The godly mans iourney to heauen containing ten seuerall treatises. Viz. 1. An heauenly chariot the first part. 2. An heauenly chariot the second part. 3. The blessed chariots man. 4. The lanthorne for the chariot. 5. The skilfull chariot driuer. 6. The gard of the chariot. 7. The sixe robbers of the chariot. 8. The three rocks layd in the way. 9. The only inne Gods babes aime at. 10. The guests of the inne. By maister David Lindsey Minister of Gods word at Leith.
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Title
The godly mans iourney to heauen containing ten seuerall treatises. Viz. 1. An heauenly chariot the first part. 2. An heauenly chariot the second part. 3. The blessed chariots man. 4. The lanthorne for the chariot. 5. The skilfull chariot driuer. 6. The gard of the chariot. 7. The sixe robbers of the chariot. 8. The three rocks layd in the way. 9. The only inne Gods babes aime at. 10. The guests of the inne. By maister David Lindsey Minister of Gods word at Leith.
Author
Lindsay, David, 1566?-1627.
Publication
London :: Printed by R. F[ield] for Robert Bird, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Cheapside,
1625.
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"The godly mans iourney to heauen containing ten seuerall treatises. Viz. 1. An heauenly chariot the first part. 2. An heauenly chariot the second part. 3. The blessed chariots man. 4. The lanthorne for the chariot. 5. The skilfull chariot driuer. 6. The gard of the chariot. 7. The sixe robbers of the chariot. 8. The three rocks layd in the way. 9. The only inne Gods babes aime at. 10. The guests of the inne. By maister David Lindsey Minister of Gods word at Leith." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A05560.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 16, 2024.
Pages
THE COACHMAN IN
the wise mercie of that blessed Spirit
of God, appointed to carrie that Lan∣terne
of the written word of God, be∣fore
the babes of God soiourning here,
is the Minister of God: vnder the
Law, now called the Man of God,
the Seer, the Watchman.
THat blessed Spirit of God, by whom
that Lanterne of the word is prepa∣red,
for enioying the babes of God to∣wards
that Inne of heauen; knowing that
this Lanterne cannot possibly profit them
vnto saluation, vnlesse it be put in the
hands of some guide, by whom it may be
so holden forth vnto them, that they may
see the light of it, and by seeing the light
of it, may be moued to know that holy
one, to beleeue in that holy one, who gaue
himselfe for them, and by beleeuing in
him may be led to saluation: hath happily
descriptionPage 356
and mercifully found out a bearer to carry
this Lanterne before them, & to discouer
vnto thē that shining, sauing, light which
is offered by it. But hath this blessed wise
Spirit appointed this lanterne to be carried
before the babes of God, by any celestiall
spirit or Angell? not so, not so, ô my soule,
but by one who is like to those babes of
God (before whom this Lanterne is car∣ried)
in all things. And here I must pray
thee, ô my soule, to stay a little, to the end
before I speake any more touching this
point, thou mayest be moued to aduance
the great wisedome of Gods vnspeakable
mercie and compassion towards misera∣ble
man, whom he doth out of vndeserued
loue, transport from this sinfull earth to∣wards
his holy heauens. I am not igno∣rant,
ô my soule, that these heauenly An∣gels
be ministring spirits,* 1.1 sent forth to mi∣nister
for their sakes which shall be heires
of saluation, as thou shalt here; but with
this I know that no man liuing were able
to abide the presence of these spirits, if our
God should imploy them to be Carriers
of this Lanterne of his word, & to instruct
vs in the knowledge of it. Did the face of
Moses shine so gloriously when he came
descriptionPage 357
downe from the mount, where he was
with God but for the space of 40. dayes;
that the Israelites were afraid to come
neare him, till he put a vaile vpon his face?
