To the right worshipfull Master Richard Martin Warden of the Queenes Maiesties Mints and Alderman of the Citie of London Grace and peace from God the Father through Christ Iesus our Lord. I Haue sent vnto you right worshipfull and dearly beloued in the Lord according to your earnest request and my promise the summe and effecte of my Sermon preached at Paules Crosse desiring you to receiue it as a most certaine token of my vnfayned loue towardes you in Christ For although it come from an olde friend and brother in the Lord yet I send it vnto your worship for a Newe yeres gift to testifie a newe increase of my Christian loue towards you so many as shal reade it with purpose to liue according to the rule of sound doctrine and godlines And concerning you of whose integritie I haue good experience I perswade my selfe that our most mercifull Father by this meanes vvill vvorke in your heart the plentifull increase of the giftes and invvard graces of that nevv man vvhich is framed according to the Image of his dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus For as you haue bene most earnest to haue in vvriting this doctrine so I doubt not but you vvill be most diligent in the practise thereof for vvhich cause I commit it into your hands to vse to Gods glorie the profit of his children to your ovvne comfort Grace peace and loue vvith faith from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you novve and euer Amen From Cambridge by your most louing friend and brother in the Lord Laurence Chaderton To the Christian Reader AS much reading is a wearines to the flesh so there is neither end nor profit in making many bookes True wisdome escheweth both but the folie of our time neuer ceaseth to write nether can be satisfied with reading the new and variable inuētions of men A fault amongst wise Philosophers much misliked how much more ought it to be cōdemned eschewed of al learned Christians But vaine glory desire of popular fame in the writers desire of filthy lucre in the Printers haue stuffed our English studies with many superfluous vnnecessary books to the great hurt of many good wits to the hinderance of cōstant iudgemēt in the soūdnes of Christiā doctrine A matter most necessary to be reformed by such as haue receiued authority to this end that neither our Church nor cōmon weale shuld be hurt but rather bettered by the writings of men For my part I wish with all my heart that we had fewer bookes greater skill in the old newe Testament of Christ wherin are bequeathed vnto vs most heauenly precious Iewels legacies of the immortal inheritance to which most sure word Testament if we take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place we shal be directed aright in the strait way that leadeth to immortalitie happines Now touching this my Sermon if I did thinke deare Christian Reader that it would quench in the mind of any the desire of hearing the Gospell preached not rather inflame their heart both to hearing faithful working I would rather haue buried it in perpetuall silence then committed it to writing But being fully perswaded that by this meanes the Lord God in mercye wil bring into the minds of those that heard me a fruitfull remēbrance of his mighty working by the power of his spirit at that present to their singular comfort I haue in some part satisfied the earnest importunat sute of many deare Christians and brethren who did both by letters word of mouth after a sort compel me to write it The summe and effect of al I haue set downe not in the same words I spake for the Lord knoweth I neuer writ it and therfore could not but in other so plainly as I could for the capacity and vnderstāding of al. I haue added those things whereof then I could not partly for lacke of time partly for other necessary occasiōs intreat And albeit mine owne inabilitie in this kinde of writing wherein I am altogether a stranger and the feare of the seuere censure of the learned eloquent diuines did greatly disswade me yet my earnest desire both to leaue behind me some smal testimonie of my saith cōscience religion also to haue my iudgement touching faith workes approued of the English church did as it were violētly carie me to this dutiful worke of loue Now my harty desire is that this my labour may be acceptably receiued louingly expounded of all my prayer vnto God is shal be that euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christ may be inabled by his spirit to hold fast the sound doctrine of pure religion in life and in death with al ioy of the holy Ghost sincerely to practise the same to the glory of Christ the edificatiō of his Church But let no man thinke that the reading of this can be half so effectual and profitable to him as the hearing was or might be For it wāteth the zeale of the speaker the attention of the hearer the promise of God to the ordinary preaching of his word the mighty inward working of his holy spirit many other thīgs which the Lord worketh most mercifully by the preaching of his glorious Gospel which are not to be hoped for by reading the written Sermons of his ministers Neuerthelesse I trust that he will blesse the reading hereof to the praise of his owne name the cōfort of his Church To him therefore by Christ be al praise honour in the Church for euer Amen Matthewe vij 21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers wil which is in heauen 22 Many will say to mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils by thy Name done many great works 23 