The sick-mans couch A sermon preached before the most noble Prince Henrie at Greenewich, March 12. Ann. 1604. By Thomas Playfere professour of Diuinitie for the Ladie Margaret in Cambridge.

Author: Playfere, Thomas, 1561?-1609.1605

The sick-mans Couch. A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE MOST noble Prince Henrie at Greenewich, March 12. Ann. 1604.

By Thomas Playfere professour of Diuinitie for the Ladie Margaret in Cambridge.

PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT, Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1605. And are to be sold in Pauls Church yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson.

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TO THE RIGHT Honourable my very good Lord, Sir Edward Denny, Knight, Baron of Waltham, grace and peace.

RIght Honorable, beeing appointed to preach the last Lent, I deliuered so much as filled vp the ordinarie time of an hower. But that was scarse halfe this sermon. I vttered no more, to auoyd the offence of the hearer; I write no lesse, to procure the profit of the reader. For as tediousnes without regard of due time, especially in so high a presence, soonest offendeth: so fullnes, where the reader may peruse more or lesse at his pleasure and leysure, best of all edifieth. Therefore I thought good in publishing this sermon rather to enlarge it to the comprehension I had conceiued and meditated in my mind, then to scant it according to that strict compasse of time which I was tied to in the pulpit. For by this meanes all that will vouchsafe to looke into it may make their profit thereby. They which were present by veiwing the whole, whereas they heard but halfe: they which were absent, by hauing the preachers meaning, though they be vnacquainted with his affection. And yet perhaps it may please God to blesse this poore excercise to diuers heavenly minded men in such sort, as they may take occasion by some things [Page] here intimated, not onely to conceiue more then they find directly specified, but also to be more diumely inspired and sweetly affected, then it pleased God to vouchsafe mee of his grace, either at the preaching or penning of it. Howsoeuer, seeing this discourse exhorteth principally to repentance and patience in the time of sicknes, and to a preparation of our selues by a good life vnto a happie death, which is a doctrine most necessarie in this great mortalitie, that hath lately bin, & is yet feared: especially also for that the greater part of it I neuer preached any where, but onely penned in my study, I thought my selfe so farr bound in dutie to this blessed church wherein we liue, as not to hide it in a napkin, but according to the Apostles rule, if I haue found comfort my sefe by some meditations here opened, then to comfort them that are afflicted by the same comfort wherewith we our selues haue bin comforted of God. And bethinking mee of one vnder whose protection it might passe in publick, I thought best to make bold with your Lordship. For though all sorts peraduenture may be fitted with some thing or other in this plaine sermon, which they may make vse of, yet those I am sure will conn me most thanks for my well-meaning endeauour, which haue had most experience and triall of Gods louing mercie in this kind. Now your good Lorship hauing bin deliuered more then once or twice from dangerous sicknesse, haue learned such patience, such meekenes, such vnfeined repentance, such true mortification, such assurance of Gods loue, such confidence in Christ, such other good vertues of a right sanctified spirit, by this fatherly visitation of the Lord which is not wanting euen oftentimes to his dearest children, as you could neuer haue [Page] learned, at leastwise in the same measure, in health. Besides, I haue bin so especially beholding to your Honor, euen since you were first of S. Iohns college, that I could not satisfie my selfe with the inward dutie and thankfulnes towards you which I haue euer faithfully laid vp in my brest, except I also shewed the same by some such outward testimonie, as might cleare me to you and the world of vngratfulnes. Wherefore I doe so presume to dedicate this small labour to your good acceptance, as withall I hartely desire all those that shall receiue edisication thereby, to pray together with me for the continuance of your Lord-ships good health and wellfare, that long you may euen in this world enioy this your late honorable addition, and all other good gifts of God, and fauours of our gracious Soueraygne, to the benefit of this Church, and commonwealth. From Cambridge the 28. of Iune, 1605.

Your Lordships euer to command, THOMAS PLAYFERE.

The quotations in the margent with figures, were, or should haue bin, deliuered at the preaching: the rest with letters, are only for the printing.

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THE SICKEmans Couch.

Psalm. 6. v. 6.

I water my couch with my teares.

NOthing is more delightsome then the seruice of God, and loue of vertue: nothing more full of griefe and sorrow, then sinne. Gods commandements are not heauie 1. Ioh. 5.3.: yea his yoke is easie, and his burden light Matth. 11.30.. On the other side, how deepely sinne woundeth the very conscience, the heathen Orator confesseth, saying, I will not buie repentance so deare Non emam tanti poenitere. Demosth.. Agreeable to that of the Apostle, What fruit haue you of those things, whereof you are now ashamed? For the ende of those things is death Rom. 6.21.. Looke how the Israelites wearied themselues in clay and bricke, without any profit or reward; [Page 2] nay whē they had don there very best, they were by Pharaos taske-masters well beaten for their paines Exod. 5.14.: euen so the world, the flesh, the deuill, as rigorous taske-masters incite men to sinne, but all the reward they yeeld them, is onely mortall and immortall griefe. And as the sea roareth and fometh, and neuer is at rest Esa. 57.20.; after the same sort, the wicked are like the raging sea, foming out their owne shame Epist. Iud. 13., and neuer rest, till hauing made shipwracke of faith 1. Tim. 6.9., they be drowned in perdition and destruction. They which worship the beast, haue no rest day nor night Reuel. 14.11.. Now what beast so cruell as sinne? which not onely killeth the bodie, as a beast doth, but sleieth the soule Sapien. 1.11., yea it destroieth both bodie and soule in hell Matth. 10.20.. Therefore this indeede is the beast, which depriueth all those that serue it, of libertie and rest. Of whome the Prophet Ieremie writeth thus; Ier. 9.5. They haue taught their tongues to speake lies, and they take great paines to doe wickedly.

This, holy King Dauid had good experience of. Namely, that in sinne, there is nothing but sorrowes and paines. For lying here sicke in his bed Hereupon I entitle this sermon, The sicke-mans couch., and feeling this same sicknes to be a stroak of Gods heauie hand for his offence, he cries God heartily mercie, and saies, Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord, for I am weake: O Lord, heale me, for my bones are vexed. My soule also is sore troubled, but Lord, how long wilt thou delay? Now that his soule is sore troubled, he prooueth in this present verse; I am wearie of my groanings, [Page 3] euery night I wash my bed, and water my couch with my teares. The soule must needes be sore troubled, which is so grieuously tormented. Especially in the words of my text, by three notable amplifications, he sheweth how serious and syncere his repentance is. First, saies he, Not onely I wash, but also I water: secondly, Not onely my bed, but also my couch: thirdly, Not only with my gronings, but also with my teares. I water my couch with my teares.

These will be very godly and ghostly meditations. The rather, in this time of lent. Onely the worst, I doubt, will be mine. For that hauing discoursed at large of this doctrine els where In the sermon entitled, The meane in mourning., I can not now cull out the choisest matter, but must be fain to gather together such fragments as were then left. I water my couch with my teares.

The first amplification is in this word, I water. Not onely I wash, but also I water. The faithfull sheepe of the great shepheard, goe vp from the washing-place euery one bringing forth twinns, and none barren among them Cant. 4.2.. For so Iacobs sheep hauing conceiued at the watering-troughs, brought forth strong and particoloured lambs Gen. 30.38.. Dauid likewise, who before had erred and strayed like a lost sheepe Psal. 119. vlt., making here his bed a washing-place, by so much the lesse is barren in obedience, by how much the more he is fruitfull in repentance. In Salomons temple stood ten Caldrons of brasse, to wash the flesh of those beasts, which were to be sacrificed on the alter 1. Reg. 7.38.. Salomons father, maketh a water of his [Page 4] teares, a cauldron of his bed, an alter of his heart, a sacrifice, not of the flesh of vnreasonable beasts, but of his owne bodie, a liuing sacrifice, which is his reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12.1.. Now the Hebrewe word Askch. here vsed, signifies properly, To cause to swim, which is more, then simply to wash. And thus the Geneua translation readeth it, I cause my bed euery night to swim. So that as the preists vsed to swim in the molten Sea 1 Reg. 7.47., that they might be pure & cleane, against they performed the holy rites and seruices of the temple: in like manner the princely prophet washeth his bed, yea he swimmeth in his bed, or rather he causeth his bed to swim in teares, as in a sea of greife and penitent sorrowe, for his sinne. Neither were this so much to be wondered at, but that he frames the amplification thus; Not onely I wash, but also I water. Watering in scripture is attributed to sundry things. The holy ghost watereth. Except a man be borne again of water, and of the holy Ghost Iohn. 3.5.. Because the holy ghost purgeth and cleanseth like water. The word watereth. Paul planteth, Apollo watereth, but God giueth the encrease 1. Cor. 3.6.. Baptisme watereth. Which was prefigured in the water of Noahs floode 1 Peter. 3.21., and more plainly in the water that came out of Christs side Iohn. 19 34.. Repentance watereth. As in this place; I water my couche with my teares. Out of Eden went a riuer to water the garden Gen. 2.10.: but Dauids eyes gush out many riuers of water Psal. 119.130., to water his couch with his teares. As in Sicilia there is a fountaine called Fons Solis, [Page 5] out of which at midday when the sunn is nearest floweth cold water, at midnight when the Sunn is farthest off, floweth hot water Pomponius Mela.: so the Patriarch Dauids head is full of water Ierem. 9.1., and his eyes a fountaine of teares, who when he enioyed his health, as the warme sunshine, was cold in confessing his sinns, but being now visited with sicknes his reines chastising him in the night season Psal. 16.7., is so sore troubled, and withal so hot and so feruent, that euery night he washeth his bed, and watereth, nay euen melteth his couch with teares. For this Hebrewe word Amseh., is diuersely translated also as well as the other. The best learned interpretors Bucerus: Tremellius: & alii. translate it Liquefacio, I melt. And then the meaning is, I water my couch so thoroughly that I make it melt with my teares. We see yce and snow swim a while in the water, but anon after they melt away: right so the holy kings heart in the midst of his brest is euen as melting waxe Psal. 22.14., yea his very couch beeing rensed and steeped in teares, melteth away as snowe before the sunne. Neither yet doth he thinke himselfe cleane enough for all this, but still bewayling his offence, he sayes with blessed Iob, Iob. 9.30. Though I wash my selfe with snow-water, and purge my hands most cleane, yet shalt thou plunge me in the pit, and mine owne cloaths shall make me filthie.

