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A03787 A sermon preached at Paules Crosse the ix. of Februarie. Anno Dom. 1583. By I. Hudson, Maister of Arte, of Oxon Hudson, John, M.A., Oxon. 1584 (1584) STC 13904; ESTC S116559 46,934 118

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vs to loue and charitie to vnity and agreement to peace and concorde one with an other And on the other side let vs beholde our owne defects herein the manifold strifes the vaine and friuolous contentions and suites the dispightfull practises the extreame and rigorous dealing the implacable malice enuie hatred and hartburning that raineth among men sometimes smothering inwardly in rancour of hart sometimes foming out into intemperate heate both of raging wordes and vncharitable deedes euerie man in selfe loue and priuate regarde of his owne wealth and welfare liuing looking to himselfe alone no man almost considering another to his benefite and good And wee shall not choose but confesse that howsoeuer we beate our braines and spende our time and trauell about strifes and questions about intricate and hidden misteries about controuersies and complaints yet that there is no point of Christian doctrine more needefull or more profitable to bee vrged and enforced to bee againe and againe reiterated that it might take effect then this That we shoulde be knit together in vnitie of minde and so consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to all good workes I beseeche you brethren saith S. Paule by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ That yee all speake one thing that there be no dissention among you but be ye knit so together in one minde and in one iudgement We see howe Turkes howe Iewes howe theeues will conspire and hold together how beastes will agree and euerie one loue his like how Papistes can vaunt of vnitie to our reproche and Diuels settle themselues together seuen Diuels in a man naye a whole legion together in a man and keepe themselues at concorde for preseruing of their kingdome and shall not we that professe one Lorde one faith one baptisme one doctrine and name of Christ the authour and God of peace be ioined together in one and so consider one another to the prouoking winning one another vnto loue and vnto good workes We see againe the great hurt and ruine that discord hath procured to manie flourishing countries and kingdomes and to the Church of God from time to time wee see the carping aduersaries still readie to take occasion to reproche and vpbraide the truth wee see the daies of this our lyfe and pilgrimage to bee shorte and euill the worlde it selfe declining and euen at the vaine the Diuell fearcely raging because his tyme is shorte the ende of all thinges approching the sentence of the Iudge ineuitable and hell fire harde at hande prepared for euill doers and can wee yet sleepe secure and carelesse in our sinnes shall wee not watche and make vs readie for the comming of the Bridegrome with our loynes girt and our Lampes burning that wee maye enter in with him to the wedding shall not the due remembrance of these and such like motiues rouse vs vp from this securitie and sencelesnes of sinne wherein wee seeme to be drown●d shall it not represse and quenche in vs all vnnaturall and vnkinde affections which are bent to the hurte of hinderance of our neighbour and stirre vs vp in the bowels of Christian compassion to bee curteous pitifull and louing to be mercifull and good one towardes another so as wee maie consider and exhort and prouoke one another vnto loue the band of perfection and vnto good workes the fruites of our Christian fayth Esse Christianum grande est saith Saint Ierome non videri non vocari To be a Christian and to performe those deedes dueties those good works and actions which Christianity requireth is a waightie matter but not so to seeme not so to be called When the seruantes of King Ahazia beeing sent to enquire at Belsabub for the recouery of his health Returned with message from Elias whom they mette in the waie assuring him that hee shoulde dye and not escape the King demaunded what manner of man he was that tolde them these thinges they aunswered an heyrie man and girte aboute with leather then saide hee straight it is Elias the Thesbit In like sort such should also be our manners and proceedings our wordes our workes and all our actions of life In loue in ioy in peace long suffering gentlenes goodnesse meekenes temperance and all other good works and fruites of the holie Ghost that when reporte of vs or any of vs is made vnto the worlde it may be straight auouched that wee are Christians hauing our fruite in h●lines and the ende eternall life For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Iustine Martire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The matter and businesse of our seruing of God Religion standeth not in wordes but in workes It is a rueled case of Christ. A good tree cannot bring foorth badde fruite and the faith of a Christian is most aptlye resembled vnto a tree which beeing rooted in the passion of Christ and watered with his blood spreadeth out on each side his braunches A true harte and a good conscience waxeth strong against all stormes groweth vp and flourisheth in hope and so through the inwarde sappe and norishing iuice of loue sendeth foorth most sweete and seasonable fruites good workes which are though not precedent causes yet necessary effectes and signes of the goodnesse of the tree But as Catterpillers sometimes and blasting doe frette and annoye the braunches that the sappe cannot haue his course and so the fruite faileth which seemed faire to the eye so rancour and displeasure diuision scisme and seperation amonge men beeing no lesse then noysome windes and Catterpillers to our Christian faith eate vp and drye awaye many times the sappe or iuice of loue and charitie whereby the expected fruite of good woorkes is withered in the braunches And therefore it is required that wee consider not euery one himselfe alone but euery one another also to prouoke vnto loue and vnto good woorkes that so wee maye bring foorth fruite in Christ and walke worthie of the Lorde who gaue himselfe to redeeme vs from all inniquitie and to purge vs a pecuculier people vnto himselfe zealous of all good workes For if yee knowe saith S. Iohn that God is righteous knowe yee also that hee that doth righteouslie is borne of him wee are the workemanshippe of God created and ordeined to good woorkes which hee hath prepared for vs to walke in If then we walke on in the stubbornesse of our owne hartes in the lust and concupisence of the flesh howe farre doe wee degenerate from this perfection and ende of our creation Wee are called the Lordes haruest if then wee bring not foorth good corne but tares of sinne and wickednesse what other can bee looked for but to bee gathered by the reapers into bundles and cast into the fire Wee are resembled to the grounde If drinking in the raine and blessinges of GOD that come so ofte vppon vs wee bring not foorth good hearbes but thornes and bryers wee are neare vnto cursing whose ende is to
