doer of the word Galat. 5. [...]a [...]. 1. and not an hearer onely, he shall escape safe out of all dangers, and shall arriue at the happie hauen of eternall happines, and euerlasting life, through Christ Iesus: whereto the Lord bring vs all, if it be his will.

Amen.

EVen as the riuer Hypanis, which is very famous, and much 47 spoken of, bicause of the cléerenes and swéetnes of the water of the same, after that it receiueth into it, the bitter and troubled waters of the fountaine Exampes, is poisoned and made vnpro­fitable: So many men of great and excellent wits, which did flow with the pure and pleasant waters of vertues, when they [Page 19] haue fallen into the societie and familiaritie, of vngracious and godlesse men, haue béene poysoned with the lewdnes of their liues, and the loosenes of their conditions. And conceiuing their inexpiable fraudes, haue béene fouly disgraced, with their most detestable vices.

FOr as rotten apples do corrupt those sound ones that do 48 touch them, and lie close to them: So the euill manners, & had conditions of the vngodly, do infect those that kéepe thē companie. Therefore, Blessed is the man, that hath not walked Psalm. [...]. in the counsell of the vngodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, and hath not sit in the seate of scorners, &c. And, I haue not sitten in the counsell of vanitie, and will kéepe no companie with the Psal. 26. wicked, &c.

Go out of Babylon (saith the Lord) and flie from the Chalde­ans. Esay. 48. Ierem. 50. Depart out of the middest of Babylon, and go from the land of the Chaldeans.

Peter denied Christ when he came into Cayphas his hall, &c. Matth. 26. 1. Cor. 15. And Paule saith: Euill words corrupt good maners.

AS it profiteth nothing, to graffe a plant, if with a whirle­winde 49 or storme, it be pulled vp by the rootes, before it beare fruit: So the word of God, being heard and laid vp in our minds, shall do vs no good, if before it bring foorth fruit, with some blu­stering blasts, and sturdie stormes of temptations, it shall be roo­ted out of our harts. Therefore saith the kingly prophet Dauid: Blessed is the man, whose delight is in the law of God, and in Psalm. 1. that law, doth meditate day and night. He saith not, that that man is happie and blessed, which heareth and readeth the word: but he pronounceth him to be happie, which doth practise the same in the course of his life, and doth digest it in the stomacke of his vnderstanding, and endeuoreth himselfe with all diligence to obey it, and shal spend daies and nights in the meditation there­of. And the Lord by Ezechiel saith: Thou sonne of man eate this Ezech. 3. booke. And againe: Thy belly and thy bowels shall be filled with this booke. Very many do eat the word of God, and yet remaine emptie: many do take it, whose bowels (that is, their harts and minds) are not filled with it, bicause in very short time, either they do forget it, or else they apply it rather to a vaine curiositie, than to the profit and good of their soules: neither do they obserue [Page 20] those things, which they know, in their consciences, by the in­struction of the word, ought to be obserued. Such a thing did the Lord obiect against the vnthankfull Iewes, by Aggeus the pro­phet: Ye haue sowe [...] much, but ye haue inued little: you haue Aggae. 1. eaten, but you are not satisfied. They eate much, and are not sa­tisfied, which heare and reade much, and leade euill and wicked liues, so far staining and polluting themselues, with foule sinne and filthie vices, that their life and profession do woonderfully [...]ar and vtterly disagrée.

EVen as that man, which goeth about, to cut downe a tall 50 and mighty Cypres, being barren, vnprofitable, and an idle trée, that other fruitfull plants, which are letted and hin­dered through the noisome shadow of it, may increase and pros­per, doth not despaire, though at the first or second blowe, he fell it not, but by little and little he striketh with the axe, vntill at the length he lay it along: Euen so a preacher of the worde of God, although he sée no profite follow his preaching, no faults amended, no sinnes abated, yet for all that, he ought not to de­spaire, to faint, and to hide his talent in the ground: let him preach againe & againe, and neuer giue ouer, that at the length, with the two edged sword, of the pure word of God, he may hew and fell downe the huge and monstrous trée of sinne, and all ab­homination: and that the new plants, of vertue, holines and righteousnes, may grow, prosper, and increase.

AS he that would haue a little flame of fire, to mount and rise 51 vp on high, first kéepeth it lowe, and holdeth it downe, with the force of a van, and the gathering togither of much winde: Euen so our God, presseth vs downe and kéepeth vs lowe, that he may lift vs vp, and exalt vs on high, he throweth vs downe héere in earth, that he may exalt vs in heauen, and laieth many times disgrace vpon vs in this world among men, that we may be gracious in the world to come, with himselfe, his angels and his saints. On the other side.

AS a wrastler imbracing him, with whom he striueth in the wrastling place, for victorie, lifteth him vp the higher, that 52 with the greater force he may hurle him against the ground: So this world doth extoll vs, that with throwing vs downe head­long [Page 21] it may hurt vs, and that we may fall from the top of deceit­full and transitorie glorie, downe to the bottome, of most certaine and perpetuall ignominie. Cyprian saith: The world smileth vpon a man, with a cruell purpose: it flattereth to deceiue: it cal­leth a man to it, to kill him: it extolleth him, to vndo him.

AS men mad and frantike, are woont to teare, and rent 53 themselues: So wicked and vngodly men, inflict vpon themselues, most deadly and incurable wounds, yea they be most wilfull murtherers of their owne soules and bodies. For that is true, in the booke of Wisedome: Man through his owne Sapien. 1 [...]. naughtines▪ killeth his owne soule. And what greater madnes can there be, than a man to run headlong vpon euerlasting de­struction? Iob hauing a desire to describe the ignorance of such Iob. 5 men, and to declare that euen in matters most euident and plaine, they be vtterly void and destitute of wisedome, he saith: In the day▪ light they run into darknes, and as in the night, so stumble they at noone daies. And whereas the feare of God, is the beginning of wisdome, as Dauid, and Salomon his sonne, do Psal. 101. Prouerb. 1. both affirme; and vngodly men, loden with all maner of naugh­tines, to the feare of God are méere strangers: it is plainly and truly concluded, that they be not onely without wisedome, but also, that they haue not, so much as the beginning of the same.

AS the filthie swine, regard not, but thrust from them, roses 54 that are most beautifull and swéete, and séeme to contemne most fragrant, and pleasant flowers: and do rather séeke after foule puddles, and stinking mire, and forsaking dainty dishes and costly iuncates, do franke themselues most gréedily, with wilde mast and vncleane things: So vngodly men haue no taste of the word of God, but hunting after vncertaine riches, which are in continuall hazard, and at the length will deceiue them, they are (as it were) fettered in the inchanting pleasures, and pestilent flickerings of the world. From the which, the Lord preserue and deliuer vs.

Amen.

AS in a fruitfull and fertile ground, among many wholsome 55▪ and very medicinable herbes, some that be dangerous and full of poyson do grow: So the wits and wisedome of men, togi­ther, with some profitable and wholsome counsels and admoni­tions, [Page 22] do bring foorth perilous and pestilent errors, and are ther­fore with wisedome and great discretion to be regarded, euen as herbes are to be gathered and vsed. But this wisedome and dis­cretion, is to be sought for and had, onely in the word of God, which is a lanterne to our féete, and a most perfect light vnto our Psal. 119. pathes. It is onely acceptable, to the soules of Gods saints, and nothing but it, doth féede them to eternall life. It is swéeter vnto them, than hony and the hony combe. In mens iudgements, Psal. 119. words and works, we may be deceiued, in the Lords we cannot. Thy iudgements O Lord (saith Dauid) are iust, and more to be Psal. 18. desired than fine golde, or pretious stones, and they are swéeter than hony and the hony combe. It is the power of saluation to Rom. 1. Iam. 3. all that beléeue it: it is able to saue our soules, if it be throughly rooted in vs. The word of the Lord laid vp in our harts, doth pre­serue vs from sinne: it clenseth our harts, and by the working of Psal. 119. the holy Ghost with it, it createth right spirits within vs. By the meanes of it, the saints and seruants of God, attaine to that pu­ritie and cleannes of hart and minde, that they wish for and de­sire nothing, but that which is good, godly, and holy. The author of the word is God himselfe, who can neither deceiue, nor be de­ceiued: and therefore whatsoeuer is written in it, is truth: what­soeuer is taught in it, is vertue and holines: whatsoeuer it pro­miseth after death, is eternitie, and endlesse ioy to the children of God, when this life is ended. Whereto the Lord bring vs all, if it be his good pleasure.

AS that man▪ that will giue an onset, and encounter with 56 an enimie, or wil defend, and kéepe himselfe vnwounded at his hands, hath néede of a sword in his hand, to smite the enimie withall, and to repell his violence: So, whosoeuer will triumph, and carry away the victorie, ouer this world, flesh and diuell, must hold fast in his hand, that is, in his maners, con­uersation, and the whole course of his life, the worde of God, which is called the sword of the spirit, & is sharper than any two Ephes. 6. edged sword. This the Lord commandeth to be closed, and safely laid vp, in the cofer of our harts, and to be worne as a signe vpon Deut. 6. Exod. 13. our hands, and to be had for a remembrance alway before our eies. Salomon doth counsell vs, to binde it fast to our harts, and Prouerb. 6. to vse it as a chaine about our necks, and to take it with vs, when we walke abroad. And Christ himselfe saith: If any man loue Iohn. 14. [Page 32] me, he will kéepe my saying. Againe, Blessed are they that heare Luc. 11. Roman 2. the word of God and kéepe it. The apostle also: Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified. And Iames saith: Be ye doers of the word, and Iam. 1. not hearers onely, deceiuing your owne selues. The Lord giue grace, and his holy spirit vnto vs, that we may loue to heare his word, and to do his will.

EVen as doues do loue, and delight in houses, that be faire 57 whited, and do willingly frequent swéete and pleasant pla­ces, but contemne and flie from blacke, foule, and vnsauorie cottages: So, faithles and vntrustie friends, do hunt and séeke after, the friendship of those men, by whose wealth and riches, they may be holpen, reléeued, and enriched. But men in pouertie, and distressed persons, vnable to fill their bellies, to clothe their backs, or otherwise to pleasure them, with some worldly things, they vtterly despise, they care not for their companie, their loue, nor friendship, feare they God neuer so much. Yea, if some blu­stering storme, and terrible tempest of aduersitie shall blowe away thy wealth, and shall separate thy riches and thy selfe: thy greatest friends (as thou thoughtest) will hide them from thée, Prouerb. 17. and no where be found: but a faithfull friend loueth at al times, he neuer shrinketh, aduersitie and prosperitie is all one to him. Happy is he that findeth a true and trustie friend. Eccles. 25.

AS great and mighty fishes, are not bred and fed in small 58 riuers, and swéet waters, but in the salt and bitter waters of the seas: So, men that are excellent, and very famous, by reason of the notable and manifolde vertues, wherewith they be indued, are not delighted in the false and deceitfull plea­sures of this world, but are nourished, and as it were swéetely cherished, and brought vp in Christ, with very sower sorrowes, and bitter calamities, which they endure, and most patiently beare for Gods sake. And as to a valiant soldier, nothing is more noble, and woorthie praise, than to carry the armour and armes of his prince: So a true Christian man, estéemeth nothing of greater valure and more honorable, than to beare the armes and badges of Christ his captaine, that is, to be throughly touched with great crosses, and many afflictions, and to be well armed with a godly patience. Heare the Apostle, that stout and valiant [Page 24] soldier of Christ: I do beare in my body the marks of the Lord Galat. 6. 2. Tim. 3. Iesu. Yea he saith further: All that will liue godly in Christ Ie­su, shall suffer persecutions. Séeing Christ our head, and onely sauiour, suffered persecutions, what maruell, if we his members suffer them? The holy scripture calleth calamities and persecu­tions, yea and death it selfe, indured in the quarrell of God, and his truth, a cup. Dauid prepared himselfe to receiue this cup: I will receiue the cup of saluation, and will call vpon the name of Psal. 116. the Lord: and expressing what this cup is, he saith: Right déere in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints.

Christ hath his cup, and the world his: the cup of Christ hath very bitter drink in it, but very wholsome. The cup of the world, is gold to sée to, and is ful of pleasures within, but most pestilent and deadly, it pleaseth the senses, and killeth the soule.

AS a physition doth minister to his sicke patients, sower 60 and bitter potions to drinke, that some hurtfull humor of their bodies may be expelled: So, God our heauenly phy­sition, willing to cure the maladies, and to salue the sores of our soules, doth reach vnto vs many times, the cup of afflictions, troubles and miseries, that (our sins and iniquities being taken away) we may be restored to the former saluation of our soules. The world doth offer vnto vs a very beautifull cup, but it is full of deadly poison, it delighteth our eies and taste, but it worketh most surely our ouerthrow and vtter destruction. This is that cup, that Iohn in the Reuelation, biddeth vs to beware of: the Lord giue vs grace to shun it, for he saith, it is full of all abhomi­nation Apoc. 17. and vncleannes. Let vs chéerefully receiue the cup of Christ, that is, pouertie, penurie, obloquies, euill reports, back­bitings, slanders, persecutions, sicknes and death it selfe: this is very sharpe and vnpleasant to our taste at the first, but at the length most wholsome to our infected and sicke soules.

A Good bailife of husbandrie, when he séeth plentifull fruits 61 grow after his faithfull labours, desireth that his lord or master may come, that séeing his diligence, and fidelitie in his calling, he may reward him for his trauel and paines taken: And a valiant soldier, after dangerous fight, and noble victorie gotten, wisheth the presence of his prince, that he vpon the view and sight of the sweate of his browes, his grieuous wounds, and [Page 25] courage, may recompence the noble acts that he hath done: So, that man which hath faithfully handled, the husban­drie, and bailywike, committed to him of the Lord, and hath manfully fought, against the world, flesh, and sathan, and through the grace, and mightie spirit of God, hath gotten the vpper hand, and victorie of them all, he now most earnestly desireth, that Christ his captaine, vnder whose banner he hath fought, would come, that he might receiue his reward, which is euerlasting ioy in heauen, and eternall saluation through Christ, with God, his angels and saints for euer and euer. Which though it be called a reward, yet is it the frée gift of God, vtterly vndeserued of man, but onely deserued and purchased for vs by Christ Iesu, in his death and passion vpon the crosse, and to all that do beléeue in him, it is frée. But on the other side: the wicked and vngodly, whose delight is onely in the pleasures, and pestilent flickerings of the world, which do swallow vp vanities euen with gréedines, and set at naught all vertue and godlines: which are shut vp vn­der iniquitie, and become slaues vnto sinne: which are pricked in their consciences, and do feare the infernall woes, and terrible torments of hell, which are prepared for them against the day of their death, they would not haue Christ to come, to heare of his comming is troublesome and fearfull to them. A guiltie man, whose conscience doth disquiet him, would neuer sée the Iudge: a traitor would neuer willingly be séene of his prince, nor a dis­loyall person of one that knoweth him.

AS brasse or copper doth make a greater sound, and is heard 62 farther off than gold, whereas notwithstanding, gold is far more excellent than it: So eloquence ioined with knowledge, soundeth lowder and farther, than humilitie coupled with chari­tie: and yet such humilitie is far better, and more excellent than it. Knowledge (without humilitie) puffeth vp (saith the Apostle) 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 13. but charitie doth edifie. Againe: If I speake with the toongs of men and of angels, and haue not charitie, I am but as a soun­ding brasse, or a tinkling cimball. A great bragger and boaster of religion, maketh much noise, but an humble spirited Christian, is far better than he.

AS trauellers, not thinking of the sunne setting, are ouerta­ken 63 with darknes, before they be aware: So doth death sud­denly [Page 26] come vpon many, that neuer thought of it, neither haue learned to die, nor what shall become of them when they be dead. But it behooueth all Christians, that will be saued, to watch, to 1. Cor. 16. stand stedfast in the faith of Christ, to quit themselues like men, and to be strong, and to do, all that they do in loue.

AS earthen vessels are alike subiect to danger & breaking, 64 whether they be new or old made: So, all men are open & subiect to death alike, whether they be yoong men, and in their lustie and florishing age, or they be old men, and well stroo­ken in yéeres. If thou shalt come into a Po [...]ters▪ ware-house, where thou shalt sée a large table, set full of pots, some old and some new, some little and some great, and shalt demand of the Potter, which of them all, shall first be broken: he may well say, for answer, That which shall fall first to the ground: Euen so among men, he dieth not first, that is elder▪ but he that first falleth to the ground, that is, that commeth fi [...]st to his graue. What is this world else, but a Potters ware-house? and what are all we Psal. 2. Esay. 30. 2. Cor. 4. Apoc. 2. that be in it, but earthen vessels? The Apostle saith: We haue this treasure in earthen vessels. And saint Iohn saith: As an ear­then vessell shall they be broken. Séeing then that all flesh is grasse, and all must sée death, but how, when, and where, we can­not tell: it standeth vs vpon, to haue our mindes fixed in hea­uen, and to be seeking those things which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God in maiestie and power, that liuing in his feare, and dying in his faith, we may haue a glorious resurrection, and méeting him ioyfully in the cloudes, we may heare him most cheerefully say to vs: Come ye blessed children, receiue a kingdome prepared for you, before the foun­dations of the earth were laid. The which kingdom, God, for his sonne, and our sauiour his sake grant vs,

Amen.

THe moone when she decreaseth, doth turne the opening of 65 hir bowe, downe towards the earth, and hir backe vp to­wards heauen, and so procéedeth to hir defect, and the end of hir course, by little and little losing hir light, vntill at the length she be darke, and vtterly void of all hir light: And on the other side, when she increaseth, she turneth hir open side vp to­wards heauen, and hir backe towards the earth, and so goeth on, growing and increasing by degrees, vntill she come to hir [...]ul and [Page 27] perfect light: Euen so man, when he fainteth, and faileth, in tru [...] christianitie, anst spirituall graces, and so falleth away more and more, he turneth the doore of his hart, and the opening of his de­sires, altogither to this world, and being carried away with the loue of transitorie things, he seeketh nothing but the earth, and the things of the same, turning him from immutable goodnes, to things very vncertaine, and changing euery day. And whiles he thus falleth away, and starteth aside like a broken bowe, he lo­seth the light and excellent brightnes of Christian dignitie, vn­till he remaine not onely depriued of the light of grace, but also blinde in his vnderstanding, vtterly obscured, and cleane coue­red with a most palpable darknes. The Psalmist speaketh of such men, saying: They are without knowledge, they haue no Psal. 82. vnderstanding, they walke in darknes. And the holy Apostle saith: Their foolish hart is full of darknes. And againe: Walke Rom. 1. Ephes. 4. not ye, as the gentils walke, in the vanitie of their mindes, ha­uing their vnderstanding darkened.

But when man groweth in diuine exercises, and increaseth in a heauenly life, and goeth on still in spirituall graces, then he turneth his backe to the world, and vtterly renounceth the vanities, the flickerings, the allurements, and all the deceits of the same; and turneth the opening of his hart, and all his desires, to God onely, and so goeth on, continually profiting, and euerie day receiuing some brightnes, vntill he be filled, not onely with the light of grace, but of glorie also. Therefore by how much the more thou shalt see a man occupied in the vnsaciable desires of this world, and busied with the troublesome affaires of vaine and transitorie things, and such as be vnprofitable for his soule, by so much the more, vnderstand thou, that he goeth backward, and decaieth in Christian perfection. And on the other side, the more feruently, and earnestly thou shalt see him, to aspire to heauenly things, knowe thou, that so much the more he profi­teth, in the true knowledge, loue, feare, and worshipping of God. That we therefore may profite in heauenly things, and be illu­minated with the bright beames of grace, let vs lift vpwarde our harts to God, let vs send to him our desires, our sighes and grones, let vs neuer cease begging, but continually craue at his hands, that euerlasting life, which is onely excellent, onely best, and kept in store for all that do truly feare God and walke in his Psal. 128. waies.

EVen as a bodie without a soule, is dead, bicause it vseth not 66 the sinewes, ioints, nor members: So that common welth, or that citie, may well and truly be said to be dead, where good lawes, godly statutes, and holy ordinances, are not vsed, and put in practise, which are the sure binding bands, of mans societie, and the principall parts of a common wealth. These missing, iustice is contemned, vertue banished, honestie expulsed, and all euill, vice, vilenes, and all sinne, iniquitie, and abhomi­nation cherished, vpholden and maintained.

IF birds of all sorts do desire the aire, fishes séeke for water, 67 and the fire of the earth, mounteth and flameth vp, towards the elementall fire, and all things séeke their place and cen­tre, and do tend towards the same: why then, will we not seeke our God, as we ought, our onely rest, our centre, and onely good? If floods and riuers, with great force run into the sea, bicause (as Eccles. 1. Salomon saith) they came out of the sea: why will not we loue our God, why will we not aspire towards him? why will we not, in all feruencie of loue drawe néere vnto him, which is that immeasurable sea of all goodnes, from whence we came? for he hath made vs after his owne similitude and likenes. As we are Genes. 1. bound to kéepe the precepts and commandements of God, so are we most straitly bound, to loue, honor, and obey himselfe. Euen as the horse is ordained to run, the oxe to plough, and the dog to hunt: so is man borne, aboue all things, to loue God.

AS a stone preaseth to his centre: So an hard harted man is 68 preasing towards hel. It is said of the obstinate Egyptians: They went downe into the depth like a stone. Their bodies Exod. 15. went downe into the bottome of the sea, and their soules into the bottome of hell. And Ecclesiasticus saith: An hard hart shall Eccles. 3. fare euill at the last. God grant therefore that euery one of vs may iustly say, as Iob saith of himselfe: The Lord hath mollified Iob. 23. my hart. It is written in the bookes of Exodus & Numbers: that Exod. 17. Numb. 20. Moses did smite the rocke with his rod, and that abundance of water flowed out. Vnto which words the prophet Dauid allu­deth, saying: He smote the rocke, and the waters gushed out, so that riuers did run thereat. The Lord so smite our stonie harts, with the rod of the crosse of Christ, and of the remembrance of his bitter passion, and so breake in péeces the hard rocks of the [Page 29] same, that floods of most bitter teares may run from our eies, and many déepe sighes, and gréeuous grones, may fal from our harts to mooue the Lord, to wash away all our sinnes, and rebellions against the Almightie, in and with the blood of Iesus Christ, our only sauiour and redéemer.

Amen.

AS wilde and fierce horses, are woont to be broken with the 69 hardnes of the bridle, and sharpnes of the bit: So, our vnta­med lusts, and vnbrideled appetites, are hampered, and brought within the compasse of reason, with the bridle of aduersitie, trou­bles, sorrowes and afflictions.

EVen as the grape, that it may yéeld wine, is brought to the 70 presse, that it may be throughly pressed: So man, is brought to calamity, that being pressed with sorrowes, and exercised with afflictions, he may bring foorth the swéete and pleasant liquor of obedience and vertue, and so be aduanced to true Christianitie, which is the greatest and highest dignitie in the world. Miseries, penuries, and tribulations, do, for the most part, kéepe vnder and stay, our vnruly lusts, and dangerous desires, and are meanes, that we lift vp our harts and mindes vnto God, and that we be strengthened and confirmed, in true pietie and vnfained godli­nes. And on the other side, prosperitie, worldly wealth, dignitie and honors, are oftentimes, meanes to hinder vs, in holy exerci­ses, and to puffe vs vp, with pride and vaine glorie, and to drawe vs to disloyaltie, and rebellion against our God. The Israelites being stoong and torne of firie serpents, they learned to knowe Numb. 21. God, and cried for his mercie. And wicked Manasses, being cast into the bands of the Babylonians, and compassed round about with great calamities, he fled vnto the Lord, he acknowledged 2. Paral. 33. his sinnes, sending vnto the Lord most feruent praiers, and the Lord heard him. And the prophet Nehemias saith: They called Nehem. 9. vpon thée in the time of trouble, and thou heardest them from heauen.

AS a master, when his seruants obey him, and do his will, commandeth his steward, or gouernor of his house, 71 to minister vnto them all things necessarie, and that nothing be wanting: but if they offend him, and deale vnfaithfully with him, he giueth a contrarie charge: Euen so God, the true and right owner of all things, of whom the kingly pro­phet [Page 30] Dauid saith: The earth is the Lords, and all the fulnes Psal. 24. thereof, the round world, and they that dwell therein: if we do obey him, and serue him faithfully, and giue vnto him his due honor, he commandeth the earth, his ancient steward, to mi­nister vnto vs, great store of necessaries, and to giue vnto vs, all good, rich, and pleasant things in due time: but on the other side, if we disobey him, rebel against him, and be not afraid to do those things, which he forbiddeth vs, and will commit, we care not what sin, euen with gréedines, ioy, and delight; then he comman­deth his steward the earth, to denie foode vnto vs, and to afflict vs with penurie, and extreme want, of all those things, whereof it was woont to yéeld vs great abundance, and not to be so bold, as to reléeue or comfort vs, vntill we be conuerted, and flie vnto him, confessing and acknowledging our sinnes, from the bottome of our harts, and most bitterly bewailing them, shall prostrate our selues before the throne of grace, crauing and crying, for re­mission of our sinnes, in the death and bloodshedding of our saui­our Christ crucified.

EVen as a colume or piller, is somtime on thy right hand, and 72 sometime on thy left hand, bicause thou dost change thy stan­ding, sitting or walking, for it is vnmooueable, and kéepeth one place: So, God is somtime fauorable and bountifull vnto thée, and somtime séemeth to be wrath and angrie with thée, bicause thou dost fall from vertue to vice, from obedience and humilitie, to pride and presumption, for in the Lord there is no change, no Malach. 3. Iames 1. not so much as any shadow of change. He is immutable, alway one, and euerlasting. If thou wilt bend thy selfe to obedience, and to a vertuous and godly life, thou shalt euer haue him, a strong rocke, whereupon thou maist boldly build: a castell and tower of defence: he will be vnto thée a mighty pillor, bearing vp heauen and earth, whereto thou maist leane, and not be deceiued, where­in thou maiest trust, and not be disappointed: he will euer be at thy right hand, that thou shalt not fall: he will take thy part, and Psal. 16. will mightily defend thee, against all thine enimies, of thy bodie and of thy soule: But if thou wilt shake hands with vertue, and bid it adew and farewell, and forsaking the waies of God, wilt liue as thou list, and follow thine owne corruption, and make no conscience of ought thou doest, defiling and blemishing thy selfe, with all maner sinne and iniquitie; then be sure, the [Page 31] Lord will appeere vnto thee, in his furie and indignation, from whose iustice and iudgements none shall euer be able to deliuer thée: the Lord therefore giue vs harts, to feare him, to loue him, and to obey him.

EVen as the adamant stone, placed néere vnto the load stone, 73 doth not suffer the load stone to drawe iron from it, or if it seeme a little to mooue and to drawe it away, it presently pulleth it backe, and draweth it, to it selfe: Euen so, a man indued with godly wisedome, and righteousnes from God, is firme and con­stant, and doth so ouercome al the blustering blasts, and burning brunts of calamities and miseries, that he is not so scorched with the force of their flames, that he prooueth vnconstant, and loseth his dignitie. And such is the iar and discord, betwéene this world and him, that being placed in the world, he suffereth it not (so much as in him lieth) to bewitch men, and to drawe them after it. But if the world (like a load stone) shall at any time A vertuous man, is a pre­tious iewell. allure them to follow it, he by and by bendeth himselfe, with all his force, by counsell, by admonitions, by his life and example, to drawe them backe againe from it, and to restore them to their former dignitie, that is, to the estimation and honor of true chri­stianitie, wherto the world and worldlings are méere strangers.

AS organ plaiers, vnlesse some body blowe vnto them the 74 windie bellowes, do make no sound at all: Euen so, vaine men, vnlesse they be pricked forward, with commendati­ons and praises of others, haue neuer any minde, or purpose to bend themselues to any good action.

EVen as marriners, which are carried with the course and 75 force of winds, being in an hauen, will not disanchor, nor de­part out of the hauen, without a prosperous winde, blowing to their very good liking: So, hypocrites do looke, that the people should shout, and clap their hands, in token of their great praises and commendations, they séeke for, and hunt after vaine brutes and reports, without which they are disposed to do nothing wel. These men care not to do well, and yet they séeke for, and desire the rewards of well doing. They haue no eie, nor regard to God in any of their actions. They are not to be imitated at any hand. Christ himselfe doth giue vs warning of such: Be ye not like Matth▪ 6. [Page 32] vnto hypocrites, &c. But let vs do as the holy prophet of God doth teach vs: I (saith he) haue set the Lord alwaies before mine eies, Psal. 16. he is at my right hand, that I shall not be mooued. Whatsoeuer he thought, spoke or did, he still behaued himselfe, as one in the presence and sight of God, and sought the glorie and praise of his name, in all his actions. So ought we to do, the Lord grant we may. This also is the Apostles counsell: Whether ye eate or 1. Cor. 10. drinke, or whatsoeuer ye do else, do all to the glorie of God.

AS a thicke wood, and goodly groue, giuing great shadowe, 76 very pleasant to behold, doth delight the eies of the behol­ders so greatly, with the varietie and thicknes, of florish­ing trées, and pleasant plants, that it séemeth to be ordained one­ly for pleasures sake, and yet within is full of poisonful serpents, rauening wolues, and other wilde, hurtfull, and cruell beasts: Euen so, an hypocrite when outwardly he séemeth holy, and to be wel furnished with the ornaments of all sorts of vertues, doth please well, and delight much the eies of his beholders, but with­in him, there lurketh pride, couetousnes, enuie, and all maner wickednesses, like wilde and cruell beasts, walking and wan­dring in the wood of his hart. So that, whiles he séemeth to be, that he is not, neither will be that he séemeth, his exercise is, to séeke whose house he may deuoure, whose goodes he may gripe, whose credit he may cracke, whose name he may blemish, and whose honest disposition, and godly simplicity he may most abuse. In the hypocrite this is verified: Fained sanctitie, is double ini­quitie. So that (I speake with reuerence) if any be a knaue, the hypocrite is more: if some may serue for one, he may well stand for two. Hypocrisie is a subtill euill, a secret poison, a lurking ve­nome, a painting and counterfetting of vertue, & a moath of holi­nes. In mine opinion there be no woorse men liuing, than hypo­crites be: for when they purpose most to deceiue, they handle the matter so, and do so paint themselues with counterfet colour, that you would thinke them to be very vertuous, and godly dis­posed.

AS a flint smitten against iron or stéele, doth driue out 77 sparks of fire: So godly meditations of heauenly things, draw out of hard harts, some warmnes, and as it were fire of the loue of God. The prophet Dauid had experience there­of, [Page 33] when he said: My hart wareth warme within me, and in my Psal▪ 39. meditation a fire was kindled. That soule which shall be reple­nished with vertues, and shal take pleasure in the contemplation of heauenly things, shall (no doubt) haue most swift and speedie wings, and shall be called most woorthily, Auis petens alta, se à terrae laqueis eripiens: A bird that mounteth on high, and pear­seth the clouds, fréeing hir selfe from the traps and snares of the earth. Such was the soule of the prophet, when he said: My soule is euen as a bird, escaped out of the snare of the hunter. Let vs, whiles it is to day, and we may flie, be lifted vp towards our God: and forgetting the vaine things of the earth, which are behinde vs, and preasing with all our powers to the things aboue, and neuer satisfied with the loue of God, and the desire of heauen, let vs boldly go forward, and stretch out our selues to the reward of the high calling of God, in Christ Iesu our Lord. For the things of this world, haue euer béene false, and at the length haue deceiued their louers and déerest friends.

EVen as he that hath a sonne, which is in good and perfect 78 health, and a seruant that is excéeding sicke, dealeth more roughly and seuerely with his sonne, than with his ser­uant, not bicause he loueth his seruant more, than his sonne, but bicause he would (if it might be) restore his sicke seruant to his former health, but his sonne, whom he loueth most déerely, he reprooueth, checketh, taunteth and correcteth: Euen so our God, somtimes afflicteth his déere children whom he most tenderly loueth, and doth suffer them to be exercised with wants, with wéepings and wailings, with sighes and sorrowfull sobs, with hunger and cold, with nakednes and want of harbour, with hea­uines of hart, and vexation of soule, with sicknes of bodie and want of libertie, and with a thousand other calamities and cares, and in the meane time suffereth the wicked and vngodlie ones of the world, to want nothing, he giueth them health, wealth, and libertie, worldly honor and dignitie, and what not? meaning and purposing by these meanes (if the fault be not in themselues) to bring them to knowe, to feare, to honor and to serue him, by whose prouidence and appointment they haue and enioy all those good blessings, and so be cured and healed of the sores and sicknes of their soules. The holy men and seruants of God, haue euer béene wel experienced in the Lords chastenings: [Page 34] Ieremie the prophet saith to God: Thou hast chastened me, O Ierem. 13. Hebr. 12. Lord, and I am corrected. And the Apostle saith: Whom the Lord loueth, he chasteneth, and he correcteth euery sonne, that he receiueth. Againe: Let vs reioice in tribulations. And to the Rom. 5. Galat. 6. Galathians: God forbid, that I should reioice but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified vnto me, and I to the world: by the crosse, vnderstand the afflictions of Christ, wherewith the Apostle was exercised for Christs sake. For this must euer be true: All that will liue godly in Christ 2. Tim. 3. Iesu, shall suffer persecution. So that, the troubles and afflictions of this life, are not reiections, maledictions, and the curses of God, but rather, and most truly, infallible signes of his grace, and true tokens of his loue and mercies toward vs. Blessed are they Matth. 5. (saith truth it self) that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake.

AS the skilfull pearle seller, and cunning lapidarie doth 79 willingly suffer the Indian diamond, or adamant, to be smitten and st [...]ooken with great and weightie blowes, bicause he knoweth well, that the hammer and anuill will sooner be bruised, than the diamond or adamant will be broken: So our most wise God, yea onely wisedome it selfe, suffereth men of ex­cellent vertues, of vnquenchable loue & charitie, and inuincible constancie, to fall into diuers temptations, and to be plunged déepe into manifold miseries, bicause he will haue their inward graces to breake out, and so shine before men, that they seeing the constancie of his saints, may glorifie God which is in heauen. For he is sure that they be constant, and that nothing can sepa­rate them from the loue of God. Ioseph was imprisoned in E­gypt: Gen. 39. Ierem. 20. Ezech. I. Matth. 11. Ieremie in Iudea: Ezechiel in Chaldea: and Iohn Bap­tist by wicked Herod: and yet all these and infinite others, did neuer shrinke from God, but as they liued in him, so they died in him, and are exalted vp on high, and shall dwell in his taberna­cle, Psal. 15. and rest in the hill of his holines for euer and euer. And so shall we do, if we will be as they were.

AS when thou séest a great and goodly citie, consisting of many 80 and sundry sorts of men, some of great reputation, and very many of smal estimation: some exceeding rich, and infinite others extremely poore: some in their fresh and florishing youth, and some crooked with old age, where all these, though among them­selues [Page 35] selues they be diuers and sundrie, do liue in great concord, and agrée well togither, and are kept all within the bounds and li­mits of good and godly discipline, thou wilt by and by iudge, that the prince or gouernor of the same is iust, and very mightie and wise, though thou seest him not: Euen so, in the huge greatnes of this world, and the agreement and well hanging togither, of the things contained in the same, though differing in their na­tures, and the apt and fit placing of the whole, it cannot be, but that thou wilt presently conceiue in thy minde, that there is a great, a wise, and mightie creator, and preseruer of these things. For not onely the mighty works of God in this great world, but also his incomparable workmanship in the little world, that is in man himselfe (for so he is called of some) do teach vs woonder­full knowledge of God. The prophet Dauid speaking to God, saith: Thy knowledge, O Lord, is made woonderfull by me. As if he should say: By the knowledge of my selfe (O Lord) I am come to a woonderfull knowledge of thée.

AS the cause of trées and plants, of their rootes, stocks, stems, 81 and boughes, is in the séede: So, the cause of our transgressi­ons, foule sinnes, and most dangerous iniquities, is our owne corruption, wherewith we are mooued, and inclined to all euill: and the ignorance, and not knowing of our selues, wherewith we are greatly hindred, in the knowledge of our God, and do also most sharply censure those things in others, which we do loue, and cherish in our selues. We must know also, that selfe loue, is vnto vs a perilous theefe, for it doth rob vs, of the know­ledge of our selues, it blindeth our eies, and darkeneth our vn­derstanding: It is a very common théefe, so ranging and robbing in euery place, so raigning and ruling without controlment, yea it is so welcome to high and lowe: that that saying of the apostle, may séeme to haue beene spoken of these our daies: Dangerous 2. Tim. 3. times will come (saith he) and men shal be louers of themselues. O how true is it? yea it is to too true, that we neuer set our selues before our owne eies, that is, we neuer stay▪ we neuer examine, our owne thoughts, words and works, but let them passe and go on, like roages and vagrant persons, till by some others they be apprehended, they go vntouched of our selues: we be lynces, that is, earnest priers into the liues of others, but about our owne liues, we are very moles or wants, that is, starke blinde.

EVen as whéeles do run most lightly: So godly men, and 82 vertuous women, are most easily mooued, to euery good action, vpon any occasion offered. If they do but heare of the wants, miseries, calamities, pouertie, imprisonment and sicknes of their poore brethren, they presently begin to care for them, and to cast with themselues, how they may reléeue them, succour, helpe, and comfort them. The troubles and afflictions of their Christian brethren, are to them, as if they were their owne.

AS a whéele doth touch the ground, onely with one side, or a 83 little part, and with the other, is lifted from the earth: So, a man that feareth God, and loueth righteousnes, and is carefull for the saluation of his soule, dwelleth héere vpon the earth onely in bodie, but in affect and desire, he is lifted vp on high, and so dwelleth in heauen, in his meditations, and the thoughts of his hart.

AS men in a cléere and bright shining night, passing or tra­uelling 84 néere vnto a déepe riuer, do plainly sée and behold in a calme, the shadowes and beautifull likenesses, of the round moone and glistering stars, but those stars and moone, though they séeme to be in the waters, are notwithstanding placed in the skies: Euen so, men that haue gathered, and learned wise­dome out of the word of God, and do direct the whole course of their liues, by the line of the same, although they séeme to be in the flood of this life, which daily is tending towards the sea of death, yet in spirit and in minde, they are fixed and placed in hea­uen, and leading an heauenly and godly life, they contemne and despise all those things, which vnto the wicked and vngodly, do séeme great, high and precious matters, and do draw after them with great force the most part of the world.

