may soon deceive himself and think in his own phantasie that he by Faith knoweth God loveth him feareth him and belongeth to him when in very deed he doth nothing less For the tryal of all these things is a very Godly and Christian Life He that feeleth his Heart set to seek God's Honour and studieth to know the Will and Commandments of God and to frame himself thereunto and leadeth not his Life after the desire of his own flesh to serve the Devil by Sin but setteth his Mind to serve God for his own sake and for his sake also to love all his Neighbors whether they be Friends or Adversaries doing good to every Man as opportunity serveth and willingly hurting no Man Such a Man may well rejoyce in God perceiving by the trade of his Life that he unfeignedly hath the right knowledge of God a lively Faith a stedfast Hope a true and unfeigned Love and Fear of God But he that casteth away the yoke of God's Commandments from his Neck and giveth himself to live without true Repentance after his own sensual Mind and Pleasure not regarding to know God's Word and much less to live according thereunto Such a Man clearly deceiveth himself and seeth not his own Heart if he thinketh that he either knoweth God loveth him feareth him or trusteth in him Some peradventure fancy in themselves that they belong to God although they live in Sin and so they come to the Church and shew themselves as God's dear Children But St. John saith plainly If we say 1 John 1. that we have any company with God and walk in darkness we do lye Others do vainly think that they know and love God although they pass not of the Commandments But St. John saith clearly 1 John 2. He that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandments he is a lyar Some falsly persuade themselves that they love God when they hate their Neighbors But St. John saith manifestly If any man say I love God 1 John 4. 1 John 2. and yet hateth his Brother he is a lyar He that saith that he is in the light and hateth his brother he is still in darkness He that loveth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knowe h not whither he goeth For darkness hath blinded h s eyes And moreover he saith 1 John 3. Hereby we manif stly know the Children of God from the Children of the Devil He that doth not righteously is not the child of God nor he that hateth his Brother Deceive not yourselves therefore thinking that you have Faith in God or that you love God or do trust in him or do fear him when you live in sin For then your ungodly and sinful Life declareth the contrary whatsoever you say or think It pertaineth to a Christian Man to have this true Christian Faith and to try himself whether he hath it or no and to know what belongeth to it and how it doth work in him It is not the World that we can trust to the World and all that is therein is but vanity It is God that must be our Defence and Protection against all temptation of Wickedness and Sin Errors Superstition Idolatry and all Evil. If all the World were on our side and God against us What could the World avail us Therefore let us set our whole Faith and Trust in God and neither the World the Devil nor all the power of them shall prevail against us Let us therefore good Christian Poople try and examine our Faith what it is Let us not flatter our selves but look upon our Works and so judge of our Faith what it is Christ himself speaketh of this matter Luke 6. and saith The tree is known by the fruit Therefore let us do good Works and thereby declare our Faith to be the lively Christian Faith Let us by such Virtues as ought to spring out of Faith shew our election to be sure and stable as St. Peter teacheth 2 Pet. 1. endeavour yourselves to make your calling and election certain by good Works And also he saith minister or declare in your faith virtue in virtue knowledge in knowledge temperance in temperance patience in patience godliness in godliness brotherly charity in brotherly charity love So shall we shew indeed that we have the very lively Christian Faith and may so both certifie our Conscience the better that we be in the right Faith and also by these means confirm other Men. If these fruits do not follow we do but mock with God deceive ourselves and also other Men. Well may we bear the name of Christian Men but we do lack the true Faith that doth belong thereunto for the true Faith doth ever bring forth good Works as St. James saith James 2. Shew me thy faith by thy deeds Thy Deeds and Works must be an open Testimonial of thy Faith Otherwise thy Faith being without good VVorks is but the Devils Faith the Faith of the wicked a phantasie of Faith and not a true Christian Faith And like as the Devils and evil People be nothing the better for their counterfeit Faith but it is unto them the more cause of damnation So they that be Christians and have received knowledge of God and of Christ's Merits and yet of a set purpose do live idly without good VVorks thinking the name of a naked Faith to be either sufficient for them or else setting their Minds upon vain pleasures of this VVorld do live in Sin without Repentance not uttering the fruits that do belong to such an high Profession upon such presumptious Persons and wilful Sinners must needs remain the great vengeance of God and eternal punishment in Hell prepared for the unjust and wicked Livers Therefore as you profess the name of Christ good Christian People let no such phantasie and imagination of Faith at any time beguile you But be sure of your Faith try it by your living look upon the fruits that come of it mark the increase of Love and Charity by it towards God and your Neighbor and so shall you perceive it to be a true lively Faith If you feel and perceive such a Faith in you rejoyce in it and be diligent to maintain it and keep it still in you let it be daily increasing and more and more by well-working and so shall you be sure that you shall please God by this Faith and at the length as other faithful Men have done before so shall you when his Will is come to him and receive the end and final reward of your Faith as St. Peter nameth it the salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1. The which God Grant us that hath promised the same unto his Faithful to whom be all Honour and Glory World without end Amen A SERMON Of Good Works annexed unto Faith IN the last Sermon was declared unto you what the lively and true Faith of a
