WHen the sinne of the old World did multiply and grew a burthen to the Earth: the Sonnes of God taking them wiues, of all which they chose, whether Virgins or married vnto o­thers.; the most of them being Gyants, Mercerus & [...]unius in Gen. not one­ly in stature, but in cruell conditions, according to Philo and Damascen, infamous for their tyran­nie ouer others, bringing them in subiection, and eating their flesh; Theod. q. 84. [...]n Gen. euery imagination of the [Page 2]thoughts of their hearts onely euill continually. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth. Gen. 6.6. It is Verbum nostra paruitati ac­commodatum, a word applied to our weaknes, Chrys. ho. 22. in Gen. to expresse the greatnes of their sinnes, Quae miseri­cordem Deum indignari fecerunt, which compel­led the mercifull God to be angry.

Non perturbatio sed iudicium quo irrogatur poena, Aug. li. 15. de ciu. c. 25. saith Austin, It is no perturbation in God, but an imposition of punishment. Rup. l 4. in Gen. Rupertus calleth it an argument of his pittie, shewing that he is loth to punish.

Sixe ages he did forbeare them, a thousand yeares and more, and gaue them Noah to preach repentance 120. yeares, before hee purged that Augaeum stabulum with a deluge of waters. The Sinnes of Sodom and Gomorrha were exceeding great, Gen. 19.24. before fire and brimstone were rayned downe by the hand of Christ from Iehouah his fa­ther, as Marcus Arethusius in the Syrinian Coun­cell doth interpret that place, Syriniens. conc. c. 16. against the here­sie of Photinus, that held Christ not to haue bene before his Mother. His Cup of wrath is neuer full mixt with red Wine, Psal. 74.8. to poure out the same with the dreggs thereof, till the measure of our Crimson and Scarlet sinnes be filled in. He sen­deth Watchmen to blowe the Trumpet and warne the people; but if they take not warning, their blood shall be vpon their owne heads. Ez. 33.4 If the Rod of his mouth, and Breath of his lips (so the word is called Is. 11.4.) cannot preuaile, [Page 3]hee taketh away this Candlesticke. And when once a Church shal loose Prophets which are rea­dy to teach, Seers to foretell, Ge. 20 7. 1 Sa. 9 9. 2 Pet. 1.13. 1 Cor 3.9. Lu. 12.42. Ez. 47.10. Remembrancers to put in mind, Husbandmen to plow vp, Stew­ards to distribute, Fishers to catch men, Starres to giue light, and Shepheards to feed, all blessings depart and curses follow. Yet now it is threatned to Ephesus. Remember.

It was truely acknowledged by Clemens A­lexandrinus, that Bona est ars terrere ne peccemus: It is a good art which terrifieth from sinning: yet as Aust. fatherlike, Aug. Ep. [...].8. Si terrerentur et non docerentur improba quafi dominatio videretur, If those that erre should be terrified onely, and not be taught, it might seeme a kind of tyrannie: Sed rursus si do­cerentur et non terrerentur, vetustate consuetudinis obdurarentur, But againe, if they should be taught and not terrified, custome would harden them, and make them pace but slowly to the way of e­ternall life. Therefore S. Iohn, Legatus a latere, The Ambassadour who leaned on his Lords breast, partly by instruction, and partly by cor­rection, seeketh to win these collapsed Churches, whose reprehension may stirre vs vp to hearken, whose threats may make vs feare, whose fallings may make vs stand. Our sinnes are as theirs, wee haue the luke-warmenes of Laodicea, which in this place I once proposed as a warning. c. 3.16. Adde to this the little strength of Philadelphia: v. 8. Imper­fection of works with Sardis: v. 2. searching the depths of Sathan with Thyatira: Nicholaitans, c. 2. v. 24. as in Per­gamos [Page 4]which held fornication to be no sinne: Ma­ny professing to be Iewes, V. 14. as in Smyrna, V. 9. (Christi­ans amongst vs) but are the Synagogue of Sathan: with Ephesus wee haue left our first loue, of which I am come to put you in remembrance by this Text. The Lord make it as profitable as it is vse­full. Remember.

The Author of which words is one who ap­peared vnto Iohn like the Sonne of man, c. 1. v. 13. Christ Iesus like vnto a man, cloathed with a Garment downe to the foote, signifying his Priest-hood and Principality: Girt about the paps with a gol­den girdle, signifying his care euer to be ready for his Church: his head and hayres white as wool and snow, signifying his eternitie: his Eyes as a flame of fire, signifying his quicke sight peircing to the very thoughts: his Feete like vnto fine brasse signifying his ability to encounter against Sinne, Sathan and Death. His voyce as the sound of ma­ny waters, signifying the greatnes and power of it. The 7. Starres in his right hand are the seauen Pastors of the Churches in Asia, called Angels, vt dignitatem seruent in nomine quam explent in operatione, Greg. in Mat. that they might retaine that dignity in name, whereunto by office they are entituled. Not some Bishops onely, as Alcasar the lesuit in his new painted bul ke would haue it, Arcan. sens. in Apoc. or the peo­ple apart are aimed at, as Per erius thinketh, but more truely according to Saint Ambrose, Haimo, & Bede, both are to be ioyned, Pastors & people. S. Iohn was now (as our Sauiour) at this time led in­to [Page 5]to the wildernes, where being disabled to preach because hee was an exile, like Zachary, Ambr. cum lo­qui non potuit scripsit, when hee could not speake, hee wrote; that the pen might make supply of the want of his tongue, especially hauing his com­mission from him who is the first and the last, from him who was dead and is aliue, and hath the keyes of death and of hell. He that runneth by may read his writing, bringing backe Ephesus to her principles. Remember.

A Text as necessary for our times, Ep. 5.16. as our times are neere vnto Ephesus backsliding: wee may complaine as Saint Paul, the daies are euill. The sound of the word hath gone into all our land, the bright beames of the Gospell haue gloriously shined vpon vs, the Bels of Aaron haue been long rung amongst vs, yet we are like those whom S. Austin taxed calling them Dormitantes, Au. l. 3 c. 14. de doct. Chr. halfe waking, neither altogether asleepe in ignorance, nor throughly awaked to see so much of the truth as wee may. We haue many Professors in mouth, Atheists in life, Protestants in appearance, Papists in heart, zealous in snew, nothing in deed. Others halt betwixt two opinions, and so fall from drow­sines to sleepe, from slacknes to defection, from indifference to senslesnes, and so to a loathing of all religion. The greatest part haue forsaken their first loue. But heere is a scripture aiming at these and all other sinnes, be they of neuer so transcen­dent an eleuation. At those Magistrates, which like Wolues rauen the prey to shed blood, and [Page 6]to destroy soules to get dishonest gaine, Ez. 22.27.18. that though a mans cause be neuer so light in the bal­lance of equity, it is not materiall if hee can make it vp in gold. At those Prophets which daube with vntempered morter, seeing vanity and yet diui­ning lyes, promising peace vnto the wicked and neuer speak of wrath. At the idle Lozzel, who had rather beg & steale then labour with his hands. At the edge of priuate reuenge which will haue eye for eye, hand for hand, satisfaction for any wrong. At the soaring Pride of Ambition, flying so high out of compasse that it flyeth it selfe out of breath, crying still aut Caesar aut nihil, as good to bee last as not first. Mic. 6.10 11.12. At the treasures of wick­ednesse in the houses of the wicked. At the abho­minable scant measure, bagge of deceitfull weights, and violent tongues. Mic. 6. At those who haue erred through Wine and strong drinke, whose bel­ly is their God. At those Tables which are full of vomit and filthines: though they heare precept vpon precept, line vpon line, they will goe and fall backward and be broken, and snared & taken making a couenant with death, and an agreement with hel. Ie. 48.11. At those who like Moab haue been at ease from their youth, and are setled vpon the lees of their sinnes, their sent neuer changed, Ie. 48. That I say to these, I say to all who haue forsaken their first loue, Remember.

As a tender-hearted Surgeon comming to his sicke Patient for the cutting off a ioynt, seeing him feare and tremble, handleth it with much [Page 7]care and compassion, and suddenly striketh the stroake: so saith Gregory, Gr. ho. 11. in Ez. dealeth Christ with his Church, his beloued Spouse Ephesus. Saluberri­mum temperamentum miscens laudationem cum cor­reptione. Rupertus calleth it a wholsome mixture where is commendation and reproofe. Both are met in this Epistle: where the Angell, that is the Pastor of Ephesus: Timothy as Aureolus would haue it: or Onesimus as some: or Tychicus as others and vnder him whole Ephesus is taxed for re­missnes: the matter being thus debated. Ephesus thinke not but that I know thy workes: Thou maist deceiue the world, thou canst not deceiue me.

This Sunne of righteousnes, whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun, can pierce through the cloud of mens actions if it were darker then hell.

I know thy labour and it pleaseth me. He was worthy of double honour. 1. Thes. 5.17. I pitty thy patience: This Angell was not like Ieremy, v. 2. who at the mocking of the people cursed the day wherein he was born, and the man who brought tidings to his father that a manchild was born vn­to him, not slaying him from the womb, wishing that his mother might haue been his graue, and her wombe alwayes to be great with him: Ie 48.14.15.17.18. Ie. 48.18. or like Ionas, who though he was schooled in the Whales belly, yet when all things went not [Page 8]according to his mind in the destruction of Ni­niueh, Ion. 4.9. he became exceeding discontent, and de­fended his vnlawful anger. He possessed his soule in patience, Paetientia ipsum anat quē portat Gr. in Ezech. h [...]. 7. because hee loued them whom hee spake vnto. I commend thy discipline, how thou canst not beare them which are cuill. These and the like were the first fruits of thy affection, but alas thou hast fallen off frō these: yet I wil not the death of a sinner, I rather wish thy conuersion. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen. Ʋiega [...] in text. Gen. 3.9. Am [...]. l. de Pa­radise. c. 14. They are like the words of God vnto Adam, when he called and said vnto him, where art thou? De quibus bonis, de qua beatitudine, de qua gratia, in quam miseriam cecidisti? From how many good things blessings and graces, into what misery hast thou fallen? Non tam interrogatio, quam increpatio est, it was not so much an interrogation, as an increpation. Sometimes God vseth to speake by his secret inspiration, 2. Kin. 20.4. as to Isaiah, 2 Ki. 2. Some­times by his Angells, who speake by voyce onely as to Christ, there came a voyce from heauen Ioh. 12. or by vision internall, Ioh. 12.28 Ge. 28.12. Ge. 18.1.4. as the ladder that Iacob saw in his dreame. Ge. 28. externall, in humane shape as to Abraham. Ge. 18. By other Creatures either without sense, as by fire in the bush to Moses; or hauing sense, as the Angell spake in Balaams Asse. Here because writing remaineth when the voice periseth, an Epistle is sent vnto Ephesus teaching the art of the happiest memory, whose obiects are good things once practised, omitted, & euill things committed. Repentance must follow, and [Page 9]doing the first workes, Repent and doe the first workes: A Spirit of slumber was fallen vpon E­phesus, as heauy as that of Adam when he lost his rib, or of Isbosheth when hee lost his head. The case stood betwixt Christ and Ephesus, as betwixt a louing sonne and his sicke father, who labou­ring with a lethargie, The Phisitian tels the son, that his fathers immoderate desire of sleepe is mortall, therefore hee must nor suffer him to slumber. The sonne seeing his father heauy, pulsat, vellicat, pietate molestus est, hee knocketh, pulleth, and so seemes to be troublesome, but it is because hee loueth him. Aug. ho. 11. quinque hom. & ser. 60. do verbis Domini inter se comp. AEgrotat humanum genus, saith Austin, All Mankind is sicke of sinne: amongst these Ephesus. Christ Iesus the great Phi­sition cryeth out Awake thou that sleepest, open thine eyes, that thou sleepe not in death, it is now time to arise, and repent, and doe the first workes. Either the Pastors seeing their prea­ching take little effect grew negligent, as Hugo Cardinalis supposeth the fault: or they were not so liberall to the poore, saith Arethas: or wee may vnderstand it with Rich. de S. Victore of all faults now to be amended, for Christ will beare no lon­ger, hee is impatient of any further delayes, and therefore threateneth, or else I will come vnto thee quickly. [...] The Originall is, I will come to thee shortly, so the vulgar Latine giueth it to this sense, Venio tibi, words taken in good part. His going forth is prepared as the morning and hee shall come vnto vs as the raine, as the [Page 10]latter and former raine vnto the earth, Os. 6. so Zac. 9. Reioyce greatly O daughter of Sion, O [...]. 6.3. Zac. 9.9. shout O daughter of Ierusalem. Behold thy King commeth vnto thee. But heere it signifieth a iudgement, and therefore is rendred by Beza in these wordes, veniam aduersum te cito, I will come against thee quickly: and his comming is for reuenge, And will remoue thy Candlestick out of his place. The Church shall neuer be vtterly destroyed, but for sinne the Gospell is often remoued: Merito pa­tietur vltorem, Aug. de verb. Dom. se. 12. qui noluit audire praeceptorem. If men will not heare Gods precepts, they must beare his punishments. Thus loue is violent, and Foelix illa necessitas quae ad meltora compellit, Aug. Ep. 45. it is a blessed necessity which enforceth vs to vertue. God who forbeareth a long time payeth home at the last, by remouing his Church: and vpon this, the taking away of the Ministry of the Gospell and the profession thereof, in stead of truth there must succeed Ignorance, Apostacie and Heresie, vnlesse repentance and the fruits thereof attend the preaching of the word. Remember therefore.

