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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02793	Two godlie and learned sermons, preached at Manchester in Lancashire before a great audience, both of honor and vvoorship. The first, containeth a proofe of the subtill practises of dissembling neuters, and politique worldlings. The other, a charge and instruction, for all vnlearned, negligent, and dissolute ministers: and an exhortation to the common people, to seeke their amendment, by prayer, vnto God. By Simon Harward, preacher of the woord of God, and Maister of Arte, late of Newe Colledge in Oxfoord.	Harward, Simon, fl. 1572-1614.	1582 (1582)	STC 12924; ESTC S112568	108,746	262

amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lord for mine heart and my flesh reioyceth in the liuing God The sparowe hath found her a house and the swalowe a nest for her where she may ●ay her young euen hard by thine aultars O Lord of hoastes my King and my God Where the Prophete Dauid is gréeued that the sparowes swalowes had more accesse to the Church of God then he had There are many now a dayes which will say that they beare as good a soule toward God as they which resort so often to the Church and that they can serue God as well at home as in the Church But these must learne of the Prophete Dauid to prayse God not onelie at home but in the assemblies also as he ●ayteh vnto God Psa 68.26 Psa 22.22 I will declare thy ●ame vnto my brethren in the midst of ●he congregation I will sing prayses vnto thee For otherwise if we doo not séeke to ●et foorth the glorie of God as well publiquelie in the assemblies as pruiuatly in our Families our hearts are not aright before God Héere then they are condemned which béeing Land-Lordes and Men of Worshippe doo disdaine to come into the Congregation of God to cōfesse Gods name vnto their brethren and in the middest of the assemblies to sing prayses vnto him but will haue the Seruice of God done priuatlie in their Chambers and in their Closets These are farre vnlike to the holy Prince and Prophet Dauid the annointed of God Psal 42.4 who led the people into the house of God and accoumpted nothing so déere vnto him as openlie in the assemblies to cōfesse the name of God vnto his brethren And therefore he sayth Psal 26.8 Psa 27.4 O Lorde I haue looued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwel in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to beholde the beautie of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple For although that cannot but be most true Math. 18. ●0 which our sauiour sayth that Whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in his name he will be in the midst of them and whatsoeuer they aske they shal receiue Yet this priuate praier ought not to take away publique prayer but much more establish it For if God will ●are the prayers of .ij. or .iij. being gathered together in his name how much more wil ●e heare a whole cōgregation Rom. 15.6 when with ●e hart one voice they shal glorify God ●e father of our Lord Iesus Christe If the prayers procéede frō a faithfull heart God ●ill heare Ezechias in his bed Hoster in ●er chāber Iob vpon the dunghill Daniel Isa 38.2 Hest 4.16 Iob. 2.8 Dan. 6.16 Ionah 2.1 Exod 15.1 Iosu 10.12 1. Reg. 17.20 19.8.9 Acts. 10.2 30. Luk. 6.12 Math. 27.46 ●n the den of Liōs Ieremy in the prison Io●s in the Whales bellie He will heare the people of Israel in the land of Egipt Mo●s and Aaron in the wildernes Iosua in ●is warres Elias in the house of the wid●ow of Sarepta in a Caue of the moūt Noreb Cornelius at home in his owne ●ouse Simon Peter in the house of Simon ●he Tanner Paule in the Ship and on the 〈◊〉 banke and our sauiour Christe on the moūtaines in the fields in the garden ●n the Crosse So that in euery place the ●ord is nigh vnto all the call vpon him I ●y vnto all that call vpon him in trueth Psal 145.18 notwithstāding this dooth God especially ●quire of euery christian that we should all ●ogether publiquely in the assemblies make ●en confession of our Faith in the Lord ●esus vnto the lande and praise of God And therfore miserable is their blindnes and intollerable is their arrogācie which thinke they may serue God sufficientlie in their houses and doo therfore abstaine from publique prayer and from the open confession of their faith in the Church of God wherin first they rob God of his honour and commit Sacriledge in kéeping back their tongues from the publique cōfessing their bodies from the open glorifying of the name of the Lord Iesus Secondlie they cut them selues off from the mysticall body of Iesus Christe for Christ is the head Ephe. 1.22 Ephe. 4.15.25 and we are the body one head hath but one