Iacobs ladder, or The high way to heauen Being the last sermon that Master Henry Smith made. And now published, not (as many forged things haue beene in his name) to deceiue the Christian reader, but to instruct and prepare him with oyle in his lampe, ioyfully to meete the Lord Iesus in his second comming.

Iacobs Ladder, or the way to Heauen.

1. COR. 9. 24.

So runne that yee may obtaine.

BEcause I haue but one houre to teach you all that you must learn of me, I haue chosē a text which is like Iacobs ladder, that shewes you the way to heauen. This is all that you would know, and it may please God to open your eyes, that you may know it before ye depart. Heare to practise, hinder not the spirit, but let it worke with∣out resistance: recorde when you are gone, and you shall see the great power of God, what he is able to doe for you by one sentence of this booke, if ye di∣gest it well. So runne, &c. Then wee must see first how we should runne: Secondly, what we shall ob∣taine: Thirdly, what will hinder vs: that is, we must see the way, the lettes, and the ende. Foure thinges marke in the way, first, begin betime, secondly, make hast: thirdly, keepe the way: fourthly, continue to the end, & thou shalt obtaine heauen, whither Christ by these steppes, is gone before thee. When I haue set you in the way, I will point at all the lettes, stops,

rubbes, and blockes which are before you, behinde you, beside you, the temptations of prosperitie, the temptations of aduersitie, the temptations of here∣sie, which stand in the streetes, like the fierie sworde to stop the way to Paradice. Then I will leade you to the mount, as God did Moses, and shew you a far off the blessed land the countrie aboue, that you may see where heauen is, what is the way to it, and what glory and happines is there. When I haue shewed you the way, the lettes, and the end, I will commit you to the race, and end as I began: So runne that ye may obtaine. So often as I haue read or considered these words which you heare, they seeme (me thinks) to put vs in mind that we are out of the way, and that there is another way, (if wee seeke it) nearer yet to the kingdome of heauen, then that which wee take, therefore the holy Apostle doth wa••••e euery man to ponder his steps, (that running) wee may obtaine that which we runne for, which is the worthiest price that euer, was giuen, and neuer was giuen, but to him which kept this way that I will shewe you. The A∣postle sayth, that you must runne. It is not an easie, nor a short iourney, which a drone, a dreamer, a snaile, or any carelesse man may performe, and take his ease, set forth when hee will stay at his pleasure, goe againe at his leasure: but he must alwaies runne, from the first day he setteth sorth, till he come to his iorneyes end: for the glorious heauen is farre from the darke earth, & much adoe to aspire the top of Mount Stō, but much more adou to aspire the top of Mount Heauen. The violent take it from the slothfull, and the wicked runne to hell, with more paines which they take to doe euill, than the righteous need to take for heauen. The Apostle putteth the word so, before

runne, to teach vs to looke to our way before wee runne farre: So runne, &c, as if he should say, moe runne than come home, as moe shoote than hit the marke. The heathen Philosophers, Plato, Socrates, Aristides, Phocion, Pericles, Solon, in their way did runne faster than we: Constancie, Temperance, Pa∣tience, justice, humilitie, simplicitie, integritie, con∣tempt of death, contempt of the world, seeme to be buried with them, and hid in the graue, before this I∣ron age was borne: yet because they ranne without Christ, they did not obtaine, but lost their labour, like a man which makes hast out of his way, takes more paines than if he kept the way, and yet neuer comes whither hee would. The blinde generation which knowe not God, in their way runne faster than wee: Aske the Marchants which haue seene their life and our liues, or looke in histories and they will tell you, that our Religion is not like their superstition, our knowledge not like their ignorance, our faith not like their feare, our worship not like their seruice, our christianitie not like their Idolatrie: yet because they runne to the creature, for the creator, and fol∣lowe vncertaine dreames, before the worde which came from heauen; they runne in vaine: for their Religion, deuotion, and seruice, is to them that can∣not requite it. Many of our aduersaries, Papists, Ana∣baptists, Donatists, and the grossest heretikes, in their way runne fasten than wee. They watch, they pray, they fast, and distribute more than we, yet be∣cause they runne to traditions, to Angels, to Saints, to Grosses, to Images to Reliques, inste••d of Christ, and challenge merite of all that they doe, and would bee canonized beside, that all posteritie might honour them as they doe Saints: therefore as the Pharisies

had their rewarde when men praised them, so haue they when one doth worship another. If many runne and do not obtaine, how easie is it to runne in vaine, and how happie is he which obtaineth that, that all men wish: when so many misse it for nothing but for this, because they runne out of the way. You haue heard, read, and done much, and more would doe, to obtaine eternall life with the Angels in heauen, for this ye pray and fast, and watch, and obey the lawes of God, and come together euery Sabboth to heare, to pray, to praise and serue him which giueth. How many prayers, how many fastes, how manie watches, how many works, how many houres in reading the word, in hearing the word, in receiuing the sacramēts, in examining your hearts, in chastising your flesh, were spēt & lost if you shuld run in vaine? as Esau hun∣ted for a blessing & wēt without it. Therfore the holy Ghost doth say nothing, but it is like a marke in our way, to shew vs when we are in, & when we are out: for God would not haue vs lose our labour like La∣bā, which could find in his hart after Iacob had serued him twentie yeeres to send him away emptie: but he would haue you to seeke and finde, to aske and re∣ceiue, to runne and obtaine, therefore hee saith, so runne that ye may obtaine. As there is a heauen, so there is a way to heauen: one way Adam came from Paradise, and by another way hee must returne to Paradise: the passage is not so stopt, but there is a way, though a straight way, and a doore though it be a narrow doore, and therefore few doe finde it, onely they which are like Iacob, doe see a Ladder before them, as Iacob did, he had many dreames before and did not see it, at last he dreamed, and beholde a Lad∣der which reached from earth to Heauen, and all the