You see the drift of our wronged Sauiour: the sum of the whole is a remembrance vnto Ephesus of a decay in spirituall graces, which must be re­couered, else the meanes of saluation shall be ta­ken away from them. Wee may call it a soue­raigne remedie against the fearefull sinne of A­postasie, or a heauenly qualification of Lawe and Gospell, mercie and iudgment, or a diuine Re­membrancer of al Churches by Ephesus Preacher, [Page 11] Iohn an Euangelist, Apostle and Prophet, whose words which I haue read, without racking, fall a sunder into two parts

• 1. A remarkeable meditation for Ephesus, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, & repent, and doe the first workes.
• 2. A zealous indignation vpon the not practising of this les­son, Or else I will come vnto thee quickly, and will remoue thy can­alesticke out of his place, except thou repent.

The 1. generall part containeth 2. particular circumstances.

• 1. A recollection of time past, Re­member therefore from whence thou art fallen.
• 2. A Christian resurrection for the time to come, And repent and doe the first workes.

The 2 pointeth out 2. other.

• 1. A speedy visitation, Or else I will come vnto thee quickly.
• 2. A terible execution of this commination, yet mixed with much compassion, And will remoue thy Candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The first includeth an accusation of falling, deliuered to the memorie.

[Page 12] The second, an inquisition of the former works to keepe from a final Apostasie.

The third, a sudden triall, wherein without repentance there must be seuerity.

The fourth and last, the downefall of Religion, and pietie. Remember.

Thus Right Honorable, Right Worshipfull, and blessed Brethren, I haue brought you a Text, wherein there is not onely Iohn, a Sonne of Thun­der, Mar. 3 17. Act. 4.36. Re. 2.7 If. 51.17. but Barnabas, a Sonne of consolation. Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith, or rather soundeth out, for there can be no man, vnlesse he haue drunke the dregges of the Cup of slumber, but this message must awake him. The Temple is opened, the lists and land-markes of this holy Land propounded, and now come far­ther to be surueied. Let me beseech your Reli­gious and cherefull attention: My onely aime shall be the glory of God, seruice of the Church, discharge of my Conscience, and your instruct­ion. The solemnity of the time and place requi­red a Passion-Text. Repentance is the Passion. The Lord grant that it may finde and leaue vs true practisers of it. But I must remember to goe backe to the dore of my Text, the front and fore­head whereof is Remembrance, the 1. particular of my 1. generall. Remember therfore from whence thou art fallen.

Amongst all the faculties of the soule, there is none which sooner waxeth old then memorie. Sins obliquitie hath caused the appetite still to [Page 13]desire, yet neuer to be satisfied, the affections to denie obedience vnto reason, the desire to swell infinite, the will is often mad, the minde lame, the memorie of the best by nature forgetfull, and therefore grace must teach vs the art of memorie. Man forgetteth himselfe to be man: wherevp­on the conquering Romans, Ierom. amidst their greatest pompe and triumphs, had euer one at the backe of the Chariot to pull the Conqueror by the sleeue, and so oft as the people shouted, to crye to him againe, Memento te hominem esse, Re­member thou art a man. A lesson which Simonides, the first humane inuentour of the art of memorie, Tully. taught Pausanias King of the Lacedemonians at a banquet, being desired to speake something of greatest importance, which for the present was taken scornfully, but afterwards in a famine, the King confessed the wisdome of the heathen man. It was the morning voice of Philips boy. Pharaohs Butler forgat Ioseph, Gen. 40.23 Gen. 41.51. Da. 2.8. Mat. 16.5. Sab. l. 10. c. 9. Pli li. 7. c. 24. Ʋola ter. l. 21. Ioseph forgat all his toyle, and all his Fathers house. Nebuchad­nezzar dreamed, but the thing went from him, hee forgat his owne dreame. The Disciples for­got to take bread with them. Messala Coruinus after a sicknes forgot his owne name. Another men­cioned by Plinv, hauing a great fall, Zuing. Theat. forgot his owne Mother, Gregorius Trapezuntius in his old age the Greeke tongue, wherein he had excelled. Theseus the white sayle which his father charged him to set vp if he returned a victor into Crete, and vsing a blacke one it was dismall to Agetus. [Page 14]Orbilius forgot his Alphabet. Caluisius the names of those with whom hee conuersed daily. Curio the Iudge forgot the cause he should haue gi­uen iudgement vppon. Atticus, the Sonne of Sophista, the names of the 4. Elements. The Thracians their Arithmeticke, so that they could not count aboue the number of 4. Ephesus here forgat her first workes, her first loue, and there­fore is roused vp. Memorie is the Diarie, Eph [...]me­rides, and looking glasse of a Christian: It belong­eth to thinges past, as Sense doth to things present, and Hope to thinges future. Tully called it the print or trace of things. Quintilian, the ground of all learning. Plato, the mother of the Muses. Aristotle, the Scribe of the Soule. The Physitian, the Lawyer, the Mathematician, the Merchant holds his booke of accounts, or remembrancer to be his canticum canticorum, the most comfor­table booke that he hath. Many haue bene re­corded for strange memories. Portius Latro, who neuer needed to read any thing which he had once written. Aeltus Adrianus remembred the names and acts of all his Soldiers. Carmides of Greece, any thing which he had heard. Mythry­dates was able to speake 22. languages. Caesar a Roman Dictator was able to write, speake, and heare others discourse at one and the same time. Erasmus of Roterodame had a memory like a Net. Blessed Iewell, vsually began not to commit his Sermons to heart till the ringing of the Bell. In vita eius.

It is a singular gift of God, an extraordinarie [Page 15]perfection of art; which made Pythagoras beg memory of Mercury, being commanded to aske what hee would, except immortality, and hee should haue it. But according to the obiect it is more commendable. There is Memoria vitanda, The remembrance of iniuries, seeking reuenge, as Iuno neuer left her Troian enemy but by Sea and land persecuted him, which made him expostular ‘Tantaene animis coelestibus irae.’

Better it were for such to haue, Virg. as Themistocles wished, the art of forgetfulnesse rather then the art of this memory. You know how it was re­warded in Caine, Esau, Absolon, Haman. There is memoria timenda, Gods remembrance of our sinnes, in regard whereof Dauid prayed, Remem­ber not the sins of my youth nor my transgressi­ons, Psal. 25. So in our Lyturgy, Remember not Lord our offences, Psal 25.7. nor the offences of our fore-Fathers, that is, to punish them in vs. There is Memoria petenda, the remembrance of vs in mercy, Dauids appeale, Lord remember Da­uid and all his afflictions. Psal. 132. and the good Theefe, Psal. 132 1. Lord remember mee when thou com­mest into thy kingdome. Luk. 23. Luk 23.42. There is me­moria tenend [...], A remembrance of God, I remem­bred the Lord. Ion. 2. Of his name, I haue remem­bred thy name O Lord in the night, ion. 2.7. and haue kept thy law. Psal. 119. We must remember his maruellous workes that hee hath done, Psal. 119.55. his wor­ [...]ers and the iudgements of his mouth. Psal. 105. Psal. 105.5. Wee must remember his Sabaoth, Remember the [Page 16]Sabaoth day to keepe it holy, Exo. 20. Not that wee should remember God but one day in seauen, Exo. 20.8. but that if we would be forgetfull, yet we should remember him one day in seauen at the least. We must remember Christs passion: to this end we re­ceiue the Eucharist: This doe in remembrance of mee. Luk. 22. We must remember death, iudg­dement, Luk. 22.19. and hell.

We must remember our Parents. Remember that thou wast begot of them, and how canst thou recompence them the things that they haue done for thee? Eccle. 7. Our pastors, Remember them which haue the rule ouer you, Ecc. 7.28. who haue spoken vnto you the word of God. Heb. 13. And here our falls appeare to be remembred, Heb. 13.7. by Ephe­sus, Remember therefore from whence thou art fal­len: whence issueth this doctrinall obseruation.

That it is the duty of those who haue fallen from any grace, Doct. to looke back vpon their former estate.

The Lord himselfe is a witnesse to the truth of this point. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes, consider your wayes, Hagg. 1.7. Hag. 1. A Method which the Prophet Zephanie vsed vnto the Iewes: for hauing rebu­ked them for their notable crimes, Zeph. 1.6. Idolatry, fraud and cruelty, turning back from the Lord, beeing cloathed with strange apparrell, and setled on their lees, then threatning the cutting downe of their Marchāts, that their goods should become a booty, and their houses a desolation, that the mighty man should cry bitterly, that their blood should be poured out as dust, and their flesh as [Page 17]the dung, that neither their siluer nor gold should be able to deliuer them, he exhorteth them to consider their estates. Zeph. 2.1. Gather our selues toge­ther, yea gather together O Nation not desired. Repentance will make a man gather himselfe and all his wits together, which afore were dis­persed and wandred vp and downe in vanity. Ex­cutite vos, Iunius translateth it, search, trye, fanne your selues. This course the Prophet Dauid took, I thought on my wayes, and turned my feet vnto thy testimonies. Psal. 119. This was the practise of Peters repentance: Psal. 119.59. howsoeuer hee followed his Maister a farre off, yet hee came into the high Priests house, and sate downe when they had kin­dled a fire in the midst of the Hall: Better it had been for him to haue been without, freezing, then to stand by the fire with so many infectious lep­ers. It was a cold night that took away his heat of loue.

No doubt hee heard many hard passages vpon his Maister, one boasting that he had cast downe the Nazarite, another that hee had tumbled him in Cedron, another that he had giuen a blow. Peter is silent, whatsoeuer they say, and Vno eodemque silentio firmat errorem, Fulg. de myster. Mediat. ad Thras. Vandal. Regem. qui loquendo non astruit ve­ritatem. When a man doth not seeke to confirme the truth by speaking, his silence establisheth er­ror: perhaps his silence betrayed him: But a maid beheld him and earnestly looking vpon him said, This man was also with him: which words were as the stone of little Dauid vnto that great Gyant Goliah.

The Woman began in Paradise: no maruell she was in Court. Aut amat aut odit, nihil est ter­tium: There is no loue stronger then the loue of a woman. Can. 8.6. It is strong as death: and no wicked­nesse like the wickednes of a wicked Woman. It abateth the courage, Ec. 25.13.23. maketh a heauy counte­nance and a wounded heart. Wine and Women will make Men of vnderstanding to fall away. Eccl. Eccl. 19.2. Luk. 22.57. 19. Peter denyed him saying, [...] Lu. 22. I know him not. Hee knew him not who called him and his brother from their old nets, who healed his wiues mother, who was transfigured before him on the mount. Hee had first of all the rest confessed him to bee consubstantiall with the father. Hee had promised to liue and dye with him, Luk. 22.33. yet hee denyed him three seuerall times. Hee stumbled and fell and dashed his foot against the stone. Leo in mensa, lepus in praelio: like many who crye out for warre, vnexpert in any thing but their heeles. Saxa memor retulit rursus ad icta pedem. Seauen times in a day the iust man fal­leth, Luk. 2 [...].59. but Peter three times in one houre denyeth his Master: hee had quickly come to the num­ber of 77. times a day, had God suffered him to go on, for at the last he began to curse and sweare, saying I know not the man. Mat. 26.74. Ioh. 18.26. he was strongly temp­ted. A Kinsman of him whose eare Peter cut off, spyeth him, Scribitque in marmore laesus:

