Commentary on 2 Peter

I Should come immediately to these words, but that in the former building there was a piece of timber left out now to be inserted. It was the knowledge of our Caller. Now this point of knowledge (to avoid multiplicity of discourse upo • the same argument) may fitly be considered in the word of connection, that knits the verses together; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whereby. But first I will let the words fall into parts by distribution. In the whole verse we may observe:

A

• Conveiance, and herein the
  • Instruments, whereby.
  • Materialls, Promises.
  • Latitude of them for
    • Quantitie, Great.
    • Quality, Precious.
  • Form, a deed of gift; Hath given.
• Inheritance, Partakers of the Divine nature. This is qualitative, and may be exemplified in a seven-fold relation; as
  • Servants of a Master.
  • Subjects of a King.
  • Sons of a Father.
  • Fellowes of a Society.
  • Members of a Head.
  • Branches of a Tree.
  • Spouses of a Husband.
• Deliverance wherein consider the
  • Discoverie of danger, The corruption that is the world through lust.
  • Recoverie from that danger, Ye have escaped it.

Whereby. We begin first with the Instrument, and so are fitly met with the point which before escaped us. For this (whereby) stands like a Ianus, looking both to the matter past, and to come: the matter past was the knowledge of Christ, which was to this place reserved, that we might have good occasion to perpend the virtue of it. Whereby. The sum of the point is this; The true knowledge of CHRIST is the means, whereby are conveyed to us all the promises of mercy. One was of opinion, that a Philosopher excels an ordinary man, so much as an ordinary man excels a beast: but every true Christian excels a philosopher as much as a philosopher does a dunce. They scarce knew God in his creatures, we know God in his CHRIST. Ignoti nulla cupido; as we say, uncouth, unkiss'd: we must look before we like, discern before we can desire. Mine eyes have seenethy salvation, says old Simeon; therefore Nunc dimittis, now lest thy servant depart in peace, My corporal eyes have seen thy man-hood, my spiritual eyes have seen thy God-head; which is thy salvation: salutare suum, as giving it: and salutare meum, my salvation, as receiving it. Neither is this Salutare Singulare; but whosoever hath seen and known this salvation, by his eye of faith, will earnestly desire it: as Stephen saw the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God, therefore longed to come to him, video, venio.

There is no pleasure so sweet as knowledge, no knowledge so sweet as that of religion, no knowledge of religion so sweet as that of CHRIST: for this is eternal life to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. There is no entering into heaven without doing the will of God: there is no doing it without knowing it. If first ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, Ignorance is not then the mother of devotion, but the grandmother of irreligion. Let us never think that God will accept our verdict at the bar, when we give it up with an Ignoramus. Let us therefore use the means to get knowledge. 1. Read the Scriptures, that's God's will, there's knowledge, John 5.39. 2. frequent the Temple, that's his house, there's knowledge. I thought to know this, but it was too hard for me; Until I went into the Sanctuary of God, then I understood it. 3. Resort to the Communion, that's God's maundie, there's knowledge: this shows the Lord's death till he come. 4. Consult his Ministers, for the Priests lips preserve knowledge: there hear God's oracle: yet after all this, glory not in thy knowledge.

He that is proud of his knowledge, is a prodigy; for he hath the gout in the wrong end: others have it in their feet, he hath it in his pate. They that saw most of God, saw but his hinder parts: and in glory, when we shall see him face to face, it shall not be a Comprehensive, but apprehensive knowledge. It is not possible for men or Angels to know so much of God, as he knows of himself. Only the blessed Trinity fully knows it self in the unity of Deity. We have now scientiam aptam a fit knowledge: then Scientiam adaequatam, a knowledge proportionate to our perfection.

But every man pleads his knowledge; let him then show it in the effects. Scientia conscientiam dirigit, Conscientia scientiam perficit, knowledge directs conscience, conscience perfects knowledge. Abused knowledge will enhaunse judgment and punishment: for this, were the sins of the Jews, caeteris paribus, greater than the sins of the Gentiles: because in Jury God was known, and his Name great in Israel; it was not so with other nations, neither had the Heathen the knowledge of his laws. The sins of us Christians, other circumstances being matches, are greater than the sins of the Jews, because our knowledge is more. They had but an Aspersion; line to line, here a little and there a little: we have an Effusion, Acts 2.17. I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh. Now after you have known God, how turn you again to those beggarly elements? will you swear, that know you should not swear? will you defraud, that know you should deal justly? Ye have not so learned CHRIST. If Barbaria wring her hands for knowing so little, beware least Christendom rend her heart, for knowing so much to so little purpose. Knowledge doth elevate or lift up the soul: but if it be abused, it shall give her the greater fall. Because the precipice is from on high, like stars that the red Dragons tail swoop'd from heaven; it shall fall like an Angel of light into utter darkness, validiora exempla, quàm verba: deeds prove more than words: never tell me your science, show to me the fruits of your good conscience. Albeit your words be never so loud, if your works be lewd: though you were sons of thunder; yet a crack in the Instrument will spoil the sound; as Jupiter's adultery did even among children discredit his thunder. Our knowledge without holiness is like Uriah's letters that contained his own death, 2 Sam. 11. To such they are letters of blood, commendations to Satan. As that servant in the Comedy; Egomet tabellas detuli, ut vincirer? Have I brought letters to bind myself? so these two, discoyned, commend a man to hell; Go bind him hand and foot, and throw him into utter darkness. Sin even in ignorance is a tallent of lead; but sin in knowledge is a millstone to sink a man to the lowest. Bona noscere, et mala facere; to know good, and do ill, makes a man's own mittimus to hell. Among arts the mathematickes are most commended, because they stand upon infallible demonstration, you think yourselves good artists in Christianity, and profess good knowledge in religion; let me see your mathematickes, some demonstration. Shew me thy faith by thy works; there's a demonstration. Let your light so shine on earth, to the glory of your Father in heaven; there's a demonstration. Feed the hungry, relieve the poor, there's another demonstration. Give me this mathematical part of divinity, that consists in demonstration. Non in fictis, sed in factis: non in lection sed in dilection, Aug. This parcticall part is the object of man's eye: we cannot see the knowledge in your brains, but by the works of your hands. You must do, if you would be sure you know: and you must know if you would be sure of comfort.

Great and precious promises. From the Instrument we pass to the materials conveyed; Promises. This is the conveighance of the Gospel, therefore it is called a covenant; Faedus promissionis; the covenant of promise. The law gave monaces; the Gospel gives promises. It was the condition of the law, Do this and live: it is the Promise of the Gospel; Believe and thou shalt be saved. Indeed they had promises under the law, but not by the law: for whatsoever was promised in the Old Testament, belongs properly to the new. Lex imperat, fides impetrat: the law came by Moses, and by the Law death: Grace comes by JESUS, and by grace life, Cajetan says truly of the Law, that it does claudere sibi subditos sub peccato; praecipiendo, non adjuvando; That it shuts up all those are under it, under sin; by commanding, but not by helping. But the Gospel brings mercy; Promittit, immittit; offert, affert; to our houses, to our hearts. Irenaeus, to some of his time that asked, Quid novi attulit Christus; What new thing Christ: brought with him into the world; answered, Illum cuncta renovasse; That he had made all things new, Old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new. He fulfilled the old Prophecies by his new works: ceased the old Sacrifices by his new Sacrifice: abolished the old Sacraments, those bloody ones of Circumcision and Occision, by his new Sacraments: gave us a new Commandment, a New Testament: puts in the room of old menaces, new Promises. And these new things are Virtute majora, utilitate meliora, actu faciliora, numero pauciora; For virtue greater, for profit better, for use easier, for number fewer. Our faith is more lightsome to believe in Christum missum; theirs, more obscure, in Christum promissum, Kilius. But is the Law against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a Law given, &c. whereto then serveth the Law? yes, it hath a civil and a religious use: Civil, to restrain us from, and chastise us for sins: and for this cause it is honored even of the Politicians of the world, who though they will not themselves believe the Gospel, yet would have other men observe the Law, for their own peace and tranquilities sake Religious, for it is our School-master to bring us to Christ, Galath. 3.24. Now the office of a School-master is double, Dirigere, & corrigere: so the Law doth direct to good works, and corrects for evil works. Aret. It reveals sin, that as in a glass we see our misery, and the penalty due to transgression. It is a corrosive laid to an old sore, not to heal the sore, that's not the act of a corrosive; but to eat out the dead flesh, to make it alive and sensible, that so our wounds may be healed by the Gospel. Therefore is not the Law contrary to the Promise; Subordinata inter se non pugnant; Things that are subordinate one to another, have a mutual offi e of serving, not of contrarying one the other. Ideo datur praeceptum, ut praecipientis quaeratur auxilium, Leo. Therefore is the Law given, that we finding our own disability to keep it, might have recourse to the Law-giver; to the sufficiency of Christ. For the Law so humbles a man with the grief of sin, and terror of Judgment, that it sends him packing to Christ, If any man sin, and the Law tells us, we have all sinned; we have an Advocate with the Father, and this the Gospel shows us, even Christ the Propitiation for our sins. It makes a man sing with David, Sweet, O Lord, is thy mercy. The Law may Exprimere peccatum, but it cannot Supprimere peccatum; express sin, not suppress sin. For that were to invade the office of the Promise: the office of the Law is to kill, the office of the Promise to give life. Thus we have in the Gospel Promissum vitae, the Promise of life: the Lord give us faith to apprehend vitam Promissi, the life of the Promise through JESUS CHRIST.

Great and precious. Here is the latitude of these materials, in their quantity and quality. They are for quantity Great, exceeding great: for quality, Good, exceeding good, precious. Great, for they promise a thing no less than greatness it self; the love of GOD, an immense kingdom, the world invisible; in comparison of whose greatness this world it self is a Mole-hill: Precious, for if this temporal life be held so precious, which we know time must determine; how precious is that life which is equal with eternity? If that life be so estimable, which is obnoxious to sin, and waited on with misery; in so much that all riches and jewels are rubbish in comparison of it. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he give for his life; a truth from the father of lies: how precious is that life, where a man shall see nothing but what he loves, and love nothing but what he sees! The best way to exemplify the Great Price of these Promises, is to instance in some particulars. Hereof the Word of Grace is abundant: but a man that would commend a Spring-water, needs not drink up the whole fountain, one or two draughts is sufficient. Take a taste from Math. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: a great and precious promise; if we consider the Mover, the moved, and the motive. The Mover is Christ, Come unto me; not to the Mother, but to the Son; Non ad Dominam, sed ad Dominum, Not to our Lady, but to our Lord. Send not others, but come yourselves: come to no other but to me. The moved, all that labor and are heavy laden; that labor in your actions, are heavy laden in your passions, Ferus. That do not carry sins like corke and feathers, lightly on your shoulders, but groan under the unsupportable weight, and send forth prayers mixed with tears for ease. Come, not on your feet, but your faith; not on your legs, but your lives. The motive, I will ease you, or give you rest. What; labor and grievous labor; a burden and an heavy burden; and yet I will ease you? a great and precious promise! The Physician cannot say to his patient, I will cure thee: but thus far, I will spare no invention of wit, no intention of will, no contention of power to help thee: only the great Physician of heaven can promise absolutely, I will ease thee. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee. Take another: Rom. 8.28. All things work together for good, to them that love God. All things, not only God's good things, but even our evil things. Afflictions that are most bitter, shall make us better: the sharpest Rue shall bean herb of grace. Yea, even our sins; for such is the goodness of God, that quod in poenam dedit, in salutem vertit; what at first he inflicted for a penalty, he turns to a mercy. Peccatum tristitiam peperit, tristitia peccatum conteret, Aug. Sin first wrought sorrow, now godly sorrow shall kill sin: the daughter shall destroy the mother: They shall work, not like idle indifferents that do neither good nor harm; but the first movers and makers hand sets them a working. Together; not singly and apart, lest their divided forces should drop and faint in their operation; but vis unita fortior; they shall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , co-operate work together, for the surer expedition of their intended business. Not in nocuum, to their hurt, as all things concur to the wicked; for as the sea receives many fresh rivers, and sweet springs into it self, yet remains salt and bitter still; so the ungodly are not made the better by God's good blessings. Nor in neutrum, neither to their good nor harm; but to the glory of God, and the dear salvation of their souls. Here is a great and precious promise!

Now seeing these promises are such, let us affie them, and apply them: they deserve our faith and application.

For Affiance, if God so promise, let us trust him, He is faithful that hath promised: Woe to him that shall call God's faithfulness into question. Yet there is a generation of men that object; what nothing but promises? Promissis dives quilibet esse potest: Everyone can be rich in promising, though he be poor and beggarly in performing. Who can live by promises? These must, with Thomas, feel, or they will not believe: they are led by sight and sense, not by faith: unless they have an ocular view, they care for no oraculous testimony, no miraculous power: here is nothing in hand, but nudum pactum, a bare and naked Promise. Thus stands the case with them; man hath a precious Jewel to sell, it is his Soul: God and the world come both to buy it. The world first steps in, and thrusts his bags into his hand, here is present possession. God comes and out-bids the world, for he offers Grace, and Peace, and Glory: but withal he craves day for the greater part of it, and gives nothing in hand but his Promise, his word, and some small earnest of the bargain. The worldling cries, a bird in hand is best, hugs his money that he hath: God he thinks not so good a customer, he dares not trust him, perhaps he fears he will break. Yet this same man will rather accept a reversion of some great Office or Estate, though expectant on the tedious transition of seven years, or on the expiration of another's life, than in present a Sum of far lessevalue. What folly is this, rather to take the idle vanities of this world in hand, than faithfully to wait upon God's promise for the glory of heaven! O but we can satiate ourselves with the profits and pleasures of this life, and yet take God's word for the Kingdom of Heaven too. But I say, if a man, if a Minister, if a Prophet, if an Angel should tell you so, believe him not: for the Judge of heaven and earth hath said otherwise. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Difficile est servare utrumque, impossible est servire utrique. It will be very hard for a man to keep both, it is impossible to serve both. The two Poles shall sooner meet, than the love of God, and the love of money. The very possession of the world is not half so sure as God's promise.

For applying; seeing these promises are so precious, store thy heart with them: that which way soever the blow comes, Impavidum non improvisum feriat; it may assault thee without fear, not without foresight. Art thou molested with troubles? remember the promise; In the world thou shalt have tribulation: but be of good cheare, I have overcome the world. And Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me. All days are troublesome; Man is of few days, and full of trouble. Job 14.1. but some are worse than other. That aged Patriarch-told the King or Egypt; few and evil have the days of thy servant been: he had many evil days, but some worse; when he lost Rachel his wife, Joseph his son. The Thames hath always in it water enough to drown a man, but sometimes it is more tempestuous and raging than at others. As all times have their incident trouble, so there is one main day of trouble: Jerusalem is threatened her Day of visitation. What shall we do when this day of trouble comes? remember the promise; Call upon me, saith God; I will hear and deliver thee. Do thy friends leave thee? mayest thou complain with David, my neighbors hide themselves, and my acquaintance stood afar off? Consider the Lord's promise; Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. What was spoken to Joshua in particular, the Apostle interests every Christian in general; the infallible promise of God's inseparable presence. Art thou tempted? remember the promise; God will not suffer thee to be tempted above thy strength. If God remove not Paul's temptation, he will give him an equivalent help; my grace is sufficient for thee. Tentari sinet, superari non sinet. Doth the Law threaten thee with death for thy sins? remember the promise; there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1. Answer with Luther, Dominalex; Lady law thou comest not in season, I have nothing to do with thee: thou art a bitter lady, but I have a sweet Lord. There is death in thy looks, but there is salvation in the face of Jesus Christ: who is fairer than all the sons of men. The Law is all red, nothing but blood, death, and fire in her looks: Christ is white and red, of the purest complexion; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chi fest often thousand. White in his own innocence, ruddy with the sufferings for our sins. Such is thy mercy, oh blessed Savior! let the Law do her worst, be thou a true S. Christopher, and bear Christ in thy heart. In the Law is the menace of death, in Christ is the promise of life: we may say concerning any sinner, what Martha said of her Brother; Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Doest thou suffer affliction? remember the promise; if we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified with him, Rom. 8.17. The Saints are called from bleeding under the hand of persecution, to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Well may we endure a bitter breakfast, even to blood and death, considering that this supper of glory shall close up our stomachs. GOD makes his Church three meals, a breakfast, a dinner, and a supper. The breakfast was in the morning of the world, that's the Law, somewhat sharp; though they had assurance of Christ to come. The dinner is in the worlds high-noon, that's the Gospel: here is good cheare the fat calf killed, the Messiah slain; yet like the Passover, not eaten without sour herbs; we are fain to mingle our drink with tears. The supper at night shall be sweet, it is eternal glory: fitly called a Supper, because then begins rest forever. After breakfast a man goes to his labor, so after dinner, but after supper to bed. The servants of GOD under the Law, the sons of GOD under the Gospel, must both labor, and work out their salvation with fear and trembling: but at the Supper of glory works cease. Blessed are the dead that die in the LORD, for they rest from their labors. Lastly, doth the inevitable hand of death strike thee, must thou die? remember the promise; I am the resurrection and the life: whosoever believeth in me shall not die forever, John. 11.26. Let me ask thy conscience, as Christ there did; Believest thou this? If thy heart can answer; yea Lord, I believe, &c. Send forth thy soul with joy, thou hast a promise that Jesus Christ will receive it. Commit your soul into the hands of a faithful Creator in well doing. Here be great and precious promises; though thy memory cannot retain all that the Gospel proposeth, yet be sure to hold fast some: be not without some oil in thy lamp when the Bridegroom comes. Rich men that love themselves well, will have antidotes for sickness; their Cabinets stored with hot and precious waters against swounings and sudden qualms. And lightly the poorest Cottager, though he cannot go to the price of the better extractions, yet will at least have some Aqua-vitae in the house. Now if thy heart hold not such store of these most precious promises as the richer Saints; yet be sure to have at all times Saint Paul's Aqua-vitae ready, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a true saying, and worthy of all acceptation; that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. But do thy best to fill the Cabinet of thy heart, thou shalt have need enough of all. Remember who hath promised: All God's promises are yea and Amen in Jesus Christ, may they be Yea and Amen in our believing hearts.