Angels descended and ascended by it, to shew that no man ascendeth to Heauen, but by that Ladder: this Ladder is Christ, which saith, I am the way, and therefore he biddeth vs to follow him. If we must fol∣low Christ his steps, let vs see how hee went to Hea∣uen, hee begunne betime, for at twelue yeares of age hee saide, I must goe about my Fathers busines: hee made speede, for Iohn saith, That hee spake and did moe good thinges in three and thirtie yeeres than could be written: he kept the right way, for when he said, who can accuse me of sinne? none would ac∣cuse him of any, though they watched him for that purpose: Hee continued well, for hee dyed like a Lambe, and prayed to his Father, and forgaue his e∣nemies. Therefore we will call the steps of this Lad∣der, Maturè, properè, rectè, constanter, that is, begin betime, make hast, keepe the way, and holde to the end, and thou shalt goe after thy master. Touching the first, beginne betime, God requiring the first borne for his offering, and the first fruites for his ser∣uice, requireth the f••••st labours of his seruants, and (as I may say) the maidenhead of euery man, because the best season to seeke God, is to seeke him early, and therefore Wisdome saith, They which seeke mee early shall find: but to them which deferre she saith, Ye shall seeke me, but ye shall not find me. Wee haue long purposed to serue God, and euery man think∣eth that he should be serued, but wee cannot accord of the time when to beginne. One saith, when I am rich, another saith, when I am free, another saith, when I am setled, another saith, when I am old, then I shall be fit to fast and pray. Thus because wee are giuen to set the best last, that we may haue a longer time for our sinnes and pleasures, like the Iewes in

the first of Agge, which said alway, The time was not yet come, when they should build the Temple. Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often, This is the acceptable time, this is the day of saluation, to day heare his voice, like Rebeccah which taught her sonne the neerest way to get the blessing. So soone as man was created, a law was giuen him, to shew that he should liue vn∣der obedience from the day that he is borne: so soone as he is borne, he is baptized in the name of God, to shew that when we cannot runne to Christ, we shuld creepe vnto him, and serue him as wee can in youth and age: so soone as hee beginneth to pray he saith, thy name be hallowed, thy kingdome come, thy will be done, before he aske his dayly bread, to shew that we should seeke the will of God before the food that we liue by, much more before the sinnes & pleasures which we perish by. So soone as the Lord distributed the talents, he inioyned his seruants to vse thē: who is so young that hath not receiued some talent or other? Therefore youth cānot excuse him, because the talent requires to be vsed of euery one that hath it: so soone as God created the man & the woman, he cōmanded them to encrease & multiplie: shall we encrease and multiply in the flesh, before we encrease & multiplie in the spirit? the first thing that God did after he crea∣ted heauen & earth, he did separate light from darke∣nes, shewing vs how wee should separate our good from euill, before our good become euill. The first lesson that Iohn taught was, Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. The first lessons that the Disci∣ples taught was, Repent too, for the kingdome of hea∣uen is at hand. And the first lesson that Christ taught was, Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. To teach what we should doe first, Repent, was the first

lesson to young and olde. Therefore Dauid prayed, Teach me O Lord to number my dayes, not my yeares, nor my months, nor my weekes, but my daies; shew∣ing that wee shall answere for dayes, as well as for yeares, for today as well as tomorrowe, and for our youth, as straightly as for our age, euen as the little children were deuoured with Beares, for mocking the Prophet: which made Dauid to crie, Remember not the sinnes of my youth: which hee would not haue spoken if God did not marke the sinnes of youth, as well as of age. Therefore the Fathers were charged to teach their children the same law which they had themselues. Therefore Christ rebuked the Disciples which forbad the little children to bee brought vnto him For, should children honour their Father, & not honour God? it was a sweet consorte when the chil∣dren went before Christ to his Temple, & sang their Hosanna, to make their fathers ashamed which did not know the Messias when he came, when their lit∣tle children knewe him? It is written, when Christ heard a young man answere that hee had kept the Commaundements from his youth, Christ began to loue him: which shewes how Christ loues these time∣ly beginnings, when wee make him our nurse, and draw our first milke from his brests. There is not one confession for olde men, and another for young men: In the Creede the olde man saith not, I did beleeue in God, and the young man sayth not, I will beleeue in God, but both saye, I doe beleeue in God: for he which is called I am, loueth I am, and careth not for I was, nor I will be. When Christ asketh Peter Louest thou me? he looketh that he should answere him, Yea Lord I loue thee, and not driue off as Felix did Paul, I will heare thee, I will loue thee when I haue a con∣uenient

