According to thy word.

When Sathan hath once possessed [...] thē profits and pleasures bring vs to our posses­sion, and though they do so professe religiō and godlinesse, yet they can neuer haue anie comfort by it all their life. For their owne [Page] hearts accuse them for hypocrites, because they wayte not for the consolation of God according to his word, & whatsoeuer is not done according to that word can not be ac­ceptable: and this word they care not for, neither set it in any estimation. When Adā seeth his nakednesse, the suttle serpent can deceiue no longer, but before he saw his na­kednesse, he is euer deceiued, and led away with the multitude into innumerable er­rors. Some say they shall be saued by mercy, and some thinke by good workes, and some by the Popes pardon, others say by Purga­torie, and these will haue a Masse song for them as long as the world standeth, and all for one sillie soule thinking to be saued by it, & yet see their blindnesse, for they seeme to thinke, that their torment shall not ceasse as long as the world stādeth, else why should they find and hire men to say Masse for thē so long? But these are the fat morsels of Bels priests, & for this cause is the Popish Creed made verie fauourable to the Clergie. Well, say that ignorance is the mother of their de­uotion, for when the couetousnesse of the priests and the ignorance of the people ioy­ned together, then they inuented Purgato­rie, Masses, prayers for the dead, and then all their trinkets. For if they had not held [Page 19] our fathers in ignorance, they would neuer haue bin Papists. But when they cast a mist before the eyes of men, then the blind fel in­to the diteh which doth containe so manie grosse corruptions.

I shewed vpon this woord seruant, that the godly would not leaue this priuiledge for all the riches in the world, for that they are the seruaunts of God, fellowes to An­gels and princes: for we serue him whom Salomon serued who is blessed for euer▪ Eue­rie seruingman beares the cognisance of his maister vpon his sleeue. But what will the Lord say when he commeth and findeth vs marked with the badge of Sathan? surely he will say, giue vnto Sathan that which is Sa­thans, for all the houses of Israell are sprin­kled with the blood of the Lambe, and all Exod. 12. Ezech. 9. Reuel. 10. the mourners are marked, and al the chosen are sealed with the seale of the liuing God.

Well, was it sayd the poore receiue the Gospell? The young men are more forward in the truth, and more zelous then the aged. Once the younger brother stole away the blessing frō the elder, therefore the elder ha­ted him euen for his zeale, & whē was Iacob hated more then he is now? when was he so hated and persecuted as he is now by Esau? Yet in the old time men were more zealous [Page] in their age then euer we heare of them to be in their youth, yea they were zealous in the Lords businesse. Age hindered not Noah Gen. 6. from building of the Arke when God com­maunded him, age hindered not Sim [...]on frō reioycing and mirth when he beheld & em­braced the Lord Iesus Christ. Then old Si­meon embraced Christ, and he enioyed him with heartie ioy in zeale, but now where is old Simeon? there are but few of them to be seene comming to the Temple to receiue Christ, but now yong men receiue, yong Dan. 1. 1. Sam. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 4. Philemō 10 Simeons, yong Daniels, yong Samuels, yong Timothies, and yong Onesimus, and the yong infants begin to speake againe. The yong haue him, they are zealous, and I hope they wil keepe him though old men neglect him. Sathan thou hast too much for nothing al­readie.

Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation.

He which beginneth to roote out some error or superstition, at the first shall haue much a do, for custome and natural corrup­tion are the first causers of heresie, and shall crie against her in the maintenance thereof, and withstanders of reformation shall say, great is Diana of Ephesus, and so for a long [Page 21] time they seeme to wash the Ethiopian or the blacke More, the more they wash him the more they gall him, and yet he is an E­thiopian still, but in the end the Arke stan­deth and Dagon falleth downe, & truth tri­umpheth 1. Sam. 5. ouer falshood, hauing got the vi­ctorie, & light chaseth away darknesse with the brightnesse thereof. To him that asketh what scripture haue you against it? it is suffi­cient to answer, what scripture haue you for it? Is not this enough to ouerthrow it, that for euerie idle word you must giue account, as our sauiour Christ saith. And againe saith God, who hath required these things at your hands? They aske, what, shall we not say God be with them? Why should you? I pray Esa. 1. 2. Sam. 12. you what said Dauid of his child? he said no such thing, but thus, he is gone, and will not returne, but I shal follow him. If he be a good man, we say the Lord be thanked for his de­liuerance, but if he be not, then we say, God graunt we may do better then he hath done, that by his fall we may learne to rise from sinne. Therefore as Iacob said to his wiues Gen. 35. and children, giue me your idols that I may burie them: so say I vnto you, giue me your superstitions that I may burie thē, that they may remaine with you or in you no longer, to the dishonor of God, offending of your [Page] weake brethren, or to my griefe, for I am iealous ouer you, because seeing you are mine and I am yours, ô that my voyce were as the whirlwind, to beate downe, root out, and blow away all your superstitions, that they may no lōger raigne among you. Now to my text.

For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation.

Because the holy Ghost by inspiration had declared vnto him, that he should not die til he had seene Iesus Christ, therfore the same spirit led him to the temple, & shewed him that which it promised, & hauing seene the same he desireth and wisheth to die, and be released from this earthly prison, that he might liue with God. As idle & euil wishes are vaine, because they are not according to faith, nor grounded vpon the word of God: so though we aske as cunningly as Iacob, and as earnestly as the sonnes of Zebede, yet if we aske not in faith according to knowledge, Mar. 10. we can not obtaine, for we must aske so that we may receiue, that we may not returne emptie.

Then we see that the principal cause that moued Simeon to wish for death, was, be­cause he had seene his sauiour, and the true Messias which was promised by the father, figured by the law, spoken of by the Pro­phets, [Page 23] and foretold by the fathers, and poin­ted at by Iohn Baptist, he embraced. What desire should he haue of life, when life, and ioy, and peace, and the verie brightnesse of the image of God appeared vnto him, for all his life is but a pilgrimage of sorow and of griefe, yea & a continuall combat with sin, therfore what should he feare death. But he might haue sayd, long haue I wayted in pa­tience, but what is all the time that is past, and the life that is to come to an ende? My kingdome is not of this world, and yet I Iohn 18. haue a kingdome, whereof I am certified now I see thy saluation thou hast promised, and now is thy promise fulfilled, therefore blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Mat. 5. righteousnesse, for none shall haue this food but they that hūger for it. The murmuring Isrraelites died in the wildernesse, & might Num. 11. & 14. and 16. and 21. &c. not so much as see the land of Canaan, be­cause they murmured against their God. As Moses died on the mount where he saw the land of Canaan: so the godly die in the sight Deut. 34. of God & in the contemplation of his glo­rie, like Steuen, who at the verie instant of Act. 7. his death saw the heauens open, and Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of his father, and like Simeon here, which died not till he saw the Lord of life, and till he embraced [Page] him thankfully in his armes. Beloued you are not ignorant that the great day of the Lord is neare at hand, and therfore they that haue not yet seene Christ, they that haue not yet embraced him, but still sleepe without oyle in their lamps, shall suddenly be ouer­taken without the wedding garment, and shall be cast into eternall torment for euer.

Mine eyes haue se [...]ne thy saluation &c.

Then we see that Christ was no spirit, nei­ther was his bodie a fantasticall bodie, for if he were a spirit Simeon could not see him, & if his bodie were a fantasticall bodie, then could not he haue embraced him. Therfore we see that the wordes of the Scripture are true, which saith, that Christ was perfect man in all things, sinne onely excepted. For he sometime wept, as at the death of Laza­rus, and likewise ouer Ierusalem. Sometime Iohn 11. Luke 19. Iohn 4. Luke. 10. Luke 5. he thirsted, as at the well where the woman of Samaria disputed with him: & also some­time eate, as at Marthaes house, as also amōg Publicans and sinners, which in euery thing shewed him selfe to be perfect man.

For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation &c.

O Lord saith he, I desire now to be dis­solued, and free from the bondage of sinne▪ which so long hath inhabited in my mortall bodie, for now he is come, by whom thou [Page 25] hast promised to free vs and set vs at liberty, he is come by whom thou hast promised to breake the serpents head, and he is come that will heale our infirmities, and giue strength against sinne and Sathan by faith, & peace towards God through loue. And now saith he, I haue embraced him, and thankfully do receiue him, I beleeue and am perswaded that this is the same Messias whom the Fa­ther promised, and the Prophets [...]oretold, all Israel lōged & expected for, who is the light of the Gentils, the glory of Israel, & the God of the whole world. Simeon was desirous to liue no longer in this mortall life, when he saw perfect life, but like Adam when he Gen. 3. came out of Paradice, was desirous to come in againe, or like the fish which is taken in the net out of the sea struggleth to get in a­gaine. Seeing now he is come for whom Si­meon longed, therfore what are the troubles that are past, and the sorowes that are come to an end? So they which loue the trueth of God, and waite with desire to be filled with the knowledge therof, such shal not die vn­till they haue their hearts desire with contē ­plation thereof. For as Peter was sent to Act. 10. Act. 8. Cornelius, and Philip to the Eunuch: so the Lord will stirre vp such of his sernaunts, as may be fit instruments to minister the same [Page] vnto vs.

Mine eyes haue seene thy saluation, &c.

Iudas died before the time, and liued not to see Christ crucified, but the Disciples which loued Iesus did see him die like an vndefiled and innocent lambe, and that to their exceeding comfort and ioy, whē they vnderstood, how that he suffered death for loue of them & for their redemption. Now if Christ can not hide him from such as hū ­ger after him through loue, then what shall we say of our fathers which liued in the time of ignorance, that longed to see this light, although they had a mist cast before their eyes? surely such died not til they saw Christ and embraced him in their hearts. And this is our iudgemēt concerning them that died in the time of Poperie, and likewise as con­cerning the rest, which thought to be saued by Purgatory and Masses after that they are dead, we say that they which sleepe without oyle in their lampes, they die [...]re they are a­ware of, & ere they wish for it, like the Phi­listines which sent for Sampson to laugh & Iupg. 16. mocke at him, and to sport them selues, vpō whom the house fel and destroyed them all, or like the Egyptians, which thought that Exod. 14. the waters had made passage for them aswel as for the Israelites, both which died in and [Page 27] for their securitie, because they were not watchful nor prepared against the Lord cal­led them.

Haue seene &c. There be manie sights of Christ, all go not vp to the mount, as Peter Iames and Iohn, all see not his face with Mo­ses, Mat. 17. Exod. 33. Iohn 13. 2. [...]o [...]. 12. 2. all sleepe not in his lap with Iohn, all are not taken vp into heauen like Paule, all em­brace him not in their armes with Simeon. But as pleaseth God, so he sheweth him self vnto vs, and all that loue him both see him and imbrace him.

To some he shewes him self as in a glasse, to some generally, to some particularly, some he calleth early, and some he calleth late, and Mat. 20. there is no hower in the day wherein he cal­leth not some to go labour in his vineyard. To some he sheweth him selfe by Angels, & to other some by visions. Abraham saw three Gen. 18. Gen. 19. Iud. 13. Iohn 8. Angels, Lot saw but two, Manoahs wife saw but one, and yet one was enough. It is sayd that Abraham saw Christ his dayes, but we see him cleerer then Abraham, and cleerer then Iohn, if we beleeue in him as we should. Some see Christ and not his saluation, and some see his saluation, and do not embrace it. We see Christ when we heare his word, and we embrace his saluation when we be­leeue it, they see him that heare him, they [Page] imbrace him that follow him. Here if they had heard me, I would haue searched Ieru­salē with lampes, to see who sitteth in dark­nesse. But how can they beleeue the word of God which heare it not? How can they imbrace Christ which know him not, no not though they see him, and all through igno­rance, hauing not the meanes to see him, be­cause their leaders are either blinde guides, sleepie watchmen, or hireling shepheards. And surely it is a woful case, whē shepherds go to taske, and let their owne sheepe alone sommer and winter. They sheare them, but neither sommer nor winter do they feede them. How should those people vnder their charge see Christ & his saluation, when they are so neglected of the wholsome foode, and euen starued to death manie thousands of their soules, because they haue not the food which nourisheth the soule vnto saluation: and how many be there which are as old as Simeon, and yet haue not imbraced Christ Iesus? yea they know him not though they see him, neither do they wayt for his com­ming, because they haue no desire to imbrace him, and therefore they deferre that, & put it off from their youth to their middle age, from their middle age to their old age, from their old age to death, and so they can haue [Page 29] no leasure in all their life to imbrace him. But to such as do seeke him, and wayte for him with vnfained diligence, we say as the Angell said to the women at the sepulcher, feare not, you seeke the Lord Iesus. How is Iohn. 21. this world set to deceiue vs? we can find lea­sure to do euill at anie time, but we can find no leasure in all our life long to do good.

I haue somewhat to say to you of this pa­rish, a daintie was prepared for you, and you let the strangers take it from you. You were required to a fast, and you did feast your selues, you were required to come and pray vnto the Lord, and to humble your selues in his sight, that he may turne away his wrath from you, & you let the temple stand open and emptie for your parts, and your shops were as open, and you were about your mar­chandise, forsaking God and seeking to win the vniust Mammon, and the vanities of the world.

For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation &c.

You may see what deepe root sinne takes when custome is added vnto it, therfore you had neede all of you to take my part, for though I and you fight against it neuer so long, yet some of his darts sticke in vs still. He which beleeueth him, doth that which pleaseth him, and he that hath no will to [Page] please him doth that which delites him selfe, and he that offers him selfe to be reformed by the word of God is offred in truth. But what, shall I shake off the dust of my feet as a witnesse against you, and say, let them that will perish, perish? Nay I will rather wash Naaman yet seuen times, that I might make him cleane if he will be cleansed. If you haue no Scripture for it, then thinke frō whence you haue receiued it. If you haue no reason for it, then thinke from whence you haue learned it. If you haue no example for it, thē thinke whence it first came or sprong vnto Frō poperie. you.

