obtain that thing now of me which hereafter Time shall obtain of me If a Man be called an Adulterer Usurer Drunkard or by any other shameful Name let him consider earnestly whether he be so called truly or falsly if truly let him amend his fault that his Adversary may not after worthily charge him with such Offences If these things be laid against him falsly yet let him consider whether he hath given any occasion to be suspected of such things and so he may both cut off that suspicion whereof this slander did arise and in other things shall live more warily And thus using ourselves we may take no hurt but rather much good by the rebukes and slanders of our Enemy For the reproach of an Enemy may be to many men a quicker spur to the amendment of their life than the gentle monition of a Friend Philippus the King of Macedonia when he was evil spoken of by the chief Rulers of the City of Athens he did thank them heartily because by them he was made better both in his Words and Deeds For I study saith he both by my Sayings and Doings to prove them Lyars The Third Part of the Sermon against Contention YE heard in the last Lesson of the Sermon against Strife and Brawling how we may answer them which maintain their froward sayings in Contention and that will revenge with words such evil as other Men do them and finally how we may according to God's Will order ourselves and what to consider towards them when wâ— are provoked to Contention and Strife with railing Words Now to proceed in the same matter you shall know the right way how to disprove and overcome your Adversary and Enemy This is the best way to disprove a Man's Adversary so to live that all which shall know his Honesty may bear witness that he is slandered unworthily If the fault whereof he is slandered be such that for the defence of his Honesty he must needs make answer let him answer quietly and softly on this fashion That those faults be laid against him falsly For it is truth that the Wise Man saith A soft answer asswageth anger Prov. 15. and a hard and sharp answer dâ—th stir up rage and fury The sharp answer of Nabal provoked David to cruel Vengeance 1 King 25. but the gentle words of Abigail quenched the fire again that was all in a flame And a special remedy against malicious Tongues is to arm ourselves with patience meekness and silence lest with multiplying words with the Enemy we be made as evil as he But they An Objection Prov. 26. that cannot bear one evil word peradventure for their own excuse will alledge that which is written He that despiseth his gâ—od Name is cruel Also we read Answer a Fool according to his foolishness And our Lord Jesus Christ did hold his peace at certain evil sayings but to some he answered diligently He heard Men call him a Samaritan a Carpenters Son a Wine-Drinker and he held his peace But when he heard them say Thou hast the Devil within thee he answered to that earnestly Answer Truth it is indeed that there is a time when it is convenient to answer a Fool according to his foolishness lest he should seem in his own conceit to be wise And somtime it is not profitable to answer a Fool according to his foolishness lest the Wise Man be made like to the Fool. When our Infamy or the Reproach that is done unto us is joyned with the peril of many then it is necessary in answering to be quick and ready For we read that many holy Men of good Zeal have sharply and fiercely both spoken and answered Tyrants and evil Men which sharp words came not of Anger Rancor or Malice or desire of Vengeance but of a fervent desire to bring them to the true knowledge of God and from ungodly living by an earnest and sharp rebuke and chiding In this Zeal Saint John Baptist called the Pharisees Adders brood Matth. 3. Gal. 3. Titus 1. And Saint Paul called the Galatians Fools And the Men of Crete he called Lyars evil Beasts and sluggish Bellies And the false Apostles he called Dogs and crafty Workmen Phil. 3. And his Zeal is godly and to be allowed as it is plainly proved by the example of Christ who although he were the Fountain and Spring of all Meekness Gentleness and Softness Matth. 23. yet he called the obstinate Scribes and Pharisees Blind Guides Fools painted Graves Hypocrites Serpents Adders brood a corrupt and wicked Generation Also he rebuketh Peter eagerly saying Go behind me Satan Matth. 16. Likewise Saint Paul reproveth Elymas saying Acts 13. O thou full of all Craft and Guile Enemy to all Justice thou ceasest not to destroy the right ways of God And now lo the Hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not see for a time And Saint Peter reprehendeth Ananias very sharply saying Ananias Acts 5. how is it that Satan hath filled thy Heart that thou shouldst lye unto the Holy Ghost This Zeal hath been so servent in many good Men that it hath stirred them not only to speak bitter and eager words but also to do things which might seem to some to be cruel but indeed they be very just charitable and godly because they were not done of Ire Malice or contentious Mind but of a fervent Mind to the Glory of God and the correction of Sin executed by Men called to that Office For in this Zeal our Lord Jesus Christ did drive with a Whip the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple John 2. In this Zeal Moses brake the two Tables which he had received at Gods Hand Exod. 32. when he saw the Israelites dancing about the Calf and caused to be killed twenty four thousand of his own People Numb 25. But these Examples are not to be followed of every body but as Men be called to Office and set in Authority Prov. 20. In this Zeal Phineas the Son of Eleazer did thrust through with his Sword Zimri and Cosby whom he found together joyned in the act of Uncleanness Wherefore now to return again to contentious Words and specially in Matters of Religion and Gods Word which would be used with all Modesty Soberness and Chastity the words of Saint James ought to be well marked and born in memory where he saith That of Contention riseth all Evil. And the wise King Solomon saith Honour is due to a Man that keepeth himself from Contention and all that mingle themselves therewith be Fools And because this Vice is so much hurtful to the Society of a Commonwealth in all well-ordered Cities these common Brawlers and Scolders be punished with a notable kind of pain as to be set on the Cucking-stool Pillory or such like And they be unworthy to live in a Commonwealth the which do as much as lieth in them with Brawling and Scolding to disturb