Hence we may learne two speciall points for our instruction. One is, that our repentance must be continuall. For the Psalmist hauing said before, Laborauiin gemitu meo. I haue bin wearie of my gronings, addes [Page 6] here at the last, Stratum meum rigab [...]. vulg. I will water my couch with my teares. I haue bin weary, and, I will be wearie: or, I haue watred, and I wil water; implyes a perpetuitie of repentance. We read it commonly in the Psalme thus; The mouth of all wickednes shall be stopped Psal. 107.42.. Which is true, first in this life. Where seeing before their eyes so many examples of Gods prouidence and protection ouer his children, if they will not praise him, yet they shall be enforced, will they nill they, at leastwise to hold their peace, and not blaspheme him. Then at the day of iudgement. For that ghest, who when the king asked him, why he wanted a wedding garment, was altogether speachles Mat. 22.12., though he be but one yet is a patterne of all, and sheweth what a pitifull case all the wicked shall be in at that day, when their mouthes shall be stopped, hauing not a word to say for themselues. But it might as well out of the originall be translated thus; Kaphetzah. Hebr. Ithcassemath. Chald. Omnis iniquilas contrahit os suum. Muscul. Oppilabit: in margine, Oppilauit. Vulg.The mouth of all wickednes is stopped. For foolish men are plagued for their offences, and because of their iniquities Vers. 17.. Because they rebell against the words of the Lord, and lightly regard the councell of the most high Vers. 11.. Therefore many times their fruitfull land maketh he barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Vers. 34.. Yet so foolish are they, that they will not once open their mouth to confesse, either their owne wickednes, or Gods goodnes. Their mouthes are so stopped, that they will neither crie to the Lord in their trouble, that so they may be deliuered [Page 7] from their distresse, nor yet when they are deliuered, praise the Lord for his goodnes, and declare the wōders that he doth for the childrē of men. The stopping of their mouth thē, is a double, both sinne in them, and punishment to thē. A double sinne, because they open it not, to crie vnto the Lord for deliuerance, or to reioyce in the Lord, and to praise him after deliuerance. A double punishment, because for their not praysing God, their mouthes shall be so stopt that yet they shall not blaspheme him; and for their not dispraising themselues, and confessing their sinnes, and repenting, and crying to God for pardon, they shall haue nothing, though they would neuer so faine, at the last to say for themselues. Wherby we see that wicked mēs mouths shall be stopped, because they haue bin stopped. Seeing if they had bin open in this life to accuse their own selues for their sinns, then they should be open also at the day of iudgment, beeing excused by the Lord. But, because they haue bin stopt here to couer their sinne, therefore they shall be stopt hereafter to discouer their shame. Now if the wicked shall haue hard hap hereafter, whē their mouths shall be stopped, because they haue had hard hearts here, where their mouths haue bin stopped: then consequently, the godly must at no time stop, either their mouthes from confessing, or their eyes from bewayling their sinnes. Tertullian de Poenitentiâ. In fine. saith of himselfe, that he is Omnium notarum peccator. a notorious sinner Et nulli rei nisi poenitentiae natus., and borne for nothing but for repentance. He that is Omnium [Page 8] notarum peccator, soiled with euery sinne, must be Omnium horarum poenitens, ass [...]y [...]ed euery hower of his sinne. And he that is b [...]ne for nothing but for repentance, must practise repentance as long as he liues in this world, into which he is borne. Not, sayes Hilary In Psal. 135. Quod peccandum semper sit, v [...]semper si [...] confitendum., as though we should continually sinne, that we might continually repent Sed quia peccati veteris & antiqui vtilis sit ind [...]f [...]ssa co [...] fessio., but because it is very be [...]oofefull for vs, that that sinne, which we knowe well is alreadie released by the Lord, should yet still be confessed by vs. For by this means, the merits of Christ are continually imputed vnto vs, which wee by our sinnes had iustly deserued to be depriued of. And moreouer, though in some sort we be sure of pardon alreadie, yet the daily exercise of true repentance maketh our vocation and election more and more sure vnto vs 2 Pet. 1.10.. In this sense the Psalmist sayes againe Psalm. 32.5. Notum faciā, non abscondi., I will acknowledge my sinne, & mine iniquitie I haue not hid. I haue not stopt my mouth, and I will not stop my mouth: I haue not hid mine iniquity, & I wil not hide mine iniquity; a cōtinual repentance. As it is here also, I haue bin weary, and I will be wearie; I haue watered, and I will water: I water my couch with my teares.

The other point which we may hence learn is this, That our repentance must alwaies be ioyned with a purpose of new obedience. I haue bin wearie of my gronings, sayes he. That he is sure of, and that is past. But though he haue bin weary, yet indeed he is not wearie, seeing he purposeth twice as much as he hath performed. [Page 9] For for one performance Laboraui, that is past, here are two purposes, Lauabo and Rigabo, that are to come. I haue done it allready, saies he, so so: but if I liue longer, I will doe it oftner, and better. I will wash my bed, and I will water my couch with my teares. So that the greatest righteousnes of the saints in this life, consisteth rather in a daily deploring of their sinnes, & in a faithfull purpose to amend, then in any eminent and absolute perfection Nostra iustitia tanta est in hac vitâ, vt po [...]ius Peccatorum remissione cons [...]t, quàm perfec [...]ione Virtutum. August. de Ciuit. Dei. l. 19. c. 27. Not that wee ought to serue God by halfes as it were, with purposes & intents, but that hereby the vnperfitnes of our obedience may appeare, which though it be as much as wee can doe considering the weakenes of our abilitie, yet it is not halfe so much as wee ought to doe, considering the excellencie of Gods lawe. Wherefore I shew now, not what should be, but what is, because the best obedience of ours that is, is not so much as the lest part of that which should be. Harken I pray you attentiuely to that which S. Paul writeth Rom. 7.19.; To will is present with mee: but I find no meanes to performe that which is good. For the good which I would doe, that doe I not: but the euill which I would not doe, that doe I. Now if I doe that I would not, it is no more I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in mee. Where the Apostle plainly distinguisheth betwene these two, to will good, and to performe good. And the one he saith is present with him, but the other he can no where find. Now if so chosen a vessell Acts. 9.15., will much more good, then he can performe, then [Page 10] questionles wee that are farre inferiour, please God, rather by a willing purpose to doe good, then by any full performance of that which wee purpose. Againe, whereas he saies; If I doe that I would not, it is no more I that doe it, but sinne that dwelleth in me; he meaneth not to excuse or extenuate his fault any way, but to shew, that the principall scope and intent of his heart is to serue the lawe of God, howsoeuer contrarie to his intent by the violence of his flesh, he bee drawne to serue sinne. And therefore he saies, The good which I would, that doe I not; but the euill which I would not, that doe I. Insinuating hereby, that the regenerate man, beeing not wholy flesh nor wholy spirit, but partly flesh and partly spirit, as he is spirit would doe that good, which as he is flesh he doth not, & as he is flesh doth that euil, which as he is spirit, he would not. Which makes him also say, Act. 24.16. Studeo, I studie, or I endeauour my selfe to haue alway a cleare cō science, toward God and man. He speaketh not of his Apostleship, in which he was immediately inspired, and continually directed by the spirit. For touching that he saies el [...]where Nihil mihi conscius sum., I am guiltie to my selfe of nothing 1. Cor. 4.4.. But out of the compasse of his Apostolical calling, he dares not warrant, that he hath a cleare conscience euery manner of way, but only that he studieth or endeauoreth to haue a cleare conscience. So his fellowe-disciple Barnabas exhorteth them of Antioch that with purpose of heart, they would cleaue vnto the Lord Act. 11.23.. For as long as we liue in [Page 11] this tabernacle, sinne cleaueth so fast to vs Hebr. 12.1., that wee can not constantly cleaue vnto the Lord 1. Cor. 7.35.. Notwithstanding at least wise in purpose of heart it is good for vs to shake off all sinne, & only to hold vs fast vnto god Psalm. 73.28.. But this our prophet, even in one psalme, to wit the hundred and ninetenth, affordeth vs many pregnant testimonies to this truth. 112. Vers. I haue applied my hart to fulfil thy statutes alwayes, euen vnto the end. Though he can not fulfill gods law as well as he would, yet as hard as he possibly can hee plyes it, & applyes his heart to it 57. Vers.. O Lord thou art my portion, I haue determined to keepe thy words. Marke ye this. He can not say, he hath euer kept the word of god in deede, but yet because his hearts desire is earnestly bent that way, he sayes; I haue determined to keepe thy words. 106. Vers. I haue sworne and am steadfastly resolued, to keepe thy righteous iudgments. O louing heart to God! O loathing heart to his sinnes! O zealous, O fiery words! I haue sworne & am steadfastly resolued to keep thy righteous iudgmēts. Iurani & Statui. This iuror hauing sworne himselfe to gods statutes to keepe them, yet is the foreman of the quest to giue in a verdit against his owne selfe, that he hath not kept them. So that Dauids Statuo is all one with Pauls Studeo. And therfore though we may perhaps, and, alas, doe dayly (god forgiue vs) transgresse these righteous iudgments, yet our holy oath, our solemne vowe, our assured promise, our steadfast resolution, is, I hope, I am sure ought to be, to the contrary. For after [Page 12] our first cōuersion & vnfeyned repētance, as we can neuer satisfie god, so we must neuer satisfie our selues. Seeing the best thing that is in vs, is no great performance of any good, god wot, but only a ready will to doe good: a studious indeavour to haue a cleare conscience: a purpose of the heart to cleaue vnto the lord: an applying of the heart, to fulfill gods statutes: a setled determination to keepe gods words: a steadfast resolution to keepe gods righteous iudgments. As wee may see in this place. Laboraui, I haue bene weary of my gronings. Thats true. I but I purpose to doe much more hereafter. Lauabo and Rigabo. I will wash my bed, and I will water my couch. I water my couche with my teares.

