[...]. Ephe. 5.1.

EVEN as Christ fed foure thousand men, Math. 15.33.34.35. be­sides women and children, with seuen loaues and a few little fishes, when they had followed him three daies, in the desert or wildernesse, and would not send them away empty, least they should faint by the way.

So with these seuen loaues of the bread of life, are fed foure thousand, yea forty thousand, yea thousand thousands of men, women, and children (for women and children haue soules to saue as well as men:) if we, according to our Text, follow him in the desert of this wide world, (no wider then wicked) three daies in the true faith of the Trinity, God will not send vs away emptie, nor suffer our soules for want of spirituall food to faint. Therefore, let vs bee fol­lowers of him as deere children: and be ready to obey this precept of imitation, which is the second part of this our Text to be intreated of.

If we enter into due consideration of mans nature, Imitation it selfe. wee shall finde it strangely addicted to imitation; and although in truth we should liue by lawes more then by examples, yet wee shall perceiue, that examples do more moue in these daies then lawes; seruants in a family, souldiours in an army, subiects in a Cōmon-weale may cō ­firme this to be true, for Seruants most cōmonly imitate their Maisters, Soldiers their Captains, Subiects their Gouernours, bee they good, bee they bad, get they praise, or dispraise, profite or disprofite, fame or infamy thereby: thinking [Page 10] their liues to be a Law, and that to be well done, which is done after their example.

Note 1 Whereby we may note first, that they should haue regard vnto themselues, who are any way either for birth or for office, or for calling, whe­ther it bee spirituall or temporall, aboue other men; for they cannot sinne without great dan­ger to the Common-weale, we may say of such, as Cicero said of Iudges, that mighty men, should mightely be tormented.

Note 2 Secondly, seeing our nature is prone to imi­tation, wee are to take speciall care whom wee follow or imitate: for euery one is not to bee followed, neither shall the vngodly behauiour of others excuse vs before God, the reason is: Wee must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ, 2. Cor. 5.10. Reuel. 22.12. to receiue according to our owne deeds.

The licentious life of the Magistrate, shall not excuse the Subiect if hee liue not vnder the Law, nor the wicked life of the Maister, acquit the Seruant, if hee be vngracious, nor the euill conuersation of the Preacher be a cause to saue the hearer if he be vngodly: the reason is, for that soule that sinneth (whatsoeuer hee bee) shall die. Ezech. 18.4.

Two kinds of examples. 1 Of Christ. 2 Of man.In Christian imitation there are two kinds of examples to be folowed: The one both necessa­ry and alwaies, the other but sometime and in some things, necessary and alwaies, the example of our Lord and Sauiour Christ, but sometime and in some things, the examples of good men and women are to be followed.

Strange it may seeme to some, that good men [Page 11] but sometime, and in some things, are to bee followed; yet it is not so strange as true, for euery example of theirs is not to bee followed of vs, for the better conceiuing whereof wee may note that there are foure examples 4 Examples. of the faithfull, and elect, in sacred Scriptures.

Example. 1 The first we may behold and follow: as Abra­hams faith, Iosephs chastity, Dauids zeale, Tobias pittifulnesse towards the poore, and such like: these are looking-glasses set before our eies, that wee should not bee slothfull in following them, but follow them as they follow Christ, which through faith and patience inherite the promises.

Example. 2 Other examples there are which are wicked, as Dauids adultery, Peters deniall, the Apostles ambition, and such like: which are not recorded in despite to disgrace them, but are placed be­fore vs, for these three ends: 3 Ends: 1 First, to keepe vs from vaine opinion of our selues, that wee pre­sume not in our owne strength: 2 Secondly, to make vs the more carefull to looke to our steps that we slip not as they did, for feare that wee cannot rise as they did; it is easy to fall, but hard to arise: 3 Thirdly, if we haue fallen, as they did, we should by their example learne to rise, as they did; if we haue like sinnes wee should haue like repentance.

Example. 3 Other examples were well done by good men, in times past, which in these daies we can­not, nor may follow, without great offence to God: as circumcision of the male children, of­ten and sundry bloudy sacrifices, which now to [Page 12] do is sinne.

Example. 4 Fourthly, and finaly, some examples, as wee may reade, were singular, such, as neither wee, nor others in those daies might follow, without the especiall, and extraordinary motion of the holy Spirit, as Abrahams readinesse to offer vp his sonne in sacrifice; The spoiling of Aegypti­ans in robbing them of their Iewels and trea­sures, commendable in them, because they were commanded; but damnable in vs because wee are forbidden, to them the one acceptable, the other commendable; but in vs, the one the next degree to murther, the other to theft, whereby we may note that good men in all things are not to bee followed: 2. Cor. 11.1. but as Saint Paul would bee followed, as hee followed Christ, so should they bee.

Now to the person whom we should follow, to wit, CHRIST.

VVHen I was called heretofore to this place, by the warrant of Gods word, I deliuered certaine documents wherin we might learne, The way to Life; and now in this Text we may learne whom wee should follow, as our guide in the way to Life: namely, CHRIST.

Graue and iudicious Audients, Christ is the example, of vs to be followed; and that alwaies and necessary: Alwayes, for that he is most per­fectly good: And necessary, because both hee and his Apostles haue commanded vs so to do.

Yet I pray you mistake me not: for all-be-it I [Page 13] say, our Sauiour Christ is alwayes; yet do I not say, in all things: and although necessary to bee followed, yet not as hee is God: for hee fasted 40. dayes, and 40. nights, hee raised the dead, gaue sight to the blinde, and many other mira­cles by the Almighty power of his God-head: hee wrought things vn-able to bee imitated of mortall men.