Did not I see thee in the Garden with him? His valour, his Country, his speech bewrayed him. Hoc [Page 19]factumest magnae pietatis dispensatione, vt qui fu­turus erat Pastor Ecclesiae, in sua culpa disceret, qua­liter aliis misereri debuisset, saith Gregory. Saint Peter was to instruct others, Gr. ho. 21. re­citatur in De­ [...]ret. di. 50. and how could hee with compassion, vnlesse hee had first fallen him­selfe? Behold his resurrection! Peter remembred the word of the Lord, how hee had said vnto him, Before the Cock crow thou shalt deny me thrise, and hee went out and wept bitterly. No maruell that Saint Peter fell so greeuously. Hee was but one. Woe to him that is alone. Eccle. 4.9.10. Hee hath no man to helpe him. Ephesus is fallen; one of the most fa­mous Cities of the world, the Metropolis of little Asia, the glory of Ionia, built in the 28. yeare of Dauid, Euseb. in Chro­nic, Pausan. as [...]n Achaicis. Chris. praes. ad Ephes. To. [...]. conc Eph. c. 27. in Ep. ad cler. Constantinop. Lucian de Mor­teperegr. either by the Amazons or one called Craesus. Hence came Pythagoras, Parmenides, Zeno, Democritus. Heere Iohn and the Virgin liued. E­phesus was renowned for the great temple of Di­ana, one of the wonders of the World, 425. feet long, 220. broad, hauing 127. pillars the workes of so many Kings, 220. yeares in building, which Xerxes spared when hee burnt all the other Tem­ples of Asia, though Herostratus a base person, fired it on that day wherein Alexander was born at Pella, onely to make himselfe famous. Ephesus became [...] an omission of good things, lan­guishing in her first loue, falling away. To search the reasons with Pererius were curious, whether they fell because of the instability of free will, or because no violent thing is perpetual, or because Gods grace being supernaturall and in man, is in [Page 20]a strange subiect: wee see their fall yet it is not finall. They are recouerable, else no remēbrancer should bee sent vnto them. It is a most accursed glosse of the Rhemists, that because Ephesus left her first loue, In Apoc. therefore our opinion is refuted that a man once in grace and charity can neuer fall from it. I confesse many examples in holy Scripture are terrible to the weake Christian. Dauid, whose conscience once was so tender that hee cryed out, The Lord forbid that I should stretch out mine hand against the anoynted of the Lord, 1. Sa. 24 6. yet causeth Vriah to bee slaine. Noah preserued in the destruction of the old World, Ge. 7.7.19.16.9.21.19.33. In Ps. 51. and Lot in the ouerthrow of Sodome, were both shamefully drunke. Non cadendi exemplum propo­situm est, sed si cecideris resurgendi, Examples saith Austin for our instruction, not that wee should learne to fall, but hauing fallen to rise a­gaine. There may be an Eclipse of Gods graces in the best, but hee can neuer fall away finally or totally from faith. Ioh. 13.1. Whom God loueth hee loueth to the end. Hee that beleeueth on him hath euerlast­ing life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death vnto life, Ioh. 5. It may be with the child of God as it was with Eutichus. Ioh. 5.24. Hee fell into a deepe sleepe, Act. 20.9.12. sunke downe with sleepe, and was taken vp dead, yet when Saint Paul fell on him, embracing him, hee said trou­ble not your selues, for his life is in him: and they brought the young man aliue. So Gods Child, in his owne eyes and the iudgement of others, may [Page 21]seeme vtterly to fall from grace, but hee is built vpon the immouable rocke Christ Iesus, and the greatest stormes of temptations cannot make him perish, Mat. 7.25. Hee may diminish the good graces of God within him, else S. Paul had neuer exhor­ted the Thessalonians. Quench not the spirit. 1. Thess. 5.19. Hee may after repentance fall into the same sinne a­gaine, else Christ had neuer giuen that charge to the man that had beene sicke thirty and eight yeares, Ioh. 5.14. sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee. Hee may sin presumptuously, that is willing­ly, and in some sort wilfully, else Dauid had neuer prayed, Psal. 19.13. Keepe backe thy seruant also from presump­tuous sinnes. The Child of God may seeme to sin desperately, either through ignorance of his owne estate, or through horror of Conscience for sinnes committed, or through an often relapse into some sinne, or through a serious considera­tion of his owne vnworthines, or by abiuration of the truth through compulsion and feare. The incestuous Corinthian was like to be holden in this transgression, and therefore Saint Paul wish­eth the Corinthians to forgiue him, and to com­fort him, least perhaps hee should bee swallow­ed vp with ouermuch sorrow. I am sure poore Ionas was almost plunged in it: I am cast out of thy sight. Ion. 2. A dangerous conclusion, Ion. 2.4. a horrible sinne, crossing Gods loue which many waters cannot quench, neither can the flouds drowne it, Cap 8. It crosseth his truth, which proclaimeth that if the wicked will turne from all his sins that Cap. 88. [Page 22] hee hath committed, and keepe all his statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, he shall sure­ly liue and not dye, Ez. 18.21. Ez. 18. His power, which is able to subdue our iniquities, & cast all our sins into the depthes of the sea, Mic. 7.19. Mic. 7. His iustice, who hath layd vpon Christ the iniquity of vs all, Is. 53. His mercy, Is. 53.6. which vpon our returne will abundantly pardon Is. 55. A sinne which beeing yeelded vn­to in a Melancholique nature, Is. 55.7. the Diuels forge, put­teth many bloudy instruments into the hands of a man to destroy himselfe.

Heapes of gold and siluer, wife, Children, friends and pleasures, seeme then miserable comforters: but the elect yeeld not, God forbid they should. Here were leaping from the panne into the fire. Qui nihil potest sperare, desperet nihil. Sen. Misericordiae Domini nec mensuras possu­mus conere, nec tempora defini­re. Leo It is an vnlawfull, murtherous, damnable ri­ot, whether it be to preuent bondage, as Cato V­ticensis, because he would not be in subiection to Caesar, killed himselfe: or Nero, being censured of the Senate: or when any thing falleth out contrary to expectation, as many hoorders vp of corne in dearths, seeing plenty: or to preuent sinne and shame, as Lucretia, rauished by Tarqui­nius: or preposterously desiring to tast of hap­pines, as Cleombrotus reading Platoes booke of the immortality of the soule: or vpon horror of Conscience, as Saul and Iudas. For death is an enemie, and therefore not to be procured. The [Page 23]Beasts hurt not themselues, and shall men? Eue­ry man should be nearest vnto himselfe. 1. Co. 15.26. Our life is the guift of God, hee onely must resume it. It is an iniury to the common wealth, the glory whereof is in the multitude of Subiects. Patri­arks, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, haue wal­ked another path, Ber. de vita solit. patiently wayting for a disso­lution. Ionas was in a dangerous pang, yet at last ouercame. There is a veruntamen, a yet, or notwithstanding, Tantam absur ditatē in dican­do refutasse ar­bitror. Jer. Ep. 54. which as the rudder in the sen­tence turneth it another way. I will looke againe towards thy holy Temple: Gods child cannot fall finally, or vtterly: Gods fauour not depen­ding vpon mans free will, but his owne free e­lection, whose decrees are vnalterable, and guifts without repentance. I might shew you here Sa­than against Sathan, the Iesuits against the Rhe­mists: Viegas words crossing the former glosse: Non amisit charitatem, sed de charitatis feruore nonnihil remisit, Ephesus fell not from charity, but was not so hot as before. The mention of the Rhemists opinion confuteth it: so of their other errours. The time would faile me to remember Rome of her great fall in many other particulars. Au. l. de vnit. Eccl. c. 16. Her miracles being like the wonders of the Dona­tists, in S Augustines times, Aut figmenta men­dacium hominum aut portenta fallacium spirituum, Either fictions of lying men, or fantasies of drea­ming Deuils. Claudius Espencaeus, 2. Tim. 4. dig. 2 [...]. their owne wri­ter confesseth: No stable is so full of dung, as the Legends full of fables: yea fictions are contained [Page 24]in their Portesses. They haue fallen from the faith in Miracles. Sacramental. li. 1. c. 7. p. 30 Their Merits is a doctrine of Pelagi­anisme, saith Waldensis; neuer allowed (saith iudi­cious Perkins) of the sound professors for a thou­sand yeares after Christ. Romes Cusanus maintai­neth, Dem [...]. Probl. cir. Excit. l. 9. that Christs death was onely of abilitie to merit eternall life. They haue fallen from the faith in merits. So in satisfaction, another twig arising from the same roote, then which no o­pinion is more iniurious to the death of Christ, wherein it were a shame to speake what Suarez, To. 1. disp. 4. Durand, and other grosser Papists haue discour­sed. But their Bayus sticketh not to grant, that there is but one satisfaction only vnto God, e­uen that of Christ. De indulg. t. vlt. Let them remember how they haue fallen in satisfaction. So in Purgatory, worthy of a Satyre, which Luther in a frumpe called Stercus humanum: Popish Doctors cannot agree among themselues of the fire, the torments, the subiects, the duration, the exequutioners, the condition of the soules there detained. It was vnknowne to the Church 1100. yeares after Christ. Their Suarez denieth their greatest argument, To. 4. in Th. d. 46. the walking Ghosts of the dead. They must remember whence they haue fallen into Purgatorie. So in their Inuoca­tion of Saints, and number of Mediatours, some­time making Christ S. Francis, and S. Francis Christ, as Turselline.

A tongue worthy to be cut out of his mouth [Page 25]while he liued, as Ierom spake of his Vigilantius. Hence came the 7. ceremonies of canonizing to be inscribed in a Calender with redde letters, praying, erecting Churches, Bell. de sanct. Beatit. l. 1. c. 8 [...]. Dices. ministring the Eu­charist, and saying Canonicall howers to them and in their honour, dedicating holy daies, set­ting vp Images, and worshiping their Reliques: yet the Saints canonized may be no Saints; and the miracles, whereupon their canonization is grounded, may be false, saith their Caietan. O­thers complain, Tract. de con­cept. et de in­dulgent. they haue worshipped many for Saints in heauen, who may be presumed to be tormented with the Diuells in hell. They haue fallen in his. So in their Transubstantiation, go­ing about to ouerthrow the truth of Christs hu­manity, which maketh vs cry out in much passi­on, as Auerroes iested of old, Is it possible that Christians should make themselues a God of bread? An errour contayning as many absurdities, as there haue bene minuts of time from the first forming of it (that is from the Councell of Late­rane) vntill this hower. Anno 1215. They haue fallen in their precepts and practise of eqiuuocation, and men­tall reseruation: worse herein then the Diuell, The Reu. B. of Salisbury in his Sermon called The old way. for hee equiuocated to hide his ignorance of that which he could not reueale: these equiuocate to hide their knowledg of that they an and ought to reueale. In their King-killing doctrine: In their assertions, that Dogs, & Mice, and Swine, eating their consecrated Host, Aq. p. 3. q. 80. art. 3. do eate into their bow­els the very body and blood of Christ. That it is [Page 26]more lawfull for a Priest to commit fornication, Coster. enchir. c. 15. Rota: indecis. 1. Nu. 3. in No­uiss. then to marry a wife: That the Popes power is greater then the Apostles. And that the Pope may derogate from the Apostles sayings. That the holy Scripture, Hosius de ex­presse verbo Dei. as it is aleaged of Catholiques is the word of God, but as it is aleaged of Heretiques (so they call Protestants) is the expresse word of the Diuell. Heer is the marke of a reprobate illusion: They receiue not the loue of the truth, that they might be saued, 2. Thess 2.12. therefore they belieue lies, that they may be damned. 2 Thess. 2. I leaue them to God, & come neerer to our selues. Remember &c.

Vse 1 A Lesson to reproue many prodigall Sinners, who runne so long vpon the score of Sathan, that they can neuer indure to heare of a recko­ning and remembrancer. Like Dicaearchus the Phi­losopher, who because it was hard for him to conceiue what the nature or properties of the soule were, Tull. Tuse. therefore affirmed the soule to be no­thing. So these, because they haue lost the sense and sting of sinne, thinke nothing they doe to be sinne, though, as Austin spake of the drunkard, they be all sinne. How many are there who think, that because they are not as bad as others, ther­fore they are good enough. Hence is it that the offers of Gods mercie are so disdainefully enter­tained, and so commonly reiected. Men, not knowing their owne necessity, doe despise the rich­es of Gods bountie, Heb. 10.29. and tread vnder feet the sonne of God. Heb. 10. One coloureth a grosse sinne with a tolerable name, that so either it may not be [Page 27]seene, or may not appeare in its owne likenes, calling haughtines magnanimity, ignorance in­nocencie, Aug. cons. l. 2. c. 6. Sen. ep. 45. heresie deepe learning, Machiaueliani­sme, pollicie, giddinesse zeale, furie manhood, oppression the making the most of a mans owne, Vsury, interest, or vsage, or putting out, any thing saue plaine vsurie. Another draweth a false con­clusion out of Gods mercie, and will continue in sinne, that grace may abound: like the Diuels conclusion to our Sauiour, Cast thy selfe downe, for the Angels shal beare the vp: Mat. 4 6. as if a man should poyson himselfe, presuming vpon a counter­poyson, or desperately surfeit because he is nere to a Physitian. Dauid confessed, There is forgiue­nes with thee that thou maist be feared. Psa. 130. Ps. 130 4. But these vse it as if it made God neglected. O­thers runne on in all kinds of riot, hoping to sa­tisfie for all by some speciall deuotions. A deuice by which many worldlings deceiue themselues, who hauing by rapine and extortion, by grin­ding the faces of the poore, and eating them vp as if they were bread, raked much together, imagine to remedie all this with God and the world by some largesse to the poore, and therfore wil stick at no violent & indirect course. (I pray God I be not now in some of your bosoms that heare me this day) S. Austin propoundeth the case thus: The Extortioner saith thus vnto me, De verb. Apo. ser. 21. to. 10 I am not like the rich man in the Gospell, I feast the poore, I send sustenance to the prisoners, I cloath the naked, I entertaine the strangers: to [Page 28]whom he answereth, Dare te putas, tollere noli et dedisti, Thou thinkest thou giuest, doe not take away and thou hast giuen. Hee reioyceth to whom thou hast giuen, but hee weepeth, from whom thou hast taken away. It is not sufficient to cease from euill, but wee must learne to doe good. It is not enough to stand still in the path of goodnes, but wee must goe on.

Euery man must examine himselfe, search out his owne wants, and remember from whence hee is fallen. Else, if men fall and will not a­rise, if they turne away and will not returne, if they slide backe, if they repent not of their wicked­nesse, saying, what haue we done? euery one turning to his course as the horse rusheth into the battaile: Their wiues shall be giuen vnto other men, and their fields vnto them that shall inherit them. Ie. 8.7. Ier. 8. Had I the voyce of more then a man, and louder then a Trumpet, I would cry vnto all the world, as S. Iohn vnto Ephesus, Remember from whence thou art fallen. Miserrimum est fuisse beatum, It is most wofull to haue beene happy. O it is a great misery to haue been zealous, and now to bee luke-warme: to haue put our hands to the Plough, and now to looke back: to haue a begin­ning laudable, but an end damnable. Doth not thy owne soule proclaim thee guilty? neither do I: but be not deceiued, God is not mocked, Wee all either goe forward or backward. If wee fall back: As in the dayes that were before the flood, They were eating and drinking, marrying, and [Page 29]giuing in marriage, vntill the day that Noah en­tred into the Arke, Mat. 24.38.39. and knew not vntill the flood came and tooke them all away: So shall the com­ming of the Sonne of man be vnto vs, except wee remember from whence wee haue fallen.

