vnto vs euery daye for amendment of lyfe sayinge with S. Paule aryse thou that sléepest and stand vp from death and the Lorde â–ª shall giue thée light and yet for all this we sléepe stil And therfore I fear me that many of vs shall dye in our sinnes without repentaunce and haue our soules buried in hell to euerlastinge paine which if we woulde awake and aryse from sinne shoulde dwell in heauen to euerlastinge lyfe And truely we that be heare in thys country be of all others I feare me fruthest of froÌ„ saluacion For although the trumpet of gods word doe dayly sounde in our eares and although we haue the blacke cloudes of darkenes and ignorauÌ„ce driuen away from vs by the shininge light of the gospell yet for all this we walke not as the childrâ—e of light but are to wel acquainted and ouer much occupied in the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes for howe can we be saide to be the childrne of light when as no fruit of godly life appeareth in all our doinges and when our déeds be such towards our neighbours that they shewe and declare there is nothinge but doung and poyson in our hartes And howe can wée be saide to be awake when as we lye still buried in sin drowned in vice séeinge that we daily commit such déedes as stiâ—cke both before she face of god and all good men We say that a man is awake wheÌ„ as he can do the office of a maÌ„ as talke write go run such like So in like maner a man is said to bée a waked out of the sléepe of sinne wheÌ„ as he beleueth truely in Christ loueth his neighbour and walketh in the waies and commaundementes of the Lorde god Kinge Dauid awaked out of this sléepe of sinne wherein he had laine aboue a yeare when as Nathan the Prophet came vnto him reproued him therfore For after that NathaÌ„ had rebuked him for his whoredome hée began to mislike him selfe earnestly for his sinne coÌ„mitted humbled himselfe before God and cryed out I haue sinned against the Lorde sayinge Miserere mei deus secundum magnum miserecordiam tuam c. Haue mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy and accordinge to y multitude of thy compassions wype away my offeÌ„ces Wash me throughly from my wickednes and clense me from my sinne The Prodigall sonne awaked out of the sléepe of sinne wheÌ„ he forsooke his fylthy strompets and retourned home to his father from whom he had rashly departed submittinge him selfe vnto him and sayinge Father I haue sinned against heaueÌ„ and against thée am no more worthy to bée called thy sonne The wicked Iewes which had crucified Christ harkeninge to the sermon of Peter began to awake out of thys deadly sleépe of sinne when as they began to be pricked in the harte and to say vnto Peter the other apostles Men and bretheren what shall we do which examples doe teache vs y men are then said to be awake and to arise out of the sléepe of sinne when as they are hartely sory for the sinne coÌ„mitted and bringe forth the fruit of repentaunce Thus you sée what is ment by sléepe and arising from sléepe And truely it should séeme that the apostle doth vse this Metaphor of sléepinge and wakinge and of night and day that we might haue good occasions to muse and thinke of these thinges as oft as we sée the sonne â—o arise and as oft as we awake out of sléepe and rise out of our beddes For euen as it is the parte of a good husband not to slugge and slepe in his bedde when as the daye appearinge offereth vnto him good occasion to arise and to go about his busines but to get vp with all conuenient spéede and to goe about such thinges as are néedeful to be done So christian men which haue any care of their owne saluation ought not to let slip the good opportunitie to do good offered to them of god but they ought to shewe them selues readye and diligent to doo those things that God hath coÌ„maunded by his worde An other reason which he vseth to perswade vs to arise nowe out of this deadly sléepe is bicause our saluation is nearer then when we beleued it By which reason he sheweth that it had haue to small purpose to tel vs of these thinges and to haue exhorted vs to holinesse of life before we did beleue in Christ and had the knowledge of the truth But séeing that our saluation is nowe nearer then it was in time past we ought in no wise to neglect thys occasion By saluation he meaneth that full and perfect saluation and blessednesse which we shal be parsakers after this lyfe So that the sence and meaninge of Paule is that our fall and perfect salutation is nowe nearer then it was longe agâ—e and when we did syrst begyn to beléeue For as without sayth beleefe in Christ there is no hope of saluation no remission of sinnes no eternall lyfe to be looked for so heauen and eternall lyfe beginne then to appeare when â—â—yrst God giueth a hart to beléeue and eyes to sée the waye to most blessed immortalytie And the more that our fayth encreaseth and the more that we profit in the knowledge of God the nearer and nearer doo we drawe towardes heauen and moste blessed saluation When as a man diggeth in a gold myne the déeper he diggeth the nearer he commeth to gold The further that the trauayling man goeth on his way the nearer he commeth to his iournies ende So the most happy perfect saluasion that we shall enioy after thys mortal life is nearer vnto vs theÌ„ wheÌ„ we first beleued For when as we began first to beleue then did we begin to set forward in our rate iourneye to goo towards heueÌ„ but now we haue gon a great way in our iorney euery day draweth nearer nearer the day of our deth At which time our souls shal be caried vp into heaueÌ„ Again we are now nearer to the day of iudgemeÌ„t and the world is nearer an end theÌ„ it was mani a yere agoe At which time christ shall raise vp our bodyes out of the dust and make vs partakers of that kingdom whereof his blessed body is pertaker of all redy For then shall mortalyty put on immortality corrupcion incorrupcioÌ„ then may we be bould to say O death wher is thy stynge O hel where is thy victory And truely the consideracion of this full and perfecte saluacion whych is nowe nearer then when we first beleued ought to moue vs to leade a holy and Godly lyfe least that through our slouthe and necligence we lose it and giue testimony to the worlde that it doth not appertaine vnto vs. For our necligence must néedes be accounted horrible and shamefull if we now leaue of to serue GOD when as we haue but a short tyme to liue and be at the very poynt to
