MOngst all the Volumes of the booke of God there is none repleate with matter of more admiration , exhortation , imitation of wonders , precepts , vertues , then the Pentateuch , or , 5. bookes of Moses . As Psal. Dauid , my song shall be of mercy , and iudgement : heere mercy and iudgement are met together , truth and righteousnesse haue kissed each other . Iudgement , Adam sinnes , Adam sweates : Eue sins , Eue smarts : Serpent sinnes , Serpent creepes : Cain sins , Cain runnes : Noah sinnes , Noah shames : the world sinnes , the world swimmes : Sodom sinnes , Sodom burnes : Pharaoh sinnes , Pharaoh drownes : Chorah sinnes , Chorah sinkes : Semper certa venit vindicta , si sint dilecta nostra delicta . Mercy : The great Monarch of this great All , daigning to become all in all : a Taylour to Adam , a Saylour to Noah : a Pilot to Heber , a Car●uan to Abraham , a co●uoy to Isacke , a ladder to Iacob , a chariot to Ioseph , a mid-wife ●o Moses , a leader Psal. to Israel : ( oh thou that leadest Israel as a sheepe ) she was the sheepe , hee the sheepheard that Israel might Psal. sing with the singer of Israel .

Led them from Canaan where bread was wanting : Fed them in Egypt where food was abounding● bred them in Goshen to numbers exceeding : till another King arose that knew nor Ioseph : that knew not the indulgence they had by Ioseph , but knew to increase the afflictions of Ioseph : it is rare to finde posterity heire of his fathers charity . Dolor & voluptas Seneca . inuicem cedunt ; br●u●or voluptas : their Halcyon dayes are now at an end : mirth had presented the former Scene , now sorrow 〈◊〉 in to act her part . Iealous was Pharaoh of Exod. 1. 10 their multiplying powers , therefore makes policy his pyouer to vndermine their strength . Come let vs worke wisely ; as if Machia●●lisme Exod. ● . 11. should be christened by the name of wisedome . Taske-masters are appointed ouer Israel .

They should not bee Israel in this their perigration , did they not wrestle with God in many an affliction . Pharaoh supposed , that continuall working would coole their desire , and power of begetting ; as if , Sine Cerere , & Baccho frigat venus : * * Dum moritur viuit . Naz ' ligabantur inclu debantur cedebantur torquebantur & multiplicantur . Aug. de ciu. dei . l. 22. Exod. 1. 15. but Gods vine is euer more fruitfull with bleeding palme , and Cammomill more fertile with treading . Then Shiprah , and Puah must be bloody Lucinas , to murther their males as soone as they are borne : but though Misraim be flesht in Cain-like cruelty , their feminine hearts are suppled with mercy .

