dispute with words not comely or with talke that is not profitable Yet behold even they that are wisest amongst vs living cōpared with the Prophets seem no otherwise to talke of God then as if the children which are caried in armes should speake of the greatest matters of state They whose words doe most shew forth their wise and standing and whose lips doe vtter the purest knowledge so long as they vnderstand and speake as men are they not faine sundry waies to excuse themselues Sometimes acknowledging with the wise mā hardly can we discerne the things that are on earth and with great labour finde wee out the things that are before vs who can then seeke out the things that are in heauen Sometimes confessing with Iob the righteous intreating of things too wonderfull for vs we haue spokē we wist not what Sometimes ending their talke as doth the history of the Macchabees if we haue done wel aa the cause required it is that we desire if we haue spok̄ stenderly and havely we haue done that we could But God 〈…〉 saith Esay And we haue receiued saith the Apostle not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are given to vs of God which things also we speake not in words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost doth teach This is that which the Prophets mean by those books writtē ful within without which books were so often delivered thē to eat not because God fed thē with inke paper but to teach vs that so oft as he employed them in this heavenly worke they neither spake nor wrote any word of their owne but vttered sillable by sillable as the spirit put it into their months no otherwise then the Harp or the Lute doth giue a sound according to the discretion of his hands that holdeth striketh it with skill The difference is only this An instrument whether it be a pipe or harpe maketh a distinction in the times and sounds which distinction is well perceived of the hearer the instrument it selfe vnderstanding not what is piped or harped The Prophets and holy men of God not so I opened my mouth saith Ezechiels and God reached me a scroule saying son of man cause thy belly to eat fill thy bowels with this I giue thee I eate it and it was sweet in my mouth as hony saith the Prophet Yea sweeter I am perswaded then either hony or the hony combe For herein they were not like Harps or Lutes but they felt they felt the power and strength of their owne words Whē they spake of our peace every corner of their hearts was filled with ioy Whē they prophecied of mournings lamentations and woes to fall vpan vs they wept in the bitternes and indignation of spirit the arme of the Lord being mighty and strong vpon them 5 On this manner were all the prophecies of holy scripture Which prophecies although they containe nothing which is not profitable for our instruction yet as one starre differeth from another in glory so every word of prophecy hath a treasure of matter in it but all matters are not of like importance as al treasures are not of equal price The chiefe principal matter of prophecie is the promise of righteousnesse peace holinesse glory victory immortality vnto every soule which beleeveth that Iesus is Christ of the Iew first and of the Gentile Nowe because the doctrine of salvation to bee looked for by faith in him who was in outward appearance as it had beene a man forsaken of God in him who was numbred Iudged and condemned with the wicked in him whom men did see buffited on the face scoft at by Souldiers scourged by tormentours hanged on the crosse pearced to the heart in him whom the eies of many witnesses did behold when the anguish of his soule enforced him to roare as if his hart had rent in sunder O my God my God why haste thou forsaken me I say because the doctrine of salvatiō by him is a thing improbable to a natural man that whether we preach it to the Gentile or to the Iew the one condemneth our faith as madnes the other as blasphemy therefore to establish and confirme the certainety of this saving trueth in the harts of men the Lord togither with their preachings whom hee sent immediately from himselfe to reveale these things vnto the world mingled prophecies of things both civill and Ecclesiasticall which were to come in everie age from time to time till the very last of the latter daies that by those things wherein we see daily their words fulfilled and done we might haue strong consolation in the hope of things which are not seene because they haue revealed as well the one as the other For when many things are spoken of before in scripture whereof we see first one thing accomplished and then another and so a third pereeiue wee not plainely that God doeth nothing else but lead vs along by the hand til he haue setled vs vpon the rocke of an assured hope that no one iote or title of his word shall passe till all be fulfilled It is not therefore saide in vaine that these godlesse wicked ones were spoken of before 6 But by whom By them whose words if men or Angels from heauen gainesaie they are accursed by them whom whosoever despiseth despiseth not them but me saith Christ. If any man therefore doth loue the Lord Iesus and woe worth him that loueth not the Lord Iesus hereby wee may know that hee loveth him indeed if hee despise not the things that are spoken of by his Apostles whom many haue despised even for the basenesse and simplenesse of their persons For it is the propertie of fleshly and carnall men to honour and dishonour credit and discredit the words and deeds of every man according to that he wanteth or hath without If a man with gorgeous apparell come amongst vs although he bee a theese or a murtherer for there are theeues and murtherers in gorgeous apparell be his heart whatsoever If his coat be of purple or velvet or tissue every one riseth vp and all the reverent solemnities wee can vse are too little But the man that serveth God is contemned and despised amongst vs for his povertie Herod speaketh in iudgement and the people cry out The voice of God and not of man Paul preacheth Christ they tearme him a trifler Harken beloued hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith hath hee not chosen the refuse of the world to be heires of his kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him hath he not chosen the ofscowrings of men to be the lights of the world and the Apostles of Iesus Christ Men vnlearned yet how fully replenished with vnderstanding fewe in number yet how great in power contemptible in shew yet in spirit how strong