A Sermon preached before the right honorable Earle of Darbie and diuers others assembled in his honors Chappell at Newparke in Lankashire the second of Ianuarie Anno humana Salut 1577. GALA VI. ¶ Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ¶ Whyle we haue time let vs doo good Gala. vi ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East the xiiij day of March. 1577. TO THE RIGHT Honorable and his very good Lorde Henrie Earle of Darbie Lorde Stanley and Strange Lorde of Man and of the Iles adioyninge and Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter continuance of health with prosperitie and increase of honor YOV Knowe right well right honorable my very good Lorde that I accordinge to my dutie giuinge attendaūce vpō your Lordshippe in the tyme of Christmas laste past was appointed by your honour to preach before you in your Chapple at neweparke the second of Ienuarie at which tyme I entreated of this text of Sainct Paule Rom 13. Idque perspecta oportunitate quod videlicet tempestiuū iam sit nos a somno expergisci so forth vnto the end of the chapter according as it pleased God at that time to minister vnto me matter and to giue vnto me the spirit of vtteraūce Which Sermon finished I was immediately called vnto your honor by you earnestly requested without delay to set downe in wryting such lessons and instructions as I had in your presence before certain gētlemen of worship vttered with my mouth And herewithall it pleased your honor not only to require a copie of my Sermon but also to giue me to vnderstand that you would send it vp to London to be Printed to the ende that the thinges which I had vttered before a fewe at home in your house might be further published abroade to the vse and behoofe of many Which when I perceaued I must needes confesse that I was very loth altogether vnwilling to deliuer to that ende into your Lordshippes handes any copy of that which I had preched First bicause my dooinges are so simple and my skil so small that they deserue not to come abroade into the sight of the world Secondly many are so fine and daintie that nothing can please content thē vnlesse it flow and swim with store of eloquence Thirdly and last of all bicause I feare that when many haue read it ▪ I shall by my playnnesse procure to my self more misliking for publishing of it then I had lyking of your honor for preaching of it Howbeit your honors great goodnesse diuers times shewed towards me your benefits bestowed vpon me which are yet greene abyding fresh in my remembrāce to my great releefe and comfort wherby I liue at this present a great deale the better haue ouercome all lettes and impediments enforced me to satisfie your godly desire herein Chosing rather to be mislyked for my doinges of a great many others to be reproued for my want of skil then to shew my selfe not dutiful towards your honor in this behalfe or to seeme slack to do any thing that may cōtent your noble mynde especially whē it pleaseth your Lordship so earnestly to require it of me who am so much bounde to your honor that I must nedes acknowledge my self to be ouermuch vnthākful if mi pore seruice wer not alwaies redi at your cōmādmēt Wherfore seing that it plesed your ◠to accept so well of this Sermon when it was preached I am thereby emboldned to craue patronage of you now it is Printed and further published abrode especially bicause it now hathe more neede thereof Most humbly desiring your honor to take it in good part now as you dyd then and to continue your good will to the faithfull Ministers Preachers of the word to seeke euer more and more to promote the honor and glory of our good God so that it may appere vnto al men that you haue in vtter hatred detestation the lying false doctrine of Antichrist as well as it is knowne to me and others that dayly haue experiēce of your honorable disposition herein The Lord of Lordes euermore enflame direct your noble hart with his holy and gratious Spirit increase all heroicall and godly vertues in you with prosperitie and encrease of honor in this lyfe graunt that in the end you may so dye that you may after wardes lyue for euer At Moberley the. viii of Februarie ¶ Your honors most humble bounden seruaunt Iohn Caldwell Parson of Winwick ¶ Idque perspecta oportunitate quod videlicet tempestiuum tam sit nos a somno expergisci c. AND that cōsidering the seasō that it is now time that we should arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nearer then when we beleued it The night is past and the daye is at hand let vs therfor cast away the works of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie dronkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnes not in strife and enuyinge But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of it RIght honorable if we way and consider the holy Scriptures we shall easily finde and soone perceiue that our conuersaiton is then worthy of great praise our life best framed to gods will and the rule of his lawe when it shal be euery waye most profitable to our neighbours For god requireth nothing more earnestly of vs thē loue he would haue such a bande of friendshipe amongest men y they might be knit together as members of one body And for this cause hath he oftentimes in his word commaunded vs with no lesse chéerefulnes to be as ready to pleasure and to doe good to our neighboures then to our selues So that it is not without good cause that S. Paule in this chapter euen in the verse next goinge before this text ▪ saith that loue is the fulfilling of the lawe For Paule speaking here of the dueties and debt that we owe one to an other doth giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuor is contayned in y second table of gods lawe is comprehended in these fewe words loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And true it is that such is the force of holy and godly loue that it worketh not euill but it seeketh to ouercome euill with goodnes neyther will it permit and suffer a man to hurt his neighbour He that loueth his father and mother will shewe himselfe obedient and lowly towards them he will bée ready to ayde and assist them and willinge to do after their commaundement and be affrayde to doe any thing that may displease and offend them Hée that loueth his neighbour will not inwardly in minde conceue malice and hatred agynst him neither will he go about to offer violence and wrong too any man but will seeke to preserue his life and to procure his welfare yea though it