The second amplification is in the word, my couche. Not only my bed, but also my couche. The bed is a place of rest. Especially that florishing bed Floridus lectulus. Can. 1.15., wherein the heauenly husband giueth his well-beloued sleepe Psal. 127.3.. Yet as the darkenes is no darknes to god, but day and night are both alike to him: Psal. 139.12. so the bed is no bed to Dauid, but in it and out of it, to him are all one. Therefore he may well complaine with poore afflicted Iob Iob. 7.15.; when I say, my couche shall releiue me, and my bed shall bring comfort in my meditation, then fearest thou me with dreames, and astonishest me with visions. Now the fearfulst vision of all, which most astonishes him, and holds his eies waking Psal. 88.9., and enforces him to wash his bed with his teares, is the horrible sight & greiuous remēbrance of his sinnes. Neuerthelesse the amplification [Page 13] is much enlarged by that he saies, Not onely my bed, but also my couch. For there is as I take it, a double difference betwene these two. First, a bed is to sleep in by night: a couch is to sleep vpon in the day time. As Mephibosheth at noone in the heate of the day slept vpon a couch. 2. Sam. 4.5. And Dauid in the aftern-noone rose from sleeping on his couch 2 Sam. 11.2., when he first sawe Vriah's wife. Then againe, a bed is standing & hygher: a couch is like a pallet, either vpon the bare flower, or els very neare it. As in Salomons bed-chamber, Can 3.10. the bed was of gold, the couch, whereby he stept vp to his bed, of purple Recli. at [...] rium a [...]r [...]um, Asce [...]sus purpureus.. Dauid also saith, Psal. 132.3. I will not climbe vp into the bed of my couch Non asiendam in lectum strati m [...]i.; as much to say as, into that bed, to which I ascend by a pallet or couch. So that his soule no question was sore troubled, when as lying sicke in bed he wept so aboundantly, that with his teares, not only he washt his bed wherein he himselfe lay, but watred his couch also, which couch lay beneath or beside his bed. That pretious oyntment was sure very liquid, which did runn downe from Aarons head to the skirts of his garments. Psal. 133.2. That current of teares was very swift, which streaming from Mary Magdalens face was sufficient to wash Christs feete Luc. 7 38.. That bloodie sweate was very painfull, Luc. 22.44. [...]. which bathed our Lords body all ouer, and besides trickled downe ^x to the ground. Axa requested her father Caleb to giue her a blessing. For saith she, thou hast giuen me the south countrey, giue me also springs of water. And he gaue her Iosua 15.19. Irriguum superius, & irriguii inferius. the [Page 14] springs aboue, and the springs beneath. This same blessing and gift Dauid likewise had here obtayned of God. For his washt bed was a spring aboue, and his watred couch a spring beneath. Euen as the oyntment, vpon Aarons head was a spring aboue, vpon the skirts of his garments a spring beneath: and the teares, vpon Maries face were a spring aboue, vpon Christs feet a spring beneath: and the sweate, vpon our Lords body was a spring aboue, vpon the groūd a spring beneath. So here, I say, is, irriguum superius, and irriguum inferius, a spring aboue, and a spring beneath: I wash my bed, and water my couch with my teares.

Hence we may learne one very excellent good lesson. That we ought in the same kind and sort as we haue sinned, if it be possible, to make some part of amends for our sinne. Dauid had haynously transgressed against God vpon his couch, where he committed adultery. Therefore that in the selfe same place, where before he had bin ouercome by the deuill, he might erect an eternall monument of his victorie and triumph ouer the deuill, he saies here; I water my couch with my teares. In the very same couch God is as highly now honored, as he was before offended. Because Dauid did before pollute it by adultery, but now he doth sanctifie it by repentance. So the Israelites Exod. 35.22., once pluckt off their earings to make a golden calfe: but anon after, repenting them, they offered their earings to the building of the temple. And so with the same Iewels, [Page 15] wherewith they did erect Idolatrie, now they maintaine Gods seruice. Zacheus Luc. 19.8. beeing a Publican, no doubt got much of his goods by plaine briberie and extortion: but not long after, he restored all againe foure-fold, and spent of his wealth very frankly and bountifully to giue Christ a friendly welcome, and kind entertainment in his house. That sinnefull woman Luc. 7.38., of whome I spake euen now, neuer tooke halfe so much delight in entising her louers with her beautifull lockes, as now shee is glad with all her heart to wipe the very feete of our Sauiour with them. A worthie example of this we haue in our owne stories. Archbishop Cranmer See Master Fox his booke of M [...]rtyrs. of blessed memorie, could neuer satisfie his conscience after his recantation, till he had burnt that hand to ashes which subscribed. And so he tooke a holy reuenge of himselfe, as S. Paul willeth vs 2. Cor. 7.11., by suffering in a manner two martyrdomes, one after the other. One, which he put himselfe to, by burning first his right hand: the other, which the Papists put him to, by burning afterward his whole bodie. And so that constant and faithfull right-hand of his, neuer so much dishonoured God by his subscription with inke to the bill, as it did honour God by his inscription with blood in the fire. The Apostles wordes are generall, Rom. 6.19.As you haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannes to commit iniquitie, so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines. Euen as the Israelites gaue their Iewels, and Zacheus gaue his goods: and [Page 16] Marie gaue her haite: and Cranmer gaue his hand. Yet we read Eusebius Histo. Eccles. l. 6. cap. 8. that Origen made himselfe an Eunuch: Democritus put out his owne eyes: Crates cast his mony into the sea: Thracius cut downe all his vines. Dauid did not so. He kept the same couch still, and onely changd his mind. As for Origen, strange it is, that peruerting so many other places by allegories, onely he should peruert one place by not admitting an allegorie. For our Lord commanding to cut off the foote, or any part of the bodie which offendeth vs Marc. 9.47., doth not meane we should cut it off with a knife, but with a holy and a mortified life. Therfore Origen was iustly punished, by vsing too litle diligence, where there was great neede, because he vsed to great diligence where there was little neede I [...]a euemit, vt cúm aliquid vbi non oportet adhibetur, illic vbi oportet negligatur. Tertul. libro de Poeniten. initio.. How much better did Ioseph, Gen. 39.10. who beeing assaulted by Putiphars wife, did not any way maime himselfe, but still kept his bodie vndefiled as the temple of the holy ghost? And so pleased God, as well then in chast single-life, as in chast matrimonie afterwardes. What should I say of Democritus, who was blinded before he was blind? Tertullian writeth thus of him, In Apolog. c. 45. Democritus excoecando scipsum incontinentiam emē datione prófitetur. Democritus putting out his owne eyes, doth by that very remedie which he vseth against incontinencie, professe the greatest incontinencie of all. At Christianus salvis oculis [...]oeminá vid [...]t, animo aduersus libidines caecus est. But a Christian neede not put out his eyes for feare of seeing a woman: for howsoeuer his bodily eye see, yet still his heart is blind against all vnlawfull desires. Here Tertullian vseth two very pithie and graue reasons. [Page 17] One is this; The putting out of the eyes is not a bridle to restraine incontinencie, but rather a marke to descrie it. For he that doth so, in a manner openly confesseth, concupiscence so raigneth in him Rom. 6.12., that he can by no kinde of meanes resist it, but by a violent boaring out of his owne eyes. The other is this; The fault is not in the eye, but in the heart. Therefore to put out the eye, is to make cleane but the outside of the platter Luc. 11.39.. For if the affection of the heart be well ordered, the sight of the eye neede not be feared. Iust Lot euery day seeing the vnlawful deeds of the Sodomites 2. Pet. 2.8., was grieued with it, but not endaungered by it For he saide no doubt with holy Iob, Iob. 31.1. I haue made a couenant with mine eyes, not to looke vpon a maide. Now Crates The banus was not well aduised neither, who did cast his money into the sea, saying, Ego m [...]rg [...] vos, ne ipse mergar à vobi [...]. Nay sure I will drowne you first in the sea, rather then you should drowne in me in couetousnes & care. Lactantius reasoneth with him thus, Institut. l. 3. c. 23. Si tantus pecu [...]iae contemptus est, fac illam beneficium, fachumanitatem, largire pauperibus. If thou contemne money so much, then doe good with it, shewe thy liberalitie by it, bestowe it on the poore. Potes [...] hoc quod perditurus es multis succurrere, nefame, aut siti, aut nuditate moriantur. This money that thou art readie to cast into the sea, might releeue a great many, that they perish not, by hunger, or thirst, or nakednes. The summe of his argument is this; Euery Crates must not looke to be Polycrates. Or so happily to get his money againe, as he got his ring againe. Therefore, that man cares not for money; not which flings it away, but which spends it well: not which imploies it to no vse, [Page 18] but which imploies it to a good vse: not which casts it into the waters, where he is like neuer to see it again, but which casts it vpon the waters Super aequas. Ecclesiastes 11.1., where the poore shall finde it. For so Abraham beeing very rich, laid out his substance for the most part in hospitality. He vsed to sit at his tent doore, vnder the oke of Mambre, iust about dinner time Genes. 18.1., to see what strangers passed by, that he might bring them in with him to his table. Thus must wee (most Honourable, and blessed Christian brethren) thus must wee, I say, make vs friends of the vnrighteous Mammon Luc. 16.9., that euery way we may glorifie God, with our soules, with our bodies, with our substance and goods. Lastly Thracius, of whome Aulus Gellius writeth Noctium Attica. l. 19. cap. 13. Homo miser vites suas sibi omnes detruncat., was, for any thing that I can see, euen at that time most of all drunken, when he cut downe all his vines, least he should be drunken. For he that so foolishly did cut downe all his owne vines, by the same reason, if all the vines in the world had bin his owne, would haue cut them all downe. Howbeit, if euery thing must be taken away that may be abused, then away with the name of God, away with the word of God, away with all good things that are. Therefore we can not allow this deuise of Thracius, but wee must disallow S. Pauls aduise to Timothie 1. Timo. 6.23. Modico vino vtcre. Vulg.; Vse a litle wine for thy stomacks sake, and thine often infirmities. For if all vines were cut downe, where should Timothie get a litle wine? Wherefore he holdeth a good meane betweene two extremities. To be drunken, is one extremitie: [Page 19] to cut downe all the vines, is another extremitie. But Timothy keeping the right meane, vseth wine, least all the vines should bee cut downe: and yet but a little wine, least he should be drunken. He vseth wine, to helpe his infirmitie, and yet but a little wine to auoid superfluitie. And he puts the modicum before the vinum, the little before the wine, as S. Bernard noteth Omnes rum ex qu [...] monachisumu infirmum stom [...] chum habemus & tā necessari▪ Apostoli de vtendo vino cō silium meritò non negligimus: modico tamen, quod ille praemisit, nescio cur praetermisso. In Apologia ad Gulielmum Abbatem. [...] sus finem. [...]csi di [...]cret; vinū Apostolus admittit, monachus immittit: modicū, Apostolus praemittit, monachus praetermittit.. Because of two extremities, drunkennes, and drynes; that he knowes to be the greater, this to be the lesser. Therefore he is not so desirous to drinke wine, that his stomack may be strengthned, as he is carefull to drinke but a little wine, least his head should be weakened. To conclude then; Dauid dealeth not so with his couch, as Origen did with his bodie: as Democritus did with his eyes: as Crates did with his mony: as Thracius did with his vines; No such matter: but contrariwise; Euen as Ioseph with that same bodie did raise vp himselfe a holy seede, wherewith others commit vncleannes: and Lot, with those same eyes did lament the sinnes of his people, wherewith others allure and are allured to lightnes: and Abraham with that same mony did entertaine strangers, wherewith others are cast away when they haue cast it away about nothing: and Timothie with those same wines did helpe his disgestion, wherewith others ouerwhelme their nature: so Dauid in that very same couch, wherein many committ folly, and wherein once he himself also had bin as much ouerseen as any other, doth now offer vp the sacrifice of his [Page 20] sorrowfull soule, and contrite spirit to God. So that he cuts not off any member from his body, but praies that he himselfe (as he had well deserued) might not be cut off, as a dead member from the body of Christ: he puts not out his owne eyes, but almost weeps them out: he drownes not his couch in the sea, but in his teares: he auoides drunkennes, not by cutting downe all his vines, but by taking the cup of saluation, and calling vpon the name of the Lord Psal. 16.13, and drinking-vp this cup full of vinum Angelorum Est lacryma pingue holocaustum, virtutum mater, culparū lauacrum, Angelorum vinum. Iohan. Climacus, the teares of which he saies here, I water my couch with my teares.