AS it behooueth him that walketh vpon coardes strained 85 and fastened on high, diligently to looke to his footing, that he may not totter, or decline this way, or that way, bi­cause he must néeds perish, if neuer so little hée misse his way: Euen so, it standeth vs vpon, to be warie, and carefully to looke about vs, and to take good héede where we set our feete, that is, our affections and the delights of our harts, least we fall downe headlong into the bottomlesse gulphe of Gods displeasure. [Page 37] For if we will fire our affections and bende our wils, with a de­liberate consent, to do the thing that is euill, vniust, and vngodly, making no conscience of any thing that we do, be it neuer so op­posite and contrary to the will of God, it cannot be but falling from the state of grace, we shall fall most suddenly and shameful­ly, into the infernall pit of hell, death and damnation. From whence there neuer was, there is not, neither euer shall be, any Luc. 16▪ returne nor deliuerie. Our blindnes in heauenly things héere, shal be most iustly rewarded, with intollerable tortures, in most horrible, feareful and stinking darknes there, where no ease, end nor remedie shall euer be found. Let vs therefore be very care­full, and take good héede, that we lose not our eies: and indéede our eies are then put out, and we do vtterly lose our sight, when we giue our selues ouer to carnall delights, to fleshly lusts, to worldly pleasures, and to loue more the things that are below in the earth, then those things that are aboue in heauen with God, & euerlasting life it selfe. This was shadowed in Samson: for the Palestines pulled not out the eies of that famous man, Iudic. 16. vntill he had slept in Dalilaes bosome: neither shall thy enimies blinde thée, vnlesse thou wilt resigne thy selfe to foule delights & filthy pleasures. Whersoeuer soule lustes and forbidden plea­sures do beare the sway, there is no place for temperance; and in the kingdom of dishonest loue, vertue is not known. And where vertue is wanting, there is no wisedome: and where wisedome is banished, there is no sight, but a miserable blindnes of minde: and where Sathan the God of this world hath blinded mens mindes, there is most certaine death and lamentable destructi­on. The deuill that old serpent, our deadly enimie, doth so ex­tremely hate vs, that he layeth and kéepeth a continuall siege against all vertue, and doth what he can to poison and to kill it, euen in the hatching. We haue great néede therefore of manie eies, and many and continuall watchings, that we may auoyde and escape his deceits, that he trap vs not. Pharao would kill the male children of the Israelites in their birth, bicause the people of God should not increase, this was the commandement of the deuill of Egypt: and now Sathan doth what he can, to kill and slaie all good works, and all godly purposes, yea, he laboureth by all his meanes and instruments, to strangle and to smother the very first motions of them, in the harts and minds of men, least they should increase and multiply: he is that dragon with seauen Apoc. 1 [...] ▪ [Page 38] heads, which (as Iohn saith in the Reuelation) stoode before the woman when shée was to be deliuered of hir sonne, that euen in the birth he might deuoure hir childe. We may very fitly vnder­stand by the woman the soule of man, which, when it thinketh and purposeth to do good works, is said to conceiue, and when it bringeth foorth and perfourmeth the same in deed, is said to be de­liuered, as a woman of a childe: but then sathan is foorthwith Esay. 26. most eager and busie to stop the kindlie birth of vertue and god­lines, and to smother it so, that it neuer come to light. The Lord strengthen vs against his force, and make vs wise against subtil­tie, that in all his sleights and craftie conueyances, he may bée disappointed, and we deliuered from him, and that we may do the will, and walke in the waies of our God, mauger sathan and all his meanes.

EVen as the Ostrige, being a great and mightie foule, hath The Ostrige. 86 wings, but doth not flie, neither is lifted vp frō the ground with them: so very many men in the world do séeme to bée caried vp to heauen vpon the wings of their ceremonies, but are in déede, in hart, mind, and desire, fast nailed to the earth. As the Ostrige hath wings and flieth not, so they haue calling, but they answere it not: they haue knowledge, but they practise it not: they haue words, but they worke not.

THe Kite being a most gréedie and rauening foule, mount­eth 87 exceeding high, so that you would thinke shee toucheth the gliding clouds, and as shee flieth doth spred her wings: and yet when shee is at the highest, shee hath hir eies fast set and fixed below in the earth, pryeng and spieng to catch (if shée can) some poore chicken, or other praie within hir talons: indéed shée flieth high, but neuer looketh vp towards heauen, but altogither downe towards the earth: euen so, thou shalt sée a number of men, faining a certaine sanctymonie, and counterfeiting much holines, who, although they are thought with the contemplati­on of heauenly things, to be rauished and taken vp into the clouds, yet they minde nothing lesse then true godlines, neither any thing more then earth and earthly things. Their studie is for worldly honor, their greatest carking and care is, for rich and large reuenues, for dignities, princes fauours and worldlie wealth. Such men turne their backs to heauen and flie from [Page 39] God, and so being disappointed of that light which they séemed to séeke for, they are wrapped in palpable and most dangerous darknes: but they that truely séeke after God, do (by the helpe and assistance of his holie spirite) translate and conuey their minds from earth to heauen, and so are illuminated with the brightnes of God his grace and loue: for so saith Christ himselfe, He that foloweth me, walketh not in darknes, but shall haue the Iohn. 8. light of life. But we shall neuer follow Christ as we ought, vn­lesse we shall first vtterly denie our selues, for he saith: If anie man will folow me, let him denie himself, and take vp his crosse Matth. 16. and folow me: and then, and so often do we denie our selues, as treading vnder féete our old and former sins, we leaue to be that we haue béene, and begin to be that we haue not béene: and fol­low the counsell of the apostle saying: Layeng aside our old con­uersation, and putting off the old man, which is corrupted after the lusts of the flesh, let vs be renued in the spirit of our minds. Ephes. 4. But alas, (I speake it with gréefe of hart) the most part of the world despising and forsaking God, do take for their guide, and do folow as their captaine, the violent lusts and foule appetites of their owne corrupted and cankered harts. But if we woulde consider what that is that driueth vs, & whither we are going in such great haste, what we do, whom we folow, what woe wée worke our selues, and what will be the end, we would surelie forsake those waies of our owne, and turne our féete into the waies, that is, into the statutes and lawes of our God. Dauid tooke this course, and so the Lord graunt we may.

Amen. Psal. 119.

EVen as a Bird doth not flie with one wing alone, but with 88 twaine: So it is not enough, that we know much of the Lords worde and will, but we must do it also. It will not suffice vs at the latter daie, that we haue béene great professors of the Gospell, and are deepely learned, if also we haue not béene inflamed, with a loue to God aboue all things, and haue not lo­ued our brethren as our selues: if our knowledge, our faith, and profession do not mooue vs to praie to God, for to visite and to comfort our poore brethren being sicke, in prison or otherwise di­stressed, if (I say) our faith and knowledge yéeld not fruits, that we féede the hungrie, cloath the naked, call into our houses, the harborlesse, and shall not do to all men, as we would be done vnto, we shall be beaten with many stripes, bicause we knowe [Page 40] the will of God and do it not. Blessed onely are they, that feare Psal. 128. the Lord and walk in his waies. And blessed are they that heare the word of God and kéepe it. The greatest, the highest, the best, and onely seruice that man can do, and bring vnto the Lorde, is his obedience to Gods word, and the dooing of his will.

AS hée that maketh tooles, and instruments of iron, or 89 other mettle, maketh not rustines and canker, neither is to be blamed, if those things which he hath made, by reason of too much moisture, dust or other corruption, shal after­ward gather canker or rustines: euen so, that heauenly worke­man, our God, did not bring in sinne and iniquitie, neither can he iustly be blamed, if his creatures do staine and blemish them­selues, with the foulenes of sinne and wickednes: for he made Genes. 1. them good. God saw all things, that he had made (saith the holie Scripture) and they were excéeding good. Augustine in his 14. Booke of the Citie of God, saith: Good things may he without euill things, but euill things cannot be without good things: bi­cause the natures, in which euill things are, in as much as they be natures, they are good. For they be of God, and in some mea­sure they lead vs to the knowledge of him. Dauid vnderstāding Psal▪ 92. so much, saith: Howe excellent are thy works O Lorde? thy thoughts are excéeding déepe: An vnwise man doth not knowe these things, and the foole doth not vnderstande them. That man perisheth, is damned, and goeth to hell, is not the Lords fault, but mans owne.

EVen as plants and trées, do spread abroad their rootes in the 90 earth, from whence they haue their nourishment: So chri­stian men, bicause they be fed with delicates and dainties from heauen, and are nourished with the grace & fauor of God, they holde vp their hands, they turne vp their eies, they lift vp their harts and mindes, to God that is in heauen, from whence their soules receiue comfort, ioy, saluation and euerlasting life. Such men are not in loue with this worlde, nor with the transi­torie things of the same. They know and consider, that the earth and all that is in it, was once nothing, and that it shall returne to nothing againe. All is vanitie, and vanitie of vanities. But Ecclesiastes. 1 all their felicitie, ioye and comfort, is in the worde and will of God, to know it, that whiles they liue héere below in the earth, [Page 41] they may do it. That the course of this life being ended, they may haue and enioy euerlasting life, through Iesus Christ our Lorde.

LEarned and famous writers do report, that in the vniuer­sall 91 world, there is nothing harder then the adamant stone, especially that which is had in the Indians, which in firme­nes, hardnes, and valure excéedeth the rest: but I am of opinion, that the hart of man is harder than it: for the adamant, though it will giue place to no other thing, nor be softened by any other means, yet is it said to be subdued and mollified, with the warme bloud of a goate: But the hart of a man, being hardned through the continuance and custome of sinne, wil not be mollified, bride­led nor tamed, neither with the bloud of a goat, nor yet with the bloud of that immaculate lambe Christ Iesus, which gaue him­selfe a sacrifice for vs, vpon the altar of the crosse, and there be­stowed his bloud, that he might mittigate and appease our wilde mindes, and pricke to the quicke our harde and senselesse harts, and to open vnto vs the waie to the attaining of eternal life, and euerlasting saluation. O harde, (saith Bernard) and hardened sonnes of Adam, that will not be mollified with so great a force and power of loue! With whom the bitter pangs, of Christ his death and passion, cannot preuaile. We are surely that peo­ple, to whom the Lord speaketh by Esay the prophet, sayeng: I Esa. 48. know that thou art hard harted, and that thy necke is a synewe of iron, and that thy face is of brasse. And Ieremie out of doubt, speaketh no lesse of vs, than of the Iewes: they haue made (saith Ierem. 5. he) their faces harder then flint, and they will not be conuerted. I would to God, these sayings did onely touch the Iewes, and did not also hit a number of vs, that professe the name of Christ, & looke to be saued by him, pat vpon the thumbes. Wée are proud, hawtie and high minded, and we hate to be humbled: we are co­uetous, enuious & leacherous, and we will not be brideled. Wée are very rich and religious in words, but we are very beggerly, and haue no religion in our works. Our lips and tongues onely are gilded, and tipt with good spéeches, but our harts are far from the Lorde. The almightie vouchsafe to open the eies of our mindes, and to mollifie our harts, that we may sée and receiue his grace offered vnto vs, and that forsakeing our selues and our sinnes, we may be conuerted vnto him.

Amen.

AS the sunne doth not leaue shining, and sending foorth his 92 bright beames, although a cloude will sometimes darken his light: Euen so, we must not giue ouer to exercise god­lines and to do well, euen towards them that be our enimies, and will hate, and persecute vs, and the better we do, the woorse will deale with vs. Christ commandeth vs, to loue our enimies, and to do them good: and to pray for them that hate vs, and per­secute Matth. [...]. vs.

AS the nut and oliue trées, although they be beaten with 93 rods, yet bring foorth most plentifull fruits: So we must not be weary of well dooing, nor caste the exercise and practise of godlines behinde vs, but rather more willingly and feruentlie procéede & go on in the same, although the friends of this world, shall braule and rate at vs, shall curse, reuile, and most vnkindly intreate vs. The lot of vertue is, to be enuied, and to finde fewe friends, and (if at all) to be but coldly intertained with the most parte, and greatest number of the worlde. The prophet of God Psal. 119. complaineth, that for his vertues sake, the princes of the earth, laid their heads togither against him, and yet he shronke not.

EVen as a quiet, calme and pleasant water, will shew vnto 94 vs, if we looke into it, the verie image and likenes of our selues, as it were a glasse, but mooued, stirred and troubled, it doth not so: euen so our owne harts, if they be quiet, and not troubled with horrors, nor distempered with feares, will plain­ly shew vs what we be, so that we may easilie know our selues, and not be deceiued: but being filled with feares, tossed with terrors, and ouerwhelmed with troubles, they cannot do so. It behooueth vs therefore, that our harts be not troubled, nor ouer­laden with feares. Christ willeth his disciples, that they fears Ioh. 14. not, nor that their harts be troubled: and in another place, hée saith: Feare not my little flocke. The prophet was in heauie plight, when he cried: O Lord my hart is sore troubled: And in Psal. 55. and Psal. 57. an other place: I was troubled in my sléepe. Therefore, that we may haue our harts quiet, our soules in peace, and our conscien­ces vntroubled: Let vs beware of sinne, flie from all iniquitie, and walke vprightly before our God, all the daies of our liues. God grant we may. Then may wée saie: The Lorde is the pro­tector Psal. 27. & 23. of my life, of whom shall I be afraid. And againe: I will [Page 43] feare no ill, for thou Lord art with me. And: if God be with vs, Rom. 8. who can hurt vs?

A Scorpion is a venemous creature, which hath a pleasant 95 pace, but woundeth deadly with hir taile: shée stingeth not with hir face, but with hir hinder part. Such a one, is euerie smooth toonged and flattering bodie. Which speaketh faire to his neighbours face, and killeth him in his hart. Honest Cato to see too: but cruell Nero in experience.

AS a Bée doth carie a floure in hir mouth, but behinde doth 96 pricke verie sharpely with hir stinge: So verie manie in these daies, do vse most sweet and pleasant spéeches, & wil euen stroke, as it were thy humor and disposition, with soft and sugred communication, to the ende, that (by reason of some malice couched in their harts) they may worke thy woe, and Psal. 118. vtter ouerthrow. Of these Dauid speaketh: They came about me like bees, &c. Wicked men therefore must be taken héede of. Math. 10. Ioh. 10. Luc. 13. Math. 3. Luk. 3. For the Scriptures do painte them out in their colours, that we may shun them. Mathew and Iohn do call them woolues: Luke foxes: Mathew and Luke, the generation of vipers. The Lord deliuer vs from them.

Amen.

EVen as a candle, that it may giue light vnto others, it selfe 97 is burned and consumed: And as salt it selfe is brused, and molten, that it may giue good season, and a swéete sauour vnto meates: So, a true Christian, especially one aduaunced to dignitie, and placed in authoritie, should spare no labor, but euen breake himselfe with studie and care, and vndergo any paines, to do good, to profite many, and to win some soules to God. Such Math. 5. men indeede hath Christ appointed to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. They ought to be full of loue to God and man. They should liue as strangers vpon the earth. They should haue no acquaintance with pride, couetousnes, ambition, emulation, and such other sinnes of the world.

EVen as the sailers gnomon, or rule, which is commonly cal­led 98 the marriners néedle, doth alwaies looke towards the north pole, and will euer turne towards the same, howsoeuer thou shalt place it: which is maruellous in that instrument, and néedle, whereby the marriners do know the course of the winds: [Page 44] Euenso, euery Christian man, ought to direct the eies of his minde, and the waies of his hart to Christ. He is our north pole, and that fixed and constant north star, whereby we ought all to be gouerned: he is our hope, and our trust, he is all our strength, whereupon we must still relie. And as the gnomon, doth euer be­hold the north star, whether it be closed and shut vp, in a cofer of golde, siluer or wood, neuer losing his nature: so a right Christian man, whether he abound in wealth, or be pinched with pouertie, whether he be of high, or lowe degrée in this world, ought conti­nually to haue his faith and hope, surely built and grounded vp­on Christ, and to haue his hart and minde fast fixed and setled in him, and to follow him through thick and thin, through fire and water, through wars and peace, through hunger & cold, through friends and foes, through a thousand perils and dangers, through the surges and waues of enuie, malice, hatred, euill spéeches, rai­ling sentences, contempt of the world, flesh and diuell, and euen in death it selfe, be it neuer so bitter, cruell and tyrannical, neuer to lose the sight and view of Christ, neuer to giue ouer our faith, hope and trust in him. Let vs followe the counsell of the holy Ghost, which saith: Put me as a signe vpon thy hart: as if he Cant. 8. should say: Set me in thy hart, in stéede of a marke, whereat all thy thoughts, words and works, may be leuelled. Put out of thy hart, the marke of the world, and place me there as the end, vnto the which all thy purposes may tend: vpon whom all thy cares may be cast, and in whom thou maist rest thy soule in all peace. A woonderfull gnomon, and most excellent sailing néedle, was that noble king, and famous prophet of God, Dauid, when he said: I set the Lord alwaies before mine eies, for he is at my Psal. 16. right hand, that I shall not be mooued: Therefore (saith he) my hart reioiced, my toong was glad, and my flesh shall rest in hope. And the Apostle saith: Let vs run toward the fight that is set Heb. 12. before vs, looking still vpon Iesus, the author and finisher of our faith: who hauing ioy set before him, indured the crosse. God giue vs grace, continually to lift vp, our harts and mindes, our hand and eies to Christ Iesus, and as Augustine saith, To be­hold stedfastly our head.

AS all riuers of waters go into the sea, bicause they came 99 out of it, and as Salomon saith, All riuers and flouds re­turne Ecclesiastes. 1 to the place whence they came: So, let vs go and [Page 45] towards our God, with all our harts, strength and pow­ers, bicause we came out from him, and were created of him. Let vs therefore looke vpon him with the eies of a stedfast and con­stant faith, grounded vpon his word: let vs behold his glorie, and the blessednes of his saints, and let vs conceiue in our harts and soules, an vnfained loue to him: and let vs not haue two loues, one for our selues, and another for our neighbors, but let vs loue them and our selues both with one and the same loue, which may kindle and inflame our harts and mindes throughout, with an earnest desire of immortalitie, and that heauenly Ierusalem. That we may say with the prophet: O my soule returne vnto Psal. 116. thy rest, for the Lord hath done well to thée: or as it may be tran­slated, bicause the Lord hath restored thée to thy selfe: As if he should say: O my soule, when thou didst serue thy bodie, and wast in bondage to it, it was no maruell, that thou didst séeke the pleasures thereof: but now séeing thou art thine owne, bi­cause the Lord hath restored thée to thy selfe, séeke not anothers pleasure but thine owne: séeke thine owne rest, and not the rest of thy bodie, of the flesh & of the world: séeke God, delight in him, flie vnto him, and rest thy selfe in him: put all thy cares, griefs, & sor­rowes, in his loue and swéete comfort: thinke of eternall blessed­nes, presse it and print it surely in thy selfe. This is thy spirituall rest, this is thine own and only delight, restored vnto thée, by the benefit and bountifulnes of God.

THere is nothing liker vnto the world than the sea. For as 100 it floweth and ebbeth, and all the waues thereof, at the length fall into the earth: So this world is neuer quiet: it extolleth some, and casteth downe others: but all the vanities of it, are ended in the graue. If the sea lie open to many dangers: how perilous then is the world? if the sea be troubled with strange stormes: with what tempests then is the world tossed? If they that serue by sea, are neuer without great perils, how much more then, the seruants of the world? They, whose heads are vnder the girdle of the world, are continually shot at, with the darts of enuie, hatred and malice, and are euer couered as it were with cloudes and stormes of a thousand cares. How many are slaues to pride? how many are dirtie drudges to couetous­nes? how many are consumed in substance, soules, and bodies, by foule and filthie lecherie? How many are deuoured and swal­lowed [Page 46] vp quicke, of sorrowes and gréefes, of hart and minde? And doth not too much ioy, and reioicing in worldly trifles, kill some? Many die laughing, but mo sorrowing, some with eating and drinking too much, and many through want of sufficient, giue the world adew. Some grudge and whine, bicause they haue many children, and some are malcontent bicause they haue none: some grudge, not bicause they haue many, but bicause they haue bad ones: some boast of their beauties, and some mourne for their blacknes. Many desire to liue long, but few to liue well. All would be rulers, and few will be ruled. What then shall we thinke of this world? Truly I thinke of it, as of a thing most dangerous, and most vaine: and the going out of it, is to me, as the shore is to a man, that hath trauelled far and long by sea, and hath béene dangerously tossed with the surges and waues of the same, somtimes throwen vp as it were into the clouds, and som­times hurled downe, as it were into hell. And howsoeuer it bea­reth thée in hand, it will serue thée a sluttish tricke in the end. It will promise thée health, but ere long thou must be sicke: it will promise thée friends, but if aduersitie ouertake thée, thy friends will be to séeke: it will promise thée wealth, and shortly after, thou shalt be in hucksters handling, and be faine to crouch to a beastly vsurer▪ that will eate vp thée, and all thou hast: it will smile on thée, and deceiue thée, whatsoeuer it shall promise thée, Looke thou, for quid pro quo. Therfore if thou beest well aduised, say to it, and dissemble not, farewell world. I desire to be dissol­ued and to be with the Lord Iesus.

AS the image of Nabuchadnezzar, although it had an head 101 of fine gold, yet it fell, and was broken all to péeces, bicause it had féete of clay, which being touched with a stone, ouerthrew the whole inuention: So, iustice many times falleth to the ground, bicause, although the princes which are rightly called the heads of their countries, be very excellent iusticers, and made as it were of the purest and finest gold of vertue, yet the mini­sters of iustice are earthen, and do bend their harts and mindes, to nothing but earth and clay, and with gifts and rewards they are carried euery way: for gaine they will sell iudgement, and breake the necke of iustice. If you shall touch their hands, with some precious stone, some iewell of gold, some costly plate, some gold or siluer curiously engrauen, or with some good round sum [Page 47] of gold or mony, though it be in an olde purse, they will for thy sake, turne vpside downe, all the lawes of God, and man. And yet notwithstanding, there be many such ones in the world, it is not to be doubted, that there be some, yea many very good, vpright, and godly iusticers with vs, which hate bribes, loue iustice with single harts, and framing their whole liues after the rule of rea­son and equitie, do neuer willingly violate the lawe. God amend the worse, and increase the better.

EVen as a brooke in winter, is caried with great violence, and 102 runneth with a mighty force, flowing ouer with abundance of waters on euery side, when there is no want nor néede of wa­ter, but in the heate of sommer is dried vp and emptie, when wa­ter is scant and hard to be had, whereto thirstie passengers as they trauell, running in hope of water to drinke, are vtterly de­ceiued: So, a fained and hollow harted friend, in the time of thy prosperitie, and rich estate, will promise thée many things, when thou hast néede of nothing: but if the wind shall turne, and blow the contrarie way, and thou shalt be turned and tossed with ma­ny sharp brunts, and blustering blasts, of troubles, aduersitie, pe­nurie and pouertie, thy friends (as thou thought) will be like a trée withered through want of sap, and like a ditch without water, dried and parched with the heate of the sunne. If thou be troubled in the citie, he will be gone into the countrie: if in the countrie, then his busines is in the citie. He will hide himselfe, he will stand a far off, he will be afeard to méete thée, yea he will liue in a continuall feare and dread, least God should vse him, and make him his instrument to do thée good. Iob had great ex­perience of this, when he complained, saying: My friends passed Iob. 6. by me, or haue deceiued me, euen as a brooke that runneth swift­ly in the vallies. Such men are friends of thy table, of thy welth, of thy fauour, and of thy friendship: they will waite of thy ho­nor, thy lordship, thy worship and authoritie: but in pouertie, imprisonment, or in any other distresse or disgrace, they will vt­terly forsake thée. If thou wilt follow my counsell therefore, trie them throughly, and knowe them perfectly, and forsake thou them, before they forsake thée.

AS a shadow doth follow that man, which is lighted with the 103 bright beames of the sunne, but if the sunne be hid, or coue­red [Page 48] with a cloud, the shadow vanisheth▪ and is cleane gone: So, a painted and counterfetted friend, doth follow and ply that man, whom he perceiueth to be rich, to be famous, honorable, and in the princes fauour, at whose hands he hopeth that some­thing will be gotten: but if he shall fall into calamitie, be dispoi­led of his riches, and shall tumble downe from the top of his ho­nor, into the lowe vallie of disgrace, he presently forsaketh him, and maketh no reckoning nor account of him. But a true friend is no changling. Salomon saith: He that is a friend, doth loue Prouerb. 17. thée at all times, and a brother is tried in perplexitie and an­guish. And Ecclesiasticus saith: A friend shall not be knowen in Eccles. 12. prosperitie, neither will an enimie be hid in aduersitie. Augu­stine saith in one of his bookes of questions: There is nothing so August. lib. 83. quaestionum. Isidor. lib. 3. de summo bono. much trieth a friend, as the bearing of his friends burden. And Isidorus saith: Friendship in prosperitie is most doubtfull, nei­ther is it easily discerned, whether a mans person, or his prospe­rous estate be loued. And an experienced man affirmeth, that, Boetius lib. 3. de consolatione. whom prosperitie maketh a friend, him aduersitie maketh a foe. Time doth shew and trie, who it is that loueth thée truly: in these our daies, friends for the most part, are rightly compared vnto the bird called a swallow, whose companie thou shalt haue in sommer, but not in winter: so friends (as they go now adaies) will swarme about thée, so long as thou art able and willing, to féede their humors, and serue their turnes, but that ended, they will leaue thée, in the middest of a thousand surges and waues, of what troubles soeuer shall light vpon thée.

AS an huge and mightie fire, will be asswaged, and at the 104 length, quite put out, if thou wilt withdraw the sticks and other matter, that doth cherish and increase it: So, thy afflicti­ons and troubles will come to an end, if thou wilt cease to do euill, and giue ouer sinne, before it giue ouer thée. Our sinnes are those drie sticks, and stubble, wherewith the fire, not onely of the wrath and malice of infidels, and heretikes, but also of the wrath and indignation of God, is kindled, increased, and most mightily stirred vp against vs. They are our greatest enimies, the Lord grant, that euer beholding them, we may vnfainedly forsake and hate them.

AS a godly and a wise surgeon, purposing to cut the corrup­ted 105 wounds of a sicke bodie, and to take away, or to seare [Page 49] with an hot iron, the rotten flesh, in cutting or searing hath no pitie of the weake man, to the end, that in curing his sore, and healing his wound, by cutting and searing, he may shew him great pitie: Euen so, our most wise God, that celestiall physition, and heauenly surgeon, smiteth vs, that he may heale vs, cutteth Heb. 12. and seareth vs, that he may cure vs. He smiteth whom he loueth, and doth chasten him, that he may helpe and heale, the wounds Deut. 32. and sores of his soule. The Lord himselfe doth say: I kill, and I make aliue, I wound, and I make whole. And in the mouth of Amos the prophet, God hath these words to the Israelites: You Amos 3. onely haue I knowen of all the families of the earth, therefore will I visite all your iniquities: that is, I will be reuenged, and will punish all your sinnes. For in the scripture, somtime, to vi­site, is to punish. As in the Psalm 89. If they breake my statutes, Psal. 89. 31. and kéepe not my commandements, then wil I visite their trans­gressions with the rod, and their iniquitie with strokes: yet my louing kindnes will I not take from him, neither will I falsifie my truth, &c. As if the Lord should say: If he offend, I will pu­nish him, and haue mercie vpon him. The Lords iustice will haue punishment, and his promise will haue mercie. This is to our euerlasting comfort, that the Lords chastenings, are to his children, his mercie.

EVen as, in a sea mooued and tossed with great waues, and 106 mightie surges, the pilots skill and wisedome is throughly tried, and his manlines and courage perfectly séene: Euen so, a man that is godly without dissembling, and religious without hypocrisie, in the middest of terrible tempests, of great troubles, when he is throwen vp, and hurled downe, tossed héere, and crus­shed there, in a thousand stormes of dangers, then declareth his patience, his spirituall courage, and his vnmooueable constancie, in vertue and true holines. The princely prophet Dauid, being woonderfully afflicted, did beare most patiently, and tooke very quietly, the shamelesse reproches of Shemei, leauing vnto vs an 2. Sam. 16. euerlasting monument, of an vnfained, and voluntarie patience. Yet when Dauid had gotten the victorie of his enimies, through the Lords mightie and stretched out hand, he tooke a great and dangerous fall, in causing the people to be numbred: wherein he offended God most highly, and brought a fearfull plague vpon 2. Sam. 24. them, & yet repenting he found mercy and forgiuenes of his grée­uous [Page 50] and intolerable sinnes. Héere may we see the benefit and commoditie, that commeth by the meanes of troubles and cala­mities, and that the Lord hath mercy vpon vs, euen then, when he séemeth to shew no mercie, but onely to deale in iudgement.

AS, when one part of a man that is sicke, is not capable of the 107 remedie, wherewith he may be holpen, we are woont to ap­plie the same remedie to another part: as if one be greeued, with extreme ache of the head, we are woont to strike a veine of the arme, bicause the head will not abide phlebotomie, or blood let­ting: So, that we may helpe and heale many diseases of the soule, we must kéepe the bodie in subiection to the spirit, and tame the lusts of the flesh, and labour to bridle our affections, and to keepe them within the compasse of reason, sobrietie and tempe­rance.

AS a water pot, or a violl, full of liquor, if suddenly it be 108 ouerthrowen, doth shed and scatter the liquor: So a de­uout and godlie hart, abounding with teares, being moo­ued and troubled with sorrow, bicause of the iniuries, dishonor, wrongs, and blasphemies committed against the Lord, doth pre­sently powre out great abundance, and as it were mightie streames of salt and bitter teares. The sinnes of the Iewes com­mitted against God, did draw out of the hart of Christ, great store of teares, and sent them trickling downe his cheekes: and the Matth 21. Luc. 19. prophet Dauid his eies gushed out, and did run ouer with wa­ter, to sée the wickednes of the vngodly. And Peters denying of Christ, when he came to himselfe, made him wéepe bitterly. We are to too eager and forward, to reuenge euery little wrong done to our selues, but iniuries done against the Lord, do neuer once mooue vs: but we ought to be gréeued with his wrongs, and beare patiently our owne.

EVen as wilde beasts, being about to inuade and to set vpon 109 their praie, will stoupe lowe, and bende themselues, that they may fall, and rush vpon it, with the greater force, and more violence: euen so proude and mischieuous men, being slie and subtle, sometimes will crouch, and beare themselues verie lowlie, that vnder the colour of dissembled vertue, they may sup­plant, and deceiue the simple, and godly honest man, aduaunce [Page 51] themselues, and worke mischiefe to others. The holie Ghost, by the prophet doth signifie so much, when he (speaking of the proud man) saith: He will crouch and bowe, that he may get the vpper Psal. 10. hand of the poore. These are dangerous men, their steps are not to be followed. True and single harted christians, must and wil, imbrace true and vnfained humility, and lowlines of hart. They imitate him that saith, Learne of me, for I am humble and low­ly Math. 11. in hart. They are euer ready, most easilie to pardon and for­giue, detractions and slanders, giuen out against their liues, in­iuries and wrongs offered, and don to their innocency, obloquies and false reports, diuised and caste abroad, to blemish their good names, and to staine their credits. And on the other side, they bée euer bold and earnest, in reproouing of sinne, as spéeches that bée vaine and idle, rather offending then profiting the hearers, blas­phemie, and whatsoeuer may prouoke the almightie to displea­sure and anger. These iniuries committed against the Lorde, do gréeue their harts a thousand times more, then any violent or tyrannicall torture, that can be offered vnto their bodies and liues. They make them waile, wéepe, sigh and sob. I speake of good Christians, the number of them is small, the Lorde in­crease it, and make it greater.

Amen.

AS the wings of eagles, with their stripe or blowe, do marthe 110 wings, and breake the feathers of other birds: So, the mightie and great men of the Iewes, with their tyranni­call crueltie, and most hellish impietie, were wont to draw to de­struction, and to drag to death, the weaker sort, and such as were innocent, and tendered the glory and praise of God. As the scrip­ture in many places doth declare. Manasses, as it is written, shed 2. Reg. 21. innocent bloud excéeding much, till he replenished Ierusalem from corner to corner. And Christ himself beholding Ierusalem, with a pitifull voice, saide: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest to death, those that are sent vnto thee, &c. And Stephen the martyr of Christ, as Luke maketh Math. 23. mention in the Acts, saith to the Iewes: Which of the prophets Act. 17. haue not your forefathers persecuted? and haue killed them, that foretold of the comming of that iust. And in the Epistle to the Heb. 11. Hebrewes, the apostle saith: they were stoned, they were hewen a sunder, they were tempted, they were slaine with the sworde, they wandred vp and downe, in shéepe skins▪ and goate skins, [Page 52] being destitute, afflicted and tormented. Thus was it then: I would to God, there were not the like nowe, euen among some, that professe the name of Christ, and his Gospel now, as though they would die in his quarrell, and spend all in the defence of his truth. The Lorde roote out all hypocrisie, and conuert or subuert all hypocrites.

AS great flouds and swelling riuers, when they ouerflowe 111 their chanels, and do breake through their bankes, by rea­son of their raging and violent streames, and so spread and run abroad, can not fill and couer the fieldes with water, but they hurt corne or grasse, or what so else, is in their waie: So, great riches, mightie powers, and high dignities, when they growe and increase in wicked, and vngodly men, do not spread abroade, and run ouer the fieldes, and limites of common wealthes, but they do much harme: to wit, they polle and pill away, the riches and substance, of the séely weake and poore men, they fill their di­ches, I meane their purses, with the blood of innocents: they build their honors, and establish their dignities, vpon the dis­grace, and the oppression of the saints and seruants of God: And whatsoeuer is in their waie, and to their liking, they carrie it with them, by hooke or crooke, by right or wronge: they care not who wéepe, so they laugh: who be emptie, so they be full: who be vndone, so they be aduanced. Héere hence come slaughters, and murthers: Thus are many brought into great calamities, and miseries. But they that do these things to others, do hurt them­selues most. For whiles they hurt others, in their bodies, goods, or names, they kill their owne soules.

AS a man much mooued with anger, and far out of frame 112 through indignation and wrath, intending to kill his bro­ther, should throw at him, precious stones, goodly pearles, and rich iewels, should not damnifie, nor hurt his brother, bicause he woulde gather them vp, kéepe them, and inrich himselfe with them: Euen so, tyrants disposed to kill, and with fire and sword to put to death, the saints and true seruants of God, which do ex­cell in true piety, and vnfained loue to God and man, do torment them, with diuers sorts, and sundrie kinds of most cruell mar­tyrdome, of which things the children of God are glad, and do re­ioice, and grow stronger, and richer in Christ, & being throughly [Page 53] armed with a godly patience, they do take, and beare them, most quietly for God his sake, without murmuring or grudging, euen as their crosse, wherewith most willingly, they follow their Lord and sauiour Christ, and do account such tortures inestima­ble riches, and themselues happie, that they be thought woorthie to suffer such things, for the truth sake, and in the Lords quarell. Such euer haue béene all the martyrs of Christ, that when they haue béene haled and dragged, to most cruell torments, and ty­rannicall executions, they haue taken and imbraced them, most cheerefully, as though they were rich and delicate banquets.

AS precious iewels, made of most pure gold, wrought cun­ningly 113 & curiouslie, with great workmanship, the néerer thou shalt come vnto them, and the more stedfastly and cléerely thou shalt behold them, the finer, the brauer, and more excellent thou wilt iudge them: Euen so, as thou shalt come née­rer in vnderstanding and knowledge, vnto the secrets and my­steries of God, conteined in his written word, and with the grea­ter puritie of minde, the more strength of faith, and the brighter light of the grace of God, thou shalt looke into them, the profoun­der, the déeper, the more diuine and heauenly, yea and the more comfortable to thy soule, will they séeme and appéere vnto thée, euery day. Insomuch, that thou wilt iudge thy selfe, to haue béen little better then blinde, and to haue séene nothing as thou ought in the mysteries of the diuine word. And thou wilt make haste to crie vnto the Lorde with the prophet: Open mine eies O Lord, Psal. 119. and I shall sée and consider the woonderfull things of thy lawe. But that man, that trusting to his owne gifts, wit and learning, and hath his hart and minde bewitched with this worlde, and poysoned with sinne, taking pleasure in those things which the Lord hath forbidden, will go about to pearce into the most holie worde, and to search out the secrets, of the great and most highe God, he shall lose his labour, open his vanitie, misse the marke he shot at, and die in the blindnes wherein he liued, and so passe hence to his owne destruction, the iust reward of his presumpti­on, be he neuer so wittie, skilfull and learned. Through thy com­mandements Psal. 119. (saith the Lords prophet) I am wiser then all my enimies, learneder then my teachers, and better experienced then the ancient men of the worlde. Therefore true wisedome, the best learning, and heauenly experience, is gotten and had out [Page 54] of the lawe of God, by the inward working, of the holie Ghost, in our harts and minds. The Almightie vouchsafe to write his lawes and statutes in all our harts, that therby we may be wise, against flesh, this inchaunting world, sin and sathan.

AS the hauke is then lost, when trusting to hir wings, shée 114 riseth and mounteth too high: So then, do vaine men fall far from God, when with their owne wit, reason, and wisedome onely, and alone, they will vnderstande the déepe misteries of God, as though the counsels and wisedome, of Gods eternal ma­iestie, might and could be comprehended, with the reason & wit of man. The Apostle his counsell is holie and good: be not too Rom. 11. high minded, but feare.

AS they that haue cléere and sound eies, do easilie indure the 115 bright light of the sunne, wherewith eies that be sore and diseased, are greatly offended: So, vertuous and godly men, are illuminated, and woonderfully cléered in their vnderstanding, and the eies of their minds, with the diuine and heauenly light of the word of him, that saith: I am the light of the world: wher­with Ioh. 8. the wicked and vngodly, are highly offended, in so much that they hate the light, and loue darknes more then it. And so growing blinder and blinder euery day, at the length they fall, and tumble downe headlong into the insaciable pit, of eternall destruction.