And then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie THese three short verses are a principall part of that heauenly sermon which our sauiour Christ preached in the mount vnto his own disciples and the people The summe and meaning hereof is a dreadful declaration of the final destruction and eternall condemnation of all counterfait and hypocritical professors of Gods true Religion For although in the former verses Christ did particularly describe vnto his auditorie false and dissembling prophets by their fruits to the end they might better know them yet in this 21. verse he ascendeth from that particular to a general description of all false fayned professors of the trueth of what calling and function soeuer they be of in the Church or common wealth as appeareth most plainly both by the similitudes generally vsed in the 17.18 19. verses going before and also by these words Not euerie one that saith vnto
me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Neuerthelesse the principal meaning and drift of Christ is to terrifie the false prophetes and preachers of the word with this feareful threatning of the second death as the wordes of the 22. verse doe necessarilie proue confirme Many vvill say vnto me Lord Lord haue vve not by thy Name prophesied c. which none could truly alledge for themselues but such onely as had bene preachers of the word workers of miracles A gift in that time almost peculiar to the Apostles ministers of Christ for the confirmation of the certeinty truth of their doctrine This dreadful declaration of the iust condemnation of al hypocrites fained professors of the true Gospell conteineth two general principal parts The first is a diuision of all such as professe the trueth into two sortes fully and plainely expressed in the 21. verse the second is a meeting with an obiection conteining both a kinde of defence whereby the preachers of the worde and workers of miracles by reason of their great knowledge and rare giftes myght seeme as to cleere and defend them selues so to auoide and escape the iust sentence of eternall curse and malediction set downe in the 22. verse Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord c. And also a most wise and perfect though very fearefull answere of Christ there unto in the 23. verse And then will I confesse to them c. wherein notwithstanding these glorious works alledged in the former verse for their defence he sheweth that because he neuer acknowledged them by reason of their hyprocrisie and because in doing such works they brought forth iniquitie therefore he must necessarily forbid them his presence wherein onely is all ioye and felicitye as contrarily to be secluded from his presence is all sorowe and extreme miserie Thus we see both the summe and true meaning and also the plaine and naturall disposition of this part of Christes sermon conteined in these three verses Whereof I purpose to speake particularly not in the excellencie of wordes or in the inticing speach of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence and demonstration of the trueth Not euery one c. Here our Sauiour Christ diuideth al the worshippers of God and the professors of his Gospell into two sortes for the first sentence of this verse is equiualent or al one in sense with this particular saying Some men saying vnto Christ Lord Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen wherein as he noteth the first sort of professors so he describeth them by their external confessing of Christ to be their Lorde and Master and also by their end The second sort he noteth in the latter and also describeth them by their fruites end in these wordes But he that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen shall enter into the kingdome of heauen which ende although it be not expressed yet it is necessarily to be supplied out of the former part Therefore the true meaning of these words is this Of the external professors of Christ some doe onely professe in outward shew and some others doe both outwardly professe and also doe the Fathers wil which is in heauen so that the author of this diuision is our Sauiour himselfe and therefore it is in no wise to be doubted of Yet because the common and vsuall conuersation of Christians is so corrupt that it euidently declareth them to be contented and satisfied with an outward seruing of God void of inwarde synceritie and true beliefe it shal be requisite and needfull in few words to shew out of the word the certaine trueth of these two sortes of men In the first age of the worlde when there were but foure persons which serued the true God the Creator of heauen and earth the holye Ghost teacheth that Habel and Cain albeit they both did externally professe their religion by offering of the first fruites of sheepe and of the grounde yet Cain his profession was onely in outwarde shewe because his outwarde sacrifice being voyde of fayth was not regarded of god But Habels profession was both in outwarde shewe and also in doyng the will of god for the spirit of God commending him testifieth that by faith he offered a sacrifice of greater price then Cain and by that faith obteined witnesse of God that he was righteous for which cause it is said The Lord had respect to him and to his offering In the families of Abraham and Isaac being then onely the visible Church Ismael Isaac Iaakob and Esau receiued Circumcision the externall signe of their profession by reason whereof euery of them were accompted true worshippers