the safetie thereof for in the peace thereof your peace doeth stand In this sort God is to be feared in this sort of all sorts he is to be serued and by this meane the common wealth is to bee maintained and preserued If we linked together in the feare of God and in true concord and amitie among our selues put to our helping handes euerie one duetifully in his calling to the supporting of this state and defending thereof doubtlesse no enemie no forren power can hurt vs no Bull of Basan shall preuaile against vs but wee and our common wealth in despite of all both corporal and spiritual enemies shall be strengthened and stablished for euer So true is it that kingdome which is grounded vpon good wil standeth fast and sure for euer 36 But as the naturall bodie without sinewes can not growe waxe strong or continue no more can a ciuil bodie without his sinewes The sinewes of the common wealth are the treasures Tributes therefore and subsidies are due to the Prince Giue vnto Caesar those things that are Caesars tribute vnto whom tribute belongeth It is not giuen to the Prince but to the common wealth it is in trueth bestowed vpon our selues The prince in respect of priuate vse neither needeth neither requireth our money It is the common wealth whereunto we owe not our goods onely but our liues also it requireth this at our handes for our owne safetie The prince will be but a steward hereof seasonably to lay it out for publike vse Good common wealthsmen haue not spared to giue their very liues for their countrie as Themistocles Curtius Codrus and others And who can so litle regard the common wealth as by pinching at a peece of monie to pinche it He that seeth his house ruinous and for sparing will not repaire it if it fall vpon his head let him fall himselfe Moses found his subiects maruellous readie in this behalfe when a voluntarie contribution was required towardes the building of the tabernacle they brought in so much that he was forced to crie Sufficit Nowe ynough Cyrus was a gentle and a good prince and he had thankefull subiects their voluntarie gift at one subsidie surmounted all the long heaped treasure of riche Craesus The Princes treasure is wasted in our defence our duetie is to repaire it againe for our safetie This duetie God and our common wealth require at our handes Let vs paie franklie this debt so shall we worke our owne safetie strengthen the common wealth and serue God and our countrie in trueth 37 And thus we learne that if the ministers earnestly praie for and faithfully teache the prince and the people if the prince and the people syncerely feare and serue God feare him as an omnipotent Lord and iust Iudge and withall loue him as a most louing father serue him in cleansing and feeding his Church cleansing it from false doctrine Idolatrie superstition and symonie feeding it with the word by causing it eueriewhere to be preached which will be by prouiding maintenance for the preachers thereof and compelling all subiects to heare Gods word and receiue his sacraments Further if the Prince carefully consider of the common wealth to represse the euil encourage and strengthen the good and ouerlooke the whole and doe choose wise religious louers of the trueth and haters of couetousnesse vnder him to gouerne it If in this great and stately counsell of the kingdome banishing priuate affections it syncerely be sought by Lawe to set foorth and preferre true religion and withall to bridle the desperate tongues of gainesayers If by strength of good Lawes they represse monstrous apparell and excessiue dyet deceitful bargaining vsurie adulterie vnlawfully stolen contracts and so prouide for the poore that Christ in his members may be relieued If the officers of the common wealth keepe good Lawes themselues and faithfully without foolish pitie which is crueltie see them executed vpon others If the people like good subiectes feare God honour the Prince liue peaceably and seeke the safetie of their countrie Lastly if we all linked together in loue liberally relieue the common wealth and frankly supplie the want therof for our owne safetie then doubtlesse the Lord wil blesse and preserue our Prince and vs and stablish this kingdome in peace and prosperitie to flourish and to continue But if we be cold and negligent in Gods cause if we be vnthankefull and disobedient to our good Samuel to our gratious Soueraigne then let vs looke for that which God threateneth here by his prophet Both you and your king shall perish God graunt in his mercie that assisted with his grace we may syncerely seeke and serue him to his great glorie and our great safetie in this life and eternal saluation in the world to come To that immortall onely wise and most gratious God c. A Sermon preached in Yorke at the celebration of the day of the Queenes entraunce into her Raigne CANTIC 2. 