Vse 2 An instruction to vs all to recollect our best thoughts for our forepassed liues. Is. 1.3. Shall the Oxe know his owner, and the Asse his maisters cribb: shal the Storke in the heauens know her appoin­ted times, and the Turtle, and the Craine, Ie. 8.7. and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming: & shall not we consider the passages of our liues? Doe wee with Agathocles (a Potters sonne, made a King) carry about vs earthen vessels, which may remember vs of our mortality, and yet for­get death? Shall it be with vs as in the time of Simonides, who complayned, that after the vse of letters was inuented, the vertue of memory decayed? The more the Gospell is preached, and mercy offered, shall wee be the more dull? Blessed Christian, bee not like a painted Tombe, guilded without, rotten within, tipping thy tongue with godlines, and filling thy soule with bitternes, bearing a bible in thy hand, and Mam­mon in thy heart: Remember thy oath in Baptism, many vowes and resolutions since. If wee haue broke them wee must be answerable vnto God. It is not with vs, as it was with Fabius Maximus, who, in prolonging the time, stayed & assuaged by de­grees the fiercenes of Hannibal, and by delay deliuered the commonwealth of Rome. For God [Page 30]cannot indure delay in heauenly matters. O then Now sit downe, looke vpon thy life, catechise thy selfe as he did, Anima quid fecisti hodie? O my soule what hast thou done? If with Demas wee haue forsaken Paul whom once wee loued, 2 Ti. 4.10. and are intangled in the world, Let vs remember from whence we haue fallen. If with Peter we haue failed in our true seruice vnto Christ, let vs re­member this word of my Text, Remember that this life is but horoe momentum, yet in this mo­ment of an hower we saue or loose all. O before thy weake dayes come, wherein one poore Ague or some other disease, shall shake all the frame of the house, summe vp thy thoughts, words, actions, before the time come wherein thou must await the heauy doome of the Physitian, as the thiefe doth the sentence of the Iudge: when flegme and spittle shall so wofully besiedge thy life, besides groanes, stitches, cold sweat and bur­nings: thou must then forget thy fathers house, and leaue all the world: therefore let this day be vnto vs all as if it were our last. Let not sin reign in our mortall bodies, Heb. 10 27. for if wee sinne wilfully af­ter we haue receiued the knowledg of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes, but a certaine fearefull looking for of iudgement, and fiery indignation. Repentance is our guide, and therefore Repent and doe the first workes.

If a man read ouer the morall writings of some Heathens, Pri. sec. he would pitty them, to see their witty and carefull disquisition of true rest lead [Page 31]them to much vnquietnes. They are like wan­dring Empiricks, which in tables and pictures make great ostentation of cures, yet can neuer approue their skill to their credulous Patients. Many wrote of it, none attained it. Some pla­ced true tranquilitie in a constant estate of out­ward thinges; whereas these varie as often as the weather, being got with care, kept with feare, lost with sorrow. Others, in such a temper of the soule, as that it should neuer be affected with a­ny casuall euents; whereas, while it is prisoner in the Dungeon of flesh and blood, Seu. de Tran­quill. it is one while chearefull, another while dull, drowsie, comfort­lesse, prone to rest, loathing former resolutions. Others hold the best way for peace to be, when a man imployeth himself in some publike affaires, then retyreth himselfe to his priuate studies, thinking vpon the tryall of his ability, nature of his businesses, choise of his friends, fore-imagi­ning the worst in all casuall matters; Nay further, Sen. c vlt. in making the most of himselfe, chearing vp his spirits with the variety of recreations, and other indulgences. Miserable comforters are all these. Here is no mention of the greatest enemies, Con­science of euill done, and feare of euill to be suf­fered. Can any man haue peace that is at vari­ance with God and himselfe? Or is that peace the peace of God, which is thought to be with out him? Ephesus is better instructed, Repent and doe the first workes.

Jn aureis car­minibus. Pythagoras aduised, that euery mans exami­nation [Page 32]in priuate should runne vpon three Art­cles, Jn anrcis car. minibus. [...] wherein wee haue transgressed, that wee may repent; [...] what good wee haue done that wee may hold out, [...] what wee haue omitted which wee should haue done. My second circumstance is more direct, in as great a Laconisme, and as perfect breuity as can possibly be described. And therefore as Iustin Martyr spake of Aristotles booke de mundo, In Apol. which he wrote to Alexander, that it was the Epitome of all his Philosophie: So may wee of this lesson of S. Iohn to Ephesus, It is the summe of all his Diuinitie. Repent. [...] Where if I would be contentious about words, that cauill of Gregory Martin might giue sufficient occasion who taxeth reuerend Beza, Greg. Mart. in a booke inti­tled, A discoue­ry &c. auns. by D. Fulke. for translating the word Resipisce, which (saith hee) should be ren­dred as the Vulgar, Age poenitentiam. I answer, wee refuse those words which they translate, Doe pe­nance, because they meane thereby satisfaction for sinnes past to be a necessary part of true re­pentance; which is not contained in the Greeke word, signifying onely a change of the minde, that is, not onely a sorrow for the sinne past, but a purpose of amendment, which is best ex­pressed by the Latin word Resipiscere, which is alwaies taken in good part, as [...] is in Scrip­ture, whereas the latine word poenitere and poeni­tentia, may and are vsed in latin of sorrow and repentance that are too late, as of Iudas griefe of minde, which caused him to hang himselfe: [Page 33]but not [...] or [...] Resipiscere and Resipis­centia: and therefore the holy Ghost, speaking of his sorrow, vseth another word [...] and [...]. We abhorre that translation which main­taineth satisfaction for sinnes by any suffering of ours, as blasphemous to the satisfaction of Christ, whose blood onely cleanseth vs from all sin. 1. Ioh. 1.7. If the word Satisfaction were vsed by any fathers of the Church, It was not that they had any mea­ning to satisfie the iustice of God by externall works, but that by those outward tryals of their repentance, the Church was satisfied, which by their fall was of­fended: & the gouernours of the Church, by such signes of true sorrow and amendment, were per­swaded to receiue them againe into the congre­gation, from whence vntill sufficient tryall had of their repentance, they were separated & ex­cluded. But I remember my Text is doctrinall and morall, Repent and doe the first workes: whence this collection necessarily ariseth.

That Repentance and the practise of a holy life, Doct. are the direct meanes whereby sinners are re­conciled vnto God.

The proofs heereof are so many and pregnant throughout both Testaments, that whatsoeuer is there written may serue for a testimony. Al the Sermons of Prophets and Apostles proclaime this. This was the charg of Ezekiel: Say vnto them, Eze. 13.11. As I liue saith the Lord God, I haue no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue. Turne yee, turne ye from your [Page 34]euill waies, for why will ye dye O house of Israell. Ez. 33. This was the subiect of the preaching of Isai. Wash yee, make you cleane, Put away the euill of your doings from before your eyes, Is. 1.16. Is. 1. Of Ieremy, Re­turne ye now euery one from his euill way, and make your wayes and your doings good. Ie. 18. Ie. 18.11. Of Hosea, O Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity, Of. 14.1. Mat. 3.2. Mat. 4.17. Hos. 14. Of Iohn the Baptist, Repent yee for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. Mat. 4. Of Christ Iesus himselfe, the be­ginning of whose preaching was Repent. Mat- 4. This was the end of his passion and resurrecti­on, that repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his name amongst all Nations. Lu. 24.47. Luke 24.

How many promises are added vnto this! If thou wilt put a way thine abhominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remoue. Ier. 4. Ie. 4.1. If the wicked re­store the pledge, giue againe that hee hath robbed, walke in the Statutes of life without committing iniquity, hee shall surely liue bee shall not die. None of his sinnes that hee hath committed, shall bee men­tioned vnto him: if hee hath done that which is law­full and right, Ez 33.15.16. Hee shall surely liue. Ez. 33.15.

Iob prayed for this: a space to repent. Are not my dayes few, cease then and let me alone that I may take comfort a little, before I goe whence I shall not returne, Iob. 10 20.21. euen to the land of darknes, & the shadow of death. Iob. 10. Vnto this the goodnes of God lea­death vs. Rom. 2. Rom. 2.4. It remoued the plague from Isra­ell. Ki. 24.16.17. 1. Kin. 24. brought deliuerance vnto the Iewes, [Page 35]when Shishak King of Egypt came against them with twelue hundred Chariots, and three­score thousand horsemen, and Egyptians without number. 2. Chro. 12. 2. Ch. 12, 3. It stayed iudge­ments from Pharaoh: For when hee saw the Wa­ters anoyed with the first plague, the Earth with the second and third, and the Aire with the fourth, Dr. Hall cou­templat. (a winged Army comming from an an­gry God, not from Nature or chance) finding it impossible for him to stand out with God, since all his power could not rescue him from his least Creatures, his heart begins to thaw, saying to Moses and Aaron, Goe and doe sacrifice in this Land, or because that had beene an Abhomination, Goe into the wildernes, but not farre. He will not leaue them: But when the voyce of Gods thun­der and haile, mixed with fire, rouze him vp, then (as betwixt sleeping and waking) hee starts vp, I haue sinned this time, Ero. 19.34. the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked. Meere necessity constrained him to relent: For the Fish beeing destroyed with the first blow, the Cattell with the fifth, the Corne with the seauenth, the fruit and leaues with this eight, and now nothing left him but a bare fruitlesse earth, to liue vpon, he was mollified: and howsoeuer constrained re­pentance bee euer short and vnsound, yet vpon Moses prayer the thunders and haile ceased. But this repentance is not that which can preuaile. So Caine repented, My punishment is greater then I can beare, Gen. 4. From thy face shall I bee hid; [Page 36]Hee knew that Nihil grauius quam errantem a Deo deseri, Amb. lib. 2. de Caine & Abel c. 9. vt se reuocare non posset. Nothing is more grieuous, then for him that erreth to be for­saken of God, that he cannot recall himselfe. So did Saul repent, Ieroboam, Ahab, Ananias and Sa­phira, Agrippa, Foelix, Simon Magus, Elimas. But the true practise of a right repentance consisteth in an inward sorrow, when we are displeased with our selues for sinnes; and in an outward, when we testifie it by teares and such like; when we resolue to sinne no more, but to doe the good and accep­table will of God; when with humiliation there is faith added; when wee grieue that wee cannot grieue enough. The Angels in Heauen sing at this lamentation, neither doth the earth afford any so sweet Musicke in the eares of God. Many may be vexed with an extreme remorse for some sinne from the gripes of a galled Conscience, playing at once the Accuser, Witnes, Iudge, Tor­mentor, and yet neuer know the power of repen­tance. But an earnest sorrow for the want of sor­row, was neuer found in any but a gracious heart, whose teares are as the raine in a Sunne-shine, comfortable and hopefull.

This is that which melts vs, purgeth vs, rinseth vs, and so maketh vs of drossie, pure; of foggy sound; of crooked, streight Christians. And as impure gold cannot be rid of the drosse, vntill it be moulten and dissolued, [...] neither vnsound bo­dies full of vicious humors come to any good e­state till they are wel purged: No more can we, till [Page 37] Repentance breake vs, and cause vs to doe our first workes. This remembreth vs of good omit­ted, and euill committed.

This is like the riuer Nilus which turned furi­ous Io into a glorious Virgin: Dauid, Ezekiah, Manasses, Mary Magdalen, the Prodigall, Zache, the Iewes are examples. It is like the sea, prouo­king the vomit and loathing of our sinnes. It is like the sand, staying the violent rage of the waues of our transgressions; like the herbe Century, bit­ter and sweet; bitter in meditation of Gods iudgements, sweet in imbracing his mercies; like a thunderbolt extinguishing the corruption and poyson of our Serpentine nature; like an earth­quake, whose trembling is a filiall feare, whose rent & scissure is the breaking of the heart, whose sound is a crying voyce, whose motion is a grow­ing in grace, whose winds are temptations, and the dust is the remembrance of our mortality. Repentance is our Armour to quench all the fiery Darts of the flesh, world, and Deuill. It is as Hilary sheweth, Hil. in p 118. ab eo quod poenitendum intel­lexeris destitisse, a ceasing from that which wee vnderstand must bee repented of. It is proeterita mala plangere, & plangenda iterum non committe­re, a mourning for sinnes committed, and a pur­pose neuer to commit them being to bee lamen­ted. Languores sanat, leprosos curat, mortuos susci­tat, &c. as Saint Austin sweetly. Aug. l. de poenit. It healeth fain­tings, [Page 38]cureth lepers, Aug. l. de poe [...]it. raiseth the dead, encreaseth health, maketh the lame to goe, the blind to see, expelleth vices, and comforteth the Soule of a Christian. It is the medicine of our wounds, the hope of Saluation, [...]fid. Aetim. l. 6. c. 18. per quam peccatores saluantur, Deus ad misericordiam prouocatur, by which sin­ners are redeemed and God is prouoked to mer­cy. It is iugum suaue & leue, Aug. sup. Ps. quia non est sarcina viatoris sed ala volatoris, A sweet and light yoak, not a burthen for vs trauailers, but a wing to make vs all fliers to Gods Kingdome. It is our second lauer of regeneration, the onely rebaptization, allowed in diuinity, consisting [...] as Chrysostome speaketh, Chrys. in Ro. 12 as well in the contrition of the heart as the reformation of the mind. Repentance is the Christalline humor of the eye of faith, [...] the best Aqua-vitae to reuiue our dead spi­rits, that Aqua coelestis which God keepeth in his bottle that not one drop of it can bee lost, and it is the brine wherewith both flesh and spi­rit must bee kept from tainture and corruption, therefore prescribed vnto Ephesus, Repent and doe the first workes.

