hire Sir Iohn Lackelatine to sing or say the seruice howe shall the Gospell haue good successe whilest Church to Church is ioyned and non residencies borne withall and well liked what can go forewarde in the building of the Lorde where preaching is but once a quarter I say not where it is seldome or neuer which I might or once a moneth which some thinke more thē needes if it be eche Saboth it is counted a worke of supererogation how can the people be reclaimed from their vanities or kept within the fold in dew obedience Go to what springes of such contempt in these estates euen effusion of all ryot and running into sinne of the inferiour sort For as the wall within and eke without is made of squared stones betweene the which the lesse stones are contained to make the building vp euē so the minister within the Churche the Magistrate in the common weale should support and vpholde the meaner sort in dewe obedience If then the squared stones within or els with out fall downe the lesse can neuer long endure because they lacke their stay And of cōtempt in these degrees it comes to passe that lacke of discipline good liuing is the cause of many sinnes both in the Church and commō weale Neither woulde I haue this forgotten that whilest ecclesiasticall officers may for money dispense with offendours and also vayne pitie in the common weale maye shadowe iniquities the Churche can not go well Surely Surely it is with Englande as the Prophet Osee saide it was with Israel The Lord hath a controuersie with the people of the land because there is no mercy no truth no knowledge of God in the land But by swearing lying killing stealing and whoring men break out and blood toucheth blood therfore shal the land mourne c. How ripe the sinnes of England be for the sickle of Gods vēgeance euerye Christian eye can testifie And yet for all this we are fast a sleepe with the carelesse world in the time of Noe. We eat drinke we marie giue to mariage most like vntill the flood shall take vs hence wee lye vpon our soft couches and put away the euill day farre frō vs we blesse our selues when wee heare the threatnings of the Lord and curses of his law and say We shall feele none euill we are drunken with foolish Nabal vntill Abigail bring vs word that we must dye We spoyle and make our selues merie with the goods of other men as the Amalekites did in Ziklag vntill Dauid Gods scourge come vpon vs to wounde vs to death and make a reskewe We drinke with Balthasar in bowles vntill the Medes take away our kingdome we enriche our selues also enlarge our barnes and laye vp treasure in store for many yeres and yet this present night our soule must be taken away and then who shal possesse our substance we waste and spoyle our masters goodes liue vnmindfull of our duetie vntill we be called to render an accompt of our stewardshippe we sleepe full harde with the foolish virgins and our lampes quite put out till that the bridegrome be gone in and the doore fast locked that we can not enter We sit like the proud strumpet Babylon feede our selues with folly that we shall feele no sorowe nor widowhead yet al sorows shal sodainly come vpon vs Finally we say Peace peace all things quiet euen when the end is at hand Nay rather let vs watche pray and haue our lampes of righteousnes burning that we may enter into rest with the bridegrome at his comming leaue betimes our great securitie least we perish with the wicked It is reported of Tamberlane the king of the Parthians who tearmed himselfe Iram dei orbis vastitatem to haue set vp three seueral dais three seueral kinds of tents wherof the first was white betokening mercie if his enemies would that day yeeld the secōd day the tēts were red betokenīg the bloodshed of the rulers the thirde was black signifying the burning and destruction of the citie neyther was there hope of mercie when the white tents were takē down although they humbled themselues with lawrell Let vs goe foorth with lawrell braunches in this our time and day of grace for it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God who is a consuming fire let vs be admonished by the woorde of trueth or els the same will