15 Take vs the litle foxes which destroy the vines for our vine hath flourished SVch solemne assemblies in so sacred a place to giue God thankes for great benefites receiued are no rare things among Gods people but are confirmed by sundrie examples in the scriptures Nehemias after that the house of God was reedified assembled the people caused the Lawe of the Lord to be openly read gaue thankes vnto the Lord for their deliuerance from Babylon and for restitution of religion and with great reioising and feasting kept that day holie vnto the Lord. When by the meanes of Queene Hester the Iewes had gotten rest and giuen a great ouerthrow to their enemies she likewise with the aduise of hir godly vncle Mardocheus commanded the people to keepe that day the fourteenth of the moneth Adar holie vnto the Lord yerely to feast and giue thanks for Gods great mercies and their maruellous deliuerance When God had deliuered his people Israel from the tyrannie of Triphon by the meanes of Simon the high priest a gouernour and prince of the Iewes Simon ordained that the same day of their deliueraunce should yerely bee kept holie vnto the Lorde with gladnesse feasting and thankesgiuing The feasts of Passeouer Pentecost Tabernacles and such other were commaunded to be kept holie in remembraunce of great benefites receiued at the Lords hands The people of Israel with thankefull hearts remembring what a great benefite they had receiued when hee chose and annointed Dauid to be their king gathered together in a solemne assemblie to celebrate that happie daie and to giue God thankes sang with ioyfull acclamation vnto the Lord This is the daie which the Lord hath made let vs reioice and be glad in it 2 Greater cause to assemble together and to giue God thankes for blessings and benefites receiued had neuer nation or people than we presently haue For as this day now twentie yeres fully finished the Lorde in his mercie
that worketh all in all Wherfore as not onely Paul Apollos Cephas but all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods so let vs comfort and strengthen one another in our holy faith holding nothing more deere vnto vs then the saluatiō ech of others and in Gods holy feare commend we one another to that faithful creator who is father of all aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all To him be rendred all thanks and all honour geuen for euer and for euer The order and matter of the Sermons 1 The first Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Esa. 55. 1. 2 Be this sinne against the Lorde far from me that I shoulde cease to pray c. 1. Sam. 12. 23. 3 Take vs the little foxes which destroie the vines for our vine hath florished Cant. 2. 15. 4 I exhorte therefore before all thinges that requestes supplications c. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 5 Be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde c. Phil. 2. 2. 6 Teach mee thy way O Lorde and I will walke in thy truth Psal. 86. 11. 7 Drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iac. 4. 8. 8 Seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde call vpon him while hee is neere c. Esay 55. 6. 9 All the daies of this my warfare do I waite till my changing come Iob. 14. 14. 10 That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we may serue him c. Luc. 1. 74. 11 Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one another for hee that loueth c. Rom. 13. 8. 12 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Mich. 6. 8. 13 And Iesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that soulde and bought c. Matth. 21. 12. 14 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God c. Act. 10. 34. 15 We therfore as helpers beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 2. Cor. 6. 2. 16 Mariage is honorable in all Heb. 13. 1. 17 After these thinges Iesus went his waie ouer the sea of Galile c. Ioh. 6. 1. 18 Then there shalbe signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Luc. 21. 25 19 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him c. Mat. 8. 23. 20 The end of all thinges is at hand Be ye therefore sober c. 1. Pet. 4. 7. 21 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal. 4. 5. 22 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte c. 2. Cor. 13. 11. A Sermon made in Paules on the day of Christes Natiuitie ESAY 55. 1 Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 2 Wherefore doe ye lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid OVR Euangelical Prophet Esaias through the spirit of reuelation hath in the former part of this his prophecie 800. yeres before the birth of Christ euen as if the thing had alreadie beene performed such is the certainetie of his prophecie most liuely described and set foorth the natiuitie the preaching the persecution the apprehension the death the resurrection the ascension yea and the latter comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead in such wise that for the substance thereof no Euangelist hath more perfectly or plainly set foorth this great mysterie of our saluation He foretelleth that Christ shall be borne of a virgin