instrument to receiue it withall is faith He that beleeueth is made partaker of it and not of it onely but of eternall life also For he that beleeueth in me hath life eternall saith our Sauiour Christ. But this faith this iustifying faith doth worke through loue and sheweth it selfe by workes The good tree will be fruitfull The beleeuing iustified childe of God will feare God and worke righteousnesse 46 This doctrine of iustification by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ Iesu is witnessed by all the Prophets It is no newe doctrine but olde not onely proceeding from the Apostles but also from the Prophets For Moses and all the Prophets beare witnesse of him And as they so the Apostles after them Whose steppes we must followe and acknowledge that no doctrine is to be established but that which is testified by the Apostles and Prophets The true Church of Christ doth builde her faith on their foundation God will be worshipped and serued according to his prescript woord and not according to the braine of man The Prophets and Apostles with all such as be ministers of the woord are heere and elsewhere called witnesses Yea Christ himselfe termeth himselfe a witnesse of the truth For this cause am I borne and for this cause came into the worlde that I should beare witnesse to the truth And Christ saith to his Apostles Ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in Samaria euen to the vttermost endes of the earth 47 The truth is to bee testified by publike preaching Paul commendeth the Thessalonians for beleeuing his testimonie His testimonie was the Gospel which he did preache and testifie vnto them According to the voice that did speake vnto him when he was cast off his horse I haue appeared to thee for this purpose to appoint thee a minister and witnesse both of things which thou hast seene and of the things in which I will appeare vnto thee The truth is also testified by writing By the writings of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists the truth of God Iesus Christ was most plainely testified As Iohn to name one of them among many This is that Disciple which testifieth of these things The truth is also witnessed when as it is testified in bloud for a martyr is a witnes Christ told Peter that when he was young hee girded himselfe and walked whither he lusted but when he waxed old other should gird him and carie him whither hee would not Nowe this saith Iohn he spake signifying by what death he should glorifie God Many Martyrs haue thus testified the truth with suffering for it But they ouercame by the bloud of the Lambe and by the woord of their testimonie not louing their life no not to the death That minister which will neither testifie it by publike preaching nor by writing will hardly testifie it by suffering but will rather say with Peter I knowe not the man But I must here make an end for the time hath ouertaken me and without repetition as you knowe the maner is To God the father God the son God the holie Ghost three persons one almightie almerciful God be rendred all thanks all glorie giuen for euer and for euer Amen The fifteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at Strausborough in the time of Q. Maries reigne 2. COR. 6. 2 Wee therefore as helpers beseeche you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 3 For he saith I haue heard thee in a time accepted in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold now the accepted time beholde now the day of saluation THE Prophet to abate the hawtie conceit which naturally wee haue of our selues in such sort as euery man were his owne God and had no other whom to praise for the graces and gifts wherewith he is beautified and set forth as a mirror for al other creatures to beholde and woonder at indeuoureth to turn away our eyes frō too much gazing vpon our owne excellencie by pointing as it were his finger at him who is author of euerie good perfect gift saying Hee made vs and not we our selues For what end and purpose Zacharie teacheth namely that we might serue him in holinesse and righteonsnesse before him all the daies of our life For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Ye are not saith S. Paul to the Corinthians your owne Why so For you are bought with a price Glorifie therefore God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods Forsomuch then as we are all of the houshold of God all one in Christ all members of one and the same spirituall bodie woorshipping one Lord receiuing one baptisme professing one faith expecting one glorie to be reuealed vpon vs in that great day it is our duetie in token of our neere coniunction in the spirite with one heart one minde and as it were with one mouth to present our selues before his mercie seate to praise him to heare his word to receiue the seales of his merciful couenaunt in the Gospel and to offer him our needeful supplications together that in all things it may appeare that we are one as hee and the father are one euen one God to be blessed for euer 2 With what zeale desire Gods people of old were woont to do this we may gesse by that which we reade of y ◠Prophet Dauid who being persecuted of his wicked vnnatural son driuen from y e presence of that glorious tabernacle which with great triumph ioye himselfe had placed in the Citie of Dauid where he was woont with the rest of the people to call vpon the name of the Lord to heare the Lawe and to offer sacrifice vpon those beautiful altars conceiued such a deepe impression of griefe by the sorowfull meditation of those sweete and heauenly comforts whereof his soule had tasted in former times that forgetting quite the losse of all other royalties whatsoeuer he maketh mone for nothing but onely this that he might not nowe be partaker of those inestimable benefites and the comforts of minde and conscience which he was woont to receiue at the hand of God at such time as with the rest of the Israelites he resorted to the tabernacle where God promised to be present and fauourably to heare the petitions there made vnto him Of this his great miferie he complaineth him lamentably in diuerse of his Psalmes but especially in the 84 where he breaketh out into these woords of great zeale O Lord of hosts howe amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lorde mine heart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God He goeth on and magnifieth the blessed estates of those sillie birds which might haue their nests and lay their young euen