In these things which our Sauiour Christ did, as he is God, he is most religiously to bee wor­shipped: and in these things which hee did, as man, he is zealously to be followed. He that lo­ueth and hateth what Christ, as God, doth loue and loath, doth follow Christ as farre as a man may follow God. Hee that doth that which Christ did, as man, doth follow Christ as a Christian man should do.

We ought to abhorre the vanity of this world, Bernard. and that cuoragiously, because IESVS would not bee elected a King, hee fled from the multi­tude: to repent, and that heartily; for IESVS was killed as a Lambe: to haue true Charity; for IESVS prayed for his enemies. Christians haue their names of Christ; therefore it is meet, as they are co-heires of his name, so should they be followers of his holinesse. No man is rightly called a Christian, who to the vttermost of his power, doth not resemble Christ, in life and conuersation: he that followeth not Christ, may bee called a Christian; but is none. So Saint Augustine Augustine. saith: What doth it profite thee, to be called a Christian, whereas thou art not? to vsurpe a strange name? If thou louest to [Page 14] bee called a Christian, shew the fruits of Chri­stianity; and then well mayest thou take the name of a Christian vnto thee.

Whereas by naturall inclination wee are ad­dicted to imitation, let vs follow the best: wise­dome would so; partly because we are English­men, who are reported, aboue all other nations, to be famous or infamous in imitating and fol­lowing euery strange and new-found fashion. Many haue gotten fame in imitating Cicero in eloquence, Aristotle in Philosophy, Iustinians in Law; and Galen in Physicke, and such like. But more haue gotten shame in imitating one Country in vanity, another in luxurie: the Spa­nish, in brauery; the Italian, in letchery; the Barbarian, in cruelty; the Turke, in incredulity; the Grecian, in Gluttony; the Papist, in Idola­try; the Atheist, in impiety; and the Libertine, in impurity: and not in following our Sauiour Christ in heauenly wisedome and godlinesse of maners.

Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to an imitation of Christ and his holinesse, Coloss. 3.5. first ex­horteth them to mortification; as though with­out that meanes it were impossible: Mortifie therefore your members vpon earth, and giueth a reason of his exhortation, saying; If yee liue af­ter the flesh yee shall dye. Rom. 8.13. As God commanded Moses to put off his shooes before hee should approach neere him, so God commandeth vs to put away all our sinfull affections before wee begin to follow Christ: he will haue vs to for­sake our sinnes before he will suffer vs to follow [Page 15] him. As Peter forsooke his boats, nets and all, and followed Christ: so should wee leaue all worldly gaine and commodity, and follow Christ. Matthew left his office of custome (al­though it was gainfull vnto him) and followed Christ: So should we resigne all worldly gaine and riches, and follow Christ, who will make vs rich in him. Obiection. It may bee some will demaund why Peter often vsed his former trade of life, and Matthew neuer returned to his office? Answere. It may easily be answered: Peter was a fisher-man, and did get his liuing by his lawfull paines, and honest meanes and labour; but Mathewes Cu­stome-office was very seldome, or neuer execu­ted without corruption: and therefore it was vnlawfull for him, being a follower of Christ, to returne to it againe. 1. Kings. 19.20. Elisha left his Plow and Oxen, and followed Elias: so should wee leaue oxen, lands, house, country, kindred; yea our selues, rather then forsake Christ.

In following Christ we must trauell the right way: wee may finde in sacred Scriptures, two wayes proponed, the one straight and narrow, Math. 7.13.14. Luke 13.24. the other wide and broade: the one leadeth to life, the other to death: the one to heauen, the other to hell: The one straight and narrow in the beginning, but broad and pleasant in the end: the other wide and broad in the begin­ning, but straight and painfull in the end. The one in the beginning, Take vp thy crosse and fol­low me: but in the end, Feare not my little flocke, for it is your fathers will to giue you a kingdome. The other in the beginning, All the world, and [Page 16] the riches therof, will I giue thee, if thou wilt wor­ship me (saith Sathan:) but in the end, Take him, binde him hand and foot, and cast him into vtter darknesse. In the one a good change, from a crosse to a kingdome: In the other a bad change; from a kingdome to a prison, and dungeon of vtter darkenesse. Leaue therefore the broad and wide way, for it leadeth to destruction, and walke in the narrow and straight way, for it leadeth to life.

If thou wilt follow Christ, thou must trauell his way; not a broad, pleasant, wide, and delight­full way, full of pleasure, wantonnesse, & world­ly ioyes: but a narrow, troublesome, & straight way, full of afflictions, crosses, tribulations and sorrowes. All men, as long as they liue in this vale of misery, shall haue their part of misery; euery man shall haue his turne of sorrow, more or lesse, one time or other; which way soeuer we walke, we shall heare euery man complaine of some sorrow or misery. What shall wee doe then? Before it come, let vs prepare our selues for it: when it is come, bid it welcome, and beare it patiently: when it is departing, giue it but halfe a fare-well, still expecting when it will re­turne againe. Yet keepe thou this narrow way, and follow Christ, and thou shalt bee safe, and finde rest vnto thy soule: but if thou wander out of this way, into the pleasant paths of sinne, and turne thy backe to God, and leaue his pro­tection, there is no helpe for thee, Sathan will take thee prisoner, leade thee captiue, binde thee hand and foot, and cast thee into the deepe [Page 17] dungeon of darknesse. For this assure thy selfe; If thou wilt not follow Christ, Sathan will fol­low thee: Be not like these idle Epicures, and carelesse slacke-graces, who liue as though they had no soules to saue, as though there were nei­ther God nor Diuell, no ioyes in heauen, nor torments in hell; lest thou loose the one, to thy griefe, & finde the other, to thy endlesse paine. If thou wilt not follow Christ in the way towards heauen, do not think that thou shalt escape hell; there is no starting-hole betweene both for thee couertly to hide thy selfe: the Angell that fell from God, with all his adherents, could finde no such place; none of Adams children could so shrowd themselues, but they were found out. Diues could finde no place betweene heauen and hell to stay him from torments, but needes he must into them.

