well as wee that all Scriptures are inspired of God are profitable for men to instruct to rebuke and to correct that the man of God might be made perfect in all good workes 2. Timo. 4. that they are written for our learning Ro. 15. that many do erre not knowing them Math. 22. Onelie nowe there remaynes that doctrine which the enimy vntrulie sayth wée condemne that is sinceritie integritie and honestie of conuersation and lyfe which commonlie they call good workes Neuer a iusticiarie of them all is so earnest as we are to desire and beséeche you nay to charge and commaunde you and that in the name of Christe Iesus that you prouoke not the holy one to anger and to the iuste iudgement against you by breache of his lawes and statutes and yet we preach not as they for all this for our ende is mercie because we are vnprofitable Luk. 17. but their ende is merit bicause they are seruiseable you must thinke so at the least though I cannot coate the place in all the Scriptures but they write so of them selues This is the nayle in the shippes syde which we all dryue at to strike vp to the head least water leaking shoulde sinke her into the Seas After fayth workes after lyght walking after a foundation buylding after planting prospering and growing after a good profession some good practise after so long and so lowde a calling some comming and running towarde the marke which is set before vs Iesus Christe which is the price of our calling Now is the time for fruite take héede of the axe nowe is the time for the husbandman to drinke of the Uine beware of no grapes beware of sowre and wylde grapes for downe goes the walles then in comes the Boare and rootes it vp Nowe is the time for haruest when the sickle of Gods iudgemēt shal cutte downe both corne and cockle the corne shall he gather into his Garner but the chaffe he shall burne with vnquencheable fyre If you knowe his wyll and do it not be sure and looke for those many strypes and if the Lorde handle his yron rod once geue but one blowe of correction are we not all as the Potters vessell is our matter any better But if he stryke the strooke of condempnation what powder and dust shall the vngodlie be made and scattered before the face of the winde it is God that is true and all men are lyars It is heauen and earth that shall perish and not the smallest portion of his woorde shall passe vnperfourmed when the Lorde speakes therefore let the congregation be silent let flesh and blood nay let earth and ashes wormes and wormes meate neuer dare once resist as the obstinate or refuse as the ignoraunt or receyue in vaine the yoke of his obedience as all carnal and careles professors do which do nothing according as they are cōmaunded which haue a face or a shewe of seruice but haue denied the power of godlinesse therefore do receyue the woorde of God in vaine He speakes vnto you by the Prophet Ieremie this daye The dayes of Ierusalem were perillous times for both Prince and Priest and people dyd not onely neglect as we do but manifestly contempne the woord of the Lorde and fell to smyting of his Prophetes Hence grewe monstrous enormities as it was méete when the Lampe light of our steppes was once out that they shoulde runne ouer shoes into all extremities when they sinned in the great thing I meane Idolatrie once committed it can not be but adultrie shoulde followe and incest periurie murther extorcion robberie and all abhomination to be ryfe amongst them as you may reade 6.8 and many other places of this Prophecie Least therefore as a horse headlong shoulde runne into destruction they should make a league with hell and as it were vowe their owne dampnation as a man of himselfe doth styll run the race of iniquitie to make vp the number of his sinnes least thus working wickednesse with gréedynesse they shoulde past all crye fall into the daungerous mouth of hell fyre and kyndle whole heapes of coales vpon their own heades the Lorde in his mercies of olde hauing an euerlasting prouidence for preseruation of his Church maye not lose one openeth the mouth of this Prophet by his holy spirite and vttereth matter inough both for the comfort of his chosen and vtter confusion of the reprobate and saith Albeit there is not one true Prophete left almost that speake a good woorde but euerie man crieth peace peace and yet al from highest to lowest are geuen to brybes and horrible thinges are committed in the Lande Albeit there is neyther iudgement nor iustice but lyke stone horses euery man haunts harlots houses and his neyghbors wyfe To be short though there be aunswerable confusion and such a deformitie as for the lyke sinnes or lesse I once drowned in iustice the whole worlde in Noahs tyme except a few eyght persons and burned in my iudgement whole Sodom and Gomorra with diuers other Cities Yet now remembring my promise of olde made to Dauid my seruaūt mercifullie beholde the tyme commeth sayth the Lorde c. But howe perfect mans eyes are the shyning sunne doth shew which quicklye blyndes the clearest sight and howe brutish mans reason is without Gods spyrite in Religion that it is the speciall grace of God we are not turned cleane out of both reason and Religion Let vs therefore craue