body And thus as Paule sayth We are all members one of an other And therefore as one body we should be all of one faith all agrée in one trueth and all with one hart one voice lawde and magnifie the name of God and who soeuer by schismes deuisions dooth seperate him selfe from his brethren and cut him selfe off frō the Church that man dooth cut him selfe off frō the misticall body of Iesus Christ Thirdly they shew intollerable pride and arrogancie for what proude wretches are they which take vpō them to condempne the congregation of Christe which is assembled togeather in his holy name and to accoumpt them he●tiques for whome Christe shedde his ●ood and howe vilie doo they thinke of ●eir brethren Psal 22.22 which will not vouchsafe 〈◊〉 pray to make confession of their faith ●gether with them They are wurse a ●reat deale then the Phariseis for they ●though they were proude hautie and ●d aboue all others disdayne the Publi●nes yet they did not refuse to come to ●e Temple because the Publicans re●rted vnto it For S. Luke sheweth how ●e Pharisey the Publican Luk. 18.10 came bothe 〈◊〉 the Temple together And therefore ●ey which denie or disdaine to come to ●e Church eyther they make vs wurse ●en Publicans or else they them selues ●e wurse then Phariseis Fourthlie they giue great offence vnto ●hers by their yll ensample especiallie Psa 42.4 〈◊〉 they be such as should leade the people to the house of God I meane Land●des and Gentlemen for if they pray ●elie at home the poorer sort say straight ●ayes within them selues why may not ●e pray also at home séeing we haue all ●e Lord and Maister in heauen for in●riours are called Apes of superiours Herodian ●cause whatsoeuer they sée done of them they thinke that they may doo the like Seneca and Graauissimus morbus est qui a capite diffum ditur That disease is most perillous which commeth from the head And therefore Woe be to him by whome offences come Mat. 18.6.7 it were better for him that a myll stone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the bottome of the sea Last of all they which refuse to come into the Congregation of God Psal 22.22 to confesse the name of God amongst their brethren they condemne and despise the holie ordinaunce of God For God hath ordained in holy woord commaunded That his people should come together to

lyfe and all shall be iudged at the last day of the same Iudge wtout respect of persons And therefore let there bée no contention amonge vs wée are fellow-seruantes we are Brethren Dauid compareth Loue to the precious oyntment which was powred vpō Aarons head Psal 133 2. running downe vpon the Bearde and from thence vnto skirts of his clothing Signifiyng thereby that loue can neuer be in the borders of the Garment that is in the common people vnlesse it first be in the heads that is in the Maiestrats Ministers therefore that it ought first to be powred vpō Aarons head vppon the Rulers of the common wealth and vppon the Ministers of the Church of God least the heades beinge infected the whole body be the worse for it we especially ought to take héede that wée agrée one with another comfort one another assist one another as it were goe hand in hand together in the worke of the Lord. Againe in that the Disciples were sent out by two and two we are to consider the equalytie which ought to be in the Ministers of the word of God Christ graunteth to none of them any prymacie or supremacye but sendeth thē forth with equall authoritie two by two Apoc. 21.14 The Church is said to haue twelue foundations the twelue Apostles of the Lambe where Peter is made no head corner stone but all the Apostles equaly Eph. 2.22 foundations as Paul sayth Ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner Stone And our Sauiour seemeth to signifie an equallity when he saithe Math. 19.28 that they shall sit vpon twelue Thrones iudging the twelue Tribes of Israell And a little after when the rest of the Apostles beganne to disdaine Iames and Iohn he reprooued thē saying Math. 20.25 The Lords of the Gentils haue dominion ouer them and they are great and exercise authoritie but it shall not be so among you but whosoeur will be great among you let him be your seruaunt and whosoeuer will be chiefe among you let him be your Minister euen as the sonne of man came not to be serued but to serue Mat. 28.19 and to giue his life for the raunsome of many And when he gaue vnto them the commission and authoritie of their Apostleship he gaue it equally and generally to them all saying Go therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And Saint Iohn saithe Ioh. 20.19.22 that Christe stoode in the midst of his Disciples and sayde Receaue the holy Ghoste who so euers sinnes ye