The third and last amplification is in the last worde, with my teares. Not onely with my groanings, but also with my teares. The church militant here on earth is resembled, to a turtle. The voyce of the turtle is heard in our land. Cantic. 2.12. Because Turtur gemit, non cani [...].the voice of the turtle is not cheerfull or merry, but groaning or mourning. Now in sacrificing the turtle Leuit. 1.15., among many other ceremonies, the Priest was appointed to wring the head of it backward Dauid also, cleapeth himselfe a turtle when he saies, O deliuer not the soule of thy turtle-doue into the hands of the enemies. And he is sacrificed by hauing his head wrong backward as it were, when as looking backward to his former sinnes, he groaneth, and is wearie of his groanings. But yet the amplification runnes in a farre higher stile, for that he saies, Not onely with my groanings, but also with my teares. Augustus Cesar was much delighted in the companie [Page 21] of learned men. Especially of two famous Poets which liued in his time, Virgil & Horace. Of the which, Virgil was so much giuen to groaning and sighing, that commonly he was called Suspirabundus: and Horace was borne bleare-eyed. Therefore vpon a time Augustus sitting in the midst between Virgil and Horace, and one that might be bolde asking him what he did: mary saies he, S [...]deo int [...]r sus [...]iria & lachrymas. I sit here between groanings and teares. Our Augustus, King Dauid I meane, sitteth not betweene groanings & teares, but lieth sick in his bed, very sore troubled and euen almost ouerwhelmed with them both. For as that little cloude like a mans hand, which Elizeus sawe, brought with it at length a great shower 1. Reg. 18.44.: in semblable wise, those gronings of his, as a cloude, or as thūder, did giue warning in a manner, that anon after would followe a dreery shower of teares. And as the sea sends foorth floods which water the whole earth Eccles. 1.7.: so the sweet singer of Israel otherwise, but here alas the pitifulst weeper in the world, his contrition being great like the sea Lament. 2.13., makes a floode as I may say, and waters his couch with his teares. S. Austin, Confess. l. 8. cap. 12. warranteth both these cōparisons, of a shower of teares, and of a flood of teares. The first in these wordes; Vbi. alta cō sideratio cōgessit totam mis [...] riam meam in conspectu cordis mei, When I deeply considered with my selfe the miserable estate wherein I stoode, oborta est procella ingens ferens ingen [...]è imbrem lachrymarum. there arose in my heart a tempestuous storme, bringing with it a mightie shower of teares. There is a shower of teares. The second in these wordes; Ego sub quadam fici arbore stra [...]ime, & dimisi habenas lachrymis, Then I laide mee downe flat [Page 22] groueling vpon the ground vnder a certaine figg-tree, and did let mine eyes weepe, and spare not, euen their fill, as much as they would, & proruperunt flumina oculorum meorum. and presently gushed foorth whole floods of teares. Here is a flood of teares Perque sinus lacrymae fluminis instar eunt..