Are given to us. Here is the fourth circumstance of the Conveighance; the Form of it, which is a deed of gift, Are given us. All worldly things are but lent us: our houses of stone wherein our bodies dwell, our houses of clay wherein our souls dwell, are but lent. Honors, treasures, pleasures, money, maintenance, but lent. We may say of them all, as he said of his axe-head when it fell into the water: Alas they are but borrowed. Only spiritual graces are given: of those things there is only a true donation, whereof there is a true possession. Worldly things are but a Tabernacle, a moveable; heaven is a mansion: whatsoever becomes of the former, if thou canst keep the other, say Perdidi periturum, servavi aeternum; I have lost that I could not keep, I have kept that I cannot loose. Happy Christians, though they have the least share of things lent, they have the greatest portion of things given. Nos nihil in terris, illi nihil in coelis: we have little on earth, they have less in heaven. GOD shall say to the wicked, I have lent thee an Office, give account of it, for thou must be no longer Steward. But to the faithful, My peace I give to you, not as the world giveth: how gives the world? Dat aliqua, ut surripiat omnia: it gives a little, that it may take away all: but the Joy that I give you, no man shall take from you, John. 16.22. Whatsoever is freer than gift; it makes a new proprietary of the same things: such gifts are God's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without repentance. He may repent that he made man, Gen. 6. that he made Saul King: but he never repents that he made a man repentant, or that he hath given him grace in Jesus Christ. But saith of him, as Isaac said of Jacob; I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed, Gen. 27.33. Here the Lord's bounty requires of us some duty; this threefold.

1. Call upon the Giver, as the beggar frequents the gates of bounty; and that in faith, Ask in faith, without wavering: for Desinat orare, qui non sperat exorare: let him spare to speak, that distrusts to speed. Faith is to GOD as Bethshebà was to Solomon; so in favor, that the King will deny her nothing. And when thou movest this bounteous Giver, beg the best things, such as are well worth giving. When we put to sea, we pray for a good gale; when we have sown, for a good spring; when we reap for fair weather: we may have all these, and yet be cursed: let us entreat for grace, this will bless all. God •• es us no wrong in taking away our temporal things, for they are but lent us: Retrahit sua, non abstrahit nostra: he takes back his own, he does not take away ours. It is an argument of love in the Father; when he takes away the child's knife, and gives to him a book. We cry for riches, it is a knife to cut our fingers: GOD gives us a Bible the riches of verity, not of vanity. Magnum magna decent: great works become a great nature: let us not be afraid to ask him a kingdom; for how unworthy so ever we are of things so far beyond us, yet he gives things worthy himself. When Alexander gave a whole City to one of his Favorites, he modestly replied; It was too great a fortune for a man of so mean condition. But the Monarch answered; Non quaero quid oporteat te accipere, sed quid deceat me tribuere. I examine not what is fit for thee to receive, but what is fit for me to give.

2 Be thankful to this Giver; not only for spiritual, but even for temporal things. It is not enough to take the whole loaves, but let us even gather up the fragments. Lay up in the Ark of thy memory, not only the Pot of Manna, the Bread of life; but even Aaron's Rod, the very scourge of correction, wherewith thou hast been bettered. Blessed be the Lord, not only Giving, but also Taking away; saith Job. God that sees, there is no walking upon roses to heaven, puts his children into the way of discipline: and by the fire of correction, eats out the rust of corruption, Psal. 50.15. God sends trouble, then bids us call upon him; promiseth our deliverance: and lastly, the all he requires of us is to Glorify him. God giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Never upbraids? How then doth he condemn Israel by the Ox and the Ass? Isaiah 1.3. How tell David of his favors to him, in deliverance from Saul, and advancement to a Kingdom? I answer, God never upbraids, but when our ingratitude enforceth him. The widow of Zarephath to Elias; 1 King. 17.18. Art thou come to call my sin to remembrance? But it is our unthankfulness, that calls our sins to remembrance. How is the faithful City become an Harlot? God enquires not the means, but wonders at the matter. Vnthankfulnesse is such a fault, that men think it a vice, Angels a sacrilege, Devils a monster, God himself a wonder. Gratitude pleaseth him: of the Samaritan that gave him thanks, Christ took notice. Of the ten cleansed none were found to give glory to God, but the stranger. The Leper praiseth God, Christ praiseth the Leper: Mary Magdalene gave Christ an unction of thankfulness, he gave her an unction of a good name; a thing better than ointment; for A good name is better than precious ointment. That wheresoever this Gospel should be preached, her work should not be forgotten: Mat. 26.13. the whole world should ring of her. God gives all gratis, I mean in the adverb, not in the noun; for they are not all thankful persons that receive it. Some are not made better by God's gifts, yea, many are made worse. Give Saul a Kingdom, and he will tyrannize: give Nabal good cheare, and he will be drunk: give Judas an Apostleship, and he will sell his Master for money.

But if God gives all to us, let us give something to him. What shall I give him? Quid retributam Domino? non mea sed me; Not only my goods, but myself. Say as that Widow might, I am poor and have nothing to give, but my two mites; my body and soul; take them, and take all. When thou comest to offer thy sacrifice of thanks; do as Abraham was bidden; Occide unicum, charissimum peccatum: Slay (not thy dearest son, but) thy dearest sin. If we give our soul to GOD; as Abraham did Isaac, he will restore our soul to us with joy, as he did Isaac to Abraham: and that, as he did there to him, so here to us, not without the promises of life. There are that think everything too much that God receives: as Leonides a steward told Alexander, that he bestowed too much frankincense on his gods. When Mary gave JESUS that ointment, Judas cries, Ad quid perditio haec? Why is this waste? he thought it lost. But he that hath given himself to God, will not stick at the rest. It is the Apostles argument of God's liberality to us; He that spared not his only Son, but gave him for us, will not deny other things with him. So if thou have given him thyself, thou wilt never grudge him thy purse, or thy praise. It is a good desire of the soul, with that Father; Quicquid mihi vult dare Dominus, auferat totum & se mihi det; Whatsoever the Lord would give me, let him deny all and give me himself. So God requires of us, not thousands of Rams, nor ten thousand rivers of oil; not the son of the body for the sin of the soul: but man, give me thyself. This instar omnium, super omnia, instead of all, above all. As Seneca writes of Aeschines a poor scholar, to his master Socrates: Dono tibi unum quod habeo, meipsum; I offer thee that one thing I only have, myself. Others have given much to thee, but they have kept more to themselves: but no man gives more, than he that keeps nothing back. Socrates kindly accepted and answered; I will take care, ut te meliorem tibi reddam quàm accecepii: that I may restore thee to thyself better than I received thee. So GOD deals with us, his return is better than our gift: we give to him ourselves sinful and wretched, he restores us to ourselves gracious and blessed.

3. Be not proud, arrogate not that to thyself which is God's gift. The Apostles restored a Creeple that was lame from his mothers womb: but least any of God's glory should cleave to their earthen fingers, they disclaim their own power and holiness, and give it to him that owes it, and will not give it to another; the name of JESUS CHRIST hath made this man strong. The blessed Virgin that was so full of grace, in se not a se; humbly acknowledged the fountain: even God her Savior. The Papists trust in out Lady, but our Lady did trust in our LORD. And albeit she was sanctified to be the mother of her Maker; though so good a woman that, Non primam similem visa est, nec habere sequentem; though all generations call her blessed; yet saith the, Respexit humilitatem: The Lord regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. They may tell us, that she doth, Iure matris imperare, but indeed she did Fide filiae impetrare: not command by the right of a mother, but obtain by the faith of a daughter. O praise the Lord! make known his deeds among the people: make known his works, but to his glory: for some make known his deeds, but to their own glory. Vain-glory easily creeps in even through the crack of our acknowledgement of God's goodness towards us. One says, such a Nobleman drank to me, shook me by the hand, discoursed with me: but hereby he insinuates to the hearers some worthiness in himself, for which he was so graced. So some in declaring GOD'S works and favors to them, have a conceit of merit in themselves, deserving such respect. To meet with which pride, may seem CHRIST'S charge to the Leper. Mark 1.44. See thou tell it to no man. Which enjoined silence was not to smother God's glory, but to keep him from vain-glory.

Thus we have considered the Conveyance, in the

• Intent, Whereby.
• Content, Promises.
• Extent, Great and Precious.
• Patent, Are given us.

Now if all this be not a sufficient assurance, then give me leave to speak according to your capacity in the City; and to add-that it is signed, sealed, delivered, and bound with an oath, for your further confirmation. You are well acquainted with these words, with such deeds: I wish therefore, that as you know them in earthly things to your profit, so you may know them in heavenly things to your comfort.

They are signed, God hath put his hand to them in the Gospel. If a Noble man should send the gracious letters of preferment, and put his hand to them, thou wouldest credit it. If thy father taking a long journey, should first pen his own will, wherein he did make thee his heir, and bequeath to thee all his substance; and set his hand to it; thou wouldest joyfully and confidently embrace it. This Patent is the Testament and will of Jesus Christ. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am. This he hath signed with his own hand: for the Evangelists were but the pens, it was the hand of Christ himself.

2. But it is not enough to have a writing signed, doth the law require sealing? These promises are sealed to us: there are two broad Seals, the two Sacraments. Baptism, whosoever believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: there is one broad-seal. The Lord's supper; whosoever eateth the flesh of Christ, and drinketh his blood, shall not perish; there is another broad-seal. For the Sacraments are not only Signa, sed Signacula; not bare signs, but Seals, so Paul called Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith. There is also a privy seal, Miracles; wrought in the first rising of the Sun, but now in the glorious day of grace and knowledge, ceasing. Now we ask not for the privy seal of miracles; but the broad-seals of the Sacraments: herewith we are content, for by these instruments we receive Christ. Verbum audimus, motum sentimus, modum nescimus, praesentiam credimus, Durand. We hear the word, we feel the virtue, we know not the manner, but we believe the presence of JESUS CHRIST. The Romists abuse both these Seals: God's broad-seal in corrupting the Sacraments, God's privy seal in their false and lying miracles.

[unspec 3] Is not this yet enough, to be signed with his holy hand, and sealed with his Royal arms, except still it be delivered? These are delivered to us: Ye have received the spirit of adoption. That you may be sure of this conveyance, it is put into your hands, into your hearts.

[unspec 4] If yet the Subscription of GOD'S hand, and affixion of his sale, and delivery into your possession, be not sufficient; Addidit & Iuramentum. GOD willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath. That by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation. In which two verses, that stand like two Turrets, there are eight fortifications; which all the powers of hell shall never be able to overthrow. He doth not say, but show; there's demonstration; not sparingly, but Abundantly; Extention: To, not servants, but sons and Heirs; if so, never to be disinherited; there's Adoption: Of Promise; not of man's birth or merit, but of God's promise, who never yet brake his word: there's ratification. The Immutability of his counsel; ego Jehovah non mutor: friends are inconstant, riches are inconstant, the world is inconstant, but I the Lord change not, Mal. 3.6. there's Determination. He interposed himself by an oath; wonderful mercy, that the Creator should swear to his creature! there's confirmation. These be two immutable things; therefore without alteration, In which it was impossible for God to lie: well may he deny sinners, but he cannot deny himself: there's impossibility of retraction. Now for the Corollary, or use of all these invincible arguments, it is our strong consolation: so strong a fortress, that if we do not betray it ourselves, all the engines of hell shall never endanger it. How much are we beholding to God that he will swear, but how little beholding is God to us, if we will not believe him when he swears.

We see the stability of these gracious Promises: which (to shut up the discourse with application) should not pass us without some profitable use. From the stability of GOD'S promises to us, let us learn to be constant in the performance of our promises to God, and to man.

1 To God: we have all made a promise to him in our baptism; let not us forget that, lest God forget us. Did we then promise, and do we now stagger? The true Christian is fixed on the poles of constancy, not carried on the wheels of change. Let us continue in the Faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel. So grounded, that if an Angel from heaven should preach another Gospel, let him be accursed, Gal. 1.8. The inconstant professor is scarce a Christian, but like A grippa almost a Christian. His Religion lies in wait for the Parliament; neither ebbs nor flows, but is just standing water, betwixt both. As a noun, he is only adjective; as a verb, he knows no tense but the present. One part thinks him theirs, the adverse theirs, he is with both, with neither; not an hour with himself. He might get to heaven, but for his halting; but he knows not what he should hold, he knows not what he doth hold. He is sure to die, but not what religion to die in. He cannot tell whether is best to say his Pater noster in latin or in English and so leaves it unsaid. He that hath promised, and not performed, is in worse case then he that never promised. The fedifragous Christian speeds worse than the barbarous Infidel.

2 To man; promises are due debts. There might happily have been no sin in not promising, there is a sin after promise in not performing. There is more alliance, than affiance in the world: Frater quasi fere alter, keep thy word with him as with thyself. But how should he keep touch with man, that breaks with God, with his own soul! If this point seem obscure, there are too many in this City whose lives may comment upon it. Curant ut debeant, non ut solvant. They take care to owe, they think they ought not to pay. These are worse than the Prodigal; he lived on his own portion; these like the unjust steward live on another man's portion. They bear the name and wear the livery, but have not the souls of Christians. A debtor that can pay and will not, makes himself uncapable of pardon. Such men think to set all on CHRIST'S score; and to say Dimitte nobis debita nostra, forgive us our debts, is sufficient: though they leave out the other part of the petition, As we forgive others. But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts. Why but there is more virtue in the seed of the woman, than can be venom in the head of the Serpent; and repentance makes all reckonings even. But be not deceived, God is not mocked. If they mock him, he will mock them: he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision: neither can there be repentance without restitution. A thief takes away thy purse, asks thy pardon, says he is sorry for it, but keeps it still: thou sayest he does but mock thee. If God could be coozened with tricks, how many political worldlings would go to heaven, whose portion is in the in fernall depth.

Well, let us learn to put away lying, and to speak every man truth to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. There is vetitum, a thing forbidden, Lie not: Iussum, a thing commanded, speak truth: argumentum, a reason for both, because we are members one of another. Let us be plain in promising, honest in performing. There are some that have double tongues, and speak their promises in a doubtful sense. Ambagious, equivocating terms; epicene and bastard phrases, as the devil gave his oracles; which must be true every way, certain no way. They beguile men's plainesse, but in plain truth they beguile their own souls. For they that will over-reach others with the sin of deceitfulness, shall be over-reached themselves with the deceitfulness of sin. They sing the song of Curio, vincat utilitas; let gain prevail: they had rather be sinners than beggars. Thus according to Daniel's prophecy, Prosternetur veritas, truth shall be cast down: covetousness hath got the advantage of ground, and Truth is fallen in the street. Thus these two wrestle on earth, and truth falls: but one day when they shall wrestle in heaven, Cupiditatem prosternet veritas, truth shall prevail. Wine is strong, Princes are strong, Women are strong, but truth is stronger than all, 1 Esdr. 4.35.

But now where is this truth? I will tell you an apologue: four friends parting inquired where they should find one another again: the water, the fire, the wind, and truth. Fire said, you shall be sure to find me in a flint stone: Water said, you shall be sure to find me in the root of a bulrush: Wind said, you shall be sure to find me amongst the leaves: but poor Truth could not appoint no certain place of meeting: for Terras Astraea reliquit, no place for truth, what say you to Westminster Hall? indeed there is room enough, but small room for truth. What say you to the exchange? there be fair walks, but they may exchange away truth. Where is she then, in your shops? that were strange to find truth in shops. Is she then in the Courts? we behold there always Sedem veritatis, the seat of truth; but not always veritatem sedentis, truth in him that supplies that place. Perhaps she lurks in the Colleges of the Jesuits: Oh no, when the truth offered to come thither, equivocation repeld her. She could never abide their main Principles; Iura, perjura, secretum prodere noli: swear and forswear, rather than tell truth. Wha • is she in Scrinio pectoris Papalis, in the Popes breast, that we should run to Rome for her? no Antichrist cannot be a friend to truth. Is she not ferried over to Amsterdam? no, truth will never follow those that run away from the Church. You would wonder to find her in a Courtier, in a Politician; whose element and position is, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit vivere: he that knows not how to dissemble, knows not how to live. Or in a country man's budget, shut up with snaphance: no, you shall have as much deceit under russet, as under velvet, though a little more bungerly. No thanks to them, they would cozen as frequently, if they could do it as cleanely, you would smile to find her in Pueris & Fatuis; in children and fools: yet they say, children and foolestell truth. But if it be child-hood or folly to tell truth, I am sure we have but a few children, a few fools. Or in a drunkard; yet they say, In vino veritas, drink utters the truth. But take the Ale-bench without a malicious lie, or at least an officious lie; a very lie, or a merry lie, and make a Pew of it. Where then shall we find Truth? I hope in the Church, in the Pulpits: Oh God forbid else! yet often truth keeps only in the pulpit, and does not go down stairs with the man; but stays there till his coming up again. I hope in this scrutiny of truth you will not say, that I have favored ourselves: no, beloved, GOD give us hearts, to know that we are all untrue, deceitful upon the weights; and minds, to seek truth as precious treasure. Omnis homo mendax, God is true, every man a liar. There is no certain place to find truth, but in the word of God; there let us seek her, there we shall find her. Now the God of Truth give us the truth of God, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

That by these you might be partakers of the Divine nature. We are come to the second general part of the Verse; which we called the Inheritance, consisting in the participation of the Divine nature. And we may well call it so; for none can deceive us of it before we have it, nor deprive us of it, after we have it. It cannot be prevented; Fear not little flock, it is my Fathers will to give you a kingdom. Ab initio decretum, diu secretum, plenitudine temporis perceptum: determined from the beginning, concealed a while, possessed in due time: whatsoever our Lawyers distinguish between a free-hold in law, and a free-hold in deed; this is both. It is a free-hold in law, whereto even they have right, that have not yet possession. It is a free-hold in deed: on earth we have a purchase of the Inheritance, in heaven an Inheritance of the purchase.

That partakers, &c. Before I show you the vine, let me cut up two brambles: one whereof the Manichees, the other the Familists, planted (by force) on this ground: there went but a pair of sheeres between them: that of the Manichees was a dream, Nos ex traduce Dei ortos, that we came by traduction from the nature of God himself: and when this temporary life had run the course; we should return to the same ancient estate, and become a divine nature. They presupposed a commixion of God's nature with ours; as if they were mell'd together like wine and water. This is a blasphemous heresy, to think there is Transfusio divinae essentiae in hominem, infinitae in circumscriptam: a transfusion of the divine being into man, as if Infiniteness could be in a circumscriptable essence. A creature cannot be made of the essence of God, for it hath no parts, it is not divisible. The other is of some fanatical spirits, who think we do so pass into God's nature, that our nature is quite swallowed up of his. So they take that place, 1 Cor. 15.28. that at the last God shall be all in all. But certainly this delirement never came into the holy Apostles minds; that our natural being should be lost in the essence of God: they meant not that we should lose our nature, but the corruption of our nature; and that by a sanctified renovation we should be made partakers of the Divine immortality and blessedness. Thus we are made one with God, secundum modulum nostrum, according to the capableness of our nature. The Familists say, we are deified: so as GOD became man, man becomes God: Their own words are, men are deified, and God hominified. These are new words, such as the ancient Fathers never taught nor thought. But those men thought it no treason to coin new words: and indeed it was necessary that they who would coin a new religion, should also coin new terms, new paradoxes. There were some held, that man's soul was part of God's own essence, Virgil, Divinae particula aurae. Indeed it is a breath of God, a work of God, not a part of God.

