made Saints dead men are made aliue From it all manner of vertues spring and with it are nourished And were it not for it the whole world and euen the Church it selfe would be worse then a wildernesse and turned into Sodom and Gomorrah But as it is in vaine to sow Seed in the fire aire or water or any where but in the earth which is in the middle of the world and that it may prosper well the ground must be quiet not troubled or tossed nor continually troden on and both it and the seed to be cast into it must be pure and good not mingled or corrupt So it is bootlesse to sow the Word in the eares onely or in the eyes or vnderstanding and memory or indeed any where if not in the heart which is in the midst of a man And that it may thriue and flourish the heart must be quiet and not disturbed or tossed with the stormes and tempests of fleshly passions It must be cleansed of noysome and stinking weeds It must not be troden vnder foote and continually walkt vpon by wordlly cares carnall desires and foolish fansies which keepe a great coile and are alwaies trotting vp and downe in worldings belly-gods and naturall men and the seed must be sowne purely and not mingled with the tares and darnell of heresies and errours A Ship cannot saile without Sea-roome and seed cannot thriue without Earth-roome No more can the Word without Heart-roome If the ground receiue not the seed into it and cherish it and giue it scope to roote it selfe in it the seed cannot prosper and come to perfection So the Word of GOD thriues not except the heart receiue it meekely cherish it louingly and giue it roome to roote it selfe throughly Drunkennesse and gluttony doe drowne this Seed couetousnesse and worldly cares do choke it vnchaste desires do scortch and burne it rage and contumacy repell it hatred and malice pinch and bite it hardnesse of heart and double mindednesse will not suffer it to roote well Euery man would haue his ground good yea what is there that a man would not haue to be good his wife his childe his seruant his friend his fellow his apparell his house his horse his dogge hee would haue all good and shall himselfe be naught Shall the heart which is the onely seed-plot of the Word which is able to saue his soule shall it be euill and suffred to be euill and ouergrowne with euill weedes Why is it that the raine falling and the Sunne shining vpon a well ordered Garden makes it sweete and flourishing but vpon some other peece of ground and it brings out nothing but Mosse and Weedes The fault is in the ground not in the Sunne or Raine So one man is benefited by the Word it takes well and bringeth forth fruites in him and another doth not reap any good by it it proueth not in him by reason of his vncapablenesse and wicked lusts that will not giue way vnto it but makes him to resist it and rebell against it A man may set or sow in our fields whiles wee sleepe or though wee would not But the Minister cannot sow the Word of GOD in our hearts if wee snort in sin if wee bee regardlesse of the Word and will not receiue it Seed may bee pickt out of the ground and eaten of birds whether a man will or no his corne may bee burnt his plants may be stollen or puld vp and broken downe though hee would not But wee and the Word that is sowne or grafted in vs cannot bee separated against our wils our Bibles may bee taken from vs by force but the Word ingrafted in vs cannot bee taken from vs against our will the birds of hell cannot steale it from vs and pick it out except we our selues be willing if euer wee and it do part wee must thanke our selues Seed sowne in the ground after a time comes vp and flourishes for a time but at length it decayes and withers For this is the nature of seed it is partly turned into the ground and turnes the ground partly into it It turnes and is turned it suckes and drawes to it a certaine nurriture out of the ground at length shootes out growes vp and increaseth a certaine space then in processe of time it decayeth and at length dyeth But the Word doth otherwise For the Word being sowne in the heart that entertaines it taketh thriueth comes vp and beareth fruite It is not turned but it turneth the heart It is not corrupted but rather corrupteth and killeth the euill qualities that are within vs It it is no whit turned into man but it rather turnes a man into it and workes him to it will It suckes no nourishment from man but it affoords strength and comfort vnto man and it neuer decayeth of it selfe It dies not neither can it bee by any meanes rooted vp or taken from vs but by our wils Wee yeelding consent thereto If euer it faile and die if it bee parched and dryed vp it is long of vs and not of it There is no plant which time killeth Nature hath appointed it a time to liue and a time to die be the ground neuer so good the yeares neuer so seasonable the heauens neuer so benigne yet it must decay and die But if the Word be planted in a good and honest heart it cannot be rooted out nor perish except the ground proue barren and naught except a man do waxe weary of the Plant vnlesse a man would be ridde of it it will not away but will grow vp with him and will saue his soule by the blessing of GOD. This Seed is at this