that worketh all in all Wherfore as not onely Paul Apollos Cephas but all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods so let vs comfort and strengthen one another in our holy faith holding nothing more deere vnto vs then the saluatiō ech of others and in Gods holy feare commend we one another to that faithful creator who is father of all aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all To him be rendred all thanks and all honour geuen for euer and for euer The order and matter of the Sermons 1 The first Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Esa. 55. 1. 2 Be this sinne against the Lorde far from me that I shoulde cease to pray c. 1. Sam. 12. 23. 3 Take vs the little foxes which destroie the vines for our vine hath florished Cant. 2. 15. 4 I exhorte therefore before all thinges that requestes supplications c. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 5 Be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde c. Phil. 2. 2. 6 Teach mee thy way O Lorde and I will walke in thy truth Psal. 86. 11. 7 Drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iac. 4. 8. 8 Seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde call vpon him while hee is neere c. Esay 55. 6. 9 All the daies of this my warfare do I waite till my changing come Iob. 14. 14. 10 That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we may serue him c. Luc. 1. 74. 11 Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one another for hee that loueth c. Rom. 13. 8. 12 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Mich. 6. 8. 13 And Iesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that soulde and bought c. Matth. 21. 12. 14 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God c. Act. 10. 34. 15 We therfore as helpers beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 2. Cor. 6. 2. 16 Mariage is honorable in all Heb. 13. 1. 17 After these thinges Iesus went his waie ouer the sea of Galile c. Ioh. 6. 1. 18 Then there shalbe signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Luc. 21. 25 19 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him c. Mat. 8. 23. 20 The end of all thinges is at hand Be ye therefore sober c. 1. Pet. 4. 7. 21 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal. 4. 5. 22 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte c. 2. Cor. 13. 11. A Sermon made in Paules on the day of Christes Natiuitie ESAY 55. 1 Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 2 Wherefore doe ye lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid OVR Euangelical Prophet Esaias through the spirit of reuelation hath in the former part of this his prophecie 800. yeres before the birth of Christ euen as if the thing had alreadie beene performed such is the certainetie of his prophecie most liuely described and set foorth the natiuitie the preaching the persecution the apprehension the death the resurrection the ascension yea and the latter comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead in such wise that for the substance thereof no Euangelist hath more perfectly or plainly set foorth this great mysterie of our saluation He foretelleth that Christ shall be borne of a virgin that his name shalbe Immanuel that his office shalbe to preache the glad tidings of saluation to the poore in spirit that he shalbe led as a sheepe to the shambles to be slaine that he shall be stricken for our sakes and beare the burthen of al our sinnes vpon his backe 2 His birth foreshewed so long agoe by this heauenly Prophet was in fulnesse of time accomplished as this day in Bethlem a citie of Dauid according to the testimonie of that Angel sent from heauen to proclaime the birth of the sonne of God at the same time saying Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shalbe vnto all the people because this day is borne vnto you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lorde in the Citie of Dauid This is that seede of the woman which breaketh the serpents head that meeke Abel murthered by his brethren for our sinne that true Isaack whom his father hath offered vp to be a sacrifice of pacification and attonement betweene him and vs. This is that Melchisedeck both a king and a priest that liueth for euer without father or mother beginning or ending This is Ioseph that was solde for thirtie pieces of monie This is that Sampson full of strength and courage who to saue his people and destroy his enemies hath willingly brought death vpon his owne head This is that Lorde and sonne of Dauid to whom the Lord sayde Sit thou on my right hand This is that bridegroome in the Canticle whose heart is so inflamed with heauenly loue towards his deare spouse which is his Church This is he whom holy Simeon imbrasing prophesied that he should be a light to the Gentiles and a glorie to his people Israel he vpon whom the holy Ghost descended and of whom the father testified from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne This is that lambe of God pointed at by Iohn and sent to take away the sinnes of the world to redeeme vs from thraldome not with golde nor siluer but with the inestimable price of his pretious bloud to be made our wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption This is the childe that is borne for vs the sonne that is giuen for our cause the king whose rule is vpon his shoulders whose name is maruellous the giuer of counsell the mightie GOD the euerlasting father the prince of peace the same Messias which was shadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of olde which was prefigured in the Lawe and is presented in the Gospel and hath beene approoued to the worlde by signes and wonders by so cleare euidence as cannot bee either dissembled or denyed Let vs therefore embrace this babe with ioie let vs kisse the sonne let vs with the Angels of heauen praise the Lord let vs sing their Psalme to the honour of his name Glorie be to God on high and on earth peace 3 The Prophet Esaias hauing in spirite espied Christ and seene the day though farre off wherein the Sauiour of the world should be borne