of the God of Abraham yet Isaac and Iaakob onely were doers of the will of God as the Spirit of God testifieth in the eleueth 12. to the Hebrewes In the 50 psalme the Lord him selfe expostulateth and with great authoritie reasoneth with the first sort of professors saying What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behinde thee But vnto the other sort he speaketh thus in the same psalme He that offreth praise shall glorifie me and to him that disposeth his vvay aright I vvill shevv the saluation of God. wherin he forbiddeth and condemneth the outward profession of his worde and ordinances beyng separated from the right disposition of the heart and life but being ioyned together he promiseth thereunto eternal saluatiō A place therfore most fit to warrāt confirme these two sortes of professors of Gods worde The Prophet Esay doeth not onely describe these sortes of professors in playne wordes but also threatneth against the former sort a wonderfull iudgement of God saying Because this people come neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but haue remoued their heart from me and their feare towardes me was taught by the precept of men therefore beholde I will againe doe a marueilous worke in this people euen a marueilous worke and a wonder for the vvisedome of their wise men shall perishe and the vnderstanding of theyr prudent men shall be hid Woe vnto them that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord for their workes are in darkenesse and they say Who seeth vs and vvho knovveth vs In which wordes it appeareth both that there be in the visible Church of God aswell hypocriticall seruers of God whose wicked woorkes though in respect of God they bee done in the light yet in respect of men they are in darkenesse as also true and syncere worshippers which with mouth lippes and heart doe honour and feare the Lorde according to his precepts It were to long and in deede needelesse in so plaine a matter to cite and alledge the witnesses of all the Prophets who as they had great experience of both these kindes of
gouernment of Israel so also did he in the acknowledging publishing vnto them this doctrine as appeareth in the 22. chap. of his booke saying But take diligent heede to doe the commandement and lawe vvhich Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you that is that ye loue the Lord your God vvalke in all his waies keepe his cōmandements cleaue vnto him serue him vvith all your heart vvith all your soule Wherein the same doctrine concerning both the worke and the maner of doing almost in the same wordes is plainely confirmed Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ preached the same saying Bring foorth therefore fruits vvorthy the amendment of life Iames the Apostle of Christ vtterly condemneth all profession of faith as vaine vnprofitable if it want workes when as he saieth What auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith vvhen he hath no vvorkes can the fayth saue him as if he shoulde say in plaine words Faith outwardly professed without good works can be no pledge or testimony at all of our saluation Peter in his 1. Epistle teacheth that because Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh therefore we shoulde suffer after a sort in our flesh by dying vnto sinne and liuing to God so long as we remaine in the flesh For he saieth speaking of the regenerate that he henceforvvarde should liue asmuch time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the vvill of God. Iohn also in his first Epistle denieth vs to haue any felowship with God or any benefite of the blood of Christ if we walke in darknes and not in the light of trueth and godlines For he saieth If we saye that we haue felowship with him and walke in darknes we lye and doe not truely But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue mutuall felowship with him and the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Paul in the sixe twentieth of the Actes professeth before king Agrippa that he taught this doctrine touching the necessitie of workes both to Iewe and Gentile saying Wherefore king Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed first to them of Damascus and at Ierusalem and throughout all the coastes of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes woorthie amendment of life Moreouer the Spirit of God witnesseth in the twelfth to the Hebrues that without workes no man shall see GOD saying Followe peace vvith all men and holines vvithout the vvhich no man shall see the Lorde an especiall place to prooue the necessitie of workes Lastly our Sauiour Christ in the fiue and twentieth of Matthew teaching that in the day of iudgement all flesh shal be tried and iudged according to the workes of loue and mercie done in this life towardes him in his members confirmeth and establisheth in his owne person and worde the infallible trueth of this doctrine in whom as in all other pointes of religion so especially in this we ought fully and perfectly to rest For there it is briefely concluded that they which gaue vnto his members meate drincke lodging clothing and visited the sicke and imprisoned shal be pronounced righteous and goe into life eternall But the vnmercifull being voyde of these workes shal be pronounced cursed and goe into euerlasting fire and paine Seeing then we haue so many heauenly witnesses of this trueth and that all the Prophetes in their prophecies doe most earnestly and zealously call the people of GOD to