that Heb. 12. saith St. Paul whom the Father loveth and doth not chastise If ye be without God's correction which all his welbeloved and true Children have then be you but Bastards smally regarded of God and not his true Children Therefore seeing that when we have on Earth our carnal Fathers to be our correctors we do fear them and reverently take their correction shall we not much more be in Subjection to God our Spiritual Father by whom we shall have everlasting Life and our Carnal Fathers somtimes correct us even as it pleaseth them without cause But this Father justly correcteth us either for our Sin to the intent we should amend or for our Commodity and Wealth to make us thereby partakers of his Holiness Furthermore all Correction which God sendeth us in this present time seemeth to have no Joy and Comfort but Sorrow and Pain yet it bringeth with it a tast of God's Mercy and Goodness towards them that be so corrected and a sure hope of God's everlasting Consolation in Heaven If then these Sorrows Diseases and Sicknesses and also Death itself be nothing else but our Heavenly Father's Rod whereby he certifieth us of his Love and gracious Favour whereby he tryeth and purifieth us whereby he giveth unto us Holiness and certifieth us that we be his Children and he our merciful Father Shall not we then with all humility as obedient and loving Children joyfully kiss our Heavenly Father's Rod and ever say in our Heart with our Saviour Jesus Christ Father if this Anguish and Sorrow which I feel and Death which I see approach may not pass but that thy will is that I must suffer them Thy Will be done The Third Part of the Sermon against the Fear of Death IN this Sermon against the fear of Death Two Causes were declared which commonly move worldly Men to be in much fear to die and yet the same do nothing trouble the faithful and good Livers when Death cometh but rather give them occasion greatly to rejoice considering that they shall be delivered from the sorrow and misery of this World and be brought to the great Joy and Felicity of the Life to come The Third Cause why Death is to be feared Now the Third and special Cause why Death indeed is to be feared is the miserable State of the worldly and ungodly People after their Death But this is no Cause at all why the godly and faithful People should fear Death but rather contrariwise their godly Conversation in this Life and Belief in Christ cleaving continually to his Mercies should make them to long sore after that Life that remaineth for them undoubtedly after this bodily Death Of this immortal State after this transitory Life where we shall live evermore in the Presence of God in Joy and Rest after Victory over all Sickness Sorrows Sin and Death There be many plain places of Holy Scripture which confirm the weak Conscience against the fear of all such Dolours Sicknesses Sin and bodily Death to asswage such trembling and ungodly fear and to encourage us with Comfort and hope of a blessed State after this Life Saint Paul wisheth unto the Ephesians Ephes 1. That God the Father of Glory would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that the Eyes of their Hearts might give Light to know him and to perceive how great things he had called them unto and how rich an Inheritance he hath prepared after this Life for them that pertain unto him Phil. 1. And St. Paul himself declareth the desire of his Heart which was to be dissolved and loosed from his Body and to be with Christ which as he said was much better for him although to them it was more necessary that he should live which he refused not for their sakes Even like as St. Martin said Good Lord if I be necessary for thy People to do good unto them I will refuse no Labour But else for mine own self I beseech thee to take my Soul Now the Holy Fathers of the Old Law and all faithful and righteous Men which departed before our Saviour Christ's Ascension into Heaven did by Death depart from Troubles unto Rest from the hands of their Enemies into the hands of God from Sorrows and Sicknesses unto joyful refreshing in Abraham's bosom a place of all Comfort and Consolation as the Scriptures do plainly by manifest words testifie Wisdom 3. The Book of Wisdom saith That the Righteous Mens Souls be in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them They seemed to the eyes of foolish Men to die and their death was counted miserable and their departing out of this World wretched but they be in Rest And another place saith Wisd 4. That the Righteous shall live for ever and their Reward is with the Lord and their Minds be with God who is above all Therefore they shall receive a Glorious Kingdom and a Beautiful Crown at the Lord's hand And in another place the same Book saith The Righteous though he be prevented with suddain Death nevertheless he shall be there where he shall be refreshed Of Abraham's Bosom Christ's words be so plain that a Christian Man needeth no more proof of it Now then if this were the state of the Holy Fathers and Righteous Men before the coming of our Saviour and before he was Glorified How much more then ought all we to have a stedfast Faith and a sure Hope of this blessed state and condition after our death Seeing that our Saviour now hath performed the whole Work of our Redemption and is Gloriously ascended into Heaven to prepare our dwelling places with him and said unto his Father Father John 17. I will that where I am my servants shall be with me And we know that whatsoever Christ Will his Father Wills the same wherefore it cannot be but if we be his Faithful Servants our Souls shall be with him after our departure out of this present life St. Stephen when he was stoned to death even in the midst of his torments what was his Mind most upon Acts 7. When he was full of the Holy Ghost saith Holy Scripture having his eyes lifted up into Heaven he saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God The which Truth after he had confessed boldly before the enemies of Christ they drew him out of the City and there they stoned him who cryed unto God saying Lord Jesu Christ take my Spirit And doth not our Saviour say plainly in St. John's Gospel Verily John 5. verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and cometh not into judgment but shall pass from death to life Shall we not then think that death to be precious by the which we pass unto life Therefore it is a true saying of the Prophet Psal 116. The death of the Holy and Righteous Men is precious in the