Now the people must drowne whom the midwiues had spared , Exod. 1. 22. like bloody executors of their masters will ; while the streames of Nilus are the infants Sepulchers . Nilus was made white with bodies , bare bodyes of Innocents drowned : Nilus was made to swell with teares , salt teares of mothers that mourned : Nilus was filled full of cryes of Fathers that lamented : Fathers , mothers , brothers , kinsfolks , sorrowing for their babes , and would not be comforted , and would not be comforted because they were not . In this persecution Moses was born ; Exod 2. 2. the mother reioyces when a man-child is borne , but quickly this ioy was Eclipsed with mone : hee cannot abide in Egypt with safety , nor reside in Iochebeds arms with security , but must bee exposed to Neptunes mercy : where euery gust is like to ouerwhelme him , and euery billow like to swallow him . A cradle of bulrushes is the babi●boat , a bark of Exod. 2. 3. reedes the little ones ship , but God was the Pilot , Christ the mast , faith the anchor , loue the sayles , hope the tackling , confidence the decke , therfore hee could not but arriue at a happy port . Pharaohs daughter came Exod 2. 5. 〈◊〉 . foorth to wash her in the coole streames of Nilus to bath her , heard a cry , saw no creature , at last she beheld the precious casket , where beauty pleaded , and begd reliefe , whilst his mourneful Oratory pierc't her heart . Her heart was struck with gentle compassion , yet her toung could say t' is an Hebrews child : yet this Hebrewes childe must bee her sonne : he the sonne , shee the mother : onely there wanted a milkie nurse , and who so fit a nurse to suckle him , as she that felt such throwes to beare him ? ( when we doe seeme most deiected , the prouidence of God is most declared . ) No doubt , but oft the Lady did visite him , as much reioycing when shee beheld him , nor Orphan-like did shee nourish him , but what court , or schoole could put into him , was duely administred . But who can wash the Ethiops skin ? or who can hide the Leopards spots ? or make him forget hee was an Hebrew ? though nurture often alienate nature , as Lycurgus intimates in his Lacedemonian whelpes , here partus sequitur ventrem , insomuch as all the honours in Egypt could not weane Moses from calling his nurse mother : or winne him from willingly suffering with Israel . A good soule cannot but grieue with others , and haue a feeling Sympathie with its fellow members . He walkes forth and beholds their miseries , and as he well can ; reuenges their iniuries . An Hebrew , and a Gypsye are at contention , hee rescues the Hebrew , Exod. 2. 12 , 13. slayes the Egyptian . An Hebrew , and an Hebrew striue together , ( domesticall broyles are fullest of dangers : ) his courteous Rhetoricke can nothing win , behold an Egyptian in an Hebrewes skinne : a full vessell must needs vent , a great heart must needs speake , a turbulent stomacke cannot stay : wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian the other day ? oh with what impatient passion 14. doth a galled heart receiue admonition ? Then did Moses flye into Midian : 15 : Caelum mutat , non mutat animum , change of soyle doth not change the soule , but a man that is good , in euery place will bee doing good : Quis enim celauerit ignem ? If he cannot yet free the Israelites from Pharaoh , he will ayde the wronged Exod. 2. 17. daughters of Iethro : they attend their sheepe and come to water them , the ruder shepheards keepe the water from them : a currish mind and churlish disposition , hath no respect of sex or condition . Moses perceiues them the weaker vessells , therefore thrusts himselfe betwixt them and dangers , and by his vndaunted valour , and magnanimity , assures , and secures them from the Shepheards inhumanity . Their olde Father is quickly told it , and with hospitall welcome entertaines him for it : and being a great and wealthy peere admits Exod. 2. 21. him his seruant , adopts , makes him his sonne in law , and sends him abroad to follow his sheepe . Now he that in Egypt followed his book , in Midian betakes himselfe to his hooke . Moses his hooke , as Peters net , Pauls tent , and Iosephs rule may minister to vs this short instruction , that neither greatnesse nor Note . goodnesse neede to bee ashamed of an honest vocation . Forty yeares in Egypt a Courtier , and forty yeares in Midian a Shepheard ; a solitary life , yet he likes it , a melancholy calling , yet he continues it . He was not ignorant of Court-cares , that A●lae culmen sublime lubricum , hee that climbes the highest , falles the soonest , therefore a priuate , and retyred life in a higher degree doth more content Note . him . Hee that hath true worth in himselfe , and outward , or inward familiarity with God , findes more pleasure in a Midian wildernes , then others delight in Princely Pallaces .

While innocent Moses followes , and tends his innocent lambs , God doth graciously appeare to him visibly ; idle persons are not graced with visions : Idlenesse is a cushion Note . whereon Satan sits , where hee appeares , or rather suggests manifolde temptations . God had beene euer present with Moses , yet he had neuer seene him till now . When Adam Gen 3. 8. did ill , hee would haue hid him in a Bush : when Moses did well , God is seene in a Bush . A great wonder , in a small matter : that a tender bush should burne with fire , was nothing marueilous , but that the fire should not burne the bush , was truely miraculous .

A true Embleme of the true Church , and of euery true member of the Church .

The Church of God is resembled to a Bush .