AS a pot full of swéete liquor, if it be made hote, and boyled 116 vpon the fire, will driue away flies, that they will not come néere it, but if it be cold, the flies will by and by go into it, and it will receiue them, and they will corrupt and consume it: Euen so the hart of man, if it be inflamed, with a true and sincere loue of God, will not receiue into it, those dangerous temptations, which are continually flying about it, but wil remooue, and driue them far off, and giue no place vnto them: but if by reason of slothfull idlenes in heauenly things, and for want of a godly cou­rage, it grow cold in the loue of the Lord, then is it obuious, and wide open, to all temptations, it barreth out none, it receiueth all, none are reiected, be they neuer so wicked: all are imbraced, intertained and welcome. Then is it a receptacle of all abomi­nations: as idolatrie, blasphemie, murther, adulterie, and what­soeuer [Page 55] is wicked, mischeeuous and damnable. The Lord there­fore vouchsafe, to take from vs, all idle slothfulnes in the matters of God, and our saluation, and to fill our harts full of vnfained loue, to himselfe aboue all things, and to our neighbors as to our selues, and for his owne sake, euen to our enimies, that sathan our sworne enimie, that soule flie of hell, may neuer finde so much as one chinke or chap, where through he may créepe into our harts.

Amen. Amen.

AS in a true, perfect, and certaine clocke, the whéeles being 117 tempered, and in equall and due proportion diuided, do per­forme their courses, and do keepe their seuerall compasses, with­out iarring, or differing one from another, euenly and alike: so that, one moouing, the others are mooued, and one standing, the rest are still, and stir not, so that, though they be many in num­ber, in frame, fashion, and agréement, they are but one: Euen so in a Christian commonwealth, there ought to be one, and the selfesame will, and so great a concord, and likenes of mindes, re­conciled and drawen togither, by vertue it selfe, and so insepara­bly linked one to another, with the infringible band of sincere loue in Christ, that though in bodies, they be infinite and innu­merable, yet in vnanimitie, consent, and good agréement, in the Lord Iesu, they should be all as one man. This is that vnitie, and brotherly loue, which God himselfe, so highly commendeth in the mouth of his prophet saying: Behold how good and how ioy­full Psal. 133. a thing it is, brethren to dwell euen togither, &c. To this end came our sauiour Christ (that I may vse the words of Zacharie) euen to guide and direct our feete into the way of peace. And the holy Apostle doth admonish vs, to kéepe the vnitie of the spirit, in Luc. [...]. Ephes. 4. the band of peace. And to the Romanes he saith▪ The kingdome of God, is not meate and drinke, but righteousnes and peace. A­gaine, is not that example of our sweete sauiour, woorthie of all men to be imbraced and imitated? Simon (saith Christ to Peter) of whom do the kings of the earth, take tribute or poll mony? of their children or of strangers? Peter answered, Of strangers. then said Iesus, Then are the children frée. Neuertheles (saith Christ) least we should offend them, go thy way to the sea, &c. and pay for thée and me. Lo [...], to auoid offence, and to preserue peace, what our sauiour Christ himselfe was contented to do, euen that he néeded not, and was frée from. Much to blame therefore, are [Page 56] all they, and far from following the steps of Christ, which séeke not by all meanes lawfull and possible, to maintaine the vnitie and peace of the church of Christ. The enimies of this peace are very intolerable men. The Lord by his prophet calleth them Esay 48. wicked and vngodly men: There is no peace to the vngodly. And Salomon doth number them, among the enimies of God, which Prouerb. 6. do sowe discord and dissention, among brethren.

EVen as the spirit of man, doth not strengthen the members 118 of the body, vnlesse they be fast and surely ioined togither: So, the holy Ghost, doth not reuiue and comfort, the mem­bers of the Church, when they fall away, and will not continue in league and fellowship with the seruants of God. Longer than they are fast bound, and knit to the congregation, of Gods peo­ple, in loue and peace in Christ, the holy Ghost doth minister no strength, no consolation, no comfort vnto them. There remai­neth, nothing else in such men, but a numnesse, and an extreme blindnes, in heauenly things. And whiles in their arrogancie and pride, they forsake and condemne the church of God, bicause they cannot draw it into subiection, to their fond and fantasticall humors, they become of men, diuels incarnate.

AS the pilote of a ship, without the shine of sunne or moone, 119 cannot take the hauen of any land: So a man, without the light of grace, can neuer attaine to the hauen of glorie, but how­soeuer he persuadeth himselfe, that he casteth his anchor in a place of safetie, it falleth out in the end, that he casteth it vpon a rocke, where there is no hope of saluation.

AN eagle, so long as hir yoong ones, be not very flidge and 120 throughly feathered, she doth not suffer them to go out of the nest, and to flie abroad: but after they be perfectly winged, & in the beautie & strength of their feathers, she throwes them out of the nest, that they may flie, and exercise their wings and feathers, and vse them to the end wherfore they haue them: Euen so our sauiour Christ, that heauenly eagle, after his resur­rectiō, commanded his disciples to stay at Ierusalem, as it were Act. 1. & 2. in a nest, and not to depart thence, vntill in the day of Pentecost, he had filled them with the grace of the holy Ghost: & then he commanded them, that passing through the world, and traueling [Page 57] through diuers coasts of the earth, they should publish abroad, and spread far and neare, the Gospell of his kingdome. This ex­ample of Christ, is followed at this day, to the great comfort and benefit of Christ his church, when godly Archministers, lay not their hands vpon any, to admit them, to be laborers in the Lords vineyard, nor to do the office of a minister, vntill they finde them sufficiently learned, and well furnished with gifts and graces from God, so far as they be able to discerne and iudge.

EVen as the eagle, hauing hir yoong ones shut vp in the nest, 121 although she flieth excéeding high, & pearseth the loftie aire, yet she withdraweth not hir eies from hir yoong ones, but still beholdeth them: and they also, crying after their maner, with their stretched out necks, do looke after hir: Euen so the Lord Iesus ascending into heauen, did behold his disciples, and they also hungring and thirsting after him, did fasten their eies vpon him, and did not lose the sight of him, vntill he pearsed and broke open the heauens, and entred into the presence of his fa­ther. And although they were diuided from him in body, yet in hart and minde they followed him still. And Iesus that heauenly eagle, séeing from heauen, a fierce and cruell hauke, preparing to destroy his nest, and to kill his yoong ones, he on the other side prepared himselfe, and came against the hawke, ouerthrew him, and laid him prostrate vpon the ground. The hawke was Saule, Acts. 9. who (that I may speake, as the scripture speaketh) breathing out threatnings and slaughter, against the disciples and seruants of the Lord, he went vnto the high priest, and desired letters of him to Damascus, against all the Christians that he should finde there, &c. but the Lord Iesus did hurle him against the ground, and gaue him for meate vnto his church, and to the yoong ones of his nest, whom he sought to destroy, who now being called Paul, doth recreate and refresh the whole church of God, with holy & most heauenly doctrine. Behold how the lord hath euer prouided well, for his nest, that is, his church, his saints and seruants. And this is our comfort in all extremities, euen to the end of the world: For as of old, & from age to age, he hath prouided for his owne, and hath defended, preserued, and deliuered them, in all their distresses, were they neuer so desperate, in the opinions of men, so will he do still, and for euer, if we be not the cause of the contrarie, through our wilfull, obstinate, and manifold sinnes, [Page 58] and most impudent impenitencie. The Lord shew mercie vnto vs, and guide our harts, minds, and all our waies, to the right honoring of his maiestie, and true praise of his name.

AS we are woont to eate, peares and the kirnels of nuts, 122 but throw from vs vpon the grounde, the parings and shels: So we ought vnfainedly to be in loue, and deligh­ted with vertue and godlines, and to contemne and despise the shape, shew or shadow of the same, being separated and diuided from vertue it selfe: for, to retaine and hold the fashion and like­nes of vertue, without the substance of the same, is meere hypo­crisie.

THat man that doth couer and hide, his foule faults, and 123 lothsome sins, with a faire and beautifull shew of vertues, fayning an holines where none is, is not to be counted re­ligious, but an hypocrite: Like vnto a swan, whose feathers are all white, but hir flesh blacke, white without and blacke within.

THe margarits, those little white shining precious stones, 124 which do grow within shell fishes in the sea, in this point are very marueilous and woonderfull, that though they be bred and increased in the sea, yet haue they no similitude nor likenes with the sea: For the sea is blue or skie coloured, but the margarits are white: The sea is horrible, and full of discomfi­ture, but they are chéerefull, pleasant, and so beautifull to behold, that they mooue much, greatly delight, and allure mightily mens eies to looke vpon them: the sea is bitter, but they are amiable, and without all bitternes: But rather in some sort and measure, by reason of their cleerenes and brightnes, they represent the skie, the reason is, bicause they receiue influence from thence. Such are vertuous and godly men, which are surely grounded, & certainely setled, in the loue of God, and true Christian religi­on, who being borne and brought vp in this world, haue no sem­blance, likenes nor fashion of the same. In desire they be drawn, in will they be seuered, in words they differ, and in works they vtterly disagree from it. And they do rather resemble in some measure heauen, from whence they receiue the influence of the grace and fauour of God.

EVen as the precious stone called a iacincte, is turned and 125 changed with the aire: (for in a cléere aire, it is bright, and in a cloudie season, it is darkesome, and not so pleasant:) So, the preachers, and teachers of the worde of God, in their teaching and preaching, ought to frame themselues, to méete with the maners, ages and qualities of all their hearers. So did the apostle among the Corinthians: Wée speake wisdome saith 1. Cor. 2. he, among them that are perfect: And againe he saith: I could 1. Cor. 3. not speake vnto you, as vnto spirituall men, but as vnto babes in Christ Iesu. I gaue you milke to drinke, and not meate, for yée were not yet able to beare it, neither yet now are, &c. Againe: 1. Cor. 9. I am made all things to all men, that at the least I may win some to Christ.

AS one and the same medicine, is not vsed and ministred to 126 all that be diseased and sicke, but diuers medicines, accor­ding to their diuers diseases: So one and the selfe same doctrine, is not agréeable to all hearers: The teaching therefore, and preaching of the ministers of Christ, must be so ordered and deuided, that, hauing diuers and sundrie hearers, whose cases differ much, and are not all alike, euery one may haue his seue­rall portion, that not one, through want of discretion in him, go emptie away.

AS a diligent and learned physition, before he minister anie 127 phisicke to his sicke patiente, ought not onely to séeke out, and to know the disease of him, whom he purposeth to cure, but also his maners, his vsuall behauiour, the nature of his bodie, and his qualities: So, a godly wise preacher of the worde, must do his best indeuour, to knowe the infirmities, maners, and dis­positions of his auditorie, that spirituall phisicke, sit and méete for euery one, may be ministred in due time.

EVen as that precious stone called a carbuncle, doth not in 128 darknes lose his shine and excellent beautie: So, a vertu­ous and godlie man, in the extreame darknes of infinit calamities, obloquies, cursings, railings, backbitings, slaunders, and whatsoeuer, doth shewe his Christian pacience, and quiet suffering: For he knoweth well, that such things do profite much to aduance the praise of true and noble vertues.

THe hart of man, is like vnto a censer, filled ful of hot coles, 129 and made readie to receiue, whatsoeuer thou wilt cast into it: For euen as, if thou shalt cast into a censer, odorife­rous and swéete pomander bals, the whole house will bée filled, with a most swéete sauour, and pleasant perfume: but if thou shalt cast into it, brimstone or some such matter, all the house wil be full of most horrible stinche: So, in like maner, if thou shalt put into the hart of some man, good and wholesome counsels, and shalt instruct him with godly aduertisements, and shalt open vn­to him the fountaine of the truth, thou shalt bring to passe, that there shall procéed out of his hart, a great sauour of a most swéete smell: But if thou shalt fill him with euill and wicked counsels, and shalt perswade and drawe him, to impietie, hatred, trecherie and all abominations, thou shalt be the cause of an intollerable stinche, there shall come out of his hart a most poysonfull sauour, wherewith not onely his owne hart, but the whole house wher­in he is, and all the common wealth where he abideth, shall bée hurt, infected, and poysoned.

EVen as, out of an apothecaries shop, where very wholesome 130 medicines, precious ointments, and most pleasant perfumes are solde, sometimes commeth most ranke and deadly poyson: So very often, from men greatly experienced, and déepely lear­ned, do come verie pestilent, pernisious and trecherous counsels. Therefore saith Ecclesiasticus: Haue but one counseller of a Eccles. 6. 8. & 37. thousand. And againe: Do no secret thing before a stranger, for thou canst not tell what he goeth about. Also kéepe thy soule from an euill counseller. Choose such a counseller, as doth loue thy soule, and desireth thy saluation. Gregory saith: No man can be more faithfull to giue thée counsell, then that man, that loueth and desireth not thy goods, but thy selfe. Euery man hath néede of counsell, but let euerie man, make good and godly choise of his counsellour. The law of God, (saith Cyprian) is the sterne of counsels. Happie and blessed is that man, that house, and that common-wealth, that is ruled with such counsels, as are groun­ded, and deriued, from the holie lawes of God.

AS a man holding in his hand an angling rod, and with a 131 baited hooke fishing in an obscure and troubled riuer, al­though he doth not sée the fish rush vpon the baite, yet he [Page 61] perceiueth very well, that the fish is taken, and hanged vpon the hooke, bicause the corke or barke of his fishing line is pulled downe, and hid vnder the water: So sathan, that most subtle, and wilte fisher, although he séeth not our thoughts, being in the secrets and bottomes of our harts, yet notwithstanding, by out­ward signes, he many times doth know them, as by our words: (For out of the aboundance of the hart, the mouth speaketh,) by our actions, and by the gestures of our bodies. For Christ him­selfe affirmeth: That out of our harts do come euill and wicked Math. 15. thoughts. And Salomon in his Prouerbes, doth number among Proverb. 6. those things which God hateth, An hart that is fraught with euill thoughts. Héere hence may most easily be gathered, that all our euill thoughts, do not come vnto vs, from without, neither are wrought in vs, nor stirred vp altogither by sathan, but that they come and créepe out of our owne corruption. And so by out­ward signes and tokens, comming to the knowledge of our eni­mie the deuill, he neuer ceaseth, with infinite temptations, of all sorts, to do his greatest indeuour, to drawe the same cogi­tations of our harts into most dangerous and damnable practise, if the Lord of his mercie and goodnes, shall not giue vs true re­pentance, and the assistance of his spirit, wherby we may auoide his snares, and escape his traps. Which thing the Lorde grant vs.

Amen.

AS the smith doth not make himselfe, the hote coles, that be 132 in his forge, but doth blowe the fire with bellowes, and so the coles are kindled, and made hot and firie: So, the diuell doth blowe and inflame, those dangerous and wicked cogitations, which are conceiued in our harts and minds, with the bellowes of great and manifold temptations, and so laboring to kindle the fire of all iniquitie, he ministreth nourishment to all our wicked and damnable purposes. For the hart of man, is like vnto a smithes forge, his euill and bad cogitations are hote burning coles, he that doth blowe the bellowes, to make them to burne vp, and to consume both our soules and bodies, is the diuell, that ancient enimie of our happines and saluation.

It is to be lamented verily, and with bitter tear [...]s, and blub­bering eies, to be bewailed, that such pestilent cogitations, and deadly thoughts, should be nouzeled and nourished in our harts and soules, which do kill both bodie & soule for euer, euen as the [Page 62] frie of vipers, in comming to light, do kill their dams, most mise­rably.

EVen as a begger, doth couer and hide those parts of his body, 133 which be whole, sound, and perfect, and doth open, and shew abroad, those parts or members, which be [...]ore, wounded, mai­med, lame, putrified and rotten, to mooue the harts and mindes, of passers by, and of all that shall behold him, the rather to pitie him, and to minister vnto him some reléefe and comfort: Euen so, we that be poore and miserable sinners in this world▪ must not bring before the Lord our God, our owne merits, good déeds, or vertues, as able and sufficient, to win the fauour and loue of God, and to cléere vs of our sinnes and transgressions: but we must most willingly, with harts, that be rent and torne, with gréefe and sorrow, for our misdéedes, and heinous offences, done and committed against the maiestie of God, open, bring foorth, and lay before him, the botches of our soules, the corruption of our natures, and the putrifaction and rottennes of our sinnes and iniquities, that we may obtaine at Gods hand, ease and comfort to our soules and consciences, his great mercie, and frée remission for all our rebellions, sinnes and wickednesses, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

AS they which do dig mettals out of the earth, do not con­temne, 134 nor despise the least gobbets and peeces, that they espie, but take all: but especially, if they finde by digging a veine of gold, they leaue no way vnsought, but with all care and dili­gence they looke about them, and do dig the gold and earth togi­ther, and most diligently do saue and kéepe the same: Euen so ought we to deale, in the holy word of God, we must passe ouer nothing therein lightly, nor despise one word, of all the sacred and diuine scriptures, but eagerly and earnestly, to do our best and greatest indeuors, yea and to call, and to crie most mightily to the Lord, to aide, assist, and enable vs, to dig out of the same word, whatsoeuer is requisite and necessarie for the saluation of our soules, and eternall life. It is not earth and gold mixt togi­ther, it is all most pure, and throughly tried, yea it is purer by a thousand degrées, than any golde, that hath béene tried seauen times in the fire. The prophet affirmeth, that it is better than Psal. 119. thousands of gold and siluer.

AS the sea doth cast to shore, shell fishes of al sorts, wéedes and many other things, and not long after doth sup vp, receiue, deuoure, and cast into the depth the same againe: Euen so, this world doth now thrust vs out of fauour, and by and by receiueth vs againe: and when we thinke our selues to be vpon a very safe shore, and that we haue leisure, and time to rest vs, and to meditate vpon some woorthie and excellent things, euen then we finde our selues deceiued, and are tossed among the waues of infinite troubles, and are swallowed vp of innumerable calami­ties, bicause many things that we neuer thought of, haue pre­uented vs, and the flickerings and false promises of this cosoning world haue deceiued our hope, and disappointed our expectation.

AS a weake and brittle wal, is easily cast downe, and ouer­throwen 135 with euery engine: but an huge fense, a mightie strong wall, and a tower that is firme, and fensed on euery side, doth stand surely, and endureth the force that commeth against it, without yéelding, staggering, or falling: insomuch, that the enimies that seeke to ouerthrow it, are driuen and con­strained, to vse warlike engins and policies, yea and to batter and shake it, with engins, torments, and ordinances of wars, which will send and throw out, stones, weapons, bullets and pel­lets of iron and lead: Euen so sathan, doth most easily ouer­throw, with euery light temptation, fraile and weake men, which are not well setled in vertue, nor grounded in godlines, nor armed with the holy word, and spirit of God: but to win and ouercome (if he could) men that are furnished with a strong and liuely faith▪ and such as are staied, and do relie vpon the Lords protection and loue, he vseth sundrie subtilties, and most Matth. 4. dangerous and forcible temptations. He that tempted our saui­our Christ, will neither spare any man, nor meanes to destroie vs, if he can bring to passe, and effect his purposes. The Lord kéepe and defend vs, from his craft, subtiltie and force, and so strengthen vs with the holy Ghost, that we may passe through, and breake in péeces all his snares.

VVE must not thinke, that those men are forsaken of God, 136 which are much, and continually exercised, with diuers temptations: for euen as a man that hath two sonnes, the one, an earnest louer of vertue, strong in bodie, and of a mightie cou­rage: the other, depraued, and of crooked disposition, inclined to [Page 64] effeminate pleasures, and wanton delights, weake in bodie, and of little or no courage. The first he sendeth out to wars, and doth aduenture him, in perils and dangers of all sorts, that he may ex­ercise, and acquaint him, with the labours, troubles, and toiles of the world: the other he cockereth, and maketh too much of him, he suffereth him to haue all things at his wil, he is kept at home, and (as it were) dandled vpon his mothers lap. But at the last, he that in all his affaires, and dangerous aduentures, did in euerie point, quit himselfe, like a man of great valure, and noble cou­rage, receiued togither, with great praise, and deserued honor, a most high and noble reward: but he that was pampered, and cockered at home, had neither praise, reward nor honor: Euen so our heauenly father, doth leade men, that are strong and con­stant in faith, through diuers and sundrie perils and dangers, and doth drawe them as it were with his owne hande, through bitter anguishes, great perplexities, and very narow streightes of calamities, miseries, and temptations, and doth continuallie exercise them, with fearefull cumbats, against the enimies of their soules, and through many and great labours, infinite stur­die storms, and bitter blasts, doth strengthen, and confirm them, in vertue and godlines: But the frayle and wicked men of the worlde, and such as be méere naturall, without any delight or comfort in his word, and are no whit seasoned, nor chéered, with the dewes of his grace, and his most blessed spirit, he permitteth them to be in great prosperitie, and to haue all things at their will and pleasure, without smarting, sighing, sobbing, and groning, for wante or lacke of any thing, that their harts can de­uise or desire: but at the length, in the end of the day, they that haue striuen harde, and fought manfully, and haue in battell ouercomed the flesh, the world and the deuill, shall be receiued into endlesse saluation, euerlasting life, and eternall glory: And they which haue laid downe their heads, and slept in the bosoms of worldy pleasures, and haue slumbred in foule and filthie idle­nes, neuer caring, nor thinking, what will follow, nor remem­bring the dreadful day of iudgment, when the wicked shal heare their damnation denounced by Christ, they (I say) shall be vtter­ly condemned, reprobated, and cast into euerlasting and end­lesse miseries. Then shall most plainly be séene and felt, the losse that fleshly pleasures bring, and the profite of crosses, caried and borne for Christs sake.

AS wheate or other graine, laide vp and kept in a garner, 137 cellar or chamber, if it be not stirred, and dressed often, with a shouell or van, will be full of corruption, lose the swéete sauour, ware vnholesome for mans body, and will be consumed of wée­uels: And apparel or garments being laid vp in a presse, or other place, if they be not much shaken and tossed, will be eaten & spoy­led with mothes: Euen so men, if they be not tried with temp­tations, and throughly exercised with calamities and miseries, will be very quickly monstrously corrupted, and will grow to be so rotten in all maner of sin, and iniquitie, that they will shrinke and fall quite from the Lord. But being well prooued, canuased, and throughly tried, with many crosses, afflictions, and troubles, one following in the necke of an other, they become the firmer, stronger, and more constant, in the faith, feare, and loue of God, and so manfully fighting, and courageouslie ouercomming, the aduersaries and enimies of their soules, they shall at the length be crowned, with an euerlasting crowne of eternall glory. The 2. Tim. 2. which crowne, they onely shall haue, (saith the apostle) which do striue lawfully. And in another place he saith: God is faithful, 1. Cor. 10. and will not suffer you to be tempted, aboue that which you are able to beare, &c. But in this case it is requisite, that we be well furnished with the armour of God, bicause our enimies do di­uers and sundry waies assaile vs, and most mightily impugne and fight against vs: tryeng vs somtimes with one thing, and somtimes with another. So that, if we be not clothed with the armour of righteousnes, on the right hand, and on the left, we 1. Cor. 6. shall neuer be able to quit our selues against them, I meane the world, flesh and deuill, our professed, mortall and sworne eni­mies.

AS bées when they striue togither, and are stirred vp, 138 through some vehement motion, with throwing of dust, are brought into order, and appeased: euen so men, when they are tossed and tormented, with troublesome broiles per­turbations and passions, if they would remember dust, where­into of necessitie they must be turned, and neuer forget death, which they shal neuer be able to escape, they would easily be stai­ed, pacified and quieted, and woulde represse and kéepe within compasse, their stragling lusts, and vnrulie appetites, which cannot indure to be tamed, nor ruled by reason.

AS a tree, the more déepely it is rooted in the earth, the tal­ler 139 it groweth, and mounteth the higher: So a man, the more humble and lowly that he is, the more and higher doth the Lord exalt him.

And as a trée set vpon the top of a mountaine, is mightily sha­ken, 140 and easily rent vp by the rootes, with euery blustering blast, and storme of winde: Euen so man in this world, the more and higher he is exalted, the more and greater dangers is he subiect vnto. The holie virgine did perceiue and sée, these things to be most true: He hath (saith she) put downe the mightie from their Luc. 1. seate, and hath exalted the humble and méeke. And the apostle saith: God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace vnto the humble Iac. 4. Math. 7. Mark. 8. Luk. 3. & 6. & lowly. Séeing therefore that we be compared to trées, by Christ himselfe in his holy Gospell, it behooueth vs, to haue déepe and strong rootes, of true and vnfained humilitie, and in considerati­on of our frailtie and weaknes, to set and place our selues, in the bottom of the lowe valley of the knowledge of our owne misery: That no tempests, nor stormes, may remooue and roote vs out: That no vanitie may destroy vs: No ambition trouble vs: No gréedie couetousnes torment vs: Nor any occasion whatsoeuer, may possibly draw vs, from the lowlines and humilitie of our harts and minds: from the comtempt of the worlde, and from a true and sincere loue of honesty and godlines. A building is so much the firmer and stronger, as the foundation & groundworke of the same, is laid lower and deeper. The groundworke of Chri­stian philosophie, is vnfained humilitie, and the déeper that the same is laid and setled in our harts, the surer and more perma­nent, will the building of our religion be. That saying of our sa­uior Christ, of necessitie must euer be true and infallible: He that exalteth himselfe, shall be brought lowe, and he that hum­bleth Luk. 14. & 18. himselfe, shall be exalted.

IT behooueth that sinne and iniquitie, may greatly displease 141 thée, that the loue of thy selfe, may be turned into a sincere loue of God. For if thou shalt east into an hot burning fornace wood and stickes, that be scare and drie, and ready to burne, there will arise and burne out, a most pure and cleare flame of fire: But if thou wilt cast into the same fornace, gréene sticks, wet, and stinking rushes, or some other such matter, they will burne in déede, but the fornace and whole house will be filled with [Page 67] smoke, and will be euen blacke by reason of the thicke darknes, which procéedeth of the foule and stinking smoke: So, the hart of man, is a furnace continually burning, if thou wilt nourish it, with cogitations, and heauenly meditations of the loue of God, there will appéere and shine out of it, a pure flame and bright light of true and vnfained loue to God and man: But if thou wilt cherish and maintaine it, with thoughts and deuises of selfe loue, then it will be full of vile smoke, stinch and darknes. They Rom. 1. perished (saith the apostle) in their own imaginations, and their foolish hart was darkened. The fountaine and originall of all euils, and the center, from whence the lines of all abhominati­ons do flow, is mans inordinate selfe loue. Augustine saith, that Aug. lib. 14. Ciuit. Dei. Adam did fall, into that ouermuch loue of himselfe, before he did eate the forbidden fruit. And the same author saith, that two loues did build two cities: the loue of God Ierusalem, and mans selfe loue Babylon. It is selfe loue, that Christ speaketh of, say­eng: Ioh. 12. 2. Tim. 3. He that loueth his life, shall lose it. And Paule saith: In the latter daies men shall be louers of themselues, couetous, hautie, Rom. 5. high minded, proude, &c. And againe: we must not please our selues. And Peter calleth the wicked and vngodly, bold, and plea­sers 2. Pet. 2. of themselues. There is no misery comparable to this, that a man knoweth not his owne miserie. And of follies, there is none greater, then not to know a mans owne follie, but to haue an ouer well wéening of himselfe. It is excéeding great, and ve­ry laudable wisdome, that a man cast downe and condemn him­selfe, that he may auoid the heauy iudgements of God, and con­demnation with the wicked world. For the more vnperfect that we esteeme, and iudge our selues to be, the néerer to true perfecti­on do we come. For this in some measure is perfection, euen to know and to acknowledge our owne imperfection.

EUen as after great showers and stormes of raine, the aire 142 is clensed and cléered: So, after great troubles, sorrowes, afflictions, and temptations, cleannes of hart, quietnes of minde, and peace of soule and conscience do follow.

AS with a pile or stacke, of seare and dry wood, the fire is 143 quickly kindled, and caused mightily to flame out: Euen so, the outragiousnes of carnall, and fleshly lust, is greatly prouoked, mooued and stirred vp, through rioting, banqueting, [Page 68] quaffing, gussing, swilling, and continuall féeding and pampe­ring of the belly, and by taking the bodie from good, lawfull and honest exercises, and giuing it to idlenes, slothfulnes, and ouer­much ease, and rest from labours.

EVen as, of ouermuch fulnes of the stomacke, and superfluitie 144 of meats, groweth that obstruction, which the physitions do call oppilation, or stopping, whereupon bréedeth a continuall headach, and that frensie, which bringeth men to a madnes: Euen so, of a depraued, and dishonest loue of this life, of the cor­ruption of manners, of gluttonie and excesse eating, doth spring an vnbridled and vntamed lust, whereof ariseth that phrenetical Papists. madnes of heretikes, and a corruption of their vnderstanding in matters of faith. They which care not, to kéepe a good conscience, do at length fall to an incurable contempt of faith. The apostle therfore ioyneth faith and a good conscience togither. The which conscience (saith he) whiles some cast from them, they haue made 1. Tim. 1. shipwracke of their faith. If therefore thou wilt, that the al­mightie shall like, and allow of thy faith, be sure that thou kéepe a good conscience, without the which thy faith is dead, and will do thée no good.

The Emperor Traianus compareth the treasure of rich men with the spleen.

EVen as, when the spleen increaseth, the other members, 145 ioyntes, and parts of the bodie, do consume and pine away: So, the great treasures and riches of couetous tyrants in­creasing, the wealth of subiects and inferior persons, is weake­ned and diminished, whiles they pill, and poll away, their sub­stance and goodes, to enrich themselues withall.

And euen as the spléen increasing, the other members do de­crease: 146 So couetousnes growing greater and greater, all vertues do vtterly decay, and vanish away. Bountifulnes, liberalitie, charitie, truth, righteousnes, and all such excellent qualities, are no more found, in those men, which are strangled and poisoned, with a great and gréedie desire of worldly riches. For being drowned in couetousnes, they can neuer lift vp their harts to God, nor stretch foorth their hands, to do good to their brethren. God giueth vnto men, riches, wit, industrie, knowledge, and many other things, signified and vnderstood, by the name of Ta­lents, [Page 69] to the end that they should honor and worship God, and bicause they should do him faithfull and true seruice, which is the giuer of all good things. The Euangelist saith, that the Lorde Matth. 25. called his seruants togither, and gaue vnto them his goods. Ri­ches then, and all goods, whatsoeuer men haue in their possessi­ons, are not their owne, but the Lords, vnto whom they must make an account for the same. The Apostle saith: What hast 1. Cor. 4. thou, that thou hast not receiued? And the holy prophet his words are plaine: The earth is the Lords, and all the fulnes of Psal. 24. the same, the round world and they that dwell therein: thou art then, a seruant, a steward, a bailife, the things which thou hast, are Gods, not thine, they be his goods, which he hath deliuered vnto thée, that thou shouldest vse and bestow them, not vpon thy foule lusts, nor filthie pleasures, vaine delights, nor to hurt thy brother, neither that thou shouldest hide them: but to his good liking, honor and glorie, that his Gospell may be preached, his poore seruants, and distressed children reléeued, that the honest causes of poore widowes, and orphanes may be defended, and that other such charitable déedes should be done and practised: that the Lord finding thée faithfull in th [...]se small things, may at the length giue thée greater matters, that is, the kingdome of heauen and the ioies thereof: but if thou be faithlesse in these, he will neuer trust thee with those. Take héede and beware there­fore, that thou do not lauish, waste and consume, the Lords goods, in the seruice of the flesh, world and diuell. It is a lamentable thing to sée, how many, yea innumerable men, in these daies, with the riches, goodes, naturall gifts, and talents, which they haue receiued of the Lord, do purchase, and euen make sure vnto themselues, euer lasting confusion, death and damnation, against the will and commandement of the Lord, the owner and giuer of the same. Ecclesiasticus saith truly, that gold and siluer hath Eccles. 8. destroied many men. If we would follow the counsell of the A­postle, we should mortifie couetousnes, which he calleth worship­ping Colos 3. Ephes. 5. of idols. The couetous man, saith Augustine, before he gaine monie, he loseth himselfe, and before he catch any thing, himselfe is catched. Couetousnes is a cruell tyrant: and the riches of coue­tous men, are those idols, vnto the which, that saying of the Lord by Ieremie the prophet, may very well be applied: Ye shall serue strange gods, day and night, which will giue you no rest. The old philosophers, purposing to describe aua [...]ice, or couetousnes, did [Page 70] faine, that one Tantalus in hell, was gréeuously tormented with thirstines and drought, in the middest of riuers of waters: signi­fying thereby, that couetousnes is a very swallowing gulfe, and an insaciable hel, where couetous men euen burning with a loue of riches, do most earnestly couet, and gréedily run after those things, wherof they haue great and vnspeakable abundance. And the more they haue, the more are they tormented, with an vn­quenchable thirst, and an hote burning desire, still to haue more and more. In my opinion, if a couetous man, were so mightily, and so heauily loden with gold, and (if it were possible) fuller of riches, than that ship that came to Salomon from Ophir, yet he 1. Reg 9. would neuer be satisfied.

RIuers and floods, although they be most swéete and plea­sant, 147 yet when they run, and enter into the sea, they are most bitter: kéeping their right and due course, they yéeld pure and wholsome water, but once mingled with the sea, they are, as it were, poysoned with bitternes: Euen so the wealth and riches of this world, although in the course of this life, they do highly delight some men, which haue them in possession, not the lesse, when they come to the sea of death, whither all floods at the length shall come, they séeme to be dolefull, sower, bitter, intole­rable, and as it were, poyson it selfe. For rich and couetous men, do then finde, and féele, that their riches, wealth, and prosperitie, which the Lord gaue them to an excellent end, haue béene vnto them many times, occasions of euill. That good man Augustine Augustine. saith, that pride is a sicknes, or disease, that commeth of riches. Also, gold is the matter, or cause, of cares, labours, toyles, feares, and of all vnquietnes: it is perilous to the possessors of it, and a great weakening of vertues, in all them that set their harts vp­on it. And Chrysostom saith, that riches are a schoole of malice, enuie and hatred. Christ Iesus therefore our heauenly schoolma­ster saith: Blessed are the poore in spirite, for theirs is the king­dome of heauen. And againe: Lay not vp for your selues trea­sures Matth. 5. Matth. 6. in the earth. Also, You cannot serue God and mammon. And yet this is euer to be vnderstood, that riches of themselues are not euill: but as they be to the wicked and vngodly, hinde­rances of vertues, so they are to the faithfull seruants of God, helps and furtherances, of many good things, godly actions, and very charitable works. For godly men, do possesse their riches, [Page 71] be they neuer so ample and infinite: and are not possessed of their wealth and goods: their riches are drudges to them, and not they to their riches.

EVen as gold is tried with a touch stone: So is man tried 148 with gold. And as Chilo the Lacedemonian saith: Gold doth most manifestly prooue and declare, what they be, that owe it. And looke what the touch stone is to gold, the same is gold to man. The touch stone with rubbing the gold or siluer vpon it, sheweth plainly what kind of gold or siluer it is: and gold it selfe doth in like maner most easily bewray, what maner of man one is. There is no touch stone in all the world, that doth more truly touch and trie, al degrées of vertues and vices, than gold, wealth, and abundance of riches. The Israelites being very inclinable to the superstitions of the Egyptians, were no sooner out of E­gypt, but they made a calfe of gold and iewels, the which they Exod. 32. worshipped, in stead of God. And in the land of promise, they oftentimes consumed and wasted their gold and treasure, in ma­king of idols. Whereupon did arise that great complaint, which the Lord maketh by the prophet Oseas, saying: I haue multi­plied Osc. 2. their siluer and their gold, which they haue made Baal: as if he should say, I haue giuen the Israelites great store of siluer and gold, which they most wickedly haue wasted, in making of the idoll Baal. And by the same prophet the Lord saith: Their siluer and their gold, haue they made idols, for themselues to serue. But men that are godly, and of sound and Christian reli­gion, do bestowe their goods, their wealth and riches, vpon buil­ding, and repairing temples and churches, dedicated to the holy seruice, and true worshipping of God: in féeding the poore saints of God: in redéeming captiues: in prouiding for poore widowes, and orphanes, and in doing such other vertuous and godly déedes of charitie. The nobles of the Israelites, returning from the cap­tiuitie of Babylon, did bring their substance and riches, to build 1. Esd. 2▪ Tob. 1. & 2. Matth. 2. the temple of the Lord. And Tobias did féede the hungrie, and gaue clothes to the naked. The wise men of the east contrie, ope­ning their treasures, offered vnto the Lord, gold, frankincense, and mirrhe. And now in our time, that is truly offered vnto the Lord, and is vnto him a sweete smelling sacrifice, which is giuen to the poore distressed seruants of God. I remember a report giuen out of one [...]medeus, when certaine orators talking with [Page 72] him demanded whether he kept any hounds, or not: he presently shewed vnto them, a great multitude of poore beggers, sitting all togither, these saith he, are my hounds, with these do I hunt, af­ter the kingdome of God, these do I kéepe and féede euery day: the Lord send many such huntesmen.

HIeronymus saith, that it is a part of sacrilege, not to giue 149 vnto the poore, that which is their owne. That is, what­soeuer thou art able to spare: Money, meate, clothing, harbour, counsell, comfort, and whatsoeuer els thou art able to do. That is not lost, which thou dost distribute among thy poore brethren and sisters, in the worlde. For as Salomon saith: He laieth in bancke vnto the Lord, which hath pitie, and shew­eth Prouerb. 19. mercy vnto the poore. It can not be lamented and bewayled inough, to sée how infinite thousands in the world, do most vain­ly, yea most vilely and wickedly, spend and lauish out, the goods and riches, wherewith the Lord hath put them in trust, to the end that they should vse them to his owne glory, and the good of his church. Some vnder the colour of religion and holines, with their goods and golde, do maintaine superstition and false wor­shipping, in stead of the true seruice of God: som do spend them, vpon pride and voluytuousnes: some purchase houses, landes, many garments, much apparell; and very many with their wealth and riches, do pinch, nip, and oppresse their neighbours: but all this while, the poore are hungrie, naked, colde, in prison, contemned, despised, and fewe, yea very fewe, do regard or com­fort them. It behooueth vs, which do beléeue in one almightie, euerliuing, inuisible, and incomprehensible God, and liuing in a most christian common-wealth, do professe true and sincere reli­gion, so surely grounded, and built vpon the holie, infallible, and inuincible word of God, that neither wicked man, hell, nor de­uill can preuaile against it, continually to be dooing good, and still caring most, how we may please God best, and to answer our faith and profession, with holines and righteousnes of life and conuersation: And so to contemne this deceitfull and momenta­nie world, that most willingly we may follow the steps of our swéete Iesus, who saith: The foxes haue holes, and the foules of Math. 8. the aire haue nests, but the sonne of man, hath not where to lay his head. True godlines is great riches, if thou wilt be conten­ted, with that thou hast. Théefes cannot steale it, mothes, can­not eate it, neither can it be consumed with canker or rustines.