that his name shalbe Immanuel that his office shalbe to preache the glad tidings of saluation to the poore in spirit that he shalbe led as a sheepe to the shambles to be slaine that he shall be stricken for our sakes and beare the burthen of al our sinnes vpon his backe 2 His birth foreshewed so long agoe by this heauenly Prophet was in fulnesse of time accomplished as this day in Bethlem a citie of Dauid according to the testimonie of that Angel sent from heauen to proclaime the birth of the sonne of God at the same time saying Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shalbe vnto all the people because this day is borne vnto you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lorde in the Citie of Dauid This is that seede of the woman which breaketh the serpents head that meeke Abel murthered by his brethren for our sinne that true Isaack whom his father hath offered vp to be a sacrifice of pacification and attonement betweene him and vs. This is that Melchisedeck both a king and a priest that liueth for euer without father or mother beginning or ending This is Ioseph that was solde for thirtie pieces of monie This is that Sampson full of strength and courage who to saue his people and destroy his enemies hath willingly brought death vpon his owne head This is that Lorde and sonne of Dauid to whom the Lord sayde Sit thou on my right hand This is that bridegroome in the Canticle whose heart is so inflamed with heauenly loue towards his deare spouse which is his Church This is he whom holy Simeon imbrasing prophesied that he should be a light to the Gentiles and a glorie to his people Israel he vpon whom the holy Ghost descended and of whom the father testified from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne This is that lambe of God pointed at by Iohn and sent to take away the sinnes of the world to redeeme vs from thraldome not with golde nor siluer but with the inestimable price of his pretious bloud to be made our wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption This is the childe that is borne for vs the sonne that is giuen for our cause the king whose rule is vpon his shoulders whose name is maruellous the giuer of counsell the mightie GOD the euerlasting father the prince of peace the same Messias which was shadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of olde which was prefigured in the Lawe and is presented in the Gospel and hath beene approoued to the worlde by signes and wonders by so cleare euidence as cannot bee either dissembled or denyed Let vs therefore embrace this babe with ioie let vs kisse the sonne let vs with the Angels of heauen praise the Lord let vs sing their Psalme to the honour of his name Glorie be to God on high and on earth peace 3 The Prophet Esaias hauing in spirite espied Christ and seene the day though farre off wherein the Sauiour of the world should be borne
and their prayer tooke away the force of the fire The scriptures are full of examples of all sorts Kings Prophets Apostles faithfull Christians haue called vpon the Lord in the time of their troubles hee hath heard them graunted their requests and deliuered them from their distresses Wherefore before all things the Apostle heere exhorteth vs vnto praier 10 But for whom First generally for all men then specially for kings and them that are placed in authoritie It seemeth some were of opinion that praiers should be made onely for the faithfull for the brethren for Christians and not for Infidels Paul to meete with this vncharitable error saith Let supplications be made for all men S Iohn in his Canonicall Epistle seemeth to make exception against this generall doctrine There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praie for it This is that sinne which Christ calleth sinne against the holy Ghost which neuer shall be remitted and therefore is not to be praied for But because it is hard for vs to discerne who sinne vnto eternall death Christian charitie wil that we hope wel of all and obserue the generall rule to praie for all There were secrets reuealed to the Apostles of Christ which are hidden from vs they had the gift of prophecying and discerning of spirits to foresee and knowe which gifts these times haue not Paul rapt into the third heauen learned secrets not to be reuealed hee knewe that Himenaeus and Alexander were reprobates We may not so iudge of others Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruaunt In outward shewe after the iudgement of man Paul being a violent persecuter of Christ sinned vnto death yet was hee the elect vessell and glorious instrument of God Christ is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world he wil haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth We must therefore haue a charitable meaning towards all and pray for all as he hath died for all Praie euen for your enemies for them that persecute and slander you Blesse them that curse you Wish well to them that doe ill to you For God