with his complices eatē vp of the earth Herode sodainely deuoured with lice The riche man after all his prouision sodainely smitten with death Lying Ananias sodainely fel downe dead Eglon the Moabite Abner the captaine sodainely murthered by the swoord of Aod and Ioab All histories all ages are full of like examples 24 The third danger is that in driuing off to the lest day we shall finde hard time then to turne vnto our God Sickenesse wil sore disquiet vs Satan wil extremely tempt vs Our friends with talking and crauing will molest vs the terror of our ouglie conscience will astonish vs so that hard it will be for vs then to bee rightly mindful of our end so in this extremitie to turn to God that hee in our extreme case may turne his mercie towardes vs. And as S. Augustine saith The remedies come too late when perill of death is neere Remember that which hee also saith elsewhere Hee that hath liued well cannot die ill and hee can hardlie die well that hath liued ill Hee saith hardly not vnpossibly but questionlesseverie hardly 25 Put thine houshold in an order for thou shalt die and not liue saith Esay to Ezechias Giue thy goods whilest they be thine for after death thou hast no interest in them Stand with your loines girded and your shoes on your feete and your staffe in your hande that you may bee readie Wee haue slept too long in sinne to our great danger Let vs now awake to our speedie deliueraunce It is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time that is past of our life after the will of the Gentiles Let vs now imitate that woorthie souldier who after long warring vnder Adrian the Emperor returned home and liued as Christs souldier a most godlie life and after 7◠yeeres died and caused to be written on his tombe Here lyeth Similis a man that was many yeres and liued but seuen Let vs these fewe yeres that we haue liue them to God For that onely is woorthie to be called a life which bringeth vs from a transitorie life to an eternall from a miserable to a most blessed and glorious Let the trumpe euer sound in our eares Rise you dead come vnto iudgement Let vs daily remember that we must die and so shall we contemne these things present and make hast to things to come Truly if we shal rightly consider the vanitie of the worlde the miserable estate of man that we are here but pilgrims and haue no permanent citie that whilest we liue in this rotten tabernacle wee are meere straungers and men from home that wee daily slide yea and fall into sinne that our righteous God hateth it and that the stipend therof is eternall death and withall propose before our eyes the celestiall kingdome the crowne of glorie the eternall felicites which the Lord hath prepared in heauen for such as loue his comming we wil not onely watchefully looke for but most greedily desire the same In our heart wee wil daily crie with S. Iohn Come quickely Lord Iesu wee wil bee like affected to S. Paul desiring to depart hence and to be with Christ we wil sigh and mourne as hee did O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me frō the bodie of this death We wil with Iob euen be wearie of our liues and crie with Elias It is ynough O Lord take my soule it wil be with vs as it was with al the blessed Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and holie men now glorious Saints in heauen who continually beeing heere thirsted after God and now most blessedly haue enioied him we will vtterly contemne this earthly trash worldely vanities and transitorie things and desire and seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God we will whilest wee haue our beeing heere which is but a while humble our selues to walke with our God and although wee tread this earth yet our conuersation wil be in heauen from whence also we looke for the Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ who will change our vile bodie that it may bee fashioned like to his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe 26 Thus wee see that funerals are Christian auncient and commendable that the causes are sundry good godly yet neither our preaching nor praier neither any other ceremonie nor circumstance can profite the dead but are helping comforts to such as liue that onely in this life mercie remaineth for man and after this life onely iudgement As we now sowe so we shall then reape Here we are Christs souldiers to fight a good fight so wee may hope for the crowne of glorie Which thing Iob doeth wel declare vnto vs First telling vs that wee are in continuall warre wherein both the generals the captaines the trumpetors and common souldiers that is the prince the nobilitie the ministers and the people must take to them a good courage be faithful dutiful and manfull in fighting the battle of the Lorde euerie man keepe his standing and answere his office But we must all striue for Gods truth and not struggle against it not ambitiously contending for superioritie or malitiously howe to vndermine and wrong one another This is no lawfull combat no Christian warre this is not to fight a good fight But wee must wage warre against our common and our deadly enemies the diuell the world and the flesh The diuel is a roaring lyon a subtile serpent who hath ouercome the perfectest the strongest the wisest The world is all wrapped in wickednesse The flesh wrestleth against the spirite We must put on the armour of God resist the diuell and he will flie from vs crucifie the world chasten our flesh and bring it into subiection vnto the more noble part our spirit At length this our warrefare will come to an ende wee may looke for a change All the world is mutable and of all thinges in the world man most mutable We would change our condition our magistrates our ministers our religion all things But the change that Iob speaketh of we least remember wee litle thinke vpon the change of this mortall life Wee may assure our selues that we all shall die It is an act of Parliament that shall neuer be repealed it is the way of all flesh The daies of man are short and wretched short a spanne long wretched full of miseries All flesh is as grasse and as a flowre both do fade but the flowre sooner Cares wantonnesse ambition yea God in sundrie respects cutteth off both the good and the bad good flowers bad flowers but all as flowers The time of our change is vncertaine and often sodaine that our minde be not troubled that we alwaies be in readinesse Iobs example admonisheth vs of this I looke still when my changing shall come Let vs after his example
