past al helpe His rotten relikes cannot comfort you His blinde dumbe and wormeaten Idols can doe you no good It is cast awaie which is spent vpon his shamelesse pardons they wil not preuaile God wil not admit them By his Latine seruice ye cannot be edified or made wiser Yet this trumperie they sel for monie and vpon this trash they cause sillie men to wast their substance and to these to commit their soules Thus you see a manifest difference betweene Christ and Antichrist the doctrine of God and the learning of man true teachers and false sounde and counterfaited religion The one offereth true bread freely the other that which is no bread for bread and that not freely neither but for monie The diuersitie of religion professed in these our times is here most plainely and liuely depainted For the better clearing whereof I wil in three notes lay before your eies the whole difference which is betweene them 9 First we disagree in the very foundation They lay one ground and we an other We lay no one stone but onely vpon that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereupon whosoeuer is builded groweth into an holie temple in the Lord a temple which no winde no waues no storme no tempest is able to ouerthrowe The foundation of our religion is the written worde the Scriptures of God the vndoubted records of the holie Ghost We require no credite to be giuen to any part or parcel of our doctrine further than the same may be clearely and manifestly proued by the plaine words of the lawe of God which remaineth in writing to be seene read examined of all men This we doe First because we knowe that God hath caused his whole Lawe to be written Secondly because we see that it hath beene the practise of all the defenders of the truth since the beginning to relie their faith onely vpon the Scripture and written word Thirdly because it is euident and plaine that we cannot receiue any other foundation of heauenly truth without the ouerthrowe of Christian faith 10 There was neuer any Lawemaker so simple as to make statutes for perpetuitie and not to register them in bookes or engraue them in tables When Memucan was desirous to haue a Law made for the bringing of women in subiection vnder their husbands his perswasion was this If it may please the King let a royall decree proceede from him and let it be written The Lawes of the Medes and Persians that might neuer be altered were for euer recorded When God deliuered his first Lawe vnto his people the Lawe which commonly we call morall he gaue it them written in tables of stone Againe when he deliuered them ciuil ordinaunces for the administration of iustice betweene man and man Moses first proclaimed all those Lawes and ordinances amongst the people afterward he tooke and wrote in a booke all the words of the Lord. As for the Lawes of rites and ceremonies they are likewise written in this booke To these we must adde that Lawe which the blessed Apostle doth call the Lawe of faith This Lawe God preached vnto Adam by himselfe The seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head vnto Abraham by his Angel In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed to the children of Abraham by his Prophets Behold a virgin shal conceiue and beare a sonne finally vnto vs by his sonne and by them whom his sonne hath sent into the world to make it knowen that through this man is preached remission of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moses by him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified And the statutes of this Lawe are also written God being moreouer desirous to haue his seruaunts not only taught by doctrine but prouoked also by examples gaue them a fift sort of Lawes and testimonies called historical not leauing these neither to men to deliuer vnto their children by word of mouth but all by writing If God haue committed his Lawes moral ciuil ceremonial euangelical and historical also vnto writing where should we seeke for the statutes of the almightie but in his written word 11 The auncients of the house of God knewe no fountaine of his truth but this They neuer enquired what had beene whispered in mens eares that which they beleeued and taught they read it out of the booke In the Historie of Iosua it is recorded howe hee did assemble the Tribes Elders Heads Iudges and Officers of Israel together shewing them what God had spoken vnto them by Moses but vttering to them no speech which was not writtē Iosias with all the men of Iuda and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Priests Prophets and all the people small and great made a couenaunt before the Lord to keepe his commaundements and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and with all their soule But what statutes what testimonies The words of the couenaunt written in this Booke Christ speaketh many things his Apostles many things concerning the doctrine of the Prophets but no one point of doctrine which