Thy saluation. Thereby to shew, that he came not by Angels, or by men, or by anie other meanes, but onely from the alone and eternall God. He calleth him thy saluation, for his name was not giuen him by Ioseph nor by Marie, but by the Angell of God, Mat. 1. Luke. 1. signifying that he was come from heauen, the father saw him when he was borne, the spirit came vpon him when he was bapti­zed, the Angels ministred vnto him in the Luke 3. Luke 4. Mat. 27. Mat. 2. wildernes, his enemies subscribed vnto him vpon the crosse, the Virgine trauelled, the starre walked, the wise men came out of far countreyes to worship him, then is not this Iehouah the mightie God, whose birth is [Page 31] glorious, whose life is famous, whose death is m [...]ritorious. None can take vpon him the authoritie of God, but he, on whose shoul­ders the Lord layeth it, being sent of God & from God. Then we see that our Sauiour is the true Sauiour sent from God, for all crea­tures beare witnesse vnto him, yea the verie deuils, with all the euill spirits do obey his voyce, at whose name all knees do bow. He Mar. 1. Phil. 2. came not to bring health, wealth, pleasures, or profits, for the which if he had, then mul­titudes of worldlings would haue followed him: but he came to bring saluation, righte­ousnesse, peace, truth and life, therefore few care for him. He came to saue sinners, not all sinners, not euery one that saith Lord Lord, Mat. 7. Luke 5. but he came to saue penitent sinners, which turned vnto God by their repentance, ther­fore he prayeth in Iohn for those onely that Iohn 17. were giuen vnto him. So soone as the seed is sowen, the stones bruse it, the thornes choke it, and the sunne doth parch it: and what comfort hath the lillie among thornes? ther­fore wisedome taketh her vnto her wings, & whispereth saying, you shal seeke me before I come, you shall seeke me but shal not find Pro. 1. me, because ye haue refused me when I of­fred my selfe vnto you.

Christ is their saluation that beleeue in [Page] [...]im and make much of him, and thankfully receiue him. The godly he deliuereth from sinne, but the wicked he leaueth bound in the chaines of their iniquitie, to be tormen­ted of him which had tempted them there­unto, whose will they alwayes endeuoured to fulfill & not the Lords, he sheweth them a hand vpon the wal writing their condem­nation, Dan. 5. and another catching them by the hairie scalpe, which maketh all their ioynts to tremble and their heats to despaire, and he saith vnto them, what doest thou here without thy wedding garment? how darest Mat. 20. thou come to steale away the childrēs bread? The spirit of Saule worketh in him in his 1. Sam. 16. bed and euerie where, and he calleth for the harpe of Dauid to comfort his heart which can not be comforted. And this spirit sayth to Iudas, thou hast betrayed thy Lord and Mat. 27. crucified him, therefore go and hang thy self, for it sticketh within thee like the mark of Cain. But the godly heart goeth home re­ioycing Gen. 4. and chewing the cud like the Apo­stles, which reioiced in that they were coun­ted worthie to suffer for his names sake. Act. 5. 41.

O what a good banket we haue had this day▪ the bee goeth lodē to the hiue, & goeth longer in the strength thereof then Elias did. 1. Kings 17.

Thy saluation. The onely Sauiour is here [Page 33] called saluation it self, for if he were called a bare Sauiour only, thē you might likly vn­derstand it by some other sauiour, but here he is called saluation it selfe, to shewe that there is no other: for there be more sauiours but no more saluations, and there is manie wayes to death, and yet but one death. The brasen serpent was a figure of Christ, that Num. 21. Iohn 3. they which are stong by sinne, by fire, and by the serpent which beguiled Euah, may make speede, because there is no remedie but to come to Christ.

The Papists haue found out many salua­tions, they haue found out a saluation by Saints, a saluation by Angels, a saluation by Masses, a saluation by merits, a saluation by Idols, as though Christ had least to do in his owne office, for they haue other saluations to flie vnto. They will haue it, but they wil buy it, and what will they giue for it? whie they will fast so many dayes, go so farre on pilgrimages, hire priestes to say so manie Masses, build so manie Abbeys, and giue so many summes of money to the Monks and Friers. Therfore this scripture goeth against them, & doth dishonor their shamelesnesse, who like Nemrod heaping stone vpō stone, Gen. 11. would haue built vp to heauen: so they heape sinne vpon sinne, and euerie houre [Page] some one heresie or superstition groweth vp from this filthie roote, for what Papist dare say that Simeon thought on any of these or put confidence in anie other Sauiour but only in him whō he embraced in his armes? for saluation is by the promise of God, and all promises are in Christ. And though Ia­cob 2. Cor. 1. wanted bread, Ioseph wanted not mony, Gen. 42. therefore he gaue them backe againe their money, & likewise he gaue them that corne that they would haue bought with it: so I would wish them to say as Iosephs brethrē, that they haue their corne for nothing, and had their money too, so let them be content to say, that they haue mercie for nothing & their works too. For god careth not for their workes, because they profit not him but thē selues. For there is no water can wash Naa­man 2. Kings 5. but Iordan, no water can wash the le­prosie of sinne, but the bloud of the Lambe. By this the Israelites were saued when the Exod. 12. destroyer passed by. By this the Lord know­eth vs to be his people, and by this the de­uill knoweth vs to be none of his. As it is proper vnto God to be called goodnesse, so is it proper vnto Iesus Christ to be called saluation He is called the way, the truth and Iohn 14. the life, for that life which we haue is but a sparke and shadow of life, but he is the true [Page 35] and eternall life. Then seeing Christ is both our righteousnesse, saluation, and also the way, the truth and the life, to leade vs there­unto. It is as possible for vs without Christ to be righteous or saued, as it is to be wise without wisedome, righteous without righ­teousnesse, or saued without saluatiō. Ther­fore let vs not be ashamed to take our water from the fountaine, seeing Christ is the foū ­taine of all wisedome, of all righteousnesse, of all truth, of all knowledge, of all saluation, and briefly of all goodnesse: therefore there is no other Arke to saue vs from the floud, no other ladder to ascend with into heauē, no other Ioseph to feed vs in the famine, no other Moses to lead vs through the wilder­nesse. But as the riuer S [...]loa rūneth through all the land of Iudaea, & watereth the whole citie of God: so Christ doth shew him selfe all in all, and all sufficient in mercie to saue and to blesse all his Church with spirituall gifts. If Christ be life, what shall make vs Ephes. 4. 1. Cor. 15. despaire? shall Sathan? No, for he hath o­uercome Sathan. Shal death? No, for he hath ouercome death. Shall hell? No, for he hath ouercome hell. Shall the Law? No, for he Rom. 5. hath fulfilled the Law. Shall wrath? No, for he hath troden the wine presse of his fathers Esa. 63. wrath. Therefore it was a sweete saying of [Page 36] one at his death, whē mine iniquitie is grea­ter then thy mercie ô God then will I feare and despaire. Saluation is borne, therfore we w [...]e al in the state of condemnation before: light is come, therfore we sate all in dark­nesse before: glorie is come, therfore we were all loden with shame before: life is come, to shew that we were all dead in sinne before. Life is come, and light and saluation: life to the dead, light to the blind, and saluation to the damned. For Christ is called saluation, to shew that without him we are all dam­ned firebrands of hell, heires of condemna­tion, and forsaken of God. To him that is sicke, it is easie to be thankfull when he is whole, but when he is whole it is harder to be thankfull then to be sicke. I would faine be disproued, that Niniueh might be saued though Ionah would not.

Thy saluation. This word saluation is a sweet word, yea the sweetest word in all the Scripture, and yet many despise this worthy iewell, because they knowe not what it is worth, like the dawes which would rather haue a barley corne, then a pearle or a iewell because they know not the value thereof. O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull Psal. 8. of him? O man what is God that thou art so vnmindfull of him? If a friend had giuen vs [Page 37] anie thing, we would haue thanked him heartely for it, but to him that hath giuen vs all things, we will not giue so much as thankes. Now therefore let the rocke gush forth water againe, and let our stonie hearts powre foorth streames of teares in vnfayned repentance. We haue all called vpon you, but none regardeth vs, as though God were as Baall, and as though Diues felt no paine, nor Lazarus no ioy, but all forgotten. Ma­nie times Christ commeth into the Temple and there is scarse a Simeon to embrace him, the babe is here, but where is Simeon?

If God had not loued vs better then we loued our selues, we should haue perished long ere this, and yet we embrace not Christ as Simeon, who hath saued vs from tempo­rall and spirituall punishments. We are in­uited to a banket, he who calleth vs to it is God. What is the banket? Saluation. Who are the guests? The Angels and the Saints. What is the fare? Ioy, peace, righteousnesse, this is the fare, and we inuite you euery one: yet who will come at our bidding? some for want of faith, some for want of loue, some for want of knowledge, haue despised this holy banket, and vnto this art thou called ô soule vnworthie to be beloued.

Which thou hast prepared.

He was prepared long ago, as it doth most plainly appeare, for the Virgine which bare him, the place of his birth, the poore estate wherein it was, his miracles, his Apostles, his torments, his crosse, his death, his resurre­ction, & his ascensiō into heauē, al these were foreshewed and foretold long before they came to passe. Therefore some sayd, who is this that is so often spoken of by the Pro­phets? who is this that can do many mira­cles that the Scribes and Pharisies cannot do? Luke. 4. 7. Iohn 11. Luke 8. Mat. 27. Iohn 10. Mar. 6. that can raise the dead, that can ceasse the windes, calme the waters, at whose suffering the earth quaked, the sunne hid his face, darkenesse came ouer all, and being dead, [Page] rose againe by his owne power, and ascen­ded into heauen in the sight of a great mul­titude. How can it be then but it must be known before the face of all people, which was so manifest by dreames, by visions, by ora­cles, by power, by authoritie, & euery thing had a tong to speake for God. Euerie thing was prepared for him before he came to be reuealed, he came not in the beginning, nor in the ending, he came not in the ending, that we which come after him might long for his second comming. He came not in the beginning, because that such a Prince as he should haue manie banners and triumphs before him. He came not in the beginning, because the eyes of faith should not be dase­led in him, and lest they should forget him, and his comming so long since which liued in the latter ages, euen as you forget that which I haue sayd as soone as you are gone hence. He came not in the beginning, be­cause if he had come before man had sinned, man would haue acknowledged no need of a phisitian, but when man had sinned, that he might feele the smart of sinne, therfore he came not then, for when they were cast out of Paradice, they ran vnto Christ as the Is­raelites did to the serpent. He came not in the beginning but in the perfect age of [Page 45] the world, to shewe that he brought with him perfection, perfect ioy, perfect peace, perfect wisedome, perfect righteousnesse, perfect iustice, perfect truth, signifying therby that notwithstanding he came in the perfect age thereof, yet he found all things vnperfect.

The Iewes thought that he should come like some great Prince, with pōpe & glorie, which was a carnal conceipt, for herein they were maruelously deceiued, his father was but a poore carpenter, and his mother but a simple woman, and he a sillie babe wrapt in clouts. Then ought not we to reuerence our Lord and to praise his name, for that he be­came so humble for vs most vile wretches that are worthie of nothing? and yet we see how cruelly they dealt with this blessed one which came to saue them. Ignorance sate in the chaire, deceipt gaue the sentence, and crueltie executed him, with the most pain­full & shamefull death of the crosse. O that your eyes do not dasell, & your eares tingle, and your hearts maruell at this dealing of theirs to our louing Sauiour which came to saue them if they would, and now see that he will abase him self for our sakes euen to the vttermost, ô wonderfull thing to thinke of. If you would marke I would make you in [Page] loue with him before I haue done with you, I say vnto all those that come hither to be e­dified, take your fill of pleasure, enter into Paradice, lift vp your eyes, stretch foorth your hands, and eate your fill of the tree of life, and the Lord will go home with you, imbrace him and kisse him, entertaine him well, and he will dwell with you for euer. But you that come hither for fashions sake, either to see or beseene, to finde fault with somewhat, or to make an hypocritical shew of godlinesse where there is none. I tell you that comfort shall shake hands with you at the dore, marke it, and you shall see that my wordes are true. Shewe me what it is that is better then saluation. I would haue none of you to be damned if I might preuent it, nor so much as a peece of you to be giuen to Sa­than, therefore I would I knew that stone that would kill Goliah, for I would strike it with all my might into his temples. If you will, you may be saued, and the Lord will one day put those words in my mouth that will touch your hearts. Therefore now arise, kisse and imbrace the sweet babe Iesus, and then afterward frame your selues to obey him; for then the Lord will knocke at your hearts, and if ye will let him in, he wil teach you all things. The Lord came not in the [Page 47] beginning nor in the ending, but he came in the middle age of the world, to shew that if it will not learne now, it will neuer learne to come vnto God by repentance & amēd­ment, that they may learn to kisse the sonne Psal. 2. lest he be angrie, and so they perish in his wrath like Sodome. He came in the middle age of the world, to shew that he was indif­ferent for the world, to giue light and life vnto all that returne vnto him, for God re­specteth Act. 10. no persons, but euerie man of what nation or countrey soeuer he be, that fea­reth God and worketh righteousnesse is ac­cepted of him and he will fulfill their ioyes through Christ, yet not when we will, but according to his owne good pleasure, & whē he thinketh good. Therefore stay Daniell, thou shalt haue thy diner anon, the Angell and Habacuc are about it. Stay Helias, anon 1. Kings 17. Exod. 14. the rauens will bring thee meate, and thou shalt haue enough. Anon Moses will deli­uer Israell. So saluation is alreadie prepared of God, and hath bene long since with ful­nesse, knowledge, and all excellent gifts, and he will giue them to vs when he seeth good, but we like whining children, that will not stay till their milke be cold, but would haue it though they be scalded with it: so we would haue the knowledge of God and li­bertie [Page] before we know how to vse it. We would know the high mysteries and deepe counsels of God before we know our selues, we would haue the libertie of the Gospdll, when we know no way how to vse it but in securitie. But the Lord, he will wisely giue vnto vs as it were our bellies full when he seeth it good, and when heseeth vs ready for it, who knoweth our hearts better then we ourselues.