common wealth What stirs diuersities of religion hath raised in nations kingdoms the histories are so many so plaine and our times in such sort haue told you that with further proofe I need not trouble your eares One God one king one faith one profession is fit for one monarchie common wealth Diuision weakneth Concord strēgtheneth The storie of Scilurus the Scythian is knowen who vpon his death bed taught his lxxx sons the force of vnitie by the strength of sticks weake by themselues when they are tyed in a bundle Let conformitie and vnitie in religion be prouided for and it shal be as a wall of defence vnto this Realme 26 And as these things are especially to be regarded as our principal care must be for the highest matters synceritie and vnitie in religion so we may not neglect or passe ouer smaller things which neede redresse For as diseases and sores in the basest and vilest parts of the body doe grieue and may endaunger the chiefest vnlesse they bee cured betimes so the least abuses by sufferance may worke the greatest harme Gorgeous apparel and sumptuous dyet with such like matters may seeme small things but they are the causes of no small euils They eate vp England and are therefore to bee repressed by straite Lawes It is a part of true seruice done vnto God to see euen vnto these things 27 Wee may seeme to cast our eyes very lowe when wee looke into the dealings of euerie officer vnder the Prince Yet euerie one must be seene vnto They waxe sodainely rich by the spoile of the Prince Reforme it by Lawe that all may walke in trueth If merchaunts with other artificers and meaner trades doe inriche themselues by impouerishing others through deceitfull shifts the common wealth suffereth dammage by their vneuen dealings If we wil haue God serued in trueth wee must by Lawe reforme them 28 That biting worme of vsurie that deuouring wolfe hath consumed many many it hath pulled vpon their knees and brought to beggerie many such as might haue liued in great wealth and in honour not a fewe This canker hath corrupted all England It is become the chiefe chaffer and merchaundise of England We shall doe God and our countrie true seruice by taking away this euill Represse it by Lawe else the heauie hand of God hangeth ouer vs and wil strike vs. 29 That vile sinne of adulterie in Gods common wealth punished with death so ouerfloweth the bankes of all chastitie that if by sharpe Lawes it be not speedily cut off God from heauen with fire will consume it Preuent Gods wrath bridle this outrage so shal you serue the Lord in truth 30 There is nothing more hurtfull to the common wealth than these corner contracts without consent of parents contrary to the woorde of God the Lawe of nature the Lawe ciuil and all right and reason The inconueniences that followe are not sufferable Euaristus a Bishop of Rome saith It is not wedlocke but whoredome when the consent of parents is wanting God cannot bee better serued than if by Lawe yee restraine this vnlawfull contracting The children of this inconuenient mariage may scarsely bee termed lawfull The deuill that hath euer hated wedlocke and loueth whoredome was the first author of this great disorder God graunt you vnderstanding heartes and willing mindes faithfully and in trueth to trauell to represse and take away these euils 31 And as euill is to be controlled by Lawe so that which is good is also by Lawe to be procured God hath made vs many wayes riche For what wee haue freely at his hands we haue it But he himselfe is become very poore in so much that for want of reliefe he is forced to begge and for want of lodging and meate hee lieth and dieth in our streetes This great ingratitude God cannot but reuenge Oh what shame is this to a Christian common wealth in a reformed countrie Obstinate Iewes would neuer shew themselues so vnthankful Their auncient Lawe forbidding beggars is euen to this day most straitly kept amongest them Lawes in this behalfe haue beene prouided but as they wanted perfection so haue they in manner in no point or any where had execution Serue God in trueth prouide that Christ craue not Such as wil not feede him here he wil neuer feede in his kingdome Thus haue I point by point let you see disorders and wants in the common wealth Ye haue authoritie by Lawe to reforme them Consider duetifully of it and serue God truely as ye ought alwayes remembring the saying of the Prophet Esay Woe be to them that make wicked Lawes 32 When good Lawes are made they must be put in execution Lawe is the life of the common wealth and execution the life of the Lawe And better not to make Lawes than not to execute Lawes when they are once made This is the dutie of the publike ministers of the common wealth They must first keepe Lawes themselues then see that others in like sort may obserue them If the officers and ministers of the common wealth contemne lawes doubtlesse the people wil neuer reuerence them if they breake them the people wil neuer keep them Which Solon wisely considering wisely aunswered being demaunded what was chiefe safetie for a common wealth If the Citizens obey the Magistrate and the Magistrate the Lawes You that are appointed to this purpose and put in trust therewith lay aside dread and meede fauour and friendship gift and gaine and with simplicitie of heart punish the transgressor of the Lawe according to the Law Make not Anacharsis webbe of the Lawe Let not the hornet escape and the litle flie bee caught Fewe Lawes well made and well kept would serue the turne This is Gods seruice the execution thereof he hath set ouer to your hands Serue him in trueth and singlenesse of heart Cursed is he that negligently doeth the worke of the Lorde 33 Thus much hath beene spoken concerning higher powers and of their duetie in the seruice of God Samuel speaketh not to them alone to the people it is spoken as well as to the prince Feare and serue ye the Lorde in trueth Feare God embrace the Gospel leade your liues in holinesse and righteousnesse according to the word of trueth The Lorde is a strong defence to them that feare him They that feare him want nothing 34 Giue vnto the Lordes annointed due reuerence and honour Let euerie soule be subiect not by constraint but for conscience sake Imitate those worthie Israelites who were so willingly obedient to Iosua that they cryed with one voice Whosoeuer shall rebell against thy commaundement and will not obey thy woordes in all that thou commaundest him let him die Grudge not repine not at higher powers say not in your hearts Let vs breake their bands and cast away their chaines from vs. 35 Seeke the peace of the common wealth and