day scattered in all places amongst vs yet it takes but badly in the most The Seed is good but the ground as it seemes is for the most part naught That is the onely good ground which receiues it gladly giues it free passage willingly and brings sorth the fruites thereof patiently Men neuer more delighted in goodly Gardens and Orchards in variety of fruites and flowers then at this day But without doubt there is none of all their Seedes or Sets comparable to this For this brings fruites of all kindes that are good Fruits of which a man cannot surfet Fruits without which a man is more miserable than a very beast Fruites for the which a man shall bee crowned with life eternall Fruites which themselues are fruitfull one fruite bringeth forth another without the corruption losse or lessening of it selfe And whereas all their feedes are not able to saue the body from death this Seed is able to saue the soule from hell and to giue a man assurance that his dead body also shall be raised vp from death to life Their seeds and their plants and flowers do replenish and beautifie their grounds but this Seed and the fruites there of doe fill and garnish the soule Those if they prosper doe commend the soyle but this if it thriue doth commend the
heart comforted the conscience quieted and the life adorned Wee sinne daily so wee should repent daily and as wee fall so should wee rise To sinne is not so dangerous as to liue in sinne If a breach in a sea-wall bee not stopt in time it will both waxe bigger and indanger the dry Land If a Ship continually let in water and bee not continually pumped out it will sinke her If a Mole bee suffered to runne in a Medow shee will spoyle it If a sword bee let rust in the scabberd the rust will marre either one or both So if wee stoppe not the breaches and holes made by sinne in our soules it will sinke them If wee kill not that Mole it will waste vs If wee skoure not our selues from that rust by true repentance it will consume vs both soule and body Alexander Seuerus made an act that none should salute the Emperour that knew himselfe a Thiefe so no man should presume to professe or speake to CHRIST IESVS no man should dare to put vp his suits vnto GOD. that by sinne robbes GOD of his glory and continues in it without repentance For GOD heareth not sinners If I regard wickednesse in mine heart saith the Psalmist GOD will not heare mee But GOD heareth the desire of the poore The righteous cry and the LORD heareth them The LORD heareth them that are of a contrite heart His eye is vpon them that feare him Hee will also heare their cry and saue them And they feare Him that do repent of sinne and turne vnto him For the feare of the LORD is to hate euill as pride arrogancy and the euill way and by the feare of the LORD men depart from that that is naught Neither is it enough to forsake some notorious and grieuous offence but euen all all without exception of any all all are serpents poyson and pollutions One hole in a ship vnstopt one breach in a wall vnrepaired one wing belimed one claw taken in the snare may in danger and loose all so but one sinne knowne and cherished discerned and not dissmissed one faculty one affection but one intrapped and captiuated of a sinne espied and yet beloued euen but one is able to destroy the soule to damne the whole man both soule and body Yet though sinne bee very dangerous and continuance in it more yet how vsuall is it with vs to delay our repentance Tomorrow next weeke ere long next yeere or before I dye Yet a little sleepe a little slumber anon one houre longer one halfe houre a minute O LORD how vnwilling are wee to rise being once laid downe Being once fallen a sleepe how loath are wee to bee wakened being sicke with a pleasant phrensie how how displeasing a thing is it to come into our wits againe And to see our madnesse wee that know not whether wee shall liue an houre longer no not a minute further yet wee will promise to our selues a day a weeke a month a yeere olde age Yea wee will liue in a state in which wee would bee loath to die Away away with these delayes let vs redeeme the time which taries no mans pleasure Let vs repent now that wee may haue our pardon now let vs liue like Saints least wee die like diuels Let vs leaue our sinnes now now whiles wee haue time to sinne For if a man will not leaue sinne till hee can sinne no longer sinnes leaues him and not hee them Hee that will not part from his sinne till his soule bee ready to part from his body it is to bee seared that hee parts not with sinne but his sinne with him and that hee is not willing to let go his sinne as long as hee is able to keepe himselfe O LORD preserue mee from the deceipts of sinne Hide Thy face from my sinnes and put away all mine iniquities Create in mee a cleane heart ô GOD and renew a right spirit within mee Shew mee the way that I should walke in and stay my steps in thy pathes that my feete do not slide Of perseuerance in the Faith THE Faith is a peerelesse Iewell once giuen to the Saints neuer to bee left or lost Without perseuerance in it neither the fighter obtaines a victory nor the Victor his Garland Take away perseuerance and sortitude hath no praise wel-doing