vp that the bowels of the childe may be made the mothers graue that he hath caused no small number of our brethren to forsake their natiue country with all disloialty to cast off the yoke of their allegeance to our dread Soveraigne whom God in mercy hath set over them for whose sauegard if they caried not the hearts of Tygers in the bosomes of men they woulde thinke the dearest blood in their bodies wel spent But now saith Abiah to Ieroboam yee thinke yee be able to resist the kingdome of the Lorde which is in the hands of the sonnes of David Yee be a great multitude the golden calues are with you which Ieroboam made you for Gods haue yee not driven away the priests of the Lord the sonnes of Aaron and the Levites haue made you priests like the people of natioÌ„s whosoever commeth with a young bullocke and seaven rammes the same may bee a priest of them that are no Gods If I should follow the comparison here vncover the cup of those deadly and ougly abominations where with this Ieroboam of whom we speake hath made the earth so drunke that it hath reeled vnder vs I know your godly hearts would loath to see them For my own part I delight not to take in such filth I had rather take a garment vpon my shoulders and go with my face from them to cover them The Lord open their eies and cause them if it be possible at the length to see how they are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Put it O Lord in their hearts to seeke white raiment and to cover themselues that their filthy nakednes may no longer appeare For beloved in Christ we bow our knees lift vp our hands to heaven in our chambers secretly openly in our churches we pray hartily howrely even for them also though the Pope haue given out as a Iudge in a solemne declaratory sentence of excommunication against this land that our gracious Lady hath quite abolished praiers within her realme and his schollers whom he hath taken from the midst of vs haue in their published writings charged vs not only not to haue any holy assemblies vnto the Lorde for praier but to hold a common schoole of sinne flattery to hold sacrilege to be Gods service vnfaithfulnesse and breach of promise to God to giue it to a strumpet to be a vertue to abandon fasting to abhor confession to mislike with penance to like well of vsury to charge none with restitution to finde no good before God in single life nor in no well working that all men as they fal to vs are much woorsed and more then afore corrupted I do not adde one word or sillable vnto that which Mr Bristow a man both borne and sworne amongst vs hath taught his hand to deliver to the view of all I appeale to the coÌ„science of every soule that hath beene truely converted by vs whether his heart were never raised vp to God by our preaching whether the words of our exhortation never wrong any teare of a penitent heart from his eies whether his soule never reaped any ioy any comfort any consolation in Christ Iesus by our sacraments and praiers and Psalmes thansgivings whether he were never bettered but alwaies worsed by vs. Omerciful Godlif heaven and earth in this case do not witnesse with vs and against them let vs bee razed out from the land of the living let the earth on which we stand swallow vs quicke as it hath done Corah Dathan and Abiram But if we belong vnto the Lord our God and haue not forsaken him if our priests the sonnes of Aaron minister vnto the Lord and the Levites in their office if wee offer vnto the Lord every morning and every evening the burnt offrings sweet incense of praiers land thanks givings if the bread be set in order vpon the pure table the candlesticke of gold with the lamps thereof to burne every morning that is to say if amoÌ„gst vs Gods blessed sacraments be duly administred his holy word sincerely and daily preached if we keep the watch of the Lord our God and if yee haue forsaken him then doubt yee not this God is with vs as a captaine his priests with founding trumpets must cry alarme against you O yee children of Israel fight not against the Lord God of your fathers for yee shall not prosper The second Sermon EPIST. IVDE 17 But yee beloved remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ. 18 How that they tolde you that there should be mockers in the last time which should walk after their own vngodly lusts 19 These are makers of Sects fleshly having not the spirit 20 But yee beloved edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost 21 And keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life HAving otherwhere spoken of the words of Saint Iude going next before concerning Mockers which should come in the last time backsliders which even then fell away from the faith of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ I am now by the aide of almighty God and through the assistance of his good spirit to lay before you the words of exhortation which I haue read 2 Wherein first of all whosoever hath an eie to see let him open it and he shall wel perceiue how carefull the Lord is for his children how desirous to see them profit and growe vp