receaue the worde and shewe themselues to be delighted therewith and breake out to earnest praises thereof and shewe them selues with such cheerefulnesse to embrace the doctrine of Gods trueth as they moue great hope to all men that it wyll take successe to great benefite But in the ende if any vehement temptatioÌ„ either of worldly trouble or otherwise happeÌ„ to them they waxe faynte and begin to chaunge and lastlye cleane reuolte and vtterlye forsake that truth whiche with great hope in the beginning they had receaued And of these many afterward become enimies and persecutoures of the Gospell And what I pray you may be the cause hereof Surelye this They lacked Earth and moysture to feede the seede that is they had not the true knowledge of Christ nor of his Kingdome nor a right and Christian fayth â—reo in them by the spirite of God but on 〈…〉 e opinyon conceaued in their own mindes whiche 〈…〉 e were possessed with a carnall delighte of worldelye pompes and pleasures and therefore when the Doctrine of the free mercy of God by faith in Christ only pardoning and forgiuing our sinnes is preached and when they heare superstition in fasting praying other such things sharply reproued and men exhorted to Christian libertie they imbrace this Doctrine very greedily and all because they thinke vnder pretence of Christian libertie to shake of the yoke of Discipline and obedience in Christian exercises and to vse the cloake of Gods mercy to couer a loose and licencious life in the meane time studying nothing but how they may vse the countenaunce of the Gospell to get Riches honour friendship and worldly peace and quietnesse But as I haue before sayd when the stormes of aduersity and heate of persecution riseth whereof they must be partakers if they will bee constante in the Gospell and when they heare their wicked and vngodlye doinges by Preachers sharpely reproued and begin to vnderstand that neyther christian libertie can be any warrant of licentiousnes nor Goddes mercye a Cloake to continue in wickednesse they flye from the word of GOD and betake themselues wholy to the world Such receauers of y e word were many of the Jewes which dreamed that Christe came as an earthly Prince or Conquerour that shoulde deliuer them from the tyramâ—y of the Romaines and make them Lords of the world And therefore at the beginning they flocked to him in great number and shewed such liking of him his doctrine that the Pharisies and high Priestes were afrayd to deale with him as otherwise they wold haue done But when they saw him once taken and in the hands of his enimies they reuolted shewed themselues to mislike w t him in the end cried Crucifige as frankely as y â— residue were coÌ„teÌ„ted to haue Barrabas let go christ to be put to vniust cruell death I would to God there were not to many of this sort in England at this day which now shew theÌ„selues to be hoat and eger gospellers either because they hope to haue some part of y â— spoile of Bishops lands or ecclesiastical liuings or for some such other worldly respect but wheÌ„ the heate of affliction shal come for our vnthankfulnesse continually crieth for it before the seate of Gods iustice then I say I pray god they shew but halfe that constancie good liking of the gospell y â— becommeth a true Christian And y t which maketh me other to feare theÌ„ is that w t this earnest pretended zeale I see little amendment of life or none at all ioyned The remedy against this mischiefe and the means to amend this stony ground to breede more melow earth in their harts is truely sincerely to learn what the kingdome of Christ is what they must looke for by y e professioÌ„ therof in the world For so shal they easily put away that worldly perswasion y t maketh them to reuolt from the Gospell Christ himselfe confesseth y â— his kingdome is not of this world yea y e world Christ are cleane coÌ„trary for y e prince of this world is enimy to Christ The enmity was proclaimed by god himself in Paradise I will set enmitie betweene thee the woman betweene thy seede and hers and her seede shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Therfore so soone as Christ the seede of y â— womaÌ„ had once put his head into y â— world was born of y â— blessed virgine at Nazareth the Deuill raised his seede y â— wicked tyrant Herode to persecute christ and to seeke his death And so hath he coÌ„tinued euer since in al times seasons to persecute Christ in his meÌ„bers This Christ did not hide from his Disciples true followers but sundrye times told theÌ„ therof before haÌ„d y t wheÌ„ it came to pas they might not be offeÌ„ded Behold saith he I send you as shepe amoÌ„g the midst of Wolues be wise therfore as serpents simple as Doues c. And a little after You shalbe hated of al men for my names sake Here you may vnderstaÌ„d what intertainment true Christians must looke for in this world that is hatred disdaine cruelty such curtesy as sheepe find among Wolues The cause hereof he setteth forth more largely in S. Ioh. If the world saith christ hate you you knowe it hated me before you If you were of the world the world wold loue that is his own but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you RemeÌ„ber the word that I said vnto you the seruaÌ„t is not greater theÌ„ his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Christ in another place reseÌ„bleth his people to a House builded vpoÌ„ a Rock the raine fell the flouds came the winds blew beat vpoÌ„ that house and it fel not because it was builded vpoÌ„ a Rock By y e rain y â— flouds y â— winds beating vpoÌ„ y â— house is ment y e storms of afflictioÌ„ trouble persecutioÌ„ other vehemeÌ„t â—eÌ„tacioÌ„s y â— y e deuill y e world raiseth to assaulte y â— coÌ„scieÌ„ces of christiaÌ„s But their harts are not shakeÌ„ ther w t but staÌ„d coÌ„stantly in y â— truth because y t fouÌ„datioÌ„ of their conscieÌ„ce is sincerely grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ y â— Rock christ Jesus By this it may appeare y t y â— kingdome of christ is not earthly but a spiritual kingdome by y â— power of y â— holy ghost raigning flourishing in y â— harts of meÌ„ setting it self against y â— works of y â— deuil of y â— world for y t cause loketh for none other thing at y â— worlds hand theÌ„ misery trouble Wherfore the first poynt of a true professour of Christ his gospel is so far as maÌ„s frailty caÌ„ suffer to renouÌ„ce y e world all