THe carbuncle, is a very precious stone, to sée to, like an 150 hot burning cole of fire, shining excéeding brightly, the which as Plinie affirmeth, féeleth no fire, neither is it molten, changed, or mollified therewith. If thou shalt take it, and close it fast in a ring of leade, and cast it into the fire, thou shalt sée the leade molten and consumed before thy face, but the carbuncle remaining sound and perfect, without blemish, as be­fore: for the fire worketh vpon the leade, but vpon the carbun­cle it cannot worke: Euen so, Christ our sauiour, being in the hot scorching fire of his torments, suffered and died as he was man, but as he was God he neither suffered nor died. The fire of his afflictions, wrought then vpon his manhood, but his diuinity and godhead continued perfect, and vtterly vntouched. That he might put away our sinnes, he imbased himselfe, taking vpon him (as the apostle saith) the shape of a man, and was made like Philip. [...]. vnto man, and was found in his apparell as a man. He humbled himselfe, and became obedient vnto death, euen the death of the crosse. But the most excellent brightnes of his diuinitie suffered no ecclipse, neither could by any waies or meanes be darkened. He euer was, is, and euer shall be Christ, and equall to his fa­ther, touching his godhead. So, in like maner, all they that be surely grounded, and throughly graffed in Christ Iesu, although in the Lords quarrell, for the triall of their faith and religion, they shall beare many weightie crosses, suffer infinite and most sharpe afflictions, vndergo innumerable and bitter persecutions, and shall be acquainted with all maner troubles, calamities, and sorrowes, so that they shall séeme euen to be molten, with the fi­rie and hot burning heate thereof: yet notwithstanding, their carbuncle, that is, their faith in Christ, their hope, their loue of God, and comfort in the Lorde Iesu, will neuer shrinke, neuer quaile, neuer be shaken, neuer giue ouer: but will euer remaine stedfast, perfect, immutable, strong, and so bold as a lyon: The 1 Cor. [...]. children of God will say still with the Apostle: We are cursed, & we blesse. We suffer persecutions, and we beare them: We are blasphemed and we pray. Againe, who shall separate vs from the Roma. [...]. loue of Christ, shall tribulation, anguish, or famine? &c. As if the true christian man should saie: No, none of all these, nor what­soeuer els can happen, or shall be inflicted vpon vs.

AS the sea, although it receiueth, an vnspeakable multitude 151 of flouds & riuers, which do run into it, yet neuer runneth [Page 74] ouer, neither is so full, that it will receiue no more: So, euil and wicked men, are neuer satisfied, with malice, enuie, and hatred, neither make they any ende, of their trecheries, sins and iniqui­ties: but with the goades of some, they are stirred vp and prickt forward, to commit others, woorse and more detestable then the first: So that one déepe calleth on another, bicause being delu­ded, with the lyeng shadowes of false good things, they make no account of, but contemne and despise, those things that be true, sound, and good indeede: And do euen féede and as it were franke themselues with euil, and all abhominable things, and yet (such is their gréedines) they are neuer satisfied, they haue neuer ynough.

AS fire brands and wood, being kindled and set on fire, do giue 152 light and warmth vnto others, which are cold and in darke­nes, but are wasted and consumed themselues; so that others receiue the benefite, and they the losse and spoile of themselues: So an vnlearned and vngodly minister, whiles without repen­tance or remorse of conscience, he deliuereth the word, and mini­streth the sacraments vnto others, which are prepared, knowe what they do, and do reuerently heare the word, and woorthilie receiue the sacraments, doth onely hurt himselfe, the rest re­ceiue comfort by the worde, and are edified by the sacraments. They are saued, though he perish.

OVr soules in our bodies, may well be compared, to that 153 gréene precious iewell, called Smaragdus, in the hand of a rude childe, or of a slouenly and vnmannerly carter: Our soules are most excellent, and precious iewels, in the regiō and countrie of mortall men, no whit, or very little estéemed, but in themselues very precious and immortall: Which our God, that highest and most heauenly ieweller, by his excellent and in­comparable wisedome, hath woonderfully polished, and hath coupled and ioyned them vnto the leaden rings of our bodies. And euen as it gréeueth and maketh sorrowfull, a skilfull and expert ieweller, when he beholdeth and séeth, those iewels and precious stones, which he with all his wit, industry, and arte, hath trimmed and polished, to be tumbled and tossed, in the foule and filthy fingers, of children and fooles, who neither know­ing them, nor estéeming them, do soyle, blemish & despise them: [Page 75] Euen so, our heauenly father, when he séeth our soules, the which he hath created, after his owne similitude and likenes, to be in the midst and depth, of the corrupted cogitations, wicked and beastly thoughts, and hellish imaginations of our harts, he taketh it heauily, and in euill part: insomuch that he crieth out, sayeng: Why thinke yée euill in your harts? And by his holie Math. 9. Ezech. 11. prophet Ezechiel: I know the thoughts of your harts. That hi­storie of old Hely in the holy booke of God, is euer to be remem­bred: When he heard tolde vnto him, they heynous déedes, and most intollerable euils, which his sonnes had committed, he did but sleightly and slenderly reprooue them, when he ought sharp­ly to haue chastised, and corrected them. Therefore the Lorde spake vnto him, and saide: Thou hast honored thy children more 1. Samuel. 2. then me, therefore will I cut off thy arme, and the arme of thy fathers house. And shortly after the Scripture saith: That his sonnes were slaine in fight, and that Hely himselfe fell backward out of his chaire, and broke his necke. God grant that this exam­ple of Hely and his sonnes, may be a warning to all parents, to 1. Sam. 4. traine vp their children in the feare and nurture of the Lord, and to punish their sinnes and vices, so often as they perceiue and know them. But againe, the vngodly motions, and mischieuous thoughts of our harts, what are they els, but children and brats of our owne bréeding? The which we ought very seuerely to restraine, and without pittie to punish them sharply, when they are vnruly, and wil cast from them, the empire and gouernment of reason, offending God, and dangering our soules: If we do not, howsoeuer we breake not our necks in this world, we shall perish for euer in the world to come.

IF thou dwellest with prophane, vngodly, faithlesse, and wic­ked 154 men, and dost still hold fast, and kéepe surely, the faith, re­ligion, profession, and integritie, and honestie of life and ma­ners: and dost so beare and endure, all their spites, malice, oblo­quies, contumelies, railings, ratings, and what else soeuer shall be offered and done vnto thée, that thou neuer swarue nor fall, from the state of nature, grace, feare, faith and loue of God: It is an euident argument, and a manifest proofe, of a great and Christian magnanimitie and courage, that is in thée, of excellent vertues, and of the holy Ghost himselfe that dwelleth in thée, and doth arme and strengthen thée, against sathan, and all his cun­ning [Page 76] sleights and violence. For euen as a looking glasse, though it be most cléere and cleane, with the foule breath, of those that blowe vpon it, is obscured and dimmed: euen so, a man that is honest, vertuous and godly, with continuall custome, acquain­tance, and familiaritie, of dishonest, vngodly, and gracelesse men, is oftentimes corrupted, infected, and blemished. And therefore Ecclesiasticus saith, Whoso toucheth pitch, shall be defiled with Eccles. 31. pitch, &c.

IF it shall happen, that a planet otherwise very beneuolent 155 and wholsome, shall be ioined to other stars or planets, which are maleuolent, and of bad influence, it also will send foorth influence that is euill and vnwholsome: Euen so, a man that is vertuously giuen, and well bent to godlines, if he shall take and ioyne vnto him, prophane, wicked and vngodly men, in too much acquaintance, custome and familiaritie, he also at the length, wil become prophane, and vngodly, as they be. For, all for the most part, are woont to imitate the maners of them, with whom they are conuersant and familiar, vnles they haue some speciall gifts, and strength from God, to preserue and to kéepe them, from such baits and snares, as sathan is woont to spread and lay abroad, in the persons, and maners of men, badly and lewdly disposed.

THat we may perfectly behold and sée a thing, it behooueth 156 that there be some space, betwéene our eies, and the obiect, or thing that is to be séene: So, that we may sée the world plainly, and throughly looke into it, it is requisite, that there be some distance, betwéene vs and it. But euill, lewd, and vngraci­ous men, which please themselues, in all things, that displease God, séeing they are the world it selfe, how can it be, that they should sée it, when there is no space nor distance betwéene them, and it? So then, if thou wilt sée the world, and all the vanities, flickerings and deceits of the same, be not one with it, fashion not thy selfe after the maners of it, be stil at ods with it, let there be a distance and space betwéen you, so shall it neuer deceiue thée.

EVen as the eie, doth not sée, the lids of the same, bicause 157 there is no space betwéene the eie and them: So the vaine and pestilent sort of people, cannot sée the world, bicause they are not separated from it, by any distance, or space at all. In [Page 77] the middest of Babylon, they sée it not: in the middest of Sodom, they cannot perceiue the filthines, nor féele the stinch thereof: they haue eies and sée not, they haue eares & heare not, they haue hands and handle not, féete and go not &c. They are in the world, of the world, and the world it selfe: therfore they loue the world, they inhalse, and imbrace the world. They cannot, they will not, spie any faults in the world. To them, the stinch of the world, is a swéete smelling sauour, the foulnes of it, is excellent beautie, the corruption of it, is perfect goodnes. That saying of the Psal­mist agréeth well with worldlings: Fire came down vpon them, Psalm. 58. and they did not sée the sun shine. This fire that the prophet spea­keth of, is an extraordinarie and rotten loue of themselues, which bringeth such a darknes vnto them, that couereth and ouerwhelmeth their vnderstanding: it blindeth their eies, and stoppeth their eares: it doth manacle their hands, and fetter their féete, so that in all goodnes they are senselesse. The sunne that the prophet meaneth, is that whereof mention is made in the booke of Wisedome: The sun shine of vnderstanding, is not Wisd. 5. risen, or hath not appéered vnto them.

EVen as oyle doth cause the fire to flame: So flatterie doth 158 minister nourishment to errors. Beléeue not a flatterer, for vnder the person of a most swéete friend, he is a most bitter enimie. It is not for nothing, that Salomon saith: He that flat­tereth Proverb. 29. his neighbor, laieth abroad a net before his steps, to trap and to take him withall. It is the office, and as it were the pro­fession of a cunning flatterer, with his smoothe words, and soft and sugred spéeches, to vndermine, supplant & deceiue men, and to draw them into some dangers and snares, whereout they shall not easily escape, but with some harme. Euen as the end of an Orator is, with eloquence to perswade: and the end of the physition, with medicine to cure and to heale: so the end of the flatterer is, with his humble communication, and swéete allu­ring talke, to deceiue. Be sure of this one thing: whensoeuer an euill and wicked man, or one that is vaine and prophane, doth séeme to stoupe and to crouch vnto thée, in his words and spée­ches, then is he spreading his net, and casting in his minde, how to deceiue thée, and to bring one euill or other vpon thée. Plato calleth a flatterer, a wilde beast, that is very pestilent, and hurt­full to mankind, and saith he is like an vncleane deuill, that fée­deth [Page 78] mens minds, that are not wise and warie, with deadly dain­ties, and with foule things that are dangerous and poysonfull. He also compareth a flatterer, with a sorcerer and a witch. And in my iudgement, there is no théefe woorse, nor vnwoorthier to liue in the world, than a flatterer: bicause he doth not onely rob men, of their mony and goods, but also of reason and iudgement. Augustine saith, there be two kindes of persecutors: one is of them that dispraise thée, the other of them that flatter thée: but the flatterers toong, doth hurt thée more, than the persecutors hand. Hieronymus saith, that nothing doth so easily corrupt mens minds, as flatterie. Indéede there is no musick more swéet and pleasant to mens eares, than flatterie, and yet none more pernitious and pestilent, than it.

AS a looking glasse doth imitate, whatsoeuer is set before it, 159 and doth represent the likenesses of them that looke in it, but by a contrarie way, for it sheweth the right side, to be the left, and the left side to be the right, and if thou looke into the east, it doth represent thee, looking towards the west: Euen so a flatterer, in voice and in gesture will imitate thée. If thou laugh and be me­rie, he also will be pleasant and merie: if thou wéepe, he will wéepe for companie: if thou wilt backbite and slander a man, he will take thy part, and will, with railings, obloquies, and slan­ders, euen gréeuously wound the same man. And if thou wilt praise thy selfe, he will helpe thée: or if thou louest, to heare thy selfe praised of others, he will carrie thée, as it were vpon the wings of praises and cōmendations, vp into the cloudes, & loftie skies. Through his subtil sleights, and craftie deuises, he turneth and bendeth himselfe euerie way: When he will worke vpon men, that be sad and heauie, he is presently translated into their humor: with men that are remisse, he dealeth merily: he hand­leth old men grauely, and yoong men courteously: with wicked men he is bold and impudent, and with libidinous and lecherous people, he is filthie and shamelesse. The flatterer hath alwaies, at his fingers ends, and ready vnder his girdle, the gestures, voi­ces, inclinations and dispositions of all persons, high and lowe, he leaues out none, that he may deceiue all. He will praise thée in thy presence, and scorne thée in thy absence: that old prouerbe, Out of one mouth commeth both heate and cold, serueth well for flatterers. Plinie reporteth that there is a fountaine in Dodona, [Page 79] which doth kindle fire brands, that are extinct, and doth extin­guish them when they are kindled: So a flatterer is double toonged, he now extolleth thée, and doth set thée aloft with great praises, and by and by, he will cast thée downe, with iniuries and Esai▪ [...]. wrongs. Against such the Lord himselfe speaketh: My people, they that say thou art happie or blessed, do deceiue thée. And Esai. 5. againe: Wo be to you, that call good euill, and euill good.

A Vyper, although she be pestilente and poysonfull, yet not­withstanding, 160 whiles she is nummed with colde, she may safely be handled, not bicause she hath no poison in hir, but bicause in hir colde and numnes, she can not vse it: Euen so per­nicious I meane the subtle and obstinate pa­pists. and dissembling hypocrites, do somtime want opportu­nitie and power, to practise and to put in execution their wicked and detestable trecheries, but good will they neuer want, for that doth daily grow, and increase in them. Therefore inde [...]or must be vsed, that they may be espied, taken, & rooted out of the Lords vineyarde, least they spoile and make hauocke of it. They are Cant. [...]. those foxes that are spoken of in the Canticles: Which do dig and turne vp the vineyards.

AS the skin of a foxe is of some valure, and in request, but 161 the flesh is nothing woorth: So outward shewes of holi­nes, are highly esteemed with hypocrites, but cleannes of the hart, and inward puritie, is of them no whit regarded. A certaine man being disposed to tearme his great enimie, cruell and deceitfull, he called him a lyon and a foxe: A lyon for his ty­rannie, and a foxe for his fraude. And one Lysander in the like case, said: That if the skin of a lyon be not inough, it must be pée­ced and inlarged with the skin of a foxe: Whereby he meant, that if force and violence would not serue, but come short of that crueltie, that a tyrant would faine practise, he must adde deceit, to do that he desireth. So that old men in times past, did by a foxe vnderstand, wilie, craftie, and deceitfull men, that would co­uer Hypocrites▪ their vilenes, with a vaile of vertue, as all hypocrites do. No doubt, there be in these daies of ours, not a fewe most cruell and bloodie tyrants, that carie within them, as cruell, bloodie, & traite­rous harts▪ to the true saints & seruants of God, as euer Pharao did to the Israelites; Cursed Cain to good Abel, and as Iudas to Christ. But yet they perceiue, that their open vsing of their cru­eltie [Page 80] cannot preuaile, and therefore they practise their cunning, Papists, fox­es, and hypo­crites. fraud, deceit, and hypocrisie secretly, and (as they thinke) so close­ly, that it cannot be spied. But the Lord hath hitherto euer dis­couered them, to his owne glorie, the comfort of his people, and to their owne shame and confusion. And notwithstanding that old prouerbe, that is: An old foxe is hardly snared, I doubt not, but to sée or heare tell, that the old foxes and yoong cubs, shall all at the length, either be snared & taken by the worde of the Lord, and so conuerted, or els, so snared and knared otherwise, that they shall sooner haue that they do deserue, then that they do de­sire. A certain writer expounding that place of the Gospel, where Christ saith to one, that said, He would follow him: Foxes haue Matth. 8. Luc. 9. Cyrillus. holes, and the birdes of the aire haue nestes, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head: The same expositor vnderstan­deth by foxes hypocrisie, by the birds or foules of the aire, arro­gancie. As if Christ should haue saide: thou saiest, Thou wilt follow me: But foxes, and foules, haue their holes and nests in thée, that is: Hypocrisie and arrogancie do dwell in thy hart, and how then can Christ rest or dwell in thée? Hypocrites and arro­gant persons, do neuer follow Christ, whatsoeuer they pretend, and how faire a shew soeuer they make of holines & perfection.

AN hypocrite is like vnto an apple, that is very faire, and 162 beautifull without, but within is corrupted and rotten. An arrogant person, is like vnto a goodly tall trée, that groweth and mounteth very high, but bringeth foorth no fruit.

When Herode was determined to kill Christ, if he could, and yet would cloke his wicked trechery, with a pretence of vertue and holines: Christ said to them that told him of the matter: Go Luc. 13. yée and tell that foxe, &c. And also Christ saith to his disciples: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in shéeps clothing, Matth. 7. but inwardly they are rauening woolues, you shall know them by their fruits. And the apostle saith, That they haue a shew of [...]. Timoth. 3. godlines, but they do denie the power thereof. Also the same apo­stle in another place saith: That sathan doth transfigure him­selfe into an angell of light. No maruell therefore that his mini­sters are also transfigured, into ministers of righteousnes, whose end shal be according to their works. Iob saith, the hope of hypo­crites Iob. 13. shal perish. Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies, wher­in Luc. 12. is hypocrisie. God giue vs grace to take héede and to beware of [Page 81] hypocrites, which would séeme to be, that they are not, and hate to be that they séeme.

AS sticks and wood do nourish and maintaine the fire, but 163 the fire doth waste and consume them: So, a man that is flattered by smooth dissemblers and hypocrites, doth main­taine his flatterers, for the most part, but in the end they wil de­uour, and vtterly vndoo him. When men in old time, did feine, that one Acteon was torne in péeces and deuoured of his owne dogs, which he kept and daily fed: They ment verily, that who­soeuer will please and delight themselues, with parasites, flatte­rers, hypocrites, and dissemblers, and be at cost to féede & main­taine them, at the length shall be deuoured and swallowed vp of them. And yet it is a world to see, that neither the flatterers, nor the flattered, the deceiuers, nor the deceiued, will see and consider their wretched and miserable ends, which are as cleere as the sun light at noone day. The flattered shal be deuoured of his own dog the flatterer: And the flatterer himselfe shal be a pray to sathan, that cruell cur and hound of hell. Thus that vngodly crue, and rabble of scribes, pharisies and hypocrites, do for temporall and momentanie trifles, lose great and most excellent things. They exchange and forsake heauen, for earth: their soules for their bodies, (or rather that their bodies may be pampered héere for a short time, for at the length, soules and bodies must fare alike:) They gréeue the spirit, to please the flesh: they abandon vertue, and imbrace vice: and to be short, they giue their backs vnto God, and their faces vnto the world, they vtterly forsake him, to be in league and loue with it. The holy Ghost by Salomon doth Prouerb. [...]4. foretell their ende: The end of their ioy is sorrow, saith he. And that of Ecclesiastes must euer be true: Vanitie of vanities, and Eccles. 1. all things are vanitie.

EVen as the birdes, and foules of the aire, that they may 164 escape the nets and snares of the foulers, are woont to flie vp on high: so we to auoid the infinite snares of innumera­ble temptations, must flie to God, and lift vp our selues, from the corruptions, lyeng vanities, and deceitfull sleights of the world.

And euen as those bi [...]ds, and foules, which fall to the ground, to take the foulers baits, are taken themselues: Euen so those men, which do relie vpon the suggestions, and inchantments of [Page 82] the deuill, world, and flesh, and are taken in their traps, do die a A threefold death. most miserable, and as it may wel be called, an immortal death. For though they do escape such an end, and death in this worlde, as their desarts do craue, yet besides the death of nature, they shall taste of the death of hell, which is endlesse, easelesse, and re­medilesse. Let vs therefore whiles it is to day, lift, and stir vp our selues, and flie vnto God, with our harts and mindes, that we fall not into the nets and traps of our enimies. I know it is, an excéeding hard thing, to giue ouer thine acquaintance with this world, wherein thou art bred and brought vp; euen as it is hard, to bring an infant to forsake the brests that haue giuen him sucke. The childe will loue his nurse, for hir dugs sake, though hir selfe be whoorish: So we are readie to loue the world, for the vaine pleasures and delights thereof, though the world indéed be a very strumpet. I wish that all would, and I pray God that all may, (if it be his will) euen steale, and as it were priuily con­uey themselues, from their vanities, euill cogitations, naughtie deuises, and whatsoeuer sinne they vse and take pleasure in, if it be but one hower of a daie, and I doubt not, but by little and lit­tle, they would learne to hate sinne, renounce the diuell, and de­spise the world. And where as now men and women, old and yoong, do bestow all the houres of daies and nights, about the va­nities and deceiueable pleasures of the world and flesh, yea, yea, and to serue sathan to: they would not bestow one twinckling of an eie in so bad and dangerous a seruice.

EVen as fire, when it breaketh out of compasse, and order, is 165 more perilous in old buildings, than in new houses: So misdeamenor, couetousnes, lecherie, pride, dronkennes, and blasphemie, is more offensiue, and doth more harme in old age, then in gréene youth: For an old man, as in yéeres and experi­ence, he is beyond them that are yoong and gréene headed, so he ought in life and example, aswell as in counsel to instruct others. For when an old man falleth into folly, he hurteth himselfe greatly with his sin, and other more with his example. That he is corrupted bréedeth his owne woe, and great trouble of minde and conscience, to the church of God.

AS a marchant that is expert and skilfull, in his profession 166 and facultie, will not open, nor shew his rich wares, and [Page 83] costly marchandise, vnto those whom he well knoweth, will not buie them, which do come vnto his shop or warehouse, either as curious persons, or as crafty spies, and subtle searchers, not with any purpose to buie, but to do some euill: and calleth vnto him onely those, whom he knoweth to be very willing and desirous to buie: Euen so the Lord his maner is, not to open his heauenly mysteries, and the déep secrets of his sacred, and most holy word, vnto them, whom he perceiueth and séeth plainly, to séeke after them vainly, and curiously, or with a wicked minde, and corrup­ted purpose, to search them out, to the end they may tread, and trample them vnder their féete: and doth call them onely to the true knowledge of his lawes and ordinances, and doth instruct and teach them, whom he is sure, will both profit themselues, and others thereby. Giue not that which is holy (saith Christ) vnto dogs, neither cast ye pearles before swine. When Herod Matth. 7. was very desirous, that Christ standing before him, would shew some miracle, Christ would not onely, not do any miracle or Luk. 23. woonder, but also not vouchsafe him one word for answere. And when the Iewes said: we would sée a sign of thée, he answered: A wicked & adulterous generation séeketh a signe, but no signe shal Matth. 1 [...]. be giuen vnto it, but the signe of Ionas the prophet. But before his disciples, and others that were with them, he did shew many and great woonders, when they did not aske for any. But the Iewes did aske, and went without, bicause they had no minde to be conuerted, either by his words or works, but onely to sée his miracles, and to heare his words, to the end (if they could) to trap him, and to quarrell with him. If thou wouldst profit therefore by the word of God, when thou doest read or heare it, bring with thée faith and humilitie: for God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace vnto the humble and lowly.

AS that drie skin which a snake doth cast, to renew hir age, 167 hath in it the shape, likenes, and prints of eies, and that thin rynde also, wherewith the eies of the snake are couered, and yet indéed hath no séeing eies: So, the wicked & vnbeléeuing Iewes, did séeme to haue eies, but indéede they were blinde, and idle and emptie skins, and ryndes without sight: they were men, but not of God: they had eies of the flesh, but none of the spirit: they could sée creatures, but they had not one eie, to behold the creator. And as for Christ, they had no more sight no [...] knowledge of him, [Page 84] that then [...]ad of the sun and moone, when they were yet in the wombes of their mothers. The diuine miracles of Christ, were most pure, and cléere looking glasses, without blemish, spot, or deceit, wherein they might haue séene, both the omnipotencie of him that wrought them, and also their owne most miserable and wretched estate, howbeit they were so stone blinde, that they could not see the glasse, much lesse themselues in the glasse. So that when they sought after Christ, and to sée his miracles, this might well haue béen said to them: Quid caeco cum speculo? What should a blinde man do with a looking glasse? The Euangelist saith, that they came vnto the Lord, that they might despise his mysteries and woonders. And they said: We know not whence Matth. 2. Iohn. 9. this fellow is. But bicause they came vnto him onely vpon their féete, and departed far from him, in their harts and mindes, for they came vainly, curiously, and deceitfully, therefore the Lord did most sharply reprooue them, and that which they demanded, they neuer obtained. The papists no doubt, notwithstanding their braue shewes, and vauntings of religion, holines, and de­uotion, are in the same predicament with the incredulous Iewes. Let vs therefore take the counsell of the holy Ghost, which saith: Thinke of the Lord in goodnes, and séeke him in the Wisd. 1. singlenes of hart: for he is [...]ound of them that tempt him not, and appéereth vnto them, that put their trust in him. Let vs Heb. 10. come vnto Christ, with a true hart, and in the fulnes of faith. Many do come to church to heare the word of God, at the mouth of the preacher, but all profit not, bicause all do not come with humble mindes and lowly harts, to that end.

AS of many men, comming into a goldsmithes shop, one bui­eth 16 [...] a chaine of gold, another a costly ring, some a rich iewell, and some buie plate cunningly and curiously wrought, and some one among the rest, stoupeth downe, and taketh vp a blacke cole, which he turneth and tumbleth in his hands, till it foule and make blacke his fingers: Euen so, very many do come to the church, to heare the word preached, and do learne and beare away, excéeding good, and heauenly lessons, and do gather great strength to their faith, and much comfort to their scules, and peace to their consciences: and some againe do come, without any such good purpose, intending to take some occasion, to quar­rell with the preacher, and to marke, if any thing fall from him, [Page 85] vnwisely, vndiscréetly, or barbarously, wherewith they may sport themselues, and scorne him: such, as they came with wicked purposes, and cauilling mindes, so they depart with harts as hard as adamants, s [...]ared consciences, and brasen faces, so blood­les that they cannot blush, far woorse than when they came. The preaching of the Gospell is in deede, a very rich shop, fully and throughly furnished and stored, with iewels of great valure: to wit, with most wise, holy, and heauenly sentences, procéeding from the almightie himselfe, through the mouth of his seruants, though séelie wormes, and mortall men. And whosoeuer will come woorthily, to the preaching of the Lords lawes, and ordi­nances of God, and of the Gospell of Christ Iesus, he must come, with an holy and godly minde, desirous to vnderstand, and to know the will of God, that he may do it. They that come thus vnto the Lord, do most certainly learne, those things which ap­pertaine to the saluation of their soules. Such onely, doth the holy Ghost instruct, teach and comfort, and doth inflame them with a woonderfull loue, of the holy word, and heauenly things. But the Lord sendeth emptie away, all such hearers, as approch and come néere vnto him, with their eares and lips, and are diui­ded far from him, in their harts and mindes, being full of hypo­crisie, deceit, and all abhomination. To them speaketh the Lord Ezech. 14. himselfe by Ezechiel the prophet: Shall I make answere vnto them when they aske me any thing? as if the Lord should say, I will not.

PLinie reporteth in his 14. booke, that myrrhe doth kéepe [...]69 mens bodies from corrupting, and preserueth them from putrifaction, and rottennes: but howsoeuer that is true, or otherwise, this is most true in the children of God, that calami­ties and afflictions, taken and borne patiently, do profit and pre­uaile much, to kéepe out foules from the corruption, and [...]anker, of grieuous euils, and heinous sinnes, and from being spotted of this wicked world. For when we are afflicted, then do we flie vnto God▪ in o [...]r dangers and extremities, as to our only refuge, besides whome there is none can helpe, or comfort vs. We craue and beg most earnestly his mercie, and do make great haste, and euen run as it were, to meditate of his omnipotencie, and readi­nes to do vs good, and to deliuer vs. And although we sée our selues, to be as it were banished soules, and crossed with a thou­sand troubles, and to be euen abiects among men, & to be thrust [Page 86] out of the societies and companies of worldlings, yet we neuer forget, the goodnes and mercies of God, nor cast out of our minds, the remembrance of his louing kindnes toward his seruants. The loue and fauor of God, is euer before the eies of his saints, and their calamitie doth euen stay, and rest it selfe, in the swéete remembrance, of heauen and heauenly things: though they be sore wroong in this life, and gréeuously pinched, yet they are ne­uer so oppressed, that they be discomforted. In the midst of mour­ning and sorrow, they do woonderfully reioice: in extreme pouer­tie, they féele no want: they séeme daily to be cut off, and yet still they increase and florish: they are still afflicted, and yet continu­ally refreshed.

Thus doth it come to passe, that an admirable greatnes, of loue and obedience, towards the Lord, doth grow very feruent, and hote in them. For they vnderstand, that they be therefore af­flicted, that they should flie vnto God, the heauenly and onely comfort, as a most strongly fenced tower, and inuincible castle, that they may be turned from their sinnes and be saued. Tobias knowing so much, saide: O Lorde, when thou art angry, thou Tobias. 3. shewest mercie, and in the time of trouble, thou forgiuest them their sins, that call vpon thée. And the Lord (saith Iob) wound­eth, Iob. 5. and he healeth, he smiteth, and his hands shall heale againe. And the kingly prophet Dauid saith: Thou art my refuge in my Psal. 32. trouble, which compasseth me round about. And againe: The Lord is hard at hande, to them that are of a troubled hart, and Psal. 24. will saue the humble and lowly in spirit. And the Lords words, by Ose the prophet are these: In their tribulation, they will rise Ose. 2. vp earely, and call vpon me. For the Lord his maner and custom is, to helpe and succour the afflicted, which call and crie, for his heauenly comfort. Héerehence is that of the Euangelist Iohn: Your sorrow shall be turned into ioy: And that of the apostle: Iohn. 16. 2. Cor. 1. As you are companions of the passions and sufferings, so shall yée be, of the consolation and comfort: And that also in the Actes: We must enter into the kingdome of God, through many tribu­lations. Acts▪ 14. And holy Iohn in the reuelation, speaking of the saints which haue, and shall haue the fruition of God, in heauen, saith: Those are they that came from great tribulation. Héereupon, Apoc. 7. Augustine saith excéeding well. That the Lord hath appointed thée to suffer▪ it is a scourge of him, that chastiseth thée, and not a punishment of him that condemneth thée, Who woulde not [Page 87] then, be well contented with troubles and afflictions? Who would not willingly vndergo, the indignation, malediction, and persecution of wicked men? Who would be afeard, of the spite, malice, and whatsoeuer this wicked world can say or do? Séeing the sequell vnto the sons and daughters of God, is to be exalted, and extolled into heauen, and to be placed there, at the right hand of the almighty, through and with the Lord Iesu, world without end. The forenamed saints of God, and other holy men, from age to age, in the midst of their calamities, did still remember them­selues to be men, borne vnder that condition, that their liues should euer be open, and subiect, to all the ineuitable darts of in­finite troubles, and that there was no refusing, to liue and leade their liues, in that condition, whereunder they were borne: And whiles they called to minde the euents of other men, they knew right well, that no new thing, had happened vnto them. And in­déede, the remembrance of mans condition and estate, and of a common law, and lot as it were, incident to al, doth mitigate the paine of troubles, and doth make their burden the easier to bear. And this is a thing, euer obserued, and noted, in the children of God, that they are so far from impatience, and from repining at their afflictions, that euen in the depth of their miseries, they thinke themselues happy, that they are counted woorthy, to suf­fer any thing for Christs sake. It were a great booke matter, to remember all those, that are mentioned in the holy scriptures, which euen shrinking, and falling away from God, haue béene recouered, reclaimed, and healed, by afflictions and tribulations, as it were with physicke and medicine from heauen. O how great is thy goodnes, how incomparable is thy clemencie, how infinite and endles is thy mercy, O heauenly and most holie fa­ther? Which dost therefore afflict vs, that tho [...] maist chéere vs vp againe: Thou dost therefore hold vs downe, that thou maist comfort vs, and dost suffer vs, to fall into diuers and sundry ca­lamities, that we may learn to know thy righteousnes and mer­cies. All these things thou dost, not of hatred to vs warde, but of loue, not to destroy vs, but to bring vs to thy glorie.

AS the aire is cléered, with the brightnes and shine of the sun, 170 and when the sun is downe and set, the aire is couered with darknes: Euen so the minde of man, when it is purged & cleared, with heauenly wisedome, sought and drawne out of the word of [Page 88] God, doth shine most excellently, and sendeth foorth, a pure and perfect light of christianitie, which may most easily be decerned, to procéed, and to come from God himselfe: But being without that true light, it is ouerwhelmed with an horrible and fearfull darknes, and giueth out nothing, but filthy mists, and stinking vapors, which do spring and rise, out of the corruption, and rot­ten nature of man, and euen from hel, and sathan himselfe. How can it be, that darknes, and blindnes, should remaine and rest, in that hart of man, which the holie Ghost, the authour of all light, and the onely light it selfe, hath chosen to be his owne seat, and holy habitation? Can error flowe, out of the most pure foun­taine of wisedome: It is not possible, that from the onely centre of all goodnes, a line of wickednes should be drawne: And can the fruits of death, grow out of the trée of life? These are vnpos­sible things. And on the otherside, where the holie spirit of grace and might, hath not place, and possession, there is nothing to be found, but blindnes, error, sin, iniquitie, and all abhomination, yea, and all the fruits of eternall death it selfe.

EVen as a bitter potion, is not saide to be vnprofitable, nor 171 without hope, when health and soundnes doth follow, al­though it be excéeding bitter to him that taketh it: So sharp and pinching calamities, wherewith the Lord doth exercise, now and then his children, are not to be counted idle and in vaine, when some peace of conscience, and comfort vnto our soules do follow, that when the iustice of God is séene, many may be amended, and the faith and patience, of many may be tried. For nothing is more auaileable, for the aduauncing of the praise and commendation of true vertue, then calamitie it selfe, taken and borne patiently, for Christs sake.

AS yoong chickins are in safetie, from the hauke and put­tocke, 172 so long as they straie not, from about the wings of their dams, and when they do straie, far from them, they are easilie taken, of euery vermine: Euen so, they that depart not from God, but kéeping themselues neere vnto him, do walke, and lead their liues, within the compasse, and limits of his laws and ordinances, are most safely kept by him, from the force, in­chantments, engins, and all the subtle deuises of sathan and his instruments: but if they forsake God, and not regarding his [Page 89] word, diuide themselues from him, by their sins and iniquities, they must néedes fall into the tallons and iawes of that tyranni­call hawke and hound of hell, from whence there is no deliuerie. Whose whole indeuor and labor is, like a roaring lion, to séeke 1. Pet. 5. whom he may deuoure.

EVen as, it is a thing very commendable, and worthy praise, 173 that a soldier, do euer beare about him, the signes and badges of his captaine, that it may appéere, to whom he belongeth: So is it no little honor, to a true christian man, to passe through ma­nie dangers, and to be experienced in many troubles, and to in­dure many affliction [...] for his captaine, Christs sake. For sor­rowes, vexations, and tribulations, are the armor and badges of Christ. And therefore the apostle, which for Christs sake suffe­red many things, saith: I do beare about in my body, the marks Galat. 6. of the Lord Iesu.

EVen as the sun, which vnto eies being sound, and without 174 disease, was very pleasant and wholsome: vnto the same eies, when they are féeble, sore and weake, is very trouble­some and hurtfull, and yet the sunne, euer all one, and the selfe same, that it was before: So, God that hath euer shewen him­selfe, benigne and bountifull, to those that were kinde, and ten­der harted, towards his saints, and mercifull, to those that shew mercie: vnto the same men, when they fall into wickednes, and grow to be full of beastly crueltie, the Lord sheweth himselfe to be very wrath and angrie, and yet still one, and the selfesame im­mutable God, from euerlasting, to euerlasting. So that, we sée the Lord, to beare and shew himselfe vnto men, according to that, which he knoweth them to be. The prophet Dauid had great knowledge, and no small experience of this, when he said: The Lord will reward me, according to my righteousnes, and Psal. 18. according to the cleannes of my hands, in his owne eie sight: with the holy thou wilt be holy, and with the froward, thou wilt deale frowardly. When the wicked and vngodly, do prouoke the Lord, to anger, and euen pull vpon themselues, through their re­bellion and hardnes of hart, some iudgements, plagues, or scour­ges, then they thinke, that the Lord dealeth hardly, and froward­ly, when as notwithstanding, he is most holy, and most iust.