condemne vs with the wicked But the time is past I haue wearied you to much I wil therfore note one worde or two of the last wordes and so make an ende He was made the heire of righteousnes which is according to fayth This is nowe the acceptation reward of Noe his faith who first was receiued into fauour by beleeuing the promise of God and thereby had God a mercifull father Of whō this his obedience was accepted not for anye the worthines of flesh blood which was none but by the free grace of God accepting in good worth what he did For when faith beleueth the promises of God concerning saluation apprehendeth the adoption of the children then foloweth the inheritaunce of our righteousnesse for that we being by fayth the children of God are heires euen felowe heires with Christ of his kingdome For after we beleeue we are sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie This is that which the Apostle saith that wee being iustified by the grace of God should be made heires according to the hope of euerlasting life And for this cause is Christ the mediatour of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were in the former Testamēt they which were called might receiue the promise of the eternal inheritāce Blessed be God therefore let vs all say euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortal and vndefiled reserued in heauen for vs. This inheritance of righteousnes Abraham behelde with the eyes of fayth whē he forsooke his owne countrey looking for a better and euerlasting in heauen reioycing in spirite to see the day of Christ the Messias This inheritance Dauid longed after when like as the Harte desired the water brookes euen so his soule longed after the Lorde hoping to see the goodnesse of the Lorde in the lande of the liuing This inheritance the Apostles beleeued to haue when they confessed Christ to bee the Sonne of God and to haue the woordes of Eternall life This inheritance the Saints in the reuelatiō cast their eyes vpon when with patience they endured the tormentes
which hath promised We are alreadie saued by hope but hope that is seene is no hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth but if we hope for that which wee see not we doo with pacience abide for it And this treasure wee haue in our earthen vessels that the excellencie of that power might be of God not of vs And therefore our cōuersation is in heauē from whence we looke for the sauiour euen Iesus Christ with whom our life is hid in God that whē Christ which is our life shal appeare thē shal we also appeare with him in glorie Such a sure perswasiō of things to come had Noe neither wauered he in fayth at all This is that exceeding comfort which maketh glad the hearts of the elect in the middest of the sorowes of this life assuredly beholding with the eies of faith such thinges as neither the eie of man hath seene nor his eare hath heard nor yet his heart perceyued or vnderstoode Such an vndoubted hope and trust had the godly fathers vnder and before the lawe when with the eyes of fayth they behelde the Messias sauiour Christ to come and so were iustified as we beleue now that he is come alreadie and hath wrought our redemption Such was the faith of Abraham Isaac and Iacob concerning the promises of the land of Canaan whē as they were but strangers vpon the earth had not a foot bredth to possesse beleeuing what the Lord had promised should surely come to passe Such an assurāce of fayth had Moses when he refused the delightes of Egypt and the pleasures of Pharaos court to suffer persecution with his brethren looking to the promised rewarde This assured fayth of thinges to come had good king Dauid when he trusted that his throne shoulde continue and be established for euer This assurance of things to come our Sauiour Christ commended to his disciples against the assaults of persecution promising them that they shuld sit vpō twelue thrones with him and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel This assurance had the Apostle Paul whē he desired to attaine the righteousnes of fayth and resurrection of the iust that he might weare the crown which God had layde vp in store for him