Fiue sermons preached vpon sundry especiall occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habit: in Whitehall, March 29. being the first Tuesday after the departure of King Iames into blessednesse. 2 A visitation sermon: in Christs Church, at the trienniall visitation of the right reuerend father in God the lord bishop of London. 3 The holy choice: in the chappell by Guildhall, at the solemne election of the right honorable the lord maior of London. 4 The barren tree: at Pauls-Crosse, Octob. 26. 5 The temple: at Pauls-Crosse. August 5. By Tho: Adams.

The Intent, or end of all

To see how they doe. First, to see how the Pa∣stors doe, whom they had set ouer particular Congregations. The Apostles had been carefull in their first election; and good reason; Lay hands suddenly vpon no man, saith Saint Paul. There is a Story in the Legend, how a Bishop deuoted to the seruice of our Lady, in the agony of death, prayed her to bee his Mediator, as hee had been her Chaplaine. To whom she answered, that for his other sinnes she had obtained pardon, but his rash imposition of hands, was a case which her Sonne would reserue to hims••lfe. But some that

were fit in the choise, may prooue vnworthy in the progresse; therefore must be visited, to see how they doe. For if the Physician be sicke, what shall become of his patients? Certainly, a Ministers life is full of honour heere and hereafter too, so it is full of danger heere and heereafter too. O what an honour is it to labour in Gods har∣uest, to bee an Ambassador from Christ, to re∣mit and retaine sinnes, to dresse and leade the Bride, to sit on thrones, and iudge the nations? Againe, what a danger is it to answere for soules lost by our silence, to bee guilty of blood, by ei∣ther teaching, or liuing amisse? For howsoeuer the doctrine it selfe bee the Light, yet the Prea∣chers life is the Lanthorne that carries it, and keepes it from blowing out: and it is an easier defect to want Latine or learning, then to want honestie and discretion. God hath giuen vs the Keyes; but if they rust vpon our hands, whether through foule carriage, or want of vse, they will but serue to lock our selues out of doores. Ther∣fore we must submit to a Visitation.

How they doe. What must it be examined, what store of soules they haue conuerted? No, it is the measure, not the successe, that God looks to. Saint Paul himselfe doth not say, Plus profui om∣nibus, I did more good then the rest: but Plus la∣borani omnibus, I tooke more paines then the rest. •• laboured more abundantly then they all. Our re∣ward shal be according to our works, not according to the fruit of our workes. And our labour, how euer fruitlesse among men, shall not bee in vaine in

the Lord. It was the complaint of a great Pro∣phet, I haue laboured in vaine, & spent my strength for nought, yet my reward is with the Lord. Though we cannot saue you, yet our desire and endeuour to do it, shall saue our selues. We giue God what we haue, he askes vs no more: this is enough to honour him, and reward vs.

How they doe. What, how they thriue in their temporals, what riches or preferments be giuen them? no, as this is none of our ambition, so it is none of our lucke or portion. Men sucke our milke, like Mules, and then kicke vs with their heeles. Cominaeus sayes, he that would be a Fauo∣rite, must not haue a hard name, that so he might bee easily remembred, when promotions are a dealing. It seemes that Preachers haue hard names, for none remember them in the poynt of benefit. The world regards them, as poore folks doe their children; they would bee loth to haue any more of them, because they are troubled to maintaine them they haue. In Ier••boams time the lowest of the people were made Priests, & now Priests are made the lowest of the people. A lay∣man, like a Mathematicall line, runs on ad infini∣tum: onely the Preacher is bound to his compe∣tencie, yea, and defrauded of that. But let all preferments goe, so long as wee can find prefer∣ment in your consciences, and bee the instru∣ments of your saluation, we are content.

How they doe. Not onely the Pastors, but euen all the Brethren; their errors must also be looked into. S. Paul mentions the house of Cloê, 1 Cor. 1.

