people thinke that the doctrine is true when they that preach it liue not thereafter Will not the people reason thus If his doctrine were good surely hee would follow it If his life be good surely he would teach vs to liue as he dooth Therefore whatsoeuer he saith wee will not beleeue him but as hee dooth so will we do and we hope to scape aswell as he Thus with the one hand they builde vp the Church of God and with the other hand they pull it downe because they doo more hurt by their bad example than they can doo good with all their preaching These are the vngodly that the Lorde by his Prophet reprooueth Psalme 50. VVhy dooest thou preach my lawes and take my wordes c. So long as Esay was a man of polluted lippes the office of preaching was not committed vnto him but when his lippes were cleansed Esay 6. then was he fitte for that office and function Euen so as long as we delight in sinne as much as any wee are not meete to reprooue the sinnes of other but when wee behaue our selues as it becommeth the ministers of the Gospell then haue wee commission to preach the Gospell and to reprooue the sinnes of the people Therefore to a good Churchman as you vse to call vs two things are necessary the first is to teach well the second is to liue well for as wee are resembled to Salte because wee must season the people with sound and wholesome doctrine so are wee resembled to the Sunne because wee must shine as lightes in the worlde by our holy life As Iohn Baptist was the voice of a cryer so he was a burning Lampe as the Apostles were willed to teache and baptise so their lights were commaunded to shine that men seeing their good workes might glorifie God Thirdly we here may see that truth is truth and to bee commended from whomsoeuer it cōmeth for though this Lawier came to tempt Christ yet because he told the trueth Christ admitteth his answere and commends him for it Whereby we haue to learne to embrace and receiue the trueth by whomsoeuer it is brought for as a iewell is to bee esteemed though it be found in a stinking dunghill so the trueth is to be regarded though it bee found in a wicked man And last of all we heere may see that to be verified which was spoken of Christ Esa. 42. Mat. 12 A brused reed shall he not breake c. that is he shall not discourage any in the way of godlinesse Though this Lawyer were Christs enemie yet when he aunswered discreetly and directly out of the word of God Christ approoueth his aunswere and exhorteth him to the practise of the same wherby we haue to learne to commend and encourage euery man in his well dooing and by all meanes to further them in their good beginnings Praise and honor are spurres to vertue therefore if a man haue done well commend him and he will do better but alas with vs it is farre otherwise for if a man haue done amisse it shall bee often cast in his teeth but if he haue done well he shall neuer heare of it But let vs go forward in the aunswer of Christ It followeth do this Hauing approoued his saying now hee exhorteth him vnto dooing for it is not enough to say well or to knowe much or to beleeue aright but wee must doo this that is we must loue God and our neighbour if we desire to liue Heauen is not gotten with faire wordes nor amorous lookes nor golde nor siluer nor gorgeous aray but with the fruites of a liuely saith or that I may vse the words of the Apostle Gal. 5.6 By faith working through loue God will not come to iudge vs at the last day whether we were learned or wise or eloquent or wealthy or honourable but whether we haue done those deeds of mercy to his needy members What shall it profit a man in the last houre of his death to haue beene eloquent and excellent in all kinde of learning that he hath preached many notable and worthy sermons if he haue liued a lewde and wicked life and caried a corrupt conscience to his graue In that terrible day when the bookes of all mens consciences shall be opened Apocal. 20. and euerie mans life shall be strictly examined it shall goe better with vs if wee haue serued God with a good conscience then if we haue beene able to dispute subtile questions for at that day it shall be said to some that haue preached in the name of Christ Depart from me I know yee not Mat. 7. Now as we shall not be saued for our preaching no more shall you be saued for your hearing for God will haue you to do as you heare aswell as he will haue vs to do as we teach if you looke into all the scriptures you shall finde no promise made to hearers nor to speakers nor to readers but to beleeuers or to dooers If yee aske God who shall dwell in his holy mountaine he saith Psal. 15. The man that walketh vprightly If you aske Christ who shall enter into the kingdome of heauen he saith Matth. 7. Not they that cry Lord Lord but they which doo the will of my father If you aske him how you may come to heauen he saith Mat. 19. Keepe the commandements If you aske him who are blessed he saith Luc. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and doo it If you aske an Angell who is blessed he saith Reu. 22. Blessed are they which keepe the words of this booke If you aske Dauid he saith Psalm 106. The man is blessed which keepeth iudgement and dooth righteousnesse If you aske Salomon he saith Prou. 29. The man is blessed which keepeth the Lawe If you aske Esay he saith Esay 50. He which doth this is blessed If you aske Iames he saith Iam. 1. The dooer of the word shall be blessed in his deed And heere Doo this and thou shalt liue Heere is nothing but dooing to make vs blessed for as the workes that Christ did bare witnesse that hee was Christ Iohn 10. so the workes that we doo must beare witnesse that we are Christians But heere some man may obiect and say Is any man able to doo this that God requireth and if he be not why then dooth God commaund vs that which wee cannot performe Heerein almighty God dealeth with vs as a father dealeth with his children If a man haue a sonne of seauen yeares of age he will furnish him with bow and arrowes and leade him into the fields sets him to shoote at a marke that is twelue score off promising to giue him some goodly thing if hee hit the marke and though the father know that the childe cannot shoote so farre yet will hee haue him aime at a marke beyond his reache thereby to trie the strength and forwardnesse of his childe and though he shoote shorte yet the father will incourage him Euen
eternixed But howsoeuer men by such meanes may bee remembred after death yet this is not the way to get eternall life For this is life eternall to know the onelie true God the seauenteenth Chapter of Iohn and third verse And to beleeue in the sonne of God the third Chapter of Iohn and sixteenth verse But these knowers must be dooers for he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him the first of Iohn the third Chapter and fourth verse And these beleeuers must be good liuers for this is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldst affirme that they that haue beleeued God should be carefull to shew forth good workes Titus third eight Therefore to the obtaining of eternall life two things are necessarie The first is to beleeue well the second is to liue well By the first we are iustified in the fight of God for hee respecteth our faith By the second wee are iustified in the sight of men for they regard our workes And thus are the Apostles Paul and Iames reconciled for when Paul maketh faith the cause of iustification Romanes third Chapter and twenty eight verse he meaneth such a saith as worketh by loue Galathians the fifth Chapter sixth verse whereby wee are iustified in the sight of God And when Iames maketh workes the cause of iustification Iames the second Chapter and twenty foure verse hee meaneth such workes as proceede from faith Iames the second Chapter the eighteenth verse whereby we are declared to be righteous before men The Scripture describeth this eternall life by diuers excellent names to shew the worthines and excellencie thereof it is called a Kingdome Luke the twelfth Chapter and thirty two verse but yet such a Kingdome as cannot bee shaken like the Kingdomes of this worlde Hebrewes the twelfth Chapter and twenty eight Verse for it is a heauenlie Kingdome Matthew the eighth Chapter and eleuenth verse It is called Paradise Luke the three twenty Chap. and forty three verse for it is more pleasant than the garden of Eden And Abrahams bosome Luke the sixteenth Chapter for it is a place of rest and comfort It is called the house of the father wherein there be many Mansions Iohn the fourteenth Chapter The ioy of the Lord whereinto euery faithfull seruant must enter in Matthew 22. Chapter and all to expresse and declare vnto vs the beauty excellencie and glorie of that life which is eternall And yet as glorious excellent as it is such is the loue and fauour of God vnto vs that he hath appointed it to be our inheritance as here the Lawyer termeth it Inheritance is a kinde of tenure whereby a man in his own right holdeth or possesseth any thing as his own as when a lawfull heyre doth inherite his Fathers landes Euen so the kingdome of God belongeth vnto vs as our lawfull inheritance because we are the Sonnes of God It is a great prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God Iohn the first Chapter and third verse But to bee Heyres and Heyres with Christ Rom. the eight Chapt of that heauenly inheritance is a wonderfull priuiledge How are wee bound vnto Almightie God that where as hee might haue made vs stones or trees or beasts or such insensible and vnreasonable creatures it pleased his diuine Maiestie to make vs men the vndoubted heyres of eternall happines Behold deare brother and consider that heauen is thine inheritance eternall glorie is thy patrimony thou art borne to a kingdome thou hast a title to it when thou doest depart this life thou shalt bee sure to finde it If before thou departe this life thou doe not loose thy right and title by thy sinfull life Let euerie one therefore as hee tendereth the saluation of his owne soule forsake his wicked waies and nowe begin to walke in the waies of the Lorde If heretofore thou hast prophaned the Lords Saboath remember that henceforth thou sanctifie it If thou hast beene a Blasphemer of the name of God see that henceforth thou vse it with al reuereÌ„ce If thou hast beene malicious from henceforth be charitable If thou hast beene contentious now learne to bee peaceable If