a more perfect Service and Honouring of God and more pleasing to God than the keeping of God's Commandments Such hath been the corrupt inclination of Man ever Superstitiously given to make new Honouring of God on his own Head and then to have more Affection and Devotion to keep that than to search out God's Holy Commandments and to keep them And furthermore to take God's Commandments for Men's Commandments and Men's Commandments for God's Commandments yea and for the highest and most Perfect and Holiest of all God's Commandments And so was all confused that scant well learned Men and but a small number of them knew or at the least would know and durst affirm the Truth to separate or sever God's Commandments from the Commandments of Men. Whereupon did grow much Error Superstition Idolatry Vain-religion Overthwart-iudgment great Contention with all ungodly living An exhortation to the keeping of God's Commandments Wherefore as you have any Zeal to the right and pure Honouring of God as you have any regard to your own Souls and to the Life that is to come which is both without pain and without end apply yourselves chiefly above all things to read and hear God's Word mark diligently therein what his Will is you shall do and with all your endeavour apply your selves to follow the same A brief rehearsal of God's Commandments First you must have an assured Faith in God and give yourselves wholly unto him love him in prosperity and adversity and dread to offend him evermore Then for his sake love all Men Friends and Foes because they be his Creation and Image and redeemed by Christ as ye are Cast in your Minds how you may do good unto all Men unto your Powers and hurt no Man Obey all your Superiors and Governors serve your Masters faithfully and diligently as well in their absence as in their presence not for dread of punishment only but for Conscience sake knowing that you are bound so to do by God's Commandments Disobey not your Fathers and Mothers but Honour them Help them and Please them to your power Oppress not kill not beat not neither slander nor hate any Man But love all Men speak well of all Men help and succor every Man as you may yea even your Enemies that hate you that speak evil of you and that do hurt you Take no Man's Goods nor covet your neighbor's Goods wrongfully but content yourselves with that which ye get truly and also bestow your own Goods charitably as Need and Case requireth Flee all Idolatry Witchcraft and Perjury commit no manner of Adultery Fornication or other Unchastness in Will nor in Deed with any other Mans Wife Widow or Maid or otherwise And travelling continually during this life thus in keeping the Commandments of God wherein standeth the pure principal and right Honour of God and which wrought in Faith God hath ordained to be the right trade and pathway unto Heaven you shall not fail as Christ hath promised to come to that blessed and everlasting life where you shall live in Glory and Joy with God for ever To whom be Praise Honour and Empery for ever and ever Amen A SERMON Of Christian Love and Charity OF all things that be good to be taught unto Christian People there is nothing more necessary to be spoken of and daily called upon than Charity As well for that all manner of works of Righteousness be contained in it as also that the decay thereof is the ruin or fall of the World the banishment of Virtue and the cause of all Vice And forsomuch as almost every Man maketh and frameth to himself Charity after his own appetite and how detestable soever his life be both unto God and Man yet he persuadeth himself still that he hath Charity Therefore you shall hear now a true and plain description or setting forth of Charity not of Men's Imagination but of the very words and example of our Saviour Jesus Christ In which description or setting forth every Man as it were in a Glass may consider himself and see plainly without error whether he be in the true Charity or not Charity is to love God with all our Heart What Charity is The love of God all our Soul and all our Powers and strength With all our Heart that is to say That our Heart Mind and Study be set to believe his Word to trust in him and to Love him above all other things that we love best in Heaven or in Earth With all our Life That is to say that our chief joy and delight be set upon Him and His Honor and our whole Life given unto the Service of him above all things with him to live and dye and to forsake all other things rather than him For he that loveth his father or mother Matth. 10. son or daughter house or land more than me saith Christ is not worthy to have me With all our Power That is to say that with our Hands and Feet with our Eyes and Ears our Mouths and Tongues and with all our Parts and Powers both of Body and Soul we should be given to the keeping and fulfilling of his Commandments The love of thy neighbor This is the First and Principal Part of Charity but it is not the whole For Charity is also to love every Man Good and Evil Friend and Foe and whatsoever cause be given to the contrary yet nevertheless to bear good Will and Heart unto every Man to use ourselves well unto them as well in Words and Countenances as in all our outward Acts and Deeds For so Christ himself taught and so also he performed indeed Of the love of God he taught on this wife unto a Doctor of the Law that asked him which was the great and chief Commandment in the Law Love thy Lord God Matth. 22. said Christ with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy mind And of the love that we ought to have among ourselves each to other he teacheth us thus You have heard it taught in times past Matth. 5. Matth. 5. Thou shalt love thy friend and have thy foe But I tell you love your enemies speak well of them that defame and speak evil of you do well to them that hate you pray for them that vex and persecute you that you may be the children of your father that is in Heaven For he maketh his Sun to rise both upon the evil and good and sendeth rain to the just and unjust For if you love them that love you What reward shall you have Do not the Publicans likewise And if you speak well only of them that be your brethren and dearly beloved friends what great matter is that Do not the Heathen the same also These be the very words of our Saviour Christ himself touching the love of our neighbor And forasmuch as the Pharises with their most pestilent Traditions and false interpretations and glosses had corrupted and almost