Hence wee may gather two very profitable notes, worthie of our remembrance. The first is, That euery new act of sinne must be bewailed by a new act of repentance. Not that it is possible for vs to reckon vp or euen so much as to remember all and euery of our sinnes, but that hauing hartely repented of those, or of that sinne which most dangerously hath wasted & al-most destroyed our conscience, then wee ought at the last to say with the Psalmist, Psal. 29.12. Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes. This same holy prophet, euen when he was in the state of grace, defiled himselfe with an other mans wife. Yet he slept not ouerlong in this sinne, but being awaked by the prophet Nathan, and more thoroughly by this sicknes which was gods messenger vnto him, he renewed his repentance, and watered his couche with his teares. So must we. For it is nothing but a slander which the church of Rome casteth vpon vs, that forsooth we should teach, a man whose person is iustified by faith in Christ committing some foule act, is neuer a whit the worse for it. Nay, our doctrine is this, That such an one hath hurt himselfe two waies. In respect of his owne guiltines; and in respect of Gods righteousnes. For the first; though God for his part doe not [Page 23] breake off the purpose of adoption, and adiudge him to wrath, and therefore he is not guiltie of condemnation for sin; yet he is simply guiltie of sin, & hath grieuously wounded his owne cōscience. For the second; though God again hath pardoned all the sins of his elect, euen those that are to come, by his decree, by his promise, by the valewe and price of his sonnes merits, yet absolutely and actually he doth not apply this pardō to the apprehension and feeling of the sinners fayth, till he recouer himselfe, and renewe his repentance. Marry this we teach, that god vphouldeth his chosen children so by faith and repentance, that it is vnpossible any of thē should die in finall impenitency. But that sweet sanctifiing spirit which dwelleth in them, is still busy like a bee as we say, and neuer leaues stinging them, & stirring them vp to repentance, and working them like waxe as it were, till as much as it was before greiued for their auersion by sin, so much it be after delighted for their conuersion by amendment of life. Therefore as all they neede not to doubt a whit of their saluation, who after they haue fallen a sleepe in sinne, awake betimes, and water their couch with their teares: so I assure you (Holy Brethren) theire case is dangerous & desperate, nay they are in a cursed case, which will not be awaked, but lie still sleeping & snoring in sin. Seeing no pardō can be procured, but where repentance is renewed. For god doth not giue vs rules to keepe, and breake them himselfe. Now his rule is this; Luc. 17.4. Though thy brother sinne [Page 24] against thee seuen times in a day, & seuen times in a day turne again to thee, saying, It repenteth me; thou shalt forgiue him. Therefore as I am bound to forgiue my brother in deed, though he doe not aske me forgiuenes, but I am not bound to goe to him and tell him, I forgiue him, except he first come to me and tell me He repents, but if he doe thus, then am I bound also to tell him I forgiue him: so the lord though in the gratious degree of his fatherly adoption he haue sealed vp the remission of all our sinnes, yet he doth not open the bagg, and shew the treasures of his mercy to vs ward in it, till he see vs become new men. For then he hath bound him selfe by his louing promise, and hath giuen vs his word▪ that he will forgiue vs our sinne. At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth, saith he Ezech, 18.21., and watereth his couche with his teares, I will remember his iniquities no more. Naaman the Syrian was willed to wash himselfe seauen times in Iordan. 2. Reg. 5.10. Why seauen times? was not one time enough? Yes surely. For him it was enough, but not for vs. For that was done, rather for our example, then for his benefit. Seeing his malady was only a leprosie: but our soule is leprous with sinne. And therefore if he for one leprosie wasnt himselfe seauen times, how much more ought we euery time we sinne to be sorry for it, and if wee doe not wash our selues seauen times for one sinne, yet at the leastwise to wash our selues seauen times for seauen sinnes, seeing the most iust [Page 25] of vs all, as Salomon witnesseth Pro. 24.16., may seauen times fal in one day? Or rather many men in the world haue not only seauen deadly sinnes, but euen seauen deuills in them Luc. 8.2., which they can no waies wash out, but by bitter weeping, and watering their couch with their teares. To the angel of Ephesus thus saith the spirit Reuel. 2.5., Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and doe the first workes, or els I will remooue thy candlesticke out of his place. So that if we let our sinne stand still, our candlesticke shall be remooued: but if we would haue our candlesticke stand still, our sinne must be remooued. We must repent and doe the first workes, not those which we must repent of, but those which wee are fallen from. Wonderfull are the words of the Apostle; God hath committed the word of reconciliation vnto vs, therefore we are Christs embassadours, and God entreating you as it were by vs, wee beseech you in the name of Christ, that you would be reconciled to God 2. Cor. 5.20.. What, may some man say, were not the Corinthians reconciled alreadie? wherefore then is the Apostle so earnest about nothing? I but they doe not vnderstand the Apostle which make this obiection. He knew well enough they were reconciled before. But he knew as well, the best of vs all can not stand in Gods fauour one minute of an hower without a good mediatour▪ For since our first reconciliation to God, we haue so often offended his maiestie, that if we doe not plie him with humble supplications, and daily [Page 26] Petitions, and heartie repentance, and vnfained teares, he and wee can not possibly be friends. And therefore the Apostle calls vpon the Corinthians so earnestly, and cries to them, and saies, Take heede, Feare God, Offend him not, Ye can get nothing by falling out with him, But in case ye haue bin ouertaken with any sinne Gal. 6.1., ye haue an aduocate with the father 1. Iohn. 2.1., Flie vnto him for succour, If you be wise be reconciled to God as soone as you can, God entreateth you: (O mercifull Lord, dost thou sue & seeke to vs? and is there any thing in the world that we can pleasure thee in? can our goodnes reach vnto thee Psalm. 16.2.? and dost thou entreat vs? yea saies he) God entreateth you, and wee his Ambassadours in the name of Iesus Christ beseech you, that you would be reconciled to God. Be reconciled to God, and though you haue offended him neuer so much, he will be reconciled to you. Assure your selues, you may lay your life of it, he will presently turne vnto you, if you in true repentance will turne vnto him, and water your couch with your teares. For so this our Prophet did no sooner confesse his fault, but Nathan proclaimd his pardon 2. Sam. 12.13.. Whereupon he himselfe also hath these words Psal. 32.5., I said I will confesse my wickednes vnto the Lord, and thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne. As the Lyonesse hauing bin false to the Lyon, by going to a Libard; and the Storke consorting with any other besides her owne mate, wash themselues before they dare returne home: in like manner the prophet [Page 27] here, before he can be reconciled to God, after this great breach by adulterie and murther 2 Sam. ii.4. & 15., is faine to wash his bed, and to water his couch with his teares. But here a question may arise: If the faithfull be subiect, neither to aeternall condemnation when they doe sinne, nor yet to finall impenitencie when they haue sinned, what neede they at all, either auoide sinne for which they shall not be condemned, or els hasten their repentance, of which they shall not be depriued? This question consisteth of two parts. The one touching condemnation: the other touching impenitencie. To the former part I say as before, Though there be sinne in them, yet there is no condemnation to them, which are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1.. But how? This is no thanks to them that sinne, thereby making themselues guiltie of sinne, and as much as in them lieth subiect also to condemnation for the same: but onely to God, who wrappeth vp all the sinnes of his children in the bowels of his deare sonne, that they appeare not in his sight to condemne them, either in this world or in the world to come. As Shem went backward and couered his fathers nakednes Gen. 9.23.: so God casteth our sinnes behind his backe, and doth not impute them to vs. Howbeit though condemnation neede not be feared, yet there are reasons enough besides to perswade all those to hate sinne, that loue God. One is, because God doth vsually withdraw the outward signes of his fauour from them which forget their dutie towards him. The [Page 28] whole booke of Iob is proofe sufficient. Especially in one place Iob. 7.20. he saith; I haue sinned, what shall I doe vnto thee, O thou preseruer of men, why hast thou set me as a marke against thee, so that I am burden to my selfe? And Dauid Psal. 44.24., Why standest thou so farre off, O Lord, a and hidest thy selfe in the needefull time of trouble? For as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his brethren, and spake vnto them roughly Gen. 42.7., though he loued them well enough: euen so the Lord, though he take not his mercie from his childrē, yet he chastiseth their iniquities with roddes, and their sinnes with scourges Psal. 89.33.. An other is, because the faithfull sinning loose the inward feeling of Gods fauour. As Iob testifieth in these words; Thou writest bitter things against me, and thou wilt consume me with the sinnes of my youth Iob. 13.26.. And Dauid, O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe, and establish me with thy free spirit Psal. 51.12.. He wanted not Gods helpe, nor his spirit, but yet he was so discouraged and cast downe in his owne conscience, that he felt not the comfortable tast of Gods helpe, nor the blessed freedome of his spirit. And euen so generally, the godly sinning, though they quench not the spirit altogether 1. Thes. 5.19., yet by greeuing it they feele such a desolation in their soules, as if they were quite cast out of fauour with God. To the latter part of this