Consider therefore thine estate; to heauen thou canst not come, but by following of Christ. No man commeth to the Father (saith Christ) but by me. Hee is gone to prepare a place for none but for them that follow him.

Obiection. It may be, thou thinkest thy soule, being dis­lodged, and disburdened of the heauy weight of the body, shall flye, as a bird, into heauen. Answere. O bee not deceiued, if thou dye in a reprobate e­state, thou shalt finde and feele that thy soule hath lost her wings: that is, the sanctified Will, Memory, and Vnderstanding, the three golden wings of the faithfull soule.

Obiection. Againe, it may be thou thinkest, that when thy soule shall depart from the body, it shall bee [Page 18] freed from all earthly things whatsoeuer; and that no terrestriall matter shall cleaue vnto it, neither can it sinne when it is freed from the sin­full flesh. Answere. True it is, that when the soule is de­parted from the body, it cannot then commit a­ny more sinne, because it wanteth the body, whose members are as the tooles & instruments to execute the wickednesse of the sinfull soule: but all-be-it the soule is departed from the bo­dy, yet sinne is not departed from the soule: for these two, to wit, Sinne, and an accusing Conscience, will cleaue closly to an impenitent soule: these it shall bee sure of; no other thing shall it haue with it from the earth, but sinne, wherein it delighted, and a guilty conscience, saying (as it were) we are thy sinnes, we will not leaue thee, but follow and accompany thee vnto death, in death, after death, vnto iudgement, in iudgement, after iudgement, and for euer. O carelesse man! remember in time, that the im­penitent sinner, of all his worldly ioyes, wealth, pleasures and delights, shall haue nothing to comfort him; but his sinnes and a guilty con­science cleauing fast vnto him, vn-remoueable, that neuer-dying worme, alwaies biting and gnawing on his sorrowfull soule.

Therefore in time mortifie thy sinnes (before it bee too late) that they may not mortifie thy soule: for the hazard of eternall life dependeth on the dying or not dying of sinne; and that ne­cessarily. Who is so voyd of vnderstanding, as not to thinke it expedient and necessary wise­dome rather to destroy sinne, then himselfe: for [Page 19] one of the two must needs bee mortified, either sinne, or the soule, must suffer death and dye. Therefore spare not sinne, but mortifie it, crush the serpents head betimes, kill all thy sinnes, bee partiall to none: for one darling sinne is enough to binde thee fast vnto Sathan, seeing it is easie to hold him that striueth not to depart: One kinde of sin may kill thy soule as well as an hun­dred, and bring death which is eternall vpon thee. Remember Saul, and forget not thy soule, 2. Sam. 15. God commanded him vtterly to destroy the A­malekites; he sparing but some of them, was cast off from God, and his kingdome rent from him. Our sinnes are the Amalekites, which God com­mandeth vs to destroy: wee must kill them all, and spare none; wee must not spare Agag, wee must not spare any captaine sinne, lest God for­sake vs, and so we loose a better kingdome then euer Saul found.

As Amelek resisted the children of Israel in their iourney towards the land of promise: Deut. 25.17. so Sathan seeketh by all meanes, to hinder and let vs in following Christ, and forsaking sin. These two obstacles hee trumpeth in our way to stop vs from our conuersion: to wit,

• Delectatio peccandi,
• & audacia defendendi. That is,
• Delight of sinning, and
• Boldnesse of defending.

Peccatum quatuor modis perpetratur in corde, quatuor (que) modis consummatur in opere. Sin is foure [Page 20] manner of wayes committed in heart, and foure manner of wayes finished in action: That is, in heart

• By suggestion. Suggestion cometh by the Diuell.
• By delight. Delight by the flesh.
• By consent. Consent by the spirit.
• By boldnesse of defending sin. Boldnesse of defence by our elati­on stubbornnesse.

With these foure strokes the old and enuious aduersary of mankinde, vndermined and ouer­threw the vprightnesse of the first man: the Ser­pent perswaded, Eue delighted, Adam consen­ted; and when hee was vrged to confesse his fault, he defended it by audacious excuse. After suggestion commeth delight, after delight com­meth defending of sinne.

As (saith Chrysostome Chrysostome.) it is impossible to kindle fire with water, so it is impossible to stirre vp re­pentance or conuersion in a man that delight­eth in sinne: for as water doth quench the fire, and not kindle it, so delight in sinne doth bury repentance, and not reuiue it. Therefore the Prophet Dauid desireth God to keepe him from sinne, and from delight in sinne; fearing lest pre­sumptuous sinnes should haue the vpper hand of him. And the Apostle Saint Paul exhor­teth vs to mortifie our earthly members, as the best way to cut off the delight of sinne, that sin may dye.