The worldling brandes it with markes of basenesse : the Papist scornes it because of the smallnesse . In the worldlings eye , the Church is a bush : the bush is low ; low , and Wo●dling . contemptible : the Church is base , base and despicable . Tune credis Christo ? credis crucifixo ? Was the common quaere in Augustines time . What tu ? Mecaenas atanis edite regibus ? Thou hast beene of great report ? thou who hast borne a goodly port ? wilt thou be stigmarized with the name of Christ ? the shame of 〈◊〉 vita 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . Christ ? a new and wicked superstition . A Carpenters sonne , a carpenter himselfe , and ver dolorum , a man of sorrowes ; that had not so much as a house to be borne in , but borrowed a stable : not a bed to be layd in but borrowed a manger : nor a pot to drink in , but borrowed a pitcher : nor an horse to ride on , but borrowed an Asse : nor a roome to eate in , but borrowed a parlour : nor a graue to be buryed in , but borrowed a Sepulcher : thy Gods debasement , will be thy disparagement : being an offence to the Iewes , madnesse to the Graecians , dotage vnto worldlings : a seditious Serres pag. 652. Aug. Cos. lib. 11. vermine ( saide the Duke of Guise ) but ( seditious Duke ) good words we pray : Al●ud est ridere ▪ aliud est videre , the naturall man sees not the things of God , and no maruell , for he sees naturally when the things of God must bee discerned spiritually . Therefore with Hilary Hil ▪ de T●●n . 5. we may say with hilaritie : Oh stulta mundi sapientia , Christi opprobrium , non sentiens esse Dei virtutem , & mundi stultitiam , non intelligens esse d●i sapientiam : oh vnwise wisedome of the worldly wise , not vnderstanding the opprobrie of the son to be the glory of the Father : nor that which is esteemd folly with men to be the inuincible prudence of God . Then let rides be changed to vides , then let vides be chang'd to fides , and faith will refell this preiudicate opinion , faith will repell this supercilious traduction , for faith will tell though Foras nigra , yet intus formosa : though foule without , yet faire within , a faire soule , though a foule skinne : the Kings daughter is all Psal. 45. glorious within , behold thou art faire my loue , behold thou art faire , Formosi pecoris custos , formosior ipse . Cant. ● . 1.

In the Papists eies , the sound Church ● Papi●● . is a bush , the bush is smal , and of no repute : our Church is vile , and of no esteeme . Theirs is a Ceder , ours a shrub ▪ their 's a vine , and a pi●e , ours doth pine , and they repine . They haue antiquity , pleade visibilitie , vniuersalitie : wee are a company of few , obscure , contemptible people , lurking from time to time in shades and corners , knowne to few or none . Theirs hath had , and yet hath a fa●e Farther p●rs . 2. par● of 3. 〈◊〉 uey . Dr. Hill . ●●as . ● . B●●●●wood inq●i●y , cap. 14. greater sway in the world then any other euer had , or hath , how truely spoken let Brerewood iudge : the Christian part of the world ( all professions and sects of that name put together ) is as fiue : the M●●umetanes as sixe : the Idolaters as nineteene , beside that Heathenish tract of Terra incognita , so farre is that from truth which this our Islands naturall sonne , bragd in behalfe of his Romish spirituall mother .

But let them bragge : we know who bragges of the greatest number : Antichrist . I confesse indeede R●u. 19. the number of ●he faithfull , is lesse far then the number of the faithlesse : there is more chaffe th●n corne in the Lords barne : more ●ares then wheat in the Lords field : for one No●h and his family ( beeing but eight ) the whole world drownd for their wickednesse : for one Lot and his houshold being but foure , all the cities of the plaine burnd for their vngodlinesse : for one thankefull Samaritan , nine vngratefull leapers : for one Ier. 3. 14. Reu. 3. 4. Elias 450. Pseudoprophets : but one of a city , and two of a ●ribe : a few names in Sardis . Christs sheepe are not many ( Pauci , pauperes , pusilli , ) for quanti●y ; but more then all the rest for quality : hee esteemes more one of his mysticall members , then all the worlds vnhallowed members : yet is it not Gods family so small as to be measured by humane Geography : for it is no● tyed to the seed● of Iacob , as the Iewes would haue it , no● to the s●yle of Aff●●● as the Donatists would haue it , nor to the Sea of Rome , as Popelings would haue it : but God hath chosen for the children of Abraham all that haue the faith of Abraham , and for the tribes of Iacob all that worship Ioh. 4. 23 ▪ the God of Iacob in spirit and truth . Then doe not preoccupate the Lords seat , take not vpon thee to iudg thy brethren , neither doe thou despaire of thy selfe , but leaue iudgement to God , and looke for mercy of the Lord : his foundation is sure , and hath this seale , Dominus 2 T●● ▪ ● . 1● nouit qui sunt sui , the Lord knoweth who are his : and we know that we are his , our Church is his . Though they boast of their numbers , des●ising our handfulls : saying , all the world is theirs , scarce any corner ours , and who can choose but suspect D ▪ 〈◊〉 a few ? we dare , and can share equally with them , with our reformed Churches opposed to them , and if we could not , this rule of theirs will but teach vs to aduance Turcisme aboue Christianity , and Paganisme aboue Mahumetry , the Word aboue the Church , and Hell aboue Heauen : if any proofe can be drawne from altitude , you know all , the Ceder is vnfruitfullest : if any proofe can bee drawne from multitude , hee that knowes all sayes , the best are fewest . Thus our Church is a bush , low in 2 in it own eyes . others eyes , so is it a bush , low in it owne eyes .