is not found in their bookes and writings The prophet Esay crieth Adlegem testimonium To the lawe and to the testimonie If they teache not according to this Lawe it is because there is no light in them Consider the practise of Christ Iesus His proofes are Scriptum est It is written His demaunds are Quomodo legis Howe doest thou reade His Apologies are Scrutamini Scripturas Searche the Scriptures they beare me record His Apostles tread in the same path they goe not the breadth of an haire not a whit from that which is written Thus S. Paul protesteth I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose the third day according to the Scriptures It is not lightly to be marked which is twise repeated He deliuered nothing but according to the Scriptures I would heare the voice of my pastor saith S. Augustine Reade this out of some Prophet reade it out of some Psalme recite it out of the Lawe recite it out of the Gospel recite it out of some Apostle reade it and we will beleeue it These be good presidents for vs to followe til sufficient reason be alleaged why we should lay an other foundation than that which hath beene laide by so many so wise so reuerend builders 12 Especially sith this foundation is so peculiar to the trueth that we cannot rest vpon any other without manifest daunger of the vtter ouerthrowe of Christian faith For first what certainetie or assurance can we haue of any of those things which are beleeued if our faith doe not leane onely vpon the Scriptures If once a religious credite be giuen to vnwritten verities and to mens reports the vndoubted articles of our beleefe cannot choose but at the
committed Some by killing of Christ the first begotten sonne againe sacrificing him afresh as they thought vpon their hill altars for the dead and the quicke But they were deceiued Some by the mediation of Saints departed robbing Christ of his office who is the onely mediator and intercessor betweene God and man Some haue thought to make amendes for their sinnes by buying popish pardons by taking their walkes in long pilgrimages to dumme and senselesse idols in such like not only vaine but impious deuises of mans foolish braine Thus sundrie haue sought out sundrie ways some blasphemous and some of them ridiculous to appease the wrath of God prouoked by their sinne The Israelites doubted by what meane to satisfie for their sinne what God would accept they could not tell they were altogether vncertaine which way to please him And truely it is lamentable that there bee so many euen nowe in the cleare light of the sauing Gospell which doubt by what meanes they may bee saued and in this doubtfulnesse many still followe their owne fantasies and through ignorance are led into the high way of damnation Wherefore such as are doubtful our Prophet Micheas clearely resolueth such as are out of the way he calleth into the right path such as are ignorant he instructeth and such as will learne hee offereth to teache what the good will and pleasure of the Lord is 6 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and acceptable to him surely not to take vpon thee to satisfie for sin thy selfe for that passeth thy power all thy righteousnesse being but filthinesse in the pure sight of God not to offer vp any sacrifice as being in it selfe propitiatorie for sinne for that Christ onely hath doone on the crosse and that but once and that for all hee is the onely sacrifice the onely priest the onely mediator the only redeemer The price of our saluation is neither golde nor siluer but the pretious bloud of the innocent lambe of God Christ Iesus shed for the sinnes of the worlde there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we can be saued God requireth therefore no satisfaction for sinnes at thy hands but at his he hath required it to the vttermost Christ is thine God hath freely giuen thee both him and with him all things that are his If thou receiue him through a true faith thy saluation is sealed and thou art safe For as many as haue receiued him to them hee hath giuen power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name If thou confesse with thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that thou art deliuered from thy sinne by that one oblation of Christ offered vpon the crosse that his merite hath made thee the childe of his father and the inheritor of that kingdome which he hath prepared for as many as are his then applie thy selfe to liue after the will and commaundement of him that hath doone so great thinges for thee shew thy faith by thy life let it appeare and be seene in thy works that thou art in deede the louing and the iustified childe of God readie desirous to obeie and doe his will And least in thy working thou shouldest followe thine owne phantasie and doe that which is not acceptable in the sight of God hee hath laide out thy way before thee 7 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to do iudgement and