wee haue to praise our God that in publike doctrine touching the substance of religion wee all agree in one truth we all builde vpon one foundation Christ Iesus slaine and offered vp for our full redemption according to the doctrine of the scriptures So much the greater pitie it is that there should be such dissent in matters of small importance in rites and circumstances that by contention in such things the course of the Gospel should be hindered Christs aduersaries strengthened and his church offended The ministerie cannot bee well executed without her rites which rites are left indifferent to euerie policie so that they be not disagreeing from the word so that they tend vnto edification so that they be seemely and according to decent order Bee it graunted that some rites vpon some consideration might be bettered or omitted yet can I not say neither any man I suppose can prooue that any thing is set downe to be obserued in the Church wicked or contrarie to the woord And it were scarse wisedome when as in many yeres a beautifull and a costlie house is builded if a windowe be set a litle awrie or some small like eye sore doe appeare in respect thereof to disturbe the whole house to put it downe and laie it flat with the ground For euerie change being so full of perill surely these great alterations vpon so light aduise these newe common wealthes howsoeuer they be shadowed with the plausible name of reformation yet in seeking for vndoubtedly this is sought and that by many to haue the patrimonie of the Church diuided mangled and impaired they threaten the vtter ouerthrowe of learning and religion For take away liuing at which roote this axe especially striketh and ye take away learning take away learning and yee ouerthrowe teaching take away teaching and what shall become of the church of Christ Where there is no vision there the people cannot choose but come to decaie There is no state no not the state of a prince excepted to whom feare honour obedience and tribute is due that may more rightly chalenge a competent and sufficient liuing than the minister of the word of God They seeme to haue put out the verie light of nature in themselues which repine at the reasonable maintenance of them that minister before the Lorde in these sanctified labours For who doeth plant a vineyard and doeth not eate of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flock Marke how the scriptures both in the Lawe and in the Gospell doe beate vpon this point In the Lawe it is saide Thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the Oxe Doeth God take care for Oxen No his care is for vs. For our cause it is that he hath saide The labourer is worthie of his hire For our cause he hath ordeined that they which preache the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Hee had a care of his church and therefore gaue charge Let him that is taught in the word make him that taught him partaker of al his goods This is large yet but reasonable For if we haue sowen vnto you spiritual things is it a great matter if wee reape your carnall things is it much to make vs partakers of all your goods The Elders that rule well are worthie of double honour specially they which labour in the woord and doctrine They which labour amongst you and are ouer you in the Lorde and admonish you haue them saith the Apostle we beseeche you in singular loue for their works sake It was foreseene no doubt by the spirite how Gods portion should be pinched howe the ministers of the word should be contemned howe iniuriously men in these last vncharitable daies would seeke for the hauocke and spoile of the Church this mooued him in so large and ample sort to speake of maintenance and honour due to his ministers If any man bee slowe and rechelesse in dooing his office if there bee any Idol-sheepeheard that feedeth himselfe onely and not his flocke let him be reformed or remooued But for the fault of a fewe that the whole state should be subuerted and the patrimonie of the church of Christ spoiled and deuoured it were verie hard No prince nor people Christian or Heathen could euer consent to such a thing without sacrilege Wel as we are at vnitie in substance of religion so God graunt that at length in these things also we may agree and be as one euen as becommeth the congregation of Christ which is a societie linked and knit together not sundered by diuision and rent in peeces by varietie of opinions and iudgements To this vnitie Paul exhorteth Be of one meaning This vnitie Christ commendeth to his Disciples saying Be one 6 Of this vnitie and coniunction of men agreeing in the trueth ariseth that brotherly concord whereof S. Paul in the woordes that followe saith Be like minded hauing the same charitie Where dissent in religion is there can hardly be consent in loue Diuersitie of religion sundered the Iewe and Gentile caused the one to be an abhomination to the other Wherefore hee that came to bring religion into the world came not to bring with it peace but a sword a sworde to diuide asunder not onely kingdomes and cities but euen the man and the wife the father and the childe a sword to cut off one brother from another For there can be no agreement betweene Christ and Beliall the light of the one and the others darkenesse such as are not of one true religion with vs their profession may be friendshippe but their practise is deceit they may with speeche and countenaunce flatter and fawne but they carie for the most part a malitious heart set vpon mischiefe Caine spake Abel faire ynough but for the diuersitie of his sacrifice he hated him and spying opportunitie shed his bloud Herod pretended to worship Christ whose death he fully purposed in his malitious mind There was neuer therfore wise Israelite that would trust an Amorite It is and will bee true for euer that Constantine saide Qui perfidi sunt in Deum in Principem fideles esse non possunt They cannot be sure to their Prince who to God-ward are not syncere They count trueth heresie and No PROMISE TO BE KEPT WITH HERETIKES is their posie Children they are like to their father which is a murtherer and lier from the beginning But when we speake of loue and charitie we speake of the badge of Christianitie of the vertues of true Christians who consenting in faith bring foorth the fruite of faith which is loue without which howe neere soeuer we approche vnto Christ in word and in outward profession we are in deede none of his He cannot agree with Christ that is at discord with a Christian. God is so delighted with this affection that he professeth himselfe to hate them that are enemies of it yea the soule of the Lord abhorreth
