The first Sermon.

IN the fiue former verses, the holie Ghost hath condemned hastines, and vnaduised rash­nes, as the very bane of sur [...]i­ship, and the vndoing of many men. In these verses he proceedeth against [Page 2] idlenes, and negligent slouthfulnes, or slouth­full negligence, another extreame, contrarie to the former, and no whit inferiour in daun­ger vnto the former. And betweene both he requireth in all the children of God, an adui­sed diligence in all the waies of their calling, to shew that the way of a Christiā is to make an euen course betweene so many rocks and dangers, as he is on both sides beset withall, and alwaies to saile by the carde and com­passe of Gods word, the spirit of God sitting as Pilote at the helme to direct the course by the same; lest otherwise, either vpon the rocks of rashnes & vaine glorie, or vpon the sands of slouthfulnes and negligence, he suffer ship­wracke of bodie and soule before he neede, or before he would.

The matter of these verses is in generall a disswasion from idlenes and negligence: Idle­nes for want of a calling, and negligence in a mans calling are the principall things which the spirite of God here dealeth against, per­swading also to faithfull diligence, by the ex­ample of a sillie creature the Pismire. But more particularly these poynts are in these verses to be considered of: first, the Sluggards Schoolemaster, and his lesson that he must learne, in the 6. 7. 8 verses: thē the Sluggards examination in the 9. verse: then his answere in the 10. verse: and lastly his iudgement in the 11. verse.

[Page]And this text may be called the rowsing of the Sluggard, because it hath to deale with one that is fast asleepe, and therefore commeth to awaken him by all the meanes he can de­uise, as it were by calling, pulling, and hallow­ing, and pinching, & terrifying, as if he would not leaue him till he had awakened him, if he will be awakened: for first, he perswadeth him by the example of a Pismire, to shame him withall: then he debateth the matter with him to know how long he will sleepe, to see if that will awake him: and then he sheweth him his nature and propertie, to see if that will awaken him: and then seeing he will not awake, hee sheweth him the danger of it, and so he lea­ueth him: And the same course will I take.

But for as much as euery man consisteth of two parts, viz. bodie and soule, both which are in time to be prouided for, and Salomons care was aswell for the one, as for the other: there­fore we will set downe two sorts of Sluggards to deale withall. The Sluggard temporall, and the Sluggard spiritual: for some are Sluggards for the bodie, and some are Sluggards for the soule. Of Sluggards temporall which neglect the things of this life, wee may also set downe two sorts, either such as liue without any cal­ling, or such as liue negligētly in their calling. Of Sluggards spirituall likewise, I summon two sorts to appeare before the Pismire: first, those that haue no care at al to vse the meanes [Page 4] of their soules health, but liue as though they had no soules to saue: then those that vse the meanes of their saluation but coldly, and neg­ligently, driuing off all to the last cast, thinke that it is not yet time to make their prouision. And first of the Sluggard temporall.

Goe to the Pismire, &c. The Sluggard is here set to schoole with a very simple schoolema­ster, and yet able to teach the Sluggard wise­dome, if he will take the paines to behold her waies, that is, to consider well of the order and manner of her liuing, and to applie the same vnto himselfe. Whereby wee may learne first that idle bodies and slow bellies which liue without a calling, or negligently in their cal­ling, are not so wise, and therefore neither so profitable, as the sillie Pismire is. For she is wise to helpe her selfe, by making readie her prouision in time: the Sluggard hath no wise­dome, nor care to helpe himselfe, nor to saue any thing that he hath. Now he that hath no care to helpe himselfe, for whom will he care? He that is vnprofitable to himselfe, to whom will he be profitable? He that will not till his owne ground, whose ground will he till? He that will not labour for himselfe, for whom wil he labour? for euery man naturally is giuen to helpe himselfe, and to prouide for himselfe: therefore it seemeth that Sluggards and idle packes are vnnaturall, and monsters in nature. And therefore ought to haue no place in na­ture, [Page] that is amongst men or beasts, because they are not so profitable as either man, or beast, be the one neuer so simple, and the other neuer so filthie. For the beast is still in his kind euen to the very Pismire or Emmot, but the Sluggard is out of kind. And therefore the A­postle warneth the Thessalonians, 2 Thess. 3. 10. that if any amongst them were able to worke and would not worke, they should not eate; to shew that idle persons are not worthie to liue: his reason is, because they be inordinate liuers, and work not at all, but are busie bodies, that is, they liue out of all order, intermedling with other mens busines, but altogether neglecting their owne dueties. Such are those wanton widowes and pratling gossips, of whē the Apostle speaketh in another place, which liue in pleasure, that is, they loue not to take any paine for their liuing, now heare the Apostles iudgement of them, They that liue in pleasure (sayth he) are dead, 1. Tim. 5. 6. while they liue: that is, they are vnprofitable to men, and as good dead as aliue, and better too: for while they liued many were the worse, no man the better for them: but when they bee dead, they hurt no bodie: besides that, the wormes, or something els, doe then feed their fill vpon their carkasse, which in their life time fed vpon all other, but fed none themselues.

The naturall man hath abho [...]ed idlenes for want of a calling, although he had no light but the light of nature: therfore when Iosephs bre­thren [Page 6] came before Pharao, he asked them of what trade they were: Gen. 47. 3. for it was a very vnna­turall thing to be without a trade, that is, with­out some ordinarie and lawfull kind of calling, either in the Church, or Common-wealth, whereby a man may be both profitable to o­thers, and helpfull to himselfe.

As the naturall man condemned it, so doth the Pismire here in our text rise vp in iudge­ment against the Sluggard whatsoeuer he bee, but especially against him that for want of a trade, or some calling, is become a sluggard, & leadeth an idle life: For she hauing no guide, go­uernour, nor ruler, doth gather her meate in sum­mer, &c. What would she do if she had a guide and gouernour? &c. And what a shame is this to the slouthful person (if he be not past shame) that hath both guides, and gouernours, and ru­lers, both to teach him, and keep him in order, besides the benefite of reason and vnderstan­ding: and yet for all these meanes and helpes, which the Pismire wanteth, is carelesse of his owne good? But hath the Pismire or Ant no guide, nor gouernour, will some say? how is it then that she doth alwaies keepe that wonder­full order, and take that meruailous trauaile for her liuing, without breaking or altering thereof? To this we may answere, that her or­der is the order of nature giuen and imprinted in nature by God at the beginning, her guide is God himself, and her gouernour is the euer­watching, [Page] and euerlasting prouidence of the Almighty, which extendeth it selfe to man and beast, to all things in heauen, in earth, in the sea, in hell, and in all places, and at all times, yea to the Pismire, the flye, the haires of a mans head, the haires of euery mans head in the worlde, and finally taketh accompt of euery haire vpon euery mans head. Mat. 10. 30. But as for other helpes, and other guides, and other gouernors, the Pismire hath none: man hath so much as she hath, and more too by many degrees: ther­fore if man shall be found more careles; nay, if not ten thousand times more carefull & pain­full then the vnreasonable creatures, hee must iustly be condemned: for God doth condemne him, the naturall man doth condemne him, the bruite beast doth condemne him, the poore Pismire doth condemne him, and the whole course of nature doth condemne him. Then grieuous, and iust must that mans condemna­tion bee, that is denounced and ratified by all. Therefore in time goe to the Pismire, O slug­gard, behold her waies, and be wise: for she ha­uing no guide, &c.

There be some, companiōs to Atheists, which partly through ignorance, and partly through pride of heart, (for commonly they goe toge­ther) that haue not stuck to finde fault with the creating of the Pismire, the flye, the worme, & an infinite number of creatures moe, and as it were to quarrell with God for making of thē, [Page] because (as they say) they cannot see to what purpose they serue, or what good they doe in the world. Now for an answere to these wit­tie fellowes that will set God to schoole, wee may tell them, that if these sillie creatures (whereat they are so offended) did no more good, nor were no more profitable in their kinde, then idle braines and the sluggish persons be, and such as themselues bee, which doe no­thing but finde fault with God, and his workes in nature, like dogs which bark at the Moone; it were no great matter if the world were rid of them, sauing that God must be glorified in his iudgements vpon them, if they repent not, or in his mercie, if it please him to worke their conuersion.

But in the meane time, I demaund of these cauillers, and quarrellers with God, what hurt doth the flye, &c? It is said of Apelles the cun­ning painter, that he did by arte make the pic­ture of a flye, sitting vpon a mans face, in such artificiall and liuely manner, that diuers com­ming to looke vpon the picture of the man, tooke the sayd painted flye for a liuing flye in­deede, in so much that one with his handker­chefe stroke at it, and thought to haue driuen it away but could not, which being perceiued, they did greatly wonder at the excellent cun­ning of the painter. But what is Appelles to the Almightie? or who gaue him that cunning which hee had? did not God? Now, shall a [Page] pain [...]ed flye, which is no flye, serue to set forth the cunning and skill of a man, and shall not men much more take occasion by seeing a li­uing flye, to praise the Lord, and to wonder at his most excellent and vnspeakable wisdome, and skill, and power, and glorie, which into a thing of so small compasse, and quantitie, hath put such varietie of ioynts and members in such order, and comelines, with such [...]ute of diuers colours, such liuelines, nimblenes, and swiftnes, as a thousand worlds are not able to match or make the like vnto any part thereof?

If any man would know to what vse frogs, grashoppers, caterpillers, and lice, &c. serue, let him aske Pharao, and his subiects of Egypt, & they will tell him, that as there be many vses of them, so one especiall vse is to punish wicked men by them, and when the Lord will, they shall be his hoste to subdue euen the pride of the proudest, & to make the stoutest to stoope.

But the Pismire, the Pismire, wherfore is she good, or what profite commeth by her, wil the sluggish Atheist say, that had neuer any leisure yet to peruse the Prouerbes of Salomon? Oh sayth the sluggard, we reade that she gathereth her meate in summer and haruest, &c. But what good doth she els? doth she nothing but ga­ther meate and deuoure it? Verely no. Thats enough for thee O sluggard, to deuoure, and helpe none: for so thou doest indeed. Or els there is no creature but is profitable in some [Page] measure: The sea swalloweth vp whatsoe [...] is cast into it, but yet it is profitable both in nou­rishing of fishes, and carrying the ships for the good of man. The fire consumeth al that is cast into it, but yet it maketh a recompence with his heate, which is so necessarie that no man can be without it. Prou. 30. 16 The graue neuer saith hoe, (sayth Salomon) but yet it is profitable in smo­thering euill smels & sauours, which els would annoy the liuing. Yea they doe receiue the dead to their lodging, when no bodie durst a­bide thē within their doores, nor within their streetes, nor within their walkes, nor within their fieldes, nor within their sight, nor within their smelling: Like the earth which receiued Abels bloud, Gen. 4. 11. when it might not bee suffered to haue a resting place in Abels bodie.

Now, if idlenes and slouthfulnes were but halfe so profitable as the sea, which yet drow­neth infinite numbers: or as the fire, which spareth neither house nor citie: or as the graue, wherein is nothing but stinke and rottennes: yea if they were not 1000. times more hurtful, then any of these, they might bee more borne withall, then now they can be, or ought to be.

But yet the Sluggard is not answered, hee must needes knowe wherefore the Pismire serueth, and what she should do in the world: And the Pismire on the other side meruaileth what the idle Sluggard doth in the world. It is no meruaile though the Sluggard cannot a­way [Page] with the Pismire of all other things: for many idle schollers cannot away with the schoole, nor their schoolemaster; no more can the Sluggard well digest the sight of the Pis­mire, because he is put to schoole with her to learne wisedome. For he counteth it as a kinde of disgrace to his person, to be set to schoole at an Ant-heape, or at any body els: but so it plea­seth the Lord wee see to pull downe the pride of men, and by the vile and base things of this world (as S. Paul sayth) to confound the migh­tie. 1. Cor. 1. 27 What say many now adaies? They skorne to learne their duetie at the preachers hand, or to bee catechised, they will not so much bee a­based and disgraced, when the Lord knoweth they be as blind as beetles in their duetie both to God and man. But if men be so proude, that they will not be taught by the preacher of the word, nor bee subiect to the ministerie of their pastors, the Lord knoweth a way to humble them well enough: He can turne them out in­to the fielde amongst the Ants, and flyes, and grashoppers, that they may see what manner of schollers they are, when such tutors are set to teach them their lesson: Dan. 4. 30. As he turned Nabu­chadnezzar out of his pallace into the wilder­nes, from men to beasts, vntill amongst the beasts he had learned to know himselfe. And thus we may see that the poore Pismire can in no wise be wanting, if it be for nothing els, but to teach the Sluggard wisedome.

[Page] Behold her waies, and be wise. Here wee are further taught, that wee ought to beholde the creatures, with due consideration of their na­tures, and the wonderfull workes of God in them, and that we ought so to behold them, as to bee the better for beholding them, and not to bee (as most are) idle gazers vpon them, or vaine and curious disputers of them to no pur­pose, but for ostentatiō of learning or wit, &c. It is good to be a naturall Philosopher, but it is better to bee a christian Philosopher withall: that is, when by beholding and learning the natures of the creatures, we are drawne neerer to the Creator, and taught to know our selues, and our duetie to God better then we did. For this is true wisedome, and true wisedome is true Philosophie. Therefore the Sluggard be­ing sent to the Pismire to behold her waies, & so to get wisedome, what els is he taught, but to become a right Philosopher? So that a man may learne Philosophie in the fieldes, by an Ant-heape, if he hath the spirit of God; yea as good as any Aristotle can teach him in the schooles, and better too: for he goeth no fur­ther then the causes of things, and teacheth mē to rest there, saying: Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas: that is, Happines standeth in the knowledge of naturall things, and the na­turall causes of naturall things. But Christians haue learned out of the booke of God, to goe one step beyond Aristotle, and all that are but [Page] meere naturals, and that is not onely to search out the causes and qualities of the creatures, (wherein indeede Salomon did excell, for he disputed of all things from the Hyssoppe that springs out of the wall to the Cedar in Leba­nus) but then further to make vse of the same, 1. King. 4. 33 and out of euery thing to learne something, whereby they may either correct their man­ners, or bee more confirmed in the prouidence of God, or bee stirred vp to the doing of their dutie to God and man, or to be more humbled in themselues, or to magnifie the name of God for his wisedome, for his power, and for his goodnes, &c. Such a Philosopher was Dauid: When I behold thy heauens (sayth he) euen the workes of thy fingers, Psal. 8. 3. 4. the Moone, and the Starres which thou hast ordained, what is man, say I, that thou art mindfull of him, or the sonne of man, that thou visitest him?

There is no creature of God in the world, but that man may learne somewhat out of the same, and profite by it, to the amendment of his life. The reason is, because all the creatures of God doe serue their Creator in that course and kind wherein they were first created, only men are the sinners in this world, and haue for­saken their first estate, and are become vnkind against their Creator. If we speake of dutiful­nes to our superiours, wee may learne it of the oxe, and the asse: for, Esay. 1. 3. The oxe knoweth his ow­ner, (sayth Esay) and the asse his masters cribbe, [Page 14] but Israel hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderstand. If we speake of louingnes & kind­nes betweene man and wife, euery man may learne it of the Hind and the Roe: for Salomon willeth the husband and the wife, to loue toge­ther as the louing hind and pleasant roe: Prou. 5. 19. to shew that there is not amongst all so much loue and kindnes as they may learne of the beast. If any man will bragge of his diligence and paine [...] taking, Prou. 6. 6. the Pismire is more painfull then he. Again, Pro. 30▪ 26. 27. 28. The conies are not mightie, yet they build in rockes. The grashoppers haue no King, yet g [...]e forth all by bands: The spider takes hold with her hands, and is in Kings palaces. Againe, the Pro­phet Ieremie sayth, Ierem. 8. 7. that the storke, the turtle, the crane, and the swallowe are skilfull in the [...] ap­pointed times: but man knoweth not the indge­ments of the Lord. The dogge is in his kinde more thankfull then man is. The sea keepeth his tides of ebbing and flowing, iust at the day and houre appoynted, that a man may be bold to build vpon his comming: to shame those that promise much, but performe nothing, and to shewe that vnconstant men of their word may be taught by the sea. As they goe beyond vs in glorifying their Creator, so doe they also farre excell vs in many naturall gifts, or quali­ties of the bodie, which make mē forget them­selues: The Horse in strength: The Roe in swiftnes: The Lion in courage: The Eagle in sight: The Dogge in winding. These and [...] ­ny [Page] moe besides these, doe excell man in the naturall faculties and qualities of the bodie. And therefore to conclude this poynt, what cause is there that we should bee so proude of our selues, or any thing that wee haue, or can doe, seeing as all the creatures in their kinde doe excell vs? glorifying their Creator better then wee doe, yea and are appoynted as tutors and schoolemasters to teach vs our dueties?

Lastly, we may learne from hence, not to cō ­temne, and disdaine, but with great reuerence, and in the feare of God to vse all the creatures of God: both for that they serue so notably to set forth the glorie of the Creator, and also for that they are appointed to teach men their du­ties. Of Lecturers, some reade of one thing, and some of another, and are reuerenced for their labour [...] are maintained in Cities, and V­ [...]iuersities: some by the Citie, some by the V­niuersitie, some by Noblemen, & some by the Prince, and therfore are called their Lecturers, & are greatly reuerenced & regarded. The Pis­mire here is the Sluggards reader, but maintai­ned at the Lords cost and charges: therfore [...] may not be despised, but the work of the Lord in her is to bee had in great reuerence. For the works of the Lord are great, Psal. 111. 2. 3. (saith the Psalmist) and ought to bee sought out of all them that loue them. Yea, His worke is beautiful and glorious, & therfore greatly to be regarded. It is coūted no small matter to bee the Philosphie Lecturer, [Page 16] or the Greeke Lecturer, or the Phisicke Lectu­rer, or a Reader in the Law: but to reade a Le­cture of wisedome, as the Ant doth, is more▪ because wisedome is aboue them all. That was the cause why the Queene of the South coun­ted the seruants of Salomon blessed, 1. King. 10. 8. because they were in place continually to h [...]are th [...] wisedome of Salomon. Now, when the preach­ing of the word cannot be heard, which is th [...] Lecture of all Lectures, and teacheth only [...] wisdome, then the creatures are brought forth both to humble men and to condemn [...] them. And surely these are better Lay mens booke [...] ▪ then the Popish Images, which Papists caused to bee set vp in Churches: for they were layin [...] vanities, and taught nothing but [...]ollie and v [...] ­nitie: but the creatures of God are not so, and they teach men the trueth indeede, and out of euery creature the spirituall man may learn [...] some heauenly lesson: therefore wher [...]soe [...]e [...] he becommeth, he is at schoole, both at home and abroade, at the Temple he learneth wis [...] ­dome, and in the field, and euery where he [...] learning of something. Now therefore to th [...] Sluggard againe. Thou seest thy tutor, it is th [...] Pismire, her schoole thou knowest is in th [...] fields, and woods, all that goe to schoole with her must sit vpon the low four [...]e, e [...]en the ve­ry ground, and lower they cannot [...], & [...] low must euery one sit that will goe to the Pis­mires Lecture, for she readeth the right P [...]il [...] ­sophie [Page] [...] [Page] [...] life. And some would faine be in h [...]aue [...], because they are loth to endure any paine, or trouble, or labour, especially for the trut [...] vpon earth, and this is but the sluggards wish.

We doe r [...]tly reprehend the Papi [...]ts for that Monkish life that is amongst them, to liue like Eremites, Eremites. &c. Monkes, Friers, Nunnes, Chaunt [...] Priests, Masse Priests, and Soule priests, and hedge priests, & a companie of Cloyster [...]ree­pers besides, which was most abominable be­fore God and man. For first, they cast off all cal [...]ing, and were no way profitable, eith [...]r in the Church or Common-wealth: then [...]e­c [...]ndly all helped them, but they helped none. God shall not neede an armie of Doctors [...] Councels to confute them, this poore [...] creature the Pismire doth shamefully [...] them, and most strongly confute them. Now, as this is common amongst those Ca [...]erp [...]llers, so we must take heede that this be not in all of vs, for we are al too monkishly addicted. How doe men of trades de [...]ise with themselues how to leaue their paines and to sit downe, Men of trade. or goe vp and downe, being so rooted in idlenes [...] slouth, that they knowe not which way to [...] their hands to any honest labour? these are al­so sent to the Pismire to learne wisedome.

Next vnto them must Churchmen haue a place on the low fourme, which fish till they haue caught that fish that they looked for, [...] then hang vp the net. And no merua [...], [...] [Page] their net they say hit vpon a company of od [...]e steeples which lay in the bottome of the ri [...]er, Nonre [...] ­dents▪ which they neuer looked for, nor thought of, and with haling of them vp, their [...]ettes were so piteously rent and torne and spoyled, that they could [...]euer fish with them since to any purpose. These also are here sent to the Pis­mire amongst the idle sluggards, to behold her waies, and to learne to be wise.

The vnlearned Minister likewise which hath made the Ministerie his last refuge, Ignorant Ministers. because he would liue at ease, he must goe to the Pismire too: for if it should be demaunded of him, as Pharao demaunded of Iosephs brethren, What trade, or calling haue they? What [...]ust their an­swere be? Forsooth, I was sometime a Taylor, or a Cobler, or a Weauer, or a Glouer, or an Ostler, or a Huntsman, or a Seruingman, or a Player, but now I am a Minister, or a Curat, or for fault of a better, the booke-reader of our parish, for preacher he is none, that is too pain­full: Therefore goe to the Pismire O sluggard, behold her waies, and be wise. That is, giue ouer the Ministerie for which thou art so v [...]fit, and betake thee to thy old occupation againe, and learne of thy tutor the [...]ismire, to take more paines therein.

Next, the negligent Minister must goe a­long to the Pismires Lecture. Negligent Ministers. Such as at their first entring into the ministerie had good gifts, but afterwards liue like idle be [...]ies, and betray [Page] [...] [...]oules of Gods people into the hands of the diue [...]. Against such the Prophet Esay spe [...] ­keth, Esay. 56. [...]. 11. when hee sayth, Their watchmen are all blind: they haue no knowledge: they are aldu [...] dogges: they cannot barke: they lie and sleepe▪ and delight in sleeping. And the Prophet [...] sayth, Iere. 48. 10. Cursed is be that doth the work of the Lord negligently. Therefore if these sluggards will auoyde the curse of God, they must of ne­cessitie goe to the Pismire, and learne of her to be more painfull and diligent in the worke of the Lord, there is no remedie.

The Magistrate also aswell as the Minister must goe to the Pismire, if he be slouthfull and negligent in his office. Magistrates For they are called pa­stors, [...]nd shepheards in the scripture. And therefore it is sayd of D [...]uid, That [...]e fed the people of the Lord according to the simpliciti [...] of his heart, Psa. 78. 70. 71. 72. And guided them by the discretion of his hands. The reason was, because the Lord did choose him, and take him from the sheep­folds, for to feed his people in Iacob, and his in­heritance in Israel: By which Magistrates may see what they should doe. But if they be hot in their owne matters, 2. Kin. 5. 11. like Naaman, who cha [...]ed because the Prophet would not come to him, when he sent for him; & cold in Gods matters, like Ely, who let his children do what they list: then are they guiltie of no small negligence, 1. Sam. 2. 23 24 & he is here reproued by this sillie, yet diligent creature. Therefore O sluggish Magistrate wheresoeuer or whosoeuer, go to the Pismire.

