Remember Lots Wife, Sermon 1
The firſt part. Remember.
THe Lord God, which is the true foreign, ſearcher and knower of mans heart, perceiuing the minde of man (as now polluted with many ſinnes) to be either as hard to conceiue that which is good, as the Adamant ſtone is … be pierced: or as vnable to reteine in memorie that which ought to be euer remembre… as the ſoft waxe is to holde faſt the image therein enſealed againſt the heate of the fire, and therein alſo not vnlike to the ayre that claſpeth againe after diſcloſing; doth oftentimes crie out vntounto man by his Prophets, by his precepts, by his works, by his bleſſings and wonderfull iudgemēts, Remember, Remember, and vſeth all the wayes and meanes conuenient to perſwade and drawe man to the right vſe of his memory, and that ſo much the more, by how much nature fayleth in accompliſhing this thing, and a diuine action ſupernaturall, (as it were, extreame to mans corrupt nature,) is required: for as the Stone by nature is deorſum tendens, deſcending to the centre, and the water which is not bound in, fléeteth abroade: ſo is mortall mans mind, prone alwayes to that which euill is, and neuer apt to goodnes, but by conſtraint; it ſoone forgetteth that which ought to be remembred, and buſieth it ſelfe ſemblablie in that, which ſhould be forgotten: and it is true indéede, that the heart of man is a vile thing and vnſearchable. Neither may we thinke, but that as in other things, ſo alſo in this, there is found a great abuſe, which we muſt endeuou… to take away, before the vſe can be effectuall, that is,The abuſe of our memorie. by forgetting and putting out of mind the things that we learned amiſſe, and which ought not to be reteined in mind. This forgetfulnes is a preparatiue to a good remembrance:A neceſſarie forgetfulnes. for as cléere liquor may not be kept in a veſſell, before that the corrupt be powred out, and there muſt be a cleanſing of the field, before it be ſowne; ſo before mans mind can be made apt to that which is good, it muſt be cleanſed from that which is euill. Therefore being perſwaded to Remember, let vsus make way therevnto by a good forgetfulnes. Séeing wiſedome cannot enter into a wicked heart,Sap. 1.3.4. Eccleſ. 11. verſe. 10. and wicked thoughts ſeparate from God, let vsus take away griefe out of our hearts, and cauſe euill to depart from our fleſh, and remember our Creator in ye dayes of youth. This is the wiſemans rule: firſt, to forget, then, to remember: to remoue away euill, then to plant and mainteine the good.
The Lord himſelfe is oftentimes forgetfull (as the Scriptures teſtifie) of the ſinnes and offences of penitent ſinners, and he putteth all their wickednes out of his holie remembrance, that ſo he may remember them in goodnes, as Nehemiah prayed him to do for himſelfe.Nehe. 13. verſe. 31. And héerein would our Sauiour Chriſt hauehave vsus to be like vntounto our heauenly Father, not to kéepe the remembrance of iniuries done againſt vsus by our brethren, but willingly to forget and forgiue them, as neuer minding to reuenge them: héerein,Math. 5. A wicked memorie. Themistocles of Athens. ſhall we declare our ſelues to be the children of our heauenly Father, as moſt excellently he preacheth on the Mount. From this point do worldly men farre differ, when as they can with Themiſtocles not onelyonly reteine in mind an iniurie, but ſéeke (for their profit) an vnhoneſt reuenge. But this man was cenſured to be too ſharpe of memorie, which alſo himſelfe confeſſed, whoſe words Cicero reporteth: Memini quae nolo, obliuiſci non poſſum, quae volo: That which I would not, do I remember, neither can I put out of my mind, that which I would forget. Of ſuch an vngratious memorie was Iuno noted in Vergil, who reteining the diſpleaſure cōceiued againſt the Troian Knight, did neuer giuegive ouer vexing and troubling him both by Sea and by land, till time ſhe was reuenged, which was noted a matter worthy great reproch in ſuch a perſonage, and therefore he expoſtulateth:
Tantae ne animis coelestibus irae? that is,
Should heauenly hearts harbour ſuch hatreds? And another pointeth at the follie of ſuch, Qui vir ſiem, &c. He ſhall ſurely knowe my might, what I am, and what I can do, when I hauehave drawne out of his bloud. This kind of memorie is too much vſed among men, which they hauehave brought into an Arte, vnſkilfull in the meane time of the right Art of Memorie in déede. Now louelove & charitie is cold: faith is ſcarce found vponupon the earth, the malice of man is great, and miſchiefe being once conceiued, he trauaileth to bring her foorth, neither is he pleaſed, vntill he be eaſed: whoſe wood affection and fleſhly bent,Ouid. eleg. 1. li. Ah tu ne dubita. &c. Gen. 4. another decyphereth thus:
Ah nothing but reuenge muſt eaſe my deadly wo!
In this ſort curſſed Caine remembred his brother Abel, enuying the acceptation of his Sacrifice before his owne, and therevpon tooke occaſion to kill him. Thus the Sonnes of Iacob challenged a cauſe of hatred againſt their brother Ioſeph, and ſold him away. Thus Haman in the Booke of Heſter Heſt.calling to mind, what the Prophet Samuel 1. Sam.had once done to Agag, and the Amalekites (from whome he deſcended) conſpired againſt the whole ſtocke of the Iewes. Gen. 27.Thus Eſau remembred that his brother Iacob had both ſupplanted him in his birthright, and preuented him in the bleſſing, and therevpon reſolueth: My father will dye ſhortly, and then I will kill Iacob my brother. Thus the Lords of Babylon, and the wiſe men there, enuying the excellencie of Daniell Dan. 6.in the ſpirit of Propheſie, and his royall fauour with the King, accuſed him, and cauſed him to be throwne into the Lions denne. Thus Abſalon remembred Ammon, and flew him vnderunder colour of fréendſhip. So the Scribes, the Phariſes, and the high Prieſts, remembring how the Lord had often ſpoken againſt their pride, hypocriſie, and manifold abhominations, conſpired together againſt him, and neuer left off, vntill they had nayled him to the trée. Finally,Gen. 3. the auntient enemie of Mankinde, bearing in mind that malediction, which the Lord caſt on him for his pernitious practiſe againſt man, leaueth not to perſecute the Woman and her Child, as S. Iohn witneſſeth in his Apocalyps. Reuel. 12.It ſéemeth a marueilous wiſedome to the men of this world, to imitate him therein: but they ſhall finde (as S. Iames teacheth) that this wiſedome is not of God:Iam. 3.15.16.17. for the wiſedome of God is pure, peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated, full of merciemercy and good fruites, without iudging, without ſimulation. As for this wiſedome of theirs, the ſame Apoſtle calleth it earthly, ſenſuall, and diueliſh: for where enuying and ſtrife is, there is ſedition, and all euill works. The craft and drift of the Deuill is, to ſet men by the eares, that they may worſhip him in ſuch déedes of darkenes,Rom. 13. whiles he laugheth at their madnes and folly. Sic malus exultat daemon, &c. And ſéeing againe, that by the bloud of the Lamb he is ouercome, and his head cruſſhed, he reteineth a Dragons hatred, he trippeth on his héele, he caſteth foorth water after the woman and her child, he draweth downe the third part of the Starres with his tayle, he rageth horribly, and ſtormeth ſturdely, becauſe his time expireth ſhortly: As Leuiathan in the Sea without a hooke in his noſtrels: as Behemoth in wildernes, hauing no bridle in his Iawes,1. Peter. 