to a manly stature in Christ how loath to haue them any way mislead either by examples of the wicked or by enticements of the world and by provocation of the flesh or by any other meanes forcible to deceaue them and likely to estrange their heartt from God For God is not at that point with vs that hee careth not whether wee sinke or swimme No he hath written our names in the palme of his hand in the signet vpon his finger are we graven in sentences not onely of mercy but of iudgement also we are remembred He never denouÌ„ceth iudgements againâ—t the wicked but hee maketh some Proviso for his children as it were for some certaine priviledged persons Touch not mine annointed doe my Prophets no harme hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the trees till wee haue sealed the servants of God in their foreheads Hee never speaketh of godlesse men but he adioineth words of comfort or admonition or exhortation whereby wee are moued to rest and settle our hearts on him In the second to Tim. the 3. Chap. Evil men saith the Apostle and deceiuers shall waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned And in the first to Tim. the. 6. Chap. Some men lusting after money have erred from the faith pierced themselues through with many sorrowes But thou ô man of God fly these things and follow
minister vnto Idoles applie this exhortation to theÌ„ whom god hath appointed to feede his chosen in Israell 32 If their be any feeling of Christ and drop of heavenly dewe any spark of Gods good spirit within you stirre it vp be careful to build and edifie first your selues then your flockes in this most holy faith 33 I say first your selues For he which wil set the hearts of other men on fire with the loue of Christ must himselfe burne with loue It is want of faith inour selues My Brethren which maketh vs retchlesse in building others We forsake the Lords inheritance and seed it not What is the reason of this Our own desires are setled where they should not be Wee our selues are like those women which haue a longing to eate coales and lime and filth we are fed some with honour some with ease some with wealth the Gospell waxeth loathsome vnpleasant in our tast how should we then haue a care to feed others with that which we cannot fancie our selues If faith wax cold and slender in the heart of the Prophet it will soone perish from the eares of the people The Prophet Amos speaketh of a famine saying I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread nor a thirst of water but of hearing the word of the Lord. Men shall wander from sea to sea and from the north vnto the east shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not find it Iudgement must beginne at the house of God saith Peter Yea I say at the sanctuarie of God this iudgemeÌ„t must begin This famine must begin at the hart of the Prophet He must haue darknes for a vision hee must stumble at noone daies as at the twi-light and then truth shall fall in middest of the streets then shall the people wander from sea to sea and from the North vnto the east shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord. 34 In the second of Haggaie speake now saith God to his prophet Speake now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel Prince of Iudah to Iehoshua the son of Iehozadak the high priest to the residue of the people saying who is left among you that saw this house in hir first glory and how doe you see it now is not this house in your eies in comparison of it as nothing the prophet would haue all mens eies turned to the veiw of theÌ„selues every sort brought to the consideration of their present state This is no place to shew what dutie Zerubbabel or Iehoshua doth owe vnto God in this respect They haue I doubt not such as put them hereof in remembraÌ„ce I aske of you which are a part of the residue of Gods elect chosen people Who is their amongst you that hath takeÌ„ a survey of the house of God as it was in the daies of the blessed Apostles of Iesus Christ who is there amongst you that hath seen coÌ„sidred this holy temple in her first glory how do you see it now Is it not in comparison of the other almost as nothing wheÌ„ ye look vpoÌ„ theÌ„ that haue vndertakeÌ„ the charge of your soules know how far these are for the most part growne out of kind how few there be that tread the steps of their ancient predecessors yee are easily filled with indignation easily drawne vnto these coÌ„plaints wherein the difference of present froÌ„ former times is bewailed easily persuaded to think of theÌ„ that lived to enioy the daies which now are gon Surely they were happy in coÌ„parison of vs that haue succeeded them were not their Bishops meÌ„ vnreprovable wisâ— righteous holy teÌ„perat wel reported of even of those which were without were not their Pastours guids teachers able willing to exhort with wholsoÌ„e doctrine to improue which gainesaid the truth had they priests made of the refuse of the people were men like to the children which were in Niniveh vnable to discerne betweene the right hand the left presented to the charge of their congregation did their teachers leaue their flocks over which the holy Ghost had made them overseers Did their Prophets enter vpon holy things as spoils without a reverend calling were their leaders so vnkindly affected towards theÌ„ that they could find in their hearts of sel them as sheepe or oxen not caring how they made them away But beloued deceaue not your selues Doe the faults of your guids and pastours offeud you it is your fault if they bee thus faulty Nullus qui maluÌ„ rectoreÌ„ patitur euÌ„ accuset quia fuifuit meriti perversi pastoris subiacere ditioni saith S. Gregory whosoever thou art whom the incoÌ„venience of an evil governor doth presse accuse thy selfe not him His being such is thy deseruing O yee disobedient children turn again saith the Lord the wil I giue you pastours according to mine own hart which shall feed you with knowledge vnderstading So that the only way to repaire all ruines breaches offensiue decaies in others is to begin reformation at your selues Which that we may all sincerely seriously and speedily doe God the Father grant for his sonne our Saviour lesus sake vnto whom with the holy Ghost three persons one Eternall and everlasting Gon be Honour and Glory and Praise forever Amen FINIS a Lib 4 ca 6. de doct Chr. b Rob. Tolet. l. 4 cap 5. c 2 Pet. 1. d Pâ—aef in orat D. Rainold * Parsons in 3. Convers. e Malac. 