[Page] There be many Gentlemen also that must be schollers to this schoolmaster: Gentlemen for it is a com­mon thing amongst thē to say, I can liue of my lands, as though his lands were onely to helpe him to liue, n [...]king no matter how he liue: or as though any man were borne to himselfe, & not to the soc [...]eie and comfort of others. And what though they be able to liue of their lāds? yet God abhorreth this idlenes, and spending that they haue gotten, idlie, at play, & pastime: For when it shall bee sayd vnto them, Luk. 16. [...]. Giue ac­count of thy stewardship▪ how hast thou spent that which I lent thee? What will they answer? I haue spent it in play, shall they say▪ And will this go for pa [...]ment? God placed Adam in the garden of Eden, not to liue idly, but to dresse it, and till it, &c. Adam was as well to liue as any gentlemā (for th [...] al was his) & yet he was not permitted to liue idlie. Let no gentlemā say, he hath no calling: for al haue a calling. If he hath no calling, he may busie himselfe in teaching his seruants & children to know God, as Ioshua did: or in visiting and relieuing the poore, Iosh. 24. 15. and distressed, Iob. 31. 8. in being an eye to the blind, a father to the fatherles, &c. as Iob was.

And this is also for thē that spend their daies and reuenewes in voluptuousnes & carnal de­lights, as at cards & dice, hunting & hawking, and bowling, and dauncing, and chambering, and wantonnes, &c. smoking it out in the ex­cessiue pride of apparell, and spending of other [Page] mens labours: Surely they must needes to schoole. Therefore goe thou noble sluggard, or thou gentle sluggard, Goe to the Pismire, be­holde her waies, and be wise.

A number of Citizens likewise must be sent after the rest of their fellowes, for that they haue takē pains heretofore, but now sit downe, and studie how to liue idlie with their fami­lies: some by vsurie, and some by brokerage, the one is the diuell himselfe, the other the di­uels huntsman: some by promoting, & some by extortion, and all because of a more easie life, that it may bee sayd of them as it is sayd of Issachar, who seeing that ease was good, & the land pleasant, Gen. 49. 14. he became as a strong [...]sse couch­ing downe betweene diuers burdens: that is, he gaue himselfe to ease, and let all alone. So these men perceiuing that ease is good, & the gaine of vsurie, and iniquitie to bee pleasant, they are become very beasts, and are content to lye downe vnder diuers burdens: that is, to let all their dueties be vnperformed, which they owe to God and the Common-wealth. Now, for that idlenes and lazines hath drawne them to liue a monkish life, this Pismire shall stand vp to giue iudgement against them, if they doe not the sooner goe to her Lecture, and learne to be wiser.

Besides all these, the Pismire hath a great number of schollers moe, which if they should come altogether the schoole would not h [...]ld [Page] thē, & they are scattered abroad in euery coū ­trie, some in euery shire, some in euery towne, and in euery village, in euery faire and market some, and in euery alehouse some, and vpon e­uery hie way some: and therefore the Pismire hath set vp her schoole in euery field, and in e­uery wood, in euery pasture, in euery lane, and in euery hie way almost through the world, that they might not miscarrie for want of tea­ching. And these bee idle Players, and Fidlers, and Rimers, and Iesters, and Couseners, and Alehouse-hunters, and whorehunters, and tip­lers, and tospots, and Bearewards, and walking mates, with a number of counterfeit Souldiers, and Pedlers, and talebearers, with a companie of pratling gossips, & a crue of good fellowes, besides legions of idle Seruingmen, and retai­ners, that be crept into Bishops houses, Noble­mens houses, Knights houses, and Gentlemen [...] houses, which for any great busines that many of them haue to doe, might very well intend it to goe to the Sluggards schoole. Now to eue­ry one of these is this spoken: Go to the Pismire O sluggard, &c. that is, vp, and away to schoole. Me thinkes▪ I heare them all called at schoole by their names, and some bodie answering for them to excuse their absence: Some (sayth he) I saw on the stage at midnight, teaching youth and seruants, and all that came how to play the Cousener, the Lecherer, the Bawde, the Th [...]e [...]e, the Traitor, and how to scorne and de­ride [Page] the preacher, and religion, and how to practise all kinde of impietie and wickedne [...]e, and all to maintaine a poore liuing. Some are at the Alehouses set at tables, that they cannot come yet: and besides that, they are so filled with drinke, and so emptied of wit and reason, that if they should be brought to schoole, (for come alone they cannot) yet they should not be able to learne any thing, for they would fall fast asleep at the Antheape before the Pismire, as they doe at Church before the preacher. Then others were called: but answer was made againe, that some are gone to the faire, and some to market to cut purses, and some are keeping the hie way to take mens purses from them, that they might not bee robbed before they come home: Some are at the Tauerne drinking with their friends: some are stept a­side to diuide the spoyle, and therefore they cannot come. Then another was called, and one answered for him and sayd, agr [...]tat, he is sicke of the dropsie, or layd of the new disease, called the French disease, and so is she too, his beloued companion. Then others were called, and answer was made, that they would come, but they cannot: for some of them bee in pri­son, and some bee at the Barre to answere for themselues, and some bee fast in the stockes, some bee vpon the pillorie, some be dauncing about the market before the whip; and there­fore cannot come yet: and some are executed [Page] at the gallowes, and therefore neuer looke▪ for their comming. So they were discharged▪ a [...]d others came in their stead.

Now these we see haue their excuses when they are sent to schoole: like the worldling [...] in the Gospell, who (being called to the feast of the Gospell) could not come, because of their farmes, or their oxen, or their plough, or their wiues, or some what els, and therefore were shut out when they would haue come. And yet though they could not, that is, would not come to the feast, the feast was furnished with other guests: so though this crue of good fel­lowes cannot, that is, will not goe to the Pis­mire, yet her schoole is furnished with other schollers. And the summe of all her reading is this, All that thy band shall finde to doe, Eccle. 9. 10. doe it with al [...] thy power: for there is neither works, nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the graue, whither thou goest.

The Second Sermon.

AS this diligence and pain­fulnes in the Pismire doth reprooue those that liue idlie, for want of a cal­ling, and negligently in their calling: so dooth it also speciallie and gene­rallie condemne all of vs for the contempt of the Worde, Contempt of the word reproued by the Pis­mire. and the neglect of the glorious meanes of our saluation, which the Lord offe­reth most kindly, and graciously vnto vs. Now is the market of our spirituall foode, and the haruest of our soules, wherein euery one may and ought to prouide against the time of pe­nurie. And that we should not thinke it a mat­ter of libertie, God hath commanded vs to re­deeme the time, that is, Ephes. 5. 16 to raunsome the time that we haue lost, with some losse of pleasure, and profite, and ease, that wee might not al­waies be behind hand like bankeroupts in re­ligion.

But we sell away the time, and trueth and al, in stead of redeeming it. And is not this worse [Page] prophanenes then that of Esaw? for he sold his birthright for hunger: wee sell away ours for a winke of sleepe, or a game at bowles, or cards, or tables, or any thing els. Nay, wee are more▪ base-minded then Iudas: for he would not sell Christ vnder 30. pence▪ wee are content to let him go for 30. halfepence, or three halfepence, or a peniworth of pleasure, or profite.

We are commanded to preach in season, and out of season, and yet some thinke they are not bound to heare so often, but thinke that wee ought to wait and attend their leisure: where­as indeed if we come at any time, they should leaue all, and come and heare in season, & out of season, as they account it. Exod. 16. 2 [...]. 22. The Israelites were commended for gathering Manna in the morning, because if they tarried till the sunne was vp it did melt. If the sunne be vp once, I meane if hot persecution come, that wee can not, nor dare not goe to heare the Word, and will not heare it now while wee may in the coole of the day: shall not the Pismire stand vp in iudgement against vs, & condemne vs? Our Sauiour Christ sayd, I must worke the works of him that sent me, while it is day: Ioh. 9. 4. the night commeth when no man can worke. Then it were best for vs to heare the word of God while it is day: for we haue more neede then he had, that is, while wee haue peace, for the night com­meth, it is to be feared, when no mq̄ can heare: and as the night succeed [...]th the day, so perse­cution [Page] commonly succeedeth peace, to sco [...]re off the ruft that men gather in time of peace.

Some vse this as a reason to hinder reforma­tion, and going forward in religion: for say they, the time may come when we shall be cal­led to account for putting downe Images, for desacing idolatrie and superstition, and for go­ing to sermons, &c. The feare of these men that doe thus reason, is like the hope of Esaw, if it bee not the very same: for Esaw sayd, The daies of mourning for my father Isaac will co [...] shortly, Gen. 27. 41. and then I will kill my brother Iacob. So say they, the daies of mourning for Queene E­lizabeth will come one day, and then we may be called to an account for al the idolatrie that we haue defaced, and for all the profession that wee haue made of the Gospell. But as Iacob needed not feare Esaw, so long as his father I­saac liued: so (thankes be to God) wee neede not feare the threatnings of such ill affected men, so long as our mother Elizabeth raig­neth. The Lord prolong her daies as the daies of heauen, (if it be his blessed will) to the vtter rooting out of all idolatri [...], and impietie, and to the further aduancement of his Gospel. And happie are we, that haue such golden opportu­nitie. As Salomon therfore builded the Temple in his rest, so God giue vs grace to build his Church in our peace.

Our Sauiour, the Lord Iesus, did not teach vs to reason so. Yet if he had been of world­lings [Page] mindes, he would haue sayd, The night co [...]th when no man can work [...]: yea the night commeth when I shall answere that which I haue done, therefore it is best to let all a [...]ne & saue one. But he frameth his argument cleane contrarie: I must doe the workes of him that s [...]t me, while it is day: for the night commeth when no man can works. And if these daies should al­ter, what then? Yet then shall wee hau [...] com­fort in the obedience of our faith. Pro. 15. 15. And a good conscience (sayth Salomon) in the daies of af­fliction is a continuall feast. Therefore in these matters, let vs bee resolute with H [...]ster, who knowing the goodnes of her cause, Hester. 4. 16. sayd If I p [...]rish▪ I perish: so say we, If I lose, I lose▪ if I an­swere, I answere, I must looke to lose more then this, and to answere for more then this, but I shall lose nothing by it in the end There­fore now while wee may, let vs bee gathering store of knowledge, and comfort, or els the Pismire shall condemne vs: For she [...] go [...]ernor, nor ruler, gathereth her [...], &c. Wee haue both guides, &c. God make vs wise to take the benefit of them whil [...] we haue them.

Ios [...]ph being warned before hand of a dearth that should come vpon the land of Egypt, Gen. 41. 47. 48. 54. made prouision before the dearth came: Psalm. 105. 16. 17. so would we doe also to saue our bodies: but the soule which is the most precious thing▪ yea the Ladie and mistris of the bodie, as though she [Page] were dead, and liued not in vs, is not regarded, no m [...]n makes any prouisiō for her: although the Prophet Amos hath told vs that we must look [...]or a famme, Amos. 8. 11 and that of the word of the Lord, in so much as men shall goe from sea to sea, that is, from one part of the world to ano­ther, and shall not finde it. Ioseph proui [...]g in time of plentie had to serue his turne, and to comfort many moe withal in time of scarcitie, and what did Ioseph lose by that? So if we pro­uide foode for our soules now in time of plen­tie, we shall haue comfort in store both for our selues and many others when scarcitie come, or when persecution come, or when tempta­tions come, or when olde age come, or whe [...] sicknes come, or when death come, or when al come▪ and what shall we lose by that? [...] sayd, Psam. 119. 50. 92. The word of God was his comfort in his af­fl [...]ction, or els he had perished: So let vs say, (for we may bee sure of it) if the word of God bee not our comfort, when affliction come, or whē sicknes, or death, or persecution come, we [...]hal perish, we shall despayre, and goe to hell. And how shall it bee our comfort then, if we pro­uide not store of it now while we may? There­fore let vs prouide, and gather, and lay vp now as much as we can, & all will be little enough, if not too little: for as there is a time of [...], so there will be a time of spending, and we cannot gather so much doe what wee ca [...], as we shall spend.

[Page] But seeing as wee are now come to [...] with the spiritual Sluggard, who hath as much neede to bee to wsed as any other, that he may be awakened indeed, we will take this cours [...]: first, I wil shew what must be gathered for the soule: secondly, when it is to be gathe­red.

But what is it that wee must gather in sum­mer, What is to be gathered. which cannot be had in winter? The Pis­mire telleth vs, it is meate, or food, that is, mat­ter of nourishment for the [...] to feed vpo [...], and to prese [...]ue the life of God in the soule, and that is another poynt to bee obserued in [...] Emmots Lecture to the Sluggard. Many ga­ther, but it is not meate [...], but not of foode for the soule: which [...] the Prophet Esay found out and condemned in his time: Esay. 55. 2. 3 Wherefore doe y [...] lay out [...] and not for bread? and your labour without be [...]g sa­tisfied? he arken diligently vnto me, and [...] which is good, and let your soul [...] delight [...]. Encline your [...]ares, and come vnto me: [...] your soules shall line. To shewe that a man may labour and be neuer the more satisfied, he may eate and his soule bee neuer the fatter, but lye pining and languishing for all that in the sha­dowe of death. S. Paul sheweth Titus in what things the Minister must chiefly labour, Titus 3. 8. 9. and the people must bee most carefull to follow [...], and that is faith in God, and good workes a­mongst men. His reason is, because these things are profitable. But foolish questions, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] want her meate and food. There be many that be masters in Israel, and will take vpon them to knowe much, as the Laodicians tooke them­selues to be rich, and to haue need of nothing, when in trueth they were poore, and blind, and naked: & in many grounds of Christian religi­on, are as grosse as Nicodemus, Ioh. 3. 4. who thought that a man could not be borne againe; except hee went into his mothers wombe againe. And deale with them in any of the Principles, as of regeneration, or mortification, or sancti­fication, or iustification, or faith and repen­tance, or about the vse of the lawe, or the mea­ning of any Commaundement, or Article of faith, and many things more most necessarie to be knowne and practised; and they are to seek, yea so strange they are vnto them; that some­time they are driuen to answer, as the Disciples at Ephesus answered Paul, Act. 19. 2. when he asked thē if they had receiued the holie Ghost: they sayd, We haue not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost.

But some have heard something, and doe knowe more then others, and bee as it were a­wakened, & a little enlightened: Like Agrip­pa that was almost a Christian: and now they thinke themselues safe enough, like Micah, Iudg. 17. 13 who thought that he could not do amisse whē he had a Leuite in his house. And then they cast off all care of vsing holie meanes for the encreasing of their faith, or knowledge, or [Page 36] zeale, or rep [...]ntance: but giue their mindes to toyes and [...]anities, and to idlenes, and plea­sures. But these men doe fearefully deceiu [...] themselues: for the house well built, will fa [...]l to the ground, except it be continually repai­red: and the field well tilled and sowen, (if it be not still weeded, and manured) will proue barren: so will the soule proue ruinous & bar­ren in the graces of Gods spirit, if it be not con­tinually sed, with the solide [...] and wholesome meate of Christian doctrine: and the talent not vsed to encrease, Mat. 25. 28. shal be taken quite away▪ Therefore as Christ sayd, Math. 9. 23. 24. when he had reuiued Iairus his daughter which was dead, giue her meate: Luk. 8. 55. he sayd not▪ giue her musicke but [...] her meate, least she dye againe. So, when the Lord hath put his life into thy soule, which wa [...] dead before, and hath in some measure quic­kened thee in faith, in repentance, in loue▪ in zeale, in patience, &c. giue thy soule meate [...] ­musicke; sound foode, not fond fancies. And as Paul sayd to Timothie, 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gifts of the holie Ghost in thee, least in the ende tho [...] leese thy store, with stock and all, till thy sou [...] proue bankeroupt in all the graces of the hol [...] Ghost. And withall let vs know that there [...] in euery one of vs a maine streame of natu [...] corruption: against which if we doe not [...] continually, but stand at a stay, it will carri [...] [...] away, and all our marchandize: as a [...] standing loose vpon the riuer is carried bac [...] ­ward, [Page] if it be not rowed forward.

Some are of minde, Seruants. that if they gather to en­crease their owne store, they haue done well: but for their families they take no care, whe­ther they sinke or swim, whether they knowe God or be ignorant of his waies, pray or pray not, or whether their soules be clothed or goe naked, goe to hell or to heaven, it is no matter, they neuer remember their wants: Like Pha­raohs Butler, who thought himselfe safe when he was out of prison, but neuer regarded the affliction of Ioseph his fellowe prisoner. If a man should demaund the food of knowledge and vnderstanding at their hands for their ser­uants and children, or other their friends: they will answere as Nabal did, when Dauids ser­uants requested somethin [...] of him for Dauid and his companie when they were wearied with trauailing, 1. Sam. 25. 10. 11. Who is Dauid? and who is the s [...]ne of Is [...]ai? there bee many seruants now a daies that breake away from their masters. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I ha [...]e killed for my sheerers, and giue it vn­to men, whom I know not whence they be? So say many masters, and householders, who is my seruant, and what is my familie? there are ma­ny now a daies leaue their worke, and fall too much to the scriptures. Shall I then take my [...]nowledge, and my learning, and my notes, & giue to them? Shall I hinder my worke to feed their humour, who [...] I know not whence they [Page 38] are? or what reason there is for it? It should seeme that if Nabal had knowne Dauid, hee would haue giuen him some part with him. S [...] if thou knewest who are thy seruants, and chil­dren, or thy neighbour, or friend; or Christian acquaintance, it may bee thou wouldest giue them part with thee of thy gifts, and suffer thē to worke by thy pattterne, and to light their candles at thine. But doest thou not knowe, who they be? Are they not thy brethren aswel as thy seruants? Are they not fellow members of Christ his body with thee, aswell as they are thy seruants? Haue not they and thou all one father, all one master, and all one Sauiour in heauen? Hath not the Lord Iesus shed as ma­ny drops of his precious heart bloud for them as for thee? and d [...]est thou not knowe what they are, that thou shouldest haue a care to prouide meate for their soules? If thou kee­pest a beast, thou wilt giue him that which is necessarie for this life: and are those of thy fa­milie no better then beasts, that thou shouldest prouide no more for them then thou doest for thy beast? When the Disciples wished (with­out all mercie) to haue fire come from heauen vpon the Samaritanes; Luk. 9. 54. the Lord Iesus told thē that they knewe not of what spirit they were▪ So when men (without all mercie and co [...] ­passion) suffer their families to runne into th [...] fire of hell: saying, if they perish▪ they perish what is that to me, so I haue my worke don [...] ▪ [Page] We may say they know not of what spirit they are. If the Disciples were [...] reproued, the [...] these are most iustly condemned: for they had yet some [...]loake for their desire of so seuere a reuenge, because the Samaritanes refused [...]ost v [...]kindly and cōtemptuously to let their Lord and master, the Lord Iesus our Sauiour▪ into their citie; But for the careles crueltie, & cruell carelesness of these men, there is no pretence: for their seruants doe not shut them out of their doores, as the Samaritanes shut Christ out of the citie: but they receiue them, and la­bour for them. And if they did offer thee such vnkindnes (which God forbid) yet is it not lawfull for thee so to be reuenged, by suffering them to perish in their sinnes, but to pray for them rather. The spirit of God doth not vse to speake on that manner: for that is a spirite of loue, 1. Cor. 13. 5 and l [...]ue (sayth the Apostle) seeketh not her owne things: that is, it is not all for it selfe: but as it is carefull to edifie it selfe in the most holy faith, by vsing such meanes as are appoin­ted by God to that purpose: so hath it also cō ­passion of others, Iude. 22. 23 as S. Iude saith, labouring in all holie wisedome to pul others out of the fire. But these are all for themselues, therefore they haue not true loue: they haue not true loue, therefore not true faith: for faith worketh by loue, as Saint Paul teacheth the Galathians. If they haue neither faith not loue, thē haue they not the spirit of God in them▪ if they haue not [Page] the spirit of [...] them, th [...] are they [...] children of GOD, but hypocrites, [...] themselues, and so consequently they neither prouide for their own soules, [...] of other: but as they suffer their [...] soules to perish for want of the meate & [...] which they should haue; so doe they suffer their owne soules likewise to perish, for want of that which they suppose they haue, but haue it not indeed.

That wee may bee throughly moued with that which hath been sayd, and touched with compassion towards our owne soules, and the [...]oules of others that depend vpo [...] vs: it shall not bee amisse to hearken a little vnto the pi­teous moane and crie of the godlie, in behalfe of their soules. Psal. 42. 1. Dauid [...]ayth, his soule [...] after God, as the Hart braieth for the riuers o [...] water: to shew that our soules are as it were i [...] a continuall chase, and therefore must haue prouided for them the liuing waters of Gods word, or els they will perish. In another place he sayth, that his soule thirsted after God in [...] drie and barren land where no water was. This moane did Dauid make to God for his soule, and yet he had more abundance of Gods g [...] ­ces then ot hers haue: to shew, that if we had a [...] good prouisiō for the keeping, and strengthe­ning, & defending, and cōforting of our poore soules, as Dauid had, yet all is too little: for still they lie thirsting and panting for more grace, [Page] for more [...]aith, for more zeale, for more repen­tance for more loue, for more knowledge, and for more vnderstanding, &c. for the tempta­tions and assaults of the soule are so many, so continuall, so strong, so mightie, and so hot, that it is not a little prouision of knowledge, or vnderstanding, or [...]aith, or patience, that will serue the turne to make resistance: for the [...] ­ [...]ell shooteth his darts thicke, and burning for they befierie darts. But as souldiers in a ca [...]tle besieged, must haue day [...]e a newe supplie of powder and sho [...], of men, and munition, of money and victuall, or els they will yeeld vp the castle: so must our soules haue a daily sup­plie of the graces of Gods spirit from the word of God, or els they wil faint, and yeeld vp their h [...]ld: For the soule fighteth aswell as the bo­die. And therfore Deborah sayd, Iudg. 5. 21. her soule had marched valiantly: to shewe that there is a marching, and a fighting of the soule aswell as of the bodie: and therefore there must be good prouision made for that as well as for the body, or els it will not march valiantly, but fight faintly, and yeeld most cowardly, and perish most miserablie. Which daily and wofully ap­peareth by that fearefull staggering and yeel­ding of so many, when any scoffing Papist doth but as it were breathe vpon them. And what els doth this shewe but a great emptines in the knowledge? there is no preseruatiue of the word against the infection.

[Page 42] Besides that, in regard of thy brethren thou shouldest labour to store thy selfe with the co forts and counsels of Gods word, and to bee strong in the heauenly graces of Gods spirit▪ for such a famine of the foode of soules may come, that one man may bee glad to seeks to another for counsell and comfort. And if thy house be emptie, or haue but a little, thou wilt bee readie to say to thy neighbour, as the wi­dowe of Sarepta sayd to Eliyah, when he asked, a morsell of bread of her in the great famine that was in Israel, 1. King. 17. 12. I ha [...]e not a cake but a hand­full of meale in a barrell, and a little [...]yle in a cruse, and beholde I am gathering of stickes [...]to dresse it, for me and my sonne, that wee may eat [...] thereof, and die. So if any man troubled in con­science, come to thee for comfort and resolu­tion of his doubts, thou wilt say, Alas, I haue not for you, I am no Diuine, I am troubled as­well as you, I haue nothing but the Lordes prayer, and the Beleefe, and the Commaunde­ments by heart, but I vnderstand none of thē, and some good prayers and lessons I haue in a booke beside: And if those will not serue my turne when the tempte [...] commeth, I may goe hang my selfe, or despayre, I must die, or do [...] as it please God.