question I answer, that the sinnes of the godly are therefore with repentance, because the graces of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29.. And as it is vnpossible that they which sinne in despight [Page 29] of the spirit, should be renewed by repentance Hebr. 6.6.: so it is vnpossible that they should not be renewed by repentance which sinne of infirmitie, as all the faithfull doe. For though the flesh haue the vpper hand one while enforcing them to sinne, yet the spirit will get the masterie an otherwhile, making them heartily sorie for their sin. Neuertheles great reason is it they should not abuse the patience of God mouing them to repentance Rom. 2 4., but rather that they should instantly stirr vp this gift of God in them 2. Tim. 1.6., to which they are sure at length the course & motion of Gods spirit will bring them. For first, what a horrible thing is it, either for God to withdrawe his fatherly and fauorable countenance from vs, or for vs to haue a hell as it were in our owne consciences, both which as I haue already shewed, doe necessarily followe sinne? Besides, seeing all the good wee get by sinne is repentance and greife, farre better it is to begin betimes to repent, and so forthwith to enioy the comfortable feeling of Gods mercifull pardon, then by deferring our repentance, still to be tormented with the horrour of our guilty conscience. Moreouer, the end is not a barre against the meanes, but rather a great furtherer & setter of thē on forward. We being therefore sure we shall repent at the last, ought neuer a whit the lesse to vse the meanes as soone as we can, by ceasing to doe ill, and learning to doe well Esa. 1.17.. Euen as S. Paul, though he knew certainly he should not perish in that shipwracke, yet he vsed the best meanes he could to [Page 30] saue his life Act. 27.44.. Lastly this is one maine difference betweene the wicked and the godly, that they hauing their consciences seared with a hot yron 1. Tim. 4.2., and being past feeling Eph. 4.19., goe on still in sinning without any sence of sinne Consue [...]udo peccandi tollit sensum peccati. Aug.: but these, hauing their sences exercised to discerne betweene good and euill Heb. 5.14., neuer rest if they be hurt with the sting of sinne, till they be eftsoones salued & healed by Gods mercie. For as the Swallowe perceiuing himselfe almost blind, presently seeketh out the herbe Chelidonia Celandine: and the Hart feeling himselfe shot with an arrowe sticking in him, forthwith runneth to the hearb Dictamnus Ditany.: right so doe the godly. Take Ezechias for an example of a Swallowe. All that is in mine house haue they seene, there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them 2. Reg. 20.15.. There he is blind. For the more treasures the King of Babels ambassadours sawe, the more was Ezechias blinded with ambitiō in shewing them. Like a crane or a Swallowe, so did I chatter, I did mourne as a doue. I shall walke weakly all my yeares in the bitternes of my soule Esa. 38.14. & 15.. Heres the Chelidonia. For this bitternes of his soule, doth cure the blindnes of his soule. Take Iob for an example of a Hart. The arrowes of the almighty are in me, the venome whereof doth drinke vp my spirit, and the terrors of God fight against me Iob. 6.4.. There he is shot. For if he had not bin strooken before with the arrowes of his owne wickednes, hee should neuer haue bin strooken thus with the arrowes of Gods correction. [Page 31] I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust & [...]shes Iob. 42.6. Heres the Dictamnus. For this abhorring of himselfe is a recouering of himselfe: and the sooner he repents in dust and ashes, the sooner is he freed from all his sinnes, and from all the punishments due to the same. But now some man may further obiect and say, He is not yet fully satisfied for this latter part, because talke as long as wee will, all these inconueniences which come, as hath bin declared, by perseuering in sinne, are either no bridle at all, or els not so strong a bridle to restraine men from sinne, as if they be perswaded, they may by sinning quite and cleane loose all iustifying grace, and so may be finally impenitent when they dye. But he which will put forth this doubt must remember, that the children of God are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14.. And the spirit though not in the same degree, yet in the same sort worketh in all those that haue bin, are, or shall be sanctified 2 Cor. 4.13. Eundem spiritum.. Who as they serue God not for any seruile feare of loosing their faith, or of dying in impenitency, or such like, but onely for pure loue of his maiestie: so they can neither will nor choose, but being bitten with sinne they must needs in their soules and consciences feele the smart of it. Therefore S. Paul saith, The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrarie one to the other, so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee wold Gal. [...].17.. For if the faithfull would doe Gods will in earth as it is in heauen, and serue him as obediently [Page 32] & as perfectly as the good angels doe, they can not, because still in them the flesh lusteth against the spirit: and so againe, if they would sinne with full consent, or with an obstinate purpose to continew in sinne, as the euill angels doe, they cannot doe this neither, because still in them the spirit lusteth against the flesh. Which spirit though it may for a time bee shut vp as it were, yet it will find meanes well enough at length to shewe it selfe. Thus Elihu saith; The spirit within me compelleth me, Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent, and like the newe bottles that burst. Therefore will I speake, that I may take breath Iob. 32.19.. As Elihu then kept silence some while euen from good wordes, though it were paine and greife to him; but at the last the fire kindling and his heart being hot within him, spake with his tongue Psal. 39.3.: so the spirit of god in all the elect of god, is like wine put into a bottle, which will haue a vent to spurge out, or els it will burst the bottle; or like fire rakt vp in embers, which will haue a passage to burne out, or els it will consume the whole house 1. Iohn. 3.9.. And therfore Saint Iohn likewise saith; Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne: for his seede remaineth in him, neither can he sinne, because hee is borne of God. Marke yee this well. The Apostle thinketh it not enough to say, He doth not sinne: but addeth moreouer, He cannot sinne. Whats that? To wit, presumptuously without feare, hee doth not sinn: and desperately without remorse, [Page 33] he can not sin. He can not sinne, I say, presumtuously, as Pharaoh did: desperately, as Caine did: malitiously, as Iudas did: blasphemously, as Iulian did: He cannot, he cannot sinne thus. Why so? Because the seede of God remaineth still in him. And whats this seede of God? It is the spirit of God, of which S. Paul said euen now; The spirit lusteth against the flesh, and these are contrarie one to the other, so that ye cannot doe the same things that ye would. Ye doe not sinne, nay ye can not sinne as the flesh would haue you; ye can not doe the same things that ye would: but ye doe, nay ye can not choose but doe many times as the seede of God remaining in you, and as the spirit of God lusting in you, would haue you. So that this is a legall kind of preaching to say; Take heede you sinne not: ye may happen so to loose your faith: to loose all the iustifying grace which God hath giuen you: to be for euer excluded out of the kingdome of heauen. This is to be said to vassals, to drudges, to slaues; not to sonnes. To sonnes this may be better said Hebr. 12.5. vobis vt filiis.; Take heede ye sinne not: God hath adopted you and giuen you the earnest of his spirit 2. Cor. 5.5.. Therefore grieue not this sweete Spirit whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30.. If ye be louing children indeed, though there were no hell to feare, no heauen to hope for, no torments to dread, no rewards to expect, yet ye will obey your good father, and be the sorrowfullest creatures in the world if you haue but once displeased him, onely for the meere loue [Page 34] ye beare towards him, and for the vnspeakable loue he hath shewed towardes you Diligenti deū sufficit ci placere quem diligit, quia nulla maior expetenda est remuneratio quam ipsa dilectio. Leo Magnus serm. 7. de Ieiunio.. For if he gaue his onely begotten sonne to die for you when ye were his enemies Rom. 5.10., now you are sonnes and such deere sonnes in his dearest Sonne Eph. 1.6., what dutie will you denie him? what loyaltie will you grudge him? what heartie thankfulnes and good will is there which you will not affoard him? what faithfull honour and seruice is there which you will not yeeld him? In one word, (ye holy ones of God, I speake now to you all, beloued) he which standes much vpon this obiection, hath no faith, no repentance, no iustifying grace at all in him. For the faithfull will neuer make that libertie which Christ hath purchased for them with his pretious blood, a cloake to couer their wickednes 1. Pet. 2.16., but rather a spurre to incite them to godlines Luc. 1.74. Liberamur, v [...] serviamus ei.. Neither will they at any time reason thus; Rom. 6.15. We will sinne, because we are not vnder the law, but vnder grace: nor yet thus; Rom. 6.1. Wee will continew in sinne, that grace may abound: but alwaies thus; Rom. 6.11. By that we are dead to sinne, wee gather that wee are aliue to God: or els thus; Tit. 2.11. The grace of God hath appeared, teaching vs to denie vngodlines and worldly lusts. Thus you see then how in the regenerate man, euery new act of sinne must be bewailed by a new act of repentance. For God will not forgiue me except I repent, no more then I am bound to tell my brother I forgiue him, except he tell me He repents. Naaman must wash himselfe seauen times, before [Page 35] he can be cleane: the Angel of Ephesus must rise from his fall, and doe the first workes, or els his candlesticke shall be remooued: the Church of Corinth though it be neuer so holy, yet by sinne violating Gods loue must oftentimes be reconciled anew: euen king Dauid in this place, though he were a man according to Gods owne heart, yet, before Nathan would absolue him, he was faine to crie peccavi: and before God would forgiue him, he was faine to confesse his wickednes, and to water his couche with his teares.