I am dust and ashes ; I am a worme and no man : vermis sum , non v●r , I am of no estimation , reputation : I am a man of polluted lips : I am not worthie of the least of thy mercies ; I am not worthy vnder whose roofe thou shouldst enter ; I am not worthy to vnty the latchet of his shooe ; I am not worthy to be called thy sonne ; I am not worthy the name of an Apostle : humble , lowly , bushy-confessions , sifting themselues to a course braine , farre from that humerous , tumerous , Thrasonicall , Pharisaicall , Pyrgopolynice●icall Braggadochio . Aug. hmo . 30 de verb. dom secun . Luk. that shows not vulnera , but munera , not his wounds , but his worth ; not his misery , but his brauery . I thanke God , I am not like other men , while Luk. 18. 11 the silly bush , the poore Publican stands a farre off , as not daring to approach the Mount of Gods glory , casts downe his eyes , as acknowledging himselfe guilty , knocks vpon his brest , the closet of his impiety , and with a looke deiected , soule perplexed , voyce submitted , cryes out Domine miserere mei , Lord be mercifull to me , to me , I say not thy sonne , I 13 haue so offended thee ; to me , I say not thy seruant , I haue so displeased thee ; to me , I say not thy friend , I haue so abused thee ; to me , I say not thy creature , I haue so rebelled against thee , but Domine miserere mei peccat●ris ! Oh Lord be mercifull to me a sinner : so good a follower of the Son of God , is the child of God : Ma● . 11. Aug. de te . Learne of me to be meeke ▪ & humble , Cum humilitatis doctor● non ●r●t superbia tua : Pride and peace cannot dwell together , but learne of me to be meeke and humble , and you shall Mat. 11. 2● finde rest to your Soules . Humility is the mother of tranquility : & quanto quis humilior , ta●to Christo similior : The more humble thou art , the more like ●hy Maister thou art : but Pride like Colloquintida will imbi●ter a whole pot-full of pottage .

Though beauty , wealth , and wisdome , all thou hast ,

Pride will them all demollish quite at last .

Oh be not ignorant of what thou art , Dumus , Rubus , a Bush , a Shrub , nequam , nequicquam , nought , nor ought : Thy Body is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as much to say , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thy Soules Sepulcher . Thy Soule is anima , as much to say as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a winde that passeth speedily , and that passeth the winde in vanity : Thou wast Corpus , a Body , but Cor is gone , thy heart lost , onely Psal. pus remaines putrifaction , so vaine a thing is man : Then esto quodes , bee what thou art : Thou art low , bee lowly : As holinesse , so lowlinesse becomes the Saints .

Thus for stature , now for nature : 2. Nature . Our Church is a Bush . Naturally and for the most part to a Bush belongs these parts , R●di● , Ramus . Cortex , folia , fructus . A Bush hath naturally a Roote : secondly a Body : thirdly Barke : fourthly Branches : fiftly Leaues : sixtly and fruit , so hath Scaliger de Subtil . ex● . ● 40. P. 2. the Church , onely heer 's the difference , they haue their branches vpwards , wee our branches ( legges and armes ) downwards : wee inclosed in a skinne , they in a barke ; they haue their mouth in the earth , wee ours towards Heauen , &c. Christ is the Root , the Root of Iesse , the Root Roote , Rom. 15. 12. Esa. 11. 1. Reu. 5. 5. Esa. 53. 2. Esa. 11. 10. of Dauid , called a Root in his Conception : a Root in his Passion : a Root in his Ascention : a Root in the generall Iudgments discussion . Now is the Axe layd to the roote of the Mat. 7. tree : thou bear'st not the root but the roote thee : As the roote is to the Bush , so is Christ to the Church .