A light to be reuealed to the Gentilos, and the glorie of thy people Israell.

You haue heard Simeon shewing the cause why the Sonne was sent frō the Father, why he became man which raigned before in Pa­radice. What moued God to leaue his ioy and his blisse, and suffer more then all the world could suffer together? A great cause it is that would make a king leaue his king­dome and fal to beggerie. A great and won­derfull cause it was that made Iehouah to come downe from heauen to suffer miserie vpon the earth. Two causes Simeon sheweth why this Messias came from heauen. The first, that he might enlighten the Gentiles, which sate in darknesse, and the second, that he might be the glorie of Israell, which glo­ried in their sacrifices & in their ceremonies, and so had no glorie before he came, but [Page 49] were like the Moone when the Sunne doth shine vpon it, or like Rachel which despised Lea and became barren. And they despised Gen. 19. the Gentils light, like that sonne which was angrie because his lost brother came home Luke 15. againe, or like those labourers which chec­ked the Lord of the vineyard, because he gaue vnto the other labourers more then he Mat. 20. gaue vnto them. But the Gentiles are like Gen. 29. Lea, who being despised became frutefull. Simeon reioyced in Christ, not onely for that he was the glorie of Israell, but also for that he was the light of the Gentiles. Shall the head be sorowfull because the hand is well? nay rather the hand should be glad because the head is well, and the head because the hand is well. The father should be glad be­cause his sonne is stronger then himselfe, the mother should be glad because her daughter is wiser then her selfe, the brother should be glad because his brother is richer then him selfe, the mistresse should reioyce because her mayd is a better houswife then her selfe. But we enuie our brethren and our neigh­bours, because they are better then we, and because God hath blessed them with tem­porall or spiritual things aboue vs: if we see that they haue learning, then we enuy them for their learning, if he haue more gifts, we [Page 50] enuie him for his giftes, if he haue more knowledge we enuie him for his know­ledge, if he haue more zeale we enuie him for his zeale, if he haue more riches we enuy him for his riches, and how can we reioyce when euery bodies good is our euill, and e­uerie bodies ioy is our sorow? But fixe your eyes vpon Christ alone, and he will fulfill your ioy, if you looke not backe to Sodome like Lots wife. If you loue ioy and gladnesse, Gen. 19. Christ is ioy & gladnesse, if thou loue com­fort, why Christ is the comforter of all that beare his crosse, if thou loue life, Christ is e­ternall life, if thou loue peace, Christ is peace, if thou loue riches, Christ is full of heauenly riches, and full of liberalitie to bestow them vpon all such as loue God: so Christ is all in all vnto the godly, & they haue more ioy in Christ alwayes and in all things, then the richest, and glorious, and sumptuous Prince in the world, then Salomō him selfe had in worldly riches, honors, plea­sures, ease or felicitie. For the wicked which put their trust in riches, & make thē gods of gold and money, ease and pleasures, though they do all that they can to fulfil their lusts, and take neuer so much pleasures, and be ne­uer so merrie, yet they can haue no true ioy, nor no peace of conscience, for all the peace, [Page 51] the mirth & sport they haue, is but deceipt, all false and indurable, like the grasse, greene in the morning and withered ere night. But when the Lord doth knocke at their hearts, and strike them with a feeling of their hor­rible transgressions, as no doubt he wil, then they are all in a maze, and they can haue no Isa 48. and 58. ioy, no peace, no rest, but they may say, in laughter my soule is sorowfull, in ease my soule hath trouble, in mirth mone, in riches pouertie, in glorie shame, in life my soule is euen dead, in plentie my soule wanteth all things wherein it should reioyce, it is desti­tute of all comfort, and possessed with all slauish feares like Cain, who being Lord of Gen. 4. all the earth, yet had no ioy in it when God had once forsaken him. Likewise Saul whē 1. Sam. 16. God had forsaken him, he had no ioy of all his kingdome nor of all his riches, and then who had more ioy Saule the king or Dauid the subiect? So then we see that perfect ioy can be had in nothing but in God and in Ie­sus Christ. Wherefore as by the streame you may be led to the fountaine, euen so let the ioy and peace of this life serue to lea [...]e vs to God which is perfect ioy and peace, & there rest, like the wise men which were guided by the starre, to come to the true sonne of grace Iesus Christ when he was borne: and [Page 52] if we rest not in him when we haue found him there is no rest for vs, but like the rest­lesse doue which fluttereth about & findeth no rest any way til she returned to the Ark, but we seeme as though we sought him and found him, when as we do but play the hy­pocrite. Salomon saith that the wayes of a whore are prosperitie and welfare, for she euer putteth on a vizard that she might not be knowne to be so vile as she is: so vnder the colour of goodnesse euill is alwayes l [...] ­king. Therefore Christ is called the light, because that we should leaue our foolishnes seeing light is come, and that we should for­sake all our lights which are but darknesse, and [...] vnto his light which is the true light indeed. He came to lighten the Gen­tiles, and they receiued him with thankful­nesse, of whom there was no hope of good­nesse left. Who would suppose that the bar­ren woman should become frutefull, or the prodigall sonne returne home againe? It is like as if an owle should be conuerted to see light, or as if the streame should returne into the fountaine, or as if an old man should be­come yong againe.

A light to be [...] to the Gentiles.

To be reuealed not yet reuealed, the Iewes must first reiect him before the Gentiles re­ceiue [Page 53] him and when the Iewes did oppresse him, condemne him, and crucifie him, then were his armes spred vnto the whole world. When the guests would not come, then he sendeth into the high wayes to compell o­thers that would come willingly vnto it. Luk. 14. 23. Comfort is on foote, and that which will come shall come, &c. The Queene of Saba Mat. 12. came from the vttermost part of the earth to heare Salomons wisedome, and the wise men came from the East to see Iesus Christ, Mat. 2. but we may say, the Lord was here by in the Temple and I was in my shop, selling and buying lying, deceiuing & swearing. Well, when he comes backe againe I will be better acquainted with him: and so we esteeme not of his presence in any reuerent sort. The Sunamite sayd, Let vs build a chamber for 2. Kin. 4. 10. the man of God, then we should build an house. Zacheus did climbe vp into a tree to Luke 19. see his sauiour, and the Lord seeing his dili­gence called him, Zaoheus come downe, for I will dine at thy house this day, & that was a ioyfull day with Zaoheus, for then saluatiō came into his house and vpon al his family: he gaue the Lord a feast, and the Lord made him a farre better feast of peace, a feast of ioy, a feast of heauenly things, and so for his zeale and indeuor to see Christ bodily, he [Page 54] shewed him selfe vnto him spiritually, euen to his hearts desire. To be reuealed.

Haue an eye to the future tense, that which 1. Kings 3. 12. 11. Iud. 13. & 15. and 16. Luke 6. Act. 1. Act. 9. Mat. 26. Act. 4. Act. 7. is not shall be. As for example, Salomon was wise but he is foolish, Sampson was strong, but he is weake, Iudas was a preacher but he is a reprobate, Paule was a persecu­tor, but he is a preacher, Peter was a denier of Christ, but now he is a bold professor of Christ, Moses was learned in the wisedome of the Egyptians, but now he is learned in the wisdome of God, by which the wisdome of the Egyptians is made but meere foolish­nesse in the sight of God. Other wise men, as heathen Philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Cato, Crates, and such like, these were counted verie wise men in the sight of the world, yet these were Gentiles that wrote so manie [...]ookes full of wisedome, and all so adorned with notable sentences & wittie sayings, that one would thinke all wisdome were buried with them, so famous were they, and so full of earthly vnderstanding, teaching maners, counsels and pollicies: yet for my part I haue neither seene nor heard of any such being wise in worldly things and without the wis­dome of God, but that they haue committed some notorious foolishnesse in the sight of all men, like Achitophel, of whom we reade 2. Sam. 17. [Page 55] that he was so wise a counseller, and yet see the end of him, he hanged him selfe, and all for want of the knowledge of God. It were better therefore for him to haue had more wisedome and lesse wit. Crates, Aristotle & Plato & all the rest of the wise Philosophers haue either poysoned, burned, or drowned them selues, and so we see that the ende of worldly wisdome is meere foolishnesse, and 1. Cor. 1. 20 the foolish haue more peace then the wise: for their wisedome without the feare of God doth thē no more good, then the Arke did to the Philistines, which did nothing but I [...]d. 5. torment them, because they knew not how to vse it, and therefore vnreuerently abused it. For if your wisedome consist in eloquēce of words, in profunditie of wit, to gain craf­tily and spend warily, to inuent lawes, to ex­pound riddles and interpret dreames, to tell fortunes, and prophecie of matters by lear­ning, all these without the feare of God do vs no more good then their wit did these Philosophers, which notwithstanding sate in darknes. And I am afrayd though Christ brought light vnto the Gentiles, yet it may be sayd, that the Gentils sit in darknesse stil, sauing a fewe Leuites scattered vpon the mountaines, for whose sake Sodome is spa­red. And because those had not the know­ledge [Page 56] of God, therfore they worshipped Mars & Cupid, sunne and moone, beasts & serpēts: so the Philistines worshipped Dagō, Iud. 5. Act. 19. the Ephesians worshipped Diana, the Assy­rians Nesroch, the Israelites worshipped a calf, Ieroboā worshipped Belzebub, the Mo­abites worshipped Chamos, the Samaritanes did worship vnto Baall: so the truth see­meth falshood, and error seemeth truth. As for example, that the world should be made of nothing, that the word became flesh, that God and man was ioyned together in one bodie, then one man may be righteous in the righteousnes of another which is Christ, and that the dead shall rise againe, these see­med foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles, neither could they beleeue them. No more can some Gentiles amongst vs at this day, which are but naturall men, therefore they do not be­leeue them: for when they professed them selues to be wise they became fools, saith the holy Ghost.

So then we see nowe what Christ hath Rom. 2. done for vs, he hath bounde that serpent, which hath sowen all the tares, so that the deuill is faine for want of better lodging, to enter into swine.

Heretofore, whereas one followed God a thousand folowed Baall, but now kings & [Page 57] Princes lift vp their heads, desiring Christ to raigne with them and in them. Hereto­fore we made our selues like the wounded man, we were spoyled, we were stript naked, and we were bathed in our bloud, being full of wounds, but now Christ hath furnished vs, he hath washed vs, he hath clothed vs, & we are now become true Israelites: we which were the vile and wild oliues, he hath grafted vp vpon the true oliue, and planted vs in a frutefull soile. And what cause can we shew for this but onely mercie? For heretofore we were called foolish, but the Lord hath made vs wise according to the wisedome of God in these dayes by his spirit: but if you deserue to be called the foolish nation again, then ye are most vnhappie and most cursed. So now we haue heard that the Lord doth [...]eueale all his counsels vnto his Prophets, and how the glory of Israell is now reuea­led to be the light of the Gentiles. And you haue heard the cause why: because the Jewes reiected their owne saluation. You haue heard that the cause was onely his mercie & his loue, because mercy can not containe it selfe within Ierusalem.

A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles, and the glorie of thy people Israell.