It hath been declared to me, by them which are of the house of Cloê, that there are contentions and faults among you; from thence hee had information of their disorders. Answerable to which, we haue Church-wardens, they are the house of Cloê, bound by oath to present misdemeanors, that sins may haue their iust censure. Let them on the one side, take heed of splene, that they do nothing maliciously. So their accusation may be iust, and their affection vniust: & in doing that they shall sin, which they had sinned in not doing. Ill•• d••t poenam, tu amisisti laudem. On the other side: of conniuence and partialitie; for there is an Omnia benè that swallowes all vanities. Drunkennes, vn∣cleannes, swearing, profanation of the Sabbath, goe abroad all the yeare; and when the Visitati∣on comes, they are lock'd vp with an Omnia bene. This is not that Charitie that couereth sinne, but a miserable indulgence that cherisheth sinne.

In the Creation there was an Omnia bene; God reviewed all his workes, and they were exceeding good. In our Redemption there was an Omnia be∣ne; He hath done all things well, hee hath made the Blinde to see, and the Lame to goe; a iust confes∣sion & applause. Here was an Omnia bene indeed, but there neuer was an Omnia bene since.

Let there bee therefore a Visitation with the Rod, lest God come to visite with f••re. God hath a fourefold Visitation. 1. A Visitation of Grace and Mercie: Visitauit & redemit, He hath visited and redeemed his people. He came not onely to see vs, but to saue vs: not only to liue among vs, but

to die for vs. So Paul applies that of the Psalme, What is ••an that thou art mindfull of him, and the Son of man that thou visitest him? The time wher∣in Ierusalem heard the oracles, and saw the mira∣cles of our blessed Sauiour, is called The day of her visitation. 2. A visitation of pit••e and com∣passion so when God relleued S••ra's barrennes, he is said to visite her. Thus he did visit Iob in his sicknesse, Thy visitation hath preserued my Spirit. This dutie hee commends to vs for true religion indeed. Pure religion and vndefiled before God, is to visite the fatherlesse & widowes in their affliction. To these works hee promiseth the kingdome of heauen; You haue visited me when I was sicke, or in prison; Therefore come ye blessed. 3. A visitation of seuerity and co••rection; so Iob cals his tryall a vis••tation: and we call the Pestilence, Gods visi∣tation. This he threatned euen to the offenders of the house of Dauid, I will visite their transgression with the rod, and their iniquitie with stripes. This visitation is not without mercy; yea; it is an argu∣ment of mercy; for when God refuseth to visit, that is the sorest visitation of all. Therefore wee pray, Looke downe from heauen, O Lord behold, and visit thy Vi••••. 4. Lastly, a visitation of wrath and fury; Shall I not visite for these things, saith the Lord? Shall not my soule bee auenged ••n su••h a Na∣tion as this? So he visited Egypt, when hee slew their first borne; the old world, when he drow∣ned it, Sodome, when he burned it; I will go downe and see. Thus shall he one day visite the wicked, with fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest:

this shall bee the portion of their cup.

Gods visitation cannot be eluded or auoyded; there will be no appealing to a higher Court, no reuoking by Prohibitions, no hiding from the censure, no corrupting the Iudge, no answering the matter by Proxie, no commuting the penal∣tie; no preuenting, but either by liuing innocent, or dying penitent.

Therefore let vs all visite our selues, that wee may saue God the labour. This is a dutie to which wee are all naturally backward: like Ele∣phants, that chuse troubled waters, and refuse to drinke in cleare springs, for feare of seeing their owne deformities. Or vnthrifts, that are run so farre in arrerages, they are loth to heare of a rec∣koning. Or, it may bee, we haue chiding consci∣ences; and then, like those that are troubled with curst and scolding wiues at home, loue to be ram∣bling abroad. But it is better to haue our wounds searched while they are greene, then to haue our limbes cut off for being festered. Descend wee then, into the depth and corners of our owne hearts; let vs begin our visitation there; mortify∣ing all our rebellious lusts, and subduing our affe∣ctions to the will of our Maker. So onely shall wee passe cleare and vncondemned by the great Bishop of our Soules, Iesus Christ.

I haue done; Deo gloria, vobis gratia, mihi venia. Amen.

Notes

• 1 Cor. 1••.10.
• Verse. ••8.
• Esai. 49.4.
• 1 Cor. 1.11.
• Luke 1.68.
• Hebr. 2.6.
• Gene. 21.1.
• Iam. 1.27.
• Math. 25.43.
• Iob 7.18.
• Psal. 89.32.
• Psal. 80.14.
• Iere. ••.29.