sleepe and make them drouzie For when my heart in the beginning of my calling began to yeelde towards the Lord and to be somewhat wakened then the pleasures of sinnes past the shame of reproches which I saw to be vttered of the world against the Godly the basenes of the Gospell the daungers of trials in the professing of christ Iesus the glittering and deceiuable pleasures of this life the holding of friendship with the worlde and worldly friends but especially the manifolde daungers and intollerable waightines of this high calling of the preaching of the word to deale with it purely and sincerely as in the sight of God from God through Christ these thinges helde tacke with me a long time and a thousand other thinges amazed me so as I aunsweared my calling at the first but as one a stammed or in a sleepe or dreame Let euery man therefore among you in good earnest deale with his owne heart for it is full of deceitfulnesse Euery moouing of the hearte and hopping for ioye after Christ is not a right moouing For so he that receiued the seede with ioye Math. 13.20 might haue beene in Christ who yet vannished againe Thou mayest thinke that thy heart is maruailous affectioned after Christe and that thou ioyest in him when as thy affection truely tryed is altogeather carnal and filthy Yea many no doubt perswade them selues that they haue Christ sure in their heartes that they are in his fauour that they are euen hugged in his armes and that they shall bee saued by him as well as the best which yet neuer so much as truely knew Christ nor tasted of him and are furthest off from being saued by him A man would think beloued that there could not be any such deceitfulnsse in mans hearte that when they are most sure they should be most deceiued The reason is because they perswade themselues to be of Christ if they do but speak of him though the fruictes and effectes of Christs residence are not to be seen in them For when Christ truely taketh possession of men occupieth the roome of their harts there his death is strōg to expell Sathan the worlde sinne euil thoughtes yea to destroy and pull downe sathans kingdome Also his resurrection is not idle in his saints but sanctifieth the heart thoughts minde will affections and vnderstanding yea reformeth the whole man within and without that he is chaunged and becommeth a new creature his words lookes gestures and all his members bewray a holy and spiritual chaunge which although it be not wrought all at once but by degrees yet men must not loyter and flacke their pace to aspire to perfection I haue marked by experience within these fewe yeares that many whom the Lord hath called to the loue of his Gospell from their former euil and ciuill life that they haue bene very diligent and painefull in hearing the worde at the first neglecting their callings and trades yea more then was expedient sometimes yet after a while when they had somewhat waded in the worde that they haue come to some knowledge or some other gift haue againe much neglected the worde prayer and other holy exercises both in publick and also in their priuate families and so againe somewhat sleeping in their pleasures and profites Thus men sleepe and are easly drawne to it but let them take héed that their hearts sleepe not It standeth Christians in hand to looke to them selues sith they haue so daungerous a nature and deceauable as also so hurtful enemies of Sathan and the world Many a man and woman when God calleth them and their hearts begin to ayme after the Lorde and they are forced to acknowledge the power of his word and to condemne and find fault with their corruptions yet they sleepe One deferreth of the Lord with this excuse Oh I haue a trade and I must follow it I could find in my hart to heare the worde and to doe as other do but I must liue and I please God as wel sayth another in my trade c. as in going to Sermons Here is a sleepe that falleth vpon men that they might not wake at the Lords call and suit Why God promiseth not to blesse any man in his calling though he prospereth the contemners to their condemnation somtime to make them inexcusable vnlesse they are carefull to obey his word and wil. And it is a greater worke to worship God and to heare his worde is a part of his worship then to labour in our trade I bind no man from following his calling but to bee diligent in it yet so that the Lorde haue his part at our handes and that wee serue not oure owne turnes and the worlds and so neglect the Lordes worship yea and our owne saluation which is brought vnto vs by the preaching of the gospell Others there are whose heartes somewhat melt at the word praier and good things would fain haue part in thē but eyther some seueral sinnes which they do not thoroughly set them selues against and vse means to mortify but they breake forth at euery occasion so as they are a sléep againe and yet the heart may haue some waking after Christ These do hinder them make their heart almost a sléep and faint vnto any duties or els wanting the means to stir them vp being of themselues lubbrish to seek the means hauing their minds too much occupied in the world or els shame deteining them or feare of laws taking holde of them of the wicked spying them out c. they neglect all good meanes that may do them good Thus euery man may complain and say I am asleepe but few see the daunger of their sleepe and so labor to stirre vp themselues from sleep as the spouse doth here but it is to be feared that many men are a sleepe euen in their hearts which hope better of themselues and that is a dangerous sleepe Awake therfore truely out of sleeep and sinne not Let vs therfore good christians in the loue of Christ Iesus and of our own soules searche and suruey all the corners of our harts that there lie hid nothing in vs that may holde vs back frō following of Christ yea let euery one of vs say here Lord we are at hād to wait vpon thée our souls body doth delight in the liuing God That we may thus shake of al sleepy drowzy worldly cares affections and watch to wayt vpon the Lordes call that we may be ready willingly at a beck to imbrace him heartely in our soules which grace God graunt vs. Amen Thus we see in this circumstance of the lets that is interlaced here in a word what lets are with in vs which make our hearts heauy to looke vp to Christ Iesus Yet we must note that the spouse laboured to waken herself and giueth not place to sleeping but museth and calleth to minde her louers voyce making suit to be intertained Oh sayth shee This is