Now what crueltie is this so carelesly to neglect the meanes of thy soules health, who was bred and brought vp with thee from thy conception, and hath in thy seruice spent her [Page] selfe, ministring strength and reliefe to thy bo­die, to euery part of thy bodie, yea to euery member, to euery ioynt, to euery vaine and si­new in thy bodie. And more seruice then that too: for it hath made thee to differ from the beast, in that it hath ministred to thee▪ both reason, and vnderstanding, and iudgement, & memorie, and affections, (for it is a reasonable soule) which the beasts want: it hath taught thee to speake, and to speake sensible, & wise­lie, and to conceiue things quicklie, and to vse all other of Gods creatures comfortablie, and to rule ouer them all, which the beasts cannot doe: And wilt not thou oh sluggard finde so much leisure as to gather heauenly meate and foode for thy soule, that in the day of affliction and iudgement, it may saue both it selfe, and thy bodie too? Nay further consider, how the Lord hath shut it vp in thy breast, that it might bee alwaies in a readines to supplie thy wants, and wilt not thou be readie againe to supplie her wants? If it should depart from thee but a foote, for a minute of an houre, it were present death vnto thee, how canst thou then misse her? nay, how canst thou not in pi [...]ie & com­passion prouide for her safetie? Nay further, that it might be alwaies readie to minister vn­to thee, the Lord hath made her which is im­mortall, and diuine, and spirituall, and heauen­ly, and the most principall commander of all, nay all in all, and all in euery part of thee, to be [Page] enclosed within thee, as thy close prisoner, and art not thou then bound to looke vnto her as her keeper? Say not as Cain sayd, Am I my brothers keeper? So, am I my soules keeper? for thy soule is thy prisoner, therefore thou art her keeper: & if thou either driue her out of thee▪ or suffer her to perish within thee, for want of good keeping, her bloud shall be required at thy hands. Take pitie then, O sluggard, vpon thy poore prisoner: which maketh as pitifull a crie for her prouision, if it bee wanting, as any prisoners in the world. In London, and other such places, it would moue a stonie heart to heare one crying vp and downe the streetes. Bread and meate, Bread and meate for the poore prisoners of Newgate, for Christ Iesus sake, & the prisoners crying out of their grates and holes, one penie or halfepenie, for Christ his sake, to buy some bread, to buy some bread▪ But thy poore soule lyeth in a worse prison thē Newgate, there is no Gatehouse, nor Cole­house, no Bocardo, no Little ease, no Dungeō, no channell, nor Duckpit is so vile a prison for thy bodie, as thy bodie is for thy soule: for it is neither lightsome nor beautifull, but darke, and most dirtie, disquiet and [...]ustie, fraile, and filled vp with much venome, and venemous vipers, I meane it concerning our affections. By rea­son whereof the soules of Gods children haue been constrained to crye, lament, and bewaile their long being in it. Oh (sayth Dauid) ha [...] [Page] long shall I lye in this prison? Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretch that I am (sayth Paul) who shall deliuer me out of this bodie of sinne? Oh that I were dissolued, Philip 1. 23 and had out of this earthly and fraile tabernacle. Luk. 2. 29. Now let thy seruant depart in peace, sayth Simeon. Take me vnto thee, (sayth Dauid againe) and bring my soule out of this prison, that it may giue thankes unto thee O Lord. For so long as it is in this bodie it cannot see the Lord, yea it is an heauy habitation, and presseth downe s [...]re the spirit from that familiaritie, which els it should [...] with God.

Now al this while there are none that go a­bout to gather for these poore prisoners, but as the preachers crye out to men to remember their soules: but oftentimes they speake but to the bellie which hath no eares. Oh that thy poore soule had but a grate to looke out at▪ and leaue to speake for her selfe to those that passe by thee, then would it appeare how thou hast kept her, nay how thou hast starued her, op­pressed her, and robbed her of her spiritual ex­ercises, her heauenly comforts, and christian conference with her godly friends & acquain­tance: nay, that she hath not been allowed a good meale in a yeare, but now and then a few colde, idle, sluggish prayers, or a little blowen milke from the breasts of an old Homely: and when any good matter was in hand indeede, thy poore soule was so oppressed with surfe­ting & ryot, that it was not able to receiue any [Page] comfort: And yet thou wilt say, thou hast as good a soule to Godward as any bodie. But thy soule may say to thee, as Queene Elizabeth sayd to Sir Henry Bennifield her layler (as she called him) from such a keeper good Lord de­litier me.

The third Sermon.

BVt yet some will say (for all that hath been sayd) if there bee no remedie but the soule must haue pro­uision made for her, they will looke out for it: but it shall be hereafter when they are olde, Of the time to gather. or sicke, or troubled, or impriso­ned, or persecuted, it is time enough then: and it is not good to bee too holie, or too religious betimes, for feare of young saints wee proue old diuels? Now all this is the diuels counsell, and who would thinke it that he should bee so carefull of men that they proue not diuels Now the effect of his coūsell is but thus much: Be not too hastie in these matters, it is enough [Page] if thou bee a Protesta [...]e at large, and play the good fellow, and make prouision for thy soule when thou art full of paine, when thy sences be gone, when thy body is dead, and thy soule bee in hell: and then thou maiest crie for water to coole thy heate, then father Abraham, father Abraham, as the rich glutton in hell cryed: and then thy friends shall sing a Masse of Re­qu [...]em for thy soule, say the Papists, and then by thy good workes, and prayers of holy Church (if thou pay well for them) thou shalt bee re­deemed out of hell well enough. But (to let this popish trash goe) what is this but to shut the doore when the horse is stolen? or to fetch the Phisition when the partie is dead? or to seeke for oyle to thy lampes when the Bride­grome is past, as the foolish Virgins did? and to seek for the blessing with teares, when there is no place to repent, Hebr. 12. as prophane Esaw did? and to crye for thy goods when they be lost, at fooles doe? Is this the wisedome of a Chri­stian? Then what is that wisedome that sayth, Remember thy maker in the daies of thy youth? Eccl. 12. 1. 2 If he were a wiseman that sayd so, then are they but fooles that [...]ay▪ In youth it is too soone. If thou be no wiser then so, goe thou sluggard to the Pismire, behold her waies and be wise▪ [...] she in summer, and haruest, gathereth her food against winter time: to reach thee what a foole thou art if thou let passe the golde opportuni­tie, & doest not prouide for thy soule in time.

[Page] [...] [Page] want nothing: as husbandmen in the field to till it, and weede it: as planters and waterers to set it, and dresse it: as pillars of brasse in Salo­mons temple, that are mightie to vphold thee: as Elisha with his staffe readie to reuiue thee: as guides with their lights readie to conduct thee: and for thy safetie, and all their safetie, behold the Lord & his Angels attending vpon thee, and them too, seruing them which serue thee, and defending them which defend thee, and guiding them which guide thee: & there­fore doth he serue, and defend, and guide thē, that they in him, and by him, may serue thee, and defend thee, and guide thee. And as the Lord from heauen prouided for Ioseph, that Io­seph from Egypt might prouide for his father and his brethren in Chanaan: So doth the Lord still frō heauen minister to our Princes, & to our Magistrates, & to our Preachers, and to our Captaines, and to al the friends & main­tainers of his Gospell, that they in their places may prouide both for their owne soules, and thine too. So that now thou needest not goe in feare, nor heare in feare, nor reade in feare, nor pray in feare, as they did in Queene Ma­ries daies, when they could not reade a good book, but still they must be looking who came to see them: like the sillie Hare and Conie, that at euery bit she taketh is still pricking vp her eares to heare if the dogges come: or rather like the Iewes which were faine to builde the [Page] wall of Ierusalem with their trowelles in one hand, and their swords in the other hand, for feare of their enemies. But now, if thou be not too sluggish, and fearefull of thy owne sha­dowe, thou maiest gather the food of thy soule in peace & security, & worke with both hands, because the Lord himselfe fighteth for thee, & watcheth for thee, & keepeth thee while thou doest worke, and that thou maiest gather: As Salomon sayth, Hee preserueth the state of the righteous: Prou. 2. 7. 8 he is a shield to them that walke vp­rightly, that they may keeps &c. Thou seest what blessed meanes and helps thou hast now for thy soules health. Now consider with thy selfe (O sluggard) what monsterous and intol­lerable ingratitude thou committest, if thou giue the Lord leaue thus to waite and attende vpon thee, with all his seruants, in heauen and earth, and with all his blessings ready for thee, and thou in the meane time lye downe and sleepe, and say with thy selfe, It is not yet time to goe, and gather. Besides that, consider fur­ther how hard a thing it will be for thee (if not impossible) to make prouision for thy soule, when all these meanes are gone, and this sum­mer turned into winter. If thou wilt not plie it for thy soule in time of health & peace, what canst thou doe when thou are beset with trou­bles, and sicknes, and paine? when al thy mind shalbe of thy paine, and all thy wits and sences shall be taken vp, and gathered together to de­uise [Page] some remedie against thy disease, and to preuent, or to sustaine the pangs of death: yea nothing will be so fearfull vnto thee then (thou sluggard) as the remembrance of death, and all thy studie will be how to liue still, for feare of going to hell, if thou dye.

Remember againe the prouerbe, When the bellie is full the [...]ones would be at rest, not at worke. Now if the minde hath no list to work when thy bellie is full of meate and drinke, & ease, I pray thee consider what mind thy soule shall haue of heauenely things, when thy bodie is full of paine, and griefe, and torment, if thou doest not prouide before hand spirituall and heauenly comfort? Therefore, Goe to the Pis­mire, O sluggard, behold her waies, and be wise: for she gathereth her meate in summer, and pro­uideth her food [...] in haruest.

But some will for all this still put off the e­uill day, and say as the euill seruant sayd in the Gospell, Tush, Luke. 12. 45. my master will not come yet: so the sluggard sayth, Tush, winter will not come yet, wee are yet but young, sayth the young sluggard. And the olde sluggard sayth, What neede wee care for persecution, or feare our enemies, so long as Queene Elizabeth li­ueth. And both of these, if they were sure that the winter time of persecution, and trouble: or that the stormes and tempests of sicknesses & common calamities were at hand, they would perhaps awake and get them to worke, that [Page] they might not bee without prouision at th [...] time. But alas poore soules, what charter hath the former of his life: or the latter of his peace? doe we not see young dye aswell as olde? and many both young and old die suddenly, when they thought to haue liued long? Some drop­ping downe in the streetes: some at boarde: some in bed: some at sea: some at worke: some at play: and some cut off by murther in frayes: some by theeues murthered in trauai­ling by the way: & some sitting at table, are murthered with the meate in their mouthes. Woe worth the time, and the trees that euer brought forth such fruites of sauage crueltie, and brutish barbarisme in the peaceable go­uernment of England, vnder the Gospell of Christ. And yet for al this, and many moe such like, thou are not warned, but thinkest thou shalt liue still: as though thou heldest thy life by Letters Patents from the Lord: and still thou forgettest: [Thou foole this night shal thy soule be fetched away from thee:] And where­fore hath the Lord left vs certain of our death, and vncertaine of the time of our death, but that we should be alwaies readie for the com­ming of death?

And as for this summer time of peace and plentie, which vnder the gouernment of our soueraigne Queene, the Lords handmaide, we enioy now, it cannot bee denied but it hath been, and is great, and wonderfull. And there­fore [Page] great and fearefull will be the Sluggards iudgement, when the winter of trouble and penurie shall come, with the famine of the Worde into the land, because he hath not ga­thered any riches for his soule, but is bare, and barren in all the heauenly graces of Gods spi­rit, yea in all this time, wherein any man might haue stored himselfe for many winters, and all weathers. And when that time commeth, thou shalt lye and thinke vpon the time past, yea and burst thy heart with griefe, when thou shalt thinke how many golden occasions thou hast omitted: how many sweete sermons thou hast lost for a little sleepe, or one vanitie or ano­ther. And the burden of thy dolefull and woful song will be then, the fooles Had I wist.

But if we speake of Poperie and persecution, or alteration of religion, or comming of ene­mies, &c. some make a iest of that, as they doe of all the iudgements of God: No, no, say the secure sluggards, we shal neuer see those daies: and if they should come, thousands and thou­sans would dye before they would turne: and as for the Spanyard, let him come when hee will, or when he durst, he shall be met withall I warrant him: oh one Englishman will be too hard for ten Spanyards: and if we all be ture a­mognst our selues and hold together, we need not care how many, or how mightie they bee. Thus we see how foolishly foolish men talke, and how vaine their confidence and hope is, [Page] which is builded onely vpon ifs, and ands. As if one should say, If it doth not raine, it will hold vp: But is he sure it shall not raine? so, are they sure the enemies shall not come? or if they come, are they sure that al wil be true amongst our selues? or is it likely? And what reason haue any man to stande so much vpon the strength and valour of an Englishman, as that one should be too hard for ten outlandish mē? seeing God giueth strength, and victory where it pleaseth him, and sometime armeth his ene­mies against his church, yea and the very flyes, and lice, and frogges, and caterpillers, & gras­hoppers, and all his creatures he can arme whē he pleaseth, to humble proud flesh, and to sub­due the pride and power of Kings and king­domes.

Oh but God will neuer suffer them to pre­uaile so farre against vs (say some) they are most wicked Idolaters, and wee professe his Gospell, &c. As if the Lord were more bound to vs, then to them: or as though it were for our goodnes sake that the Lord had preserued vs hetherto, and not for his owne name sake, because it was his pleasure to make vs his [...]. Dauid was once of that minde, [...]. Sam. 12. 22. that th [...] Lord had made his hill so strong, that it should neuer bee moued: but that was Dauids error. So we thinke that the Lord hath made our hill so strong, that it shall neuer bee moued: but that is our error. And pride was the mother of [Page] it both in Dauid, and in vs. But Dauid was mo­ued, and his kingdome sorely shaken as strong as he was: so we may bee moued, and shaken too, as strong as we are. But seeing as the slug­gard hath sealed himselfe a quittance, and thereupon hath promised vnto himselfe a con­tinuall peace: we will consider a little of these two poynts. Two points very neces­sarie. First, whether it be a thing likely or no, that after this long and blessed possessiō of the glorious Gospell of Christ, a winter time of trouble may come, or not come. Secondly, if it proue a thing likely, how wee may knowe whether it be farre off, or nigh at hand. And by that time, it may be the sluggard will awake. I dispute not of Gods power, and what he is able to doe, for he is almightie: nor of his mercie, and how he may renew it with vs still: for he is infinite in mercie, and his mercie is ouer all his workes: but what his iustice requireth to bee done, which is no way disanulled by his mercie. And now the question is, what is like­ly to ensue, by all circumstances, and probable coniectures, in respect of the manifolde and wonderfull blessings which the Lord hath so long heaped vpon our nation with his Gospel; and the manifolde vnkindnesses, and daily re­bellions which his maiestie hath receiued con­tinually at our hands for the same: And if his spirite should still striue with man, to put our sinnes out of his remembrance: or for Noahs sake a while longer to spare the world: or for [Page] some Lots sake to saue the citie from burning▪ and to draw out the thred of our peace & hap­pines yet longer: it is no more then his maie­stie may doe, and can doe if it please him, and (that it may so please him) we doe all most in­stantly beseech his diuine maiestie, for his mer­cies sake: which if he graunt, shall bee no lesse wonder, then to command the Sunne to stand still, and the Moone to goe backe againe, as in the daies of Amaleke: or to diuide the sea a­gaine, as in the daies of Pharaoh: or to forbid the fire to burne againe, as in the daies of Na­buchadnezzar. But this is not likely, and there­fore it shall be no part of wisedome for vs to presume vpon it.

Now then let vs come to the poynt, and see why it is not likelie. We vse to saie, that after a great time of heate, there will come a cooler, and it is so for the most part. And as it is in the state of times and seasons, so is it also in the state of the Church: and therefore it is not vn­likely, that after this long time of peace and ease, there may come a cooler: for so it hath been commonly seene from the beginning, and not without cause: for if nature should not sometimes be corrected, it would in time bee wholly corrupted: the standing water that is neuer troubled, we knowe by experience doth breede the most filth. And if the ayre shoulde still bee calme, and neuer bee clensed by the windes, by thunder, and lightning, it would [Page] proue infectious: the bodie that is not exerci­sed, aboundeth most in ill humours, and the yron that is not scoured still gathereth rust, and the childe that is continually fed, and hath whatsoeuer he craueth, and cryeth for, at last playeth with his meate, and casteth it to the dogges: and therefore it is necessarie that sometime he should be abridged and pinched. And so doth the Lord also (by interrupting the peace and ease of his Church) purge the ill hu­mours of pride and contempt growing in the bodie of his Church: so doth he vse to scoure off the rust of impatience, and distrustfulnes which growe vpon our yron hearts with the graces of Gods spirite. So doth he by stormes and tempests, by thunderings, & lightnings of troubles and persecutions, clense the corrupt ayre of his Church, least the good graces of faith and of repentance, and of loue, and of zeale, and of patience, and of charitie, should through continuall calmenes be infected with infidelitie, or impenitenc [...]e, or hardnes of heart, or profanenes, or pride, or vaineglorie, or selfe-loue, or coldenes, or Apostasie, or with one spi­rituall disease or another: and so dooth the Lord vse to pinch, and abridge his Church of the foode of his heauenly worde, now and then, and sometime for a long time, when it is loathed, and plaied withall, and trode vnder foote, and all this the Lord dooth in singular wisdome, because the worth of benefites is not [Page] so well knowne, as by the want of them. That our hearts and soules are cankred and rustie it is most euident, and therefore a scouring is to be thought vpon at the least: that there are many ill humours of vnthankfulnes, of pride, of con­tempt, of crueltie, and oppression, of swearing and forswearing, of whordomes, and drunken­nes, of al kind of profanenes and abominations abounding in the bodie of the Church, it is not to be denied. And therefore a time of purging and exercise is to be thought vpon. That Man­na is loathed, and the pure preaching of Gods most holy word despised, and the faithfull Pro­phets of the Lord hated, and molested, for do­ing the Lords message, and the feete of the [...] which bring glad tidings counted most soule, which should bee esteemed as most beautifull, all this is too visible, and palpable, and there­fore Amos his famine is to be thought vpon, Amos 8. 11., if not to be looked for. When the Lord had plan­ted a vine in Israel, Esay. 5. 1. 2. &c. and watered it, and hedged it, and dressed it, hee looked for grapes b [...] found none, but the wilde grapes of oppression and iniquitie. But what then? Then hee purpo­sed to take away the hedge thereof, to breake downe the wall thereof, and to laye it waste▪ that it might be deuoured of wilde beastes: vers. 3. 4. 5. 6 but first hee tolde them that hee would deale th [...] with them, and themselues should bee iudg [...] whether hee did them any wrong or no. Th [...] the Lord hath done as much for his vineyard [Page] in England, as euer he did for his vineyard in Israel, (if not a great deale more) no indiffe­rent bodie will denie: that the grapes of Eng­lands vine bee as wilde, and as sower, as euer were the grapes of Israels vine (if not much worse) the branches themselues can testifie. But what then? And is not now a breaking downe of the wall, a plucking vp of the hedge, and a laying waste of the vine in England to be thought vpon (O sluggard) if not to be loo­ked for? Hath not the Lord tolde vs of his pur­pose and determination herein, againe, and a­gaine? And are we not rather worse then bet­ter for all that? Now if these things come to passe, wee our selues shall bee iudges whether the Lord hath done vs any wrong or no. Now consider further with thy selfe (O sluggard) what priueledge hath England more then Isra­el had? How much is the Lord beholding to vs, more then to them? surely neither to them nor to vs, nor to any was euer the Lord behol­ding, for if a man be righteous, he is righteous for himself, saith Iob. But what promise or war­rant haue wee more then they had, Iob. 35. 7. or any Church from the beginning of the world? Hath there not been in nature a continuall in­tercourse and change of winter and sommer, of night and of daye, of fayre weather, and of [...]owle wether, of colde and of heate, of the spring and the fall? And hast thou not obserued the like in the state of grace? Surely if thou [Page] haddest not closed vp thy eyes of purpose (O thou sluggard) thou couldest not ch [...]se but see the Lordes worke therein. Well, yet thou canst not denye, but that there haue beene many alterations, and sundry changes in the worlde, and thy selfe some­time (betweene waking and sleeping, but without any feeling) wilt sitte and tell of them, and what thou hast seene in thy time, which shall bee sufficient to condemne thee: for it is more then a dreame that thou spea­kest of. But if thou wilt now (besides thy owne drousie experience) a little listen vnto the word of God, and praye vnto God that hee may open thy eyes, thou shalt see that which yet thou diddest neuer so much as dreame of▪ like the seruant of Elisha, which sawe [...] mountaines couered with heauenly souldi­ers, when the Lord opened his eyes, which be­fore hee sawe not. Marke it well I saye, and thou shalt see, both how often the Lorde hath turned, and as it were wheeled about his Church, and the cause thereof to be still the Churches iniquitie. Note that well. And thou shalt see, if not confesse, that the continuall starting of men from GOD, hath broken the course of his grace, which otherwise had been continual [...] The truth whereof may appeare almost from the beginning of the world. For first, when the true worship of God was in the cursed of spring of Caine almost vtterly decayed, Gen. 4. 26. [...] [Page] Lord restored it againe in the dayes of Seth, and his sonne Enos, that it might thriue and florish in the world. Now it was summer time with them: but how long did it last? Surely not long, for scarce eight generations were passed, when all the posteritie of them whom God had separated for his owne chil­dren, Gen. 5. 2. did mingle themselues with the sonnes and daughters of men at their pleasure with­out the feare of GOD, throwing themselues in such wise into all manner of wickednes, that (hauing defiled themselues, and the whole world with their abhominations) the Lorde brought a floud vppon them, Noah. to de­stroye them all, that they which had drowned themselues in sinne, might bee also drow­ned in water: and so they were twise drow­ned; and now was winter come. When the Church was brought to eyght persons, it see­med then so purged, that the little seede which remained, should of it selfe bring forth nothing but pure holines: and yet anon af­ter it diminished almost by the fourth parte. Afterwarde the Lorde renewed his couenant with Abraham Abraham. and his seede, for whome hee wrought many wonderfull thinges: for first, with a mightie hand and stretched out arme, hee brought them out of Aegypt: then hee led them through the red sea: then hee fed them with breade from heauen: then hee destroyed many Kinges for their sakes, [Page 62] and made their very name famous and fear [...]full full whatsoeuer it came, and thus they we [...] going towards the land of promise: now, [...] would not of such happie beginnings [...] iudged that there should haue ensued a co [...] nuance of a happie state? Notwithstanding the very same people, (in whose deliueranc [...] the Lord had shewed so manifest a proofe [...] his power and mercie) did not cease contin [...] ­ally to prouoke the Lord with their impati [...] murmurings, and vnkinde rebellions, vntill by fearefull, and horrible iudgements they were all destroyed in the wildernes. 1. Cor. 10. 5. At length the children of them tooke possession of the said [...] land, but yet such a possession as well neere in 600. yeares after, had no stabilitie, because they themselues through their owne falsenes, and inconstancie did continually trouble it: and still (by shaking off the yoke of God) they pro­cured new mischiefes to thēselues. Moses had tolde them before, how it would come to passe, Deut. 8. 10. 11. that when they were fatte and full, they would lift vp the heele, and forget the Lord▪ And what dooth the storie of the Iudges re­hearse, but continuall backslidings? When [...] kingdome of Dauid was erected, there seemed a more certaine and grounded state of a church to haue bin established, for a long continuance. But that lamentable slaughter of the pestilēce, 2. Sam. 24. 15. which for three daies space raged most mo [...] ­sterously in the worlde, did greatly abate [...] [Page] felicitie. When Salomon came to the Crowne, summer came againe to the Church: for God gaue him great peace on euery side, and in his rest he builded the Temple of the Lord in Ie­rusalem. 1. King. 4. 24. But by and by, after the death of Salo­mon, the bodie of the realme was diuided, and the torne members ceased not afterward to bite one another. And both the kingdomes, I meane of Israel, and Iudah, Esay. 9. 20. 21. were miserably tur­moyled by forraine warres. Shall wee say that this came vnto them by fortune and chaunce? Nay rather they themselues, through their sins enforced, & hastened the vengeance of God: for euen when they seemed most innocent, namely, while Dauid goeth through with nū ­bring of them, because it was the peculiar fault of one man: yet the holie storie sayth plainlie, that God was wroth with them all. 2. Sam. 24. 1. At length followed that great euersion, little differing from vtter destruction, when al the whole na­tion was led captiue to Babilon: but after 70. yeres they were restored home againe: which ioyfull returne was vnto them another birth. Notwithstanding, so soone as they were retur­ned home, straight waies forgetting so great a benefite, they degenerated againe into sundrie kinds of naughtines: Some defiled themselues with heathen mariages: some defrauded the Lord of his tenths, and first fruites: othersome neglecting the building of the Temple, Mal. 3. 8. were whollie occupied in making of braue houses, Hag. 1. 2. 4. [Page 64] and bestowed excessiue cost thereon: whi [...] [...]oule vnthankfulnes of theirs was such, as eue­rie man must confesse (the Sluggard and all) that it ought not to escape vnpunished. Nei­ther did it escape: for after that, the Lorde brought them in subiection to the Romanes, who burned their Temple, and made hauock [...] of all.