to bee celebrated yet neither purgatorie nor praier neither any other after helps can be auaileable for the partie departed and therefore wee must nowe sowe as hereafter we will reape Cast away impietie and worldly concupiscence and liue a sober a iust and a godlie life looking for the blessed hope and the appearance of the glorie of the great God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Here we are as Christs souldiers appointed to fight a good fight to fulfill our course to keepe the faith and so to looke for the promised crowne of glorie which God will giue to such as looke for and loue his comming 5 Whereof Iob is a good remembrance vnto vs. All the daies of this my warfare doe I waite till my chaunging shall come In which words we haue three things chiefly to bee considered First that our whole life is a warfare Secondly that this warre will haue an ende Thirdly that this end is daily to be looked for 6 He which saith here I waite all the daies of this my warrefare saith otherwhere also Mans life is a warrefare vpon earth In this Christian warre some be generals some captaines some trumpetors the rest be common and ordinarie souldiers Euerie one must keepe his standing answere his calling fight and manfully striue for the victorie 7 Kings and princes are generals Gods lieuetenaunts vpon earth to defend Gods people to set them in order to see them well gouerned to fight in Gods quarell to preferre and promote Gods cause They should serue the Lorde the king of kings in feare Imbrace the sonne aduaunce true religion Seeke the kingdome of heauen wherein doth consist their victorie and glorie This they will doe if they be zealous in Gods cause if they be in deede the Nurces of his Church they will hate his enemies with perfect hatred they will punish transgressors protect the innocent execute iustice and iudgement without respect of persons So shal they militare Christo doe the office of a good general in Gods warre Such generals were Dauid Iehosaphat Ezechias and Iosias These generals are placed of God and therefore of dutie to be obeyed Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher power for there is no power but of God God giueth good princes as a blessing and the same God giueth euill princes as a curse He gaue Samuel in his fauour and in his wrath the gaue Saul He maketh an hypocrite to raigne for the sins of the people These generals haue authority frō the Lord of Hosts to draw the sword against transgressors and to execute martial law according to such limitatiō as God hath prescribed 8 The captaines are the Nobilitie put in their seueral authorities our seuerall bands They must valiantly goe before striue and stand for Gods cause giue good example to their souldiers in honest behauiour in painefull trauell according to their callings So vpright in all their dooings that the people may be enforced to iustifie them as the Israelites did their Samuel Good captaines make good souldiers 9 The trumpetors are the ministers of Gods woord by the blast of the trumpe both to giue warning of the enemie and also to order the going forward of the armie To these men God saith Crie out alowde leaue not off lift vp thy voice like a trumpet and shewe my people their offences If these men be dumme dogges and sound not the trumpet as well to forewarne as to guide Gods armie The perishing bloud shall bee required at their handes by whom it hath beene betraied Paul was faithfull and skilfull to sound this trumpe and to sound it in season to striue for the truth and to powre out his bloud in Gods quarell He ended his daies like a man full of valour I haue fought a good fight I haue fulfilled my course I haue kept the faith His faithfull heart was carefull for the whole armie of God I haue care of all the Churches 10 The common souldiers must keepe their stand and station in all obedience and readinesse stowtly they must fight vnder Christs victorious banner They are not trifles for which they striue Therefore let them not shrinke nor cowardly runne away but with an inuincible courage in an assured hope of the victorie abide all warrelike miseries sustained with the comfort of that reward which no man shall receiue except he striue lawfully No man that laieth his hand to the plough and looketh backeward is woorthie of the kingdome of heauen But hee that endureth to the ende shall be saued 11 Now we must striue for Christ and not for Antichrist for the truth and not against it I can doe nothing against the trueth but for the truth saith S. Paul For the gospel and not for the doctrine of man for true religion and not for superstition must wee striue But our striuing for the most part is all awrie and wicked Wee striue who may be the prowdest pretending equalitie wee striue in deede for superioritie Neither equall nor superior can wee abide wee striue how to supplant and ouerthrowe one another Enuie hath made men impudent striuing to vndermine and cast downe the wals of innocencie striuing how to place and how to displace how to disgrace and how to bring into fauour howe to set vp and how to throwe downe And in so dooing wee striue against our selues and for the aduauntage of our deadly foes This warre is not Christian this is not to striue lawfully This is not to fight a good fight This victorie shall not be crowned 12 Our principall and common enemies against whom wee must all iointly fight are the diuell the world and the flesh The diuell is strong and subtile a roaring Lion and an olde Serpent of long and great experience So soone as we professe to be Christs souldiers as a malitious and fierce enemie hee inuadeth vs. My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stand fast in righteousnesse and feare and arme thy soule to temptation Christ himselfe was tempted immediatly after that he was baptized His waies of assault are these He perswadeth to euill he either hindereth or infecteth that which is good that no action which we doe may be pleasant in the sight of God Hee tempteth and ouercommeth euen the perfectest as he did Adam the strongest as he did Sampson the wisest as he did Solomon Hee therefore that standeth let him take heede that he doe not fall No perfection no strength no wisedome ought to free vs of this care But we neede to praie continually Leade vs not into temptation And yet we beeing in the midst of the battle with such an enemie still sleepe in securitie But the diuell sleepeth not And this malitious aduersarie hath spials in our armie he laboureth by corruption to make a mutinie amongst vs that whilest we striue amongst our selues he