assistaunce of Gods most blessed spyrite that with méeke harte and due reuerence I maye speake and you maye heare and we all receyue his holie woorde to the glorie of his name the confirmation of his truth the confutation of error and the euerlasting comfort of all true Christians in Iesu Christ. In this prayer let vs remember his vniuersal Church the Churches of Englande and Irelande the Quéenes most excellent Maiestie her Graces most honorable Counsaile all inferior Magistrates all Ministers and all priuate men that the Lorde woulde blesse vs all to kéepe our fayth vnto the ende Amen 1. Beholde the time commeth sayth the Lorde that I wyll rayse vp the righteous branch of Dauid 2. which King shall beare rule 3. and he shall prosper with wisdome and he shall set vp equitie and righteousnesse againe in the earth 4. In his time shal Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name they shall call him 5. The Lorde our righteousnesse FOr the the better vnderstanding of the simple this shal be my order to proceede as the woords lye Fyrst of the Prophecie of Christes comming Secondly what he shall do he shall beare rule Thyrdly the manner of his regiment he shall prosper with wisdome set vp equity Fourthly the ende of his comming or kingdome Iuda shal be saued and Israel dwell without feare Fyfthlie the glorious tytle or name which is the Lorde our
lye by it and that for theyr transgression And the Angell Gabriel reuealed to him afterward that the Lord in mercy would yet restore them seuen fold again that is .70 times seuen which amoūteth or multiplieth in accoumpt to 490 yeres and then this Messias should come Ieremy here speaketh indefinitelye and sayth the time commeth where the present tyme is put for the future as I take it not to expresse the shortnesse but the assuraunce of the tyme when Christe shoulde come The Wyse man sayth all thinges haue a time and it is a high poynt of wisdome to knowe the tyme of all thinges but to knowe this tyme of all tymes is wisdome of all wisdomes The Prophetes foreshewed it to the Iewes but yet he was chieflie receyued of the Gentiles for he came to his owne his owne knew him not I pray God for the second triumphant kingly cōming it fall not out so that to whō he is most preached they be least prepared How long was it I pray you that Israel longed to come out of Egipts bondage and how lōg loked Iuda to be deliuered frō Babilons captiuity But for the great fréedom indéed from the perpetual euerlasting thraldom by this onely Messias there were very few or none Right so play we in these dayes we are very carefull for the times and seasons concerning our worldlie affayres A prisoner duely wayteth his delyueraunce a prentise styl thinkes on his fréedome and both keepe iust accoumpt of euery day yea the sicke man leteth not one houre escape nor misseth not a minute but styll longeth for his health but for our great delyuerance departure hence it is not only the last but the verie least care when friendes Phisitions forsake vs we trust yet in our selues for no man is so olde but he thinks he may be older and no man is so sick but he hopes he may recouer and the last messenger shall styl be for the Mynister the daunger sure is verie great and euerie man is not sure to be at Christes right hande iuste when he dieth and repētance is not in our own hands thou trustest to thy ende thy end bringeth distrust for the greatest assault is in thy weakest estate As I would not haue any mā to distrust god no not specially in the ende so woulde I not haue any to tempte God and trust onely to the ende and yet I saye all is well that endes well This example is plaine inough of Christes cōming to the Iewes prophecied prophecied againe and yet not vnderstood So the naturall example of our mortalitie and dayly dropping away might moue reasonable men to take hede if warning woulde serue to teache vs to watch waight for his comming or to be prepared prouided for our going Sayth the Lord. Looke what the Lord hath sayde and that is sure to come to passe in al pointes as he hath sayd it for God is not as man is mutable in repenting his promises albeit he is sayd to repēt that euer he made man Gen. 6. It is but to expresse the hartie hatred he beareth against sinne against their sinnes of the olde worlde or else why do we so confidentlye buylde and constantly assure our selues of the inexplicable comfort of euerlasting saluation but bicause of his woorde which is immutable hath he sayd it nay he hath sworne it he that commaūded the heauens they were made and but spake the woorde and they stoode fast standeth styll vpon his honour and wyll perfourme what he promiseth in number waight and measure as he hath giuen his woorde for some testimony and examples Why dyd not the fyre consume those thrée thrust into the burning Ouen was it not hote enough or did it not burne when the verie flames did lycke vp those tormētors that put them in and what is the reason but that it shall be so and why did the Seas so spie the Lord why ranne they backe and were afraide became as a wall to Israel and ranne together againe to drowne Pharao all his hoast 114. Psa. but this that it shall be so Why did not the Lyons in