I reade in a pretty familiar history, (not im­pertinent to this purpose) that there was a cer­taine boy, hauing a great delight to play with a [Page 21] bird, tied a thrid to the legge of the bird, and sate downe and plaied therewith, letting the bird come and goe at his pleasure, Anselmus a godly man comming vnto him, grieuing to see him liue that idle and euill kind of life, cut the thrid: so the bird did flie away, and the boy arose and led a better kind of life. Morally, it may bee well applied thus, this boy may signifie a sinner, this bird, sinne, this thrid, delight in sinne, his sitting downe his continuance in sinne, taking pleasure therein, and making pastime to sinne at his pleasure: This Anselmus may signifie true re­pentance and vnfeigned conuersion in a man, in­tending and fully purposing to forsake sinne and follow Christ, which cutteth the thrid, that is the delight of sinne, sinne dieth, and the sin­ner (well termed a boy for his childish and foo­lish actions) riseth vp, that is, sitteth and con­tinueth not in sinne, but leadeth henceforth a more sanctified kinde of life.

Saint Iohn in his Epistle generall, 1. Ioh. 2.15. exhorting men to follow Christ, dehorteth them from the loue of the world and the delight of sinne reigning in them that loue the world: saying, Loue not the world, nor the things in the world: a reason in the 16 verse Verse 16. he giueth saying; For all that is in the world (as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eie, and the pride of life) is not of the Father, but of the world.

The world, is as the deuils golden cheine, to hinder men from following of Christ, which treasure he offereth to bestow on them that will forsake God, and follow him; and therefore hee [Page 22] would haue giuen it, and all the riches thereof, to our Lord and Sauiour Christ, but it was none of his to giue, hee was but an vsurper: Therefore as our Lord and Maister Christ deni­ed him, so let vs, his seruants, defie him, and as the same Apostle maketh (as it were) anatomy of certaine great sins in which men so delight; so let vs by his admonition hate & detest them, and shun the way to hell, as hell it selfe; amongst other capitall sinnes which hinder and let vs from following Christ, heere are three by the Apostle pointed out, to wit; couetousnesse, pride, and voluptuousnesse: Colloss. 3.5. coueteousnesse, although it be accounted good husbandry, and frugality: yet the Apostle Paul calleth it a let, Ephes. 5.5. and idolatry: idolatry because men so much loue and em­brace it; a let, because it keepeth vs backe from following Christ; if it bee idolatry, how can couetous men be good Christians, seeing they loue the world more then Christ? if it bee a bar to keepe men from heauen, how doe couetous men thinke it possible to enter through the eye of an needle, being swollen with this sinne as great as a Camell? if men were so couetous of the Kingdome of heauen, as they are greedy of worldly wealth, they would not take so much paines in getting of it, and so little labour in fol­lowing of Christ: but we may finde it true, That Impij alacriùs currunt ad mortem quam pij ad vi­tam: The vngodly runne more hasty to death, then the godly to life; they take more paines for destruction, then others for saluation.

For coueteousnesse hath no pleasure in it, [Page 23] but great trouble and misery; for it is a trouble to the body, disquietnesse to the minde, and a griefe to the heart, it pincheth and pricketh with three great and deepe wounds: The first to the bone, the second to the braine, the third to the heart; to the bones in tiring and wearying men in getting riches: to the braines, in great care to keepe them being gotten, as pricking thornes amongst the which the diuine seede of Gods words sowen fructifieth not. Math. 13.8.9. The last cut which is most greiuous that is to the heart, in leauing and losing them, yea, and with his owne selfe, his owne soule, his owne life, yea life both of body and soule, too deere a price for so vile a thing, in selling his soule for sinne, Therefore Christ saith: Math. 16.26. What shall it auaile me to winne the whole world, and loose mine owne soule?

Let vs remember the couetous caterpillar, and meale-mouthed Farmer, that was not con­tented with his barnes full of Corne and much wealth, how hee was in a monent satisfied with a mouthfull of dust, and, which was most la­mentable, his soule taken from him; I feare hee hath many sons this day liuing, whom I would haue take notice hereof, and see Gods iudge­ment is such, that their wealth shall bee turned into woe, their plenty into scarcity, their pros­perity into pouerty, their solace into sorrow, their gladnesse into sadnesse, their mirth into mourning, their pleasure into paine, their tran­quility into calamity.

I reade in ancient writing, Is [...]od. that old men did picture Mercury, one of the Planets, like to a [Page 24] couetous Merchant, hauing in his mouth a thorny tongue, with wings spread abroad in the middest, seeming glittering gold, and vpon his head a cocke: The morallity of this story may be thus applied: The thorny tongue may repre­sent the deceiptfull words, false oaths, and fraudulent dealing of cruell couetous men, in bargaining, buying, and selling with men: The wings may represent the hast, speed, and celeri­ty that coueteous men vse in gathering of wealth, in trauelling from Market to Market, from Towne to Towne, from Kingdome to Kingdome, ouer Sea and Land, omitting no time, occasion, or oportunity: Glittering and shining may signifie the gaine of gold, seeming like fire, for gold may bee compared to fire, a little whereof is sufficient to warme a man, but too much burneth: Gold & gaine, in good, ho­nest, and lawfull sort gotten, prospereth with a man, but by vniust and vnlawfull manner ga­thered damneth a man: Well gotten, and well vsed it helpeth, but wickedly gotten and wicked­ly vsed it hurteth.