You haue heard why Christ is called [Page 58] light, why he is called the light of the Gen­tils, why the Lord did change a curse vnto a blessing, & why the Gentils did chāge dark­nesse for light, and a thousand gods for one true God. Then the Gentiles receiued more grace then they desired, for the Lord came vncalled into their houses, and made a feast vnto them in their owne houses. The light of the Gentiles is our light, your light, and my light: Christ is our grace, your grace, & my grace, and Christ is our saluation, your saluation, and my saluation. He came vnto the Iewes, & for the Iewes, and yet his com­ming vnto the Gentiles was better then to the Iewes. He came into the world when the world did abound in all wickednesse, and sa­ued vs when we most deserued wrath. Won­der at this you that wonder at nothing, that the Lord would come to bring saluation, to redeeme our lost soules, euen as it were a­gainst our willes: so that now we would not be as we were for a thousand worlds. I shew­ed the blindnesse of the Iewes, who hauing heard of their reiection, and of our conuer­sion, & yet vnderstood it not, neither sought to preuēt Gods wrath in reiecting of them. Therefore the rocke which should haue sa­ued them, did shiuer them in peeces: wherin was shewed their wonderful blockishnesse, [Page 59] hauing it so oftē foretold by their Ptophets, figured in their Law, shadowed in their sa­crifices, and read in their churches from Sa­both to Saboth. Euery thing that commeth to passe in churches, in common weales, in cities, in countreys, in kingdomes, and in prou [...]ces, these are all foretold in the scrip­tures, and yet none do vnderstand it, sauing a few chosen ones whom God loueth. For, the comming of Antichrist, the ouerthrow of kingdomes, the darknesse of Poperie, the light of the Gospell, the conuersion of the Gentiles, and the reiecting of the Iewes, all these are set downe in the scriptures, and yet we can not vnderstand it, though we heare it day by day, because we do not giue our minds to vnderstanding. Such hearers shall stand in a maze before the righteous & ter­rible throne of God: the dead shall rise, the trumpe shall blow, and all the world shal be in an vprore, and they shall stand quaking, when their hearing without profiting shall be layd to their charge, and they shall say, ô we haue knowne no such things: but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell, they wold admonish vs to take better heed how we heare: for we heare as though we did not heare at all, our minds are otherwise oc­cupied. Now when we see any thing come [Page 60] come to passe as it is foretold in the Scrip­tures, then we must say as Christ sayd, this prophecie is fulfilled, for all things that are written are come to scriptum est & factum est, that is, as sure as it is written, so surely doth it come to passe. It prophecieth no­thing but that which truely is fulfilled in due time, and the more often it speakes of a thing, the more certaine, the more excel­lent, and the more to be beleeued it is. Like a iewell that is beset with pearle, so is our calling ordained with scriptures for so doth God tender our calling, which is so often in his mouth, and we so often in his remem­brance, that he speaketh of vs in euery book throughout the whole scriptures, like a kind spouse whose loue is in a straunge countrey, and he delighteth him selfe with thoughts and meditations of her: so he did long vntil the Gentiles were come to him againe, like the prodigall child, whose father did long Luke 15. vntill he had imbraced him. When shal my prodigall sonne come home againe saith he? I will put my best garment on his backe, & my gold ring vpon his finger, and his fare shall be the daintiest morsel. And thus God longeth for our saluation, and he knocketh at our doores, Is faith here? is loue here? is one called the feare of God in this place? [Page 61] And as loue maketh louers sometime to speake plainly and familiarly one to ano­ther, sometime by darke speeches and rid­dles, sometime by letters, sometime by dumbe shewes and signes, and sometime to hide them selues one from another: so our God speaketh sometimes playnely vnto his Church, sometime darkely and mystically, somtime he turneth his face frō his Church and deare spouse, as though he would not speake vnto her for loue as appeareth in the booke of the Canticles.

The first type or figure was Caine and Certain types & figures of the electiō of the Gentiles and the reie­ction of the Iews, which here he re­hears [...]d for the confirma­tion of this doctrine. Gen. 4. Abell, Caine was the eldest sonne of Adam, and Abell the yonger, yet God loued Abell and accepted his sacrifices, but God reiected Caine for his wickednesse, and he became a reprobate: euen so doth God, he reiecteth the Iewes which were the eldest sonne, the true oliue, and the seede of promise, and Gods deare children if the [...] had continued in obedience, and he taketh vs being but the yongest sonne, the wyld oliue, and ma­keth vs children by adoption vnto him, on­ly of his meere mercie without anie other cause.

The 2. example was Sem & Iaphet, both Gen. 9. which were Noahs sons, Sem was the first son & Iaphet the third & yōgest, & of this Iaphet [Page 62] came the Gentiles: of him said Noah, God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tēts of Sem, that is, that they may be vnited together, as we see it is come to passe. Other sheepe I haue saith Christ, which are not of this fold, them also will I bring, & they shal heare my voyce, & there shall be one sheepe fold and one shepherd. Iohn 10.

The third type or figure of Christ was Gen. 21. Ismael and Isaac, both the sonnes of Abra­ham: Ismaell was the eldest, Isaac the yon­ger yet Isaac was chosen of God & a figure of Christ at that time when he went to haue bene offered as a sweet sacrifice at Gods cō ­mandement. And Ismael his eldest brother was a mocker of his brother, and therfore he was put away, and the Lord was not with Gen. 22. him.

The fourth type or figure was Iacob and Gen. 25. Esau, both sonnes to Isaac: Esau was the el­der brother and Iacob the yonger, yet God loued Iacob and hated Esau, because Esau contemned his birthright, and sold it to Ia­cob for a messe of pottage, and therefore Ia­cob stole the blessing from him: so God bles­sed Iacob, but he cursed Esau, whereby is shewed that the Lord did for the contempt of the Iewes, take away their birthright and their blessing, and hath giuen it vnto vs.

The fift type of figure was Lea, which Gen. 29. was squint eyed, and was despised, because she was not so faire and so well fauoured as her sister Rachell, and yet the Lord made her frutefull and Rachell barren: so we being despised for our barrennesse in all goodnes, yet the Lord in mercie made vs fruteful and reuiued vs.

The sixt figure was Manasses & Ephraim Gen. 48. the two sonnes of Ioseph, Manasses was the eldest, and Ephram was the yongest. Both of them Ioseph hauing brought to Iacob his father that he might blesse them, he tooke Manasses and put him towards Iacobs right hand, that he might blesse him first & more plentifully, and he tooke Ephraim and put him towardes Iacobs left hand. But Iacob stretched out his right hand, and layd it on Ephraims head which was the yonger, and his left hand vpon Manasses, directing his hands so of purpose, for Manasses was the elder of them both. Thus the Lord blessed vs when there was no hope left for vs.

The seuenth figure was Rahab a harlot Iosua 2. in Iericho, who was a Gentile, yet her heart was touched so, that she receiued and enter­tained the spies that Israell sent, and in the time of danger hid them, that they should take no harme, signifying thereby, that the [Page 64] Gentiles should receiue & imbrace the true Israelites and messengers of the Gospel, and keepe them as safely, and defend them as di­ligently as Rahab did the spies of Israell.

The eight figure was Ruth a Moabite, of her Christ Iesus vouchsafed to come as Ruth. 4. concerning the flesh, to shew that he came not onely of the Iewes and for the Iewes, but also of and for the Gentiles, which were the lost sheepe, vnhoped for, being strangers frō the couenant.

The ninth figure was Sampson, who be­ing a Iewe, would needs marrie with a Gen­tile, Iudg. 14. signifying that Christ Iesus would also marrie with the Gentiles, as he did with the Iewes.

The tenth figure was Salomon, who mar­ried Pharaos daughter which was an Egyp­tian 1. Kings 11. and Gentile, signifying thereby that Christ would take him a spouse among the Gentiles to marrie with him selfe as Dauid Psal. 45. in the Psalmes declareth.

The eleuenth figure was Naaman the Sy­rian, whose leprosie is turned vpon Gehezie, the leprosie of an heathen and ignorant mā turned vpon an Israelite, and one that had the knowledge of God, being the seruant of a Prophet, signifying that our leprosie of sinne and ignorance should be turned from [Page 65] vs vpon the Iewes, who had the knowledge of the law of God, but esteemed it not, but were vnthankfull for it. Manie like exam­ples there are in the new Testament: like as the Cherubins, though seuered in sūder, yet looked one towards another, and both vpon the mercie seate: so the old Testa­ment and the new looke looke one towards ano­ther & yet point at one and the same thing.

The first type or figure in the new Te­stament Matt. 2. was the wise men, which were the first fruits of the Gentiles, and came from the East, being guided by a starre: signify­ing that by the guiding of the worde and spirit of God, the Gentiles should come from all the places of the world to imbrace Christ Iesus with ioy.

The second Type or figure was Christ Matt. 2 himselfe, his going into Egypt, signifying thereby that he should go from the Iewes to the Gentiles, because the Iewes refused him through vnbeleefe, abundance of wic­kednesse, and want of reformation: so we see that nothing can driue awaite Christ but sinne.

The third Type was Christ whipping Mat. 21. 12 the Iewes out of the temple, shewing there­by that the Iewes should be whipped or cast out of the spiritual temple, & the gen­tiles [Page 66] should occupie it. This beloued, belon­geth vnto vs, vnto whom the Lord so won­derfully hath made his light to shine.

The fourth figure is the parable of the vineyard, which was taken from them that Mat. 21. [...]ers. 33. possessed it, and giuen to them that should bring forth the fruits therof, and yeeld bet­ter increase vnto the Lord of the Vine­yard.

The fift figure was the parable of the two Mat. 22. vers. 18. sonnes that were bidden to go and worke in their fathers vineyard, of whom the first said he would and did not: the second said he would not, and did repent, and went to labor in the vineyard: the first signified the Iewes, which made many vowes with such a shew of godlinesse which was but hypo­crisie, whom the Lord reiected and cast off, and said, that the publicanes and sinners should stand in iudgement to condemne the greatest of them.

The sixt figure, was the feast that the Mat. 22. 2. Lord made vnto the disobedient guestes which the Lord inuited to his banket, and was onely ordained for them, and promised to come vnto it, and yet refused and would not come, but alledged slieght excuses ta­ken from their loue of earthlie and transi­torie things aboue God. Therefore the [Page 67] Lord sent into the hie waies to call and compell the Gentiles to come, which came though they left their wedding garments behind them.

The 7. Tipe or figure was the vision of Acts. 10. Peter in Ioppa, when he was on the top of the house, where he saw the vessel come downe that had in it all maner of foure foo­ted beasts of the earth, and wilde beasts, and foules of the aire, and creeping things, where also the voice said vnto him, Arise Peter, kill and eat: wherein the Lord shewed vnto him, that he should count no man vncleane, although the Gentiles then were counted vncleane, as were the vncleane beasts set downe in the law of God, and therefore when Peter was sent for to Corne­lius house, he said, Of a truth I perceiue vers. 34. that God hath no respect of persons, but in e­uerie nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him. Manie o­ther examples of our calling, as the straied sheepe, the lost groate, the prodigall sonne, and Christ eating with publicanes and sin­ners, which when we reade we should cast our figure and saie, of whom is this spoken? of the gentiles? then it is of me, for I am a gentile. But am I conuerted? If I be not thē haue I not fulfilled this prophesie, ther­fore [Page 68] let vs striue to do well, and to mortifie and subdue sinne which dwelleth in our mortall bodies: for none but the valiant can enter into the kingdome of hea­uen.

Nowe all these prophecies are fulfilled, the blind see, the lame go, the dumb speake, the deafe heare, the maimed worke, the deade are quickned, the leapers are cleansed, and the poore receiue the Gospel. There­fore who will dispaire, and say, light is not reuealed vnto me, when as he seeth it to be reuealed vnto whole nations? And so so­lemne is our calling, as that in so manie pla­ces of the scripture it is foretold, whereby we see how dearely the Lord tendereth our saluation: like as a kind spouse which was longed for while she was in a strange coun­trie: so Christ longed for the gentiles, till they came home againe vnto him. There­fore let vs now consider what he giueth vs, namely righteousnesse, and saluation, first righteousnesse, then saluation: first repen­tance, and then forgiuenesse of sinnes, the sunne of the gospel, least we should see heauen in hell, and light in darknesse, and ioy in anguishes.

Let vs not contemne our light, or grow carelesse of it: let vs not build with one [Page 69] hand & ouerthrow with the other by pro­phanesse, like those men which while they surfetted at their gluttonous tables, did call vpon God for health. Christ is not recey­ued with the hand, if the father offering a gift do see the sonne stretch foorth his left hand, he will withdraw his gift from him. I say let vs not contemne our light as the Iewes contemned their glorie. For what is light to him that will shut his eies against it? What is this light? It is such a glorious light, and such an excellent reuelation, that great and mightie kings haue earnestly de­sired to see, and princes haue laid downe their crownes to reueale it. Let vs embrace this light, Let vs take & put on the wedding garment, and go to the banket, vnto which a thousand messengers haue inuited vs, and do alledge none excuses, I haue married a wife, I haue bought oxen, I go to see a farme, Mat. 22. &c. and therefore I cannot come, neither will I come. Well do so, if that ye will needes: but remember that thou wast inuited, and ther­fore the blessing shall be giuen to another. Therefore shall Esau weepe for the blessing but shall not haue it. Heb. 1 [...].

But giue me a reason I pray thee, why thou wilt be called the seruāt of God, which doest not serue him, or the child of God, [Page 70] which dost not loue him, or the disciple of Christ which dost not learne of him: yet his raine falleth vpon all, the iust & vniust, and he giueth thee al things for nothing [...] the sun doth giue his light for nothing, the dewe doth giue his moisture for nothing, the [...] ­uers do giue their waters for nothing, and the earth doth giue her fruit for nothing.

What shall we do then when the sunne shineth? We must not do as we do in the darke, for then men ought to betake them to their labour. Learne of the sauage beasts, who as soone as the day springs, betake thē to their trauell, and euery bird welcommeth it with many a sweet song.

Christ is light, and this light is come, Therefore he that seeth not now is blinde, and he that heares not now is deafe, and he that workes not now is maimed. But we will not worke holy workes according to the word, neither in light nor darkenes: we can see to sin in the darke as well as in the light, for the light discouereth both the har­lot [...] the theese, for he is afraid of the light: where light is not, Christ is not: but Christ Iohn. 1. is light, and let none be afraid to seeke this light which is so good, so excellent, and so profitable for vs. For it doth not onelie de­so [...]e it solfe, but al other things round about [Page 71] it. Therfore if thou hast this light, thy faith, thy feare, thy loue will shew it selfe, & good things cannot now hide themselues, for he that is light doth delight to please God in the light. It is no maruell though a man stumble in the darke, but he which stum­bleth in the light is not verie strong, be­cause he seeth his way before him. Once we stumbled at euerie straw when we walked in darknesse, for then light had a fall, pride had a fall, lust had a fall, drunkennesse had a [...]al, penurie had a fall ignorance had a fall: or if you will, pride rose and we fell, lust rose, and we fell, &c.