CERTAINE VErie worthie godly and profitable Sermons vpon the fifth Chapiter of the Songs of SOLOMON Preached by BARTIMEVS ANDREAS Minister of the word of God Published at the earnest and long request of sundrie well minded Christians ESAY 62.6.7 I haue set watchmen on thy walles O Ierusalem which all the day and all the night continually shall not cease yee that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence And giue him no rest till he repayre and vntill he set vp Ierusalem the praise of the worlde 2. TIM 2.19 But the foundation of God remayneth sure and hath this zeale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue for Thomas man 1583. TO THE RIGHT honorable and my very good Lorde Henrie Earle of Huntington Lorde Hastings Hungerforde Botreaux Mullens Moyles of the most honorable order of the garter Knight Lord president of the Queenes Maiesties councel established in the North parts Bartimeus Andrewes wisheth increase of all true honour and the fruition of all those blessed promises which concerne this life and the life to come Amen BEING at the last ouercome right honorable by the long and earnest request of diuers Godly and wel disposed christians to yeeld my consent to the publishing of this to homly and simple a worke I forthwith was resolued in my selfe to dedicate the first fruits of my labour in this kinde of wryting vnto your honour as to a most worthy MECOENAS and conuenient Patron both of all learning and good causes And albeit at the first blush it may seeme some what straunge vnto your honour that I should presume to present you with so simple a gift being vnworthy the view of so honorable a personage and wise Yet because I do it not as one expecting anye temporall benefite or preferment at your hand as the maner of the worlde for the most part in such matters is But as a token rather of my speciall good will and duety towards you and an argument of thankfulnesse vnto God for his graces in you as also to minister some occasion of increase and going forwarde with constancy and Heroicall spirite in so good gracious and Godly wayes as you haue turned your feete to steppe in already I perswade my selfe therefore of your facile and curteous nature and good will in accepting of the same And euen this small duety of wryting is one point of the honouring and gratifying of our betters and those to whom we stand charged from the Lorde to perfourme duties of reuerence and honour Especially when we see the Image of God by the seconde creation to shine in them as it doth breake forth in your honourable and vertuous brest by many worthy and commendable graces and vertues with the plausible approbation fame and report both of the wise and Godly I speake not this as one that would fill the trompe of flattery with the winde of vaine-glorious praise to seeme to speake for your honour to the worlde for that is not my maner sith your vertuous religious and Godlye wayes speake for them selues to your great commendation and your euerlasting praise in Christe Iesus But I speake of the worke of God in you right honorable that God might haue his iust glory in his owne worke and your selfe might also be incouraged with comfort to proceede and increase in that good course so as the worke of God which is begun might be perfited in you For sure it is my very good Lord that the enemy of mankind seeketh to beset as all men so specially those whome the Lorde beginneth to frame to him selfe but chieflyest those that are as it were ouer frayghted with the aboundaunce of the troublesome affayres of this present life by reason of their great calling For they whom God calleth to so great honour riches and dignity are as one wisely wryteth set vpon the mayne sea of occasions in daunger to bee drenched and swallowed vp of the tempestuous rages and surging waues of diuers temptations if the Lorde doe not mightely by his grace support and vnderstay them But when God standeth by them and frameth their heartes to the loue of his truth then doth he reape great honour and glory at their handes VVhich he highly priseth and reckoneth off insomuch that he hath honorably spoken of such by his Prophetes that they shoulde bring much glory to his Church Esay 49.23 60.16 and be nursing fathers and nursing mothers therevnto yea the glory of LEBANON euen of great personages shal come togeather to beautify the place of my sunctuary saith the Lorde for I will glorify the place of my feete Esay 60.13 For the seruice which such shoulde doe to his Church was not a seruile condition but a beautifying of his Church as it is there called and a glory euen vnto him selfe And vndoubtedly blessed are those Princes Nobles honourable and worshipfull who them selues imbracing and obeying the truth sincerely become presidentes and examples in their owne persons to allure others to the fellowship of the church to the loue of the worde and true religion For the fall or vprising of many after a sort dependeth vpon the publique persons whom God hath lift vp in high places ouer others Insomuch as the eyes of the multitude are bene vpon the examples of publique persons Furthermore wee see from time to time howe the Church of God not without great cause accounted highly of such personages as those by whom they receiued speciall blessings from the Lorde So the church of Israel Psal 21.6 made precious account of DAVID that worthy Prince as one that was set of God as blessings for euer Meaning as a benefite and testimony of Gods fauour vpon his people EZEKIAH NEHEMIAH Neh. 1. 