AS a looking glasse, doth shew, whatsoeuer thou shalt set 175 against it, if thou shew thy selfe pleasant and milde vnto it, it also will shew it selfe, milde and pleasant vnto thée, [Page 90] and if thou beest angrie, and full of wrath and indignation, thou shalt perceiue in like maner, the countenance of the glasse, to be, as it were furious, and cruell to behold, whereas notwithstan­ding the glasse is one, and the same: So God, whereas he is one, and the selfesame immutable and euerlasting God, and as it is said in the booke of Wisedome, A glasse without spot or blemish, Sap. 7. is sometimes compared to a gentle lambe, and sometimes, to a fierce and terrible lion. Esaias saith of him: Euen as a shéep vnto Esa. 53. the slaughter was he led, and as a lambe before the shearer, so he opened not his mouth. And Iohn Baptist saith of him also: Be­hold Iohn. 1. the lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world. And Christ speaketh of himselfe: Learne of me, for I am méeke Matth. 11. and lowly in hart. These and such other places do shew the mild­nes and kindnes of our God. But the prophet Esay speaking of him againe, saith: The furie of the Lord, is wax [...]n hot against Esa. 5. his people. And a little after: His voice is, as the roring of a lion. And Amos the prophet saith: A lion of the tribe of Iuda, hath Amos. 3. the victorie. Christ himselfe affirmeth, that he is mercifull to­wards them that be mercifull, saying: Blessed are the mercifull, Matth. 5. for they shall obtaine mercie. And touching the Lords maner of dealing with cruell and vnmercifull men, Iames the apostle saith: He shall haue iudgement without mercie, that sheweth no Iac. 2. mercie himselfe. Thus do we plainly sée▪ how diuersly the Lord sheweth himselfe: to wit, mercifull, to those that be mercifull, and to those that be mercilesse and cruell, he sheweth himselfe sharpe and seuere. Christ declareth in his Gospell, that he will say vnto the good, in the last iudgement day: Come ye blessed children of my father, possesse a kingdome prepared for you, from the beginning of the world: for I was hungrie, and ye gaue me to eate, &c. O swéete and comfortable saying to the children of God. And to the wicked he will say: Depart from me ye cursed ones, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the diuell, and his angels: for I was hungrie, and ye gaue me not to eate, &c. O dolefull, and fearfull curse, well had it béene for them, if they had neuer béene borne.

Our sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell, that he may teach vs, Ioan. 10. Matth. 13. Luc. 8 Matth. 25. Luc. 14. his care & loue towards vs, compareth himselfe to many things: calling himselfe somtimes a shepheard: somtimes an husband­man: somtimes a man: somtimes an housholder: and somtimes also a king calling his seruants to their accounts, rewarding wel [Page 91] the good, and condemning the bad: and somtimes also a king, bid­ding all to a marriage, and to a wedding dinner. For thus it is written: The kingdome of heauen, is like vnto a man a king, Matth. 20. 21. Luc. 19. which made a great marriage for his sonne. He is called a man a king, that we may vnderstand him to be bountifull and merci­full toward vs. But not long after it is said: When the king heard it, he was angrie. When he is noted to be angrie, he is not called a man a king, but king onely. And as we read the scrip­tures, we find that Christ is called by diuers and sundrie names, and all to expresse his nature and disposition vnto vs. He is said to be woonderfull, a branch, iust, comely, beautifull, Iesus, Mes­sias, a sauiour, saluation, a rocke, a corner stone, a counsellor, strong, beloued, the sun, a captaine, a giant, a bridegroome, the east, the prince of peace, the father of the world to come, a lord, an high priest, a physition, Emanuel, an eagle, a mediator, a fountaine of water of life, the bread of life, the way, truth and life, a light, the roote of Iesse, a swift destroier, and by many other names is he called, as we shal finde in the scriptures, as we read, and marke them well: and yet he the same God, and as Iames the apostle saith, Without any shadow of change. He brought, and aduanced the people of the Hebrewes, to great dignitie: and againe did throw them, into extreme ignominie, but the change was in them, and none in him. He placed them in the land of promise, and brought them into the captiuitie of Babylon, and all these things did he, without any alteration in himselfe, to shew both his mercie and his iustice.

EVen as a twig or branch, taken from a very good and fruit­full 176 trée, and graffed in the trunke or stocke of some wilde trée, as a crab, thorne, or such like, doth draw the trunke or stock, to the nature of the twig or branch, that now it beareth other leaues, and other fruit, than it was woont to do: So, the doctrine of Christ, well planted, and surely graffed, in our barren harts, doth draw vs, and conuert vs, vnto, and into it selfe, and causeth vs to beare other goodly leaues, of holy and godly words, and other most pleasant and wholsome fruits, of vnfained vertues and graces. But by the way, we must néedes crop, and cut off, the boughes of our old sinnes, that Christ may be graffed in vs, and then no doubt, our fruit shall be such, as God, for his sonnes sake, will accept and take in good part, at our hands. A good trée, cannot [Page 92] beare bad fruit, nor an euill tree, good fruit. No man can be de­lighted with the foule pleasures, and filthie delights, of the world and the flesh, and with the ioyes of heauen, at the same time. No man can be giuen, both to the contemplation of hea­uenly things, and to the wisedome of the flesh. Truth and lying, things euerlasting, and things most vile and transitorie, spiritu­all things, and fleshly matters, the things that are aboue with God, and the deceiuable trifles, that are belowe in the earth, may not be mingled togither. Thou canst not both sauour of the Lord, and of the world: thou canst not beare both good and bad fruit: it is not possible, that thou shouldest both be barren and fruitfull. If thou louest God, and his doctrine be graffed in thée, then art thou fruitfull: if not, thou art vnfruitfull. For the truth it selfe saith: He that abideth in me, and I in him, he bringeth foorth Ioan. 15. much fruit.

SAlt is made of sea water, but so long as it is in the sea, it is 177 not salt, it must be taken out of the sea, and placed vpon the dry lande, that being in salt pits, where the sun may shine, & the aire blow vpon it, the water may be thickned, and so conuer­ted into salt. This world is a sea: so long as we liue in the world, being tormoilde in the swelling surges, of the pride thereof, and tossed with the ebbings & flowings, of the worlds inconstancie, and ouerwhelmed in the bitter waters of the sinnes, and wicked practises of the same, we are as yet no salt. We must go out of the world, and enter into the lande, to wit, into our selues, and take a iust view of our owne imbecilitie, and haue a due conside­ration of our owne miserable, and wretched estate, that the sun of righteousnes, may thrust out his beames, and the winde of heauenly grace, may blow vpon vs, and so we may be turned, in­to an admirable, and woonderfull salt, that being seasoned our selues, we may be meanes, and the Lords instruments, to season others. We may be bold to inueigh against all iniquitie, when we haue amended our owne amisses. Yet must that be done in measure, and according to knowledge: for so it behooueth al men, to do all things, that they do. It is well saide of one, that salt is an excellent sauce, and seasoner of all things, so that measure be not wanting: Otherwise, measure and meane missing, the salt it selfe is lost, and that which should haue béene seasoned, is vt­terly spoyled. For too much doth make very bitter that, which measure would haue made ful swéete. And yet notwithstanding, [Page 93] all men must, but especially the ministers of the worde, lift vp their voices, and crie out against all maner of sinne, and wicked­nes. For the Lord saith by Ioel the prophet: Sound out the Ioel. 2. trumpet in Sion, crie out vpon my holy mountaine, and let all the inhabitants of the earth be troubled and quake. And Esaias saith: Crie out, cease not, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet. The Esa. 58. Scripture doth signifie so much, when it saith, That God com­manded Moses, to make two trumpets of siluer, wherewith he Num. 10. should call the people togither, when their tents were to be re­mooued. For with the sound of those trumpets, the people were roused, and stirred vp to wars, and to celebrate certaine daies, wherein sacrifices were offered vp vnto God. Euen so, euerie preacher of the worde of God, ought to call vpon sinners, to re­mooue their tents, from this wicked world, and the maners and fashions of the same, and so much as in him lieth, to bring the people, that are blinded in their sins, and falling from God, out of their errors, perils, and dangers, & with all their force, and skill, to mooue and stir them vp, to be that in déede, which true christi­anitie doth require. That euery one may say with the prophet Esaie: Let the vngodly man forsake his owne waie, and the Esai. 55. wicked man the cogitations of his owne hart, and be turned vn­to the Lord: And with Iohn in the Reuelation: My people, Apoc. 18. auoide out of the midst of Babylon, be yée not partakers of their sinnes. As if he should saie: Remooue and separate your selues from the transitory and lieng things of the world, forsake the wickednes of it, and pitch your tents, by godly meditations, and holie affections of your harts and minds, not in the earth, but in heauen. For euery preacher of the Gospell, ought to prepare his hearers, so much as in him lieth, and by his owne example, to stir them vp, against the enimies of their soules.

And to counsell them, with the apostle, To put on the armor of God, that they may be able to stande against the deceits of the deuill, for we wrastle not against the world, flesh, and blood, Ephes. [...]. but against princes, powers, and the gouernors of the darknes of this world. It behooueth vs therefore, to be well furnished with Rom. 13. 2. Cor. 10. the armour of light, and that the weapons of our warfare, be not carnall, but spirituall.

AS an expert and skilfull husbandman, doth first draw out 178 of his fields, or lands, and pulleth vp by the rootes, thistles, briers, brambles, and all other venemous, and wilde [Page 94] wéedes, and afterward committeth vnto them his good séedes: Euen so a wise teacher of the word of God, ought first to roote out sinne and vices, and to till as it were, the minds of his hearers, and as much as in him lieth, to draw and pull out of them, both roote and rinde of all maner of euill, and wickednes, and to pre­pare and make them méete, to receiue the good séeds of the holie word, and to sowe in them those things, which being rooted and growne vp, may bring foorth both pleasant, profitable, and plen­tifull fruites. And although vertue and godlines, vnto the wic­ked and vngodly, séeme euen horrible and bitter, and all vice, and naughtines, swéete and well sauouring, so that they are not willing, that the gardens of their harts, should be wéeded and trimmed, bicause they would haue no vprightnes, no integritie of life, no truth nor honestie to grow there: yet not the lesse, the Lords ministers must euer thinke, that the same is spoken to Ezech. 16. them, which was deliuered to the prophets, long since: Make Esai. 58. Ierusalem to know hir abhominations: And shew my people their wickednes, and the house of Iacob their sins. Offer vnto them salt, wherewith their corruption may be drawne out, and Matth, 5. they made to sauour swéetely in the nostrilles of God, if they be not altogither rotten, and consumed in their sinnes. Thrust at Eccles. 12. them, with the goade, of the holie word, and strike at them, with the two edged sword of the law of God, that (if they be not starke Hebr. 4. dead, in their abhominations, and be not alreadie swallowed vp of hell, if there be any recouery in them at all) they may be awa­ked, out of their deadly slumbers, and may be so pricked at their Act. 2. harts, that they may finde and féele, how forlorne they are, in the sight of God, and flie to him for succour, grace▪ and mercy, if they belong to his kingdome.

WHat doth it profite a riuer, to flowe from a pure and 179 cléere fountaine, if it selfe be foule, filthie, and vn­holesome? Euen so, the noblenes of fathers, and the honours of elders, and auncestours, what doth it pleasure their sonnes, when they themselues degenerate from their noble and honorable parents? bragging onelie of their nobilitie, and cha­lenging their honour, but despising their vertues, shewe them­selues wicked, loose, and leude of life? He that is not nobled, for some woorthy acts of his owne, nor renowmed by reason of some famous vertues, knowne and found to be in himselfe, what ho­nour [Page 95] may he looke for? séeing there is nothing in himselfe that is good, but onely a vaine and proud challenging of the excellencie, & woorthines of other men. Christ calleth the proude & bragging Pharisies, the generation of vipers: And when they boasted that Matth. 3. they had Abraham to their father, he saide: Ye are of your fa­ther Ioan. 8. Ezech. 16. the deuil. And when the Iewes resembled the Amorrheans and Cetheans, and imitated their sins and iniquities, the Lord saith: That Amorrhaeus is their father, and Cethaea their mother.

So that these places last cited, do plainly shew, that somtimes the holy Ghost doth call sonnes, not of nature, but of imitation, and likenes: bicause the Iewes did the déeds of the diuell, Christ saith the diuell is their father. And when they so followed the steps of the Amorrheans and Cetheans, that for the likenes of their iniquities and abhominations, they did séeme euen to bée bred and borne of them, and had like condemnation with them, bicause they had the same sinnes, the Lord saith that Amorrhaeus and Cethaea, be their parents.

EVen as Aesops Iay, being clad with the faire feathers of 18 [...] other birds, did vainly take vnto himselfe a beautie, but be­ing discouered and stript of all, for a reward was throughly scor­ned, and was turned into his old blacke gowne, when euery bird had taken from him, hir owne feather: So they, that make their boast of the noble acts of others, and do vaunt themselues, of the dignitie of their predecessors, and do vsurpe vnto themselues the nobilitie of ancestors, themselues being naked of all vertue, and vtterly void euen of common honestie, temperance, and sobrie­tie, are constrained many times, with great ignominie & shame, to put off other mens vestures, and with no small disgrace to forgo their vsurped honors. It is a thing far more honorable, and woorthier commendation, that a man florish, and be famous, with his owne vertues, and iust deserts, than to borrow his praise, and honor of others. Men are very fitly, though not natu­rally, called the sonnes of them, whose déedes they do, and whose vices or vertues they imitate. If ye be the sonnes of Abraham (said Christ to the Iewes, boasting and glorying of their origi­nall) then do the déedes of Abraham. They were indéede by na­ture, Ioan. [...]. the children of Abraham, but by imitation, they were the brats of Amorrhaeus and Cethaea. If thou wilt be counted the [Page 96] sonne or daughter of a noble, honest, and good man, then do noble acts thy selfe, lead an honest life, and do good works. And follow­ing the steps of Christ, thou shalt be a christian: otherwise, looke whose maners, and waies thou walkest in, his sonne or daughter art thou rightly called.

ECclesiasticus saith, that pride is the beginning of all sinne. 181 And indéede, it is that centre, in the sphere of mans life, whereout do go lines, to the circumference of iniquitie. For a proud man, hath no righteousnes, no equitie, he hath no liking of any vertue: he scorneth and despiseth all, all are his inferiors, and he superior to all, in his owne conceit. Euen as in a thrash­ing place, chaffe is séene aboue the wheate, not bicause it is the better, but bicause it is the lighter, and wheras it is the viler, and of the lesse valure, yet notwithstanding it getteth the higher and woorthier place: Euen so in this life, a proud and vaine man, is exalted aboue the humble and lowly, not for any woorthines, iust desert, or true vertue that is in him, but for his vanitie, and a false opinion, that he hath conceiued of himselfe: And whereas he is of very little, or no valure, yet he putteth out himselfe be­fore others, which are far beyond him, in vertue, wisedome, and nobilitie. But the lowly, though the woorthier, and more excel­lent man, doth euer humble himselfe, not bicause he is of lesse va­lure, but bicause he hath in him, greater weight of wisedome, vn­derstanding, and true nobilitie. Wheat, the weightier, sounder, and better it is, the lower place it desireth, and séeketh: the hum­ble man, the wiser, and more gratious that he is, the more plea­sure and delight he hath, in christian humilitie and lowlines. But the proud man being lighter then the winde, lifteth vp, and extolleth himselfe, aboue all things: Whereupon it commeth to passe, that he peruerteth, all the lawes of God, and man, for that souerainty sake, which he falsely imagineth, to belong vnto him­selfe. Tobias, that vertuous, charitable and wise man, did ear­nestly Tobias. 4. disswade his son from all pride, and did perswade him to humilitie and lowlines: Suffer not pride (saith he) in any wise, to dominéere, o [...] to beare a swaie, in thy vnderstanding, nor in the words of thy mouth. And Ecclesiasticus counselleth euerie Eccles. 7. & 10. man greatly to humble his spirit: And saith, That pride is 1. Cor. 4. odious before God, and men. and the holie apostle saith: What hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? And if thou hast receiued [Page 97] it, why boastest thou, as though thou hadst not receiued it? There is an old and true saying, almost in all mens mouthes, that is, Pride will haue a fall: and the same is very strongly confirmed by Christ himselfe, who saith: He that exalteth himselfe, shall be Luc. 14. Luc. 18. brought lowe: and he that humbleth himselfe, shall be exalted. Augustine saith, that pride deceiued angels, and that much more it will deceiue men, and therefore to be shunned. And Ambrose saith, it made of angels, diuels. And no doubt it is the originall of all euils, and the ruine of all vertues, where it is maintained.

WE sée somtimes two men, about to go into some sump­tuous 182 and stately hall or house, through a very lowe and narrow doore, the one stouping, and bending himselfe, doth passe through and go in, without harme: the other stout, not stouping, nor bending at all, but preasing in with great force, hurteth his head, and falleth backward: Such a stately and princely place, is the kingdome of heauen, the habitation of the saints of God, whose way is very straight, as Christ himselfe doth affirme, and Mar. 10. the doore thereof is so lowe and narrow, that he compareth it with the eie of a néedle. That man, that humbleth himselfe, and Luc. 18. stoupeth lowe, doth enter into that most stately and princely house, of the king of heauen: but he that is puffed vp with pride, and swelled with insolencie, cannot get in at that gate, he fal­leth to the ground, his pride doth throw him backward. Augu­stine speaking of heauen, saith, it is a very high countrie, but the way to it, lieth very lowe. And so much would the Lord and king of the house signifie, when he biddeth all learne of him, bicause Matth. 11. he is méeke and lowly in hart. And when he called a little childe vnto him, and set him in the midst of his disciples, he saide vnto them: Vnlesse ye become as little children, ye shall not enter in­to Matth. 18. the kingdome of heauen. Pride is a very pestilent sicknes, and hath this operation in man, if it raigne in him, it diuideth him from God, from himselfe, and from his neighbour, and doth dis­perse, and distract him, into infinite euils, and innumerable vi­ces. The holy virgin could tell that, when in hir most woonder­full canticle she said: He hath dispersed the proud, in the imagi­nation of their owne harts. Let vs therefore beware of pride, eschew all insolencie of the minde, and auoide cleane the vaine hautines of the hart, least whiles we hunt, and hauke after, the idle praise of men, and the vaine glorie of the world, we vtterly [Page 98] lose the euerlasting glorie, of the saints of God, and eternall life for euer. Then will repentance come too late, when we haue lost all things for nothing, and no recouerie doth remaine.

EVen as a fouler, doth lay abroad and spread his net, to take 183 the birds, where baite is, and they may féede: So the deuill Genes. 2. when he would take Eue, spread his net in gluttonie, and tempted hir with a beautifull apple, till at the length, to the harme and wo of all their posteritie, both shée and hir husbande were taken, and trapt to our woes. And with the same baite he went about to intangle Christ, when he said, If thou be the son Matth, 4. of God, commaund that these stones be made bread. And indéed excesse of meat & drinke, is the mother of many most dangerous euils. The Scripture speaking of them, that worshipped the Exod. 32. golden calfe, saith: The people sate down, to eate and drink, and rose vp to play. And in Deuteronomie it is said: That when the Deut. 31. people had eaten and were full, they turned to strange gods. And Ose the prophet saith: They were full, and they did forget Ose. 13. Luc. 6. God. And Christ saith: Wo be to you, that are full, for yée shall be hungrie. Rioting, excesse, and fulnes of meate and drink, doth make mens bodies vnapt to all good and holy exercises, and very prone and apt to all sinne, and wickednes.

CHrist willeth vs not to lay vp treasure for our selues, héere 184 vpon the earth, but in heauen &c. and affirmeth that it is Matth. 6. harder for a rich man, to enter into the kingdom of hea­uen, Matth. 19. then for a cable rope, to go through the eie of a néedle. In déede such a rope, though it cannot be drawne through a néedles eie, yet if it be diuided, and singled into the seuerall thréedes whereof it was made, it may be so drawne through, one thréed after another: Euen so a rich man, whose hart is set vpon his ri­ches, more then vpon God, so that couetousnes is as it were, a most infringeable shell, wherein his hart is closed, and the same is manicles to his hands, and fetters to his féete, cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen: But if he will deuide his riches, into certaine thréeds or portions, and bestow one part to further the preaching of the Gospell, another vpon the poore man: and one vpon the poore widdowe, another vpon séely poore orphanes: one vpon the stranger that is in want: another vpon the poore prisoner: one vpon him that is sicke, and another vpon the im­potent: [Page 99] if he will succour them, that be in sorrow, and miserie, and will helpe the néedie, and will godly, mercifully, and dis­créetly, distribute his riches, to the comforting and reléeuing of the distressed children, and saints of God, and all this out of a liuelie and true faith, for Christs sake, he may, notwithstan­ding his riches, be they neuer so great, enter into the king­dome of heauen, and be saued, his riches shall not hinder him. But if he be caried away from dooing of any good, with a gréedie and damnable couetousnes, making his riches, his God, there is no entrance for him, but he shall be taken, and bound hande and foote, and shall be sent into hell, and shall be cast into vtter dark­nes, where shall be houling, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. He that is such a one, is euen in this life, already dead, and is as it were his owne graue. Chrysostme saith, that the minde of a co­uetous man, is a foule, rotten and stinking sepulchre. Iosua com­manded, Iosua. 6. & 7. that no man shuld take any thing from Iericho, but co­uetous Achan, tempted with the glittering gold, did breake that commandement, and was therefore most iustly put to death. Yea for his couetousnes and gréedie desire of riches, Iosua lost Iosu. 10. the victorie. Iosua with his humble calling vpon the Lord, could cause the sun to stand still, that it went not forward, but he could not staie the couetousnes of man, but it would be créeping, saie he what he would. The sun was staide at his voice, but Achan his couetousnes, would not be staid. All the while that the sun stoode still, Iosua had the vpper hand of gods enimies: but when Achan his couetousnes, was in esse, then Iosua lost the victorie.

It is lawfull for Christian men to possesse riches, but it is not 185 lawfull for them, to be possessed themselues, of vnsatiable coue­tousnes of the same. Thou maist haue goods and riches to serue thée for necessaries, but thou must not be a seruant and drudge vnto them. For euen as a flie, comming to a platter full of swéet and pleasant honie, if she thrust not hir selfe altogither into it, but onely touch and taste it, with hir mouth, and take no more, than is necessarie and néedfull, she may safely go away, and flie to an other place, but if she wallow and tumble in the hony, then is she limed and taken in it, and whiles she is not able to flie a­way, she doth there lose hir life: Euen so, if a man, of all his ri­ches, take onely so much, as may sustaine him, & honestly main­taine his estate, bestowing the rest, as I haue said before, his ri­ches then cannot holde him backe, nor bar him out of the king­dome [Page 100] of heauen▪ But if couetousnes shall bewitch him, and still pricke him forewarde, to scrape togither more and more, and shall make him, euen vnsatiable, then they take him, and holde him, and so belime the wings of his minde, that he cannot once in all his life, haue one flight towards the kingdome of heauen. And thus being in thraldome and bondage to wicked Mammon, the end of his pleasures in this world, is the beginning of his sorrowes in the worlde to come. Plutarch saith, that the con­tempt of riches, is an instrument of Philosophie. And Seneca affirmeth, that the néerest way to be truely rich, is to despise worldly riches. If heathen Philosophers did easilie espie, the perils, dangers, and discommodities of the loue, of worldlie and vncertaine riches, and the benefit of a meane and poore estate, how much more then, ought we that be Christians, to know these things? whose captaine, maister, and Sauiour, loued po­uertie, and taught the same, hauing his birth in a stable, with beasts among chaffe, and his death naked vpon the crosse. Before Christ did appéere in the flesh, pouertie might haue séemed verie bitter, and full of ignominie, vnto men: but after that, the Em­perour of heauen and earth, had taken pouertie vpon himselfe, and also touching himselfe said: The foxes haue holes, and the foules of the aire haue nestes, but the sonne of man hath not Matth. 8. Luc. 9. where to laie his head. Who doth not now sée, that Christian pouertie, in the seruants of God, doth well become them, and is honorable, and that it is a true badge of Christian nobilitie?

IF a king should haue a certaine house, fast lockte, and close 186 shut vp, full of gold, precious stones, and costly iewels, and would promise all those treasures to one that should open the same: and would offer vnto thée two keies, one of pure gold, hanging at a costly string, made of silke and golden threads, but that would not open the same locke, that thou mightest go in­to the house: and the other of iron, rustie and ill fauoured to sée to, hanging at a thong of leather, or whipcorde, the which not­withstanding, would open the doore, and let thée in, that thou mightest choose which of these keies thou wouldest: were it not better, and more profitable for thée, to choose the old rustie iron keie, then the keie of gold? Yes no doubt. The golden one indéed is more precious, but what auaileth that, when it will not open the doore, and bring thee to the treasures: The iron one, is the [Page 101] viler, but yet it is the better. Such a king is our God, and such an house, is that heauenly habitation of his saints, wherein are in­estimable treasures, endlesse ioies, and vnspeakable good things, which are woorthier, and more excellent, then man is able to ex­presse. For so saith the holie Ghost: No eie hath séene, nor eare 1. Cor. 2. heard, nor hart of man conceiued, those thinge which the Lorde hath prepared for them that loue him. All which heauenlie trea­sures, God hath promised, to all them that shal enter into his ho­lie hill, or house of saints. The golden keie, which the most part of this world do choose, and trust to, that they may enter into hea­uen, is worldly wealth, and aboundance of riches, ioyned with couetousnes, which will neuer open the Lords house, where are kept his celestiall, and inestimable treasures. But that key doth rather open a foule and vile house of this world, which is full of all filthines and abominations. The iron keie, is spirituall po­uertie, against the which, the kingdome of heauen is neuer shut, but standeth euer wide open, to all them, that bring with them that key, so saith Christ himselfe: Blessed are the poore in spirit, Matth. 5. for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. Let vs therefore make no account of the golden key, but let vs, for Christ and his kingdom, forsake and despise the deceitfull riches of this world, which are desired, and sought for, far and neare, by sea and land, with dan­gers and losse, of the bodies and soules of many thousands, as though men could bribe God for their sinnes, and purchase hea­uen, with their worldly trifles: and let vs without murmuring and grudging, with all patience of hart and minde, beare and im­brace pouertie, and all those crosses and afflictions, which vnto the world séeme bitter and intolerable, of which kind very many do happen in the life of man. Let vs earnestly séeke after the ri­ches of the Lords kingdome, and euerlasting life, for they be sta­ble and permanent: & let vs not set our harts, and affections, on this world: for it waxeth olde, & rotten, it staggereth, is ruinous and readie to fall. Iob speaking of rich men, which do deli [...]iously pamper themselues euery day, saith: They leade their daies in Iob. 21. pleasures, and in the twinckling of an eie, they go down into hel. And Dauid saith: They shall leaue their riches for others, &c. Psal. 17. P [...]o [...]er [...]. 11. And Salomon saith: Thy riches shal do thée no good, in the day of vengeance. And in the booke of Wisedome: What hath pride Sapien. 5. profited thée? and what good hath thy bragging of riches brought vnto thée? all these things are gone away like a shadow, and as a messenger running before.

[Page 102]EVen as a firebrand, drawen from the fire, and lying still, 187 waxeth cold, and by little and little dieth, and is extinct, but being mooued and put to the fire, burneth and flameth: E­uen so, an idle life, doth by little and little, extinguish vertue, but being well exercised, it doth kindle and increase the same. Ther­fore is it said in the booke of Iob, Man is borne to labour. And Iob. 5. Eccles 33. Ecclesiasticus saith, that idlenes hath taught much mischiefe. This mooued the Apostle to will Timothie, to watch and to la­bour 2. Tim. 4. in all things. And the same Apostle saith, that euerie one 1. Cor. 3. shall receiue his owne hire or reward, according to his labour. Lawyers do say, that inheritance is had with the burden thereof. Séeing then, that we be Gods heires, and the fellow heires of Rom. 8. Christ, as the Apostle affirmeth: it must néedes be, that we come not [...] our inheritance, not with idlenes, but loden, with great and [...]auie burdens, of aduersities and tribulations, and with sore [...]our, and gréeuous grones vnder the weight of the same. Matth. 11. If w [...] shall giue our selues to ease, and shall séeke after rest in this l [...], and so slumber in securitie and idlenes, our enimie the diuell, [...]ill surely deceiue vs. For whiles men slept, saith the E [...]ist, the enimie came, and did sowe darnell vpon the Matth. 13. wheate▪ Christ himselfe doth highly condemne idlenes, when he saith: Why stand ye héere, all the day long, idle? And a little af­ter, Call the workmen (saith he) to take their hire. Idle persons Matth. 20. are not called to take hire, but they which haue laboured. And they are called from their labours, to rest, from pouertie, to hea­uenly riches, and from their calamities, to euerlasting pleasures. Yea euen when they be dead, then are they blessed, and rest from Apoc. 14. their labours, the spirit saith so, and therefore it is most certaine Tobias. 2. and true. When Tobias slept, there fell out of a swallowes nest, doong vpon his eies, which made him blinde: and w [...]iles we do sléepe, and slumber in slothfulnes, and idle securitie, without be­ing vertuously and godly exercised, there creepe out of the nests of our harts, most wicked and pestilent cogitations, which do blinde and numbe our vnderstanding, and carrie vs into most dangerous disobedience, and rebellion against the Lord.

MEn in these our dangerous daies, are very close harted, & 188 merciles, towards the poore afflicted members of Christ. And though they hear their cries, & sée their poore bodies, readie to die at their doores, in stréetes and in prison, yet vntill [Page 103] they perceiue, that there is no way, but present death with them­selues, they will impart no part of their goodes and wealth vnto them. Such men are like vnto beasts, which are not eaten, vntill they be dead, and boiled or rosted. For vntill death hath them in his pot, and there boile them after his maner, the poore can haue no releefe at their hands: whiles they liue, they will do no chari­table déedes, nor works of mercie: onely at the point of death, in their last testament, they will perhaps leaue some legacies, to be giuen when they be dead: but death must be sure of them, be­fore the poore be sure of a penny. It were better done by much, to releeue the poore with their owne hands, in their life time: it is not amisse that they do good then, but it were better done before. It is to be wished, that man would consider whence he hath his name, ( homo) and finding that he hath it of ( humus) the earth, which yéeldeth to euerie man, more than it receiueth at his hands, and bringeth foorth and ministreth all maner of fruits, to all men with great aduantage, he would surely be afeard, and ashamed, that the earth should condemne him, in bountifulnes and liberalitie. The Lord doth very earnestly condemne the co­uetousnes, and crueltie of the Iewes, towards the poore, in Eze­chiel the prophet, saying: They did not stretch out their hands Ezech. 16. Prouerb. 14. to the poore and néedie. And Salomon saith: He shall be blessed, that hath pitie vpon the poore. And indéede, what a great blessing is it, for things of no valure, to receiue great and heauenly ri­ches, for dead things, matters of life, for things transitorie, things eternall? and to haue the Lord himselfe, to be pay mai­ster, of all these things? And the same Salomon saith, that he Prouerb. 19. laieth in banke vnto the Lord, that hath pitie vpon the poore: and also, He that stoppeth his eares, at the crie of the poore, shall crie Ibidem 2 [...]. himselfe and not be heard. And the Apostle calleth couetousnes, Ephes. 5. Colos. 3. 1. Iohn. 4. worshipping of idols, and affirmeth that the couetous man, hath no inheritance in the kingdome of God. He that loueth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he loue God, whom he seeth not? Blessed are the mercifull, saith Christ, for they shall receiue Matth. 5. mercie. That man, that vnmercifully kéepeth his gold, monie, meate, cloth, harbour, or other comfort whatsoeuer, and séeth his brother or sister want, as he hath no loue of God in him, so can he not by Christ be saued. What then shall become of them, which being rich, do not onely, not succour and comfort the poore, but also dismay, discomfort, and dispoile them, of that they haue? [Page 104] surely such m [...]st néedes perish. For the [...] are fettered and holden in the snares of sathan, and wo wo is their reward. It is a world to sée, how the houses, wals, chambers, bedstéeds, and garments, of rich men, glitter and florish with gold, and infinite poore soules, that Christ suffered his death for, are readie to perish in euerie place, for want of foode, and necessaries. They enrich stocks and stones, and suffer the seruants of God to be déepely distressed. Whiles they hunt after worldly wealth, they let slip the king­dome of heauen. O miserable men, what get they, what haue they, what possesse they? surely nothing of any valure, and yet they lose themselues. They haue a vaile before their eies, birde lime in their wings, and fetters about their féete, that they can­not sée the kingdome of God, they cannot moo [...]e one feather of a wing towards heauen, nor set one foote before another, to go towards euerlasting saluation: yet such men are merie now, but their sorrow is not far off, nor long to come.

AS feathers do lift vp, and carrie on high, the foules and 189 birdes of the aire: So the riches and dignities of this world, are woont to extol and carrie men, into the aire and clouds of vanitie.

And as haukes trusting to their wings, will flie excéeding high, as though they woulde pearce the clouds themselues, for their too high flieng, are oftentimes lost: So men depending vp­on the wings of prosperitie, being puffed vp and swelled with pride, the higher they clime, the more mischéeuous is their fall, and with the greater disgrace, are they hurled downe headlong. These be those feathers of vanitie, which God commanded to pull out, and to cast them into the dust. The remembrance of Leuit. 1. death, is a place of dust, where we ought continuallie to reuolue in our minds, those things which the men of this world do déeme and iudge, to be most excellent, considering how they all, in the twinckling of an eie, do vanish away, and are consumed, and we with them are turned into dust.

TRées growing in the woode, are knowne, some by the dif­ference 190 of their truncks or bodies, some by the propertie of their boughes, branches, leaues, flowers and fruits, but this knowledge is had of them, whiles they stande, growe, and are not consumed: but if they be committed to the fire, and tur­ned [Page 105] into ashes▪ they cannot be knowne: for how is it possible, that, when the ashes of diuers kinds of trées, are mingled togi­ther, the tall pine trée, should be discerned, from the great and huge oke, or the mightie popler from a little lowe shrub, or anie one tree from another? Euen so men, whiles they liue in the wood of this world, are knowne, some by the stocke of auncetors, some by the florishing leaues of their words and eloquence, some in the floures of beautie, and some in the fruits of honestie, ma­nie by their sauage barbarousnes, and some by their milde leni­tie and kindnes. But when death doth bring them into dust, and hath mixed and mingled them all togither; who can by their ashes, earth and dust, discerne and know them? when the ashes and dust of all, are mingled togither, what difference is there then, betwéene the mightie princes of the worlde, and the séelie poore soules, that are no account made of? into the remembrance of such dust and ashes, we ought to cast, the beautifull and faire feathers of this world, least being puffed vp with our owne con­ceites, and with an ouer well wéening of our selues, we vtterlie lose all temperance, and measure kéeping, and plunge our selues into intollerable errors. For it is a plaine case, that where vaine glory doth dominéere and beare the rule, there is no place for temperance, neither can vertue be suffered to be resident, in the kingdome of vanitie.

HAukes of the best kind, whiles they liue are highlie estée­med, 191 and much made of, and are daintily fed, and tender­ly looked vnto, and are caried vpon the fists of great and mightie men: but when they be dead, they are throwne out vp­on the dunghill. And on the other side, the partridge when she li­ueth, is troubled, afflicted, & pursued of al, euery cartar & plough­man, is readie to fall vpon hir, to do hir violence, and to kill hir: But when she is dead, she is brought to the tables of princes, and is very honorably set before them: So very many, that in this life, are counted very famous and notable men, and do lead their liues, in great prosperitie and worldly wealth, and haue all things at their wils and pleasures, when they remooue hence, and go out of this life, they shall be hurled vpon that most foule and filthie dung hill of hell, to be tormented in the stinch and abhomination thereof for euer. But others which in this life are incumbred, tormented, and afflicted with diuers and sundrie [Page 106] calamities, and euen for their vertues sake, are hated of the wic­ked, and contemned of the world, when they shall depart out of this life, they shall be brought and presented before the Lorde, with great honour, and placed with the king of heauen, in euer­lasting glorie, that is full of honor, and full of vnspeakable ioyes. These men the worlde is weary of, and therefore doth scorne, Psal. 15. despise and hate them, as men not woorthie to liue: whereas in­déed, they ought, to cherish and to honor them, bicause they feare the Lord. And on the contrary side: The world is in loue with men of sinne, and doth onely honor those, that abound with all maner of iniquitie, and as it hath them in great admiration in their life time, so it maketh no end of praysing & extolling them, when they be dead. These the world adorneth with all the fea­thers it hath, and yet in a very moment of time, they lose all: and then one houre taketh from them, all those things, honours, dignities, pleasures, and delights, which were long a getting, with great care, and no litle cost, & then themselues are sent into endlesse woes, and euerlasting paines. Héerehence is that say­eng of Ecclesiasticus: The riches of the vniust, shall be dryed Eccles. 40. vp like water, and they shall make a noise like a great thunder­clap in time of raine. And man (saith the prophet) is like a thing Psal. 144. of nothing, his daies passe away like a shadow. Indéede man di­eth, and all his pompe, vainglory and prosperitie with him. And good were it for the wicked if they might neuer rise vp againe. For as our old sayeng is, It were better to lie stil, then to rise vp to take a fall: especially such a fall as theirs shall be, to wit, from heauen to hell, from God to the diuell, and from al blisse and hap­pines, into the most bitter curse of God, and tortures of dam­nation.

EVen as smoke preaseth and flieth vp on high, as though it 192 would couer and darken the skie: So enuie and calamitie do aime at those especially, which are aduanced, and placed, in high degrée, so that many times, they are cast downe head­long from their dignitie, very suddenly with much ignominie and disgrace: especially when their honors, haue changed and corrupted their maners. Nabucadnezzar that mightie king, which is compared to an eagle, as though he were péerelesse among men, as the eagle among birds, yet notwithstanding, im­mediately after, his wealth, power, pride, and prosperitie, are [Page 107] compared by the prophet, to light feathers, that are blowen and Ezec. 17. caried away with euery blast of winde. Séeing then, that what­soeuer this worlde doth or can affoord vs, is indre subiect to a change, then the Moone, and more vnconstant then the winde, let vs learne to contemne the world, with all the trifles and trash of the same, and séeke for the kingddme of God, and the righteous­nes thereof, for that indureth for euer.

EVen as from the sap of a trée, doth procéede that strength, 193 wherewith the boughes do florish and bring foorth fruit: So from a godly prince, such iustice, vertue, and godlines, do procéede, that thereby all the people are mightily mooued, to true religion, a right worshipping of God, due obedience, and ho­nestie of life and conuersation.