thou hast beene incontinent now begin to be chast If thou hast beene a drunkard from henceforth be sober in a worde If thou hast beene inclined to any sin bee sorrie for it and forsake it If thou hast neglected anye good worke now begin to doe it that in so dooing thou maiest inherite that eternall life which is promised and prepared for them that knowe the will of God and doo it as it is written in Luke the eighth Chapter and twentie one verse The Lord in mercie graunt that you bee not forgetfull hearers but dooers of the word Here endeth the first Sermon Printed at London for Thomas Gosson and are to bee solde at his Shop by London Bridge Gate 1595. THE LAVVGIVERS Answere to the Lawiers Question By HENRY SMITH LONDON Printed for Thomas Gosson and are to be sold at his shop by London Bridge Gate THE LAVVGIVERS Ansvvere to the Lavvyers Question Luke 10. And he saide vnto him what is written in the law how readest thou c. YOV haue heard the Question propounded Now you shall heare the Question answered And he saide vnto him what is written in the law how readest thou As if hee should haue saide I marueile that thou beeing a Doctor of the Lawe which should bee able to instruct others in matters of Religion art ignorant of that vvhich it behooueth euery man to knowe by what meanes hee may inherite eternall life Wherein hast thou bestowed thy study wherein hast thou imployed thy wâ—â— and howe hast thou spent thy time Thou seemest to bee a Lawyer Tell me what doth the Law require of thee Thou seemest to haue read the Scriptures let me see how thou hast profited by thy reading Thus doth our Sauiour send this Lawier to the Lawe to learne his dutie and setteth him to schoole that thought himselfe too good to learne Hee came to tempt Christ by asking the question but nowe himselfe must make the answere vnlesse he will bewray his owne ignorance If hee be a Lawier let him looke what the lawe saith concerning this question because the lawe is able to resolue euery doubt second Timothie the third Chapter sixteene and seauenteene verses Therefore the Prophet Esay sendeth vs to the lawe and to the testimonie Esay the eighth Chapter and twenty verse And our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs search the scriptures Iohn 5. And telleth vs that the ignorance of them is the cause of all errour Matthew twelue Chapter If then thou wouldest know the will of God studie the scriptures there hee hath reuealed his will vnto thee If thou desire to please the Lord looke into his worde there hee hath shewed thee what his pleasure is Finally if thou wouldest haue thy works to prosper consider what is written in the lawe aske
before his carnall kindred so we must preferre our spirituall neighbours before our carnall neighbours Therfore although by this law we are bound to loue all men indifferently yet because there are degrees of neighbours therefore there must be degrees of loue we must loue our parents and our kinsfolke more than strangers because they are bound vnto vs by a straighter bonde of nature according to that of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5. Hee that hath not a care of his owne specially they of his houshold c. So we must loue the faithfull more than the vnfaithfull because they are bound vnto vs by a straighter bonde of faith and religion as the same Apostle willeth vs Gal. 6. VVhile yee haue time do good vnto all specially to them of the houshold of faith signifying that as we are bounde to loue all men with a generall loue because they are all the ofspring of Adam yet must we loue some with a more speciall loue because they are the children of God Nowe followeth the measure of that loue which we owe vnto our neighbor expressed in the last words As thy selfe Heere is the rule whereby our loue must be squared and a most exquisite example of singular loue found in our selues for vs to imitate He saith not as he loueth thee or as hee is beloued of other but as thy selfe Who knowes not howe well hee loues himselfe and therefore who can excuse himselfe I say I know not how well I should loue my neighbor but how doo we loue our selues fainedly or coldly or for an houre I trow not but truely and zealously and euery houre so wee must loue our neighbour with a true zealous and a constant loue Wee must not passe by as the Priest the Leuit but powre our oile into their wounds with the Samaritan to helpe relieue them and comfort them Wee must loue our neighbour though he be enuious as Dauid loued Saul requiting good for euill and as Ioseph loued Putiphar not enticed to sinne against him Loue is the fulfilling of the Lawe It beginneth young with Moses to resist the oppressor and endeth not in old age but desireth to perish for the beloueds preseruation calleth infants in the streete with wisedome to learne comforteth the imprisoned with Abacucke burieth the dead with Tobie visiteth the sicke and possessed with our Sauiour couereth the multitude of offences and shall finde this last comsort Come ye blessed to which ioy hee bring vs that with his loue from euerlasting death hath bought vs. Here endeth the second Sermon THE CENSVRE of Christ vpon the Answere By HENRY SMITH LONDON Printed for Thomas Gosson and are to be sold at his shop by London Bridge Gate THE CENSVRE OF Christ vpon the Ansvvere NOwe wee are come to the answere of Christ vnto the Lawiers Question The Question was What must be done to inherite eternall life The Answere is Doo that which thou hast saide that is Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe and thou shalt liue thou shalt inherit eternall life Where first it is to bee obserued that though this Lawier came with the minde to tempt Christ yet because hee had truely alleaged what was written in the Lawe Deut. 6. Leuit. 