⧠A FRVITful sermon preached at Occham in the Countie of Rutland the second of Nouember 1583. By Thomas Gybson PROVERB 29. 8. ¶ VVhere there is no Vision the people decay GOD IS MY HELPER AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue dwelling without Temple-Barre 1584. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lorde FRAVNCES Earle of BEDFORD and one of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Knight of the Noble order of the Garter VVith the right honorable Sir VVALTER MILDMAY knight Chancellour of the Queenes Maiesties Court of Exchequer and one of her highnesse most honourable priuy Counsell Grace Mercy and peace be multiplied from God our heauenly father and from our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe THE blessed holye Euangelist Saint Luke Right Honorable penning and publishing the Heauenlye story and blessed Gospell of Iesus Christ doth also dedicate the same to one Theophilus a Noble and famous man of singular credit and authority The reason and cause that mooued him thereto is because in those times the purenesse of the Gospell was hindred and persecuted whereby manye erroures began to be spreade and allowed and therefore in great Wisdom it pleased the holy Ghost not onely to wryte a faithfull sure and perfect storye but also to offer and present the custodye and defence of the same to one of Religion and povver The verye same cause partly hath mooued mee at this time to be so bolde as to offer and Dedicate this poore and simple testimonie of my trauaile to your Honours For although I doe confesse vve lyue vnder a Gracious Prince whome the Lorde long continue to his glorye to the shame and confusion of his enemies and to the dayly profit of his Church although I say we liue in so peaceable happy and gratious a time vnder the florishing state of the Gospell yet truely the dearest Children of God and the sinceritie of religion is subiect to bitter persecution These wordes at the first maye seeme very greeuous hard and haynous and yet they are most certaine true The holy Apostle S. Paule writing to the Galatians 4 29. speaketh on this maner As he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite euen so is it now he speaketh of Ismaell and Isaac and yet we doe not reade in the scripture of any persecution betweene them neither did Ismael persecute his brother Isaac with hande or swoorde but that which is worse proudly arrogantly he raised himselfe againste him mocking him and as it were treading vnder feete the promise of God And this dealing by the Apostle is called a persecution in deede there is not any persecution more greeuous to the Children of God then this Now who doth not dayly see that the best Christians and the purenesse of religion are greatly persecuted by Papistes Atheistes and Hipocrites as Isaac was by his Brother Ismaell And of all matters of religion I thinke there is scarce anye in these dayes more generally hated of such kind of men then that which is most altogether almost only hand led in this simple SermoÌ„ For these such like men many of them can bee content vvith a common ordinarye profession to heare Mattins and Euensong and sometimes a Sermon by such men as they like off but that there should be any continuall course of the pure preaching of the worde of God they can in no wise allowe or like of This I say is hated reiected and persecuted so farre as may bee of the greater sorte and therefore not without cause haue I atteÌ„pted to dedicate this my labor to your honors as special patrons defendors of the Lords cause and tried Friends and fauorers of God and his truth But yet this attempt may seeme very rash and needles For who am I that I shoulde take vppon mee to set foorth and to publish any thing The vnworthiest I confesse of many hundreths and the vnablest of many thousands and yet seeing many things more simple lesse needefull and profitable are not only suffered but alowed to come abroad I am not altogether discouraged neither hath anye man iuste cause to accuse me in this my simple enterprise I know these be dayes of knowledge learning there be greate stoore of famous and learned diuines in our land whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse that they may assist their weake brethren in the defence of this and such good causes and yet the two mites of the poore widow cast into the tresury amongest the great giftes of the wealthy are not to be refused I know your Honours be dayly hearers of famous and learned men both in your houses and abroad you are acquainted with the sermons of profound deepe diuines and such as are mighty in the scriptures notwithstanding hauing in my selfe sufficient trial experience of your honors most curteous humble fauorable dealing towards me and also of some liking of my simple and poore trauelles in preaching heretofore I am not ashamed or afrayd after such triall and proofe to offer this so small and simple a thing vnto your honours The great necessitye of the matter I deale withall the care of Gods glory the zeal of