not to feare it at all but rather to take delight and pleasure in it to commit it as the Apostle saith with a kinde of greedinesse to count sinne no sinne to swallowe it down without any remorse or contradiction Their case is lamentable which are thus fallen asleepe and for the most part their end miserable Such was the sleepe of that riche man who hauing filled his barnes and prouided store for many yeeres incouraged himselfe to sensualitie Soule take thy rest You that loue the rest of your soules in deede keepe your soules waking and doe not suffer them to take rest Awake thou that sleepest and takest thy rest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light It is time to awake we haue slept too long God would not haue vs to sleepe vnto death but to awake vnto life for he wil not the death of a sinner his desire is rather that we should repent Now is the time nowe Christ calleth thee nowe he stretcheth out his armes nowe he offereth mercie come vnto him and thou shalt finde true rest for thy wearied soule Long hath beene thy sleepe great hath beene thy sinne but God is full of compassion prest and readie not onely to graunt but to offer pardon If nowe wee refuse it offering it selfe to vs it will refuse vs hereafter when wee offer our selues to it 24 Of this we are not afraide because we sleepe as well in securitie as in sinne We must therefore be raised out of this sleepe also Mans life is a warfare and men are souldiers we must keepe our standing and watche least we be vnawares both assaulted and surprised We haue both many and mightie and fierce aduersaries The diuell who is violently and greedily set as an hungrie Lyon that roareth for his pray The worlde which hath infinite slights to deceiue vs The flesh which mightily striueth wrastleth against the spirite There is no place of securitie left for a Christian souldiers there being so many great dangers There is no where any place wherein it is safe to be secure Not in heauen saith Bernard nor in Paradise much lesse in the world In heauen the Angels fel from the verie presence of the Godhead Adam fel in Paradise from the place of pleasure and Iudas in the world from the schoole of our Sauiour In the time of Noe they liued in great securitie and the floud sodainely ouerwhelmed them In the time of Lot the Sodomites liued in as great securitie and were as soudainely consumed with fire Thus with fire and water securitie hath beene plagued God hath armed the verie elements against that thing wherein notwithstanding we continue as if we would trie whether hee which wakened them by sending water vpon the one and fire vpon the other would waken vs by causing the earth to swallowe vs vp What we should looke for GOD doth best knowe our securitie being the same with theirs can denounce no lesse to vs than it brought to them Wee crie peace peace what more euident token can there bee that our sodaine destruction is at hand Men are commonly neerest vnto perill both corporall and spirituall when their mindes are furthest from thinking of preuenting it It is written of the people which were in Laish that because they had no businesse with any bodie nor any bodie with them no man raised any tumult or vsurped any dominion in their Land and the place which they inhabited was good and lacked nothing therefore they dwelt carelesse quiet and sure Which when the spials sent foorth from the children of Dan had once perceiued they made no doubt of conquering the Land but encouraged their brethren and set them forward Be not slouthfull to goe and enter to possesse the Land If yee will goe ye shall come vnto a carelesse people the countrie is large surely GOD hath giuen it into your hands They went vp being onely sixe hundred men came to Laish found the people without all mistrust of danger put them to the sword and burnt vp their citie Their peace bred plentie their plentie securitie their securitie their destruction And as in daungers of the bodie so likewise or rather much more in perils which beset the soule we shal find those temptations most grieuous which assault vs at vnawares For this cause we are in scriptures so often called vpon to be watchefull Watche and praie saith our Sauiour that ye fall not into temptation Hee that falleth into temptation asleepe hardly riseth out of temptation aliue For if they that watch continually be not conquerors but with much adoe what shall become of them vpon whom Satan then laieth hands when beeing lustie and strong hauing whatsoeuer their hearts can wish they are at peace take their rest and because they haue no change therefore feare not GOD Surely their destruction is as the swelling of an high wall it commeth sodainely downe and they are fearefully consumed Watch therefore and sleepe not in securitie Blessed is he that watcheth 25 Our saluation is neerer than when we beleeued This is the second reason why we should cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light We haue entred our names into the profession of Christianitie in our Baptisme we haue receiued the trueth by it wee seeke saluation wee haue beene long scholers we ought nowe to growe to some good perfection we draw now neere vnto the end therfore we shold amend our pace in this our course The neerer we come to the end of our race the faster we should run if we desired to get the reward we runne for Let vs doe so And seeing the race that we haue to run is euen in a maner finished and the crowne we run for is immortall let vs be earnest in the cause let vs cast off all hinderaunces and striue industriously vnto that saluation which is set before vs. Nowe that wee are almost as it were within the reache of the crowne of glorie let vs take strength vnto vs let vs double our courage encrease our zeale adde more and more vnto euerie good and perfect gift which wee haue receined from the father of light This the neerenesse of our saluation doth now especially require 26 Let them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death sleepe on But vnto vs the night is past Night in the scriptures is taken for ignorance the times whereof are now past The day starre is risen and hath appeared vnto vs. Christ the true light is come into the world he that nowe will walke in darknesse is not blinde but wilfull and runneth with open eyes to his owne damnation If the light had not come into the world if I had not spoken vnto them saith Christ they might haue pleaded ignorance but I haue tolde them the trueth therefore they are left without excuse Christ that light of the worlde hath appeared his crosse is painted out before our eyes If our