19. our Sauiour Christ approoueth his answere and commendeth him for it whereby wee are taught to like and allowe of those good thinges that wee see in any though they be our enemies Many there are that if their enemie be endued with many excellent vertues yet they will not acknowledge it nor giue him his due commendation but rather seeke by all meanes to disable him and disgrace him and dispraise him behinde his backe If hee be temperate and sober then they say as it was saide of Iohn-Baptist he hath a diuel If hee be sociable and familiar then they say as it was said of Christ He is a glutton and a winebibber Luke 7. If hee be learned they say as Festus saide of Paul Acts 26. hee is mad If hee bee a good housekeeper they call him a Papist If hee be religious they call him Precisian Yea if hee be a Prophet yet if hee tell the truth they account him their enemie Gal. 4. as Ahab termed Elias 1. King 21. And as the same Ahab cared not to heare Micheas because hee hated him 1. Kings 22. so they despise the Doctrine and mislike the Sermon because they hate the man that preacheth it These kind of people are like their father the diuel who both by his name and nature is an acouser of the brethren Reuel 12. Hee could not giue Iob a good worde though hee were a iust man that feared God Iob 1. and no meruaile for he could not speake well of God himselfe Gen. 3 But Christ is of another minde for though this Lawier were his tempter yet doth he allow his Answere so though a man be thine enemie yet let him haue his due If hee be learned report no lesse of him If he be an honest man defame him not If he be humble say not he is prowd If he be liberall say not hee is miserable If hee deale iustly say not he is vnconscionable and if he haue any thing in him that is praise-worthy as there is no man but hath some good thing in him acknowledge it report it and commend him for it though he be thine enemie But heere againe we see that though Christ commend this Lawier for his aunswer yet doth he not commend him for any thing else to teach vs that as we must giue euery man his due so we must giue no man more than his due The Lawyer had aunswered directly to Christs demaunde therefore Christ commends his saying but the Lawyer had not done so well as he had spoken therefore Christ doth not commend his doing so the words of many are very commendable but their workes are most detestable If you come to their sermons you shall heare them speake maruellous well but if you looke into their liues you shall finde them farre differing from their profession They are like our Bells which can call the people together to the seruice of God but cannot performe any seruice vnto God so these men can giue good counsell vnto others but they cannot follow it they can teach the people to knowe the will and pleasure of God but they go not about to doo the will of God that the people might be mooued by their example to doo the same And if you seeme to mislike their dooings then as Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisies Mat. 23. They sit in Moses chaire c. so they aunswere for themselues Doo as we say and not as wee doo A bad excuse fit for so bad a cause As if they should say Wee would haue you to bee godly but wee will not be godlie we would haue you to be saued but we our selues will not be saued How can their doctrine do any good that liue not according to their doctrine or how can the
mercifull as he is mercifull he will haue vs louing as he is loue it selfe Againe it is the nature of a louing father by all meanes to procure the welfare of his children so our heauenly father desirous of our continuall happinesse commandeth vs loue that so we may leade our liues with delight and pleasure If he had hated vs he would haue commanded vs to liue in hatred and enuy and malice with our neighbours For among all the miseries that are vnder the sunne there is not a more miserable and yrksome life than the life of the enuious Salomon Prou. 14.30 calles it a rotting of the bones and as it were a consumption of the body because the enuious man alwaies repineth and pineth away at other mens prosperitie As all things worke to the best to them that loue God Rom. 8. so all things worke to the worst to them that are enuious Therefore one wisheth that the enuious man had eies in euery citie that he might be vexed with all mens prosperitie As Christ said Iohn 13. By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples if you haue loue one towards another so the diuell saith By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if yee haue enuie and hatred and malice one towards another Therefore leauing that hatefull and lothsome