to loue mercie to humble thy selfe to walke carefully with thy God Wherein we first learne this lesson that no seruice wee doe to God can please him but such as himselfe in his woord hath prescribed he will be serued as he hath commanded in his lawe and not as thou hast deuised with thy selfe That seruice which God in his word doth not require at thy hands if thou offer it him it is in vaine thou offerest The Lord hath not asked it and he wil not accept it of thee In vaine they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men It is not for nothing that God was so curious in platting foorth the Tabernacle and so precise in commaunding that all thinges without exception should be doone according to that patterne Was God so careful ouer an earthly a corruptible house think you No His meaning was to teache vs that in the spirituall Tabernacle in matters of religion perteining to the seruice worship of God all things should be doone according to the rule of his owne will which is set downe in his written woord For hath he not saide in the Lawe What I commmaund thee that onely shalt thou doe thou shalt neither adde nor diminish He that addeth God shal adde vnto him all the plagues he that taketh away God shal take from him all the blessings conteined in that booke The doctrine of Christ saith Clemens Alexandrinus is most absolute neither wanteth it any thing God is well pleased when men are so religiously affected that they dare not swarue a haires bredth from his word S. Cyprian saith The foundation of all religion and faith is laide in the woord of God And S. Ierome That which hath not authoritie out of the woord of God is altogether as easilie refused as prooued Which rule of religion if the Latine Church had as wel obserued as it is both in the scriptures often giuen and often commended by the godlie fathers the Church of Christ had neuer beene burthened with so many vnprofitable traditions and newe inuentions of men so many superstitions so great idolatrie so ouglie pollutions had neuer found entrance into the house of God In the scriptures wherein is conteined all that is good and all that which God requireth or accepteth of we finde no mention either of the name or of the thing of the Masse the Pope Purgatorie praying on beades hallowing of bels either any such like popish trashe In summe fewe parts of their religion haue any one stone from thence to be founded or built vpon For where doth God require any one of these or the like at our or their hands That which is required in his name is this To doe iudgement and to loue mercie c. Wherein is fully comprised our whole duetie both to God and man 8 To doe iudgement This sentence receiueth sundrie expositions and each of them yeeldeth vs sundrie good lessons Ierome vnderstandeth by dooing of iudgement dooing all things with reason and ripe consideration God himselfe giueth an example hereof and applieth himselfe to our senses that he may instruct our mindes herein For minding to powre his plagues vpon Sodoma and Gomorra those sinfull cities hee saith first with himselfe I wil goe downe nowe and see whether they haue doone altogether according vnto that crie which is come vnto me or not that I may knowe It was rashnesse in Iephthe to promise without exception whatsoeuer should meete him first and hee
Peter tooke vp Cornelius and would not suffer him to worship him His successor compelleth princes to cast themselues downe before him and to kisse his filthie feete This beastly pride declareth him neither to be Christs vicar nor Peters successor but rather his childe who saide to Christ in the mount All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me If man who is the liuely image of God may not haue this worship how much lesse stockes and stones the dead images of men For is it not more reasonable that the image-maker should be woorshipped than the workes of his hands 21 Finally Cornelius thanked Peter for his comming and declared withall howe readie he was to heare him For in that he saide thou hast doone well to come he shewed a thankefull minde for his paines taken So all should bee thankefull to such as bring them glad tidings the word of saluation He sendeth his woord and healeth them saith the prophet Let them confesse therefore before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men The philosophers write euen by the Law and rules of nature that the children can neuer yeeld woorthie thanks vnto their parents for their birth and breeding Such as beget and breede vs spiritually deserue more thankes euen so much more as the soule is better than the bodie spirituall regeneration better than naturall procreation Such as will not be thankefull for the ministers of the trueth shall be requited with deceitful teachers For God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth 22 Nowe howe readie himselfe and his companie were to heare Peter preache it appeareth by the woords following