woorst they respect no abilitie but of the purse What numbers are there placed this day in the church as Iason and Menelaus were placed by Antiochus in the priests office not for learning but for monie not for desert but for reward It goeth ful hardly with the church of God when Balam is the Bishop Iudas the Patrone and Magus the Minister This merchaundise wil make the house of God a denne of theeues No one thing this day more necessarie to be reformed in the church of God 20 It were happie if the temporall policie were faultlesse in this behalfe and in choise respected onely the woorthinesse of such men as are chosen to beare office in the common wealth The Prince as Iethro saide truely cannot beare the burthen of the common wealth alone The prince must needes haue inferior officers as eyes to see withall eares to heare withall tongues to speake withall hands to worke withall shoulders to beare vp the burthen withall and legges also to walke withall If the eies bee blinded or looke asquint if the eares be deafe or hard of hearing if the tongue cannot speake or else doe stammer if the hands be nummed the shoulders weakened and the legges lamed it must needes make a lamentable bodie and a monstrous common wealth For such guides such people If officers bee ill chosen men of small wit and lesse wisedome weake hearted and feeble handed men not religious but popish not fauourers but haters of the Gospell louers not of truth but of themselues partially affected corruptly minded such as bee mates with theeues partakers of spoiles with extortioners maintainers of euil men and of euill matters hauing their share with malefactors pretending iustice and dooing manifest wrong not haters of couetousnesse but takers of bribes lingering out causes that are brought before them in hope of commoditie dispatching no matter but for monie such as are not ashamed to suck profite with Vespasian from the homeliest things such as would sell their verie soules for monie such as will not sticke if nothing else may be had to cut off euen the coates of men by the skirtes if such bee exalted is it maruell if the wicked doe walke on euerie side King Dauid was so carefull of this that hee would not suffer a wicked person a backebiter an hawtie hearted man a subtile deceiuer a flatterer or a lyer to remaine in his Court Constantius would not suffer a dissembler in religion a seruer of times a nullifidian an Atheist an Idolater to be about him For so it hath beene alwaies and so it will be when the vile are in credite wicked men will holde vp their heads they will band themselues in companies all corners will be pestered with them 21 Wherefore it greatly behooueth them that are in highest authoritie to beare a watchefull eye ouer those which deale in causes of importance vnder them that such bywalkers bee not countenanced with authoritie as they are that trot from one Diocesse to another prying into Churches The pretense is reformation but the practise is deformation They reforme not offences but for monie graunt licences still to offend These Surueyers are spoilers of the patrimonie of Christ. When Moses tooke vpon him to builde the arke of God the princes and the people so plentifully of their owne accord gaue gifts thereunto golde siluer pretious stones skarlet silke and Cedar that Moses was forced to make proclamation and crie Sufficit It is ynough I shall most humbly beseeche our most milde Moses the Queenes Maiestie and that in the bloud and bowels of Iesus Christ as her Highnesse tendereth the glorie of God and the continuance of learning and religion and her owne saluation to make proclamation not to the arke-builders but vnto these church-robbers to staie their hands Truely Sufficit It is ynough For there is no more to be had except as the prophet speaketh they wil put their verie skinnes off their-backes Woe be to that common wealth where they are made ouerseers and examiners of other mens waies whose owne footsteps are vneuen May not the wicked be bold to walke on euerie side when so vile persons doe beare such sway 22 But the way wherein the prophet promiseth to walke is trueth I will walke in thy trueth I will embrace it with my heart I will frame my life after it I will professe it syncerely and be zealous for it I will not be a knower but a doer of thy Lawe They which know it and doe it not deserue not praise but stripes For Christianitie doeth not consist in lowde and shrill crying Lord Lord but in dooing the wil of our heauenly father This toucheth vs very neere which content our selues with the bare profession of the name of Christ as if it were sufficient to make a flourishing shewe as trees doe which are faire to the eye but fruitelesse The Gospel of Christ hath beene long taught amongst vs wee haue long heard it the sound hath filled our eares but whose heart hath it pierced whose life hath it bettered Sinne is sharply reprooued yet iniquitie doth still abound Wee haue often promised with the prophet saying We will walke in trueth but wee neuer set forward Towards God we are hypocrites towards men deceitfull double faced double tongued double hearted Where should one finde a faithfull man It is to vs that the prophet Esay speaketh Heare this O house of Iacob which are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the waters of Iuda which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in trueth not in righteousnesse We are verie counterfeites we vse religion but for a policie and for a cloake we talke we heare wee pray wee fast but what trueth what synceritie is there in our dooings Wee would seeme to seeke reformation in religion the pretense is good many things may be bettered and we ought to striue vnto better things but God graunt that we haue not a meaning rather to part the garments of Christ amongst vs. We will seeme to be carefull of ciuill reformation and to desire that all abuses in the common wealth may bee redrest But our intent is in deede to make our gaine by corrupt and partiall execution of penall statutes our purpose is onely to benefite our selues by pinching others and by impouerishing many to inriche a fewe Thus the world is full of bywayes and they are many that walke corruptly Yea we haue all declined euerie one hath stept aside from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head there is no soundnes Prince and people and priest and prophet all haue straied from the way of trueth though not all alike 23 Let vs therefore returne from the pathes of iniquitie let vs inquire after the good waie that wee may walke in it Let vs not make courtesie who shall begin but striue rather euerie man to be first the pastor because he