otherwhiles obey God but by and by do think that laying him aside it is lawful for them to serve the World and the Flesh And because that we are letted by the natural corruption of our own Flesh and the wicked affections of the same he doth bid us also to return with Fasting not thereby understanding a superstitious Abstinence and choosing of Meats but a true Discipline or taming of the Flesh whereby the nourishments of filthy Lusts and of stubborn Contumacy and Pride may be withdrawn and pluckt away from it Whereunto he doth add weeping and mourning which do contain an outward profession of Repentance which is very needful and necessary that so we may partly set forth the righteousness of God when by such means we do testifie that we deserved punishments at his hands and partly stop the offence that was openly given unto the weak Psal 25. Thus did David see who being not content to have bewept and bewailed his sins privately would publickly in his Psalms declare and set forth the rigteousness of God in punishing sin and also stay them that might have abused his Example to sin the more boldly Therefore they are farthest from true Repentance that will not confess and acknowledge their sins nor yet bewail them but rather do most ungodlily glory and rejoyce in them Now lest any Man should think that Repentance doth consist in outward weeping and mourning only he doth rehearse that wherein the chief of the whole matter doth lie when he saith Rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turn unto the Lord your God For the People of the East part of the World were wont to rent their Garments Psal 52. if any thing hapned unto them that seemed intolerable Hypocrites do counterfeit all manner of things This thing did Hypocrites sometimes counterfeit and follow as though the whole Repentance did stand in such outward gesture He teacheth then that another manner of thing is required that is That they must be contrite in their Hearts that they must utterly detest and abhor Sins and being at defiance with them return unto the Lord their God from whom they went away before For God hath no pleasure in the outward Ceremony but requireth a contrite and humble Heart Psal 52. which he will never despise as David doth testifie There is therefore none other use of these outward Ceremonies but as far forth as we are stirred up by them and do serve to the glory of God and to the edifying of others Now doth he add unto this Doctrin or Exhortation How Repentance is not unprofitable certain godly Reasons which he doth ground upon the nature and property of God and whereby he doth teach that true Repentance can never be unprofitable or unfruitful For as in all other things Mens hearts do quail and faint if they once perceive that they travel in vain Even so most especially in this matter must we take heed and beware that we suffer not our selves to be persuaded that all that we do is but labor lost for thereof either sudden desperation doth arise or a licentious boldness to sin which at length bringeth unto desperation Lest any such thing then should happen unto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodness of God who is always most ready to receive them into favor again that turn speedily unto him Which thing he doth prove with the same Titles wherewith God doth describe and set forth himself unto Moses speaking on this manner Exod. 34. For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil that is such a one as is sorry for your Afflictions First He calleth him gentle and gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and ready to do good than to punish Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophet seemeth to pertain where he saith Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his own imaginations and return unto the Lord and he will have pity on him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive Secondly Doth attribute unto him mercy or rather according to the Hebrew word the Bowels of mercies whereby he signified the natural affections of Parents towards their Children Which thing David doth set forth goodly Psal 103. saying As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Thirdly He saith that he is slow to anger that is to say long-suffering and which is not lightly provoked to wrath Fourthly That he is of much kindness for he is that bottomless Well of all goodness who rejoyceth to do good unto us therefore did he create and make Men that he might have whom he should do good unto and make partakers of his Heavenly Riches Fifthly He repenteth of the evil that is to say he doth call back again and revoke the punishment which he had threatned when he seeth Men repent turn and amend Against the Novatians Whereupon we do not without a just cause detest and abhor the damnable Opinion of them which do most wickedly go about to persuade the simple and ignorant People That if we chance after we be once come to God and grafted in his Son Jesus Christ to fall into some horrible sin shall be unprofitable unto us there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be received again into the favor and mercy of God And that they may give the better colour unto their pestilent and pernicious Error they do commonly bring in the sixth and tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the second Chapter of the second Epistle of Peter not considering that in those places the holy Apostles do not speak of the daily falls that we as long as we carry about this body of sin are subject unto Mat. 12. Mark 3. but of the final falling away from Christ and his Gospel The sin against the Holy Ghost which is a sin against the Holy Ghost that shall never be forgiven because that they do utterly forsake the known Truth do hate Christ and his Word they do crucifie and mock him but to their utter destruction and therefore fall into desparation and cannot repent And that this is the true meaning of the holy Spirit of God it appeareth by many other places of the Scriptures which promise unto all true repentant sinners and to them that with their whole heart do turn unto the Lord their God free pardon and remission of their sins For the probation hereof we read this O Israel saith the holy Prophet Jeremy if thou return Jer. 4. return unto me saith the Lord and if thou put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not be removed Again these are Esaias words Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his own ways and the unrighteous his own