2. Hag. 1.14 Ier. 40. 2. Chr. 35.25 ZERVBBABEL GEDALIAH c. were great blessings to the Church who greatly lamented the losse of thē Also IOSIAH his death was lamented with a doleful lamentation of al the church of IVDA And sure it is that our Church hath great cause to magnifie the mercies of God towards vs in trusting vs with so gracious a IOSIAH as our Soueraigne Princesse ELIZABETH as by whose gouerment the church hath receiued many blessings The losse of whome if our sinns should procure which the Lord keep far from vs would yeeld no lesse occasion for vs to complayne and say then the Churche of IVDA had Lamen 5.20 at the death of IOSIAH when they sayd Our life the breath of our nostrels the annoynted of the Lorde vvas taken in their nets of vvhome we sayd vnder his shadow vve shall be preserued aliue among the heathen Herevnto god hath added further matter of ioy and thankfulnes vnto his Churche in that many nobles worthy personages of this land both learned Godly and wise among whom your honour hath not the least roome are faythfull Patrons of the cause of
as they can not discrye the brightnesse thereof at times when they couet moste to feele it Yea when they groane in the secretes of their heartes for it vnto God calling after him by Prayer beeing Sutors for it a long time betweene hope and dispayre not feelinge the comforte of his fauoure but suspecting rather vvhen yet they are in best state yea in best assuraunce of his grace though they feele it not for the time Sith they retayne a true heartye and vnfeyned desire to taste of that fauoure which for the time they can not feele For tâ—at desire after his fauoure vvith a loathing of oure selues for sinne is an infallible argument of the interest which the Spirite of God hath in the beleeuers Especially when that desire inforceth them to vse the meanes wherebye God offereth himselfe vnto vs. Namely to heare the word preached vvhere God is residente vvith his perver and to praye often and heartilye Math. 18. â—0 for to suche God promiseth him se fe to bee presente Thus it pleaseth the Lorde to exercise his Sayntes by holding aloofe from them sometime that they mighte bee made priuye to their ovvne infirmityes and mighte see the lettes that lye hidde in them selues which hinder them and so laboure to shunne them VVhich things the second Sermon cheefly doth handle The thirde Sermon spendeth it selfe partly in laying foorth the lette 2. Le ts abroaâ—e in others vvhich the faythfull finde abroade in others vvhereby sathan seeketh to discourage them by the reproche of the vvicked by the contempte of the vvorlde and enuye of the malicious and spightfull aduersaries VVhich albeit they shrewdly dismay the Saintes of God for a time yet in the end they shal see by the example of the spouse how to ouerstride all stumbling blocks For God causeth the fayth of his children to breake out so much the more how much the more it is impugned A second circumstance of the maner of the comming on of the faâ—thful is also ther noted namely how they recouer their zeal and stir vp themselues to a more diligent inquiring after Christ wheÌ„ they see what lets ther are in themselues in other 2. The recouering of the zeal of the faythfull notwithstanding lets which would defeat them of the benefit of Christe Iesus their eternall louer VVherby they break out into a famous descrâ—ption of Christ Iesus alluring others thereby to h ue part with them in him And in the fourth sermon is set down the great fruit and Senesit that commeth to the church faithfull by the mutuall profession conference and commending of the graces of God one to another How other by that meanes are dravvne on to the Lorde Zac. 8.22.23 as vvas prophesied of the Churche of the Gentiles that they shoulde flocke to the Iewes and associate themselues to the Church when they shoulde here that God was with them The fifth and last sermon sheweth the conclusion of the whole hovve the church spouse of Christ Iesus namely the true beleeuers doth assure her selfe of the loue of Christe tovvardes her 3. The conclusion of the match 1. The vnity between Christ the faithful when thee feeleth the Testimonies of his residence in her in which conclusion is matter of moste singuler comfort First the vnity wherby Christ and the faythfull become one so as they can neuer be seuered is comfortably I hope though plainly handled where the godly may see how to be assured that they are one with Christ euen in this life so coÌ„sequeÌ„tly after a sort one with God himself that the faithful caÌ„nnot be cut of or vtterly seuered froÌ„ him so long as God himself Christ remaineth Secondly the certainty of perseuerance 2. The certainty of the saluation of the beleeuers and their perseuerance of the saluatioÌ„ of the saints of God wherby they may in som measure assure theÌ„selues of their saluation euen in this life is at large proued against the assertioÌ„ of the Papistes against al the replies that our nature maketh to desâ—aâ—â—â—s of the comfort of that assurance VVhâ—ch last sermon let me desire thee to read good christian with the spirit of sobernes and iudgement VVhich I haue only written for the comfort of the afflicted conscience Yet so that the enemies of grace the Libertines I hope shal haue smal aduauntage therby to soâ—th them selues in their