Lord hath chosen to him selfe a godlie man the Lorde will heare when I call vnto him The consideration hereof if we way it as we should may giue vs courage and strength against that man of bloud which at this day doth so cruelly persecute the professours of the Gospell and so proudly take vpon him to depose Christian princes and to place hypocrites in their roomes at his pleasure Let him also know that the Lorde hath chosen to himselfe godlie men the Lord will heare when they call vpon him he that toucheth them toucheth euen the apple of the Lordes owne eye Let him tremble that lifteth but a finger against them 10 Contremiscite Be afraide to set your selues against God and your prince to attempt such an ouerthrow to the common state cease from conspiracie leaue your treacherous deuises bee not deceiued you cannot preuaile you doe but worke your owne confusion call your selues to a reckoning betimes haue some quiet and sober consideration of your doinges when you are in your beddes free from all trouble then common with your owne heartes waigh the cause that you take in hand I am your prince God hath placed me ouer you ye are my subiectes God hath so placed you you shoulde loue me and not seeke my shame and subuersion ye owe me obedience not rebellion honor and not treason What occasion haue I giuen you thus to set your selues against me I haue dealt righteouslie and graciouslie with you I haue bene mercifull not cruell ouer you I haue sought your safetie more than mine owne But whom woulde ye haue to raigne ouer you A false worshipper an hypocrite a murderer of his owne brother an incestuous fornicatour one that will flatter you and deceiue you sweare and not performe Consider these things waigh what wickednesse you haue taken in hande and be quiet be still Cease from rebellion and obey peaceably the prince whom God hath placed ouer you So long as ye continew in the hardnesse of your heartes though you offer him all the beastes vpon a thousande hilles it is all in vaine Repent and offer vp the sacrifices of righteousnesse The Israelites when they had sinned were wont to offer sacrifice to pacifie God as appeareth in the law But for the most part this was done without feeling of their sin without true repentance formallie and for fashion sake onely But outward seruice without inwarde remorse and repentaunce for sinne God doth abhorre The rebell Absolon offered sacrifice in Hebron but in vaine because his heart was full of treason Antichrist renueth his oblations euerie day but to what purpose so long as he mindeth murther stirreth rebellion and maliciouslie persecuteth the spouse of Christ Sacrifice the sacrifices of righteousnes offer God repentance for your former faults and put your trust in the Lorde Thus wee see by what occasion the Prophet vttereth these wordes which I haue chosen to speake of at this time 11 To offer vp sacrifices it hath hen vsual in all ages amongst all people kinreds and nations of the earth But I will onelie speake of such as the people of God haue offered vp Before the law Abell Abraham Iacob Iob and othets in the time of the law Aaron with the Leuites presented offerings before the Lord. In the time of the Gospell the Apostles had and at this daie also Christians haue their sacrifices which being faithfully offered are graciouslie accepted in the sight of God 12 Sacrificing is a voluntarie action whereby wee worshippe God offring him somewhat in token that we acknowledge him to be the Lorde and our selues his seruauntes Ye are made saith S. Peter an holie priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. God therefore doth require this dutie at our handes It was commaunded in the law the Prophet Dauid calleth for it and S. Peter teacheth that euen now it is also due vnto God from men 13 Let vs now consider who are priestes to offer vp these sacrifices For there cā be no sacrifice without a priest as there can bee no priest where there is no sacrifice In the scriptures I finde a threefold priesthood allowed of God a Leuiticall priesthoode such as that of Aaron and his sonnes a royall priesthoode figured in Melchisedeck and verified in Christ a spirituall priesthood belonging generallie to all christians The Leuiticall priesthoode continued vnto Christ then ceased For being a figure of the truth which was to come the truth being come it coulde no longer continue Neither is there in the roiall priesthoode of Melchisedeck anie other that hath succeded but onely Christ. He is a priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedeck a king a priest a God a mā perfectinnocēt vndefiled vnspotted seuered from sinners yet numbred punished plagued with the wicked humbled to the depth and exalted farre aboue the highest heauens without beginning without ende without father as man without mother as God The thirde priesthood is that which is common to all Christians For he hath made vs kings and priestes vnto God his father Where the popish priesthoode taketh footing in what grounde the foundation thereof is layde I cannot finde in the Scriptures Antichrist is the authour of that priesthoode to him they sacrifice him they serue 14 What sacrifices Aaron did offer vp and what sacrifice Christ hath presented to his father we all knowe It followeth now to bee considered what kinde of sacrifice we must offer Aaron offered sacrifice which coulde not in it selfe bee accepted of God nor take awaie the sinnes of them for whom it was offered For whether they bee offeringes of thankes giuing they were not of that value that God should take delight and pleasure in them or sinne offeringes it is impossible that the bloud of bulles and goates shoulde take awaie sinne impossible But the priest according to the orer of Melchisedeck hath offred the sacrifice of his owne flesh acceptable euen for the worthinesse of it and by the vertue which is in it forcible and more then sufficient to wash awaie all sinne This he did willingly He made himselfe an offering for sinne Hee did it perfectly without offring hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Where full remission of sinne is there needeth no further sacrifice for sinne and the holie ghost beareth vs recorde that wee haue full remission of all our sinnes Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Wee are healed with his stripes where there is no sore there needes no salue Not that wee haue no sinne but acknowledging that wee haue it it is as if we had it not because hee is faithful to forgiue it iust to cleanse vs from it The bloud of Iesus clenseth vs from all sinne The bloude of Iesus once shed the offring of the bodie of Iesus Christ once So that there remaineth no other sacrific to be dailie offered but the sacrifice of righteousnesse which wee
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
an eare left were so effectual to deceiue al sorts of men that knowing this we cannot meruaile if poperie were spread far wide He did the Pope very profitable seruice which first found out this ground to builde on It bare vp their building a great while But after that the light began a litle to appeare when men had gotten once a sight of the scriptures in a knowen tongue they woondered to see the world so deluded in so much that euen amongst themselues such as had any small freedome of iudgement spared not plainely to auouche that this ground was but mire and slough altogether vnfitte for spiritual building Why that booke should be called a golden legend saith Viues for so it was intituled I doe not knowe sith it was written by a man of an yron mouth and a leaden heart and is altogether full of most shamelesse lies Erasmus likewise At this day saith he euerie bodies dreames yea the dotages of sillie women are read amongest diuine Scriptures 19 The last ground which they haue and the fairest to the eye is their traditions Vnder the name of doctrine receiued from Moses by word of mouth without writing that is to say tradition the Scribes and Pharisies were able smoothlie to carie away anything til Christ recalled all things to the Lawe the Psalmes and the Prophets til he opened the scriptures And as in other grounds so in this the Pope hath found by good experience that they cannot stand longer than the scriptures lie secret and vnknowen 20 He therefore that buildeth vpon these grounds hath cause I thinke to besturre hand and foote that men may be alwaies kept off from the scriptures For whatsoeuer is builded vpon these grounds by the scripture it is ouerthrowen The scriptures haue prescribed an holie communion they vpon their foundation haue reared a blasphemous Masse The scripture maketh baptisme the consecrated seale of mans saluation They vpon their foundation haue builded the baptisme of belles and shippes The scripture saith Christ was offered vp but once they vpon their foundation haue erected an altar whereupon he is daily offered vp The scripture wil haue the scriptures to be read of all men prayer to be made with vnderstanding Christ to be a full satisfaction for sinne worship to be doone vnto God alone They vpon their foundations haue builded a doctrine that forbiddeth Gods people to reade his word that teacheth them to powre out their prayer in a tongue which they cannot vnderstand that hath found out a way to satisfie the wrath of almightie God in this life by penaunce and after this life by indurance in Purgatorie a doctrine that commaundeth them to call vpon Saints and soules departed to worship the worke of their owne handes to say to a peece of bread My Lord my God If these doctrines of theirs did not containe as they doe most manifest impietie yet all religion builded vpon such grounds must needes be vaine and friuolous For although we offer vp neuer so many sacrifices though we keepe all the daies in the yere holie though we pray and giue thankes and doe almes yet except we knowe that herein we shewe obedience to the lawes and statutes of our God we doe but tire out our selues in vaine Wil God reward those things wherein he taketh no delight Or taketh he delight in any thing and hath not shewed it Or hath he shewed it and not in scripture Doubtlesse they worship him but in vaine which either teache or practise the precepts of men for the Lawes of God That they teache or practise the precepts of men they wil not graunt yet the most that possibly they can alledge to prooue any one of these things to be of God is this Such or such a father saith that this or this being not written is neuerthelesse Apostolicall And they knowe that the witnesses whom they cite in matters of tradition doe sometimes checke and contrarie one another In the controuersie that was betweene the East and West Churches concerning the feast of Easter the one part alledged tradition to prooue their custome and the other part tradition to prooue the contrarie It might be that neither was Apostolicall both could not be when eche gainesaide other Yet both must be if al be Apostolicall which the Fathers haue saide is Apostolicall If al be not where is the certaintie of these grounds Why doe they murther burne and persecute from place to place as many as make any doubt of these things which are grounded vpon so fickle and weake foundation 21 But to leaue the foundation whereupon they builde their doctrine if in the rest we finde them as corrupt as in this they haue beene declared weake surely then we may boldly affirme that the Church of Rome is rather a sinke of all abhomination than a fountaine from whence those liuing waters or a storehouse wherein that heauenly foode whereof the Prophet Esay speaketh may be had Let vs therefore nowe consider the end as wel of our religion as of theirs Let vs viewe the marke whereat eche part doeth shoote Whatsoeuer men doe they doe it to some end And the qualitie of things which are doone to any ende is iudged to be good or bad by the ende whereunto they are doone Hereof it is that in scripture things otherwise highly commended as prayer fasting and almes deedes are most bitterly reprooued when they tend to bad ends As there is but one author from whom all things are so there is but one end vnto whom al things should encline and bend themselues God is Alpha the first from whom all other things haue their being and beginning wherefore in reason he is Omega the end and finall cause of all things vpon him they must attend and seeing they are not of themselues therefore they may not serue themselues but for the glorie of him by whom they are From hence a rule may be gathered to iudge betweene pure religion in deede and that which is vntruely so called For that religion no doubt is best which most aduaunceth the glorie of God and that which taketh most from him the worst Ipsi gloria in Ecclesia In the Church of God all glorie is giuen not to men but to him This is the song of the true Church of Christ Righteousnesse O Lord belongeth vnto thee but vnto vs open shame 22 Wherefore touching our selues we teache with the blessed Apostles and Prophets that by nature we are the children of wrath that corruption is bredde and setled within our bones that we are both borne and begotten in it that with it all the powers and faculties of our nature are infected that still it cleaueth fast vnto our soules and although the deadly sting be taken from it yet there it sticketh as long as life doth endure so irkesome and so grieuous that it forceth the most vpright and perfect to crie Miserable man who shall deliuer me