The cocke representeth the carefull vigilan­cy that possesseth couetous mens minds, who rise vp earely and lie downe late, taking their rest but vntill the cocke croweth, or the clocke striketh.

Thus the description of a couetous mans life is expressed: and Iob hath a notable Epitaph at his death, to be ingraued vpon his Tomb, Hee is dried vp and withered, Iob. 6.17. and in time consumed, and when it is hot he falleth from his place; before he [Page 25] departeth from his way and course of life: A wor­thy note for shunning the like, and a fearefull iudgement vpon them that follow the coue­tous affections of this wicked world, and for­sake Christ whom they are bound to follow vp­on forfeiture of saluation, and paine of con­demnation.

Let vs not settle our affections vpon earthly things, hunting after the vnsatiable desire of worldly wealth, like the mole or want that ma­keth many holes and diggeth many dennes in the earth, and yet is not satisfied but still labou­reth and diggeth: Let vs not build many houses, digge many sellars, buy many Farmes, fill many barnes, and yet bee vnsatiable and vnthankfull, and in all our aboundance and plenty will not say, Blessed be the name of the Lord, which Iob did in his greatest pouerty: The couetous cormo­rant when his barnes were full and his house fur­nished, was satisfied, saying as it were, Soule thou hast sufficient, eate, drinke, take thine ease; But some hauing enough, and more then enough, are not satisfied, but would with sathan com­passe the whole world if they might: Seeing therefore that couetousnesse keepeth vs from following Christ, the ready way to heauen, and leadeth vs the headlong way to hell, let vs as the Apostle exhorteth: Bee followers of God, as deere children.

The other let that holdeth men backe from following God, is Pride, and it is no small ene­my to mankind, although now it is accompted no sinne: It caused the Angell with many his [Page 26] Associates to loose heauen, it caused Adam and Eue to loose Paradice, and it will bee a cause to exclude and debarre vs of the Kingdome of heauen, vnlesse wee humble our selues and fol­low Christ, as dutifull schollars, learning the lesson which he hath taught vs, saying: Learne of mee, for I am humble and meeke of heart: Againe hee saith, Hee that exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low; Prouerb. 16.18 Salomon telleth, that pride goeth before, and destruction followeth after: And the old Writer Gregory Gregory. saith: As humilty is a signe of election and approbation, so pride is a signe of reie­ction and reprobation. Pride may fitly be compa­red to a pale horse, Reuel. 6.8.9. The name of him that rideth thereon is death, and hell followeth after: Pale it is, for that it wanteth the cheerefull and comfor­table complexion of godly charity, and death rideth on it, for death is the wages of pride, which the deuill knew right well, who by pride brought spirituall death on all, and hell follow­eth after, being the place prepared for all proud persons, who are betraied by pride in their owne bodies and members: As Absolon conspired his fathers death by offering giftes to his fathers subiects: And Eue for a proud minde to bee like vnto God, was made more vnlike, and defaced the image of God in her selfe, and thereby lost Paradice: Pride is a sinne that God hateth; all other sins flie from God, but pride stubbornely standeth with the hauty Pharisee and faceth with God: Therefore, he that will bee a follower of Christ must forsake pride.

For a proud man is

• 1 Deo odibilis To God odible
• 2 Diabolo similis Like to the diuil
• 3 & sibi damna­bilis. and to himselfe damnable.

Three sortes of men my soule hateth, &c. 1 The first whereof is a proud man: Eccle. 25.2. examples in the Angels, and in men wee haue in no small num­ber.

2 The deuill is the Prince of pride, and father of proud men, and as the seruants of Christ, and children of God are knowne by charity and humility; so the seruants of sinne and sonnes of Sathan, are knowne by pride and cru­eltie.

3 Hee is hurtfull to himselfe, Examples wee haue, amongst diuers others, of Iesabell, Reu. 18 7. Esay 47.8. of the proud strumpet of Babylon, of Senecharib, &c. who soaring aloft with their proud plumes, being at the highest pitch of their exaltation, were throwne downe head-long and plunged in the deepe lake and dungeon of destruction, and as the wolfe followeth the prey, and the Hunter followeth the wolfe to destroy him: so as man followeth pride, punishment followeth proud men to destroy them. Vir (que) scelus sequitur paena (que) iusta virum.

Now the third let that hindereth vs in fol­lowing Christ is voluptuousnesse, which al­though in our time it is accompted but a sport: yet it is a canker that eateth vp vertue in a man which is eternall: Augustine. This vice old men should [Page 28] loath, and yong men should leaue, but by experi­ence many, yea too many yong men, being trai­ned vp by their carefull parents, either in vertu­ous schools, or honest trades of life, leaue man­ners with their Maisters, vertue in the schools, & run astray with the prodigal son, luxuriousty spē ­ding their portions: others, leauing their trades with their Maisters, & science in the shops; with Esau sell their Birth-right for a messe of volup­tuous pottage, in the kitchin of wantonnesse spending their time in sathans Synagogue of wickednesse: The more pitty that they haue so little piety, seeing it is not the losse onely of Temporall goods, but the losse of the Kingdom of heauen; and one ancient father saith; Iustum est vt qui peccata vti voluisset aeternaliter si potuisset, aeternaliter paenam sustinere cogeretur, it is requi­site that hee that would vse sinne alwaies, if hee could, should continually bee constrained to suffer punishment, which that wee may escape let vs both old and yong cease to be voluptuous and turne to be zealous in following of Christ, for as long as wee harbour this vice in our hearts, wee carry (as Vrias did) letters to our owne destruction, and as long as wee greedily follow after it, we do follow it (as Asahel follow­ed Abner) to our owne death.