Vse. 1. A Caueat for vs to beware of the leauen of the Romish Synagogue, whereby they offer much wrong vnto this holy ordinance of God. I shall but touch on some points of their greatest Patrons, aiming rather at our owne re­conciling with God, then quarrelling with such obstinate Aduersaries, who as they may well seeme to haue no faith, annihilating it by merit [Page 39]of workes; no hope, weakening it by doubtful­nes of saluation; no Religion as it is the true knowledge of the true God, concealing this from the people, by causing the Scriptures in a strange translation, or as it is the sincere wor­ship of one God, defiling the purity and diuiding the integrity thereof by that latrioduliacall di­stinction of Idols Adoration, and Saints inuo­cation; no Charity, witnesse their Gunpowder plot; so they haue no Repentance, avoyding it by their Indulgences. Sometimes they make it a Sa­crament, because it is the net that taketh all their prouision: and yet they know not when or where it was instituted or who commanded it. L. cum de lege ff de proba. & Gloss. Ibid. Coll. Ratisp. Anno 1601. habitum Mat. 12.3. Mat. 15.3.4. Aug. 10.9. de Catachs. c 4. p. c. 75. Edit. Ba. 1529. Cypr. Ep. l. 2. Ep. 1. ad Steph. p. 42. Ed t. Bas. 15 30. Just. Mart. A­pol. 2. Tertull. cont Marcion. l. 1. & 4. Amb. de Sacr. Cyrill. in Mystagogitis Alexa. 4. q 8. m. 2. Art. 1. Bo [...]u. quem re­fe [...]t Ouand. q. d. 1 [...] pr [...]. They affirme it, wee denye it, and the ciuill law conclu­deth, that Probatio incumbit affirmanti, and the Iesuits confessed it in colloquio Ratisbonensi, for Christ proued that doctrine which hee affirmed as the plucking and eating of the eares of corne by his hungry Disciples Mat. 12. The Pharises to be transgressors of the law, Mat. 15. In the 20. ver. he denyeth that to eat with vnwashen hands defileth a man, hee leaueth the Affirmatiue part to the Pharises to proue. Antiquity is against their seauen Sacraments, Aug. To. 9. & Cypr. Ep. l. 2. Besides Iust. Martyr, Tertullian, Ambrose, Cyrillus Alexandrinus: I leaue the ground of it, their priuat Confession, which the Iesuits Paracel­sians of the text seeme to proue, from Iohn 20.23. But Alexander Bonauenture, and Fr. Ouand. deny that euer Christ ordained it: nay for the [Page 40]space of a thousand yeares after Christ and vp­ward, it was not reckoned amongst the Sacra­ments. They ouerthrow the nature of true re­pentance, by giuing so much liberty to sinne, holding that Prisoners may breake the Iayle: a poynt practised by Romish Priests amongst vs. Caietan defendeth it, Calet. 22. pag. 144. Tolet. sum. pag. 548. Gl. v. multorum Can. vidua. dist. 34. That Children may marry without consent of Parents. That shee onely is meretricious, that hath polluted her selfe with more then twenty and three thousand men. It is their damnable glosse.

Hee that reads Nauarrs Manuall, shall find cho­lerick blasphemy a veniall sinne, pag. 91. some [...]heft veniall p. 140. common lying veniall p. 191. cursing of Parents, if not malicious, veniall p. 100. And these Venialls (saith Francis a Victoria) by a Pater noster, or sprinckling of holy water, or knock of the breast are cleared. Let these pretend perfection Euangelicall neuer so much, whereby (as the Asse with the Lyons skin on his backe) they gull the ignorant, yet you see what large Consciences they haue: These are their workes: examples of their enioyned penance are infinite. M. Fox p. 1. p. 141. King Edgar was inioyned by Dunstan not to wear his Crowne in seauen yeares, for deflouring a Virgin: The carrying of a Fagot was an ordina­ry penance vpon this day vnto this place. P. 671. The carrying before the Procession bagges of straw, P: 511. [Page 41]for not bringing litera (the Popish latin word) for a popish Prelats horses. [...]onfinius l. 1. Occad. 2. Hildebrand commanded Conradus a German comming a penitent to Rome to weare a coat of Maile in stead of his shirt, and fastened it with fiue chains, giuing him sealed letters containing the Catalogue of his sinnes, and commanding him to visit all the holy places of the earth. Are these their first workes?

They ouerthrow the nature of true repen­tance, by their prodigall grants and shamefull Martes of Pardons: Cap. inter ope­ [...]a charitatis [...]ispons. l. 4. [...]cretal. giuing a Pardon for all such men as shall take common Women out of the Stewes and marry them. A pardon for twenty thousand dayes by the grant of Pope Innocent the 6. for saying one A [...]e at the eleuati­on. M. White in is way to the Church. P. [...]55 & 256. A pardon for 6666. dayes, as many dayes say they as Christ had wounds in his body, for saying a prayer as long as three Auees before the Crucifixe. A pardon for forty thousand yeares, by Pope Sixtus the 4. to him that would say a pray­er of his making, not fiue aboue 40. words long. A pardon of forty dayes to him that bright a faggot, [...]ox p 2. p. 897. or but a stake to the burning of [...] Pro­testant. A pardon to any man to deliuer one soul out of Purgatory for ten shillings, p. 771. by Leo the tenth, in the yeare of our Lord 1516. If there be any one in this great Congregation, intoxicate with the Popish potions of Rome, let him see what mercie is in the Pope, who holding that it is in his power to call miserable soules out of this tormenting fire (which hell it selfe is said [Page 42]to exceed onely in the continuance) yet that he should suffer them to lye houling there, and not mercifully bestow on them all the heaps of his treasure, as the spirituall ransome of so many distressed Spirits. O inhumane acceptati­on of persons, that the wealthier sort may by their purses deliuer others from this prison, while the needy soule must be still frying in that flame, without all hope of pardon vntill the very last iudgement day! But I remember their own men doubt whether there be a Purgatory, and wee knowe there is none: and they conclude, that the Pope may lead with him innumerable souls to hell to perish with him for euer (much more leaue some in Purgatory if there were any) yet may no mortall man take vpon him to reproue him. D [...]. 40.50. Si [...]apa. Thus Babilon, I meane Rome is fallen, yet shee remembreth not that she is fallen, she will not repent, you see her workes, wee would haue healed her but she refused.

Yet let vs be here admonished to consider our owne waies, Vse. 2. and looking vpon our first workes, bring forth fruite worthy amendment of life. ( Blessed and beloued Christians) Wee cannot be so happy as Tullies wise man, Tull. Tusc. to doe nothing for which we need to repent; as Isidore which vo­luntarily protested, that for forty yeares space he found not in himselfe any sinne, not so much as in his thought, not so much as any consent to anger or inordinate desire: Dr. Hall. No peace with Rome. Tit. de a testimony giuen to Gonzaga for some yeares that late Saint by Baro­nius [Page 43]and Bellarmine: Justificat. Qu. vitam e. ius. The offall of the schooles may hold of Bonauenture, that in him non peccauit Adam, Adam sinned not. Let Manichoeus protest it of his Maisters, Priscallian, Euagrius, Iouinian; the Messalians of themselues: Wee must all re­solue as S. Ambrose, not to boast because we are iust, but because wee are redeemed, not because wee are void of sinne, but because our sinnes are forgiuen vs. But without repentance and doing the former workes, there is no remission of sins; Repentance, the guift of God, ioy of Angels, hauen of sinners. Awake thou that sleepest in thy sinnes, 2. Ti. 2.7. I say vnto thee as Saint Paul to his Tymothy, Consider what I say, and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things. Come now and reason with God, though thy sinnes be as scarlet, they may be as white as snow, Is. 1.18. though they be red like crimson, they may be as wooll. God is able to bring light out of darknes, life out of death: our sinnes shall turne to our good if we rise from them more humble, more fearfull, more carefull and warie then wee were before. Happy is that fall that is taken vp by humility. Bar. To our repentance wee must adde our former good workes, from whence we are fallen: For by our good workes wee glorifie our father which is in hea­uen. Mat. 5.16. Mat. 5. By them wee shew our faith Ia. 2. By them our consciences are quieted, Ia. 2.18. being sure ne­uer to fall, making our calling and election sure. 2. Pet. 1.10. Yet merit by these wee cannot, 2. Pet 1.10. Iust­ified by them wee are not. Euery one must con­fesse [Page 44]as Gregory, Nudum me in fide prima gratia ge­nuit, nudum eadem gratia in assumptione saluabit, Gr. Meral. l 2 c. 40. p. 11. col. 1. Edit. Par. 1551. the first grace begot in vs faith when wee were but naked in good workes, and the same grace shall saue vs hereafter when we shal be but naked in them neither. Non proecedunt iustificandum, sed sequuntur iustificatum, they are the signes of our sanctificatiō, not the causes of our iustifica­tion. That learned speech of reuerend Caluin shall euer be true, Fides sola est quae iustificat, fi­des tamen quae iustificat nonest sola. Vt solis calor solus est qui terram calefaciat, Col. in Act. Sy­nod. Trid. Sext Sess. Antid. Tract. Theol. p. 336. col. 2. non tamen idem inso­le solus est, quia coniunctus cum splendore. It is faith alone that iustifieth, and yet that faith that iustifieth is not alone. As it is the heate alone of the Sunne that heateth the earth, yet is not that heat in the Sunne alone, because it hath bright­nes ioyned with it. Repentance and good workes cannot be seuered. Behold a Christian must la­bour, else he shall neuer tast the sweet Manna of comfort from aboue.

The Angels of heauen need not to repent be­cause they sinne not: the Diuels in hell care not for repentance, their iudgement is sealed, but it appertaineth to vs all who are the sonnes of men, and must be practised if euer wee will goe to hea­uen. Our marble and flinty hearts must bee sofre­ned with the sweet showers of Gods heauenly word. Our stiffe and iron-sinued neckes must bee bowed with the yoake either of the Gospell or of the law. Our foreheads must not be like hers [Page 45]that refused to bee ashamed. Math. 11.30. Act. 15.10. Ie. 3. Our eares must not be so deafe, our eyes so drye, our senses so dull, our wills so obstinate, our affections so barren, our desires so cold, but wee must awake. The gol­den bels of Aaron, the thundring trompets of E­say, the well-tuned Cimbals of Dauid, the shrill sound of preaching, aime onely at our conuersion to God. O consider this you that forget God. (I speake only to them whose consctences accuse them) If you make religion but fashion, seeking onely to seeme Christians, hauing Gods liuery on your backes, and name in your mouthes, yet outfacing all reproofes by your insatiable couetousnes, biting vsury, false measures, forsworne valuations, adulterat wares, catching at the possessions of the Church, grinding and griping the faces of the poore, by which meanes, howsoeuer you fill your Coffer, you fester your soules, though your faces were like Angels, without repentance and good workes there must follow a portion with the Diuels, from which Good Lord deliuer vs. O then while it is called to day, let vs ransacke our hearts and get a sound affection to God, a firme resolution to goodnes, hatred to sinne in all men, especially in our selues, and an obedient keeping of the commandements. O then you whom God hath endowed with holy and vpright hearts, that haue done and intend still to doe honour to your maker, honesty to the Gospell, credit to this famous Citie, Be stedfast and vnmoueable al­waies abcūding in these works of the Lora, knowing [Page 46]that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. You are not Treasurers but Stewards, whose praise is more to lay out well, then to haue recei­ued much. Neither the times nor your selues are in your owne disposing, the more speedily you doe good, the more comfort you shall receiue. O then let vs all follow Austins aduise, Aug. [...]. 33. in Job., take time while time is offered, least the gate of mercy which to day is open, to morrow bee shut and neuer o­pened againe vnto vs. Let vs beware that wee a­buse not the patience and long suffering of so good a God, least after so-many calmes of com­fort, he powre downe vpon vs the bitter stormes of indignation and come quickly against vs, as hee threateneth to come against Ephesus; which is the first particular of my second generall. Of else I willcome vnto thee quickly. Prima secundae.