of God vnfruitefull â—â—ggetrees making shewe of Christianitie with the faire greene leaues of hearing Gods worde commyng to the Church vsing of the Sacramentes talking oftentimes of the Scriptures c. But the sound and true fruites of godly conuersation we shew not For if we remaine such vnprofitable trees we shall be cut downe cast into the fire and haue our partes with hypocrites where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth c. The next note of this text is that when God punisheth and plagueth wicked naughtie men for doing contrarie to his will it is not done onely for them vppon whom the particular punishments light but for the example of other also in al ages times These things saith S. Paul are examples for vs c. And afterward All these things came to them as ensamples were written to admonishe vâ— vpon whom the endes of the world are come The better to vnderstande this I will first declare vnto you two pointes the one that all things that come to man coâ—e not by fortune by chaunce or by natural course onely but by y â— certaine prouidence appointment of God secondly for what causes God most commoÌ„ly sendeth such plagues vpoÌ„ men And then will I adde y â— conclusion y â— Christians must make applicatioÌ„ of such examples to themselues and how y â— is to be done As God of his vnestimable goodnes made the world all that therein is for the benefite commoditie of maÌ„ that he might vse all the inferiour creatures to Gods glory so doth the same Lord maker by his almightie power infinite wisedome continue preserue y â— same My father yet still worketh faieth Christ and I worke By him onely we moue liue haue our being as Saint Paul saith as Dauid in sundry Psalmes witâ—esseth wheÌ„ thou hidest thy face they are troubled wheÌ„ thou takest away their breth they die are turned into their dust wheÌ„ thou lettest thy breath go foâ—th they shal be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth That wee call and esteeme nature is nothing but the very â—inger of God working in his creatures much more the alteration of natural courses things done extraordinarily As god made clouds at y â— beginning to water y â— earth so doth he preserue them by his mightie power holdeth them houering in y â— aire y â— they fal not downe immoderatly to drowne y â— earth but shedde theÌ„selues temperatly by drops sweet showers to season y â— same Wherefore wheÌ„ raine falleth excessiuely to hurt y â— earth or hinder mankinde as it did in the time of Noah or wheÌ„ the clouds be cleane dried vp that there is no raine at al as it fell out in y â— time of Achab it is most euident to be y â— worke of God according to his iustice punishing y â— breaking of his law vnthankfulnesse of his people So likewise as God made y â— aire so it is he y â— for lyke causes keepeth it in seasonable maner somtime moist somtime dry somtime weate sometime colde somtime wholesome somtime infectious dauÌ„gerous whervpoÌ„ followeth sicknes death of men murrens of cattle c. In like maner I might speake of y â— earth y â— water y â— Sonne y â— Moone residue of the starres planets In all euerie of which as it is the finger of God that keepeth theÌ„ in their natural order so it is his power y â— doth alter chaunge the same for causes to his wisdome knoweÌ„ bringeth out such effects as be hurtfull rather then beneficiall vnto man Therfore wheÌ„ we see infections sicknesses disseases deathes murraines losse of corn or hay destructioÌ„ of cattle great fluds burnings blastings a noÌ„ber of such like we must looke further then into y â— course of nature vnderstand y â— there is a God an ouerruler of nature y â— doth those things This is not true only in these things y â— appertaine to nature but in those also y â— be done by the will of man or as we say prophanely by chaunce or fortune For in deede there is no chaÌ„ce or fortune And therfore y â— good father Aug. doth renouÌ„ce those heathenish names repeâ—ted that euer he vsed theÌ„ That which we call fortune is nothing but y â— hand of God working by causes for causes that we knowe not ChauÌ„ce or fortune are gods deuised by man made by our ignorance of y â— true almighty euerlasting God Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing one of them falleth not to the ground without your father yea all the heires of your head are nuÌ„bred feare you not therefore you are more worth then many sparrowes The sense of these words is y â— the prouidence of God erteÌ„deth it selfe to al creatures so y â— there is nothing so base or simple eyther w tout man or w tin him which he neglecteth or is ignorant of Of those things that be without man nothing almost is of lesse value or lesse esteemed than a poore sillie sparrow yet one of them falleth not to the grounde without our heauenly Father Of such things as appertaine to maÌ„ nothing is of lesse price than a heare yet one of theÌ„ perisheth not but by Gods prouidence This doctrine maketh greatly to the aduauncement of the true knowledge of God For it teacheth vs as I haue sayd before not onely that he is y â— maker of heauen earth of all y â— creatures in them contained but also that he doth gouerne and dispose them all preserue them that they may continue so long as to his blessed will shall seeme conuenient The scriptures in sundry places witnesse the same both in the course of his doing in sundrye Histories of Ioseph of Iob of Saule of Dauid and in particuler testimonles of sundrye Godly men and holy Prophets but noue more euidently and zealously than Dauid in many Psalmes but principally in the 104. 