and shall sinfull man be able to abide the
presence of these Angels, who alwayes
stand before God, and who be altogether
free of sinne? I know that an Angell ap∣peared
to Manoah the father of Samson,
but with this I know, that Manoah was so
rauished with the glorie of this Angell,
that he was readie to haue offered a sacri∣fice
vnto him. I know that that sublime
booke of the Reuelation was put in the
hands of the Apostle Iohn,* 1.2 by the mini∣sterie
of an Angell: but tels not Scripture
me, that euen this Iohn was moued so
with the presence and sight of the Angell,
that ouer and ouer againe he fell downe
at his feete to worship him. And there∣fore
our blessed God (onely perfectly ac∣quainted
with the weaknesse and vilenes
of man) pitying sinfull man, will haue e∣uen
a sinfull man like vnto man himselfe,
whose presence he may easily abide,
whose voice without any dashing feare,
or confounding astonishment he may
heare, to be the Carrier of yt Lanterne, by
descriptionPage 358
the which his babes must be led from this
wildernesse to his Canaan. And so this
Coachman of this heauenly Chariot is a
poore Minister, separated by God from a∣mong
men, to carrie the Lanterne of the
word before his children, who so soone
as he is separate to this end, must neces∣sarily
denie himselfe, his parents, his bre∣thren,
and all belongeth vnto him, or can
alledge any kinde of interest with him;
hauing no father, mother, wife, brethren,
sisters, friend, or alliance, beside that God
who hath separate him from them for
himselfe:* 1.3 readie with Leui to say to his
father and his mother,* 1.4I haue not seene him:
yea, not knowing his brethren, nor his
owne children, but with this same Leui
putting his sword by his side to slay his
brother, his companion, and his neigh∣bour;
that so he may resemble that holy
one who hath separate him for himselfe:
who hearing this said to him: Behold thy
mother and thy brethren stand without,* 1.5desi∣ring
to speake with thee: did answer him who
told him that, thus: Who is my mother, and
who are my brethren? And stretching forth
his hands towards his disciples, did say: Be∣hold
my mother, and my brethren, for whoso∣euer
descriptionPage 359
shall do my Fathers will which is in hea∣uen,
the same is my brother, my mother, and
my sister. This Minister and Coachman is
so strictly tyed by that spirit the Coach∣maister,
who calles and imployes them,
vnto the Lanterne of the written word of
God, put in his hand for ordering the chil∣dren
of God in their spirituall iourney,
that he doth see nothing to be good, and
embrace it, but that this Lanterne proclai∣meth
to be good, and vnderstandeth no∣thing
to be euill, and refuseth it, but that
this Lanterne proclaimeth to be euill; and
therefore he will not obey any, but these
the Spirit his Maister by this Lanterne put
in his hand, directs him to obey; and dare
disobey all, the spirit his maister by this
Lanterne directs him to disobey. And so,
when king or subiect of any estate or con∣dition,* 1.6
doth say vnto him: Behold now the
words of the Prophets declare good vnto the
King with one accord, let thy word therefore
I pray thee be like the word of one of them,
and speake thou good: he answereth them
couragiously with Michaiah: As the
Lord liueth, whatsoeuer the Lord saith vnto
me, that I will speake. The consideration of
this point moued the Spirit speaking of
descriptionPage 360
those ministers, Carriers of this Lanterne
before the babes of God, for their spiri∣tuall
benefit to stile them.* 1.7 These sundrie
fathers, who in Christ beget; sonnes and
daughters to God through the Gospell:
and these sundrie mothers,* 1.8 trauelling in
birth of the children of God till Christ be
borne in them;* 1.9 these stewardes by whom
the secrets of God are dispensed; the
gardiners,* 1.10 by whom the trees of righte∣ousnesse,* 1.11
Gods children, be planted and
watered; the husbandmen, by whom that
immortall seed of Gods word is sowne
into the hearts of Gods children, brin∣ging
forth, in some thirtie, in some sixtie,
in some a hundredth fold.* 1.12 The spirituall
masons,* 1.13 by whom the babes of God, as
liuely stones, are layed vpon that true and
onely foundation Christ Iesus,* 1.14 to grow
vp in a spirituall building to God. These
secundarie Sauiours,* 1.15 who faithfully and
painefully holding forth this Lanterne
before Gods babes, and taking heed vn∣to
themselues, do become Sauiours both
to saue themselues and them that heare
them: yea they be sundrie Mediators who
in the day of the Lords wrath,* 1.16 be bound
with Aaron to offer vp their prayers to
descriptionPage 361
God leading thē to the mediation of that
great mediator Iesus, to the end that fea∣red
plagues may be auerted from the peo∣ple
of God, and these, which are alreadie,
stayed. But what is that, ô my soule,
vnto the which this Coachman, the
Carrier of this Lanterne of the word
must take heed vnto; to the end
he may proue indeed a father, a mo∣ther,
a steward, a gardiner, a husband∣man,
a mason, a Sauiour, a Mediator, for
the aduancement of the saluation of Gods
babes, and of his owne? Out of Scripture
I haue learned, that he must necessarily
obiect two points; fearing alwayes to
ouersee himselfe in either of them: to wit,
vnto his doctrine, marking narrowly
what, and how he teacheth; vnto his life,
watching carefully ouer his words, acti∣ons,
and carriage. It were good that the
ministers of this our time, Carriers of the
Lanterne of Gods word, keepe a good
eye vpon that Lace, wherewith our wise
God would haue the skirts of Aarons
robe decked, to wit, with a Pomegranat
of blew silke, purple, and scarlot; and
with golden bells: so that round about
the skirts of his robes there was to be
descriptionPage 362
seene, a golden bell, and pomgranate.