his deare and welbeloued soÌ„ne neither had we learned how swéete the Lorde is Our eares were so stopped y we could not harken vnto the swéete voyce of God and glad tidinges of saluatioÌ„ we perceaued nothing at all of the goodnes of God towards vs neither yet were we moued to any worke of charitye towards our neighbour but were vtterlye vnapt altogether vnable to doo any good worke yea not so much so much as to thinke a good thought But now seinge it hath pleased the lord to pittye our misery to awake vs out of this deadlye daungerous sleepe of sinne to send his worde amongest vs and by it through the working of his spirit to create fayth in vs it is very méete and also right nedefull that we sléepe no more in sine but rise vp with al spéed vnto newnes of life For seing we haue nowe the light of the Gospell amoÌ„gst vs it is now no time for vs to â—lugge and sléepe any more and to folowe the lustes pleasures of the fleshe as though Christ had neuer bene preched vnto vs and we neuer called by the voyce of God to repentance and amendment of lyfe Let vs therefore not neclect this good occasion considering y the apostle doth héere fel vs that it is nowe high tyme for vs to awake out of sléepe but let euery man be redy to do his duty séeing that good opportunitye serueth therevnto we ought in no wise to deferre the reformation of things that be amisse from daye to daye and yere to yere and to be idle at such a time as this is bicause god perchaunce will not alwaies graunt vs the like occasion to do good And therfore it behoueth vs to strayne our selus the more whilest occasion â—â—steth while god grauÌ„teth vs leaue to do wel The Smith stricketh his yron 〈…〉 it is hot The husband ma◠〈◊〉 his corne to be already ripe prouideth in dâ—â— seaâ—on reaperâ— and sicles to cut it doâ—â—â— and in the harâ—est time you shall heare him say to his seruauntes wheÌ„ the weather is faire plie it â—â—irs plye it for we cannot tell whether it will raine or no and howe longe this faire weather will last Likewise the Marchantman if he haue a voiage to make he will take shippe while tide anâ— wâ—â—de serueth For hée knoweth that time and tide will â—arye for no man The prophet Esay therfore giueth good counsel and willeth all men to receyue Christ when as he offereth himselfe into them by the preaching of his worde Sayinge Quâ—â—â—te dominum dum inueâ—â—â— potest inuocate eum dum prope est sieke the Lorde whilest he may be found cal you vpon him whilest he is neare Christ in the gospell doth shewe that manye through their owne slownes and negligence shall be that out of the kingdome of heauen he depriued of eternal life Here vpoÌ„ he saith Contendite intrare per anguâ—â—am portaÌ„ quia dico vobis multi quaerent intrare et non poterunt Stâ—â—ue to enter in at the strait gate for many I say wil seeke to enter in and shall not be able When the good man of the house is risen vp and hath shut to y dore ye begin to staÌ„d without and knock at the dore sayinge Lorde Lord open vnto vs he shall answer and say vnto you I knowe you not whence you are In the xxv of Math. we read y the siue wise virgins which wer ready went in with the Bridegrom vnto the weddinge but the fiue folishe virgins bicause they were not ready in time had the gate of heauen shut against them For whilest they went to bye oyle for their laâ—ps y bridegrome came the gaâ—â— was shut Paule therfore in the Gal. willeth vs to do good to all men while we haue time And here in this place he telleth vs y it is now time for vs to awake out of slepe Wherefore seeinge y good occasion of well doinge beings 〈◊〉 â—et â—lipe cannot be called back agane fâ—râ—â—much as it hath plesed god of his infinit mercy to seÌ„d his word amoÌ„gst vs to giue vs vnderstaÌ„diÌ„g of his good will plesure to awakeÌ„ vs which were afore fast a sleepe in Idolatry and vtterly vnable to do any good worke let vs I say not neclect this good occasion but with an earnest desire endeuour to do our duties whilest god graunteth vs leasure and whilest good opportunity serueth thervnto An other reason which ought to perswade vs to doo our dutye without delay is because our lyfe is short and passeth away swyftly and good occasions of well dooing slippe away apace and therefore greate cause haue we to do good whilest God giueth vs respite whilest opportunity serueth For we are taught by the prophet the we cannot be couÌ„ted for good fruitful trées vnlesse we bringe footh fruite in dwe season A good trée doth not only bringe forth good fruit but also it bringeth it foorth in due coÌ„uenieÌ„t time So if we wil be counted good ChristiaÌ„s we must do good whilest opportunitye serueth The good Samaritane meÌ„tioned of in the Gospel did good while opportunity did serue and when occasion was offered For so sone as he sawe the man that was falleÌ„ into the hands of theues lying by the way side sore beaten and wounded he was straight way moued with coÌ„passion on him in somuch that he went vnto him bouÌ„de vp his wounds powred wine oyle into them layde hym vpoÌ„ his beast caried him to his Inne and made prousion for him But the Preist and the Leuite had the same occasioÌ„ offered them to do good and to exercise theire charity towards theire neighbour but they passed by would not do good when occasioÌ„ serued thervnto So likewise wheÌ„ poore Lazarus laie at the gate of Diues with a naked body an empty belly crauinge to be refreshed with the smal cruÌ„mes that fell from his table there was occasion offered vnto him to do good but he would not do good when he might bringe forth fruite in dwe season therefore he was cut downe as an vnfruitful trée and cast into the fyre and his ende was euerlastynge myserye withoute all hope of mercy Therfore let vs learne to do good whilest we haue tyme and when we may But alas although we are here told that it is time to awake out of sléepe to arise out of the bedde of carnal securitie and to goe about our busines yet for al this we lye still wée are none of the hastinges yea wée deferre our doinge well from one day to another yea from one yere to another that is to say from henceforth for euer more Such is our negligence and slownes in this behalfe For we are in such a deade sléepe that wee awake not for all the noyse and callinges that is made and vsed euery daye The preachers crye out cease not they exalt their voyces like trumpetes and call