The second note is, That a great act of sinne, must be bewailed with a great act of repētance. I meane not, that any paine or griefe of ours, can make satisfaction for the least of our sinnes, or that our contrition can be any cause of remission, but onely that where sinne hath abounded, there sorrow should abound also, that grace may superabound at the last Rom. 5. [...]0.. The Schoolemen shew here that great griefe may be considered two waies. According to a mans appretiation, and according to his intension Vide Bellar. de Poenitentia libro. 2. c. 11.. As the Patriark Iacob in his intension did lament his sonne Iosep, hwhome he thought to be dead, more pitifully, then he did any sinne that we read of Gen. 37.34.; but in the appretiation or estimation which he had of the hainousnes of sin, certenly he would rather haue lost tenne sonnes, then once haue find against God. Therefore, howsoeuer in intension sorrow for sinne be none of the greatest, yet in appretiation they would euer haue it excessiue. [Page 36] But we neede not borrow such vncoth words of the Schoolemen to expresse our meaning, if we can tell how to vse those wordes which wee haue of our owne. For if wee looke narrowly into this place, wee shall see that the Prophet Dauid is both waies in the highest degree sorrowfull. First, by how much the more dearely he esteemed Gods loue and friendshippe, then the health of his bodie, by so much the more is he greiued, that that is violated, then that this is indāgered. And yet againe, how intensiuely and bitterly he bewaileth not so much the sicknes of his body, as the cause thereof the sinne of his soule, appeareth in that he trifleth not, but washeth his bed, and watereth his couch with his teares. Wee read of three that Christ raised from death. Iairus daughter: the widowes sonne: and Lazarus De tota hâc Alegoria, vide Aug. ser. 44. de Verbis Domini. & Tract. 49. in Iohānem. Eras [...]um etiam in contione de Misericordia dei. & Ferum in Iohan. c. 1 [...]. Hanc approbat & Calvinus. in Lu. c. 7. vers. 11. his verbis; Scimus inucnem hunc quem Christus à morte suscitauit, specie esse spiritualis vitae quam nobis restituit.. For raising vp of Iairus daughter Mark. 5.38. & deinceps., many weeping and wailing greatly for her; he came to the house, and went in where she lay: and suffered but a very fewe to goe in with him: and tooke her by the hand: and said vnto her Maiden arise: and straightway she arose and walked: and charge was giuen, that this should not be to told abroade. For raysing vp the widowes sonne Luc. 7.12. & deinceps., much people of the citie weeping with his mother for him, who was now caryed out of the gate to be buried; he went and touched the cofin: and said, Young man arise: and he that was dead sat vp: and began to speake: and he deliuered him to his mother: & the rumor hereof went foorth thorugh out all [Page 37] Iudea. For raysing-vp Lazarus Iohn. 11.33. & deinceps., when he sawe Mary weepe, and the Iewes also weepe which came with her; he groned in the spirit: he was troubled in himselfe: he, vnderstanding he had bin dead and buried foure daies, wept for him: he groned againe: he came to the graue: hee caused the graue stone to be taken away: he lifted vp his eyes to his father: he praied very feruently: he cryed with a lowde voice, Lazarus come foorth: then hee that was dead came foorth: bound hand and foote with bands: and his face was bound with a napkin: and Iesus said vnto them, Loose him & let him goe. Now these three sorts of corses, are three sorts of sinners Ista tria genera mortucrum sunt tria genera peccaterum. Aug. ser. 44. de verbis Domini.. Iayrus daugter, lying dead in her fathers house resembleth them that sinne by inward consent: the widowes sonne, being caried out of the gate of the city, them that sinne by outward act: Lazarus, hauing bin dead and buried foure daies, them that sinne by continuall custome Resuscitauit filiam Archisinagogi adhuc in domo iacentem resuscitauit iuvenem filium viduae extra portam ciuitalis elatū: resuscitauit Lazariun sepultum quatriduanum. Aug. Tractatu. 49. in Iohan.. The first, was dead but one hower: the second, but one day: the third fower daies; The young maiden lay in a bed: the young man, in a coffin: Lazarus, in a graue. For the first, Christ touched her hand: for the second, he touched the coffin: for the third, he touched nothing. Before their raysing vp; because the maiden figured those that sinne, not so much in act as in consent, he touched her hand which had bin no great instrument of any act: because the young man had sinned in act, but not in custome, into which hee might haue fallen if he had liued longer, he [Page 38] touched the coffin which kept him from custome: because Lazarus smelled hauing bin dead now fower daies, the first day by conceiuing sinne, the second by consenting to sinne, the third by acting sinne, the fourth by cōtinewing in sinne Prima est quasititillatio delectationis in corde, secunda consensio, tertium factum, quarta consuetudo. Aug sermone. 44., Christ touched him not at all. At the raising of the first; few were present, and they were charged also to make no wordes of it, that the maiden might be lesse shamed, which had sinned for the most part but in cōsent: at the raising of the second; much people of the city were present, and the thing was noised abroad farre and neare, that the young man might be more ashamed, which had sinned also in act: at the raising of the third; a huge number of Iewes were present, which saw his face bound with a napkin, to testifie the extreme confusion and shame that couered his face, & they loosed him themselues and let him goe, being eywitnesses of his seruitude & slauery which had sinned so long by custome. After their raising vp; Iairus daughter straight way arose and walked, because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne, it was easy to recouer, and to arise, & forthwith to walke in the way of Gods commandements: the widowes sonne sat vp, began to speake, was deliuered to his mother, because for him that had actually committed sinne, it was a harder matter to recouer, and therefore by little and little he came to it Residet enim, qui peccare desinens erigit se ad propositum vitae melioris: loquitur, qui confessus suam tur pitudine agnoscit dei misericordiam: redditur vivus matri, qui peractis remediis restituitur Ecclesiae communioni. Eras. vbi supra., first sitting vp, by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of amendment, then beginning to speake, by confessing his owne misery [Page 39] and acknowleding Gods mercy, lastly being deliuered to his mother, by returning to the bosome of the holy Church, and enioying the remission of his sinnes: Lazarus came foorth bound hand and foote with bandes, because for him that had had a stone laid vpon him Molesilla imposi [...]a s [...]ulchro, i [...]sa est vis d [...]ra consicludinis, quá premittur onima nec ros [...]rg [...] re, nec respirare permillitur. Aug. ser. 44., and had made his heart as hard as a graue-stone or as a nether-milstone by making a custome and as it were a trade of sinne it was a matter vnpossible to our thinking to recouer; only the omnipotent power of Christ could bring him foorth bound hand and foote, and breake these bandes asunder, and restore him againe to the libertie of the sonnes of God. For you must knowe Ex Epiphanio Catalogo dogmatū Manichai. that thirty years old he was when he was raised vp, & thirty yeares more he liued after he had bin raised vp. So that halfe his life he spent in sinne: the other halfe in repentance for sinne. But I haue a little forgot my selfe. Yet it will be no great fault, (right Honorable, and beloued in our Lord,) if it will please you to pardon it. I should haue obserued to you in the first place, how Christ was earnestly requested to raise vp the first Mark. 5.23.; but raised vp the two last of his own accord Luc. 7.13. & Ioh. 11.11.: & cōtrariwise, how for the two first their freinds only wept Mar. 5.38. & Lu. 7.13.; but for the last, besides his sisters and frends, Christ also wept exceedingly Iohn. 11.35.. These are very important matters, and properly belonging to the point in hand. For seeing the young maiden by sinning in consent had lesse offended Christ, he would not haue troubled himself about her, but vpon intreatie of others: but the [Page 40] two last, the one an actuall, the other a customable sinner, which were in a more dangerous estate, he came-to beeing brought by the bowels onely of his owne mercie, and raised them vp: on the other side, the two first hauing sinned, the one in thought, the other in deede, did not so much mooue Christ as Lazarus, which was growne to a custome in sinning both waies; and therfore for thē he was cōtent their friends only should weepe, but for this last he wept and trobled his owne selfe very much. So that the first he neither restored of his owne accord, nor yet wept for her: the second he restored of his owne accord, but wept not for him: the third he both restored of his owne accord, and also wept for him. Why so? The reason is this. The young maidens sinne, the lesse it hazarded her owne soule, the lesse it grieued Christs soule, and so the lesse he had a care, either to cure it, or to rue it: the young mans sinne, being neither so small as the maydens, nor so great as Lazaruses, Christ raysed him vp of his owne accord because he was more then a sinner in thought, and yet wept not for him because he was lesse then a sinner in custome: Lazarus sin, the more ranke and deadly it was, the more did it require the skill and loue of such a Phisition, as by his passion could mend it, & by his compassion would moane it. Where we must obserue with Saint Augustine, that our blessed Sauiour did not take on thus grieuously, for himselfe so much, or for Lazarus, as for vs. He groaned in the spirit: he was troubled in himselfe: [Page 41] he wept: he groned againe: he lifted vp his eies: he prayed feruently: he cryed with a loude voyce. So that here he might well haue said with David; I am weary of my groanings: and, I water my couche with my teares. But wherefore did he groane thus, weepe thus, cry thus, pray thus, lift vp his eies thus, lift vp his voyce thus? Saint Augustin telleth vs Quare sleuit Christus, nisi quia [...]lere hominem docuit? Aug. Tr. 49.. Wherefore, saies he, did Christ weepe, but to teach vs to weepe Quare fremuit, & turbauit scipsum, nisi quia fides hominis sibi meritò displicentis fremere quodammodo debe [...] in accusatione malorum operum, vt violentiae poenitendi cedat consuetudo peccandi: Aug. ibid? Wherefore did he groane and trouble himselfe, but because the faith of a christian, displeasing himselfe in his sinnes, should after a sort groane in accusing himselfe for his sinnes, that so at length the obstinat custome of his sinning, might yeild and giue place to the violent force of his repenting? And a little before; Whats the cause, saies he, that Christ troubled himself Quid est quod t [...]rbat scip sum Christus, nisi vt significet tibi quomodo turbar [...] tu debeas, cum tantâ mole peccati grauaris & premeris?, but to signifie vnto thee, how thou oughtest to be troubled when thou art pressed, and oppressed with a dead weight of sinnes Attendisti enim te, vidisti te reum cōputasti tibi, illud feci & pepercit mihi deus, illud commisi & distu [...]it me, euangelium audità & contempsi, baptizatus sum & iterum ad eadem reuolutu sum: quid facio, quò eo, vnde evado? Quum ista dicis, iam fremit Christus, quia fides fremit, In voce frementis apparet spes resurgen [...]is. Si ipsa fides estintus, ibi est Christus fremcus. Si sides in nobis, Christus in nobis.? For thou hast examined thy selfe, thou hast found thy selfe guilty, thou hast reasoned thus with thy selfe; I haue done such or such a thing, and God hath all this while spared me: I haue committed such or such a sinne, and he hath still borne with me: I haue heard the word of God, and yet I haue carelesly contemned it: I haue been baptized and had my sinnes washt away, and yet I haue returned to [Page 42] them againe: what doe I? whether goe I? what will be the ende of this? when thou saiest thus, then Christ groaneth, because thy faith groaneth. By the voyce of thy groaning may be gathered good hope of thy rising. If this faith be in thee, Christ groaneth in thee. If faith be in vs, Christ is in vs. Thus farr S. Augustine. In conclusiō then; If Christ winking at lesser sinnes, or at least not so much lamenting them, did out of all measure bewayle Lazarus case, betokening those that haue bin long dead in trespasses and sinnes, though it pertained not directly to himselfe: how much more good Lord, ought I, which am a farr more haynous sinner then ever Lazarus was, as my sinnes, mine owne sinnes I say, for number are more then the hayres of my head Psal. 40.30., and for greatnes haue reached vp to heauē Ezra. 9.6., so neuer to leaue groaning, and weeping, and crying, and praying for the pardon of them, that I may truly say with the Psalmist; I am weary of my gronings; &, I water my couch with my tears. The old testament doth shew this as plainly as the new. For in the lawe, the greatnes of the sinne was estimated according to the condition of the sinner. The priuate mans sinne was little: the princes sinne great: all the peoples sinne greater: the preists sinne greatest of all. Therefore for each of these was ordained a seuerall sacrifice Leuitic. 4.. For the priuate man and the prince, a goate. But for him a shee-goate Vers. 28.: for this a hee-goate Vers. 23.. Now the male is compted a greater sacrifice, considering the perfection of the sexe. For al the people, [Page 43] and the preist, a young bullocke. But for all the people, the elders only did put their hands vpon the head of the bullocke Vers 15.: the preist did put his own hand vpon it Vers. 4.. Now as a young bullock is a greater sacrifice then a goate: so the priest doth vndergoe a greater penance and more open shame thē all the people. Besides, of all these, their offence that sinned ignorantly, was accompted not so great as theirs that sinned wilfully. And therefore they were to offer a ram worth two shekels Lev. 5.15.; but these a ram of what price the preist would appoint Liu. 27.12., according to the measure and estimation of the sinne Leui. 6.6. Iuxta aestimationem mensuramque peccati. Now then, though Leuiticall preists and sacrifices are ceased, yet wee that are made spirituall preists and kings with Christ Revel. 5.10., must as it were enioyne our owne selues penance, and according to the qualitie of our sinne, measure the sacrifice of our broken and contrite heart which we offer vnto God. If we had neuer sinned but of ignorance, yet euery one of vs should be bound to offer a ram of two shekles. And what is this ram of two shekles? It is euen mine owne selfe, a poore sinner Non habe [...] nisi minuta duo, imominutissima, corpus & anim [...]m, vel potius vnum minutum voluntatem meam: & non dab [...] illam ad voluntatem illius, qui tantus tantillū tantis beneficiis praeuenit, qui toto se totum me comparauit? Bern. Serm. de Quadruplici Debito. pag. 100, that haue nothing to offer but the widdowes two mites, nay a great deale lesse then two mites, I meane my body and my soule: or rather I haue but onely one mite to offer, only my good wil, which I must henceforth cōforme to his will, who being rich became poore for mee, and gaue his bodie and soule to redeeme my body and soule from death. But now seeing we haue almost as often sinned wilfully, as either [Page 44] of ignorance or infirmitie, what manner of men ought we to be in humbling our selues vnder Gods mighty hand 1. Pet. 5.6., in iudging and condemning our selues 1. Cor. 11.31., in repenting as hartely as we sinned haynously, in washing our bed, and watring our couch with our teares? Euen this our Prophet sheweth also very good euidence for this same doctrine els where. Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord, saies he, after thy great goodnes, and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences. Wash me thoroughly from my wickednes, and cleanse me from my sinne Psal. 51.2.. The goodnes of God is alwaies like it selfe, neyther great nor little but absolutely infinite. Therefore it is neuer a whit the greater for our compting it not little, nor neuer a whit the lesse for our counting it not great: but though wee compt it great yet it is still as little as it should be, and though we compt it little yet it is still as great as it can be. So that the Psalmist in tearming Gods goodnes great, setteth foorth the greatnes, rather of his owne badnes, then of gods goodnes: confessing his owne sinne indeed to be great, and so consequently Gods goodnes likewise to be great, but yet in this respect only, not because it can take any encrease of greatnes into it selfe; but because it can giue increase of gladnes to him, who for a great sinne is almost ouerwhelmed with as great a greife. The same may be said of Gods mercies, that they are neither many nor few, but as his goodes is incomprehensible, so his mercies are innumerable. [Page 45] Neuerthelesse the Prophet stickes not to say; According to the multitude of thy mercies, doe away mine offences. As if he should haue said; According to thy mercies, doe away the multitude of mine offences. The multitude then, to speake properly, is not of Gods mercies, but of mine offences, and yet seeing the mercies of God are as many as all mine offences, nay a great many more then all the offences of all the world, therfore he mētions a multitude of Gods mercies. Because nothing can asswage the multitude of sorrowes which arise in my heart Psal. 94.19., for the multitude of my offences, but the multitude of Gods mercies. The multitude of mine offences asking indeede, as on Gods behalfe a multitude of mercies, so on my behalfe a multitude of teares. And therefore he saies also; wash me thoroughly: or as it is in the latin translation Amplius. laua me., wash me yet more. Wash me and wash me: and yet more: againe and againe; wash me thoroughly from my wickednes, and cleanse me from my sinne. For euen as a vessell that hath bin tainted with poison, or some infectious liquor, will not be cleane with once washing, but must be often scalded, and thoroughly washed, before it will be sweete: so hauing heretofore possessed my vessell in impuritie 1. Thes. 4.4., though I now wash me with niter, and take me much sope, yet mine owne vncleannes is still marked before thee Ierem. 2.22., onely thou O Lord canst wash me thoroughly, who am grieued thoroughly, because I haue bin thoroughly defiled. And [Page 46] indeede though I can not wash my selfe thoroughly, yet I am sure thou hast washt mee thoroughly, because I haue repented me thoroughly. I haue mingled my drinke with weeping Psal. 102.10.; and, My teares haue beene my meate day and night Psal. 42.4.: nay, Euery night I wash my bed; and, water my couch with my teares. It is a cleare case then, that a great act of sinne must be bewailed with a great act of repentance. For the raising of Lazarus which hath bin dead fowre daies, requireth the greatest groning and weeping: the greater sinne, as of the Priest, or voluntarie, or such like, requireth the greater sacrifice: if I haue cōmitted great wickednes, except I shew great repentance, I cannot obtaine great mercie: if I haue bin thoroughly defiled, except I be thoroughly washed, I can not be thoroughly clensed. And therfore the holy Prophet, that he may obtaine great mercie, and that he may be thoroughly washed, saith here; Euery night I wash my bed, and water my couch with my teares.