2 7. f Canus locor lib. 11. c. 6 Vives lib. 2 de corrupt art Hard. lib 4. Detect g Pag. 1903. edit 1570. h In the third part of 3. conversions of England in the Examine of Foxes Sainte cap. 14. §. 53. 54 p. 215 * Sect 55 k Plut in Demosthen l Liv. dec 1. lib. 2. an V. C 60 m 1. Tim. 2. 8. n Annal to 1 Ann. 57. n. 109 110 .10 2. An. 132. num 5 o S. Paulus de sua salute incertê° Richeom Iesuit lib. 2. c. 12. Idololat Huguenot pa. 119. in marg edit lat Mogunt 1613. interpret Marcel Bompar Iesuitâ p Witnesse the verses of Horatius of Iesuite recited by Possevin Biblioth Select part 2. lib. 17. cap. 19. Exue Francis cum tunicâ laceroque cucullo Qui FraÌ„ciscê° eratiam tibi Christus erit FraÌ„câ—sci exuviis si qua licet indue Christum Iam Franciscus erit qu imodò Christus erat The like hath Bencius another Iesuite q 2. Cor. 5. 1. Of the spirit of prophecie receaued froÌ„ God himself Of the Prophers maÌ„ner of speech Iob. 15. 2. 3. Wisd. 9. 16. Esai 49. 2. Ezechiel 3. A naturall man perceaveth not heavenly things Iam. 2. Act. 12. Act 1â— We must not halt between 2. opinions Mockers in the last time Mockers Mockers worse then Pagans and Infidels Act. 2. Act 26. Rom. 10. Iudas vir sapiens certi iudicii Threefold 〈◊〉 1 Heresie â— Schisme 3. Apostasy infallible evidence in the faithfull that they are Gods childâ—â—Ì„ The Papists falsly accuse vs of Heresie and Apostasie Act. 25. Apoc. 18. Cant. 8 11. Act. 20. The Popes vsurped supremacie Consil. delector Cardin. Laurent Surius Commde reb gest à Pio 5 Franciâ—cus Sansovin de gubernat regnoruÌ„ Rerumpub lib 11 cap. de Iud Marescal Soldan 2. Chr. c. 13. Ver. 12. Gen 6 3 13 Gen 6 8 18 Gen 19. 12. Gen 19. 15. Ver. 16. Ver. 18. Eccles. 5. The sacrament of the L. Supper Lam. 2. v. 13. Ephes 1 Ioh 4 1. Ioh. 5. Mat 7. Rom. 11. 1. Joh â— No pleasing of God without faith Psal 69. Rom. 11. Psal 18. v. 14. Rom 11. 20. Ver. 22. Hos. 1. 9 not my people Ver 6. not obtaining mercy * Carelesse Amos 8. 11. Ver. 12. 1. Pet. 4. 17. ier 3. v 14. 15.
most holy faith that so when our earthly house of this Tabernacle shall bee destroyed we may haue a building giuen of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens This is that which is most piously feelingly taught in these few leaues so that you shall read nothing here but what I perswade my selfe you haue long practised in the constant course of your life It remaineth only that you accept of these labours tendred to you by him who wisheth you the long ioies of this world the eternal of that which is to come Oxon. from Corp. Christ. College this 13. of Ianuary 1613. THE FIRST SERMON EPIST. IVDE 17 But yee beloved remember the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ 18 How that they told you that there should be mockers in the last time which should walke after their owne vngodly lusts 19 These are makers of sects fleshly having not the spirit 20 But yee beloued edifie your selues in your most holie faith praying in the holy Ghost 21 And keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life THE occasion wherevpon together with the ende wherefore this Epistle was written is opned in the front entrie of the same There were then as there are now many evill and wickedly disposed persons not of the mysticall body yet within the visible bounds of the Church men which were of old ordained to cōdemnation vngodly men which turned the grace of our God into wantonnesse and denied the Lord Iesus For this cause the spirit of the Lord is in the hand of Iude the servant of Iesus and brother of Iames to exhort them that are called and sanctified of God the father that they would earnestly contend to maintaine the faith which was once delivered vnto the Saints Which faith because wee cannot maintaine except wee knowe perfectly first against whom secondly in what sort it must be maintained therefore in the former three verses of that parcell of Scripture which I haue read the enimies of the crosse of Christ are plainely described and in the later two they that loue the Lord Iesus haue a sweet lesson giuen them how to strengthen stablish themselues in the faith Let vs first therefore examin the description of these reprobates concerning faith and afterwards come to the words of the exhortation wherein Christians are taught how to rest their hearts on Gods eternall and everlasting truth The description of these godlesse persons is two fold Generall and Speciall The generall doth point them out and shew what manner of men they should be The particular pointeth at them and saith plainely these are they In the generall description we haue to consider of these things First when they were described they were told of before Secondly the men by whom they were described They were spoken of by the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thirdly the daies when they should bee manifested vnto the world they told you they should bee in the last time Fourthly their disposition and whole demeanure mockers and walkers after their own vngodly lusts 2 In the third to the Philippians the Apostle describeth certaine They are men saith hee of whom I haue