might bee shewed in Dauid Ezechias Nehemias Mattathias But one example may serue for all being of our Sauiour who is aboue all and Lord of all Christ at his first entrie into the temple purged it by casting out buyers and sellers Our gratious Gouernor following Christs example hath laboured most earnestly first to cleanse this ground and to purge this church of England hath caused the stones to bee picked out brambles and breers to be pulled vp all rubbidge and whatsoeuer was hurtfull to be remooued the denne of theeues to be dispersed buyers and sellers of popish trash Monkes Fryers Massemongers with like miscreants to bee hurled and whipped out the stumbling stones of superstition the baggage of mans traditions with all monuments of Idolatrie vanitie and poperie to be cast out of the house of God and vineyard of the Lord So that the field of God is cleared the vineyard cleansed the church purged readie for the seede to be sowen and the vine to be planted And all this without resistance or tumult It was the worke of God it is maruellous to as many as duely consider it 7 Nowe it behooueth the vinitor to take great heede what vine he planteth in this vineyard Thornes will not bring foorth grapes nor thistles figges If thou sowe the giddie darnell of humane traditions looke for like fruite for he that conceiueth vanitie shall bring foorth winde But our skilfull housholder our wise gouernor hath planted in this our vineyard neither thornes nor thistles but the true vine Christ growing in the heartes of his elect This vine hath beene diligently watered with the dewe of Gods trueth syncerely preached it hath beene cherished with his sacraments reuerently administred according to his will it hath beene vnderpropped with the continuaunce of authoritie and defence of zealous Christian magistrates pruned with the two edged sword of Gods spirit working by the ministerie of his seruaunts who with the sweete promises of the gospel haue reared vp the drooping braunches ouerburthened with sinne and with the sharpe threatenings of the Lawe haue cut off the lasciuious wilde boughes of wickednesse No flocke better fed no people more instructed no vineyard in the world more beautiful or goodly to behold 8 This vineyard so prepared this vine so planted watered and vnderset hath also beene strongly hedged and fensed with godlie Lawes of good discipline to put backe all enemies to punish all transgresiors to bridle the vnrulie and to keepe men in order that the church of God may liue in all peace and tranquillitie with all pietie and honestie This is the flourishing vineyard of the Lord the beautifull arke of couenaunt wherein are reposed the treasures of God the golden pot with Manna the rod of Aaron and the tables of Moses No church vnder heauen more inriched with treasures and gifts of God so that wee may truely say We are inriched by him in all knowledge and in all speeche in so much that we are not destitute of any gift The Lorde may iustly say to vs as to his people of olde What might I doe for my vine which I haue not doone and wee may well sing the song which the spirite hath indited euen of purpose as it seemeth for vs Vinea nostra floruit Our vine hath flourished 9 And although the ground where this vine is planted hath beene very barren yet hath it brought foorth many goodly and pleasaunt grapes The gospel hath chased away walking spirites it hath cast out diuels banished much ignorance and blindnesse put horrible blasphemie in maner to flight vtterly cleansed that sinke the stewes made vaine and filthie songs lesse currant than they haue beene in former times and caused sinne to bee more shunned although it be God knoweth too much stil frequented But one pleasaunt grape especially the gospel the worde of reconciliation hath brought foorth and that is the sweete fruite of peace peace towards God and peace amongest our selues The gospel preacheth Christ. Christ is our peace and peacemaker He that hath Christ hath peace with God and hee that beleeueth in him hath him By this meanes we haue peace of conscience peace with God The other peace is ciuill peace among men This is a pleasaunt fruite and a great blessing Hee that knoweth the hurt of warre can best iudge of the worth of this benefite The God of peace hath doone this for vs to our singular commoditie and comfort he hath giuen peace in our daies England neuer so long tasted the like Warre heretofore hath torne this Realme in peeces all Nations round about vs starue in the field tumble in warre wallow in bloud expecting no end of their troubles but vtter ruine and desolation In the meane while we sit safe vnder our vine euerie man in peace may quietly followe his vocation God hath not dealt thus with all nations as hee hath dealt with vs the least nation of all It must be graunted some stormes haue beene stirred vp to disturbe this our happie rest But the prince of peace and Lorde of our tranquillitie hath ceased the waues of the sea stilled the rage of the people maruellously preuented their wicked deuises and confounded the deuisers of them There is neither power nor counsell against the Lord. God taketh away the hearts of the enemies and then as fearefull Hares they flee at the wagging of euerie leafe yea they feare where there is nothing to be feared For this great calme for this miraculous peace we haue to praise our God 10 This peace hath fructified and brought foorth his natural fruite which is plentie Warre is a locust deuouring all fruites peace as a sweete and pleasaunt dewe maketh all things fruitfull Peace hath made this Land flow like Canaan with milke and honie God hath opened his mercifull hande and replenished vs with all his blessings the Lord hath shewed vs his louing kindenesse and our Land hath brought foorth her encrease 11 These earthly blessings God hath giuen to trie vs whether prouoked by his gratious benignitie we will walke in his Lawe or no. I will raine downe bread out of heauen that I may trie you whether ye wil walk in my Law or no. After this sort he proued Adam giuing him all dominion ouer his creatures with all the fruite and plentie of the earth So prooued he the Sodomites with a Countrie for pleasure and plentie termed The Lords Garden So prooued he Israel when he gaue them Canaan but they were forgetfull of the giuer and abused his gifts both their peace and plentie they prouoked GOD vnto wrath and they felt his heauie hande their peace was turned into warre their plentie into distresse their pleasure into paine their ioie into sorowe 12 These things are written to warne vs that we should beware of the like sinnes least we feele the like plagues For if wee regard not the fauour of God if wee contemne his woorde the worde of saluation if we
that harlot inseparablie henceforward which to doe they must take a solemne oath and in token thereof weare some marke of the beast as a Crosse an Agnus Dei a medall or some such badge of recognisance These popish proctors haue poisoned many and the obseruing of this most wicked oth hath made many sillie soules especially women breake their faith to Christ their loyaltie to their Prince and their promised obedience to their husbands A wicked promise is best vnmade but being made is better broken than performed It had beene a lesse offence for Herod to breake his oath than to behead an Innocent Wee may neither make nor keepe any promise oath or vowe against the Lorde As for reconciliation Be reconciled vnto God He it is which alone remitteth sinne and they onely which are reconciled to him shalbe saued 25 But these destroiers and subuerters of the Lords vineyard cease not thus Some credite they thinke to winne to their owne cause if they can worke the discredit of such as are maintainers of the contrarie To this end they raise vp slanderous reports against our magistrates ministers that the people first misliking them may afterwards be brought with more ease to mislike of that religion wherof they are This is an old practise of the anciēt enemie Daniel was charged to contemne the decree of Nabuchadnetzar Micheas to be a lier Ieremie to be an enemie to the common wealth Elias to be a disturber of the state Christ to be an enemie vnto Cesar Paul to be factious seditious the Christians in the daies of Traian the Emperor to haue their women cōmon in their night assemblies to worship an Asses head in stead of God with many such like shamelesse reports How these foxes haue falsely slaundered both magistrates and ministers of God in these our daies it shalbe needelesse here to recite Their bookes are extant as full of lies as lines Thus you see howe they labour by all meanes to hinder the passage of the Gospel and vtterly to subuert true religion We see also how the Lorde of hostes fighteth for vs how the almightie is our defence how he that keepeth vs slumbereth not how strangely and miraculously hee preserueth his annointed Dauid both from the bloudy hands of Saul abroad and Absolon at home in the midst of so many conspiracies treacheries snares and traps which these foxes haue deuised and laid We see how God preserueth his vineyard how hee maintaineth his church so many waies assaulted maugre all his and all our enemies It is his onely worke maruellous in our eyes it is the Lord let vs praise his name 26 But although God hitherto hath preserued his vineyard from the spoile of these foxes yet his wil and commaundement is that we should not liue in securitie but beware of them watch them and catch them if we can Take vs the litle foxes This last and most necessarie part for order sake may be thus diuided First we learne that foxes are to be taken secondly to whom thirdly by whom and lastly how they are to be taken 27 These foxes are to be taken For so the spouse of Christ or rather Christ himselfe commandeth And why Because they are hurtfull to his vineyard God commaundeth false prophets not onely to be taken but also to die the death Let the false Prophet die Paul wisheth that the disturbers of the peace of the church were cut off He laide an heauie hand vpon Elymas the sorcerer when he stroke him starke blinde Moses at the commaundement of God made a speedie dispatch of Idolaters The Apostle would that dogges euil workemen sectmakers should be shunned that all heretikes not recalling themselues by admonition should be auoided The scabbed sheepe must be remooued out of the flock the leper should be seuered the adulterer cast out the leauen put away foxes taken and tyed short This is the wil of God the request of the spouse the commaundement of Christ. The Lawe of nature God and man crieth Take these foxes 28 But vnto whom Nobis Catche them vnto vs saith the spouse of Christ. Christ came into the world to saue sinners he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should cōuert and liue He came to recall the lost sheepe of the house of Israel his wil is that stonie hearts be turned into fleshie that foxes be chaunged into sheepe that enemies bee reconciled and made friends that strangers be made citizens with his Saints that all come vnto him that all may find rest for their soules He created man for himselfe for himselfe he redeemed him his will is that foxes be taken and brought to him that he himselfe may be glorified in them 29 But who should take them The friendes of the spouse the seruaunts and officers of the bridegroome Christ. There be two especiall seruaunts whom the Lord hath appointed to hunt for these cubbes the magistrate and the minister These are to ioyne their force together to be as brethren Moses and Aaron knit in loue and liking to giue all diligence and mutual endeuour for the apprehension of these foxes For why the vineyard of the Lord is set ouer to their ouersight and gouernement Kings and Queenes should bee as Nurces to tender and cherishe the church of Christ to keepe euerie noysome and hurtfull thing from it Ministers are they whom God hath set to sweate and labour in the vineyard to gouerne and feede the flocke which he hath purchased with his owne bloud These are the Lords two hands to both these he speaketh when hee saith Take the foxes But all the craft is in the catching Wee must therefore learne how they are to be taken 30 The minister hath his nets to take withall the magistrate hath his traps The first is the net of Gods word to cast into the sea for fishes or to set vpon the land for foxes Preach the word be instant in season and out of season The Lawe of the Lord conuerteth soules With this net Iohn Baptist caught at one time a great number of foxes Scribes Pharisies Publicanes souldiers and sinners they came confessing their sinnes and asking What shall we doe Peter cast out this net and in one Sermon brought three thousand vnto Christ. With this net at Cesarea hee tooke Cornelius the captaine with a great multitude Paul by spreading this net gate huge numbers in Asia in Africa in Europe in all parts and quarters of the world Christ himselfe with this nette tooke so many that they saide Behold the whole worlde goeth after him Philip tooke the Eunuche in this net in the same net Lidya Dionysius Paulus Sergius was caught Ambrose set this net for Augustine tooke him in it Verily if this net were diligently set it would catche these cubbes apace For they erre because they knowe not the scriptures and they cannot knowe because they are not taught Woe therefore