hath no reward and a good beliefe no fauour Not he that beganne well but hee that holds out to the end hee shall bee saued Hee that is faithfull to the end of his life he shall enioy the Crowne of Life But they that withdraw themselues shall perish Thou destroyest all them ô LORD that go an whooring from thee But what wilt thou do to perseuere in the faith First intend and purpose it Secondly pray earnestly for it and trust not to thine owne strength What is man if GOD forsake him A Reede a Rush a Leafe a Shadow a Bubble a Something Nothing Thirdly make nothing an Article of thy Faith whereof there is no warrant in the Word and professing that which is indeed a truth bee able to proue and shew it out of the Word I suppose many would haue stood out for the truth in Queene Maries daies which did not had they beene acquainted with the Scriptures and seene them speaking for it But hee that shall professe Articles of the true Faith and be not certainely perswaded in his heart by testimonies of the Word that they are true doubtlesse this man except greater grace befall him will not bee able to endure the tyrants sword What Shall a man cast away his life loose his liberty vndo wife and children forsake all pleasures profites and preferments and that for a faith which he can shew no ground for Though there be a ground yet if hee see it not if hee bee not sure of it hee will forsake his ground and for feare giue out Finally receiue the faith for the faith sake euen because it is the good Word of GOD wholesome true and sauing And embrace it not for any externall respects about it as riches honour prosperity liberty or numerositie of professours For if we follow it for these things then when they are remoued wee shall forsake it euen as rauens doe a karcase when the flesh is eaten vp and as false-hearted persons do their friends when their wealth is gone and their state subuerted If a Maister take liking of a seruant because hee sees him faithfull and quicke then will hee like him still whiles hee perceiues those vertues in him If hee take him for his youth or beauty then when these things fayle hee will waxe weary of him If an Husbandman loue esteeme of a peece of ground because it is fruitfull and pleasant hee will loue and make account of it during the delicacy and fertility thereof The Faith of CHRIST is no changling one and the same for euer if wee receiue and follow it simply for it selfe because it is true good and needfull then except wee strangely
yet his desire and endeuour should bee euer to liue and loue as one not of this world but redeemed from the world Many are Christians in name not so in deed for they that are CHRISTS do crucify the flesh and fleshly desires and are not ruled by their flesh but gouerned by His SPIRIT In vaine is hee called Christian that is in nothing like to CHRIST What will it pleasure a man to be reputed that hee is not Hee is indeed a Christian that resembles CHRIST his Maister that sheweth mercy to the miserable that feeleth the smart of others that being iniured breakes not forth vnto reuenge that can liue inglorious for the glory to bee reuealed that preferreth heauen to earth and GOD to Mammon that counts it his meate and drinke and pleasure to doe the Will of his Father that takes vp his Crosse in this life and beares it with patience and which iudges him onely happy in his death which dyeth either in CHRIST or for CHRIST CHRIST endured the Crosse before Hee obtained the Crowne and suffered Shame before Hee entred into His Glory O Christian thou art a delicate Souldier if thou thinkest to winne the field without fighting or to triumph without troubles For the whole life of a Christian if hee liue according to the Gospell is labour toyle trouble crosses Martyrdome Of the Ministers of Christ ALL the Apostles had equall power What Peter was all were what Peter could all could There was indeed amongst them disparity of gifts inequality in yeares difference in conditions but an identity of power an equality of authority all being equally partakers of one and the selfe-same Office of one and the selfe-same Power These had authority ouer nature to sure it ouer diuels to subdue them ouer all men to conuert them To these CHRIST IESVS gaue power to worke mighty wonders to bind and to loose to open and shut the dores of heauen These hee sent into the world as the Sunne his beames as the Rose her sweete smels and as the Fire his sparkles that as the Sunne appeareth in his beames as the Rose is perceiued in his smels and as the Fire is seene in his sparkes so the potency of CHRIST might be acknowledged in their Vertues and His Maiestie discerned in their Ministery These were the Planters of GODS Vine-yard the Architects of His Temple the Fathers of His Church the Champions of the Faith and Trumpetters of the Gospell who with their siluer-sounding blasts made the Vallies sing the Mountaines ring and fil'd the eares of all These were men of mercy such as had obtained mercy shewed mercy and by whom GOD wrought his works of mercy They neither liued to themselues nor dyed but vnto Him that dyed for them and for His sake also euen for vs receiuing light from the Father of Lights and spending