remitte they are remitted and who so euers sinnes ye retaine they are retayned He leaned not to Peter nor to Iames nor to Iohn but stoode in the midst of them neither did hée giue the authoritie of binding and loosinge particulerly to Peter but generally to them all and when the holy Ghost came doune in clouen tongues Act. 2.3 like fyre the Text sayeth It sate vpon ech of them and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speake with diuers Languages euen as the same spirite gaue them vtteraunce It hath bin taught in times past that the absoluing of sinnes did consist in the worthynesse of the person a simple Priest might absolue but certen small sinnes other greater did belong to the Byshop the Archbyshop claymed an other higher sort but the greatest and fowlest sinnes were reserued to be forgiuen onely by the Pope and his Cardinals But this deuision was brought in by their greedy coueitousnesse to enrich them selues and not by any warrant of the worde of God For we know assuredly that the authoritie of binding and loosing by the word of God the administration of the Sacramentes and the efectuall operation of the spirit by the preaching of the Gospell is equally committed to all Ministers whether they bee Archebyshops or Byshops or Pastours by what name or title so euer they be called Ministers haue better knowledge and vtteraunce some then other but their Ministerie is of equall dignitie And therfore the Priuiledges and superiorities which Byshops haue aboue other Ministers are rather granted by man for maintaining of better order quietnesse in common wealthes then chalenged by the office of their Ministerie They may haue some thing in commission from the Prince which wée are bounde to obay not for feare but for Conscience sake and how so euer for the auoyding of disorder and confusion there may be some Bishops and Superintendents as it were particuler heads of certene congregations yet this dooth nothing prooue 1. Pet. 5.4 Eph. 1.22 4.15 that any man may challenge to him selfe the name of vniuersal Byshop or head of the whole Church which is only proper to our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ And therfore whosoeuer dooth arrogate to him selfe this name or title he must néedes be that lying Antichrist 2. Thesa 2.4 whiche as Saint Paule sayth Doth exalte him selfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he dooth sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God Greg. Mag. Epist 30. ad mauritum Imper. and therefore it was well sayde of Gregory Ego confidenter dico quod quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum proecurrit quia superbiēdo se coeteris praeponit In that our sauiour Christ dooth sende forth seauentie Disciples where as before he sent foorth but twelue we haue moreouer to consider that the multitude of Ministers is bounde to no certaine number Some affirme that there ought to bée no more Ministers then there are Congregatiōs and indéede to haue any vacabound Ministers to wāder about without charges I fynde it altogether repugnaunt to the worde of God yet notwithstanding séeing that the Congregations and Parishes in this Countrie are so vnequally deuided that some may be better gouerned by one then others may bee with ten it is necessarie that many pastours amōgst vs should haue many assistants and therefore good people maruaile not though there be many Ministers at this time to bee ordained before you to whō I am now to giue their charge but rather séeing that there are none admitted but such as are called to their seuerall flocks as I my selfe dare auouch beinge oculatus testis hauing séene the same testified by the Letters of diuers worshipfull who as my Lord is perswaded will in no wise abuse him I beséech you praye to god together with vs that he will prowre vpon them the dew of his holy spirit and so blesse them with the heauenly giftes of knowledge with wisdome zeale and vtteraunce that they may become profytable labourers in the Lords Haruest for the Haruest is great and the Labourers are but few Moreouer in that Christe did sende foorth his seauētie Disciples before him into euery