Lord while he may be founde call vpon him while he is neere 7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue HERE we learne by the Prophet that saluation is not sold but freely giuen of God to as many as hunger and thirst after it that they which seeke the Lorde shall finde him so that they seeke him in due and seasonable time and that the time of seeking the Lord is nowe Seeke the Lord c. In this exhortation of the Prophet let vs first consider why secondly how God is to be sought and thirdly what gaine doth growe to the seeker If I should particularly prosecute this distribution and followe it at large as euerie part shall minister occasion of speeche I should bee too long for this place But I minde breuitie because I knowe before whom I speake Fewe woords will be sufficient for the wise and to a minde well instructed alreadie a short putting in minde will serue If I chaunce to say what other men haue saide before me for what can bee saide which hath not beene saide before I must beseeche you to remember the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul which was not ashamed to tell euen his owne tale twise To write vnto you the same things to me it is not tedious and to you it is necessarie 2 God preferreth obedience before sacrifice He accounteth it better to obey than to offer For as all vice is contaiued in the name of disobedience because that onely is naught which God misliketh and that which he misliketh hee hath forbidden So I may be bold to say with S. Augustine that There is no vertue but obedience onely If therefore the Centurions souldiers obediently went came and did what he commaunded if the Israelites were so duetiful vnto Iosua that they saide All things which thou hast commaunded vs we will doe he that shall not obey let him die the death if mortall men for conscience sake must be obeyed shall we despise the voice of him that saith from heauen Seeke ye the Lord When God doth bid vs goe we may not stand still And that which his Prophets in his name commaund vs hee commaundeth himselfe 3 But least that the maiestie of him which commaundeth should rather astonish men than set them forwarde to seeke the Lord with rough commandements he ioineth oftentimes sweete allurements Come vnto me Come and ye shall finde rest for your soules Not entising men with faire and sweete words only but powring his benefites also plentifully vpon them So he dealt with his old and auncient people whom by his Prophet Micheas hee putteth in remembraunce of three especiall blessings whereby they were prouoked to serue the Lord Surely I haue brought thee vp out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage and I haue sent before thee Moses Aaron and Myriam O my people remember nowe what Balak king of Moab had deuised and what Balam the sonne of Peor aunswered him from Shittim vnto Gilgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lord. 4 The chiefest benefite which the Lorde powred vpon his people and the first whereby hee allured them to seeke him was this With an outstretched arme hee brought them foorth from the Land of Egypt the house of bondage where their dwelling place was a prison and a long life long miserie No doubt a mightie and a mercifull worke of God to deliuer his people out of such thraldome and to set them at such libertie as they afterwards enioyed Bondage is an heauie yoke an exceeding plague freedome and libertie a great benefite a sweete blessing The like benefite in as great a measure of loue fauour and power we haue receiued at the hands of our mercifull God Hee hath doone that for vs a reiected nation which hee did for his owne inheritaunce Hee hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie and thraldome of that great Pharao from Satan sinne hell death and condemnation by the mightie hand of our Moses our graund captaine Christ Iesus who on the crosse gate the victorie spoiled our enemie cancelled the writing of our bondage and seruitude brought vs through the red sea and by his bloudshed wrought our perfect and full deliuerance Againe when we groaned vnder the heauy burthens of a second the childe of the former Pharao when the tyrannie of Antichrist lay grieuous vpon our soules constraining vs by force vnto those things in comparison whereof the gathering of stubble or making of bricke the sustaining of burthens farre heauier than the Egyptian laid any vpon Israel would haue seemed tollerable light and easie in the midst of these insufferable griefes euen then when these Egyptians were most fiercely and eagerly bent when they thought their kingdome most strongly established and vs past looking for any deliuerance and what else could the reason of man suppose euen then our mightie and mercifull God to whose workes mans thoughts aspire not by the hand of his milde and faithfull seruaunt deliuered his people out of that thraldome of bond made vs free discharged vs from the intollerable tyrannie of Antichrist deliuered vs from the vsurped power of poperie from the Romish yoke of seruile superstition that we might serue no longer that man of sinne but our God not with a slauish minde but in perfect freedome of conscience according to his most holie woorde and not mans blasphemous doctrine If wee did not passe ouer this blessing of God with blinde or closed eyes surely the consideration thereof would mooue vs it would force vs to breake into woordes of wonderment and to crie out with the Prophet How great is thy goodnesse It would stirre vp in vs an earnest desire to seeke our gratious Lord and when hee is found for euer to cleaue fast vnto him 5 God further prouoking his people Israel to seeke him putteth them in mind of a second benefite of sending Moses Aaron and Marie before them Moses to be their Magistrate and Aaron to be their Priest the one to iudge and the other to teache the one to punish sinners the other to praie and to offer for them These two were brethren that the bond of nature might vnite their mindes in gouernement and that their vnitie might more aduaunce Gods glorie and procure the tranquillitie and safetie of their countrie So Ioas the king and Iehoiada the Bishop ioining hands and drawing in one line mans policie giuing place to the word of God the onely fountaine of true honourable policie Israel had a prosperous and happie state 6 Moses was a woorthie magistrate And his greatest commendation is that he was no lesse sharp and seuere in Gods cause than milde and gentle in his owne His mildenesse caused him many times to put vp other priuate iniuries it neuer caused him
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
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
shall be as one that robbeth and hee that selleth as one that stealeth They bought and solde in the temple this Christ condemneth Yet beholde what a beautifull colour they had set vpon their wicked practises to make them seeme allowable before mē For of the iudgement of God they made no account It is written in the Law Thou shalt eate before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose to cause his name to dwell there the tithe of thy corne of thy wine and of thine oyle and the first borne of thy kine and of thy sheepe that thou maist learne to feare the Lord thy God alway And if the way bee too long for thee so that thou art not able to carie it because the place is farre from thee where the Lorde thy God shall choose to set his name when the Lord thy God shall blesse thee then shalt thou make it in monie and take the monie in thine hand and goe vnto the place which the Lorde thy God shall choose and thou shalt bestowe the monie for whatsoeuer thine heart desireth shalt eat it there before the Lord thy God and reioice both thou and thine housholde Vnder pretense of prouiding that according to this lawe men which dwelt farre off might alwaies at their comming to the temple haue sacrifices there and offerings in a readinesse to present before the Lord their couetous humor fed it selfe vpon the people without all feare of God without any reuerence at all of his sanctuarie May they not iustly be termed Theeues who pretending thus to serue the Lord in his sacrifices robbed and spoiled him in his Saintes No doubt Ierusalem had shee knowen the things which belonged to her peace would haue blest the houre wherein the Lorde of the house came to ease that holy place of so intollerable burthens to rid his temple of so noisome filth 9 Now because the roote from whence these abuses and corruptions grewe was the setled wickednesse wherewith the hearts both of the priests and people were possest therefore wee may without swaruing from the true intent of this historie take occasion heere to note some speciall pollutions of the mysticall Temple of GOD which is his Church and to shewe the great necessitie of remoouing them Wherein as the present occasion of our assemblie at this time requireth I will especially touche such as properly belong to that part of the Church which hath the spirituall regiment of the other This therefore is the principall matter which now we haue to obserue in the fact of our Lord and master Christ that if in visiting our temples wee finde them possessed with wicked pastors they are not there to bee suffered the rodde of seueritie must whippe them out Who bee good sheepeheardes and who be theeues it is soone discerned yee shall knowe them by their fruites 10 Vnto good pastors our Sauiour opposeth hirelings theeues and robbers shewing also the difference betweene the one and the other The good sheepeheard loueth his flocke intirely it grieueth him not to powre out his verie soule for their sakes he gathereth them as Lambes into his armes carieth them in his bosome and kindely intreateth them Contrarywise the hireling careth not for the sheepe he beareth a sterne and a stonie heart towards them And as their inward affections are farre different so their outward actions are much vnlike whether we looke vpon their entring into their function or their dealing after they are entred 11 The true sheepeheard goeth in by the dore to him the porter openeth He taketh not this honour vnto himselfe but expecteth a calling from God as Aaron did hee breaketh not in by violence but waiteth till the porter open vnto him till they giue him entrance to whom Christ hath giuen power and authoritie to ordeine But theeues and robbers clime vp another way they winde in themselues by vnlawful meanes with monie they purchase the roomes which they occupie in the Church of Christ. Thus did Menelaus get the priesthoode from Iason at the handes of the king by giuing three hundred talents of siluer more than the other albeit hee had nothing in himselfe woorthie of the high priesthood but bare the stomacke of a cruel tyrant and the wrath of a wilde beast Thus Leo the tenth Innocentius the eighth Siluester the third two Gregories the sixt and the twelfth yea the most part of the Bishops of Rome for many yeeres haue obteined their popedomes Thus doe their Cardinals Bishops and Prelates thus doe their clergie euen to this day And I would to God this were onely their fault A thing both condemned by the commendable Lawes decrees and constitutions of sundrie Councels and also by the blessed Apostle S. Peter so grieuously accursed in him whose heart was first therewith infected that in the whole bodie of the sacred Scripture a note of the like indignation conceiued against any other sinne as I am perswaded can scarcely be found For why If they which bought and solde but the beasts of the field and birds of the aire doues sheepe and oxen in the place which God had sanctified to himselfe were therefore termed by a name that declareth their dealings to haue beene as much abhorred in his sight as if they had spent all the daies of their life in theft robberie how can we think any bitternesse of speeche or sharpnesse of punishment too great for so extreme licētiousnes as theirs that make sale of the cure of soules that bargain for the gifts of the holie Ghost For so they are The making of Bishops the bestowing of benefices the presēting instituting and inducting of pastors the placing of teachers guides and ouerseers in the Church is and should be accounted the very work of the holie Ghost Attend saith S. Paul take heed to your selues and to the whole flocke wherein the holie Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud Whosoeuer therfore be the man that presumeth to staine a thing so holie with the execrable filth of indirect dealing of buying selling couenanting bargaining either for monie or monie worth may it not as iustly bee saide to him as to Magus Thy monie perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be obteined with monie Thou hast neither part nor fellowship in this buisinesse for thine heart is not right in the sight of GOD I counsel them with S. Peter that are in the gall of this bitternesse and in the bonds of this iniquitie betime to repent them of their wickednesse and to praie vnto God that if it bee possible the thoughts of their hearts may be forgiuen them 12 It is a true saying Vix bono peraguntur exitu quae malo sunt inchoata principio Thinges ill begun are not commonly well ended neither are their proceedings likely to be good whose beginnings are so greatly out of order They which enter