The bell making a sound when it was
heard, the pomgranate sauoring delici∣ously
when it was smelled. So that the
Carriers of the word must sound well
through that doctrine they teach, must
smell well through their holy life, answe∣rable
to this doctrine. Thou hearest thy
Sauiour, ô my soule, directing his Apostles
thus:* 1.17Go therefore and teach all nations, bap∣tizing
them in the name of the Father, the
Sonne, and the holy Ghost; teaching them to
obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue com∣manded
you. But hearest thou him not also
thus informing them: yea are the salt of the
earth, but if the salt lose his sauour, where∣with
shall the earth be salted;* 1.18it is then good
for nothing, but to be cast out & to be trodden
vnder foote of men: yea are the light of the
world; a citie that is set on a hill cannot be hid?
Hearest thou not Paul thus directing Ti∣mothie.* 1.19Till I come giue attendance to rea∣ding,
to exhortation, and to doctrine? But
hearest thou him not in that same place
charging him also:* 1.20Let no man despise thy
youth, but be vnto them that beleeue, an en∣sample,
in word, in conuersation, in loue, in
spirit, infaith, and in purenesse. Hearest thou
descriptionPage 363
not Paul againe thus directing his Timo∣thie:* 1.21Studie to shew thy selfe approued vnto
God, a workeman that needeth not to be asha∣med,
diuiding the word of God aright. But
with this hearest thou him not saying vn∣to
him? Flee also from the lusts of youth, and
follow after righteousnesse,* 1.22faith, loue, and
peace; with them that call on the Lord with
pure hearts. As for that doctrine the Carri∣er
of this Lanterne must teach the chil∣dren
of God, it must no wayes be inuen∣ted
by him; albeit in season, and out of
season, it must be vented by him. Shall
Balaam answer King Balac thus: If Balac
would giue me his house full of siluer, and
gold,* 1.23I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord
my God to do lesse or more? And shall anie
who would proue faithfull to him, who
hath called him, speake that in Gods
name with his mouth, which God by his
spirit, and word, hath not put in his mouth?
That spoken by our God to Ezechiel
would be thought vpon.* 1.24Sonne of man I
haue made thee a watchman in the house of
Israel, therefore heare the word at my
mouth, and giue them warning from me.
This moued Peter thus to direct the
handlers of Gods word.* 1.25If anie man speake,
descriptionPage 364
let him speake as the word of God. And there∣fore
the man of God taking heede to his
doctrine, must not attempt to bring any
thing to the eares of Gods people, his
hearers, but that which he hath re∣ceiued
from the mouth of God their Fa∣ther,
and his maister, speaking vnto him
out of holy Scripture, for our God that
wise Father of his Church, will haue his
children to be fed vpon no meate besides
his owne. Herefore while Moses is raised
vp of God, to gouerne his people Israel,
he did receiue that law from God by, the
which he must gouerne them. Albeit the
Prophets were stirred vp of God to
speake to his people, yet did they begin
and end their Sermons thus.* 1.26Thus saith the
Lord: For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken
it.* 1.27 This moued the Apostle not onely to
say; Be ye followers of me euen as I am of
Christ, but also though we, or an Angel
from heauen,* 1.28preach vnto you otherwayes
then that which we haue preached vnto you
let him be accursed.* 1.29Augustine subscribing to
this saith,* 1.30Tunc ea, quae dicimus, & nobis, &
vobis vtilia sunt sia Deo sunt; quae autem ab
hominibus sunt, mendacia sunt. Then these
things which we speake, be profitable vnto vs
descriptionPage 365
and you when they are of God, but these
things which be of men be lies. The sense
hereof moued Vincentius Lirinensis,* 1.31 thus
to direct the preachers of the Gospell:* 1.32Quod tibi ceditum, non quod a te inuentum;
non author esse debes sed custos; non institutor,
sed sectator; non ducens, sed sequens: vt cum
dixeris noue, non tamen noua. Preach that
which is committed to thee, not that which
is inuented by thee: thou should stnot be an
Author, but a keeper; not a beginner, but a
follower, not leading, but following; so that