God aboue all other yet he alwayes submitted him selfe to the iudgement of the Church and neuer despised the councell of his Brethren as appeareth by that which he dyd in the Church of Damascus of Antioche Act. 9.19.26 ●● 18 of Ierusalem and of Ephesus And when he was in the Cittie of Athens wayting for Silas and Timothy when he sawe that Cittie so giuen to Idolatrie the spirite was inflamed within him But howe did he shewe foorth the zeale thereof He disputed openlie in the assemblie with all which came vnto him he did not crie out in the stréetes a mad man he dyd not make an exclamation without reason he dyd not runne rashlie to burste any thing in the Temples nor to plucke them downe He made it no matter of conscience to enter into their Temples and to beholde their Aulters and Idolles not to doo any Sacrifice with the Idolaters or to please the Atheniens Acts. 17.23 but he went thither to finde occasion to drawe them from theyr Idolatrie and Superstition which hee condempned by his publique testimonie but not without great reason and wisdome and Christian modestie And as I doo not allow the preposterous zeale and phrensie of some without discretion so I can not but condemne the ouer much discretion pollicie of others which are afeard to shewe foorth any shadowe or smoake of their faith least the sparkles should appeare and so they should come into some daunger for the name of Iesus Christe There are many which make this excuse that in heart they thinke well although for pollicie they speake otherwise But it is a common saying He that sweareth by crafte by crafte he is forsworne And if the tongue be forsworne the heart can not be frée from periurie Euen so is it also in Faith and Religion the heart can not be true vnlesse the tongue be true also 2. Cor. 11.2 Isa 1.21 Eze. 16.15 Iere 3.1 The Church is called the Spowse of Christe and if shée goe a whoring after false Gods shée is called in the Scriptures an harlotte Nowe ye know that the duetie of a faithfull spowse is to be true to her Husband not onelie in heart but in body also And if any wife should come to her Husband and say Husband although I was content for a tyme to giue my body to an other yet I alwaies kept my heart faithfull vnto you will any man take this excuse Exod 20.5 Much lesse will God which is a ielous God suffer our tongues our knées or any other parte of our bodyes to serue or to worshippe any other but him alone If a man haue put away his Wife for suspicion and take her againe he will ●ooke that she should afterwarde auoyde ●he company of them with whome she was suspected Iere. 3.1 But thou as God sayth by the Prophete hast not béene onelie suspected but thou hast playde the harlot in déede with many loouers Yet returne thou againe vnto me sayth the Lord. There is none of vs all which hath not committed most filthy Idolatrie Some of vs haue prayed to Saints Math. 6.24 Eph. 5.5 Phil. 3.19 and so made more Gods then one some of vs haue béene gréedie and couetous in heaping vp money and so made Mammon our God ●ome of vs haue béene giuen to gluttonie and drunkennesse and so made our bellie our God And nowe the mercifull Lorde in stéede of iustlie diuorsing vs hath fréelie reconciled vs by repentaunce and faith in the blood of Iesus Christe Howe much then are we bounde not onely to abstaine from going a whoring after straunge Gods againe but to auoide euen theyr company and all suspition thereof And therefore S. Iohn sayth in the ende of his first Epistle 1. Iohn 5.21 Little Babes keepe your selues from Idolles He dooth not saye from worshipping of Idolles but he will haue vs to abstayne from the Idolles and Images them selues and to abhorre the presence of them and in no wise eyther to delight in them or to incurre any suspition thereof The deuill is content some times with one parte when he can not obtaine the whole for so he requireth of Christe not that he should beléeue in him in heart but that he should outwardly doo him homage I will giue thee all these kingdomes of the worlde Math. 4.9 if thou wilt fall downe and worship me But the Lord our God is a ielous God he will haue the inward man and the outwarde bothe heart and body beléefe and confession whole or no parte all or none What then shall we say of these Ambidexters Iackes on bothe sides or rather Newters and Nullifidians which will professe nothing with theyr mouth but stande indifferent vnto all opinions I saye vnto them as Elias sayde vnto the people of Israell 1. Reg. 18.21 Howe long will yee halte betweene two opinions If the Lorde be God followe him But if Baall be hee then goe after him If thou beléeue that thou art redéemed and saued onelie by the precious blood of Iesus Christe through true faith and vnfeyned repentaunce then confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus But otherwise if thou thinke that thou canst be saued by Masses Dirges praying to Saintes going on Pilgrimage Popes Pardons Indulgences and such ●ke villanies deuised by man It were as good for thée to sticke to them as to stande indifferent vnto all opinions For God dooth threaten that of all men in the worlde he will most of all vomitte out luke warme Soldiers I knowe thy workes Apoc. 3 15. that thou arte neither colde nor hotte I would thou werest either