When Christ, Christ. the Prince of peace, and author of all good things, shewed himselfe to the world, men might sensiblie haue felt how cer­taine and well grounded the felicitie of his e­ternall kingdome is, if they would haue suffe­red him to rest among them: but the worlde was neuer shaken with more cruell tempe [...] of warre, nor neuer drowned in so deep a sinke of manifolde euils. But what was the cause? Surely when Christ was borne, there was sin­gular peace and quietnes euery where. Abo [...] 40. yeares after his Gospell was spred throug [...] diuers costes of the world: After it was pub­lished farre and neere, suddenly things began to be on a turmoyle euery where. And where­of came so sudden alteration, but that God [...] the contempt and refusall of his Gospell, wa [...] now bent to be reuenged of so great vnthank­fulnes? and that most iustly. For when Kings and their people had despised the peace which God offered them, Note that. was it not right and reaso [...] that they should bee set together by the eares, that one of them might wound another to th [...] [Page] death? And what can continue in order a­mongst them, who refuse to submit them­selues to God? I speake not onely of the open enemies, which haue wilfully striuen against the wholesome doctrine of godlines, but also of them that haue professed themselues Chri­stians. For how coldly, and disdainfully haue many of them, how falsely, and dissemblingly (like Iudas) haue othersome kissed Christ? It is not vnknowne that Ierusalem Ierusalem. was once the fountaine from whence saluation flowed into the vttermost bounds of the earth: but at the comming of Christ, it retained scarce a thinne shadowe of the ancient worthines: and with­in a while after, it not onely lost that that re­mained, but was vtterly cast downe also, and made a waste wildernesse: which made the Lord Iesus shed teares when he looked vpon the citie. What is the reason that no man tra­uaileth in seeking out the cause of so monste­rous a ruine: but that the desperate wickednes of that nation doth openly crye out that the same was the cause thereof?

Rome Rome. was neuer plagued with so manie cruell slaughters in so short a time, as it hath beene since the Gospell came thither. But what was the cause thereof? Open thy eyes (sluggard) and thou shalt see the cause plaine enough, that when God brought the medicine of his Gospel thither, as the vttermost remedie against so many deadly diseases of lawles lust, [Page] wicked partakings, and intollerable tyrannie which raigned in that citie, they (like persons that had sworne their own destruction) proud­ly reiected it, and ceased not to fall from worse to worse.

The very selfe same thing wee may obserue in this our age, both in the kingdom of France, and elsewhere: For when the Church was as it were newe borne againe, and had a glorious beginning, like the rising of the Sunne, it hath been seene soone after to slide downe and car­ried backe againe. And yet before the Lorde layde those fearefull punishments vpon them, of ciuill dissentions, and of bloudie massacres, accompanied with many horrible mischiefes moe, the Gospell was seene diuers and sundry waies euery where filthilie abused: in so much that the sudden turning vp of things that hap­pened, is not so greatly to bee wondered at, as Gods long sufferance, in bearing with the prodigious wickednes of our time.

And in England, amongst so many thou­sands as to outward appearāce had very glad­lie denied the Pope, and professed themselues Gospellers: how fewe (I pray you) doe fall to amendment of their vices? Nay rather, what do the greater part pretend, but that when the yoke of superstition was shakē off, they might more licentiously giue themselues to all car­nall libertie? And albeit they confesse the do­ctrine of the Gospell to bee true, yet where is [Page] there one among many that submitteth his necke vnto the yoke and discipline thereof? That Christ shall be abased for their aduance­ment, they are content: That he shall be pin­ched with pouertie and penurie to make them rich, they are content: That Christ shall bee betrayed for them, if not by them too, they are also content: That Christ shall be whipped for them, and imprisoned for them, and buffered for them, and mocked at for them, and cruci­fied for them, they are very well content, and like it well: but that Christ shall be the King of their soules, and rule them, and cēsure them, and order them, by his owne lawes and ordi­nances, they will none of that; because that is against our pleasure▪ and against our profite, and against our honours, and dignities: Like the young man in the Gospell, that would doe any thing that Christ bad him, Mat. 19. 22. sauing selling away his goods for the vse of the poore: but that he could not abide, because he was rich; and it was not for his profite.

Now then what is to be looked for, or likely to ensue, but a most sharpe punishment an­swerable to such wicked, & wilfull contempts? And if any thing be to be wondered at, here is the wonder, that (considering our great vn­thankfulnes) any part of the worke remaineth which God hath begun. And (to conclude this poynt) wee see how the Lord hath tossed and turned his Church from time to time: how he [Page] hath from the beginning of the worlde both summered it, and wintered it, eased it, and pin­ched it, pardoned [...] it, and plagued it, for the a­buse of his grace, and contempt of his worde [...] wee see the print of his steppes in all pla [...] before the floud, and since the floud: in Israel, and in Iudah, and in Ierusalem, and in Rome, and in Chanaan, which is now Turkey, and in France, and in Scotland, and in Germanie, and in England too, which hath been ouerrunne sometime by the Danes, and sometime by the Normanes, and somtime by the Britaines, and now inhabited with Englishmen, that can scarce tel of whom, or whence they came. And in England we knowe what changes and alte­rations haue happened: one while Poperie, another while the Gospell: now peace, and a­no [...] persecution: and like the sea, our peace still ebbing and flowing, but neuer certaine, and now more enuied, and threatned, then [...] ­uer it was. This we see, I say, and this may the sluggard see if he will awake. And seeing [...]his course which God hath continually thus ta­ken, what reason hath the sluggard to lye still snorting and sleeping in his sinnes, as he doth, both in the Court and countrey, in the cities & villages, and in euery place els, as he doth? And what reason hast thou (oh sluggard) to dreame still of a drie summer, as it is in the Pro­uerbe, and not to thinke of a winter aswell as of a summer? What charter hast thou [...] [Page] then thy fellowes that are gone before thee? [...] thou better then they? I tell thee, nay the Lord Iesus tels thee, thou art not better what­soeuer thou art, but worse: Except thou repent [...] shalt likewise perish. Thinke no longer therefore with thy selfe, that thou shalt neuer be awakened: for by all likelihoods and pro­bable coniectures, a winter will come, with such stormes and tempests, that shall awake thee, and pinch thee, & starue thee too, if thou prouide not in time for thy safetie. And take this withall, that the longer it be in comming, she sharper will it bee when it commeth: be­cause, to whom much is giuen, of him much shall bee required. Therefore, Goe to the Pis­mire, O sluggard, b [...]hold her waits and be wise: for she &c.

The fourth Sermon.

BVt all this will no awake the Sluggard. [...] with himselfe, [...] for though it [...] winter may come, yet now it is summer, & win­ter will not come yet: Like the euill seruant in the Gospel that said, My master will not come yet and so fell to beating of his fellowes still, as the sluggard falleth to sleepe still, and still puts off the day of his turning to God. And it see­meth that this is no news deuise of the slug­gard: for he hath learned it of the scornefull men of Ierusalem, and it is a common answere of all sluggards that meane to dwell still in their sinnes: It will not come yet▪ Esa. 28. 15. When the Lord by his Prophet sent worde to Ierusalem that a scourge was comming vpon them for [Page] their sinnes, they cared not for it: for they had made a couenant with death, and were at a­greement with hell, that is, they had a shift for euery thing. And admit, say they, that a scourge do come, and runne ouer vs, and passe through vs, yet it shall not come at vs: for We haue made falsehood our refuge, and vnder vanitie are wee hid. A goodly refuge, and a couering sutable, and best beseeming the scornfull slug­gard. And what other refuge, or couering haue all the sluggards of our time, but a refuge of falsehood, and a couering of vanitie? that is a falfe refuge, and a vaine couering, which is as good as none at all. But because the sluggard is at that poynt, to thinke that it is yet a great way off: like the foole in the Gospell, who told his soule of pulling downe his old barnes, Luk. 12. 20. and building bigger, and of liuing many yeares, e­uen that night whē his soule was to be fetched away from him: wee will now goe a little fur­ther, and as wee haue proued it a thing very likely to [...] a winter come after this fune-shine summer of the Gospell: so wee will also proue, by the grace of God, that it is not farre off, but very likely to come shortly vpon vs. I set neither houre, nor day, nor moneth, nor yeare: but would haue the sluggard to knowe that it is at hand, and nor so farre off as he doth imagine. And let not this caueat be to dismay, or terrifie any man, except it bee the drowsie sluggard, whom nothing will awake: but as a [Page] voyce going before the Bridegromes shoute, Matth. 25. 6 that they which now want oile for their lamps, may in time prouide against his comming. But how shall wee knowe that the winter stormes of trouble and persecution are appro­ching, that we may make our prouisiō? Surely, as Christ taught his Disciples to knowe when summer is at hand: so by the same rule wee may learne to knowe when winter is at hand And by the figge tree both may bee learned: Mat. 24. 32. Learne the parable of the fig tree (sayth Christ) when her bough is yet tender, and it bringeth foorth leaues, ye knowe that summer is neere: Therefore by the rule of contraries, when the figge trees bough hath lost her tendernes, and cast her leaues, we may knowe that winter is neere. The figge tree shall be the Church of England, the boughes the members of the Church, or professors of the Gospell; the ten­dernes of the boughes, the loue of the Gosped; the leaues, the profession of the Gospell; the fruites of the tree, the fruites of the Gospell; as loue, ioy, peace, long suffering, gētlenes, good­nes, meeknes, temperance, godlines, patience, charitie, sobrietie, faith, repentance, mortifica­tion of fleshly lusts, Gal. 5. 22. and such like, which are called in Scripture the fruites of the spirite: which should bee in all the true professors of the Gospell, because they are led by that spirit which is a spirite of loue, and of ioy, and of vn­derstanding, Esay. 1. 12. and of counsell, and of courage▪ [Page] and of the feare of the Lord, as Esay sheweth: The hardnes of the boughes may shewe the cōtempt of the Gospell, which argueth (where it is) a departing of the grace of God: the fall of the leafe may resemble the falling away from the sincericie of the Gospell: which Saint Paul calleth a departing from the faith: which he prophecied of to come in the latter ende of the world: which also argueth, that the end of the world is at hand. Now, to know whether the fig tree hath any fruite, or be casting off of her fruite, leaues and all, great search need not to bee made with a candle, as if it were a thing hidden in darknesse: for it is so euident that a man may see it a farre off. When Ieremie was set to make search in Ierusalem for one righ­teous man, that it might be spared: he was not willed to stand stil in euery place that he came at, and narrowly to looke into euery corner, as though he should els haue wanted matter: but to runne to and fro in the streetes, Iere. 5. 1. and it was e­nough: for their wickednes was so openly pro­fessed, that a man might see it as he ranne. So a man neede not stand prying into euery cor­ner of England, and leisurely to take a narrow view of euery mans life, that were too much: but let him runne to and fro in the streetes, and open places of the land, and it is enough: so openly is wickednesse professed, and so mani­festly is our filthie nakednes laid open. Ieremi [...] ranne through the streetes of Ierusalem, but he [Page] could not finde one that executed iudgement, and that sought the trueth: So they that exe­cute iudgement iustly, and seeke the trueth vn­sainedly in the Church of England, are least in sight, and must not doe it openly, least they be noted for Puritanes. Many say, the Lord li­ueth, yet sweare falsely: there was swearing, and false swearing, and common swearing in the streets, and in the houses, and in the shops, and in the markets, and in the courts of Ierusa­lem: and the same is to bee [...]eene in England, and all vnder the cloake of religion too. And for these things the Lord hath striken vs, but we haue not sorrowed: and some hath he euen consumed to the terror of others: but neither they, nor others haue returned to the Lord. If we goe along with Ieremie from the common people to the great men, what shall we finde? Surely they should know the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God should not be hidden from them. But alas, none more igno­rant then many of them, they haue altogether broken the yoke of discipline, and burst the bandes of godlines. If a man looke into the Court, is not there also the fall of the leafe? for how els is the time spent? but (as the A­postle sayd of our forefathers) in sitting down to eate, and drinke, and rising againe to play, studying who shall exceede and excell others in vanicie; pride, and brauerie, in flattering, and dissembling, in [...]hing, and scoffing, in cham­bering, [Page] and wantonnes: but alas, there is no leisure to looke vpon the booke of God. If A­mos the rough h [...]wen heardman come thither to preach, there is no place for him, he must go againe to Bethel, what should such a fellowe doe there to awake the sluggard, and trouble the diuel in his sleepe? As for the often preach­ing of the Word, which was wont to be there, how is it eclipsed, and abridged? and that which remaineth, alas what is it for the most part, but a swee [...]e pleasing song, to rocke them fast asleepe in their [...]innes, which were asleepe before? and happie were it for England if that kinde of preaching were not made a patterne for the most preachers in the land to followe. But how els s [...]ould the people (when winter commeth) bee found frozen vp in their dr [...]gs (as the Prophe [...] speaketh?) how els shoulde [...]hey bee [...]ardenedhin their sinnes, and haue their condemnation sealed vp unto them? As for the Prelate, and great men of the Church, haue not their figge tree also lost her tender [...]es, and cast her leaues aswell as others? Veri­ly it is to manifest, that it cannot be denied: or [...] what is become of that ancient diligence and painfulnes in preaching, of that zeale and faithfulnes in professing, of that courage and boldnes in reprouing, and of that louingnes [...] lowlines in entertaining that was in many of them before they were exalted?

Before [...] was King of Aram, the Pro­phet [Page 76] Elisha looked earnestly vpon him, an [...] wept: & being asked of Hazael why he wept, he told him the cause, 2. King. 8. 12 and that was because Hazael comming once to the kingdome, should doe much euill to Israel, and tolde him that he should burne their cities with fire, that hee should slaye their young men with the sworde, that hee should dashe their infants a­gain [...] [...] stones, and rent in peeces their wo­men with childe: which Hazael then tooke in such ill part, that hee asked the Prophet if hee thought him to be a dogge, that he should doe such vile things. But yet when he was promo­ted to the kingdome he did it. So if Elisha had come to some when they were students in the vniuersities, and afterwards zealous preache [...] else where in King Edwards day [...]s, and perhaps in our time too, and tolde them that they be­ing then [...] should lose their fatnes, that they should proue colde and negligent in prea­ching the word, that they should denye that which they then maintained, that they should silence, and trouble their brethren, and streng­then the hands of the wicked, would they not haue been offended as Hazael was? but haue not promotion and preferment made i [...] prou [...] too true? Looke into the state of the Churche, and beholde her ministers and watchmen, ar [...] they not for a great part of them, either blinde and ignorant, of negligent, or vnfaithfull, [...] fearefull or rash and h [...]ady and [...], or [Page] vngodly, and profane? And if any be otherwise, and approued for their learning, and paineful­nes, and wisdome, and courage, and godlines: is there be some such, and (thankes be to God many such) yet how are they hated, and mole­sted and made wonderments to those that are rounde aboute them? If we come to the aunci­ent prosessors of the Gospel, such as in Queene Maries dayes were zealous, and in the begin­ning of our Queenes raigne were forward to set vp the Gospel of Christ, what shall we finde but in the most of them through the land, a ge­nerall numbnes, and Apostasie, hauing put off the shoes of preparation for the Gospell, and put on the shoes of preparation for all kinde of vanitie, preferring playes before preachings, tables and cardes before the olde and new Te­stament, resoluing to be iust of the Kings reli­gion, and to stand to nothing for feare of alte­ration. These men haue been made so drun­ken with prosperitie and ease, that they are fal­len fast a sleepe, not caring who standeth and laugheth at their nakednes, hauing nothing left but their beardes, and their budges, signes of gra [...]itie, like an Iuie bush at a Tauerne dore, where there is no wine: but as for their loue, and zeale, and charitie, and pietie, and re­ligiousnes, &c. the date of them is out long a­goe, and their coppies altered. And if these things bee any where, are they not generallie resting in the younger sorte? Others there bee [Page] which of late yeares haue al [...]o made a glo [...] ­ous showe of zeale to the worde, and o [...] lo [...] to the ministers there of, which are also [...] aside like a broken bowe: for as vntimely fruite they were [...]oone ripe, and soone rotten. At the first so far in loue with the preachers, that they would builde their saluation vpon them. But by degrees (God cursing their pride, and preposterous zeale) they fell quite away, inso­lently condemning the church, for no church the min [...]stery for no ministery, the Sacraments for no Sacraments, but all to bee worse then naught, like the Barbarians, who one while tooke Paul for a murtherer, Act. 28. 4. 6. and another while esteemed him as a God. And with their pre­posterous proceedings, haue both hurt them­selues, and hindered the whole Church of ma­ny good things, which otherwise might haue been obtained, the Lorde laye it not to their charge. Other some at the first comming of their pastors amongst them, haue (in shew) gi­uen forth good, testimonies of loue to the truth who afterward haue also lost their tendernes, & cast their leaues, (but fruit they neuer bare) To these men the preaching of the worde hath been acceptable at the first: and as a flashe of lightning did a little dazle their eyes for the present time, but after a while, when it began to rubbe vpon their beloued sinnes, and the mockes of the wicked began to encounter them, they gaue ouer: and with Demas be­tooke [Page] thēsēues to the world againe, like men that repented thē of their bargaines. And not staying there, haue proued the [...]orest and shar­pest enemies to their power that might be a­gainst their ministers, and the holesome doc­trine of the Gospel, in whō is fulfilled that fear­full saying in the Gospell: Luk. 8. 18. From him that hath not, shall be taken away, euen that which he see­meth to haue. I say nothing all this while of the infinite swarmes of Papists, & of Atheists, and of Neuters, and of Libertines, and of Epicures, and of Machiuels, and of Hypocrites, & time­seruers, and false brethren, and scoffers at Reli­gion, & Protestants at large, & Schismatikes, and worldlings, and priury whisperers, & back­biters, and ruffians, and couseners, & cutters, and many moe of that crue, besides whoremō ­gers and baudes, and theeues, and rogues, & a companie of rakehels which cannot be num­bred, all which are permitted and suffered for money, & briberie, by baseminded vnder offi­cers to iet it, & braue it vp & down in the land, yea, with countenance & credite too, perhaps more then shall be aforded to better men. And where is he that dare speak almost against thē, much lesse bridle them: for feare of many dis­pleasures, and dangers? And is it not come to passe, that a man may with more saftie & cre­dite commit sinne then control sinne, which is most lamentable? It was once said of Rome, (so far was it degenerate frō all grace & goodnes) [Page] that Omnia cum liceant, non licet esse bon [...]. [...] was lawfull to bee any bodie, and to doe any thing in Rome, but not to bee a good man. And is it not almost come to that passe in some places of England, that it is more tollerable for a man to bee what hee will, sauing a good man indeede? For that can hardly bee without some trouble. Doest thou see now how the poore Church of GOD is pestered, and ou [...] ­runne with weedes and wildernes? And [...] thou not maruaile that the Lorde hath let it [...] ­lone so long? When thou seest the Church of God thus pained, (though in respect of others of her sisters very blessed) imagine thou seest Iob aliue againe, sitting downe vpon his ashe heape and breaking out with botches & sores, from the top to the toe, Iob. 2. 7. 8. 13. and his griefe encrea­sing so, that his friends begin to sit aloofe from him, being so grieued with the sight, that they know no [...] well what to say to his comfort. And what doth all this foreshew, but that the Lorde is hard at hand to visite the land with scourges, and to feede his people with the breade of af­fliction?

And further, it is to be obserued, how the e­nemies of the Gospell, and the Churche of Christ doe encrease, how bolde they growe, how disguisedly they goe, and how they can fitte themselues to the present time, and frame themselues to euery companie, hauing change of sutes, and visards wherein they maske it at [Page] the [...] pleasure, that the Church of Christ hath [...] a doe to [...] her friends and foes a­s [...]der: neither doth she know with whom to [...] for pietie, or whom to tr [...]st for safe­tie. All our comfort (vnder God, whose [...] still watcheth ouer the righteous) [...]s, that our Mother is yet liuing, I meane her [...], on whose lappe the poore Church of the Lorde Iesus may lay her head, whose tender loue and care doth still [...]euiue the fainting spi­rits of Christs little [...]ocke, which otherwise were euen readi [...] [...] yeeld vp the ghost: but that their trust is in their great shepheard▪ who will both keepe and defende them that they miscarrie not: No not o [...]e of his will [...] lose. This is some comfort yet, (God make vs true­ly thankfull for it to his diuine Maiestis) This is some comfort yet, I say, that our tender Mo­ther is yet liuing amongst vs, and Lord, for thy mercies sake▪ long prolong her daies [...]o the cō ­fort of [...] Church. But yet in this bless [...]d com­fort there appeareth s [...]fficient matter to hūble vs, and to make the sluggard looke about him: For is not the Church now very sick, & weake? Is not her Mother, our gracious Soueraigne, in continuall danger of [...] hangbies; and bloudie traytors? Are not hollow hearted, and false hearted subiects a [...]mitted to her gracious [...]sence many times▪ more then she or her friends knowe of? But that the Lord hath still [...] them, as cunni [...]gly as they masked it, [Page] (blessed be his name.) And doe not the blou­die Papists (for that is their brand) stād be [...] the cloth as it were, with their swords draw [...], readie euery houre to steppe vpon the stage & to play their parts? doe they not onely waite for a day, like Esaw who purposed to kill his brother when his father was gone? Well, [...] Lord is in heauen & laugheth them to scorne, and knoweth how to dispose of their purposes and intents wel enough, and can preuent them if it please his Maiestie (as he hath done): but this may greatly humble vs, and awake vs. A­gaine, as we haue obserued in the preaching of the Word where it is, a great defect in respect of the manner which is too pleasing: so also may we obserue (if our eyes be in our head [...]) some corruption in respect of the matter in many places, though not so general as the for­mer. And that is not lightly to be passed ouer, but wee should learne in the feare of God to make some vse thereof. And let the sluggard consider well of it, that when any shall now in so great and cleere a light of the Gospell, po­pishly maintaine the 7. deadly sins: or call in question our iustification by faith in Christ a­lone: or denie to the Church the assura [...]c [...] of her saluation by Christ: or discourage men [...] the reading of the scriptures: we are to [...] of these things. Last of all (to conclude [...] poynt) when any shall teach that we must be­leeue as the Church beleeueth, without exa­mining [Page] the doctrine by the word: and if any man be deceiued, that it is sufficient for him to say before the Lord, that the Church deceiued him: as if it had been sufficient for, Adam to say, his wife deceiued him, and the serpent de­ceiued her. When thou Hearest (I say) of these things day them to heart, & take them as prog­nostications of further matters, and forerun­ners of greater euils to ensue: especially see­ing the people are as greedie to drinke, as o­the [...] [...] broach whatsoeuer it be. Therfore the [...] his rich mercie open our sluggish ey [...] [...] of our [...] cu­ritie. And as Christ sayd, Mat. 24. 1 [...]. When you see the a­bomination of desolation stande in the holie place, let him that readeth consider: So I say, whē you see the corruption of sound doctrine, and the abomination of popish filth stand in the holie place, let him that heareth consider: for it is Gods doing, though it bee the diuels suggestion, and that iustly▪ for our sinnes.