the obedience of his lawe and most pitifully complaine of the want thereof threatning both temporall and eternall punishments against disobedient malefactors we may safely conclude and determine that the workes of the first and second table are necessarilie required to the doing of the Fathers will. Nowe then if it be truely preached that without workes there is neither doing of the will of God neither entrance into the kingdome of heauen O Lord what shall we thinke of the licentious life of our English Protestantes or what shall become of this barren and fruitlesse profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ for a man may trauaile almost from the one ende of the land to the other before he can finde one man like vnto iust Iob that feared God and eschewed euill or one woman like vnto Dorcas full of good works and almes As therefore our sauiour Christ the Prophets and the Apostles had most iust cause to complaine in their times of the want of workes and to be grieued with the sinnes of the people so we in this last age haue no lesse cause to complaine neither lesse occasion of sorowe For to come vnto particulars what estate calling or degree is there which doth not content it selfe onely with saying Lorde Lorde being notwithstanding so barren in the bringing foorth of good workes And first concerning the state Ecclesiasticall and vs that be ministers and preachers of the worde whome this place principally doth concerne where are the lippes of those ministers which doe preserue knowledge or those messengers of God at whose mouthes his poore people shoulde seeke his lawe Naye rather where be not whole swarmes of idle ignorant and vngodly Curates and Readers who neither can nor will goe before the deare flocke of Christ in soundnes of doctrine and integritie of life The cause of which enormitie resting principally in the persons them selues and then in those which sent them and nowe suffer them in the Church I charge in the Lord the one that they seriously waying the worthines of the Lordes embassage for the which they are most vnworthie would voluntarily forgoe that calling wherein they can not doe the Fathers will and betake them to some other which they may in a good conscience without offence in some godly and profitable measure discharge The other I counsell and beseeche as a brother in the Lorde that they would more diligently looke vnto their ministerie committed vnto them lest not onely this grieuous offence but also all other their sinnes against God and their brethren be laide vnto their charge when the heartes of all men shal be made open and manifest before the Lorde of life And to proceede to the learned gouernours of the Church is there no tything of Mynt Anyse and Cummin and pretermitting waightier matters of the lawe as Iudgement Mercie and Fidelitie Doe they feede the flocke of God willingly and carefully as being examples vnto it and not for filthie lucresake as being lords ouer Gods heritage yf these things be so howe can they thinke they are doers of the Fathers will What shall I saye of our domme dogges non residents and all those that serue mortall and sinfull men with symonie flattering wordes and seruile obedience not lawfully to obtaine one roome in the vineyard of the Lorde but two three foure or moe places which is
vnlawfull the which though they miscall preferments yet in deede they be so waightie charges that the wysest and strongest of all is altogether insufficient for an acceptable discharge thereof As concerning discipline practized in our Church by Chancelors Cōmissaries and Officials because euery one seeing all things for the most part begunne continued and ended for money in those courts doth iustly complaine as I pray vnto God dayly for the reformation hereof so I doubt not but the Lorde in due and conuenient time for the great loue he beareth towards his Church will stirre vp and arme with power wisdome and zeale as well those Magistrates which he in mercie hath alredie giuen vs as all those also with whome in time to come he shall vouchsafe to blesse vs to refourme these and all other the blemishes of his Church according to his worde These things being thus considered howe iust cause haue we to say with S. Paul whose time in comparison of ours was most free from corruption All men seeke their ovvne and not that vvhich is Iesus Christes The Lorde for his mercie sake graunt vs true repentance Thus much for the Ecclesiasticall estate And as for the conuersation of all other people in the lande of what condicion so euer I knowe not what to saye or howe to speake where to beginne or howe to make an ende I coulde wishe with all my hearte that in steade of reproouing all the sinnes in this lande and Citie my head conteyned a flood of water that I might powre out plentifull riuers of teares for all our damnable iniquities For doubtlesse the saying of the Prophet Oseas is verified in this our age by our vngodly life and conuersation There is saith he no trueth nor mercie nor knovvledge of GOD in the land By svvearing and lying and killing and stealing and vvhoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Our liues doe testifie this to our faces euery man doeth see it and acknowledge it in his heart We and the Catholickes for so they loue to be called doe most iustly complaine of it we with sorowe and griefe of heart desiring the speedie reformation hereof they with gladnesse of minde reioycing to haue so good an occasion to discredit the trueth of our