not into the temple as did Aaron wil hardly behaue themselues in the house of the Lord as Aaron did Iason obteined a superioritie in the Church by monie But howe behaued he himselfe in this his purchased function Began he not immediatly to drawe his brethren to the customes of the Gentiles Did hee not by and by change their Lawes and policies and bring vp newe statutes contrarie to their Lawe As the good sheepeheard entring in at the doore when he is entred guideth his sheepe as Dauid in the discretion of his hands feedeth them carefully with wholesome doctrine walketh in all vprightnesse of holie and vndefiled conuersation before them so he that climeth vp an other way after hee hath gotten himselfe in seeketh nothing but to steale kil and destroie The theefe commeth not but to steale to kill and to destroie Hee hath no other ende or purpose 13 The onely thing that should be desired by the pastor is the weale and benefite of his flocke For if the marke whereat wee shoote be but to make our commoditie by the Gospell of Iesus Christ wherein doe we differ from theeues and robbers Is not our intent and purpose the very selfesame with theirs Wherefore S. Peters exhortation is Feede the flocke of God caring for it not for filthie lucre but of a readie minde If a man haue al knowledge in so much that he be able to speake with tongues yea and to prophecie yet if the thing for which he laboureth be his owne gaine if he vse this vocation than which nothing is more pretious and holie onely as a way or trade to liue by whatsoeuer hee receiueth with such a minde he stealeth rather than receiueth it This is that whereof the Lorde complaineth so grieuously by his Prophets The priests teache for hire the prophets prophecie for monie yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among vs And againe These sheepeheards cannot vnderstand they all looke to their owne way euerie one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose Moses blessing Leuie before his death saith first They shall teache Iacob thy iudgements and Israel thy Lawe they shall put incense before thy face and then addeth Blesse O Lord his substance accept the worke of his hands As if he should haue saide So long as Leuie and his sonnes doe not seeke their owne commoditie but thy glorie thou art righteous and canst not forget to prouide in large maner both for them and theirs As indeede till the men of that sacred order tooke fleshhookes in their hands and sought to better their estate by force til they became like to greedie mastiues rauening curres who euer sawe the Leuite of the Lord forsaken or the sonne of the Leuite begging his bread So likewise the Church of GOD was neuer spoiled till her pastors were ouercarefull to be inriched In the prime and first appearing of Christian religion as long as that heroicall contempt of earthly things continued in the guides and leaders of the people what heapes of worldly treasure were brought and laide downe euen at their feete Men thought themselues to performe nothing worthie of that profession into which they were entred vnlesse they sold away their lands goods and possessions and gaue al to make thē rich by whose meanes thēselues were become righteous The contrarie to which affection as in other parts of the Christian world so in this also hath taken such roote and is growen nowe so strong that God may iustly charge vs as sometime he did his owne people saying Ye haue spoiled me euen this whole Nation If therefore we be grieued as who is not grieued to see the hauocke that is made of the Church of GOD let vs change our earthly and worldly affection that he may change the condition of his Church God is no puruey or for theeues and robbers Let vs in synceritie and in truth heartily and in deede despise our own gaine for his glorie and prooue him if hee will not rebuke these deuourers for our sakes 14 The next thing which Christ obserueth in theeues is this they destroie the flocke and make as litle conscience to kill as to steale They kill not the bodies but the soules of men The life of the soule is the word of truth wherein whosoeuer hath taken vpon him to instruct the flocke of Christ and either cannot or wil not doe it what doth he else but kil and destroie Moses speaking of the obedience of Israel to the Lawes and statutes of their God This is saith he your wisedome But howe came Israel by that wisedome Did they naturally knowe the Lord as beasts doe naturally knowe their dammes No The Lord said vnto me saith Moses Gather the people together and I wil cause them to heare my woordes that they may learne to feare me all the daies that they shall liue vpon the earth and that they may teache their children So they came neere and stoode vnder the mountaine and were taught of God which spake vnto them out of the midst of the fire Thus God taught Israel then Afterward he raised vp prophets among them of their owne brethren and they were taught by men like vnto themselues Neither hath God at any time ceased and left off but from the beginning of the world to this verie houre he hath giuen men knowledge by instruction and saued his elect by teaching Can not God then giue wisedome from aboue without a teacher Yes God is able to mainteine the life of man without bread But why doe we talke of his absolute power when his wil is that Cornelius be taught by Peter Lydia by Paul Paul by Ananias the Eunuch by Philip euerie soule that is wise in the doctrine of saluation by Apostles Prophets Euangelists teachers appointed for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ. As therefore he that wil liue must eate so he that will bee saued must haue a teacher Wherefore when the Lorde meant a blessing to his people hee made them this promise I will giue you pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding When their pastors were voide of knowledge and vnderstanding this was euer a token that their ruine and destruction was at hande Come nowe saith the prophet all ye beasts of the field come to deuoure euen all the beasts of the forrest this people cannot continue nowe they must needes perish for their watchemen are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are all dumme dogges and cannot barke they lie asleepe and delight in sleeping We are vnworthie of our liues if we doe not acknowledge the woonderfull blessing of God in our ministerie at this day For howsoeuer it bee debased by some yet is it so farre off God be thanked from the state of the Iewish Clergie in those daies that I am perswaded
Sabaoth Such traficke is as bad in the house as on the daie which God hath sanctified Wherefore in the Lawe these two are iointly coupled together Yee shall keepe my Sabaoths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The prophaning therfore of the temple the house of God the place of praier is an euident token that amongst the Iewes all religion was now trodden vnder feete all reuerence of God abolished This sheweth that there was nowe no difference at all holie and common pure and prophane cleane and vncleane all was one When they which ought not to die but without the citie were suffered to liue within the temple yea of and at the altar when Gods owne house was made a denne of theeues we cannot easily imagine a degree of prophanesse beyond this At this the Lord himselfe doth seeme to woonder Is this house become a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes What reuerence or seruice is it likely that they would shewe other-where vnto the Lorde who liued as theeues in that glorious sanctuarie where all the earth should tremble before him 24 In the house of God they had the Lawe both red and expounded they offered sacrifice and they praied But because the seruice for which the temple was ordeined though not only yet principally is praier therefore he hath saide My house shalbe called the house of praier In Deuteronomie it is called the place which God chose to cause his name to dwel there It is true indeede saith Salomon that God will dwell on the earth No doubt where his truth is syncerely professed where his sacraments are rightly and duely ministred where his name is called vpon by heartie praier where two or three are gathered together in his name that is to say to serue him in these things there the woorking of his spirite is so forcible and effectuall his mercie is so obiect euen vnto sense his grace is in such sort felt seene and tasted that he seemeth as it were to stand before mens eyes to walke to inhabite to dwel amongst them when they are thus occupied The dore of the Church is the gate of the Lorde and the righteous wil surely enter into it They reioice when they heare men say We wil goe into the house of the Lord the house of praier where as many as call vpon the name of the Lord shall vndoubtedly bee saued But because no man can call on him in whom he doeth not beleeue nor beleeue without hearing the word of God requisite therefore it is that the house of publike praier should also be the house of publike preaching For this cause the Iewes heard the Lawe euery Sabaoth day in their Synagogues 25 And as they did not onely heare the word but also offer sacrifice in the house of God so we in our Churches haue both the Gospell preached and the Sacramentes which are seales of the Gospel administred knowing that Christ hath commanded both alike Hee which sent his Disciples to teache sent them also to baptize he which inioined them to preache gaue them also an other charge Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of me Therefore as often as we speake vnto you out of these places as often as here we minister the Sacrament of baptisme to your children in token of their new spirituall birth as often as we doe here present our selues at the Lords table to eat of his bread and to drinke of the wine which he hath prepared for the comfortable nourishment of our soules wee keepe the Lordes institution and not our owne wee doe as he hath commaunded not as we haue deuised we vse the house of God not as theeues but as Saints 26 For these things the Sanctuarie was erected for these the house of God was sanctified and for praier Therefore the twelue told the rest of the Disciples as it is in the historie of their Acts We will giue our selues continually vnto praier and ministration of the word Aaron was appointed vnder the law as to offer so also to pray for himselfe and for the people Be this sinne against the Lord saith Samuel farre from me that I should cease to praie for you The request which Salomon made vnto GOD in the first dedication of the temple was that if his people Israel should at any time for their sinnes be ouerthrowen before the enemie or heauen bee so shut vp that they should bee in distresse for want of raine or if there should be famine in the land or pestilence or blasting or mildew or grassehopper or caterpiller if the enemie should beseege thē if they should fall into any aduersitie whether it were of bodie or of minde his eares might alwaies bee open to the praiers which they should make before the Lord in the house of praier Heare the supplications of thy people Israel which pray in this place 27 Nor only their supplications but moreouer Salomon addeth As touching the straunger that is not of thy people Israel who shall come out of a farre countrie for thy names sake and shall come and praie in this house heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee that all the people of the earth may knowe thy name and feare thee as thy people Israel doe Agreeable wherevnto are the words of the prophet Esay It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shalbe exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flowe vnto it And againe The strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord and to be his seruaunts euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenaunt them will I bring also to mine holie mountaine and make them ioyful in mine house of praier their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne alter For myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations This prooueth that article of our Christian faith to be most certain wherein we acknowledge the Church of Christ to be Catholike vniuersal For we must vnderstand that there was a time when the Lord gaue expresse charge comandement No vncircumcised in the flesh shall enter into my Sanctuarie The adoption the glory of the sons of God y e couenants the law the seruice of God the promises al the riches wherwith the church of Christ is adorned did belong vnto Israel vnto none else they were the only people that obteined mercie al y e world besides was Loammi amongst them God was knowne but as for the nations they heard not of him Iudea was the onely garden of the Lord the rest of the earth was a meere wildernesse they were the vineyard and we the forrest they within the wals of the citie of God and we