Things may divers ways participate others nature. Omnes species sub eodem genere participant essentiam generis: as Angel, devil, man, and beast partake the nature of a living creature. Omnia individua sub eadem specie participant essentiam specici: as Peter and Paul of a reasonable nature: Wolf and Lamb of a Brute: Cedars and Briers of a vegetative. But to come nearer home, and to detain you no longer in the suburbs or entrance.

God's nature may be participated two ways; Secundum qualitatem, secundum Aequalitatem. For equality, this Trium personarum solum, as Aquin. It is only proper to the three persons of the blessed Trinity, and not communicable to any other. Our Savior CHRIST partakes both the Divine nature, and the Human. The Divine per essentiae Identitatem, by the Identitie of his essence. The Human, assumendo hominem in Deum; by taking man's nature into God. Non desinit esse quod erat, sed incipit esse quod non erat. He did not cease to be what he was, but he began to be what he was not. And this assumption of man's nature to the divine, did not make it God: it did rarely beautify it, not properly defy it. For as he was man he had not the essence of the deity in him, but he was in it. Yet did he so glorify it, that all the Angels of GOD worship it. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith; let all the Angels of God worship him. Our neighbors of Rome tell us, that CHRIST was often worshipped as man: they urge these places, Matth. 2 11. Matth. 8.2. Matth. 9.18. Matth. 20.20. But here we doubt two things: first whether this was religious worship or civil. Next, if it were religious, whether their eye of faith saw not him God, so well as their eye of flesh saw him man. Indeed the flesh of CHRIST is to be adored for the union of the deity, because they be inseparable: but the Arians worshipped CHRIST as a creature only, not as GOD and man. Confitemur adorabilem in corpore, non secundum corpus. We adore him in his flesh, not according to his flesh: as the honor redounds to the King himself, that is done to the Crown on his head. But I durst here conclude against the Papists; that if it be unlawful to worship Christ as he is only man, then much more unlawful to worship his Image.

Thus we see how CHRIST who is God, partakes of our nature: now consider how we by Christ who is man, partake of the divine nature. Here the wicked begin to clap their wings, and boldly to infer, that they partake God's nature, because GOD partakes their nature. But if this were enough to save men, because Christ took our flesh, call Cain and Judas out of hell, yea let hell it self be as imaginary as is Purgatory. A father hath ten sons, nine of them are sick: do they all certainly recover because the tenth is sound? yet they come all from the loins of one father. All the house of Cis are not kings, because Saul is one. It is not enough that Christ comes near thee in the flesh, unless thou come near him in the spirit. Though there be sap in the vine, congruent and potential to bring forth fruit in the branches: yet doth not this vine communicate his sap to Oaks and briars, albeit these partake of the general nature of wood. Yea after that the very branches of the vine are broken off and dead, the vine ministers to them no more sap, though they retain the vines species and nature. So that it is not our participation of Christ's human nature, that makes us happy; but of his divine: that partaking is by flesh, but this is by faith. It is probable that some were lost, who were even kin to Christ in the flesh: yet it must needs be granted, that to partake of the same blood, is a degree nearer, than to partake of the same nature. Matthew and Luke set down Christ's Genealogy; the one, his line royal, the other, his line natural. But Christ himself sets down another Genealogy, a new one a spiritual one: my mother and my brethren are they which hear the word of God, and do it. He affirms these to be as near to him in the faith, as his own mother in the flesh. And she was more blessed Percipiendo fidem, quàm concipiendo carnem; in being the daughter, than in being the mother of Christ. The Jews thought it a great privilege to be Abraham's sons: yet one that called himself son of Abraham, fries in hell. The damned churl could say; Father Abraham have mercy on me: the flesh was not made after the Image of God, but the spirit: therefore God is not called Pater corporum, the father of bodies; but Pater spirituum, the father of the spirits of all flesh, John 3.6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh: but that which is borne of the spirit is spirit. Esau was not blessed because he was of Isacks flesh, but Jacob was blessed because he was of Isacks spirit Paul is said to travail of the Galatians, Till Christ was formed in them. Thus men may partake of one nature in Christ and yet be cursed: but if of his divine nature, they are blessed.

This participation then must be only qualitative: by nature we understand not substance, but quality: by grace in this world, and by glory in the world to come. This communication of the Divine nature to us, is by reparation of the divine image in us. This is cleared by the analogy of other respondent places, Hebr. 12.10. That we might be partakers of his holiness: so that to partake of the divine nature, is to be holy as God is holy, Eph. 4.24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and the holiness of truth. To be created after God, is to partake of God's nature; and this consists in justice and holiness, Rom. 8.29. God did predestinate us to to be conformed to the Image of his Son: the conformity to God's image, is the participating God's nature. This was not wholly unseen to Plato, who said it was man's chiefest good, Deo fieri penitùs conformem, to be made like to God. The sweetness of this benefit, and the multiplicity of comforts arising from it, I defer a little further: and here proceed to exemplify the relations, which may in some measure shadow out to us this partaking of the Divine nature. For it is in no-wise to be understood really, but by renovation. I propounded in the distribution seven respects, to exemplify the benefit of this participation.

1 As servants of a Master; not merely as creatures, so all men partake; We are also his offspring. With outward things he maintains all; the whole world almost these six thousand years at his own proper cost and charges. He feeds • he Ravens, and the young Lions seek their meat at him. How few of the birds of the air lie dead at thy feet for want of provision! But alas as the Canaanite: old CHRIST; these like the Dogs eat only the crumbs; the faithful have the fat morsels; All our Fathers servants have bread enough. They are but servants, yet they have bread enough. Thus we partake with God in being his servants, wherein indeed consists true liberty. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman. Thou Israel art my Servant the seed of Abraham my fr • end, Vers. 9. Thou art my friend I have chosen thee. And this is a sure participation where can be no rejection. But how do GOD'S servants partake of these divine things? In five respects; in Liverie, Liberty, Dignity, Cognisance, Recompence. For their Liverie, it is the profession of the Gospel; that same New man, Col. 3.10. restored to the Creators Image. For their liberty, Gal. 5.1. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. For their dignity, John. 12.26. If any man serve me, him will my Father honor. It is more credit to be a Porter of God's gate, than to command in the presence chamber of a King, Psal. 84.10. I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my GOD, &c. For their cognizance, it is both visible and invisible, visible in their Charity, John 13.35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples. Invisible, as being sealed in their foreheads with the mark of the living God, Revel. 7.3. For their recompense: the world says, It is in vain to serve God: but they shall be mine saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my Jewels: of so high a value as his special treasure, Ver. 17. God does not, as great men commonly do with their servants; give them countenance, and let them shift for themselves. He gives not only protection, but provision: not only countenance, but maintenance. Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.

This is the sweet: but not common to all. For all shall not have Servorum omina the rewards of servants; that have Servorum nomina, the name of servants. God hath many servants, but little service in the world. We do so trust and thrust his work one upon another, that still it is not done: they say, many hands make light work but is usually seen, that many hands make sligh t work. God's holy name is blasphemed, the hearer says, let the Magistrate look to it: the Magistrate says, let the Minister reprove it: the Minister says, let the hearer reform it: the company says, let the offender himself answer it: the offender says, Curet nemo, let no man mind it. The sea breaks in, all the borders contend whose right it is to mend the damme: but whilst they all strive much, and do nothing, the sea breaks further in upon them, and drowns the whole country. A Gentle-man having but one servant, thought him over-burdened with work, and therefore took another to help him: now he had two, and one of them so trusted to the others observance that they were often both missing, and the work was not done. Then he chose another, he had three; and was then worse served than before. Therefore he told his friend; when I had one servant, I had a servant: when I had two, I had but half a one: now I have three, I have never a one. GOD hath so many titular servants, that when his business comes to be done, not one of them can be found.

2 As subjects of a Prince, and thus we partake with the King of heaven in many benefits. We have Defensionem legis, the tuition of his Law; through a blessed Advocate. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We are fain to sue in forma pauperis, therefore the great Judge of heaven hath appointed us a Counselor to plead our cause; Jesus Christ, we have Tutelam Imperii, the safe-guard of the Empire; not only the protection of the King, from which the wicked as out-laws are secluded: but also the keeping of Angels, to whom He hath given a charge over us, to keep us in all his ways. So nearly we participate of his Divine things, that we have his own guard royal to attend us. I know, that Christ is king over all the world. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble. This kingdom is material and formal. The material are his subjects, and these are both elect and reprobate: for all are under his kingdom, sed diverso affectu, diverso effectu; with a different desire with a different event. The will of the King fit de malis, fit à bonis; is done by the obedient, upon the rebellious. The form of his government is Herile in illos, Paternum in istos; to the wicked, the rule of a Lord over his slaves; to the faithful, the rule of a father over his sons. Accordingly he hath a double Scepter; there is Virga Consolationis, the Rod of consolation, Psal. 23.4. Thy rod doth comfort me. And Virga confusionis, the rod of confusion, Psal. 2.9. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Christ's kingdom is eternal; he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And this not only Formaliter, in respect of the king: but also Materialiter, in respect of the subjects: for they shall stand continually before him, as the Queen of the South blessed Solomon. In the Persian army were ten thousand soldiers called Athanatoi, immortal: not indeed because they died not, but because that number was supplied, and continually made up. As a Divine handling a point of usury concerning a hundred sheep lent to a neighbor, with a certain rate or rent to be paid yearly for them, and the stock still at the years end to be made good; wittily called these Immortal sheep, for they never died to the owner, though to the borrower they all miscarried. But Christ says not as Laban did to Jacob; if any sheep die, thou shalt make them up de tuo, of thine own: thou shalt bear the loss of it, of thy hand I will require it. But rather like David, saves his sheep from the Bear and Lion, the world and the devil. As himself when he died, suffered not a bone of his own to be broken, and another put in place: so his subjects shall have no change: those thou hast given me, I have kept, and none of them is lost. Here shall be no Interregnum, not Multi Principes; nor is it enough to say, Vivat Rex; but oh king, live forever Thine is the kingdom, power and glory forever and ever. A King he is, yet he were but a poor king, if he had no subjects: but they shall reign with him a thousand years, Revel. 20.6. that is, forever. For if every day in heaven be as a thousand years, what is a thousand years of such days but Eternity?

He is our King, to make us blessed by his kingdom. Augustus, that day he had done no good to his subjects, in relieving their wants, said to his friends at night; Hodie non regnavi; I have not been a King today. It was proverbed of Aurelianus, that he was a good Physician, but he gave too bitter medicines. Julian used to stamp a Bull on his coin, whereupon the Antiochians inferred, that he purposed to gore the world to death. The breasts of some Kings have been stuffed with a thunder-cloud, their vapors always venting to the worlds terror. But we may say of our supreme King Christ, as (in due measure) of his Servant our royal Sovereign: if at least we may compare the peace of a Prince with the Prince of peace: as he is the fairest blossom that ever budded out of the white and red Rosary: so he hath brought together red and white; Christ hath reconciled Justice and mercy; anger red as blood, and compassion white as snow. He hath turned; our scarlet sins into white wool: and this by making himself ruddy in passion that was ever so white in innocence. My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest often thousand. Thus we partake the blessings of his Divine Nature in being his subjects: let the heathen serve their tyrants, the Turks their Mahomet, the Romists their Pope, worldlings their lusts: Thou O Jesus Christ be our King forever.

3 As sons of a Father, thus we partake many things of the Divine Nature. 1. Children have from their fathers on earth Generation, we from our Father in heaven Regeneration; We receive the adoption of sons. We are not natural sons; so is Christ only: but naturalized, as I may say, made his own by adoption and grace. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters. 2. We have nutrition, and that both natural and supernatural. Isaiah 1. I have nourished and brought up children. He gives bread to nourish, not stones to choke: Beneficia, non veneficia; Fishes not Serpents, Matth. 7. Thirdly, we have Education: earthly parents bring up their children to their own customs: Rachel, though she would go with her husband Jacob; yet would not leave her Fathers gods behind her Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; therefore so may we. That which comes by tradition, is held inheritance. Videtur licitum, quicquid est consuetum: That which is patronised by usualnesse, slips into the opinion of lawfulness. Thus many children are made Papists by the mothers side: and she is so her self, for no other reason but because her Grandame was so. Thus materna sectantes, paterna perdunt: whiles they follow the counsel of their mother on earth, they lose the blessing of their Father in heaven. But God brings up all his children after his own law: they are in a strange land, yet live after the laws of their own Country, their conversation is in heaven.

God deals with us, as Bernard observes, Isaac did with his son Jacob, Gen. 27. First, verse. 21. Tangit manu approbationis; Come near that I may feel thee my son. Then verse. 26. Osculatur instinctu inspirationis; Come near that I may kiss thee my son. Cant. 1. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips; that is, with his Spirit; for the Holy Ghost is Osculum Patris, the kiss of God the Father. Then verse. 27. Benedicit, he blesseth him; gives him a progress of grace, and that irrevocable; he shall be blessed. Lastly, he gives consolation, and full confidence, that we boldly cry, Abba, Father. This duplication, Father, Father, is pathetical and mystical. Pathetical; and so it insinuates our Certainty; we are sure that God is our Father: And our Fervency, that we be importunate, not taking a denial at out Fathers hands. So Martyr. Mystical, as Aug. Paul in using an Hebrew word and a Greek, signifies that there is no difference between Jew and Grecian; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Every Christian in the world may go boldly unto the Throne of Grace. It is for a Saul to say, Pray for me: but he that is God's son, dares go himself without sending others: let no terrors keep us from our Father. Ibo ad patrem, I will arise and go to my Father. To such a commer Christ will communicate good things; Daughter, be of good comfort, Matth. 9.22. Daughter, a word of great familiarity: Be of good comfort, a word of great security. I ascend unto my Father, and your Father. To his Father? what's this to us? Yea, also to your Father. Aug. He doth not say, I ascend ad Patrem nostrum, to our Father; but to My Father, and Your Father: Aliter meum, aliter vestrum: meum naturâ, vestrum gratiâ. He is in one respect my Father, in another yours; mine by nature, yours by grace.

Infinite good things we partake, if we be sons; but all lies in the assurance of this filialitie. When God gives a man sanctity, he seems to say; Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee: when man apostates; Thou art not my son, this day have I lost thee. What say you to the covetous worldling? Is he the son of God, that is not charitable to the sons of God? King Richard the holy warrior, having taken a Bishop in the field in Coat-armor, was requested by the Pope to release him; Dimitte mihi filium: Send me my son. The King sends not the Bishop, but his Coat-armor to the Pope, with this question; An haec esset filii sui tunica; Is this thy sons Coat? alluding to that of Jacob's sons, when they had sold their brother Joseph, and dipped his garment in Goats-blood; This we have found, know now whether it be thy sons coat. The Pope being ashamed, returned his answer; Nec hanc esse filii sui tunicam; That this was not the Coat of any son of his. God's sons are known by their coat, that is, Charity. Satan lays hold on the covetous oppressor, and makes him his captive: if God should now say, Dimitte mihi filium; deliver me my son: he would straight show God the oppressors coat; his Injustice and Extortion, Haeccine filii tui tunica; is this thy sons Coat? No, God's children wear no such kind of garments, let him either strip off such robes, or perish with them. Let others be ambitious of great and glorious parentages; only, Lord, make us thy sons and daughters in Jesus Christ.

4 As Fellowes, in due measure, with God himself, 1 John. 1.3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. We may have a society with man, this is requisite, for we are all of one mould: but to God, what all fellows? Yes, we have a fellowship with God; such is his mercy, not our merits. The proud Gallant scorns the poor Mechanicke; what, are you my fellow? Yet, Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat, Death takes away difference between King and beggar, tumbles both the knight and the pawn into one bag. Well, let the world despise us, it is enough the Lord doth not disdain our fellowship. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Fellowship of the holy Ghost, be with you all. Diverse sorts of fellowships.

Consortes, such as partake a mutual lot, as fellow-merchants in their adventures. We have thus a fellowship with God. If we rejoice, he joys in us, with us, makes us indeed rejoice in him. For Christ rejoiceth in the Christian, whensoever the Christian rejoiceth in Christ. That repenting son was not more glad that he had found his father, than the father was glad he had found his son, Luke 15. If we suffer, he suffers with us. Saul, thou persecutest me, saith Christ. Patitur in nobis, qui passus est pro nobis: He that did once suffer for us, doth still suffer in us. The Usurer oppressing thee, takes away the goods of Christ; and shall be called to a strict account. There is Consortium, the word by most translations here used.

Contubernales, Chamber-fellows, such as lodge together, Come my beloved, let us lodge in the Villages. Where the chamber is a sanctified heart, the bed a pure faith, the pillow is the peace of conscience, the curtains like Solomon's, Azure, Purple, and Scarlet. AZure or sky-color, noting our heavenly conversation; Purple, our zeal to God's glory: Scarlet, our charity; so Love is praised to have a thread of Scarlet in her lips. Thus now God is thy chamber-fellow, and inhabites thy holy conscience: and hereafter thou shalt dwell together with him in everlasting rest.

Conviatores, fellows in a journey, and thus we have CHRIST'S company. Whilest they walked and talked, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. They that will walk to Christ, shall have Christ walk with them. He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life: they that faithfully seek viam vitae, the way of life, shall find vitam viae, the life of the way. The Papists have great Pilgrimages to Shrines, Christ doth not travel with them: he hath no fellowship with them, that gives his honor to blocks and stones. Let my soul on the holy feet of faith and obedience, travel toward Jerusalem; then Christ will say, Vade mecum, thou shalt have my company. The good Christian cannot in any Country travel alone, he is sure of the fellowship of his Savior.

Collocutores, such as confer together; so we partake with GOD in a sweet and familiar discourse, Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Tell me your griefs, saith CHRIST. Are you pained at the heart with true compunction for your sins? I will heal the broken-hearted. Are you smitten with vexations? I will bind up your wounds. Thus it is our part, Agnoscere, to acknowledge: his mercy, Ignoscere, to forgive. We speak to him by our prayers, he speaks to us by his comforts. We pour our grievances into his bosom, he pours his graces into our bosom. Many cannot hear Christ speaking comfort to them; no marvel, for they speak not for comfort to him. Strangenesse doth lose acquaintance. We never came humble petitioners for grace to the Mercy-seat, but we sped: if the Lord hath at someone time been extraordinarily bountiful to us, shall we dis-wont ourselves from his presence, be proud of our own stock, as if we needed him not? This is the way to lose him, and all comfort with him. God loves to have us talk with him: if we forget to pray for good, why should not he forget to do us good?