earthly Prince doth come in his Regiment the greater Blessing of Gods mercy is he unto that Country and People over whom he Reigneth and the further and further that an earthly Prince doth swerve from the example of the heavenly Government the greater plague is he of Gods wrath and punishment by Gods justice unto that Country and People over whom God for their sins hath placed such a Prince and Governor For it is indeed evident both by the Scriptures and daily by experience that the maintainance of all Vertue and Godliness and consequently of the Wealth and Prosperity of a Kingdom and People doth stand and rest more in a wise and good Prince on the one part than in great multitudes of other Men being Subjects and on the contrary part the overthrow of all Vertue and Godliness and consequently the decay and utter ruin of a Realm and People doth grow and come more by an undiscreet and evil Governor than by many thousands of other Men being Subjects Eccles 10. d. 16. Prov. 16. 29. Eccles 10. Esa 32. a. Thus say the Scriptures Well is thee O thou Land saith the Preacher whose King is come of Nobles and whose Princes eat in due season for necessity and not for lust Again A Wise and Righteous King maketh his Realm and People wealthy And a Good Merciful and Gracious Prince is a shadow in Heat as a defence in Storms as Dew as sweet showers as fresh Water-springs in great droughts Again the Scriptures of undiscreet and evil Princes speak thus Eccles 10.16 Pro. 28. 29. Wo be to thee O thou band whose King is but a Child and whose Princes are early at their Banquets Again When the wicked do Reign then Men go to Ruin And again A foolish Prince destroyeth the People and a covetous King undoeth his Subjects Thus speak the Scriptures thus experince testifieth of good and evil Princes What shall Subjects do then shall they obey Valiant Stout Wise and Good Princes and Contemn Disobey and Rebel against Children being their Princes or against undiscreet and evil Governors God forbid For First What a perilous thing were it to commit unto the Subjects the Judgment which Prince is Wise and Godly and his Government good and which is otherwise as though the Foot must judge of the Head an enterprise very heinous and must needs breed Rebellion For who else be they that are most enclined to Rebellion but such haughty Spirits From whom springeth such foul ruin of Realms Is not Rebellion the greatest of all Mischiefs And who are most ready to the greatest of Mischiefs but the worst Men Rebels therefore the worst of all Subjects are most ready to Rebellion as being the worst of all Vices and farthest from the duty of a good Subject as on the contrary part the best Subjects are most firm and constant in obedience as in the special and peculiar vertue of good Subjects What an unworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest Subjects and most inclined to Rebellion and all evil Judges over their Princes over their Government and over their Counsellors to determin which of them be good or tolerable and which be evil and so intolerable that they must needs be removed by Rebels being ever ready as the naughtiest Subjects soonest to Rebel against the best Princes specially if they be young in Age Women in Sex or gentle and courteous in Government as trusting by their wicked boldness easily to overthrow their weakness and gentleness or at the least so to fear the minds of such Princes that they may have impunity of their mischievous doings But whereas indeed a Rebel is worse than the worst Prince and Rebellion worse than the worst Government of the worst Prince that hitherto hath been both Rebels are unmeet Ministers and Rebellion an unfit and unwholsom Medicine to reform any small lacks in a Prince or to cure any little griefs in Government such lewd Remedies being far worse than any other maladies and disorders that can be in the Body of a Common-wealth But whatsoever the Prince be or his Government it is evident that for the most part those Princes whom some Subjects do think to be very godly and under whose Government they rejoyce to live some other Subjects do take the same to be evil and ungodly and do wish for a change If therefore all Subjects that mislike of their Prince should Rebel no Realm should ever be without Rebellion It were more meet that Rebels should hear the advice of wise Men and give place unto their Judgment and follow the example of obedient Subjects as reason is that they whose understanding is blinded with so evil an affection should give place to them that be of sound judgment and that the worst should give place to the better and so might Realms continue in long Obedience Peace and Quietness But what if the Prince be undiscreet and evil indeed and is also evident to all Mens eyes that he so is I ask again What if it be long of the wickedness of the Subjects that the Prince is undiscreet and evil Shall the Subjects both by their wickedness provoke God for their deserved punishment to give them an undiscreet or evil Prince and also rebel against him and withal against God who for the punishment of their sins did give them such a Prince Will you hear the Scriptures concerning this Point Job 34.10 Hos 13.6 God say the Holy Scriptures maketh a wicked Man to Reign for the sins of the People Again God giveth a Prince in his anger meaning an evil one and taketh away a Prince in his displeasure meaning especially when he taketh away a good Prince for the sins of the People as in our Memory he took away our good Josias King Edward in his young and good years for our wickedness And contrarily the Scriptures do teach 2 Par. 2.9 Prov. 16. That God giveth wisdom unto Princes and maketh a wise and good King to Reign over that People whom he loveth and who loveth him Again If the People obey God 1 Reg. 12. both they and their King shall prosper and be safe else both shall perish saith God by the mouth of Samuel Here you see that God placeth as well evil Princes as good and for what cause he doth both If we therefore will have a good Prince either to be given us or to continue now we have such a one let us by our obedience to God and to our Prince move God thereunto If we will have an evil Prince when God shall send such a one taken away and a good in his place let us take away our wickedness which provoketh God to place such a one over us and God will either displace him or of an evil Prince make him a good Prince so that we first will change our evil into good For will you hear the Scriptures Prov. 21. The heart of the Prince is in Gods hand which way soever it