Thus wee may see these great, grosse, and grieuous sinnes do stoppe, dampe, and rampire the way against vs to keepe vs out of heauen, as they excluded our first parents out of Paradise, and thereby displaced & dis-inherited vs of the possession and interest thereof, if wee hate him [Page 29] that vndermineth & beguileth vs of our earthly inheritance, as Esau hated his brother Iacob: how much more should we detest these sins, that de­fraud vs of our celestiall habitation?

We do exceedingly hate him that killeth our father or mother: how much more then should we hate these sins that haue brought death and mortality vpon all our parents, our selues and our posterity.

The second Obstacle. Audacia defensionis.

THe second obstacle that fettereth the feet of our affection, is the boldnesse of defen­ding or excusing sin: this was in Adam after hee had transgressed by cōmitting the foresaid sins, beeing vrged by Almighty God to confesse his fault, still defended & excused his offences: So there are many of Adams children that will not (although they see and know their owne naked­nesse) cōfesse it: but are lesse ashamed to cōmit sin, then to confesse their sins to God, & repent. As Nahash would haue had the right eyes of the people of Iabes Gilead to be put out, 1. Sam. 11.2. & to bring that shame vpon the Israelites: so that spirituall Nahash seeketh by his subtilty, to haue the right eie, wherby we are brought to the sight & know­ledge of our sins, to bee put out, and so to bring shame and confusion vpon vs: like the Rauen, that first of all striketh out the silly sheepes eye, that he may not escape his tyranny: so Sathan would haue vs not to see the shame of our sins: and when for want of shame we haue sinned, he would haue vs ashamed to confesse them, and repent.

I read on a time, a pretty familiar history (a­greeable heereunto) of certaine religious and well disposed persons, confessing their sinnes, to whom the Diuell approched; whom, when a godly and reuerend father espied, he asked him how he durst, or to what end hee came so neere such godly persons at so good an exercise: who made this answere: I come (said he) to restore that which long agone I haue taken from them. The godly man maruelling that the Diuell was become a restorer, (exceeding many Christians that scarcely think on restitution) demanded of him what that was. Shame, said he, which I took from thē in cōmiting of sin, & now I bring it to them againe, to keep them frō cōfessing of their sins. Thus we see that the Diuell would haue vs not to bee ashamed to sin, but ashamed to con­fesse our sins & repent: therfore whē we should forsake our sins, and follow Christ, if wee shall perceiue any vnwillingnesse in vs to performe this duty, let vs know from whence it came: and so in despite of Sathan put off his visard, and vn­maske our selues, that wee may see these dange­rous caribdes, & auoid them, and so follow Christ our precursor, our grand-captaine & protector.

The last part. As deere Children.

CHildren in the Scripture are diuers wayes taken, besides them that come of their pa­rents, bloud, and generation: and besides them which are in the right descending line of the same linage or stocke.

For sometime subiects are called children: [Page 31] Dauid spake thus to Saul the King: My Father, 1 Sam. 24.12. behold, behold, &c. Thus Abimelech was called King and Father. Also these are called Chil­drē that succed others in title or right of inheri­tance. Thus Ieconias, that neuer had childe, is sayd to beget Salathiel, because he was the next of Dauids stocke; Ierem. 22.30. who therefore succeded Ieco­nias in the kingdome of Iudah.

They that are guided by the councell of o­thers, are called children: so Ioseph sayd: Gen. 45.8. God hath made me a father to Pharaoh.

Seruants sometime are called children: The seruants of Naaman sayd vnto him: Father, 2. Kings. 5.13. if the Prophet had commanded thee a great thing, wouldst not thou haue done it?

Yonger men and women are called children, in respect of their elders: Rebuke not an Elder, 1. Tim. 5.1.2. but exhort him as a Father, the elder women as mo­thers.

They which are vnder the tuition or helpe of others, are called children: so Iob sayd; Iob. 29.16. he was a father to the poore.

Scollers were called the sonnes of the Pro­phets: Elizeus said to Elias, My father, my father. 2. Kings. 2.12.

Hearers are called children in respect of their pastors and teachers: 1. Kings 13.11. Paul saith to the Corinthi­ans; yee haue many teachers, but not many fathers. And to the Galat. he saith: My little children, Gal. 4.19. of whom I trauell in birth againe, vntil Christ be for­med in you. All true beleeuers are said to be deere children in this Scripture, by the Apostles do­ctrine, shewing his fatherly loue, and tender care ouer them that imitate Christ. Rom. 9.8. The true [Page 32] children of Abraham are they that imitate him in faith.

Math. 21.28. Luke 15.11.As in the parable of the Gospell it is recor­ded, that a man had two sonnes, the one perfor­ming his fathers wil, the other neglecting it: the one frugall, the other prodigall. Likewise

Abraham had two sonnes, Ismael and Isaac, but Isaac onely free-borne: so there are two sorts of children; one, the children of God: the other, the children of the world.

The children of God are they which are vnited to God by adoption, as Brothers and Sisters in Christ, by hearing of the word of God, & kee­ping it. These are my brethren (saith Christ) that heare the word, and keepe it.