107. Vnto which places I referre the Godly hearer for this time would not serue if I sholh but meanely declare vnto you the wholesome instructions and assured comfortes that are to be gathered both by the examples and particular testimonies Christ in the words before recited extendeth the carefull prouidence of God to Sparrowes and to the heares of oure heades to the end no man should thinke or imagine that it is onelye a generall prouidence as many doe in these days which as they dare not deny that the world is gouerned by the wisedome and power of God so they thinke it an absurde thing to teach that God is occupied about all particular Creatures and specially them that be of the meanest sort Therefore they expound chose wordes that Christe vseth here or the scripture in other places to be spoken by Hiperbole that is a manner of
This comforte it was that made Iob so patiently to abyde losse of goodes the spoyle of hys landes and houses and the myserable destruction of hys chyldren The same comfort caused Ioseph wyth lyke patience to endure bondage imprisonment sclaunder reproch and daunger of his lyfe For he was assuredly perswaded that nothyng was done without the certayne prouidence of hys louyng and mercifull Lorde and God and therefore was assured that it woulde fall out to the best in the end This if wee soundly and truely consider wee shall neither rashely condemne other whose sinnes bee not notoriouslye knowne and when any euill happeneth to our selues by this comfort we shall sustayne it patiently Nowe haue I briefely declared vnto you as you haue heard first that outwarde profession and externall seruice and vse of Sacramentes is not sufficient for Christians but that to the glorie of God they must confirme their calling with the practise of a vertuous godly life Secondly whensoeuer misery or plague happeneth to maÌ„ it commeth not by chaunce or fortune or by a course of nature as vaine worldly men imagine but by the assured prouidence of God that seeth knoweth worketh all things Thirdly that God is moued with two causes to cast such miseries and afflictions vpon men somtime by iust punishment of sinne for transgression of his holy lawe and secondly to trie the faithfull and godly And lastly I haue tolde you what good instructions are to be taken of true Christians in both those wayes It remaineth that we pray vnto God most hartely that this doctrine may be so imprinted in our harteâ— as it may bring forth due fruites to hys glorie to whom bee honour and glory foreuer and euer So â—â— it ⸪ ¶ Certayne Sermons vppon this Text. Mat. 13. 3. The seede sower went out to sowe his seede and some fell by the high wayes side and the foules of the aire came and deuoured it vp some fell on stonie ground where it had not much earth and anone it sprong vp because it had no deepenesse of earth but when the Sunne rose it was burned and because it had no roote it withered c. THe holy ghost in the scriptures sundry times resembleth God to a husbandman And as there be sundry kindes of husbandry so doth he in diuers respectes compare the Churche people of God to the partes thereof Auncient writers make three parts of husbandry Pasturing Vintage Tillage To al these do the scriptures compare the Church of God The Lorde is my sheepard saith Dauid therfore caÌ„ I lack nothing He shall lead me forth in a greene Pasture c. And againe We are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his handes And Christ himselfe saith I am the good Sheepard c and my sheepe heare my voice As touching Vintage Christ saith I am the true Vine my father is the Husbandman In Esay God maketh a long discourse declaring his Churche people to be his chosen Vineyard planted in a very fertile grouÌ„d To which parable Christ also alludeth in S. Matth. To Tillage he compareth his Church in S. Joh. Doe not you say there are foure monethes and then Haruest commeth Behold I say vnto you lift vp your eyes looke vpon the countries round about you because they are white readie to Haruest and he that reapeth shall haue his rewarde that he may gather in fruites to euerlasting life And in S. Mat. There is a large haruest few workmen desire the Lord of the haruest that he will thrust forth labourers into his haruest But in no place more plainely than in this parable of the seede sower which now I haue recited vnto you This y e spirit of God doth of purpose by these familiar similitudes to set before our eyes and to impresse more deepely in our minâ—â—s partly the great goodnes and singular care of god toward vs partly to teach vs our duetie toward him As the husbandman trauaileth and hath great care of his pasture his Vineyarde and Tillage and leaueth nothing vndone whereby he may further them so ought they to aunswere his expectation to yeelde fruit accordingly But as touching this parable of the seede sower ye haue to note these partes God is the husbandman the Preachers of the word are the seede sowers the seede is the worde of God the grounde is the heartes of men the duiersitie of the grouÌ„nde noteth the diuersitie of mens dispositions in hearing the worde of God If preachers bee the seede sowers then haue they authoritie froÌ„ God as doyng his seruice and as comming in hys message and therefore sayth Paule Let man so esteeme vs as the seruaunts of Christ and bestowers of the secretes of God They must bee heard therefore as the messengers of GOD they must be esteemed as hys seruauntes that come to sowe the seede of saluation in the heartes of men It is the worde of God that they vtter and ought to haue the Maiestie of hys person though it bee vttered by the mouthe of a mortall and fraile man The Prophets say thus Thus saith the Lorde The mouth of the Lord hath spoken and yet were they men that deliuered the message So God honoureth his messenger that though he