Wilt thou be without fear of the Power Do well then and so shalt thou be praised of the same for he is the Minister of God for thy wealth But and if thou do that which is evil then fear for he beareth not the Sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth evil Wherefore ye must needs obey not only for fear of vengeance but also because of conscience and even for this cause pay ye tribute for they are God's Ministers serving for the same purpose Here let us learn of St. Paul the chosen Vessel of God that all Persons having Souls he excepteth none nor exempteth none neither Priest Apostle nor Prophet saith St. Chrysostom do owe of bounden Duty and even in Conscience Obedience Submission and Subjection to the higher Powers which be set in autho ty by God forasmuch as they be God's Lieutenants God's Presidents God's Officers God's Commissioners God's Judges ordained of God himself of whom only they have all their Power and all their Authority And the same St. Paul threatneth no less pain than everlasting damnation to all disobedient persons to all resisters against this general and common Authority forasmuch as they resist not Man but God not Man's device and invention but God's Wisdom God's Order Power and Authority The Second Part of the Sermon of Obedience FOrasmuch as God hath created and disposed all things in a comly order we have been taught in the First Part of the Sermon concerning good Order and Obedience that we ought also in all Commonweals to observe and keep a due order and to be obedient to the Powers their Ordinances and Laws and that all Rulers are appointed of God for a goodly Order to be kept in the World And also how the Magistrates ought to learn how to Rule and Govern according to God's Laws And that all Subjects are bound to obey them as God's Ministers yea although they be evil not only for fear but also for Conscience sake And here good People let us all mark diligently that it is not lawful for Inferiors and Subjects in any case to resist and stand against the Superior Powers For S. Paul's words be plain that whosoever withstandeth shall get to themselves damnation for whosoever withstandeth withstandeth the Ordinance of God Our Saviour Christ himself and his Apostles received many and divers injuries of the unfaithful and wicked Men in Authority yet we never read that they or any of them caused any Sedition or Rebellion against Authority We read oft that they patiently suffered all troubles vexations slanders pangs and pains and death itself obediently without tumult or resistance They committed their Cause to him that judgeth righteously and prayed for their Enemies heartily and earnestly They knew that the Authority of the Powers was God's Ordinance and therefore both in their Words and Deeds they taught ever Obedience to it and never taught nor did the contrary The wicked Judge Pilate said to Christ Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power also to loose thee Jesus answered Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Whereby Christ taught us plainly that even the wicked Rulers have their Power and Authority from God and therefore it is not lawful for their Subjects to withstand them although they abuse their Power Much less then is it lawful for Subjects to withstand their Godly and Christian Princes which do not abuse their Authority but use the same to God's Glory and to the Profit and Commodity of God's People 1. Pet. 2. The Holy Apostle Peter commandeth Servants to be obedient to their Masters not only if they be good and gentle but also if they be evil and froward Affirming that the Vocation and Calling of God's People is to be Patient and of the suffering side And there he bringeth in the Patience of our Saviour Christ to persuade Obedience to Governors yea although they be wicked and wrong-doers But let us now hear St. Peter himself speak for his words certifie best our Conscience thus he uttereth them in his first Epistle Servants 1 Pet. 2. obey your Masters with fear not only if they be good and gentle but also if they be froward For it is thank-worthy if a man for Conscience toward God endureth grief and suffer wrong undeserved For what praise is it when ye be beaten for your faults if ye take it patiently But when ye do well if you then suffer wrong and take it patiently then is there cause to have thank of God for hereunto verily were ye called For so did Christ suffer for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps All these be the very words of St. Peter 1 Kings 1â— 19 20. Holy David also teacheth us a good Lesson in this behalf who was many times most cruelly and wrongfully persecuted of King Saul and many times also put in jeopardy and danger of his Life by King Saul and his People yet he neither withstood neither used any force or violence against King Saul his mortal and deadly enemy but did ever to his Liege Lord and Master King Saul most true most diligent and most faithful Service Insomuch that when the Lord God had given King Saul into David's hands in his own Cave he would not hurt him when he might without all Bodily peril easily have slain him no he would not suffer one of his Servants once to lay their hand upon King Saul but prayed to God on this wise Lord keep me from doing that thing upon my Master the Lord 's Anointed keep me that I lay not my hand upon him seeing he is the Anointed of the Lord For as truly as the Lord liveth except the Lord smite him or except his day come or that he go down to War and perish in Battel the Lord be merciful unto me that I lay not my hands upon the Lords Anointed And that David might have killed his Enemy King Saul it is evidently proved in the first Book of the Kings both by the cutting off the lap of Saul's Garment and also by plain Confession of King Saul Also another time as is mentioned in the same Book when the most unmerciful and most unkind King Saul did persecute poor David God did again give Saul into David's hands by casting of King Saul and his whole Army into a dead sleep so that David and one Abisai with him came in the night into Saul's Host where Saul lay sleeping and his Spear stuck in the ground at his Head Then said Abisai unto David God hath delivered thine Enemy into thine hands at this time now therefore let me smite him once with my spear to the earth and I will not smite him again the second time meaning thereby to have killed him with one stroke and to have made him sure for ever And David answered and said to Abisai Destroy him not for who
