~j~lf ____ ~{ ______ TJ_ . h_e_ftfi~t_b_S_E~R-M~O~N~--~} ______ tth well, may ever come there to know, how hot that fire, or how terrible that TI1ej!yning, er'I't1l4n. lil.mve10. VerlCJf: torment is. ·' Thefefivewords are (all) withinthecompaffe ofthe Verfe it felfe; and may ferve(every one)as an.Ule, to fall:~nourmerm>ryto this croffe: that, we may ever remember it and never forget it, and, never forgetting it, never feele it. ,This tl}enis hiscroff'e. Welong ·(I know) t0 have it takend~wne; outearesare dainty, and the matter melancholike, and we litrldove to heate rt ftood on fo long. But, chryfojlome faith well of rhatjire: Nrmqt~id, fi tMflimm, extinximm ? Ifwe fpeakenot ofit, willitgoe out~ No, no :jive loqrwnrer, jive· ta,·eamm, ardet ille: fpeake we, or keepe we filence, it burneth frill, frill it burneth. Therefore, let us JJe•ke, and thinkeof it, and let it ftand in the name of Gon .: Et exerceamm audit""'· (faith the good Father) ne tta mollc(c,,t,andkeepe our eares m·exercrfe,thatthcy grow not nice. If, to heare ofit, be painfull; to feele it will be more. The invention is to kecpe theexaltation, to rake it up. For, none fo neare it as they, qrti nun toflunt, donee fnper.imponitrer, that rakeit not up,till it belaid upon them. · Thus, we have feverally feene the counter-points ofthis crojfe: the top, which is in vit!t, in this life; and thefoot, which reacheth ad novijima inferni, to rhe bor– tome ofhell. It remaineth we tenon both thefe together,as Antecedent, and Con– flquent: Th•r• didjl receive: Now therefore. ' Firft, that they may be: • And then, how thl}y may be joyned. Fdlf..then we finde, that Recepifli is, as it ends : and that, by this example, it may end inmeciaris, and prove the one end ofan heavie Croffe. Which firfl: bringeth us out ofadmiration of the riches ofthis life. When we fee, that thefegood things, which (afterthe tax ofthe world) are counted, and (in a manner) ftiled theonlygood things, and in the deceitfull ballance ofthis world, weigh downe Ahrahams bofome; be not ever demonftrative fignes of Go o's fpeciallliking : Norrhey, ipfo faflo highefiin His favour, that receive them in greateft meafure: Nor peradventure (as CH R r s T faith) fo highly accompted of in Heaven, as they be on earth. There– fore,rhey that haverhem,not to reflect too much on them; nor be ideo injlati (as faith Saint Aregujline) qreia ohferi.-ati; as much pride in their foule, as purple on their body. And they that have them not, not to«mulari, vex and grieve rhemfelves at Naba!t wealth, Hamans preferment, this mans table; feeing therecommeth a lam vao; and when that commeth, we lhall fee fuch an alteration in his ftate, as he that wifheth him worfl:, lhall wilh, ;hat for everygoodthinghe received here, he had received a rhoufand; and (with Saint Eernard) Vt omnes lapidcsconverterentut in rof"' ,that eve– ry ftone under his feet here had beene turned into a rofe. Such is his cafe,now: and fuch theirs, that come where he is. Is this all~ No. But, as it bringerh us out ofadmiration; fo it bringeth us into fMrc. for, two things it offereth, either of which is, or may be matter offem. r. Firfl:,inthat heis Abraham's{Bnne. That Ahraha1nhath, ofhis feed, inhe//: and that all his fonnes lhall not reft in their Fathers bofoiiJe, Which olfereth us occafion to feare, for all our Profejion. For, though he were afonne too, and fo acknowled· ged byAbraham, yet, there he is, now. ::t In that he is ofAbraham's richfonnes, and one that receivedgoodthings in his life. Which miniftreth new matter of feare : that (as the Prophet faith) Tophet ispreparedofold, and that evenfor great ones; for fuch asgoe in purple, and weare fine limun, and fare fit!! daintily : Even for fuch, is it prepared. Nor, as every prifon, for common perfons; but, as Tophet (or the Tower) for great Eftates. So that it may feeme,.either ofboththefe have their danger at their heeles;For, that, they to him were; to many, they are: and to us, they may be, as Antecedents to an evill Confeq~tent. . Men verily may flatter themfelves : But fure, I can never rhinkc but there JS more, in this 2'{.ow therefore, than the World will allow. And that tbisRecordareof AhrAham's
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