The children of the world are they which fa­shion themselues like vnto the world, setting & setling their affections on worldly things: but the children of God are changed in their shape, by renewing of their minds, they are of another fashion, they are of a new birth, of the spirituall kindred of Christ by regeneration. The childrē of God do follow Christ, the children of the world do follow it, and are led by it: but the chil­dren of God are led by the spirit of God. The children of the world haue their whole trust & confidence in worldy things: Rom. 8.14. but the children of God are predestinated to bee his adopted children, Ephes. 1.5. by faith in Christ. It is the greatest pre­ferment in this world, amongst the children of the world, to be made the heire of a King, Em­perour, or Prince, and to bee in great account with men in this world: but the children of God [Page 33] are of greater account with God and godly men, both in this world, and in the world to come.

The children of Kings are attended by noble men, and great personages, and guarded with strong men; yet all but men, whose breath is in their nostrils, whose hands cannot accomplish the deuises of their hearts: But the children of God are guided by God himselfe, whose eye is alwayes ouer the righteous, they are guarded by Angels: Psalm. 34.15. The Angels of God shall pitch their tents round about them that feare him.

The children of the world doe take delight in such pleasures as the world doth affoord them; as carnall security, worldly prosperity, beastly sen­suality, couetousnesse, pride, luxury, idlenesse, and such like. But the pleasures that God affoordeth his deere children, are such as neither the world can giue them, nor take from them: As the loue of righteousnesse, delight in the law of God, Psalm. 1.2. pa­tience in affliction, loue of them that excell in vertue, and such like.

The riches of the children of the world, are gold, siluer, houses, lands, lordships, rents, reuenues, and such like: which theeues may steale, rust may fret, fire may consume, water may drowne, plague may infect, time may weare out, and death may end. But the riches of Gods children are the word of God, firme faith, forgiuenesse of sins, freedome from hell, liberty with the Saints, the spirit of con­tentation, peace of conscience, continuall ioy in the holy Ghost; and a kingdome of glory in hea­uen, which no theefe can steale, no rust can cor­rupt, no fire can consume, no water can drowne, [Page 34] no plague can infect, no time can weare out, no death can end.

The children of God are shrowded vnder the wings of his mercy; but the children of the world are subiect vnder the weapons of his iustice, and a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of God in such a case. If the children, that were disobedi­ent to their parents in the time of the law, by the law were stoned to death for their disobedience towards their earthly parents: Deut. 21.21. how much more are the wilfull and wicked children of the world in danger of the father of heauen, and God of heauen, and earth, for their disloialty and disobe­dience in forsaking God, and following the world? If the children of the righteous that of­fend God haue not escaped Gods seuere punish­ment, how shall the vngracious children of vn­godly parents abide it? If the sonnes of Eli, and the sonnes of Dauid were punished by death, as the reward and wages of their sinnes, without par­don or partiality; although Eli was the holy Priest of God, and Dauid the Princely Prophet of God: the one high in Gods fauour, the other as great in his loue. How then shal [...] the euill egge of a bad bird escape vncrushed? [...] King. 2.23.24

If the children that mocked the prophet, were by Gods iudgement torne in peeces, and deuou­red of Beares: how shall these prophane scof­fers, and deriders of the Gospell, and professors thereof escape Gods fearefull iudgements?

God loueth those children that imitate their parents good examples, and follow them as they follow Christ.

The Apostle in this our Text, maketh a distin­ction betweene the children of God and the children of the world; terming the children of God, Deere Children. Deerely beloued, and deere­ly are they purchased with the precious and pricelesse bloud of his best loued Sonne Christ; whom as zealously they ought to follow for his grace, 2. Kings 2. as Elisha followed Elias for his mantle and spirit. If children follow their parents, and obey their precepts for an earthly and terrestriall in­heritance, should we not much more obey our heauenly Father for an heauenly and coelestiall heritage, assured to his deere children, that fol­low him, as he hath by his deerely beloued sonne, in his sacred word taught them.

The manner how we should follow him, is by the Apostle plainly expressed: to wit, As deere Children, according to Christs owne words; af­firming that whosoeuer will enter into the king­dome of heauen, must bee as a little Childe, in­nocent, humble and meeke: Not clothed with couetousnesse, puffed with pride, nor with vo­luptuousnesse: For to such (saith Christ our pre­cursor) belongeth the Kingdome of heauen. Yong and vnacquainted with grosse sinnes are most fit to follow God in the prime-time of their yeares, in the maiden-head of their age, giuing him the first fruits of their loue.

Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was knowne by the name of the Disciple whom IESVS lo­ued. So was yong Samuel fauoured of God. So was Dauid, a man after Gods owne heart: for hee was a man that followed God from his youth. [Page 36] So was little Daniel, a great man with God: a lit­tle man amongst men, but a great Prophet of God. This religious affection of vertuous youth Saint Paul learned of Christ, and taught it to his scholler Timothy, and other Churches which he had by the word planted. But if we seeke to vrge the youth of our time thereunto, they will thinke that wee come before our time; as though they might be licenced to run a wilfull and wic­ked course, Math, 8, 29, and will bee ready to tell vs (as the Diuell told Christ) that wee torment them be­fore their time. The Prodigall sonne was the yonger.