his house the benefit that his church may haue by it hath especially mooued me that it should be published come abroade Let not therefore hypocrites bee too rashe in iudging the Lorde the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth my purpose and affection in preaching and publishing this matter The cause that hath moued me to present it to your Honors rather then to other is the loÌ„g proof and acquaintance of your honourable courtesies and friendly good-will towards me which for my part I am neuer able to requite for the which I thinke my selfe as long as breath is in me most bounde and indebted to your Honours And here I offer this poore fruite of my trauaile as some testimony of goodwill and thankfulnesse And whereas we are wont commonly to offer and present to our dearest friendes some gyftes as tokens of good will or else of speciall duety Amongst many great and prescious presentes which are no doubt giuen and presented to your honours I also offer this simple mite and yet I hope more pleasant and acceptable to the receiuers then thousands of gold or siluer or any earthly thing whatsoeuer And in deede can there be any matter more sweete and pleasaunt to the cheefe Patrons and defenders of the Godly preachers the worde of God then to heare of the necessitie profite and excellencye of preaching which things are set foorth plainely largely in this little sermon For howsoeuer manye men hate abhorre this matter and can in no case disgest it yet your honors zeale câ—â—rage liking good will and countenance to this and other good causes is comonly known and spread abroad A further reason why I publishe this Sermon is because there is some matter in it for the which I haue beene in the country where I dwel openly
word such a conscience a care to reforme your selues your housholdes What I saye hath wrought these things in you how came you by thē What is it that hath so altered your mindes déedes affections Let your conscience be witnesse to me in this matter I am sure you wil approue y t which I haue spoken acknowledge the profite the power and necessity of the worde preached All euery one of these arguments do prooue and confirm as I think that euery minister necessarily ought to preach and otherwise y t he is no minister approoued of God Al euery one of these or most of them do quite ouerthrow and condemne all dumb idle carelesse ministers whatsoeuer One day they shall know what account he maketh of the soules of his people for seeing the word of the Lord in so many places requireth in a minister preaching yea diligent and carefull preaching in what a miserable and damnable state doe these men stand The Apostle sayeth Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospell Well it may be whatsoeuer I haue yet spoken will be granted it is necessary that euery minister preach but what shall all those be condemned which haue not such ful measure of knowledge as other haue which be not accoūted and allowed for publique preachers God forbid I know there is difference in gifts there was so amongst the Apostles but they all sufficiently preached Amongst vs and such others as vse this place and such like places there is difference euerye one of vs haue not the like measure but for my part I speake as I thinke our measure is smal ynough yet the Lord be thanked for that we haue giue vs grace to vse it to his glorye the benefit of his church In my selfe I professe and grant very smal and weake measure insufficiency and lacke of giftes and the Lorde the searcher of the hearts knoweth that the consideration of this hath and doth make me to feare and tremble oftentimes to sigh and lament y ◠so greate a charge and so waighty a burthen is layd vpon me so simple and weake a wretch To you that haue any measure of those giftes which the Lord requireth in his ministers to you I say quench not the spirite vse the meanes to encrease your measure if you be painfull carefull watchfull and faithfull in your Ministerie with a holye and pure affection the Lorde will blesse you To him that hath shall be giuen wee cannot at the first come to perfection Appollos a learned Doctor feruent in the spirite and mighty in the Scriptures yet was he ignoraunt in some things and receiued instructiōs from Aquila and Priscilla Some haue more then others some haue ten talentes some fiue and some but one yet alwayes remember and let it neuer slip out of your minds that the slouthfull and vnprofitable seruaunt shall bee cast into vtter darknesse there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Against such I speake which in deede neuer had any one Talent or any giftes of Ministers or hauing any doe either abuse them or at least doe not put them soorth to any profitable vse Consider a little the state of our ministery There be some amongest vs sacrificing and Massing Priestes full of manifest superstition and hypocrisie and in trueth enemies to Christs religiō Others there be altogether ignoraunt vnlearned very Idoles they can do what Euen iust nothing Others there be which