5. Iob. 1. and as a Lyon rampingly he walketh and ſtalketh, hippeth and ſkippeth frō one coaſt to another, ſéeking to deuoul. And for the readier accompliſhing of his deuiſes according to his deſire, do theſe his inſtruments worke alſo: whereby, as the head is full of poyſon, the heart is repleniſhed with malice, which boyling and raging cannot but breake out with ſuch eagrenes, that ſooner may the Tyger be tamed, then this miſchieuous foreign and foreign conſumer, and deſtroyer of men, be ſtopped from proſecuting his wood furie. Howbeit,Pſalme. 2. The great crueltie of men. the dweller aboue laugheth theſe mad men to ſhorne. The Scythians are ſaid to be ſo cruell and barbarous, that they eate and deuoure their parents & kinſfolks when they be dead, in ſtead of burying thē, among whome, the Eſſedonians and Maſſagetes, are chiefe: yet are they not indéed ſo barbarous and cruell as theſe, who eate vp and deuoure their brethren, euen whiles they be liuing. Againſt ſuch Cormorants crieth the Lord Wo, Wo. Theſe burie not the dead,Iſa. 5. but the liuing: theſe deuoure and eate the bodie of Ieſus in his members, and it is to be feared, that many which come to the Table of the Lord, with pretence to eate the bodie of Chriſt, do only in this ſort féede on him, by enuying their brethren, and perſecuting his members. But what gaine they by this? euen that which Iudas gained, who, when he had deuoured his maiſter, and they that ſate with him, fell headlong into an endleſſe deſtruction. They may not onelyonly ſay, Oleum & laborem perdidimus, we hauehave laboured in vaine, but alſo may iuſtly accompt with Iudas and the vngodly in hell, whoſe paſſions and groanes the wiſe man thus deſcribeth:Sap. 5.7. Wee hauehave weried our ſelues in the way of wickednes and deſtruction: what did Pride profit vsus? what gaine hath the pompe of riches brought vsus? It may be aunſwered, ſo much profit as the fire in Mount Aetna, for it drieth vp the marrow within the bones, it macerateth the face, baniſheth all good digeſtion, hurteth the mind, and tormenteth the ſoule: for the holy ſpirit of diſcipline flieth from deceite,Sap. 1.5.10.11. and withdraweth himſelfe from thoughts that are without vnderſtanding. The eare of iealoſie heareth all things, and the noyſe of the grudgings ſhall not be hid, &c. Therfore ſayth the wiſe man:Eccl. 10.6. Be not angry for any wrong with thy neigbour, and do nothing by iniurious practiſes: Or thus (as another Tranſlation yéeldeth.) Remember not eueryevery iniury of thy neighbour. Leuit. 19.17.18.And this is taken from Moſes lawe to the old Iſraelites, ſaying: Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but thou ſhalt playnely rebuke him, and ſuffer him not to ſinne. Thou ſhalt not reuenge nor wayte to do diſpleaſure, or be mindfull of wrong againſt the children of thy people: but thou ſhalt louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe: I am the Lord. This Law the Lord wrote in the hearts of his children from the beginning, and of which he expected obſeruance, when he ſayd to Cayne: Cayne, where is Abel thy brother? Geneſ. 50. verſe. 19.And this rule obſerued Ioſeph, who after many heauie iniuries receiued of hys bréethren, did neuertheles forget all, & ſpake kindly vntounto them, ſaying, Feare not now, for I will nouriſh you and your children. And King Dauid anſwered to this lawe,1. Sam. 25. verſe. 3. who notwithſtanding that Nabal did anſwere him churliſhly, and Doeg curriſhly reuiled him,2. Sam. 19. did yet at yt requeſt of Abigael put away his diſpleaſure conceiued againſt Nabal, and pardoned Shimei at his owne deſire. Stephan the Protomartyr prayed for his perſecutors, deſiring God not to charge them with that ſinne. And our Lord the true patterne of patience & pietie, prayeth thus for the enuious Iewes that crucifie him, Father forgiue them, for they know not what they do. Neither hath this vertue ſhined onelyonly in thoſe whome the lawe of God directed, but alſo in the verie Gentiles in ſome ſort, among which Ariſtides, notwithſtanding he was exiled by the Athenians, both forgaue them, and prayed for their good ſucceſſe.
Héereby the godly perſuaded themſelues,The man that forgetteth the iniurie of his brother, may the better come to God. that laying aſide all diſpleaſures, and forgetting manifold iniuries, though it were to ſeuenty times ſeauen, as Chriſt teacheth, they might with more ſafe hearts, and quiet conſciences, approach vntounto the throane of grace, with theſe and ſuch like petitions: Remember not the ſinnes of our youthfull dayes (O Lord: Pſalm. 25.) Forget our iniquities, and blot our tranſgreſsions out of thy mind. Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgiue them that treſpas againſt vsus. The Lord Ieſus graunt vsus the ſpirit of pietie and patience, to forgiue and forget the offences of our bréethren againſt vsus.
Moreouer, Dauid in his 45. Pſalme teacheth the Church,Pſalm. 45. and therein eueryevery member of the ſame, what ſhould be forgotten, that her heauenly wooer Chriſt Ieſus might be pleaſed in her:Another forgetfulnes commanded in Scripture more generall. Iohn. 3. Forget (ſaith he) thine owne people, and thy fathers houſe. Therevnto counſelleth S. Paule in his Epiſtle to the Rom. cap. 12. verſe. 1.2. and in his 13. Chapter of the ſame, verſes 12.13.14. This is that new birth, which Nichodemus with all his wiſedome is not able to conceiue: and ſo difficult and hard for the fleſhly man, which conceiueth not the things that be of God, as nothing is harder. And therefore as the valiant Captaine Vlyſſes being in Affrica, and perceiuing that his fellowes did continually languiſh with the remembrance of their Countrie, Wife and Children, which they could not forget, cauſed them to taſte of the Trée Lotos, (whereof, if a ſtranger eate, it is ſayd he forgetteth his owne Countrey:) ſo our moſt excellent Captaine Chriſt produceth vntounto vsus his holy Word, the trée of life to be taſted, eaten, and diſgeſted, with this commaundement: Hearken ô Daughter, hearken ô Iſrael: he that hath eares to heare, let him heare: and happy is he that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it: for by eating thereof, man liueth, he forgetteth old Adam, To forget old Adamand the fleſhly affections of man, he caſteth off the ſhooe from his féete with Moſes, and draweth néere to the Lord, he meditateth on the Lawe of God day and night, and is ſatiſfied with goodnes. By this was Paul put apart from the world. This quencheth out the luſt of the fleſh, the pride of life, and louelove of the world. This bringeth faith to iuſtifie man before God, and vertues to approue him before men. This harboureth men in the boſome of faithfull Abraham, whome the ruinous habitation of Adam could not preſerue. This draweth men from earthly Hierico, to heauenly Ieruſalem, and perſuadeth Iaphet to dwell in the tabernacles of Shem. Peter taſting of this,Geneſ. 9. goeth foorth at the doore, and wéepeth for his ſinne: Ruth Ruth. 2.the Moabitiſſe is hereby taken from her owne countrie and brought into Iſrael: and this pearle being ſo pretious, cauſeth a man to forſake all that hee hath, to ſell all his wealth, to buy, purchace and obtayne it. The Lord graunt vsus grace to bee in this poynt ſo forgetfull, that we neither remember to commit, nor dare bée ſo bold as to attempt ſinne: that wee neither dwell in the loathſome tents of Kedar, nor ſo much as ſauour of the fleſhly affections of impious and vngodly men.