while thou speakest after a new manner, thou
speake no new thing. O would to God yt all
Carriers of this Lanterne could hearken
vnto that deliuered long ago, touching
the ministers of the Gospell, by that fa∣mous
Father Augustine:* 1.33Nos quos Domi∣nus
in isto loco de quo periculosa ratio reddi∣tur
secundum dignationem suam, non secun∣dum
meritum nostrum constituit, habemus,
duo quaedam: Vnum quod Christiani sumus,
propter nos est; quod autem praepo sti sumus,
propter vos est. In eo quod Christiani sumus,
attenditur vtilit as nostra: in eo quod praepositi
sumus, non nisi vestra. Sunt multi Christi∣ani,
& non praepositi, qui perueniunt ad Deum
facileore fortasse itinere, & tanto expeditius
descriptionPage 366
ambulantes, quanto minorem sarcinam por∣tant;
nos autem excepto quod christiani su∣mus,
vnde rationem reddemus deo de vita
nostra, sumus etiam praepositi vnde rationem
reddemus deo de dispensatione nostra. We
whom God hath set in this place (whereof
there is a dangerous account to be giuen) ac∣cording
to his free loue, and not according to
our merit, haue some two things: one that we
are Christians, another that we are Prea∣chers;
That that we are Christians, is for
our selues; but that we are preachers, is for
you. In that we are Christians our profite is
respected; in that that we are Preachers
yours. There be manie Christians, and not
Preachers who perhaps come to God by a
easier iourney, walking so much the more
quickly in so farre as they carrie a lighter
burthen. But we besides this that we are
Christians, for the which we shall giue an ac∣count
vnto God of our life; we are also Prea∣chers,
for the which we shall giue an account
of our dispensation and stewardship. Now
while this Carrier of the Gospell, hath
with his doctrine his life to order and
dresse; he must know that it were expe∣dient
for him in a manner, first to take
heed to his life, and therefore to his do∣ctrine:
descriptionPage 367
for he who is not a good Christian
liuing as becomes the child of God to
liue, shall neuer be a good Preacher,
handling the word of God as it becom∣meth
Gods steward to handle it. The
sense hereof moued Chysostome thus to
speake:* 1.34Perquam facile est Philosophari
verbis; doce me vita tua: haec doctrina est op∣tima,
si non habueris opus bonum, non solum
non proderis loquendo, sed etiam plus oberis,
quia sic mihi proponis opus vt esset〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
It is a verie easie thing to discourse in words;
teach me by thy life, that doctrine is best of all.
If thou haue not goodworkes, not onely shalt
thou not profite by speaking, but thou shalt al∣so
more hurt, because that way, thou setst a
good worke before me as if it were impossible
to be done.* 1.35 This moued Ferrardus Cartha∣ginensis
to write thus Prima Pastoris virtus
est bene viuere; secunda recte docere. The first
vertue of a minister is to liue well: the second
to teach rightly.* 1.36Bernard out of this sense
could speake to Preachers thus. Consonet
vita tua verbis, & statim erit in ••re tuo vi∣uax
& efficax sermo Dei, & penetrabilior
quouis gladio ancipiti. Let thy life be answer∣able
to thy words, and presently, the word of
God in thy mouth, shall be liuely and powre∣full
descriptionPage 368
and sharper then anie two edged sword.
And againe, Pascat minister tripliciter: ver∣bo
praedicationis, exemplo conuersationis, &
fructu orationis. Let the Minister of Gods
word, feed Gods flocke three wayes; by the
word preached by him; by the example of his
life; and by the fruite of his prayers. But to
the loose and lewd Ministers, doth not
Bernard say:* 1.37Sumptus ecclesiasticos gratis ha∣bere
te putas, cantando, vt aiunt, tibi proue∣nire
videntur, sed bonum erat magis fodere,
aut etiam mendicare: peccata enim populi co∣medis,
ac si propria tibi minus sufficere viderē∣tur:
Vae, vae, tibi clerice mors in ollis mors in olla
carnium, mors in huiusmodi delicijs est. Thou
thinkest that thou hast the Church reuenewes
for nothing: they appeare to come in, as they
say, singing to thee; but it were good for thee
rather to winne thy liuing by digging or beg∣ging:
for thou eatest the sinnes of the people, as
if thy owne sinnes were to few too lie vpon thee.