No other foundation can any man lay than Iesus Christ , which is already layd : angular stone , immoueable rock , elect , & precious : There is none other named in heauen or earth , by whom to bee saued : though some think that Philosophers may be saued without him . But other rootes hath Rome . Rome ; thus they say : thus they pray , Papa Domine mei miserere ; O Lord Pope in thee is my hope , haue mercy vpon mee : and qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nostri ; as the Sicilians to Pope Martin the 4 : thou that takest Serres Inuentory . away the sins of the world haue mercy vpon vs . To the Virgin :

Further : Guili . Nenbrigens . ● l. 2. cap. 16

The Guilt of sin put from thee : & infinite other : Rotren rootes , Egyptian reedes , waterlesse welles : of noe life , force , strength . Sunt infirma quaedam refugia , ad quae cum quis fugerit Aug. in Ps. 45. magis infirmatur , quam confirmatur : they that trust to them are not onely deceaud in them , but weakned by them . But Christ is the roote of our saluation .

Other Rootes hath the Carnall Carnal . men , & women ; taking , making ; staues , and staies ; broken staues , rotten stayes : meere Quagmires to themselues . As the Courtier that builds his houses on the fauour of 1. Courtier Princes , whose breath is , ( and shal be shortly ) in their nosthrils : Trust them not , non est Salus in e●s ; their is no health in them , no help in them : the Salue of their tongue like the Saliua thereof hath some venome in it . Psa. 146. Psa. 82. 6 Dixi Dii , I haue sayd you are Gods ; but you shall all die , & die like men : for what are they , but as thou thy thy selfe ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule and soyle , the one nothing but a puffe of wind ; the other nothing but a pile of dust : Greg. Naz. Esa. 2. 22 ▪ Gen. 2. 7. both shall passe away , euen as the wind scatters the dust . And who would trust dust ? it wil slip out of thy hand and deceaue thee ; & more than so flie in thine eies and blind thee : viri magni sunt montes naufragosi , quo Nauem quisque cum impulerit soluitur : Aug. in Iohan . Tract . mightie men are mightie rocks , thy ship splits if thou launch towards them . The Lawyer : the root of whose tree is a mercenary Fee . Woe bee 2 Lawyer . vnto you Scribes and Lawyers Tenures , Offices , Sutes , and Pleaes , Wars & Iarres ; procure your ease : and how could you feed so fat without them ? But , Nouerint vniuersi per presentes : bee it known vnto all men by these presents , that such siluer-Causidicists money-Spermologists , shall once plead hard at the barr of Gods iudgment , & shall not be hard : their Case shall bee ill like a Chancery-bill , pittifully complaining , not mercy obtayning , whilst Bribery is raigning .

The Vsurer : who growes on a 3 Vsurer . Ba●ke ; his mind is on his Mine , that s his Roote , & there hee rootes . But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * loue of money . 1. Tim. 6. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : Philargury is the roote of villany : Couetuousnes , fo●ntaine of wickednes . He sels the ayre , takes mony for time , contracts with Satan , giues his soul for surety , when hee puts out his mony , puts his hand to the bill , when he receaues the vse . But the Condition of this Obligacion is such , that if Luk. 19. 8. hee doe not Zacchize ( restore ) presently ( and hee le bee hangd first ) he , & his heires shal bee quite extinct .

The Minister : whose Roote is in the Chancel not the Church : Tythes and glebes , commendams and qualifications ; are that h●e growes vpon : Hara domestica , his owne Stie ; not Arae Dominica , Gods house : not caring to , 1 Feed 2 feed 3 feed ; either by his 1 teaching , 2 liuing , 3 releiuing : but Carking wholly to feed himselfe , shall I say wjth Ezechiell with a Barley-loafe ? noe , with the Panada of finest Manchet , while the Temple of god remaines vnbuilt . O Prophet couet not profit ; t is time , if euer , now to awake least like Ionas his Gourde , thy meanes slake , and Ionah 4. 7. thy Superintendency another take .