Thus hauehave we ſeene, what things we are chiefly to forget and ſhut out of memorie. Now let vsus beholde the true ſubſtance of memorie,What to remember and ſo in the end deſcend vntounto this particular example of Lots wife.
If wee would, that GOD in goodneſſe ſhould remember vsus, and that our prayers may enter in before him,Nehe. 13. verſe. 31. Ionae. 2.7. as Nehemiah and Ionas ſayd: then muſt we not be forgetfull of that which he commaundeth to bée kept in minde. And except the Lord in his merciemercy be mindfull of vsus,Gen. 8.1. Geneſ. 19. verſe. 29. Pſal. 115. verſe. 12. as he hath bene of old time of his ſeruants Noah, Lot, Abraham, Dauid, Ionas, Manaſſes, and others, to whome in extremitie hee ſent comfort and helpe, we may be compared to Sodoma and like vntounto Gomorrha, wee cannot ſtande in the congregation, but bee confounded in iudgement, wee ſhall want that which may helpe vsus, and finde whatſoeuer anoyeth vsus: and being baniſhed from the benediction of Gods children, ſhall incurre the heauie curſe of his enemies. And a moſt fearefull thing is it to be forgotten of the Lord. For there is nothing remayning, but curſings in the towne and in the field, going out and comming in, in the baſket and in the ſtore, in the bodie and in the land, and in whatſoeuer is taken in hand: a ſick bodie and a faint heart, maymed members and a doubtfull minde: in the morning wiſhing for the euening:Deut. 28. in the euening deſiring the morning: vengeance from heauen: an hell vponupon earth. Of this portion drinketh the vngodly, to whom there is no peace, ſaith the Lord, ſeeing they bee aduerſaries to the Almightie and baniſhed from his preſence,Iſai. 40. as cleane out of his mercifull remembrance.
The faithfull children remembring theſe things with conſiderate mindes, hauehave reſorted vntounto the Lord, praying him in goodneſſe to remember them. Thus prayed Salomon: O Lord God, 2. Chro. 6. verſe. 42.refuſe not the face of thine annoynted. Remember the mercies promiſed to Dauid thy ſeruant. And ſo prayed that noble Captaine Nehemiah: Nehe. 1.5.8. cap. 5.19. ca. 13.31.O Lord God of heauen, the great and terrible GOD, that keepeth couenant and merciemercy for them that louelove him and obſerue his commandements, &c. I beſeech thee remēber the worde that thou commandeſt thy ſeruant Moſes. Againe, Remember me (ſayth he) in goodneſſe. That patient man Iob in his great afflictions cryed out vntounto the Lord: Remember that my life is but a wind. And King Hezekiah turning his face to the wall,2. Kin. 20.3. prayed in this manner: I beſeech thee, O Lord, remember now, how I hauehave walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart, and hauehave done that which is good in thy ſight. Baruch, in the behalfe of the captiue Iſraelites: Remember not (ſayth he) the wickedneſſe of our fathers, but thinke vponupon thy power, and thy name at this time. The Prophet Dauid, being moued with an excellent ſpirit,Pſa. 74.20 and 137. Pſal. 119. verſe. 49. ſingeth vntounto the Lord: Remember thy couenant and promiſe: Remember Sion: be mindful of thy mercies, &c. Finally, the condemned théefe on the Croſſe with our Sauiour, ſayth vntounto him: Lord remember me, when thou comeſt into thy kingdome. Theſe godly deſires vttered with a faithfull heart hauehave not bene put backe, nor was the Lord vnmindfull of his louelove: but as he remembred Noah and eueryevery beaſt and all the cattel that was with him in the Arke: and as Chriſt remembred Peter, Mary, Paule, & the théefe on the Croſſe:Pſal. 115. verſe. 12. So (ſayth Dauid in the behalfe of all the faithfull) The Lord hath bin mindfull of vsus, and he ſhall bleſſe vsus, and he will bleſſe the houſe of Iſrael, he will bleſſe the houſe of Aaron, he will bleſſe them that feare the Lord, both ſmall and great. Pſal. 105. verſe. 8.42.He hath been alwaies mindfull of his couenant and promiſe that he made to a thouſand generations. Therefore let not the vngodly any longer ſay vntounto the Lord: Depart from vsus, Iob. 21.14 Sap. 2.wee deſire not the knowledge of thy waies. Who is the Almightie that we ſhould ſerue him? And what profite ſhould we hauehave, if we ſhould pray vntounto him? For the candle of the vngodly ſhall bee put out, their deſtruction haſteneth on them, their hope is as a drie thiſtle flower blowen of the winde: they leade their liues wantonly, and ſodainly they go downe into hell. And as for vsus, let vsus put our truſt in the Lord, and conſider deeply and duely to what ende the Almightie hath beſtowed on vsus that excellent treaſure of Memorie: Let vsus endeuour rightlie to vſe the ſame by printing therein enough theſe fiue worthie things following. viz.
1 The Lord God, and his actions both of merciemercy and iudgement.
2 Our brethren, and that duetie wee owe them.
3 Our owne ſelues, what wee are, and wherevnto ſubiected.
4 The finall and generall Iudgement, for which wee muſt wayt and prepare our ſelues.
5 Laſtly, this memorable example of Lots wife: and this laſt do I referre to the ſecond part of my generall dunſion, as the onelyonly matter or ſubiect for the action commanded in my preſent text.
A good memorie is here required.Now, if a man could remember with Cyrus King of Perſia, who was able (as Solinus reported) to call eueryevery one of his Souldiers by his proper name, when as his hoaſt was exceeding great: Or if a man had the mindfulneſſe of that mayde which can hardly forget her attire, as Ieremy ſaid: yet could we not reach herein to a ſufficient perfection. But as for our ſelues, I feare me, we be ſo farre of, that we may rather be iuſtly compared to one Meſſala Coruinus, who albeit he was ſometime a graue Senatour in Rome, and much commended by eloquent Cicero for many vertues, did yet, a two yeeres before his death become ſo forgetfull, that he remembred not his owne name. Which kinde of forgetfulneſſe hath come vntounto diuers other alſo, either by infirmitie of nature, or by extreame ſickneſſe, or by dotage, or by exceſſiue cares. And would to God, that our naturall infirmities, our ſinfull agonies, our damnable dotings in blind affections, and our worldly carefulnes had not maymed vsus with this maladie: then might we hauehave eſcaped that reproach of the Iſraelites: The Oxe knoweth his owner, Iſay. 1. verſ. 3.and the Aſſe the cribbe of his maiſter: but my people hauehave not knowne me: they hauehave forgotten me. Although wee cannot denie, but that we hauehave our earthen veſſels with Agathocles, thereby to remē ber our originall: and with Peter hauehave heard the Cock crowing thriſe in our eares, to put vsus in minde of things memorable: yet it is true, that we hauehave forgotten oftentimes that we ſhould minde, hauing our cogitations blinded with Satans enchantments, that ſometimes we will not heare to obey the Word of God, be it preached neuer ſo wiſelie. This point of folly noteth S. Iames in the man,Iam. 1.23. that beholding his bodily face in a glaſſe, but going his way, forgetteth immediatly what manner of one he was. Héeere is great forgetfulnes, from the which the Lord kéepe vsus. Let vsus vſe the talent lent vsus, knowing that as well for that one, as for the tenne, an accompt is required, and a reckoning muſt be made: and that good ſeruant ſhall be commended with a double reward, when the vnprofitable wretch ſhall hauehave his talent taken from him, and himſelfe double puniſhed.Remember God and his Workes. Eccleſ. 12. verſe. 1. Let vsus remember the Lord and his meruailous works.