our sinne but no remedie against the sting therof so that it maketh vs feare and with trembling looke for the reward of sinne which is euerlasting death But the spirite of adoption by the preaching of the Gospel telleth vs that in Christ we haue remission of sinnes we are reconciled vnto God and adopted by him we are his chosen children and may boldly and ioyfully call him father And this certainetie of our saluation the spirit of God testifieth to our spirit whereby we put away all seruile feare of punishment beeing assured of Gods constant fauour and eternall loue towardes vs who neuer leaueth vnfinished that which he hath begun nor forsaketh him whom he hath chosen 15 Therefore daungerous and desperate is that doctrine of the Papists which doth teache vs euer to be doubtfull and in suspence of our saluation A lamentable discomfortable and miserable estate Here it is in one woord confounded For Zacharie saith we are redeemed to serue him without feare or doubtfulnesse For where doubt is there is feare and what greater feare than of a thing so fearefull Hee that will serue God must serue him in a quiet and ioiefull conscience with a sure and vndoubted confidence of mercie and saluation in Christ the Lord of mercy With thee is mercie saith the Prophet that thou maist be feared As if hee should say Thou art full of clemencie and compassion and therfore we serue thee with a reuerent and without a seruile feare being perswaded of thy great mercie 16 Feare is euer of the inferior to the superior It is not required in the prince to feare the subiect the master the seruaunt the father the childe or the husband the wife but contrarie in all God feareth not man his creature man ought to feare God who hath created him to feare him as a louing father and not as men doe feare a fierce tyrant 17 The true feare which is required of vs is euer ioined with loue The good childe feareth to offende his father for that loue and reuerence he beareth to him and not in respect or for feare of punishment The honest and well natured wife that truely loueth her husband for the same cause feareth and taketh great heede least in any thing she should offend him Euen with such feare ought we to serue our God who is our father our Christ who is our spouse Of this godlie feare the Prophet Dauid saith Serue the Lord in feare And againe Feare the Lorde all yee his Saints Of this Christ speaketh Feare him which can destroie both bodie and soule This feare great goodnesse and happinesse doe accompany It is the beginning of true wisedome For all wisedome without the feare of God is but earthly fleshly and diuelish They that haue it shall be satisfied with all good things There is no want to them that feare him It causeth men to decline from euill it banisheth sinne woorketh repentance in mans heart and happie are all they that feare the Lorde as they cursed which feare him not If the Angell had feared the Lord he had still kept his place and glorious estate and not beene made of an Angell a diuel cast out of heauen into hell If Adam had loued and feared God hee had not beene banished out of paradise and throwne vpon the face of this cursed earth If the feare of God had not of old wanted the whole world had not beene drowned If the citie of Sodoma had feared God they might haue remained in prosperitie vntill this day If Cain had feared God he had not so trecherously murthered his brother If Cham he had not so shamefully discouered his father If Laban he had not so deceitfully dealt with Iacob If Pharao he would haue let Israel depart when GOD commaunded If Israell had loued and truely feared God they would not haue loathed Manna despised magistrates followed fleshly lusts murthered the Prophets crucified Christ and persecuted his Apostles If the Corinthians had feared God they would not haue beene so contentious so proude so adulterous neither would they so vncharitably haue iudged their brethren in things indifferent they would not haue condemned mariage the institutiō of God neither in such sort prophaned the holy Sacramēts of Christ. The feare of God wold haue brought forth better fruit in all these and the want therof brought forth this bad fruit 18 If the feare of God dwelt in our hearts the Gospel so truly and plentifully preached among vs would no doubt bring forth far more fruite after so many monitions perswasions and entreaties we would leade a better life When there are amongst vs many that breede contention and make diuision that lend out their monie vpon vsurie that pollute their neighbours bed with adulterie that shut vp the bowels of mercie and compassion and suffer Christ to begge crie and starue in the streetes that neither regard the heauenly message of their saluation nor esteeme the messenger by whom it is brought that shewe no reuerence to the woord of God but manifestly hate loath and despise it is it not too cleare and manifest that we feare not the Lord 19 If the feare of God were in vs would wee deale with the seruaunts of God as wee nowe doe The dealing of Hanun the sonne of Nahash towards Dauids seruaunts was not more villanous than the dealings of the world are with the honorable Embassadors of the most high God at this day Dauid sent his seruauntes to the king of the children of Ammon to comfort him straight vpon the death of his father The malitious Ammonites misconstruing their intent whispered in the eare of their Lord Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honour thy father or that he hath sent comforters vnto thee Are they not rather sent as spies to searche the citie and so to ouerthrowe it He had no sooner heard the name of a spie but hands were laide vpon Dauids seruants they were sent away with their beards halfe shauen and their coates cut off in the vnseemeliest place to his owne euerlasting ignominie and shame which so despitefully vsed men sent vnto him of meere loue and heartie meaning For the good king had no other drift or purpose in his heart but this I will shewe kindenesse to Hanun as his father shewed kindnesse vnto me The true Dauid the most mightie Prince the king of all kings hath in fauour mercie and reconciled loue sent his embassadors his ministers vnto you to comfort you in your griefes and to bring you ioiefull tidings of a kingdome which it hath pleased his father to bestowe vpon you These messengers ought of right to be honourably receiued Entreate such with honour saith the Apostle Nay such messengers are woorthie of double honour But behold they are taken as if they were spies they are accounted as the offscourings refuse baggage of the world not as the embassadors of the great