take possession of heauen The longer we liue and the nearer that we approch to death the more earnest we ought to be to serue God and the longer that we haue hard the Gospel and beleued in Christ so much the more earnest wée ought to be to obey the Gospell And therefore séeinge that we haue harde the Gospell many yeares in this Realme of England the more deligent we ought to be to serue God and to liue vprightly and to shewe foorth by our lyfe conuersation that we be dooers of the word and not hearers onely deceauinge our owne selues A prentice in seuen yeares wil learne his occupation and be able to doo hys maister good seruice and he will be more shylful the second yeare then the fyrst and so euery yeare better than another The lyttle chyldrne that goe to the Schole goe forwarde in learninge in thrée or foure yeres will not onelye be able to reade but also to write and to speake lattine But alas we haue gonne to schole not seuen yeares but eighttene yeares we haue had many notable Scholemasters and teachers and yet for all this wée be little amended but like very blockheades we tary styll in our ould lessons and will not take forth into good manners and newe conditions Yea we are more slowe to heare Gods worde and to frame our liues thereafter then we were wheÌ„ it was first preached And we go rather backward then forward And what a reproche and shame is it for vs to be more slowe to serue God then we were in the beginning considering we haue tasted of his mercye and grace so longe and so many yeres together and that in such sorte that we may iustly say Non taliter fecit omni nationi He hath not dealt so with any nation as he hath dealt with vs. You knowe that they which runne for a wager that the nearer they draw to the marke the faster they runne and they make the more spéede So the longer that we haue harde the Gospel and the longer that we haue beléeued so much the holier we ought to be in life and conuersation And truely if ther were no other reason to perswade vs yet consideringe as I haue sayd already that our lyfe is shorte and death knocketh at the dores and the daye of Iudgement commeth on so fast that we may looke for it euery houre we ought to be perswaded to liue vprightly and to walk as it be commeth vs. But alas many at the first hearing of the Gospell shewed them selues zelous and ready to folow it But after a while they gaue ouer euen in the middest of their race and waxed weary of well dooing And truely it appereth that ther hath bene many of these slydebackes in all ages but yet I thinke neuer more than at this day Kinge Asa in the beginning of his raigne was zelous in abolishing of Idolatrie in restoring of sound religion but at the length he began to waxe cold in the zeale of the Lorde imprisoned Hananie the Sear for telliÌ„g him of his fault therfore froÌ„ that time forwarde he felt the smart and bitternes of warre was striken by the hand of God with an extreme disease in the féete and at length taken away by death Ioas likewise was a good Kinge in the beginninge of his raigne and hée liued vprightly all the dayes of Iehoida the Priest who was vnto him a faithful counseller gouerned him by the worde of God but when Iehoida was dead he falleth to Idolatrie and forgettinge the kindenes which Iehoida had done vnto him slewe and sâ—oned to death his sonne Zacharia the Prophet of the Lorde For which it came to passe by the iust iudgement of God that he was slyan by the handes of his owne seruaunts The fiâ—e folyshe virgins went forth with their lampes to méete the Bridgroume aswell as the fiâ—e wise but bicause they faynted in the myddest of their race therefore they were shut out from the mariage and euerlasting life Let these horrible examples moue vs to take heede and to beware that we be not weary of well doing least we in the end perish as they dyd But let vs euery day morning euening risinge and goinge to bed consider that our salutation is now nearer then it was in times past and that therefore we ought with a good courage to goe forward to doo our duties throughly to the ende quietly to suffer that little trouble that is behind And euery day more and more to increase in faith to be more holy in lyfe It followeth in the text the night is passed and the daye is at hande Here is an other reason to moue vs to lyue vprightly and it differeth not much from that which he vsed before For the night hée calleth the ignoraunce of God and Christ the time of blindnes vnbelefe By day he meaneth the light of gods truth by which truth Iesus Christ the true sonne of rightuousnes doth appeare vnto vs And therefore in sayinge the night is passed and the day is come on he meaneth that séeinge we are not now ouerwhelmed with the thick mistes cloudes of ignoraunce as the infidels and vnbeléeuinge bée and as we our selues were in times past we ought to behaue our selues as the childrne of the day and light and not to sléepe still in sinne with the wicked and vnbeléeuinge And here by the way wée haue diligently to note and consider that Paule calleth the ignoraunce of Christ and his gospel night and darknes and coÌ„pareth the vnbeléeuers to such as bée fast a sléepe And verie aptly and not without good cause is the ignoraunce of Christ compared to night For as in the night time all thinges are couered with darknes and as we cannot for want of light knowe what is what and discerne black from blewâ— and redde from russet yea sometimes in the night season we thinke a bushe to be a man a dead thing a liuing creature for then as the Poet saith Est color omnibus vnus all things seeme to be of one hue and coulor so when wee were altogether ignoraunt in gods word knewe not Christ we did mistake things through igoraunce we did so erre y we accouÌ„ted superstision to be good deuotioÌ„ thought our selues highly in gods fauour when as wée were fast tied in the diuells setters and almost plunged into the pit of endles damnacioÌ„ For without the knowledge of gods word we are so blind that we cannot discerne betwene iustice and iniurie protection opression religioÌ„ and superstition Christ and Antichrist good euill Paule himselfe beinge ignoraunt of Christ did with great rage crueltie persecute his disciples thirsted after innoceÌ„t blood he himself coÌ„fesseth y he was sometimes vtterly parswaded that he ought to do many thinges against the name of Christ being led thervnto by a rash blind zeal and as yet wantinge the true knowledge of God. The Saduces