Wo, wo, to thee, ô Church-man, death is in
thy pot, death is in the pots of flesh, death is
in such dainties. It were to be wished that
the liues of all Ministers were agree∣able
to their doctrine; and that not so
much as one of them should resemble
these stones which are set vp by the hie
descriptionPage 369
wayes side to direct men in the right
pathes, while they themselues moue ne∣uer
a foote.* 1.38 But seeing the great wise∣dome
of our God, (whose wayes are vn∣searchable)
hath thought good to em∣ploy
both good and bad Ministers to car∣rie
the Lanterne of his word; and seeing
it falleth oftentimes forth, that God ma∣keth
his word in the mouth of a faithfull
sanctified Minister, the sauour of death
vnto death, and that same word in the
mouth of a hyreling, void of grace and
holinesse, the sauour of life vnto life, to
the end, that Gods wise holy people
should learne not to depend vpon men,
but vpon God who employes them, as∣cribing
vnto his Maiestie the whole praise
of their conuersation, and saluation, and
not to the instrument. Let no good Chri∣stian
be perswaded by Satans subtiltie,
to thinke euill of the cleane and sauing
word of God, because of the corruption
and wickednesse of him that carrieth it;
for this were to refuse a precious rich
iewell, because it were carried in an vn∣cleane
bagge. The consideration hereof
moued our Maister (happily before hand
strenghthening vs against this tentation)
descriptionPage 370
speaking to the multitude, and to his dis∣ciples
touching the Scribes and Pharises
to say:* 1.39The Scribes and Pharisees sit in
Moses seate, all therefore whatsoeuer they
bid you obserue; that obserue and do: but af∣ter
their workes do not, for they say and do
not.* 1.40Chrysostome writing vpon these
words takes directly occasion thus to
speake vnto the hearers of the word of
God touching the Preachers of it: Natu∣ra
eorum ipsorum est, ordinatio autem eorum
vestra; si bene vixerint eorum est lucrum, si
bene docuerint vestrum est. Accipite ergo
quod vestrum est, & nolite discutere quod
alienum est: frequenter & de homine malo
bona doctrina procedit. The nature of the
Preachers is their owne, their ordination is
yours: if they liue well that is their profite; if
they teach well that is your profite: take that
which is yours, and meddle not with that
which is anothers: yea, oftentimes good do∣ctrine
comes from an euill man. And againe,
Ecce vilis terra pretiosum aurum producit,
numquid propter terram vilem pretiosum au∣rum
contemnitur? Non, sed sicut aurum eli∣gitur
& terra relinquitur, sic & vos doctri∣nam
accipite, & mores relinquite. Nam vt
apibus herbae necessariae non sunt, sed flores
herbarum; flores enim illae colligunt, herbas
descriptionPage 371
vero relinquunt; sic vos flores doctrinae eligite
& conuersationem relinquite, vt quasi inutilis
herba arescat. Behold doth not barren ground
bring forth pretious gold: now is the pretious
gold, contemned for the vile ground? not, but
as the gold is chosen, the ground left; so take
your selues to the doctrine, and leaue his man∣ners:
for as herbes are not necessarie vnto bees
but the floures of the herbes; for they gather
the floures and not the herbes. So gather ye
the floures of the Preachers doctrine, but
leaue his life that it may wither as an vnpro∣fitable
herbe. Alwayes let such Ministers
know that they shall not escape a heauie
wrath; for he who was avenged long a∣go
vpon Nadab and Abihu,* 1.41 vpon Hophne
and Phineas:* 1.42 and who hath informed vs
touching that monstrous end ouertaketh
the vnsauorie salt, shall be auenged vpon
them, and make them to repent that euer
they take vpon them to declare Gods or∣dinance,
and take his couenant in his
mouth, seeing they hated to be reformed
thereby. O! if these Ministers whose
words be faire, whose workes be foule;
whose doctrine sauoures of God, and
whose doings be alway sinfull, smelling
of that euill one; could hearken vnto that
watch word sounded by Chrysostome in
descriptionPage 372
the place alledged in ye eares of Ministers.
Bene viuendo, & bene docendo, populum in∣struis
quomodo debeat viuere: Bene autem
docendo, & male viuendo, Deum instruis quo∣modo
te debeat condemnare. By liuing well, and
teaching well, thou instructs the people of God
how they should liue, but by teaching well, and
liuing wickedly, thou teachest God how he
should condemne thee. Wo is me, wo is me, ô
my soule, y• so many baptized in the name
of Iesus, should thinke and speake of that
good word of Iesus, which is the onely
word of life, as that reprobate Pharoah
thought, and speake of that good word of
God sounded by Moses and Aaron,* 1.43 vnto
the Israelites, and vnto him selfe; directing
his taskmasters thus to speake to the peo∣ple:
Let them not regard vaine words. When
we Christians consider this, ô my soule, we
all condemne Pharoah: But (alas) how ma∣ny
be there among vs, who say not onely
in their hearts, but with their lippes, yea
by their works: The words of God be vaine
words. O Idolaters, blasphemers, adulte∣rers,
and other grosse sinners; if that at
any time ye resort to the house of God,
what whisper yea one to another? and
when ye go forth from his house, what
descriptionPage 373
be your speeches? Let yonder blast go,
yonder winde shaketh no corne. Hearken for
Gods cause, ô my soule, our God hath
not mens cornes in such account, neither
counteth he so basely of his word that he
will daine to shake their cornes with it
for he hath a baser wind, of the which he
counteth not so much; whereby he is
able to shake all the cornes in the world.
