wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renewed euerie morning great is his faithfulnesse Being mindfull therefore of these his mercies let vs as thankfull seruauntes offer vnto this our mercifull God this sacrifice of righteousnesse neuer ceasing to magnifie and praise his name O Lorde we acknowledge this to be thy worke without any merite or deserte of ours Wee blesse thee wee praise thee we thanke thee for it accept O Lorde this our seruice and sacrifice in thy great mercie 22 The seconde part of this our sacrifice of praise is to poure out requestes and supplications Let vs herein with humble and penitent heartes with sure trust that God will heare vs out of heauen craue at his mercifull handes the deliueraunce of his annointed our Soueraigne Ladie out of all distresse from the rebellion of Absolon from the counsell of Achitophell from the rage and furie of all that conspire to do hir harme Thou knowest O Lorde that shee hath not deserued this treacherie at their handes being most milde and mercifull doing good vnto all hurting none Therefore O Lorde according to thy mercifull woont as thou hast done hitherto so deliuer protect and defend hir still finish that which thou hast most graciouslie begune bridle O Lorde hir enemies and ours let them knowe their madnes open their eies and cause them plainely to see that they cannot preuaile against thy chosen seruaunt that they cannot cast downe or bring into ignominy hir whom thou hast set vp and placed in honour Giue grace O Lorde if it bee thy good pleasure that they may enter into themselues examine their own heartes see their sinne repent them of their wickednesse abstaine from farther proceeding that thou in thie mercy maiest shew them grace and fauour in the ende And graunt O Lorde that we which professe thy holie name may still offer vnto thee the sacrifice which thou requirest euen the sacrifice of righteousnesse that the minister of thy worde may sincerely and diligently preach thy Gospell that being a good example to the flocke and leading a godlie an vpright life he maie bring thee the offrings of many soules vnto the stretching out of thy glorious kingdome amongst men Grant that princes Magistrats whom thou hast set in authority may without feare or fauor offer also this sacrifice in vpright deciding of controuersed causes and seuere punishing of malefactours Finallie giue this grace O Lorde wee beseech thee to thy whole flocke for wee are thy flocke the sheepe of thy pasture that wee all may offer vnto thee our goodes our bodyes and our soules for they are thyne Graunte that we maie liberallie bestowe our goodes to the needefull reliefe of thy poore Sainctes that wee may mortefie our bodyes and cheerefullie offer them if neede so require to anye kynde of tormente for thie sake that in soule wee maye offer thee the sacrifice of true repentance for our sinnes of hartie thankes for thy great grace of earnest sute for continuance of thy mercie and fauour towardes vs. We humblie beseech thee O father for the merites of thy deere sonne vpon whom as vpon our aultar we offer vp all our sacrifice bowe downe thy mercifull eare to our petitions extend thy mercies to thy litle flocke preserue our gracious Queene and so direct the heartes of all which beare authority vnder hir that by their good gouernment wee may leade a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlynesse and honestie To thee O mercifull father with thy Sonne Christ Iesus our onely redeemer and that blessed spirit our sweete comforter three persons one God be all honour and praise both now and euer The two and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at his remouing to Yorke 1. COR. 13. 11 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte be of one minde liue in peace And the God of loue peace shalbe with you AFTER that our Apostle S. Paul as a faithfull teacher a wise stewarde a louing father a vigilant watchman a diligent labourer a seuere punisher of all sinne had with a good conscience painefully trauailed a long time with the famous citie of Corinth omitting no part of Apostolicall dutie opening vnto them all the mysteries of Christ the whole counsell of God all the secretes of his truth at the length by the goodwill and calling of God being else where appointed to preach the Gospell hee forgetteth them not in the time of his absence but as by word afore so stil by writing endeuoureth to leade them on Wherfore being now to make an ende both of speaking and writing vnto them hee most louinglie taketh his leaue and with his farewel giueth them this sweete exhortation Be perâ—it be of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you 2 My present case is not much vnlike although I my selfe bee most vnlike for happie were hee that might followe so blessed a guide though it were with far vnequall paces The citie is like the people are like my departure from you is like but the performing of my office amongest you I must confesse hath ben much vnlike And good cause why for God alike hath not bestowed his gracious giftes Yet my conscience beareth me record I haue endeuored to treade in the same steps And in doctrine which is the chiefest point I dare affirme euen the same which the holy Apostle doth I haue deliuered no other vnto you then that which I haue receiued of the Lord yea safely in the sight of the most high God I may saie with him you haue receiued of vs not the word of men but as it was in deede the worde of God In distribution whereof neither haue I vsed flatterie as you know neither coloured couetousnesse the Lorde will testifie neither haue I sought mine owne praise my heart is witnesse And this testimonie of conscience that I haue dealt sincerely in the house of God as touching doctrine hath bene my great reliefe and comfort in all the stormy troubles which by the mighty assistance of almighty God I haue waded throwe Concerning diligence in the execution of mine office although I haue had a ready will yet my weake body being not answerable to my desire as all flesh herein is faultie so for my part I must pleade guiltie One debt and duety with S. Paule I protest I haue truelie paide you for with a tender affection I haue loued you The nurce was neuer more willing to giue the breast vnto hir childe then I haue beene that you shoulde sucke not onely milke but also bloude from mee if it might stande you in steede or serue to your safetie God hee knoweth that with this loue I haue loued you In vsing correction I haue sought reformation and not reuenge to punish hath bene a punishment to my selfe I neuer did it but with great griefe I haue alwaies
the safetie thereof for in the peace thereof your peace doeth stand In this sort God is to be feared in this sort of all sorts he is to be serued and by this meane the common wealth is to bee maintained and preserued If we linked together in the feare of God and in true concord and amitie among our selues put to our helping handes euerie one duetifully in his calling to the supporting of this state and defending thereof doubtlesse no enemie no forren power can hurt vs no Bull of Basan shall preuaile against vs but wee and our common wealth in despite of all both corporal and spiritual enemies shall be strengthened and stablished for euer So true is it that kingdome which is grounded vpon good wil standeth fast and sure for euer 36 But as the naturall bodie without sinewes can not growe waxe strong or continue no more can a ciuil bodie without his sinewes The sinewes of the common wealth are the treasures Tributes therefore and subsidies are due to the Prince Giue vnto Caesar those things that are Caesars tribute vnto whom tribute belongeth It is not giuen to the Prince but to the common wealth it is in trueth bestowed vpon our selues The prince in respect of priuate vse neither needeth neither requireth our money It is the common wealth whereunto we owe not our goods onely but our liues also it requireth this at our handes for our owne safetie The prince will be but a steward hereof seasonably to lay it out for publike vse Good common wealthsmen haue not spared to giue their very liues for their countrie as Themistocles Curtius Codrus and others And who can so litle regard the common wealth as by pinching at a peece of monie to pinche it He that seeth his house ruinous and for sparing will not repaire it if it fall vpon his head let him fall himselfe Moses found his subiects maruellous readie in this behalfe when a voluntarie contribution was required towardes the building of the tabernacle they brought in so much that he was forced to crie Sufficit Nowe ynough Cyrus was a gentle and a good prince and he had thankefull subiects their voluntarie gift at one subsidie surmounted all the long heaped treasure of riche Craesus The Princes treasure is wasted in our defence our duetie is to repaire it againe for our safetie This duetie God and our common wealth require at our handes Let vs paie franklie this debt so shall we worke our owne safetie strengthen the common wealth and serue God and our countrie in trueth 37 And thus we learne that if the ministers earnestly praie for and faithfully teache the prince and the people if the prince and the people syncerely feare and serue God feare him as an omnipotent Lord and iust Iudge and withall loue him as a most louing father serue him in cleansing and feeding his Church cleansing it from false doctrine Idolatrie superstition and symonie feeding it with the word by causing it eueriewhere to be preached which will be by prouiding maintenance for the preachers thereof and compelling all subiects to heare Gods word and receiue his sacraments Further if the Prince carefully consider of the common wealth to represse the euil encourage and strengthen the good and ouerlooke the whole and doe choose wise religious louers of the trueth and haters of couetousnesse vnder him to gouerne it If in this great and stately counsell of the kingdome banishing priuate affections it syncerely be sought by Lawe to set foorth and preferre true religion and withall to bridle the desperate tongues of gainesayers If by strength of good Lawes they represse monstrous apparell and excessiue dyet deceitful bargaining vsurie adulterie vnlawfully stolen contracts and so prouide for the poore that Christ in his members may be relieued If the officers of the common wealth keepe good Lawes themselues and faithfully without foolish pitie which is crueltie see them executed vpon others If the people like good subiectes feare God honour the Prince liue peaceably and seeke the safetie of their countrie Lastly if we all linked together in loue liberally relieue the common wealth and frankly supplie the want therof for our owne safetie then doubtlesse the Lord wil blesse and preserue our Prince and vs and stablish this kingdome in peace and prosperitie to flourish and to continue But if we be cold and negligent in Gods cause if we be vnthankefull and disobedient to our good Samuel to our gratious Soueraigne then let vs looke for that which God threateneth here by his prophet Both you and your king shall perish God graunt in his mercie that assisted with his grace we may syncerely seeke and serue him to his great glorie and our great safetie in this life and eternal saluation in the world to come To that immortall onely wise and most gratious God c. A Sermon preached in Yorke at the celebration of the day of the Queenes entraunce into her Raigne CANTIC 2. 15 Take vs the litle foxes which destroy the vines for our vine hath flourished SVch solemne assemblies in so sacred a place to giue God thankes for great benefites receiued are no rare things among Gods people but are confirmed by sundrie examples in the scriptures Nehemias after that the house of God was reedified assembled the people caused the Lawe of the Lord to be openly read gaue thankes vnto the Lord for their deliuerance from Babylon and for restitution of religion and with great reioising and feasting kept that day holie vnto the Lord. When by the meanes of Queene Hester the Iewes had gotten rest and giuen a great ouerthrow to their enemies she likewise with the aduise of hir godly vncle Mardocheus commanded the people to keepe that day the fourteenth of the moneth Adar holie vnto the Lord yerely to feast and giue thanks for Gods great mercies and their maruellous deliuerance When God had deliuered his people Israel from the tyrannie of Triphon by the meanes of Simon the high priest a gouernour and prince of the Iewes Simon ordained that the same day of their deliueraunce should yerely bee kept holie vnto the Lorde with gladnesse feasting and thankesgiuing The feasts of Passeouer Pentecost Tabernacles and such other were commaunded to be kept holie in remembraunce of great benefites receiued at the Lords hands The people of Israel with thankefull hearts remembring what a great benefite they had receiued when hee chose and annointed Dauid to be their king gathered together in a solemne assemblie to celebrate that happie daie and to giue God thankes sang with ioyfull acclamation vnto the Lord This is the daie which the Lord hath made let vs reioice and be glad in it 2 Greater cause to assemble together and to giue God thankes for blessings and benefites receiued had neuer nation or people than we presently haue For as this day now twentie yeres fully finished the Lorde in his mercie