Thus haue wee runne about the streetes, [...] Ieremie did, and in casting our eyes here and there, wee haue found that which you see: much more is behind that we see not. But this is suffici [...]n [...] to proue vnto the sluggards face, that as a winter is likely [...] come: so (if God bee not exceeding mercifull) by all signes and [...]okens it is hard at hande: for the figge tree hath lost her tendernes, and there is generally a fall of the leafe in all places: and wh [...]n wee [Page] see that, we may know for a certaine that win­ter is neere. Therefore (O Sluggard) put off the time no longer: but while it is yet summer prouide against winter, least thou repent it too la [...]e. By this time the Sluggard might haue been awakened, but he sleepeth still▪ and ther­fore now let vs heare the. Lord calling [...] him, and what answere hee will make when hee is called.

The fift Sermon.

THis question demau [...]ded of the Sluggard, doth most [...] set foorth his nature, which [...]ligh­teth in sleeping long, which lo­ueth ease and idlenes, which ha­t [...]th labour and diligence, and yet [...] al [...] little though he hath been long idle [...] and finally▪ is so farre stom amendme [...], being ad­monished, that he resolueth still to [...] he began, excusing it by a little, and [...]. Whereby we may see, that whatsoeuer [...] [Page] sayd to the Sluggard, that wanteth the spirit of God to quicken him, is but as so much water powred on a Blackamoore, the water is spilt, and the Blackamoore is neuer the whiter.

In this demaund to the Sluggard, the Lord expostulateth the matter with all of vs for our dueties, & rowseth vs vp out of our dead sleep, to shewe that we are all too careles in our due­ties commaunded of God: So loth is the Lord to leaue vs vnto our selues, that when he hath called once, he calleth againe, and debateth with vs for our carelesnes, as he did with Israel his owne people for their vnkindnes and wil­fulnes, in refusing the meanes of their saluatiō: saying, Why will you die O house of Iacob, Ezec. 18 [...]1 why will you die? That both they and we might see the great goodnes of the Lord towards vs, and that the Lord might be iustified when wee are iudged, Psal. 51. 4. and cleered when we are condemned: because our destruction is of our selues, which sleepe on still when wee are called, and yet count all but a little. And this may serue as a notable patterne of loue for Christians to fol­lowe, in reclaiming their brethren that goe a­stray: whereby we are taught not to giue them ouer at the first: but when wee haue taught, to teach againe, and though we haue called once and often, yet to call againe, and not to leaue teaching, and instructing, and calling, and ex­postulating with them till they heare, and re­turne, if there bee any sparke of hope left vnto [Page 86] vs: like those that blowe at a coale till it hath set al the wood a burning. And in dealing thus with our brethren, let vs but imagine that wee are labouring to fetch one againe that is fall [...] into a swoune, who with often rubbing and chafing, with much pinching, boxing; and wringing, may bee recouered againe, or els not.

The former patterne of diligence in the Pis­mire was sufficient to cōtroll vs all, and to humble vs, for our slouthfulnes in our calling, (if we were wise indeede, for a word to a wise man is sufficient) and very effectuall is that doctrine which the Lord hath taught vs by it: yet it pleaseth God to goe on still in expostu­lating and debating the matter with vs (as we see) whereby we may learne, what a hard mat­ter it is to awaken our sluggish nature, & when we are awake, as hard it is to keepe vs awake: for our eyes are no sooner open, but wee fall to nodding againe: Like the Disciples of Christ, who slept on still, though their master called them, though he called them lowd, and often, though the tempter were neere, and they in daunger of falling into the pit of temptations; yet coulde they not watch so much as one houre, so heauie were they: And so is it with vs, if we bee as good as Christs disciples. Now if the best bee so heauie and sleepie, what are the worst? The experience hereof we haue daily: Let vs goe but to the Temple where the word [Page] is preached, and there we shall see men no soo­ner set downe, but fast asleepe. And the like we finde at home in perfourming our spiritual ex­ercises, whether it bee of prayer, or reading, or singing Psalmes, or instructing our families, though Gods spirite doth sometime touch vs, and awake vs, yet are we soone forgetfull, and sleepe creepeth on againe. Therefore the Lord giueth vs to vnderstand, that we haue neede of many words to rowse vs, and all little enough. For sinne is stubborne, like a monster whose face is of brasse, whose necke is of yron, and his heart as hard as an Adamant. And therefore when the Prophets had to deale with the stub­borne Iewes, the Lord told them they should deale with a stiffenecked people, whose necks had finewes of yron, Eze. 3. 7. 8. 9 and therefore would not easily bowe to the yoke, and their faces were of brasse, and therefore would not blush at a­ny thing, and their hearts were harder then the flint stone, and therefore would not easilie re­lent. They were euen such as the preachers now adaies speake vnto. Philip. 3. 18. Paul sayth he spake often against belligods, which are enemies to the crosse of Christ, telling them that their glo­rie would be their shame, and their end dam­nation, if they repented not: and yet they con­tinued stil in their sinne, as if it had neuer been touched, and Paul continued still in beating vpon them for it, as if hee had neuer touched them: to teach vs, that it is not enough to [Page 88] glaunce at sinne a farre off, (as the manner of many is) and to touch it lightly and away, a [...] some would haue it: but to hammer him, and neuer to leaue beating and calling vpon him, til he made either to yeeld, or to flee: which cannot be done with glancing, and touching: for he hath a thicke skinne, and hard scales, vn­der which he lieth fast asleepe. And this the seruants of God haue well vnderstood: there­fore Dauid (being guiltie of his owne slouth­fulnes in the seruice of God) made vowes, and bound himselfe by band as it were, to a more constant course in the seruice of God: Psalm. 119. 106. I ha [...] swor [...]e (saith he in one place) and will perfor [...] it, that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. I [...] another place, the Church prayeth God to [...] ­member Dauid: that is, his couenant made with Dauid, Psalm. 132. 1. 2. 3. and al his troubles: And amongst other speciall vertues that he is described by▪ this is one, that he swore vnto the Lorde, and vowed vnto the mightie God of Iacob, saying, and vowing, that he would not enter into the tabernacle of his house, nor come vpon his p [...] ­lace, or bed, nor suffer his eyes to sleepe, not his eyelids to slumber, nor the temples of hi [...] head to take any rest vntil he found out a place for the Lord, and an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob. Thus that holie man (percei­uing his zeale to faint) would binde himselfe in many obligations. And thus also in the ex­ercise of prayer, the feruants of God doe vse [Page] many words, not because they delight in ma­ny words, and vaine babling, (as Pharisles and Papists, which labour it with their lips, think­ing to be heard the sooner for their lip-labour) but thereby labouring to amplifie their griefe: and because they doe not yet sufficientlie see the wants that be in themselues, therefore they vse many words, as bellowes to blow vp their mindes, and to kindle their fainting spirits in zeale, and feruencie. And for this cause like­wise the seruants of God haue set themselues to their taske of reading, and praying, and stu­dying, that so much they will reade (if God will) euery day, and so often they will pray e­uery day, Dan. 6. 10. as Dauid and Daniel set themselues to pray three times a day at the least. And thus Isay in these and all other things belonging both to their calling, and to their profession, they haue still tasked themselues, and applied their taske through the grace of God, which (as S. Paul sayth) worketh and laboureth in them, fearing least otherwise they should doe but little or nothing. And in the doing of their taskes, it is a wonder to see how sluggish they are, and what a number of lets, and lions lye in their way (as the Prouerbe sayth) that they bee constrained to pricke themselues forward, and then they dragge their legges after them too.

In this demand we are (as we see) accused, and indited of making great delaies of those dueties which we owe to God. A matter sure­ly [Page 90] very worthie to be expostulated: Note that. for it is a true token of a soule that feareth not God, to driue off so long the doing of that which the Lord by his word requireth to be done: for if they feared God, they would be more diligēt, knowing that God is able euery minute to cast them downe to hell, and to presse them with his iudgements. Some goe on (for all this) and say, the time of their calling is not yet, they are not called yet: although they heare the word, and knowe in their owne conscience that they doe euill, yet they goe on like desperate wret­ches, making a mock at the iudgements of the Lord, and say they are not called yet, whē they are most euidently conuicted in themselues, & by themselues. And being tolde of it, they tell vs, that they must pray to God to be mercifull to them in that, and so they continue still in their rebellion, bathing and rotting in their sinnes, like Naaman the Assyrian, who said, God be mercifull to me in this: for though he knewe it to bee a sinne to goe into his Rimmon, yet he must goe in and do as his master did, and God must dispense with him in that. Many such Naamans there are still, which haue one Rim­mon or other that they knowe of, and yet they sleepe on still in their beloued sinnes: some in vsurie, some in whoring, some in stealing, some in swearing, some in oppressing the poore, some in deceiuing both poore and rich, some in scoffing at Religion, some in prophaning [Page] the Lordes sabbath, some in persecuting their brethen, some in their ambitious and vaine­glorious attempts, and some in one sinne, and some in another, euery one hath his Rimmon. And thinketh in his base conceite, that the Lord is as negligent in punishing of their pre­sumptuous rebellions, as they are in obeying his holy commaundements: but let them take heed of dallying too long with his Maiestie, for hee will not bee mocked, though they bee deceiued.

The Children of God are commended (in the word) for their diligence in obeying the will of God, when once they know what was his pleasure: Gen. 17. 23. When Abraham was comman­ded to circumcise himselfe, and all the male that were in his familie, he might haue sought many toyes to driue off the time, as that he had many soules in his house, himselfe was 99. yeres olde, but he circumcised them al presently that selfe same daye. Gen. 21. 12. 13. 14. So when he was commanded to cast out his sonne Ismael ouer night, hee gate vp early in the morning, and did it, as hee was commaunded, which might bee a hooke to pull out his very bowels: to cast out his sonne was grieuous vnto him (as the storie sheweth) yet hee did neither deny, nor delaye the dooing of it. So in the 22. of Genesis we reade, that when he was commaunded to offer vp in sacrifice his onely sonne Isack, (which might haue cut his heart strings in peeces) yet [Page 92] hee delayed not the time, but rose vp early in the morning, and went speedily about it: I am perswaded that Abraham loued his sonnes, (and he had cause so to doe) as deare­ly as wee loue our sinnes, and yet when God commaunded him to cast out one, and to kill the other, he was readie to doe both: how rea­dy then should we be to obeie the Lord when hee commaundeth vs to cast out, not our chil­dren, but our iniquities, and to sacrifice not ou [...] sonnes, but our sinnes, which else will cast vs out of Gods fauour, and sacrifice vs in the val­ley of Gehinnom, that is, in the pitte of hell fire? Surely, if wee beleeued the promises of God, and feared the iudgements of God as Abra­ham did, we would no more sticke at the mat­ter then he did. Many haue receiued as good a warrant from God and her Maiestie, both of Magistrates, and Prelates, and Pastors, and people, for the casting out of many abuses and corruptions, both in the Church & common­wealth, and in their priuate families, as Abra­ham had for that which hee did, but they are not yet halfe so forward as Abraham was, nay would to GOD they were not backeward: which sheweth, that though Abraham were the father of the faithfull, yet he is not their fa­ther, because they are vnfaithfull.

If men cannot like that duetie which com­meth slowly from vs, much lesse is it accepta­ble to God. We must first serue our selues, and [Page] then obeye GOD, as he that would first goe home and burie his father, Matt. 8. 21. and then come and followe Christ. But this obedience loseth the fauour of GOD, therefore what rewarde can [...]hey looke for, which haue a purpose indeede to leaue their sinne, but not till their sinne leaue them? That will serue, God, but that is when for want of abilitie, or occasion they can serue the di [...]ell no longer? That will measure out the Lorde a parte, but yet with a false bal­lance? That will giue the Lord the cuppe, but it shall be whe [...] the diuell hath drunke the best of it, and nothing is left but the dregges of old age in the bottome? Oh let vs consider what [...] praie when we say: Thy will be done in earth by vs, [...] A [...]gles doe it in heauen. The An­gels neuer [...] their busines, but doe it [...], and therefore the scripture doth gi [...] [...] note their swiftnes: now if wee say [...] his: [...] and doe not [...] God [...], [...]hat doe wee else [...] with his [...] ▪

How long wilt thou sleepe O Sluggard? How long shall God daunce attendance vpon thee? As the Lord in this demaund doth charge vs with delayes in his seruice, so in the same wordes he doth likew [...]e teach a way to redresse the same▪ And that is to consider how long wee haue slept, or [...]ow long wee haue made the Lorde to waite our leisure in euery thing. And in the Scripture wee shall finde that by this meanes [Page] the children of God haue been much stirred [...] to doe their duetie. In the 119. Psalme [...] 60. Dauid saith, He considered his wai [...], [...] then made haste to keepe the Comma [...]ments of GOD, which hee did not befo [...] he considered his waies, that is before he con­sidered how long he had gone out of the rig [...] waie, and wandred in his owne crooked [...] to shew that the cause why we put off the k [...] ­ping of Gods commandements is, because we consider not how long wee haue dwelt in [...] sinnes. But if we doe consider how long God hath forborne vs, and swallowed vp our si [...]nes in his mercies, this woulde make our [...] hearts to relent, except we were past all good­nes. To consider (I say) how long the Lor [...] hath spared vs when he might often most [...] haue punished vs: how hee hath euery [...]o [...] ­ning renewed his mercies with vs, when [...] might haue consumed vs in our sinnes: & how long wee haue disobeyed him, and pro [...]oked his maiestie to wrath, except wee were desp [...] ­rate, and giuen vp to a reprobate minde, these things would wring bitter teares from [...] eyes. He hath wooed vs, and besought vs this 36. yeares, by his worde, to bee [...]conciled [...] ­to him, and still we prouoke him. Then let the sluggish Magistrates consider of this: How long will they neglect the glorie of God to set vp their owne? How long by their euill exam­ples shall the people stumble and fall into [...] [Page] How long shall the poore crye out for iustice? How long will they continue in discounte­nauncing of good men and good causes, and many fowle faultes moe would be considered of them, how long they haue continued? This is also for the slouthfull minister to thinke vp­on: How long will they keepe the doore of Heauen shut? For if they had preached dili­gently and faithfullie, it had been impossible for poperie to haue crept into so many mindes as it hath done. How long will they betraye Gods cause, and let the people perish for want of instruction? So to the Adulterer also, how long shall the Lorde beare thy filthines, and how long wilt thou abuse thy body and thy [...]oule in his sight as thou doest? And how long will the Vsurer eate vp the Lordes people, as o [...]e eateth bread, and grinde the faces of the poore like a milstone? This must also come to the quarreller, and malicious person to be con­sidered of: how long will they [...] in their hatred, byting one of another? is there no end of their malice? will their rash iudging, and condemning one of another neuer come to an ende? This is also spoken to Parents: how long shall the Lord call vpon you to bring vp your children in the feare of his name? How long will you suffer them to liue so wantonly, and so loosely as yee doe? How long shall they goe vp and downe the streetes with such filthie songes, othes and ribaldies in their [Page 92] mouthes to bewraie their filthie educatio [...] withall? Consider of this question also, yo [...] that bee seruants, How long shall the worlde complaine of your idle and vnfaithfull seruice? When will you begin to adorne the doct [...]in [...] of the Gospell, with your good conuersation? This is also for vnthriftie gentlemē, that spe [...] their da [...]es in play, and [...]iotting: How long will you bee vnfaithfull [...]? how long shall the Lord waite for your conuersion? Thi [...] is also to occupiers, which liue by false othes, by false waights, and false lights, & false [...] how long shall the Lord daunce your at [...]n­dance for the reformation of these abomin [...] ­tions? There be many mo [...] that are also to cō ­sider of this poynt: but that which the Lord speaketh to one, he speaketh to euery one, [...] long wilt thou sleepe O sluggard? Though [...] woman of Samaria dallied and iested long [...] the words of the Lord Iesus▪ yet at the last, Ioh. 4. 29. [...] Christ tolde her what she did, and she per [...]i­ued him to be the Messias indeede, she belee­ued, and ranne into the citie, and called her neighbours to come and see. Christ hath tolde vs all that we haue done, and al that we ought to doe, and yet we beleeue not his words: but put them off with scoffes and iest [...]: and those that would goe to Christ wee doe not further them, but hinder them. Now, if wee continue at this stay, shall not the woman of Samari [...] condemne vs? In the 18. of Luke the 4. and 5. [Page] verses, we reade of a wicked Iudge, which fea­red neither God nor man: yet when a poore woman was importunate with him, at the last he heard her. The Lord by his ministers (poore men I confesse) hath been importunate with vs to heare his suite, and to reforme our selues by his word, which is not for his good, but for our owne, as he sayth in Deut. Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in my people to heare me, and o­bey me, that it might goe well with them, & their children. But yet we heare him not. Now, if we still shall giue him the deafe eare, hardening our hearts when wee should heare his voyce, shall wee not showe our selues worse then he that feared neither God, nor man? When Christ forbad the diuell to torment and vexe a man, he trembled at his word, and obeyed his commandement. There be many that deuise with themselues how to molest and vexe the children and seruants of God, for professing the truth, and discharging a good conscience: The Lord Iesus hath often forbidden them, crying to them as he did to Saul: Act. 9. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? thou doest but kicke a­gainst the pricke: and yet they still persist in their purpose. By which it should seeme that they haue lesse [...]eare of God in them then the diuell himselfe: and if they still continue so, shall not the veri [...] diuels of hell condenme them?

When the Lord spake the word, the flyes, Psal. 105. 31 [Page 98] and the lice came, and were obedient to his commaundement. GOD hath spoken many words to vs, and yet wee obey not: therefore they also shal condemne vs. When God spake, the grashoppers came, and caterpillers innu­merable vpon the land of Egypt, and when he spake the worde, they went away too. There bee many caterpillers come amongst vs, be­fore they were called, and all the wordes in the world will not driue them away againe: therefore the caterpillers of Egypt shall con­demne the caterpillers of England, in the day of iudgement. Though Peter did three times denie his master: Luk. 22. 61 yet at the last, when Christ looked vpon him he remembred himselfe, and went out and wept bitterly. Wee haue oftner then three times denied our master, Christ hath both looked vpon vs, and spoken vnto vs, but yet we remember not our selues: nay, we are so farre from weeping and grieuing at the matter, that we rather reioyce & laugh it out. Therefore if we stil so continue, what weeping and wailing will there bee at the last? For it is sayd in the Gospell, Luk. 6. 25. Woe be to them that laugh and reioyce now: for they shall weepe and lament. When God had both warned Pharaoh to let Israel goe, and plagued him for detayning of them still: at length he asked him this questiō, Exod. 10. 3. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe be­fore me? So the Lord hath warned vs often to let our sinnes goe, and hath also in some mea­sure [Page] plagued vs for keeping them still. Now he asketh vs also the same question, How long will you refuse to humble your selues before the Lord? which argueth that we are growne as hard & as desperate as Pharaoh was, which is also a signe of greater plagues yet to ensue. Now this is fearefull and grieuous, when the Lord commeth vpon vs with such questions: for that sheweth that he doth not onel [...] note our sinnes, but the long time that wee haue prouoked him by them, and that he is euen wearie in bearing them any longer, and min­deth to vnburthen himselfe of them, and to beare no longer. And commonly we may ob­serue in the scriptures, that when the Lord cō ­meth with ( How long? and how often?) there is some great iudgement following: as in the 14. of Numbers the 11. verse, The Lord sayd t [...] Moses, How long will this people prouoke me, and how long will it be, ye [...] they beleeue me, for all the signes which I haue shewed amongst them? Then marke what followeth in the next verse, I will smite them with the pestilence, and destroy them, &c. to shewe, that though the Lord beareth long, yet hee will not beare alwaies. When Christ sayd, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I haue gathered thee, as a henne g [...]thereth her young ones, and thou wouldest not? So great was his griefe conceiued with the remem­brance of those mischiefes that were to come vpon Ierusalem, that hee could not vtter his [Page 100] speech without shedding of teares. Therefore when the Lord commeth, expostulating the matter with vs in this sort, with How long, and how often, &c. then let vs beware, if euer wee beware, whether it be spoken in generall to al, or in particular to any one man, that hath been often warned by the hand of God vpon him.

Had not Moses prayed for the Israelites, Exod. 32. 10 11. they had perished oftentimes in their sinnes: so if some did not pray for vs, (whom yet wee can as hardly abide, as they could abide Mo­ses when they would haue stoned him) surelie wee had perished yet this time. When the Lord sware in his wrath that the Iewes should not enter into his rest, he set them downe the causes which moued him thereunto, and those were in number fiue: They tempted him, to trie what he could doe: then they prouoked him by their often murmurings, &c. then they grieued him with their continuall vnkindnes­ses and rebellions: then their hearts were fil­led with error. And how could it be otherwise? for they cared not for the knowledge of his waies. And to aggrauate the matter, & make their sinne appeare in his full ripenes, he sets downe the time how long they had continued at that stay, saying, Fortie yeares long haue I been grieued with this generation, &c. Fortie houres had been much to grieue the Lord, but fortie yeares was intolerable. Now the same sinnes are we also to be endited for: and if no [Page] Iurie will finde the inditement, our owne consciences will crie guiltie. And how long haue wee grieued, and tempted, and prouoked the Lord? Hath it not been euer since the Gos­pell came among vs? waxing euery day worse and worse? And what doth that now lacke of fortie yeares long, haue I been grieued with this generation? surely but a little. Thus the Lord we see marketh wel enough euery thing, not onely what we doe, and how we liue, and how we sinne: but how long we haue sinned, and how often we haue been warned, & how long we haue refused to returne, & to humble our selues: yea the Lord marketh how many yeres, how many moneths, how many weeks, how many houres, how many sermons, & how many sentēces in euery sermon we haue passed ouer in careles cōtempt, without trembling at the word of the Lord, or profiting by his cor­rections. And according to the time of his lōg suffering & patience, & of our stubbornnes & disobedience, shall his iudgements be powred vpon vs, if wee doe not preuent them by true and speedie repentance. Long did the olde worlde sleepe in their sinnes: long did Noah preach against their sins, and at last the floud came and awakened them to their cost. Long did Sodom and Gomorrha sleepe, and long did they vexe the soule of righteous Lot a­mongst them, & at last the fire of Gods wrath awakened them. Long slept Ierusalem in se­curitie, [Page 102] but at the last their enemies awaked them. So Nabuchadnezzar heard his dreame as a dreame, and Daniel told him what would come of it long before it came, but he fell a sleepe againe: and at last the Lord turned him out amongst the beast, and then he remem­bred himselfe: but he was seuen yeares first in learning his lesson.