colde or hotte But because thou art lukewarme and neither colde nor hotte it will come to passe that I shall spue thee out of my mouth Héereby then is condemned the pollicie of many whiche in Religion haue not so much respecte vnto the true seruice of GOD as to their owne priuate gaine which care not how God be serued so that they maye liue in wealth and prosperitie which would goe euerie Sunday in the yéere to a Communion if they might gaine a halpeny by it and euerie Sunday to a Masse to gaine a penny by it and for two pence resort to neither of them bothe Of which Religion a certaine Atheist did councell his fréend to be when he bade him to be alwayes of the Princes Religion as a man standing vnder an olde trée not to néere the trée least the trée should fall vpon him and againe not too farre off for then he could gather no fruite As many in these our dayes that they may reape some commoditie that they may be Iustices and Sherifes and beare a countenaunce in the worlde they will pretende some forwardnesse in Religion but they are afeard of béeing too zealous they will not stande too néere the trée for feare least the trée fall vpon them An other sort of men are of a contrarie pollicie They will alwayes be of a Religion contrarie to their

how he dooth accompt you for his owne Haruest for his Trées planted with his owne hand for his owne Viniarde for his owne Husbandrie for his owne grounde sowen with his owne séede the worde of his euerlasting trueth to the end that if ye will be aunswerable to these vnspeakeable mercies shew your selues plentifull in all good works ye may at the last be also brought into his owne Barnes of euerlasting ioyes there to be heires of God fellow heires with Iesus Christ The Haruest saithe Christ is great The Haruest that is the Church of God may be called great either for the price and excellencie thereof because Christe dooth more estéeme one fafthfull member of his misticall body thē all the wicked reprobates in the world and make more accompt of his Church be it neuer so small béeing purchased with his owne most precious bloud then all the number of the Infidels and Atheists be they neuer so many and so glorious in the sight of the worlde or therefore may the Haruest now be called great because it is indéede dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth It is not now tyed to the familie of Iacob as the Iewes would haue it nor to Affrica Iohn 4 23. Apoc. 21.12.13 as the Donatists would haue it nor to Rome as the Papists would haue it but God hath chosen for the seede of Abraham all which haue the faithe of Abraham and for the familie of Iacob all which worship the Lorde in spirit and trueth And therefore in the Apocalips the Church is called a Cittie hauing twelue Gates three into euery corner of the world Ephe. 2.14 And Saint Paule sheweth that Now the Wall of partition is broken downe so that all the world is equallie the Church of God all countries are Iuda all Citties are Ierusalem all are the seede of Abraham which haue the faithe of Abraham All the world is the Haruest the Field the inheritaunce of the Lorde all houses are the house of God where the Lorde is worshipped in spirit and trueth And thus is the Haruest great being now not bound to any particuler place but Catholique and extended ouer the face of the whole earth I must néedes confesse that if we compare the small number of the faithfull with the great multitude of the wicked the haruest will not appeare to be great but the aboundaunce of wéedes will be more then of the good Corne. And in this respect Christ dooth call his flock a little flock Feare not my little flock Luke 12 3● it is your Fathers pleasure to giue a kingdome Gen. 8.16 There will be for Noah and his familie béeing but eight persons all the world drowned and ouerwhelmed in wickednesse For Lot and his two daughters all Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 19.24 with the Citties round about destroyed with fier and Brimstone from heauen For one thankefull Samaritane there will be nine Leapers vnthankefull Luke 17.17 so that of ten scarce one will acknowledge Gods benefits and fall downe at the féete of Iesu and glorifie God 1. Reg. 18.19 For one Elias there will be foure hundred and fiftie Prophets of Baal and foure hundred Prophets of the Groues which eate at Iezabels Table For one Prophet of God Micheas 1. Reg. 22. ● there will be foure hundred false Prophets to prophecie lyes vnto Achab. There will be but one of a Cittie and two of a Tribe which shall enter into Sion the true Church of God Ierem. 