The wiſe Salomon commandeth vsus to remember God, and therewith to obſerue the time conuenient, ſaying, Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, whiles the euill dayes come not, nor the yeeres approach, wherein thou ſhalt ſay, I hauehave no pleaſure in them. To this duty did Moſes often incite and ſtirre vp the forgetfull Iſraelites, who neuertheleſſe, after innumerable benefites receiued of the Lord, remembred him not,Iudg. 8.34 but forgat ye Almighty that begat them, & God that formed them,Deut. 32. verſe. 18.19.20, &c. which cauſed him in anger to correct them, to whet vp his glittering ſword for them, and his hand to take hold of Iuſtice againſt them, to execute vengeance on them, and to reward them that hate him. This Dauid hauing conſidered, exhorteth thus: Seeke the Lord and his ſtrength: Pſal. 105.…Seeke his face continually. Remember the meruailous works he hath done, his wonders, and the iudgements of his mouth. And thus let vsus remember the goodnes of the Lord firſt generally on all mē: next on his Church and holie congregation, and then on euerie particular member thereof: and conſidering the ſame, let vsus aſcribe all prayſe, honor, thanks and maieſtie to him for euer.
He hath not only created man,The merciemercy of God but in merciemercy preſerued him, and prouided louingly for him. He maketh the Sunne to ſhine as well on the vniuſt, as on the iuſt, and giueth raine to them both, mouing all men to remember them, and without this dutie, they be touched with intollerable ingratitude. But as for his Spouſe the Church, Dauid ſingeth of his louing mercies and goodnes vntounto thē in this manner.Pſal. 115. He bleſſeth them aboundantly that feare the Lord both ſmall and great: he encreaſeth his graces towards them, euen towards them and their childrē: for they be the choſen generation, the royall Prieſthood, the holie Ieruſalem, and bleſſed of the Lord, that made heauen and earth. And therefore this eſpeciall little flock hath the Lord wonderfully defended and kept vntounto himſelfe holy, ſafe, and vndefiled before him. Although the holy Church is as a buſh in fire burning, yet is it not conſumed: though as a Ship toſſed, yet not ouerturned: though as a woman trauailing, yet neuer dead; and though as a Vyne pruned, yet neuer ſterued. And as for this particular branch of the Church wherein we liue, the verie land ſauoring of the ſwéetnes of Gods merciemercy, we are forced to confeſſe, that the Lord hath not dealt with eueryevery Nation as he hath dealt with vsus, and do find by full experience, that the Nation is bleſſed which hath the Lord for their God. Laſtly, if eueryevery particular man ſhall duely conſider with himſelfe, and remember how many excellent bleſſings he hath receiued of the Lord to the beawtifying of his body and ſoule, oh God, how ſhall he be forced to prayſe and bleſſe him in the ſame with endleſſe comfort? Aboue all, when there was neither ſufficiencie of wood for burnt offerings in Libanus, The goodneſſe of God in Chriſt.nor Cattell inough vppon the Mountaines of Iſrael for Sacrifices: when there was none able to treade the Wynepreſſe, nor any able man to bind the ſtrong man: when there was none able to breake downe the wall of ſeparation betwéene God and man: nor to rent aſunder the vaile of the Temple: when there was not ſo much as one ſufficient for zeale, to ſtand vp in the gappe that was open,Ezech. 33. to turne away the Lords diſpleaſure from man: then cauſed he his owne arme to helpe his Church, and eueryevery member of the ſame: he ſent his owne Sonne Ieſus into the world, who to the comfort of his children, ſayth, Lo, Pſal. 16.heere am I, to do thy will, ô Father, as in the beginning of the booke it is written of me. And this is the ſame which euen vntounto me (may eueryevery Chriſtian man ſay) is become Righteouſnes againſt Sinne, wiſedome againſt folly, holynes againſt corruption, and fréedome againſt bondage: my righteouſnes by his reſurrection; my wiſedome by his word; my holynes by his ſpirit; my redemption by his death. Oh that men would therefore prayſe the Lord for his goodnes, and remember the wonderfull works wrought by him for the children of men! Oh that they would take vp the cup of Saluation with Dauid, and call vponupon the name of the Lord, for all his benefites towards them.Pſal. 116. Iſai. 46. Exod. 20. Oh that they would remember to ſanctifie his Saboth. Remember the lawe of Moſes his ſeruant, and their ſinnes in breaking that Lawe, and thereof be aſhamed: and remember, that Ieſus Chriſt of the ſéede of Dauid is raiſed againe from the death.2. Tim. 2. verſe. 8. Such and ſo great and maruailous is the Lord in his mercies vntounto his children, after the purport of his promiſes made to Abraham and Dauid his ſeruants.Remember Gods iudgemēts on his enemies. But as for his enemies, which anger him with ſtubborne rebellion, which fight vnderunder the banner of Satan againſt him and his children, they be ſubdued to his iudgements which on them he hath declared, by rayning downe ſtormes and tempeſts, plagues and deſtructions, according to the effect of that communication & threatning, which Moſes in Deutr. 28. doth denounce againſt them full of bitternes and woe, which alſo with the cauſes thereof, the Lord reiterateth in the 31. of the ſame, ſaying:Deut. 31.16.17. This people will riſe vp and go a whoring after ſtrange Gods of the land whether they go, and will forſake me, and breake the appointment which I made with them: and then my wrath ſhall waxe hoate againſt them in that day, and I will forſake them, and will hide my face from them, and they ſhall be conſumed, and much aduerſitie & tribulation ſhall come vponupon them: ſo that they will ſay, Are not theſe troubles come vponupon me, becauſe God is not with me? How theſe Iudgements hauehave béene executed on the Iſraelites, it is mentioned in the bookes of the Iudges, Kings, and Chronicles of Iſrael, as in many other bookes of the holie Scripture: and how the remainder of theſe things méeteth with the future Apoſtates, S. Iohn deſcrieth in the ouerthrowe of Babylon, with the great Whoare.Reuel. 18. Oh therefore that men (conſidering this) would ſtand in awe and ſinne not: Kiſſe the Sonne before he be angrie, and learne of Dauid truely to proteſt in this ſort:Pſal. 116. Pſal. 77. verſ. 8. &c. & 119.52 55. I hauehave ſet the Lord euer before my face: I remembred the yeares of the right hand of the Lord: I remembred the works of the Lord certainly. I remembred (O Lord) thy wonders of old, and I did meditate in all thy works, and did deuiſe of thine Actes. I remembred thy iudgements of old, euen the examples wherby thou declareſt thy ſelfe to be Iudge of the world, and I hauehave bin comforted. And I hauehave remembred thy Name ô Lord in the night, (in the night when other ſleepe) and hauehave kept thy lawe. Dauid did obſerue this, Dauid teacheth the ſame to vsus, and this muſt we alſo do. Remember God and his works.