time: nay when thou hast no conuenient time, for if this be the conuenient time, after this, the time conuenient is past. Manna was gathered in the morning, because when the Sunne rose it did melt a∣way: So virtue must bee gathered betime, for if wee stay till busines and pleasures come vpon vs, they will melt it faster then wee can gather it: therefore in the fourth of Prouerbes, Wisdome is called the Begin∣ning, to teach vs to seeke wisdome in the beginning, as a man taketh the best first. If Eliah would be ser∣ued before the widdow, when shee had not enough to serue her selfe: will God be serued after thee? nay after the slesh, and after the diuell? what canst thou owe him to morrow, which thou art not indebted to day? yea, doth not God require Morning sacrifice as well as Euening sacrifice? It is an olde saying, re∣pētance is neuer too late: but it is a true saying, repen∣tance is neuer too soone, for so soone as we sinne, we had neede to aske forgiuenes: beside, repentance is a gift, and therefore must be taken when it is offered. For if Iudas could haue repented when he listed, hee would neuer haue hanged himselfe. The time past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in: the time to come is vncertaine, and thou canst not assure that to repent in: the present time is onely thine, and thou maiest repent in that, but anon that will bee gone too. Therefore when Christ wept ouer Ierusa∣lem hee sayd, O if thou hadst knowne in this thy day: calling none their day, but this day: if none can bee called thy day but this day, then this is thy day of re∣pentance, or els thou hast none at al. Therfore one re∣sembleth the mercy of God to the Poole in Iurie, where the sicke and leprous lay, for at one time of the day an Angell came and stirred the water, and

then he which stept in first was healed of his disease, he which stept in first was healed, none but he which stept in first, so he which taketh time is sure, but hee which foresloweth time, oftener faileth thā speedeth: for, when golden opportunitie is past, no time will fit for it: yet, as when Christ went about to cast out diuels, they sayd that hee tormented them before the time: so whensoeuer thou goest about to dismisse thy sinnes and pleasures, though thou stay till thou beest sicke and old, and readie to dye, yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time: but then is the time when the diuell saith, the time is not yet, for the diuell is a lyar, and knoweth that what licour our vessels be seasoned with at the first, they will tast of the same euer after. Therefore linger not with Lot, for if the Angell had not snatched him away, he had perished with Sodom for his delay. They were not wise virgins, but foolish virgins, which sought not for oyle, before the Bridegroome came: Samuell began to serue God in his minoritie, Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood, Iohn grewe in spirite, as he ripened in yeares: so whether thou be old or yong, thy repentance cannot bee too soone, because thy sinne is gone before. If thou lackest a spurre to make thee runne, see howe euery day runneth away with thy life: youth commeth vpon childhood, age com∣meth vpon youth, death commeth vpon age with such a swift sayle, that if our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues, yet our glasse would be runne out, before wee had purged halfe our corruptions. Thus much of the first step. The second step in your iourney, is to keepe the way, as God taught the Israe∣lites a way to Canaan, sending a fierie pillar before them, which they did follow wheresoeuer it went, so

when he ordained a heauen for men, hee appointed a way to come vnto it, which way he that misseth shal neuer come to the end. As Herod sought Christ ouer all Iurie, but none founde him but those which fol∣lowed the starre: so there is something still that lea∣deth men to Christ, which we must follow or els we cannot come where hee is. There bee many wrong waies, as there be many errors, but there is but one right way, as there is but one trueth. And therefore Iacob did not see many, but one Ladder, which rea∣ched to heauen: and Iohn Baptist is sayd not to pre∣pare the waies of the Lorde, but the way: shewing that there is but one right way in this life, which Sa∣lomon vnderstandeth for the meane, and therefore he saith, Turne not to the right hand nor to the left, im∣plying that wee may erre aswell of the right hand as of the left, as if hee should say, some are too hotte, as other are too cold; some are too superstitious, as o∣ther are too careles; some are too fearefull, as other are too cōfidēt: there is as zeale without knowledge, a loue without singlenes, a prayer without faith, and a faith without fruites. Therefore the Apostle doth warne vs to examine whether we be in the faith, not whether we haue a kind of faith, but whether we be in the faith? that is, the true faith. Therefore Paule saith, Runne so: it is not enough to runne, but wee must know how we runne: it is not enough to heare, but we must care how to heare: it is not enough to beleeue, but we must care how we beleeue: it is not enough to pray, but we must care how we pray: it is not enough to worke, but wee must care how wee worke: for we cannot doe good, vnlesse wee doe it well, as wee may see in this example. Cain offered, and God abhorred, because he cared not for the man∣ner,

God cared not for his offering. Simon Magus beleeued, Herod listened, Foelix feared, Saul obeyed, Iesabell fasted, the Pharisees prayed, but because they did not beleeue so, heare so, feare so, obey so, fast so, & pray so, as he which saith, Learne of me: whē they say that they haue fasted, & prayed, and obeied, Christ he will answer them as hee doth in Mathew, I know you not. Therefore if ye aske like the scribe, how ye shal come to heauen, the right way to heauen is the word, which came from heauen. But here some will say, the word indeed doth containe the right way, but many cannot finde that way without a guide. Therefore I haue picked out of the worde that way which God calleth the right way: the way which the word doth set thee in to heauen, is to doe vnto other as thou wouldest haue other doe vnto thee, to exercise good workes, and yet beleeue that Christs works shal saue thee: to pray without doubting, and yet be content that thy prayer be not graunted: to keepe within thy calling, and doe nothing by contention: to bring thy will vnto Gods will, and suffer for Christ, because he hath suffered for thee: to repent not onely for thine open and grosse faultes, but for to count euery sinne great, to apply all things to the glory of God, and of euery thing to make some vse.