Christ our heauenly king is gone before vs, and hath opened the gate of heauen: otherwise there had beene no passage at all; yet he telleth vs, that the gate is straight, Math, 7, 14, and there are few that enter in thereat: therefore we must striue, straine, and stoope, if we intend to enter in. First, wee must strippe our selues out of the old habite of sinne: for if sinne lye at the doore, Gen. 4.7, it will stop our pas­sage, as it did Caines: whether it, these grosse and grieuous sinnes, or any other beloued sin, which wee so tenderly harbour and foster in our hearts, like a rocke, or an heape of sand, will stoppe and damme vp the gate. Therefore we must, like little children, creep low, and humble our selues: for if wee put on the true habit of humility and meeke­nesse, Sathan cannot hinder vs. As the Serpents will not come into the vineyard when vines bring forth their blossomes, no more will the old Ser­pent, and author of pride come neere vs, if we, like fruitfull branches, bud the blossomes of humility. [Page 37] The want of this vertue cast Nebuchadnezar out of his earthly Kingdome, and we must haue it or else we shall not enter into the heauenly Kingdome. The Pharisee swelled in his owne proud conceit, and therefore hee was too bigge to enter in, but the poore Publican stooped and went in, little Zacheus was a great rich man, but he diminish'd himselfe by restitution & giuing to the poore, he descended from the lofty branches to the roote of humility, and so entred in. This gate (it should seeme) was made for none to enter, but for these that are as children. Math. 18.3. Verily I say vnto you (saith Christ) except yee become as little children, yee can­not enter into the kingdome of God.

How acceptable is the morning sacrifice of our tender age vnto God, no sacrifice of beasts was more welcome to God then yong kids or lambs, none of birds more acceptable then yong pige­ons or Turtle doues: Manna was to be gathered in the morning before the Sun arose.

If we follow God as deere children, God will take vs for his children, and this is no small signe of Gods mercy, so much to fauour, and so high­ly to grace vs with the title of his children, that wee may call him father: Well, and worthily may he be called a father, for he is omnium Crea­tor fidelium (que) Pater, the Creator of all men and Father of the faithfull, and therefore it is written, Is not hee thy Father that hath bought thee, and that made thee, and proportioned thee? Deut. 32.6. Yea without doubt, God is our Father, if we will obey him, an euerliuing and an euerlasting Father, as it is also written: Doubtlesse, thou art our Father, Esay 63.16. though A­braham [Page 38] be ignorant of vs, and Israel know vs not, yet thou ô Lord art our Father and our Redeemer, thy name is for euer. If he be our Father, and our Lord, we should honour and feare him. Mallac. 1.6. A sonne hono­reth his father, and a seruant his maister, If then I bee a Father where is my honour? If I bee a Maister where is my feare, saith the Lord of Hosts? If therefore ye call him Father, 1. Pet. 1.17. which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke, passe the time of your dwelling here in feare, saith the Apostle.

In all our miseries and feare we are imboldened by the Spirit of Christ to call God our Father, as we may reade: Gal. 4.6. Because yee are sonnes, God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts, which cryeth Abba Father. Math. 23.9. Wherefore Christ commandeth vs to call no man father on earth, (that is, in faith and religion) a reason he giueth, saying: There is but one your Father which is in heauen, he is a father that made both body and soule, and is ready to saue both, when earthly parents forsake vs, he will take vs; when they leaue vs, he will receiue vs; when they will not, and cannot help vs, he can and will help vs; when they dye, hee liueth, for hee is an euerlasting and an euerliuing Father: first and last, the beginning and the end, a beginning, without beginning, and an end without end.

Many children bragge and boast of their pa­rents gentry, and they accompt it a great honour to be called the sonne of a King, as Dauid said, when hee should marry Sauls daughter, Doe you thinke it a small thing to be a Kings sonne? Should the children of God thinke it a small thing to be [Page 39] the sonnes and daughters of the King of Kings, and Lord of all Lords, King of heauen and earth?

He is worthily called a Father, for he is.

• Pater sanctitatis. The Father of sanctity.
• Pater potestatis. The Father of power.
• Pater pietatis. The Father of piety.

The Father of sanctity and holynesse, and therefore Christ saith; Iohn 17.17. Father sanctifie them in the truth.

The father of power, because hee can doe all things, therefore he that knew best, said; Mark. 14.36. All things are possible to thee.

The Father of piety and mercy, and therefore the Apostle calleth him, The Father of mercy, 2. Cor. 1.3. and God of consolation.

Seeing he is the Father of mercy we ought to pray to him with deuotion, For Christ saith, Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name, Iohn 16.23. he will giue it you.

Seeing he is the Father of power we ought to honour him, with humble obedience: therefore the Holy-Ghost by the Prophet Malachy saith: Mallac. 1.6. The Sonne honoureth the Father, &c.

Seeing he is the Father of mercy, we ought to follow and imitate him in mercy; as Christ com­mandeth vs, saying: Luk. 6.36. Bee yee mercifull as your Father is mercifull.

And seeing he is the Father of power, of holy­nesse and mercy, of him as dutifull children, wee should (bowing the knees of hearts) seeke a bles­nng: Isaac his sonne said to his father, Hast thou [Page 40] but one blessing: But the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob hath a blessing for euery faithfull child of his, yea a triple benediction: Benedictio preueni­ens, benedictio adiuuans, & benedictio consummans, His blessing preuenting, his blessing assisting, and his blessing consummating or finishing: The first of his mercy, the second of his grace, the third of his glory; The first of our conuersion, the se­cond of our conuersation, the third of our glo­rification.

The first Benediction: Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne: Blessed is he whose sinnes are remitted.

The second: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walkes in his waies.

The third and last benediction: Come yee blessed children of my Father, receiue the kingdome pre­pared for you from the beginning of the world.