loose Libertye but rather matter to humble them selues yea euen to condemne themselues if God smyte them with the Spirite of iudgement Thus haue I breefly giuen thee a taste christian reader of the pryncipal matters handled in larger circumstances in this litle volume perswading my selfe both of thy diligence in perusing them to the end and of thy accepting in good worth and fauourable construing of this worke as also of thy moderation equity of mind in casting away all sinister affections in reading thereof fith I commit my selfe to the iudgement of those that are neyther ignorant nor malitious And now to conclude commending thee vnto God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build further and to giue thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified I humbly beseech the Lorde our God euen the God of peace that hee will make thee perfect in all good works to do his will working in thee that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christe To whome be prayse for euer and euer Amen Thine in the Lorde B. Andrewes Certaine very worthy Godly and profitable Sermons vpon the songs of Solomon FOR somuch as right dearely beloued in the Lorde Iesus Christ by the prouidence of God I am come among you at this time where I am likely to stay a few dayes I thought good as my maner is to spend the time in bestowing on you some portion of such Talentes as the Lorde in some measure hath enriched me with all My purpose is therfore the Lord ayding me with his holy spirite in this so holy and weighty a worke as the preaching of his sacred worde is to handle vnto you for some good considerations the fifth Chapter of the excellent songs of Solomon with the two firste verses of the sixth Chapter as it is read in the common translation but I reade them with the fifth chapter for the causes that shall be alleaged when I come to the handling of them the Chapter followeth to this effect Canticles 5. 1 I Am come into my garden my Sister my spouse I gathered my myrrhe with my spice I ate mine honye combe with mine bony I dranke my wine with my milke eate O friendes drinke and make you mery O welbeloued 2 I sleep but mine heart waketh it is the voyce of my welbeloued that knocketh saying Open vnto mee my sister my loue my doue my vndefiled for mine head is full of dewe and my locks with the droppes of the night 3 I haue put of my coate how shall I put it on I haue
as hee is pure These spéeches attribute not to man any thing of him selfe For albeit God requireth vs to open to come to him to purge our selues and to heare c. yet all these are borrowed from the lord who worketh them in his saints by his spirite and God requireth obedience at our handes Iohn 6.44 Christ saith no man cōmeth vnto me vnles my heuenly father draweth him Also the means of our purging is in the word for Ioh. 15.3 Christ affirmeth that his Disciples were cleane by his worde Yea God worketh both the will and the déed of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Notwithstanding here arise disputations in the fleshe Either we wil challenge too much to our selues or els wilfully set against the Lordes grace offered and so cease doing wel saying if I be chosen then whatsoeuer I do I shal be saued if I be a reprobate then what soeuer good I do I shal perishe Thus men murmure againste God and woulde bring him to account of his owne workes sitting like proud men in the seate of the Lordes iudgement arreigning him as though they would compel God to hold vp his hand at the barre O intollerable pride Oh damnable blasphemy If thou art chosen then shalt thou in time feele of the fruite of thy election in Christ by holinesse and sanctimonie For therfore hath God elected his that in time they may be called to be saintes Rom. 1.7 1. Cor. 1.2 Yea he hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world that we shuld be holy and without blame before him Ephes 1.4 So then this is the euidence of our election and so of our saluation if we labour for holinesse and a new life For so God sanctifieth his vnto a new life and refourmeth them to haue their hearts open that so being renued they open vnto Christ So that it followeth not that if thou art elect what soeuer thou dost thou shalt be saued But if thou art elect then God calleth thée in time vnto sanctification to renounce sin and thine owne lusts and so causeth thee to make sure thy election by good fruits as are mentioned Col. 3.12 As the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnes humblenes meekenes c. with al the furniture of the new man And read I pray you the first Chapter of the second Epistle of Peter verses 5.6.7.8.9.10.11 So then who soeuer is in Christ must become a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 And who so euer neuer tasteth of true mortification holinesse and newnes of life forsaking sin and vngodlines can neuer haue euidence of saluation but remaine still in damnation and the wrath of God abideth vpon him And as for the other obiection where they say that if they be reprobates c. what so euer good they do yet they shal be damned This followeth not neither so as they take it For although the purpose of God in the reprobate can not be altered yet they must know that the cause of their destruction is of them selues who beeing left of God to them selues in the matter of their condemnation do perish of them selues and wilfully despise the sacred meanes of life hardning their heartes and shutting them vp againste Christe by that malice which is resident in their own nature Then how soeuer man murmureth against God calling them to obedience as thogh God required some vnlawful or vnresonable thing at their handes Yet let them know that howsoeuer the wicked perish in their contempt not shewing the fruits of election so