may haue some grounde of learning but in deede they vtter verie little neither is y ◠people bettered by them Some are idle some carelesse some altogether lewd and prophane some ioyne liuing to liuing and take more vpon them then they can discharge although it may bee they speake in one place yet are they dumbe in an other All these and such like are worthie of blame to bee openlye spoken agaynste because they openlye commit offence All these stande daily in a miserable and damnable state without repentaunce But my chiefe drift at this time in this part of my Text is to prooue as you haue heard that euerye Minister approoued of God must preache that is hee must féede the people he must cut the word of God he must improoue rebuke exhort hee must not simply or barelye read or heare the people say some Catachisme but he is to be able in some sufficient measure to open interpret the holy scripture and apply them I hope that this is alreadye prooued onely I exhorte you to account the Lorde wisest to rest in his holie decrees and allowe his owne order as best Let vs not take vppon vs to appointe him what he should do Seeing he hath set downe preaching as the most excellent ordinarie means to saluation let vs not say y t reading will serue the turn Séeing that he requireth that his Ministers be apt to teach let vs not count them his ministers which neuer taught nor euer had any aptnesse in them If he may bee counted a lawfull Minister and teacher that onely readeth the ordinary Seruice and sometime heareth a fewe Children to say a Catechisme without booke as it is set downe before him then may the Cleark also of the Town be counted a minister and teacher then may euery husbandmā Seruingman nay euery boy or child that can do asmuch be so counted Let not some say for defence of ignoraunt ministers that if they do that which they can do it will serue the turn for in the building of an house as there be some Master builders which bring timber and Stone so other there bee which bring morter and fillings and serue to necessarye vse but let vs remember y t euerye Mynister in his charge is or oughte to be a builder yea a master builder and if the cheefe builder bring nothing but fillinges how shall y ◠Lords building in y ◠place goe forward The Apostle in y ◠place which hath bene already twise alleaged saith That the Lorde hath ordained the Minister for the gathering together of his Saincts and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meete together in the vnity of fayth knowledge of the Son of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Oh these be no small things these are no trifles this is no vile simple and drudgery worke no small measure but very greate weightye high and most excellent The holy ghost in another place sayth Leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christe let vs be led forward vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of fayth towarde God of the doctrine of baptisme and laying on of hands of the resurrection from the deade and of eternall iudgement Marke I beseech you these wordes There be many people yea and Ministers also that are ignorant of the first rudiments of Christe that of repentaunce of Baptisme of the
credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches triumphes These are gone and they are gone but their good counsel their Prouerbes their Psalmes and Preachings remaine and abide for euer for their euerlasting memorie to the glory of God and dayly profite of his church The first minister Preacher of the new Testament was Iohn the Baptist of whom Christ our Sauiour saith there was not a greater Prophet amongst womens children Nay Christ himself was also a preacher of the Gospell witnesseth that he came into the worlde euen to that purpose After him the Apostles also were sent into the world euen to this end Seeing then that God himselfe his sonn Christ Iesus haue vouchsafed to preach the word seeing so famous men as the Prophetes Apostles were ordained to this purpose it must needes follow that the office of preaching is most famous worthy and excellent The worthinesse also of our calling most euidently appeareth in the worthinesse and price of the things committed vnto vs which is the people of God the Church of christ his deare spouse the very price of his bloud If so great thinges be committed to vs If the Lorde put vs in trust with so deare and precious thinges our calling must needes be worthy and notable Remember the notable effect and fruite of this calling the winning of soules the conuersion and saluation of the faithful It pleased GOD by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that bleeue And further the worthy matter of preaching is both here other where set downe namely the gospel y e word of reconciliation the worde of grace the good newes and glad tidinges of saluation y e testimony of Iesus christ repentaunce and remission of sinnes O that al men woulde consider this that the glorye of Gods ministerys might appeare If princes noble meÌ„ and Patrons would