kinde of life to the reprobate and damned who are alwaies mal-content like Caine Gen. 4. and their countenance cast downe they cannot looke on their brother with a cheerefull countenance nor affoord him a merry worde God hath prescribed loue to those that are his to shew how desirous he is of their welfare happines But here some churle may say vnto me If this be all I shall doe well enough if God require no more but loue I shall be well content to loue so that I be not bound to giue Alas this is a silly shift for it is the nature of godly loue to relieue and helpe him that is beloued therefore whom thou louest if thou louest him truely thou canst not see him lack if it be in thy power to supply his want If thou loue thy horse thou wilt giue him prouinder if thou loue thy dog thou wilt giue him thy crummes and if thou loue thy brother thou wilt giue him foode Therefore though nothing be expressed which thou shouldest giue vnto thy brother yet in that thou must loue him thou art bound to giue him not onely thy goods but euen thy life if neede require to doe him good This is my commaundement saieth our Sauiour Christ Iohn 15. chap. 12. vers that yee loue one another as I haue loued you but he so loued vs that he gaue his life for vs Rom. 5. â— therefore wee also ought to giue out liues for our brethren 1. Iohn 3.16 For as much then as thy life which as Christ speaketh is more worth than foode or raiment Matth. 6.25 should not be spared for thy anothers good from henceforth grutch not to giue thy goods to thy needy neighbour defraude not him of foode and raiment to whom thou owest euen thy life it selfe But let vs come to the second thing which sheweth who is bound to loue Thou shalt loue Vnder this worde thou God comprehendeth euery particular man and woman as if hee should say Thou thy selfe and not any other for thou shalt loue thy neighbour The poore man is not exempted from this precept because he may loue aswell as the riche If he say I haue no wealth and therefore I cannot shewe my loue to my neighbour Though he haue no wealth yet he hath a heart he hath a minde he hath an affection let him haue a louing heart a louing minde and a louing affection if he cannot doo well let him wish well vnto his neighbour if he can or gratifie him with any thing that he hathâ— let him not enuie at any thing that the riche man hath sorts the riche man shewes that hee loues his neighbour if he relieue his necessitie so the poore man sheweth that he loues his neighbour if he greeue not at his prosperitie This therefore as a generall precept bindeth the poore aswell as the riche it is a common yoake laide vpon the neck and a common burthen laide vpon the backe of euery christian but yet it is an easie yoake and a light burthen Matt. 11. because it is loue which maketh all things to seeme delightsome As there are some that would bee content to loue if they might not giue so there are some would be content to giue if they were sure they should not want therefore when it comes to giuing they post it ouer to their heires or to their executors or to their successors when they are dead they are neuer liberall vntill they die and then they are liberall of that which is none of theirs They thinke to be excused by the liberalitie of their heires but they are bound to bee liberall for themselues therefore they must not lay the burthen vppon them because euery man must beare his owne burthen Gal. 6. If they say I know not what need I may haue before I die let them remember that what they giue vnto the poore they lend vnto the Lord and he is a sure pay-maister he giues great vsurie and as Dauid laid I neuer saw the righteous forsaken nor his seede beg their bread so they must needes confesse if they will confesse the trueth that they neuer sawe the godlye man that was liberall to the poore by that meanes to come to miserie By other meanes many men fall into extreame pouertie Alea Vina Venus Dice Wine and Women haue brought many to beggery but by beneficence and liberalitie to the poore I neuer heard that any came to penurie Such a foyson hath your almes that by the blessing of God which makes men rich it increaseth like the Widdows meale and oile which she bestowed vppon the Prophet 1. Kings 17. Therefore let no man distrust Now we are come to the third thing which sheweth whom wee are bound to loue Thou shalt loue thy neighbour He saith not thou shalt loue the rich man or thy kinsman or thy friend or thy companion but thy neighbour Vnder which word is comprehended euery man that is any way capable of thy loue yea euen thy enemie is included in this precept Matthew 5. Rom. 12. As the Iewes thought none to be their neighbours but their owne Nation so some thinke none to bee their neighbours but their equalls The rich man despiseth the poore man and he againe enuieth the rich man and euery man as the prouerbe is delighteth in those that are like himselfe But heere this lawe requireth that whosoeuer is our neighbor by any meanes is to be loued As our Sauiour Christ had two kindes of kinsfolke Matthew 12. one by the flesh and another by the spirit so we haue two kindes of neighbours one by nature and another by grace and as Christ preserd his spirituall kindred