We are all present here before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Wherein both the dueties of the hearer and the preacher are plainely set downe The dutie of the hearer first to be present before God To remember that he standeth in the sight of God the seer and searcher of hearts from whom nothing is hid To stand before the preacher is to stand before God The presence of God requireth feare and reuerence Feare and reuerence should occupie the hearts of them who stand so Secondly to heare and learne There is none so well learned but hee may learne more For while we liue we knowe in part saith S. Paul and therefore we must giue diligent care and applie our mindes to that which is spoken We must not be as a beaten way where the seede can take no roote We must not suffer preiudice to treade downe and destroie the seede nor the birds of the ayre Satan to pull it out at the one eare so fast as it entereth in at the other We may not let our mindes wander but comming of purpose to heare to our profite we must beseeche God to giue vs memorie and vnderstanding to print into our hearts that which wee heare with our eares Thirdly to heare all things euen all the doctrine of God not things that doe please but things that displease our flesh not other mens faults but our owne not onely profession but also conuersation not onely faith but also workes not onely to heare but also to doe Herod heard Iohn gladly while hee carped others but hee could not abide to bee rubbed on the gall himselfe Hee heard Iohn in many things but not in all The Iewes at Rome heard Paul vntill hee applied the woords of Esay vnto them The heart of this people is waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing and with their eyes haue they winked least they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and returne that I might heale them Then they shrunke from him and would no more heare him The preacher is gladly heard of the people that can carpe the magistrates cut vp the ministers crie out against all order and set all at libertie But if hee shall reprooue their insolencie pride and vanitie their monstrous apparell their excessiue feasting their greedie couetousnesse their biting vsurie their halting hearts their muttering mindes their friendly words malitious deedes they will fall from him then He is a railer he doteth he wanteth discretion Not so Cornelius and his companie but they were readie to heare all and so fashioned and framed according to all that which God by his word should require at their hands 23 The duetie of the preacher is expressed in these woords That are commaunded thee of God The preacher may teache no other than he hath commission to speake than is commaunded him of God He may not adde to the written word neither take from it Gods Lawe is perfect it doth perfectly instruct and teache all things necessarie to saluation The Disciples must only breake those loaues vnto the people which they haue receiued at Christs hands They may not teache their owne dreames inuentions or doctrines For God will not haue them woorship him so but thou shalt heare the word saith he at my mouth and giue them warning from me And thus much of Cornelius what he was on what occasion he sent for Peter and howe he receiued him at his comming to him 24 Likewise in Peter three things we haue noted Howe he was occupied when the messengers came to him howe readilie he went with them and what the sermon was that hee preached to them The messengers found him at the sixth houre which is twelue as wee count fasting and praying on the house toppe where he sawe a vision in his traunce a sheete let out of heauen knit at foure corners wherein were all fowre footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and fowles of heauen And a voice saide arise Peter kill and eate First wee see that Peter had his appointed houres of praier Praier is an acceptable sacrifice to God and a Christian exercise for the vse wherof the godlie will prescribe themselues certaine times For mans corrupt nature is easily caried away to worldely affaires Hee matcheth fasting with praier as needefull to stirre vp our slothfull drowsie spirits to pray the more feruently For a full bellie maketh a faint praier And he sought also a priuate place to pray in because in priuate places we may powre out our hearts more freely vnto God But of this I haue spoken before 25 The vision that appeared was to teache him that Christ was borne a Sauiour to the whole world that the Gospel was to be preached to all that he would all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth And so was declared the calling of the Gentiles For Peter was commaunded to make no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile although the Gentiles were esteemed as vncleane in the eyes of the Iewes Peter being commaunded to kill and eate abstained in respect of the Lawe God