Convivae, such as feast together; thus we partake with God, If any man open unto me, I will come in and sup with him, and he shall sup with me. Here is a mutual supper; the Confession of sins, that's our cheare: the Remission of sins, that's Christ's cheare. We give him meat and drink, he gives us meat and drink. Our dishes are all Sallets, Lilies, and fruits. My beloved is gone down into his Garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the Gardens, and to gather Lilies, Cant. 6.2. the fruits of our righteousness. Our drink is penitent tears, though they be sharp to us, they are sweet to him. The tears of penitent sinners is the wine of Angels, says a Father: yea, wine for the Lord himself: not a tear falls, but he catcheth it in his own bottle: if we feast Christ, give him this drink. Let thy heart be a vine-grape, sorrow the wine-press, crush out this liquor, the Lord loves it. His meat to us is his own Flesh, his drink, his Blood: the bread of heaven, and the wine of blessedness. Who so eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, John. 6.54. The Temple is his banketting-house, or wine-cellar; He brought me to the banketting-house, Cant. 2.4. There he broacheth to us the sweet wines of his Gospel and Sacraments. Here is another fellowship, and so are we fellow-commoners with Jesus Christ. Indeed all the good cheare is his: alas, what have we of our own to make such a guest welcome! He may safely discommend our provision: let us not say, as some do to their guests; welcome, but here is no good cheare for you, when secretly in their hearts they think there can be no better. Christ loves not so proud a mind when the tongue says, Nihil est, it it nothing: and the heart thinks, Nimium est, it is too much. But plainly acknowledge thy poverty: if thou have any grace to feast him with, thank him for bringing it, and say in this truly, that he is come to his own cost. Yet thus he is pleased to feed on his own provision, and to call it thine. He feeds on ours, Cant. 5.1. I have eaten honey, and drunk milk: we feed on his; Eat O friends, drink abundantly O beloved: drink liberally of it, for it is a Cup of saving health to all nations.

Convoti, sworn brothers: men, not brothers by nature of blood, are made so by vow of love. Here is another fellowship, Christ hath vowed himself thy brother. Both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren. Thou hast vowed thyself to Christ in Baptism, keep thy vow, make good thy fellowship, ne sis foedifragas, lest thou be a vow-breaker. Thy sin is no less than perjury, if thou become his enemy, to whom thou art a sworn brother.

Thus we partake of the Divine Nature (with all reverence be it spoken) as Fellowes. But not to deny the King his Supremacy; Socii sumus in gaudio, not in solio: in loco regni, non in modo regnandi; We are fellows with Christ in his joy, reserving the Throne to himself. Yet he is pleased to promise us a confession with him in his Throne: To him that overcometh, I will grant to sit with me in my Throne, Revel. 3.21. We have a partnership with him in the place of his Kingdom, not in equality of reigning. The King sets a subject at his own table: yet must this subject still acknowledge his Sovereign. Though we be co-heirs, let Christ be the elder brother. Though we be made sicut Angeli, like to the Angels; yet not sicut Dominus Angelorum, not like to the Lord of Angels.

The wicked know not, care nor for this fellowship: they do not like so divine company: they cannot be merry if God be by. Alas! none know the sweetness of this partnership, but the partners. It is a new name, which no man knoweth but he that hath it. But he that hath it is truly merry, and keeps Hilary term all his life. In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right-hand are pleasures for evermore, Psalm. 16.11. GOD'S company doth not only make us glad, but makes us good. Seneca said, that one special means to stay us from vice, was to think some grave men were in our company. Semper eos tecum, quos verearis, habe. But we have not only men and Angels, but even GOD looking on us, and associatingus. Peter swore like a Ruffian, and forswore like a Renegate, till CHRIST looked on him, and then he wept. There be divers fellowships in the world.

There is a generation of men, that lavish their estates; as we say, fling the house out at the windows; that call themselves Good-fellows. But they cannot be Boni sodales, that are mali homines; Good-fellows and evil men are incompetible. They are like Simeon and Levi, sworn brothers, but fratres in malum, brethren in evil. Perhaps they have more society than honest men, but not so good society. Briars and thorns twine more together than good plants. God is not in this fellowship; you shall meet him at the Church, not at the Ale-house. But Satan puts in for a part: sometimes one drunkard plays the devil with another; in stabbing, or over-loading with drink: but if there be not always a personate devil, there is always a personal devil; Satan himself stands by. In this fellowship, Riot is the host, Drunkenness the guest, Swearing keeps the reckoning▪ Lust holds the door, and Beggary pays the shot.

There is another fellowship, a mystical one, a mischievous one; the Society of Jesuits: yet they write themselves, Ex Societate Jesus; Of the fellowship of Jesus. What, no meaner? Would not Peter, nor Paul, nor Francis serve? No, none worthy of these men's company but Jesus. I persuade myself, he will give them little thanks for their familiarity. But do they not rather derive their names à contrario? Jesuits, not because fellows, but enemies to JESUS. As the Romans took names from their Conquests: Scipio Affricanus, because he conquered Africa. Call him not Israel, but Jezreel: call them not Jesuits, but Jebusites But Peter is the deputy of Jesus, and they are factors of Peter: indeed they uphold the chair of their imaginary Peter, and blow up other states with Salt-peter. But sure Jesus was never a fellow-digger in their vaults, nor an Enginier in their fire-works.

Well, thus CHRIST to the faithful vouchsafes his fellowship: he is the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the valleys: not a Garden-flower enclosed, but he grows in the field; his company is easily had, if our faith invites him. If thou wilt be concors, of one heart; thou shalt be consors, of one fellowship with him. Let thy will and obedience agree with his Commandments; and then his sweet presence shall accompany thy conscience forever. Complaine not though other men blanch thee, so long as thou hast the fellowship of Jesus Christ.

5 As members of a Head, and thus we nearly partake of the Divine Nature. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. Christ is the head, the Church is the body, the faithful are the members. What doth the head impart to the body? 1. Sense: he gives us eyes, we see not the mysteries of salvation without him; Lord enlighten mine eyes. Ears; we may hear Evangelium vitae, the Gospel of life; but not vitam Evangelii, the life of the Gospel without him. Lord, open mine ears. Taste; for we may have the Cup of blessing held to our mouth, and yet cannot taste the sweets of grace without him: Lord, make me to relish thy heavenly gift. Feeling; man's brain is said to have no feeling in it self, yet to give feeling to all parts. But Christ hath a feeling of our infirmities, and gives us a feeling of our own. Mortui non est sentire; We are naturally dead, and cannot feel our misery: it is Christ our head, that gives the life of sense, and the sense of life. 2. Intellectum; the head is the seat of understanding; we can have no comfortable knowledge of God but by Christ; Lord show us the Father, and it sufficeth us: Do thou show us, we can see nothing but by thy light. This is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, John. 1.9. Hence it is, that no member can be ignorant, because he is joined to the Head. Though they cannot scire universa, know so much as the Head: yet they shall scire necessaria, know so much as shall make them blessed. 3. Motum; Christ our Head gives us motion. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to me. If the Head be gone before, the members must needs follow after. We have Movere, from God by nature, Act. 17.28. but movere in bonum, to move to that which is good, from God to Christ. 4. Lastly, Vitam, life it self; for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. There is a quarrel between Philosophers and Physicians, about the principal seat of life; whether it be in the heart or in the head. But in Divinity the case is clear, for all our life is from our Head. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20. Vbi amat, ibi animat; Our breath is in our bodies, the life of our souls is in heaven. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. Corpore ambulantes in terris, cord habitantes in coelis, Anselm. Our bodies move on earth, our hearts dwell in heaven.

Let us be sure we are members of Christ, then sure that we are partakers of the Divine Nature. Who is sure of that? Not the Adulterer; for he takes the members of Christ, and makes them the members of an Harlot; he hath lost the ligaments of purity. Not the Oppressor; he hath lost the ligaments of charity: for he that is not a good member of the Common-wealth, is not a true member of Christ. And if the Usurer can prove himself a good member of his Country, I will yield he may be a member of the Church. Not the Drunkard; he hath lost the ligaments of sobriety: our heavenly Head hath no staggering members. It will be very hard for a man to reel into heaven. Not the Contentious; for he hath lost the ligaments of concord, and broken the Unity of the Spirit, which is in the bond of peace. That Religion that is derived from Christ, preserves unity with Christians. He that will not keep the peace of God, shall not be kept by the God of peace. Not the furious Striker; who if he receives verbae, words; returns verbera, wounds: he is no member of Christ, for one member doth not strike another. Not the Repiner; for the eye says not to the hand, I have no need of thee, 1 Cor. 12.21. The foot will not invade the office of the ear, nor the arms of the lips. The Magistrate will not administer the Sacraments, nor the Minister bench it. Not the Swearer; for he is no member that strikes the head. If we be members, the passion of others will work compassion in us.

6 As branches of a Vine, and so we partake of the Divine Nature. I am the true vine, saith Christ: a true Vine indeed: For, 1. He was set on a blessed ground, the womb of the Virgin, whom all generations shall call blessed, Luke 1.42. In this Fruit all nations are blessed. 2. He was cut and pruned, wounded for our transgressions; till there ran out the life with blood, that was to us the blood of life. 3. He was dunged, soiled with the filthy excrements of the Jews: his mouth prays for them, their mouths spit on him. 4. He was digged, his side opened with a spear, his hands and feet with nails; Foderunt manus; Psal. 22.17. They digged my hands and my feet. 5. As the vine is fastened to some wood or wall: so was Christ fixed to his Cross, till death and hell had done their worst. Yet there is still life in him, and he spreads this life to his branches, far and wide. Sending out his boughs unto the sea; and his branches unto the river. We are all naturally dry sticks, fit for nothing but the fire: but being engraffed into him, there is the living sap of grace derived to us. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me, John. 15.4. This saith Saint August. Corda instruit humilium, or a obstruit superborum: comforts the poor Publican, confounds the proud Pharisee. Qui viret in foliis, venit a radicibus humor.

Thus also we are partakers: there is a threefold divine union. 1. Essentiall, so God the Father is one with the Son and the Holy Ghost. 2. Personal, so God's son is united to human nature. 3. Mystical, so the faithful are united to Christ. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. This is infinite comfort: we cannot want Grace and felicity, unless Jesus Christ should want it. Whatsoever the Divine nature hath communicable to man, we participate by being branches of this vine. Perhaps he doth cut us till we weep and bleed; he purgeth us, but to do good purpose, that we might bring forth more grapes: for we are most fruitful under the Cross. Such is the piety of our heavenly father to us; that even his anger proceeds from mercy: he scourgeth the flesh, that the spirit maybe saved in the day of Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 5.5. yea Lord, cut us even till we weep and bleed, so we may partake thy joy and glory in heaven.

7 As spouses of one husband, Christ: this is a near partaking. A man shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. The husband and the wife are one flesh, the believer and Christ are one spirit. This is an ineffable mystery, my heart feels it, no tongue can express it. Here all language is lost, and admiration seals up every lip: we may drowsily hear it, and coldly be affected with it; but let me say, principalities and, powers, nature and reason, men and Angels stand amazed at it. But what do we thus partake of the Divine nature, by this marriage to Christ. 1 We have Oscula, his kisses; and this is arrha fidei & amoris, the earnest of love and faithfulness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a kiss, of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to love: whom God kisseth, he loveth: as the Father well-comed his returning son, he fell on his neck and kissed him, Luke 15.20. No token of affection more lively, more lovely than a kiss. 2. Amplexum, his embracings. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me, Cant. 15.20. God is said to have a right hand and a left, Pro. 3.16. with Riches and Honors, which are the gifts of his left hand, he lifts up my dejected head: with eternal life, which is the gift of his right hand, he embraceth my sides forever. Who so puts his trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth him on every side. 3. Concubitum, we sleep with him; our Bed is green. Make ready his bed, if thou wouldest have his company, sweep the chamber of thy heart from all the dusts of evil thoughts, and annoyance of lusts: give him fine linen, Innocence of spirit: a pillow of Charity, a covering of obedience to keep him warm; and let the down bed of thy faith be prepared; then he will lodge with thee. 4. He gives his spouse a Iointure or portion. As in the solemnising of a marriage on earth, the husband says to his wife; with all my worldly goods, I thee endow: so Christ endowes us with his riches of glory. My beloved is mine and I am his. Blessed exchange! he is ours, we are his: yea all ours are made his, all his is made ours. We brought him a portion of wickedness, of wretchedness; the fee-simple of sin, death and hell: he bore all those torments, and so took them that he took them away. He brings us another manner of Iointure or endowment; justification, sanctification, freedom, grace and peace on earth, glory and joy in heaven. Here's a blessed wedding: in our marriages we have these requirable things; the Bride-groome, the Bride, the Father to give the bride, the Priest to tie the knot, the witnesses, and the wedding ring. Here the bride-groome is Christ, the bride the Church, the giver God the Father, (who gives this poor beggar woman, man's soul to be married to this rich man, this Prince? God himself.) The Priest that makes the knot is the Holy Ghost, he is the sealer of this union: the witnesses are Angels, the wedding ring is our faith. Dost thou plead, thy soul is married to CHRIST? show me thy wedding ring, look well to thy faith.

The best way to reconcile two disagreeing families or enemy kingdoms, is to make a marriage between them: for the uniting of bloods ends all quarrels. We were all adversaries to GOD, and he was ready to fight against us with eternal death, how should peace be made but by a marriage! So Hamor persuaded the Shechemites: let us take their daughters to us for wives, and give them our daughters; so shall we have peace. Loe, the king of heaven gives his only son to mortal man's daughter, that is his soul; and though she were a miserable beggar, jointures her in his own kingdom. Be not then married to the world, its a misshapen stigmatic: not to lust, its a black and Leprous witch: not to the devil, he is a foul and ugly monster: run not a whoring after riches, pleasures, and wantonesses, remember thy chaste love to thy one and own husband. I have espoused you to one husband, that I might present you a pure virgin to CHRIST. Abhor bigamy, lest he divorce thee: have one husband; the bed brooks no rivalls. Raise thy affections above a common pitch, and let thy soul bear her self as the spouse of the great King. It is a wonderful joy that a man hath with the wife of his youth: uxori non redditur aequivolens: but it is a greater joy in being spouses to Christ; the faithful soul knows only the sweetness of his embraces. But the greatest of all is to be married to him in heaven; Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Only that marriage is the merry age, where shall be joy, great joy, eternal joy. Our music shall be the Choir of heaven, and our banket everlasting glory.

I have been over prolixe in this point of partaking the Divine nature: but it is tedious only to those that have no right in this participation. Let me excuse myself; my tongue followed my heart, and I could not but speak what was try comfort to feel. It hath given sweet content to my own spirit, God grant it may give no less consolation to others. This participation is not a transfusion of the divine essence or nature into us; but a communication of the manifold blessings wrought out by Christ. Of nothing, we have being, of being worse than nothing, we are restored to God's Image; formed with reason above the creature, and reformed with Grace above reason: now immortal in our souls, hereafter to be immortal in our bodies. What honor, what glory is this, that a man of dust, a worm creeping out of the mud; audeat erectos ad sydera tollere vultus; should look up unto heaven, and call the omnipotent God his Father! How gracious is this promise, how glorious this participation! Let not the blind judgments of the world trouble us: we believe and know, know and feel, feel and joy that we are partakers of the divine nature. We might here infer with Athanasius, that Christ is the same substance and nature with the Father; because they that are partakers of the Son, are also partakers of the divine nature. He says further, that the beginning of this partaking, is by the consignation of the holy spirit in our baptism. Ambrose refells the Arians, from this scripture, who condemn the voice of substance and nature in divine things: as if Christ could be the son of God, and not the substance of God. But if the name of substance or nature trouble them, let this text satisfy then. He adds, who can deny the Holy Ghost to be equal with the Father or the Son, when as it is his work whereby we get a participation of the divine nature. Cyril says, that the faithful communicant in receiving the Sacrament, is made partaker of the divine nature. Leo from hence takes occasion to exhort us to piety and holy life: remember whose thou art, the member of Christ, and temple of the blessed Spirit: Noli tantum habitatorem pravis actibus de te effugare; do not drive away so sweet an inhabitant by thy sins, and again subject thyself to the devils servitude. To the same purpose speaks Cyrillus Alex. lib. 4. in Levite. And Origen in Levite. Homil. 4. All of them striving to show us, that we by faith partake of Christ's flesh, by his flesh of his soul, by both of his spirit, by all of his Deity.

Thus you have seen the conveyance, and the Inheritance. In the one was verbum Promissionis, a word of promise: in the other verbum promotionis, a word of preferment. Now all these privileges we partake as we are true Christians. Plato said, he was beholding to nature for three things: first, that she had made him Hominem non Brutum; a man, not a beast: next, that she had made him virum, non faeminam; a man, not a woman: for mulier quasi mollior, or mollis aer: but vires in viris, vera sedes virûm, sexus solet esse virorum. Lastly, that she had made him Graecum, non Barbarum; a Greek not a Barbarian. Well, in all these preferments he acknowledged himself but beholding to nature: and for all these we so well as he, are beholding to the God of nature. But there is a fourth thing, for which as he to Greece, so we must be thankful to Grace: that we are not only men and not beasts, Greeks, that is knowing, and not ignorants; or Philosophers, and not fools: but yet infinitely more, that we are Christians, and not Infidels. By this only we partake of the Divine nature; only glory in this. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the mighty man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, saith the Lord. Nothing is more worthy thy pride, than that which will make thee most humble if thou hast it; that thou art a Christian. When an Ambassador told Henry the fourth, that magnificent King of France, concerning the King of Spain's ample dominions: first saith he, he is King of Spain: is he so, saith Henry? and I am King of France. But saith the other, he is King of Portugal; and I am King of France; saith Henry. He is King of Naples; and I am King of France. He is King of Sicily, and I am King of France. He is King of Nova Hispanla; and I am King of France. He is King of the West- Indies; and still, I am King France; He thought the kingdoms of France equivalent to all these. To what purpose is all this? yes, if thou apply it rightly. Another hath great learning and wit; well I am a Christian. Such a one hath great honors; I am a Christian. Another hath abundance of riches; I am a Christian. That man hath large dominions; well I have more in heaven, I am a Christian. He is of the blood royal, partakes the nature of kings; yet I partake of the nature divine, am of the blood royal of JESUS CHRIST, I am a Christian. Let them glory in their great and honorable relations, it shall content our souls that we partake of thy Divine nature, Oh JESUS CHRIST!

Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. This is the third main point, our deliverance. It hath the last place in the words, not so in effect with us: we must first escape this corruption, before we can come to that divine participation. As you have seen what you are, Partakers of the nature of God: so now see what you were, soild with the corruption of lusts, Such were ye, but you are washed, &c. In this deliverance we considered two general parts; a discovery, and a recovery: a discovery of great danger, a recovery from that danger. The danger discovered was the corruption of lust: the deliverance is specified, an Escaping. In the danger or wretched estate wherein they naturally stood, consider. 1. The Infection, corruption of lust. 2. The Dispersion, through the world. For the Infection, conceive in it two things. 1. Tumorem, the Corruption. 2. Humorem, the lust. The one that is bred, the other whereby it is fed. In all we shall find, that the greatness of the danger commends the greatness of our deliverance.