shut vp the gate against christ it is the iust iudgement of God On the other side the children of God being sanctified and their harts renued by his spirit they opē vnto Christ For the regenerate as god worketh in them by his spirit wherby the praise of their regeneration belongeth vnto God so their actions are both actiue passiue Actiue in the God hauing reformed altered their wils nature by his second creation they will good things desiring the lords wil to be accōplished in them And passiue in that though they are reformed yet by the reason of the remnāts of sin which remaine in the saints not fully purged they still haue néed of the lords aide to go through in their calling As Paule doth insinuate whē praying that God wold make thē worthy of their calling 2. The. 1.11 fulfil the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power He sheweth that the Godly must stil be continued and holden vp of God to the ende But they neglect not the hearing of the worde prayer and all the soueraigne meanes of their saluation For they know that as God worketh all in all so he hath appointed ordinary meanes to cause his graces to be effectual in his saints as the preaching of his word 1. Cor. 1. the vse of the Sacraments and prayer c. And sure it is who soeuer is in the way of life delighteth in these meanes But he that contemneth or neglecteth these meanes neglecteth his owne saluation hauing no true taste of Christ and so open not vnto him in so much as the doore of vtterance is closed vp in them their heartes not beeing opened by the keyes of the worde which beeing committed to Peter and the Apostles haue successiuely beene deliuered to the ministers of the word In deed the Lord must first open our heartes booring through our ears as Dauid speaketh by his spirite yet this hindreth not but that the worde openeth them also by preaching conueying as it were the spirite into the hearts of the faithful and therfore is called the ministry of the spirite 2. Cor. 3.8 I will not stand to confute the Maniches nor the Minium spirituales which deuide the spirite from the worde when the worke togeather in the faithfull neither wil I trifle with the Scholiastes and Papistes affirming that freewil though it be holpen by grace Yet is it in vs to deserue righteousnes c. they may easely be confuted by the former places alleaged I need not delay time to frame any seuerall conclusions against them in any Syllogistical forme I conclude therefore generally that they which open vnto Christ doe open by the grace of God clensing and preparing their hearts thervnto through his worde and so as a fruitful cause bringeth foorth necessary effectes of faith obedience And they which do not open being left in their own sins by the iust iudgement of God through their owne fault open not and not through any defect or fault in God or in the meanes whereby hee offereth grace but they refuse it Let vs therefore craue that God would vouchsafe to opē our eies that we sleep not in death Also to open our eares hearts minds and souls and forbeare them by his spirite that his worde may enter and Christ may haue place in vs that we may open vnto him at his suite and request and so we may heartely byd him
God in hearing his worde frequenting Sermons resorting to the companye of the Godly perswading others also to seeke God with them such a man is counted O intollerable contempt euen a monster among men or as an owl in the day time among the birds And as Isaiah saith he that refrayneth from euill maketh himselfe a pray Isai 59.15 Oh say the scorning raylers now this holy man will goe to heauen in a Hey barne now these Puritans flocke together and I cannot tell what scornfull reproches they hurl out against those which would fayne profite by hearing of the worde Yea I tremble to thinke vpon their damnable speeches which they spewe oute of theire poysoned mouths and the mischiefs which they conceiue in their viperous heartes against the seruaunts of God Thus our times ah alas in stéede of inquiring one of another seeking after God together do despise their brethrē casting the Lord behinde them But let not vs be dismaid at these reproches taunts of the wicked so that we shoulde cease to stir vp all that we can to seek Christ Iesus with vs. Let the minister exhort perswade earnestly cal on his people to ioin in this christian society Let the husband say to his wife children and seruants come I pray you wife let vs go to the sermon childrē and seruants hasten and make speede that we maye together séek after the Lord of hostes let euery man ad this I wil go with you also So one neighbour should say to another I pray you neighbor let vs goe together to such a sermō or such a godly exercise I wil go with you So let vs perswade not only in word but in exāple also to do our selues that which we require of others For manye there are that can say to others goe which goe not themselues Some husbande can bee content his wife goe or his childe of which there are but fewe but hee will not mooue him selfe which is a lamentable and doleful estate for though we shoulde bee willing that al men shoulde goe to God hearing his worde vsing his Sacramentes praying vnto him carefullye and continually if we our selues ioin not with the Godly in these holy exercises and in this holy Communion vnity and fellowship what shal it boote vs What shal it pleasure a man to see his Wyfe goe to Heauen and him self go to hel or what shal it benefite a Wyfe to see her Housbande carefull to serue God and so goe to lyfe but her selfe refusing the ordinarye meanes of Saluation to taste of eternal Death For whosoeuer ioyneth not himselfe in Christian society with the church of God cutteth of him selfe from God and dismembreth him selfe from Christe Iesus Neyther can any man be of