And what els moued the saints of God to withstande the beast and not to loue their liues to death but that by fayth they sawe the newe Ierusalem And this is that golden saying of Ignatius going to be martyred Nihil moror visibilium nec inuisibilium modo Iesum Christum acquiram I neither sayeth he care for things nowe seene nor thinges which are not seene so that I may laye holde of Iesus Christ This is our comfort dearely beloued in these daungerous dayes and byllowes of the world that our faith is not fixed of things present but of thinges to come For though now we be the childrē of God as sayeth the Apostle yet doth it not appeare what we shal be For we know that whē Christ shal appeare wee shall bee like to him for wee shall see him as he is We see now in a glasse darkly but thē shal we see him face to face we know but nowe in part but then shall wee knowe euen as we are knowne We are now corruptible but we shal be clothed with incorruptiō We are now but mortal but this mortall shall be swalowed vp of immortalitie We are now afflicted in distres but the same is but for a momēt yet causeth in vs a most excellēt eternal weight of glory while we looke not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seen are but tēporal but the things which are not seene are eternall Though for a while we feele the reliques of sin in vs prouoking vs to euil yet looke we dayly whē that time shal come that this body of sin may be don away We feele in our selues the sparks and seed of much vnrighteousnes yet do we hope in stead therof we shal be clothed with the fine reynes and righteousnes of Christ and all our transgressions to be pardoned We feele for a litle hunger colde yet do we hope for the abūdance of all delightes heauenly treasures We daily sorowe and weepe are vexed with the vncleane conuersatiō of the wicked yet trust we that our sorowe shal be turned into ioy all teares wyped from our eyes We now abyde with patience the tauntes and checkes of Antichrist and his mēbers but yet we see by faith that Babylon the mother of all abominations shal sodainly fall and come to nought for that her sinnes are in remembrance with God. We dayly feare the assaultes of sinne death yet do we knowe by faith that Christ hath cōquered them for vs. We feele our frailtie in this lyfe and thraldome to infirmities yet do we hope for euerlasting rest in the resurrection of the iust Such is the assurance of our faith surmounting farre the reache of mannes capacitie shee wauereth not she sincketh not shee doubteth not as saith the misbeleeuing papist leaning to his ydle woorkes but she maketh the good conscience sure and alwayes hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilest shee plainly beholdeth the things as yet not seene but surelie for to come to passe Further whereas this readines of Noe was ioyned with reuerēce it is dearely beloued to teache vs that his faith was directed both to the promisse of the couenāt whereby he was receyued into fauour also to the threatnings of GOD whereby the Lord menaced the destructiō of the world which he beleeued to come and so did tremble And as by the former he was assured of gods fauour so by the other in respect of his own infirmitie he feared least he should haue perished with the wicked Wherein we must note two things the one what is the obiect of our faith the other how it trembleth in respect of our selues at the plagues denounced yet for all that is assured of Gods mercie Our faith is leueled directed especially at Christ the obiect therof For like as the Israelites did with their bodily eyes behold the brasen serpent were cured euen so doth fayth the eye of our soule beholde the Sonne of God lift vp vpon the altar of the crosse for our redemptiō And like as wholesome meates onely nourish the body euen so nothing dooth feede our faith but Christ crucified the bread of lyfe at whose worke of redemption our faith must alwaies looke or els we must needes be pressed down with the terrour of our owne conscience into hell For seeing that the promises of the Gospell are a readie way to leade vs to the knowledge of Gods mercy reueyled in Christ in whom it pleaseth the father that al fulnes should dwell and