3.14 in stéede of the two legges or the péece of the eare Amos. 3.12 which the Shéepeheard shall saue from the mouthe of the Lion the whole body shall be deuoured Apoc. 3.4 there will be but a few names founde in Sardis which haue not defiled their garments For wide is the Gate and brode is the way Math. 7.13 that leadeth to destruction and many enter into it but straight is the Gate and narrow is the way which leadeth to life and few there be that finde it and therefore if we compare the nūber of the faithfull with the wicked we shall finde more Chaffe then Graine more Tares then good Corne so that the Haruest of the pure Wheate shall be found to be very small Isa 24.13 and therefore the Prophet Esay dooth compare the Church to the shaking of an Oliue Trée and to the Grapes when the vintage is ended that euen as when the fruite of the Oliues and the Grapes of the Vines are gathered there remaine but a few hanging héere and there vpon the branches euen so is the Church of God as it were the glening of the Corne when the Haruest is ended And yet déerely belooued howsoeuer the Haruest of the godly being compared with the aboundance of the Tares is but as Christ saith a little flock yet surely it is farre greater then can be perceaued with the eyes of man Aug. in Ioh. Hom. 45. cap. 20. For as Augustine saithe there are very many Sheepe without and very many Wolues within Where we accompt all to be Shéepe there are many Wolues and where we accompt all to be wolues there hath Christe his Shéepe and chosen people and therefore we must not take vpon vs to iudge our bretheren but to commit iudgement vnto the Lorde For as Saint Paule saith 2. Tim. 2.13 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this Seale Dominus nouit qui sunt sui the Lord knoweth who be his Let euery one that calleth vpon the name of Christe depart from iniquitie there is no place no Region in the worlde no state of people no degrée of men wherein the Lorde hath not some of his chosen people Gen. 41.42 The Courte of Pharao was very wicked yet therein did floorish a godly Ioseph Achab was a bloudy Tyrant and his wife Iezabell sought by all meanes she could vtterly to destroye the Prophets of God 1. Reg. 18.4 yet Obadiah the Ruler of their house feared God and hid an hundred Prophets by fiftie in a Caue and fed them with bread water The King of Aram serued strange Gods and committed Idolatrie in the house of Rimmon 2. Reg. 5.18 2. Reg. 5.15.17 yet Naaman the Captaine of his Hoste serued onely the Lord God of Israel Who was there a more deadly enemie to our Sauiour Christ then Herode yet was there Manahem his companion Actes 13.1 Luke 8.3 Ioanna the wife of Cura Herodes Stewarde and the Ruler at Capernaam vnder him which all feared God Who was there a more bloudie persecutor of all the godly then Nero yet were there in his house many saints as Paule saith Phil. 4.22 all the Saintes salute you but especially they which are of Caesars house Who are more giuen to iniurie violence Actes 10.3 and oppression then Souldiers yet Cornelius a Captaine of a band feared God and all his Household and gaue much almes to the people and prayed to

to be in all the Ministers of Christ to haue a zealous and a tender care of the Church of God which Christ hath purchased with his moste precious bloud and therefore our Sauiour dooth héere commaund his seuentie Disciples that in all their prayers they should not haue so much respect vnto themselues as vnto the Haruest of the Lorde and biddeth them pray the Lord of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest And this is the dutie not onely of the Minister but generally of all men Psal 137.5.6 to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and the prosperous estate of the Church of God Ephe. 6.19 to pray for the Ministers that vtteraunce may be giuen vnto them that they may opē their mouthes bouldly to publish the secret of the Gospell to pray 2 Thes 3.1 that the word of God may haue free passage and be glorifyed among them to pray for their Pastors Colos 4.3.4 that God wyll open vnto them the doore of vtteraunce that they may so speake the Misteries of Christ as it becommeth them to speake to pray with Dauid that the Lord will be fauourable vnto Sion Psa 51.18 and build vp the walles of Ierusalem And finally to praye heere with the seuentie Disciples that the Lord of the Haruest will send foorth labourers into his Haruest and this shall euery one of you performe a great deale more carefully if ye will call to minde either the great comfort which commeth vnto you by the paines of faithfull Labourers or els the miserable estate that ye stande in if ye want these Labourers For first what greater comfort can there be to a trauayler béeing in a straunge place and among his enemyes then to be well armed and to haue a good weapen to defēd him Neither