remember this they woulde haue more care conscience in bestowing their liuings and in defending the good minister Pharaoh king of Aegypt in the time of famine had such a care to prouide for his idolatrous priests that he would not suffer them to sell their land but gaue theÌ„ a sufficient ordinary to liue vpon This example of an idolater in prouiding for idolatrous priestes shal condemn many christian gentlemen which haue a great deal lesse care for true christian ministers which are so far from adding any thing of their owne to their maintenaunce that rather dayly by deceit or violence they take that from the Minister which long agoe was giueÌ„ by others Let the Papist the Atheist and hipocrite remember consider the worthy calling of the minister that laying aside all contempt skoffing disdaine railing they might in heart reuerence and honor the Lords ordinance and let al people remeÌ„ber this that they may chierfully yéeld honor obedience reuerence maintenance to the faithfull minister remember that his calling is of the Lorde that he hath to deal with your soules that his purpose is to win you to the lord that hee preacheth no lesse a thing then the holy gospel of Iesus Christ Now these things rightly coÌ„sidered is he not worthye to be obeyed and maintained How beautiful are the feet of them that bring the glad tidinges of peace And read al which is gone before in the chapter y â— you may know that he which preacheth the Gospell by right and equity ought to liue of the Gospel Let al good ministers remember this for their comfort and instruction that howsoeuer y e world thinke of them they haue a worthye and high calling and let them not faint but make their ministery fully knowne and ende their course with ioy and let al ignorant and carelesse ministers especially remember this doctrine that so they maye either amend or else come to shame and confusion If the Lord be the authour of the ministery the soules of the people are committed to vs If the effect of our calling be to saue the soules of the people if we haue to deale with the gospel of Christ if so famous and notable men haue alwaies been in this calling what a man ought the minister to be what care what coÌ„science what knowledge what zeal and holye conuersation is required at his hands you may see and witnes with me I speake nothing to the defaring and discredite of the minister of God but rather to his great credite glorie his calling is most worthy honourable he is worthy of double honour he is to be obeyed and sufficiently maintained he is the stewarde of the lords house and the messenger of the lord of hostes But as the faithful minister is to haue his credit and commendation so the ignoraunt and carelesse sort as we haue sufficiently already prooued are to be cast downe defaced because by their ignorance idlenesse and leud conuersation they greatly dishonour the Lorde deface his glory I conclude and ende with the holy Apostle I besech you brethren that you know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their workes sake By the which place we see that such as labour not admonish not and worke not such I saye are not worthye of any loue or honor but rather to be thrust out and banished as vnprofitable members out of the church of God The which the Lord of the haruest graunt for his tender mercies in Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Luk. 17. 7. 8. 9 1. Cor 14. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Luk. 4. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Mala. 2. 7. 1. Tim. 2. 15. Mâ—th 13. Act. 8. 27. Mar. 16. 15. Act. 20 20. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Iohn 21. 15. 16. 17. Rom. 10. 17 1. Co. 3. 6. 1. Pet. 1. 23. 1 Cor. 3. 1. Heb. 5. 12. 6. 1. Ephe. 4. 11. 12. 13. 2. Tim. 3. 16. Dan. 12. 3. Mat. 24. 25. 1. Tim. 4. 16. Ionas 3. 4. Act. 2. 41. Act. 26. 18. Eze. 3. 17 Hosea 4. 6. Mat. 5. 13. Mat. 15. 14. Mat. 25. 30 Rom. 15. 4. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 2. 14. 2. Sam. 12. Nehe. 8. 8. 1. Cor. 14. Math. 9. 38. Math. 5. 13. Ezech. 34. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 1. 1. Cor. 9. 16. Math. 25. 29. Acts. 18. 26. 1. Tim. 4. 1. â— Eph. 4. 12. 1. Heb. 6. 1. Math. 28. 19. 1. Cor. 11. 26 Gala. 3. 1. Math 3. Mark 1. 38. Math. 26. 20. Acts. 2. 38. Act. 8. 12. 38. Act. 10. 34. Acts. 20. 7. Math. 11. 21. Ihon. 8. Ioh. 10. 27. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh 13. 20. He. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. The thirde part Ierem 1. Ezech. 3. Math 28. 10. Mark 16. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 3. Psalm 19. 2. Tim. 3. Iere. 23. 28. Math. 12. 3. Reue. 22. 18. Rom. 10. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 18. Reue. 1. 2. Luk. 24. 46. Act. 5. â— 8. Ierem. 4. 1 Ezec. 18. 1. Hose 14. 1. Math. 32. Math. 4. 17. Rom. 3. 2. Rom. 7. 7. Isai 58. 1. Iohn 16. â— Luk. 13. 3. Ephes 5. 5. Math. 23. 13. Marc. 8. 17. Marc. 16. 14. Gala. 2. â—â— 2. Pet. 1. Mark 3. 13. Act. 20. Ephe. 4. 11. Genes 3. Mark 2. 1. Cor. 1. Gen. 47. 22. Rom. 10.