and lead a godly lyfe let vs not onely abstayne from euill but also doe good workes that they may serue as witnesses to confirme our election and that we may in so dooinge shewe our selues to be the shéepe 〈◊〉 Christ who doo not onely heare his voice but also follow him For S. Paule here in this place doth plainely tell vs that we cannot bée reckened for gods seruauntes vnlesse wée walke honestly as in that day In which words I haue to note vnto you to say some thing of thys worde walkinge bicause it is very life both in the olde newe testament and the Lorde dooth vse it often times to giue vs to vnderstande howe wée should order and frame our lyfe For then are we saide to walke honestly as it becommeth vs when as we liue vprightly and withdrawe our selues from euill Herevpon the Prophet often tymes in his boke of Psalmes goinge about to liue vprightly doth vse this worde walke In the first Psal. he saith Blessed is that man that walketh not in the counsell of the vngodly c. And in the. 119. Psal. he sayth Blessed are they that are sound in the way walke in the lawe of the Lorde by which two places it appeareth that to liue vprightly honestly is nothing els but to walke in the lawe of the Lorde For if a man liue after hys owne swynge he shall do nothing els but wander out of the right way and doe those thinges which are neyther séemely nor honest Paule settinge downe certaine preceptes concerning maners and christian life saith I pray you walke worthye of the vocation wherevnto you are called And Collo i. he willeth vs to walke worthie of the Lorde to please him in al things and to be fruitfull in all good workes So it appeareth that it is not inough for a man to walke vnlesse hée walke honestly as in the day For though all men doe walke yet doe not all men walke nonestly and in the lawe of GOD or daye light as they should doe Some there bée that walke not in the day but in the nyght and such walkers bée théeues and robbers which coÌ„mit wickednes in the night and when true men are at rest and in their beddes Some other there bée that walke in darknes for they haue not the true knowledge of Christ and of his worde but are vtterly ignoraÌ„t in matters pertaininge to GOD and to their saluation Such walkers were the filthye and polluted Gentils when as they lay drowned in all kinde of filthines and superstition in which they continued vntill Christ sent hys seruauntes to call them to bée partakers of the heueÌ„ly marriage Such walkers bée the Turkes which slatly deny Christe the gospell séekinge for life and saluation by the Alcoran Such be the Iewes which séeke for saluation by the lawe and deny Christ which was borne of the virgin Mary to bée the sonne of God and the true Messias Such walkers also be the papistes for they make the paineful passion of Iesus Christ the high ransome of our soules and the onely meanes which god hath vsed to worke our saluation by to be voyde and of none effect by bearinge themselues in hand that they are able to purchase the realme of Paradice by their owne merites For they walke after theyr owne fansies trangresse the lawe of God for their owne traditions Some other there be that walk but they walke not honestly as in the day for they walke after the fleshe not after the spirit Such walkers as these are they which delite in nothing but in sinne and wickednesse which take leaue to dooe naughtily neuer stryuing against theyr own lustes and wicked affections but suffering sathan the enimie of our saluation and welfare to hale them from one vice to another euen to theyr own destruction Such a fleshly walker was Absolon whose lust was so outragious that he defiled his fathers wyues in the sight of all Israel And surely as long as men walk after the fleshe and after the maner of this world which is altogether set vpoÌ„ mischiefe they shall euery day become worse worse their desire wil be nothinge els but to drawe others into the same sinke of sinne whereinto they theÌ„selues are alredy fallen And these that walk after this fashioÌ„ walke disorderly and they walke in horrible confusion and in that brode way that leadeth to hell and endlesse damnation An other kinde of walkers there bée which walke honestly as in the day and these be they which liue not after their owne swinge and let lose y bridle to vices but suffer them selues to bée gouerned by the word of GOD and walke accordinge to his lawe And these bycause they walke accordinge to the pure word of God they doe those thinges that are comely honest They spende their liues wholly in gods seruice and withdrawe theÌ„selues as much as is possible from all euill For they doe not walke as the wordlinges doe which euery day become worse and wofe but they sette GOD alwayes before their eies and haue a respect to his preceptes bicause they know they cannot doe any thing that can escape his sight Of this walkinge speaketh god himselfe in Gene. Wheras he commaundeth Adraham to walke before him and to liue vprightly and truely we shall neuer walke hnoestlye as wée should doe vnlesse we set the Lorde before our eies and thincke that we liue still in his sight Many doe glory of the multitude and boast thmselues to be holy and religious men bicause they liue as the moste doe and walke after the manners and coustomes if theyr forefathers but yet the holye ghost dothe here tell them that they shall neuer walke honestlye vnlesse they seperate them selues from men and frame theyr liues accordinge to the lawe of GOD. Here vpon it is sayde that Enoch walked with GOD bicause he was not peruerted by the euill example of others and although the world when as he liued was as corrupt as myght be yet hée continued vncorrupted and considered that it behooued him to walke honestly as in the presence of GOD. Suche a walker was Iob for hée gaue himselfe to the seruice of God liued amongest his neighbours without hurtinge of anye person guile deceit and naughtinesse was farre from him neyther went he about as many dâ—y in these dayes to encrease his substaunce by vndooinge of poore men And therefore the Scripture doth repâ—â—t him to bée a sounde and vpright man and suche a one as feared GOD and withdrewe himselfe from euill Ioseph also walked honestly for although hée was allured by his maisâ—res to doe wickednesse with hir yet could not he be drawne to destle his Maisters bedde And although no creature was present when as his maisteres did intice him to folly yet he walked honestly as in the daye and the feare of GOD preserued hym against hir continuall temptations And therefore he sayd how can I dâ—â— this great