themselues like Lampes in giuing light vnto others Successors to these are all faithfull Bishops and Priests who are not Maisters of the Church but Ministers not Lords but Seruants not Authours of the Faith but Preachers not Makers of the Truth but Keepers To whom is committed the word of reconciliation the dispensation of the Mysteries of GOD the power of remitting and retaining sinnes the care of the Churches and the keeping of the Faith These simply as they are Ecclesiasticall persons haue no secular power and authority for if the Maister then the seruant must also say My Kingdome is not of this world CHRIST came not to make them Princes but Priests Not Monarkes but Ministers Hee gaue them the keyes of heauen and not of Citties or Kingdomes Hee committed the Word vnto them but not the Sword and gaue them authority to deale with mens soules but not with their States or Substance Now to make a true Minister it is requisite that he haue a true Power a true Mission for otherwise he runnes vnsent and rules but not by CHRIST And that hee Preach the Truth or else hee abuses his Power This is a most reuerent and holy calling not instituted by man nor Angell nor any other creature but by IESVS CHRIST the Head and Husband of the Church And they that are thereof had neede to haue a thousand eies because they liue not to themselues onely but to the people also And they are as a Beacon vpon a Hill a Citty vpon a Mountaine a Candle vpon a Table all mens eies are fixed on them By teaching and liuing well they teach the people to beleeue and liue well but by liuing ill they teach GOD how to condemne them And in truth a good life is a good Sermon and oftentimes an ill Pastor destroyes as much with his ill life as hee buildeth vp with his good doctrine Of men no man is better then a Christian and of Christians no man is better then a good Priest But hee that is vicious is like a peece of dung with a Diamond in it and as the water in Baptisme which is profitable to others but perishes it selfe But yet GOD may worke effectually by the Ministery of wicked men for their power and calling is His and their wickednesse is their owne that is holy though they bee vnholy Their authority is not the better for their godlinesse nor the worse for their vngodlinesse The light is not polluted though it passe by polluted places or persons neither is the soule corrupted though it should bee in a corrupted body so neither is the power and authority of the Minister stained though hee bee full of staines himselfe And as water whether it run through a pipe of Wood or Stone or Siluer doth good vnto the ground so the Word and Sacraments are auaileable to the Receiuers whatsoeuer the Minister be that giues them Neither are wee to respect riches age greatnesse of gifts noblenesse of birth in a Minister as if hee were to bee contemned when these things are wanting but wee are to regard especially his place and power for the power varies not with the man neither is the Word and Sacraments of greater respect for any personall respects in the Minister Water hath the properties and effects of water whether brought in an earthen Pitcher or a cup of gold or siluer And though the more excellent gifts a Minister hath the better it is yet his power is not thereby greater or more excellent but still it is the same as a Diamond is whether set in gold or siluer Or as the authority of a Iustice is the same whether hee haue more wisedome godlinesse and insight in the Law or a lesser measure of the same And of all faithfull and true Ministers of CHRIST it may bee said how different soeuer in their Age Wealth Birth Breeding Gifts They are the Dispensers of the Secrets of GOD and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Co-workers with Him For without them Hee will not saue men and without Him they cannot saue men I say He will not for who that contemnes the Baptisme of man is Baptized with the Holy GHOST
of the Land saith Hoseah because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of GOD in the Land My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge This ignorance is the mother of superstition and prophanesse and the reason why men feare not GOD but are disobedient and vnawfull Therefore they in Iob that had said in their hearts Wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies say also Who is the Almighty that wee should serue Him And what profite should wee haue if wee should pray vnto Him If a man bee disposed to deuotion yet being ignorant of GODS Will hee will deuise some Wil-worship and foolish ad-inuentions which are as pleasing vnto GOD as Luke-warme water to the stomacke as apish complements to a graue man or as painting and pranking is to a staied and holy Matrone Besides the ignorance of GOD makes men do that against the truth and the professours of it which otherwise it is very likely they would not do Ignorance of CHRIST made the Iewes to crucifie Him and Paul to persecute Him in His Members They shall excommunicate you saith our LORD yea the time shall come that whosoeuer kils you shall thinke hee doth GOD good seruice and these things will they doe vnto you because they haue not knowne the FATHER nor MEE And for the life