SVbmission and lowlines of minde, is as it were a vessell, 194 wherin vertues are laid vp, and kept as iewels of great va­lure. And as Bernard saith, Humilitie of the hart is a re­ceptacle of grace. And Chrysostome his opinion is, that Humili­tie is a great sacrifice. Gregory saith, that Humble men, when they stoupe lowest, and prostrate themselues before the Lordes throne, then they rise vp (saith he) to the similitude and likenes of God. On the other side, proude men whiles they vaunt and exalt themselues, they imitate the diuell, but such the Lorde is woont to bring lowe, and to exalt the humble and méeke.

EVen as in winter, when it is excéeding colde, and in som­mer, 195 when too much heate inflameth all things, great thun­der and lightenings are seldome heard, and séene, as Plinie reporteth in his second booke, but in the spring time and haruest, when the aire is cléere and calme, then chéefly they burne and strike where they light: So great calamities, and bitter trou­bles, do lie in waite for prosperitie: they séeke not after them, which in a lowe and meane estate, do labour and take paines, in heate and cold, and all storms else, but those do they most sudden­ly wound, ouerthrowe, and consume as it were with fire, which in a calme spring time, and haruest of prosperitie, are drunken with pride, and to too insolent with vaine glorie of the world, and are set vpon the top of vanitie it selfe. I suppose that in this life there is nothing safer, nothing more profitable, nothing bet­ter, [Page 108] nothing fitter to aduance vertue to a due honor, and to be short, nothing that sooner bringeth tranquillitie, and other good things, than true humilitie, and a Christian lowlines of mans minde. Iames the apostle doth say, that God resisteth the proud, Iames. 4. and giueth grace vnto the humble. And againe: Be ye humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you. And Peter in his first epistle canonicall, Be ye humbled, saith he, vnder the mighty 1. Pet. 5. hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation. And the Lord in the mouth of Abdias the prophet, saith to the proude ones of the world: If thou shalt be exalted as an eagle, and shalt build thy nest among the stars, I will pull thée downe from Abdias. 1 Psal. 37. thence. And the Psalmist saith: I sawe the wicked exalted, and lifted vp like the Cedars of Libanus, and I passed by, and behold he was not: I sought him, and he was not to be found, his place could not be séene. Indéede the proud and vainglorious sort of the world, although they séeme to be very happie men, yet they haue most miserable ends, many times, and foule fals, from the height of their honors, dignities, and prosperities, and that which is woorst of all, they are tumbled downe into hell, with the mightie hand of Gods indignation.

EVen as in the midst of the sphere, is that centre, from which 196 all lines being drawen, do tend towards their circumference: So a good Christian man, hath God for his circumference. For whatsoeuer he thinketh, speaketh or doeth, it tendeth to Christ, of whom he is compassed round about: for as the Psalmist saith, The Lord is round about his people. And againe: His truth Psal. 125. shall compasse thée round about, thou shalt not be afraid for any Psal. 91. Psal. 32. terror by night: also, Mercy shall compasse him about, that put­teth his trust in the Lord. Indéed our good sauiour Christ, is that diuine circumference, which compasseth round about his ser­uants, and is at euery hand, néere vnto his déere children. He is that same celestial trée, that couereth and compasseth about, with the shadow thereof, all those that flie to him for succour: yea all the poore birds of God, shall safely builde their nests vnder the shadow of his boughes. He that dwelleth (saith the prophet) in the helpe of the almightie, shall rest in the protection of the God of heauen. Indéede to be vnder the Lords protection, and in his fauour, is to be in all safetie, against all power of men and diuels, and to be from vnder the wings of his grace, is to lie open to all [Page 109] dangers, and to death and destruction it selfe, of our soules and bodies. The Lord therefore kéepe vs so néere vnto himselfe, in due obedience to his will and word, that he may vouchsafe, to be our shield and buckler, against all the assaults of sathan.

EVen as lightenings do smite, whatsoeuer they finde in the 197 earth, except the lawrell trée, as Plinie affirmeth, in his se­cond booke, chapter 55: So, great calamitie, is able to take away, and to ouerthrow, whatsoeuer is in man, or that he hath, saue onely firme and constant vertue: for constant vertue is a goodly lawrell trée, euer florishing and gréene, and will not be consumed, burnt vp, nor destroied, with any fire, that breaketh out of the cloudes, be it neuer so fierce, nor with any violence of torments and troubles whatsoeuer. To this vertue doth the apostle exhort vs, saying: My déere brethren, [...]e ye constant and 1. Cor. 15. vnmooueable, alwaies rich in the worke of the Lord: and indéed, they that are grounded in the loue of Christ, and leaue nothing vndone, to auoid the dishonoring of God, and the offending of their brethren, and do their best indeuour, to honor and obey the almightie, and to edifie his seruant [...], do not onely not feare the firebrands of any sorrow whatsoeuer, but also do euen despise, all the firie flashings and thunderclaps of the world, and do remaine constant, and vnchangeable in the seruice of God, euen to the losse of their liues if néede be. Infidels that knew not Christ, but were méere strangers vnto him, thought it better to lose their liues, than to violate their promises and othes made to their enimies: Much more then ought Christians, in such cases to be constant. The Lord himselfe in the mouth of Ezechiel the pro­phet, affirmeth, that he shall neuer thriue nor prosper, that ma­keth Ezech. 17. no conscience of violating and breaking his oth, wherewith he hath bound himselfe, though it be to his deadly enimie. And Iosua hauing promised vpon his oth, that the Gabaonites should Iosua. 9. liue in the countrie vntouched, afterward when their great de­ceit was discouered, and they found most vnwoorthie to liue, yet for his oth sake he spared their liues. We haue sworne vnto them (saith he) in the name of the God of Israel, and therefore we cannot touch them. We learne by this to beware how we binde our selues by othes, but if we haue once done it, we must not regard, to whom, but by whom, we haue sworne and bound our selues.

[Page 110]EVen as the lambes, with the which the shéepe were concei­ued, 198 as they beheld Iacobs rod, were of the same colour, that Genes. 30. the rod was of: So, such as the religion, and actions, of princes, péeres of realmes, and countries, ministers, parents and gouer­ners be, such for the most part, is the religion, and such be the actions of subiects, and inferiour persons. For as examples are very dangerous in euill things, so be they of great force and ver­tue, in good and holy things. When princes will haue, godlie, vertuous, loyall, and obedient subiects, they must deale with them, as Iacob did with his shéepe, they must lay before them, the rod of true religion, iustice, holines, righteousnes, and inte­gritie of life and maners, and then no doubt, they will conceiue in their harts, thoughts that be pure, righteous, chaste, sound and holy, and bring foorth great plentie of fruits, of the same colour that the rod is of: to wit, not words onely, but works also of [...]aith and obedience to God and man. Parents with their natu­ral children, ministers of the word, with their spiritual children, and maisters with their seruants, must do the like.

AS most pleasant perfumes, do euen then, when they be in 199 the fire, giue out a most excellent odor, and their swéetest sauour: Euen so, a vertuous and godly man, when he is thrust into the midst of the hote scorching fire of calamitie and miserie, doth then shew most his vertue, faith, religion, patience and constancie.

THere be some men, which now and then, do bestow great 200 cost, and much of their riches, vpon those that néede them not, not drawne therunto with either loue or mercie, but caried with vaine glory & with vanity it selfe, so to do. Such men are like fluds which send their waters into the sea, and leaue the drie land, which is very thirsty, vnwatred. But such men (by the commandement and will of God) should helpe the poore, féede the hungrie, cloth the naked, harbor the harborlesse, visite and re­déeme captiues, &c. For that is the mercy, whereto the Lords blessing and mercy belongeth, according to that he saith: Blessed Matth. 5. are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. It is a worlde to sée and consider, that man dare be so bold, and so shamelesse, to make but a tush, or a thing of nothing, of the Lords commande­ment, when in the mouth of his prophets, he saith: Breake thy Esay. 58. [Page 111] bread vnto the hungrie: And, Giue thy bread to the hungrie Ezech. 10. soule, and couer the naked with thy garment, if thou wilt liue and be saued. How thinkest thou (O man) that God will heare thée, séeing thou thinkest him, not woorthie the hearing? With what hart, canst thou beg a kingdome of him, to whom thou de­niest a péece of bread, when he sendeth thine, and his owne bro­ther for it? dost thou thinke, that he will bestow vpon thée, an immortall garment of eternall glorie, séeing thou refusest to giue to his poore naked seruant, that is readie to perish, and to die with cold, one of thy superfluous, and old moth eaten garments? The vaine men of the world, which do lauish out their riches and substance, vpon néedlesse things, and méere vanities, with­out regarding the néedie saints of God, will neuer be able to an­swer their dooings, before the iudgement seate of Christ. Will the Lord of heauen and earth take this in good part, that haukes and dogs, are kept and fed, fat and faire, and his séely soules that he died for, haue neither coates nor flesh vpon their backs? or doth this please him, that wals, and stones, be most curiously and costly adorned and couered, and men want to eate, and where­with to couer their nakednes? How swéete a sacrifice were it to God, and how highly would it please him, if many rich and costly suits of apparell, that men and women haue more then they néed, and many golden chaines, care rings and other costlie iewels, which serue more for pride, then for profit, were willing­ly & euen in loue to God, translated by the owners of them, into almes for the poore, & into reléefe for poore distressed men, women & children, som in prison, som wandring héere and there, destitute of all necessaries, fréends and comfort? The last day of all daies, I meane the generall iudgement day, will be a very gloumie and blacke sessions day, for those men, which do now kéepe close and fast lockt vp in their chests and cofers, their thousands and hundreds of golde and siluer, and are so couetous, that if they could do it, all things that they looke vpon, should be turned into gold, they are so insatiable, and yet suffer their poore brethren to liue in great want and miserie. Oh insatiable couetousnes, oh vngodlie gréedines, oh lamentable madnes. If such men shoulde sée but one quarter of an houre, the torments that Diues indu­reth, & shall for euer in hell, they would surely be afeard, though they would not repent, and giue ouer their couetous and vnmer­cifull dealings, with the seruants of God. But alas, they are like [Page 112] to féele them for euer, though heere they cannot sée them, vnlesse the Lord giue them true and spéedie repentance, which I beséech him, (if it may stand with his glorie) vouchsafe to do.

EVen as corne laid vp and kept, in a barne, garner or other 201 place, doth not increase, yea many times is eaten, and consu­med of weuels, and other vermine, but being cast into the ground, doth bring foorth plentifull fruite, and great increase, & is very profitable for the owner: So riches, as gold, money, & other iewels, laid vp in chestes and kept in coffers, are oftentimes in danger of losing by théeues, that may breake through, and steale them, or by fire that may consume them: but being dispersed and scattered among the poore and néedie saints of God, they bring foorth fruit an hundreth folde, and are very profitable both to the giuer and to the receiuer, discharging a good conscience in the one, and comforting the distressed bodie and minde of the other.

AS pits and lakes of spring water, being stopped and pol­luted 202 with mire, mud, or other foule and filthie matter, if they be scoured and drawne out, will flow with water, that is pleasant, swéete, and wholsome, but suffered and let alone, are corrupted, and do stincke: So, riches and worldly substance if they be distributed vnto the poore, and translated from them that haue too much, to those that are néedie, and haue nothing, they do greatly increase, and multiplie: for a very little is great riches to him, that hath nothing, and to him that did bestowe them, they are instruments, and meanes of Gods blessing, but being coffered and lying stil, so that the poore néedy creatures are not reléeued with them, they are verie vnprofitable, and will bréed the stinch of hell, and endlesse wo, to those that so do kéepe them. The kingly prophet speaking from God, saith: Blessed is Psal. 41. the man, that considereth the poore and néedie, the Lord will de­liuer him in the euill day, or in the day of trouble. He calleth mercie, the direct way to blisse, when it is an effect, of a liuelie faith, that man hath in the Lord Iesu: And he calleth that time, that bringeth with it, bitternes, calamitie, and tribulation, the euill day, or day of trouble, wherein the Lorde doth neuer for­sake nor faile his seruants, that put their trust in him, and are mercifull to others. And the same prophet saith: He hath disper­sed Psal. 112. [Page 113] his goods, and giuen to the poore, his righteousnes indureth Psal. 112. for euer.

EVen as mens hands were made, that the one might helpe 203 the other, and the féete also, bicause they be members of one and the same bodie: So is it the dutie of all christians, one to succour and to reléeue another, in afflictions and troubles, séeing the church of God, is a certaine bodie, whereof we are members, 1. Cor. 12. Ephes. 5. as the apostle saith. And as it should be against nature, that one foote should hinder, or smite another: So is it against reason, that one man doth hurt another, yea, it is verie vnreasonable, and vngodly, that one christian doth not comfort and reléeue ano­ther, in their tribulations and wants. Beare yée one anothers Gala [...]. 6. burden saith the apostle, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

TAking of vsurie in sundry places of the scripture, is forbid­den, 204 vpon paine of Gods eternall displeasure. And that Ezech. 18. Psal. 15. Deut. 23. & 24. doth helpe vsurers no whit, which is written in Deutero­nomie, where Moses granteth liberty to the people, to take vsu­rie of strangers. For that is to be vnderstoode permissiuely, bi­cause of the imperfection of the people, and to auoid a greater in­conuenience at that time, better knowne to Moses, then vnder­stoode of vs. As that was of putting away mens wiues: For Matth. 19. Deut. 24. when the Iewes demaunded of Christ, wherefore Moses com­manded to giue a bill of diuorcement & to put away their wiues: Christ answered, Moses for the hardnes of your harts, did suffer you so to do. The same may be said of his permitting vsurie in that place. And howsoeuer they, that do borrow, to paie vsury, thinke themselues pleasured for a time, at the length they finde and féele that it bréedeth their smart and wo. For, euen as a man that is stoong with a snake, séemeth (as som writers do report) to be stroken with a féeling of som pleasure, and so falleth to sléepe, and resteth very swéetely therin, vntil he must now giue his last gaspe, and so depart. Bicause the poyson which laid lurcking in him, whiles he slept, did run through all the parts and members of him, and so poysoned him to death: So he that taketh money to pay vsury, is delighted with the money some short time, but in the end, the vsury turneth him, and all that he hath, into most wretched and miserable debt. So, that whereas he was a frée man before, he is now in bondage, and drowned in other mens [Page 114] debts. And so both the man and goods are poisoned and consumed. It is therefore the commandement of Christ, that christian men Luc. 6. should lend one to another, without looking or hoping for anie thing more then the principall which they lende. Ambrose saith Ambros. in his booke, De bono mortis, in the 14. question of the 4. Chapter, that if any man take vsury, he committeth theft, alluding to the words of Ezechiell in the 18. chapter, and saith, That the vsurer shall die and not liue. And Chrysostome saith, that there is no­thing Chrysost. filthier, nothing crueller, then vsurers, and that they do make marchandise of other mens miseries, and their own gain, of other mens losses. The vsurer is like to that man, which vn­der the colour of loue and friendship, will take his neighbour by the hande, and lift him vp, to the ende he may giue him a grea­ter fall.

IT is the will and pleasure of God, that the life of euery chri­stian 205 teacher, be correspondent vnto his doctrine, and that the life and maners of all men, be answerable to their profession. Therefore the Lord himselfe doth saie, that whosoeuer will be Ezech. 18. Psal. 15. saued, must do the thing that is right. For he that instructeth others with wholesome doctrine, and doth so staine, and blemish himselfe, with vile and naughtie v [...]es, that his life and doctrine be opposite and cleane contrary the one to the other, so that it is séene and perceiued of all, that there is no agréement betwéene them: he is like vnto a sieue or a boulter, wherewith meale is sifted or boulted, which sendeth foorth the finest floure, and best of the wheate, and kéepeth the bran and woorst to it selfe. The Lord coupleth togither, in the priestes of the old law, Doctrine and Exod. 28. Truth: regarding both their teaching and liuing. He is a true and trustie teacher, which doth himselfe, that same that he teach­eth. The disciples of the Pharysies could espie so much, though they loued it not, when they said to Christ: We know that thou Matth. 22. art true, and that thou teachest the way of God truely. They confesse though with a wicked purpose, that he did not onelie teach, but also liue after the truth. Wherein all christians ought to imitate Christ.

WHen in mans body, the hart doth not impart vnto the 206 members, the vitall spirits, but the arteries are stopt and shut vp, and the blood forsaketh the veines, it is a [Page 115] signe of death: That man is either already dead, or else he will die shortly: Euen so, when kings and princes of the earth, are tyrannicall towards their loyall subiects, withdrawing from them pittie, mercy, loue and liberalitie, it threatneth and doth prognosticate the ruine of their kingdomes. But through the mercy, clemencie and loue of princes, their kingdomes do migh­tily florish, and the princes themselues, do inioy great tranquil­litie, securitie, and peace. God put thankfulnes into the harts of all the true and faithfull subiects of England, and else where within hir Maiesties dominions, for our most gratious & dread soueraigne, Quéene Elizabeth, for certainly that saieng of Salo­mon in his Prouerbes, was neuer more truely verified, in anie king or Quéene, since the foundation of England, then it hath béene in hir highnes: Mercie and truth do kéepe the king, and with clemency the kings throne is strengthened and established. So, all the worlde must be faine to saie: Mercie and truth, do Prou. 20. kéepe good Quéene Elizabeth, and clemencie doth strengthen hir throne. Hir highnes doth that same, that Artaxerxes speaketh of himselfe, in the booke of Ester: When (saith he) I did rule and gouerne many nations, and had brought the whole world vnder Ester. 13. my dominion, I would not abuse the greatnes of my power, but would gouerne my subiects with clemencie and lenitie. All the world must néedes confesse the same of hir Maiestie, towards all hir subiects: Hir seate hath alwaies béene inuironed and compas­sed about with mercy, which (as Hieronimus saith) doth lift man vp to Godward: All the world is not able to lay to hir high­nes charge, so much as one dram of crueltie, which (as the same author affirmeth) doth cast man downe to hell ward. Euen as among the pretie swéete Bées, that Bée onely, which leadeth and ruleth all the rest, either hath no sting, or at the least doth not vse it: So clemencie and mercy agréeth with none more in al the world, then with a prince. God giue grace to all hir Maie­sties subiects, so loyally, louingly, obediently, and faithfullie, to beare and behaue themselues, that the mighty God of Is­raell, may affoorde vs, hir Maiesties life, happy raigne, & cheare­full countenance, many yéeres, Amen. For in the chéerefulnes of Prou. 16. hir countenuance is life.

INgratitude is a thing, that the Lord could neuer abide. It is 207 a scorching winde, that drieth vp the fountaines of piety, and the streames of grace. Whereas euery thing, that is weighty [Page 116] and heauie, tendeth and preaseth downward, yet notwithstan­ding, the cloudes that are full of water, and swelled with moi­sture, do ascend vpward, bicause the sunne taketh them from the earth, and with his force draweth them vp on high. Which being lifted vp in the aire, are gathered togither and thickened, and so do couer and hide the brightnes of the sunne, by whose helpe and attraction, they were taken and caried vp: but notwithstanding their malice, they being dispersed and scattered abroad, the sun, that conquerer, and ouercommer of darknes, thrusteth through his beams, breaketh the cloudes, and giueth light with his shine: Euen so the Israelites, when they lay in Egypt a long time, in obscuritie, thraldome, bondage, and slauerie, to Pharao and his people, and were euen nailed as it were, to the earth of all con­tempt and crueltie, were then taken vp, and set in great and high dignitie, by the sunne of righteousnes, but afterward they went about, to obscure and extinguish the brightnes and light of God himself, by whose benefit, they had gotten that honor and digni­tie, which they had, a [...]d without whom they were nothing but bond slaues of miserie and wretchednes: but séeing they were like foule blacke cloudes, they were dispersed, scattered, and vanished away: And the glorie of Christ, against their wils, & in spite of them, togither with the brightnes of his name, did break out, and shine abroad, and giue light throughout all the world. I would to God, that this ingratitude and vnthankfulnes, had neuer a corner in England, nor in any English hart: it hath pleased the almightie, by his faithfull seruant, Elizabeth, by his owne grace, Quéene of England, to deliuer our countrie from no lesse bondage, thraldome and seruitude, than he did the Israe­lites by Moses and Aaron: and yet we finde to too manie, that haue béen bred in England, and owe their liues to hir highnes, to murmure no lesse against hir happines, than the Israelites did against the lords seruants Moses and Aaron. The seruitude and slauerie of the Israelites, was not greater, nor woorse vnder Pharao that tyrant in Egypt, than the bondage of England was vnder the Pope, neither ought we to be lesse thankfull, for our deliuerie from the slauerie of Rome, than they should haue béen, if they had well remembred themselues, from the slauerie of Egypt. We read in the booke of Wisdome, that the hope of the Sapien. 16. vnthankfull man, shall waste and consume like winters ice, &c. And t [...]e Dauid the prophet saith: O my soule praise the Psal. 121. [Page 117] Lord, and forget not all his benefits. The Lord grant, that we neuer forget any of the Lords benefits, and that we may euer be thankfull to his diuine maiestie, for the great benefit that he hath bestowed vpon England, in his most faithfull seruant, Eli­zabeth by his owne prouidence and appointment, our most gra­tious Quéene and soueraigne, whose life, health, and happines, O Lord continue long.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

EVen as a moth or worme, doth not bréede in the Cedar, be­ing 208 a goodly and odoriferous trée, alwaies fresh and florish­ing, the wood whereof doth not rot: So, enuie is not bred in the hart of a wise and vertuous man, but in the minde of a man, that is wicked and vngodly, and is gréeued and tormented, at the happines and welfare of other men, and repining, is sadder than they that went downe into Trophonius his den, and in enuie passeth Zoilus, enuying those especially, that in any gift or qua­litie, are before him. Iust men, and they that be wel garded with vertues on euery side, and are of a noble and excellent courage, can ouercome and subdue their enimies, but their enuy they can neuer ouercome, for it will not be tamed nor subdued. It is a fire, that consumeth the harts of them, whom it possesseth, with a continuall burning. Salomon his counsell is, that thou eate not with an enuious man, nor desire his meate. And the Apostle wil­leth Prouerb. 23. Galat. 5. the Galathians, that they be not desirous of vaine glorie, prouoking one another, and enuying one another. Hieronymus in an epistle to Demetriades saith: What pleasure (I pray thée) doth enuie to that man, whom fretting and wrath doth teare, and rend in péeces, in the secret corners of his conscience, and maketh the felicitie of other men, his owne torment? A wicked man ta­keth pleasure in his owne wickednes, but the enuious man, is tortured with the good of others. Quintus Curtius in his eight booke, De gestis Alexandri, reporteth, that Alexander was woont to say, that enuious men are nothing else, but torments and tormentors of their owne selues. Chrysostom calleth enuie an vnquenchable fire. And Isidore saith, that it doth deuoure all good things in man, with a most pestilent burning heate. And in my opinion, it is a very image of hell, that tormenteth without profite or pleasure.

A Father which giueth vnto his sonne, whom he loueth déer­ly, 2 [...]0 a breast plate or stomacher, very costly and curiouslye [Page 218] wrought, of silke, siluer, or gold, to weare vnder some other gar­ment, doth suffer his vppermost garment, as doublet or cote, to be pinkt and cut in diuers places, that the vnder costly worke, may outwardly appéere, and be séene of all: Euen so our hea­uenly father, a God of compassion and mercie, yea the God of all comfort, doth somtimes suffer, that man whom he most déerely loueth, to be wounded of the wicked, and to be smitten with ca­lamities and miseries, to the end, that the precious and golden brest plate of patience, wherewith the Lord hath inwardly indu­ed him, should outwardly appéere, and be séene of all. Héerehence is that which the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes: Whom the Heb. 12. Lord loueth, him he doth chasten, and he scourgeth euerie sonne, whom he receiueth. And in the Reuelation, the Lord in the per­son of Iohn, saith: Whom I loue, those do I reprooue and cha­sten. Apoc. 3. And in the mouth of Matthew he saith: Blessed are they Matth. 5. which suffer persecution, for righteousnes sake. True it is, that patience is an heauenly gift, and a very blessed thing, for as the Apostle saith, it worketh a triall in man, and that triall worketh Rom. 5. an hope, and that hope doth neuer confound, nor shame him that hath it. And the same Apostle willeth the Colossians, as the elect Colos. 3. of God, to put on patience: as if he should say, there is no vesture nor vertue whatsoeuer, doth better beséeme the seruants of God, than patience vnder crosses, and in the midst of a thousand afflic­tions. And therefore the holy Ghost doth aduertise vs, to run with patience vnto the battell or fight, that is set before vs, and Heb. 12. euer to looke vpon the author and finisher of our faith, euen Ie­sus, who hauing vnspeakable ioy set before him, did vndergo and indure the crosse, not regarding, but euen despising the confusion and shame thereof. It behooueth vs, when we are beset on euerie side, with afflictions and troubles, to flie vnto God, and to beséech him, that with his aide and helpe, as with the cléere shine, of his most bright sunne, he will scatter abroad, the cloudes and dark­nes, of our calamities and great miseries, least that, if they in­crease and multiplie, we fall into despaire, and so slumber in sin, and sléepe in death, that the enimie of our soules and saluation may say, I haue preuailed against them. For if we will imbrace Psal. 13. the Lord, with all our harts, we shall no doubt be, in most sure and certaine safegarde. And although the wicked and vngodly sort, which are more barbarous and sauage, than brute beasts, shall afflict the saints and seruants of God, and beare and behaue [Page 119] themselues insolently, and shall abuse their power and autho­ritie, to the hurt and harme, of such as feare the Lord in single­nes of hart, and are readie with all patience, to beare whatsoe­uer crosse shall be laid vpon them: yet at the length, the Lords elect shall preuaile, one way or other, to their great comfort, and shall be aduanced to eternall life, and glorie that neuer shall haue end. For as the prophet saith: The patient abiding of the poore, Psal. 10. shall not alwaies be forgotten: for although for a time, God suffereth his seruants, to be strangely afflicted, that vertue in them, may growe to some perfection, yet not the lesse, in his due time, he doth deliuer them, out of all the tempests, and stormes of the world, and doth make them partakers of his kingdome in glorie euerlasting. We are woont to call those men martyrs, which suffer death by fire or sword, for Christs sake, and indeede so they be: but that man also, in my opinion, may rightly be cal­led a martyr, which kéepeth truly in his hart and minde, an vn­fained patience, without grudging or repining at any troubles whatsoeuer, thinking himselfe happie, that he is thought woor­thie, to beare some crosse or other, after his Lord and sauiour Christ: such a man, no doubt, is a martyr euen liuing, though he lose not his life, by fire nor sword.

EVen as those shéepe, which in the presence of their shep­heards, 210 do vomit, and cast out againe, the grasse which they haue eaten, do not profitably shew, how much & how well they haue fed: but those rather, which do inwardly digest and concoct their meate, and do giue abundance of mylke, and do beare the softiest, weightiest, and finest wooll, and do shew them­selues to be fat, faire, and well liking: For by those things they shew & plainly prooue, that their pasture is excéeding good: Euen so, not those pastors, ministers, and preachers of the word, which do deliuer words, and stuffe their sermons with eloquence and braue phrases, do fruitfully and throughly declare vnto the peo­ple, that vertues pasture is excellent, good, and wholsome, and to be desired of all, but they rather, which do inwardly concoct vertue, and do obserue it, and bending themselues to the actions and performance therof, do flow, with the swéet milke of mercy, and do cloth themselues & others with the fine fléeces of christi­an loue and charitie, such I say, do euidently declare, how much they haue profited in the doctrine of Christ, and how much also [Page 120] others ought to profite in the same, and do stir vp the harts and minds of their hearers, to vertue and godlines, both with their doctrine and liuing. Words of doctrine are very profitable, but when they are séene to worke, holines and righteousnes in the teacher, they then preuaile the better with them that are taught. Paule therefore exhorteth Timothy, to ioyne with his preaching, the work of an Euangelist: And also willeth Titus, to shew him­selfe 2. Timoth. 4. Titus 2. an example of good works. Our sauiour himselfe saith: He that shall do these things, and teach men so, he shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen.

AS the lighter ballance, or ende of the beame, will prease 211 vpward, and euer be highest: So, the vayner, more vn­profitable and vniuster, that a man is, the more will hée vaunt, and extoll himselfe: And being a very impious, vngodly, and most wicked man, will arrogantly assume vnto himselfe righteousnes, and most impudently chalenge the name of a good and honest man, when indéed he setteth more by one penie of money, then by ten pounds woorth of honestie, and doth loue more ten pounds of money, then he doth the health, wealth, cre­dite, liberty, life, yea and more then the soule of his neighbour, and christian brother. But on the other side, euen as the fuller and heauier scale, is euer lowest: So the more vertuous, honest, and godly, that any man is, the more will he submit and humble himselfe, and howsoeuer other men, will séeme to praise him, he neuerthelesse doth stil acknowledge his owne imperfection. And indéed it is in a christian man, some perfection, to know, and to acknowledge his want and imperfection. For when he hum­bleth himselfe most, then doth God especially exalt him. And when he throweth downe himself, as vnwoorthy to be numbred amōg the seruants & saints of God, then doth the Lord set down and register his name in the booke of life, so that it shall neuer be rased, nor blotted out, but shall stand and remaine there for euer, according to that which the holie prophet saith: The iust man Psal. 112. shall be in an euerlasting remembrance, for the Lord is euer ex­alting the humble and méeke, and bringing downe the proude and insolent.

BRasse is a mettle of red colour, & hath a certaine likenes of 212 gold, but is indéed brasse, and not gold: Whereunto I right­ly compare hypocrites, which vnder the shape and colour of [Page 121] religion and holines, do couer a Chaos, and confused heape of all wickednes and abhomination. Such men when they séeme best, are then woorst: For of all improbitie, there is none more pernicious, then that of theirs, which when they are most bent to deceiue, they handle the matter so, that they may séeme to be honest, vertuous and godly men. As for example: If thou méet­est with a théefe, and talkest with him of honesty, he will saie as thou saiest, but shortly after, he will rob thée, binde thée hand and foote, and perhaps kill thée. And if necessitie constraine thée, to borrow money of the couetous cormorant, and miserable vsurer, thou shalt heare come out of his mouth, words as smooth as oyle, wherewith he will so insinuate himselfe, and créepe into thy se­crets, that thou wouldest thinke him to be a very saint, & a man of God: But when he hath sounded thée to the depth, and per­ceiueth that thou hast an house, a lease, good furniture, some land, plate, or other cōmoditie, then he wil tel thée, that he would faine do thée good, and helpe thée, but the world is dangerous, and that a birde in his hand is better then two in the wood, and his money is his plough, and that he must liue vpon it, as the hus­bandman liueth vpon his plough. And by these meanes will he draw from thée an offer, of thy house, lease, lande, plate, horse, cowe, or the bed thou liest vpon: And on any of these things, he will lende thée, about the fourth or fift part of their valure. But there was neuer théefe, nor traitour, more surely bounde, to be executed, and to lose his life, then he will make sure worke, and binde thée to thy owne consumption and vtter vndooing, in body, goods, and name. Indéed his money is his plough, and the vsurer himselfe, is the horse that doth drawe it, and tyrannicall couetousnes doth holde it, and the diuell himselfe doth driue it, and thou poore borrower art the land they plow vpon, & amongst them, they make long and déepe furrowes, of extréeme pouertie, and miserie to thée, and of their owne euerlasting destruction. For the driuer will neuer giue ouer, till he driue the plough, horse, and holder, all into hell. And yet some body will say, that the vsurer is an honest man, and doth helpe many. His honestie is like a very bitter and pinching blacke frost, to tender, swéete, pleasant and beautifull blossomes: The frost doth kill and de­stroy the blossomes, and the vsurer doth kill men, women, and children. And the helpe, that the poore borrower, hath at his hand: is like that succour, that a poore shéepe hath vnder a thorne [Page 122] bush, in some storme or tempest: the séelie shéepe is sheltred there, and kept from the smart of the tempest a little while, but when she departeth from the bush, it kéepeth backe a péece of hir fleece, and the oftner she goeth, the barer and nakeder she is: So that at the length, she is able neither to abide bush nor storme. Such a bu [...]h of thornes is the vsurer, to the poore borrower, he will leaue him at the length, no fléece on his backe: he will leaue him no house ouer his head, vnlesse it be some prison house to die in, no bed to rest vpon, no flesh on his bones, no credite in the worlde. I cannot finde in my hart to eate and drinke with an vsurer at his owne table, if I know him, bicause his meate and drinke séemeth to me, to be the very flesh and blood, of poore ho­nest men, their wiues, and children. Yet this thing I note in that bush, that pincheth, and pilleth the poore shéepe, that it neuer thriueth nor prooueth good timber, but serueth onely for the fire: So the vsurer serueth for nothing but hell, and howsoeuer hée thriueth héere, he shall be surely pinched there. It were well (in my opinion) if vsurers were censured now in our daies, as they were in times past: in those daies they were neuer called to any office, in the church, nor common wealth: For what right, iu­stice, or equitie, could be looked for at their hands, which were most vnnaturall, and cruell oppressors of their brethren? The poore would take no reléefe at their hands, bicause they knewe the curse of God, did follow them, and that they had: neither durst they eate the flesh, and drinke the blood of their poore bre­thren, whose marrow the vsurer had pickt out of their bones. Againe, they were neuer admitted to receiue the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ Iesus, for what society or fellowship could be betwéene light & darknes, Christ and Beliall, God, and the diuell? And when they were dead, they were not buried like christian men, but throwen out like dead dogs, and rotten carri­ons, and if they did couer them, it was in diches and filthy places, least the stinch of them, shuld infect and poison the aire, and they should kill men euen being dead, as they vsed to do when they liued, if they were censured now a daies, as they were then, we should haue fewer vsurers, and m [...] rich men. And yet these men are called of some, the golden ones of the worlde. Indéede they haue golden purses, but brasen faces, they haue soft words, but bloodie minds, and harts harder then the adamant. These are the caterpillers, not of Egypt, but of England, that discomfort not [Page 123] Pharao, that tyrant and enimie of God, but the Lords seruants and déere children. These flie not abroad, at the commandement of God, to plague his enimies, but at the pleasure of the diuell, to annoy Gods friends. These are not contented to eate vp and to destroy corne, grasse, blossomes, leaues, and all fruit besides, nei­ther will the flesh of beasts, and foules, and birds of all sorts, serue them to eate, but they must and wil eat, mans flesh whiles he is aliue. For, to consume a man in goodes and credit, with vsu­rie, what is it else, but to eate his flesh, and to drinke his blood? and with sorrow to pricke and wound his hart, what is it but to kill him? Of all the murtherers in this world (except those, which with false, hereticall, and diuellish doctrine, do murther soules) there is none more cruell, mercilesse, nor more bloodie, than the vsurer. For he is not satisfied, with the blood of men and women, but he will haue the blood of yoong children, and infants also. For he that cutteth downe a trée by the rootes, doth he not withall cut downe, the boughes, twigs, and branches? and he that consumeth, vtterly vndooeth, and with sorrow drieth vp the marow in the bones of parents, to the shortening of their daies, doth he not euen destroy their poore swéete infants also? Praise and commend them, who will, they are barred, and shut out of Psal. [...]5. Ezech. 18. Iob. 20. heauen. They are those vngodly ones, spoken of by Iob, whose praise is short, and quickly ended. The caterpillers of Egypt, were surely tethered, and harmed no place where themselues were not: but these caterpillers, wil sit at home in their chaires, like a boare that is a franking in his stie, and will consume a man, one, two, or thrée hundred miles from them. These cater­pillers by their brokers, do flie ouer, and view, all the lands, lord­ships, mannors, parks, woods, groues, fields, medowes, pastures, and whatsoeuer, farmes, leases, or other commodities, of the no­ble men, lords, knights, esquiers, gentlemen, yeomen, and hus­bandmen of England, and héere they gobble vp a whole towne, and there a goodly parke: héere a lordship or mannor, and there a most pleasant wood. The Lord kéepe all men out of their hands, for where they light and pitch their tents, they waste, consume, and make hauocke of all: and do call the places after their owne names, as though they had neuer belonged to the ancient and right owners of them. The God of mercie take from them, coue­tousnes of the vaine and transitorie things of this world, and worke in them (if it be his will) a coueting and most earnest de­sire, [Page 123] of the saluation of their owne soules, and an vnfained loue to their brethren in Christ Iesu.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

EVen as that man, which with a painted oxe, doth fowle for 213 partridges, is not an oxe, but vnder the shape and likenes, of that simple creature, lieth in waite for the pretie fine birds, that he may take them, and kill them: So, he that with a counterfei­ted, and fained holines, will colour and couer impietie, wicked purposes, or whatsoeuer is against the word, and will of God, is not a iust man, but vnder the colour and shape of godlines & ho­nestie, seeking the praise and glorie of the world, he casteth in his head, and worketh by degrées, the ruine, decay, and vndoing of his neighbors, that he may compasse their goods, lands and pos­sessions, and gaine some honour, and dignitie among men. Such men haue a shew of godlines (as the apostle saith) but they denie 2. Tim. 3. the power therof. And although som hypocrites will now & then, séeme to forsake their riches, and lend some to their neighbours, and bestowe some vpon the poore, yet still the marke they leuell and shoote at, is to augment and to increase them more & more. For euen as the swiftest of all haukes, going about to sease vpon and to take, the bird that flieth as it were in the top of the aire, doth not by and by, when she first séeth hir, flie directly towards hir, but rather at the first, with fetching of a compas, doth séeme to forsake and to despise hir, and to drawe and to flie from hir: but at the second or thirde flight, she goeth towards hir, with a woonderful [...]orce and incredible swiftnes,, to take hir in the aire, and to rend hir in péeces: Right so do hypocrites he haue them­selues: for at the first, to sée to, they will séeme to thée, not to re­garde, but to contemne the riches, and promotions of the world, but then they coine and counterfeit a simplicitie, fouling for a greater matter than yet they see present, and reaching at some higher aduauncement, and greater dignitie, than that present time and occasion doth offer: but at the second or third flight, when euery thing doth answer their expectation, thou shalt per­ceiue that with all spéede and gréedines, they will lay hold vpon those things, which thou thoughtest they had contemned. They do not wish or desire any thing more, neither can any thing more highly please them, than the very selfesame things, which they once made the world beléeue, they detested, and could not abide them. These are double harted men, they haue wicked lips, and [Page 125] hands that worke iniquitie, they be those sinners that go two Eccles. 2. maner of waies, and euerlasting woe is their reward.