Besides this I must tell thee, ô my soule,
albeit that word which the men of God
preach, shaketh not mens cornes, yet it
can shake Kings, and Queenes and sub∣iects
of all estates. That same Pharoah,
who durst open his blasphemous mouth
gainst Gods word found this to be true
by a dolefull experience: for shakes not
him that word of God spoken by Moses
out of his royall Chariot, when he was ri∣ding
securely there, in the bottome of the
sea? yea, in the dungeon of hell? Shooke
not that word, spoken by Ieremiah, Ze∣dekiah
King of Iudath, not only out of his
royall palace at Ierusalem, but sent him in
captiuitie into Babel? O poore Iewes
shall eue•• a tempestuous whirlewind,
scatter an heape of light chaffe towards
the foure corners of the earth so misera∣bly
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as that word of God spoken by Iesus
and his Apostles vnto our fathers, hath
scattered you and your predecessors these
fifteene hundred yeares by one. We reade
that a blast or two of this wind of the
word of God, did shake a king so that it
changed his countenance, it loosed his
loynes, and made his knees the one to
smite against the other, sitting at his owne
table at a banquet royall,* 1.44 accompanied
with his Queene and his counsellers. We
reade likewise in Scripture, that a blast
of this wind blowne by a man of God,
standing at a barre to be accused, made
his iudge to shake and tremble: for while
Paul is disputing of righteousnesse, and
temperance, and of the iudgement to
come, Felix the iudge trembled so, that he
might abide Pauls presence no longer:* 1.45
saying, Go thy wayes for this time, and when
I haue a conuenient time I shall call for thee.
Were the desolate houses and old liuings
amongst vs fearefully burthened, and mi∣serably
wracked, and daily changed from
man to man, from surname to surname,
looked vnto, it might serue sufficiently to
make the lewdest amongst vs refraine
from attempting to stile that good word
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of God Vanitie or wind. If thou loue thy
selfe herefore, ô my soule, abhorre to
thinke or speak of the word of God with
Pharoah, and learne to thinke and to speak
of it as thy God hath directed thee; and so
thinke thou, and speake you of it, as of that
milke the new borne babes of God are
nourished by; as of that bread wherewith
Gods children are fed; as of that wine
whereby they are refreshed and comfor∣ted;* 1.46
as of that fire whereby the remnant
of the drosse of their sinnes are purged
from them,* 1.47 and they are purified as pure
gold,* 1.48 to be layd vp in that cleane treasure
which is aboue;* 1.49 as of that heauie hammer
which is able to breake and bruise in pee∣ces
all such as dare contemne it: yea, in a
word,* 1.50 as of that meate whereby their hun∣grie
soules are fed; and as of that medicine
whereby their sicke and wounded soules
are bound vp and cured. The sense hereof
moued Bernard thus to write:* 1.51Ego vnum
timeo, ne toties audit a verba salutis vilescere
nobis incipiant, tanquam verba aërem verbe∣rantia,
& sicut folium quod vento rapitur ef∣fluit;
nemo vestrum sic accipiat, fructus vitae
sunt verba Dei, non folia; & si folia, sed au∣rea,
proinde non parui pendantur, non per∣transeunt,
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sed colligantur singula, etiam ipsa
fragmenta. This one thing I feare, lest the
words of saluation being so oft heard, become
of no estimation in our account, as words stri∣king
the aire, and as a leafe carried by the
wind flies away: Let none of you take the mat∣ter
so, the words of God are fruites of life, and
not leafes; and if they be leafes, yet they are
golden leafes, and therefore not to be lightened
and passed by, but to be gathered vp euen eue∣rie
crumme of them. O Lord God, when
shall men begin to haue the preaching of
the sacred word (though sounded by
heard-men, by fishers, and so by the very
of-scourings of the earth) in any kind of
reuerence? for what heard by mans eare in
this our dead time is so neglected, is so de∣spised
by mans heart, as thy Maiesties
word preached is? Alas, alas, ô Lord God,
that blind man should suffer himselfe wil∣lingly