Such are the neuer-stinting streames of Gods mercy, that hee neuer ouerthroweth any King dome or nation, Citty or people, before he send a warning peece to admonish them. He endured the people of the Iewes sufficiently in the wilder­nesse, protesting in the Psalmes: Ps. 95 10. Forty years long was I grieued with this generation, not onely pro­uoked, offended discontented, but grieued at his very soule: who could haue grieued all the veines of their hearts, and taught them the price of an­gring so dreadfull a Maiesty as his is. A genera­tion for whose sake hee had wrought many won­ders, preparing a table for them in the desart, their diet Qu [...]iles and Manna, in such aboun­dance, [Page 47]in such delicacie, that neuer any Prince was so serued in his greatest pompe, hee deli­uered them from a bondage worse then death, vanquisht many Kings for them, and led them by miracle through the red Sea, yet they murmure, repine, grudge, rebell; and when no fauour could moue them, God sweareth in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. His patience be­ing moued turneth into fury. Here are mercy and iudgement, that hee threateneth before hee puni­sheth: and it is conditionall. Vpon the opening of the ayre and shutting of the windowes of hea­uen, after the waters had ouer-run the world in 150. dayes, God set his bow in the cloud, a token of Couenant betwixt him and the earth: Not but that there was Raine and a Raine bow before the flood: for how else could the plants and fruites of the earth haue beene so many yeares preserued without Raine? but Now it began to be a signe twixt God and man, Gen. 9.11. Doct. Will [...]t in Gen. that there should be no more a flood to destroy the earth. A signe so terrible to the Iewes, that vp­on euery appearing of it they come forth, con­fesse their sinnes, and dare not looke vp towards heauen. But it is an emblem of Gods mercie (saith Ramban) the ends turned downwards and the back to heauen, he that shooteth holding the back from him: or (saith Ambrose) it was mercie that he made the bow his token, and not the ar­row: the Bowe is but the instrument, the arrowe woundeth. So dealeth he with Ephesus, his Bow [Page 48]is bent, but he will not shoote if they repent. Else I will come. Many parts of mans body are ascribed vnto God in Scripture, the face, the mouth, Ps 34.16. De. 8.3. 2. Ki. 19.16. Zac. 4.10. 1. Ki. 8.42. Mat. 22.44. De hoec. c. 50. the eares, the eyes, the armes, the feet: whence most grosly Tertullian, and some Heri­tiques, who by Epiphanius are called Audiani, and by Augustine, Vadiani: and the Aegyptian Monkes the Anthropomorphitae collected that God was a body: an error so absurd, that the maintai­ners of it are rather to be punished then answered. For it is a true axiome in schoole-Diuinity, that Quaecunque de Deo corporaliter dicuntur, dicta sunt symbolice, Whatsoeuer is spoken of God bodily, must be vnderstood figuratiuely. It is the wisdome of the spirit to fit the scriptures to our weake capacities, to vse known familiar and sensible tearmes, thereby to raise vp our conceits to some knowledge of the euerliuing God. His comming signifieth his readinesse. Behold sayth Salomon, He commeth leaping vpon the mountaines, skipping vpon the hils, like a Roe or a young Hart. ca. Ca. 2.8.9. 2. His comming is either for mercy, as to Adam with the promise in time of despaire; to Abraham with supply in time of sacrifice; Ge. 3.8 15. Ge. 22.13. Ge. 26 2.3. Ge 41.40. 1. Ki. 19.5. Iu 6.21.to Izaac with reliefe in time of famine; to Ioseph with honour in time of exile; to Eliah with comfort in time of persecution; to Gedeon with a staff in time of battaile; to Ezechia with triumph in time of in­uasion; to Daniel among the Lions; to the Chil­dren in the furnace; to Susanna at the place of iudgement; to the Apostles in the iayle; to the [Page 49] Theefe vpon the crosse. Veniens ventet, Hee shall come quickly when hee commeth to deliuer; or hee commeth in iudgement speedily and quick­ly: It is long ere hee reuenge himselfe vpon sin­ners, but when hee commeth his hands be of iron, hee payeth home and with a witnesse. If a man turne not, hee will whet his sword: hee hath bent his bow and made it ready, Ps. 7.13.13. hee hath also pre­pared for him the instruments of death: hee or­daineth his arrowes and these sly swiftly. God commeth [...], quickly; which leadeth vs to this collection.

Doct. That Gods iudgments come speedily vpon the impenitent and obstinate. The reason is giuen Gen. 6. My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man, that is, Gen. 6.3. Olcaster. hee would no longer reproue and admo­nish them, seeing they reguarded it not; or hee would no longer consult and dispute the matter as it were with himselfe what to doe with them, but if they amended not within the space giuen them to repent, Iunius. he would suddainly destroy them; and so he did. One poore family was called out of a world, and as it were eight graines of corne fanned from a whole barne full of chaffe; the rest were drowned. How speedily and quickly was he reuenged vpon Lots wife, turning her into a pil­lar of Salt! Gen. 19. A suddaine Metamorphosis or strange transformation of a miserable and sinfull woman, Gen. 19.26. for but a glaunce of her eye: she goeth forward and looketh backward, as if her neck had beene broke when shee was brought out of So­dome [Page 50]from that kindred and country where she had liued, from her house where she had dwelt, from her gardens, pleasure, sweet ayre, greene pastures and pleasant waters, which shee had en­ioyed. O what a bewitching is it to the soule of man to fall in loue with the fleshpots of Aegypt! Poore woman she had particular warning of the destru­ction of Sodome, which, her house and kinred excepted, none in Sodome had beside her. An­gels sometimes stood with a sword to keepe men out of Paradise, M. Wilkinson in his sermon vpon Lots Wife. but these who were appoynted to destroy Sodome bring peace to her, and bring her out of Sodome. Angels appeared to her, not as to Iacob in a ladder, nor as to Moses in a bush, nor as to Samuel in the Tabernacle, but they came into her house. She had leaue to carry her goods with her. She was pardoned one delay before, an Angel laying hold vpon her hand. She was charged not to looke behind her, yet she did: and therefore for her disobedience vnto this com­mand, her incredulity not giuing credit to Gods word, her curiosity in desiring to see the citty bur­ning, her folly in pittying those that would not pitty their owne soules, her affection to that place which was lothsome to God, shee was quick­ly turned into a pillar of Salt, vt praestet fidelibus condimentum, An: l. 16. deciu. Dei. c. 30. as Augustine noteth; that it may be a seasoning to faithfull men to take heede of backsliding. Thus the Lord punished her body, though in charity wee must thinke he had mercy vpon her soule. I appeale vnto our owne daylie [Page 51]experience, Whether many who led the dance in the morning haue not fallen foule, and beene blasted in the euening.

Moses sang this song, Is not this layd vp in store with me, and sealed vp among my treasures? To me belongeth vengance and recompence, their foote shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come vpon them make hast. De 32.35. Deu. 32. Thus Eze­chiel threateneth Ierusalem, Thoa art betome guil­ty in the blood which thou hast shed, and hast defiled thy selfe in thine Idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy daies to draw neere, and art come euen vnto thine yeares, therefore haue I made thee a reproch vnto the heathhen, and a mocking to all coun­tries. Eze. 22. Thus Saint Iohn threatneth Ephe­sus. Ez. 12.4. I will come vnto thee quickly.

Which may serue as a terrour vnto all lingring and irresolute Christians, Vse. that put a farre off the day for wrath from them, crying out as those scoffers which walke after their owne lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his comming? For since the Fathers fel asleep, al thinges conti­new as they were from the beginning of the cre­ation. 2 Pe. 3. Like that euill seruant which said in his heart, My Lord delayeth his comming, 2 Pet. 3.4. and therfore smiteth his fellow seruant, eating and drinking with the drunken. Mat. 24.48. Mat. 24. O did the oppressor, that Misanthropos, that Sarcophagus, [Page 52]Anthropophagus, Anthropomastix, the hater, whip­per, & eater of men, which with the sharpnes of his talents gripeth his tenants with miserable op­pression; and in his contracts plucking out the ve­rie hearts of his creditors by an execrable defal­cation of their debtes, eateth them vp like bread. But remember that the Lord is comming vnto him quickly: then should not the poore mans pledge be wrongfully witholden, the labourers hire kept back till the morning, so many buil­dings be enlarged by Ahabs cruelty, so many coffers enriched by Iudas trechery, so many shops sorted with wares, so many warehouses with store, so many tables with dainties, so many Cubbards with plate, so many wardrobes with suits, so ma­ny granaries with corne by biting vsury: then would he not walke as Leuiathan in the Sea with­out a hooke in his nostrils, as Behemoth in the wildernes hauing no bridle in his iawes, as a ramping and roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure. I am sure goods so gotten shall be but as a broken staffe of reed: if a man leane, it wil pearce into his hands. Such pleasures are but as Dalilah to Sampson, giues and fetters of Sathan to entangle them: such gold will be a milstone about their necks, to carry them into the bottomlesse pit: such lands and goods, as a bunch vpon a Ca­mels backe, not suffring them to enter into the narrow gate which leadeth to Ierusalem, vnles they quickly repent. O did the Glutton remember that God is able to come quickly against him, he [Page 53]would not make his Church his Kitchin; gurmun­dizing his Chamberlain; his table, his altar; his Cooke, his Preacher; the O dours of his meate, his sacrifice; swearing, his prayer; quaffing, his repen­tance; & his whole life, wanton fare. O did the Drun­kard but remember this that God is ready to come quickly against him, hee would not rise early to follow strong drinkes, which trouble the head, ouerthrow the senses, cause the feete to reele, tongue to stammer, eyes to roule, and the whole fabrick of his little world to be possessed with this voluntary madnes, losse of money, friends, credit, time; This sweet poyson and flattering Diuell. What shall I say more? I must proceed, for I haue more vices to taxe, and the time run­neth. It is like a riuer,

Wee haue as much need to be terrified, as E­phesus: our sinnes are the like. I confesse they are not expressed in my Text, but elswhere so ma­nifest, that hee that runneth by the passages of holy Scripture, may read them largely described. Ephesus had many backsliders in Religion, reuol­ting Apostataes: haue not wee the like? It would make a man amazed and ashamed, to see the zeale of the first Christians, and our coldnes; to look vpon the valiant onset of our heroical reformers, and the flagging seconding them in these dayes. The people of Samosatum would not come into the Church when their good Bishop Eusebius [Page 54]was deptiued, Theod. l. 4. c. 14. and Eunomius an hereticall Bish­op thrust into his place by the Arrians: None of the inhahitants eithir poore or rich, husbandman or grafter, man or woman, young or old (saith Theo­doret) would come to the Church, either to see him or confer with him. But how many are there now that will come to no Sermon, vnles the Preacher be some mongril temporiser, too forward to snarle at those blessed worthies, Caluin, Beza, Luther &c. Better it were for our Church, if these giddy censurers were open Heretiques. Aust in thought it a scandall to heare a Donatist speake, L. de pasto. c. 7. and hee to hold his peace, least the hearer should take falshood to be truth. But how many seeming Protestants are there, that by their silence encou­rage railing Rabshakees black mouthed followers of the Romish sectto disgorge lothsome contu­melies against our Religion, Soueraigne, and whole estate? oftentimes speaking blasphemies, ex desti­nata malitia contra conscientiam, Aq. vpon prepensed malice against their owne knowledge and con­science. Iohn would not be in the same bath with Cerinthus; Polycarpus would not salute Mar­cion: Eus. bist. 1.22. l. 4.13. Theod. hist. eel. l. 4.14. Antiochus would not suffer Iouianus to touch him because he was an Arrian: Our owne Ridley comming to the Lady Mary, offering to preach and being reused, yet entertained by some religious Courtier to diner; after hee had drunke, looking sadly, he cryed out I haue done amisse to drinke in that place where Gods word offe­red hath bene refused, Fox. p. 1270. Anno 1553. whereas if I had remembred [Page 55]my duty, I ought to haue departed immediately, and haue shaken the dust off my shooes for a testimony a­gainst this house. But what is more common now then for the Sonnes of God to match with the daughters of men, and Protestants to con­uerse with Papists, who can neuer be true to vs, be­ing so false to God and their Prince? Comparisons would proue odious if they were further prose­quuted, as they might be: yet let me adde some­what else. Ephesus had many who addicted them­selues to spels and charmes and knots, called Ephesiae literae, Suidas in exico. Philostratus l. 4. Eustathius in odyss. insomuch that one Milesius at the Olympian games by the help of these conquered 30. of their valiant'st men, but when these Sor­ceries were taken from him, Plut. in Symp. l. 7. q. 5. athenaeus l. XI. Bud. de asse. l. 5. hee fainted. Their books of these curious arts were worth 50000. peices of siluer. Act. 19.19. that is 5000. crowns as Budaeus accounteth. Haue there beene none a­mongst vs so that there were not more remai­ning, but some mens sinnes are open before hand, 1 Ti. 5.24.25. going before to iudgement, and they who are yet con­cealed cannot be hid that wit Saul forsake the true Prophets, 1 Sa. 28.7. and runne to some Woman that hath a familiar spirit; that with Ahaziah, 2 Kit 1.2. for a fall send to Baalzebub the God of Ekron, to enquire whe­ther they shall recouer of this disease. And it falleth out with them according to the Spanish Prouerbe, from long iourneyes large lyes are affor­ded. The Iewes could reason thus. Da luengas vias luengas menti­cas. He hath a Di­uell, why heare yee him? (a damnable aspersion put vpon Christ) but these will harken vnto none Ioh. 10.20. [Page 56]so much as to them who haue Deuils. And wher­as Philosophie teacheth that nothing can bee in intellectu, which hath not first been drawn by fanta­sie from common sense, yet these hold That future things which neuer came within the sense, may be comprised in the vnderstanding. Yea though an Angel could not tell Esdras how long hee should liue. 2. Esd. 4 52. 2. Esd yet these will professe to put a period vnto our liues, when our dayes are deter­mined, our monthes numbred, our bounds ap­pointed which wee cannot passe, onely in Gods hand. Iob. 14.5. Iob. 14. So detestable were these to the old Christians that they were adorned with this title Incantamentorum oppugnatores, Euseb. hist. l. 5. c. 16. oppugners of all kinds of sorcerie; as the Kings and Queenes of our realmes are called Defendors of the faith. I leaue our Starre-gazers, which seem to find vnder the Moone vnconstant friends; vnder Mercury, chast men borne; vnder Venus, lustfull wantons; vnder Sol, honourable preferments; vnder Mars, valiant Soldiers; vnder Iupiter quick-spirited stu­dents; vnder Saturne, sober and Charitable Censurers.