are in authoritie that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie MOSES speaking to the people of God concerning the institutiō of the Passeouer to be kept at the appointed season from yere to yere saith When thy Sonne shall aske thee What is this thou shalt say vnto him With a mightie hand the Lord brought vs out of Egypt out of the house of bondage and in remembraunce hereof wee celebrate this feast In like sort when your children shall aske you what this our assemblie meaneth you shall aunswere that it is to giue God thankes for that great benefite which we receiued at his hands as this day when in his mercie he gaue vs our gratious elect Elizabeth whom hee hath vsed as his mightie arme to worke our deliuerance to bring vs out of Egypt the house of Romish seruitude This is the day which the Lord hath made this is that our happie day the Lorde in his mercie hath made it let vs be thankefull for it let vs reioice and be glad in it This is the acceptable time the day of saluation the happie time of our deliuerance This day God shewed vs the light of his gratious countenance and had mercie on vs in bestowing vpon vs so great a treasure so good a gouernour so worthie a Prince The Lord graunt vs many of these daies and long continuance of these happie yeres And as our Apostle doeth exhort vs let vs both praise the Lorde and praie vnto him that vnder so good a gouernement we may liue a quiet a godlie and an honest life as the Lords goodnesse towards vs and our duetie towardes him and profession of his name require I exhort you therefore before all things c. Here are two things offered to our consideration first an exhortation Pray for all men especially for princes and rulers secondly a reason of this exhortation that by their good gouernement we may liue a quiet a godly and an honest life 2 In exhorting vs to praie he sheweth the benefite and fruit of our praier We must praie to God to giue vs good Princes and rulers vnder a good prince we ought to leade a good life a good prince should procure peace pietie and honestie to the people a good people should liue peaceably godlily and honestly vnder their prince The exhortation is Pray for all men especially Princes and rulers In this part we haue to consider what praier is To whom we should pray What be the parts of praier When where and how we should pray For whom we should pray 3 Praier is a lifting vp of the minde vnto God or a friendely talking with the Lord from an high and a kindled affection of the heart In the word God speaketh vnto vs in praier we speake vnto him Praier is the powring out of a contrite heart with a sure perswasion that God wil graunt our requests and giue eare to the suites which we make vnto him This praier must be onely vnto God It is praier vnto God that onely hath promise that onely hath example in the scriptures Call vpon me saith God Aske the father in my name saith our Sauiour Aske and ye shall haue When yee shall pray saith Christ pray thus Our Father which art in heauen So and none otherwise praied all the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe and all true Christians in all ages In praier no creature may be ioyned with God God and our Ladie help vs is no allowable praier 4 This praier which must be made onely to God our Apostle diuideth into his partes Requests Supplications Intercessions Thankesgiuings Requests or petitions are when wee praie for the increase of Gods good gifts in vs and that of his mercie and fauour he would giue vs whatsoeuer is necessarie for bodie or soule and for as much as we cannot obteine any thing for our owne merites that he would graunt vs all things for his sonne our Sauiours sake 5 Supplications when we praie to be deliuered from euill as when we pray that the wrath of God which we haue deserued may through his mercie be remooued from vs as farre as the East is from the West that our sinne may be remitted and blotted out of Gods bookes 6 Intercessions are when we praie for such as doe afflict and wrong vs for our enemies which persecute vs that God would forgiue them turne their hearts and better them Or when wee praie for others either for remoouing of euill from them or for Gods fauour and blessing towards them 7 Thankesgiuings are when we praise and thanke God for the great mercies graces and gifts which wee haue receiued at his hands For we must acknowledge that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from aboue from the father of lights and is by his mercie freely giuen Praier generally may be diuided into two parts Petition and Thankesgiuing in the one we aske of God in the other wee offer vnto God both are accepted as sweete smelling sacrifices pure and through the merite of his sonne pleasaunt in his sight I shall not neede to put you in remembrance that we must praie both for our selues and others that there is a priuate and a publike praier that we must pray for things perteining to saluation absolutely and for things that pertaine to this life conditionally These are matters wherewith yee are throughly acquainted 8 The next thing to be considered in praier is when where and how to praie When Alwaies without ceasing Where In all places especially that place which being sanctified to this vse is therefore called the house of praier How from the heart lifting vp pure and cleane hands that is to say in faith and in loue Our praier fethered with these two wings flyeth straight into heauen 9 Thus we are by the Apostle willed to pray before all things according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Seeke first the kingdome of God Let vs begin all our workes our enterprises our actions our iourneies our lying downe our rising vp our eating our drinking and all our studies with praier So our bread shalbe multiplyed our oyle encreased our meate sanctified all our endeuours and actions blessed If the very Ethnicks in the beginning of their bookes first prayed vnto their gods to prosper and giue good successe to their labours it were a shame for vs not to praie to our God before all things knowing that the praier of the iust is greatly auaileable before him Praier is a succour vnto vs a sacrifice to God and a scourge to Satan Examples are infinite Israel in praier groned vnto God and was deliuered out of Egypt Moses by praier so held God that he could not destroie his idolatrous people The blast of praier ouerthrew the walles of Ierico At the praier of Iosua the Sunne stoode stil. The young men prayed in the burning fornace
destruction of that citie If counsellers emulate and contend amongst themselues â—t must needes teare the state of the common wealth in pieces It was great wisedome therefore in M. Aemilius and Fuluius Flaccus that being at enmitie yet when they were chosen Censors of Rome together they ioined handes and buried all iniuries least through their contention the state should come to ruine Abraham knowing the hurt of contention gaue place to his nephewe Lot Let there be no strife I praie thee betweene thee and me neither betweene mine heardmen and thine for we are brethren The scripture termeth vs sheepe meeke and patient Let vs not therefore be currish like vnto dogges contending barking and biting at our brethren If yee bite one another beware least ye be consumed one of an other 9 And as the bane of vnitie is contention so the breeder of contention is vaineglorie What else caused Iohn Bishop of Constantinople to contend to be called The vniuersall Bishop Superbum nomen hoc est This is a proude name saith Gregorie What else made the Angel to contend to aduance himselfe aboue measure Adam to seeke to be wise as God Absolon to striue for his fathers kingdome Caesar to brooke no man to bee his better Pompey no man to be his peere Wherefore let vs not bee desirous of vaineglorie prouoking one another enuying one another The proude and vaine glorious are compared to the Cedar trees of Libanus which are higher than others not of themselues but by reason of the high mountaine whereupon they growe 10 It is madnesse for men to glorie in that which is not their owne What hast thou that thon hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued why doest thou glorie Doest thou glorie in thy good workes and righteousnesse They are as the cloathes of a woman in her bloud Doest thou glorie in thy nobilitie and great authoritie By me Kings doe raigne neither is there any power but from God Rule is giuen you of the Lorde and power by him that is most high Glorie not but feare knowing that hee which hath receiued much hath much to recken for And A hard iudgement shall they haue that beare rule Doest thou glorie in thy riches Foole this night thy life is taken from thee and then whose are they They are as grasse vnto all but vnto most men as thornes many haue beene pearced to the heart by them they spare neither prophet nor Apostle as we see by the examples of Balaam and Iudas they are euerywhere vnquiet gests Sigismundus the Emperor could not sleepe so long as a chest full of golde remained in his bed-chamber Doest thou glorie in forme and fashion in fauour in beautie All flesh is grasse and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field To daie it flourisheth to morowe it vanisheth Doest thou glorie in thy worldly wisedome and policie The wisedome of the world is but foolishnesse before the Lorde Let not the wise man glorie in his wisedome Let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth Doest thou glorie with insolent Haman that thou art in exceeding grace and fauour with Assuerus the king and canst haue whatsoeuer thy heart doeth wish at his hands Doest thou in this thy loftinesse enuie vnto death godlie Mardocheus because he honoureth not thee which art in thy selfe altogether vnworthie of honour His pride had a fall his insolencie ended in ignominie and shame Let such as are lifted vp into such fauour feare let them learne to bee so much lowlier as they are higher than others remembring that the wrath of a prince is death and what is more easily kindled than wrath 11 It is hard to bridle the hawtie affections of vaineglorious men This vanitie staineth our best and purest actions Our praier when we praie that we may be seene and thought holie our almes when we giue that we may haue a praise our fasting when we vse it either to merite vnto our selues or thereby to seeme deuout vnto others our preaching when we seeke our owne commendation when we studie not so much to please God as men when much learning puffeth vs vp when we take a pride in our picked words pleasant vtterance when we reioice with Herod to heare the people showte and crie The voice of a God Thus as the goodliest trees in a garden are soonest blasted with red windes so men indued with the rarest qualities and best gifts are soonest infected with this poison That great and blessed Apostle himselfe was in some danger of this disease Wherefore thus he speaketh Least I should be exalted aboue measure through abundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a sting in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me that I might not be exalted aboue measure He onely was quite and cleane voide of this sinne who is our example who saith in the Gospel I doe not seeke mine owne glorie 12 Now the lets of vnitie which are Contention and Vainglorie being remooued S. Paul teacheth in the last place by what meanes vnitie and concord may be preserued Wherein he setteth downe two strong preseruatiues The first is In humblenesse of minde euerie man to esteeme others better than himselfe To esteeme others better than our selues is a lesson hard to be learned a lesson which neuer can enter into the braine of a proude hearted man And therefore S. Paul requireth humblenesse of minde in him that shall thus frame and fashion his iudgement according to that whereunto he exhorteth in an other place Walke woorthie of the vocation whereunto yee are called with all humblenesse of minde and meekenesse with long suffering supporting one another through loue endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace For vpon whom shall the spirit of the Lord rest but onely vpon them that are humble and lowlie To whom should he giue grace but vnto men of a meeke and gentle spirite But there are sundrie sorts of humilitie 13 There is an humilitie which is constrained an humilitie perforce such as that whereof the Prophet saith The Lorde releeueth the meeke and humbleth the wicked to the ground Such are then humble onely when God hath humbled them by afflicting them There is a counterfeite humilitie such as was in Absolon when he stole away the peoples hearts from the king For it is the vsuall maner of some to bowe downe themselues and to looke most demurely when their inward parts are full of deceit and their heads most occupied about wicked purposes Againe there is a superstitious humilitie such as that was Touch not Tast not Handle not touch not the chalice tast not an egge in Lent handle not the bread that by consecration is made holie which things had a shewe of religious holinesse but were in
hath the greatest skil the prince because he hath the highest roume the people because they are most in number If the pastor goe before the sheepe will be the readier to followe after if the fountaines bee sweete the riuers that flowe from them will not be sowre if there be darkenesse in the hils there will bee more in the valleies if those that should giue light vnto others be turned into darkenesse how great shall the darkenesse of others be Examples haue a meruelous force to leade men The whole world is led as they haue others especially their superiors for examples And therefore you that be chiefest in authoritie should by reason be foremost in the waie of trueth Walke in what way you wil you are sure to haue followers Iosias walked in the straite waie to heauen and the people followed Ieroboam in the broade waie and the people were caried after in heapes If you liue in securitie carelesse for Gods matters carelesse for the causes of the common wealth carefull to feede vpon pleasures and fancies carefull to passe ouer your owne times in ease and quietnesse the people will easily take after your your townes and cities will soone be made like to that secure and carelesse citie of Lais. If ye will haue the people of the Land watchfull you your selues must not slumber If you make light of the word of God the people will learne by your example to despise it if you embrace the truth they also wil loue it You my Lords you whom God hath placed before you must goe before for Gods loue striue no longer take your places and goe on that the people of God being guided by you as by lights may follow after in the way of trueth It is a monstrous thing to see the basest liues in the highest roumes Your conuersation must be a glasse for others to looke into Others shall aunswere for their owne faults but you for your owne faults and for others who through your example are faultie To conclude let vs all so walke as becommeth the children of the light let it suffice that in times past wee haue walked according to the vanitie of the Gentiles let vs now returne vnto the Lord let vs cast away impietie and worldly concupiscence and liue a sober a righteous and a godlie life let vs with true repentance craue pardon and mercie at the handes of God and hereafter walke humbly before him not for a day or for a moneth or a Lent season but continually all the daies of our pilgrimage vpon earth He onely shall be saued that continueth walking in trueth to the ende God for his mercie sake let fall plentifully the drops and dewe of his heauenly grace vpon the hil of Hermon and the mountaines of Sion to the fruitefull watering of the whole Land of Israel Teach vs O Lorde euen our princes our prophets and our people thy waies direct all our goings that we may walke for euer in thy trueth This that wee may doe all and euerie of vs in our seuerall callings God the father graunt for his Sonne Christs sake to whom c. The seuenth Sermon A Sermon preached before the Queene IAC 4. 