be to his owne hinderanÌ„ce He that loueth his neighbour will not goe about to defile his neighbors bed with fiilthy and execrable whoredome neither will seeke to coÌ„pany with any woman out of marriage beinge maried will haue enioye his owne wife soberly and doe nothinge vnséeminge the honorable estate of matrimonie Hee that loueth his neighbour will not goe about to plucke awaye from him any part of his substance by violence fraude or anye other vnlawefull meanes Hée that loueth his neighbour will not backbite him or make or forge lyes of him to his disprofit any maner of waye To be briefe he wil so deale with his neighbour as he would haue other men to deale with him Nowe after that the apostle hath set downe certaine godly rules touching the duties of loue and holy life least peradueÌ„ture they might sone slyde out our mindes he thought it good and right néedfull here in the ende of the chapter to perswade vs there vnto by certaine waightye and graue reasons By which he goeth about to perswade all men which belieue in Christ to expresse their fayth by good workes and holines of lyfe which thing in déede is not lightly to be regarded but aduisedly to be considered especially séeing that god doth require it euery where of vs in his holy worde For séeing that god in the beginning when as we were nothing but claye and earth did of his onely grace and goodnes breath into vs the spirite of life placed our first parentes in Paradice a place full of all pleasurs and goodnes and afterward when as we by sinne and transgression had lost that worthines that by creacion wée had and were become subiect to death and eternall damnacion he did restore vs againe to lyfe and confirme vs in y same by the promise of Chrst to come who by the innocencie of his manhood hath recouered that for vs which wée before by sinne and disobedience had destroyed These thinges I saye considered we shal be not only verye much vnthankefull but also most wicked vnlesse we constantly defend this our dignitye bought and obtayned with y price of Christ his bloud and aboue al loue that GOD againe that loued vs first so derely and forth with endeuor our selues euery day more and more to liue as it becoÌ„meth vs walking all the dayes of our lyfe in holy feare before the lord And truly to the performaunce of these thinges the consideracioÌ„ of this perell of scripture may very much profyte vs The which I will deuide into thrée parets 1 The first parte contayneth an exhortatioÌ„ to liue vprightly with certaine great weighty reasons to perswade vs therevnto 2 The second parte setteth downe what we must shunne auoide if we will liue vprightly and honestly 3 The third last parte teacheth to put on a newe garment and to fight against our owne wicked lustes and croked affections The apostle chosen vessell of Christ S. Paule did very well way and consider that such is naughtines corrupcion of mans nature that he is not easily perswaded to doe those thinges which the Lord by his word hath coÌ„mauÌ„ded and to leaue those thinges â—ndone which he hath by his worde forbidden And therfore after that he hath commended vnto vs charity giuen vs to vnderstand howe we should liue least we should let these good lessons slyppe out our mindes he seketh to perswade vs thervnto by certaine weightye and graue reasons The first reason which the Apostle here in this text vseth to perswade vs to liue vprighly to forsake sinne and wickednes is takeÌ„ of the circumstaunce of the time the wordes be these And that cosidering the season it is nowe time for vs to awake out of sléepe In which verse he telleth vs that it is now high time for vs to amend our liues and to serue God especially because good oportunitie serueth therevnto and somuch the rather bycasue the cloudes of ignorauÌ„ce vnbeléefe and wicked lustes are now driuen away from vs by the light of the gospell and knowledge of gods truth and therefore it behoueth vs so to order our liues as they which haue y light and which are still conuersaunt in the open sight eies of all men For they which perceue that all mens eies are bent vppon them haue a diligent care least they should doe any thing that is not séemelye and honest bycause they knowe by experience that if they steppe neuer sâ—â— lyttle aside out of the ryght waye then they shall bée espyed and haue many witnesses ready to accuse them of theyr sinne and iniquitie So in like maner it behoueth vs who liue in the sighte of God and his angels hauing Christe the true soÌ„ne of rightuousnesse a vewer and beholder of all our dooings coÌ„mauÌ„ding vs to walke as before him to take aduised héede y we doo nothing that may offeÌ„d his diuine maiesty bicase if we so doo we shall haue Christ himself a witnes against vs who shall iudge in the last day pronounce sentene vpon all flesh acording to the tenour of iustice and equitye But it appereth that â–ª the talke that is here vsed is not plaine but Metaphoricall For the Apostle maketh mencion of sléepe of waking of night of darkenes of lyght of day And therefore before I procéede any further in the text I thinke it méete and conuenient to declare vnto you what is ment by euery one of these wordes to the ende that that which I am about to teach may bée more manifest and playne to you that be my hearers Know ye therefore that by sléepe hée meaneth sinne and a certen sluggishnes and drowsines to imbrace the gospell to heare gods word and to frame and fashion our liues ther after By awaking out of sléepe hée meaneth a certen desire and readines to doe our duties and such things as God requireth of vs in his worde Aristole therfore doth very well and truely cal waking a liberty or fréedom of the sences and hée calleth sléepe a bande or imprysoninge of them For when a man is a sléepe he hath all his sences so tyed vp imprisoned that he hath neither eyes to sée eares to heare nose to smell handes to touche féete to goe nor hart to conceyue but is like vnto a deade corps that lyeth rottinge in the graue But when a man is a wake then is hée ready ynough to sée to heare to speake to run to goe or to doe any thing belonging to a reasonable creature Therefore the Apostle sayth it is now time for vs to awake out of sléepe as though hée should haue sayd before our regeneration before god had geueÌ„ vs eies te se and harts to beleue the truth we were fast a sleepe in sinne and did lye in the shadowe of death and there was nothing in vs but horrible blindnes so that we could not see the maiesty of god we did not féele and fast the mercies of god offered to vs in Christ