convenient that the Scriptures of God and specially the Gospel of our Saviour Christ should be Read and Expounded unto us that be Christians in our Churches specially our Saviour Christ and his Apostles allowing this most godly and necessary usage and by their Examples confirming the same It is written in the Stories of the Gospel in divers places that Jesus went round about all Galilee Matth. 4. Mark 1. Luke 4. Matth. 13.20 Mark 6. Luke 13. Luke 4. teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom In which places is his great diligence in continual Preaching and Teaching of the People most evidently set forth In Luke ye read how Jesus according to his accustomed use came into the Temple and how the Book of Isaiah the Prophet was delivered him how he read a Text therein and made a Sermon upon the same Luke 19. And in the Nineteenth is expressed how he Taught daily in the Temple And it is thus written in the Eighth of John John 8. John 18. Jesus came again early in the Morning into the Temple and all the People came unto him and he sate down and Taught them And in the Eighteenth of John our Saviour testifieth before Pilate that he spake openly unto the World and that he always Taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither all the Jews resorted and that secretly he spake nothing Luke 21. And in Saint Luke Jesus Taught in the Temple and all the People came early in the Morning unto him that they might hear him in the Temple Here ye see as well the diligence of our Saviour in teaching the Word of God in the Temple daily and specially on the Sabbath-days as also the readiness of the People resorting all together and that early in the Morning into the Temple to hear him The same Example of diligence in preaching the Word of God in the Temple shall ye find in the Apostles and the People resorting unto them Acts the Fifth Where the Apostles although they had been whipped and scourged the day before and by the High Priest commanded that they should preach no more in the Name of Jesus yet the day following they entred early in the Morning into the Temple and did not cease to teach and declare Jesus Christ And in sundry other places of the Story of the Acts Acts 13.15.17 ye shall find like diligence both in the Apostles in Teaching and in the People in coming to the Temple to hear Gods Word And it is testified in the First of Luke that when Zachary the Holy Priest Luke 1. and Father to John Baptist did Sacrifice within the Temple all the People stood without a long time praying such was their zeal and fervency at that time And in the Second of Luke appeareth what great Journeys Men Luke 2. Women yea and Children took to come to the Temple on the Feast-day there to serve the Lord and specially the Example of Joseph the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother to our Saviour Jesus Christ and of our Saviour Christ himself being yet but a Child whose Examples are worthy for us to follow So that if we would compare our negligence in resorting to the House of the Lord there to serve him with the diligence of the Jews in coming daily very early somtimes by great Journeys to their Temple and when the multitude could not be received within the Temple the fervent zeal that they had was declared in standing long without and Praying We may justly in this Comparison condemn our slothfulness and negligence yea plain contempt in coming to the Lord's House standing so near unto us so seldom and scarcely at any time So far is it from a great many of us to come early in the Morning or give attendance without who disdain to come into the Temple And yet we abhor the very Name of the Jews when we hear it as of a most wicked and ungodly People But it is to be feared that in this point we be far worse than the Jews and that they shall rise at the day of Judgment to our Condemnation who in Comparison to them shew such slackness and contempt in resorting to the House of the Lord there to serve him according as we are of duty most bound And besides this most horrible dread of God's just Judgment in the great day we shall not in this Life escape his heavy Hand and Vengeance for this contempt of the House of the Lord and his due service in the same according as the Lord himself threatneth in the First Chapter of the Prophet Aggeus after this sort Agge 1. Because you have left my House desert and without Company saith the Lord and ye have made haste every Man to his own House for this cause are the Heavens stayed over you that they should give no Dew and the Earth is forbidden that it should bring forth her Fruit and I have called Drought upon the Earth and upon the Mountains and upon corn and upon wine and upon oil and upon all things that the earth bringeth forth and upon men and upon beasts and upon all things that mens hands labour for Behold if we be such worldlings that we care not for the Eternal Judgments of God which yet of all other are most dreadful and horrible we shall not escape the punishment of God in this World by drought and famine and the taking away of all worldly commodities which we as worldlings seem only to regard and care for Whereas on the contrary part if we would amend this fault or neglignce slothfulness and contempt of the House of the Lord and his due service there and with diligence resort thither together to serve the Lord with one accord and consent in all Holiness and Righteousness before him we have promises of benefits Matth. 18. both Heavenly and Worldly Wheresoever two or three be gathered in my Name saith our Saviour Christ there am I in the midst of them And what can be more blessed than to have our Saviour Christ among us Or what again can be more unhappy or mischievous than to drive our Saviour Christ from amongst us to leave a place for his and our most ancient and mortal Enemy the old Dragon and Serpent Satan the Devil in the midst of us In the Second of Luke it is written how that the mother of Christ and Joseph when they had long sought Christ whom they had lost and could find him no where Luke 2. that at the last they found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors So if we lack Jesus Christ that is to say the Saviour of our Souls and Bodies we shall not find him in the Market-place or in the Guild-Hall much less in the Ale-house or Tavern amongst good Fellows as they call them so soon as we shall find him in the Temple the Lords House amongst the Teachers and Preachers of his Word where indeed he is to be