8 Drawe neere to God and he will drawe neere to you Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double minded 9 Suffer affliction and be sorie Weepe Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your iote into heauinesse 10 Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp GOD requireth in his houshold steward the minister of his blessed word fidelitie and discretion fidelitie to deliuer to Gods familie such meat without mingling as he hath receiued at his Lords hands discretion to giue it fitly in due season by respecting the time place auditorie like circumstances Al men are not of one kind of constitution Some are able to receiue and digest strong meate high mysteries deepe secrets of God Others must be fed with milke simple and plaine lessons yet auaileable to their saluation These differences are in the foode it selfe The maner of diuiding it standeth in doctrine and exhortation Doctrine is for the ignoraunt to instruct them exhortation for the learned to monishe and strengthen them both may most profitably be ioined together Paul hauing to doe with the ignorant Gentiles learned in profane arts but barbarous in true religion is ful of doctrine Iames dealing with the learned Iewes traueileth more in exhortation Our times are learned times God hath blessed our daies with vnderstanding Wee are inriched by him in all speeche and in all knowledge But we knowe and doe not and that deserueth stripes Miserable is it to be ignorant of Christ not to knowe the path which leadeth to heauen Yet better it were not to knowe the way of truth than not to walke in it being knowne I will therefore followe the wisedome of S. Iames and with his owne woordes exhort you Drawe neere to God and he will drawe neere to you c. In which woords first hee exhorteth vs to drawe neere vnto God secondly he sheweth vs the meanes how we may so doe lastly hee telleth what commoditie we shall reape thereby 2 He exhorteth sinners double hearted men to draw neere vnto God Sinners are such as be notable open offenders who make all the world witnesses of their wickednesse Marie Magdalene is called a sinner because she was knowne to be a great offender Behold a woman that was in the Citie a sinner The Sodomites and the Amalechites are likewise termed sinners for the excessiuenesse of their sinne because their sinnes were notorious and manifest Double hearted men are hypocrites resembling painted sepulchers beautifull without and within full of rottennesse such as say and doe not pretending holinesse for aduantage and working mischiefe in their hearts 3 This exhortation is generall it reacheth to all for wee are al offenders euen against the maiestie of almighty God although not all in the same degree All haue sinned and do need the glorie of God Euerie mans waies are corrupt The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth What man liuing can say My heart is pure Betweene an open sinner and an hypocrite there is a difference in their sight which take them as they seeme there is no difference before God who beholdeth them as they are As God wil not heare the praier of the open obstinate sinner so doeth hee powre his grieuous curse vpon all hypocrites and counterfeite Christians Woe be to you ye hypocrites 4 Dauid when hee committed that great follie was an open sinner and gaue great offence It was told him by Nathan Thou hast made the Lords enemies to blaspheme Mariage is honourable in the sight of all men but fornication and adulterie the Lord doth abhorre and the offenders therein the Lorde shall iudge This one sinne drowned the whole world it called fire out
Lord while he may be founde call vpon him while he is neere 7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue HERE we learne by the Prophet that saluation is not sold but freely giuen of God to as many as hunger and thirst after it that they which seeke the Lorde shall finde him so that they seeke him in due and seasonable time and that the time of seeking the Lord is nowe Seeke the Lord c. In this exhortation of the Prophet let vs first consider why secondly how God is to be sought and thirdly what gaine doth growe to the seeker If I should particularly prosecute this distribution and followe it at large as euerie part shall minister occasion of speeche I should bee too long for this place But I minde breuitie because I knowe before whom I speake Fewe woords will be sufficient for the wise and to a minde well instructed alreadie a short putting in minde will serue If I chaunce to say what other men haue saide before me for what can bee saide which hath not beene saide before I must beseeche you to remember the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul which was not ashamed to tell euen his owne tale twise To write vnto you the same things to me it is not tedious and to you it is necessarie 2 God preferreth obedience before sacrifice He accounteth it better to obey than to offer For as all vice is contaiued in the name of disobedience because that onely is naught which God misliketh and that which he misliketh hee hath forbidden So I may be bold to say with S. Augustine that There is no vertue but obedience onely If therefore the Centurions souldiers obediently went came and did what he commaunded if the Israelites were so duetiful vnto Iosua that they saide All things which thou hast commaunded vs we will doe he that shall not obey let him die the death if mortall men for conscience sake must be obeyed shall we despise the voice of him that saith from heauen Seeke ye the Lord When God doth bid vs goe we may not stand still And that which his Prophets in his name commaund vs hee commaundeth himselfe 3 But least that the maiestie of him which commaundeth should rather astonish men than set them forwarde to seeke the Lord with rough commandements he ioineth oftentimes sweete allurements Come vnto me Come and ye shall finde rest for your soules Not entising men with faire and sweete words only but powring his benefites also plentifully vpon them So he dealt with his old and auncient people whom by his Prophet Micheas hee putteth in remembraunce of three especiall blessings whereby they were prouoked to serue the Lord Surely I haue brought thee vp out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage and I haue sent before thee Moses Aaron and Myriam O my people remember nowe what Balak king of Moab had deuised and what Balam the sonne of Peor aunswered him from Shittim vnto Gilgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lord. 4 The chiefest benefite which the Lorde powred vpon his people and the first whereby hee allured them to seeke him was this With an outstretched arme hee brought them foorth from the Land of Egypt the house of bondage where their dwelling place was a prison and a long life long miserie No doubt a mightie and a mercifull worke of God to deliuer his people out of such thraldome and to set them at such libertie as they afterwards enioyed Bondage is an heauie yoke an exceeding plague freedome and libertie a great benefite a sweete blessing The like benefite in as great a measure of loue fauour and power we haue receiued at the hands of our mercifull God Hee hath doone that for vs a reiected nation which hee did for his owne inheritaunce Hee hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie and thraldome of that great Pharao from Satan sinne hell death and condemnation by the mightie hand of our Moses our graund captaine Christ Iesus who on the crosse gate the victorie spoiled our enemie cancelled the writing of our bondage and seruitude brought vs through the red sea and by his bloudshed wrought our perfect and full deliuerance Againe when we groaned vnder the heauy burthens of a second the childe of the former Pharao when the tyrannie of Antichrist lay grieuous vpon our soules constraining vs by force vnto those things in comparison whereof the gathering of stubble or making of bricke the sustaining of burthens farre heauier than the Egyptian laid any vpon Israel would haue seemed tollerable light and easie in the midst of these insufferable griefes euen then when these Egyptians were most fiercely and eagerly bent when they thought their kingdome most strongly established and vs past looking for any deliuerance and what else could the reason of man suppose euen then our mightie and mercifull God to whose workes mans thoughts aspire not by the hand of his milde and faithfull seruaunt deliuered his people out of that thraldome of bond made vs free discharged vs from the intollerable tyrannie of Antichrist deliuered vs from the vsurped power of poperie from the Romish yoke of seruile superstition that we might serue no longer that man of sinne but our God not with a slauish minde but in perfect freedome of conscience according to his most holie woorde and not mans blasphemous doctrine If wee did not passe ouer this blessing of God with blinde or closed eyes surely the consideration thereof would mooue vs it would force vs to breake into woordes of wonderment and to crie out with the Prophet How great is thy goodnesse It would stirre vp in vs an earnest desire to seeke our gratious Lord and when hee is found for euer to cleaue fast vnto him 5 God further prouoking his people Israel to seeke him putteth them in mind of a second benefite of sending Moses Aaron and Marie before them Moses to be their Magistrate and Aaron to be their Priest the one to iudge and the other to teache the one to punish sinners the other to praie and to offer for them These two were brethren that the bond of nature might vnite their mindes in gouernement and that their vnitie might more aduaunce Gods glorie and procure the tranquillitie and safetie of their countrie So Ioas the king and Iehoiada the Bishop ioining hands and drawing in one line mans policie giuing place to the word of God the onely fountaine of true honourable policie Israel had a prosperous and happie state 6 Moses was a woorthie magistrate And his greatest commendation is that he was no lesse sharp and seuere in Gods cause than milde and gentle in his owne His mildenesse caused him many times to put vp other priuate iniuries it neuer caused him
it more than ordinarie or vsuall blessings As the blessings of that man are by God accursed so where he curseth there the Lord blesseth and to the eternall reproofe of that our enemies vniust and vncharitable execration he hath in these our daies opened his bountifull hand farre wider than in former times when those Antichristian blessings came posting yerely from Rome and embraced our Lande so kindely that they sucked the sappe of wealth both from braunche and roote The Land of Canaan was a pleasaunt and a fruitefull Land flowing with milke and abounding with honie truely it was barren and almost beggerly in respect of our aboundance and store God may iustly say to vs What could I haue doone more vnto my vineyard which I haue not doone vnto it He hath miraculously giuen and continued with vs that grand blessing of his glorious Gospell he hath wonderfully preserued our Soueraigne his seruant he hath kept her safe as Moses and Dauid from Pharao from Dathan and from Amalek from Goliah from Saul from Absolon from the hands of her open enemies and treasons of her deceitfull friends he hath not onely giuen her a circumspect heart to foresee and to preuent and I trust to cut off all intended destruction but also hath more than miraculously abated the pride and confounded the manifold counsels of her and our enemies and contrarie to all expectation kept vs in peace and safetie GOD make vs thankefull and giue vs hearts syncerely bent to seeke him which so mercifully by his benefites and graces hath sought vs. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laide vp in store for them that feare thee For this shall euerie one that is godlie make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found and call vpon thee while thou art neere 9 If this way will not serue to bring vs vnto God another must be assayed if we wil not be led by faire meanes we shall be drawne by fowle God hath blessings for them which are of a pliable minde but for the froward rods Them he first threateneth as hauing no delight or pleasure to punish hee punisheth as one vnwilling to destroie Gods corrections is for our reformation but if it will not reforme vs for our confusion This selfe loue of ours this senselesse securitie this contempt of Gods woord this want of godlie zeale these contriuings of treason and conspiracie are tokens that God hath bent his dreadfull bowe and is preparing to make his arrowes drunke with our bloud If hee spared neither Israelites nor Angels doubtlesse neither will he spare vs except vnfeinedly we seeke him and seeke him nowe 10 For now is the acceptable time now is grace offered the Lord now stretcheth out his handes of mercie this is the daie wherein the Lorde may be found of them that seeke him But some stop their eares at this and will not heare they are too wise to be enchaunted with these times If ye tell them of seeking the Lord their answere is Who is the Lord They say plainely in their foolish hearts There is no God But the iust God will one day shew himselfe to their confusion Others haue their excuses of worldly hinderaunces and lets Fermes or Oxen or Wiues haue tied them by the legge when they should goe and seeke the Lord. Others haue a minde not vtterly vnwilling to seeke after him but they would faine staie a while seeke him hereafter Youth they say must haue his swinge let olde age waxe holie Such nouices there were of whom Chrysostome writeth that they would not be baptised vntill they were in their death beddes least baptisme should be as a bridle to hold them in They were desirous to haue their foorth in their carnall desires and at the end of their daies by baptisme to wash away all at once But God shall mocke such craft and they who wil not come when he calleth when they call shal not be heard Beware of these delaies Let vs not differre and put off till to morowe but while it is called to day euen whilest this acceptable day is let vs seeke the Lorde that wee may finde him Nowe he is readie to meete vs by the way and louingly to embrace vs with the armes of his eternall mercie 11 The second thing to be cōsidered is how we may seeke the Lord in seking him be sure to find him I wil omit to shew how vainly the Gentiles in their Idols the Iewes in their ceremonies traditions the Papists in their superstitions do seeke the Lord. They seeke him and finde him not because they seeke him where he is not not where he is as themselues haue imagined and not as he hath prescribed The first entrance into the waie where God will be found is faith Fide tangitur Christus fide videtur saith S. Ambrose By faith Christ is handled by faith he is seene By faith he is found All our trauell in seeking without faith is but a fruitlesse wearying of our deceiued soules For he that commeth vnto God must beleeue 12 And the way to beleeue is hearing for by hearing commeth faith The word is that starre which guideth and directeth vs vnto Christ. Search the Scriptures For to this end they are written That ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing ye might haue eternall life They were written to be red and therefore S. Paul chargeth Timothie straitlie Giue attendance to reading They were written to bee red not of him onely but of vs also in what condition or estate soeuer God hath placed vs. Princes are not exempted more than others no they aboue others are especially charged to trauell heerein What charge can be deuised more effectuall than that which is giuen vnto Iosua Let not this booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate thou therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe Good reason it is that as Kings doe raigne and hold their power by him so his will reuealed in his word should be the rule and direction of their gouernement If they thinke to establish their thrones better by their owne wise and politike deuises they are greatly deceiued There is no policie no wisedome like the wisedome of GOD. The common wealths which Aristotle and Plato haue framed in their Bookes otherwise full of wisdome yet compared with diuine policies with that citie for whose sake and benefite the Lord doth watch what are they but fancies of foolish men As for Machiauels inuentions they are but the dreames of a brainesicke person founded vpon the craft of man and not vpon godlie wisedome which onely hath good effect Godlie Princes haue no neede to seeke for counsell at these mens hands the mouth of the Lord