Thus the worde goeth before vs like the fierie pil∣lar, and shewes vs when we are in, and when we are out, or else the broad way would seeme the best way, and therefore all which care not for the word, go like blinde men to hell for heauen: looke but to the Pa∣pists, which haue the word in an vnknowne tongue, some clamber to heauen with merites, some by An∣gels, some by penance, and some by pardons, and e∣uery man hath a way by himselfe, and all out of the

way: As Naaman answered Elisha whē he was com∣maunded to wash himselfe in Iorden, are not Aba∣nah and Pharpar riuers of Damascus better then Ior∣den? may I not wash there and be healed? so they say, are not pardons as good as works? are not pilgrima∣ges as good as prayers? is not sacrifice as good as obe∣dience? is not reading as good as preaching? may I not goe to heauen this way and that way, as well as by the word? No, as no water but Iorden could clēse Naamans leprosie, so no way but the word can bring to heauen. For which cause the lawes of God are cal∣led the waies of God, and the word of God is called the word of life, to shew that there is no way to life, but the worde which is called the way and the life. Therefore now ye see the way, I conclude with Esay, This is the way, walke in it: Thus much of your second step to heauen, which is, keepe the way.

Now when yee are in the way, it is good to make speed, therfore the next step in your iourney is, Make hast. For this cause Paul saith Runne, which is the swiftest pace of man, as though he should go faster to heauen than to any place else in the world. His mea∣ning is this, that as a man doth watch, and runne, and labour to bee rich quickly, so hee should heare, and pray, and studie, and vse al meanes to be wise quick∣ly. This the Apostle vnderstandeth when hee bid∣deth vs to adde, as if he should say, when thou are in the way and knowest good from euill, euery day kill some vice, and euery weeke sowe some virtue, and make thy two talents fiue talents, thy fiue talents ten talents, and euer be doing, and at last it shall be ope∣ned, because thou hast knocked. Christ saith. The kingdome of heauen is got by violence, therefore a man must be earnest and zealous in the religion that

hee professeth, or else it maketh no matter of what religiō he is, for if he be but luke warme, God threat∣neth to spew him out of his mouth: euery man hath a kind of religion, and the religion of most is to bee like one another, as mercifull as other, as humble as other, as deuout as other, but God saith, Bee holy as I am, not as other are: for Christ saith, Except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnes of the Pharisees, although they were holier than other, yee shall not enter into heauen. That is, except ye bee more than statute Protestants, which goe to the Church and heare an homilie, and receiue once a yeare, but will not offend any person, nor leaue any custome, nor beare any charge, nor suffer any trouble for the glory of God, yee shall come to heauen, when the Pharisees come out of hell. As loue deligheth men, so zeale pleaseth God: for zeale is the loue of God. Therefore euery sacrifice was offered with fire, to shewe with what zeale they should burne, which come to offer prayer or praise, or thanks vnto the Lord. Therefore the ho∣ly Ghost descended in fire, to shew the seruencie of them vpon whom the holy Ghost resteth. Therefore the Cherubins were portraited with wings before the people, to shew that they should bee as earnest and quicke about the Lordes busines, as the Cherubins. Therefore God would not take a lame, nor a halting sacrifice, to shew how hee abhorreth slacknes in all our dueties. Therefore Saint Iames saith, Bee swift to heare: we must bee swift to pray, swift to obey, swift to doe good, for hee is not cursed onely which doth not the Lordes busines, but hee which doth it negli∣gently: that is, hee which doth any thing before it, like him that would bid his friends fare well, and fol∣low Christ after. The hound which runnes but for the

hare, runnes as fast as possibly she can: the Hauke which slyeth but for the partridge, slyeth as fast as possibly she can: and shall hee which runnes for hea∣uen, creepe more slowly than the dyall? Who hath so much faith as the Apostles? yet howe often doth Christ say, O ye of little faith. Complaining that their faith was too little, and therefore when Peter answe∣red him that he loued him, as though hee loued him not enough; Christ asked him againe, whether hee loued him; and as though he loued him not enough yet, hee asked him againe, Louest thou mee? for hee would haue vs loue him as he loued vs when his hart bloud was shed for vs: therefore when hee demaun∣ded his loue, he measured it by the heart saying, Thou shalt loue God with all thy heart, with all thy strength, with all thy mind. Thrise he repeateth all lest we shuld keepe any thing from him. Our Sauiour saith not, that his Father is glorified that we bring forth fruite, but in that we bring forth much fruite: is it not better to be vessels of gold than vessels of brasse? Doe ye not see how Christ rejected him which said hee kept many commaundements, because hee would not doe one commandement, for one worke which he would not doe, our Sauiour made no reckoning of all that hee had done. It was good for the Apostles that they left all and followed Christ presently, but this should not be written but to teach vs with what speed we shuld follow Christ, watching the slarre so soone as it ri∣seth, and the pillar so soone as it neinoueth. In this ••••riue and goe one before another, as Peter and Iohn strone who should come first to the sepulchre. For if Agrippa could be saued when he was almost a Chri∣stian, Paul would not haue laboured to make him al∣together a Christian. Therefore though puritie bee