told you often and now with teares I tell you of them their God is their belly their glorying and reioycing is in their owne shame they mind earthly things These were enimies of the crosse of Christ enimies whom he saw his eies gusht out with teares to behold them But we are taught in this place how the Apostles spake also of enimies whom as yet they had not seen described a family of mē as yet vnheard of a generation reserved for the end of the world for the last time they had not onely declared what they heard and saw in the daies wherein they lived but they haue prophecid also of mē in time to come And you doe well saith S. Peter in that yee take heed to the words of prophecie so that yee first know this that no prophecie in the Scripture commeth of any mans owne resolution No prophecie in Scripture commeth of any mans owne resolution For all prophecy which is in Scripture came by the secret inspiration of God But there are prophecies which are no scripture yea there are prophecies against the Scripture my brethren beware of such prophecies and take heed you heed them not Remember the things that were spoken of before but spoken of before by the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Take heed to prophecies but to prophecies which are in scripture For both the manner and the matter of those prophecies doth shew plainely that they are of God 3 Touching the manner how men by the spirit of prophecie in holy Scripture haue spoken written of things to come wee must vnderstand that as the knowledge of that they spake so likewise the vtterance of that they knewe came not by these vsuall and ordinary meanes whereby we are brought to vnderstand the mysteries of our salvation and are wont to instruct others in the same For whatsoever wee know we haue it by the hands and ministrie of men which lead vs along like children from a letter to a syllable from a syllable to a word from a word to a line from a line to a sentence from a sentence to a side and so turne over But God himselfe was their instructour he himselfe taught thē partly by dreames and visions in the night partly by revelations in the daie taking them aside from amongst their brethrē and talking with them as a man would talke with his neighbour in the way Thus they became acquainted even with the secret and hidden counsels of God They saw things which themselues were not able to vtter they beheld that whereat men and Angels are astonished They vnderstood in the beginning what should come to passe in the last daies 4 God which lightned thus the eies of their vnderstanding giving them knowledge by vnvsuall and extraordinarie meanes did also miraculously himself frame and fashion their wordes and writings in so much that a greater difference there seemeth not to bee betweene the manner of their knowledge then there is between the manner of their speed ours When we haue conceiued a thing in our hearts and throughlie vnderstand it as wee thinke within our selues yet we can vtter it in such sort that our brethrē may receaue instruction or comfort at our mouths how great how long how earnest meditation are we forced to vse And after much travaile and much paines when we open our lips to speake of the wonderfull workes of God our tongues doe faulter within our mouthes yea many times wee disgrace the dreadfull mysteries of our faith and grieue the spirit of our hearers by words vnsavory and vnseemely speeches Shall a wise man fill his bellie with the easterne vind saith Eliphaz shall a wise man
and conversation walkers after their owne vngodly lusts S. Peter in his second epistle and 3. chapter soundeth the very depth of their impiety shewing first how they shall not shame at the length to professe themselues prophane and irreligious by flat denying the gospell of Iesus Christ and deriding the sweet and comfortable promises of his appearing secondly that they shall not be only deriders of all religion but also disputers against God vsing truth to subvert the truth yea scriptures themselues to disproue scriptures Being in this sort mockers they must needs be also followers of their owne vngodly lusts Being Atheists in perswasion can they choose but be beasts in conversatioÌ„ For why remoue they quite from them the feare God Why take they such paines to abandon and put out from their harts all sense all tast all feeling of religion but only to this end and purpose that they may without inward remorse and grudging of conscience giue over themselues to all vncleanenes Surely the state of these meÌ„ is more lamentable then is the condition of Pagans and Turkes For at the bare beholding of heaven and earth the infidels heart by and by doth giue him that there is an eternal infinite immortal and everliving God whose hands haue fashioned and framed the world hee knoweth that every house is builded of some man though he see not the man which built the house and he considereth that it must be God which hath built and created all things although because the number of his daies be few he could not see wheÌ„ God disposed his workes of old when he caused the light of his clowds first to shine when he laid the corner stone of the earth and swadled it with bands of water and darknes when he caused the morning star to know his place made barres and doores to shut vp the sea within his house saying hitherto shalt thou come but no farther he hath no eie switnesse of these things Yet the light of natural reason hath put this wisdome in his reines and hath given his heart thus much vnderstanding Bring a pagan to the schooles of the prophets of God prophecie to an infidell rebuke him lay the iudgements of God before him make the secret sinnes of his heart manifest and he shall fall downe and worship God They that crucified the Lord of glory were not