Corruption; this is the Tumour; morbus epidemicus, an universal disease. All flesh hath corrupted their ways. This monster is not coagulated all at once: but Gradatim spargere vires; Prorsus & ex multis unum coalescere morbum. Stone after stone, Babel is built: stick after stick, the burning pile is made up: from the confluence of many diseases, ariseth death.

First, it gets into the thoughts; that the Imaginations of the heart are evil. This we think little danger; but when it hath got the Citadel, it commands all the sconces, and forts, and guards. The Heart is a Castle, the outward senses are the gates, when it hath got into the castle. The watchmen were to blame, that let the enemy in. Turpius ejicitur, quàm non admittitur hospes. These be Partus mentis, Primogeniti Aegypti: if thou canst not hinder the conception of sin, but it must be borne: yet like the midwives of Egypt, dispatch it betimes, lest it dispatch thee. For lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Spare not the little Babylonians, lest they one day grow great enough to vanquish Israel. Kill the young wolves, and secure thy flock: destroy the brood of the viper; let it never come to this, I would I had prevented it. Sin is easily committed in act, if admitted in thought. Labor first to purge thy heart from this corruption: let not thy vain thoughts lodge within thee, Jeremiah 4.14. Job, though he were well persuaded of his children, in respect of their outward demeanour, yet he doubted their hearts, Job 1.5. It may be my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Keep thy heart with all diligence: the hands and feet must be well guarded and regarded, but especially look to thy heart. Let thy thoughts examine thy thoughts: thy conscience must not only extend to deeds and words, but even to secret thoughts. They that are accustomed to evil thoughts, can seldom bring forth good words, never good deeds. As the corn is, so will the flower be: if the meal be bad, the fault is not in the millstones that ground it, but in the miller that put in such base corn. All thy senses and members are but the millstones, the heart is the miller: if thy words and works be ill meal, thank the miller thy heart for such corrupt thoughts. As the wood is, so will the fire be: if it be wet and stinking wood, look for an unsavory and unwholesome fire: if the wood be sweet and dry, it will perfume the room with a sweet and pleasant air. Such fuel as you lay on your thoughts, such fire shall you have in your actions. There is a knowledge projected, which only looks upon outward things: and even beasts do in some measure participate this with men. There is a knowledge reflected, that inwardly beholds a man's self. Many men know many things, but they know not themselves. Mans knowledge should not be a gadding harlot, whose feet cannot keep within doors: but a good housewife to stay at home. When Dinah would be rambling abroad, to see fashions, and to observe the Ladies of the land; she was deflowered by Shechem: if our affections be noctivagant, night-walkers, they will easily come home quick with child.

Next, this corruption gets into the senses. It passeth through the eye, Ier. 9.21. Death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men in the streets. Mors per fenestras; it hath terrible effects: it invades the Palaces, the secret chambers of the heart: abscindit pueros, it cuts off the little masculine virtues of the soul: yea even the young men the graces that begin to get strength in us. Al this death coms in at the window, that is the eye. Cur aliquid vidi, cur noxia lumina feci? Mine eye hath betrayed my soul. Epiphanius gives an apt moral reason, why in the old law when a dead corps passed by any house, they were commanded to shut their doors and windows. When opus mortuum, a work of death, abhorred sin, is proposed; shut both the doors, your mouths; and the windows, your eyes. It is said that Iudiths pantofles ravished Holofernes eyes, Iud. 16.9. Her sandales took him: what good men tread under their feere, that wicked men are seduced by. Therefore says Solomon, Look not on the color of the wine, when it moveth it self aright: be not tempted with the color or dancing of it in the cup. Nimium ne creed colori. That sense is accessory to the sin; that opens the door, and lets the thief come in. Iniquity is the thief, the eye is the gate: therefore says Job; Pepigi foedus cum oculis. I have made a covenant with mine eyes. Adultery is such an ugly monster, that it could never enter the city of the heart, unless it did first corrupt the watch. Advert oculos; Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. The ear is another passage; through that door Satan often sends in his errand. Vae mihi quia audivi; woe is me because I have heard, that which made me either angry or guilty. Keep him our, and be safe: stop thine ears to his charms, so shall he not touch thy heart. But he cries to the porter, let me but come in, I will desire no more: do but give him the hearing, it is sufficient to take thy soul.

It stays not wholly in the senses, but gets also into the tongue; and this must needs babble the corruption. Democritus called speech the Image of life: and another used to say; Loquere ut te videam; speak, that I may know what thou an. Totum spiritum suum profert stultus; the fool uttereth all his mind. As wise men carry their mouths in their hearts: so fools carry their hearts in th ir mouths. Fools first speak, and then deliberate, they bluster out their follies. A wicked man bears his words in his mouth, as a dog doth an arrow in his ribs; never rests till it be drawn out. He is pregnant of slander or blasphemy; and either he must be delivered, or he will burst. Ex ore tuo, saith God; O evil servant, out of thy own mouth I will judge thee; God doth judge, and man may guess. Diogenes said, you will choose men to service before you hear them speak; yet will not buy an earthen pot before you try it by the sound. A bell may have a crack, and you cannot see it; but take the clapper, and strike it, you shall soon perceive it is flawed. The damsel told Peter, sure thou art of Galilee, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Many lap the water. Curvatis genibus; none but a right Gileadite can without lisping pronounce Shibboleth.

Lastly, you shall find it in the hands too, and there it exceeds it self: in the heart it is but corruption, in the hands it is eruption. Ex ungue leonem; you may know a covetous Wolf by his paws. A troubled fountain sends forth unpure streams: an evil heart hath a most evil hand. If the hand grope for a bribe, as Felix did of Paul; there is a most unjust heart. If the hand scramble for wealth, there is a covetous heart. If the hand be still striking and stabbing, there is a bloody heart. The actions of the hands are so many characters, whereby we may spell the meaning of the heart. Manus loquuntur, the hands speak a man. What a man does, I am sure he thinks, not evermore what he says. Saul's tongue could say, Prastiti mandatum, 1 Sam. 15. Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have performed the commandment of the Lord. But Samuel heard the language of his hands; What means then the bleating of the Sheep, and lowing of the Oxen in mine errs? Verse 14. Corruptio, quae reponitur cordibus, exponitur manibus. The corruption that is secreted in the heart, is declared by the hand. The deaf man would think the air quiet, but he that hears it thunder, knows it is troubled. Many look fair and sky-coloured in their profession; but Fulminant operibus, they thunder in their works. They imagine mischief, and practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. They have breath as sweet as Sirens, but their deeds leave a stink behind them.

Now swell all these corruptions into one impostumated head; and here is not only the corruption of the world, but a world of corruption. As the Prophet calls Jerusalem and Samaria, not only sinners but sins: Or as Lucan speaks of a wonuded body; Totum est pro vulnere corpus; the whole body was as one wound. A land over-flown with sea is said to be all sea. So a heart over run with sin, is all sin. That is land still, and this is a heart still: but by reason of this deluge we say, that is all sea, this is all sin. And this corruption is so pleasing to the wicked, that they think it health it self. Men take such delight in this bestiality, that as Pliny reports, Grillus being transformed to a hog, would not endure to be turned to a man again. When God offers the drunkard to make him sober, no he thanks him, he is better as he is. Doth he undertake to let out the usurers corruption by charity? no, he had rather bean usurer still.

Diverse uses are to be made of this proposition; which are generally twofold; concerning others, concerning ourselves. Concerning others, that we fly the persons in whom this corruption rages; as being willing to avoid the plague, we do balk the house wherein the infection dwells, miserable folly! we hate the plague which may kill our bodies, we love the plague which may spill our souls. The condition of sin is better than the condition of sickness. For if a man lie sick in the streets, others are dainty and shun him, walking a loofe. But let a rich man be an adulterer, a swearer, an usurer; we close with him: yet only of these we have a charge, De non tangendo, not to accompany them. Which of these corruptions, in your own souls, do you think the worst? To see this corruption, the Lord give us eyes, to let out this corruption, prick our hearts, and from this corruption, save our souls.

Concerning ourselves; Leviùs ignorare morbum, quàm remedium: better not know our disease, than no means to cure it. For this purpose, something must be done upon us, something by us. The thing to be done to us, which may properly get out this natural corruption, is Salting. For salt doth not only preserve from corruption, but also eat out corruption. It hath diverse effects, fit to shadow out the work of the spirit on us for this purpose. First it preserves from corruption and rottenness: the Egyptians used to wrap their dead bodies in salt. All are corrupted, subject to rottenness, and need salting: the Ministers of the Gospel are the salt of the earth. It is not enough to have Sales, quirkes of wit, but Salem, soundness of doctrine. They that preach not only Nove, after a new method; but Nova, new things; swell your brains, but leave your hearts empty, they do not salt you. That is good salt, which keeps your souls from stinking before God. Secondly it is searching, and goes to the quick: there must be acrimony in salt, else it is not good. Do we cut, and fret, and trouble you: remember we are salt; Quo acriùs, eo meliùs. Indeed a man may over powder, and there is discretion in salting. There are some that have had too much salt, till they are ready to throw the Church out at the windows: the name of a Bishop frights them, a surplisse makes them run: they fear a cross worse than the devil does. These are over-powdered, but with ill salt; they are corrupted must be new salted. There is no medicine profitable, but it is sharp: our acrimony is good, though there by we endanger the loss of your loves. This should not make you fret at us, but at your own sins. I rejoice, not that ye were made sory but that you sorrowed to repentance. Si haec audientes doleatis, if you hear these things sorowing, give me thanks for it, saith Chrysostom. Shew yourselves gratos non gravatos. The Preachers reproof is like salt, it may bite: but better sharp corrosives, than festering wounds. I am most loved, where I am most salted, Bernard. At last you will say with David: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that God of all grace; that hath sent thee to meet me this day; with thy admonition. Blessed be thy advice, the doctrine thou hast preached: and Blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding blood: even a benediction upon thy person, that hast been the Instrument of preventing my sin, by thy salting. There is nothing more against the grain of our affections at first: but when by this means we shall find ourselves preserved to heaven, where no corruption shall enter, for this salting we shall thank the Lord. Lastly, fault gives a taste or relish to another thing. Nunquid insulsum sine sale edi potest? Job 6.6. Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? Corruption shall not inherit incorruption, 1 Cor. 15.10. Without this salt there is no taste in us. Vnsavoury meat is called foolish meat. Ut sapiant fatuae fabrorum prandia betae, Martial. Lib. 13. Ep. 13. One manner of God's entering into covenant, was called Foedera salis, Numb. 18.19. the covenant of salt, for the perpetuity of it. So were the sacrificers seasoned in the old Law, Levite. 2.13. so must every soul be relished in thr Gospel; Mark 9.49. Everyone shall be salted with fire. In that was Foedera salis, in this Sal foederis: there was the covenant of salt, here is the salt of the covenant. Love them best, that salt you most: had you rather stink than be salted, and so presented a service to God. The Sermon may delight us, but not better us, that hath no salt in it. Nulla est in tanto corpore mica salis. Catull If thou yet find no good by thy Pastor, yet love him Spe futuri, in hope of the good he may do thee.

Thus to get out this corruption we see what is to be done on us: now what is to be done by us? Two things; a vision of it, and a Provision against it.

First, we must endeavor to see it: Physicians say, if the disease be once known, the cure is half done. If we could see corruption in the true form, we would loath it. But as the conjured devil appears not to the necromancer in hideous and frightful shapes, but in some familiar representation: so vice shows it self in forms most delectable to flesh and blood. If half so much were known to man, as God knows, we would hang down our heads for shame. Mans heart is beyond all Geomerrie; Deceitfull above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? No man can measure it, but he only that spannes the heavens; Lthe Lord search the heart. It is a little piece of flesh, it will scarce give a kite her breakfast, yet fills the whole world with corruption. Therefore learn to see this corruption: sin in it self is not to be seen; therefore behold it in concretis: the Tyrant like a Lion, the Fraudulent like a Fox, the lustful a Goat, the drunkard a Hog, the oppressor a Wolf, the traitor a devil.

If we would see anything, it is requisite that the object be rightly placed; not behind us, not besides us. Not behind us, there we cannot see it. We hang other men's faults at the pummell of the saddle, put our own in the cloakebagge behind us. Like Barbars that trim all men but themselves. Not besides us; if thou wouldest plainly behold an object on this side of the room, thou must go on the other side. Wouldest thou see the corruption of pride? thou canst never do it so long as thou art proud, thou standest on the same side. Go on the contrary side, that is to Humility, then thou shalt: chold Pride in her gaudy and ridiculous colors. Wouldest thou see the corrup • ion of adultery? thou canst not so long as thou art an adulterer; the harlot is on the same side with thee: go over the way to chastity, and there see the harlot in her proper and foul deformity. Desirest thou to contemplate the sordid corruption of drunkenness: thou canst never do it so long as thou art drunken; thou and thy cups are both of one side: go and stand in opposito, to sobriety; then thou shalt see a blear eye, a reeling foot, a stammering tongue; thou wilt abhor it. Wouldest thou grow into dislike of usury? never so long as thou art an usurer; go on the other side, to Charity; then see a covetous heart, an oppressing hand, an unquiet conscience. It is impossible to discern the tetricall and horrid countenance of sin, so long as thou sidest with it: set thyself against it by repentance, and thy dislike will be greater, than ever was thy love.

Next when thou hast discovered it, strive to expel it: this is not done by nature: for nature, according to the temperature of bodies, increaseth this corruption. The Italians have a proverb: If little men were patient, if great men were valiant, and red men were loyal; all the world would be equal. The same causes in nature that concur to such a constitution, concur to such a corruption. Therefore they say; from a white Spaniard, a black German, and a red Italian, Libera nos domine, good Lord deliver us. And we in England confess much trust or danger in men, according to their complexions. To a red man read thy read: with a brown man break thy bread: from a pale man still remove: from a black man keep thy love. But this is only according to nature: for grace can alter nature, and purge out this original corruption. When an Astrologer told a Cardinal, to what misfortunes he was borne: he answered, but I am new borne: and the good of my second birth hath crossed the bad of my first. Humours cannot be durable, because their prime matter is capable of so many forms and changes: but Graces having their root in the Deity, must needs be eternal, as is their author. Strive then to cast out nature by grace, corruption by CHRIST. Do not keep it in, but cast it out: a wicked man may restrain evil, as do the godly: but here is the difference; that man keeps in corruption, this kills corruption; only to refrain evil is to be evil still. Haman was angry for want of Mordecai's reverence, yet he smothered the fire of his wrath, which nothing but the last drop of every Jews blood could extinguish. The good man doth not only check it, but choke it. If he cannot Ejicere, yet so he will Dejicere peccatum, modo non noceat, modo non placeat. If he cannot nullify it, he will mortify it; that this corruption shall never hurt him, shall never please him. And when he hath gotten this upper hand of it, he never loseth it: for if it be forborne, it will return. Corruption is like a candle new put out, it is soon lighted again: if Satan but blow upon it, the own heat enflames it. Let us therefore always be tilling the paradise of our souls with good works, that God may delight to walk there. 8. Will Christ himself become Ianitor cordis, he will be as ready to be the door-keeper of our house, to keep out our enemies; as David was willing to be the door-keeper of God's house, to let in his friends. It is only the Lord, who with the sweet breath and perfume of his holy Spirit, doth cleanse the air of our hearts from this corruption. We see our duty, to cast it out: now let me add two circumstances; when, and whence.

First, when we must cast it forth, and that; 1. Whilest corruption is young. Kill the enemy whiles he is young; ut virtus ejus elidatur in semine; that he may leave no posterity to hurt thee, Hieron. Sin long customed, is hardly conquered; Acta confirmant voluntatem, tam in malo quàm in bono; Frequent actions constitute an habit, whether in good or ill. He that hath done well once, shall more easily do it the next time. He that hath done evil once, shall more hardly resist it at the next assault. There are mala innata, and mala inseminata; evils that naturally grow in us, and evils that we sow in ourselves. Whatsoever grows of it own accord, let us strive to kill; but sow none. Contere caput serpentis, suppress the beginnings of evil. Sin is like a Nettle, the older it is, the hardlyer killed. Well hath our Church ordered that preparative every Morning-prayer; To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 2. Whilest wear young: for Corruption grows the older the stronger, and man the older the weaker. Iuvenis, admittis socium; Senex, habebis dominum; Whom thou being young entertainest for thy play-fellow, when thou art old thou shalt find thy Master. Our Savior began the work of our salvation whilst he was very young. The very first day, that great Prince was Courted in a Stable: he shed some blood in his Circumcision when he was but eight days old. And is it too early for us being young, to work up our own salvation? Shall Satan have the Rose-buds, and God only the stalk? Satan the veins full of blood, bones full of marrow, God a carcase? We vowed in our Baptism, all the days of our life to his service; for shame let us not, Ananias -like, keep back part of the price. If ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? if the lame and sick, is it not evil? The governor of your bodies will none of it, will the Governor of your souls accept it? Serve God in old-age? a sweet piece of service! If God come in youth, and find no fruit, beware the fig-trees curse; Never fruit grow on thee hereafter. The sealing of a bond without a time set, makes the debt presently due. God doth not bid the drunkard abstain when he can drink no more: nor the Usurer leave oppressing when his bags be full. To leave sin, when sin leaves us, will never pass for true repentance.

Next, whence we must cast it forth; out of the heart. For as in generation, so in regeneration, Cor primum vivit, Life begins at the heart. Now to cast it quite out from thence, that no dregs remain, this is not possible on earth; but the strength and principality of it. As when many birds are caught in a net, if a Pelican or some great fowl can break the net, and get out; all the little birds follow. So cast out the grand-corruption, that is most predominant; as Lust in the Adulterer, Covetousness in the Worldling, Pride in the haughty; then all the inferior will follow. As if the master be dead, all the servants will attend the funeral. If it cannot wholly be now buried, it shall be one day: GOD suffers sin in his chosen till the last, that then they may have a full triumph. When the five Kings were hid in a cave at Makkedah, Joshua charged the soldiers to pursue their enemies and consume them: for the Kings he brought them out at evening, and then made his men of war set their feet on the necks of them. So at evening you shall set your triumphant feet on the necks of these tyrants, having first captivated them, and slain your enemies with the sword of mortification. Yea, GOD shall shortly tread Satan himself under your seete, and give you a full victory in CHRIST.

Lust; we perceive the tumour that is bred, now look upon the humor whereby it is fed: Lust, Concupiscence in it self, as it is a faculty of the soul, and gift of God, is not sin; but may be the hand of virtue, or the instrument whereby she works. Keep her at home, and set her on work, to light the candle, and sweep the house; let her be under the correction of grace, and she may prove a chaste Virgin, fit to meet the Bride-groome at his coming. Lust is in it self, as they write of the Planet Mercury in the Horoscope of man's nativity; if it be joined with a good Planet, it makes it better; if with a bad one, it makes it worse. There is a Lusting of the Spirit; for the Spirit lusteth against the flesh. But it is most commonly taken in the worse sense, and so two ways; Strictly, and largely, or in the full scope.