as the verie bane and pestilence of a common wealth whereof the olde Romane both historie and practise is an often witnesse These secret shifts are seene of God and abhorred and will be reuenged Well maiest thou escape the hands of man by thy colored delusions yet canst thou not escape the sharpe and swift iudgement of God who accordingly as hee hath threatened will exclude thee out of his kingdome interdict thee his tabernacle and hurle thee into hel where thy euill gotten monie can neither redeeme nor help thee A iust reward for thy vniust vsurie Our Apostle requireth that we paie vnto euerie man the thing that we owe. And wee are as much debtors to lend freely as others faithfully to pay the thing which is lent 13 The merchaunt is indebted to his neighbour the feller to the buyer to deale truely with him not to defraude him by false weights false measures false lights false words by swearing and forswearing or by any such vsuall but vnlawfull meane One lesson obserued serueth this matter lend as thou wouldst borrowe sell as thou wouldst buie doe as thou wouldst bee doone vnto This is duetie this is debt Pay it and owe nothing vnto any man but this that ye loue one another 14 The debt of loue is naturall and continuall We all owe it and we owe it vnto all And vnto whom we owe it we neuer pay it except we acknowledge that we owe it stil. In this debt of loue we must consider why we must loue whom wee must loue and lastly how we must loue 15 To omit the reasons drawne from nature this one taken from the God of nature shal suffice We must loue because God hath so commanded and because it is the fulfilling of all his commandements I giue you a newe commandement saith Christ that yee loue one another In our newe birth or regeneration wee are made brethren and fellowe heires with Christ of Gods kingdome As God therefore for euer loueth vs in Christ so wee ought to loue our brethren for God and in Christ for euer If ye wil be knowne to be his seruaunts by this men shall knowe you If yee will bee counted not hearers onely but also doers of the Lawe the Lawe is loue He that loueth another fulfilleth the Lawe Which the Apostle prooueth thus The Lawe saith Thou shalt not kil thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnesse thou shalt not couet that is to say thou shalt no way harme thy brother Loue doth no euill or hurt to any hee that loueth his neighbour will not take away his life will not defile his bed will not steale or rob him of his goods will not witnesse vntruely against him wil not in his heart couet any thing that is his And he that doth any of these things against him beareth not in deed hearty and true loue towards him Therefore is loue the fulfilling of the Lawe So that you see great cause why we should enter into this holie and Christian band of loue 16 But whom must we loue Thou shalt loue thy neighbour And who is our neighbour Not hee onely to whom wee are ioined by familiar acquaintance by alliance or neerenesse of dwelling but whosoeuer doth neede our helpe he is our neighbour be he Iewe or Gentile Christian or Infidell yea friend or enemie he is our neighbour To him wee ought to bee neere to doe him good It is friuolous for thee to obiect hee is mine enemie hee hath many waies wronged me he hath raised slanderous reports of me he hath practised against me spoiled and robbed me how can I loue him If Christ had loued his friends onely he had neuer loued thee whosoeuer thou art Loke vpon him whose hands were stretched out vpon the crosse for his enemies and for thee when thou wast his foe No man proposeth him as a paterne to be followed whom in his heart he doth mislike Thou mislikest thine enemie because he hateth thee if thou hate him then doest thou imitate the very thing which thou hatest Loue thy neighbour therefore without exception and loue him as thy selfe 17 For after this maner wee ought to loue No man hateth his owne fleshe no man is enuious of his owne commoditie or preferment Nature breedeth a selfeloue in euerie man And as this Lawe of nature doth woorke in vs a very feruent and carefull desire both to procure vnto our selues whatsoeuer wee are perswaded is good and to auoide whatsoeuer seemeth hurtfull or noysome So the Lawe of charitie requireth at our handes like readinesse and cheerefulnesse to benefite others Of loue towards our selues we hide and very warily couer all such faults as might any way worke our discredit or disgrace If we loue our brethren as our selues we will no more blase their offences than our own Charitie doth hide the multitude of sinnes But when we inlarge the sins of other men that they may seeme great or recken them vp by one and one to make them appeare as if they were many how fulfill we the Lawe of charitie would wee doe this in our owne transgressions we are neuer wearie in dooing good to our selues but to doe good to others wee haue no sooner begun but we are euen tired Our selues we loue not in woord and shew but in truth and in deede If wee speake deceitfully euerie one to his neighbour if we flatter with our lippes if we carie in our heads a double tongue and in our bodies a double heart and say wee loue we lie Which of vs beeing in his right minde doth lift vp his fist to strike himselfe If any part of our bodies be out of frame any bone out of ioint we seeke by and by all the helpe we can to set it in The name of strife and contention would neuer he heard of if we were thus affected towards others The onely breache of peace is the want of loue he that loueth al men wil haue peace with all men 18 Yet this doth suffer a kind of exception Haue peace with all men saith the Apostle but he addeth if it may be and as much as in you lieth It may not be which may not be lawfully Wee may not so yeeld vnto loue that wee yeeld vnto sinne withall not so haue peace with our neighbors that to continue loue with them we depart from the faith and loue of God or that for peace sake we flatter and followe our neighbour in his euill That were to fall out with Christ that we may keepe in with men If thy hand or eye offend thee cut the one off plucke the other out Loue Gods creation but hate all sinnefulnesse the Lorde also doth abhorre it And therfore we must be well content to loose the loue and beare the enmitie of the whole world for the loue we beare to God and his trueth With that strife to keepe this peace the Lord is pleased 19 But we are fallen into these euill