of them the Pox Saint Roche the Falling-evil Saint Cornelis the Tooth-Ach Saint Apollin c. Neither do Beasts nor Cattel lack their Gods with us for Saint Loy is the Horsleach and Saint Anthony the Swineheard c. Where is Gods Providence and due Honour in the mean season Who saith The Heavens be mine and the Earth is mine the whole World and all that in it is I do give Victory and I put to Flight Of me be all Counsels and Help c. Except I keep the City in vain doth he watch that keepeth it thou Lord shalt save both Men and Beasts But we have left him neither Heaven nor Earth nor Water nor Country nor City Peace nor War to Rule and Govern neither Men nor Beasts nor their Diseases to Cure that a godly Man mâ—ght justly for Zealous Indignation cry out O Heaven O Earth and Seas what Madness and Wickedness against God are Men fallen into What dishonour do the Creatures to their Creator and Maker And if we remember God somtimes yet because we doubt of his ability or will to help we joyn to him another Helper as if he were a Noun Adjective using these sayings such as learn God and Saint Nicholas be my speed Such as neese God help and Saint John To the Horse God and Saint Loy save thee Thus are we become like Horses and Mules which have no Understanding For is there not one God only who by his Power and Wisdom made all things and by his Providence governeth the same And by his Goodness maintaineth and saveth them Be not all things of him by him and through him Why dost thou turn from the Creator to the Creatures This is the manner of the Gentiles Idolaters But thou art a Christian and therefore by Christ alone hast access to God the Father and help of him only These things are not written to any reproach of the Saints themselves who were the true Servants of God and did give all honour to him taking none unto themselves and are blessed Souls with God but against our Foolishness and Wickedness making of the true Servants of God false Gods by attributing to them the Power and Honour which is Gods and due to him only And for that we have such Opinions of the power and ready help of Saints all our Legends Hymns Sequences and Masses did contain Stories Lauds and Praises of them and Prayers to them yea and Sermons also altogether of them and to their Praises Gods Word being clean laid aside And this we do altogether agreeable to the Saints as did the Gentiles Idolaters to their false Gods For these Opinions which Men have had of mortal Persons were they never so holy the old most godly and learned Christians have written against the feigned Gods of the Gentiles and Christian Princes have destroyed their Images who if they were now living would doubtless likewise both write against our false Opinions of Saints and also destroy their Images For it is evident that our Image-maintainers have the same Opinion of Saints which the Gentiles had of their false Gods and thereby are moved to make them Images as the Gentiles did If answer be made that they make Saints but Intercessors to God and means for such things as they would obtain of God That is even after the Gentiles Idolatrous usage to make them of Saints Gods Medioximi Dii called Dii Medioximi to be mean Intercessors and Helpers to God as though he did not hear or should be weary if he did all alone So did the Gentiles teach that there was one chief Power working by other as means and so they made all Gods subject to Fate or Destiny as Lucian in his Dialogues feigneth that Neptune made suit to Mercury that he might speak with Jupiter And therefore in this also it is most evident that our Image-maintainers be all one in Opinion with the Gentiles Idolaters Now remaineth the third part that their Rites and Ceremonies in honouring and worshipping of the Images or Saints be all one with the Rites which the Gentiles Idolaters used in honouring their Idols First what meaneth it that Christians after the example of the Gentiles Idolaters go on pilgrimage to visit Images where they have the like at home but that they have a greater Opinion of Holiness and Virtue in some Images than other some like as the Gentiles Idolaters had which is the readiest way to bring them to Idolatry by worshipping of them and directly against Gods Word who saith Seek me Amos 5. and ye shall live and do not seek Bethel enter not into Gilgal neither go to Beersheba And against such as had any Superstition in the Holiness of the place as though they should be heard for the places sake saying Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that at Jerusalem is the place where Men should worship our Saviour Christ pronounceth John 4. Beâ—ieve me the hour cometh when you shall worship the Father neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem but true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth But it is too well known that by such pilgrimage-going Lady Venus and her Son Cupid were rather worshipped wantonly in the Flesh than God the Father and our Saviour Christ his Son truly worshipped in the Spirit And it was very agreeable Rom. 1. as Saint Paul teacheth that they which fell to Idolatry which is Spiritual Fornication should also fall into Carnal Fornication and all Uncleanness by the just Judgments of God delivering them over to abominable Concupiscences What meaneth it that Christian Men after the use of the Gentiles Idolaters cap and kneel before Images which if they had any Sense and Gratitude would kneel before Men Carpenters Masons Plaisterers Founders and Goldsmiths their Makers and Framers by whose means they have attained this Honour which else should have been evil-favoured and rude Lumps of Clay or Plaister pieces of Timber Stone or Metal without Shape or Fashion and so without all Estimation and Honour as that Idol in the Pagan Poet confesseth saying Horatius I was once a vile Block but now I am become a God c. What a fond thing is it for Man Adorare who hath Life and Reason to bowe himself to a dead and insensible Image the Work of his own Hand Gen. 23. and 33. Is not this stooping and kneeling before them Adoration of them which is forbidden so earnestly by Gods Word Let such as so fall down before Images of Saints know and confess that they exhibit that Honour to dead Stocks and Stones 3 Reg. 1. Acts 10. and 14. Apoc. 19. which the Saints themselves Peter Paul and Barnabas would not to be given them being alive which the Angel of God forbiddeth to be given to him And if they say they exhibit such Honour not to the Image but to the Saint whom it representeth they are convicted of folly to believe that they please Saints with that