Strictly, it is taken for the sin of uncleanness; which albeit God hath in so many places threatened to confound; yet that filthiness hath the Bauds; Whores are not without their patrons. Such are first Libertines, and they will have Scripture for it. Hosea was commanded by GOD to take a wife of Whoredomes, Hos. 1.2. Som answer, this was Fictum non factum, a figure, not a fact; not an history, but a mystery. That God would cast off his old wife, the Church of the Jews for their Whoredomes, and choose a new one, even a wife of Fornications, the Church of the Gentiles: that he might sanctify it, and present it to himself a glorious Church. So the not believing wife is sanctified by the husband, 1 Cor. 7.14. But grant it an history, yet was not the Prophet to be blamed, that Ex impudica meretrice castam fecerit uxorem; of an impious strumpet he made a chaste wife; but rather they that of chaste wives make impudent strumpets; which is the condition of those times. Howsoever, to the Prophet this act was commanded, to all us, the like is forbidden.

The other defenders of incontinency are the Papists; and that not only with arguments, but with authority. Their common plea is, that in hot countries they are necessary evils: but by their leave Israel was a hotter climate than Italy; yet There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel. But they cite Augustine, Aufer meretrices & turbarveris omnia libidinibus: take away whores, and ware your wives; that were the way to make stews of your own houses. This might Augustine say, but Saint Augustine never said it. Such a gallant he might be in his unruly youth: but after that same Tolle and lege, when he lighted upon that Text, Rom. 13.13. no more chambering and wantonness now, but he put on the LORD JESUS, and disclaimed the lusts of the flesh. He confesses; Indeed I did once beg of God the gift of continency; but to tell truth, I desired that he should not hear me; malebam expleri, quàm extingui: I had rather it might then be satisfied, than mortified. But we justly abandon that remedy, that is worse than the disease. As an Emperor said of the means prescribed him to cure his Leprosy, which was the blood of Infants; Mallem semper aegrotare, quàm tali remedio convalescere; I had rather be sick still, than be recovered by such a medicine. Thus they that put away honest wives, and go to harlots; deal as wisely, as he that cuts off his own legs, to go upon crutches. Causa patrocinio non bona pejor erit.

This Lust is a sin hardly subdued: old Lot, whom all the fire that consumed Sodom could not touch, yet uritur igne suo; he was enflamed with his own heat. Ambrose saith of Sampson; Strangulavit Leonem, non suffocavit libidinem: He could choke a Lion, not his lust. Another of Hercules; Lenam non potuit, potuit superare Leaenam; Quem sera non valuit vincere, vicit Hera; He found the Lioness weaker than the Bawd, and no beast so savage as his Whore. Lust is an hellish fire, whose fuel is fullness of bread and idleness, evil words the sparks, infamy the smoke, pollution the ashes, the end hell. For this sin GOD rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom; Gehennam misit e coelo, He sent down Hell out of Heaven, Salvian. The delight is short, a minute determines it; the torment is everlasting, no worlds of ages shall end it. Plutarch writes of Lysimachus, who being besieged, himself and all his people ready to perish by thirst, gave up the keys of his City to the enemy for one cup of cold water; when he had tasted this cold comfort, he cried out, O that far so short a pleasure, of a King, I should be made a slave! So Brevis est voluptas fornicationis, perpetua est poena fornicatoris, Hieron. The pleasure of adultery is short, the punishment of the adulterer is everlasting. Consider this lust in the body, as a pot boiling on the fire: it may be two ways cooled.

First, by taking away the fuel: uncleanness is the daughter of surfeit. Saturitati, tanquam matri, omnes ascribuntur libidines; That Harlot breeds bastards, and lays them at the Rioters door; the soul stands charged to answer what the body does. When the mouth is made a tunnel, the throat a wine-pipe, and the belly a barrel, wantonness bien venù, Rom. 13.13. After gluttony and drunkenness, follows chambering and wantonness. Gregory observes, that Coquorum princeps, the chief of the Cooks, which was Nebucaradan, first overthrew the walls of Jerusalem, and first put fire to the Temple. By the chief of the Cooks, he understands Gluttony; by the walls, our senses; by the Temple, our heart: Riot gives the first overthrow to all these.

Secondly, the pot is cooled by pouring cold water into it: only abundance of sorrowful tears can put out this unruly fire. The Amalekites had spoiled Ziklag, and taken their wives and their children prisoners: which when David and his people found, they wept till they could weep no more. David asked counsel of the LORD, and upon his direction followed them, and smote them from the twilight till the evening of the next morrow. So there escaped none, save four hundred young men that fled upon Camels. Conceive Lusts to be these Amalekites, they spoil our Ziklag, sack our City, captivate our wives and children, our Senses and affections: now let us cast cold water into this pot, weep till we can weep no more; lament we day and night. Then let us pursue these brutish Amalekites, so shall we overcome our untamed lusts, and smite them from the twilight of our youth, to the evening of our old-age. Some young men may escape, some vain words and unclean thoughts may remain in us: but for the old Amalekites, gross and foul faults, we shall conquer them. So recover we our wives and daughters, our affections so dear to us: and they that were the prisoners and drudges to Lust, shall now do good service to GOD. The Land is full of adulterers, and because of oaths it mourneth. Shall the Land mourn for the Inhabitants, and not the Inhabitants mourn for their sins? We have preventions, lawful marriages. The Garamantes of Libya have all their women common; wicked Infidels! No marriage, no chastity; we have marriage, but not chastity. Intolerabilius peccatum, ubi tale remedium. The more unsufferable their impiety, that have such a remedy. Though we cannot quench this fire, we will weep upon it; we will mourn for these lusts. Let the offenders use this remedy, and by God's assistance they shall get the victory. Thou breakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters. The heads of the Dragon are broken in the waters, great lusts are drowned in a flood of tears. Moses in zealous indignation did drown Israel's sin: he drowns the Idol, lest the Idol should drown the people: as the Philosopher did with his wealth; mergam te, ne mergar à te; so beat your lustful affections to dust, drown them in your tears, and let your souls drink those tears, as the Prophet says, My tears have been my drink day and night. These shall so blot Satan's accusation and bill of complaint against us; that the Court of heaven will not read it. There was an hand-writing against us, but it was engraven in brass; no Aqua-fortis of our tears could eat out that: only Christ's blood did expunge it, Col. 2.14. The Devil still puts up new declarations and quarrels against us, but they are written (as it were) in paper; if we weep on them, we shall easily blot them out. Antipater wrote to Alexander a long Epistle, containing accusations of his mother Olympias; to whom Alexander shortly replied; Alas, doth not Antipater know, that Vna matris lacryma multas delebit literas? That one tear of a mother will wash out many letters of an accuser? So one tear of the child of God, shall obliterate all the indictments of the Devil. Thus penitently, Peccata dolere, est peccata delere: for God esteems sin in deed repented, as if it had never been indeed committed. Weep therefore here, that thou mayest not weep hereafter. One remorsefull tear shed on earth, is better than whole buckets in hell. Weep here, and weep never; weep there, and weep forever. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.

All this while we have considered Lusts in the narrowest bounds; as a particular effect of that grand beldame Concupiscence. But Lust is of a greater latitude, and is not only to be taken for the desire of fleshly company, but for the whole general corruption of our nature, prone to all sin. There is in the world the Lust of the flesh, the Lust of the eyes, and the pride of life: therefore it is called Concupiscentia mundi; the lust of the world. Saint John divides the world into three parts, and gives lust two of them there: all in the next verse; The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof. Whatsoever is in the unregenerate will of man, that is Lust. The works of the Flesh are manifest; that is, of Lust, it is all one. When they are conjoined, as Lusts of the Flesh; then flesh is as the mother, and lusts the daughters: when they are found in several places, know they are but diverse names of one and the same thing. Paul in reckoning them up, mentions many, and concludes more; with And such like. He says first they are so manifest that he need not, and last so manifold that he cannot reckon them all up. Now if Saint Paul numbering the sins of his times, was fain to break off his catalogue with an & caetera; how shall we in these days deliver up a true inventory of them? Alas, we have now those sins, to which they then wanted names. Theirs were Serpents, ours are dragons: the first were evil, but the last are worst of all. The consummation of times and sins are met together upon us. The world, like that Image, had a head of gold, there was some purity: his shoulders of silver, there the metal declines: his arms of brass, baser still: his legs of iron, yet more rusty; but now come to his feet, they are all of clay; nothing but earth, earth. And as commonly in a diseased body, all the humors fall down into the legs or feet, and make an issue there. So the corruption of all ages hath slided down into the present, as into the feet, and there Lust hath made an issue, to the annoyance of all the world.

This Lust is a friendly Judas within us, a familiar devil: She is indeed the mother of all wickedness; yield the father-hood to the Devil, Lust will challenge the mother-hood to her self, When Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin: and Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth Death. Saint James seems to speak of a womb; Lust conceives: of a Birth, it bringeth forth: of a Growth, it is finished: of a Death, it lastly kills, brings forth death. The Psalmist describes the bringing her to bed, Psalm. 7.14. First, she conceives mischief, and grows quick with child. Then, she Travels with iniquity; there's her labor. Lastly, she brings it forth, there's her delivery. The Prophet gives her a quicker dispatch; She conceiveth mischief and bringeth forth iniquity. She doth but conceive, and presently bringeth forth. Let me take leave to follow this significant allegory. We have found out the mother of sin, Lust; but can she be with child without an husband, or one instead of an husband! sin must have a father, so well as a mother: though it be an illegitimate bastard, it must have a father. You all know the Father of sin, that's the devil. We have now a father and a mother: the father begets, and the mother conceives: she is big with child: but how shall she do for a midwife? she cannot be delivered of her burden without a midwife. There is one ready at her call, that's consent. We have now a father, a mother, a midwife: suppose the child is begotten, conceived and borne; how shall we do now for a nurse? it will otherwise die for want of keeping. Lust is some great Lady, and scorns to nurse her own children. There is a nurse provided too, and that is, Custom. Here are all things too fit and ready for the production of this monster. The devil is the father, Lust the mother, consent the midwife, and custom the nurse: if consent bring it forth, custom will bring it up. When sin was first brought forth into the world in that first human person that ever sinned, Eve, this was the proceeding. Concupiscence the mother kept company with the devil the father, and he suggested to her his seed, that was temptation. Presenting a fair fruit to her eye, and dissuading from confidence in the truth of God's charge: upon this seed she begins to conceive, Gen. 3.6. She saw it pleasant to the sight, and desirable to make one wise. After this conception in the thoughts, she knew not how to be delivered but by consent: she did take and eat. Now the child is borne, lest it should perish for want of keeping, Lust puts it forth to nurse. Dame Custom takes it to keeping, and promiseth to bring it up. And she hath been so good as her word; so nurse it, and nourished it, that it is now past a tender stripling: Paul calls it an old man, Eph. 4.22. Put off the old man; above 5000 years old, and yet it is not only alive, but lively and lusty to this day.

First, for the father of sin, whom all confess to be the devil, When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. CHRIST calls him the father of lies, not of liars, for all men are liars. Now as Omne mendacium est peccatum, every lie is a sin; so some have observed that Omne peccatum est mendacium, every sin is a lie: because it is done against the truth. If so, then he that is the father of all lies, is the father of all sins. And by a lie he engendered all sins. GOD had said, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die: Eve first, receiving Satan's seed, reporting this, corrupts it; and says only, ye shall not touch it, Lest ye die. Satan says peremptorily, ye shall not die. So God's plain affirmation, ye shall die; was first turned to a dubitation, lest ye die: at last, to an impudent negation, ye shall not die. Deus affirmat, mulier dubitat, diabolus negat, Bern. God affirms it, the woman doubts it, the devil denies it. Thus he is the father of sin. In the devil there be some good things: Substantia, immortalitas, fides, aliquando veritas. Substance, for he is good as a creature, not as a devil God made him an Angel, he made himself a devil. Deus non odit peccatum causâ diaboli, sed diabolum causâ peccati. God does not hate sin for the devils sake, but he hates the devil for sins sake. Immortality; for he is a spirit and cannot die. Faith, the Devils believe and tremble. Truth; for they confessed Jesus to be the son of the living God. But these two last are enforced, not voluntary. His whole purpose is to beget sin, and by sin to beget death. God made not death, Wisdom 1. how then came it into the world? It entered by sin: how entered sin? by the malice of the devil. This Satan works in a double spite.

In a spite to man; because he is God's Image: he cannot hurt God, therefore have at his Image. Besides; man is to be advanced to that heaven, from which he is hurled down forever. If therefore he possibly can, he will pluck him to hell where himself must be forever. Thus Satan gave life to sin, that gave death to all the world. In a spite to Christ; for Christ and Satan were never friends. The Lion of Judah, and the Lion of this world, were never at peace. The devil doth what he can to bruise CHRIST'S heel, in hurting his members; and CHRIST hath thoroughly burst his head. In CHRIST'S birth Satan set hard to kill him by Herod, in the wilderness he tempted him, he never rested till he had brought him to the Cross: he had him then where he would. But as the devil came to destroy CHRIST, so CHRIST came to destroy the devil, ^t For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. But as Christ resisted him when his living body was on the pinnacle of the temple: so he overcame him when his dead temple hung on the pinnacle of the Cross. Scaliger writes, that the Cameleon when he spies a Serpent shading under a tree, gets up and lets down a little thread, not unlike a spiders, breathed out of his mouth: at the end whereof their hangs a little drop as clear as crystal, which falling on the serpents head kills him. So Christ mounted on the tree of his Cross, sends down from his side a thread of blood, that fell on the old serpents head, and forever slew him. Now if thou wouldest prevent this generation, infatuate the father of sin, disable the devil. Allow him no bed of fornication in any member of thy body, or corner of thy soul. Would he beget adultery in thee? afford him not the bed of an unclean thought. Would he beget revenge? afford him not the bed of anger. Would he beget usury? allow him not the bed of covetousness. Tolle concubitum, debar this copulation, prevent this conception and thou shalt never have that bastard laid at thy doors.

We have had much ado with the father of sin, we shall yet be more troubled with the mother. I could not be blamed for accusing him, that accuseth all the world: neither must I be partial to the Beldam, lust. An old decrepit woman, growing on a pace to six thousand years, and yet she is not past children. This lustful mother is ready to conceive, as that devilish father is forward to beget. Pugnabit primo fortassis, & (Improbe) dicet: Pugnando vinci se tamen illa volet: she wrastles with a desire to be overcome. I will consider how this is done in some particulars;

An offense is done you, the devil comes, and joining with concupiscence, suggests the adulterous seed of anger: lust, the mother conceives malice, she travels with the pleasure of revenge, she grows big with conspiracy, and at the last, she brings forth murder.

There is beauty in a woman, God's admirable workmanship, rich colors upon a piece of clay. By some wanton look, lascivious speech, or light behavior, the devil suggests the seeds of unchastitie. Lust conceives desire, she travels with expectance of opportunity, grows big with immodestie, at last, brings forth adultery.

In another, the devil suggests the seed of Pride; Lust conceives it by thinking on honor, she travels in the imagination of high places: how great things she might do, how bravely quit her enemies, if preferred to some dignity: he grows big with an office, and at last brings forth scorn and tyranny: now still she runs upon Pompey's motto. Semper ego cupio praecellere, & esse supremus.

Satan suggests the seed of discontent: Lust conceives a child, like Ice, it begets the mother again. Wine begets lust, and lust begets a desire of wine. Bacchus and Venus are near neighbors; only voluptuousness hath a house between them.

This is the mother, and thus prone to the forbidden bed: what shall we do? because we know the dishonesty of the father, let us be sure to keep in the mother; restrain Lust, and so sue a divorce betwixt the devil and concupiscence. The only way is to put enmity between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman: that though the devil be never so busy in suggesting, yet concupiscence may be kept from conceiving. There are two good herbs to make this woman barren, Agnus Castus and Lettuce; Prayer and fasting. If this kind of devil have adulterated with Lust, he goes not out but by prayer and fasting. It is fasting spittle that must kill this serpent. If this take not effect, present to thy mind a spiritual crucifix, memoriam crucifixi, the remembrance of him that died on the Cross for thee. Think thou doest see Jesus coming toward thee; his head crowned with thorns, his hands, his feet, his side, his heart bloody; his eyes full of tears. Behold him: 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 adultery sits not in those eyes: those feet were not made to please Herod with a measure: those arms were wonted to no wanton embraces; but to embrace the cross with patience, our souls with comfort. For thee, Lust, for thee have I died; thou only didst murder me: do not make these wounds bleed a-fresh: open not my side again, to let forth new streams of blood: pull me not from my throne in heaven to the grave again. Wouldest thou keep lust from the adulterous company ot Satan? set in the view of thy conscience, JESUS CHRIST crucified.

The next is the midwife, Consent: well might the child be conceived by suggestion, but without consent it could never be borne. The devil suggests into Absalom's heart pride, his lust conceives a crown, Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of treason. The devil suggests into Demas, gain; his lust conceives heaps of money, ease, the pleasure of the world: Consent of will is his midwife, and delivers him of apostasy. Satan comes to a young beginner, one newly set up for himself, and suggests the sweetness of being rich: lust conceives all ways of gain and propounds being one day an Alderman: Consent of will plays the midwife, and brings forth fraud and lying. If thou wouldest prevent the birth of sin, deny lust her midwife, Consent. My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not. Could artisans and women master great difficulties & tu non poteris? saith Augustine to himself. It is no easy achievement: It was as great a miracle that Joseph in the arms of his mistress should not burn with lust; as it was for those three Saints to walk in the fiery furnace without scorching, Luther. If lust will yield, and sin must be bred, yet be sure to lock up the midwife; that it may be an abortive brood, stiffied in the womb, still-borne. He was a great Prince, that on the difficulty of his Queens delivery; when the midwife put him to the choice, whether the mother or the son should be saved, seeing one of them must on necessity be lost: the king answered, save the fruit, though the tree fall; preserve the son, albeit you lose the mother. But in this case do the contrary; save the mother and let the child perish: kill sin, and preserve nature alive. Thou art tempted, consent not; allow no midwife, and the child shall never be borne. We have all lust about us; a very body of death: the father is ready, the mother is willing; keep away the midwife; that though sin be done upon us, we may have this comfort, we consented not.