5 Cornelius the Ethnike-captaine being placed in Cesarea ouer the Iewes putteth vs in minde howe the kingdome of Israel was taken from the Israelites and giuen to others Israel was the elect and welbeloued people of God the happie seede of Abraham to whom pertained the adoption and the glorie and the couenant and the Lawe that was giuen and the seruices of God and the promises A most free people as themselues boasted We are Abrahams seede and were neuer bound to any man A plentifull land flowing with milke and honie a most flourishing kingdome a mightie and victorious people for the Lord of hosts did fight for them Yet this elect beloued free and mightie people was ouerthrowen wasted translated brought into most miserable bondage and slauerie first by the Caldeis then by the Meedes afterward by the Grecians and last of al by the Romans And this was the Lords dooing I haue made the earth saith he the men and beasts that are vpon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched arme and haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased me The name of God bee praised for euer and euer for wisedome and strength are his and he changeth the times and seasons hee taketh away kings and setteth vp kings The most high beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to them whomsoeuer he will 6 Iesus the sonne of Syrach shewing the causes why GOD translateth kingdomes A kingdome is translated saith he from one people vnto another because of vnrighteous dealings and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit and couetousnesse and pride The things that destroied Sodome were pride fulnesse of breade aboundance of idlenesse and that she strengthened not the hand of the poore needie The sinnes that consumed Gods people in the wildernesse and of sixe hundred thousand left but two aliue was loathing of the heauenly Manna and lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt worshipping of idols fleshly fornication tempting of God and muttering against magistrates The cause why Iurie was laide wast and Israel caried away captiue was the contempt of Gods woord preached by Ieremie three and twentie yeres and that there was no trueth no mercie no knowledge of GOD amongst them Swearing lying murther theft and adulterie had gotten the vpper hand and one bloud guiltinesse followed an other Therefore did the Land mourne and euery one that dwelt therein was rooted out God is alwaies a iust God one that hateth all iniquitie hauing no respect to countrie or calling If our faults be like we may looke for like punishment Let vs recount with our selues and compare our selues with others Are we not as guiltie of vnrighteous dealing of oppression of extortion are we not as couetous are we not as proude as euer any people was Is there not as much pride belly-cheere idlenesse vnmercifulnesse in the citie of London as was in the citie of Sodome Doe wee not as much loath the true bread of heauen Cleaue we not as fast vnto idolatrie and superstition Commit we not adulterie and filthie fornication Tempt we not God Doe wee not mutter against the magistrates as the Israelites did in the wildernesse Is there more trueth mercie and knowledge of God lesse swearing lying murther theft adulterie and bloudshed in England than was in the Lande of Iurie If kingdomes then be translated for wrongfull dealing for couetousnesse and pride howe can vnrighteous couetous proude England stand long If God spared not the flourishing citie of Sodome can he in his iustice spare the sinnefull citie of London If God ouerthrewe the mightie people of Israel in the wildernesse for their sinnes can he winke at our fowle and manifold offences If the Land of Iurie was laid wast and the elect Israel caried away captiue for their ingratitude will not God punish and plague our shamefull contempt our wilfull disobedience For these examples are written for vs that we should not offend as they did least the like fall vpon vs as fell vpon them knowing that if God spared not the braunches of the true oliue hee wil not spare the twigges of the wilde oliue If hee spared not the transgressing Angels the offending Iewes neither will hee spare vs most vile and sinnefull Gentiles Our sinne no doubt hath iustly prouoked our God to anger Let our sighing and groning our earnest praier and true repentance remooue his wrath least our Niniuie sinke and perish in her sinne Yet remaine there a fewe daies of repentance for the safetie of our citie 7 Nowe to the former circumstances of Cornelius S. Luke addeth also the description of his maners testifying therein that he was deuoute that he feared God with all his familie that hee gaue much almes that he praied God continually Here is he set forth as a perfect paterne of true Christianitie an obseruer keeper of the Lawe of the almightie And because the Lawe is conteined in two tables his pietie towardes God is commended first secondly his loue and duetie towards men So that it is shewed howe he liued towards God how he ordered his familie and howe he behaued himselfe towards his neighbours 8 Towards God he was deuoute he feared God hee praied continually The foundation of deuotion is faith the fruits are the feare of God and praier Faith commeth by hearing of the word he heard by reason that he remained amongst the Iewes that there was one true God who was onely to be honoured He had heard of the promised seede in whom all people should bee blessed of the Messias which should bee the Sauiour of the people He beleeued in this promised Messias and thereupon hee is called deuoute for without this faith there is no deuotion no pietie no religion That feare that praier that commeth not of faith is but vaine it is reiected as sinful in Gods sight Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The tree must be good before it bring foorth good fruite As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me saith Christ. Cornelius brought foorth good fruite and therefore by faith he abode in Christ that is he beleeued The fruites of his faith were the feare of God and praier vnto God for neither can we feare God as we ought nor call vpon him rightly except wee beleeue in him Howe shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And they beleeue not in God that doe not feare him that doe not call vpon him For true faith will exercise the faithfull herein This feare of God hath euer respect to religion Come ye children and hearken vnto me I will teache you the feare of the Lord saith the Prophet That is I will instruct you in true religion I will teache you the true worshipping of God This is the first lesson that a Christian should learne And as all Christians so especially such