to be honoured of what qualitie soeuer they be in them selues The foode which they gaue to the people did miraculouslie growe by diminishing and by consuming increase So it was with the meale and oyle of that poore widow of Sarephta It was in sight too little to suffice one in vse it proued more than sufficient for manie So it is with all the graces giftes of God they grow in the handes of him that spendeth and in the cofers of him that saueth they wast Thus I haue brieflie gone ouer such thinges as I thought most conuenient for this time The Lord blesse the seede of his word sowne amongest vs and giue it a plentifull and a large in crease to his owne glorie and our comfort through the merite of Iesus Christ by the gracious operation of the holie Ghost to whom c. The eighteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse. LVKE 21. 25 Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres c. GOD bethinking him selfe and as it were musing vppon the benefites and blessinges which he had in great abūdaunce of mercie bestowed from time to time vppon the people of Israell breaketh out by his prophet into these wordes What might I doe for my vine which I haue not done The graces wherewith he enriched them were infinite their prerogatiues aboue all other people of the worlde were manifolde and for the preciousnesse and rarenesse of them most wonderful to them the adoption the glorie the couenaunte the Lawe the seruice of God the promises were impropriated of them were the fathers and of them as concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer They had the Arke the Temple and the Oracles with a promise that God woulde be their God and they shoulde be his euen Gods owne elected and beloued people if they walked in his wayes and wrought his will for euer But this vngracious and vnthankfull nation was vnworthy of such worthynesse they worshipped God with lippes and not with heart outwardly in shew but not inwardly in harty sincere truth according to the letter but not according to the spirit after their own conceipts but not agreeablie to his blessed will reuealed in his holie word Their crie was still The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lorde but through their prophanation they made the temple of the Lord a den of theeues They cried Lord Lord but they did not his wil on whom they cryed for sweete grapes they yelded soure for hartie and sincere seruice hypocriticall and painted shewes of religion their glorie was in the externall beautie of their materiall temple they wondred at the stones and goodlie buildinges at the gorgeous furniture and precious guiftes wherewith it was both outwardly and inwardly adorned and enriched 2 Wherupon our Sauiour to take away the cause of this vaine hope and foolish ioy tooke occasion thus to prophecie of that glorious temple Are these the thinges that you looke vpon The dayes will come wherein there shall not be left a stone vpon a stone which shall not be destroyed This prophesie was as euidently accomplished as it was made For thirtie eight yeares after that they had crucified Christ their promised Messias the Lorde of glorie God raysed vppe the seruauntes of his wrath Vespasian and Titus Emperours of Rome who beseeged conquered and rased their Ierusalem made hauocke of the people as of dogges murdered eleuen hundred thousande man woman and childe of that cursed nation Then was fulfilled the crie of those crucifiers His bloud be vppon our heades and vppon our children It hath bene and shall be for euer Yea the violence of the Romaines proceeded farther and pulled downe the Temple and layde flat with the grounde their onely glorie insomuch that according to the expresse wordes of our Sauiours prophecie they left not one stone vpon another The Iewes sundrie times hauing licence thereunto attempted to builde it vp againe but it woulde not be for what their hande builded in the day the hande of the Lord most miraculouslie hurled downe by night Most true it is that Christ sayth there is not one worde that commeth out of Gods mouth not one title or iot written in his word which shall not in his due and appointed time be accomplished 3 Hence we may take this instruction that God is not delighted in outward shewes in gorgeous pompes in beautifull buildinges in painted sepulchers It is the inward beautie of the kinges daughter and not the outwarde brauery of the harlot of Babylon wherewith God is pleased It is the contrite heart of the postrate Publican and not the proude ostentation of the Pharasie wherein he doth take delight God aloweth as well of Peter in his mantell as of Aaron in his miter All these external shewes are but as the beautie of a paynted wall not onely not acceptable but euen lothsome vnto God when the soule the minde the inward parte is polluted 4 The causes why this house this costlie building and temple of God was so miserablie destroyed Christ himselfe declareth saying Because thou hast not knowne the time of thy visitation