to come it shall bee no helpe to say wee would haue serued Thee had we knowne Thee But why did you not know Mee For mine Eternall Power and God-head are seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth the workes of His Hands But besides the booke of Nature you had the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and Apostles besides the world you had the Church I sent you my Messengers in whom I spake continually to you and entreated you to learne and serue Mee It is euident therefore that ignorance will not serue the turne For the LORD IESVS will render vengeance vnto them that know not GOD and obey not His Gospell which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power And finally whereas all the vanities pompe and glory of the world which wee do so much admire shall perish with the world this our knowledge of GOD begunne in this world shall be perfited in the world to come Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne Then a man shall haue Light without darkenesse Knowledge without ignorance Wisedome without folly Vnderstanding without dulnesse Iudgement without errour Reason without perturbation Then shall all the Saints see GOD and serue GOD alwaies and for euer Of Seruing God IT was well said of a father to his sonne Know thou the GOD of thy father and serue Him How shall a man serue Him that doth not know Him And what will it profite to know Him if hee doe not serue Him But if men doe serue Him they shall end their daies in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures Or if Hee try them with the Crosse Hee will afterwards honour them with a Crowne Their griefes shall end in Glory their mourning in Mirth their tentations in Tryumphes their vinegar shall bee changed into Wine and though they haue sowne in teares yet they shall reap in Ioy. What desirest thou in a Maister Wisedome His Wisedome is infinite Greatnesse His Greatnesse is incomprehensible Strength Hee can do all things nothing is impossible with Him Valour Hee is not afraid of death nothing can dismay Him Magnificence Hee is the LORD of Hoasts cloathed with Glory and Honour Hee couereth Himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine Hee maketh the clouds His Chariot and walketh vpon the wings of the Winde Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers Hee bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity His garment is white as snow the haire of His Head like pure wooll His Throne like the fiery flame and His Wheeles as burning fire Thousand thousands Minister vnto Him and ten thousand thousands stand before Him Wouldst thou haue a Maister rich The earth is the LORDS and all that is therein the round world and all that dwell within it One that can aduance thee Promotion comes neither from East nor West nor South nor North but from GOD Who throweth the proud from his Pinacles raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that Hee may set Him with Princes euen with the Princes of His people Or One that is kind and louing patient and compassionate The LORD is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great mercy Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him Hee will heare their cry and saue them Men will serue men specially such as may doe them good or defend them from harme Why then should wee not much more willingly serue GOD who is able to saue a man though all would destroy him and to destroy him when nothing can saue him If Hee blesse who can curse If Hee curse who can blesse Sometimes a seruant serues a Maister who growes weary of him because hee thinkes hee may proue costly to him Many Maisters hauing serued their turnes shake off their seruants as a dogge doth water or as a man would do burres and a good seruant may sometimes waite long and get little But GOD neuer forsakes or turnes out His seruants Hee lets them not serue Him vnregarded but as they honour Him Hee honours them And the more they serue Him the freer they are in this world and the greater rewards they shall receiue of Him in the world to come And it is to bee obserued that yong folkes vsually do giue themselues to bee seruants of men Why then should they not giue themselues to the seruice of GOD whom to serue is indeed to reigne and in whose seruice that may bee gotten which cannot bee found in the seruice of any mortall man O that wee would remember our Creatour in the daies of our youth and inure our neckes to His yoake whiles wee are fresh and tender But what must be the Rule of our seruice Surely not our wils who are but seruants but His Will who is our Maister which hee hath reuealed to vs in His Word to which wee ought to conforme and apply our selues infeare and humblenesse indeuouring to obey Him in all His commands sincerely cheerefully and to our end so shall we bee sure to dye in His grace and to bee raysed vp from the graue of death to possesse the glory of Eternall Life Of the Sower and his Seed THE Sower went out to sow Euery true and faithfull Minister of CHRIST IESVS is a Sower GODs Word is his Seed Mans heart is the ground that should receiue it The Word is a very rare and admirable Seed altogether matchlesse For by it men are made Christians sinners are