a lewde desire towards her hath defiled his heart and is in soule vnchast If euerie man trie himselfe according to this rule exactly peraduenture hee shall see a disease in himselfe that needeth remedie Which if he neglect and so perish whom may he blame The medicine is commended with a title of honour that thereby we might be allured to vse it The daunger of not vsing of it if neede require is death For harlots and adulterers the Lord shall iudge 7 Thus much beeing spoken of the causes for which honour is giuen vnto mariage I wil briefly speake of the duties of honour required betweene parties maried Howe honourably a man should vse his wife S. Paul teacheth plainly in many places but especially in his epistle to the Ephesians Men loue your wiues as Christ hath loued his Church In which place he instructeth not onely by precept but also by setting a paterne before our eyes to followe and that is Christ the true spouse to his Church the congregation of the faithfull The husband ought to loue his wife euen as Christ did his Church But Christ suffered death to redeeme his Church Euen so the truely the husband if necessitie so required to saue his wife should ieopard his owne life His life is wel spent in sauing of her and by loosing of her ill spared Christ purged and made his Church beautiful voide of spot or wrincle that it might resemble himself as neere as might be in puritie Euen so the husband shold labour to reforme his wife to instruct frame her to discretion sobrietie al matron-like vertues all godlinesse A wise wife maketh a happy husband and in her goodnes he shal find gladnes The husband is called y e head of his wife as Christ is of the congregation When as the head espieth faults in the members of the bodie it doth not studie how to cut them off make separation but doth muse vpon a remedie labour to procure a medicine to applie vnto the hurt parts to recouer the bodie to couer the fault if he cannot cure it A good husband is a good head his indeuour will be to cure his diseased wife and not to cut her off from him especially to winne her vnto Christ if she wander out of the right waie Her faults will make him sorowfull not furious and to pitie her infirmities without hating of her person Wisedome is required in the head to rule and gouerne well the bodie which is placed vnder it He that braggeth and boasteth that hee is the head and yet wanteth the prudencie which the head should haue is vnwoorthy to be named that which indeede he is not A wise husband must winke at many faults and beare with many of his wiues infirmities He that foolishly champeth vpon those griefes which wisedome would haue be swallowed if hee liue in continuall miserie may say that hee onely liueth happily which liueth wisely no greater wisedome than to deuoure follies Yet the husbands lenitie ought not to be such as to nourish foolishnesse Vertue is alwaies discreete and in all things the mediocritie S. Paul giueth the reason why men should giue this honour to their wiues for he that loueth his wife loueth himselfe they two beeing one flesh No man euer hated his owne flesh Our owne bodies wee loue as Christ hath loued his Church If a mans natural bodie were neuer so mangled so sicke so corrupted so crooked and euill fauoured he would yet loue and feede it and cherishe it so much the more by howe much more it needed comfort Euen so ought a man to nourish comfort and helpe his wife bee shee neuer so deformed or out of fashion whether it bee by nature or by casualtie in bodie or in minde Wee haue Christ for our example When the Church ran a whoring and committed lothsome idolatrie he did not forsake it neither yet doth our gratious Lord forsake his beloued spouse wonderfully spotted with sinne but couereth and forgetteth faults and vseth all meanes possible to reforme and make vs fit for him The like should appeare in the husband to his wife seeing Paul setteth foorth Christ to be a paterne to followe This is that which S. Peter meaneth when he exhorteth men to dwell with their wiues according to knowledge He would haue husbands to rule according to wisedome and not to play the tyrants not to be sowre cruell rash rageful but to gouerne them according to y e order of Gods word in al sobrietie grauitie gentlenesse loue and discretion prouiding for them by honest meanes as for thēselues For if he that prouideth not for his familie bee woorse than an infidell there is none so bad as he that is carelesse for his wife No infidell neglecteth his owne bodie And as S. Paul in the place aboue mentioned so S. Peter in this which was last alleaged sheweth reasons why the husband should giue this honour to the wife 8 Giue honour vnto her velut infirmiori as to the weaker This may seeme rather to bee a cause to contemne than to honour For such is the vse The rich despise the poore the learned the ignorant the strong the weake But this vse is wicked Hath not God chosen the weake of this worlde to ouercome the strong the foolish to confound the wise Are not the ignoraunt as well as the learned Gods Haue the riche one foote more of possessions in heauen than haue the poore Despise not therfore the weaker creatures least thou dishonour the creator of them But seeing that man and wife are members of one bodie they especially ought to beare one with anothers infirmities to couer to dissemble and to forgiue eche of them others weakenesse Yea the viler the members of our bodies seeme to bee the more carefull we are to couer and to honour them for so S. Paul speaketh In like maner the more weake the woman is the more diligent should her husband be to giue her this honour to couer her infirmitie and not to broache it abroade For in dishonouring her he dishonesteth his owne bodie Wee easily forgiue children when they offend by reason of their age The want of discretion is for them excuse sufficient So a man ought to consider the infirmitie of his wife and to beare with her for it The second cause of honouring her is for that God doth giue her honour God maketh her partaker with thee of his spirituall graces and fellow heire of euerlasting life Dishonour thou not therefore her on earth whom God hath honoured with a place in heauen The third cause why the wife should bee well esteemed of is for vnities sake For contempt doth breede contention and contention is an hinderance to deuotion Honour your wiues therefore Ne preces vestrae interrumpantur that your praiers through strife bee not interrupted and broken off Thus much for the duetie of the husband 9 Touching the duties of honour which the wife doeth owe to the husband