to be deceiued by that great decei∣uer
Satan; so farre as to despise that speci∣ally
which thy wise Maiestie hath highly
aduanced? Tell me, tell me, ô my soule,
whereby is it that thy mercifull wise God
hath appointed that sauing grace of his to
be conueyed to thee on earth here, which
is onely able to bring thee to that perfect
descriptionPage 377
glorie which is aboue? It is not, ô my
soule, by the touching of thine hand, or
any other member of thy bodie, nor by
the smelling of thy nosthrils, nor by the
sight of thine eyes, that God will grant
vnto thee that grace on earth in time,
which must crowne thee with glorie
when time shall ceasse: but it is by the
hearing of thine eare that thy God will do
this. Let others neglect this, let others
mocke this: alwayes, ô my soule, when
thou hearest this, I charge thee that thou
reioyce; I charge thee that thou leape for
ioy within me: for by this would not thy
blessed powerful God, whose wayes passe
finding out, not onely ouerthrow, but al∣so
mocke the malice and craft of the di∣uell,
to his Maiesties great glory, to Satans
sensible shame, and to thy euerlasting
comfort? O malitious subtle serpent, who
did cunningly conuey by Euahes eares,
that fearefull poyson towards her soule,
which was able to slay her, her husband,
and their posteritie. But is not my good
God both mercifull and powerfull, able
to conuey to my soule, euen by my eare,
that wholsome salue whereby thy poyson
is not onley made ineffectuall, but I am
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made to liue for euer? Thou feest, thou
smellest, thou touchest, thou trustest, yea,
thou readest (ô man) many things. Al∣wayes
vnderstand, it is not by thy sight, by
thy smelling, by thy touching, by thy ta∣sting,
yea, it is not by thy reading (if thou
attempt to despise hearing, and so to con∣temne
the word preached) that thou canst
be saued. O when shall that golden chaine
of saluation presented to vs by Paul, first
be reuerenced, and then be embraced and
kept by vs?* 1.52Whosoeuer shall call vpon the
name of the Lord shall be saued: but how shall
they call on him in whom they haue not belee∣ued?
& how shall they beleeue in him, of whom
they haue not heard? and how shall they heare
without a Preacher? and how shall they preach
except they be sent? then faith is by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. Out of this
sense Bernard said most truly:* 1.53Aur is prima
mortis ianua, prima aperitur & vitae. The
eare which was the first port of death, is first
opened to life.
Woe is me, woe is me, ô my soule, that
so many in this our time should know
where this Lanterne of the word shineth,
and by whom it is carried, and that so few
should resort towards it: yea, that so few
descriptionPage 379
euen of these who resort vnto it, should
profit to saluation by it. Were I deman∣ded
whereof it commeth, that of an hun∣dred
infected in soule with that spirituall
leprosie of sinne, presenting themselues
before the carriers of Gods word, within
Gods house, to be cleansed by that cleane
and cleansing water of his word, scarce
one go backe cleansed and washed in
soule from their sinnes: I durst answer, e∣uen
before that blessed God the searcher
of my heart, that this commeth to passe,
because scarce one of an hundred drawes
neare Gods house, drawes neare Gods ser∣uants
handling his word in his house,
with due premeditation, and holy consi∣deration,
weighing as the child, as the do∣mesticke,
and as the scholler of God
should do; what a God he is before whom
they appeare, what a word that is which
is to be heard there, and what manner of
persons they themselues be, who do pre∣sent
themselues there. They appeare be∣fore
that God who lookes not on the out∣ward
appearance,* 1.54 but who beholdeth the
heart, and who will be sanctified in them
that come neare him.* 1.55 That house in which
they appeare is Gods chamber of pre∣sence,
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within the which he manifests him∣selfe
clearely, and amiable to his owne se∣cret
ones, who with broken hearts do ap∣proach
him, and who approaching do
seeke vnto him for meate and medicine.