There is a double visitation the one in mercie the other in iustice Our mercifull God first visited this people in great often mercy He deliuered them out of the handes of Pharao He gaue them good guides He deliuered vnto them his law written in tables of stone He caused heauen to giue them bread the hard rocke to yeelde thē drink He made them triumphe ouer their enimies possesse strang cities He brought them to a land that flowed with milk honie caused them to reape that which their fooes had sowne He gaue them Priests Prophets builded them both an Arke by Moses and a temple by the handes of Solomon wherein he woulde be worshipped All which notwithstanding this stif-necked people was obdurate and vnthankefull no benefittes coulde euer winne them They prouoked their gratious Lord vnto most fierce and most iust wrath After their deliueraunce they lusted to returne to the place from whence they were deliuered they muttered against Moses and despysed holy Aaron They loathed and misliked the verie foode of heauen euen the meate of Angels the written lawe of God they mightely transgressed his messages they contemned the Prophetes and Messengers they derided euill entreated murdered lastly to adde a crowne to all their former wickednesse their promised Messias their king Christ Iesus the Sonne of the liuing God they most spitefully cruelly and villanouslie crucified 5 This great vnthankfulnesse of theirs did greatly prouoke the iust Lord to displeasure as it were enforce him to visit them in iustice sharpely and with the rod of more then vsual correctiō Wherefore he plagued them with mortalitie in the wildernesse onely two entred the land of promise of all the number that came out of Aegypt he gaue them ouer
Christ. S. Paul speaketh to the elect of God who doubtlesse will at length awake As for the reprobate they still shal sleepe on in their errours and sinnes vnto their eternall death and confusion But arise Ierusalem and be thou enlightned arise Ierusalem from death to life frō errour to truth from darkenesse to light from Antichrist to Christ who by his holy spirite will illuminate thee that thou mayst knowe God the father and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and that is the only way to euerlasting life Plinie reproouing our drowsinesse sayeth that sleepe doth steale away the halfe of our life But this sleepe wherof we speake stealeth away the whole life of the greatest part of men Dauid himselfe lay slumbering in the filthy sleepe of whoredome a whole yeare at the least and could not awake vntill Nathan blewe in his eare and stirred him But Dauids sleepe was but a nappe in comparison of such as are so hard and fast a sleepe that they will neuer stirre vntill fire out of heauen flee about their eares to waken them So were the Sodomites wakened and consumed Awake therefore and when ye are wakened then watch 13 Watch that ye be not deceiued by false prophetes who watch to deceiue you teach otherwise thā Christ hath taught The diuell is a subtill perswader of men he is a lying spirite in the mouth of his prophets his ministers workmen are craftie companions such as creepe into houses and leade away the simple as captiues with them A man of a watchfull eye shall knowe these wolues by two properties First they are rauenous cruel bloudy they will persecute and kill they will be as Caine not as Abell as Ismaell and not as Isaak as Esau not as Iacob as Pharao and not as Moses as Caiaphas and not as Peter The seconde note is that which Chrysostome mentioneth Who so in blasphemie yelleth and howleth with a foule and open mouth against the trueth he is a wolfe Such they were of whom the prophet speaketh in the psalme saying They set their mouth against heauen 14 All must watch that they be not themselues deceiued by these deceitfull wolues when they put on sheepes clothing But God giueth charge to such as be the pastors of his people to be watchfull also ouer others not only carefully to feede them as his flocke deerely redeemed in good wholsome pastures but also to driue chase away the wolues least Gods sheepe be deuoured by thē And this pastoral office doth not only pertain vnto priests prechers but also vnto princes tēporal gouerners whō God hath placed in authority to y t end y t they shold promote his glory For the which cause God calleth Cyrus the king his shephard Vigilate watch the wolfe to driue him away watch the flock to fede it 15 Let euerie one be watchfull ouer his life that his conuersation be according to his profession If we walke disorderly we shal not walke alone our example wil draw others after it their sins we shall answere for Lucifer fell not alone he drew cōpany from heauen with him Ieroboam being sinfull made Israell to sin And he is burnt in the hand with that marke of horror for a warning to al succeeding ages Ieroboā the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin Let vs beware that we play not Simeon Leui so