Fiue things which moue vsus to remember God.There be (among other) fiue things which may moue vsus, or perſwade vsus the rather to this dutie. The firſt whereof is, the due cōſideration of the frame of the World, which a certaine Philoſopher ſaid was his onelyonly Library, for in beholding the ſame, he ſawe the magnificence of Gods power, knew him therein, and kept him in memorie.Rom. 1. The verie Gentiles were occaſioned héereby both to knowe and remember God, though they worſhiped him not as they ſhould,Pſal. 19. as Paul reaſoneth, Rom. 1. And as the Heauens declare the glorie of God, and the Firmament his handie worke, ſo the excellent harmonie of all the creatures conſenting therevnto, moueth the mind of man to kéepe the regiſter thereof. The ſecond thing is the perſon of man, called by the Gréekes foreign, a little World, wherein is the view (as it were) of all theſe things. The auntient Philoſopher Triſmegiſtus draweth men to the knowledge and mindfulnes of God,In lib. de poten. & Sap. dei Dialog. 5. by the conſideration of mans bodie. Age fili, ſaith he, circumſpice humani corporis opificium, cuius admonitione perdiſce, quis tam pulchrae imaginis conditor, &c. Go to (my Sonne) looke about the workemanſhip of mans bodie, by the admonition wherof learne perfitly, who is he which hath made ſo beawtifull an image. And peruſing eueryevery part and member of the body, he concludeth thus: Behold how many works of diuine Arte are in this one matter demonſtrated, eueryevery of which is moſt ſightly and handſomly proportioned, and ſo, that eueryevery of them yet differeth from other in his proper office. But who hath framed theſe things? what father? what mother? Is it not that onelyonly inuiſible God, which of his owne will hath done them all? And another Philoſopher ſaith, that a man hauing in his bodie ſo many ioynts & members, as there be dayes in the whole yeare, is thereby put in mind of Gods goodnes, and moued to remember him continually. Héerewith, if we conſider the hidden treaſures of the Soule, and ſo include the whole man, we ſhall be euen deuoured with zeale, and forced to ſing ioyfully with Dauid: O Lord, Pſal. 134.14.I will feare thee: for I am fearefully and wonderfully made, marueilous are thy workes, and that my ſoule knoweth right well.
Thirdly, the word of God written and preached vntounto vsus,The word of God. teacheth vsus plainely, not onelyonly what God is, what his will is: what he hath done, but alſo in what ſort he is to be ſerued, and how to be remembred. Without this Remembrancer, he ſaw all our memorie to be forgetfulnes, all our knowledge, ignorance: all our wiſedome fooliſhnes: all our policies péeuiſhnes, all our ſight blindnes: had not the Lord giuen vsus his word written not onelyonly in the heart, but euen in Tables of ſtone, braſſe, iron, &c. to remaine a Schoolemaiſter vntounto vsus for euer: how had the creation of the world, the making of man, the building of the woman, the placing of them in pleaſure, and cauſe of their paine bin remembred? How could the promiſe of the Lords merciemercy in Chriſt, the drowning of the world, the burning of Sodom, the preſeruing of Lot, and the puniſhment of Lots wife, bin brought to our knowledge? Yea Moſes himſelfe would ſoone hauehave forgotten what was written in the tables of ſtone which he brake, had not the Lord written it againe with his owne finger. Neither had the precepts and lawes of the Lord bin remembred in the poſteritie,Deut. 11. had not the Lord commaunded the children of Iſrael to write them in the poſts of their dores,Deut. 17. &c. and the Kings to coppy them out for their inſtruction. And this charge was giuen to Iſaias the Prophet.Iſai. 30. Now go and write it before them in a Table, and note it in a Booke, that it may be for the laſt day, for euer and euer. And of this benefite Dauid ſpeaking, ſayth: This ſhall be written for the poſteritie. And had not the Lord giuen vntounto them his Word to be a light to their féete and pathes, a ſtaffe to ſtay them, a rule to direct them, they could not but runne a whoring in ignorance with the heathens, worſhipping not onelyonly birds, fourefooted beaſts, and corporall images, the Gods of Ekron, Baalpeor, Dagon, Aſteroth, Moloch, and ſuch, but euen the Deuill himſelfe, contrarie to that commaundement of God to them:Deut. 6. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. Againe, had not the Lord commanded in his Word, the Paſchall Lamb to be eaten eueryevery yeare, had not the Serpent bin lifted vp in the wildernes, had not Manna bin reſerued, had not circumciſion bin giuen to Abraham, Pſal. 78.the lawe and ſtatutes to Iſrael, they would ſoone hauehave forgotten altogether, and turned the ſeruice of God into Idolatrie. Finally, we at this time would ſoone forget that excellent benefit offered vsus in Chriſt Ieſus, had he not willed his Goſpell to be preached, and inſtituted his Sacraments with this commandement: Do this in remembrance of me. I knowe your memories be weake as the water, and ye by nature forgetfull, therefore yet do this one thing for my ſake, thereby to remember me, and declare my death till I come. Let vsus therefore conſider this, and thereby remember God and his works.
Fourthly, when God ſawe how oftentimes he was ſhut out of mens minds, eſpecially when they were full and in proſperitie, he vſed often to correct and puniſh thē with manie and ſundrie aduerſities, to ſtirre them vp to conſider of his goodnes and power,Affliction bringeth men to God. to remember him in their beds, and to runne vntounto him in their afflictions, to call vponupon him in trouble, and glorifie him in his mercies. He well knew, that as the frozen with cold beſt thinketh of fire, the hungrie of meate, the naked of clothes, the priſoner of libertie, the condemned of pardon: ſo men be earneſt to ſéeke after God,Hoſ. 5. and to remember him, eſtéeming more of his merciemercy in time of wrath, then of his iudgements in time of grace. As for examples, King Manaſſes in the priſon remēbreth God, whome in his proſperitie he had forgotten. Ionas in the Whales belly remembreth that obedience to the Lord, which before was ſhut out of memorie.Pſal. 51. Exod. 2. Ier. 31. Dauid in his miſerie crieth peccani: Iſrael in Aegypt crie vntounto the Lord, and Ephraim in captiuitie complayneth hartely.