And this is most certaine, The longer the blow be in fetching, the heauier will the woūd be when it commeth: And the deeper the ar­rowe bee drawne in the bowe, the deeper it pearceth when it is let flie. Now in trueth, all this time the Lord hath forborne vs, he is but bending of his bowe, and whetting of his sword, and aiming at the marke: and because he doth not yet let goe at vs, wee thinke there is no such matter. But we deale with the Lord (oh miserable wretches that wee are) as birds play with a skare-crowe standing in a corne field with a bowe and arrowe in his hands, as though he would shoote, but doth not: and therefore they euen waxe bolde by little and little, and at last euen flie to him, and sit downe vpon him, and picke vpon him. In all holie re­uerence of Gods vnspeakeable maiestie be this comparison made, which serueth onely to de­clare the base, and brutish conceipt that the wicked haue of God, and his long suffering of them. But who knoweth the force of the Lords wrath? Psal. 90. 11. (sayth the Psalmist) for after as a man [Page] feareth, so shal his wrath be: and when it com­meth, it shall burne like mountaines of fire, which no sea of water shall be able to quench, if once his wrath be kindled, yea but a little.

And on the other side, (for the comfort of the godly and faithful, which haue a sanctified desire to awake out of their sleep, and to serue the Lord at the last in all holie obedience, and careful diligence) though we haue long temp­ted the Lord, and tried him: yet if now at the last we awake in trueth, we shall finde, that as he hath been long in suffering, so he will bee as rich in mercie. The prodigall childe was long absent, and at last (returning truely humbled) was welcome to his father, and ioyfully recei­ued: and so shall we be to our heauenly father, if wee make such a returne, and that betimes. Therefore let none be so desperatly minded as to continue still his old course, as though there were no hope of grace at his returne. And let none be so discouraged with the remembrāce of his long sleepe, as to runne quite away from the Lord: for God will finde vs out wheresoe­uer we become, as he did Adam when he had hidden himselfe (as hee thought) among the trees of the garden. The diuell indeed will be readie to shewe thee what a great way thou hast to goe backe againe, what a number of dueties neglected thou hast to repent of while thou didst lie asleepe, and how hard a thing, & impossible it is for thee to performe all this; [Page] and all to discourage thee, and to keepe thee still fast asleep, but beleeue him not: for where­fore doth the Lord els put thee in mind of the same things, but to haue thee awake and bee diligent in doing thy duetie hereafter? And wherfore els doth he thus reach forth the hand of his grace vnto thee, but to helpe thee vp, which canst not help vp thy selfe? Therefore giue ouer now at the last, & be resolute in the worke of the Lord, and the Lord hath promi­sed, that all that is past shall be forgotten. Let vs therefore in the feare of God, leaue our de­laying, and descanting, and lay this doctrine to our hearts, that it may appeare in our liues, that wee be truely awakened, and all will bee well: if not, but our purpose bee to sleepe still, then the Lord by his Apostle doth giue vs to vnderstand, that custome of sinne will bree [...]e hardnes of heart, and hardnes of heart will bring forth impenitencie in the end, that thou shalt not bee able to repent if thou wouldest. And thus haue wee heard the Lord calling to the Sluggard, and expostulating with him for his long sleeping. Now wee will heare what answer the Sluggard maketh vnto the Lord.

The sixt Sermon.

IN this answer the spirite of God doth so liuelie de­scribe the condition of the Sluggard, that he may know he is in his bosome, to shewe vs that hee can painte out our sinnes as plainely as we doe commit them: for hee is in our hearts, and waiteth vpon vs, and can tell what we doe, and though the wicked cannot see them, because the diuell hath blinded their eyes, yet Gods spirite doth search them out, because all things are open in his sight, bee they in respect of men neuer so secret.

Now the Lorde in causing the Sluggard to speake for himselfe, doth make it knowne to all the world, that hee hath no wrong offered him, because his owne mouth hath testified a­gainst [Page] himselfe, and openly shamed himselfe, and therefore his condemnation must needes bee when it commeth both great, and iust. For wheras other sinners being called to their answers, were both afraide of God and ash [...] ­med of themselues, the Sluggard cleane con­trarie as a beast that is past all feare of God, and shame of the world, resolueth still to con­tinue in his olde course, counting all but a lit­tle. When Adam and Eue sawe their naked­nes they blushed, and feared, and ran away for feare, thus wrought their pride and disobedi­ence: when Caine sawe his wickednes, hee knew not what to doe, except despayre, but wished it vndone againe, and thus did murther bestirre himselfe, when hee was awakened: when Dauid was roused for his adulterie and murther, he said that he had offended: when Paul was called to his answer for persecuting Christ, hee fell to the grounde astonied, and tooke a new course: when Peter was awake­ned for denying his Master, hee went out and wept. And thus wee see that when pride and disobedience haue been called, they haue fea­red the iudge, and when murther and adulte­rie were called, they feared the iudge, when persecution and treason were called, they fea­red the iudge: And all other sinnes being rou­sed out of their holes, haue startled at the call, seeking either how to yeelde, or how to flie. And being conuicted, haue all cryed like the [Page] prisoner at the barre, O my Lord be good vn­to me now, and I will neuer do the like againe. But when slouth and negligence were called, and endited by the name of careles his chil­dren, they (in stead of submitting themselues to the mercie of the iudge,) stand to the de­fense of their faulte, and like beastes both care­les, shameles, and graceles, in stead of saying, pardon O Lorde that which is past, and wee will take a new course, they crye out to the wonder of all the world, and the vtter shame of themselues, Yet a little more sleepe, and a lit­tle slumber, &c. We haue not enough yet, and all is but a little, so that shamefull was pride, and rebellion, and murther, and whoredome, and persecution, and treason, and all other sinnes, but shameles is the Sluggard, and pas­seth them all in wickednes.

Here then wee are taught to make a recko­ning of our sluggishnes: and it argueth that we count all too little, to giue vnto sinne and Sathan: as though they were two such deare friendes of ours, that wee coulde not doe too much for them. And the diuell on the other side who hath taken vp his lodging in the wicked, and gotten like a fawne ghest into the mindes of the godly, hee crieth still, a little more, a little longer, and though we haue suf­fered him with his impes to lye sleeping in our Churches, in our common wealths, and in our shoppes, and markets, in our houses, and fami­lies, [Page] and in our soules almost fortie yeares, and in some twise fortie yeares: yet hee hath taught vs to say, yet a little, and a little, and still he must haue a little more, like Achsah in 15. of Ioshua: Iosh. 15. who when she had begged of her Father an inheritance of the South countries, then she must haue certaine grounds with wels and springs. Such a shameles begger is sinne, and Sathan, that they neuer leaue begging, like hungrie courtiers, and couetous world­lings, which will not sticke to beg their owne brethren for fooles, to haue their lands: and not rest there neither, but would beg the gar­ment from the Kings backe, and the King him­selfe too, with a good will, if they thought they might haue them for the begging; & yet count all but a little. So plaieth the diuell too, he will still haue a little, and a little, and neuer leaue till by little and a little he getteth both body and soule into hell. And so sweete hath he made s [...]n to the tast of the wicked, that they crie still a little more of it, and finde no fault with it: but that there is too little, and they cannot haue e­nough of it; like little children which knowe not what is good for them: if they beginne to tast hony once, they will not leaue eating by their good wils, till they bee sicke with eating. And so greedie of sleepe is the Sluggard, that as Esau would sell his birthright for a messe of pottage; so hee will sell his soules right for a messe of sleepe, and a little more of sinne.

[Page] But as for religion, and things pertaining to the worship and seruice of God: as the know­ledge of the waies of God, and the graces of the spirite of God: they thinke that of such things they haue enough, when they haue nothing, like the luke-warme Laodiceans, Apoc. 3. 17. who thought they were rich, and increased with goods, and had neede of nothing: when they were wret­ched, & miserable, & poore, & blind, & naked. And here now appeareth the difference be­tweene the wicked and the godly: for the ser­uants of God hauing a little mortified them­selues through the grace of God, they are come to this point: that all they can doe is too little for the seruice of God, but are desirous still to serue him more, & better, & still to bring more and more knowledge, more faith, and more re­pentance, and more loue, and more zeale, and more holines, and more courage, and more good workes, to the glorifying of their hea­uenly father, So free hearted are the true chil­dren of God, Ioh. 8. 36. whome the sonne of God hath made free indeede, that they thinke they can neuer doe enough, like the free hearted Iewes, which still brought either golde or siluer, or silke, or haire, or one thing or another to the building of the tabernacle, and as they left not bringing till they were stayed by proclamati­on: So in building the spirituall tabernacle of the Lorde the children of God leaue not com­ming, and going, to the [...]ercises of religion, [Page] preaching and reading, and hearing, and me­ditating, and practising till they bee stayed by death: for proclamations, and lawes, and sta­tutes, haue been made; but all that could not staye them: nay it hath made them more dili­gent, and painefull like the Pismire, because they perceiued winter to approach: yea they doe also encourage their owne soules, and their brethren with them, saying as Elia [...] said to 1. King. 18. 41. Achab, Get thee vp, eate and drinke, for there is a sound of much raine: so say they one to an­other, get thee vp, reade and studie, preach and praye, and lose no time, for there is a sounde of much trouble: and all their feare is that they shall be stopped and stayed by the waie, when troubles arise, as Eliah feared least he and A­chab should bee stayed by the raine. They can scarcely haue any rest in their hearts, but are still panting with Dauid for breath, Psal. 42. 1. like the Harte in continuall chase. They thinke they haue done nothing, they can see nothing but their sinnes and wickednes, their rebellious motions, and corrupt cogitations of their own false hearts, doe still appeare vnto them, and a­fright them: they suspect all their dooings like Iob that holy man, who feared all his waies. And when they haue done the best they can, they still condemne themselues for vnprofita­ble seruants, still crying out to their soules, as Christ saide to the young man that was so for­ward in the Gospell▪ yet one thing is wanting: [Page] so they say, yet my soule, either for the matter, or for the manner something is wanting. It is not then with the godly christian, as it is with the superstitious Papists, which thinke they may serue God enough, by their owne deuises, and stintes of mattens & their euen songes, and their Orisons, and their Kyrileysons, and their Masses, and their Ladies psalters, and their Ie­sus psalters, and their often belabouring the name of Iesus, and their pattering of beades, besides their pipings, and singing, and perfu­ming, and aboundance of draffe more to fil vp the tubbe withall, that let the hogges come home neuer so hungry, yet there is meate e­nough for them, and some to spare for their friendes that will giue any thing for it, which they cal works of supererogation. Now when their t [...]skes are done, all must be set vpon the sco [...], and the Lorde must bee beholding to them for their deuotions, and Heauen they must haue of dutie not of fauour: like the me­ritmongers of Ierusalem, who going to Christ in the behalfe of the Centurions seruant that laye sicke, Luk. 7. 4. 5. tolde him that hee had deserued to be healed at his hands, because the Centurion had b [...]ilded them a sinagogue. And not much vnlike is the seruice of Atheists and Protestants at large, liuing vnder the Gospell, though they defie poperie with open mouth, and wide throates, yet they are too popish in this poynt: for doe they not think that God is well serued [Page] of them, if they goe to Church when [...] comes, and heare a few cold prayers read, and after dinner spend the time at Cardes, or Ta­bles, or Bowles, or Church alings, or in one [...] ­nitie or other: but if they haue been at Church in the forenoone, though it were but to sleepe at the sermon, the Lord is much beholding to them. But to come at the beginning, and con­tinue waking, & attentiue to the ending, both forenoone and afternoone, that they thinke may serue for a great while: but to haue prea­ching euery Sabboth day, and in the weeke too, that is counted an vnreasonable seruing of God. But the godly thinke they haue neuer e­nough of the seruice of God, and his worship: and for this cause haue they desired to liu [...] stil, Esa. 38. 18. 19. not for feare of death, which indeede is a van­tage vnto them: but for that they haue not s [...] ­ued God enough, and in the graue they ca [...]not praise his name. Psal. 118. 17 So Dauid desired to liue still, that he might declare the workes of the Lord. And in the 119. Psal. he saith, Psalm. 119. 175. Let my soule li [...] & it shall praise thee. This he craued, because he had not praised God enough. And vpon this Paul discussed this question in his heart, For my selfe (sayth hee) it is better to dye: Philip. 1. 22. 23. but for [...] (meaning the Church) it is better that I liue still: to shewe, that if we haue any desire to liue longer, it must be that the Church of God may bee the better for vs: for the godly are of that minde that they cannot doe enough for the [Page] good of the Church of God▪ They are like A­braham, who when [...] began to speake with God, would haue still one question more: And like the Disciples, who when they heard Christ commend the bread of life, I [...] h. 6. 34. said Lord euermore giue [...]s of this bread. Now if this be the affec­tion of the godlie, all too little: then what shal we say to the wicked, which coūt all too much that is giuen to God? like I [...]das that grudged at the cost that was bestowed vpon Christ, coūting is more then needed. But this was be­cause I [...]das had the bagge and was a theefe to Christ: and so the wicked haue the bags, and would fill their bags with the spoyles of Christ and his Church. They say, they haue heard a sermon once in a yere: what so many say they? heare one and follow that well, &c. This is the voyce of a wicked heart, that knoweth not what he oweth to God: If he knewe that he o­weth him all his life, he would not speake in that sort. Concerning the things of the world, they play the Horseleach that lye sucking still, and neuer cryeth ho. And they are of Achabs humor, when he had a kingdome, yet he wan­ted a vineyard, and a little was still wanting. So wordling professors of the Gospell, when they haue much, and that which they desired, yet they must haue a little more, another house, or another lease, or another Benefice: but as for the Lords part he shal haue the offall, or refuse of their crooked old age, when they can serue [Page] the diuell no longer: but then the Lord will none, except he giue them great repentance. Therefore, seeing as the Lord is the beginner, and continuer, and ender of our life: let vs of­fer him al for a sacrifice, and yet say, we are [...]n­profitable seruants, and haue done but [...] duetie.

Againe, here we are to note further the cun­ning of the diuell: for he bringeth men by de­grees to the top of sinne: yet a little, and a little, sayth he, and al is but a little: yet al these littles being layd together make a great deale. And as a couetous man gathereth his fart [...]ings and his halfepenies together, till they come to a pound, and so becommeth rich in the world: so the diuell teacheth the wicked, to gathe [...] now a little and then a little, till at last they be­come rich in sinne, but bankerout in the grace of God: for there is neuer a sinne that is let in to the soule, but it lette [...]n out many graces of Gods spirit. It is no dallying with the Lord: for in Rom. 2. 5. the Apostle sayth, They that abuse the long suffering of God, doe in the hardnes of their heart heape vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath. Therefore let vs take heede of this little: for by little and little the diuell creepeth vpon vs. The wicked goe scof­fing at the children of God: oh there goe Pu­ritanes, and Precisians, &c. And, what? are you so precise? Why? this is but a little oth, a littl [...] meriment, a little of the fashion, & a little must [Page] bee borne withall, and still they goe on pow­ring out themselues to all kinde of wickednes, till they bee so drunken with sinne, that they knowe not what they doe, nor where they bee.

The diuell playeth the labourer that riueth wood, who hauing a great peece to cleaue, hath also diuers wedges for the purpose, and e­uery one bigger thē another, and entreth with the least first, and that maketh way for a big­ger, and that againe for the biggest of all, and so by little and little the great tree is split in many small peeces, and made fit for the fire. So [...] Sathan purposeth to make a spoyle of the graces of God in the soule, he hath diuers deuises for the purpose, and euery one of them differing from another: for the lier he hath a packe [...]ll of lyes: for the swearer he hath a packe full of others: and for the scoffer he hath a packe full of frumpes and floutes: and so for others: but he will enter with a little one in shew, as first to teach men to sweare by their faith and troth, or by cock and pie, or by some other counterfeit o [...]e, and tels them that it is nothing: and after, by little and little, when it is growne into a custome with thē, they come euen to blaspheme the most holie name of God, like diuels incarnate, not being able to leaue it though they would. So doth [...] draw [...] to adulterie, and so to m [...]ther, and to [...]o drunkennes, by [...] and a little: first, by cir­cumstances [Page] a farre off, as of dalliance, and [...] ­sting, & quarrelling, and carowsing, and at last they grow to the very substance of the matt [...]. And so by little and little doth he drawe [...] quite from hearing of the word, to schisme, & Apostasie: first, he breedeth in them a misli­king of the preacher, for his plainnes, [...] roughnes, or his tediousnes, or his li [...], or one thing or other, and then there is way made [...] a loathing of the doctrine, and at last they fall quite away from that sinceritie which they professed at the first, especially by meanes of such companie as the diuell can fit them with­all for the purpose. And if one sinne creep [...] into our conscience, it wil not leaue till it hath made a hole for the entring, and a place for the lodging of horrible and outragious sinnes.

Then let vs say, that is great, which [...]hey call little, and aggrauate our [...]innes now, a [...]d con­demne thē now, that they bee not made great, and condemned of the Lord at the last day. The diuell is contented with a little, and a little will please him: he will (if he can) bring thee to all sinne: but when he cannot doe so, he [...] play at small game rather then sit our▪ As if thou be a Protestant, and traua [...]est beyond the seas amongst Idolators and Massemongers, i [...] is sufficient for him if thou doe but salute the crosse as it is carried through the streetes, or bow the knee to Baal, though thou doest [...] them in thy hart. So, if thou be a Papist in Eng­land, [Page] and goe to Church according to lawe, it is no matter, so thy heart be at Rome, and thou keep thy conscience to thy selfe, thats enough for the diuell, and pleaseth him very well: for by the outward gesture of the one, and by the inwarde affection of the other, he doth (as it were by the ring of the doore) take possession of the whole house, knowing that if hee hath the bodie, the soule will come too: for God will haue all or els none. Worldly men will say now adaies, If they bee not notorious of­fenders, they are not Sathans prisoners: which is all one, as if a malefactor, being fastened with a chaine but by the foote to a poste in the street, should bragge that he is not the Iaylors priso [...]er, because all his bodie is at libertie sa­uing his foote. Alas poore soules, how wise wee are to deceiue our owne soules. Though we can see nothing but great beames, yet that is not the way to bee discharged. The Papists can see none but 7. deadly sinnes that will hurt them: but Dauid prayeth both against pre­sumptuous sinnes, Psal. 19. 13. and secret sinnes, which would proue presumptuous in time.

The Papists haue a question which cannot be answered, as they thinke: Shew vs the time (say they) when Poperie came in, and when we sell away, if wee bee fallen from the trueth. Alas poore soules, they are not acquainted with the custome of Sathan: for he commeth in by little and little. If then a Papist would [Page 118] know how Papistrie came in, I will say by [...] custome of the diuell▪ by little and little: for th [...] diuell will not get all at once. The Apost [...] Paul sayth, 2. Thes. 2. 7 The mysterie of iniquitie began [...] work in his daies, & to creepe into the Church by little and little: So for worshipping of An­gels, Colos. 2 18. the Apostle sayth, they worshipped An­gels then, and thought it to be a part of insti [...] ­cation▪ Also for will worship, and humane tra­ditions, as taste not, touch not, eate not, and beating of the flesh, Paul spake of it in his time, and called it voluntarie religion, vers. 20, 21, 22, 23. which had a shewe of wisedome and humblenes of mind [...], but indeed were to no purpose. And the [...] part of Poperie, namely, merits, and satisfactiō by our owne workes, began when Antichrist was borne: for Paul spake of it, and against it in his Epistles to the Romanes, and the Gala­thians, and almost in all his Epistles. So for fa­sting on their Saints [...]ues, as they call them, their Ember daies, and their popish Lent [...] fast, they haue made it a painted garment, and very [...]itorious, and so by little and little they haue made vp this monster of many coto [...]. So came in Idolatrie at the first into the Church: first, the images of the godly were o [...] a good intent brought into the Temples, and afterwards superstition crept in like a Ring­worms, and men fell to worship them, as in time the Israelites worshipped the brasen S [...]r­pent in the wildernes. Then the supposed pic­tures [Page] of Christ were worshipped, wher of there grew to be very many, and neuer any one like another, but euen as it pleased master Painter: And then the Crosse by the hie waies side, and then the very letters of the name of Iesus: and whē the painter had made a picture like some foule Mawkine, or some foolish gameplayer in disguised colours, and set it vp in a glasse windowe, or some stone wall, and a toy tooke ignorant men in the head (for strong is imagi­nation) that must bee our Ladie forsooth, and so to be worshipped. Then further, when men began to neglect the most sacred scriptures of God, which are the onely pillar and ground of all trueth, they began to build vpon Councels, and Fathers, and Doctors, and the interpreta­tion of the Church, without any tri [...]ll of the same to be made by the scriptures: and at last the worde of God (which should haue sit as Iudge) was brought down, and set at the barre to be iudged by men, yea by his enemies too. And by little and little it came to this paste, that the Church could not erre in any thing: and that the Church of Rome must be that on­ly priuiledged Church which could not erre. And then they thrust vpon vs what they listed, as the Philistims made Sampson doe what they would, when they had put out his eyes. But this was done by degrees: for first, the Bishops and teachers waxed rich and wealthie: then they grew to be proud and lordly: then coue­tous [Page 120] and greedie▪ then idle and lazie: and then cruell and bloudie, as also subtill and craftie, to couer all withall. And when the starres thus began to fall from heauen,(that is, from the heauenly doctrine, and from heauenly con­uersation, to become so carnall and earthlie minded) the sunne of righteousnes also the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe, that true light be­gan to be darkened, and his Gospell to be de­praued, & then the Moone (that is) his Church must needes lose her light: for shee hath no light but from the sunne: and then (as the Pro­phet Ioel speaketh) Ioel. 2. 31. was the Church also tur­ned into bloud: for vpon these things grewe most horrible persecutions in the Church, through the malice & crueltie of the Prelates, so that she failed both in light and life toge­ther. And so it is to bee feared, that (for our sinnes) it may fall out againe: for as by little & little the candle goeth out: so by little & little darknes commeth in. And after the same man­ner came in such monsterous abuses in appa­rell, both in men and women, such excesse and riot in eating and drinking, such idlenes and prophanenes, as is euery where to be seene: & so grewe tumults and rebellions in the com­mon people: so groweth stubbornnes in ser­uants, and disobedience in children, through sufferance and too much foolish cock [...]ring, till by little and little many of them come to shame and confusion. And thus haue all ill [Page] customes growne vp from time to time, both in the Church, and in the Common-wealth, & all by the custome of the diuell, that is, by little and by little: yea, and that so softly and slilie he creepethinto men, that they can hardly ei­ther see him, or feele him when he commeth: As wee see the weedes growe vp amongst the corne while men sleepe, but so softly that no man can perceiue how they growe, or how much they growe at once: but that they doe growe, and in time (if they be not plucked vp) ouergrow the corne, euery man may see that: Or as the Iuie by little and little creepeth vpon the oke, till at last he doth ouergrowe and de­stroy the oke: So doth sinne by little and little get vp, and get the strongest and the mightiest men sometimes vnder him: as it did Salomon, and Dauid, and Peter, and diuers others, for all their wisedome, and learning, and iudgement, and experience, which they had both of them­selues, & of the world. Now, to saue our selues from this vsurping and encroching enemie, it shall bee our best course still to pray vnto our God, for the helpe of his grace, and holie spirit, and stil to perswade our soules and our friends by the word of God, to make resistance at the verie first entrie, and continually to withstand the beginnings and first motions of Sathan vn­to any sinne, lest by little and little now a stone and then a stone, now a basket full, and then a basketfull, he cast vp his mount, and fortifie [Page 122] himselfe against vs, vntill he hath battered and spoyled all the good things that were in our soules. And that the daunger of these same littles may the better appeare vnto vs, let vs re­member that sinne is like leauen, a little wher­of will sower the whole lumpe of dowe: It is like fire, whereof but one sparke is sufficient to kindle a great fire, and to burne down a whole citie: It is like a tree, whose stubbes remaining in the ground are enough to giue one a fall: It is like Iezabel that painted harlot, whose verie remnants, as the skul of her head, & the palmes of her hands, must be buried, least they infect the ayre. A mote in the Sunne is but a little thing, and yet enough to hinder the sight, to paine the eye, and to trouble the whole bodie. A haire is but a little thing, yet enough to stiffle a mā. The [...]lies of Egypt were but little things, yet none of the least plagues. The lice were lesse then the flies, yet one of the greatest plagues that came vnto Egypt. And such be our sinnes, which wee call little sinnes, and the Papists call them veniall sinnes, that may bee washed away with a little holie water, &c. we count them little and nothing, and not to bee stood vpon, nor once to bee touched: but in time wee may proue them to bee the greatest plagues that will trouble vs, if securely & rash­ly we venture vpon them. For though the oc­casions and motions perhaps bee but small in respect of grosse sinnes, and hainous crimes, [Page] yet there is a hidden corruption in our nature, (whose very froth doth continually annoy the children of God) and that may threaten some hainous downfal in time to come: which hath made euen men of very good report and con­uersation to hang downe their heads, still fea­ring their secret hypocrisie, as that which may breake forth to the shame of all the former in time to come. In regard whereof, Gods chil­dren haue such a ielousie, that they tremble at the very first motions, and the least occasion to sinne that can be. And the rather too, because they see many excellent men in gifts, and con­stant in profession, for a long time, whose ende hath not answered their beginnings. And this is very true, whether wee looke into the word, [...]o the world, & is a thing that may much humble vs. For though wee may remember what we haue been, and what we are, yet who can tell what may come to him hereafter, espe­cially if they yeeld to a little and a little.