make our father Iacob to be loathed of the Cananites We professe Christ true Christianitie Let vs not through our lewd life be a slander to our sauiour and a shame to his gospel Watch therefore But because as S. Paul sayth neither planting nor watering will helpe except God himself do giue encrease because our watching as the prophet witnesseth is in vaine neither can sobrietie and heedefulnes serue to keepe a citie except the Lorde himselfe doe keepe it let vs craue help at Gods mercifull hands let vs pray as wel as watch When S. Paul hath armed Gods souldier he biddeth him pray Man be he neuer so well appointed for defence neuer so stronge and perfit cannot stande without Gods strength He that looketh but a litle into the worlde shall espie iust cause to moue vs to prayer if anie men now if euer The greate diuell in these our later dayes is let loose Antichrist rageth and seeketh our confusion The wicked glistering world maruelously deceiueth bewitcheth The flesh raigneth and beareth swinge The spirite is faint sinne ouerfloweth Christ is comming in the cloudes to call vs vnto iudgement Therefore be ye sober watch pray Pray I say not in shewe but in deede not in appearance but from the heart not for fashion but in earnest Babble not in wordes like hypocrites but powre out thy heart before God as did Hanna And God graunt for his Christ our Iesus sake that in fayth and loue wee may lift vp pure hands sincere affections hartie grones vnto our Lorde that we may ouercome our many dreadfull enemies purchase pardon and glorifie God Let vs with Dauid with whom we haue sinned pray for mercy Let vs with the disciples of Christ with whom we haue wauered pray for the encrease of our faith because the ende of all thinges is nowe at hande 16 It followeth Haue feruent charity amongst your selues This cōcerneth our dutie towardes men as y ◠other did towards God All our dutie towards our neighbour consisteth in loue He that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Iohn the beloued disciple of Christ was the preacher of loue it was euer in his mouth as it is in his writings in so much that lying vpon his death bed his disciples requesting to haue one lessō frō him before his departure he was able to deuise no one thing more needful to be spokē of then this which he had oftē said Loue one another my litle childrē Peter would haue our loue to be earnest hote Euery one loueth himself very vehemently but our loue towards others is very cold chill Our loue for the most part this way is in word in phraise but not in deede in truth This world is dubble harted dissēbling is made a trade to liue by There be many Labans but fewe Iacobs Many that salute say Aue but their next word is Apprehendite If Christ came nowe he were like to finde litle faith but lesse charity yet without charity al that we do is vaine yea it is very sin Let vs therfore loue as God hath loued vs he loued vs not slenderly when he tooke so bitter a death for vs. A God for his enemies See therfore that ye haue vehement sincere hearty loue among your selues not contenting your selues barely to haue it in shewe vnlesse yee shewe it by these effectes which Saint Peter in this place setteth down Vehement loue heere spoken of is described by these properties First it couereth y e multitude of
I haue ouercome Although ye trauaile be heauie laden for a while yet comfort your selues knowing that your anguishes greefes and molestations shal haue an end your teares shalbe wiped away dried vp but the ioy which shalbe giuen you is euerlasting The seede of teares which ye sowe now is nothing to that haruest of ioy which hereafter shalbe reaped Againe whatsoeuer doth befall vs heere it coÌ„meth not vnto vs by hap or chance but all is disposed by the will and prouidence of almightie God when we are chastised we are chastised of the Lorde it is of meere loue and perfect righteousnesse that we are corrected it is not for our harme but to our good either for the triall of our faith or for the reformation of our life So that the man which feareth God which walketh vprightly in his sight hauing the testimonie of a good conscience cannot want matter of consolation hee hath wherfore in the Lord to reioyce alwaies God hath giuen enough for his continuall comfort For that which resteth therefore brethren lift vp your heades and be comforted 18 Finally to come to the last branch of this present exhortation be of one minde liue in peace These fruites of vnitie peace are not gathered but where integritie and comfort haue taken roote One teÌ„ple was builded for the people of God one lawe written by the finger of God that the Church of God might in all things be one The bond of vnitie is veritie neither can they be truely one which are not one in trueth And therefore although an Angell should come from heauen with all shew of learning all appearaunce of vnspotted and vndefiled puritie teaching thinges contrarie to that one trueth