counted heresie, yet remember that Christ saith, None can see God but the pure in heart: and know, that there is no dealing with these mockers, but to answer them as Dauid answered Michol, when shee scorned him for his humblenes, hee said, I will be more humble yet: so when they mocke thee for thy zeale, spight them with more zeale, for euill is not ouercome but with good. Thus we haue passed the third step vnto hea∣uen. The fourth step in this happy iourney is, Perse∣uer to the end. For if you begin betime, and goe aright, and make hast, and continue not vnto the end, your reward is with them of whom Paul saith, Their end is worse than their beginning. There is nothing in our life which suffereth so many eclipses and changes, as our deuotion, hot and cold, in and out, of and on, not in one moode so long as the Sparrow fittes vpon the groūd, but longing like the Chamelion to the colour of it which we see: if we see good, it puts vs in a good thought: if wee see or heare euill, it turnes vs from good to euill againe: thus man is rolled vpō a wheele that neuer stands still, but turnes continually about, as though hee were giddie and treading of amaze. Hee is vpon the side of a hill, where it is easie to slide, and hard to get vp the slesh: therefore the Apostle moued with pittie, seeing man stand vpon such a slip∣perie ground, as it were in a ship readie to sincke, or a house bending to fall, hee crieth to them that stand surest, Take heede left yee full, that is, when thou hast put on the armour of light, and art in the spirituall field to fight the Lords battailes against the worlde, the flesh, and the diuell: turne not backe like Demas, but remember the comfort of Elisha, that there bee more with thee than against thee, and that the temp∣ter can ouercome none but them which yeeld. Other

seruants change their masters for better masters, but all that serue God are like the seruant which receiued a print in his eare, after the manner of the Iewes, in token that he would serue his master for euer, like the vestures which bare their owners marke. Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often, Be faithfull euen vnto the death: Be not wearie of well doing: Take heede lest ye fall, for when thou art weary of thy goodnes, God doth not count thee good, but wearie of goodnes: and when thou declinest from righteousnes, GOD doth not count thee righteous, but reuolted from righteousnes: therefore Paul sayth, Pray continually, as though prayer were nothing without continu∣ance: Iacob did not ouercome God so soone as hee began to wrestle with him, but when hee had wrest∣led with him al night. And it is said that Christ tooke pittie of them that stayed with him. I will not leaue thee saith Elisha to Eliah: so wee should not leaue God: some came into the vineyeard in the morning, and some at noone, but none receiued any rewarde but they which stayde vntill night. As Gods mercie indureth for euer, so our righteousnes should indure for euer. Euery thought, and word, and deede of a faithfull man is a step towards heauen, in euery place he meeteth Christ, euery thing puts him in minde of God, he seekes him to find him, and when hee hath found him he seekes him still, hee is not satisfied, be∣cause at euery touch there comes some virtue from him. Iacob serued seuen yeares for Rachel, and after them he serued seuen more, and yet hee was content to serue seuen more, and when hee had serued so ma∣ny yeares they seemed vnto him as nothing, because he loued: hee which serued so long for Rachel, ser∣ued all his life for heauen: and if he had liued till this

day, he would haue serued God still, and thought it nothing because be loued him: to haue the Arke but a while, doth more hurte to the Philistins than benefite them, so to serue God but a while, dooth more da∣mage vs then helpe vs, for happier is the Childe which neuer began than Iudas, whose end was worse than his beginning. What a lamentable thing is it to heare this plainte of him which was once the stron∣gest in the worlde, Sampson hath lost his strength for Dalilah, for the loue of Dalilah that doth not loue him: to shew what a shame it is to end worse than we begin. Christ shewes what a reproach it was vn∣to him, which began to builde and coulde not set vp the roofe, the passingers by poynted with their fin∣gers and saide, this man began a foundation, but hee could not couer it: so they will say, this man thought to bee holy, but hee could not keepe promise. What shal I say saith Iosnuah, when Israel turneth the back, when Israel turnes the backe, this astonished him, and this makes the whole Temple shake when the pillars tremble? What an offence is it to the Church to see Peter to denye Christ, which saide euen now that hee would neuer forsake him? To see Lot com∣mitte incest with his daughters in the mount, which striued so to preserue them chaste in Sodome, to see Solomon worship Idols which erected the Temple for the worship of God, to see Noah mocked of his sonne for drunkennes, for whose righteousnes his sonne escaped, as if the starres should fall from Hea∣uen, and light goe from the sunne. Wisdome is an∣grie with him which leaueth his righteousnes, to be∣come worse, the Vine would not forsake her grapes, the Oliue would not forsake his fatues, the figge tree would not leaue his sweetenes, but the bramble did,

hee is not the Vine, nor the Oliue, nor the Figgetree, but hee was a bramble made for the fire, which lea∣ueth the ioyes, let the dogge turne to the vomit, and the swine to the wallowe, but you like Abraham holde on thy sacrifice vnto the euening, in the eue∣ning of thy life, and a full measure shall be measured vnto thee. This is a long sleppe, and man is like a horse which loueth short iourneyes, therfore how can hee hold out so farre: when one tolde Socrates, that hee would very faine goe to Olympus, but hee feared that he should not be able to endure the paynes, So∣crates answered him, I know that thou vsest to walke euery day betweene thy meales, which walke conti∣nue forward in thy way to Olympus, and within fiue or sixe dayes thou shalt come thither: how easie this was, and yet he sawe it not, so is the way to Heauen, if men doe bende themselues asmuch to doe good, as they beate their braines to doe euill, they might goe to Heauen with lesse trouble than they goe to hell. Our idle houres are enough to get wisdome, & know∣ledge and faith, till we were like saints among men: if thou looke onely to the stoppes, & tell all the thornes which he in thy way, thou shalt goe fearefully, weari∣lie, and vnwillingly, euery thing shal turne thee aside, and euery snaile shall step before thee, and take thy crowne from thee: but then lift vp thine eyes from the earth and looke to Christ calling, the spirite assi∣sting, the Father blessing, the Angels comforting, the word directing, the crowne inuiting, and thy fetters shal fall from thee, & thou shalt rise like the Sunne & maruaile how the thing could seeme so hard, and bee so easie, when ye doe well remember that ye change not for the worse, and doe, as ye doe then, and ye shal continue to the ende. Now I haue encouraged you