as haue dominion and rule ouer others Whereupon the princely Prophet doth exhort them Ye kings ye iudges of the earth serue the Lorde with feare as iudging them happie whose common-wealth is ruled by such as are professors and fauourers of true religion such as feare the Lord. Which is most true For happie was Israel while Dauid Iehosaphat Ezechias and Iosias ruled because they were religious men feared God But vnhappie when as Ieroboam Achab Amon and Manasses ruled because the feare of God was farre from their hearts they went a whooring after idols and made Israel to sin Howe much the greater care should Christian Princes haue to place none in authoritie but such as Cornelius men that are truly religious and feare God such as Constantius the woorthie christian Emperour retained in his Court when hee cast out them who forsooke Christ saying that they could not be faithful to their Prince who were vnfaithfull to God Neither onely princes but the people also to whom the election of magistrates appertaineth should haue the like care remembring the exhortation that Iethro made to Moses Prouide thou men fearing God 9 And Cornelius praied God continually Faith and feare of GOD doe breake out into his praises and calling vpon him by praier Praier is an acceptable seruice of GOD prescribed by himselfe and practised by his seruaunts to the glorie of his name Call saith he vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Of praier there are two sorts priuate and publike both which Cornelius vsed Publike with his familie which he brought vp in the feare of God priuate in secrete place hauing his appointed houres to praie When the Angel appeared he was in priuate praier at the ninth houre that is at three of the clocke in the afternoone Nowe as Cornelius vsed them both so by his example should euerie christian doe For touching publike praier the Disciples of Christ continued altogether with one accord in it When Peter was cast into prison the church made earnest praier vnto God for him Wee reade of the Pharisee and Publicane both that they went vp into the temple to praie Whereby we may learne that they who refuse to ioine themselues in publike place the church of God to praie with other men they are woorse than either Pharisees or Publicanes Cornelius made his house such a publike place for his whole familie therein to serue God For as hee feared God with his whole familie so is it to be thought that he serued God with his whole familie too Insomuch that there was a church in his house as in the house of Philemon A lesson for all them who haue families that they be religious and feare God indeede they should vse priuate praier in their houses and cause their families to frequent it So shall they make their houses to be churches And Christ will be in those assemblies according to his promise I will be in the midst of them As for priuate praier it is also fruitefull and effectuous For therein without suspition of Pharisaicall hypocrisie we powre out heart before God Anna in the temple so behaued her selfe in her priuate praier that Ely the high Priest esteemed her as drunke and sharpely reprooued her for it To whom she aunswered mildely I am not drunke but in my praier I doe powre out my heart before God Christ appointed himselfe certaine times of priuate praier as in the garden where hee praied in such earnest vehement sort that there dropped from him both water and bloud Dauid had his priuate night praiers wherein such was the earnestnesse of his affection that with his teares night by night he watered his couch It appeareth that Cornelius praied earnestly and heartily for his praier pierced into the heauens and was acceptable vnto the Lord. But God abhorreth praier that falleth out of the lippes and proceedeth not from the heart He detesteth the Pharisees who woorship him with their lippes but their heart is farre from him The Israelites powred out many teares when they praied in Babylon The verie Ethnikes would not dallie in their praier with their false gods It is written euen of the Heathenish Romans that when they honoured their idols with solemne praiers and procession the cryers saide to euerie one whom they met Hoc age Set thy mind on this thing wholly Be attentiue to this and to nothing else Praier is the lifting vp of the minde to God He requireth the heart But alas our praiers are for the most part onely for a fashion that men may behold vs. Furthermore the praier of Cornelius was continuall Praie ye continually without intermission We must pray stil and not waxe faint Which yet is not meant as though we shold cease from all other trauell and giue our selues onely to praier That is the error of the Euchites whose Disciples were the superstitious Monkes that made the house of God a denne of theeues by their hypocrisie But we are taught hereby to praie often for we haue alwaies occasion of praier giuen vs. Daniel praied thrise daily in his house with his windowes open towardes Ierusalem yea though the king forbad it For hee would not bee restrained from praying to his God Dauid testifieth that he praied vnto the Lord seuen times euerie day Satan ceaseth not to assault our faith Let not vs therefore cease to crie vnto God O Lorde increase our faith Our tottering boate is tossed in the stormie seas let vs lift vp our voice to Christ and say Saue vs we perish We are in danger of greedie roaring lions the world the diuell and the flesh Let vs pray O deliuer vs from the mouth of the lyon Let vs crie and the Lord will heare vs. Praier is an helpe vnto him that praieth a sacrifice to GOD a scourge to the diuels saith Austin And thus much of Cornelius his deuotion feare of God and continuall praier the points whereby is shewed howe he liued towards God 10 It followeth to be noted how he ordered his familie hee feared God with all his houshold He plaied not Nicodemus that came to Christ by night hee openlie professed his religion and faith yea and instructed his whole familie therein Neither did he feare to send for Peter to teache him the religion and faith of Christ. First the open profession of his religion is commendable The Romans had forbid by Lawe that any subiect shold professe or receiue peregrinam religionem a straunge religion They considered that it was dangerous to their state to suffer diuersitie of religion They seuerely punished the transgressors of this law Yet Cornelius had learned that it is better to obeie God than man that we must obeie princes vsque ad Aras as the prouerbe is so farre as we may without disobeying God Although the Iewish religion was hatefull to the Gentiles
wearie and loaden to come promising them that he would refresh their soules And heerein he did the office of a priest And againe hee healed all that Satan had afflicted and herein he did the office of a king He shall iudge the poore of the people saith the prophet he shall saue the children of the needie and shal subdue the oppressor He threwe out his enemie the oppressor Satan and deliuered his people out of that enemies hands An example for the magistrate to defend the innocent to deliuer the oppressed to punish the transgressor For the swoord is giuen him to this end An example for the minister to teache the word of God and confirme it with doing what good soeuer he may according to the talents that the Lord hath giuen him Finally an example for euerie faithfull Christian to shewe foorth his beleefe by his conuersation his faith by workes to make his vocation and calling sure thereby For God was with him Christ wrought his wonderfull workes by the power of God and not as the Scribes falsely charged him by the power of Beelzebub for God was with him He taught the word that he receiued of his father he cast out diuels by the finger of God He was no chopper or changer of the woord he vsed neither witchcraft sorcerie nor coniuring He wrought not by the diuel but by the power of God 40 The next part was that he died and rose again to procure vs this peace They slewe him hanging him on a tree God raised him vp the third day The death and resurrection of Christ is the onely meane of our reconciliation and peace with God For he died for our sinnes and rose for our iustification By his death and passion he hath cancelled and fastened vpon the crosse the hand-writing that was against vs. Hee hath pacified Gods wrath hee hath procured Gods fauour of enemies made vs friends of strangers citizens of the children of wrath the children of God and fellow-heires of his eternall kingdome 41 Before this crucified Christ that died and rose againe wee shal appeare to giue an account of our whole life of our thoghts our workes and words For as S Peter saith He is ordeined of God a iudge of the quicke and the dead At the latter day hee is appointed to be iudge of all flesh The father hath deliuered all iudgement vnto him And we shall all stand before his iudgement seate that euery one may receiue the things doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill This iudge is both iudge and witnesse I will come neere vnto you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe back the hyrelings wages and vexe the widowe and the fatherlesse oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of Hosts Nothing is hid from his eyes he seeth the secrets of all hearts he wil not be corrupted but giue vnto euerie one according to his woorkes Christ is iudge Wherefore we are taught to leaue reuenge vnto him Vengeaunce is mine I will repay saith the Lord. For priuate men to reuenge wrongs is to vsurp Christs office to take iudgement out of his handes whom God the father hath appointed iudge of the quicke and the dead You that bee afflicted and oppressed with miserie and wrong lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere You that oppresse and wrong your brethren repent and desire pardon least the sentence of Gods iustice ouertake you His iustice no man can abide For in his sight shall none that liueth be iustified Christ therefore is giuen as S. Peter teacheth to be our Iesus that is our Sauiour our Christ that is annointed a king a priest and prophet the Lord of all whom we ought to serue in holinesse and righteousnesse sent of God and made man he preached peace betweene God and man and betweene men among themselues he died to bee a sacrifice for vs he rose againe to iustifie vs hee is made our iudge and doeth iudge iustly 42 Nowe wee with PETER or rather with the holie Ghost with the Prophets and Apostles giue heerein to Christ that which is his owne And here is the controuersie betweene the aduersaries of the Gospel the papists and vs. We giue vnto Christ that which is his right they rob and take from him that which is his due We spoile our selues of all righteousnesse and seeke to be cloathed with his righteousnesse They cloath themselues with their owne righteousnesse not caring for that righteousnesse which is in him We hope to be saued by him our onely priest our sacrifice our mediator They haue shauen priests and vnbloudie sacrifices and infinite mediators both of Saints and Angels To be short we acknowledge Christ our whole Sauiour and all the glorie thereof we giue vnto God They will be saued by themselues their merits their pardons they impart the glorie of God vnto dead men to images to relikes to dumme creatures 43 The third and last part of S. Petets sermon was that wee are made partakers of peace by faith in Christ name To him all the prophets giue witnesse that through his name al that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sins Wherein three things are remembred vnto vs that remission of sinnes is free that we receiue it by faith and that this doctrine is witnessed by all the prophets 44 All flesh hath sinned and doth neede forgiuenesse God is the onely forgiuer of our sinnes Neither doth he forgiue them in respect of mans merits but of his mercie good will and free mercie The onely meanes that mooued God to bee mercifull freely to sinnefull man was that most acceptable sweete bloudie sacrifice which the innocent sonne of God offred vpon the crosse for our sinnes All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus He tooke our vnrighteousnesse vpon himselfe and cloathed vs with his iustice and He who knewe no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him In Christ and for Christ we receiue free remission of sins There is no other name giuen vs vnder heauen whereby we may be saued I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the father but by me saith Christ. No sinne forgiuen but thorough him and through him all sinnes are forgiuen freely 45 The meane whereby wee are made partakers of this free remission of sinnes in the death and resurrection of Christ is faith in Christ. For all saith Peter that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes through his name God doeth freely offer vnto vs remission of sinne and peace in Christ. The meane and