suffereth his raine to fall and his light to shine both vpon good and bad Abraham praied for Abimeleck Moses for Idolaters Samuel for Saul Stephen for them that stoned him and Christ for them that cruelly put him to shamefull death Let vs imitate these holie paternes 11 As we should praie for all men so chiefely for kings and such as are in authoritie because they chiefly neede it In Pauls time the kings and rulers of the people were Ethnickes tyrants enemies to Christ and cruel persecuters of the Gospel wherevpon some thought it not conuenient for the Church to pray for them who sought to destroie it S. Paul abateth this opinion teaching them that they should chiefly praie for such as for men in greatest daunger and most needing the helpe of their praier Praie for him that praieth not for himselfe The prophet Ieremie requireth the Israelites to praie for the cruel persecutor of Gods people Nabuchadnetzar For God in his mercie giueth good princes and in his ire he giueth wantons as Esay saith and hypocrites as Iob writeth Both euill and good are the ordinaunce of God We must praie for ill princes because the kings heart is in Gods hand that he may turne their mindes and staie their persecutions of euil make them good and of strangers from the common wealth of his Saints make them pillers and staies vnto the Church For good princes we ought heartily to praise the Lord for them especially to pray as the prophet did for Salomon Giue thy iudgements to the King O God and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Sonne For it is the singular gift of God not onely to set vp rightfull gouernement in the world but also to cherishe and preserue the same Euen they whom he hath furnished with the spirite of righteousnesse and of iudgement are vnable furtherfoorth to execute their charge than they be specially directed by the hande of God and assisted from heauen with all helpes necessary for their calling If the Christians did praie for the wealth and prosperitie of those princes which bent all their force and power against the kingdome of Christ surely for such as are defenders of the faith and zealous patrones of Gods people wee ought daily and hourely to powre out supplications that God would grant them a long life a safe gouernementt a sure dwelling valiant souldiers faithfull counsellers a good people a quiet world and whatsoeuer the hearts of men or kings doe desire And let all such as wil not say Amen to those praiers assure themselues that they are neither duetifull Christians nor faithfull subiects but disloyall contemners of Gods ordinance and rebellious despisers of his commaundement who spake by the mouth of his Apostle saying Praie for Kings and all such as be in authoritie 12 If any Church any people any nation in the world haue cause to praise the Lord for their prince this Lande hath more than any in respect of the wonderfull blessings wherewith God by the ministerie of his handmaide hath enriched vs far beyond all that we are possibly able to conceiue Israell was well apaide with the good gouernement of Debora Iudith and Hester But they thought themselues twise happie when God gaue them Moses Samuel Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezechias Iosias to gouerne them England liked well and tooke it for no small blessing of God when Henrie the first H. the second Edward the first Edward the third Edward the fourth H. the fift H. the sixt H. the seuenth H. the eight Edward the sixt bare rule ouer it But did God euer blesse the throne of any man as hee hath doone the royall seate of his annointed at this day Hath the like euer beene heard of in any nation to that which in ours is seene Our Debora hath mightily repressed the rebel Iaben our Iudith hath beheaded Holophernes the sworne enemie of Christianitie our Hester hath hanged vp that Haman which sought to bring both vs and our children into miserable seruitude And if we may compare with the ancients of Israel Moses was not more milde nor Samuel more iust nor Dauid more faithful nor Salomon more peacefull nor Iehosaphat more readie to assist his neighbours nor Ezechias more carefull for Gods cause nor Iozias more zealous to restore syncere religion If yee make the comparison betweene her owne predecessors neither was Henrie the first better learned nor Henrie the second more easie to forgiue and put vp iniuries nor Ed. the first more chast nor Ed. the third more loath to accept of forrein dominion being offred nor Ed. the fourth more iust in yeelding all men their owne nor H. the fift more happie nor H. the sixt more holie nor H. the seuenth more prudent nor H. the eight more valiant in quelling the Pope nor