But alas there be some too venturous, which thinke it no masterie to offer themselues to ma [...]king, and minstrelsie, and dauncing, and wanton companie, nor to runne into quarrels, and brawles, and contentions, as though they had their ear [...]s, and their eyes, and their hands at command [...]ment: But Gods children are a­frayd of these occasions, as knowing that their eyes may bee p [...]ouoked to lust, their eares may quickly listen [...] to vnchast delights, and their [Page 124] handes may sodainly strike a deadly blo [...] &c. Therefore both men and women are [...] beware howe they venture vpon such small occasions, for though thou meanest no su [...] matter, yet for thy venturing without warr [...] thou mayest be ouer thy shoes before thou b [...] aware.

And yet because vice is so neare vnto ver­tue, wee must also beware of superstition, fo [...] the enemie still laboureth either to make [...] too hardie and venturous, or else to feare it to [...] superstitiously. And to these temptations our nature is very pliable. First to presumption, and ouer much hardines, as may appear [...]hy our common speech. Tush the preacher i [...] but a man as I am, hee hath his infirmities as well as others: we are no Angels, our nature is corrupt, we are but men, and I am sure you will not make vs Gods, a little is not so much, and if God were so hard as you would make him, that were hard indeede, &c. Thus Satha [...] commeth to tempt men vnto presumption: but when hee would driue men to despayre▪ then he apparelleth himselfe in another sute, and then of a flie he maketh an Elephant, and of a moate a mountaine. If hee cannot bring men to make conscience where they should▪ he will labour to bring them to make consci­ence where they should not. As wee see the [...] maner of manie is either to be profane in thei [...] mirth, or to allow no mirth at all, either too [Page] gawish & new [...]angled in their attire, or to al­low no ornament at all, and so in many things [...]ce: he careth not, whether thou be remisse, or superstitious, so thou bee one. Gods chil­dren therefore must labour for a measure, and that must bee sought for in the worde, which will guide them in the narrow way: shewing [...]eu [...]ry thing what is the vertue, and what is the vice; what is the meane, and what is the extreame on either hand. In these extremi­ [...]ies, if any man hath beene ouertaken by little, and a little, (as who hath not) let him imagine himselfe to be sicke, either of a spiri­tuall consumption, or a spirituall burning fe­ [...]er: and let him from henceforth keepe that diet which is prescribed vnto him in the word, and carefully abstaine from such occasions hereafter: and by the grace of God he shall re­douer himselfe againe, though not by and by, but by little and little, like the man that hath been very sicke, who first feeleth a stomacke to meate, and then hath some tast of his meat [...] which before was vnsauorie vnto him: and then he beginneth to sit vp in his bed, then to rise out of his bed, and then to walke in his chamber: and after that abroad by a staffe, and by little and little, (through the blessing of God) commeth to his full strength againe. Neither let any willing mind be discouraged, by the hardnes of his hart, which he now fee­l [...]th wrought by the custome of Sathan: but [Page 126] let him plie the meanes appointed by God and he shall see, that as the water droppeth [...] the flint vntill it be worne hollowe, so the w [...]ter of Gods grace shall be still dropping vpo [...] thy hard hart, vntill thou be recouered. And thus wee haue seene the custome of Sathan, and how it may be broken.

Another note is this: That the wicked doe still extenuate, and lessen their sinnes, crying: Yet a little, and it is but a little: but the chil­dren of God do say their sinnes are great, and cannot aggrauate them enough. And this is their griefe, that they cannot lay out their sins enough: lob. 1. 5. lob setteth blasphemie vpon the sins of his children, when they were banquetting together: and it might bee some idle word [...] or vnsauorie iesting might passe their lipp [...] when they were set to bee merrie: but lob g [...]ueth it no lesse name thē blaspheming of God. Christians in their feastinges and meeting [...] ▪ powre out riuers of idle words: and if a ma [...] call them rebellion or blasphemie: what? th [...] is too full mouth, wee must seeke some [...] wordes to colour them withall: like the [...] which will not say they stole it, but they tooke it. If the Preacher shall labour to lay out the ouglesomenes of sinne, hee is called a rayl [...] for his labour. Paul called himselfe a blasphe­mer, a persecuter, and the chiefe of sinner [...]; though hee were not so indeede, yet thus [...] laboureth to beate downe himselfe, and to [...] [Page] humbled with true repentance, and hee had the spirite of God. Therefore they that will not be launced, and haue sinne touched, it is a signe that they haue not the spirite of GOD. The world calleth couetousnes good husban­drie: but the worde calles it idolatrie, Col. 3. 5. and the [...]ote of all euill. 1. Pet. 5. 5. The world calleth pride clen­lines and handsomnes, but the worde calles it fighting against God: the world calleth their painting of faces, the frisling of hayre, the wea­ring of false hayre, and other such disguisinged deformities, and ougly inuentions, both seemely and comelie ornaments: the worde cals them whotish attire. 2. Kin. 9. 30. The worlde calleth malice and hatred, 1. loh. 3. 15. manhood: the word cals it manslaughter. The worlde calleth excessiue eating and drinking, and ryoting and idlenes, and chambring, good fellowship: the worde calleth them the sinnes of Sodome, Ezc. 16. 49. and Go­morrha: the worlde saith that fornication is but a tricke of youth, and a common infirmi­tie: the word saith it is to make the members of Christ, the members of a harlot: the world calleth that honest recreation, which the worde saithe, Ephef. 5. 6. bringeth the wrath of GOD vppon the children of disobedience. The worlde saithe they take but their fees, when the worde saith they play the theeues: the world calleth that dutie, which the word cal­leth robberie. And so it is in many things moe. But as the worde speaketh of sinne, so doth [Page 128] the godly speake of sinne; for they speake [...] the spirite of God, which is not contrarie [...] the worde of God, And thus we soe how very foule sinnes hauing gotten a liuerie of the [...] Master the diuell, and stolen the cloake of vertue, doe i [...]tte it, and braue i [...] vp [...] downe, like fidlers, and players, vndernoble mens coates: which (when their coates are taken away) are butrogues by statute: and the other when their coloured cloaks are taken [...] way, are most foule, and ougly diuels by the worde of God: yet no man must say so, but at his perill. For the diuell when hee hath brought vp a fashion, will followe the fashion himselfe: and the fashion is amongst hunters, that if any body doe call a hound or a spaniell by the name of a dogge, he must be punished, because the hauke hath no taile, but a traine, as if she were some state: and two bee not a couple, but a cast, and a brase, and I knowe not what: So, if a man come when the diuell is at hunting, and call the wicked his dogges, by the name of hell hounds; as they are in­deede, he must be punished: for they are nei­ther dogs nor hel hounds, but good fellowes: and their hunting of vertue and godlines, is good fellowship: And hereupon a common harlot is commonly called a good fellowe. And still the diuell followeth the fashion: for amōgst men of trade, & manuel occupati­ons, they haue words of art belonging to eue­ry [Page] toole and instrument in their shops: and if a man come into their shoppes, and doe but touch any of them, or call them by other names then the occupation doth call them by, (as to cal a spade a spade a spade) is a forfeit called for by and by. So if a man come into the diuels warehouse, and doe but touch a piece, except it be to buy it; and doe but call his tooles and implements by other names then hee and the occupation doth call them: as to cal a knaue a knaue, you shal straightway haue one or other at you for a forfet, which doe serue for nothing els, but to watch for such booties: and are as glad of them too as sumners are of citations: or as quiristers in Cathedrall Churches, when they see a man come into the quire with his spurres on his heeles: because then they hope to get something to encrease their commons, by a law of their owne, such as Christ was put to death by, But that [...]oule that lieth so wide open that he cannot see his sinnes, but maketh great sinnes small, and calleth sower sweete, and darknes light, as Esay speaketh, Woe bee vnto them saith the same Prophet: They shall one day feele the greatnes of their sinnes to their cost and paine: for it is a true [...]aying of Christ in the 5. of Mathew, Hee that breaketh the least of Gods Commandements, and teacheth men so to doe; shall bee the least in the kingdome of heauen: that is, he shall haue no place at all there: for Christ speaketh of it, but according [Page] to that opinion▪ which men had of it. Thus haue wee spied the diuels craft in minsing of sinne, now let vs learne to make some vse of it. The Magistrate may learne hereby to take heede, that he yeeld not so much as a little to the wicked, because they watch at an inch for the least aduantage that can bee: like the ser­uants of Benhadad King of Aram, when they were parling with Achab the King of Isra [...]ll about their master: of whome it is said in the holy historie, that they tooke diligent heede, if they could catch any thing of him: & when they heard Achab but call their master his brother, they made hast, and said thy brother Benhadad: to shewe how the Magistrate is watched: & if the wicked perceiue any cold­nes, or fearefulnes, or negligence in him, or heare but a word of comfort from his mouth that makes for them, they worke vpon that, like the stream against a bācke, if there be but a little hole made through it. Hereby the Mi­nister also is taught to take heed how he strai­neth his conscience against the trueth in any thing, though neuer so small, lest in time hee swallow downe camels, as some doe steeples, and make shipwracke of all: like Demas, and Hermogenes, with their fellowe Phygellus, of whom Paul speaketh: and like Diotrephes, a­gainst whom Saint Iohn giu [...]th euidence. It is the policie of the world to lay baits and snares for the Ministers of Christ: it must bee there­fore [Page] their wisedome to hould out the world at the swords point. For couetousnes is like aqua­f [...]rtis vpon steele, and if it take the hart once, it will not leaue till it hath eaten out the spirit of GOD there, and all goodnes there. And therefore the Apostle doothe well call it the roote of all euill: for so it is, for wheresoeuer it taketh roote, it rooteth out all goodnes, causing to erre from the faith & pearceth the [...]oule through with many sorrowes: so doth she reward her master for giuing her lodging, like the viper that eateth out her mothers bel­lie, and so getteth his owne being with the de­struction of another.

Here also may parents learne not to feede their childrens humours too much, nor to suf­fer them ouer long, as the manner of many is to doe, nor to inure them to such wantonnes, nicenes, and pride, as we see in many: for they will grow to such things fast enough without teaching: and by little and little it may turne them to shame, and their parents to smart and griefe, as too wofull experience dooth daily teach. As Absalom being suffered a little, first killed his brother Amnon: then abused his fa­thers concubines: then stole a way the hearts of his fathers subiects, and at last rose vp in armes, and droue his father out of his owne kingdome: and this came by little and little. And if the twigge bee suffered to grow croo­ked, [Page] it will be crooked when it is come to bea [...]ee, and then it will sooner bee broken then [...]owed. To some parents and masters it is a pastime to see their childrē and seruants runne colting about the streetes with open mouth, like a kennell of hounds: but to the godly and wise it is both a griefe, and a shame, because they know that by little and a little, they may proue impudent, and shameles, and theeues, and harlots: for then doe such seede take dee­pest rooting. Hence may wo [...]ldlings also take warning, and learne to come to the word prea­ched when they are called, least if they listen but a little vnto the enchantments of worldly commoditie, they fall quite away: like the vn­worthie guests in the Gospell, who trifled a­way the time so long with excuses, that at length they were quite excluded. And in the hearing of the word, take we heede how wee heare: for then by little and by little the diuell will robbe vs of al, or fill our heads with so ma­ny toyes and by-matters, that we shall bee ne­uer the better, but the worse. And lastly, he [...] let all Christians learne not to feede vpon v [...] kindnesses, least by little and little it grow to [...] mortall hatred, and an vtter mislike one of [...] other, without any likelihood of sound recon­ciliation for euer. And this that teacheth some, may teach all to beware of the diuels dange­rous custome. But whosoeuer taketh warning [Page] the Sluggard will take none: for he crieth still, Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, and a little fol­ding of the hands to sleepe: therefore now let him hearken vnto his iudgement.

The seuenth Sermon.

HEre is now the Sluggards iudgement, and the fruite of idlenes, and negligence. The wicked man (sayth Dauid) trauelleth of mis­chiefe, and bringeth forth a lye. And the Sluggard (sayth Salomon) trauelleth of idlenes, & bring­eth forth pouertie, and necessitie: two twinnes borne both at a burden, but such ill fauoured ones, that euery one is out of loue with them so soone as they are borne. A poore, and a ne [...] ­die [Page] birth, without beautie, or comelines, o [...] shape, or strength, or any thing to liue vpon o [...] his owne. And surely a fit birth for the Slug­gard to begge withall. The sluggard and the sluggards birth, are faine to liue vpon other mens labours, and yet are still poore, and nec­die: like Pharaohs seuen leane kine which [...] ­uoured seuen fat kine, and yet were leane: now that was but a dreame, but this is a trueth. And n [...] [...]uaile: for it is iust and [...] which will not sowe in sommer, for feare of a shower, should beg in winter when showers doe fall. And he that will not worke when he may, and is able, must bee put from his meate when he would eate.

Therefore thy pouertie commeth, &c. As if he should say, thou art the cause of thy owne po­uertie thy selfe, which is more then the slug­gard would willingly confesse. For by nature we would be rich, and idle too: and when [...] are most dissolute and careles, yet then [...] looke to bee relieued aswell as if they had [...] ­uer been the cause of their owne pouertie: [...] prophane reprobates, which looke to cometo heauen aswell as any bodie, and yet care not for the ordinarie meanes which God hath ap­poynted to bring men thither by.

By this then wee may see what a hard mat­ter it is for flesh and bloud to see what is the crue cause of Gods hand vpon men, especia [...] when the fault is in our selues: for selfe-loue is [Page] blinde. And though we bee-plagued through our owne default, yet commonly we think not so: but wee make that the cause which is not the cause: sometime most wickedly accusing the Lord of harde dealing against vs, who is most iust in all his waies, and holie in all his workes: sometime crying out vpon the hard­nes of the weather, and vnseasonablenes of the yeare: sometimes condemming others for wā [...] of charitie, and compassion, as is to bee seene when any dearth, or scarcitio commeth vpon vs: sometime with one thing, and sometime with another: but as for our selues we can ne­uer intende it, to search out the cause there: but still put it off from our selues, though in­deede our owne sinnes haue moued the Lord to deale in this and that sort against vs. Where­in we shew our selues to be the right children of Adam [...]: for so playd they when the Lord came to examine them about the eating of the fo [...]bidden fruite: Adam layeth his fault vpon his wife, Gen. 3. and his wife puts it off to the [...]erpent: but neither of [...] would be knowne [...] ­int in fa [...]. So when any plague or calami­tie came vpon the heathen, they cried out a­gainst the Christians, and [...]ayd, that they were the cause of [...], which indeede was [...]: for [...]od plagued the heathen, because they [...] the Christians. By which wee may see [...] heathenish tricke this is a­mong [...], to blame, oth [...]r [...] f [...] that [Page 136] which themselues are the causers of: I. King. 18. 17. 18. like A­chab, who said that Eliah troubled Israel, when it was himselfe that troubled Israel, as Eli [...] truely told him. Though Achab be dead, y [...] his peeuish and peruerse opinion still liueth a­mongst vs, and the wicked keepe it fast, and pleade hard for it, as though it were Achabs le­gacie beq [...]eathed vnto them, which no man may take from them. For when any bee fallen into decay, and proued bankeroupts, as many are through their owne follie: as some by vn [...] aduised suretiship: some by play and gaming: some by feasting: some by negligence: some by cousening, and other vngo [...]ly practises: Then they crie out vpon the preachers, or a­gainst the preaching of the worde, or again [...] the professors of the Gospell, or against their creditors: like d [...]gges which barke at the Moone, when it giueth [...], and n [...]ue [...] did hurt them, more then Eliah did hurt A­chab, when perhaps he tolde him of his fa [...], and bad him looke to his soule. And being thus bewitched and besott [...]d, they sleepe [...] out in all securitie, and brauerie, [...]hrowding themselues vnder false pretences, and vaine [...]llegations: as l [...]nas did vnder the hatch [...], when both himselfe and the wholeship were readie to petish with him. And so doe wi [...] ked men lye still in their vnthriftines, and idle­nes, and vaine life, when they bee readi [...] [...] [...]ink themselues, and many others with [...] [Page] Therefore the Lord doth here pul out the slug­gard, and set both his sinne and the fruit there­of before his face, and telleth him plainly that himselfe is the cause of his owne pouertie, and miserie, and none but himselfe.

Againe, wee are to note that God doth not say [...]plie [ pouertie shall come vpon thee] but he sayth, [ Thy pouertie] teaching vs thereby to distinguish of pouertie, and the causes thereof: for sometimes good men are in pouertie, aswell as bad: Christ was poore in the world, bu [...] his pouertie was to make vs rich: Iob was striken with pouertie, & yet a good man, fearing God, and painfull to doe any good that he could to all men: but his pouertie was sent him to make tri [...]ll of his patience, and to set forth the riches of Gods spirit in him, which els could not haue so well appeared. Lazarus was poore, but his pouertie was to trie the rich mans charitie withall, and to make the hard hear [...]dnes of rich gluttons to appeare. And as the blind [...] m [...]n in the Gospell, was made blinde, Iohn 9. 3. neither for his owne sinne, nor his parents sinne, but that the worke of God might bee made mani­fest in him: so some are made poore, neither through their owne fault, nor through their pa [...]ents fault, but that the work of God might appeare in them, as it did in Iob: and that in o­ther [...] either the worke of God, or els the work of the diuell may bee made manifest, while s [...]me shew compassion in relieuing the poore, [Page 138] and others shut vp all compassion from the poore. All men shall dye, but not all of one disease. Many haue suffered, but not al fo [...] one cause: some haue suffered as cuill doers, and some for well doing: and true it is, that not the death, but the cause makes a martyr. There­fore to make this poynt more plaine, wee will consider of two things.

First, how many kinds of pouertie there be. Secondly, what be the true causes of the sa [...].

Of pouertie then we will make two [...], according to the parts of man consisting of body and soule, as by the same rule wee [...] both the Sluggard temporall, and the Slug­gard spirituall: So that there is the [...] of the bodie, and the pouertie of the soul [...]: [...]dily pouerty is bodily want, and that is when a man wanteth such necessaries as belong to this life, as health, and food, and apparel [...], and money, and lodging, and houshould [...], and sufficient to pay euery man his [...]. And of this bodily pouertie there bee also two kinds: some belonging to the godly; and some to the wicked, for both good and bad haue oftentimes their part in these wantes. So that good men, and honest men may [...] poore, and yet good and honest still: for goodnes and hone [...]tie goeth not by riches, for oftentimes worldly riches are meanes to the wicked to make them worse and [...], hauing wealth to corrupt themselues and o­thers, [Page] authoritie to doe violence, and health makes them lustie to doe mischiefe. Neither doe dishonestie and wickednes alwaies go [...] by pouertie and want, though these thinges be counted the onely euils of this life: yet we see sometime they are meanes to good men to make them better, as pouertie to bridle lust, basenes to humble them, and incumbran­ces to driue them to God, and to teach them to succour others: by which we may see that the pouertie of La [...]arus is better then the ri­ches of Diues: The sickenes of a wise man, with his wisedome, is better then the health of a foole with his follie. And what goods soe­uer a man hath, he cannot bee a good man so long as hee himselfe is euill: and if a man may be tearmed a good man for hauing riches, then a foole may bee tearmed a wise man when hee hath on a wise mans gowne. The Scriptures speake much in the commendati­on of godly poore men, and preferreth them before vngodly rich men, as there is cause: ye see your calling 1. Cor. 1. 26. 27. (sayth the Apostle to the Co­rinthians) How that not many wisemen after the flesh, not many mightie, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weake thinges of the world to confound the mightie things: and vile things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, &c. To shewe of [Page 140] what person [...] for the most part Gods Church doth consist: now what greater preferment then to be chosen of God, and who are coun­ted more foolish, and more weake, and more vile, and more despised in the world then the poore, especially whom God hath chosen, and set his marke vpon? Among other great mat­ters which Christ sent to Iohn to shew the po­wer of Christ; Mat. 11. 5. this was one thing of speciall note, that the poore receiued the Gospell, which was as great a work, & as much to be re­ioyced at as that the halt did walke, or that the leapers were clēsed, or that the deafe did h [...]are. The rich were most boūd to receiue the Gos­pel, but the poore receiued it, & it was as much as if he had said, the poore are become rich, & the rich are poore, for the gospel is true riches.