The last is the Nurse, Custom: this feeds, sustains, and brings up the bastard. Though it be borne, it could not batten, thrive, and grow to stature, but by sucking on the breasts of Custom. The curse that the Cretans used against th ir enemies, was not fire on their houses, nor a sword at their hearts: but that which in time would bring on greater woes; ut mala consuetudine delectentur; that they might be delighted with an ill custom. If I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands, &c. Then let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it: yea let, him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honor in the dust. Hugo Cardin. on those words of the Psalm comments thus. Let him persecute my soul, by suggestion: take it by consent; tread down my life by action; and lay mine honor in the dust by custom. This is not only a grave to bury the soul in, but a stone rolled to the mouth of it, to keep it down. Sin but now borne, Iniquitas est; matura, natura fit: when it is ripe, it becomes a nature. Desinit esse remedio locus, ubi quae fuerunt vitia, mores sunt. The disease is incurable, when vices are made manners. Incipit esse licitum, quod solet esse publicum. Custom is not only another nurture, but another nature. Lawyers say, Quod est consuetum, praesumitur esse iustum. That which is done by many, is at length thought lawful in any. Take an Apologue: four things meeting, boasted their comparative strength; the Oke, a Stone, Wine, and Custom. The oke stood stoutly to it, but a blast of wind came and made it bow; the axe felled it quite down. Great is the strength of stones, yet continual drops wear them; Gutta cavat lapidem: a hammer breaks them to pieces. Wine overthrows Giants and strong men, Senators and wise men; & quid non pocula possunt? yet sleep overcomes wine. But Custom invicta manet, remains unconquered. Many would not endure JESUS CHRIST, because he came to break their customs. The Masters of the Pythonesse, Acts 16.21. objected this against Paul and Silas; that they did teach customs not lawful for them to receive. For this cause was the up-roar in Ephesus; the coppy-hold of Diana was touched: and the town clarke had no means to appease the tumult, and deliver the Apostles; but by saying, These men are no blasphemers of your goddess; they come not to break your customs. Tell a Papist, that his two meals fast makes the third a glutton, he defies you for a breaker of his customs. Tell a country man that it is unlawful to keep his town-wake on the Sunday; he hates you as a Puritan, that comes to break his Custom. It is Custom that hath undone our Church: when the Pastor comes to demand his tithes; he is answered, as the man of Romney-marsh did his Minister from Scripture; Custom to whom Custom. But the Minister well replied; The Churches of God have no such custom. This is the nurse Custom: and so you have all four; the father, the mother, the midwife, the nurse. And here is the generation of that monster, sin: borne from the womb of that concupiscence, which my Text calls Lust.

Now God hath given us means to conquer all these. The father is Satan, Whom resist steadfast in the faith. Faith in the Lamb shall put this roaring Lion to flight. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, Revel. 12.11. For the mother, overcome her by mortification, Mortify your members which are on the earth: not only lay her a sleep, but lay her dead. The midwife is Consent; disable her, by resolution not to obey her in the lust of the flesh, Let not sin reign in your mortal body. He says not, let not sin tyrannize: but let it not reign. Be not sin's voluntaries: if you be only pressed against your wills; it is not you that offend, but sin that dwelleth in you. The devil will suggest, and concupiscence will admit, but take away the midwife, consent not. There will be Sensus, let there not be Consensus. When the fair Lucrece was ravished by Tarquin, Augustine observes; Duo fuerunt, & unus adulterium admisit: there were two persons, and but one adulterer: a conjunction of bodies, but a distraction of minds. A regenerate man's case is like that of Lucrece; sin is rather done on him, than of him. But lastly, let us all confess, that the father hath begot, and the mother conceived, and the midwife brought forth sin in us: we have gone too far in this birth: yet in the fear of the Lord let us not put it to nurse; not accustom ourselves to it: but break off sin by repentance; otherwise, Lust when it is finished, brings forth death.

That is in the world: we have seen the infection, let us now look upon the Dispersion; Through the world. The world is taken two ways; for the frame and constitution of the world: and for the men and Inhabitants of the world. Now this corruption extends it self to both: the content hath corrupted the continent: men's sins have infected the world, as the plague in persons infect the very walls of the house. The latter acception is here strictly meant: yet let us see this corruption in both.

First, for the men of the world; for this is rather corruptio morum quam elementorum: a depravation of manners, rather than of elements. The Prince of this world shall be cast out. Not the Prince of the great world, for that is God; but of the little world, evil man: the wicked are his vassals, because they are sins vessels. The devil is called the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. Christ was in the world, and the world knew him not. What world knew not CHRIST? The heavens knew him, for the sun was eclipsed at his death, and that in Plenilunio: the earth knew him, for it shook and quaked with fear: the stones knew him, for they rent and cleave in sunder The world that knew him nor, was man; not substantia, but Incola mundi. Vnumquidque illud est quod amat: everything is that which it loves: so the wicked are the world, because they affect the world. But if the world be ever taken in the worse sense, how then is it said; Sic dilexit mundum; So God loved the world? when Donatus opposed that, 1 John 5.19. Positus est in maligno; the whole world lieth in wickedness: Augustine answers him with, 1 John 2.2. Christ is the propitiation, not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. Here Qui been distinguit, been docet: a distinction shall make all clear. Where world is taken in an evil sense, it is meant of evil men, where in good sense, of good men. Where in a general sense of all men. The godly are called the world, but medulla mundi, the marrow of the world: when this marrow decays, the world will perish. Help Lord, for the godly man ceaseth: and the faithful fail among the children of men. If the godly be diminished, now help Lord. Chrysostom says, many things are spoken De agro, that shall not be fulfilled but in horreo. Distingue tempora, & concurrent scripta. But the wicked are properly called the world: for though they be reasonable men, and have souls from heaven; yet they are corrupted by and corrupting the earth There is a river in Spain full of fishes; but those fishes are corrupt and unwholesome, by reason the river runs three or four leagues under the ground: so the wicked though they had some sparks of natural goodness, yet by running through the earth, they become loathsome, Many walk, that are enemies to the Cross of Christ: if many in Paul's time, more now. For Satan who was then bound, is now loosed again out of prison: and hath great wrath, because he knows he hath but a short time. So tetricall and horrible is this, that a man would think the whole world were turned devil. Therefore pray we with David; From men of the world, good Lord deliver us.

Secondly, the world in the very frame and substance of it is thus corrupted; all in vanity. A man that would taste the saltness of marine waters, needs not drink up all the sea: it is enough for me to give you a taste of this world. In the creation of every days work, God saw that it was good: but in the sixth day, having done all; Erant valde bona: viewing all in the harmony, They were very good. The things of the world were made good for man, but he made them evil to himself: so that now the whole creature groaneth under this corruption, Ro. 8. So it labors, as if it desired release, and rest: so it is corrupted that it must perish. Communis mundo superest rogus. The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, &c. Non minùs certum, quia dilatum: the differring doth not discredit the certainty. If the world it self be so perishable, what think you of all the pomp and vanities of it? Corrupta sunt, & corrumpentia: they are corrupt themselves, and corrupting others. Love not the world: what is this world? The Apostle expounds it to be lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. Beatus qui explicatur, miser qui implicatur. Blessed is the man that is delivered out of them, wretched is he that is wrapped in them.

There's only one way left, not to admit

The worlds corruption; to be none of it.

Now shall I wrap up both these worlds into one bundle, and teach you how to loath it? This you will do by considering the villainy, misery, Inconstancy, Insufficiencie of it.

The villainy; The world shall hate you, saith Christ. Then Christ hath not told us truly, or the world will use us hardly. As Tertullian observes on Nerva's epistle to Pliny: he would not have Christians sought for, quasi Innocentes, as if he confessed them innocent: yet being found he would have them punished, quasi reos, as if he professed them guilty. Good men commonly find as much favor of the world, as vitellius shown Julius the. Senator: when the Emperor Commodus commanded he should be slain with the sword; vitellius in favor did beat him to death with cudgells. Plead what they can for their own innocence, the Wolf will answer the Lamb; Indeed thy cause is better than mine, but my teeth are better than thine, I will devour thee. There are not wanting, that like Fimbria of Rome, who meeting a Citizen that he hated, in the street, gave him a deadly thrust into the body with his sword: and the next day entered an action against him, that he had received but part of his blade into his body, and not all, as he meant it. Sic nocet innocuo nocuus: what can the Lamb expect else of the butcher? Indeed sometimes the world useth a man, as Jerome notes, the Praetor handled a soldier, to make him renounce CHRIST. First he imprisons him in his own house, allows him a chamber well furnished, soft lodging, dainty cheare, wine, music, all delights. When this course would not take, (yet Lord, how many are thus tempted to leave their Savior!) then he casts him into a dark dungeon, loades him with irons, starves him with the hungry allowance of husks and puddle-water. When nothing would do, he burns him. If the devil cannot win men to hell as he seems an Angel of light, he will strive to accomplish it as he is a spirit of terror; if not transformed to another shape, then deformed in his own shape.

The Miserie: so soon as CHRIST was baptized, and the Spirit descended on him, presently Satan had a-bout with him. No sooner do we give our names to CHRIST, and receive the holy spirit, but instantly the devil rages and roars against our poor souls with might and malice. If we begin to please God, we displease the world: if God be our friend, that will be our enemy, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side: without were fightings, within were fears. When we once put our endeavors to godliness, expect no quiet. Nunquam bella bonis, nunquam dissidia cessant: Et quocum certet, men's pia semper habet, Prosp. Say we then with David; Oh God my heart is ready. Paratum ad sublimia, paratum ad humilia: paratum ad prospera, paratum ad adversa, paratum ad universa. Ready for good things, ready for evil things, ready for high things, ready for low things, ready for all things, Bernard. 1 Sam. 6. The king of Bethshemesh might low after their calves at home, yet they kept one path, and turned neither to the right hand nor to left. So although we mourn for parting from our temporary delights; yet let us keep the way of truth, that will bring us to the end of our faiths, the salvation of our souls. Scrape not then on the dunghill of this earth for pearls, where nothing will thrive but toad-stools. In me you have peace, in the world you shall have tribulation: leave me to affect our own misery.

The Inconstancy: at most we can get but the figure or fashion of this world, and Figura transit, the fashion of it perisheth, Ier. 17.11. The Partrich may sit on eggs, and hatch them: but then (because they are none of her own) the true mother calls them, and they flieaway. The worldling is this brood-goose, hatcheth chickens, gathers riches: but when God calls them, they run away from him, and leave him a fool. Thou fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul from thee, then whose shall these things be? Swallows will not build in houses ready to fall: yet we more unwise, build our nests in this perishing world. Sea-passengers have written, that about the Teneriffe there be certain Islands, called the flitting Islands: they are often seen, but when men come near them, they flitte away. The world it self is such, a flitting Island: today thou thinkest it Tuum, thine; tomorrow it shall not find thee Suum, his: thou art quickly gone from that, or that from thee. Solvet amicititas mors ingratissima vestras. O blessed place, where peace hath no change!

The Insufficiencie; it can never content us. They that have most, crave most: the richest usurers are the poorest beggars. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. As the poor man cries, Quid faciam, quia non habeo, what shall I do because I have nothing? so the covetous cries as fast, Quid faciam, quia habeo, what shall I do because I have so much? What shall I do because I have no room to bestow my fruits? But whats this? have we any hope to cast out worldlynesse? No: indeed your judgments here can make no resistance, but your affections cannot be brought to it. Most men desire Esau's blessing, the fatness of the earth: they care, not for Jacob's, yet he went away with the Covenant. Cain's outlawed stock were yet excellent in worldly things; Iabal in cattle, Iubal in music, Tubal in brass and iron; they were the fathers of those professions. What worldly thing is there, but some reprobates have had it? For beauty, Absalom was very fair; and the daughters of men by beauty ensnared the sons of God, Gen. 6.2. For strength, Goliath was very potent; for swiftness, Hazael was a swift runner; for wealth, Nabal was very rich; for honor, Saul was a King: In man one dram of grace, from God one drop of mercy, had been better than all these. There appeared a woman clothed with the Sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve Stars. The Sun is Christ, the twelve Stars the twelve Apostles, the Moon is the world, and that is under the Churches feet. We that have the earnest of the Spirit, and the first-fruits of salvation, while we are awake, know and acknowledge this to be the best of all. Yet if a little rest of quiet, or ease of health, or luggage of wealth be missing, we mutter as if God had done nothing for us, and are often ready to leave, the music of Zion, and to run back to the world. Strabo hath a tale of a Musician, that had got together many delighted hearers, whom with sweet charms he held by the ears; they praised his music, he was well pleased with their company. On a sudden the market-bell rung, away they ran all, and stayed not so much as to give him thanks: only one somewhat deaf stayed behind. The Musician heartily thanked him that he would tarry with him, when all the rest went away at the ringing of the market-bell: why, but hath the market-bell rung indeed, says he? Yes, quoth the Musician; away trudges he too. You can apply it. Preach we never so well against worldliness, when the charms and chimes of the world ring, it is hard to keep your minds from running. O how difficult is it to conquer this world? yet faith can do it, This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Every true Christian is greater than William the Conqueror, greater than Alexander the Great, greater than Pompey the Great, greater than the great Turk. For they conquered in many years but a few parts of the world; but the Believer in one hour with one act only, subdues the whole world, with all things in the world. Terra fremat, regna alta crepent, ruat ortus & orcus; Si modo firma fides, nulla ruina nocet; Art thou a Christian? hast thou vanquished the world, that vanquisheth all the wicked? Bless God for this conquest: the King of Spain's over-running the Indies was nothing to it. Merchants would give much • o know a short cut to those remote places of traffic, without passing straits, or fetching bouts: the shortest cut to the riches of the whole world is by their contempt. Here is a short description of the worlds vanity, by reason of this corruption: but what can he expect that speaks against the world? When Christ himself came to dissuade men from the world, he had ill luck in that point. He might preach; Make to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness: and verse. 13. You cannot serve GOD and Mammon. But when the Pharisees that were covetous, heard all these things, they derided him, verse. 14. he had but a flout for his labor. But let those that have hope of heaven, cease to love this world: and know that if Christ make us to deny this world, he will give us a better; we shall be no losers by him, he vouchsafes us the kingdom of heaven. For if in this life only we had hope in Christ, we of all men were most miserable. Take this corrupted world that like it; let that glorious world be ours.

Having escaped the corruption. We have considered the Infection, and the Dispersion, and therein the Discovery: now one word of the Recovery, we have Escaped it. I call this a Deliverance; for we have Escaped; not by our own power, but by his grace that hath delivered us. Our soul is Escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken and we are Escaped. The snare of the fowlers were the lime-twigs of this world: our soul was caught in them by the feathers, our affections: now indeed we are Escaped, but the Lord delivered us. We that were once taken captives of Satan at his will, are now freed. There is a four-fold manner of freeing captives: 1. By manumission, a voluntary making free of a bond-servant: so we are escaped from the service of Satan into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 2. By Commutation, we were prisoners by sin to Death. God therefore made a change with Death: Take thou my Son prisoner, give me my servants free. Death and Hell were forced to exchange: So they killed Christ, and we escaped. 3. By price; when a ransom is paid: now Christ gave himself a ransom for all: no silver or gold could serve; but the Precious blood of that immaculate Lamb. We are bought with blood, and this is the blood of God. So Tertullian, Sanguis Christi non redemisset ecclesiam, nisi fuisset sanguis Dei; No blood could have saved us, but the blood of him that was God. Here was mercy, great mercy: Christ to have mercy upon us, had no mercy upon himself: the price is paid, and we are escaped. 4. By violence; thou hast plucked my feet out of the snare, when they were too hard for me: with a strong hand and out-stretched arm, God hath delivered us out of this Egypt. As David delivered his sheep from the Lion, so the LORD hath delivered us, 2 Tim. 4.17. Ejecit daemonia; CHRIST did cast out devils: like Alexander, he stood not to untie the knot, but he cut it. By all these ways we are escaped, may our thankful hearts give praise to our Deliverer Jesus Christ.

But did GOD all this for us, and shall we do nothing for him, for ourselves? Alas, we shall then soon again be entangled with the Corruption of this world. Here we learn the due and true use of Faith and Repentance; Faith to lay hold on the blood of CHRIST, to cleanse our souls from this Corruption of lust and Repentance by true remorsefull tears to purge ourselves continually. Nulla dies sine maculis, nulla dies sine lacrymis; No day is without sins, let no day pass without sorrows. These showers shall kill the weeds of lusts, and spring up the herbs of graces. When he over-waters earth, there follows temporal plenty: when earth waters heaven, there follows spiritual plenty. Let me now give you the picture of Repentance; which I desire not to be set up in your houses, but to be laid up in your hearts.

She is a Virgin fair and lovely, but sorrow seems to do violence to her beauty; yet indeed increaseth it. You shall ever see her sitting in the dust, her knees bowing, her hands wringing, her eyes weeping, her lips praying, her heart beating, her lungs panting. She comes not before GOD with a full belly, and meat between her teeth, but her soul is humbled with fasting. She is not gorgeously attired, Sack-cloth is her garment. Not that she thinks these outward forms will content GOD, but only are moeroris Insignia, the remonstrances of pure sorrow within. And indeed at that time no worldly joy will down; only pardon and mercy in JESUS CHRIST. She hangs the Word of GOD as a Jewel at her ear, and tyes the yoke of CHRIST as a chain about her neck. Her breast is sore with the strokes of her own penitent hands, which are always lifted up toward heaven, or beating her own bosom. Sorrow turns her lumina into flumina, frontem in fontem; her eyes into fountains of tears. The ground is her bed; she eats the bread of affliction, and drinks the water of anguish. Her knees are hardened with continual praying, her voice hoarce with calling to heaven: and when she cannot speak, she delivers her mind in groans. There is not a tear falls from her, but an Angel holds a bottle to catch it. The windows of all her Senses be shut against vanity: she bids Charity stand the Porter at her gates, and she gives the poor bread, even while her self is fasting. She would wash CHRIST'S feet with more tears than Mary Magdalene▪ and if her estate could reach it, give him a costlier unction. She thinks every man's sins less than her own; every man's good deeds more. Her compunctions are unspeakable, known only to God and her self, and to no creature else. She wisheth not only men, but beasts, trees, and stones to mourn with her. She thinks that no Sun should shine, because she takes no pleasure in it: that the Lilies should be clothed in black, because she is so appareled: that ths Infant should draw no breast, nor the beast take food, like the Ninevites; because she hath no appetite. She hath vowed to give GOD no rest, till he have compassion upon her, and seal to her feeling the forgiveness of all her sins. Now Mercy comes down like a white and glorious Angel, and lights on her bosom. The message which Mercy brings from the King of Heaven is this; I have heard thy prayers and seen thy tears. The HOLY GHOST comes with an hand-kerchiefe of comfort to dry her eyes. Lastly, she is lifted up to heaven, where Angels and Cherubims sing her tunes of eternal joy: and GOD bids Immortality set her in a Throne of glory.

THe former part of the Chapter is spent in comforting: Now he comes to exhorting. A father does not only promise his son, I will make thee mine heir: but withal imposeth on him some duties, by performance whereof, he may assure himself of Inheritance. If we should speak nothing to men Instructively, or reprehensively, but all comfortably; it were the next way to send them comfortably to ruin. Sat Deus; at nobis quaedam facienda reliquit; It is not fit that Heaven should take all the pains to bring Earth to it; Earth must do somewhat to bring it self to heaven. God's bountifulness is beyond our thankfulness: yet thankfulness is not enough, there is matter of labor and Diligence in it. He that lies in a dark pit, will yet offer his hand to him that will help him up. Jeremiah did put the cords under his own arms, that Ebed-melech let down to draw him out of the dungeon. If the Lord of a Manor have given thee a tree, thou wilt be at the charges to cut it down and carry it home. He that works first in thy conversion, hath in wisdom made thee a second. Thou seest God's bounty; Now look to thine own duty.