The hypocrite goeth two maner of waies, when he laieth one thing vp close in his hart, and sheweth another in his acti­ons, speaketh one thing, and doth another. Touching such men and matter, it is commanded in Deuteronomie, that a man should not weare a garment, made of wooll and flaxe, commonly Deuter. 22. called linsie wolsie, as if it should be said, that kinde of vesture, doth couer the subtletie of malice and mischéefe, signified by the flaxe, and doth outwardly shew, the simplicitie of honestie and innocencie, signified by the wooll. Such an hypocrite was Herod, when he pretended a great deuotion towards Christ, and that Matth. 2. he would worship him, and all the while was whetting his sword, intending his death, if he could catch him. Such were the inhabitants of Ierusalem in the time of Sedechias, they boasted greatly of the law, but they would in no wise obserue it. True vertue among Christians, is that a man leade a life, equall and like vnto his words, and as the apostle Iames saith, so to say, and so to do. All hypocrites, whatsoeuer they would seeme, do so far differ from true christianitie, as the froth or fome of golde doth differ from gold it selfe.

EVen as an archer doth shoote néerer, and sooner hit a faire 214 great marke, than a little one: So the diuell doth easily hit with his arrowes▪ and strike with his darts, the vaine glo­rious, and proud men of the world, but the humble and lowly he misseth, with all the sleights and cunning he hath. Euerie proud man, that seeketh after vaine glorie, is but vnwise and foolish, for the diuell hath puffed him vp, and made him a great marke, whereat himselfe may shoote, and the which he may the more easily hit, and strike with his poisoned darts of death. Such a man doth Salomon meane, when he saith: The foole doth not Prouerb. 7. know, that he hailed to bands, vntill he be wounded vnto death. True praise doth consist in vertue, which hath déepe rootes, and spreadeth far abroad: all vaine things do quickly fall away, neither can any vaine thing be perpetual. The Ammonites and Ezech. 25. Moabites were highly praised and extolled, in the mouthes of all men, but they fell so far from that praise, that the remembrance of them was cleane put out. I sawe the vngodly man (saith the prophet) exalted and lifted vp like the Cedars of Libanus, and I Psal. 3 [...]. [Page 126] passed by, and lo he was gone, I sought him, and his place was no where to be found. And Salomon saith: The name of the vn­godly Prouerb. 10. shall consume and waste away. Wicked men, which do féede and franke themselues, with mischéefe and malice, although for a time, they séeme to prosper greatly, and to be highly estee­med among men, yet notwithstanding their florishing estate doth not continue long. The day we sée doth often come, that they which this day do praise, to morrow will either dispraise, or say nothing, but especially this we knowe, by daily experience, that they which through hypocrisie, without any vertue or iust desert, haue stolen their praise and commendations, by deceiuing of mens harts, they either lose the same in this life, before they die, or euen presently after, when they are cast headlong into all maner of miseries. Christians therefore must not trust, to the false and deceitfull glorie of the world, bicause as Esaias saith: All flesh is grasse, and all the glorie of it, is as the flower of the field. Esay. 40. Eccles. 14. And Ecclesiasticus saith, All flesh doth wither away like grasse. The prophet Dauid being disposed, to speake of a wicked and vn­godly man, that is mightie and famous in the world, he saith: When he dieth, he taketh not all, neither doth his glorie or Psal. 49. pompe go with him. When he saith, he taketh not all, it is an Hebrew phrase, and is all one, as if he should say, he taketh no­thing with him. And therefore saith the Lord by Esay, the glorie of Moab: and the glorie of the Cedar shall be taken away. And Esay. 16. Esay. 21. Oseas the prophet saith, that the glorie of the wicked Iewes shal be turned into ignominie. It doth therefore behooue all Christi­ans, to séeke the glorie of God, and as the Apostle doth admonish vs, to do all things to the glorie and praise of him, that when we 1. Cor. 10. shall go hence, we may haue eternall glorie with God, through Christ Iesu our Lord and sauiour. For the glorie of this world is very transitorie and vncertaine, it is buried with mens bodies when they be dead, and posterities do forget it, and blot it out of all remembrance. The counsell of Chrysostom is excéeding good: despising the glorie of the world, saith he, thou shalt he more glo­rious, than they that séeke it.

CHristian men do profit more, for the good of their soules, 215 and towards eternall life, in the narrow and hot burning fornace, of aduersitie and troubles, than in the large and broad fields, of wealth and prosperitie. For as golde, by fire is se­uered, [Page 127] and parted from drosse: So singlenes of hart, and true Christian simplicitie, is best séene, and made most euident, in troubles and afflictions: in prosperitie euery man will séeme godly, but afflictions do drawe out of the hart, whatsoeuer is there, whether it be good or bad. This made Dauid say, Prooue Psal 26. me, O Lord, and trie me, search my reines and my hart. It is not amisse to vnderstand by the reines, the inward delights and plea­sures, bicause the seate of lusts and desires is said to be in the reines: and by the hart, the secret cogitations, bicause it is the shop and receptacle of the thoughts.

EVen as filthy matter or rottennes of a boyle, blaine, or push, 216 being hid within the flesh, doth greatly gréeue, and vexe sore, Weeping, sobbing, and sighing, do ease the minde. the bodie that is sicke: But if it breake and run out, the paine is mitigated: So sorrow being closed and shut vp, in the hart of man, doth mightily torment him, but being thrust out, with teares and grones, the hart is somewhat eased, and the minde a little pacified. They therfore must néeds be out of measure grée­ued, from whom all teares, sighings, & sobs are taken. Ezechiel Ezech. 24. the prophet, his wife, whom he loued most déerely, died, whose death no doubt was gréeuous and bitter vnto him, but that he might not wéepe, nor bewaile hir death, with teares and mour­ning, did excéedingly augment and increase his sorrowe. The The fountain of sorrow is in the hart. fountaine of sorrow is in the hart of man, whose waters, if they flow not ouer through the eies, they will ouerwhelme & drowne the hart it selfe, and will not once suffer the thought to turne from languish and intollerable gréefe.

For as a great and thicke smoke, vaporing out of a foule 217 blacke fyre, vnlesse it haue frée passage, and some vente or waie where through it may go out, will all to darken, bestinch, and make blacke the house: Euen so, sorrowe and gréefe pro­céeding out of the hot fire of calamities, being shut vp in the house of mans hart, doth make it excéeding blacke, and doth corrupt it, with blacke and bitter choler, vnlesse through the mouth or eies, there be a breathing out of sighes, set from the bottome of the hart, and streames of teares trickling downe the chéekes. Yet an effeminate and desperate wailing, either for the dead, or for any other cause, as of men without hope, is vtterly to be misliked: and that Stoicall opinion also, that a wise man should neuer be mooued, neither with mercy, sorrow, nor anger, [Page 128] is to be auoided. For the motions and stirs of mans mind, must be tempered with reason, good counsell, wisedome, and discretion, and are not to be vtterly pulled vp by the rootes. Ecclesiasticus thinketh it good, that a man moderately bewaile the death of Eccles. 22. & 38. others. And when our Sauiour Christ himselfe, behelde Marie Magdalene, and others also wéeping with hir, when hir brother Iohn 11. 35. Lazarus was dead, he wept, insomuch that the Iewes meruay­led, and said, behold how he loued him.

AS a smoke, which at the first is great and thicke, ascending 218 vpward, is quickly scattered and out of sight: Euen so, the glory of the proud men of this world, by little and little is obscured, and vanisheth cleane away. The damned ones, which are tormented in hell with endlesse and euerlasting paines, do know and acknowledge so much: For in the booke of Wisdome, they are produced speaking these words: What good hath our Wisd. 5. 8. pride done vs? And what profite hath the pompe of our riches brought vs? All these things are gone away like a shadow, and as a poste that hasteth by. Let vs therefore, set our harts and mindes, and bend we our whole desires, to heauenly things: And let vs make no account, of earthly, transitorie, fraile, and the de­ceitfull things, of this old, withered, and ruinous world. For if we will déepely consider, and carefully thinke of that happines, which is laid vp in store in heauen, with God the father, through Iesus Christ, for all them that do beléeue, liue, and die in Christ, we will not giue our selues, to the spéeches of rude, ignorant, and vngodly people, neither will we hunt or hauke after the vaine reports, and idle praises and commendations of men, nor yet put any trust, in any thing that man can do: But we will aspire and draw néere vnto that God of ours, which is for euer, whom no processe, nor continuance of time, wasteth nor consumeth: Of whom the prophet speaketh plainly: Thou O Lord shalt indure Psal. 102. vers. 26. 27. for euer, all other things shall waxe old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy yéeres shall not faile. And the Lorde himselfe saith to Moses: I am, that I am. And he saide, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israell, I am, hath sent me Exod, 3. 14. vnto you. As if he should say: He that euer hath béene, is, and euer shall be, whose eternitie is not comprehended, within any limites or bounds, hath sent me vnto you. If then worldy things [Page 129] do much mooue vs, which are of no such strength, but that in pro­cesse of time, they are weakned, and cleane consumed, if (I saie) that which is of no stabilitie in this life, but is sodainly broken, and perisheth, or at the least, by little and little decaieth, & grow­eth out of remembrance, and is quite forgotten, is woont to stir vs vp, to take great paines, and to vndergo almost intollerable toyles, through manifold perils and dangers: Why then, not much rather, yea and a great deale more, are we not stirred vp, and mooued by him, that is for euer, to vndergo, and to in­dure, the like, or (if néede be) greater paines by many degrées, whose promise and maner it is, to giue to all those, that in truth, and singlenes of hart, do loue him, immortall rewards, and to bestow and place them in euerlasting blisse, in his owne king­dome, with his owne and onely most déere sonne, euen Christ Matth. 25. 34 Iesu, our onely sufficient, and alone Sauiour and redéemer? God giue vs grace, and the assistance of his holie spirit, that we may withdrawe our harts, mindes, and affections from all those vaine and transitorie things, which are subiect to ruin, rot­tennes, and consumption, and that we may set them surely vpon our God, follow him, and obey him, according to his owne will, in his written word.

Amen.

AS the excellent and noble hauke, called a faulken, vpon 219 the fist of the fouler, séeing a pray flieng on high, doth by and by spread hir wings, and offer to breake the strings, wherewith she is holden, and to be gone after the praie; but if she be hooded, she neither séeth the pray, nor is any whit mooued: Euen so man, whose nature far excelleth, all other liuing crea­tures, thinking vpon the things that are aboue, in heauen with God, and with the eies of his minde, beholding eternall blisse, and endlesse felicitie, he is inflamed and pricked with a great and woonderfull desire, to attaine, vnto the same: but if he be hooded with ignorance, spirituall blindnes, and a loue of this worlde, he will neuer be touched with any heauenly motion, nor any whit mooued with any right loue to God, nor once turne, so much as one eie of his minde, towards heauen nor God. That most noble faulken, I meane the most famous and kingly prophet Dauid, being rapt, and as it were rauished, with an vnspeakable loue, Psam. 42. v. 1. 2. and desire to heauen and God, did sing this song: Euen as the Hart, desireth the water brookes, so doth my soule long after thée [Page 130] O God: My soule is a thirst for God, yea euen for the liuing God: When shall I come to appéere before the presence of God? And the holy apostle, being very desirous to flie out of the bands of the body, and to shake them off, said thus: Christ is to me life, Philip. 1. 21. and death is to me aduantage. And immediately after he saith, that he hath a great desire to depart, and to be with Christ. And such ought the desire, of all good Christians to be. God grant it may be such.

Amen.

AS they which haue great néede of water, do make haste, to 220 come to the fountaine or well, where water is to be had, but hauing drawne the water, and filled their vessels, do depart, and turne their backs to the fountaine, which hath sup­plied their want, & satisfied their desires: So very many, when they be compassed round, with perils and dangers, and are beset on euery side with afflictions, and troubles, then they flie apace, to the fountaine of grace & mercy, but when they haue obteined the water of comfort, then they do despise, that flowing spring of liuing water, which complaineth of their vnkindnes, by the pro­phet Ieremie, saieng: They haue forsaken me, the fountaine of Ierem. 2. 13. the water of life. There be to too many, of all sorts and degrées in the world, which, when they are in the straightes, of calami­ties and miserie, will with all possible spéede, flie and run vnto God, and will power out before him, many deuout and feruent praiers, vpon their bare knées, with teares trickling, and stream­ing downe their chéekes, and will vse the name of Christ, in hope for his sake, to be the sooner reléeued, bicause (as the holy Ghost saith) He is the propitiatiō and attonement for our sins, by faith Rom. 3. 25. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. in his blood, and they will implore and beg the mercy and helpe of God, with most lamentable shrikes, and gréeuous grones: but so soone as they perceiue, that God is a God, of pittie, compassion, and mercy, and do finde and féele themselues to be lightened, and eased of their gréefes, they by and by forsake God, turne their backs vpon him, shake off all obedience, and returne to their old vomits, and practise their former foule sins, with greater gréedi­nes them before. And when they should be most mindfull of gods benefits bestowed vpon them, then do they vtterly forget him. But it is the part, and dutie of euery good christian, if he once de­dicate and betake himselfe to the seruice of God, to procéed, and to go forward, from vertue to vertue, and from grace to grace, [Page 131] and not to turne, the Lords precepts and commandements, be­hind him, when indéed he ought, to be most thankfull, for his lo­uing kindnes, and fauor, which he hath found and receiued. So much doth the Lorde signifie by the prophet Ezechiell, where it Ezech. 46. 9. is commanded, that they should not go out of the temple, by the same gate, that they went in, bicause they should not vncomelie, turne the holie things that were there behinde them, and so the sooner forget them, or deal vnreuerently with them. And that al­so in Genesis doth teach vs no lesse, where they that went out of Gen. 19. 22. Sodom, were charged that they should make haste and go fore­ward, without looking backe, and there is an heauie iudgement of gods vengeance, shewed vpon hir that looked back. And Christ Luc▪ 9▪ 61. affirmeth, That he is not méete for his kingdome, that putting his hand to the plough, looketh backe. It behooueth all true and vnfained christians, to kéepe a perpetuall constancie, in a right course, of liuing vertuouslie, holilie, and godly, and as the holie prophet saith, to go from strength to strength, vntill euerie one Psal. 84. 7▪ of them, appéere vnto the God of Gods, in Sion.

IT hath béen vsuall of olde, that men would inquire, and aske 221 of God, by his prophets, concerning those things wherof they doubted. Saule séeking his asses, did go to a séear, to wit, to a 1. Sam. 9. prophet, for so called they the prophet then. The sonne of Iero­boam 1. Reg. 14. Ibid. cap. 7. being sicke, his wife is sent to Ahiam the prophet. Dauid being a prophet himselfe, did aske Nathan another prophet of God, whether he should build a temple vnto the Lord, or not. When the Gabaonites did speake fraudulently to the children Iosu [...]. [...]. of Israel, the scripture saith that they were deceiued, and that they did not aske at the mouth of the Lord, meaning the Lords prophet, by whom he vsed to speake vnto the people. This (I say) was very vsuall and common in that time, wherein the prophets liued. Howbeit, all did not come with one minde: for it is to be séene, in the prophet Ezechiel, that certaine of the elders of Is­rael, Ezech. 20. came vnto him, to inquire of many things, whereof they doubted, but bicause they came not, with a good, but a bad minde, the Lord would vouchsafe them no answere. For they came not, as men drawen with the glorie of God, but stirred with malice, and their owne iniquitie. They were contented to haue some knowledge of the Lords will, but they had no purpose, to frame their liues after the same. The number of such at this day is infi­nite, [Page 132] for who sées not, how many are very déepely séene, in the vnderstanding of Gods word, and the knowledge of his will, which neuer stretch out one hand, nor set one foote before ano­ther, to practise or to do the same? They know, and will also ac­knowledge and confesse, that they ought to kéepe their harts, their minds, their thoughts, their hands, their hearing, their séeing, and all their inward and outward parts, without the foule and filthie spots of the world, and to be carefull to walke in inno­cencie, Psal. 24. holines and righteousnes before the Lord, vpon paine to be barred, and shut out of his kingdome for euer: and yet they Psal. 15. will, euen against that they knowe, féede fat, and as brawne franke themselues, with all maner of sinne and iniquitie. So that, euen as the sunne, at some time of the yéere, in some place, doth affoord his shine and light vnto the people, and yet doth lit­tle or nothing warme them: So, the knowledge and vnderstan­ding, of the word, and will of God, doth not by and by, worke an hungring and thirsting, to leade a vertuous and godly life, in all those whom it hath instructed, and most perfectly taught, what they should do, and how they ought to liue. They receiue know­ledge and vnderstanding from it, but they refuse the grace, and denie the power of it. But, euen as he is not rightly called a rich man, which vnderstandeth and knoweth great riches, and can tell how, and by what meanes, a man may be excéeding rich, but he that hath riches of his owne, and doth possesse them: So, he is not a good, and right Christian man, that can according to know­ledge, dispute and reason of vertue, and godlines, and can describe and define the same: but he that is indued with vert [...] and pos­sessed with true godlines, and doth most willingly practise the same, in the whole course of his life, both with his friends, and with his foes, that man, and such a woman, is rightly called, and Matth. 5▪ is indéede, a true Christian, in whom the Lord hath great de­light. The lord vouchsafe to make many such. Otherwise know­ledge (when it is bare and naked, without the loue of God, and man) doth puffe men vp with insolencie and pride, so that the 1. Cor. 8. more they knowe, the woorse they are, and must be beaten with the moe stripes, bicause they know the will of God, and do it not. We all are hailed, and drawen after, an earnest desire of know­ledge and vnderstanding, but we must do our greatest and best indeuour, that our knowledge may be coupled with vertue and true godlines: for he that knoweth what he himselfe ought to [Page 133] do, and will point and teach others, what best becommeth them to do, and will shew them their faults, that they may shun them, and yet will not bend and plie himselfe, to do those good things, whereunto his knowledge doth direct and point him, he is like vnto a cléere and bright looking glasse, which sheweth plainly to others, their blemishes and foule spots, but séeth not it selfe. For as the looking glasse, doth shew very plainly, to them that behold it, the likenes of such men or women, as are before it, that they may dresse and trim themselues, and yet doth not sée it selfe: So that master or teacher, which very copiously, and eloquently, doth teach others, vertue and all good things, and yet himselfe gi­uen to sinne and wickednes, he doth in déede teach others, but he teacheth not himselfe. Against such masters and teachers, the holy Apostle inueigheth very sharply, saying: Thou which tea­chest Rom. 2. another, teachest not thy selfe: thou saiest a man should not steale, and yet thou stealest: thou saiest that a man should not commit adulterie, and yet thou committest adulterie, &c. An hea­then man, by the light of nature, and reason, could say, that not Marcus Tulli­us in Verrem. onely an accuser, but such a reproouer also, is not tolerable, in whom is wel knowen, and found, the same fault, which he sharp­ly checketh and reprooueth in another. And the same man in an Idem in Salust. other place doth say: that he which is prepared, to speake against another man, must be without all fault himselfe. And another man also, no lesse a heathen than he, compareth those men, which will speake good things, and will not do them, to a swéete instru­ment; which will sound very swéetly, and make a pleasant noise, wherewith it will greatly delight others, and yet it neither hea­reth, nor vnderstandeth it selfe. True it is, that good spéeches in men, are in danger to be lost, and to do little or no good, when they be not holpen, and in some measure furthered, with the good life, and honest maners, of those that speake them: when know­ledge hath vertue ioined with it, then hath it woonderful effects, and indéede, that is the knowledge that all Christians ought to séeke for, and to desire. For, to desire to haue knowledge, onely that thou maiest knowe, is nothing else, but curiositie: and to desire to knowe, that thou maiest be knowen, to know much, is méere vanitie: and to desire to know, that therby thou maiest at­taine to worldly wealth, promotion, and dignifie, what is it else, but filthy lucre? but to desire knowledge, that therby thou maiest be touched, & mightily inflamed, with an vnfained loue of God, [Page 134] and thy neighbor, and that thou maiest mooue, and stir vp others to the same, is an excellent vertue.

THe bodie of man, that it may not rebell against the spirit, 222 must be restrained, and kept short of many things, that it will craue, otherwise it will be very vnruly, if with mea­sure kéeping and abstinence, it be not tamed and kept vnder: therefore as the Apostle saith, it must be crucified, with the lusts Galat. 5. and concupiscences of the same. For euen as, from a fierce and firie horse, which will in no wise be ruled, nor obey his rider, men are woont to withdrawe, such strong féede, and fine prouender, as will make him ouer hote, and to too fierce, and in stéede thereof, to giue him chaffe and bare straw: Euen so from the bodie of man, when it is an enimy to the spirit, and by reason of too much dain­tie fare, and varietie of delicate chéere, groweth to be wanton, and rebellious against reason, must plentie of fine féede and nou­rishing meates be taken, and harder and leaner chéere, must be very sparingly ministred vnto it, that when by such meanes, it is subdued and chastened, it may willingly yéeld obedience vnto the soule and spirit. The holy Apostle of Christ, himselfe did so: I do chasten my bodie (saith he) and kéepe it vnder, least whiles 1. Cor. 9. I preach to others, I my selfe should be a castaway. And indéede when the body of man is tamed, and kept in subiection, then doth the spirit, stir vp it selfe more fréely, to the obedience of God, and séeketh after the diuine and holy mysteries of his word, with greater zeale and feruencie. For, as the same Apostle saith: Al­though 2. Cor. 4. our outward man be corrupted, yet that which is with­in, is renewed day by day. For as enimies in a siege, will yéelde themselues to their aduersaries, when for want of foode, they are like to be famished: so the flesh and sensualitie of man, being bit­ter enimies vnto the soule, if pampering, and daintie, and full fée­ding be taken away, will submit themselues, and will stoupe vn­to the soule and spirit. When the disciples of Christ demanded of him, why they could not cast out a certaine euill and wicked spirit, he answered them, that that kinde of spirit, was not to be cast out, but onely by praier and fasting: Meaning that the Lord, Marc. 9. had reserued vnto himselfe, the casting out of that spirit, who must besought vnto, by faithfull, feruent, and most earnest prai­er, and bicause he would haue the whole man, in that holy exer­cise of praier, to serue him, and bicause the bodie should be no im­pediment [Page 135] or hinderance, vnto the power and force of praier, but in all humilitie, should most willingly ioine with the soule and spirit, in that seruice of God, and so iointly togither, should crie mightily vnto the Lorde, to obtaine their suite, Christ woulde haue the bodie tamed and humbled with fasting. And in the mouth of his holy prophet Ioel, he willeth the people, to turne vnto him, in fasting, wéeping, and mourning, and that with their Ioel. 1. whole harts, without all hypocrisie. And therefore Christ saith: When ye fast, be not sad as hypocrites are, &c. But the king of Matth. 6. Niniue did easily sée and perceiue, that neither fasting, praying, Ionas. 2. nor any other exercise, would preuaile with God, vnlesse men would forsake their sinnes, and giue ouer their iniquities: And therefore he straightly charged, that euery man should turne, from the euill they had vsed. And so the Lord grant we may do, and then our other exercises, of praying and fasting, and such like, wil be acceptable to God, otherwise they be friuolous, vaine and hypocriticall.

PLinie in his eighteth booke, doth report, that Bucephalus, 223 the horse of Alexander the great, when he had not on the braue and princely furniture, which was prouided for Ale­xander himselfe, he would suffer any other man, as well as Alexander, to ride him: but being furnished and made readie with the kings furniture, he would suffer no man, but Alexan­der himselfe, to take his backe: So very many men, all the while they are poore, obscure, and in base estate, they will indure euery man, and will faine a good will, and great diligence towards all men, and to euery one, they will shew a singular mildnes, and kinde courtesie, being to sée to, most mild and courteous Catoes, but inwardly very tyrannicall and cruell Neroes. They couer and kéepe close, within the secret folds, and priuie corners of their manifold dissimulations, wrath, hatred, malice, enuie, and all impietie: but once being inriched, full of worldly wealth, and aduanced to honor and dignitie in the world, and lifted vp into the place, and set in the seate of authoritie, then they despise and scorne all men, saue onely those, to whom by the lawe of soue­raigntie, they are bound to be subiect, and to obey. Then they vn­hood themselues, and do bewray their secret will, and do discouer their cankered and manifold nature, which lay hid so close, in the wrinkles of their hypocrisie, and deceit, that it could not be séene: [Page 136] then do they most openly shew, their pride, and crueltie, which they had long couered with a goodly mantle and faire cloke of humilitie and lowlines. It is the Lords manner and vse, to cast downe and to bring lowe, all such proude, vaine, forgetfull, and vnthankfull persons: & to aduance, and to exalt all those, which in true humilitie, and lowlines of hart and minde, in pietie, pa­tience, and in the practising of all vertues, do serue, honor, loue, and obey him. The Lord neither regardeth the riches of the vn­godly, nor the poore and beggerly estate, of his faithfull children, and chosen seruants. Of the wicked, Dauid saith: Thon hast cast Psal. 73. them downe, Lord, &c. and of his owne he saith: The iust man shall florish like a palme trée, and as a Cedar of Libanus shall he be multiplied. And againe: The righteous shall be in an euerla­sting Psal. 112. remembrance. Men that were godly learned, in old time, when they perceiued, that man forgetting his originall, and the foule matter of his beginning, would waxe insolent, and growe proud: they would expresse and signifie him, by a crocodile and an egge. For the crocodile is a creature of an incredible bignes, and yet hath his beginning of a very small and little egge, and is knowen onely to Egypt, and to those countries, which are wate­red with the riuer Nilus, and in this thing is very admirable, that no liuing creature, that hath so small a beginning, doth growe to such an excéeding bignes. And yet in this one thing, man is more admirable, that being moulded out of the earth and dust, he will make his hart a nest for pride and all abhomi­nation, to build and to dwell in.

THe comminations of the Lord, by the prophet Ezechiel, 224 are not onely against Pharao the king of Egypt, but do Ezech. 29. reach also, to all them, which do imitate him, and sticke to him, in his tyrannie, and cruell practises, whom the prophet tearmeth by the name of fishes. For euen as, when some great and huge fish, is drawen out of a riuer in a net, many smal ones, which are about him, are taken and drawn out with him: Right so, it is the Lords maner, not onely to tangle and to trap, within the infringible net, of his indignation & heauy iudgements, the first authors, and chéefe bruers, and brochers of idolatrie, treason, trecherie, or any other kinde of euill whatsoeuer: But all those also will he censure, with the same weight and measure of pu­nishment, which haue anie pleasure in those forbidden euils, and [Page 137] are so far, from being offended, and gréeued at the same, that they wish in their harts, good successe, and continuance vnto them. I will (saith the Lord) euen glue & fasten vnto thy skales, the fishes of thy floods or riuers, and I wil draw thée out of the midst of thy riuers, and all thy fishes shall sticke vnto thée, &c. Meaning, that Ibidem. he would destroy not only himselfe, but all his followers also, to­gither with all those, that by any means did fauor or further, and did giue or lend vnto him, their cōpany, counsell, goods, strength, voices, or so much as one hartie wish or desire, to set forward his malice and crueltie, against the Lord and his seruants. And so indéede it came to passe. Therefore it behooueth all men, to haue a good and sure ground, for euery thing that they do, and that nei­ther companie drawe them, nor authoritie constraine them, nor feare to lose goods, libertie, nor life, driue and compell them, to do that thing, which is directly against the worde, and will of God, and is by him absolutely forbidden. And this is well woorth the marking, that the prophet doth cal men fishes, which are tos­sed and tumbled, in the troublesome waters, and waues of the world. For what els is this world, but a sea, continually dis­quieted with fearce flouds, of infinite temptations, & tossed with stormes of innumerable troubles, and shaken with windes of al maner of vanities? Is there any Euripus, Syrtes, or Charyb­dis, that hath so many, and so monstrous flouds, and dangerous waues, and that hath so sundrie, and stormy motions, as this world hath? What vast gulph, what strait and narrow sea, is shaken with such whirlewindes, and troubled with such bluste­ring blasts, such raging stormes, and cruel tempests, & with such thicke, blacke, and vncomfortable clouds, as this world is? There be in the sea of this world, two chéefe and principal fishers, the one is Christ, our most swéete and only sauiour: the other is the diuel, our most cruel, and deadly enimy. Christ doth fish for men, that he may giue them life, and saue them for euer: but the diuel doth fish for men, that he may bind them in the chaines of death, and destroy them for euer. The waters of the sea of this world, are worldly riches, dignities, promotions, fleshly lusts, and filthy pleasures, & they are like bitter and salt water, which will ne­uer quench a mans thirst, but the more he drinketh, the thirsti­er he is. But the water of Christ, doth indéed quench the thirst, of him that drinketh it, and doth laie the heate, of the lustes, and lawlesse desires of the flesh. For he himselfe doth saie: That if a [Page 138] man drink of the water of this world, he shal thirst again: But if he drinke of the water (saith he) that I wil giue him, he shall not Ioh. 4. Luc. 16. thirst for euer. The rich man mentioned in the Gospell, had his belly ful of the water of this world, but now he is tortured in the heate, and tormented in the flames of hell, & shal be a thirst there for euer: But poore Lazarus that sought for the water of Christ, & did drinke of it, is now in heauen, in the bosome of euerlasting blessednes, and shall neuer be a thirst any more. Christ doth fish for men, that he may draw them out of the bitter waters of this dangerous sea, and that he may giue vnto them, the water of grace. But Christ doth fish with an angling rod, and an hooke, and he taketh few. But the diuell, that wicked and craftie fisher, with his great, large, long, and broade nets, taketh and draweth vp great multitudes, and infinite numbers of fishes, which vo­luntarily giue themselues vnto him, and do suffer him most easi­lie to take them. Christ doth fish, that he may bring grace, and giue vnto them, whom he taketh, eternall life, and the fishes flie from him, they will not come néere him: And the diuell doth fish, that he may kill and destroy, and bring men into endlesse, ease­lesse, and remedilesse, condemnations and torments, and the fishes run and flie to him. Christ as he walked by the sea of Ga­lilee, Matth 4. with his angle tooke soure, Symon and Andrew, Iames and Iohn: but the diuell walking by the sea of this world, may in as little space and short time, take foure thousand. The diuel fish­eth with a hooke, and doth catch many mo, then Christ doth take, the reason is, bicause his baite is swéeter, and more pleasant to mans appetite, and doth better agrée with the depraued will and gracelesse disposition of man, then that baite which Christ vseth, doth. The diuels baite, is voluptuousnes, the foule pleasures, The diuels baite. and rotten delights of the flesh, worldly wealth at will, the vaine glory of the world, innumerable riches of all sorts, power, au­thoritie, vanitie, an insatiable desire to beare rule, and a thou­sand such others. The séelie poore fishes being deceiued with these baites, do neuer féele the hooke, vntill it sticke so fast in their iawes, that there is no scaping, but the diuell maketh a full ac­count of them, as of his owne. The Lord giue vs grace, and so open the eies of our vnderstanding, that we may sée, and eschew all his baites, and neuer be taken with any hooke of his. But our sweet Sauiour Christ, that heauenly fisher, which séeketh to saue our soules, and to bring them to euerlasting happines, and cele­stiall [Page 139] immortalitie, he fisheth with a sharpe and bitter baite, ve­rie Christs baite vnpleasant to the corrupted nature, and appetite of a natu­rall man, to wit: with much fasting, praieng often, with watch­ings, honest labours in a mans calling, contempt of the world, spirituall pouertie, bitter teares, déepe sighes, and gréeuous grones, for sinnes committed against the Lord, with humilitie and lowlines of hart, with kindnes, peace, patience, righteous­nes, and such other things, all which, although to those, which are inflamed with a right and true loue of God, they are pleasant and welcome, yet not the lesse, to the will and desire of a méere naturall man, that is a friende of flesh and blood, they are hard, & do séeme very bitter to his corrupted taste. God grant that we may so swallow vp all these, and other such like baites, that wée may be surely taken with the Lords hooke, and drawne to euer­lasting life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

SAthan is a subtle fisher, and vseth great cunning in the cast­ing 225 of his net, and searcheth out, that veine of water, wher­in euery one is delighted, and do take their pleasures: for he doth not set vpon all men, after one & the same maner. He temp­teth one with riches, and another with the flickerings, and plea­sures of the world: he draweth one on with pride, another with malice and enuie: he winneth some through too much spending, and many thousands through too much sparing, euen as he per­ceiueth, the inclination of euery man to be. The mouth of his net, is very broad, and the going in is very wide, and open, but the comming out is very hard, straight, and narrow, and founde of none▪ or verie few. For euen as a fisher, when he taketh some great fish, doth not by and by violently strike, and twich hir, but letteth his fishing line go at all the length, vntill the fish do swal­low downe the hooke, and so worke hir owne destruction, least if at the first, he should twich hir too hard, the fishing line or thread should breake, and his baite and hooke lost, the fish should escape: Euen so the diuell, when he hath gotten a poore sinner, fast vpon his hooke, and hath intangled and fettered him, in the chaynes of some dangerous and deadly sinne, and hath bewitched him, with the sorceries of the flesh, and the world, he doth not suddenly op­presse and exasperate him, least if at the first dash, he plaie the di­uell openly, and roughly, like a diuell as he is, the sinner should break his bands, and escape his snares: But he doth cherish him, [Page 140] and maketh much of him, and doth suffer him now and then, both to speake and to do some things that sauor of vertue, that by litle and litle, he being made fast and dead sure, vpon the hooke of sin and wickednes, he may by degrées worke his owne wo and vt­ter destruction. So that the diuell doth stretch out his angling rod, thread and all, not that he may let the sinner escape, but that he may make him the surer, and holde him the faster. Thus suf­fered he Herode, to pretend in words the worshipping of Christ, when he intended in his hart to kill him: And Pilate to confesse Christs innocencie, and yet against his owne conscience, to giue sentence of death against him: And Iudas to kisse Christ, as though he loued him, and euen then to betraie him: These and many mo like them, notwithstanding their painted and golden shewes, were fast inough, vpon the diuels hooke, and so are al hy­pocrites and dissemblers.

THere is a sea, called the dead sea, which is a lake in Iudea, 226 called Asphaltites, whereof Aristotle, Pliny, Iustine, and diuers others do make mention. There is neither fish, nor any liuing creature found in it, whereupon it hath the name dead. Further, in it nothing is couered, neither doth any thing that is in it, sinke to the bottome thereof, but all things do swim, and are in sight, and do continue in the top of the water. For which cause, they are compared vnto it, that will kéepe no coun­sell, nor secrets whatsoeuer, but will reueale, and bewraie all things that they know whether they be good or bad. It is a migh­tie great lake, and is neuer troubled, with anie waues, stormes, or tempests, but is euer quiet: And therefore, they are compared with it, that lead their liues in tranquillitie, peace and quietnes, and are neuer pressed, nor broken with any calamities, nor tos­sed and troubled, with any sorrowes or miseries in the worlde, but are euer at harts ease, and liue as they list. The water of this dead sea, is reported to be excéeding bitter, for the swéete riuer Iordan running into it, (as some do write) it doth vtterly lose the swéetnes thereof, and is made very bitter also. Euen as Hy­panis a ryuer of Scythia, which hath a maruellous swéetenes, vntill a litle bitter spring, which Herodotus calleth Exampeus, be mingled with it, and then it is corrupted with a woonderfull They are very dangerous men, which can keepe no counsell, no [...] secrets. bitternes: Euen so, those men, which are like torne vessels, that will hold no water, and so full of chinkes, that they neither can, [Page 141] nor will kéepe any secrets, or counsell, are very bitter and intol­lerable men, and do much harme in euery place where they com, neither can any counsell or secret be committed vnto such, with­out great danger to the common wealth wherein they dwell, and especially to all those that repose any trust in them. Such men seeme they neuer so wise, learned, and full of counsell, are not to come neere godly princes, neither to be made acquainted, with matters of state, and the affaires of common wealths, least they do great hurt, both with giuing counsell themselues, and al­so by discouering such weightie secrets, as shall in trust be com­mitted vnto them. These are those vngodly ones, whose coun­sell, Iob. 22. good Iob saith, shall not come neere him. These be they, in whose counsell, (the kingly prophet saith,) the man is blessed, Psalm. 1. that neuer walketh. The beginning of our actions is counsell, and therefore great indeuour is to be vsed, that euill counsellers be eschewed, and in any wise not leaned vnto. Adam following the wicked counsell of He [...]a his wife, and He [...]a the counsell of the deceitfull serpent, besides that wo they wrought vnto them­selues, they brought great miserie, vpon all their posteritie. The diuell is the first author of wicked counsell, and neuer ceaseth to deuise, which waie he may best & soonest worke our wo: And that he cannot do by himselfe, he laboureth to do it by wicked counsel­lers, his trustie seruants, and dead sure ministers. Whose ac­quaintance & familiaritie is to be auoided, and the company and counsell, of godly wise men, is to be imbraced, and vsed. Who so Prouerb. 13. kéepeth companie with wise men (saith Salomon) shall become wise: But he that is a friend of fooles, shall be made like vnto Eccles. 13. them. And Ecclesiasticus saith, that he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with pitch. And the apostle saith, That a little leauen, 1. Cor. 5. sowreth the whole lumpe of dowe. Euen as the Chameleon, is sometimes blacke, and sometimes gréene, sometimes pale, and somtimes blue, (for he euer taketh his colour, of the thing, which he séeth to be next vnto him, and doth shew and represent, the colour of what thing soeuer is set before him: So men of all de­grées, are woont verie much to imitate, the nature, disposition, and maners of those, whose counsell they follow, and whose fa­miliaritie they vse. Dauid that famous prophet of God, vnder­standing so much, doth say in a Psalme, where he describeth the Psalm. 10 [...]. parts, and office, of an excellent and very good king▪ and setteth down a very plaine paterne, & a most liuely picture of his vertue, [Page 142] that such a man, as walketh in an vndefiled way, to wit, (whose life is vnreprooueable) shall serue him, and be to him a courtier, and a counseller, and voweth that no man of pride, no vaine per­son, nor speaker of euill things, shall dwel in his house, nor kéepe within his court. As if he should say, I will diligently inquire and search, who they be, which in any land, countrie, and king­dome, are faithfull and do loue righteousnes, and by their coun­sell with I be instructed, and the familiaritie of them, will I vse: but all vngodly, proud, blasphemous, lying, deceitfull, and wicked persons, of all sorts, will I vtterly expulse out of my house, and driue and thrust them out of my court, and will suffer them, to finde no rest within my kingdome. God grant that all good, god­ly Christian princes, may follow the steps, and example of king Dauid, in this, and all other his princely vertues, and holy exer­cises.