Salomon sayth, Better is the poore man that walketh in his vprightnes, Prou. 28. 6. then a rich man that peruerteth his w [...]es: to shewe that a poore man may bee an vpright man, and an vpright man may be a poore man, and yet is to be pre­ferred before the wicked rich man. And in an other place hee sayth, Eccle. 4. 13. Better is a poore and a wise child, then an old & a foolish King which wil [...] more be admonished: to shew that wise­dome and lowlines doe not alwaies goe by yeares and riches, though the riches of a king, and that some mens pouertie is more blessed, then some mens riches: and as the poore which are godly, are more blessed then the [Page] vngodly rich: so are they in more account with the Lord, and alwaies more deare vnto him. And therefore hath the Lord laid downe so many charges in his worde concerning the poore, which are as so many letters sent vnto the rich in their behalfe. Remoue not the bounds of the fatherles, Pro. 23. 10. (sayth the Lord) for he that is more mightie will surely defend them. And a­gaine, [...]ob not the poore, Pro. 22. 22. because they are poore, neither oppresse the afficted in i [...]dgement, for the Lord will, &c. To shewe that the poore haue as good frends to stand by thē, as the rich: for the Lord himselfe doth promise to take their part, especially (as S. Paul saith) If they feare God, & be of the houshold of faith. And not without spe­cial cause in his singular wisdome hath his ma­iestie so ordained, that there shall alwaies be some poore mingled amōg the rich in this life, & one reason is: thereby to trie the rich mens charitie, as appeareth by the Lords owne testi­monie, because there shall be euer some poore in the land, therefore I command thee, saying: Thou shalt open thy hand vnto thy brother, Deut. 15. 11 (that is, thou shalt bee liberal, and not close-fisted vnto thy brother) to thy needie, and to thy poore in thy laude: calling them our poore, and our needie, &c. As if they were of our familie and charge, to be prouided for by vs. And to this doth the Son of God, the Lord Iesus also giue witnes: Mat. 26. 11. The poore (saith he) you shall alwaies haue with you, but me you shall not haue, (mea­ning [Page 142] in bodily presence) and looke what [...] would doe for me, doe it for them: to shew that if the poore were wanting, the rich should not haue whereupon to exercise the works of libe­ralitie, and christian compassion.

Another reason why there are poore in the world aswell as rich, is, that by such a differēce Gods bountifull liberalitie might appeare to the rich, as he would haue the liberalitie of the rich appeare to the poore. God could haue made all alike, and enriched all alike, if it plea­sed him: but hee sawe this inequalitie to bee more for his glorie; wherein appeareth so ma­ny singular arguments of his vnspeakable wis­dome, and power, and mercie, and goodnes towards all men, and all his creatures. For if al were head, where were the comelines of the bodie? And what doth shew the height of the mountaine but the valley that lieth vnder it? And if the rich consider well of the worke of God in this poynt, they shall finde great cause to loue the poore, and not to disdaine them. We see how proude and insolent many are if they get vp a gorgious house ouer their heads, or a veluet coate vpon their backes, or a golde chaine about their necks: and as for their poore neighbours, they count them but as peasants and slaues in respect of themselues. But alas poore soules, what is it that setteth out the brauerie of their building, but the poore cot­tage that standeth by it? And in what estima­tion [Page] would their veluets and silkes bee had, if some did not weare frize, and goe plainly ap­parelled? And againe, if none were vnlearned, then who would reuerence the learned? or what account would there be of Artes and Sci­coces, if the knowledge of them were equallie giuen to euery one? And where doth wisdome shine most in her glorious beautie, but in the middest of fooles? Therefore men should leaue admiring of themselues, and despising of o­thers which come short of them, whether it be in the riches of the bodie, or in the riches of the minde, and learne to praise the wisedome and goodnes of the giuer and disposer of them, and in all humblenes of minde vse them to the glo­rie of the giuer, and the benefite of their bre­thren. And further, how could the rich liue without the poore and baser sort of people, whom God hath made their seruants to sup­plie their wants? For as it is not meete the ploughman should weare the Crowne: so is it as vnfit for the King to holde the plough. And therefore as in the bodie naturall God placed diuers members, and all differing one from an other, that one might be seruiceable to an o­ther: so in the bodie politicall he hath in no lesse wisedome made diuers degrees & estates of men, that one might be seruiceable & help­full vnto another. And thus wee see that for diuers causes the Lord will haue the poore still amongst the rich, and that good men haue bin [Page 144] in pouertie aswell as bad: and yet the Lo [...] hath still supplied their wants, and not [...] them to lacke what he sawe good for [...] neither wil he, but wil either giue them bread, or abate their hunger, or giue such a blesing with their little portion, that it shal go as fa [...]e, and content them aswell as if it were gre [...], and withall makes them rich in the heauenly graces of his spirite, wherein many very [...] rich men of the world are both bare and bar­ren.

As there be good poore men, so be there al­so wicked poore men, which are become poore and miserable through their owne neg­ligence, and slothfulnes: such are they [...] Salomon speaketh vnto in my text. And to such persons, pouertie is both a reproch of men, and a iudgement of God: for as it is no shame to suffer, but to suffer for euill doing: so it is no shame to bee poore, but to become poore through our owne negligence and wil­fulnes. Of those that beare the burthen of po­uertie in that sort there be some in the Church, and some in the common wealth: of Church men that bee in pouertie, some are of the po­pish and antichristian Church, and some of the christian Churches. In the popish church there are a companie of idle Monkes and [...] ers, and hedge priests, and cloisterers, which professe wilfull pouertie, making the worlds beleeue that it is a step to happines, and a de­gree [Page] of christian perfection, and if that be [...]ue, what need the Sluggard care for such a iudge­ment? Nay then it is no iudgement at all, but a blessing and a happines: and so by that rec­koning the Sluggard were a blessed and a hap­pie man, and the Sluggards life were the one­ly happy life that could bee deuised in this world, but that cannot bee; for here wee see pouertie and necessitie set vpon the Sluggard to punish him for his slothfulnes. In our chri­stian Church also we haue seene some both in the ministerie and otherwise, who liued in good estate: and yet afterward through their couetousnes and ambition haue fallen into great decay: for when they were not content with that which was conuenient for them, but still would haue more: it hath happened of­tentimes to them as it did to the dogge, that hauing a piece of meate in his mouth, would snatch at the shadowe of the meate in the wa­ter, and so when he thought to haue both, hee lost both.

In the scriptures there are diuers causes of pouertie set downe, and pouertie is made a punishment for diuers kindes of offenders, and is a whip for the backe of many fooles: it is a whippe for the Sluggards backe, that in time will whip him to death if he repent not, for Salomon saith, The disire of the Sluggard [...]layeth him▪ for his hands refus [...] to wor [...]e. Pro. 21. 25. It is also a scourge for the wasting vnthri [...]t, and [Page] prodigall spender, Luke 15. as may appeare in the ex­ample of the prodigall sonne, who hauing spent all, was driuen to feed among the swine. When it hath scourged the vnthrift, it will al­so serue to scourge the niggard, that knoweth not how to vse his goods, as appeareth by the parable of him that hid his talent, Luk. 19. 20. 26. and there­fore had all taken from him in the ende, to shew that it is not the best way to thriue, for a man to liue to himselfe. Pro. 11. 24. 25. And Salomon sayth, There is that scattereth and is more encreased, but hee that speaketh more then is right, shall surely come to pouertie. The liberall person (sa [...]h he) shall haue plentie, and he that watereth shall haue raine. When it hath punished the nig­gard, and the myser, it shall also punish the [...]uell man, & the oppressour: for it is set down by Salomon Pro. 22. 16. as a definitiue sentence against him in this manner: He that oppresseth the poore to enritch himselfe, and to giue to the rich, shall surely come to pouertie. And the Prophet Esay as one in the same cōmission confirmeth the sentence, and goeth a little further and faith, Esa. 33. 1. 2. W [...]e hee to thee that spoylest and wast not spoi [...], for when thou shalt cease spoiling of others, th [...] shalt he spoiled by others, and when thou hast deals wickedly against others, then others shall deal [...] wickedly against thee. The trueth whereof i [...] not hard to bee seene in some that haue gotten vp by prises, and many that haue liued by vsu­rie, brokerage, promooting, bribing, extor­ting, [Page] cousoning, and such like meanes. As it punisheth the cruell oppressour, so will it also punish those which are rash and prophane in their affaires: as Esau, Heb. 12. 17. who (without any more adoe) when hee was hungrie, solde away his birthright for a messe of pottage, and when it was gone, cried to haue it againe, but could not get it. The sentence is recorded by salomon thus: Prou. 21. [...]. The thoughts of the diligent dee surely bring abundance, but who soeuer is hastie, com­meth surely to pouertie. Which is also verified in many sureties which haue in a vaineglori­ous heate, passed their wordes, neither regar­ding for whom, nor for what, and after warde haue repented them too late: and surely this is a point not vnfit for noble men, and great gentlemen to consider of, whome God hath blessed both with great liuings, and also beau­tified with a liberall and free heart, lest being (as many are) attended vpon and haunted by hungrie horse leaches, and fawning parasites, they impeach their estate and honour before they bee aware. As it punisheth the rash and headie foole, so doth it also helpe to plague fornicatours and adulterous fooles: as may appeare by that wofull complaint of such as haue beene brought into the fooles paradise by the alluring ba [...]tes of harlots. And there­fore Salomon, Prou. 5. 8. 9. 10. that great man of experience, aduiseth all that feare God, to keepe their way farre from the harlot, & not to come neere the [Page] doores of her house, and giueth this as a rea­son: lest (sayth he) thou giue thy honour vn­to others, and thy yeares vnot the cruell: and le [...]t the strangers bee filled with thy strength, and thy labours be found in the houses of stran­gers. And last of all it is a piece of a punish­ment for the contemners of the worde, and those that obstinately disobey the lawes of the almightie. Deuter. 28. 15. 23. 24. For (saith Moses) If thou wilt not obey the voice of the Lord thy God, to keepe and to doe all his commandements, and his or [...], which I command thee this day, The hea [...] shallbe brasse, and the earth iron: The Lord shall giue thee for the raine of thy land, dust and ashes, vntill thou be destroyed. So that pouertie and necessitie, bee like a common gallowes at the townes end, which hang vp both theeues, and murtherers, and traytors, and witches, and all that are brought to be executed. Then it is not a part of happines, nor a degree of perfection as papists holde, but a verie sore iudgement of God.

Here is now the Sluggards pouertie, and the niggards pouertie, and the vnthrifts pouer­tie, and the hastie mans pouerty, & the whore­mongers pouertie, and the cruell mans pouer­tie, aud the vngodly mans pouertie, and pouer­tie is a whippe for them all. By which we are taught not to blame others (as many doe) if they bee fallen behinde hand, but let euery man examine himselfe in these poyntes: and [Page] if thou canst cleere thy selfe of one, suspect thy selfe in another, and trie thy heart in all, till thou hast founde out the cause, as thou wilt trie euery keye of the bunch vn­till the locke bee opened. And saye to thy soule as Dauid saide to the woman of Teko­ah, who came to the King about Absalom, 2. Sam. 14. 19. Is not the hand of loab in all this? So is not the hand of flouth, or negligence, or the hand of crueltie, or the hand of inconti­nencie, or of niggardlines, or of rashnes, or of vngodlines in this my pouertie? And this may suffice for the pouertie of the bo­die.

And nowe a little of spirituall pouertie. Where of the Scriptures speake sometime in the better part, and sometime in the euill part: in the better part it is attributed to the chil­dren of God to their great commendation, and as a speciall ve [...]tue, and grace of God, and that is when they be humble & lowlie in their owne eyes, and thinke poorely and basely of them themselues in respect of others. And this is that [...]pirituall po [...]ertie which our Sauiour [...] speaketh of, and calleth it blessed po­ [...]itie, in Ma [...]th. 5. [...]. [...]hen hee saith: Blessed [...] [...]oore in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of [...]: To shew that it is not onely a bles­sed, but a rich pouertie, because the kingdome of H [...]auen doth follow it. And this is a grace founde [...]swell in Kings and great rich men of [Page] this worlde sometimes, as in the pooret [...] when God dooth sanctifie their hearts, and teach them to knowe themselues: such a one was Abraham a rich [...], and Iob a rich man and Dauid a King: yet were they poore in [...] rite, and therefore blessed: the contrar [...]e whe [...] ­of is found in those that are wise in their own conceite, and wedded to their owne wai [...]r, whatsoeuer can bee said to the contrarie, Pro. 26. 10. whe­ther they bee rich or poore, of such Sal [...] saith, There is more hope of a foole then of [...]

Againe to bee poore in spirite is sometime taken in the euill parte, not as a vertue, but [...] fowle vice: not as a grace but as a disgrace [...] and that is when men a bounde in their owne spirites, and in their owne iudgements, and [...] ­ing altogether carnall, and [...], are [...] of the spirite of God, and barren in the gr [...]t [...] of the same spirite, abounding in pride, and ba [...]re [...] in humilitie, abounding in ma [...]ce, and barren in loue, abounding in ignorance, and barren in knowledge, abounding in [...] [...]ie, but barren in [...], and so i [...] the rest and yet thinke not so, [...] president of which pouerti [...] wee haue in theminister and [...] of Laodicea, to whom Christ speaketh in [...] sorte: Reue. 13. 17. Thou saiest thou are rich and [...] with goods, and bast needs of not [...]ing, and [...] est not that thou art wr [...]ed, and [...] and poore, and blinde, and naked. And in [...] do the soule that is destitute of the heauenly [...] [Page] c [...]s of the holy ghost, is a poore soule, although he iette it vp and downe in his silkes and vel­uets: yea and in cloth of golde too. But the soule that hath them is rich indeede, though otherwise for want of worldlie necessaries they bee constrained to lye begging in the streetes. Therefore the holy ghost doubteth not to call them riches, Ephe. 2. 7. saying that God sent the Gospell of his sonne amongst the gentiles that hee might shew thereby to the ages to come, the exceeding riches of his grace, through his kindenes towards vs in Christ le­sus. To shew that the giftes of the holy ghost sanctified to the children of God, are riches, and more then riches, for they are exceeding riches. And in the same Epistle, the Apostle saith, that he preached vnto the gētiles, the vn­searchable riches of Christ, Ephe. 3. 8. to shew that who­soeuer hath Christ, is rich enough. Therefore is the Gospell of Christ compared to a pearle of inesti [...]nable value, which could not bee bought, except a rich man solde all his sub­stance to buie it, to shew how rich they are that haue that pearle. Many rich men want these riches: Therefore let no man saye, oh I am rich and well increased in worldlie goods, therefore I am not guiltie of the slug­gards sinne, for through thy slouthfulnes thy soule may bee poore enough in the riches of Gods spirite, how rich soeuer thou bee in the things of this world. And if any man woulde [Page] haue these riches, he must earnestly desire, and long after them: Luk. 1. 53. for the Lord filleth the [...] grie with good things, but the rich, that is the full stomack, he sendeth emptie awaie. In the 2. of Prou. Salomon propoundeth two thing [...] and sheweth what course must bee taken of those that will obtaine them. The [...] the vnderstanding of the feare of God, and the knowledge of God: the way to get them is to receiue the worde, and to hide it: then he must hearken with his eares, and encline his heart, then to calland crie af [...]er them, as if they were going away, for feare they shuld not beint [...] rained as they are worthie: [...]nd if they cannot be had with calling and crying, then hee must fall to seeking, and searching, as if they sought for filuer, and searched for treasure. This being done, then shalt thou vnderstand, and fi [...] &c. to shew that these things sent from God, must be earnestly sued vnto, and will not ma [...] ­rie, but with such as will vse them well, and [...] count of them as speciall guests. Vnto whi [...] hunger and longing, must also be ioyned [...] gence, and painefulnes: for A slotfull [...] (saith the holy Ghost) maketh poore, Pro. 10. 4. but [...] hand of the diligent maketh rich: So a slot [...] eare to heare, and a slothfull heart to bele [...] maketh poore in heauenly things: but the eare and the heart of the diligent maketh rich. Some say they haue been diligent in hearing, &c. and yet are poore, and that may well [...] [Page] for it is not our diligence, but the blessing of God that maketh rich, which blessing is not giuen alwaies at the first, but is promised to those, that in faith and patience, and by ear­nest prayer are continuall su [...] and seekers for the same, Gen. 32. 26. like lacob, who could not obtaine a blessing of the Angell, without great stri­ [...]ng and wrestling. And sometime it is v [...]ter­ly denied, and not giuen at all to some, because the Lorde seeth in them a false heart, and a wicked affection that sette them a worke, and knoweth that if the wicked should haue those excellent graces and ie [...]els, they would abuse them filthilie and proudely, to the dis­honour of the giuer, like swine which trample pearles vnder their feet, and digge vp filth out of the dunghilk and to speake indifferently, what should the Lorde doe reucaling his se­crets, and his counsels to them that meane not to follow them? Of such kinde of seekers, and gatherers of spirituall riches, is that speech of Saint Iames verified, Iam. 4. 2. which hee vseth against some, that seek fo [...] temporall riches: Ye lust and haue not, ye [...] others, yede fire [...] derately, [...] cannot obtai [...]e, yee [...]ight and [...]arr [...], and get [...]hing, because ye aske not. verse 3. Then to those that aske he saith: Ye aske and receiue not, because ye asks amisse, that you might laie the same out vp­on your pleasures. So in seeking for heauenly ri­ches, many [...], and haue not, and no bodie doth pitty their longing, because they are not [Page 154] with child traueling, Apoc. 12. 1. 2. nor traueling in paine [...] be deliuered as the true church doth. Again [...] they enuie the giftes of other men, they des [...] immoderately, they would attaine to gre [...] matters, but they cannot obtaine, they stri [...] and keepe a stirre and get nothing, because they aske not. And when they aske, they [...] ceiue not, because they aske amisse, to spend their knowledge and their learning, and the [...] vtterance in maintaining of contentions, and quarrels, and in defending of superstitions, and sinne, and in peruerting the straight wai [...] of the Lorde, and all at their owne pleasure, but nothing to the glorie of GOD, or to the good of Gods Church. Now it is well, if [...] pouertie commeth not for want of diligence and painefulnes but then God may curse [...] vnsanctified affections, and his giftes that h [...] gauevs may be giuen in his wrath, as Saul was to the Israelites, and the wicked may peri [...] with all their knowledge and excellent gra­ces, for want of Gods grace, as the Iewes [...] ed with the meate in their mouthes, for want of Gods blessing: and this may likewise [...] fice for the matter of spirituall pouertie. Now further (to encrease the paine) besides poue [...] ­tie there commeth necessitie, to shew that the time willcome, when the sluggard shall be [...] glad of that which before he despised and ca [...] away, and shall not get it, like the rich glutto [...] who while h [...] liued amongst his delicates [Page] scorned to drinke water, yea perhappes wind exceptit were the best, but being in hell, hee called for water: yea but for a droppe of water▪ and could not get it. Or as the prodigall child, who was at last glad of pease hulles amongst the swine, whē in his fulnes he scorned bread And so is it in spirituall necessitie, the time wil come when many wil be glad to heare the meanest of those Sermons, and instructions, and bookes, which now they neglect, and lothe, and consure at their pleasure, and will thinke themselues happie too, if they may [...]ue but a droppe of that water to drinke, which now they power downe the streetes and chanels, for God must needes bee reuen­ [...]d of such horrible contempts.

Now for the manner of this iudgement, it [...]ery fearefull, for it is saide in my text, first, that it shall come vpon him as one that trauai­ [...]h by the way, which [...]eeteth with a thee [...]e on a sodaine, before he looked for his cōming. [...] hath [...] out with [...]any dealers and [...]upiers in the world, who for want of dili­gence, and carefull circumspection, haue gone [...] still, as if they were on a iourney, and so­ [...]inely haue been ouertaken with pouertie, and set vpon by necessitie before they haue [...] aware, and where as they were taken before, to bee in very good case, it hath been [...]ounde, that when euery man hath taken his share, they haue been left very poore and na­ked. [Page] And so shall Gods graces waste in v [...] one after another, if we suffer them to di [...] vs for want of renewing, and continual [...] payring: And at the last when wee think [...] haue the most vse of them, our faith will [...] gone, and turned into infidelitie; our rep [...] tance shall bee turned into impenitencie [...] hardnes of heart, our zeale will be blasted, [...] our loue wee shall finde abated, and also [...] ted vp, as if all the hogges in the tow [...]e [...] been in our garden. And then we shall [...] and doe nothing but weepe for them, as [...] chel wept for her children, and shall not [...] comforted because they are not, nor can [...] be had or else we shall hardly kno [...] them, [...] take them againe, nay they will hardly know [...] vs, or take vs againe, we shall be so altered, [...] if wee had r [...]ne away from out masters, [...] lien long abroade in ditches, or as though w [...] had been newlie taken out of our sti [...]ck [...] graues.

And lastly, as this execution shal be so [...] ly serued vpon the Sluggard, so shall it [...] mightily assisted with necessitie, which shall come against him as an armed man: so [...] no rescue or resistance can bee made. And [...] the Sluggard then make any, it will not se [...] his turne, for he shall be so ouer matched, that he shall not be able to recouer himselfe, [...] new supplie of strenght and grace come from God. And this point may serue notably t [...] [Page] uerthrow the folly of Papists, and secure gos­pe [...]ers, which thinke to commaund God, and to repent when they list, or beleeue, or heare, or worke when they list. No, no, well maiest thou striue, but it shall bee against an armed man, and thy selfe naked: yea thou must then yeelde and confesle thy folly in spite of thy teeth. Gen. 49. 14. The Sluggards are of kinred to Isbachar, who seeing ease to be good, and the land plea­sant, became secure, and careles, and like a strong asse cou [...]hing downe betweene diuers [...]hens: to shew that the Sluggards are like asses, which haue some strength indeed, but al their strength is in couching downe, but not in rising vp: when hee goeth to sleepe, and be­takes himself to idlenes, & slothfulnes, he shal finde himselfe strong enough: but when hee thinketh to rise vp to worke, and to make resi­stance against pouerrie and necessitie, the Lords sergeants sent to arrest him; hee shall then finde himselfe weake enough, and too weake. For as the drun [...] ard drinketh till hee hath drunke all the money out of his purse, and all the wit out of his head, and all good­nes out of his heart, that there is no difference betweene him and the beast, except it bee in this: that the beast can goe and keepe his way which the drunkard cannot doe: so the Slug­gard sleepeth in all securitie, and neglecteth al his busines, and puts off all care, for doing of all his dueties, vntill he hath slept all thri [...]t out [Page] of his shop, and all his friends out of his [...] panie, and all Gods gra [...] out of his [...] and all comfo [...]t out of his [...]oule▪ & all [...] out of his bodie, and all conscience out of [...] dealing, till his stocke be spent, and his [...] pying decaied, and his customers gone, [...] Gods spirite gone, and all bee gone: and [...] nothing be left but feare, and shame, with [...] uertic, and penurie, and a bare head and [...] ble shoulders to beare off the blowes. And in [...] word, til there be no difference betweene hi [...] and the asse, except it bee in this: that the [...] can rise againe when hee is downe, which th [...] Sluggard cannot doe: For his pouertie is [...] like one that trauaileth by the way, and his [...] cessitie is set vpon him like an armed man. And thus haue you heard the Sluggardrowsed. If [...] hath roused any of vs, let vs thanke God for it if it hath not, let vs pray that it may, and when wee are gone, let vs take heede wee fall not asleepe againe, lest a worse thing happen vnto vs.