abominable wickedness heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of Gods inevitable Judgment Examples of such scorners we read in the Second Book of Chronicles 2 Par. 30. When the good King Ezechias in the beginning of his Reign had destroyed Idolatry purged the Temple and reformed Religion in his Realm he sent Messengers into every City to gather the People unto Jerusalem to solemnize the Feast of Easter in such sort as God had appointed The Posts went from City to City through the Land of Ephraim and Manasses even unto Zabulon And what did the People think ye Did they land and praise the Name of the Lord which had given them so good a King so zealous a Prince to abolish Idolatry and to restore again Gods true Religion No no. The Scripture saith The people laughed them to scorn and mocked the Kings Messengers And in the last Chapter of the same Book it is written That Almighty God having compassion upon his people sent his Messengers the Prophets unto them to call them from their abominable Idolatry and wicked kind of living But they mocked his Messengers they despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy For he gave them up into the hands of their enemies even unto Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon who spoiled them of their Goods burnt their City and led them their Wives and their Children Captives unto Babylon The wicked People that were in the days of Noe made but a mock at the Word of God when Noe told them that God would take vengeance upon them for their sins The Flood therefore came suddenly upon them and drowned them with the whole World Lot Preached to the Sodomites that except they repented both they and their City should be destroyed They thought his sayings impossible to be true they scorned and mocked his Admonition and reputed him as an old doting Fool. But when God by his Holy Angels had taken Lot his Wife and two Daughters from among them he rained down Fire and Brimstone from Heaven and burnt up those scorners and mockers of his Holy Word And what estimation had Christs Doctrine among the Scribes and Pharisees What Reward had he among them The Gospel reporteth thus The Pharisees which were covetous did scorn him in his Doctrine O then ye see that worldly rich men scorn the Doctrine of their Salvation The worldly wise men scorn the Doctrine of Christ as foolishness to their Understanding These scorners have ever been and ever shall be to the Worlds end 2 Pet. 3. For St. Peter Prophesied that such scorners should be in the world before the latter day Take heed therefore my Brethren take heed be ye not scorners of Gods most Holy Word provoke him not to pour out his wrath now upon you as he did then upon those Gybers and Mockers Be not wilful murderers of your own Souls Turn unto God while there is yet time of Mercy ye shall else repent it in the World to come when it shall be too late for there shall be Judgment without Mercy This might suffice to admonish us and cause us henceforth to reverence Gods Holy Scriptures but all men have not Faith This therefore shall not satisfie and content all mens minds but as some are carnal so they will still continue and abuse the Scriptures carnally to their greater damnation 2 Pet. 3. The unlearned and unstable saith St. Peter pervert the holy Scriptures to their own destruction 1 Cor. 1. Jesus Christ as St. Paul saith is to the Jews an offence to the Gentiles foolishness But to Gods children as well of the Jews as of the Gentiles he is the power and wisdom of God The holy man Simeon saith Luke 2. that he is set forth for the fall and rising again of many in Israel As Christ Jesus is a fall to the Reprobate which yet perish through their own default so is his Word yea the whole Book of God a cause of damnation unto them through their incredulity And as he is a rising up to none other than those which are Gods Children by adoption so is his Word yea the whole Scripture the power of God to Salvation to them only that do believe it Christ himself the Prophets before him the Apostles after him all the true Ministers of Gods Holy Word yea every word in Gods Book is unto the Reprobate the savour of death unto death Christ Jesus the Prophets the Apostles and all the true Ministers of his Word yea every jot and tittle in the Holy Scripture have been is and shall be for evermore the savour of life unto eternal life unto all those whose hearts God hath purified by true Faith Let us earnestly take heed that we make no jesting-stock of the Books of Holy Scriptures The more obscure and dark the sayings be to our Understanding the further let us think our selves to be from God and his Holy Spirit who was the Author of them Let us with more reverence endeavour our selves to search out the wisdom hidden in the outward Bark of the Scripture If we cannot understand the sense and the reason of the saying yet let us not be scorners jesters and deriders for that is the uttermost token and shew of a Reprobate of a plain Enemy to God and his wisdom They be not idle Fables to jest at which God doth seriously pronounce and for serious matters let us esteem them And though in sundry places of the Scriptures be set out divers Rites and Ceremonies Oblations and Sacrifices let us not think strange of them but refer them to the Times and People for whom they served although yet to learned men they be not unprofitable to be considered but to be expounded as figures and shadows of things and persons afterward openly revealed in the New Testament Though the rehearsal of the Genealogies and Pedegrees of the Fathers be not to much edification of the plain ignorant people yet is there nothing so impertinently uttered in all the whole Book of the Bible but may serve to spiritual purpose in some respect to all such as will bestow their labours to search out the meanings These may not be condemned because they serve not to our Understanding nor make to our Edification But let us turn our labour to understand and to carry away such sentences and stories as be more fit for our Capacity and Instruction And whereas we read in divers Psalms how David did wish to the Adversaries of God sometimes shame rebuke and confusion sometime the decay of their Off-spring and Issue sometime that they might perish and come suddenly to destruction as he did wish to the Captains of the Philistines Cast forth saith he thy lightning and tear them shoot out thine arrows and consume them with such other manner of Imprecations Yet ought we not to be offended at such Prayers of David being a Prophet as he was singularly
