A01379:303
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.
Evil deeds may have sometimes good meanings; but those good meanings are answered with evil recompenses. Many bestow their labours, their goods, their bloo•s, and yet receive torments in stead of thanks. When the Apostle bids us mortify our earthly members, 1he does not intend violence to our selves, but to our sins. ⟨p. 46⟩There is one mortification, to cast our selves out of the world: there is another mortification, to cast the world out of us. A body macerated with scourges, disabled with fastings, wearied with pilgrimages; was none of S. Pauls mortification. Who hath required this at your hands? Where is no command imposed, no reward proposed; no promise made, if you do; no punishment threatened, if you do not; what fruit can be expected but shame? Must we needs either do nothing, or that which is worse then nothing? Shall we offer so much, suffer so much, and all in vaine? Quis haec à vobis? Let him pay you your wages, that did set you on work. Never plead your own reason, where God hath set a plain interdiction. He that suffers his faith to be overruled by his reason, may have a fat reason, but a lean faith. That man is not worthy to be a follower of Christ, who hath not denied himself; therefore denied his Reason; for his reason is no small piece of himself. If Reason get the head in this divine business, it presently prevails with will, and will commands the affections: so this new Triumvirate shall govern the Christian,2 not Faith. But as when three Ambassadors were sent from Rome, to appease the discord between Nicomedes and Prusias; whereof one was troubled with a Megrim in his head, another had the Gout in his toes, and the third was a fool; Cato said merrily, that Embassy had neither Head, nor Foot, nor Heart. So that ⟨p. 47⟩man shall neither have a head to conceive the truth, nor a foot to walk in the ways of obedience, nor a heart to receive the comforts of salvation; that suffers his reason, will, and affections, to usurp upon his faith.
Euill deeds may haue sometimes good meanings; but those good meanings are answered with euill recompences. Many bestow their labors, their goods, their bloos, and yet receiue torments in stead of thanks. When the Apostle bids vs mortifie our earthly members,