Epicure , de grege porcus . That is a 4 Epicure . louer of pleasure more than of God therefore pleasure , not god is his root , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he grows in the Celler vnder the tap , or else in some corner in a wantons lap : either carousing the three Ou ts ; 1 wit out of the pate , 2 drinke out of the pot , 3 coyne out of the purse : or hazarding all at the three Innes , 1 ciuilitie in Bedlam , chastitie in a Bawdy-house , 3 reuenues in the compter . Are not most of our Despots turnd Tospots ? musicke for the eare : beautie for the eie : Pomanders for the nose : Banquets for the tooth : healths for the throte : ( noe health for the body ) Hell for the Soul . But Oh bone Iesu , fons indificiens , Tu humana corda reficiens ; Ad te curro te solum sitiens , Tu mihi domine solus suffici●ns : Oh sweete sauiour thou art our stay When these mundane props shall vanish away , Thou art that Roote that shall neuer decay .

As Christ is the fundament ; so he 2 Nourishment . giues aliment , iuyce , and nutriment , moysture and nourishment to the Bush , his Church . Radix est os ●t stomachus arboris ; the roote is the mouth and stomacke of the tree : mouth to feed it , stomach to nourish it : giues sustentation , which breedes vegetation , and fructification ; nor would it haue verdure , or greenish tincture , without this sappie moysture ; but would bee leaueles , liueles , & fruitles . Euen so Christus est os et stomachus fidelis ; Christ is the mouth and stomach of his Church ; mouth for instruction , stomach for refection : manna of the soul to feed mans soul : bread of life to breed mans life , sowen in heauen ; reapt in earth ; in'd by Mary ; thresht by the Pharisies ; ground on the crosse , betweene two stones , beetweene two theeues ; baked in the Sepulcher ; distributed , in the Sacrament , where god doth impart to euery faithful branch its part : Sumit vnus sumunt mille , quantum isti tantum ille : whoeuer feedes on this refection , eates and drinkes his owne 1 Cor. 11. saluation ▪ my flesh is meat , my blood is drink ; flesh and blood , meate and drink ; meate indeed , drinke indeed : Psa. therefore as the Hart thirsteth for the riuers of water ; so doth my hart thirst for this heauenly moysture .

The Bush hath a bole , trunke , or 2 Bodie . Rom. 12. Eph. 4. 4. body ; so hath the Church : we are many members , yet but one body glued , and serued , and cemented together ; with the morter of Vnitie plaster of Amitie , asphaltum of Vnanimitie ; where the King is the head , Councell the eies , Iudges the eares , Lawes the teeth ▪ Pastours the toung ▪ good Houskeepers the stomache , Husbandmen the feet , Souldiors the hands ; the Pope was the haire , the haire of the head aboue the crowne ; till Harry the eight did shaue him downe . God grant his trentals still to bee excrements .

We are all baptized into one body . 1 Cor. 12. Why doth then the Guelph & Gibbelin , why doth the red and whitros● faction , or Papist , Hugonet , or Precisian , harrow and til the soyl of dissention ? Vnum corpus , vnus a●●mus ; one Bole , one Soul : but of this succinctly , 1 Cor. 10● 3 Barke . cause by others sufficiently .

The Bush hath a Barke , so the Church .

The Bark to the Bush is a beauty or ornament : 2 a couer or tegument : A good conuersation is such to the christian : this doth Corpus tegere , Cor protegere ; deck the soul , protect the body & moues god to respect both . A fa●re Rinde argues a good mind ; good Conuersation a signe of sanctification ; as virtuous manners are precious treasures , commodious to vs and also to others , to vs ad iustificandum though not effectiuely : so we are iustified by Christ , not apprehensiuely , so wee are iustified by faith yet declaratiuely by iust and holy virtuous workes . So our Sauiour of himselfe , the workes that I haue d●● beare witnesse what I am : to others ad aedificandum that others seeing our workes on earth , may glorifie our father which is in heuen . V●●●tur exemplis , man is led by practice , more than instruction , like pliable wax for any S●neca Epist. lib. 1 Epist. 1. impression . But if you bee either male agentes doing wickedly , or nihil agentes lying idly , or aliud agentes vnbeseemingly , your Couer is gone , your honour 's none , you are barkles Bushes , naked Forresters . Moreouer the Bush hath not onely a barke without , but also a little Filme within : so haue god● Darlings , as faire outward parts , so good inward hearts , corporall vrbanity , and cordiall sinceritie , as knowing that , Sermo interpres cordis apud v●rum , cor interpres sermonis apud Deum ; men iudge of our harts by Philo-Iud . the outward countenance , but god of our works by the inward conscience : therefore as they hang out a bush , so they haue also Wine , lodginge for Christ as well as a signe .