The sense hereof moued religious Dauid,* 1.56
first to be so carefull to haue Gods Arke,
the Sacrament of his presence, dwelling
in one Citie with him, and thereafter to
haue a fit habitation made for it. The
word of God handled there,* 1.57 is that im∣mortall
seed, whereby sonnes and daugh∣ters
be begotten to God, of these who be∣fore
(because of sinne) were the children
of wrath. Is that pure milke, whereby
these Gods sons and daughters are made
to grow in that grace, which is able to
make them withstand all tentations and
aduersaries here, to their ioy among men,
and to stand hereafter before the Sonne of
man to their euerlasting glorie.* 1.58 They
themselues are dust and ashes in respect of
their bodies;* 1.59 and which is alwayes worse
and monstrously fearefull, dead in sinnes
and trespasses,* 1.60 for that is the condition of
their soules naturally. Oh, ô my soule,
when shall the men of this age learne out
of Scripture now in the vnspeakable mer∣cie
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of God, layed open to them in their
mother tongue, how to behaue them∣selues
when they appeare before that God
who made Scripture, to the end that they
may profit to saluation by Scripture? Our
God hath the booke of his Law to put in
his seruant Moses hand, that by him it
might be afterwards taught to his people
the Israelites: our God will haue his peo∣ple
to be present while he talketh with
his seruant Moses.* 1.61 Alwayes will our God
haue his people rashly to approach him,
or rather giues he not direction to Moses
to cause his people euen for some dayes
to prepare themselues for so great a work,
sanctifying the people for one day, for two
dayes, that after their clothes was washed
they might be readie on the third day to
present themselues before God? Dauid
did praise his God seuen times a day:* 1.62Da∣uid
did pray to his God thrise a day: al∣wayes
will Dauid for all this draw neare
his God without preparation,* 1.63 without
consideration?* 1.64 no, no, for he euer washes
his hands in innocencie, before he com∣passe
the holy Altar of his holy God? Hea∣rest
thou not Salomon out of the sense of
this crying vnto thee, ô my soule, Take
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heed vnto thy feete while thou entrest into the
house of God, and be readier to heare then to
giue the sacrifice of fooles; for they know not
that they do euill. Yea, hearest thou not thy
wise Maister (who loues thee dearely, and
would neuer counsell thee but for thy
weale) directing thee thus:* 1.65Take heed how
ye heare? Woe is me, woe is me, ô my
soule, that we who are called Christians
should haue the booke of Esther in our
hand, & being acquainted with it, should
yet attempt without any kinde of prepa∣ration
to present our selues before that
supreme King, and Soueraigne: for reade
we not there that Esther before she was
presented before that sinfull mortall king
of Persia (who shortly was to be turned
into the dust,* 1.66 and to be made meate to
wormes) was purified twelue monethes,
sixe monethes with oyle of myrrhe, and
sixe monethes with sweet odours? Oh, oh,
ô my soule, shall Esther a chast virgine,
who had found fauour in the kings eyes,
and who in beautie excelled all the maids
which were brought together to the
kings palace, purifie her selfe as is said, be∣fore
she be presented to this king? And
should I, vile from my conception, vile
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from my birth, and vile in my whole life,
attempt without any kind of preparation
and purifying of my selfe, to present my
selfe before that only true glorious King,
who is holinesse and puritie it selfe, before
whom the very Angels do couer their fa∣ces?
O what a world of men and women
of this our time, shall this Esther cōdemne
in that great day, when her God shall be
able to speake thus to them touching her:
This woman Esther being a most religi∣ous,
beautifull, chast virgin, did not pre∣sent
her selfe before that sillie weake king
of Persia my vassall, (who could no wayes
know her heart, but onely see her outward
carriage) till for the space of 12. moneths
she purified her selfe carefully. But yea, a
very world of men and women, being to
present your selues before me the great
Monarch of heauen and earth, who made
you, and all men, Angels, and diuels, and
who knowes not onely the wanderings of
your feete, and the workes of your hands,
but all the imaginations of your hearts,
able after I haue slaine the bodies of all re∣bels
against me, to cast both soules and
bodies in hell for euermore: were neuer
carefull so much as for a minute, let it be
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for twelue monethes to prepare your
selues by purging either heart or hand to
appeare before me: and therefore seeing
you presented your selues onely before me
as the diuell did in the dayes of Iob, go
with the diuell to abide with him and his
Angels in that vncleane lake for euer. But
what speake I, ô my soule, of Esther, shall
not bruite beasts, voide of reason, con∣demne
many a one called Christians in
this point? It is written of the Lionesse
that she hauing coupled her selfe with the
Leopard, doth afterward carefully wash
her selfe in the water before she come
neare to the Lyon againe, lest he by his
smell find out, her adulterie, and so teare
her in peeces. Shall beasts, yea shall cruell
beasts reuerence and stand in awe one of
another, & shouldst not thou, ô my soule,
reuerence and feare that great God thy
Lord and Sauiour? and so being naturally
inclined to all euill, yea, drinking in ini∣quitie
like water, not attempt to appeare
before that onely Soueraigne Maiestie,
without due, religious, and reuerent pre∣paration,
to the end that thou mayest be
welcomed when thou comest with the
prodigall child,* 1.67 and haue the fatte calfe
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slaine for thee, yea giuen to thee, and thy
garments changed to thy present ioy, and
my endlesse saluation.