theyr den snatch Daniel rather before he came to the grounde teare him in péeces than lye styll before him as Lambes no Lyons but this the water may not wette though it be a great Sea fyre may not heate though it be a flaming fyre many Lyons many hungry Lions may not touch a seely man when the Lord hath sayde it shall be so for heauen and earth shall perishe and vanish as a scroule but his woorde endureth for euermore That I wyll raise vp the right braunch Dauid This alludes to that raysing of séede to a mans brother if he dye without issue as it is in the lawe Here we must note howsoeuer God promised to Adam the Womās séede shal breake the serpentes head Gen. 3. Howsoeuer to Abrahā in blessing I wyl blesse thée and in multiplying I wyl multiply thy seede as the starres of heauen or as the innumerable sandes of the shore and howsoeuer to Dauid thy seede shall endure for euer thy seate as the Sun c. That is how so euer the couenauntes or mercifull promises of God made to our Forefathers did differ in circumstaunce yet do they all agree in effect substaunce Againe howe soeuer the Prophetes dreamed dreames or sawe visions whether they prophecied some plainer some darker some as it were farther off and mysticall some more euident and neare as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce Yet all inspired from aboue spake in effect one and the same thing And there can not be founde any contrarietie in al the doctrine of the Prophets of God thā is possible to be in the spirite wherewith they were inspired The marke they all shotte at is Iesus Christe the ende of the whole lawe and the Prophets which were vntyll Iohn and this partycular Prophecie which I haue in hande as I tolde you concerneth the pacte or couenaunt with Dauid but not in the Iewish sense But looke howe it was promysed of God so is it prophecied of Ieremie and right so hath it bene perfourmed in Iesu Christe for the vnitie of Gods spirite is styll one and indiuisible as the dietie Why some Iewe may obiect is it not plaine that Salomon Ezechias and Iosias being lawfull Sonnes and succeders of Dauid were raysed of God as righteous braunches I aunswere that it is God in deede by whose power all Princes do raigne and through his authority they haue their seates It is he which rayseth them vp and raseth them out againe at his pleasure which turned out Nabuchodonezer as a Beast in his iustice and in his mercie made the sheephooke of his seruaunt Dauid to be a Scepter ouer Israell But all that propagation or Princely posterity raysed of God was not without the meanes of man and this is immediatly of
and our King a Prophete being a fulfyller of all that they spake and the ende of them a Priest to fynishe all the Sacrifices of the olde Lawe by one suffycient and most blessed oblation of his owne body vpon the Crosse a King by rulyng and gouerning his Church hauyng full aucthoritie alone ouer the same being annointed not with the confections of balmes or spices of swéete odors but with the holy Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes But what rule bare he some wyll say could he come simplier than borne in a Manger despised of the Doctors had in derision of the multitude spytted on and most spitefully dealt withall alas what crowne ware he but a crowne of thornes or what King was he being so poore so persecuted that it was not possible it shoulde be he that is here prophecied Thus they looking for a Princely appearing in power aucthoritie and wealth and to haue an earthly kingdome restored as they dreamed receyued not the King of Kings and therfore though they aske for the daye of the Lorde the daye of the Lorde yet haue they nothing to doo with it when it commes for it is darknesse and no lyght vnto them And yet as naked poore and simple as Christe his byrth was the heauens with their powers the Sunne the starres the Wyse men dyd celebrate solempnize their geuing of Golde declared him a king their offring of Frākensense did signifie him God and the brynging of Myrre dyd shewe he shoulde dye the testimony of the Angels them selues and his healing of sicke and sore his helping of blinde and lame his restoring of deaffe dumme and deade men nay his victorie ouer eternall death doth shewe him selfe to be the gloryous king of kinges and why doo the Heathen then so furiously rage together and imagine a vaine thing or why do the Kinges of the earth and Rulers stande vp and take counsell against the Lorde the King It is all in vaine for yet the Lorde hath set his King vpon his holy hyll of Sion Yet the Lorde is king be the people neuer so vnpacient Psal. 99. Nay the Lorde is king and the earth maye be glad therof Psal. 97. For so the Angell song glory be to God on high and on earth peace good wyll towardes men He beareth rule immediatly or mediatly Immediatly by himself as he is God from euerlasting whose Scepter shal haue no end whose power is all that is in heauen and al that is in earth yet it is not conteyned And as he is God so he ruleth not lyke an earthlie Monarche who by ritches strength of armes pollicie the lyke do rule the rost But he by his onely wisedome by the which he sustaineth al things in heauē in earth to mans reason very folishlie