This is taught us by the

• Quality, Diligence.
• Quantitie, All diligence.

Give diligence: Here first for the Quality. There is no matter wherein we hope for good in the event, accomplished without Diligence in the act. He that expects a royalty in Heaven, must admit a service on earth. The good man is weary of doing nothing, for nothing is so laborious as Idleness. Bernard calls it a dull numbness of the soul, which neglects to begin, or is weary to prosecute any good work. Deny Sloth not only continuance, but countenance. Quanto magis occupatum Diabolus invenit, tanto minus occupat. Satan's employment is prevented, when he finds thee well employed before he comes. Thomas Becket, no good man, in no good cause, when he was admonished to be less stirring in State-matters; answered, that he sat at the stern, and therefore ought not to sleep. This is a Christians case, Is the world tempting, the Devil attempting, my flesh betraying, and shall I sleep? Do I steer the helm of my own vessel, wherein my soul is the passenger, and my hope of blessedness the fraught; and would you have me to sleep? Jacob complains, that the sleep departed from his eyes: so careful was he to make his reckoning even with his master. I am sure we have a greater charge, greater Master, greater account, and yet we sleep. Lepidus lies in Harvest under the cool shade, Vtinam hoc esset laborare; I would this were to take pains: so some stretch themselves upon their Ivory-beds; and invite their curious morsels with rich wines: and O that this were the way to heaven! Augustus hearing that a Roman far in debt, slept quietly during his life: sent after his death to buy his pillow. It is a strange pillow whereon some slumber, that owe so much to GOD and man. When the Oyster gapes, the Crab throws into her a little stone, which hinders her from shutting again, and so he devours her. Satan watcheth our idle gaping, throws in his bait; lust or drunkenness, and so preys upon us. It is observable, that albeit the Romans were so idle, as to make Idleness a god; yet they allowed not Illi ignavo numini Templum intra urbem; That idle Idol had not a Temple within the City, but without the walls. It grieves me to think that our Suburbs abound with so many worshippers of this lazy Devil: yet I still pray that none may be within the walls. Let us deal with Idleness and wantonness, as Philip of Macedon did with two such persons; cause alterum fugere, alterum fugare; the one to drive the other out of our coasts. The old world snorted when the great shower came: Sodom slept, but her damnation slept not. It was Gogs presumption, I will go to the land of unwalled Villages, I will go to them that are at rest. So Satan presumes to set on the sluggish as an undefenced city, Otia pulvinar Satanae; the Devil shoots in a slug, and hits none so soon as the sluggish. The unjust Steward out of office, fore-casts, I cannot dig, and to beg I am ashamed. We have those can dig, yet are not ashamed to beg. Many one says not Fodere nescio, but Fodere nolo. It is mercy to give them three thing; correction, work, and meat. A generous spirit is of Maximinus disposition; Quo major sum, eo magis laboro; & quo magis laboro, eo major sum. Our gallants would not endure that father, that should charge his eldest son to work in the vineyard. Jacob got the blessing, but it was under the name of Esau, which signifies working, Ambr. We must have the hands of Esau, if we look for the blessing of Jacob. There are three marks and helps of Diligence; Vigilance, Carefulness, Love.

Vigilancie: a serious project, which we can hardly drive to our desired Issue, takes sleep from our eyes. The best plot is to be saved, to appease God's anger, to get remission of our sins: yet we are supini and sopiti, fast asleep, though this be undone. Christ said unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Is Judas waking, the Pharisees walking, the soldiers banding, the devils urging, the Son of man betraying, the great work of redemption accomplishing; and Sleepest thou? So is Satan provoking, thy flesh ready to yield the fort, sin at the door, and Judgment not far off, and sleepest thou O Christian? When Abraham received the wofullest charge, that was ever given to father, concerning his only son; he rose early to do it. On the week-days every man riseth early to his trade; on the Lord's day, when the business of their souls is specially in hand, men usually sleep their fills.

Carefulness, Eccles. 5.1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of GOD. Thou hast a foot, walkest with that foot, even to the Temple; but look to it. Res est solliciti plena timoris amor: If thou lovest GOD, thou wilt be fearful to offend him, careful to please him. Gideon smote the host of Zebah, and Zalmunna, and returned from the battle before the Sun was up. Satan finds us careless, smites us in the night of ignorance, and carries us away captives before we perceive it. The World says to a man, as the Priests and Elders did to the Soldiers; here is store of money, We will secure you: Money is able to make thousands secure. But, Magna securitas, maxima tempestas. The Spies of Dan returning, told them that the people of Laish dwelt secure, quiet and careless: so they took them, so they smote them, and burnt the City with fire, Judge. 18.7. No man perfectly knows his own heart: you think all well, this may be not assurance, but secureness. Invadunt urbem somno vinóque sepultam; When they shall say, Peace and safety, then cometh on them sudden destruction. Every man thinks ill of his sins, but perhaps he thinks too well of his good works: the servants of God mistrust their own righteousness.

Love: this Diligence must fetch the life from affection, and be moved with the love of virtue. They are most, whom fear correcteth from evil, they are best, whom love directeth to good, August. We refuse the dainty morsels of a churles table, because we have them not with love. GOD r • gardeth not the mammockes of our sacrifices, the scraps of our perfunctory obedience, when the awe and law of man brings us thither; not the love of GOD. Constraint makes a thing easy in it own nature, to become toilsome; love makes a difficult thing easy. He that is banished his native Country, thinks every step tedious: let his own will call him forth, his travel is pleasant; else men would nor cross the seas to see fashions. There was a man so well affected to his own City, that in fifty years he never went a league out of it; as if like a fish he must needs die, if taken out of his own element. Not long after his luck was to commit an offense; whereof being convicted, and liable to severe punishment; the favoring Judge, intending to mitigate it, because this was his first error; confined him on the pain of death to the limits of that City. Now what was to his opinion formerly a delight, becomes a bondage and vexation; nothing in the City pleaseth him, all his desire is to gad abroad. How many miles can we ride and run in a day to see one beast pursue another! The unevenness of the way, the uncertainty of the weather troubles us not, because we have a love to the sport. If the charge of a Superior commands us to measure over so many miles, we soon complain of weariness. The Sabbath finds many in the fields, walking to the neighbor Villages, for wanton delights. If they were commanded to travel so far to Church, and to serve God, they would say with Jeroboam, it was too long a journey. All negligence in good things is from the want of love.

Well, God requires our diligence; Vult & non vult piger, Bed. He would have honor, but no labor: Delectant praemia cum promittuntur, deterrent certamina cum praemittuntur; The promises delight them, the combats affright them. O foolish man! thousand thousands stand about thee, and dost thou presume to sleep? Bern. Mallem mihi esse male quàm molliter, Sen. I had rather be sick than slothful: by that, the mind is stirred up, by this, effeminated. I use, saith that Philosopher, short sleep; it is enough for me to have forborne watching. Aliquando me dormire scio, aliquando suspicor; Sometimes I know I sleep, sometimes I suspect it.

But enough of Diligence, unless we were taught also rightly to dispose it. For there be many that weary themselves for very vanity. Even Israel would go back to Egypt for the Garlicke and Onions: Things, saith Gregory, that provoke tears in them that eat them. Manna makes the heart merry; but they must have Garlicke; as if they were weary of joy, and desired again tears and sorrow. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. But Contemnunt habere unde spiritualiter gaudeant, & desideranter appetunt unde carnaliter gemant. Men confess this world troublesome, yet love their own vexation, above the Peace of GOD, which passeth all understanding. Our minds are so scattered among these visible things, that we forget how the state stands within us. Like him that looks to the outside of his house, loames, washes, paints it, while the rotten timber drops down within. While men hunt after the worlds venison with Esau, they are in danger to lose their Fathers blessing.

I have given three helps of Diligence; let me yet add a fourth, Study; so some here translate 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , what good work can be done without study? Indeed the main is confessed: Study to show thyself approved unto God. But we think inferior offices need no such studious diligence: what easier thing is there than to keep the peace? yet the Apostle says, Study to be quiet. Mans nature is so apt to revenge, that it is no easy matter to be peaceable, Says the Philosopher, Te studeto, study thyself. What is easilier known than a man's self? No, says Job, Non novi animam meam, I know not mine own soul. Mans self is a good book to study: I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Read this book in Folio, in thy prosperity: read it in Quarto, abridged by calamity: read it in Octavo, made less by penury: read it in Decimo-sexto, made contemptible by ignominy: read it in Nihilo, made nothing of this world by death. The Lawyer will not answer a declaration without study; or he builds more on his fortune and favor, than on his wit and fidelity. The Poet can tell the Gallant that buys Love-sonnets; I study for your pleasure. The Advocate studies his pleading, or talks idle. When a vain-glorious Orator asked his friend, How liked you my speech? and preventing the answer which he expected applausive; believe me says he, I did it on the sudden, without study: so I believe says the other, for it did not savor of the Study. For us, what dare we do without study? Perhaps you think not so; but that we come with the same preparation to speak, that you come to hear. So we might all be acaccused be accursed, for doing God's business negligently. You think, because it is easy for you to come to Church when the Bell hath tolled an hour, it is as easy for us on a nights warning to preach. If there be anything in the world that bewrays this Cities ignorance, this is it: I will tell you a paradox: I call it so because few will believe it, but it is true. It is more difficult to hear well, than to speak well. To hear, say you? I can hear the gravest Bishop in the Land, and never study for the matter: But I say, if thou wilt be so good a hearer as he is a Preacher, thou must study for it more than he. Good reason: he goes along with the meditations conceived in his own breast; thou must go along with his speech; he follows himself, thou must follow him. It is easier for a Hare to run her own course, than for an Hound step by step to hunt her out. Our SAVIOUR says, Take heed how you hear: there is a certain art or cunning in well hearing. In a certain Country, every man was to plead his own cause: he was allowed an Advocate to put his mind in good terms, but himself delivers it. One had his turn thus fitted, paid the Lawyer, took the copy, liked it admirably, studied it by heart. But after often reviewing it, he fell into dislike of it, and returned it back with his Non placet. The Lawyer asked him the reason why he now disliked that, which at first he so applauded: why says he, now I have read it often over, and find the weaknesses; at once reading it seemed very good. And, quoth he, shall the Judges hear it above once? Let this touch upon the infirmity of common hearers.

Beloved, you cannot hear well without studying how to hear; do not think we can preach well without it. Indeed there be enthusiastical Preachers, that run away with a Sermon, as horses with an empty cart: you are not worth your ears, if they cannot distingush. But to conclude, if no great work can be done without study, then surely not the salvation of body and soul without it. It is well, if with any study we may have it. When an Astrologer told Agrippina, that Nero her son should be Emperor; but first he must untie a knot by art, that was tied by nature: he meant, that he must artificially dissemble himself honest, though he were naturally a villain. She answered, he shall untie any knot to have an Empire. It is enough for us that we may have the Kingdom of Heaven, though we untie a knot by the art of Grace, that was bound by the corruption of Nature. We are borne unclean, have made ourselves guilty; given to lust, avarice, pride; there's Natures knot: let us untie this by grace; Such were ye, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified; and the Kingdom of Heaven shall be ours. To this let us give all study: some Astronomers have beaten their brains with much study, to find out the space betwixt Earth and Heaven: and have given it up for above three hundred thousand miles. How great was their study? how uncertain their account? how vain the fruit? know it is a great way, not a journey over to France, or to India; study how to get thither. For this we study to preach, for this study you to hear, let us all study to practice; and when we have given all Diligence, still LORD be merciful to us.

Give diligence; not a pragmatical business in others affairs; but rectify thy diligence, confining it principally to thyself. Dresse thine own garden, lest it be over-run with weeds, Sen. I know not with whom I had rather have thee be, than with thyself. Vbicunque sum, mecum sum: rebus enim humanis me non trado, sed commodo; I lend myself to other men's occasions, I give myself to mine own. We may say to Worldlings, as CHRIST to Martha, you are troubled about many things; but one thing is needful, mind that. They think when they have gotten store of riches, they shall then sleep in quiet; no then is least quiet of all. The rich man resolves when he hath filled his barns; then Soul rest; no, then Soul come to Judgment, to everlasting unrest; Luke 12. It is in vain, men rise up early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of sorrows: for upon better conditions God giveth his beloved sleep. Pyrrhus boasted to his friend Cineas, that he would invade Italy, and hoped to achieve it: Cineas asked him, Sir, what will you do then? Then we will attempt Sicily, and so at last get Carthage and all Africa. And what then Sir? Then saith Pyrrus, we will rest and be merry. Alas, saith Cineas, may we not do so now, and save all this trouble? Then Otium, I will take mine ease? No, then minus otii, least ease of all: for besides hazard of blood in getting, there will be continual trouble in keeping. Non minor ill labor, quàm quaerere, parta tueri. Eutrop • lus in the Poet, to one that asked how he might be revenged on his enemy; gave this counsel; Facito divitem, make him rich; so lay on him Sarcinam curarum, a burden of cares. The rich Land-lord envied his poor tenant, because he heard him sing every day at his labor, that had scarce bread for his family; while himself wanting nothings was full of discontent. One advised him to convey cunningly into his Cottage a bag of money; he did so. The tenant finding this mass, so great in his imagination, left off his singing, and fell to carking and vexing how to increase it. Crescentem sequitur cura pecuntam; The Land-lord fetcheth back his money, the tenant is as merry as ever he was. God is our Land-lord, while we his poor tenants have but little, we are content with a little: but if riches increase, cares increase with them; and till our Land-lord take back his burden, we have no ease. We may say of worldly wealth, what Solomon of worldly knowledge; he that adds it, adds sorrow with it. Diogenes laid himself to sleep in his cell, and his purse by him; a thief spies it, and watches till he was asleep. About mid-night when he thought himself, he ventures to steal it. To whom the subtle Cynicke; Tolle infaelix, ut facias utrosque dormire; Take it wretch, so we shall both sleep. Thou couldst not sleep till thou hadst it, nor I till I lost it. The very Camel is glad to be eased of his burden: When Aesop with the rest of his fellow-slaves were put to carry burdens to a City; one chose to bear this merchandize, another that, everyone had his choice, and Aesop chose to carry the victuals. Everyone laughed at this, that he being the weakest, had elected the heaviest burden. Away they went together; and after some miles they went to breakfast, his burden was the lighter by that. Then to dinner, it was lighter still: then to supper, now it was easy: the next day they had eaten up all his burden, and he went empty to the City, whither they being loaden could not reach. Let the covetous choose gold for his burden, the proud rich garments, the ambitious mountains of honor, every worldly his several luggage; let my choice be that of Saint Paul, If I have food and raiment, therewith to be content; I shall go the lighter to heaven.

All diligence: here's the quantity, all: and that for two reasons:

1 The working up of salvation is no easy labor; thereto is requirable All diligence. Talis diligentia respicit tantam rem, tanta res requirit talem diligentiam. Such a diligence respects so great an object, and such an object requires so great a diligence. Refuse no labor for such a reward, Ieron. The best things are the hardliest come by. Qui cupit optatam, &c. he must be frozen with cold, and sweltred with heat, that accomplishes so great a work. This equity must needs be granted, that if we cannot attain to worldly trash without labor, then much less to heaven without all diligence. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence: but rest alone, try if you can extort this by force. Spare no invention of wit, no intention of will, no contention of strength about it. If you will needs use violence, oppression, extortion, here violate, here oppress, here extort: wrestle for this though with Jacob you lame your limbs; get it though you lose your lives. When Dionysius saw what heaps of wealth his son had hoarded up in his closet; he asked him what he meant to let it lie there, and not to make friends with it to get him the kingdom after his decease? O fili non est in te animus regni capax, Son thou hast not a spirit capable of a kingdom. So knowing a rich man's piles of bags and whole countries of revennues; and finding no works of piety, none of charity; we may justly tell him; Non est in te animus regni coelorum capax: he hath not a soul capable of thy kingdom of heaven. In heaven there is gold tried in the fire. Will we adventure our estates, our lives; to find out new lands where may be gold: and spend no diligence for that where we are sure is gold, and such as cannot perish? In all other things the difficulty of obtaining whets thy mind, and spurs the actions forward: only for heaven which we confess best of all, we use labor least of all. It is a hard task, therefore give all diligence.

2 God requires Totum hominis, the whole duty of man; that is God's due. What nothing left for this world? yes, moderate providence; the saving of souls hinders not provision for bodies; but furthers and blesseth it. First seek the kingdom of heaven, then these things shall be added to you, Matth. 6. other things shall come into the bargain Paul calls them Adjectanea, CHRIST Adjectiva; there is no substance in them. Sequere tu Christum, caetera sequentur te. Follow thou Christ, the rest shall follow thee. The world says; Insequeris? fugio: fugis? insequor. Dost thou follow me? I will fly thee: dost thou fly me? I will follow thee. Besides there is a mass of corruption in us, all diligence is little enough to expel that. A tyrant boasted that he had turned a great stream in two days: yet quoth the Philosopher, but you have been turning another stream this twoscore years, and yet have not done it; your own evil disposition.

A Christian is like a common wealth; Grace is the Queen, religious thoughts the subjects, lusts the rebels: these war against the Queen fight against the soul. If they grow to a head, they will make a mutine in our hearts: our best policy is to keep them bare and low: though we cannot take away velle, their will; yet let us prevent them of Posse nocere, power to hurt us. To this let us give all diligence, and the Lord give a blessing to that diligence.

Besides this, add, &c. Thus much for the addiction, now to the addition. Wherein we find a concession, an accession, that he requires; Add. You have done something, yet there is a Praeterea, a Besides. Profectionem agnosco, Perfectionem requiro: I yield a beginning, I ask a proceeding. Sit not down with your Satis. knowledge you have, and faith you have; yet there's an Adhaec, Besides these. Leaving the principles, let us go on to perfection. Nihil praesumitur actum, dum superest aliquid ad agendum. We cannot say, that work is finished, whereof any part remains to be done. None were fit to fight the battles of God, but they that lapped water out of their hands; (like the dogs of Nile for fear of the Crocodyles) still going forward, Judge. 7.5. As God himself is said to drink, De torrente in via; of the brook in the way, Psal. 110.7. this man lifts up his head, and goes on. Christ hath sprinkled all the way between heaven and earth with his blood, and hath made it a living way: like good hounds, let us trace him by the foot, and run after him in the smell of his garments; not resting till we rest with our Master. Thou hast done many good works, assurest thyself of some growth; yet forget that is behind, and reach forth unto the things before, Phil. 9.13. Non sufficit Christum sequi, sed c • nsequi: there is still a besides. They go from strength to strength,