poore releeued that he hath bound himselfe by promise to make almes most gainefull to the giuer so that it is not in this as in other common expenses but whatsoeuer we laie out that we laie vp He that giueth to the poore lendeth to the Lorde a sure discharger of his debts to the vttermost For hee leaueth not a cup of colde water giuen in his name vnrewarded The occasions which we haue to shewe foorth this fruite of mercie are very many and great we haue the poore with vs and we haue them with vs in great numbers Are we not woorse than Iewes if we suffer our Christ at whose hands we haue receiued all our riches in his naked and hungrie members to beg his bread at our dores pitifully to die euen in the midst of our streetes for distresse for colde and hunger If our gospell bring foorth in steade of mercie this crueltie in stead of kindenesse this hardnesse of heart doubtlesse God will take his pretious gospell from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth better and sweeter fruite Nowe if the loue of God and mercie towards our brother can not pierce our flintie heartes yet let shame of the worlde compell vs and our owne commoditie induce vs well to consider of this lamentable case If that which is giuen were giuen in good order it would ease this common griefe By good order and wise prouision the impotent might be so releeued that they should not need to beg and such as are able might be forced in the sweate of their browes to eate their owne bread And if the matter were taken in hande by them by whom it should I doe not doubt but GOD would touche the hearts of many a man with tender mercie that they would both cheerefully and liberally contribute to this worke of mercie which God doth more esteeme than any other sacrifice nay he refuseth sacrifice and craueth this The Lorde loueth a cheerefull and a bountifull giuer and will plentifully reward him Let euerie good man set forward this worke it is the worke of the Lord the fruite of mercie good and gainfull not onely to others but also to our selues For behold howe the works of mercie doe returne backe againe vnto them from whom they proceed Iudge not and you your selues shall not bee iudged Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen your selues giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you 20 All which notwithstanding the bowels of compassion are in some men so maruellously dried and closed vp that they turne away their faces from all men that desire any thing at their hands though they aske it not of gift but of loane vnlesse they aske to buie the loane with vsurie The Iewes euen till this day will not lend vpon vsurie among themselues but lende freely to their brethren and without gaine Iudas himselfe that solde his master for monie was not more cruel harted I suppose than these men are who for monie deuoure their brethren Their hearts are yron hearts They haue no sparke of pitie or compassion left in them Let them not thinke but that one day their gaine shall be their exceeding losse If Chrysostome thought that one euill gotten groate laide vp amongest a chestful of monie would be as a canker to fret out and eate vp the rest what shall become then of so much gotten by so vnmerciful vngodlie meanes Where is loue where is mercie when lending of monie is become merchandise Inough hath beene saide in this place of this matter which if it be not amended be yee assured that the Lorde God in his iust wrath will plague you both in your selues and in your posteritie for it 21 Nowe that we haue seene what duetie we owe to men let vs see what God requireth to be performed vnto himselfe Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good Our dutie towards him is to humble our selues and to walke carefully with our God He that will walke with God must be of an humble heart It is the milde-hearted and not the proude-minded the Publican and not the Pharisee that walketh with him 22 To walke with him is to be syncerely and heartily carefull to set forward his cause to promote his gospell to defende his trueth to amplifie his kingdome to the vttermost of our powers Princes and they that iudge the earth whome God hath blessed with so high an honour especially should in feare and reuerence serue their God loue his woord and gospell earnestly cheerefully aduaunce maintaine and defend true religion They are able to doe most good and therefore most is required of them Bishops and ministers the dispensers of Gods blessed mysteries should carefully trauell in their Lords cause and glorie in season and out of season to preache the gospell euen so much as in vs lieth or else the Vae of God which hangeth ouer our heads shall be powred downe vpon vs. But the saying of S. Paul is verified in these our daies vpon al sorts of people All men seeke their owne The preferring of true religion the seeking of Gods glorie is the least part of mens care or thought It was otherwise with Moses who both loued Gods seruice with perfect loue hated superstition with perfect hatred Theodosius for want of this warmenesse zeale in Gods quarell suffered by his too much lenitie the Arrians who denied Christ to be God quietly to spreade abroad their heresies in his dominions without checke or controlling The good Bishop Amphilochius vpon this occasion repaired to the Emperor who had at that time with him his sonne and heire Arcadius The Bishop did his obeysance and dutie to the Emperor but saluted not his sonne wherewith the Emperor finding fault saide Why salute ye not our sonne who shall sit on our seate No Emperor for somuch as thou doest not care for the sonne of God but sufferest him to loose his honour and place neither shal thy sonne be regarded or sit on thy seate Here at his owne cause called into question hee waxed warme and foorthwith expelled the Arrians out of his dominions Many of them who are hoat in their owne matters are colde in Gods cause Yet our Prophet biddeth vs carefully to walke with our God and to bee earnest in seeking of his kingdome and glorie 23 Be carefull ouer your conuersation giue no cause of slander to them which are without or of offence to the litle ones Let not the gospell be discredited by your behauiours Be careful that the light of your life so shine before the worlde that therein your heauenly father may be glorified Yee ought to shine as lights Take heede that your light be not turned into darkenesse Be bright starres and not mistie cloudes If an Eclipse fall amongst you the rest of England will be darkened with it Ye are seene and marked of men and Angels The world hath many eies eares and tongues London Westminster the Innes of Court and Chancerie from
Christ. S. Paul speaketh to the elect of God who doubtlesse will at length awake As for the reprobate they still shal sleepe on in their errours and sinnes vnto their eternall death and confusion But arise Ierusalem and be thou enlightned arise Ierusalem from death to life frō errour to truth from darkenesse to light from Antichrist to Christ who by his holy spirite will illuminate thee that thou mayst knowe God the father and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and that is the only way to euerlasting life Plinie reproouing our drowsinesse sayeth that sleepe doth steale away the halfe of our life But this sleepe wherof we speake stealeth away the whole life of the greatest part of men Dauid himselfe lay slumbering in the filthy sleepe of whoredome a whole yeare at the least and could not awake vntill Nathan blewe in his eare and stirred him But Dauids sleepe was but a nappe in comparison of such as are so hard and fast a sleepe that they will neuer stirre vntill fire out of heauen flee about their eares to waken them So were the Sodomites wakened and consumed Awake therefore and when ye are wakened then watch 13 Watch that ye be not deceiued by false prophetes who watch to deceiue you teach otherwise thā Christ hath taught The diuell is a subtill perswader of men he is a lying spirite in the mouth of his prophets his ministers workmen are craftie companions such as creepe into houses and leade away the simple as captiues with them A man of a watchfull eye shall knowe these wolues by two properties First they are rauenous cruel bloudy they will persecute and kill they will be as Caine not as Abell as Ismaell and not as Isaak as Esau not as Iacob as Pharao and not as Moses as Caiaphas and not as Peter The seconde note is that which Chrysostome mentioneth Who so in blasphemie yelleth and howleth with a foule and open mouth against the trueth he is a wolfe Such they were of whom the prophet speaketh in the psalme saying They set their mouth against heauen 14 All must watch that they be not themselues deceiued by these deceitfull wolues when they put on sheepes clothing But God giueth charge to such as be the pastors of his people to be watchfull also ouer others not only carefully to feede them as his flocke deerely redeemed in good wholsome pastures but also to driue chase away the wolues least Gods sheepe be deuoured by thē And this pastoral office doth not only pertain vnto priests prechers but also vnto princes tēporal gouerners whō God hath placed in authority to y t end y t they shold promote his glory For the which cause God calleth Cyrus the king his shephard Vigilate watch the wolfe to driue him away watch the flock to fede it 15 Let euerie one be watchfull ouer his life that his conuersation be according to his profession If we walke disorderly we shal not walke alone our example wil draw others after it their sins we shall answere for Lucifer fell not alone he drew cōpany from heauen with him Ieroboam being sinfull made Israell to sin And he is burnt in the hand with that marke of horror for a warning to al succeeding ages Ieroboā the son of Nebat that made Israel to sin Let vs beware that we play not Simeon Leui so make our father Iacob to be loathed of the Cananites We professe Christ true Christianitie Let vs not through our lewd life be a slander to our sauiour and a shame to his gospel Watch therefore But because as S. Paul sayth neither planting nor watering will helpe except God himself do giue encrease because our watching as the prophet witnesseth is in vaine neither can sobrietie and heedefulnes serue to keepe a citie except the Lorde himselfe doe keepe it let vs craue help at Gods mercifull hands let vs pray as wel as watch When S. Paul hath armed Gods souldier he biddeth him pray Man be he neuer so well appointed for defence neuer so stronge and perfit cannot stande without Gods strength He that looketh but a litle into the worlde shall espie iust cause to moue vs to prayer if anie men now if euer The greate diuell in these our later dayes is let loose Antichrist rageth and seeketh our confusion The wicked glistering world maruelously deceiueth bewitcheth The flesh raigneth and beareth swinge The spirite is faint sinne ouerfloweth Christ is comming in the cloudes to call vs vnto iudgement Therefore be ye sober watch pray Pray I say not in shewe but in deede not in appearance but from the heart not for fashion but in earnest Babble not in wordes like hypocrites but powre out thy heart before God as did Hanna And God graunt for his Christ our Iesus sake that in fayth and loue wee may lift vp pure hands sincere affections hartie grones vnto our Lorde that we may ouercome our many dreadfull enemies purchase pardon and glorifie God Let vs with Dauid with whom we haue sinned pray for mercy Let vs with the disciples of Christ with whom we haue wauered pray for the encrease of our faith because the ende of all thinges is nowe at hande 16 It followeth Haue feruent charity amongst your selues This cōcerneth our dutie towardes men as y ◠other did towards God All our dutie towards our neighbour consisteth in loue He that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe Iohn the beloued disciple of Christ was the preacher of loue it was euer in his mouth as it is in his writings in so much that lying vpon his death bed his disciples requesting to haue one lessō frō him before his departure he was able to deuise no one thing more needful to be spokē of then this which he had oftē said Loue one another my litle childrē Peter would haue our loue to be earnest hote Euery one loueth himself very vehemently but our loue towards others is very cold chill Our loue for the most part this way is in word in phraise but not in deede in truth This world is dubble harted dissēbling is made a trade to liue by There be many Labans but fewe Iacobs Many that salute say Aue but their next word is Apprehendite If Christ came nowe he were like to finde litle faith but lesse charity yet without charity al that we do is vaine yea it is very sin Let vs therfore loue as God hath loued vs he loued vs not slenderly when he tooke so bitter a death for vs. A God for his enemies See therfore that ye haue vehement sincere hearty loue among your selues not contenting your selues barely to haue it in shewe vnlesse yee shewe it by these effectes which Saint Peter in this place setteth down Vehement loue heere spoken of is described by these properties First it couereth y e multitude of