we finde in the beginning of the booke of Genesis that because of her transgression for Eue seduced Adam not Adam Eue God gaue her a lawe of subiection to her husband that she might euer after be better directed by him than he had beene at that time by her Sub viri potestate eris ipse dominabitur tui S. Paul also in his Epistle to the Ephesians and Colossians putteth wiues in remembrance of this subiection Wiues be subiect to your owne husbands as to the Lorde because the man is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church And therefore as the Church is in subiection to Christ so ought wiues to be in subiection to their husbands What should wee seeke more reasons this one is sufficient God hath set the husband ouer the wife in authoritie and therefore shee ought willingly dutifully to obey him else she disobeyeth that God who created woman for mans sake and hath appointed man to bee womans gouernour Peter also setteth foorth this obedience and bringeth Sara for an example Wiues bee obedient to your husbands euen as Sara obeyed Abraham calling him Sir whose daughters ye are made in well dooing Yea we are taught that wiues should be of so good behauiour and of such modest conuersation that by their chast and milde life and the sweetenesse of their godlie maners they might winne their euil husbands vnto God and of Atheists make Christians S. Paul in his Epistle to Titus also teacheth a wife her duetie that is that she goe apparelled as becommeth holinesse that she be no quareller or false accuser but studie to be sober to loue her husband to loue her children to be discreete chast abiding at home good and obedient to her husband Obey in all things saith S. Paul euen as it becommeth you in the Lord. So that except it bee against Gods word the wife ought in all things to obey her husband It is the wiues dutie as Theophilact well teacheth to regard those things that be within the house not lauishingly to wast or spoile their goods but to spare with discretion by such frugalitie as is conuenient to see things safe and set in good order God hath appointed her to be an helper not an hinderer If shee cannot get yet let her saue As he is to followe his affaires abroade so she is to ease him to care and cost at home Let her bee milde-worded and milde-manered For Melius est habitare in angulo domus quam cum muliere litigiosa It is better to dwel in the corner of an house than with a contentious woman An honest and a modest woman is an honour to her husband but the dissolute wife and vndiscreete is a death She may not bee a gadder abroade a tatler or a busie bodie but sober quiet and demure not an open teacher but readie to learne of her husband at home obedient in all lawfull things taking example of Sara and giuing example to the younger women of well demeaning themselues Thus the man and wife ioyning themselues together in true loue indeuouring to liue in the feare of God dutifully behauing themselues the one towards the other either of them bearing wisely the others infirmities doubtlesse they shall reape ioye and comfort by their mariage they shall finde this their estate which is honourable in all happie and profitable vnto them 10 Nowe that we see the honour which is due vnto mariage in respect of the author causes and duties thereunto belonging it remaineth that wee consider by what meanes that honour is in eche of these defaced The honour of wedlocke in respect of the author is diminished partly by the false perswasions of such as doe not thinke it ordeined of God and partly through their lewde and corrupt affections who not denying this ordinance to be from him enter notwithstanding carelesly into it without such reuerend consideration as is requisite in things which he hath established Satan the sworne enemie of all godlinesse hath euer by all meanes laboured to vndermine deface and ouerthrow the credite of this kinde of life vsing the ministerie of many wicked and forsaken heretikes by whom it hath beene not onely misliked as troublesome but vtterly condemned as vncleane and beastly The Manichees condemned mariage as a thing whereof satan was the first author they denied vtterly that God created male and female they affirmed as many as like the vse of matrimonie to be impes of satan not seruaunts of God Others allowing mariage so it were but once if happily it were iterated disallowed it with which error some of the auncient fathers themselues as it seemeth were ouertaken It is saith one a Lawe of matrimonie not to iterate matrimonie A Lawe But whose Lawe Sure we are that in the booke of the Lawe of God there is no such law Againe there were that approoued wedlock yea though it were iterated but if priests did marie they helde them no better than vncleane persons Finally there are that say mariage is if not honourable yet tolerable and that in priests but so if they enter into priesthoode being once maried not into mariage being once priested Against these howesoeuer in their sole single life they pretende great puritie and perfection as it were of Angels although their glorie most commonly hath beene their shame and the virginitie of most of them hath beene whoredome and adulterie it sufficeth vs that S. Paul doth terme their lessons the doctrine of diuels and that the godlie Patriarchs and Prophets whom I named before liuing in the state of mariage were familiar with God and most deare in his vndefiled sight In so much that by S. Augustine speaking of this matter Abraham is compared with Iohn Baptist for his holinesse and by Chrysostome Moses with Elias 11 This state therefore whatsoeuer heretikes haue taught to the contrarie being in consideration of the first ordeiner thereof honourable we ought in no wise vnaduisedly lightly or wantonly to take in hand a matter of such weight and of so graue importance least we dishonour it by our disordered affections as heretikes by false perswasions haue doone In entring therefore into mariage the first caution is that which S. Paul hath to the Corinthians whom he teacheth howe their widowes should bestowe themselues For although the rule be in particularitie applyed to them yet it serueth not for them alone but for all the condition of all being herein like to theirs Whether it be a widowe therefore that bestoweth her selfe or a virgin which is bestowed in mariage the thing she doth is lawfull Onely in the Lord. 12 They doe not this in the Lorde that marie either whom they shold not or as they shold not Whō they shold not as persons either naturally or spiritually vnfit to ioyne in mariage Of persons vnfit to be yoked in wedlock by reason of y e natural bonds wherwith they are alreadie coupled y