of death because they woulde not yeelde to the pollutions of Antichrist And this is that crowne of righteousnesse which wee desire whilest wee dayly pray Thy kingdome come Come Lorde Iesu come quickly Finally this is that inheritaunce of fayth which our Sauiour Christ hath already taken possession of for vs and which we shal feele when he shal sweetly saye Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde Then shall all sorow and teares hee wiped from our eyes then shal we see death sinne Sathan Antichrist his meÌ„bers trodden vnder foot and swalowed vp in victorie whilest we shall sing the songs of triumph before the throne of the lamb this shal be the reward of the obedieÌ„ce of our faith Wherefore whilest we see the end to draw nere let vs prepare addresse our selues that we may be fouÌ„d in the Arke of Christs church so shal we be sure froÌ„ destruction assured of euerlasting happines to be the reward inheritaÌ„ce of our faith giuen vs of God for the loue worthines of his onely soÌ„ne Iesus Christ our onely redeemer Sauiour to whome with the father and the holy Ghost three distinct persons and one inuisible and euerlasting God be al honour glory praise and dominion for euer So be it FINIS Blessed are they vvhich heare the vvorde of God and keepe it Luk. 11.28 Mat. 24.37 Mar. 13.32 Luk. 17.28 1. Pet. 3.20 Phil. 2.12 Ebr. 11.13 1. Pet. 4.7 1. thes 5.3 Apo. 16.15 Mat. 25.10 Ier. 17.1 2 Re. 22.11 Isa. 49.8 55.6 2. Chro. 36 15. Gen. 19.2 pet 2.6 Exo. 14.28 2. King. 17.6 14. Ier. 4. 7. 19. Luk. 19.43 Psal. 119.30 Psal. 119.30 Deut. 4.6 The Theame Ebr. 11. toto Rom. 3.2 4.5 6. Isai 6.3 Ge. 6. toto 1. Pet. 3.20 2. pet 2.5 Mat. 24.38 Psal. 23.4 Psa 27.1 5. Luk. 21.18 2. Pet. 2.9 Genes 6.8.14 Gen. 19.15 Nom. 16. toto Apoc. 18.4 Psal. 34.15 121.4 Amos. 3.7 Iere. 7.13 Isa. 10.5 Iere. 25.9 Mat. 24.16 Act. 20.29 2. thes 2.3 1. tim 4.1 2. tim 3.1 Luk. 21.25 Deut. 28. Amos. 4. Ezek. 3.17 33.4 Iere. 6.17 19. Iere. 5 25. Prou. 1.29 Iob. 21.7 psal 37.35 iere 12.1 â— 1. Pet 4.4 Micah 6.8 Iere. 8.7 Isai 1.3 Isai 1.3 Prou. 8.33 Luk. 8.14 Iohn 1.12 Rom. 10 17. 2. Thes 3.3 Leui. 26.3 12. ier 7.23 Nu. 10.29 2. Kin. 22.21 13. Psal. 84 6. Mat. 19 27 Act. 2.37 Pro. 1.24 ier 7.26 27 Psal. 95.7 8 Iere. 3.17 Mic. 4.1 2. psal 122.1 Esai 2.18.20 Psal. 110.3 Psal. 85.10 Iere. 6.10 Apo. 13.8 16. Colo. 3.8 Gene. 6. Nu. 11.4 5. psal 95.9 Galat. 3.1 Iere. 3.3 Zach. 7.12 Esa. 65.5 Mat. 7.3 4.5 Iere. 2.23 Apoc. 17.4 Luk. 18.11 Psal. 38.4 Apoc. 3.17 18. Ebr. 11.1 Ebr. 10.23 Ro. 8.24 25 2. Cor. 4.7 Phil. 3.20 Col. 3.3 4. Esai 64.4 1. cor 2.9 Gene. 3.15 15.5 22.17 18. Deu. 18.18 2. Sa. 7 16. Ebr. 11.13 Ebr. 11.24 25 26. Psal. 89.28 29. Mat. 19.28 luk 22.30 Phil. 3.8 9 10. 2. Ti. 4.8 Apo. 12.11 Euse lib. 3. cap. 36. 1. Iohn 3.2 1. Cor. 13.12 1. Cor. 15.53 2. Cor. 4.17 18. Rom. 7.23 24 25. Apo. 19.8 1. Cor. 1.30 2. cor 5 21. Psal. 32.1 2 2. Cor. 4.8 9 10. 2. pet 2.7 Ioh. 16.20 21. Apoc. 21.4 Apo. 14.9 Apoc. 17.4 Apoc. 18.5 2. Cor. 5.21 colos 2.14 apo 20.14 1. Cor. 15.31 32. Rom. 4.16.19 8.16 38 39. Ebr. 10.22 Psal. 42.5 11. Rom. 8.38 Num. 21.9 Ioh. 3.14 Ioh. 6.35.48.51 Mat. 11.28 Ioh. 3.16 Col. 1.19 and 2.3 Ioh. 3. 5. 6. tot Ro. 5.19 Mat. 3.17 Galat. 3.13 Ephe. 1.7 2.13 1. Pet. 2.24 1 Cor. 1.30 Ebre 9.12 10.10 18 Ro. 5.1 8.34 Ephe. 3.12 Ebr. 4.16 1. Iohn 2.2 Ioh. 3.16 Ro. 8.1 34. Galat 2.20 Ioh. 3. 6. tot Phil. 2.12 Deut. 29.2 18.12 Iere. 3.8 Ro. 11.18 1. Co. 10.5 Luk. 11.26 Mala. 1.6 Isa. 1.6 Iere. 5.3 Mat. 15.9 Psal. 14.1 2 3. Apo. 3.16 Isa. 5.7 Hos 4.2 Isa. 8.13 Psal. 2.12 Mat. 7.16 17. 12.33 Iam. 2.14 Ro. 12.1 2. Ephe. 2.10 Mat. 5.16 Rom. 1.5 Deut. 4.6 28. toto 1. Sam. 12.14 Psal. 95.7 8. 119. toto Ier. 7.22 23 Hos 6.6 Micah 6.8 Ioh. 14.15 Rom. 1.5 Rom. 6. toto 8.1 12.1 Gal. 5.1 Ephes 4.1 c. Iam. 2.14 1. pet 2.12 Rom. 13.8 Tâ—â—us 2.14 3.14 Luk. 1.71 74. 1. Pet. 4.10 Eph. 1.13 4.24 30. Rom. 8.10 1. Pet. 1.15 Rom. 6. tot 2. pet 1.10 1. Cor. 15.58 Mat 7.21 12.50 Iosua 1.8 1. king 2.3 Leuit. 26.3 12. Iere. 7.23 Ioh. 15.14 1. Pet. 1.22 Acts 15.9 Eph. 6.17 Rom. 1.16 Iam. 1.21 Deut. 5.27 29. 