religion And surely to speake the trueth it is our shamelesse conuersation that terrifieth both the ignorant and wauering Catholickes and the simpler sort of the common people beyng ready to imbrace any religion as appeareth by these which haue receyued imbraced the erroneous doctrine of H. N. and his familie falsely termed the familie of loue from the true profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Nay they not onely forsake vs but they reioyce and triumphe ouer vs in the matter of workes For the Papistes they alwayes cast in our teeth the great and famous hospitalitie of their nobilitie and clergie the buylding of Abbies Monasteries and Nunneries Cathedrall churches colledges with many other outward works which in deede are such as do stoppe our mouthes and put vs protestāts to silence But to let them passe with these great and costly workes wherein we must confesse they do exceede vs and to come to our selues and such works as are required of euery one in his seueral calling Where be those parentes and masters which doe teache in their families vnto their children and seruantes the lawe and feare of God walking them selues in the myddest of their houses in vpryghtnesse of heart Where be those gouernours that defende the fatherlesse and widowe that receyue no brybe to corrupt Iustice that prolong not sentence for lucre sake that respect no persons in iudgement that are ready also without regarde of feare or fauour of men to cut of the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lorde and to establyshe the seate of the faithfull And to be shorte where is that Protestant that feedeth the hungrie clotheth the naked visiteth the prysoner and him that is sycke that lodgeth the harbourlesse without ceasing or beyng wearie of well doyng I speake not this to iustifie the Papistes or to condemne all Protestantes but to shewe howe rare the woorkes of mercie are amongest those that seeme to put all their ioye and felicitie in the mercies of God reuealed in Christ For I am not ignorant of diuers who as they haue receyued grace and mercie to beleeue and hope so they are full of the fruites of loue and charitie according to the measure of the Grace receyued The least whereof I dare be bolde to preferre before all the workes that euer haue bene done with an opinion to merite deserue or with desire of prayse of the posteritie As for H. N. and his family because they condemne all workes of men which are not perfect and voyde of sinne which onely are to be founde in Christ our ryghteousnes wisedome and sanctification I leaue them to the iust iudgement of God who shall rewarde them according to their deserts For it grieueth me to cōsider how ignorant they are of this doctrine concerning the goodnesse and necessitie of works Well howsoeuer men do please and flatter themselues with a generall knowledge of the trueth with a light vnsetled opinion of saluation with an external shew of Christian religion as sure as the Lorde lyueth if they can not by their workes iustifie this knowledge faith profession they shal neuer do the Fathers will nor enter into the kingdom of heauen For though they be in the church yet are they not of it though they seeme heires of life yet they are inheriters of death Be not deceiued deere brethren for this is a true saying by al means to be receiued He that soweth to his fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Nowe then seeyng the very floods of hypocrysie haue ouerflowen al estates and degrees are a nomber of Protestantes any better then cloudes without water carryed about with euery blast of errour and vngodlines then corrupt trees without fruite then spots and blots in the Christian assemblies of their brethren yea then raging waues of the sea foming out their owne shame confusion Therfore I beseeche you all in the name of Christ for the mercies of God to cast of these damnable clokes of religion and vanishing shadowes of true beleefe imbracing and practising all the woorkes of sounde doctrine and true godlynesse I haue stoode the longer in this treatie to prooue the necessitie of woorkes because our Gospell which we haue receyued of Christ and his Apostles is falsely charged as you doe see to be a doctrine of libertie and licenciousnesse of lyfe as also for that the most parte of Protestantes are altogether secure and carelesse touching the obedience of faith rather presuming in the pryde of their hearts of the mercies of God for their saluation then by humble and trembling heartes to worke ratifie and confirme vnto their owne consciences
hearts that is a constant trust in God whereby as he hath promised vnto vs in Christ all good thinges is able and faithfull to performe so we are assuredly perswaded that he will in due and conuenient time accomplishe his promise particularly vnto euery one of vs to his glory and our saluation For Peter teaching as it is in the 15. of the Actes how the vncleane Gentiles became cleane and what was the first gift whereby the holy Ghost purified their filthy heartes to make them all one body with the Iewes without difference nameth expresly this gift of faith in these wordes And GOD vvhich knovveth the hearts bare them vvitnesse in giuing vnto thē the holy Ghost euē as he did vnto vs he put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts For the spirit of God by faith as by a most fit instrument doth clense and purge away all filthy and corrupt maner of seruing of God and worketh sanctification of life so that the