so far past recovery but that the preaching of the Apostles was able to moue their hearts and to bring them to this Men brethren what shall we doe Agrippa that sate in iudgement against Paule for preaching yeelded notwithstanding thus farre vnto him almost thou perswadest me to become a Christian. Although the Iewes for want of knowledge haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God yet I beare them record saith the Apostle that they haue a zeale The Athenians a people hauing neither zeale nor knowledge yet of them also the same Apostle beareth witnesse yee men of Athens I perceaue yee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some way religious But mockers walking after their owne vngodly lusts tâ—ey haue smothered every sparke of that heavenly light they haue stiflled even their very naturall vnderstanding O Lord thy mercy is over al thy workes thou savest man and beast yet a happy case it had beene for these men if they had never beene borne and so I leaue them 10 St Iude hauing his mind exercised in the doctrine of the Apostles of Iesus Christ concerning things to come in the last time became a man of a wise and staid iudgement Grieued hee was to see the departure of many and their falling away from the faith which before they did professe grieved but not dismayed With the simpler and weaker sort it was otherwise Their countenance began by and by to change they were halfe in doubt they had deceiued themselues in giuing credit to the Gospell of Iesus Christ. St Iude to comfort refresh these silly lambs taketh them vp in his armes and sheweth them the men at whom they were offended Look vpon them that forsake this blessed professioÌ„ wherein you stand They are now before your eyes view them marke them are they not carnall are they not like to noysome carrion cast out vpon the earth is there that spirit in them which cryeth Abba father in your bosomes Why should any man be discomforted haue you not heard that there should be mockers in the last time These verily are they that now doe seperate themselues 11 For your better vnderstanding what this severing and separating of themselues doth meane we must knowe that the multitude of them which truly beleeue howsoever they be dispersed farre and wide each from other is all one body whereof the head is Christ one building whereof he is the corner stone in whom they as the meÌ„bers of the body being knit as the stones of the building being coupled grow vp to a man of perfect stature and rise to an holy teÌ„ple in the Lord. That which linketh Christ to vs is his meere mercy and loue towards vs. That which tieth vs to him is our faith in the promised salvation revealed in the word of truth That which vniteth and ioyneth vs amongst our selues in such sort that wee are now as if we had but one heart and one soule is our loue Who be inwardly in heart the liuely members of this body and the polished stones of this building coupled and ioined to Christ as flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones by the mutuall bond of his vnspeakable loue towards them their vnfained faith in him thus linked and fastned each to other by a spirituall sincere and hartie affection of loue without any manner of simulation who be Iewes within and what their names be none can tell saue he whose eies doe behold the secret disposition of all mens hearts We whose eies are too dimme to behold the inward man must leaue the secret iudgement of every servant to his owne Lord accounting and vsing all men as brethren both neere and deare vnto vs supposing Christ to loue them tenderly so as they keep the profession of the Gospell and ioyne in the outward communion of Saints Whereof the one doth warrantize vnto vs their faith the other their loue till they fall away and forsake either the one or the other or both and then it is no iniurie to tearme them as they are When they separate themselues they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not iudged by vs but by their owne doings Men do separate theÌ„selues either by heresie schisme or apostasie If they loose the bond of faith which then they are iustly supposed to doe when they frowardly oppugne any principall point of Christian doctrine this is to separate themselues by Heresie If they breake the bond of vnitie whereby the body of the Church is coupled and knit in one as they doe which willfully forsake al externall communion with Saints in holy
faith to the conservation of the soule For they that fall away from the grace of God and separate themselues vnto perdition they are fleshly and carnall they haue not Gods holy spirit But vnto you because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts to the end yee might knowe that Christ hath built you vpon a rocke vnmoueable that he hath registred your names in the booke of life that hee hath bound himselfe in a sure and everlasting covenant to be your God the God of your children after you that hee hath suffered as much groned as oft prayed as heartily for you as for Peter O father keepe them in thy name ô righteous father the world hath not knowne thee but I haue knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent me I haue declared thy name vnto them and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them The Lord of his infinite mercy giue vs hearts plentifully fraught with the treasure of this blessed assurance of faith vnto the end 14 Here I must advertise all men that haue the testimonie of Gods holy feare within their breasts to consider how vnkindly and iniuriously our owne countrimen and brethren haue dealt with vs by the space of foure and twentie yeares from time to time as if we were the men of whom S. Iude here speaketh never ceasing to charge vs some with schisme some with heresie some with plaine