must all offer 15 At the handes of the minister it is required that hee feed the flocke committed vnto his charge this is righteousnesse in him it is his sacrifice God will haue no blinde no lame no vncleane thing to be offered therfore let as many as offer the sacrifice of righteousnes take heede to that they doe The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes like siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times He therefore that speaketh let him speake as the wordes of God 16 Furthermore as it is reason that they which sacrifice at the altar shoulde liue of the altar euen so it is against all equitie and right that the labour of preaching the Gospell shoulde rest vpon any mans backand the maintenance due for the same be withheld and kept from him It hath beene tolde you often and some haue beene angrie to heare it so often tolde that the ministerie is too much pinched the liuing of the Church so fleesed that manie worthy ministers haue scarce nay they haue not wherewith tolerablie to sustaine themselues 17 To come from the minister to the magistrate when heynous crimes are detected and brought to light there is then a speciall sacrifice of righteousnesse required at his handes such a sacrifice as Ioas offered who following the good aduise of Iehoida the high priest his faithfull counsellour put Athalia which had murthered the kinges children and vsurped the kingdome to the sworde The Lorde sometime doth so deale with his people that they plainely see his wrath to be kindled and his heauie indignatioÌ„ impossible to be appeased til this sacrifice be offred him The Israelites were ouerthrowne in battle till Achan was stoned to death King Dauid founde no rest in his kingdome till AbsoloÌ„ Adonias had that which their rebellious practises did deserue God requireth as well the sacrifice of iustice as of mercie yea he sometimes accepteth iustice for a sacrifice and plagueth mercie as a grieuous sinne If Dauid had not spared his sonne for murther his sonne had not troubled him with rebellion For rebellion he woulde also in fatherly pity and compassion haue spared him this God coulde not suffer but tooke execution of iustice him selfe stretched out the arme of an oake and strangled the gallant in his owne haire Saul suffred Agag but he felt the wrath of the Lorde for it to the losse of his kingdome Quiparcit lupo mactat gregem hee that spareth a wolfe spilleth the bloude of the flocke saith Chrisostome God appointeth the magistrate to be a reuenger vnto wrath vpon him that committeth euil They which glorie to haue the sworde rustie in the sheath when they woulde drawe it out peraduenture shall not so well be able Let magistrates therefore from the highest to the lowest execute iustice without feare or fauour when neede requireth and so they shall offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse 18 As this sacrifice belongeth peculiarlie to them so there are others belonging although to them yet not to them alone but to all Christians Wee must all sacrifice vnto the Lorde with our goodes with our mindes and with our bodies For all these we haue receiued to serue him withall With our goodes the needie must be relieued the naked clothed the hungrie comforted and fed For this sacrifice S. Paul commendeth to the PhilippiaÌ„s I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odoure that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable pleasant vnto God The like he hath also to the Hebrewes To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased 19 To haue the sacrifice of the bodie offered S. Paul is verie earnest with the Romaines I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto God Let not thine eye behold the thing which is euill and it is made a sacrifice let no vncleane word escape thy tongue and it is an offring let thine hande doe no harme and it is an oblation saith S. Chrysostome To the like effect Origen when thou subduest pride thou dost affer a calfe when wrath a ram when lust a goate a doue when a vaine and wandring cogitation But the most precious sacrifice of the bodie is when being mortified it is also offered to the crosse for the testimonie of Iesus Christ in whose cause the death of the Saints is deere in the sight of God If the Prophetes the Apostles the martyrs of all ages haue offred vp the glorious sacrifice of righteousnesse why should wee be acounted faithfull as they were vnlesse wee be willing to doe and to suffer as they did Wee haue a longe time had faire weather wisdome would that we should prouide for stormes Christs Church must be tried such is Gods woont A rough storme was rising but the Lord such are his mercies raised vp a winde which scattered the clowdes he hath in great fauour and tender loue deliuered vs from the Lions mouth Let vs therefore liue no longer in this our senslesse securitie but offer him sacrifice as of our bodies so likewise of our mindes repentance and praise 20 Our sinnes no doubt haue prouoked his wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him our iniquities haue kindled his indignation wee haue grieuouslye offended by despising his worde from the highest to the lowest The Magistrates are for the most part colde in Gods cause they are not eaten vp with the zeale of his house iustice iudgement they commonly omit wickedly peruert The guides and Pastours of the Church seeke themselues and not those things which belong to Iesus Christ. And the people not well guided nor â—euerely corrected are of all other farthest out of frame Now if the most high haue power ouer the kingdome of men to giue it to whom soeuer he will and to appoint ouer it most vile persons when pleaseth him and if because of our vnrighteous dealing he should as he hath done many a time and oft vnto nations farre greater and mightier then ours power vs as it were out of one vessell into an other translate the scepter of this kingdom from hand to hand in steede of a gracious and religious Lady cause an hypocrite to raigne ouer vs which the Lord neuer suffer these eyes to see what could we saie but God were iust in al his waies had brought that vpon vs which our sinnes haue deserued To appease his wrath and to staie these or the like plagues from breaking in and from ouerwhelming the land there is no other waie but speedily to offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse This is the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen a broken and a contrite heart 21 The other sacrifice of the minde is praise which consisteth in thankesgiuing and petition Let vs thanke our God for his manifolde mercies For it is the Lordes mercies that
that worketh all in all Wherfore as not onely Paul Apollos Cephas but all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods so let vs comfort and strengthen one another in our holy faith holding nothing more deere vnto vs then the saluatiō ech of others and in Gods holy feare commend we one another to that faithful creator who is father of all aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all To him be rendred all thanks and all honour geuen for euer and for euer The order and matter of the Sermons 1 The first Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Esa. 55. 1. 2 Be this sinne against the Lorde far from me that I shoulde cease to pray c. 1. Sam. 12. 23. 3 Take vs the little foxes which destroie the vines for our vine hath florished Cant. 2. 15. 4 I exhorte therefore before all thinges that requestes supplications c. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 5 Be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde c. Phil. 2. 2. 6 Teach mee thy way O Lorde and I will walke in thy truth Psal. 86. 11. 7 Drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iac. 4. 8. 8 Seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde call vpon him while hee is neere c. Esay 55. 6. 9 All the daies of this my warfare do I waite till my changing come Iob. 14. 14. 10 That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we may serue him c. Luc. 1. 74. 11 Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one another for hee that loueth c. Rom. 13. 8. 12 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Mich. 6. 8. 13 And Iesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that soulde and bought c. Matth. 21. 12. 14 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God c. Act. 10. 34. 15 We therfore as helpers beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 2. Cor. 6. 2. 16 Mariage is honorable in all Heb. 13. 1. 17 After these thinges Iesus went his waie ouer the sea of Galile c. Ioh. 6. 1. 18 Then there shalbe signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Luc. 21. 25 19 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him c. Mat. 8. 23. 20 The end of all thinges is at hand Be ye therefore sober c. 1. Pet. 4. 7. 21 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal. 4. 5. 22 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte c. 2. Cor. 13. 11. A Sermon made in Paules on the day of Christes Natiuitie ESAY 55. 1 Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 2 Wherefore doe ye lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid OVR Euangelical Prophet Esaias through the spirit of reuelation hath in the former part of this his prophecie 800. yeres before the birth of Christ euen as if the thing had alreadie beene performed such is the certainetie of his prophecie most liuely described and set foorth the natiuitie the preaching the persecution the apprehension the death the resurrection the ascension yea and the latter comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead in such wise that for the substance thereof no Euangelist hath more perfectly or plainly set foorth this great mysterie of our saluation He foretelleth that Christ shall be borne of a virgin that his name shalbe Immanuel that his office shalbe to preache the glad tidings of saluation to the poore in spirit that he shalbe led as a sheepe to the shambles to be slaine that he shall be stricken for our sakes and beare the burthen of al our sinnes vpon his backe 2 His birth foreshewed so long agoe by this heauenly Prophet was in fulnesse of time accomplished as this day in Bethlem a citie of Dauid according to the testimonie of that Angel sent from heauen to proclaime the birth of the sonne of God at the same time saying Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shalbe vnto all the people because this day is borne vnto you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lorde in the Citie of Dauid This is that seede of the woman which breaketh the serpents head that meeke Abel murthered by his brethren for our sinne that true Isaack whom his father hath offered vp to be a sacrifice of pacification and attonement betweene him and vs. This is that Melchisedeck both a king and a priest that liueth for euer without father or mother beginning or ending This is Ioseph that was solde for thirtie pieces of monie This is that Sampson full of strength and courage who to saue his people and destroy his enemies hath willingly brought death vpon his owne head This is that Lorde and sonne of Dauid to whom the Lord sayde Sit thou on my right hand This is that bridegroome in the Canticle whose heart is so inflamed with heauenly loue towards his deare spouse which is his Church This is he whom holy Simeon imbrasing prophesied that he should be a light to the Gentiles and a glorie to his people Israel he vpon whom the holy Ghost descended and of whom the father testified from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne This is that lambe of God pointed at by Iohn and sent to take away the sinnes of the world to redeeme vs from thraldome not with golde nor siluer but with the inestimable price of his pretious bloud to be made our wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption This is the childe that is borne for vs the sonne that is giuen for our cause the king whose rule is vpon his shoulders whose name is maruellous the giuer of counsell the mightie GOD the euerlasting father the prince of peace the same Messias which was shadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of olde which was prefigured in the Lawe and is presented in the Gospel and hath beene approoued to the worlde by signes and wonders by so cleare euidence as cannot bee either dissembled or denyed Let vs therefore embrace this babe with ioie let vs kisse the sonne let vs with the Angels of heauen praise the Lord let vs sing their Psalme to the honour of his name Glorie be to God on high and on earth peace 3 The Prophet Esaias hauing in spirite espied Christ and seene the day though farre off wherein the Sauiour of the world should be borne