can there be any greater comfort to vs that Psalm 39.12 are straungers and Pilgrimes in this vale of misery and continually assaulted with most cruell enemies the world the flesh and the Deuill then to be well weaponed with the sworde of the spirite Ephe. 6.17 Hebru 4.12 the word of God which shall cut downe sinne in vs and enter thorough euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite of the ioyntes and of the marrowe Then we ought alwayes to pray with Dauid I am a straunger vpon earth Psal 119.19 O hide not thy commaundement from me What greater comfort to a man which walketh in darkenesse and in a daingerous place Ephe. 5.8 Psa 119.105 2. Pet. 1.19 Ephe. 5.8 then to haue a light to be brought vnto him Neither can there be anye greater comforte to vs which of our selues are nothing but darkenesse as Paule saythe then to haue the worde of God a Lanterne to our feete and a Candle shining in a darke place whereby we may be made light in the Lorde and walke as the children of light What greater ioye vnto a poore man then to shrowde himselfe vnder the winges of some Nobleman or Gentleman and to weare his Liuerie and Cognisance neyther can there be any greater ioye to a true Christian then to weare the Badge of a Christian which is a zeale to heare the worde of God Iohn 8.47 1. Ioh. 4.6 Iohn 10.27 that hearing Gods worde he may be knowne to be of God and hearing the voyce of Christ may be knowne thereby to be one of the Sheep of Christ and therefore such a one as cā neuer perrish There is no man but he would willingly be reconciled to his Landlorde or any other which is able to hurt either his body or goods The Gospell of Christ is called 2. Cor. 5.19 Math. 10.28 the worde of reconciliation whereby we are reconciled to him which is able to destroy bothe body and soule and cast bothe into Hell lier No man but he would willingly be saued Iam. 1.21 Rom. 1.16 Isa 12.3 it is called the worde of saluation which is able to saue our soules and therfore we ought with ioy to draw water out of the Wels of saluation as the Prophet speaketh ther is no mā but he would willingly be preserued frō errours falshood it is called 2. Cor. 6.7 Iohn 17.17 the word of truth No mā but if he haue any sparkle of grace he would willingly be deliuered frō the bondage of sinne iniquitie It is the Law of God Psal 19.7.11 119.9 which is perfect conuerteth the soule the Testimony of the Lord is sure giueth wisdom vnto the simple by thē is the seruāt of God made circūspect by teaching improouing 2. Tim. 3.16 correcting instructing they make the mā of god absolute perfect in al good works There is no mā but if he haue enemies suing him at Lawe for a péece of Land he would gladly haue the aduise of good and learned Counsellers our enemyes séeke to pluck from vs the kingdome of Heauen and therefore our delight ought to be in the statues of God for they are our Counsellers Psal 119.24 saith Dauid if we haue any suite we are desirous to know the end how that iudgement shall passe Christ saithe If any man receiue not my woords Ioh. 12.48 Sermo quem loquutus sum iudicabit eum in nouissimo Die the word which I haue spoaken shall iudge him the last day There is no man but if his Father haue made a Will and Testament and therein bequeathed vnto him any worldly goods or possessions he wyll read the Will ouer and ouer againe to see what his father hath bequeathed vnto him But the Minister dooth bring vnto you not the Testament of any mortal man but the Will and Testament of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 11 27. 2. Cor. 3.6 Hebru 8.8 9.15 1. Pet. 1.18 wherein he hath bequeathed vnto you not temporall riches but the euerlasting ioyes of Heauen purchased not with Siluer nor Gould but with his owne precious bloud How much more then ought ye to héere marke and commit vnto me morie this Will and Testament of our Lorde and redéemer When the Market day commeth that we must prouide for foode and rayement for our bodyes we wyll applye it dilligently to our great costes and charges Behoulde the Lorde hath appointed many dayes especially the Sabbaoth dayes to be the Market dayes of our soules wherein we may fréely prouide for some thing to the nourishment and comforte of our soules What a great care then ought wee to haue to resort vnto the Church Apoc. 3.18 Isa 55. ● to buy Gould tryed by the fier that we may be riche and white rayment that we may be cloathed and as the Prophet saythe to buie Wyne and Mylke without Siluer and not so to care for the body which shortly shall be Wormes meate that we haue no care of the soule which shortly shall be in the companye of Angels There is none of vs but he would willingly conceaue some hope of eternall life and