Blood of Christ through the Holy Ghost Now if we be Saints what have we to do with the manners of the Heathen 1 Pet. 1. Levit. 19. Saint Peter saith As he which called you his Holy even so be ye Holy also in your Conversation because it is written Be ye Holy for I am Holy Hitherto have we heard how grievous a Sin Fornication and Whoredom is and how greatly God doth abhor it throughout the whole Scripture How can it any otherwise be than a Sin of most abomination seeing it may not once be named among the Christians much less may it in any point be committed And surely if we would weigh the greatness of this Sin and consider it in the right kind we should find the Sin of Whoredom to be that most filthy Lake foul Puddle and stinking Sink whereunto all kinds of Sins and Evils flow where also they have their resting place and abiding For hath not the Adulterer a pride in his Whoredom As the Wise Man saith They are glad when they have done evil and rejoyce in things that are stark naught Is not the Adulterer also Idle and delighteth in no Godly exercise but only in that his most filthy and beastly pleasure Is not his Mind pluckt and utterly drawn away from all virtuous Studies and fruitful Labours and only given to carnal and fleshly imagination Doth not the Whoremonger give his mind to Gluttony that he may be the more apt to serve his Lusts and carnal Pleasures Doth not the Adulterer give his Mind to Covetousness and to polling and pilling of others that he may be the more able to maintain his Harlots and Whores and to continue in his filthy and unlawful Love Swelleth he not also with Envy against others fearing that his Prey should be allured and taken away from him Again is he not ireful and replenished with Wrath and Displeasure even against his best beloved if at any time his beastly and devilish Request be letted What Sin or kind of Sin is it that is not joyned with Fornication and Whoredom It is a Monster of many Heads It receiveth all kinds of Vices and refuseth all kinds of Virtues If one several Sin bringeth Damnation what is to be thought of that Sin which is accompanied with all Evils and hath waiting on it whatsoever is hateful to God damnable to Man and pleasant to Satan Great is the Damnation that hangeth over the Heads of Fornicators and Adulterers What shall I speak of other incommodities which issue and flow out of this stinking puddle of Whoredom Is not that Treasure which before all other is most regarded of honest Persons the good Fame and Name of Man and Woman lost through Whoredom What Patrimony or Livelihood What Substance What Goods What Riches doth Whoredom shortly consume and bring to nought What Valiantness and Strength is many times made weak and destroyed with Whoredom What Wit is so fine that is not besotted and defaced through Whoredom What Beauty although it were never so excellent is not disfigured through Whoredom Is not Whoredom an enemy to the pleasant Flower of Youth and bringeth it not gray Hairs and old Age before the time What gift of Nature although it were never so precious is not corrupted with Whoredom Come not many foul and most loathsome Diseases of Whoredom From whence come so many Bastards and misbegotten Children to the high displeasure of God and dishonour of Holy Wedlock but of Whoredom How many consume all their Substance and Goods and at the last fall into such extreme poverty that afterward they steal and so are hanged through Whoredom What Contention and Man slaughter cometh of Whoredom How many Maidens be deflowred How many Wives corrupted how many Widows defiled through Whoredom How much is the Publick and Commonweal impoverished and troubled through Whoredom How much is God's Word contemned and depraved through Whoredom and Whoremongers Of this Vice cometh a great part of the Divorces which now adays be so commonly accustomed and used by Mens private Authority to the great displeasure of God and the breach of the most Holy knot and bond of Matrimony For when this most detestable Sin is once crept into the Breast of the Adulterer so that he is intangled with unlawful and unchast Love straightways his true and lawful Wife is despised her Presence is abhorred her company stinketh and is loathsom whatsoever she doth is dispraised There is no quietness in the House so long as she is in his sight Therefore to make short work she must away for her Husband can brook her no longer Thus through Whoredom is the honest and harmless Wife put away and an Harlot received in her stead And in like sort it happeneth many times in the Wife towards her Husband O Abomination Christ our Saviour very God and Man coming to restore the Law of his Heavenly Father unto the right sense understanding and meaning among other things reformed the abuse of this Law of God For whereas the Jews used a long sufferance by custom to put away their Wives at their pleasure for every cause Christ correcting that evil custom did teach That if any Man put away his Wife and marrieth another Matth. 19. for any cause except only for Adultery which then was Death by the Law he was an Adulterer and forced also his Wife so divorced to commit Adultery if she were joyned to any other Man and the Man also so joyned with her to commit Adultery In what case then are these Adulterers which for the love of an Whore put away their true and lawful Wife against all Law right Reason and Conscience O how Damnable is the state wherein they stand Swift Destruction shall fall on them if they repent not and amend not For God will not suffer Holy Wedlock thus to be dishonoured hated and despised He will once punish this fleshly and licentious manner of living and cause that this holy Ordinance shall be had in Reverence and Honour For surely Wedlock as the Apostle saith is honourable among all Men and the Bed undefiled Heb. â— But Whoremongers and Fornicators God will Judge that is to say punish and condemn But to what purpose is this labour taken to describe and set forth the greatness of the Sin of Whoredom and the Discommodities that issue and flow out from it seeing that breath and tongue shall sooner fail any Man than he shall or may be able to set it out according to the Abomination and Heinousness thereof Notwithstanding this is spoken to the intent that all Men should flee Whoredom and live in the fear of God God grant that it may not be spoken in vain The Third Part of the Sermon against Adultery IN the Second Part of this Sermon against Adultery that was last read you have learned how earnestly the Scripture warneth us to avoid the sin of Adultery and to embrace cleanness of Life And that through Adultery we fall into all kinds of Sin