1. Sam. 15.22 Deut. 4.6 Gen. 6.15 16. Exo. 25.40 Act. 7.44 Ebr. 8.5 Deut. 12.29 30 31 32. Ezra 3.12 13. Ier. 3.11 eph 2.10 mat 16.18 Mat. 28.20 rom 15.18 Exo. 28.30 nuÌ„ 27.21 judg 1.1 Isa. 30.21 Ioh. 20.31 Gal. 1.8 2. Ioh. 10. Ezek. 13.10 15. Mat. 7.26 1. Cor. 3.12 13. Mat. 15.8 9. Apoc. 13.17 Isai 55.2 Isai 64.6 luk 17.10 Ioh. 14.6 col 2.18 2. The. 2.10 1 tim 4.1 2. tim 4.3 2 pet 2.1 2 apoc 18.3 4. 1. Cor. 14. Ephe. 4.12 ioh 10.27 17.3 Col. 1.14 Ephe. 4.30 Apoc. 7.3 14. Mat. 11.28 Ebr. 4.14 16. Mat. 16.18 Ephe. 6.11 1. thes 5.8 Apoc. 18.4 2 Tim. 2.7 Gen. 19.20 Mat. 2.13 Psal. 34.15 95.1 c 1. Pet. 5.7 Gen. 6.8 1. Pet. 3.21 1. Sa. 4. tot Ioh. 1.33 1. Cor. 10.5 Gen. 17.10 exo 12.11 mat 26.26 28.19 Tit. 3.5 Ephes 1.9 Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 4 Gen. 25.23 Rom 9.11 12. Act. 10.44 47. Eph. 1.4 5 1. Sa. 4. Conc. trident ses 6. cap. 8. Tit. 3.5 Mat. 26.26 Deu. 6.5 6 7. 31.12 2. Sam. 6.11 1. King. 17.10 c. 2 King. 4.1 c. Ioh. 4.53 Luk. 19.9 Act. 10.44 2. Tim 1.5 3.25 Ephes 6.1 c. Iere. 7.18 Hos 4.3 Ro. 13.13 Isa. 22.13 Luk. 16.1 Col. 3.16 Mat. 6.19 Deut. 6.5 28.2 Psal. 15.4 Psal. 101. toto Euseb de vita Const lib. 1. ca. 11. Ioh. 15.4 Psal. 106.4 Isai 37.32 ioel 2.32 Ezec. 13.9 Eph. 2.19 Rom. 5.10 1. Pet. 2.10 Ezec. 16.6 Apoc. 1.5 Ephe. 2.1 2. c. Apo. 14.8 17.2 18.3 Ioh. 15.1 c. Ioh. 10.27 Mat. 26.26 28.19 Rom. 3.25 Eph. 2 8. Gal. 4.6 1. Pet. 4.10 Iere. 7.4 18.18 mat 3.9 Ioh. 10.27 Acts. 2.42 ephe 5.25 26 27. 2. Thes 2.4 apoc 13.11 c. Isai 59.21 iohn 16.13 Matth. 24.2 thes 2.4 1. tim 4.1 2. pet 2.1 2 Gen. 3.15 22.18 deut 18.18 ioh 8.56 hebr 13.8 Apoc. 13.8 2. Tim. 2.19 Apoc. 7.4 Apoc. 11.3 Apoc. 13.7 Apoc. 17.6 Luk. 23.42 Ephes 1.4 Ioh. 6.37 10.28 Psal. 78.7 8. iere 9.14 ezek 20 18. Iohn 4.20 22. Ioh. 3.19 Mat. 11.21 Mat. 12.41 Beza epis 1. Iere. 6.16 Col. 2.3 Ephes 4.3 phil 2.2 Ephe. 5.1 phil 3.17 Dist 40. Mat. 7.13 14. Mat. 22.14 Gen. 7. Iere. 7 4 â—1 Mat. 21.33 mar 12.1 Mat. 8.24 mar 4.35 Ioh. 16.33 act 14.22 2. tim 3.12 Gen. 12. 20. Psal. 27.1 66.12 Mat. 16.21 1. Pet. 4.12 Apoc. 11.7 12.11 14.12 Psal. 2.2 Apoc. 17.12 13. Mat. 7.24 Rom. 8.29 2. Tim. 2.11.12 2. Cor. 1.5 7. 1. Pet. 1.7 4.12 13 14. Ebr. 12.7 c. 1. Cor. 11.32 Psal. 50.15 1. Pet. 1.7 iam 1.3 4 12. 2. Cor. 5.1 2. 1. Pet. 3.17 Mat. 5.11 12.1 pet 2.21 Apoc. 2.17 22.17 Psal. 30.5 Mat. 28.10 1. pet 4.14 2. pet 2.9 Gen. 8.4 5 Apoc. 18.20 Gen. 33.4 1. Sa. 23.27 Act. 2.23 4.28 Ephes 6.12 2. Cor. 11.26 Isai 25.8 apoc 7.17 Ebr. 10.23 2. Cor. 2.16 Exo. 14. Dan. 3.21 25. Dan. 6.22 24. Iere. 6.17 Isai 55.10 Rom. 1.16 2. Cor. 10.5 Genes 6. 1. pet 3 20 2. pet 2.5 Mat. 13.3 4. Gen. 3. Rom. 5.19 Psal. 95.9 ebr 3.12 c. Iude. 5. c. 1. Sa. 15. 2. Kin. 17.14 iere 9.12 13. luk 14.18 rom 11.21 ebr 4.1 Nom. 11.5 6 7. Gen. 6.12 Iere. 5.5 Isocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezra 9.2 Psal. 14.4 Foxus to 1. pag. 111. Iere. 2.8 1. Kin. 12.31 2. chro 13.9 isa 56 10. Act. 20.28 nehe 6.3 Mat. 18.17 1. Sa. 15.8 1. kin 20.42 Hos 4.1 2 3. Apoc. 14.15 Mat. 24.37 luk 17.28 1. pet 3.20 Amos. 6.4 Deut. 29.19 1. Sa. 25.36 1. Sa. 30.16 Da. 5.3 30. Luk. 12.18 Luk. 12.20 Luk. 16.1 Mat. 25.5 Apoc. 18.7 8. 1. The. 5.3 Mat. 25.13 Ro. 8.33 34. Rom. 8.15 17. Ephe. 1.13 14. Tit. 3.7 Ebr. 9.15 1. Pet. 1.3 Gen. 12.1 ebr 11.8 Ioh. 8.56 Psal. 42.1 27 13. Ioh. 6.68 Apoc. 12.11 14 1â— Luk. 11.2 Apoc. 22.20 Mat. 25.34 Apoc. 21.48 1. Cor. 15.55 56 57. Apoc. 14.2 1. Pet. 4.7 2. Pet. 3.11 Ro. 6.23 ⧠Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes Maiestie ANNO. 1578. TIGRE REO ANIMALE DEL ADAM VECCHIO FIGLI VOLO MERCE LEVANGELIO FATTO N'ESTAT AGNELLO
A verie godlie and necessary Sermon preached before the yong Countesse of Comberland in the North the 24. of Nouember 1577. By Christopher Shutt 1. Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hād be ye therfore sober and watch vnto prayer Eccles 12.13 14. Let vs heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his Commandements for this is the whole duetie of man For God wyll bryng euery woorke vnto iudgement with euery secrete thing whether it be good or euill Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes Maiestie To the ryght honourable and most vertuous Ladie the Ladie Margaret Countesse of Comberland C. S. wisheth all happinesse and encrease of grace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ AS I descended right honorable and my good Ladie into a secret consideration of the age of this present worlde and of the last ende thereof I perceyued that our sauiour Christ in going about by sundry signes and tokens to foreshew premonish his elect of the ruinous decaye and dreadfull downefall of this last generation compared the dayes therof to the dayes of Noe before the floode what time the wicked gaue ouer them selues to all vnrighteousnes heaping one sinne vpō an other vntil the water came and swept them all away to the ende by due remembraunce of Gods fearefull plagues most iustly powred vpon that sinnefull and carelesse generation the godly myght in all reuerence and holy conuersation watch and wayte within the arke of Christes Churche for that long wished most welcome time of their trāslation to eternal happines which thing whilest the faithful haue reason to remember it banisheth farre from them the vayne delights of earthly vanities and prepareth them most readilie to the obedience of the worde of God whereby they be forewarned with watchfull Noe of many future woes feareful daungers and also enkindeled in true godlines and holines of lyfe with feare trembling to worke their saluation For sith they knowe themselues on earth to be but straungers where al things must consume and haue a sodaine and a certaine end their chiefest purpose ought to be as sayeth the Apostle to be sober and to watche in all godly conuersation vnto prayer For sodainly no doubt the ende shall come as was the comming of the flood in Noe his time yea euen in an hower when man thinketh not and then blessed shall he be that is founde in Noe his arke watcheth with his garments cleane and his lampe of righteousnes burning for he shall enter with the bridegrome into rest and so be saued from destruction Neither doe I see what dayes may be so rightly compared with the dayes of Noe as these wherein we lyue vvherein so fewe be righteous so many sleeping in securitie of sinne Whereat I can not but tremble to behold in the spirit the great calamities endles woes which may fal vpō this sinful generation the wickednes wherof is written with a pen of yron with the piont of a diamōd which these eyes of ours are verie likelie to behold except with good Iosias we be humbled in this acceptable time day of grace to seeke vnto the Lord in true repentance to auoyde his heauie wrath For no doubt since the first tyme that Englād euer had the knowledge of Gods Gospel I speake not of the times of ignoraunce the mystie cloudes whereof are past was there in it neuer more ripenes of all maner of sinne and carnall securitie then these present dayes in all estates expresse and therefore the more we stand in daunger of destruction God hath called vs earely and late by the preaching of his worde but we are nothing better what remayneth then but that we feele his scourges When Sodome and Gomorrha woulde not be moued by the preaching of iust Lot what remained but fire and brimstone from heauen to be their destruction When Pharao and the Egyptians refused the wordes of Moses the red sea was appointed to be their confusion When Israel and Iuda would not be counselled by the voyce of the prophets of God the Assyrians and the Babyloniās were raised vp to plague them destroy thē When Ierusalē was nothing bettred by all the sermons miracles of our sauiour Christ and vvould in no vvise acknovvledge the time of her visitation the Romanes vvere appointed to bee her desolation And euen so in this sermon ensuing it may be gathered that vvhen the carelesse man refuseth to be vvarned by the vvord of god the Lord hath many plagues prepared for his destruction Can the Lords vvord thē be of some so stubbernely among vs contēned and hypocritically of other some receaued the fruits of holy life in fevv brought forth and the land escape vnpunished It is to truely verified of vs vvhich in times past vvas vvitnessed of the dayes of Noe vvherin al flesh had corrupted it selfe filled the lād vvith iniquitie whilest only Noe and his familie being but a fewe in number vvere occupied in making of the Arke for their