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
the holie ghost a trinitie in vnitie be rendered all thankes and all glorie giuen from this time forth and for euer more Amen The one and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at what time a maine treason was discouered PSALM 4. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse THE occasion why the Princely prophet wrote this Psalme is the great distresse whereunto he was brought by the monstrous vnnaturall rebellion which his ambitious sonne Absalon raised against him This forced him to flie vnto God for aide and by earnest prayer to seeke help from heauen The summe and substance of the Psalme consisteth in these pointes First he crieth vnto God for deliueraunce from this wicked conspirasie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse haue mercie vpon me and hearken vnto my prayer Secondly he reprooueth the wicked enterprise of his foes and therewithall moueth them to repentance O ye sonnes of men howe long will ye turne my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies For be yee sure that the Lorde hath chosen to himselfe a godly man the Lorde will heare when I call vnto him tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lorde Thirdlie as one assured of present helpe he turneth his talke againe vnto God and reioyceth in the sweete and comfortable feeling of his grace saying Many say who will shewe vs any good but Lorde lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart than they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abounde I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lorde only makest me dwell in safetie 2 The prophet in calling vpon the name of God maketh mention of his owne innocencie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnes Not that he thought himselfe so iust righteous that God could not charge him with any sin for so no mā can trie his cause and stand in iudgement with God which thing he also confesseth saying in an other place Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no fleshe liuing be iustified For one dutie scarce performed he is able to charge vs with a thousande omitted nay we cannot alleage him one for a thousande why then doth the prophet speake of innocencie Why doth he vse this phrase of speach Heare me O God of my righteousnesse Surelie he knewe that God is a mercifull defender of them whome the world doth vndeseruedlie hate and persecute And in respect of his enemies for anie cause which they had so to conspire and rebell against him he might iustlie and trulie euen in the sight of God protest him selfe to be innocent He was a mercifull and a iust prince neuer offering wrong to anie his rebellious sonne he had sundrie times spared but neuer offended he neuer greeued his wicked counseller Achitophel neither yeat the raging people which vnnaturallie opposed them selues against him In respect hereof he alleageth his righteousnesse and innocencie his hart being a witnesse vnto him that towardes them he had euer shewed him selfe milde and mercifull 3 The Prophet hauing thus professed his vprightnesse vrgeth and prouoketh God to take the defence of his cause now as at all times he had heretofore protected him Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse Dauid passed through manie trobles but God deliuered him out of all He strenthened him against that huge and monstrous Philistine farre beyond the reason or expectation of man For if ye compare a younling with one of perfect age a simple shephard with a souldier exercised in feates of armes one of smale stature with a vast giant a naked manne with one most stronglie armed the combat could not choose but seeme in all pointes verie vnequall in so much that the Philistine plainlie contemned him But God fought for him gaue him the victorie Besides this he deliued him also from the fraud trechery of wicked Doeg from the treason of the men of Caila and Ziph which laboured to giue him into his enemies handes God deliuered him frō Achis king of Geth where he was in great danger How often by what miraculous meanes he saued him out of the hands of Saul y e histories do manifestly plainly shew Therfore he putteth God in remēbrāce of this his wonted mercy God is well pleased when his benefits are well remembred Vpon this experience of Gods former mercies he cōceiueth great confidence and sure hope that his protector woulde not leaue him now in the bryers that the God of whose mercie hee had so often tasted seeing that his cause was iust woulde not nowe leaue him as a praie to his enemies neither suffer them to trample ouer him 4 Thus wee see that the security of princes doth not rest vpon their power be they neuer so strongly garded but vpon their innocencie wee see from whence they ought in their troubles to looke for succour we see by what meanes they may assure themselues of helpe from heauen In the seconde parte of the Psalme the Prophet reporteth the rebellion of his foes and withall moueth them to repentaunce He reproueth them especially for two causes first for that they laboured to displace the prince whom God had set ouer them wherein the ignominie which they did vnto him was not so great as the iniurie which they offred vnto God 5 The contriuers thereof were not men of meene calling but of high place and great authoritie and therefore they are not called the sonnes of Adam but the sonnes of man filii viri noble personages Conspiracies are not wont to bee bred in the heades of the meenest sort which thing the Prophet noteth in the seconde Psalme The princes are assembled together in counsell against the Lorde and against his Christ. Marie the verie sister of Moses a woman of place and countenaunce deuised a plot to displace hir brother Moses spared hir because shee was his sister but God plagued hir because shee was a rebell and cast vppon hir a most foule disease Core Dathan and Abiram which conspired also against Moses were not the meenest men in their tribe Ieroboam a man of great might conspired against Salomon and openly rebelled against Roboam The kinges sonne Absolon the great wise counseller Achitophel rose vp against their lawfull Soueraigne armed the people against him If I shoulde enter into prophane histories and receite vnto you the authors and contriuers of ciuel seditions from time to time it woulde appeare that they were for the most part filij viri It is sometime otherwise For wee reade that simple men that men whose names are not spoken of without some speciall note of extreeme basenesse haue notwithstanding stirred vp daungerous tumultes But such are either set on by other