doth chide with himself so it comprehendeth two most detestable Vices the one is picking of Quarrels with sharp and contentious words the other standeth in froward answering and multiplying evil Words again The first is so abominable that Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 5. If any that is called a Brother be a Worshipper of Idols a Brawler a picker of Quarrels a Thief or an Extortioner with him that is such a Man see that you eat not Now here consider that St. Paul numbreth a Scolder a Brawler Against Quarrel-picking or a picker of Quarrels among Thieves and Idolaters and many times there cometh less hurt of a Thief than of a Railing Tongue For the one taketh away a Man 's good Name the other taketh but his Riches which is of much less Value and Estimation than is his good Name And a Thief hurteth but him from whom he stealeth But he that hath an evil Tongue troubleth all the Town where he dwelleth and somtime the whole Country And a Railing Tongue is a Pestilence so full of Contagiousness that Saint Paul willeth Christian Men to forbear the Company of such 1 Cor. 1. and neither to eat nor drink with them And whereas he will not that a Christian Woman should forsake her Husband although he be an Infidel or that a Christian Servant should depart from his Master which is an Infidel and Heathen and so suffereth a Christian Man to keep Company with an Infidel Yet he forbiddeth us to eat or drink with a Scolder or Quarrel-picker And also in the Sixth Chapter to the Corinthians he saith thus Be not deceived for neither Fornicators 1 Cor. 6. neither Worshippers of Idols neither Thieves nor Drunkards nor cursed Speakers shall dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven It must needs be a great fault that doth move and cause the Father to disinherit his Natural Son And how can it otherwise be Against froward answering Matth. 5. but that this cursed Speaking must needs be a most damnable Sin the which doth cause God our most Merciful and Loving Father to deprive us of his most blessed Kingdom of Heaven Against the other Sin that standeth in requiting Taunt for Taunt speaketh Christ himself saying I say unto you resist not evil but love your Enemies and say well by them that say evil by you do well unto them that do evil unto you and pray for them that do hurt and persecute you that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven who suffereth his Sun to rise both upon good and evil and sendeth his rain both upon the just and unjust To this Doctrine of Christ agreeth very well the teaching of St. Paul that chosen vessel of God who ceaseth not to exhort and call upon us Rom. 12. saying Bless them that curse you bless I say and curse not recompense to no man evil for evil if it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men The Second Part of the Sermon against Contention IT hath been declared unto you in this Sermon against Strife and Brawling what great inconvenience cometh thereby specially of such Contention as groweth in matters of Religion And how when as no Man will give place to another there is no end of contention and discord and that unity which God requireth of Christians is utterly thereby neglected and broken And that this contention standeth chiefly in two points as in picking of quarrels and making of froward Answers Now ye shall hear St. Paul's words Rom. 12. saying Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will revenge saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with goodness All these be the words of St. Paul but they that be full of Stomach and set so much by themselves that they may not abide so much as one evil word to be spoken of them peradventure will say If I be reviled An Objection shall I stand still like a Goose or a Fool with my Finger in my Mouth Shall I be such an Idiot and Dizard to suffer every Man to speak upon me what they list to rail what they list to spew out all their venom against me at their pleasures Is it not convenient that he that speaketh evil should be answered accordingly If I shall use this lenity and softness I shall both increase mine enemies frowardness and provoke others to do the like Such reasons make they that can suffer nothing for the defence of their impatience And yet An Answer if by froward answering to a froward person there were hope to remedy his frowardness he should less offend that so should answer doing the same not of ire or malice but only of that intent that he that is so froward or malicious may be reformed But he that cannot amend another man's fault or cannot amend it without his own fault better it were that one should perish than two Then if he cannot quiet him with gentle words at the least let him not follow him in wicked and uncharitable words If he can pacifie him with suffering let him suffer and if not it is better to suffer evil than to do evil to say well than to say evil For to speak well against evil cometh of the Spirit of God But to render evil for evil cometh of the contrary Spirit And he that cannot temper nor rule his own anger is but weak and feeble and rather more like a Woman or a Child than a strong Man For the true strength and manliness is to overcome wrath and to despise injuries and other mens foolishness And besides this he that shall despise the wrong done unto him by his enemy every man shall perceive that it was spoken or done without cause Whereas contrarily he that doth fume and chafe at it shall help the cause of his adversary giving suspicion that the thing is true And in so going about to revenge evil we shew our selves to be evil and while we punish and revenge another Man's folly we double and augment our own folly But many pretences find they that be wilful to colour their impatience Mine Enemy say they is not worthy to have gentle words or deeds being so full of malice or frowardness Theless he is worthy the more art thou therefore allowed of God and the more art thou commended of Christ for whose sake thou shouldest render good for evil because he hath commanded thee and also deserved that thou shouldest so do Thy neighbor hath peradventure with a word offended thee call thou to thy remembrance with how many words and deeds how grievously thou hast offended thy Lord God What was Man when Christ died for him Was he not his enemy and unworthy to have his Favour and Mercy Even so with what gentleness and patience doth he forbear and tolerate and