bee couered wyth fraile fleshe sometime also stayned with sinne yet he maketh hym his mouth to open his will vnto his people When you receaued the worde of me you receaued it not as the worde of man but as it was in deede the worde of God And to the Galathians You refused not my infirmitie in fleshe but you receaued mee as the Angell of God yea euen as Christ Iesus And agayne to the Thessalonians Hee that reiecteth vs reiecteth not vs but God who hath giuen his holye spirite vnto vs. And for that cause sayeth Christ He that heareth you heareth me and he that reiecteth you reiecteth me And God in his Prophetes alwayes taketh as to himselfe that contempt or that reproche that was shewen to his Ministers whom he sent vnto hys people threatneth for the same most greeuous punishments This should they consider which in these dayes make so small accompt of Preachers and Preaching of gods word that they esteeme neither any thing of lesse price nor any persons of lesse credite But therein they shew both howe little regard they haue of their owne saluation and howe lyghtly they esteeme the glorie and Maiestie of God who offereth that benefite vnto them by his Preachers The worde of God by Christes owne exposition is the seede and so saith S. Peter also You are new borne not of mortall but of immortall seede through the worde of God that liueth and abideth foreuer All fleshe is grasse and all the glory thereof as the floure of grasse grasse withereth and the floure falleth but the worde of God abydeth for euer and this is the vvorde which
from the face of the earth of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome he deuised the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should descend from Heauen and take flesh of the blessed virgine that so being in one person both very God very man he might be a most fit Mediator to work recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ betwene God and man The cause therefore why Christe came in flesh was to worke the saluation of mankinde For so saith S. Paule It is a sure saying worthie of all men to be beleeued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners And Christ himselfe sayth that he came to saue that which was lost The generall worke of our redemption hath certayne principall branches whiche are cheefe Articles of oure Fayth and groundes of all Christian religion Firste that he might be the reconciler and attonement maker betweene God and vs as S. Paule witnesseth 2. Cor. 5. All things are of God which reconciled vs vnto himself in Christ Iesus And immediately God was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world to himselfe And to the Colosâ— It pleased him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by Christ appeasing by the blood of his Crosse all thinges whiche are either in heauen or in earth God therefore appoynted him for euer to be our high Bishop our Mediator our Aduocate our Intercessor which should coÌ„tinualy appeare before the face of God for vs and make him fauourable to sinners that we might haue accesse to God by him by his intercession and merite obtayne mercy and grace in oure necessities these be the wordes of the scripture And hee is not onely our Mediatour and Aduocate but Our onelye Mediatour and Aduocate One God and one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes It is hee that ascended vp to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Vt interpellat pro nobis That he may bee an Intercessour for vs. The 2. cause of Christs comming into flesh is that he might be our redeemer from the tyrannye of the Deuill and the purchazer of remission of sinnes The Sonne of god appeared to this ende to dissolue the workes of the Deuill And agayne Yee are redeemed not with golde and siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus And agayne Beholde the LaÌ„be of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Paule In whome wee haue redemption and by his blood remission of our sinnes We must not onlye beleeue that he is our Redeemer but our Only Redeemer and the Only Purchazer of the full remission of our sinnes For Non est aliud nomen c. That is There is no other name vnder Heaué wherin we shold be saued but only by the name of Christ Iesus And S. Iohn The blood of christ hath washed vs froÌ„ al sinne And S. Paule He gaue himself for vs. that he might redeme vs froÌ„ all iniquitie The 3. cause of Christes incarnatioÌ„ y â— 2. office of his eternal Priesthood is to offer a ful perfit sacrifice to appease y â— wrath of God to satisfie his iustice y t not according to y â— order of Aaron which by imperfectioÌ„ did nede a Succession but according to y â— order of Melchizedek y â— for euer Thou art a Priest sayth God for euer according to the order of Melchizedek Therefore it cannot bee borne â—â— christian religion that Christ should haue any succession in Priesthood to sacrifyce after him For by one oblation he made perfect all that be sanctified And agayne Christ was once offered for the extinguishing of the sinnes of many And agayne Hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinne he sitteth perpetually at the right hand of God And sundry times else where the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth Christ Semel That is to say once to haue sacrificed himselfe The fourth cause of his Incarnation and the thyrde office of his eternall Priesthood is that he might be the only Prophet Maister Teacher and instructer of his people fully to open to them the knowledge of God and the true way of Saluation God sayth Moyses shall raise from among you a Prophet like vnto me him do you heare according to all thinges that he shall say vnto you And God the father himself at the baptizing of Christ did with the visible presence of the holy Ghost consecrate him Maister and teacher of his church which only was to be heard This is my dearely beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased him doe you heare The same Consecration was confyrmed in the Mounte at the transfiguration of Christ And Esay the Prophet in the 55. chapter or rather God by Esay sayth I haue giuen him as a witnesse vnto people preceptorem Gentibus And a Maister and instructour of all nations And therefore Christ himselfe forbiddeth his Apostles to be called Maisters for sayth hee Ye haue but one Maister which is Christ The fyfte cause of Christ his comming in flesh is that he might be the Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges the onlye head ruler gouernour and defender of his vniuersall Church ouer al the partes of the worlde according to the Prophecie of Dauid Psal 2. Yet haue I annoynted my King vpon my holy hill of Syon to whome for his inheritance he gaue all the Nations of y â— world and for his possession the vttermost bounds of the earth And the Angell at his Conception sayde He shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shall be none ende of his kingdome And Ephesians 1. He hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath appointed him aboue al things head of his Church And Coloss 1. He is the head of his body the Church which is the beginning the first of them that rise from death Vt sit in omnibus primas tenens i. That in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence And Ephe. 5. The Husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church But the wife may haue no more heades but her husband vnlesse she will be a wedlock breakeâ— and so the Church can haue no other heade But Christ vnlesse she doe in the face of the whole world forsake hir owne Spouse who hath betrothed her to him alone He is the only Sonne whiche alone gouerneth the house of GOD his father In all these Branches I adde this worde Onely because Christ onelye is alone that that he is oure onely Mediatour our onely redeemer and purchazer of remission of Sinnes our onelye high Prieste to sacrifice for vs oure onlye Maister and Teacher that instrueteth vs our onely head and gouernour that guideth and defendeth vs. And herevnto I am mooued not onelye with expresse wordes of the scriptures but also with consideration
of the high and most excellent meanes of oure saluation deuised by the wisedome and vnspeakeable mercye of God For it should greatlye impeache the wisedome of God if he should send downe his sonne the seconde person in Trinitie into the vale of miserye here to take Fleshe and in the forme of a Seruaunt and abiecte man to suffer most vile and reprochfull Death to bee a partye redeemer or a partie Sauiour and to yeelde a great parte of the honoure and glory thereof to other No no he is GOD he giueth not his glory to other He onely onelye I saye hee is our full and perfecte reconciler and Redemer and all the residue that I haue spoken of before This is the Doctrine which we teache this is the Gospell whiche we preache and this is no new Doctrine but that whiche was conceaued in the bosome of the wisedome of GOD before the beginning of the Worlde For wee were chosen sayeth Sayncte Paule in Christe Antequám iacerentur Fundamenta Mundi i. Before the Foundations of the Worlde were layde This is that Gospell that GOD himselfe opened in Paradise to our fyrst Fathers I will set enmitie sayeth he to the Woman betweene thy seede and his seede and thy seede That is one that shall come of a woman shall breake the Serpents head That is ouerthrow the whole power of the Deuil and delyuer mankynde from sime This is that Gospell that was renued to Abraham and all the Patriarches In thy Seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed This is that Gospell that was fygured to the Jewes by the Paschall Lambe by Manna by the Rocke by all the Sacrifices and Ceremoniall seruices of the Lawe This is that Gospell Where vnto all the Prophets beare witnesse As Saynt Peter sayeth in the Actes That all they that beleeue in him shall haue remission of sinnes by his name This is that Gospell that Saynt Iohn the Forerunner poynted vnto Beholde the Lambe of God c. This is the Gospell that Christe himselfe preached and deliuered to his Apostles and they to the whole Worlde So GOD loued the Worlde that hee gaue his onlye begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should be saued Therefore as I haue sayde Our doctrine is no newe Doctrine but the moste aunciente Doctryne that euer was vpon the face of the Earth neyther doe wee teache anye other Doctrine then this and those that doe of necessitie depende vppon this or bee grounded vppon this Neither doe wee impugne anye Doctrines in other but suche as are repugnaunte to this Fayth and eyther directlye or indirectlye impeache the same For I protest before GOD and his Aungels and in the presence of this honourable Audience for my selfe and as many professoures of the Gospell as I know that whatsoeuer Doctrine is agreeable to this wee doe gladly receiue it and with both armes imbrace it though it come from the Churche of Roome And whatsoeuer Doctrine is repugnant to this and will not stande with it wee doe reiecte it though it come from an Aungell in Heauen Seeing then wee haue nowe this 20. yeares taught you this vnfallible trueth Why doe you not beleeue vs c. Now as touching the second branche what it is to denye Christe to haue come in Fleshe and who they are that denye it you shall vnderstande that there bee two wayes to denye Christe to haue come in fleshe The one flatlye and groselye and in playne wordes as Ebion Erinthus Marcion Valentinian Arrius and a number suche other in the Primatiue Churche whiche denyed eyther the Deitie or Humanitie of Christe But in them Sathan shewed himselfe in his owne Coloures like a blacke Deuill and therefore the Heresyes beeing so grosse were soone confuted and confounded in the Churche of GOD. There is another waye more subtle and perilous vndirectly to denye Christ to haue come in fleshe in whiche Sathan tourneth himselfe