God which heareth not his word Iohn 8.47 yea and that by his seruants and ministers For hee that is of God hearetth vs saith S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4.6 but hee that is not of God heareth vs not Also no man can haue fellowship or acquaintance with the father or the sonne vnlesse hee abide in the word for whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christe hath not God 2. Iohn 9. c. Alas my deare brethren let there not bee found a froward heart in any of you to be so proude or ashamed that you shoulde bee loath to bee drawne forward of your brethren to seeke after God in his worde where onely hee is truely to bee founde Oh let vs ioyne hands and hearts together good christians to seeke our God whilste hee may bee founde let vs say one to another neyghbour if you wil goe to anye sermon or Godlye exercise I wil goe with you and beare you company I speake grosly vnto you but for your good and yet no otherwise then the spirite of God spake by Zacharye Now as there are some that can bee content others go and themselues tarry at home so ther are of the other side some that can afforde themselues leasure and can beteem to be saued themselues but are verye Nigardes and churles towarde their wife children seruauntes or neighboures Neuer caring to further them or to vse means to drawe them on being vntoward of them selues which is a haynous iniurye againste the Soules of those that belong to vs sith we stande charged from the Lord vpon the penalty of his high displeasure and forfaiture of his fauour to teach our houshold children and seruaunts acquainting them with the Lordes will making them priuy to his heauenly councel enacted in the parliament house of the heauens and proclaymed to men by the preaching of his worde Looke I pray you vpon such places perusing them with reuerence as lay this charge vppon vs from the Lorde to teach our housholde and children yea euen our childrens children Deu. 4.9.10 Deu. 6.7 11.19 But our times thinke this a precisenes or at least a duetye that standeth at our owne curtesy to doe or not to doe As though God made Lawes or drewe out statutes vnauthorized and sent them downe to men leauing them to their wil wisdome to be interlined altered or confirmed at their pleasure No we must not ad nor take from his word Apoc. 22.18.19 vpon paine of damnation and danger of al the curses that are written in Gods book Let vs therefore in Gods name my brethren be forwarde our selues therewithall likewise carefull ouer others A third sorte of people there is which neither themselues wil enquire after Christ as much as lie in them do also wilfully hinder others with scorning rayling at them end speaking taunting disouraging disswading putting in the heades of suche as they dare bewray them selues t◠saying what meane you to bee thus zealous in Religion and to bee so precise You see wise men and they of countenance and some graue Fathers like not of this way you will be laughed at if you gadde thus to sermons And you shal be slouted behind your backe you wil also indaunger your selfe to trouble and a thousand other such poysoned charmes the subtle Adder setteth a worke to discourage the saintes of God and to carry many soules vnto Hell Some wil adde this complaint that many vndo them selues with going to sermons and poore men can not liue for them Thus as Pharaoh they seeke to set the poore so a worke as they might loyter in matters of saluation Other some they aske what neede these sermons on the working dayes is not the sunday or Lordes day ynough and I can not tel what But thus they enuye the worke of God in sauing men euerye waye Not knowing that wee had neede to bee occupied in the worde of God day and night And some are loath that on the Sabboth daye eyther there should be continually Sermons c. As the rulers of the Synagogue which checked the people for that they came to Christe to bee healed on the Sabboth Luk. 13.14 But a fourth sort of people they goe them selues to
with others would easily shew their nature against the people of God if they had oportunitie and yet they are hatched oh pitiful danger and nouâ—ished euen in the lap of the church Thus many Cankers breede in the bowels of the church heresies fonde opinions familists Brounists and such other Thus by such meanes as lamentable it is to see the graft of godlinesse and zeale is hindred And through the neglect of officers magistrates rather then laws these beastes swarme in our Church Also drunkards swearers whores adulterers proude pecockes raylers contemners of God and his word prophanations of the Sabboth and an innumerable kindes both of sinners and sinnes which ouergrow the church as a wildernesse which because magistrates doe not laboure to roote out so carefully as they ought the Lord doth strangely consume som sinners by the fire of his wrath froÌ„ heauen Which al shold be cut off by discipline or at least way bee forced to some reformation Can it be that the Lord wil trust vs any longer with a Lease of his garden we abusing him in such maner so as we greeue the Lords soul with our vnfaithfulnes and cause his soule to hate vs. Esay 1.14 Who bestoweth such cost on vs we prosper so little as hee can gather very few Lillies amongst vs he wanteth the fruit of our hearts and lippes as faith loue feare obedience charity thankesgiuing prayse inuocation hearing his word professing his name c. But some perhaps wil say why it is in as good case as we found it the same discipline laws and doctrine are stil which was in the beginning of her maiesties raign so the Lords garden and church is not impaired and it shal bee left in as good case as it was found and better then heretofore Sure the Lorde doth not plaÌ„t a vineyard let it out to stand or be kept alwaies at a stay but to