like souldiers, and taken away your feare, I will bring you to the sight of your enemies, and will set them before your face, not to weaken you, for that were want of charitie, but to make you wary, which is true loue indeede. To number them surely I cannot, they are so many: and exactlie to describe them, it is be∣yond my skill, they are so subtill. Howbeit, to giue you a little taste: I may say as Elisha saide to his ser∣uant, and you shall see it, if you haue your eyes open: seare not, for they that be with vs are more than they that be with them, and he that is on our side is stron∣ger then all. But if you will heare what the holy A∣postle saith touching them, I can tell you. Hee affir∣meth, and that by the very spirite of God: we wrestle not against flesh and blood onely, but against princi∣palities, powers, worldlie gouernours, the Princes of the darkenes of this worlde, euen spirituall wicked∣nesses in the high places. And S. Iohn saith, they are the lustes of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life, let other men thinke of them what they list: they that heare them thus described, and haue felt the force of them in their owne soules, could not chuse but confesse, that they haue been many in number, mightie in power, subtill in practise, and what not: who knoweth not this, that the more enemies wee haue, the more need we haue, both of force outward∣lie, and of care inwardly: as againe, the more pow∣erfull they are, and the more weake wee are, the more we should seeke for helpe else where. In out∣ward and bodilie foes and forces, wee confesse the truth of this, and doe all what we can to shew our selues wise, circumspecte, and couragious: Howe much more had wee need here, to expresse all these

things, where the conflict is more hard, though the conquest obtained be more glorious: and where a∣gaine our foes and their forces, be more mightie and many, though their ouerthrow once performed, gi∣ueth them the fooles foile. But whom shall we looke to herein? Other men are as weake as our selues, if not worse, for all men, lay them vpon a ballance, they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe. And if wee feare and distrust our selues, how dare wee, or howe can wee put considence in others? specially sith God saith, Cursed is euery one that maketh flesh and bloud his arme. To looke vp to the holy and e∣lected Angels, will doe vs little good, because they goe not but being sent, and alwaies waite for a word and warrant from the Lords owne mouth for all their actions: besides that, their owne oyle and force is little enough for their owne supportation. To God therefore, that is the God of our strength, wee must needes come, yea and to him alone, or else wee are vtterly ouerthrowne and cast away. And if wee cannot say and do too as Dauid did, Lord whom haue I in heauen but thee, & I haue desired none in earthwith thee, we are in a wofull taking, and vtterly lost. For feare without, and fire within, Satans malice also, mens mischiefe, and our corruption, will carrie and harrie vs, as it were a violent tempest or whirlewind. Amongst the heathen they had many odde conceits, to chase away bodily and spirituall enemies, as those that haue written their histories and actions, haue plainely set forth: sometimes fire, sometimes water, sometimes bloud, and sometimes one thing, and sometimes an other, as mans braine is a bountifull ship to forge such deuises in. The Papists differ not much from them, who thinke that whippinges and

scourgings, will tame and subdue the corrupt affecti∣ons of the heart, and that the casting of a little holy water (as they call it,) or the making of a crosse in the face, forehead, breast, or any other place, will chase away Satan, & al his hellish powers. Of al which acti∣ons & ceremonies either heathenish or popish, were they better than they be, (but indeed they are slarke naught as they vse them) we may say as the Apostle saith: Bodily exercise profiteth little, but godlines is profitable vnto all things. And had Satans malice, and mans presumption stayed here, and gone no further in grosse imaginations, concerning this and other matters, it had bin the lesse euill. But in our light and libertie of the Gospell, some suppose, that the very saying of Lord haue mercy vpon vs, and that without saith or feeling, many times, is all in all: and the pro∣nouncing of this petition, Leade vs not into temptati∣on, and that without sense or vnderstanding of it, is sufficient to sunder Satan, and our owne corruption as farre from vs, as the East is from the West. Vpon them their spirituall enemies preuailed, by grosse ig∣norance, and superstitious conceits: vpon vs by care∣lesse presumption, and presumptuous carelesnesse, neither the one of vs, nor the other, vnderstanding rightly as wee should, either our foes forces, or our owne weakenes. And that is the cause why they and we in former time and of late, ioyned with them, and sundred from them, haue receiued very fearefull falles and ouerthrowes: For all is one with Satan, so he catch and snatch men, and haue them in possessi∣on, he cateth not by what meanes. But wilt thou not escape danger onely, but ouercome also? I will shew thee O man, what thou shalt doe, at any hand go out of thy selfe and other creatures whatsoeuer, for if thou