Were Egypt as light as Goshen, that is, whe­ther the Iewes haue receiued their glorie or no, yet if thou sin in the darke the light wil bewray thee, and thy conscience will accuse thee, and condemne thee for it. Therefore now giue ouer darknes, and arme thee with light, for your life shineth like the light, therefore now we should be Israel, for Israel is reuolted.

But many scrolles may be written of our sinnes, and thus the gentiles are as gentiles still. He that beleeueth not the word, is an infidell, he that beleeueth not God, is an A­theist, he that worshippeth anie thing more than God, is an idolater: euerie mans con­science [Page 72] shall condemne himselfe.

Men will leaue godlinesse for riches but they will not leaue their riches for godli­nesse.

The Iewes neuer serued God at any time with such deuotion as they doe now their gold and their riches.

Many the [...]e are which could be content neuer to die, but liue here with their riches and pleasures.

Is not the godly more despited for his godlinesse than the wicked for his wicked­nesse?

Are not the members of Christ more ha­ted, and worse entertained by vs then the limmes of Sathan? So dearely doth euerie one loue sinne and drawes sinne vpon sinne like a chain, or monsters drawne in a chain: pride sheweth, drunkennesse sheweth eue­rie man his sinne. They came vnto vs, and said, your fathers loued vs well, and said vn­to vs, if you wil be faire, you shall be wise, if you will be drunke, you shall be rich, and so euerie one pointeth at, and sheweth vs the way which leadeth to destruction, and how few are the number of them which shew­eth vs the way of vertue and godlinesse?

And thus we are euen as forward as those Iewes which striue who shall come to hell [Page 73] first. Who did euer thanke God that he was not borne an hundred yeares ago, when ig­norance spred ouer all, and all Egypt was smitten with darknesse, or that the Lorde hath not left him to himselfe to become an Atheist, or an Epicure which liues without God in the world? VVe haue all Gods gifts offered vs, but we haue refused them. Christ brought light: but we had rather he had brought darknesse, for we loue darke­nesse more then light. The Angels, the hea­uens, the word, the spirit, are light, and we which see it are darknesse, for we can not a­bide light, but are like an Owle which flieth out of a ha [...]e field from the light of the day, such a death is day vnto vs. Faith is flowen away, truth is become a pilgrim, and euerie string is out of tune. He which should weep and bee sorrowfull laughes, and truth is brought to the ground, yea poore truth is e­uen persecuted to the death, therefore sin­ners are stubble, and their sentence is, burne them.

How fine would be the way of vertue, if you would pare away the rubs that are in it, if you would take away all occasions of sinne, and giue it gall to eate, and when you haue done so, set a crowne of thornes vpon his head, and when you haue thus crow- [Page] [...] you haue condemned it, put it to death, and when you haue put it to death, burie it: and when you haue buried it, [...]oll a great stone vpon the head of it, and set watch men to keepe it, and let your watch-men be fasting and prayer, that it may neuer rise againe to raigne any more, the which the Lord for his mercie sake grant, Amen.

And crie against it, &c.

Reproofe is the necessariest office, yet it is least regarded, & least esteemed. For now we thinke if one doth reproue vs, that he hateth vs.

But the Lorde sayth Leuit. 19. Thou Leui. 19. 17 shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but shalt reprooue him, and suffer him not to sinne: noting thereby, that if wee flatter anie in their sinne, or see them sinne, and not reprooue them for it, that it is a mani­fest signe that they doe it of hatred, how great loue and good will so euer they pre­tend toward them, seeing the matter tendes to the hurt of their soules, and the offence of God. [Page 96] If a preacher reproue sin, he is thoght to do it of hatred, or of some particular grudge: & others as though they were galled, will say, let him keepe his text: or they will say, he is beside his booke, as though no text in scrip­ture doth reproue sin, and so of al doctrines, the doctrine of reproofe & reprehension of sin is most contemned, and least esteemed. But let a preacher preach darke misteries, or prophane speeches, or vnprofitable fables, or friuolous questions, or curious inuenti­ons, or od conceits, or brainsicke dreames, & any of these will be more welcome vnto thē then reprehension which is most profitable and necessariest of all. Balaams asse neuer spake but once, and then he reproued. Then Num. 22. 28. if Balaams asse reproued Balaā, how much more ought Balaam to reproue asses, or such as will be no otherwise then beasts in their behauiour.

When we reproue you for sins, whether they be vsuall, or priuate, you thinke ill of vs. If a preacher reproue a publike sin, which is vsed and tollerated amongest many, he is hated of many, and thought to be too bu­sie, or that he is toosharpe and rough. And they say, that whereas hee, should preach Gods loue and mercie, he tels vs of the law, and so doth throw vs downe too low, &c. [Page 97] And if he repr [...]ue a sinne that is done pri­uatelie he is thought to be enuious, and one that preaches the law, and thereby throwes some to despaire, & so al reproof is thought by them intollerable. But we preach hell to bring you to heauen, we preach the law to lead you to the Gospel, we preach iudge­ment, that you might find mercie, we threa­ten, as though we should strike you, we re­buke as though we were angrie with you, and exclaime as though we did hate you: but we loue you in the dearest blood we haue. The Lord grant vs all to loue the truth to the end.

But Ionah rose vp to flie vnto Tarshish.

Ionah being sent to Niniuie, he flies to Tarshish, yet he went to Niniuie at last, not of free will, as meaning onely to performe his dutie, but being terrified by the whale, and all the other creatures of God which were bent against him for his disobedience. So we serue God and do his will, when ter­rors do compell vs by thundering into our eares, & glauncing before our eyes, & mel­ting our harts for feare. And this is my opi­niō, that they which come hither to Church onely on the Sabboth, come not of consci­ence, but for feare of the law, yet let them know, that in so doing they flie from their comfort, yea they flie from God. Now Ionah [Page 121] went to the hauen, and there he found a ship not going to Niniuie but to Tarshish. As soone he set forward to flye from God, Sathā straight wayes prepared a ship, so that temptation and occasion of sinne do al­ways go together. Shal Iudas lack money, or Ionah stay for a ship? no (saith Sathan) by the mouth of his ministers, here Iudas take thee money and betray thy master, and Ionah here is a ship for thee, go hast thee away, and flye from the presence of the Lord. There­fore if any will aske what the deuils occu­pation is, it is to prouide snares and gins whereinto to entice, and therein to catch thee and me.

And he payed the fare thereof.

This money was cast into the sea, for it did him much harme, yet it did him small good. There are many which will spend & wast they care not how much vpon cards & dice, an vnlawfull game: this money also is cast into the sea, for it doth thē much more harme then they know of, but it doth thē no good. And so men care not what they pay for vanities and braueries, the most part of which is vnprofitable, & rather hurtfull thē necessary for thē, but onely for the vaine vse of the present time, and for some vayne res­pect: this also is cast into the sea, and thus [Page 122] men care not what they pay for vanities, so it do please their minde for the present, without consideration of the end and pur­pose thereof, but they will giue litle or no­thing to do good withall: so that Lazarus Luk. 16. 21. 1. Sam. 25. 10. 11. cā get nothing, and Dauid can get no meat. Shall I take my bread and my wine and the flesh which I haue prouided for my shea­rers, & giue them vnto thee, whom I know not, saith churlish Naball? We can be con­tent to giue any thing or do any thing to winne the world thereby, but we will giue nothing, nor do nothing, thereby to winne the kingdome of God.

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken.

The sinne is past, but the punishment is to come: so after sinne followeth reuenge, the heauiest companion of wickednesse, al­though she loue not sinne, yet she wilbe al­wayes where wickednesse is, full of strēgth like a Lyon which will not be tamed. For seeing obedience to the commaundement was wanting, therefore the tempest would beare rule, for vnlesse it be an imperious crosse, we wil not yeeld, so head strong sinne is: therefore it is said that God sent a migh­tie tempest that sinne might haue the foyle, [Page 123] and the tempest the victorie: he that sailes to Tarshish whither he is forbidden to go, would haue as good wind as he that sailes to Niniuie, or whither he is commaunded, but he that doth one thing for another, shall receaue one thing for another, like Achab 1. King. 22. 15. 35. which ceased not til Michaiah had said like the other Prophets go vp and prosper, but he went vp and perished. Ionah thought to ariue at Tarshish as surelie as the Spaniards thought to ariue in England, whose destru­ction their fellowes at home do wonder at, how their inuincible power could be de­stroyd. But God is strōg inough for thē that kicke against him, & disdaineth to be cros­sed of dust and ashes. Now Sathan thou hast brought him into the ship, and perswaded him to flye from his defence for his safetie, and made him beleeue that he should come safe to Tarshish, that is, to liue at ease & li­bertie, enioying all temporall benefites at his pleasure, & now thou hast left him, whē he is in greatest daunger, and rather seekest to drowne him then to saue him. O most wretched and deceiptfull lyer, he that tru­steth his enemie, and he that beleeueth thee, shall euer be deceaued, for now might Ionah say, beware by me, for thus hath the tempter deceaued me, he hath allured me with flat­tering [Page 124] fantasies, and perswaded me that it was but an easie thing to flie from the pre­sence of the Lord, that seeth alwayes all Pro. 15. 11. Iere. 23. 24. things, and from whom no man, no nor se­cret lurking in any mans heart can be hid, but all are alwayes in his presence. He made me beleeue that light could be brought out of darknesse, that good may come of euill, for he assured me, that if I would set forth toward Tarshish, I should not onely shun the presence of the Lord, but should liue at ease like one vnknowne, both for my voca­tiō and also for my behauiour in the execu­tion therof, and so I might creepe into a fa­miliaritie with these people, and enioye the benefit of their societie. Otherwise if I went to Niniuie as the Lord commaunded, they would hate and persecute me, yea and so I should end my life in miserie, both because they being Gentiles and I a Iew, they can not abide me, for the one holdeth the other in cōtempt: and also because of my message, namely a Prophecie of destruction, groun­ded vpon a reproofe of their vile and sinne­full pleasures. Which message, Sathan per­swaded me that it would be so hainously ta­ken, that no death nor torment that they could deuise for me would be thought suf­ficient, & so I should be sure neuer to escape [Page 125] their hands aliue if I wēt, as though the eter­nall and most glorious God which sent me thither, were not able to defend me from all euill when I come thether, as well as he did Damell in the den of Lyons, and Iohn in the Isle of Pathmos among the sauage beastes. And when Sathā had thus perswaded me, I beleeued him, & so tooke my iourney to fly frō the presence of the Lord (if I could haue performed my intētion.) But the Lord who seeing the stubburnesse and disobedience of my heart, followed me with great displea­sure, sending such a tēpest vpō the sea wher­on I was, that it had like to ouerwhelmed vs all, and so neare as I was to the water, so neare I was to death by all likelihood.

Thus Sathan perswadeth vs as he did Io­nah, he saith to vs as he said to Christ, if you will fall downe and worship me, I will giue Luke. 4. 7. you all things you would haue: if you will leaue the societie, the exercises, the professiō, and the companie of the children of God, and of the seruice of God, and serue me, and worship me, in preferring your couetous­nesse, your pride, your enuie, your lust, be­fore the seruice of God, then you shall grow rich, and you shall not be so scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime, or to lye for your pleasure, and to cosin for riches, and [Page 126] you shall haue good lucke, and shall haue euery thing at your hearts desire. But if we do his will, we shall speede as Ionah did, we shall haue the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads: for he hath nothing to giue vs, although he makes vs beleeue we shall haue great kingdomes. Yes we shall haue hell for our reward, which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it, other reward he hath none. So the deuill is alwayes a very seruiceable and pleasant deuill to such as fly from God: he can finde occasiōs at all times, and meanes and instrumēts fit for that pur­pose. If thou wilt fly from God, the deuill will lend you both spurres, and a horse, (yea a post horse) that will carrie you swiftlie & lustilie away vnto all vanitie and vngodlie lusts. But see what Ionah got by his iourney, notwithstanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him, he lost his mo­ney, lost his ioy, lost his credit, and almost lost his life too. Thus we see in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God, in obey­ing and practising the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in steed of the knowen will of God, for the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience: the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all, the waters roare as though they [Page 127] will drowne all, the ship reeles and tumbles as though she were wearie of all, & the ma­riners crie and cast out their wares apace, as though they would loose all: And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him, nor the wa­ters drowne him, nor the whale eat him; and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah.

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a great tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken.

First God spake gentlie to him, Arise Io­nah, go to Niniuie: then he would not go, but seeing wordes would not serue, the Lord would take another way, and try whether that could make him obedient to his voice. So the Lord caused a mightie tempest to a­rise in the sea, which set them all in a maze, and made them examine both whence the tēpest came, & also wherefore, or for whose sake it troubled them so sore, that Ionah might see (at the least) if he would see it, that the vegeāce of God doth alwayes accōpany the stubburne and disobedient whither soe­uer they go: and for the accōplishment ther­of, that all the creatures of God are bent a­gainst them, to molest trouble, and crosse them in their euill wayes.

God sent a great wind.

He that made the windes, commaunded Psal. 141. 18 Isa. 13. them, and they obey his voyce: the wind & the waters obey him, but man will not obey him. He saith not, that a wind arose, but saith, The Lord sent a great wind; then it was not by chance, nor yet by witchcraft, for the mariners (notwithstanding they were infidels) were not so grosse as to ascribe it vnto anie such cause, but rather thought it to be sent from some reuenging power, be­ing prouoked to indignation by some par­ticular person among them, that had com­mitted some hainous fact: else why did they cast lots, to know him and find him out that had sinned, and whose sinne did procure the tempest to be sent? Though this tempest had almost drowned Ionah, yet he saith, the Lord sent it: so the Lord sendeth wind to bring ships to land in safetie, and the same Lord sendeth tempests to drown, & breake, and sincke other ships. Therefore Iob sayd when he was bereft of all his substance at once, and left as poore as might be, that the Lord had taken them from him (which also gaue all to him,) adding also a thāksgiuing Iob. 1. 21. euen for the persecuting hād of God, which did so molest him. If some had so much losse by tempest as Iob, and such danger as Ionah, they would surely say with Iob, Blessed be [Page 129] the name of the Lord for it.