A Meditation which made Austin commend his friend Firminus for leauing this study, as a spoyle of time and schoole of vanity; when two children were born in the same moment vnder one roofe, Aug Conf. l. 7. cap. 6. and yet so much difference to bee betwixt them, that the one was by a custome of the Country to bee slaue to the other. And Clement inueighed bitterly against those, Clemens. recog­ni. l. 9. which ascribed to Andro­meda [Page 57]banishment, to Orion an influence of hun­ting, to Canopus a desire to fish, to Medusas starre sudden death, &c. But I remember Tertullians opinion, De Astrologis ne loguendum quidem esse, Tertul. q. 11. c. Sed & illud. That wee should not so much as speake of Astro­logers; because they honour Idols; registring their names in heauen, Mars, Iupiter, Venus, Saturne; because they seeke to tye vs to the course of the Planets, and leaue Gods prouidence; be­cause their grounds were inuented by the Diuel: and therefore saith hee, eadem poena exitii & dis­cipulis & Magistris, there is one penalty of de­struction prouided both for the schollers and the Masters; to be excluded out of heauen. I pitty such, as Cambises did himselfe, Euse. in Ora. Const. adsancta. c: 17. of whom Eusebius testifieth, Cambisen poenituit malcuolis, Magorum vocibus tam facilè fuisse persuasum, Hee repented that hee had suffered himselfe so easily to be per­swaded by these seducers. Vpon Repentance such haue been forgiuen, and suffered with much compassi­on the iudgement of the lawes. I looke back vpon Ephesus.

Ephesus had many contemners of the Apostles, men speaking peruerse thinges to draw disciples after them. Act 20.30. 1. Co. 16.9. Act. 20. We haue many who quench the Spirit by despising our Prophets: yet a Rem­nant is left amongst vs, as in Ephesus, who are as vnwilling to leaue their zealous Pastors, as the Ephesians were to leaue Saint Paul; Act. 20.25.37. who when he had told them, Ye shall see my face no more, they all wept sore, and fell on his neck and kissed him. Hee [Page 58]had warned euery one of them night and day with teares, v. 31. by the space of three yeares, & there­fore they shed teares at his departure. Many such Prophets and men of God are amongst vs, who with praying, preaching, weeping and watching, la­bour to doe the workes of Euangelists, and to prepare vs quickly for the Lord, least hee come vpon vs as he threatned to come vnto Ephesus. Else I will come vnto thee quickly.

A Lesson for our instruction, to admonish vs quickly to repent. Ʋse. 2. For delay breedeth danger, one sinne tolleth on another. If wee are not fit to day, wee shall be lesse fit to morrow the custome of sinning shall take way the sense of sinne, and our offences will goe ouer our heads, a burthen too heauy for vs to beare, without speedy con­uersion. Alas can that worke be effected sudden­ly which requireth carefulnes, cleering of our selues, indignation, feare, vehement desire, zeale and re­uenge. 2. Co. 7. renewed and reformed affections? It is not enough to repent for grosse sinnes, 2. Co. 7.11. adulte­ries, theft, drunkennesse, &c. but wee must repent for the want of grace as of the knowledge and loue and feare of God, of brotherly loue, and the decay of any grace bee it neuer so little. I charge thee therefore, (blessed Christian) before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quick and the dead at his appearing, 2. Ti. 4.1. and Kingdome, Bee not decei­ued, God is not mocked. Remember what good moti­ons, desires, affections and actions were in thee, and if thou decay recouer thy losse, do the first works quickly.

[Page 59] I appeale vnto thine owne soule, whether thou hast not had sometimes a purpose to repent, see­ing others liue religiously, and dye peaceably, hea­ring so many calles, tasting so many mercies of God. What letteth at this instant but that this course should bee taken, to resolue as Dauid, I made hast, and prolonged not the time, I delayed not to keep thy commandements. Ps. 119.60. Ps. 119. to doe as Peter, as soon as the Cock crew, hee went out and wept bitterly. Mat. 26. Then wee should pre­uent the euill day, Mat. 26.75. which suddainely may else o­uertake vs. Then wee should haue our lamps rea­dy, whensoeuer the Bridegroome passeth by vs: then wee should bee furnished with wedding gar­ments, when the maister of the feast commeth to take notice of vs. God commands this, Reason directeth to it, and therefore wee must doe it: for to say wee cannot, is childish, and we will not is peeuish. Sen. consol. ad Polyb. 28. Shall Seneca call our whole life a pen­nance, and wee bestow no time in repentance? Shall that testimony bee giuen of vs which Lact­antius gaue of Greece: There was neuer lesse wise­dome in Greece, then in the time of the 7. wisemen? Neuer more Preaching and lesse practising. Vide Plin. l. 30. c. 4. Shall wee be ready to receaue so many grosse Medi­cines, bitter pills, violent potions, cuttings, Galen l. [...] caute­rizings & launcings of the flesh, to be freed from a bodily disease, Paul. Aegin. l. 7. and vse no helps to be eased of our foule sinnes? The Heathen could tell vs, Epiour. apud. Laertium. that no man was too old to learne those things which concerned the health of the minde. Come hither [Page 60]therefore if thou labour and art heauy loaden vnder the burthen of thy sinne. Christ Iesus raised Lazarus out of his graue, after hee had laine so long that hee stunke, Iohn 11.39. and therefore can raise vs out of the graue of sin, though wee seeme past recouery. Tertull. de pae. c. 8. God would not threaten him that doth not repent, if he would not pardon him that doth repent. The first degree of happinesse is not to sin, Cyp. Ep. 55. (a thing which no man can chalenge) but the second de­gree is to confesse our sinnes and bee sorry for them. Is. 55.7.8.9. O then let the wicked forsake his way, and the vnrighteous man his thoughts, and let him returne vnto the Lord, and hee will haue mercy vpon him, and to our God for hee will aboundant­ly pardon. His thoughts are not our thoughts: for as the heauens are higher then the earth, so are his wayes higher then our waies. Despaire not: Our sinnes may be measured and numbred; Bas. reg. con­tract. quaest. 13. but it is impossible that Gods goodnesse should bee measured, or his mercies numbred. Despaire for sinne, Greg. Mor. l. 3. c. 11. is worse then sinne it selfe. But let our con­uersion bee speedy. True Repentance can neuer be too late, yet late repentance is seldome true. We read but of one that repented at the last, Aug that no man should presume: and yet of one that none should despaire. O then before the pearle be taken out of our field; before the sound of the Gospel bee remooued out of our land; before the Arke of God bee taken from vs, 1 Sam. 4 11. as it was from the Is­raelites: let vs be moued to awake vp our first loue quickly. Gods mercy and iudgements, and word; [Page 61]the infinitenesse of our sinnes, shortnesse of our life, small number of those that shall bee saued, ioyes of heauen and torments of hell; are motiues: and if these preuaile not, our Church must fall as it is threatened to Ephesus, in Gods visitation, And wil remoue thy Candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The Church of God is compared to many things in holy Scripture, secunda secundae to a house 1. Ti. 3. to a Body Ep. 1. to a field, Mat. 13. to a net, 1. Ti. 3.15. Ep. 1.23. Mat 13.24. v. 47. Mat. 25.1. v. 47. to ten Virgins, Mat. 25. and heere to a Candlestick. So it is expounded in 20. v. c. 1. The seauen Candlestickes which thou sawest are the sea­uen Churches. God threatning to remoue the Church. A fearefull iudgement, whether we take it concerning the Minister, that hee should bee depriued of his calling, as the Lord threateneth vnto Ieremy, If thou returne I will bring thee a­gaine, and thou shalt stand before me: giuing him to vnderstand when hee had been wanting in de­liuering the Lords will vnto his people, partly through feare, and partly through impatience, that if hee returned not, he should cease to be a Prophet vnto him. Or if wee take it for the whole body of a Church, that they should procure the remouing of the Gospell from them, and the abo­lishing of the Gospell: or if wee take it as it con­cerneth euery priuate man, Commi [...]a [...]iones et promissines diuae sunt hypo­theticae. 33, mor. c. 15. that he shall lose the knowledge of God and other graces. It is condi­onall, Except thou repent. Thus, as Gregory noteth, Vt pius, it a iustus est Conditor: As our Maker is [Page 62]mercifull, so is hee iust, Gracious and righteous. Good and vpright is the Lord to teach sinners in the way. Ps. 25.8. Ps. 25. Good and gracious in the multi­tude of his mercies to them that turne vnto him: Righteous and vpright in the seuerity of his iudge­ments to them that cast him from them. Heere are loue and wrath, pitty and reuenge, two Daugh­ters of a great King goe hand in hand: If the one cannot draw, the other must, the Church shall be remoued, the light of the Gospell shall bee put out; For as the Candlestick holdeth the light, so doth the Church the word: without this wee walke in darkenes and obscurity: so that here I must land and fasten vpon this note, Doct. That the taking away of the Ministry and preaching of the word is the greatest plague that can befall any.

The reasons are well knowne. Where there is no vision the people perish. Pro. 29.18. 2. Ch. 15.3. Ro. 10.17. Pro. 29. Where there is not a teaching Priest, and law, there is no God. 2. Ch. 15. Faith commeth by hearing. Rom. 10. so that take away the word, and take away faith; take away faith, take away Christ; take away Christ, and take away eternall life. Therefore vpon Aarons robe there were gol­den Bells, signifying the preaching of the Gos­pell; and Pomegranates, signifying the sweete sa­uour of Christs death. Exo 28.34. Ex. 28. The miseries which follow this are vnspeakeable: To be blind and haue no guide, and yet to walke there where treading awry is the tumbling into hell: to be hungry, and to famish: to suck, but on dry brests: [Page 63]to be pined, and not perceiue it, which is an e­uill of euills. Therefore was Ierusalem threatned, that their prophets tongue should cleaue to the roofe of his mouth, & he should be dumbe, and not be vnto them a reprouer. Ez. 3. Ez. 3.26. and this fear­ful sentence was vrged from the mouth of Christ himselfe. I say vnto you, the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you, and giuen to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Mat. 21. Mat. 21.43. And if this kingdome be once gone, their ioy goeth with it: All the Empires and dominions in the world subdued, all Scepters and Crownes heaped together cannot blesse them. A greater iudg­ment then any inuasion of enemies; then firing of townes, ruinating of houses, rauishing of wiues and daughters, dashing of Infants against the stones in the streetes, pulling out the eyes from the heads, and bowels from the bodyes of a people. Therefore the best haue euer dear­ly respected Gods Ambassadours, the Pastours of the Church, and the Ministers of the word. Thus did they in the old law; Iehoiada a Priest, marrying Iehoshabeath the daughter of King Ieho­ram, the sister of King Ahaziah 2. Ch. 22. 2 Ch. 22 11. Thus Ioash the King of Israell came downe in person to visit sick Elisha, and wept ouer his face, saying, O my father, my father, the Chariot of Israell, 2 Ki. 13.14. and the horsmer thereof. 2 Ki. 13. In the new Testa­ment wee find many Possessors of lands and hou­ses, selling them, and laying downe the prices of them at the Apostles feete. Act. 4. Act. 4.34.35 The hono­rable [Page 64] Treasurer of Ethiopia, Act. 8.31. Act. 10.25. Act. 17.4. Gal. 4.14. taking Philip vp in­to his Chariot. Ac. 8. Cornetius a deuout liberall Martialist, falling downe at the feet of Peter. Aect. 10. The chiefe women in Thessalonica, consorting with Paul and Barnabas. Ac. 17. The Galathians receiuing S. Paul as an Angell of God, euen as Christ Iesus. Gal. 4.14. Ecclesiasticall sto­ries abound in examples of Valentinian, Ambr in obitu. Valentin. so re­uerencing Ambrose, that seeing him in his sick­nes come vnto him, salutem sibi quandam ventu­ram arbitrabatur, he thought he saw health it self comming vnto him; of Alexander lighting from his horse, and bowing to Iaddus; of good Theo­dosius sending for Meletius to kisse his lippes and embrace him: Theod. l. 5. c. 7. of Constantine, kissing that eye of Paphnutius, R [...]ff 1.4. a Bishop of Thebes, which had loft light by the violence of the Arrians: of that no­ble Earle Terentius, who hauing obtained a great victory, and being bidden of the Emperour Constantius to aske what he would, Templum pe­tiit pro orthodoxis, Theod. l. 4. c 3 [...]. he asked to haue the Church restored to the orthodoxall teachers. I omit how much others haue beene honoured, Hilarius at Arles, Paulinus at Nola, Cyrill at Alexandria, Chry­sostom at Constantinople, Plut. in Demo. Augustine at Happo, Am­brose at Millan, Cyprian at Carthage: For if the Oratours are once yeelded, Athens must soone to wracke: Zac. 13.7. if the Shepheard be smitten, the Sheepe will be scattered: if preaching, and the Candle­sticke of a place, which is the Church, bee remo­ued, mens soules will runne to ruine.