abhominable and stincking whoredome Nowe if Noah and Lot beinge such excellent men did fall into such wickednesse being dronke what shall they doe which haue no feare of god before their eies and which are daily giuen to this vice Doubtles they will not sticke to commit all kynde of villany Kinge Herode as it should séeme being cupshoten and dronke with wine commaunded the holy man Iohn Baptist to be slayne Who was more myghty and valyant then Alexander yet he being dronke commaunded his faithfull friend Citus to be put to death which he repented sore when he was sober Therfore all that will liue vprightly must flée this vice of dronkennes But what though we eate and drinke soberly yet for all this we cannot be counted good christians and to liue vprightly if we commit fornication or whordom And therfore Paule willeth vs to flée also chambring waÌ„â—onnes by which he meaneth not the bed of matrimony which S. Paule saith is honorable amongest all men the bed vndefiled For mariage is gods ordinauÌ„ce it was instituted in Paradice in the time of mans innocensie when as yet there was no sinne And god himself saith that it is not good for man to liue alone without a helpe And Paule sayth he that doth marrie doth not sinne in so dooinge and hee commaundeth al men which haue not the gyfte of contynencie to marrie and to kéepe themselues vndefyled members of Christes body Abraham Iob Dauid were married and yet their wiues were no impedimentes vnto them to talke with GOD. Therefore no doubt the Apostle doth here coÌ„maunde vs to kepe the seuenth precept and that we suffer not ourselues to be defiled with anye vncleannes and lustful intemperance of the flesh but that we chastly and coÌ„tinently order all the partes of our life that we runne not forth into any vnbridled lust and companye with anye woman out of marriage And séeinge Paule doth here name chamberinge and wantonnes vnder these termes no doubt he comprehendeth all thynges whereby man or woman is moued and inticed to fornication and whoredome as filthye and vncleane talke whorishe and garishe attire amorous songes and sonites loue letters wanton daunsinge and kissing all such like wherby the flesh of man is prouoked to lust and concupiscence If theâ— we will walke honestly we must not let our mindes burne inwardly with lust nor looke wantonly vpon women to lust after them nor suffer our bodies to be trymmed vp in pride and brauery our tongues must not talke filthilye neither we harken vnto such speache as is not séemely It is a daungerous thinge to stand gasinge after women or to be alone with them in corners to beholde their bewtie when as they haue on theire garishe attier and beginne to looke with wanton eies Rubin the sonne of Iacob séeinge hys fathers wyfe Billa bathinge hir selfe in a wel had his minde so set vpon hir that he could not sléepe take rest till he had coÌ„mitted abhomination for he séeinge hir lyinge a sléepe in hir chamber vncouered went in vnto hir and committed wickednes But Ioseph his brother walked not in the ignoraunce of youthfulnes and fornicatioÌ„ neither could he be brought by his maistris the Egiptian woman to defile his maisters bed although she vsed as I sayde afore many meanes to allure him therevnto And therefore GOD so blessed him that he found fauour both in the sight of God and men But alas fewe Iosephes there bée at this daye but wée finde many lyke vnto Rubin which burning with the flame of lust and concupicence doe nothinge else but lye in wayte and watch how they may defile other mens beds And bicause this vice is not restraned by sharpnes of lawes manye thinke that there is no office at al in whorehuntinge supposinge it to bée a sporte to robbe virgins and wiues of their honessye which ought to be estéemed of more pryce and valewe then anye golde But if we will iudge vprightly of whoredome wée must not iudge of it as many doe which with brasen faces and impudent mouthes wyl say tush what is whoredome it is but a trick of youth a pastime a dalliaunce a veniall sinne and a light faulte Alas alas these wordes will goe for no payment and these excuses will not excuse them when as the lawe of god their owne giltie conscieÌ„ces shal accuse them in the day of iudgement At which time the Lorde will rewarde them accordinge to theire déedes Then shall they knowe that it is some thing to break the lawe and commauÌ„dement of GOD who saith thou shalt not commite whoredome then shall they know how vile a thing it is to defile their bodies which ought to be houses and temples for the holy ghost to dwell in S. Paule saith that all other sinnes are without the bodie but he that committeth whordome sinneth against his owne bodye and yet men will haue it to be no sinne If one man robbe another of his goods he is straight way punished and méete it is he should so bée But whoredome is more then a simple robberie for by it men are spoyled not onely of their substance but also of their honour honestie sometimes of their liues If a tenaunt kéepe not the couenauntes that are agréed vpon betwixt himselfe and his Landlord he shall be sure to smart for it But marriage is a holy leage couenaunt and the man doth promyse to the woman and lykewyse the woman to the man that they wil be true and faythfull eche to other and this promise is made before God and his Churche and yet the breakinge of it is thought to be nothing But if men would consider howe they doe by whoredome transgresse the lawe of god vnhalow the temple of god his holy spirit breake their promise made in the presens of god and his angles make shipwrack of their honesty set fire to their own bodyes and bryng distruction to their soules they would shunne whoredome more