sticke to them though neuer so little, thou doest dis∣aduantage thy selfe at the least, if not ouerthrow thy selfe. The wicked spirits are as strong to effect euill, as the elect are to doe good: and so much the more powerfull that way, by howe much they attempt it with commission from God, and finde fit matter in men to worke vpon. And what then? fixe the eye of thy faith fast vpon God in Christ, and thou shalt ne∣uer miscarrie. For hee that cannot lye hath sayd it, I will not faile thee, nor forsake thee for euer: and in the new Testament Christ hath tolde vs, which is al∣so a word of as sure a promise, The gates of hell shall not preuaile against this faith. Nay, I will say more in the strength and power of this perswasion, thou shalt be made more than a conquerour, thorow him that hath loued thee, and washed thee in his owne hart blood. I know and confesse there are many lets and hinderances, to the perswasion and practise of this truth: but heare and beleeue onely, and I will shewe you yet a more perfect and assured waye, by which you shall bee made to walke safe, either in the day of death, or in the time of temptation, or in any other course or crosse, that may betide you in this life. See that you haue not onely the two side postes, and the vpper doore postes of your houses, stricken ouer with the bloud of the Lambe, but your harts purged through faith in his bloud, from the power of dead works; and then the destroyer that ouerthroweth o∣thers, shall passe ouer thee, and bring thee in good time to the full fruition of the heauenly Canaan. But thou wilt say as the slothfull person doth in the Pro∣uerbs, There is a lyon, yea many lyons in the way: I an∣swere: reckon them vp, and bring them forth: they shall all by Gods grace be easily remoued. All sorts

of afflictions are bitter, I confesse it, and so are many thinges in meate, drinke, and phisicke, and yet wee refuse them not, but vse them rather, because of the good we know or hope, they will effect in vs. And why say wee not, as the Apostle by the spirite doth: Nochastisement for the present seemeth to bee ioyous, but grieuous? Howbeit afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse, vnto them which are thereby exercised. Death also is dreadfull: what then? but to whom I pray thee? euen to the man that hath his trust in his riches, or hath no hope of a better life: but to him that beleeueth in Christ, it is become through the power of the death and obedience of Christ, a speedie passage to eternall life. We endure many dreadfull and dangerous thinges, and runne through fire & water, and alfor a corruptible crowne: And why should wee not with patience and prayer passe through this, which is the very high way to heauen? Besides, hell is horrible Neither will I deny that: but still I demaund to whom it is so? surely to the diuell and his Angels, and all manner of wicked ones, for whom it hath beene prepared of old: but as for the godly and elect, it cannot come nigh them. For Christ the very way, truth, and life it selfe hath tolde vs, and therefore we ought to credit it: He that heareth my words, and beleeueth in him that sent mee, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemna∣tion, but hath passed from death vnto life. Lastly, is not sinne a shrewd and sore enemie to encounter with? I confesse it: but to whome tell mee I beseech you? euen to them in whose mortall bodies it raigneth, to fulfill the concupiscences thereof. To other, in whom the ••oo••e of it is dead, it is not so, whether we respect this life, or that which is to come: for here the re∣liques

of sinne, are but as pricks in our sides, to pro∣uoke vs to better things, and to stirre vs vp to hunger and thirst after righteousnes: and for the life to come, we shall be vtterly freed from the same, and haue all teares wiped frō our eyes. To bring all into a summe: I say let all obiected be as true, as any thing may bee: yet all these and a thousand more such like, are no∣thing to him that is in Christ. For the Apostle sayth, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus: and it is hee alone that hath destroyed death, and became sinne for vs, that wee in him might bee made the righteousnes of God. And surely such a one may in some good measure of comfort, ioyfully say to the defiance euen of death it selfe, and all o∣ther ghostly enemies whatsoeuer: O death where is thy sting! O graue where is they victorie! The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the lawe: but thankes bee vnto GOD which hath giuen vs victorie, through our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea hee may say, as the Saints and Martyrs haue sayd in the middest of fierie flames, I am perswaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall bee able to sepa∣rate me from the loue of God which is in Christ Ie∣sus our Lord. Oh but death is terrible still! I answer: in such a cloud of witnesses, and euidence of truth, may I not in some sort and sense say, O faithlesse ge∣neration, how long shall I bee with you? how long now shall I suffer you? Is it fearefull to any, but to a naturall man, and to him that hath his felicitie here, and in the things of this life? Surely it is nothing ter∣rible to him, that is made a comfortable partaker of the fruits of the death of Christ, who dyed and rose

againe, to the ende hee might destroy death, and him that had the power of death, euen the diuell himselfe. But hel is horrible. True: but yet to thē, for whom it is prepared: but thou art in Christ exempted from it. For why did he him∣selfe suffer hellish torments both in body & soule? to leaue the 〈…〉〈…〉 to make it terrible or horrible to thee? no, but to free thee and all his from the feare of hell, & the fee∣ling of euerlasting condemnation. Oh but what shall I say touching my sin that is great and grieuous, & the peculiar wages of it, is death eternall. That is true in the nature of sin, & the iustice of God: but with the Lord there is mer∣cie, that he may be feared. Stand still a while, and you shall beholde the great workes of God: & be not faithlesse but faithfull, and beleeue the truth of the word. What is more cleere then this? where sinne hath abounded, there grace hath abounded much more. And though it be in a Pro∣phet, yet where haue we a more plaine, plentifull, or euan∣gelicall promise then this? Though your sinnes were as crimson, they shall be made white as show: though they were red as skarlet, they shalbe as woll. If we haue the hād or writing of an honest man, we think our selues bound to giue credit therto how much more shuld we beleeue the most true & vnchāgeable word of the eternal? To which, not for any want in himself, but by reason of the weakenes of our faith, he hath bin willing, the more aboundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise, the stablenes of his coū∣cel, to adioyne & binde himselfe with an oath, saying, As I liue, I wil not the death of a sinner, yea I wil be merciful to their vnrighteousnes, and I wil remember their sinnes and iniquities no more: that so by two immutable things, that is, his inuiolable oath, & assured promise (wherein it is vn∣possible that God should lye) we might haue strong con∣solation. And as for these obiections, or any the like, what are they else, but in trueth and substance, the very euil re∣ports, that the spyes brought vpō the promised land? And