ouersight in this point also is not vnworthy to be taxed who being so hardly kept and continued in this newe and liuing way that leadeth to the holye place are yet in all itching curiositie so carryed awaye and inclined to newes and newe things and so running and starting out into euerie new deuise that is pleasing to our fences that nothing can content vs except it bee very newe nor the selfe same delight vs long after while when it waxeth olde or common How straunge and vnwontedly new is our apparrell both in matter and forme both in substaunce and fashion so that garments are not stored to the proportion of mens bodies 〈◊〉 ●y the straunge varietie and newnesse of their apparrell they tranceforme themselues like Proteus to appeare in what forme they lift How vnsatiable are our eyes to beholde vanities and gaze after newe deuises New buildings newe manners newe dyet newe sportes newe fashions which are chiefelye sought out and looked for in euerye science and trade and are onely nowe in price and estimation among vs And yet our eares more precise and curious so as scarse anye thing maie content vs but that which we heard not or we knew not either in matter or in forme before It must be new or else it is tedious it must bee hotte from the forge or else it is vnsauery If you bringe not newe and vnwoonted matter which is commonly looked for at least you must dyppe it in a newe dye and deliuer it in a different manner or else mens eares are hedged with thornes it will not enter it is no other then the passage of a ship through the waues or of a birde in the ayre which vanish in their course afterwards are not once remembred or seene But if we so delight in new thinges at least let vs reforme our iudgemēt herein The thing y t is hath bin saith Salomon and there is no new thing vnder the sun But behold saith Esai speaking of this new way of our redemption by the blood of Iesus Olde thinges are come to passe and newe thinges doe I declare and or euer they come I tell you of them If wee so delight in newe thinges let vs serue God saith Saint Paule in newnesse of the spirite not in the oldenesse of the letter Let vs put of the olde man with al the deceaueable lustes therof and put on the newe man which according to God is shapen in righteousnesse and true holines let vs put on Christ in whom neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but a new creature And so as those that looke for a new heauen and a new earth let vs walke worthy of y t vocation wherunto we are called in all newnes of life by this new liuing way into y t holy place which is the new Hierusalem heauenly Citie of God This is y ● new liuing way blessed are they y t doe walke in the same this is the waye of righteousnes and truth which hath neither end nor error let vs walke therin with an vpright hart and turne neither to the right hand nor to y t left this is the way of peace which the wicked cannot finde and the straight and narrowe waye wherein the multitude delight not this waie is high for suche as contemne the world and yet both lowe and easie and the humble shall walke therein this is the way of the commaundement wherin it is required that we run now the Lord hath set our harts at libertie And therefore let vs purge clense it from all filthines of the flesh and of the spirite let vs decke and adorne it with flowers of good life and conuersation and with the spoiles and garlands as I may say of our conquered affections and lustes and so holde vp our goeings stedfastly in this path that our footesteps slip not And although there be many causes in our selues to discourage and withhold vs from entraunce thereinto beeing euerye waye so let and pressed downe with the burden of our sinnes although there are and wil be many impediments in y e worlde to staye and hinder vs in our course yet many more are our comforts againe and more forcible are the causes that shoulde embolden and excite vs thereunto seeing we haue not onely the things mencioned before concerning the sacrifice and offering of the blood of Iesus for the expiation of our sinnes and reconcilliation made with God But moreouer according to the figures and former shadowes of the lawe both a temple euen the house and Church of God wherein our prayers shalbe heard our petitions graunted and wee remaine as safe from the rage of the Enemie as was Noe in the arke from drowning in the waters And also an high Priest and mediator euen the man Iesus Christ which ruleth and gouerneth the same And then if hee bee on our side who can be against vs If hee haue iustified vs who shall condemne vs if he haue chosen vs who shall lay any thing to our charge If he be our shepherd how can wee lacke any thing If hee bee our high Priest how shall wee not bee accepted For the sweete smelling sacrifice that hee hath offered vnto God the father for vs And if he haue giuen vs libertie with boldnesse to enter who shall abridge the same to hold vs backe from the grace that is offered Seeing hee is the highe Prieste and ruler ouer the house of God Who for this cause hauing offered vp himself without spot to purge our conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God is set downe at the right hand of Maiestie in heauenly places far aboue al principalities and powers and might and domination and euery name that is named both in this world and in the worlde to come who is appointed ouer all things the head of the Church which is his body and the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all thinges in whome dwelleth all the fulnesse of the godhead bodyly and the hidden treasures of the wisedome and knowledge of God and to whom al power is giuen both in heauen and earth That in all things he might haue the preheminence to bee crowned with maiestie and honor as an eternall high priest for euer hauing sole and supreme authoritie and rule ouer the house and Church of God both in heauen triumphant and militant here in earth Which Church which house which familie and peculier people of God thus purchased with the blood of Christ nourished with his worde and sacraments preserued susteyned directed by hys grace and holy spirite wherin he hath promised to abyde and dwell as in his holy resting place for euer whilst it is here militant whiche concerneth more pertinently our present instruction and whilst we are here wandring and soiourning on the earth is not now to be sought for in the Region or land of Iewry as the Iewes would haue it nor driuen onelye into Affrica as the Donatistes imagined nor