bee tilled and dressed that it maye grow and prosper to bring foorth more fruite For hee requireth that men bestowe their care labour wisedome and trauail vpon it that hee maye haue it more furnished and fenced For hee tataketh payne him selfe aboute his Churche to that ende that sinne may bee suppressed and Godlinesse aduanced But the Lorde make vs truely thankfull in Christ Iesus for those beginninges and proceedinges of his church which we haue that he hath planted his worde true religion amongst vs countenancing the same his truth with the authoritye and sworde of our gratious Princesse Elizabeth as also with many worthy learned godly and noble Councellers as also other learned Patrons of his Church without whom we should find to our great misery and the spoyle of religion howe hardly the Lordes garden should be at al kept without them But our sinnes yea our contempt and neglect of the word of God and his glory doe hinder the Lorde from blessing vs with that encrease which otherwise wee mighte enioy yea our sinnes betraye the state of our Churche and lande and deserue the losse of so Princely a Deborah and other woorthye personnages wherewith our Church is inriched yea that the Lorde shoulde take away all the walles and defences of our church and land giue vs ouer to the spoile Let vs therefore if we beare any good will to our Church or Countrye labour to purge oure selues from al corruption and to repent vs of oure sinnes that we may bring foorth good fruits such as the lord may haue pleasure in that hee may haue a delight to abide among vs. For it is the sinnes of a land that causeth the Lordes wrath to smoke against the same but our land I suppose haue exceeded the old world Sodom and Gomorrha Israell Iehuda and al landes in straunge sinnes so that if in comparison Ezec. 16.51 Iudah and the inhabitants thereof iustified Sodom for that their sinnes exceeded the sinnes of the Sodomits Then we haue iustified al Nations in comparison of our sins and therefore are in daunger to al the feareful plagues that are mentioned in the booke of God vnlesse we speedely therfore repent I feare we shal tast of such iudgementes as that the stranger that shal come from a farre land Deut. 29.22 shal saye when they see the plagues of this land and the diseases therof wherwith the Lord shal smite it because it shal be fearefully destroyed except they repent Oh wherefore hath the Lorde done thus vnto this lande and ver 24. and ver 25. how feirce is this great wrath And it shal be answered because they haue forsaken the couenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and haue sinned againste the Lorde Let vs al then my deare brethren be humbled with Godly sorrow that may cause repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of Being offended with our selues that we haue not sooner and more earnestly inquyred after Christ praying the Lorde to beautifie his Garden and Churche of this land with such sweet flowers as he may please him selfe in vs and we may grow and prosper in al fruites of the spirit I can not finish this chapiter to daye because of time and the matter of the conclusion though in few words yet includeth very comfortable and heuenly matter which cannot in a few words be vttered I wil therfore defer it til to morrow when by Gods grace I shal finish the whole Now the Lord our good God sanctifie our hearts to conceiue the excellencye and féele the sweetnesse of the wordes of the mouth of Christ Iesus that we being our selues purged and sanctified by his word and truth may carefully labour that others with vs may truely be affected towards him that we may ioyn togeather in seeking of Christ so as in the ende finding him in his worde and Sacramentes and feeling of him by his spirite our soules and bodies may become cleane and well tilled Gardens beautified with al heaueÌ„ly fruits of his spirite as that Christ may haue pleasure to walke in vs to dwell and make his abode in vs vnto the ende and in the ende we also may be receiued with him into his heauenly Garden of eternal ioye to dwell continue and abide with him in the company of al the glorious Angels and fellowship of the heauenly saintes in the presence of God his Father for euer and euer Amen Let vs pray c. The fift Sermon or lecture YEsterday we heard beloued a part of the description of Christ concerning his spéech and swéet thing of his mouth with the excellency of his doctrine also the second question of the maydens concerning the place where he vsed with the aunswere betweene which was interlined what fruit came by this conference and how the Godly at Ierusalem were kyndled with loue to Christ by the example of the Spouse whereby she answereth to her companions making them priuy to the place of his abode shewing how the church is his Garden and that he delighteth to be conuersant there yea the soule of euerye
the assuraunce of the grace of perseueraunce or certaintie of saluation vnlesse we looke vpon the head spring of Gods mercyes in Christe Iesus with the eyes of faith and sobernesse also vnlesse we haue the testimony and earnest peny of the spirite of God whereby we are sealed against the day of redemption For if any man haue not the spirite of Christ he is not his Rom. 8 verse 9. Ephes 1.13.14 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 Of the other side They that are led by the spirite they are the sonnes of God sith God hath sent foorth the spirite of his sonne into their heartes which cryeth Abba Father Which as Paule sayth in the eight of the Romans beareth witnes with our spirit that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 if we bee children then heirs also of God and annexed heirs with Christe Hitherto agreeth that sentence of Iohn in his first epistle chapter 4.13 1. Ioh. 4.13 Hereby