he sometime in an Arke sometime in a Caue sometime in pryson c. he doth for secreet causes leade his Church through many bytter temptacions as it were to no other purpose than by trying them by the Crosse to make them true to his Crowne And that his Church is subiect vnto such mutations too it is our infirmitie weaknesse and not his faulte and yet he is so on our side that nothing can be against vs Though euer dying yet neuer dead styll assaulted and styll assisted nowe as it were extinguished cleane gone and nowe encreased and mightily multiplied He ruleth by his spirite so that neyther thought woorde nor déede can passe without his prouidence and they that thinke he ruleth generallie all but not particularlie euerie one or that it is labour for him to knowe euery mans matter to dispose them all and so say with the foolish Tush the Lorde séeth it not or is there knowledge in the most highest they are but chyldren yet for knowledge and but yong schollers for vnderstanding they haue not in parte learned the Maiestie of God nor sufficiently knowne the greatnesse of his power which in all cases vndoubtedlie is assistent to his whole Church and to euerie part thereof to the whole flocke and to euerie shéepe thereof and séeketh euen that same one wanderer in the wyldernesse and bringes him home againe and preuentes all daungers ditches bryers woolues and deuylles for he may not lose one except that same lost chylde of perdition that the Scriptures might be fulfylled Secondlie he ruleth by his Mynisters and that is the Prince first and vnder him the Pastor for so you shall reade that he lead Israell lyke shéepe through the wyldernesse by the hādes of Moyses and Aaron the sworde ruled in the hande of the one and the worde preached in the mouth of the other So that euerie soule must submyt them selues to the superiour powers for bicause the powers that are are ordained of God and he that resisteth them resisteth the ordinaunce of God for I sayd you are Gods and yet you shall dye like men So that a king is subiect to none vpon the earth but immediatlie vnder God occupieth the highest roome in his owne dominion and sitteth in the chiefest seate yet neuerthelesse are they all but subiectes vnto God and to his woorde and to obey this is the safest waye to walke in a kingdome to saye as Dauid 101. Psa. I wyll walke with a perfect harte in my house A kingdome then is Gods gifte but to one and a king is his gift vnto many as if his Church offende him in iustice he wyll punish hir and children shall be hir kinges Esa. 3. so in his mercie he wyll set vp Dauid in his throne Salomon in his seat wherby we note that both sortes both good and bad gratious and tyrannous are al of the Lord for he that made Cayus made Marius also he that made Augustus made Nero too he that made Domitian the Christian made Iulian the Apostata Emperors And though the Lorde for iust and secret causes many tymes do geue this earthly kingdome to wicked and vngratious Princes to tyraunts and lymmes of Sathan Yet this is sure that not one of them al shal euer enter into the euerlasting kingdome without repentaunce The Lord in whose handes the harts of kings are turne them all vnto him and graunt them timely repentaunce that they may be kinges in heauen as they are vpon the earth Religion pertaynes not to the left hande but to the right hand of a king to his scepter to his Crowne For therfore chiefly hath he placed kings to be our forefathers and therefore Queenes to be our Nurses Esai 49. And secondlie that the Church of God might lacke no cherishing the example of good Iosias teacheth who not only receyued but read dilygently the booke of the Lawe and prouided within thrée yeare that al the Magistrates shoulde haue the same Againe Saules disobedience how it prouoked Gods iudgement and what myserable and desperat end followed who knoweth not Wherefore so to speake and so to do then to punishe and
not to executiō Your good pollicies therin to preuent pardon for vnworthy persons is commendable but for tyme space for instruction repentaunce I speake that as we all desire the Lorde to geue vs tyme to keepe vs from soddaine death So as you best shall finde good deale with their soules I beséeche you whose bodies by iustice you commyt to death Iustice is well called the Lady of ciuile affayres or rather the mother of a cōmon weale and hir two daughters or damosels Lenity Seuerity are very necessary handmaids Iustice is to respect euery mans cause but no mans person for that is partiality Lenity is to mitigate or lessen the punishment but not the facte for that were iniquity and Seuerity is to punish the fault condignly but not without cause for that were tyranny I leaue this to your discretions euen thus bicause you are wyse inough to whome the matter is commited onely I pray you remembre that God is Iudge ouer all and that he setteth vp equity and righteousnesse in his kingdome Here is the ende of his comming or kingdome Israels safety by his time is meant for euer for who can tell his age Esa. 53. So long then as he is king so long shal Iuda be safe but he is king for euer therefore for euer shall Iuda be glad We are sealed therfore safe he hath all power