Now the wind blowes, the water tosses, the whale swims, & all to meet Ionah which flies from God, to see if they can turne his hart which sleeps in disobedience. The ship goes roundly for a time, the Prophet is slee­ping, the mariners are sporting, their sailes flaunting, the waters calming, the windes guiding, so merily sinne goes on before the tempest comes. The wind blowes not yet, therfore go on yet a litle, & yet a little more, but yet the tempest rushes vpō them before they be ware of it, and tumbles them vp and downe, & suddenly all is like to be vndone. Now Ionah is in more danger then the Ni­niuites. And now, ó that he had stayed at home and saued his money, saued his credit, & saued his life from the danger of the furi­ous & vnmerciful streame. Here we may see what paines a sinner takes, & all to hurt him selfe. He came to the hauen, and payd the fare, and entred the ship, and hoist vp sailes, and went on forward, and all to flie from God, and yet he fled not from him but to him. Therfore Dauid saith, if I take the mor­ning Psal. 139. 7. 8. 9. wings and flie aloft, lo thou art there, if I go into the neathermost depth, thy hand will find me out: therefore whither shall I flie from thee? so that when we thinke that [Page 130] we flie from God, in running out of one place into another, we do but run from one hand to the other, for there is no place where Gods hand is not, and whither soeuer a re­bellious sinner doth run, the hand of God wil meet with him to crosse him, and hinder his good successe, although he prophecieth neuer so much good vnto him selfe in his iourney. The winds could not further Io­nah, the waters could not beare him, his sleep could not saue him, the ship could not hold him, the mariners could not helpe him, the whale would not spare him, but he poore man must be cast out, lest all through him be cast away. The ship that was full of wares of great value, was readie to sinke when Io­nah entred into it. He trusted to the winds, and the winds could not further him; he tru­sted to the waters, and the waters could not beare him; he trusted to the ship, the ship could not hold him; he trusted to the mari­ners, the mariners could not help him. What had he offended the winds, or the waters, or what had he offended the ship that bare him such enmitie? The winds and the waters, and Iob. 5. 23. all Gods creatures, are to take Gods part a­gainst Ionah or anie other rebellious sinner.

Though God in the beginning gaue power to mā, & authoritie ouer all his crea­tures [Page 131] to rule them, yet whē mā sinneth God giueth power & strēgth vnto his creatures to rule & bridle man. Therfore he that euē now was Lord ouer the waters, now the wa­ters are Lord ouer him. But if Ionah had thought that God would haue brought things thus to passe, he durst not haue been so bold in this enterprise. Therfore we may see that sinne hath no eyes while it is on go­ing. Tush (saith the foole) it is faire weather yet (while he goeth to the stockes.) Pro. 7. 22.

But God sent a mightie tempest into the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Such a stirre hath God before he can come by his owne, he must crosse vs, and set him selfe and all his creatures against vs, he must straine our bodies and constraine vs to it before we will yeeld him due obediēce. The tempest must blow, the sea must rage, the ship must reele, the heart must trēble, & all must be in an vprore against vs, & God must crosse vs in all our doings afore we will returne frō our wicked wayes. The bee when she hath once flung doth leese her sting [...] so that she cā sting no more: so is not punishment for it goeth in generall, when one tempest is gone, another comes vpō vs, for if we be sicke, sicknesse is not dead with vs, if we be poore, pouertie endeth not, if we [Page 132] be in daunger, daunger is not therefore put downe for euer after: and if we be vexed, vexation hath not therefore left his sting in vs [...] but all these things are Gods weapons whereof he hath store, and if thou be diso­bedient, he will lead thee through them all, Le [...]it. 26. 18. 24. 28. 36. 37. 38. 39. &c. vntill he hath humbled thee, and made thee to glorifie him with obedience or vtterly destroyed thee.

God sent a mightie tempest into the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

This ship which was so faire and goodly euen now, is now like a poore ship tost & readie to be torne in peeces, such strife is al­wayes betwixt Gods wrath and mans diso­bedience. When Gods word will not turne vs, Gods sword must spurne vs.

I obserue that oftentimes many are puni­shed for one mans sinne (as all the host of Is­raell Ios. 7. 5. 12. Many pu­nished for ones sinne, therefore suffer sinne in none. were punished for the sinne of Achan, and here all the mariners for Ionahs sinne.) &c. To the end that men might learne ther­by to admonish one another when they see them do amisse, with loue: and not to say with Cain, am I the keeper of my brother? for he that is not carefull to keepe his bro­ther Gen. 4. 9. from sinne, is not carefull to keepe him selfe from sinne, therefore let vs take heede that a wicked one be not found amōgest vs [Page 133] vnadmonished. I would there were not ma­ny worse then Ionah amongest vs. Will you know what I thinke of you? I thinke you are worse thē Infidels, Turkes, or Pagans, that in this wonderfull yeare of wonderful mercies, are not thankefull, do not beleeue in God, nor trust in him, nor glorifie his name: but like Pharoes sorcerers, who seeing the great workes of God which Moses ex­pressed, Exod. 8. 19. passing their skill, confessed saying, surely this is the finger of God: so you confesse that it is the great worke of God (as you must needs,) but where is the fruites it hath brought forth in you? The Captaine saith, I haue done nothing, the souldier saith, I stur­red not, but the Lord sent out a mighty tē ­pest vpon thē, & after that they escaped our handes, the Lord stretched out his might [...] arme against them, and Pharao is drowned in the sea, so that he neuer attained the land of promise which he gaped for, and made full accompt to po [...]esse. Further, herein we Mans ex­tremitie, Gods opor­tunitie. may note, that extremitie is Gods oportu­nitie: for when the wind had almost ouer­turned all, and the waters had almost drow­ned all, and destruction had almost deuou­red all, then, and not afore, was Gods opor­tunitie, to set forth his glory. While the ship reeled, and the waters flushed, and the mari­ners [Page 134] shriked, Ionah slept in securitie and voyde of flying, which should haue admo­nished all the rest, and repented of his sinne which was the cause thereof.

The ship was almost broken, but not al­together brokē, and Ionah cast into the sea, and then was he not almost drowned, but altogether drowned, had not God prepared a great whale, which saued his life in a mi­raculous maner, out of which God brought him foorth like Lazarus in his winding sheete, that he might glorifie God once a­gaine, and see if he could finde the way to Niniuie.

The effectes, that this great tempest wrought were these. The ship was like to be brokē & the mariners were sore affrayd. The ship which was so strong that it might haue encountred with instrumēts of warre, and made so strong that it might be able to go many voyages, and indure great tem­pestes and many waues, was now with one tempest and at one voyage in such a ta­king, that they which were in it feared that it should haue been torne all to peeces, and so they should loose their ship, their liues, goods & all: & so vehement was the tēpest, that they were fully perswaded it was no cōmō nor ordinarie thing, but extraordina­rie, [Page 135] & for some extraordinarie cause sent v­pon thē by some great diuine power. And the mariners (which liue in the sea almost Marine [...] like the fishes. like the fishes, and haue the waters as their necessariest element) now trēbled for feare, like women which shrike at euery stirre in the boat, & like little childrē when they are frighted. Now these couragious fellowes are brought downe by daunger, which de­fied daunger, like a young souldier which starteth at the sound of a gunne.

Then the mariners were afrayd, and cryed euery man vnto his god, and cast the wares out that were in the ship to lighten it thereof. But Ionah was gone downe into the sides of the ship, and he lay downe, and was fast a sleepe.

This verse is deuided into two partes. The first, that the mariners at this sodaine storme were frighted and cast into amaze. The second as touching Ionah his sleeping. After that God had spokē gentlie vnto Io­nah, & saw that his wordes would not moue him, the Lord sent out a mightie tempest like the messengers which were sent to cō ­pell folkes to come to the banquet: such a Luk. 14. 23. stirre hath God before he can come to his due, he is faine to summon vs by all his crea­tures afore we will yeeld vnto his voyce.

They cryed eueryman vnto his God, and cast [Page 136] forth their wares into the sea, &c.

This is no vsual matter among mariners, vntill they plead for life and death, for now or neuer they must besturre them. Euery one vnto his God: which sheweth that they were of diuers nations, for among the Gentiles euery natiō had a seuerall God whom they worshipped. Chamos was the god of the Moabites, & Belzebub the god of the Ebro­nites, Dagon the god of the Philistines, and 1. Sam. 5. 5. Act. 19. 35. the Ephesians worshipped Diana. Whē the wicked see that all their inuentions will not bring their enterprises to passe according to their minde, but are in extremitie, and like to be cast away for want of succour, thē they flye vnto God being driuen by com­pulsion as a beare vnto a stake, and they crouch and kneele, and make great shewes outwardly, of humiliation and pietie, all in hope of helpe from God, & as it were thin­king to deceaue him by their hypocrisie.

In our necessitie we flie euerie one vnto In necessitie euery one flyes to that he hath con­fidence in. his god (as these mariners) in whom we re­pose our confidence: euerie one flieth vnto those vanities which most feed their humor, perswading them selues of sufficient releefe from them. Come Phisicke heale me; come musicke cheare me; come dainties seed me; come gold enrich me; come flatterie please [Page 137] me; come mirth glad me; come honors ad­uance me; & come all pleasures when I wish for you, come when I need and I will trust in you: so euery man doth flie vnto such va­nities (in their necessitie) as they take most pleasure in, supposing that they are able of them selues to ease them: so leauing the crea­tor which is all powerfull in him self, & run­ning to his creatures, which haue no power saue that they receiue from him. Euerie one vnto his god. That is, in the time of necessi­tie euerie one doth flie for helpe and ease vn­to that, wherin he reposeth most confidēce: some run to their coffers, thinking that there it is that is able to procure ease frō any trou­bles: other some run to their delights and wanton sports, supposing that there is no trouble so great, but it will ease them of it: some to their glorious attires & costly iew­els, as thinking those can make them accep­table in the sight of God: some to their dain­tie meates: some to their soft beds and easie standings, &c. But when they begin to per­ceiue that these wil not helpe, which they in all the time of their prosperity reposed their confidence in, and made more account off then God, then they begin to crouch and kneele, & to seeke out the true God in hope of releefe. If thou canst heale thy selfe, what [Page 138] needest thou a phisitian? or if thou canst help thy selfe out of troubles, what neede hast thou of succour? Therefore these mariners seeing that they could not helpe themselues, cried vnto their gods, and laboured with all their strength that they might not be cast a­way. First they vsed prayer vnto the diuine powers for assistance: then they vsed such ordinarie meanes as they knew best in such a time, by casting out their wares to lighten the ship of them, which rule is necessaire to be vsed of all Christians in their necessitie: In necessitie first pray, thē vse law, full meanes. first to seeke for ayde and assistance at the hands of God, and then to vse all such good meanes to helpe them selues, as God shal en­able them to do, trusting that of his good­nesse he will blesse their endeuors, else may they go ouer all the world to seeke helpe & haue none, for there is no other way. God in deed is last refuge, but he is also the first refuge which is to be sought vnto, for he is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

And cried eueryman vnto his God.

They did wel in that they prayed, but they prayed not well, for they prayed euery man vnto his god, that is, vnto fayned gods, gods in name but not in nature, & such gods they were, as could not helpe so much as them selues.

And they cried. Which sheweth that their gods were deafe and could not heare them, no more then they could helpe them. Here is a distinctiō in prayer: the righteous pray when they are in need, but the vngodly rore and crie like beares without their pray, for they dispaire of helpe before they pray for it. Euerie mā vnto his god. They prayed much like the Papists, which in extremitie cry out Papistes to their sundrie Saints. some to one saint, some to another, some to saints some to Angels, for they thinke, if one will not helpe another will. But true prayer hath two wings, betweene which it must be carried vp to heauen, else it cannot ascend at Prayers wings to bring it to heauē: faith and loue. all, namely faith and loue, without which no prayer can be acceptable or amiable before God. These cried and prayed, & their pray­ers did beate the skie, but could not lay the tempest, yet their prayer is here noted, to shew the custome of naturall men: for the heathen do wel perceiue that there is a God, (nature and experiēce doth teach it them,) who hath made the stately and most glori­ous frame of the world, with all the excel­lent creatures therein, yet they know him not. For though the lamps be wasted since Adam cōsulted with the deuil that he might be a God, yet there is a litle light which still dwelleth in darknesse, like a sparke hid in [Page 140] ashes. They would not haue prayed at all, but that nature taught them that there is a God, whose mightie power they beheld so expresly in all the creatures, that they ima­gined it to be impossible for one God to worke them all: therfore they thought that there were diuerse gods as there were diuerse seasons, diuerse nations, diuerse trades, di­uerse languages, diuerse and sundry kinds of all things; and so diuerse nations worship­ped diuerse gods. Euerie of these mariners did now in their extremitie call vpon his god, euerie one vpon that god which he thought most highly off, and in whom he hath in his prosperitie reposed most confi­dence. And now while none could help but Seeking to lay the tem­pest, they in­crease it. one, they cried to many, and by this meanes while they sought to lay the tempest, they stirred it more: for their prayers being ido­latrous, were so wicked, that it had bene suf­ficient to prouoke the Lord vtterly to de­stroy them, if his mercie were not wonder­full Psal. 144. 15. ouer all his works, therefore blessed is he that hath the Lord for his God. What trou­ble soeuer commeth vnto the child of God, yet he hath some consolation, patience, and moderation of mind, to beare it withall, but when the Lord sendeth aduersitie vnto the vngodly, they haue such a guiltie conscience, [Page 141] that whē they feele the great hand of God, they are euen distracted of their wits, and made as it were senslesse, that they know not what they do: yea when trouble comes, it makes them like a heedlesse bee, which buz­zeth about she knowes not whither, or like the swallow, which by compulsion of the wind, flyeth backward & forward till it fall into the sea, or like Cain whose head was giddie, that he knew not whither to go, fea­ring to be slaine of euery one whom he Gen. 4. seeth.