increase of faith is the increase of holynes For til we be fully perswaded that God by his holy spirit and faith hath vnited and incorporated vs into the body of Christ to liue and be conformed according to his Image and that wee and all our workes are accepted through him we can neuer thinke will speake or doe any good thing with pure heartes Therefore this faith without which it is impossible to please God sealed in our heartes by the finger of God and offering vp all our works not in our personnes but in the person of Christ in whom they must needes be acceptably receiued is the first and chiefest gifte of regeneration out of the which ariseth though not a perfecte kinde of obedience and seruice of God for we beleeue but in part yet such a kinde as pleaseth God in Christ profiteth his Church and causeth vs to feele that peace and quietnes of conscience which passeth all wisdome and vnderstanding And therefore this faith aboue all things chiefly is to be begged at the hands of our merciful father that we may attaine vnto this right maner of doing his will and also the voyce of Christes Gospell sounding by his ministers in the Church by which meanes onely ordinarily it is obtayned is most diligently to be receiued and heard The second gracious gifte of the holy Spirit though it be a fruite of the former as the other which followe are yet it hath a seuerall vse I meane a stedfast and ioyfull hope for the full and perfect fruition of eternall life For as faith doth apprehend applie and as it were by a hand reache vnto euery man particularly the promises of God concerning eternall life in Christ and also Christ himselfe in whom all those promises are Yea and Amen fully and perfectly accomplished so hope vseth enioyeth and after a sort euen in this life possesseth all those thinges which are promised of God and apprehended by faith yea euen eternall life it selfe In consideration whereof the Apostle affirmeth that we are saued by hope that is to saye by the benefite of hope we enioye and possesse alreadie our saluation though as yet absent So that he which looketh vpon present things that are seene to haue saluation in them he renounceth hope which gift only in the elect is the faithfull keeper and possessor of our saluation purchased by Christ For it is called by the Spirit of God in the 6. to the Heb. the ancre of the soule in these wordes Which we haue meaning hope as an ancre of the soule both sure and stedfast and it entreth into that vvhich is vvithin the vaile whither the forerunner is for vs entred in euen Iesus that is made an hye Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech For as the whole vse of the Ancre is to holde fast the shippe in one sure and certaine place notwithstanding all tempests and waues beating against it because it entereth into the very depth and bottome of the sea there taking fast hold euen so the principall vse of hope is to enter into the heauen of heauens where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to hold fast our soules there with him notwithstanding all the waues tempestes of Satan sinne and condemnation do beate daily continually against them As therfore faith is necessary to leade vnto Christ so hope is also necessary to keepe vs alwayes with him In regard whereof we are by the holy Ghost earnestly exhorted in the Christian race which is set before vs as to run with patience so especially to looke to Iesus the author finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame is set at the right hand of the throne of god Whereby it appeareth that this hope doth most liuely set before our consciences the presence of God Christ with the fruition of the kingdome of glorie so worketh in vs an vnspeakeable ioye and patience in all aduersities Whereof none of the reprobate or malignant church hath euer tasted to their saluation nether shall do but the children of God do not only tast hereof but also leade the whole course of their life in this hope as in the presence of Christ God for which cause they are said to walke with God. The third gift is a sincere loue of God man a most certaine and infallible note of a true Christian and more profitable to our brethren the Church of God then either of the former as the Apostle teacheth in the first to the Corinthians 13. saying And nowe abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue The reason is because faith doeth apprehende those things we haue not hope doth retaine and enioye them but loue doth drawe out of vs the daily exercise and wise employing of the talents receiued to the benefite of the Church So that for apprehending benefits that are absent faith is the chiefest for the ioyfull retayning of them hope is the chiefest but for the vse and employing of them to the edification of others loue is the chiefest and therfore in this respect iustly and truely preferred of the Apostle if we attribute to euery one their proper vses and effectes If then we purpose to obserue a right maner of fulfilling the Fathers wil we must imbrace this grace also and gift of the holy Ghost that al our workes maye sauour and be done in loue Vnder loue I comprehend zeale a most excellent gift giuen vnto the Saints of God for to this end Christ hath giuen himselfe that he might redeeme vs from all iniquities and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes So we see that the Lord hath giuen vs his Sonne that we shoulde loue him which loued vs first that we should serue him diligently zealously all the