king but as contemptible pesants and base outcasts of men Away they are sent loaden with spitefull words with slanderous reproches iniurious dealings all kindes of contumelie and disgrace But note of whome of the Ammonites which feare not God of the prophanely minded Atheist of the carnal gospeller of the zealous hypocrite of such in whom the feare of God or the care of their soules remaineth not of such as also spoile the patrimonie of Christ such as would not sticke I thinke to sell Christ himselfe if they might for monie as Iudas did and to cast lots for his coate with Pilates souldiers This robberie and spoile this despitefulnesse and ignominie done vnto Dauids messengers he tooke in such sort as doone vnto him selfe For the wrong or ignominie done to the messenger is done to the master who sent him and on whose businesse hee goeth Dauid would not put it vp so but reuenged it Hee comforted his faithfull messengers sent them newe apparell and caused them to remaine at an appointed place Iericho vntill their beardes were growne againe for it was ignominious to the Iewes to be beardlesse Afterward he addresseth forth an armie of strong souldiers who set vpon the Ammonites put them to flight made great mortalitie And doeth not Christ our king esteeme the ignominie doone to his messengers as if it were doone to himselfe Hath he not saide He that despiseth you despiseth me No doubt hee shall comfort his afflicted and despised messengers As they suffer for him so shall they raigne and shine in glorie It is a righteous thing with him to render vnto them that are despised rest but vnto despisers tribulation and vengeance in the day when he shal shew himselfe from heauen with armies of Angels in flaming fire to the confusion of his enemies And if in this world also hee take from such vnthankefull Ammonites the Gospell religion all knowledge and learning if for the light he giue them darknesse for truth lies for knowledge blindenes for learning barbarisme for Christ Beliall they haue the iust rewarde which is due vnto them that truely feare not the Lord. Wee must serue wee must serue him we must serue him without seruile feare 20 But after what sort In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Here we are to note first that God himselfe prescribeth how men shal serue him then what seruice it is which he prescribeth God accepteth of no seruice but such as he commandeth Ye shall not doe euerie one that which seemeth right vnto you but ye shall doe what soeuer I inioine you saith the Lord. Our seruice is limited to that which God liketh Their worshipping and seruing of God is in vaine which teache doctrines the precepts of men That which men thinke highly of that doth God abhor Saul thought that sacrifice had beene seruice God had liked better of his obedience Oza supposed hee had doone God verie good seruice in holding vp the arke which was like to fall But God taught him that it was farre otherwise The Scribes and Pharisees thought themselues the onely men that serued God because of their long and often praying their much fastings their washings their tithings their giuing of almes but who required these thinges at their hands Where hath God prescribed these kinds of outward seruice and worship to be done as being acceptable to him without inward holinesse and true righteousnesse In the same ranke with these Pharisaicall deuises we may place those papall inuentions of Masses Pilgrimages Vowes auricular confessions and whatsoeuer man hath inuented without the warrant of Gods word seeme it neuer so godlie and holie vnto them For the word of God is the onely rule of our religion our onely direction in the seruice of God 21 The seruice which God hath heere prescribed vs is this To serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Heerein is conteined whatsoeuer God commaundeth in his Lawe This is the briefe of both the Tables Holinesse hath relation to the former table and righteousnesse to the latter In holinesse is set foorth our dutie towardes God in righteousnesse towards man Wee must serue God in holinesse in respect of himselfe we must serue man in righteousnesse in respect of God For that which we doe to men if he commaund it we doe it vnto him In as much as ye haue doone this saith Christ to one of these litle ones ye haue doone it to me 22 Holinesse is the end of our election He chose vs before the foundations of the world that we might be holie Our holinesse is a thing which God doth greatly desire This is the will of God euen your holinesse Vnto holinesse wee are not onely constrained by his commandement but allured also by his example Be holie because I am holie Vnto this wee are called For God did not call vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse So that vnlesse we esteeme vilely of our own election vnlesse wee refuse to satisfie the will to obey the commaundement to followe the example and to answere the vocation in which God hath called vs we must be holie 23 And this our holinesse in seruing of him must not bee smothered in our minde or concealed in our chamber but bee shewed in open place As his benefites towardes vs are more cleare than the noone day so our confession of him and praise of his name must be openly in the face and eies of the worlde especially in the