instrument to receiue it withall is faith He that beleeueth is made partaker of it and not of it onely but of eternall life also For he that beleeueth in me hath life eternall saith our Sauiour Christ. But this faith this iustifying faith doth worke through loue and sheweth it selfe by workes The good tree will be fruitfull The beleeuing iustified childe of God will feare God and worke righteousnesse 46 This doctrine of iustification by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ Iesu is witnessed by all the Prophets It is no newe doctrine but olde not onely proceeding from the Apostles but also from the Prophets For Moses and all the Prophets beare witnesse of him And as they so the Apostles after them Whose steppes we must followe and acknowledge that no doctrine is to be established but that which is testified by the Apostles and Prophets The true Church of Christ doth builde her faith on their foundation God will be worshipped and serued according to his prescript woord and not according to the braine of man The Prophets and Apostles with all such as be ministers of the woord are heere and elsewhere called witnesses Yea Christ himselfe termeth himselfe a witnesse of the truth For this cause am I borne and for this cause came into the worlde that I should beare witnesse to the truth And Christ saith to his Apostles Ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in Samaria euen to the vttermost endes of the earth 47 The truth is to bee testified by publike preaching Paul commendeth the Thessalonians for beleeuing his testimonie His testimonie was the Gospel which he did preache and testifie vnto them According to the voice that did speake vnto him when he was cast off his horse I haue appeared to thee for this purpose to appoint thee a minister and witnesse both of things which thou hast seene and of the things in which I will appeare vnto thee The truth is also testified by writing By the writings of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists the truth of God Iesus Christ was most plainely testified As Iohn to name one of them among many This is that Disciple which testifieth of these things The truth is also witnessed when as it is testified in bloud for a martyr is a witnes Christ told Peter that when he was young hee girded himselfe and walked whither he lusted but when he waxed old other should gird him and carie him whither hee would not Nowe this saith Iohn he spake signifying by what death he should glorifie God Many Martyrs haue thus testified the truth with suffering for it But they ouercame by the bloud of the Lambe and by the woord of their testimonie not louing their life no not to the death That minister which will neither testifie it by publike preaching nor by writing will hardly testifie it by suffering but will rather say with Peter I knowe not the man But I must here make an end for the time hath ouertaken me and without repetition as you knowe the maner is To God the father God the son God the holie Ghost three persons one almightie almerciful God be rendred all thanks all glorie giuen for euer and for euer Amen The fifteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at Strausborough in the time of Q. Maries reigne 2. COR. 6. 2 Wee therefore as helpers beseeche you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 3 For he saith I haue heard thee in a time accepted in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold now the accepted time beholde now the day of saluation THE Prophet to abate the hawtie conceit which naturally wee haue of our selues in such sort as euery man were his owne God and had no other whom to praise for the graces and gifts wherewith he is beautified and set forth as a mirror for al other creatures to beholde and woonder at indeuoureth to turn away our eyes frō too much gazing vpon our owne excellencie by pointing as it were his finger at him who is author of euerie good perfect gift saying Hee made vs and not we our selues For what end and purpose Zacharie teacheth namely that we might serue him in holinesse and righteonsnesse before him all the daies of our life For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Ye are not saith S. Paul to the Corinthians your owne Why so For you are bought with a price Glorifie therefore God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods Forsomuch then as we are all of the houshold of God all one in Christ all members of one and the same spirituall bodie woorshipping one Lord receiuing one baptisme professing one faith expecting one glorie to be reuealed vpon vs in that great day it is our duetie in token of our neere coniunction in the spirite with one heart one minde and as it were with one mouth to present our selues before his mercie seate to praise him to heare his word to receiue the seales of his merciful couenaunt in the Gospel and to offer him our needeful supplications together that in all things it may appeare that we are one as hee and the father are one euen one God to be blessed for euer 2 With what zeale desire Gods people of old were woont to do this we may gesse by that which we reade of y ◠Prophet Dauid who being persecuted of his wicked vnnatural son driuen from y e presence of that glorious tabernacle which with great triumph ioye himselfe had placed in the Citie of Dauid where he was woont with the rest of the people to call vpon the name of the Lord to heare the Lawe and to offer sacrifice vpon those beautiful altars conceiued such a deepe impression of griefe by the sorowfull meditation of those sweete and heauenly comforts whereof his soule had tasted in former times that forgetting quite the losse of all other royalties whatsoeuer he maketh mone for nothing but onely this that he might not nowe be partaker of those inestimable benefites and the comforts of minde and conscience which he was woont to receiue at the hand of God at such time as with the rest of the Israelites he resorted to the tabernacle where God promised to be present and fauourably to heare the petitions there made vnto him Of this his great miferie he complaineth him lamentably in diuerse of his Psalmes but especially in the 84 where he breaketh out into these woords of great zeale O Lord of hosts howe amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lorde mine heart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God He goeth on and magnifieth the blessed estates of those sillie birds which might haue their nests and lay their young euen
If a prince giue out his letters patent of a gift so long as the seale is not put to the gift is not fullie ratified and the partie to whom it is giuen thinketh not him selfe sufficientlie assured of it Gods gift without sealing is sure as hee himselfe is al one without changing yet to beare with our infirmitie and to make vs more secure of his promise to his writing woord he added these outward signes and seales to establish our faith and to certifie vs that his promise is most certain He giueth vs therfore these holie and visible signes of bread wine saith Take and eate this is my bodie and blood giuing vnto the signes the names which are proper to the things signified by them as we vse to doe euen in cōmon speach when the signe is a liuelie representation and image of the thing 13 Let vs therefore bee thankefull vnto our redeemer Christ for these his great benefites and so vnspeakeable and vndeserued mercies and let vs receiue this holie sacrament as a sure pledge that the vertue of his death and passion is imputed vnto vs for iustice euen as though we had suffered the same which hee did in our owne naturall bodies Let vs not be so peruerse as to drawe backe when Iesus Christ calleth vs so louingly to this royall feast but with good consideration of the woorthinesse of this gift present we our selues with a feruent zeale that we may come woorthily to this holy table Let eche man trie himselfe and so eate saith the Apostle Let vs enter into our selues therefore and examine the estate of our hearts and soules and consider in what case we stand If we be not of the sanctified houshold of God not Christs seruaunts and faithfull Disciples shall we dare presume to presse in being aliens and strangers to the Lords as most comfortable so also most dreadfull table No let no impenitent blasphemer of God no whoremonger or vile and vnrepented sinner presume to touch or tast this foode for such shall not feede vpon Christ and his merits but they receiue their owne damnation But such as wil woorthily feede at this blessed feast must earnestly and truly mourne for their sinnes past in a setled purpose and resolution neuer willingly to defile themselues againe And such as will be partakers of this bread that came from heauen Iesus Christ our one and onely Sauiour must also be as one bread or loafe and as one bodie ioined together in brotherly loue and all other offices of godlie and Christian charitie For if thou come to this banket without this vesture of loue it shall be saide vnto thee Friend howe camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment A wofull speeche and an ende most miserable Let this suffice for the first point which is the blessed Apostles exhortation not to receiue the grace of God in vaine 14 Concerning the second member wherein wee are put in mind that this is the time to shewe our selues woorthie receiuers of grace he applieth to his purpose the words of the Prophet Esay who speaking vnto Christ as in the person of his father saith In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee The acceptable time is that whereof S. Paul speaketh When the fulnesse of time came God sent his sonne made of a woman It was indeede an acceptable time and full of grace wherein the sacrifice of Christ was so gratiously accepted and his praiers heard of God And it may well be called a day of saluation wherein his father gaue him a triumphant victorie ouer those so bitter torments of death An acceptable time was it a day of saluation not so much in respect of him who at all times was accepted as of vs who without him and his death had beene refused For in that day was your redemption wrought by our redeemer and sinners saued by his passion who had no sinne And as hee died and rose so he praied and was heard for vs. I pray for them I pray not for the world I pray for them whom thou hast giuen me saith our Sauiour Nowe the acceptable time and day of saluation which Esay spake of S. Paul doth very aptly and effectually applie to his present occasion Beholde nowe is the acceptable time beholde nowe is the day of saluation For the Fathers liued in hope of this acceptable day of grace and fauour to come but the verie time beginneth from the suffering of Christ Iesus and continueth euen to the worlds end And vnto euerie one of vs so much of this acceptable time is granted as we haue time granted here to liue Which being not long because our life is but as it were a span it may fitly be called a day or rather an houre of saluation This day therefore grace is offered vs of God Against whose maiestie forasmuch as all haue sinned and by sinne are depriued of his glorie wee must needes acknowledge that for the recouering of our losse wee stand all in present neede of his grace Nowe is the time wherein our soules doe groane to be releeued with grace and mercie For who can say My heart is sound I neede no Physitian What one man is there amongst vs all who hath loued God as he ought to doe or tendered his neighbours case as he would his owne We may dallie with our selues and thinke that we suffer not for our owne transgressions that we are not cause of that great plague calamitie which presently is come vpon our countrie Beloued do not deceiue your selues Our God is a righteous iudge who blesseth the innocent and heapeth punishment vpon the offending soule For truly if we searche our selues as we ought to doe with a single eye if we examine out thoughts take a reckoning of our words and peise our deedes and waies in an equall ballance aske our hearts and they wil tell vs enquire of our conscience it wil declare vnto vs that euerie one of vs hath wel deserued more than hath happened vnto any of vs Yea wee shall finde that all haue not suffered halfe so much as euerie one hath deserued Our first parents for tasting the fruit that was forbidden them were themselues cast out of their pleasaunt habitation and punished in all their posteritie to come for euer Haue wee being terrefied by the horror of their example withheld our hands and bridled our affections from euerie vnlawful and forbidden thing Corah Dathan and Abiram with their fauourites and confederates were swallowed vp of the earth for whispering against Moses and against Aaron Did we neuer once mutter against our good and lawfull magistrates against our iudges and against the Lordes ministers Dauid for numbring of his people procured such a plague that 70. thousand were consumed with it and are wee so vnspotted that we haue not in as heinous a matter as this offended God would