Luke 7.16 The same grace and favor did the sinful Woman Magdalen Zacheus the poor Thief and many others feel All which things ought to serve for our comfort against the temptations of our Consciences whereby the Devil goeth about to shake or rather to overthrow our Faith For every one of us ought to apply the same unto himself and say Yet now return unto the Lord neither let the remembrance of thy former life discourage thee yea the more wicked that it hath been the more fervent and earnest let thy Repentance or returning be and forthwith thou shalt feel the ears of the Lord wide open unto thy Prayers But let us more narrowly look upon the Commandment of the Lord touching this matter Turn unto me saith he by the holy Prophet Joel with all your hearts with Fasting Weeping and Mourning Rent your Hearts and not your Garments c. In which words he comprehendeth all manner of things that can be spoken of Repentance which is a returning again of the whole Man unto God from whom we be fallen away by sin But that the whole Discourse thereof may the better be born away we shall first consider in order four principal Points that is from what we must return to whom we must return by whom we may be able to convert and the manner how to turn to God First From whence we must turn From whence or from what things we must return Truly we must return from those things whereby we have been withdrawn pluckt and led away from God And these generally are our sins which as the holy Prophet Esay doth testifie do separate God and us and hide his Face that he will not hear us But under the name of sin not only those gross words and deeds which by the common judgment of Men are counted to be filthy and unlawful and so consequently abominable sins but also the filthy Lusts and inward Concupiscences of the Flesh which as St. Paul testifieth do resist the Will and Spirit of God Gal. 5. and therefore ought earnestly to be bridled and kept under We must repent of the false and erroneous Opinions that we have had of God and the wicked Superstition that doth breed of the same the unlawful worshipping and service of God and other like Ephes 5. All these things must they forsake that will truly turn unto the Lord and repent aright For sith that for such things the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience no end of punishment ought to be looked for as long as we continue in such things Therefore they be here condemned which will seem to be repentant Sinners and yet will not forsake their Idolatry and Superstition Secondly We must see unto whom we ought to return Unto whom we ought to return Revertimini usque ad me saith the Lord that is return as far as unto me We must then return unto the Lord yea we must return unto him alone For he alone is the Truth and the Fountain of all goodness but we must labor that we do return as far as unto him and that we do never cease nor rest till we have apprehended and taken hold upon him But this must be done by Faith for sith that God is a Spirit he can by no other means be apprehended and taken hold upon Wherefore first they do greatly err which do not turn unto God but unto the Creatures or unto the inventions of Men or unto their own Merits Secondly They that do begin to return unto the Lord By whom we must return unto God and do saint in the Midway before they come to the mark that is appointed unto them Thirdly Because we have of our own selves nothing to present us to God and do no less flee from him after our Fall than our first Parent Adam did who when he had sinned did seek to hide himself from the sight of God we have need of a Mediator for to bring and reconcile us unto him who for our sins is angry with us The same is Jesus Christ who being true and natural God equal and of one substance with the Father did at the time appointed take upon him our frail Nature in the blessed Virgins Womb and that of her undefiled Substance that so he might be a Mediator between God and us and pacifie his wrath Of him doth the Father himself speak from Heaven saying Mat. 3. This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased And he himself in his Gospel doth cry out and say John 14. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me For he alone did with the Sacrifice of his Body and Blood John 1. 1 Pet. 1. Acts 5. make satisfaction unto the Justice of God for our sins The Apostles do testifie that he was exalted for to give repentance and remission of sins unto Israel both which things he himself did command to be preached in his name Luke 24. Therefore they are greatly deceived that preach Repentance without Christ John 15. and teach the simple and ignorant that it consisteth only in the Works of Men. They may indeed speak many things of good Works and of amendment of Life and Manners but without Christ they be all vain and unprofitable They that think that they have done much of themselves towards Repentance are so much more the farther from God because they do seek those things in their own Works and Merits which ought only to be sought in our Saviour Jesus Christ and in the merits of his Death and Passion and Blood-shedding Fourthly This holy Prophet Joel doth lively express the manner of this our Returning or Repentance comprehending all the inward and outward things that may be here observed First He will havs us to return unto God with our whole heart The manner of our turning Esay 29. Mat. 15. whereby he doth remove and put away all Hypocrisie lest the same might justly be said unto us This People draweth near with their mouth and worship me with their lips but their heart is far off from me Secondly He requireth a sincere and pure love of godliness and of the true worshipping and service of God that is to say that forsaking all manner of things that are repugnant and contrary unto Gods Will we do give our hearts unto him and the whole strength of our Bodies and Souls according to that which is written in the Law Deut. 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength Here therefore nothing is lest unto us that we may give unto the World and unto the Lusts of the Flesh For sith that the heart is the Fountain of all our Works as many as do with their whole heart turn unto the Lord do live unto him only Halting on both sides Neither do they yet repent truly that halting on both sides do