we knowe that wee dwel in God and God in vs in that he hath giuen vs of his spirit Yet it may be some man wil reply how shal I know that I haue the spirite of God and Christ I aunswere that by the fruites of the spirite of sanctification wee may haue good comfort and perswasion that wee haue the spirite of God Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 8. If Christ be in you the body is dead concerning sinn Rom. 8.10.11 but the spirite is life for righteousnes sake If the spirit of him that raysed vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you be that raysed vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies for his spirite that dwelleâ—h in you Where the Apostle sheweth that Gods spirite worketh mortification in his saints renuing them to a new life purging dayly the corruptions of sinne and remnant of iniquity which by degrees diminish in the saints Whosoeuer therefore tasteth of true mortification and sanctification hating sinne in truth labouring to reforme the same desiring to growe in holinesse and a new life applying his heart to be gouerned by the worde in obedience though he taste of the remnauntes of sinne which wil neuer be fully purged in the saints til they are restored fully in the appearing of Christ Iesus in that person vndoubtedly the spirite of God beginneth to haue a worke and to incorporate that person into himselfe that he may be one with Christe and may put on Christ Many circumstaunces there are which time wil not suffer me to note vnto you concerning this matter But sure it is that these are generall and infallible notes which I haue mentioned whereby a man may be perswaded these being in him in trueth though vnperfect that hee shal neuer fal vtterly away labouring to shew forth the fruite of faith hope patience obedience loue to the worde towardes his brethren a care to keepe the worde beeing prepared or vnfainedly desiring to â—e prepared to be parteners with the saintes of God in affliction and in the confirmation of the Gospell â—â—m 8.17 suffering with Christ that we may also be glorified with him for these fruits caused Paule to affirme as I noted before that he was perswaded of the Phillipians that God woulde perfite that good worke that he had begun in them euen to the daye of Iesus Christe Now if this worke of perseuerance were our own we might iustly suspect that we could neuer be saued or if God hauing begun in vs should after leaue vs to our selues to finishe vp our owne saluation then wee might well doubt of lyfe But sith God which is a perfect workeman beginneth who leaueth nothing that he taketh in hand vnfinished to worke grace faith sanctification obedience loue and mortification in vs though they are not perfect and absolute in vs he can not but finish his owne worke and perfite his saints Hereof Dauid boldly confidently and comfortably insulting vpon and triumphing against all troubles and afflictions Psa 138.8 concludeth with full assurance That the Lord will performe his worke towards him Adding a reasoÌ„ because His mercies endured for euer And yet he ascribeth the worke of perseuerance vnto God ending with this suite O Lord forsake not the worke of thy handes Charging the Lorde that he was his worke in that he had framed him a new by his spirite therefore it could not stand with the Lordes mercy to cast him off Oh valiant faith in the seruant of God Thus God euer perfiteth his worke in anye one that belong vnto him but the time of his working and the mesure he reserueth to him selfe to appoint at his pleasure So that though we feele not his quickning grace when we desire it nay sometime it seemeth to be furthest off when we craue it and neede it most also though wee haue not that measure of his grace which we woulde haue yet let vs not faynt but waite on the Lorde with Patience and prayer for certainelye except the Lorde will deny him selfe I speake with reuerence of his glorious maiesty he can not but giue to him that hath â—â—th 13.12 and he shal haue aboundantly yet he can not but make an ende in his seruaunts when he hath once begun Not that God is tyed to vs at our commaundement But ipsemet sibi est necessitas He is a necessity to him selfe for his mercies are eternal But this I haue sufficiently prooued afore Yet in a worde note this that God hath tyed his power to his will and promise that whatsoeuer he willeth and promiseth in his worde hee can not chuse but doe it Whatsoeuer he hath denyed that he doth not In this sense God sayth Gen. 19.22 That be can doe nothing to Sodom before Lot was departed But to returne to the Spouse againe though shee doth not fully in this speech set downe the reasons that might perswade her of this certainty yet if we consider all the former circumstaunces of her comming on or obaying of her calling we shal finde worthye fruites which she felt in her selfe and expressed that might yeeld some argument of this certaine perswasion As this her heart lying after Christe in the beginning of her calling thogh many lets mette with her also the complayning of her vntowardnesse which bewrayed a sight of her wants Furthermore her trembling at his displeasure or fearing at his word being affectioned towardes him Finally her seeking and inquyring after him euen when daunger was her zeale in following him not onely when others forsooke her but euen when many sought to hinder and molest her Thus recouering her zeale she procured others by conferring of the excellency of Christ to be parteners with her in seeking after him Which al were worthy fruits of faith that might giue her comforte to conclude that shee was her welbeloueds Thus euery man must labour to come to some assuraunce of his future estate that we may not liue alwayes to doubt but that we may bee ready to passe in peace at our