Therefore feare you the Lord and serue him in the trueth HIstories as well sacred as profane at large record that good Princes haue euer vigilantly looked into the state of the common wealth which is their charge and perceiuing disorder or foreseeing danger haue speedily caused consultation to be had as well for the reformation as for the preseruation thereof In which consultation three especiall things are commonly offered to consider of The state of religion the state of the Prince and the state of the common wealth Three most necessarie things to be regarded and prouided for If religion be not sound mens soules cannot be safe if the head be not preserued the bodie of necessitie must decay if good gouernment want the common wealth falleth into confusion Our Prophet that good Prince and ruler of the people in the great assemblie of the Israelites remembred vnto them these selfesame things as by the words which I haue chosen to treate of it wil appeare Our Samuel our good and gratious gouernour moued with like affection hath called this honourable and high Court of Parliament for like end Wherein that things wel intended may the better proceede and take best effect let vs in our prayers craue helpe and assistance from aboue Wherein let vs not forget Christs vniuersall Church this particular Church of England and Ireland the Queenes excellent Maiestie our most Soueraigne Ladie and chiefe gouernour that God remembring vs in his mercie may graunt her Maiestie a long happie life with the encrease of all godlie honour and felicitie to the great praise of his name and great good of his Church Let vs also remember in our prayers the honourable priuie Counsel the Clergie the Nobilitie with the whole people of this Realme that God may graunt euerie one grace in his calling syncerely to serue him And especially at this time let vs call vpon God for wisedome and grace from aboue that in this consultation of Parliament all priuate affections and respects to our owne commodities laide aside Gods glorie and the good of his Church and this common wealth onely and syncerely may be sought For these and grace let vs pray vnto God as our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs Our Father c. 2 The better to conueigh my selfe to the matter which I haue in hand I shall craue leaue that I may speake somewhat of this princely Prophet Samuel who descending of noble parentage was by his mother consecrated to the ministerie Of which calling though Christ himselfe thought so highly and honourably that refusing to bee a King he chose the office of a Minister yet so peruerse is the iudgement of the worlde that they thinke no condition more base or vile The minister with his master Christ is contemned this holy office is become odious All men seeke their owne and serue themselues it is accounted slauerie to serue the Lorde 3 Samuel was called of God to be a magistrate wherein he was so faithful and vpright that his aduersaries were forced to iustifie his dooings and to beare him record that he neither was a bribetaker nor an extortioner nor one that had iniuried any man It were wel with our common wealth if all officers could carie away the like testimonie But euill subiects cannot away with good magistrates The prodigall which haue consumed their substance in lewdenesse and vanitie long for a chaunge supposing that their state wil be bettered thereby and perswading them selues that it cannot be made worse All change is perilous and an olde saying is it Seldome comes the better A better this people could hardly haue had yet so vnquiet and discontented they were that the good and peaceable gouernement of Samuel notwithstanding they misliked their present state and desired an other gouernour to be giuen them The worthie magistrate Moses was muttered against The noble king Dauid for a time deposed our faithful Samuel reiected Behold the harde state of good Princes who are for the most part rewarded with great ingratitude Moses deare cousins became his deadly enemies Dauids familiar friends became his most fierce and violent foes Samuel was reiected of such as he most fauoured Crysippus obseruing the course of these things saith that which experience prooueth true Thou shalt bee sure if thou gouerne amisse to purchase Gods if well the peoples anger and displeasure The daunger of this office by reason of the great ingratitude of the people made Moses say to God Send whom thou wilt send it caused Demosthenes rather to wish banishment than place of gouernement and Themistocles to prefer hel it selfe to the iudgement seate When Antigonus should put on a royall diademe he brake foorth into this speeche O cloth of more honourable than happie estate wherewith if a man were so throughly acquainted that he could tell the number of cares and miseries wherewith thou art fraught hee would not stoupe for thee though he might haue thee for the taking vp Wherefore it grieued not Samuel to be eased of so heauie a burthen but God was much grieued to see so great disgrace offered to his annointed They haue not reiected thee but me saith the Lorde To dislike and cast off a good magistrate is to dislike and cast off God because all power is of God God in his wrath for godly Samuel gaue them wicked Saul I pray God in his iustice serue all such alike as seeke after such change as cannot submit themselues with louing and obedient hearts to the good gouernement of woorthie Samuel their natural Prince their good and faithful Magistrate whom for conscience sake they ought to honour and obey 4 Samuel was both a Prophet and a Prince a Minister and a Magistrate So was Melchisedech Moses Dauid Christ. Hee had neede to be a rare man that should wel aunswere sundrie offices When Redde rationem giue account commeth then one office such as the least of these will be thought a burthen heauie ynough for any one besides these to haue borne But the matching of these two offices doth teache what agreement loue and liking should be betweene these two officers They are Gods two hands to build vp withall the decayed wals of Ierusalem If the one hand set forward and the other put backeward Gods worke will be ill wrought The wisedome of God matched Moses and Aaron two brethren the one the minister the other the magistrate that knit together in brotherly loue they might labour together with both handes for the furtherance of Gods building When the word and the sword doe ioine then is the people wel ruled and then is God well serued So long as king Ioas and the good priest Iehoida liued together God was serued according to his word the priest rightly counselled the king gladly followed 5 Samuel zealous for the glorie of God and carefull for the commonwealth preacheth to the Parliament assembled after this sort Be this sinne
hath dealt as mercifully with vs as with them if we deale as vnkindely as they with him we which knowe what befell them for it cannot be ignorant what is likely to befall vs except we take the cup of saluation betimes and call vpon the name of the Lord while he is neere 17 And as his benefites doe require thankes so our owne estate doth need succour Our necessities therfore should make vs earnest suters vnto God that he would be our relieuer Our ship is in peril of tempest the ragings of the sea doe threaten it yet who crieth Help Lord What man is there that weepeth bitterly with Peter or nightly watereth his cowch with teares as Dauid Yet al haue sinned offended the Lord of glorie It is high time therefore to call vpon God that earnestly The superstitious praied without vnderstanding Wherein are we better if our praiers be without feeling The fountaine of praier is the feeling of the heart Powre out that before the Lord cal vpon him from thence crie from the depth and he shall answere Here I am thy readie helper in time of neede 18 But withall take this Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord that is to say Repent Paul to Titus vseth the like description of repētance saying The grace of God teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world Peter out of the Psalme in fewer words saith the same Decline from euill and doe good The Papists set repentance vpon three feete Confession Contrition and Satisfaction But two of them are of wood without life Their confession is to a priest whereas the scripture maketh God and not the priest our Confessor Confitemini Domino saieth the Psalmist Make confession to the Lord. Their satisfaction is but monie matter and God is satisfied not by gold but by bloud with vs he is pleased when our liues are amended Deus morum emendatione placatur qui peccare desinit iram Dei mortalem facit God is pacified by the mending of our maners and he that ceaseth from sin bringeth the wrath of God to an end saith Lactantius We must forsake therefore our owne waies our owne cogitations they are wicked vngodly There is nothing ours but imbecillitie and naughtinesse which with our selues we must vtterly renounce and forsake and flie to Gods mercie that in mercie he may accept vs. No doubt wee haue all wandered out of the waie all haue started aside euerie man hath wandered his owne fond and sinnefull way wee haue prouoked Gods wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him we haue wickedly profaned his sacred Gospell his word we haue contemned and abused vsing it as a cloake to couer our deepe hypocrisie Christ was neuer more professed neuer lesse obeied It is truly verified in our times which the Prophet Oseas complained of in his There is no trueth there is no mercifulnesse there is no knowledge of God in the Land cursing and lying and murther and theft and whoredome haue ouerflowed bloud hath touched bloud Ezechiel teacheth that the sinnes of Sodome that sinke of sinne were Idlenesse of fulnesse of bread pride and vnmercifulnesse towards the poore Are not these the sinnes of this Land of this Citie of this Court at this day Are not these bad waies our waies Halfe Englande liueth idly or woorse occupied we are fed to the full and who is not puffed vp with pride or who relieueth his neighbours want No man is contented with his owne estate but euerie one striueth to clime higher to sit aloft There is want of the true feare of God in all sorts estates and ages Yet we please our selues and walke on as if God either sawe not our sinne or else in his iustice could not punish it Are the eyes of the Lord shut vp or hath God forgotten to be iust Surely our sinnes will not suffer his plagues to stay long from vs. What plagues I dare not presume to prophecie For God hath kept that secrete to himselfe But I stande in feare that we are the men to whom Christ saith The kingdome of God shall be taken from Yov that wee are they whose sinnes will bring the scepter of this kingdome into the handes of an hypocrite If God in his iustice doe this woe worth vs most wretched men The losse of the Gospell is the losse of our soules and the losse of our Soueraigne the losse of our liues Truely when I fall into consideration of the wickednesse of this worlde that all sorts of men fall to sinning with greedinesse that there is skant one left as Elias complaineth that truly seeketh after God that in all conditions iniquitie doeth abound and charitie waxe colde that the zeale of God is vtterly dryed vp in the hearts of men that God is serued for fashions sake and not in trueth what should I thinke but that God hath gathered his lap ful of plagues and is readie to powre them downe vpon vs There is but one way to staie him for which he himselfe doth staie and waite Doe ye not knowe that the lenitie of God inuiteth you to repentance If we wil saue our Nineuie we must repent and turne to our God we must seeke him both prince and people 19 The benefite which commeth vnto those that seeke him is this He will haue mercie on them Although the house of Israel rebelled against the Lord as a froward woman rebelleth against her husband yet he ceased not to call vpon them still by the voice of his Prophets O ye disobedient children returne returne and I will heale your rebellions Surely it perteineth vnto God to say I haue pardoned I will not destroie He looketh vpon men and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it did not profite mee hee will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see light Loe all these things will GOD worke twise or thrise with a man He desireth not our destruction but our conuersion be we neuer so great sinners For hee is verie readie to forgiue Aske pardon and thou shalt haue it Returne to the Lord vnfeinedly and he will mercifully accept thee 20 And if he be readie to forgiue vs let not vs bee loath to giue vnto him We neede not aske where he is or what he wanteth that we may giue vnto him He is neere at hand straying staruing in the streetes naked hungrie cold harborlesse sicke and diseased ruthfully moning and crying for reliefe Let the pitifull crie of our Christ mooue our hearts to mercie He that shutteth his eares at the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard Let that mercilesse Moguntine terrifie men of hard and stonie hearts who was deuoured of rats the vilest vermin for his cruell heart voide of all
not trauell to tel you howe diuersly the name of grace is taken in the sacred scriptures but rather note vnto you in what sense the holie Ghost doth chiefly vse it in this place Grace is the fauour and mercie of God towards sinnefull men It is called grace because it is giuen gratis freely and vndeseruedly on our parts to whom it is giuen For vs it is purchased by the onely meane and meere merite of our Sauiour Christ and to vs it is both offered and exhibited by the voluntarie and vnprouoked operation of the spirite This grace in it selfe being large more than sufficient for all men the holy Ghost diuideth and bestoweth vpon eache breathing where and as he listeth according to the secrete pleasure of his will Thorough it we haue saluation whereas through sinne wee deserue death For out iniquitie was heinous in the sight of God first committed by Adam and since continued in vs but farre more exceeding was the mercie of our Lord who when we were his enemies sent foorth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe and that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes No tongue can expresse neither any minde conceiue this gratiousnesse Yet let vs ponder it with such consideration as we are able Great therefore I say was the mercie of our creator who gaue his sonne and great the loue of our Sauiour who gaue euen himselfe for vs. Our thraldome was great that required a ransome of such value our guiltinesse much that could no otherwise be washed away but with the verie heart bloud of the innocent lambe of God Christ Iesus our Lord Yea inestimable and vneffable was the loue of our gratious Lord who to spare vs spared not himselfe He was content to become ignominious before men that we might be glorious with his father to be condemned that wee might be absolued to bee crowned with thornes to purchase vs a crowne of immortalitie to loose his life that we might gaine life to suffer death that we might escape it and to become as hated and accursed of God that we might find fauour and eternall grace with him In his death our sinne is pardoned by his bloud our filthinesse is washed away by his resurrection we are reconciled to his father and made at one with God Let vs not breake this so happie truce betwixt the Lord and vs let vs not through sinne condemne our selues againe nowe that we are iustified let vs not walke toward hell hee hauing made plaine and easie the path to heauen The image of God in vs defaced through Adam is repaired by Christ Let vs appeare therefore in this pure image before God that wee may be acceptable in his pure sight Through Christ we are called to be citizens with the Saints and Gods houshold-seruaunts let vs then put on the garments of trueth and innocencie that so it may appeare whose seruaunts we are by our Lords liuerie We are made the happie heires of his glorious kingdome and fellow heires with Iesus Christ wherefore let vs not seeke so possessions here that we loose a better inheritance aboue in heauen If wee doe it is in vaine that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath beene so largely offered vnto vs and plentifully powred on vs. Yea his grace will encrease the wofulnesse of our destruction 7 Grace is offered and receiued by two especiall outwarde meanes the preaching of the Gospel and the holie administration of the blessed Sacraments These two are the instruments or rather the hands by the which the holie Ghost doth offer exhibite seale and deliuer the grace of God vnto vs. 8 And there bee two sorts of men to whom grace is offered by the word in vaine The one are they which wil not giue it so much as the hearing but doe vtterly contemne and vnkindely refuse that which the Lord doth so kindly and so gratiously offer to them The other