otherwhiles obey God but by and by do think that laying him aside it is lawful for them to serve the World and the Flesh And because that we are letted by the natural corruption of our own Flesh and the wicked affections of the same he doth bid us also to return with Fasting not thereby understanding a superstitious Abstinence and choosing of Meats but a true Discipline or taming of the Flesh whereby the nourishments of filthy Lusts and of stubborn Contumacy and Pride may be withdrawn and pluckt away from it Whereunto he doth add weeping and mourning which do contain an outward profession of Repentance which is very needful and necessary that so we may partly set forth the righteousness of God when by such means we do testifie that we deserved punishments at his hands and partly stop the offence that was openly given unto the weak Psal 25. Thus did David see who being not content to have bewept and bewailed his sins privately would publickly in his Psalms declare and set forth the rigteousness of God in punishing sin and also stay them that might have abused his Example to sin the more boldly Therefore they are farthest from true Repentance that will not confess and acknowledge their sins nor yet bewail them but rather do most ungodlily glory and rejoyce in them Now lest any Man should think that Repentance doth consist in outward weeping and mourning only he doth rehearse that wherein the chief of the whole matter doth lie when he saith Rent your Hearts and not your Garments and turn unto the Lord your God For the People of the East part of the World were wont to rent their Garments Psal 52. if any thing hapned unto them that seemed intolerable Hypocrites do counterfeit all manner of things This thing did Hypocrites sometimes counterfeit and follow as though the whole Repentance did stand in such outward gesture He teacheth then that another manner of thing is required that is That they must be contrite in their Hearts that they must utterly detest and abhor Sins and being at defiance with them return unto the Lord their God from whom they went away before For God hath no pleasure in the outward Ceremony but requireth a contrite and humble Heart Psal 52. which he will never despise as David doth testifie There is therefore none other use of these outward Ceremonies but as far forth as we are stirred up by them and do serve to the glory of God and to the edifying of others Now doth he add unto this Doctrin or Exhortation How Repentance is not unprofitable certain godly Reasons which he doth ground upon the nature and property of God and whereby he doth teach that true Repentance can never be unprofitable or unfruitful For as in all other things Mens hearts do quail and faint if they once perceive that they travel in vain Even so most especially in this matter must we take heed and beware that we suffer not our selves to be persuaded that all that we do is but labor lost for thereof either sudden desperation doth arise or a licentious boldness to sin which at length bringeth unto desperation Lest any such thing then should happen unto them he doth certifie them of the grace and goodness of God who is always most ready to receive them into favor again that turn speedily unto him Which thing he doth prove with the same Titles wherewith God doth describe and set forth himself unto Moses speaking on this manner Exod. 34. For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil that is such a one as is sorry for your Afflictions First He calleth him gentle and gracious as he who of his own nature is more prompt and ready to do good than to punish Whereunto this saying of Esaias the Prophet seemeth to pertain where he saith Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous his own imaginations and return unto the Lord and he will have pity on him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive Secondly Doth attribute unto him mercy or rather according to the Hebrew word the Bowels of mercies whereby he signified the natural affections of Parents towards their Children Which thing David doth set forth goodly Psal 103. saying As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear him for he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust Thirdly He saith that he is slow to anger that is to say long-suffering and which is not lightly provoked to wrath Fourthly That he is of much kindness for he is that bottomless Well of all goodness who rejoyceth to do good unto us therefore did he create and make Men that he might have whom he should do good unto and make partakers of his Heavenly Riches Fifthly He repenteth of the evil that is to say he doth call back again and revoke the punishment which he had threatned when he seeth Men repent turn and amend Against the Novatians Whereupon we do not without a just cause detest and abhor the damnable Opinion of them which do most wickedly go about to persuade the simple and ignorant People That if we chance after we be once come to God and grafted in his Son Jesus Christ to fall into some horrible sin shall be unprofitable unto us there is no more hope of reconciliation or to be received again into the favor and mercy of God And that they may give the better colour unto their pestilent and pernicious Error they do commonly bring in the sixth and tenth Chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the second Chapter of the second Epistle of Peter not considering that in those places the holy Apostles do not speak of the daily falls that we as long as we carry about this body of sin are subject unto Mat. 12. Mark 3. but of the final falling away from Christ and his Gospel The sin against the Holy Ghost which is a sin against the Holy Ghost that shall never be forgiven because that they do utterly forsake the known Truth do hate Christ and his Word they do crucifie and mock him but to their utter destruction and therefore fall into desparation and cannot repent And that this is the true meaning of the holy Spirit of God it appeareth by many other places of the Scriptures which promise unto all true repentant sinners and to them that with their whole heart do turn unto the Lord their God free pardon and remission of their sins For the probation hereof we read this O Israel saith the holy Prophet Jeremy if thou return Jer. 4. return unto me saith the Lord and if thou put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not be removed Again these are Esaias words Esay 55. Let the wicked forsake his own ways and the unrighteous his own