Thus the Lord purgeth the golde from the droſſe in the fire: thus winnoweth he the corne from the chaffe in the winde: thus ſcoureth he the ruſt from the yron on the fretting ſtone: thus driueth he the rebellious through fire and water, vntill they acknowledge with Nabuchadnezar, Dan. 4.25 37.that the moſt high hath power ouer the kingdomes of mē. The polluted veſſell is with water waſhed, the raw fleſh is ſeaſoned with ſalt, the dropping vine muſt bee pruned with a knife: the weake ſtomackes muſt hauehave bitter wormewood: the ſlow Aſſe a whip, the heauie Oxe the goade, the idle ſcholler correction, and the fleſhly Chriſtian ſower affliction. This driueth home the loſt ſonne to his father, and the wanton daughter to her mother. And herein will the Lord begin at his owne houſe, and execute this iudgement on the trees that be greene, whatſoeuer become of the drie trees. And therefore, when we feele the touch of Gods iudgements either in minde, bodie or wealth, let vsus know ye cauſe, and conſider to what ende the ſame is inflicted, and ſeeke remedie thereof at the hand of God with Ephraim, Dauid, Peter & Magdalen. And ſo remember God, &c.
Fiftly and laſtly, when the Children of God after their repentance,Wonderfull deliuerance. tryall and ſufficient experience of the Lords Iuſtice and merciemercy, hee wonderfully deliuered to their great comfort, they hauehave a great occaſion giuen them to remember God and to glorifie him.Iudg. As in the time of Gedeon, when all hope was paſt, they had a marueilous deliuerance from Madian. As in the time of Sampſon, Iudg.when all hope was quailed, they had a great victorie and deliuerance from the Philiſtines. As in the dayes of Saule, when Iſrael was oppreſſed by the Philiſtins againe.1. Sam. 17. Goliah was ouerthrowne, and Iſrael deliuered. As alſo in the time of the Kings of Iſrael and Iuda, God gaue great victories to ſmall hoaſts agaynſt mightie Nations. A great inſtigation of them to thinke on the Lord & his wonderful works. And becauſe we hauehave receiued great things, and obtayned wonderfull deliuerances of of the merciemercy of our God, let vsus not forget the ſame, but ſing vntounto him heartelie with ſongs of deliuerance.
The ſecond thing that we are willed to remember is, our bréethren.Remember our brethren. Firſt thoſe among them, that hauehave the ouerſight of vsus, and which ſpeake vntounto vsus the word of God, as the Apoſtle chargeth,Heb. 13.7 whoſe end of conuerſation conſidering, we muſt follow their faith. And theſe be they which ruling well, are …compted worthie of double honour. Neither muſt we neglect to beſtowe on thē our temporall things, which deliuer vntounto vsus the Spirituall treaſure. And this is a part of that honor which we be commanded to yéeld to our parēts. Exod. 20. But how hardly the iudgement of man cenſureth theſe labouring perſons, with what grudgings they yéeld to them of their wealth, and with what gaineſaying the Miniſtery is furthered and relieued, all men may ſée. This is not to remember,I…. 5. but forget thē. Wo vntounto him that defraudeth the labourer of his iuſt hire whereof he is moſt worthie. The remembrance of theſe is often mentioned in the Lawe:Le…. and ſo is that mindfulnes of our poore brother,Deut. 16. to whoſe néede we muſt not be gréeued to conferre.Pro. 31. Tob. This Berſabe alſo remembred in her wiſe leſſon to her yong Lemuel, Rom. 12.Prou. 31. And Tobiah to his ſonne. S. Paul chargeth the Romaines and others, to giuegive chéerefully to the poore:2 Cor. 9.7. to do good, and forget not to diſtribute: to remember the priſoners and the poore Saints,Heb. 13. Gal. 2.9. 1. Cor. 16.1. Ro. 15.26. Act. 10. and for ſuch he himſelfe cauſed diuers collections to be made, and thereto laboured with his hands. He commended them much of Macedonia and Achaia for the ſame thing. The noble Nehemiah, mindfull of his poore bréethren, did neither craue that wages he ſhould hauehave exacted, nor ſuffered any man elſe to oppreſſe them. But alas, there is a commō cry of the poore in eueryevery place, whoſe faces be grinded with the extortions of the wealthie, and this pitie hauehave they found: Am I (ſayeth Cayne) the keeper of my brother? is his ouerſight or protection committed to me? am I bound to reléeue him? Theſe perſons be not of the mind of Chriſt, which ſaith: Weepe not Widowe, but of the mind that Diues that rich man was, who could rather permit poore Lazarus to cry and dye at his gate without compaſſion. But heare that terrible ſentence againſt ſuch vnpitifull people. Math. 25. When I was hungrie yee fed mee not, when I was thirſty ye gaue me no drinke: therefore depart from me ye curſed.
VntoUnto this dutie belongeth that, not to forget to deliuer the oppreſſed frō the hand of his oppreſſor. And that alſo, to be gratefull & thankefull to our bréethren that hauehave both laboured for vsus, and comforted vsus with their charities, whether they be poore or rich.
This thing not onelyonly the verie Heathens hauehave taught, by painting foorth their three foreign or Graces: but alſo the verie brute beaſts & birds, as ye Elephant, the Storke, yea the earth inſenſible, which yéeldeth to her tiller a double reward. But alas, among vsus that be Chriſtians, we oftentimes find this verified, No man remembreth the poore man, Eccles. 5.14.15.that by his wiſ…dome deliuereth the Citie from the great King: Pharaohs Butler hath quite forgotten Ioſeph, though he earneſtly requeſted him to remember him to the King:Gen. 40. verſe. 14. yea the vnthankefull Sichemites hauehave not onelyonly quite forgotten the goodnes of Gedeon towards them,Iudg. 9.18 but are likewiſe conſent together with Abimelech, to riſe vp againſt him and his houſe. Thus Ioas remembred the goodnes of Iehoida the Prieſt, which had bin his only ſtay and preſeruation, in riſing vp againſt Zacharias his ſonne and killing him.2. Chr. 24.20.21.22. It is great vnkindnes not to requite a benefite receiued: ſo it is to forget, or not to acknowledge it: but oh moſt horrible is that vnkindnes, which recounteth good things with euill things: from this kind of obliuion the Lord deliuer vsus: and a true mindfulnes of our bréethren we beſéech him to giuegive vsus: and heerevnto may we be the better induced by the remembrance of our owne ſelues. This is the third thing which we are willed héere to remember.Remember our ſelues. To know our ſelues, is a profitable perſwaſion to the knowledge of God, & imitating of Chriſt in our duties.