Rebellion as you see both the first and the greatest and the very root of all other sins and the first and principal cause both of all worldly and bodily Miseries Sorrows Diseases Sicknesses and Deaths and which is infinitely worse than all these as is said the very cause of death and damnation eternal also After this breach of Obedience to God and Rebellion against His Majesty all mischiefs and miseries breaking in therewith and overflowing the World lest all things should come unto confusion and utter ruin God forthwith by Laws given unto Mankind Gen. 3. d. 17. Gen 3. c. 16. Job 34. d. 30. 36. a. 7. repaired again the rule and order of Obedience thus by Rebellion overthrown and besides the Obedience due unto his Majesty he not only ordained that in Families and Housholds The Wife should be obedient unto her Husband the Children unto their Parents the Servants unto their Masters but also when Mankind increased and spread it self more largely over the World he by his holy Word did constitute and ordain in Cities and Countries several and special Governors and Rulers unto whom the residue of his People should be obedient Eccl. 8. a 2. 10. c. 16.17 d. 20. Psal 18. g. 50. 20. b. 6. 21. a. 1. Prov. 8.115 As in reading of the Holy Scriptures we shall find in very many and almost infinite places as well of the Old Testament as of the New that Kings and Princes as well the evil as the good do Reign by Gods Ordinance and that Subjects are bounden to obey them that God doth give Princes Wisdom great Power and Authority that God defendeth them against their Enemies and destroyeth their Enemies horribly that the anger and displeasure of the Prince is as the roaring of a Lion and the very messenger of death and the Subject that provoketh him to displeasure sinneth against his own Soul with many other things concerning both the Authority of Princes and the Duty of Subjects But here let us rehearse two special places out of the New Testament which may stand instead of all other Rom. 13. The first out of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans and the thirteenth Chapter where he writeth thus unto all Subjects Let every Soul be subject unto the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God and the Powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation For Princes are not to be feared for good Works but for evil Wilt thou then be without fear of the Power Do well so shalt thou have praise of the same for he is the Minister of God for thy Wealth But if thou do evil fear for he beareth not the Sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance upon him that doth evil Wherefore ye must be subject not because of Wrath only but also for Conscience sake for for this cause ye pay also tribute for they are Gods Ministers serving for the same purpose Give to every Man therefore his due tribute to whom tribute belongeth custom to whom custom is due fear to whom fear belongeth honor to whom ye owe honor Thus far are S. Pauls words The second place is in St. Peters Epistle and the second Chapter 1 Pet. 2. whose words are these Submit your selves unto all manner of Ordinances of Man for the Lords sake whether it be unto the King as unto the chief Head either unto Rulers as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers but for the cherishing of them that do well For so is the Will of God that with well doing ye may stop the mouths of ignorant and foolish Men as free and not as having the liberty for a cloak of maliciousness but even as the Servants of God Honor all Men love Brotherly Fellowship fear God honor the King Servants obey your Masters with fear not only if they be good and courteous but also though they be froward Thus far out of St. Peter By these two places of the Holy Scriptures it is most evident that Kings Queens and other Princes for he speaketh of Authority and Power be it in Men or Women are ordained of God are to be obeyed and honored of their Subjects that such Subjects as are disobedient or rebellious against their Princes disobey God and procure their own damnation that the government of Princes is a great blessing of God given for the Common-wealth specially of the good and godly For the comfort and cherishing of whom God giveth and setteth up Princes and on the contrary part to the fear and for the punishment of the evil and wicked Finally That if Servants ought to obey their Masters not only being gentle but such as be froward as well and much more ought â—ubjects to be obedient not only to their good and courteous but also to their sharp and rigorous Princes It cometh therefore neither of chance and fortune as they term it nor of the ambition of mortal Men and Women climbing up of their own accord to dominion that there be Kings Queens Princes other Governors ovâ—r Men being their Subjects but all Kings Queens other Governors are specially appointed by the ordinance of God And as God himself being of an infinite Majesty Power and Wisdom ruleth and governeth all things in Heâ—ven and Earth Psal 80. b. 16 45. a. 6. c. 47. a. 2. Eccl. 17. c. as the Universal Monarch and only King and Emperor over all as being only able to take and bear the charge of all so hath he constituted ordained and set earthly Princes over particular Kingdoms and Dominions in Earth both for the avoiding of all confusion which else would be in the World if it should be without Governors and for the great quiet and benefit of earthly Men their Subjects and also that the Princes themselves in Authority Power Wisdom Providence and righteousness in government of People and Countries committed to their charge should resemble his heavenly Governance as the Majesty of heavenly things may by the baseness of earthly things be shadowed and resembled Mat. 18. c. 23. 22.12 Ps 10. b. 16 and 45. a. b. 47. a. 2. c. Mat. 22. b. 13. 25. c. 34. Psal 82. b. 6. And for that similitude that is between the heavenly Monarchy and earthly Kingdoms well governed our Saviour Christ in sundry Parables saith That the Kingdom of Heaven is resembled unto a Man a King and as the name of the King is very often attributed and given unto God in Holy Scriptures so doth God himself in the same Scriptures sometimes vouchsafe to communicate his Name with earthly Princes terming them Gods doubtless for that similitude of Government which they have or should have not unlike unto God their King unto the which similitude of heavenly Government the nearer and nearer that an