into an Aungell of lighte and as Cyprian sayeth Vnder the name of Christe confounding the Religion of christe That is While in wordes they confesse the Incarnation of Christ by peruerse Doctrynes in effecte they deny it by denying those causes for which the Sonne of GOD was Incarnate attributing the effect of oure Saluation to other thinges And after this sorte the Teachers of the Churche of Roome very plainlye and perilouslye denye Christe to haue come in fleshe as I wil particularly lette you vnderstande by the Branches of our saluation before recyted As touching the fyrst cause of Christe his Incarnation that Christe is the onelye reconciler mediatoure and attonement maker betweene God and vs and for that cause sitteth at the right hande of God perpetualy to appeare before his face for vs Against this Article they teach blasphemous Doctrine of Inuocation of Saintes that they are our mediatours and reconcilers that by their merites and prayers we haue accesse vnto God and are for their sakes heard receiued and accepted into the fauour of God agayn euidently displacing the son of God frō the cheefe office of his eternall priesthood setting his creatures in his place and dignitie and y t with out any warrant of scripture eyther by word or by exāple This Doctrine is ioyned with two other foule erroures Firste that they conceaue of Christ as of a dreadfull God and terrible iudge and not as of a mercifull Mediatour therefore that wee haue needs of other spokesmen to make the way to him for vs though he himselfe most gratiously and mercifully cryeth vnto vs Come all ye that trauayle and be heauy loden and I will refresh you And in sundry places commaundeth vs to pray vnto God the father in his name assuring vs that whatsoeuer wee desire it shall be graunted vs. And therefore doe they shew them selues to mistrust the Credite of Christ Secondly in this praying to the Saintes not without great daunger of Idolatrie they attribute vnto them diuine power For in their praying to them they imagine of them that they bee of Vniuersall knowledge and vnderstanding not onelye what men speake but also what they thinke in theire hartes Agayne they attribute vnto them Almightie power as being able to worke and bring to passe whatsoeuer is desyred of them And lastlye they shewe themselues to beleeue that they are More merciful and readye to heare sinners then Christ himself which is flat Blasphemy As touching the second cause of christ his Incarnation that he is our onlye redeemer and purchazer of remission of our sinnes This ground of our faith they weaken by a number of corrupt Doctrines As first that in parte wee haue saluation and remission of sinnes by the Merites of Saintes for thus they praye Tuper Thomae sanguinē quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit Graunt vs O Christ by the blood of Thomas which he shed for thee thether to goe whether he is ascended And to
in the externall signes respect of time In Ps 73. CoÌ„ Faust. lib. 19. cap 14. De doct Christ. in Jo. in psal Note August Tract in Joh. 26. The faythfull Jewes did eate and drinke spiritually the body blood of Christ before his reall comming in the flesh and soe doe we that ar borne beleeue since his incarnation the conclsion thereupon Christ the food of our soules Esay 55. 1. Joh. 7. 37. Io. 6. 26. c. Ioh. 6. 32. c. Ioh. 6. 35. Ioh. 6. 48. c. Io. 6. 53. â— Ioh. 6. 63. How the body and blood of Christ are said to hes meate and drinke Acomparison betwixte the body and the soule What the soule is to the body that is God to the soule 1. Io. 5. 12. How Christ was prepared to be the food of our soules Io. 6. 35. Why Christ of necessitie was to be both god and man firste why he shold be god 1. Jo. 5. 20. 1. Jo. 3. 5. Joh. 1. 12. Heb. 7. Ro. 8. 34. Why Christ world necessarily be man Joh. 12. 26. Heb. 4. 15. Now Christ his body and blood is truly rightlye to be eaten drunken as well in the Sacraments as without them Against the carnal eating drinking of Christs body and blood Mat. 15. 11 Rom. 8. 11. Iac. 1. 17. Fayth the mouth of the soule whereby Christe is eaten Ioh. 6. 29. 33. 35. What to eate Christ is what to drinke his blood is Ver. 4â— Tract in Ioh. 26. Trast 25 De coenae Domini The force of fayth Ioh. 6. 54. The eating of Christ by fayth is no derogation to the dignity of the Sacramente and profite theâ— of Luc. 23. 4â— Acts. 10. In the vse of the Sacrament is a double eating to be noted Our senses in the vse of the Sacrament are helpers to our better receauing of the same Hearinge Ma. 26. 26 Ro. 10. 17. Luc. 22. 19. Seeing Feeling Tasting Sacraments are badges by which we Christians are knowne from idolaters Sacraments are the seales wherby gods promises are confirmed vnto vs. Sacraments vnite vs to Christe Sacraments are to linke vs togeather in brotherly vnitie Blasphemus doctriue of wicked mens eating of the body of christ â—efelled Joh. 6. 56. Joh. 6. 54. In Mat. 15. De Trini lib. 4. Tract 59. PaneÌ„ dnÌ„â— PaneÌ„ dnÌ„i Tract 26. How we ought to prepare our selues to the worthy receauing of the lords supper 1. Co. 11. 18. How we are to make trial of our selues before we come to the lords table Deut. 6. 5. Deu. 27. 26 1 2 3 Obiection Answeare Psal 103. 14. A breife praier for communicants Mar. 9. 24 Ma. 26. 33. Mar. 9. 33. Heb. 1â— 22. Mat. 7. 21. It is not sufficient to saluation to be idle professors of god but also doers of godly deedes Iam. 1. 22. c. Luc. 11. 28. Mat. 7. 24. Maâ— 11. 13. Wicked mâ—n are plagued of god for their owne sinnes to our â—â—â—ngle Nothing beâ—â—ideth man by fortune but al thingâ— by gods direction Joh. 5. 17. Act. 17. 28. Psal 104. 29. Nature what it is Gen. 7. 3. Reg. 17. Retract Fortune what it is Mat. 10. 29 God the Creatour disposer and preserner of all The absurd opinion of theÌ„ confuted that imagined god to gouerne great thinges and matters only without prouiding any whitt for things of leue value God is not the author of sinne Euerie act is to be measured good or bad by the intent of the actor Jer. 7. 