To returne then where I left, and so to make an ende; S. Austins two comparisons, of a shower of teares, and of a flood of teares, may seeme to some very incredible, and much more these three amplifications of the Prophet Dauid. Especially if we read these words, as I haue noted they are in the Hebrew; Euery night I cause my bed to swimme; and I melt my couch with my teares. But howsoeuer they may seeme to be, they are I graunt very hyperbolicall. Yet so, as the meaning of them is plaine enough. As if he [Page 47] should haue saide; I doe not indeede cause my bed to swimme in showers of teares; neither doe I melt my couch with floods of teares: but yet if euer any man had done so, or if it were possible any man could doe so, then my repentance is so great, and my teares so aboundant, that I thinke verily whosoeuer is one I should be an other, which should cause my bed to swim, and my couch to melt, seeing, Euery night I wash my bed, and water my couch with my teares. Therefore they which can gather no good meaning out of these words, doe consider, neither how fearefull the wrath and indignation of God is, nor yet how horrible is the sense of sinne. Augustus Caesar Relatâ ad se mag [...]itudine aeris ali [...]i quam quidam eques Romanus dum vixit celauerat, culcitram emi cubicularem in cius anctione sibi iussit., of whome I spake before, hearing thē talke in his court what a huge summe of money a certaine Knight in Rome owed at his death, and that all his goods were to be sold to make payment of his debts, commaunded the master of his wardrobe to buie for him that bed, wherein this Knight vsed to lie. For (saies he) Et praeceptū mirantibus hanc rationem reddidit; Habē da est ad somnū culcitra, in quâ ille, cum tantū deberet, dormi [...]e potuit. Macrob. Satur. l. 2. c. 4. if I can not sleepe soundly in that bedde wherein he could sleepe that owed so much, then surely I shall sleepe in none. If this famous Emperour thought it a matter almost vnpossible for him to sleepe quietly in his bed which was so deepely in debt; what would he haue saide, if Christ who was borne in his time, had bin bred in his heart Galat. 4.19.? I meane, if he had seene by the light of Gods word, that no debts are comparable to sinnes? And therefore if that poore Knight could hardly sleepe in his bed, then that seruant which oweth [Page 48] his master tenne thousand talents Math. 18.24. (as alas which of vs all, beloued, if wee remember our selues well, is not guiltie of so many sinnes?) can hardly take any rest. This if the Emperour had knowne, he would rather haue bought Dauids couch that he might not haue slept for bewayling his sinnes, then this banckrupts bed that hee might haue slept notwithstanding all his cares. For these, these, euen our sinnes, these are the debts which so trouble and torment the soule, that a man were better haue many common wealthes in his head, yea the cares of all the world in his head, thē be disquieted & distracted with them. Wherefore, deare christians, if we be in good health, let vs be thankfull to God for it, & let vs accoumpt it a speciall blessing without which all worldly blessings are nothing, and let vs vse it as all other good gifts of God to his glorie & the good of one an other. If contrariwise it please the Lord at any time to visite vs with sicknes, let vs not in this case despaire neither. But first, whatsoeuer other causes wee may conceaue, let vs ingeniously acknowledge one cause of our sicknes to be our sinnes. For if wee would preuent the iudgements of god by timely repentance, and iudge our selues, wee should not be iudged of the Lord. But because men will not when they are in health thinke of him that giueth health, therefore oftentimes they are sick, and now and then also fall a sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30.. For euen as malefactors which will not by gentle meanes confesse their heinous crimes, are by racking or [Page 49] such like tortures enforced to confesse: so when grieuous sinners can see no time to repent, God in his iustice, or rather indeede in his great mercie, doth as it were racke them vpon their couch with sicknesses and bodily paines, that they may be constrained to confesse their sinnes, and so may be freed of two sicknesses, their bodies sicknes and their soules sicknes both at once. O happie, happie men are they, which when they are young, remember their Creator before they be old Ecles. 12.1.: and when they are in health confesse their sinnes, and forsake them before they be sicke Prov. 28.13.. And yet, good louing brother, if thou happen to be sicke, be not in any case, as I said before, be not altogether discouraged by it. But in the next place, remember that thy sicknes is nothing else, but Gods fatherly visitation to doe the good, and especially to mooue thee to repentance. Listen a little. Harken I say. Dost thou not heare him rapping a loud, and knocking hard at the dore of thy hard heart, and saying to thee, whosoeuer thou art; Mayden arise; Young man arise; Lazarus arise and come forth. Awake therfore, awake, thou that sleepest, Ep. 5.14. and stand vp frō death, and Christ shall giue thee life. Say with the spiritual spouse: In my bed by night I sought him whome my soule loueth Cant. 3.1.. Say with this our Prophet; Did I not remember thee vpon my bed, and meditate of thee in the night season Psal. 63.7.? Looke not still to haue pillowes sowd vnder thine elbowes, neither boulster vp thy selfe any longer in thy sinnes Ezech. 13.18.. Lie not vpon thy beds of [Page 50] iuorie, neither stretch thy selfe vpon thy couch Amos. 6.4.: but euery night wash thy bed, and water thy couch with thy teares. Behold, saies thy heauenly husband, Reuel. 3.20. I stand at the dore and knocke, if any man heare my voice and open the dore, I will come in vnto him, and will suppe with him, and he with me. And againe; Cant. 5.2. Open vnto me, my sister, my loue, my doue, mine vndefiled, for my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. Wherefore seeing Christ knocketh so loud at the dore of thy heart for repentance, knocke thou as loud at the dore of his mercie for pardon: seeing he would so faine haue thee turne vnto him and heare his voice, be thou as willing to call vpon his name that he may heare thy voice: seeing he is so forward to sup with thee by receiuing thy praiers, be thou as desirous to sup with him by obtaining the benefit of his passion, euen the remission of thy sinnes. And as he saies to thy soule; Open vnto me, my sister, my loue, my doue, mine vndefiled: so be thou bold by faith to turne the same words vpon him againe, and say, Open vnto me my brother, my loue, my doue, mine vndefiled, for my head is ful of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. And why is my head full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night? Because euery night I wash my bed, and water my couch with my teares. Then, deare Christian brother, then thy sicknes shal not be vnto death, but for the glorie of God Iohn. 11.4.. For God will turne all thy bed in thy sicknes Psal. 41.3.. And so whereas before it was a bed of [Page 51] sicknes, he will turne it into a bedde of health: whereas a bed of paine and griefe, into a bed of rest and comfort: whereas a bed of teares & repentāce, into a bed of ioyful deliuerance. Reméthy selfe well. At least wise as well as thou canst, and well enough. What happened to Iob, who was sick, and sore all his bodie ouer, and had not a couch neither to lie on, but was faine to lie on a dunghill? Did not all this turne to his great good, whenas the Lord did blesse his latter end much more then his beginning Iob. 42.10.? What hapned to Ezechias, who had sentence of death gon out against him? Did not he lying sicke in his bedd turne him toward the wall and weepe, and got the sentence of death reuersed, and fiftene yeares more added to his life Esa. 38.6.; What happened to the man sick of a palsey, who was let downe thorough the tyling bed and all in the midst before Iesus? Did not Christ with one word in an instant heale him, so that he tooke vp his bed and departed to his owne house praising God Luc. 5.25.? What happened to the man which had bin sick eight and thirtie yeares and was not able to stepp downe into the poole? Did not Christ saying but; Rise, take vp thy bed, and walke; cure him so, that presently he was made whole, and tooke vp his bed, and walked Ioh. 5.8. & 9.? What happeed to Eneas, who was sick of the palsey, as one of these two that I spake of last, and had kept his bed eyght yeares, as the other of them? Did not S. Peter saying but thus vnto him; Eneas, Iesus Christ maketh thee whole, arise and trusse vp thy [Page 52] couch; so restore him that immediately he arose Act. 9.33.34.? What happened to S. Paul who was pressed out of measure passing strength, so that he altogether doubted euen of life? Did not the Lord, when he had receiued the sentence of death in himselfe, deliuer him from this great daunger 2. Cor. 1.8. & 9.? What happened to S. Pauls fellow-souldier Epaphroditus, who was sick, and no doubt sick very neare vnto death? Did not the Lord shew mercie on him, and giue him health againe, to the great ioy of the Philippians, and generall good of all the church? Philip. 2.27. What happened to holy Dauid in this place, who saith of himselfe; O Lord I am weake: my bones are vexed; my soule also is sore troubled; I am weary of my gronings; euery night I wash my bed; and water my couch with my teares? Did not the Lord finding him in this miserable pickle and plight, deliuer his soule from death; his eyes from teares; and his feet from falling Psal. 116.8.? So that in thankfull and ioyfull manner he triumpheth and saith; the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: the Lord hath heard my petition: the Lord will receiue my praier. Euen as S. Paul saith; He hath deliuered vs from so great a death: and doth deliuer vs: in whom also we trust that yet he will deliuer vs 2. Cor. 1.10.. O faithfull and deare louing Lord! He hath deliuered, he doth deliuer, he will deliuer. He neuer yet hath forsaken, he neuer doth forsake, he neuer will forsake, those that put their trust in him. For tell mee, my good Brother, if thou canst tell any thing, tell mee, did Christ so miraculously restore Iob, restore Ezechias, restore the [Page 53] man sick of the palsey, restore the bedred man, restore Eneas, restore S. Paul, restore Epaphroditus, restore king Dauid, to their former health, and can hee not restore thee? Did he restore the most of these, when he was crucified vpon earth, and can he not restore thee now hee is crowned in heauen? Is his arme now shorter & his power lesser then it was then? Where, I maruel, where is the Centurions faith? Christ said then; I haue not found so great faith in all Israel M [...]t. 8.10.: now if he were among vs he might say; I haue not found so great faith in all the world. The Centurion beleued though Christ came not vnder the roofe of his house, but spake the word only, his seruant might be healed well enough: and doest thou thinke Christ cannot heale thee except he come in person, & stand by thy bed side, and take thee by the hand, and raise thee vp? For shame away with such infidelitie. This is a thousand times worse then all the sicknes of thy body. Nay rather assure thy selfe, if god say but the word, thou shalt soone recouer, and haue thy health better then euer thou hadest, and liue many happie and ioyfull daies after. Therefore mind thou only that which belongeth to thee: that which belongeth to God meddle not with it, but leaue it wholly vnto him. It is thy part to bewaile thy former sinnes, and in bewailing them to water thy couch with thy teares, to crie to the Lord for mercie and forgiuenes, to resolue with thy selfe stedfastly hereafter, if it please God to giue thee thy health againe, to lead a new life. This belongs [Page 54] to thee, and therefore this thou must meditate of, and employ thy selfe about day and night: but whether thou shalt recouer or not recouer, that belongeth to God. That rests altogether in Gods pleasure and will. If thou doest recouer, thou hast thy desire. Or rather perhaps thou hast not thy desire. Seeing the holiest and best men of all incline neither this way nor that way, but wholly resigne thēselues, as in all other things, so especially in this case to Gods will Non mea, sed tua voluntas fiat.. Or if they determinately desire any thing, it is for the most part, to be dissolued, and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23.. But suppose thou desire to recouer, and recouer indeede. Then as thou obtainest thy desire: so thou must performe thy promise. The promise which thou madst when thy bodie was grieued, with sicknes and paine, when thy soule was oppressed with heauines, when thou wateredst thy couch with thy teares. And what was that promise? Namely, as I said before, that if it pleased god to giue thee health againe, thou wouldst loue him more sincerely, serue him more obediently, tender his glory more dearly, follow thy calling more faithfully, then thou hast done. If thou haue offended him with pride, to humble thy selfe heareafter: if with dissolutenes, to be sober heareafter: if with couetuousnes, to be liberall heareafter: if with conuersing with the vngodly, to abandon their company heareafter, & to say as it is in this Psalme; Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie, for the lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. This if thou conscionably [Page 55] & constantly performe, then in a good hower (as we say) and in a happy time thou didst recouer. But suppose thou desire to recouer, and yet, neyther thy self see any liklihood, nor god see it good thou shouldst recouer. Then harty repentance & watering thy couch with thy teares is most of all necessary. That the feare of death may not affright thee, but being truly penitent at thy departure, thou mayst be sure to depart in peace Luc. 2 29.. And so God graunting not thy will but his will▪ may indeede graunt both thy will and his will. Thy will, which is not simply to recouer, but conditionally if god will: and his will which is not to haue thee lye languishing any longer in this warfare, but to triumph for euer in heauen. Aliquando sancti non recipiendo quod petunt magis exaudiuntur, quàm exaudirentur si illud reciperent. Plus enim non recipiendo bea [...]us Paulus exauditus est, quàm [...]i illud recepisset pro quo (sicut ipse ait) ter d [...] minū rogauerat. Exauditus est igitur, ne exaudiretur. Non enim nisi bonum Apostolus querebat, quamuis illud non bonū sibi esse non intelligebat. Exauditus est igitur recipiendo bonū ne exaudiretur recipiendo non bonum Qui enim sibi bonum non querit dum se sibi bonū quaerere putat, si id recipiat quod quaerit, nō exauditur: si non recipit, exauditur. Deus igitur qui non aliud nisi quaeretis affectū considerat, bonū ci reddit qui se bonum quaerere credit, etiam si sibi non sit bonum quod quaerit. Emisse. bom. inlitaniis maioribus. p. 138. O blessed teares are these, which are recompensed with such high happines, and such inestimable commodities. As namely fredome from all sinnes, past, present and to come: deliuerance from all the miseries and troubles of this wofull world: consūmation of holines, of humblenes, of purity, of deuotion, of all other christian vertues, which were but begun and vnperfect in this life: putting away of all corruption and mortalitie, & putting on the royall robe of immortality & blisse. For that which happened to Christ shall happen to thee also, because by faith thou art not only in soule, but euen in body vnseparably vnited and ioyned vnto him, being by vertue of this mysticall vnion made bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. Therefore as he, from that agony wherein hee praied with strong crying and [Page 56] teares, from that crosse wherein he commended his spirit into his fathers hands, from that graue wherein death for a time seemed to insult and to trample vpon him; rose vp againe, and ascended farre aboue all heauens, and now sitteth at the right hand of glory: so thy soule shall certainly be in the hand of God, and thy very body also, after it hath a while rested from watering thy couch with thy teares, and from all other labours of this life, shall be raised vp again, and caught vp in the cloudes, and shall together with thy soule for euer raigne with Christ in the life to come. Which God graunt to vs all for the same our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christs sake, to whome with the Father, & the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, power and praise, dignitie and dominion, now and euer more. Amen.

FINIS.

Errata.

In the Epistle for euen since read euer since
pag. 19. lin. 20 for vp himselfe read vp to himselfe
pag. 35. lin. 25. for Iosep,h whom read Ioseph, whom
pag. 37. lin. 22. for dayes; The read daies. The

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