Heere might we be put in mind of our eſtate and condition in this land, which to remember, is moſt profitable, that being admoniſhed by others examples, we may (after Pauls caueat) take heed we fall not, although we thinke we ſtand.1. Cor. 10. And let it be remembred, that as the fiue talents gained fiue other, ſo is it expected, that our great aboundance of Gods bleſſings, ſhould yéeld ſemblable thankefulnes, the want whereof bringeth dread and fearefulnes: by the conſideration of the vnprofitable ſeruant, the diſobedient ſonne, the barraine fig trée, and vnfruitefull Vine: and I pray God, that in this our time of peace, we do remember not only of whome we receiue it, but alſo what belongeth to the ſame: I ayme only to that, which I ſhould with many more words expreſſe But more particularly let eueryevery man looke into his owne eſtate and condition, as deriued from the common condition of all men, as fold and ſubdued to ſinne, and thereby to infirmities, miſeries, and death. To this point the Apoſtle bringeth all mē, when he ſaith, All men hauehave ſinned, and héereof tooke that generall calamitie his originall, Thou art duſt (ſayth God to Adam after his tranſgreſſion) and into duſt thou ſhalt returne againe. This is particular to euerie man, and this is generall to all men. Heereof is man called mortall, fleſh, graſſe, vani…e, a vapour, a lyer, a corrupt feede, the child of inconſtancie, and duſt. Let men remember this, what man is, that they may not waxe proude,A man doth ſeldom remember himſelfe. being but duſt and aſhes. But alas, this is ſo hard a thing for them, as nothing is harder, to perſwade them ſelues what they be, what their life is. And therefore, whiles they note the condition of their tenures, whether they hold their land in fee ſimple, fee tayle, terme of life or yéeres, and accompt when their leaſes may expire, they neuer remember the condition of their owne liues, how good or euill they bee, they note not how they drawe to ende, and thinke not of death, which lingreth not.
This was that notable and wiſe ſaying, which Symonides, Simonideswho (as Cicero reporteth firſt found out the arte of Memorie) vttered before Pauſanias the Lacedemonian King at his banquet, being willed by the King to ſpeake ſomething excellent and of importance: Remember, thou art a man, ſaith he. The King hearing it, tooke it ſcornefully at the firſt: But afterward being ſhut vp in priſon and in miſerie, where alſo he dyed with famine, he called to minde that word of Symonides with great ſorrowe, ſaying: The words were in deede of great importance, but I through mad pride eſteemed them nothing. The like in a maner read we of rich Croeſus, who in proſperitie forgat himſelfe, and what Solon had taught him, till time that Cyrus brought him to recognize his eſtate and miſerie with imminent execution of death. But Philippe of Macedonia did more wiſely prouide for his memorie, when a boy cryed to him eueryevery day: Philippe, Remember thou art but a man. And this is common to eueryevery one: he is a man: then mortall: then ſubiect to miſeries: then of ſhort life and continuance. This is the effect of Iobs deſcription of man: He hath but a ſhort time to liue,Iob Man is a Pilgrim. yet replete with many miſeries: he commeth vp as a flower from the earth: he floriſheth a little while vponupon the earth: he is cut downe and withereth in the earth. Which alſo Iſaiah in his 40. Chapter:Iſa. 40.…. Ia. 1.11. 1. P. 1.1…. S. Iames in his firſt Chapter, and Sainct Peter in the firſt Chapter of his former Epiſtle do effectuallie applie. Man commeth from a ſinfull wombe, liueth in a wretched place, & goeth to a ghaſtfull gulfe. Remember this. Olde father Iacob was moſt mindfull of this, which he alſo taught to King Pharao, before whom Ioſeph his ſonne preſented him. How old art thou? (ſayd Pharao to him) he anſwered: the whole time of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirtie yeeres, fewe and euill hauehave the daies of my life been. He is a pilgrime. A ſimilitude neere one in effect with that of Iob likening man to a flower, and with that of the Lord calling man duſt. For as the flower is oppreſſed with many annoyes in heate and cold and of ſhort time: and as the duſt is now moyſt on the groūd, then drie, flying in the winde, without certeyntie or conſtanines: So is the pilgrime, a ſtraunger from home, looking to his place of reſt, and euer trauayleth till he come thether, oppreſſed each while with many great daungers and miſeries.Hebr. 11.10.13. The fathers (ſayth the Apoſtle) all dyed & confeſſed themſelues to be ſtrangers and pilgrimes on the earth; and that they ſought for a Citie hauing a foundation, whoſe builder & maker is God. Some ſay, that this pilgrimage of man, is ſet forth by the example of Hagar, the handmayd of Sara: Gen. 16.4who flying from Abrahams houſe wandred in the wilderneſſe, and was councelled by the Angell to returne agayne to her Miſtris. But Dauid truely confeſſeth:1. Pet. 2.11. I am a ſtraunger and pilgrime with thee, as all my fathers were. And ſo may we ſay eueryevery one of vsus. Therefore let vsus abſtaine from fleſhly luſtes: therefore let vsus walke and not tarie. Let vsus not chooſe the luſtes of ſinne that hinder vsus: proceede wee towards Ieruſalem that holy Citie, and euer recognize our condition and duetie of life. Here agayne wee be warned to looke backe to our former time, what wee hauehave been: that wee hauehave been vile ſinners, offenders agaynſt God, tranſgreſſors of his law, ſtraungers from the commonweale of Iſraell, and ſlaues in Aegipt vnderunder the tyrannie of our ſpirituall Pharao. Wee are alſo admoniſhed to looke before vsus, both on things preſent, and alſo to come. If we be the children of God brought into his merne…ous light by Ieſus Chriſt, from bondage into freedome, from ſinne into righteouſneſſe, from the power of the deuill to the grace of God: let vsus bee glad and reioyce in the Lord with continuall thankfulneſſe. If yet any be in ignorance, in blindneſſe, in ſinne, in ſtubbornnes of heart, and thereby contemne the Goſpell: let him feare, tremble, quake, ſtand in awe of Gods iudgements: but yet not forget a timely and fruitfull Repentance. Neuer to bee merie nor ſing, nor leaue of to pray, aſke and craue pardon, vntill a mercifull deliuerance: as that birde, which being enſnared neuer leaueth crying vntill he dye or bee deliuered. And hauing future things before our eyes, as markes whereto men ſhoote: forget not, but remember daylie and hourelie (O thou mortall man) that Mors non tardabit, Death commeth on without tariyng.Death haſteneth on thee, reſpecting not any ornament or treaſure either of bodie or minde. For be thou neuer ſo fayre and well fauoured, yet with fayre Abſolon muſt thou dye (though happely not in that ſort) and in the kingdome of death there is no difference betweene Nireus and Therſites, Nireus. Therſites.of whom the Poets feigne, the one to be the fayreſt, the other to be the moſt deformed of all them that came to Priamus, pallace, or Troy: and that they ſtriuing in hell after death, who ſhould bee preferred, verdit was giuen (Menippus being the Iudge) that there was no difference betweene them. Herevnto alſo commeth, as well Diues, as poore Lazarus: aſwell wiſe Salomon, as fooliſh Nabal. But thou braggeſt of thy parents Nobilitie, and then art of gentle blood, &c. What of that? Can theſe things deliuer thee? No truely. But hearken what I heare one ſay: Te, quide nobili generoſitate tuorum parentum tumeſcis ſuperbia, interrogo, &c. I demaund of thée (ſaith hée) which art puft vp in pride by meanes of thy noble Parentage, whether thoſe thy parents bee either dead or liuing? If they be liuing, knowe this, it will not bee long ere they will dye: for death commeth on them with ſpeede. If they bee dead, then hearken what S. Auguſtine ſayth:Aug. de. ver. Inocen. ca. vlt. Reſpice eorum ſepulchra, & aliorum pauperum, & vide quis dominus, quis pauper, diſcerne ſi poteris vinctum à Rege, fortem à debili, pulchrum à deformi, &c. Behold their Sepulchres, and the graues alſo of poore men, and ſee, who is the Lord, who is the poore man: diſcerne if thou be able, betweene the King and the priſoner, the ſtrong man and the feeble, the beautifull and the vglie. Looke vppon their ſepulchres, and I ſuppoſe, thou mayſt not finde any great difference there, betwene the rich man and the begger, except peraduenture in this, that in the rich mans graue thou maiſt finde a greater ſauour of corruption, than in the poore mans pit, for that he was fed more delicately in his life, than the poore man.De. van. ſeculi. The ſame Auguſtine ſayth againe in a certayne Sermon: Conſidera &c. Marke well the groanes of them that hauehave lately beene your companions, what they hauehave béen, what they now be, and how vainlie their wealth ſerued to their profite. Lo, there is nothing of them remayning to bée ſeene: but aſhes, which if they could now ſpeake vntounto you, would vtter theſe words: O ye vaine men! to what ende doe ye ſo ouerlade your liues with vices & ſinnes? Looke vponupon our bones, and thereby bee aſhamed of your inſatiable couetouſnes. Quod vos eſtis, nos fuimus, & quodnas fumus, vos eritis: What you bee now, hauehave we been, and what now we bee, ſhall you be hereafter. O ye fooles, remember, that in one night,Luke 12. that great foole mentioned in the Goſpell had his ſoule rapt from him, vncerteyne of his heyre. O man, remember, what betided that glorious Rich man which was clothed in purple:Luke. 16. death taketh holde vponupon, and is throwne downe into torments, notwithſtanding the ſolemnitie of his funeralles.Hug … de …ma. Dic mihi (ſayth another) vbi ſunt amatores ſeculi, qui tam magni fuerunt? Dic, quid eis profuit inanis gloria, breuis latitia, mundi potentia? Tell me, where be now the friends of this worlde become, which hauehave been of ſuch eſtimation? Shewe me, what their vaine glorie, their ſhort gladneſſe, their worldly pompe, their fleſhly pleaſures, their falſe riches profited them? What is become of their laughter? of their ſport? of their boaſting? Here ſee wee the corps giuen to the wormes, and peraduenture their ſoules appoynted to perpetuall torments in another place.