deliuerāce Wherof Madame vvhē I had preached before your honour more compendiously perhaps through shortnes of the time then eyther your Honour could haue desired or I my selfe haue vvished I was then of some so vehemently required to impart in vvriting to their further consolation vvhat then in pulpit I had spoken that notvvithstanding I iudged my labours to simple to passe abroad and my selfe farre vnmeete for such a purpose yet durst I not deny to cōfort such as thirsted after spiritual knovvledge to warne such as would escape of the vengeance to come and so eftsoones resolued my self as nere as god vvould giue me leaue to explane and augment vvhat my purpose vvas then in the pulpit to vtter Neither had I far to seeke to vvhose patronage I might commend vvhat herein I vvent about vvhē as dayly your honours godlie zeale and vertuous life called me to offer it vnto your wisdome whose vvilling hart not onely I haue had experience of to accept my laboures in good part before this time but also see your vvhole endeuour alvvayes bent to further the proceedings of the Gospell and to reclame this ignorant country frō their vvonted erroures to the church arke of Christ A rare vertue in your sexe and such as may condēne the slackenes of some other kinds vvho care full litle hovve it goeth vvith the Churche so they them selues may liue at vvill and ease But as your honour hath chosen the vvay of trueth to bee your treasure and delight and eke your perfect wisedome and nobilitie and also by your happy and welcome comming into these rude and desert partes haue ministred great solace to the godlie so do I wishe with all my heart and dayly pray that your honour may happily proceed as you haue vertuously begun to the great benefitte of Christes church to the comfort
owne imaginations and all the curses of the law and so we shall lye downe in our owne confusion and bee couered with our shame because wee loathed instruction and hated to bee reformed For surely the ouerthrow of the wicked sleepeth not though yet they liue in al prosperitie and florish as a greene Bay tree Let not vs then folowe their â—â—usion of ryote but in time receiue the Lordes warning with Noe to huÌ„ble our selues to walke before our god The Storcke in the ayre as sayth the Prophete knoweth her appointed times the Turtle the Crane and the Swallowe obserue their opportunitie of comming and shall not we knowe the iudgements of our God Or can the Oxe know his masters stall or the Asse his masters cribbe and shall not Israel know his God Let vs be warned by the voyce of God let vs receiue instruction and be wise betime For blessed is the man that heareth wisdome watching dayly at hir gates and giuing attendance at the postes of hir doores For hee that findeth hir findeth life and shall obtaine the fauour of the Lord and onely this is our wisdome and perfect vnderstanding to receiue and obserue the admonitions of our God. When Noe were thus admonished by the Lorde he did not by and by forget his worde or choke it with the cares of life and voluptuousnesse of liuing then preuailing but as his fayth was wrought thereby so was he now emboldned and his fayth encreased and preserued by these admonitions concerning thinges to come For as by meats drinks the bodie is increased and by the wholsome counsell of physitions the sicknes to be feared is preueÌ„ted so by the woorde of God the fayth of Noe was increased and by the admonitions thereof the daungers to bee feared were auoyded whilest he willingly gaue credit to that which was spoken By this his readinesse to beleeue the worde appeareth plainly beloued the faythfull heart which the godly ought to haue towards the same that in beleeuing the worde of trueth the Lord may be their God and they his people This readinesse was in the Kenites when they left their owne couÌ„try to go with the Israelites into the land of Canaan that they might be further instructed in the law of God. This readines was in the good king Iosias wheÌ„ his heart melted within him for feare of the plagues of God towardes the land neither ceassed he vntill he had enquired of the Lord what was to be done This readinesse was