then they doe If these reasons will not perswade you that whoredome is a horrible sinne in the sigh of God then â—all to mynde what hath bene the ende of all them in all ages which haue spent their liues in this filthy vice The people that liued in the firste age which spente theyr tyme in whoredom wer sodaynly caught with the vengeaunce of God and drowened For the whole vniuersall worlde was ouerflowede with water for whoredome The Sodomites beinge giuen to this vice were consumed with â–ª heauenlye fire We reade that foure and twenty thousand perished for whordome the Iudges were hanged vp agaynst the sunne What happened for rauishing of Dina the daughter of Iacob and howe that facte was reuenged the 34. chapter of Gen. dothe playnelye declare Sainct Paule saith that whoremongers and adulterers the Lorde will iudge In the reuelation of Iohn we reade that they that kéepe the commaundementes of God shall goe to heauen and ther raign eternally with
his sinnes and whosoeuer he be that hath not put on Christ is odious and hatefull in the sight of god And the kings which made a marriage for his sonne at the last day when as he shall come to viâ—e and sée his ghestes will says vnto him friende howe camest thou hither not hauing on a wedding garmeÌ„t and coÌ„maunde him to be cast into vtter darkenesse This garment haue all they put on which béeleue truely and sincerely in Iesus Christ which expresse theire faith by wel doing endeuoringe euerye daye more and more to restraine the lustes and pleasures of the fleshe And truely it is méete and conuenient 〈…〉 t we which haue â–ª giuen our selues to Christ in Baptisme shoulde re 〈…〉 ce the affections of the fleshe 〈◊〉 bee content to be gouerned by his holy and gratious spirite which hath shed his most pretious bloude for vs. And very néedefull it is to consider thâ—se last wordes wherein we are willed to take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it For Paule doth not say that Sathan shall not tempt vs and that we shall not haue store of prouocations bicause he knewe right well that Sathan and our owne wicked lustes woulde 〈◊〉 ready euery daye to perswade vs to that which is euill Therefore we must alwaies wraâ—h 〈…〉 e agaynst them and take 〈◊〉 that wee suffer them not to ouercome vs and get the victory of vs. And although wée bee by nature so corrupt and of our selues are so inclyned to all euill that wée cannot chuse but sinne daily yet if wée fulfill not the lustes of the fleshe but styll séeke to tame and kéepe them vnder hée will not impute our sinnes vnto vs. True it is that wicked lustes and sinfull affections will alwayes dwell in vs so longe as wée lyue in this worlde and therefore it béehooueth vs alwayes to kéepe good watch and warde and to bée in a readynesse to fyght agaynst them and in any wise to take héede that we suffer them not to haue the maistery ouer vs. Whereas hée willeth vs to take no thought for the fleshe hée teacheth vs nothinge else but that wée shoulde not lyue after the fleshe Otherwyse you knowe wée are bound to cloth our bodies to féede theÌ„ and to make prouisioÌ„ not onely for our selues but also for our families nedâ— brethreÌ„ and we must haue some care of them Therefore he doth not say take no thought to prouid anye thinge for the flesh laboure not sowe not reape not c. But he saitht ake no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it Whereby it appereth that he intreateth not here of the substaunce of the flesh but onely of the corruptions thereof by which we are drawne to sinne and so from God. Wée must haue a care to prouide rayemente for our bodies but wée must not haue a care to cloth them wantonlie and to praunce vp downe in pride and brauery we must prouide for our selues meate and drinke and also for our families but yet we must eate and drinke soberlie and doe it in such sort as we ought to doe otherwise we fulfill the lustes of the flesh But how is this counsell of Paule folowed at this day truely nothing at all There is no vice no wickednesse but it is daily committed amongest vs The great men of the worlde whom God hath blessed with landes rentes reuenewes swallow vp poore men in such sort that it may worthilye amase both men and Angels and all men of all ages and of all degrées are so poysoned with the ve 〈…〉 e of couetousnesse that they séeke by hooke and crooke to come by lyuing and it is apparent that they preferre frayle and vaine riches before the treasure of eternall lyfe Besydes thys vyce of couetousnesse whoredome so muche aboundeth that all men may easely sée that marriage loue decayeth and whoredoms loue encreaseth We are so lofty that we haue forgotteÌ„ our selues to be mortall men And it is to bad to sée howe we swell lyke toades with the poyson of pryde Agayne eatinge and drinkinge was neuer so much abused for we make our bellye 's our God and our kitchens our religyon and so that we bee crammed with daintie meates wee care not though our soules perishe and starue for honger To bee briefe men are not ashamed of sinne neither doe they care for honesty For wée lyue and behaue our selues as though Christ dyd not sit Iudge in heauen Yea suche is the vngratiousnesse of this tyme that vnlesse the Lorde shorten these wicked dayes iniquitie will haue the vpper hande and no flesh shal be saued and therefore vnlesse we repent in tyme for sake all naughtie and filthy vices and hereafter walke honestly as in the day wée shall féele and tast of iudgement without mercy and after this lyfe be cast into the fyre of dampnation from the which place of torment almighty GOD for his sonne Christ sake defend vs all to whom with the holy ghost be all prayse honor and glory worlde with out ende Amen FINIS Rom. 13. ca ver 11. Rom. 13. ca ver 11. 12. 13. 14. Esay 55. Luck 13. Mat 2â—â— â–ª Gal. 6 â— Psal. 1. Luck 10. Luc. 16. 〈◊〉 5. â— Sam 12 Psalm 51. Luc. 15. Act. â— 1. Cor. 15. Ia. 1. Psal. 147. 2. Chro 16. 2. Chro 24 Act. 9. Mar. 12. Luk. 23. Apâ— 1â— Iohn â— â–ª Eplâ—â— 1. Iohn 10. Ephe. 4. Col. 1. Mat. 22. Gene. 17. Iob. 1â— Gene. 39. Dani. 13. Luk. 1. 2. Partes Philip. 3. Esay 5. Pro. 24. Eccle 19. Pro. 24. Eccle 19. Hag. 2. Luk. 16. Luk. 16. Psalm 104. Luk. â— â–ª Gene. 9. Gene. 19. Mat. 14. Heb 13. Gen. â— â–ª Gene. â— â–ª 1. Cor. â—â— Gen. 7. Gen. 19. Gene. 34. Heb. 13. Ap. 22. Psal 13â— Gene 3. Gene 4. Mar. 6â— 3. Partes Gene 3. Maâ— 22. â— Iohn 1.