even at this day But these ambitious and indeed traitorous means and spoiling of their Sovereign Lords the Bishops of Rome of Priests and none other by right than the Bishops of one City and Diocess are by false usurpation become great Lords of many Dominions mighty Princes yea or Emperors rather as claiming to have divers Princes and Kings to their Vassals Liegemen and Subjects as in the same Histories written by their own Familiars and Courtiers is to be seen And indeed since the time that the Bishops of Rome by Ambition Treason and Usurpation atchieved and attained to this height and greatness they behaved themselves more like Princes Kings and Emperors in all things than remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiastical or as they would be called Spiritual persons in any one thing at all For after this rate they have handled other Kings and Princes of other Realms throughout Christendom as well as their Sovereign Lords the Emperors usually discharging their Subjects of their Oath of Fidelity and so stirring them up to Rebellion against their natural Princes whereof some examples shall in the last part hereof be notified unto you Wherefore let all good Subjects knowing these the special Instruments and Ministers of the Devil to the stirring up of all Rebellions avoid and flee them and the pestilent suggestions of such Foreign Usurpers and their Adherents and embrace all obedience to God and their natural Princes and Sovereigns that they may enjoy Gods blessings and their Princes favor all Peace Quietness Security in this World and finally attain through Christ our Saviour life everlasting in the World to come which God the Father for the same our Saviour Jesus Christ his sake grant unto us all To whom with the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory World without end Amen Thus have you heard the Fifth Part of this Homily Now good People Let us Pray The PRAYER as in that time it was Published O Most mighty God the Lord of Hosts the Governor of all Creatures the only giver of all Victories who alone art able to strengthen the Weak against the Mighty and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine Enemies with the Countenance of a few of thy Servants calling upon thy Name and trusting in thee Defend O Lord thy Servant and our Governor under thee our Sovereign Lord the KING and all thy People committed to his charge O Lord withstand the cruelty of all those which he Common Enemies as well to the Truth of thy Eternal Word as to their own natural Prince and Country and manifestly to this Crown and Realm of England which thou hast of thy Divine Providence assigned in these our days to the Government of thy Servant our Sovereign and gracious KING O most merciful Father if it be thy holy Will make soft and tender the stony Hearts of all those that exalt themselves against thy Truth and seek either to trouble the quiet of this Realm of England or to oppress the Crown of the same and convert them to the knowledge of thy Son the only Saviour of the World Jesus Christ that we and they may joyntly glorifie thy Mercies Lighten we beseech thee their ignorant hearts to embrace the Truth of thy Word or else so abate their cruelty O most mighty Lord that this our Christian Realm with others that confess thy holy GOSPEL may obtain by thy aid and strength surety from all Enemies without shedding of Christian Blood whereby all they which be oppressed with their Tyranny may be relieved and they which be in fear of their cruelty may be comforted and finally that all Christian Realms and especially this Realm of England may by thy Defence and Protection continue in the Truth of the Gospel and enjoy perfect Peace Quietness and Security And that we for these thy Mercies joyntly all together with one consonant Heart and Voice may thankfully render to thee all Laud and Praise that we knit in one Godly concord and unity amongst our selves may continually magnifie thy glorious Name who with thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost art one Eternal Almighty and most merciful God To whom be all Laud and Praise World without end Amen The Sixth and last Part of the Homily against Disobedience and Wilful Rebellion NOw whereas the Injuries Oppressions Raveny and Tyranny of the Bishops of Rome Usurping as well against their natural Lords the Emperors as against all other Christian Kings and Kingdoms and their continual stirring of Subjects unto Rebellions against their Sovereign Lords whereof I have partly admonished you before were intolerable and it may seem more than marvel that any Subjects would after such sort hold with unnatural Foreign Usurpers against their own Sovereign Lords and natural Country It remaineth that I do declare the Mean whereby they compassed these matters and so to conclude this whole â—reaty of due Obedience and against Disobedience and Wilful Rebellion You shall understand Of the ignorance of simple people the later Part that by ignorance of Gods Word wherein they kept all Men specially the Common People they wrought and brought to pass all these things making them believe that all that they said was true all that they did was good and godly and that to hold with them in all things against Father Mother Prince Country and all Men was most meritorious And indeed what mischief will not blind ignorance lead simple Men unto By ignorance the Jewish Clergy induced the common People to ask the delivery of Barabbas the seditious murderer and to sue for the cruel Crucifying of our Saviour Christ for that he rebuked the Ambition Superstition and other Vices of the High Priests and Clergy For as our Saviour Christ testifieth that those who Crucified him wist not what they did so doth the Holy Apostle St. Paul say If they had known if they had not been ignorant they would never have Crucified the Lord of Glory but they knew not what they did Our Saviour Christ himself also foreshew that it should come to pass by ignorance that those who should persecute and murder his true Apostles and Disciples should think they did God acceptable Sacrifice and good Service as it is also verified even at this day And in this ignorance have the Bishops of Rome kept the People of God specially the common sort by no means so much as by withdrawing the Word of God from them and by keeping it under the vail of an unknown strange tongue For as it served the ambitious humor of the Bishops of Rome to compel all Nations to use the natural Language of the City of Rome where they were Bishops which shewed a certain acknowledging of subjection unto them so yet served it much more their crafty purpose thereby to keep all People so blind Si cognovissent Gregorius 2 3. Anno Dom. 726. c. In the second Commandment that they not knowing what they prayed what they believed what they were commanded by God might