congregation of his Saints For whosoeuer saith Christ is ashamed of me before men I will bee ashamed of him before my father Christ hath giuen vs example he made a good and an open confession vnto Pontius Pilate Daniel being forbid by the king praied openly thrise a day to the God of Israel God commaunded Salomon to build him a temple wherein publikely he would be serued and worshipped of al his people Al the people ascended vp to Sion to the house of the Lorde of hosts there publikely to serue and praise their God Such as will be members of Christ must bee knit together in one bodie and in one place with one minde and one mouth glorifie the Lord. 24 It is true that when the Church is infected and polluted with idolatrie and superstition when the house of praier is made a denne of theeues the temple of God a synagogue of Satan when the truth of God is persecuted with the professors thereof then we are to serue him as wee conueniently may When publike seruice is publike idolatrie then wee are to listen vnto those admonitions Auoide the worshipping of Idols Beare no yoke with Infidels Depart Goe out Touch not that which is polluted Rather celebrate the Passeouer in the wildernesse with Christ than in a temple prophaned and defiled with Idolatrie When the gospell is persecuted secret congregations are allowed When Christ was crucified the
and resoluing of the moone into bloude Heereby it commeth to passe that shee which looketh as the morning and is faire like the moone chaungeth hir outwarde shape and figure and appeareth in the eyes of them that beholde hir like a garment dyed in bloud By this wee see what the spouse of Christ is to looke for in this worlde Wilt thou be of the number of them that liue godlie prepare thy selfe to suffer All that will liue godlie in Christ must doe it it is their portion If he were persecuted why should we be spared if he despised why wee well reputed of Let vs not therefore be dismayed though we see the Church of God in heauie case Let hir fooes debace and oppresse hir for a while hir king shall at length deliuer hir and crowne hir with eternall glorie Shee was neuer I thinke in greater distresse the enemie neuer more cruellie bent Christ in his members neuer more bloudilie crucified then euen in these our dayes as well by enemies as by false and bastarde brethren who pretending the ayde and succour of the Church practise nothing but theft and robberie Shee is both wounded by hir aduersaries and spoyled euen by hir owne children the one haue made hir bloudie and the other beggerly Howebeit as the Arke of Noe was tossed vppon the waters but could not be drowned the Lorde susteyning it with his mightie hande so the Church in the ende shall haue a glorious triumph ouer all the enemies of GOD hell gates may striue they can not preuaile in suffering shee shall conquere and when by persecution she is made most blacke then is shee in trueth most beautifull I am blacke O daughters of Ierusalem sayeth the spouse blacke but comely Through ignominie shee commeth vnto glorie by tribulation to a kingdome by the crosse to ioye and by death to immortall and euerlasting life The death of the saintes of God is precious their sufferingeâ—â—re honorable in his sight for whom they suffer nay they are profitable euen vnto them it behooueth the moone to be turned into bloud Hir restauration shalbe much more glorious 23 It followeth that the starres also shall fall from heauen Vnto starres wee may verie well compare teachers pastours and guides the brightnesse of whose doctrine and conuersation shoulde giue light to such as liue in this worldes mistie darkenesse Iohn Baptist was called Lucerna lucens ardens a candle which doeth both shine and burne They which are as starres vnto others heere shall heereafter shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres of heauen for euermore But these daungerous dayes haue made manie of these starres to fall from the firmament of heauenlie doctrine to the dregges and dreames of mans learning And one starre falleth not commonly alone Lucifer drewe a traine of others after him The starre which falleth to the earth becommeth earthly looseth the light which it had and like a brande which is smoothered spendeth and wasteth it selfe to nothing He that hath beene once illuminated like a starre and receiued the heauenly gift and beene partaker of Gods holie spirite and hath tasted of the good woorde of GOD and of the powers of the worlde to come if hee fall at anie time away hardely or neuer doeth hee rise againe Dreadfull examples heereof there are both auncient and late as Iudas Iulian Arius Franciscus Spira Staphilus Baldwin and such like Whose fearefull endes it were to be wished that they which followe their declining steppes did well consider For touching our owne countreymen and brethren according to the fleshe the greatest withstanders of the trueth at this day are such as haue beene eyther preachers or earnest professors of that which