they that heare it indeede reade it but consider it not receiue it but altogether without fruite and for fashions sake Of the former sort are all such as Pharao was who enioined Moses to come no more in his sight for hee would not heare him Such also were the Iewes to whom when Stephen preached they stopped their eares Such they of whom the Lorde complaineth by the Prophet saying I spake and they would not heare 9 Of the latter sort there be three kindes shadowed in the parable of the sower which went foorth to sowe his seede whereof some fell in the high way side some in stonie grauelly ground some also amongst thornes That which fell by the high waie side either the birds of the aire picked vp or men trod vpon with their feete Which our sauiour applieth vnto him that heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not and by and by the diuell taketh it away least he should beleeue and so be saued For it fareth with the woord preached as with the seede sowen Some are so dissolute and rechelesse that they let it in at the one eare and out at the other The hearts of some be so be so hardened and parched because they want the watering of Gods spirit which doth only mollifie that his word can take no roote in them The diuell and his deceitful Angels doe so bewitch them and fil their harts with vain cogitations so abalienate their mindes and trouble their memorie that they cannot tell what is saide it is forgotten by that it is spoken Yea the diuell doth so throughly occupie the hearts of many other with superstitious opinions and fond perswasions or with such worldly desires such fleshly lusts such froward affections that the hearing of the blessed word is a wearisome worke vnto them euery houre spent that way is as tedious as a yere and thought to bee wholly lost Many likewise both heare the woord preached and reade the Scriptures as the Pharisees did heare them that they may seeme to fauour the Gospel and so vnder pretence of holinesse blinde the eyes of others and purloine commoditie to themselues Such come in amongst the children of God as did Satan of old yet God knowes them to be children of darknesse not of light yea and oftentimes he so shaketh them out of their painted rags that the whole world may espie their ouglie and deformed nakednesse Whilest by their hypocrisie they labour to deceiue others they deceiue yea and damne themselues To this sort of men therefore the word is offered but all in vaine Either they receiue it not or they receiue it to their owne destruction 10 The second sort are resembled to the stonie soile which receiueth the seede and it taketh roote for a time but when the heate of the sunne commeth it withereth away Many such there be which haue gladly heard the Gospel haue frequented sermons with appearance of great deuotion and could freshly
If a prince giue out his letters patent of a gift so long as the seale is not put to the gift is not fullie ratified and the partie to whom it is giuen thinketh not him selfe sufficientlie assured of it Gods gift without sealing is sure as hee himselfe is al one without changing yet to beare with our infirmitie and to make vs more secure of his promise to his writing woord he added these outward signes and seales to establish our faith and to certifie vs that his promise is most certain He giueth vs therfore these holie and visible signes of bread wine saith Take and eate this is my bodie and blood giuing vnto the signes the names which are proper to the things signified by them as we vse to doe euen in cōmon speach when the signe is a liuelie representation and image of the thing 13 Let vs therefore bee thankefull vnto our redeemer Christ for these his great benefites and so vnspeakeable and vndeserued mercies and let vs receiue this holie sacrament as a sure pledge that the vertue of his death and passion is imputed vnto vs for iustice euen as though we had suffered the same which hee did in our owne naturall bodies Let vs not be so peruerse as to drawe backe when Iesus Christ calleth vs so louingly to this royall feast but with good consideration of the woorthinesse of this gift present we our selues with a feruent zeale that we may come woorthily to this holy table Let eche man trie himselfe and so eate saith the Apostle Let vs enter into our selues therefore and examine the estate of our hearts and soules and consider in what case we stand If we be not of the sanctified houshold of God not Christs seruaunts and faithfull Disciples shall we dare presume to presse in being aliens and strangers to the Lords as most comfortable so also most dreadfull table No let no impenitent blasphemer of God no whoremonger or vile and vnrepented sinner presume to touch or tast this foode for such shall not feede vpon Christ and his merits but they receiue their owne damnation But such as wil woorthily feede at this blessed feast must earnestly and truly mourne for their sinnes past in a setled purpose and resolution neuer willingly to defile themselues againe And such as will be partakers of this bread that came from heauen Iesus Christ our one and onely Sauiour must also be as one bread or loafe and as one bodie ioined together in brotherly loue and all other offices of godlie and Christian charitie For if thou come to this banket without this vesture of loue it shall be saide vnto thee Friend howe camest thou hither not hauing on thy wedding garment A wofull speeche and an ende most miserable Let this suffice for the first point which is the blessed Apostles exhortation not to receiue the grace of God in vaine 14 Concerning the second member wherein wee are put in mind that this is the time to shewe our selues woorthie receiuers of grace he applieth to his purpose the words of the Prophet Esay who speaking vnto Christ as in the person of his father saith In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in a day of saluation haue I helped thee The acceptable time is that whereof S. Paul speaketh When the fulnesse of time came God sent his sonne made of a woman It was indeede an acceptable time and full of grace wherein the sacrifice of Christ was so gratiously accepted and his praiers heard of God And it may well be called a day of saluation wherein his father gaue him a triumphant victorie ouer those so bitter torments of death An acceptable time was it a day of saluation not so much in respect of him who at all times was accepted as of vs who without him and his death had beene refused For in that day was your redemption wrought by our redeemer and sinners saued by his passion who had no sinne And as hee died and rose so he praied and was heard for vs. I pray for them I pray not for the world I pray for them whom thou hast giuen me saith our Sauiour Nowe the acceptable time and day of saluation which Esay spake of S. Paul doth very aptly and effectually applie to his present occasion Beholde nowe is the acceptable time beholde nowe is the day of saluation For the Fathers liued in hope of this acceptable day of grace and fauour to come but the verie time beginneth from the suffering of Christ Iesus and continueth euen to the worlds end And vnto euerie one of vs so much of this acceptable time is granted as we haue time granted here to liue Which being not long because our life is but as it were a span it may fitly be called a day or rather an houre of saluation This day therefore grace is offered vs of God Against whose maiestie forasmuch as all haue sinned and by sinne are depriued of his glorie wee must needes acknowledge that for the recouering of our losse wee stand all in present neede of his grace Nowe is the time wherein our soules doe groane to be releeued with grace and mercie For who can say My heart is sound I neede no Physitian What one man is there amongst vs all who hath loued God as he ought to doe or tendered his neighbours case as he would his owne We may dallie with our selues and thinke that we suffer not for our owne transgressions that we are not cause of that great plague calamitie which presently is come vpon our countrie Beloued do not deceiue your selues Our God is a righteous iudge who blesseth the innocent and heapeth punishment vpon the offending soule For truly if we searche our selues as we ought to doe with a single eye if we examine out thoughts take a reckoning of our words and peise our deedes and waies in an equall ballance aske our hearts and they wil tell vs enquire of our conscience it wil declare vnto vs that euerie one of vs hath wel deserued more than hath happened vnto any of vs Yea wee shall finde that all haue not suffered halfe so much as euerie one hath deserued Our first parents for tasting the fruit that was forbidden them were themselues cast out of their pleasaunt habitation and punished in all their posteritie to come for euer Haue wee being terrefied by the horror of their example withheld our hands and bridled our affections from euerie vnlawful and forbidden thing Corah Dathan and Abiram with their fauourites and confederates were swallowed vp of the earth for whispering against Moses and against Aaron Did we neuer once mutter against our good and lawfull magistrates against our iudges and against the Lordes ministers Dauid for numbring of his people procured such a plague that 70. thousand were consumed with it and are wee so vnspotted that we haue not in as heinous a matter as this offended God would
of weight that God himselfe seemeth as it were tired with labouring so long about it As appeareth by those passionate and grieuous complaints recorded in holy scripture I haue spoken they doe not heare I haue stricken they are not grieued How often would I haue gathered them as a hen her chickens vnder her wings and they would not bee gathered O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda howe shall I intreate thee Yet neither were they ignoraunt and we doe very wel know that there is no other medicine saue repentaunce onely to heale the wounds of our soules no other way to restore our selues againe to our fathers home but onely Father I haue sinned no other meane to quenche the wrathfull indignation which our sinnes haue caused to burne and flame as an ouen but onely our teares Though our sins be red as skarlet or as fire yet being bathed with the water of our eyes they are scowred made as white as snow It is written of Marie not of that vertuous Marie but of the dissolute that she was Mulier peccatrix notorious for her light and lewde behauiour Yet by repenrance as she died vnto sinne so the memorie of sinne being dead vnto her she liueth stil in the glorious remembraunce of that righteousnesse which penitent sinners obteine by faith She is honourably mentioned wheresoeuer the Gospel of Christ is heard all men speake of her teares of her sinnes no one is mentioned or knowne The pretious oyle wherewith shee was woont to annoint her selfe that shee might be more pleasaunt to the senses of her louers shee nowe powreth out and for loue sake bestoweth it vpon her Sauiour The eyes which were woont to cast wanton lookes vpon the dissolute did nowe gush out with water and serued as conduites at the feete of Christ. The haire which before had beene wrapt in golde had beene coloured pleated and bordered laide out and beset with pearles was now imployed to a far other vse that the honour receiued from the feete of Iesus might put out the shame which before it had taken from the eyes of lewde and amarous beholders Hauing washed and dried she could not satisfie her selfe til she had also kissed her Sauiours feet whose mercie had now eased her heart of that deadly sting which the lips of wantons had imprinted left behind them O blessed paterne of true contrition howe woorthily art thou left for al posteritie to talke of to behold and to follow Such conuerts shew plainely that they are woorthie receiuers and that the grace of God hath not appeared vnto them in vaine For they who in this fort denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts will surely according to the blessed Apostles exhortation which followeth giue offence to none 17 For although there must of necessitie offences rise yet Woe be to him hy whom they rise Why Were not the Pharisees offended at the scholers and disciples of Christ for not fasting for eating with vnwasht hands for plucking the eares of corne on the Sabaoth day and for such like things of their owne inuention toyes of no importance Nay did not the most charitable deedes of Christ himselfe offend these peeuish hypocrites It is true they were offended with him and his as at this day the Romish Pharisees are offended with vs and ours But we must marke and obserue that we are warned onely not to giue offence to any man If men bee offended with vs which by vs are not offended such offences being not giuen of vs but taken of them are not our faults but their follies Vnto vs therefore at this time S. Pauls exhortation importeth thus much that sith God hath graunted vs fauour in the eyes of this people with whom we presently conuerse it were a thing most intollerable for vs with Iacobs children to commit such crimes or giue such offences as might make vs odious and lothsome in their sight The Gospel hath nowe gotten honour and renowne by these our sufferings for it let it not hereafter bee ill spoken of and slandered through our disordered conuersation Of all others wee had neede to walke most warily We are set as it were a citie vpon a mountaine to be gazed at Our conuersation is marked of all men and diligent searche made of it on euerie hand Friends enemies and strangers obserue our steppes and a litle fault in vs will be taken as a great offence Let the woord of Christ dwell richely amongst you with all wisedome that ye may bee blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God without rebuke that we may bee as shining lights in the world holding foorth the word of life that in the day of Christ we may reioice and be glad as they who haue not receiued the grace of God in vaine Let vs forsomuch as our heauenly father for the merites of his sonne and by the ministration of his spirite doth gratiously offer and exhibite vnto vs his manifold mercies and benefites especially in his holie woord and sacraments thankefully and woorthily receiue the same and namely in this acceptable time the onely time appointed of God for vs to receiue and for him to offer grace Finally let vs shewe that his grace hath taken roote and place in our fleshie not fleshly hearts in bringing foorth the woorkes of the spirite the fruite of true repentance of sanctification and good life giuing offence to no man no not to those which are without but walking quietly honestly and orderly in all things that men seeing our blamelesse and inoffensiue conuersation may glorifie God the giuer of all goodnesse and the eternall father To whom with the Sonne and the holie Ghost one God of most glorious maiestie be all honour and praise rendered in the Church for euer Amen The sixteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at a mariage in Strausborough HEB. 13. 1 Mariage is honourable in all AS God made the worlde and all the creatures therein conteined to serue for the setting forth of his glorie and great maiestie so likewise by the forcible mightie operation of his strength and power he preserueth still the workes of his hands least if he should haue onely builded the goodly frame of this world afterward suffred the same to decay the praise of his name shold haue lasted but a while and reached but to a fewe which nowe passeth through many generations and continueth to all eternitie For this he prouided when hauing finished the creation of trees and herbes and made them both beautifull and good in their appointed seasons hee blessed them with secrete vertue to multiplie by bringing foorth fruite and seede eche according to his kind that there might be a continuance increase of things so behooueful for liuely creatures Also that the liuely and sensible creatures themselues the birdes of the aire the beasts of the fielde and fishes in the sea might yeeld in all ages the benefite which the children of men do reape by them he powred