which you haue receiued reach him no hande salute him not in token of consent vnitie with him is enmitie with God But if all be builded vpon the setled foundation of Gods trueth if all be members of one body seruauntes to one maister souldiers fighting vnder one banner children of one and the same father then is the name of vnity and peace amiable Beholde saieth the prophet howe good and howe sweete a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in one It is good like the dewe which watereth the hilles sweete like that oyle which was powred vpon the heade of the High Priest Oyle is pleasant and dewe profitable the one giueth a most fragrant smell the other maketh the grounde fruitfull but the goodnesse and sweetnesse of vnitie of peace no tongue is able sufficiently to expresse If this oyle and dew of peace vnitie concord shall be powred as vpon Hermon Aaron so likewise vpon the tops of our mountaines vpon the heades of our guides vpon our magistrates vpon our ministers and shall thence distill to the lower partes as it were to the vallies that lie vnder the one and to the skirtes of the others garmentes the fruite that shall thereby growe vnto vs and the pleasure which all beholders shall conceiue of it is vnspeakeable Wherefore with Saint Paul I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that you all speake one thing â—nd that there be no dissensions among you but be ye knit together in one minde and in one iudgement And as it is sayd that the last lesson which Saint Iohn the Euangelist gaue to his disciples was Filiolâ— diligite vos inuicem my little children loue one another So my deare brethren receiue you also this last lesson at my handes Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind liue in peace 19 And then I dare conclude promise with S. Paul the God of loue and peace shall abide with you That God which hath so much commended peace vnto vs that God who is so much delighted in loue y t God which is the author of loue peace y t God which is peace and loue it selfe he will be with you a sure towre for your defence against whose power no power is able to stande a present helpe in all necessities a louing father which cannot forget you a mercifull God a faithfull schoolmaister a good shephard He will feede you with the food of life he will augmâ—nt and increase your faith confirme and stablish you in all truth his loue to the ende shall continue with you his peace he will giue you and leaue among you hee will stande alwaies at your right hande maintaine your lot leade you through this vale of teares and conduct you safelie to the lande of promise he will pull from your shoulders this miserable coate of your corruption and cloth you with the robes of immortalitie he will change this vile bodie and make it like the glorious bodie of Iesus Christ. All this that God which can not lie hath promised all this that omnipotent mightie and mercifull God will performe euen to all such as labour to become perfect as ioy in the holie ghost as haue comfort in Christ as consent in true religion and liue in peace and brotherly concorde To that God immortall inuisible and only wise be all honour glorie and praise now and euer Amen FINIS Faultes escaped Page 3. line 3. in the margin reade specially 29. 19. Plutarch 39. 20. diuersitie 43. 8. fault 83. 8. Constantius 110. 29. Ahimeleâ—h 111. 13. matters 135. 1. for it can not 136. 25. taken 140. 17. we 144. 26. craftie vndermining 146. 13. Haman 168. 6. affecteâ— 169. 23. Mattathias 17 12. marg magistrate 227. 1â— Nedes 231. 8. out our hearteâ— 238. 21. say 25. attended 239. 1. Ophni 34 hearts 240. 28. this 245. 21. aliens 27 〈◊〉 250. 12. are 252. 2. put out shall 256 vlt. marg ad our aduersaries 259. 3. marg put out 2 Pet. â— 279. 15. innocencie of man was 291. 32. God the 305. 12. caused 309. 37. vsed 333. 11. pâ—â—â—ectour 363. 36. Achitophel 364. 10. king Eccl. 12 12. 13 Christ and thosâ— things which he should doe suffer foretold by Esayas His birth according to y t which was spoken before by y e Prophet Luc. 2. Psal. 110. Esay 9. Luc. 2. All men inuited vnto Christ. Who are called generally all but specily the thirstie Mark 16. Matth. 11. Matth. 5. Psal. 51. Luc. 18. Luc. 5. Whither and to whom they are called To the waters wine milk Iohn 6. Water wine milke freely offered by Christ. Contra Pelag. de origin peccat cap. 24. The contrarie sold by Antichrist for monie Three differences betweene thâ— doctrine professed by true Christians that which is maintained by their aduersaries the Pope his adherents The first difference is in the ground and foundation of doctrine Reasons why religion shold be grounded onely vpon scripture The whole Lawe of God which is the rule of religioÌ„ committed to writing Hester 1. Rom. 3. Gen. 3. Gen. 12. Esay 7. Acts. 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 professors 〈…〉 then saith vpon scripture 〈◊〉 Iosua 2â— 2 Reg. 23. Esay 8. 1. Cor. 15. It is