nowe they hate so deadlie and by impugning so fiercely persecute They are fallen from heauen to earth Christ they haue forsaken and betaken them selues to the man of sinne Christes aduersarie they embrace darkenesse in steede of light errour in place of sounde doctrine damnable heresie for the pure and sauing trueth Had it not beene better that these Apostataes had neuer knowen this blessed way than knowing it so traiterouslie and so damnablie to shrinke from it But to leaue them to their desperate resolution others there are that stande in doctrine but fall in life and manners whose conuersation is not in heauen but altogether vppon the earth beeing worldly minded not like starres of light but like cloudes of darkenesse teaching others and not themselues that say and doe not They are wholie bewitcht with loue of this present base worlde themselues they seeke and would to God they sought themselues aright but they seeke not Christ without whom themselues are lost This is the great scandall of the worlde at this day woe vnto them by whom it commeth Well by that which hitherto hath beene spoken we see how Christ the sonne of righteousnesse the brightnesse of his father is obscured as well by false doctrine as by wicked conuersation howe the moone the Church is made blacke and bloudie by cruell persecution howe the starres the teachers and doctors of the Church are fallen both by heresie from heauenlie doctrine and by dissolute behauiour from the shining brightnesse of a sanctified and celestiall life 24 The same wordes might giue me occasion to touch sondrie other kindes both of persons and thinges I might shewe how the spirituall dignitie of the pastor who should bee as the sunne in the eyes of men is darkned and obscured by contempt how the ciuill authoritie of the magistrate which ought to shew it selfe in exercising iust and lawfull power vpon the woorkes of darknes and so to beare rule as it were in the night being in this age in manie places vsed as a sword to slay the innocent and well meaning man and as a sheild to defend and strenthen sinne hath so cleane lost that glorious light of iustice that it seemeth euen chaunged into blood thirdlie howe the people which are in number as the starres be in nature and disposition so farre remooued from heauen that the verie naming of thinges aboue as of thinges which doe not concerne them is become euen tedious and odious vnto them Againe I mightshewe you howe faith which as the sunne giueth light to other vertues is it selfe dimmed howe the auncient vertues which haue beene in high and honourable callinges haue left their place and are not founde they are fallen like starres from heauen Charitie beeing vnto other vertues as the moone in comparison of the rest of the starres is also chaunged hir sweete and amiable nature is conuerted into more than sauage barbaritie tender hearted men are become bloudie minded euerie man hunteth after his brother as after a pray each degree is maliced and hated of other the Cleargie of the laytie the sheaphearde of the sheepe the rich of the poore yea the man of the wife the parentes of the children the maister of the seruauntes all men of some and some almost of
against the Lorde And that as all men so especially he hath felt It is too hard for him to kicke against the spurre to fight against the Lord of hosts Seeing therfore that this man of sin is not only reuealed but in a maner ouerthrowne too doubtles the Lord is comming and the ende of all thinges draweth neere Iniquitie sayth our sauiour shall abounde and charitie shall waxe colde the Gospell shalbe preached in the whole worlde and then an ende Iniquitie doeth abounde for as the prophet sayth There is no truth there is no pitie there is no knowledge of God in the earth Slaundering lying murdering stealing and whoring haue ouerflowed the worlde Charitie is frosen vp and become colde as ise These latter dayes haue bredde and brought out swarmes of such as loue them selues but neither God nor their neighbours Gods woorde neuer sounded more shrill neuer was preached more sincerely than at this day It is not bound or shut vp in straightes it hath free and large passage Iniquitie thus flowing charitie thus ebbing and Gods Gospell thus sounding throughout the worlde I may conclude with S. Peter The ende is neere at hande 7 This comming of Christ will be a ioyfull day for Gods children they shall lift vp their heades but to Antichrist to the enemies of Gods Gospell to the workers of iniquitie it will be a day of wrath indignation and all affliction But they put farre from them the remembraunce thereof they set it aloofe and goe still forwarde heaping vp riches though they knowe not howe soone they shall depart from them building though they knowe not for what inhabitant purchasing though they knowe not who shall inherite decking feeding pampering themselues though they knowe not whether the next or this night the next or this moment their soule shall be taken from