And cast the wares out that were in the ship into the sea.

Now the mariners are content to cast their wares into the sea, in hope of some furtherance to saue their liues thereby, for though many will venter their liues for riches, yet they rather part with all their riches then their liues. If I regard wicked­nesse in my heart, saith Dauid, the Lord will Psal. 66. 18 1. Cor. 13. 3. not heare me. And Paule saith, though I cast my life into the fire if I haue no chari­tie, if I retaine malice in my heart, it profi­teth me nothing, if I cast not away sinne, I Cast away sinne or tho [...] castest a­way all. cast away all. Some will giue to the poore, and yet vse extortion and vsurie to get mo­ney by: but God saith to such, that if they regard wickednesse in their hearts it profi­teth [Page 142] nothing. Though they thinke them selues beneficiall to the poore thereby, yet God will accept of them but as hypocrites, he will none of their oblations, vntill they haue humbled them selues and refor­med their owne hearts before him from such vncleannesse.

What meanest thou ô sleeper? arise.

Now the mariners, waken him, as if they should say, why Ionah dost thou not see how we are enclosed, doest thou not behold our wares cast out? why doest thou not come & labour with vs in this dangerous time? is this a time to sleepe in, when we are all in perill of our liues? shall we crie, & thou be mute? shall we labour [...] and thou rest? shal we fight and thou flie? this is no time to sleepe, it is a time to pray vnto thy god for his assistance, & to vse the meanes that may saue our liues. Now Ionah did not snap like some currish [Page 151] dogges, and bite him that wakened him, but he ariseth and confesseth his sinne, being content to beare the punishment, and when Ionah remembred him selfe, the windes and the waters remembred them selues, and be­came quiet.

Manie of you come to heare the word, & Against sleepers. here you fall a sleepe when you haue most neede to be waking, but I am glad I haue now gotten a text to waken you, for now I can not reade my text, but I must say, what meanest thou ô sleeper? arise: but I pray you, haue not I wakened you, and yet you sleepe againe? If you marke what is said vnto you, you are a sleepe though your eyes be open, and if you were as wise as Ionah, you would not sleepe here in the sight of all the people, but would rather get you to sleepe in some corner, for Ionah went vnder the hatches to sleepe, and would not sleepe in the sight of the mariners. If you were as wise as Ionah, you would thanke him that wakened you. Salomon saith, that he which reproueth, shall haue more fauor of a wise man, thē he which flattereth. The Lord Iesus saith, wo be vnto that seruant, that when his master commeth he shall find sleeping, canst thou not watch one houre, saith he to Peter cā you not wake while I speake vnto you? You all would be [Page 152] found in the Church when the Lord com­meth, but you would not be found sleeping in the Church, you are watched (I see you not below) and none of you can steale a nap & not be spied, but when your eyes be most shut and see least, then most eyes be vpon you, and I can as well stand in this pulpit vnseene, as you can sit and sleepe there and not be espied. I maruell how you can sleepe hauing so many eyes looking on you, so many clamors in your eares, and God him selfe speaking vnto you. Shall I continue iogging till you be wakened? how long shal I preach afore I can conuert the vsurer, the extortioner, the drunkard, or the blasphe­mer, seeing I speake thus long? for I can not conuert you from your sleeping. What would you do if I read some Homilies vnto you, whereas you cannot waken, while I preach vnto you and speake against you? If you should see a traitour sleepe vpon the hurdle, or if you should see men sleepe with meate in their mouthes, would you not maruell? yet euen so do you while I de­nounce the great iudgemēts of God against you, and while I am feeding some of you, you fall a sleepe, and so I preach in vayne. There is a countrey whereof it is said, that it is night with them, when it is day with [Page 153] vs, I thinke that countrey be here, for how manie are here that haue lost their eyes and their eares since they came hither? If all of you were, as manie of you be (I meane a sleepe) the strangers which come hither to heare, would thinke that you were all dead, & that I preach your funerall sermon, ther­fore for shame leaue your sleeping. What meanest thou ô sleeper? arise, sleep no more, and I will waken you no more.

Arise and call vpon thy God, if so be he will thinke vpon vs, that we perish not.

After that the ship-maister had wakened Ionah, he bids him call vpon his God, as if he had said, watch and pray; he speakes like a Saint, yet he is an infidell, he sayd not, call vpon our gods, but call vpon thy God, the ship-maister would not call him his God, but (saith he) call vpon thy God, and it may be he will helpe vs: but if he had sayd, call vpon our God, when he sayd call vpon thy God, and if he had said he will helpe vs, whē he sayd if so be he will helpe vs, then he had shewed some sparke of faith. Because he wā ­ted helpe and comfort, he bids him rise, and because he was fearfull, he bids him pray: it may be (saith he) he wil thinke vpon vs, that we perish not, as if he had said, Ionah, we know that thou hast a God as wel as we, and [Page 154] therefore we say call vpon thy God, for now any god may serue, therefore now if euer thou didst pray in thy life, fall to it now, for if any god do helpe, it is good i­nough. Thus Sathan leads men a blind way with zeale in hope of some reliefe being in trouble. They called vpon them for helpe, which were neither able to heare nor assist them: and when they perceaued by wofull experience that there was no kinde of su [...] ­cour to be had that way, they flie to God, & then Sathan laboureth to vndermine that confidence and expectation of helpe, and to place in stead therof doubtfulnesse and infi­delitie. Thus Sathan wil be sure to loose no­thing by his bargaine any way. That God that layeth the tēpest now shalbe our God, and we will worship him (saith the mari­ners) now therfore Ionah cal vpon thy God, for we haue tryed all the rest, and if he can not helpe vs, we are all gone and lost, for we haue called vpon all our gods, we haue laboured hard to mend our state, we haue cast away our goods to lighten the ship, but all in vayne, for we are no whit the bet­ter, like the woman which had spent all Luke. 9. her substance about Phisicke, yet all could not helpe her til Christ came: so the Papists while they are well, they pray vnto euery [Page 155] Saint, and Angell for succour against the troublesome times, but in extremitie or at the point of death none of them can helpe, so that then they are faine to flye vnto God or be destitute, as like Idolaters as one fly is like another: they are like the heathē which worship Iuno, Venus, Neptune, Pallas, lupi­ter, and the rest, some hold on the one, and some one the other. Some say if Iohn be with me, I care not for all the pettigods, because I hold him chief: so another saith if S. Gabri­ell be with me, I care not for the rest, and some raise great disputations whether this Saint, or that Saint, this Angell, or that An­gell be better, whether our Lady of Bullen, or our Lady of Rome be surest; whether S. Iames of Callis, or S. Iames of Compostella be strongest and so like beggers which run from doore to doore, they run from one Saint to another. If one god will not helpe another will, as though the gods were con­trary one to another, and where one bids, the other forbids. So some thought that Ve­nus was a friend to the Troians, and Pallas was not their friend, as fooles thinke of witches, one strikes and another heales.

Call vpon thy God.

They bid him call vpon his God before Infidels de [...]sire the sa [...] full to pr [...] for them. they knew him, but the faithfull would not [Page 156] worship a false god though they may be helped. By him by the exāple of these ma­riners, we may learne the substāce of euery temptation that doth vndermine vs, and we shall see that it will bid vs do this euill that this good may come of it: marke when soe­uer Sinne al­wayes pro­mised good. thou art motioned to euill, if it do not promise thee some goodnesse to come of it. But the seruaunts of God ought not to do that which is euill, though they may gayne all things that can be wished by so doing: for they haue learned their lesson, & how to answere Sathan at such times: why temptest thou me Sathan? for it is written thou must Rom. 3. 8. not do euill that good may come of it, and this is the armor called Scriptum est where­with the Lord ouercame the deuill in the wildernesse: here we may see the difference betweene the faithfull and infidels.

Call vpon thy God.

The mariners bid Ionah pray to his God The truly faithful de­sire not infi­dels to pray for them. in their behalfe, but Ionah saith not to the mariners pray to your gods in my behalfe. And this is also manifest that a Papist will say vnto a zealous Protestant, and one that liues well, pray for me, but a Protestant, if he be any thing zealous, will not say vnto a Pa­pist pray thou for me, knowing that whē a Papist doth pray he doth it to Idols, Saints, [Page 157] or Angels, and therefore their prayers are abhominable in the sight of God, and ther­fore they will not bid them do it, because they will not do euill to the intēt that good may come of it, whereby it is manifest that Exod. 88. 28. &c. Pharao de­sireth Mo­ses, Moses not Pha­raoh. 1. Sam. 15. 25. our Religiō is the true Religion our aduer­saries thē selues being iudges. And so Pha­rao said to Moses pray for me, but Moses said not to Pharao pray thou for me. Saul said to Samuell pray for me: but Samuel said not to Saul pray thou for me; therefore the mariners had need of Ionah to pray for thē, & why should not all pray to Ionahs God, and Pharao pray to Moses God, seeing God hath said call vpon me in trouble and I will Psal. 50. 13 heare thee? Call vpō thy God (say they). Whē they saw all the other gods wold not helpe, they ranne to another whom they knew not, yet hoping for to be helped by him, be­cause they thought some God there was that could do it: so the Papists run frō one god to another, from S. Dominicke to S. Frācis, & why should they run frō S. Domi­nicke to S. Francis, but that they mistrusted S. Dominicke? and so they go forward, but in the end the vnknowen God is thought to be the best: yet the Lord taught not Peter one prayer and Iohn another, but taught thē all one prayer vnto one onely God.

If per aduenture he will thinke vpon vs that we perish not.

This if, perhaps, and peraduenture cost Adam Paradise, thrise three wordes were changed: the first, God said to Adam, if thou doest eate of this tree, thou shalt surely dye, then Euah reported these wordes thus: lest peraduenture we dye, the Serpent seeing her in such a minde, so carelesse or forgetfull of the commaundement, he came and quite changed the matter and said, you shall not dye; thus sinne creeps vpon vs while doubt­fulnesse remaineth in vs: so God saith you shal be saued, the trēbling flesh saith perad­uenture I shall, &c. then cōmeth Sathā, & he saith thou shalt dye. So that if you wil aske Sinners faith. what is the faith of sinners, or if you would haue it defined it is this: peraduenture yea peraduēture no, if you wil aske me, whereu­pon this faith is grounded, it is vpon ifs, & ands: this is the faith of the vngodly, to say, if so be God will helpe vs, for they cānot as­sure themselues of any helpe. But we may not doubt of our God and say, it may be, or if peraduenture: for we may freely pray to our God with confidence, and may say, our God and the God of Ionah wil surely helpe vs, and hath helped vs, but yet let vs know that we haue sinned like infidels, and do de­serue [Page 159] to be punished like the Egyptians.

If so be he will &c.

This if commeth in, like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow, and like the moth, which eateth the whole wed­ding garment, and this same litle thiefe hath stolen away all the Papistes faith. Wicked­nesse lyeth sicke in bed, and calleth to euery one that commeth by, call vpon thy god & pray for me, if so be he will looke vpon vs and helpe vs, and so the best hope when the tempest commeth is present death.

If so be he will thinke vpon vs.

Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble, he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpō their gods, Saints, and Angels, but what do we meane beloued, whē mercy is come, to send for iudgement? for though we be saued with Israell, we haue deserued to be plagued with Pharao, because we are not thākfull for this, namely that the Lord hath thought vpon vs in our distresse, for he trauelleth with mer­cie, and laboureth till he be deliuered, he goeth loden like a bee but wants a hiue.

There are two hands, a hand to giue, and a hand to receiue: Gods hand to giue, and mans hand to receiue, the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand, a hand lodē [Page 160] with liberalitie, full of gracious gifts, there­fore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to A good hand. receiue it, (thankfully to embrace it, cheer­fully to entertaine it, and carefully to keepe it) let vs receiue it by the hand of faith, the hand of loue, and the hand, of prayer, for who so commeth with this hand shall be fil­led, and who so commeth without it, shall go emptie away, because they haue despised the wayes of God: for when I instructed thē Pro [...]. 1. 24. 25. they would not heare, & what I taught them they would not learne saith the Lord.

And they sayd euerie man to his fellow, come let vs cast lots, that we may knowe for whose sake this euill is vpon vs. So they cast lots, and the lot fell vpon Ionah.

Now we are come to casting of lots, that we may know who troubles the ship: for the ship is tossed and readie to sinke, but no man will confesse who is the cause thereof, therfore they haue concluded among them selues saying, come let vs cast lots that we may find him out.