yet there was a very true testimonie, giuen by Ioshua and Caleb: yea the palpable proofes they had by the cluster of grapes, and other things which they brought from thence, were irrefragate witnesses. Will you beleeue then because they are many? that is flat poperie: & besides, God forbid∣deth vs to cleaue to a multitude to doe euill. Will you feare thē, because they are mightie? That is to distrust God, who is greater then al: and to make them omnipotent, which is blasphemie. Wil you doubt because they double their as∣saults? That is no end of temptation, but this rather, to ad an edg vnto our prayers, that so through thē we may heare in our hearts that cofortable speech. My grace is sufficient for thee, & my strength shalbe perfected through weak∣nes. And when we shall haue all our senses satisfied, in the contrarie truth, yea so farre forth, as that our eyes may see, our eares may heare, our hāds may hādle the good things of God (ouer and besides the faith, we haue in him concer∣ning them) it is not grosse onely, but impious, not to be∣leeue. But here in this life are many pleasures and certaine delights lawfull, as houses, friends, wiues, children, goods, honor, and almost infinite such like. That is very true: but with this honie, God inter••ingleth some gall, least the soules of his seruants might run not to sin. And who is he that can be ignorant of the vncertaine estate of al & euery one of them? Our friends fall away, as a fruite that is ripe before his time, or as the morning dewe. Our houses are ouerthrowne, and are like the ruines of a defaced hold, not one stone of them being left vpō another. Our wiues may be lewde in their lippes, loose in their liues, and wicked as was Iobs, and wish vs to curse God & die. Our children, not riotous only and disobedient, but vnnatural also, and rising vp against vs, as Absalon. The goods we possesse, are not vnfitly by Salomon resembled to the Egle, that taketh her to her wings, & flieth aloft into the ayre: as for our ho∣nor, which we make as it were some deitie vpon earth, it is

turned into shame, in the twinckling of an eye, or else for∣gotten, as it had neuer been: And wee, that in our owne imaginations, are Lords of all, are as the dust or chaste of the earth caried from all. And what reason is there then, that these or any such like, should hinder vs in our race to∣wards heauen? He that hath an inheritance or land in the world, will not be hindred from taking the possession or enioying of it, when it falleth vnto him, by the teares of his wife, the intreatie of his children, the heape of his riches, or any such like thinges: And why should we suffer these simple conceits, to steale away our hearts from the hope and hauing of heauen? Besides, who knoweth not, that as in respect of the life to come, all these heaped vp in the greatest measure that possible can bee in this world, are not so much as a shadow of the good things that shall be reuealed. Hath the spirit said in vaine, that which the eie hath not seene, neither the care heard, neither euer yet entred into mans heart, hath GOD prepared for them that loue him? Or shall wee thinke it a lye? or that GOD ment to dissemble and dallie with vs? Oh bee it farre from vs to thinke or speake so. Is that glorious description of that holy and heauenly Ierusalem, men∣tioned in the reuelations, but a fiction or forgerie? It were blasphemie for any mans heart to imagine so: wee are rather to thinke, that God by that which is know∣en, and can bee comprehended, expresseth that which yet is hidden from vs, and shall in good measure bee comprehended of vs also, we knowing then, euen as wee are knowne now. Wherefore let vs not feare all or any of our aduersaries, or pulbacks, for true loue expelleth feare: neither let vs bee saint hearted in our selues, but labour rather to lift vp our handes which hang downe, and to strengthē our weak knees, for faithfull is he that hath pro∣mised, who will also performe it. Bee faithfull vnto the death, and I will giue thee the crowne of life. He that so run∣neth

shall bee sure to obtaine, and haue his portion with the Saints, in the heauenly inheritance, of a crowne that neuer fadeth nor falleth away. But hee that careth not for this course, must haue his portion with hypocrites, in the lake of fire and brimstone, that burneth for euermore, and be shut out of the kingdome with the fearfull, vnbelee∣uing, abhominable, murtherers, whoremongers, sorce∣rers, idolaters and such like. Wherefore as you loue life, and loth death, runne well I beseech you: yea euen as our text was at the beginning, so say I at the ending, So runne that ye may obtaine: which I doe not onely propound vn∣to you by exhortation, but commend and commit by supplication to God for my selfe and you, that euery one of vs, and I my selfe especially, may in feeling and faith say: I am now readie to bee offered, and the time of my departing is at hand, I haue fought a good fight, and haue finished my course, I haue kept the faith, from hence is layd vp for mee the crowne of righteousnes, which the Lord the righteous iudge, shall giue me at that day, & not to me onely, but vnto them also that loue his appearing.

FINIS.

Notes

• Pro. 8. 17.
• Pro. 1. 28.
• Agge 1. 2.
• 2. Cor. 6. 2.
• Mat. 25. 15. Luk. 19. 13.
• Gen. 1.
• Gen. 1. 14.
• Mat. 3. 2.
• Mat. 10.
• Mat 4. 10.
• Psal. 90. 12.
• 2 King. 2. 23.
• Psal. 25. 7.
• Deut. 6. 7.
• Mat. 19. 14.
• Exod. 3.
• Ioh. 21. 15.
• Act. 24. 25.
• Iohn 5. 2.
• Mat. 8. 29.
• 2. Tim. 3. 15
• 2. Step.
• 1. Step.
• Mathew 5.
• 4. step.
• Iudg. 9. 9.