them The worlde is towardes an ende Loue not the worlde therefore neither the thinges that are in the worlde but be ye sober and watching in prayer and aboue all things haue feruent loue amongest you This is S. Peters exhortation in this place wherein we learne our duetie towardes God and our dutie towardes our neighbour Towardes God be sober watch and pray towardes our neighbour haue feruent charitie 8 There is an inwarde and an outwarde sobrietie Inward sobrietie as Origen defineth is that whereby we keepe our affections and desires within listes that no man take more vppon him then is meete but euerie one according to the measure of his degree Which definition that father seemeth to haue drawen out of the wordes of S. Paul Let no man be more wise then behooueth him but let euery man be soberly minded Angels hauing too loftie a conceite of themselues were not able to keepe their first estate Our first parentes for passing the limites of sobrietie lost the godlie possession which God had giuen into their handes Through an vnsober desire of knowing all thinges they knewe too soone their owne miserie This hawtinesse of heart set Absolon so farre besides himselfe that neyther force of nature feare of God nor shame of men and the worlde could withholde him from trayterous attempting to teare the crowne from his fathers head It is strange to see howe Herode was swollen with the arrogant ouerweening and proude conceite of his owne eloquence His strange blasphemous pride had a strange and fearefull punishment Nabuchodonozor through his affection being not content to be the highest amongest men was made the vilest among beastes Those are ougly paternes of monstrous mindes voide of that sobrietie which was in Paule who although God had exalted him to the thirde heauen and there shewed him more than a man might conceiue thought neuerthelesse modestlie and meekely of himselfe I am the least of the Apostles not woorthie to be called an Apostle The like affection was in Saint Peter it caused him to loath himselfe at the sight of the Maiestie of the sonne of God Depart from me sayeth he I am a sinnefull man It was in that Centurion which thought himselfe vnwoorthie to open a doore vnto Christ Iesus It was in the Publican that durst not cast so much as an eye vp to heauen Such againe passe the boundes of this sobrietie as seeke after needelesse thinges neglecting necessarie The Philosopher that gazed vppon the skyes heeding not the pit that was vnder his feete was deseruedly laughed to scorne by a girle We are all tainted with this fault whereby it commeth to passe that we wast sayeth Seneca a great part of our life in dooing nothing a greater in doing euill the greatest of all in medling with those thinges which are not for vs. They that in matters of religion will knowe more than God hath reuealed thinke not soberlie but arrogantly of themselues Woe be to them which are wise in their owne eyes they are foolish in the sight of God The roote of this vice is a false perswasion which we haue taken that we can stand of our selues Wherefore the Apostle putteth vs in minde of our daunger vnlesse wee be supported by other manner strength than by our owne feeble faith I would not brethren that yee should be ignoraunt of this secrete least you should be arrogant in your selues We beare not vp our selues God doth beare vp all and ech man is or should be a stay to beare vp others We are all members of one bodie and we knowe wee haue neede one of another The hande cannot want the helpe of the toe though the least and lowest member Man alone were a miserable creature hee could neyther cloath nor feede nor defend himself frō violence The wisest man oftentimes needeth counsel Who was more wise than Moses yet Moses knew he needed the aduise of others and therfore occasion seruing disdained it not Rebecca saw more thā Isaak in things neerely concerning their children Esau and Iacob Sara more than Abraham in the mother of Ismaell Naaman followed the counsell euen of his seruaunts and it did not repent him so to haue done 9 Nowe as this inwarde sobrietie of minde and iudgement is required so are we exhorted likewise to an outwarde sobrietie which consisteth in diet in apparell in gesture and in speech Be sober in diet Nature is contented with a little but where sobrietie wanteth nothing is ynough The bodie must haue sufficient least it faint in the middest of necessarie duties but beware of gluttonie and drunkennesse And Christ sayth take ye heede ouerloade not your heartes with these burthens of excesse Be not drunken with wine These lessons are fit for Englande where auncient sobrietie hath giuen place to superfluitie where manie such rich men are as fare daintely day by day God graunt their ende be not like his who riotouslie wasting beere the creatures of God wanted afterwarde a droppe of water when hee would gladly haue had it Iohn Baptist was content with a simple diet Christ with verie slender fare But there are of vs I