Baruch alſo, to draw men to the conſideration of the power of God vponupon the proude Potentates of the earth, and to the mindfulnes of mans condition, ſayth:Baruch. 3.16.17.19. Where are the Princes of the heathen and ſuch as ruled the beaſtes vponupon earth? They that had their paſtime with the foules of the heauen, that hoorded vp ſiluer and gold, wherein men did truſt, and made no end of their gathering? They bee come to naught, and gone downe to hell, and other men be come vp in their ſteades.
And to ſhewe, that not only man, which is compared to the graſſe, but alſo that all his wiſedome and glory (which is compared to the flower of the graſſe by Saint Iames) ſhall decay:1. Cor. 1.20. hearken what S. Paule expoſtulateth theron. Where is the wiſe? where is the Scribe? where is the diſputer of this world? hath not God made the wiſdome of this world fooliſhnes? Herevnto haſteneth man, and herevnto commeth his glorie in the ende: which to remember is verie profitable for al men, as Syracides ſaith, and as Moſes wiſhed to his people.Deut. 32. For men hauing once numbred their dayes, they be moued to ſet their mind on wiſedome, as Dauid ſaith: and hauing conſidered the manifold dayes of darkenes, they will remember God the ſooner in their youth,Eccles. 11.2. as Salomon counſelleth: they will caſt away the déedes of darkenes, and put on the armour of light, as Paul exhorteth, that whiles the Sunne is not darke, nor the light, nor the Moone, nor the Starres, nor the Clowdes returne againe after the rayne:Eccles. 12.2.5.6. before man go to the houſe of his age, and the mourners go about the ſtréete, and the duſt returne to the earth as it was. Thus muſt we remember our ſelues. God graunt we forget not our ſelues. When man forgetteth himſelfe and his condition, there is none euill which he will feare to commit. God make vsus mindfull of this.
Remember the latter IudgementFourthly, becauſe the houre of death is vncertaine, and yet death which is moſt certaine bringeth man to the iudgement, and this, as was the other, is a forceable Argument to ſtirre vsus vp, to examine our ſelues, to cleare our ſelues, to prepare our ſelues with Lamps burning in our hands, and loynes girded with ſtaues to the iourney, with watchfull hearts euer liſtening when the Tromp ſhall ſound to the battaile: let vsus in any wiſe imprint this memorandum in the tables of our mindes: Our God ſhall come, and will not be ſilent. Pſal. 50. Mat. 25.Chriſt will come in the glorie of his Father, and all the holie Angels with him, ſitting vponupon the throane of his glorie. Before him ſhall be …rought all Nations to be iudged, and be ſhall diuide them one from another, as the Shepheard diuideth the Shéepe from the Goates. And we ſhall all ſtand before the tribunall ſeate of Chriſt, and giuegive accompts of all that we hauehave done.
Thus Enoch, Iud. verſ. 14.15.the feauenth from Adam (as Iude ſayth) propheſied. Behold, the Lord commeth with thouſands of his Saincts, to giuegive iudgement againſt all men, and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deedes, which they hauehave vngodly committed, and of all their cruell ſpeakings which wicked ſinners hauehave ſpoken againſt him. This thing did that holie man thinke vponupon with due expectation, which ſaid, that whatſoeuer he did, he heard this dreadfull doome ringing in his eares, Surgite mortui, venire ad iudicium, Ariſe ye dead, come to iugement. Oh remember this ye that forget God, leaſt he take you away, and there be none to deliuer you. For in déede, when all ſtand before the tribunall ſeate of Chriſt, there ſhall be no excuſe allowed of the wicked, to pacifie the terrible diſpleaſure of the Iudge, when the accuſations ſhall be produced againſt them. Then neither Goliah with his ſtrength, nor Croeſus with his riches, nor Haman with the Kings fauour, nor Abſalon with his beawtie, nor Achitophel with his craftines, nor any worldly man with his vanities, ſhall be able to preuayle.
5. Lots wife.The laſt thing which I ſayd we ſhould remember at this time, is Lots Wife, which I referre to the latter part of my generall diuiſion, whereof I mind to ſpeake (and God will) in the after noone. The Lord God of his merciemercy graunt vsus grace to conſider of his goodnes and mercies towards the children of men: to put diſpleaſure out of our hearts, to forget our owne people, and our fathers houſe, and to worſhip the Lord by a thankefull and reuerent remembrance of him, of our bréethren, of our ſelues, and the iudgement prepared, that ſo with the true vſe of memorie, we may the better walke in our duties, and tend to the end of our deliuerie, which is to ſerue God in holines and righteouſnes all the dayes of our life, before him, as Zachary ſingeth, Luc. 2. Luk. 2.and that which vponupon our preſeruation is required, as Dauid concludeth, ſaying: He brought them foorth from Aegypt, with ioy and gladnes, that they might keepe his ſtatutes, and obſerue his lawes, Pſal. 105.45. Which, God graunt we may alſo kéepe and obſerue, to his glorie, and our comfort in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, to whome with the holie Ghoſt, be all honor and glorie, world without end. Amen.
The end of the fyrſt Sermon.