must all offer 15 At the handes of the minister it is required that hee feed the flocke committed vnto his charge this is righteousnesse in him it is his sacrifice God will haue no blinde no lame no vncleane thing to be offered therfore let as many as offer the sacrifice of righteousnes take heede to that they doe The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes like siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times He therefore that speaketh let him speake as the wordes of God 16 Furthermore as it is reason that they which sacrifice at the altar shoulde liue of the altar euen so it is against all equitie and right that the labour of preaching the Gospell shoulde rest vpon any mans backand the maintenance due for the same be withheld and kept from him It hath beene tolde you often and some haue beene angrie to heare it so often tolde that the ministerie is too much pinched the liuing of the Church so fleesed that manie worthy ministers haue scarce nay they haue not wherewith tolerablie to sustaine themselues 17 To come from the minister to the magistrate when heynous crimes are detected and brought to light there is then a speciall sacrifice of righteousnesse required at his handes such a sacrifice as Ioas offered who following the good aduise of Iehoida the high priest his faithfull counsellour put Athalia which had murthered the kinges children and vsurped the kingdome to the sworde The Lorde sometime doth so deale with his people that they plainely see his wrath to be kindled and his heauie indignatioÌ„ impossible to be appeased til this sacrifice be offred him The Israelites were ouerthrowne in battle till Achan was stoned to death King Dauid founde no rest in his kingdome till AbsoloÌ„ Adonias had that which their rebellious practises did deserue God requireth as well the sacrifice of iustice as of mercie yea he sometimes accepteth iustice for a sacrifice and plagueth mercie as a grieuous sinne If Dauid had not spared his sonne for murther his sonne had not troubled him with rebellion For rebellion he woulde also in fatherly pity and compassion haue spared him this God coulde not suffer but tooke execution of iustice him selfe stretched out the arme of an oake and strangled the gallant in his owne haire Saul suffred Agag but he felt the wrath of the Lorde for it to the losse of his kingdome Quiparcit lupo mactat gregem hee that spareth a wolfe spilleth the bloude of the flocke saith Chrisostome God appointeth the magistrate to be a reuenger vnto wrath vpon him that committeth euil They which glorie to haue the sworde rustie in the sheath when they woulde drawe it out peraduenture shall not so well be able Let magistrates therefore from the highest to the lowest execute iustice without feare or fauour when neede requireth and so they shall offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse 18 As this sacrifice belongeth peculiarlie to them so there are others belonging although to them yet not to them alone but to all Christians Wee must all sacrifice vnto the Lorde with our goodes with our mindes and with our bodies For all these we haue receiued to serue him withall With our goodes the needie must be relieued the naked clothed the hungrie comforted and fed For this sacrifice S. Paul commendeth to the PhilippiaÌ„s I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odoure that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable pleasant vnto God The like he hath also to the Hebrewes To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased 19 To haue the sacrifice of the bodie offered S. Paul is verie earnest with the Romaines I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto God Let not thine eye behold the thing which is euill and it is made a sacrifice let no vncleane word escape thy tongue and it is an offring let thine hande doe no harme and it is an oblation saith S. Chrysostome To the like effect Origen when thou subduest pride thou dost affer a calfe when wrath a ram when lust a goate a doue when a vaine and wandring cogitation But the most precious sacrifice of the bodie is when being mortified it is also offered to the crosse for the testimonie of Iesus Christ in whose cause the death of the Saints is deere in the sight of God If the Prophetes the Apostles the martyrs of all ages haue offred vp the glorious sacrifice of righteousnesse why should wee be acounted faithfull as they were vnlesse wee be willing to doe and to suffer as they did Wee haue a longe time had faire weather wisdome would that we should prouide for stormes Christs Church must be tried such is Gods woont A rough storme was rising but the Lord such are his mercies raised vp a winde which scattered the clowdes he hath in great fauour and tender loue deliuered vs from the Lions mouth Let vs therefore liue no longer in this our senslesse securitie but offer him sacrifice as of our bodies so likewise of our mindes repentance and praise 20 Our sinnes no doubt haue prouoked his wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him our iniquities haue kindled his indignation wee haue grieuouslye offended by despising his worde from the highest to the lowest The Magistrates are for the most part colde in Gods cause they are not eaten vp with the zeale of his house iustice iudgement they commonly omit wickedly peruert The guides and Pastours of the Church seeke themselues and not those things which belong to Iesus Christ. And the people not well guided nor â—euerely corrected are of all other farthest out of frame Now if the most high haue power ouer the kingdome of men to giue it to whom soeuer he will and to appoint ouer it most vile persons when pleaseth him and if because of our vnrighteous dealing he should as he hath done many a time and oft vnto nations farre greater and mightier then ours power vs as it were out of one vessell into an other translate the scepter of this kingdom from hand to hand in steede of a gracious and religious Lady cause an hypocrite to raigne ouer vs which the Lord neuer suffer these eyes to see what could we saie but God were iust in al his waies had brought that vpon vs which our sinnes haue deserued To appease his wrath and to staie these or the like plagues from breaking in and from ouerwhelming the land there is no other waie but speedily to offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse This is the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen a broken and a contrite heart 21 The other sacrifice of the minde is praise which consisteth in thankesgiuing and petition Let vs thanke our God for his manifolde mercies For it is the Lordes mercies that