and manifest apostasie as if we had cleane separated our selues from Christ vtterly forsaken God quite abiured heaven trampled all truth and all religion vnder our feet Against this third sort God himselfe shall pleade our cause in that day when they shall answer vs for these words not we them To others by whom we are accused for schisme and heresie wee haue often made our reasonable and in the sight of God I trust allowable answers For in the way which they call heresie wee worship the God of our fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the law the Prophets That which they call schisme wee knowe to bee our reasonable service vnto God and obedience to his voice which cryeth shrill in our eares Go out of Babylon my people that you be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receaue not of her plagues And therefore when they rise vp against vs hauing no quarrell but this we need not to seeke any farther for our Apologie then the words of Abiah to Ieroboam his armie 2. Chr. 13. O Ieroboam and Israel heare you me ought you not to knowe that the Lord God of Israel hath giuen the kingdome over Israel to David for ever even to him to his sonnes by a covenant of salt that is to say an everlasting covenant Iesuits Papists heare yee me ought you not to knowe that the Father hath giuen al power vnto the some and hath made him the only head over his Church wherein he dwelleth as an husbādman in the midst of his vineyard manuring it with the sweat of his owne browes not letting it forth to others For as it is in the Canticle Solomon had a vineyard in Baalhamon he gaue the vineyard vnto keepers every one bringing for the fruit thereof a thousand peeces of silver but my vineyard which is mine is before me saith Christ. It is true this is meant of the mysticall head set over the body which is not seene butas he hath reserved the mysticall administratiō of the church invisible vnto himselfe so hee hath committed the mysticall government of cōgregations visible to the sonnes of David by the same couenant whose sonnes they are in the governing of the flock of Christ whōsoever the holy ghost hath set over thē to goe before them to leade them in their seuerall pastures one in this cōgregation another in that as it is written Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy ghost hath made you over seers to feed the church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne blood Neither will ever any Pope or Papist vnder the cope of heaven bee able to proue the Romish Bishops vsurped supremacy over all Churches by any one word of the covenant of salt which is the Scripture For the children in our streets doe now laugh them to scome when they force thou art Peter to this purpose The Pope hath no more reason to draw the charter of his vniversall authoritie from hence then the rethren had to gather by the wordes of Christ in the last of S. Iohn that the Disciple whome Iesus I ued should never die If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee saith Christ Straight waies a report was raysed amongst the brethren that this disciple should not die yet Iesus said not to him Hee shall not die but if I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee Christ hath said in the 16 of S. Matthewes Gospell to Simon the sonne of Ionas I say to thee thou art Peter Hence an opinion is held in the world that the Pope is vniversall head of all Churches yet Iesus said not the Pope is vniversall head of all Churches but Tues Petrus Thou art Peter Howbeit as Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat the servant of Solomon rose vp and rebelled against his Lord and there were gathered vnto him vaine men and wicked which made themselues strong against Ieroboam the sonne of Solemon because Roboam was but a child and tender hearted and could not resist them so the sonne of perdition and man of sinne being not able to brooke the words of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ which forbad his disciples to be leke princes of nations They beare rule and are called gracious it shall not bee so with you hath risen vp and rebelled against his Lord to strengthen his arme he hath crept into the houses almost of all the noblest families round about him and taken their children from the cradle to be his Cardinals he hath fawned vpon the kings and princes of the earth by spirituall coufenage hath made them sell their lawfull authoritie and iurisdiction for titles of Catholicus Christianissimus Defensor fidei and such like he hath proclaimed sale of pardons to inveigle the ignorant built seminaries to allure young men desirous of learning erected Stewes to gather the dissolute vnto him This is the rocke wherevpon his Church is built Hereby the man is growne huge and strong like the Cedars which are not shaken with the wind because Princes haue beene as children over tender hearted and could not resist Hereby it is come to passe as you see this day that the man of sinne doth warre against vs not by men of a language which we cannot vnderstande but he commeth as Ieroboam against Iuda bringeth the fruit of our owne bodies to eat vs