13. Esai 10. 5. God vseth naughtie instruments to the working of good What the causes ate that moue god to plague men The punishment of sin Leu. 26. 40 Jos 24. 20. Deutro 21. Leu. 26. 14. c. punishmenes sent from god for examâ—ples sake Luc. 13. 2. Psal 543. 2. â—um 11. 4. Num. 25. â—â— Num. 16. 3. Esai 36. 37. Afflictions are laid vpon the righteous to trie them withal Eccl. 27. 5. Prou. 17. 3. Judi 8. 21. Job 1. 21. Heb. 12. 6. Rom. 5. 3. 1 2 3 4 Christ compareth the church to husbandry especially in pasturing vintage and tillage Psal 23. 1â— Psal 95. â— Joh. 10. 11 Joh. 15. 1. Esa 5. 1. c. Mat. 21. 33 Joh. 4. 35. Mat. 9. 37 Why the Spirit of god doth compare the church to husbandrie as beforesaide Interpretation of this parable of the seede sower Preachers are authoriâ—ed by god in their calling 1. Cor. 4. 1. What â—â—â—matâ—â—â— ought to be had of prechers 1. The. 2. 13. Gal. 4. 14. 2. The. 4. 8 Luc. 10. 16. How those are to be thought of who lightlie regard-either preachinge or preachers 1. Pet. 1. 23. That the worde of god is resembled to seede and why Esa 40. 6. The power of the words of god in it selfe and in the estimation of the worlde Rom. 1. 16. What gods worde woorketh in the hearâ—â—s 1. Cor. 1. 23. Verse 27. How gods worde preuaileth euen against mans wisdome and cunning Example of the Apostles time Example of later and of these present times Pâ—â—â— â— â— The imaginations praâ—tises meanes of the wicked to withstand gods worde Psal 2. 4. The increase of the church by Martâ—rdom 〈…〉 d in a similitude What increase only coâ—â—â—â—eth by Marâ—â—â—dom 2. The. 2. 8. An obiection made against the credit of the gospell and the preachers of it because it is likened to seede Esa 55. 10. Answere Some preachers had but barren successe and yet was theire doctrine â—â—â—â—he The like to be saide of Christ and his Apostles The cause of barren successe is all one to the present preachers as was to the prophets Christ and his apostles and yet is not their successe the lesse How greeuous it is for preachers to offende Why preachers offences are not to be made more greeuous then they are The true cause why the worde preached doth not allway bringe forth fruite The godly do alway take pro 〈…〉 of the preaching of the worde The first kinde of grounde Three sorts of foules vvhich doe eate vp the seede of gods vvorde in the heigh â—vaies Of worldly securitie The inconuenience of pre achingiâ— generalitie Luc. 1. 74. 75. Rom. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 7. Rom. 8. 17. Eph. 2. 19. Mat. 23. 37 How god calleth Engto repentance and without repentance what is like to befall it Of heathenish Gentilitie and the mischiffe by it Sap. 2. 5. c. How they are to be accounted of that deride preachers 2. Pet. 3. 1. c. Mocâ—es against god his iudgmentes Ier. 5. 1â— How to trie crulye who do beleauâ— there is a god and who not Contempt of godlinesse of life can nor stand with the acknowledging of a god We cannot acknowledg a god but that with all he must punishâ— sinne Against those that denie god altogeather Rom. 1. 20. Meanes to make those acknowledge a god which â—â— altogetheâ— deny him The saying of the Heathens that al things stand according to the course of Nature is to be vnderstod of god
and how it is so Seneca The way to acknowledge god in man Who so can not acknowledge god in him self can not be saide to be a man Properties which can not but be knowen in god if we doâ— acknowledge him but only in his creatures Eternall Omnipotent vvise infinitly Good exceedingly and liberall and louing Mercifull Iuste Who or what that God is which is taught to be beleeued Of obstinate PaPistrie in three sortes England in most daungerous perils by papistes The meanes to remedie some kinds of papistes Câ—use of care in what places of credite papistes are put Who those be which are the stonie ground which is the 2. kind of ill ground How it commeth to passe that many seame first to be glad of the gospell and yet afterward hate it and helpe to punish the professors of it The cause why many of the Jewes which semed to like of christ well did afterward crie crucifie him crucifie him Of some which now professe the gospell which peraduenture may dislike it hereafter those also that do preache it Meanes to remedie the professors last spoken of Of the kingdom of christ and what is by it to be loked for Gen. 3. 15. Mat. 10. 16. Of worldly inconueniences which commonly follow the professors of the gospell and why Joh. 15. 18. Mat. 7. 24. Why true professors of the gospell cannot by any afflictions be driuen from iâ— What the kingdome of god is In what forte true professors of christ must cleaue to christ and for him renounce al things els Such as doe but a little close with the world are and sâ—and in daâ—ger of treason to Christ How the godly do stay themselues in afflictions so that they may not fall from Christ by 2. considerations The first cause of stay Met. 10. 29. Tertul. Iob. 1. 10. e. Luc. 22. 32. Of gods speciall prouidence for euery thing The second cause of stay Mat. 5. 10. Mat. 19. 29. Luc. 6. 21. c. Ioh. 16. Mat. 10. 37. The third kind of ground Why riches pleasures aâ—e resembled to thorns How riches â—o hurte â—â— In getting In keping In loosing â—hy it is so hâ—â—d for a riche man to â—â— saued Mat. 19. 24. Mat. 22. â— c. Luc. 14. 16. Interpreâ—â—â—â—on of the parable of the guestes bidden vnto a feaste which came not The causes that with holde men from obedience to gods worde The negligence of â—â—â— daies in heaâ—inge the worde 1. Tim. 6. â— Tvvo meanes to vvithstand the mischifes of Riches and vvorldlye cares Mat. 6. 19. There is no assurance to be had of worldly Riches Eciesiastes 2. 4. c. The estimation that is to be had of all earthly things Esay 40. 6. Why we ought rather to estee me the gospel then al earth ly things That we must rest vpon gods prouidence in our desiring thinges of this life Mat. 6. 