A01379:137
Five sermons preached upon sundry especial occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habitFiue sermons preached vpon sundry especiall occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habit
Five sermons preached upon sundry especial occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habit: in Whitehall, March 29. being the first Tuesday after the departure of King James into blessedness. 2 A visitation sermon: in Christs Church, at the triennial visitation of the right reverend father in God the lord bishop of London. 3 The holy choice: in the chapel by Guildhall, at the solemn election of the right honourable the lord major of London. 4 The barren tree: at Pauls-Cross, Octob. 26. 5 The temple: at Pauls-Cross. August 5. By Tho: Adams.Fiue sermons preached vpon sundry especiall occasions Viz. 1 The sinners mourning habit: in Whitehall, March 29. being the first Tuesday after the departure of King Iames into blessednesse. 2 A visitation sermon: in Christs Church, at the trienniall visitation of the right reuerend father in God the lord bishop of London. 3 The holy choice: in the chappell by Guildhall, at the solemne election of the right honorable the lord maior of London. 4 The barren tree: at Pauls-Crosse, Octob. 26. 5 The temple: at Pauls-Crosse. August 5. By Tho: Adams.
London: printed by Aug. Matthewes and John Norton for John Grismand, 1626London: printed by Aug. Matthewes and John Norton for Iohn Grismand, 1626
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Lastly, let us see why God will choose men by the heart. I deny not, but wisdom and courage, moderation and patience, are all requisite concurrences: but the Heart is the Primum ⟨p. 73⟩Mobile, that sets all the wheels a going, and improves them to the right end. When God begins to make a man good, he begins at the heart: as Nature in forming, so God in reforming, begins there. As the eye is the first that begins to die, and the last that begins to live: so the heart is the first that lives, and the last that dies. It is said of the Spider, that in the morning, before she seeks out for her prey, she mends her broken web; and in doing that, she always begins in the midst. Before we pursue the profits and baits of this world, let us first amend our life; and when we undertake this, let us be sure to begin at the heart. The Heart is the Fort or Citadel in this little Isle of man; let us fortify that, or all will be lost. And as naturally, the heart is first in being, so here the Will (which is meant by the Heart) is chief in commanding. The Centurions servants did not more carefully obey him,1 when he said to one Go, and he goeth, to another Come, and he cometh, to a third, Do this, and he doth it: then all the members observe the Heart; if it say to the eye, See, it seeth: to the ear, Hear, it hearkeneth: to the tongue, Speak, it speaketh: to the foot, Walk, it walketh: to the hand, Work, it worketh. If the Heart lead the way to God, not a member of the body, no• a faculty of the soul, will stay behind. As when the Sun ariseth in the morning, Birds rise from their nests, Beasts from their dens, and Men from their beds. They all say to the Heart, as the Israelites did to Joshua; ⟨p. 74⟩All that thou commandest us, 2we will do: and whither so•uer thou sendest us, we will go: only the Lord be with thee. Therefore the penitent Publican smote his heart, 3as if he would call up that, to call up all the rest. It cannot command and go without.