compassion vpon the poore Let vs seeke vp Christ and prouide for him He sought vs and found vs when we were robbed spoiled and deadly wounded let not vs turne away our faces from him seeking crauing so small help at our hands He became poore to make vs riche let vs out of the aboundance of our riches spare somewhat nowe to the reliefe of his pouertie He will well requite it It is not lost which is bestowed vpon him in his poore afflicted members that which wee put in the handes of the poore we lay it vp in the Lords bosome where neither dice nor cards hawkes nor hounds horses nor harlots can consume it rust and canker can not eate it theeues can not robbe and bereaue vs of it Vnwoorthie we are to be called Christians if wee suffer our head Christ Iesus to be naked and cloath him not if we see him hungrie and giue him no bread Woorse wee are than Iewes if we suffer this ignominie to bee doone vnto Christ this ingratitude to be shewed to so gratious a God O let vs be mercifull that as children we may resemble our heauenly father for he is mercifull Vnto this mercifull God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost be honour glorie and praise nowe and euer Amen The ninth Sermon A Sermon made in Pauls at the solemnization of CHARLES the 9. the French Kings funerall IOB 14. 14 All the daies of this my warrefare doe I waite till my changing come THE custome of funerals as it is auncient so is it commendable Abraham the father of our faith purchased a peece of ground to burie his dead in And in that place he himselfe Sara Isaak Iacob and Ioseph were buried with great solemnitie much mourning Tobias is commended for burying the dead So is Marie Magdalene for preparing of ointment for the burying of our Sauiour So is Ioseph and also Nicodemus for the care that they had about Christs funerall 2 Causes of funerals S. Augustine giueth three First it is the office of humanitie the duetie of charitie decently to commit the dead corps to the earth out of which they came This charitable dutie is commended in Toby and others whose names I mentioned before and was of the verie Heathen religiously obserued Secondly it is a thing verie seemely and conuenient with reuerence to laie the corps in graue because our bodies are the temples of the holie Ghost wherein by which as by liuely instruments both God hath beene glorified and his people haue receiued good Knowe yee not that your bodie is the temple of the holie Ghost which is in you That which hath beene so notable an instrument would not be vnreuerently entreated though dead Thirdly our faith is hereby confirmed touching the article of our resurrection For we laie downe the bodie in the earth vnder hope that This mortall must put on immortalitie as confessing with Iob I beleeue that my redeemer liueth and that I shall see God in my fleshe mine eyes shall behold him and none other But the Christian Church doeth not neither ought to vse funerals thereby to relieue or benefite the dead All these things saith S. Augustine furniture of funerals order of burying and the pompe of exequies are rather comforts to the liuing than helps to the dead The glutton of whom S. Luke speaketh in the Gospell was buried no doubt with pompe ynough yet his wicked soule was plunged into hell There commeth therefore no part of blessednesse to the dead by funerals but Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Lazarus wanted as it is to be thought his funerall but the want thereof bereaued him not of his happie estate he died in the Lord and so was blessed 3 Sith therefore death bringeth with it our particular iudgement sith he that beleeueth on the sonne hath euerlasting life but he that beleeueth not on the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Let vs liue as we will die and die as they that hope to rise againe and liue with Christ hereafter As euerie man departeth hence so shall he be iudged at the last daie And Euerie man shall sleepe with his owne cause and with his owne cause rise againe At our particular death is our particular iudgement at the glorious comming of Christ shall bee the generall reuelation of the iudgement of the whole world After this life there is no helpe remaining to the dead to the liuing there is mercie offered to the deade there remaineth onely iudgement He that is not purged heere shall be iudged as filthie there 4 Vaine therefore and dangerous is the opinion of Purgatorie Vaine because it hath no foundation at all in Gods woord Moses prescribing all kindes of sacrifices in the old Lawe maketh no mention either of sacrificing or praying for the dead Paul instructing the Thessalonians what they ought to doe in funerals neither doeth remember vnto them sacrifice nor praier Iust Simeon neuer dreamed of Purgatorie when as he saide Lorde now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word Small peace is there in Purgatorie as Papists report It neuer came into Saint Pauls minde when he said I desire to depart hence and to be with Christ. It was not reuealed to the Angell when he said Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord they rest from their labours There is no rest but intollerable paine imagined in Purgatorie euen to them which die in the Lord. Neither Lazarus not the rich man were acquainted with it the one was immediately caried into heauen the other cast into hel He which said to theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise knewe onely two waies the straite way to heauen the broade way to hell hee who knewe all things was ignorant of this third way For there is no such waie to knowe This opinion is perilous The hope of helpe in Purgatorie hath sent many deceiued soules into hell This opinion is iniurious to the bloud of Christ. For if any sinne remaine to bee purged by these after paines then The bloud of Christ doth not cleanse vs from all sinne and then â—e make God a lyer It destroieth repentance without which there is no remission of sinnes here and with which satisfaction for sins afterward cannot stand For faith and repentance cease with this life He that hath not his pardon heere deceiueth himselfe if he hope to haue it hereafter elsewhere Euery man after life shal beare his owne burthen as euerie man hath wrought in his bodie There commeth nothing to the spirits of them that bee dead but that which they wrought while they were aliue Worke thou righteousnesse before thy death for in the graue it is too late And thus it doth appeare that although the vse of funerals be auncient and that for good causes they are