in all those which wente through the valley of teares from strength to strength to seeke the Lorde in Sion This readinesse was in the Prophetes and Apostles whilest they left all thinges to obey the will of God. This readines was in the Iewes when they were fired with the wordes of Peter and with penitent hearts required what to do And this ought to be our readines towards the word of our saluation and towards the admonitions of the most highest that whilest he speaketh we giue eare whilest he crieth that wee make answere and whilest it is said to day that we beleue and heare his voyce These should be the daies wherein men shoulde follow no more the stubbornnesse of theyr wicked hearts but rather should goe vp to the mountaine of the lord to be instructed in his lawes with reuerence and feare These should be the dayes wherein the idoles shoulde de destroyed and men shoulde forsake their molten gods These should be the sweete and ioyfull dayes of Ierusalem wherein the people shoulde offer willing offrings of obedience and thankfulnesse These shoulde be the Halcionios dies of the Church when righteousnesse and peace when mercie and trueth shoulde meete and kisse eche other But in steade of readines to the worlde the eares of many are vncircumcised that they neither can nor will heare the lawe of god In stead of casting away the vanities of Idoles they are marked with the beastes marke whome they worship In stead of quietnes loue the heartes of many are set on mischiefe whilest discorde enuie and debate preuaile so much I feare therefore these dayes are more like the daies of Noe wherin the coÌ„tempt of trueth bare rule amongst so many They are the dayes of the prouocation in the wildernes wherein the delights of Egyptiacal seruitude is preferred before the sweete Manna of euerlasting happines I wonder what euill spirite hath bewitched men that they should not beleeue the truth Why haue they put vpon them an whorish face and a shameles looke and made their hearts like an adamant whilest they walke in the errour of theyr hearts and in the vanitie of their own imaginations Euery man flattereth himselfe in his owne wayes thinketh him selfe more holy then his fellowe but yet hee pluckes not the beame of pride out of his eie Wee say with filthie Iuda that we be not polluted nor haue folowed after Baalim and yet we are vncleane by meanes of popishe superstition Wee bragge and boast with the proud Pharisie of our righteousnes yet feele we not the burthen of our sinnes and faith in Christ and therfore remaine vniustified We say with the angell of Laodicea that we be rich and much encreased with goodes and haue neede of nothing yet we know not that we are wretched miserable poore and blind naked What remayneth then for vs but to bye of the Lords fine gold that we may be rich white rayment that we may be clothed that our filthie nakednes do not appeare that our eies may be anointed with the eie salue that we may see with al readines to obey the truth to be warned with Noe to make preparation against the flouds of euil to come But especially welbeloued the faith of Noe appeared in this that he saw the things to come which presently could not by outwarde senses be discerned For seeing that the floud was not come before an hundreth and twentie yeeres were ended the tract of time might haue remoued and banished away the remembrance thereof It might also haue seemed incredible to flesh and bloud that such a water should come so quickly besides all these the wicked folowed their delights without respect and to be short these threatnings of such floods might haue bene iudged vaine but Noe his faith did mouÌ„t aloft and reached aboue the capacitie of outwarde senses and looked vp to things more excellent by much theÌ„ could by outward meanes be vnderstood which things yet hid and not apparant the holy ghost sealeth in our harts for our more assurance According whereunto the Apostle calleth fayth the substance of things hoped for the sure demonstration of thinges which are not seene thereby not onely lifting vp our fayth to things to come but also fully assuring vs of the performaÌ„ce therof for God is faithful