1 Danger made them feare, and 2 feare made them gather together their wits, and droue them into an earnest examination of the cause thereof, and perswaded them to vse such meanes to auoyd these dangers, as were best knowen vnto them, 3 whereupon they [Page 161] prayed vnto their gods, & seeing they could not mend them, 4 then they fall to casting of lots, thereby to find out him that was the cause of all this sturre, for they thought as­suredly this tempest was sent from some an­grie god, to molest them all for the sinne of some notorious wretch that was gotten in amongst them, whom now they labour to find out by casting of the lots. They did not vse to cast lots, this was no custome amōgst the mariners, but the tempest was so strange that verie infidels might perceiue therin the mightie power of God. These were like worldlings, which neuer confesse God, but when he commeth in a tempest, they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare, like Pharaos sorcerers, which confessed not Exod. 8. 1 [...]. Gods maiestie while they liued at ease, but when the Lord plagued them, then they cried out, this is the finger of God.

Let vs ca [...]t lots.

The lot fell vpon Ionah in the end, not because he was the greatest sinner of thē all, Luke. 13. 1. 2. &c. for so is the opinion of the common people, to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted. If anie one be seene to beare his crosse, then manie will say, this is a wicked man, and so thinke well of them selues, sup­posing that God is bent against them to [Page 160] [...] [Page 161] [...] [Page 162] plague them. For he correcteth them as he did his Sonne, but if iudgement begin at the house of God, what shall become of the vn­godly? [...]. Pet. 4. 17. 18.

Then they said euerie man to his fellow, come let vs cast lots, that we may know &c.

Euerie man excuseth him selfe, though they be sinners, yet they are not great sin­ners. They thought that there was but one sinner among them, for euery one of them said it is not I: they were not of Dauids spi­rite, who when he saw the people plagued, 2. Sam. 24. 10. said, Lord it is I.

They had past many tempestes before, but they neuer cast lots, for their casting of lots doth note some speciall danger, suppo­sing this tempest to be sent from some an­grie god, and that for some one mans sinne amongst them, therefore they determined to seeke him out by lots: and hauing found him, to sacrifice him vnto the god that, was so offended by him. But if they knewe the angry gods, they should haue taken their sinnes by the throte, and sacrificed them vn­to them. In that they cast lots, it sheweth that their heads were full of doubts in this time of extremitie, for the wind sayd, I will ouerturne thē, the waters sayd, I wil drowne them, the ship said, I cannot hold them, the [Page 163] mariners said, we cannot help Ionah nor our selues, for God was gone from them, and Ionah his conscience accused him, within sin was bleeding, and God knocked at the dore of his heart, saying, it is for thee the tempest is come thou fugitiue. It doth not appeare that Ionah doth free him selfe, in that he said nothing but hid him, went to sleepe, and tried it by the lots, for he thought, it may be the lot will fall vpon me, like a thiefe which (notwithstanding) in his owne heart he knowes himselfe guilty of that wherwithall he is charged, yet will not confesse vntil the matter be throughly sifted out and proued to his face, in such sort that he cannot for shame denie it. For euerie man would exte­nuate Euerie ma [...] shifts off sin vpon others. his sinne and diminish it, and euerie one thinketh his sinne salued, when he ex­cuseth him selfe. Let Adam be his owne iudge, and he will say the woman tempted Gen. 3. 12. 13. him to sinne, and let the woman be her own iudge, and she will say, yonder serpent per­swaded her to it, let euerie one be their own iudge, and there will be such posting off of sinne, that neuer a one will be found guiltie. Therefore if God had not sifted out this sin the better, Ionah would not haue confessed. Christ saith, he that breaketh the least com­mandement, Mat. 5. 19. and teacheth others so, shal be [Page 164] least in the kingdome of heauen, but none are accounted sinners, vnlesse they be opēly detected of some notable and hainous crime. If they be dicers, swearers, drunkards, braw­lers, pickers, flatterers, prophaners of the sa­both, sleepers at Church, and such like, these are counted no sinnes, but rather recreatiōs, for they count them no sinners, vnlesse they be traitors, theeues, open and grosse idola­ters, and such like capitall crimes, no nor these neither, were it not for feare of the law, for none but Publicanes were counted sin­ners, all the rest were good fellowes & iust men. There is none that will be so impudēt as to say that he hath no sinne at all, or as the Pope, to say that he can not erre, for he that aduaunceth him selfe shall be as the least in the kingdome of heauen, or as we call it, a Luk. 14. 11. squire of low degree. The Papistes say, that thoughts, words, & such like are but venial sinnes, for there be veniall sinnes and mortal sinnes. Did you euer reade of these veniall sinnes in the Scripture? but you thinke they haue nothing but the Scripture: yes, they haue decrees, they haue decretals, they haue visiōs, & they haue a Pope that cannot erre: and thus they lessen the price of sinnes, and they can buy sinnes, sometimes for money, sometimes for Masses, and sometimes for o­ther [Page 165] rewards, & by holy water many sinnes are washed away, because they are veniall: but if the deuill turne good vnto euill, God turneth euill vnto good.

The Gentiles had a custome, that in the time of common plague, they sacrificed one for the rest, this custome they tooke by imi­tation of the Iewes in offering beasts, and of Abraham in offering his sonne. And thus the deuill tooke aduantage to do euil by the seruice of God, in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination, by offering men in imitation of the Iewes sacrifices.

Then they sayd, come let vs cast lots.

The mariners were not so wise to preuent the tempest before it came, as they were to lay the tempest when it might not be layed. Now whether it be lawfull to cast lots, it is not euident by this example, because they were Gentiles, and therfore no president for vs, but so farre may we vse them as the word doth leade vs. There are two goats brought Leuit. 16. to Aarō that he might cast lots, to see which goat should be killed, & which should not, these goats signifie Christ, for as he died, he liued againe, and as he was buried, he rose a­gaine. Againe the land of Canaan is parted Num. 33. by lots, to see what part each tribe should inhabit. Againe, that theefe Achan is found Iosua 7. [Page 166] out by lots, first by his tribe, then by his fa­milie, and lastly by his particular person.

Againe, it is sayd that Saule was chosen 1. Sam. 1. king by lots, and lest anie should haue said, that it was his good lucke, his good lot, or chaunce to be king, therefore the Lord ap­pointed that he should be annointed before we was chosen by lots.

Againe Mathias is chosen by lots to the Actes. 2. Apostleship in stead of Iudas, so that it is lawful in some cases to cast lots, and it is not vtterly vnlawfull, so that they do attribute nothing vnto them, for the lot is cast in the lap, but the disposition thereof is from the Pro. 16. 33. Lord: therefore they must not say that it is their chaunce, fortune, or good lucke, for so they make an Idole of it, and robbe God of the honour due vnto him.

It was not Saules fortune to be king, but Gods mercy; it was not Ionahs chance to be cast out, but Gods iudgement; lots may be vsed to preuent strife, whē all other meanes haue bene vsed, as sometimes brethren do deuide their inheritance by lots, as the chil­dren of Israell diuided the land of Chanaan. In the Church of Geneua there is an order that in the time of plague, there should be an house set a part for the sicke to lodge in and lest they should be vncomforted they chuse [Page 167] out a Minister by lots to do it.

Then they said come let vs cast lots.

Now we are come to put vp our suits to the Court of Lawyers, to see if they will do any thing for God, for cōscience, or for loue, that they would end their suits quickly, and let the poore clients haue equitie. Some say that Lawyers be good vntill they be coun­sellers, like Lyons which wilbe gentle vntill their tallants grow: be not offended but a­mend for malice speakes not.

I am perswaded that if the lots were cast to see who troubles the ship it would fall v­pon the Lawyers, be not offended but amēd for malice speakes not. A poore client com­meth foorth accusing one, and going home accuseth an hundred, for so many seekes to gaine by him, so few seekes to further him, and so many seekes to hinder him, that all his gaine is but labour and losse. For a small matter many will come to law, to striue for that which with reason might easily be at­tained without such contention, and others seeke to enrich themselues with contending for a smal matter at the law with their neigh­bours, yet in the end loose that they sought, and that they had beside: and so they con­tend and striue about a thing commonly til the Lawyer hath gained more by them then [Page 168] the thing which is in controuersie is worth. These are like the mouse and the frogge, which stroue so long about marsh grounde till the kite came & tooke it from thē both. Others will come vp to law about a small matter, & therein so intangle thēselues, that they cannot rid their hāds of it, vntil it haue almost vndone them, like a seely sheepe that is hunted of a flie which runneth frō bush to bush, & euery bush catcheth a locke of him, so that the poore sheepe is thredbare ere he hath done and hath not a fleece left him to couer himselfe withall. So he runs frō Court to Court to sue, to plead, till he haue spēt his cloake for his coate, were it not better to haue cast lots for the coate at first? for the law is like a butlers boxe, play still on till it come to the candlesticke. Therefore it is lawfull for to end a controuersie in a hard matter, to vse this meane whē other meanes haue [...]in tried. Now whether it be lawfull to cast dice (if lots may not be vsed as I haue proued but in hard matters & weighty cau­ses) when the thing is doubtful, and all good meanes are tried before to auoide strife: that question is decided which none but volup­tuous Arguments against [...] ­cing. men make question off [...] namely, whe­ther dice-play be a meet exercise for a Chri­stian soule. Salomon saith the lot causeth cō ­tētiō Pro. 18. [Page 169] to cease, therfore lots are to end striffe: but these lots make striffe, 1 for before thou takest the, dice thou knowest thine own, and no man striueth to take it frō thee, but whē thou castest the dice, thou doest (as it were) aske whether thine owne be thine own, and so makest a strife of no strife. 2 Art thou not worthy to lose the gifts of God, which ven­terest to lose them when thou needest not? doest thou not deserue to forfeit thine own, which art so greedy of anothers, that thou wouldest haue his liuing for nothing but for turning of a dye? Esau did not sell his birthright so lightly but he had somewhat for it which refreshed his hunger, but God hath giuen thee a liuing and thou spendest it vainly. But the mariners did cast lots to find out the sinner, they did not cast dice to see who should win, as dicers do, for to whom the lot falls, he takes all which deserues to loose all as well as the others, and hath no right vnto it by any law, for God hath not alowed one man to take an others goods for the tripping of a dye, but either they must be merited, or they must be giuen, or they must be bought, or else it is vnlawfully, vngodly, vncōscionablely to take them. 3 Be­sides the brawles, cousinages, the othes an­nexed to this game, which would not agree [Page 170] with it vnles it had bene a meete cōpaniō for them, thou takest another mās goods for no­thing, whereas God hath appointed thee to get thy liuing with the sweat of thy brows, Gene. 3. 19. for thou takest away that which others haue sweat for, & whereas thou shouldest liue by working, 4 thou seekest to liue by playing, like the ape which liues by [...]oying. Doth a­ny dicer thinke he doth well, tell me what thinkest thou? 5 for euery sinner doth cōdēne in his prayer to God that which he excu­seth before men: if they which are gamsters repent it, how can they which are gamsters defend it? 6 Thou shouldest do nothing but that thou wouldest haue God find thee do­ing if he should come to iudgemēt, wouldest thou haue him take thee at dice? I am sure thou wouldst not haue God see thee so vain­ly occupied: 7 neither canst thou thinke that Christ or his Prophets or Apostles, or his E­uāgelists were dicers for no such lots are na­med in the holy Scriptures, & yet the Lords day is most prophaned with his exercise, & cardes and dice tables, as though they kept all their vanities to celebrate holy dayes. 8 What hast thou to alledge for dice, now [...]ui­dence is giuen vp against thē? hast thou any patron to speake for thē, but thy vaine plea­sure & filthy couetousnes which are condē ­ [...]ed [Page 171] already, and therefore haue no voyce by law? take away these & take away dice. The patron cōdemnes the clients whē one voyce cōdemnes another: if the exercise were law­full, such patrons as pleasure, & couetousnes would not speake for it. 9 Take thy pleasure therfore in that which is good, & the angels wil reioyce with thee: if this were good, God would prosper thē better that vse it: but nei­ther winners nor loosers are gainers. I know not how but there is not so much wonne as lost, as though the deuil did part stakes with them, & draw away with a blacke hand whē no mā seeth, for the winner saith he hath not wonne halfe so much as the looser hath lost. 10 One would thinke that some of thē should flow, when so many eb: there is neuer an eb without a flowing, neuer one looseth but another winneth but at dice. 11 What a cur­sed thing is this that turnes no mā to good, which robbes others & beggers thē selues? the schoole of deceit, the shop of oths, & the field of vanities. 12 Thou dost not only hazard thy money (in this game) but vētrest thy sal­uatiō, & castest dice with the deuil, who shal haue thy soule. 13 For euery thing that cōmeth to a mā he giueth thākes, but that which cō ­meth by dice, he is ashamed to giue thankes: which sheweth that in conscience that gaine [Page 172] is euill gotten, and that he sought it without God. 14 Can this be good when w [...]st men vse it most, if it were good the euill would like worse of it then the good, but the more a mā sauoreth of any goodnes, the more he begins to abhorre it, and his conscience doth accuse him for it as for sinne. 15 They which doubt whether God do allow it, neede but looke how he doth prosper them that vse it, but they trust not in God (as the termes of their occupatiō descries) for they cal all their casts chances, as though they relied not vpō God but vpon chaunce. Therefore if dice make strife without cause, if they take away others goods for nothing, if we may not liue by playing but by labour, if they which haue bene dicers repent it amongst their sinnes, if the holy men neuer vsed this recreation, but the worst most delight in it, if thou would not haue God see thee when thou playest at dice, nor take thee at it when he comes to iudgement, if nothing but pleasure & coue­tousnes speake for them, if they do not pros­per which take pleasure in it, if they trust not vpon God but relie vpon chance if thou doest not onely venture thy money but ha­zard thy soule, then the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away.