As pargetted walles , so garnished chambers , & furnished closets , swept & washt , rubd and pared from dust , cobwebs , filth and rubbish ; ab offensis le●ioribus smaler offences , and suauioribus sweeter concupiscences , & grau●oribus grosser vices : know you not that you are temples of the Holy Ghost ? but the holy-ghost will not dwell in those temples , where En●y stands at the doore , Wrath leanes in the porch , drunkennes lyes on the ●●●ore , Gluttony sits at the table , Lechery keepes the bed , & Pride lookes out at the window .

Let vs now with Zacche get vp to 4 Branches . the branches , that we may eie & espie our beloued Iesus . The bush hath aboundance of twigges , redundance of sprigges , sprouts , & shuts , boughes , and armes : so hath our slender tender Church : whereof some are temporall , some spirituall : the issue of the wombe , the issue of the word : nor without the former can wee haue the later : for no filij soeculi , no filij coeli , no generation , no regeneration : barrennesse was a curse among the Iewes , wee thinke it a crosse among vs Gentiles . Children are the first , the best blessing . Thus could ▪ Iuno preach to Ae●lus .

And thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. His wife shal bee like a fruitfull vine by the house sides : his children like Oliue branches round about his table : vt Angeli in circuitu throni dei , like a garland of angels round about gods throne : vt stellae in circuitu Poli Arctici , as a garland of stars round about the North-Pole . Alcibiades asked Socrates how hee could indure the chiding of his wife ; Socrates ask'd Alcibiades how hee could indure the cackling of his hens , sayes the one pariunt pullos my hens hatch me chickens ; but the other parit filios , my wife beares Psal. me children . Happy he that hath his Psal. quiuer full of them , he shall not be ashamed to speake with his enemie in the gate : they preserue our Species , and after a sort make vs immortall , by deriuing life from the roote to the branches , from the Father to the Son , from the Sonne to the sonnes sonne in longinquum , as Dauid speakes for many generations . But because many of these are not milde but wild , not fertile but stertile , not streight , but crooked branches , some like Cain butchering their brothers , some like Nero , murthering their mothers , some like Ammon defiling their sisters , and others like Ham , reuiling their Fathers , let vs cast our eyes a ventre ad verbum , from the issue of the wombe to the issue of the word . As many as are begotten by the word of God , are branches of the bush , members of the Church of God . God husbandeth , the Sacrament watereth , the Spirit refresheth , repentance moysteneth , the minister planteth , the word seedeth , and feedeth , and breedeth , then the Branch springeth . Ioh. 15 35.

O powerful Sperm able to make Foelix quake , the iaylor shake , of stony harts to rayse vp children to Abraham , & metamorphize the most obdurate : Lyons into lambs , beares into kids , the couetous , as mercifull as Iob , and liberall as Zache : the timerous , as bold as Laurence , and couragious as the Martyrs : the luxurious , as chast as Ioseph , and continent as Iudeth , the blood-thirsty as tender-hearted as Zippora , and detesting blood as Iacob : finally , the vicious as penitent as Peter , and louing Christ as Mary : modo pateant aures , & sitiant sapientiam pectus : These are the branches of the true vine , ( Ioh. 15. ) King Abibeiba Lanct . lib. 3. inst. 26. Pet Mart. Dec. lib. 3. had his pallace in a tree : I am sure Iehoua dwells in these Branches : for though the world be his consistory , and the Scripture his dying room , yet is euer the soule of the righteous Heb. 3. 6. Psal. 132. his Bedde-chamber . Wee are his house .