the holie ghost a trinitie in vnitie be rendered all thankes and all glorie giuen from this time forth and for euer more Amen The one and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at what time a maine treason was discouered PSALM 4. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse THE occasion why the Princely prophet wrote this Psalme is the great distresse whereunto he was brought by the monstrous vnnaturall rebellion which his ambitious sonne Absalon raised against him This forced him to flie vnto God for aide and by earnest prayer to seeke help from heauen The summe and substance of the Psalme consisteth in these pointes First he crieth vnto God for deliueraunce from this wicked conspirasie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse haue mercie vpon me and hearken vnto my prayer Secondly he reprooueth the wicked enterprise of his foes and therewithall moueth them to repentance O ye sonnes of men howe long will ye turne my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies For be yee sure that the Lorde hath chosen to himselfe a godly man the Lorde will heare when I call vnto him tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lorde Thirdlie as one assured of present helpe he turneth his talke againe vnto God and reioyceth in the sweete and comfortable feeling of his grace saying Many say who will shewe vs any good but Lorde lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart than they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abounde I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lorde only makest me dwell in safetie 2 The prophet in calling vpon the name of God maketh mention of his owne innocencie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnes Not that he thought himselfe so iust righteous that God could not charge him with any sin for so no mā can trie his cause and stand in iudgement with God which thing he also confesseth saying in an other place Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no fleshe liuing be iustified For one dutie scarce performed he is able to charge vs with a thousande omitted nay we cannot alleage him one for a thousande why then doth the prophet speake of innocencie Why doth he vse this phrase of speach Heare me O God of my righteousnesse Surelie he knewe that God is a mercifull defender of them whome the world doth vndeseruedlie hate and persecute And in respect of his enemies for anie cause which they had so to conspire and rebell against him he might iustlie and trulie euen in the sight of God protest him selfe to be innocent He was a mercifull and a iust prince neuer offering wrong to anie his rebellious sonne he had sundrie times spared but neuer offended he neuer greeued his wicked counseller Achitophel neither yeat the raging people which vnnaturallie opposed them selues against him In respect hereof he alleageth his righteousnesse and innocencie his hart being a witnesse vnto him that towardes them he had euer shewed him selfe milde and mercifull 3 The Prophet hauing thus professed his vprightnesse vrgeth and prouoketh God to take the defence of his cause now as at all times he had heretofore protected him Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse Dauid passed through manie trobles but God deliuered him out of all He strenthened him against that huge and monstrous Philistine farre beyond the reason or expectation of man For if ye compare a younling with one of perfect age a simple shephard with a souldier exercised in feates of armes one of smale stature with a vast giant a naked manne with one most stronglie armed the combat could not choose but seeme in all pointes verie vnequall in so much that the Philistine plainlie contemned him But God fought for him gaue him the victorie Besides this he deliued him also from the fraud trechery of wicked Doeg from the treason of the men of Caila and Ziph which laboured to giue him into his enemies handes God deliuered him frō Achis king of Geth where he was in great danger How often by what miraculous meanes he saued him out of the hands of Saul y e histories do manifestly plainly shew Therfore he putteth God in remēbrāce of this his wonted mercy God is well pleased when his benefits are well remembred Vpon this experience of Gods former mercies he cōceiueth great confidence and sure hope that his protector woulde not leaue him now in the bryers that the God of whose mercie hee had so often tasted seeing that his cause was iust woulde not nowe leaue him as a praie to his enemies neither suffer them to trample ouer him 4 Thus wee see that the security of princes doth not rest vpon their power be they neuer so strongly garded but vpon their innocencie wee see from whence they ought in their troubles to looke for succour we see by what meanes they may assure themselues of helpe from heauen In the seconde parte of the Psalme the Prophet reporteth the rebellion of his foes and withall moueth them to repentaunce He reproueth them especially for two causes first for that they laboured to displace the prince whom God had set ouer them wherein the ignominie which they did vnto him was not so great as the iniurie which they offred vnto God 5 The contriuers thereof were not men of meene calling but of high place and great authoritie and therefore they are not called the sonnes of Adam but the sonnes of man filii viri noble personages Conspiracies are not wont to bee bred in the heades of the meenest sort which thing the Prophet noteth in the seconde Psalme The princes are assembled together in counsell against the Lorde and against his Christ. Marie the verie sister of Moses a woman of place and countenaunce deuised a plot to displace hir brother Moses spared hir because shee was his sister but God plagued hir because shee was a rebell and cast vppon hir a most foule disease Core Dathan and Abiram which conspired also against Moses were not the meenest men in their tribe Ieroboam a man of great might conspired against Salomon and openly rebelled against Roboam The kinges sonne Absolon the great wise counseller Achitophel rose vp against their lawfull Soueraigne armed the people against him If I shoulde enter into prophane histories and receite vnto you the authors and contriuers of ciuel seditions from time to time it woulde appeare that they were for the most part filij viri It is sometime otherwise For wee reade that simple men that men whose names are not spoken of without some speciall note of extreeme basenesse haue notwithstanding stirred vp daungerous tumultes But such are either set on by other
must all offer 15 At the handes of the minister it is required that hee feed the flocke committed vnto his charge this is righteousnesse in him it is his sacrifice God will haue no blinde no lame no vncleane thing to be offered therfore let as many as offer the sacrifice of righteousnes take heede to that they doe The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes like siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times He therefore that speaketh let him speake as the wordes of God 16 Furthermore as it is reason that they which sacrifice at the altar shoulde liue of the altar euen so it is against all equitie and right that the labour of preaching the Gospell shoulde rest vpon any mans backand the maintenance due for the same be withheld and kept from him It hath beene tolde you often and some haue beene angrie to heare it so often tolde that the ministerie is too much pinched the liuing of the Church so fleesed that manie worthy ministers haue scarce nay they haue not wherewith tolerablie to sustaine themselues 17 To come from the minister to the magistrate when heynous crimes are detected and brought to light there is then a speciall sacrifice of righteousnesse required at his handes such a sacrifice as Ioas offered who following the good aduise of Iehoida the high priest his faithfull counsellour put Athalia which had murthered the kinges children and vsurped the kingdome to the sworde The Lorde sometime doth so deale with his people that they plainely see his wrath to be kindled and his heauie indignatioÌ„ impossible to be appeased til this sacrifice be offred him The Israelites were ouerthrowne in battle till Achan was stoned to death King Dauid founde no rest in his kingdome till AbsoloÌ„ Adonias had that which their rebellious practises did deserue God requireth as well the sacrifice of iustice as of mercie yea he sometimes accepteth iustice for a sacrifice and plagueth mercie as a grieuous sinne If Dauid had not spared his sonne for murther his sonne had not troubled him with rebellion For rebellion he woulde also in fatherly pity and compassion haue spared him this God coulde not suffer but tooke execution of iustice him selfe stretched out the arme of an oake and strangled the gallant in his owne haire Saul suffred Agag but he felt the wrath of the Lorde for it to the losse of his kingdome Quiparcit lupo mactat gregem hee that spareth a wolfe spilleth the bloude of the flocke saith Chrisostome God appointeth the magistrate to be a reuenger vnto wrath vpon him that committeth euil They which glorie to haue the sworde rustie in the sheath when they woulde drawe it out peraduenture shall not so well be able Let magistrates therefore from the highest to the lowest execute iustice without feare or fauour when neede requireth and so they shall offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse 18 As this sacrifice belongeth peculiarlie to them so there are others belonging although to them yet not to them alone but to all Christians Wee must all sacrifice vnto the Lorde with our goodes with our mindes and with our bodies For all these we haue receiued to serue him withall With our goodes the needie must be relieued the naked clothed the hungrie comforted and fed For this sacrifice S. Paul commendeth to the PhilippiaÌ„s I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odoure that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable pleasant vnto God The like he hath also to the Hebrewes To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased 19 To haue the sacrifice of the bodie offered S. Paul is verie earnest with the Romaines I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto God Let not thine eye behold the thing which is euill and it is made a sacrifice let no vncleane word escape thy tongue and it is an offring let thine hande doe no harme and it is an oblation saith S. Chrysostome To the like effect Origen when thou subduest pride thou dost affer a calfe when wrath a ram when lust a goate a doue when a vaine and wandring cogitation But the most precious sacrifice of the bodie is when being mortified it is also offered to the crosse for the testimonie of Iesus Christ in whose cause the death of the Saints is deere in the sight of God If the Prophetes the Apostles the martyrs of all ages haue offred vp the glorious sacrifice of righteousnesse why should wee be acounted faithfull as they were vnlesse wee be willing to doe and to suffer as they did Wee haue a longe time had faire weather wisdome would that we should prouide for stormes Christs Church must be tried such is Gods woont A rough storme was rising but the Lord such are his mercies raised vp a winde which scattered the clowdes he hath in great fauour and tender loue deliuered vs from the Lions mouth Let vs therefore liue no longer in this our senslesse securitie but offer him sacrifice as of our bodies so likewise of our mindes repentance and praise 20 Our sinnes no doubt haue prouoked his wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him our iniquities haue kindled his indignation wee haue grieuouslye offended by despising his worde from the highest to the lowest The Magistrates are for the most part colde in Gods cause they are not eaten vp with the zeale of his house iustice iudgement they commonly omit wickedly peruert The guides and Pastours of the Church seeke themselues and not those things which belong to Iesus Christ. And the people not well guided nor â—euerely corrected are of all other farthest out of frame Now if the most high haue power ouer the kingdome of men to giue it to whom soeuer he will and to appoint ouer it most vile persons when pleaseth him and if because of our vnrighteous dealing he should as he hath done many a time and oft vnto nations farre greater and mightier then ours power vs as it were out of one vessell into an other translate the scepter of this kingdom from hand to hand in steede of a gracious and religious Lady cause an hypocrite to raigne ouer vs which the Lord neuer suffer these eyes to see what could we saie but God were iust in al his waies had brought that vpon vs which our sinnes haue deserued To appease his wrath and to staie these or the like plagues from breaking in and from ouerwhelming the land there is no other waie but speedily to offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse This is the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen a broken and a contrite heart 21 The other sacrifice of the minde is praise which consisteth in thankesgiuing and petition Let vs thanke our God for his manifolde mercies For it is the Lordes mercies that
wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renewed euerie morning great is his faithfulnesse Being mindfull therefore of these his mercies let vs as thankfull seruauntes offer vnto this our mercifull God this sacrifice of righteousnesse neuer ceasing to magnifie and praise his name O Lorde we acknowledge this to be thy worke without any merite or deserte of ours Wee blesse thee wee praise thee we thanke thee for it accept O Lorde this our seruice and sacrifice in thy great mercie 22 The seconde part of this our sacrifice of praise is to poure out requestes and supplications Let vs herein with humble and penitent heartes with sure trust that God will heare vs out of heauen craue at his mercifull handes the deliueraunce of his annointed our Soueraigne Ladie out of all distresse from the rebellion of Absolon from the counsell of Achitophell from the rage and furie of all that conspire to do hir harme Thou knowest O Lorde that shee hath not deserued this treacherie at their handes being most milde and mercifull doing good vnto all hurting none Therefore O Lorde according to thy mercifull woont as thou hast done hitherto so deliuer protect and defend hir still finish that which thou hast most graciouslie begune bridle O Lorde hir enemies and ours let them knowe their madnes open their eies and cause them plainely to see that they cannot preuaile against thy chosen seruaunt that they cannot cast downe or bring into ignominy hir whom thou hast set vp and placed in honour Giue grace O Lorde if it bee thy good pleasure that they may enter into themselues examine their own heartes see their sinne repent them of their wickednesse abstaine from farther proceeding that thou in thie mercy maiest shew them grace and fauour in the ende And graunt O Lorde that we which professe thy holie name may still offer vnto thee the sacrifice which thou requirest euen the sacrifice of righteousnesse that the minister of thy worde may sincerely and diligently preach thy Gospell that being a good example to the flocke and leading a godlie an vpright life he maie bring thee the offrings of many soules vnto the stretching out of thy glorious kingdome amongst men Grant that princes Magistrats whom thou hast set in authority may without feare or fauor offer also this sacrifice in vpright deciding of controuersed causes and seuere punishing of malefactours Finallie giue this grace O Lorde wee beseech thee to thy whole flocke for wee are thy flocke the sheepe of thy pasture that wee all may offer vnto thee our goodes our bodyes and our soules for they are thyne Graunte that we maie liberallie bestowe our goodes to the needefull reliefe of thy poore Sainctes that wee may mortefie our bodyes and cheerefullie offer them if neede so require to anye kynde of tormente for thie sake that in soule wee maye offer thee the sacrifice of true repentance for our sinnes of hartie thankes for thy great grace of earnest sute for continuance of thy mercie and fauour towardes vs. We humblie beseech thee O father for the merites of thy deere sonne vpon whom as vpon our aultar we offer vp all our sacrifice bowe downe thy mercifull eare to our petitions extend thy mercies to thy litle flocke preserue our gracious Queene and so direct the heartes of all which beare authority vnder hir that by their good gouernment wee may leade a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlynesse and honestie To thee O mercifull father with thy Sonne Christ Iesus our onely redeemer and that blessed spirit our sweete comforter three persons one God be all honour and praise both now and euer The two and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at his remouing to Yorke 1. COR. 13. 11 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte be of one minde liue in peace And the God of loue peace shalbe with you AFTER that our Apostle S. Paul as a faithfull teacher a wise stewarde a louing father a vigilant watchman a diligent labourer a seuere punisher of all sinne had with a good conscience painefully trauailed a long time with the famous citie of Corinth omitting no part of Apostolicall dutie opening vnto them all the mysteries of Christ the whole counsell of God all the secretes of his truth at the length by the goodwill and calling of God being else where appointed to preach the Gospell hee forgetteth them not in the time of his absence but as by word afore so stil by writing endeuoureth to leade them on Wherfore being now to make an ende both of speaking and writing vnto them hee most louinglie taketh his leaue and with his farewel giueth them this sweete exhortation Be perâ—it be of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you 2 My present case is not much vnlike although I my selfe bee most vnlike for happie were hee that might followe so blessed a guide though it were with far vnequall paces The citie is like the people are like my departure from you is like but the performing of my office amongest you I must confesse hath ben much vnlike And good cause why for God alike hath not bestowed his gracious giftes Yet my conscience beareth me record I haue endeuored to treade in the same steps And in doctrine which is the chiefest point I dare affirme euen the same which the holy Apostle doth I haue deliuered no other vnto you then that which I haue receiued of the Lord yea safely in the sight of the most high God I may saie with him you haue receiued of vs not the word of men but as it was in deede the worde of God In distribution whereof neither haue I vsed flatterie as you know neither coloured couetousnesse the Lorde will testifie neither haue I sought mine owne praise my heart is witnesse And this testimonie of conscience that I haue dealt sincerely in the house of God as touching doctrine hath bene my great reliefe and comfort in all the stormy troubles which by the mighty assistance of almighty God I haue waded throwe Concerning diligence in the execution of mine office although I haue had a ready will yet my weake body being not answerable to my desire as all flesh herein is faultie so for my part I must pleade guiltie One debt and duety with S. Paule I protest I haue truelie paide you for with a tender affection I haue loued you The nurce was neuer more willing to giue the breast vnto hir childe then I haue beene that you shoulde sucke not onely milke but also bloude from mee if it might stande you in steede or serue to your safetie God hee knoweth that with this loue I haue loued you In vsing correction I haue sought reformation and not reuenge to punish hath bene a punishment to my selfe I neuer did it but with great griefe I haue alwaies
by denying our selues Mat. 16. Luc. 9. Mark 8. Our impietie Tob. 14. Act. 19. All our worldly and fleshlie desires Ioh. 5. Ioh. 4. Matth. 26. 1. Cor. 3. Luc. 14. Tit. 2. The waie to follow him in the ship is imitation 1. Ioh. 3. 1. Pet. 2. Leuit. 11. 1. Pet. 1. Ioh. 8. How God is to be followed and how men Eph. 5. Heb. 6. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes. 1. Psalm 78 1. Tim. 4 Phil. 4 They which are wiâ—h Christ must suffer trouble and affliction Afflictions common vnto all men Iob. 14. Afflictions peculiar vnto Gods elect Psal. 35. 2. Thes. 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Vpon euerie particular meÌ„ber Vpon the principal meÌ„bers specially The causes from whence such stormes do rise as troble y t church Rom. 15. How the stormes whâ—ch trouble men in partâ—cular do a rise Our troubles do grow when the causes that shoulde appease them are asleepe Aug. in Psal. 32 Eph. 5. 〈…〉 By ministers Ezech. 3. Esai 56. It is good that Christ should sleepe and wee bee troubled Cant. 5. Psalm 127. He seÌ„deth his disciples help in their troubles Psalm 44. We must liue as they that in the ende shall giue account howe they haue liued 1. Cor. 3. 1. Pet 2 Deut. 10. 1. Pet. 1. Luc. 1. Aâ—ac 2. Apocal. 3. The consideration of the last ende doth make them that are heauie ioyfull and them that are godlie watchfull Luke 21. The last ende of all things is certaine 2. Pet. 3. Act. 27. Act. 10. Act. 1. Apoc. 1. The time thereof vncertaine Act. 1. Matth. 24 1. Thess. 5. The time neere at hand as appeareth by signes but how neere we knoâ—e not Matth. 24. Dan. 7. 2. Thess. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 3. The destruction of Antichrist Ose. 4. The duties towardes God which S. Peter infereth vpon this doctrine 1 Ioh. 3. Inwarde sobrietie Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 13. Luke 5. Rom. 1â— Outward sobrietie in diet 1 Cor 9. Iud. 7. Sobrietie in attire Ecclesiast 19. 1 Tim. 2. Sobrietie in speech and gesture Awaking out of error superstition and sinne Ephe. 5. Esay 60. Watching that we ourselues be not deceiued by false teacheâ—s Chrysost. Psalm 73. Watching that others be not deceiued Esay 44. Watching ouer our liues 2. Reg. 31. Praying 1. Cor. 3. Psal. 126. The dutie towardes men which S. Peter inâ—erreth vpoÌ„ his doctrine concerning the end of all thinges haue feruent charitie Charitie hideth sinnes Possidon in viâ—a August Charitie is prone vnto hospitalitie Heb. 13. Leuit. 19. Matth. 25. Enemies to hospitalitie 1. Sam. 25. Charity communicateâ—h euery grace and gift of God vnto others Iac. 1. The occasion and partes of the Psalme The prophet alleageth his innocencie righteousnes He maketh mention of Gods wonted mercies towardes him He reproueth those which conspired against him What kinde of men they were which conspired Numb 25. Their continuance in their wicked purpose Their cuÌ„ning practises against the Lordes annointed The kinges patience All their deuises were but vanity They are exhorted to releÌ„t and châ—unge their mindes to offer the sacrifice of righteousnes vnto God Leuit. 4. Sacrificing vsuall in all ages Sacrifice God requireth 1. Pet. 2. The priestes by whom sacrifice is to be offered The sacrifice which Aaron offred the sacrifice of Christ and our sacrifice Esa. 53. Heb. 10. The sacrifice of the minister Psalm 12. 1. Pet. 4. The maintenaunce of the minister to offer sacrifice The sacrifice of the magistrate Ios. 7. Chrysost. Rom. 13. The sacrifice of all Christians offring their goodes Phil. 4. Heb. 13. Their 〈◊〉 Their soules â—n repentance Dan. 4. In thanksgiuing Lament 3. In making prayers and supplications S. Pauls fareâ—well to the Corinthians The same applied to the present occasion 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes. 2. Iac. 3. An exhortation to perfection Perfection in God Matth. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. Iâ—c 1. Psalm 94. Esai 66. In his worde Psalm 119. Rom 7. 1. Tim. 1. Heb. 7. Rom. 8. In all his workes Esa. 4â— Perfection in vs by imputation Ezec. 28. Perfection 〈◊〉 be sought for by industrie and labour Phil. 3. Inwarde perfection 〈…〉 In knowledge Colloss 1. In faith 1. Thess. 3. 1. Ioh. 5. Ioh. 5. Luke 17. In Godlines Iohn 5. In brotheâ—â—ie kindnesse and lâ—ue Outward perfection in doing 1. Thess. 4. In speaking Prou. 15. Colloss 4. Iac. 3. Ecclesiast 27. In suffering Iac. 1. An exhortation to reioyce and be of good comfort Act. 26. 2. Cor. 12. 1. Pet. 5. Ioh. 16. An exhortation to peace and vnitie Psalm 133. 1. Cor. â— The promise made to them which doe as they haue ben hitherto exhorted