out in the Canticles at the beholding of this attire How faire art thou and how pleasant art thou O my loue in these pleasures 9 And perhaps S. Iude exhorteth vs here not to build our houses but our selues forseeing by the spirit of the Almighty which was with him that there should be men in the last daies like to those in the first which should encourage and stirre vp each other to make bricke to burne it in the fire to build houses huge as cities and towers as high as heaven thereby to get them a name vpon earth men that shoulde turne out the poore and the fatherlesse and the widdow to build places of rest for dogs swine in their roomes men that should lay houses of praier even with ground and make thē stables where Gods people haue worshipped before the Lord. Surely this is a vanity of all vanities and it is much amongst men a speciall sicknesse of this age What it should meane I know not except God haue set thē on worke to provide fewel against that day when the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire What good commeth vnto the owners of these things saith Solomon but only the beholding thereof with their eies Martha Martha thou busiest thy selfe about many things One thing is necessarie Yee are too busie my brethren with timber and bricke They haue chosen the better part they haue taken a better course that build themselues Yee are the Temples of the living God as God hath said I wil dwel in them and will walke in them they shal be my people and I wil be their God 10 Which of you wil gladly remaine or abide in a mishapen a ruinous or a broken house And shal we suffer sinne and vanity to drop in at our eies and at our eares at every corner of our bodies of our soules knowing that we are the Temples of the holy Ghost Which of you receiveth a guest whom he honoureth or whom he loveth and doth not sweepe his chamber against his comming And shal we suffer the chamber of our hearts and consciences to lie full of vomiting full of filth ful of garbidge knowing that Christ hath said I and my Father will come and dwell with you Is it meete for your Oxen to lay in parlours and your selues to lodge in cribs Or is it seemely for your selues to dwell in your setled houses and the house of the Almighty to lie wast whose house yee are your selues Do not our eies behold how God every day overtaketh the wicked in their iourneies how suddenly they pop downe into the pit how Gods iudgements for their times come so swiftly vpon them that they haue not the leasure to crie Alas how their life is cut off like a threed in a moment how they passe like a shadow how they open their mouthes to speake and God taketh them even in the midst of a vaine or an idle word And dare we for all this lay downe take our rest eate our meat securely and carelesly in the midst of so great and so many ruines Blessed and praised for ever and ever be his name who perceiuing of how senselesse heavy mettall we are made hath instituted in his Church a spirituall supper and an holy communion to be celebrated often that we might thereby bee occasioned often to examine these buildings of ours in what case they stand For sith God doth not dwell in Temples which are vncleane sith a shrine cannot be a sanctuary vnto him and this supper is receaued as a seale vnto vs that we are his house and his sanctuarie that his Christ is as truly vnited to me and I to him as my arme is vnited and knit vnto my shoulder that hee dwelleth in me as verily as the elements of bread and wine abide within me which perswasion by receiving these dreadfull mysteries we professe our selues to haue a due comfort if truly and if in hypocrisie then woe worth vs. Therefore ere wee put forth our hands to take this blessed Sacrament we are charged to examine and to trie our hearts whether God bee in vs of a truth or no and if by faith and loue vnfained we be found the temples of the holy Ghost then to iudge whether we haue had such regard every one to our building that the spirit which dwelleth in vs hath no way beene vexed molested and grieued Or if it haue as no doubt sometimes it hath by incredulitie sometimes by breach of charitie sometimes by want of zeale sometimes by spots of life even in the best and most perfect amongst vs for who can say his heart is cleane O then to fly vnto God by vnfained repentance to fall downe before him in the humilitie of our soules begging of him whatsoever is needfull to repaire out decaies before wee fall into that desolation whereof the Prophet speaketh saying Thy breach is great like the sea who can heale thee 11 Receiving the sacrament of the Supper of the Lord after this sort you that are spiritual iudge what I speake is not all other wine like the water of Marah being compared to the cup which we blesse Is not Manna like to gall and our bread like to Manna Is there not a tast a tast of Christ Iesus in the hart of him that eateth Doth not hee which drinketh behold plainely in this cup that his soul is bathed in the blood of the lambe O beloued in our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ if yee will tast how sweet the Lord is if yee will receaue the king of glory Build your selues 12 Young men I speake this to you for yee are his house because by faith yee are conquerers over Satan and haue overcome that evill Fathers I speake it also to you yee are his house because yee haue knowne him which is from the beginning Sweete Babes I speake it even to you also yee are his house because your sinnes are forgiven you for his name-sake Matrons and Sisters I may not hold it from you yee are also the Lords building and as S. Peter speaketh heires of the grace of life as well as we Though it be forbidden you to open your mouthes in publike assemblies yet yee must bee inquisitiue in things concerning this building which is of God with your husbands and friends at home not as Dalila with Sampson but as Sara with Abraham whose daughters yee are whilst yee doe well and build your selues 13 Having spoken thus farre of the exhortation as whereby we are called vpon to edifie and build our selues It remaineth now that wee consider the thing prescribed namely wherein we must bee built This prescription standeth also vpon two points the thing prescribed and the adiuncts of the thing And that is our most pure and holy faith 14 The thing prescribed is Faith For as in a chaine which is made of many linkes if you pull the first you drawe the rest and as