[Page 65] The 1. Vse is to taxe the Papist, Vse 1. Mat. 5.15 who hideth this candlestick and candle vnder a bushell, that it cannot giue light to them that are in the house; setting lock and key vpon the Scriptures, that the laity may not come in, marking them with a Noli me tangere; Hard. act. 15. sect 6. Mat. 7.6 Ioh. 7.49 calling the Comonalty Swine, and a rude people, as the Pharises in their pride keeping their followers from the knowledge of the law, calling them cursed. Ioh. 7. And as the Spartans enacted, that none should walke by night with Lanthorne, Torch, Plut. Lycur. or any light, so haue they forbidden this which is a lampe vnto the feet, and a light vnto the path, Psal 119.105 least the peoples vnderstanding might proue the discouerie of those errors, wherewith before they were by their own ignorance mizled, or by their blinde guides misse-led. I appeale to ancient customes. Soc. l. 4. c. 33 Why then did Vlphilas Bishop translate the Scriptures into the Gottish tongue, that the Barbarians might learne them? S. Ierom into the Sclauonian language? Hos & Alpho. S. Chrysostom into the Ar­menian? Ier. Athen. insynop. Why did Origen labour so much in his Exaplus? not to search those of Aquila, Symma­chus, Theodetion, and Eucian a Martyr? Why did S. Austen commend this, the translation from one tongue into diuers languages as a guide vn­to saluation? why did Macrina, Basils nurse, August, de doct. chr, l. 2. c. 5. Bas. op. 74. Ier. epit. Paulae teach him the Scripture of a child? Paula set her Maids to read the Scriptures? Why did S. Iohn dedi­cate his second Epistle to the elect Lady? It were impious to thinke that he would send her a let­ter [Page 66]which she might not read. I leaue that other error of Rome, preferring the Church before the Scrioture: wheras the Word is the Candle, and the Church but the Candlestick; yet if this be remoued, curses must follow. From the theefe in the Candle, the Papist, I must come to the theefe which would take away our Candlestick, the honours and endowments of our Church: cry­ing out,

What should the Church doe with gold? Persius. In the time of superstition, when the Pastours had conspired either not to preach at all vnto their charges, or if they did bring any thing it was poyson for meat, and venome in steade of water: when Antichrist, with his Pompe, and his fol­lowers with the brightnes of earthly and carnall glory, had daseled the peoples eyes that they could not see truth from error: when the know­ledg of the tongues, and almost all other litera­ture was raked vp vnder the ashes: when the de­crees of Popes and canons of councels, and cust­omes and traditions were in place of the written word: when some schoolemen had conspurcated and abused true diuinity with their filthines: when a liuely faith and vnderstanding knowledg were not heard of; it was thought the glory and merit of the Papists to inrich and endowe the Church: wherein howsoeuer they offended, yet (as the Moralist hath it) it was on the safer part, being in excesse in making the Church exceed in riches. And certainly their excesse in the day [Page 67]of iudgment shall condemne the defect of many temple-Pirats, and Church-robbers, who pare and loppe the temporall estates of the Church: but such stollen waters shall be vnto them like Ea­gles feathers, to eat & consume the rest of their sub­stance; Pli. l. 10. c. 3. Aul. Gel. l. 30. c 9 like Equus Seianus, and aurum Tolossanum, which were still infortunate to those that had them. O now miserable times, wherin the Ship of our Church is tossed betwixt Scylla and Charib­dis, Aram before and the Philistimes behind: A­theisticall Polititians seeke our liuings, as the Pa­pists our liues. How many fayre portions of the Lord, which to bestow vpon him Deuotion disinheri­ted her owne deare Children, haue beene taken away from the Church! Many golden vessels haue bene taken from the Lords table, to furnish priuate houses. Many great barnes haue bene filled, and bords maintained, with the tiths of the Church: Had not the Doners ius proprietatis, power to make such donations? had not Princes in those times ius domini, power to allow such? Had not the lawes ius determinationis power to fasten these by their determinations? When they were taken from the Church, Is. 34.11.13. the Cormorant and the Bitterne haue possessed them, the Owle and the Rauen haue dwelt there, there haue bene the line of confusion, and stones of emptines: Thornes, nettles, and brambles haue come vp in their for­tresses: yea the remaining reliques of those good­ly walls haue beene dig'd vp with the bones of the founders. If the sinnes of some haue brought [Page 68]such a iudgement vpon some Church houses, what shal become of many which turne Bethel in­to Beth [...]uen, Gods house into a house of vanity? ta­king the bread of Prophets & Prophets Children, to maintaine their owne pompe & feed their hor­ses, haukes, hounds, & much worse creatures. This is the cause of so much sicknes in Religion: many submit neither their hearts to the doctrine, nor their liues to the discipline of the Church, becaus they see it so trampled vpon. So reuerend M. Calu. confessed, Calu. Ep. ad Cranmer Brent. ep. ad. Ioh. Schopper. vnum obstaculum intelligo, quod praedae expositi sunt Ecclesiae redditus, matum sane intolera­bile. This terrifyeth so many in the study of diui­nity, causeth schooles to bee contemned, and lear­ned men to be disheartned. I would to God these would remember Balthasars end, who propha­ning the vessels of the Temple, saw such a hand writing vpon the wall, that his countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled him, the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, his knees smote one against the other, and in that night he was slaine. Da. 5. or Antiochus vpon his death bed, Da. 5 6.30 1 Mac. 6.11.12 2 Mac. 3.26. Theod. l. 3. c. 11. confes­sing this to be the occasion of al his misery. 1 Mac. 6. or Heliodorus whipt by Angels for it. 2. Mac. 3 Or Iuliau wounded to death with an arrow from heauen, for robbing Churches; or Achans stoning, or Iudas hanging. When I name Iudas, I must remember another thiefe in our Candle and Can­dlesticke, the Simoniacall Patron, which will not part with that portion which is due vnto the Sonnes of Leui, and commited vnto them, [Page 69]as the golden Apple was vnto [...]aris, with DETVR DIGNIORI, let the worthier haue it, Valesse with Iudas they couenant for a price before­hand; neuer regarding the excellency and aboun­dance of a mans learning, the soundnesse of his saith, the vprightnesse of his conscience, the inte­grity of his conuersation, the [...]kenes of his spirit, the discreetnesse of his behauiour, & efficacy of his Preaching, but had rather feele their paiment of gold, then heare their preaching of the Gospel; pre­ferring the gaine of their purses before the gaining of the soules of their bretheren vnto Christ Iesus, turning patronage into pillage, and trust into tre­chery, presenting Magus vnto Balaam: so that though he be as stupid as Philips Asse in Plutorch, Plut. Apoth. yet it he be loaden with gold, he shall be admitted and commended for a man of gifts; howsoeuer the old law appointed the necke of an Asse to be broke. Exo. 34. Exod. 34.20. This is the reason why there are so many Mutes in this kingdome, and so few vow­els in some places; so many vowels which are short in deliuering the Lords presage: like Cilchas in Homer, I liad a. who knew the truth but was afraid to speake it, least hee should anger the hearers and hurt himselfe; like the flattering Priest of Iupiter, who when Alexander the great came to the Ora­cle, saluted him by the name of Iupiters sonne, Plut in vit. and all to get some great rew ard. So did not S. Iohn with Ephesus, but threatneth a speedy iudg­ment without quick conuersion. Behold how this concerneth you! Faile not now in attention. Ephe­sus [Page 70]is fallen vpon that night wherein Christ died; one iudgement came vpon it, Applicatio. Zorin. Ac. 18.19. and though it was afterwards reedified, yet now it is becom miserable by Turkish tyranny and Greekish superstition; a poore Bishop and some remnants remayning. God is the same God still, as iust, as iealous as euer he was. Our sinnes being as great as those of Ephesus, nay greater, the like end must come vpon vs without repentance. My zeale to Gods glory, and desire for the saluations of you all, command me not to flatter. Remember, London, from whence thou hast fallen: Many glorious things haue beene spoken of thee, O thou city of God. Alexandria in Aegypt was neuer more happy, Ammian. Mar­cell. l. 22. that for many yeares to­gether, scarce any one day hath beene seene, that the Sunne hath not shined vpon it. Platina. But if your glory were as great as that of Rome, when Cyneas the Epirote reported that he had seene so many Kings as Citizens; though the number of your city hath sometimes beene found (and now runneth numberlesse) aboue eight hundreth thou­sand liuing soules; though you are situate among the riuers, hauing the Sea for your rampart; as many learned and religious Teachers to instruct you, as euer any one Church since the Apostles times; though you haue goodly houses to receiue you, pleasant shades to coole you, all delicats of Sea and land to feede you: Plut in Lacon. Theopomp. In hist. yet if your streets abound with men like the Graecians, which knew what was honest but did not practise it; like Philips soldiers, who held periuries, impostures, shark­ings [Page 71]to be but trickes of a good wit: if you suffer many rorers to sweare away all reproofes, and drinke away the chidings of their own conscience: if you suffer painted Iezabels to drawe the eyes, and chain the hearts of many vnto them by their witchcrafts: if you suffer young Gallants to be more forward for the flesh then the Spirit, being borne to great possessions, but like ripe figtrees full of fruite growing ouer deepe waters are ea­ten by the Iayes, so the hopes and meanes of these to be blasted and consumed by byting Vsuters, inticing Dalilaes, and cozening Cheaters, till they become sports and subiects for Theaters; if you suffer many conscience cauterized foolish A­theists to scoffe at the Gospell, violently extin­guishing to themselues the Sunne-light of the Scriptures, Moone-light of the creature, nay the sparkes and cinders of nature, and to be worse then the Diuel, who belieueth with trembling that there is a God; If you suffer prophaine Neu­ters to weare Gods liuery, and serue the Dinell, to be as mutable as Proteus, as changeable as the Camelion, one day a Protestant, another day a Papist, resoluing like Denton, in King Edwards daies a true Professour, but in Q. Maries dayes crying, I CANNOT BVRNE, For which God so followed him, that shortly after his house was fired, & he with two other perished in the flame; Fox martir p, 1558. edi [...]. Anno 1596. nay to turne Turkes, Iewes, Infidels, any thing for aduantage. If you suffer blood-thirsty Papists, those vndermining Foxes, to haue not onely [Page 72] foueas, but fonentes, their holes, but friends and fautors, and more Idolatrous abhominable Mas­ses in some Prisons, then there are sermons in some Churches, God must come against you quickly and remoue his Candlestick. I remember that of Lipsius, Ipsa clementia est, in desparate malos non es­se clementem, Lips. l. de. vna. rel. It is good clemencie, not to shew any clemencie vnto those that are desperately e­uill. Suffer therefore the words of exhortation, and let me be your remembrancer in these things, else I can be no good Minister of Iesus Christ. 1. Ti. 4.6. I am now his Ambassadour, and were I before the grea­test Monarch of the world, my resolution should be as that of Ambrose to Theodosius,

Neither becommeth it you to forbid free speech, neither beseemeth it me to keepe in si­lence what I should speake.

Right Honourable Magistrate of this honou­red and admired Citty, Sir John Ioules Mayor. who sit at the sterne of this common wealth, whose breast is like an Oce­an, whereinto all the cares of priuate men emp­ty themselues, except you protect with Gods sword the seruice of God, except you put to death the deadly and crying sinnes which liue in this Citty, except (like those good seruants of the great King) you sometimes walke the streets, and many idle and irreligious corners, compelling the obstinate, our Candlestick must be remoued, God will come against you quickly. You Angels and Am­bassadours [Page 73]of the Lord, Messengers and Minist­ers of my God, except you crye aloud against sin, strengthen the diseased, heale that which is sicke, bind vp that which is broken, bring againe that which hath bene driuen away, [...]z. 34.4. and seeke that which hath beene lost; except your life and do­ctrine agree together, as it was spoken of Origen Quale habuit verbun, talem habuit vitam; except you passe your time as Ambrose did, Hieron Ep. ed Marcel. who spent his life either in reading, or meditating, or pray­ing, or conferring, or counselling, or comforting, or writing, or preaching, Our Candlestick must be remoued, God will come against you quickly.

Let me remember you, aged and gray-headed Fa­thers, whose yeares haue taught you experience for the world, 1. Io. 2.14. and you professe that you haue knowne God from the beginning, thinke vppon your latter end. Let not your last act bee the worst. For honourable age, is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of yeares: but wisdome is your gray-hayre, Wisd. 4.8.9. and an vnspotted life is your old age.

Let me remember you young men and blessed Brethren, to begin betimes a holy and pure life: Faint not at that Prouerb inuented by the Diuell that young Saints proue old Diuels. Bee now trained vp in the way wherein you should goe, Eras [...]col. piet [...]s pucril. and when you are old you will not depart from it. I exhort you as Austin, Etiam atque etiam, &c. Pr. 2 [...].6. [...]ug t [...]a. l. 2. in Ep Io [...]. Consider ye diligently that yee are young men. Fight to ouercome: ouercome yee to bee crowned: Bee hum­ble [Page 74]minded least yee fall in the fight: vp and bee doing, and the Lord shall be with you.

Finally to speake vnto all and so to end all: while the Lord woeth vs, as hee did Ephraim and Iuda, O England what shall I doe vnto thee? O London how shall I entreat thee? Let vs embrace the riches of his mercifull call: Let euery one ap­ply that vnto his owne soule, which is spoken vn­to the Angell of the Church in Sardis: Remember how thou hast receiued and heard, and hold fast and repent. Re. 3.3. Let thy moist eyes, furrowed cheekes, hard knees, humble detection, broken sighs, testifie an humble sorrow. Heereafter let vs neuer looke to­wards Sodome, but run in a holy race till we come to the gole. Let vs cast anchor in the faire ha­uen of Gods mercies, the safest harbour for di­stressed Consciences. Let vs commune with our owne hearts, and make this one word Repent the watch of our liues. Let vs write this lesson with the pen of a Diamond vpon the tablet of our hearts. Heauen and our soules are vppon this worke, and it should bee our onely labour, for Tempus vitae est tempus poenitentiae, the whole season of our life is but lent vs for mortification. O then while Gods patience expecteth vs, let vs not deferre our repentance; while hee importuneth, let not vs sleep; while he knocketh, let not vs shut the doores of our hearts: but let vs draw nigh vnto God, & hee will draw nigh vnto vs. Iam. 4.8. Let vs clense our hands and purifie our hearts. Let vs humble our selues in the sight of the Lord, and hee shall lift vs [Page 75]vp: Hee shall bee our God and wee shall bee his People; Peace, shall bee in your houses, and plenty in your dwellings; there shall bee no decay, no leading into captiuity, no complaining in your streetes: and which is better then all these, our Church and Candlestick shall neuer be remo­ued, till Christ Iesus come vnto Iudgement: To whom with the Father and the Spirit bee ascribed all honour and glory, power and Maiesty, now and for euer. Amen.