therefore we are safe This is the perfect state of happinesse in deede not onely to be in peace but to be without feare of farther trouble This maye partly be vnderstoode of Israels delyuery which were in peace a long season in respect of their wonted troubles warres And it maye be applied to the mylitaunt Church which notwithstāding it is tossed with many tēpestes yet is it voyde of any feare of dampnation bicause of our fayth and faythfull foundation Iesus Christ. Eyther it maye be more effectually vnderstoode of the tryumphant Church which is safe and past all feare euen as Christ himselfe crowned in the heauens and past all the daungers of hell Hence we note the ende of Magistrates of Princes ruling to be their subiectes safetie without feare a shyp sailes to come to the port a man fights to get victory he that labours doth it that he maye rest Christes Church is mylitant that it may be triumphant And looke what the whyte is to him that shooteth and the same is peace to him that gouerneth The marke that Magistrates should ayme and shote at is the prosperity of the people That is no sound peace where there is daunger of warre there is no safety where there is continual feare now at meate and nowe in the fielde nowe in the Church and anon in prison As Israel was sore chased and vexed of their enimies at euery halfe whyle We haue no such cause to complayne God be thanked therefore and yet our hope and feare can not chuse but ebbe and flow bicause we haue had such a peace as the enimie doth enuie and the true Christian can not but feare what wyll followe But séeing Deus nobis haec otia fecit that God is the author of our peace we wyll not cease to put our trust in him and to pray vnto him for encrease of grace and so shall we be sure of long peace Let vs decline in déede from euyll doo in déede the thinges that are good let vs praye vnfeynedly for the bonde of peace which is vnitie but I woulde haue it in verity for a Citie deuided can not long stande He that knoweth both buildings their cause of ruines hath tolde vs so Parris is a pattern not of long ago and Antwerp an example but of yesterday happy are they whom other mennes harmes can make to beware and dolefull is theyr estate that dally with destruction The Lord knit the knot of peace make it fast from flypping and breaking that being at quiet in our bowelles from sedition at home we maye be stronger in body to resyst all forraigne powers abroade A most glorious and gratious tytle and cause of al our comfort how neare a name to this doth the Angell reueale to Ioseph when he called him Emanuel Math. 1. Esa. 8. which is God with vs As the plaister vnapplyed being neuer so good doth yet no good at all So al that we haue heard of this king can comfort vs nothing except it doo pertayne vnto vs nay the brightnesse and glory of his comming kingdom doth rather breede dispayre in vs that well consider what we are therefore to méete with this malady the mercy of the Lord hath discouered him to the full And to vs the daye starre shyneth bright and bringeth ioy in the morning so is the sonne of righteousnesse sprōg vp to vs that were in darknesse and in the shadow of death And hence is it the the ryghteous are sayde to shine as the sonne in the kingdome of God bicause the son himselfe is our righteousnesse at whose appearing the very sūne shal lose his beames the Moone hir brightnesse and the starres theyr lyght for they are darknesse vnto him and he is the Lorde our righteousnesse It is necessary that séeing the reward of sinne is flatte by the Lawe eternall death and that for very shame cōscience sake no man dare able himself iust before the barre or tribunall seate of god Which sore trial Dauid saw and how it would go with him when he cryed Lorde enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for no flesh is ryghteous in thy sight Notwithstanding that pestilent rable past all shame doth desperately dare to broche such dampnable doctrine of merite whereby establishing their owne righteousnesse they cast downe the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ as the Iewes dyd Rom. 10. but their rewarde is ready their destruction sléepeth not for their merits sake Let vs deny all worthynesse or towardnesse or sparke of goodnesse to be in vs which the Papistes do falsifie fayne to be a grace remayning in thē wherby they take away that all which is due to Iesus Christ. Who as he is all in all and alone hath wrought our redemption so alone he wyll be glorified and be altogether our righteousnesse without our helpe or addition wherefore it is sayde when we hated him he loued vs which is taught by that place He loued vs first and that he was founde of them that neuer sought after him but that he is made to vs wisedome ryghteousnesse sanctification redemption and onely hath preuēted our dampnation so that al other practises are but simple shifts merites are but popish paltry not woorth one gally halpeny nay whatsoeuer it be beside Christ it helpes to hell as round as can be For he is the way the trueth and the lyfe Of with all backe byases then which maketh vs runne out of course let vs kéepe our grounde beware of wandring for vaine opinion hath caryed many a