Amen.

IT is the part and dutie, of euery good Christian, that what­soeuer 227 he doth in word or déede, he do all in the name of the Coloss. 3. 17. Lord Iesus: that is, to the glorie of God: and in an affiance, and confidence that he hath, in the name of God, that he wil pro­tect, defend, blesse, prosper and preserue him, in doing of the same, and so to giue vp, his hart, minde, will, worke and all, vnto God, before he do attempt the doing, and performance of the same. There be very many, that do some dédes, which to sée to, are ve­ry Hypocrites. good works, but not the lesse, they kéepe their harts, mindes and wils, diuided and separated far from God. Those things, to wit, their harts, mindes, wils and purposes, they steale from the Lord, and do bestow them vpon the world, they regard not God, they séeke onely to please men: in the action of vertue, they haue no respect vnto vertue it selfe, but onely, and barely, to the shew and shape, or likenes of vertue. Such men are like vnto painters, which haue a greater regarde, to the colours and shadowes, of images and pictures, than vnto the substance of the same, and contemning the inward parts, they bestow all the wit, skill, and cunning they haue, in expressing and painting out, a bare sha­dow, and outside of the thing, and the more they deceiue the eies, of them that behold it, the more excellent men are they iudged. But the Lord requireth at our hands, first fruits, that is, our harts, mindes, wils, desires, and all that is in vs, and that we should euen offer vp, and consecrate vnto him our selues, euen Rom. 12. [Page] our bodies, a quicke, a [...] [...]iuing sacrifice, holy, and pleasing God, which is our reasonable seruice of God. And when the Apostle willeth vs, or rather beséecheth vs, that we giue our bodies, a liuely sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, and calleth the same our reasonable seruice of God: he meaneth, that the offering of dead calues, and vnreasonable beasts, as in times past, the Iewes offered vnto him, wil not please God now, neither that the Lord will accept, and take in good part, any seruice or sacrifice, that we shall bring, and lay before him, either in words or works, so long as we loue sinne, and harbour iniquitie, in our harts, mindes, and members. The Lord will receiue no sacrifice, nor seruice, of those that be strangers vnto him, but onely of those which are graffed in Christ Iesu, and are now become in him new crea­tures, 1. Cor. 5. in whom there is a newnes, a righteousnes, and holines of life, & in whom all old, foule, filthie, and vngodly conuersation is past. And therefore the Apostle saith, to the Ephesians: Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde, and put ye on the new man: Ephesi. 4. Coloss. 3. and to the Colossians, he giueth counsell, that they destroy the olde man, with all his trash, and put on the new man: and most louingly he beseecheth the Romanes, saying: Let vs walke in Roman. 6. newnes of life. But bicause this newnes, cannot be wrought in vs, without the grace, and holy spirit of God, Dauid the pro­phet, Psalm. 51. doth mightily crie vnto the Lord, and saith: O God, create a new hart within me, and renew a right spirit within my bow­els, or inward parts. The Lord requireth of vs, a lambe, that is, innocencie, humilitie and méekenes: and he would haue vs to offer vnto him, a yoong pigeon, or a turtle doue, that is, true con­trition, and puritie of hart, and minde: for those swéete birds, do vse mourning in stéed of singing, and are pretie, and fine paterns of puritie, and innocencie. The Lord will not take, receiue, nor accept, barking curre dogs, that is, railing, raging, cursing, lying, slandering, blaspheming, or any such vngodly persons, neither their offerings, sacrifices, nor praiers, when they come, and bring, and lay them before him, no more than he did the sacrifice of Caine. The roring and cruell lion, the rauening wolfe, the foule and dirtie swine, the blinde mole, or want: that is, the tyrannicall, and mercilesse man, the oppressor, piller, and poller of his brethren, the man that is méere naturall, and carnall, the man that is blinde, and ignorant, in spirituall and heauenly things, they are neither sacrifices, nor sacrificers, that God will, [Page 144] or is woont, to take any pleasure in: as he doth abhorre the vices, so for the vices sake, he doth detest the vessels, vntill such time, as they be purged and clensed, of such foule and filthie matter. If there were no other, but onely Salomon, to tell vs, that the Lord requireth, and calleth for our harts, it is great reason, that we should beléeue the Lord at one word, and at one message, when so louingly, and fatherly he saith: My sonne giue me thy hart. Prouerb. 23. The Lord helpe vs, and grant, that we may giue him our harts, and whatsoeuer else, of the inward and outward man.

Amen.

HEliotropium, the herbe of the sunne, so called, bicause it 228 windeth it selfe about with the sunne, in the morning ve­ry Herba solaris. early, it beholdeth the rising thereof, and all the day, it euen followeth the course of the sunne, euer turning the leaues towards the same, but the roote it neuer changeth, stirreth, nor mooueth, it hath that still, fast fixed within the earth: So very many, will séeme to follow the sunne of righteousnes, Christ Ie­sus, but it is onely in leaues, and outward shewes, for their rootes, that is, their harts, are far, and fast within the earth, where indéede their treasure is, according to that which Christ himselfe doth say: Where thy treasure is, there is thy hart also. Matth. 6. Such men will lift vp their hands, eies, and voices, towards heauen and God, and with such goodly gréene leaues, will make a faire florish, and a beautfull shew, but their harts and affecti­ons, are surely set, vpon earthly, vaine, vile, and transitorie Esa. 29. Matth. 15. things, and are as far from God, as heauen and earth, are distant one from the other. They shew vnto the Lord, onely bare and fruitlesse leaues: flesh and blood, the world and diuell, haue their harts, those go downward, and take roote below. Such men are like vnto trées, which in the swéete and pleasant spring time, will be well stored, and full of goodly blossoms, and wil make a franke offer, and a large promise, of much fruit, but when the fruit is looked for, and should be gathered, there is none to be had, they were but bare leaues, and idle blossoms. Such trées did Christ himselfe méete with, when he was héere belowe, vpon the earth Matth. 21. Marc. 11. in his bodie, and at this day, the whole world, euen euerie citie and towne, is very full of such trées, yea it is hard to finde one house, wherein there groweth not such a trée. Well, the Lord did curse them then, and be we sure, he will not blesse them now, he that then did cause them to be cut downe, and cast into the Matth. 25. [Page 145] fire, will in like maner, cast into the fire and torments of hell, all those, that séeke him with their lips, and are far from him with their harts.

Vngodly men which are delighted in forbidden things, they come not néere, the waies of the Lord, whatsoeuer shew of holi­nes they make with men, they sit downe, and rest themselues, Psalm. [...]. in the seate of wickednes: for, they haue onely their lips, gilded with holines, there is not one dram of godlines in their harts. The prophet doth testifie so much, when he saith, that they which worke wickednes, walke not in the Lords waies: their harts are Psalm. 119. so far from séeking after God, or any good thing, that indéede, they séeke after euill things, as Salomon in his Prouerbs affirmeth. Prouerbs. 27. Yet neuertheles, there be some, though the number of them be not great, that euen as great and mighty vapors, with the force and power of the sunne, are taken and lifted vp from the earth, and do séeke after the sunne, by whose strength and vertue they are carried vp on high, and growing into cloudes, do euen follow the sunne: So (I say) there is a remnant, and a little flocke of Christs, that in a true, vnfained, and sincere loue of God, are lif­ted vp, from the loue of this world, and from all earthly, and fleshly affections, so far as is possible, for man in this life to be, and do séeke the Lord, and his kingdome, in the singlenes of their harts, and thinking the time, of their abode héere, in this vale of all miseries, to too long, they daily sigh and grone, for a dissolu­tion, and the comming of Christ, to iudge the quick and the dead: But this number is very small, and we may admire them, euen as the prophet Esay did, and say: Who are these, that flie like Esai. 60. scattered cloudes? The Lord, if it be his holy and blessed will, turne the harts of all hypocrites, and carnall worshippers of God, to serue him in veritie, and in truth, and vouch he safe, to increase the number, of his single harted seruants.

Amen.

EVen as the blood, in the bodie of a man, being corrupted 229 with a poisoned arrow, doth by and by flie to the hart, euen séeking, and hoping as it were, to finde some remedie, and helpe there, and yet doth euen so soone as it toucheth the hart, finde death, where it sought for life: So men, when they are sore pressed with calamities, do make the world their first refuge, and whiles they séeke for succour, and comfort of the world, they finde no better thing, than death, where they thought, to haue found [Page 146] life. Experience doth teach them, that they sought for life, in the house of death, and for a medicine there, where no good thing is to be had. But it behooueth vs, that do professe christianitie, and do fight vnder that banner, when we labour, and are loden hea­uily, with tribulations and afflictions, foorthwith to repaire vnto God, and with all spéede, and possible haste, to run vnto Christ, who euen from the altar of the crosse, where he offered himselfe, for vs, that by his death, he might deliuer vs, from euerlasting Matth. 1 [...]. death, calleth vs vnto him. Our sauiour Christ is said, to make a feast, and to eate, at the conuersion of a sinner, when he forsaketh his wickednes, and turneth vnto the Lord, with a contrite and sorrowfull hart, for his sinnes and offences, committed against the word, and will of God: for so the Euangelist saith: Bring Luc. 15. hither the fat calfe, kill it, and let vs eate. So that, we can no way, make the Lord a banket, that will please, and delight him, but by forsaking the world, our sinnes, and our selues, and in ap­pealing to the throne of his grace, and mercies seate. We heare his voice euery day, what meane we, that we obey it not? Why continue we in sinne, which consumeth, and rotteth our soules and bodies, as rustines doth iron? Why go we not home, to our heauenly father? We know his goodnes, we haue great experi­ence of his clemencie, loue and mercie, and yet still we linger. Our patrimonie is gone, we haue most lewdly spent, wasted, and consumed all, so that we are no more woorthie to enter into the kingdome of God, than are the very foule, and dirtie swine, and yet nothing wil driue vs to him. It is euen as himselfe saith: No man can come vnto me, vnlesse my father drawe him: the Lord then draw vs vnto himselfe. What a madnes is it, to séeke for helpe, reléefe, and comfort of the world, which séeketh vs, one­ly that it may deceiue, and destroy vs? The Lord calleth vs, to giue vs comfort, and vnspeakable ioy, and we turne our backs to him, the world doth but hold vp a finger, and becken vs to it, with a purpose to haue our companie to hell and damnation, and we run, and whine after it, like a thirstie infant, after the dug of his mother, or nurse. And thus we passe on, séeking for life in the house of death, and for ioy in the vale of miserie, where none is to be found. The Lord open the eies of our vnderstanding, and make vs to know, and to see, that our helpe, health, comfort, and life, in this world, and in the world to come, standeth onely in him, that made both heauen and earth.

Amen.

IDlenes, as it bréedeth pouertie and beggerie, in very many, 230 which might liue well, and in good sort, with diligent, and faithfull labour: So is it very dangerous, in those that be rich, and féele no smart, nor want in this life, for whiles they giue themselues to foule idlenes, voluptuousnes doth ouercome reason, and they are snared, and taken in the deadly traps, of the deceitfull flickerings of the world, and are poysoned with carnall pleasures, and fleshly delights, which do beare them faire in hand, for a little while, but at the length do deceiue them, and leaue them in shame and confusion. For euen as the earth, when it is not tilled, nor trimmed, doth bréede and bring foorth briers, brambles, and all noisome, and vnprofitable things: so idlenes in man, doth bréede and broode in him, vngodly thoughts, and wic­ked cogitations of all sorts, and doth allure, hale, drawe, and euen drag him, to do those things, which are so odious in the sight of God, that he must either most earnestly repent that he hath done them, or else, he must die eternally for doing of them. Idlenes therefore doth not become Christians, for so doth our God, and maker teach vs, when he saith to Adam, in the labour of thy Genes. 3. Iob. 15. 2. Thessal. 3. 2. Samuel. 11. hands, shalt thou eate, all the daies of thy life. And iust Iob saith, that man is borne to labour. And the Apostle saith: If any man will not labour, let him not eate. When Dauid continued at home in idlenes, then did adulterie and murther créepe into his hart, and ceased not, vntill it broke out into effects, and most dan­gerous actions. Christ did shew a great hatred to idlenes, when he said? Why stand ye héere all the day idle? Matth. 20.

SOmtimes it falleth out, that a hen sitteth vpon ducks eggs, 231 and with hir diligent sitting, & the heat of hir bodie, she doth hatch, and bring them foorth: and when they be able to fol­low hir, she clucks them, & after hir maner, as though they were hir naturall chickens, she doth call them about hir: but they be­ing not of hir, but the ducks kinde, though by hir they haue beene hatched, and of hir haue receiued life, and though she hath a con­tinuall care to bring them vp, and to defend them from such eni­mies as séeke to deuoure them, yet neuerthelesse, they wil follow and séeke after that, whereunto by nature, they are inclined and giuen: When she is scraping and scratching the earth, to finde them foode, they will be in the water, mire, or foule puddle, after their kinde: she may clucke, and walke alone, they will not kéepe [Page 148] hir companie, vnlesse perhaps in some danger, when the kite is readie to catch them, for some succour they will [...]lie to hir: how­beit at the length, when she perceiueth them, to be vnnaturall and vnkinde to hir, she doth forsake them, and giue them ouer. Euen so, our swéete Sauiour Christ Iesus, hauing taken great paines for vs, and hauing humbled himselfe, euen in the lowest degrée, of all humilitie that can be named, as in comming down, out of his fathers bosome, being most perfect, most holy, and om­nipotent God, being euery way equall, and in nothing inferiour to his father, to take our weake, fraile, and féeble nature vpon him, and (sinne excepted) to haue a perfect féeling of all our infir­mities, as wearisomnes of bodie, hunger and thirst, and such others, and besides the induring of these, many yéeres togither, hauing suffered a most cruell death, and euen at his death vpon the crosse, hauing tasted and taken a full cup, of his fathers furie and indignation, which was in déed filled and prepared for vs, as a iust reward for our sinnes, and should haue béen our owne cup, and our owne portion, for euer and euer, had he not euen then ta­ken and supt it vp, to cléere and to frée vs from it. Againe, after all these things, hauing still continued his humilitie, in suffering death, to kéepe his bodie thrée daies in the graue, and euen as it were to tread and trample vpon him, and then mauger death, hell, diuell, and Iewes, hauing risen againe, and being ascended and gone vp to his father, where now (vntil his comming again, to iudge the quicke and the dead) he sitteth at the right hande, of maiestie and power: He now speaketh and calleth vnto vs, by his prophets, apostles, and ministers, and willeth vs to remem­ber, what case and estate we were in, before he died, and suffered all these things for vs, and he would haue vs to know, to be sure and neuer to forget, that if he had not suffered death, héere vpon the earth, as he did, we should neuer haue found, any way or en­trance into heauen: the celestiall ioyes, and pleasures of the Lords saints, saluation and eternall life, should neuer haue be­longed vnto vs, we should haue had no more to do with them, then they that liue without faith, and die infidels: The horrors of hell, and the stincking lakes of vnspeakable shame, confusion, torments, endlesse death, and damnation, should haue béene our inheritance, lot and perpetuall portion. Christ therefore doth daily put vs in minde, that we be not our owne but his, and that we be the greatest and déerest purchase, that euer was made, in [Page 149] heauen or in earth, and that the like price and cost, was neuer bestowed vpon any creatures, as vpon vs. When the angels, which wer [...] in heauen, in the presence of their creator, did once offende, they were hurled out, and cast into hell, Christ woulde not bestow vpon them one peny of all that great price, and rich ransome, which he paid for vs, he would not then become man, to shed one drop of blood for them; but for our sakes, he spared not one drop, but shed all. The Hen that himselfe speaketh of, was neuer so diligent and carefull, to gather hir chickins vnder Matth. 23. 37. hir wings, as he hath euer béene, most ready to shroude and to protect vs, against all the enimies of our soules and bodies. Ma­ny mothers shall sooner forget, the children of their own wombs, and vtterly forsake them, before Christ will forsake vs, yea he will neuer forget, nor forsake vs, vnlesse we first forget, and for­sake him. Now therefore we being his, so déerely bought, and so truely paide for, he calleth vpon vs euery day, he clucketh vs, and looketh for vs, that we should follow him, and tread in such steps, as he hath appointed, and that we shuld not range at ran­don, but kéepe our selues within the hearing of his voice, and our liues within the limits, of obedience vnto the same, these things (I saie) he looketh for at our hands. But how deale we, with this most kinde, most louing, and most mercifull redéemer, and (if the fault be not in our selues) the fauiour of our seules and bodies? Verily euen so, as the vnnaturall and vnkind ducks deale with the hen, of whom they haue receiued life, they regarde not hir clucking, neither we Christs calling: when she is séeking and prouiding for them, on the faire, drie, and wholesome earth, they will be in some foule water, filthie mire, or stinking puddle: And when the Lord Iesus calleth vs, to integritie of life, to do the Psalm. 15▪ thing that is iust and right in his owne eie, and to speake the truth, according to the knowledge of our harts: then will we with gréedines, pollute our soules and bodies, with all wicked­nes, and things that be abominable, then will we oppresse our brethren, not caring who sincke, if our selues swim, then will we not sticke to speake lies, euen to Gods owne face: And when the Lord calleth, and sendeth vs to seeke heauenly things, we presently returne to the foule puddles of the world, carnall de­lightes, and vaine, yea vile pleasures: so that, we euer take the contrary w [...]y, to that which Christ commandeth. Christ calleth for our harts, to haue them in truth and sinceritie, with all dili­gence Prouerb. 2 [...]. [Page 150] to attende vpon his pleasure, and to waite on his will, he would haue vs, not in part, but wholy to giue them vnto him, and without the hart, he will receiue, and take in good part, at our hands and lips nothing. But we on the otherside, giue nothing lesse to God, then our harts. What is it, that cannot, and may not command our harts, and haue them at pleasure, sooner then Christ Iesus, that with the death of his owne hart, gaue life to our bodies and soules? If the worlde do but a little smile vpon vs, and giue vs but an alluring looke, and a faire (though a false) word, we will by and by follow it, and bestow vpon it all our at­tendance. If the diuell himselfe can make vs beléeue, that we shall either haue profite or pleasure, by doing his wil, our harts, mindes, wils, and all are readier for him, then for Iesus Christ. O matchles, yea monstrous madnes, they that séeke our destruc­tion, can sooner with a pleasant looke, then Christ with the gi­uing of his life for vs, haue vs at commandement. Christ would Coloss. 3. haue vs to mortifie our earthly members, as fornication, vn­cleannes, inordinate affections, euill concupiscence, and coue­tousnes, which is idolatrie: But who doth not nourish, pamper, and cherish all these? The Lord woulde haue our conuersation Philip. 3. in heauen, but we are altogither earthly and carnally minded. The Lord would haue our féete to stand within the gates of Ie­rusalem, Psalm. 122. but we loue rather to be trampling the stréetes of E­gypt, Babylon and Sodom. The holie ghost would haue vs to [...]. Timoth. 4. fight a good fight, to finish our course after the will of God, and to kéepe the faith, not onely in words, but also in life and déedes: Indéed we are apt and ready to fight for worldly promotion, ho­nor, dignitie, reuenues, and riches, but for heauen and heauen­ly things, we will neuer striue, take no paines, nor once trouble our selues, we will haue i [...] with ease, and all maner of pleasure, or else not at all, farewell it. The courses we take héere in this life, are very bad, and the end (vnlesse we repent) is like to be woorst of all: And whiles we haue no care, to kéepe good consci­ences, it is vnpossible for vs to kéepe faith. Let stande before vs, Christ and sathan, the one pointing vs to heauen, and eternall felicitie, but the way to it, ful of troubles, gréefes, and sorrowes: the other pointing to hell, but the way to it, ful of delicates, plea­sures, and daintie delights, and let God call, and the diuell call, and (I speake it with gréefe of hart) the diuell is like to haue the greater number to follow him, for those short pleasures, and [Page 151] Christ but a fewe to follow him, bicause they must go loden with crosses. Daily experience doth teach vs no lesse, when all our actions are carnall, & haue onely but a little outward shew, and no taste at all of true godlines, nor so much as any rellish of the spirit, and loue of Christ. Some will abstaine from the com­mitting of many grosse sins, now and then, and yet not that, (I feare greatly) in any true and sincere loue to God, but either for feare of shame, and punishment in this worlde, or else feare of vengeance, in the world to come, which both are vnprofitable, for the Lord hath no pleasure in forced seruice, he will haue it vo­luntarie, with the hart, and procéeding of loue, not of a seruile feare, otherwise it shall be numbred with the rest of our sinnes. This doth greatly condemne vs, that though we do not such things our selues, yet we can, without trouble of conscience, gréefe of hart, or vexation of minde, sée and heare the Lords name blasphemed, his saboth vnhalowed, idolatrie committed, parents dishonored, whooredome, theft, murder, and couetousnes com­monly vsed, and all the lawes of God vtterly contemned, and it shall neuer offend the greatest number, so much as a thorne in a foote, or a blaine vpon a finger. What other thing is this but to forsake God in the plaine field, and to be afeard to serue him in truth and sinceritie, least we should thereby purchase mans dis­pleasure? Vnlesse therefore, we learne to serue him better, in more truth, with greater zeale and singlenes of hart, we haue nothing else to looke for, but that he will forsake vs, both in this worlde, leauing vs destitute of his assistance, that our enimies may pray vpon vs, and also in the world to come, in giuing out Matth. 25. 4 [...]. against vs, his malediction, curse, wo, and sentence of death. The Lord make vs new creatures, and giue an vnfained loue of him­selfe, déepe roote in our harts, drawing after it a chéerefull obedi­ence to his sacred word, and the selfe same to our brethren wher­with we loue our selues, (so that all be in God) that we may escape dangers in both the worlds, that when death, that inexo­rable executioner shall do his office, we may arriue, at the safe and happy hauen, of Gods euerlasting kingdome, purchased and paide for by Christ, and kept in store for all those that beléeue a­right, and shall liue and die in him. But alas, the most part of vs as yet, vntill it shall please the almightie to inrich vs, be like proud beggers, which not being woorth one farthing, will boast of great wealth: So many brag of great holines, but haue none, [Page 152] and of great faith, as though they could remooue mountaines out of their places, and yet know not what true faith is. How fearful a saieng is that of Christ? When the sonne of man shall come Luc. 18. 8. to iudge the quicke and the dead, do you thinke, that he shal finde any faith vpon the earth? As if he should saie, he shall finde ve­ry little, howsoeuer now all perswade themselues, that they be faithfull inough. The Lorde amende vs, for we haue receiued great and infinite good things, from the Lords hand, both for our bodies and soules, but in giuing thanks, we are like to the nine Luc. 17. 17. leapers, mentioned in the Gospell, which neuer turned backe, to thanke God for their healing. The Lord hath poured vpon vs, infinite dewes of his swéet and blessed word, and yet still we con­tinue to be those drie trées, to whom his curse, cutting down, and Luc. 23. 31. casting into the fire belongeth. The Lord grant that with all spéede, we may turne from our sinnes, to righteousnes and holy­nes of life, that God may turne his anger from vs, and his fauor towards vs,

Amen.

MArcus Antoninus with an oration that he made, vpon 232 the death of Caesar, is said to haue greatly delighted the people of Rome, and that he mooued very many of them, to shed great store of bitter teares, when he put them in remem­brance, of the great benefits, which they had frō time to time, re­ceiued of Caesar, & withal did shew them Caesars garment, wher­in his enimies, Cassius & Brutus, had slaine him, all full of blood: whereat they were so mightily mooued, that they expulsed the homicides out of the citie, so that they durst not, if they woulde liue any longer, come néere it: And yet in these daies of ours, let come neuer so good, and heauenly an orator, with the oracles of God himselfe, in his mouth, and shew most plainly, what Christ the redéemer of the world, hath done for man, and prooue that man hath receiued vnspeakable, and innumerable benefits, by and through Christ, and declare what bitter teares of water and blood, did trickle downe his chéekes, and what déepe and deadly sighes, with many fearfull and gréeuous grones, did rise from his hart, before he came to the crosse, and let him rip vp his passion stitch by stitch, as the holy booke, and diuine word, shall direct and leade him, and let him particularly shew, how, and where he was wounded, that he was beaten, spit vpon, crowned with thornes, nailed hand and foote to the crosse, scorned and mocked of [Page 153] the Iewes, and let him shew most liuely, the wicked and cruell Iewes imbrewing their hands in his blood, & giuing him vine­ger and gall to drinke: and who for all this will shed one teare, giue one grone, or sigh once from the bottome of his hart? yea let the preacher declare and prooue, that, besides the death and passion of his bodie, he suffered in his soule, the heauie wrath and indignation of his father, and the extreme tortures and torments of hell, for a time, no lesse than the reprobates, that be there al­readie, and no lesse then, all we, by iust desert, should haue suffe­red for euer, if Christ had not done it for vs: And who for al this, will driue out of the citie, not Cassius and Brutus, that killed Caesar, but those horrible, abhominable, and most damnable sins, for the which Christ was slaine? For so saith the scripture: He (saith the prophet, meaning Christ) was wounded for our ini­quities. Esa. 53. And a little after, the prophet bringeth in God himselfe speaking thus of Christ: For the sinnes of my people haue I smitten him. And the Apostle telleth the Romanes the same Rom. 4. thing: Christ was giuen (saith he) for our offences. And to the Corinthians: Christ died for our sinnes, according to the scrip­tures. 1. Cor. 15. The matter then being so plaine, that no man, high nor lowe, whosoeuer, can cléere himselfe of the death of Christ, but must néedes, will he, nill he, confesse that there is in him, the mat­ter of Christs arraignment, bitter passion, and cursed death, and that he is no lesse giltie of the same his death and bloodshedding, than those that cried, Away with him, away with him, it is no reason, that he should liue any longer: nor than those, that did spit in his face, and nailed his hands and féete to the crosse. It must needes followe, that Caesar was more beholding to his friends, than the sonne of God is, to many thousands of those that do professe his name: and Marcus Antoninus was more behol­ding to the Romanes, which were so readie at one oration, to purge and cléere the citie, of homicides and murthers, than a great number of faithfull preachers of Christ be now, to infinite thousands of their auditors, which are so far from abandoning and thrusting out of cities and towns, euen grosse, vile, and most lothsome sinnes, that in their owne priuate houses, yea euen in their owne bosoms and bodies, they harbour, nourish, and main­taine them: although they heare euery day, the heauie iudge­ments, and destroying wrath of God, denounced against them, not with a generall houering ouer their heads, at al aduentures, [Page 154] as though no body were spoken to, but euen with a particular▪ toutching, and as it were an vnlacing of euery sinne in it kind, to lay open the stinch and abhomination of the same, that men might (if they had grace) be ashamed, and afeard, to staine and to blemish themselues with such things, as the Lord vpon paine of condemnation, hath inhibited and forbidden: and yet all will not serue. No man, that will beleeue the holy scripture, can be igno­rant of this, that the almightie, did, with the heauie hand of his Iob. 4. 18. wrath, cast angels out of heauen, when they were poisoned with pride, and would not be contented with their owne estate, and 2. Pet. 2. 4. Iud. 6. that therefore they became diuels, this (I say) cannot, but bée knowen of all, and yet who is afeard of pride? yea who will not be as proud, as euer the angels were, and though he prooue a di­uell, and purchase hell, for his pleasure? Pride, gluttonie, abun­dance Ezech. 16. 49. of worldly wealth, vainly and wickedly vsed, idlenes from all good works, and no stretching foorth of hands, vnto the poore, and n [...]edie, were the very capitall, and head sinnes, which did euen wrest, and wring from the Lord, his heauie and most fear­full iudgements, and did as it were with violence inforce him, to destroy the Sodomites, and Gomorrheans, with fire and brim­stone from heauen: for that other most foule sinne, the which I Rom. 1. 24. am afeard euen to name, did spring and growe out of the sinnes that I haue named before. And yet all these sinnes, with infinite others, do in as bad maner, and no lesse measure, swarme, raigne and reuell in England, than when they were at the woorst, they did in Sodom. What sequele then is to be feared, and daily to be looked for, with silence I passe ouer. There is neuer a man, that beareth the name of a Christian, but he will confesse, that his great grandfather Adam, was expulsed, and thrust out of para­dise, Genes. 3. for eating one apple, forbidden him by the Lord, vpon paine of death: and yet that man, that with open mouth, will make that confession, will euery day eate seuen apples, as bitter and as straightly forbidden as that: and will he then, for eating seuen, thinke to scape better cheape, than his grandfather that did eate but one? No, no: the eater of seuen, shall finde the way, into euerlasting life, as hard to enter, as the way into paradise, was to his grandfather, being once thrust out, vnlesse he spéedily, ear­nestly, and truly repent him, and giue ouer the eating, of such fruits, as the Lord hath forbidden him. It is very strange, that the iudgements of God, shewed vpon Caine, for killing his bro­ther: Gen. 4. 8. [Page 155] vpon Saule for his disobedience: vpon Iudas for his trea­son: 2. Sam. 15. Matth 27. 5. Act. 1. 18. will not make all men to detest and to hate murther, to loue obedience, and to beware of trecherie and treason: but that men will still liue as they list, as though they were persuaded, that either God doth not sée them, or else not regarde them, and that he will neuer call them to any account, do what they will, all is one, God is not angrie, nothing displeaseth him: or at the least, as though they had couenanted, and agréed with hell and con­demnation, without controlment, or feare of paine, to take their pleasures in all vanities, and abhominations whatsoeuer. Is it not a woonder, that we séeing before our eies (if we will beléeue God) a whole world drowned, with an vniuersal deluge, or gene­rall flood of water, and yet the same sinnes, that were the cause of that generall destruction, to be so pleasant & sweete vnto vs, as is the honie, and the honie combe? well, wel, swéete meats, wil haue sower sauce. If thou hadst béen an eie witnes, of the ouerthrow & Exod. 14 23. & 27. drowning of Pharao, his chariots, and horsemen, in the red sea: & dulie examining, what sin that might be, wherewith God was prouoked, to i [...]flict that heauy iudgement vpon him, and should­est haue found the selfe same sinne, to be in thy selfe, and euen highly to please and delight thée, wouldest thou not haue trem­bled and feared, least the same God, with whom there is no re­spect of persons, which punished that sinne in Pharao, would not spare, or fauour it, but euen most sharply punish it in thée also? Or if thou haddest séene with thy bodilie eies, some of the grudg­ing, and murmuring Israelites, stoong to death with ve [...]emous Numb. 16. 1. Cor. 1 [...]. and poysonfull wormes, in the wildernes, and some of them con­sumed with fire, that came from heauen, and the earth also opening, and swallowing vp some of them, and sending them downe quicke into hel, would it not haue terrified thée, and haue made thée de [...]st and abhor those sinnes, which brought such de­structions vpon the committers of them, all the daies of thy life? And why dest thou not so now? If thou hast any faith, and if the word of God beare any credite with thée, thou art no lesse per­swaded of the truth of those things, than as if thou hadst séene them. All these, and such other things, are written for our lear­ning, Rom. 14. 4. that we beholding the Lords wrath, executed vpon so ma­nie, in all ages, and from one generation to another, for displea­sing and offending the Almightie, we might beware, and take héede, that we do not the like déeds, least we be beaten with the [Page 156] same, or sharper rods. The sodaine and fearefull death of Anani­as, and Saphyra his wife, for their hypocrisie, dissimulation, and Act. 5. séeming to be, that they were not, will it no whit mooue vs? Can we liue without feare, and a continuall looking, for the like pre­sente, and sodaine death our selues, when our owne consciences, earely or late, at home or obroad, shall checke, and charge vs, as truely and as iustly as their consciences did checke and charge them? With how many and how great, fearefull and deuou­ring plagues, that haue swallowed vp, infinite thousands of men, women, and children, hath the Lord tried vs, and most louingly admonished vs, in England within these few yéeres? Hath not the whole masse, and weight of the earth, trembled, tottered, and shaken vnder vs, as though it euen groned, and were excéeding wearie, of our sinnes, rebellion, and disobedi­ence towards our creator, and redéemer, and that of late within our owne knowledge, and remembrance? And yet for all that, we procéede in our wickednes, and are woorse and woorse euerie day. So that we séeme to be that wicked crue, and pack of fooles, mentioned by the prophet, which haue said in their harts, there is no God. Those mariners, and méere idolaters, which were Psalm. 14. Ionah. 1. 5. in the ship with Ionas, that had no true knowledge of God, nor any vnderstanding, how to honor and to worship him aright, yea they knew nothing but Paganisme, and idolatrie, may make vs greatly ashamed: for they hauing, but a very little familiaritie, and conference with the prophet, did become very good and true Ionah. 1. 14. 15. & 16. worshippers of the liuing God, and did offer sacrifice, and vowe vowes vnto him: But we haue the lawe, and the prophets of God, & also Christ himselfe, and his apostles, we haue not confe­rence with one, but with them all, we haue his ministers and messengers, daily vnfolding, and interpreting the scriptures of God vnto vs, and yet neuer the better, we will forsake no sinne, but rather choose eternall damnation to do our owne wils, then euerlasting life, to do the will of God. Are we not woorse then those Iewes, which crucified the son of God, euen Iesus Christ? Surely we be: for they hearing Peter preach, but one sermon, a Act. 2. 37. 38. & 39. great number of them were conuerted: But we hearing manie hundreds, are neuer touched with any remorse of conscience, nor mooued to any serious, or true repentance. We are like vnto lepers, vpon whom no water will sticke, nor abide, by reason of the foulnes and greasie matter of their leprosie: Such lepers, [Page 157] and far woorse are we, vpon whom no [...]ewes, nor any drops, of the grace, and word of God, will cleaue, abide, and continue. We do nothing for gods sake, nothing of conscience, nothing of loue, all our actions (the Lord amend it) do sauour and smell of hypo­crisie. It is to be feared, that were it not, for vaine glory sake, and to haue commendations and praises of men, verie few would do any good: and were it not, for feare of shame, or punishment, few would abstaine from any sinne. Idolators, blasphemers, and The trans­gressing, and breaking of the lawes, & commande­ments of god, is offensiue to verie few. violators of the sabaoth, will neuer blush, saie what you will. Children in these daies, thinke it great wisedome, to controule, yea to scorne, and to disobey their parents, elders, and superiors: To murther is manlines: to commit adulterie, and fornication, is but a tricke of youth: to steale, a pretie sleight: to beare false witnes, is counted a gainful trade, and serueth finely to pleasure a fréend: and as for coueting another mans house, his wife, his seruant, his maide, his oxe, asse, or any thing that he hath, it is so common, as houses be in England, yea in London, where they stande neerest one to another. What then, shall the Lords mini­sters, messengers, and preachers, keepe silence, giue ouer their la­bour, and cease vtterly to crie out against sinne? God forbid: the Lord hath a little flocke, and a small remnant, like a litle wheat, in a great heape of chaffe: for their sakes let the seruants, and messengers of the Lord, labor stil. Againe, the harts of al men are in the hands of God, as he made them of nothing, now they are made to conuert men from sinne: Let all the seruants, and chil­dren of God, in this case trie, what they can do with the Lorde, and neuer giue ouer calling vpon him, for their saluation, if it be his will to grant it. They haue indéede harde faces, and Ezech. 2. & 3. harts like adamants, that will not be brused (saith the Lord) yet go to them, and let them know my minde, do thy office, Esay. 58. 1. though they be disobedient, lift vp thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions, and to the house of Iaacob Hos. 5. & 8. their sinnes. Blow ye the trumpet in Gibeah, and the shaume in Rainah: set the trumpet to thy mouth. It may be, that the wals of sinne and wickednes, will fall downe flat, at thy shouting, and Iosu. 6. 20. battering them, with the iudgements of God, as the wals of Ie­richo did, at the sound of the trumpets, and the shouts of the peo­ple: I beséech God, it may be so. And indéede (good reader) that is the onely thing that I desire, séeke for, and beg daily at the hands of God, euen that all idolatrie, hypocrisie, superstition, blasphe­mie, [Page 158] breaking of the Lords sabaoth, and whatsoeuer is against Deut. 30. 20. Act. 4. 19. and Act. 5. 29. any precept of the Lord, may be vtterly abandoned. And if thou for thy part, wilt begin & euen striue to be the first, thou shalt do well. Wed thou thy selfe, as in déede we all ought, to do the will of God, whatsoeuer it cost thée: somthing for my sake, thy poore brother in Christ, that most déerely doth loue thée in the Lord Iesu: and somthing for thy soules sake, to kéepe it out of hell, and that it may come to heauen: but especially for Gods sake, to whom thou owest all obedience, and so shall I thinke my paines well bestowed, and be ready all the daies of my life, to labour still, to do thée good. Loue to thée in Christ Iesu, hath constrained me, to send abroad this little booke of Similies, to let thée know, that I wish well to thée, and that I daily desire, and beséech the almightie, that sinne may be destroied, and that the feare of God may euer possesse thée, dwell in thy hart, and florish in thy hands. True it is (good reader) that we ought to desire, to liue no longer, than we haue a care to liue well, and that the whole course of our liues, may be acceptable to God: That is the Apostles mea­ning, 2. Cor. 5. 9. when he saith: Wherefore also we couet, that both dwel­ling at home, and remoouing from home, we may be acceptable to the Lord. And a little after, the same Apostle saith: that Christ 2. Cor. 5. 15. died for vs, that hencefoorth we should not liue to our selues, but vnto him that died for vs. Therefore it is a méere vanitie, to say we be Christians, vnlesse we cast from vs, our old corruptions, and custome of sinning, and be changed in our mindes, and be­come Ibidem. 17. new creatures in Christ Iesu. The which thing, I do most humbly craue at the hands of God, euen for his owne name, and his onely sonne Christ Iesus his sake, both for thée and me, that when the daies of our miseries, in this dangerous and trouble­some world, shall be expired, thou and I may haue a ioifull mée­ting, with the rest of the Lords saints, and all his holy angels, in the glorie of his endlesse, blessed, and eternall kingdome, through Iesus Christ our Lord: to whom be all honour, power, praise, glorie, and dominion, now, and world without end.