into the hands of their enimies and they that hated them were Lordes ouer them he cast them into exile and miserable bondage he burnt vp their holie citie he destroied their glorious temple he left them to be deuoured with pestilence with hunger and with the sworde the accustomed instrumentes of his wrath Insomuch that euen to this day the remnant of that elect and chosen people is scattered farre and wide and doth liue in all contempt hatred and slauerie marked like Cain to be knowne as a murdering vagabond vpon the earth to be a byword an example of Gods Iustice to all the worlde throughout all succeeding ages 6 Now all these thinges came vnto them not onely for their punishment but also for examples vnto others were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come They are patterns for vs to looke vpon that seeing their sinne and the punishment thereof we may eschew the one if we desire to escape the other And they crie dayly in our eares Let not your faults be like their faultes least your destruction also be like to their destruction for God is the same yesterday to day for euer he hateth sinne no lesse now then before no lesse in vs than in them 7 He hath visited vs in mercie as he visited them yea we haue tasted perhaps more aboundantly of his goodnes than euer they did And as the benefittes we haue receiued doe at the least equall theirs so their vnthankfulnesse is much behinde ours if it be rightly and duelie considered God hauing so straungly so farre beyond all hope so much beside our expectation and more besides our desert so many times and so many wayes deliuered vs not out of one Aegypt from vnder one Pharao through the middest of one sea but out of sundrie places of most grieuous irkesome and tedious captiuitie from vnder the heauie yooke of sundrie cruell tyrants through the middest of sundrie maine seas of troubles and afflictions Yet haue we for all this buried the memorie of our deliuerance in forgetfulnesse yet doe wee for all this sinne dayly and that with greedinesse yea and spiritually as farre as in vs lyeth crucifie Christ a freshe and sheede his most precious bloud againe We are wearie of the Gospell the foode of life is reiected as a thing vnsauorie we haue no liking to feede as the Lordes table our desire is rather to franke vp our selues with that which we shoulde abhorre and loath Euerie house and corner is full of idolatrie and superstition of sinne and filthinesse full of murmuring against God full of grudging and repyning against the Lords annointed For of his Prophetes what shoulde I say was there euer any time any age any nation countrie or kingdome when and where the Lordes messengers were worsse entreated more abused despysed and slaundered than they are here at home in the time of the Gospell in these our dayes wee are become in your sight and vsed as if wee were the refuse and paringes of the worlde Euerie mouth is spitefully opened euerie tooth is sharpened and whetted against vs. Harde it is to finde one foorth that will loue and reuerence vs as fathers obey vs as gouernours honour vs as Gods embassadours learne of vs as of schoolemaisters here and follow vs as sheepeheardes giue vs worthie wages as workemen that take paines for your saluation But our exspectation is not deceiued Christ our Sauiour hath told vs long ago that the world should hate vs our case is no worse herein thē the blessed Apostles was our reward is great in heauen And it were well if this vnkinde affection did reach no further than vnto vs only But it spreadeth wider regardeth as little the throne of Dauid as the chaire of Moses the sworde as the booke the Prince as the Prophet the ciuill as the ecclesiasticall state Some desire a chaunge Others not onely desire it but conspire for it too and contriue treacherie greedelie expecting their looked for time the daie of their felicitie and of their great ioy But if God in his wrath graunt such a time which for his mercie sake I trust he will neuer do it wilbe euen to them who now so earnestlie desire it a day of death and not of life of lamentation and not of ioy What gayned they who desired the chaunge of Samuell for Saull of Christ for Barrabas they procured Gods wrath their owne confusion perpetuall slauerie So it fareth with miscontented mindes Their own desires plague them 8 Thus we cannot but see Gods godnesse and our vnthankefulnesse his giftes and our abusing of them his patience and our continuall frowardnesse Our sinnes are come to the fulnesse with the Ammorites iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand and crusheth downe all pietie Can our God thinke you winke at so manifest or holde his hande at so grieuous sinne If he spared not the braunches of the true oliue not his first borne Israell not his elect people but often punished and at length gaue them quite ouer for that they neglected his worde and despysed the Preachers of it if he spared not his owne onely citie not the holie temple wherein he woulde be worshipped but for that they were both polluted and prophaned destroyed both for euer whar can wee which are but as wilde twigges whose father was an Ammorite and whose mother an Hittite who haue not harkned to his worde sent from heauen who haue defiled his sacred temple and euen crucified his Christ looke for any other but Gods great plagues and dreadfull vengeance to be powred vpon vs to our eternall miserie doubtlesse we haue deepely prouoked him vnto anger The onely way to pacifie and appease his wrath to mitigate his indignation and to remoue his plagues from vs which euen now hange ouer vs is our earnest repentāce to turne vnto our God with our whole harte that he may turne to vs to lament and forsake our wickednesse to trust in mercie and to craue pardon to promise performe amendment of this sinnefull life Thus we must doe and that speedelie or else without doubt and without delay we perish 9 The threatned destruction of the temple hath occasioned me thus much to say Now when Christ had vttered the sentence of ruine desolation against that holy place the Disciples as Mathew reporteth cam secretly vnto him asked not only of the time when the Tēple should be destroied but also of the second comming of Christ and of the end of the worlde They enquired as men desirous to learne that whereof they were ignoraunt And they asked of Christ the wisedome of God the appointed schoolemaister of whome we should seeke for knowledge They asked as I sayde three seuerall thinges of the destruction of Ierusalem of the seconde comming of Christ of the ende of the worlde which two later are indeede but one To whom Christ maketh answere not assigning any certainetie of the times when
remembring vs when wee litle hoped and lesse deserued deliuered vs from the state of miserable seruitude and gaue vs our gratious Soueraigne his owne elect Elizabeth by his grace our prince and gouernour the restorer of our religion and libertie Lorde shewe vs the light of thy fauourable countenance multiplie these good daies graunt vs many of these happie yeres O Lord I praie thee saue nowe O Lord I pray thee now giue prosperitie Lord preserue whō thou hast giuen giue her O Lord good successe and prosperitie Eusebius the Bishop of Cesarea thought himselfe much honoured that he was appointed to celebrate with a Sermon the Inauguration of Constantinus the Emperour Euen so I take it for my great good happe that it falleth to my lot at this present to put you in remembraunce of the great happinesse which hath befallen vs as on this day that we may reioice and be thankefull for it 3 And for the better performance hereof as the publike minister of the Church I bring vnto you the voice of the Church a part of the most excellent song of Solomon Which at the first sight although it may seeme a strange peece of scripture and skantly fit for this time yet when it shall be throughly considered of it wil appeare very pertinent to our time and purpose For herein is contained a doctrine touching the mercies of God towards vs the malitious frowardnesse of his and our enemies and our duetie towards him concerning them Our vineyard hath flourished behold the meere grace and fauour of God towardes his Church Litle foxes deuoure it behold the ingratitude of the people resisting the grace of God and abusing his mercie Take vs these litle foxes behold the commaundement of God and the duetie of his seruaunts Of these three things in order as they lie my purpose is by Gods assistance to speake 4 The Church of God by a metaphor is many times in the scriptures termed a vineyard neither can there bee a better resemblance in any thing and that in diuerse respects But because it were more curious than profitable particularly to follow the comparison I wil onely remember vnto you the chiefe parts The vineyard that shall fructifie must fall into the hands of a skilful and laboursome husbandman who first must weede it stone it and prepare it then he must in season and with cunning plant a good vine that will beare a pleasaunt grape in it water vnderprop and prune it and lastly compasse it about with a ditche a strong wall or a sure hedge for defence Such a vineyard must needes bring foorth good fruite God of his goodnesse hath prouided for this vineyard his church of England all these helpes aboundantly he hath beautified it and furnished it most plentifully with rare and woonderfull blessings 5 He hath giuen it a skilfull ouerseer one indued with al gifts and qualities fit for gouernement An vnwise King destroyeth his people but where they that be in authoritie are men of vnderstanding there the Citie prospereth Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth saith the Prophet It pleased the Lord greatlie that Solomon asked rather wisedome than riches knowledge than honour Giue vnto thy seruaunt O Lord an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betweene good and bad If learning and wisedome be so necessarily required in a gouernor how great is the goodnesse of almightie God to vs ward which hath so plentifully bestowed this gift of knowledge and wisdome vpon our Soueraigne not farre inferior to Mithridates for diuersitie of languages but farre surmounting al former English princes in learning knowledge and vnderstanding which rare and excellent gift dwelleth not in her royall brest alone but is beautified and accompanyed with sundrie other most singuler graces She is the verie patronesse of true religion rightly termed The defender of the Faith one that before all other things seeketh the kingdome of God If the threatenings of men could haue terrified her or their allurements entised her or any craftie perswasions haue preuailed she had reuolted long ere this so fiercely by great Potentates her constancie hath beene assaulted But God hath strengthened his royall handmaide the feare of God hath put to flight the feare of men her religious heart is accepted of the Lord and glorious it is also in the eyes of the worlde A Prince so zealous for Gods house so firmely setled in his trueth that she hath constantly determined and oftentimes vowed rather to suffer all torments than one iot to relent in matter of religion She is not fraudulent and treacherous but dealeth iustly and truely in woord and deede with all men promiseth and performeth Herein her Maiestie passeth all princes and therefore in credite she is farre before others And her great desire is that all men placed in authoritie vnder her should deale truely iudge rightly and giue to euery man his owne according to iustice matching alwaies with iustice mercie which two are so linked and coupled together that they may not be seuered Iustice without mercie is too sharpe and rigorous and mercie without iustice is not mercie but follie That no Prince of this Realme inclining so much to mercie did euer lesse hinder the course of Iustice than her Highnesse hath doone such as are placed in Iudiciall roumes must needes confesse So truely it may be saide The scepter of thy kingdome is a righteous scepter thou louest iustice and hatest sinne Of nature a prince most mercifull in iudgement vpright and iust A prince voide of all corruption an hater of bribes free in bestowing in taking close handed one that hath learned and doeth practise our Sauiours lesson It is a more blessed thing to giue than to receiue A right Samuel that cannot bee charged with indirect dealing A prince milde as Moses iust as Samuel peacefull as Solomon zealous as Dauid Neither speake I this in flatterie which thing be farre from me but in an vpright conscience not of gesse but of knowledge not seeking my selfe but the glorie of God that being put in minde of your happinesse yee may praise God for his mercie and glorifie him in his gratious gifts Thus hath God blessed this vineyard his Church with a learned wise religious iust vncorrupt milde mercifull peacefull and zealous Prince to gouerne it A great blessing the Lord continue it and make vs thankefull for it 6 This skilfull manurer of the vineyard must first ridde the ground purge the Church The barnefloore must be cleansed before the haruest be brought in Ieremie commaundeth the thornes first to be rooted out and then the seede to bee cast into the ground Moses gaue charge to cast out all leauen before the people might celebrate the passeouer Iosua willed the Cananites to be expelled ere he would establish his common wealth of Israel Iacob would not sacrifice vnto God till he had purged his house of Idols The like