25. Fovver reasons Vvhy for things of this life vve shold euer content our selues in and vvith Gods prouidence Ordinarie course of things maketh vs not to regarde Gods wonderfull work in them The occasion and circumstances of this texte preached vpon The speciall purpose of Christ in this text here preached vpon What Ministers shold be able to do when their doctrine is discredited by their liues The diuision of this Sermon 1. Cor. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. The specialties of a preachers duetie Esay 40. 9 Preachers in deliuering gods will must do it openly without feare or negligence Esay 58. 1. Ezec. 3. 17. Ezec. 33. 6â— 2. Tim. 4. 2. â— Pet. 5. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 12 Tit. 2. 7. Preachers must giue good example of life answerable to their doctrine Jer. 23. 1. Ezec. 34. 2. Jer. 25. 34. What is to be thoughe of Ministers if they liue offensiuely and how they are to be spoken of and delt with Mat. 18. 6. There is more means amongest protestantes to reforme the ministery then amonge papistes It is an ordinarie way of Sathan to discredit true doctrine by the life of the â—â—eachers A very commendable example of concealing Ministers falts Gen. 9. 23. A good example admonishing princes to beware of secreat dealers against Ministers All Ministers aâ— not to be ill spoken of bicause some deserue it and yet though they shall be so ill delt with they haue to be patient 1. Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 1â— 12. The first faulâ— obiected against preachers and the ansvvere Godlinesse may bee by some preten ded who loth true doctrin None can haue good conuersation which at not sound in doctrine Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23 Faith foloweth doctrine Ro. 10. 17. No man can be saued for any good life when he hath not true faithe Rom. 3. 8. 2. Tim. 4. 3 Contemners of doctrine were foretolde of to come Eze. 33. 32. How little their owne methode would profite them of teachinge manners without doctrine How the enemies of truth dislike particuler reprehension The meanes now left to the ministers to redresse the curiositie and obiection of hearers for preaching either of doctrine or manners Ier. 1. 18. Eze. 3. 8. The second crime obiected against preachers to discredit their doctrine and the ansvvere to it All common weales are not to be tied to one forme of gouernement To be disâ—â—â— bers of common weales c. is no new slaunder noâ— now first obiected against gods true ministers 1. Reg. 18. 1. Reg. 22. 8. Jer. 38. 4. Amos. 7. 10 Contention and warres haue been in other nations before the renewing of the gospel England hath euer bene so farre from contentions and warres as since it hath â—â—â—â—ased the late renuing of the gospel and the wars that haue bene haue not bene by protestants A principle of papistrie against principalities and which can not but occasion wars Papists and not protestantes alter titles of principalities Papists and not protestants challenge all temporall power due to princes Most vnnatural and vndutifull warres lawfull by papists doctrine How papists do vnlawfully ouerrule and abuse princes The full right of authoritie is only by protestants graunted to princes and by them also only restored being taken away by papistes 3. Reg. 11. 2. Chro. 24. Good subiects haue to pray in this sorte for hir Maiestie The third matter obiected against Preachers and the ansvvere therof Gods people do neuer make the want of godlinesse in the preacher to be the cause that good doctrine shold not fructifie in the heaters What the Scriptures shâ—w to be the cause most commonly why true doctrine doth not fruâ—tifie The same shewed by similitudes Verse 3. Truth may be preached and yet three to one take no fruit by it Verse 18. Of colouring wickednesse with other mens faltes What a mans flattering of him selfe in wickednesse may come vnto Esay 5. 19. Verse 12 Psal 127. Math. 7. 3. Others must liue well howsoeuer Ministers do liue What perfection sholde be in the life of euery one and of the application of the text therein The meanes wherby the wealth of England is wasted Verse 1. Doctrine is to be receaued vpon triall Verse 17. How to perceaue protestants to haue truth and of what weight the matters are wherein they differ from papists 1. Ioh. 4. 1. 1. Ioh. 4. 2. c. The causes why Christ came in the fleshe The general cause 1. Tim. 1. â—â— Luc. 19. 10 The particuler causes Verse 18. Verse 1â— Col. 1. 20. Heb. 2. 4. 7. 9. cap. 1. Rom. 8. 37. Christ only â—â— our aduocate and mediatoure 1. Tim. 2. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 34 1. Ioh. â— 8. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Ioh. 1. 29. Eph. 1. 7. Christ only is our redeemer Act. 4. 1â— 1. Ioh. 1. verse 7. Heb. 6. 20. Christ only is our priest to sacrifice for vs which he hath done once for all Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 9. 28. Heb. 10. 12. Deu. 18. 15. Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 17. 5. Verse 4. Christ is our only Instructour Verse 6. c. Luc. 1. 33. Verse 22. Verse 18. Verse 23. Christ is the only head of the church Christ hath no partakers in any of his offices Protestants doctrine of Saluation is the doctrine of the Scripture Eph. 1. 4. Gen. 15. 3. Gen. 22. 18. Acte 3. 21. Acte 4. 12. Ioh. 1. 29. Ioh. 3. 16. The generall end of the protestants doctrine and what doctrine only they mislike What it is to deny christ to haue come in fleshe and that in two sortes Popistes and not protestants do deny Christ to haue come in the flesh and how Praier to Saintes is against christ his mediatourship and aduocatship Praier to Saints containeth besides it selfe two other wicked thinges Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 16. 23. The papistes will haue Christ to be a deâ—nie Sauiour 1. Pet. 1. 18. Jer. 6. 16. Verse 19. 2. Chro. 36. 15.